Chapter Text
The first thing Jimin is given upon his arrival in Jungkook's – correction – their fancy New York penthouse apartment is a pair of cream house slippers from Bloomingdale's. When Jimin asks where they came from, the older smiles and says Marie brought them over this morning since she flew in yesterday ahead of them.
Jungkook kneels down on the floor and removes Jimin's shoes and puts the slippers on the younger’s feet, right there in the entryway, before standing and bending Jimin back with a show-stopping kiss. Jimin is left beaming, his head spinning.
The next thing Jimin is given is a tour of his new home. It’s somehow nothing and exactly what Jimin had pictured it to be like on the flight over. It’s massive, but Jimin had been expecting that. He had imagined it to be dark and spacious, with minimal decoration. But it’s actually pretty colorful for the elder’s taste. The couch in the living room is white, and big enough to sit an entire nuclear family. The television is taller than Jimin, the bulk of the back end tucked into a corner of the room, right beside an elaborate black brick fireplace and mantel. The floors are dark hardwood, and there’s a couple of colorful but minimal art pieces hung up on the main wall, but no pictures of Jungkook with any friends or family can be found anywhere. The kitchen is also dark and romantic, the cabinets painted a dark gray with gold accents. It looks untouched, and when Jimin checks the fridge (that’s almost bigger than his bedroom back in L.A.), there’s nothing but beer and a carton of milk inside.
“I told you I don’t get to cook often,” Jungkook says sheepishly when Jimin tsks at him and shuts the door. He looks tired from the long day they had and the plane ride, and Jimin resists walking over to him for a kiss in favor of going through his new kitchen.
“We’ll have to change that,” Jimin mumbles, starting to snoop through the cabinets. All of Jungkook’s elegant white plates and glassware still look brand new. Jimin wrinkles his nose when he thinks about what his shabby dishes will look like mixed in with all of the elder’s stuff when it arrives from California.
“Well, the company gets Fridays off starting next pay period,” the elder says, opening one of the cabinets Jimin just closed to grab a glass. He walks around the younger to fill the cup with water from the sink. “So I’ll have more time then.”
“I can learn to cook to help out, too,” Jimin says, grabbing the glass from Jungkook after he’s had a sip to take one of his own. Jungkook shakes his head with a frown, handing the glass over to the younger.
“Don’t worry about that. I’ll hire a chef or something.”
Jimin wrinkles his nose again. “Um, no.”
“Why not? I’ve had one before,” the elder says, leaning his butt on the countertop, crossing his arms over his chest.
“I don’t know. Why would you hire someone to do something you can do yourself?”
Jungkook’s brows furrow, and Jimin regrets bringing the whole thing up.
“I work a lot, and you’ll be busy with school or whatever you decide to do. And chefs need jobs, too. There’s a market for them for a reason.”
“Okay,” Jimin concedes, figuring this really isn’t a topic worth an argument. At least for now, anyway. He doesn’t wanna ruin their night, and it is still Jungkook’s birthday. He places the glass of water on the counter and erases the space between them with a step, planting his hands on Jungkook’s chest. The elder’s face softens as Jimin tips his head up for a slow, sweet kiss.
“Show me our bedroom,” he whispers against Jungkook’s lips. The elder smiles and nods, nudging Jimin’s nose with his own before he pulls him after him by the hand.
Jungkook leads him back into the living room and up a flight of dark wood stairs tucked into the corner that Jimin had somehow missed earlier.
There’s a small landing in front of a cracked bedroom door, and Jungkook gently pushes it open before flicking the dim light on. Jimin holds back a gasp at the view before him, completely forgetting to look at the furniture. His gaze goes directly to the wall of floor-to-ceiling windows before him, and the view of the bright city lights backed by the night. He releases Jungkook’s hand and scurries over to one of the windows, almost pressing his nose to the glass as he takes in the beautiful sight before him of the city that never sleeps.
He’d barely gotten to see much of it on the limo ride over, his eyes heavy with tiredness and the windows tinted dark. The view from the plane was clouded, so this is the first real view of New York he’s seeing, and it’s left him awestruck. Jungkook had said his apartment was located in the Financial District, but Jimin swears he can see the entire city from the penthouse view in the skyscraper he now lives in. The realization of how far up they are almost makes him breathless, but he pushes the thought from his mind, focusing on the blinking lights of his new home.
Jungkook slides up beside him, and Jimin can feel his gaze on him. He looks to the elder, and sees he’s wearing a smile.
“It’s why I bought the place,” Jungkook says, nodding to the window. “Best view in the city, I’d say.”
“It’s amazing,” Jimin says, his voice proving how much he means what he says. “I’ve never seen anything like it.”
“Makes you realize how small you are,” Jungkook says, his gaze thoughtful as he stares outside. Jimin nods in agreement. “But looking at it also makes you think anything’s possible,” he adds, gently sliding his arm around Jimin’s waist.
Jimin feels himself smiling, wrapping his arms around Jungkook’s middle and turning the elder to face him.
“Look at you philosophizing,” he teases, gazing up at the elder.
“Are you making fun of me, angel?” Jungkook asks, playfully wrinkling his nose.
Jimin hums and reaches a hand up to cup his face, his tone turning serious. “Not this time. I guess anything is possible. I’m here with you, aren’t I?” Jungkook’s eyes soften at the words, and he rolls his lips into his mouth as he nods.
His hands tighten on Jimin’s waist before he tugs him closer, and Jimin obeys, unable to look away from the stark emotion on his boyfriend’s face.
“Yes, you are,” Jungkook murmurs, cupping Jimin’s cheek in his hand, his thumb brushing over his mouth. “I love you.” Jimin swallows, resisting the urge to close his eyes at the soft touch, and the intensity of Jungkook’s gaze.
Jimin tilts his head up and leans forward to gently capture Jungkook’s mouth in a kiss, his hand cupping the back of the elder’s neck when Jungkook’s breath hitches and he kisses him back.
“I love you,” Jimin breathes into the next kiss, and he feels Jungkook smile against his mouth. Jimin allows himself to smile as well, and they both giggle when they can no longer kiss due to their giddiness. Jimin nudges Jungkook’s round cheek with his nose as he pulls back, Jungkook’s hands still firmly snug on his sides.
“You left one part of my new home out of the tour, you know,” he says, and Jungkook pulls back, his eyebrows slightly furrowed in confusion. He’s still grinning though, and Jimin swears he’s never seen a man more gorgeous than him.
“Oh, yeah?” he asks. “What would that be?”
“Our bed,” Jimin says, biting his bottom lip as he fingers the hair on Jungkook’s nape.
“Ah, right,” Jungkook chuckles, dragging Jimin along as he takes a few steps back, until the backs of his legs hit the bed. “How could I forget?”
In a blink, Jimin is turned around, picked up, and tossed onto the bed on his back, a shocked laugh echoing loudly from his mouth as he finds himself in the new position.
The shock of being thrown is quickly turned into pure elation as he sinks into the mattress, feeling like he’s suddenly been transported onto a red, silk-covered cloud.
“Oh, wow,” Jimin says, settling in further, his head nestling into one of the burgundy, satin pillows. He raises his head to find the elder still at the foot of the bed, sporting a shit-eating grin. “And I thought the hotel bed was cozy.”
Jungkook laughs again, and he makes his way around the king-sized bed and knees up on the mattress, his sweatpant-clad legs indenting the comforter as he crawls over to hover above Jimin.
“You like it then, I guess,” he says, getting down on his side, his head propped into the palm of a hand on bended arm. Jimin nods and smiles, rolling over onto his side to burrow into Jungkook’s throat.
“I love it,” he confesses. “It’s somehow better than I pictured it.”
Jungkook hums and presses a kiss to Jimin’s head.
“You can do whatever you like with it. Make any changes you want. I hired someone to decorate most of it, so I don’t really care if you redo the whole place.”
Jimin moves to look up at the elder, one hand coming up to smooth over the arm planted between them. “Your opinion matters, too. I want it to look like both of us. To be our home.”
Jungkook’s ears redden as he smiles, and Jimin almost coos at how cute he is.
“I like the sound of that,” he says, and Jimin kisses him in response, this time neither one of them able to easily stop. Jungkook eventually lays Jimin on his back, the younger moaning as he fits easily between his legs, the elder’s strong arms planted by his head as he kisses him deeper. They get so into it Jimin is soon panting, urging Jungkook closer by his embrace, the elder complying as best as he can. When Jungkook rolls his hips down against his, Jimin tries to grab at the pillow he’s laying on, but he accidentally fists at an object he hadn’t noticed before. He scrunches his brows as Jungkook keeps kissing him as he registers what’s in his palm, realizing it’s something made of paper, and it’s a bit heavy.
