Chapter Text
It was funny how familiar some things became with time. The beeping of the machine that handed him the key card to the room, the absentminded way he navigated the maze like hallways, even the cleaning lady he met from time to time, nodding in passing. He had bought her some Christmas treats once. It was easy to forget you were at a place run by humans in the automated world of the love hotel, and she did her work well.
The room looked the same as always, a bit shabby, impersonal, good enough for an hour or two. Not that Taehyung planned on staying any longer. He quickly took of his coat, sent the room number to his partner and put on his mask. There wasn’t much more to do, they had condoms and lube, and he didn’t like getting undressed before his partner arrived.
It... had taken a while, to start appreciating anonymous hook ups. One of his goals when he had moved to the city had been to find love, and the easiest way had been to use a dating app. Which... had worked, in a way. He definitely met a few people, even started a tentative relationship or two, but there was just no spark. But those were the successful ones. The majority of guys he met wanted sex, if it was someone his age just looking for a quick release, or older men who might’ve been interested in something stable if they weren’t... married.
In the end, Taehyung decided if he wasn’t getting any romance he could just have the sex without the awkward date before they went to a hotel anyway. He would get back to looking for love eventually, but he was simply too exhausted to go on disappointing dates over and over again, when work was draining him already and there was always this little fear in the back of his mind that he would meet someone he knew. He wasn’t sure if he was ready for that kind of thrill, if someone at work knew a little too much about his private life.
He found the dating app by chance, a link in the comment section, written by another disillusioned user. And it was perfect - completely anonymous, they would only meet up in hotels, have sex and go their way. No names exchanged, no faces revealed, they barely even talked. Taehyung had started to discuss their limits and interests in the chat beforehand for that purpose. And it worked. He didn’t need any dishonest flattery and promises, and in some ways, breaking it down to the bare minimum gave it all a sense of intimacy that all the tiny lies never did. They were just two people seeking a little bit of closeness and release.
Taehyung often wondered if he was the most frequent user of the app anyway. He liked to please, he liked giving someone exactly what they wanted and seeing their satisfaction, their content. It wasn’t often that he declined a kink, he would at least try it once. His partner this afternoon was pretty easy on that front anyway, he asked to get his face fucked, as rough as Taehyung felt comfortable, and that was it.
His partner arrived a few minutes later. When Taehyung opened the door, he was glad that most of his face was covered and the other couldn’t see his obvious contempt. Sure, masks were mandatory, but there was something about those latex masks that covered the whole head that was severely off-putting for Taehyung.
But it did it’s job, so he stepped aside and let his partner in. Taehyung knew the other was young, but he hadn’t expected him to be someone so petite and pretty. Most of his partners were middle aged men after all, but he didn’t mind the variety.
He sat down on the bed, spreading his legs and the other immediately kneeled down after he had taken off his jacket, rubbing his hands over Taehyung’s thighs. He had a nice mouth, pouty lips, and his lack of hesitation showed Taehyung that it wasn’t his first time either. He pulled up his mask a bit, uncovering the lower half of his face before he opened up Taehyung’s pants. Taehyung appreciated it when the other stopped and waited for confirmation. Sure, they had talked about it, but theory was always different from actually doing it. Taehyung nodded with a tiny smile and lifted his butt, and the other pulled his pants and underwear down quickly. He gasped softly when he saw it. That... was also different from theory. Taehyung had told him how big it was, but he wouldn’t mind changing plans either way.
“Okay?” he asked, and the other bit his lip but finally nodded and grabbed Taehyung’s dick, jerking him off for a moment.
There wasn’t much to it, really. Taehyung fumbled around when he tried to get a good grip on the other’s head with the mask on, and it required a lot more focus than a regular blowjob, but it got the job done. As instructed he didn’t pull out when he came, and the other seemed happy when Taehyung finally pulled out. He smiled, still panting heavily, drool dropping down his chin. It was something Taehyung would never fully understand, how pain could be so cathartic, but as long as he wasn’t on the receiving end he was mostly able to provide.
