Sometimes we need to lose the small battles in order to win the war.
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The Art of War
Sun Tzu 

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Jungkook was stretched out on the plush hotel bed, body relaxed and eyes closed. But his mind . . . His mind was raging a fucking war.

One part of him - his hormones, namely - attempted to use poorly thought out logic to get his ass into the shower with Taehyung. He justified that the elder enjoyed their interaction at the bar; the strangled moans caught in Taehyung's throat, the flush over his high cheekbones, and the fingers digging into Jungkook's back all seemed to be pretty clear indicators. 

Taehyung's hard cock pressed against him also gave off the impression that he might be open to more.

The other part of him, however, was much more rational. It encouraged him not to get involved with someone who hated his guts, a person who only stuck around because he was being paid to do so. And besides, Taehyung probably wasn't hard for Jungkook. Anyone would have a similar bodily reaction if their neck was being pleasured, right?

And as much as Jungkook loved the fact that Taehyung got aroused, his initial intention was not actually to get him to that state. The elder's ex really had been looking their way, eyes locked on Jungkook in an almost trance-like manner. Outside of the creepiness of it all, Jungkook had a weird feeling he'd seen the guy before. There was something familiar about him, though he couldn't place where they would've met.

The guy must have realized it as well. He began to approach, most likely taking their eye contact as a sign of encouragement. That, of course, caused Taehyung to almost lose it, so Jungkook did the only thing he could think of so the guy would back off.

And the guy did. As soon as he saw Jungkook kissing Taehyung's neck, he turned away. 

Jungkook knew he should have kept his attention on the guy, but he was too intoxicated by the feel of Taehyung under his lips. Fuck, he wanted to consume the bodyguard, to taste every inch of his skin. It had been a long time since he felt this sort of attraction to anyone, and he was so lost in his desire. All of his senses were locked on Taehyung as he forgot about being diligent and focused entirely on the elder.

He was so close to kissing Taehyung full on when he spotted the elder's ex out of the corner of his eye. He was speaking with that same woman from before, an arm wrapped securely around her waist. Moments later, they had left the bar together, hand in hand.

Disappointment clouded his vision as he put an end to his appreciation of Taehyung's neck, knowing they needed to get back to safety. He broke away, more flustered than he wanted to be, trying to tame the fire coursing through his veins. The whole way back to the hotel, his body begged him to pull Taehyung into his arms once more. 

Fuck. Taehyung drove Jungkook wild like no one else had before. Sure, the bodyguard was the most beautiful person he'd ever seen, but it was more than physical appearance. There was a simmering passion dwelling beneath Taehyung's skin that called out for Jungkook, drawing him closer like a moth to a flame.

And Jungkook didn't care if he got burned. In fact, he welcomed that option wholeheartedly. 

So now, listening to the gentle splashing of the shower, Jungkook was at am impasse. There were two options: do the right thing and stay put, or do something else entirely. 

He gracefully rolled off of the bed, walking over to the bathroom with an erratic heartbeat. The water shut off as he neared the door, allowing him to hear Taehyung stepping out of the shower. His hand froze above the doorknob, giving him time to reconsider and leave the bodyguard alone.

This was stupid. Taehyung was going to skin him alive. But for some reason, the promise of a heated debate encouraged him even more.

The door opened before Jungkook had the chance to barge in, revealing a towel-clad Taehyung with messy, wet hair. Water droplets trickled down his bare chest, the liquid paths shining against his skin. The elder's lean waist was accentuated by the tight wrap of the towel, the material hanging low enough to reveal a trail of hair just below his navel. And his neck was covered with Jungkook's marks, appearing a deeper red than they were before. By the morning, they'd be a purplish bruise.

In short, Taehyung was like temptation on a stick right now.

Saliva pooled in Jungkook's mouth as he continued to appraise the elder, his hands urging to reach forward. He wanted to know how Taehyung's skin felt beneath his hands; he wanted to hear what sort of noises the elder would make as Jungkook touched him in places currently covered by that damn towel.

"Could you not wait just ten minutes to annoy me?" Taehyung asked lowly, his dark eyes locked on Jungkook. "Do you get off seeing how angry you make me, sweetheart?"

