Chapter Text
Please provide a brief description of yourself.
Taehyung stares blankly at the blinking cursor.
A description...of himself? That’s so vague, he could write a billion things. He figures the typical stuff would be his hobbies and career, but the former is so boringly standard and the latter, well. He can’t write nothin’ about that.
After squinting at the screen for a bit, he decides to wing it, but like, in an honest way because this is important.
“Learned how to make rice from Mister Amazing Chef Baek Jong-won (an honour),” he types. “Prefers to read book covers rather than the actual book.” And finally, “Send me pics of your snazziest ties :)”
Next, he scrolls down to the prompt questions, which are thankfully easier to answer. For What types of animals do you prefer? he chooses “Any.” For What sort of companion do you seek? he puts “A roommate? A friend? Dunno I’m open really.” And for Gender preference? he picks “Male.” Because Bang PD and the whole of Big Hit would murder him with sad sighs and defeated head-shakes if he started living with a female for any reason.
Then comes the worst part. Photos.
Taehyung knows it isn’t mandatory to have them but he doesn’t want to go around giving people illusions or anything, so he still wants to pick one without exposing himself somehow. He finds a picture Yoongi took of him a few months back when they had dinner together, Taehyung grinning and holding up a peace sign, a half-eaten burger and fries combo on the table in front of him. It was a fancy Western steakhouse, the type with candlelit tables and servers dressed in suits, but he’d decided he wasn’t in the mood for steak, hence the burger. The lighting is nice and moody and he has no idea if it’s too...dating-profile-pic, but whatever, it’s fine.
After editing glittery anime eyes and gross smoochy lips over his face, he finally uploads his profile. And puts his phone aside with a sigh.
“Done?” Jimin asks, his feet kicked up on the table, all glam and ready to perform. He was the last one to get his hair and make-up started, which means they should probably start heading up to the stage soon. Taehyung’s too sleepy to move until someone makes him, though. Staying up playing games last night was definitely not smart. You think he’d know this after, what, eight years on the job.
“Uh huh.”
“Nervous?”
“...A bit.”
“Excited?”
Taehyung grins and does his wiggly little Tata clap. “Super excited.”
The idea came from Jimin, who dropped by with Jin and Namjoon one night for a midnight snack after the three of them had a late schedule and Taehyung’s apartment happened to be close by.
Jimin took one look at him, then his apartment, and deadpanned, “Dude, you reek of loneliness.”
“’Scuse you,” Taehyung grumbled as he floated back to the couch to throw himself into the nest of blankets. He was in the middle of binging this drama called Crash Landing On You and totally could have done without the disturbance.
Okay, just kidding. Jimin was right, he’d been missing having everyone around ever since they moved out of the BTS dorms a few months ago. But still, how dare his friend barge in here to steal his food and then proceed to call him out on his loneliness. Rude.
Jimin continued to stand there in the middle of the living room with arms crossed over his chest like he was holding an intervention, while Jin and Namjoon busied themselves rifling around in Taehyung’s pantry. “Hey,” he said after a long moment of thought. “Have you ever thought of adopting a hybrid?”
Taehyung blinked at him. “What.”
“I dunno, Taemin-hyung adopted one a few months ago and he keeps raving about how amazing it’s been.”
Taehyung didn’t know how he was supposed to feel about that, given that he didn’t know Taemin very well, but an idol adopting a hybrid? That was probably the first time he’d heard of something like that. “Seriously? Wait. What—how does he have the time to take care of one?”
Jimin rolled his eyes. “They’re not like pets, you don’t have to keep an eye on them all the time, dumbo.”
“Shut up, it’s not my fault I don’t know anything about them,” Taehyung pouted. “They’re, like, 0.00001% of our population or something.”
“Pretty sure that’s way off but yeah, whatever. I’m just saying. Think about it.”
“So his group was okay with it?”
Jimin shrugged. He plopped down on the couch beside him and threw his legs over Taehyung’s blanket-covered lap. “Probably. I mean, I guess it could be scandalous if you picked a girl hybrid, but if not, I don’t think it’s a big deal.” He paused, eyebrows scrunching up. “We’d be okay with it too, you know. The hyungs have been talking about how you seem kinda down and stuff without us around...”
