Jungkook

He and Jimin spent the morning walking around a shopping centre browsing the home-decor isles in many different stores. The countless times he had been asked to pick between two different pillows or two different saucepans had been the most decision making Jungkook had ever made.

Then again, he had only had a few months of experience to relate to, so there wasn't a lot to compete with. And Jungkook couldn't say he wasn't enjoying himself. The stores had an inviting aura, and the smell of wood polish and formaldehyde gave Jungkook a pleasant feeling. The weather was still cold and damp, but the stores offered at least a little warmth. Being surrounded by all of the furniture made him feel a bit nostalgic, and he didn't know why.

He looked in front of him and saw Jimin picking up a red candle and smelling it. "Hey Jungkook! Do you prefer passionfruit or cinnamon?"

Jungkook walked over to the shelves of candles and inhaled. "I think the passion fruit would be a bit overbearing."

"So, cinnamon?"

"No, it doesn't suit you."

Jimin cocked his head to the side. He paused for a second, before meeting Jungkook's gaze again. "So, what would suit me?"

"I shouldn't say."

"Why not?" Jimin laughed. "You've said it now! You have to tell me."

"I don't want to seem like I'm stepping out of line."

"It isn't stepping out of line to state your opinion," the older chuckled. "Well, unless you do it intentionally to hurt someone. I'd still want to know your opinion, even if you might think-" he picked up a dark, green candle and his nose wrinkled, "-that spiced garden mint would suit me."

Jungkook stood in front of the shelves, and again inhaled. He was glad that he had such a feature as his enhanced senses because it made finding the pastel-pink candle towards the top shelf easier. He leaned up and picked it up, before handing it to Jimin.

"...Rosewater?"

"Yeah...well, it has hints of vanilla and raspberry too. It would remind anyone of you."

Jimin grinned and punched Jungkook's arm playfully. "Aw, so you think I'm a sweet person?"

"Yes."

"Aha, right...I guess I'll get this one. But I would like a few winter candles for this season. And...and I'm gonna pick a candle that reminds me of you."

"Really."

"Yep. This is kinda fun!" Jimin smirked at him, before taking a step back to read the labels on the varied candles. He picked up two very different ones, and showed them to Jungkook. "I used to think that you were this-" he held up an intense electric blue coloured glacier candle, "-but I'd say this is more fitting." Jimin held up a sunset orange candle labeled 'Desert Rain.' From where he was stood, the scent of sandalwood and something Jungkook couldn't recognise wafted from it's container.

"What does that mean?"

"It means that you're...um you know, you smell nice?" Jimin quickly placed down the glacier candle and picked up a gingerbread scented candle too before timidly walking away from the shelves.

"Come on, let's pay for this and get some food!"

***
Jimin

He and Jungkook found a small cafe outside the shopping centre, and decided to get something light to eat. They found a table in the corner, and placed their jackets on the backs of their chairs before ordering drinks and sandwiches.

Jimin played with the menu in his palms, and gazed in front of him at Jungkook who was watching the light snowfall outside. "So, Jungkook...how are you doing?" Jimin asked cautiously.

"I'm fine, how about you?" He turned his face to meet Jimin's gaze.

"I mean, I'm good? I meant, how are you doing with regards to what happened? Are you sure you're okay?"

"Yes, why wouldn't I be?"

"I guess it's just...I'm sure you've been worrying about what's happened. I think it'll be okay in the end, and that there was just a mix up or a mistake-"

"No, you said it yourself the other night. They don't make mistakes like this. I think..."

Jungkook paused.

"I think it was because I was happy."

Jimin's eyes widened. "What? What do you mean?"

"Before he asked me to do the favour, someone had asked me questions, if I had ever felt emotion."

"But, you hadn't?"

"No I-" he stopped as the waitress entered their field of view and placed their order in front of them before leaving again. "-it doesn't matter."

"Yes, it does Jungkook. I know we haven't known each other long but you can tell me what you're thinking."

"No it's nothing big. You're right, I'm just overthinking-" Jimin watched as the younger picked up a sandwich, before frowing to himself.

"YOU overthink?" Jimin whispered.

"No, no I don't. I shouldn't."

"Jungkook." Jimin reached out to Junkook's cold hand and placed his own on top. "It's okay to worry about things like this. Whatever happened and whatever happens from now...I'll be here to help you through it."

He could only smile, and maybe it would reassure this expressionless man before him. Jungkook glanced outside the window again, then nodded and took a bite from the sandwich. And Jimin sighed to himself. As much as he was trying to kid himself that this would work out fine, he wasn't sure he could do the same with this more advanced bionic.

"Hey Jungkook?"

"Yes hyung?"

"Wait here." Jimin stood from his seat and took his coat from the chair and his card from his wallet. "I'm gonna get you something nice." With that, he quickly left the cafe before Jungkook could protest, and ran back into the shopping centre.

***
"This'll cheer him up!"

Jimin swung the paper bag by his side as he speed-walked out the mall and towards the small cafe across the street. He didn't want his new friend to be upset. He no idea how to handle this situation, besides making difficult promises and smiling. At least a gift could maybe distract Jungkook from his worries, if only for a little while.

