Work Text:
four weeks
Being in this particular café without Yoongi feels weird.
It's this tiny hole-in-the-wall place in Itaewon. The prices are so cheap that one would assume everything is terrible, but Yoongi (and a lot of other people, apparently) insists that it's much higher quality than all of the big chain coffee shops.
He's a connoisseur of that kind of stuff, and Hoseok doesn't know a damn thing about the quality of various coffees, so he trusts Yoongi's judgement. Hoseok just thinks everything tastes good, especially their tiramisu.
It's also where they had their first date, and Hoseok is known for being a little too sentimental sometimes.
Coming here is their thing. They always come here together, or they come with the intent of bringing the other something. The amount of money Yoongi has given this place just to bring Hoseok tiramisu when he's sad is, by this point, astronomical.
Instead of his boyfriend, Hoseok has dragged Jimin and Namjoon here to discuss important business , which sounds far more ominous than it really is.
And despite his constant reassurance that yes, seriously, this top secret business that Yoongi can't know about really isn't bad , they look concerned.
Well, Namjoon seems concerned. Jimin's version of looking worried is looking angry, so he looks like he's fuming as they wait for Hoseok to come over to the table they settled at. It's tucked away in a corner, relatively private, which is good. Not that what they’re saying is going to affect anyone else, lest Yoongi stroll in and find them.
Of course, before his ass is even touching the chair across from them, Jimin is questioning him. "You promise everything's okay?"
Hoseok snickers. “Yes, everything is absolutely fine.”
"No dire health conditions? No break-ups?”
"No dire health conditions," Hoseok says. "And if it was a break-up, it wouldn’t be secret shit he can’t know about, dumbass.”
"You'd also be fucking distraught," Namjoon adds. "So, why did you send us the world's vaguest message?"
"In a new group chat, too,” Jimin points out.
"Because it concerns Yoongi," Hoseok says. "And it's, like, top secret business. I didn't want to send it in the main group chat and have him ask why it's important."
"Okay, so, spit it out," Jimin says. In addition to looking pissed when he’s worried, he always sounds a little irritated. He waves his hand towards Hoseok, gesturing for him to go on. "Because this is very fucking weird."
Hoseok opens his mouth to speak, but his jaw snaps shut.
He hasn't actually said the words out loud before, and they get stuck in his throat. How the fuck is he supposed to bring it up to Yoongi when he can't even say it to his best friends?
"Come on, coward," Namjoon says.
He inhales deeply, then blurts, "I'm thinking about… no, I'm definitely gonna propose to Yoongi."
Namjoon, having taken a massive sip of coffee after speaking, slaps the tabletop a few times while his mouth is full.
"Dude!" Jimin's exclamation is quiet, but his excitement is shown by the grin that comes across his face. He almost knocks his drink over as his hand shoots across the table to grab Hoseok's, holding it in a death grip. "Finally!"
Hoseok snorts. "The fuck do you mean, finally? It's only been legal for, like, four months."
"I mean." Namjoon holds up his left hand, wagging his ring finger, showing off the gold band that's been there for just over three months. "We got hitched, like, immediately."
"You were also, like, already planning to get married. And already saying that you’re husbands.”
"Well, you and Yoongi-hyung have talked about marriage, right?" Jimin asks.
Hoseok, while sipping his way-too-fucking-hot tea, nods. “We’ve been together for seven years. Of course we’ve talked about it.”
"In depth?"
"Again, it’s been seven years . The last time was a while ago, but we were like, 'okay, we're in this shit for the long haul,' so we talked about, like… what if it actually was possible? And he said, uh."
It's so hard to spit those words out, too. They're not bad — they're fucking wonderful , easily one of the sweetest things Yoongi has ever said to him.
"So, like, the one ex he had — the girl who was trying to pressure him into getting married? Joon, you remember."
Namjoon groans. "Yes.”
"You already know that she really turned him off of marriage. Like, he never wanted to in the first place, and she kinda made it worse." Hoseok is nervous again, bouncing his legs, scratching the cardboard sleeve around his cup. "But… when we had the in-depth talk, he said that being with me made him reconsider that?"
Jimin excitedly, but quietly, pounds the sides of his fists on the table. "God, I fucking love this."
"But I'm still kinda worried he'll say no."
"Hoseok," Namjoon says firmly. "He literally said you made him reconsider marriage, and you’re afraid he’ll say no to you? To you? "
"It's weird. Like, I don't... is it conceited if I say I don't think he will?"
"No!" Jimin exclaims. He's clearly struggling to stay quiet, but they're pretty secluded, so he raises his voice just a bit. "Because the most likely scenario is him enthusiastically saying yes! Because he loves you! Like, have you met Min Yoongi?"
Namjoon kicks him under the table. "You're saying that because you feel secure with him, right?"
"Yeah, exactly. Like, I know he loves me. He makes sure that I know."
"And you're not acting like a cocky bastard about it," Jimin says. "You're the opposite of a cocky bastard, currently. So, no, not conceited."
"Okay." Hoseok sighs. His tea is still way too hot, and his tongue and throat sting from it, but he takes another sip.
Again, Jimin reaches over. Instead of grabbing anything, he simply lays his hand on Hoseok’s wrist. “I get it, dude. I mean, I kinda proposed on the fly, but I still felt all of that in the moment, you know? Like, I know Joon-hyung loves me, but it’s still pretty fucking scary.”
“You’re both just anxious bastards,” Namjoon says.
“You are, too, dipshit.”
Namjoon snickers and drapes his arm over Jimin’s shoulders. “Are you having any doubts about it? Like, even a little, teeny tiny bit of doubt?”
"No," Hoseok answers. “Not at all. Just a lot of fucking anxiety.”
"I kinda felt the same way," Jimin says. "Like I said, I know that dipshit over here loves me, but it’s like… like venturing into uncharted territory.”
"Yeah! It's exactly like that." Hoseok gestures vaguely towards Jimin. “It’s just really weird, you know? Always kind of knowing and being told that, like, I wouldn't be able to get married for... you know, a lot of reasons, and now we could just go out and do it. I know it's not a whole lot different than just being boyfriends or whatever, but it's fucking weird to think about."
“The only difference is that people tend to take you more seriously. And, you know, if you wanna break up, you have to pay to do it.”
“Yeah, that’s the only shitty thing that I can think of.” He places his elbows on the table and rests his chin in his hands. “I don’t know when to do it, either.”
“Let me go ahead and tell you,” Jimin begins, his tone uncharacteristically stern, “the right time does not exist. Like, I know you’re gonna want the perfect moment, but that’ll take forever to get to. And who wants to wait that fuckin’ long when your person is right there?”
Almost pointedly, Jimin glances at Namjoon, and a fond little smile comes across his face.
He knows Yoongi looks at him the same way; he knows he does it, too. Sometimes, he looks at Yoongi and completely zones out, thinking about how precious he is while doing some mundane task, or nothing at all.
Namjoon is completely oblivious to Jimin's gaze, still focused intently on Hoseok. "You can make it the perfect moment. Like, he'll probably think it's perfect no matter what, because it’s you. Not to be… I mean, I guess to be completely homosexual for a minute, I wouldn’t change a fucking thing about the way Jimin asked me, because it’s very… us, you know?”
Fuck, what is he even going to say? He knows Jimin just blurted it out one day after having vague plans to do it, and that was a couple of years ago, when any of them being able to get married here was just a far off dream.
Hoseok sighs heavily and runs his fingers through his hair. “I wish I could be stereotypical as fuck and just wax poetic to him when I do it, but I know I’d just freeze up.”
“Do what?” Namjoon smirks.
“When I propose to him,” Hoseok clarifies, partially to indulge Namjoon, partially because he needs to get used to the idea of saying anything related to it. If he doesn’t, how the fuck is he supposed to spit out some variation of ‘will you marry me?’ when the time comes?
Hoseok adds, “Plus, I was thinking about, you know, buying a ring.”
Both of them raise their brows.
“Oh, yeah?” Jimin asks. “Are you gonna shell out some big bucks?”
He’s briefly reminded of the amount he has set aside for said ring, which is… quite a bit.
“Maybe.” Hoseok shrugs, even though he definitely plans on shelling out some big bucks.
He knows he doesn't have to, but they don't spoil each other with fancy material things too often. Being that they've both been advancing in their respective jobs, it's easier to save money, and… why not? Why not spoil the shit out of Yoongi with this extremely important thing?
“I mean, Yoongi is… special,” Hoseok says.
And Yoongi is special.
