Archive of Our Own ^beta

"The discussion topic for tonight is -"

A chorus of groans rises from Yoongi's sunken living room floor. The entire place looks like a ski lodge in the Alps, full of fretwork and fake animal rugs because Yoongi claims he likes the aesthetic of cold with the warmth of not-cold. It's ridiculous, no less so when Taehyung pushes up invisible glasses where he stands in front of the pebbled stone fireplace like he's giving a lecture. Because, Jimin knows, that's what he's doing, thanks to his newest acting gig. He's playing a sexy teacher, which means they're all suffering endless lessons from Professor Tae.

"Excuse me," says Taehyung. "I am leading tonight's Trust Circle and I demand the respect due my position."

Namjoon laughs from his place against the sofa, his business-like upsweep swaying with the movement. "I don't trust any of you. Especially Taehyung. I have way too many secrets and he has no filter."

"How many secrets, exactly?" asks Hoseok. He's stretched out on the floor with his head propped on Namjoon's thigh and he's hardly moved all night, lazily eating grapes from his boyfriend's fingers in his usual way. Jimin's tried hard not to watch, not least because when Hoseok sees him watching he winks, which makes Jeongguk's arm tighten around him, which makes it difficult for Jimin to breathe on more than one level.

"If I told you I'd have to kill you," says Namjoon, grinning like a kid.

Hoseok's grin is less childlike. "You can kill me any time you want, baby. You know I love it."

"Gross," says Jimin. "I don't even know what that means, but gross."

"You definitely know what it means," says Hoseok, motioning for another grape. "You've gotten so kinky since you started dating Jeongguk. I'm into it."

Jeongguk squeezes him again, and Jimin knows that he's turning stupidly red. "Tae, please save me from this hell."

"Absolutely," says Taehyung, who is the best friend in the whole world. "The discussion topic for tonight is Who Is The Horniest?"

He says it in a way that makes the capital letters clear, and each one drives a new nail of embarrassment into Jimin's heart because Taehyung is the best friend that betrays him constantly. "That's not saving me! That's making the hell a hundred times worse!"

Seokjin takes a sip from the biggest wine glass ever created and says, "It's okay, I think this will be a short discussion. We all know the answer."

"Agreed," says Jeongguk, dropping a soft kiss on Jimin's neck. "It's obvious."

"Really?" says Taehyung. He sounds a little disappointed, but he rallies impressively. "Okay, we point on three. One, two, three!"

There's a flurry of movement, then Yoongi laughs. "Now it's a party."

Because, to the universe's absolute unsurprise, everyone is unerringly pointing at a different person. Hoseok's got Taehyung's accusing finger, who's pointing at Jimin. Jimin's squarely focused on Jeongguk, who looks astonished as he indicates Seokjin. And Seokjin's finger is happily Tae-ward, while Namjoon and Yoongi point at each other with equally knowing expressions.

"One vote apiece. Does this mean we're all the most horny or the least horny?" asks Namjoon. "Not that this matters because you're all wrong and it's definitely Yoongi. No one knows so much shit about people without being extremely horny for their intimate details."

"But does it count if you never physically act on it? Yoongi doesn't even take his pants off," says Seokjin. "Ever. I'm convinced he changes clothes by phasing through them like a wizard. Taehyung, on the other hand, has already propositioned me two times in the last hour verbally, and once just with his eyebrows."

Taehyung nods agreeably. "Only because you're wearing your sex face tonight."

"It's just my face."

"Exactly," says Taehyung. "But given that temptation I think I've been very restrained. Either way it's Hoseok, he's had the most simultaneous boyfriends of anyone here. He had to service them somehow!"

The rest of them start arguing, though Jimin can pretty much only hear Jeongguk's outrage about how much Seokjin masturbated between the ages of fifteen and eighteen and Jimin can't possibly think Jeongguk has orgasmed even half as many times.

Eventually Taehyung's piercing whistle shuts them all up. "I think we have a few valid concerns in the Trust Circle. First, a poorly defined concept. What is horniness, truly? We may never know. And second, unequal information. I know everyone's souls as soon as I touch them, but the rest of you don't know each other equally. Which isn't fair. So I'm changing the question."

"That was such a hot speech," says Seokjin, raising his wine glass. "Love you, gorgeous."

"I love me too," says Taehyung. "New question: who is the horniest person inside of each represented relationship, with horniness defined by the relationship participants? Please cite examples."

Jeongguk groans. "I really hate this teacher persona. It's even worse than the time he was a volleyball player and started spiking everything he could reach."

"My boyfriends and I will start," says Taehyung, ignoring him. "Jin, what do you think?"

Seokjin reaches out and grabs Yoongi's hand in his wine-free one, then says, "I think since we can define our own criteria it's anarchy. Therefore Yoongi is the horniest for watching sex, I am the horniest for creating sex, and Taehyung is the horniest for doing sex."

Yoongi's already closed his eyes, nodding placidly by the end of the speech. "Entirely accurate and surprisingly analytical."

"I learned it from you," says Seokjin. "Mostly because you won't stop taking work calls in bed."

"Don't say I never did anything for you," says Yoongi, pulling Taehyung into his lap. "Namjoon and Hobi, this should be good."

Hoseok shrugs, his mouth stuffed to capacity with grapes. "If it's between the two of us it's definitely me," he says indistinctly. "I've sucked Joonie's dick so many times I think his veins are imprinted on my tongue."

"Oh my god," says Jimin as Namjoon turns red enough for it to be a medical issue. "I'm going to throw up."

"You think I'm joking but honestly there's an indent," says Hoseok after he swallows, sticking his tongue out and touching it with his finger. Taehyung reaches over to do the same, and he laughs when Hoseok licks his palm unexpectedly.

"That just leaves our dream team," says Seokjin. "The main event. Hit us, boys."

Jimin crosses his arms. "It's not me. I can go without sex just fine."

"You're such a liar," says Jeongguk, leaning away to look at him. "You're the one who told me to come pick you up after your last business trip so that we didn't have to wait until we got home to fuck. We scarred that poor lady in the parking garage for life."

"That's an entirely normal reaction after not seeing your boyfriend for five days," says Jimin, furiously staring at the bear rug. "You're the one who pulled over halfway home so that we could do it again. You're like a sex rabbit!"

Taehyung raises his hand. "What other kind of rabbit is there?"

"A chastity rabbit, presumably," says Namjoon. "They wear little belts and chainsmoke."

"Cute," says Taehyung. "Okay, continue the debate."

"It's not a debate," says Jeongguk. "He's just wrong. Jimin hates to talk about sex but trust me, he's all about my moves. It's like we're in high school all over again. I barely get any sleep."

He says it with a shit-eating grin, and Jimin's mouth flattens into a straight line. "You had your hand on my thigh for the entire dinner while I was trying to have intellectual, adult conversations. You're touching my ass right now! You wouldn't last a day and you know it."

"That's because they're your tightest pants. I'm only human. But I'd last longer than you," says Jeongguk. His hand doesn't move. "You know you're hot for me, baby. Remember when you said I'm the best you've ever had? Because I definitely remember."

"Whatever. I'd be perfectly happy to never have sex with you again," says Jimin, lying as hard he possibly can, and Jeongguk's mouth drops open.

Hoseok says, "Oooooooh," from the ground, motioning everyone else to join him. "Bet time!"

"Thank god, it's been so long since we've had a good bet," says Seokjin. "I think it was when Jeongguk bet Hoseok that he couldn't get into a full split without spilling his drink, right?"

Hoseok nods, then squeezes Namjoon's calf. "The first of many splits I got into that night."

