Chapter Text
The cargo ship groaned under the assault of waves and bullets. The narrow metal corridors echoed with shouts and the sharp crack of gunfire as they fought their way.
Blood slicked the deck plates, the air thick with salt, sweat, and cordite. Jungkook’s voice cut through the noise, sharp with irritation.“Taehyung! Jin Hyung! Move Left — Cover me while I push forward!”
Neither of them moved.
Since Paris, Taehyung and Jin hadn’t spoken a single word to each other. Taehyung’s grip tightened on his weapon, jaw set. Jin remained motionless a few meters away, eyes fixed on the advancing threats as if the request had never been spoken.
Jungkook cursed loudly, ducking a shot that splintered the wall beside his head. “For fuck’s sake—move!” He lunged forward, grabbing Taehyung by the collar and shoving him hard toward Jin’s position.
Then he seized Jin’s arm and yanked him into place beside Taehyung. “I said together! Stop acting like strangers and do the fucking job!” Taehyung’s shoulder collided with Jin’s chest. For a split second their eyes met—cold, electric—before they turned away.
But Jungkook didn’t give them room to refuse. He forced them into the old formation, barking and physically pushing them until they had no choice but to move as one reluctant unit, covering each other’s blind spots the way they once had seamlessly. Their bodies brushed in the tight space, breaths syncing against their will as bullets flew around them.
A man swung around a corner, gun raised directly at Jungkook’s back. Jin was closer. He could have let the shot land. Could have stepped aside and allowed the bullet to do what he had once promised by himself. Instead, Jin moved—fast—slamming into the attacker and driving a knife up under the man’s ribs before the trigger could be pulled. Jungkook never even noticed. But Taehyung did.
The fight eventually thinned. When the last man fell and a heavy silence crashed over the blood-stained deck, Jungkook moved to the far end of the hold, crouched over the stacked crates they had come for, quickly checking seals and contents. That was when Taehyung moved.
He cornered Jin against a rusted bulkhead, both hands fisting the front of his blood-spattered white shirt, knuckles white. Their faces were inches apart, breaths mingling hot and ragged from the fight. “Stop the bullshit,” Taehyung hissed, voice low and venomous, eyes blazing.
“Stop trying to act like some noble savior in front of Jungkook when we both know exactly what of an asshole you are. You wanted him dead.” Jin stayed quiet, his gaze remained locked on his for a long, heavy beat.
Then slowly, he pried the fist from his shirt, thumb pressing lightly over Taehyung’s pulse a bit. Without a word, he began to move past him, shoulder brushing against Taehyung’s.
“Why do you never answer any of my questions?” Taehyung hissed, spinning around, body shaking. He hated how unsteady his voice sounded. Jin paused and glanced back over his shoulder, eyes still cold and expression less. “ Only I get to kill Jungkook. No one else.”.
Taehyung’s expression shifted, the anger twisting into something sharper, more vulnerable. “Then… you’ll kill me too, one day?”
Jin turned fully this time to face him again. He stepped forward slowly. Taehyung instinctively backed up a step, the rusted bulkhead pressing against his spine. Jin continued advancing until there was almost no space left between them, his presence towering.
“First tell me Taehyung, Would you have said yes…” his voice was low, and intimate, in one fluid motion, his arm snaked around Taehyung’s waist and yanked him forward hard. Taehyung’s breath hitched as their bodies collided, chest slamming against chest.
Jin’s fingers digging in with undeniable strength, while his other palm spread wide across Taehyung’s upper back, locking him in place. There was no space left to escape. Taehyung instinctively tried to pull back, but Jin’s grip only tightened, crushing them closer.
"Hyung!' One of Taehyung’s hands flew up between them, clenched into a tight fist pressed hard against Jin’s chest. " What are you doing?" Too close. Too much. Taehyung shoved at Jin’s chest trying desperately to set himself free, hips jerking back, hands kept pushing. But Jin’s grip only tightened.
