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It started innocently.
Long mornings in the recording studio, long afternoons learning complicated dances, they were living the dream but it sure was exhausting. They would get home, slick with sweat and muscles crying with fatigue, and fall into a heap onto their beds. It took them no effort to fall into a deep sleep; they had so little time for it their head barely touched the pillow before they were unconscious.
One day Jimin came home and his muscles were screaming after working so hard at the new choreography for their comeback, and whereas usually he would just pass out onto his bed with ease, that day he was so sore and stiff that he couldn't get himself to sleep. It was three in the morning and he had an early schedule the next day; there was no way he’d have the energy to work if he didn't get to sleep right away. He groaned to himself quietly, tossing and turning, trying to find a position that was somewhat bearable. That was until he felt the bed dip behind him, and warm hands press against his back. Jimin snapped to face the owner of these hands, to meet a very sheepish and sleepy looking Hoseok.
“What are you doing?” Jimin whispered, trying not to wake Taehyung in the bed next to him.
“You woke me up with your rolling about.” Hoseok whispered back, chuckling, “Are you aching? You seem like you can't get comfortable. This may come as a surprise but I’m actually the master of back massages. Flip onto your stomach and let me work my magic.”
Jimin was too tired, too sore to argue. So he rolled onto his tummy slowly and felt Hoseok straddle his back. If this was any other time he would feel weird at the close contact, would have probably told Hoseok to get off. But it wasn’t any other time and Jimin was close to tears he was so desperate to get to sleep.
Hoseok wasn’t lying when he said he was the master of back massages. He dug his hands firmly but carefully into the base of Jimin’s back, working his way up slowly until he reached his shoulders and neck. It must have been fifteen minutes since Hoseok started massaging that he finally stopped, giving one final squeeze at Jimin’s shoulders and sliding off the bed quietly.
“Thanks, Hobi-hyung.” Jimin murmured contently.
“No worries. Goodnight Jimin.”
It would be a lie to say that this became a regular occurrence. After that night, Jimin fell back into his routine of passing out as soon as he got home pretty easily. But, every so often after an intense dance practice, Jimin would find himself lying on his tummy again with Hoseok’s soft hands kneading at his back. Hoseok learned the spots that Jimin found the most satisfying to massage – between the shoulder blades was always a winner. It wasn't a regular occurrence, but it certainly was welcomed when it happened.
*****
It started innocently.
“I just can’t get this move right!” Jimin huffed, sliding onto the floor and grabbing his water bottle from next to him.
“You’re getting there, Jimin.” Hoseok encouraged, “The footwork is perfect. It’s just the arms aren’t quite right. Watch me do it.”
Hoseok restarted the track that him and Jimin had come into the studio to practice to. Returning to stand in front of Jimin, he effortlessly made his way through the choreography, Jimin watching in awe. As Hoseok carried out the dreaded move, Jimin got up off the floor and tried to mimic his movements. He looked to Hoseok for his opinion, and whined when Hoseok plastered a smile on his face that read Not quite, but good try!
“Forget it! Can’t we change the hand part? If I can’t do it then how is everyone else going to be able to?” Jimin moaned bitterly, “Other than Jeongguk because he can do everything.”
“Hey hey hey, don’t get salty at Jeongguk because you’re in a bad mood.” Hoseok reprimanded, but he had a soft smile on his face, “The hand bit is easy once you get it down. Here, let me put your hands right.”
Shuffling across the dance room, Hoseok restarted the music once more and made his way over to Jimin. He pressed his front up against Jimin’s back, snaking his hands underneath his armpits to grab his wrists from behind. When the beat of the music started, Hoseok moved Jimin around like a puppet, showing him where his hands were supposed to be. Once Hoseok had guided Jimin’s arms, he slowly peeled away from Jimin and motioned for him to try the move without his help.
He did it perfectly.
“Thank’s hyung.” Jimin panted as the song came to an end, “I can’t believe I had so much problems with it. You were right, it’s easy now.”
“It’s my magic touch.” Hoseok chucked, throwing in a teasing wink, “Hands of a god, they say.”
“Aish, when has anyone ever said that?” Jimin replied, “Your head is getting too big. But you did help a lot, so thanks.”
The boys fell against the mirrors and onto the floor, exhausted. It was a feeling that their body seemed to be in a constant state of, and yet it was always just as painful.
“I’m definitely going to need a back massage tonight. Need those hands of a god to get rid of these knots.” Jimin sighed.
“I’m too tired tonight, kid.” Hoseok grunted back, “How about a nice hot bath instead. That way I can join and get rid of some of this tension too.”
“Wait…did you want to bath together?”
Hoseok shrugged in response, “Sure. Not like we have time to run one each. We’ve all seen each other naked loads of times anyway, and as much as I really wish we lived in a bigger dorm so I didn’t have to see at least two dicks a day when you’re all changing, it is what it is.”
“Okay.” Jimin replied after a few moments silence, “You’re right, I’ve seen it all before.”
And that’s how two hours later the boys found themselves sitting in the bath together, Hoseok massaging shampoo into Jimin’s hair and Jimin sponging down Hoseoks back. It was nice, just relaxing in each other’s company. There was an underlying feeling, however. Neither of them could place what it was, but something wasn't quite right.
*****
It started innocently.
