“I need you to do me a favor.”

“A favor?” Jimin arched an eyebrow, lips pursing to emphasize the motion. “The great Min Yoongi asks for favors? I thought you were a genius – the greatest thing to have ever from your hometown. What could I, the lowly Jimin, hope to do for someone so great?”

Rolling his eyes, Yoongi normally would have reached out to punch the brunet on the shoulder, but he instead picked nervously at his thumbnail. “I need a date.” At Jimin’s astounded expression, the blond rushed on, “For a bet. I need a date to win a bet. And I thought you might be able to help me, because you’re not a douche about those kinds of things. I promise it wouldn’t be awful or anything. Sorry if this is weird,” he ended, mumbling.

Several moments crept by like beggars on their knees, pleading for any sort of respite from the look of stupefied disbelief on Jimin’s soft features. “You…are asking me on… a date?”

Yoongi managed a tiny nod. “For a bet,” he croaked.

“For a bet,” Jimin repeated. “Why for a bet?”

The blond ruffled his hair and stared determinedly down at the cracked pavement between them. “Hoseok and Jin bet I wouldn’t be able to find a date for the carnival. Y’know, the one on Friday evening everyone’s talking about? And, well, you know how I get when people say I can’t do something.”

Jimin giggled. “Yeah, you have to prove them wrong.” His lips eased into a smile so wide it practically made his eyes vanish. “Alright. But, you have to win me a plushie or something while we’re there.” He leaned close and declared, “So I can have something to always remember our date by!” With a teasing wink, he danced a few steps away. “Pick me up at seven, date!”

Letting out a slow breath, Yoongi tried to not stare after Jimin as he walked away. That hadn’t as difficult as he’d thought it would be. 

---

At exactly 6:59 pm, Yoongi knocked on Jimin’s front door. He shuffled back and forth on the step as he waited for someone to answer – not because it was cold but because he was uncharacteristically nervous. Yoongi half wished he had worn a big hoodie instead of his leather jacket, if only so he could hide in it. But, what could he do? He was already there, and he’d worn the leather jacket because he knew it looked good on – Oh skies, the door was opening. Taking a deep breath, he managed to coax a tight, wan smile onto his thin lips. Jimin, backed by the glow of the hall light, looked rather angelic. (Dramatic Exposé: Min Yoongi revealed to be super cheesy.) “Hey Yoongi!” The brunet grinned and tugged on a bright red beanie. “You’re sure punctual.”

Trying to play it cool, Yoongi shrugged. “Yeah, I guess,” he muttered. Stepping back, he made room for Jimin. “Didn’t want you welching on me.”

Jimin giggled and locked the door behind him. “I wouldn’t do that. What kind of jerk do you think I am, huh?” Tucking his keys into his pocket, he pivoted to face the (only very slightly) shorter guy. “Actually, don’t answer that. I don’t want to know.” Another wide, wide smile split his features.

“Oi. Come on.” Stuffing his hands into the pockets of his jacket, Yoongi all but stomped off the porch and down the sidewalk. Almost immediately, Jimin was glued to his side, looping their arms together. “Yah, what do you think you’re doing?”

The brunet fluttered his eyelashes. “If I’m your date, it means I get to hang onto you all night long. Nobody would buy it otherwise.”

A scowl found its way onto Yoongi’s lips. “I guess you’re right.” He heaved a heavy, defeated sigh. “Whatever. Just don’t be gross about it.”

---

The carnival was a yearly thing of twinkling lights, April evening air, and bright laughter that came around every spring. Some called it the Spring Festival while others called it the Oh-Save-Me-Exams-Are-Coming Celebration, but really it was the Flower Days Carnival. For whatever reason, their town was known for its beautiful flowers, which would be on full riotous display by the time April crept through the window, and some sixty or seventy years ago the townspeople had begun celebrating the fact. The carnival technically ran through the day as well, with flower displays and pie competitions, but the highlight everyone agreed was the evening. Bright lights in the shapes of little flowers were strung between the various booths that lined the walkways, rides would be carted in like a floating amusement park, and the air would become cloying with the sickeningly sweet smell of fried dough. Everyone who grew up in their town had memories of the festival – piles of memories that helped mark how long they’d been in the community.

Jimin was still new to Blossom Falls, and so he had only been to the Flower Days Carnival once. And, really, his first time going didn’t count for much, since he’d binged on too many pieces of fried cheesecake and gotten sick in the first hour. Yoongi felt just a little special to be bringing the handsome brunet to his first real carnival, even if it had lost its magic for Yoongi years ago. The way Jimin’s eyes went wide as he took in the softly glowing scene made Yoongi smile a little, and he chuckled when Jimin began to tug on his hand excitedly. “Yeah?”

Jimin seemed to nearly be vibrating with excitement. “Where we gonna start? Rides? Food? Plushie winning?”

That actually did manage to make Yoongi laugh, the sound nearly stuttered as he tried to smother it. “Rides first. Then food. Then plushie. I don’t want you eating and then getting sick on the ride…and I don’t want you spilling on whatever plushie I win you. Got it?”

“Got it!” Jimin chirped.