“Enough!” Jin growled through gritted teeth, jaw clenched so hard the muscle ticked. With a sharp yank, he dragged Taehyung back against him again, both hands digging harder into his waist now, fingers pressing painfully into the flesh as if he could fuse them together.
“if you weren’t so fucking scared of what it would cost jungkook?”
Taehyung’s gaze drifted helplessly—first to Jin’s eyes, then the sharp line of his brows, and finally to his lips. Those same lips that had claimed him that night. His mind spun in chaos. This is insane. Yet every inch of him burned where Jin's finger touched.
“Maybe…” The word slipped out, breathless and broken.
Jin’s eyes widened for a fraction of a second— surprise cracking through the ice—before it vanished, replaced by the same old cold, hard stare. “Liar.”
Taehyung hissed through his teeth, anger flaring hot and immediate. He shoved against Jin’s chest with his fist and then open palm, muscles straining, but Jin’s arms stayed locked around his waist, refusing to release him even an inch. “You said you want my answer and when I give it, you don’t like it!” His voice cracked with frustration. “I fucking hate you so much!”
Jin’s expression darkened instantly, fury flashing across his face. With a sharp, angry pull, he yanked Taehyung back against him, fingers now digging in possessively and almost painfully as he crushed their bodies together once again.
“What did you say?” He hissed through gritted teeth, lips nearly touching Taehyung’s.
Taehyung’s breath stuttered. He tried to twist away again, hands pushing weakly at Jin’s chest, but Jin’s grip was relentless — both hands locked tight on his waist, yanking him even closer every time he struggled. Their hips ground together, chests heaving in sync, the heat between them suffocating.
“I said I fucking hate you,” Taehyung spat, voice shaking. Jin pushed him hard letting him go. Taehyung stumbled back a step, breathing hard, eyes wide and dazed. The sudden absence of Jin’s burning touch left him cold and unsteady. He ran.
Jin stood frozen as the echo of Taehyung’s footsteps fading down behind him.
“I fucking hate you.” The words hit like a blade dragged slowly across his chest. A low sound tore from his throat — half growl, half broken exhale — as his fist slammed into the bulkhead, metal denting under the force with a harsh clang. Jin’s eyes burned.
For the first time in years the quiet ache he had buried so carefully now raging openly across his face. He wanted to follow. He wanted to drag Taehyung back and make him take the words back. Instead, Jin remained rooted there, breathing hard, the weight of those three words pressing down on him like an entire ocean above the ship.
“But I love you…” The confession slipped out in a broken whisper, so quiet it was almost lost beneath the creak of the ship and the distant crash of waves. His eyes squeezed shut for a moment, shoulders slumping under the weight of everything he had never allowed himself to say. He loved him. God, he loved him more than anything in this world and Taehyung will never be his.
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The dim glow of the lamp casted long shadows across JK’s sleek apartment. Empty whiskey glasses sat on the low table between them, the half-empty bottle catching the light glistened.
The two had been drinking in heavy silence for nearly an hour, the weight of everything unsaid pressing down on the room. Jin swirled the liquid, staring into it like it held answers. After a long silence, he finally spoke, voice low and rough. “I don’t want to stay here.”
Jungkook paused mid-sip, then slowly lowered his glass on the table. He stared at Jin for a long moment, then a soft, almost pitying scoff escaped him. “ such a fool in love, aren’t you?”
Jin didn’t answer. He simply lifted the glass and took another long sip, the burn sliding down his throat doing nothing to ease the ache in his chest. Jungkook leaned back against the couch, shaking his head. “I told you this wouldn’t work. Many times. Taehyung is built different. You can’t force someone like him to love you. It was never going to end well.”
Jin kept drinking, eyes fixed on the whiskey inside the glass, didn't even dare to look at Jungkook. His voice came out quiet, almost broken. “He’ll never see me that way. Not really.”
