Bayou- Mountains Of The Moon

*Slightly Unedited*

It was stupid.

The most stupidest and dumbest things Jeongguk has ever attempted to do, mostly since he's not really one to nudge in his little pride to be more selfless.

Being selfless sometimes gets you killed.

That's why typically Jeongguk doesn't do chasing after anyone, since he's been stabbed in the back a few times because of his fragile heart.

That's why as he stands in front of Jimin's apartment door, Jeongguk began to tell himself the million reasons as to why he should leave.

He didn't do anything wrong.

He was trying to look after him.

Shit, Jimin was the one who started it!

Fuck! Why should he be the one to reach back out first?

Jeongguk tugs a frown, leaning his forehead against the doorframe with eyes closed and his heart feeling heavy in his chest.

Because he cares....

And he knew Jimin probably wasn't saying it to hurt his feelings.

Jimin isn't like that.

He wouldn't purposely hurt him.

No matter how much Jeongguk has wrapped his head around this, he knew that even if it wasn't Jimin and it was Taehyung, he would still be here either way.

These two are way too valuable in his life to push away because of his own grudge with his past friends, and he doesn't want that to get in the way of his current friendship.

So with a thick gulp of swallowing his pride, Jeongguk raises his head and knocks on the door slowly.

He waited.

And waited a while more.

Maybe a good three minutes passed before Jeongguk was about to leave but suddenly the door creaks opened, revealing a very tired and stressed looking Jimin before his eyes.

The thing with them is that whenever the three friends are occupied with work, they knew better than to reach out to each other because they won't exactly look in the proper state.

That's how Jimin is right now.

There's heavy bruises underneath his eyes, clear of sleep deprivation with a face so pale as though he's been lacking food.

His body appears so thin with the oversized black sweatpants and hoodie, maybe even smaller than usually and perhaps that's because he's not wearing shoes.

Jeongguk has never seen him this..... Distress before.

Wow.

"Jeongguk," Even his voice sounds as though he hasn't spoken in days without water, "What are you doing here?"

It took a moment or two for Jeongguk to digest what he said, blinking for a moment before taking in a deep breath.

"We need to talk."

Jimin stays frozen by the door, only studying Jeongguk with his eyes as though he's debating whether to have this conversation now while he's overwhelmed with work or later when maybe Jeongguk wouldn't want to talk anymore.

So outweighing his options, Jimin sighs and opens the door wider before turning around, "Come in."

Jeongguk quietly steps into the apartment, removing his shoes by the door and closing the door behind him as Jimin gathers his paperwork from the coffee table and the floor to neat and organized piles.

Honestly Jeongguk doesn't want to take a lot of his time, so he just wants to get this over with so he can go home and maybe sleep for the remainder of his lifetime.

"I'm not staying for long," Jeongguk says, making Jimin look up from the floor before getting to his feet, "I just wanted to tell you that what you said really got me mad and it was fucked up. I don't care if it was a joke or not, it hurt me that you would say something like that."

Jimin leans back against his the side of his couch, shakily running a hand through his hair before rubbing his eyes, "Its not like I was going to date the guy, relax. It's just a simple fuck-"

"So you were actually considering it?" Jeongguk interjects, feeling his aggravation spiking up again no matter how much he tried to control it, "Do you honestly not care about how I feel in relations to him? He ruined my life and it seems like you just don't care!"

Through the fit of rage, Jeongguk didn't bother to notice how Jimin was swaying a little on the spot with eyes fluttering ever so often, desperately trying so hard not to collapse by how tried his body is. Yet he only shakes that feeling away to put his full focus on Jeongguk.

"You're so sensitive, of course I care about you!" Jimin argues back, "You take sexual intercourse as something that's such a big deal. It's not! People have nightstands and don't even remember with who it was at times! It's not like I'm going to love the guy!"

Jeongguk's hands balled into a tight fist, jaw clenching tightly as his teeth grinds against one another.

And he steps forward, "Why are you like this huh? WHY DO YOU HAVE THIS NEED TO JUST FUCK ANY GUY YOU SET YOUR ATTENTION TO?!"

Jimin's mind is pounding by this point, his throat tightening hard that it was becoming hard to breathe but he only rubs his face with his hands, "I think you should go-"

"No!" Jeongguk bellows angrily, "JUST ANSWER ME! WHY CAN'T YOU JUST FUCKING SETTLE DOWN!"

And Jimin lost his mind.

He forms a piercing and teary glare at Jeongguk, who's heaving in angry with his own glare, "You want to know why I can't settle down? Why I need sex in my life and why I can't fucking stop?" And he stands up straighter, lips wobbling now, "I WAS ABANDONED BY THE PERSON I LOVED FOR TEN YEARS! SO FUCKING IN LOVE TO END UP ALONE AND HE'S BACK AND WE STILL CAN'T BE TOGETHER!"

Jeongguk froze.

He froze in his stance as Jimin kept rubbing his eyes, refusing to let his tears out no matter how much he wanted to.

And he wasn't done.

"You don't get it, you don't fucking get it,' Jimin mutters angrily, unable to fight it back anymore, "I'd rather have people admire me for a second while fucking than look at ME THE SAME WAY HE DID WHEN WE MADE LOVE! SEX IS THE CLOSEST THING I HAVE TO NOT FEELING SO ALONE WITHOUT HIM! TO NOT RISK MY HEART BREAKING AGAIN BECAUSE I KNOW THAT PERSON I FUCKED WILL LEAVE WITH ZERO STRINGS ATTACHED. I REFUSE TO FEEL HOW HE MADE ME FEEL AGAIN...... I-I..... I can't."

