lovestrippedbare | 𝕖𝕟𝕖𝕣𝕘𝕚𝕔𝕠

But Yoongi is watching him with soft, warm eyes, his expression quietly fond, and he shakes his head. "No," he says, "you're sweet." Whether for humans or animals, Jungkook cares, and it makes Yoongi feel a little less jaded about the world, knowing someone like him exists. And maybe he's right and all of this is as much sad as it is cool, maybe more so, and maybe there's nothing people like them can do about that, but he still cares. It still means something, even if all it means is that Jungkook has a big heart.

Yoongi leans his head closer until his temple presses against Jungkook's, taking a moment just to breathe him in, letting it sweep over him just how much he loves this boy. They talk a lot about the future, but even so, there are moments when it strikes Yoongi just how much he means that. How badly he wants a life with Jungkook. He says You're sweet and he means I love you.

"I'm sure the people who work here want them to be happy, too," he reasons. "Hopefully they do enough."

There are very few areas in life where Jungkook feels that his virtues are worth mentioning. He's not as smart as his hyungs, not as driven, doesn't have any particular talents that he feels are worth broadcasting — no matter what his hyungs say. He has some ability to pick up skills that involve physical coordination, and maybe he has an eye for artistic composition, but that's about it. Nothing worth phoning home about. Nothing that he'll make a career out of.

But sometimes, he feels like it's enough when Yoongi calls him sweet, when he hears the reminders that he has a good heart in his chest. Being a decent person still feels like the most important thing, even if it doesn't put food on the table.

Jungkook smiles at Yoongi's compliment, expression warming further at the weight of Yoongi's temple.

"You're right. People probably wouldn't work here unless they liked marine life, right? So... they'll care," Jungkook murmurs softly. "Ah, see, this is what makes you the smarter one."

Yoongi isn't sure smart always does him much good. Sometimes it seems like it just opens his eyes to have terrible the world can be. He needs Jungkook to balance him out, needs that sweetness to remind him there's good in the world. For all of the assholes out there, there are still kind people like Jungkook, good people. It makes a difference, if only to him.

"I'm sure it's just a job to some of them," he says, shrugging, drawing back to meet Jungkook's gaze again as another shadow skims overhead. "The ones selling tickets or stuffed animals maybe. But if you're working with the animals, you have to care enough to have studied, right?" They undoubtedly do what they can for the creatures, trying to make them as comfortable as possible in an environment as close to the real ocean as they can make it. At least, he hopes so.

"Yeah, if you work with the animals, I'm sure there's like... training that you have to do, and maybe you have to have studied in school if you're doing more than just throwing the food out there or cleaning tanks," Jungkook agrees, his mind easily clinging to the optimism that Yoongi offers. It often doesn't take much to coax Jungkook to look on the bright side of things, but when it's Yoongi leading the way, it's all that much easier.

Jungkook knows that Yoongi's not the type to offer empty words.

"And like, that lady back at the petting station," he perks up further, expression hopeful as he turns to face Yoongi fully, sneaking both arms around Yoongi's waist. "She was really nice, right? And making sure that people weren't scaring the stingrays, and she knew the answers when we had questions, and like, she totally cared when we asked whether or not the rays like being pet. I'm guessing there's other workers like her."

Yoongi smiles, resting his hands at Jungkook's shoulders. "Exactly," he says, pleased that his logic has, for once, brightened the mood instead of dimming it. It's not hard to get Jungkook to pick up optimism and run with it, but it's not often that Yoongi knows how to provide that spark. He's too much of a realist to say nice things for the hell of it. What would be the point in getting Jungkook's hopes and expectations up without reason? It's better just to be honest. But this time, Yoongi honestly thinks it stands to reason that the aquarium employees must care about the animals. Why else would they be here? He doubts it's a job that pays especially well.

"She was nice," he agrees. "And they seemed to be well taken care of. And these sharks seem pretty healthy, right? They probably wish they had even more room, but there's a lot of space in this tank." He doesn't know how sharks are, in terms of migration. Do they stay close to home all their lives or make long journeys like turtles do? Is the enclosure too small? Are they restless? It's hard to know. They keep moving, though, never seeming to stay in one spot for long, if at all. Still, it's the same principle. They wouldn't just put sharks in a too-small space, would they? It would be a kind of torture, and he doesn't think the employees they've seen would condone that.

