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The footsteps didn’t come until the second week after Taehyung moved in. He noticed them when they rudely woke him up at 7:30am.“Who wakes up at this ungodly hour?” He had grumbled, sleepily gazing up at the ceiling. The footsteps were so strong they caused his ceiling fan to rattle.Taehyung frowned at the footsteps coming from above. He was still so tired, all he wanted was to sleep. It didn’t take long after closing his eyes and trying to block out the footsteps that he fell back into blissful sleep.~Since that second week, things only got worse. Taehyung grew accustomed to hearing his upstairs neighbor stomp around. He honest to god could not figure out what the person was doing sometimes. He’d hear constant thumping like the person was exercising and doing jumping jacks or something. During times like those, he’d stare quizzically at his ceiling, sometimes asking aloud, “WHAT ARE YOU DOING??” Rudely, they never answered him.When Taehyung was awake, he wasn’t too bothered by the person’s loud footsteps, but it was when he was trying to sleep that it annoyed him the most. Taehyung actually found himself getting angry at the footsteps, an emotion he so rarely felt. Sleep changes a man, and Taehyung hadn’t been able to get much of it when the person was stomping around at 2 AM IN THE MORNING.It irked him to no end that the person—he dubbed them “Footsteps”—could cause such disruption in Taehyung’s life, but there was nothing Taehyung could do to get back at him. What was he supposed to do, stomp around on the ceiling?~When Taehyung was in a particularly good mood, he would greet Footsteps. He had been sitting on his bed doing homework when the telltale thumps presented themselves above him.Taehyung gazed up at the ceiling, “Hello Footsteps, you’re back! How was your day?” Footsteps answered by continuous thuds as he made his way around the room. That was another thing Taehyung couldn’t understand, their rooms were small, how could one-person possibly walk around so much in such a small space? Did he just pace around from time to time?And so, it continued. Taehyung unconsciously started knowing when Footsteps would get back, he knew when Footsteps got up every morning (because he woke Taehyung up too, the worst part of the footsteps), and he knew when he went to bed (not as bad as the morning, but occasionally Footsteps would walk around in the wee hours of late night. Not ideal when Tae had an early class the next day).It continued like this for a whole month after moving in, until one week—the footsteps stopped.Taehyung didn’t realize it at first, not wanting to look a gift horse in the mouth when he hadn’t been woken up at 7am in the morning. He figured maybe Footsteps was finally learning to sleep in, but it had been a week since Taehyung had been disrupted by any noise at all from above, and he was sort of getting worried.It was a weird thing, hearing someone so constantly that he’d never met before. He’d grown so accustomed and familiar with Footstep’s footsteps, but he had yet to actually meet the person. Was it a girl? A guy? (Though Taehyung was pretty sure it was a guy at the sheer force the person stepped). Were they nice? Or a total jackass? Did they know just how loud their footsteps were?Taehyung had contemplated going up and confronting the person on countless occasions, mostly when he was trying to sleep or was woken up by the footsteps—when he was angriest and most annoyed. He hadn’t though, because he hated confrontation. So he sulked in silence, sucking it up for the past month, but now that the footsteps had mysteriously stopped, he wasn’t sure if he should rejoice, or call the cops for a missing person.~After a week, Taehyung’s curiosity and worry got the better of him. Not only did he want to make sure Footsteps was alright, but he also wanted to know who the person was. Who was it that made his life so miserable at the ass crack of dawn? And besides, it wasn’t confrontation if he was only going to check in on him, right?Taehyung paced in front of Footstep’s apartment door for a good 10 minutes, psyching himself up to knock on the door. “Maybe he’s just on vacation? In which case, he wouldn’t even be here to open the door.” It seemed like the most plausible reason for the footsteps to stop, so Taehyung finally gathered the courage to knock on the door.He waited for a beat, and then another, and another. He couldn’t hear anything coming from the other side of the door. He turned, about to and walk back down, when he heard the door open behind him. A pair of large eyes peered out at him.“Hello?” So it was a guy after all, and his voice wasn’t bad to listen too either. “If only your footsteps sounded that good.” Taehyung thought wistfully. He was so sure the guy wasn’t going to be there that he actually hadn’t come up with anything to say.