Jeongguk gives the boy some space. He doesn't entirely like the idea, but at the same time he's worried showing up every day won't have the best effect. Maybe Jimin just needs a little time to himself.

Or, maybe, that's exactly what he doesn't need.

It's impossible for Jeongguk to know for certain. And he hates the ambiguity of the whole situation. However, for Jimin's sake, he is willing to endure.

Jeongguk sent the boy text messages, at least. That way, even though he's choosing to keep his distance for the time being, he won't be completely cutting off contact. Except for the fact Jimin doesn't read his text messages in the couple of days Jeongguk doesn't visit.

It's a push of some kind. Those couple of days with no response. Not seeing Jimin, not speaking to him. The boy's silence makes Jeongguk worry he made a mistake staying away to begin with. He wants to be patient. But at this point he's just paranoid he'll take a wrong step he won't be able to take back, so he gives in.

It's some time late in the afternoon and Jeongguk finds himself standing at Jimin's doorstep again.

He's had plenty of time to think by now. To train his words to be spoken only in a delicate nature, as well as to breathe and not hold his breath. He knows he needs to be at peace in order to show Jimin that he can be, too.

Jeongguk brought nothing with him this time. Nothing but himself.

He knocks at the door, already preparing to greet Jimin's aunt again with politeness and a smile. After waiting a minute with no answer, Jeongguk tentatively knocks a second time. Again, nothing.

He doesn't let it discourage him. Once more, he knocks. Then he stands back on the heels of his feet for a moment, exhaling deeply. It didn't occur to him until now that Jimin's aunt and uncle could be at work. He's not aware of their schedules, what time of day or even what days they work, and now could very well be one of those times they do.

And if Jimin's still shutting himself off in his room it's unlikely he'll hear a knock at the door. Or even if he does hear it, Jeongguk can't see the boy dragging himself out of bed and all the way downstairs just to answer it.

For a while things don't seem in Jeongguk's favor. Silence being the only one answering his knock, the boy hangs his head despondently and almost walks away from the door.

But then he hears it. The slightest shuffle of feet across the floor, soon followed by the gradual turning of a knob, which clicks after a few seconds.

And the door opens.

There at the doorway stands Jimin in his bare feet, a baby-blue fleece blanket wrapped around his body. His complexion looks unnaturally pale, which although it's what Jeongguk expected to see, it's not any less disheartening to look upon in person. Jimin in general, right now, is terribly disheartening to look upon in person. In this pitiful state of his. Drained, depressed.

Jeongguk puts on a bright smile to counter the half-hearted gaze of puzzlement he's greeted with.

"Hi, Jimin."

Jimin's eyes grow just a tad wider at the utterance of his name. He pulls his blanket even closer to himself. "What're you...doing here?"

The soft, fragile sound of his voice squeezes Jeongguk's heart. "I, uh...I wanted to see you." A somewhat nervous laugh spills out of his mouth. "I missed you, Jimin."

"Missed me?"

"Mhm. Can I come inside?"

The boy hesitates noticeably, but seemingly more because of Jeongguk's statement rather than the question that followed. Jimin takes the tiniest step backwards. Then one more. So Jeongguk takes a bold step forward, through the doorway, and he shuts it behind him.

He's standing right beside Jimin now. Jimin, clearly too tired to move away or to react at all to their close proximity, whereas Jeongguk can't help but melt at the sight of him.

"Can I hug you?"

It's an unlikely request and he knows it, deep down still being worried Jimin wants little to do with him right now - as it would seem, this isn't the case. Jeongguk soon has to resist tearing up as the smaller boy leans into him - not with open arms, but instead crossing his arms over his chest and allowing Jeongguk to embrace him as such.

"Have you eaten at all today?" He asks Jimin after finally urging himself to pull away. His gaze washes kindly over the other's face. "I'm going to guess you haven't."

"A little." Jimin looks at his feet. "Before she left for work, my aunt...made a late lunch for me."

"Oh, she did? What did you eat?"

"Pasta and bread."

It pleases Jeongguk's ears to hear. "That's good. I'm glad."

"Mm."

He watches Jimin's face, not speaking for a time, but simply examining the boy's expression in all its misery and saddening fatigue. Whether Jimin admits it or not it's evident he needs sleep. Or at least to rest. To sit down. Anything.

Jeongguk takes it upon himself to grab the boy's hand - again, delicately, as delicately is the only way he believes Jimin should ever be treated. It takes a moment. For Jimin to loose his crossarmed position and drop his hand to his side so that Jeongguk can more easily guide him to the living room, where he then gently and silently persuades him to sit down on the couch.

Jeongguk sits beside him.

"We can watch a movie or something," he says to the boy, who to Jeongguk's surprise chooses to stare at him rather than the TV screen. "Do you think that would make you sleepy?"

There's no reply at first. Only that sad, sleepy staring.

"...Jimin?"

"You missed me..."

Disbelief.

"You missed...me..."

"I did." Jeongguk tries to hold his smile in place but he can feel it faltering. "I know it's only been a couple days since I visited but I've been worried."

"You brought roses..."

"I did."