Immediately Jeongguk shoots forward when Jimin lost his balance, taking him in his arms as the small male catches his breath with tears sliding down the bruises under his eyes and pale skin.

And his tiny fists grips Jeongguk's shirt, breaking a sob against his chest, "W-Why am I so scared to love again? Why..... J-Just why can't I move on?"

Jeongguk didn't know how to answer that, he didn't know because he's never been in love before.

He doesn't know if one who falls in love can be able to love again.

If he knew than he would without a doubt comfort Jimin with his words way more than how he is now.

But all Jeongguk could do is hug him tightly, feel as though he's finally understanding Jimin for the first time.

Taemin completely left him so broken that he's so afraid to move on, afraid something similar with happen again.

Where he'll he left alone and abandoned.

That's why he never fights for anyone, since he did once and was left to himself.

But no..... Not this time.

Jeongguk is never going to leave his side, and he's going to prove it to Jimin that their friendship, between the three of them, is worth the fight.

So wordlessly Jeongguk carries Jimin bridal style to the bathroom and sits him on the closed toilet seat. Meanwhile he prepares a warm bath for him since it looks like he hasn't been properly treating himself in days.

Jimin didn't say anything, only sniffles quietly as he sits shakily in the seat. The whole exchanged happened without so much words when Jeongguk tugs Jimin's hoodie as though he's asking permission to take it off. Carefully Jeongguk removes Jimin's clothes and gently sets him on the bathtub.

There no noises that escaped from either of them as Jeongguk rubs the purple loofa sponge with soap against Jimin's skin after scrubbing his hair. Jimin only sits there with eyes staring at the water in the tub, silent tears streaming down his cheeks as his best friend aids him quietly to relax him down.

It was hard to tell if it was working for not, Jeongguk obviously couldn't tell, but he hopes in some way it did because of how much Jimin seemed to have relaxed himself down.

After finishing up, Jeongguk rinses off the soap removes the water from the tub to turn the shower on, letting the remaining soap off Jimin remove by itself. The whole time Jeongguk avoided looking anywhere near Jimin's lower half of his body, only focusing on wrapping a clean towel around his body before also carrying him out and go to his room.

From there Jimin was less numb to move, so he did it himself on putting a pair of boxers on with an oversized shirt over his head. Jeongguk dried his hair and wraps him in a warm blanket before laying him down on the bed, immediately going out of the room to make him some ramen.

He tried not to make the process so long, but make it just as Chungha and Yeosang loved it whenever he would cook it for them whenever they were sick.

By the time Jeongguk finished, he goes back to the room with Jimin sitting up with the blanket shield. Jeongguk was just about to feed but Jimin whispered lowly that he could've done it himself.

Jeongguk insisted and fed him the food regardless.

He hasn't been eating well, clearly, so hopefully this will be enough for him to get some sleep and rest.

After all the day after tomorrow is when their vacation starts so he needs the energy.

By the time he finishes, Jimin lays down on the bed with Jeongguk laying in front of him too, the two staring at each other quietly.

It was a peaceful type of quietness, one that didn't require so much words.

And sometimes words aren't always needed.

That's why Jimin suddenly unfurled the blankets from his body, opening it up and slides closer to Jeongguk until their bodies were pressed together to hover the blanket over their bodies. They never lost each contact but Jeongguk did wrap his arm around his waist and the other under Jimin's head, cuddling him close underneath the warmth of the blanket.

Jimin twitches a small smile, "You didn't have to take care of me the way you did. I was the one acting like an asshole."

The blonde only stares at him carefully, brushing a mess of Jimin's hair away from his face, "I refused to look into your perspective and judged you too harshly, so I'm sorry."

The little smile from Jimin's lips twitched a little, frown now as he adverts his gaze away from Jeongguk to only raise his hand and gently pick the collar of his shirt, "I wish it was easy for me to apologize...... It makes me anxious and-"

Jeongguk's gently hand from Jimin's waist found his cheek, snapping the smaller male's gaze towards him to see Jeongguk staring at him with a tender smile.

"Get some sleep Angel."

Those words were enough to make Jimin relax from his mini ramble, only offering a small smile back.

"Goodnight kiss?"

Something about that familiar question felt different this time. At least for Jeongguk. He doesn't know if it's because of how they've made up now or the delicate atmosphere they're in, but it felt intimate.

It spread goosebumps all over Jeongguk's skin, especially when his eyes landed to Jimin's lips.

He knew he shouldn't be thinking about things like that now, especially after Jimin's mental break down. Before it was never a big deal but after that kiss at the hotel, Jeongguk couldn't help his mind but wander.

Not only with Jimin but with Taehyung too.

And it's been driving him crazy.

However he hopes these weird emotions will by pass after a while, so he's not over stressing about it too much.

So that's why after he removed a few more strands away from Jimin's face, he carefully leans forward and presses his lips against his forehead.

Enough to make Jimin smile wider as he holds onto Jeongguk tighter, drifting off into a deep sleep.

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A/N:
This chapter was definitely all over the place in regards to emotions :')

So soft yet heart breaking and tender.

Definitely love the pace this story is taking for sure.

I PURPLE YOU! <333