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bangtanfancamp · 4 years

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Make A Wish

Prompt: “I’ve had a rough day and honestly all I want right now is a drink and someone to cuddle with..”

//It’s your birthday today, and there’s no one better to cheer you up than your best friend, Jimin//

-masterlist

•Best friends to lovers

•Park Jimin x reader

•12.3k words

•fluffy angsty fluff (my specialty)

•one shot

•( But could be the precursor to these drabbles- a, b - maybe? alternate timeline? if you *squint*- maybe. lol)

• Jimin singing happy birthday (trust me, you need it in your life)

~ quarantine got me feelin alive ~

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“Jimiiiin, not tonight.” You moaned into your phone.

“Seriously? Y/n, what is going on with you? You never turn down poké. Are you sick? Oh my god, are you dying???” Jimin’s sweet voice sounded so concerned.

“No, Jimin.” you huffed. “ Calm down, you big baby. I’m not terminal. I just… today’s been a weird day, okay? My roommates are gone and I have the place entirely to myself to write and what did I do with it? Absolutely nothing. Nothing came out right all day. It was all hot garbage- which means I’m hot garbage, and now my head just hurts.” You pouted, flopping face down on your couch.

“That’s all? Y/n, you’re making a big deal out of nothing! Don’t you dare back out of letting me treat you for your birthday because your first draft was a first draft and not an instant masterpiece. We both know you know better than that.” His threat was unconvincing. He was as menacing as a piece of cotton fluff.

“It is not ‘nothing.’” You winced.

“Okay, okay. Bad choice of words. That was a little harsh… but you always back out on your birthday, y/n. I’m not letting you do that again.” He asserted firmly.

“Look Chim, all I wanted to do for my birthday was to have some silence to myself to do what I wanted - and I wanted to write. But now I’ve blown the whole day- all that time is gone. I can’t get it back, and I have nothing to show for it. I don’t want to get dolled up right now, and I certainly don’t have the patience to go out and belt karaoke around strangers with you tonight.” You stated matter of factly, ignoring Jimin’s huff of frustration.

“I just think getting you out of the house will get you out of your head, y/n.” Jimin sighed.

“And what if I don’t want to get out of my head? Huh? What if I want to wallow? If I can't be a good writer, then at least I can be a good tortured artist.” You sighed.

“This is ridiculous,” he scoffed. “ You’re not Hemingway. Get up off your butt and put on that maroon dress you always stuff in the back of your closet.”

“Are you ignoring me on purpose?” you grimaced. “I’m not going out. I’m not singing karaoke. I’m not squeezing myself into that god forsaken dress-you know the looks I get in that thing- and I’m not going to be nice to you when you won’t respect my wishes. It’s my birthday we’re celebrating, Jiminie. Not yours. Tonight’s not about you.” Ouch. You frowned. God, you loved him but he was so frustrating sometimes. Still, you probably could’ve pulled that punch a little.

“Okay, first of all, they look at you like that in that dress because you look hot as hell in it, by the way, but fine. Fine. If going out isn’t what you want, then what DO you want?” He sighed. You could picture him pinching the bridge of his stupidly perfect nose at a stop light, exasperated to the hilt with his stubborn best friend.

“You wanna know what I want? I’ve had a rough day, Jimin, and honestly, all I want right now is a drink and someone to cuddle with... but I don’t drink. And I don’t have a boyfriend. So I would like- at the very least- to be coddled and allowed to be a potato tonight.”

“You’re exhausting, you know that? You’re beautiful and young and the only person who doesn’t know how talented you are. Dummy.” His affectionate words were riddled with frustration. You couldn’t blame him. Your emotional bait and switch had wrecked the plans you’d both had set in stone for weeks now only to cancel an hour beforehand. He had a right to be grumpy, but so did you. And you had the birthday trump card, so he’d just have to suck it up. But, in the midst of all of that, you noticed something. It was super delayed through the thick fog of your pity glasses, but had he called you-

“Make yourself decent at least, I’m coming up.” You heard him shift his car into park and turn off his engine.

“Wait, you’re here? I didn’t give my consent for this!” Your brows furrowed furiously low.

”And?” Jimin sassed.“Nothing in this friendship would ever get done if I waited on you. We both know that. You ruined my plans, so I’m crashing your pity party.”

“Jimin, what part of ‘I want to be a potato’ didn’t you catch?” You frowned.

“The unwritten part where being a potato means being alone, dumb dumb. You can be a potato with company. I’m not letting you spend your birthday night alone again and - ughh god, why do you live on the third floor?” He huffed “Open up and let me in.” He demanded. Grunting, he gave your apartment door a few hefty whacks, ignoring the judgmental glare of your passing neighbor.

“Ughhhhh,” you groaned, feeling decidedly like one of the three little pigs being bullied into letting the wolf in. Jimin’s certainly done enough huffing and puffing, you thought with an eye roll. Stuffing your cell into the kangaroo pocket of your grey hoodie, you trudged reluctantly to the door. At the door, you caught a glimpse of your reflection in the entryway mirror and grimaced. Yikes.

You looked a mess. The bags under your eyes were positively cavernous today and half hidden behind the heavy clumps of hair slipping out of your defunct sloppy bun. Geeze. Not your best look. Sorry, chim...you get what you get. You thought dismissively. If he hadn’t had the decency to warn you, then you were under no obligation to tidy yourself up for him. I swear to god though, if he gives me crap about my pink bunny shorts, I’ll kill him.

“Oh my god, keep your shorts on! I’m coming!” You snapped. Unceremoniously, you yanked the door open only to be met with a view you never could have expected. Jimin, he...looked beautiful tonight. You suddenly felt a chunk of disbelief lodge itself in your throat as you choked, struggling to get air in.

Not long ago, he’d dyed his hair a stunning sterling silver, but he was always running so chronically late to everything that it never seemed to be styled. It was usually a lovably fluffy bleached out mess- but not today. Today It was parted off center, silky and blown out- coiffed up and away to frame his face, layers gently sweeping to highlight the cheekbones he didn’t know you loved.

He wore a dark silky shirt, some impossibly deep shade of blue, unbuttoned just enough for his collarbones and a delicate silver necklace to slip through. As your eyes washed over him, you noticed the billowing fabric was tucked into the tightest pair of leather pants you’d ever seen and a pair of classic, black pointed boots. Boy, when he did it, he did it up. Even the slight sheen of sweat across his brow bone honestly just highlighted how ethereal he was by nature. The whole ensemble made him look so elegant and lean and impossibly out of your league, even just as a friend.

Holy crap, I’d be pissed too if I looked that good, you thought to yourself.

“Are you gonna let me in or you gonna continue being a fluffy socked barricade?” He shifted his weight deep into one hip and my god, he looked fantastic.

“Comin for the socks today, huh? I haven’t been demeaned enough?” You rolled your eyes heavenward.

“Demeaned? By whom? Not by me. Certainly. Now I’m serious, let me in, this is getting heavy.” He grunted, squeezing past you. For the first time, you noticed a giant canvas tote bag swinging behind him, stuffed to the brim with things you couldn’t quite see yet. Still standing stupefied in the doorway, you twisted back over your shoulder to watch him unceremoniously let the bag clunk down on your kitchen island with a thump.

“Geeze, what the heck is in there? A body?”

“It was almost yours when you shot me that text mearlier.” He sighed, dipping to rummage in the bag, tongue poking the inside of his beautiful cheek as he scowled. “But, as much as I hate you for it right now..” he tightened his jaw. “You are right. It is your birthday. I could tell even over text that you weren’t feeling your best. And nobody should be miserable -or alone- on their birthday. So! I left early and made a few stops on my way.” He confessed, hands titling along the steep incline of his perfect hips.

