#having a special dinner where he treats himself but he just eats cup ramen while watching precure instead of working.

[catboy-a-day]

catboy 45, average compsci major.

[dorkwhowrites]

Leather Jackets (Chapter 12)

Group: Bangtan Boys

Pairing: Jikook

Genre: Angst/Fluff

Jimin wakes up to a loud crash that he hears from the kitchen and he immediately gets up to see what is it when he sees Taehyung on the kitchen floor picking up pots and pans.

“Oh hey Jimin,” Taehyung says with a sheepish smile.

Jimin sighs.

“What were you up to?” he asks.

“I was a bit hungry and you were asleep…,” Taehyung trails off.

“You should have just woke me up,” Jimin says.

“I’m sorry,”

Taehyung puts back the utensils where they are supposed to be.

“So, what do you wanna eat?” Jimin asks.

“Eggs and toast,” Taehyung says.

Jimin nods as he turns the stove on and starts making breakfast.

“Thanks, Jimin,”

“You’ve been staying here for two weeks when will you stop saying thanks,” Jimin asks Taehyung.

“Look I don’t know where I would be if you wouldn’t let me in,” Taehyung says. “And I’m very grateful for that”

Jimin smiles at Taehyung.

“Of course I would have let you in you are my only friend,” Jimin says.

Taehyung suddenly hugs Jimin and Jimin hugs him back.

“You don’t know how much of a mess life was after you know…you left,” Taehyung says.

Jimin senses the hesitation in Taehyung’s voice. He knows Taehyung is always careful about bringing Jungkook in the conversation and he never says his name directly. It’s like an unspoken rule almost.

“I was very alone you know,” Taehyung says. “Even Yugyeom was back at his hometown”

“Oh,”

“And Yoongi and Hoseok would treat me as the third wheel…,”

“What about Jungkook?” Jimin asks. It’s weird for Jimin to say his name out loud and his heart feels heavy. He is flipping the egg on a plate and he can’t see what Taehyung’s face is like but there is utter silence.

Jimin finally turns around as he keeps the plate of eggs and toast in front of Taehyung who is just looking at Jimin before he finally speaks up.

“He was um very distant,”

“Oh,”

Jimin turns the stove off and pours himself some cereal and milk in a bowl.

Taehyung is eating his breakfast very quietly but looking at Jimin every now and then.

“Taehyung,”

“Yeah,”

“How is Jungkook doing?” Jimin asks.

Taehyung looks like he has seen a ghost and he drops the last piece of toast back on his plate but soon regains his composure.

“He is doing okay,”

“Oh,” Jimin says and there is silence again.

“Do…do you guys still talk?” Jimin asks. He knows he should stop asking these questions because it would reopen wounds that he has worked hard on healing.

“Um yeah,” Taehyung replies.

“Oh,”

“Where is he now? I mean where does he live?”

“His old flat,” Taehyung says.

“Oh,” Jimin says. He is twirling his spoon into the bowl wondering if he should really ask more about Jungkook.

“Does…does…,”

“Huh,”

“Does he see that girl?” Jimin finally asks and the images of the night flash in front of his eyes. He had them buried deep inside where he kept all his bad memories.

“Which girl?” he hears Taehyung ask. “That one….,”

Jimin doesn’t respond.

“Well um actually there was never…,”

Jimin doesn’t think he can hear anything else.

“I um never mind Taehyung,” Jimin says taking Taehyung’s empty plate and his still full cereal bowl and dumps them in the kitchen sink and starts washing them.

“I can do that…,” Taehyung says.

“No, it’s fine I have time,” Jimin says with a smile as he goes back to washing the dishes and it is more so he can occupy himself with something.

When he is finished he goes to shower and then decides to leave for Uni and on the way, Jungkook’s thoughts plague him. He has been mostly successful at keeping Jungkook out of his mind but he ruined it all today.

In the lectures, Jimin somehow manages to focus and when he goes to work he gets busy enough to not think about anything for a while.

But when Jimin gets off work and walks to the bus stop memories flood in of the times he used to see Jungkook across the street looking like trouble but yet so irresistible. Jimin should have known better to not mess with him but how was he supposed to resist that bunny like smile and the eyes that Jimin swears hold the universe in them.

