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It’s already pretty late at night, but the weather forecast predicted a massive storm and this is an opportunity Hoseok can’t miss. He’s almost out of supplies, and as a weather witch, there’s no way Hoseok would go to sleep now. Storms always increase the power of anything he does tonight immensely, so despite having a 9am class the next morning, he doesn’t mind staying up.
He just hopes that this storm won’t be too much for him.
Hoseok’s been doing weather magic since he was young, but storms like this one are explosive and unpredictable, so he’ll need to keep a tight hold on its magic. It’s unlikely that something would actually go wrong, but it’s much easier to get a grasp on the storm when it’s starting than when it’s already in full rage. If he loses it, he most likely won’t get it back.
There’s a few grey candles lit around his room so Hoseok can keep an eye on the energy of the sky, and his bowls are cleansed and ready to be set outside the moment it starts. He’s ready, so now he’s just waiting for the sky to be, too.
It takes over half an hour, and Hoseok secretly wishes it’d hurry up - he’d rather avoid being tired as hell the next day, although it would be worth it - but there’s no rushing the sky. Finally, one of the candle flames flickers, and Hoseok sits up straight.
There’s a tiny flare of fear that’s not from Hoseok himself, and he pauses for a second, but there’s no way for him to tell from whom it came. It might be one of the other inhabitants of the apartment building in which his and Jimin’s apartment is, or even the building next to them. There’s probably nothing Hoseok can do for them.
Another candle flickers, and Hoseok moves his bowls outside. It’s not raining yet, but he has a feeling that it will, soon. He doesn’t want to miss a drop of stormwater, although it might rain much more than would fit in his bowls.
Oh well. As long as he fills up the ones he has, he’ll have enough for a long time.
He closes his eyes as the rain starts, and focuses on the power of the storm. As expected, it’s a really strong one, and Hoseok is almost thrown off several times. He feels his own magic light up under his skin, mirroring the sky outside, and when he opens his eyes again, there’s little raindrops moving over his skin. He must’ve accidentally conjured those himself, since he’s out of reach of the rain outside.
He pulls off his hoodie, which leaves him in just a T-shirt and shorts, and climbs out of his window and onto the roof. It’d be too cold for anyone else, but the storm warms Hoseok from the inside. He’s perfectly fine.
The wind blows his hair into his face, but he makes no move to brush it back. It’s not like it’d be of any use.
There’s another flicker of fear, and Hoseok almost loses his grip on the storm. It feels like it’s close, but he doesn’t know anyone in the building well enough to know if they’re afraid of storms. Well, except Jimin, probably, but they’ve only been roommates for less than a year. There’s not been a storm since they moved in together, and it never came up in conversation.
Now, of course Jimin knows that Hoseok is a weather witch, although the other is still hesitant to actually believe in the existence of magic. Hoseok likes to perform small spells to keep the ones close to his heart safe and happy, and he’d asked after a month if Jimin would be okay with Hoseok doing that for him.
The other had agreed after a moment of considering, so by now, Hoseok’s shelf holds a few charms focused on Jimin.
There’s more than a few, actually; Hoseok finds himself making charms any time Jimin seems a little down. It might have to do with the feelings Hoseok holds for his roommate, although he tries not to linger on them. Jimin is one of his best friends, and he doesn’t want to ruin it by acting weird and in love.
Hoseok is not the greatest at talking about his feelings, although he’s managed to tell Jimin of his sexuality - his a sexuality. But even that had only happened when Jimin came to him for dating advice, but tried very hard not to mention the gender of his date.
“You know I don’t mind if you’re going on a date with a boy, right?” Hoseok had eventually asked when Jimin almost messed up for the third time. “I’m a part of the LGBT community, too; it’s the last thing I’d have a problem with.”
“O-oh,” Jimin had stuttered. “You are?”
Hoseok had shrugged. He made peace with his asexuality long ago, and now he’s proud of who he is. “Asexual, and romantically interested in boys.”
“Me- Me too. Not asexual, but romantically interested in boys. In girls, too.”
“It’s boys only for me,” Hoseok had laughed. “But thank you for telling me. So, what’s the name of the boy you’re going on a date with?”
Hoseok had only been crushing on Jimin back then, and not fully in love yet. It’d been fine, although his heart had hurt a little at Jimin’s excitement. However, the other’s date turned out to be nothing bad, but nothing especially good, either. Jimin hadn’t gone out with him a second time, although he had gone with others since then.
Despite his feelings, Hoseok always cheers him on from the sidelines. Some of Jimin’s charms are for good luck, all made after Jimin had left for a date he was especially excited for.
But they haven’t had any deep conversations about their worst fears (yet). Hoseok has no clue if it could be Jimin who’s afraid of storms.
The storm pulls harder on Hoseok’s magic, and he knows he’ll have to make up his mind soon. He can’t focus on both the storm and the vibrations of fear, so he’ll have to pick one. He can either go check on Jimin and lose his grip on the storm, or block the fear out and continue with his plans.
The next flicker of fear almost makes Hoseok flinch, and he has pulled away from the storm before he’s properly thought about it. It’s not only that there’s no way for him to concentrate if he keeps getting distracted, but also that he’s worried about Jimin. He wants to make sure the other is okay.