Taehyung stared at him for another moment, feeling a little soft in the heart, grateful for their concern. But also still rearing from this totally out-of-the-blue suggestion. He heaved a great sigh and flopped back down. “Please, we’re not even in the country for, like, months at a time. I can’t take care of a dog properly, how am I gonna adopt a hybrid?”
“I don’t know, it was just an idea for your lonely ass, geez!” Jimin finally exploded, throwing his arms in the air. “I figured it was more like having a roommate, why don’t you do some research first!”
“Fine, maybe I will,” Taehyung sniffed.
He was only half-serious. It was just to get Jimin to stop worrying about him like the amazing friend he was.
But then Taehyung actually ended up doing it.
On a whim, he called the Seoul Hybrid Adoption Centre first thing in the morning—he had a free day ahead of him and woke up all excited to eat the hoppang he bought yesterday, only to find the wrapper in the trash because the hyungs ate it even though he was saving it to savour today and he got so sad it was like the world was crashing down on him even though he knew he was being stupid, and then he decided he had to...make some changes in his life or something. So he phoned the adoption center.
They gave him a crash course, explained to him how hybrids were mostly like humans, able to be independent, find jobs if they want, live on their own. But some simply preferred not to, or were more predisposed to being dependent on an owner.
“Most of the people we have here are the second type,” the lady told him. “A lot of them are prey animals so they’re especially susceptible to dependence. Or they’re domesticated animals like dogs and cats. And there are lots of sad cases, unfortunately.” She sighed. “We have a fellow whose human father abandoned him after his hybrid mom passed away. Then he was adopted into a human family, but they left him in the old apartment when they moved. He’s been here ever since. Stuff like that.”
Taehyung was so mad hearing the stories that he almost got teary-eyed. He couldn’t believe he knew so little about hybrids before this. They weren’t a taboo subject so much as an unspoken one because there were so few of them, and he had no idea hybrid abandonment was such a problem, it reminded him of the horror stories he’d heard about orphans.
After he hung up, he spent the entire rest of the day doing his own research online. He didn’t read too deeply into the different needs of each hybrid breed since he had no idea which he’d end up with, but there were lots of articles on hybrid mistreatment and dependence and their comparably heightened emotional vulnerability, which he devoured like a beast.
As soon as he made up his mind, he texted Jimin. He’d accidentally spent a rare full day off on this stuff, but he didn’t find himself regretting it in the least.
Me:
so im adopting a hybrid
Chim:
lmao
why am i not surprised?
Me:
im srs
Chim:
i know
i’m not stopping you
And it wasn’t that Taehyung was trying to save all the unfortunate hybrids in the world or whatever, but he was the type of person who needed companionship anyway, and preventing even one hybrid from falling to such a cruel fate was a definite plus.
Maybe he didn’t think about this as long and deep as the average person would, but the one thing he did have was devotion and a willingness to see things through. If he decided he was gonna get a hybrid, he was going to do everything to be the best owner he could be.
Chim:
so like
you know there are apps for this kinda thing
Me:
huh
Chim:
adoption centres have apps nowadays, like tinder but for hybrids
Me:
...that sounds kinda trashy???
Chim:
omfg just try it you walnut
Which brings Taehyung back to the present. They’ve finished pre-recording the show now and are all washed up, ready to go home. Taehyung forces every single one of the members to give him a hug goodbye before ducking into his car.
He downloaded the app telling himself he’d take it easy, that if he doesn’t happen to come across someone he clicks with, it’s no big deal. It’d be nice to have someone in the apartment with him but it’s not like he’ll die from living alone.
His heart doesn’t seem to get the memo though, thumping hard in his chest as he unlocks his phone. He knows he probably won’t have a lot of likes or messages because his photo was silly and his profile vague. But he did it on purpose. After all, he wants to find someone who likes him for his weirdness.
To his utter shock and excitement, however, there are multiple messages in his inbox.
ilikemuffins: hey sup
puppie78: Hi there! Your profile is funny haha! What do you like to do in your free time?
696969lol: lemme guess, hybrid kink?
Jong-suk: hello, how r u?
hyyh5ever: heeey, why cover your face with emojis? XD don’t be shy~
“Ooohh, nice,” he whispers to himself as he replies to each of the messages. He frowns at the hybrid kink one and sends the guy a link to the adoption center’s own website talking about how hybrids should support each other instead of putting themselves down because that only perpetuates the same behaviour from humans. 696969lol replies with, LOOOL dont worry bro i just use that line to filter out the baddies. Taehyung isn’t so sure because, well, his username. But he ain’t judging.
