Work Text:
It was late when they were walking down the street to Jungkook's house. Hand in hand. Both boys sending white clouds of breath into the air on their way down the dark sidewalk.
Jimin was holding his hand… or was he holding the elder's hand? Jungkook couldn't tell, just knew that somehow their hands had found each other in the darkness, causing their shoulders to bump ever so often. It was a peaceful feeling. Having the elder's hand engulfed in his. Jimin's hand felt so small, so warm, so precious in his own. His skin tingled where it was touching the other's, neither of them wearing the gloves both of them kept in their pockets, rather seeking each other's warmth throughout this nighttime walk.
He remembered now, could remember that he had been the one reaching for the cool fingers brushing his while walking. No hesitation in engulfing the delicate hand with his fingers, skin cool but soon warm against his. If not today when else? It was Valentine's Day, albeit a bit late but still, at the very least it was Valentine's Night. He was allowed to hold Park Jimin's hand tonight.
Jungkook was still amazed at how the elder hadn't shied away from the touch, giving their joined hands a squeeze when Jungkook had dared to glance at him, soft smile curling the other boy's lips as their eyes brushed briefly. It had almost felt like a reassurance, as if Jimin welcomed the tingling warmth evaporating from their touch just as much as he did.
The very same warmth was still pooling in his chest when they stepped into the beam of yet another lamppost lining the sidewalk, Jungkook tucking their hands closer and causing their shoulders to bump for the umpteenth time today. Jimin didn't ask why, seemingly understanding his motives, not complaining. He just had to do it. Just in case if there were any passersby, the light giving their joined hands away and them not understanding. The darkness provided safety, yet, Jungkook's anxiety crawled up on him whenever they stepped into the light.
He didn't ask why, not going to look for a reason for having to let go of the elder's hand, liking to pull at their joined hands, pulling Jimin even closer until their shoulders bumped, reassuring him that this was very real. It wasn't a dream?
Jungkook had to pull at their hands once more, just to make sure, catching the elder by chance this time as Jimin tumbled into his body. He didn't fall, nevertheless, there was a hand swatting at Jungkook's chest as they continued walking to the sound of the elder's giggles, more and more white clouds dusting the air in front of them. Jungkook couldn't help but smile, squeezing their hands and Jimin returned the gesture soon after.
No dream, just him holding Park Jimin's hand as the elder walked him home on Valentine's Day. It still sounded like a dream.
They walked into the light of yet another lamppost and Jungkook stopped himself from cursing its existence, stopped himself from pulling at their interlocked hands, not regretting this choice when he turned his head and looked at the older boy. There was no passerby misunderstanding what there was to see as there was nothing more and nothing less to see than Jimin. Just Jimin's features illuminated by the lamppost's soft orange gleam, highlighting the curve of his lips, competing with the stars shining in the elder's eyes as he stared down on the paper Jungkook had folded into a flower for him to... kiss?
Jungkook gulped at the sight. Jimin was twirling the flower between delicate fingers, holding it close to his face but there was no smell, only white paper formed into petals grazing the elder's pouty lips as if Jimin was kissing the flower. Jungkook wondered for how long this had been happening right next to him, how much of the endearing sight he'd already missed.
Instead of an answer, he got caught by the other boy, eyes meeting and lips curling into soft smiles, the elder pouted once more, paper petals grazing his lips and him lifting them up to Jungkook who pouted unconsciously just for the flower to be bumped on the tip of his nose, not his lips. He pouted some more, Jimin giggling until they stepped out of the light together, smiling.
Enveloped in the veil of darkness, Jungkook could only imagine if Jimin had gone back to kissing his paper flower, pouty lips and the thought of teasing the elder a bit on his mind, asking him if he liked the younger's flower so much but Jungkook didn't make a sound. He didn't dare, neither did Jimin. Silently enjoying the walk to Jungkook's home where they would have to part ways for the night.
His home was already close, so Jungkook slowed down their pace, delaying the end of this night some more. Jimin simply fell into step beside him, an even softer smile curling his lips, most likely unseen by the younger male. It was dark and nothing as certain anymore as it had been in the light of yesterday.
Jungkook parted his lips, ready to ask the elder to sleep over, though swallowing the words as he remembered. It was Wednesday. They couldn't skip tomorrow's classes as well. This Valentine's Night had an end after all, Jungkook knew for sure when the lit living room windows were getting closer than ever until they suddenly stopped as the elder had halted them a few meters from the younger's front yard, right in-between two lampposts, their light out of reach as the two were enveloped by an almost darkness. Jungkook saw when he turned to look at the elder, question of why locked inside his throat.
Jimin didn't look at him, eyes settled on the concrete, faraway gleam of the lampposts illuminating his every eyelash. Jungkook couldn't take his eyes off him, counting eyelashes until he was counting stars. He couldn't breathe at the way Jimin was looking at him through his lashes, appearing timid as he tilted his head to the side, flirtatious invitation coupled with a shy smile dancing over plush lips.
He looked utterly beautiful.
