Work Text:
It’s not that Jimin hates his job working at Macy’s. In fact, he recently got relocated to the clothes department, away from the toys section that he worked in before. And while dealing with mostly distressed women upset over a dress not being available in their size anymore is tiring in its own way, it still beats having to deal with a bunch of rowdy children racing down the aisles and making a mess out of the rows upon rows of plushies.
What Jimin does hate, however, is working at Macy’s during the holiday season.
Jimin loves Christmas. He does. It’s his favorite holiday and he loves to drive up to New Jersey to be reunited with his family for a precious few days of rest among candlelights and Christmas trees.
But Jimin hates mobs of people, hates the stress vibrating through the always busy streets of New York as countless of people run through the city in a haste to collect gifts and the like. Work is always crowded, there’s always a sense of rush and anxiety on days like this especially with the holidays approaching.
Jimin wishes he would’ve been relocated to the instore restaurant more than anything. Serving food would be better than dealing with queues of people and an annoying amount of customers seeking refunds or exchanges last minute.
But alas. It’s a week until Christmas, a Friday, and Jimin is slaving through his last shift before the weekend and his friend Hoseok’s annual Christmas party on Saturday – his off day for the week, which he is so grateful for. Weekends in department stores were hell on earth.
While mindlessly scanning and checking and taking cards and giving them back, Jimin is tuning out the bustle and noise as his mind keeps drifting off and away to how he’ll sleep in tomorrow, shower late in the afternoon and then have a good time with his friends.
What brings him back to earth is the sound of a stack of clothes being dropped on the counter in front of him.
He blinks. Looks down. That’s easily a mountain of ten Christmas sweaters - the ugly kind.
Looking back up, Jimin’s faced with a guy grinning at him. He’s cute, dark brown bangs falling messily into his face, with a big nose and big eyes, full lips stretching boxily into a smile, probably around Jimin’s age.
He’s cute, but he’s also buying a ton of ugly sweaters. Jimin just can’t win.
Seokjin always says that there’s no such thing as the perfect guy: even if someone’s the seemingly most flawless person on this planet, there’s always something inherently weird about them (see: a bunch of ugly Christmas sweaters). Jimin hates when Seokjin is right. He sighs and begins to search the first sweater for the barcode tag.
“Christmas is the best time of the year, isn’t it?”
Jimin looks up from the task at hand momentarily, shocked at how deep and velvety this guy’s voice is.
“Yeah,” he replies with a shrug, continuing on with work after taking a glance at the forming queue. As an afterthought, he can’t help but add with a hint of a smirk, “You sure seem to think so.”
Glancing up from below his lashes, he sees the guy blush. It’s pretty.
“Uhm. I mean, yeah. But if this is about the sweaters, they… are for my grandma, actually.”
Jimin actually looks at the guy at that, properly looks. The other is smiling at him sheepishly, rubbing his neck in embarrassment. Jimin raises a brow. “That’s a lot of sweaters for one grandma. From the men’s section.”
The guy sputters, face reddening. “I-”
“Look, dude, I’m not judging. If your favorite part about Christmas are the ugly sweaters, then it’s the ugly sweaters,” Jimin shrugs, folding everything together properly to put inside a bag.
“Hey! They’re not ugly!” The guy calls out defensively, drawing a few eyes from the shoppers around them onto himself. Realizing, he shrinks back in on himself a little again. More quietly, he adds, “And they are for my grandma. She used to make her own for everyone in our family each year but she’s had a hand injury for the past month and couldn’t. I promised her I’d buy them so she could gift them to everyone. I’m just buying more options, you see. I’ll return the ones she decides not to gift.”
That… actually seems solid, Jimin decides. Maybe not a weirdo after all. Maybe he’s just a perfectly normal perfect guy.
But he also said he’d return some of those - and Jimin hates people who return in heaps. It’s so much work and Jimin wonders why people buy those presents in the first place if they’re only gonna be returned. All these people do is put a strain on every single retail worker on shift after Christmas.
Jimin huffs as he struggles to push the stack of sweaters into their biggest sized shopping bag. “Okay. Well, I hope she likes these. Someone has to.”
The guy’s eyes glimmer cheekily. “It’s alright if you hate them, I’ll like them enough for the both of us,” he says with a wink, pulling out his card for Jimin to swipe through.