"They do look pretty healthy," Jungkook concedes, glancing overhead again to watch as the sharks smoothly swim on by. Not that Jungkook has any knowledge of what signs to look for that might indicate illness in a shark — but he imagines that if the sharks were upset, there should be a lot more in-fighting between them, scars present on their bodies, none of which he's spotting at a glance. He can't imagine that the smaller fish that share the tank would survive for long, either.

An angry or desperate shark seems like it'd give off a lot more signals than the ones here now, swimming calmly as they are in wide circles.

"And at least this tank's like... the biggest I've ever seen. And we're close enough to the water that like, if the sharks weren't happy, I'm guessing they can probably find a way to get them back to the ocean." Jungkook leans back against the glass of the tunnel, slightly awkward for the way it curves, and toys with the hem of Yoongi's shirt. "Or maybe they do that already, like, keep sharks only for a while and then let them go. So that they don't forget how to hunt and stuff in the wild."

This seems unlikely to Yoongi, but what does he know? He's not a marine biologist or an aquarium employee. For all he knows, they do exactly that. It's distracting when he can feel Jungkook's fingers at his hem, when what he really wants is to press him into the glass and kiss him. He settles for resting one hand against the glass alongside Jungkook's head, trying to look casual about it. It helps that, even now, the flick of a shark's tail draws his attention upward.

"And tag them," he muses, "so they can track and study them in the wild. That would make sense." He's halfway convinced himself of it, now that he's said it. It isn't necessarily likely still, but it's plausible, and he's willing to let Jungkook hold onto the idea instead of dispelling it for the sake of being realistic. "And they don't have to worry about other predators in here or finding food."

"While they're here, anyway," Jungkook grins to himself, enjoying how Yoongi looks now, leaning slightly over Jungkook as Jungkook bends to fit the contour of the glass. The light filters through the water with a bluish tint, rippling over everything in the tunnel, and it lends an almost ethereal lightness to Yoongi's complexion. Angelic, Jungkook would say, if saying so wouldn't cause Yoongi to scoff. It tempts Jungkook to lean up and make a pass at those lips, but the tunnel's narrower than most of the other hallways in the aquarium, and better lit to boot. Better not to draw too much attention here.

So instead, he hooks a thumb into one of Yoongi's pockets, giving it a slight tug.

"Let's go," he says, tilting his head towards the other end of the tunnel. "Cool as the sharks are, I also... am dying to be able to cuddle my partner right now."

Yoongi breaks into a grin at that and nods. There's a lot more to see and maybe they should slow down and explore some more, but he can't fault Jungkook's reasoning when he wants that, too. "Cuddle, hmm?" he teases, though he doesn't actually doubt Jungkook's motives. Sex might still be on the table for later, but right now, it'd be nice just to hold him without worrying what other people might think.

He steps back, reaching for Jungkook's hand to lace their fingers together again. "Alright," he says. "Where are we headed?" He glances away again, though, to look at their surroundings as they head down the hall, taking in last glimpses of the fish and the waving kelp. It really is beautiful in here, but he's looking forward to a chance to kiss Jungkook again.

"Cuddle. Where things go from there..." Jungkook shrugs with a small grin, giving Yoongi's hand a squeeze as he steps away from the glass, slowly moseying down the rest of the tunnel. He muses briefly on whether or not they'll be able to find other hidden nooks in the aquarium, much in the same way that they did at the zoo months ago. It's dark enough that it seems possible, but Jungkook also honestly wouldn't mind heading somewhere else entirely, away from the crowds.

"Did you want to see any of the other exhibits here?" Jungkook asks, tilting his head and meeting Yoongi's gaze. "Since it was your idea to come. And there's obviously still a lot that we haven't seen." He gestures vaguely with his free arm, squinting briefly at the signage. Dolphins could be fun, Jungkook muses to himself. Sea lions and otters, too.

There's a part of Yoongi that wonders if they should stick around. They paid for the tickets, after all, and the aquarium is full of animals it would be fun to see up close. It's not like they have to run off over some lovesick need to be touching each other at all times. He looks down the sign, considering their options. "Otters are cute," he says, swinging Jungkook's hand between them as a little nod to the fact that otters like holding hands, too. "But..."