That one guy aside, Taehyung is sort of surprised by how many of the others seem to be acting like this is a dating app (he made a troll Tinder account with Jimin years ago and it was educational, to say the least), rather than a more serious, permanent thing like adoption. Not that he’s opposed to it, he just didn’t know what to expect, but maybe the hybrids are afraid to put pressure on them or something.
Next, he goes to check the people who liked him but he didn’t receive any messages from. There are a lot more of these and he frowns, wondering why they didn’t bother sending something. Maybe they’re shy. That’s fine though, ‘cause Taehyung definitely isn’t.
He shoots off a couple messages before coming across a profile that’s eerily blank. The picture is a doodle of a puppy head and Taehyung gleans nothing from it about this “i_main_widowmaker” guy, except that he’s male and twenty-four years old.
But that alone, the Overwatch part, namely, has him gasping loud enough for his manager hyung to turn around from the driver’s seat. “Sorry, it’s nothing,” Taehyung reassures him sheepishly.
HI THERE, his thumbs fly giddily over the keyboard. u play overwatch??
He waits impatiently, foot tapping, distracting himself with other messages that come popping in. It’s not until he’s almost home that he gets a reply.
i_main_widowmaker:
yeah
Taehyung lets out a whoop. He came here looking for a companion - who would’ve thought he’d find himself a gaming buddy too?
taetae:
aaaand lemme take a wild guess here, ur a widowmaker guy
i_main_widowmaker:
um yeah
taetae:
yo im a pro at dva we should totally play sometime
i_main_widowmaker:
sure i guess
taetae:
u dont sound that excited :(
i_main_widowmaker:
i am excited...
Taehyung puffs out his chest.
taetae:
hey dw dude im diamond, im not gonna feed or anything
i_main_widowmaker:
diamond dva?
taetae:
yuup
i_main_widowmaker:
ok...im down to play
taetae:
how bout now??? we can party and go destroy some noobs
i_main_widowmaker:
now?
taetae:
ya u busy??
i_main_widowmaker:
not really
ok then
taetae:
YAY k my igns soonshimiesdad u wanna add me? i just got home gonna go turn my pc on now
i_main_widowmaker:
added
Right as Taehyung’s socked feet skid into his apartment, he remembers that he can’t use voice chat. If his voice ever got recognized and his username leaked, his account would probably get spammed all the time and people might even try to hack it, and he definitely does not want to give up his accolades for a new account.
taetae:
sorry but i dont hav ea mic so we cant voice chat TT
i_main_widowmaker:
its ok
He really didn’t go into this intending to play, like, ten matches straight, but before Taehyung knows it, it’s the dead of the night. He and i_main_widowmaker haven’t spoken much since it’s hard to type while you’re trying not to get shot at, but what he has discovered is their amazing synergy.
dude, he messages on the app after finally logging off because the guy said he needed to go. ur real good
i_main_widowmaker:
you too
taetae:
thx bro
talk to u tmr?
i_main_widowmaker:
yeah
taetae:
gnight!!
i_main_widowmaker:
night
The very next morning at the ass crack of dawn, Taehyung messages morning~ to his new friend. He knows dating protocol would dictate that he chill for at least a few hours, but this isn’t dating and even if it were, Taehyung doesn’t care about that kinda stuff.
A full three hours later, a little after nine, he receives a reply.
i_main_widowmaker:
hi
taetae:
heyyy supp
i_main_widowmaker:
u were up early
Taehyung almost tells him it’s because he had to get his hair and makeup done for a shoot, oop.
taetae:
have stuff to do later rippp
btw i just realized i never asked ur name
ive been calling u imainwidowmaker in my head and its way too many syllables
i_main_widowmaker:
jungkook
“Jungkook,” Taehyung mouths to himself. He grins. It’s a pretty standard guy name, a little bit stiff-sounding, actually, and first impressions are that it fits the person Taehyung gamed with yesterday. But he wonders what he’ll find underneath once he gets to know Jungkook better.
aw cute he types in response, giggling.
i_main_widowmaker:
?
wbu
taetae:
hmmmmmm u can just call me taetae
i_main_widowmaker:
k
taetae:
so whatcha doin
i_main_widowmaker:
making breakfast
taetae:
u a toast guy or a rice guy for breakfast
i_main_widowmaker:
cereal
taetae:
omg
soulmate
i_main_widowmaker:
?