Jimin takes it with a roll of his eyes, trying to ignore the warmth he feels spreading from his neck on at having this attractive man wink at him. Flirt with him?
The whole total of all those sweaters is ridiculous and Jimin can’t believe someone is actually spending that much money on something that ugly, but he refrains from commenting. He just prays he’s not on shift when half of these get returned.
But then… he thinks, as he hands the card back, their fingers brushing ever so slightly, there’s something about this guy. Maybe it’s his charming smile, deep voice or handsome face - or all of it together. Jimin can’t pinpoint it exactly, but he feels drawn to him for some reason.
The guy’s smile is brilliant when he takes the bag off the counter and begins to walk away. “See you around, Jimin!”
After that he’s gone, like every other customer ever. Even if his excessive sweater shopping seemed a little weird, Jimin couldn’t help but feel small regret settling in his stomach at not at least trying to catch the guy’s name - queue and busy store be damned.
The thought makes Jimin realize with a start that he guy had called his name in a goodbye. How could he-
“Your name tag,” a voice supplies helpfully, and when Jimin follows its origin he sees his collegue Momo putting away some clothes for later behind the register. He hadn’t even noticed her get here, let alone the fact that she probably witnessed all of that.
“He’s cute, you know,” she adds cheekily, going to the other cash register to open it up. Jimin just sends her a sour look. He’s aware, alright, but he still decides to not comment. It’s getting busier by the second anyway.
Momo drops it eventually and they both move on, trying to shorten the queue and work through the mostly pissy customers in a rush to get home for the day. Once it’s only ten minutes left to closing or so and things calmed down, Jimin sees Momo lean against the counter, looking at him expectantly.
“What?” He asks, tone slightly annoyed with all the stress of the rush seemingly having rubbed off on him and making him tired. He can’t wait to go home.
Momo smirks. “That guy, he was quite the catch.”
Jimin rolls his eyes. “You’re still thinking about that?”
“You’re not?”
“He’s a customer. So is everyone else who came in here today. No difference.” He turns away from here, deciding to busy himself with checking some receipts so he can finish up faster once they actually closed.
“He’s a hot customer. Yes, difference.” She tilts her head to the side as if proving a point. “If he decides to return any one of those sweaters and you don’t want him, just know that I will fight blood and nails to get to handle that.”
Jimin snorts. “You’re a lesbian.”
“Maybe. But am I blind?” Momo asks, the question a challenge. “If you don’t, I will, is all I’m saying.” With a shrug, she abandons the conversation to tend to one of the last shoppers still there.
Jimin rolls his eyes again, thinking she’s being delusional. Even if the guy returns some sweaters, the chances of seeing him, least of all actually tending to the return, are slim to none.
Later in the break room when he wishes Momo a good weekend, Jimin asks her if she’s also coming to Hoseok’s party.
“Hell yeah!” She says enthusiastically, as she gets out of the stuffy polyester shirt she has to wear for work. “I only work till 8 tomorrow and if I don’t get to drink some alcohol after I’m gonna drop dead.”
Jimin scrunches his nose. He can’t imagine having the energy to go to a party after work. All he wants to do on those days is sleep for years.
“Plus,” Momo adds, looking at him over a shoulder with a mischievous smile on her lips. “I heard Hobi’s boyfriend also invited some people this year. I need to meet some girls.” She sighs dramatically.
With an airy laugh Jimin slams his locker shut. “Of course that’s what you care about.”
Momo shoves him playfully. “As if you would mind meeting someone as good looking as that guy from earlier at the party tomorrow.”
Walking backwards towards the door, Jimin shakes his head wordlessly but with a grin. “You’re the worst. I’ll see you tomorrow.”
It’s terrible - because she’s right.
*
The sad truth is that Hoseok had tried setting Jimin up a few times too many. Jimin has been forced to go on multiple dates with the biggest variety of guys New York City has to offer.
Hoseok is the kind of guy who knows everyone and who’s known by everyone. He runs a pretty popular dance studio in Brooklyn that focuses on street dance, one where Jimin sometimes teaches classes and offers some extra contemporary courses for variety.
Despite arguably being one of the most sociable people in the city, Hoseok keeps himself to a network of tight-knit friends, like Jimin. He’s caring, sweet and always wants the best for everyone, which results in him loving to meddle with their lives – their love lives specifically.