Jungkook exhaled sharply, "Hyung… you’re sick. You have too many insecurities. No one has ever loved you, so you assume Taehyung won’t either.” Hearing that Jin’s grip tightened on the glass until his knuckles turned white. His voice flared, bitter. “And Taehyung won’t either. He said he hates me.”
Jungkook ran a hand through his hair, talking with Jin was like talking with wall. “Don’t know about love but If Taehyung truly didn’t care about you at all, he would have told me about your little ‘death plan’ for me the moment he heard it. He didn’t. That means he cares for you too — more than he even realises.”
Jin stopped mid-sip. The glass hovered near his lips as the words sank in. He couldn’t stop thinking about it now — the possibility, the tiny crack of hope cutting through the darkness. But just as quickly, he shut it down. He lowered the glass slowly. “He cares for our friendship,” He muttered, voice flat. “That’s all. He will never love me.”
Jungkook opened his mouth to argue, but Jin continued, the words spilling out quieter, heavier. “I wouldn’t have known what it would feel like… to have him...to kiss him… if I hadn’t blackmailed him.” Jin grimaced, the admission tasting bitter on his tongue. He didn’t want it to be that way. He had only wanted something — anything — to hold onto in his entire life. Something real. But now it was burning him alive from the inside, the very thing he had forced into existence slowly destroying him. He stared down at the whiskey in his glass, jaw tight, the liquid suddenly looking like something far more poisonous.
Before Jungkook could respond, a faint sound at the doorway made both freeze. Taehyung stood there at the doorway, eyes wide with shock. His face had gone pale, lips slightly parted as the weight of the words settled over him like ice water. Jungkook reacted first, shooting to his feet. “Hyung… ?”
Jin noticed the shift too late. His head snapped up and his hardened expression softened the instant their eyes met revealing something vulnerable for the briefest second — a flicker of fear, of regret, of the love he had never been able to voice properly. “Shit,” Jungkook muttered under his breath as he watched both of them.
Jin slowly rose from the couch as Taehyung stepped forward, fury igniting in his expression like wildfire. Without a word, he closed the distance in two strides and punched Jin hard across the face. The force snapped Jin’s head to the side but he remained standing, lips parting slightly as blood bloomed at the corner of his mouth. The whiskey glass slipped from his fingers and shattered on the floor.
Before Jin could fully straighten, Taehyung grabbed the front of his collar with both hands, yanking him forward until their faces were inches apart. Taehyung’s eyes burned with tears, voice shaking as he hissed through gritted teeth. “So all this time… you were playing this ugly game?” He tightened his grip, fabric twisting under his fingers. “Did I hear it right? Kim Seokjin! You…” Taehyung’s breath came in sharp, angry bursts. “You are so disgusting! Did you think of me as some sort of plaything? Something you could force until I gave you what you wanted?”
“I thought you are a good person hyung.” His voice cracked on the last word, the hurt cutting through the rage like a blade. He shoved Jin back with all his strength, the older man stumbling against the couch once more. Without another word,Taehyung turned on his heel and stormed out, the door slamming behind him with violent force that even sent vibrations through Jin's heart.
The room fell into a heavy, suffocating silence.
“Well… fuck.” Jungkook stood frozen for a long moment, staring at the closed door, then turned to Jin with a heavy sigh.
Jin remained seated on the couch, cheek still throbbing from Taehyung’s punch, the thin trail of blood drying at the corner of his lip. The irony hit him like a slow, cruel wave. Taehyung had only caught the tail end — the quiet admission that without forcing the situation he would never have known what it felt like to kiss him. He hadn’t heard the raw, broken confession he made at the beginning.
A low, bitter laugh escaped Jin’s throat, hollow and self-mocking. It would have been easier for Taehyung to hate him if he knew the truth — that Jin loved him. Instead, all Taehyung saw now was a sick sexually frustrated monster who had treated him like a toy. Jin pushed himself up from the couch, movements stiff, and started toward the door without a word. Jungkook stepped in front of him, blocking the way. “Where are you going?”
