Burning Desire - Lana Del Rey

"They're not speed skates Jeongguk! You can't be skating so fast in them!"

Jimin in the midst of trying to spin stops when another loud smack hits the ice, turning his attention from nearly slamming onto the boards to notice Jeongguk collapses on the ice, again, with a frustrated glare in his eyes.

He's been going at this for an hour or two now, skating along side the ice but tripping because of the pick. Speed skates and figure skates are different, very different, so no wonder he's struggling a lot with adjusting to them now.

Jackson has briefly mentioned to Jimin that Jeongguk is here just as a test run, nothing more than that. Of course there's more to this that Jimin doesn't know of, but Jackson only ordered him to practice his spins like they've been practicing.

This went on for a while now until Jackson just called the two off the ice. Not once did Jimin or Jeongguk spoke, or even looked at each other in a greeting. They just took off their skates like Jackson has asked them to and followed him to the training room.

There's no one here but no doubt the women's hockey team will be arriving soon for practice, being the reason why they're here instead of being at the ice. This room is specialized for training figure skaters specifically on their choreography and lifts, along with their spins.

This is the place that really determines everything.

At least for Jackson.

He stands by the mirror, looking at the two with a nervous nibble on his bottom lip before crossing his arms over his chest, "Jeongguk," The ravenette snaps his head up, "Can you lift Jimin?"

Absolutely fucking not.

Jimin immediately steps away from Jeongguk, a horrid sneer on his lips, "He's not going to touch me."

"Jimin I just want to see something that's all."

"I said no," He snaps, hands to his hips, "I've tolerated enough of this ice skating bullshit. I'm not going to continue doing this shit-"

"Stubborn."

The voice that spoke is quiet, soft and clearly a mumble that was meant to not be heard. Oh but Jimin heard it, snapping his head to Jeongguk who just glares at the mirror, lips in a nasty scowl with arms crossed.

Oh so he speaks?

Jimin turns his whole body to face him, hands still on his hips, "Stubborn? Really? Sorry that I have my boundaries!"

"No," Jeongguk breathes out quietly, glancing to Jimin with a more pointed look with a one eye over to his attire before meeting his eyes, "Stubborn."

The word was like the point of a wooden stick against Jimin's skin, not cutting but so fucking annoying. He hates that word, probably because he knows he is stubborn and it just reminds him of how much of a disappointment he is to Taemin with his ballet partner choices.

No, this is suppose to help him be more flexible with the idea of a partner. That's the whole point he's here in the first place.

For fuck sakes.

Jimin with an irritated huff stomps to stand in front of Jeongguk, arms extended out to his sides with glaring eyes into his hooded gaze.

"Then carry me."

Jeongguk eyed him with that clear seethe in his stare. A look so unnerving and uncaring to just everything about being here, and that only spikes up around Jimin since he looks like he's dreading doing this than actually engaging.

No doubt about it that Jimin is holding onto that same look as well, still waiting for him to do something impatient.

So to get it over with, Jeongguk uncrossed his arms and wiggles his fingers in front of Jimin's face with a forced smile, making Jimin send him a dirty look back just as Jeongguk placed his hands on his thin waist and lifts him up.

He actually put too much unnecessary strength into lifting him up because Jimin is super light than expected, so he nearly fell back by the force. Even as he held him up the air, it didn't feel like he was carrying weight at all.

Well to be fair, Jimin is incredibly thin. Probably way too thin for an average guy of his height and age, but he doesn't seem ill about it. His skin is soft and melanin, not flustered a sickly pale complexion to the lack of nutrition. He's not shaking as Jeongguk holds him, which shows his body does have a lot of control and is not hungering for food or water.

That's quite unusual.

"Perfect!" Jackson squeals, watching the sight with sparkling eyes, "For how long can you hold him?"

Jeongguk gulps, shifting his weight to his other leg to be comfortable, "Long."

"Marvelous!" Jackson continued to squeal just as Jeongguk puts Jimin down since he began to get fussy, "Now, Jimin could you get into an arabesque position?"

Is that even a question?

It made Jimin huff a little under his breath to the constant orders, even the stupid question itself, but regardless gets into the position perfectly without fighting.

"Now Jeongguk lift him up with a hand on his inner thigh and the other on his hip and try to lift him over your head-"

"A death wish?" Jimin mutters under his breath, his tone stone cold as his glare, "He won't be able to lift me so high up."

Jimin couldn't see the sour look that coils on Jeongguk's face up that statement, but he did feel a hand press against his thigh with the other on his waist to his hipbone. Immediately he tenses up but toughen his core when Jeongguk abruptly lifts him up into the air and over his head.

Easily.

Maybe he did sway a little at first since he was has not been use to holding another body like this, but he regained his balance easily and held him in place.

Well shit, Jimin was definitely not expecting him to actually do it.

And the thing about this is.... Jimin didn't feel unbalanced.

So to make this easier for both of them, Jimin raises both hands over his head in 5th position while the leg Jeongguk wasn't holding bends and pressed the side of his foot against his knee, in a position he's done so many times before and so has many ballerinas during practice.

But with Jeongguk.... Jimin felt this odd feeling of slight confidence that he may not fall forward to his face anytime soon. Maybe it's because Jeongguk is not hesitant to make the move when instructed to do it, or probably because he's someone of few words to complain. His previous partners would always complain that they lack strength to lift a man up over their heads or would suggest another more simpler move instead. That would raise Jimin's trust issues over them to be able to stand his body, but that's not the case now.

His hands are secured on Jimin's thigh and hip, demonstrating his refusal to let him fall or lose balance either in a stubborn act to show that he can do it or because he actually doesn't want Jimin to fall. From there Jimin slowly began to realize Jeongguk doesn't play it safe like everyone else, he does what is being said no matter how hard it is.

Interesting.

There's no adjective to describe how awestruck Jackson is right now. He squealing and jumping all over the place, probably not noticing when Jeongguk jolted Jimin up a little to prepare him to get down.

That's when Jimin's anxiety spiked up. His eyes snaps to the floor, ready to be slammed against it like when Seojoon danced with him, especially since this guy is an actual amateur so be maybe won't have experience on how to easily handle the fall.

But strangely.... He never met the floor.

When Jeongguk jolted him again in the air, Jimin falls but Jeongguk easily wrapped an arm around his waist while the other arm around his thigh that was holding him to put him down smoothly and securely.

Well so it appears.

In reality that really took a lot out of Jeongguk's strength because he was breathing heavily against Jimin's ear, chest panting and his heart slamming hard that even Jimin felt it against his back by how close they were.

Okay they're too close.

Immediately Jimin put his feet back to the ground and gets off him, refusing to look at him in the eye as Jackson continues to praise their great teamwork.

"This is going to be perfect! You two will look amazing out there-"

This instantly made Jimin snap his head towards Jackson, eyebrows furrowed in confusion but also hesitation.

"Excuse me? You two? What are you talking about?"

The smile on Jackson's face is so bright and wide in such excitement that made Jimin feel uncomfortable, even more to what he most likely is thinking in his head.

"Congratulations Park Jimin! You passed my seven days trial program and now you have the perfect skating partner to perform with!" Jimin's whole heart dropped, "That is, if Jeongguk wants to?"

The ravenette still holds onto that pointed look on his face, more relaxed than how he was earlier. However that didn't change the fact that he looks puzzled by this, maybe even irritated.

He didn't say anything, only turns around and walks out of the training room.

Leaving Jimin still to be awestruck to what just happened.

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A/N:
Well did we expect anything more of a love at first sight between them 😅

Let's see if Jeongguk changes his mind!

I PURPLE YOU! <33