There’d been Brad, the most average white guy Jimin has ever met. Nice, but boring. Probably very vanilla in bed. Might’ve still been questioning his sexuality and actually be straight. He seemed too interested in Jimin – more than Jimin had been into him, anyway. Jimin had never texted back after that disastrous first date.
Then there’d been Stephen, who used to be the high school heartthrob. Star of the football team, homecoming king and every guy’s and girl’s dream. Jimin had actually tuned him out about ten minutes into the date after realising this guy was way too full of himself to let Jimin so much as open his mouth to say anything for even a second. Thank God Jimin has a big love for wine otherwise he doesn’t know how he would’ve gotten through that night. He still takes offence to this day that Hoseok thought he and that Stephen would have been a match in any way.
Chanyeol had been pretty nice. Korean, like Jimin. Actually, most of his friends seemed to be Korean or Japanese one way or another, and Jimin really needs to get behind on how that keeps happening. Chanyeol was a cute guy, big ears, bright eyes and bright laugh. They’d actually gone on more than one date, three in total. But Jimin was all about romance and that spark, as cliché as it might be and even if Seokjin calls him too picky and says these things take time, Jimin doesn’t think so. That led to Jimin telling Chanyeol it wouldn’t work out, much to Hoseok’s dismay.
Hoseok isn’t one to give up, though. Especially now that he has Jeongguk he’s even more concerned with setting Jimin up.
What followed had been an even more excessive line up of blind dates that Jimin, being the people pleaser that he is and wanting to make Hoseok happy by at least giving each guy a chance, had to suffer through. There’d been Nathaniel, Lucas, Robert, Minseok, Bobby, Thomas, Lee and countless other guys all over the course of the past year and frankly, Jimin is tired.
He has two New Year’s resolutions this year: no more blind dates set up by Hoseok and finally meeting someone - actually meet someone and fall for them, no outside help necessary.
But it’s still 2017 now so when Hoseok texts Jimin “I want you to meet someone tonight :)” Jimin only rolls his eyes a little bit and decides to suffer through Hoseok’s terrible matchmaking skills one last time, because it’s Christmas.
You, 6:37pm
this is ur last chance hobi
Hobi <3, 6:40pm
you wont regret it jiminie!!!!
he’s perfect
You, 6:41pm
i highly doubt that but i’ll give u the benefit of the doubt
see u in a bit
Jimin sighs, throws his phone onto the bed and goes to shower and get ready for the night. Seeing as it’s New York, the subway ride down to Hoseok’s apartment in Brooklyn usually takes quite some time and involves multiple changes of lines. Jimin doesn’t mind being late but he also doesn’t want to be too late.
Still, it takes him too long, in the end. Jimin’s a perfectionist to the bone and that is also true for his fashion choices, so he spends endlessly long in front of his wardrobe debating what to wear. Not because he wants to look nice for yet another one of Hoseok’s setups but because he wants to look nice for himself - at least that’s what he repeatedly tells himself.
When he finally arrives it’s almost nine and the place is filled with all of Hoseok’s friends and acquaintances. That, added with whoever Jeongguk had invited, has the apartment bustling with the noise of chatter, cheery Christmas music floating through the air.
There’s eggnog and wine, gingerbread men and candy canes, colorful strings of lights all over the walls and a tall Christmas tree lit up in a corner. As Jimin makes his way into the apartment to look for the host, he notices the mistletoes hung from every single door the place has. Of course if anyone would jump at the chance to have the most random people be forced to kiss by the magic of Christmas, it would be Hoseok. He’s a sucker for that stuff.
Jimin spots Hoseok on the couch next to the Christmas tree, Jeongguk practically on his lap as they talk with little space between them. There’s some more people Jimin doesn’t know around them, but they’re paying them no mind. They’re all caught up in their own little bubble.
“Hoseok!” Jimin calls over the music and chatter, attempting to draw their attention to him. “Jeongguk!”
Hearing his name, Jeongguk looks up from where his face had been hovering over Hoseok’s, searching. Jimin waves a little, trying to get into his line of sight as he walks closer, slithering his way through little groups of people with glasses full of eggnog in their hands.
Jeongguk spots him eventually, Hoseok, too. To be fair, Jimin is practically in their line of sight now after finally having managed to make it across the almost too big space of Hoseok’s living area. Choreographing music videos seems to pay well.
