Harder to Untie
Authour: sevenbyseven
Retrieved from: Ao3
Words: 2946
Ship: Jimin×Hoseok
Summary:
Five times Hoseok and Jimin have tied each other up in knots, and the one time it sticks.
--
i.
Stopping at the crosswalk, Jimin shifts the grocery bags in his arms as best he can and frowns up at the ominous sky. The threat of rain has become more like a promise in the past half hour and he's regretting yet again choosing paper over plastic. One of many regrets he's had that day. He's having a hard enough time as it is holding on to the bags; he'll be lucky if they don't end up paper mache in his hands during the half mile left to walk back to his apartment.
As if summoned by his thoughts, a big, fat raindrop smacks Jimin right between the eyes. Rapidly blinking the water away, Jimin's frown deepens into a scowl.
This is what he gets for deciding to walk home from work and get groceries instead of taking a cab and hitting the convenience store on the corner for dinner again–
"Excuse me?"
Jimin is jerked out of his thoughts and only just manages to keep his grip on his groceries, clutching them so tight to his chest that he's not entirely sure his eggs are still intact. A few more raindrops slap against the top of Jimin's head as he blinks at the guy who spoke.
Everything about him seems long and slender at first glance—face, nose, build—but his eyes are kind and only slightly amused when he says, "Sorry, I didn't mean to scare you. It's just–"
He points down to a spot Jimin can't see past the groceries in his arms. "Your shoes are untied."
"Oh. Uh. Thanks?" Jimin stares blankly at his groceries, then at the handsome stranger—handsome? Yeah, definitely handsome.—before adding, "Sorry, but could you–"
"Oh, sure!"
Before Jimin can hand over the groceries, the stranger drops into a crouch in front of him and–
The gentle tugs at his foot make Jimin's cheeks burn and he holds onto his bags like they're the only thing keeping him upright.
His eggs are definitely a lost cause.
It's an eternity of avoiding the curious looks of passersby and the steadily increasing pat-pat-pat of rain against Jimin's head and shoulders before the stranger finally gets to his feet.
Jimin's ready to tell him off for humiliating him, for treating him like a child, but then the stranger smiles and oh.
Oh, that smile is dazzling and so warm, Jimin can imagine the raindrops sizzling away before it can even land on them.
Or that could be the umbrella the stranger just opened to shield them from the now steady downpour.
"There, all set..." The stranger trails off and it takes Jimin a moment to realize he's waiting.
"Jimin. Park Jimin." He sounds breathless, but it's hard for Jimin to care with the sun shining right in front of him. "Thank you. For fixing my laces."
"Jung Hoseok," the sun says. "And it was my pleasure. Mind if I walk with you, Park Jimin?"
It's raining, home is still a ways off, and Jimin's shoes are getting soggy.
