Super tiny smut ahead.

Over the next few days, Jimin started to gain his footing. What had seemed like chaos at first was not really so out of control. Two activities a day, one in the morning and one in the afternoon, five days a week. Three meals a day. Jimin could attend, or not attend, whatever he wanted. With Hoseok's help, things were starting to feel safe. Comfortable.

It was nighttime that Jimin looked forward to the most. It had become part of their schedule to cuddle up together after dinner and watch a movie before bed. They didn't talk about the way Hoseok ran his hand through Jimin's hair or the way Jimin curled in close and breathed in Hoseok's scent. Something was going on between them, Jimin just wasn't sure what.

The movie had ended ten minutes ago, but Hoseok hadn't left Jimin's bed as he usually did. Somehow, now that there were no other distractions, Hoseok's fingers felt different in Jimin's hair. More meaningful. They rubbed down Jimin's neck and over his shoulders and Jimin shifted further onto his stomach to give Hoseok better access to his back.

"You like that?" Hoseok murmured, his voice lower than usual.

Jimin hummed an affirmative and shuffled until he lay flat on his stomach. Hoseok sat up so that he could use both hands to knead down Jimin's back.

At first, it was just relaxing, like most of Hoseok's touch, but Jimin found himself reacting differently when Hoseok's hands reached his lower back. Jimin probably should have told him to stop then, but it felt good. It felt really, really good. It wasn't easy to keep himself from responding in any way Hoseok could see.

In the end, it was an involuntary jerk of his hips against the mattress and a sharp exhale of breath that gave Jimin away. Hoseok's hand stilled and Jimin squeezed his eyes shut. Fuck.

There was a long stretch of silence between them before Hoseok finally spoke. "I looked at your books."

Jimin wanted to run away, but he wasn't about to roll over just yet. That would have made things even more embarrassing.

"I wasn't snooping or anything, I was just curious," Hoseok continued. "I just wanted to find out more about what you liked, and they were just laying out on your dresser so I thought..." Hoseok sighed. "Anyway. There sure are a lot of dudes making out in your selection of literature."

Jimin clenched one of his hands into a fist and began rhythmically thumping it against the mattress, his speed increasing as Hoseok kept talking.

"I wasn't sure if I should say anything, but now I'm starting to think we should have had this conversation a while ago." Hoseok paused. "Jimin, are you gay?"

Jimin wanted to take his fist and ram it into Hoseok's face. That would have been better than having this conversation. At least the anxiety churning Jimin's gut was dampening his libido.

"Yes," Jimin murmured into his pillow. By this point, there was no use in lying. Hoseok knew.

Hoseok let out a long breath. "Okay. I just thought we should be on the same page here before things got awkward."

"This is before?" Jimin grumbled.

Hoseok laughed. "Okay, more awkward. Sorry. I am too. Gay, I mean. Just so you know."

"Oh," was all Jimin could think to say.

"You're so hard to read sometimes," Hoseok said. "Tell me what you're thinking."

"Um. No."

"Jimin, come on. Help me out."

"I liked it." Jimin moved his tapping fist to Hoseok's knee and tilted his head so that he could watch Hoseok's face. "When you were touching my back just now. It felt nice."

Hoseok spread his hand over the back of Jimin's fist but didn't halt its movement. He knew better by now. "Do you want me to do it again?"

"Yes, but..." Jimin couldn't keep himself from squirming slightly. "I'm not sure it's a good idea. It felt too nice."

Hoseok grinned. "Fair enough."

"With all this... With all these things, were you just trying to see if I was really gay? Or are you...?" Jimin waved his hand vaguely. He wasn't sure how to finish that sentence.

"I wouldn't lead you on, if that's what you're asking," Hoseok said. "Everything I've done, I've done because I wanted to and it seemed like you wanted to too. If you feel differently about all this touching stuff now everything's out in the open, let me know and I'll keep my hands to myself."

Jimin's fingers tapped against Hoseok's knee. "Can I touch your muscles?"

Hoseok's eyebrows drew together. "Uh... what?"

"I wanted to, and I think maybe that's okay now. Is that okay now? Are there new rules, and they mean it's okay?"

Hoseok still looked confused, but he held his arms out away from his body. "Touch all you like."

His arousal subsided enough to no longer be visible, Jimin sat up and contemplated Hoseok's form. He started with Hoseok's arm, fairly safe territory that he'd been able to lightly explore in their pretend platonic period. Jimin bent Hoseok's arm, told him to relax it, told him to flex. It was strange the way the muscles bulged out with Hoseok's movements, firm under Jimin's fingertips.