Hoseok really thought he'd never find someone to settle down with, or someone who would want to settle down with him . After being cheated on twice, one of those exes telling him they wanted a real man, being told he’s too hard to love — he kind of began accepting that he’d never have a successful long-term relationship.
Then, Yoongi came along.
"He is," Namjoon agrees. "He thinks you are, too, you know."
He knows. Yoongi has been cheated on, too, and pressured into marriage by an ex-girlfriend and his parents — he didn’t give into that pressure, but it certainly left a bad taste in his mouth.
And that’s what he focuses on. He focuses on twenty-one year old Yoongi nervously saying, “I don’t want to get married, like, ever, just so you know.”
( "I don't either, and I don't know if I'm, like, legally able to, so that's cool.")
He should be focusing on the Yoongi who, six and a half months in, happily agreed that they should get couples' rings. They were broke students, so the rings were kind of cheap and tarnished quickly, but they were happy.
(As proven by the way that their cheeks hurt from smiling after putting them on.)
He should be focusing on the Yoongi who, three and a half years in, valiantly researched the durability of various metals and white gold versus platinum when they decided to splurge and upgrade their rings. “Because you deserve something better than the cheap-ass rings we have.”
(But the old ones are still tucked away in Yoongi’s jewelry box.)
And he should definitely be focusing on the Yoongi who, five years in, looked him in the eye and said, "You've really made me reconsider not wanting to get married."
(And maybe Hoseok cried a little.)
(Okay, he cried a lot, and that made Yoongi cry a little.)
"Oh!" Jimin reaches over again and lightly smacks Hoseok's arm. "You should go to the place Joon and I went to. The owner is, like, super old, but he loves the gays."
Namjoon chuckles, always amused by Jimin's enthusiasm when something makes him happy. "Yeah, he seemed pretty happy to help us out. I'm sure he'd be thrilled to guide you on your perfectionist conquest."
"Hey, I have every right to be a perfectionist in this situation," Hoseok says with a pout. "You think so?"
"Totally. He's had that place for, like, decades. He's super passionate about it."
The thought of even looking at rings in person makes his chest feel tight. He's been casually looking online, browsing chain store websites, but finding nothing of interest. "Will one or both of you go with me?"
Their answers come in unison: "Duh, dude," from Jimin; "Absolutely," from Namjoon.
"Are you free on Tuesday?" Hoseok asks. "It's my next day off."
"I can take one for the team and, you know, work from home ," Namjoon smirks.
=
As soon as he hears the door starting to unlock, Hoseok's heart begins pounding. He closes all of the tabs relating to jewelry on his laptop, not unlike a teenager who's about to get busted watching porn.
He's kind of thought of something. Yoongi's birthstone is aquamarine, and he likes it a lot; he already has a couple of rings with it. As a result, he ended up with about ten tabs open, all sites he'd found from searching aquamarine rings and aquamarine engagement rings.
Even though he's going to a jewelry store, he wants to explore all of his options, but nothing is standing out. He hasn't stumbled across anything that screams ' yes, propose to your long-time boyfriend with me.'
“Hi, baby,” Yoongi chirps. “Have you moved at all, or have you been parked there all day?”
“Wow, okay.” It’s a valid question, seeing as he likes lazing around and not moving at all on his days off. He teaches kids of various ages how to dance; he deserves to be lazy when he can.
Hoseok shuts his laptop and sets it on the coffee table in front of the couch, preferring to shift his attention to Yoongi. “How was work?”
“Uneventful.” As soon as his shoes are off, Yoongi quickly shuffles over, unbuttoning his shirt on the way. “You didn’t answer my question.”
Hoseok scoffs. “Yes, honey bun, I had a great day, thanks for asking. I went out with Jimin and Namjoon.”
"Damn, you had a hot date without me?" After he's tossed his button-up shirt onto the loveseat, he plops down in Hoseok's lap, and gives him a quick kiss before he continues. "What'd you get into?"
He rubs his cheek against Yoongi’s shoulder, enjoying how soft his undershirt is. "Food, mostly.” Which isn’t a lie, because they did go and get actual food after a while.
Luckily, Yoongi doesn’t really ask for details. He asks where they went, asks if Hoseok had the audacity to watch their show without him again.
(He didn't, because he was too preoccupied with finding the perfect ring, but he leaves that little detail out.)
Hoseok quickly and easily shifts the subject to Yoongi’s day. There’s more to discuss on his end, and even though his day has been boring and some of his anecdotes are littered with computer jargon that Hoseok always has to have explained, Hoseok is happy to listen. He always is, but especially when he needs to keep his mouth shut.
It seems that that is going to be more difficult than he expected.
three and a half weeks
After continuing to look at rings online, Hoseok is almost certain he’ll just end up ordering one, unless he can find the ring in the store Namjoon is escorting him to. It can’t hurt to look, and if he does find the ideal ring, he can go ahead and pop the question. He hasn't actually planned anything out, but he does know that he's doing it as soon as he has a ring.
Over the past few days, he’s managed to chill out about it. Now, as they approach the little shop, his pulse skyrockets.
“I might barf,” Hoseok deadpans.
Namjoon grabs his hand and gives it a squeeze, and when Hoseok looks over, he receives a reassuring smile. Having someone with him is somewhat comforting, but his thoughts are still racing at approximately a thousand miles a minute, a combination of oh god oh god oh god and oh fuck I’m actually doing this this is really happening , because oh, god, he’s actually doing this.
He was a little nervous when they picked out their original couples' rings, solely because he'd never done it before, but that's the thing — they did it together. It wasn't a guessing game. It wasn't him picking out something expensive and hoping for the best.
"You can't puke," Namjoon says. "Because I'll puke, and it'll just start a chain reaction."
"Everyone on this sidewalk just starts barfing uncontrollably, all because I can't handle my reaction to..." Hoseok waves his free hand in the direction of the store. "Doing this."
Namjoon squeezes his hand. "Doing what?"
"Ring shopping." Quickly, he adds, "Ring looking, I guess. I'm definitely just gonna end up ordering something."
"Still worth a shot. What are you even looking for?”
“Probably something with aquamarine? It’s his birthstone. He already has a couple of rings with it, too.”
They finally come to a halt in front of the shop. Hoseok might skip vomiting and go straight to dying, though Namjoon’s grip on his hand makes him feel a bit better.
“Are you looking for something flashy? Because there’s some super flashy shit in here,” Namjoon says.
Hoseok shrugs. “I dunno. Something simple, I guess?”
“Okay, cool. So, with that in mind,” Namjoon says, now dragging him towards the door, “let’s go.”
Stepping inside kind of feels like entering another world. It's bigger than he thought, the lights are blinding, and it's oddly cold, like all the metals will melt if it's even a single degree warmer.
They're greeted by an overly-enthusiastic old man who remembers Namjoon. Hoseok does remember them saying that the guy was really happy to help him and Jimin out, so he's hoping he'll have the same kind of luck.
He moves over to the jewelry case closest to the entrance, abandoning Namjoon while he talks to the owner. This section is full of diamond rings — some are simple, just one gem on a thin metal band, while others are bands that are covered. Definitely not what he's looking for, but he's a little entranced by all of them.
So entranced that when Namjoon’s hand touches his shoulder, he flinches.
"Dude, some of these are insane," Namjoon says, peering into the case. "Wonder if there's any wild aquamarine shit."
"I don't think I'm going for wild." He points to one of the diamond-covered rings. "Like, that's just unnecessary."
He's about to reiterate that he'll probably end up buying something online when the old man steps in front of them, hands pressed against the edge of the case as he leans towards them.
“Who are we shopping for today, boys?” he asks.
“Me,” Hoseok peeps. “Uh, my boyfriend.”
The old man grins, and yeah, this guy definitely seems fine with the fact that there are two not-straight men in front of him. “Is there anything in particular you’re looking for? A specific price range?”
“The only important thing is that it’s aquamarine. Price isn’t really important, as long as it’s under…” He pauses, and god, Namjoon is going to give him so much shit. Jimin will, too, once he finds out. “Just about a million won?"
Namjoon’s hand, still on his shoulder, squeezes hard.
“Okay! I don’t have a lot with that particular gem, but I may have something you’ll like.” He gestures to a case further away and begins walking in that direction.
Hoseok follows, and Namjoon is at his heels.
Namjoon, obviously in disbelief, murmurs, “You’re really fucking going for it, huh?”
“I told you,” he says quietly, throwing his elbow back to prod Namjoon, “I’ve been saving."
They shut up as they approach the old man, who waves his hand over a small section of the case, close to the end of the right side. “Like I said — not a lot of aquamarine, but there might be something. A lot of the styles are more feminine, however."