“What kind of stops?” You queried as you tugged your too long sleeves over your knuckles.

“The kind even you can’t put up a fuss about.” He replied, reaching forward to tap you on the forehead with an elegant finger, his eyes softening and a smile playing on the edge of his lips.

“I pick my battles.” You argued, shrugging defiantly as you stuffed your hands in your hoodie pocket.

“Uh huh…. sure you do. That’s why I look like this,” he gestured along his elegant body, but you averted your eyes halfway through the journey, “and you look like you’re auditioning for the reboot of the big comfy couch in those pajamas.”

“Are you calling me a clown?” Your eyes narrowed as you sized up his response.

“ I am not actually. But I’m also not the one who canceled my own birthday plans just to wallow in my own mortality, so if the clown shoes fit…”

Jimin’s snarky comment was swiftly cut off by the sound of his sharp, undignified yelp when you smacked him with a tasseled throw pillow to the face.

“Watch it, Park. I am intrigued, but you are on thin ice.” Your squinted eyes pierced his, and only for a second, his cocky facade wavered.

“Duly noted.” His silver ringed fingers reached up to trace the cheekbone you bludgeoned as your stomach tilted a little.

“Back on the man jewelry train, are we?” Still pouting, you kept a guarded distance as your eyes dragged over the silhouette of his hands, your tongue flicking out to wet your suddenly dry lips.

“Never got off, sweetheart.” He replied smoothly, sending a wink your way as the light glinted brightly off the silver threads dancing from his ears.. “Especially on a special night. Even if your ungrateful behind is the only one who will see me in my majesty now. A travesty really.” He huffed, twisting to look down at himself- the lines of his dancer’s body impossibly striking as usual, even with little to no effort. You shook your head to break the one sided tension.

“Yes, yes, the female population will shrivel up and die now that they don’t get to watch you sip champagne in public on someone else’s birthday-What a waste. Is there a point to all this, Park, or did you just come over to siphon sympathy from me? Because if that’s the point of your visit, I have none to give you. There’s only enough for me. So if you’ll excuse me, I have some grade-A emoting to get back to that you have so rudely interrupted.” You cocked your hip triumphantly, hands contentedly pocketed away as your hair flopped to the side.

“You know,” a gentle smile curved across Jimin’s face as he dug through the bag, “you don’t have to make it this hard to love you all the time, y/n. It’s got to be exhausting. It wouldn’t kill you to let me in sometimes.”

“You don’t know that. It very well might.” You stuck your chin out. You weren’t hard to love. Not on purpose. Prickly sometimes, but not hard to love. Neither was Jimin, for that matter. In fact, he was entirely too easy to love. It had become a bit of a problem actually. Nibbling on your thumbnail, you mentally noted that his sweetness actually made your life much harder than it needed to be most of the time. It meant you had to keep a salty wall of platonic sarcasm up out of necessity at all times- distance must be maintained, you assured yourself- because otherwise you might be forced to confront the fact that you actually, sort of, maybe had-

“Well, you won’t be going anywhere tonight- unless you die of happiness from my birthday gifts.”

When you turned back over your shoulder, Jimin was positively beaming. It softened something in you, sent a burst of warmth sparkling in your stomach. In spite of yourself, a tiny smile stole across your lips, lighting up your tired eyes.

“Presents? For me? What do you have up your sleeve?” You lazily tugged on his billowing midnight blue shirt. Your voice was softer now, curiosity beginning to creep in and overtake your resistance.

“Ha ha. Very punny. You’ll see soon. Where’s your lighter at?”

“By the candle. Over in the window.” You pointed, rising up on your toes in an attempt to see around his shoulder. He shifted to block your view as you caught your first whiff of the subtle notes in his cologne. God, he was so extra. Cologne for poke and karaoke. You couldn’t lie though, it mingled so nicely with his natural scent. It was so indescribably Jimin that you bit back a grin as he turned to follow your finger.

“Christ. How have you not caught this place on fire yet? It’s right next to your curtains!” He mumbled.

“Is this you being nice to me yet? Cuz I can’t tell.” You laughed dryly.

“Fine. I’ll try if I have to. We just might have to blow out the curtains instead of the candles.” He sighed, but the laughter creeping back into his voice betrayed him.

That was one of the great things about Jimin. If he was ever mad at you, it really was just because he cared that much about you. Selfishly, you kind of loved how stubbornly he insisted on making you let him in. No one had really ever bothered to push back before him. And god, was he cute when he was determined.

Spinning on his heels, Jimin clasped your shoulders, eyes bright. “All right, birthday girl. You wanna be a potato? Be a potato. Just be a potato with her eyes closed.” He led you to your sofa and guided you to sit so you didn’t flop down and injure yourself. “Stay right here, and don’t peek or I swear to god, y/n…”

“You swear to God you’ll what?” You snickered. “Threats of bodily harm aren't really on my wish list this year, Chim.”

“Oh my god, y/n. Must everything be a joke to you? ….Maybe there are people who really do just love you and want you to be happier than you let yourself be. Maybe they’re even at your apartment trying to show you how important you are on a day when you’re...acting like an ungrateful butt.” He grunted under the effort of something. You frowned.

“Hey, are you okay over there?”

“I’m fine.” He panted. “Eyes closed!”

“All right, all right.” You worried your hands in your lap as he scurried about. “They’re closed…. And I know. I know I’m being a brat today.” You confessed.

“It that….self awareness, I hear? The clarity your new age has brought you.” His airy voice mocked. Internally rolling your eyes, you continued.

“Make all the jokes you want. I know. Life has just… its kind of sucked lately, Jiminie. I really just wanted one day to myself to work on these story ideas I never have time for. Do something I’m passionate about, you know? But nothing flowed today. I’m so out of practice, Chim. Everything I wrote today sucked. Whenever anyone asks what I do for a living, I want to tell them “I’m a writer” but then they’ll ask what I’ve written. And I don’t have anything worth showing them…I just, feel like such an imposter.” You flopped back against the couch, tucking your feet up in your lap as your eyes searched the ceiling.

“Eyes closed, Socrates. Wax philosophical when I’m finished.” He chided.

“....Jimin.” Your voice was traitorously soft now. “What- what if I’m already a failure? What if I never get published? ” You scrunched your eyes shut, a rebellious tear escaping as you tried to hold it back. All noise in the room stopped as Jimin stilled. Suddenly, quick as a whisper, you felt the cushion next to you sink, dipping beneath Jimin’s weight.

“Y/n, is that what’s really been bothering you?” His voice was gentle, full of care. You sniffled softly, nodding your head in assent. You couldn't bear to say it out loud again. Jimin exhaled, heavy and low beside you. “Oh best friend, what a backwards way to spend your birthday.”

“Huh, don’t I know it.” You muttered wryly, resting your chin on your knees.

“Stay here.” Jimin leaned forward and brushed a soft, reassuring kiss to the top of your hair before the couch righted itself, fluffing back in his absence. “I’ve got this. I know just want to do. Don’t move.”

Before you could ask for an explanation or even process what he’d just done, the room around you went dark, the glow beyond your eyelids sinking into a fuzzy dimness. What on earth was he up to?

“Jimin, what are you-“ You’d barely had time to question before Jimin’s silky, breathy voice was floating on the air.