“Chim!” Hoseok says cheerfully, heart shaped smile directed at Jimin and almost blinding him. “Merry Christmas!”
“Merry Christmas, Hobi,” Jimin replies, sitting down on the edge of the sofa. “And merry Christmas, Gukkie. Even if it’s not till next week.”
Hoseok huffs, pretending to be offended. “It’s not my fault literally everyone is leaving me to rot here all on my own next weekend because they’re going to their families or whatever.”
“Hobi, the only reason you aren’t doing that exact same thing is because your family literally lives in the Bronx. Besides, isn’t Jeongguk staying with you? You’re not allowed to whine. Especially when I have to literally drive all the way up to Boston and you know how the roads get.”
Jimin had been suppressing the stress that comes with driving up for Christmas very well until now, but reciting it to Hoseok makes him just want to stay here for Christmas as well and curl up in front of the TV instead, rather marathoning Disney movies than spend a whole day in the confines of his car.
Hoseok shrugs as if to say Sucks for you but the look on his face is sympathetic and betrays his real feelings, as it always does.
“Anyway, I’m gonna get some eggnog,” Jimin decides, heaving himself up again. “I need some alcohol in my system, it’s been too long of a week.”
“Help yourself, everything’s in the kitchen,” Hoseok tells him. Then he smirks. “Don’t get too wasted though, Jeongguk’s friend is gonna be here any minute and you promised you’d meet him!”
Jimin groans. “That’s why I need the alcohol.”
Hoseok laughs loudly at that. Jeongguk joins him though he’s more so just smiling amusedly.
“I already told him so much about you, Chim. He’s great, I swear. Trust me on this one.”
Jimin wants to say that he trusted Hoseok on all of them and look where that got him. But it’s almost Christmas and the whole atmosphere is too warm for him to make a big deal out of this now, so he just smiles and nods and goes off towards the kitchen. He figures he’s gonna use as much time that he can get on his own before that friend arrives.
The kitchen is by far not as crowded as the living space, but there’s still a good amount of people mingling around. Along Hoseok’s bar there’s a few clean glasses left and an array of bottles - mostly eggnog but also some wine and champagne.
Despite having planned on getting eggnog Jimin can’t help but to pour himself some wine instead - he just loves his old friend too much. It might not be his best choice, but he figures if Hoseok has another blind date for him, he might need it so he downs the whole glass right away.
Jimin’s about to make his way back into the crowd, maybe look for Momo or go back to Hoseok and Jeongguk when he sees him.
He’s so shocked he almost trips but he catches himself in the last second by helplessly flailing around to get a grip on the edge of the bar and succeeding. Then Jimin just stares.
Across the room, talking to two other guests, stands ugly Christmas sweater guy - wearing an ugly Christmas sweater. An ugly Christmas sweater that he’d purchased at Macy’s just yesterday; Jimin remembers because he’s found that one particularly awful.
And now he’s here and he’s wearing it and he still looks good and Jimin wants to scream and throw his glass. But he can’t because in the midst of Jimin’s inner meltdown the guy looks up and their eyes meet across the room.
Jimin’s eyes widen momentarily before he gathers his wits and makes to duck out of the kitchen to forever pretend this didn’t happen.
Of course, Jimin’s never been the kind of person to have a lot of luck in life.
“Hey!” That deep voice calls after him, carrying clearly above the noise. “Macy’s guy! Wait!”
Macy’s guy? Jimin rolls his eyes in annoyance, a little offended, and pretends to not have heard him.
He’s almost entirely out of the kitchen and in the clear when a hand wraps around his wrist, easily encircling around all of it. He looks down. Damn, that guy has big hands. He looks back up and is faced with that same sheepish smile from yesterday. Jimin is also trying really hard to ignore that hideous sweater right in his line of sight. He really is.
“Didn’t know you also know Jeongguk,” ugly sweater guy starts. “Small world.”
His smile is blinding. Even in the ugliest sweater he’s still the handsomest man Jimin has ever seen.
“Actually, I know Hoseok but yeah. Small world and all.” Jimin shrugs and wishes the guy would drop his hand because his skin feels like it’s burning up at the simple touch.
It’s as if he could read Jimin’s thoughts or maybe he just remembered on his own that he’s still holding onto Jimin’s wrist so he quickly drops it. Jimin can’t help but wish he didn’t.
