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There’s a sweet aroma of cinnamon and spices in the too-cold air of the room.
It’s pleasant enough not to bother Jeongguk’s nose, but it also distracts him from the only smell that he’d like to breathe in.
On the other side of the room, Jimin is laughing with his entire body, almost collapsing on Taehyung next to him. His eyes are completely closed in two small crescents, and his knees wobble as gravity tries to pull him down.
Jeongguk smiles fondly as Taehyung tries his best to hold him up.
He tries to ignore the little pang in his chest at the thought that he wants to be in Tae’s place really badly. He really can’t complain, not when Jimin spent the majority of the night at his side anyway.
It’s just…
Jeongguk already misses him. Kind of. He misses his body warmth, his amused giggles, his soft smile and the way his eyes sparkle when he leans into Jeongguk to whisper secrets in his ears. Jimin hasn’t been whisked away for long, actually, and Jeongguk knows he has no ground to complain, but still.
He watches as Jimin tries to compose himself, albeit unable to stifle soft giggles that occasionally slip past his control.
Jeongguk smiles at the sight, leaning on the column behind him and ignoring the small groups of people shuffling through the room, around him. He huddles in the huge scarf he borrowed from his favourite hyung and takes a deep breath, letting Jimin’s trademark cologne fill his senses.
He takes a small, much needed break from socialising as he stands there, on top of the stairs leading to the kitchen.
The big living room of Namjoon and Jin’s house is adorned by garlands and Christmas decorations all over. There is a big tree nestled underneath the wooden stairs that lead to the loft library, whose handrail is embellished by fairy lights.
All the sofas and chairs are filled with small groups of people, but most of them are standing up, excitedly savouring the Christmas feeling as they chat a little too loud or laugh a little too hard, already tipsy because of the mulled wine.
Jeongguk doesn’t mind when it’s Jimin who’s laughing uncontrollably. He looks at him still giggling away and a smile forms on his face as he leans onto the column at his back and buries his nose inside Jimin’s scarf.
He’s glad for the little respite from socialising. He knows it’s going to be short lived, so he savours it as much as he can.
The mulled wine he’s been nursing for the past few minutes has gone tepid in his hand. He only notices because the ceramic mug he’s holding isn’t warm anymore; not because he particularly craves more alcohol. He’s been tipsy for a while, now, but it’s a chill night, and he doesn’t really feel like getting drunk.
The lack of warmth at his fingertips is bothering him, though.
Jeongguk shivers and buries himself a little more in Jimin’s scarf.
He loves his hyungs’ place, he really does, but they finished installing the new underfloor heating just a couple of days ago, so the house hasn’t had time to warm up enough, yet. He supposes the huge, split-level space between kitchen and living room doesn’t help, either.
“You should have brought a jumper,” comes Hoseok’s voice from behind him.
It seems like his small reprieve is already over. “I didn’t think this through,” Jeongguk admits with a pout, turning to look at his hyung.
“They warned us!” Hoseok laughs, nudging Jeongguk’s shoulder with his. The three mugs of mulled wine Hobi is carrying don’t spill any of their content, but Jeongguk eyes them with mild apprehension. “Why did you decide to come in a simple shirt?”
Jeongguk’s face flushes and his eyes find Jimin on their own accord.
“I really like that shirt on you, Jeongguk-ah. You fill it up nicely.”
He doesn’t want to answer that question.
However, Hoseok sees right through him as he follows his gaze and finds the object of Jeongguk’s attention. “Ah, of course,” he giggles.
“What?” Jeongguk quips, looking away from Jimin’s bright smile and fixing Hoseok with what he hopes to be a hard stare.
“Someone likes this shirt, doesn’t he?” Hoseok asks without beating around the bush– alcohol does make him blunter.
There’s a tingling feeling at the centre of his chest, and Jeongguk resolutely ignores it. “I like this shirt.”
“Mhh-h,” Hoseok singsons, bright smile on. “So why don’t you ask Namjoon to lend you one of his jumpers, then?”
