Finding you [Part 2 of 'It's watching']

Nine [Freedom]

Peace of mind configured itself with a new definition, one entirely conformed to the way Jungkook's everlasting kisses felt on his temple, the apples of his cheeks, the bridge of his nose. Jimin's lips remained curved upwards in a tiny smile, a natural grin, blissful release overcoming the crippling doubt laid to rest for the moment. The morning cascaded upon them, their eyes covering each other as the glow of its brilliant light entered their room.

It felt as if the natural order of things had been restored, the unrightful claim on his body extinguished and the flow of freedom rushed over his limbs like an ocean tide of relief. Jimin felt so empty, but his life suddenly became so much fuller.

His favorite part of escaping the hellish hold of an evil man was reversing every harsh word his tongue had been forced to say with the love of a million days displayed in one. He devoted his every moment to doting on Jungkook. Their eyes could never leave one another, hands finding it hard to keep to themselves. Jimin's fears remained, but only surfaced when he was alone. With Jungkook, the thoughts inside of his head were his own. Without Jungkook, they convinced him that he was haunted yet. Jimin couldn't feel Jongseok inside of him anymore. He hadn't heard the man's voice, the static, since Jungkook surrounded him with his unrelenting presence, forcing the man out.

Jungkook became Jimin's light, his freedom and his hope for a good life. He knew that he could never live without the man directly by his side.

Responsibilities seemed of fleeting importance, their love blossoming in different shades of color with every second that they shared. It all felt surreal somehow, as if this was the happiest moment of their lives, this life that they were building together in a tiny, congested apartment. It was home and home was where Jungkook would find him.

The first day Jimin was alone, he locked himself inside of the bathroom for three hours, waiting for Jungkook's return. He had promised the other that he was doing so much better with the anxiety, the fear, but the second Jungkook was gone, it consumed him. He couldn't risk the chance that Jongseok was still inside of him, waiting for the moment to retrieve the life right from his eyes. Jimin had waited for Jungkook to get home, to open the bathroom door and hold him, brushing his hair back as he whispered words of comfort into his damp forehead. Jungkook was his crutch, the absolute love of his life. He learned to trust that everything was better, his life belonged to him, Jungkook was always with him, no matter their distance.

Life evolved and it wasn't until Jungkook took the next step that Jimin really understood the definition of happy.

"Will you please, please marry me, Jimin? There's no way I could ever live without you."

A beautiful dinner sat untouched before Jimin at their kitchen table. His eyes swallowed up the moment before tears blurred his vision. They never got around to beginning that meal, arms winding around each other so protectively it felt as if nothing in the world could ever tear them apart. The bedroom was more enticing than the food, the ring Jungkook placed on Jimin's finger as the smaller eagerly nodded his answer fitting perfectly snug. Consummating a proposal seemed like the only necessary thing to do.

Perfection became their own. Life became each other, pleasantly so. Days trickling by became a few months passed, the reunion of theirs decidedly earning an anniversary they would commit to as something grand they'd overcome.

Jungkook smiled into his fiancés shoulder, hugging him around the waist and watching him scrub clean a glass they'd just used for a late night dinner. He expected to be scolded any moment for neglecting his duty of drying the dishes Jimin finished washing, but he couldn't help wanting to hold the man close, just a moment longer. "I love you." Jungkook whispered at the same second Jimin sighed. The faucet turned off, leaving the room silent as the smaller twisted in Jungkook's arms.

Jimin had intended to scold him, but upon finding the playful smirk on the others lips he couldn't stand to. Instead he cupped the man's face inside of his wet hands and leaned forward to press a kiss to his grin. Jungkook jumped at the action and a smirk dressed his own lips, Jimin feeling as if he'd evenly matched the others antics with his own. Breaking the kiss, a giggle sounded from him. It was a better time than scolding would have delivered them.

"You're so mean." Jungkook whined, lifting up his shirt from its hem to wipe the water residue from his cheeks. He sighed and let it form a pout in his expression, groveling for some kind of sympathy.

Jimin shook his head, reaching behind himself for a towel to dry his hands. He tossed it over his shoulder and leaned back into the counter behind him. "Don't be a baby. You weren't helping."

"I was hugging."

"And I was kissing." Jimin's eyebrow shot up, challengingly.

Jungkook scoffed, wrapping his arm around the smallers waist again in an action of defiance. Jimin's response was always exactly what he needed it to be. They could always come together now, no matter the situation, no matter the topic, if they needed to feel close.

Jimin let himself be swallowed in the others embrace, loving the silence that enveloped them, the way that they swayed in its grasp, simply loving one another as hard as they could with every ounce of honesty their bodies could emit. Silence felt like a beautiful song that only they could hear together, carried in its hands.

A cluster of raps on the entry door phased out the music of their embrace, drawing their attention towards its sound. Jimin looked back at Jungkook, a mixing pot of emotion soaring in his eyes. Who would have an excuse to knock at their door so late? Jungkook smiled down at him softly.

"Let's see who it is."

-///-

A/N: This is the only part of this story that I'll skip a lot of time this way. I feel like it takes away from character development if you skip time, but maybe that's just me. I don't know, people change a lot in a few months. Anyway, I hope you enjoyed not waiting a year for the next update and I'm going to try to finish this story before the new year. Wish me luck uwu ❤️

I love you, my little ones uwu. I'm so soft today.. ❤️