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It was a lazy Sunday. Taehyung had woken up at nine and stayed wrapped up in warm blankets with Jimin still snoozing by his side. It was nice finally having his boyfriend by his side after about a month of persuading him to move into a new apartment with together.
He flopped over his smaller boyfriend, smothering him in love before Jimin groaned and opened his eyes. Taehyung grinned down at him. “Good morning”.
Jimin sleepily reached up and patted his honey-brown head gently. He scrunched up his face as if he was going to say something, but decided not to and closed his eyes instead. Taehyung just giggled, smooched his nose, and crawled out of bed.
By the time Jimin had joined him in the kitchen he had breakfast warm and waiting for him.
“Thank you, baby.” Jimin leaned over and smooched Taehyung's cheek. Taehyung smiled, proud, and they both settled down to eat.
“Hey” Jimin started, his mouth full of egg and rice. “You know how I said that I wanted to go shopping the other day?”
“Yeah?” Taehyung prompted him, not looking up in order to avoid the sight of him chewing.
“Well.” Jimin swallowed. “I have a specific place in mind.”
Taehyung looked up now, not only because Jimin finished chewing, but because he sounds shy. He was biting his lip and looking off to the side. “Hey,” Taehyung said softly, putting down his chopsticks and resting his hand on Jimin's. “It's just me, you don't have to be nervous.”
“It's just something I've wanted for a long while. I know you wouldn't judge me, but other people will.” Jimin took a breath. “I found a dress shop.”
“Ooo, really? Close by?”
“Yeah fairly close. We could walk there.” Jimin looked up with a smile. “They make custom dresses for everyone but… the owner is a guy. A queer guy. Who prioritizes other queer people in his work.”
“Sooo, us.” Taehyung grinned. “That sounds great. When so you wanna go? Today?”
Jimin looked nervous again. “Uhm… I donno, maybe I should think on it more.”
“Come on Jimin, you really want it right?” Jimin nodded. “Then we'll go! Hey maybe I'll get a skirt too so you won't be alone. We can flaunt our gorgeous legs together.”
Jimin giggled so hard he almost dunked his head in his rice. “You legs are so hairy Tae.”
Taehyung pouted. “Do you not like my legs? Are they not the prettiest you've ever seen?”
Jimin grinned. “Your legs are stunning, baby. Stunningly hairy.”
“Just you wait, I'll get that skirt and show the world!” Taehyung picked up his chopsticks again. “And so will you! We're getting you the prettiest dress available to match your pretty self.” He shoveled more food in his mouth to prevent any further debate on the topic.
Jimin shined, his eyes sparkling with excitement. Trust Tae to soothe all his worries.
It was past noon when they got out of the house. Taehyung had bounced around while getting ready, almost seeming more excited than Jimin. “I just hadn't considered it before! This opens exciting possibilities!”
He finished getting ready before Jimin and looked up directions to the shop. His first burst of excitement was to encourage Jimin, but the longer he thought about it, the more genuine his feelings became. He started looking up styles of dresses and colors, knowing nothing, but wanting to be able to help Jimin in his choices. He got so absorbed that he barely registered Jimin pulling on his arm, ready to leave the apartment.
Now they were standing on the sidewalk. Jimin's fists were balled as he worked up the nerve to go in, and Taehyung inspected the front of the store. It was on the bottom floor of the block, with apartments on top of it. The store wasn't too large, but on both sides of the door were large windows displaying mannequins and dresses. Though the ones on the left were the usual female mannequins, the ones on the right showed ones that looked more masculine. They were all wearing beautiful dresses, and Taehyung could just imagine him and Jimin wearing them.
Taehyung looped an arm around Jimin's shoulders. “You got this.”
“Yeah, me and your hairy legs, we got this.” Jimin pulled him into the shop while Taehyung laughed.
A bell welcomed them through the door. Jimin stopped in the entrance causing Taehyung do bump into him. He wrapped his arms around his shorter boyfriend in an apology hug, and looked over his head to see the interior of the store.
There were more mannequins on the store floor display more dresses. A few dresses were displayed in front of shelves to the left of the counter, and it didn't look like these dresses would have fit on the standard mannequins. The left side of the store showed racks of colorful dresses, much like you'd see in an ordinary retail store. The right had a few stools and two doors: one into the employees backroom and one into a changing room. Finally, the counter in front of them, a smiling man waited for them next to the register.
“Hey there”, he said when he noticed both men's eyes on him. Taehyung gently dragged Jimin forward by the shoulders, then looked down at his face to check up on him. Jimin's eyes were sparkling, and Taehyung smiled and looked back at the store owner.