Jimin felt a hand clasp his shoulder, and he turned around. Two guys had stopped him and were smiling at him. The one with a buzz cut spoke. "Hey, where are you off to?"

Jimin felt his stomach drop. "...I'm meeting a friend. Could you let go of my shoulder?"

The other guy's friend laughed and pulled Jimin by his other arm. "We're on our way over to that bar across the street. You're more than welcome to join us!"

"No, thanks but I have somewhere to be-"

The buzzcut guy leered at him, and Jimin dropped the bag in the snow. "You can get to know us, come on! We don't usually go for guys, but no one with an ass like yours should be left alone."

"Let go of me..." Jimin eyed the cafe from the corner of his eye as he freed his arm from one of the men. He tried to push the other guy away from him, but he only failed as the man grabbed both his wrists. Jimin's nose filled with the aroma of strong cologne, and his heart sped up in desperation. He knew as a man he wasn't weak, but with the ice beneath his feet and the spreading fear in his body he felt weaker than he should have.

"We're trying to be nice sweetheart. Just come with us, the place we'll take you is nice, we promise!"

Jimin felt himself choke up, and his throat ached as he frantically looked around them. The men had pushed him partly down an alleyway, in the shadows, unseen from any worldly help. He breathed in, and shoved his knee in an upward motion as hard as he could.

In the next moment, the man with the buzzcut was doubled over and yelling in pain and anger. "You fucking...! Get back here!"

His friend lunged at him, and grabbed Jimin's coat by the collar. "We tried being nice, fucking fag." Jimin felt intense pain seep up his abdomen as he felt all the air in his lungs forced out of his mouth, and he realized that just now that the man had kicked him in the stomach. The blond tried to get away, and pulled himself out of his coat in an attempt to escape.

But before he could get away, he slipped on the ice, and fell into a pile of snow.

The buzzcut guy stood up, made his way towards him, and in his blurred daze Jimin laid frozen in terror as the man got closer and closer. "You're gonna wish you hadn't-"

Without warning, Jimin watched as the man who had been walking towards him was suddenly pinned up to the alleyway wall.

"J-Jungkook..."

With a whisper of a breath left, the temperature of the snow around him prevented him from crying out to the bionic before him. Jungkook brought his fist back, and pummelled it deep into the guy's middle and dropped him to the floor. The man heaved out, breath hitching as the air left his lungs, and tried to stand whilst his friend made a pass at Jungkook with a swinging arm. The bionic swiftly stepped out of the way, and pinned the man up against the wall with his arm behind his back.

"Let go let go OW! I'M SORRY! Let go! We didn't know he had a boyfriend I swear!"

Jimin watched as Jungkook remained silent amidst the guy's yelling, before he finally spoke, his voice quiet and steady. "Hyung...do you want me to call the police?"

The man wriggled under his grip. "No no please-!"

Jimin shook his head as he shivered in the cold, his fingertips numb. "N-no don't d-do that..."

"Are you sure? They just tried to assault you."

He flinched as he came to the realisation that something worse could've taken place. But he didn't want anymore trouble. "Yes, just let t-them go."

Jungkook released his hold on the man, and the guy sprinted out the alleyway yelling for his friend who had disappeared midway through Jimin's speech.

***
Jungkook

What was taking Jimin so long? He had been gone half an hour. Jungkook had already paid using some of Jimin's change which he had left in his wallet, because the waitress had insisted that he had to leave soon if he wasn't going to order more.
In the end, Jungkook had picked up their bags and waited outside the cafe for Jimin to return with whatever he had bought him.

Jungkook felt himself smile again. It had been happening a lot recently, since meeting Jimin. Then, his ears pricked up as he heard an angry yell from his right:

"-ou little...! Get back here!"

Jungkook spotted two thug-like men stood in front of a dark alleyway, one gripping someone by their collar and the other hunched over holding his stomach. From where he was stood, he couldn't tell who they were beating up, because their backs were facing him.

But when he saw a flash of blond hair fall to the snow, Jungkook felt his heart race and he dropped the bags at his feet.

And in the next moment, he pinned one of the men to the wall. All logic and reason had burned away in his mind, as Jungkook tried to hold back when shoving his fist into the guy's stomach. He could kill him, he knew he could. His fist could've gone straight through his middle, if he hadn't held back.

"J-Jungkook..."

But he couldn't do that in front of Jimin.

Instead, he had dropped the man to the floor, and pinned the other guy to the wall when he tried to attack him.
He cried out in pain, but Jungkook ignored his pleas as he tried to calm his breathing, and the bubbling heat rising in his throat. "Hyung...do you want me to call the police?"

The man again yelled beneath his grip, but was only ignored. "N-no, don't d-do that..."

"Are you sure? They just tried to assault you."

"Yes, just let t-them go."

Jungkook released his fingers from the guy's arm, and he heard him scramble out the alleyway screaming someone's name.

Then he turned to Jimin.

_________________________
oof 😍