"So what are you going to bet?" asks Taehyung, bouncing on Yoongi's lap. "What what what?"

Jeongguk narrows his eyes. "If I win, Jimin takes me on the corporate offsite to Cebu next month even though he's embarrassed to orgasm so much with coworkers around."

"I'm not embarrassed. I think it makes me look like I'm fucking my way into jobs to bring the CEO's nephew to a work conference," says Jimin. "But whatever. You're not going to win anyway. When I win, Jeongguk has to throw away all of his old smelly sports shirts from high school. The ones that have more holes than fabric."

"Not specific enough," says Seokjin. "What's the level of rattiness required? What about rips as fashion statements? Plus you're talking about half of his wardrobe. That's punitive."

"Fine," says Jimin irritably. "I get to pick ten of his shirts and throw them out."

Jeongguk looks horrified. "But I love my shirts."

"You shouldn't," says Jimin.

Taehyung claps. "The terms are set! Starting tomorrow, no sex and no orgasming. Whoever breaks first loses the bet! You can go home tonight and have one orgasm each, to start off on even footing. Yoongi are you writing this down?"

"Yes," says Yoongi, pulling a pad of paper from somewhere.

He scribbles for a few minutes, then passes it over to Taehyung who nods. "Sign please."

Jeongguk grabs the pen with unnecessary force, then signs the paper so hard it rips a little. He brings his arm back behind his head when he's done, casually flexing in the least casual way possible. "You're going to lose, Park Jimin."

Jimin glares at him, burrowing into the couch crease as he adds his signature.

"So, who do you guys have?" asks Namjoon. He scratches his fingers through Hoseok's hair, which makes Hoseok groan in a way that Jimin really didn't need to hear. "I think Jeongguk breaks first."

Seokjin perks up. "A side bet? Excellent. Losers buy beef for the winners. And I take Jeongguk, too. You should hear him whenever Jimin's not here. 'I miss Jimin. When is Jimin coming home? Do you think Jimin's thinking about me right now? Jinnie, can you take another picture of me to send to Jimin?' Truly sad."

"Shut up," says Jeongguk, looking at his hands. "I don't sound like that."

"You really do," says Seokjin. "It's sweet, around the parts where it's massively pathetic."

Taehyung pauses in his squeezing of Yoongi's cheeks and says, "I've got Jimin. I shared a room with him for four years, and an apartment after. I've seen things man was not meant to see, and heard things that mean I can never get into heaven no matter how much good I do."

Jimin's sure his face matches Jeongguk's, and he's mad that Taehyung's too far away to kick, especially when Hoseok sits up.

"Please tell me more," says Hoseok, eyes still closed from Namjoon's head massage. "Tae, our bond is so strong, you have to tell me."

Taehyung shakes his head. "Soulmate bond is stronger than anything else in the world. But trust me, it didn't take Jeongguk to make him kinky."

"Damn, I knew I should have gone out with him a few more times," says Hoseok, earning a growl and a thrown pillow from Jeongguk. "But yeah, I'm taking Jimin. Jeongguk fights dirty."

"Yoongi, you have to break the tie," says Namjoon.

Yoongi just looks at them both. "I can't bet," he says. "I already know exactly what's going to happen, so it wouldn't be fair."

Namjoon rolls his eyes. "Here we go with this bullshit. You're not Nostradamus, you know."

"Of course I'm not. He was just making vague statements so that he could interpret them however he wanted later. I observe, then predict with pinpoint accuracy, and I'm always right," says Yoongi.

"Prove it," says Hoseok, leaning forward. "Write your prediction down, along with your reasons, and give it to Namjoon for safekeeping. We won't read it until it's over, but then we'll see how full of shit you actually are."

Yoongi shrugs, then starts scribbling on his paper. He folds it up carefully, in a distinct pattern, and passes it over to Namjoon. When it's safely tucked away, Yoongi smiles and rubs his hand over Taehyung's knee. "Let the games begin."

Jimin tips the cab driver extra when they get home to make up for the saturated awkwardness of the air they leave behind them. Jeongguk holds the door open for him like he always does but he's not even looking at him, and Jimin's not much in the mood to look at him either. Their friends had spent the entire rest of the night humiliatingly discussing their sex life, from Jimin's misadventures in masturbation to speculating what they might be getting up to now, and this is all Jeongguk's fault. If he'd just admitted to his own insatiable sex drive, Jimin wouldn't be going through any of this.

But it's fine. He's going to win.

As soon as they get up to their apartment, up the smooth elevator and into the expansive simplicity of modern glass and wood that Jeongguk had purchased for himself, Jeongguk slams the door and kisses him hard.

For a moment Jimin falls into it. Jeongguk's familiar lips, his clinging hands, the way he takes Jimin's body and coaxes it into the shapes he craves, they're all memories that he carries with him everywhere. Jeongguk may be the horniest, but he's put his lifetime of interest to good use, and Jimin weaves his fingers into Jeongguk's hair when he presses him up against the wall and spreads his legs.

"And you say you don't want me," murmurs Jeongguk as he mouths at Jimin's neck, working his fingers to the snap of his jeans.

Jimin's eyes slam open and he slides out from his trapped space so smoothly that Jeongguk falls directly into the wall.

"I'm going to take a shower," he says, wiping at his mouth. "I'll see you in the morning."

"Are you serious?" says Jeongguk, breathing heavily. "You're going to spend our last night with sex jerking off in the shower?"

"Of course," says Jimin. "Who knows, I might not even jerk off at all. Because even though you completely lied to everyone tonight, I can go without sex just fine. If you can't handle the idea of going to bed without me, maybe it's time to admit you've already lost!"

Jeongguk folds his arms across his chest. "You wish."

"Start saying goodbye to your shirts now. The first one to go will be that neon green one with the grease stains all over it that makes you look like a mechanic at a rave."

"I look great in that shirt," says Jeongguk. "Which you already know. You've torn it off of me enough times. Admit it, you think I'm the hottest guy on the planet."

Jimin rolls his eyes. "Of course I think you're hot. You're my boyfriend. But that doesn't mean I'm some kind of needy lunatic who can't survive without my dick in your ass."

"Nice," says Jeongguk, grinning. "I see where your head's at tonight, and I like it. Let me clean up and we'll start the competition off right, baby."

"Enjoy your hand," says Jimin, walking towards the hall to the bedrooms. "Better make it a good session, or you'll lose embarrassingly quickly instead of just quickly. I'll give you twenty minutes."

"You really mean this," says Jeongguk. He trails him down the hall, his voice no longer full of laughter but edging into annoyance. "What the hell, Jimin?"

And what Jimin thinks about saying is that Jeongguk had made Jimin sound ridiculous, like he thought about nothing but Jeongguk all the time. That Jimin had so little self-control, was such a clingy person, that he was always begging for his boyfriend's attention. That he'd worn these pants just to get Jeongguk to take them off.

He had, of course, but he hadn't done it to be a joke.

"Come on," says Jeongguk, catching him by the waist as they get into the bedroom. He nuzzles into Jimin's neck again more softly and says, "Fuck me. Make me think about everything I'm going to be missing. It's been so long."

He's not wrong about that. Jimin's been so stressed, and Jeongguk's been so tired, and their recent sex has been more about bodily needs than anything. Never enough time to even think about fucking, or taking care of each other, or doing anything but reaching the finish line.

So despite himself Jimin lets his eyes flutter closed again. Jeongguk's hands wander lower, tugging him closer, and Jeongguk's hard against him. Jeongguk starts to rock, and Jimin moves with him easily, like a dance. He thinks maybe he doesn't want to be the one doing the fucking, this time.

