SOPE | Touch

24 ❆ "I don't think I like you"

NamJoon leaned against the grass with Jimin curled into his side, the wind elementals head resting on his broad chest.

Once they were comfortable, NamJoon began verbalizing his worries and what he's been over thinking.

"The thing about the creatures, how they can move like shadows, doesn't sit well with me. I feel like Yang isn't trying hard enough to actually figure it out, or even beginning in the right places when it comes to looking. I just..." NamJoon trailed off, "I want to figure it out myself, what those things really are, how they even have the ability to move like that-"

"Joonie," Jimin propped his head on NamJoon's chest, looking at his boyfriend, "you really want to figure this out yourself? What-what if you don't like what you find?"

"It's better than staying in the dark, the more we know the better of a chance we have at fighting these things and ending it once and for all. I don't want to live in fear forever, and what if their attacks start aiming at the cities? Where our families are." NamJoon explained, looking back at Jimin as he slid his arm behind his head.

NamJoon had a good point. He's one of, if not the, the smartest people in their school, with an IQ of 148, if someone were to figure out how these things can do what they do, it'd be him.

"I-I want to help you," Jimin confessed, licking his bottom lip before continuing, "I don't want you having to figure it out alone and I want to know too, I hate seeing everybody so scared and tense everyday."

NamJoon smiled softly, sitting up he took Jimin's hand in his own, "Are you sure, Minnie? You don't have too-"

"I want too," Jimin interrupted, his grip on Namjoon's hand firm, "I love you, Joonie, i'm not letting you go through this alone."

NamJoon's heart swelled in his chest, the smile that overtook his features brighter than a million stars. He kissed Jimin, the younger of the couple giggling into it and smiling as NamJoon leaned his forehead against his.

"I love you too, Minnie."

<><><>

If only all of them were doing that well.

Hoseok paced the roof of the academy with his thumb between his teeth, he didn't get any sleep the night before, Yoongi's words circling through his head like a whirlwind. They prevented even a sliver of sleep to creep into Hoseok's mind, the wall of words keeping it from entering.

He thought about his life without Yoongi anywhere in it, imagining it made him want to breakdown in tears because he couldn't bare the thought.

Which left him with this final thought.

Like hell he'd lose Yoongi over this.

The only reason he's so nervous is because he was going to agree to what Yoongi wanted. Hoseok would be lying if he said he wasn't curious himself, it's just his fear has been keeping him from actually figuring out the truth.

The truth is a scary thing.

"You wanted to talk?" Yoongi inquired as he walked over to the ledge, having already shut the door that led to the roof after he came in.

Honestly, Yoongi didn't expect Hoseok to actually want to talk to him, not after the expression he had on his face after Yoongi left. He was happy though, he didn't want to lose Hoseok, but that admiration and like he has for the fire elemental doesn't over power the curiosity Yoongi has concerning the touching aspect.

Hoseok looked at him, inhaling a deep breath, "Yeah, I did."

Yoongi hummed, seating himself on the edge. He could feel when Hoseok sat a couple spaces away from him. "Then talk," Yoongi encouraged, it was lunch, so the sun was high in the sky shining down on the two.

"I don't think I like you," Hoseok began, which had Yoongi's heart already screaming out in pain as Yoongi's mind commanded him to leave and not let Hoseok finish talking.

Though, even if his heart and mind were yelling at him, Yoongi willed himself to stay in his spot despite the tears that formed in his eyes.

"I'm pretty sure i'm in love with you, if I'm being honest." Hoseok confessed, his cheeks warm and heart burning with the confession, "because what i'm about to agree to isn't something i'd do willingly with someone I just liked.'"

Yoongi casted a glance at Hoseok, the fire elemental already looking over at him, and he smiled not expecting Hoseok to ever confess something like that to him. Hell, Yoongi didn't even think Hoseok's feelings for him could truly run that deep, though he wasn't complaining one bit.

"Yoongi," Hoseok said, it was hushed and barely audible but Yoongi managed to hear him, "how exactly do you want to figure this whole touching thing out?"

The frost elemental sighed, "Re-search on Akane and Joonwae, they're the reason frost and fire can't make contact anymore. But, now that you've touched me, I've touched you, and nothing happened I think in some way it was a lie."

Hoseok nodded, listening to Yoongi's calming voice. It was the next thing Yoongi said that had Hoseok panicking.

"I also want us to touch," Yoongi added, not looking at Hoseok but able to sense how he tensed up, "it's the only way we can know for sure. We can start small, holding hands, interlocking our pinkies, you touch my arm I touch yours-"

"Hyung-"

"Remember how you said you wanted to kiss me?" Yoongi looked at Hoseok, Hoseok looking away from him with red cheeks, "Well if we can prove this whole thing was a lie, then maybe you'll actually get the chance."

Hoseok had to resist jumping off the ledge from embarrassment, and the fact Yoongi just brought it up and used it as leverage has Hoseok's desire to fly off the building growing with each passing second.

Yoongi chuckled, "Well, now that you've heard what I want to do, do you agree or should I just walk away?"

Hoseok thought about it for what felt like forever, he hesitated before finally responding.

a/n
What will his answer be, I wonder 🤔