“Happy birthday to you

Happy birthday to you

Happy birthday, y/n

Happy birthday to you”

Your thick lashes fluttered open to find Jimin bent low in front of you, a small but beautiful birthday cake in his outstretched hands, lit with long stemmed candles that flickered like sparklers. “Make a wish, jagiya.”

“I told you not to call me that,” you sniffled, all your fight dissolving at his impossible sweetness.

“Please. We both know you love it.” He teased softly, voice so gentle it was almost a whisper. He smiled up at you, his coffee colored eyes swirling with delight. Humbled, you looked at him in awe, forgetting for a second that it was your job to blow out the candles...but God, how beautiful he looked in the flickering light. He shouldn’t even be possible, you thought. You mentally recorded the way the apples of his cheeks glowed in the candle light before dipping at your hips to lean forward and blow across the cake, extinguishing them all in one low huff as you hid your wish away in the corner of your heart.

“Yay!!!!” Jimin cheered. “What’d you wish for?” He asked nosily. “A boyfriend?” He bounced his eyebrows cheekily.

Why would I ? You thought, when you’re here, looking so devastatingly soft and beautiful. Internally you sighed, but out loud you shot back with a snarky, “Ha Ha. Wouldn’t you like to know?” Sticking your tongue out defiantly.

“Maybe you’ll spill the beans once you see the rest of your gifts.” He teased, eyebrows lifting happily, his smile full of secrets.

“Rest of my gifts?” You asked, brows scrunching.

“Oh absolutely. I know my presence alone should be enough to spoil you, but if we’re not going out, I guess we’ll do it up here instead.” He winked. Sliding to the side, he sat cross legged on the floor between you and the coffee table. There were three boxes, each with a number taped to the front.

“Is there a method to this madness?” You queried, reaching for box number 2.

“Yah, open number 1 first, you philistine! God, who decided to let you teach children every day?” He chided, smacking your hand away.

“Yeesh, Fine- be boring.” You spat, tongue flicking out defiantly at him, only to have him shoot the same face back at you. “ I’ll go in order.” You mocked.

Dipping down once again, you pulled the lid off the top of gift box number 1 only to be greeted by the rich smells of your favorite Chinese take out dishes. You couldn’t help yourself when you started laughing. “Seriously, Chim?” Your eyes were bright and happy, a sparkle creeping into them for the first time tonight. Jimin reveled in it.

“It’s impossible to be sad with a mouth full of shrimp fried rice. Science.” He shrugged as your brow arched suspiciously back at him, stifling your smile.

“Besides, if we’re not going out, you still have to eat. You might want to be a starving artist but God, we both know you’re an ogre when you’re hangry. So, technically the first gift is for both of us.” He quipped.

“I resent that statement.” You rebuffed

“I’m sure you do. Doesn’t make it any less true.” Jimin smiled, leaning back on his palms to look up at you. Tipping his head to the side, his luscious hair flopped into his eyes. Despite your annoyance, your heart still fluttered at the sight. You were tempted to lean over and fix it, but he carded his jeweled fingers back through it before you could. God, he’s so pretty, you swallowed. Focus.

“Open the next one!” he instructed. He shot you a lighthearted wink before shuffling present two towards you.

Indulging in a heavy, gag filled eye roll at his wink, you ignored the butterflies swarming insistently in your stomach. Traitors. “So bossy...The nonsense I put up with from you,” you murmured.

“It’s mutual, darling. Trust me. You’re no peach either.” His words were snarky but his eyes, his tone, were entirely loving. It threatened to melt you right there on the floor like spilled ice cream but you resisted showing it.

“Now open it! Open it!” He insisted. His eagerness made you question who the gift was really for at this point, but his innocent happiness was too infectious to resist. Unfurling the ribbon wrapped around box 2, you felt a smile burst across your face without your permission as rental copies of your favorite movies stared back at you from the box.

“Chim, what is all this?” You asked, shaking your head in disbelief at him.

“In my years of research, your day is always better after a full belly and a good movie. You sounded pretty bleak earlier so I didnt know if you’d want to be pulled out of this mood or bask in it. So I got the full spectrum just in case- all the way from tacky explosions to quiet British gardens.” He shrugged his shoulders lazily, as if that solution to your bad day was as easy as first grade math and not the sweet, attentive gesture it was.

“But you don’t even like half of these.” You added skeptically.

“So? You do. That’s the whole point.” Head tipping to the side, he smiled that glorious smile at you that melted you just a little bit more.

“But I’ve already canceled your night. I’m not gonna make you spend the next four hours making you watch movies you don’t like.” You deadpanned.

“God, four hours? What are we watching?” He sneered.

“The run time is not my point.” Your eyes rolled. “You just…. already gave up your night for me. What if it sucks?” You couldn’t quite look at him. Your question tumbling out softly, more vulnerable than intended.

Jimin shook his head, a gentle sigh leaving his lips. “Another year older and no wiser”

Confused, your eyes flicked up to his, already watching you with a warmth you didn’t understand. He spoke softly when he said,

“I want to be here, y/n. If I’m with you, my night can’t suck.”

The genuine smile that carved his eyes into sparkling moon slivers cut through your cynicism in a way only he could. “Do you trust me?” He asked gently. You could only summon up a small nod, eyes struggling to meet his.

“Then let. me. love. you.” He punctuated each pause by tapping you below your collarbone, just above your heart, not hard enough to sting, just enough to know he was real, here and he meant it as your eyes grew misty. “At least for today. This only happens once a year. Tonight’s about you, remember? So we’re gonna do what you like. Plan A is out? That’s fine. It was too me centered anyway. Besides,” he rummaged through the cases. “ the ghibli ones are nice. And the pride and prejudice guy isn’t half bad. He’s grown on me seventeen rewatches in.” He smirked. God he was going to be the death of you.

“Okay, I’ve made you watch that twice- max.” You defended.

“Hmm, maybe you’re right. It just felt like seventeen because the movie’s so dang long.” He looked off in the distance thoughtfully.

“You brat! You’re not helping.” Fighting back another smile, you attempted to smack him with the nearest pillow again (Pom pom trimmed this time) but he quickly caught your wrist and dodged it.

“Ah ah, not this time.” He looked so proud of himself as he took the pillow and happily stuffed it in his lap and out of your reach. “ Besides, I am helping. See? You’re smiling now.” His glittering eyes were innocent and bright as he looked up at you.

“Am not,” you lied.

“Your face betrays you, madam.” He whispered, leaning forward to softly poke your cheek where your dimple was beginning to show. For reasons you couldn’t comprehend, you felt your face grow warm under his gentle gaze like the sparklers

from the candles had been relit beneath your skin. Your cheeks must be a flaming pink right now, but If he caught you blushing, he certainly didn’t acknowledge it, and for that you were grateful.

“Fine. I’ll pick which film we torture you with later. Something romantic and peaceful and slow.” You threatened.

“Do your worst, madam.” He saluted.

“Stop calling me madam, weirdo. What’s in the third box?” You shuffled on the sofa, clearing your throat and feigning disinterest.

“Ah, the piece de resistance.” He clutched his hand to his silky chest dramatically.

“Must you do the French thing right now?” You quipped, feeling your eyes roll of their own accord.

“Yes, in fact, I must.” He shot back indignantly. “Do you have any idea how long it took to find this? Your taste is excruciating, I swear. Can’t just get you a forever 21 sweater like everyone else- no.” His shoulders sagged beneath the weight of whatever burden he’d been carrying while present hunting for you.

“To be fair, you can’t get anyone a forever 21 sweater anymore.” You grimaced.