"Or do you want it?" asks Jeongguk, easily. He reads Jimin's body so perfectly, and that's one thing about Jeongguk that's never annoying at all. "Feels like maybe you do. Feels like maybe you'd take me really well tonight. Like you'd be sweet."

Jimin reaches up and wraps a hand around Jeongguk's neck. "Not sweet," he whispers, digging his nails in. "Ruthless."

"Fuck," says Jeongguk, like a prayer.

He moves more deliberately, undoing the buttons on Jimin's shirt, revealing the skin beneath. His thumb moves over a nipple, and Jimin gasps as he arches into it. The only light in the room is the ambient cityscape, not even a lamp to reveal their space, and it feels illicit. It feels like maybe they aren't in their home, like they've stepped outside of time and space to find each other, for a little bit.

Until Jeongguk spins him around and kisses him deeply, breaking away to whisper, "Say you want me. Say you can't think about anyone but me."

His voice is strained and desperate, and Jimin wants to respond. He wants to say nothing else but that truth, because he'd worn these pants for Jeongguk and he'd spread his legs for him under the table to let that sexy hand wander up his thigh, and if they weren't in a fight he'd already be naked and begging, stretched across the silk of their bed and waiting for this man he loves to ruin him.

But they are fighting, and Jimin doesn't want to beg right now.

"No," says Jimin, stepping back with effort. "I'm going to take a shower, and then I'm going to bed, and that's it."

Jeongguk runs frustrated hands through his hair until it sticks up at crazy angles. "Ruthless, huh? Of fucking course. I can't believe you're starting the game already. Fine. Enjoy your shower. Or whatever. Let me know if you need me to come in and give you some visual inspiration."

"That's what you think," says Jimin, stripping off his open shirt and dropping his pants as he moves to the door. "I probably won't even think about you."

He slams the door behind him, but not loud enough to cover Jeongguk's protest, and he steps into the shower before the water is even warm just to feel the shock against his skin. He's going to jack off in here, he basically has to if he's going to physically make it through the night, but he's certainly not going to enjoy it. And despite his big words he's got Jeongguk on his skin, in his mouth, across his mind, and he's the only one he's going to be thinking about.

It doesn't help that he knows that Jeongguk is curled up in his usual spot, that he can picture with perfect clarity the way his dick looks inside his fist, that he can hear the noises he makes when he's making it good for himself. Jeongguk never holds back, not in anything, and Jimin can't hear him over the water but he won't be quiet out there. If he shut off of the spray he'd know for sure, and that gets him biting his lip.

They've slept together so many times that they've done everything, everything either of them can think of, and that's not helping Jimin as the water cascades down his back. He's hard, and annoyed, and annoyed about being hard, and he doesn't even need to wash his stupid hair because he's clean in body, if not in mind. He's just standing here to get off, that's the whole point, and he finally takes himself in hand to begin the process.

If he groans Jeongguk's name, if he brushes his free hand across his neck where Jeongguk always kisses him first, if he leans against the tile and wishes that their overly large shower had a muscled, obnoxious, perfect man inside of it with him, that's something he never has to tell anyone.

When he feels the build in his lower belly, hears his shuddery moans over the splashes on his skin, he bites his wrist to keep himself hidden as best he can. It's not enough to break skin but it feels on the edge of it, and the only piece of his mind that seems to be getting any blood at all is the part that remembers the time Jeongguk had pinned him down on the living room floor and taken what he wanted for hours, and Jimin had given it to him, and he'd woken up with teeth marks on his shoulder that Jeongguk had touched with reverent fingers every day until they finally faded.

Eventually he's done, the shameful evidence down the drain and a fluffy towel around him, and he's halfway out the door before he realizes he's going to need to put on pajamas tonight. When was the last time he'd ever worn something to bed? Their climate control was good, and Jimin liked the decadence of nudity when Jeongguk was there to appreciate it, and he's going to get all sweaty now.

He marches over to the closet and grabs clean boxers, then reaches for one of Jeongguk's stolen undershirts and starts to tug it on before he rethinks the idea of waking up in Jeongguk's clothes and puts on one of his own t-shirts from back when he thought he'd get to the gym more. When he finally steels himself to look at the bed, Jeongguk is already curled up under their duvet so completely that he's barely visible. He looks like a formless lump, and that helps a little bit, too.

Jimin slides into bed, turning off the beside lamp that Jeongguk always leaves on for him and settling into the pillows. He knows from his breathing that Jeongguk is still awake, so Jimin's not surprised when he asks softly, "Did you really think about someone else?"

"No," says Jimin, just as softly. That isn't the sort of thing he can lie about in their bed. It's not the sort of thing he wants to lie about.

Jeongguk doesn't answer, but the shapeless lump shifts a little.

"I love you," says Jeongguk.

"Love you more," says Jimin, like he always does.

And Jeongguk doesn't say anything at all, which punches Jimin in the gut. Because usually he would say something like, "I love you most" or "I'll show you what real love is" or some other puppy-aggressive, endearing challenge to win their battle.

Tonight Jeongguk's content to lose. And Jimin knows he's earned that, but it sucks all the same. So he murmurs a goodnight and falls asleep as quickly as he can, which turns out not to be very quickly at all, in the end.

The next morning, Jeongguk is naked.

Not in their bed, which Jimin had expected in the back part of his mind, but in the kitchen, cooking a full breakfast without even so much as an apron on to protect himself. When Jimin pads in, drawn by the smell and looking for his morning giant cup of coffee, he freezes mid-yawn and stares at the ass that's more delicious than any food could ever be.

"Morning," says Jeongguk cheerfully. "I was hungry after my run, so I thought I'd do the works. I'll be done in about fifteen minutes if you want to eat with me."

A person who didn't know Jeongguk very well might think he's just like this all the time, someone who gets naked at every opportunity. A guy with his body would have the right to, narrow hips and powerful thighs and tight, unavoidable muscles. He's good-looking enough that Jimin constantly has to drape himself over him in public just to get people to stop hitting on him, and even then it mostly just makes them more subtle about it. He gets more phone numbers than even Taehyung, which Jimin wouldn't have believed possible.

But he's speaking a little too quickly right now, not quite in his usual laconic cadence, and Jimin knows he's nervous. Which helps unfreeze him from his horny surprise, and he says, "Sure. I'll set the table."

His voice cracks at the end, and Jeongguk grins as he turns back to the stove. A cocky grin that wipes away any of Jimin's own remaining nerves, because Jeongguk really does play dirty and Jimin's not going to let him win this easily. He takes the long way around the kitchen to grab the glasses, and the plates, and the smallest little things he can think of, trailing his fingers across Jeongguk's warm shoulder blades as he crosses back and forth. They get a little warmer every time.

Not that Jeongguk breaks noticeably. A quick indraw of breath, and a little shiver when Jimin moves his last pass to his lower back, right at the divot above his ass. But nothing obvious. Because they're inside it, now, both fully playing their game, and Jeongguk lives for competition.

Jimin smiles to himself as he moves into the dining room, embracing the challenge. Last night had sucked, and that anger is still a little shard inside of his heart, but in the bright light of the morning this is almost fun. And Jeongguk drives him wild, knows exactly how much Jimin likes to touch him, but Jeongguk's going to be just as turned on and frustrated which is always delightful.

Though Jimin hadn't prepared himself for the moment when Jeongguk steps out with hot dishes in hand, cock entirely visible and a little hard, smirking at him with that gross, sexy, intoxicating mouth that's very pleased with himself.

