#networkjihope

“How much money have you spent on Jimin?”

Hoseok hums, swinging his shopping bags around him. “Not enough.”

“Dude,” Namjoon says, shoving Hoseok’s arm hard enough to push him into the wall. “You’re going to go bankrupt if you keep buying every little thing you think Jimin would like.”

“It’d be worth it,” Hoseok replies easily, grinning from ear to ear as he keeps on walking. “Besides, you can’t tell me anything considering how much you’ve spent on Yoongi-hyung.”

Namjoon scoffs, following after him with his own number of bags clenched tight in his hands. “Hyung is expensive. His wishlist is all audio equipment and beanies.”

“A tragedy,” Hoseok laughs.

“Shut up. I have definitely spent less than you in regards to Christmas presents anyway.”

Hoseok shrugs, grinning as he looks over his shoulder to pin Namjoon with his gaze. “Another tragedy.”

“You’re an asshole. Why are we friends again?” Namjoon asks, scowling as he swings one of his bags forward to hit Hoseok in the butt with.

“Because our boyfriends are those weird people who stay friends with their exes and dragged us out on a double-date only to assure us that things between them are completely platonic,” Hoseok replies immediately winding his arm backward to ram Namjoon with his bags as well. “Somehow, we hit it off from there.”

Namjoon side steps his attack and rolls his eyes. “I’m regretting our friendship already.”

Hoseok grins at him, smile bright enough to power entire continents. “Likewise!”

Namjoon only rolls his eyes again and Hoseok loses himself in shopping.

Jimin tries peeking at his presents during the week leading up to Christmas and Hoseok finds that it’s endearing instead of annoying.

When Jeongguk tries doing the same thing to Seokjin and Taehyung, they lock him out of their apartment for the entire week and he has to crash on Hoseok and Jimin’s couch. Jimin laughs at him for it and Jeongguk pouts, whining the whole time about his hyungdeul being mean to him for no reason. Hoseok only shakes his head and makes Jeongguk’s favorites for dinner each night that he joins them to try and make him feel better.

It doesn’t work as well as it should because Jimin picks on him like there is no tomorrow, but Jeongguk thanks him sincerely when they are washing the dishes afterward each night so Hoseok counts it as a win.

Jeongguk leaves with relief on Christmas Eve and Hoseok sends him home with a fruitcake that he knows Jeongguk’s boyfriends hate just to get back at them.

Jimin is allowed to open only one present that night and Hoseok watches with delight as he cries over his gift. They’re tickets to a concert Jimin and Taehyung wanted to see in January but were unable to get before the concert sold out. Luckily, Hoseok had planned ahead and gotten help from Seokjin and Jeongguk to get the tickets they had previously refused to help their own boyfriends with. Hoseok had comforted Jimin about not being able to get tickets but quietly patted himself on the back as he did so, knowing that Jimin would love the present, even more, when Christmas came around.

Hoseok grins when Jimin pouts at him afterward and throws another gift at him, not bothering to fight the effect Jimin has on him.

Jimin grins and steadily begins opening all his presents, kissing Hoseok between each one and afterward tackling him on the couch before he kisses him long and hard. Hoseok cards his fingers through Jimin’s dark hair and sighs against his lips, relaxing in his boyfriend’s hold as Jimin works on stripping them of their clothes.

By the time the clock strikes midnight, their living room is a mess of forgotten wrapping paper and thrown clothes with Hoseok and Jimin sleeping on the couch curled up in each other’s warmth.

“Hey, Mr. Jung! Did you know that Mr. Park has a crush on you?”

Hoseok startles from where he was sat behind his desk, focused intently on grading the essays lying in front of him. "Mr. Park?"

There are two Mr. Parks in the high school that Hoseok has been teaching at for the past three years. One is an old man who is the unofficial head of their small history department. The other is a new teacher, a year younger than Hoseok, who teaches an advanced form of math and has all the kids in Hoseok's language arts classes buzzing about with his name in their mouths.

Hoseok really hopes that Taehyung doesn't mean the old man.

Taehyung rises on his tiptoes and beams at him, his rectangular grin spread wide across his face. "The calculus teacher! You know which Mr. Park I'm talking about, Mr. Jung. You have a crush on him too!"

"What?" Hoseok sputters, his face feeling much too warm as he ducks his gaze back to the essays in front of him. "No, I don't."

Taehyung deflates a little and frowns, his brow furrowed. "But I already told him that you did! Now I'll have to tell him that I was wrong."

"You did WHAT?" Hoseok screeches, standing so suddenly that he bangs his knee on his desk. "OW!"

Taehyung watches him hop around and rub his knee, face blank now with his mouth hanging open. His bangs flop into his face when he shakes his head and then he comes around the desk with his hands open as if Hoseok is a scared cat that has been cornered. Hoseok is too busy making sure that his leg is not about to give out to notice that fact until Taehyung is grabbing his arms and guiding him back into his seat.

"Sorry, Mr. Jung," Taehyung apologizes as he steps back, his hands still held up in a placating manner. "Should I go and tell Mr. Park that you don't have a crush on him then?"

Hoseok takes a deep breath and wills himself to not jump up so suddenly again. "I— No, Taehyung. That's okay, please do not say anything anymore. Please."

Taehyung exaggerates the action of zipping his mouth closed and throwing away the key, his signature grin taking up his face as soon as he has finished. Hoseok shakes his head at him and sighs, shooing him away when Taehyung takes a step closer.

"Go on and have your lunch, Taehyung. I still have papers to grade," Hoseok murmurs from behind the hand that covers his face, only looking up when Taehyung has turned around and began walking away to his relief.

But just as Taehyung has made it to the door, he looks over his shoulder and winks at Hoseok. "Glad I didn't lie to Mr. Park. Bye, Mr. Jung! See you tomorrow for class!"

