jungkook waited at the edge of the oversized doorway. it had been some time since he'd stepped foot in a lawyer's office but the familiar nerves and the tickle of his tummy weren't present this time. he felt confident in what would unfold.

"sorry i'm late!" a high-pitched voice squeaked from the side; he hadn't even noticed the clicking of jennie's heels down the corridor, "that's a nice suit!"

"thanks!" jungkook smoothed the lapels out, "tae picked it out."

"well, he has good taste." her sweet smile was still foreign, a crooked twist that hadn't been seen in years before and yet the common ground they stood on at this stage was what the two had always longed for.

"are we still on for jiwoo's party this weekend?"

"absolutely! are you still okay to pick up the cake?"

he held the door open, a set of lawyers and somebody appointed from the court sitting at the head of the table waiting patiently for the two who had just stepped in.

"i can pick up the cake- did you want me to get the balloon bouquet as well?" he slid into the chair across from her, continuing on the conversation like two old friends and not two people who were about to discuss custody of their child.

"that would be great- it's on the other side of town though?" she tapped her fingers nervously, the pink polish bouncing off the sheen of the wood coated room.

"no worries at all because it's on the way to your new house! i can swing by early and help decorate."

"bring tae too!"

"of course!"

from his left, his lawyer coughed, pointing to the stack of stapled papers in front of him.

"oh right! sorry!" jungkook cleared his throat, pretending to be fixated on the information that had been presented to him.

"this might be my easiest case of the day!" the woman at the head of the table smiled sweetly, her presence calm, the salt and pepper speckles in her hair giving her the appearance of somebody wise beyond her years, "kim jennie and jeon jungkook, we are here to discuss custody of your only child, jeon jiwoo, is that correct?"

both nodded in unison, "yes!"

"excellent, and it appears that it's been mapped out that you will alternate every other week and for the time being you intend to spend all major holidays as a single family?"

"that is correct your honor!" jungkook reached across the table, his digits looping with those of his ex-wife as he squeezed her hand ever so gently in reassurance.

"that's an odd arrangement but if all parties agree-,"

"we do!" jennie added quickly.

"and you added a clause in here that states that work will never be able to be used as a determining factor in any future custody agreement updates. care to elaborate?" the woman had slid a pair of specs on to ensure she was reading this correctly.

jungkook volunteered, "both of us have decided that it would be detrimental to jiwoo to see either of us put our careers on hold or use said careers against one another- we want her to reach for even more success than either of us have achieved." he smiled sheepishly, "what example would we be if we showed how people can use such an act against one another?"

"beautifully said mister jeon..." jennie teased from across the way, her left eye falling into a wink as she dug in her purse for a pen, "can we sign and get this over with?"

"if you two are sure that you're both in agreement than yes, you may-,"

neither let the woman finish, both taking their turn scribbling their names across the bottom of the page before standing up in unison.

"do you think we should get cupcakes as well?" jungkook pondered, the two ignoring the lingering stares of their lawyers as they waltzed out the door they had come in from minutes prior, "i read in a magazine that they're easier for large gatherings!"

"they'd be good for the kids that we invited, smaller and easier to eat. i'll update the order!" jennie pulled her phone out to write the task on her to do list, "you'll take her home after the party then?"

"of course, and then i'll drop her off the following saturday or hey-," jungkook held her arm gently to spin her around to face him, "maybe the three of us could go to the zoo or something first?"

"that would be nice jungkook; let's plan for that!" she let a hand rest against his cheek, taking in the features that matched those of her daughter. what had once been fierce attraction had dissipated to nothing more than genuine love for the human in front of her.

a wonderful father, a pillar of strength, a person who could make her blood boil and bring it back down all within a matter of moments. she had never met somebody like him and sometimes she worried she'd never meet anyone like him again. but his happiness was important- it led to his health, his success. she was proud to have been a piece of his puzzle.

"are you ready?" namjoon had been waiting patiently at the edge of the exit, ecstatic to see that what he had expected to be a long afternoon was cut significantly shorter.

jungkook tugged at his tie, tossing it into the back seat of the overpriced car that had arrived to whisk him away, "can we make a detour?"

his afternoon was fully booked in the recording studio where he'd make final touches on his long anticipated album. what should have been released a month prior had become his baby, something he thought about night and day, something he breathed in and out in an attempt to create the most telling and trying monument to the past few years of his life.

and it was almost ready. with the help of his friends- his boyfriend.

"where to?" namjoon slid into the opposite side, already on his phone managing the client next to him as well as a million more- he was busier than ever.

