Chapter Text
Jungkook always knew he had sensory issues, but they had hit him full force when he walked into his frat house. He stepped in, his nose twitched, immediately picking up the scent of rancid alcohol and stale pizza mixing together, battling for dominance, creating an unpleasant smell. His hand immediately covered his nose as if on auto pilot, trying to mask whatever bad decisions were left within the walls.
He ventured deeper into what some would call a home, but he can beg to differ.
He had braced himself for whatever was to come. He begun to convince himself that no one even lived there, the lack of human activity was certainly unexpected.
He knew he had arrived a couple days late since his courses didn't start for another week, but he had expected a way more lively living situation. The first hint of life was an untidy pile of sneakers sprawled infront the entrance way.
As he ventured deeper, he entered what looked like the kitchen. The spilled vodka on the counter made sense since it was thick in the air, the trash looked like it was desperately crying to be emptied, the grey cupboards were pristine compared to the rusted fridge.
A frown sat upon his face. The urge to turn around , get back into his car, and drive away pounded in his head. This was definitely not what he expected. He dismisses the lack of activity as he searches for his room.
Finally, he found it, he pushed the door of his room open,
cringing at the fact that he even had to touch it, he can already feel the tiny germs running around his fingers.
Now Jungkook isn't a clean freak kind of guy, despite that he knows this place wasn't habitable. He takes a deep breath cursing as soon as the toxic air rushes through his lungs almost making him cough.
His dwindling expectations finally halted when he took in the room. His eyes landed on the first bed that the boxed room held, it fitted like a puzzle piece in the narrow corner. The breath he was holding the entire time finally escaped.
The bed had a few stains but it wasn't anything some bleach and clean sheets couldn't cover up. It was stationed with a side table, the flimsy thing was probably only ment to hold the little enthusiasm he had for the godforsaken room and a few books.
The room had began to filter out the thoughts of the disastrous house, the air that flowed through the room to the door made his lungs feel fresh again, he thanks god the room at least has a window. It matched right into the tiny room.
Just as he'd made up his mind that the room did in fact meet his depressingly low expectations. A small thump drew his attention to the other side of the room. His eyes shot to the side, landing on the back of someone's head. A neat mess of silver hair. His roomate.
When him and his parents sat down to create his plan for college he was adamantly against having one, but an apartment was over budget so there was no choice.
He closes his eyes, praying to whatever god hears him that having a roomie won't be so bad before he announces his presence .
He let's out a fake cough before speaking up, not wanting to startle the guy. "Hey" he said. Placing his bags next to his bed.
His attempt to not startle the other failed, He watched the him drop what looks like some sort of yellow dog figurines, his hand flew to his chest.
"Oh shit I'm sorry" Jungkook said with a chuckle, bending down to grab the toy. As he stood up, he finally got a proper look at his roomie's face.
He had a face sharp enough to cut someone. Jungkook thought that if he were to just touch his jawline he'd walk away with at least a paper cut. His thick eyebrows matches with his uneven eyes, they shone like diamonds despite the little lighting from their tiny dorm window. He looked soft despite the striking features.
Maybe it's the oversized plaid shirt that slightly exposes his colar bones and slender neck or the baggy jeans that hung a little to low on his hips.
The guys subtly reaches to pull them up shyly making eye contact with Jungkook and his lingering eyes, he reachs out and takes the figurine from him. Things seem a bit awkward, but Jungkoook doesn't care, all he's hoping for is that the guy sits somewhere ontop a rainbow just like he does.
"Um thanks." The sinking velvet voice voice pulls him out of his thoughts.
"Ah it's no problem, sorry for the scare." He chuckles as the other threw him a shy smile awkwardly scratching the back of his head.
"It's fine, I'm just easily startled so it's whatever, I'm Taehyung by the way, nice to meet you."
He stares at the slender outstretched hand before taking it into his, it's was just as warm as he expected.
"I'm Jungkook, I guess we're roomates" he smirks.
"Yeah I guess so."
Jungkook could have sworn he saw Taehyung’s eyes lingered on him a beat to long, but he summed it up to his brain playing tricks on him, he'd never seen someone this gorgeous in his life, it's probably messing with him.
"Do you need help unpacking? I just got done with mine."
It definitely looks like it, he thought. He scanned the other's side of room. He doesn’t know how he feels about the people on the walls that stared back at him but he thinks he can get used to it.
Taehyung’s desk held a PC and towering stack of books. The accompanying shelf was nothing short of packed, it's cover in anything from more books, plushies, trinkets and pictures. One picture in particular stood out.
