House of Cards | BTS+

Riddle Me This

The next morning, Ava was early again into the space shuttle kitchens.

So was Min Yoongi.

Yoongi nursed an empty mug of coffee and stood staring down at the gurgling coffee pot that was buzzing up his morning brew. At the sound of Ava's pattering feet, he turned his pale-faced frown in her direction. His eyes didn't even look like they were open.

Ava stifled a yawn against the back of her hand. "...Ugh. I even got up early to avoid your presence."

"Same." Yoongi turned back to staring through slitted eyes at the gurgling coffee pot.

Ava frowned and started forward, trying to walk past Yoongi and get to the cabinets where the coffee mugs were resting. He didn't move—merely stood still as a statue without turning to look at her.

Ava tried to push Yoongi out of her way...but he was surprisingly sturdy. He gave a subtle grunt, a sign of his effort to remain standing still.

"Really? We're doing this?" Ava asked.

"You started it," Yoongi grumbled.

"ExcUSE me?!"

Yoongi's nose scrunched together disapprovingly at the sound of Ava's raised volume. "Shhhh. My eyes aren't awake enough yet for loud noises."

Ava pressed a finger, hard, into Yoongi's chest and her nose was suddenly inches from Min Yoongi's.

His eyes were open now.

She said through gritted teeth, "You're not allowed to... to do the things you did to me yesterday morning, Min Yoongi, and then turn around and be a complete asshole like nothing even happened. No. I won't have it."

He was ready to throw his mug at the wall. "Well excUSE me, miss 'I'm not your anything.' I was just taking a fucking hint. Why can't you?"

The timer buzzed. The coffee was done brewing.

Through her glare and her speechless frown, Ava leaned forward until her lightly freckled nose was almost brushing Yoongi's pale one—then she violently jerked the coffee mug from his hands. Ava turned, poured coffee into the mug and then replaced the pot with a heavy clanking. Then she stormed from the kitchens in her flopping slippers without turning around to look in Yoongi's direction.

He let out a low, irritated growl as his lip curled and he watched her go. Stop it, Yoongi. Stop looking at... Dammit.

It was hard to say which of them was feeling more angry and foolish that morning.

__

Jeon Jungkook woke up with someone else's knuckle flopped into his left eye. He plucked the hand up and shoved it aside, grumbling to himself. He sat up and wiped the tiredness from his face, shoving the covers aside.

Kim Taehyung's soft sleep-breathing didn't even falter. Jungkook gave a single airy laugh as he looked over at the sight of Tae's drooling mouth, and at the stuffed heart-animal tucked under Tae's drooling chin.

"Looks like he was able to sleep okay for once. Good."

Jungkook got up and made his way from that suite and into the main hallway. When he stepped outside, he was surprised to see Ava making angry, hurried strides down the circular corridor in his direction.

She had a hot mug of coffee and a death glare for the ages.

"Uh... are you alright, Ava?"

Ava stopped dead in her tracks. She took in a sharp breath, then let it out just as sharply.