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“And the winner is Bangtan Sonyeondan,” the woman announces and Yoongi can’t believe it. After all these years, he still can’t believe it. He can’t believe that they’ve made it this far. He can’t believe that he gets to hear his inner musings become hit songs. He can’t believe he gets to live out his dreams surrounded by his brothers. He leans back on the seat trying to take in the moment as his bandmates and brothers jumped up in surprise.
“Artist of the Year, hyung. Can you believe it?” Jimin asks him flailing backward and sliding down the bench seat they were seated on. Yoongi places his hands around him to hold him up and bring him into the group hug that was currently happening. He slides into place between Jimin and Hoseok and watches as Taehyung launches himself into the group hug. He takes a moment to look at each member individually wanting each boy’s face etched into his memory. He knows their looks will be the fuel he needs to keep going when he feels like giving up. He finally faces across the circle and locks eyes with his boyfriend’s equally shocked gaze. He smiles wider and nods as if to reassure Taehyung this is their reality.
They walk towards the stage together his mind still racing with disbelief.
“No, I can’t believe it,” He murmurs to Jimin as a late response to his earlier question, pulling the younger boy into his side so they could walk towards the award.
He bows deeply to the presenter, losing Jimin in the shuffle of accepting the award and lining up. He ends up between Namjoon and Hoseok and part of him can’t help but think it’s the most fitting to be standing between the two members who’ve been alongside him the longest.
“ARMY,” Yoongi heard Namjoon exclaim before he pauses to collect his thoughts. Yoongi looks out at the cheering crowd glowing with ARMY bombs and can’t believe this is his reality. He turns to Hoseok and sees a similar expression on his face.
He attempts to maintain his cool persona and keep it together but hearing Namjoon recount their struggles and seeing the absolute proof of their ultimate triumph, he breaks down. He moves his hands to cover his face and turns away from the fans, not wanting them to see him be weak.
He sobs uncontrollably into his hands when he suddenly feels Hoseok’s arm go over his shoulder as if to comfort and ground him. Not long after, Namjoon mirrors the movement and they both pull him into a hug with the rest of the members following soon after. He feels another hand brush over his arm, comforting and telling him we’re all in this together.
They reconfigure into the line and Yoongi finally looks up again to see his fans cheering. He raises his hands to clap for them because it’s only because of them that this is all possible. As he claps, he sees Taehyung walk into his peripheral taking a bow and brushing his hands over Yoongi’s in a gesture of comfort.
The boys exit the stage and the rest of the evening passes in a blur. Yoongi bows to a million people answers a million questions and finally goes back on stage to say goodbye to the fans.
They’re finally allowed to go to the hotel and process the win. Sejin-hyung reminds them that they have an early flight the next day so they can’t have too much fun. They all file into Seokjin-hyung’s room where the staff had been kind enough to leave them alcohol and food to celebrate.
Everyone breaks off into groups from there and Yoongi can see Taehyung hanging off of Jimin on the other side of the room with Jungkook silently leaning with his head on Jimin’s lap. He can also see Hoseok and Seokjin chatting quietly on the bed eating from the take out containers. He suddenly feels a presence next to him.
“I brought you bulgogi and rice, hyung,” Namjoon says as he places the plate in his hands.
“Thank you, Namjoon-ah,” Yoongi states taking the chopsticks and digging into the meal. He knew Namjoon had something to say but if he had learned anything through the years is that the younger boy would share once he was ready to.
“Hyung, thank you,” Namjoon says and Yoongi is confused as to what he could possibly be thanking him for. “I don’t know that I could have made it this far if you hadn’t been there to motivate me. You kept me going in my darkest hours and I appreciate that so much.”
Yoongi tears up at the youngers sentiment. “I know we haven’t always seen eye to eye but I hope you know that you’re what kept me going. I would have left right around the time they told us we were going to be a more traditional idol group if it hadn’t meant leaving you behind,” He says earnestly placing the food on the coffee table and wrapping his arms around Namjoon who quickly hugs him back because if his hyung was initiating a hug it meant something.
When the boys pull away, Namjoon signals towards the balcony saying, “Your boyfriend stepped outside a few minutes ago maybe you should follow him.”
Yoongi nods, standing up and grabbing a couple of bottles of Coke on the way out. He passes by Jimin, who is drunk, and pulling a sober Jungkook towards Namjoon, who is looking at his favorite babies amused. Hoseok and Seokjin were still on the bed but Jin hyung was now laying his head on Hoseok’s lap while the younger plays with his hair.
Yoongi smiles at the scene and continues to the balcony door where he sees his boyfriend who was leaning against the railing looking tense.
He slides the door open and steps out with a soft, “Taehyungie.”
“Hyung!” The boy exclaims his entire demeanor shifting as he blooms under his boyfriend’s gaze. “Is that for me?” He asks reaching for one of the Coke bottles.
“Yup. I know you’re not a huge fan of drinking and I’m sure Jiminie already forced you to have a drink but I figure we can toast with Coke.”
Tae nods opening the bottle and clinking it against Yoongi’s bottle. “Here’s to many more years of Bangtan and nights like this,” Tae states and takes a sip.
They stand in companionable silence for a few minutes before Yoongi’s hand reaches to interlock with Taehyung’s hand as he asks, “Okay. Enough wallowing… What’s bothering you?”
“I feel very ungrateful because all I can think about is what if this is the only year we win awards like this?” Tae admits tightening his hold on Yoongi’s hand. Yoongi, in turn, nods because he understands it and he’s felt the same but he’s learned to accept things change.
“Well, I think it’s valid that you feel that way! We want to improve every year and where can we go from here is difficult to answer but I think that we need to trust that we will work hard and support each other every step of the way. I also think that we need to accept the way things are today can’t be maintained forever but even after Bangtan we’ll have each other and that’s what matters,” Yoongi says hoping to calm his boyfriend’s fears since nothing made him sadder than seeing his Tae sad.
“You’re right and I won’t accept that in a day but it’ll be a good reminder. Thank you. I love you, hyung.” Tae says ducking down to place a chaste kiss on Yoongi’s lips but Yoongi is frozen. He can’t believe Taehyung just dropped ‘I love you’ into casual conversation like he’s said it a million times before. His hesitance makes Tae pull away but Yoongi follows him to press a deeper kiss to his lips.
“I love you too,” he murmurs against Tae’s lips as they pull away.
When they separate Taehyung pulls Yoongi into a back hug facing the view of the city and here wrapped in Taehyung’s arms with his brothers inside is exactly where Yoongi wants to be and award or not, he’s got everything he needs.