𝐎𝐍 𝐘𝐎𝐔𝐑 𝐊𝐍𝐄𝐄𝐒 || JINKOOK FF

[10]

“Have you always been in New York?”

Seokjin pauses, sucks his bottom lip into his mouth a moment. “No. I was born in Japan, but I went to Detroit for...for school. I went to university there. Then afterward, I just didn't have a good job lined up and I wanted to stay in the U.S . I decided to try to stay in New York, as Yoongi had already moved here the year before. Taehyung was my roommate in Detroit, so we thought we'd move together, thought it would be easier to make a life here if we were a team”

Jungkook thinks. “So, how old are you now, if that's okay?”

“I’ll be twenty-eight this winter”. He laughs ruefully. “I can't believe I'm telling you all this”.

Aha. Jungkook was right that most people didn't ask him about himself. “I find you fascinating, Seokjin. I want to know all about you. What you like, what you do. How can I please you”.

Seokjin’s eyes flash up to his again. “Oh, I'll teach you that, don't worry”.

“I can imagine you will”. Jungkook smiles and he knows it's his most charming smile, the one he deploys to get what he wants, and it usually works. “Tell me, when do I get to see all of the other interesting toys in that cabinet? When will you show me your favourite?”  Jungkook leans forward and puts his hand on Seokjin’s knee and tries to look as seductive as possible, even going so far as to let the sleeve of his robe slip off his shoulder.

Seokjin lifts a single eyebrow, and Jungkook knows right then that sweet- talking him will be even more difficult than he'd imagined.

“Oh no you don't, mister. Playtime is over for tonight”. Jungkook pouts and Seokjin affectionately pushes his hair back away from his face. “But seriously, are you feeling okay? Not jittery, or feeling nauseous or dizzy?”

Jungkook starts to answer but decides to give the question his full attention. “My knees are a bit stiff, yes. But that's sort of my own fault”.

Seokjin tenses. “Yes, I noticed your scar. I should have checked in earlier. Should we minimize the kneeling from now on? Are you still feeling sore?” He slides off the sofa and , after a questioning look and Jungkook’s affirmative nod, pulls Jungkook’s leg towards him, expertly feeling around the tendons and bones of Jungkook’s knee, prodding and massaging the muscles that keep him stable. It's strangely familiar and soothing.

“It’s just an old injury, from back when I skated, professionally I mean”, Jungkook says. “With Jimin, that's how we met”. Seokjin just hums and nods and continues to work on Jungkook’s knee. “You’re not a doctor, are you?” Jungkook asks.

Seokjin laughs. “Oh no. An app developer. I just know how knees can get, that's all. I've done this a long time”. He finishes rubbing the stiffness from Jungkook’s lower quad, his knee, and his calf,and stands.

“Here, it's time you get dressed”, he says and brings Jungkook back to the stool where his clothes are. He shakes them out then helps Jungkook step into his pants. Jungkook puts a hand on his shoulder to help himself balance as Seokjin crouches in front of him.

“Again, Seokjin, I can—”

“I’ve found”, he says, as he pulls Jungkook’s pants up and button them, “that the act of aftercare, of service, can help ground people back into the real world. It gives you a feeling of control over me that brings balance to our relationship”. He helps Jungkook get his T-Shirt on over his head and arms, and smooths it over his chest.

“There. You're on your own with socks and shoes, though”, he says and winks before walking away to pick up and slip on his own pants. Jungkook shakes his head, fond, and finishes up, puts his wallet and phone in his pocket and stands up. Seokjin waits a few feet away, watching.

“Would you like to continue our arrangement?” he asks softly.

Can he really not know? “Of course I would”.

Seokjin rubs his palm over his t-shirt. “Next Friday at seven still okay, then?”

Jungkook can feel anticipation start to bubble up already, and he hasn't even left. “Of course. Not one minute later than”.

Seokjin smiles, and then to Jungkook’s utter shock, steps forward and wraps his muscular arm around Jungkook’s waist and folds him into a hug. “That makes me so happy to hear”, he says. “I’ll look forward to it”.

Jungkook wraps his arms around Seokjin’s wide shoulders, he's so broad and almost completely envelope Jungkook. He's just a few centimetres taller than Jungkook yet weild so much power over Jungkook’s heart already. “Me , too, Seokjin. Me, too”.

*****

Jungkook leans against the cab door and watches the building of Manhattan flash by, bright and colorful in the dark. The city still feels overwhelming, even after living in St. Petersburg his entire life, even after traveling all over the world for skating. He and Jimin will only be here a short three months, just over the summer, and Jungkook isn't sure it will feel comfortable even by then.

Meeting Seokjin, though. That's given him the strangest of footholds. A six foot tall bundle of contradictions; hair dark and slicked back from his face when he's working a scene, soft and touseled when he's not; commanding and fierce and undeniably sexual and at turns soft and vulnerable and strangely sweet.

Jungkook doesn't know what to make of him, but he wants to know everything.

He nods to the doorman of their sublet apartment and heads upstairs. He's got to take a shower and clean up properly, maybe find a drink and reflect on the day. Hopefully his experience will process down into a good writing session tomorrow. He fits the key into the lock, and as soon as the door opens, a hand shoots out and drags him inside.

“I don't care what sort of come-covered mess you are, you're going to sit your ass down and tell me every single thing”, Jimin says and pulls Jungkook through the loft to the front room.

“Hey, he cleaned up”, Jungkook says, so startled he can't really think of anything else to say.

Jimin slaps both hands over his mouth. “Oh my God, I was just kidding. I didn't think he'd actually do it that soon”.