(a/n: warnings for obscene language, drinking, and making out)

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“’Ey, good lookin’! Mind if I buy you a drink or two?”

Jungkook’s head whipped around at the sound of the man’s catcall, but returned to its nervously bored position no more than two seconds after taking in the mildly wasted office worker’s sleazy grin and ed collar. His executive nametag---‘Myungbin,’ it read---was a couple tugs away from wrapping dangerously tight around his neck, but Jungkook made no move to point out the potential risk seeing as the obviously older man was just a bit terrifying to the college student.

After all, It was Jungkook’s first time in a club without his friends to keep him safe. He didn’t know why he’d come in the first place, but boredom and a newly awarded ID led him to the closest place where he could lose himself without holding back. The tight room was packed with people swaying to the heavy beat that few actually recognized, a vast array of colors splashing around them as they grinded against each other. It both disgusted and intrigued the student, which resulted in him sitting alone on that barstool too sober to join just yet.

“Um… I’m alright for now, thanks,” Jungkook rejected, scooting a little bit away from Myungbin, who had decided that the seat right next to him was a suitable place to collapse in a drunken heap.

“Oh, come on, babe. I can be a whole lot of fun, if that’s what you’re looking for.” The older man trailed his hand along the inside of Jungkook’s thigh as a devilish smirk played at his chapped lips, the wrinkles on his forehead pressing together despite his attempt at appearing sultry. The hairs on the back of his neck stood up as the hand suddenly squeezed, inching closer to his crotch.

Disgusting.

Jungkook was terrified.

He’d never been good at fending off the pushy types, especially at times where his friends weren’t around to defend him. Just as he opened his mouth to stutter out a shy response, however, a hand s around his waist from the other side, tugging him away from Myungbin who was significantly more confused.

“I’m pretty sure you’re the exact opposite of a whole lot of fun, mister,” the guy pointed out before turning to Jungkook. “Hey, baby. Sorry I was late. Work, you know.” If Jungkook had to guess, he’d say the guy was too young to step foot in a club, much less be employed at a workplace, but the fact that he looked younger didn’t deter the fact that he was quite possibly the hottest guy he’d seen in a long time. With a shock of slightly faded orange hair and bulging arm muscles peeking out from under his white tank top paired with sharp cheekbones and bottomless eyes, he combined adorable and y so effortlessly it should’ve been illegal.

Jungkook was absolutely smitten. And confused.

Myungbin, however, was signicantly less confused. He leaned forward with narrowed eyes, inspecting the pair. “What the hell? Why didn’t you just say you had a boyfriend, ?” The irony of his words wasn’t lost on the younger, but he didn’t get a chance to point it out before the creep continued his speech. “If he’s your boyfriend, why do you look so scared, huh? If you’re tryin’ to get rid of me, it’s not gonna work.”

Oh, Jungkook thought. This guy’s pretending to be my boyfriend, and it’s not working. Figures. “Um, I-I-“ The beginning of an apology was on the tip of his tongue when his stool was abruptly spun around to face the younger guy. The arm around his waist drifted to the back of his neck as his lips were pulled down into a slow, savory kiss that left his mind in shambles. The guy tasted like caramel and mint, which suddenly seemed like the most genius combination to Jungkook. The lips working against his own were gentle, yet controlling, deliberately slow in their attention to his own stunned lips.

His first kiss.

It wasn’t until the angered mutter of “ing millennials…” sounded from behind him that Jungkook noticed the guy’s eyes were open and narrowed at Myungbin, sending daggers with his gaze as the arm around Jungkook pulled them closer together. Jungkook just let it happen, unsure of how to act in the new circumstances. To his benefit, however, he was released only a couple moments later as Myungbin had long vacated the bar stool next to him.

“Hey… Sorry about that. You looked kind of uncomfortable? I don’t know, people always tell me I insert myself into situations where I’m not wanted, but like, how could I not? The guy was such a ing creep, oh my God. Did you see his fanny pack? And his mono-spec…” The guy’s eyes widened as he trailed off, flushing slightly as he rubbed his neck. “I’m rambling, aren’t I? I always do that. I’m Park Jimin, by the way.”

