jimin had the nicest hands.

what? nothing wrong with appreciating your friend's hands. everyone had hands! their hands wouldn't be as nice as jimin's, but it was no big deal if he found jimin's hands particularly fascinating, right? no big deal if he strongly believed that their hand sizes were scaled specifically to be held together at all possible instances, right? to show the world, hey! look at our hands! they fit together perfectly! isn't that cool?!

or maybe, hey! look at us! we're a fucking couple!

only, well, that wouldn't be true. because they weren't a couple.

and maybe, just maybe... that was starting to get to him.

so all the way round the park, as jeongguk was recounting the origin story of dora's name; his mind was stubbornly fixated on two facts. one: they were not a couple. and two: jeongguk did not like the fact that they were not a couple.

this addition of a fact was still relatively new to him, but jeongguk was coping with it surprisingly well. of recent, he'd learnt to cope with things he didn't like. like the shoes jimin had gifted him, which were definitely a size too small. jeongguk missed his timberlands. but here he was, coping with it.

so jeongguk was okay with not being okay with them not being a couple. that was good. great, even.

but when he'd chanced one look at jimin, to find him barely paying attention to him; instead scratching his puppy behind the ears and cooing softlyㅡa third fact had surfaced. and this one was not good. not good at all. because there was no way he'd be able to cope with this one, no way in hell.

it was this: jeongguk did not like that they weren't a couple because, shitㅡhe wanted them to be.

and it was less a trio of facts and more a series of mini-revelations leading to the mega-revelationㅡthat jeongguk wanted to hold jimin's hand in, not the platonic way, but the couple way.

which was, with no exaggeration whatsoever, absolutely terrifying. because he was still so confused, so exhausted of being confusedㅡgod, there was still so much he felt he needed to sort outㅡso why was their relationship status the only goddamned thing his mind could focus on?!

taking advantage of the fact that jimin clearly didn't give a rat's ass about dora's innate passion for the spanish language, jeongguk rambled meaninglessly through the rest of his story and let them lapse into a somewhat relaxed silence. jimin cuddled his puppy and jeongguk just watched him morosely.

on the whole, it was an excruciatingly painful walk. by the time they were standing at jimin's doorstep, jeongguk had made the agonizing discovery that it wasn't just jimin's hands that he found pretty.

"guk," jimin saidㅡjeongguk started guiltily, feeling caught, still neck-deep in his thought process. the tone with which jimin had said his name coupled with his amused expression told jeongguk that he'd just blanked through a dialogue. "i said do you wanna hang here for a while, or?"

jeongguk stared at him, then cleared his throat abruptly, eyes falling to the ground instead as he nodded. he looked up in time to catch only a wisp of jimin's smile before he unlocked the door and swung it open.

"make yourself at home. but not too much. kitchen is off-limits," jimin instructed, slipping his shoes off and padding through the house. jeongguk followed after him wordlessly, wringing his hands in front of himㅡsomething about the atmosphere felt different from the last time; a sort of pregnant expectancy. no, nope, he had no obligations to do anything whatsoeverㅡhe sunk down onto the pillow-infested sofa and gave jimin a winning smile.

jimin looked down at him, somewhat suspicious, then rolled his eyes and handed the puppy to him. "i'll be back in a sec. just... don't... do weird shit. i dunno. god."

what was that supposed to mean? jeongguk watched jimin's retreating figure with an indignant glare, then kinda just watched him until he felt a cold nudge against his hand.

jeongguk sighed, letting the puppy down on the couch. "hey, girl." she scrambled back onto his lap, head nuzzling into his chest, and he smiled slightly. "you like jimin, don't you? of course you do. but..." biting his lip, he looked up quickly, then whispered, "how did you realize?"

the puppy tilted her head up to look at him, then yapped and nosed at his leg.