“Uh—hi.” Taehyung started, and stopped. They stared at each other for a while longer. “I’m um, the guy that lives below you. I hear you walking around a lot.” It was the truth after all, Taehyung decided to go with the truth.Footsteps didn’t quite seem to know how to respond to that, if his “Oookay,” was any indication.“I was just—I didn’t hear you for a while, so I was wondering if you’d died or something.” Taehyung laughed awkwardly. “What a horrible joke Kim Taehyung.” Footsteps gave a half-hearted laugh, “It kind of feels like it, I got the flu so I’ve been pretty much bed ridden for the past week.”“Ooooohhh, the flu, that sucks man.” Taehyung took a closer look at the boy, he seemed around Taehyung’s age, his face was noticeably pale, and his lips lacked color of any sort. The boy was sporting the whole “I AM SICK” look to the max.“You’re not wrong.” The boy said, turning to hack into his apartment.“I won’t keep you,” Taehyung said awkwardly, not quite sure how to end the conversation, but it was clear the boy wasn’t really in the right health for conversing anyways.The boy nodded, about to close the door when he opened it again, “I’m sorry, what’s your name?” he asked.“I’m Kim Taehyung.” Taehyung said.“Jeon Jungkook.” Footsteps said. Finally, he had a name to match the thuds.~A week later, the thuds started up again. Jungkook must have been feeling better. Taehyung was happy at that. He had felt bad about leaving on that note, so he had brought up some soup for the other a few days after their encounter. He wondered if Jungkook had gotten the soup. Probably, since he had checked later that day and the soup pot was gone. Either that or someone else had stolen an abandoned pot of soup in the hallway. He absently wondered if it was his soup that made Jungkook feel better.Unfortunately for Taehyung, his happiness for the other was short lived, for a week after that, the guys started up what Taehyung could only guess to be exercising, again. The constant thuds were louder than before, at least they seemed louder. Taehyung could barely hear his music over the thudding.“What the fuck—?” Taehyung said up to the ceiling. He tried to ignore it, but it went on for 10 whole minutes, and that’s when Taehyung drew the line. He stepped onto his bed and knocked loudly on the ceiling three times. The thudding stopped.“And that—is the most passive aggressive I have ever been.” Taehyung said to himself as he plopped back down onto the bed. A few minutes later he heard the thudding again, but it was much softer, to the point that it was easier to ignore.~Ever since the knocking, Jungkook hadn’t been as rambunctious with his exercising. If three knocks was all it took to get him to quiet down, Taehyung was sad he hadn’t tired it earlier.“Kim Taehyung!” A vaguely familiar voice called to him as we waited for the elevator in the lobby. He looked up to see a boy walking towards him, bulging bags armed in both hands, a smile on his face. Taehyung did a double take.“Jeon Jungkook?” Taehyung asked in slight awe. The guy, to put it lightly, was gorgeous. He didn’t remember Jungkook looking quite so—stunning. His eyes shone in good spirits, his hair a shiny black color, and he was tall and muscular, and his smile was adorable and Taehyung’s heart did consecutive loud thuds of its own.“I can’t believe we’ve never run into each other. Thanks for the soup by the way, it was really good.” Jungkook chatted on but Taehyung only half caught what he was saying, his gaze was still entranced on the other’s face. His face lit up as he was talking, it was such a stark contrast to the flu ridden boy he had seen a few weeks ago. It was like he was staring at a bright ball of energy, and it was infectious and aweing to say the least.Jungkook turned to look at him in amusement, snapping Taehyung out of his staring contest with the side of Jungkook’s face.“So, what do you say?” Jungkook asked, looking at Taehyung expectantly.“Ermm—about what?” Taehyung felt his cheeks heat up, he hoped his staring hadn’t been too obvious.“About eating with me? The girl gave me way more food than I ordered, I’m not sure why.” Jungkook’s face scrunched in confusion, though Taehyung could guess of multiple reasons a girl would give Jungkook free food. “Anyways, I can’t eat all this by myself.” He said, lifting a bag filled hand in gesture.“Oh, um, sure!” Taehyung wouldn’t pass up the opportunity to spend more time with the guy.“Cool.” Jungkook said with a smile on his face. The elevator doors dinged open.~It was weird to say that Footsteps had become a prominent part of his life. Jungkook and he would often hangout in the afternoons. They were both attending uni, but different ones in the city. They clicked fast after finding their shared love for video games, Jungkook beating Tae’s ass more times than he’d like to admit.When Taehyung wasn’t with Jungkook in his apartment, he’d still hear Jungkook walking around. Whereas before he’d be wondering what the other was doing, now he would just ask him.