It was all a bit too much to take in. Myungbin, the kiss, the talking---Jungkook couldn’t keep up. “Ah, Jimin. Um, yeah. Nice to meet you. That was, uh…” A fresh blush coated his cheeks as he attempted to process the situation. “That actually was my, uh, my first…”

“Oh, ,” Jimin muttered, eyes even wider than before, and Jungkook would be lying if he said it wasn’t absolutely adorable. “I’m so sorry. Um, can I buy you a drink or something to make up for it? Not that that would actually be enough, but---I’m really sorry.” Jimin waved over the bartender.

“No, it’s fine, it’s just… unexpected. I’m Jungkook. I go to school around here.” Jungkook offered a shy smile and an extended hand, which Jimin promptly shook with his significantly smaller, softer fingers, and he suddenly didn’t care that he was essentially spilling personal information to a stranger. “The arts school down the street.”

The broad smile Jimin returned may or may not have made Jungkook want to crawl into a hole and die with how strongly it knocked the air out of his already failing lungs. He didn’t even know the guy, but he was already positively whipped. “Dude! Same! I’m a junior. Dance major.”

Jungkook raised an eyebrow as his nose scrunched up in thought, wondering whether he’d seen him around campus before. “Singing and production. I just started this year.”

The bartender finally reached the pair and Jimin spouted off some names Jungkook had never heard of before returning to the conversation. “Well, Jungkook, sorry if I traumatized you tonight.” He chuckled sheepishly, beginning to stand up. “I should probably head home. Damn early classes. Enjoy the drinks, and maybe I’ll see you around?”

Don’t go, Jungkook wanted to scream. I don’t want you to leave yet. Instead, he put on a tiny smile and waved goodbye with two fingers. “Maybe,” he agreed, the slightest tinge of disappointment coating his voice, but if Jimin noticed it he didn’t point it out.

“Hopefully,” he added, once Jimin was out of sight.

* * * * *

“Jeon Jungkook, if you don’t hurry up, I’m actually gonna have to kick you out of my fanclub,” Jin cried from the front porch, peeking through the front door of the tiny townhouse he had let Jungkook take shelter in for the night. The senior was like the older brother he’d never had, and took extra care of him whether he needed it or not. “You’re taking ages. You didn’t even get up late.”

Jungkook made a noncommittal sound in response, too absorbed in the task of shoving half a pancake into his mouth to actually pay attention to the scolding and mildly slanderous words directed at him. “Mum shecumh,” he called back, struggling to enunciate through the huge bite. He swallowed and repeated himself, however, before Jin could go off about table manners. “One second, hyung, I’m trying.”

“The picnic started an hour ago, Kookie. There’ll be food there. Just put on your goddamn shoes and come on!” With an angry huff, Jin spun around and marched to the sidewalk, waiting for the younger boy with his hands on his hips.

Although he often made a fuss about Jungkook’s antics, Jin was rarely one to become genuinely angry, which is why the freshman wasn’t fazed at the sour look on the older’s face at his eventual approach. “Sorry, hyung. You know how important it is for me to look top notch every day.”

It was only due to his instincts that he managed to dodge the punch sailing in his direction. “Seriously?” Jin scoffed. “I’m taking you back to the pound. But first, picnic.”

And with that, they returned to lighthearted conversation as they made their way to the bustling, colorful park that lied smack in the center of campus. The picnic was something that happened once a month, put on by a different frat each time, where students could lounge around and eat miniature sandwiches while simultaneously goofing off with their peers.

They were only an hour and half late by the time they reached the crowd, and Jin made quick work of scanning the students to find someone they could hang out with. To his dismay, none of his and Jungkook’s shared friends were in attendance that day, but several of his own friends were sitting by an old oak near the back. With a nudge, Jin led the younger boy to the circle of boys, grinning as they greeted him.