are u messaging cuz u want to game again
taetae:
huh rn? im at work so i cant
but tonight?? if ur down??
i_main_widowmaker:
k
taetae:
yaaass
but to answer ur question i was msging to chat hehe if ur busy u can totally tell me to go away
i_main_widowmaker:
it’s fine
taetae:
:D
so u got any plans today
i_main_widowmaker:
not rly...might have to get groceries
taetae:
oohh wait does the adoption centre not provide u w food
i_main_widowmaker:
they do but sometimes i crave tteokbokki
Taehyung has no idea why but he is so incredibly endeared by that. He wonders if hybrids’ food preferences are affected by the type of animal they are. He’s gonna search it up later.
taetae:
awwww u like tteokbokki
i_main_widowmaker:
don’t most koreans?
taetae:
i dunno man my lil bro and sis hate the normal gochujang type cuz they cant eat spicy food AT ALL
like i thought i was bad but theyre on a whole diff level
i_main_widowmaker:
oh
u have siblings?
taetae:
ya its the 3 of us
theyre gr8 i love em but dont get to see them much cuz they live in daegu :(
i_main_widowmaker:
ah
taetae:
do u have siblings
i_main_widowmaker:
no it’s just me
Taehyung winces, wondering if family is a touchy subject. It probably is, if Jungkook is at an adoption center. He quickly changes the subject.
taetae:
so whats ur fav kinda tteok off the top of ur head
u have 3 seconds
3
2
1
He watches the ellipsis bubble pop up and disappear several times, as if Jungkook is scrambling to come up with an answer.
i_main_widowmaker:
tteokbokki
Taehyung snorts out a laugh.
taetae:
thats not an answer HAHA
i_main_widowmaker:
i just like regular mild spicy tteokbokki...
taetae:
LOL cute
i_main_widowmaker:
hows it cute?
taetae:
the fact that u like the simplest stuff :B
HAHA r u sulking?? u sound like ur sulking
i_main_widowmaker:
?
no
Taehyung barks out a laugh.
taetae:
so wat else do u like other than tteokbokki
i_main_widowmaker:
i like most food
taetae:
tacos?
i_main_widowmaker:
never tried
taetae:
do u like meat, salsa and cheesy chips
i_main_widowmaker:
yeah
taetae:
i think ull love tacos then u should def try some time
i_main_widowmaker:
ok
Taehyung muffles another a giggle into his fist. Jungkook’s responses are simple, but something about how straightforward they are makes Taehyung feel like he might keep his word and actually do it.
taetae:
omg k lemme tell u about these AMAZING tacos i had the other day, they were mouthgasmic is2g
i_main_widowmaker:
ok
Jungkook is sort of a tough nut to crack. He never messages first, but always replies to every tiny, insignificant thing Taehyung says, and Taehyung is sure that must be good sign. He’s also noticed the gradual and subtle increase in word count of his responses, not to mention the occasional “lol”s scattered throughout.
Taehyung may not know him much beyond what a three-day-long friendship can offer, but he quite likes Jungkook. The challenge of befriending him is fun, and as passive as the other man tends to be, the things he does say are always interesting enough to keep Taehyung invested.
puppie78:
Ohh, you work in the entertainment industry? I don’t really listen to Kpop but I was a huge nerd for “Sorry Sorry.” Learned the dance and everything.
taetae:
thats so relatable LOL super junior part of the reason i got into kpop
ilikemuffins:
u ever been to achasan? theres a nice hiking trail there if ur down to check it out
taetae:
oh thanks for offering dude but tbh im super busy lately. raincheck?
Jong-suk:
lol sorry i dont get it...
taetae:
its a pun! whats it called when a cow sings? a lawsuit?? because lawsuit = so-song = cow song???