Sweetheart. As much as Jungkook tried telling himself he hated the pet name, especially when Taehyung said it in such a condescending manner, he couldn't lie. He absolutely loved it. 

Rallying all the cockiness he could muster, Jungkook's lips spread into a taunting smile. "Let's not talk about how I get off. Instead, let's talk about you. Did you touch yourself in the shower, angel? Did you come thinking about me?"

"Stop calling me angel," Taehyung growled, completely avoiding Jungkook's questions. 

That led Jungkook to assume the answer was yes, and an even larger smile spread to his face. He took a step closer to Taehyung, watching as the elder's eyes widened marginally. 

"Why can't I call you that? Doesn't it make you feel pretty?" He drawled, daring to run a finger down the bodyguard's chest. His skin was so fucking smooth. "You are, you know. Such a pretty boy."

Taehyung's nostrils flared, but before he showed any other reaction, he marched over to the sink and planted his hands on the counter. He took several deep breaths, his shoulders rising and falling noticeably. It made Jungkook wonder just how close he was to exploding.

"It's not a crime to want me, Taehyung," he said as he walked up behind the elder. He got close enough to lower his head, kissing Taehyung's shoulder softly. "I want you."

Their eyes met in the mirror, a palpable tension growing between the two. Taehyung's tongue ran along his bottom lip, either in desire or a ploy to make Jungkook combust. No matter the intention, the gesture made Jungkook all the more eager to pounce on the elder.

He kissed the crook of Taehyung's neck, letting his tongue trace one of the marks. "What do you say, angel? Are you interested in replacing that stick up your ass with my -"

Somehow he ended up against the wall, pinned between Taehyung's arms just like at the bar. Heat rolled off of the elder in waves, warming Jungkook to the core. His lips parted as he took in Taehyung's face, all stunning perfection, closer than it ever had been before. 

"Fuck you, Jungkook," the elder said calmly, which was ironic due to his word choice and their current positioning. "I'm not some toy you can play around with because you're bored. I'm doing my best here to keep us safe, and it's extremely difficult to focus when you're pulling shit like this."

Jungkook's heart was racing, but he couldn't tell if it was in fear or anticipation. "I bet you're just mad, right? You want to touch me, but you shouldn't because you work for me. Because I could get you fired any moment I wanted. And yet, you still want me."

"No part of me wants to touch any part of you," Taehyung said as he leaned in closer, his lips just centimeters above Jungkook's. 

And although Jungkook felt like being quiet and closing the distance between them, the challenge was too good to let go. "Oh, really? Well, I think you want me. I think you want me to fuck you."

Taehyung's eyes darkened, either in fury or arousal. He angled his head, lips grazing over Jungkook's cheek and settling over his ear. The touch was gentle, yet still somehow threatening.

"I've never insinuated anything of the sort," Taehyung murmured, his smooth lips tickling the lobe of his ear. "So it seems like this is all on you. Is that what you've been dreaming about all this time? What it'd feel like? What I'd feel like?"

Taehyung's mouth moved down to Jungkook's neck, his lips dragging over his skin and planting faint kisses. Jungkook immediately craned his neck to the side, asking for more, while his hands found their way to the bare skin of Taehyung's back. The elder's skin was like velvet, a luxurious and soft texture that drugged Jungkook further.

Taehyung's tongue flattened over his pulse, hot and wet and sinful. "Tell me, sweetheart. Is that what you've been thinking about?" 

But Jungkook was robbed from the ability to speak as Taehyung began sucking on his neck, lips suctioning tightly as they enveloped his skin. A whiny whimper left Jungkook's mouth, and he closed his eyes as the elder continued his ministrations. This was completely unanticipated, but with Taehyung's hand descending his chest, he didn't put much thought into the elder's change of heart.

"Taehyung -" He attempted to plead, but the elder cut him off.

"Or maybe you've been thinking about what it'd be like if I fucked you. Maybe you've been imagining me inside you, making you moan out real pretty. Just like this."

A moan ripped out of Jungkook's throat as Taehyung palmed his dick, applying a pressure that was unrelenting and enthusiastic. The elder's teeth scraped over his throat, an electrifying feeling that had Jungkook thrusting into Taehyung's hand. And even though it had only been two seconds, Jungkook was almost fully hard. 

