Chapter 18

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"I'm here to pick you up." his stepdick stated, like there was no way around it. Like it wasn't Jimin's choice to make.

His voice sounded a lot more confident than he actually felt. Jungkook's presence, even with him being mainly confused, made Jimin feel saver. Even in the presence of that asshole. "I'm not coming with you."

He could see irritation flicker over his stepdad's features, but he quickly caught himself, putting on that mask again he always wore when they were in public... or around his mother. He only ever showed his true colors to Jimin when they were alone.

"You are. Your mum's worried about you." He took a step into the apartment, Jimin almost flinching away. Jungkook seemed to notice Jimin's fear and stepped in front of Jimin's stepdad, forcing him to stay where he was. "I don't remember inviting you in."

For some reason even with Jungkook being maybe the same size as Jimin's stepdad, he still seemed to be looking down on him, towering over him as he slowly forced him to back up. Maybe Jimin's stepdad could feel that Jungkook wasn't one to shy away from a fight. After all, even with how big he tried to be, when it came down to it his stepdad was a coward.

"Maybe I should call the police on you guys for keeping him away from his family." he tried to threaten but Jungkook scoffed.
"He's not a minor and I think you'd get in more trouble than we would if the police got involved in this, wouldn't you?" His tone was mocking. "Fuck off. You're not welcome here."

Jungkook pushed him ever so slightly, forcing him to take that last step out of the door, before staring him down, waiting for him to leave. Jimin was breathing heavily in the back, clutching onto the door frame, hoping that dick would actually leave.

After a few seconds of trying to return Jungkook's glare he finally gave up, once more stealing a glance at Jimin, who could feel his heart rate speed up again. "You'll come home again." It sounded more like a threat than anything else.

The worst part was Jimin knew that he didn't care about Jimin being home. This whole thing was only about displaying dominance. Jimin wasn't doing what he had told him to so he had to be corrected.

Then he finally left and Jimin could feel all the fear and anxiety sinking from where they had clung to his heart just seconds ago to his stomach.

Jungkook closed the door slowly, making sure to lock it after before turning to Jimin.

For the first time in a while Jimin saw genuine worry displayed on his features. "Hey, everything alright?" he walked over to where Jimin was standing, still so... scared. His stepdad knew where he lived... what if he showed up again? For the first time in months he didn't feel safe here. "You're shaking." Jungkook stated, his tone so soft, Jimin almost didn't recognize it.

"Yeah uhm..." he tried to calm himself down, gather his thoughts. "It's okay. It's going to be okay in a minute. I just get nervous around him." His voice didn't sound like his own. It was so distant... distracted.

Tears gathered in his eyes but he forced them away by blinking quickly, before wiping the corners of his eyes with his sleeve. He didn't want to cry. It would make things so awkward. There was no reason for him to cry. Nothing had happened. "I'm okay."

That was a lie. Jimin most certainly was not okay. He'd almost forgotten all the fear he felt when he saw his stepfather... now he remembered. Remembered just how bad it was. "I'm okay." He repeated again, like he was trying to convince himself he was.

"No you're not." Not saying more Jungkook wrapped his arms around Jimin, tightly squeezing. Jimin felt like crying. Like crying really badly. "I'm okay." His throat tightened up and more tears started spilling from his eyes. "I swear I'm okay."

He sunk into Jungkook's arms, all the tension he had felt suddenly weighing down on him. His feet suddenly felt like they couldn't support his own weight anymore. His body clung onto Jungkook like his life depended on it but his mouth kept moving. "I'm okay. You can let go. I'm okay." Please don't let go.

Jimin choked up, his voice finally no longer allowing him to repeat that he was fine. Deny all the emotions he was feeling. As if a dam had broken loose he started sobbing, burying his face in Jungkook's chest.

He could feel Jungkook's arm move before he placed in on the small of his back, soothingly rubbing it while whispering soft words of encouragement to Jimin. "Shhh it's okay. It's okay to cry."

Jimin wasn't sure how it had happened but not long after Jungkook was sitting on the couch with Jimin lying down, resting his head on Jungkook's thigh as the younger soothingly ran his hand through Jimin's hair.

Jimin had somewhat gotten a hold on himself. Of course every once in a while tears would start gathering in his eyes again and then he'd slip and sob for a couple of seconds, but Jungkook was great at calming him down. The way he reacted was so warm, so affectionate that it was hard to believe that he wasn't doing it often.

"Was that your stepdad?" Jungkook asked after a while, his hand never ceasing to smooth Jimin's hair.

Exhausted Jimin nodded, staring at the ceiling to stop tears from gathering in his eyes again.

"He's just as big of a dick as you said he was." Jungkook stated, tracing Jimin's ear. It tickled but Jimin didn't want it to stop so he forced himself not to duck away.

"I mean he is, but he didn't really do anything today." Jimin muttered. That's what his stepdad always did. Just not enough to seem like a dick.

"He didn't give a fuck when you reacted like that. If I had a stepson and he was acting like that around me I would take some time to overthink my life choices. But he just didn't give a fuck." Jungkook stated matter of factly, but Jimin could hear a bit of anger in his tone.

"He's always like that, but my mum's kind of dense so she doesn't notice. Thinks he's just a bit overly emotional and worried about me. As if." Jimin sniffed. God he had to look horrible. Red rimmed eyes, puffy cheeks. Runny nose. If Jungkook had ever considered Jimin to be somewhat attractive he certainly didn't anymore now.

Jungkook nodded, rubbing Jimin's cheek and Jimin couldn't help but lean into the touch.