"Breakfast is served," he says in a low voice, and Jimin knows he's bright red.

He doesn't say anything as Jeongguk arranges the dishes, his hip very close to Jimin's shoulders, his own skin a little flushed from the heat of the stove. Jimin sits on his hands to stop himself from touching, trying to do it subtly, but Jeongguk's eyes flick to them immediately. He gets a little closer, after that.

Jimin had set them up across from each other, their usual arrangement on the rare occasions they ate at the table instead of exhausted on the couch, but Jeongguk picks up his setting and moves it to the nearest corner, scooting the chair close enough to have his knee pressed against Jimin's own. He waves Jimin away when he moves to serve them, piling food in their bowls carefully, indulgently, and he even has the nerve to lean over and give Jimin a sweet kiss on the corner of his mouth when he's done.

The bastard doesn't even put a napkin over his lap.

"How was your run?" asks Jimin.

"Great," says Jeongguk. "The air was nice this morning. I set a new personal best."

"That's nice," says Jimin, watching Jeongguk take a huge mouthful. He leans back, stretching as he chews, and the triangle of his upper body moves with him beautifully. "Setting records is nice."

Jeongguk's eyes drill into him as he swallows, dark and heavy and at total odds with the conversation. He licks his lips, an innocent gesture that doesn't feel at all innocent in the thick air between them. Jimin wants to crawl into his lap and do the licking for him, and he feels his body leaning closer against his will.

"Yeah," says Jeongguk. "Definitely… nice."

Jimin's eyes drift down to Jeongguk's lap, where he's getting harder and making no attempt to hide it, and it's a long minute before Jeongguk adds, "Is the food not good?"

Jimin shakes himself, blinking, and says, "Sorry."

"Don't be," says Jeongguk, reaching across the table and rubbing a thumb across Jimin's hand, which he realizes has been clutching his water glass ever since Jeongguk sat down. "You can go as slow as you want, baby."

He's using his his bedroom voice, and Jimin curses himself for being so susceptible to this. It hasn't even been twelve hours, and Jeongguk's already seducing him at the breakfast table. He's barely even trying, and Jimin tries to tell himself to breathe normally, to not give himself away anymore than he has, but he knows he's not really succeeding by the way his hand trembles as he takes a drink.

"Don't call me baby," he says when his throat is less dry.

He wants it to sound annoyed but it's mostly whiny, and Jeongguk settles back in his chair and doesn't say a word. They eat in silence for a long time, glances like fingers across each other, and Jimin is half-hard himself by the end of the meal. But he refuses to stand up and leave, because that's just as bad as giving in, and every time Jeongguk clears his throat or taps his fingers on the table or makes a satisfied sound Jimin dies a little more.

"Thank you," he finally says at the end, his eyes firmly on his empty dish. "That was very good."

"Very good," repeats Jeongguk, almost purring, and he leans forward to rub his unused napkin along the underside of Jimin's lip, dragging his chin up with his pinkie. He's smiling again, dangerous and turned on, and Jimin's seen him this way a hundred times. A hundred times it's ended in desperation on Jimin's part.

But the hundred-and-first time is the charm, and Jimin summons every bit of strength inside of him as he darts his tongue out to touch Jeongguk's thumb. Jeongguk stops breathing, and Jimin smiles as best he can through an erratic heartbeat. "Sorry."

"Do it again," says Jeongguk, strained and ready, and Jimin arches an eyebrow.

"Does that mean I win?" asks Jimin. He keeps his voice soft, and Jeongguk's eyes watch the movement of his mouth too closely. "Hm? You want me, sweetheart?"

Jeongguk's mouth forms a yes, his eyes frustrated and annoyed and almost all pupil, but he doesn't say it. He doesn't say anything, and they stay locked inside of that frozen moment, his thumb on the edge of Jimin's mouth, Jimin's tongue trapped against his upper lip, both of them trying not to break.

A knock at the door jerks them away from each other so strongly that Jimin squeaks as he almost falls off of the chair. The knock comes again, even louder, and Jimin jumps up and runs to it in a sort of panic, bright with memories of his mom bursting into his room unexpectedly.

He throws open the door and Taehyung strides in like he owns the place, a happy smile on his face. "Jiminie! Are we shopping in pajamas? You should have told me, that sounds really comfortable."

Jimin gapes, at a total loss, before he remembers they're going out to buy a throuple anniversary present today. He's not sure what anniversary, since Taehyung, Seokjin, and Yoongi seem to have an anniversary for something every other day, but that's definitely a thing that's happening. They'd planned it just last night, before everything went to hell.

"I'll go get ready," he says, striving for normalcy, but Taehyung's not listening to him anymore.

"Hello Cookie Liar! Hello Cookie Liar's penis!" he says cheerfully. "Is the bet over already?"

Jimin spins around to see Jeongguk standing by the table, totally flummoxed, napkin over his groin. "Taehyung's coming over this morning," says Jimin lamely. "I think I forgot to tell you."

Jeongguk doesn't say anything, just tries not to move his napkin, and Jimin smacks Taehyung on the shoulder. "Stop looking at him!"

"Fine, but only because I want to tell Jin about naked breakfasts," says Taehyung, pulling out his phone just long enough for Jeongguk to make a desperate dash into the kitchen. It's a funny little crab-wise scamper, and Jimin can't stop himself from giggling, which makes Jeongguk bellow at him to shut up from the safety of the kitchen.

"Do you want some clothes?" Jimin asks, still laughing on his way down the hall.

"No!" says Jeongguk. "Just keep Taehyung out of here."

Jimin looks at Taehyung, who waggles his eyebrows and moves to the kitchen door, and the last thing Jimin hears as he reaches the bedroom is Jeongguk yelling about inappropriate places to put a wooden spoon.

When Jimin gets back from throuple shopping, one small bag on his arm with a scarf that's too expensive but he just couldn't resist tucked inside, his way into the elevator is blocked by a sofa.

"Sorry, sir," says the doorman, bowing apologetically as two men wrestle the thing inside. "The freight elevator is occupied and this was specifically requested for a rush delivery. It will only be a minute until the next elevator comes, I'm sure."

"It's fine," says Jimin. "Maybe I can help? Steady it or something?"

Without waiting for an answer he hops in, pushing up on the back to get it out of the way of the doors, then waves merrily at the doorman as the doors close.

"Oh, you're going to my floor too," says Jimin. "So I'll definitely help."

The two deliverymen assure him there's no need, but Jimin is adamant that he needs the extra workout and they don't fight him. As they shouldn't. "Do you do a lot of rush deliveries on couches?"

The taller man laughs, exchanging a look with his partner. "Not usually. But of course, this is a special couch."

"Really?" says Jimin, taking a look at it. It is different than the usual style, with an armrest in between two seats, each with their own recliner. Though as he looks he realizes it's more than an armrest, it's a console, and he reaches around to open it up curiously. Inside there's a deep compartment with outlets and USB jacks and organizational pockets, and Jimin nods appreciatively. "This is useful. I can see why people like it."

"Definitely useful," says the shorter guy, laughing. "We call it the divorce couch. It's the only one that sometimes gets a rush."

Jimin looks back at it, eyes wide as he takes in the total separation of the seating areas, then laughs along with him as they reach his floor. "Oh, I see. Yeah, someone must have had a rough night."

He helps the men lever the couch out of narrow elevator, supporting carefully with his back as he keeps it upright, and they thank him as they start moving down the hall.

"So which apartment is it?" asks Jimin.

