Precious Gems | JiKook

十八

double updateee!
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"You actions are too sporadic, you've to to be gentle with it."

Things had slowly begun to fall into place. Taehyung knew about mostly everything that was going on between him and Jimin, Yoongi had taken a liking to his older friend which helped to solidify the dynamic between the four of them. It seemed almost unnerving, because Jungkook hadn't truly felt like he was given any time to relax up until now.

His birthday had come and passed, something that he didn't pay much attention to. Meetups with Jimin and Yoongi were more frequent, now that he didn't have to hide them anymore. As he sat on the carpet of Jimin's living room and attempted to pick a lock, he couldn't help but feel like things were going a bit too well.

"I am being gentle." He huffed, taking out the lock pick that Jimin had given him. Had hadn't made too much progress since the older male had started attempting to teach him over fourty minutes ago, becoming more and more surprised by how patient Jimin was. "I just can't get the hang of it, I can't see anything I'm doing and I can't just do it 'by feel' like you do."

"Locks aren't supposed to be easy to pick." Jimin laughed, sliding closer to where Jungkook sat. "I mean like, that's the point of it right? To not be openable when it's not supposed to be. We're just bypassing that." He took the lock and pick out of the younger male's hand, sitting close so that Jungkook could watch him properly. "First thing you want to do is figure out which way the key is supposed to turn."

The sound of the television played quietly in the background as Jungkook watched Jimin's hands intently. He hooked the pick into the key slot, wiggling it from side to side. The slot turned to the left, and Jimin looked up to meet Jungkook's eyes. "See?"

Jungkook nodded. Jimin had already explained this to him multiple times, but he just couldn't seem to focus. He couldn't figure out why, but his wind just kept wandering away from the lesson at hand. He was listening, but he wasn't comprehending anything.

He looked down to Jimin's hands once more, studying the tiny tattoos that were inked onto the insides of his fingers. There was a small dollar sign on the side of his ring finger, and a heart on the side of his middle finger. Jungkook knew that he had them, but had never really studied them as he did now. Jimin grabbed a longer took off of the coffee table, slowly inserting it into the lock.

"Isn't this like, what you do?" Jungkook couldn't help but ask, watching as Jimin inserted the pick next to the other tool. "I just can't really think of a situation where I would be the one who would have to pick a lock."

Jimin frowned, not pausing from slowly picking the lock in his hands.

"What if I get put in handcuffs?" He asked, a satisfying click ringing through the air once he had opened the lock. "What if the door to the surveillance room is locked? Or what about if I just need help?" He set the lock and tools next to Jungkook once more, before meeting the younger boy's gaze. "It's the same reason I needed you to know how to fight. It may not always be necessary, but it'll be really annoying if we get into a situation here you need to, but can't."

Jungkook gulped, feeling ashamed that he was so ignorant to something that sounded so obvious when Jimin explained it to him. The way Jimin's brain worked was so interesting. It was constantly preparing for things that might not even happen.

"As much as I hate to say it, if we are going to work together, I need to be able to count on you." Jimin continued, Jungkook studying the emotions that were swimming in his eyes. He seemed to be ashamed of the words he was saying. "If I get caught, I need you to come after me. If you get caught, I'll come for you. You want to be my partner so badly, this is what your signing up so."

Jimin had a way with words. The way he spoke just caused everything he said to stick to Jungkook's brain. Even though he had known Jimin for almost a month now, he didn't expect the older male to ever be more than reluctant to have him as a partner. He took a moment to answer, shocked by what Jimin had just said to him.

"Thank you, for letting me work with you." Was what he finally said, picking up the lock and pick from off the couch once again - this time a lot more determined. "I won't let you down, really I won't."

Jimin laughed softly and nodded, watching as Jungkook began to mimick the movements he had used to pick the lock a few moments prior.

"I hope so." Jimin didn't want to admit it, but Jungkook had grown on him. It had happen slowly, so naturally that Jimin didn't even realize it was happening. He couldn't tell you the day it happened, it just seemed as if one day he started seeing Jungkook as more than just an annoying kid.

He was so smart, he just often needed a nudge in the right direction. Jungkook was also very quick to pick up on things, Jimin watching as the younger boy slowly pressed down the inner mechanisms of the lock within his hands. Even if it was something he knew would be difficult for Jungkook, Jimin had confidence that the younger male would be able to persevere through it.

His determination and perseverance were unparalleled to Jimin. They had been since he learned that Jungkook had originally robbed the bank to pay off a debt. He had been backed into a corner, but he didn't just let himself be killed over it. Jungkook had found himself a way out - even if it was extremely unconventional.

"I did it!" The locked clicked open in Jungkook's hands, causing a smile to spread across the younger boy's face. Jimin mimicked his expression, napping leaning over to ruffle the brunette strands atop Jungkook's head. "It took me a little while, but I think that I'll be able to do it a lot faster if a practice a few times."

Jimin simply nodded, watching Jungkook with a warm expression as he locked the lock again and started from the beginning. The excitement that Jungkook felt seemed to transfer over to him, small sparks of joy erupting in his chest at the younger boy's success.

Jungkook didn't just bring unpredictability to the routine lifestyle Jimin had gotten so used to, he also brought the older thief a new perspective and a newly ignited passion for what he did. He hated that Yoongi was right, but Jungkook truly was the little bit of excitement that he needed.

"I'm pretty sure you could do anything you set you mind to, Jungkook." Jimin responded, a small smile playing on his lips as he watched Jungkook get stuck on one of the harder sections. "I know you have that in you, it's the reason I took you in after all."

Jungkook raised an eyebrow, gaze flitting from the lock to Jimin for just a second.

"What do you mean by that?" He asked, a silent celebration being seen on his face when he successfully picked the lock once more. He met Jimin's gaze afterwards.

"The moment that we met I think that I knew I wasn't going to actually kill you." Jimin admitted, averting his eyes to the carpet on the ground as he did so. "I didn't realize it at the time, but I think I knew that if I didn't get to know you I would regret it."

Jungkook couldn't form an answer for that. He blinked a few times, before breaking Jimin's gaze and looking down to his lap where he rung his hands together. Jimin's words caused Jungkook's breath to hitch as soon as they graced his ears. Never in his life, had somebody said something that touched him as much as this - and it was coming from someone who had once held a gun to his forehead.

He couldn't help but wonder why Jimin thought he was so interesting. From his perspective, he should still be someone that Jimin thought to be a nuisance.

"You changed my entire life." Jungkook finally spoke, his words so soft they were nearly drowned out by the background television noise.

"In a good way, or a bad way?" Jimin didn't look up from the ground as he asked his question.

"I don't know."

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a/n

hello friends! it's my birfday :)))) thank you for almost 5k reads on this and for all the support <33

- Charlie :)