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Opening the door to his apartment, Jimin heard the noise of the TV in the other room, where his roommate was likely watching some inane competition show. After the date Jimin just had, watching something mindless with Jungkook sounded pretty great. He dropped all his stuff and shuffled into the room. “Ugh,” Jimin grunted as he flopped on the couch next to Jungkook. “Why are guys such assholes.”
Jungkook barely spared him a glance before looking back at the tv. He didn’t look too good himself, but at least he wasn’t having boy problems like Jimin. “Another bad date? What’d he do this time?”
“Honestly, he didn’t even seem attracted to me… he kept looking at other tables to the point where I was literally the 'shoving breadsticks into my purse’ meme.”
“Jimin, I don’t know how you keep finding such terrible guys.”
Jimin snorted, “Oh, like you’ve found anyone good.”
“Well… I wasn’t looking… but I kind of did?” Jungkook rubbed his shoulder, looking awkward.
“Oooh tell me, what’s he like.”Jimin perched his head on his hand, dramatically looking interested.
“Uh... tall, good looking, intelligent, good listener… and taken.”
“Oh.. oof.”
“Yeah I dunno, he seemed really interested and gave me his number but he’s also talked about his boyfriend? At least... I think I have a new friend.” Jungkook looked down at his lap, looking almost disappointed.
Jimin grinned cheekily, “Well, we all know you need more of those.”
Jungkook jabbed his shoulder lightly before smirking at him slightly. “Speaking of friends…”
Jimin’s face turned serious fast. “No Kook. No. Stop bringing it up. I’m not going to hope for a relationship with Tae anymore.”
Jungkook looked at him silently, his smirk gone. “You’re still hung up on him though.”
Jimin snorted. “It’s hard not to be! He’s my best friend with the voice, face and personality of an angel!”
“You know… it’s been three years since he turned you down. People can change in a few years.”
“Sexualities don’t change Kookie, he said he doesn’t swing that way so he doesn’t, end of story.”
“They do sometimes but anyway, he never said he was straight either. And have you ever seen him date anyone? He’s gone through more friendships than partners!”
“Doesn’t mean there’s any point in confessing again. Maybe he's just not interested in dating at all.”
Jungkook looked at him curiously. “My theory? He’s been secretly in love with you this whole time but didn’t know it and you’re also purposefully dating terrible people so you can act like you have a love life while still being available for him and hoping.”
Jimin opened his mouth, ready with a heated retort, but his phone happened to ring at that moment. “Tae!” he shouted, bouncing off the couch and heading into the other room, Jungkook’s laughter at his quick mood change in the background.
Jimin answered his phone, “Hi baby, how are you?”
“Hi Jiminie,” Tae responded. His gorgeous baritone voice filled Jimin’s ears. “Is that Jungkook? What’s he laughing at so loudly?”
“Ah, just some dumb tv show” Jimin glared in Jungkook’s direction, as if mentally telling him through the wall to shut up. He focused on his call again. “So, how was work?”
“It was good, yknow, the usual. My feet hurt a lot from standing all day.”
“Ooh baby, want me to come give them a rub?”
Tae laughed. His laugh was beautiful. “That sounds nice, but I actually just want to talk to you. Face to face?”
“Of course, where do you want to meet?”
“Here? I don’t feel like going anywhere else.”
“Your apartment?” Jimin asked. “Sure, let’s meet there.”
“Okay.”
“I’ll see you in a bit Taetae.” Jimin smiled warmly as he hangs up. He peeked back into the living room, “I’m going out again.”
Kook grinned smugly at him. “Of course you are. You’re whipped.”
Jimin puffed out his cheeks and stuck out his tongue, before grabbing a sweater and darting out the door.
When Jimin arrived Tae was, strangely, standing in the hallway next to his apartment door, staring at his phone. Jimin stopped in front of him. “Hey there,” he said, smiling. Taehyung looked up through his long pink and blond bangs, looking like he was startled out of a reverie. “You didn’t lock yourself out right? I can’t help with that.”
Tae shook his head, “No, no, I have my keys, I was just… lost in thought.” he shut his phone and shoved it in his pocket before looking straight at Jimin. “Hey, you doing okay? You.. uh, you look kind of terrible.”
“Thanks Tae."
"Ah, sorry."
"Don't worry, it's nothing big, just a series of bad dates.” No reason to tell him about his sleepless nights wishing it was him he was dating.
Maybe Jungkook was right.
Taehyung looked concerned.“You know you can come to me with your troubles right? What was the problem with them anyway?”
Jimin sighed. “Just… didn’t feel like they respected me. Felt like I was just some arm candy half the time.” Jimin starts as he remembered why he came here. “But enough about that, they’re unimportant. Why did you want to talk?”
“Oh… yeah. Let’s go inside.” Tae unlocked the door to his apartment and gestured Jimin inside.
Tae’s apartment wasn't big. It had a living room with a connected kitchen and a small bedroom. Perfect for the chronically single bachelor.
Jimin made himself at home on the couch. He had been here enough times he felt comfortable just acting like he lived there.
Tae on the other hand was standing awkwardly a distance away from the couch. He was staring at his hands which were twisting around eachother. Jimin stared at them too, specifically the ring on his pinky finger. Jimin had gifted it to him randomly as a surprise. There wasn’t any special reason so when Tae asked “Why?” Jimin just said, “Best friends give eachother gifts of course.”
Finally Tae spoke, “Can I tell you something?” He looked up at Jimin, though more at his cheek than his eyes.
“Of course you can, Tae. Always.”
“I...I think I’m not straight.”
“O-oh?”, Jimin said, wide eyed. His heart couldn’t help but race a little.
Taehyung took a deep breath. “I’ve been looking some stuff up, terms and things and… I think I might be ace.”
