Work Text:
Yoongi sighs as Jin’s name pops up on his phone screen. If he’s calling again about remembering to pack his fishing pole, Yoongi swears he will whack him over the head with it when he arrives at the campground. Seokjin has been bugging Yoongi to go fishing with him since spring, and now fall is here and they need to get it before winter arrives.
The phone goes dark again as Yoongi lets the call go to voicemail and takes the curves of the road quickly. He’s been winding through trees for some time now, music playing at a low volume in the car speakers.
Seokjin is Calling
His phone rings again, the sound cutting off the music. Yoongi rolls his eyes and reaches over to accept the call, putting Jin on speaker phone. What could he possibly want?
“You’re lucky I still have service,” Yoongi grumbles in lieu of a hello. “I packed my fishing rod, don’t worry.”
“Yoongi-chi!” Jin’s voice is a little pitchy, like he’s putting on his customer-service voice. “How good it is to hear from you.”
“Hyung.”
“I was just telling Hoseok-ah how grateful I am that you took off work to come camping with me and my friends. You’re really just the sweetest, most understanding, lovely dongsaeng.”
“Hyung,” Yoongi says sharply. “What’s wrong? If you tell me you actually need the ride to the campground I will—”
“I don’t need a ride,” Jin assures.
“Okay, good. Because—”
“I’m not coming.”
Yoongi laughs. “What’s for dinner on our first night?”
“Um, I’m not coming,” Jin repeats. He clears his throat loudly on the phone. “My agent called and I got a last minute audition for tomorrow and it’s really a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for me to—”
“What do you mean you’re not coming?” Yoongi glances at the phone, dreading every word that comes from his best friend's mouth. He has to be misunderstanding. Surely, Seokjin is just going to be a couple hours late. Surely, he isn’t saying that he won’t be coming on the camping trip he forced upon Yoongi with hyung privilege.
“I’m sorry, Yoongi,” Seokjin sounds genuine now. Serious. Yoongi doesn’t like it one bit. “I can’t come camping.”
“Hyung,” Yoongi huffs out, laughing dryly. He gapes at the road ahead of him, gripping the steering wheel. He can hear the wind whistling by his cracked window, it smells of fallen leaves and the end of summer.
“I know, I know.”
“You know I only agree because you would be there. This was supposed to be your camping trip, you’ve been talking about it for a month! You finally found a time everyone could go and—and now you’re bailing?”
“I know. I know, I’m sorry. But hey!” Seokjin tries to bring the energy back up. “Least you’ll get some fresh air and sun before it gets cold again!”
“You know I hate the sun. I hate being outdoors. This is literally my worst nightmare. I guess Namjoon and Hoseok-ah will make it bearable, but…” Yoongi clicks his tongue and shakes his head.
He waits for Seokjin to say something, but there’s only silence on the line.
“Hyung? You there?”
“So…about Namjoon and Hoseok.”
Yoongi feels a weight drop into his gut. “If you say what I think you’re gonna say, I swear to god hyung. You will owe me dinner for a month.”
“I was their ride! They don’t have cars, Namjoon doesn’t even have his license. And since I’m not going, well, they can’t either.”
Yoongi groans loudly, rolling down his window more to let the warm air roll in. Okay. Okay. So Jin and his other two best friends won’t be there. That’s okay. Maybe it will be better this way. He can read his books and laze in the sun and cook quietly as Jimin and Taehyung go off on hikes or rent a canoe. They won’t make him join him, but they’ll make for good company round the campfire and will set up the tents. Taehyung likes to wash dishes, Jimin will drink with him. He can tolerate two nights of that.
“I’m trying not to be pissed right now,” Yoongi exhales deeply. “I’m glad you have an audition you’re excited for and I hope it goes well.”
“Awww, see? You’re the sweetest!” Seokjin compliments.
“Don't overdo it,” Yoongi complains. “I’m just glad Tae and Jimin won’t be as annoying as you.”
He’s met with silence again.
“Are you that offended that I called you annoying?” Yoongi jokes as a bad feeling twists in his stomach. “Hyung?”
“Did—did Jimin not call you yet?”
“What do you mean?”
“Um…”
“Hyung, no,” Yoongi says in horror. “No.”
“I’m so sorry, Yoongi-chi. Yeontan got sick and so Jimin and Tae have been at the vet all day and are trying to figure out what’s wrong, they won’t be able to make it today. And if Yeontan still isn’t doing good, they won’t come tomorrow either.”
Yoongi glares out the windshield, sticking his bottom lip out even though no one is here to see how irritated he is.
“So I’m just gonna camp in the woods alone and get eaten by bugs and bears? What if I die out there?”
“You won’t be alone!” Seokjin cries, making the speaker crackle.
“You’re all going to be gone! It’s gonna be me sweating on the ground in a sleeping bag hiding from the sun, and then at night I will be fearing for my life because Slenderman is out in the woods!”
“Jungkook will be there!”
“Who?” Yoongi asks bluntly.
“Tae and Jimin’s roommate. You know, the new one.”
Yoongi furrows his brow. They’ve gone through a string of new roommates in the past six months. Ever since the two started dating, no one has seemed able to tolerate the living situation for long. He remembers Yugyeom and Sehun, there was a girl named Dahyun, and then…
“Jungkook?”
“You met him last week when we had drinks with Jimin? And he came to my play last month? You’ve met him before, Yoongi. You seriously don’t remember your newest dongsaeng?” Seokjin chides.
“Oh you’re one to talk. You’re leaving me stranded in the woods with a stranger who might murder me! Is he the one with red hair?”
“Mmm, it’s not red anymore. That’s all faded. Namjoon calls him Bambi-eyes.”
“Oh,” a memory of Namjoon pointing at a guy with cherry-colored hair sitting with their friend group and gaping up at Seokjin comes to mind. The boy had his eyes open wide, his irises nearly as dark as his pupils. He was a bit like Bambi.
That’s Jungkook.
They did drink with him, he now remembers. But he came late, so Yoongi was already a soju in and not really paying attention to anything that wasn’t snacks or animatedly telling a story about his weird dreams of speaking pigs. He recalls Jungkook laughing a lot, but not talking much.
“You remember now?”
“Yeah. But he’s still practically a stranger. How the hell am I supposed to camp with him?”
“You’ll get to know him,” Jin says. “Hey, my agent is calling me. I gotta get this. But have fun camping! Be nice to Jungkook!”
“Hyung—”
“Fighting!”
“Hyung!”
But it’s too late. Seokjin has hung up. And now Yoongi is on his way to the campground where none of his friends will be, and with only a stranger for company. Great. Wonderful.
Fabulous.
~
Yoongi considers turning around and going home. He really does. Sure, he met Jungkook a couple times but they’re not friends and didn’t talk at all—as far as Yoongi remembers. But he’s come this far. He packed the car with all his gear for camping and he doesn’t want all this effort to be for nothing.
Plus, he would feel a little bad if Jungkook was left at the campground alone. Yoongi will hang out today and then head back home tomorrow, and Jungkook probably won’t want to stay for the second night either. He hopes they called Jungkook to inform him that literally no one is coming and they’re going to be suffering in the woods without the small comfort of their friends.
Yoongi hates camping, but here he is, turning onto the unpaved road with the campground marked. Fantastic. His car isn’t made for this. It’s lurching over every pebble, shaking side to side. He clenches his teeth, praying it evens out soon and he doesn’t get stranded in the middle of the woods with a flat tire. There's glimpses of tents and fires through the trees, at least he’s not completely alone out here.
Campground numbers fly by on both sides. 4, 5, 8, 11, 14, 15. He's looking for 21. There’s a huge gap between 18 and the rest. He Almost misses the turn for 21 , but takes a right just in time. This road is narrower, but flatter, and Yoongi feels better just knowing he’s close to the end. Another car is parked at the end of the road. It’s beat up and covered in a layer of dirt. Oh god. Is this Jungkook guy a camping fanatic? Does he like off-roading? Is he gonna drag Yoongi to do crazy things like scale cliffs or go on a four hour hike?
No thanks. No thank you sir.
He sees a tent poking up over the bushes and long grasses some distance away, and he has to assume Jungkook is over there. Yoongi takes a few extra minutes in the car, sucking up the AC and wincing as he shuts his sun visor and hot rays cut through the windshield. It’s gonna be hot and sweaty and there’s bugs and the ground is uncomfortable—
Maybe he should have gone back home.
He nearly slams his head on the ceiling of the car when someone knocks on the passenger window.
“Jesus Christ,” he mutters and rolls the window down, feeling pained as hot air rushes in.
“Sorry,” a soft voice says. The guy ducks down, crossing his arms on the window ledge and offering Yoongi a slight wave. “You’re Yoongi-ssi, right? I’m Jungkook.”
Whoever Yoongi was picturing in his head, this Jungkook isn’t it. Jungkook is strawberry blonde, straight hair shimmering in the sunlight and parted around his forehead. He’s in a plain white t-shirt, smiling. He’s really pretty. Like. Yoongi can’t make eye contact with him, he's so stunning.
“Um, yeah that’s me. You heard that no one else can make it?”
“No one else? I know Taehyung-hyung and Jimin-ssi can’t but,” his brows furrow.
“The others can’t either,” Yoongi sighs. “Seokjin-hyung got an audition opportunity for tomorrow and he was Namjoon and Hoseok’s ride here.”
“We got no service out here so they couldn’t call.”
“No service?” Yoongi’s eyebrows shoot up.
“Least I don’t,” the other boy shrugs and straightens up, leaving Yoongi to look out the window at his stomach. And his arms that are hanging at his sides, one of which is covered in black tattoos.
Yoongi reluctantly rolls back up the window and shuts off the car, missing the AC already as he pops open his door and groans at the late summer heat. When he stands up, Jungkook is still there on the other side of the car.
“Want help unloading?” Jungkook smiles, gesturing towards the tubs and bags visible in the backseat of Yoongi’s car.
Yoongi is about to say no, just because he’s already in a sour mood and more human interaction probably won’t make it better, but it’s hot and he just wants to lay down in the shade. If Jungkook helps him, he’ll get to do just that a lot faster.
“Alright, thanks.”
They open the back doors and Jungkook throws three bags over his shoulder and then drags the tub of cooking supplies towards him from the backseat. Yoongi has exactly one folding chair in hand, and feels guilty.