“That’s fine.” Hoseok flashes a smile. “Thank you.”
The owner walks off to help another customer who’s just come in, which Hoseok is more than fine with. He’s still a bit worked up, and while he’s usually a social butterfly, he’d really prefer to only interact with Namjoon.
Namjoon bumps his shoulder into Hoseok’s. “You know, you could give him the cheapest, shittiest ring, and he’d still love it.”
“We did have cheap, shitty rings at first.”
"God, all of ours kind of sucked, didn't they?" Then, he pokes further back on the glass, pointing to a ring in the top right corner. "You're going for simple, right?"
It is pretty simple. It's a silver band with a flattened stone pressed in the middle.
"It's nice," Hoseok says. "But it's not, like, screaming at me."
"Oh, you're taking that route. You're not just casually picking something nice."
He keeps his eyes glued to the case, and it's hard for him to not space out, looking at variations of the same thing. "I'm not skimping on this. I mean, he looked into the pros and cons of white gold and platinum for the rings we have now. He sure as shit wasn't skimping on that."
"Given that you've saved a million fucking won, I didn't think so. You're both ridiculous."
None of the rings over here are nearly as extravagant as some of the diamond ones — there aren't any rings completely covered in it, nor are there ones with a big fucking rock in the center. Even if there were, those aren't what he's hunting. Shit, Hoseok doesn't even know what he's looking for beyond aquamarine. No specific metal, no band specific band thickness.
Hoseok does end up zoning out a little. At some point, everything kind of blurs together, and different cuts of the same stone look the exact same.
It sucks to be agonizing over this, but he wants it to be perfect.
"Finding anything?" the owner asks, making him jump. "Anything you'd like a closer look at?"
Hoseok looks up, seeing that the old man is looking into the case as he leans against it. "Not over here, no."
He raises his head and cocks it to the side. "Are you absolutely set on aquamarine?"
"Yeah," he answers. "I think so, anyway."
"Is that his birthstone?"
Hoseok nods quickly.
"And what's yours?"
"Mine?" He furrows his brow. "It's, uh, amethyst."
"Oh," Namjoon cuts in. "You could get him an amethyst ring."
Hoseok scrunches his mouth up, glancing to the left of the case. He'd gotten a brief glimpse of some of the amethyst jewelry on the way over here.
The idea plays into that part of him that believes he’s an asshole for thinking that Yoongi might unhesitatingly say yes.
Namjoon is grinning as he says, "I bet he'd love it."
"I dunno." Hoseok quietly drums the pads of his fingers on the glass. "That feels… weird."
"That actually wasn't what I was going to suggest." The old man straightens himself up so he can look Hoseok in the eye.
Hoseok is skeptical, but open to any ideas, at this point. "What is it?"
“You're set on aquamarine," he says, and Hoseok nods. "You're not very interested in amethyst, but Namjoon seems to think your boyfriend would love it. So, why not both stones?"
Both?
The sentiment is nice, and in the context of their relationship, it makes sense. When they met, they clicked immediately, and have been pretty inseparable ever since.
They’re always together. A ring symbolizing that might be nice.
“Obviously, I don’t know anything about your relationship,” he begins. “But if you’re this dedicated to finding a ring that’s absolutely perfect, I can only assume you love him very, very, much.”
"I… yeah, I do. Do you have anything like that?"
The owner shakes his head. “I don’t, but I know for a fact you’d be able to find the right one online. There are plenty of websites that let you customize the entire ring.”
Namjoon snickers. “Are you really suggesting he should look elsewhere?”
“Listen, son.” He sounds stern all of a sudden. “This shop is my pride and joy, yes, but I understand that I’m not always going to have what someone thinks is perfect for them. Or,” he says, looking at Hoseok, “for someone else.”
It feels like a punch to the gut. He feels oddly exposed, and he doesn't like that his most intense feelings for Yoongi are bubbling to the surface in a ring shop, right in front of its owner, who's managed to drag those feelings out.
He needs to get out.
Hoseok nervously tugs his ear lobe, swallowing around the lump in his throat. “Yeah, that's good. I think… I think I'm gonna do that. Get one with both."
He and Namjoon say quick goodbyes, with the owner wishing Hoseok luck and implying he should come back with his findings.
"Are you having an emotion?" Namjoon asks. "You kinda bolted outta there."
Hoseok is pulling on his hand, trying to drag him to the side of the building where there are less people. "I'm having a few."
"You wanna talk about it?"
He bites his lip. "Can we get food or something? That one really good bibimbap place is close by."
"Yeah, we can do that. Are we talking about your few emotions over food, or are you deflecting?"
"Yes."
Namjoon snickers and lets Hoseok hold his hand as they walk.
"Please tell me that picking out wedding bands is easier than this," Hoseok says. "I mean, assuming—"
"Dude, don't psych yourself out with that shit. I'll whack you on the head. Not hard, because our respective men would kill me, but I'll do it."
Hoseok scoffs and nudges Namjoon's ribs with his elbow. "Guess you better go ahead and do it, because it's not gonna stop any time soon."
Namjoon pulls his hand away from Hoseok's to deliver a gentle smack to the back of his head. "Looking at wedding bands seems way easier than this."
"I'll tell you once we get there," Hoseok says. "I'm just, like… I dunno. I need to think."
And good fucking god, does he. It's only Namjoon's arm slung over his shoulders that keeps him feeling grounded while they walk, because he spaces out.
This ring is a good idea, a really good idea. It symbolizes togetherness , yes, because they're always together, but… it means a lot more than that.
Yoongi has had relationships where his feelings have been disregarded, and he worried so fucking much for the first few months about whether or not Hoseok really liked him.
Hoseok figured out his love languages — time and touch — and still uses them wisely, making sure Yoongi knows he's adored.
It helps that he can sort of relate in a different way. He's had exes pester him about seeing and feeling up the places on his body he didn't want on display, let alone touched.
Even now, a couple of years after surgery, Yoongi still occasionally asks if he can touch Hoseok's chest, because that respect is drilled into his brain.
They support each other. They always have. It's always them. Always together.
Fuck.
He might cry.
"Dude," Hoseok says suddenly.
Namjoon glances over at him. "Yes?"
"I'm, like, really in love with Yoongi."
"Are you just now noticing?"
"No, just… fuck. Everything's just hitting me at once."
"Aw, Seok." Namjoon bumps into his shoulder, and Hoseok looks at him. "Should I buy you bungeoppang after this?"
Bungeoppang isn't expensive at all, and he can afford a fuck ton on his own, but he's never going to turn down free comfort food. So, Hoseok nods, and Namjoon ruffles his hair.
At the restaurant they pick, they ask for a pretty secluded table. It's a little busy, but the waitress does her best, so they thank her profusely.
"Okay, tell me about your few emotions."
Hoseok opens and closes his mouth. His eyes are already tearing up, a lump already in his throat, but he manages to choke some words out. "I don't know, dude. It's been seven years. We've made this whole life together."
"You're pretty much a package deal."
"Yeah." Hoseok sighs and rubs his nape. "He... he loves me. A lot. Like, a lot. Like, fuck, dude. If soulmates are a thing, he's probably mine.
Namjoon reaches over and lets his hand rest on Hoseok's forearm. "Okay, I agree, but that is by far the sappiest thing I've ever heard you say. Work that shit into your proposal speech, man."
"I can't plan that shit. You know I'd draw a blank and just end up spewing out some word vomit." He uses that slight bit of humor to deflect, because he's not equipped to deal with this shit in public. "Jimin's gonna give me shit for how much I've saved, isn't he?" Hoseok asks.
Namjoon scoffs. "Have you met Park Jimin? Of course he is. Of course he's going to freak out when he learns you've saved a million goddamn won."
"Not a million," Hoseok whispers. "Barely. Almost. More like nine fifty."
“Jesus fucking Christ. Engagement rings aren’t even a Korean thing, and you’re like, ‘yeah, I’m gonna spend a shit ton of money to buy my man the best ring ever.’ Which, like, I’m giving you shit, but it’s actually really sweet. And I know you're gonna say he's special."
Just as the waitress returns to get their drink orders, apologizing for how long it took, his phone pings.
Hoseok generally makes a point to not text when he's out with someone, but it's Yoongi, so he'll at least check it out.
honey bun
i miss you
Jung Hoseokseok
i miss you too but what prompted this
"God," Hoseok murmurs. "He has, like, a sixth sense or some shit."
"Who? Yoongi-hyung?"