He opens his eyes and out of his periphery, makes out that it’s an envelope. He must have halted kissing Jungkook in his state of confusion, because the elder is soon pulling away.
“What is it, angel?” he asks as Jimin brings the envelope between them.
“I don’t know,” he says, his voice sounding as confused as he feels. “It has your name on it, though.”
Jungkook looks just as taken aback as Jimin must as he accepts the item from his hand. When he rolls over and reads his name printed on the paper, however, recognition fills his features. Jimin watches as the elder opens the envelope and pulls out a key. Jungkook swallows and looks at Jimin quickly, appearing caught.
“What is it?” Jimin asks, uneasiness filling his chest. “What does it go to?”
“The apartment,” Jungkook murmurs, pulling out a notecard from the envelope as well. He quickly reads over it as Jimin looks on, confusion and fear steadily rising in his chest.
“The apartment?” he asks, his mind slowly trying to figure out what’s going on. “This apartment? The one we’re in?” Jungkook nods, and Jimin’s chest tightens. “Whose key is it, Jungkook?” he asks, sitting up to look at the elder. Jungkook licks his lips nervously and stuffs the message back in the envelope. Jimin can tell he’s avoiding his gaze as he crumples the card in his hand.
“My ex’s,” he finally says, nervously glancing at Jimin. Jimin feels like a bucket of cold water has been dumped on him, his lungs completely emptying out of air at the confession.
“What?” he barely whispers, sure he must've heard incorrectly. Jungkook’s jaw tightens, and that’s all Jimin needs to know his ears are working perfectly fine.
“The key was my ex-girlfriend’s,” he confirms anyway, and Jimin’s heart completely bottoms out.
He stares at Jungkook for a moment in stupor, so many conflicting emotions and possible reactions pinging around in his mind that he’s frozen.
“She lived here… with you?” he’s hardly able to ask, gripping the comforter between his fingers tightly in order to keep himself grounded.
Jungkook cringes, and Jimin feels his throat swell.
“Partially,” he admits, guiltily.
“Oh,” Jimin says, stupidly. He blinks slowly, his head full of water.
He already knew that Jungkook had an ex-girlfriend, and that they had recently broken up. He recalls talking about it just a few nights ago. He knew she existed, though he did his best to bury that knowledge deep in the recesses of his mind. What he did not know nor ever expected was that she also lived with Jungkook, in this apartment… his new home.
An ugly feeling he knows is jealousy rises in his chest, and he can feel the anger cloud his face.
“Jimin–” Jungkook starts, obviously aware that the younger is upset.
“She lived here, too?” he asks, though Jungkook has already confirmed this information for him. He cuts the elder a cold look. Jungkook’s face is wide open, scared. “She moved in with you, too…”
“Not fully,” Jungkook says quickly, ready to explain. He sits up on the bed to be face-level with Jimin. “I was always late working, and we barely spent any time together, and when we did it was mostly here. So she had a few of her belongings moved here since she was over so much,” he goes on, and Jimin feels hot acid at the base of his throat. He looks away from the elder and out the window at the skyline as Jungkook keeps talking. “I gave her my spare key so she could wait for me to get home. She was here half the time, not fully,” he urges, reaching for Jimin’s balled up hand. Jimin yanks it back, almost like a reflex. Jungkook releases a shaky, rejected breath and goes on. “Please don’t be upset, angel. It’s over now. It doesn’t mean anything to me.”
Jimin swallows roughly, meeting Jungkook’s wide-eyed gaze. “It means something to me,” he says, his voice rising in disbelief. “Is this what you do? You just move in as soon as you can with someone? That’s a huge deal, Jungkook! What happened to you being scared of commitment?” Jimin asks a little spitefully, bringing up another part of the conversation they had that same night they talked about his ex. Jungkook’s face flashes with hurt, and he looks away from Jimin and down at the bed.
“Like I said, she was only here partially. It wasn’t like we were engaged or anything,” he mutters, looking and sounding like a scolded child.
Jimin’s eyes almost bulge out of his head at the elder’s questionable reasoning. “Moving in with someone in any way is serious, Jungkook. It’s like… the next step before engagement!”
Jungkook shoots him a glare.
“I can’t help that I was with people before you, Jimin,” he says, his neck turning red with anger. Jimin’s chest almost caves in at the harsh truth. “I was never engaged to her, and I wouldn't have been. I already told you I wasn’t in love with her. Her moving stuff over was a matter of convenience. She didn’t live here.”
“Is that what this is?” Jimin asks, trying his best to swallow down the tears. “Is that why you wanted me to move in with you? For convenience ?”
“No,” Jungkook says, his face crumpled up in frustration. “I want you to live here because I want to be with you.”
Jimin’s too blind with anger to listen to him. He feels awful, like he’s just another duck in Jungkook’s row of partners. Just the next person in line to come warm his bed and be his live-in companion.
He holds back a sob and looks away from the elder entirely, eyeing a door across the room he hadn’t noticed earlier.
“I need a shower,” he says, his voice coming out rough. He can feel snot threatening to clog his nose, and he knows he’s seconds away from crying. He starts to climb off the bed.
“Jimin, don’t go,” Jungkook says, reaching for the younger. Jimin dodges his grasp, standing on shaky legs.
“I said I need a shower,” he repeats a little harsher without looking at the elder, and meeting no resistance, quickly heads for the door, praying it’s the bathroom and not the closet. He’s already fucking embarassed enough.
Luckily for Jimin and his pride, the door does open to the bathroom. Jimin shuts it forcefully behind him and locks it, briefly regretting not grabbing his bag from downstairs before he and Jungkook traveled up here earlier until he sees the shower has plenty of products to use for any possible need.
He cuts the water on and finds a small closet filled with towels and washcloths and grabs one of each before undressing and stepping in the warm shower. He releases a deep breath as he lets the perfectly-pressured water wet his hair, tilting his chin up to wash his face. He bathes quickly, his anger and hurt and the gross feeling of airplane causing him to rub his skin too harshly, leaving it red and tender in his wake.
By the time he’s out of the shower he’s calmed only slightly, though the hollow feeling in his chest hasn’t really let up. Logically he knows Jungkook was right; they both were with people before they met one another, and neither can help that. But the special feeling Jimin had about moving in here with him, of this being his new home, is now tainted by knowing Jungkook’s already lived here with another partner. That someone else he was with once used this same shower, drank water in Jungkook’s kitchen, slept in his bed.
Last week wasn't perfect. In fact, it had come with a lot of heartbreak and suffering for such a short time. But it had also felt like the two of them had been living in their own private world at times. That hotel had acted as a bubble for the two of them, and it almost felt like a dream living there together. And with how that week had ended, being here now in a new, foreign place, Jimin had been hoping for a fresh start for them both. But the real world has been thrust upon them once more, and reality sits like a bitter stone at the bottom of his gut as he towel dries his hair, staring at himself in the mirror.
This is what Jimin gets for hoping things could be better for him. At least he got the guy – that has been a dream come true within itself – but he’d been foolish to think it’d be smooth sailing from here. Foolish and naive. And Jimin knows better than that. Realistically he knows how unfair it is for him to be upset at Jungkook for this, for having a life before him. He knows Jungkook didn’t love this woman, but still… love isn’t always realistic and fair, and Jimin is fucking jealous. He’s jealous of their time together, of the moments they shared, the months she knew Jungkook longer than him, the nights they slept together, the dinners and galas and fundraisers they attended. He’s jealous of her upbringing and her wealth and her status, as he knows he pales in comparison to all of this, because he’s just a first-generation, poor, abused, southern ex-whore who has nothing to his name but the few boxes currently on their way from L.A. Even the clothes he’d been wearing earlier, currently in a small pile on the floor, were purchased by Jungkook.
This unknown, unnamed woman Jungkook once was with is likely the direct opposite of the younger, and he knows someone like him is not supposed to end up with someone like Jungkook. He knows the elder chose to be with him, and he knows Jungkook does love him, but he can’t help but wonder and fear for how long. How much longer until Jungkook wakes up and realizes that Jimin isn’t good enough, isn’t right enough, for him?
He shakes his head to clear the intrusive thoughts and ties the towel around his waist, bitterly resenting the fact he now has to walk passed Jungkook and all the way downstairs to retrieve his bag. When he steps out of the bathroom, however, Jungkook is nowhere to be seen, but Jimin’s bag is on the floor by the bed. He swallows and looks to the door out into the landing, hearing Jungkook’s voice quietly echoing from somewhere outside the bedroom as he talks to someone on the phone. Jimin picks out a pair of sweatpants and a t-shirt from his bag and gets dressed before creeping out to the landing, listening closely to see if he can figure out who the elder is talking to.