Hoseok almost stands up again but Taehyung has already pranced out the door and now he is left alone with his ungraded essays again, wondering why exactly his heart is beating a mile a minute. He sighs and rubs his knee as he settles back behind his desk and picks up his grading where he left off.

He very carefully tucks away all thoughts about Taehyung and what he said today into the back of his mind and decides that is a problem for future Hoseok instead.

    And a problem for Hoseok it does become because the next day Mr. Park knocks on his door with a timid look on his face.

(Hoseok knows that his name is Jimin, that he is young and that this is only his first year teaching here, but for the sake of his sanity, he will refer to his coworker as Mr. Park for the time being.)

"Um, yes? Did you need something?" Hoseok asks sheepishly, not sure whether he should invite Mr. Park to come in or to merely stay standing in the doorway.

Mr. Park decides for him though and strides confidently into Hoseok's classroom, a shaky smile on his lips that does not match the way he moves. Hoseok watches him from behind his desk, only his lunch and a few lesson plan ideas laid out in front of him today. Mr. Park stops a few feet away from his desk and flushes a pretty pink that makes Hoseok want to reach out and pinch his cheeks for being so cute, but they are at work and Hoseok is not going to be weird about this.

He vaguely remembers what Taehyung told him the day before, but right now, Hoseok is focusing on the way Jimin's smile makes his eyes crinkle until they too are smiling with him.

Cute really does not begin to cover it.

"So, a student told me something really interesting yesterday..." Mr. Park trails off there, his brows raised as he stares at Hoseok, willing him to say something.

Hoseok freezes and barely remembers to blink before his conversation with Taehyung from the day before breezes into his mind with perfect clarity. "Oh. Kim Taehyung?"

Mr. Park nods and his face flushes a darker pink as he ducks his head before he looks back up again to stare at Hoseok once more. "The very same."

"I'm sorry if what he said made you uncomfortable," Hoseok starts to say, his own face feeling much too warm as he blunders forward. "I've known him since he was a freshman and he has always had a way of being a bit too blunt for many to be okay with. You can just pretend that he never told you anything if you like. It's fine."

"Oh," Mr. Park murmurs, his face even pinker than before. "Um, well this is awkward now."

Hoseok blinks at him, not sure what to say so he merely tilts his head up even further and lifts a brow up in a silent question.

Mr. Park toes at the ground and twists his fingers together in front of him. "I, um, was kind of hoping that he was, uh..."

Inside his head, Hoseok is screaming, but what actually comes out of his mouth instead is, "You were hoping that he was telling the truth?"

Mr. Park nods, his face flaming, and Hoseok decides then and there that he should probably start calling him by his first name now.

Jimin ducks his head again and does not say anything, leaving the rest of this for Hoseok to take on. As much as Hoseok doesn't actually want to start dating someone from work, he also cannot deny that when Jimin first started working here, he immediately caught his eye. That was a mere two months ago and Hoseok has of course spoken with him before and discussed a few of their favorite students with one another at staff functions and the like, but when it came to personal things — when it came to the way Jimin always managed to make Hoseok's heart race after each conversation — Hoseok avoided it like the plague.

"It's okay if it wasn't though," Jimin says, his voice so soft that Hoseok could pretend that he didn't even hear him.

Of course, he won't do that so he lets out a heavy breath and smiles up at Jimin, hoping that it is comforting enough to make the younger teacher relax even the tiniest bit. "Well, I don't think he was wrong."

"Really?" Jimin asks with the tone of his voice so incredibly hopeful that Hoseok feels like someone has gripped his heart in their icy cold fist and started squeezing it.

Hoseok should probably take this chance now to back out and pretend that Taehyung was all wrong, that Jimin got his own hopes up for nothing, but that would be cruel wouldn't it be? Cruelty is not in Hoseok's vocabulary after all and it is not like Hoseok is being forced into this anyway.

Sometimes, he and Jimin will have lunch together because they are the youngest of the teachers here so they get along a lot better than they do with others, but Jimin is a pretty nice guy too. From what Hoseok has seen, he is kind and intelligent and incredibly patient as well. The students like him as well and Hoseok knows how hard it is to gain the approval of so many young adults that are not all alike.

Other times, Hoseok will purposefully retreat and back away from Jimin because he is afraid of what their blossoming friendship could turn into, but those instances are slight and Hoseok never turns down anyone without a good reason.

And right now, the only reason Hoseok can conjure up is that they are co-workers and if they do happen to not work out, that might make work incredibly awkward and difficult for them both.

Jimin is sweet though and Hoseok has known Taehyung for three years and he knows that the young boy does not interfere with personal matters unless he is certain that things will turn out okay in the end. As a teacher, shouldn't Hoseok put some faith into what his students do?

So he leans his head on his head and grins up at Jimin, his heart racing in his chest as he says, "Really."

Sunlight streams across the table that separates them.

Hoseok is leaning forward on it, the sleeves of his shirt rolled up to his elbow where they meet the surface of the table. His hair is a light, tousled brown and Jimin can't deny that he has been doing his best not to stare at the freckle that dots Hoseok's cupid's bow.

Jimin looks like a hot mess, emphasis on a mess. His face is covered in ash from the alchemy explosion he just recently caused and he had no time to clean up before his meeting with the senior in front of him. Hoseok has not commented on his appearance yet so far, but Jimin is just waiting for it, waiting for when Hoseok will strike his point home.

The only reason they even know about each other is that Hoseok is the star pupil of Bangtan Acadamy and Jimin can't take a step without hearing someone, or other, mutter the older boy's name. Jimin is known by all for other reasons, with the two biggest being the cause of constant explosions and spells gone wrong. As much as he pleads his case about not all of it being his fault exactly, none of the professors buy it.