Jin didn’t meet his eyes. His eyes on floor as he tried to move past. “I don’t know.”
“You don’t get to just walk away like this,” Jungkook said, voice firm but laced with quiet worry. “I don’t give a damn about the business anymore. All I care about is you two."
Jin let out a short, tired breath, shoulders slumping as he looked up. “Things are already ruined. There’s no going back to the way it was.”
Jungkook shook his head. He stepped closer, eyes flashing with frustration and something deeper. “Don’t make me punch you too. Go after him, hyung. Your way failed. Now do it in Taehyung’s way. He loves to be loved — truly loved. Make him feel it. Show him.”
Jin shook his head slowly, voice cracked and exhausted. “That’s not me.” Jungkook’s expression softened, but his tone stayed steady, almost pleading as he squeezed his shoulder. “Can’t you do that for your Taehyung?”
“How?”
“I can’t help you with that hyung. You have to figure that out by yourself.” Jin stood there for a long moment, something fragile stirred inside — the smallest, most terrifying spark of hope.
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The morning light filtered weakly through the half-drawn curtains of Taehyung’s apartment, painting long, pale stripes across the wooden floor. He sat at the small kitchen table, having a glass of orange juice he had barely touched. Sleep had evaded him all night; every time he closed his eyes, the memory of Jin’s voice replayed —
His eyes were puffy and red-rimmed. He stared into the glass, murmuring to himself in a broken whisper, voice thick with tears. “Crying doesn’t suit us, Taehyung…”
The doorbell rang, sharp and unexpected in the quiet morning. Taehyung froze for a second, then stood slowly, dragging his feet toward the door. He opened it without much thought, expecting perhaps a delivery or one of the others. The man stood on the threshold, holding a large bouquet of deep red roses that completely hid his face. He was wearing a cream button-up shirt with the sleeves rolled neatly to his elbows, the fabric light and slightly wrinkled as if thrown on in haste, paired with beige trousers.
The outfit made the man appear gentler, Taehyung tilted his head to the side, staring with a flicker of doubt. The height and posture felt familiar, but the bright clothes and the way the man held himself seemed… off. It couldn’t be him. He never wore anything this soft or light. He never looked this approachable. The man slowly lowered the bouquet, revealing his face. The damp strands of his hair clung to his skin, giving him an unintentionally soft, boyish look that clashed with the usual ice-prince composure. He cleared his throat softly. “Can I come in?”
Taehyung pressed his lips together tightly, eyes narrowing with fresh hurt. Without a word, he slammed the door shut in Jin’s face. He turned to walk back into the apartment, heart pounding, but only made it two steps before he stopped. Hesitation clawed at him. With a frustrated sigh, he turned back, reopened the door, and left it ajar. Jin was still standing exactly where he had been, bouquet held carefully in both hands, unmoving. Taehyung stepped inside, leaving the door open, and walked a few paces into the living room without looking back. His voice came out cold and flat. “If this isn’t about our business, then don’t waste your time here hyung.”
He turned around — and froze. Jin had sunk to one knee, still holding the bouquet of roses with both hands. His head was bowed, he looked smaller, than Taehyung had ever seen him. He remained perfectly still for a heartbeat, then spoke, voice low, stripped of its usual velvet control. “I’m sorry, Taehyung,” he said, eyes lifting to meet Taehyung’s finally with painful honesty. “For everything I did.” He swallowed hard, the motion visible in the column of his throat. “I did it because… I love you.”
Taehyung’s eyes widened, breath catching sharply in his throat. “There was never any malice in my intentions,” Jin continued, tone steady but threaded with quiet desperation. “Trust me. Before I could ever look at you in a way that would hurt you, I would slit my own throat.” his gaze dropped to the floor for a moment, shoulders tense beneath the soft cream shirt.