They stand there in silence, the moment starting to stretch and feeling increasingly more awkward. It’s all so ridiculous, Jimin starts to giggle.
“What?” The guy asks, confused but still smiling.
“It’s just so…” Jimin trails off, actually beginning to laugh and fold in on himself as he does so, wrapping his arms around his body as he shakes with laughter. “This is ridiculous! You’re here! And you’re wearing one of those hideous sweaters that you said were for your grandma but they weren’t really, were they?”
The guy stays mute. His faces shimmers red in the warm light and Jimin knows it’s not the reflection of the Christmas lights on the walls. He’s blushing.
“Oh my God, they really, really weren’t.”
“It’s not like that!” He pouts defensively and God, it’s cute.
“I promise I won’t judge if you turn out to be an ugly Christmas sweater horder,” Jimin wheezes out between giggles. “Well, maybe I’ll judge a little.”
“The sweaters are part of Christmas!” Jimin swears he sees the guy stomp his foot a little. “They make Christmas more magical.”
Jimin takes a step back to look at the monstrosity properly and leans against the kitchen’s doorway. It’s dark green like a Christmas tree and a sparkling red and green garland is seemingly sewed all over it - basically as festive, if not more so, as Hoseok’s Christmas tree in the living room. It’s the worst thing Jimin has ever laid eyes on while the guy simultaneously is the best. It’s a crass difference and Jimin still can’t decide how it makes him feel. If he should be nervous talking to someone that good looking, because he knows he is, or if he should brush it off because that guy is trying to imitate a fucking Christmas tree.
“I fail to see how a Christmas tree sweater makes this holiday more magical than it already is,” Jimin replies eventually, not intending to be offensive but simply really not liking anything about this sweater. The guy is about to open his mouth in defense, but Jimin quickly adds, “But if it makes it more magical for you then that’s totally valid dude.”
The other huffs and steps closer again. “Come on! You have to admit, me wearing this doubled the festiveness of this party.”
He looks so convinced and sure of himself, chest basically puffed out in confidence, that even though Jimin is trying to hold it back he eventually feels another smile take over his face. At seeing Jimin’s smile the guy’s features light up as well, something different in his gaze as he looks down at Jimin. Of course every hot guy ever is taller than Jimin.
Jimin rolls his eyes good naturedly, feeling the need to avoid the warm gaze because it’s making him feel… something. “Okay, okay. Fine, you win.” He raises both his hands in surrender. “The ugly sweater makes this party only that much more festive.”
“Twice as much.”
“Twice as much,” Jimin agrees.
He’s about to drop his hands again, when suddenly the guy grabs for them and takes each in one of his. His hands are still incredibly big and Jimin knows his own are small but they look even smaller all engulfed like this.
Jimin has no idea where this is going and the only reason he’s not instinctively pulling his hands away is that a) he’s still caught up in surprise and b) those are two very attractive hands holding his.
“Oh my God, your hands are tiny!” The guy is definitely cooing, looking down at their intertwined hands in wonder.
Just like that Jimin’s mood drops instantly. His hands are not tiny, thank you very much. He huffs and makes to get out of his grip when -
“Taehyung!”
Both their heads shoot up to see who’s calling out only to find Hoseok walking towards them with a bright smile.
“I see you’ve already met Jimin,” he says when he reaches them, practically beaming. Then he looks down, catching sight of their joined hands. He raises his brows. “And you’re doing just fine on your own apparently.”
Jimin sputters, face feeling violently hot as he pulls himself free and drops his hands to his sides instead.
“I don’t know him!” Jimin tells Hoseok vehemently, the same time as ugly sweater guy - Taehyung - says, “Yeah, we are.”
Hoseok looks mildly confused. “I’m getting mixed signals here.”
Jimin shakes his head probably a bit too hard. This has gotten too much at once incredibly fast. “No mixed signals. We literally just met and actually, I need to look for Momo so excuse me but-”
“Jimin,” Hoseok says, sending his friend a pointed look. “You said you would try one last time.”
That’s when it dawns on Jimin. Ugly Christmas sweater guy, Taehyung - he’s the blind date.
Jimin hopes his eyes convey the You can’t be serious that he’s feeling as he returns Hoseok’s gaze. But what he says is “Fine.”
Hoseok is immediately back to smiling brightly, clapping his hands together. “Great! So Jimin, this is Taehyung, Jeongguk’s roommate from college. Taehyung, this is Jimin, we shared dance classes at NYU and he works part time in my studio.”
