Orange.

If you ask Jimin what the colour orange means to him, words like joy and happiness would come to mind. But Jungkook's eyes, they were different. It wasn't a bright orange like the sun, nor was it a dull orange that lacked intensity. No, it was more of the orange you'd associate with autumn leaves, pumpkins and warm fires by the beach. It made you feel warm and fuzzy on the inside, as if you've found a place to shelter youself from the winter storm; a home to settle down in. Somewhere protected. Safe.

And oh did Jimin so desperately want to know what the colours meant to Jungkook; but he was too afraid to ask. What if it was something bad instead? What if it was the opposite of what he was hoping it would mean? He wouldn’t be able to handle that. He wanted so badly to be someone Jungkook treasured; someone Jungkook cared for. But he was more than sure that Jungkook just thought of him as an annoying hyung that got too excited at the littlest things.

To top it all off, mentioning this would only cause Jungkook to realize that he'd forgotten to wear his contacts after his shower. And call Jimin selfish, but he wanted to know how Jungkook was feeling; not that he was doing a very good job at being able to decipher it. Because if anyone was hard to read, it would be his dongsaeng.

Jimin sighed, deciding to stop his train of thought before it dampened his mood. He had to try to be happy, for Jungkook's sake. He had to give Jungkook a perfect Christmas.

The silence stretched on for a little while longer before Jungkook suggested watching a movie.

"I'll even let you pick a Christmas movie hyung," Jungkook said, in hopes of wiping the sad smile off his hyung's face.

"Sure," Jimin replied, his smile not quite reaching his eyes.

Jungkook didn’t know what happened that made Jimin's mood drop, but he knew he hated it. He hated the sadness that lingered in his hyung's usually lively eyes. He hated that Jimin wasn't smiling; and god knows his hyung deserved to be smiling every second of the day.

The younger didn't know how he reached the point of letting someone in; when he vowed never to again. He didn’t know when he started getting so attached to his hyung. It wasn't one particular moment or event. No. It was more of a gradual pull into the world that was Park Jimin. He didn't know how it happened, but it did. It did; and it was the best thing that ever happened to him.

.

.

.

Jimin jerked awake as the living room flashed brightly for a second. He blinked in confusion, trying to get his bearings right. Why wasn't he in his bed? Did he fall asleep? Why was the television still on? Why was there a lump on him? Why was there something tickling his nose? And what in the name of god was - oh, it was Jungkook. Jimin smiled.

But before he could start to coo at how cute the younger was and simultaneously die at the fact that he was actually cuddling; cuddling with his cute little dongsaeng, a loud crack of thunder echoed through the room, rattling the windows in the process. Jimin jumped, bolting up on the couch, heartbeat picking up rapidly.

"Mooooooom, he won't give it back!" Jimin whined, in hopes of getting his mother to force his brother to return him his toy.

"It's MY toy!"

"No it's MINE, appa bought it for ME!"

"No, he bought it for ME!"

Before Jimin could argue back, his mother whipped her head around; frown lines evident across her forehead.

"I am trying to drive over here! If the both of you don't stop it this second, there will be n- "

rain. lights. horn.

crash.

Jimin couldn't breathe. He was terrified. Rain continued to crash down against the windows; the wind kept howling, getting louder as time passed. He peeked over at Jungkook who was surprisingly still sound asleep despite all the noise and movement going on. Jimin bit his lip. He wished he could wake Jungkook up, or just go back to cuddling so he wouldn't be lonely; so he wouldn't think of that night.

You're not seven anymore Jimin,he reminded himself, trying to hold back his tears.

You need to learn how to grow up, it's just a storm. His breathing picked up. "Stop being a child."

And then lightning whipped through the sky, causing the windows to rattle once more.

Jimin tried his best to hold in his cries. He failed.

"It's okay, it's okay, it's okay" he mumbled to himself, gripping his blanket tightly. "You're okay, you're okay," he repeated, hoping to calm himself down.

He tried shutting his eyes as tight at he could but his tears still threatened to spill over at any moment. Where was Tae when he needed his soulmate?