"yeah.. no, you wouldn't get it." jeongguk placed his hand on her head absent-mindedly as she pawed at the material of his jeans. "'cause you don't like him like that. the way i do. way i might, i mean." he looked down at herㅡshe'd given up on her one-sided fight with his jeans and was resting her head on his thigh. "you're still young. when you grow older, you'llㅡ"

a little cough. jeongguk whipped his head up, eyes widening automatically to portray an image of innocenceㅡjimin was standing fixed in his spot, hands dripping noticeably with water. jeongguk stared back at him, trying to discern how much he'd heard from his mostly blank expression.

"were you talking to the puppy?" jimin finally said, laughing as he made his way to the couch and sinking down next to him. jeongguk breathed a little, smiling and chuckling along weakly. "i specifically said don't do weird shit."

"well, i," he began, when jimin hushed him, eyes wide and hands flapping excitedly, spraying little droplets of water with the motion.

"i knew it! i knew you hadㅡ" why was he touching his face? why was he touching his face? every swear word in the dictionary simultaneously rose to jeongguk's tongue, and it took a considerable amount of effort to not spill them all out at once as jimin, as if amply aware of his mental torment concerning him, clutched his chin with one hand to angle his head as he liked, while the other hand smoothed over the skin of his cheek, as if searching for somethingㅡwhat the fuck was he going to find there?

"jimin, i am begging you," jeongguk managed painfully, squeezing an eye shut as jimin rubbed at the surface of his face with a strange determination, "please, please get your handsㅡ"

"it's gone. damn." jimin retracted away, pouting in annoyance. "but it wasn't a trick of the light or anything, i saw it in the moment and it sure as hell was thereㅡ"

"what," jeongguk touched his own cheek delicately, "what, exactly, was there?"

"your dimple!" jimin chirped, pleased. "you have dimples, guk!"

"....uh? i do not."

"hey,"ㅡjimin's tone turned injuredㅡ"i wish i had dimples, you know? you ought to be more grateful for themㅡfor people like me, it's hard to see you flaunting those things if youㅡyou wholeheartedly hate themㅡ"

"woah, look," jeongguk laughed, taking in the sincerity of jimin's expression, "it's not that deep?"

"they are! they totally are! they're as deep as the, the mariana trench, you magnificent bastardㅡ"

jeongguk raised his arms in surrender, and the puppy shifted on his lap, whining for attention in the absence of his handㅡjimin responded immediately, rubbing her back soothingly. "look, if it means that much to you, i'll say i like 'em, okay?" jeongguk offered, and jimin raised his eyebrows at him. "no, i really do! i bet i pull them off great." besides, if jimin liked them, how bad could they be?

"you do." the puppy lifted her head off of jeongguk, and jimin made a small sound of glee as she settled on jimin's lap instead. "oh, good girl."

jeongguk watched the puppy for a while, thenㅡwith a higher degree of stealthㅡhe watched jimin. this went on without disturbance until he himself had to look away, and just in time too, as moments later jimin looked up from his puppy with a big sigh and said, "jeongguk, where are we?"

from the tone of the question, jeongguk guessed that the obvious answer of your house wouldn't tickle jimin's funny bone in any sort of way; yet he hadn't an inkling of an idea what the un-obvious answer would be, either. he stared at the crooked slope of jimin's nose, pondering over his options.

"what?" jeongguk opted to say. one of the only risk-free responses for any given situation, he'd discovered.

"we, us... where are we?"

jeongguk clenched his jaw, a small puff of air escaping his lips. oh. he racked his brain for a few seconds. finally gave an uncertain smile.

"a... good place?"

jimin only sighed again, loud, with a little bit of impatience. "so what is this?"

"what's what?"

"this," jimin waved vaguely at the puppy, jeongguk, around them. "whatever this is we're doing."

these questions weren't getting any easier, and seeing that jeongguk had already exhausted most of his brainpower on questioning the universe on why-oh-why-weren't-they-a-stupid-couple, he didn't have much of a choice but to take the safest route; being a meek, "we are... hanging out?"