It’s a bit awkward, looking at Taehyung now with this whole introduction when they’ve been talking for a good five or so minutes. It does help, though, having a name and more information.
Taehyung is smiling at him cutely, the tips of his ears red. Genuinely excited, so sweet.
Maybe it had been wrong to be so put off towards yet another blind date. And to be put off towards Taehyung, in general. Jimin’s mind keeps going back to how warm and pleased Taehyung’s voice had been - “Yeah, we are.”
He’s given every other of Hoseok’s poor attempts a chance and the sweater is still terrible but the guy maybe not so much.
Suddenly Jimin can’t seem to remember why he was so eager to get away just two seconds ago. It’s probably ridiculous, to Hoseok and everyone who happens to catch a glimpse at them, how they’re just smiling at each other, though Jimin is more staring than smiling.
Taehyung’s so pretty, Jimin doesn’t even notice the bright green of the ugly sweater anymore.
“You’re Taehyung,” Jimin says eventually, then immediately bites his tongue. That’s got to be the dumbest statement to make.
Taehyung chuckles, the sound so deep, the resonance of it catches Jimin’s by surprise over and over. “And you’re Jimin. But I knew that.”
“How…” Jimin scrunches his face in thought until remembers Momo’s words. “Right.”
Jimin vaguely remembers about Hoseok next to him and goes to include him back into the conversation only to realize Hoseok has long since left them. Jimin had been so caught up in Taehyung he didn’t even notice and he doubts Taehyung has, either.
“I’m really glad it’s you that Jeongguk wanted to set me up with.” Taehyung’s voice draws his attention back to him fully. His tan skin is glowing under the warm Christmas lights and his smile is shining even brighter than them. “I was planning on coming back every day until I saw you again. Glad that didn’t have to happen.”
Taehyung’s words straight up make the warmth spread from Jimin’s neck up his entire face to the tip of his ears. “Every day?” He asks, unbelieving and not able to keep a big grin off his face.
Taehyung nods multiple times, trying to prove his seriousness. It’s too adorable. Someone that attractive being that cute at the same time shouldn’t be real and least of all does Jimin meet these kind of guys.
“You sure you would’ve been able to part with one of your sweaters?” Jimin asks teasingly.
“It’d have been for the greater good,” Taehyung says seriously, sending Jimin another one of those damned winks just like yesterday. “It would’ve hurt a little though, I’m not gonna lie. Each of them is very dear to my heart.”
“Of course they are.” Jimin has to bite his lip to prevent himself from smiling even harder.
“My goal is have one for every day of December up until Christmas day,” Taehyung tells him excitedly but then freezes. “Uh, sorry. That’s weird. Do you think I’m weird? I swear I’m not, I just thought it would be a cute tradition and uhm-”
Jimin laughs breathily because yeah, maybe it was a little weird. He’d certainly thought so when just yesterday this stranger purchased entirely too many ugly Christmas sweaters. But Taehyung is so cute and now he’s so worried about what Jimin thinks of him. It’s lovely. Jimin finds that no matter how weird it might be, it’s more a cute quirk than anything.
On a burst of adoration Jimin places his hand on Taehyung’s arm and runs it up and down reassuringly, smiling up at Taehyung through his lashes softly. Taehyung seems to stiffen up under his touch for a second in surprise but then relaxes immediately, the tips of his ears all red again.
“It’s a really cute tradition. And if people tell you it’s weird then they just hate Christmas. Their loss.” Taehyung visibly brightens at Jimin’s words, his eyes shining with a pleased glimmer.
“I’m glad,” Taehyung admits, his voice soft. He almost sounds shy when he continues. “Do you think… D’you wanna…”
Jimin hangs on his every word as Taehyung fumbles over them and his heart picks up its pace as he hopes he knows where this is going. He really, really hopes.
“So, you two are just gonna stand there all day or?” It’s Momo’s voice and when Jimin turns his face, she’s standing just outside the kitchen, looking at them with a smirk and mischievous glint in her eyes.
“Glad you could make it,” Jimin returns with some bite, a little annoyed at her interrupting the moment.
“Oh, I’ve been here a while,” she replies airly, innocent smile painting her face. “As have you, I’ve noticed. And yet there’s been no kissing. Pretty sure that’s against the rules of Christmas.”