“Touché. Gone too soon. Another tragedy” fist to his chest, his eyes shot heavenward in salute to his fallen friend. Idiot. Coming back to the moment, he yet again became insistent.“….now come on! Open it will you!” He scooted closer excitedly, nudging the third and largest gift in your direction.

“Okay, Okay! Keep your pants on. Geeze, who’s birthday is it anyway?” You shot him a look that would have killed an inferior man, but not jimin.

“Nope. Don’t give me that face. Open it, y/n. Trust me. You’ll like it. I promise.” His eyes then, so round and soft, so full of eagerness and innocence, undid you then. You would have done just about anything for him then when he looked at you like that. Wouldn’t kill me to let you in, huh? Lies, you sighed.

Bending down, you attempted to lift the box into your lap like the others only to barely be able to budge it. “Christ, what is IN this?” You asked, only to be greeted by his eager giggles as he mimed zipping his lips shut. After struggling enough with whatever this was, you decided to climb down to the floor next to jimin to open it there. And as you untied the bow and lifted the lid, the whole world went a little blurry as tears filled your eyes.

“Chim…. you didn’t.” Clapping your hands over your lips, you looked at him, heart stunned and collapsing in on itself with love as a beautiful glossy vintage typewriter beamed up at you from inside the box.

“Happy birthday, jagiya.” He smiled, voice a simple whisper. All the admiration in the world glowed back at you through his eyes. It took everything in you not to burst into undignified sobs as you crawled over into his lap, sinking your nose into his neck as he wrapped you in his arms.

“How… where did you find this?” Your voice muffled from being pressed to his throat.

“I can’t tell you all my secrets.” The smile in his voice was heavenly as he held you, his steady hands rubbing your back. “This was going to be your present all along. I improvised the others.”

“You were gonna bring a typewriter to a karaoke bar?” you asked inquisitively.

“Eh, it’s not always a bad thing when the plan changes,” he shrugged, a smile on his lips.

The room went quiet as you pressed into the affectionate grip of Jimin’s arms. “It looks just like his.” you sniffled.

“Do you like it?” Jimin’s fingers gently tucked beneath your chin to bring your eyes back to his from where they’d been buried in his shoulder. Did he really need to ask? Sheepishly, you nodded, a wobbly lift to your lips curving up into a wonky smile.

“It’s wonderful.” You breathed, glistening eyes focused only on him. “I can’t believe you found this. There are so few of that style of typewriter left.”

“It’s my best friend's birthday. I had to find something spectacular for her. She’s a writer, you know. But she’s really hard on herself a lot. I thought, maybe... finding a typewriter like the one her dad had when she was a little girl might help her remember why she loved to write so much in the first place.”

His thumb brushed delicately across your cheek, catching a small tear you didn’t know had fallen as your heart stopped- completely forgot why it was supposed to beat. Noticing the startled look in your eyes, Jimin’s confidence stuttered just for a second as he started to pull his hand away. “Sorry, is that… too much?”

You didn’t know if he meant his words or his touch, but before you could even think, you’d grabbed his hand and placed it back on your cheek, your fingers gently tracing the back of his. Jimin’s eyes went wide at the gesture. Shaking your head softly, your eyes flicked back to his. “No. It’s not. It’s not too much.” You assured.

You both stayed like that longer than either of you knew- you placed in his lap, one of his hands wrapped around your waist, the other caught against your cheek as held held it close, both of you unsure of yourselves as you got lost in the others gaze. It felt decidedly like more and less than friendship all at the same time

Friends were thoughtful. Friends helped pull you out of a funk. Friends gave each other birthday gifts, really really thoughtful ones that reached back into your childhood and mended a little broken piece of you. Friends hugged each other when they were happy, right? Friends romanticized all the good things about you. Friends felt their belly go sparkly and gooey at the cool touch of his rings against your cheek. Friends… appreciated how breathtaking you were in close proximity. Friends let their eyes caress the rim of your lips...right?

“Um, the um… fried rice is… probably getting cold.” You said, but for all your effort it barely came out above a whisper.

“Yeah, we shouldn’t… uh, let it get cold.” Jimin’s lashes fluttered closed as he bent to press his forehead against yours. A shaky exhale came from his nose, like he was gathering all his willpower… for something… before he pulled back, a warm smile back on his face. “Come on, let’s feed you.” He pressed a swift kiss to your forehead before quickly starting to get up.

Starry eyed with wonder at whatever the hell just happened between you, you scrambled out of his lap and onto the fluffy rugged floor. Jimin swept his luscious hair out of his eyes with glistening fingers as he stood, and your breath caught. Damn him and that beautiful profile.

“Is your DVD player still in the bedroom? I’ll grab it and hook it up in here.” He coughed unnecessarily, lifting his chest and chin with purpose as he immediately vacated the room.

Well dang. Wasn’t that whole moment a twist. Your fingers absentmindedly found their way to the cheek he’d touched, marveling at the remnant crackles of electricity still sparkling there. Lost to your thoughts, you ignored the thumps and sounds of frustration coming from the other room. Jimin could be ransacking the place for all you knew, destroying your carefully curated sleeping space with his clumsiness as he dissembled the entertainment system but you couldn’t care less right now.

He’d never… looked at you like that. A smile you couldn’t contain burst across your face- giddy, girly and happy. Your fingers brushed your lips. The way Jimin was watching them like…it was almost like he- like he wanted to- no. That was too much. Everything tonight had been a lot, but to let yourself go there? No. You couldn’t let yourself think about him like that, let yourself wonder if he thought about you like that but...

“Good grief, y/n. What drunk wombat hooked this up for you?” Jimin grumped from behind the wall.

“You did, remember?” You piped back. All the fight had left your body at his affection but that didn’t mean you couldn’t still play with him a little.

“Why on earth would you let me do that?” He complained.

“I didn’t! I was unpacking my dishes in the kitchen when you disappeared for forever and came back all proud of yourself for setting it up. I didn’t have the heart to tell you what a mess it was.” Your words were sarcastic, but your tone was light, your troubles having melted away at his sweetness.

“Hmm, generous of you but past me was clearly an idiot. Why in God’s name did I put it all together like this?”

“Theirs not to make reply,

Theirs not to reason why,

Theirs but to do and die.”

You recited back to him in a sing song fashion.

“Did you just- was that the charge of the freaking light brigade?!? What is this, tenth grade English?”

“So you were paying attention back then.” You snickered.

“To Miss Golightly in those tiny dresses? You bet I did.” Jimin appeared from around the corner, DVD player and cords in tow as he winked sleazily at you and you fake gagged.

“I despise you sometimes.” You frowned.

“That’s a funny way to say you love me.” He observed, kneeling in front of your living room tv to begin setting up your birthday movie marathon. And just like that, you were both back in your groove as you shook your head at him.

“You’re appalling, you know that. That woman was twice our age !” You chided.

“Slander. Holly couldn’t have been more than what- 24? 25?- at the time. Besides, you’re older than me too, you know. Never bothered me any,” he shot back, a wicked grin on his face.

“Hey!! Not by that much! And that is irrelevant right now. We are discussing your moral failings right now, not mine, young one.” You curled your knees against your chest, pouting matter of factly.

“I don’t know how befriending beautiful women who are out of my league is a moral failing but if it is, I have no intention of repenting.” He shrugged lightly as you shook your head at him. “Potsticker please.”

Digging through the box, you found the take out carton of veggie potstickers and held it in his direction, pointedly ignoring the fact that he’d just called you-

“No, feed me! My hands are dusty.” He turned his palms out to you in innocence.

“I’m not going to feed you, Chim.” You deadpanned.