"right."

jimin's expression spoke more words than the one he uttered, and jeongguk, seized by a sudden, regrettable moment of determination, began boldly, "unlessㅡ"

jimin looked at him swiftly. "unless?"

'nothing.' that was another riskless response. perhaps not as effective as a clueless 'what?' but a valuable tool nonetheless, that jeongguk utilized at all possible opportunities with considerable pleasure. this, here, was an opportunity.

but jimin was looking at him, so anxious yet so hopeful, and the word just wouldn't come.

now, jeongguk didn't speak his mind very often. in fact, he almost never didㅡthe world had no use of his internal opinions or musings or dreams and aspirations. but there were occasions, so very rare occasions, that it... well, slipped; like when he'd openly admitted to jimin that he knew he liked him, right to his face after a month of withholding it. and then there was what was coming up in three, twoㅡ

"unless you wanna ask me out?"

ㅡone, oh, fuck.

"what?"

"what?" jeongguk parroted.

"no," jimin raised his hand, shocked gaze boring into his, "seriously, what?"

"um, nothing." too late, dumbass, he chided himself, staring at jimin wide-eyed.

jimin shook his head, screwing his eyes shut. "wait," he said. he looked at jeongguk carefully. "you want me to ask you out?"

"i never said i wanted that," jeongguk clarified, nervously picking at his jeans. "i wouldn't mind it though."

"wait. hold up." jimin crossed his arms, eyebrows disappearing into his bangs as he questioned incredulously, "why do i have to ask you out?"

"well why do i have to ask youㅡ"

"that's so unfair! i've liked you for so much longer, you're supposed toㅡ" he cut himself off abruptly, mouth snapping shut. then he turned his body towards jeongguk completely, as if to display the full extent of his shock as he said; slowly, cautiously, "wait, you... jeongguk, you like me?"

jeongguk didn't say anything to that, just looked at the floor and shrugged timidly, which seemed enough for jimin to get it as he stammered on, "wait, you're sure? you're notㅡ"

jeongguk laughed drily, "what kind of question is that?"

"jeongguk, you... you're straight. or at least, you were, apparently..."

"i don't know," jeongguk said, and he sounded so tired, so tired of not knowing. jimin seemed to deflate at that, and jeongguk hastened to add, "but i do like you. i mean," he scratched his cheek, not sure how to put it. "iㅡi really want to."

"you... want to like me."

"it's difficult to explain," jeongguk sighed, dragging his fingers through his hair and shaking his head. he'd barely grasped an understanding of his own feelings, how was he to explain it to someone else?

jimin watched him, not with annoyance or repulsion, but with more of a genuine curiosity. "go on," he said. jeongguk dropped his hands to his lap.

"i don't know, i don't think i've ever really... got how it's supposed to feel. liking someone, romantically." he tried for a nonchalant shrug, in an attempt to play off how much the fact really got to him. jimin furrowed his brow, clearly confused.

"what do you mean?"

"i mean... okay. jimin noona, right? the long conversations, the flirting, the, the talking endlessly to each other about our days.. y'know, all tha-that stuffㅡand it wasn't with someone directly in front of me, it was with someone who i'd found under suchㅡsuch strange circumstances. but it worked. and it felt like... love? or what i thought love was supposed to be, i guess. and because it had taken me so long, to actually feel that, i felt so... empowered. because i had it. love. something i'd believed i'd never, y-y'know, never find.

"but when she dumped me, iㅡi was devastated. obviously. but i figured it was 'cause i'd been in love with her, and, and not being with the person you're in love with is supposed to suck, right? and it sucked, yeah, but soon i realized that it wasn't the right... kind of... sucky. it was wrong. i was wrong. wrong about what i'd felt about jimin, how i'd ever felt about her, wrong about love. and thatㅡthat was why i felt so terrible. not because she'd broken up with me. but 'cause, 'cause in the end, i'dㅡi'd never really felt it."

jeongguk's throat felt a little constricted as he went on, not daring to look at jimin, "it was frightening, youㅡyou know? jimin wasn't only the first person i had assumed to love. she was the first person i thought i'd liked, too. and suddenly, i'm back to square oneㅡno, square zero. and it just didn't feel fair, i couldn't be a twenty-year-old guy who'd never experiencedㅡfor not one fleeting secondㅡa crush."

jimin reached over the puppy to quietly place a hand on jeongguk's thigh. maybe under other circumstances it would've felt different. but for now, it was just nice. comforting.

