2 Everything will change for better days because we're together

A steaming mug of coffee placed down on the table in front of Jungkook's face makes him stir and he opens his eyes blearily. His vision adjusts and he looks up to see a guy (not one of the ones from last night, he's pretty sure) sipping out of an enormous mug. Jungkook squints at it.

"World's most handsome?" He says, reading the English print on the mug the guy's holding.

That earns him a grin. "Yes, I am, thank you for noticing."

It's one of the voices from this morning. Jungkook remembers what he'd heard, thinking back on that strange conversation for a moment before he realizes what the guy just said and sputters, embarrassed, "N-no, I didn't. I-I mean-"

"-Stop teasing him, hyung." A second voice cuts in, ringing in Jungkook's ears. Jungkook looks over to see a guy sitting at the kitchen table, feet propped up on the chair in front of him. He has a soft, friendly look about him, light brown hair wild and messy from sleep. When they make eye contact, the guy gives him a peace sign in greeting. He's wearing an oversized red hoodie, and when he lifts his arm up to do so, the sleeve slides down revealing a lot of ink on his arm. Jungkook looks away.

"How are you feeling?" The first guy asks. Jungkook pushes himself up into a sitting position and the guy sits down on the table in front of him, giving him space.

Jungkook's thankful for that.

"Um. Head hurts," he mumbles, looking down at the floor. "And like. Everything else. But I'm okay," he says and chances a look back up at the guy sitting in front of him. He is handsome, broad shoulders and a soft smile, dark brown hair brushed into place meticulously, completely different from the other guy. He looks soft, friendly, and that helps to calm Jungkook's racing heart, but he can't help but feel anxiety prickling at his fingertips.

It feels too good to be true that someone actually wants to help him, so even though he wants to cling to this potential feeling of safety, he's hesitant to.

"Your forehead got split pretty badly, but I stitched it up for you. Can I have a look at it?" He asks like it's second-nature. Jungkook hesitates, still refusing to make eye contact. These guys talk to him so calmly, so casually, like they're his friends. It's weird. "It's okay. I just want to help you."

Jungkook finally looks up to meet his gaze. He looks at him sincerely and openly; he has a face that Jungkook wants to trust.

Trusting is hard and he's not sure if he really can, but he has to try. His choices are pretty limited at this point.

"Thanks," he says, moving to sit beside Jungkook. His touch is careful and practiced as he peels back the gauze and checks the stitches. It still hurts and Jungkook winces, but in no time the bandage is back in place and the guy is squeezing his shoulder reassuringly.

"Looks good. Some of my best work, I gotta say," he grins.

"Are you a doctor?" Jungkook asks. He sure seems to know what he's doing.

"Me?" He laughs. "Ah, no. Thought about it, but, well. Med school is expensive." He smiles in a soft, wistful kind of way. "I'm a chef, but I have a lot of experience patching up this bunch of idiots."

"Hey!" Comes a call from the table, sounding mock-hurt.

"I'm Seokjin, by the way," he introduces himself with a soft smile. "That over there is Taehyung."

Jungkook nods once before realizing that he's being rude, and he bows politely. "I'm, um, I'm Jungkook. Nice to meet you, Seokjin- um-"

"Just call me hyung, okay?" Seokjin smiles. "All these other miscreants do."

"Miscreants? I'm telling Namjoon-hyung." Taehyung huffs, pushes himself up off his chair to come and join Jungkook and Seokjin. "How old are you, Jungkook?"

"Um." Jungkook pauses and briefly considers lying, but decides against it because he's really a terrible liar. "I'm eighteen."

At that, Taehyung absolutely brightens. "Call me hyung too, okay? Please. I'm your hyung! I'm not the youngest anymore!" He flops down on the couch on the other side of Jungkook and looks at him with the biggest puppy-dog eyes that Jungkook's ever seen. Jungkook's heart wavers a little at how sweet he looks, and how easily he's welcoming Jungkook in.

"Um, okay, hyung," Jungkook says and the way that Taehyung's eyes sparkle makes him smile just a little bit. How long has it been since he's wanted to smile like that?

"I made breakfast. Think you can come sit at the table to eat it?" Seokjin asks, interrupting Taehyung's starry eyes. "Tae, can you go wake Jiminie and Hobi?"

Taehyung nods and lifts himself up off the couch. "What about Yoongi-hyung and Namjoon-hyung?"

Seokjin shakes his head no. "Yoongi's at work. Namjoon's got a day off today so let him sleep, alright?"