Of course, who would believe him about Taehyung throwing belch powder into his cauldron when Namjoon, Taehyung's boyfriend, always manages to smooth talk Jimin's best friend out of all sorts of sticky situations?

It does not help either that in their Herbology class, Jeongguk always manages to upstage Jimin somehow and later he has to deal with Yoongi's gloating as he praises his not-so-boyfriend. Jimin thinks it is all ridiculous anyway since Yoongi is obviously not very bright considering he was held back in his second year, so it has clearly affected who he likes as well.

Rest in peace that poor old senior.

Back to the present moment where Jimin is sitting across from Jung Hoseok in the library though because that is leading to be more important than all the tangents Jimin was going through in his head. Hoseok looks tired and a little pale, but at least he isn't like Jimin who is covered in soot and smells like burnt onions.

"I still don't understand why I'm here."

Hoseok lets out a sigh across from him and leans back in his seat, a palm pressed to his forehead as he takes in a deep breath to settle himself.

"Jimin, I'm sure we do not need to go over each and every one of your recent infractions, right? So why don't you make this easier for everyone involved and just admit that you have a problem? You'll save us a lot of trouble," Hoseok grits out, frustration lying heavy in his tone of voice.

Jimin only shrugs and crosses his legs one over the other from his knee, focusing on the sole of his boot instead of Hoseok's face now. "I get that my magic isn't the most stable—"

Hoseok cuts off whatever else Jimin was going to say with a pained expression on his face. "Jimin, don't mind me being so blunt by saying this, but you are the worst in the entire academy. You're facing grounds of expulsion if you don't somehow get a lid on the extent of your magic."

"Well, how is that any fair? Controlling magic isn't something that's as easy as that!" Jimin doesn't realize he is shouting until Hoseok winces at the sound and others shush him. He flushes, backtracking as quickly as he can while glancing around the library to see how many pairs of eyes are on them. "Sorry, I just... I don't understand how I'm supposed to get better at this with the short amount of time the academy has given me."

"Normally, something like that wouldn't be possible at all, but — and luckily for you — I'm the best at control in the academy. I even proceed Headmaster Bang," Hoseok beams at Jimin, his smile much too bright for Jimin's tastes, especially with how tense their conversation has become. "So, I've been assigned to you as your new tutor and we will meet twice a week to work on your control and brush up on any of your present techniques."

Jimin crosses his arms over his chest and studies Hoseok. He is a year older than Jimin and a senior to boot, but he's also the student body president as well and the best at almost everything. Of course, he would be the one the professors would throw at him. It's genius except for the fact...

"But why are you going to be tutoring me? Why not a professor who, no offense, has a lot more experience and expertise with this?" Jimin can't help but ask.

Hoseok shifts in his seat and continues to smile, not put off at all. "Because you have a problem with authority, supposedly, so getting private lessons from a professor wouldn't help in the long run. That's where I come in. You respond a lot better to your own peers, or so I've been told."

Somewhere in all of that, Jimin is sure an insult is lurking, but before he can bristle up and lash out at it, Hoseok is steamrolling over him again.

"Plus, my level of control proceeds that of the professors so it was a no-brainer really. I know that control is not easy and I don't expect you to pick this up so quickly, but I know that you're not an idiot too. You're capable of a lot more than you know."

Jimin flushes once he realizes that Hoseok has complimented him and hopes that his cheeks are not what Hoseok is staring intently at right now. But he smiles then and uncrosses his arms as he looks to finally meet Hoseok's gaze.

"I don't really have a choice with this, do I?" Jimin asks.

Hoseok's grin widens, a twinkle in his eyes that strikes fear into Jimin's heart. "Nope."

Jimin resigns himself to his fate of having to be tutored by a boy he is pretty sure he's been crushing on since forever as said boy beams at him for finally giving in and agreeing to the arrangement.

    "You're already getting a lot better at this," Hoseok says, one of the first positive things he has said for their session today.

Jimin wipes the sweat from his brow and lets his hands rest on his knees as he tries to steady his breaths. The training grounds are open, making them the best place for their tutoring sessions, but it also makes it the hottest place on campus. Jimin would rather be splayed out on Taehyung and Namjoon's lap as he avoids his essay and possibly sneaks in a nap or two. Instead, he is out in the sun, pushing the limits of his magic for two hours twice a week.

Today is especially hot and Hoseok has granted him the liberty of a break every twenty minutes because of the heat. The senior isn't even sweating at all and Jimin wonders if there happens to be a spell that stops someone from sweating or not.

"Thanks," he huffs out, his heart beating a mile a minute, "Are we done yet?"

Hoseok smiles and shakes his head, clutching onto the handle of the umbrella in his hand tighter as he steps forward. "Not yet. Still have another half hour to go, Jiminnie."

Even though he fails to do so each and every time, Jimin bites his lip and tries to tame the erratic beat of his heart whenever Hoseok calls him by this nickname. They have been holding their sessions for over a month now and Jimin doesn't really notice a change in the extent of his control when it comes to his magic, but Hoseok is pleased with his progress regardless. Something about, having to start from somewhere or wearing the shame of not trying at all. Jimin doesn't know really, all he understands is that the more often they meet, the more often Jimin finds himself daydreaming about the senior.

Jimin smiles back and sits down in the grass, not caring of the stains he will surely sport once he stands back up. Hoseok takes a couple steps forward until the shadow of his umbrella lies directly above Jimin's face and stays there. Jimin thinks it would be easier to just conjure his own umbrella, but he likes that Hoseok is considerate enough to do this tiny thing for him anyway.

Hoseok makes to sit down beside Jimin then and uses a levitation charm to keep the umbrella aloft. They now have shade and Jimin sighs as he closes his eyes and tilts his head back, content to enjoy this break that Hoseok is being lenient enough to give him right now. He can see the light behind his closed eyelids, but he's focusing on not thinking about anything, not even the familiar heat of a body beside him.