He pushes himself up to go check on his roommate, and only now does he feel the cold of the wind and the rain. He doesn’t have the storm inside him anymore, so it’s just his own body that’s trying to keep him warm.
He dries his hair quickly with a towel, and pulls his hoodie back on. He pushes his wet shorts off, too, and replaces them with clean and dry sweatpants. Perfectly comfy.
At first, there’s no response when he knocks on Jimin’s door, so he tries again. “Jiminie?”
“Come in,” Jimin calls back. His voice could be a little shaky, but it could also be Hoseok’s imagination.
When he opens the door, he finds Jimin on his bed, his phone in his lap. He has one earphone in, and at first, he looks completely at ease. But when Hoseok looks closer, he sees that Jimin’s hands are fisted in his sheets, and his shoulders seem tensed up.
“You okay?” Hoseok asks hesitantly. He doesn’t know if Jimin wants company or wants to be alone, but he hopes that if it’s him who’s scared, Jimin won’t be too embarrassed to answer honestly. Hoseok would never judge him for being afraid of a storm, but he’s also not told Jimin that the dark terrifies him when he’s home alone yet. It might be a little hypocrite to hope Jimin isn’t too embarrassed when Hoseok himself is.
The wind pulls on the trees outside again, and Jimin’s hold on his blanket tightens. Hoseok also feels the fear again, and he’s almost sure that it’s Jimin. However-
“I’m fine,” his roommate forces out.
Hoseok bites his lip, not sure how to proceed. He doesn’t think he can just make a charm like he normally does, since the storm would immediately blow that up way beyond what Hoseok wants. He also personally wants to make sure that Jimin is okay. “It’s storming pretty intensely out, isn’t it?”
“Y-yeah,” Jimin says through clenched teeth. “I hope- I hope no trees fall.”
“That’s what you’re afraid of?” Hoseok asks gently.
Jimin’s eyes widen as he realizes that he’s been caught. “Wha- What do you mean?”
“Can I come in?” Hoseok asks softly, still doubting if he even made the right decision coming here. But when Jimin nods, he slowly walks into the room and sits down on the edge of the bed. “I told you I’m a weather witch, remember? I could feel that someone was scared, so I figured I’d come check in on you.”
“Sorry,” Jimin mumbles. “I didn’t mean to-”
“No!” Hoseok protests immediately. “No, that’s not what I meant at all. I just meant- If you want company, I’m here. If there’s anything I can do…”
If the storm were much weaker than it is, Hoseok could’ve tried to capture it in a bottle. Keep it on his shelf along with the charms and other storms, until he has a use for it. However, he’s far from powerful enough to capture this one, and he’s sure he’d break all his bottles if he tried. If he felt like he could, he would’ve already.
“Could you…” Jimin hesitates, so Hoseok waits patiently for him to finish. “My childhood friend, Taehyung, he’d cuddle me any time there was a storm.”
“And that helped?” Hoseok asks. His heart beats a little harder at the idea of cuddling Jimin, but he swallows it down and pretends to be completely fine with the idea. He thinks that if he shows even the smallest signs of seeming uncomfortable, Jimin will refuse immediately. “I could cuddle you, if you want?”
Jimin nods shakely. “If- If you don’t mind.”
“I don’t,” Hoseok promises immediately. “Any-”
Anything for you.
“Anything to make you feel better.”
Jimin crawls closer to the wall so there’s space for Hoseok beside him. It’s momentarily awkward, but then Hoseok carefully wraps his arms around Jimin and pulls him closer.
“Thank you,” Jimin whispers. “Sorry that I made you miss this storm; I know you were looking forward to it.”
“It’s okay,” Hoseok whispers back. He rubs circles over Jimin’s back, and he feels the other slowly relax in his arms. “There’ll be others.”
“But this was a rare one, right?” Jimin asks. “I remember you saying that they don’t often come this strong, and that it’d really increase your magical powers. You were really excited for it.”
Hoseok presses his nose into Jimin’s hair. “It’s not as important as you are.”
“Hoseokie,” Jimin whispers. “Really?”
Hoseok pulls back a little to look at Jimin, but the other holds him so tight that he can’t pull away far. It results in them being way closer than Hoseok had anticipated or was ready for - their noses are almost touching. “Yea-Yeah. Of course you are.”
Jimin’s eyes search his own in the dark, the storm almost completely forgotten outside. They’re only paying attention to each other, and Hoseok doesn’t know what to do with what he finds in Jimin’s eyes. Shock, hope, trust, and possibly…
Adoration? Love?
Hoseok’s afraid he might be projecting, but Jimin doesn’t pull away, but instead he grips the back of Hoseok’s hoodie tighter. “Hoseok?”
“Yeah?” Hoseok’s voice is hoarse, but he hopes Jimin chalks it up to him being sleepy.
“What do you mean?” Jimin asks, now sounding nervous. “Please be honest. You can’t say these things and then not… I don’t know. You don’t have to tell me if you don’t want to, but you’re- you’re kind of giving me hope here.”
