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Out of all the forms Jimin can transform into, his favorite one to take during Magical Talents class is that of a calico cat.
There are certain perks to being a cat in a classroom full of people putting their magical talents to use. Jimin's nimble paws and quick reflexes have saved him more than once from being accidentally hit by a floating object or a conjuring spell gone wrong, but this is only one of the reasons why Jimin is partial to spending the first hour of every school morning in this form.
Today, though, when Jimin finally makes his way across the classroom to Jungkook's desk, he finds the usual patch of sunlight he likes to sleep on there—but no sign of Jungkook.
Tilting his head, Jimin turns to the desk to his right, where Yoongi is moving his fingers over an imaginary keyboard with a beautiful melody dripping out of them in bursts of colors. On a normal day, Jimin would enjoy listening to it until the end, but something about Jungkook's absence is making him restless. His tail swishes agitatedly back and forth.
The music stops when Yoongi sees Jimin sitting on Jungkook's desk, and he shakes his head. "Sorry, Jimin. Jungkook went outside after class started, but I didn't see where."
Outside.
Jimin trots across the classroom, twisting his way through backpacks and desks and other students' ankles until he reaches the corridor. There are a few people roaming around and practicing their talents on the courtyard further ahead, but Jimin can't see Jungkook, nor can he hear the telltale click of a camera shutter.
He tries to appease his growing unease. They usually spend this class together, but it isn't a rule. They never talked about it, not really, and even though Jimin is used to finding Jungkook waiting for him at his desk, they're not forbidden to leave the classroom if they want to. Maybe Jungkook found something new he wanted to photograph today.
"Hey, Jimin!"
Jimin looks towards the voice, and Namjoon waves at him from where he's squatting next to the rose beds that surround the courtyard. "Looking for Jungkook?" Namjoon asks. When Jimin meows his agreement, he continues, "The roses said he went to the back of the school grounds. That way." He points to the corridor leading towards the northwest wing of the school.
Jimin meows in thanks before heading in the direction that Namjoon pointed. The further he walks, the less students he runs into; this part of the school is older with overgrown roots and plants creeping up the walls, and there's not really much to see aside from the occasional lizard scurrying across the wall and glimpses of the vast expanse of grass leading into the forest that surrounds the building.
Jimin finally turns into the last corridor. This one is lined up with wide windows that let the morning sun bathe the weathered stone in light, and it is next to one that Jimin finds Jungkook, sitting down with his gaze lost on the world outside.
It's not the fact that Jungkook is here alone that makes Jimin worry. Jungkook is like that sometimes—needs to be by himself, has those days when he wants to stay away from everyone else—and that's alright. Jimin understands that. But as Jimin inches closer, he notices the camera abandoned by Jungkook's side with no signs of the film having been used, and that is what makes him pause.
During Magical Talents class, there is one rule: you can roam the school as you want, but you must be practicing your magical talent at all times.
And Jungkook might not be a stickler about rules, but he loves this class.
The moment the teacher gave them the green light, Jungkook's camera would be in his hands and he would be looking for the subject of his next shot. Jimin used to joke that Jungkook would go bankrupt trying to sustain the amount of film he went through, and Jungkook would laugh and turn the camera towards him, catching Jimin mirroring his smile.
The smile Jungkook gives him when he sees Jimin approach this time is nothing like the one Jimin longs to see. It doesn't reach Jungkook's eyes.
"Hey," Jungkook says, reaching out to scratch behind Jimin's ears when Jimin nuzzles against his leg. "Didn't think you'd come find me here."
Jimin stops moving. He looks towards Jungkook, considering his words for a moment, and turns his body towards the opposite direction before looking back at Jungkook again.
If you want to be alone right now, I'll go, he wants to say.
But Jungkook shakes his head. "Stay."
It's a single word, but it's enough to lift a weight off of Jimin's chest, and he no longer hesitates before jumping onto Jungkook's lap. Jungkook's used to Jimin doing this when he's in cat form, so he simply waits until Jimin has found a comfortable position before running his hand through Jimin's fur. His fingers are steady as he traces a repetitive pattern down Jimin's body—like the soothing motions are for his own sake as much as Jimin's.
Staying like this until they have to return is tempting, but when Jungkook lets out a deep sigh, Jimin counters it with a noise he hopes comes across as inquisitive. What's wrong?
Jungkook's caress falters for a moment. When Jimin looks up, he's got his lower lip caught between his teeth. "I've been thinking," he says in a quiet voice. "Everyone in our class is so amazing. You, Yoongi, Namjoon, everyone… your talents are all so wonderful."