But even when it doesn't lead to sex, he loves cuddling. He loves lazing in bed with Jungkook, clothed or naked, lost in each other's eyes. He loves simply being together, talking idly or not at all, the way they can be comfortable in silence, the way they're still learning about each other, the soft circles Jungkook draws against his skin, the warmth of his back under Yoongi's palm. It's ridiculous, he tells himself. They came here to do things, to see Busan, and all he cares about is seeing Jungkook.

Is it that ridiculous? he counters to himself. In twenty years, what is he going to remember and value more, the sight of an otter or the way Jungkook looks as he wonders about the happiness of sharks? The value of the trip isn't so much in what they're doing as it is in that they're doing it together.

"But you're cuter?" Jungkook interjects, grinning broadly at having seized the opportunity to sneak in a compliment before Yoongi could, following the swing of Yoongi's hand and pivoting them towards the otters. "Let's make otters the last stop, then. And then we'll go somewhere that allows for proper cuddles."

It's hard not to feel a slight ache at the fact that the two of them can't be as open as they'd like with their affection. Jungkook's pretty sure that neither of them would have a problem with being affectionate publicly in theory — that if they were to hop on a plane and take off for America, to some of the areas Jin's mentioned where there's broad acceptance, the both of them probably wouldn't ever stop hanging off of each other and delivering pecks and kisses. They got a taste of that when they were in Jongno, and Jungkook can only wait for the day when more of Korea begins to reflect those beliefs and attitudes.

For now, though, they're still forced to choose between one and the other — experiencing the world at large, or experiencing one another. And maybe finding time with each other means that there's a little less of Busan that they'll get to explore, but Jungkook thinks that's a compromise he's willing to make.

"Yah," Yoongi sputters at the compliment, though, really, he's always pleased. Cute might make him roll his eyes at anyone else, but he likes that Jungkook thinks he's cute. It feels like a reminder that Jungkook sees parts of him others don't.

"Okay, otters," he agrees after a moment, letting Jungkook steer them in the right direction. "And then we're out of here." It's not that he doesn't want to see the animals. They're adorable and he's pretty sure they mate for life, and it's really sweet. It's just that, sometimes, it feels a little like torture to be around Jungkook all the time and not to be able to kiss him. Maybe this wouldn't be an appropriate place for very much in the way of public displays regardless, with all the kids around, but it's hard to be so close and know that getting any closer could mean danger.

"Looks like they're right up this way."

"Aigoo, my boyfriend doesn't know the half of how cute he is, aigoo look at him," Jungkook gushes quietly, raising a hand to briefly brush his knuckles against Yoongi's cheeks, marveling at the softness of his complexion. Whether Yoongi's naturally blessed with good skin, or if he's put in the time to perfect his skincare routine, Jungkook doesn't know, but he likes reaping the benefits nonetheless. His own skin never feels half as soft, and he's still young enough that he frequently breaks out here and there, though none of that seems to dissuade Yoongi from kissing him.

Reaching around Yoongi's waist and giving it a squeeze, Jungkook slips a hand into Yoongi's coat pocket, keeping the two of them linked as they make their way over to the otter exhibit, squinting as they step out into the daylight once more. Out in the open, the salty scent of the sea air wafts over them again, and Jungkook's smile widens as he takes a deep breath. It's a nice break from all the smoke and smog of Seoul.

"Ahh, they look like little stuffed animals," Jungkook murmurs softly as they start to approach the tank.

Yoongi is blushing by the time they step into the sunlight, regretting that the color in his cheeks might be more visible up here. "Next to you, how cute could I be?" he asks, but it's soothing to have Jungkook so close, his arm slung around Jungkook's shoulders as they walk. Most of the time, he wouldn't even want to be cute, but when Jungkook says it, it becomes appealing to know one more way Jungkook appreciates him.

"And next to them," he says, voice pitching a tiny bit higher in admiration as they approach the exhibit. "Ah, like little teddy bears or something. How cute." He scans the tank, looking for a pair holding hands. "They don't even look real." He kind of wishes there were babies in the tank, but it must be the wrong time of year, and anyway, anything cuter might kill him.