"Yeah. Like, he just said he misses me."
Namjoon snorts. "He has impeccable timing."
honey bun
bad day
everyone here sucks except jungkook and my brain sucks even more
“Hang on. He’s, like, having a moment,” Hoseok explains, and Namjoon nods.
Jung Hoseokseok
i'm sorry honey bun (っ˘̩╭╮˘̩)っ
can i do anything from afar
i’m out with joon btw sorry if my replies suck
honey bun
oh tell him i say hi
what are you up to
"Yoongi-hyung says hi."
"Hi, hyung.”
Jung Hoseokseok
he says hi
we’re getting food
do you want me to bring you something while we’re out
honey bun
i have no appetite so no thank you
but could we maybe have noodle night
Hoseok snickers. It’s what they did when they were broke as hell and living in a shitty studio apartment: They sat on their creaky futon every night, eating cup noodles while yammering on about their days, bitching and telling stories from their terrible jobs.
It’s still one of their things, but it’s more for the comforting nostalgia than the old ‘this is the only thing getting me through the day’ factor.
Jung Hoseokseok
of course~
honey bun
♥♥♥
okay go back to joon
i’ll go bother jungkook
i love you
Jung Hoseokseok
i love you too
tell lil shithead hi for me
♥
=
Once again, as soon as he hears Yoongi’s key in the door, Hoseok frantically closes all the tabs pertaining to jewelry in his browser, shuts his laptop, and sets it on the coffee table.
Right off the bat, he can tell that Yoongi is still upset. His greeting is lackluster, no endearment attached to it, and Hoseok doesn't get even a tiny smile.
So, he stands and walks over, waiting for Yoongi to get his shoes off. Once he does, Hoseok opens his arms, and Yoongi sighs as he steps over, letting Hoseok envelop him in a tight hug.
"Didn't get better?" Hoseok asks, even though it's blatantly obvious.
Yoongi nods and nuzzles his neck, arms staying limp at his sides. "Not really," he murmurs, muffled by Hoseok's skin.
"I'm sorry."
“It’s okay. Just had everyone on my ass today.” He sighs and raises his head, then tips it back to give Hoseok a kiss, one that’s soft and sweet. “And of course it’s on a day where I’m, like, super anxious for no reason.”
“Of course.” He lets go of Yoongi and raises his hands to cup his hyung’s cheeks, giving him another kiss. "You still wanna relive our broke young adult days?
Yoongi gives him the smallest of smiles. "Yeah, but I want to shower first."
Hoseok lets go of him and pats his butt to urge him along. "You want one or two?"
"Um… I forgot to eat, like, all fucking day. Two."
While Yoongi runs off to shower, Hoseok pulls three ramyeon cups from their stash of junk food, setting them down on their tiny little table while he waits for the kettle to boil. He figures Yoongi will be back by the time or just after they're fully cooked; he takes quick showers, anyway, and he's probably starving.
And he's right. Just a few minutes after the timer on his phone goes off, Yoongi enters the kitchen, where Hoseok is waiting patiently. He's been sitting in his designated seat, one leg pulled to his chest so he can rest his chin on his kneecap while he fucks around on his phone, but unfurls and sets the device aside when Yoongi approaches.
Once he's close enough, Hoseok gently grabs him by the front of his shirt (which is actually one of Hoseok's shirts) and tugs. Yoongi knows what he wants, so he stops and leans over to give Hoseok a kiss. It's chaste, but Yoongi's lips linger, and it’s really not uncommon, but Hoseok’s stomach flutters. With everything that’s been floating around in his head, every cute little thing Yoongi does fills him with butterflies.
He’s glad to see Yoongi smiling when he pulls away. It’s not huge, but a small smile is an improvement over the deep frown he’d been wearing.
“So,” he says, before Yoongi can even lift the chopsticks weighing the paper lid on his first cup down, “you wanna talk about it?”
Yoongi sighs and shoves his chopsticks in his noodles, stirring them around with a bit more aggression than usual. “Just people being assholes.”
“Yeah, you said everyone was on your ass. Bosses giving you a hard time again?”
“God, yeah. They’re just…” Yoongi pauses to shove noodles in his mouth, chew, and swallow. “Turns out, you shouldn’t mention that your side gig is going pretty well to your co-workers, because they’ll mention it to your main boss, and he’ll start giving you shit for it.”
He hums his acknowledgement, since his own mouth is currently full of food. He doesn’t chew enough before swallowing, so it’s a little painful when he gulps everything down. “It’s so fucking stupid. I mean, I guess I can see why he’d be bitter about it, especially since you’re a good employee, but, like… don’t be a fucking dick.”
Yoongi nods. “Exactly. He fucking cornered me about it, asking if I was leaving soon. Like, no, dude, you’re gonna be the first to know when I’m planning to go.”
"I'd tell you to, like, be a huge dick on your last day, but you're too polite."
Seeing as his mouth is full, Yoongi can't actually laugh; it's more like he's quickly exhaling through his nose. “I dunno," he says, once his mouth is only half filled with noodles. "I could write all of them scathing letters.”
"Nah. Still too polite."
"It's a terrible idea, anyway. I think you're just trying to live vicariously through me."
Hoseok, having raised his cup to drink the broth from it, uses it to hide his smirk. “I would never do such a thing. Except for getting my ears pierced. That’s the only time I’ll live vicariously through you.”
"Uh huh. Shoot yourself up every week, but you can’t handle any other needles.” Yoongi still has a hint of an amused smile on his face as he chews.
"That is totally different." Hoseok gently prods Yoongi’s bare foot with his own, prompting his hyung to look up at him. “Seriously, though. I'm sorry you had a shitty day, sweetheart."
Yoongi shrugs. After he swallows, he says, “I’m just really fucking irritated. Still kinda anxious, but I took a Xanax before I got in the shower.”
“Ah, so you’re gonna be barred out in roughly… ten minutes.”
“I will not be barred out, thank you,” Yoongi says, using his faux-stern voice. “I’m gonna be chill, and ideally, if he's okay with it, I’ll spend the rest of the night attached to my man’s side."
“Definitely okay with it.” Hoseok tips his head back, downing the rest of the broth and a few noodles. When he lowers his head again, Yoongi is giving him a fond look. “Are you enjoying this? Like, the sight of your man chugging beef broth?”
Yoongi snickers again and pushes his foot against Hoseok’s knee. “Kind of.”
“Weirdo.”
“I’m not weird,” he says, almost whining. “I just like coming home to you every night.”
His stomach flutters a little more.
“Yeah?” He gives Yoongi the same fond look his hyung had just a few seconds ago, the same one that’s been captured in photos, the same one he sees from Jimin and Namjoon when they look at each other. “I like when you come home to me.”
Yoongi takes a swig of broth from his own cup, licking his lips clean before he speaks again. “You know how to make me feel better."
Maybe it's not so selfish to be sure Yoongi will say yes.
three weeks
He opens up the super secret group chat, because he has to yell via text.
Hoseok has spent hours looking at rings. He’s looked at aquamarine. He’s looked at amethyst, as much as the idea of his own birthstone on an engagement ring still bugs him a little.
When he searches for aquamarine amethyst engagement ring , he finds it in roughly half an hour.
The site he ends up on is exactly what he’s needed. Every ring is customizable in terms of stones, placement, and band color. Once he selects aquamarine and amethyst on one, all the suggested rings at the bottom show those particular stones. He clicks on several, going through all the ones that spark interest, and he finds it.
He finds it.
It's a silver wrap-around style ring, similar to some Yoongi already has, but the ends of the band are stones. They're simple, small and circular, pressed into the metal.
This is the one calling out to him. This is the one making his heart pound with excitement.
The band is silver by default, and that's fine, but he plays around with the options.
Gold and rose gold don't jack the price up too much, but they don't match. Yoongi doesn't wear a lot of either, anyway.
The last option is white gold. Yoongi does like white gold a lot — it's what their current rings are made of. He doesn't have a lot of the real thing because it can be pretty expensive, so Hoseok isn't the least bit surprised when the price soars.
But it's within his budget. It's expensive, especially the 18-karat option (which is just within the budget), but he knows Yoongi would wear it. He knows Yoongi would like it.
Granted, he's not sure how Yoongi would feel about it as an engagement ring, but... he'll find out soon.
He double checks that he's in the right group — the one labeled oh god oh fuck rather than everyone is stupid except jimin — before he starts typing.
Jung Hoseokseok
y’all
i found it
Jim
???