Jimin sucked in quick gasp before Tae continued, “But I looked up some other stuff and some people seem to think ace people aren’t LGBT and I don't know because I just found the term but that doesn't feel right to me because I know I'm not straight but other definitions I had looked at didn’t seem to fit and-“
Jimin stopped Tae’s rambling and pulled him onto the couch and in his lap. This was definitely a time for cuddles, before Tae fell apart. “Taetae, of course ace people are LGBT, and you are too if that’s how you identify.” Jimin stroked his friend’s strawberry sherbet head.
Tae started speaking again, “Well, it made me look into other identities because it felt wrong to not be LGBT and I found there are all these romantic identities too but none of them really felt like they fit? And I really liked how ace sounded and I still do but maybe I’m actually demisexual or graysexual or something.” He looked up at Jimin, emotion in his eyes, and Jimin felt his heart pang. “It’s really confusing Jiminie.”
“Taehyungie… you don’t have to have it all figured out yet. You only just started learning about yourself. You don’t even need to use any of those labels if you don’t want to. You don’t need to find the ‘perfect label’ because it won't exist.” Jimin smiled fondly and gently tapped Tae’s nose, “You’ll always be Taehyungie and that’s the best label.”
Tae’s eyes were brimming with tears but a small smile appeared on his face. He burrowed into Jimin's shoulder, and Jimin held him as he felt wetness soak through his collar.
Taehyung mumbled something. “I’m sorry, what was that?” Jimin asked.
Tae pulled his head away so Jimin could see his mouth, “I still think I like asexual.”
Jimin smiled at him again. “”Whatever you want baby, it's your label.”
Tae turned his head away a little and said, “I like baby too,” quietly.
“Huh?” Jimin questioned, not sure he heard him right.
“I like when you call me baby.” Taehyung was very red, staring over Jimin’s shoulder instead of his eyes, and Jimin thought he was the cutest thing ever.
“Hey Jimin?” Tae started again before Jimin could respond to his last comment. “Can I ask a question?”
Jimin grinned. “You just did, but you can ask another one. I don’t mind you asking all the questions you want.”
Taehyung shifted so he was on the couch instead of Jimin’s lap and could look at him comfortably. “How do you know whether you like someone romantically or platonically?”
“Well...uh,” Jimin thinks carefully. “For me… I guess while we’re dating I don’t really see them as either yet but… it's almost like a trial run to see if I like them romantically?”
Taehyung had a confused look on his face, but didn’t ask any questions. Jimin attempted to explain further. “I guess for my dates, I probably also think of them... like they’re hot. Like.. sexually.”
Taehyung giggled at that, but the confused look didn’t leave his face. “You never think of your friends sexually?”
“Well… I mean.” Jimin goes red. “Depends on the friend. I think.”
“Can you… desire to be with your friends romantically? Does sex play into that?”
Taehyung was awfully curious about things that made Jimin very embarrassed, but after guessing that he had never talked about this with anyone else, he couldn't blame him. “I think with friendships… it’s different. Like when dating, I don’t know the guy beforehand, so I just kinda think he's hot and maybe something good will come out of it. But with friends… you already have a bond. You know what they’re like. And it’s not necessarily about sex either? I think you can desire to start a romantic relationship without wanting sex…” Jimin groaned, “You know what, I don’t know what I’m saying, I’m making shit up as I go.” He flopped on the bed. “Feelings are hard Taehyungie, they're hard to distinguish from eachother, and that’s pretty much the most solid answer I have for you.”
Taehyung flopped down next to him, laying his head on Jimin’s chest again. “Feelings are hard,” he repeated, as if affirming Jimin’s statement.
There’s a lull in their conversation, both men staring into space. Jimin found himself focusing on the head on his chest and the subtle movements Tae made. His body next to him created a fuzzy warm feeling in Jimin’s chest.
Tae broke the silence. “If you find yourself… feeling things that aren't totally platonic… with someone you thought you had a totally platonic relationship with… would you try to be with them? Even if it’s just to figure things out?”
Jimin wondered if Taehyung could hear his heart race. He almost wished he could go back to that comforting moment a second ago and stay there forever. “Yes,” he pushed out breathily, not daring to hope.
Tae pushed himself up off the bed, resting on his elbow and leaning over Jimin. “Jiminnie…” He bit his lip nervously. “Would you try something with me?”
Jimin tried to control his heart and stop it from bursting out his chest. He ends up smiling wide. “Taehyungie, I’d love to,” and he reached up for him, pulling him down and holding him close. He felt Taehyung's arms wrap around his torso and his nose nuzzled into Jimin’s collarbone. He felt happier than he ever had been, in a way he never thought possible. His day certainly turned around since his earlier failed date.
Tae pushed back off him so Jimin could see his face again. “I’m sorry,” he said.
“For what?”
“For rejecting you...ages ago.”
Jimin ruffled his hair, “It’s okay baby, you didn't know. We’re here now.”
Tae smiled, his beautiful, beautiful smile and rested his body on Jimin again. “I love you,” he said, still grinning up at Jimin.
Jimin smiled so widely he can’t see anymore. “I love you too Taehyungie.”
Tae buried his face in Jimin’s chest, and Jimin stared at the ceiling, feeling content. He rested his fingers in Taehyung's hair and gently stroked. He could feel Taehyung getting drowsy, and soon he’s snoring on Jimin’s chest. Jimin let him sleep and checked his phone. A message from Jungkook showed on his screen, saying “spending a long time over there huh?” and a winky emoji. Jimin opened his phone to take a picture of him and his sleeping boy, and sent it with a caption of “fuck you”. He set his phone aside, not caring about explaining any more. He stared at Taehyungie with a fond look, and slowly drifted off to sleep himself, holding the most precious man in his arms.