The first thing he noticed besides his blinding smile and his ring-covered hands, was that the man himself was wearing a skirt. A blue one, with white sweater over it. It was super cute, and he felt like his could trust this man with his Jiminie's outfits.
While he was observing, Jimin had started talking. Taehyung stood by his partner for a bit politely, before wandering away to inspect the store in detail. Looking at the stools, he supposed they were to be used for measuring and fitting. He was about to peek into the changing room when he heard a hiss near him.
He turned to see a man leaning out of the employees only door. “Com'ere,” he whispered.
Taehyung walked closer, eyebrows knit in a questioning by curious expression. Once he was close enough, the man pulled him through the doorway and into the backroom. The man walked farther into the room until he reached a pile of boxes. He pointed at the boxes, “Help me get these,” then pointed at the tops of shelves lining the walls, “up there.”
“Uuh. Why would I do that? Isn't that your job.”
The man shrugged. “I refuse pay and want to get home sooner to grab Hoseok's birthday present.” He began lifting a box to place it on the third highest shelf.
“Hoseok? Your boss?” Taehyung approaches the pile of boxes.
“My partner.” The shorter stared him down. “If you won't help I'll kick you out and also be sad.”
Taehyung lets out a uneasy laugh, but picks up a box and begins helping to load the boxes on the higher shelves.
It didn't take them too long to complete the pile, but in that time he learned a little bit more about the shop. He learned that the man's name was Yoongi, and that he was older than him. The owner and man behind the counter was Hoseok, also older than him. They had recently gotten new cloth and supplies in, hence the boxes needing to be put away. Yoongi made sure Taehyung was putting them somewhere that would be useful to Hoseok later. He also learned that Yoongi's comment about refusing pay was serious; he hadn't been hired, but wanted to help on days other employees were off.
They exited the backroom together, finding Jimin and Hoseok still in conversation. The two had moved away from the counter and were now looking at the dresses on the opposite side of the room. Hoseok turned and grinned at them, giving a little wave. Jimin on the other hand was completely absorbed in the dresses in front of him.
“Hoseok,” Yoongi called. “I'm gonna go home, I'll see you there.”
Hoseok gave yoongi a wide grin and waved goodbye, which Yoongi returned before he leaves. Hoseok turns back to the dresses, but doesnt get a chance to say anything before Jimin asks, “Who was that?”
“Oh, my partner,” Hoseok says nonchalantly. “You wanted ones like these three, right?”
“Yep!’ Jimin replies. “So.. like a boyfriend?” he asks hesitantly, as if he's trying to give the impression that he's not being as nosy as he is.
Hoseok takes the mentioned dresses off the racks and carries them over to the counter. “Not a boyfriend.” He pulls out a clipboard with paper and a pencil on it from behind the counter and began writing notes. Taehyung pulled Jimin over by the waist and they stared down at Hoseok. Hoseok continued taking notes even as he finished speaking. “He's aromantic, but we own an apartment and a couple of cute dogs together.” He looked up and smiled at both of them, “Will that be all?”
Jimin looked up at Tae questioningly. Taehyung knew he was thinking about the skirt mentioned earlier, but he suddenly felt too intimidated to be serious about it. “Uhm… Not today,” he answered Jimin. “Maybe next time.”
Hoseok nodded. “Can I get some contact information, like a phone number or email? To tell you when the dresses are ready, or to confirm appointments.”
Jimin told Hoseok his cell number, and asked quietly, “Could I actually… get your number, too?”
Hoseok's eyes widened, and Jimin rushed to explain. “It's just we don't know a lot of queer people around here and it'd be nice to have some more friends.”
Hoseok smiled again at that, his eyes warm. He writes his number at the bottom of the page of notes, then tears it off and hands it to Jimin.
Jimin accepted it with glee.
Hoseok now pulled out a black binder from beneath the counter. “We need to schedule a fitting appointment too, what day would work best for you?”
Taehyung and Jimin left the store soon after, the next meeting squared away. Hoseok cheerfully waved them goodbye and Jimin grinned the whole way home. His grin returned when Taehyung expressed his excitement at seeing the dresses and at seeing Hoseok again.
Jimin curled up next to Taehyung on the couch. “I hope we can become friends. That’d be really cool.”
Taehyung looked down at him. “It was smart of you to ask for his number.” He pulled Jimin up and cuddled him tightly. “Smart Jiminie.”
Jimin giggled and gripped his boyfriend's shirt. "Thanks for coming with me and encouraging me."
"Of course. Anytime. It was fun!" Taehyung grinned. "I can't wait to go again!"