Jeongguk purses his lips. “Don’t you have someone who’s waiting for the wine?” He asks instead. For a second, he basks in the glee of catching Hoseok by surprise. His gaze snaps to the mugs in his hands, like he just noticed he’s been carrying them.
“Shit!” Hobi curses, then leaves a grinning Jeongguk behind.
His eyes inevitably find Jimin again, and when he catches him already staring at him, the shiver that courses through his body gets a whole other undertone to it. He finishes what’s left of his mulled wine without really tasting it, then heads towards the kitchen to grab another one, even if just for holding the heated mug in his hands.
What he doesn’t expect is a light weight to lean into him from behind, just a few seconds after.
Jeongguk smiles instantly. He would recognise that back hug anywhere.
“Jeonggukie—” Jimin slurs as he buries his face at the back of Jeongguk’s neck.
Just like that, Jeongguk doesn’t feel the need to seek out warmth elsewhere. A smile on his face, he turns into Jimin’s arms and effectively brings them chest to chest. Jimin adjusts his hug ever so slightly, and Jeongguk feels incredibly lighter as he wraps his own arms around Jimin.
In that position, Jeongguk almost engulfs Jimin’s smaller body.
That doesn’t stop him from leaning into his hyung’s neck and trying to bury his face in its delicate curve.
He breathes in deeply, feeling comfort in the sweet trademark cologne and his unique skin undertone, and relaxes completely. “Hyung,” he murmurs. “Are you drunk?”
He tries to ignore the way his lips brush Jimin’s skin while speaking.
He also tries to ignore the way Jimin’s throat vibrates as he giggles in Jeongguk’s arms.
“Nooo, I’m not drunk,” Jimin drawls, a bit slower than normal.
“Good,” Jeongguk murmurs in his neck still. “You have work tomorrow,” he gently reminds him.
Jimin whines at those words. “Why would you remind me of that?”
Jeongguk feels a little tug at his heartstrings. “I’m sorry,” he says softly. “You wanted me to stop you from getting drunk, remember? Although I don’t get why you would want to go in, tomorrow. It's not like there's gonna be more than a couple of people around, anyway.”
He can feel Jimin’s pout in his reply; his arms still wrapped around Jeongguk. “It's a vacation day I can use for something else, I told you ten times now. Besides, I only had two mugs of wine. ‘m okay,” he grumbles.
“Mmh, yeah, that’s basically nothing for you,” Jeongguk chuckles in Jimin’s neck. He knows Jimin handles alcohol really well, so he tightens his arms around Jimin even more in apology. “Sorry for talking about work,” he says with a softer tone.
Jimin hums in reply, and the vibrations are enough for Jeongguk to focus his entire attention to Jimin’s throat.
It is very easy for him to pucker his lips and brush a kiss on Jimin’s neck.
It’s soft, nothing more than a peck, but it still makes Jimin shiver in his arms.
“Jeonggukie…” Jimin breathes out, trembling.
Jeongguk tries to ignore his rapid heartbeat at his name coming from Jimin’s lips in such a soft tone.
Sometimes, he wishes all the silly remarks his hyungs keep making about him and Jimin were true.
He doesn’t let himself think about it too much.
He tries to ignore the swoop in his stomach every time the thought of feeling Jimin’s lips on his own crosses his mind. It makes him flustered and his heart beat frantically in his chest, but he can’t afford to lose the beautiful relationship he has with Jimin, no matter how much he wishes they were closer, so he really tries to ignore his own feelings.
Sometimes, though, it’s hard not to wish for more.
Like when he has his mouth on Jimin’s neck, for example.
It’s easy to want to keep going, to actually kiss and suckle a little, to elicit breathy moans from his beautiful hyung. It’s easy to want to move his lips upwards, on his chin, on his cheek; on his lips.
In Jimin’s arms, feeling cold is the last thing on Jeongguk’s mind— especially with his mouth still brushing Jimin’s neck, very gently. Jeongguk feels his hyung’s rapid heartbeat through his lips, and feels warmth spread all throughout him from their single point of contact.