“Why not?” He whined. “I’m slaving away for you! The least you could do is feed the help.”

“I didn’t ask you to do anything! I was going to emote ALONE tonight, remember?” your spunky fire was back, full tilt. No one got under your skin like him.

“You ungrateful little… yeah, without me you would’ve drowned your sorrows in cold pop tarts and home decor YouTube videos- alone. Happy birthday! One year closer to death,” He griped.

“Don’t hate on the noble pop tart. Besides, that sounds like a great night.” You lied.

“At least toss it to me, you uncultured fiend. I’ll catch it and stave off starvation a little longer.” He pretended to feel faint, wilting against the wall.

“Oh my god, don’t be so dramatic, you big baby. We both know I can’t throw for crap and even if I could, you can’t catch. Come here.” You sighed mournfully. Another eye roll that heavy, and they might get stuck back there.

Triumphantly, Jimin dutifully scooted toward you, having won the battle, if not the war, and happily opened his mouth.

Face heavy with displeasure, you fed him the dumpling, grumbling every second of the way... until his mouth brushed your finger as he bit down and your world tilted sideways. With his cheeks happy and full, Jimin capitalized on your flustered state by pressing a soft, very intentional kiss first to your thumb and then to your palm before playfully bouncing his eyebrows and returning to his work.

Shellshocked beyond measure, you crawled back toward the sofa, nestling down on a velvet floor cushion in front of it and trying to regain your bearings. The heck was THAT? you wondered. This night was certainly taking an interesting turn. Quite a few at this point.

A few moments later, your tv suddenly sprang to life, peaceful music playing through the speakers as the menu glistened on the screen.

Triumphantly, Jimin strolled back across the room and draped himself elegantly across your sofa, one foot on the floor by your hip, the other stretching across the length of the couch. “There! Hand me the lo mein so we can get this night started.” He was so pleased with himself, he hadn’t even noticed your delayed motor functions as you sputtered on the floor. A fresh breeze blew through the window carrying the scent of his cologne and you were almost undone.

“What was that about?” You asked, carefully avoiding looking back at him as you handed him his noodles.

“What was what about?” This brat. You could practically hear the smugness in his voice as he feigned ignorance.

“Don’t play the fool with me. You know good and well what. Since when do we kiss each other’s hands? Or hair ? Or foreheads? Or kiss at all for that matter. In any context??” You accused, getting slightly riled up.

“Does that mean you didn’t like it?” He asked, cocky smirk etched permanently on his face now. That little rat.

“Answer the damn question, Park. Don’t toy with me.” You snapped, admittedly a bit too ferociously, but you couldn’t tell if you were pissed off or aroused and both options knocked the wind out of your chest. Plus, had he seen himself? He wasn’t playing fair.

“Woah woah. Calm down. Didn’t you want to watch something tranquil? You’re ruining the vibe, birthday girl.” You could hear the chuckle in his voice as he teased you, and yup, it definitely pissed you off.

“Ha Ha. Answer my question.” You shot him a look he knew better than to press. Acquiescencing, he sighed, his shoulders dropping and face shaking softly as he smiled down at you.

“You said you wanted cuddles today. You’re being a standoffish butt today, but we both know you want affection. Even if you won’t let yourself have it.” He stated matter of factly.

“Humph. Well who says I want affection from YOU anyway?” You huffed, arms crossing as you arched an equally annoyed eyebrow at him.

“You do, dummy.” Oh no. You’ve been exposed.

“The frick are you talking about?” You scowled, voice dripping with accusation. He was still looking at you kindly, the patience of Noah, as he calmly gathered his thoughts to answer you- like you were a ridiculous child and he needed to word it right so you didn’t fly off the handle, fully unhinged. The idea only made you more gruff.

“I see your face when I touch you, y/n. You think I’ve been your best friend this long and can’t read those big eyes of yours?” Drat. Sold out by your own body. Traitorous.

“What do you mean?” Brows pinched, you clutched a cushion into your lap, like it could guard his perceptive eyes from seeing straight through to your heart again.

“Y/n, we both know what I mean.” He said gently.

The worst part was he was right.

You knew your eyes went wide and starry for him, constantly and without your consent. It was a miracle it had taken him as long as it had to say something. But why was he calling you out on it today? Of all days?

Sighing, you accepted your fate. You’d been called out. No one knew you like Jimin. No one else cared for you like this. It would be a lie to say you hadn’t felt yourself hopelessly slipping into an infatuation with him lately. But what were you supposed to do when he acted like this? Paying attention to the tiniest details, being kind when you definitely didn’t deserve it, looking like that. I mean, come on. You’re just a girl, for Pete’s sake. Humans can only put up with so much stimuli. But to feel so exposed… your feelings so bare to him without meaning to. Unsettled you.

Despite his teasing tone, Jimin’s eyes went unexpectedly soft as he whispered your name. Turning back to look at him, his thumb found your chin again as something sweet blossomed in his gaze. “ I really do just want to take care of you today. You’re my best friend, y/n. You know how much you matter to me. I was just being playful but…. if this is too much, I can reel it back in. We don’t have to do anything you're uncomfortable w…”

“Oh god. Shut up. You sound like the school counselor.” You interrupted. His glittering laugh filled the room at your outburst.

“Mrs. Applebaum?! Another immaculately dressed woman. Those legs? in those skirts?” He let out a low whistle as you frowned. “Didn’t mind getting counseled by those one bit.”

“You pig. You're disgusting.”

“And You’re hilarious. See? This is why I keep you.” He pinched your cheek proudly as you swatted him away. “Now, do you want me to stop?” He asked bluntly, His eyes suddenly firm.

Did you want Jimin to stop being affectionate with you? God no. You just weren’t sure it meant to him what it meant to you. Or if it was selfish of you to allow it. But you couldn’t figure out how to word any of that. So instead of articulating your emotions like a healthy adult, you shook your head “no” heatedly, like a small child and he chuckled at you.

“Okay, then. Turn around and watch the movie. If I have to sit through three hours of this, the least you could do is enjoy it.” He ruffled your messy bun as you turned around to watch the movie, happily leaning your cheek against his knee. Admittedly, you were more content than you’d been in ages, but you weren’t about to tell him that.

About twenty minutes into the movie, you were still comfortably leaning into his sculpted calf when he muttered, “Now this we’ll have to do something about” before unceremoniously grabbing at the unraveling scrunchie holding your precarious bun together.

“Hey!” You yelped as he snatched at your hair. “The heck are you doing?” You barked.

“Calm down. I’m going to detangle this birds nest. It’s blocking my view,” He chuckled. “Eat your fried rice,” He sassed as he pivoted your head back toward the screen.

And so the night went, Jimin lazily running his smooth fingers through your hair as you happily munched on shrimp fried rice and lost all your fight as you got swept away in the beautiful movie playing on your screen. Occasionally you’d take a mental step back to savor how incredibly soft Jimin’s constant touch felt as he played in your hair and marvel that you’d survived this long without it. When he got so good at this and when he figured out you loved having your hair played with so much were questions you didn’t have the answer to, and you really didn’t need to as long as he kept doing it.

As much as you hated to admit it, even to yourself, he’d been right not to let you spend tonight alone. Occasionally, you’d glance back at him and he’d catch your eyes only for both of you to burst into a fit of giggles. He’d been right- good food, a good movie and good company was all you needed to get out of your funk.

When had he gotten so much smarter than you?

As the movie credits came to a close, You reluctantly rose up to your feet, stretching out your crumpled back like a little cat as your now loose hair tumbled down around you. Jimin took the opportunity to poke your stomach beside your belly button as he glided past you toward the kitchen and you yelped.

