lux ✧ minjoon

5. dusk

Lying on the sofa with my eyes closed, I didn't want to see it this way,
everything eating everything in the end.
We know how the light works,
we know where the sound is coming from.
Verse. Chorus. Verse.
I'm sorry. We know how it works. The world is no longer mysterious.

- Richard Siken

-

after 'drunk guy from the bar' suffered a blow to the windpipe by namjoon, they had finished their walk to the apartments. it was slightly windy, the temperature dropping in preparation for a storm that evening. jimin had been a tad bit chilly, the older man tucking him into his side to keep him from freezing. the rest of the walk was pleasant and namjoon's hands were warm so it was easy to forget the harsh words that had been spat at him. 

that morning, the brunette came up for breakfast, sitting at the island as he watched jimin pull out leftover takeout. namjoon said he didn't mind eating cold noodles but promised to take jimin grocery shopping afterward, peeking his head into his empty fridge.  the blonde couldn't help but smile as the older man rambled about a book that he had recently read, some deep philosophy stuff that would take jimin years to understand. but he listened anyway, he liked the way namjoon's voice sounded when he talked about his passions, and the sincerity laced in his words. 

the man from the 4th floor wore a red dad hat that faced backwards over his brown hair, along with a pair of grey joggers that made jimin blush a pretty pink. he slurped his noodles, making loud noises all the while and the other man couldn't believe how intimidating he had been the previous night. they both finished the leftovers lazily, looking out of the glass doors that opened to jimin's balcony. watching the wind ruffle the leaves of trees across from them, flowers in pots on the landing swaying with the breeze. 

namjoon turned back, looking at the blonde inquisitively, "what's your favorite flower, jimin?"

"water lilies." he hummed, "the white ones are my favorite. i like the way the float on water, it's really pretty." 

"i think they're pretty too." the older man gave him a small smile, "and the white ones symbolize peace and purity." 

"what's yours?" jimin asked, swinging his legs back and forth where they hung lazily from the stool. 

"rhododendrons." 

"and what do they symbolize?" the blonde tilted his head, as a flash of emotion passed over namjoon's face, leaving as quickly as it came. 

"they're used kind of like a caution sign," he said slowly, "they symbolize danger." 

"rhododendrons are really pretty too." jimin murmured, taking a sip from his mug. 

"they're supposed to be." 

＊

"you really don't have to do this!" jimin protested, following behind namjoon like a lost puppy, watching him roll the cart down the aisle. 

"the only thing you have in your fridge is eggs." the brunette deadpanned, "i really don't mind driving you and we're already here so start shopping." 

he let out a small smile and reached a hand out for two jumbo bags of white cheddar popcorn, getting an eyebrow raise from the other man. 

"i need something to snack on while i binge watch maury." he explained, setting it down in the cart with a soft laugh. namjoon's husky chuckle followed and his smile only got wider, it was all so domestic, going grocery shopping with the taller man.