72. Butterflies Like Flowers pt. 6

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By: @serendipityswan

"Please Jungkook!"

"Hyung," Jungkook sighs, his resolve quickly thinning. Not like he had much when it came to Jimin, but he had to challenge this particular request at least a little.

"What's the problem with letting me choose your outfit for the party?" Jimin questions with a pout.

"Cause you're going to put me in something uncomfortable."

"Uncomfortable how?"

"Probably tight and exposing."

"Exposing?" Jimin laughs. "Do you think I'll have you go shirtless or something?"

"Maybe," Jungkook pouts, knowing he's being a little ridiculous. But he has good reasoning.

"I just think you should show off your tattoos a little," Jimin replies with a simple shrug. "Especially the ones you drew yourself."

"You haven't even seen those."

"I did briefly when you left the bathroom shirtless that first time."

"Hyung," Jungkook groans, making Jimin laugh brightly.

"Okay okay. Will you let me dress you if I promise to not choose anything too tight or exposing?" Jimin offers.

"Fine," Jungkook sighs. He was about to break anyway so at least he gets a better deal than the original.

"Yay!" Jimin cheers, jumping off the couch and pulling Jungkook up with him and tugging him along to the younger's bedroom.

"I'm gonna regret this," Jungkook murmurs, biting back his smile at seeing the elder so enthusiastic.

"No you won't. You're going to look hot and thank me."

"H-Hot?"

"Sit there," Jimin instructs, ignoring Jungkook's questioning tone entirely to raid his closet. Jungkook does so, now feeling nervous. He fiddles with his fingers as he waits for Jimin to make his choices.

"Here," Jimin says, tossing a pair of skinny jeans and a black t-shirt at the younger who barely catches the clothing before it hits him in the face.

"Okay," Jungkook replies suspiciously. It's so simple and not what he anticipated the elder would choose. He knows there are some other more interesting pieces of clothing in his wardrobe, but keeps his mouth shut.

"Ooh perfect," Jimin says, capturing Jungkook's attention again. The elder grins brightly as he pulls out a leather jacket that Taehyung vehemently insisted Jungkook pack. "How have you not work this yet?"

"I don't know," Jungkook mumbles self consciously.

"Well you're wearing it tonight!" Jimin declares, handing it over to the younger. "Now for your hair."

"My hair?! You just said outfit!"

"It's the whole look, Kookie. Just trust me," Jimin explains. "I won't do anything crazy."

"Fine," Jungkook surrenders, too far gone in this to stop Jimin who has clearly made up his mind.

Jimin smiles brightly and pulls Jungkook to the bathroom, making him sit on the toilet to style his hair and even putting on a little bit of makeup.

"Stop fidgeting," Jimin says, noting how Jungkook's knee bounces with his nervous energy. "You look great."

"I believe you."

"Then why are you so restless?"

"Because I don't like attention and I feel like I'm going to get attention."

"Would you like me to steal the attention from you then?" Jimin asks playfully.

"Yes," Jungkook answers honestly.

"Noted. If that is the case I should get ready then," Jimin declares, turning to leave the bathroom and get dressed himself. With a deep breath, Jungkook stands and faces the mirror to take in his appearance. His black locks have grown out over the last few months and Jimin has swooped his hair off his forehead and to the side with a few strands hanging down. He can barely see the makeup Jimin did, keeping it subtle with just a touch of warm eyeshadow and evened out his skin tone. He looks good, but that knowledge doesn't ease his feelings.

"Are you still admiring my handiwork?" Jimin asks from the doorway, holding an unidentifiable outfit in his hand to change into.

"Yeah uh sorry," Jungkook replies, moving to leave but Jimin doesn't step aside.

"I hope you know that you look good because of you, and not because of what I've done."

"Is that supposed to make me feel more confident? Cause I just feel more embarrassed," Jungkook admits.

"You're so cute sometimes," Jimin says, stepping into the bathroom as Jungkook flushes furiously and flees to the safety of anywhere Jimin isn't.

It's nearly forty minutes later, with Jungkook having calmed back down, when Jimin comes out again ready to leave.

"Ready?" Jimin asks.

"Yeah let's -" Jungkook starts, cutting himself off when he sees Jimin for the first time.

Jimin's outfit is best described as devastatingly hot. His skinny jeans are a shiny black denim that hugs his thighs, a white Gucci t-shirt tucked into them, and a black leather bomber jacket with green and red stone designs on the shoulders over top. His hair is simply parted to expose his forehead and a pink-toned smokey eye completes the look.