“Hey, leave that. I can get it. You’ve grabbed practically everything.”
“It’s no worries,” Jungkook picks up the tub anyway and easily starts walking towards the tent. Yoongi can’t even do anything to stop him. He grabs the mini-cooler he brought along and then shuts his car doors, locking it up and hurrying after Jungkook on the dirt path through the plant life.
The trees are denser around the campsite, thankfully casting their tent and picnic table in the shade where it’s 10 degrees cooler. Yoongi tries to process the man in front of him. He’s completely caught off guard, to say the least. Jungkook sets the bin of supplies beside the empty fire pit, and Yoongi puts the cooler right on the wooden picnic table.
“Want your bags in the tent?” Jungkook asks.
“Oh, sure,” Yoongi nods. “You’re fine sharing a tent?”
“Of course, if you are,” Jungkook bends over to unzip the tent, setting the bags inside. His shorts are tight on his muscled thighs, and Yoongi swears other tattoos are peeking out under them.
Jungkook turns back around, smiling.
Yoongi's stomach curls with anxiety. Great. What can he say? He doesn’t know him, he doesn’t have anything in common with him as far as he’s aware. This is where Seokjin would say just talk to him, of course you have something in common. Yoongi pulls out his phone, frowning at the NO SERVICE message. So. That’s just wonderful.
“No service?”
“Yeah,” Yoongi huffs under his breath. “That sucks. Can’t even listen to music.”
“Oh, don’t worry,” Jungkook goes around the picnic table to open his own backpack. “I brought a CD player. Don’t know if I have anything you’ll like though.”
“Seriously?” Yoongi watches in awe as Jungkook removes a small silver player, and then a thick CD wallet which he hands over to Yoongi to flip through. It’s a small relief, knowing he won’t be stranded out in the wilderness without his main refuge—music.
Jungkook’s case has a lot of western bands he recognizes. Nirvana, Van Halen, Linkin park, Queen. Then he finds BigBang, IU, 2NE1, Drunken Tiger, and others. It’s a good collection. The options are overwhelming though, and he can feel the near-stranger watching him curiously. Yoongi rubs the back of his neck and hands the accordion case back to him.
“Can we just turn on the radio?”
“Sure,” Jungkook nods. He pulls out the silver antenna and turns on the CD player, he adjusts the knob to find a clear station. Trot music comes through the speakers, and Jungkook grins.
“Sounds like my parents’ house,” Yoongi says.
“Right?” Jungkook laughs. “So, what did you want to do? What do you normally do when you camp?”
“Um…” Yoongi averts his gaze, attention naturally gravitating towards the tent.
That’s what he usually does. He lays in the tent. Away from the bugs and sunlight. It’s not all that pleasant in there either—bumpy floor, uncomfortable sleeping bags—but it’s better than the dirt and insects being everywhere. Yoongi isn’t made for camping. He likes his home and his bed and his kitchen. He likes his private bathroom and having WiFi and feeling clean. Out in nature like this is just…not his idea of fun. Will he tolerate it because of his friends? Yes.
Now his friends aren’t even here. What he wants to do is go home. But…
“Whatever everyone else is doing,” Yoongi mumbles, and then tacks on, “or I like to nap.”
“Oh!” Jungkook snaps his fingers. “You just reminded me, I totally brought a hammock. I’ll set that up right now and you’re welcome to sleep on it or whatever if you want.”
“Oh, really?” Yoongi watches as Jungkook crouches down in front of a plastic tub of his own belongings and pulls out a blue, nylon hammock wrapped tightly in a bundle with the thick suspension straps dangling from it.
Yoongi feels a bit awkward watching as Jungkook gets focused on putting up the hammock. He picks two trees a couple meters into the forest in a heavily shaded area, and then rolls out the hammock on the ground between them. Yoongi automatically looks at his phone, trying to kill time, and sighs when he’s reminded—NO SERVICE.
He returns to his car and grabs the fishing pole out of the front seat, then brings it back to the camp and leans it against a tree. Yoongi grimaces when the sunlight flashes in his eyes, and realizes he desperately needs to apply sunscreen if he doesn’t want to get burned to a crisp. Sure it’s pretty shady, but as someone who stays inside 365 days of the year any sunlight can really do a number on him.
Yoongi finds his bag with sunscreen and begins dabbing it into his face. He wishes he had a mirror, it would make this process a lot easier. After applying it to his arms and the back of his neck he feels better. At least he can control one negative aspect about camping.
“All done,” Jungkook dusts his hands off as he walks through the weeds back to their camp. “The hammock is all yours.”
“Thank you,” Yoongi says, genuine. It’s a lot better than laying on the ground, and it’s up away from bugs and in the shade. A hammock doesn’t sound bad at all. “What are you gonna do?”
Jungkook puts his hand on his hips, muscles flexed, and he tosses his strawberry blonde hair out of his eyes. “Maybe I’ll look for some firewood.”
“Firewood? You don’t have one of the mini, like, gas camper grills?”
“No, do you?” Jungkook raises an eyebrow. It’s pierced. His eyebrow is pierced. Yoongi hadn't noticed before because it was covered by his hair, but sure enough. There’s a silver brow piercing that glams in the sun,
“No…”
“Besides,” Jungkook tilts his head, eyes big and warm, “half the fun of camping is cooking over the fire. You like to cook?”
“In my kitchen. Away from an open flame,” Yoongi deadpans.
“Scared of the fire?” Jungkook’s tone is teasing.
“No,” Yoongi frowns, “just not a fan of the smoke.”
“Ah, I love that smell. Campfire smoke is like, homey. At least to me. My dad would take me and my brother camping when I was little and we had a great time. I loved the smell of the campfire on our clothes when we came home because it reminded me of all the fun we had.”
“My dad liked to take me to the movie theatre…”
Jungkook laughs, “The movie theatre is great.”
Yoongi ends up grabbing a book from his bag—one that Namjoon leant him after insisting he read it too—and climbs onto the hammock. He clings to the fabric for dear life as it sways and he gets comfortable, praying it doesn't capsize and send him falling into the dirt. That would be one of the worst things that could happen on the trip—aside from all his friends literally canceling, which he would have never anticipated—getting dirty or injured or bit by some bug would be next.
Jungkook disappears down a dirt path into the forest, and Yoongi is left alone. He tries to relax and read. He really does. But at every buzz or click he hears he has to stop reading and look around, wary of insects or critters creeping up on him. And as shaded as the area is, light still slips through the foliage above and makes Yoongi squint uncomfortably. He places the open book over his face to block it out, and takes a few deep breaths. Just relax. Take a nap. It’ll be fine.
The radio is still playing distantly, so Yoongi tries to focus on that.
~
Sleep comes and goes in waves. Sunlight, twigs snapping, and humming insects stir Yoongi from his uneasy rest often and he sighs multiple times in frustration. At some point, he hears Jungkook. Now it’s the other man who’s humming. It’s along to the radio, mumbled lyrics here and there.
Yoongi turns his head and pulls the book off his face. Over at the main campsite, Jungkook has set up the base of a small campfire—though it’s not lit yet. The sun has moved further west, making the trees fully blot it out at their camp. Still, Jungkook is shining. He looks like he’s thriving in a way Yoongi never could in the outdoors. There’s sheets of tinfoil on the picnic table that Jungkook has set out, and he’s currently crouched by the water faucet that shoots up out of the ground on the perimeter of their camp.
Jungkook has potatoes held in his shirt like a sack—so he’s lifting his shirt halfway up to carry them all—exposing his lower back and the cut of his hips to Yoongi. There’s a black splash of ink on his ribs Yoongi can’t make out from here, but it’s...a lot to know that Jungkook has even more tattoos on him.
“Come on potato…” Jungkook grumbles, “can you be clean already?”
He’s rubbing at one with his thumb, trying to get some dirt off, Yoongi imagines. The voice Jungkook is using is light and pleading. Almost a whine.
“Thank you, now next one…”
Yoongi smiles to himself, watching the boy work. When the potatoes are cleaned to Jungkook’s satisfaction he carries them in his shirt to the table. The aluminum foil crackles as he wraps the potatoes in the sheets. When he’s done, they all look like giant plastic-wrapped hard candies. There’s enough potatoes there to have fed seven people, but now they’re only two.
Only two.
“Yoongi-ssi?”
Yoongi flushes, embarrassed to be caught staring. He pushes himself up, hammock dangerously rocking back and forth. “Yeah?”
“Sorry, did I wake you?”
“No, don’t worry,” Yoongi shakes his head. “Are those for dinner?”
“Yeah, I was thinking so. Are you hungry now?”
“Not really.” Yoongi swings his legs over the side of the hammock and yelps, gripping the sides tight as he sees the ground swing closer. He plants his feet on the ground and manages to get himself standing, relieved not to have landed in the—
Thump.
“Oh, shit.”
There goes Namjoon’s book, falling open onto ground with the pages pressing into the dirt.
“Noooooooo,” Yoongi picks it up as quick as he can, grimacing and shaking the book violently as he walks back into their clean campground. “This is Namjoon’s and now I’ve gotten it all dirty, I hope he’s not pissed at me. I knew something like this would happen…”
Yoongi goes on, rambling complaints to himself and he starts thumbing through the pages and wiping out specks of dirt and grass he finds. There’s pollen on the cover too, that must have ended up there when Yoongi was sleeping. The pages turn more and more roughly, and then..,
Riiip.
“Goddammit,” Yoongi hisses. “I tore a page.”
He glares at the small rip in the corner where he tried to turn the page.
“Hey.” A hand lands gently on the book, making Yoongi look up to meet Jungkook’s eyes. “Why don’t you let me clean it off.”
“Huh?”
“Let me fix the book and maybe you can go walk down the road so you know where the bathrooms are? Maybe you’ll even get a signal over there,” Jungkook suggests, face wearing a soft smile. He carefully extracts the book from Yoongi and nods again towards the gravel road. “They’re to the right.”
“Okay,” Yoongi exhales. “Thank you. Do you have any—”
“Waters behind you in the blue cooler. It looks like you only brought beer in yours,” Jungkook laughs.
Yoongi nods, lips turning up, “Yeah, kinda thought there’d be more of a party happening here.”
“How high is your tolerance? Maybe you and I can knock them all out,” Jungkook jokes. “Have our own party.”
