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Jeongguk grunted as Jimin plastered his back against his, arms flopping around dramatically.
“Jeongguuuuuk.”
“What?”
“You’ve been working on that assignment for ages. Can’t you take a break?” he whined. He leaned back, forcing Jeongguk to hunch furthur over his assignment. Jimin’s hair tickled the back of his neck. He rolled his eyes.
“No, hyung.” Because the moment I take a break I’ll procrastinate and then I’ll be cramming at two a.m to finish.
“Guuuuuuuk.”
Jeongguk nudged Jimin’s deadweight body with his elbow. “Go play Mario Kart or something. I’ve got ten questions left.”
Jimin huffed in irritation, but the elder made no move to get off of him. Jeongguk sighed softly and refocused on the text he needed to read in order to analyze it. He didn’t mind Jimin laying on him. Selfishly he had yet to tell Jimin that their moments of skinship made his heart melt or explode, but he couldn’t seem to find the words or time to do so.
Yes, he was making excuses.
But Jeongguk started to convince himself that he didn’t need to tell Jimin. It wasn’t like he was taking their actions and making it sexual—that would be a problem. Friends, whether they had hidden feelings or not, did things like this all the time. So Jeongguk said nothing as he scratched down another annotation with Jimin sprawled across his back.
He got lost in the assignment, the warmth and weight of another body pressed against his lulling him into intense focus. That focus momentarially broke when Jimin shifted, levering himself off of Jeongguk. He didn’t think much of it.
At least he didn't until Jimin slumped back against him, facing the other direction. His chin hooked over Jeongguk’s shoulder, arms winding around his stomach.
That was fine, he was only a little distracted.
A lovely xx-year-old gentleman has multiple issues for comprehensive evaluation. One, Tinnitus of many years’ duration. He has no neurologic complaints, no headache, no vertigo, no sudden changes-
Jimin unhooked his chin and moved. His head shifted to lay on Jeongguk’s back, pressing against his shoulder. Jeongguk’s grip tightened on his pencil, bruising into his skin.
-in hearing. Two, low-grade pancreatic neoplasm. In xxxx, it presented with epigastric pain and high CA 19-9. CT showed a mass in the pancreas. He underwent a Whipple procedure with a pancreatectomy and splenectomy-
Jeongguk suppressed a shiver when a finger suddenly ran lightly over his back, outlining his shoulder blade. It drew a shape. A car, maybe? He grit his teeth.
-showing a mucinous neoplasm with secondary pancreatitis-
Jimin sighed softly, pressing his hand flat against Jeongguk’s back and pressing his forehead into his shoulder.
Jeongguk gave up.
He craned his neck over his shoulder, and Jimin jumped, as if he had been startled. The silver haired man blinked at him innocently, lips parting in silent surprise. He painted a picture of complete unawareness, as if he hadn’t been doing it on purpose.
“You are being so distracting right now,” Jeongguk muttered, not quite able to hide his glare. His friend pouted, his forehead falling back against his shoulder.
“I’m bored,” he complained.
“So? I need to do my homework.”
Jimin seemed to wilt, and Jeongguk’s irritation was instantly drowned in guilt. It didn’t stop Jimin from apologizing. “I’m sorry.”
“No, don’t be,” Jeongguk murmured. Jimin looked up with hopeful eyes and Jeongguk rewarded him with a small smile. “Just let me do five questions and then I’ll cure your boredom, okay?”
“Five?” he pouted. Jeongguk steeled himself.
“Five.”
His pout deepened. “...two.”
Jeongguk raised an eyebrow. “Five.”
“Three?”
They stared at each other for a long moment.
Jeongguk, as much as he fought not to, broke.
“Fine,” he sighed, hating the way his heart fluttered when Jimin instantly brightened. “Three questions and then I’m all yours.”
Jimin grinned, causing Jeongguk to huff and turn back to his textbook. He should’ve known that in doing those three questions, Jimin still wouldn't leave him alone. The hero cuddled up to him again, hands flat against Jeongguk’s stomach. He couldn’t tell Jimin that the touch was driving him mad, so he just relaxed into it and tried to put it out of mind.
On the last question, a particularly difficult one that caused him to tap his pencil against his book and run a harried hand through his hair, Jimin shifted. The bed dipped as he sat up on high knees. Before Jeongguk could turn and ask him what he was doing, small fingers slid into his hair and brushed it back. He repeated the motion a few times, causing Jeongguk’s eyes to flutter close.
“You’re distracting me again,” he mumbled.
Jimin didn't answer, letting the words pass in silence. Jeongguk cracked open one eye to see that Jimin had leaned around him to see his face. He smiled smugly, something that should have been irritating instead of stupidly attractive.