"2107," says the taller guy as they reach it, and Jimin nearly drops his weight. He doesn't breathe as they knock, and wait, and Jeongguk finally opens up with a welcoming smile.

"Exactly on time," he says, stepping back and sweeping his arm into the room, hitching only slightly as he sees Jimin. "Please put it here."

Jimin's not even touching the couch anymore, arms folded tightly as the men maneuver it inside, putting the new couch exactly where their old, beautiful couch used to be. The one with nice leather fabric, and the perfect back height and with plenty of depth for cuddling, whenever Jimin felt like being cuddled. Which was often, especially when it came to movie nights like tonight.

Jimin steps inside their apartment and glowers as they get the angle exactly as Jeongguk wants and hook up the extension cords.

"Hey you," says Jeongguk finally, grinning in his most satisfied way. "How was shopping?"

Both of the deliverymen look up, startled, and take in Jimin's entire essence before they get very, very quiet. They say almost nothing as Jeongguk looks over the paperwork and signs, and they bow out with wide, terrified eyes. The eyes Jeongguk should have in the face of Jimin's annoyance, but instead he just looks smug as he goes and checks all of the cords.

"Isn't this great?" he says cheerfully as he plugs in his phone as a test. "I saw it online after you left and just had to get it. It's so convenient!"

"You got us an anti-cuddling couch," says Jimin, very calmly. He doesn't move an inch. "A divorce couch."

Jeongguk looks up, startled, before a slow smile spreads across his face. "No! I did this for you. You're always complaining that your laptop charger falls out because we had to stretch the cords so far. Now you'll be able to work as long as you want without worrying about it."

Jimin glares, because Jeongguk's so full of shit. And he's not naked anymore but he's wearing his sex shirt, the one with a deep V that looks a little wet even when it isn't, and Jeongguk is a cheater and a mean person. A mean person who Jimin had almost been prepared to consider losing to after an entire afternoon of staring at his camera roll full of perfectly angled couple pictures and missing him while Taehyung texted his own boyfriends with enthusiasm.

But that's all out the window now. He won't lose to him. Not ever.

"Bring back our couch. Now."

Jeongguk's face falls into exaggerated concern. "Oh no. I can't. I donated it to charity. They were really happy to get something so high quality. But don't worry, it will go to such a good home."

"This was a good home," says Jimin. "But whatever. Fine. I'm sure this new couch is great. I'm going to put my scarf away."

He stomps past Jeongguk without looking at him, so irritated he wants to spit, but he can feel Jeongguk trailing him down the hallway. He thinks briefly about slamming the bedroom door in his face but he decides to take the higher road of stripping off all of his clothes instead.

Jeongguk inhales, but his voice is steady when he says, "It's movie night tonight. Your turn to pick the food. What do you want to order?"

"Something with a lot of onions," says Jimin, searching around for his softest lounging pants. "And garlic. And asparagus."

"You know you can't resist me even with onion breath," says Jeongguk. He sounds like he's laughing. "But okay, we'll find something. And I'll pick the movie. You have some work to do this afternoon, right?"

"Right," says Jimin.

"I have to head to one of the bars for a bit," says Jeongguk. "Cover some stuff. Let's say eight?"

"Fine."

"See you later, sweetheart," says Jeongguk, moving over to tug down Jimin's soft shirt and kiss him on the forehead. "Love you."

"Love you too," says Jimin, but it's annoyed and bitter and makes Jeongguk smile again.

"Enjoy the couch!" Jeongguk calls out as he runs out of the room, and Jimin throws his scarf bag at him, missing completely but feeling all the better for it.

Jeongguk picks a zombie movie, because he's a little shit, and all of Jimin's energy is going into not hiding under his blanket every time they appear on screen. He has the blanket at the ready, of course, gripped in his hands so tightly there's a burn in his forearms before they're twenty minutes in. And his feet are tucked up under his body for protection, and usually he'd also be mostly fused to Jeongguk's side to protect the rest of him but now there's a center console in their couch blocking his path.

He hates it almost as much as the zombies.

Jimin's considered crawling over the console like a horny teenager over the gearshift during a steamy car makeout, but that feels a lot like losing, so instead he grips his blanket tighter and tries not to squeak every time a zombie growls on the screen. Because whenever he squeaks Jeongguk looks over at him with a grin flitting around his mouth, and Jimin refuses to be laughed at. He's brave and very mature, and he can watch a scary movie on his own.

When someone gets their face chewed off, Jimin pushes his face into the back of the couch and curls his feet up even tighter against his body to get away from it. He breathes there, not looking while the noises go on, and Jeongguk says, "Are you okay?"

"I'm great," says Jimin. "Just wanted to get a closer look at the fabric."

"Oh yeah?"

"I liked the leather better," says Jimin, turning around with his blanket at the ready. Which is good because another zombie jumps onto the screen without warning, and he throws the blanket over his head and yells so loudly Jeongguk starts laughing. "Stop laughing! It's not funny!"

"It's a little funny," says Jeongguk through his giggles. He pauses the movie, or mutes it, or does something because the noises suddenly go away. "You going to make it, baby?"

"Don't call me baby," says Jimin, pouting under the blanket where it's safe. "You did this to me. You and your stupid couches and your stupider movies."

He sniffles for dramatic effect, and Jeongguk reaches over and grabs his hand. "You want to go to bed?"

"I'm going to have nightmares," says Jimin. "I'll never sleep again. And I have early meetings tomorrow."

Jeongguk coos, and Jimin squeaks again when Jeongguk suddenly grabs him and hoists him over his shoulder, blanket and all. It's another squeak of fear, but it's also a bit breathless, because Jeongguk's casual strength always comes as a pleasant surprise.

"Don't worry, I'll take care of you," says Jeongguk, and Jimin's breath hitches. It's only been two days since they've had sex but it feels like two years, longer when Jeongguk throws him down on the bed and crawls in next to him.

Unlike most nights, when they occupy entirely separate halves of the bed for the sleeping portion of the evening, Jeongguk wraps himself around Jimin like a cuddly octopus. "See? Nothing's going to get you while I'm here."

Jimin sighs and snuggles closer knowing this is weakness but also knowing that there are monsters waiting to ambush him in the night. "But I needed you when we were watching it. I'm already scared now."

Jeongguk's hand strokes up and down Jimin's back, light and soothing, and Jimin relaxes slightly. He moves closer, his body pressed into Jeongguk's lean one, and Jimin makes a satisfied noise against his will. Jeongguk stops breathing for a few seconds but his hand never stops moving, so Jimin touches his lips to the open V in Jeongguk's shirt.

"It was very scary," he murmurs.

"Yeah?" says Jeongguk, his hand changing into a new circuit. No longer just comfort, but something more, especially when it drifts down to the curve of Jimin's ass. "I'm sorry."

"You should be sorry."

"I am," says Jeongguk, voice straining a little when Jimin moves his hands to his hips and pushes his shirt up. He swears when Jimin wriggles even closer, close enough that there isn't any hiding his arousal, and Jeongguk's hands tighten.

"Then make it up to me," says Jimin, still soft. He kisses Jeongguk's collarbone, nothing more than a delicate snowflake falling on a cheek, but Jeongguk groans like Jimin sucked a line of hickeys across it. It makes Jimin laugh, and do it again, and say, "Are you up for some penance?"

Jeongguk's fingers dig into his ass again, but instead of something sexy he says, "What about the bet?"

"Give up," says Jimin, kissing him again with more intent. "That's part of the penance."