But then Hoseok's fingers tangle with Jimin's and he feels his heart stop in his chest as he freezes.

Jimin is no fool. He knows that he likes Hoseok, but he never entertained the idea of Hoseok liking him back. Hoseok is affectionate, sure, just not on this kind of level.

This is intimate. This is important.

When Jimin finally opens his eyes and looks to his right to meet Hoseok's gaze, there is an emotion in his eyes that Jimin can barely distinguish. But it's there and that alone is more than enough for Jimin.

When Hoseok first saw Jimin, it felt like his entire life had come to a screeching halt.

He knew before then that he liked boys, that he liked boys and girls. His own family had lacked the tact to ask him about it discreetly when he began high school and he had known even then that he did not only like girls. It was no secret to the other trainees either, but Hoseok had not realized just how much he was able to like someone until he saw Jimin.

Admittedly, Jimin was not much. He was just a kid with chubby cheeks and the dream of becoming an idol, of becoming someone in this world, but he was hardworking. Jimin was a cute kid and he was always polite, always acting as perfect as others expected him to, but Hoseok did not know how that meant he had somehow already grown attached to him.

After that, it only continued to develop. Hoseok did his best to keep his hands to himself, to stop being so touchy when it came to Jimin, but that did nothing. It got even worse after they had debuted because Hoseok would tease him non-stop, would pinch his cheeks and call him cute, would fake trying to kiss him all in the hope that maybe Jimin liked him like that too.

Jimin did not like any of it though and he always slapped Hoseok's hands away, always leaned back and got the space he needed when it looked like Hoseok wouldn't stop anytime soon.

Despite that, they were the go-to duo for dancing. They spent a lot of time together and maybe it was thanks to the fact that they all slept in the same room, but even when they moved dorms and Hoseok found himself rooming with Taehyung and Jimin, things were still like that with Jimin. Hoseok pined and he did his best to not let on how much he pined when cameras were on them, but he did not believe that he was actually fooling anybody.

The company had already warned him, had told him that they do not care about who he dated, but he had to keep it under wraps. That if he liked someone in the group, then it could not affect the group dynamic in the slightest. They reminded him again in a group meeting that was meant to be directed at everyone, but Hoseok knew they meant it explicitly for him.

And he also knows that Namjoon and Yoongi took full advantage of this. They had been circling one another for as long as Hoseok could remember, but as soon as the company had given them the green light, there was really no stopping them. Hoseok could not even count the number of times he had walked into a seemingly empty recording studio only to find Yoongi on his knees between Namjoon's legs or Namjoon splayed out on the floor with Yoongi thrusting into him. The number of times they have laughed at him for it is plenty, but the number of times they have looked at him with hooded gazes and invited him to join is slight at least.

Hoseok almost panicked when they moved dorms once more and new roommates were picked out, but it was okay. Yoongi was still going to room with Seokjin and Namjoon was now rooming with Taehyung while Jeongguk got a room to himself. The youngest often snuck into Hoseok's bed most nights so it became normal for Hoseok and Jimin to share a bed. Not that Hoseok wouldn't have minded cuddling with Jeongguk, but the kid always punched whoever happened to be sleeping with him in the same bed and Hoseok did not want to wake up to another bleeding nose again.

Jeongguk being in their room at night did start to happen a lot less once Yoongi and Namjoon began circling around him and now Hoseok wondered just how much more time would Seokjin spend giving Jeongguk impromptu sex education lessons in the kitchen most mornings. Hoseok always swooped in to save him from Seokjin whenever Jeongguk gave him those sparkly puppy dog eyes that he had never been able to develop a resistance to. Jimin once laughed at them and made sly comments about Seokjin's lack of lessons sprung upon him and Taehyung, but shut up when Seokjin only raised his brows and said in a suggestive tone, "I'm already giving Taehyung private lessons and I know that someone is giving them to you too."

And while it had not been the first time that someone had insinuated something going on between Hoseok and Jimin that wasn't completely platonic, it had definitely made Hoseok take pause as he considered the fact that all of them were, more or less, involved with another member romantically or sexually at this point. Maybe Jimin and Hoseok were the strange ones for not having built something between them.

Except that, things between Hoseok and Jimin had been brewing for quite some time already.

When Hoseok pinched Jimin's cheeks, he was the first to notice that Jimin had stopped slapping his hands away. He was the first to notice when Jimin would bear through his teasing and prodding instead of running away or leaving like he used to. Hoseok was the first to notice when Jimin would seek out his touch and return the skimming fingertips across his skin. When Hoseok was stressed, Jimin would give him a massage without needing to be asked and Hoseok took his time to come to terms with what all of this could mean.

Mostly though, Hoseok took his time with accepting the fact that maybe this was just Jimin finally being comfortable with him. Maybe this was Jimin trying to be a good friend and be there for Hoseok as Hoseok had been there for him when they were all just some bumbling kids trying hard to impress the public that could make or break their careers. Maybe they were just growing closer as friends now that Jimin was older, now that Jimin finally had a grasp on who he was as a person.

But the precarious protection that Hoseok had constructed around his heart all came crashing down on one rare night that Jeongguk had not crept into their room and they were still sharing a bed anyway. Jimin and he had been lying under the covers, curled around the other like they usually do whenever they cuddle. Hoseok was toying with Jimin's fingers as he stared past his face doing his best to not focus on how close they were when Jimin took his hand and interlaced their fingers together. It shocked Hoseok enough to look back at the younger man and meet his gaze, a question on the tip of his tongue that he never got the chance to ask.

