Black and Blue | ym.

8| Bouquet

Yoongi's house was a fifteen-minute drive away from the diner. During that time, few words were passed between the driver and the passenger. It was a comfortable silence; or would have been if it weren't for the pain that ached all over Jimin's body.

The pain did not go away when they arrived, when the car's engine cut off, when Jimin's door was opened, or when he was hauled out of his seat. It did not go away when he was carried up a flight of stairs, gingerly placed on a bed, or gently tucked in.

"Jimin." It was the fourth time Yoongi had called his name, the first time Jimin heard it.

"Yeah?"

"Do you need anything?"

"No."

"Can I check you?"

Jimin forced his eyes open. Jin normally checked him, sometimes Namjoon. But seeing as they weren't available, it was sensible to have Yoongi do it this time. Yet Jimin wanted to refuse. Yoongi had never checked him before, never seen the injuries first hand. Yoongi didn't know.

Yoongi didn't know.

Jimin had to keep it that way.

"No."

"Why not? I know Jin normally does it but he's not here. We need to just make sure everything's okay, right? It'll be okay."

Weakly, using neck muscles that could hardly contract, Jimin turned his head toward Yoongi.

"Hyung, how much has Jin told you?"

"About what?" Yoongi raised a confused eyebrow.

"About my injuries. Where they come from, how bad they are. What's he said?"

Yoongi sighed, sitting on the edge of the bed. The mattress dipped around him, accommodating his weight.

"I know they come from your father. I don't know how bad they are."

With a creased forehead, worry swimming in his eyes, the elder searched Jimin's face.

"Wait for Jin."

"Jimin." A hand landed on said boy's shoulder- a reassuring, persuasive hand. "Please let me do it this time. We don't know how long it will be until Jin gets here."

A pause. A begrudging sigh.

"Fine."

Yoongi smiled slightly, glad to be trusted. Knowing the boy needed help, he slid an arm under the back of Jimin's neck, sitting him upright, watching him flinch.

The check went head-to-toe. At the beginning was Jimin's scalp. Pink hair had to be parted and searched thoroughly, looking for bruises and knots on Jimin's crown. There were very few, none to be suspected as concussions.

"Do any of these bruises hurt badly?"

"No... but Yoongi?"

"Yeah?"

"W-when Jinnie finds an injury, h-he usually k-kisses it better."

Yoongi smiled. He swore that the more time he spent with Jimin the fonder he grew of the boy.

A gentle peck was laid on the back of the younger's head.

Next, his face. The makeup Jimin had tried to use to cover his black eye was not working at all, just adding a light tint to the bruise, perhaps making it look less inflamed. Gentle fingers ran over the soft skin there, examining it. The white of that eye was red as well, veins threatening to burst.

"Can you see out of his eye?" He asked quietly.

"Yeah, enough." Yoongi frowned. But he figured it would heal as long as Jimin still had his vision.

He kissed Jimin's closed eyelid, soft as he could, smiling softly when Jimin opened his eye again. Jimin smiled back. 

His ears were fine, which was good.

His nose wasn't broken, which was also good. It was sprained, though, so Yoongi laid a soft peck there.

Jimin shivered. This whole time, Yoongi's kisses had been... different. Jin had always shown tender love and care, which was exactly what Yoongi was doing. But, of course, Yoongi's affection felt different. Jimin knew why. He tried to deny it, but he knew why.

"Looks like your lip is split." Yoongi murmured, running a finger underneath Jimin's bottom lip, just above his chin.

"Is it?"

Yoongi looked into his eyes, placed a finger under his chin, and leaned in. Jimin's cheeks had gone up in flames before their lips even made contact. It was a quick, simple peck. And that was how Jimin's first kiss was stolen.

Pretending not to notice Jimin's obvious blush, the elder examined Jimin's neck. It was bruised, and a few pecks were laid there.

"I need to take off your sweater, okay?"

Jimin's eyes widened.

"What?"

"I need to check your torso, don't I?"

"W-well, yeah, but I-"

"It's okay, Jimin," Yoongi took the boy's hand, holding it in his own, making eye contact. "I promise, everything's gonna be okay."

Jimin could only nod. The sweater came off, discarded beside them on the bed, a lump of pastel blue.

Yoongi suppressed a gasp.

Jimin's torso might as well have been a bouquet of flowers. Blue, purple, pink, yellow, a little green. Old and new bruises alike littered his skin. Jimin looked away, out the window, at the sky. The beautiful sky, the beholder of stars, home of sunlight and clouds and flying creatures. It was comforting to look at something prettier than himself.

"I guess I'd better start kissing, yeah?"

Jimin looked back at Yoongi, almost giggling.

"I guess so."