Chapter Text
There isn’t a whole lot that Jimin can’t work around when it comes to hiding. Not physically hiding, he sucks at that, it always makes him have to pee. Hiding parts of himself. It’s tiring, but he’s managed to do so for four months easily.
“Hey, who left Peter Pan in the DVD player again?”
Jimin shrugged nonchalantly.
“Sorry.”
Jungkook shook his head, and put it back in its case.
Nonchalance is the key to stealth, as far as Jimin is aware. As long as he pretends anything suspicious about him is “totally regular behaviour, Tae, I mean, who doesn’t watch My Little Pony?”, then it’s dropped and forgotten. It’s worked so far, but as transparent as he usually is he wonders how long this can go on. He’s been slipping up more and more lately, and there’s no end goal to reach, no “congratulations, you got through it!” trophy. He’s in this for the foreseeable future, the long run. This is his home and there’s no escape.
And hiding is quickly becoming a losing battle.
“Jimin, come with me, it’s our turn to get groceries,” Namjoon says, already putting his shoes on. Jimin jumps, quickly going to do the same and grabbing the list off the fridge on the way by.
“Coming!”
Jungkook snickers from the couch, barely paying attention to whatever movie he’s supposedly watching in favour of his phone.
“That’s what she said.”
Jimin blushes, and leaves with Namjoon without a response.
It’s not a long trip, it’s not even a long walk, but everyone takes a car for these trips because the amount of food required to feed this household is unbelievable. Jimin gets in the passenger seat and buckles up, daydreaming about Namjoon doing that for him. He sneaks a look over to silently appreciate those long tan arms, that could so easily reach over and-
“..ing you want?”
Jimin snaps his eyes up to Namjoon’s face.
“What?” Damn, he needs to pay better attention. Slipping up would be bad.
“I said, is there anything you want? Other than the usual stuff.”
It’s normal for the people on grocery duty to get a bit extra for themselves, usually just snacks and whatnot. Jimin thinks for a moment while they drive.
“Chicken nuggets.”
It’s a compromise on his ideal answer, but Namjoon still raises his eyebrows. He doesn’t say anything, but Jimin has to stare out the window to hide the blush.
•••
“Jin, you hate mom jokes, so wHY ARE YOU CHECKING OUR ROOMS?”
“Taehyung you know full well that I will find rotten food SOMEWHERE in this house, and if I don’t get rid of it we WILL have an infestation.”
Taehyung opens his mouth to argue but comes up short of a response. Jin is right. Jin is always right. Hoseok puts his hands up, just coming out of the bathroom.
“Wherever you find it, it won’t be in my room, I’ve been careful,” he defends hastily.
Jin narrows his eyes skeptically. “I’ll believe it when I see it, but Jimin’s room is first on my list.”
Hoseok and Taehyung perk up at that, and the former speaks up.
“He never has a gross room, though.”
Jin sighs. “I know, but the last time I checked his room was months ago and I just wanna make sure he hasn’t forgotten anything..” he looks pointedly at Taehyung as he speaks, “dangerous in there...” Taehyung squirms in place, “...like sushi.”
“....that was once.”
“Mhm.” Jin opens Jimin’s door, and the other two peak in over his shoulder at the forbidden territory. Jimin was always strangely private for someone living with six other people, so his bedroom is like unexplored lands.
“It’s so....”
“Bare,” Hoseok finishes for Taehyung. The room IS very bare, almost impersonal. There’s a made bed, a semi-neat desk and chair, a shut walk-in closet, and a burgundy rug to go with the light beige walls. The three of them take it in, almost nervous to go inside. Jin speaks up this time.
“Has it gotten emptier? How is he so clean when he forgets things all over the house?”
“And doesn’t he spend a lot of his time in here?”
They all walk in softly, like there’s something that could be disturbed by too much noise. Hoseok opens a drawer in the desk.
“Hey! That’s ACTUAL SNOOPING you creep, get out of there!” Jin smacks his hand and shuts the drawer. “Okay, it’s clean, no off smell, everyone get out.”
The other two shuffle out, grumbling, and Jin shuts the door behind them, still unnerved by the emptiness.
•••
“Oh my god, Jungkook that’s too many bags stop it.”
“There’s more space on this arm, just give me one more!” Jungkook has almost all of the groceries in or hanging off of his arms. It always has to be some sort of contest with Jungkook. Jimin sighs, putting on an air of annoyance and trying his best to not imagine Jungkook holding him in those arms...
“Just come on, they need to be put away.” Namjoon walks past him with the rest of the bags and Jimin follows, leaving Jungkook to waddle in after them. Once inside, Jin greets them from the kitchen.
“I have lasagna in the oven, it’ll be about an hour.”
Jimin nods and sets his two bags on the counter, about to leave, but Jin pulls him aside.
“Is...something wrong?”
Jin looks worried, and it immediately sets Jimin on edge.
‘Did he find out?’ is Jimin’s first horrified thought. He knew for sure that he didn’t leave any colouring supplies out recently.
“I was about to ask you that same question. Are you okay?”
Jimin chuckles nervously.
“Of course, I’m fine. Why wouldn’t I be okay?” Before Jin can press further he makes a hasty exit, muttering some excuse about cleaning his room.
Jin furrows his brow, more worried for him than ever.