[JIKOOK AU] Jimin hires Jungkook to take photos of his tattoo shop, but what happens when the bunny boy gets a little too close for comfort? Will Jimin let his heart beat again? Will Jungkook be able to trust this dark brooding man?
Jimin was cold on the drive home, almost regretting driving the kid home. The warmth on his back and little squeezes at his waist during the drive was all he could think about that night. Jimin was playing with a fine line; being nice to the kid but not developing feelings for the cute boy. Why'd he have to be so fucking cute?
Thursday came quickly for both men. Jimin found himself excited and nervous about seeing Jungkook again at work. Maybe he could allow himself little pleasantries without having feelings involved? It was just a business partnership that would end soon, he could be polite and friendly with the kid, right? He thought.
Jungkook was already at the shop talking with Hobi. Pictures were splayed around over the counter, Hobi was excitedly bouncing. Jungkook was smiling so wide his eyes closed and nose scrunched up. As he neared the pair, he could see the pictures were of the shop. Jungkook had edited and picked about a dozen photos to show the shop owners, almost proving his worth. Jungkook wanted to reaffirm the aesthetic they wanted. Jimin lifted a picture of the waiting area. The exposed brick normally look tattered and unsightly, but in the picture looked..homely and warm. Jimin wasn't sure if he was looking at the same shop, but it was the same couch. He hadn't realized Jungkook was staring at him, waiting. Waiting for his approval. He cleared his throat, setting the picture down. He could see the other images in similar likeness, transforming the bleak tattoo shop into something interesting.
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"It looks good..better than good," finally looking into Jungkook's eyes as they broke into another radiant smile that squeezed his heart.
"You did this all in one night?" turning his attention back to the other photos, avoiding the bunny boys eyes again.
"Yeah! It wasn't that much. I'm sorry I was only able to produce a handful of decent photos," Jungkook said looking ashamed.
"No!" Jimin might have said too forcefully. "This is great, I really wasn't expecting this quality," Jimin fumbling for words, he didn't want him to feel bad. "Not that I thought you were bad. It's just beyond my expectations..in a good way. Thank you for doing this." Jimin flustered, trying to avoid his face again.
"Thank you! It means a lot, really," Jungkook beamed so brightly at Jimin that he couldn't keep away. That 100-watt smile was infectious and found a smile creeping on his own face.
It was squished quickly hearing Hobi snicker quietly. He had forgotten he was there. Damn.
"I'll leave you two lovebirds to it!" Hobi sang as he ran away. Jimin could see the flush rise into Jungkook's cheeks along with his own. He felt awkward and embarrassed, trying to hide his face from the younger.
"I'm gonna check my appointments," deciding to leave first.
"Right," Jungkook's small voice behind him.
Jungkook started another day of checking to light, adjusting settings. He wanted to experiment with front curb appeal but would wait until sunset. That left a lot of time with Jimin. Jungkook couldn't stop his heart from racing everytime the older would do anything. He nearly collapsed when he praised his work this morning. He was greedy. Greedy for more praise and more attention from him.
His tattoo and piercings should intimidate him but he wasn't. Oddly, he found him cute, fine as hell. But it was during the moments when he thought no one was watching, the soft moments. His face would ease and shoulders slump against a chair, that pulled Jungkook farther in.
He couldn't admit that the reason he only had a handful of pictures of Tuesday's work was that a ridiculous amount of photos were of Jimin. Not just his hands at work, but his face and his body; smiling, concentrating. He knew it would be better to delete them, it was unprofessional. But he couldn't. The stolen photos allowed Jungkook to see another side of the mysterious brooding man.
He decided to circle the shop and overlook other artists at their craft. Taking a breather from Jimin for his own health.
Jimin noticed Jungkook wandering around the shop, even taking photos of the other artists. A sensation curled into a ball at the pit of his stomach. Jealousy? He couldn't deny that he missed Jungkook's presence now that it was gone. A jealous monster reared its head urging Jimin to pull Jungkook away and keep him at his side. Jimin had to shake that thought away. It was a ridiculous thought. Even if this was more than a crush, Jimin couldn't be hung up on a relationship. They are too messy for his taste. Besides, even if Jimin wanted a relationship, he didn't know how Jungkook felt. He had to leave the poor kid alone, he was only doing his job. Jimin determined to keep it polite, turned his focus to the next client. Trying to avoid the stirring feelings he had in his chest.
The day passes smoothly; the two men ever aware of the other's presence nearby. Softly drifting around each other like leaves in caught in a breeze.
Jungkook works up as much courage as he can to talk to Jimin, a real conversation. But what about? He just wants to hear his voice.
"How long have you been tattooing?" Jungkook's soft voice cuts through the silence. Jimin was cleaning his station, they had another hour before his next client. There was a long pause before Jimin answered.
"Since I was about 19," Jimin's raspy voice cut through him. He was racking his brain to ask him something else, to keep him talking before Jimin continued.
"Hobi hyung started first and gave me my first tattoo," Jimin pulls his arm in front of Jungkook. He points to a small set of 3 blackbirds flying; it was hidden, mixed within his tattoo collection on his arm. "Soon I got addicted to them and wanted to try for myself. Bought my first gun not long after and haven't stopped," Jimin spoke quietly. Jimin wasn't sure where this openness came from, but it felt pleasant. Jungkook looked at him with curious eyes, taking in each word.
"And then you opened up your shop?" Jungkook crept closer, choosing to sit on the tattoo chair next to Jimin. He felt a strange urging to open up more.
"No, actually." Jimin chuckled lightly to himself as if revisiting an old memory. "I got into some trouble when I was younger and couldn't do much with my life. Hobi hyung is the one that helped me out. He said I had talent and wanted to open a shop with me. I got cleaned up and we worked our asses off to open this place. And it was all worth it."
Jungkook took in every word, transfixed on Jimin's story. He admired him. Even though his past was bad, Jimin was able to work and strive towards something he wanted.
"That's pretty amazing," Jungkook held a small genuine smile. Jimin's heart squeezed again.
"Aha, thanks I guess. It really was mostly Hobi," nerves made Jimin scratch the back of his head.
"Maybe, but from what you said he gave you an opportunity, not the business or your skill. You also worked hard for this." His response took him by surprise. Jungkook was right, Jimin worked hard and wanted this to succeed. He needed this to succeed, to have hope of an escape from his old life.
"Thanks," Jimin coughed trying to cover the blush on his cheeks. How did this boy keep making Jimin's heart race and ache? Wanting to change the subject. "What about you?" Jimin asked. Seeing a confused look on Jungkook's face, he clarified. "When did you start photography?"
"Oh!" His face lite up, looking at his camera now with adoration. "I've always like taking photos since I was in middle school, of friends and family and even cool landscapes. But in high school is when I really started to get serious. I brought myself a camera, cheap," Jungkook chuckled, "but it was my first one. Since then I haven't set it down." Jungkook raised his camera to his eye as a pun. But his view of Jimin shocked him. Jimin had a genuine small, one that reaches his eyes. Jungkook saw it, a smile for him, right before Jimin realized the camera was pointing at him and looked away with a stern expression. Jungkook giggled, unable to contain himself.
"What's funny?"
"Nothing really," Jungkook looked into the other's eyes, piercing. "Just saw something cute." He didn't want to admit just yet that the cute thing was Jimin himself.