So they rode the egg scrambler, their bodies pressed together by the force of gravity acting on their bodies. Jimin tried to not blush when Yoongi’s thigh was crushed against his or when he got tipped across the blond’s lap. When they stumbled out of the little cart, Jimin immediately clamped onto Yoongi, who grumbled under his breath. They opted to go for the carousel next: Jimin riding a bright white horse while Yoongi opted for an emerald dragon. The soothing motion of the ride gave Jimin the chance to really examine his “date” – the way his sparkled in the light and how his lips parted in a smile so wide it showed off the pink of his gums. It was breathtaking. And oh how Jimin wished it wasn’t just for a bet. It would be so easy fall into the delusion that Yoongi really cared, that they really fit together. He had liked the older boy since the day they’d met; Yoongi had been the one to show him to his first class. Contrary to what everyone said of Yoongi, the senior had been very kind to him and generous beyond words. Jimin clung a little tighter to the blond’s arm. If only Yoongi had been interested in him.

After the carousel, they opted to ride the Farris wheel; Jimin insisting it wouldn’t be a real carnival date if the skipped it. In reality, Jimin just desperately wanted the memory of riding it with Yoongi – something to tuck safely into the corners of his heart for nights when he felt lonely.  As their cart lifted up towards the evening sky, gently rocking on its hinges, Jimin was surprised when he felt a warm weight on his shoulder. Looking down, he blinked at the top of Yoongi’s head, the soft blond hairs reaching out to tickle the brunet’s face. Yoongi sighed. “Thank you for coming with me,” he murmured, making a blush heat Jimin’s face yet again.

“I’ve been having a really good time,” Jimin assured the blond. “You must be a really good date if you’re this much fun on a fake one.”

Yoongi laughed, the sound oddly thin. “I think you’re the first person to ever say I’m a good date, Minnie.” Rather than answer, finding the moment between them, Jimin silently slipped his hand into Yoongi’s, tangling their fingers together. Surprisingly, Yoongi kept their hands joined when they got off the ride, swinging them a little as they walked. Jimin fought back a grin as best he could – and failed horribly.

As they were walking down one of the softly lit rows of booths, Jimin’s eyes lit up. “Oh! Do you want to get cotton candy?” He looked over at Yoongi with a wide, toothy grin. “They make it look like flowers here – I heard about that before we moved here.”

Yoongi shrugged. “If you want it, sure. It’s your date.” Rather than wait for Jimin’s reply, he tugged the brunet towards one of the booths, already fishing out his wallet. Soon they were yet again walking down the path, this time a beautiful flower spun from sugar held in Yoongi’s free hand. Jimin happily hummed beneath his breath as he plucked off a piece and held it out for Yoongi to eat. The blond raised an eyebrow, his dark eyes unreadable, before leaning in to gently take the offering between his teeth. A giggle bubbled past Jimin’s lips, and he gave his date’s still held hand a squeeze.

“Jiminnie!” The distinct sound of Taehyung’s low voice shattered the moment. Lifting his head, Jimin tore his eyes away from Yoongi to scan the festival around them. There, grinning so hard it seemed every tooth in his mouth was on display, was Taehyung. “You made it!” The brunet, who had sprayed a bit of green into his hair for the occasion, practically pranced over – his boyfriend trailing along behind him at a much more sedate pace.

“Hi TaeTae. Hi Jin.” Jimin slipped free of Yoongi’s grip in order to catch Tae in a tight hug, letting the taller boy spin him around a little. Yoongi simply nodded to Jin, who returned the motion with a small smile. “You two enjoying the festival too?” Jimin’s eyes crinkled into perfect crescents as he beamed at the pair.

“Of course! It’s our third year coming together,” Tae said proudly. He then eyed the way Jimin slipped back to Yoongi’s side, tangling their fingers together yet again. “Though it seems like someone else is on their first year, eh?” He wiggled his eyebrows playfully, the motion over exaggerated and more than a little ridiculous.

Jimin giggled even as his stomach clenched at the unpleasant reminder. This was a bet. He had to make it look good – look real – so Yoongi could win. “Yep!” Sneaking his arm around Yoongi’s waist, he leaned close enough he could hook his chin over the blond’s shoulder. “Yoongi asked me out.”

“Aren’t they so cute together?” Taehyun immediate wrapped his arms around Seokjin’s shoulders, swaying them bodily from side to side. “See, I told you they’d be perfect together. MiniMini for life!”

Jin curled an arm around the back of Taehyung’s waist, casually slipping a hand into the back pocket of his jeans. “Are you two having a good time?” He was watching Yoongi carefully, though the smile was still on his full lips.

“Yeah. I think so,” Yoongi murmured, his hand coming to rest on Jimin’s over his stomach. “Jimin claims I’m a great date, but… I think he’s crazy.” Jimin could practically feel Yoongi roll his eyes.

“Oh hush.” Jimin lightly pinched Yoongi’s stomach. “You’re a fantastic date! You bought me food, and you’ve promised to win me a plushie. Which, it’s getting late, mister, so you’d better get on that!”

