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It’s not something planned, but with Taehyung, it never really is. He’s unpredictable in the most comforting way possible, the kind of person who, instead of walking through fire with Jimin, would find an alternate way that would spare them both.
Jimin would like to think he knows Taehyung enough so that he can’t surprise him too much anymore, but after today, maybe he should reiterate.
It goes a little something like this.
The mattress under them is a little too soft, a little too ratty but they can’t afford anything else for now, it’s not like you receive money just for graduating university - albeit Taehyung really thinks they should, maybe as a compensation for all the brain cells lost in the process. The one bedroom apartment with a bed barely big enough to fit both of them is all they have for now, and while Jimin was wary at first, because living with Taehyung is a dream, the dream, sleeping in the same bed might be a little strange to some. They’re grown men who have their own lives, they’re not a couple, no matter how much Jimin wishes they were. They’re just best friends, who, for now, sleep in the same bed.
Cool cool cool cool cool cool cool, no doubt, no doubt.
Taehyung is sprawled across the bed, his head in Jimin’s lap and as Jimin’s busy on his phone doing whatever, he’s staring up at Jimin, gaze tracing his features, his pretty, plump lips, his rosy cheeks, glowing from having done his night time skincare routine. There’s a little furrow in his brows Taehyung wants to smooth out oh so bad, so he does. His hand reaches up, his knuckles brush over Jimin’s skin and he presses his thumb into the space between Jimin’s eyebrows, a gentle caress of his finger against his face. Jimin doesn’t even flinch, just hums and tilts his head forward, leaning into the touch like a cat bumping his head against someone’s hand would.
“You’re frowning. Don’t do that, your pretty face is gonna get wrinkles.”
Jimin makes a face, sticks his tongue out at Taehyung who chuckles in reply. His hand doesn’t budge from Jimin’s face, whose frown is now gone, replaced by a little pout. Taehyung heaves a sigh, unable to look away from the pucker of Jimin’s lips, from how he’s gnawing on his lower one, tongue flicking out to wet them from time to time.
Here’s the deal.
Taehyung’s in love with Jimin. And everyone knows, except for Jimin, which, maybe, is not that bad. Taehyung’s used to pining away, content enough just basking in Jimin’s friendship, being his soulmate. He’s still the person Jimin loves and trusts the most and their love, even without the romantic aspect of it all, transcends all types of love. So he’s good. He’s cool, he can keep his very cheesy and romantic thoughts to himself, even if Jimin looks like an angel descended straight from the Heavens.
“I look that good, huh?”
What.
“What?”
Jimin finally looks away from his phone, locks it and puts it down, cradles Taehyung’s head in his hand and boops his nose, a mischievous grin tugging at his lips.
“You said I look like an angel descended straight from the Heavens.”
The nervous smile on Taehyung’s face melts into a genuine one and they’re left looking at each other, Jimin playing with Taehyung’s hair and Taehyung’s hand tenderly brushing over Jimin’s cheek, noting his skin’s a little heated. Funnily enough, as much as Jimin’s used to Taehyung’s (and everyone else’s) endless compliments, he still gets flustered, he just masks it better now. But he can’t fool Taehyung.
“Yeah, you really do. Angel.”
Taehyung’s gaze wavers where it’s locked with Jimin’s when Jimin sucks his bottom lip into his mouth then draws in a shaky breath. Jimin’s fingers twitch, tangled in Taehyung’s hair and Taehyung can hear his heartbeat pick up.
“Your angel.”
Oh.
Oh.
It should be nothing new. Plenty of times they’ve proclaimed their undying love for each other, with or without pet names. But this one, it feels different. There’s a tension in Jimin’s shoulders that wasn’t there before, an unsure, nervous look in his eyes. The air around them is charged with something , and when Jimin’s stare drops to Taehyung’s lips just for a fragment of a second, Taehyung’s world stills.
Maybe he isn’t content with just pining. Maybe Taehyung’s greedy and wants it all to himself, wants Jimin all to himself. To know if he feels the same, if he’s been silently in love, too. Because if there’s even just the slightest chance Jimin feels the same way, Taehyung’s willing to take the risk. He’s brave, he’s greedy and he, more than anything, wants for the world, for Jimin, to know he’s in love with him. Wants to shout it from the rooftops.
It’s not like he hasn’t thought about it before, confessing. He’s played out every possible outcome in his head, the good and the bad, too. Weighed the pros and cons. He knows that between the two of them, he’s the risk taker, and if it’s mutual, he has to move first. He knows if it isn’t, he wouldn’t lose Jimin. Their love is much too strong for that and it might be awkward at first, but they’ll learn to live with it. But he wants to know, needs to hear how Jimin feels.
Taehyung’s brave and he’s gonna take the risk, because if anyone is worth it, it’s Jimin.
“What if I really want you to be my angel?”
Jimin’s eyes widen, would be almost comically wide if it wasn’t for the situation at hand, if Taehyung’s heart weren’t on the line. A barely audible gasp spills from his lips, his heart beating from his stomach where Taehyung’s ear is pressed.
“Tete, what.. does that mean, exactly?”
Taehyung smiles, reaches for Jimin’s hand and laces their fingers together so he can stroke the back of Jimin’s hand with his thumb. He can feel his own heart in his throat, about to burst any minute now. But there’s no going back now.
“I think you know. I wasn’t planning on doing this, I really wasn’t. And if I had, I had other plans and they were more romantic and less sudden and I would have been more prepared but you’re here, and you’re so beautiful and it’s hard to keep my mouth from running--”
“Taehyung---”
“Jimin. Jimin-ah, my precious Jimin.”
In a blink of an eye, Taehyung springs upright, out of Jimin’s lap and is now facing him instead, seated next to him on the bed with his legs tucked underneath himself. His hands cup Jimin’s cheeks, their gazes lock.
“I have feelings for you. Very real, very homo feelings. The kind of feelings that make me want to kiss you silly and hold your hand and go on dates with you, to tell you every day that I’m hopelessly, irretrievably in love with you. That every second spent without you feels like a waste. That I love you and you’re my dream boy.”
Maybe Jimin’s too stunned to speak, maybe he’s too focused on holding back the tears rapidly gathering in the corner of his eyes.
Truth is, he’s just trying to prevent his heart from jumping out of his ribcage, because this is what he’s been dreaming of, for years. For a confirmation that his pining isn’t in vain. For a chance to bare his heart and all its contents to Taehyung.
“You stupid, stupid fool.” Jimin sobs out before he’s jumping on Taehyung, arms wound around his neck and they’re both falling over on the bed. Taehyung squeaks under him but he locks Jimin in his hold, burying his nose in his hair. “You absolute buffoon of a man. I love you so much, you have no idea.” Jimin burrows his head in the crook of Taehyung’s neck, muffling his half-laugh, half-sobs into his skin.
“Is that an ‘I like you too?’”
“It’s an ‘I’ll be yours until you get tired of me, I love you more than anything’, dear Kim Taehyung.”
“I could never get tired of you, angel.”