"Ms Delise," Taehyung rasps out, his eyes hooded menacingly as he glares at the woman. She looks up at him, trying to keep up an act of nonchalance.

"Taehyung..." she smiles flirtatiously at him. "How have you been?"

The man scoffs, looking at her with a raised brow. "What was that?" He asks, not bothering to answer her question.

She rolls her eyes at his attitude and strolls over to the other corner of the room. "I was just doing business, Taehyung, you should be familiar with that."

Taehyung tilts his head, "pressuring my personal assistant to do a nude photoshoot doesn't sound like business to me."

She chuckles, "well then you must be deaf. Business is a lot of things, a little pressure doesn't do any harm." She sits down on one of the chairs again and crosses her legs.

"You put him on the spot and gave him a very hard choice to make. I think you just like playing dirty," Taehyung sneers.

She smiles, "and so what if I do? It makes it all the more fun."

Taehyung grits his teeth. "You're sick."

"And you think you're not? Just cause you have your big boy pants on doesn't mean you're a big boy. You know, it feels like just yesterday I saw you at your first meeting, sitting beside your daddy looking ever so scar-"

"SHUT UP," Taehyung growls, finally losing his patience. "You're a bitch," his voice slightly trembles as he speaks.

She smirks, "Only for you," she says with a wink.

Taehyung clenches his fist and starts heading towards the door but then he pauses, turning back to face her with a smile.

"Oh, and next time, Ms Delise, you might want to watch what you say when you're being recorded. I can't imagine what the world would say if they see you harassing some kid like that," He says while lifting his phone and tapping it.

"You didn't..." she starts, her once confident form dropping into an expression of panic.

Taehyung smirks, trying to hide his fury behind the trembling curve of his lips. "Oh, you know I did."

And with that, he walks off.

~

"I can't believe out of all the options, you chose that godforsaken flavour again," Taehyung says while he pulls open the balcony door of the hotel room.

Jungkook rolls his eyes behind his bosses back, "It's just a flavour, why do you hate it so much?" He asks as he steps out onto the balcony alongside the man. They both take a seat on the swing chair provided, slightly shivering as a cold breeze passes them.

"It's like...spicy frozen chocolate," he says while grimacing. "I don't know how you eat it."

Jungkook smiles and spoons a gallop of the dessert into his mouth. "Mind you, this spicy frozen chocolate is quite delicious actually."

Taehyung looks at him disgustedly before shaking his head and eating some of his own vanilla flavoured ice cream. "Now this," he hums. "This is flavour."

Jungkook looks up at the man with a slightly judgemental expression. "Sir, with all due respect. Your tastebuds are boring." He hesitates a bit to see the man's reaction, knowing it's probably the boldest thing he's said to him.

But luckily, Taehyung doesn't get offended. Not seriously at least. "Oh-wow," he scoffs. "Screw you," he says after a moment, unable to come up with an argument. Jungkook giggles at Taehyung's words as he lets his eyes drift onto the view in front of them.

"It's beautiful," he whispers after a moment of staring, fearing that if he speaks too loud, the breathtaking view would shatter under the weight of his words. As he looks out ahead of him, he sees a small glimpse of the Eiffel tower in the distance, its hard steel covered with an icy layer of frost. The sun slowly seeps into the horizon as it sets, unleashing a warm yellow that settles over the old buildings, filling their broken fragments with a trickle of its golden syrup.

"It is," Taehyung says, equally quiet. He then turns around and walks back into the room. "Actually, that reminds me."

The older walks back out holding a camera, causing Jungkook to furrow his eyebrows. "A camera?"

Taehyung hums. "Whenever I travel, even if it's a business trip. I like to take a camera with me to capture moments like these." He smiles softly as he looks out at the view. "It's nice to have a reminder with me that the world isn't all that horrible, a little memory to show the times when I feel happy."

He then presses a button on the camera and starts recording, zooming into the view to capture a closer angle of the sight. "Right now, I'm in Paris..." Taehyung says, speaking to the camera. The sight reminds Jungkook of a YouTuber and the thought of his boss being a YouTuber makes him giggle. The noise gains Taehyung's attention who turns the camera to face Jungkook.

