[Team Five] Man's Best Friend Part 2

[troubleseason.livejournal.com]

“This one’s going to be fun."

Jeongguk looked up from his couch, pausing the latest episode of Teen Wolf that had been playing on his computer to look at his guest and visitor. Taehyung, unlike Jeongguk who is responsibly sitting on the couch because he's human, Taehyung is lying in some curled up position on the floor. With Namjoon lying beside him doing whatever variation of yoga it is Taehyung is participating in.

"What one?" Jeongguk asks, turning his attention from starting at Tyler Hoechlin until he's burned those pectoral muscles into his brain. Goals his mind repeats for the millionth time since Wendy got him watching this stupid show. "Every episode on this stupid show is just teenagers given more reason to be angst driven than they usually are."

"No, I mean, I just got an idea," Taehyung answers, as if Jeongguk is supposed to know that. Like Jeongguk can read his goddamn mind. Frankly, Jeongguk never wants that ability. He doesn't really want to know. He's happy like this, where he just enjoys the outward result of whatever goes on in Taehyung's head.

Namjoon snorts on the floor and Jeongguk lets out a sigh. It's going to be walking time soon. Namjoon can only take so much of Taehyung being 'cuddles master' before he decides to let out his aggression on the sofa. Jeongguk wants to keep his sofa intact, what's left of it.

"We should go for a walk," Jeongguk decides for everyone, standing up and closing his laptop.

"See?" Taehyung says, beaming up from where he's moving to starfish himself on the floor. "I told you it was a good idea."

"You wanted to go on a walk?" Jeongguk asks, shrugging on a coat.

"Coffee," Taehyung says, grinning wide. "I want coffee."

Jeongguk knows better than to ever let Taehyung have coffee. He learned the hard way in undergrad how bad of a combination that was. Then again, it was Jeongguk's fascination with imminent chaos that had him giving Taehyung caffeinated coffee at midnight after a two day all-nighter. It hadn't ended very well, but Jeongguk likes to phrase it more in the 'I live for danger' kind of way. After all, he did get a Shiba Inu.

As soon as Jeongguk gets his keys, Namjoon is up, looking at him expectantly, ears up, eyes sharp, snout pouted, tail motionless as he waits for confirmation. Jeongguk picks up the leash, and Namjoon gives him the look that says he's not going to cooperate.

Namjoon hates leashes, at least the process of getting them on. He knows they mean walks, but Jeongguk is pretty sure Namjoon is just inherently against the concept of a leash and that it represents oppression and restraint that Namjoon hates. Of course that's why he hates them. Namjoon is fucking deep. For a dog.

It takes a good fifteen minutes for Jeongguk to get the leash and harness on Namjoon, Taehyung turning himself into some sort of wavy variation of a starfish on the floor as Jeongguk works.

"You coming?" Jeongguk asks, standing over his friend as Namjoon tries to bite his leash and destroy it. "Or do I have to get you a leash too?"

"I can walk myself," Taehyung says, smiling as he rolls to sit up. "I've been house broken a few times."

"I thought you only needed to be housebroken once," Jeongguk comments.

"I moved a few times," Taehyung explains before hopping up and pulling open the door so they can all go for a walk.

It's a nice day, and Jeongguk doesn't really bother to care as Taehyung spends a significant portion holding onto the hood of his sweatshirt explaining the he's walking Jeongguk walking Namjoon. Taehyung says it's meta. Jeongguk tries to tell him it doesn't work like that, but Taehyung decides listening isn't as important as having a semi-one sided conversation with Jeongguk's dog.

"You know he can't understand you when you use puppy voices," Jeongguk says, watching as Taehyung coos at Namjoon in something that is definitely not a normal language.

"I'm speaking to his soul," Taehyung explains. "You don't need language to do that."

"I'm pretty sure-"

"Jeongguk?" Looking up, Jeongguk catches sight of a familiar face, broad shoulders, and an arm full of groceries.

"Seokjin!" says Jeongguk when recognition strikes. "Hi!"

"Nice to see you out here again," Seokjin says with a warm smile. "I was beginning to think we'd never see you again."

They're back here, on that nice cafe street Jeongguk had stumbled across a week or so ago when he'd met Seokjin and Yoongi and Jimin. Jeongguk isn't sure how they got here, but now they're here. "I've been a bit busy. Work and stuff. Haven't had the time to swing by yet."

"It's good to see you then," Seokjin says, and his eyes drift to Taehyung, currently creeping up behind Jeongguk curiously.

"This is Taehyung," Jeongguk introduces.

"Your friend?"

"Best friend," Taehyung explains, wrapping his arms around Jeongguk's middle and hugging him from the back, chin resting on the shoulder, looking compromising as Jeongguk can hear the soft happy hum in his throat as he grins.

"We're friends," Jeongguk explains, not bothering to fight the hugs. "He's handsey."

"I see," Seokjin says, looking on the verge of either analytics or laughter. Jeongguk can't tell. "Are you guys out for just a walk or am I in luck and can drag you two to the cafe?"

"Just a walk," Jeongguk explains.

"I want coffee," Taehyung reminds, digging his fingers into Jeongguk's sides and trying to tickle him. Jeongguk is a rock though so this only works when Taehyung is near Hoseok, who has the body sensitivity of the game Operation and pays for it dearly every time Taehyung is in a fifty foot radius.