Unfortunately, his body is not necessarily on the same page.
A light shiver courses through Jeongguk, and that makes Jimin lean back from their embrace, just so that he can look him in the face. “Are you still feeling cold?”
Jeongguk sighs and nods, and Jimin’s entire face transforms into one of worry right away. “Are you sure you are not coming down with something?” They are still so close to one another, barely any space between their bodies as they barely shifted away to be able to look each other in the face.
It would hardly take any effort at all, to close the gap and place his lips on Jimin’s plump, rosy ones.
The proximity does not help in the slightest, and Jeongguk feels his cheeks heat up. He has to avert his gaze for a second, trying to catch his mind from wandering into dangerous territory.
He and the darkness of his room both know that it’s impossible to come back from that.
“I think I’m just cold,” Jeongguk says in reply. “Your scarf helps, though. Thank you again, Jiminie hyung.”
Jimin rewards him with a brilliant smile. “You should have dressed more warmly!” He chastises him. He strokes Jeongguk’s back with energetic movements, as if trying to warm him up, and that elicits a laugh out of him.
“I’ll be fine, hyung,” Jeongguk smiles, although he does nothing to stop Jimin from stroking his back. “I have my personal heater here, don’t I?”
“Brat,” Jimin mumbles under his breath, hitting him lightly.
“I’ll have one more mug of warm wine; that will help too,” Jeongguk smiles.
Jimin’s eyes light up at that. “Oh, that reminds me! We wanted to play some games, actually. I came to pick up the remaining wine.”
“But if we remove it from the heater, it will get cold!” Jeongguk protests. He’s not an expert, but he’s not sure mulled wine tastes any good if it loses its characteristic warmth.
“Do you really think we won’t finish it all before it becomes cold?”
Jeongguk chuckles at the raised eyebrow. Jimin looks like a fussy kitten, cheeks flushed just a lighter shade than his rosy lips, eyebrows furrowed and a pout finishing off his expression.
A single instant of distraction is all it takes for Jeongguk to give in to his desires and squishing Jimin’s cheeks in his hand, puckering his lips in an adorable beak.
His cheeks are so soft, and his eyes are so big, but Jeongguk is captured by the pretty sight of his full lips sticking out under his own fingers.
Jeongguk wants to eat him whole.
It takes everything in him not to lean in and capture Jimin’s lips with his own.
“You’re absolutely right, we would,” Jeongguk murmurs. He flexes his fingers a little, squishing Jimin’s cheeks a little more and watching as his lips move as well, endeared. Jimin is now sporting a full-blown pout, puppy eyes out in full force as he stays there, letting Jeongguk play with his cheeks as he pleases.
He’s used to the younger’s antics, anyway.
They remain there for a little while longer, still in each other’s arms as Jimin caresses Jeongguk’s back, trying to warm him up, and Jeongguk keeps playing with Jimin’s cheeks while his other hand holds Jimin close to him.
It’s these little gestures that makes Jeongguk think that maybe, maybe there is something more between them, and it’s not all in his mind.
Jimin always indulges him, no matter how much Jeongguk plays with him or bothers him. He always takes everything he's given with a giggle or a cute frown, and Jeongguk is so endeared it really takes everything in him not to lean in, not to close the last bit of distance that always seems to linger between their bodies.
That’s how Taehyung finds them, a few moments later.
“Wow, I should’ve guessed,” he says as a form of greeting.
Jeongguk doesn’t move from his spot, just turns to look at their friend with raised eyebrows.
“Don’t give me that look. I sent Jiminie in here to get the wine, and ten minutes later he’s still not back with the main goodie of the evening.” He turns his gaze on Jimin. “Of course you’re cuddling up with him instead.”
Jimin’s hold loosens a bit around Jeongguk, but Jeongguk automatically tightens his arms. He lets go of his cheeks, brushing his fingers on the slightly reddened skin as if to soothe it, and that prompts Jimin to look back to him.