"so..." jeongguk tucked a strand of hair behind his ear, hesitating. "i looked at it from a, um, another angle. uh." he twiddled his toes, clearing his throat. "you know."

"no, not really."

jeongguk looked at jimin then, with his eyes dancing with unreadable emotions and mouth twitching into a smile. he drew his eyebrows together, protesting, "you're laughing at me!"

"no, no, i'm not. i wouldn't laugh at you, it's just. you're," jimin took in a deep breath. "sorry. tell me."

"guys, okay? boys. men." his cheeks felt oddly warm, and he avoided eye contact pointedly, staring at the ceiling as he said, "it's like you said: i'd been limiting my sexual preference to one gender, and maybe by doing that i'd missed out on dozens, hundreds of chances of a crush. all because i couldn't bare to consider the possibility that i could beㅡ" he shrugged again. "you know."

"and do you think you could be... you know?"

"iㅡi don't know. it's just twenty years of thinking like that, it's so sudden toㅡ"

"jeongguk." jeongguk looked at him desperatelyㅡjimin's expression was only kind, understanding. "'i like women' and 'i like men' isn't everything there is in the world. and you have all the time to figure it out." he gave his thigh an encouraging squeeze. "i'm so proud of you. honest. you've done so well, and i swear i will support you through this."

jeongguk smiled a little at that. he looked down at jimin's hand, little fingers splayed across jeongguk's knee.

then he said, "support me, then. ask me out."

whatever special moment they'd been sharing dissipated in a flash, jimin throwing his hands up and exclaiming in exasperation, "jeongguk, i swearㅡ"

"no, like, hear me out," jeongguk rushed on, as jimin shook his head despairingly, "when i said that i want to like you, right? i meant that, that, whatever it is i feel about you... i want that to be how it feels, when you like someone. 'cause... 'cause i'm still not sure, what it's supposed to feel like. but the thing is," jeongguk gulped, meeting jimin's eyes, "i wanna be with you... jimin."

for a second, jimin looked like he was about to give in. but then he clenched his jaw and said, "if you want it so bad, then go ahead! ask me out,"

"why are you such a brat?" jeongguk asked, appalled. jimin responded by tapping his own wrist and making an odd comment about his dna, and jeongguk began to beg, completely shameless, "jimin, please? please please pleaseㅡ"

"i'm not gonna. hell no. we can stay in the friendzone forever. i've gotten quite cozy here actually."

"jimin." jimin poked his tongue out, and jeongguk's heart physically did a Thing. "no, don't do that! come on!"

"you know, i've been thinking... that yugyeom guy, right? you should introduce me to him someday, i bet we'd get along swellㅡ"

"never, ever happening."

"you know what, i'll just ask yoongi toㅡ" jimin froze, then gasped, clapping his hands together gleefully. "oh, yoongi! now there's another candidateㅡ"

"you're fucking evil," jeongguk seethed, swatting at jimin's arm. the puppy raised her head at that. "hey don't you support him, i raised you for two months!"

"such a good girl," jimin whispered in delight, scratching the top of her head. jeongguk could explode.

"i hate this," jeongguk whined, all sense of self-respect lost to the wind. "i wanna do the couple-y stuff. the things tae and hoseok do. i wanna hang out but, you know. with the couple-y stuff!"

"so, date?"

"yeah!" jeongguk acclaimed victoriously. "let's date!"