His soft pink lips and the mouth out of which the sweet lies always rolled in.

‘I love you Jimin,’

‘I’ve never loved anyone as much as I love you,’

‘You’re my everything Jimin,”

“I want to be with you forever,’

The bus is taking forever to come and Jimin is reliving the memories he so desperately wants to never see but the place is special in its own way.

Jimin is more than relieved when his bus finally shows up and he takes the last seat while he puts on The Smiths.

“A blind date really,” Jimin asks.

“Oh yeah,” Taehyung says as he sprays an obnoxious amount of hair spray on his newly dyed ash gray hair and coughs.

“I am thinking of putting myself out there,” Taehyung says.

“That’s nice,”

“You’re always welcome to tag along,” Taehyung says. “I mean you never know you might find your love of your life”

Jimin laughs.

“No thanks, I’m good,”

“Shame, you are missing out on a great opportunity,”

“That’s fine,” Jimin says. “Besides I’ve got a lot of revision to do and stuff”

“Of course yeah you should study,” Taehyung says with a smile.

“So I’ll see you later,” Jimin says.

“We’ll see about that I mean if my date is really amazing you never know…,”

“Wow, well I hope you have fun,”

Taehyung grins.

“I am gonna go now,” he says. “See you”

“Bye,”

Taehyung leaves closing the door behind him.

Jimin sighs a little before he focuses back on his revision but he can hardly even focus on anything no matter how hard he tries.

Jimin decides to watch TV instead and spends a good amount of time flipping through channels but nothing is even worth watching.

For dinner, he decides to make stew but only to find out that they have run out of groceries so Jimin settles for a cup of ramen.

Even though it’s only 10 pm Jimin decides to sleep because he just exhausted. Jimin is almost ready to fall asleep when his phone rings.

It’s an unknown number but Jimin picks it up anyway.

“Hello,”

“Hello um is this Jimin?” he hears a deep male voice on the other end.

“Uh yes,” Jimin answers hesitantly.

“Oh do you happen to know Jeon Jungkook?” the man asks.

“Uh, I am um uh yeah why?” Jimin asks. “Who are you?”

“I am Officer Lee and Jeon Jungkook picked a fight with someone on 34th street and he was very drunk and now he is passed out…,”

“What?” Jimin yells.

“Yes sir,” the officer says. “You were in his emergency contacts and we decided to let you know”

“Where is he now?” Jimin asks.

“At the city medical center,” the officer answers.

“Okay thank you so much officer,” Jimin says before hanging up. Jimin immediately grabs his coat and gets a cab to the hospital. Jimin can feel his heart beating faster as he desperately prays for Jungkook to be okay.

He doesn’t know why he cares so much still but even the thought of seeing Jungkook hurt makes him shudder as he lets a few tears fall.

When he finally reaches the hospital Jimin practically rushes to the reception.

“Jeon Jungkook…there is a Jeon Jungkook admitted here,” he says his voice shaky, “Can you tell me which room?”

“Room 309,” the nurse answers and Jimin rushes to the third floor. The elevator doesn’t seem fast enough and he immediately goes toward the room 309 when he is stopped by someone.

“Excuse me you are,” the man dressed in a police uniform asks.

“I am Jimin I am here to see Jeon Jungkook...is he okay?”

“Hi Jimin I am Officer Lee we talked on the phone….,”

“Oh yes,” Jimin says.

“We don’t know if he will be okay yet or not he has a dangerous amount of alcohol in his bloodstream and when he does get okay we would have to take him into custody,” Officer Lee explains.

“Custody…,”

“The man who your friend beat up sustained some injuries and has decided to press charges,”

“Oh,” Jimin says.

Officer Lee nods grimly.

“We have to wait till your friend is stable again,”

Jimin nods again before he mindlessly finds himself a seat and sits down his head in his hand. Everything is a mess now…

“Jimin,” he hears a voice that sounds too familiar.

Jimin looks up to see Seokjin.

“Jimin what are you doing here?” Seokjin asks.