Jungkook was rendered speechless and frozen at the sight in front of him. Jimin tucked him closer by their interlocked hands, the younger stumbling forward until the tip of their shoes bumped. The elder's breath fanned over his chin, lips, warmth pooling in the gaze mingling with his. A cool hand settled on his neck, fingers grazing over the skin back to his nape, dipping into the hair. He gulped, lost to the touch and those shining eyes until the elder slowly moved, tiptoeing the slightest bit, arms curling around the taller boy's shoulders, locking him into a warm embrace, head burying into Jungkook's shoulder, chests flush together, their heaving mingling until they appeared as one, chests heaving and heartbeats racing in perfect harmony. Jungkook wished, he'd never let go.
"Goodnight, Jungkookie," Jimin whispered into the darkness before pulling away, breath fanning the younger's neck, warmth tingling over the skin up his face, flushing him in an adorable red. The elder didn't back off just yet, hands still loosely around Jungkook's neck, fingers playing with his hair. Jimin cherished their proximity just as much and Jungkook wished him to stay like that for another hour, dark and cold forgotten as all he could feel right now was the warmth radiating off of Jimin, who was staring at his collar, biting back a smile.
The moment was fleeting, running through his fingers, Jimin's arms leaving his shoulders until they were just two boys standing in front of each other yet again. One silently waiting for something the other couldn't see. So, Jungkook stared back at the elder, waiting as well.
Jimin sighed, grip of those small fingers softening in the younger's hold but Jungkook wasn't ready to let go just yet, holding the small hand even tighter, holding Jimin back as if this just couldn't be the end. Not yet. Jimin smiled, a genuine smile radiating warmth and some kind of understanding. He stepped closer once more, reaching for Jungkook's cheek with the hand holding onto the flower, paper petals grazing the skin as the elder tilted his head until their foreheads were resting against each other, breaths mingling once more.
"I have to go," Jimin breathed into the gap of night between them, shifting but not yet pulling away, so Jungkook reached for the elder's waist and tucked him flush against his chest, foreheads bumping back together, bodies closer than ever. Jimin's breath was rough and warm as it hit his lips. They were close but in a way not close enough. "Jungkookie, I-I really have to go… now."
"Ten more seconds, Jimin."
"It's hyeong–"
"Just ten more seconds, Jiminie-hyeong," Jungkook asked in a hushed whisper, unsure if his wish would be granted but not giving up on his chance. He didn't miss the soft smile grazing the elder's plush lips at the name, eyes turning to shining crescents as he called him like no one else did.
"Ten seconds?"
"Ten seconds." It was a promise, regardless of him wanting more than just that. Ten seconds and another ten and many more as he wanted a minute, an hour, a whole day. He just didn't want this night to end, this Valentine's Night, as he didn't want Jimin to leave. It felt too right, the fingers playing with his hair, finding his skin, thumb lazily stroking the curve of his cheek, caressing away the cold residing on it, skin yearning for the warmth of this small hand. Jungkook had lost himself to the stars in Jimin's eyes, seeing nothing but the eternal lights, coming closer, disappearing when a pair of plush, warm and soft lips touched his cheek. He unconsciously started counting.
1… 2… 3… 4… 5… 6… 7… 8… 9…
"Ten," they breathed in unison, heartbeats racing each other on a racetrack without finish line, the only winner being time. "Goodnight, Jungkookie."
Jungkook felt the words on his skin, the elder's breath fanning over it for even longer than the kiss, them bathing in each other's presence once more. Promise forgotten. He couldn't think of letting go. Jungkook wished Jimin wouldn't ever pull away, that they could stay like that for an eternity and another one right after. Yet, this moment was fleeting as any other.
Jimin leaned back onto his heels, remaining close, staring into doe eyes, waiting. It didn't come, the younger unable to move, lost to stars and soft lips on his cheek. Ten seconds, ten long seconds. Jimin's eyes fell, sighing as he looked at their hands, fingers still laced together. Jungkook gave them a soft squeeze and Jimin sighed once more, so the younger entwined their other hands as well, careful to not crush the flower. Another sigh. Jungkook tucked him even closer.
"Night, Jiminie-hyeong," he whispered, mischievous stars dancing in his eyes as he loosened the paper flower out of the elder's grip, bumping the paper petals against Jimin's nose softly. It drew a smile from the older boy, smile turning into giggles when he didn't stop, the elder's head resting onto his chest as the tinkling laughter slowly subsided.
"Jungkookie!" Jimin scolded, playful lilt to his whisper as he straightened his back, snatching the paper flower out of the younger's hand, mirroring the mischief in those doe eyes as he tiptoed just enough for them to be on eye-level. The stars in their eyes mingled before he leaned in and tenderly nuzzled their noses, drawing a shy blush from the younger that he mirrored with an even shier, "Night, Kookie."
He remained on his tiptoes one fleeting second longer, heart racing, waiting, anticipating but Jungkook never made his move. Jimin squeezed the hands that were holding his, carefully loosening the tight grip, walking backward, their hands connected until the very last second.
When their fingers finally fell apart, Jimin lifted his hand, waving at the younger boy as he walked backward, only turning when the other finally waved back. Jungkook watched his form mingle with the darkness, reappearing in the gleam of lampposts lining the sidewalk until Jimin turned at the end of the street, once and for all getting lost to the night.