Yoongi opens the water cooler and unscrews the cap, gulping down the icy water. It’s a relief. He’s a little sweaty all over so washing his hands and face does sound really nice.
“I’ll be back,” Yoongi follows the small trail out of their camp and to where his car is parked, and then takes a right at the gravel road to walk further into the campgrounds.
Distantly there’s the sound of people talking, kids playing, a fire crackling. The sun hasn’t begun to set yet, and if he looks to his right through the trees he sees the massive lake reflecting the sun. Some people are on paddle boards, and he thinks somewhere there must be some kind of sandy bank where people sunbathe.
He didn’t research this place much before coming.
The bathroom and shower building is just up ahead, made of bricks and covered in leaves and dirt on the outside. Yoongi wrinkles his nose, but is relieved to find that inside it’s fairly clean and only a little stinky. He washes his dirty hands in the sink and then his face. His skin gets slimy from the sunscreen on him, making his nose wrinkle.
Still, Yoongi does feel better now.
When he walks back out he heads towards the trees, wanting to get a better look at the lake. When he gets to a clear view he wraps his arms around his stomach and takes a deep breath. A few deep breaths. The air is a lot cleaner here than in the middle of Seoul, no doubt. It feels healthier to breathe, better against his skin. The lake is beautiful, almost picturesque with the sun hovering above it and the luscious forest surrounding all sides. He can see some of the beachy areas from here, and sure enough there’s people laying on towels and splashing around in the water.
Further from the bank, closer to where Yoongi thinks his and Jungkook’s campsite is, is a small wooden pier jutting into the lake. There’s only one person out there, sitting at the end and swinging their legs over the side. Maybe, maybe , Yoongi will fish there tomorrow. Just for Jin. Before he heads home, because no way will he stay two nights when there's no one here to keep him company.
Jungkook is nice though.
Really nice. Nicer than Yoongi expected. His easy smile and willingness to just act without overthinking or needing affirmation. He welcomed Yoongi to the camp readily and set him up a hammock. Helped unload the car.
Jungkook is sweet.
If Yoongi saw him at a bar in Seoul he’d probably be a little cautious of him. Is it because of the stereotypes he’s been fed since he was a kid about people with tattoos and piercings? Maybe. Or is it just because Jungkook is gorgeous and Yoongi feels a bit inadequate in his presence? Yeah, that one’s more likely. Yoongi can’t exactly ignore how thick the man’s thighs are or how his biceps protrude from his shirt and how his grin makes his eyes and nose scrunch up adorably.
Why didn’t Yoongi pay more attention to him before?
Yoongi drinks more of the water bottle, and then turns back to the road to walk to their camp.
When Yoongi gets there, Jungkook is lighting the fire in the pit. The newspaper at the base catches aflame immediately, and then he uses small twigs and branches to guide the flames to the large pieces of wood Jungkook has arranged in a careful frame. Yoongi’s impressed by how much he knows.
“Your dad teach you that?” Yoongi asks.
Jungkook glances over his shoulder, still crouched by the pit. “No, actually. He usually brought a little coal grill when we camped. I learned this from YouTube.”
“Seriously?” Yoongi blinks.
“Yeah,” Jungkook makes a satisfied noise as the wood catches fire and becomes stable. “Your book is on the table, by the way.”
Yoongi trudges over to the table, and sees Namjoon’s book sitting safely away from everything else. He picks it up, and no longer feels pollen on the outside. He flips to the center crease where the book landed. The dirt has all been brushed out, and Yoongi sees that the top of the page he tore has been fixed with scotch tape.
“Thank you so much,” Yoongi gushes. “I was so stressed about this.”
“It’s no problem,” Jungkook comes over to the table and starts to pick up the wrapped potatoes. “It wasn’t that dirty.”
“I didn’t know how to deal with it…” Yoongi mumbles, still staring at the clean pages in awe.
“You don’t like camping, do you?” Jungkook asks. There’s no judgment in his voice, but there’s a softness in his eyes.
“Ah,” Yoongi reaches up to his hair and nervously fluffs it up, running his fingers through the black strands and shaking his bangs out on his forehead. “What gave me away?”
“Just a few things,” Jungkook laughs and then walks the armful of potatoes over to the fire pit. He crouches back down and uses a long stick to sift the base of the fire around. Then he carefully slides the potatoes into the bottom of the stack, letting them get buried under ash. They’ll be cooked in the coals, which takes some time. It was smart of him to start them now.
Jungkook is the opposite of Yoongi, but so far that seems like a good thing.
“Why did you come camping then?” Jungkook finishes putting the potatoes in place and stretches.
“Ah...for Seokjin-hyung.”
“He talks about you a lot,” Jungkook smiles.
“Oh no,” Yoongi grits his teeth. “What does he say?”
“He complains about you staying up too late and working yourself to death, and says that he comes over all the time to make sure you’re eating well. Mostly, he talks about how good your music is. Not really to me, but he and Taehyung gush all the time over your raps,” Jungkook shares. “They sure think you’re cute too.”
“Cute?” Yoongi snorts. “Feels patronizing.”
“They just wish you had someone, I think.”
“Had someone?” Yoongi asks, but as soon as the words are out of his mouth he regrets it.
“I’ve heard them talk about setting you up with people,” Jungkook explains. “Seokjin-hyung has some girl he works with he thinks you’d like, Taehyung knows a guy from his art class. That was a while ago, though.”
“Well, they never did set me up,” Yoongi says. “Small victories, I guess.”
“So you’re not dating anyone?”
“I’m not,” Yoongi feels his face get warm. Jungkook’s gaze is so earnest and warm it’s hard to ignore. Surely Jungkook is just curious, and doesn’t mean anything by these questions.
“Neither am I,” Jungkook shrugs. “You came here for Seokjin-hyung?”
“Yeah,” Yoongi sits at the picnic table. Jungkook goes to Yoongi’s cooler and grabs them each a Kloud beer. He hands a can to Yoongi and then pops his own open before sitting beside him on the bench. They’re looking at the fire, listening to it crackle as the potatoes begin to get roasted in the forming coals.
“He made you?”
“No. He’s been planning this for us all so long, and he loves fishing. We used to fish all the time together when we were less busy, And I don’t even really like fishing—don’t tell him I said that—but it makes him happy and he’s my best friend so...I agreed to come. Then he doesn’t even come and I’m stuck with—” he stops himself, feeling guilty.
“It’s okay,” Jungkook laughs slightly. “I know. You’re stuck with me now. I’m probably the last person you wanted to be with.”
“I just…” Yoongi tightens his hands around the beer can, “I just don’t know you. I’m sorry..”
“It’s not your fault. I’m new to all you guys, even though I’ve known Taheyung-hyung and Jimin-hyung for a while.”
“What do you do?’ Yoongi asks. If he’s ever gonna get to know Jungkook, now would be the time.
“Oh, I’m a student at Yonsei.”
“Fancy,” Yoongi remarks.
“Ah, it’s okay. My parents pretty much forced me into it. They wouldn’t accept anything less. But I actually am a streamer on the side,”
“A what?” Yoongi takes a sip of the cold beer.
“A streamer.”
Yoongi frowns, trying to read the other man’s face. “A what?”
Jungkook throws his head back in a laugh, strawberry blonde hair falling back across his forehead when he answers. “On Twitch. Like video games.”
“Oh,” Yoongi wrinkles his nose. “Sorry. I don’t know anything about that. You get paid?”
“Yeah. When people subscribe to me or they can donate to me. It’s really nice to have while in school and I’ve been lucky so far to make enough to pay rent and stuff.”
“Do you want it as your career? Could it be a career?” Yoongi wonders, wishing he didn’t sound like such an ahjussi about it.
“Right now it couldn’t, but if I grow more or get sponsors maybe it could be a full time job.”
“Do you want it to be?” Yoongi nudges the dirt with the toe of his sneaker.
“I don’t know. I’m studying business with a focus in human resources and I could get a good job with that, I think. I also really like singing and photography, and honestly I had a lot of fun when I used to be an assistant at a daycare place for kids. I don’t know what I want to do, I like trying new things,” Jungkook speaks softly, carefully, like he worries about tripping over his words. “Are you locked into music?”
“Pretty much. I like composing and writing lyrics a lot. Production is really nice too. I feel like I’ve learned so much but I always have more to know, and I’ll never get tired of it.”
“What made you choose it?”
“I learned piano as a kid, but I guess what really did it was all the artists I listened to growing up. I really liked how people made sense of their lives through lyrics and turned feelings into rhythms.”
“I’m sure you’ll inspire people one day like they inspired you,” Jungkook says, so genuine it makes Yoongi’s chest tighten.
“I hope so.”
They sip at their beers, and Yoongi notices that Jungkook must have put in a CD because all that’s been playing is Hyukoh.
“Yoongi-ssi, look,” Jungkook whispers. He’s pointing towards their tent. On the dirt before it is a small, dark..
“A frog?” Yoongi asks, trying not to let his voice pitch. But he is not okay with that thing hopping anywhere near him, or even worse, getting into their tent. He shivers at the thought of a frog ending up in his sleeping bag in the middle of the night. Horrible.
“Yeah!” Jungkook giggles. He sets his drink down and then carefully stands up, approaching the frog slowly.
“Don’t let it come over here,” Yoongi pleads. “Is our tent closed all the way?”
“Don’t worry, he’s just a little friend,” Jungkook promises. Now he’s only a meter away, and with a big smile on his face and wide eyes. “He’s so cute.”
“He’s slimy,” Yoongi complains, tucking his legs closer in fear.
“You hear that buddy?” Jungkook shrinks down, crouching and hugging his knees while extending a hand towards the frog. “Yoongi-ssi called you slimy. Wanna be my friend?”
It’s funny how someone as big as Jungkook can become so small while interacting with a tiny amphibian. Even his voice is smaller, cuter, like how Yoongi’s changes when he’s home and talking to Holly. But Holly is a poodle, not a frog. Yet somehow, Jungkook’s lack of reserve makes the frog less gross. At least, Yoongi can be sure Jungkook would help him out if any insects or critters did get too close for Yoongi’s comfort.
“Ribbit, ribbit,” Jungkook repeats after the frog, who takes a few hops towards where the hammock hangs. The frog keeps hopping and Jungkook trails after it, copying it’s little croaks until it disappears into the underbrush. He waves after it, saying, “Goodbyyye.”