“You ready for a slice of cake, sunshine?” He chuckled. Tugging down your sweatshirt, you followed behind him into the kitchen before promptly climbing up to sit cross legged up on the island.

“Why not.” You chirped.

“Do my ears deceive me - or do you sound almost, dare I say, happy?” Jimin asked in mock surprise, hand to his chest.

“And what if I am?” You bit your lip, suppressing the smile threatening to burst across your face.

“Then I’ve done my job right.” He smiled, face swooping in dangerously close to yours, voice dropping to a timbre he rarely ever used as his thumb swiped just below your bottom lip. Your breath stilled in your chest, but instead of drawing closer, he threw his head back laughing, the bright brilliant sound crashing through the walls of your apartment.

He left you there, a fluttering mess, as he grabbed a beautiful cake knife from his industrial sized bag of birthday gifts, plus two gold forks and two small plates, each rimmed in gold and small flowers. “Now, we doing ladylike slices- or we going ham on this cake?”

Sputtering to find your voice again, you retorted a breathy “go big or go home” as he happily cut a massive wedge of cake, one for him, one for you before lithely hopping up beside you on the island. He happily swung his bare feet over the edge, elegant boots having been chucked off ages ago. “Happy birthday!” He giggled, clinking the edge of his plate against yours like a toast.

“Happy birthday,” you muttered back, shaking your head at him softly. What were you going to do with this man? You were grateful to shovel your mouth full of cake just so you wouldn’t have to talk again for the next few minutes.

“You eat birthday cake like a hamster,” Jimin laughed.

“You flirt like a hoe.” You piped back. “You don’t play fair.”

“Why would I? Fair’s no fun.” He tapped you on the nose with the tip of his fork.

“Hey!” You swiped at him. “Don’t waste the frosting! That’s a criminal offense in this house.”

“You gonna lock me up then, officer?” He waggled his eyebrows at you.

“Must everything be a joke to you, Park?” You huffed, parroting back his words to you from earlier.

“Oh come on. Lighten up. You know you love it. It’s the only reason I’m still alive to do it.” He bumped your elbow with his, his glittering eyes full of playful delight.

“Whether there’s any truth to that or not, ease up. You don’t see me cracking any of this crap back at you, and I don’t want to seize up and have a heart attack before I finish the great American novel. So…”

“Will I be in it, do you think?” He asked, coffee eyes inquisitive and bright.

“In what?” You asked dumbly.

“In your great American novel. Obviously.”

“I mean, I guess you could. You’d make a pretty convincing annoying ferret if you play your cards right.” You shrugged, popping another massive chunk of cake in your mouth. The icing was creamy decadence and you reveled in it as jimin sputtered at your response.

“A ferret?! You wound me, madam! is that all our friendship has meant to you?” His voice was indignant now.

“A talking ferret?” You offered. “But that’s the highest I’ll go.” You shrugged.

“How dare you.” He frowned. “ I don’t even make it in as a tragic hero? Some coming of age romance’s leading man? You’re gonna make me a weasel?” His voice was becoming shrill.

“Ferret. Not a weasel. A very stylish, talking ferret, who rides around on the heroine’s shoulders and accompanies her in her travels while providing her companionship and wise counsel.” You nod matter of factly.

“I’m your emotional support weasel?” His lip curled distastefully.

“Again, ferret. But yes, actually, that’s exactly what you are. You’re the constant that keeps the heroine sane and guides her on her journey. While wearing an assortment of adorable tiny stylish outfits.” You popped more cake in your mouth, pleased with yourself.

“Seriously? That’s it? Do I at least get to transform into a human from time to time?” the poor boy's wounded ego was trying its best to be optimistic.

“No, you stay travel size. So you can dutifully scurry out of the tent when the dreamy knight finally makes his move on me.” You sighed wistfully. But Jimin’s brows formed a decidedly flat frown.

“So I’m flounder?? From the little mermaid???”

“I don’t know how much wise counsel he gave, but he was definitely her best friend. Plus you both have the same cheeks.” You reached forward to pinch his supple face. Altogether too depressed to duck out of the way, Jimin opted instead to scowl at you for all he was worth while you teased him.

“You know flounder was in love with Ariel right? And she abandons him. Without hesitation. To get the guy. With no remorse. And he’s just left alone, terrified that she might not survive and knowing that even if she does, she’s never coming back for him!” Jimin looked horrified.

“Which is why I take the ferret WITH me instead of leaving him behind. But on to more important things, did you just accidentally confess your love to me? Oh jimin, after all this time.” Your eyes go mockingly wide.

“Don’t sass me right now woman. I thought you didn’t give me that kind of crap back?” He deadpanned.

“Just when I’m feeling extra feisty. Like you know, on my birthday.” You scrunched your nose, smiling back at him.

“Ha Ha. I’m taking my cake back.” He pouted.

“Not so fast.” You swipe a bite from the slice of cake on his plate, gobbling it up before he can stop you.

“Thief.” He scowled.

“Baby.” You stuck your tongue out.

“Don’t call me that outside the bedroom.”

“I don’t want to be in a bedroom with you.” You snapped defensively.

“That’s not what your eyes said earlier.” He teased, and just like that he had the upper hand again.

“Again with that? This is ridiculous! What are we even doing, chim?” You sighed, plopping your plate down.

“Careful with the china!” He scolded.

“I’m serious.” You cocked your head to the side. “Since when do we flirt and bait each other like this? What’s going on?” There was an exasperation in your eyes he hadn’t expected.

“We banter all the time,” he defended. Your half lidded eyes shot him a sharp “cut the crap” look, and he took a deep breath.

“That’s not what I mean and you know it. The truth this time, chim. This feels different…” an unexpected wave of bravery swept over you. “and you know it too. You...you aren’t usually like this with me. All night you’ve been cheeky and flirty and touchy with me…. and whatever that was after you gave me the typewriter. You- you didn’t look like you then. You don’t ...look at me like that. What’s going on, Jimin? The truth this time.” Your eyes rounded with sincerity, and his cocky facade toppled.

“You’re not dropping this, are you?” He swallowed.

“Nope.”

“Fine….last chance to back out. You can’t unknow once you know.” His half smile was wobbly and unconvincing.

“Not a chance, Park. Spill.” Your eyes were firm, but kind. You watched Jimin’s shoulder rise and fall before he angled his torso in your direction, shuffling his words around in his mouth, tasting

them before he shared them with the world.

“Maybe,” he started. “Maybe this feels different because...it is. Maybe I’d had a plan.” He carded his hands through his hair as you watched him. “Get dressed to the nines. Take you out, treat you to champagne, make you laugh. Spin you around. Sing your favorite songs to you. Give you the best night of your life so you forget how hard you are on yourself for a little while.. make you feel special. Give you your gift. Then at the end of the night, when we’d be all happy and giddy, maybe…” he paused, drawing in a quick breath. “Maybe I’d finally have the courage to tell you I like you when I say goodnight and kiss you at the front door. Maybe I thought I’d be brave enough to do that tonight.” Jimin rests his elbows on his thighs, breathing out slowly, like he was trying to calm his body from going into shock before gathering his composure to meet your eyes.

You stare back at him- floored.

“So… when I cancelled everything?” You swallowed.

“I had to scramble to salvage my plan.” He shrugged honestly. “I'd been working up the nerve to tell you for months, y/n. I knew I’d lose my nerve if I didn’t tell you tonight.” His deep eyes met yours with a “what can you do” smirk.