Their eyes meet, and for a second, both of them hold their breaths. The room is not crowded, but at that moment, no one else exists apart from each other.
For the upteenth time that night alone, Jeongguk feels like it would take so little for him to lean in and close the gap.
It would take so little to brush those lips on his, to finally know how they feel.
A gagging noise startles them both back to reality.
Jeongguk notices a dark blush on Jimin’s cheeks, but doesn’t say anything; doesn’t dare put into words their delicate balance. Besides, he’s not sure he’s faring any better.
Taehyung has no such qualms, though. “You two are sickening, I can’t stand to be in the same space as you,” he grumbles, going to take the pot of wine himself.
Jeongguk pays him only half a mind, all his senses focused on Jimin next to him, who has now stopped hugging him, but proceeded to wrap around his arm and snuggle into it. Jeongguk brings his free hand to caress Jimin's soft, blond hair in a burst of protectiveness against the words of their friend.
“You should consider getting laid,” Jeongguk replies half-jokingly to Taehyung, who snorts next to them.
“You should consider admitting your feelings for each other,” he replies without missing a beat.
Jeongguk feels Jimin tense up around his arm, so he glares at Tae. “Hyung,” he warns. His hand is still stroking Jimin’s hair, and he almost feels Jimin’s little exhale on his wrist. He hopes it’s because of relief.
“Come on,” Taehyung sighs, shaking his head. “Let’s go play some games.”
When Jimin moves to follow Tae back to the living room, Jeongguk goes with him.
When he sees everyone else waiting for them sitting in a big circle on the floor, Jeongguk sighs.
“If I were you, I would take the day off, tomorrow,” he whispers in Jimin’s ears.
Jimin giggles. “It’s shaping up to be a long night, isn’t it?”
Jeongguk nods. “I’m sure it’s not too late to email your superior and let them know.”
“Come on, you two, sit down so we can start playing!” Seokjin hollers from his place on the floor. “Stop gatekeeping each other from us!”
With a breathy laugh, Jimin and Jeongguk join the rest of the group on the floor.
*
A soft ray of daylight is what wakes Jeongguk up.
He feels his consciousness coming back to him in gentle waves, and he doesn’t fight it. He relaxes completely underneath the thick, fluffy blankets, and he drifts in and out of sleep for a few minutes, before his eyes adjust to the brightness of the room and he feels more awake than asleep.
The warmth underneath the blankets is very comfortable, but when Jeongguk goes to burrow further in, his arms find a solid, much warmer shape in front of him.
It takes Jeongguk a second to realise that— oh.
It wasn’t a dream.
He holds his breath as he opens his eyes and finds confirmation of what his senses have been trying to tell him.
Jimin is in bed with him.
More precisely, Jimin is in bed with him, his back snug to Jeongguk’s chest, and he isn’t wearing a shirt either.
Jeongguk bites his lips as his arms tighten around Jimin just a fraction; just to feel the other's presence underneath him. He feels mesmerised by the way Jimin breathes in and out, softly, moving Jeongguk’s arm along.
Jeongguk’s heart is pounding inside of his chest as the previous night comes back to him.
Memories of laughter, of soft giggles and caresses fill Jeongguk’s mind.
Memories of sitting next to Jimin for the drinking games, before shifting to sit on the same spot, Jeongguk hugging him from behind and Jimin leaning into his chest.
Memories of wine and more wine and inebriated euphoria; memories of drunk confessions that made their hearts stop and loud cheers erupt from every single person in the room with them.
It’s almost like a punch to the gut, one of the best kinds. It leaves Jeongguk breathless and wonderstruck, as if the previous night is too perfect to be real.
Jimin sleeping peacefully in his arms is the living proof of what Jeongguk’s reality looks like now, though, and he is sort of frozen in awe.
The thought that he’s allowed to finally be able to have Jimin how he wants him is messing with his head— and with his heart.
If there is one thing that Jeongguk will never forget, for as long as he lives, is the feeling of Jimin’s lips on his.