"You good?" Jimin teases, seeing Jungkook frozen speechless and openly ogling him.

"Fuck hyung. You really are trying to steal all the attention."

"And it must be working," Jimin laughs. "Come on we'll be late and the hyungs we'll leave without us."

The circuitry in Jungkook's brain barely gets it's shit together as they leave their apartment. Yoongi and Hoseok are exiting their own apartment then too and are quick to point out their attire.

"Damn Jiminie!" Hoseok calls up the haul. "You looking so fucking good!"

"Thanks," Jimin replies with a sweet smile.

"You gave Kookie a makeover," Yoongi points out playfully.

"He didn't need a makeover," Jimin defends. "Just some jeans and exposed forehead."

"You look like you could kick someone's ass," Hoseok says to Jungkook.

"Can we go back to complimenting Jimin," Jungkook murmurs, causing the other three to chuckle.

"Come on we have a train to catch," Yoongi decides instead, turning to lead the way for the other three.

"Where are we going anyway?" Jimin asks.

"My friend Namjoon's place."

"He lives in the Upper West Side," Hoseok adds.

"Really? Isn't that expensive?"

"Everywhere in New York is expensive. But yes, his place isn't cheap," Yoongi explains.

"Perks of a supermodel boyfriend," Hoseok says nonchalantly.

"And the fact he is a hot, young engineer who was so smart he graduated early and got a fucking amazing job right out of school."

"Wow," Jimin says.

The rest of their trip to the Upper West Side was spent with casual chit chat, mostly between the eldest three. Jungkook tried to pay attention but he was too aware of all the eyes on him and even more aware of the eyes on Jimin. It gave him mixed feelings, but every time Jimin spared him a glance and a smile, his worries eased for just a moment.

If Jungkook's attire made him self-conscious, the apartment complex they walked into made him feel painfully out of place. It was clearly a place for people with money, and four college kids entering did not fit the vibe at all.

One elevator ride later and they step out to the sound of muffled music from down the hall indicating their final location. They followed the music and Yoongi let himself in as the others followed. The place was full of people mingling and drinking, some dancing near the sound system blasting some sort of EDM.

"Ah Yoongi-ah!" a man calls.

"Jin-hyung," Yoongi replies, accepting the man's hug. The man is slightly taller than Yoongi and much broader, warm brunette hair coiffed nicely and dressed in all white. Jungkook feels it is safe to assume that this man is a model, if not the supermodel boyfriend. "Where's Namjoon?"

"Over there talking to your rapper friends," the man explains. "You brought a whole crew."

"Yeah. You already know Hoseok though."

"Hi hyung," Hoseok says brightly before stepping aside to reveal the other two. "This is Jimin and Jungkook."

"Seokjin," the man introduces. "You have probably seen me on a billboard somewhere."

"So you're the supermodel boyfriend?" Jimin asks.

"Ah you've heard of me," Seokjin replies, jokingly preening at the remark. "Yes I am the partner to the ridiculously smart and incredibly handsome Kim Namjoon."

"Uh oh you're talking about me."

A new man with a dimpled smile and golden skin steps up, draping an arm around Seokjin while looking at the newcomers.

"Hey Joon-ah," Yoongi says.

"Hi guys. These the friends you mentioned?" Yoongi nods, so Namjoon turns his attention back to Jimin and Jungkook.

"I'm Namjoon which you have probably gathered already. Come in, get a drink, have fun, whatever."

With that the group disperses with Yoongi following Namjoon to the group he was with before and Hoseok laughing at some story Seokjin has descended into. Jimin takes Jungkook by the wrist and pulls him along towards the kitchen, presumably for a drink.

A wide area of drinks are available and Jimin snags two shots and hands one to Jungkook. "To looking hot in a party full of models!"

"Hyung!" Jungkook complains, making Jimin laugh brightly.

"Cheers Jungkookie," Jimin says, clinking the shot glasses together before downing his with Jungkook doing the same after. They acquire other drinks and head back out to the main party, with Hoseok swooping Jimin away to meet some professional dancers so Jungkook nervously joins Yoongi and Namjoon as they talk to two other guys.

"You already lost Jimin?" Yoongi asks, swigging from his bottle.

"He's with Hobi. Something about dancers."

