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⊱ 𝐦𝐞𝐫𝐚𝐤𝐢 ⊰
𝙙𝙤𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙨𝙤𝙢𝙚𝙩𝙝𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙬𝙞𝙩𝙝 𝙨𝙤𝙪𝙡
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rock music was not his first choice when it came to listening to something. neither was country, or edm, or really anything that resembled overplayed obnoxious radio music. jungkook had found a classical music station in his car one day and never felt like changing it. it was either that or nothing.

when people talk about rock music or the movies portray that genre, it's all too stereotypical and predictable. the real artistry comes from those truly passionate in their work and it just shows on the stage. there's none of that stereotypical loud rock sound — and with taehyung, he had that select artistry he was known for, such a particular taste crafted around the sound he adored and paired with his talent. it was such a unique thing that had the male always being unapologetically himself. that's why jungkook wasn't completely expecting what he had heard and seen next.

it was the guitar that came first, a simple rhythm accompanied by the drums coming in and sounding like a punch to everyone's chests with how intense it was. the sound filled the stage and out to the sky, so loud but lacking anything negative or obnoxious.

jungkooks eyes stayed on taehyung, they didn't waver when the second guitar came in and not even when it all switched from something sounding light to something else more intense. it got faster, and he didn't even realize his boot started to move.

the choreo wasn't really choreo. it was more the moments that gave taehyung time to do whatever he wanted before needing to get back to the mic and sing his lines. it wasn't for this opening but, the instruments grabbing the attention of the fans before taehyungs ring clad hand grabbed that mic and opened his mouth.

those words were lost to the ravenette. he heard them but he really wasn't listening. jungkook was too busy staring at how good the male looked up there, all red hair and confidence glowing.

"you know it's, it's all a gamble when it's just a game. you treat it like a capital crime, everybody's doing the time."

taehyung knew the words like they were tattooed across the back of his eyelids. they left his throat and spilled out like wine across the stage and into the crowd for the fans to get drunk on. his eyes were closed and body buzzing with the song playing loud and drowning out any other senses.

"take me down to the paradise city. where the grass is green and the boys are pretty."

taehyung opened his eyes, landing on the ravenette sitting there like a dark angel amongst the sea of empty spots all around him. the male was staring right back at him, that look never wavering as the rockstar sang with his whole chest and unleashed it all.

he barely realized that he sang the chorus for a second time, those 3 minutes and 43 seconds going by so fast. the band had their moment, leaving it all out as if this was the real concert. and it felt like it was, to taehyung at least, who abandoned the mic to walk the stage. he owned it, strutting like he was born to be up there and screaming the words with that deep and raspy voice of his.

they tested the sparks for that one, the orange flames shooting up as the band hit the last notes and the song came to an end. it was the loudness that had jungkook blinking and realizing he'd been staring for the entire nearly 4 minute song when it really felt like ten seconds. he also noticed that there wasn't a backing track, and woosung brought that up to. "he never does listen." the vocal coach said and stood up to go back to the stage and talk to the rockstar.

the rest of the practice went on like that. the band and lead going trough a couple songs and sets and leaving the rest for day two of practice. jungkook sat and listened and did his best not to stare too much and start thinking about things that shouldn't ever come up.

he really couldn't lie though, the red hair looked fucking good on the rockstar.

taehyung was sweating when he jumped down from the stage and came walking up the middle of two sections to the row he was sitting in. jungkook met him half way, hands back in his pocket. "what did you think?" the rockstar was eager to see what the older would think, especially considering he's never heard him or any of his songs before.

"you did well." jungkook actually answered pretty straight forward, while also reaching up to fix the boys hair a bit from getting messed up after practicing. if he wasn't already sweating and feeling hot, it would be more obvious that taehyungs cheeks were started to resemble his newly dyed hair. "thanks." taehyung said, grabbing a hold of the mans arm and started tugging him along, "come on, i'm hungry and yoongi said there's snacks backstage."

the two of them made their way down the aisle of concert seats and back up to the stage and behind that as well. taehyung was rambling again, talking about one of the songs and how he always looked forward to the bridge part. "every time i just kill that note." the rockstar stroked his own ego while they walked into the back room with tables lining the wall full of snacks and beverages.

there were some people there already, jungkook recognized them as some band members. "hey tae." the drummer said. he grabbed another kebab to hand to the lead singer, similar to the one he was eating himself but his had vegetables on it too.