“I didn’t tell you to close your eyes. You could do your homework while I’m doing this.”
“There’s no way that I’m focusing while you’re playing with my hair. I’m already tired and doing that doesn't do anything to keep me awake.”
Jimin giggled, his fingers doing another runthrough. He gently added pressure, and Jeongguk could melt into the pillows right there.
“That sounds like a personal problem.” The words whispered right over his ear, unsympathetic and downright evil.
Yet, Jeongguk’s eyes closed again and this time he could only offer up a small hum. Jimin’s hands stilled, making him whine in protest. He heard another quiet laugh before Jimin leaned up against him. Squinting, he watched Jimin close his book then lean further on Jeongguk to move it to the nightstand.
“I only did two questions,” he protested lightly.
“Yeah, we agreed on two.” Jimin murmured, voice close to his ear again.
“No, we agreed on three,” his stern voice fell apart in the middle as Jimin’s hands worked into his hair again, scratching lightly. Jeongguk melted, leaning back against the smaller man.
“What was that Gukkie?” Jimin teased. “I thought you were being serious, but you seem a little unsure of yourself.”
Yeah, he was giving up.
“You play dirty,” he accused half-heartedly.
“This is only payback.”
That got Jeongguk’s attention. He straightened and shifted so that he could twist to stare at Jimin easily. It caused the head massage to stop, but he was sure that Jimin would start it up again with the right pleading cues from Jeongguk.
“Payback? For what?”
Jimin crossed his arms, unimpressed, but there was a playful glint in his eyes. “This is for all the teasing I’ve had to endure.”
“So me failing my class is proper revenge?”
“You won’t fail your class. Just this homework assignment.” Jimin chirped happily; the little devil. Jeongguk frowned, then twisted to reach for his textbook. “No!”
Jimin tackled him from behind, using only a quarter of his strength to try to pull Jeongguk away. He went along with it, allowing Jimin to pull him back a little only to surge forward again. He grinned as his fingers brushed the edge of his textbook before Jimin grabbed his hand and pulled him away from it again. It dissolved into a wrestling match from there.
Then Jimin threw a pillow.
Jeongguk threw it back.
He was sure that he was going to get a noise complaint with how loud they were being; yelling, shrieking, and laughing while they ran around Jeongguk’s room while trying to hit each other with pillows. It escalated into a full chase when Jimin managed to slip out of the room while dodging a pillow swipe.
“Hey, that's cheating!”
“There are no rules in war!” Jimin yelled, his voice echoing down the hall.
Jeongguk took after him.
Both of them almost tripped over Miri multiple times, the small dog getting caught up in the excitement, and Jeongguk almost broke an innocent glass that had been sitting on his coffee table. The tables were turned when Jimin managed to get a hold of both pillows. His manic eyes paired with his sly grin was every warning Jeongguk needed.
In an effort to get away, Jeongguk ran into the kitchen, narrowly avoiding a ball of fluff to the back. He realized his mistake only moments later, when he was backed up against the counter with Jimin encroaching on him.
“Jimin-hyung,” he tried desperately, trying to sound extra respectful. “You’d never hit me, right?”
“I don’t know, Jeonggukie,” he drawled, grin sharp and imposing. “I seem to remember you calling me Jimin and Jiminie when you should’ve been calling me hyung this whole time.” He punctuated his words with small, menacing steps. The beaten pillows trailed behind him, the corners of their covers caught in Jimin’s iron grip.
“Hyung,” he pleaded, feeling the counter press against his back. “I can change. If you let me live, I promise that I will call you hyung from now on- no! I’ll call you Jimin-nim.”
Jimin paused, tilting his head at the formal address. Seeing that he peaked his interest, Jeongguk continued.
“I’ll call you Jimin-nim and you can pick the restaurant the next time we go out to eat.”
Jimin hummed, considering it. Jeongguk watched his facial expressions shift before they settled on an unforgiving smirk. He knew, then and there, that his fate was sealed.
“Hate to break it to you, Jeonggukie, but I don’t need such material things. I only need revenge.”
He darted forward, and Jeongguk’s squeezed his eyes shut in anticipation of the blow.
Silence.
Fabric lightly brushed against his cheek. While nothing more than a small tap, it still startled him a little. Harmonical giggles sounded at his reaction. Jeongguk opened his eyes just as Jimin fell into him, his whole body shaking with laughter.
“Ji… Jimin-nim? Really Jeongguk?” Jimin’s eyes were waning crescents as he smiled up at him. His hands lightly clutching the front of Jeongguk’s shirt. The pillows lay at their feet, harmless.
And Jimin… gosh Jimin was so beautiful. So bright and happy. Strong, confident, empathetic, and compassionate. He was one of the kindest people Jeongguk had ever known. The way he laughed, the way he smiled was addicting in a way Jeongguk was starting to think was unhealthy.