Jimin's other hand had come up to cup Hoseok's cheek as he leaned in slowly, their breaths intermingling in the space between them. Hoseok only dared to blink, not knowing at all what to do with his hands as Jimin watched him. He just kept coming closer and closer, going slow enough to drive Hoseok mad, but Hoseok knew that it was for him. Jimin was giving him the chance to pull away, to lean back and put a stop to whatever Jimin was planning to do next.

Hoseok did not want to pull away anymore. He was tired of ignoring the ball of feelings in his chest, the one that kept him up some nights when he really needed to sleep or the one that jumped into his throat whenever Jimin managed to catch him off guard by doing something that many others would consider as flirtatious. He was tired of running and now Jimin was a mere few inches away from him, waiting for Hoseok to come to a decision.

It was all too easy for Hoseok to close his eyes and lean in the rest of the way to kiss Jimin like he had wanted to for so many years already. He let his hands find their place on Jimin's waist and his face, moving his body closer when Jimin opened up for him like a flower in bloom.

Hoseok's hand gripped on hard to the dip of Jimin's waist as he pulled the younger closer. Everything around them dulled as Hoseok immersed himself in Jimin, the sound of their breaths and his raging heart the only things he could hear. Jimin tipped his head back and allowed for the angle of their kiss to become better, to become almost perfect in Hoseok's opinion.

Jimin's lips were soft, like clouds or maybe like flower petals instead. They were soft and insistent against Hoseok's own and when he felt Jimin's tongue prodding at the corner of his mouth, Hoseok allowed his lips to part. Jimin swept into his mouth and left Hoseok weak, left him clutching even harder to the smaller body against him as his hands moved up into Jimin's hair. He twisted his fingers into the soft locks and met Jimin's tongue with his own, giving him as much as he was taking.

A sound escaped past Hoseok's lips and Jimin swallowed it, savoring the quiet groan Hoseok had made. Hoseok could not muster up enough energy to be embarrassed about it though because Jimin only kissed him even harder, pulling himself even closer until Hoseok could feel every plane of Jimin's body pressed tightly against his own.

They were in their own little world then, kissing like they were men touch-starved for almost all their lives. Like they had been wandering out in a desert and were now greedily taking in all the water they could. Hoseok's chest felt tight and constricting until he remembered that he had not given himself the chance to take a breath yet.

A series of sudden thumps against their wall made them break apart, gasping for air as the thumps only increased in tempo. Hoseok knew that this wall, in particular, was the one they shared with Jeongguk and when he finally opened his eyes again and met Jimin's gaze, they both burst into a fit of giggles that stole their breath again.

Namjoon and Yoongi had finally stopped circling and maybe if Hoseok listened hard enough he would be able to hear Jeongguk's whines, but instead, he decided to pull Jimin close again and let their chests rumble with the force of their laughter.

Jimin snuggled into him and laid his head on Hoseok's chest, listening to the very erratic beat of Hoseok's heart. Their laughs died down soon enough and the thumping was still going on, but Hoseok had other things to focus intently on as Jimin looked up at him with a glint in his eyes that meant he was up to no good.

When Jimin's rut is approaching, he is not surprised when he comes home to Hoseok making a nest in their living room.

It is a habit that most of their friends know nothing about and something that Hoseok's mother instilled in him back when everyone expected him to present as an omega. It shocked just about everyone in his family when he presented as an alpha instead and started dating Jimin, another alpha.

Not like Hoseok cared much since his family was very supportive, but when Jimin's first rut approached, he found himself nesting. He told himself he would make the nest while Jimin was still out and then put it all back before Jimin arrived. Except, he fell asleep in the nest and when Jimin got home and found him, Hoseok did not have the time to feel embarrassed because Jimin was joining him in the nest, curling around him until Hoseok was the little spoon.

Of course, afterward, Hoseok explained what it was for and Jimin had only nodded and kissed him silly, reassuring him that he could make nests whenever he wanted to.

Hoseok almost cried when his own rut approached and Jimin made a nest as well, pulling Hoseok to him until the older alpha could not help but let his rut take control and pushed Jimin's thighs apart. Since then, they have gone through a handful of ruts together and Jimin's is due tomorrow, but it might spring up on them during the night so Hoseok is making the nest now.

Jimin watches him, remembering his last rut when Hoseok had begged him for a knot and the only reason Jimin had obliged was because Hoseok had fucked himself on dildos bigger than his knot before. He doesn't think Hoseok will ask him for it again because last time he had cried himself sick and Jimin was afraid to touch him for an entire week, but even if he does, Jimin won't let his rut decide for him.

So he keeps watching him, heart fluttering with each sound Hoseok makes. His brows scrunch together as he shifts the blankets again, doing his best to make the nest circular. A pillow is dislodged in the struggle and Jimin's dick jumps at the sound of the growl Hoseok makes in response. Hoseok manages to fix the nest again, grumbling to himself under his breath as he does and Jimin can't help but smile.

The elder is now stepping back from the nest though, examining it before he steps farther away and finds Jimin, scenting him in welcome. Jimin wraps an arm around him and scents him in return, his heart soaring when Hoseok hums under his breath and bends to nuzzle his face into Jimin's chest.

Hoseok studies the tiny creature on his desk, trying his best to distinguish between the golds and honey yellows.

Jimin is back to the tiny form he held when he revealed himself to Hoseok the first time. Hoseok knows that he can become larger at whim, can take on the usual shape and form of the average human if he must, but Jimin prefers this state best.

He's gripping onto a few flowers from their stems between both of his hands, his tiny face flushed a delicate peach. There is nothing delicate about Jimin though and Hoseok knows that ー knows it but does not care.

He is tiny but gorgeous. There is no doubt about that.

The only disadvantage of Jimin's tiny form is that Hoseok can not pinch his cheeks without possibly running the risk of crushing his skull.

