One growl from the chainsaw-wielding actor at the entrance of the haunted house was all it took to change Jimin's mind as Jungkook led him to the building. The older boy tugged on his arm and dug in his heels in an attempt to slow him down, but such efforts were wasted on the muscular teen. "Please, Kookie, I really don't think I can d-do this. I can b-barely handle normal haunted houses. You know that. This one is interactive and I c-can't. Jungkook, please."

Jungkook just shook his head, exhibiting no sympathy for the terrified hanging creature on his arm. "You promised, so it up. I helped you get that signed CD, didn't I? Now you gotta return the favor. Don't be selfish, dude."

Jimin had a reputation for being selfless to all the members at any given moment. In fact, he poured his soul into making sure he was never a nuisance to those around him. Therefore, hearing those harsh words leave the maknae's lips instantly shut the older boy up as he settled with silent pouting. 

"Welcome to Hell," the bloody man greeted once the pair had reached the front of the line. "By entering these doors, you're agreeing to letting our actors touch, bite, and hiss at you in any way they want. We ask that you refrain from hitting them any more than necessary and that you not hold hands. Enjoy your stay in Hell." The door creaked open in front of then, revealing nothing but pitch darkness. 

There was no way he could do this. When Jungkook had told him it was interactive, he thought that meant getting things sprayed at you or having to step over bodies. He didn't mention anything about touching. 

"Oh my god. Oh my god. Oh my god, no." Jimin didn't even get a chance to mutter a quick prayer before Jungkook shoved him ahead, choosing to trail behind in case the older chickened out. The door slammed shut with an audible clang, signaling their doom. 

The first minute was spent walking in darkness. Even though he couldn't see anything, he knew they were surrounded in thick fog and the walls seemed close enough on either side of them to invade his comfort. Overall, however, nothing had happened. 

"This isn't too bad," he whispered over his shoulder. "No one's he-" Jimin choked as a hand his neck, long, grimy nails trailing over his collarbones and leaving a path down his back. He couldn't even scream before another bony hand curled around his ankle, leaving something wet on the cuff of his jeans once it let go. "K-Kookie, I r-really can't," he stuttered, trembling in fright. 

"You're getting the brunt of all this, hyung. I don't think they even know I'm behind you." Jungkook snickered in his ear and gave his shoulder a mocking squeeze. "This is why you're so uncool."

Jimin would have retorted, but something sharp and insanely warm clamped down on his ear, forcing out a bloodcurdling scream. Even Jungkook startled a bit from the intensity of the boy's terror, but Jimin didn't pay attention as tears sprung to his eyes, blurring his vision. "Koo-Kook-" he could no longer string words together in a coherent sentence. 

Jungkook frowned, scratching at his head in confusion. Usually, the sight of the elder pissing himself would fill him with a certain joy that nothing else could provide, but somehow it seemed wrong this time, like he had pushed him too far out of his comfort zone. When they entered a room with better lighting, his heart lurched at the sight of Jimin's cheeks coated with tears, his eyes squeezed shut as he desperately wiped at his face with shaking fingers. This wasn't what he wanted. He didn't want Jimin to cry. . 

"Jimin," he whispered, light as the wind. The boy heard him and lifted his gaze, shocked that he no longer held the derisive tone from earlier. "We're almost done, okay?"

No, we're not. Jimin just nodded and continued onwards, flicking his watchful stare back and forth in an attempt to detect the next jumpscare. 

What he wasn't prepared for was a tile sliding over in the blood-spattered cieling and a hissing snake the size of a pool noodle landing around his shoulders. Another gut-wrenching scream sounded and he froze, eyes the size of the moon as his mind blanked. 

Even the maknae knew this was too much for the dancer to handle. Swift and efficient in his movements, Jungkook uncoiled the serpent and set it aside, careful not to anger it as he returned to his companion. Tears freely poured down Jimin's cheeks, tugging at the younger boy's heart as guilt filled his every pore. This is my fault, he repeated again and again. If only I hadn't forced him. 

"Jungkook," Jimin breathed, squeezing his eyes shut once more. 

"Yeah?"

"I'm scared." 

That was enough for him to pick the older boy up in his arms bridal-style and sprint to the exit, skirting around the jumpscares and grabby hands with a deftness only experience could bring. Dampness seeped through his shirt from Jimin's tears, but he didn't care. How could he, when his always smiling, always cheery hyung had such a lost look in his eyes? And because of him, at that?

Before long, the duo emerged from the exit, the darkness of the night vastly different from and much more comfortable than that of the haunted house. People gave them odd stares, but Jungkook ignored them and sat on a bench, positioning Jimin so he was sitting sideways in his lap with his head tucked into the younger boy's chest. "I'm sorry, hyung," he murmured against his hair. "I'm so sorry. That was so ed up of me."

Jimin didn't respond as his body shook with silent sobs, but his fingers curled into the material of Jungkook's shirt, letting him know that he heard him. They were out in the safety of the park, but he couldn't force himself to stop. Normal haunted houses made him cry; this one was nearing traumatic. 

"It's okay, Jiminie. I got you. It's okay. You're safe now." Jungkook kept muttering small reassurances against his forehead and planting soft kisses whenever he could, wrapping his arms tighter around the boy until there was no space in between them.

After a couple minutes, however, Jimin pushed away so he could look up at the maknae, eyes still wet but no longer overflowing. 

"P-Promise me you'll never do that again," he whispered, biting his pouting lips. 

Jungkook glanced down at his mouth before locking their gazes once again. "I promise, hyung. Of course, I promise." Jimin sighed in relief, but he wasn't done. "Can I... Hyung, can I make you feel better?"

Jimin raised an eyebrow in confusion, but nodded slowly, trusting the boy enough to know he wouldn't hurt him in this state. "Wha-" Jungkook leaned forward and captured his lips, successfully cutting him off before he could protest. Panic ran through his veins as he processed what was happening, but he didn't break away. Not yet. As quickly as he had become alarmed, Jimin's mind settled and he kissed him back, lacing his arms around Jungkook's neck. 

An eternity passed before they parted, breathing heavily as they stared at each other in shock. Neither of them spoke, but they didn't need to, anyways. Everything that needed to be asked had been answered with that simple gesture, and for the first time that night, Jimin's eyes turned to slits as he giggled into Jungkook's shoulder, all traces of that damn haunted house long forgotten.