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The light filtering in through the blinds wakes Taehyung slowly.
He’s a little disoriented at first, not used to having moved dorms again after just a year. But it comes back to him slowly yet gradually. Faintly from across the room he hears Namjoon’s rhythmic, quiet snores, always a calming presence.
Still, Taehyung feels restless. Lonely. Simply hugging his pillow to his chest for cuddling isn’t enough, he can’t fall back asleep like this.
Half-asleep, he drags himself out of bed, his blanket wrapped around himself like a cocoon to protect him against the harsh cold of the big apartment. Taehyung pays mind to staying quiet as he tiptoes past Namjoon’s bed and slowly opens the door.
Out in the hallway, Taehyung has to think for a second to remember which way to go from here, his sleepy state has him all confused. The dorm is eerily quiet, the sun barley having risen and everyone getting the sleep they can on this rare off day. A blessing.
The walk down the hall is short and accompanied by only the sound of his blanket dragging across the hardwood floor Taehyung reaches his destination quickly. He doesn’t knock as to not wake anyone up but instead just slowly turns down the handle, giving the door a slight push so it falls open silently.
The room is almost entirely dark, the curtains drawn close with only few days of light filtering in. Taehyung takes care wir shutting the door behind himself and then tiptoes over, past Hoseok fast asleep and covered under a mountain of blankets, to finally arrive at Jimin’s bed.
His boyfriend has the blanket pulled up to his chin, only a mop of fluffy blond hair poking out at the top. Jimin always sleep all curled in on himself, making his already small form tiny so it’s easy for Taehyung to squeeze in next to him, draping his blanket over both of them and wrapping his arms around Jimin’s soft, small frame. Throwing his leg over Jimin’s waist, Taehyung uses the leverage to pull himself even closer, breathing in Jimin’s scent and immediately feeling calm and at peace.
“Taetae?” Jimin’s voice is heavy with sleep, quiet and hoarse. Subconsciously, he nudges his head closer to Taehyung, cuddling into his chest. Taehyung only holds him tighter.
“Yeah, ‘is me,” Taehyung confirms with a hum, stroking a hand down Jimin’s back as to coax him to sleep again. “Needed some cuddles.”
Jimin nods sleepily, though it’s barely a movement at all.
They lie there all tangled up, they always seem to end up that way, but still Taehyung can’t fall asleep. It’s annoying, because if anything gets him to sleep peacefully it’s to have Jimin so close and be all caught up in him and in each other.
“Jiminie?” Taehyung whispers, unsure if Jimin’s fallen back asleep already.
There’s a small hum and then Jimin is scrunching his nose cutely as he blearily blinks up at Taehyung through the sleep in his eyes. “What’s up?”
He looks so sleepy and adorable, Taehyung can’t bring himself to disturb that. “Nothing.”
Jimin hums again, then his face relaxes, his breath slowly evening out as he returns to sleep.
If he can’t sleep, Taehyung happily watches Jimin do so instead. It’s something he’s not particularly used to, Jimin being the early bird out of the two of them - and also the night owl, two very paradox things to be united in one person.
Usually, when Taehyung wakes up from nights they’ve gotten to spend in the same bed, Jimin is already showered, smiling as brightly as the sun, if not brighter, and waking Taehyung by softly running his hand through his hair. Loving.
Mornings with Jimin were everything in a world where life moves fast and they rush from one schedule to the next. And if Taehyung gets to watch Jimin sleep peacefully on this particular one, then he’s going to cherish it as much as he can.
Even with just the thinnest rays of sunshine filtering into the room, Jimin is glowing.
His full lips are slightly parted as he breathes evenly, cheeks slightly puffed out as his face is relaxed and peaceful. No hint of the stress he endures, the critique and the praise, the hard work and the endless hours and the glow performing gives him. Jimin looks normal like this and stunning all the same.
His eyelashes are fanned out over his full cheeks, casting faint, long shadows over his skin. His eyes are slightly swollen from sleep but even like this he is still the most beautiful thing Taehyung has ever seen. He doesn’t think he’ll ever get enough of Jimin. Getting to love Jimin and to be loved by him, Taehyung thinks, he’s lucky to experience that.
When they first met all those years ago, Taehyung long-limbed and bursting with curiosity and Jimin with chubby cheeks, unparalleled shyness and equally unparalleled talent, he’d never have thought they’d end up here, together and in love.
Jimin and Taehyung, they just fell together. They’d fit perfectly. Taehyung thinks back often, to how Jimin was always there for him, even before they got together. How, when Taehyung had no one else he’d always had Jimin and he will always have him in the future, too. Their future, side by side.
And he’d tried his best, back in Hawaii, to convey his gratefulness, to show Jimin and everyone how much he means to him. Saying everything without saying too much. It had been a balancing act, but as always, Jimin understood him perfectly. He always does, even when there’s no words spoken between them.