"jeongguk, are you..." jimin raised his eyebrows at him, smirking. "are you asking me out?"

jeongguk blinked. then he cursed loudly, scrambling for a way to backtrack as jimin cackled softly. "no, iㅡyou sly piece ofㅡ"

jimin tutted, shaking his head. "not looking so good with this confession, guk..."

"i can't believe after i told you how i'm not good with all thisㅡthis romance stuff you'd actually make meㅡ"

"one sec, yoongi just texted meㅡ" jimin fished his phone out of his pocket, that had most certainly made no notification sound whatsoever, and rolled his eyes exaggeratedly at the ceiling. "he just won't stop flirting you know, it's unbelievableㅡ"

"god, i like you jimin!" jeongguk burst out, and jimin closed his mouth, looking at him expectantly. jeongguk groaned softly into his hands, sounding muffled as he rambled on, "whatㅡwhat do you want me to say? i like your smile and your laugh and your hands but i like it better when you smile at me and laugh at my jokes and you're holding my hand and i wanna have it all the time, okay? f-fucking christ!"

jeongguk actually had to catch his breath after that, and when he managed to peel his hands away from his face, jimin was staring at him with a strange, strange look. finally, he set down his phone on the coffee table in front of them and said, "you know what, jeongguk? i don't think i appreciate you swearing around my puppy."

"she'sㅡ" jeongguk stared at him incredulously. "she's a fucking animal! and did you even hear any of what i justㅡ"

"you're an animal, too! language!"

the puppy yapped in agreement.

"jimin." jeongguk clasped his hands together, giving him a dazzling smile. "sweet, lovely, darling jiminie. will you please go out with me? 'cause i really, really, really wanna go out with you."

"well, well, well," jimin teased, and jeongguk might just snap. "the confused straight boy isn't all that confused anymore, hm?"

"oh my god, can you just say yes so we can move the hell on?"

"i'll have to think about it," jimin shrugged, unbothered, as he went back to petting the puppy. "give me a day."

jeongguk blinked. "aㅡwhat?"

"what?"

"what's there to think about? it's me!" he protested, placing a hand against his chest as if physically wounded.

"oh, yeah." jimin knitted his eyebrows together, nodding slowly. "...yeah. yikes. make that a week."

"jimin!"

jimin rolled his eyes, "fine, a day, okay?"

"make it less!"

"make me make it less," jimin goaded, smiling down at the puppy with a cheeky grin.

"god you're annoying!" jeongguk yelled. "can i kiss you?!"

jimin's head whipped up at that, and okay, maybe he shouldn't have said it so aggressively. but in his defense, jimin was being annoying and jeongguk had kinda been thinking about the second part for a significant portion of the day. it was bound to slip out soon.

"can you what?"

"can i..." jeongguk gulped, speaking a bit slower, quieter, "can i kiss you?"

"yes." jeongguk blinked in surprise, and jimin's eyes widened, seeming to realize how quickly he'd replied, and he hastened to explain, "iㅡi mean, if you think that would um, make me make it less, thenㅡ"

jeongguk made a soft hushing sound. it was directed more to his own heart than to jimin, which was all he could hear at that moment, pounding in his chest and reverberating in his ears. but jimin shut up too, which was a bonus.

and then he kissed him.

full disclosure: jeongguk had no experience in kissing whatsoever.

his mom, dadㅡsure. seokjin kissed him on the cheek once and never did again (jeongguk made sure of it). on one occasion, a llama at the local zoo licked his face.

but not... like this.

not like this; starting with a shy, tentative peck against his lips, innocent and curious; heart thumping wildly and hands trembling; then a sudden spike of emotion in his chest and a shift of lips, a soft groan and a satisfied sigh; getting bolder, closer, hands roaming over the small of jimin's back, the curve of his waist; plump, wet lips and a distinct taste; a firm hold on the back of his neck, then jimin's hand adjusting to rest against his cheek; god, god, he loved his handsㅡ

ㅡno, never like this. never with someone he likedㅡjeongguk liked jimin and he was finally certain of it, he was kissing him for god's sake and he didn't want to stop, everㅡ

a hand pushed at his chest softly. jeongguk pulled away; sound rushed back into his ears and the world regained focus. the puppy was barking incessantly, almost in distress.