“But I’ve been a brat to you all night.” You felt awful.

“In your defense, it was a pretty big birthday. Existential crises really make beasts of us all.” His boyish smile was warm and adorable.

“I feel like a monster.” Your face fell. You’d been difficult and obnoxious all night and all along, here he’d been gearing up the nerve to spill his heart to you. If it was possible, you liked yourself even less than earlier. You were beyond belligerent with yourself- if any other girl had done even half of this to Jimin you would have pulled her hair out. But you were the offending party this time and what did that make you?

“Don’t.” Jimin chided, like he could read your thoughts across your face. “I haven’t been any better. And that dumb comment I made about your eyes earlier?” He cringed at himself. “Honestly, I had a 50/50 shot that it would work because I have caught the way you’ve been looking at me lately, but... I’ve only caught you because I was already looking.” He confessed, reaching out to play with your fingers on the counter with his. For the first time in your entire friendship, Your poised, elegant best friend looked unsure of himself with you- impossibly confident Park Jimin a sheepish, love struck little boy with you- and it positively liquefied you.

“Jimin. I-“ was all you could get out before you got lost in the angles of his face again, unsure of how you got here. He’d always been the brave one. You weren't sure how this is supposed to go if your cowardly heart had to be in charge. But luckily, he saved you again and continued.

“So, I figured- You’d either been looking at me that way because my feelings were stupid obvious, and I was making things weird and embarrassing myself OR... you were looking at me like that because... you wanted to kiss me as badly as I wanted to kiss you.” He swallowed, eyes locked on yours.

This was it.

If there was ever a moment to speak up, you had to do it now. His beautiful brown eyes were swirling with something beautiful now that you’d only ever seen one other time. You recognized it now. It was the same look he’d had when he’d cradled your face earlier and something had almost come over him. You knew that look now. You had a name for it- This was how Park Jimin looked when he wanted to kiss you.

Hopping down off the island, Jimin regarded you with confusion as you came to stand between his legs. Your eyes were wide and trusting as they met his. Part of him feared you’d come down to politely turn him down so he braced himself as he silently studied the face he knew best in the world. Whatever you were about to say, he’d buckle down and take it.

“I have been fighting liking you for longer than I’ve been your friend, Park. Some part of me has always liked you. You’re beautiful and sweet and lovable- what was I supposed to do? Every girl we knew was in love with you. And I was no different, even if I couldn’t admit it to myself. Once we became close, I already felt so spoiled to have you in my life at all that I’d get mad at myself for not being content and wanting more. But….” your eyes flicked down, your fingers coming up to gently trace the fullness of his lips. “But, if you can feel this too,if...you want more than this too then… maybe, we can be greedy together?”

Your eyes were hopeful and Jimin burst into a smile so wide and so bright, it put your fairy lights to shame. “God, that would be amazing.” He said, his cool ringed fingers scooping your face up and tracing your jaw’s edges.

“So, if you still wanted to kiss me, maybe that could be something we tr-“

Mmmph.

Any words you’d had were shoved back behind your lips as his face dipped down to press a heavenly, gentle kiss to them. And god, it was everything. He was warm and soft, all consuming as he slipped down from the counter to hold you properly. His fingers slipped back into your hair as you got lost in the spun sugar taste of his lips. Your palms found his chest, clutching on to fistfuls of silk as the kiss deepened and Jimin pulled you close.

It was better than you could’ve ever imagined it would be and without realizing it, you’d started smiling, a sparkling laugh spilling out of your chest before you could catch it. He beamed back at you, forehead pressed against you as his smooth perfect nose traced yours.

“What?” He chuckled. “You should never laugh after kissing a man for the first time. Sure fire way to wreck his ego.” He teased.

“Even if he kisses as good as you?” You blushed, unable to meet his eyes. “It’s terrible how fragile masculinity is.” Your banter had none of its usual punch. You were too dreamy eyed over whatever spell he’d just cast on you to put any real bite to it.

“It is, isn’t it? But I don’t think that’s what we’re talking about here.” His fingers played with the ends of your hair as his other hand scooped your waist against him. Foreheads still resting against each other, you tried to steady your breath only to inhale more of his citrus cologne and get woozy over experiencing so much of him all at once.

“What- uh, what are we talking about then?” You’d just barely gotten that out, all the fluidity of a gasping fish. Jimin’s eyes sparkled as beamed down at you.

“I think we were talking about how the timeline of that confession means you’ve been lying through your teeth when you tell me you don’t want me to call you baby. Isn’t that right, jagiya?” He quirked a devilish brow at you.

“You pompous little- it’s still my birthday. I will have none of your insubordination.” You smacked him in the chest with a dull thud. Not much room to wind up when you were pressed this close to him.

“Just let me loooove you,” He sang airily at you as you shook your head and looked away.

“Cut it out.” You smothered your smile.

“Just let me looooove YOUUUU.” He continued, tracing his nose along the shell of your ear as he sang softly and pulled you close. This time, you didn’t resist as he scooped you up. This time, here were no pillows thrown, no fighting, no defensive words. This time, you melted into the sweetest man you’d ever known and let him catch you.

You felt your shoulders sink as realization hit you- all this time, while you thought you were bearing up under your feelings all alone, your best friend had loved you too.

The boy you felt safest with, the boy you were most yourself around, the boy who’d been by your side so long you couldn’t bear the idea of imagining life without him- he was as enamored by you as you were by him. He’d planned this whole night for you. He’d gone out of his way to show you how much he cared. He’d refused to let you feel alone on the most important day of the year. He’d been braver than you in every way and reached out to your heart when you hadn’t had the words to find his. For that, you’d always be grateful.

Somewhere in the midst of your revelation, your eyes had gone misty. Jimin lovingly brushed a thumb across your cheek to catch your rogue tears for the thousandth time tonight as your eyes went starry. You looked up at him, the whole cosmos swirling in your eyes, and gave him a terribly undignified wobbly sniffle.

“I think I love you, Chim.” you whispered.

“Is that going to be a problem?” His eyes were sweet as he watched you.

“Really screws up my novel.” You sniffled.

“Does it make it worse if I say I love you too?” He asked innocently.

“Drat, does this mean I have to make you the knight now instead of the weasel? Cuz that’s really gonna wreck my whole outline.”

“I thought I was a ferret?” He chuckled warmly.

“We both know you were a weasel. You’d been planning to take me karaoking. You know how I get on stage in front of crowds. No ferret. Full weasel.” You asserted calmly.

“Damn. Fair enough. Well, can I be the knight if I sway you with a high quality animated film first?” He’d never looked at you more fondly, all the world’s stars hidden in the pocket of his cheek as his lips curl into a smile at you.

“Depends. Will there be something to drink?” You queried, chin tilted in suspicion.

“Hot tea.” He offered.

“What kind?” You squint.

“Chamomile?”

“Too basic.”

“Earl Grey?”

“Fresh out.”

“Lavender then.”

“Acceptable” You nodded. “Will…” you hesitate. “.. will there be someone to cuddle with?” Glancing up at him, you were bashful all of sudden to admit how much you didn’t want to lose his touch now that you’d gotten it.

“For as long as you’ll have him.” He booped the tip of your nose with his, giddy at the idea of staying beside you.

“Good. That’s all I wanted.” You nodded matter of factly, before quickly adding-“Will he keep his rings on?” You blushed, fiddling with his hand.

“You like them! I knew you liked them! You brought my jewelry up way too much not to.” His smile was positively electric.

“Oh Geeze. Calm down. Forget I said anything.” You muttered regretfully. But before you could shuffle back any further, He happily caught you off guard with a smacking kiss to your temple.