"And here we have Bun, eating trash."

Jungkook's smile instantly turns into a small scowl. "It's not trash," he grumbles, almost cradling his ice cream.

Taehyung laughs throatily, "sure thing, whatever you say."

He then picks up a spoon of his own ice cream and waves it in front of the younger. "Try this," he says while trying to balance the camera in his other hand.

Jungkook, like a child, refuses to open his mouth and turns his head away. Taehyung rolls his eyes, "oh come on, don't be childish," he huffs.

Jungkook turns his head back. "Childish? Sir, you're the one fighting over ice cr-mfsnf," Jungkook's words get muffled as Taehyung shoves the spoon of vanilla flavoured ice cream into his mouth.

Jungkook swallows hesitantly and then blinks up at the man. Taehyung holds the camera and nods eagerly. "So?"

"It's so..." Jungkook starts. He then awkwardly smiles up at the camera before continuing. "Boring."

Taehyung scoffs and instantly turns the camera off. "I'm going to have to edit that part out," he mumbles. Jungkook smiles, somewhat fascinated by this more carefree relaxed side of his boss. Taehyung leaves the balcony to put back his camera and then comes back holding a blanket.

Jungkook tilts his head in question as Taehyung plops down on the chair with the blanket.

"What?" The ravenette questions. "It's fuckin cold."

Jungkook laughs at his bluntness and nods. "It is."

Taehyung turns to him, "want some?" he asks while holding up a bit of the blanket, offering it like it's candy. Jungkook smiles and simply nods in answer.

Taehyung drapes the blanket over both their bodies and Jungkook scoots slightly closer to the man so that it fits. Now, with the warm cloth enveloping their bodies, they opt to stare out into the distance, admiring the sun as it eases into slumber, splashing the clouds with pastel shades.

After a moment, Jungkook turns his head to face Taehyung, his cheeks slightly rosy from the cold. "You know sir, you once told me that we are like rabbits in lion's den," he starts, carefully staring at the older. But then the other day, when you had that meeting, I saw you... you were in total control of everything. Everyone was intimidated by you. It made me wonder...why do you compare yourself to a rabbit when...when you clearly have so much power?"

Taehyung doesn't answer for a moment and only a strained smile slips onto his face. He sticks his hand into his pocket, grabbing a cigarette and lighting it up before bringing it to his lips. Jungkook slightly scrunches his nose as he watches the tendrils of smoke flutter from Taehyung's lips, resembling what was once his frozen breath. "You think I have power?" The older asks, his voice a whisper.

He turns to the smaller boy, his dark eyes meeting the other's hope-filled glittery orbs. "Power is simply a facade, Bun." He takes another deep inhale of the smoke, relishing in the way it scorches his throat while pacifying his worries. "You know why I call us rabbits?" He asks. Jungkook shakes his head, curious eyes enlarging as he listens in to his bosses words.

"Rabbit's have to work hard to survive. They are hunted, preyed on, chased, and all they can ever do to fight back is run." The older tilts his head to stare up at the cotton clouds. "But lions? Lions have it easy from birth. Born into privilege, nourished with fresh meat, resting at the top of the hierarchy with the jungle under their control."Jungkook furrows his eyebrows as he slowly processes the words.

Taehyung then turns back to face the smaller, meeting his eyes. "I know you've seen it, Bun. Those snide remarks about our race, those silent whispers about our capability, the blatant racism that sits out on the table whenever we're in a meeting. You know why that is?" Taehyung smirks and then crushes his cigarette blunt with his shoe. Jungkook hesitates before shaking his head.

"It's 'cause the lions don't like it when the weak little rabbits fight back."

The smaller pauses, feeling shocked by the latent truth that slips past Taehyung lips. He sighs while leaning back on the chair, letting the sombre atmosphere lull his core as the bitter taste of understanding curdles in his mouth.

"No one's on your side when you're different," Taehyung continues as he looks down at his heavy Rolex watch. He sighs and fiddles with it mindlessly. "So you just have to learn to blend in... at least as much as your complexion allows."

Jungkook's hand grips at the blanket as he realises how difficult it must be for Taehyung to maintain the high position he has. As he stares at the man who pulls out another cigarette to smoke, it makes him wonder.