"Sure thing," Taehyung nods and disappears down the hallway. Seokjin stands and helps Jungkook to his feet, touch so careful that Jungkook doesn't flinch away. He gets him sitting at the table, but Jungkook freezes once he's sitting.

He clears his throat nervously. "Um, h-hyung, I can help-"

"No. You drink this, alright? And take this. For the pain." Seokjin places a full glass of water on the table along with a little red pill. "An advil," he says, when Jungkook looks at it warily.

The dull pain is enough that he swallows it back despite his nervousness and downs the entire glass of water in one go. The cool water soothes his throat and he must make a pleased noise because Seokjin fills up his water glass again and brings him his coffee mug from the living room, too.

Jungkook doesn't really like coffee, but he's too nervous to say anything so he tentatively takes a sip. It's got a lot of milk and sugar in it, so it's slightly sweet and the warmth feels nice enough on his tongue to keep drinking. He takes this opportunity to have a look around the apartment.

It's small, really, especially considering how many people seem to live here. The floors look old and worn and the furniture is well-loved and mismatched, two couches and an armchair. There's a television that's duct-taped down onto the stand in the living room and a collection of beer bottles in a box behind the door, next to a shelf that's absolutely packed with shoes of all different colours and styles- everything from black converse to pink sandals, stacked all on top of each other in a space too small to fit them. There's still a lone pair of sneakers on the floor, though, and Jungkook's boots he'd been wearing last night.

The carpet leading to the hallway looks like it's seen better days and the big window in the living room is secured with some sort of twine, but it looks like it's open frequently. Jungkook understands why when he sees an ashtray sitting on a table near the window, half-filled with cigarette butts. The chair nearest the window is old and there's definitely some burn marks on the arm rests.

Jungkook's eyes travel across the shelves lining the walls that are absolutely filled with stuff. Books, movies, a collection of old video games, some figures. It's all mixed up and he can see so many different interests and personalities all pushed together into one room.

The walls are covered with posters and photos and life, so much colour. Polaroids are stuck up everywhere featuring some faces Jungkook's seen, others he hasn't. Some of the polaroids have messy words scrawled on them in fading ink.

This isn't just four walls and a roof.

It's a home.

He takes a bigger sip of his coffee and hears a loud thump coming from the hallway.

Seokjin sighs. "They better not wake up Namjoonie," he mumbles under his breath as he scoops rice into a large bowl.

There's another thump, then some shushing and quieted laughter. Taehyung returns a few moments later with two other guys, all in the midst of wrestling with each other and trying to beat the others to the table.

Seokjin places the bowl of rice on the table like this is completely normal behaviour. Jungkook watches, not sure if he should be amused or concerned while the three squabble like children, albeit very quietly.

The first one to make it to a chair smiles widely, in victory; his smile is so bright and big that Jungkook finds himself smiling reflexively at it.

"Fuck yeah! Alright my little dongsaengs, go set the table," he says, still smiling. He looks over at Jungkook and that smile is now directed at him and it makes Jungkook's insides all warm, his thoughts a bit fuzzy. "Hey! You're awake! I'm Hoseok." Jungkook nods his head politely, voice caught up in his throat as he examines Hoseok. Hoseok has dark brown hair that's a little ruffled and fluffy, probably from all the bickering earlier. He's wearing a loose sleeveless shirt and with what's revealed Jungkook can see he's athletically built and- he has a butterfly tattoo on his left bicep. It moves when he flexes his muscles, almost like it's fluttering. Jungkook has to tear his eyes away when Hoseok keeps talking.

"Oh, and that's Jiminie," he says, pointing down to the floor where Jimin is pouting, trying to fix his pink hair that's all askew now from the wrestling. Jimin looks over at Jungkook and gives him a wave and a soft smile before he gets up to help set the table.

"Hyung, you're spoiling us," Hoseok says in awe as Taehyung and Jimin help bring over the food. There's a lot to choose from- some spicy kimchi stew, vegetable omelet, seasoned tofu, an assortment of seafood-

Jungkook's stomach rumbles loudly and he turns pink, embarrassed at the noise.

"You must be hungry," Taehyung says as he passes a set of chopsticks to Jungkook, "you threw up whatever you ate last night."

Jungkook pales, looking down. "Sorry," he mumbles, feeling ashamed.

Jimin whacks Taehyung in the arm and Taehyung looks over at him, confused. "Oh!" He says, "Oh, don't worry about it, though, dude. Like, seriously. It was outside on the curb. Just last weekend I puked all over Seokjin-hyung. Now that? That was bad."

