Date: November 21st
Time: 6:12pm
Location: A random ass park
Mood: Let's get it
<><><>

‪It lasted a second, the bravery. In the next she couldn't bear to see his reaction and moved to sip anxiously on the hot chocolate she held. ‬

‪When he didn't reply she had to take a peek. She was glad that she did, because the look of pure joy in his face caused her heart to swell. It was amazing and beyond her understanding how anyone could be so happy over anything she said or did. That smile was enough to make her feel like she'd finally done right and that maybe she was worth something after all.‬

‪They made one more stop for Jimin to buy an umbrella (which he tucked under one arm) before they were off again. He led her to the park and began to stroll around in search of a more secluded spot to sit. The trees, already bare, loomed overhead, their long branches interweaving with each other along the path they lined. The sun had set so the clouds were no longer visible but the smell of snow was prominent. ‬

‪"Do you never get cold?" Jimin couldn't help to ask. Y/n never shivered or indicated that the temperature bothered her. ‬

‪She shook her head in response. During winter and autumn she always wore a pair of long johns underneath her outfit and slipped in pocket warmers everywhere she could fit them. That, the hot chocolate and Jimin's presence so close was enough to make her feel like she was sitting next to a warm fire. ‬

"Did your arm heal just fine?"

She directed the question with a nod to the arm he had injured in that strange incident weeks ago. Still it puzzled her with how it had happened. Had the shelf always been twisted like that and he happened to injure himself that day? Did something else happen that she wasn't aware of that caused that? Or did Jimin possess some Hulk-like strength that made no sense?

He glanced toward where his wound had mostly healed over, wondering if he should mention the infection. Since Jin had taken him to the hospital, his hyung had religiously contacted him twice a day to ensure that he was properly taking his antibiotics. The staples had come out ten days after and he was meant for one more check-up afterward but had failed to show up for that part. Thankfully Jin had no idea.

"Yes. For the most part." It wasn't a lie but a cover up. When it seemed she was about to ask more about it he intervened with a question of his own. "What's your favorite food?"

"Tomatoes."

Ironic.

There was a quizzical look she sent at the grin he adopted in reply to her answer. When she asked what it was for, he shrugged and tugged her along to a lonely bench sat in the empty park. It was a good size but he sat snug against her, something that brightened her complexion three-times it's normal scarlet shade.

Catching sight of the flush, he thought better of it and scooted to the other end of the bench, letting her hand slip out of his own for the first time that evening.

And while his main objective was to make her more comfortable, it resulted in the opposite. He moved for her sake and she understood that, but how was she to express that what she wanted was for him to be closer?

"J-Jimin." Hesitantly she stretched her hand across the bench as far as she could, the thumb and forefinger stretched into the shape of an L. Though he'd asked her to use this sign to tell him to stop, this was the first occasion of it's use.

He caught sight of the sign and froze. "Oh. OH."

Now that he had gotten the message she smiled, but that dropped less than a second later when he moved even farther away, completely off of the bench to sit on the cold ground.

"Better?" He looked back for reassurance, an obvious sad tilt to his voice.

"No. Here." she mumbled. With the usual blush taking residence on her face, she cast her eyes elsewhere and pat the spot next to her.

An instant later his body heat was warming her side, an arm laid across the back of the bench behind her shoulders and causing her heart rate to sky rocket.

What she hadn't asked for, nor expected, was the way his lips landed on her cheek in a quick, chaste kiss. Whirling in surprise, their noses bumped and her eyes crossed at the close proximity. When he didn't move she titled back enough to take him in.

Initially his mouth had been parted to say something, but the words died in his throat as they blinked at one another. The voice inside that always told her to hide from potentially embarrassing moments such as these was absent.

Slowly his eyes dropped to her lips before moving back to meet her stare, his head titling in question. At least, she wondered if it might be a question. In fantasy world he might be asking if it was alright to kiss her and honestly she couldn't be sure if it was. Perhaps it was, but was she ready? ...was that even something to be ready for? This was all very new and she couldn't accurately pinpoint where her feelings were leading to.

They all felt scattered. Especially when he stared like that, so intent and calculative on every move and blink she made. She tried to imagine it from his eyes. How silly she must look, face a deep crimson hue and this stare they seemed determined to never break off. Did he think she looked like a 'red marshmallow' as he put it, or did she appear as a wanton woman, desperate for his attention?

Doubt seeping in, she dropped her gaze to the zipper of his jacket. Just as she had wanted, her hair fell to shield her face, but he brought his hand forward to tuck it back behind her ear. Strangely his fingers lingered there, moving along the shell of the ear and then to her ear lobe where he traced the sensitive skin with the pad of his thumb.

Even stranger, something stronger than the usual sparks ignited, bringing her to subconsciously lean into the touch and drawing a whimper from her throat.

That sound broke her out of whatever trance he had put her in and their gazes met again in surprise.

While her own feelings were quite obvious to anyone who looked at the depth of mortification threatening to drown her, she couldn't quite decipher his expression. It wasn't like she wanted to think of her brother in this moment, but Jimin was looking at her like Seo-Joon looked at the dinner table on Bulgogi night.