Taehyung is lucky to have him. He needs to tell Jimin that more often, he decides, lovingly stroking a finger down Jimin’s cheek. Jimin doesn’t stirr, either having fallen back into deep sleep or quietly enjoying the intimate touch.
To think they’ve been together for as long as they have now, especially with how hectic things have gotten over the past year, it has Taehyung being amazed and grateful. It proves to him more than anything that they can overcome every obstacle, even if it’s a cheesy thought and one he keeps to himself.
There’s times where it’s hard, Taehyung recalls as he watches Jimin’s face in blissful sleep. Like shortly after they got together when the group found out. No one had been surprised but everyone feared it would be a risk. Or when they almost got caught that one time they went out and they had their probably biggest fight to date about whether or not to continue putting everything not only they, but their five other members had built in danger.
Keeping anything that makes you this happy a secret puts a strain on you one way or another; however, everything felt like an explosion that day.
Taehyung and Jimin bicker often and fight a healthy amount but Taehyung still shudders thinking back to that day, thinking about how easily he could’ve lost something that means so much to him by saying only one wrong thing.
They’d made up not an hour later, they always do, both of them apologizing at the same time. It’s still something that’s on both their minds, though. It’s there, at the back of it, eating away. But they’ve both realized that their happiness is too intertwined, they’re too connected. They decided they just have to get better at being discreet.
Getting to see Jimin smile because of him, getting to fall asleep by his side and wake up next to him the following morning, spending one of their off weeks with Jimin visiting his family in Busan - Taehyung wouldn’t give it up for anything.
He’s living two dreams at once. One dream is being on stage and getting to sing. The other dream is Jimin.
“You’re staring, aren’t you?”
Jimin’s sleep-heavy voice draws Taehyung back into reality. He grins sheepishly, even though Jimin’s eyes are still closed. “I’ll stop.”
Jimin shakes his head, his soft hair tickling at Taehyung’s chin. “It’s okay. I like it.”
“Yeah?” Taehyung feels warm all over. Jimin tends to do that to him, to his heart.
“Mhm,” Jimin confirms with a nod before sleepily opening his eyes again, staring up at Taehyung with an affectionate gaze. “Still can’t sleep, baby?”
Taehyung pouts and shakes his head.
Jimin coos quietly at the gesture and reaches up to place his palm on Taehyung’s face, his thumb softly stroking along the apple of his cheek. “My Taehyungie…” he says it fondly, love laced into every syllable, every breath.
Taehyung all but purrs at Jimin’s warm touch and warm voice, leaning into the contact and closing his eyes in content. Jimin leans up quietly, brushing their noses together in a soft eskimo kiss, before kissing the mole on the tip of Taehyung’s nose properly.
“It should be seven now, we can walk Yeontan-ah if you want?” Jimin suggests softly, running his hand through Taehyung’s hair, brushing his bangs to the side.
Taehyung scrunches his nose in thought. Jimin giggles at the side, and goes to entangle their fingers.
“D’you think someone will see us?”
Jimin shrugs. “We’re in the same group, it happens. Besides, it’s Christmas morning. No one will be in the park this early. We’ll be fine.” He pecks Taehyung’s lips quickly as if to prove a point.
“Okay,” Taehyung agrees with a smile.
“Okay,” Jimin repeats cutely, his smile making his eyes turn into those adorable crescents that Taehyung loves so much.
The sight before him is so beautiful, Taehyung can’t help but to kiss Jimin; properly kiss him, morning breath and sleepiness be damned. Jimin giggles into the kiss, but parts his lips nonetheless, sighing happily as he entangles his finger in Taehyung’s hair and pulls him even closer.
When they part, he leans his forehead against Taehyung’s, beaming at him happily.
“I love you.”
It’s a whisper, but the deep and true feelings beneath it still lie bare and make Taehyung’s heart constrict with emotion.
“And I love you.”
And every part of him does.
True happiness, Taehyung muses as they walk side by side through the beautifully frozen park close to their new dorm, Yeontan running ahead as Jimin holds the leash securely in his hands, is this.
It’s his hand brushings Jimin’s every so slightly with every other step they take. It’s how Jimin’s eyes sparkle when they catch Taehyung’s gaze. It’s Jimin’s breathless, reckless laughter when he plays with Yeontan. It’s Yeontan jumping up on his small legs; being held by Jimin as he licks his face and even though Jimin tries to lean away he’s still enjoying every second of it.
Taehyung is lucky to have his happiness all wrapped up and perfect right in front of him. And when Jimin and his eyes meet across the meadow, Taehyung’s gaze fond and Jimin’s is full of joy and love, Taehyung thinks he wouldn’t change a thing.