But with the elder's sensuous touches causing him to break apart, could he really be held accountable?

"Is this what you want?" Taehyung asked, hand moving faster over him. "Is this what you're after?"

The bodyguard was asking too many fucking questions, but Jungkook felt obligated to answer. "Yes. I want this."

And as suddenly as this all started, it ended. 

Jungkook's mouth popped open as he watched Taehyung take a step back, an unreadable expression covering his face. "Why -?"

"I'm going to go order some food," the bodyguard interrupted, picking his clothes up from the counter. "Why don't you take care of that while we wait?"

Jungkook looked down at his prominent bulge, gulping down the excess saliva in his mouth. Heat rose to his cheeks as he began to realize what was going on here. "Angel, come on -"

"I work for you, remember? We can't be doing any of this unless you could get me fired, right?"

And as pissed off as Jungkook was that they weren't about to fuck, he wasn't going to let Taehyung think he won this round. Oh, no. He was going to make the elder very angry that he played him like this. So he fluidly shrugged off his shirt, maintaining eye contact with Taehyung as he unzipped his pants.

"Fine. Go order food," he retorted as he stepped out of his jeans, now in nothing but fitted briefs. "Try not to get distracted by my pretty moans."

Taehyung rolled his eyes as he turned to leave, shoulders and back stiff. "Don't flatter yourself. I won't be listening. Oh . . . Nice neck, by the way."

Jungkook pushed the door closed after the elder left, irritated it was going to be his hand and not Taehyung finishing him off. He rolled off his underwear and looked in the mirror, taking in the trail of reddening hickeys decorating his neck. Surprisingly, he wasn't angry to have Taehyung's marks on his skin. In fact, he was delighted.

He was going to have too much fun teasing the elder about their matching hickeys.

Jungkook then proceeded to take care of his throbbing arousal, making sure to be extra loud as he pleasured himself. He wanted Taehyung to hear what he was missing out on. The joke was on him, however; he worked towards his climax all while envisioning Taehyung touching him again. He came while imagining what could have happened if Taehyung wasn't being such a dick. 

After calming down and cleaning up, Jungkook took a quick shower to wash off the events from the day. He was so utterly exhausted - again - and couldn't wait to eat then fall into a deep slumber. 

Emerging from the bathroom a few minutes later, Jungkook went into the room in nothing but his briefs. He didn't look at Taehyung once; he went straight to his backpack to pull out his sweats. He decided to ditch the shirt, hoping it would drive the insufferable bodyguard crazy.

A knock sounded at the door as he pulled on the comfortable pants, securing them low over his hips just before their door opened. A man pushed a cart of food into the room, setting everything up on a small table. Jungkook's stomach grumbled quite audibly at the sight, and he was eager to eat real food instead of the lighter options they found on their drive here. 

Once the table was all set, Taehyung pressed some cash into the worker's hand. "Thank you, sir. I appreciate it."

Jungkook - not having looked at the elder before - felt heat rush to his cheeks. Taehyung wore a fluffy white robe, slightly open at the chest and falling to his shins. It was a relatively modest look, but for some reason, it made Jungkook feel suddenly shy.

Taehyung joined him at the table, lifting off the dish covers and sniffing the glorious smells that seeped into the room. Without saying anything to Jungkook, he began scooping food onto a plate, taking hearty portions of each item.

Jungkook followed suit, eagerly piling an obscene amount of food onto his dish. It might have been a little aggressive, but who knew when they'd get their next decent meal?

As they began eating, the room was quiet save for the occasional scrape of silverware. It was too reminiscent of tense family dinners, making Jungkook's skin crawl the longer it went on. So, true to his character, he spoke up in order to diffuse the silence.

"You're a tease," he informed Taehyung, talking around a mouthful of food.

Taehyung lifted his head, chewing his food politely with his mouth closed. "Yeah, well, you're annoying."

"You're immature."

"As are you."

And despite all their previous fighting, despite the urge to be at each other's throats at every moment of the day, Jungkook laughed. It had been so long since he genuinely laughed that the feeling almost felt foreign in his chest.