In the midst of all the chaos, Jungkook started to fidget. Jimin turned to Jungkook, ready to apologize for waking the younger up at such an ungodly hour.

"Hyung," Jungkook whispered. "Hyung, is that you?" he whispered, a little louder this time. Just as Jimin was about to give a reply, those big doe eyes that Jimin loved fluttered open.

Jimin couldn't hold it in anymore. He broke.

The sight that greeted Jungkook tore his heart into a million pieces. Jimin's face was flushed and scrunched up; as if he'd been crying for quite some time already. His eyes were red and puffy; tear streaks cascading down his cheeks.

"K-Kookie, I'm sorry but I can't - " Jimin whimpered, "it's t-too dark and the w-wind is too loud and the windows are sh-shaking and and - "

The living room lit up with lightning once again.

Jimin sobbed, diving under the blanket once more. "I w-want my mom kookie, I want m-my mom. I want my m-mom." Jimin repeated over and over again, with cracks in his voice.

His mom? Jungkook was beyond confused. It seemed like Jimin was having a nightmare? Or maybe he was scared of thunderstorms? Jungkook had no idea what was going on. All he knew was that his hyung was hurting and he had to fix it.

He hated to see Jimin in so much pain; in a state of pure desperation. It hurt Jungkook to see him hurting. It actually physically hurt him. He could feel the pain and ache in his bones.

"I- I need her kookie, I want her h-here. I m-miss her kookie, I m-miss her so m-much" Jimin cried, trying to catch his breath between words.

Jimin was hurting so much. His body was curled into a ball and he was sobbing his heart out for someone he could never get back. Someone he could never see or touch ever again. Someone out of reach; no matter how hard he chased. He was crying for his mother.

He wanted his mother.

He killed his mother.

"I'm so s-sorry mom. I-I'm so sorry. Come b-back, please m-mom, come b-back," Jimin whimpered, shoulders shaking violently between cries. He was exhausted.

Suddenly, Jimin felt a hand caressing his cheek. He glanced up and saw Jungkook through his teary eyes.

Jungkook was looking at him with worry on his face.

"Hyung?" Jungkook whispered gently.

Jimin let out a strangled sob, causing Jungkook's heart to break even more. He was hit with an urge so strong like a tidal wave, to wrap his arms around Jimin; his tiny precious Jimin, and never let him go.

"I'm all al-alone kookie. I can't b-be alone, I c-can't-," Jimin couldn't even talk anymore. He was trying so hard to catch his breath between words, but failing miserably.

Jungkook picked his hyung up and held him. Jimin felt unbelievably tiny in his arms; so fragile and small. He gently guided Jimin's head to the base of his neck while the other hand moved to rub soothing circles along Jimin's back.

"Shh, it's alright hyung. I'm here," Jungkook whispered, trying to get Jimin to calm down.

Jungkook began to rock gently, hoping to calm his hyung down and send him to sleep. This much crying, it wasn't healthy and Jungkook was worried. He didn't know what to do but he had to do something. It was time for him to step up; to look after this person whom he'd grown to care so deeply for.

He started to sing softly, knowing that this was how his own mother used to comfort him when Jungkook had nightmares.

you are my sunshine
my only sunshine
you make me happy
when skies are grey
you'll never know dear
just how much I love you
please don't take my sunshine away

It took some time but Jimin's breathing eventually slowed. Jungkook continued to rock back and forth, his hand up and down Jimin's back.

Jungkook looked down and saw Jimin's eyes hovering open; trying so hard to fight sleep.

"I'm s-sorry Kookie," Jimin whispered.

"Shh hyung, it's okay. You can go to sleep; I'll be here hyung." He continued Jimin's hair, "I'm not going anywhere."

Almost immediately, Jimin's eyes fluttered shut.

As if he knew Jungkook was telling the truth.

As if his heart knew that he wasn't alone anymore.

Jungkook hesitated before planting a light kiss on his tiny hyung's forehead, promising to be there for him as long as he needed; promising to never leave.

.

.

.

It was painful to see Jimin like this.

What made it worse was that Jungkook was completely useless. All he could do was embrace his hyung and let his tears soak through his shirt.

