A "Little" Surprise

Not Safe

CONTENT WARNING!! In this chapter, there is an implication of nude photos taken without consent, which is a crime and could be classified as sexual assault. It is never explicitly stated, and no vulgar language or imagery is used, but it is implied. If this is triggering for you, please read with caution.

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"Jungkook! Wake up! This is the last time I'm gonna say it!" Jimin planted his hands on his hips and stood menacingly above Jungkook's form hiding under the covers. "What has gotten into you lately? Moping around, slacking off, hiding in your room whenever we're not working-"

" Alright! I'm awake!" Jungkook snapped, throwing off the covers and glaring at his hyung. "Happy now?"

Jimin startled slightly at the hostility in his boyfriend's attitude. "Kook, is everything okay?" he softened his tone and sat on the edge of Jungkook's bed, reaching out to rub his bare back gently. "Are you feeling under the weather?"

"M'fine," Jungkook leaned into his touch instinctively, tone simmering down to something distinctly more grumpy than rude. "Not sick."

"And up here?" Jimin playfully tapped Jungkook's head, taking a moment to run his fingers through the younger's freshly cut hair, which had still managed to get tangled into hundreds of knots as he slept. "How's that beautiful brain of yours?"

"Beautiful brain?" Jungkook snorted. "Really hyung? You've seen my brain?"

"Well, no, not exactly," Jimin amended with a chuckle. "But it's very sexy when my boyfriend uses his clever thinking skills and puts his expensive education to good use."

Now Jungkook laughed, stretching his feet out of bed and sitting up. "Sure."

"But seriously, you know that you can talk to me about anything, right babe?" Jimin slipped into dialect, knowing that Jungkook always felt safer when he spoke with traces of their hometown.

"I know," Jungkook acknowledged, but he pulled away from Jimin's touch a little too quickly, jumping up just a little too hurriedly, and rushing to his closet just a little faster than normal.

Something's up. Jimin mused as he watched his youngest lover wrangle himself into a t-shirt and sweatpants.

These past few weeks, Jungkook had been acting... different. It was hard to notice at first, but ever since their day off, which was over a month ago at this point, he'd become oddly subdued, confining himself to his room alone whenever they didn't have to be at the studio or recording booth. His genuine smiles were few and far between, the most often expression gracing his face being a forced grin. His laughter had become an even rarer occurrence, the strained chuckles he managed to muster up for Run! episodes almost painful for his boyfriends to sit through.

However, this behavior wasn't necessarily out of the ordinary for Jungkook. The maknae never wanted to be a burden, so whenever he was feeling stressed, he tended to seclude himself from others and suffer silently by himself. His boyfriends knew this, and they were usually able to detect the signals of his stress after a few days and help him talk his feelings out.

And the members, to their credit, had tried to treat this like they always did. They gave Jungkook space to hash out his own feelings, but stayed close enough so he knew they were still there for him, by checking in on him from time to time, bringing him home cooked meals and greasy street foods they knew he loved when he was feeling down. They offered him hugs, kisses, cuddles, and sleepovers, all of which Jungkook accepted gratefully, but without passion. They'd tried numerous times to ask him what was wrong, how he was feeling, if he wanted to talk, but Jungkook had waved their worries off with an empty smile and echoing assurances.