Hoseok snorts in laughter and Jimin rolls his eyes, but he seems pleased when he looks over and makes eye contact with Jungkook to see that he's smiling.

Once everything is set out, Seokjin sits down next to Jungkook and nods proudly. "Alright kids, eat up."

Jungkook watches as everyone reaches for food quickly and easily, no hesitation. He feels a little lost until Hoseok reaches over to place a piece of seafood on his plate, nodding at it intently. "Try that first. Hyung's seafood is the best. One of my students sells us whatever he catches for cheap."

Curiously, Jungkook picks it up and tastes it, and um, wow. Yeah. Jungkook remembers that Seokjin said he was a chef and that's all the incentive he needs to dig in.

The atmosphere around the kitchen table is warm and light as they eat. The room is filled with the sound of chewing and chopsticks clanging and talking.

Hoseok and Jimin are dancers, Jungkook learns, listening as Hoseok talks about this new choreography that he and Jimin are working on. He talks so bright and animated- Jungkook can tell how passionate he is about it. Jimin doesn't talk, but nods along happily as Hoseok talks. Taehyung interjects here and there and the conversation shifts, to Taehyung complaining about their slow internet ("Well it's not our internet, we don't pay for it, so don't complain," Seokjin reminds him). Once everyone has had their fill, Hoseok, Jimin and Taehyung play rock paper scissors to see who is on clean-up duty.

"Um, I can do them," Jungkook speaks up quietly. He hasn't done anything except eat their food and bleed on their couch and he feels kind of bad about it.

"Nope," Hoseok shakes his head, "You've got an open wound so you're automatically excused from clean-up. House rules." Jungkook looks at him in disbelief until Hoseok points over to the wall where there is, indeed, a paper tacked up that reads House Rules followed by what looks like six little stick people holding hands.

"I drew that," Taehyung says proudly. "It's so that we, you know, don't kill each other."

Seokjin snorts in laughter as Jungkook squints so that he can read each entry properly.

1. Mandatory family night once every two weeks. (Everyone MUST attend. NO EXCEPTIONS!)

2. No fighting before Yoongi has had his coffee. Fist fights are to happen outside.

3. Anyone may be naked at any time with no notice. Don't ask questions. (Don't wake up Namjoon if he's sleepwalking!)

4. All disputes and disagreements are to be handled by a game of rock-paper-scissors, or if necessary, hand holding. There are no exceptions. You may not stop holding hands until your dispute is resolved. (TAE & YOONGI, TAKE NOTE)

6. No pets. No plants. (RIP PRICKLY PETE 2015)

7. No leaving dishes in the sink. Seokjin (& Yoongi) is excused from dish duty. You are also exempt if you have an open wound that you've received in the last 72 hours.

8. A few roommates do not know how to count properly. Do NOT point it out.

9. No parties unless Hoseok is invited. (& TAE is scribbled next Hoseok's name)

10. N64 games ONLY at parties.

"Fist fights... outside?" Jungkook asks, eyebrows raised in confusion. Does that happen a lot?

Next to him, Taehyung groans loudly.

"You get blood on the carpet one time and Seokjin-hyung never lets you live it down," he huffs.

"Your blood?" Jungkook asks, curiosity beating out his shyness.

"Yeah," Taehyung nods. "I learned my lesson, okay? I try really hard to not be a righteous asshole when I'm drunk now." He snorts a little in laughter, "Namjoon-hyung felt so bad about it too, oh my god. I thought he was gonna cry even though I baited him into fighting me and I hit him first. That guy is tougher than you'd think-well, uh. Physically." He smiles proudly, and Jungkook can't help but smile at how much they really act like brothers. Squabbling, yeah, but still caring so much about each other like this.

"And I am the one who got to try and scrub that out of the carpet. Jiminie and I spent two hours on it before we gave up," Hoseok huffs. "Never again." Jimin nods in agreement before he playfully shoves Taehyung and holds his fist in the air over the table.

Jungkook looks over just in time to see Jimin, Hoseok and Taehyung start their game. All three pick rock on the first go, then Hoseok picks scissors and wins. Taehyung and Jimin go for two more rounds until Jimin ultimately loses, groaning in frustration as he pushes his chair out and sets to clear the table.

"Come on, Kookie, I'll show you the bathroom so you can get cleaned up," Hoseok says. Jungkook's pretty grateful - he still smells a little like blood and the scent has been bothering him since he woke up. Hoseok touching his arm to guide him makes him flinch, but he makes himself relax. Seokjin's watching him with almost a knowing look, but what he knows, Jungkook isn't really sure.