“Seokjin hyung,” Jimin manages to say before he starts crying and Seokjin hugs him.

“What is it?” Seokjin asks gently patting his back.

“Jungkook…,”

“What happened to him?” Seokjin asks. “Is he okay?”

Jimin shakes his head now.

“He beat someone up…,” Jimin begins but Seokjin is suddenly out of his seat and Jimin sees Namjoon coming towards him his nose covered in bandages.

“Namjoon oh my god,” Seokjin says hugging him.

“Hey it’s okay,” Namjoon says hugging him back. “I am okay”

“I was so scared,” Seokjin sniffs.

“Shush it’s fine now the doctor said I was lucky to not break my nose…I can heal faster,” Namjoon says. “Nothing happened really”

Seokjin nods looking teary when Namjoon notices him.

“Oh hey Jimin you are here too,” Namjoon says and he manages to smile. Jimin notices his cracked lip.

“Uh I uh um here for Jungkook,” Jimin says standing up.

Seokjin wipes his eyes.

“What happened to him?” he asks.

“He um he actually managed to beat someone up really bad while he was drunk…,” Jimin trails off.

“What room is he in?” Namjoon asks.

“Room 309,”

“Jungkook is in room 309,” Seokjin says and Jimin just nods while Seokjin looks dumbfounded and Namjoon has an unreadable expression on his face.

“What…what is it?” Jimin asks sensing that they want to say something to him.

“Jung…Jungkook is the one who beat up Namjoon,” Seokjin says.

Jimin’s knees go weak after he hears those words that he almost topples over but steadies himself holding the seat.

It was one thing when Jungkook had hurt some nameless faceless guy that Jimin didn’t know. But it’s Namjoon who Jimin likes a lot and he is here standing in front of him and Jimin can see all the damages that Jungkook has done.

Jimin can’t hold the tears back anymore.

“I’m sorry,” he says. “I am so sorry” he repeats before he walks off to find some lone corner and sits there. He has to be alone now to keep his mind clear but nothing helps and his phone is ringing so much that Jimin can’t ignore it anymore.

“Hello,” Jimin manages to say. His voice sounds dead.

“Jimin where the hell are you?” Taehyung asks. “I’ve been calling you and you won’t pick up and the house is locked…”

“I um I am at the hospital,”

“What?” Taehyung asks sounding panicked. “Why are you there?”

“Jungkook…,”

“What happened to him?” Taehyung asks.

“Please just come here at the city medical center,” Jimin says. “I’ll explain”

Jimin hangs up and sits there alone until about 30 minutes later Taehyung finally arrives.

“Jimin,”

“Taehyung,” Jimin says hugging him.

“Where is Jungkook?” Taehyung asks. “What happened to him?”

“He um was very drunk and he beat up Namjoon my boss’s boyfriend,” Jimin informs him. “And he is still unconscious and injured himself”

“Oh my god,” Taehyung says.

Taehyung begins walking to Jungkook’s room and Jimin reluctantly follows him and sees that Namjoon and Seokjin are still there. Jimin can’t meet their eyes but he is stopped by Seokjin.

“Jimin wait,” he says holding Jimin’s wrist.

“Hyung please I can’t face you right now,”

“We have decided not to press any charges,” Seokjin says.

“What?” Jimin says too shocked to say anything else.

“Yeah, it’s Jungkook’s fault yes but I don’t want to give you two any more things to worry about,” Seokjin says.

Jimin looks at Namjoon who just nods and even smiles.

“Thank you so much hyung,” Jimin says crying as he hugs Seokjin.

“Hey shush,” Seokjin says.

“Thank you Namjoon hyung,” Jimin says to Namjoon who just smiles.

“Jimin,” Taehyung calls him. “Jimin Jungkook just woke up”

Jimin rushes to the room with Taehyung and sees Jungkook on the bed his eyes only half open and his face and hands are covered in bruises, some fresh while some old and healing.

But even in all that he looks as beautiful as ever. Jimin has an urge to hug him to kiss his scars to kiss his lips but he just stands there not even moving.

Jungkook’s eyes land on him.