Hoseok still remembers the nights before he knew Jimin even existed. He thought he must have been going crazy hearing a bell jingle every few seconds when he tried to go to sleep. It was not until Jimin landed on his nose and almost poked out Hoseok's eye did he realize that the bell was the sound of Jimin's pealing laughter.

Jimin lifts the flower stems over his shoulder and huffs at Hoseok, pouting the best that he can while he struggles. Hoseok smiles at him, his heartbeat beginning to accelerate as he takes the flowers from Jimin and lays them on top of his lyric notebook. Hoseok reaches across the side of his desk and opens a drawer, pulling out a cracked leatherbound book. Jimin laughs and flutters up onto the top of his head, wanting to see Hoseok press these new flowers between the last of his blank pages.

The book is filled with dozens upon dozens of flowers that Jimin has brought him, each and every one still looking and smelling as fresh as the day they were picked. Hoseok doesn't know if it is due to some kind of spell Jimin may have cast on the flowers or if fae flowers are just naturally like this, but he becomes distracted when Jimin flies down until he is perched on Hoseok's knuckles.

Jimin is the size of his thumb, but he is glittering and gold and that automatically makes Hoseok want to keep him.

Or maybe he wants Jimin to keep him instead? Hoseok has no clue for how this should work, but he does know that Jimin has been courting him for months now. He has the flowers, the crystals, and the jewelry to prove it. There was also fruit and candy that he never got the chance to eat before ants invaded, but he can tell that the flowers are not the only gift Jimin brings tonight.

Hoseok studies the fae, blinking every time Jimin's wings flutter and throw off beams of golden light. He's warm tonight, not the usual cold that Hoseok has grown used to and he doesn't know what that means for faes, but for him, for a human, it means a lot.

Jimin's wings slide through the air as he lifts off and flies past Hoseok, quickly taking on the humanoid form. Hoseok immediately reaches out to grab hold of one of Jimin's cheeks but pauses as the fae holds his hand out to him.

He uncurls his fist and reveals a piece of fruit, ripe and bright red. It looks like a seedless strawberry of sorts and Hoseok extends his hand, palm open towards Jimin. Jimin smiles at him as he drops the fruit in his outstretched hand, waiting patiently as Hoseok decides.

Hoseok knows that he will be leaving to the realm of faes once he eats this fruit, but if it means he can be with Jimin, then he isn't sure it is that bad of an idea really. He steps forward and cups Jimin's face with his free hand, smiling down at the fae as Jimin looks up to meet his sure gaze.

Taking the pills had not really meant anything to Hoseok. He has taken what feels like a billion before so this shouldn't have been any different.

They were just a means to an end.

Hoseok doesn't actually know what he was thinking at that moment, but he'd done it. He had taken more than half of his usual dose of pills without considering the consequences or the responses this would receive if it all went south.

For the moment, he didn't really care. He just wanted to stop feeling, stop seeing Jimin's face every time he closed his eyes. He did not care if Seokjin wasn't constantly looking over his shoulder anymore, Hoseok was just too tired.

He's walking across the bridge now. His vision is going fuzzy and he's been holding back tears for a while now. Things are different ー harder than they used to be. The pills are making him sluggish, their delayed effect finally having caught up to him.

The floor is soon meeting his gaze and Hoseok collapses, body aching as he hits the cement. It feels like his body is shutting down, nothing wanting to cooperate anymore. He blinks, his brain slowly whirring to a stop and then he stills, inhaling a deep breath before he closes his eyes and lets the darkness take him.

    He thinks he's dreaming.

There'd be no other explanation for him to be running through a forest with the others. They're laughing and messing around just like the good old days, but something's off about it all. They are going to meet Taehyung, Namjoon still worried about the call he got earlier.

The forest feels magical. The bright sunlight shifts through the tree branches above them and at one point, he and Jimin pause to pick up sticks, mocking a sword-fight between them. They laugh and drop them when the others disappear from view, running ahead to catch up.

Jimin's beside him and happy, laughing without a care in the world and it feels like Hoseok's heart is about to rip out of his chest. They reach the others and fall in beside them, only pausing when they find an abandoned, empty pool.

There is one single mattress at the bottom of the pool, Taehyung laid across it. Namjoon is the first one in, not wasting a moment to go to him.

Hoseok doesn't know what it is about their relationship, but he's always found the connection between Taehyung and Namjoon the purest out of all of them. Yoongi and Jeongguk fight more often than they get along, Seokjin being the only one who can pull them apart from each other. He and Jimin don't beat each other up, but they're not perfect either.

If Jimin knew about the pills, about all the reasons behind the scars, he'd leave him. Without a doubt, he would leave Hoseok.

Namjoon and Taehyung are the only ones who have a decent relationship, but it's never been romantic or even sexual between them. Hoseok recalls a night where Namjoon came to his apartment drunk and told him all about how he feels for the younger. How it's not physical or even bone-deep, but it's more. It's more and that's enough.

They follow Namjoon down into the pool though and Hoseok smiles when Seokjin joins them a while later, swooping in with a camera that Hoseok feels he should recognize.

It's a dream. It has to be.

    He fades in and out. Lights dazzle his eyes and his breaths are heavy, but the scent of cleaning products is even stronger.

Hoseok doesn't have to wake up to know that he's in a hospital.

Something is gripping his hand tight, wetness falling on his fist and lap. There's a weight on his thigh and it should worry him, it should, but he feels nothing.

The darkness returns and Hoseok goes willingly, hoping to dream a little more.

    They are at the beach now.

The sea is loud in his ears and the taste of salt water is heavy on his tongue. Seokjin keeps racing them, a large grin spread wide across his face and Hoseok can't remember a time where he saw the eldest look any happier.

Jimin's there too, sticking by the truck as he watches them play around like children. Hoseok can feel his eyes on him, but when he looks up, it's suddenly nighttime.