“Hey, Jinnie! Long time no see. Where you been, dude?” a tall guy with jet black hair called out. He had a thousand watt smile on his face and an infectious sparkle to his eye that completely contrasted with his leather jacket and black jeans. “Who’s the cute kid?”

Jin rubbed his neck sheepishly. “Ah, sorry Hoseok, just been a bit busy with some family stuff. They’re in’ crazy, you know?” The other five boys nodded in understanding, a couple cracking a smile as Hoseok muttered about his own psychotic relatives. “This is Jungkook. He’s a freshman, and my legit son, so don’t break him, yeah? I’m surprised you guys haven’t met before, actually.”

Behind him, Jungkook had all but frozen on the spot. Not only was he painfully awkward with new people on a good day, amongst said new people was the one and only Park Jimin, who had been giving him a bright-eyed smile for a couple minutes now. And not only was Park Jimin sitting there, a mere five feet away from him, looking as impeccable as ever, he was leaning back against the chest of a boy with mint-colored hair and a permanent face, whose arms were locked around the dancer’s waist and his sides absentmindedly.

Jungkook felt nauseous.

“Jungkookie?” Jin prodded with his worried maternal tone. “You good? You look kind of si-”

“Yeah,” Jungkook cut him off, and he couldn’t help the bite to his words. “I’m good. It’s just a bit chilly. I think I’m gonna go get something to drink.” With that, he whipped around and headed towards the food stands, fully aware of the six set of eyes whose gazes were burning into the back of his head. But if the rapid beating of his heart in his ribcage and the red tinting his vision were anything to go by, another second of watching the guy that hadn’t left his mind in days being coddled by that sour midget would’ve driven him right up the wall.

It was an entirely valid possibility that Jimin had a boyfriend, yet Jungkook hadn’t even considered it. He’d kissed him, right? But that had been acting out of good will, no emotions attached.

So why could he still feel his lips tingling where Jimin had touched them last?

“Hey,” a voice murmured in his ear as a hand clamped down on his shoulder, and if his heartbeat wasn’t already erratic, the shock had definitely done him in. Park ing Jimin will be the death of me. “Sorry to startle you. It’s kind of funny that we’re meeting through Jin of all people, right?” he continued with a chuckle, before his eyebrows furrowed. “Are you okay? You seem a little…out of it?”

Jungkook allowed himself a full two seconds of appreciating Jimin’s features so close to his own before training his gaze back on the beverage coolers in front of him. “No, I’m good. Great. Couldn’t be better.”

Jimin gave him a skeptical look and leaned in a bit closer, the hand on his shoulder tightening. “You’re a bad liar, Kookie. What’s up?”

Jungkook cringed at the nickname, but couldn’t help the flutter in his chest at the way it fell off Jimin’s plump lips so perfectly. “I-It’s really nothing, hyung. Don’t worry about it. I’m just a bit stressed, is all. Enjoy the picnic, yeah?”

Although he didn’t seem to completely buy it, the hand left his shoulder as Jimin shot him a bright smile, ruffling his hair affectionately. “Well, if you really insist. It’s good to see you again, you know. I was wondering how you’d been after that night. Actually…“ He dug around in his pocket for a minute before retrieving his phone and handing it to the younger boy. “If you don’t mind, could I get your number? Jin hyung mentioned something about you being good at dancing when you left to get a drink, which you neglected to tell me at the club. That’s, like, insanely cool. I’d love to see it sometime.”

At that, Jungkook’s heart plummeted as much as it soared, for Jimin was the biggest sweetheart he’d ever met, but he was obviously not the only person who noticed that and cherished it. And if they did meet up and dance together, how could he ever move on? Still, with slightly trembling hands, Jungkook accepted the device and shot himself a text after entering his number so he’d have Jimin’s as well. “Sure, hyung. Whenever you want.” He offered a small smile, which the older boy returned in full force.