And he just… couldn’t contain it. He couldn’t stop the pressure of knowing him, of loving him carefully stored away in his chest. It burst.
Jimin’s laughter was tapering off into a wide smile when Jeongguk ducked his head and kissed him.
There was no explosion. There was no bright burst of color or fireworks going off. There wasn’t even panic on Jeongguk’s part. His brain just silently acknowledged, okay, this is happening along with a soft warmth that bloomed in his chest.
It was just a gentle press of lips that only lasted a moment.
Jeongguk pulled back, instantly searching for Jimin’s reaction. Jimin slowly blinked, looking up at him with mild surprise. The hands that had once been clutching his shirt in an effort to keep their owner up were now just grazing the fabric, frozen in an imitation of their previous grip. Jimin wasn’t stiff or melting into him, he was just… standing.
Before Jeongguk had the chance to do anything, to say anything, Jimin closed the distance between them again.
This time it was more than a press of lips. It was an actual kiss. It was a little shy and hesitant, but there was something behind it. That took the warmth in Jeongguk’s chest and dumped gasoline on it. He found himself reaching, hands finding purchase on Jimin’s waist and shoulder. He drew him a little closer, finding strength and confidence he never had before.
Maybe it came from the tinkling voice in his head, screaming.
Jimin’s kissing me this has to be a dream-!
Jimin pulled away, just enough to lock with him. Jeongguk couldn’t read his expression. A moment slipped by.
“Hey,” Jimin murmured, voice light and neutral. A… good sign, he supposed.
Jeongguk closed his eyes, resting his forehead gently against Jimin’s.
“Hey,” he breathed back.
Another beat of silence passed as Jeongguk, and supposedly Jimin, processed what happened. What they would do about it going forward.
Jeongguk knew that he didn’t want anything to go unsaid or previously hidden feelings buried again.
“Does this mean anything to you?” he asked quietly. Jimin inhaled shakily, eyes darting away. Jeongguk pressed his lips into a thin line, not ignoring the little stab of hurt that pierced him. He closed his eyes, taking a deep breath, then opened them again.
“It does to me.”
Jimin’s eyes snapped back up to him, growing wide. His grip, which had tightened again, loosened. Jeongguk continued, trying to keep his voice even.
“You mean a lot to me, Jimin.” He kept his voice soft and low, as if to not startle him. “You have… for quite a while. I-”
“...like you.”
The mumbled, barely audible words made Jeongguk nearly bite his tongue. Jimin bit his lip, cheeks a beautiful shade of pink that quickly darkened to red.
“What was that?”
Jiming huffed a little, glancing away to stare at something outside of the walls of the kitchen, almost pouting again. Jeongguk wanted to kiss it away.
…could he?
“I said I like you,” Jimin clarified. “So of course it means something to me-”
Jeongguk cut him off this time, sealing their lips together for as long as it took him not to smile. Which, wasn't long at all. He could tell Jimin was smiling too.
“You mean a lot to me too,” he offered up seconds later. “I'm just… I get scared to admit things like this.”
Jimin had always been touchy on topics such as this. Jeongguk knew he didn't have the best dating history. Though, it was Jimin's clubbing excursion that led to all of this.
“It's okay to be scared,” he reassured. “There's a reason I've never said anything until today.”
He knew it wasn't fully sinking into his brain of what was going on. That he'd kissed Jimin. That his longtime unfortunate crush had initiated another one moments after.
“So… what are we then?” Jimin asked, flattering his hand against Jeongguk’s chest. No doubt he could feel it race under his palm.
What are we?
They'd been enemies. Rivals. Secret keepers and confidents. Slowly, although faster than either of them expected, they'd become friends. Close friends.
Now, they stood on the border of something more. Something Jeongguk desperately wanted. Something Jimin seemed to want as well.
“I-” Heat rushed to his cheeks, embarrassed, yet giddily excited to present the idea. “I want to be your boyfriend.”
Jimin's eyes flashed, but Jeongguk couldn't catch what it was before he was kissed again. His fourth kiss with Park Jimin.
The fireworks came then.
They'd been delayed, but now they exploded with bursts of color and warmth. The small fire finally ignited them, bringing the wonder and magic that so many novels, shows, and movies portrayed.
Jeongguk knew, with starling clarity, that Jimin had his heart, and he never wanted it back.
“Jeongguk, you don't have to call me Jimin-nim or give me the privilege of choosing where we eat next,” Jimin spoke as he pulled away. It took Jeongguk a moment to understand what he referred to. “I don't even need revenge.”
He smiled, impossibly beautiful and glowing with joy.
“I just want you.”
“I'm yours,” he promised.
I always have been.