"They're beautiful." Reaching out, those fingers carefully wrapped around the paper wrapped stems, pulling them in close to his chest. Guilt washed over him then, for being so negative. For thinking that Jungkook hadn't put any effort into this when he so clearly had.
"Not as beautiful as you." Hand down free, he reached out, backs of fingers carefully trailing along a heated cheek, before letting them cup Seokjin's jaw, running the pad of his thumb over the full bottom lip.
"Thank you, daddy." Why had those words just left his mouth? Why did he always fall back into that same headspace? Maybe it was because he liked it. Far more than he would ever willing admit. Liked not being in control. Liked being submissive. Liked being at someone else's mercy. Liked how it felt.
"You're welcome baby." He should have stopped it. Shouldn't have pushed himself up into it. Should have leaned back when Jungkook leaned in, lips ghosting over his in a pale imitation of a kiss. But it was enough to steal his breath away. To have his eyes fluttering closed and his back arching. "Are you going to let me in, sweetheart? I brought us dinner."
"What did you bring?" So what if he was pouting a little bit? Sucking his bottom lip in between his teeth as he finally moved away. So what if he wanted more of those kisses? But as the sound of the door closing and the lock sliding into place met his ears, he was drawn out of his thoughts. Brought back into the space of reality if only for a moment. Moving towards the tiny little kitchen, he carefully laid the flowers on the counter, before digging out a tall glass and beginning to fill it with water.
"Sushi." There was a low coffee table in front of his sofa, and a wall that was partially solid and partially made into shelves that separated the living space from the bedroom. It was small, but cozy and warm, a space that was entirely his own. And he felt safer and more at home there than he ever had anywhere else.
"My favorite." Carefully arranging the flowers, he crumpled up the paper and threw it away, before deciding to place the make shift vase on his dresser. That way it would be the very first thing he saw when he woke up in the morning and the very last thing he saw before he went to sleep in the coming days.
"I know. Taehyung told me." Jungkook had taken a seat on the right side of the sofa, carefully taking trays out of the bag and placing them on the table.
"You asked Taehyung about me?" It felt like an entire life time since he had spoke to Taehyung. Since the day of their altercation. Since he had made up his mind to stop sulking about being left behind and actually do something to take a step forward.
"Don't sound so surprised babe." Honestly he didn't know which part of it was more shocking. That Taehyung apparently still cared enough to actually tell Jungkook his preferences, or that he had even bothered to ask at all. "I wanted to do something special for you."
"So romantic of you." His fingers twirled around one another, a nervous fidgety habit that he had picked up years ago and had never been able to break. They grabbed onto the opposite sleeves of his shirt and tugged, pulling them down until they made cute little paws. Slipping around the low table, he perched on the other end of the sofa, making sure there was enough space between them to keep their legs from brushing.
"Just trying to impress you sweetheart." Another echo of the past, and he tried not to think about everything that had come before. Of everything it had lead to. Of how it had ended.
"You're doing a good job." Taking the set of chop sticks that had been offered to him, he stared out across the selection that had been spread out over the table. There were different rolls and pieces, and he quickly found one of his favorites.
"What can I say? You're worth it." Was he? Was he really? If he hadn't already put the piece of food into his mouth he likely would have lost his appetite for it completely. Because he knew he wasn't worth any of this. Wasn't worth any amount of effort. And he tried to keep the truth from showing on his face. Lifted his hand and covered his mouth like it had just been stuffed too full until the feeling passed.
"Can I ask you something?" They had been eating in comfortable silence, only breaking it to make small conversation here and there. But this was a thought that had been in the back of his mind and he just couldn't contain it any more.
"Go for it." Which was so different than before, when it always seemed to depend on what he was asking weather of not he'd actually get an answer.
"How do you know so much about flowers?" Realistically, he was entirely aware that it probably just came from experience. After all, the ordeal with Jimin had apparently gone on for actual years. He wondered bitterly how many bouquet he had been given.
"My mom's a botanist and my dad owns a flower shop back in Busan." Okay, so he definitely had not bee expecting that. It was the first and only time he had ever heard Jungkook actually speak about his life, about his family. About where he was from. "Growing up me and my brother always worked there after school and during the summer."
There was so much there to unpack. And he struggled to take all of the new information in. Like apparently Jungkook was originally from Busan, and he had a brother. Both bits and pieces he hadn't known before.
"So you're from Busan then. That explains the accent." It was a soft tease, something mostly meant to ease his own awkwardness at not knowing what else to say.
"Excuse me, I'll have you know my lisp is adorable." And it was. Despite how out of place it could sound when he was using that deep, commanding tone.
"I wouldn't say that." It felt almost natural, to sit there and tease back and forth. There was no one else who had ever managed to bring this side of him to the light. This person who was fun and light and flirty.
"Hey! You take that back." He could sense it coming back it actually happened. And barely managed to send his chopsticks flying towards the small table before fingers were digging into his sides. "Admit it."
"No." Laughter sprung up, and for the first time in his entire life he didn't even feel embarrassed at the sound. Like a worn out wind shield wiper that was barely functional moving across a wet surface. "I won't. You can't make me."
"Oh, we'll see about that." Those fingers dug in even deeper, moving across his front and tickling his stomach and ribs.
"Jungkook." The name came out like a squeak, and he tried to move again, but the other lifted up onto his knees and hovered over him, blocking him in with the weight of his body. "Please. I give."
"Admit it. Admit I sound adorable." Those fingers didn't relent, and he was starting to lose his breath, laughter coming so hard and so quick he could even find the words to speak.
"Fine! You sound adorable." They dug in one last time before finally moving away, and he felt them flattening across his lower belly in a soft caress, before moving down to grasp his hips. They squeezed once, twice, seemingly in warning before twisting, lifting him up until those long legs spread, one coming to rest of each side of Jungkook's thighs. Fore arms came to rest on strong shoulders as he struggled to catch his breath, knowing that his face was probably red from the force of his own excitement.