Jimin feels more confused by the second, unsure what she means. “We’ve just-” met, he wants to say, but before he can finish Momo raises her hand to point at something above him. Jimin looks up, following her line of sight, even though he already knows deep down what he’ll see up there.
Tied to the doorway of the kitchen, hangs a mistletoe in full bloom.
And Taehyung and Jimin, they happened to stand right underneath it. This whole time.
“My job here is done,” Momo states, sounding all too pleased. She turns on her heel and leaves, satisfied.
Jimin hates her.
“Uh.”
Jimin looks back at Taehyung who’s still gazing up at the mistletoe in wonder. He looks stunning, all long lashes and full lips slightly parted in surprise. Taehyung slowly moves his gaze back down again, looking into Jimin’s eyes before settling on staring at Jimin’s hand still on his arm.
Feeling caught for whatever reason, Jimin instantly lets his hand slide down but before he can pull it away, Taehyung’s own grabs it hesitantly. Jimin is slightly overwhelmed at this being their first proper conversation and them already having held hands twice. It feels nice. Kind of meant to be, but Jimin always tries hard not to believe in that sort of stuff.
Taehyung makes him want to.
“We don’t have to,” Taehyung says hesitantly, voice unsure and timid. “Kiss, I mean.” He almost stumbles over his words again as he tries to elaborate. His free hand goes up to rub at the back of his neck in embarrassment, much like at the store the other day. Jimin realizes it must be a nervous tick and it only endears him more. Only makes him be smitten even more than he already was.
“If you want to,” Jimin mumbles, feeling hot all over and a new sense on shyness that he’s never felt on any of Hoseok’s set up dates, “we can. It’s tradition and all, right?”
“Right.”
“Right,” Jimin says again. They stare at each other for a split moment before both bursting into giggles. Even so, as their bodies shake with laughter, their hands still held in each other tightly.
“If we kiss, and it’s bad, will you still give me a chance and actually go out with me?” Taehyung waits until they’ve calmed down again to ask the question. It’s a question that makes Jimin’s heart stutter and shake; there’s nothing he’d want more and he’s gonna burst with happiness that Taehyung wants the same.
“You can even wear an ugly sweater,” Jimin says with a hardly contained smile and a nod.
The big boxy smile that breaks across Taehyung’s face makes Jimin’s heart contract with happiness.
With their fingers entangled between them they both wordlessly lean in, Taehyung’s smile slowly fading and a more serious, focused expression taking over his face as his eyes zone in on Jimin’s lips.
Having Taehyung close like this, Jimin can’t help but notice these little things about his face, like the mole at the top of his lip, the cute one on the tip of his nice and another one adorning his lower lashline. His lashes were impossibly long, casting warm shadows over his cheekbones as he stared down at Jimin. And his lips… they were full and so uniquely shaped, Jimin had avoided looking at them the entire time because he knew once he did he’d be a goner.
When their lips finally touch as they meet halfway it’s soft and tender, innocent. It’s a bit unsure and a lot wondering. It’s two people who barely know each other but connected through banter and mutual attraction and maybe something else, something more meaningful and beyond their grasp for now but still there.
It’s a simple and soft press of dry lips under a mistletoe among Christmas music and endless chatter. But all of it is drowned out and the only thing Jimin can hear is his own heart beating wildly against his ribcage.
They part all too soon, Jimin has to fight the urge to chase after Taehyung’s lips with a whine and a pout. He opts for simply holding Taehyung’s hand that much tighter instead.
Taehyung is smiling at him dazedly, a kind of dopey expression reflecting in his eyes but Jimin’s sure he doesn’t look much different.
It’s peaceful how they’re just grinning at each other stupidly, caught up in this new infatuation.
“So… please let me take you out?” Taehyung rushes out suddenly, breaking the comfortable silence; tone so, so hopeful.
Jimin feels light and elated, throwing his head back with a happy laugh.
“Sure,” he agrees with a soft smile once he feels he can speak again. “I would love that.”
“And please let me kiss you again?”
Instead of answering, Jimin lifts his hand, placing it on Taehyung’s neck and slowly guides him down until their lips meet in another kiss.
Next year, when Jeongguk won’t stop laughing at Jimin wearing a Christmas sweater to match Taehyung’s, Jimin will say he was held at gunpoint – when really, it had been his idea.
