Low Stress: Puppy-Love (Jikook)

Chapter Nine: Lay Barre

"What did Taehyung say to you?" Jimin asked as they drove in Jungkook's car. He wanted to open with what happened when he blacked out but felt like that might be an unhinged car-ride opener. 

"Eavesdropping, were we?" Jungkook said, tilting his lips up in a grin. Jimin smiled back, leaning an arm on the car window and looking at Jungkook. He was gorgeous with his dark hair against the gray city backdrop. He looked like a movie star.

"I'm not ashamed of it." Jimin shrugged and Jungkook laughed, the sound escaping him in a burst. "You two sharing secrets?"

Jungkook winked at Jimin. "And if I said we did? What secret would you trade for mine?"

"None. I'm an open book."

Jungkook snorted and Jimin stuck his tongue out.

"He just offered an olive branch, really. Nothing to be jealous of."

"Who said I was jealous?"

Jungkook snorted. "I don't know if you remember it because we'd all been drinking, but Hoseok and I argued outside right before I left. Taehyung was just checking in on it."

"Are you guys okay?" Jimin asked, furrowing his brow.

Jungkook winked. "Yes. Definitely. Just, I need some space, I think. It's not worth getting into, I promise. But since Hoseok is hosting tonight, Taehyung offered his apartment to come back to instead if I'm not ready to hang out with everyone or don't want to go home."

"Wait. Like, with him in it?" Jimin was going to murder his best friend.

Jungkook laughed and the sound hung in the air. "No, he's still going to Hoseok's. He meant if I needed a place to decompress before going home. Taehyung mentioned it so that I don't feel like his place is off limits if I ever need a place to go. My apartment is a bit fucked right now since I broke up with my ex."

"Wait. So was he offering his place with me in it?" Jimin blushed, wanting to murder Taehyung for a different reason now. The comment was a slip-up, but Jimin immediately regretted saying it when he saw Jungkook's eyes flash with hurt. "Sorry, I didn't mean it like that." Jimin stumbled to ret-con. "I just - what was he implying?" Jimin rubbed his temples. "With how Taehyung reacted to everything last year I'm just surprised he would make a point to say something."

Jungkook snorted, rolling his shoulder back. "Honestly, I don't think he was implying anything."

"Right" Jimin said, rubbing his hands in his lap and Jungkook flashed him a grin.

"I would try not to over think it, Jimin. The guys have caught on that I'm avoiding my place right now. Going to Hoseok's might not be the move for me tonight, so his place is out. Then there's Yoongi, but Yoongi is the reason Hoseok is mad at me to begin with. Which I don't blame Yoongi for, but I'm not about to go to his apartment. So that leaves Namjoon and Seokjin, who would be complicated because there's no running to Seokjin without having to talk about everything that's bothering me. I love him and wouldn't be the same person without his advice in my life, but there's been a lot going on and he's the last person I want to burden with my mess of a mental state."

Jungkook tapped his steering wheel with a sigh. "I can't go to Namjoon's without the chance that Namjoon will call Jin to come over to help, either. Namjoon is incredibly thoughtful and introspective and speaks in riddles of poetry, but if I go to Namjoon, either he will force me to paint my feelings, punch my feelings out, or talk about my feelings. Which, right now all I want to do is rot with these feelings and do nothing to make it better. That's what I meant by olive-branch. It was kind, actually. I think Taehyung understood all of that and just offered a place to rot. He's assuming you're going to Hoseok's actually, so the place would be empty. Since me and you are just friends, there's nothing to worry about us doing anything in his apartment together anyway."