He came impossibly closer, sealing up what little distance remained between them until their noses bumped once more. This time, it was obvious what his intentions were and she couldn't help but to squirm in her seat and look around for any potential eyes on them.

There was none. Not one soul lingered nearby but it did little to ease her mind. Anyone could walk up any second and see them. It was hard enough to deal with strangers already but a stranger seeing her...she could barely think it...kissing Jimin was not something she would let happen. Ever.

To her relief and disappointment, he slid away...to shrug out of his jacket. Taking a leaf from Hyuna's book, he laid the garment over her head and joined her underneath the makeshift tent.

"This," his hand was gently rubbing over her ear again while their noses bumped against one another, "is this better?"

It was but she didn't trust herself enough to open her mouth, especially not after that sound had escaped before. So she nodded and even in the dark it was obvious he was smiling. Closer, and somehow closer he kept coming until he hovered over her lips and paused, silently asking one last time for consent.

Maybe that was what made her so impatient. Since he wasn't moving fast enough she closed the distance and pressed her lips to his.

His eyelashes tickled as they fluttered against her cheekbone before he finally closed them fully. Her own only dropped halfway, too curious in observing his facial expression during a moment like this. It went against her nature—shouldn't she be screwing her eyes shut and hiding behind the lids? That desire was not present. And maybe if she watched him when his guard was down, she could see herself how he saw her.

Initially she had been impatient and maybe a bit needy and had rushed into this kiss. Certainly they weren't meant to simply press lips and be done but that was all she knew and after what she deemed was probably too long pulled away.

"Red," Jimin's voice scolded, his free hand pressed onto the back of her neck and held her firmly. "You're making me jealous taking all the firsts like that. Now I have to try harder."

When his lips came back down it was like all her thoughts had been thrown into a blender, everything too mixed up to interpret what he meant by this. This time he led the kiss and it was the opposite of hers.

Lips twisted and moved against her own, coaxing them into the unfamiliar movement. Sparks traveled up and down her spine, dancing all over her skin and sending an explosion of color into the previously grey world. This was unlike anything she had done before and already she decided that, if Jimin was willing, she wanted to get one of these everyday from now on. If they weren't careful, this could very well bloom into an addiction.

If Jimin shared that last notion he seemed not to care and was set on making this experience a memorable one with every movement his lips made against hers. Not that he had to try all that hard. The small pecks to the corner of her mouth. The way he nibbled on the thickest part of her bottom lip. And then the surprising move he made to place a lingering kiss to the same earlobe he had been continuously touching throughout the whole process.

This in particular drew out a gasp as a shock of pleasure traveled through her like lightening. Was that meant to be normal? It wasn't like she could ask anyone about it. At least, she wasn't brave enough to.

"-kay?" The end of Jimin's question was all she caught.

"Huh?"

Through the near darkness they were shielded under, his grin still shown brightly.

"I asked if that was okay...you seem dazed." Though his tone was one of a teasing nature, he still gave off a sense of concern.

"F-fine. I-I'm-I'm fine. Wait!" Her hands gripped the jacket that protected her from any potentially prying eyes when he tried to pull it off. He took it the wrong way, his smile quickly turning flirtatious.

"Oh, you aren't done? Then me neither."

She emitted a squeak when he kissed her again. "W-wait, Jimin!"

A soft "hm?" And he was back, the kisses becoming longer and more drawn out.

At this point, she couldn't remember what it was she had meant to say. Eventually she relented, relaxing in his arms and sinking into it. If she was no good at this now then it would take practice. She had little doubt Jimin would mind helping out on that.

When they pulled apart to breathe his fingers seemed preoccupied with her hair and for whatever reason a mole on his collarbone caught her notice. On a normal day it never would have crossed her mind to lean over and tongue and suck on a guy's neck but there was a first time for everything.

Insecurity couldn't fight it's way in when the sound that came out of him only served to encourage her further. It was one of those random Jimin noises he made on occasion. The closest thing she could relate it to was her old neighbor's cat and the purr it would give off when scratched behind the ears. But more masculine, deep.

Restraint left together, hand-in-hand with insecurity, and all she knew was that she wanted to hear it again. There was only one way to accomplish that and Jimin wasn't stopping her. In fact he only got louder. Which maybe was a reason to stop but he tasted like vanilla and she wanted to get her fill.

It was only when something cold and wet, soaking their knees and intruding on the moment that they stopped.

Jimin lifted the jacket (the leather one that he just now realized maybe wasn't the best idea to wear when it would certainly get wet). The blanket of white surrounding them brought him back to earth. With a smile, he turned back to his mate who looked more beautiful to him than ever all flushed and donning swollen lips.

"I like you." he informed belatedly, tucking an errant strand of hair behind her ear. "I've liked you from the moment I saw you. You said it first, so that makes last night the best day of my life." he titled forward until their foreheads kissed. "But if you tell me again, then that day will be given that title."

The lack of air, the romantic setting and his thoughtful confession left her without words. Out of everything else she could have replied with, there was only thing that came to mind.

"Thank you."

—
Edited 7/30/22