They’re extremely soft and pillowy, warm as if to wrap Jeongguk’s lips in a makeshift hug, and they taste like strawberry chapstick and mulled wine and everything that constitutes Jimin’s essence.
They’re also addicting; that’s another thing Jeongguk noticed after it was too late to back out.
Even now, in the golden hues of a cold, snowy morning, all Jeongguk can think about is to kiss his lips again, and then again, and then again.
Of course, he loves everything that happened between them, at the party last night and then afterwards. He loves that he was able to kiss Jimin wherever and whenever he wanted, that he was able to hear his sounds and drink him in, all of him. He’s thrilled that they made love, finally feeling complete after years and years of thinking about his favourite hyung and hoping to be able to make him come undone, one day.
He worships his new reality where he’s allowed to do everything he’s ever wanted, with Jimin.
But lips and mouths are privy to a very important feature that Jeongguk discovers he cannot live without.
Lips and mouths are a portal to one’s heart, and Jeongguk loves Jimin to the point of feeling delirious with the intensity of his feelings.
It was not a shocking revelation, the previous night. Once the alcohol had started flowing, and the cosy atmosphere of their friend group had allowed for a more intimate setting, words flowed naturally.
Once broken, the dam around his feelings let through not only their true nature, but also their intensity.
Lips and mouths were vessels to their hearts, and Jeongguk knows that if he had to pick his favourite thing about Jimin, he would choose his heart over everything else.
That is why, when Jimin had finally allowed himself to speak of love and promises of a future together, Jeongguk believed Jimin’s heart— believed him.
It’s the same exact sentiment Jeongguk has been feeling for a very long time.
And now, it’s finally shaping out to be his reality.
Lips and mouths are vessels to one’s heart, and that is why kissing Jimin will be his favourite thing for a very long time. In a way, it’s almost like kissing his heart.
But in the silence of the bright morning, as Jeongguk watches Jimin’s body move slightly with his breaths in front of him, Jeongguk notices the hickeys scattered around Jimin’s neck and he feels a tiny pang of guilt pass through him, followed by a slight embarrassment.
He might have enjoyed Jimin’s everything else a bit too strongly.
Jeongguk is idly stroking the curve of Jimin’s neck, when the other wakes up.
Jeongguk almost stops his movement in fear of having woken him up, but when Jimin hums softly in a veiled request, Jeongguk immediately knows.
He resumes to caress Jimin’s neck with feather-like fingers, and he revels in the way Jimin’s body curls further into a ball, his hands grabbing Jeongguk’s other arm and hugging it close to his heart.
Driven by a will stronger than his self-control, Jeongguk shuffles forward and places a kiss between Jimin’s shoulder blades, right in the middle of his first moon tattoo.
Jimin exhales softly at the gesture. “Good morning,” he whispers— and it’s loud, in the quiet of the room; in the daze of Jeongguk’s rapidly-beating heart.
“Good morning, Jiminie,” Jeongguk replies, fondness oozing out of his voice. “Did you rest well?”
Jimin nods. “Best sleep I’ve had in my life.”
Jeongguk smiles. “Just sleep?” He teases.
Jimin giggles softly. “That was your question!” He huffs, amused.
“Hmm,” Jeongguk murmurs. He places another kiss on the back of Jimin’s neck, then says, “Okay… Now answer the second question?”
“You brat,” Jimin murmurs. Jeongguk can feel the fondness in his voice as well, and it makes his heart skip a beat in his chest.
Jimin shifts around lazily, until he turns around to come face to face with Jeongguk— who beams like a child that got the candy. “Hi,” he whispers with a huge grin.
Jimin answers in a matching, blinding smile. “Hi.” When he notices Jeongguk looking at him expectantly, he giggles. “Best night of my life,” Jimin concedes after a heartbeat, unable to deny Jeongguk anything.
Jeongguk is enamoured, and overwhelmed by the sight in front of him – of Jimin looking at him with his beautiful eye smile, lying in bed next to him, and who just admitted to something Jeongguk would’ve given anything to hear, before.