"You're in luck," Seokjin tells him, now fully smiling. "I happen to be going to a cafe which serves coffee."

"We're going," Taehyung decides before Jeongguk can say anything. Not like he'd refuse though, he has been meaning to come back to this cafe for a while. He just forgot. And Wendy got him into Teen Wolf, so his whole perspective on life has been pretty much revolving around teenage mutant wolf boys without a break since that happened.

The cafe is a bit more populated today, and Namjoon actually seems excited to be here, strutting in like he owns the place. Yoongi, by the counter, casts a wary look over at them, his eyes flickering to Seokjin like he wants to say 'no.' He doesn't though, instead just nodding once as he catches Jeongguk's eyes on him.

"This is so nice!" Taehyung exclaims, flopping down in one of the few couches near the enormous front windows. Jeongguk follows, and clicks his tongue at Namjoon when his dog attempts to jump on the couch with Taehyung as well.

"Sit," Jeongguk tells Namjoon firmly. Namjoon puts his head on the low coffee table and stares at him impudently.

"I am sitting," Taehyung says, spreading himself out on the couch.

"I was talking to Namjoon."

"What are you getting?" Taehyung continues, ignoring the rational Jeongguk gave in favor of opening a menu. Taehyung ends up getting a double shot mocha with whipped (which just sounds dangerous) and Jeongguk orders a plain latte. "You know that's mostly milk, right?"

"It tastes good," Jeongguk defends himself.

Seokjin brings over their orders as Jeongguk catches sight of Jimin coming in from one of the side doors, babbling something to Yoongi as the elder barista's lower voice drifts in soft chastisement. Seokjin also brings with him a water bowl and sits down to talk a bit, Taehyun excited to make friends and Jeongguk glad for the company. Yoongi mostly stays behind the counter, casting a few glances over in their direction, eyes lingering on Namjoon.

"Is it really okay to have Namjoon here?" Jeongguk asks finally, watching Yoongi's eyes on his dog again. "I can-" leaving Namjoon outside would probably not end well, but Jeongguk doesn't want to truly be unwelcome here, especially by the owner.

"It's fine," Seokjin says, smiling as he reaches down and pets Namjoon's head. "Really, we let Junmyeon bring his dog around all the time. Yoongi's just always been more of a cat person so it takes him a while to warm up to dogs."

"And you?" Jeongguk asks.

"I like all animals," Seokjin laughs. "Jimin loves dogs though. Actually," he pauses looking back at the bar. "I should go help Yoongi."

"Why?" Jeongguk frowns.

Seokjin doesn't answer though, just standing with a smile and bidding them farewell before walking back to the counters and register. Looking to Taehyung for an answer, Jeongguk finds him just staring at him, the cake piece he'd ordered half inside of his mouth and mid bite. "I thought you just wanted coffee."

"You can't have coffee without cake," Taehyung says around his mouthful. "It's like a sin."

"I don't-"

"A sin," Taehyung repeats firmly, and finishes his cake in another two hasty bites.

"You know that thing is super rich, right?" says a familiar voice, and Jeongguk turns to see Jimin already squatting on the floor, petting Namjoon as he stares at Taehyung. "I think that is one of the richest cakes I've seen come through here. You're gonna feel like shit in about ten minutes from wolfing that thing down."

"He eats like a black hole," Jeongguk says, smiling as Jimin continues to watch Taehyung in vague concern. "He'll be fine."

"I can take it," Taehyung shrugs his shoulders exaggeratedly, leaning towards Jimin curiously. "Hello."

"Hello," Jimin says, hands still on Namjoon who is just basking in the attention and pets. "I'm Jimin."

"Cool," Taehyung nods, chin tilting up. "I'm Taehyung, or Taetae, but only those close to me call me that."

"Which is why you keep telling everyone," Jeongguk sighs, sitting back and offering Taehyung a smile.

"I'm showing them what they could have so they know what the reward is," Taehyung explains. "You can't work for something if you don't know what it is. I'm setting expectations and realistic goals by being transparent with people I meet. All out in the open, no holds barred, rewards systems in place."

"What?" Jimin asks, turning to Jeongguk, face colored in confusion.

"He reads a lot about institutional positive behavioral systems," Jeongguk explains, remembering the mound of books and articles he'd seen the last time he'd visited Taehyung's apartment.

“What does that even mean?” Jimin asks, still frowning at Jeongguk in confusion.

“it means you have to earn nickname privileges,” Taehyung says with a squint. “And my respect.”

“It’s not hard, don’t worry about it,” Jeongguk waves off and Jimin’s mouth twitches in a smile as Taehyung whines at him disapprovingly over the coffee table. “Join us?” Jeongguk asks without really thinking, watching as Jimin stays squatted over Namjoon.

Jimin’s mouth twitches into a full smile. “I just started my shift,” he explains.

“Join us from afar,” Jeongguk suggests, and Jimin laughs a little, scratching behind Namjoon’s ears.

“Alright.”

As Jimin retreats after a call from Yoongi, Taehyung turns to Jeongguk, pointing at him with his fork. “He’s weird.”

“You’re weird,” Jeongguk points out.

“Yeah,” Taehyung shrugs in agreement, then smiles. “I like him.”

Glancing over at the cafe counter, Yoongi pouring over what looks like latte art as Jimin operates the register for a couple that just came in, Jeongguk smiles a little. “I think I do too.”


tagging ceeri! Have fun and good luck!! Happy Valentine's Day!