"thank you hyung." taehyung said, taking the kebab and biting off a chunk of meat in about three seconds, his eyes already looking for more to fill his tummy. "here." he turned and handed jungkook his kebab that was already eaten from, "its spicy."

jungkook just nodded and looked down at the meat, scrunching his nose a bit. taehyung grabbed a plate and took some more, adding more strawberries and cubed cheese as well. the ravenette stepped forward and took the plate, adding the first kebab and waiting for the other male to finish getting what he desired. "come on." the younger said, grabbing the others arm again so they could sit and eat.

"i love dressing room snacks." taehyung started to say, then the rest of the words got muffled by the chunk of meat he bit off the kebab. jungkook just nodded and held the plate on his lap while the other continued to eat. he doesn't even know how the boy could still be hungry, after all the snacks from earlier and he still managed to look skinny like that. 

"you never leave enough for the rest of us." one guy had said, but it wasn't the drummer. jungkook thinks he was one of the guitar people, but he really didn't look at anyone else beside taehyung during their rehearsal.

taehyung just shrugged and held the kebab up to his stylists mouth. "i'll leave enough for you." he said to jungkook, smiling a bit and holding it up some more to the mans lips.

it was this again, the staring and the closeness that had jungkook thinking too much. maybe he shouldn't be, maybe he should be just going with it and stop being weird whenever taehyung did anything. it's been too long that he's actually hung out with someone that didn't revolve around work or just saying thanks to the person delivering his groceries to his door.

he opened his mouth again, tasting the spiciness on his tongue and seeing the content smile on taehyungs soft lips.

the meat did taste good, just the right amount of spice that kept it tasty and not too overbearing. the thing that was too much was how taehyung still watched him, sitting next to him on the dressing room sofa so their legs touched. "good, yeah?" the rockstar said, now biting off a chunk for himself from the same kebab.

"definitely." jungkook said.

"so who's this?" the one guy asked, speaking to taehyung and nodding towards the ravenette beside him.

yes he was the one playing the guitar. jungkook remembers him to be the one that looked funny with that haircut. he made a face at the way the funny looking guy addressed him, just narrowed eyes paired with that cold look. taehyung seemed to notice, so he leaned in to bump his shoulder a bit and smile up at the dark haired boy. "this is jungkook. the new head stylist since euna couldn't be a part of the tour." he explained.

the guitar guy just nodded and looked back at the table. that was the end of that discussion apparently.

"and he's really good at what he does." taehyung continued to talk, doing what he did best when no once else seemed to speak. there was a little burn in his chest when no one said anything to or about jungkook after he introduced him to his band. "so good in fact, he's sticking around longer. i'm making sure of it." taehyung said, standing up now with his plate of snacks, "and we're going to sit someplace else to talk about how stunning he's gonna make me look. let's go jungkook."

they were gone with their kebabs and cheese in two minutes. taehyung had his hand on the mans arm again, tugging him down the halls and not even looking at the signs to where they were going. he was just looking for a place that lacked other human beings.

jungkook let himself be dragged along, partly because he wanted more than anything in the world to leave that room and away from the band members. as great and friendly as taehyung was, his fellow members didn't come across the same, especially when it was towards something that technically worked for them. that was a downside to working with people of such status.

"i swear they're nice." taehyung finally said something after walking for a bit. they were outside now, standing with a paper plate of finger food. jungkook just nodded and ate one of the cheese cubes. "that's why we're here right?" he said.

the rockstar looked at him, "bro shut up."

jungkook chuckled and picked up one of the kebabs, holding it up to the youngers lips. "taste it. it's so good it'll fix your mood." he was almost mocking the boy from earlier, smiling sweetly and obviously dramatically since it was so unlike the ravenette to do so.

"oh my god shut up." taehyung groaned, but he still took the kebab and it was his turn to be dramatic. all he really was doing was stomping away, hearing the way his stylist even giggled and followed behind him, thankful that he wouldn't be able to see how taehyungs cheeks tinted once again just at the sound of that.

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the song is called paradise city, originally by guns n roses but the version i imagines is sung by tom cruise on the rock of ages movie soundtrack ♡