Yoongi finds himself smiling when Jungkook turns back to him.
“What?”
“Nothing,” Yoongi shakes his head and tears his gaze away. “I’m just...I would never—”
“That’s okay,” Jungkook shrugs. “It’s my job to get rid of the spiders in our apartment and I’ll protect you from the frogs while we’re here. Or I guess…from everything.”
“Hey,” Yoongi sticks out his bottom lip. “I’m not completely useless.”
“What can you do then?” Jungkook teases, sitting back on the bench with him.
“I can help cook. What else are we having?”
“There’s sausage in my cooler and a bunch of packs of ramyeon in my bag,” Jungkook points towards them.
“The water will probably take a while to boil, right? I can start that.”
Yoongi nods to himself. He can do this. There’s a big metal pot in one of the tubs of supplies, and he takes that to the water faucet and starts to fill it up. How many ramen packs will they need? Two? Three? There’s a ton of potatoes, so two should be fine. Jungkook has his eyes shut when Yoongi comes back to the fire, like he’s resting them. Over the fire pit is a grate that’s intended for grilling and cooking, and Yoongi sets the pot right on top of it.
“Can I call you hyung?”
Yoongi startles, jerking the pot slightly and narrowly avoiding spilling its contents onto the open flame.
“Huh?”
“Can I call you hyung, Yoongi-ssi?”
“Oh, um, yeah,” Yoongi allows. He wipes his hands on his pants. “That’s fine.”
“Thank you... hyung ,” Jungkook beams as Yoongi digs out the ramyeon packets and two metal rods for them to cook sausages on later.
“Are you upset that the others couldn’t come?” Yoongi returns to the table, setting down all the supplies and picking up his beer.
“Yeah, I guess. I get it though. There’s always next time.”
“Not from me,” Yoongi scoffs. “I swear, I'm not letting Seokjin-hyung pull shit like this again. Obviously I’m super proud of him for getting the audition, but I swear he knew before I left my apartment that he’d gotten it and just chose to wait to tell me.”
“You think he made you go camping without everyone on purpose?” Jungkook’s eyebrows shoot up. He looks up at Yoongi, brushing his blonde bangs out of his eyes.
“Hyung is convinced that I’m a hermit and have a Vitamin D deficiency,” Yoongi complains, sipping his drink. “And probably thinks I work too much and he wanted to force me to take a break.”
“Well, do you?”
“Do I what?”
“Work too hard,” Jungkook clarifies.
Yoongi frowns. “Half the time I’m not even working, I’m just asleep at my desk.”
“That doesn’t sound healthy,” Jungkook comments, but doesn’t sound rude about it. “I get it though. I probably spread myself way too thin with streaming, classes, photography, and working out. I can’t remember the last time I just did absolutely nothing on a weekend, even though that used to be my favorite thing to do.
“What changed?” Yoongi asks, both to Jungkook and himself. He used to enjoy doing nothing too. A lot of the time he still does, but it’s not relaxing like it once was. Now he’s plagued with guilt and pressure to not let a moment go to waste.
“I got really scared I was gonna fail at everything. My first semester at Yonsei I nearly failed all my classes. I really thought I might get kicked out. In high school and stuff I learned how to memorize facts and formulas and how to get through the CSAT. In college it’s all different, and I had no idea how to do anything.”
“You made it though,” Yoongi says gently.
“Yeah,” Jungkook wraps his arms around himself, forearms flexing. “If I wasn’t so close to graduating maybe I’d just drop out.”
Yoongi hears a lot more in his voice. Probably years of unrest and dissatisfaction.
“When I first got into music my parents didn’t want me to have anything to do with it. To them, if you’re not exceptional, if you’re not the absolute best, there wasn’t a point to it. I still did it anyway, and I think I’m happier now that I’ve embraced my career. But, I think because I know how they doubted me, I still push myself too hard.”
“So, hyung was right about you needing a break then.”
Yoongi exhales deeply, “Don’t tell him I said that.”
Jungkook throws his head back and laughs, “Don’t worry. I won’t.”
Jungkook gets up and changes the CD to an IU disk. He gives Yoongi a little glance as it begins to play, almost like he’s scared Yoongi might judge it, but when Yoongi smiles Jungkook slides the CD case back into his bag.
Jungkook grabs each of their sleeping bags and heads into the tent to set them up.
The potatoes get turned, now roasting in a sufficient pile of coals at the base of the fire, and Jungkook adds more wood. The water starts to boil and Yoongi opens the plastic ramyeon packs and dumps the noodles in. Jungkook is good with spice, so he adds all the packets of broth mix. The sausages are put onto metal rods, and Jungkook hands Yoongi one to cook over the fire like marshmallow.
At first it’s okay. It’s satisfying to watch the sausages get crispy and sizzle as they cook over the flames, but then the wind changes direction, and smoke is blown straight into Yoongi’s face. He coughs, backing away and grimacing. He walks around to the other side of the fire, but it almost seems like the smoke is chasing him. The sparks are picking up too, popping in the air and dangerously close to his face.
“Hyung, say rabbit three times.”
“What?” Yoongi walks back around to try and dodge the smoke.
“Say it three times and it will make the smoke go away.”
“You’re just making shit up,” he grumbles. Yoongi switches hands on the metal rod, it’s getting a little too hot to hold comfortably.
“I’m not.”
The smoke blows back in his face and Yoongi winces, turning his head.
“Rabbit, rabbit, rabbit,” Yoongi says urgently, feeling stupid.
Then sure enough, the breeze changes and the smoke is no longer creeping up his nostrils.
“See?” Jungkook is smirking up at him. He hasn’t moved the entire time, still sitting on his butt in the gravel carefully turning his sausage.
“That was a coincidence.”
“My dad told me to do it when I was little and it always worked,” Jungkook laughs. “Maybe it is a coincidence, but the smoke isn’t blowing in your face anymore so I wouldn’t complain.”
Yoongi snorts. Maybe he should be offended at him talking back like that, but it’s just sort of funny.
When Jungkook is satisfied with his sausage he puts away the foldable chairs around the fire. Yoongi moves the pot of ramyeon off the direct flame. Jungkook gets the potatoes out with tongs—the aluminum foil now blackened and burning hot. They set the table with kimchi, potatoes, the pot of ramyeon and all the sausages they cooked. There’s also some precooked rice that isn’t the freshest, but will be fine if combined with the other things.
They sit down across from each other, a BTOB album spinning in the CD player, and start to dig in.
“Thank you for helping cook,” Jungkook says. “This turned out so good.”
“Yeah, sure,” Yoongi slurps up noodles hungrily. They’ve opened a bottle of soju and have shot glasses to share it. “Thanks for building the fire and everything.”
“Gotta take care of my hyung,” Jungkook teases. “He’s very scared of nature.”
“I’m not scared,” Yoongi glares, but there’s no weight in it. “It’s just not my idea of a relaxing vacation.”
“Then what is?”
“I don’t know,” Yoongi shrugs. “Staying home and sleeping?”
Jungkook beams, all his teeth showing cutely, “Somehow I knew you’d say that.”
“What’s your idea of a vacation, then? This?”
“Maybe when I was little, I’m not sure about now. I do like just staying home and playing games and stuff—like, on my own, not for work. I’ve always wanted to try stuff like bungee jumping or zip lining. I've never had the chance, though.”
“No thank you,” Yoongi makes a sour face. “I would cheer you on all day but I would not participate.”
“Aw, hyung, you wanna go on another vacation with me?”
Yoongi's mouth is full of food and he can’t respond. Possibly for the better, because the look Jungkook is giving him right now is quite distracting. His lips are pursed, his hair golden in the light of the fire and beginnings of the sunset. The eyebrow piercing, and the silver rings in his ears, are sparkling. Jungkook holds his chopsticks so delicately in his tattooed hand.
Fuck, Yoongi really is attracted to him. He could have ignored it if Jungkook was boring or an asshole or a huge hiking fanatic, but Jungkook has been nothing but sweet. Nothing but nice. It’s really…it’s a lot.
“I don’t think you’d want to be stuck with me again,” Yoongi finally responds, only half-joking.
“Sure I would, I think we get along good,” Jungkook takes more noodles and a sausage. “We should hang out more when we go back.”
“Oh. Yeah,” Yoongi looks down at his bowl, stomach fluttering. That’s right. Even though this is the first time Yoongi has really gotten to know Jungkook, when they return to Seoul it’s not as if they’ll never see each other again. They are in the same friend group, after all.
“Would that be okay?” Jungkook presses, biting his lower lip.
“I don’t see why not,” Yoongi agrees.
Yoongi gets full quickly in comparison to Jungkook, who finishes off the ramyeon and sausages with ease and then continues to snack on the rice with kimchi. They finish off the soju bottle and share stories about their friends. Jungkook hasn’t known Seokjin and Namjoon all that long, but he knows Hobi well from being friends with Jimin and Taehyung. They talk about how it’s funny they haven’t gotten to know each other yet even though they’ve all hung out together. Jungkook somehow manages to get Yoongi to go on tangents, which Yoongi usually reserved for people he’s really close and comfortable with. But Jungkook—as intimidating as the idea of a stranger is, especially one who looks like he’d win fights in the boxing ring—makes Yoongi feel safe.
Like he can be himself right away, and won’t be judged for it.
“When are you leaving tomorrow?” Yoongi asks, after the conversation has died down and they’ve each opened their third beer of the night.
“What do you mean? We have the campsite for two nights.”
“I know, but since no else made it I thought you’d leave early.”
“Are you leaving me tomorrow?” Jungkook whines, a slight pout to his lips.
“Don’t give me that look, you’ve seen how I feel about camping.”
“I have and I thought you were doing great. Braving the wilderness, and all.”
“Yeah,” Yoongi sighs.
“It’s okay, I get it. Don’t worry, hyung. I’ll entertain myself. After being here today I realized I really did need this break, so, I might as well enjoy it,” Jungkook assures him. He leans back, looking up at the darkened sky. “Look at the stars.”
“They’re so much clearer here,” Yoongi hums. “You asked about vacations…I think I’d like to go somewhere where you can see the Milky Way.”
“That sounds beautiful.”
They stare silently up at the stars, finish their drinks, and then Yoongi yawns.
“You look like a cat when you yawn,” Jungkook teases.