The other sat back, reaching out for the tissues on the nightstand, his own bulge pressing against his pants.
“Wanna fuck?” Taehyung asked. They had only talked about the blowjob, but he wouldn’t mind doing a bit more. The other eyed Taehyung curiously while he wiped his face, staring at his quickly softening dick when Taehyung said: “I could ride you. Or something.”
The other perked up and nodded. “Yeah,” he said, with a surprisingly high pitched voice. Taehyung quickly checked again while the other undressed. He definitely looked like an adult, but it was always better to be sure.
“How old are you?” Taehyung asked.
The other stopped, hesitating for a moment before he dropped his pants. “28,” he said. “I know I sound younger.”
“Sorry,” Taehyung said with a shrug, but the other waved it away.
“I get it. Uh, do you need to prep?”
Taehyung shook his head. He had prepped at home, as always. They didn’t have forever and sometimes they changed their mind. “Just a lil...” He grabbed the lube and did a quick check up, but considering that the other was pretty average, it was still fine.
“’kay,” he said, handing him a condom. They had been tested, just so the other could swallow, but Taehyung wasn’t too keen to clean out later.
It felt nice when he sank down, just on the right side of stingy. The other looked nice, trim body, a few tattoos here and there, and he let Taehyung dictate the pace. After the rough face fuck he wanted to go slow, enjoy it, and he leisurely moved his hips while the other rubbed over Taehyung’s thighs with a low hum before he grabbed the hem of Taehyung’s sweatshirt and pulled.
“Take it off,” he said with a smirk. Taehyung wondered what his face might look like, and if he liked to switch, if he liked to hurt and degrade just as much as he liked getting hurt and degraded. If they decided to meet up again Taehyung might find out.
Nodding, he gripped his shirt and pulled it up, struggling a bit when it got stuck at the edge of his mask. He couldn’t help it and giggled, knowing how ridiculous he must look like while he tried to get out of it when he finally managed to free himself. It took a second, though, until he noticed that he had accidentally pulled his mask off, and the moment he saw it stuck in his sweatshirt, he felt cold dread spread through his whole body.
His head shot up, and the other had tensed up completely, his mouth slightly open.
“Oh no,” Taehyung said, trying to fumble the mask out but of course it tangled up even worse and he didn’t - he didn’t know what to do and -
“Hey.” Taehyung stopped, close to tears, when the other tapped Taehyung’s hip to get him off. “Don’t worry. I won’t... say anything.”
Taehyung nodded, but the dread didn’t go away, when he finally got his mask out. He grimaced, not really a smile, his hands shaking softly. “Do you know me?” he asked, before he put the mask away. Not really a point in it anymore.
“No. Sorry.”
“Not your fault,” Taehyung mumbled, and with a deep breath he put his sweatshirt back on. “Uhm, sorry, I’m kinda... not in the mood anymore.”
“’s fine. Do you mind...?” The other made an obvious gesture and Taehyung shook his head. As long as he didn’t have to participate the other could jerk off as long as he wanted. He was surprised though when the other got up and walked over to the bathroom. It gave Taehyung enough time to flop back on the bed, groan into his hands and wonder how he could be so stupid. It took all his energy to not try and imagine all the potential horror scenarios, but he definitely couldn’t get one thought out of his brain - he was done with it. His heart was still hammering a bit too fast and he knew the anxiety would be too much to hook up with anyone else for a while.
With another huff, he put on the rest of his clothes, just in time for the other to come out of the bathroom. He was still naked, and-
“Oh,” Taehyung said, and the other shrugged.
“Told you. There’s a reason we’re doing this, right?” He had pulled off his mask, revealing a pretty face and messy, light brown hair. “I’m Jimin,” he said with a hesitant smile.
Taehyung didn’t want to answer and he was pretty sure that the other wouldn’t expect it anyway, but he was right. He didn’t know Jimin, he was a complete stranger, and that made it no different than his time on the dating apps.