Jung Hoseokseok
i found THE RING
Jim
OH DAMN
SHOW SHOW SHOW SHOW
Jung Hoseokseok
no!! not yet
not until yoongi has it
Jim
ugh fine
Jung Hoseokseok
it is… very expensive
KNJ
What goes on
Jim
he found The Ring
but he won’t show it off yet
KNJ
Oh?????????
I wanna see
Oh
Never mind :(
Jimin where are you?
Jim
bathroom
Jung Hoseokseok
are you taking a shit in these trying times
Jim
i’m on the toilet post-shit looking at memes
KNJ
POST-SHIT SHITPOSTING
Jung Hoseokseok
neither of you are welcome in my house anymore
KNJ
So you’re 10000000% sure this is The One
Jung Hoseokseok
i am 1000000000000000000000000% sure but i’m still nervous about actually buying it
hype me up
KNJ
Hype
Jim
hype hype hype hype hype hype hype hype hype hype hype hype hype hype hype hype hype hype hype hype hype hype hype hype hype hype buy the ring!!!!! hype hype hype hype hype hype hype hype
are you hyped yet
Jung Hoseokseok
yes i’m very motivated now thank you
KNJ
Where the fuck is Yoongi hyung anyway
Isn’t he usually off work by now
Jung Hoseokseok
had to stay over
which is fine for once because i get to buy this goddamn fucking ring
Jim
HYPE HYPE HYPE HYPE HYPE HYPE HYPE HYPE
KNJ
H
Y
P
E
Jung Hoseokseok
OKAY OKAY OKAY
Hoseok has his card info saved in his browser, so once he clicks buy, it’s just a matter of putting in his name and address. He puts in the address of the studio he works at, though, for ultimate secrecy.
He holds his breath as he hits the second buy button.
And he’s taken to a screen thanking him for his order.
And maybe his stomach has fallen out of his ass, because it hits him hard. This is happening. This is really happening.
He grabs his phone and goes back to Kakao. In that time, he gets a notification for his confirmation email, which he opens before responding to his messages.
According to the email, the estimated delivery date is in three weeks.
In approximately three weeks, he’s going to ask Yoongi to marry him. Three weeks.
His hands are trembling so much that it's hard to type.
Jung Hoseokseok
according to this email
3 weeks
Jim
FUCK
FUCK!!!!!!!!!
KNJ
AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA
Jung Hoseokseok
my dudes i’m fucking shaking
Jim
YOU ARE GOING TO BE FUCKING ENGAGED IN THREE WEEKS MARK MY WORDS
KNJ
I’m going to lose my fucking mind I’m so excited
Hoseok is grinning so hard that his cheeks are starting to ache. He’s not entirely sure what he did to deserve such wonderful, supportive friends, but he’s beyond happy to have them.
He’s so fucking happy and excited and anxious and it’s a lot, it’s a lot to be slapped with at once, and maybe he’s tearing up, but he’s not going to cry. He’s probably not going to cry.
Okay, maybe he’s crying a little. Just a tear or two before he hastily wipes his eyes.
Jung Hoseokseok
guys @-@;;;;;;;;;;
i’m maybe crying kind of
KNJ
Baby no
Jim
:(((((
what’s wrong hyung
Jung Hoseokseok
i’m not CRYING crying just sniffly
i know he’ll at least like it and i’m really excited but i’m also so fucking anxious
even though we had the sappiest moment the other night
KNJ
Awww
Steal some of his Xanax
Jim
so three weeks?? that gives you time to figure out how you wanna do it
unless you already have it planned
Jung Hoseokseok
idk honestly
whatever happens happens i guess
and i am not stealing a xanax that shit knocks me OUT
god 3 weeks suddenly feels like forever
KNJ
Go get a cheap-ass ring and be like “yeah I ordered you one worth like one million won but it won’t be here for some weeks so here’s a piece of shit, will you marry me”
Jung Hoseokseok
I DIDN’T SPEND 1 MIL
without shipping it was,,,,,,, ₩894500
under budget! :D
Jim
holy shit
KNJ
Damn so you went hard as fuck
Is it super fancy
Jung Hoseokseok
the design is very simple but it turns out 18k white gold is expensive
Jim
now you’re just flexing
KNJ
Now you’re just flexing
Jim
SAME HAT
KNJ
SAME HAT
Jung Hoseokseok
are y’all still in separate rooms
Jim
no i migrated to the bed
and we are laying in dead silence texting you
He gets a Kakao notification from Yoongi that he quickly clicks.
honey bun
i'm off work now and starving and getting chinese do you want your usual
Jung Hoseokseok
yes please
if they don't have my shit just surprise me
or just bring me 100 tiramisu squares
honey bun
they don’t set that many out at once or i would
will you settle for however many i can fit in a box
Jung Hoseokseok
that’ll do
honey bun
ur wish is my command baby cake (◠‿・)—☆
i'll see you soon love you
Jung Hoseokseok
love you too
Hoseok switches back to the group chat, where Namjoon and Jimin are texting back and forth.
Jim
i think hyung died :(
KNJ
Didn't even get to propose
God rest his soul
Jim
moment of silence for jung hoseok the Just Okay dancer
Jung Hoseokseok
just okay?? motherfucker i am the ASSISTANT MANAGER of a studio fuck off
KNJ
Probably died after realizing how much money he spent
Oh you revived him with that insult
Good job
Jim
he is risen
Jung Hoseokseok
yoongi texted me
KNJ
Has he sensed that something’s up
Jim
have fun keeping your mouth shut about this ring
Jung Hoseokseok
IT’S A STRUGGLE
joon shut the fuck up he texted me about food
KNJ
I'm tellin you dude
Get some cheap piece of shit, propose, give him the actual ring when it shows up
Jung Hoseokseok
@-@;;;
=
Yoongi does, in fact, bring him a styrofoam to-go box packed with tiramisu squares.
“Did you really think I wouldn’t?” he asks. He breaks one pair of disposable chopsticks and hands them to Hoseok. “Because I’ve definitely done wilder things for you.”
Hoseok has already shoved a piece of chicken in his mouth. When it’s partially chewed, he pushes it into his cheek so he can talk. “Such as?”
Yoongi prods him in the ribs with his elbow. “Like, you know, overcoming my extreme anxiety about puke to come lovingly rub your back while you barfed up everything you’ve ever eaten when you had that one really bad stomach virus.”
“Nope.” Hoseok picks up another piece of chicken, but offers it to Yoongi. Just as Yoongi is about to bite it, he pulls it away. “You always use the puke one. That’s not even that wild. I’m still very proud, though.”
“You’re so fucking cruel.” He attempts to steal chicken directly from Hoseok’s box, as if he doesn’t have the exact same thing, only to have his hand swatted away. “How about… when you get anxious on shot day, even though it’s been nine fuckin’ years, I prep your syringes so it’s one less thing for you to worry about. I almost passed out the first time I even saw your needles in the bag, remember? That's kinda wild."
Hoseok holds out the same piece of chicken, but doesn’t pull away when Yoongi goes for it. He wouldn’t say it’s wild, but it does tug at his heartstrings. “That’s not super crazy, but it does make me happy.”
“Yeah?”
“Duh? It’s like…” He gets hit with everything again, and no, he is not going to cry again. He is not going to cry while eating dinner. Dinner that consists of his go-to Chinese food order that he doesn’t even have to tell Yoongi anymore, because Yoongi knows it like the back of his hand. He's not going to cry because Yoongi knows him like the back of his hand. He’s not going to cry about how Yoongi is the most caring person he knows while shoving greasy noodles into his mouth.
“Like?”
Hoseok chews more than is necessary to buy himself a second, needing to regain his composure. “Everything you do makes me love you more, but especially shit like that. Like… overcoming your anxieties to help me.”
Yoongi switches his chopsticks over to his left hand. He isn’t very coordinated with it, but he makes do so he can keep his newly-freed right hand on Hoseok’s knee while they eat.
two weeks
Jung Hoseokseok
jimbo can i get some advice
re: proposing
Jim
yes
what's up sunshine
Jung Hoseokseok
i'm overthinking it a lot i know but i can't figure out what i want to say
or how i want to do it
i have roughly a week and a half
Jim
do you have any ideas at all
Jung Hoseokseok
idk i was thinking i could just get sappy
also dunno WHERE i wanna do it but obviously it's not gonna be super public
Jim
pull a me
do it while you’re watching anime
Jung Hoseokseok
i am not doing it while watching anime
Jim
anything can be romantic if you want it to be
Jung Hoseokseok
i’m not even shooting for romantic just
idk
anything
Jim
how are you going to recite wedding vows if you can’t do this :/
Jung Hoseokseok
YOU DON’T EVEN KNOW IF HE’S GOING TO SAY YES
DON’TPUTTTTT HTEHSHE FUCKING THOUGHTS IN MY HEAD
Jim
oh did i touch a nerve
Jung Hoseokseok
I DON’T WANT TO THINKWE DDING THOUGHTS
Jim
awwwww hyung
seriously, i have known him for years
i’ve heard a lot about his past relationships
i have literally heard him say you are the best thing that ever happened to him drunk AND sober
Jung Hoseokseok
;;;;^;;;;
i love him
Jim
I KNOW
Jung Hoseokseok
i wanna marry him so bad
Hoseok doesn’t want to be tearing up, but he is.