There is a paper bag in his hands, a familiar gas station surrounding him. The truck is being filled up with gasoline at the moment, the three youngest in the back. Hoseok feels a wind go by, the breeze raising goosebumps on his arms and he blinks to try and meld his surroundings together.

Things are changing when he doesn't look at them, but his focus is on the truck, on the top of Jimin's head that he can see peeking out of the back.

He walks forward on wobbly legs and deposits the paper bag in the backseat of the truck where Yoongi is getting himself comfortable. They don't exchange glances and no words are spoken between them, but there is something distant about the elder.

There is an itch in the back of his mind that he can't quite scratch. It's going to drive him insane with time, but for now, he looks towards the three youngest and frowns when he realizes that Jimin isn't covered up properly.

At the beach, it was hot, but it's chilly now and Hoseok doesn't want the younger to get sick. He fixes his blanket until it curls over his shoulders and presses a kiss to the crown of his head, smiling a little as he gets into the backseat of the truck.

    He is better now.

That is the lie that he feeds to the doctors anyway. They believe him because he doesn't give them any other reasons not to.

They still recommend that he check himself into a mental hospital though and Hoseok thinks they're right, he should. He's still too shaky from the withdrawal symptoms and loud noises scare him more than usual, but the weight of his emotions is too much to handle. He wants to feel numb again.

Jimin visits him with bags under his eyes and news of their friends.

There still hasn't been any word from Taehyung and Namjoon is worried more than ever, but every time the police come around to his place, he pretends to not know anything they're telling him. No one has seen Yoongi in a while, but when Hoseok plugs in his phone he finds hundreds of unread messages from Yoongi waiting for him. Jeongguk is somewhere in the same hospital too, still confined to his wheelchair and unable to visit. Hoseok doesn't mind any of that, he doesn't want his friends to worry about him and he's glad only Jimin came to visit. Even if they're not together anymore, even if it hurts to have him this close and see all the pain he's inflicted upon him, he's glad he still has him.

They say nothing of Seokjin and Hoseok does his best not to remember why.

    Hoseok dreams of the beach again.

They are watching the horizon, all seven of them. The water is calm and the sun is just beginning to rise. Seagulls fly above them, squawking loud enough to startle Hoseok every time they do.

Everything seems fine. Seokjin is filming them once more, his camera pointed right at their faces while they calmly watch the sea.

And then Taehyung breaks away and climbs the metal contraption beside them, his skinny frame looking smaller than it actually is with the rising sun behind him.

There is a moment where they all hold their breath as Taehyung stands high above them. They yell and wave at him to come back down, to come back to them, but he only spares them a fleeting glance before he runs.

They all scream as Taehyung jumps off, falling into the depths of the sea.

This dream isn't fun anymore.

    On a night when Hoseok refuses to sleep yet again, Jimin comes into his hospital room disguised as another patient.

He wants to sneak Hoseok out. Wants them to run away and disappear together.

Hoseok agrees because he feels like he is going crazy in this room with only Jimin, the nurses, and the doctors to talk with occasionally. His dreams haunt him and it startles him to realize that he can't tell the difference between reality and dreams anymore.

They make it to the stairs, giggling like fools until a security guard catches them and Hoseok takes the blame, not understanding why the guard is looking at him funny. Jimin does not come by to see him anymore.

It isn't until later that Hoseok realizes Jimin was never really there.

    The needle jabbed into his wrist is just another means to the same end. Nurses are trying to remain calm above him as they wait for doctors to arrive, but his vision is already failing and Hoseok lets his eyes flutter shut without another thought.

Hoseok doesn't fight the darkness this time.

     A few of them are still standing, looking out towards the horizon.

He doesn't pause to study them, mind too hazy and thoughts too scattered for him to focus on anything. Things are fading in and out, but one thing remains true, Hoseok's head is pillowed on a firm thigh he'd be able to recognize anywhere. He looks up to find Jimin smiling down at him, hair the same shade of orange he had when Jeongguk had just become of age.

One look around shows Hoseok that Yoongi's hair is a startling mint green, Namjoon's is bubblegum pink, and Taehyung has green highlights in his bangs. Seokjin's hair is a dark brown and he sits down near Yoongi's knee, patting it for good measure as the others join them on the grass.

It's overcast above them and the grass is wet with dew, but none of them care enough to complain about it.

Hoseok feels like he's been here before. Like this is some distant memory of his, but he can't tell if it's real or not. For now, he doesn't care enough to figure it out.

     When he wakes up to the real world in the same hospital room as before, Jimin is nowhere to be found. Hoseok didn't expect him to return anyway.

    Jimin's hair is still orange when they run crazy all over town.

They party like there is no tomorrow and get drunk enough that they pass out in Seokjin's apartment most nights. Seokjin's the only one out all seven of them that holds a steady job and drives, but it does help that his rich parents still give him a monthly allowance. He buys their beer, Namjoon brings the weed, and Hoseok keeps his pills to himself.

Hoseok is the first one to grab a pillow and swings at Namjoon with it, laughing like a maniac as a baked Namjoon sputters, his retro glasses now lopsided. Jimin grabs another pillow and then they are all armed, feathers flying around like crazy.

Hoseok tries his best not to compare the feathers to an angel's wings deteriorating and fails spectacularly.

The feathers build up and all Hoseok sees is bare white until an image appears before him.

Seokjin is kneeling on the ground, a lighter in one hand and six flower petals before him. Hoseok reaches out to touch the broad line of his shoulders, but his fingers pass right through him like he's some kind of a mirage or something. Hoseok knows something awful is about to happen and he opens his mouth to warn the elder, but he is without a voice and can no longer move, now rooted to the spot.

Seokjin lights the petals on fire and Hoseok watches helplessly as he runs out of air.

