Dance For Me ※ Jikook Fanfiction ※ 18+

No More Fear

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Things got a little easier. Not much, but at least he didn't feel like he had to run away and lock himself in a dark, empty room every five seconds. 

It was mostly Hoseok who made that happen. He was a literal angel sent from heaven! He stuck to Jimin's side during their shared classes and made sure people didn't overwhelm him with their stares and conversations and touches. Jimin felt himself relax when Hoseok was around. And when Taemin and Kai joined them during a ten minute break, he actually managed to talk to the two of them without stuttering too much.

They looked more than a little surprised to hear Jimin speak. But after getting over their initial shock, they smiled happy and wide, as if they had truly hoped for Jimin to open up and be brave enough to speak. 

They were more than Okay, Jimin found, and he even managed to crack a joke or two, the two boys laughing loudly at what he had said and Jimin felt a smile grow, his cheeks loosing their redness. He suddenly couldn't remember why he had been so scared in the first place. 

During longer breaks, one or more of the boys appeared seemingly out of thin air and when other's came to close, they managed to either scurry them off with a few, well placed words (Yoongi), blind them with their smile (Hoseok), make them die with laughter (Jin), smooth talk them into leaving again (Namjoon) or simply draw away their attention by being stunning and adorable (Taehyung). 

When Jungkook was with him, no one even dared to come close by the way the younger was looking at them, promising a very, very bad end to whoever dared to approach Jimin. He found his protectiveness both adorable and incredibly relieving. He had never felt safer than when the taller was with him, no turning red, no stuttering, not even lowering his gaze when he accidently met someone's stare. Because that was something not even Jungkook could stop. The whispers as they passed. The stares and the turning of heads. He didn't know if he could ever get used to it, but with Jungkook by his side, he almost didn't mind. 

That's why he was all the more glad for the boys spending so much time with him. They had driven him to work both on Monday and Tuesday, spending their time in the diner like it was their new favorite place. And more than once, Jimin had found himself sitting amongst them, Jungkook always by his side while drinking and joking together. 

He was on his way to meet them now for lunch break, the sun once again shining brightly and filling the University grounds with tons of students, lingering in the grass in little groups, the atmosphere bright and loud.

He found them in their usual place next to a large oak tree. They hooted him over the moment they saw him and Jungkook jumped up to hurry over to him before he could even reach where they lounged on the ground. His smile was rivaling the sun's brightness as he shot forward, then stopped himself the last second, a shadow flickering over his features as he glanced around and remembered the mass of people around- looking in their direction like hungry vultures. 

He cleared his throat and took half a step back, the arms which had lifted to hug him falling to his side. 
"Hey," he only let out on a breath and Jimin swallowed thickly before whispering a "Hi," back to him. He knew Jungkook hated to hide and pretend they were nothing more than friends. If it was up to him, he would have announced his claim to Jimin to the entire world already, that he was sure of.

But he knew Jimin was already overwhelmed by everyone's attention. And if they knew how close he and Jungkook really were- there would be no stopping the rumors and the whispers. 
And yet...
He felt bad about making it harder for Jungkook. He had done so much for Jimin, giving him time, not giving up and making him happy. Truly, amazingly happy, which still scared him. 
Not because he thought Jungkook would ever betray him like Seong-Min. Jungkook was not his Ex! And yet- 
Whenever the happiness threatened to make his heart burst, when he started to think about their future and how safe and protected he felt when he was with Jungkook, that fear creeped in. Because he'd felt like that before. Had trusted so completely and never doubted their love and affection for him, blinded by love and happiness. So feeling this happiness also reminded him of the force of the pain and hurt which had made it hard to breath for so long and was still not completely gone. Would never fully disappear.