“Yes, we got in just an hour ago,” he says in Korean, Jimin spotting him sitting on the couch. Jimin can’t see his face, only the top of his head. The elder pauses to listen to whoever’s on the phone speak. “Thanks, Hyung. I appreciate you remembering.” Jimin slinks back to the door so he can’t be seen in case Jungkook looks up, not wanting to blow his cover. “No, we’re too tired to come out tonight. No – Ah, I remember that place…” he goes on, and Jimin can tell he’s smiling.
“Don’t remind me,” he says with a dry chuckle. “Yes, I’m sure. Next week? Ah, you don’t have to do that, Hyung.” Jungkook’s voice is deeper in Korean, and the sound of it reminds Jimin of the way his grandfather would speak, that deep drawl of Busanian satoori. “I’m sure he’d love to meet you…” he then says, drawing Jimin’s attention back to the conversation. He has a hard time making out what the elder says next, his spotty Korean failing him.
He figures listening to this conversation isn’t really his business anyways and heads back into the bedroom. It’s only nine o’clock, but Jimin is exhausted. He turns off the overhead light and cuts on the lamp on Jungkook’s usual side of the bed and crawls onto his own side, settling under the covers. He ignores the key on his own nightstand and burrows into the silk sheets.
He’s surprised once more by how comfortable the mattress is, how it shapes perfectly to his body with the right amount of give and firmness. But as he closes his eyes, he swears he can smell a trace of women’s perfume.
He can still hear Jungkook talking quietly out in the living room, and he falls asleep to the sound of it, the elder’s low voice peacefully lulling him under.
✬
For the first time in almost a week, Jimin wakes up without being in Jungkook’s arms. Without even opening his eyes, the younger can tell he’s alone in bed, the atmosphere of the room still and silent save for his own shallow breathing. Jimin blearily remembers the elder crawling into bed last night sometime after Jimin and pulling the younger into his arms, but he’s gone now. Jimin rolls over and blinks his eyes open to confirm this fact, and finds a note on the elder’s pillow addressed to him.
Jimin–
Had to go into the office for a last-minute meeting. I didn’t want to wake you. I’ll be back around lunch. We can go out if you would like for food, or I can bring something in. Whatever you want. We can even go sight-seeing. The rest of my afternoon is up to you.
I’m sorry about yesterday. Please don’t be angry with me. I belonged to you completely the moment I saw you.
I’ll see you in a few hours, angel.
–Yours, Jungkook
Jimin swallows and folds the note up, rolling onto his back with his arms folded at his sides, his hands on his chest. He takes a deep breath and stares up at the ceiling, feeling the paper tickling his skin under his palm. He licks his lips, his mind much too drowsy for any deeper thoughts than repeating Jungkook’s words in his head, his chest swelling with bittersweet affection as his eyes do the same.
He lies in bed a moment longer, his eyes heavy with sleep and emotion, before he forces himself to get up. He stuffs the note in his bedside drawer for safe keeping before heading towards the bedroom door. He pads downstairs to see if there’s any semblance of food in a pantry he might’ve missed the night before, but finds a brown paper bag with his name scrawled on it on the kitchen counter. He opens it and pulls out a hefty chocolate-chip muffin, his mouth watering as he starts to peel the paper off. He heads to the sink to eat over it, not wanting to drop crumbs on the kitchen floor. He sighs as he takes his first heavenly bite, the chocolate still a little gooey on the inside. He finishes it off quickly, thankful that Jungkook thought to get him breakfast. He muses that grocery shopping would be a nice thing to do today, and ponders if he should brave going out by himself to get a few things from a local market or grocery store. He’s not sure where to go, and he doesn’t want to get lost finding his way around the neighborhood without Jungkook, or at the very least a map.
He thinks about calling Jungkook to ask where to go, but he wants to wait to speak to the elder when he gets back. He also doesn’t have a phone, or even know what Jungkook’s number is. He chucks the muffin wrapper and bag into the trashcan hidden he finds in a drawer and rinses his hands before going back upstairs to wash his face and get ready, figuring he can at least walk down the block to see what’s around. He belatedly remembers the front desk person of the complex downstairs, and thinks he could ask them as well if any grocery stores are nearby.
He gets dressed and grabs his wallet and the key from his nightstand, ignoring where it came from, before remembering the bracelet Jungkook had gotten for him. He puts that on as well and heads downstairs. He shoves his feet into the shoes he left by the door last night and leaves, locking the apartment up behind him. He makes his way to the elevator and down the lobby, thinking that he has roughly two hours before Jungkook gets back. He stops to speak to the lady at the front and discovers that there’s a locally-owned grocery store just three blocks from here. Jimin thinks he can manage that just fine on his own, so he heads out, the lobby door spitting him out onto the street. The noise of the city instantly hits his ears, and he looks up at the buildings surrounding him blocking most of the sky; around at the busy people walking by, headed to or from somewhere; at the honking taxis and cars that drive past him on this busy street.
He smiles to himself, unable to physically contain his excitement at being in the city. He plants his sunglasses on the bridge of his nose, centers himself, and starts to make his way up the street, ready to get familiar with his new home, one block at a time.
✬
When Jimin returns to the apartment later, he knows immediately that Jungkook is back due to the kitchen light being on. He sets the two paper bags of items he’d purchased down on the kitchen counter and looks out into the living room, not seeing Jungkook there. He must be upstairs or in another room Jimin hasn’t discovered yet. He starts unpacking the bags, placing things in the fridge and in a pantry shelf he finds, its contents near barren besides a few rice cakes and protein bars. The commotion must draw Jungkook’s attention, because Jimin soon hears him padding down the stairs before the elder is before him, his face one big, angry frown.
“Where the hell were you?” he asks slowly, eyeing the younger as he shoves more fruit into the fridge.
“I went grocery shopping,” Jimin supplies, even though he’s sure Jungkook has gathered that by now.
“You didn’t think to call me?” Jungkook asks, his eyes furious, his cheeks and neck pink in irritation. Jimin sighs and folds one of the now empty bags up. He’d had to pay an additional five cents for each bag, so he plans to store them to use for later trips. “Or to leave a note at least? I come home and you’re just gone with no word.”
“Sorry, I thought I’d be back before you,” Jimin says, a slight bite to his voice. “And I realized I don’t know where the landline is, or even what your numbers are, by the way.” Jungkook’s face softens guiltily at this, and he nods. Jimin speaks more gently when he notices the obvious mix of relief and worry on the elder’s face. “I’ll leave a note next time.”
“We’ll get you a cellphone today,” Jungkook says, his voice less angry now. “That way you can call me if you need to, and Taehyung as well. We can program all my numbers in there, and the landline is in my office on the other side of the living room, near the gym.”
“Okay,” Jimin says, placing both bags in the pantry. He looks at Jungkook again, licking his lips. He takes a cautious step between them, his gaze barely able to meet the elder’s. “That would be nice,” he whispers. He looks at Jungkook again, and catches the elder swallowing roughly. “I’m sorry for scaring you.”
“I thought you left,” Jungkook admits, his eyes now glassy. Jimin’s heart sinks. “I thought you might’ve changed your mind about being with me… because of last night.”
“Where would I even go? I have no idea where anything is here,” Jimin says with a small smile, trying to lighten the mood.
“You’re a crafty little thing,” Jungkook sniffs, and Jimin wraps his arms around him, sighing in relief when the elder easily hugs him back. “You could definitely handle yourself out there. I never know what you might have up your sleeve.”
“I wouldn’t leave you, Jungkook,” Jimin says softly, tilting his head back to meet Jungkook's gaze so the elder knows he’s telling the truth. “Not for that. I was upset, but I know you can’t help who you were with before me. It would be wrong for me to hold that against you, especially given my past.”
Jungkook reaches a hand up to cup Jimin’s chin, his thumb smoothing over his lips. “That’s a little different, though. I would never hold that against you. I don’t envy any of them because they didn’t know you like I do, or love you, which does make me sad to think that you possibly weren’t treated right…” he trails off, swallowing again. Jimin looks down between them, not knowing what to say to that. They haven’t talked about his clients like this probably ever, at least not that he remembers. But Jungkook is right in what he says. He tilts Jimin’s chin to get the younger to meet his eye again. “But I do understand how you felt last night. It’s probably the same feeling I’ve gotten every time you’ve ever brought up your ex.”
Jimin inhales deeply, nodding. “Probably so.”