He could feel Jimin clenching his fists, not knowing whether to be mad or to give up hope all together.

He could hear Jimin silently screaming, suffocating with each breath he took.

Jimin was suffering and all he could do was run his fingers through his hyung's hair, time and time again, in an attempt to calm the silent war within his mind.

No one noticed, but amidst all that chaos, Jungkook's eyes turned grey. The colour of sadness, worry, desperation. It was the way you feel when all hope was lost; the hurt you felt in your bones when something you love gets broken into pieces.

.

.

.

"You know this is all your fault right?" Jimin grunted, body splayed flat on the couch; surrounded by countless tissues and hot packs.

"I already said I'm sorry hyung!" Jungkook pouted. He felt so bad. He was the worst dongsaeng ever. All he wanted was to have a fun day out in the snow in an attempt to make his hyung smile again. But nooooooo, the only thing he managed to do was to make his pink hyung sick. Jungkook felt like slapping himself.

"I'll do anything to make it up to you hyung, I promise." Jungkook pleaded, wanting to do anything he could to make his tiny hyung feel better, especially after what happened last night.

When they woke up earlier that morning, Jimin refused to address what had happened the night before. He acted as if everything was fine, and Jungkook obliged. Maybe his hyung wasn't ready to talk about it yet. Or maybe he was embarrassed. But either way, Jungkook knew not to push Jimin. He would wait patiently until Jimin came to him; until Jimin trusted him. No matter how long it took.

"Are you sure that's what you want to offer jungkookie?" Jimin replied, wiggling his eyebrows suggestively. "You might regret it once you know what I want."

"Wha-, no-, I mean, uh-, I'm being serious over here hyung! I feel horrible for making you sick." Jungkook was flustered and at a loss of words. Jimin was obviously just joking with him, but the way he said things sometimes, and the expressions that accompanied it, ugh. Why couldn't his hyung just behave like a normal human being.

"Calm down kookie," Jimin laughed.

"That's not funny hyung," Jungkook pouted, trying to hide the blush that had formed on his cheeks. "Now, tell me what you want."

"Hmm, after much consideration, I think I can find it in me to forgive you if…… you build me a blanket fort for our movie night" Jimin replied, flashing Jungkook the cheesiest smile he could manage.

"Seriously hyung? That's all?" Jungkook rolled his eyes. He was expecting something more along the lines of being Jimin's personal slave for the next month.

"Well, yeah. Why?" Jimin enquired.

"I thought you were going to make me do your laundry and homework, or buy your groceries or clean your house. Something along those demonic lines you know?" Jungkook teased.

"Aish you brat. Don't make me go back on my words and make you suffer," Jimin retorted. "Now, go forth and get my fort ready."

Jungkook proceeded to gather up all the blankets he could find, all ready to wrap his little hyung up into a burrito.

.

.

.

"You're doing it wrong kookie," Jimin complained, for the nth time.

"Hyung, I swear if you complain one more time, I'm just going to leave you here to freeze!" Jungkook frowned, folding his arms.

He had spent the past 15 minutes painstakingly arranged blankets to Jimin's constant dissatisfaction. It was either too tight or too loose; too hot or too cold. All his pink hyung was doing was sitting on the couch, comfortably barking out orders and Jungkook was running around, heading to every order. Talk about whipped, Jungkook thought to himself.

After an additional 10 minutes of adjustments and Jimin bossing him around, the fort was finally complete. Hanging above the couch was a huge blanket to make it look like a tent. Surrounding Jimin were all the pillows and soft toys they could find in the dorm.

Furthermore, Jimin had been wrapped in 4 blankets, arms and legs out of sight in fear of frostbite (no, Jungkook was NOT overreacting). Jimin was drowning in warmth and softness, with no way to escape the cocoon.

Finally Jungkook could relax. He could settle down and enjoy movie night.

"Kookie?" Jimin asked, peeking his tiny head out of the blanket, his pink locks falling over his face.

"Yes hyung?" Jungkook replied, internally dying at how cute and soft his hyung looked.

"I have to pee."