Jim
that’s so cute i love you
Jung Hoseokseok
i am in my car at work on my lunch break on the verge of tears i hate this
Jim
awww
maybe you should wait until later to think this over
Jung Hoseokseok
i can’t it’s bothering me ALL THE TIME
I CRIED IN THE SHOWER YESTERDAY
Jim
i’m so glad our shit wasn’t planned i would have died
Jung Hoseokseok
I’M GOING TO
Jim
this is aging you like a thousand years
you don’t have to say anything super deep dude
“i love you let’s get married now that we legally can”
Jung Hoseokseok
i don’t even know if i can spit THAT out
Jim
you’re so fucking precious
Jung Hoseokseok
HOW
Jim
you are so fucking in love with this fool
which is fair because damn he’s a catch
you are too
truly a power couple
Jung Hoseokseok
@-@;
i have to go back to work
pray i don’t drown everyone in tears
Jim
save that for the wedding ;)))
=
He knows Yoongi is home; it’s his day off, and Hoseok saw his car, but he’s not in the living room like he usually would be.
“Yoongi-yah?” he calls out, kicking his sneakers off. They land next to the shoe rack, so he picks them up to neatly line them up with the rest of their shoes.
Yoongi’s reply comes quickly. “Bathroom!”
Hoseok sets his bag down and heads for the hallway, poking his head into the bathroom. Yoongi is in the tub, which is filled with pink water, phone in his hands. There’s a glass next to the tub, one of their nice stemless wine glasses. It's a quarter of the way full, so Hoseok can only assume he’s been drinking.
He looks over at Hoseok and flashes a smile. “Hey. How was work?”
“It was okay,” he answers. He sits on the toilet lid, resting his elbows on his thighs so he can comfortably lean over. “What’ve you been up to?”
“Trying and failing to work on shit.” He places his phone on the floor and reaches out for Hoseok, making grabby hands at him. “Kiss.”
Hoseok grunts as he stands, and opts to sit on the floor by the tub, letting his arm rest on the side of it. He leans over and gives Yoongi a quick kiss, and, yeah, he’s definitely been drinking; Hoseok can smell the alcohol on his breath and taste it on his lips.
Yoongi's thing to 'cure' writer's block is drinking while taking a bath, so he doesn't really need to ask, but he does.
"Writer's block again?"
“A little. It’s kinda flowing now, though.”
“Is your pink water helping?" Hoseok teases. "And whatever you’ve been drinking?”
“Pink water always helps,” Yoongi insists. “And, yes, my BFF whiskey is helping.”
Hoseok dips the tip of his finger into the water and swirls it around. It smells sweet, sort of like candy. It’s honestly kind of funny, seeing his slightly tipsy, twenty-seven year old boyfriend in a tub of pink, candy-scented water. Amusing, but endearing. “It smells good.”
Yoongi raises his hands above his head, letting out a soft moan as he stretches. “Smells even better from in here,” he mumbles as he sinks further into the water.
“First of all, that line sucked,” Hoseok says, and Yoongi giggles. “Second of all, I’m gross. I don’t want to stew in my own filth. I don't want you to stew in my filth."
"What if I wanna stew in your filth? I mean, we've done nastier things."
"You wanna marinate in my ass sweat?" Hoseok barks a laugh when Yoongi wrinkles his nose. "Exactly."
“Hang out with me, at least?”
“I can do that.” He picks up Yoongi’s glass and swirls the liquid around, then knocks the rest of his whiskey back.
Yoongi whines, but before he can complain about it, Hoseok kisses him.
half a week
It's early.
Hoseok is relieved, but at the same time, he is fucking terrified. He's trembling and smiling nervously as he tries to fend off questions about the mysterious package from his curious coworkers.
“It’s just a gift for my boyfriend,” he tells them. “I didn’t want him to pick it up and question it, you know?”
They finally let Hoseok go, and he slips away to his car for a very early break. He throws himself into the vehicle and slams the door shut, immediately locking it, as if someone is coming after him and his precious cargo.
“God, what the fuck,” he mumbles to himself. He fumbles with his keys, having to use one to cut the box open.
Within that box is a much tinier box, tucked in way too much inflatable packing. They really could have used a smaller shipping box, or even just a mailer, but he’s not going to complain, because it’s here. He feels like he isn’t even in his own body as he pulls out the ring box , the fucking ring box containing the ring he customized, spent so much fucking money on, that he’s going to propose to his boyfriend with —
He’s been planning to do it as soon as the ring arrives.
It’s early, which kind of fucks up his idea, but he really wants to go ahead and do it.
So… even though his plan is a little messed up, it’s happening today.
Tonight.
He’s doing it tonight. He is proposing tonight.
With shaky hands, he sets the box in his lap and pulls out his phone.
Jung Hoseokseok
MEN IT IS HERE
He’s not surprised when he doesn’t receive an immediate response, and he’s honestly fine with that. It gives him a moment to stare at the little velvet-covered box and contemplate opening it.
Hoseok is almost more scared of opening the fucking box than he is of actually proposing.
But he does. He pops it open, and the ring is safely nestled inside. He’s afraid to take it out to admire it even more, but carefully pulls it out and slides it onto his own ring finger. Like the rest of Yoongi’s rings, it’s loose on him, which is good.
His phone is suddenly blowing up, vibrating like crazy with message notifications.
Hoseok doesn’t know anything about jewelry, but looking the ring over and over and over, he thinks it’s pretty fucking perfect. It looks exactly as it did on the website, exactly as he customized it.
Of course, he’s beyond relieved, but that’s quickly followed up by anxiety.
He knows this is something Yoongi would wear, but what if he doesn’t want it as an engagement ring? What if he doesn’t want a ring at all?
Hoseok tucks the ring back into the box, snaps it shut, and shoves it between his thighs.
KNJ
WAIT
THE RING????
IT’S EARLY?????
FUCKINGGGGG JIMIN IS AT WORK HE’S GOING TO SHIT
WHEN ARE YOU DOING IT
HELLO
HOSEOK
PLEASE
PLEASE DID YOU DIE
Bro I WILL shit myself on purpose
If it turns out you are not currently looking at this ring
Oh my god I want to see it
Jung Hoseokseok
i was looking at it i’m going to die i can’t believe it came early
in a good way but also i’m going to barf
i am going to puke all over my boyfriend
idk i wasn’t expecting it to come early
i,,,,,, finally had a plan but i wasn’t expecting it for another WEEK
His plan is pretty simple. He really just wanted to take Yoongi to their café, go home, and pop the question there. It would be a near-perfect recreation of their first date, because all they did after going out was go straight back to campus; Yoongi walked Hoseok back to his dorm, where they sat and talked for hours, bullshitting the way they always have. The only difference was that they were sitting closer together, holding hands, and Yoongi kissed him goodnight before heading back to his own building.
KNJ
Can you make the plan happen sooner??
Jung Hoseokseok
yeah
yeah i can just
fuck
it’s happening??
not right now obviously but later i’m going to Pass Away
KNJ
WHAT IS YOUR PLAN
Jung Hoseokseok
secret
you’ll find out once it’s done
like i said i might barf on him that’s romantic right?
KNJ
Puking on your s/o is not romantic at all
God I am on the edge of my fucking seat
Jung Hoseokseok
HOW DO YOU THINK I FEEL
KNJ
Probably like your soul is evacuating your body?
Namjoon is right.
For the rest of the day, he feels like he’s just floating by, struggling to do his best. Luckily, being that his kids pretty much have their routine down, he can just have them go through it a few times and help them with the little details.
He lets out a sigh as soon as he gets back in his car, finally done for the day; it feels like he’s been holding his breath for hours.
Immediately, he yanks open the glove compartment, where he’d hastily shoved the little velvet box, pulls it out, and opens it. It’s still there, still perfect, but seeing it makes his chest tighten up all over again. He snaps the box shut and drops it in the passenger seat so he can lean against the steering wheel, trying to compose himself.