"Is Jimin the pink haired one?" Namjoon asks, the other two guys wandering off. "Also known as the one everyone is staring at?"

"Only when they aren't staring at our Jungkookie," Yoongi teases, laughing when Jungkook glares at him.

"You're not one for attention, are you?" Namjoon theorizes.

"Don't tell me you're also unfairly perceptive," Jungkook says.

"No. He's even worse," Yoongi says, making the youngest groan.

"Please for one night can we leave me alone?" Jungkook pleads.

"Hyung, have you been tormenting the poor boy?" Namjoon asks Yoongi with an amused expression.

"He makes it so easy. Tell him to stop secretly crushing on his roommate and I'll stop teasing him about it."

"And the roommate is Jimin," Namjoon hypothesizes, much to Jungkook's agony.

"Told you he was smart," Yoongi says, securing another glare from the youngest. "Don't give me that look. You're the one being stubborn and not just telling him how you feel."

"Please spare me tonight. Let's talk about anything else," Jungkook pleads.

"So what do you study?" Namjoon asks, saving Jungkook as desired.

The conversation thankfully moves away from Jimin, going from Jungkook's studies to how Namjoon and Yoongi both know rappers, thus revealing how they are both underground rappers to Jungkook's honest surprise. Jungkook found Namjoon very easy to talk to which was another surprise seeing as he was described as a hot, young genius engineer. And he was that, but also just a chill guy who likes plants and rap. Hoseok joins them a little later, starting an onslaught of Yoongi teasing that Jungkook admittedly found highly entertaining.

"Hey where's Jimin?" Jungkook asks after a while, looking around and not seeing the pink-haired man anywhere.

"He was talking to some dancers from some company when I left him," Hoseok answers.

"That was like thirty minutes ago," Jungkook points out, his nervousness creeping up.

"He's probably still there. Don't worry about it," Hoseok says with a shrug, his lack of sobriety starting to show.

"What happened to not wanting to talk about him?" Yoongi teases, also less than sober after a few drinks. Jungkook had only had the shot and one drink that had basically run its course, so he was the last sober standing.

"I'll be right back," he murmurs, but the other three had already continued on with their conversation.

Jungkook wandered the apartment and couldn't find Jimin amongst any groups of people in the common areas, which just made his anxiety spike. Jimin, being sociable and friendly, would more than likely be where most of the people are. But he isn't and that just makes Jungkook worry.

He spots a door heading out to what seems to be a balcony so he goes for that, the cold November air hitting him hard in the face as the wind whips around. The weather is what is keeping the party inside, but an unmistakable voice rings out through the silence.

"Jungkook!" Jimin calls, causing Jungkook to whip his head around towards it. Jimin is standing with his back at the railing as another guy that is bigger than him in almost every way stands way too close for Jungkook's liking. And based on the way Jimin's smile doesn't reach his eyes, instead a subtle pleading stare, the elder must not like it either.

"Jimin," Jungkook says, not loud enough to get through the wind so he hurries over, eyes glued to Jimin. Once at his side, he sees a little relief but also clear drunkenness swirling in his eyes. "Are you okay?"

"Can we go?" Jimin asks quietly and in Korean, unlike the usual English he speaks with when others they don't know are around. If that wasn't a telltale sign of something could have gone wrong, Jungkook doesn't know what is. So he nods and wraps an arm around Jimin's shoulders to lead him away, but the man just steps closer.

"Excuse me, we were having a conversation," the man says in English. There is something about this guy's stare that makes Jungkook's skin crawl and his fight or flight kicks in immediately.

"And we are leaving," Jungkook answers, making to walk away again until the man steps in front of him.

"Why don't you go find your own pretty thing?" he says, voice way too even for his obvious intentions. Jungkook's first instinct is to protect Jimin, moving so the elder is standing behind him. He can feel Jimin grip his jacket for security and that just fuels Jungkook's response.

"Why don't you just fuck off? He wants to come with me, so deal with it," Jungkook responds, hoping he looks at least a little intimidating. The man narrows his eyes as he eyes the younger, sizing him in a way that would usually make Jungkook want to cower. But he stands strong, narrowing his own gaze.

This other man is bigger than Jimin, but he is equal in stature with Jungkook. As the latter eyes him, he can tell this guy is a dancer from his muscle structure. But Jungkook is far from weak so if this has to get physical he can handle it, but hopefully it doesn't come to that.