Jong-suk:
ohh lol i see.
taetae:
what do u call it when a group of cows sings together
Jong-suk:
i dont know lol
taetae:
A GROUP LAWSUIT LOLOLO
Jong-suk:
lol
so ur a pun guy?
hyyh5ever:
ok but have u read this book called dont judge a book by its cover?
taetae:
uhh i havnet but im surprised someone named their book after such a common saying
hyyh5ever:
i dunno, i feel like that was sort of the message because it was about not judging ppl by their appearances or whatever
i mean i understood what it was getting at but if someones hot, theyre hot, and we can’t help stanning hot ppl??
taetae:
loool tru
Taehyung sighs and puts his phone down, rubbing his eyes. He’s always enjoyed socializing but apps just feel a bit too forced and superficial for him. His phone pings again and he almost groans, glancing down at it, but the dread evaporates when he sees who it’s from.
i_main_widowmaker:
uhh i dont rly read
Taehyung bursts into laughter.
taetae:
tbh me neither i only asked cuz other ppl asked me so i thought that was wat u were supposed to do on this app
i_main_widowmaker:
ah
i game mostly
and i work out sometimes
Taehyung rubs his chin, nodding to himself. Of course, that makes sense. Jungkook totally fits the stoic, bad boy image, although that’s really just Taehyung’s imagination flying away from him because he has no idea what the guy actually looks or dresses like. He’s sparing with his words, to say the least, so that’s sort of the only thing Taehyung has to go off of.
Then again, Jungkook doesn’t seem like much of a “bad” boy at all. Taehyung once asked him what his dream was and he very level-headedly and earnestly said, i do have a small dream but it’s not realistic, so i’m exploring other options i guess.
Yeah, Jungkook might be kind of quiet, even a tiny bit chilly at times—maybe he’s an emo instead of a bad boy? Or like, punk-goth? That might fit better—but he seems like a decent person either way, though for some reason Taehyung can’t stop imagining him with pitch-black hair and a million piercings in his ears. Wait, do hybrids even have human ears in addition to their animal ears?
He Naver-searches it. Turns out they do. Neat.
taetae:
working outs cool
except i dont like sweating :/
i_main_widowmaker:
lol
i don’t have much to do when i’m stuck in my room all day
taetae:
wat do u mean ur stuck?
i_main_widowmaker:
the adoption centre has some recreation centres like pools or whatever but they’re always really crowded
taetae:
oh that sucks
whats an introvert like u gonna do huh
i_main_widowmaker:
?
taetae:
wat?
i_main_widowmaker:
how’d u know that?
taetae:
know wat
i_main_widowmaker:
that i’m an introvert?
taetae:
LOOOL
good one
i_main_widowmaker:
?
taetae:
OMG U WERENT JOKING
taetae:
HAHAHA
dw i think its cute
i_main_widowmaker:
?
They chat sporadically throughout the day as usual, but at random moments, Taehyung will suddenly think of Jungkook cooped up in his room at the adoption center with nothing to do, and he’ll get a little sad. When he gets home at the end of the day, he starts spamming him again.
taetae:
so
i was thinking
what if u went to the public pool or public badminton court or something instead of the one in the adoption centre
if ur bored i mean
then u wouldnt be stuck insdie
i_main_widowmaker:
uhh
i dunno, not comfortable wandering around alone outside
Taehyung rolls this around in his mind for a second, before he bolts up in his bed, sucking in a sharp breath.
taetae:
wat
why
r ppl mean to u??
oh no
r they mean to hybrids???
im sorry this is new to me and iev only recently learned about the discrimination and stuff u know
i_main_widowmaker:
oh
no most ppl aren’t rude
but i don’t like the staring
taetae:
omg
maybe its cuz ur rly good looking or sometihng???
i_main_widowmaker:
lol no
taetae:
well if i went with u i could glare at everyone
oh wait no they wouldnt be able to see cuz id have a cap on and prob sunglasses goddammit
i_main_widowmaker:
huh?
taetae:
huh
oh uh nvm
but still i think if its something u wanna do u should give it a shot!!
do u like tennis
i_main_widowmaker:
im not great at tennis...
i like playing sports but i dont want to force myself to go play with strangers
i think it’d be fun with friends
taetae:
ohh ya makes sense
who’re ur besties
i_main_widowmaker:
ummm i dunno, maybe yongsun noona
taetae:
oh the adoption centre lady!
i_main_widowmaker:
yeah she’s really nice
Taehyung tells him that he’s glad to hear that, though he can’t help but wonder if an employee at the adoption centre is the only person Jungkook’s close enough to call a friend, and whether that’s something the hybrid wishes he could change.
“Who are you texting?” Hoseok asks, and Taehyung is abruptly yanked back to his surroundings. They’re in one of the meeting rooms of the Big Hit building, the elder sprawled across his lap, tapping away on his own phone. Taehyung shuffles back against the couch so Hoseok can’t see his screen.
