Jimin didn't know when it happened but he suddenly found himself sitting on Yoongi's bed with the other lying on his back, staring blankly at the ceiling.

It was so bizarre to see him like this.

"...your room is cute."

"Thanks."

Prior to this moment, Jimin had been oh so briefly introduced to Yoongi's father and older sister. But Yoongi was being impatient and selfish right now and didn't want to share Jimin, who had chosen to stay in hopes of it making him feel better.

So now here they were, in Yoongi's cute, pastel decorated room, with its pale yellow and white walls, wood-paneled flooring, dresser with several Studio Ghibli figurines, some books and paper mâché animals, and a closet which Jimin had no doubt was filled with all of Yoongi's adorable sweaters and shirts and things. Fairy lights were strung across the wall. There was a small shelf attached to the wall above a white desk, both of which held two small succulents each.

Cute, just like Yoongi.

Except now, as Jimin looked at Yoongi, he wasn't thinking about how cute the boy was. All he could see was Yoongi's saddened heart pouring out into the air in the form of an empty stare.

"...Jungkook's gay, too."

In shock, Jimin turned to Yoongi, who hadn't moved, but now, he had on a more resolute expression.

"I think I'm justified enough to say that at this point," Yoongi breathed. "An eye for an eye, you know? I don't usually think that way but I'm just really upset right now. Besides...I know you wouldn't tell anyone."

Yoongi let out another sigh, slowly rising to sit in an upright position. His glasses nearly slid off his nose but he pushed them back up. He glanced at Jimin.

"...you don't mind if I talk, do you?"

"This is your house," Jimin pointed out. "You have first say in things."

"Yeah, but I guilt-tripped you into staying, didn't I?"

"It's fine. I owe you this much."

"...what about your family, do they know you're-"

"I told them I'm staying at a friend's house for the night. I didn't specify Namjoon. If they question me, so be it...I'll get around it..."

Yoongi smiled a bit. Truly, he was grateful Jimin hadn't turned him down. He really would have been alone then.

"Thank you, Jimin."

The mint-haired boy looked down at his hands and intertwined his fingers. Jimin sat still and watched and listened.

"...Jungkook's younger brother outed him to his family about a year ago," he started out by explaining. "For what reason, I can't quite remember...I think they had been fighting or something and Jungkook's brother happened to find out about him being gay, and so he told their parents as a way of venting. And Jungkook...didn't get the best response."

There was sympathy lined in Yoongi's words. No...not just sympathy. A bit of empathy, too.

"He didn't have anyone to turn to," Yoongi continued. "No one who understood him. No gay friends or any friends at all who could even attempt to comfort him. He was depressed, and alone. And then one day, weeks after I started coming to school with my dyed hair and wearing the outfits that I do, this timid boy came up to me...and told me in a tearful voice how much he admired me. I was dumb, I didn't connect the dots at first, but then I realized what he meant. And my heart went out to him."

"That's how you became friends?"

"That was the start, yeah." Yoongi nodded. "He was shy then, still shy now but less so when it's just the two of us. Jin's never been shy. He's a popular guy, believe it or not, it's just a lot of people leave him alone when he's around me. And Hobi's-..."

He got distracted. Lost in his own thoughts. Jimin could see him drifting, but he didn't want to pull him back just yet.

"...Hobi's always been...here..."

There was a somewhat sad smile on his face now.

"...he's been my best friend since elementary school. Can't imagine what my life would be like without that redheaded weirdo..." He stifled a quiet laugh. "Really, he's such an idiot...but he cares about me a lot. He's proved that. You know that rainbow sweater I've worn to school a handful of times?"

Jimin immediately recalled the vibrant, but cute, article of clothing of Yoongi's, and he nodded.

"That was how I came out," Yoongi said. "Walking into school with that sweater, along with my hair which I dyed myself, was how I finally let go of the heaviest burden I had ever carried in my entire life. And Hobi cried when he saw me that day. He cried so hard and I swore he wouldn't stop...kept on telling me he liked my sweater and it looked nice on me...he was overwhelmed, because he'd known there was some reason I had been utterly depressed for years, and seeing me finally come out of my shell was as relieving to him as it was to me. That idiot made me cry, too..."

Jimin tried to think about it. He tried to imagine the scene, the image of a formerly cold and miserable Yoongi walking into school looking how he did right now... Oddly enough it was easier now to picture it. Having heard everything Yoongi had said both to him and to Jungkook had painted clearer that reality which Jimin had initially struggled to believe.

Yoongi hadn't always been comfortable and open and happy. It was just like he said...before, he had been utterly miserable, depressed beyond belief. Suffocated.

Hoseok had been his closest friend through all that despite not knowing the reason for Yoongi's emptiness.

That was why this, right now, hurt so much.

"I thought he would understand."

He sounded so sad. Jimin didn't like that. He'd rather Yoongi be teasing him and being annoying over this.