“Taehyung.”
“Ah,” Jimin said, while walking over to the bed to collect his clothes. “Well, Taehyung-ah, take care. It was fun while it lasted.”
“Yeah. You too.” He didn’t wait until Jimin was ready, only grabbed his coat and fled.
The weeks dragged on and on. Work was busy, but not particularly interesting, and since his schedule had freed up unexpectedly he had started hanging out with his friends more.
It included a lot of babysitting, which he didn’t mind, but it also meant seeing his friends with their families. More or less happily married. And he couldn’t even get off anymore. Just as he had predicted in the few minutes after the incident, Taehyung couldn’t bring himself to agree to any meet ups. Maybe after a little more time had passed, when the cold dread wasn’t settled that deeply into his bones anymore. It was only a few days earlier when he had woken up from a nightmare, someone ripping off his mask and all his colleagues surrounding him, some laughing, some disgusted, some hurling insults at him, and all he wanted to do was roll into a tiny ball and hide.
There was no point in lamenting it, of course. He had come out to a few close friends, and that was enough. He didn’t want anyone at work to know, it was none of their business, even if he didn’t loose his job thanks to it. It was his private life and he wanted it to stay that way. So it was better to keep to his hand for now. Not as satisfying, but a lot safer.
But as it was always with the great resolutions, they would inevitably topple. Though not in a way Taehyung could’ve expected.
He was on his way back home after visiting a friend on a Saturday afternoon, when he heard noise in the street, loud music and some cheering and some screaming. Probably a protest. He wasn’t up to date with the latest news, so he didn’t think much of it that he had no idea what it could be about, until he rounded the corner and saw it. Not a protest, a march. A pride event.
There were things he couldn’t change and therefore it was pointless to lament them. He knew he was living in a conservative country, and that it was unlikely that they would come around on their views on homosexuality in his lifetime. It didn’t mean he didn’t feel a longing, when he watched them walk past him, trying their best to be fierce and happy while a mob of people was flanking the march, counter-protesting.
More like bullying.
Taehyung grimaced, ready to turn around and take the long way home when he noticed someone staring at him. He didn’t know the guy, which made it even weirder when he started smiling. Taehyung was about to turn around and walk away when the guy jogged over to him.
“Hey,” he said, his gaze weirdly intense.
“Hello,” Taehyung said. Whatever it was, he should get rid of him quickly. “I’m sorry I have an appointment and-“
“I’m one of them,” the other guy said, pointing at the parade. “Don’t worry. Not trying to preach.”
Taehyung stared at him, still unsure what to do, but he was cut off when he opened his mouth.
“I usually check out the sidelines, for the ones who would like to participate but don’t dare to.”
“Why?” Taehyung asked, even though he knew he should just leave.
“Dunno,” the other said, shrugging. “If you had queer friends you wouldn’t linger around on your own, right? It gets lonely.”
The guy was right about that, of course, but he could also be from a cult and only try to appeal to Taehyung’s insecurities to drag him in. He wanted to believe in the good of people, but some things were just too good to be true.
“Well, I have to get going.” He smiled and turned around, but the other held on to his arm. At this point, Taehyung felt all his worst fears confirmed, but the other let go of him immediately. Taehyung rubbed his arm, his heartbeat hammering so rapidly in his chest it was hurting.
“Sorry, that was rude. Just, you know? If you want to hang out. It sucks being all on your own and it doesn’t always end well.”
“So what? Are you running some kind of shelter?” Taehyung was still wary, but it didn’t seem likely he was getting abducted.
“No, just a bunch of people going out a few times a month. Eating, drinking, being ourselves. Making friends.” He swayed softly on his feet. “I’m Hoseok. Come on, you know how many people kill themselves, you can’t blame me for trying.”
And at last Taehyung smiled. It wasn’t a happy one, he knew the statistics as well, but... not a lot cared that much. Especially not if it was about queer people.