What must the rabbit have gone through to get the throne among these bloodthirsty lions?

-

They watch the stars in silence, basking in the solace served by the peaceful city. Taehyung picks up yet another cigarette, lifting it to his lips with trembling fingers. As he looks up at the older, Jungkook finds it concerning, seeing the way the man indulges in an abundance of the toxic substance. "Are you okay, Sir?" he asks. "I-I don't think that that many cigarettes can be good for you," he whispers carefully, afraid he might somehow anger his boss.

Taehyung looks at him, eyes slightly spaced out from how the hot fumes have altered his mind. "M'fine," he forces out. "But yeah, maybe this is enough," he adds as he crushes the stick onto the floor, letting it disintegrate among the other piles of ash. Jungkook smiles softly and nods, secretly appreciating the end put to the plumes of smoke. He misses the way Taehyung leans back on the chair and lets out a ragged breath, desperately trying to grip onto a measly slice of altered reality. As Taehyung's mind slowly processes the stinging taste of failure...

I'm not signing the deal

...he finds his body slowly slipping away from his control, falling steadily into the hole filled with taunting memories and bitter insecurities.

In a desperate attempt to conquer his own headspace, he diverts his attention to the pretty boy next to him, snuggled up against the blanket as he slightly swings the chair. "Jungkook," Taehyung whispers out. The boy looks at him, eyebrows furrowed when he hears his name.

And before Taehyung can stop himself, he asks the first thing that enters his head. "Why do you say that you're not gay?"

Jungkook's eyes widen at the question, clearly taken aback. He looks away from the man while adorning a red blush on his cheeks and for the next lingering moment of silence, Taehyung believes he will receive no answer.

But then the younger speaks, his voice a whisper that shelters his secrets. "Because...because I want to believe I'm not."

Taehyung turns his head, quirking his brow as he stares at the boy. "Why so? Are you scared people won't accept you if you are."

Jungkook doesn't respond, his eyes turning stoic as he tries to grasp his own truth. "People haven't accepted me..." he mumbles.

"So...so you are gay? Or at least attracted to men?" Taehyung questions.

Jungkook quickly snaps his gaze to the older. "No..." he says. Then his voice quietens down, barely a whisper. "I can't be..."

Taehyung opens his mouth to question the younger further but upon seeing the distress taking over his features, he stops himself. He just silently stares into those doe eyes, knowing there's an untold story behind them. Maybe that's something they both have in common. Untold stories that guard the windows to their soul.

"Let's go inside now, it's late," Taehyung speaks out softly, breaking the minutes of contemplative silence.

Jungkook nods and they both slowly trot back inside, letting the warmth of the bedroom caress their skin that has been numbed from the cold.

"I'll see you tomorrow, sir," Jungkook says as he starts walking towards his own room.

The words ring in Taehyung's ears and a sudden rush of panic consumes him. The thought of being left alone all night long with his fears clawing at his head makes his breathing turn shallow. Taehyung is used to solitude but these days, having the younger by his side, unknowingly keeping him grounded with his bunny smiles and adorable quirks, the thought of isolation is unnerving. Taehyung had adjusted to darkness but now, like a moth, his body feels drawn to the measly offer of light.

"Don't go," he calls out, gripping the brunette's wrist.

Jungkook pauses his steps and turns back to him, confused. "Why?"

Taehyung doesn't answer but his eyes speak for him. With the dim light of the stars illuminating them, Jungkook is surprised to see the glimpse of vulnerability swimming in Taehyung's dark irises. "Okay," he whispers out gently. "I won't."

~

After changing into more comfortable attire, they settle into the king-sized mattress, laying flat on their backs and basking in the silence of the night. Both their eyes remain open in the darkness, finding the change of setting too abrupt to allow sleep to consume them. The distance between their bodies is relatively small but this gap isolates the thick air of tension that surrounds them. Taehyung turns to his side and faces the younger, searching for the peace he finds whenever he looks at him. Jungkook also turns to face him and when their eyes meet, for a moment, it's awkward.

They've never done this before. Slept together in the same bed. It feels weirdly intimate, like the connection between them strays away from that of just a boss and worker. But of course in reality, it's nothing more than that.