“But it’s you and me now,” Jungkook goes on, smiling softly. He caresses Jimin’s cheek with his fingers, Jimin’s eyes fluttering at the comforting feeling. “Last week was… a lot, but I think it also showed me I can handle anything with you by my side.”
Jimin gives him a watery smile, the words piercing right through his heart. “Same.”
Jungkook holds him closer, planting a kiss to the side of his head. “Good. Can we please not be mad at each other now?” he asks softly, and Jimin laughs breathlessly, nodding into his neck.
“Yeah,” he says, pecking his throat. “How was your morning? How did the meeting go?”
Jungkook stiffens against him, and Jimin raises his head to meet his tight smile.
“It went fine,” he says, rubbing Jimin’s back. “Just had some last-minute stuff to go over with the board.”
“About the new direction for the company?” Jimin asks, noticing how tired Jungkook's eyes are now that they’re clear from anger or tears. Jungkook nods.
“Yeah, that and a few other things. Things that can’t be solved with just one meeting.”
“Hm,” Jimin says, thinking it’s probably best for him if he doesn’t ask what Jungkook is referring to. He pecks Jungkook’s mouth, getting a more genuine smile from the elder. “Do you want to stay in for the rest of the day, then? You’re probably tired from that meeting.”
“No,” Jungkook says with a shake of his head. “It’s your first day in the city. You should see more of it than just the local grocery store.”
“Hey, it was still cool, though,” Jimin says with a smile. “I’ve never seen a grocery store like that. All of the buildings in New York are built so weird and skinny.”
“That’s one way to describe them,” Jungkook laughs. “Any sights you wanna see? We could do some of the touristy ones. Times Square, Lady Liberty, Brooklyn Bridge?”
Jimin purses his lips, fingering the hair on Jungkook’s nape. “I don’t know. What’s your favorite place here?”
Jungkook smiles. “We can go get food first, and then I’ll take you to my favorite spot.” He looks down at his suit and releases Jimin. “I’ll go get changed. Prepare yourself. We’re gonna be doing a lot of walking.”
“Great…” Jimin says, with just a dash of sarcasm, not knowing what he’s in for. Jungkook sends him a wink before heading back towards the stairs to the bedroom.
✬
The only knowledge of Central Park Jimin has is from movies, but even they don’t do it justice. The greenery is much more vivid in real life, the sound effects of children laughing and geese honking to one another in the pools of water they pass by adding an allure that movies just can’t quite capture. And movies also don’t have Jungkook in them.
They idly walk hand-in-hand in the park, Jungkook providing the lore of every site they pass by to Jimin like a tour guide. They pass by the Belvedere Castle, the Bethesda Terrace, and so many groups of kids and adults alike playing soccer and football and baseball out on the fields of lush grass, Jimin loses count.
He checks his back pocket for the millionth time to make sure the cellphone Jungkook and he purchased after lunch is still there, exhaling a breath of relief when he finds that it is. Jungkook had been sure to purchase the latest and greatest model for him: a Nokia 1011. Jimin has never owned a cellphone before, and the object feels foreign to him. It sits bulkily in his pocket when he’s aware of it, but Jimin keeps fretting that it’s somehow slipped out. He so far only has Jungkook’s cell and work numbers, the number to Taehyung’s rehab facility, and the number to the cellphone Jungkook had purchased for Taehyung for when he gets phone privileges programmed into the small device. He doesn’t really have anyone else to call.
He swipes his forehead with the back of his free hand, not daring to release Jungkook’s grip to do it with that hand since the elder had complained heavily about him doing so before, even though their palms are pretty much suctioned to one another due to their combined sweat. The heat is awful today, the September summer just slightly more tolerable than August’s had been. The heat of New York is different than that of L.A. – this city’s climate being more humid – and it reminds him of the summers he spent as a child back in Georgia. There’s at least a cool breeze today in the park, the many bodies of water and shaded walkways they pass beside and under providing some reprieve.
Jimin looks up at the shelter of leaves above them now, the cool green bearing a little of the sweltering warmth from the sun. Some streaks of light peak through them as they walk under, and Jimin knows these leaves will soon brown and fall, and the warmth will soon turn to the cold, snowy winters this city is known for. It’s hard to picture that happening when it’s so summery and hot out today, but he knows it will come eventually. He’s never lived in snow, so he’s not sure what to expect. It snowed only a couple times when he was a child, but not like it does here. He’s thankful he has Jungkook to get him through his first serious winter.
He longs for the snow once they lose shade and the path spits them out under direct sunlight again.
“Are we almost there?” he asks again, swiping his hand on his pant leg. It feels like they’ve been walking for ages in order to reach Jungkook’s elusive favorite spot.
“Yes,” Jungkook answers patiently for the third time. He squeezes Jimin’s sweaty palm in his own and looks to him with a smile. “It’s just up here.”
“Good. I’m getting so hot, I’m tempted to jump in the lake,” he says, nodding to the body of water for emphasis. Jungkook laughs.
“I’ll hold your clothes for you,” Jungkook teases, and Jimin purses his lips.
“You wouldn’t go in there with me?” he asks, elbowing Jungkook playfully. Jungkook hums and tilts his head, looking out at the water as they stroll.
“There’s no telling what’s in that water, so no.”
“Good point,” Jimin laughs. “Have you ever been skinny dipping?” Jungkook chuckles.
“No. Have you?”
“Yeah,” Jimin answers, swinging their hands between them.
“When?”
“A year ago, I think. Last summer when I was in Arizona for a few months.”
“You lived in Arizona?” Jungkook asks, and Jimin nods.
“I was couch surfing at this guy’s house. He’s a tattoo artist, by the way. He actually did my back piece and the one behind my ear. Anyways, he had a pool, and I… had, uh, well, tried molly for the first time with him,” he goes on, avoiding Jungkook’s gaze. He regrets starting to tell this story. He feels the elder slow beside him and he quickly goes on, figuring he has to finish it now. “First and last time, I should say. Anyways, I was really hot from the heat and the drugs I guess, and had the idea to go swimming. But I didn't have a suit. He suggested I go naked, and I thought that was a great idea, obviously. So I did.”
Jungkook is quiet a second, and then he says, “Did he do it with you?”
“Skinny dip?” Jimin asks, still avoiding his gaze.
“Mmh hm,” Jungkook answers, and Jimin can feel him looking at him.
“Well… yeah,” he says, and sees Jungkook nod out of his peripheral.
“But we weren’t… he’s not… he was straight,” Jimin says, rushing the words out. He glances Jungkook’s way nervously. “And not my type. He had a goatee, and I hate goatees. Plus, he always smelled like weed and onions–”
“It’s okay, angel,” Jungkook cuts him off with a laugh, stopping and pulling on Jimin’s hand to halt him as well. His smile is genuine, and Jimin internally breathes a sigh of relief. Jungkook raises their combined hands up to his mouth to kiss the back of Jimin’s knuckle, his gaze suddenly serious. “You were nervous telling me that story. Why?”
“I don’t know,” Jimin says, staring at Jungkook’s lips pressed to his skin. He licks his own and meets the elder’s eyes. “The drugs, I guess. And the… I didn’t want you to be upset.”
“I wouldn’t be,” Jungkook says with a shake of his head. “I would never judge you, Jimin. I thought you would know that by now.”
“I know,” Jimin assures him, swallowing roughly, though he still holds some doubt, because how could Jungkook not? “I just… I judge myself, I guess.”
“You shouldn’t. You were what, twenty? I was doing the same back then.”
Jimin smiles, shaking his head. “You sound so old when you say it like that.”
“Hey,” Jungkook scolds, tugging on Jimin’s arm to get him to start walking again. “Don’t be mean when I’m taking you to my favorite place.”
Jimin bites his lip to stifle his growing grin. He squeezes Jungkook’s hand. “Do you really mean it when you say you don’t judge me?” he asks, quietly. Jungkook looks at him, a small smile covering his mouth. He stops again, pulling Jimin in until they’re chest-to-chest. He lets go of Jimin’s hand to wrap his arms around his waist, his gaze soft and searching on Jimin’s face. Jimin looks up at Jungkook, his hands on the elder’s hips.
“You’re perfect in my eyes,” Jungkook says, and Jimin looks between them, unbelieving. “Jimin,” the elder calls, and Jimin looks at him again. “So, you have a past. I do too. I still love you, and you’re still the most amazing person I know, regardless of what you may have done or do,” he goes on, his tone quiet and genuine. Jimin’s throat tightens. “I don’t judge you. Plus, I like knowing things about you.”
