EAT/JIKOOK.

thirty first.

1k reads and #1 in jikook? y'all deserve another update (: also ignore the money thing, i don't know won and it's not worth figuring out

"i'm so bored!" jungkook complained, laying against the length of the couch, jimin sitting on one adjacent to him. "hyung help me."

the elder snickers, scrolling down instagram with his legs crossed, eying the other boy with playfully judging eyes. "get a job, then."

"i'm trying!" jungkook sighs dramatically, flopping back onto the couch. "i applied for space in that studio months ago. i'm still on the waiting list."

it was true. jungkook had applied months ago when he first moved here, in march. it was now approaching the end of august.

"well, we should get you a hobby, then," jimin offered, putting down his phone. "i should too, actually, i do nothing but youtube, instagram and cook, these days."

jungkook hummed, looking at the other upside down. "like what?"

"hm. what do you like?"

"...gardening?"

jimin laughed, making the other blush. "gardening?"

"i'm not kidding!" he whined, flopping an arm over his eyes. "we could start something on our balcony. just flowers or something."

jimin shrugs, considering the idea. "it sounds cute, actually. i don't know if it counts as a hobby, but we could do that, too."

jungkook sat up with a goofy smile, making jimin smile back.

"sounds like a plan!"

this is how the two of them found themselves in an art supplies store an hour later. they had set out for a greenhouse or a florist, but when they saw a huge art store on the way, they decided they couldn't pass up the opportunity.

jimin was scanning for waterproof drawings pads while jungkook was off searching for paints. neither of them had ever been good at painting, but both of them had tried their hand at sketching, and claimed to be good at it.

"hyung! i found a huge kit of watercolour paints," jungkook says triumphantly, holding up a kit. "and it has brushes, too, and three palettes."

"perfect! i found two waterproof drawing pads, and this," jimin held up a childish looking smock. "for you."

jungkook whined, proving jimin's point of him being childish, and tried to grab it away from him. jimin held it far away, but jungkook grabbed it easily. "shorty. you can't keep anything away from me."

now it was jimin's turn to whine. "i'm only a couple inches shorter! you don't have the right to call me short!"

jungkook pinched his side, and they continued bickering childishly as they made their way to the front. there wasn't really anybody else in the store, so they walked right up to the cashier and put their things down.

an elderly man rung up their items, and put them all in two bags while the two boys argued quietly about jimin's short height and jungkook's long arms.

"ahem," the man coughs, making the two of them look up. "that'll be $89.95."

both of them reach for their wallets, and glare at each other.

"i got it, hyung," jungkook says, pushing his arm down gently. "i suggested getting a new hobby."

"you paid for lunch yesterday," jimin counters, pulling out his card. "i got it, alright?"

the cashier coughs again, rolling his eyes. "hurry up, faggots. you're holding up the line."

jimin froze, feeling his whole body go rigid. sexuality was a very touchy topic for him, in the household he grew up in. it definitely had a hand in his body image issues he has now— which he was trying to fix. this old man was not helping.

jungkook, on the other hand, felt as if a fire had been lit under him. his face went hot and he wanted nothing more than to choke slam the man who stared at them with such a bored expression— as if he hadn't just said something that might back track jimin's progress by weeks.

"listen here, you little motherf—" he cuts himself off, breathing deeply when he feels jimin cling to his arm. "i don't know who the hell you think you are, but i need you to know that you and your bigoted ways do nothing except hurt and if you're okay with that, you're a sick man."

jungkook took out nearly exact change as fast as he could and slammed it down on the table, grabbing the bags and jimin's wrist before storming out of the store.

jimin felt as if all form of oxygen had been cut from his lungs, and there was no way for him to catch his breath. his arm stung from jungkook's tight grip and his eyes stung and he hated himself for it but he clawed at jungkook's arm either way because everything was too much.

"j jung- jungk- kook-" he gasped, tugging his arm.

the other turned around with the look of anger still on his face, but it melted away when he saw jimin's state. "oh, hyung, come here," he whispered, dropping the bags at his feet and bringing him near to his chest. "breathe, hyung, i've got you. don't listen to him, that asshole, everything's okay, okay? i'm right here.." he rubs his back, feeling the boy tremble. his heart ached with guilt and anger, but he focused on his hyung who clung to him with so much desperation. "breathe with me."

jimin just breathes in his scent, letting himself melt into the touch. they had a lot to talk about, but for now, hugs were fine.

// love u