“This is going to be so much fun messing with you.”

Suddenly, he was picking you up by the waist, spinning you both in a circle. “I’M DATING MY BEST FRIEND!!!” He hollered.

Giggling wildly in his arms, you held on tight but popped his shoulder for good measure. “Jimin! Are you insane? Put me down, you idiot! The neighbors will hear!” But there was no fight in your words- just giddy, blissful glee. In fact, you couldn’t remember the last time you’d felt this happy.

“No!” He laughed. “I’m not putting you down until you say it too.”

“But we haven’t even discussed this!” You protested through another fit of giggles.

“Please, we’re basically dating now anyway.” He challenged.

“Fair point…. but Jimin, stop for a second. Put me down yeah?”

Chest panting as he stopped and set you down, his eyes found yours as he smiled that million dollar smile at you that-oh god- you’d get to have all to yourself, all the time now. You swallowed a delicious thrill at the thought.

“What is it, love?” He beamed, brushing your hair out of your eyes with his fingers as you blushed at his endearment.

“Promise me we won’t lose this? If we do date, I mean. I do want to date you- actually be with you, and get to kiss you and be your girl when we’re out with our friends. God. I’d love that. But just, we can’t lose this- the friendship. That spark that makes us special. You can’t go all gooey soft on me if I’m your girlfriend and I still have to be allowed to call you on your nonsense.” Your face was soft, nervous to ask him for some reason. Scared you sounded ridiculous perhaps.

“God I’m in love with you.” Jimin pulled you in for another kiss. This one airy, sentimental, light. He pulled back, kissing your nose, both cheeks and your forehead. “Y/n, if that’s your only rule, you can have it.” He laughed. “Be obnoxious and prickly and sassy all you want- just, you have to learn to let me in. I’m gonna go overboard and love you and kiss your neck in public and tell my mom we’re dating and remind you that you’re the best writer I’ve ever read when you call your work crap. And I’m gonna tell you how wonderful you are all the goddamn time while you look at me like I’ve got a third eye, and you’ll love it but you’ll act like you don’t. And that’s fine, y/n, but promise me- you have to start letting that love in. Even just a little at a time. Cuz I’m not going anywhere, and it’s not going to stop so you’re gonna have to start accepting the fact that someone thinks you’re beautiful.”

He kissed your nose again

You blushed.

“And kind.” He kissed your cheek.

“And talented.” The other cheek

“And hilarious.” Your forehead.

“And that i'm not going anywhere no matter how much you push. Cuz... you’re kind of it for me.”

And finally,

he kissed your lips again.

Lingering and slow as you unraveled in his hands. You felt dizzy when he pulled back.

“I’ll always be your best friend, and you let me in, yeah? Even if it’s slowly.” He raised his pinky in the air between you. Usually you’d make some crack about how small his pinky was- some nasty comment you didn’t mean because, actually, honestly, you loved his hands. You just didn’t know what to do with all the tremendous affection you felt for every part of him, so you flung it back at him as teasing. But not this time.

No, this time, you’d say what you meant, what you felt. Because Jimin would understand. Jimin reciprocates it. And there wasn’t anyone you’d risk your heart for more than him. Because, was it a risk, if the person loved you as much as you now knew Jimin did?

So, slipping your pinky into his, you hooked your hands together, kissing his palm and the spot where your fingers interlocked.

“Jiminie, I might be really bad at this. But I really lik- I…. love you. So I’ll try. Just, be patient with me, yeah?” Your rounded eyes searched his, hunting for any apprehension he may have in linking his heart with yours but finding none.

“For you? I’ve got all the patience in the world. But you wanna know a secret?” He whispered conspiratorially.

“What?” You breathed back, just as hushed. You were genuinely at a loss for where he was going with this.

“You aren’t bad at anything you do, y/n. You just think you are. I just won the lottery with you.” He was right back to eyeing you like he’d just captured the most precious treasure in the world and in the best way, it absolutely overwhelmed you.

“Chim. God, you’re gonna make me cry.” You gushed.

“Nonsense, no tears on your birthday. I’ve worked too hard to give you a great day- don’t you dare ruin it. AGAIN.” He flared his nostrils at you in warning and you burst into a fit of giggles.

“Fine, Fine. Make the tea. I’ll get the next movie set up.” You conceded. Squeezing you into a tight hug, Jimin kissed your hair, muttering a soft “you got it” into your crown before pressing you into him with one last tug and turning on his heel to find the kettle.

Looking back toward the box of movies, your feet carried you, light as air, back to the couch. Every now and then, as you picked the next movie, your eyes drifted back to him. Drinking in the sweep of his hair, the glittering edges of the smile permanently fixed to his face, the happy, contented eyes of your best friend who was more than your best friend now. In the span of one night, he’d come barreling in and crashed the gate around your heart with the most bizarre choice of weapons- his gentle voice, his infectious laugh and his wild, kind, massive heart.

He’d loved you until you realized it was safe to love him back. And Everything in you wanted to memorize this night that almost didn’t happen: he’d been right, your friendship never did get anywhere without him.

You were terrified, but you’d also never felt more alive or more loved in your life. And perhaps that was the best of the many gifts he’d given you tonight. Hope. And love. Looking back over his shoulder, he caught the sentimental gleam in your eye and smiled warmly at you.

“Already boldly staring at my ass, I see. See? You’ll make a great girlfriend.” He winked, as you shook your head happily at him.

Giggling, you shot back with, “I always stare at it. That’s just the first time I let you catch me.” You stated matter of factly.

“You know what? I believe that.” He nodded as he came back to the couch to sit beside you. Handing you your mug, he rested his free arm on the back of your couch as you dutifully snuggled against him, relishing in how much he already felt like home. You knew you shouldn’t make homes out of people. And you wouldn’t ….but right now, the warmth radiating off his body and the coolness of his silk shirt were too soothing for you to stay cooped up alone in your head anymore.

You’d much rather be here- snuggling in the arms of your best friend, who’d be your friend and your love and more than that all at once, and letting the world fall to bits outside as you finally opened up your heart to him. It was your birthday, you had a cup of tea that was sickly sweet from too much honey, your favorite movie was playing, and you were with Jimin.

You didn’t need anything else.

Tipping his head, he rested his cheek against your hair, his spare fingertips tracing the edge of your sleeve. And for possibly the first time on this whole entire mixed up day- you felt yourself fully relax.

Nothing could be more perfect than this.

“Happy birthday, Y/n.” He whispered, a petal soft kiss pressed to forehead as he did. “I hope it was wonderful.”

“The absolute best.” You smiled, eyes teary with love and relief. “Don’t know how you’re topping this one.”

“Oh I’ll come up with something.” He assured, his voice sweet as the honey in your tea.

“Hey Chim,” Your voice the ghost of a whisper.

“Yeah?” He pulled back to watch as much of your face as he could see.

“You were my wish.” You said simply, no frills, no whistles. Just heart aching truth.

Silence hung in the air for a beat as you smiled contentedly into his chest and took a sip of your tea. The silence wasn’t unpleasant. Far from it, it felt warm and complete. You hadn’t needed to get anything back, you’d just wanted him to know.

“I think... that’s the nicest thing anyone’s ever said to me.” Jimin whispered, almost to himself. Another beat. “You are a miraculous thing y/n l/n….. I love you….Happy birthday.”

He breathed, a soft kiss brushing the top of your hair as you both sank into each other- the first night of a million more to come - finally complete with your heart’s other half.

-fin.

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