Hope? Hope for what?
Hoseok closes his eyes and listens to the storm outside for a moment. It’s not the form of strength he’d expected to get tonight, but he feels brave enough to maybe confess to Jimin tonight. But- “I don’t want to ruin us.”
One of Jimin’s hands comes up and buries itself in his hair. “You wouldn’t.”
“I wouldn’t?” Hoseok repeats. He doesn’t understand how his feelings wouldn’t ruin their friendship, unless…
Unless Jimin feels the same about him.
“I don’t know what you mean,” Jimin says. “But I don’t want to ruin us, either. I’m really scared of it, possibly even more than I am of this storm. So please- Just, what do you mean?”
Jimin sounds like he’s rambling slightly and has lost control of what he’s saying, but Hoseok thinks he knows what Jimin means. Hopes he knows what Jimin means.
“I won’t ruin it?” he asks one last time, to be sure. “Our friendship?”
Jimin shakes his head.
Hoseok breathes in deeply, gathers all of his own and the storm’s strength. He can do this. “You’re more important because… because… There’s only one of you, you know? And there’ll be more of these storms. And even if there wouldn’t be, you’d still be more important. I’d give up all the powers of the sky for you.”
It’s not a love confession, but it’s the best Hoseok can do.
“That sounds like…” Jimin searches his eyes once more. “That sounds like you like me.”
“I do,” Hoseok admits immediately. He might love Jimin, even, but he doesn’t want to scare Jimin away. He already fears that he will - no need to make it worse. “I like you a lot.”
“I like you, too,” Jimin says quietly.
They’re still no further than they were before.
“I’m halfway in love with you,” Hoseok throws out, because now that he’s started uncovering his feelings for Jimin to see, he can’t stop. Even if Jimin rejects him, he’ll finally be able to get over him.
A small smile curls around Jimin’s lips, and it’s all the reassurance Hoseok needs. “Only halfway?”
“Probably more than halfway,” Hoseok says with a quiet laugh.
“I’m probably more than halfway in love with you, too,” Jimin confesses, his nose now touching Hoseok’s. He looks softer than he ever did before, and Hoseok’s heart beats loudly in his chest. But he doesn’t mind, because it looks like Jimin’s is, too.
Hoseok touches Jimin’s cheek and watches as the other closes his eyes. “You are?”
“Been for a few months,” Jimin says with his eyes still closed.
Oh.
“Tha-That’s-” Hoseok stutters.
Jimin’s eyes open, but instead of meeting Hoseok’s eyes, they linger on Hoseok’s mouth. Hoseok can’t help but to let his own gaze drop to Jimin’s lips, which look soft and kissable.
Jimin must’ve noticed that Hoseok’s eyes have fallen down, too, because he bites his lips. “Can I kiss you?”
Hoseok pushes a little closer, their lips only millimeters apart now. There’s nothing he wants more than to kiss Jimin, to pull him closer and fall asleep with Jimin’s warm body in his arms. He’s heard of people saying that dating your roommate is like signing up for disaster, but he doubts anything with Jimin could ever be a disaster. Even doing the dishes with him is ten times more exciting than when Hoseok goes alone, because Jimin’s not easily embarrassed and usually dances through the kitchen as he dries the plates. It’s cute, and it usually ends in Hoseok joining him and half of the dishes still dirty.
He forgets to answer Jimin’s question, but it’s not necessary. He doesn’t know who presses forward first or if they both do at the same time, but their lips are touching and it’s the best thing Hoseok has ever experienced.
It doesn’t feel like fireworks in his chest, but like the first touch of sunshine on his skin in spring, or a cup of warm tea after arriving home drenched from the rain. It’s warm blankets after a long day of work, or a home-cooked meal after a failed test. It’s comfort, happiness and home all wrapped up in one, and Hoseok never wants to stop kissing Jimin.
Jimin seems to somehow know not to use his tongue, and instead tightens his hold on Hoseok’s hair to keep him close. Their kisses don’t turn into anything Hoseok doesn’t want, and instead remain sweet and loving.
Hoseok thinks he adores Jimin, and will for a long time.
“Like you so much,” he whispers between kisses. “Do you know what you do to me?”
Jimin presses a soft smile against his lips. “I have some idea. The same thing as what you do to me?”
“Possibly,” Hoseok laughs. He’s never felt happier, and he can’t believe he hesitated before leaving the storm. He would give up every storm for Jimin, would give up his magic to keep Jimin close.
But he doubts he’ll have to. He still doesn’t know if Jimin believes him when he says that he’s a weather witch, that he makes charms out of of the rain and captures liquid sunshine in bottles, but all that matters to him is that Jimin seems to feel the same way about Hoseok as Hoseok does about him. There’ll come a day where Hoseok will be able to convince him of his magic once and for all, but today does not have to be that day.
Today, they can just stay in bed and fall asleep together. Tomorrow, they can make breakfast together and share small kisses, and next week they’ll go on a date to a coffee shop where Jimin gets cream on his nose, which Hoseok will then kiss off.
Jimin will giggle, and that’s all the sunlight Hoseok will ever need.