For those who don't know him well, it might come as a surprise to see someone like Yoongi getting excited over something cute. So often, Yoongi has a certain disaffected aura about him, but Jungkook knows better — he's seen Yoongi dote on puppies, the way his expression softens when he watches young children playing together. If anything, Jungkook believes that Yoongi has a tendency to gravitate towards things that are cute, guileless — examples of how he wishes more of society would be.

"You're definitely cuter than me," Jungkook murmurs with a small grin, lifting his hand to massage at the base of Yoongi's neck. "I think your voice just jumped an octave, Min-ah. Way cuter than me, and still cuter than the otters. Even if that one's really giving you a run for your money." He snickers at an otter far off to the side, with a series of little plastic buckets of varying sizes piled up on its tummy.

"I'm not gonna win this one, am I?" Yoongi asks, glancing wryly over at Jungkook. They're both fairly competitive people, and sometimes it's fun to needle back and forth, volleying dares and compliments alike. Sometimes, though, fun as it is, he knows when he's lost. And it's not like he wants to convince Jungkook he isn't cute, just that Jungkook is cuter. But then, they never see themselves that way, do they? Even if Jungkook is wrong. Even if there are as many moments when Yoongi finds him charmingly adorable as there are when he's taken by how ridiculously hot he finds him.

"But that's definitely cuter than me," he adds, spotting the otter in question. "Look at him, playing with those buckets. That's adorable." There's something so sweet about the otters, the way they play in the water, the way some just float serenely by. There's a certain peace to their display that appeals to Yoongi.

"You're definitely not gonna win this one," Jungkook confirms, pleased that Yoongi is already leaning towards a concession. There's no doubt that Yoongi isn't actually swayed or convinced — Jungkook doesn't think either of them can be, for an argument like this — but it's still fun to revel in the victory, shallow though it may be. As the both of them mosey along the edge of the exhibit, Jungkook lifts a hand to weave his fingers through Yoongi's hair, which somehow, in spite of all the bleaching and hair dye, always manages to feel better than his own.

He purses his lips, turning back to watch the otter, even as he continues to run his fingers through Yoongi's hair.

"That otter is adorable, it's true. But he also has the benefit of using props. Let's say we got you in a pair of swimming trunks, into water, floating on your back and stacking buckets. That'd up your cuteness factor, too," Jungkook points out, stifling a snicker.

"Yah, if you weren't blinded by the glare," Yoongi says wryly. "I'm so pale I'm almost reflective." Not that he minds his complexion any. He's not as interested in being outdoors now as he was when he was little, or even just a few years ago, and his pallor reflects that. Still, it suits him, he figures, the same way Jungkook looks even better with a tan or the way they look beside each other, dark against light.

Jungkook's fingers are gentle in his hair, and, for a moment, Yoongi closes his eyes and just enjoys it, the otters half-forgotten. "Stacking buckets seems pretty boring," he adds, "and you definitely look better shirtless than I do."

Though that doesn't have anything to do with cuteness, admittedly.

"You're so pale, and it's fucking beautiful," Jungkook murmurs in an undertone, gaze flicking to meet Yoongi's. Jungkook doesn't particularly like ascribing value or preference to different shades of complexion, but Yoongi's is striking for how rare it is, a pristine sort of pale that has to be kept carefully protected when the sun's out. It doesn't hurt that the complexion makes it so easy for Yoongi to pull off any hair color, any shades of clothing — giving Yoongi a freedom of expression that Jungkook envies. Jungkook would love to play with color, to be able to paint himself in all the colors he uses on his canvases, but it doesn't work half as well on him.

Which is fine. Maybe it's actually a blessing that Yoongi's the one with the flexibility. It's not like Jungkook spends half as much time looking at himself.

"Okay, so stacking buckets is boring when you've got opposable thumbs, but maybe we pick something for you that humans can't do that easily, then," Jungkook reasons. "Also, which one of us looks better shirtless is definitely debatable. Your belly is a lot cuter than mine."

