EAT/JIKOOK.

twenty seventh.

jungkook usually woke up at around nine thirty in the morning, about half an hour after his hyung— meaning breakfast was usually ready. but that day, he didn't wake up until half an hour after noon.

this was a result of jungkook staying awake into the early hours of that day, not doing much of anything besides thinking.

thinking of what, you might ask? well, it had been ten months since he had last been in a relationship, but he definitely recognized the feelings that swirled in his stomach. the jittery nerves, quick heartbeat and plain happiness around his hyung was enough for him to realize his feelings. he decided to talk to jimin a bit, to try and figure out his next step. if jimin wasn't interested in a relationship, than jungkook needed to be quick to get rid of his childish crush before his feelings developed into something more.

***

"pancakes!"

jungkook exclaimed excitedly, clapping his hands together and sitting down at the table. apparently, jimin had prepared the batter hours ago, at jungkooks usual wake-up time. but he gladly cooked the pancakes as soon as the younger had woken up.

jungkook truly was lucky. he literally had a professional chef who offered to cook for him every day. the pancakes were truly fluffy and round, and soft but not raw and runny. the elder had taken the liberty of slicing up strawberries and bananas, sprinkling sugar over the stack of three fluffy pancakes along with chocolate chips. it looked like something straight out of a restaurant.

"this is my thank you for being so kind last night." jimin smiled, sitting next to the younger. jungkook saw him subtly eyeing the food, and he realized that jimin had made two stacks of three pancakes on two different plates, but both were for jungkook. naturally, he would offer jimin his own plate, right? but after living with him for so long he had noticed...patterns.

jungkook picked up on the fact that usually, jimin would eat something when he was alone. any day that he wasn't home, he'd usually come back to see that jimin was eating. not necessarily a full plate, but still something. this showed that he was probably ashamed to eat in front of others, because he thought he was overweight and he thought people might judge him. but if he had a bite here and there, he didn't mind as much (usually).

the second thing he'd picked up about jimin was his slightly childish behaviour. he wasn't at all calling his personality or eating patterns childish, just his love to feel taken care of. jimin was always quick to put everybody else's needs before his own, so the idea that somebody would do that for him made him happy. that's why if somebody he held close to his heart prepared food or fed him, he'd usually accept it in the end. or last night, when jungkook had expressed his love and worry, jimin was practically giddy.

so jungkook didn't offer jimin the second plate. instead, he picked up a second fork and scooped up some of his pancake and a strawberry onto it, and held it up to jimin's lips.

"aaahh..." jungkook smiled as jimin giggled before accepting the bite. his eyes crinkled at the corners as he chewed, not saying anything. there wasn't much to be said except for thank you, but jimin's happy smile said that perfectly.

***

"heya, kook!"

hoseok smiled at the sight of jungkook, opening the door to his apartment wider to make room for the younger to walk in.

"hi, hyung." jungkook stepped in, accepting a quick hug and offering a smile of his own. "is yoongi hyung home?"

hoseok shook his head, laughing at jungkook's relieved reaction. "he doesn't bite, you know."

"no, no," jungkook chuckled and shook his head, following his hyung into the living room. "i wanted to talk to you about something," he said, as they sat down.

"ask away," hoseok nodded.

"i, um..." the younger was sort of confused. he felt all of these different things toward jimin but he wasn't sure how to put them into words. "i think i...have a crush?"

"oh!" hoseok's eyes practically lit up as he clapped his hands together and grinned. "really? oh is it—"

"no," jungkook covered his mouth with his hand quickly. "no guessing, at least not yet, okay? you'll definitely figure it out but still, don't say names yet."

the older man nodddd in understanding, watching the younger intently as he began.

"well..he has some issues when it comes to self esteem. pretty bad ones, actually. and i mean, i'd love to be there for this person at all times but what if i can't, you know, help them?" jungkook took a breath, frowning at the thoughts. "then maybe i should push my feelings away, yeah?"

hoseok's leaned against the couch more comfortably, thinking. it was clear that his fake prediction had come true and jungkook was crushing on jimin. although the points that jungkook brought up were saddening (for somebody's self esteem to be so low, it would affect their life as well as their relationships and other's), he was proud. the once extremely naive boy he had been friends with had clearly grown up. if he had been childish, jungkook wouldn't have considered any of this at all and both boys would've ended up hurt.

a relationship would be good for jimin, hoseok thought, boring his lip. his dongsaeng often only ate because he was asked, and so he might eat more often than he normally would.

and who better for a relationship? jungkook was clearly responsible, and the younger would definitely understand if jimin wasn't very good at having a relationship at first.

but then again, jungkook had described it as a crush, nothing more. so maybe it was too early.

"i think..." hoseok spoke up, "to let your feelings develop more. if they deepen then i think ask him out. but until then.. be there for him the way you would be there if he was your boyfriend. emotionally and physically."

jungkook nodded and smiled to himself, hugging hoseok tightly. "thank you, hyung."

hoseok chuckled and hugged him back. "anything for you two to be happy."