Dude, wtf r u doing?? I’m p sure the ceiling is about to cave in
It took some time for Jungkook to reply. When the constant thudding stopped, Taehyung glanced eagerly at his phone.
Op sry, I’m doing my weekly workouts, is it that loud?
Umm yeah, I’m p sure the people below me can hear u
I thought we were having an earthquake
Dramatic much? I’m just trying 2 stay fit, these abs don’t come from nothing u know
U should join me some time ;o
Don’t u open mouth wink at me mister, and no thx, I don’t want to be the cause of the building collapsing
Fine, if u won’t join me, then just deal with it
Taehyung hated Jungkook as much as he was strangely drawn to him. But—abs? Did he really have abs? Taehyung had never seen Jungkook with his shirt off before, he wondered—“NOPE. Not going there Kim Taehyung. That is dangerous territory.” Taehyung sighed, shaking his head as the ceiling’s shaking intensified.~A few months later, Taehyung hear the sound of multiple footsteps above him. It wasn’t something he normally heard. The footsteps were plentiful, and constant, and he wasn’t sure what else it could be besides a party.“Is he really having a party? And he didn’t invite me??” Tae would be lying if he wasn’t a little peeved. They were friends, close enough that Jungkook and he hung out with each other one a week, and yet he hadn’t invited Taehyung to his party?Tae pouted by himself, listening to the footsteps as they dragged across the ceiling of his entire apartment. He debated back and forth if he should go up or not. Somewhere around 12am however, he decided enough was enough. The footsteps weren’t ceasing, and he was pretty sure he could now hear a faint bass playing.Tae slipped on some shoes and waddled up to the floor above him in a t-shirt, jacket, and sweats. Screw this, he wasn’t going to act like he was going to the party, he just wanted to—“Taetae!” Jungkook said as he swung the door open, beer bottle in hand. “I was wondering when you were going to show up!”Taehyung frowned at the male, he was clearly tipsy, maybe even drunk. “What do you mean, Jungkook? Are you having a party? You didn’t invite me.”Jungkook frowned, eyebrows creasing together, “Didn’t I? I could have sworn—well, no matter! You’re here now!” And with that, he grabbed hold of Taehyung and pulled him in through the door. Tae didn’t have time to protest before the door was slammed closed behind him, Jungkook dragging him through the people milling about.Taehyung didn’t think that many people could fit in their apartment, but then again, he also didn’t think footsteps could be that loud. Jungkook had proven him wrong in each scenario.“Meet my friends! That’s Namjoon, and Jin hyung, and on the couch is Jiminie and Yoongi, and the one dancing over there by himself is Hobi hyung!” Jungkook said enthusiastically. Taehyung could barely keep up.“GUYS!” Jungkook yelled, catching all their attention, “THIS IS TAEHYUNG! HE’S MY DOWNSTAIRS NEIGHBOR!” Taehyung cringed at the sheer decimal Jungkook was screaming near his ear.“Jesus, Kook, what are you yelling for? You’re going to break his eardrums.” A boy—Yoongi, if Taehyung wasn’t mistaken—grumbled from the couch. The boy next to him—Jimin—giggling immediately. How the fuck were all of Jungkook’s friend that attractive? Was he in some sort of “handsome guy cult” that he wasn’t aware of?“Nice to meet you Taetae!” The dancing guy—Hobi?—greeted cheerily, already calling him by a nickname. He came over to grab Taehyung’s hands and drag him into dancing with him. Taehyung was soo not drunk enough for this. It was 12am, he had already been rather tired, and now a random hot guy was trying to dance with him.Life was too much. Jeon Jungkook and his footsteps and his horde of godly men was too much.Nonetheless, he found himself giving up to Hobi’s antics, letting the male fling Taehyung’s arms about and spin him around until Taehyung found he was actually dancing on his own. There was something infectious about Hobi’s smile, the atmosphere of the room, before he knew it, a smile spread itself across his face.The rest of the night (morning?) was a sleepy, adrenaline induced blur. He might have drunk a beer at one point, but Taehyung never liked the taste of alcohol all that much. He preferred something sweet, but that meant his alcohol tolerance was extremely low. Even after one beer he already felt hazy.