Jimin bites his lip, reaching a hand up to cup the side of Jungkook’s neck. He rubs his thumb gently over the mole on his throat, not sure what to say.
“I love you so much,” he finally decides on. Jungkook’s face breaks out into the sweetest smile Jimin’s ever seen, his nose wrinkling, and he feels himself fall even more for the elder. Jimin lifts up on his toes to kiss him, getting mostly his teeth before the elder realizes what’s happening and kisses him back. Jimin pulls away, their lips disconnecting with a smack. He licks his lips, tasting Jungkook on them. He smiles when he notices the elder’s left looking a little dazed. “Come on, baby,” he says, sneakily swiping his freed hand on his pants before removing Jungkook’s from his waist. He tugs on it. “Show me your favorite spot.”
✬
“Here it is,” Jungkook says, after a few more minutes of walking. “This is my favorite spot,” Jungkook says softly, and Jimin turns to look at him, expecting the elder to be referring to the picturesque view in front of them. A small, shaded bank gives way to a gray, stone bridge that sits over a pond of calm water covered in lily pads. Ducks, pigeons, and dragonflies scurry over the water’s surface. A couple walks hand-in-hand over the bridge, talking quietly. It’s a beautiful scene of New York, but Jungkook’s not looking at it.
“A bench?” Jimin asks, his voice pitched in surprised curiosity as he takes in the simple, weathered, wooden and metal bench they’re standing beside. “ This is your favorite spot?”
Jungkook laughs, sitting down. “Yes,” he says, then pats the empty space next to him. “Come here and you’ll see, angel.”
Jimin joins him, turning to face the elder as the elder does the same to him, his leg folded up on the bench between them.
He holds Jimina gaze with a small, secretive smile.
Jimin looks to the side back out at the water, the view hardly any different at this level than it was when standing. He looks to the elder again, confused at what he’s missing.
“What am I supposed to be looking at?” he asks, and Jungkook bites his bottom lip with his teeth to smother a grin.
“This,” he says, reaching a hand up to smooth his fingers over a small, silver plaque Jimin had not noticed before. Jimin meets Jungkook’s gaze again, his brow furrowed. “Read it,” Jungkook says, humorously exasperated.
Jimin moves to where he can easily read the engraving on the plaque, his eyes just able to make out the words thanks to the shade overhead.
“‘My dear David,’” Jimin starts to read aloud. “‘I hope to see you again on the other side. Until then, I will wait out time on this very bench, where we first locked eyes. I loved you even then. Forever yours, Jack.’”
Jimin meets Jungkook’s eyes, finding his gaze soft and dopey on him already. Jimin smiles and reaches for the elder’s shoulder, thumbing at the collar of his shirt.
“Such a romantic,” Jimin says, his voice gentle and teasing. He lightly traces his fingers across Jungkook’s shoulder before cupping it and using it to scoot closer to him on the bench, until he’s halfway in his lap. Jungkook grunts in surprise but accommodates him easily, his cheeks dusted pink as he looks down at the younger. His palm rests warm and spread out along Jimin’s lower back, the other on the younger's knee. “How did you discover this?”
“I used to come here a lot when my father first passed,” the elder explains. “Needed to be outside, I guess. I found this little spot eventually, and… I don’t know, I thought it was really nice. I like to think that no one else knows about the plaque, that it’s my own little secret.”
Jimin squeezes his shoulder, biting his lip to tame his smile.
“But you showed it to me,” he points out, and Jungkook nods, his nose slightly crinkling as he smiles.
“Yeah, well, I want you to know my secrets,” he murmurs, and Jimin’s heart swells inside his chest. He tuts, hooking his arm around Jungkook’s neck to bring him closer for a kiss.
“You’re adorable,” Jimin sighs as he pulls back, like he's truly at a loss for what to do with this man. He supposes he really is. “I can’t believe you’ve just been walking around being so cute and precious for thirty-one years. Should be illegal if you ask me,” he says, despondent. Jungkook giggles, shaking his head. Jimin thumbs at the elder’s mouth. “And somehow, you’re mine.”
Jungkook’s smile smooths out at that, his expression growing serious. He licks his lips, his eyes heavying. He hums, his fingers tightening on Jimin’s knee.
“Yours,” Jungkook says, his voice a bit lower than it was just a second ago. Jimin hums back in confirmation. Jungkook smooths his palm down the younger’s leg until he stops mid-thigh, his gaze never straying from Jimin’s. Jimin’s breath hitches embarrassingly easy when Jungkook squeezes his leg before moving his palm back up. He hooks Jimin’s leg over his own, so Jimin’s almost straddling him on the bench sideways. Jimin gasps at the movement, but Jungkook’s hand on his back steadies him. They’re almost nose-to-nose now, and he can tell how turned on Jungkook is by how dilated his already dark eyes are.
“You like that, huh?” Jimin asks, tangling his fingersthrough the hair at the back of Jungkook’s head. “Being mine.” Jungkook nods, his gaze falling to Jimin’s mouth.
“Yes,” Jungkook says, after a rough swallow. He licks his lips, and Jimin’s eyes can’t help but drop to them. He feels a tightening in his gut at the whole encounter, and he wishes they weren’t in the middle of a public park right now.
“And what about me?” Jimin asks, unable to stop himself from continuing this line of conversation, even though he knows how dangerous it is. “Am I yours?”
“If you want to be,” Jungkook says, his nose grazing Jimin’s cheek bone as he turns his head to whisper the words to him.
“Of course I do,” Jimin says, almost with a pout. He’d been secretly hoping Jungkook would be a little more possessive with his wording, but he’s grateful the elder has always put his consent and wants first.
“Good,” Jungkook says, playfully nipping at Jimin’s jaw, making the younger squirm. “‘Cause you are.”
“Good,” Jimin says, a little brattily, his free hand finding Jungkook’s tattooed bicep to squeeze it. “Guess that means we’re each other’s.”
“Guess so,” Jungkook says, squeezing Jimin’s leg a little lower. Jimin hadn’t noticed he was still rubbing his leg. “Figured we were when we agreed we’re in love.”
“... Good point,” Jimin says, his mind now working at half-speed with Jungkook looking at and talking to him like this. Jungkook has told Jimin he loves him only a handful of times over the last few days, but Jimin can already tell he’ll never grow tired of hearing the words from the elder.
“You know I think we both missed something on the tour last night6,” Jungkook says, and Jimin hums in question, his eyes zeroed in on his boyfriend’s mouth as he speaks. Jungkook cups Jimin’s chin and lifts his head to make the younger man meet his eyes once more. Jimin can already guess what he’s going to say before he speaks by the slow, syrupy smirk that covers his pink lips. “We forgot to christen the bed.”
✬
If there were ever a world record for the shortest amount of time it took someone to walk half of Central Park, Jimin thinks he and Jungkook have probably beaten it with how fast they walk to the closest exit for the limo to pick them up.
Jimin latches himself onto Jungkook as soon as they get into the car, the elder gratefully accepting his weight as he plops down into his lap, attaching his mouth to Jungkook’s neck.
“Fuck,” Jungkook murmurs as Jimin licks up the length of his throat, his fingers tightening on Jimin’s hips. “Eager, angel?”
“No,” Jimin says breathlessly, contradicting his actions, his mouth still suctioned to Jungkook’s neck. “Figured you were,” he says between kisses planted to the elder’s warm skin, Jungkook growing hard against his thigh. “I do what I can to make you happy.”
Jungkook hums, using his grip on Jimin to bring him in closer, rubbing their lengths together through their pants. Jimin whines, his eyes squeezing closed momentarily as his gut pulses.
His neck tingles when Jungkook threads his fingers in the younger’s hair, yanking his head up. Jungkook holds Jimin’s head back and uses his free hand to cup the erection straining against his jeans. Jimin does his best to hold back a moan.
“You wanna make me happy?” Jungkook asks, and Jimin licks his lips, nodding. “Get your cock out and let me see how hard you are.” Jimin swallows and reaches to do so with shaky hands, popping the button of his jeans and tugging the zipper down. He stares at Jungkook as he does it, the elder’s gaze dropping to watch Jimin’s fingers as he reaches inside his underwear and tugs his cock out. He watches Jungkook’s lips part, his chest heaving as he takes the younger in. He meets Jimin’s eyes again, and he must be able to tell the other is searching for his approval. He tilts his chin up to kiss Jimin softly, but not before murmuring, “Good boy.” Jimin might have fallen if it weren’t for Jungkook’s secure hold on him at the words, his mind blanking so fast he almost feels high.
“Jungkook,” Jimin pants, his fingers tight in Jungkook’s hair. He holds his cock in his hand, unable to resist starting to stroke himself.