Yoongi's not especially self-conscious about his appearance. At least, he doesn't think of himself as such. He's fairly confident that he's reasonably attractive. Jungkook, however, has a way of making him feel like he must be fucking gorgeous, and it makes Yoongi briefly shy. The soft, pleased smile turns wry in a moment, though, brow arching, and he smacks lightly at Jungkook's stomach. "Okay, well, if cute is the only goal, I guess I do win," he says. "Because yours is not cute." He lets the way his voice lowers fill in the rest. Cute might be a fitting descriptor for his stomach — flat enough, but not exactly fitted out with abs, not quite as defined as Jungkook's. He doesn't really care. He doesn't work out and his boyfriend is stunning; he wins on every front.

"You're cute," he amends after a moment. "Eh, he's still cuter than both of us. Look at his little paws." He curls his fingers, mimicking the otter, his other arm slipping back around Jungkook's waist.

There aren't very many aspects of his looks that Jungkook finds himself particularly proud of, but his abs might be the exception to the rule. As far as his face goes, his nose is a bit large, his teeth jut out in an overbite, and while Jungkook isn't short by any means, he's also not tall enough for it to be a particularly notable feature. But his abs do offer a point of pride — it's nice having some physical proof of all the time and effort he puts into training, into bettering himself.

"I like how smooth your belly is, though," Jungkook murmurs, reaching out with his hand and briefly brushing across Yoongi's abdomen, ruffling the fabric of his shirt. He leans in, lowering his voice to prevent anyone from eavesdropping. "Very kissable. Bite-able, too."

He pulls back only when Yoongi comments on the otter again, Jungkook pursing his lips as he surveys the animal. And, okay. The otter is cute. The paws are particularly cute. It'd probably be too much for him if the otter were actually dry and fluffy, like Jungkook's seen in pictures. "His hands are even smaller than Jimin hyung's," Jungkook remarks with a soft snicker.

For a moment, Yoongi's mind is alive with the memory of lips and teeth on his skin, neck and ears flushing at the thought of it. He has to look directly at the otters and not at Jungkook as he tries to push it away. Now isn't the time, appealing as the thought might be. If he lets himself think too much about such things when they're not alone, he'll only frustrate himself.

Still, it's nice. Even if Yoongi knows the physical appeal he holds for Jungkook, it feels good to hear it, bolstering his confidence even further. It's one thing to think he's attractive; it's another entirely else to be reminded other people agree, especially Jungkook — who, although clearly biased, is also the person whose opinion matters most.

"Itty bitty," he says, stifling a laugh. "Aw, cute. You know they hold hands so they won't lose each other?"

"Really?" Jungkook asks, blinking as he quickly scans the exhibit, trying to find a pair of otters. He's always thought of them as cute, but the idea that otters also have certain traits that bond them as pairs or groups only further endears them to Jungkook — especially since he has a heightened fondness for holding Yoongi's hand already. He does so now, giving Yoongi's hand a squeeze before tugging both of them down the line of the tank, leaning back and forth to try and squint between the rocks and around the path of flowing water.

And indeed, he manages to spot a pair of otters floating near the end of the exhibit, their hands clasped. One of them has its eyes closed, basking in a ray of sunshine, while the other blinks passively at the nearby humans. A couple of kids giggle behind the glass that lines the tank, one little girl smacking her hand against it, as though doing so might help her to catch the animals' attention.

"...okay, okay. Otters are especially cute when they're holding hands," Jungkook murmurs with a nod. "But which one's you and which one's me? You're the sleeping one, right?"

Yoongi snickers, dropping his head briefly against Jungkook's shoulder. "Oh, I'm definitely the sleeping one," he says. "'cause you're there to hold onto me, so it's okay." The otters won't lose each other, least of all in such a small enclosure, and he stays fixed onto Jungkook, giving his hand a soft squeeze. He always sleeps better when they're together, whether it's a lazy cat nap or a long night with Jungkook helping to chase away the thoughts that plague him and keep him awake other nights. Maybe it's silly, but Jungkook's right. They're the otters and the penguins and everything else. They're in love and they're everywhere. Even in a place that doesn't want them to be in love, he can see them reflected back in every surface, in every sweet thing.

He glances over at the kids near them, offering them a smile, too. "Careful," he warns, though his voice is far softer than it would be if he were to say the same thing to any of his friends. "You might scare them if you make loud noises, okay? Be gentle."

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