“Jimin…,” he says. His voice sounds raspy.

Jimin almost leaves the room when Jungkook calls his name.

“Am I dead?” he asks out loud.

Taehyung laughs in a humorless way.

“No, you idiot you are alive,” Taehyung says.

“What happened?” Jungkook asks. “I don’t remember much”

Taehyung looks at Jimin almost asking if he would like to narrate the incident but Jimin is tight lipped.

“You um you got drunk and you beat someone up,” Taehyung says.

“Oh,”

“Yeah,”

“Was it bad?” Jungkook asks.

“They were gonna press charges but decided not to,” Taehyung says.

“Why?”

“You beat up Jimin’s boss’ boyfriend,” Taehyung says. “They let you go because of Jimin”

Jungkook looks shocked but doesn’t say anything.

“Why were you out there drunk?” Taehyung asks. “I told you to stop drinking”

Again Jungkook stays silent.

“You know if it weren’t for Jimin you would actually go to prison today, is that want you want yeah Kookie?” Taehyung asks.

“I…I am sorry,” Jungkook finally says.

“Are you really?” Taehyung asks. “Because only last week Yugyeom told me Yoongi hyung saved from some guy while you were trying to cause some stupid brawl and here you are again…,”

“Hyung I…,”

“Jungkook I just want you to be normal again…just like you were before…before…,” Taehyung trails off. “Is that too much ask for?”

Jimin realizes he is holding his breath for too long.

This time Jungkook doesn’t say anything and Jimin knows exactly why. He decides to leave the room before he says anything he knows he shouldn’t.

Jimin takes a seat outside and notices that Namjoon and Seokjin are no longer around and the police too have thankfully left.

Minutes later Taehyung comes out.

“They said…they said he will be discharged in an hour or two,”

“Oh,” Jimin says.

“I um called Yoongi hyung he is on his way and he said he would take him home,”

Jimin nods.

“You can leave now Jimin,” Taehyung says. “I am here to take care”

“No…I can stay,” Jimin says and he doesn’t know if he is saying it to be just nice or because he wants to be with Jungkook.

“I know how hard it is for you,” Taehyung says. “You should get some rest you have already done more than enough”

Jimin finally gives in and nodding.

“Get home safely,” Taehyung says as he leaves. He gets a cab back to his house and Jimin is so exhausted it doesn’t take long for him to fall asleep.

Jimin only wakes up when he hears the doorbell ring. Jimin goes to open it and finds Taehyung.

“Hey,” Taehyung says as he comes in and closes the door behind him.

“So, is everything okay?”

“Uh yeah, Jungkook’s home,” he says as he sits down. “Yoongi hyung was quite mad at him”

“Oh,”

“I don’t understand why is he being like this again,” Taehyung says.

Jimin remembers the starting days when Jungkook would regularly show up with bruises…

“Was it…was it always this bad?”

“Yeah, I mean Jungkook has always had problems,” Taehyung says. “With alcohol and just picking up fights sleeping around all the bad stuff…,”

Taehyung continues.

“We would try our best to knock sense into him but he would never listen. It was like he wanted to fuck his life in the best possible way”

“And then he finally met you,” Taehyung says.

Jimin’s heart skips a beat.

“We started seeing changes,” Taehyung continues.”Slow ones but he would stop causing brawls drink less and didn’t mess around with anyone”

“We were so happy to see that positive change in him and that’s why we were so in love with you because you had managed to change Jungkook something which we had quite frankly given hope upon…,”

Jimin shifts in his seat gnawing his lip.

“But he is back to his old ways now but now it’s even worse,”

Taehyung sighs burying his face in his palm.

“I care a lot about him,” Taehyung says. “And I don’t want to guilt you into bringing him back into your life or anything…hell I know he doesn’t deserve it”

“But you were the best thing that has ever happened to him,”

Jimin can’t respond to that. His mind has stopped thinking.

It’s been a week since the whole disaster and life is sort of normal. Namjoon is off his work so he spends his time helping around the diner and each time Jimin sees his face he feels guiltier even though both Namjoon and Seokjin assure him that it’s all okay.