“Oh yeah?” Yoongi blinks sleepily. “Well you look like a bunny when you smile.”
“Aw, thanks, hyung,” Jungkook grins—showing his teeth and proving Yoongi’s point. “Wanna get ready for bed?”
“Yeah, guess so. I’m gonna grab my toothbrush and everything and head to the bathrooms.”
“You don’t want to brush your teeth using the faucet here?” Jungkook points at the metal pipe coming out of the ground.
“Ew.”
Jungkook throws his head back and laughs, “It’s literally the same water as the bathroom sinks.”
“I don’t care. The sink water is cleaner.”
“It’s literally—”
“Don’t care, Jungkook-ah,” Yoongi cuts him off.
Jungkook stands up, still laughing at him. “You do you.”
“I will, thanks.” Yoongi gets his toothbrush and toothpaste out, some face wash, and his pajamas to change into. He’ll shower sometime tomorrow. Right now he’s a bit tipsy and extremely tired and just wants to crash.
“Do you have a pillow, by the way? I couldn’t find it,” Jungkook says as he starts to clean up their dishes and empty cans.
An image of Yoongi’s neatly made bed before he left home flashes through his mind. He never grabbed a pillow.
“Fuck.”
“Didn’t bring one?”
Yoongi shakes his head. So stupid. How is he supposed to sleep now? The ground is already uncomfortable enough and now he won’t have a pillow? Only a flimsy sleeping bag which is about as good as a picnic blanket on dirt? And just as he was beginning to think this whole thing was going okay—or as okay as the circumstances could allow. Something disrupting his sleep though? That’s possibly the worst thing that could happen.
“Don’t worry, hyung,” Jungkook sets a hand on Yoongi’s shoulder, squeezing slightly and making Yoongi meet his eyes. “I got an extra you can have.”
“Thank you,” Yoongi’s face relaxes, relieved. Jungkook truly is his savior today. “I really appreciate it.”
“It’s no problem.”
“Aish,” Yoongi pulls away and rubs the back of his neck. “You really make me feel like the dongsaeng.”
“Hyung, stop,” Jungkook laughs, nose crinkling cutely. “Get ready for bed, don’t worry about it.”
Yoongi decides not to fight it and simply mumbles another thank you before going back down the gravel road to clean up for the night.
When he gets back, Jungkook has safely put out the fire and the dishes are put away. He put out a lamp in front of their tent, and Yoongi presumes Jungkook must be inside already. From what he can tell the tent is spacious enough they won’t be, well, close , while they sleep.
“Can I come in?” Yoongi asks as he undoes his shoes.
“Yeah!” Jungkook calls out from inside.
Yoongi unzips the tarp flap and then the mesh door that keeps bugs out. He crawls inside with the lamp, casting orange light over Jungkook who’s already curled up in his sleeping bag. Yoongi goes to his spot, grateful to see the pillow Jungkook let him borrow.
“You gonna be okay sleeping here?” Jungkook asks, voice groggy.
“Yeah, thank you.”
“Goodnight, hyung.”
“Goodnight.”
Yoongi wriggles into the sleeping bag and then turns the lamp off. After a moment his eyes adjust and he can see some light from the streetlight outside. If he weren’t so exhausted right now, he’d probably be thinking a lot more about bugs or bears or serial killers roaming the forest, but thankfully he’s able to just turn onto his side and shut his eyes.
~
Damn birds, is Yoongi’s first thought when he wakes to the sound of chirping. It’s incessant, and no amount of rolling over in his sleeping bag is gonna put him back to sleep.
He groans, turning onto his back and blinking his eyes open. It’s bright out, the tent bathed in light because of the mesh, see-through ceiling. Outside he can see tree branches swaying in the breeze, green leaves rustling. As far as sleeping on the ground goes, he got a pretty good night’s sleep. No sounds of the city to wake him, no work to get ready for. Yoongi sits up and stretches, rolling his neck.
Jungkook’s spot is empty. And…is that a towel?
Where Jungkook’s pillow should be is a rolled up towel. Like he was using it to cushion him instead. Which means that he did not have an extra pillow, he just gave his to Yoongi. Yoongi flushes. He’s not sure if he’s embarrassed or guilty or flattered by it. It’s so sweet Jungkook was so selfless but he really didn’t have to do that to make up for Yoongi’s stupid mistake.
The sleeping bag zipper catches as he tries to undo it in a hurry, and Yoongi curses. He unties the front of the tent and then carefully puts on his shoes. The last thing he wants is a dirty sock. He doesn’t see Jungkook at their campground, including at the hammock. On the picnic table is a giant thermos, and when Yoongi puts his hand to it it’s slightly warm.
“That’s for you.”
Yoongi jumps, whipping his head around and seeing Jungkook standing there with an armful of dry firewood.
“What?”
“I made you coffee.”
“Oh,” Yoongi looks back at the thermos. “How long have you been up?”
“A couple hours. It’s almost 2 o’clock,” Jungkook sets the wood beside the fire pit and dusts his hands off on his fitted blue jeans. Today he’s wearing a black t-shirt that seems needlessly tight around his torso, and shows off more of the tattoos that creep up his arm and to his shoulder.
“Really?”
“Yeah, you were sleeping like a log in there,” Jungkook laughs. He comes over and unscrews the top of the thermos for Yoongi, which doubles as a cup that he pours steaming black coffee into. “Sorry if it’s gritty, it’s just instant powder stuff.”
Then Yoongi remembers the towel. “Jungkook, what the hell?”
Jungkook’s eyes go big—a deer in headlights.
“You slept on a damn towel and gave me your only pillow.”
“Oh,” Jungkook shrugs. “You needed it more than me.”
Yoongi crosses his arms, “No. You shouldn’t have done that. And you lied to me. You lied to your hyung. You said you had another pillow.”
“And hyung got a good night of sleep, didn’t he?” Jungkook responds nonchalantly.
“Yeah, but—”
“Hyung,” Jungkook presses the coffee cup into Yoongi’s hand and then pours his own. “I wanted to give it to you and I slept just fine.”
“Grumpy cat,” Jungkook laughs when he sees Yoongi’s expression.
“I swear. Is this how you treat Jimin and Taehyung?”
“Maybe. I don’t flirt with them though,” Jungkook grins and then tears open paper packets of sugar.
“I—” Yoongi stops. He takes a sip of coffee as his heart beats faster. What does Jungkook mean? He’s been flirting with him? There’s no way Jungkook is attracted to Yoongi like he is to him. Right? But…
“So when are you leaving today?”
Yoongi clutches his coffee tighter, shifting on his feet. Jungkook made him coffee. Lent him a pillow. Cleaned up his book. Made a fire and dinner and put up a hammock for him. Yoongi can’t leave him. He can’t leave a day early and make Jungkook brave the forest on his own. He glances around camp, looking for an excuse to stay that isn’t you’re really sweet and cute and I like your company and I would feel really bad leaving you here alone.
“I’m gonna go fishing in the lake first. I promised Seokjin.”
“Oh, nice! I’ll come with. I haven’t checked out the lake much yet,” Jungkook sits on the bench, smiling up at him. His strawberry blonde hair is pushed back off his forehead today, tucked a bit behind his ears. Jungkook really is so beautiful. It’s unfair.
“Are you hungry?”
Just as Jungkook asks, Yoongi’s stomach rumbles.
“I’ll take that as a yes.”
Yoongi ends up getting dressed and applying sunscreen vigorously while Jungkook gets breakfast started. They eat the rest of the baked potatoes fried up with eggs and more sausage, some peppers and onions thrown in, and then Yoongi feels very content. Jungkook apparently spent the morning chasing after frogs and moths in the forest, and found a cool cluster of mushrooms that he shows Yoongi pictures of excitedly.
When they’ve washed all the dishes in the camp faucet, they grab stuff for the lake. Jungkook applies more sunscreen to his tattooed arm and to his face, and then picks up the radio so they can have music. Yoongi digs out his container of fish bait—fake orange fish eggs that are disgusting and slimy—and they haul it all down to the pier.
The sandy beach is emptier than yesterday—a lot of people probably went home today, since it’s Sunday. They set up on the wooden pier quickly. Jungkook brought down the foldable chairs and plants them at the end of it. Yoongi’s leather sandals are definitely gonna give him an ugly tan but he’s so much comfier in these.
“Nice legs,” Jungkook says out of nowhere.
Yoongi nearly drops his fishing pole into the water when he hears it. “Excuse me?”
“I’m serious,” Jungkook sounds serious.
“I called them SNSD legs in high school,” Yoongi forces himself to say, trying desperately to ignore the way Jungkook is looking at him. He put on shorts today that fall above the knee, and a Hawaiian shirt open over a white tank top.
Jungkook laughs, crouching down to open Yoongi’s bait. Together they slide a few of the fake orange eggs onto the fish hook. Jungkook stands back as Yoongi prepares to cast the line into the lake. They take their spots in the chairs and Jungkook tunes the radio until the audio is clear. Yoongi relaxes into his chair, Enjoying the serenity of being near the water.
They don’t talk much.
Dragonflies come and go, hovering over the surface of the lake, murky shapes shift beneath it. There’s distant sounds of a family playing on the beach, and occasionally a plane will pass by far overhead.
Yoongi isn’t sure how long has passed when Jungkook gets up and sighs.
“What?”
“I’m bored and hot.”
“Fishing is supposed to be peaceful,” Yoongi says, and then frowns. “It is hot though.”
“I’m gonna swim.”
And before Yoongi can even process what he said, Jungkook is stripping off his t-shirt and undoing the button on his jeans. Yoongi can’t help but gawk at the exposed skin, dark nipples, and the tattoos that have just been uncovered.
“Wait, you’re gonna scare off the fish!” Yoongi complains as Jungkook kicks off his sandals and yanks a leg out of his pants.
“I’m not gonna scare them off, you haven’t caught anything for an hour! If anything,” Jungkook smirks a bit as he balls up all his clothes and sets them on his abandoned chair. “I’ll attract them.”
“Are you calling yourself fish food?” Yoongi retorts, avoiding looking anywhere below Jungkook’s neck.
“I think I taste pretty good,” Jungkook raises his pierced eyebrow.