Taehyung eyed him skeptically, setting his utensils down and propping his elbows onto the table. "Why are you laughing?"

Jungkook's cheeks were sore from smiling so big. "I don't know. A lot of reasons. I think I'm just feeling too much at the moment."

"Yeah, me too," the elder said faintly, looking down at his lap.

There was a raw honesty - a pain - in Taehyung's voice that made Jungkook's smile falter. This quiet admission made him realize he knew nothing about the bodyguard, nothing at all. 

"Do you want to talk about it?" Jungkook offered, curious to learn a little more about the impossible bodyguard. 

"No."

Jungkook pouted at the brief response, but didn't want to drop it just yet. "Is it that ex of yours? Is he worrying you?"

A sigh escaped Taehyung's lips, and he looked up to meet Jungkook's stare. "No. Yes. One of many things."

"What would he have done if he saw you?" Jungkook questioned, tracing over one of his tattoos with a finger. "Would he have killed you?"

"He wouldn't have directly, no. But the people he would've told . . . Yeah. Potentially. And they're not like me," the elder admitted, a sad smile tugging on his lips. "They won't hesitate to pull the trigger."

Jungkook's eyebrows tightened at that remark. Sure, he got the impression Taehyung didn't want to shoot anyone, but did he seem a little . . . forlorn . . . about that fact? He shook his head, knowing it wasn't worth theorizing over. Taehyung wouldn't tell him regardless if he was right or not.

"How did we end up in the same city as him? Or . . . Is this where he's from? Where you're from?" He doubted he'd get an answer, but figured it was worth a shot.

"I don't know," Taehyung mumbled, pausing to take another bite of food. "The last time I saw him, we were both in Seoul. That's where he's from."

"And you?"

A pause before, "Daegu."

Jungkook nodded idly, thinking back to the weird feeling he got when first seeing the guy. "What did you say his name was?"

There was another slight pause as the elder regarded him, eyes sharp and narrowed for some reason. "You really don't know?"

Jungkook sensed he was messing up somehow, but couldn't place how exactly. So he shook his head like an idiot, hoping he wasn't about to get himself in even more trouble.

"Park Bogum. Son of Park Sungho, President and CEO of Golden Oil Corporation," Taehyung stated, watching Jungkook's face very closely.

As the son and heir to Korean National Oil, it was evident that this fact should've been known. But, as always, Jungkook missed out on vital pieces of information. He never felt an obligation to memorize useless trivia about the oil industry. That was Namjoon's job.

Although Jungkook didn't immediately recognize Bogum at the bar, he wasn't completely clueless. He was familiar with his name. Very familiar.

"He was one of Namjoon's friends," he remembered, filtering through memories to find the one when he met the guy for the first time. "Namjoon used to talk about him all the time."

That made Taehyung freeze. "Really? When?"

"Before we had to be more strict with our safety. Before he kept me hidden from the world and shit. So, I don't know . . . Three or so years ago?" 

Three years ago. Jungkook still remembered his last day of freedom. Namjoon and several of their friends went hiking, enjoying the summertime air and racing one another up the dirt path. It was a lot of fun and Jungkook missed it - missed his brother - terribly.

"Maybe Bogum recognized me as Namjoon's brother. Fuck, I wish I could remember when we first met."

Remarkably, Taehyung didn't press him any further. Instead, his lips were drawn taught and he appeared lost in his mind.

Jungkook let the elder think - or do whatever the hell he was doing - as he ate some more. He wished he could be more helpful to Taehyung, especially since the bodyguard was so nervous seeing his ex again. If only Jungkook could recall his previous interactions with the guy, maybe he'd be able to impart some useful information. 

But he really wasn't all that useful.

Growing up, he felt like he had nothing to contribute. Namjoon, for the most part, took care of everything and always ordered him to sit back, to keep a low profile. Or, in some cases, just to stay out of the way entirely. For the most part, Jungkook didn't mind all the time, especially since Namjoon took care of him so well. But sometimes, it would've been nice to be valued.

Even just a little.