"that.." jimin's expression was dazed, eyes unfocused and hand sliding down jeongguk's chest. then his face was breaking into the hugest grin, eyes disappearing into crescents with his hand splayed across his face as he giggled out, "that was so.... gay!"

jeongguk barely heard him. jimin's lips looked swollen, bitten roughlyㅡhad he done that? he couldn't have. and that distinct taste... he smacked his lips, eyes widening. "oh," he voiced in awe. he smiled slowly, gaze locking onto jimin's as he uttered, "peaches. you taste like... of course you taste like freaking peaches."

the lovely smile jimin had been sporting was wiped off in a flash, and he groaned in annoyance. "not this stupid thing agaiㅡ"

jeongguk swiped his thumb over his bottom lip distractedly as jimin trailed off, wide-eyed gaze sliding to the side and mouth gaping open.

"jeongguk. wait." jeongguk blinked as jimin's gaze snapped back to him. "wait." beat. "that's it."

"okay," jeongguk nodded, confused, and jimin shook his head, clicking his tongue.

"no, listen, that's it! that's the name!" his whole body spoke of his excitement, from his eyes brimmed with glee to his hands drumming his knees and legs jigging against the floor; though his words made no effort to convey its reason to jeongguk. "oh my god, that'sㅡ"

"jimin, what is?" jeongguk interrupted gently.

"peaches." jimin's hands came to a rest between them, his pinky grazing jeongguk's index finger as he beamed. "that's her name, jeongguk."

"i sure do love ice age: dawn of the dinosaurs."

"the puppy, guk!" jimin burst out. jeongguk released a puff of air in realization, and jimin smiled softly; bent a little to gaze at her, fond. "i'm naming her peaches."

jeongguk looked at the puppy, who'd ceased her barking fit as soon as they'd broken apart and were at a somewhat respectable distance from each other. "peaches," he repeated, sort of to himself. trying it out. jimin watched him anxiously as he scratched the puppy behind her ears.

"it's nice," he said finally. jimin relaxed into a grin, nodding enthusiastically. "it works. peaches. seokjin hyung would like it, too."

jimin cocked his head to the side. "why would he like it?"

"'cause you know.... mario? the uh, princessㅡ" jimin looked blank. "you know what, never mind."

jimin shook his head lightly, laughing like tinkling bells, and jeongguk stared in a daze as jimin slipped his hand into his. there was a silence, as they both simply admired their entwined fingers. jeongguk would like to never let go, wouldn't mind just sitting here with jimin's hand in his, as time went on endlessly. there were words caught in his throat, and he made to free them.

peaches barked.

jeongguk withdrew his hand, lurching his entire body away as well out of instinctㅡthen he stopped, narrowed his eyes, and looked at the puppy. she gazed back at him innocently from jimin's lap, tail wagging at a leisurely pace.

they stared at each other. could puppies smirk? he could swear she was smirking at him.

"for some reason, i don't think peaches likes of our relationship very much," he said at last.

jimin broke out into a grin, and he patted her affectionately. "a bit of a jealous one, isn't she?"

"weird," jeongguk mused, recalling her indifference whenever seokjin had come over during the period he'd brought her up. "she was okay with me and seokjin hyung."

jimin rolled his eyes. "everyone has a crush on kim seokjin," he grumbled. "even damn puppies. i bet wilting flowers regain life in his presence, too."

"yeah... you weren't the first person who made me question my sexuality, i'll have you know."

"all righty!" jimin stood abruptly, clasping his hands together and smiling eerily. "time to leave, buddy."

"aw, whyyy?" jeongguk complained, staring up at him pitifully. jimin cleared his throat, and jeongguk stamped his foot against the ground, rising nevertheless. "okay fine then! just one more,"

"one more what?" jeongguk puckered his lips and jimin lurched back, shaking his head rapidly as he assumed a fighting stance. "no! get out."