"to see tae, duh!" jungkook let his head fall back against the leather rest, basking in the cold touch and letting it soothe his blushing cheeks at the thought of being in his boyfriends studio apartment, "you know you want to grab lunch with jin anyways!"

it was an enticing offer, one namjoon couldn't refuse- after all, he rarely saw jin unless they were half asleep anymore, "one hour and that's it! we have so much work today and i don't want to be out all night."

"why?" jungkook raised a playful brow, "do you have plans? fancy plans?" he poked at the slicked back locks and the dapper attire that his manager and best friend had opted for today, "you going to ask somebody something important finally?"

"if the timing feels right!" namjoon turned to face the window, embarrassed by the prodding.

"you've been carrying the ring for the past three months joon! just make a damn move."

"easier said than done- how did you ask jennie?" he inquired about this often, really to everyone he met. he was undeniably a perfectionist when it came to anything romantic, never wanting a moment tarnished with a poor encounter.

"it doesn't matter because jin isn't jennie!"

"how would you ask tae?"

"now why would i give you my secrets?" jungkook flicked the man's forehead playfully, "besides who said tae wouldn't propose to me? we are in an equal opportunity relationship!"

"you're no help!" namjoon groaned, the sight of the skyscraper indicating they had entered the district where both jin and tae now resided, only this time, it was in separate apartments.

"did you try googling it?" jungkook whipped the door open upon arrival, desperate to sprint as far away from this conversation as possible, "or did you maybe just try asking jin? like hi, will you marry me? so easy!" he slammed the door before any response could be heard.

inside tae's complex was perfectly him, a medley of young and old, the center of the bottom floor filled to the brim with plants and fountains and abstract art that dared to be admired. it was like a museum within his own confines and despite the size, the boy had done more than could have been expected with his space.

in fact, jungkook felt more at home in the studio apartment than he did in his giant two bedroom- probably why half the closet was filled with his clothes and the most used key on his ring led inside a place that didn't even have him on the lease.

"tae babe!" he cracked the door open, a cross legged man curled over a canvas with headphones streaming down his figure. he was a sight for sore eyes, the most precious being on the planet as he sat completely in his own element. jungkook could watch him all day, "what are you working on?"

tae jumped at his presence, unaware that anybody had entered, far too focused on his work, "when did you get here?"

"just now!" jungkook peered through various hangers, trading his button up for an oversized sweatshirt, "what are you working on?"

"a surprise!"

"for me?"

"maybe!" taehyung grinned cheekily, "or maybe it's just a piece for school!"

his almond orbs scanned the canvas in front of him. a medley of primary colors contrasting against a white back drop with drips of black painting an unreadable sea. he had found his second passion in painting, never forgetting that his string instrument would always be his first home.

"i'm proud of you for going back."

"i'm grateful for all the help you've given me so that i'm able too." taehyung leaned the painting against the wall before pulling jungkook up onto the daybed, two bodies intertwined as they basked in the sound of each other's breathing, "how did custody court go?"

"easy peasy lemon squeezy!" he hummed in delight at the idea of tae and his daughter and himself making a million future memories together, "you're free for the party saturday, right?"

"of course! wouldn't miss it for the world." tae's familiar boxy smile peered up, "maybe friday night we could celebrate our six month anniversary?"

jungkook scrunched his nose in delight, "maybe i already made dinner reservations."

"maybe i love you!"

"maybe?" the younger jutted his lips in the prettiest pout, eyes scanning the features of his boyfriend in bid to garner his sympathy.

tae obliged, kissing any ounce of sadness away. compliant pecks sprinkled across his milky white skin and it was in that moment that he realized how healthy the figure in front of him looked.

he no longer had deep bags, no longer looked like he was longing for more. jungkook appeared completely content in whatever world he was now living in, healthy and vibrant and inspired- his entire aura had adjusted.

"you're beautiful..." tae spoke barely above a whisper, his fingers looping through twisted raven locks and tugging them into their full length; he loved to touch every inch of jungkook. a reminder that all of it belonged to him, "please stay here forever."

"i think namjoon will kill me." jungkook brushed his boyfriend's locks away from his chestnut orbs, peering into them and letting the flecks of gold -tranquil as they floated about- carry him into another dimension. he was ethereal, his usually brunette hair colored lighter to mimic the golden hues underneath his skin and if jungkook had a voice like a honey-

well it was only an ode to tae's perfectly toned and tanned complexation, a direct correlation to the sweetness in his demeanor, he oozed everything that jungkook had ever sought, a dripping syrup of serenity that removed every inch of insanity that had once captivated his life.

taehyung was everything good and right, wanted but unknown, beyond an achievement, he was a hidden life line, pulled to the surface at just the right moment.

no doubt crept through kook's mind; he would die for this man-

probably why he uttered out, "at least i'll die in your arms."