Work Text:
Jimin handed a mango smoothie to the customer in line.
"You look pretty today Mrs. Oliver. I know your husband will like that new haircut."
Mrs. Oliver laughed shyly. "Jimin, you're like an angel. You always flatter me."
"It's true! It really suits your face."
Yoongi rolled his eyes. What is all this haircut talk? The kid has only been here for three days and it's like they were old pals.
When his brother told him the newbie was like the Spongebob to his Squidward, he scoffed.
"I'm not Squidward." he said.
"Oh, okay the Joker then." Jin said tugging at his mint hair.
But Jin was right. Ever since Jimin got here, the place had been like bubble gums and rainbows.
Maybe all that cotton candy pink dye got into his brain, he thought.
"Jimin you're on flyer duty this afternoon. Yoongi finish cleaning in there, you're working the counter." Their boss, Namjoon, called to him from the back of the store.
Crap, he thought. He could barely move his hands today.
"Okay boss." he answered.
"Slice some watermelons before switching with Jimin, we're running out of them."
Great, he thought. He put the mop at the back and went to the stack of fruits. He got a big one, thinking it may be easier to slice. He reached for the knife. His hand was so stiff, it barely went around the handle.
A firm hand enclosed his and took the knife from him. He looked up and saw Jimin smiling at him, his eyes almost disappearing from his face.
"Why don't I do this and you work on the counter? Then you can take the flyer duty later. I'm sure Joon will be okay with that."
Yoongi hid his surprise well. "No I can do this." he said, rolling the watermelon to him.
Jimin looked at his bent fingers. "Your hands almost look like a claw. My grandma has arthritis too, we help her a lot with chores."
"It's fine, it will go away once I start slicing."
Jimin laughed. "You know, you're cute--and funny too."
Yoongi blushed but he refused to give the watermelon to him so Jimin grabbed another one from the stack. The bell rang at the counter.
"Oops, there's a customer. Better get to it." Jimin said as he broke the fruit in half.
Yoongi sighed. He rolled the watermelon back to Jimin.
"Okay thank you." he said softly.
When lunchtime came, Yoongi got ready and put on the bar’s grape mascot costume.
Jimin chuckled when he saw him. "See that costume looks adorable on you, it goes with your mint hair."
Yoongi blushed. He rolled his eyes and stuck out his tongue. “Stop teasing me.”
Jimin laughed and Yoongi pursed his lips, trying hard to hide his smile.
He got the stack of fliers and went out of the store. He began handing them to the people passing by.
“We got free biscuits for one smoothie.” He said enthusiastically, feeling lighter than before. He hated being on flyer duty but somehow it seemed easier today.
“Buy one smoothie, get free biscuits.” He said louder, making eye contact and smiling at everyone.
Several people took the fliers and went into the store, interested with the freebies. It was more people than usual for Yoongi. He got encouraged by the response and became more animated, even doing a little dance for some little kids who passed by and posing with them for a picture.
It was about an hour when Jin arrived. Yoongi saw him from a distance taking a video of him. He turned his back on him.
“Looks like someone was not able to escape the flyer duty this time.” Jin said, pinching his cheeks. Yoongi pouted and slapped his hand away.
“Aw, don’t be such a sour grape.”
“You should know some people thought I looked cute in this.”
Jin laughed. “Really? What people?”
Yoongi shrugged. “Just people.”
Just then, a friendly voice called out. “Hey cutie, I brought you a smoothie to help with your claw.”
Oh no, Yoongi thought. Jin’s smile grew wider.
“You think he looks cute in this costume?” he asked the new kid.
Jimin nodded enthusiastically. “Yes, he looks like Grimace who became a grape.”
Jin roared with laughter. “Oh my God, that is so accurate!”
Yoongi hit his arm with the flyers. “Don’t you have to go? Jimin’s shift already ended and you don’t want Namjoon to be mad at you again—”
Jin stopped laughing and glared at Yoongi. Yoongi chuckled at his embarrassment.
“Uh yeah. Gotta go!”
They watched him dash to the bar. Yoongi took the smoothie from Jimin.
“Hey, thanks for this.”
Jimin beamed. “Yeah, it’s not on the menu. It’s a mix of blueberries, mango, spinach and bananas. It’s my own recipe. It helps with the joint pain and stiffness.”
“Spinach? Ew.”
“Hey don’t knock it off until you’ve tried it. It’s good.”
Yoongi took a little sip and let the drink slosh around a bit in his mouth. A slow smile spread on his face.
“It’s good huh!?” Jimin said. He pumped his hands as if he won first prize at something.
He nodded, taking in more. “You’re grandma drinks this too?”
“Yeah, I make it for her.” Jimin shyly bowed his head.
Yoongi gave him a big gummy smile. “It’s delicious. You know a lot about smoothies huh?”
“Yeah, I make a lot of it at home. So… what’s up with your hand if you don’t mind me asking?”
Yoongi drank all the smoothie and Jimin took the glass from him and threw it away in the garbage.
“I work at nights, transcribing some videos and recordings. It really takes a toll on your hands.”
Jimin’s frowned. “Oh, maybe you should’ve taken a day off today huh?”
Yoongi shook his head. “No, I need the money.”
Jimin nodded, his frown deepening into worry. “Yeah I do too. I work at nights at the gas station. Then on weekends I run deliveries for this restaurant downstairs from my apartment.”
Yoongi was surprised to see another side of him. “You must be exhausted.”
How can you be so cheery at work!? He almost wanted to ask but he felt that would be intruding too much.
“Yeah well, I’m just happy to help keep everything afloat at home. It helps that the customers are really friendly here.” Jimin smiled and then winked at him. “and it doesn’t hurt to have eye candy working with me at the store.”
Wait—does he mean me? Yoongi gay-panicked. He didn’t know what to do so he resumed handing out flyers to people who passed by. Jimin giggled at how awkward he was. He wanted to tell Yoongi how cute his reaction was, but he didn’t want to embarrass him again.
“So what’s up with Jin?” Jimin asked, changing the topic. He didn’t really want to go home yet. He wanted to keep talking to Yoongi. “He’s your brother right?”
Yoongi rolled his eyes. “Yeah. Well, you know boyfriend problems.”
Jimin’s eyes grew larger than Yoongi thought was possible. “Wait, you mean? Him and Joon?”
Yoongi snickered and nodded. “Yeah. They keep it low-key though, wouldn’t want to have any problems with upper management. So if you can keep it to yourself—”
“Oh yeah, of course.”
They got quiet for a second and Yoongi looked down at his purple grape feet. There were fewer people now that lunch break was almost over.
“There’s no problem with staff dating other staff though right?”
Yoongi blushed and refused to look at him.
“No, I don’t remember any rules about that.” He said softly.
Jimin grinned. “So it will be okay if we go out for coffee?”
“No.” Yoongi said.
Jimin’s face fell. “Sorry I thought—”
“I heard coffee’s not good for arthritis.” Yoongi said. “How about a salad instead?”
Jimin smiled and Yoongi can’t help but smile back.
“You got it.” Jimin answered.