out of time |t.k|

eleven

Taehyung sat at the bar nervously tapping his foot in no particular rhythm. The bartender walked over and slid him a drink.

"What? Hey, I didn't order anything.", he began pushing it away.

"You looked like you needed it." he says with a wink, pushing the short glass back into Taehyung's hand.

He took the glass and sighed, knocking the drink back in one large gulp. It went down slowly, burning all the way into his stomach and he felt his cheeks flush. He sat the empty glass on the bar and the bartender wandered over to take the glass, replacing it with another full one. Taehyung tried to protest again but the bartender wasn't having it. 

So, Taehyung drank another burning drink down, noticing it wasn't as bad as the first. He felt his cheeks burn hotter now as he sat the glass on the bar. The clock on the wall in from of him read 11:57 PM, he should be here soon.

He didn't know why he was so nervous. He had known Jeongguk almost his whole life, could he really be that different now? He was about to flag down the bartender and ask for another drink to calm his nerves even more but was interrupted by a person sitting in the stool next to him.

Wearing a backwards hat and sunglasses, the man looked extremely suspicious.

"Gguk.", Taehyung whispered.

"So much for a clever disguise.", he said, pulling the sunglasses off his face. 

"I didn't want to get mobbed by fans on the way here. They're still all lingering around thinking they'll spot me at a night club or something. Have you had anything to drink? Bartender! Can we get two Irish bombs, please? Thanks." He slid a $20 bill across the bar at the bartender and smiled brightly. "Have you ever had a Irish bomb? I like them a lot and I-"

"Gguk.", Taehyung cut him off.

It was then Jeongguk realized he was just blabbing on and on nervously while Taehyung sat silently staring at him.

"Yeah?", he answered.

"It's good to see you.", Taehyung smiled that big square smile that always made Jeongguk smile back. The bartender handed them each a drink and they began sipping them awkwardly.

Jeongguk spoke first. 

"So, I read your blog post. It was really sweet. And I'll have you know I only cried for a couple of minutes."

Taehyung let a soft laugh out. 

"I thought you were too manly to cry?"

"Manly doesn't matter when you've lost your best friend."

An awkward silence falls over them again and they both finish their drinks, Jeongguk orders another round for the two of them. As they begin to loosen up with the help of alcohol they slip into a comfortable conversation, catching each other up on the past two years events.

Two hours later when the bar closes and they're kicked out, they're still conversing excitedly about life as they stumble hand in hand down the sidewalk. Neither realizing Taehyung was pulling them in the direction of his hotel. They didn't notice when Jeongguk's thumb gently brushed the knuckles of Taehyung's hand. And they certainly didn't notice when Taehyung slipped his arm around Jeongguk's narrow waist in the elevator.

When they enter the hotel room the conversation had dwindled down to small comments about unimportant things as Taehyung looks down at Jeongguk, cheeks flushed, smiling at him like he was the only thing that mattered. Jeongguk brought his hands up to rest on Taehyung's hips, something devious flickering in his eyes.

"I have a boyfriend.", Taehyung says simply.

"I know."

The words resonated in the air for a moment, swirling through Taehyung's head as he took a deep, shaky breath. 

"Kiss me already, stupid.", he whispers against Jeongguk's cheek.

Jeongguk too drunk to rationalize what Taehyung just said acted on instinct.