"Wait," says Jeongguk. He shifts away, hand still on Jimin's waist but in a restraining way. Like he thinks Jimin's going to jump him, which he's definitely considering. "Is this a trick? The being scared, and the cuddling?"

Jimin stares at him, his handsome face that's screwed up in suspicion, his brows drawn down across his forehead. Jeongguk's still breathing heavily but his expression has never been any good at concealing his thoughts, and his thoughts right now are all insulting.

"You're the one who plays the games, Kookie," says Jimin. "All day you've been playing, and I just want to have sex with my boyfriend like a normal person. That's it."

"Then you say you give up," says Jeongguk immediately. "You give up, and then everything goes back to normal."

Jimin huffs a breath, rolling over to break the contact. "Why are you so obsessed with winning this?"

With making Jimin the powerless one. The infatuated one. The pathetic one.

"Because I'm fantastic at sex," says Jeongguk, and Jimin can't see his face but he can picture the cocky grin and it boils his blood. "And because I always win."

"Not this time," says Jimin, so far away from turned on he might never get hard again. "I'm going to sleep."

There's a frustrated noise behind him before Jeongguk rolls out of bed and goes into the bathroom, muttering under his breath the whole time. He bangs around in the drawers for a bit, seemingly at random, and Jimin wonders what he's doing. They've already brushed their teeth, and showered, and there's nothing else he could possibly need.

"You'd better not jack off in there," says Jimin, not exactly yelling but loud enough to be heard, and Jeongguk slams another drawer closed before he shuts the door behind him.

Before Jimin falls into blackness, annoyed enough to force himself into sleep out of sheer spite, he hears Jeongguk say through the door, "I love you."

And it's petty as hell but Jeongguk can't see him, so Jimin burrows under the covers and pretends to be asleep.

The rest of the week is a more subtle torture, but it's torture all the same.

Jimin is busy, and so is Jeongguk, and that part is distressingly normal. Jimin leaves for work before Jeongguk's even awake, and Jeongguk's out fixing problems at his bars so late that Jimin's asleep before he gets back. The only reason Jimin knows he comes home at all is that he's there when Jimin gets up, sprawled out across his side of the bed in an undershirt and boxers, so deeply out of it that Jimin couldn't possibly wake him up.

Jimin used to try anyway, getting a few sleepy, hazy kisses in before he has to leave, but he doesn't do that now. He doesn't do anything now, doesn't send Jeongguk little texts throughout the day with cute emojis, or selfies, or reminders about the things he needs to get from the store. He doesn't ask where Jeongguk is every night, only partly joking when he begs him to be irresponsible and come home.

And he doesn't get the surprise of Jeongguk sometimes being irresponsible enough to do it, to show up in the door without warning, holding food and wearing an eager expression. He doesn't get shaken awake in the dark of the night when Jeongguk slides into bed, looking for kisses and touches and love that Jimin always gives. He doesn't speak to Jeongguk at all, and he hates it.

In some ways it makes it easier that they have so little interaction, but Jimin knows that he's more snappish than usual at work just by the way people start raising their eyebrows at him. He has to start taking deep breaths before he steps into meetings, and once he has to apologize to Jisoo after she walks into his office when he's on a call and he commands her to get out without even a hint of a smile.

The only bright spot is when Jeongguk stops by on Thursday with coffee, like he always does, and catches up with people in the break room while Jimin drinks it and watches. He'd delivered it with the same sweet smile as always, one that Jimin can't help but return when he leaves, but it vanishes quickly when Namjoon says, "What's going on with you guys?"

"Nothing?" says Jimin.

Namjoon snorts, and it's just the two of them so Jimin lets it slide.

"That's the first time you haven't argued about which one of you should have a better day when he left," says Namjoon. "And he didn't try to give you shoulder massage or throw all of our napkins in the garbage from three-point range to impress you or anything. So I'll ask again, what's going on with you guys?"

Jimin glares and throws his cup away with more force than necessary, looking around to make sure they really are alone. "Well, some people made us do this stupid sex bet, so we can't have good days anymore. Or massages. Thanks so much for asking."

"That's still going on?" says Namjoon, startled. "We thought for sure it would be over before the end of the weekend."

"It wasn't," says Jimin. "Isn't. I'm going back to my office."

He focuses on not stomping as he walks away, leaving Namjoon staring after him, and by the time he checks his phone an hour later he has five concerned messages from Hoseok and a full thirty from Taehyung, most of which are full of question marks and exclamation points that Jimin doesn't have the energy or patience for. There's nothing from Jeongguk, and Jimin turns his phone all the way off just to feel in control of something.

Yoongi appears in his doorway at exactly that moment, and Jimin groans. "Not you too. Jeongguk and I are fine."

"I came by to see if you had your team's performance reviews done," says Yoongi mildly. "They're due tomorrow, and I have everyone else's."

Jimin frowns. "I sent them to you yesterday," he says, clicking some links until horror dawns. "Oh no, they're still in my outbox. I'm so sorry. I'm sending them now."

He does, a stone of worry inside his stomach as he looks up. "I'm really sorry, Mr. Min."

Yoongi shrugs, not comforting but not condemning. "You're still on time," he says. "But make sure nothing else slips, Mr. Park."

"It won't," says Jimin, pushing away the prickles in his eyes through sheer force of will. "I'm sorry again."

Yoongi turns to go, then calls back, "And text Tae back, unless you want him here in the office. You know how he is."

He does know, he knows all too well, so he switches his phone back on and texts Tae a cheerful message that won't fool him but will be enough to keep him from flying across the city like an avenging comfort fairy and hugging him for the rest of the day. He hovers over the screen, then sighs in resignation as he sends Jeongguk a message asking if he'll be home later.

At the college bar tonight, he gets back almost immediately. Don't wait up. Ly

Ly2, Jimin replies, but his heart doesn't feel like love as he pockets his phone again. He looks over his calendar, and his e-mails, then the clock. It's late enough that he would usually go home and finish his work there just in case Jeongguk was lying, but he's not delusional enough to think he was lying today. And their stupid new couch mocks him whenever he's there, and he's tired of sitting home alone like a boyfriend-less loser, so instead he asks his assistant to order him food, shrugs off his jacket, and settles into his office for the night.

It's subtle torture, but torture all the same.

And then at 5:30 the next day, a Friday afternoon with a looming weekend of more obvious torture ahead of him, Jimin finally gets the first text from Jeongguk.

Bar tonight? it says, and Jimin grins in the privacy of his office. He's not supposed to reply if he's coming, so he doesn't, but by the time 6:30 rolls around he's already in the elevator with the same huge smile on his face, startling Jisoo and Minho so badly that they almost refuse to get in the elevator with him until he insists.

"Good weekend planned?" asks Jisoo finally, always the bravest of his employees.

"Not planned," says Jimin, bouncing a little on his toes. "But things are looking up."

They wish him well as he heads off, walking quickly to the maze of alleys that will take him to Jeongguk's first bar. To their bar, the sports bar, the one where they'd had so many firsts. Sex firsts included, and if Jeongguk wants him there then maybe this long nightmare is finally going to be over. The plain wooden door in front of him is familiar and comforting, and he pushes it in so eagerly that he'd feel silly if he weren't so excited.

The regulars greet him enthusiastically, if a little puzzled, and he hears them murmuring behind him as he weaves his way through the tables. He doesn't have the focus to wonder what the rumor is about Jimin and Jeongguk this week - their relationship is an endless drama plot to them all - but he's sure they'll tell him all about it later. They love to gossip, and they can't keep it to themselves, so it's just a matter of time.