“Just a friend,” he says.
Hoseok raises a suspicious brow. “Never seen you that eager to text a friend. You ignored me when I hugged you, Taehyung-ah. You. The hug monster.”
“Sorry,” Taehyung laughs sheepishly, patting his hyung’s stomach. “I usually bug him with good morning texts so I didn’t want him to think I forgot today or anything.”
Hoseok stares at him for a moment longer, clearly not buying it, but then he shrugs and goes back to his own phone. “Whatever you say,” he trills, and Taehyung breathes a sigh of relief. He’s not quite ready to share Jungkook with anyone yet.
taetae:
morning~
i_main_widowmaker:
hi
it’s 2
taetae:
i kno i woke up late
i_main_widowmaker:
busy day yesterday?
taetae:
yuuup work life man
got some crazy hrs
way better now than it was a few yrs ago when i first started tho
that reminds me i never asked r u in school? or working too?
i_main_widowmaker:
i graduated college
ive worked at lots of diff jobs but got laid off my last one and wanted to take a break
taetae:
ohh! ya the economy nowadays huh
i_main_widowmaker:
yeah
hybrids usually go first so
taetae:
WAT WAT DO U MEAN
THATS NOT FAIR is that legal???
i_main_widowmaker:
technically no, but most of us have owners so it’s not like we have living expenses to worry bout
and i can’t blame my boss...the adoption centre is completely govt funded so i don’t have to pay a thing to live here
taetae:
ohh yeah? well thats good
Taehyung bites his lip, hesitating. There are questions he wants to ask but he doesn’t want to offend Jungkook. God, this is why messaging people sucks sometimes, he can’t see their reactions or hear their voices.
But his curiosity gets the best of him.
taetae:
hey jungkook?
i_main_widowmaker:
?
taetae:
is it like
uncomfortable living at the adoption centre?
i_main_widowmaker:
what do u mean?
taetae:
just like u know
in general
i_main_widowmaker:
uh
no, it’s not uncomfortable
And Taehyung doesn’t need to read between the lines because, well. The lines are pretty clear. It might not be uncomfortable living there, but it could be a lot more comfortable.
taetae:
hey
whats the first thing ud wanna do if u found an owner u liked
i_main_widowmaker:
uh
i dunno
taetae:
cmon there must be something
it can be small
i_main_widowmaker:
i rly can’t think of anything
taetae:
hmm ok what about something ud like ur owner to do for u
i_main_widowmaker:
hm
i guess it’d be nice if we could eat meals together sometimes
Taehyung stares down at his phone, his stomach twisting painfully. He can’t believe Jungkook would have such a tiny request, something so modest it shouldn’t even count as one. Isn’t it a given that people who live together should try to eat together as often as possible? When he first started looking into this stuff, Taehyung thought it’d be more of a roommate situation like Jimin said, but isn’t the whole point of adopting in the first place to have someone to share your life with? Not to mention the hybrids probably want companionship too, if they’re actively looking to get adopted.
i_main_widowmaker:
it’d be nice if it could be someone who got me too
taetae:
wat do u mean??
i_main_widowmaker:
just, u know
taetae:
like someone who respects u and tries to understand u?
i_main_widowmaker:
yeah
taetae:
jungkook-ah........ur expectations r so low that i worry for u sometimes
i_main_widowmaker:
lol
its fine
taetae:
u deserve someone amazing man
i_main_widowmaker:
yeah well
im ok alone too so i guess we’ll see
The first time Jungkook initiates a conversation with him is at four a.m. one night, two weeks after they began talking.
i_main_widowmaker:
taetae
Taehyung grunts, startling awake at the loud notification chime. He got home only a few minutes ago after a dance practice that dragged on way too late (Hoseok, that perfectionist demon) and he must have passed out on the couch.
His eyes widen when he sees the message and he sits up, flicking his bangs out of his face. Jungkook rarely addresses him by name because there isn’t a need to on a messaging app, when literally who else would he be talking to. He hopes nothing’s wrong.
taetae:
jungkook??
u ok??
i_main_widowmaker:
oh
you’re awake
yeah, sorry i was just bored
taetae:
???? at four in the morning??
i_main_widowmaker:
couldn’t sleep so i played ow for a while
now i’m too hyped
Taehyung huffs out a sigh of relief. He realizes he’s smiling, endeared by how Jungkook’s like a kid who had too much sugar before bed or something, although Taehyung really can’t judge since he’s done the exact same thing with Overwatch himself.
taetae:
lool freaked me out for a sec
i_main_widowmaker:
?
taetae:
i thought maybe something happened
i_main_widowmaker:
oh
A few minutes go by, but he doesn’t add anything. Taehyung wonders what he’s doing if he’s unable to sleep.
