Their parents are predictably thrilled to see Yoongi.

Jungkook's father gives him a big hug and tells him that he's glad to give Yoongi his Christmas gifts in person while his mother keeps making joyful comments about her family finally being under one roof.

Yoongi feels like more and more of an asshole for staying away– especially during the holidays– for so long.

Meanwhile, Jungkook almost completely ignores him.

Not so obviously that their parents notice, but Yoongi can feel the absence of Jungkook's attention like a missing limb.

After dinner, they're all sitting in the living room, fireplace burning while they each nurse mugs of either tea or hot chocolate.

His mother is explaining the upcoming marathon of parties and family dinners they'll be attending over the next several days both boys will be in town.

Yoongi is leaning back into the couch cushions, listening intently to her speed talking.

Despite the obvious tension with Jungkook, it is rather soothing to be back here– back in Busan– with his family.

"Are you seeing anybody right now, Yoongi?" Jungkook's father asks unexpectedly, interrupting his mother's monologue about the matching sweaters she's purchased for the four of them.

Yoongi clears his throat, "Not at the moment."

"What a shame," the man grumbles. "You boys need to give us some grandkids before we're too old to enjoy them."

"Come on, Appa," Jungkook groans. "I don't want to hear this again."

"What a shame," the man grumbles. "You boys need to give us some grandkids before we're too old to enjoy them."

"Come on, Appa," Jungkook groans. "I don't want to hear this again."

"Whether you settle with a young lady or a young man, we would be happy for you and support you both in starting a family," he pauses to take a sip of his coffee before continuing. "Science has come a long way you know and if you don't do it naturally, artificial insemination, although expensive, is a great option-"

"Dear, I don't think insemination is a subject to discuss over tea-" Yoongi's mother interjects as Mr. Jeon continues.

"-Or there's good old fashion adoption. As long as there are little ones to spoil, I would be perfectly happy!"

Yoongi shoots his mother an uncomfortable stare, grimacing at hearing her say such a word in her saccharine-sweet voice, while Jungkook shifts in his seat.

"Why don't you date that sweet girl you mentioned yesterday, Jin," Jungkook's father perks up, looking directly at Jungkook. "She sounds great! Like a real catch."

"Jin is a boy," Jungkook huffs, "And we aren't dating."

"I just can't believe, at your ages, neither of you are in relationships!" He shakes his head, turning to Yoongi's mother. "Yuna, tell these two to get their butts in gear. They'll listen to you."

There's no real bite behind his words, but he's also not totally speaking out of jest.

Yoongi's mother laughs lightly. "Dear, leave these poor boys alone. They'll find their partners when the time is right," she pats Yoongi's leg. "I'm just grateful to have us all back together again."

Yoongi smiles back at her. "I'm glad to be home for the holidays too, Eomma. I'm glad to be here with all of you." He chances a glance at Jungkook.

Jungkook meets his gaze, rolling his tongue over his teeth before looking away.

.......

He can feel Jungkook's eyes following him the next few days.

They don't really have time alone so he doesn't get a very opportune chance to try again and speak with him.

Between their parents and the million family and friends' parties they've attended, it feels like people are surrounding them constantly.

Yoongi can feel Jungkook looming though. An ever present presence.

The day after Christmas, Yoongi goes downstairs to find Jungkook and his father in the kitchen, plates full of scrambled eggs and half eaten pancakes.

After declining his step-father's offer to fix Yoongi a plate, Yoongi shuffles to the coffee maker, tired eyes half open, and reaching for the cabinet he knows his mother keeps the mugs in.

The older man laughs. "Still a caffeine addict I see."

"Mhm," Yoongi hums, setting a mug on the counter before pressing the button on the machine to begin heating the water.

Just as Yoongi begins fumbling through the drawer for a coffee pod, Yoongi's step-father stands up from the table.

"I've got to get going. Have some errands to run. If you boys are looking for something to do today I wouldn't mind if you took a look at the sink in the guest bathroom."

"I can do that," Yoongi hears Jungkook answer over his shoulder.

"I'm mostly talking to Yoongi, son. I don't trust you not to break the thing more," he chuckles and Jungkook scoffs.

"What's that supposed to mean?! I can fix it," Jungkook voices, sounding a tad bit whiny.

"He is patient, you are not," his father states. "You'll get tired of working on it and opt for a quick solution. Yoongi will put the time in to fix the problem the right way."

Jungkook grumbles unhappily under his breath.

Yoongi doesn't quite catch all of it, but he does hear something like "he doesn't fix every problem the right way" which is fair.

Yoongi can't argue that.

"Don't worry, son. You can still help! He'll need someone to hold the flashlight," his father says with a hearty, teasing chuckle.

Once he sees a pod with a brew he'll settle for, Yoongi pops the small cup into the machine before placing his cup under the spout to let it begin to fill with his coffee of choice.