When he gets to Jeongguk's owners table he always claims, Jeongguk isn't there, and Jimin stops short. The people sitting at it, Earthquake and Wrench, do a double take when they see him and scramble up from their seats.

"Hey Jimin," says Earthquake, looking apologetic. "We didn't know you were going to be here tonight. We'll find a different place."

"Thanks," says Jimin, smiling distractedly as he peers around. "Where's Jeongguk?"

Wrench quickly volunteers to get him from his office, practically sprinting across the bar, and Jimin looks at Earthquake, bemused, but he doesn't seem to think it's funny. He looks worried, really worried, and when Jeongguk emerges from the back room and sees Jimin, the shock on his face makes Jimin worried too.

But the shock changes to pure joy in an instant, Jeongguk bounding across the sawdusted floors and lifting Jimin off his feet. "You're here!" he says, laughing. "I'm so happy to see you. I've missed you all week."

He plops Jimin down on one of the stools easily and leans in to kiss him, deep and slow and tantalizing, and a few wolf whistles sound around them. But Jimin ignores them as he winds his arms around Jeongguk, tilting his head to keep it going, feeling his soul settle into place after the longest week of his entire life.

It only ends when oxygen becomes a pressing concern, and Jeongguk pulls back a few millimeters until just their noses are brushing. "Hi," he says softly.

"Hi," says Jimin, just as softly and even more out of breath. He curls his fingers into the hairs at Jeongguk's nape, which makes Jeongguk kiss him again very briefly. "You're cute."

"You're cuter," says Jeongguk, and Wrench mimes throwing up next to them until Jeongguk smacks him on the shoulder. He dances away, laughing, and he seems more relaxed. The whole bar seems more relaxed, now that Jimin's paying attention, and Earthquake doesn't look worried at all as he says he'll get them drinks.

Jeongguk settles across from Jimin at their table, huge smile still across his beautiful face, and Jimin basks in it as his heart rates slows down.

"You're here," says Jeongguk again, sounding almost amazed.

Jimin shrugs, toying with the cuff of his button-up. "Of course I am. You invited me."

And the server deposits their drinks with a welcoming smile to Jimin exactly as Jeongguk frowns and says, "No I didn't."

"Yes you did."

The server looks between them and backs away quickly, much to Jimin's annoyance, but not as much to his annoyance as Jeongguk crossing his arms and saying, "Did not."

"Oh my god," says Jimin, pulling out his phone and pulling up his texts. "You did. Look."

Jeongguk eyes it suspiciously, like it's a fake phone or something, then pulls out his own and punches the screen. His mouth drops open before he says darkly, "Jin."

"Jin was here today?" says Jimin, blowing out a breath. "Of course he was. Taehyung sent him, didn't he?"

"He said he was here because he missed me," says Jeongguk, rolling his eyes. "I should have known he was full of shit."

And that seems to be that, Jeongguk's free hand wrapped around his glass and Jimin's back in his lap, twisting together where Jeongguk can't see. After a minute of sharp silence, Jimin forces a smile and hops off of his stool, so quickly he almost unbalances. "I'll just go. See you at home, later, if…"

He can't finish the thought, miserable and defeated where he's staring at the office door, and he jumps when Jeongguk reaches out and grabs his wrist.

"Stay," says Jeongguk. "At least for a drink."

He doesn't say please but his face does, his face says he really wants Jimin to be here, and Jimin will take whatever hope he's offered at this point.

"Sure," he says, climbing back up on the stool. "For a drink."

He stays for a lot of drinks, and Jeongguk flirts with him like they've never met before, and Jimin can barely see he's laughing so much at his earnest pick up lines. Jeongguk scoots his chair around the side of the table so he can put his arm around Jimin whenever he wants, which is usually whenever someone else comes over to talk to them, and Jimin spends a lot of his night pressed into Jeongguk's side, possessive fingers stroking his bicep.

He can't say he's complaining.

Jeongguk tells him all of his funny stories from the week, and Jimin's work week was pretty good now that he thinks about it so he tells his too. He gestures a lot when he's doing it, losing his balance as he tries to convey the drama of the quarterly earnings meeting, but he feels safe because Jeongguk catches him every time, a fond smile on his red, kissable lips.

Not that they've done any more kissing. That feels like a little too much, even when Jeongguk's glowing in the light of Jimin's many beers and Jeongguk's eyes are glassy and a little soft whenever Jimin can't stop his giggles. But Jimin wants to, he wants another step, so he picks a fight as he was born to do.

"I just don't know if IU is really the greatest of all time," he says, trying not to slur too badly. "Time is a long time."

Jeongguk looks at him like Jimin's just run over a puppy, his eyes huge. "She is! She's the greatest there's ever been!"

Jimin shakes his head sadly, and Jeongguk pounds his fist on the table. "We need a darts game to settle this."

"I agree," says Jimin. "But what do I get when I win, besides being right?"

Jeongguk puts on his thinking face, which is so adorable that Jimin nearly passes out. "What do you want?"

"You kiss me," says Jimin, batting his eyelashes.

Jeongguk loses focus slightly, his face going slack, before he rallies. "Okay. And if I win, you kiss me," he says, trying on a devilish smirk. "That's a good bet."

Mecha, a girl twice as big as Jimin who could destroy them both, laughs uproariously from where she's listening. "That's literally the same bet, you dorks."

"If you can't see the difference, you're not dating Jeon Jeongguk," says Jimin as he carefully gets down. The floor is a little more tilty than when he came in, so it's a hard job. "Watch and learn."

And they all do watch, the whole bar getting in on the action as Jimin and Jeongguk square off against each other. It shouldn't be much of a battle, really, because being drunk only makes Jeongguk better at physical activity while Jimin is already starting at a deficit, but Jimin has the psychological edge when it comes to distracting Jeongguk as he plays.

"Stop pouting at me!" says Jeongguk as he misses again. "It's cheating."

"I'm just sad for you, Kookie," says Jimin, pouting harder. "You're losing so much."

Jeongguk throws his next dart dead center and says, "I am not losing. You're like thirty points behind me."

"Which is you losing," says Jimin triumphantly, Mecha bringing the darts back to them with entirely too much glee. "I'm the best!"

He raises his arms in victory, and the whole bar cheers for him, and he blows them all a million kisses before he grins at Jeongguk again. "See, the crowd knows who they love."

And Jeongguk mutters that Jimin is still cheating, but he's smiling the whole time.

When Jeongguk inevitably wins he taps his lips expectantly, puckering them in a ludicrous way while Jimin throws an impressively fake tantrum next to him. But it doesn't last long, because even all pursed up Jeongguk's mouth is tempting, so Jimin leans up and kisses him sweet and slow, with so much love that it's tumbling out of him like his laughter has all night.

He's radiant, and he loves Jeongguk, and they're going to go home tonight and be happy, together.

Jeongguk's thinking the same thing when he pulls away, his own face open and pleased, and he says, "IU is the greatest," but what he means is I love you.

"You're ridiculous," says Jimin, which means the same thing, and he's about to ask if Jeongguk wants to get out of there when the bartender interrupts apologetically and says they need Jeongguk for something in the back. So Jeongguk excuses himself with a sigh and a tap on Jimin's nose, and Jimin settles himself back on his stool and sips his beer as patiently as he can.

"Thank god," says Mecha, her own glass full of something harder than beer.

"For what?" says Jimin, getting out his phone and texting Tae absently.

"That you two aren't fighting anymore."

Jimin giggles, delighted she was taken in by his pretense. "I don't actually have anything against IU, you know."

"You'd better not," she says, threatening through her smile. "No, I meant the big fight. The bet thing. Jeongguk's been moping around all week, and we've been worried."

