Chapter Text
With a sorry little snap, the plastic lid slipped off the hot to-go cup and the coffee sloshed clumsily over Jungkooks's hand and onto the floor. He hissed through pressed lips and quickly shook his hand.
„Fuck“ he mumbled, giving his task another try.
This was no ordinary Tuesday. It had been some time since Jungkook had been hungover from a long night out, the agonizing thud still audible in his ears, his blood rushing through his head as he was fighting back the anger bubbling in his temples as the hot dark brown fluid burned his skin.
Being a little tipsy on some nights, most nights, sure, but actually going out with people he didn’t see everyday? It had been a while. Still, it was a good night. Meeting long forgotten friends, reviving fond memories and embarrassing ones alike from his school years.
He had to work the closing shift, thank god, so he managed to get at least some sleep before heading out. Still, he dreaded the moment the scabby light would engulf him, the second the humming of the AC would synchronize with the noise behind his ears, feeding his current state of headache, making him question whether the buzzing came from outside or inside.
Jungkook wasn’t someone who felt lonely. Well, he wasn’t lonely. His coworkers at the small café around the corner became his second family, creating a strong bond that had been growing for almost four years now. They often stuck around after closing time, drinking and chatting, sharing a few too many cigarettes and bickering about unusual customers. Or hot customers. Or just really weird ones.
But this job? To say Jungkook didn’t like the gas station was an understatement. Sitting there, time going by too slow, listening to customers' complaints about the prices being too high - which they were - it was exhausting, monotone. He hated monotone.
The only thing enjoyable about his second job was the cigarette after closing down. Watching the smoke curl in the green industrial light outside the station, it was nice and weirdly beautiful. He always felt like a troubled character out of a moody movie with a little too much angst and a little less actual plot, other than letting pretty people suffer in an aesthetic way.
Arriving at the gas station, Jungkook's headache had gotten way worse. They were in the middle of the first June heat wave and his walk, even though the coffee helped, felt like hell. The sun was sizzling down on his head without mercy and his black clothes certainly didn’t help the situation.
“Well, hello there stranger." The only thing he disliked more about his second job than the monotone nature of it was his coworker. “You didn’t empty the bathroom bin on Sunday” The other man continued.
It was a valid comment but not from him, his tone already too amused for the situation. He never let things slide.
“Yeah, hello to you too.” Jungkook didn’t address the bathroom bin. He headed straight to the small changing room in the back of the gas station shop.
Kim Taehyung was someone whose sole purpose was getting on Jungkook's nerves. Even though Jungkook certainly didn’t believe in the concept of enemies (he was a fucking adult after all, that trope only existed in fiction or in competitive sports, not in a normal man's life), Taehyung certainly did come close to that. Being his enemy that was.
Of course he didn’t hate him, there were no hard feelings involved. Hate is a strong word, a hard feeling. But there were things Taehyung did and said -mostly things he said - that were downright insulting to Jungkook's character.
“If you care to actually lift your fingers, restock the beer.” Taehyung called from behind the cash register as soon as Jungkook opened the door again, leaving the changing room.
“You’re not my boss” Jungkook bit back.
“Ow, sorry” Taehyung cleared his throat and tucked a few strands of hair behind his ear, blinking exaggeratedly. “Could you please restock the beer?” He added, voice dripping with mock deference, face twisted into a pout.
The way he laid the please on thick, Jungkook hated every aspect of it.
“I swear to fucking god, Kim. Not today. I’m hungover as shit and I don’t need your bullshit ass attitude right now.”
“Oh, wow, scary swearing.” Taehyung smiled sweetly. It didn’t match his words. “At least act like you have some decency or respect for yourself. Do you kiss your mom with that alcohol breath?"
Jungkook flexed his jaw, staring at him, imagining slamming his fist into that stupid boxy smile of his. He didn’t answer, not today. He already felt the throbbing in his head getting more unbearable with each second talking to or even looking at that jerk.
He ignored his kind request and went to the little bakery corner beside the cash register, Taehyung's eyes darting to him again as he slumped down on the little stool next to the coffee machine.
“Are you fucking –“ The blonde boy started again.
“Please just shut up. Oh my God.” Jungkook threw his hands in the air, glaring at the other boy. This was the worst. Worse than having to work the late shift and deal with drunk customers alone.
Taehyung really was someone who genuinely enjoyed seeing people suffer, especially Jungkook, he got the impression.
“I think your tone speaks volumes about your maturity, Jeon.” Teahyung turned around in his chair and grabbed a pack of cigarettes from the shelf behind him. “You being an irresponsible alcoholic has got absolutely nothing to do with my time at this hell hole.”
He sneaked a lighter with colorful mandala patterns and a few too many weed leaves on it out of the spinning display next to the cash register. “I would appreciate it if you could actually do your job around here.” He took a cigarette out of the pack and slid it between his lips, pausing for a second as he held the lighter up to it.
He glanced at Jungkook and smirked like he was genuinely amused. “By the way, you look like shit.”
Jungkook poked the inside of his cheek with his tongue and faced the coffee machine as Teahyung lit his cigarette, blowing the smoke in his direction. He desperately needed another coffee.
As the loud grinding sounds from the machine filled the little shop, he looked at Teahyung again, putting on a fake smile. “You also look like shit, you know?” He emphasized the you know, remembering that fucking mocking please from a few minutes before.
