If he’s being honest, he isn’t too sure when this all started. For as far back as he cares to remember into their friendships, it’s always been him, Taehyung and Jeongguk. Always. Jimin met Taehyung when he was ten, and Taehyung met Jeongguk when he was twelve. Jimin and Jeongguk met at Taehyung’s birthday party, the very same day. Taehyung insisted on Jeongguk attending, simply because the boy happened to be in the wrong place at the wrong time- which would later prove to be right place and right time too many times over to count.

Jeongguk is closer to two years younger than not, but Taehyung has always acted a little younger than he is (or maybe he acts his age and Jimin doesn’t notice it), and Jimin has always looked more like Jeongguk’s age than the boy himself.

Two of them shared hobbies in any given thing, be it dance or manhwas, but rarely did they ever find something the three of them enjoyed equally.

That is, aside from each other.

Of course, as years went on, they’d each become closer to one or the other, leaving hurt feelings until someone spoke up or until his pouting was acknowledged. Jimin and Taehyung had initially been the two closer ones- since their friendship was two years strong when Jeongguk came along. However, by Jeongguk’s birthday, he had Jimin wrapped around his finger (he never could resist that smile), and Taehyung at his beck and call.

Taehyung and Jeongguk were more likely to hang out at any given time than Jimin and Jeongguk were, because the former two clicked effortlessly, while Jimin had gained something of a complex around Jeongguk. He felt the need to display his affections constantly, for fear of them being unknown or falling on deaf ears. Jeongguk always brushed him off, a playful grin or sly wink being his only responses even when he shoved a little harder than necessary.

Jimin never minded, and Taehyung was always there to smother him with as much love as he gave out, replenishing and recycling the trio’s energy through a never ending cycle. Jeongguk always seemed thrilled to be around Taehyung, who seemed thrilled to simply be around.

Jeongguk was there to support Taehyung’s antics when Jimin seemed a little too calm or a little too indecisive, but Jimin was always there to tether Taehyung to earth when his gaze unfocused and his expression fell into a blank mask. Taehyung reminded them both that balance was necessary even when he himself seemed to be the farthest from it.

And as Jimin’s eyes flutter open to drool on his arm from a sleeping Taehyung and a nose pressed into his neck courtesy of a softly snoring Jeongguk, he can’t help but smile and count his blessings because some things never change.

Even when the two awaken and he’s met with an overwhelming amount of morning breath, he can’t help the effortless laugh that bubbles up in his chest, the soft smile that lazy sunday morning kisses are pressed onto. He watches the younger boys twine their fingers with his own in an altogether uncomfortable mesh of digits, but it’s so endearing- something of a morning tradition- that he hardly feels the sting anymore. Jimin’s hands have always been the smallest anyways, so it isn’t that painful for the other two.

“I’ll make breakfast,” Because Jimin’s track record is clean and he never burns their food. “Go wash up, okay?”

Jeongguk grunts when Taehyung rolls onto him, waving Jimin off with a hand and insisting that they’ll do that. Jimin hears the ‘after I make sure there’s a reason for us to wash up’, and he knows Taehyung intended for him to.  

Despite Taehyung’s suggestive early morning banter, the two are tramping out of their shared bedroom ten minutes later with growling stomachs and watering mouths, because Jimin’s nearly finished their meal and the rice has long since cooked.

Jeongguk sets the table because neither of them trust Taehyung not to mismatch the silverwear, and Taehyung serves the food because he likes to make sure they all eat enough.

And because he likes to feed Jeongguk and Jimin their first bites and refuses to hand them their plates until he’s done so.

Breakfast passes by with idle chit-chat and calm silence. It’s a little too serene for the chaos that generally takes over their small apartment once morning passes, but Jimin knows Taehyung likes to sunbathe and that their morning will stretch on without interruption, even when Jeongguk’s fingers find his under the table, and his skin is littered with gentle kisses.

“Good morning, hyung.”

Jeongguk’s lips ghost over the hickeys Taehyung left the night before and the crescent shaped calling cards he himself left on pinkened skin. Jimin hums softly as Taehyung’s eyes flutter open to the sound of increasingly wet kisses, a playful growl rumbling deep in his chest as he drags the two of them out of their chairs and onto the small dining room’s carpeted floor.

“Don’t hog each other, I want some too.” There’s a pout in his voice and Jimin and Jeongguk gladly oblige him, each kissing one side of pretty lips as their fingers dance atop his sleep shirt and along his stomach.

This turns quickly into a tickling match, and ends with Taehyung swearing vengeance upon Jimin and Jeongguk, who had ended up pinning him down and attacking him ruthlessly.

As an apology, they spend the next few hours watching anime with Taehyung on the couch, Jimin’s legs tangled with Taehyung’s as the latter rests his head on Jeongguk’s chest. Jeongguk’s fingers card through Jimin’s hair and occasionally along Jimin’s lips, where they’re kissed and nipped at and occasionally , to which Jeongguk mumbles something that sounds like ‘gross’ but is obscured by a giggle.

Jimin dozes off and wakes to an empty house. His initial reaction is disappointment, and he dejectedly takes to tidying up because neither of the other two will do it. He’s half way through rearranging the towels in the bathroom when the sound of the front door opening and feet padding through the halls alerts him to Jeongguk and Taehyung’s return.

He’s about to go scold them, when Taehyung steals his words with a kiss, something plastic and strangely lumpy pushed into his arms as Jeongguk wraps his arms around the older from behind, chocolate on his breath as he kisses Jimin’s jaw.

“What?”

Taehyung’s sweet smile is all that he sees before the object in his hand reveals itself to be a bouquet of flowers, soft and pink and he can’t help the shocked laugh that escapes him.

“Thank you for breakfast, Jiminnie.” Taehyung coos, pecking his nose with a sloppy kiss before bounding off to the rest of their haul, which- thankfully- consists of real groceries aside from the sweets Taehyung always insists on getting.

Jeongguk makes dinner that night, because I’m the one who bought the ingredients, let me cook. It’s a nice change of pace, and Jimin isn’t aware of anything being afoot until half of his roses are gone and something that sounds suspiciously like Taehyung is skulking around their bedroom. Jeongguk distracts him with feeding him his dinner, which is incredibly sensual with the way Jeongguk his lips when Jimin looks like he enjoys something.

When the other two beckon Jimin towards a bed covered in rose petals- he’s glad he’s never been incredibly sentimental- and tug him into their arms, he can’t bring himself to fight it. They’re half way through undressing, swapping slow kisses and burning touches when Taehyung whispers into his kiss with Jimin.

“Happy anniversary.”

And Jeongguk’s fingers twist the promise ring adorning Jimin’s ring finger. Jimin nuzzles against the both of them, swapping charged actions for fluff because when he hugs them, he knows that some things never change, because no matter what- home will always feel like home.