“Look at you,” Jungkook says, seemingly trying to take in every feature of Jimin at once. “You’re so perfect.”
“Touch me,” Jimin urges, using his grip in Jungkook’s hair to tug him closer. Jungkook hisses, his scalp surely stinging. He buries his face in Jimin’s shoulder and bites his collarbone through his shirt. Jimin’s cock pulses in his hand.
“I am touching you,” Jungkook says, accentuating his point by squeezing Jimin’s ass with both hands. Jimin whimpers, his hand sliding from Jungkook’s head to his shoulder to keep himself from falling forward into him.
“That’s not what I mean and you know it,” Jimin says, releasing his cock to grasp blindly for Jungkook’s arm. Jungkook squeezes him again, a little rougher, and Jimin mewls, his eyes pleading as he stares down at the elder. “Please, baby,” he murmurs, knowing this will work.
Jungkook wraps one arm around Jimin’s waist as his other releases him, reaching for the younger’s cock. Jimin quickly lets him take over, his other arm desperately hooking around Jungkook’s neck, his eyes falling shut as he feels Jungkook’s hand cover his cock.
“You’re so hard,” Jungkook says, ducking his head forward to breathe the words into Jimin’s throat. “What’s got you so worked up, angel?”
“You,” Jimin answers easily, feeling Jungkook smile against his skin in response. “Want you so bad.”
“You can have me as much as you want when we get home,” Jungkook says, and Jimin nods, pulling the elder closer as he fucks into his hand, uncaring if his wet cock smears precum onto the elder’s shirt. “Woke up wanting you this morning,” the elder admits, making Jimin suck in sharply. “You were cuddled up on me, so sweet, even though you were angry with me. Your perfect ass right against my cock. Wanted nothing more than to fuck the jealousy right out of you.”
“Jesus,” Jimin gasps, his cock kicking in Jungkook’s hand.
“Show you that you’re mine,” Jungkook goes on, biting Jimin’s neck sharp enough to make his cock leak more in his hand. “I want no one else. Nothing feels as good as your ass. So tight and perfect for me, always so warm–”
“You’re gonna make me come,” Jimin rushes out, just as Jungkook shoves his other hand into his pants to squeeze the bare flesh of his ass cheek. He moans when Jungkook’s fingers find his crack and rub dangerously close to his pulsing hole. “Fuck, Jungkook, seriously–”
“Come, then,” Jungkook says, pressing a succession of kisses up Jimin’s neck, along his jaw, until he reaches his mouth. “Come for me.” He crashes his mouth against Jimin’s when Jimin groans, loud enough for the limo driver to probably hear through the dividing screen. He seizes in Jungkook’s lap as his orgasm hits, digging his fingers harshly into Jungkook’s shoulders as he rides out his pleasure, Jungkook catching every noise that escapes him with his lips and tongue.
“God, I love watching you come,” Jimin barely catches Jungkook saying, his hearing fuzzy as he blinks his eyes back open. Jungkook’s looking at him, eyes all wide and much too soft for the intense moment they just shared. “So beautiful.”
“Wait, where is it?” Jimin asks, his mind too concerned to respond to what the elder just said. He looks between them, not seeing a stain on Jungkook’s shirt.
“Inside of my shirt,” Jungkook says. Jimin wrinkles his nose in disgust, making the elder laugh. “What? We still have to go through the lobby. I’m not walking past anyone with your jizz all over me where they can see it.”
“You’d be so lucky,” Jimin whispers, trying to smooth down the mess he’s made in Jungkook’s hair with his hands. Jungkook shakes his head with a chuckle. Jimin covers the elder’s smile with his mouth, cupping his face in his hands as they slowly kiss, his chest filling with helium.
Jungkook sighs into his mouth, his fingers gently tucking Jimin’s cock into his underwear. Jimin whimpers, chasing the elder’s touch when he removes his hand, not ready to be done.
“We should almost be back,” Jungkook shushes him, gently rubbing his back before helping him zip and button his pants. “I’ll fuck you inside,” he promises. Jimin nods, burying his face in Jungkook’s neck in an embrace. Jungkook smooths his hand down Jimin’s spine and kisses his shoulder. Jimin’s eyes close as he breathes in Jungkook’s comforting scent, his body warm and mostly satiated. “Jimin,” Jungkook starts, and Jimin hums, feeling his own breath hit his face when he breathes out against Jungkook’s neck. “I really want you to feel at home with me. Do you think you can in this apartment?” The elder keeps his voice soft as he speaks, like he’s scared of the younger’s answer.
Jimin sits up to look at him, finding the elder’s gaze soft and searching.
“I don’t know,” Jimin says, truthfully. “I… I don’t like that someone else…” he has to swallow, the jealousy threatening to creep back up. “That someone else slept in that same bed with you. It may be too soon to tell if I can get over that.” Jungkook nods, his face falling. “It’s not that I hold it against you. You can’t help who you were with. I–I know that even if I don’t like it,” he says with a dry chuckle. “It’s just, I had this image of making a home with you here, and the realization that someone already had that in the same apartment…”
Jungkook bites his bottom lip, his expression one of sorrow. “I get that.” He cups Jimin’s face gently. “I know it might not seem that way to you, but it wasn’t a home before. Not before you,” he urges. Jimin takes a deep breath, not knowing what to say. “What if we got a new bed? We could pick it out together. If that’s not enough, we’ll move somewhere else.”
Jimin takes a second to think about it, looking down at the elder. He knows Jungkook would do pretty much anything to make him happy, and he would do the same for him in return. So, he nods. Besides, he felt more at home with Jungkook in that hotel room than he had in the first twenty-one years of his life. So he figures as long as he’s with the elder, that’s a home enough.
Jungkook gives him a small smile and presses a kiss to his mouth, his lips warm and soft against his.
“I love you,” he murmurs, his voice so sweet sounding, the annoyance Jimin had briefly just experienced remembering his ex-girlfriend exists goes away. He reasons with himself that she never heard those words from Jungkook, and while a sick satisfaction fills him with that, he also feels sorry for her.
“I love you, too,” Jimin responds. He has said those words to a partner before, unlike Jungkook, but he was just a teenager back then. Compared to how he feels about Jungkook now, he had no idea what he was talking about with his first boyfriend. The love he has for Jungkook surpasses any feeling he’s ever experienced before, and he’s thankful to still have it. He won’t let something like a bed sabotage that, even if it bothers him. He kisses Jungkook again, right before the car pulls up to the skyscraper the apartment is located in.
The two have to behave in the lobby and disappointedly in the elevator as well when someone scoots in after them. Jimin shoots Jungkook a weary look when the girl presses the button for the floor two down from theirs, all the way at the top. They pass floor after floor together, all three awkwardly quiet. He wonders if the girl can feel the tension and that’s why she won’t look at them. Jungkook widens his eyes at the younger, tapping his foot impatiently. Jimin stifles a laugh as Jungkook tightens his arm around his waist and tugs him closer. When his hand sneaks down to cup his ass over his pants, Jimin elbows him lightly, shooting him another look. Jungkook smiles devilishly at him but moves his hand back up when the elevator bell digs and the doors open for the girl to get off at her floor.
As soon as the doors shut again, Jimin finds himself being pushed back against the wall of the elevator, Jungkook crowding him in with his body as his mouth is captured in a passionate kiss. Jimin moans and wraps his arms around the elder's neck, arching his body into his chest. Jungkook quickly hooks the back of Jimin’s thigh in the crook of his arm and uses it to push their groins together, Jimin mewling as he feels the elder’s cock against his again. They make out heavily until the elevator suddenly dings to let them off, the two quickly separating, both seemingly having forgotten where they were. Jungkook carefully lets Jimin down before pressing one final kiss to his lips. He takes his hand and pulls him after him down the hall to the apartment door, the only one on this floor.
When Jimin lets them in, Jungkook pushes him up against the door, kissing him again. Jimin has barely caught his breath from the kiss in the elevator, but he lives for this, this high he gets from lack of oxygen as Jungkook takes his breath away.
Jungkook’s frenzied in the way he kisses Jimin, and Jimin distantly wonders if the elder has something to prove. Or maybe it’s because it’s been over twenty-fours hours since they’ve fucked. Jimin’s not sure.
What he is sure of is that he’s hard again, almost painstakingly so. He jerks his hips forward in hopes of relieving the ache, but he doesn’t get a good enough angle. Jungkook hums and tugs him closer by the waist to help him out, Jimin making a grateful noise low in his throat. Jungkook kicks his shoes off and Jimin does the same, roughly toeing them to the floor. Once they’re off, Jimin’s lifted in the air by the back of his thighs.