“Oooooh,” Tae said, drawling out the ‘o’ with a curling grin. “Then we should let you get back to your date before curfew comes to steal Jiminnie away.”

“Enjoy the rest of your night,” Jin said easily, lips twitching as Tae began to tug him towards the food booths. “I take it you want your potato twister now?”

“With cheese on it!” Tae declared, practically gluing himself to Jin as they walked.

Yoongi chuckled a little. “Those two make no sense,” he said, turning enough to share a conspiratorial look with Jimin. “When they started dating, I thought the world had gone flipside.”

“But they’re good for each other. Don’t you think?” Jimin’s lips puckered into a bit of a pout. He loved how happy Jin made Tae and the liveliness Taehyung brought into Jin’s life.

“Yeah. They’re good.” Yoongi sighed. “Well. Come on. Let’s go get you that plushie. I know just what game we’re going for.” Peeling himself away from Jimin, he started down the path – one hand held back for Jimin to latch onto. Immediately, the brunet tangled their fingers together and allowed Yoongi to lead.

The booth the blond stopped at legitimately confused Jimin. He had never really associated Yoongi with athleticism, but lo and behold they were standing in front of a basketball game. The goal was to shoot as many baskets in a minute as possible; depending on how many you shot, you got a certain size plushie. Jimin began to eye the small consolation plushies, already thinking of which to pick, while Yoongi slipped his tickets across the counter. If Jimin had not looked back, he probably would have missed the entire thing: Yoongi’s eyes narrowed in concentration, the way his ran his fingers over the ball, the way his tongue stuck out the corner of his mouth…

As they walked away from the booth, Yoongi was finishing the cotton candy with a smirk curling his lips. “You like your plushie, Minnie?”

Jimin’s giggle was a bit smothered. “Yeah. I just don’t know what my mom’s going to say.” The brunet pulled his head back enough to look around the tan teddy bear in order to beam at Yoongi. “I had no idea you were so good at basketball!”

Yoongi shrugged. “I enjoy the occasional game.” Which of course meant he played it religiously. And all that practice meant Jimin got the largest plushie; the teddy bear was probably bigger than Yoongi, when it came down to it. Jimin had practically been wrestling the thing down the sidewalk, fighting to keep it from touching the ground because it was just so ridiculously big. “Here, Minnie. Let me help,” Yoongi said at last. He threw away the empty cotton candy stick before tugging the plushie out of Jimin’s arms. Then, as though the bear were a tired companion, the blond pulled it onto his back and crossed its arms over his chest. Grunting, he started down the street towards Jimin’s house once more.

“Oh, you don’t have to do that…” Jimin trailed after the older boy. Yoongi just shot him a flat look before continuing on at a steady pace. He won the bear, he could carry the bear. “Thank you. For a really great date.” The brunet hesitated. “Even if it was fake, I had a great time. Seriously.”

Yoongi tugged his bottom lip between his teeth. “Me too, Jimin,” he said simply. 

---

By lunchtime Monday, everyone knew that Jimin had been on a date with Yoongi. Literal everyone. Even his homeroom teacher had commented on the matter, saying it looked like the pair had been enjoying themselves. Shuffling into the lunchroom, Jimin ducked over to the table where Taehyung, Jin, Jungkook and his twin brother Suwoong were all waiting. He collapsed into the seat across from Taehyung and began to unpack his lunch, desperately hoping no one would comment. That was a mistake.

“So,” Taehyung said, leaning his elbows onto the table with yet another sparkling grin. “How was the rest of the MiniMini date?”

Jimin’s cheeks heated up, but he tried to remain collected as he began to unpeel his banana. “It was good. Yoongi won me a really big plushie – the largest they had.”

Taehyung practically squealed with joy, wiggling so hard his chair squealed its protest. “I’m so happy for you! When’s the next MiniMini date? Friday? Tomorrow?” His eyes narrowed. “Or did you do two dates in a row?”

A heavy sigh slipped past Jimin’s lips. “I don’t think there’s going to be another date, Tae.”

Even Jungkook, who was in the midst of stuffing an entire slice of pizza in his mouth, looked surprised. “Why not?” Jin asked, draping his arm across the back of Taehyung’s chair. “You seemed to be having a great time.”

Jimin sat his banana down, resting it carefully on the peel so it wouldn’t touch the table surface. “Because,” he said slowly, “it was for the bet. With you and Hoseok.” He slowly lifted his gaze to rest on Jin’s handsome face…only to find it clouded with confusion. “You know, the one about him not being able to get a date.”

Jin blinked at the brunet. “What bet?” he said slowly. “We never had a bet like that…”

Several long seconds passed before Jimin stuttered out, “There was no bet?” Jin shook his head. “There was no bet. You mean he…? There wasn’t…? Oh my – there was no bet!” Jimin’s chair fell to the floor as the boy rushed away.

Min Yoongi so owed him a second date.

--

-jazz hands- Ta-da! And thus concludes one of the fluffiest pieces of fluff I've ever written. It was basically cotton candy.

So, what did you think? Did you enjoy the twist on fake dating au? Eh? Eh? Eeeeeeh?