Yoongi can’t come up with anything to say to that and simply has to watch in despair as this horribly attractive man dives into the lake in nothing but his underwear. Jungkook re-emerges and throws his head back to move the dripping wet hair out of his face. He rubs his hands over his face and beams, swimming further from the pier and staying clear of Yoongi’s fishing line. He does front strokes for a while, before turning onto his back and floating on the water.
Yoongi can’t help but stare. How can he not? The water fills the divets of Jungkook's chest and stomach and his face is full of a warm smile. His eyes are closed. That must be Jungkook’s idea of peace on the lake.
“Wanna join me?” Jungkook asks. He swam back to the pier, holding onto the edge and resting his chin on his arms to smile up at Yoongi.
“Absolutely not.”
“Anything I could do to convince you?” Jungkook tilts his head, batting his lashes.
“Absolutely not,” Yoongi stands firm in that. He hates the water. Hates getting wet. Hates the slimy feeling of lake water and the fear of some fish or plant brushing up against him.
“Boo,” Jungkook pouts. “Fine.”
“Glad you understand.”
Jungkook pushes back, swimming further away than before. Yoongi watches after him anxiously. He knows the water is still and Jungkook is clearly a strong swimmer, but he’s still nervous about something going wrong.
Yoongi ends up reeling in his line and discovers fish nibbled off the fish eggs without getting caught on the hook, so he’s forced to put on new ones and recast the line. Jungkook yanks himself back onto the pier, muscles bulging as he does so. His thigh tattoos are more visible now, what looks to be a dragon is circling his left leg. Jungkook shakes his head like a shaggy golden retriever and water droplets go flying, making Yoongi jerk away like a cat.
“Do you want me to bring you a towel?” Yoongi asks, watching as Jungkook collapses into his chair and spreads his legs wide. His underwear is clinging a little too closely to his skin and Yoongi has to look away.
“Nah, the sun will dry me.”
“Now you’ve soaked your chair too.”
“The sun will dry it,” Jungkook reasons.
“But—”
The fishing pole in Yoongi’s hands suddenly bounces. He reels it in a bit, seeing if it’s another false alarm. There’s another tug, and Yoongi can feel weight on the line.
“Oh my god!” He springs up, bouncing a bit with excitement. “I think I got something!
Jungkook laughs, “It’s about time!”
“You have to take a picture of me with it to shove in Seokjin’s face. Make him regret not camping with us,” Yoongi decides. The last time they went fishing they spent two hours on the water and caught nothing but seaweed. Now Yoongi can hold this over his hyung for ages.
“You got it,” Jungkook digs through his jeans and pulls out his phone.
Yoongi carefully keeps reeling in the fish, praying it’s securely hooked and won’t get free before he has a chance to catch it. When the fish finally breaks up through the water, hooked onto the end of the line, Yoongi isn’t expecting it to swing swiftly towards him and splash water everywhere as the fish flails.
He squeaks, nearly dropping the fishing pole entirely as he tries to avoid direct contact with the fish swinging back and forth.
“Hyung!” Jungkook is cackling behind Yoongi. “Calm down!”
“I don’t wanna touch it!” Yoongi grimaces at the wriggling, slimey tail.
“It’s a friend! It won’t hurt you!” Jungkook comes over, one hand covering Yoongi’s on the rod and the other catching the line itself and making it stop swinging.
“Jesus, thanks,” Yoongi sighs in relief. “Now let’s take a picture, quick.”
Jungkook just laughs more as Yoongi awkwardly poses at the end of the pier, the lake in the backdrop behind him. Jungkook snaps a few pictures and then hands the phone to Yoongi.
“Let me get this little buddy off, okay? We can toss him back.”
“Okay.”
Yoongi watches with wide eyes as Jungkook gently but firmly grabs the fish below the gills and then yanks the hook out of his mouth. Yoongi jumps back as it wriggles in Jungkook’s hands, but then he tosses it out to the water and it dips below the surface. The water is clear enough they can watch as it gets its bearings and then swims fearfully away from the pier.
“So, you’re scared of fish too?” Jungkook nudges Yoongi with his elbow.
“Oh, shut up,” Yoongi pouts.
~
They make their own form of kimchi-jjigae for an early dinner. Onions, tofu, tons of spices, and Jungkook insists on putting three packs of ramyeon noodles into it too. As it cooks they sit around the fire. They both showered before cooking, and their hair is drying naturally in the heat of the day. Jungkook, thankfully, is wearing significantly more clothes than earlier.
“Hyung,” Jungkook offers his phone to Yoongi. “Give me your Kakao ID so I can text the photos to you when we have service again.”
“Oh, sure,” Yoongi starts to type in his information, and then realizes what he’s been tricked into.
It’s not that he doesn’t want Jungkook to have his number, but rather he’s nervous about what might come of this. If Jungkook is actually interested in him, Yoongi isn’t sure what he’ll do with himself. It’s been so long since he dated anyone, and for the next person to be this god of a man? He might combust before it even begins.
“Thanks,” Jungkook grins. “I’m gonna make this picture your icon.”
“Jungkook,” Yoongi knows he sounds ridiculous whining. “Why do you do this to me?”
“Do what to you?”
“Embarrass me.”
“I would never,” Jungkook turns the phone so Yoongi can see his photo standing beside the fish. “You just look so cute here.”
“Jungkook,” Yoongi sighs. “Just for that I really am gonna make you take the pillow back tonight.”
“Oh?” Jungkook suddenly looks smug. “So you are staying another night.”
Yoongi blanches. Shit, he gave himself away. “No, I mean, I’m just saying—”
“It’s okay hyung, you don’t have to pretend. I kinda thought you might be,” Jungkook shrugs, leaning back in his chair and seeming far too full of himself. “I knew you couldn’t bear to leave me behind just yet.”
“I just wanted to fish for Seokjin-hyung,” Yoongi tries to argue, but he knows it’s a lost cause.
“Uh huh, sure. You definitely didn’t stay because you wanted to see me shirtless.”
“Hey!” Yoongi makes a horrified face. So…his staring earlier didn’t go unnoticed. “That’s not true at all. You’re the one who kept eyeing my legs.”
“Yeah, because they’re good legs.”
“Stop it,” Yoongi brings his feet up to his chair and wraps his arms around his bare knees. “Don’t look at them.”
“Okay, hyung,” Jungkook smiles cheekily. “I’m gonna check on the jjigae.”
They split the stew into two bowls and eat it around the fire. Whenever the smoke starts to blow in Yoongi's face he says rabbit, rabbit, rabbit, and miraculously it works every time. The sparks scare him though, so he ends up having to drag his chair backwards through the gravel until he’s a safe distance away. They listen to Nirvana on the CD player and talk about work and school. Jungkook makes a passing comment about wanting to work on having more of a personal social life and gives Yoongi a look like he intends for him to be part of it.
The scary thing is that Yoongi can imagine Jungkook being in his life too. Being at Yoongi’s studio and doing homework on the couch, Yoongi cooking dinner in a proper kitchen while Jungkook streams and then eating together. He could see him falling asleep on his shoulder on the train or going drinking with him—showing Jungkook his favorite hidden bars and teaching him about whiskey.
Yoongi could see himself holding his hand and walking through Yonsei University to Jungkook’s classes, or even showing Jungkook songs he’s been working on before anyone else gets to see them. It shouldn’t be so easy to imagine. Yet here he is. Imagining it anyway.
“Do you mind if I play guitar?” Jungkook asks.
“Go ahead,” Yoongi gestures to encourage him. “I’d love to hear you play.”
Jungkook smiles warmly, then shuts off the CD player and brings the guitar over to his seat. He starts to tune the strings, plucking at them. It’s a proper camping experience now. Music around the campfire.
As far as things go, Yoongi is having a pretty good time. Even if he does hate the dirt and bugs and loud birds and water and shared public bathrooms and sleeping on the ground, he doesn’t hate Jungkook. And that’s what matters.
“I’m not very good yet, so I only really know the song everyone learns first on the guitar.”
“I’m sure you’re great at it,” Yoongi assures him.
“We’ll see,” Jungkook laughs, sounding nervous for the first time.
Yoongi watches Jungkook’s fingers press down on the chords, other hand strumming. Jungkook's face is blank, focused. When he begins to sing, Yoongi has to hold his breath. Jungkook’s voice is so soft and rich, and when he peeks up at Yoongi it’s all he can do to nod vigorously and beam at him.
“So, so you think you can tell~
Heaven from hell?
Blue skies from pain?
Can you tell a green field
From a cold steel rail?
A smile from a veil?
Do you think you can tell?”
Jungkook only sings the first verse, and then lets the guitar do the talking. Yoongi’s chest swells with warmth watching him play. It’s clear Jungkook has put his heart into learning Wish You Were Here, and playing it now is putting a vulnerable part of himself on display.
When Jungkook plays the last note Yoongi claps and tells him how good he is, how much he loves his voice, and how he hopes he keeps learning. Jungkook brushes off all the compliments and Yoongi wishes he wouldn’t, but there’s not much more he can do. Together they wash the dishes in the faucet and set them out to dry. The sky is just turning orange and pink, and Jungkook decides to go for a little walk through camp.
Yoongi picks back up his book and goes to the hammock to use the last bit of daylight to get some reading done. He brings a sweater to lay over his legs, and settles into it. Still very afraid of tipping over, Yoongi clings to the edges until the hammock completely stops swinging.
As he turns each page of his book, he feels his eyelids grow heavier. He yawns a few times, and curls up tighter as he reads.
~
Yoongi’s eyes fly open in alarm, heart racing like he had a nightmare, and sees nothing but darkness around him.
“Shit,” Yoongi swears under his breath. He looks around him, seeing nothing but dark shapes and glints of orange lights. He jolts as something hits his thigh and then exhales as he realizes it’s just his book.
Something rustles in the forest and Yoongi freezes. It sounds like leaves, but then there’s a sharper snap and he nearly bites his tongue. The wind has picked up, blowing cool air through the trees and howling. A shiver runs through Yoongi's body as his eyes finally begin to adjust. He can vaguely make out the path back to the camp, but it makes no sense to him that Jungkook would let him sleep out here in the hammock alone in the dark.
Where is Jungkook? As far as Yoongi can tell the fire is out and the lantern is nowhere to be seen. Yoongi takes a few deep breaths, sliding his sweater on and zipping it up. His skin is prickling like mosquitoes and other bugs are climbing all over him, eating him up. Another sound from the trees makes him grip the book close to his chest. It can be a weapon if it has to be.