Jimin tilts his head to the side. Jungkook's tone, the abandoned camera—all of it gives him an inkling of what Jungkook is getting at, but Jungkook doesn't continue. Not that he has to; Jimin knows him well enough to know the implications behind his silence.
So Jimin hops off of Jungkook's lap and pads towards the camera lying by his side. He nudges it with his nose and looks at Jungkook, waiting. Trusting Jungkook to understand.
Your talent is wonderful, too.
And there it is again—that smile that doesn't reach Jungkook's eyes. "There's nothing special about my talent," he says. "Anyone can give life to a picture. How's that different from filming a video? People don't even need magic to do that."
He sounds so convinced—so sad—that Jimin's heart breaks. Because if there is one person in the world that should never feel like they're not special, that someone is Jungkook.
"What good is a talent that won't take you anywhere?"
The rules of Magical Talents class say that you should keep practicing your talent at all times, but no matter how good Jungkook is at understanding Jimin's cat language, there are things Jimin simply can't express in this form.
The world changes perspective when he turns into a human, and suddenly he's looking down at Jungkook's surprised eyes.
"I need to show you something," Jimin says. He nudges Jungkook so they can sit side by side, their shoulders lightly bumping as Jimin retrieves his cellphone from his pocket. He doesn't have to look to know that Jungkook's brows must be furrowed like they always are when he's confused, but this time Jimin doesn't reach out to smooth the creases on his forehead away with his thumb. Jungkook will understand soon enough.
Jimin carefully removes his phone case before setting his phone aside, then he extends the case to Jungkook—or rather, the small polaroid picture he keeps inside it.
"Take it." When Jungkook hesitates, Jimin repeats himself, softer this time. "Take it, Jungkook."
Jungkook does. He removes the polaroid from the case slowly, holding it between his fingers like it's something precious as recognition flashes behind his eyes. "I didn't know you kept this picture."
"Of course I did. Do you want to know why?" Jimin smiles when Jungkook nods, and then he's reaching out to close his hand over Jungkook's, sliding his fingers over warm skin and feeling the silky corner of photo paper against his fingertips. "Because I can feel what you did when you took it."
Under someone else's touch, the photo Jungkook had taken of Jimin starts moving.
"I can smell the rain," Jimin says, the echo of that day filling his senses. "Hear the pitter patter of it on the school roof. I know it was cold that day, but I'm warm." So, so warm, in a way he doesn't remember being on that chilly winter morning. "I can hear myself laugh. It sounds pretty. You make my laugh sound so pretty, Jungkook," Jimin continues, and when Jungkook's fingers tremble beneath his, he only holds them tighter. "And I can feel what you felt when you heard me laugh about your silly joke."
Jimin feels it now, growing inside of him. He feels love that is strong but gentle, loud in its intensity yet quiet in its kindness as it makes room for itself in the nooks and crannies of Jimin's heart. It's the kind of love that makes the bleak sky on a rainy day look beautiful. That makes happiness bloom from the simple act of hearing the person you love laugh.
"Your talent is special," Jimin says. That moment from months ago fades when he lets go of the picture, but the love in his chest remains—the love that's his own. "Because you are special. No one else has the power to make others experience the world through their eyes like you do with your pictures." When Jungkook looks down, Jimin tilts his head back up with a gentle nudge to his chin, catching a stray tear running down Jungkook's cheek with his thumb. "And the way you see the world is beautiful."
It has always been a pity, Jimin thinks, that the only person who can't truly experience the extent of Jungkook's talent is Jungkook himself. That polaroid is but one of the hundreds of pictures—hundreds of feelings—Jungkook has given him, and an even smaller part of everything Jungkook has given others, and Jimin wishes there were a better way to make Jungkook understand just how amazing he is. How wonderful that he would use his talent to give others so much of himself so freely, if only to make them smile.
Jungkook lets out a shaky laugh, wiping at his eyes with the sleeves of his jacket. "If you say so," he says, "then I believe you."
Jimin shakes his head. "You shouldn't believe me, you should believe in yourself." He takes the camera lying beside them and extends it to Jungkook. "Can you promise me? That you'll try to believe in yourself more?"
Jungkook looks at the camera. A myriad of emotions flickers across his face, and he still hesitates before reaching out to take it—but when he does and his fingers brush Jimin's, they're no longer trembling, and there's the beginning of a smile on his lips. Still a little watery, a little sad.
But this time it reaches Jungkook's eyes, and Jimin knows he will be alright.
"I promise."