Better Than Tears (sweeter than sleep)

Caught in a Lie

The silence in the room ticked on, the clock on the wall measuring Jungkook's heartbeats. Maybe Jimin was breathing with the clock too, from the way his chest was moving, they seemed to be in sync. Jungkook focused on breathing in lavender and lemonade. The sweet, slightly tart scent surrounded him completely. It was such a Jimin type of scent. Sweet and sharp at the same time. Noticing and yet giving way. Jungkook didn't even fidget. He just sat there, watching Jimin watch him, watching the way his eyes moved and his mouth was curved ever so slightly into a smile of fond affection.

"Alright." Jimin said at last. Stretching his arms above his head, he twisted it from side to side before using the couch as leverage to stand up. "You can tell me some other time."

Startled once again by Jimin intense perception, Jungkook watched him walk towards the kitchen.

"What do you want for lunch?" Jimin called over his shoulder.

Just like that, the heavy spell in the room was broken. The moment had passed. Jungkook expelled an especially labored breath and stood up himself. "Whatever you want, hyung," he answered, voice reasonably steady.

He was pretty sure something important had happened just there, a revelation of some sort, but he couldn't be sure if he had happened to him or to Jimin, or if it had happened at all. Was it a next step? Jungkook couldn't figure it and he didn't really want to try.

Following Jimin to the kitchen, Jungkook pushed back at his tumultuous thoughts. Let him alone for a moment, please. Jimin was pulling leftovers out of the fridge and Jungkook grasped on to the very ordinary sight to bring him completely back to himself, bring him up and bring him out.

"Are you hungry, Jungkook-ah?" Jimin asked him as he sat down at the table.

He wasn't, not really. Stress was slowly but surely building up in his system and that always shut down his appetite. But he knew that Jimin would want him to eat. "Yeah," he said, not quite smiling. "Everything you make is so good, hyung."

Jimin looked at him with one of those indecipherable expressions that Jungkook wished he knew how to decode. A slight frown had taken over Jimin's lovely face and Jungkook began to frown himself, not liking this atmosphere. Jimin silently dished him rice and meat, stopping when Jungkook nodded and then heating it up.

Clumsily, Jungkook played with his chopsticks, distinctly uncomfortable. He had never been this type of uncomfortable around Jimin before. It was scaring him, just a little. Jimin didn't scare him, but this feeling did. He gripped the chopsticks harder.

"Jungkook, open your mouth."

Immediately, Jungkook did so, not even thinking about it. Jimin pushed rice into it. Jungkook chewed and swallowed, watching Jimin with some sort of trepidation.

Then, Jimin smiled, a weary sort of smile, but a very kind smile nonetheless, and relief began to trickle down Jungkook's back.

"I'm not angry," Jimin said first.

Jungkook waited.

"But why are you lying to me, Jungkook-ah? If there's something you're not ready to tell me, then tell me that. Please don't lie to me."

Jungkook felt a blush rising in his cheeks, the heat going all the way down his neck. He opened his mouth and closed it, unable to speak. Shameful tears were starting to prick at the back of his eyes when Jimin reached out to him.

Jimin's hands were always so warm. He cupped Jungkook's cheek gently, holding it like it was something fragile, something precious. Jungkook closed his eyes, enjoying it. He breathed in deeply, soaking up the moment.