Carefully, Yoongi starts to scoot towards the center of the hammock. The plan is to leap out of it and run back to their camp, and just hope that Jungkook is there somewhere. The idea of swinging his legs over the side when he can’t see what’s below him is terrifying though. Yoongi grits his teeth and braces himself, then jumps off as fast as he can. He ends up tripping forward, catching himself with one hand in the dirt and keeps running towards camp.
“Fuck,” he wipes his hand on his shorts in disgust. “Jungkook? You here?”
He’s met with silence.
Yoongi looks around again. The tent is zipped shut, Jungkook’s belongings are still here. He steps through the bushes and up to the road, relieved to have the streetlights. He looks from side to side, breathing heavily as he struggles to get his heart rate down.
“Hyung?”
He knows that voice.
To the left, Jungkook is walking back down the road with the lantern swinging in one hand.
“Jungkook.”
Yoongi does a little half-jog toward him and Jungkook looks worried, walking faster to meet him halfway.
“Are you okay? What's wrong?”
“I woke up and it was dark and you weren’t there,” Yoongi rambles, wishing he didn’t sound so pitiful.
“Oh,” Jungkook’s brow furrows. “I’m sorry. A family lost their dog in the forest and I was helping them find it. I didn’t mean to leave you like that. I didn’t mean to scare you.”
“I'm not scared,” Yoongi says, but it sounds fake even to his ears.
Jungkook frowns, then opens up his arms. “Can I give you a hug?”
Yoongi’s instinct is to say no, but then he finds himself pressing forward and wrapping his arms around Jungkook anyway.
“I’m sorry, I won’t leave you like that again,” Jungkook murmurs in his ear.
“It’s okay. I don’t know why I freaked out so bad.”
“It’s alright,” Yoongi breathes in his sweet smell of shampoo and the musk of campfire smoke.
“Let’s head back?” Jungkook asks, keeping an arm slung over Yoongi’s shoulders as he guides them towards camp.
“Did you find the dog?”
“Yeah, we found her. She was barking up a tree at a squirrel.”
“Typical dogs,” Yoongi laughs, feeling a bit better, though his heart is still thudding.
“Do you have any pets?”
“I have a poodle named Holly,” Yoongi smiles thinking about him. “He’s my favorite dog in the whole world.”
Yoongi ends up talking about Holly the whole way back and even as they take turns changing into pajamas in the tent. When Yoongi’s allowed to go back in he asks about Jungkook’s family pet, and for a while everything is okay.
Then they switch the lantern off, and lay back down in their respective sleeping bags. Yoongi forcibly swapped their pillows so now Yoongi's resting on a rolled towel, but he can make do.
The wind is still howling outside. Yoongi rolls to one side. He hears leaves rustle violently not far away, and he turns back the other way. Distantly he hears a car drive over gravel, and then a door slam. Something crunches outside the tent and Yoongi's first thought is that someone is here to kill them. He shoots straight up, anxiously looking around for any shadows or movement outside the tent.
“Hyung—”
“Shh!” Yoongi hisses. What if something is out there and Jungkook just attracted it? Maybe it’s a bear?
“There’s like no bears in South Korea,” Jungkook whispers.
“You don’t know that,” Yoongi whispers back. He hadn’t meant to say that bit out loud.
“Yoongi,” Jungkook starts, clicking the lantern back on. The golden light fills the tent and Yoongi already feels better seeing Jungkook's soft expression. “There’s nothing out there.”
“But what if there is.”
“Then I’ll fight it,” Jungkook deadpans.
“Okay, but—”
“Do you think I can’t?” Jungkook challenges.
“No…” Yoongi looks back at the door. All that stands between them and the elements is a thin piece of fabric, some zippers and mesh. “What if it’s a bear?”
“Hyung.” Jungkook’s sleeping bag rustles as he climbs out of it. He sits cross legged and scoots closer, gently taking one of Yoongi’s hands in his own and uncurling the fingers he’d tightened into a fist. “Look at me.”
Yoongi does. Jungkook is so close. He’s warm. His smile isn’t mocking, it’s comforting. Jungkook’s thumb smooths over Yoongi’s palm where his nails dug imprints into the skin.
“I have an idea for something to help distract you,” Jungkook says, “and to maybe help you sleep.”
“What’s that?” Yoongi whispers. Maybe putting music on? Having some soju like yesterday? Giving Yoongi one of their kitchen knives to keep under his towel? “If you try and give me that damn pillow back…”
“No, no, not that,” Jungkook huffs a laugh, shaking his head.
“Then what?”
“Well…” Jungkook looks down at their hands. “Can I kiss you?”
“What?” Yoongi can hardly process what he said.
“Can I kiss you?”
“Oh, um, yeah. Yeah.”
Yoongi’s face heats up as Jungkook looks at his lips. His free hand goes to cup Yoongi’s cheek and then he pulls him closer as he leans in.
Their lips press together only for a moment, just a peck really. Jungkook leaves his hand on Yoongi's cheek and smiles at him.
“I like you, hyung,” Jungkook confesses, blushing. It’s so cute Yoongi’s heart feels like it might burst.
“Even though I don’t like camping?”
“Even though you don’t like camping,” Jungkook smiles.
“I like you , though,” Yoongi admits.
“Yeah?” Jungkook grins, wrinkles appearing by his eyes and his bunny teeth showing.
“Yeah.”
Jungkook’s hand falls to Yoongi’s shoulder and then Yoongi holds his other hand tightly and leans forward to kiss him again, better this time. They exchange gentle kisses, neither of them wanting the moment to end. It’s really nice to be touched like this, to be so close to someone. Yoongi tends to shy away from hugs and things, but sometimes he craves them. Especially when it comes to specific people. Somehow, Jungkook has already become one of those people.
Jungkook ends up laying down and dragging Yoongi with him so they can share his singular pillow. The kisses last longer now, Yoongi sucking Jungkook’s bottom lip into his mouth which makes Jungkook laugh and breaks them apart.
“Are you making fun of me?” Yoongi pouts.
“No,” Jungkook presses his forehead to Yoongi’s and runs his hand through Yoongi's shaggy black hair. “You’re just so cute.”
“Stop that,” Yoongi complains and silences him by kissing him again. He climbs on top of Jungkook, hands planted beside his head as their kiss deepens and Jungkook holds Yoongi's ass, squeezing it and humming into their kisses.
“You’re not scared anymore?” Jungkook teases.
“Well if you bring it up like that I might be!” Yoongi complains. “Don’t remind me.”
“Sorry, sorry,” Jungkook grins up at him. “Yoongi...”
“Hyung.”
“Okay then,” Jungkook quirks his pierced brow. “Hyung, can I eat you out?”
“Oh my god,” Yoongi flushes as Jungkook palms his butt. “Are you serious?”
“Yeah I’m serious. I wanna keep all your attention on me,” he smirks.
“I think that’s pretty easy for you to do already,” Yoongi mumbles.
“Hmm?” Jungkook smiles, teasing. He sits up and Yoongi slides off of him. They switch spots, Yoongi grateful for the pillow beneath his head. “So can I?”
“Yeah, but I might fall asleep here,” Yoongi says.
Jungkook laughs as he spreads Yoongi's legs and pushes his shirt up to kiss his stomach.
“I want my shirt on.”
“Okay,” Jungkook thumbs the waistband of Yoongi’s pajama pants. “Can I take this off?”
“Yeah.”
Yoongi watches him, trying not to be embarrassed when his half-hard dick is free of his underwear. Jungkook loosely wraps a hand around him and twists his hand up and down a few times, making Yoongi gasp and tense.
“Good?”
“Good,” he assures him.
Jungkook licks his palm and jerks Yoongi off slowly as he kisses his hips and thighs. He’s sucking a mark somewhere Yoongi can’t see, and now one of his legs is held up in Jungkook’s grasp so he can get lower. They adjust after a minute, putting the towel under Yoongi’s lower back to raise him up a bit and give Jungkook more access.
Yoongi grabs at the sleeping bag, holding back whines as Jungkook mouths at his balls and dips lower. He squeezes his eyes shut, absorbing all the sensations and the electric zing of adrenaline and arousal rushing through him.
“Fuck,” he huffs as Jungkook licks a stripe over his hole.
“I haven’t even started yet,” Jungkook snickers from between his legs.
“Oh you’ve started plenty,” Yoongi argues. “Keep going.”
Jungkook laughs again and then releases Yoongi’s cock in favor of lifting his other thigh up. Yoongi feels something wet and warm teasing his rim, and then it dips in further and he automatically bucks into the touch. Jungkook grows bolder, grips Yoongi’s legs tighter, and forces his tongue deeper into him. It’s a strange feeling, but a good one. It doesn't hurt at the beginning like fingers do, it’s just wet, instant pleasure.
Yoongi huffs little breaths, then outright moans when Jungkook’s hand forms a fist over his cock again. He leaks into his hand and the slide moves easier. Jungkook thumbs at the slit and makes Yoongi jerk his hips. He stops stifling his noises and whines with pleasure.
Jungkook’s tongue is working him open, pressing inside of him and reaching as deep as he can. The sounds are lewd and explicit but it makes Yoongi’s toes curl. He likes the feel of Jungkook’s hot breath on his ass and his rough fingers on his legs and how they’re growing sweaty and hot together. Yoongi thrusts up into Jungkook’s hand as his tongue presses in.
“I’m—I’m close,” he cries. “Keep doing that.”
Jungkook’s hand finds his ass and holds Yoongi close, licking into him and twisting the head of Yoongi’s cock roughly.
“Holy shit,” Yoongi’s thighs tense.
Jungkook let’s Yoongi thrust against his tongue, helping him get in as deep as possible. Yoongi feels wonderfully wet and loose and his nerves are sparking. Jungkook strokes his cock a few more times, dry and fast, and Yoongi comes over his hand and onto his stomach with a shudder.
He moans as Jungkook keeps pumping his softening dick, tongue still fucking into his hole. It’s so much all at once but it feels so good he doesn’t want it to end.
“Jungkook— fuck, fuck.”
Jungkook pops his head up, looking up at Yoongi with dark eyes and red lips. “Yeah?”
“You can stop now.”
“Okay,” he smiles crookedly, a little out of breath. “Was it good?”
“Do you really need to ask?”
