Strings

37| Yoongi

Jimin looked so pretty like this. He was curled up beneath the covers, soft tufts of faded pink hair splayed across the pillows. His bare shoulders were exposed to the air, melanin skin stark against the whiteness of the bedclothes. His lips were parted gently as he let out little puffs of air and his eyes were fluttering in the throws of his dream.

Yoongi sat on the chair, contemplating  the golden boy he got to call his own. His own hair was messy, probably from tugging at it as he thought. And his thoughts were muddled.

He wasn't sure exactly why he couldn't sleep. Their progress on the term assignment was laudible, they were just tweaking the last of the sound. Jimin had to wake up early every morning in order to stop by his dorm just to change or gather materials for his classes. And, selfishly, Yoongi wished he didn't need to.

And on top of that, all of his willpower was focused on pushing a certain person out of his thoughts. Just. Aside.

Yoongi checked the time on his phone and sighed heavily. At 3:30 a.m. he wasn't sure if Jeongguk would still be awake. Before Taehyung he wouldn't have hesitated. But now he worries that it might be a bother.

Biting his lip, he shrugged on a hoodie and slipped his shoes on, careful not to wake his sleeping beauty, before he headed out into the cold.

"Hyung?" Jeongguk's voice was foggy, like he was still on the edge of sleep.

"Gguk, I'm sorry for waking you. But can I come over?"

Yoongi could hear him shuffling, maybe rubbing at his eyes or getting out of bed.

"Of course, I'll make some coffee."

So Yoongi quickened his pace to get himself to Jeongguk's apartment faster. He just needed that familiar feeling that settled in his chest when he was with his best friend. The younger just seemed to know what to do when he was feeling unsteady.

He walked right inside, the door unlocked especially for his sake, and locked it behind him.

"Gguk?" He called out quietly.

"Kitchen, hyung." Came the louder response, "Tae's a heavy sleeper."

Jeongguk was extending his arm, offering him a mug of dark liquid, steaming and welcoming. He wasn't wearing socks and his tank top was loose around his shoulders.

"You'll catch a cold like that Gguk its November." Yoongi scolded him.

"You walked here in the freezing cold. At 3 o'clock in the morning. I think you lost this one, Yoons." The younger retorted, motioning for Yoongi to sit with him in the living room.

They sipped their coffee in relative silence, the only sounds their breathing and gentle shuffling and the gentle electric hum of the refrigerator. Yoongi cleared his throat, now warm and set his coffee on the table carefully.

"Gguks. I want Jimin to move in with me. I think."

"Why are you unsure?"

Yoongi bit the inside of his cheek, thinking carefully on how to express the confusion he was so desperately pushing away.

"It's probably something I need to talk to Jimin about," he swallowed roughly. "I..."

"Have you ever liked two people at the same time?"

Jeongguk's eyes softened. "No, but Yoongi, you know I'll always accept you. And there's  nothing wrong with those feelings. Whether you label it or not. Its how you feel and that's valid."

"I don't know how Jimin will respond to that though." He worried at the cuffs of his hoodie. "What if he doesn't understand."

"I know how you feel about him, but if he's the right person, then he'll love all of you just as much as I do."

Yoongi nodded, a heavy churning in his stomach had him reaching to down the rest of his coffee. "I've got to go home. I didn't wake Jimin or tell him I left."

"You'll let me know when you're home safe?"

"Yeah, I will." Yoongi promised, letting himself out.

Jeongguk stared after him for a moment, worried after the precious best friend he had always depended on. There was a warmth in his chest at being depended on tonight and being able to comfort him to some extent. He prayed that Jimin would be open minded when Yoongi managed to open up.

Yoongi stayed outside the door for a long time. He'd let Jeongguk know he was home, but he couldn't quell the feeling in his chest. The feeling of handing your parents a report card full of F's or walking inside to get the baseball you'd thrown through the window. But Jimin was probably still asleep. Probably blissfully unaware of the turmoil in Yoongi's head.

He wouldn't be able to contain his worry for long.

He nearly jumped out of his skin when the door clicked open, revealing a disheveled, upset Jimin. His hair was messier than before, his eyes were red, and his skin was goosebumped from the cool air. His lips were set in a frown.

"Yoongi!" He lurched forward to pull Yoongi against him, hands tangling in his hair and around his waist. "You scared the shit outta me why are you just sitting out here?"

"Minie." Yoongi breathed, chest feeling heavier with every breath. "Minie."

Jimin pulled away for just a second, shocked at the sob that had fallen broken and unbidden from Yoongi's lips. And then he was pulled back in, pressed into the dip of Jimin's neck while Jimin lead them inside and to their room. His feet were unsteady, his eyes unseeing opened or closed, blurred by stupid tears that wouldn't be stopped.

"Yooni, baby, I'm here." Jimin settled them on the bed, drawing back to stare into Yoongi's eyes. He was searching, but Yoongi was too worked up to form any sort of answers.

"Baby, can you tell me what's wrong?" His thumbs wiped over the stream of tears, itching at the irritated damp skin and Yoongi squirmed.

He shook his head, hiccups forcing their way out of his throat. "N-no, I c-can't."

"Okay baby that's fine, how about you lay down for me and I'll get you some water. Does that sound okay?"

"N-No!" Yoongi clung to Jimin, wrapping his arms around his neck and sobbing into Jimin's chest. He felt like a little kid, like he was clinging to his mom begging her to stay. "Don't- don't leave Jiminie, please."

"I'm right here, right here. Yoonie baby I'm staying right here." Jimin rocked him from side to side gently, cradling him in his arms and kissing his hair softly, whispering over and over soothing promises.