“Of course!” Jimin agreed readily. “I’m gonna head back to the others, ‘cause Yoongi’s a possessive . Are you gonna stick around? It’s fine if you don’t, but it would be nice to talk a bit more.”

“Ah, uh, nah. I have this 26-page essay to write which I haven’t started, so I should get working on that. Sorry,” he half-lied, because yes, that essay was a real thing he had to do, but he’d already finished the majority of it the week before. Not that Jimin would get to know that.

“Oh. Ouch. Good luck with that, Jungkookie. I’m sure you’ll survive!” With a cheeky grin and two thumbs up, Jimin bid his farewell, and Jungkook couldn’t tell if he was relieved or disappointed that he was so ready to return to his boyfriend. Yoongi, huh? He didn’t even have a bad name to make fun of, which was especially infuriating when Jungkook glanced back to see the pair tangled up in each other once again, Jimin’s neck falling prey to the other boy’s cherry lips.

He was so whipped. And so ed.

* * * * *

It was exactly three weeks later when it happened.

For Jungkook, the day had been as uneventful as usual. After his morning classes, he had taken an hour to hang out with Youngjae and the rest of his singing crew at the hole-in-the-wall café they frequented on Mondays (“for good vibes,” as Taekwoon had put it) before finishing up his afternoon classes and taking a stroll through the streets along the northern end of campus, which he had left essentially untouched. Jungkook didn’t have any classes to attend there nor friends to visit, so the quaint homes and towering trees were a novelty in his eyes. Somewhere to escape, he decided.

And escape, he did. The past half month had been plagued by Jimin randomly showing up at his door with the promise of video games and hot cocoa, or dragging him out to the recreation center to mess around with the rest of guys in a basketball match as a sort of impromptu bonding session, each day leaving him winded and unable to forget about the older boy. Sometimes he’d bring a distracted and begrudging Yoongi, but mostly it was just the two of them chilling together.

Jungkook learned that the two of them had been together for three years after meeting up at a party. Neither of them were very comfortable and, once they’d found a private room, they entertained each other with deep conversation that left both of them wanting to meet the other again. Yoongi was a rapper and producer while Jimin danced and sang a little, and together, they made extraordinary music. Despite Yoongi’s protests, Jimin insisted that the younger boy listen to some of the rapper’s songs, because “they’re absolutely brilliant!”

He was right. And Jungkook hated it.

One time, he demanded that Jungkook come watch him at one of his dance practices, insisting that it wouldn’t be boring, and well, he wasn’t wrong. It just so happened that that day was the biggest regret of Jungkook’s life, because if he’d had any chance of moving on before, the sight of sweat rolling off the planes of Jimin’s chiseled muscles and soaking through his hardly modest tank top definitely killed any chance of it now.

In short, he needed the alone time. To his benefit, however, Jungkook hadn’t spotted any sight of the dancer for two days straight, which was good for his goal of forgetting his infatuation with him, but also left him with a bit of emptiness. Jimin had a way of becoming such a main source of happiness in people’s lives, and not being able to see it for a while was a bit of a damper on his otherwise decent mood.

Just as the sun was beginning to set and Jungkook thought about turning around and heading back to his dorm, the slamming of a door and very loud cursing caught his attention a couple of houses down. There was no way he could mistake the shock of mint hair, even at that distance. Careful not to be seen, Jungkook jogged closer and watched from behind a tree as Yoongi kicked over a potted plant, shouting about commitment and love and a bunch of other things the younger boy couldn’t really comprehend.

Nearby, the front door of the admittedly adorable house burst open and a sobbing Jimin stumbled out, eyes wide as he took in the destructive force before him. The sight of the normally bubbly guy falling to his knees and screaming for Yoongi to “just ing stop it because you’re ruining everything” yanked at his heartstrings in a nauseating way.

“Oh, shut the hell up! I told you not to do this, didn’t I? It was one goddamn request, and you couldn’t even do that! God, you can’t get anything right, can you?” Yoongi was waving his hands a little maniacally by this point, getting right up in Jimin’s face as he towered over the quivering boy.

