Jumin Week 2020

day 2 - strawberries, cherries, and an angel's kiss in spring

the prompt for today was 'bitter wine / sweet wine!'

enjoy! <3

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"Pinot Noir."

Even when no one else was in the room, even when he brought out an entire bottle to drink on his own, he found himself saying the name aloud. Maybe part of him hoped that one day there would be someone to share that time with him, someone who would sit with him in silence as he let the wine soothe his anxious mind, someone to appreciate the way he spoke the foreign words effortlessly.

Jumin never expected a day like that to actually arrive.

As he poured the red liquid expertly into her cup, the warmth of his hand left an imprint on the darkened glass. He watched her eyes, the name of the drink he'd ordered waiting just behind his lips. But the way she looked at him made him feel like there was no need for him to recite the delicate French printed on the label. It was as if her gentle eyes could see through him completely, so what need did he have to impress her? And seeing her sitting at the other end of his dining table soothed his soul in a way he'd never felt before.

He raised the glass to his mouth, meeting her soft gaze with his own as he allowed himself to sample the wine he'd chosen.

Jumin greatly preferred dry wine to sweet wine. He always had.

Those who knew him were aware that when he felt stressed, a flute of wine always appeared in his hand. Nothing could settle his mind like wine, so he relied heavily on it.

The harsh bitterness afforded by the excess of tannins dried out his mouth, but that was what he liked most about it. It left him with a clean feeling, like his mind had been wiped and he could start again.

But as he sat across from her, letting the rich, bitter tastes slip over his tongue, he wondered if any of his anxieties about her could truly be quenched by any drink. A part of him wanted to lock every door possible and never let her leave. He knew that thought was a rising tide in him and one that threatened to drown him, and so he fought against it relentlessly. He had finally found an ounce of solace, and he knew if he let her leave at that moment, he would fall apart completely. But she wasn't his pet, and he couldn't control everything about her. He knew deep down he didn't want to. So he was careful. Or, he tried to be.

He observed as she lifted the glass to her lips, her eyes widening at the taste. He remembered that she'd revealed to him that she preferred sweeter wines. He wondered if he wouldn't be able to change her mind with time, not finding much enjoyment or many uses for something so sickly sweet.

Most of the sweeter wines he'd tasted had been at unbearably uncomfortable dinners with his father's various girlfriends. The Chairman had always allowed the woman to choose a drink to suit her liking, and it was always too sweet for Jumin's palate. So he avoided similar wines, being careful not to bring back the memories associated with them.

"How does it taste?" he finally asked her, watching her lips purse in thought, or perhaps from distaste.

"Bitter," was the answer that passed her velvet lips, and he wondered how she could make something so disappointing to his mind sound so beautiful to his ears.

"But I like it," she continued, lifting the glass to her lips for another taste. He couldn't help the smile that pressed into his cheeks, a small laugh leaving his nose in a short puff of air.

He knew it was just wine, but he wanted to believe that she was taking a step forward in accepting all that he was by being able to stomach something so bitter. Something so tangled.

Jumin had begun to unravel the threads in his heart, with her help, and it left him feeling like the door to his heart had been opened. She was stepping into his life and his soul so lovingly, so willingly, but he didn't expect her to begin to add her own strings as she began to help organize his.

"Can I choose the wine tonight?" was the question he'd tried not to anticipate with any level of anxiety, but as he met her eyes -- her wide, excited eyes with candlelight reflected so beautifully in them -- the smile he gave her in return wasn't as sincere as he wanted it to be.

"Of course, princess," was his gentle reply, the twinkle in her eyes almost completely making up for the unpleasant memories that burst into the forefront of his mind like wildfire.

When the bottle arrived, he watched her run a small thumb across the label before turning it towards him. He felt his eyebrows raise at her choice, about to comment when she began to speak.

"I know you like French wine," she spoke softly, her gaze flicking back to the printed words as his heart warmed at her consideration for him.

"Les Vignerons de Maury Grenat Récolte," she read flawlessly, making his jaw slacken ever so slightly. She lifted her eyes to his once more, a soft flush brushing over her cheeks.

"I think you'll like it, even though it's sweet." Her gentle, caring words settled against his heart, making it race as she handed him the bottle. He opened it methodically, listening to her slightly heightened breathing. Sparing a glance at her, he pulled the cork from the bottle and let the soft scent of blackberry waft into the air. The smile that graced her lips was worth the trouble, even if he was dreading the memories that would rush back in with every sip.

He poured their drinks in warm silence, a bed of chocolate-covered strawberries waiting for them as they clinked their glasses together gently.

Jumin felt her eyes on him as he sampled the drink, a persistent heat beginning to settle just underneath his skin. She always had that effect on him.

He'd had low expectations for such a sweet wine, but as he let the flavors evolve on his tongue, he couldn't deny that it was satisfying. There was a perfect amount of acidity to balance out the notes of cherry that complimented the rich, red hue of the wine.

He let his eyes drift back to her as he formed a response to the question that rested on her lips, lips that had been slightly reddened from the sip of wine she'd taken. She was waiting in bated anticipation, her long lashes brushing her skin as she slowly blinked up at him.

His heart palpitated against his ribs at the sight of her, but he wanted to be objective and give her an honest answer. The remnants of flavor from his first sip still lingered against his lips as he thought, his eyes falling closed so that he could focus.

Maybe it was the better company, maybe it was the candlelit setting, or maybe it was the way he felt her eyes gazing into him even as he formed an answer to her unspoken question. As he continued to think, he couldn't help but feel like the wine reflected her nature perfectly: a delicate balance of sweetness and tang, leaving a pleasant taste in his mouth.

Maybe it had been childish of him, but he'd never wanted to enjoy a sweet wine again before that moment. But in the presence of her -- all her complexities, her flaws, her smiles, her love for him -- he couldn't deny that it was indeed delicious. Nothing in him wanted to deny it, not anymore.

He blinked his eyes open, seeing her waiting for him patiently and with the beginnings of a smile. Her whole presence was bathed in candlelight, and he was certain he'd never seen anything more beautiful. He was hopelessly lost in the delicate and complicated beauty that she embodied. 

He searched her curious eyes, letting a chuckle pass his lips. He'd become reborn in front of her, and the sweet wine he let swirl in his glass was an undeniable testimony of that.

"Thank you," was all he could say, feeling all at once overwhelmed by his love for her. But she didn't need anymore than that, both of their hearts open fully to each other.

And as she leaned forward to press a chaste kiss to his lips, he realized that he'd already become accustomed to a delicate sweetness that belonged solely to her.

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aaah thank you so much for reading! I think I've been working on this piece slowly for over a month now, and I think I'm really proud of it! I want to keep getting better at writing, especially at writing Jumin!

also, could you tell that I know nothing about wine lol

thank you again!

mel x