And The Games Begin

Chapter 36

It takes him twenty minutes on the beach to collect himself, and he's absolutely mortified. Lydia has a permanent expression of fear and worry etched across her face, Dale looks beyond uncomfortable, and all Jimin wants to do is crawl into his bed in paradise and sleep until it's time to go home, whenever that may be.

He gets a knock on the door just before midnight, though, and he knows before he opens it that it's Jungkook.

He's standing there looking defeated as Jimin feels, hair pushed back into a headband, t-shirt stretched out around the neck. His voice cracks when he asks. " Can I come in?"

Jimin nods, standing back to make room, suddenly aware that he's in boxers and Jungkook's fully clothed. He crosses his arms over his chest.

" Jungkook..."

He holds up his hands to stop him.

" Min." He takes a step forward. " I'm like..."

Jimin reaches out and touches Jungkook's hand, light and fleeting, and that's enough invitation for Jungkook to wrap up Jimin in the safest, most careful hug he's ever received.

They stand there, tangled up in each other, for God only knows how long. Their breathing eventually synchronises, Jungkook's hand moving in time against his back to Jimin's heartbeat, and by the time they pull apart, Jimin feels more stable than he has in the past five hours.

He looks up and sees the angry red waterline of Jungkook's eyes, and he hates it. He drags his finger along Jungkook's cheekbone, Jungkook's eyes fluttering closed, and he turns slightly to kiss Jimin's palm.

" Min, I'm sorry."

Jimin shakes his head. " No, you don't get to do that."

" I do, though. I bombarded you and it was obviously something you weren't ready to talk about, and eventually we'll get to why it freaked you out so bad, but I should have listened and stopped. I pushed you. And that wasn't okay."

" Okay, that's fair." He sticks his hands into Jungkook's pockets for no reason other than it makes Jungkook smile, and he does. He leans his head against his chest. " I'm sorry I was such an asshole."

" I'm sorry if I made you feel like I was pitting you against other people, because I am most definitely not. You are your own category, Park."

Jimin smiles into Jungkook's shirt.

" I'm sorry I walked out on you."

" I'm sorry I haven't solved the world hunger yet."

" Is that all your fault now?"

" I'll take the blame, I'm on a roll."

" That's nice of you."

Jungkook hums against the top of his head. " Do you still want to go on our one-to-one tomorrow?"

" Yes, of course."

He breathes out a sigh of relief. " I just want to be with you."

Jimin nods. " That's what I want, too."

" Thank God." He wraps his arms back around Jimin, squeezing tightly, kissing his cheeks. " I really am sorry, Jimin."

" I know. Me too."

Jungkook kisses him before he leaves, thoughtfully and purposefully, and technically nothing had been solved, but they'll get there. Eventually. Jimin watches him walk down the boardwalk and into the beach until he disappears completely into the darkness.

He slips into Jungkook's San Fran sweatpants, the material already thinning in certain, and it's honestly too warm for trousers, but he needs them for comfort. He grabs the bag of M&M's on the coffee table on his way to bed and tosses a blue one in his mouth.