--
It hurt in a way that Jungkook had never felt before.
He had experienced many kinds of pain; the kind that you hated to love, the physical kind that you didn't know how to feel about, and the emotional kind that made you want to claw at your own skin.
But as Jimin held hands with him while they walked to class, he felt an ache in his heart that was almost immediately welcomed. Jimin's skin against his in the most innocent way, created a fire that blazed up his arm from his fingertips. It was so warm though, like that heat that would radiate off of a campfire; comforting and not at all bothersome.
Jungkook loved Jimin's hands.
"What are you thinking about?" Jimin's voice caused a wave a safety to wash over the younger, a feeling that he often felt around the older. A warm blanket of reassurance wrapping around him whenever a word left the older's mouth.
Jungkook loved Jimin's voice.
"You." Jungkook finally answered, words soft as the cold winter winds clawed desperately at his bare skin. "And how you make me feel."
Jimin looked up, a small smile playing at his lips.
"Me?" He asked, Jungkook nodding and looking down to catch Jimin's gaze.
His heart jumped once more, the same dull ache as before pressing against his chest as he looked into Jimin's eyes. It was an ache that Jungkook welcomed with open arms though, because it was a pain that he knew he'd feel otherwise empty without.
It was a pain that quickly became associated with Jimin.
It bloomed in his chest when Jimin held him, and kissed him. It would sneak up on him even if Jimin just asked how his day was. It lived in his heart whenever Jimin showed him affection, but it was comforting. It was a feeling Jungkook had never felt before, but he was glad he was experiencing it.
The ache was usually accompanied by the feeling of his stomach flipping, and his entire body being flooded with warmth. An entrancing trio that left Jungkook breathless, and feeling empty when he was alone.
"Always you." Jungkook nodded. "I think that you're the last piece that I needed." He continued on, Jimin raising an eyebrow at his words, urging the younger to go on. "Did you build puzzles as a kid?" He asked, Jimin chuckling.
"I'm pretty sure everyone did." He nodded, Jungkook smiling softly before he continued on.
"Before I met you, it was like I was missing one piece to the puzzle that is my life. I believed I could see the picture, but it didn't look quite right. A chunk was missing, and I didn't know where I could look to find it." He sighed softly. "I felt so disappointed in myself, and just incomplete in a sense."
Jimin listened with a look of wonder on his face, blinking away the snowflakes that began to collect on his eyelashes. The cold temperature contrasted the gentle warmth he felt in his chest as Jungkook continued to speak. "But since I've met you, I actually know what it feels like to be happy. I get to experience genuine smiles, and wholehearted laughter. Things that always felt broken beforehand." He paused, squeezing Jimin's hand softly. "I don't know if you'll ever truly understand how important you are to me, but just know that you'll always be on my mind - even if I'm not on yours."
The building that their class was in came into view, reminding Jimin that they weren't the only two people in the world - despite Jungkook making him feel as if they were.
"You're always on my mind, Jungkook." Jimin sighed, resting his head on the younger's shoulder as they walked nearer to their classes. "I... I worry about you." His voice was soft as he spoke, words so quiet that they were nearly stolen away by the sound of the wind. "I'm just always needing to know that you're okay. And although I'll always know when you're physically alright, I'm scared of what may be going on inside your brain."
"I'm scared of my brain too." Jungkook exhaled, his breath visualizing into a cloud into the cold air.
He pushed the door opened, Jimin fingers feeling perfect as the were intertwined with his own. The coldness of their skin began the fade away as the artificial warmth inside the building heated them up. "But you make me a little bit less terrified."
"Do I?" Jimin smiled softly at the thought. "I wish I could erase the fear entirely."
Jungkook pushed open the door to their classroom.
"You do more than enough."
Their professor had already explained the project to them the day before; they had to pair up with somebody in the class, and produce as detailed of a sketch of their partner as they could during the hour and fifteen minute class. Today was Jungkook's day, and Jimin's turn was next class.
"You're going to do me justice, right?" Jimin asked, chuckling softly once they sat down at their designated spots.
"I doubt it." Jungkook laughed. "I think you're too radiant for this dull old graphite to capture all of your beauty." He paused, opening his sketchbook to a blank page and unzipping his bag to pull out his various sticks of graphite. "However, I'll try my best."
Jungkook could stare at Jimin for hours, and would still be able to find something new that he loved. From his plump lips, to the adorable moles that resided on the skin of his collarbone, Jungkook couldn't get enough of the older.
"Y'know," Jungkook began, laying down rough lines into his paper in order to map out Jimin's facial structure. "I always used to be jealous of you, before we officially met each other."
Jimin raised an eyebrow, before his face fell back into its resting position.
"Jealous?" He asked, the idea seeming absurd in his mind. "Why would you we jealous of me?"
Jungkook shrugged, taking note of how striking Jimin's eyes were as he replicated the shape onto the paper in front of him.
"You were the most beautiful person I'd ever seen - you still are - and I'd often wonder how somebody so wonderful could exist." His eyes darted up to meet Jimin's gaze, the feeling of them being in their own little bubble beginning to form again. "And you're so talented too. I remember that I'd often compare our pieces, usually coming to the conclusion that you were worlds away when it came to experience." He paused. "You're perfect in my eyes, and perfection was something that I always aspired to achieve."
"Perfection is subjective." Jimin mumbled, watching Jungkook's hand move fluently against the paper. "You've already achieved it, in my perspective."
--