At least that's what they both keep telling themselves as Taehyung pulls Jungkook closer and places his lips onto his. This time, Jungkook doesn't hesitate to kiss him back, now used to the familiar warmth of Taehyung's lips.

"You're always on my mind these days," Taehyung mumbles against the boy's lips as he brushes his hand against the skin of his waist. Jungkook shivers at the sensation, loving the trail of fire the touch leaves against his cool skin. He sighs against the older's mouth as he feels calloused fingers carefully trace his spine. "it's starting to scare me."

Jungkook blinks at his words before leaning forward and connecting their lips once again. He grips on tighter to Taehyung's t-shirt as the older nibbles at his lips. Taehyung trails his hot mouth down to the younger's neck and slightly sucks at the skin, causing Jungkook to bite his lips in an attempt to quieten his desperate whines. Their actions aren't rushed today but rather slow, their movements hot, words slightly slurred with lust, the rubbing of their skin now at a teasing pace.

Taehyung exhales a heavy breath and tilts his head back in pleasure as the smaller grinds against his thigh. Jungkook, carried away by the sensations, continues to grind against the older, relishing in the friction against his cock as he quietly mewls. "Sir..."

Taehyung then grips onto the younger's face and pulls him closer. "Sir?" he questions, voice strained. Jungkook looks into his eyes and for a moment he is confused but after a few heated seconds, he finally understands. He dips his head down and lets his wet lips brush against the older's neck before he speaks, voice a whiny whisper. "Hyung."

Taehyung is silent for a moment, making Jungkook feel slightly wary. But before the younger can react in any other way, the older pulls him onto his lap. Jungkook's stomach erupts with heat as he feels the older's cock, straining directly under his clothed ass. Without warning, Taehyung pulls the younger into a kiss, his actions somewhat hasty now. "The things I could do to you right now," he rasps as he rolls his hips up against the boy. Jungkook grips tighter onto the other and grinds down to meet Taehyung's hips, moaning against his mouth at the hot friction.

The feeling of their clothed cocks rubbing against each other is euphoric and makes both of them noisily voice out the pleasure. Taehyung pushes his hands under the boy's shirt once again and starts fondling with his nipples, prompting a needy moan from the younger who thrusts his hips forwards onto Taehyung's crouch. "H-Hyung, m'close," Jungkook says unconsciously as he continues to rut his hips.

"Fuck," Taehyung groans, feeling his core tighten at the boy's words. Jungkook leans down and hides his face in Taehyung's neck as he pants. Through the thin material of the older's sweatpants, Jungkook feels his cock throb, indicating his nearing release, which drives the younger to nearly meet his own. He lifts his ass up and then slowly brings his hips down, letting both their cocks firmly rub against each other.

Jungkook cries out as he finally releases, feeling the sticky substance spurt all over his pants. Taehyung moans lowly as he feels the younger's thigh muscles shake beside him and he quickly grabs his own cock and pulls it out, letting his release gush out onto his hand.

Jungkook drops his head in embarrassment as soon as he comes down from his high, feeling his cheeks burn red. "I-I..." he stutters. Taehyung looks at him, panting.

"What's wrong, bun?" He asks, eyebrows slightly furrowing in concern.

Jungkook nervously plays with his fingers as he tries to find a way to tell the older that he needs to change his pants. "I-I um have to change," he finally says, cringing at his own words.

Taehyung, upon understanding his words, smiles and nods his head. He sits upright and pecks the smaller's cheek before picking him up off his lap. Jungkook stands up and hurries into the bathroom to clean himself off.

After the boy cleans himself and changes into a new pair of pants, he stands for a minute in front of the mirror, staring at his reflection. He blinks at himself, staring at his dishevelled hair and swollen lips. He sighs at the sight and brings his hand to brush past his brown locks, hating the way his own reflection stares down at him, questioning him.

As Jungkook stands there, staring at himself, he wonders if it's really himself that stands within the polished glass. It's odd...how unfamiliar his own reflection is. Because the Jungkook he knows would never do this, never think about doing things like this...not after everything that happened.

He smiles at himself, humourlessly. Staring at his mirror image, it's strange; He feels like an alien in his own body.