It’s pointless to try and calm himself down at this point, so he pulls out his phone, which has… a few notifications, all from KakaoTalk, all from Jimin and Namjoon.
Jim
HOSEOK
THE RING
THE RING
IS IT D-DAY???
KNJ
IF YOU WOULD READ UP YOU'D KNOW
BUT IT IS IN FACT D-DAY
Jim
OH MY GOD
i'm sure he's working rn but i don't care
hoseok i do not give a fuck if you are working fuck those kids
i am so excited i'm going to fucking DIE
KNJ
He probably has his phone on silent
Or at least has this group muted
So we're really just texting into the void
Jim
it's fine he'll see it later
KNJ
He's going to hate you
Jim
sometimes we have to make sacrifices
Jung Hoseokseok
damn y’all just really don’t know how to shut up
(i love you)
yes it’s fucking d-day
also jimin don’t insult my kids they work hard
Jim
i’m sorry
can you revise your plan??
Hoseok slouches in his seat. He probably can, it’s just a matter of how.
He could call Yoongi and see if he wants to go out. Yoongi doesn’t mind impromptu dates. He likes them; he likes when Hoseok calls him up and randomly asks if he wants to go out.
But this is also his day off work after a series of not-so-great days, and Hoseok knows that he's been looking forward to doing absolutely nothing all day. He's probably curled up on the couch, either asleep or engrossed in one of his shows that Hoseok doesn't care for.
He could just swing by the café, grab their usual stuff, and head home. It’s probably not as good as a spontaneous date, but it’s something.
Hoseok figures it won’t hurt to ask, so he pulls up Yoongi's contact and hits the little phone icon.
Ringing...
Ringing…
Ringing.
"Hey, what's up?"
Hoseok inhales deeply. "Nothin'. Just got off work, wanted to see if you'd maybe wanna go out."
"Depends. Where?"
"Itaewon?"
"Oh! Yeah, we can do that. I feel like we haven't gone out in a long time."
"We really haven't." Hoseok drums his fingers on the steering wheel. "And what better place to remedy that?"
"Do you wanna pick me up? Or I can just take the subway and meet you there."
It's a little out of the way if he picks Yoongi up, but... that's okay. If he’s going to be asking the love of his fucking life to marry him, Hoseok would like to look at least semi-decent. "I'll pick you up."
"Let me guess, you're gonna shower first, too."
"Of course."
"Figures." He can hear Yoongi's smile, and god, holy fuck, he's going to ask Yoongi to marry him. " I'll see you in a few. Love you."
Jung Hoseokseok
okay i’m about to break a bunch of traffic laws to my man and take him out
on a date not like i'm going to kill him
Jim
GO GO GO GO GO GO GOGOGOGOGOGOGOGOGO
KNJ
I LOVE YOU PLEASE COME BACK WITH GOOD NEWS
Jim
I ALSO LOVE YOU GOOD LUCK
=
Yoongi is stretched out on the couch, but pokes his head up after Hoseok shuts the door.
"Hi, baby," Yoongi chirps, his face graced by a huge grin.
Hoseok smiles right back, hurrying to kick his shoes off so he can go over and kiss Yoongi's cute face. "Hey, honey bun."
The box is in his pants pocket, so he drops his bag by their shoe rack and glides over, leaning over the back of the couch to give Yoongi a kiss. It's deeper than he expects; Yoongi tilts his head to the side and parts his lips, his hands on Hoseok's cheeks to keep him in place.
Much to Yoongi's chagrin — and his own, if he's being honest — he pulls away. "Let me shower, yeah?"
Yoongi sits upright and rolls his neck, producing a couple of soft cracks. "I'm gonna get all prettied up while you do that."
He gets another kiss as they stop at the bathroom. "Prettied up, huh?"
"Hey, every time I leave the house, it's either in my work clothes or the most casual outfit possible. I wanna look nice for once."
"You always look nice," Hoseok says.
Yoongi scoffs as he walks down the hall. "I think you're biased."
He is a little biased.
It would be suspicious if he locked the door — both of them usually shower with it cracked open, and it's not uncommon for either of them to waltz in and announce that they need to piss.
So, he shuts the door and yanks the ring box out of his pocket, popping it open. He feels like he needs to check it every now and then, like he needs to make sure it's still there. It is, obviously, and he still thinks it's perfect.
Hoseok leaves it in the pocket of his joggers while he showers. He doesn't want to have it sitting out on the counter, just in case Yoongi busts in to pee or something. Even with the ring hidden, he worries about it, even though the only time Yoongi goes through his pockets is when they're on his person and he's grabbing keys or earbuds.
Luckily, Yoongi doesn't come in.
Once he's dried off as quickly as possible, Hoseok grabs the box from his pants, then tosses them into the hamper. He clutches the box in his hand so hard that his knuckles pale, because fuck, he wants to get this done. Not in the sense that he wants to get it over with because it sucks — he just wants this weight off his chest, wants to confirm that yes, Yoongi does, in fact, want to marry him.
Yoongi is still in their room, and Hoseok panics for a moment, because he hadn't thought to cover himself up in any way. He never has a reason to; they've seen each other naked so many times and have lived together for so long that it doesn't really matter.
"That was pretty fast," Yoongi says, though he doesn't look over. "Considering you take the world's longest showers."
Quickly, he sets the box behind the bottle of lube that lives on his nightstand, watching Yoongi the entire time to ensure that he doesn't look over. "I deal with children all day. I deserve it."
Yoongi snickers. "You do."
He slinks over to their dresser to grab a pair of underwear, unceremoniously plucking out the pair on top. After he puts them on, he turns around just in time to see Yoongi whipping his head back towards the mirror.
“Excuse me,” Hoseok says. “Were you staring at my ass?”
“Can you blame me?”
He comes up behind Yoongi, slipping his arms around his waist, and kisses the side of his head. “My butt’s pretty cute, I guess.”
Yoongi is putting his earrings in, fighting with the clasp on one of the dangly ones. Hoseok would offer to help, but the faces Yoongi pulls are too cute. His nose and mouth scrunch up while his brow furrows, and they stay like that until he gets the jewelry in place.
Really, Yoongi getting prettied up means he gets to dress the way he really likes — with his earrings in, jeans with very precise tears clinging to his legs, and… really, just dressing the exact opposite of the way he does at work.
Yoongi is beautiful all the time, but it really peaks when he can dress like himself. He looks handsome in his work attire, yes; he looks cute when he’s lounging around in his boxers, yes. But he oozes confidence when he throws on an outfit he really likes, when he has jewelry in all of his ear piercings, when his hair doesn’t have to be neat.
Hoseok nuzzles the crook of Yoongi's neck, getting a strong whiff of his cologne. It kind of smells like cloves and patchouli, two scents Hoseok never really cared about until Yoongi began favoring this particular brand.
“You smell good.” Hoseok kisses behind his ear, where Yoongi always dabs his cologne, before pulling away to get himself ready.
They’re about the same size in everything, and Hoseok would like to look more than plain for once, so he ventures over to Yoongi’s side of the closet to steal one of his few pairs of precisely ripped jeans.
“Taking me on a date, but stealing my pants,” Yoongi mumbles. “I see how it is.”
In lieu of an actual apology, Hoseok just murmurs, “Love you.”
Yoongi snickers and closes his jewelry box. “I’ll be in the living room.”
“Okay. I’ll be done in, like, thirty seconds.”
Hoseok lets out a heavy, heavy sigh of relief when Yoongi leaves. There have been very few dates where he’s worried about his appearance: their first, the one time they went to an actual fancy restaurant, and this one.
“Come the fuck on, dude,” he mumbles to himself as he rummages through their dresser. The largest drawer, which he’s digging through, contains most of their T-shirts. There’s one in particular that Yoongi likes on him — one that he excitedly purchased after his surgery, when he could finally feel comfortable wearing deeper cut V-necks. It’s older and a bit threadbare from how often he’s worn it, but it still makes him feel good.
(It makes Yoongi want to pounce on him, too, and while he’s not going for sexy, it’s still nice to feel wanted.)
He spends a few moments fiddling with his damp hair in the mirror before remembering oh, right, I have an engagement ring in here. And, of course, he just has to check and make sure it hasn’t gotten up and run away.
...And, of course, after he stumbles over to his nightstand and sees it exactly where he left it —
he should be relieved, right?
Instead, he feels even more anxious.
He’s certain Yoongi wants to get married. He’s one hundred percent positive, and yet… he’s panicking.