Jungkook lets Yoongi’s legs back down gently, crawling up over Yoongi so he can kiss him properly. Yoongi doesn’t even care where his mouth just was, he eagerly accepts the kiss.
“Yes,” Jungkook blinks down at him. “How was it?”
“Really fucking good,” Yoongi huffs. He can feel Jungkook’s hard cock pressing against his hip, so he bucks up to make Jungkook rub against him.
“Don’t do that,” Jungkook gasps.
“You don’t want me to get you off?”
“You don’t have to,” Jungkook says.
“Oh come on,” Yoongi cups the back of Jungkook’s head, pulling slightly on his blonde hair. “Can I blow you?”
“Well…if you insist,” Jungkook laughs.
There’s not much space in the tent, so Yoongi ends up just pushing Jungkook down on the sleeping bag where he’d been moments ago. He cleans the come off his stomach with the bottom of his shirt and then pulls his boxers back on, not wanting to be so exposed. Jungkook removes his pants and briefs eagerly, and Yoongi has to admit that Jungkook is just as big as he felt.
“I’m so hard I’m gonna come, like, right away,” Jungkook tells him, sounding embarrassed.
“Don’t worry, I’m flattered,” Yoongi jokes. Then, more seriously, “What do you like?”
“Blow me how you like but, um, if you wanted you could…” Jungkook puts his forearm across his eyes as Yoongi kneels between his thighs and starts running his hand from Jungkook’s waist to his calves.
The dragon tattoo is beautiful. Black line work and then orange-gold hints of color. His thighs are firm with muscle, but still soft when Yoongi grabs them and makes Jungkook keep his knees up around him. .
“What do you want me to do?” Yoongi reaches up and removes Jungkook’s arm from his eyes.
“Finger me, maybe?”
“I don’t have any lube.”
“It can just be, like, uh, a finger. I won’t last anyway. Just use your, um spit,” Jungkook fumbles with his words.
“You’re very shy for someone who asked to eat my ass earlier.”
“Stop,” Jungkook covers his face with his hands.
“You like making me shy but then can’t handle it yourself?” Yoongi puts a finger in his mouth and coats it. He rubs his fingertip along Jungkook’s perineum and watches how he shivers. “Can I take your shirt off? Or can you?”
“I knew you liked me shirtless.”
“Oh, be quiet,” Yoongi smiles as Jungkook sits up and strips it off. He leans forward for a moment and kisses Yoongi softly then falls back onto the pillow.
Yoongi focuses on working his index finger into Jungkook. He begins slowly, not wanting to hurt him. He doesn’t want Jungkook to come yet if he’s as close as he says, but he does want Jungkook to stay at that point so he bends over his chest and wraps his lips around a nipple.
“Ah,” Jungkook makes a breathy sound and curls fingers in Yoongi's hair. “That’s nice.”
When Yoongi gets half the finger in he begins to feel some give, the muscles loosening, and then drags his lips down Jungkook’s stomach to his red, hard cock. He holds it at the base and wraps his lips around the tip. Jungkook still has his fingers tangled in Yoongi’s hair and his grip tightens, and he gasps in relief as Yoongi takes more of him into his mouth.
“Oh my god,” Jungkook gasps under his breath.
Yoongi smiles as much as possible, glad he’s doing a good job as he works his index finger deeper into Jungkook. The drag is certainly a bit dry, but Jungkook makes happy sounds the further he goes.
“Put it in all the way, I don’t care,” Jungkook whines.
“I won’t hurt you,” Yoongi chastises. He takes his finger out, and then lifts it to Jungkook’s lips. “If you want more, make it wet.”
And Jungkook does just that. He eagerly licks over Yoongi’s fingers, sucking at it with big pupils. Yoongi takes it back after a moment, circling his finger around Jungkook’s hole.
“You ready?”
Jungkook pouts at him and wriggles his hips, “Yeah.”
“Okay.”
Yoongi presses his finger in, the muscles relaxed as Jungkook tilts back his head and takes a deep breath. Finally it reaches the knuckle, as deep as it can go, and when Yoongi curls it Jungkook’s knees try to close around Yoongi as he moans.
“Yoongi—”
Yoongi ducks his head and teasingly licks around Jungkook’s tip, jerking the base of his cock with tight fingers. Jungkook wraps his legs around him and squeezes, making Yoongi chuckle. He thrusts his finger in and out in time with his bobbing head. Yoongi peeks up and Jungkook’s expression is completely wanton, one hand twisting a nipple before he gives up and grabs onto the sleeping bag for support.
Yoongi takes him as far as he can into his mouth, cockhead brushing the back of his throat, and then plunges his finger in and curls it up, searching for Jungkook’s prostate. He knows he’s found it when Jungkook’s hips rock up into his mouth and he rasps an apology, only to do it again.
Yoongi welcomes it, swallowing around his cock a few times and trying to aim at the nerves that make Jungkook’s whole body quiver.
“Coming, coming,” he warns, and then moans when Yoongi keeps his finger pressed into his prostate and pops off his dick. Yoongi finishes Jungkook by roughly pumping his cock until he spasms and comes over himself, making soft, breathy sounds the whole time.
Yoongi likes the way he sounds. He likes how his face is shining with sweat, his tattoos and muscles all tensed with arousal and then relaxing as he slumps into bed and he unlocks his legs around Yoongi.
He sleepily opens his eyes, breathing heavily. Yoongi wipes his own mouth, feeling spit all over it.
“Kiss me,” Jungkook says simply.
Yoongi moves out from between his legs and cozies up beside him so they share the pillow again. Jungkook holds him by the chin and kisses him wetly.
“Should we clean up?”
“Let’s just sleep,” Yoongi tucks his head into Jungkook’s shoulder and kisses the top of his tattooed arm.
“Wow. You’re okay with getting crusty jizz all over but can’t handle some bugs?”
Yoongi tweaks Jungkook’s nipple, “Shut up.”
“You’re so funny,” Jungkook rests his chin on Yoongi's head. “I’m really glad you stayed today.”
“I am too,” Yoongi says. And he means it.
Jungkook wraps an arm over Yoongi’s waist and pulls him closer. “Should I put on my pajamas?”
“I like you naked.”
“Oh,” Jungkook snorts. “So now you admit it.”
“Yep.”
“I see.”
Jungkook laughs against Yoongi’s hair and kisses him there. Yoongi feels warm all over, content. He smiles and closes his eyes, loving the press of Jungkook’s skin against his own. They fall asleep wrapped up in each other’s arms.
~
The next morning, it’s Jungkook who wakes Yoongi, not birds.
“Hyung, it’s late. We need to go home.”
“Hm?” Yoongi stretches, then winces at the uncomfortable feeling of dried come on his skin.
“It’s almost noon and we were supposed to clear out of the campsite at 10.”
“Let’s just sleep longer then,” Yoongi blinks at Jungkook, wiping the sleepy dust from his eyes. Jungkook has his clothes back on (unfortunately) and seems somewhat stressed.
“Hyung,” Jungkook tugs at one of his hands. “We gotta clean up and go.”
“Alright, alright,” Yoongi sits up and yawns.
Jungkook smiles at him, nose crinkled. “Your bedhead is adorable.”
“Shhh.” Yoongi shimmies his fingers through his hair to make his bangs fall properly over his forehead then finds his pajama bottoms to pull on
Thankfully, they kept things in pretty good order over the past two days and are quickly able to put away the clean dishes and fold up the chairs. While Yoongi takes down the hammock Jungkook collapses the tent and gets it deconstructed far faster than Yoongi could have. They help each other carry boxes and bags to their cars, Yoongi makes sure not to forget his fishing pole, and Jungkook is gentle with his guitar as he slides it in the passenger seat of his car.
“The camp looks weird without our stuff,” Yoongi comments. He’s standing on the perimeter, looking at the empty patch of dirt where the tent was and the cleared off picnic table. “What are you doing?”
Jungkook is over by the trees where the hammock used to be, seemingly carving something into the wood
“Come look.”
Yoongi sighs. He thought he was done waking through plants and bugs. Still he goes, because Jungkook asked him to.
“See?” Jungkook gestures at what he carved into the bark.
JJK + MYG
“You’re not serious,” Yoongi says.
“Hyung, you said we can hang out when we get back. I wanna go on dates with you,” Jungkook gives him doe eyes. “You said we could.”
“We never talked about dates…” Yoongi grumbles.
“You want me to ask properly?” Jungkook steps closer to him, a hand falling to Yoongi’s waist.
“No…” Yoongi stubbornly avoids eye contact.
“Hyung,” Jungkook says softly, “will you go out with me? I like you.”
“Okay.” And then quietly adds, “I like you too.”
“Huh?” Jungkook squeezes his side, teasing. “What's that?”
“I like you too.”
Jungkook kisses Yoongi’s cheek and then takes his hand to lead him back through the forest.
“You better text me those pictures,” Yoongi says as they stand at the end of their cars.
“Don’t worry, I’ll be texting you plenty,” Jungkook promises.
“Okay,” Yoongi can’t help but smile.
“I wish we could drive back together,” Jungkook squeezes Yoongi’s hand like he doesn’t want to let go.
“Me too.” Yoongi’s shoulders droop. It will be a long drive back without Jungkook’s music. Without Jungkook, period. “I’ll see you soon though.”
Jungkook nods. “Can I kiss you goodbye?”
Yoongi moves in and peers up at him, and their lips meet. The kiss is sweet and gentle and Jungkook smells so nice.
“You think your friends chose me to set you up with and that’s why they canceled?” Jungkook jokes.
“That better not have been the case, unless they wanna die,” Yoongi says bluntly and Jungkook cackles.
They stand there silently for a minute. Yoongi kicks at the gravel, listening to the birds chirp and a dog barking in the distance. Everything Yoongi dreaded came and went quickly. All of it was made better by having someone so sweet there with him. He’d like to say he’ll take breaks from work like this more often, but he can’t make any promises. Though, if Jungkook becomes a permanent part of his life he may be taking more time off sooner than expected.
Too much comes and goes so fast Yoongi doesn’t have time to appreciate it. He doesn’t want this to be temporary or casual. He really wants to hold onto Jungkook.
“So, how do you feel about camping now?” Jungkook asks.
“Still hate it,” Yoongi says with surety. “But…”
“But?”
“With you I’d do it all over again.”