"Be careful of your forehead," Seokjin says, "I have to get ready for work, but don't get that spot too wet if you can avoid it." He looks to Taehyung, "bring him to me if there's any problems, alright?"

"Got it!" Taehyung salutes. Jungkook nods gratefully and they're halfway out of the kitchen before he stops and turns around.

"Thank you for the food!" Jungkook says, and bows gratefully. It's for a lot more than just that, and it all hangs in the air, not needing to be spoken aloud.

Seokjin smiles. "You're welcome. Go clean up, and take it easy today." Jungkook finds himself nodding as Hoseok shows him to the bathroom.

It's pretty modest, considering how many people live here, and clean. Hoseok shows him how to start the bath, then the shower head. "Feel free to use anything in here- nobody will mind. I'll get you a towel and some fresh clothes."

Jungkook wants to argue because he does have a few things in his bag that he could wear, but the door opens and Taehyung steps in holding a navy blue towel and a small pile of clothes.

"I think you'll fit my clothes," Taehyung says as he puts them down on the counter. "We're about the same height, and I like mine big anyway." He offers Jungkook a smile and Jungkook can't bring himself to refuse.

"Thank you," Jungkook says gratefully as the two leave him be.

He takes a deep breath as everything starts to sink in.

Where he is, what happened, who he's with. His head spins as he takes another slow breath, trying to ignore the way his pulse jumps when he hears a thump coming from the kitchen.

It's fine. He's okay. He's okay. He's in Seoul and he's away from his family. What happened last night… isn't good, but… it lead him here. Jungkook isn't sure why these guys are being so kind to him, but they're making a big effort to help him feel safe. That doesn't go unnoticed, and even if he's still scared, Jungkook appreciates what they're doing. It does scare him a bit, though, how much he wants to cling to this, cling to them after such a short time. He pushes those thoughts away for now, though. No time to sit and wallow when he feels like he hasn't showered in a week.

Jungkook starts up the shower before finally he looks at his reflection in the mirror.

The sight has him inhaling sharply.

He looks bad. Jungkook winces as he touches the blossoming bruise around his right eye.

He got decked pretty hard. He hadn't really felt it at the time, but he sure as hell feels it now. The skin is tender to the touch, and as he runs his finger down his cheek, his face throbs. Other than that, his upper lip's split and there's a bit of dried blood on his chin. Great.

He sighs, rubs his good eye and ignores the heavy bags under both eyes. A shower will help- it always does. Carefully he strips off his clothes, dropping them to a pile on the floor. They're all stained with blood and he's so insanely glad to have them gone that he kicks them towards the door. Hopefully he can wash the blood out of them later.

Jungkook chances one more look in the mirror, examining his face. He doesn't pay any mind to the old bruises littering his body, or the old, scarred marks on his back.

He just turns and steps into the shower, letting the heat envelop him.

God, it feels so, so good. This is exactly what he needed to relax his muscles. He keeps the water just on the side of too hot, almost scalding, but it helps in scrubbing his skin clean. He surveys the different soaps and shampoos sitting on the shelves in the bathroom with interest.

Jungkook's always been sensitive to scents and since Hoseok said he could use anything in here he sniffs each one, looking for a scent that he likes. There's one that smells like lychee, another of mint and cucumber; some scents that he can't really figure out, but they're too heavy. He settles on one that smells faintly of eucalyptus. The scent is calming.

There's a shampoo of the same scent so Jungkook chooses that one as he doesn't like to mix and match scents. He's careful as he scrubs his hair, leaning back enough so that he doesn't get water on his forehead, the stretch reminding him of his sore muscles. Once Jungkook's clean he takes his time to enjoy the water, only stepping out when it starts to cool down.

Jungkook dries himself off before he surveys the clothes that Taehyung left him. They all look clean, at least, so Jungkook slips on the grey briefs first, then the black sweatpants left for him. It feels really good to have some loose clothing on after he slept in his jeans last night. Jungkook picks up Taehyung's red sweater and runs his hands over the fabric with intrigue. It's soft, really soft, and it feels perfect when he pulls it over his head and wiggles into it. He can't help but sigh a little contentedly at how comfortable he feels now. Taehyung's clothes fit him surprisingly well, and they smell nice; Jungkook likes the clean scent of the laundry detergent.

He feels fresh from the shower, and now with these new clothes he feels human again.

