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Jimin wakes up with a start, gasps for air like he’s actually drowning and not just having a really bad dream, and Hoseok’s hand cups his cheek as he shushes him and tells him it’s alright, he’s here with him.
Jimin’s breathing settles as he lays his head back on Hoseok’s thigh, where he’d fallen asleep as Hoseok stroked his hair while he watched some videos on his phone. The afternoon sun is still bright up in the sky and the tree Hoseok is sitting against provides a nice, cooling shade.
“Same bad dream?” Hoseok asks, and Jimin nods. “Do you want to talk about it?”
“Not now,” Jimin shakes his head, seems to appreciate that Hoseok just nods and starts rubbing soothing circles on his chest.
They have to go back soon, but Hoseok wants to give Jimin a few more minutes to enjoy himself in the park. Sundays are the days it is easier to sneak out of the hospital anyways, Hoseok had figured out in the five weeks since he’d seen Jimin again after two years.
Two of those weeks were spent by each other’s side in their rooms and the common areas, until Hoseok was discharged from the hospital and he started visiting Jimin frequently, three or four times a week, usually with an extra set of clothes in his bag in case they managed to escape the staff’s surveillance that day.
“Tomorrow is my coming of age day,” Jimin says, looking at the sky with a blank expression. “Do you think my mom will come?”
“I don’t know,” Hoseok replies, reaching for Jimin’s hand, looking into his eyes. “But I’ll come.”
“With a flower, a kiss and perfume?” Jimin teases, his expression brightening.
“What kind of hyung would I be if I didn’t?” Hoseok jokes back, but thinks of the gifts on his kitchen table at home.
Jimin is sitting on the hospital bed of his shared room, staring at the list of missed calls on his phone, when Hoseok knocks on the open door.
“Special delivery for Park Jimin,” he says as he steps inside, making sure the bed on the other side of the curtain is empty before closing the door behind him. He’s carrying a gift bag and he smiles at the anticipation on Jimin’s face.
“Happy coming of age day,” Hoseok says, ruffling Jimin’s hair and placing the bag on the bedside table. “You’re a real adult now.”
“I’ve been an adult since I turned nineteen,” Jimin protests, but he smiles wide and pretty like Hoseok loves. “Thank you, hyung.”
“You’re welcome,” Hoseok smiles back, sitting on the bed next to him. “Come on, open your gifts.”
Jimin grabs the gift bag, first taking a small potted plant out of it, a few visible buds about to bloom.
“Flowers are nice and all, but I thought you might want something more substantial, you know, something you will have to take care of now that you are a responsible twenty year old.”
Jimin laughs. “Ok.”
He puts the plant on the bedside table next to his phone, taking a cosmetic gift set out of the bag. He looks at Hoseok with an amused smile and a questioning look as he places it on the table.
“Just because you’re in the hospital doesn’t mean you don’t get to have silky smooth skin or smell like you just got out of the shower all day,” Hoseok says.
“Got it,” Jimin chuckles. There’s one more small package in the bag, wrapped in green and yellow paper. Jimin takes it out and lets the bag fall to the floor to unwrap his last gift. He stops halfway and looks at Hoseok with wide eyes when he realizes what it is.
“Hyung, you shouldn’t have, I…” he pauses, goes back to unwrapping the paper to distract himself from the emotions that made his voice waver, and he opens the box to take out a polaroid camera, just like the one he had in high school.
“I know the one you had two years ago got lost,” Hoseok starts, “so I looked for the same model on the internet. It’s second hand but I made sure it worked fine.” He reaches inside the box and shows Jimin a picture, a polaroid of himself doing aegyo, making Jimin laugh. “You said you liked using it to capture good memories for safekeeping. Maybe you can do it again.”
Jimin looks at the polaroid camera then, twists it in his hands, and his face falls a little. “I don’t know how likely that is while I’m here.”
Hoseok rests his hand on Jimin's shoulder and squeezes gently. “So I’ll continue to come here to be with you. And I’ll take you out, too, like I’ve been doing for the past weeks.” He pauses. “I’ve been keeping in contact with the guys since I saw them again. If you’re ready, we can all hang out together, just like the old times.”
Jimin gives him a little smile, and he leans in so Hoseok can wrap an arm around his shoulders, pulling him close. “I’d like that,” he says in a quiet voice.
They hug in silence for a moment, Hoseok running his hand up and down Jimin’s upper arm, until Jimin leans back to look at him. He seems calm now, happy even, and Hoseok could ask for nothing more.
“You did gift me perfume and a flower, in a way,” Jimin notes.
“And an awesome extra present,” Hoseok adds jokingly.
“That I liked a lot, yes,” Jimin replies, rolling his eyes playfully. “But you forgot something.” Hoseok frowns. “On coming of age day, I should receive perfume, a flower, and a kiss,” Jimin states, cheeks starting to tint a light red shade.
“Oh,” Hoseok says, a little surprised, but he recovers quickly. “Silly me,” he adds, and kisses Jimin’s cheek without preamble and so naturally Jimin can only flush deeper as Hoseok smiles at him.
“I wasn’t ready, that’s not fair!” Jimin protests as he shoves him by the shoulders and Hoseok cackles, grabbing his arms so they both fall on the bed. Hoseok struggles to free himself but Jimin is a little stronger, climbing on top of him and pinning his hands to the hospital bed, his face hovering above Hoseok’s.
The mood in the room changes from playful to something else, heavy with tension, when Jimin’s gaze shifts between Hoseok’s eyes and his lips.
“Jimin-ah,” Hoseok whispers.
Jimin looks him in the eyes. “Can I have a real kiss as a gift?” He says, cheeks tinting red again.
“Are you sure?” Hoseok asks softly, unspoken questions behind this simple one. Jimin nods confidently, and it’s all Hoseok needs. “You can,” he replies.
Jimin frees Hoseok’s wrists to cup his face, and he leans down, hesitant at first, but reassured when Hoseok meets him halfway and kisses him like he’s been wanting to do for a while now, arms wrapping around Jimin’s body to keep him close.
Jimin is pliant and eager, chasing Hoseok's mouth when he tilts his head to change the angle, biting off quiet gasps when Hoseok nips at his full lips and kisses him gently to soothe the little pain.
Hoseok could do this all day, but Jimin starts pulling back when they hear a doctor being called over the hospital’s PA system and they are reminded where they are. He giggles when Hoseok steals a quick last peck and he hugs him, pressing his nose to Hoseok’s neck and sighing.
“That was like, wow, I might just want to kiss you every time I see you now,” Jimin says with a content smile.
“I wouldn’t mind,” Hoseok grins, scratching the back of Jimin’s neck.