“I’ve never been given anything in my life. Everything I have, I’ve had to take by force. When it came to you… I convinced myself I wouldn’t be able to have you any other way. So I thought… if I could just get you, even for a little while, I could live with that. I could survive on whatever pieces you gave me.” He closed his eyes briefly, as if the confession pained him. “I love you so much, Taehyung. I tried to court you thinking you would get me. I even never imagined you would actually agree when I asked for a kiss. I became greedy. I kept telling myself to stop. But my feelings wasn't letting me to stop pushing you. "
Jin opened his eyes again, looking up at Taehyung with unguarded vulnerability. He stayed perfectly still on his knee, waiting, the bouquet trembling slightly in his hands as the weight of his words hung heavy in the morning air between them.
Taehyung let out a shaky, broken laugh, the sound wet with tears that spilled freely down his cheeks. His puffy eyes shimmered with a devastating mix of pain, disbelief, and something far more tender that he could no longer hide. “You really thought I could kiss you back like that — so intensely — if I didn’t have even a single feeling for you?” His voice cracked as he shook his head. “You’re so stupid, hyung.”
Jin’s eyes widened. He rose hurriedly from his knee, the bouquet still clutched tightly in both hands, petals trembling faintly with the motion. His chest rose and fell unevenly as he stood , his gaze held nothing but aching hope. “Taehyung…”
“Please… give me a chance.” He took one careful step closer, eyes never leaving Taehyung’s tear-streaked face. “Let me take you on real dates. Let me learn how to love you properly. Guide me. I don’t know how this world works — not like this. You’re my first and only love, Taehyung. I don’t know if I’ll ever be able to love anyone the way I love you.” his breath hitched, the confession hanging fragile and precious between them “Please… accept me as your man.”
The silence that followed was thick filled only with the soft sound of Taehyung’s uneven breathing and the faint rustle of rose petals as Jin held the bouquet like a lifeline, waiting — bare, exposed yet utterly devoted — for whatever verdict Taehyung would deliver.
Taehyung sniffed and wiped at his tears with the back of his hand, the motion rough and unsteady, leaving faint damp streaks across his flushed cheeks. His voice came out small. “You hurt me, hyung.” He drew in a shaky breath, eyes glistening more as he looked at Jin.
“But you’ll be the first one to have my heart. So please… don’t break it again.” Jin stepped forward slowly, closing the small distance between them until the scent of roses mingled both of them. His voice was unwavering, carrying the weight of every unspoken promise he had never dared to make before. “Not until I die.”
A soft, trembling smile broke across Taehyung’s lips despite the tears still clinging to his lashes. He lifted his both hands, palms open in quiet invitation. “My flower?” Jin’s own smile bloomed then — small, genuine, and heartbreakingly soft. He extended the bouquet toward Taehyung who accepted it carefully, fingers brushing against Jin’s as he took the flowers. He lifted them to his nose, inhaling deeply, and a quiet warmth spread across his face. “My favourite flower…” Jin’s voice dropped to a near-whisper, gentle and he nods. “I know.”
Taehyung felt heat bloom across his cheeks. He looked down shyly, suddenly unable to hold Jin’s gaze. “Does it hurt?” He asked quietly, glancing up again. Jin blinked, confused. “What?”
Taehyung reached out , his fingertip gently pointing toward the faint bruise blooming near Jin’s lip. “There?” Jin’s expression softened further, the corner of his mouth twitching into a small, rueful smile. “A little.” The air between them felt fragile and new, as Taehyung stepped forward, closing the last inch between them.
The bouquet of roses pressed gently against Jin’s chest as Taehyung rose onto his toes and locked their lips together in a kiss that was soft, slow, and achingly tender. Jin’s eyes fluttered closed, breath catching in his throat. Oh… this is how love feels like? The thought bloomed warm and overwhelming in his chest as the roses Taehyung still held brushed softly against him, their petals cool and fragrant, making the entire moment feel impossibly unreal — like something out of a dream he had never allowed himself to have.