Funny enough, some of the only times he felt useful over the recent years were when he was with Jin. His brother-in-law never failed to make Jungkook feel appreciated, and would always praise his efforts or get him involved in light-hearted tasks. And when Namjoon had to take his bodyguard duties more seriously - when he became more distant - Jin was always there to lift up Jungkook. 

So doubting Jin, wondering if he was involved in the attacks, tore him to shreds. He didn't want to believe that was possible.

But anything was possible.

That thought alone prompted Jungkook to question his concerns. "Taehyung? Do you think my brother-in-law has anything to do with this? Do you think he could turn on me?"

"People turn on people all the time for no good reason at all, I guess," Taehyung reflected, picking at his food once more. "But you never know. Play it safe for now . . . But don't give up hope."

A silence washed over the room again, but this silence was new. It was comfortable, bearable. Jungkook didn't mind it; he focused on holding out hope instead.

After both boys finished eating, Jungkook helped Taehyung load up their dishes back onto the cart. The table was almost clear when he noticed a small bottle of vodka, a nip that had not yet been opened.

"Is this yours?" He asked the elder, inspecting the bottle in his hands. "I hope so. I kind of want to see you tipsy. I want to know if you'll try flirting with me."

Taehyung rolled his eyes, but the gesture appeared playful. "Oh, I'm sure you would. But no, it's not for me. It's for you."

Jungkook gaped at the bodyguard as he pushed the cart out of the room and into the hall, attempting to control the flash of anger inside of him. When Taehyung walked back into the room, Jungkook was instantly in his face.

"What the hell kind of move is this?" He seethed, hands clenching into fists. "I told you that I don't drink. Were you not listening before?"

Taehyung placed his fingertips on Jungkook's chest, lightly pushing him backward. "Calm down. That's not for you to drink."

Jungkook let himself be led to the chair, even though he could've easily overpowered the elder. And besides, he loved the feel of Taehyung touching his bare skin.

"Then, what -?"

"Sit," Taehyung ordered, flattening his palms over Jungkook's shoulders and pushing him into the chair. He headed to the bathroom and called over his shoulder, "Stay."

"I'm not a dog!" Jungkook retorted, crossing his arms over his chest.

"That may be true, but I bet if I said lay down, you'd obey. Or maybe roll over," the elder chuckled as he came back into the room, holding tissues in his hand. "How about that, sweetheart?"

Jungkook's insides clenched at the pet name, an occurrence he really hoped wouldn't become a trend. "Just say the word and I'll gladly do both of those things, angel."

Taehyung shook his head but didn't comment further as he opened the tiny bottle of vodka. He poured some onto a tissue, dampening it before lifting it to Jungkook's face.

"I'm going to clean your cut," he explained, leaning closer to eye the area. "It doesn't look good. I don't want it to get infected."

Jungkook flinched as Taehyung pressed the alcohol-soaked tissue to his face, the sting worse than he anticipated. "How sweet. Are you caring for me now?"

The elder applied more pressure, slowly moving back and forth to cleanse and sterilize the area. "I just don't want to hear you complain when you get a nasty scar. God knows I'd never hear the end of it."

And while that was most likely true, Jungkook doubted the bodyguard's intentions. He was more than capable of cleaning the cut himself; Taehyung didn't need to oversee the process.

But here he was.

Fuck that man confused the hell out of him.

"Thank you for helping me before," Taehyung mumbled, fingers lightly grazing his skin as he continued with his work. "After what I said about you and your brother . . . I was out of line. I'm sorry."

For some reason, Jungkook didn't expect that. He expected to be lectured again, to be reprimanded and told he wouldn't have gotten cut in the first place if he was more careful. But an apology . . . 

"I'm sorry for what I said, too," Jungkook said, looking up at Taehyung, that veil of cockiness slightly parted. "And I know you're trying to keep me safe. I really do. I just . . . It's easier to fight with you, to be distracted, than to focus on what's actually happening around me."

Taehyung dropped the tissue to the table, finished with his task. "Are you trying to say you won't be a pain in my ass anymore?"

A smile tugged at Jungkook's lips as his mind went somewhere less innocent. "One way or another, I'll always be a pain in your ass, angel."

"Why do you always have to make things sexual?" The elder asked in a serious tone, but the corners of his mouth were lifting upwards.