As much as Hoseok loved a good home cooked meal full of vegetables and healthy goodness, sometimes all he wanted was to stuff his face with instant noodles and have a nap. Instant noodles were great because you could just shove hot water on them and you’re good to go. The only downside was that it actually involved getting off the sofa that he had just crashed on after a day packed with interviews and performances and he just wasn’t sure if he could make that kind of commitment. When Jimin had made his way over to the sofa, Hoseok poked his thigh with his foot.
“Jiminie, I am starving.” Hoseok whined.
“Go make yourself some food then.”
“But I’m tired. When I was your age I would have respected my hyungs and gone to make them noodles.”
“Not sure how making them noodles they didn’t even ask for is showing them respect. Anyway, you were my age literally last year and I don’t ever remember you offering to make noodles for Seokjin-hyung.”
Even with his moaning, Jimin made his way to the kitchen and a few minutes later came back with a steaming cup of noodles. When he tried to give the cup over to Hoseok, he pushed it away with a groan.
“Too tired to lift my arms. Feed it to me?”
“Yah, I had just as busy a schedule as you did, you know! You’re lucky I’m so nice, hyung, because if I was Yoongi-hyung I probably would have knocked you out by now.”
Again, even though he was moaning, Jimin was quick to fill Hoseok’s request, blowing on the hot noodles before putting the chopsticks to Hoseok’s mouth. They sat in silence until Jimin had finished feeding the entire cup to Hoseok. He handed the cup to Hoseok to drink the broth, refusing to help him drink the rest because I may be nice but I’m not your servant. Don’t be lazy, hyung. Once Hoseok had finished his broth, he put the cup on the little coffee table in front of them and threw his head onto Jimin’s lap.
“What are you doing?” Jimin asked.
“Sh. It’s nap time.” Hoseok mumbled back and within a few moments he was already snoring. Jimin chuckled to himself, feeling his eyes get heavy, and decided that it should be nap time for him too.
*****
Maybe it didn’t start innocently.
Baths together became a regular feature in Jimin and Hoseok’s routine. Back massages turned started to end with limbs tanged under the sheets, Hoseok snoring into Jimin’s chest and Jimin’s hands threaded through Hoseok’s hair. Eating dinner together and going for naps together were a must most days. Sure, there was no sexual undertone to these actions, no need for them to rip each other’s clothes off and run hands down each other's bodies. But there was something odd about these actions, something that neither Jimin nor Hoseok could place.
That was until they forgot to lock the bathroom door.
“Oh god! I’m blind!” Taehyung had shrieked one night as he walked into the bathroom to brush his teeth. He shielded his eyes and quickly scuttled out of the room, leaving an awkward (and very naked) Jimin and Hoseok sitting in the bath silently.
“Next time you guys want to fuck in the bath, can you wait till we aren’t home? Or at least lock the door? I don’t think there’s enough bleach in the world to pour into my eyes to get rid of the image of you two starkers.” Taehyung had shouted through the door. He then dropped his voice a bit lower, “Also, I think management are gonna want to know about you guys dating. They’re gonna go mental when they find out you’ve been keeping it a secret from them.”
And that’s when it hit the two boys, as they looked at each other nervously. Was this all not normal for friends to be doing? It had never really crossed their minds before, how easy it had been to be so intimate with each other. All of the boys in the group were pretty close – skinship was something that they all engaged in to some level. But at what point did it become more than just skinship? When did it stop being a bromance and become a romance?
*****
“Is this weird, hyung?” Jimin had asked one night, snuggled up to Hoseok in bed after another back massage.
Hoseok sighed softly, “I don’t know. Does it really matter?”
“I guess not.” Jimin replied, pushing his face into the crook of Hoseok’s neck, “I don’t know. This just doesn't seem like a thing that friends do, you know? It’s all a bit…intimate.”
“Are you not comfortable with how close we are?” Hoseok said in a panicked whisper, scrambling up to sit on the bed.
“No, I’m grateful for it.” Jimin pulled Hoseok to lie back down, placing his head on Hoseok’s chest, “I just mean… Taehyung thought we were having sex in the bath! He didn't seem all that convinced when we told him we were just chilling. It just got me thinking, you know." There was a silence, before Jimin spoke again, "Hoseok, do you have a crush on me?”
There was a tense pause, and Jimin started to worry that he had said the wrong thing.
“I don’t think I want to do a whole confession thing with Taehyung sleeping on the other bed if I’m honest,” Hoseok chuckled quietly a few moments later. “just in case he’s listening in. But I guess I can give you my answer without saying the words out loud.”
With that, Hoseok rolled on top of Jimin tentatively, his dark eyes looking softly into Jimin’s. Then, without much warning, Hoseok bent his head down and pressed his mouth onto Jimin’s, chaste and sweet. It wasn’t a hot kiss, a kiss full of passion. It was a kiss that was simply full of love and warmth.
"Actions speak louder than words, guys." a voice floated across the room, and Jimin and Hoseok both turned to see Taehyung's sleepy eyes boring into them, "The sounds of your lips smacking was definitely louder than Hoseok just saying he fancied you. Can you guys stop doing this shit when I'm trying to live my life?"
Hoseok and Jimin just laughed at Taehyung's grumbles, but even so they rolled back onto their own sides of the bed and sighed contently.
It hadn’t started innocently, but it had always been pure.