“Three years, Yoongi!” Jimin shouted right back, not shying away as fresh tears streamed down his face. “Three ing years of me trusting you and you expect me to not get attached? ‘Don’t think this is a permanent thing, Jimin. Don’t think this is serious.’ That’s what you said to me three. ing. Years ago! Excuse me for thinking that might’ve changed, you !”

Yoongi’s eyebrows shut up above his hairline, and Jungkook couldn’t help but think he looked a little too desensitized to the mess he was currently facing. “Oh, I’m the ? You don’t even let me go out anymore! You’re always spouting out all this bull about ‘trust’ and ‘faith’ and yet I can’t see a single friend without you getting your ing in a twist! I’m not the bad guy here!”

“But you’re the one who cheated!” The way Jimin’s voice cracked on the last word, the pure pain and horror and sheer desperation at the words being exchanged between them was so rotten in Jungkook’s ears, he wanted nothing more than to end it himself. But he knew this wasn’t something he could get involved in yet. This was too complicated for him to understand through one heated exchange, even though he could essentially deduce that Yoongi was the scum of the earth at this point.

“You cheated,” Jimin repeated, this time nothing more than a whisper, and Jungkook didn’t have to hear it to know exactly what he said. “You said we were perfect, and then you cheated.”

The pair remained in silence for a solid minute, the atmosphere tense and heavy, before Yoongi reached one tentative hand out and brushed the tear-soaked hair out of Jimin’s eyes. “Jiminie,” he said quietly, as though he was troubled, deep in thought. “I warned you about thi-“

“How long?” Jimin’s suddenly sharp tone cut him off, though he didn’t bat his hand away. At Yoongi’s confused look, he repeated the question. “How long have you been seeing him?”

At that, Yoongi’s hand dropped to his side as he broke eye contact, fixing his gaze on the ground. A couple seconds passed before he muttered, “Two years.”

Jungkook’s breath hitched, but the two were far too invested in their own exchange to notice.

“Two years,” Jimin echoed. “Two years.” He slumped further down until he was sitting. “You cheated on me for two years. You let me waste two years of my life.”

“Minnie, it’s really not like th-“

“But it is, isn’t it?” Jimin turned away from the extended arm reaching out to him, biting back the tears threatening to spill once more and failing as they streaked his face anyways. “We’re breaking up now, okay? I don’t really wanna do this anymore, hyung. I don’t wanna see you anymore. Please stay with someone else tonight.”

Yoongi seemed torn for a good thirty seconds before he sighed and stepped back, running a hand through his dyed hair. “I really did love you, you know? At one point, I really did.”

“I know, hyung.” The fresh tears soaking Jimin’s face contrasted horribly with the deadness in his voice, and Jungkook ached to hold him until he couldn’t cry anymore. “Please leave now.”

With that, Yoongi collected a couple of his personal items from inside in a duffel bag and hopped into his car, shooting one last glance at the boy falling apart on the driveway before speeding off into the darkness, the sun having set a while ago. Jungkook was about to leave, suddenly feeling that Jimin would best be left alone for now to recollect his thoughts, when a voice called out.

“You’re still there right? You s-saw it all?” Jungkook froze, eyes wide as he turned around. Sure enough, Jimin was staring straight at his hiding spot. “Sorry you h-had to hear that, Kookie. I’m probably really ugly right now, yeah?”

At the first sob, Jungkook raced to the crumpled boy and collected his limp form in his arms, bringing him inside what he assumed was Jimin’s house and setting him in his lap on the couch. Despite being older by two years, Jimin curled his fists into Jungkook’s shirt and buried his face in his chest with little to no care for his pride. In that moment, all he needed was this, and Jungkook was willing to give it if it meant he’d get to see that smile that radiated like sunshine again.