"It's a part of my charm," he retorted, eyes trailing to the exposed skin of Taehyung's chest. He wanted to open the fabric, to put his lips on the elder's skin and leave more marks.

"I'm sorry for what I did in the bathroom. I shouldn't have touched you."

Jungkook drew his eyes back up to the elder's face, searching and probing his exquisite features. He didn't want Taehyung to regret anything. If there was regret, there might not be a promise of more. 

"I'm only sorry you didn't finish what you started," he whispered, not sure why his voice suddenly lost all its power. 

"Jungkook -"

"I just want to forget," Jungkook murmured, hands betraying his rational mind as he took hold of Taehyung's hips. He knew this wasn't the right way to go about things, but it was all he had.

Taehyung remained still, his face became neutral. He gave no indication of understanding what Jungkook had implied. And yet . . . 

"I want to forget, too."

Jungkook's hands tightened on the elder, almost positive he'd move out of his grasp if he let go. "Do you want to forget with me?"

A longer pause ensued this time, a stretch of silence where neither of them verbally spoke. But fuck, Jungkook swore Taehyung's eyes were screaming. He could see so much in his eyes: the longing, pain, regret, and desire. Jungkook saw it all, heard it all, and moved his hands up the elder's bathrobe covered chest.

Taehyung let out a puff of air. "Yes."

Jungkook was positive he heard incorrectly. "Really?"

"Really," the bodyguard affirmed, yet his eyes were slowly becoming guarded. Hiding all the emotions Jungkook saw moments before. "But I can't." 

"Of course, you can," Jungkook argued meekly, fingers digging into the soft fabric. "I'm saying you can. I want you, Taehyung. I want to forget with you."

"I can't, though. It's because of who you are . . . Who I am. It's not right." 

"Then let's just be two people. Not you. Not me. Just two people forgetting their fucked up lives together." 

But Taehyung was slowly shaking his head, and Jungkook knew it wasn't going to happen. 

Jungkook's hands relaxed on the elder's bathrobe, smoothing over the fabric before dropping to his lap. "Okay. I . . . I'm sorry."

"How come we're both so apologetic tonight?" Taehyung asked lightly, his fingers pushing back his now dry hair. "This isn't like us."

A small laugh shook Jungkook's shoulders as he looked up at the bodyguard. "I think we're overtired. The last day . . . Fuck, how has it only been one day?"

Taehyung brought a hand up to Jungkook's shoulder and squeezed lightly. "Come on. Let's get some sleep. And in the morning, maybe things won't appear so bleak."

That was a lovely sentiment, though Jungkook knew his morning would be just as bleak as the last. He knew that as long as he held this anguish inside of him, he wasn't going to be taking proactive steps towards healing.

It was reckless and self-destructive, but he wasn't sure if he wanted to heal. He was afraid that healing meant moving on, and that moving on meant forgetting. And he never wanted to forget what he lost. He wouldn't do it.

Jungkook followed Taehyung to bed, flinging back the covers on one side while the elder did the same on the other. He crawled under the cool sheets, trying very hard - yet failing - to not watch as the elder disrobed. 

"I can feel your eyes on me," Taehyung murmured, getting into bed and rolling onto his side. He faced away from Jungkook. 

"Is it a crime to appreciate art?"

At that, Taehyung transferred his weight so he was flat on his back. "That's a terrible pick-up line."

Jungkook chuckled lowly and assumed a similar position to the elder. "It's not a pick-up line. I'm just being honest."

"Are you?" Taehyung questioned, his tone suddenly shaper than before. "Are you being honest with me, Jungkook?"

He didn't know how to reply. He didn't have adequate words to say. So he mumbled out a small yes and closed his eyes, doing his best to even out his breathing. After a while, he felt the bed shift as Taehyung turned away once more.

Jungkook wished he was able to form a better - more convincing - answer, but he physically couldn't. Because Jungkook was lying to Taehyung. 

And he was doing everything he could not to get caught.

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》 V A L E N W R I T I N G 《

Wow, wow, wow, WOW. So much happened in this chapter - banter and tension and secrets and more!

Let me just say . . . Taekook steamy scenes for this story are going to be so much fun 🔥 

T H E O R I E S ↴