“Okay,” Taehyung said. “Okay, I’ll think about it. I’m, uhm...”
“You don’t have to tell me,” Hoseok quickly added while he pulled out a little card from his pocket. “I know. There’s enough weirdos on this street right now, and we all just want to keep our jobs and have a quiet life. So, here’s my phone number and my Instagram, you can check that, and if you feel comfortable just, you know. You can join us. It’s just dinner, completely inconspicuous.”
Taehyung took the slip of paper, pressing his lips together and he wondered when he had become so bitter that even a small act of kindness was making him put up so many barriers.
“I’m Taehyung,” he said, and Hoseok smiled the brightest smile Taehyung had ever seen.
“Glad to meet you, Taehyung! Don’t be a stranger,” Hoseok said, patting Taehyung’s shoulder before he hopped off.
Maybe it wasn’t wise, maybe he should just go back to the dating apps, he had to find someone he liked sooner or later, but he couldn’t help it. He smiled at the card while he sat in the subway, the thought of meeting a few people just like him slowly eradicating the last bits of dread. They were looking for friends, no expectations, no secrecy. He only hoped that there wasn’t a footnote he couldn’t see. Because Hoseok was right, he was feeling lonely. Not even his friends who knew he was gay could fully understand what it meant to never be yourself, to always show a version that was filed off and presentable for public. It would be nice… to have that, even if it was just for one evening.
“Taehyung-ah!” Hoseok waved his hand, a big smile on his face and Taehyung trudged over, trying to ignore the curious stares from the other people on the table. He had texted Hoseok back, he had scrolled through his Instagram, and he seemed nice. Easy to talk to. A dancer, and even though Taehyung knew it was a bit of a prejudice it made trusting him easier. And even though his heart was beating in his throat when he arrived at the restaurant, he decided to try at least one time.
“Everyone, that’s Taehyung!” Hoseok pulled him down into a chair and started introducing. They were less people than he expected, maybe ten, and to his pleasant surprise they weren’t only men. It put him at ease, and his last doubt dissipated when no one did anything to out them. Hoseok had been right, they were simply having a good time. He wondered how many of them had dated each other, and he wondered if he might have a chance. It seemed possible, and he could really need a little bit of hope on that front.
It took him a few outings, getting to know the regulars before he dared to ask and when he did Hoseok broke out into the most delightful giggle. They were at a bar, most of them immersed in low conversations, and no one paid them any attention.
“Of course! I mean, what else can you do, dating apps are mostly shit. Better stick with the people you know. Why? Anyone caught your eye?”
Taehyung shrugged and took a sip of his drink. “Not really, I wanted to know the etiquette first. I did… use dating apps a lot. And I agree.”
“Aaaah,” Hoseok said, “did you end up with a lot of old farts?”
Taehyung chuckled, saying: “I don’t mind older guys, I just mind getting lied to. I said I was looking for something serious, and that doesn’t include being the dirty little secret he has to hide from his wife and kids.” He sneered, taking another sip. “I used a site for hookups as well, that was easier. Everyone knew the rules.”
Hoseok whistled, looking Taehyung up and down. “Oh, look at you, all prim and proper with a dirty side, eh?”
Taehyung elbowed him for that, almost sloshing his drink. He had to be careful, it was the only one he intended to have. “Shut up, it’s just sex. If I couldn’t have the romance I at least deserve some nice orgasms, right?”
“Cheers to that,” Hoseok said, bumping his glass against Taehyung’s who couldn’t save it from spilling this time. “And, lots of old farts as well?”
“Yeah,” Taehyung said, while he wiped off the sticky liquid from his hand. “It was fine. Knew what they were doing, most of the time.”
“Sounds like it was perfect, why did you stop?” Hoseok eyed him sharply, not at all buzzed anymore. Taehyung had learned quickly that Hoseok was extremely protective underneath the jovial personality, but there was no need in this case.