When Jungkook's voice filled the room, Jimin listened carefully, enjoying the soft tone and the effect it had on him.
"I know that too damn well. My grandma was like that. Used to act like she was the nicest woman on earth whenever one of her friends was around but made life a living hell for my parents. I was lucky that I wasn't born as her child, but being her grandchild was bad enough. My parents didn't want to see her, but everyone around us, all our neighbours, kept reminding us that she was a good woman at heart and that we shouldn't leave her alone like that. When my parents declined, everyone started talking about how heartless they were. Even as just their child that hurt... I can't imagine what that would feel like when you hear it from your own mother." Jungkook trailed off, pushing his own hair out of his face before leaning over Jimin and rubbing the back of his head.

Jimin sighed, content with the affection he was receiving. "Bad. Feels really bad."

Jungkook nodded. A small silence ensued but Jimin didn't mind as long as Jungkook didn't stop running his hand through his hair.

"You know, I'm always here if you need someone to talk. I know I'm not that easy to talk to, but I think I'm an alright listener, so if you need someone you can always come to me." he promised and Jimin couldn't help the smile that tugged at the corners of his lips.

"You are a great listener... and easy to talk to as long as you're not intentionally distancing yourself." he reassured, taking Jungkook's other hand into his and playing with it. Slowly he trailed the soft lines of Jungkook's tattoo, impressed with the fine details.

"Glad to hear that." Jungkook smiled, once again rubbing Jimin's cheek with his free hand.

For some reason following Jungkook's tattoos with his eyes helped Jimin calm down a lot. Which was funny considering that just a while back they had scared him just as much as the ones his stepfather had. But now that his head was building up the connection between Jungkook and the tattoos they suddenly weren't scary anymore. Rather made him feel safe.

Jungkook had protected him when his biggest fear had appeared knocking on his door. There was nothing Jimin had needed to say. He simply saw Jimin being scared and stepped in. That was one of the things Jimin loved so much about Jungkook. While he usually acted like he didn't give a shit in the world, whenever Jimin had actually needed him, he had acted with no questions asked.

So the fact that tracing Jungkook's tattoos with his fingers calmed him down no longer came as a surprise. How could they not when they belonged to Jungkook?

"You like them?" The younger's tone was still just as soft as it had been the entire time.

Jimin chuckled. "Duh." he followed the line further up Jungkook's arm. "They are beautiful, simple, hot, belong to you... how could I not like them?"

When he looked up he found Jungkook staring at his face, with something Jimin couldn't quite identify. For a second nothing happened and then Jungkook moved down a bit and Jimin realized what was going to happen. He didn't even have the time to freak out before Jungkook's nose brushed his, but then suddenly he stopped. Jimin was unsure why, but when he made eye contact with Jungkook he knew the answer. It was his option. If he didn't want to kiss him... Jimin now had the chance to push Jungkook away. But he didn't. Once the initial shock wore off he knew that there was nothing he wanted to do more right now than kiss Jungkook. So he did a bit hesitantly moving up to meet Jungkook's lips.

The second their lips met all worries about how to even kiss went out of the window. The only thing Jimin could think about was how soft Jungkook's lips were on his and then it was over again. A few seconds he simply blinked about three times per second before saying the first thing that came to his mind. "That's all?"

Jungkook looked at him, disbelieve written over his features before snorting. "That's all, he says. You just spent an hour sobbing in my arms. I'm not going to french kiss you, no offence."

Jimin giggled, not quite believing what had just happened. "Offence taken. Do I look that ugly when I cry?"

Jungkook rolled his eyes. "You know that's not the reason." He brought his hand up, poking Jimin's side in a teasing manner. "You just got me all emotional too. I'm not in the mood for a hot make out session no matter how appealing you look with snot all over your face." Jimin knew that the last part was mainly teasing... hopefully.

Slowly Jimin sat up to properly look at Jungkook, since looking up at Jungkook wasn't the most comfortable position to properly talk. "Why did you do that?" Jimin wasn't stupid but he wanted to hear the answer from Jungkook.

"One of the thousand optional reasons as to why someone would kiss someone else." Jungkook rolled his eyes. "I felt like it and I like you so I went for it."

Something about how casually Jungkook said that was intimidating. After all this kind of stuff probably wasn't as much in Jimin's comfort zone as he would have liked.

"But it wasn't all that spontaneous. I've been wanting to ask you for a date or something for a while, but for some reason that was a lot harder then simply going for it when an opportunity arises. I think I might just have been scared of being rejected. If you were to reject the kiss, I could just say that I simply acted on an urge, but with more direct questions that's different." he muttered, avoiding Jimin's eyes and the boy couldn't help but coo. This was the first time he saw Jungkook acting all shy like that.

"Sooo... you wanna go on a date if I got that right?" Jimin asked, feeling oddly comfortable talking to Jungkook like this.

"I mean, maybe more than that, but a date would be a great start." Jungkook chuckled and Jimin wasn't sure how to interpret 'more than that' but a date really did sound good for now.

"I'm in." Jimin offered. "Maybe you should talk with Tae first though. You two are kind of dating too."

Jungkook nodded, his eyes wandering around like there was something he was not telling Jimin, but Jimin was certain that there were a bunch of things left unsaid when it came to the two of them, so he wasn't trying to prey.

Instead he moved a bit closer to Jungkook, feeling a bit hesitant, but he was willing to fight to get over that shyness. "Could I kiss you again?"

Jungkook chuckled, bringing his hand up to caress Jimin's cheek before smiling a bit too cheeky for Jimin's taste. "Go ahead."

A/N

Aaaaaaah💜

I'm sorry I love this😂

Guuuuys I got two new stories and they are really cute. One even is vminkook too... you should totally check it out!!!