It’s a Sunday and Jimin sticks around for a little bit longer and helps them close up. It’s 10 pm when they get a customer and they never get customers this late. Jimin sees that it’s Jungkook wearing a gray hoodie and ripped black jeans he is standing at the doorway shifting on his feet. Jimin drops the rag he is holding and then bends down and picks it up.

“Why are you here?” he hears Seokjin ask Jungkook.

“I came here to apologize,” Jungkook says.

Jimin sees Seokjin cross his arms in front of his chest and look at Namjoon who just nods.

“What I did that day,” Jungkook says. “Was completely unacceptable and I can’t say how much I regret doing it. I was not in my right mind and I can’t thank you guys enough for dropping the charges”

“All right,” Namjoon says coolly. “We forgive you I mean we already have”

Jungkook nods.

“Thank you,” he says. “I should get going”

Just like that Jungkook is out of the door and he didn’t for once acknowledge Jimin’s presence. Jimin doesn’t know if it’s because he simply doesn’t care or because he can’t face Jimin.

But Jimin focuses back on his task of cleaning tables and manages to finish it.

Seokjin and Namjoon close the diner and Jimin walks to the bus stop when he sees Jungkook’s truck there and Jungkook is leaning against the door a cigarette dangling from his mouth. Jimin almost turns around but he walks anyway not glancing at Jungkook.

“Jimin,” he hears Jungkook’s voice. It isn’t the usual voice filled with airy confidence. It’s pleading.

Jimin turns around and looks at Jungkook straight in the eyes and he can feel his heart racing.

“Jimin I need to talk to you,” Jungkook says. “Please”

“I…I have nothing to talk about,” Jimin says. “Leave me alone”

“Jimin please just one time and I promise to never bother you just for this once,” Jungkook says.

Jimin can’t believe himself when he just sighs and nods. He has no reason to talk to Jungkook but he agrees.

“Go ahead say what you want,”

“Not…not here I um can we talk somewhere else?” Jungkook asks.

“Where?”

“My house,” Jungkook says. “It’s only 10 minutes away”

“All right,”

Jungkook actually smiles for a split second before he gets into his truck and Jimin follows.

Jungkook turns Asleep on immediately but Jimin leans in and turns it off. The last thing he needs to hear is Asleep while he is with Jungkook.

Jungkook drives to his house and when they finally reach there Jimin gets out and maintains his distance as Jungkook opens the door.

Jimin remembers the house so well with its baby blue walls and the time he first came here well Jungkook got him here when he had passed out on the street.

“Jimin…um why don’t you sit down?”

Jimin nods as he sits down on the sofa and Jungkook sits down beside him.

“So I um…,” Jungkook begins.

“I know you want to say sorry,” Jimin says. “You’ve already said it but it doesn’t change anything Jungkook…it changes nothing actually”

Jungkook looks at Jimin but he doesn’t say anything.

“No Jimin I…,”

“Stop lying Jungkook honestly you are not sorry,” Jimin says.

“I am an asshole Jimin,” Jungkook says. “In fact, I am the biggest asshole there ever could be”

“I don’t deserve you,” Jungkook continues.

“But I want you to know that I love you and I always loved you and I always will…it was real and never once did I lie about it”

Jimin can feel the pathetic tears coming in. He hates it hates being so emotional.

“Jimin please just give me once chance…I’ll explain it all and I swear I will make it up to you,”

Jimin stays silent.

“I love you so much Jimin…I just need one chance,”

“If you think that I don’t deserve that I understand it I really do…,”

Jimin suddenly reaches out for Jungkook and kisses him. It’s his first instinct and he can’t seem to resist as he deepens his kiss when he feels Jungkook pushing him off.

“Jimin we shouldn’t…,” Jungkook says.

“Shush,” Jimin says placing a finger on Jungkook’s lips. “Just don’t say anything”

Jimin kisses Jungkook again and this time Jungkook kisses him back.

Jimin isn’t thinking right now. He only wants Jungkook. He has missed this more than he realizes. But as he feels his lips against Jungkook he has never felt this alive in a long time.

He can save all the thinking for later.