    As soon as he's released, Hoseok checks himself into a mental hospital.

The days begin to pass slowly and the hours drag on, but he's finally numb again.

The facility is quiet, shabby too, but comfortable anyway. They don't give Hoseok any medication and he sits in on the group therapy sessions, but he doesn't open up.

He's numb again, just like he wanted.

It isn't until one morning when Hoseok blinks his bleary eyes open, he thinks he sees Jimin with orange hair standing in front of his bed only to blink once more a second later and find he has disappeared that Hoseok finally breaks down.

There's no more running away from his past now.

Taehyung murdering his father to protect his sister was only the beginning of it all. He ran off and is in hiding now, but Namjoon was destroyed over it. He gets high every day just to ignore the hole in his chest.

Yoongi and Jeongguk fought and no one was able to step in anymore. They broke up for good and Jeongguk went off into the night, picking another fight not too soon after that. It was as he was limping away back to Yoongi's that he got run over. He can't walk anymore and Yoongi blames himself for not going after him, for not stopping him, and being the more responsible one out of the two of them.

Jimin left Hoseok just like he knew he would and he's never coming back. Just like Seokjin.

"So that's it."

Hoseok nods from the closet, a suitcase by his feet. "That's it."

"You're not even going to try and fix this? Fix us?" Jimin asks, still seated on the bed.

"What's to fix?" Hoseok replies immediately, picking up his suitcase with the last of his things in it. "We've been over for a while."

Jimin shakes his head and wrings his hands together in his lap. "I don't understand. I thought we were fine."

Hoseok laughs humorlessly and walks towards the door, not bothering to spare a glance over his shoulder. "Jimin, we haven't been fine for a long time. We're just not in love anymore, plain and simple."

His back is to him, the line of his shoulders stiff. Jimin wants to scream, wants to kick and punch himself because this was never meant to happen. He loves Hoseok, has always loved him. He has been in love with him since they were kids, how could Hoseok say that they aren't in love anymore?

If someone is not in love anymore, then it's Hoseok, not Jimin. Jimin feels like his stomach has dropped right out of him as Hoseok walks down the hallway, steps measured and steady. The elder's resolve is unbending and Jimin wishes he could do something about this.

"Hyung," Jimin calls out, breath stuttering in his chest when Hoseok pauses. "You don't get to decide when I've stopped loving someone."

Hoseok sighs heavily, keeping still as Jimin stands and walks towards him. Jimin is sure of the fact that he isn't going to save this, that Hoseok is going to walk out that door and out of his life, but if he leaves then he has to know. Nothing is going to stop him from saying it.

"I do love you. Just because it comforts you to think that neither of us wants this does not mean that it is true and you know that. You know that I've always looked up to you, how long I pined after you. You don't get to tell me when I'm not in love with you anymore, do you hear me?" Jimin spits through his teeth, not expecting for this level of an outburst to come forth or for so much anger to channel through him either.

Whatever has been happening to the elder, whoever made him think otherwise, Jimin sincerely curses every and anything that convinced Hoseok Jimin didn't love him anymore. The apartment is going to feel empty and cold for a long while after Hoseok leaves, Jimin is sure of it, but he'll be okay eventually.

It will be hard to get over Hoseok, but not impossible. Jimin's loved him for as long as he can remember, but he still dated other people before they got together. He loved them as much as he loved Hoseok and the only reason they never seemed to work out is that they knew he didn't love just them. They knew his heart was big enough, but it never comforted their egos and it bruised their pride. Jimin got tired of putting on a mask a long time ago.

"Hyung, it's okay if you don't love me anymore," Jimin says, the words scalding his mouth as his heart trembles with each passing second, "but don't decide shit for me. I know how pathetic you must think I am for still being in love, how stupid you think I am for even admitting this."

Jimin is crying and he doesn't know when tears even began to pool in his eyes, but he's crying and it is ugly. Sobs wrack his chest. It's difficult to breathe and whenever tears threaten his vision, Jimin blinks them away as quickly as they came, wanting nothing more than for Hoseok to hold him. For Hoseok to comfort him one last time.

"I'll always love you, hyung," Jimin mumbles, sniffling like a child, "I will and it's fine if you don't love me, but don't lie about it to my face. I can't stand that. I hate liars and I don't want to hate you, no matter how much you wish I did."

Hoseok has said nothing so far, simply standing there as Jimin cries. His arms hang limply by his sides, hands curled into fists as Jimin wipes pitifully at his face. Jimin must look like such a kid to him with snot and tears running down his red, shiny face. He's an ugly crier and he knows it, such a contrast when compared to how beautiful Hoseok looks like when he cries, but he doesn't care. Jimin doesn't care about any of that anymore.

"If you are going to go, then at least kiss me goodbye one last time. I don't care if you don't love me anymore, I just need the closure," Jimin begs, feeling shitty and fucked up to his core. "Please?"

The elder does not say anything at all as he lets go of his suitcase and steps forward, using his palms to wipe Jimin's mouth clean. He grabs Jimin's chin and tilts his head up, leaning down quickly to press their lips together. Jimin stands there and merely enjoys the feeling, sure of the fact this is the last time they will ever kiss again.

When Hoseok pulls back, Jimin closes his eyes and listens to the elder pick his suitcase up and walk out the door. Jimin sinks to the ground as the front door slams shut and sobs into his hands, curling into a ball as he weeps.

He has always loved Hoseok and he always will, but Hoseok does not love him anymore and it's time Jimin faced the music and grew the fuck up. It is really no wonder Hoseok fell out of love considering Jimin still acts like such a kid, crying over the dumbest of things.

Heartbreak may not be such a dumb thing to cry over, but Jimin feels like an idiot anyway so he lets it all out as he wails in despair.