He wants to laugh at the familiar banter between the two, Jungkook's father never letting an opportunity to tease either he or Jungkook slip by, but the fact that it had just been announced that the house will be empty save he and Jungkook is keeping him from doing so.

Mr. Jeon pats him on the back on his way out of the kitchen with a happy sounding "See you two later!"

After the man has left and Yoongi's cup is full, he turns around to see Jungkook watching him carefully.

"How long will you be here?" He asks after a few seconds of tense silence, eyes narrowed.

"I can do my work from here, so I'm planning on sticking around until after New Year's," Yoongi tells him. "What about you?"

"I'm here until the first, then I'm heading back up to Daegu," Jungkook answers.

Yoongi arches a brow, "Daegu?"

He had no idea Jungkook was living there.

"Yeah..." he nibbles his bottom lips before meeting Yoongi's eyes, adding, "I got into school there..."

"You got a scholarship?" Yoongi asks before taking a sip from his cup, peering at Jungkook from above the brim.

Jungkook gulps, nodding. "I'm hoping to get my engineering degree and the university has a really good program."

"An engineer, huh? You always were a big math geek," Yoongi muses, lips quirking at the edges.

Jungkook smiles, looking bashful. "Yeah, well. I like it and I'm good at it."

"You're good at everything, Bugs."

The name slips so easily off of Yoongi's tongue that it takes them both by surprise.

Yoongi hasn't thought of the name, let alone said it aloud, in years.

He isn't sure where it'd come from. Or why it felt as natural to voice as it did.

(Jungkook has always looked like a little bunny rabbit. Yoongi's mother once teasingly called Jungkook Bugs Bunny and Yoongi thought it was cute.

He adopted the nickname for his own, but shortened it to Bugs.)

Jungkook seems to recover from the surprise first and speaks up.

"So are you, Lola," Jungkook teases and if Yoongi was caught off guard when he let slip Jungkook's childhood nickname, that feeling has increased considerably at the fact that Jungkook has answered back with his own chosen nickname for Yoongi– the younger thinking it hilarious when they were growing up to refer to Yoongi with the name of Bugs Bunny's girlfriend; Lola Bunny.

It's the last thing Yoongi expected him to say.

Yoongi blinks away his surprise, sitting down at the table across from Jungkook.

"I don't know if that's true," he smiles crookedly, feeling more elated by each passing second to be continuing on with their conversation. "But I like what I do now. I can practically do my job anywhere as long as there's WiFi, so that's nice."

Jungkook purses his lips with a small frown.

"So all those times you told your mother you couldn't come home for work..?" He asks, all previous amusement gone, voice sounding much quieter now.

Yoongi inhales deeply through his nose.

He wants to be honest with Jungkook from now on. He deserves to know what Yoongi's thinking.

What he's been thinking.

"Made up excuses because I couldn't handle seeing you," he answers.

Jungkook looks like Yoongi just punched him as soon as the words leave Yoongi's mouth.

"I mean that I couldn't handle what I did to you. Because seeing you meant I had to face it," Yoongi rushes to explain. "I was such an asshole and a coward, Kook. I was supposed to be your big brother and I just couldn't handle what I was feeling."

"...And what were you feeling?" Jungkook asks.

"Like I loved you too," Yoongi answers much more easily than he'd ever imagined he could.

Jungkook is silent.

Yoongi watches him with bated breath, waiting to see how he is going to react.

"Back then..." Jungkook speaks reverently. "You said I was confused..."

Yoongi take another shaky breath, looking down at his cup now. "I was projecting what-," he takes a beat to steady his nerves, "what I had been feeling onto you. I was confused. Had been since even before you came to me that day..."

They sit in silence for what feels like hours, allowing Yoongi's statement to hover in the air between them.

Jungkook keeps his eyes fixed on his hands which are clasped tightly in his lap while Yoongi's eyes done leave him for a second.

Yoongi feels hyper aware of the building tension in his shoulders and the overwhelming urge he has to get up and leave the room.

He won't allow himself to run from this though. Not this time. Never again.

When Jungkook finally levels his eyes with Yoongi's, the elder gulps down the lump of emotion stuck in his throat.

At first the expression on Jungkook's face as his eyes roam slowly over Yoongi's face is full of skepticism.

Yoongi understands his doubt completely.

The Jungkook from two years ago would have believed him no problem. No hesitation. But now, he has no reason to believe Yoongi.

Yoongi lost his trust the second he pushed Jungkook away that day when they were sat at this very table.

Slowly– so incredibly slowly– Yoongi watches Jungkook's eyes soften.

Not fully– Yoongi still sees some hesitation– but the sharpness in his eyes dulls enough to give Yoongi hope.

Hope that if he's patient, he may be able to mend and resolve the damage that's been done between them.

Jungkook lets out a drawn out breath before unclenching his hands and reaching for his fork.

Yoongi hides his hint of a smile behind his mug while Jungkook continues to eat his food.

They sit that way quietly- the air around them feeling noticeably lighter- as Jungkook finishes his breakfast and Yoongi drinks his coffee.