"Maybe getting sleep would help you feel better."

Yoongi glanced over at Jimin. "What time is it?"

"Almost 11:30 p.m."

The mint-haired boy pouted and sighed for the tenth time that night. "I mean, I don't really think that would help, but I guess I don't really have a better alternative at his point. And I'm sure you're tired of listening to me at this point..."

"I didn't say that..."

"It's okay, Jimin." Yoongi smiled a bit wider this time. "You've been dragged through this, too, so I'll bet you're tired."

He didn't reply this time. Because honestly, Jimin was tired. And still a little scared about the whole thing, but he didn't want to bring that up right now.

In a few seconds Yoongi got up from the bed to place his glasses on his dresser, turn off the light, then returned again to lie down. Jimin was still sitting up.

"Not going to sleep yet?" Yoongi asked. Jimin felt his cheeks turn a little red.

"I...don't know."

"You should. Or are you too uncomfortable with sleeping on the same bed as me-?"

Jimin couldn't take this kind of behavior any longer. Yoongi's out-of-character tentativeness, like he felt he was being nothing more than a bother... In frustration Jimin lay down and pulled blankets over himself, glaring at the boy next to him.

But he couldn't maintain that glare—no, it didn't even last a second. In the soft glow from the fairy lights behind the bed, Yoongi looked absolutely beautiful. And his eyes, which at the moment, weren't looking at Jimin because he was distracted by his own thoughts again...

Jimin was distracted, too.

"...hey, Jimin...?"

"...hm...?"

"...can I ask you a favor...?"

"...what is it...?"

"...could we cuddle...?"

His answers had been spoken fairly absentmindedly till this point. But those last three words, uttered in such a soft, adorable tone, on top of the realization that Yoongi was gazing directly into Jimin's eyes with a look that whispered, please...?

Jimin felt his face flush deeply.

"If you really don't want to, it's okay," Yoongi said, almost sadly. "I understand if it would make you uncomfortable, but..." He paused, eyes closing for just a moment. Then he looked at Jimin again. "Right now, I don't really think I'll be able to sleep like this. And forgive me, I grew up spoiled by Hobi. He used to cuddle with me whenever he could tell I was depressed..."

Yoongi bit the inside of his cheek.

"...which was often."

Jimin honestly was feeling overwhelmed with sympathy right now, and he couldn't handle another second of Yoongi's sad, true stories, even more than he doubted he could handle cuddling with the boy.

He still didn't believe he deserved to be in love with Yoongi. But this, Jimin told himself, would be for Yoongi's benefit.

"I don't mind."

With that concise response, Yoongi shifted his position so that he could slip one hand under Jimin and pull the boy close to his chest. Jimin tensed up, his body flooding with warmth as he felt Yoongi's arm gently wrap around his waist.

"Is...this okay?"

Jimin's heart pounded against his chest. There's no way he can't hear it. There's no way... "I-it doesn't matter-"

"Are you sure?" Yoongi whispered. "I...really don't want you to feel uncomfortable, Jimin..."

"I'm not uncomfortable..."

"Well, that's good. 'Cus I'm quite comfortable."

He gave Jimin a tight squeeze. Jimin's heart leapt.

"You can put your arm around me, too, ya know."

"W-what?"

"For maximum cuddle efficiency, both people are required to participate."

"You're being ridiculous. You're teasing me."

"I wouldn't be me if I didn't do those things, now would I, Jimin?"

He couldn't see Yoongi's face, but Jimin assumed the boy was smiling that cheeky yet somehow innocent smile of his. And Jimin was weak to the mere thought of it.

Tentatively he slipped one arm under Yoongi's torso, then wrapped the other around him to pull him even closer than he already was.

Once Jimin got past the sheer embarrassment he felt about the whole situation, he actually started to relax in Yoongi's arms, and he quite enjoyed the steady beating of the other's heart. It felt so nice, and warm, and...secure.

"...hey, Yoongi...?"

"Hm?"

"...I think you should forgive Hoseok and Jungkook. I don't want to be the reason for you fighting with your closest friends. Besides..." Jimin let out a soft breath and nuzzled into Yoongi's chest. "...if I'm being honest, though I get why you were upset with them, I don't blame them at all. I mistreated someone they care very much about...if I were them I wouldn't have been happy with it, either..."

Yoongi pondered Jimin's words in the quietness that followed them. He didn't have to ask to know the boy was still mad at himself, probably agreeing with everything Jungkook had said.

He still wasn't happy with the way his friends handled the situation. But, taking Jimin's explanation into consideration, Yoongi reminded himself, at least they had good intentions.

Even if they hadn't been using their heads. At all.

"Thank you, Jimin. Good night."

"Night, Yoongi..."

*

*

a/n:
i'm caught up to what i have prewritten so no more daily updates oof ;-; i'll just have to post again as soon as i have another chapter done 👍💜