"i like your lips," jeongguk whined. jimin lowered his fists, relaxing into a smile as he shrugged in mock indifference.

"well they don't like you very much right now, so try again later."

"okay. when?"

"just leave, guk," jimin said, deadpan.

jeongguk grinned. "8:00PM at the blindfold?"

"do not joke about that!" jimin shouted, raising his fists againㅡjeongguk yelped as one made contact with his chest. "that is a very sensitive topic to the both of us and you know that."

"the ramen place down the street?" jeongguk suggested, rubbing the injured area in a way to evoke sympathyㅡjimin rolled his eyes and muttered something under his breath. "i saw it on the way here, it looks so cute!"

"ughㅡ"

"it's not like you have any other plans. i saw your bowl of cereal on the table, jim."

jimin stared at him in disbelief. "youㅡfine. ramen at eight, okay? bye."

"wait!" jeongguk protested, as jimin steered him towards the door. he heard successive yaps from somewhere near his feet, and saw peaches tottering alongside them, seemingly smug at jimin's company being escorted out. "jiminie. waaaait."

jimin was already pulling the front door open when he spoke. "for the love of god, what?"

jeongguk turned to fully face him. met his eyes and cleared his throat.

"happy... happy birthday." against his will, jeongguk found his gaze falling to the ground, and a sudden burning heat in his cheeks. he added weakly, "j-jimin."

jimin froze, staring at him; then, slowly but surely, he smiled. "took you long enough." he shoved at jeongguk's chest lightly, eyes disappearing as his smile widened. "dipshit. i thought you'd forgotten."

"uh huh." jeongguk nodded and crossed his arms, feeling suddenly petty. "like how you forgot on mine, right?"

jimin's mouth gaped open at that, and jeongguk continued to nod goadingly, controlling the urge to grin. "for your information," jimin began. he smiled sweetly. "for your information. i was actually going to send you a long, heart-warming birthday message but then you decided to have other things to do!"

"i'm sure you were, hyung," jeongguk replied coollyㅡhe turned and exited before jimin could comment, only managing to catch his eyebrows beginning to knit together and lips parting.

"don't call me that!" he heard jimin yell from behind him; peaches barked from his side in agreement. jeongguk only cackled as he skipped down the pathway, spinning around to flash him a cheeky grin.

"gotcha, snuggle muffin," he teased, hands stuffed into his pockets as he walked backwards. he watched jimin tilt his head against the doorway and scoff.

"you know that's ineffective on me," he said. a contradictory shade of pink blossomed across his cheeks.

jeongguk pointed this out without missing a beat, singing, "then why are you blushing, jimin-ssi?" and had to physically stop himself from smiling when jimin burst into unbridled laughter. jimin finally made to shut the door, looking at jeongguk once more and shaking his head sorrowfully, before he slammed it shut at last.

jeongguk heard a muffled shout from within the house. silence.

and jeongguk could finally smile, and he was emitting goofiness palpable at a hundred meter radius but it was all right, it was better than all right, because this was all he wanted. he wanted hidden smitten smiles and pink tinted cheeks and shy bitten lips, because it made him feel... simply feel.

jeongguk didn't know what it was like to be in love. maybe he never would.

but for now, this would do. this would do; so, wonderfully well.

☾

XYJIMIN
on second thoughts

JDRAGON
the blindfold?

XYJIMIN
well

JDRAGON
at eight?

XYJIMIN
mm

XYJIMIN
see you there

JDRAGON
but you won't see me ,, (; my blindfolded bad boy

XYJIMIN
that was.... unintentionally kinky

JDRAGON
unintentionally u say

JDRAGON
hello?

JDRAGON
i am so sorry please dont dump me

JDRAGON
JIMIN COME ON I SUPPORT YOUR KINKS

XYJIMIN
yeah so we're over

JDRAGON
WAIT YOU CANT END IT LIKE THIS

END.