Hoseok breathes through his nose, out through his mouth. He has to think about how excited Yoongi has been about doing anything that solidifies their relationship.
Shit, he might cry.
Worst case, Yoongi says no, and… can a relationship recover from that? He feels like it’s not possible. It’s definitely not possible. The last thing he wants is for something like that to happen to them.
He pops the box open, snaps it shut, pops it open, snaps it shut.
He can live without Yoongi. He’s done it before. It would be fucking awful to go back to that, because he wants Yoongi in his life. They’ve already experienced a lot together — some things that every couple goes through, and definitely some things that are uncommon.
He wants to experience everything else with Yoongi, too. He wants to experience every aspect of life, good and bad, with Yoongi, the same way he has for the past seven years. Hoseok wants to be by his side for the rest of their lives.
Hoseok has and can live without Yoongi, but he doesn’t want to, because Yoongi feels like home. Yoongi is home personified, and Hoseok always, always wants to come home.
He opens the box again.
Yoongi reciprocates his feelings to the fullest extent. He makes sure Hoseok is very aware of that, and he does a damn good job.
Yet, he’s sitting here staring at this fucking ring through bleary eyes because he’s scared. He’s scared that the man who loves him so much, so fucking fiercely, who has said he’d like to get married, will reject him.
Hoseok closes the box again and shoves it in his back pocket before he walks out.
Yoongi is casually leaning against the back of the couch with his phone out, frantically tapping on the screen. “Oh,” he murmurs, his head jerking up. He grins as Hoseok comes closer, shoving his phone in his pocket so he can stick both arms out and reach for him.
His brain registers that yes, Yoongi looks hot as fuck, but he’s so… he’s too sappy for his brain to turn that into desire. He’s sappy, and Yoongi is stunning, and Hoseok is beyond happy to be held and have his neck nuzzled by him, but Yoongi is cute and his affection makes Hoseok feel melty and gooey inside and god, he’s not going to make it through this date. He’s not. He knows he’s not. He’s not going to make it to the date.
And that’s kind of confirmed when Yoongi tips his head back and kisses him. His arms tighten around Hoseok, and Hoseok’s hands cup his jaw, and their lips move so well together, soft and slow and it’s fucking electrifying, makes every nerve in his body buzz the exact same way their first kiss did, and yeah, he’s not going to make it. He had this plan, and he was so certain he’d be able to pull it off, but he can’t. Not quite.
Hoseok breaks away and cups Yoongi's cheeks. "You know how much I love you, right?"
Yoongi nods. "And I love you."
"I know you do." He kisses Yoongi's forehead, taking that split second to try and ground himself before looking Yoongi in the eye. "You make sure that I know. And I do my best do to the same, and I don't know if I really succeed, but I try."
"You — you definitely succeed." His brow creases. "Why?"
He breathes a sigh of relief. "And you know you're, like, the most important person in my life?"
"Hoseok," he murmurs. Yoongi's arms tighten around him. "You're making me kinda nervous."
"I'm sorry, I'm kinda..." Hoseok pulls one hand away from Yoongi's face to reach into his back pocket, where he holds the box in a vise-like grip. "I had this whole thing planned? I wanted to make it special because you're special, and now I'm just kind of winging it because I've been so fuckin' riled up and, you're, like — I know I've said you're the light of my life before, but you really fucking are, and I don't want to be without you. Like, ever."
"Hoseok," he repeats, but his voice is firm. It doesn't match the way his eyes are tearing up.
"I love you. I love you so, so much, and I just..." He finally pulls the box out, holding it in his palm for Yoongi to see. "I really, really want to marry you, and we actually can, so... will you — will you marry me?"
"What the fuck," Yoongi chokes out, ripping his arms away from Hoseok so he can wipe his eyes. "Of course I fucking will, but what the fuck, dude, I've been talking about this with Jimin and Namjoon for, like, a week, and they haven't said jack shit."
Hoseok grins as he sniffles and wipes his own eyes, using the back of his free hand. "I beat you by a month."
"A month ?" Yoongi's lower lip quivers, a tell-tale sign that he's about to weep. "You've been planning this for a month ?"
“K-kind of? It was mostly me trying to, uh…” He shows the box again. "Find this. And agonizing over whether or not you'd like it, and whether or not you’d want to. And, y'know, if you do want to marry me, I'd really like to put it on you, because I'm afraid I'm going to accidentally chuck this box into the abyss."
The way Yoongi sniffles and chuckles sounds a little like a sob. He offers Hoseok his left hand, but keeps his eyes closed. “Surprise me.”
“Have I not surprised you enough today?” Of course, he goes with it. He pulls the ring out and shoves the box in his pocket, and really struggles to keep his hands steady as he slides it onto Yoongi’s finger.
It fits perfectly, and it looks good.
“I can’t believe you got me a ring,” Yoongi murmurs, but he’s grinning — and his smile grows when he opens his eyes and looks at it. “Hoseok, this is fucking perfect.”
He breathes the biggest sigh of relief. “You like it?”
Yoongi nods quickly. He’s still smiling a little, but he’s crying again, wiping his eyes with the hand he isn’t admiring. “Does it — are those our fuckin’ birthstones?”
“Yeah. Because… we’re always together, you know?” Hoseok laces their fingers together, his other hand going to rest on Yoongi’s nape. It’s hard to talk around the lump in his throat, but he manages to choke the words out. “And I want that for the rest of my life.”
Yoongi hides his face in Hoseok’s neck, and god, Hoseok can feel Yoongi's tears on his skin. “God, did you really think I’d say no? To you? Do you know how much I fucking love you?"
“I was worried that… maybe you’d hate the ring, or think it’s weird that I got one in the first place. I just wanted to do something special, because you... you're just... incredible."
He pulls back and cups Hoseok’s cheeks, wiping the tears that are suddenly streaming down his face. “I love it, and I love that you think I'm special enough to warrant this, because — fuck, dude, I love you so, so much. You — you're just — you're so fucking wonderful, you always have been, and I just... don't want anyone else. Ever."
Hoseok presses his face into Yoongi’s shoulder. He’s the one really crying and sniveling, wetting Yoongi’s shirt, trying and failing to keep himself from sobbing. Yoongi is still sniffly, too, and knowing that his boyfriend — oh, god, his fiancé, his fucking fiancé — is crying the same happy tears makes it even harder to gain any sense of composure.
“Jesus fucking Christ,” Yoongi murmurs, his voice strained. “I get to call you my husband. Like, for real. You’re legally going to be my fucking husband.”
Hoseok thought that finally sliding the ring on Yoongi’s finger felt good, but holy shit. Hearing Yoongi even allude to Hoseok being his husband has him feeling so many types of euphoria, most notably the kind where he feels so validated. Yoongi has never made him feel like any less of a man, but it feels so fucking good.
He can tell that this is going to be something they both cry about off and on throughout the night. There’s a moment of calm where neither of them are crying, and they take that opportunity to flop onto the couch.
“You’ve seriously been talking about this for a week?” Hoseok asks. His voice is so strained, and his chest is so tight that it’s kind of hard to talk.
“Yes!” Yoongi sits up, straddling his hips. “Seriously! I messaged them, like, a week and a half ago and was like, ‘hey, I’m gonna propose to Hoseok,’ and they didn’t let anything slip out. So that’s why… Jesus fucking Christ.”
“What?”
“I was fucking, like, ‘what if he’s taking me on a date to break up with me?’ And Jimin was like, ‘he’s definitely not doing that because this isn’t a fucking rom com.’ Which is true, but he fuckin’ knew, didn’t he?”
Hoseok grins. “Absolutely.”
"God, those fucking assholes."
(Ultimately, they don’t go out, because they do keep crying.)
(Instead, they have a noodle night, then take their dear, sweet time roaming each other's bodies, like they don't already have each other perfectly mapped out.)
Hoseok usually isn’t one to care about anything being Facebook official or whatever, but he can’t deny that seeing Engaged to Jung Hoseok on his newsfeed multiple times throughout the day doesn’t feel fucking incredible. He can’t pretend that his coworkers squealing and hugging him doesn’t make him happy.
He definitely can't pretend he isn't amused by Namjoon and Jimin acting like they've pulled off the world's greatest heist by not revealing Hoseok's plan.
And he certainly can’t pretend he isn't ecstatic when he goes on his break and sees a message from Yoongi.
honey bun
everyone is asking why i’m so smiley today
i had a couple of the older guys act like marriage ruins everything and that i’ll get tired of being “tied down”
but i’m looking forward to being tied down to you
♥♥♥