Something about talking with Jungkook late at night, though—it must be that same thing that causes people to get all sentimental and have them drunk-dialling their exes—makes Taehyung want to see him so they can interact like actual people, face-to-face. He wishes he could. He’s tired of only text, without a face or expression or a voice to go along with the person. It feels like he doesn’t know enough about Jungkook even though they’ve been talking for a while now.
Suddenly, an idea crashes through him and he sits straight up.
Technically, he could see Jungkook if he wanted to.
taetae:
hey so like
ive got an idea
?, Jungkook replies immediately. Taehyung huffs out a laugh before biting his lip. The managers will kill him, but he thinks he can trust Jungkook. They don’t actually know each other to the extent where he can say that for certain, but Taehyung has this gut feeling, and not to brag or anything, but he’s always been an excellent judge of character.
taetae:
would u wanna video call
He expects hesitation on Jungkook’s end, but the answer is instant.
i_main_widowmaker:
ok
Taehyung lets out a gasp.
taetae:
rly?? omg k how do u work the camera function on this app
i_main_widowmaker:
dunno, i haven’t done it before
oh there’s a camera icon
As they figure out how to get their video up and running, Taehyung dashes around his room scouring for a mask and the huge round glasses that take up half his face. He doesn’t know how he’s going to explain wearing a mask at home when he lives alone, but whatever, that’s a problem for later.
Normally during video calls, he’d just spread out on his bed and throw his phone somewhere nearby, give whoever it is a nice view of his double chin, but he wants to make a good first impression on Jungkook. So he grabs some books he has lying around and stacks them up on his desk, props his phone against the pile, and haphazardly brushes his shaggy brown hair out with his fingers. After checking that nothing in his background will somehow give away that he’s V of BTS, he turns the camera on, forcing himself not to bounce in his chair.
The video conference has started, but Jungkook’s side is nothing but black.
“H-hello?” comes through the speakers.
Taehyung jumps. It’s a soft, cottony voice. A little higher than he imagined it would be.
“Um...can you hear me?” the voice asks.
“Yeah, hi,” Taehyung stutters out. “Uh, I can’t see you though.”
“Oh.”
He hears Jungkook tap at his screen a couple times, and then the black disappears, replaced by gray.
“Nice ceiling,” Taehyung comments, amused.
“Ah.” There’s a bit more fumbling before finally, Jungkook’s face slides into frame.
Taehyung stares. His eyelids flick open and closed so rapidly he probably looks like he’s having a seizure. Despite said uncooperative eyelids, however, he manages to notice several things.
First, that Jungkook is not, in fact, a dog hybrid as he assumed from the profile picture.
Second, he has long bunny ears that frame the sides of his face, draping down to his chest. They look super fuzzy, the pale gray colour standing out against his jet-black hair and clothes.
Third, Jungkook is adorable. Like, the most adorable person Taehyung has ever seen, and that’s saying something because he’s an idol and regularly hangs out with some of the supposedly best-looking people in the country. It’s the fluffy hair that falls into huge, round eyes, and the full cheeks and small mouth. But he’s also got a lovely jawline that adds an edge to his otherwise soft face.
And finally, contrary to his expectations, Jungkook does not come off cold or impassive at all. A bit stiff, sure, but the way he spends a solid ten seconds personifying a deer in headlights screams more “nervous as heck” than “stoic punk boy.” And after he gets over that initial frozen-in-shock moment, his eyes begin to glow with curiosity.
When Taehyung opens his mouth for words that fail to come out, one of his ears lifts a little, alert. His front teeth nibble at his lip.
“Hi,” Jungkook says. He looks down at his desk. Glances back up nervously. His big black hoodie swallows up his hands in sweater paws, but when his sleeve slides up, Taehyung thinks he catches a glimpse of a tattoo. Oh god, his head is swimming. “Uh, I’m Jungkook.”
“Taeh—” he coughs. “Taetae. Nice to, uh, see you.”
“You too.”