"Fucking gooks," the man spits vehemently. Jungkook is about to properly get in this guy's face but Jimin tugs at his jacket, his way of holding him back. So all Jungkook does is glare as the man scoffs and finally leaves, not moving until the guy is completely gone and then quickly turning to face Jimin.

"Hyung. Hyung, are you okay?" Jungkook asks gently, returning to Korean.

"I'm fine," Jimin exhales, as if he was holding his breath. "Just a little freaked out."

"It's okay. I'm here," Jungkook assures. "Do you still want to leave?"

Jimin nods, so Jungkook offers his arm for the elder to hold as they make their way off the balcony and back inside. The loud music hits and makes Jungkook's head pound as they weave through the drunks to get out.

"Should we tell the hyungs?" Jimin asks, raising his voice to be heard.

"We can just text them. Come on."

Thankfully no one else stops them on their way out and they make it out of the apartment and down stairs, the silence in the lobby deafening in it's own way. Jungkook expects Jimin to release his arm now that they are out of the building, but the elder doesn't and actually holds on tighter now that they are out in the cold again.

"Hey," Jungkook says softly, stopping to face Jimin again. "Are you sure you're okay?"

"Yeah I am. Thank you Kookie," Jimin replies. "I'm glad you showed up when you did."

"I'm glad I decided to look for you."

A gust of wind blows into them, tousling their hair and Jimin instinctively shivers and hugs himself, swaying a little with his lack of sobriety. Without a second thought, Jungkook slips off his jacket and covers Jimin's shoulders with it.

"You're gonna be cold Kookie," Jimin points out, the younger now just in a t-shirt against the New York November chill.

"I'll be fine," Jungkook assures, goosebumps prickling up on his skin. Jimin eyes him skeptically but takes Jungkook's arm when offered, attention switching to the younger's tattoos now on display for him to examine.

"Kook-ah!" Jimin suddenly gasps, pulling Jungkook to cross the street instead of continuing their walk to the subway.

"What? What's wrong?"

"It's Central Park!"

Jungkook looks confused at the elder before looking ahead, and before them is the famous park. It's completely empty since it is nearing one in the morning.

"Jimin we should go home," Jungkook starts, still letting the elder tug him into the park. "You're drunk."

"I'm not drunk!" Jimin defends. "Just a bit buzzed."

"Still not sober."

"It's fine. You're here so I'm safe," Jimin says easily. Jungkook keeps his mouth shut, mostly because that bit of honesty made him a little speechless. He lets Jimin guide them into the park, excitedly doing so and occasionally looking back at the younger with a big smile.

They walk up a wide path with street lamps casting a golden glow on them. Jimin has ceased holding on to Jungkook to happily dance around the vast space around them. It's incredibly endearing and Jungkook's cheeks are starting to hurt from smiling.

"Watch your-" Jungkook starts, attempting to warn Jimin to be careful. But the elder stumbles right then, losing his balance and falling into Jungkook who catches him.

"Sorry," Jimin giggles, hands pressed to Jungkook's chest for balance while Jungkook holds around his waist. The younger expects him to step away but he doesn't and now the goosebumps on his skin have a different meaning. Jimin is so close, kissably close, and the desire to kiss the elder is so strong.

But he's not sober, and Jungkook refuses to be that guy. Even as tension builds and the energy between them is charged. Even as Jimin's hand moves from his chest to his arm, small fingers sliding up his bicep and under the t-shirt sleeve. He traces over the tattoos gently, making Jungkook's breath catch, and proceeds to push the sleeve up further to expose the hidden ink.

"Jimin," Jungkook whispers, pulse quickening and breath becoming heavier with his nervousness. The elder doesn't respond, wholly focused on the tattoos as if mesmerized. The touch is feather light but still sends sparks through the younger.

"Jimin," Jungkook musters to say louder, causing the elder to look up with big, bright eyes and their faces mere centimeters apart. Jimin is right there, and Jungkook could kiss him. He wants to so, so badly. He bites down on the inside of his cheek to resist though.

"We should go," Jungkook says, taking a step back.

"Yeah," Jimin exhales, stepping back as well and the tension starts to dissipate.

They turn to head back up the walkway and to the street with Jungkook flagging a taxi to get back faster. The entire time Jungkook's brain is spinning with a flurry of thoughts, internally debating if he did the right thing or if he lost his only chance to take that step forward. He focuses his attention out the window, watching the buildings blur by

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