“Ah, we were doing it anonymously, and one time I accidentally took of my mask. Nothing happened!” he immediately said, waving his hands when he saw Hoseok’s frown, “but it spooked me. Took a break after that.”
“Hm. Makes sense. And the other guy…?”
Taehyung smiled when he thought back to Jimin. It was a shame they wouldn’t meet again, he had been so nice. Though it hadn’t been the time to exchange contact details, but at least he was left with the memory of a decent person. “Took of his mask as well. But it was still… unpleasant. Can’t always shake all the worst case scenarios from your brain, you know?”
“I do,” Hoseok said with a bitter smile. “Got a few scary stories of my own. I’m not exactly a saint either.”
“I’m sure you’re doing everyone a favor with your dancer hips,” Taehyung said, elbowing Hoseok again. Some people made it really easy, and Taehyung wasn’t particularly surprised when they ended up in Hoseok’s apartment, barely reaching his bedroom in their haste to get naked.
“You sure ‘bout that?” Hoseok asked again while he searched for his lube, shooting Taehyung a look over his shoulder. “I mean, you are looking for a boyfriend, aren’t you?”
Taehyung rolled over on the bed, the sheets were smelling amazing. It was so much better than a hotel. “And you aren’t boyfriend material?”
Hoseok dropped the bottle on the bed, snipping Taehyung’s forehead. “I don’t make promises I don’t intend to keep, baby.”
“I’m also fine with getting dicked down, hyung. Don’t worry about it, I won’t make a fuss.”
“Promise?” Hoseok asked, and there was enough insecurity in it that Taehyung sighed and sat up, taking Hoseok’s hands. They were so much smaller than his own, delicate. Hoseok wasn’t the only one with a protective streak.
“We can stop, you know. Watch a movie, go to sleep. I can drive home.” He tilted his head, waiting patiently, until Hoseok said: “Just promise. I don’t want to break your heart. It’s already fragile enough, isn’t it?”
Taehyung snorted, but… it stung. He didn’t think it was true, but he didn’t like giving off that impression.
“Hyung, it won’t happen. Remember, I have a lot of experience in negotiating the terms beforehand. Right now, I only want your pretty dick inside me, and I would appreciate if you didn’t kick me out afterwards because it’s really late, but that’s all the commitment I’m looking for. I promise.”
Hoseok let it sit for a moment longer but he finally nodded, pulling his hands away. “Alright. I’m glad you don’t want to top, though, I’m not sure I could take that.” He eyed Taehyung’s dick warily, which only made him laugh.
“You’re not the only one who said that, hyung. I would’ve done it if you had wanted it, but it’s not… my preference.”
“You always do what the other wants?” Hoseok asked while pushing Taehyung down to prep him. He tried to be lighthearted but Taehyung heard the worry behind the words.
“I like to please. To a degree. No old fart made me do something against my will, hyung. I’m a big boy, you can stop worrying.”
“Sorry, it’s hard to turn off. You know, I teach teenagers on the side, you have no idea how much shit I heard. Makes me want to punch some people…”
Taehyung sighed when he felt Hoseok’s fingers slip in, spreading his legs wider. “Yeah? Had some queer kids come to you?”
“Mhm. Wish I could do more for them, but you know. Can’t change the system. At least I can make sure they know there’s nothing wrong with them and one time I helped a girl get away from her family when they wanted to put her into conversion therapy.”
“What the fuck?” Taehyung whispered. “How are you real?”
Hoseok chuckled, going a bit faster. “Eh, I had it easy. Makes me want to help everyone else to get a piece of that. My mum would be delighted if I finally brought a boyfriend home.”
“But here you are, spreading your love evenly.”
They stopped talking soon after, and Taehyung had been right. Hoseok knew how to use his hips, even if he was a bit too impatient for Taehyung’s taste. He didn’t regret it, though, not even when they lay next to each other in the dark bedroom, pleasantly exhausted, giving the impression of much more than they really were.