It's as though there's something, some emotion, some string of words Jimin wants to convey but in his current state he can't find a way to get it across. But it stings. Behind those tired eyes, Jeongguk can see how it stings. And it hurts him just as much.

Seeing him this way.

Vividly recalling Hoseok's story, the heart-wrenching reality of Jimin's misfortunate life.

As Jimin lets his guard down, Jeongguk tugs at the boy's blanket so he can pull it over both of them. And he gently presses against Jimin's head to rest on his shoulder.

They lie there. Silently, peacefully, against one another, for hours, as at some point they both fall asleep and their bodies seem to convince themselves that this nap must outlast any nap taken before.

Into the evening, curled up on the couch. Letting the lasting daylight of late afternoon pass by and drift into the dim skies of evening.

In all that time, it's just them. And Jeongguk wakes up first just to be struck abruptly by this realization which, for some indescribable reason, overwhelms him and he feels like crying.

Jimin has never looked so peaceful as he does right now. Sleeping.

Jeongguk just wants it to stay this way. He wants Jimin to feel this comfortable with him always.

To enjoy this peace.

But he wakes up, and Jeongguk is almost tempted to persuade him to go back to sleep.

A sleepy hum, shuffling movements. Jimin's head slips off Jeongguk's shoulder and almost falls into the other's lap, but Jeongguk catches him as he chuckles in amusement.

"I don't think your aunt and uncle are home yet," he says to Jimin as he combs the boy's hair out of his face. "What time do they normally get back?"

It takes a minute for him to readjust to being awake. Slow, cute blinking. "Late," Jimin eventually says. "Their schedules are...weird, I don't know..."

Adorable. "It's okay."

"...what time is it?"

"Not sure," Jeongguk replies, reaching for his phone to check. His eyes skip over the unseen messages. "Wh-...it's almost nine."

"Morning?"

Stop, I want to hug you again. "Night."

"They'll probably be home by ten." Jimin rubs his eyes and yawns. Now that he's awake, he looks just as tired as he did before, but perhaps, hopefully, that would fade soon.

"Do you want me to leave before then?"

"Mm?"

"Before your aunt and uncle get home." Jeongguk smiles though his words aren't quite as happy. "Do you want me to leave?"

Jimin pauses. His half-lidded eyes stare into space, then appear to wander even further to a point Jeongguk can't reach. It's concerning, but he doesn't allow his own voice to interrupt.

"...you don't...I don't want you to leave me alone..."

The emotion leaks through at last. Desperation in its purest form, stifled till it couldn't be stifled anymore.

Jeongguk's brain shuts off. His heart grips the steering wheel.

"Then I won't."

Hands extended, he cups Jimin's cheek just to rub his thumb across the boy's smooth skin and stare into his eyes with an unequivocal warmth.

Jimin's eyes. Still not fully open, but visible enough. Beautiful, even in their apparent state of exhaustion. Stunning, even though they always look so close to tears, and it breaks Jeongguk's heart.

Perfect, even though Jimin has undoubtedly been lied to about his own reflection since the day he was born.

Closely observed, that's all that Jeongguk can think. How perfect they are. How perfect every feature of the boy's face is.

"Jeongguk?"

"Mm?"

"Are you going to kiss me?"

A dazed, breathless whisper. Equally as dazed now, Jeongguk's gaze flicks from Jimin's lips to his eyes and back again. His heart swings a massive hammer against his ribcage.

"...only if you let me."

A slight but detectable nod.

It's all Jeongguk's heart needs to push him forward, to close those few inches of space between them, to claim Jimin's soft, pillowy lips with his own. And he's delicate now more than ever. In disbelief to be given this opportunity, he treats it like he would his greatest possession.

Of course, Jimin isn't his possession. But he's a treasure nonetheless. A fragile but priceless treasure to Jeongguk.

He wants to cry.

Regrettably, he does.

And whether it's at the sensation of a tear touching his skin or the sound of voices laughing outside, Jimin parts their lips and seizes Jeongguk's wrist without warning.

The latter is then led by hurried footsteps up the stairs and to Jimin's room. Jimin shuts the door behind them.

The amount of time he has his back turned to the other is enough for Jeongguk to quickly wipe away his tears. Maybe he didn't see. Maybe he didn't see. "Do you not want your aunt and uncle to know I'm here?" He asks.

"No, that's-"

Jimin's voice cracks. He vigorously shakes his head.

"They...could've walked in on us...I didn't want to embarrass you..."

Admittedly, Jeongguk can't deny that he would have been more than just a little embarrassed if Jimin's aunt and uncle walked in and saw them, but he puts on a smile in hopes it will reassure the boy - well, that, and he's more in a mood to smile now. His chest and head feel fuzzy and warm as he takes in the deep shade of red from Jimin's complexion.

"Maybe," Jeongguk says after a bit, "but you didn't have to run me all the way up to your room."

The color in Jimin's cheeks grows even deeper. "I...wanted to show you my plushie collection..."

"And I'd love to see them."

—

the kiss was unplanned so whoopsie :D
this chapter was also very choppy to me but y'all gon' hype me up anyway cus you're angels but STILL