He scrambles to grasp onto Jungkook’s shoulders, their mouths separating briefly due to his surprise. But once he finds his balance, he dives in for another kiss before making his way across Jungkook’s cheek, down to his chin, across his jawline, as the elder stumbles through the apartment, finally reaching the living room. He turns towards the stars and hoists Jimin up for a better grip, making Jimin squeak. He’s impressed when Jungkook starts to climb up the stairs while carrying him, but he’d never admit that to the elder.
Once they reach the bedroom, Jungkook puts the younger down and snakes his hands under the back of Jimin’s shirt, softly scratching his nails down his back and making Jimin fist his shirt with a gasp.
“Let’s take this off,” Jungkook murmurs, gently tugging at Jimin’s t-shirt. Jimin nods and backs up enough to let his boyfriend lift the shirt over his head. Jungkook tosses the shirt onto the bed, his gaze licking flames at Jimin’s skin as he takes in his exposed frame. “Fuck,” Jungkook almost spits, reaching out to caress his fingers over Jimin’s collarbone, his touch almost reverent. “You’re so fucking gorgeous.”
“Take yours off,” Jimin rushes out, shoving his hands up Jungkook’s shirt this time, careful of the drying cum on the front of it. Jungkook lifts his arms, allowing Jimin to remove the material and throw it somewhere to the side, uncaring since it’s dirty. Jimin’s hungry hands immediately attach themselves to Jungkook’s exposed skin. His fingers trace the lines covering his abdomen as his eyes do the same, unsure how someone could be–
“So fucking hot.”
Jungkook smirks, and Jimin realizes he said that last part out loud. Jimin rolls his eyes, annoyed with how cocky and somehow simultaneously cute the other can be. “Wipe that stupid smile off your face and take your pants off.”
Jungkook arches a brow at that, not moving. “You wanna try that again?” he asks, crossing his arms over his chest. Jimin huffs, removing the elder’s arms and pinning them to his sides. He steps up in Jungkook’s space, their gazes locked. He gets up in Jungkook’s space and speaks as slowly as he can.
“Take. Your. Pants. Off. Please,” he adds with a sarcastic smile.
Jungkook shakes his head and unbuttons his pants, his gaze humorous.
“You’re such a fucking brat.”
“You like it,” Jimin says, watching as Jungkook’s thick, nimble fingers work his zipper. He licks his lips and reaches a hand out to stop the elder’s hands from continuing.
“Thought you said you wanted them off,” Jungkook says, his tone mocking. Jimin thumps his lower stomach in retaliation before tugging the pants down himself until they pass over the widest parts of Jungkook’s thighs and fall to the floor, leaving him in his tight, white briefs. Jimin can see everything through the thin material, including the dark head of Jungkook’s cock. He swallows roughly and while looking up at his boyfriend, gets on his knees in front of him. Jungkook’s expression slackens as he realizes what’s coming, and he softly cups Jimin’s face, thumbing at his mouth. Jimin smiles at the familiar gesture, and presses a kiss to the pad of Jungkook’s thumb before taking it past his lips, keeping his gaze locked on Jungkook’s as he wraps his tongue around it and starts bobbing his head.
Jungkook moans, the sound almost pained as he stares at Jimin’s mouth. The younger flutters his eyelashes, feeling his own cock leak into his underwear.
“Is this what you want?” Jimin asks around his thumb before pulling off it to lick it like he would Jungkook’s cock. “You want your cock in my mouth?”
“You’re the one that got on his knees,” Jungkook points out, his eyes half-lidded and jaw firm.
“Touche,” Jimin says, slowly blinking up at the elder. He reaches up to cup the bulk of Jungkook’s cock through his underwear, his whole body aching for it to be inside him in some way. Jungkook sighs and runs his fingers through Jimin’s hair, his touch gentle. Jimin wants him to get a little rougher, as messy as he was before.
While he massages his balls with one hand, Jimin leans forward and sucks the head of the elder’s cock through the fabric, the wet patch already there getting worse. Jungkook moans, his fingers halting where they are in Jimin’s hair before they tighten. Jimin glances up at him to find the elder’s eyes closed, his mouth open as his chest flushes red.
“Do you know how much I love your cock?” Jimin asks as he brings his head back, reaching for Jungkook’s waistband to pull his boxers down. Jungkook blinks his eyes open, his cheeks pink. Jimin wants him so bad. The elder shakes his head. Jimin smiles to himself, freeing Jungkook’s dick from the confines of his underwear before going on. “So much. It fills me up so good,” Jimin says, licking his lips as Jungkook’s cock bobs in front of his face, flushed and hard and so tempting Jimin has a hard time finishing his train of thought.
He wraps a hand around it, starting to smooth the precum collected on the head down the length of it.
“So big. Pretty,” he says, making Jungkook gasp. He meets the elder’s eyes again as he lines the head of it up to his mouth, feeling it pressed to his bottom lip. “Mine.”
“Fuck,” Jungkook sighs out as Jimin takes him in his mouth, wrapping his lips around the head before flicking his tongue around it, moaning when the taste of it hits him. Jungkook’s fingers thread through his hair, tugging on it to make Jimin take more. Jimin feels his hole pulse and he whines, wanting some relief but wanting the feeling of Jungkook stretching his mouth wide more.
They set a steady rhythm together, and soon Jimin is deepthroating him, making Jungkook gasp and moan his name over and over again. He looks so fucked out right now, so beautiful, it makes Jimin wish he could do the impossible and fuse their bodies together or something, just to be even closer to him. Instead he hallows his cheeks more, his eyes watering as he takes Jungkook even more down his throat. He digs his fingers into Jungkook’s hips to keep himself steady as he gags around him, the elder cursing as his hips twitch in Jimin’s direction.
“God, baby. Look at you,” Jungkook rasps. “So fucking–fucking perfect. Love you. L-Love your mouth.” Jimin clenches his thighs together with a muffled noise of anguish, not sure how much longer he can go without being touched. “Only thing better than your mouth is your ass,”
Jungkook goes on, his cock twitching in Jimin’s mouth like the idea of it’s got him hot. Jimin looks up at his boyfriend, knowing how debauched he must look right now with tears in his eyes and his mouth stretched around his cock. Jungkook groans, his hand tugging Jimin off his dick suddenly, Jimin coughing at the loss of him. “Get naked and get on the bed. I’m gonna finger you.”
Jimin hastens to do as he said, standing on shaky legs to take his pants and underwear off as quickly as possible while Jungkook searches for the lube in the younger’s unpacked suitcase. “You do plan on unpacking at some point, right?” Jungkook asks as he stands, his knees cracking. Jimin stands by the bed, now fully naked. When Jimin sees the concern in Jungkook’s expression
“Of course,” he assures, his brow creasing. “I just haven’t had time yet.”
Jungkook nods and licks his lips, walking over to rejoin him by the bed. He presses his mouth to Jimin’s tenderly, and Jimin hugs him, wanting to make sure Jungkook knows he’s not going to leave him.
“I'll unpack tonight,” he says, pressing a kiss to Jungkook’s chest. “First I want to make love to you.”
Jungkook’s ears heat as he nods, nosing at Jimin’s cheek.
“Sit in my lap and I’ll open you up,” Jungkook whispers, moving to sit on the bed. Jimin crawls over his lap, Jungkook easily taking him in. He threads his fingers through the hair at both sides of the elder’s head and pushes it back, getting a good look at those pretty cheekbones and that sharp jaw before he presses his lips to his nose lovingly.
“I’m not gonna leave you,” Jimin whispers once Jungkook’s fingers are wet with lube and circling his hole, the elder’s other hand spreading him wide. Jungkook blinks up at him, his eyes huge and starry. “I promise,” Jimin swears, kissing him again. He reaches behind him to grab Jungkook’s wrist and hold it steady, before sinking down on his finger.
Jungkook’s brows pinch together, his lips parting as Jimin starts to fuck himself back on the digit. Jimin whimpers, pressing his mouth to Jungkook’s forehead.
“I don’t know why you think I will,” he goes on, holding Jungkook’s face to his neck, kissing the side of his head. “I want to be with you more than anything.”
“I’m just scared,” Jungkook murmurs thickly, kissing Jimin’s chest. “I keep screwing up with you. I don’t want to fuck this up for good.”
“You won’t,” Jimin says, his heart aching. “You haven’t fucked anything up, baby.”