Taehyung’s shy smile glittered at him, Jungkook mades a note that the other looks better in his current silver hair than the blonde in the photo. But what really caught Jungkook's eye, sending a pang of pain ringing through his chest is the girl next to him. He tries to make himself believe that it could be the others sister, maybe cousin? Friend?
"Yeahh sure why not. I still have a few a boxes in my car so maybe-."
"Babyyy you forgot your lab coat in my car." Jungkook is interrupted as "the sister" hopped into the dorm. He sighed.
His stomach dropped. Game over.
~~~~
Frat life, during the first year of college Jungkook learned it was surprisingly predictable, almost exactly like in the movies. It was a chaotic balance between partying, drinking, a constant cycle of hook ups and late-night study sessions. The stench of his dorm happened to not burn his nose as badly anymore. This was his life now.
At the beginning of his frat boy life things seemed pretty choatic. Sharing a house with half a dozen men sometimes made him consider to just move into the normal dorms. But with time, he'd adjusted. Despite all the drawbacks of sharing a house with 6+ men. It wasn't all that bad, especially since his roommate was...peculiarly. He wasn't weird, just not the typical frat boy.
He was quiet. He was almost like a peace that settled right into the puzzle of their dorm.
Days bled into week, then into months. A calm almost domestic rhythm settled into their dorm room.
Jungkook's ears wiggled awake at the sound of his alarm. He pushed himself up, exposing his bare chest as the blanket pools around his waist. He groaned and twisted, trying to find some lingering comfort despite the obvious need to be up and ready. His body gets the strength for him to reach forward and grab his phone from the night stand. He sighed from the peace and quiet.
He dragged his body through his morning routine, The same one that he'd established since he'd arrive. Brush his teeth, shower, eat, then get to class. But this morning was a little different.
It was laundry day. He piled up all his clothes into two bags, rolling his eyes at the fact that he has the drag both bags down to the dingy, smelly room known as the laundry room.
Chores has always been his least favorite thing. Back home, his mother would always chew his head off about keeping his room clean and washing his dirty dishes. So now that he's free of her watchful eyes he didn't give a damn. Hence why he was blessed with two bulging bags of his dirty laundry.
As he was about the leave, the door pushed open and Taehyung stepped inside, Jungkook glances at the time, realizing his roomate was home from his morning class.
"Hey Tae, how was class?" he asked, trying to sound cheerful, despite the other's obvious damper mood.
Taehyung hung up his coat and bag, then plopped himself on top his bed with a tired sigh, the tiredness on his face doesn't go unnoticed.
"It was fine." Taehyung replied, a subtle smile on his face not quite reaching his eyes.
"You sure? you look pretty stressed"
"Yeah" Taehyung sighed agian. "The lab today kinda beat my ass but I'm fine. Just need a minute."
One of the many things Jungkook has learned about him was that he wasn't a man of many words. During their time of getting to know each other he realized that he had preferred listening over talking. In the beginning a lot of their conversations felt empty, but he just summed it up to him being too shy. It had gotten better as the months passed.
Occasionally they'd have some lengthy talks, but with Taehyung conversation wasn't really necessary. His presence alone was enough, even with his shy demeanor. He was really welcoming, his personality was also a cherry on top. He was fun to hang around despite the quietness.
Jungkook just enjoyed being around him, a fact that was both new and comforting. If he had known this was the roomate he'd get when he entered college, his reluctance wound have been none existent.
"Okay, well I hope you feel better." Jungkook said. "I'm heading down to do some laundry, I see your baskets a little full, I can help you out."
"Oh yeah that'll be nice." Taehyung replied, dragging himself towards the basket, packing his clothes into one his trash bags. Jungkook noticed that he missed one of the baskets. So he reaches to help him out without a second thought.
"Oh what about this one--oww!"his hand burns from where the other had smacked it. His eyes widened and his eyebrows caved in with a look of confusion and hurt.
"What the hell" He whispered, staring at his burning hand in disbelief.
"Sorry, N- not this one I'll take care of it." Taehyung stuttered an almost angry look on his face. His voice was tight with urgency. This was a different look of Taehyung. He'd never acted so hostile before.
He grabbed the basket, shoving it below his bed, his movements hasty, frenziedly trying to hide whatever it may be while Jungkook stood there in shock.
He hadn't gotten a good look at it, but could have sworn he saw a flash of a smooth silk frabric.
"Um okay." He said his voice flat. "Well I guess I'll just take these then."
As he closes the door behid him, the previous events replay in his head. He'd always known that Taehyung wasn't the typical guy, but that was just straight up weird. He sits and watches their clothes spin in the washer, trying to shrug off his curiosities. Trying to tell himself that it was nothing.
But the sight of panic mixed with mortification on Taehyung’s face was screwed into his memory. He couldn't fight the feel that the guy had some crazy secret. But everyone has those so he shrugged it off.
