Chapter Text
The hum of the refrigerator in the corner of the dorm kitchen was a steady, familiar backdrop to the quiet night. It was past two in the morning, and the apartment was shrouded in soft shadows, save for the warm glow of the stove lamp illuminating a small corner of the room.
I sat on the kitchen counter with my knees pulled up to my chest, wrapped in an oversized knit sweater that swallowed my hands. My hair was still damp from a late shower, dark strands falling softly over my eyes. Between my palms, I held a warm mug of chamomile tea, letting the steam rise against my tired skin.
The day had been exhausting. Eight hours of non-stop dance practice, followed by a vocal check that dragged on way past midnight. Every joint in my body throbbed with a dull, heavy ache, but my mind refused to settle.
Soft, familiar footsteps sounded in the hallway.
I didn't turn around. The rhythm of those steps was completely ingrained in me, sluggish, barefoot, and slightly dragging against the wooden floor.
Jungkook rounded the corner, rubbing his sleep-heavy eyes with the back of his hand. He wore a dark, baggy t-shirt and loose sweatpants, his hair a chaotic nest of bedhead curls. He walked straight over to where I was perched on the counter.
He slotted himself naturally between my parted knees, leaned forward, and rested his forehead directly against my chest, letting out a long, heavy exhale as he slumped his weight against me.
Lowering one hand from my warm mug, I reached up and buried my fingers into his soft, messy hair, gently scratching his scalp in slow, soothing circles.
"Couldn't sleep?" I asked softly.
"Mmm," Jungkook hummed against my chest, the sound vibrating right through my sweater. "The bridge in the new track kept looping in my head. And my shoulders hurt."
"You danced too hard on the second verse again," I said, setting my tea on the counter before bringing both hands to his neck, my thumbs softly working over the tight muscles at the base of his skull. "You always tense up when you try to get the angle perfect."
Jungkook made a low, contented sound, shifting closer until his arms wrapped loosely around my waist, locking me in a cozy embrace. He tilted his head up slightly, resting his chin on my chest so he could look up at me.
"You do it too, Hyung. Yoongi-hyung had to tell you three times to take a break."
"That's different," I said with a small pout, my fingers continuing to thread through his curls. "I was fixing my form."
"Right. Sure." Jungkook offered a small, bunny-toothed grin, his nose crinkling.
He leaned back just enough to reach over me and grab my mug of tea, taking a small sip before pulling a face.
"Gross. Needs honey."
"Then don't drink my tea, brat," I laughed quietly, nudging my forehead against his.
He stayed right there, resting his weight against me while my hands settled comfortably over his shoulders and his arms remained wrapped around my waist.
A quiet throat-clearing broke the quiet of the kitchen, making us both glance toward the doorway.
Jin-hyung stood there holding an empty water tumbler, wearing his favorite pink pajamas with his hair sticking up on one side. He looked at us for a moment before walking over to the refrigerator.
"Do you two ever operate outside of a two-inch radius of each other?" Jin-hyung asked, opening the fridge.
"He was complaining about his shoulders, Hyung," I said, resting my chin on top of Jungkook’s soft head.
"Yeah. And he was cold," Jungkook added casually, keeping his arms locked around my waist.
Jin-hyung chuckled, pouring his water and shaking his head. "Right. Of course. Well, cold and sore, please go to sleep before Namjoon catches you up and lectures you about tomorrow's schedule."
"We're going now, Hyung," Jungkook said.
Once Jin-hyung headed back down the hall with his glass, I patted Jungkook’s shoulder gently. "Come on, Kook-ah. Jin-hyung is right. We need to lie down."
"Okay," Jungkook murmured.
He stepped back, his hand naturally sliding down my arm until his fingers loosely laced through mine, pulling me gently off the counter. I dropped down onto my feet, keeping our hands intertwined as we walked side-by-side out of the kitchen and down the dim hallway.
When we reached the fork between our bedrooms, Jungkook gave my fingers a firm squeeze, looking down at me.
"Sleep well, Jimin-ssi," he whispered.
"You too, Jungkookie," I smiled, bumping my shoulder against his chest before letting my hand slip away from his warm grip. "See you in the morning."
I stepped into my room, closed the door, and kicked off my slippers before sliding into bed. Pulling the blanket up to my chin, I closed my eyes and let the quiet warmth of the room wash over me, falling asleep almost instantly.