Teahyung laughed. Loud and sharp and genuine. Like it was the stupidest thing he’d heard in a long time, like someone just told him Britney was not that iconic.
He didn’t even comment on that. Like he deemed it not worthy of commenting or trying to come back with anything. It made Jungkook furious. That fucking self-absorbed bastard. He acted so natural about it, like he was the most pretty face in this world and he knew it. He kind of was pretty but that pretty face always got ruined when it opened its mouth.
“Fuck you” Jungkook mumbled. Like Teahyung was the last one in that useless conversation who insulted the other one.
The shift dragged on for what seemed like forever. Almost no customers, the heat turning the air outside into wobbly translucent swirls above the asphalt. The AC was fighting for its life, its humming getting louder by the hour, drilling into Jungkook's head like crazy. The fourth coffee helped for a bit though and he started to look forward to the summer night and his moody little cigarette after finishing.
Like he sensed that Jungkook was feeling a little bit better, Taehyung decided it was time to start bothering him again for his own entertainment.
“So, about the beer stack” He started, unwrapping a pink lollipop. He never paid for anything he took around here. Like he never paid for anything in his life, always wearing clothes that were a little too nice. “I know you’re taking a few cans from that fridge after closing. I know you’re not restocking it tomorrow either because you're not working tomorrow. And I know I emptied the bathroom bin in your place.”
Teahyung looked at him expectantly, taking the lollipop in his mouth.
“And I know I’m going to eat ramen when I get home” Jungkook continued Teahyung' string of statements, ignoring what the other was implying. He carelessly wiped down a glass fridge, squatting down, not bothering to look at the older boy.
There was a pause after that and Jungkook glanced upwards as he threw the washcloth into the little bucket. Taehyung took a few steps in his direction and stopped right in front of him, hovering over him. The younger raised an eyebrow in question, eyeing the boy above confused.
“And I know you look pretty on your knees and yet I won’t be the one putting up with Sungris scolding. I just don’t make enough money for that.”
Jungkook almost choked on that remark and got up from his position. They were exactly the same height. He just looked at the other boy, ignoring that inappropriate comment and that pink lollipop against those pink lips.
“I don’t make enough money for that. Carrying around heavy shit, no, I won’t do that to my head today. I actually do have some self respect.”
Taehyung snorted. He scanned Jungkook's face for a second, gaze drifting between his eyes as if he was searching for his next comment in them. As if he was trying to find out what would piss his coworker off the most, the younger thought.
Jungkook heard the lollipop clink against the blonde boy's teeth and suddenly became very aware of the fact that he was actively avoiding looking at his lips. It felt like he was in a staring contest and he was losing it. He hated losing.
But the eye contact felt increasingly weird, increasingly intense and he thought that maybe Taehyung sensed where his thoughts were going, maybe he was aware of him avoiding to look anywhere else that weren’t the blonde boy's eyes.
As if the only alternative to looking at his eyes was to look at his shiny lips, what they were doing, what they were closing around, at the sugary substance coating them.
The candy smelled like artificial cherry. Jungkook hated cherry. He became way too aware about the sweet smell stinging his nose. Like he was clinging to everything that could distract him from that mouth in this moment.
It wasn’t too different from his usual relationship with his coworker's mouth though; hanging on to everything distracting him from it and what was leaving it because every damn second that mouth was forming words, Jungkook grew really tired of his life really fast.
He thought about the way Taehyung's mouth ruined that pretty face of his the moment it opened.
The air between them grew incredibly thick, only the AC humming in the background and the glass bottles clinking softly in the fridge next to them.
Jungkook watched as the older boy slid the lollipop over his bottom lip, as he slowly took it in his mouth again, his pink tongue darting out slightly, pressing against the underside of it. He could use that mouth for better things than tormenting Jungkook. What?
Jungkook didn’t realize he was already staring at the scene of the crime. He didn’t notice until the older boy took the lollipop out with an obscene plop. Fuck.
“You’re drooling like a dog, Jeon.” He said sweetly, visibly amused. His words sounded filthy, his mouth ruining everything. As always.
Jungkook swallowed, glaring at the other boy who took a step back. He felt heat creeping up his neck and didn’t say anything.
He didn't know what to say, he just bit down on his lower lip, catching his piercings with his teeth. It would have been useless anyways. It was always useless to argue with Taehyung. And it was always Jungkook who felt like he just lost a game he didn't even know he was playing until then.
And this time, everything he could have said would be turned against him in a way he really, really didn’t want. What he wanted was to forget this happened, to forget the way he seemingly lost control over his own eyes and what they were looking at.
He just angrily exhaled through his nose, pressing his lips together.
“And here I am, wondering if the straights are okay when they obviously aren’t. Always so frustrated.” Taehyung smiled, clicking his tongue. “Always so constipated.”
The blonde boy scanned Jungkook in front of him, down and up again with dark belittling eyes. He plopped the lollipop back in his mouth, turned on his heels and knocked the bucket between them over in a swift, calculated move so that the water spilled all over Jungkook's shoes.
He didn’t even look back as he walked away. Taehyung only giggled when Jungkook cursed and jumped back, startled.
“Fuck you, Kim!” He yelled as the older boy swung the glass doors open, leaving him and his wet shoes and tight pants alone, his ears now buzzing louder than the AC.