* * * * *

An hour or so passed in silence aside from Jimin’s sniffles and occasional sobs before the older boy sat straight, looking into Jungkook’s eyes with unwavering focus. “Y-your shirt. I completely ruined it.” Sure enough, there was a huge dark spot above his right pec where tears and probably snot had soaked through the fabric, making it cold and mildly uncomfortable.

Jungkook rubbed his neck, a habit he’d picked up from this particular hyung, before offering a reassuring half-smile. “It’s not ruined, don’t worry. I can just- do you have a shirt I can change into?”

Jimin nodded and got off Jungkook’s lap, blowing his nose into a tissue before disappearing down the hall. In that time, Jungkook slipped off the soiled shirt, wrinkling his nose at the mess before folding it and setting it aside just as Jimin walked back in.

“It’s kind of old but…” The older boy trailed off as he drank in the sight before him. Jungkook had to admit, he was pretty ripped for a freshman, but the way Jimin’s words caught in his throat as he gulped loudly fueled his self-confidence in a way that was a bit inappropriate in a moment like this. He just broke up with his boyfriend of three years, for ’s sake. Keep it in your pants, Jeon.

“Thanks,” Jungkook filled in, not missing the way Jimin’s eyes flicked down to his chest as he took the t-shirt. His gaze didn’t falter as the singer slipped it on, only breaking once every bit of skin on his midsection was covered. “Do you… You don’t really want to talk about it, right?” When he noticed Jimin’s bottom lip beginning to tremble again, Jungkook panicked and took his hand, leading him back to the couch. “So what kind of dancing have you been into recently, hyung? I saw your popping routine, but didn’t you mention something about doing contemporary again? I’d love to see it. Oh, you know that one thing Hoseok hyung always does with his hands? Totting, right? It’d be so cool if you could teach me that. I’ve been trying to learn it for so long now and it’s kind of been a mess and-”

“Jungkook.”

He swallowed the rest of his rambling and finally made eye contact with the older boy. “W-what?”

“Kiss me.”

And just like that, their lips collided in the second kiss of Jungkook’s life, all passion and desperation and he’d waited so ing long to feel those lips on his again. Jimin tasted exactly as sweet as he remembered, though this time with the sharp saltiness of dried tears added to the mixture. Hands looped around his neck as Jungkook laid him down on the couch, hovering above him as his tongue slipped past Jimin’s lips. Although he didn’t quite know what he was doing, he’d watched enough movies to understand what sorts of things were acceptable and what weren’t, and judging by the eagerness with which Jimin returned the gestures, he wasn’t screwing up just yet.

“You’re so beautiful, hyung,” Jungkook murmured as he broke away from his lips in favor of worshipping the soft skin on his neck instead. “You make people happy. You make me happy.” He didn’t expect a reply, because at that moment he on a particularly sensitive spot between Jimin’s ear and nape that had the older mewling and clawing at his back.

“J-Jungkookie-“

“You deserve so much love.” Jungkook painted his skin with purples and reds and oranges, forcing the dancer’s attention on him, and him only. “I can’t get your dumb giggling voice out of my head. Don’t want to.” Another and Jimin gasped, not noticing that he was crying once again. “I can’t believe how head over heels I am for you, Park Jimin.”

A fist in his shirt yanked him back so their lips connected once more, this time filled with renewed vigor and Jimin explored his mouth with zero hesitation. Jungkook’s heart was beating embarrassingly fast, but he couldn’t bring himself to care because he wanted him to know, needed him to know what effect the older had on him.

It was another ten minutes of silent making out before they finally, eventually parted for good. “I know you don’t feel the same yet,” Jungkook whispered, keeping eye contact with the flushed angel beneath him, “and you probably need some time to get over that , but I’m going to make you see only me once you do. I’m promising you that, Jiminie.”

Even though Jimin had buried his face in his chest once more, Jungkook couldn’t help the small smile that tugged at his lips.

“Go ahead and get attached, yeah? We have two wasted years to make up for, and the rest of our lives to do it.”

He’d make sure this love was a perfect one.  

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