For a moment, Taehyung forgot he had his ridiculous disguise on, but the way Jungkook keeps tentatively looking him up and down reminds him. He struggles for an explanation but nothing comes to mind. Which is rare because Taehyung is a pro at pulling bullshit outta his ass.
Luckily, Jungkook doesn’t seem bothered enough to bring it up, even if he keeps alternating between squinting at the screen to see more clearly and goggling wide-eyed as if the squinting has revealed that Taehyung’s actually the Loch Ness monster. But, like, a really awesome Loch Ness monster, because Jungkook seems more amazed than weirded out.
“So...” Jungkook clears his throat. “How come you’re still up?”
“Oh.” Taehyung sighs. “I was at work until super late. Like usual.” He waits for Jungkook to prod him for details, because he’s mentioned to Jungkook before that he works in the entertainment industry, and people tend to prod about it. But the boy only nods.
A few awkward seconds tick by. Taehyung, flustered as he is, defaults to That Question.
“So what’s your favourite colour?” he blurts out. Really. Out of all the things he could’ve asked. God, if there was ever a time he wanted to slap himself more.
Somehow, Jungkook’s eyes get rounder at the question, and he blinks a few times. “Purple,” he says resolutely.
Taehyung’s eyebrows shoot up. “Really?”
The hybrid’s shoulders hunch in a little, his lips pulling into a tight line. “Why, is that...bad?”
“What, no, no!” Taehyung laughs, flapping a hand at him. “My favourite colour’s also purple! I just expected you to say black or white or something like that.”
“I like black and white too,” Jungkook mumbles, his voice trailing off.
Taehyung has to scrunch up his whole face like a raisin to hold back his coo. He pinches the bridge of his nose, but then his fingers go through his glasses ‘cause, oh right, they’re lens-less, haha, so smart, Taehyung. “You know, when we were chatting, I totally thought you were gonna be emo,” he confesses, an unwitting grin creeping over his face. “Or like, punk-goth. I’m talking, heavy metal band posters all over your walls and your bed is black and maybe you bust out some skull rings for special occasions.”
Jungkook looks like he can’t decide how to feel about that. “Uh, I don’t have any of those. And my bed is...” he peeks over his shoulder as if to make sure, “gray. But—most of my clothes are black. Did you want me to be emo?”
Taehyung laughs, shaking his head. “Nah, dude, I just didn’t have much to go off of so I was imagining stuff from the way you text.” He hopes Jungkook doesn’t think he’s disappointed or anything. How could he when he’s practically vibrating right now? “I thought you’d be sort of, I dunno, cold, I guess.”
A flush spreads over Jungkook’s cheeks. Taehyung barely resists the urge to squeal. “I am, a little bit, in real life,” Jungkook confesses. “Especially to people I don’t know. But um, I’m just not good at texting.”
And Taehyung gets it. He’s already starting to mentally re-write their interactions to add in the most subtle of stutters, replace the holes in their conversations where he thought Jungkook lost interest with hesitation instead, maybe mulling over how to react. Taehyung thinks he can see them now, the non-verbal cues that he couldn’t have understood through messages alone.
“Yeah, you’re shy-shy,” he says with a huge, probably-verging-on-maniacal grin, with the Twice move and everything. Jungkook’s bottom lip sticks out a tad and his eyes sharpen into a glare that tickles more than it threatens. Taehyung giggles.
“So, Kookie—can I call you that? Kook? Kookie?”
“Why do you have so much hate for syllables,” Jungkook mutters, to Taehyung’s absolute delight. “But okay, I guess.”
He claps his hands giddily. “Awesome! Kook. Kookie. Kookieee,” he tests it out, loving how the nicknames feel on his tongue and grinning at Jungkook’s partly embarrassed, partly disgruntled expression. “So, Kookie. What do you wanna do to get us to sleep?”
“Uh...I don’t know.” He purses his lips. “How about a ga—”
“Besides Overwatch.”
“What?” Jungkook says, sounding dangerously close to a whine. Yeah, dangerous because Taehyung will say yes in the next millisecond if he insists on it, he is weak, okay, very weak. “But why?”
“You’re literally awake right now because of ‘one’ game.”
Jungkook huffs. “Fine. What do you wanna do then?”
Taehyung rests his chin on his steepled hands and waggles his eyebrows. “How ‘bout some good ol’ twenty questions?”