“So, you said you’re a forensic major?” Jimin asked him, leaning his head against Yoongi’s shoulder as he peered up at Taehyung expectantly.Taehyung nodded, “Yup.” He said, popping the p.“That’s so fucking cool.”Taehyung giggled at the evident awe in Jimin’s voice.“What about me? I’m studying to be a music producer.” Yoongi pouted, Taehyung had a vague realization that the male was vying for Jimin’s attention, but due to the fact that Jimin giggled and ran a chubby hand down the other’s face, Taehyung was pretty sure Yoongi had it.“Taehyung! Why don’t you come over here and show Namjoon hyung how it’s done?” Jungkook called out, the two were in the middle of a video game that Jungkook and Taehyung played regularly.“Sorry fellas, I’ve been summoned.” Taehyung abruptly got up from the couch, only to get a head rush, stumbling a little. Jimin and Yoongi only spared him a glance, more caught up in each other than in Taehyung.He waddled over to sit in between Jungkook and Namjoon, and that’s when the real challenge begun. Taehyung lost track of how many levels they played, but at one point he looked over and Seokjin had fallen asleep in Namjoon’s lap, the other continuously nodding off himself, controller slipping from his hands.Taehyung glanced around to find Jimin and Yoongi also asleep on the couch, curled into each other’s embrace. Hobi was slouched in another chair, arms still lazily moving as if he was still dancing, even in his sleep haze. It seemed only Jungkook was wide awake, eyes trained on the TV in front of them.“Taetae, what are you doing? You’re making us lose!” He cried in distress, clearly not happy with losing.“Kook-ah, what time is it?” Taehyung was sober again, wasn’t even sure if he was drunk to begin with, but the small fragments of light filtering in through the window told him it had to be morning.“Holy shit I was supposed to go to bed hours ago.” Taehyung whined, suddenly feeling a crash of exhaustion once he’d realized just how late (or early?) it was. Jungkook paused the game and frowned in his direction.“I guess it is rather late, isn’t it?” Jungkook yawned himself, blinking eyes taking in the sleeping forms of his friends around his apartment.“Shall we?” Jungkook stood up, reaching out a hand to help Taehyung up from the ground. He grabbed it apprehensively.“Shall we—what?”“Sleep, dummy.” Jungkook teased, already leading them to his bedroom. Taehyung knew because his apartment had the exact same layout.“Um, erm—I could just go down back to my—”“Shhhhh, sleeepp, talk later.” Jungkook said as he pushed Taehyung down onto his bed and crawled on after him. Taehyung stiffened, not use to such forwardness, but it became clear real quickly that when Jungkook said sleep, he really meant sleep. Because not a minute afterwards the boy was already lost in dream world.Taehyung huffed as he watched the other’s peaceful sleep, not sure if he was disappointed or relieved. He could easily just leave and go back to his place, but Jungkook’s bed was a lot nicer than his, and the more he settled himself into the sheets, the less he wanted to leave. Surely it wouldn’t be weird in the morning.~Taehyung woke up to a light tapping on his face. His nose scrunched up in a twitch, shifting to try and get the tapping to stop. It worked for a bit—until it started up again. He groaned as his conscious started to come back, eyes blinking blearily open until he came face to face with a certain Jeon Jungkook. His wide eyes hovered right above him.“AH!” Taehyung yelled, sitting up too quickly and knocking their foreheads together.“OUCH!” Jungkook yelled back, hand rubbing his forehead as he looked at Taehyung like, I can’t believe you’ve done this.Why are you—what?” Taehyung couldn’t even form a proper sentence, body still wanting to sleep. How long had it been since he’d fallen asleep?