Jungkook takes his time to dry his hair and smells a few of the lotions sitting on the counter before he picks one to use on his hands and face.

Honestly, Jungkook's a little nervous to step back outside into the apartment, unsure of what he'll find there. He should leave now, right? They didn't say that he could stay. They're not going to want someone taking up their couch (God, he probably bled on it, didn't he?) and eating their food.

He really, really doesn't want to leave, though.

Even if this feeling of safety is temporary, Jungkook wants to cling to it. He'd almost forgotten what it felt like to feel like this, and he's not sure why or how he's feeling it now, but there's something about this group of boys that makes him feel safe.

Jungkook's anxiety spikes a little as he steps out of the warm bathroom, trying to push away the thoughts of how quickly this is going to come to an end.

Jungkook doesn't leave.

Instead, he finds Taehyung sitting on the couch (it's clean - if Jungkook bled on it, somebody cleaned it up) with the television on, some anime that Jungkook doesn't recognize playing. It's in Japanese but there's Korean subtitles and Taehyung looks enraptured. The others must have all left already as the apartment's quiet, safe for the sound of the television.

Jungkook steps closer, not exactly sure what he should be doing right now, but Taehyung just looks over at him and smiles. "Wanna watch with me?"

Jungkook nods before he sits down and Taehyung explains the plot of the show but by the second episode, Jungkook's asleep. Taehyung's warm from where their sides are pressed together, and when Taehyung throws an arm around the back of the couch to give Jungkook a better angle to rest his head on his shoulder- well. That's all it takes.

Jungkook wakes up a few times. The first time he wakes up tense and panicky being so close to somebody, but Taehyung is quick to calm him down. He speaks to him softly, touches barely-there and gentle and affectionate until Jungkook's panic subsides. Jungkook feels a little guilty when it happens a second time not even an hour later, but if Taehyung's annoyed by it, he doesn't let it show. He just talks to Jungkook, helps slow his racing heartbeat and pulls Jungkook back to his side again when he's calm.

The third time Jungkook wakes up it's to a door opening and shuffling down the hallway. He blinks, a little blearily, not quite so tired now after his extra few naps.

Taehyung shifts next to him and looks over to check how he is, but Jungkook feels alright. Calm, at least. His head's started to throb again but he finds the places where Taehyung's pressed up next to him grounding. Calming. Taehyung touches his cheek softly, and whispers, "hey, Kookie. Good nap?"

Jungkook nods a little, still a bit hazy from his sleep, but the friendly nickname sounds nice. Taehyung looks over when there's noise in the kitchen, a smile creasing his face.

"Good morning, hyung," he says, a little teasing.

There's a huff from the kitchen. "It's three in the afternoon, Tae." Taehyung laughs and Jungkook looks over to see who must be Namjoon. He looks familiar, rubbing an eye and pushing his glasses back up on his face, when it clicks-

"You're the guy from the convenience store," Jungkook says, surprised.

Namjoon looks over at him and smiles. Everyone here smiles so much. Are they really that happy?

"Yeah, that's me. Also one of the guys in the alley, but I don't know much you'd remember from that." He takes a step closer and Jungkook's heart drops when he sees an ugly bruise forming on Namjoon's jaw. Is that from last night? Fuck, fuck-

"I'm sorry," Jungkook says, scrambles to his feet and bows respectfully. "You-your jaw, you, for me-"

"Oh, this?" Namjoon touches his face. "It's fine, don't worry about it. They got it a lot worse than I did."

Jungkook doesn't move from his bow until Namjoon touches his shoulder. He flinches a little initially but lets Namjoon straighten him up, and Jungkook's eyes sweep across him as he does, catching on the entire sleeve of ink on Namjoon's right arm, right up to where a design peeks up above the collar of his shirt. When they make eye contact, Jungkook notices that there's a bit of a flush on Namjoon's face.

"Seriously dude, it's fine," Namjoon waves him off as he steps into the kitchen, obviously flustered. Taehyung laughs.

"Leftovers from breakfast for you in the fridge!" Taehyung yells as he settles in again. He puts his arm back over the couch and looks over at Jungkook, invitation clear. "You hungry? Or you wanna keep watching?"

In all honesty Jungkook is a little hungry, but sitting next to Taehyung is the most comfortable and relaxed he's felt in weeks and he's not quite ready to let that end yet. Rather than answer he settles himself back down on the couch and lets his head tip down to rest on Taehyung's shoulder as Taehyung starts the anime back up.