Hoseok inhaled sharply when Jimin snaked a hand up under his shirt to feel the solidity of his muscles. Jimin used his other hand to touch his own chest under his shirt, comparing the two. Jimin could easily feel his ribs, but there was a layer of muscle padding Hoseok's.

"Want me to take my shirt off?" Hoseok asked.

"I'm not taking mine off," Jimin said without looking up from his examination. "I don't have muscles like you."

"I wasn't under any illusion that you did. I like how you look. You're cute."

"You're cute," Jimin said, though he was unsure whether he was echoing or retorting.

"You want me to or not? I don't expect any kind of shirtless reciprocation."

"Hm. Yes."

Hoseok took his shirt off in one fluid motion, his muscles flexing as he moved, and tossed it onto the floor. Jimin had seen Hoseok shirtless plenty of times before, had even openly stared at times. It was different now, though, up close and with permission to touch. Not intimidating as Jimin might have expected, just... Jimin wrapped his arms around Hoseok's body and lean forward to rest his cheek against Hoseok's chest, half awkward embrace, half exploring the feel of Hoseok's body with his face.

Hoseok kissed the top of Jimin's head. "You have no idea how adorable you are."

"This is science."

Hoseok laughed. "Oh yeah?"

Jimin swiped his tongue out and licked Hoseok's chest. "Tastes like skin."

"That's a relief. So your science has concluded that I have skin on my chest?"

"Evidence strongly supports it, but there are no certainties in science."

Jimin moved up Hoseok's body to his shoulders, exploring the muscles there with his teeth. When Hoseok inhaled sharply Jimin paused. "Hurt?"

Hoseok's hand came up to rest lightly on Jimin's lower back. "No, doesn't hurt."

Jimin bit down harder, closer to Hoseok's neck this time. "Did that hurt?"

"Are you trying to hurt me?"

"No, just exploring."

Hoseok flopped back on the bed, pulling Jimin on top of him, and it became very clear what effect Jimin's biting was having on him. Maybe this new thing should have frightened Jimin, but all Jimin felt was proud. He'd done that. He wasn't sure where to go from here, though.

Hoseok rubbed his hand against Jimin's hip. "Do you want to try kissing?"

Jimin stroked his fingers over his lips. It didn't give him the same unpleasant feeling touching other parts of his face would have. "Okay."

Hoseok moved his hands to Jimin's back but otherwise remained still and pliant, allowing Jimin to take charge. The first brush of their lips was light, too light, so Jimin pressed down more firmly. Jimin didn't really know how to kiss, but as they continued he began to learn from copying Hoseok. It was more than just pressure, it was movement, it was pulling back and reconnecting. Slowly Hoseok urged Jimin's lips open until Jimin felt Hoseok's tongue against them.

"No," Jimin said as he pulled back. He wiped the dampness off his lips with the back of his hand.

"You okay?"

Jimin nodded. "Slimy. Don't do that."

Hoseok laughed. "From anyone else, I might take offence. Okay, I won't do that again. I promise."

"Okay. More kisses." Jimin leans forward again and continued where they'd left off, no tongues this time.

The longer they continued, the more enthusiastic Hoseok became and the more difficulty he had remaining passive and still. Jimin didn't mind. He liked the way Hoseok's hands roamed his body, stroking up and down his back and over his arms. He liked how, when he bit Hoseok's lip, Hoseok's hips jerked up to meet his reflexively. Jimin had always had to fight to have power over anybody, but in this arena, his body seemed to know exactly what to do to make Hoseok's respond.

The way it ended, though, was just embarrassing. Jimin didn't have the self-control to stop when he needed to, to resist the urge to grind himself desperately against Hoseok as tension rose in his body. For one single, shining moment there was nothing but pleasure.

Jimin lay still and panting, his face buried in the crook of Hoseok's neck. "Fuck."

Hoseok just laughed.

Jimin pushed himself up and punched Hoseok's shoulder lightly. "Don't laugh at me."

Hoseok ran his hands down Jimin's arms. "I wasn't being mean. I've just never heard you swear before."

"I'm going to go into the bathroom now," Jimin said as he crawled over Hoseok and climbed off the bed.

"All right. You going to shower or just get changed?"

"Shower. It's sticky," Jimin said as he searched through his suitcase for clean underpants. He still hadn't unpacked. "Why?"

"Uhh..." Hoseok's eyes roamed to the tent in his cargo shorts. "Wondering if I should wait to use the bathroom or if you're going to be in there long enough for me to..." Hoseok gestured towards his crotch.

"Oh." Jimin threw the little pack of tissues he kept in his suitcase at Hoseok. "Don't get it on my bed."

Hoseok's laughter followed Jimin into the bathroom, cut off only when Jimin shut the door.