“Kim Taehyung, I let you sleep in my bed and this is how you repay me.” Jungkook said in mock disappointment.“Think of it as payback for all the times your footsteps have kept me up.” Taehyung sneered back. “And what was up with the poking?”Jungkook shrugged, “Your cheeks looked squishy.”“Are you calling me fat?”“Are you calling me fat?”“What?”“You’re insinuating that my footsteps are loud because I’m heavy, aren’t you?” Jungkook pouted, arms crossing across his toned chest.“Jungkook—that doesn’t even—you’re a muscle pig, anyone can tell you that.” Taehyung spoked the other in his abdomen, trying not to show the effect the hard muscle had on him.Jungkook’s eyes narrowed in his direction, arms untangling, “Hmmm fine, I’ll let it slide this time Tae hyung. Do you want breakfast?” Jungkook jumped off the bed with renewed energy, Taehyung still trying to catch up.“Breakfast?” Taehyung asked as he followed Jungkook into the kitchen. Everyone else was gone, though the place still held telltale remnants of the party. Cups were scattered around, along with beer bottles. The video controllers were still on the floor, the couch pillows in disarray, and countless snacks littered the place.“Yee, I got cereal, or bread, or—cereal.” Jungkook said, shifting through the debris to get to his cabinets.“Hmm quite the assortment. I guess I’ll have cereal.” Taehyung knew he could just as easily go home and eat there, but something about Jungkook’s cheery attitude made him stay.The cabinet slammed shut suddenly, Jungkook turning to him with a sullen look on his face. “Sorry, I’m out of cereal.” he whispered.Taehyung blinked once, twice, then started laughing. He laughed for so long that Jungkook eventually had to start laughing too, if only to seem a little less awkward.“Oh my god, ok you know what, let’s just go back to my place. I have left over jajangmyeon.” Taehyung said, straitening up to a standing position.“You had me at jajangmyeon.” Jungkook said eyeing Taehyung in appreciation.“That was literally the last thing I said—”“Hushhh child,” Jungkook said ushering Taehyung out his front door, “those noodles will not eat themselves.”~It was a couple months later, and Taehyung had grown accustomed to hanging out with Jungkook and his friends.“How come I’ve never heard you guys hanging out here before?” Taehyung had asked once as they all lay around Jungkook’s apartment, not getting drunk this time, but playing cards together.“Usually we meet on campus somewhere,” Jungkook replied, shuffling the card deck expertly in his hands, fucking hot. “That was the first time we’d ever hung out outside of school.”Taehyung hummed in understanding, pretending not to be completely distracted by said shuffling.“Okay, so loser has too—get spanked by the winner.” Hoseok suggested. It immediately made Jimin and Jungkook laugh, Namjoon looking a little more apprehensive. Taehyung and Seokjin just rolled their eyes. Of course Hobi would suggest that, he was always a thirsty lil bugger.“You better not purposefully lose, Hobi.” Seokjin teased him, “That’s what you did the last time and it was not fun.”Jimin was on the floor with laughter, Hoseok pouted, “Hey! Loser had to kiss someone on the cheek, I AM TOUCHED DEPRIVED LET ME LIVE.”Jimin and Jungkook readily agreed, the rest just shrugging along. How was Taehyung supposed to know he would be the one to lose?“Oh fuck.” Tae said as he watched the rest of his friends steadily get rid of their cards. He was the last one without a pair, meaning he had lost the game. Jungkook had won, of course, the little shit won everything.“AHHAA!” Hoseok yelled in triumph when he wasn’t the loser, “Take that Jin hyung!”“Why are you attacking me??” Seokjin asked incredulously, “I didn’t even say anything!”“Looks like you’re getting spanked Tae.” Jimin said with a little too much wiggle of his eyebrows for Taehyung’s liking.Taehyung glanced over at Jungkook, who was laughing along with the rest, but did he seem a little redder than normal? Eh, it was probably from the laughter.