Work Text:
Jeongguk stares at the sign in the window.
COUPLES POTTERY NIGHT - NO REFUNDS
Jeongguk had booked this months ago, as the classes filled up fast, when he and his ex were still together. He tried multiple times to get his money back, but they were fairly strict on the no refund thing.
He didn’t want to lose this money, because he felt like doing that would mean he (his ex-boyfriend) won. And well, he really can’t allow that to happen.
The sidewalk is empty, but it is a Wednesday night, not exactly a wild night for most people due to work. He stands outside the studio, biting his bottom lip debating how embarrassing it’d be to go in by himself when he’s almost knocked off his feet by someone running into him.
“Sorry,” the stranger says, catching Jeongguk’s eye. He goes to walk off but Jeongguk grabs his arm and pulls him back, a shocked expression covering the stranger's features.
“Wanna make some money?” Jeongguk says the first thing that comes to his mind.
“What?” This stranger looks dumbfounded, which is how Jeongguk feels.
“I’ll give you twenty thousand won to come to this class with me,” Jeongguk points at the window where the sign resides. The stranger looks at the sign then back at him.
“Seriously?”
“Please, I don’t want to lose my money.”
“So instead you’re going to pay a stranger money to go with you?”
“If-if I go alone, he wins and I can’t let that happen,” Jeongguk begins speaking so fast he’s not even sure he understands what he’s saying.
“Well, obviously we can’t have that. Lead the way,” this stranger motions towards the door and Jeongguk can’t believe he actually agreed.
He takes the stranger in, really looking at him for the first time. He’s a little shorter than he is with short black hair. He’s in a flannel shirt over a tight white shirt showing off his pecs and some baggy jeans. He’s exactly Jeongguk’s type, if he’s being honest, but that doesn’t matter. All that matters is that he agreed to not force Jeongguk to walk in and embarrass himself.
Jeongguk holds the door open and the stranger enters, Jeongguk following close behind.
“Another happy couple!” someone at the desk greets them. Jeongguk is shocked to feel a hand in his own, a hand that’s slightly calloused for whatever reason. “Welcome in! Name?”
“Jeon Jeongguk,” he tells them.
“And who’s this?” they motion towards Yoongi.
“Min Yoongi,” Yoongi answers.
“Well, welcome Jeongguk-ssi, Yoongi-ssi. Right this way.”
They lead Jeongguk and Yoongi into a room filled with couples, each paired off with only one pottery wheel between them. Jeongguk begins questioning the sign that specifically said it was a couples pottery class, so why was there only one pottery wheel between them?
Once they take their seats, the instructor begins.
“Welcome! Tonight you will learn how to make pottery. But this isn’t any pottery class, this is a couples pottery class. And what better way to do it than together.”
Jeongguk still wasn’t sure he understood as he looks between the wheel, Yoongi and the instructor.
“You will decide who sits in front and who sits behind,” the instructor directs them and it leaves Jeongguk even more confused and after looking around the room he realizes he isn’t the only one. “It’s like Ghost,” the instructor specifies, which still means nothing to Jeongguk.
“You need to sit behind me, baby,” Yoongi says to Jeongguk with a wink and Jeongguk almost chokes on his own saliva.
“What?”
“Like in Ghost. Patrick Swayze sits behind Demi Moore and they do pottery together. It’s strangely erotic.”
Jeongguk can feel his face heating up, he barely knew Yoongi and now he was expecting to do some erotic pottery with him?
“Don’t worry, I won’t bite,” Yoongi tells him as if that helps calm his nerves.
Jeongguk hesitates a bit, before moving his stool to sit directly behind Yoongi.
The instructor then begins showing them how to mold the clay as the pottery wheel spins, instructing them to join hands on the clay and do it together.
Jeongguk sits with his legs on either side of Yoongi’s hips, his hands on his knees.
“Don’t be shy,” Yoongi grabs Jeongguk’s hands and brings them around him towards the clay that sits still on the wheel. It forces Jeongguk’s front to be flat across Yoongi’s back. He couldn’t remember the last time he was in such close proximity with a person. A person who smells like the most delicious musk he’s ever smelled.
Yoongi wets both their hands and begins to spin the wheel slowly with his foot, putting his hands over Jeongguk’s and guiding them along the clay.
“What should we make?”
“What do you suggest?”
“How about a mug, I could always use another mug.”
So Yoongi planned to keep this mug, which Jeongguk figures is fine.
Jeongguk underestimated how messy doing pottery was, his sleeves covered in clay up to his elbows. He can’t even imagine what Yoongi’s shirt looks like. He begins to feel bad, guilty, promising himself he’ll buy Yoongi a new shirt to replace the one that he’s sure is now ruined.
The slide on the clay is smooth. Yoongi’s fingers dance along Jeongguk’s hands, guiding him. It gives him goosebumps.
“It’s looking great,” the instructor comes over to check their progress.
“See baby? I told you it’d be fine,” he hears Yoongi say from in front of him.
Yoongi seemed awfully comfortable calling him baby, as if they hadn’t just met less than an hour ago. Jeongguk hated how happy it made him. Maybe he was just lonely. It had been a while since he’s enjoyed male company. His friends don’t count.
Eventually they finish, their mug lopsided with a poorly shaped handle with boyfriends painted on the side of it. Yoongi smiles wide as he takes a picture of it with his phone.
Jeongguk can’t help the frown on his lips, realizing that the fake date is over, that he’ll probably never see Yoongi again. Never hear him call him baby again.
“Give me your phone,” Yoongi tells him, holding out his hand. Jeongguk obeys, unlocking his phone and handing it over. He watches as Yoongi types fast on his phone before locking it and handing it back. Yoongi does something on his phone real quick and Jeongguk’s phone vibrates. He sees the notification from pottery boyfriend on his phone. He can’t help but smile.
“Your final products will be ready in two weeks,” the instructor tells them after thanking them for coming.
“Two weeks? I can do that,” Yoongi shrugs. “Don’t make me come pick them up alone, boyfriend.” Yoongi winks and shakes his phone at Jeongguk.