“I have,” Jungkook says, leaning back. He adds another finger, and Jimin gasps at the stretch, but he’s mostly concerned with their ongoing conversation. “I’ve hurt you already. Multiple times. Last week with… what I told someone. And how I couldn’t tell you before you left that I loved you. And I couldn’t protect you from…” his face breaks, and Jimin shakes his head, shushing him.
“Baby, don’t think about that,” Jimin urges, not wanting to be reminded of what almost happened and did happen with Won, ever, but especially right now. “You did protect me. You always have.”
“I want to so badly,” Jungkook says, his eyes conveying how much he means what he says. “I love you so much. And I don’t want to add to your pain–“
“Hey,” Jimin says, capturing Jungkook’s chin in his hand to get him to stop talking. “We’re gonna hurt each other at some point,” he says, which he knows is true. “But what matters is that we love each other. And we don’t do it on purpose. You’ve treated me better than anyone else ever has, and that means more to me than you know,” he says, his voice thickening.
Jungkook’s face is raw with emotion, and Jimin clears his throat, thinking this conversation is probably better suited for a time when Jungkook isn’t two fingers deep inside him.
“Now, instead of talking about this, keep opening me up, please,” he says, pressing a kiss to the elder’s soft mouth. His cock has somehow stayed hard through that conversation, and he’s suddenly overtly aware how neglected it is.
“Okay, you’re right. Sorry,” the elder mumbles. Jimin shakes his head with a tsk, murmuring for him not to apologize.
Jimin reaches behind him and pulls Jungkook’s fingers out, his hips stilling.
“Want you inside me,” he says, reaching for Jungkook’s cock between them. He jerks it a few times to get it nice and wet with some of the lube from his asshole. Jungkook nods and kisses Jimin again, his tongue tracing the seam of his lips until Jimin lets him in. “Wanna feel you,” Jimin says, kneeing up above Jungkook just enough to line his cock up to his entrance.
“I love you,” Jungkook gushes, just as the head of his cock breeches his hole. “God, I love you.” He wraps Jimin up in an embrace, his hands rough on his back.
Jimin coos at him and kisses him gently, his chest heavy with emotion.
“You’re everything,” Jimin says, sinking down his cock, his voice thick. “Want you always. Forever.” Jungkook’s face breaks, and he kisses Jimin again.
The younger lifts up on his knees and sinks back down, the both of them moaning as they start moving against one another
“Jimin,” Jungkook whimpers, his fingers desperately holding onto the younger as he rides him slowly.
“Hm?” Jimin hums, cupping the elder’s face in his palms. He can tell whatever Jungkook’s about to say is important.
“I was meant to find you,” Jungkook says, looking deep into Jimin’s eyes. Jimin swallows, his eyes stupidly watering again in surprise. Jungkook notices, his brows crinkling in the middle, his gaze softening even more, like he’s in agony. He leans forward to kiss Jimin, and then touches his forehead to the younger’s, whispering the words he says next, for only them to hear. “We’re supposed to be together, Jimin. I really believe that. I’m yours.”
“Jungkook–” Jimin starts, the rock in his throat preventing him from saying anything else that won’t come out as a pathetic sob. Jungkook’s fingers tighten on his skin, and Jimin whimpers at the rough feeling.
“Say you’re mine, angel. Say you believe it, too,” Jungkook says, blinking his eyes open, his gaze begging. Jimin cups his face in his hands, his heart aching ten-fold inside his chest. He realizes now the words do more for Jungkook than just turn him on, that some insecure part of him truly believes Jimin will leave him. So he rushes to reassure him.
“Of course I do,” Jimin rasps, his eyes stinging. “I wanted you the second I saw you,” he says, his words coming out shaky. Jungkook’s expression matches the tenderness Jimin feels exploding inside of him. “Knew from the moment you touched me, I was yours.”
“Jimin…” Jungkook starts, his voice breaking as his eyes start to water as well. Jimin nods and kisses him fiercely, sure he knows exactly what Jungkook is feeling.
“Show me, baby,” Jimin says before smothering his mouth against Jungkook’s again. He pulls back, holding back a moan as he tightens around the elder’s cock, Jungkook’s face slackening when he does. “Show me that we belong to each other.”
Jungkook makes a pitiful noise in the back of his throat and nods. Jimin goes to kiss him again, but his intentions are thwarted when he’s suddenly being lifted off Jungkook’s cock. His hands grapple at the elder’s shoulders as Jungkook stands up, still holding him.
“Wha–” Jimin goes to ask, but cuts himself off as Jungkook walks to the windows. He swallows as realization dawns on him, his gut tightening as Jungkook presses Jimin’s back up against the window, his fingers digging into his ass cheeks as he crowds him against the glass. “Oh,” Jimin gasps, a look of stark determination on Jungkook’s face as he sinks Jimin back down on his cock.
Jungkook supports Jimin’s weight by hooking his thighs in the creases of his arms, pulls his hips back, and starts fucking him, his jaw tight, bottom lip between his teeth. Jimin holds onto him for dear life as he’s fucked against the glass, Jungkook’s name the only thing he’s able to get out.
✬
When they’re done, they lie in bed, Jimin’s entire body feeling heavy and satisfied. He lies on his back, Jungkook cuddled up to his side, his head buried in the younger’s neck as Jimin lazily pets his hair.
“I can’t believe you fucked me against the window,” Jimin says, making Jungkook quietly laugh. There’s currently a stupidly funny ass-shaped smudged on the windows that Jimin will definitely need to clean before Jungkook’s staff does.
“Had to show the world you’re mine,” the elder says, voice teasing. Jimin can feel his nose scrunch against his neck.
“Idiot,” he says with a huge grin on his face. He rolls under Jungkook and scoots down the mattress until they’re eye-level, facing each other. He combs a hand through Jungkook’s mussed hair before planting a kiss to his lips. “I meant it when I said you haven’t screwed anything up between us,” he starts, and Jungkook’s brow furrows. He opens his mouth to argue but Jimin presses his fingertips to his lips, silencing him. “I want to be with you, Jungkook. I wouldn’t have moved across the country with you if I didn’t. All I wanted two mornings ago was for this, right here, to be my life. And now it is.” He traces the arch of Jungkook’s cupid bow with his pointer and third finger, carefully trying to choose his words so they make the most sense to the elder. “I meant it when I said I wanted you when I first saw you. I told myself that night you were dangerous, because I knew I could easily fall for you.” Jungkook smiles softly at this. He clasps Jimin’s hand with his own, turning his head to kiss his palm. “I do think we were meant to be together. How else would this have happened? Things like this don’t happen to people like me.”
Jungkook’s brows furrow at this in dislike, but Jimin goes on.
“I mean that because kids from a small town, an abusive household… they don’t end up on the arm of a hot, kind, caring billionaire. Not saying they shouldn’t… I’m… just surprised it happened to me of all people.”
“That’s so funny to me, because that’s how I feel about you,” Jungkook murmurs, his voice raspy. “I don’t understand what I did to deserve you. And maybe I don’t, but I’m going to wake up every day and try to prove that I do.”
“Of course you do,” Jimin says, shaking his head, not understanding how Jungkook could feel that way. “You’re the best person I know–”
“You’re the best person I know.”
“ –and I won’t have you sit here and say that about yourself,” Jimin finishes, giving the elder a stern look. Jungkook smiles, his eyes glassy. He’s quiet a moment as he gauges Jimin’s face, and then he nods.
“Okay, I won’t.”
“Good,” Jimin says, happy he got the elder to at least outwardly agree with him. “No more serious conversation for the day, please. My brain is too tired,” he whines, closing his eyes and nosing Jungkook’s shoulder
Jungkook chuckles and kisses his forehead. “Whatever you want, angel.”
They lay there quietly as Jimin falls into a state of half-sleep, feeling Jungkook playing with his fingers and the bracelet he’d put on this morning. He feels the elder kiss his wrist before he lays their folded hands against his chest, his breathing eventually evening out as well.
After their short nap, they shower and decide to go out for food again. They’d eaten in some fancy Italian restaurant Jungkook liked earlier, so Jimin is given the choice of what cuisine to have tonight. Jimin chooses burgers, and so they walk down the street to a mom and pop diner, where they feast on cheeseburgers, fries, and shakes.
When they walk back to the apartment hand-in-hand, the sun has almost fully set, the lights of the buildings glowing against the purple-hued sky. Jimin is reminded of last night, of seeing the view of the city from their bedroom window for the first time. He smiles at the city around them, at the steady weight of the man he loves’ hand intertwined with his. This city is full of promise, adventure, and light. He feels hopeful for his future here, especially when the relationship he’s in holds those exact same characteristics.
Here with Jungkook, anything can happen, and Jimin’s ready to see what the future holds for them.