“Up you go Tae!” Hobi excitedly directed Taehyung to lean over the couch, dragging Jungkook by the arm to stand beside him. “And don’t make it a sissy slap either Kook, we want to hear this one!”Taehyung cursed Hoseok’s thirsty ass, that boy needed to find someone, and soon, because until then the rest were all paying the price.Taehyung glanced around at Jungkook with what he hoped was a neutral expression, even if his insides were currently a pinball machine. Jungkook gave a sheepish expression back, shrugging once like, why not?Taehyung whipped his head back around, bracing himself for the impact. He gasped as a stinging slap came and went, the sound of it was a lot harsher than the actual slap. Hoseok was cackling somewhere nearby, the rest just laughing in good sport. Tae immediately turned around to find Jungkook standing there, awkward laughter leaving his lips as he looked anywhere but at Taehyung. Tae decided to have some fun.“YAH! Jeon Jungkook, what was that?” He asked, lifting a leg to whack the other's own ass. Jungkook jumped in shock, looking down at Taehyung with his trademark wide eyes. Tae smirked up at him, what are you going to do?Jungkook’s expression steeled over, an eyebrow raising ever so slightly, but Tae was pretty sure no one else noticed. He helped Taehyung off the couch and the night continued as if nothing had happened, but Taehyung felt like he could still feel the slight sting of the slap, even after the night had ended.~A few weeks later and the boys were alone together in Jungkook’s apartment, not playing video games, but instead, talking, without any distractions like usual. It was different for Taehyung to open himself up to people, usually he was content with throwing in jokes every now and then, rarely did he ever become too serious. But it must have been that time of night, 2am, when you lay your heart on the table.Jungkook looked different in the light of his bedroom lamp, Taehyung hadn’t seen him in a setting such as this before. His eyes were sincere as he talked, facial expressions rarely going to extremes like usual. It was different seeing Jungkook like this. Everything was different and yet—completely the same.“So to answer your question, no, I’m not that happy being single. Especially when I—” Jungkook stopped short for the first time in hours, hesitating to say something. Taehyung quirked his head in Jungkook’s direction.“When you what?” Taehyung supplied, voice soft to fit the mood.Jungkook bit his lip, staring holes into Taehyung, who started feeling slightly uncomfortable under his piercing gaze.“Especially when I,” Jungkook took Taehyung’s stray hand in his, “Like someone so much.”It didn’t take a rocket scientist to figure out Jungkook’s meaning. It was clear by the gentle hold of his hand and the way he was staring at Taehyung that he was talking about him, but it didn’t make it any less too good to be true.Taehyung’s next words caught in his throat, hand lying limp in Jungkook’s hold. “I—you like me?” He asked, just to be sure.Jungkook nodded, “I’m pretty sure I’ve liked you since the very beginning, sorry it took so long to figure out.” A sideways smile sprouted on his lips, causing Taehyung to smile back.“Well thank fuck because I like you too, noisy ass footsteps and all.” Taehyung said, full grin spreading easily across his face. Jungkook laughed and pulled him in by his hand. They stared into each other’s eyes. This is it, he’s gonna kiss me—But right as their lips were centimeters apart—a loud bang sounded from above them, startling both boys apart.“Jesus,” Jungkook exclaimed, staring up at the ceiling as the fan rattled at the continuous, heavy thuds. “Is that what I sound like?” he asked pointing.Taehyung couldn’t help but laugh at the irony of it all. Of course, someone else’s footsteps would ultimately be what cockblocked them. Of freaking course.“Don’t worry babe, your footsteps are still my favorite.”