~
It had become one of their unspoken rules. Meet at the library after class, hunt down the quietest corner and get to work.
Jungkook walked into the muted room, he hummed at the quietness. The atmosphere was a pleasant contrast between their choatic frat house, the scent of stale beer, spoiled fast food and axe body spray was a constant reminder of the other guys presence. He spotted a familiar mop of silver hair almost buried in a textbook, he smiled and made his way over.
"Hey pixie" he said, placing down his bag with small thud, getting out his study materials.
"Hey bunny." The silver haired teased him. His smooth velvet voice slicing through the silence in the most satisfying way.
"Yahh, I told you I don't like that nickname." Jungkook whined, He only got a tiny smirk in return.
Studying in the library with Taehyung was a highlight to his day. It made everything seem worth it. Not only did he get to complain about his teachers and the students. It was the quiet peace he felt sitting and talking to him. It wasn't like talking to one of his hyper friends. Taehyung felt more...safe.
"Gosh today was hectic, I have no idea why the hell I chose to be a Science major." Jungkook complained.
College had been fun, I mean being away from your nagging parents is always fun, right. But when it came to school, it was honestly beating his ass. He could definitely do with a drink right now.
Taehyung hummed in response, his eyes lingering on Jungkook’s distressed face "Hmm well that's on you." he said, his voice lacked any real bite.
After a bit of chatting, the two of them settled into their study routine, each with their headphones in and deep into their books. The peaceful quiet froming a bubble around them. Until it popped.
"Oh Jungkook, Taehyung it's nice seeing you here."
They both looked up at the sudden voice, two girl stood before them. They were dressed in the typical sluty college girl attire. Tight crop tops, Lululemon tights and belly button piercings that glistened in the light.
Jungkook’s chest puffed up a little at the attention.
They both greeted them, they shared the same chemistry class so they won't strangers, the conversation between him and the girls flowed easily, with Taehyung barely speaking a word. The air between them shifted. The quiet bubble long gone, replaced by noisy flirtatious tension.
"Oh! and a my friend is throwing a party tonight, you guys should come." The girl said as she hung off Jungkook's arm. His eyes glistened from the attention.
This was just what he needed. A distraction "Yeah, why not that'll be fun." A flirtious smirk written across his face as he stared into her eyes, it sends the girl into a faint giggle.
"Yeahh, come on, Taehyung you should come too." The other girl stated, she was practically in his lap. A hand on his knee. It pulls Taehyung out of his tangled thoughts, blinking his eyes in surprise.
"Umm I don't know." He said, a hesitant hand coming up to scratch the back of his head.
"Oh come Tae when was the last time we went out?" Jungkook pressed.
"I know, but I really should study." Taehyung sighed.
Jungkook rolled his eyes, a flicker of annoyance passing through him. It's not the first time Taehyung tried to shut him down, with the same excuse. 'he's always studying' Jungkook thought, 'Missing one study session won't make him dumb.'
"You know what girls, I'll try to convince him to come, just text me the info."
The girls squealed before they left. The silence that followed was heavy with awkwardness. Jungkook could feel Taehyung’s withdrawal with even looking at him.
"Taehyung we should go to the party you know."
"I don't know Jungkook."
"Come on, stop being like that." He scoots closers wrapping his arms around Taehyung’s neck and pulling him closer. The man nonchalantly dove back into his book. A clear sign he didn't what to be involved in any conversation.
"You have a hot chick inviting you to a party and you're just gonna decline it? I mean, when the last time you had a hook up?" his voiced dropped in a teasing whispered. He leans in enough for his breath to graze the other's ear.
"The last time you probably even had any action was with that girl when we first met what's her name again, So-hoon? So-hee?"
He recalled Taehyung’s and her short-lived relationship. At first things were pretty normal between the two and then, she just stopped popping up.
"Anyways that doesn't matter," Jungkook said, a mischievous grin on his face. "what does is that we go to the party, we drink, have fun, then get laid. Come on, let's do it. Sometimes you make me think you're gay, it kinda of gives me hope you know." Jungkook continued, teasingly sliding his hand down the others waist. It's something they both had gotten used to.
With Jungkook being a playful raging bisexual, and Taehyung's gorgeousness, it was inevitable teasing dance between them.
Jungkook chuckled as he's pushed away. The other's eyes widened and a slight smile kisses his face.
"Go over there with your gayness," he finally lets out a real laugh, "but fine I'll go."
"Fuck, thank God! Come on, let's get ready."
He rushes, shoving his things into his bag, even helping Taehyung with his.
"Wait already? but we haven't-" before he could finish his sentence, he was dragged away, the quiet peace of their corner shattered completely.