Taehyung wasn’t sure what to call it. They weren’t boyfriends, that much was obvious, but they weren’t only meeting for a fuck either. Somewhere in between they became good friends, the only one he got close to from his newly acquired group of queer friends. It blurred the lines a bit, but maybe it was exactly what they needed. Enough closeness to stop feeling lonely, but enough distance to not get tangled up too much.
“Aren’t you looking for a boyfriend anymore?” Hoseok had asked him one time, while they were lounging on the couch binging some drama on Netflix.
“Yes? I mean, I haven’t met anyone yet who clicked, but I’m looking.”
“Hm. I know a few guys, the ballet dancers? We share the practice rooms. Some of them are queer, they just don’t care about my get togethers. Could ask around?”
Taehyung shrugged, reaching for the chips. “You know my type, baby,” he said, and Hoseok elbowed him for it. The same moment his phone vibrated, and it was a message from the hookup app. He had changed his status to inactive a while ago, and he was ready to ignore it when he saw the first line and got curious.
“Something interesting?” Hoseok asked. Taehyung needed a second, skimming over the message before he said: “One of the guys I met up with asked me if I’m okay. Since I was absent for so long.”
“I thought it was anonymous?”
“It is. But, you know. Same username. I met him a few times, and, I mean. I used the app a lot.”
Hoseok eyed him curiously. “Just missing your dick, then? Your availability? The fact that you are probably the only guy under 30 using that app?” Even though he had been curious about Taehyung’s experiences, Hoseok still had his qualms about it. No matter how often Taehyung told him that he had maybe met two or three guys that had made him uncomfortable, and even those had accepted it without discussions when Taehyung declined their requests. But this one… he hadn’t been weird, no special kinks, no off putting requests, just some older man, always gentle, always polite. Taehyung bit his lip, hovering over the answer button.
“No, only worried. You can read it, here.”
Hoseok did, and even he had to admit that the message was completely harmless. “I still don’t like it.”
“For someone so adamant about helping everyone you can be very judgmental, hyung. Not everyone was old but everyone was okay. I wouldn’t have used it so much if I had had any bad experiences.” He shrugged. “It’s easier for me, isn’t it? I can do what I want. You know, one time…” He paused, wondering if he should tell Hoseok. He hadn’t been talked about it a lot, wondering if Hoseok was just into the juicy details, but maybe this one story was fine.
“What?” Hoseok asked.
Taehyung carded his hand through his hair, fidgeting in his seat. “One time, I met up with someone older, like at least ten years, maybe more. Some average guy, very polite. Had a few requests, but nothing outrageous. And I remember we were right at it when his phone rang and he, he fumbled it out of his pocket, trying not to slip out.” Taehyung chuckled. It hadn’t worked, of course, and Taehyung had rolled his eyes so hard at the mess. He had always put his phone on mute for exactly that reason…
“Well, he did go right back in but then he noticed the caller and answered it. It was all kind of surreal? It was his kid. Had gotten a bad grade and he’d been so nice about it, told them to stop crying and that they would look over it and see where the problem was and that they were so smart and one grade didn’t mean anything… and then he apologized and we finished up.”
Hoseok stared at him with a deep frown, obviously trying to figure out what Taehyung wanted to tell him.
“I mean, it’s a shame, isn’t it? He was such a nice guy. Why wasn’t he allowed to live his life as he wants to, without hiding and meeting up with strangers and lying to his wife. If he even did! How many of us are trying to get a tiny piece of the cake, always full of compromises because you just can’t have everything, right? You can’t have kids and a partner and a happy life, you always have to choose!”
He only noticed that he had started to cry when Hoseok pulled him into a hug, rubbing his shoulder and pressing tiny kisses against his head until he had cried it all out and was only left with a bone deep exhaustion.
“We both like to help, hm? In our own ways.”
“You really need to stop being so mean to old guys, hyung,” Taehyung said in between sniffles, “Okay?”