Taehyung pulled back after a long, lingering moment, a small, shy smile curving his lips, eyes still glistening but brighter now. Jin opened his eyes and simply stared, gaze filled with quiet wonder, unable to find words. The silence stretched heavy, until Taehyung’s smile softened further and he murmured gently, “You can kiss me, hyung.” That was all Jin needed.
Jin’s hands slid up immediately to cradle Taehyung’s face, thumbs stroking over his cheekbones, and began with the softest press of lips to Taehyung’s left cheek, then the right. Taehyung smiled softly as he moved to Taehyung’s temple, brushing a kiss there then to both closed eyelids, feather-light. His mouth trailed down to the delicate point of Taehyung’s chin, kissing it with the same careful adoration, wanting Taehyung to feel every ounce of the love he had kept locked away for so long. When Jin finally captured Taehyung’s lips instantly the heat built, like embers catching flame. Taehyung’s one hand slid up into Jin’s damp hair behind, fingers threading through the dark strands, while the other kept the bouquet of roses pressed securely against Jin’s chest between them. Jin tilted his head to kiss him even deeper, his hands slid down from Taehyung’s cheeks to grip his waist firmly, fingers digging in as he pulled Taehyung’s body forward and arched it against his own. The movement pressed them even closer, the bouquet of roses crushed sweetly between their chests.
Taehyung hissed sharply, a broken moan escaping against Jin’s mouth as the pleasure bordered on overwhelming. He was trembling in his hold, soft whimpers and moans spilling between their joined lips. The kiss grew messier, more desperate — wet sounds filling the quiet morning air, soft gasps and whimpers kept escaping whenever they broke for breath only to dive back in.
But Jin’s mouth became more insistent, more demanding —Taehyung’s head began to tip back under the growing pressure, as he sucked on Taehyung’s lower lip, tugging it between his own before releasing, only to turn his head to side and capture it again. They stumbled a bit back as Jin repeated the motion over and over, drawing out Taehyung's every sensation, all-consuming, that Taehyung had to wrench his mouth away with a gasp, chest heaving as he hugged Jin and struggled for air. His lips were swollen and slick, eyes half-lidded and dazed.
Jin kept peppering kisses on the side of his head, lips then brushing the sensitive shell of his ear before he bit the lobe, sucking it into his mouth.
Taehyung shivered violently, a moan slipping free as Jin’s hot breath ghosted over wet skin. " I love you so much baby." With a low growl, Jin lifted him clean off the ground in one smooth, powerful motion, Taehyung’s feet dangling before his legs locked tight around Jin’s hips.
He let out a bright, surprised giggle as his arms looped around Jin’s neck. The bouquet was forgotten in an instant, petals sticking to the soles of Jin’s feet as Taehyung buried his face in the crook of Jin’s shoulder, still laughing.
“My flower!” Taehyung whined, pouting. Jin couldn’t help the fond laugh that bubbled up from his chest. He adjusted his grip, hands firm under Taehyung’s thighs, and smacked a kiss to the younger man’s cheek. He pulled his head back just enough to meet Taehyung’s eyes. “I’ll buy you a new one every day if I have to. Deal?”
Taehyung’s pout melted into a shy, delighted smile, cheeks flushing a pretty pink. He nodded, nuzzling closer. “Deal.”
Taehyung's stomach chose that exact moment to growl loudly. Jin groaned, forehead dropping dramatically against Taehyung’s. “I’m starving." Taehyung giggled and tightened his hold around Jin’s neck. “Breakfast together?”
“Obviously,” Jin replied, already turning toward the kitchen with Taehyung still securely in his arms, legs swinging lightly. “You’re not leaving my arms until I feed you. Pancakes? Or should I make those fancy French toast things you like?”
“Pancakes!” Taehyung declared happily, hands reaching up to play with the soft strands of Jin’s hair. “And also extra strawberries.” Jin hummed in agreement, heart impossibly full as he carried his favorite person through the quiet morning.