Best night of my life.
“I love you so much,” Jeongguk whispers with a sigh.
Jimin’s eyes widen a little, a look of wonder on his face, before morphing into fondness. “Oh, Jeongguk…” He trails off for a second, bringing one hand up to caress Jeongguk’s cheek. “You have no idea from how long I’ve wanted to hear these words, from you.” It’s almost a whisper, but it speaks of hope and marvel and old longing, emotions way too familiar to Jeongguk.
“I think I do,” Jeongguk replies with a small smile.
“Brat,” Jimin breathes, and Jeongguk chuckles.
“You love it.”
“I do.” Jimin’s immediate reply has his heart skipping a beat. Something on his face must show, because Jimin’s features soften in a small smile. “I love you, Jeongguk-ah.”
Jeongguk leans in and captures Jimin’s lips in his.
He might have an obsession with how soft and plump they are, and he keeps nipping at them and licking them over and over again, but he doesn’t think he cares.
He knows Jimin doesn’t care, either.
They kiss each other lazily, warmed by the duvet of the bed and the proximity of their bodies. The concept of morning breath doesn’t even cross their minds, for how lost they are in each other.
“Good thing you took the day off, after all,” Jeongguk murmurs when they part for air.
“Indeed,” Jimin sighs. “Imagine if we stopped drinking before you declared you wanted to marry me.”
And kiss. And fuck.
It’s a testament to how kind Jimin is, that he does not mention Jeongguk’s entire answer.
Jeongguk spends approximately one point five seconds being embarrassed about his reply the previous night, before shrugging. “I would.” He says it with such nonchalance that Jimin’s cheeks colour pink. “I would both kiss and marry you. Not sure about the fucking part though…”
“You idiot!” Jimin cracks up laughing and slaps his very naked chest— memory of their time spent together the previous night, doing exactly that. “Just for this, you’re not getting any today.”
“Nooo baby, you know I worship your beautiful ass,” Jeongguk laughs, bringing his hands down Jimin’s butt and squeezing.
A squeaky sound leaves Jimin’s throat, a blush spreading down his neck and chest.
Jeongguk loves to elicit all those new reactions from Jimin. It’s like he has a whole new canvas to paint— that is Jimin’s body and his reactions to compliments and suggestive touches.
A lot of Jimin’s sounds are new to Jeongguk, and he’s not only elated every time he discovers a new one, but he also vows to himself to keep coaxing them out of his boyfriend.
At another squeeze of his asscheeks, Jimin mutters, “I’m not sure if I can go another round after last night. It’s been a while.” He looks away from Jeongguk as a blush spreads further down his neck.
Jeongguk gently squeezes his cheeks one last time, before moving his hands up to caress his back. “Of course,” he says. “I wasn’t asking for more, I was just teasing you. But does it hurt?” He asks, starting to worry. “Should I grab some ibuprofen? I’m sorry if—”
“Jeongguk,” Jimin interrupts him with a smile. “I’m fine, I promise. No need for medicine or guilt of any kind.” He stares at him pointedly, a half amused smile on, until Jeongguk relaxes a bit. “Besides, it’s not like it’s the only thing that we can do, you know.”
Jeongguk straightens up as he stares at Jimin’s half-lidded eyes, a pretty flush still colouring his cheeks and neck. He manoeuvres them so he gets on top of Jimin, arms planted at his sides in a clear reenact of the previous night’s activities, and smirks. “Of course it’s not the only way I can make you feel good.”
He dives in for a kiss just because he can, because he wants to, because he’s already addicted to Jimin’s mouth and because he dreamed about it for years.
The knowledge and sight of having Jimin underneath him, pliant and Jeongguk's, is enough to overwhelm him in the best way possible.
In the privacy of his bedroom, Jeongguk’s mind is now free to wander to dangerous territories, because he knows Jimin will be there to wait for him.
And he can’t ask for more, really.