“Yeah,” Hoseok said after a while, pressing Taehyung a bit closer. “I’ll try.”
They went back to watching the drama after a while, and Taehyung was glad about the distraction. He didn’t like getting upset, especially not over things that he couldn’t change. There wasn’t much of an idealist lost on him. And over all the emotional turmoil that he tried to ignore, he completely forgot to answer.
“What’s up with you? Staring at your phone all day.” One of Taehyung’s coworkers grinned at him, and he almost felt his heart stop. He hadn’t noticed-
“Nothing. Just waiting for a friend to text back.” He tried to smile, but it didn’t quite work. His coworker saw that as all the evidence she needed.
“Ah, good luck with your date, Taehyung-ah!” She giggled and walked back to her desk while Taehyung tried his best not to roll his eyes. He barely ever said anything about his private life but someone always found a tiny crack to start drilling. If thinking he was going out was all that came from it though, he couldn’t care less. In fact, he checked his phone again and sighed softly when there was still no answer.
He... had texted back. Told him that he was fine, just taking a break, and for some still unfathomable reason they had started to talk. Maybe it was the honest concern that he hadn’t expected from a hookup, maybe it was still some lingering resentment about the way Hoseok had dismissed it all. Whatever it had been, it had led to Taehyung asking him if he was fine as well and some vague small talk about the app lead to some vague talk about their weekend and here he was, staring at his phone every two minutes, waiting for the song the other had wanted to send him. His friends often joked that Taehyung was able to befriend anyone in any situation, and maybe they weren’t wrong about that. They didn’t even know their names yet.
A moment later his phone blinked and he couldn’t hide the wide smile, even if some of his coworkers saw. Instead, he plugged in his headphones and went back to work in a much better mood.
-and the exhibit is by a friend of mine. It’s out of town, though
Two weeks later, Taehyung had learned a few things - his name was Namjoon, he worked at a university in some arts related field and he was smart and polite and easy to talk to. They shared some interests, and even though it was obvious that Namjoon knew a lot more than Taehyung did he didn’t make him feel inadequate. But what had sealed the deal in the end... despite the fact that they were still using the app to talk, Namjoon hadn’t tried to steer the conversation back towards sex. And who knew maybe he was lucky, just this once. It was at least worth a try.
I could drive us if you need a ride.
He put the phone away, trying to fight down the giddyness he was feeling. It’s been a while since he had been on a date, and he had almost forgotten that it was supposed to be fun. Even if nothing came from it, he could enjoy it while it lasted.
Namjoon was handsome, much more than Taehyung had expected. Maybe he wasn’t completely immune to stereotypes as well, but somehow he had assumed that at least the older guys used the app because they had no shot at anyone else otherwise. He doubted that Namjoon would have had trouble picking someone up though...
Taehyung rolled the window down and waved, and judging by the surprised look on his face Namjoon... might have had some preconceived notions as well.
“Hi,” Taehyung said, trying not to check him out too blatantly. He already knew what he looked like naked, but seeing him with an actual face was on a whole different level. Close up Taehyung could see that Namjoon was obviously a lot older, judging by the wrinkles around his eyes which only intensified when he smiled. But... it was a pretty smile.
“Hello Taehyung-ah,” he said, and his deep voice did the rest. He could listen to it forever. “Thanks for driving me.”
“Ah, as if I’m not getting anything out of it,” Taehyung said while he maneuvered back onto the road. “A free tour, maybe I even get to meet the artist...” He shot a glance at Namjoon who was trying to hold back his grin.
“My friends think it’s annoying that I can’t shut up,” he said, and Taehyung laughed so loudly that Namjoon startled next to him.
“That won’t happen with me,” he said. “I looked the exhibit up and I can’t wait to hear all the insights.” He looked at him, waiting for the lights to turn green, and if he wasn’t imagining things he might’ve seen a tiny blush on Namjoon’s cheeks.
It was cute. He might’ve blushed a tiny bit as well.