"Excuse me, the what?" asks Jimin, his stomach twisting as the giggles fall away.

"The sex bet," she says, a little too loud. "Seems like it's about to be over though. Thank god. Sexually frustrated Jeongguk is a nightmare, even worse when he's moping about it. You really did a number on him, Heartbreaker."

"He told you about that?" says Jimin. He ignores the stupid nickname for once, guts still roiling.

Mecha shrugs. "Some of it, and the rest I heard from the crew. You know how shit is around here! Nothing's much of a secret, right Earthquake?"

Earthquake startles, then leans over, blinking. Mecha nudges him, lifting her eyebrows suggestively, and his confusion clears. "Oh yeah, right. Thank fuck it's finally over. And hey, I know it's not like, really for us, but if you could just tell us sort of who cracked first, it would really help with paying out the book."

"The book," says Jimin flatly, but they're both too drunk to absorb his tone. He's seething, absolutely seething, that Jeongguk can't keep their fucking business to himself. Their fucking business, Jimin thinks with a snort, then finishes off his beer with steely determination. He hopes the whole bar got the gory, intimate details of their naked breakfast, and the stupid new couch, and the silence of their every night now. He hopes they really enjoyed the hell out of that one.

Did they find it funny? Maybe they did, the way she's laughing now. Jeongguk can be funny, when he tries to be. He tells a story well, because he does everything well, and he probably spills a person's intimate details like a master thespian. Jimin hopes they've been regaled over and over again with tales of Jimin's clinging neediness and impotent anger. They'd need that information to make the betting book fair, after all.

He glares at Jeongguk across the hazy bar, a Jeongguk who's bent over some papers with a furrowed brow, the remnants of a smile still lurking on the corners of his mouth. That stupid, goofy smile that had almost fooled him. Just like that story about Seokjin using his phone, like that had ever been true. All of Jeongguk's dirty tricks to get him here without explicitly asking him, to make Jimin remember it was him who's desperate, who's on the back foot. To get Jimin to remember how nice it is not to be alone before Jeongguk swoops in for the kill.

Jimin has never played a real sport against Jeongguk but he's starting to understand why he has so many trophies. Jeongguk had probably even put money on them after he told everyone here about their sex life, tipped the odds enough to make a nice profit off of Jimin's lonely, aching heart.

Earthquake and Mecha have been talking to him the whole time, he realizes slowly, but he doesn't bother to respond to them before he jumps back down to the floor that's no longer tilting at all. He smiles at the crowds around him, looking for a face he doesn't know. Any face will do, really, for the move he needs to turn the tables on tricky Jeon Jeongguk.

He finds it in a guy who's laughing uproariously, barrel-chested and powerful and a total stranger. His eyes catch on Jimin and spark with interest, and Jimin marches up to him with his brightest smile and says, "Hey there. I'm Jimin. Want to teach me how to play pool?"

A bunch of heads turn towards him with quick, birdlike movements, but Jimin doesn't bother to care. He's righteously angry, and not as drunk as he once felt, and this is the best idea he's had all week.

"Sure," the guy says, in the casual tone of nearly everyone here. The bar patrons hook up with each other all the time, and Jimin's not going to actually hook up with anyone but it's good to know people still think he might.

They're just settling in at the table, the table that cleared for them too slowly after the occupants figured out what was happening, when Jeongguk comes back from his bar business and stops short.

"What's gong on," he says, and it should be a question but it's not a question. He doesn't even ask it to Jimin, he asks it to barrel-chest guy, and that's not making Jimin any happier. But the dark look in Jeongguk's eyes is, and Jimin smiles just as brightly back at him, so brightly it feels shattering.

The barrel chest guy is also the guy who can't read the room, apparently, because he says, "You can have next," like it's a favor. He runs a hand over Jimin's arm, grossly, and that should be the signal for Jeongguk to stride over and pull Jimin out of his reach, to do his possessive act that means Jimin is his. The act that Jimin can lord over him, a little, and get back some of his power.

But he doesn't, he just says again, "What's going on." Softer. More hurt, and this time he does look at Jimin. He looks at him with the deepest pain, and Jimin takes a half-step towards him.

Until Earthquake does too, and he remembers. "Got sick of the usual bar conversation," he says airily, and Earthquake blanches. "It's time for fun."

Jeongguk studies him, and the bar is noisy and crowded but it doesn't feel that way anymore. It feels like it's just the two of them, and Jeongguk nearly whispers, "Do you want to go home?"

Jimin hears him anyway.

"Does that pay out for you?" Jimin asks Earthquake, who's close enough to hear it too. "Is that enough? What are the terms of the bet?"

Earthquake doesn't say anything, and Jimin laughs without humor. "Maybe you know if it pays out, Jeongguk. What is it that you have to get me to say in front of everyone to win? How much money do you get, if I say yes?"

"I don't know what you're talking about," says Jeongguk, but the lines around his eyes are a little guilty. "I just want to go home. I'm so tired, Jimin."

"Me too," says Jimin, folding his arms. "I'm tired, and I'm going to play pool. I'll see you later."

Jeongguk steps back that half-step that Jimin took towards him, then another, and by the time he turns around he's halfway across the bar, people parting for him like the sea. He's out the unmarked door and into the night before anyone speaks, and Jimin's lungs squeeze so tight he can't breathe, his throat closing around his sobs. Everyone's staring at him like he's the bad guy, and maybe he is the bad guy, but it's better than being the world's joke.

"Was that your boyfriend?" asks barrel-chest guy, his deep voice suspicious and not overly intelligent, and Jimin puts his head in his hands.

"I don't know," he says. "I don't know."

He can't go home, because Jeongguk might be there and Jeongguk might not be there, and both of those possibilities make him want to throw up. Instead he goes to his apartment, the one he still has with Taehyung that he never sleeps in, the one that he's not sure why he keeps paying for except that it's his. It's a piece of life that's just his, and he's glad he has it now when he needs somewhere to cry.

Taehyung is already there when he arrives, because Taehyung knows where he needs to be without anyone telling him anything, and he has his arms open in welcome before Jimin closes the door.

"Baby," he says in his deep, scratchy voice, and Jimin stumbles across the room and folds into him gratefully. His face is streaked from his tears in the cab, his shoulders tight from holding everything back, and Taehyung grips him with so much strength that he feels safe falling apart. He falls apart all the way into the bedroom, through Taehyung undressing and redressing him like a child, making clucking, soothing noises all the while.

And then they're finally curled up on the old mattress, the one Jimin could afford back when he was a desk peon and didn't have a wealthy boyfriend, the mattress he'd gotten cheap and had to drag up the stairs with Taehyung. The one he'd cried on before and was still taking care of him now.

"What's happening?" asks Taehyung. It's dark in the room, but Taehyung's love makes it lighter. "What's going on?"

"Everyone keeps asking me that," says Jimin, voice full of tears. "Why does everyone ask me that? You, and Namjoon, and Jeongguk -"

His voice breaks on Jeongguk's name, and Taehyung fusses over him briefly. "That's because we don't know, Jiminie. We have to ask to find out what's in that tangly head of yours."

Jimin doesn't say anything, and Taehyung finally says, "You really miss sex, don't you?"

But he says it gently, and it doesn't make Jimin furious like it might have if someone else said it. It just makes him sad, and before he can stop himself words are spilling out of his heart. "I miss him so much. I love him so much and I hate it. I hate that I need him like this, and he doesn't need me at all, and he can walk away whenever he wants. He walked away tonight, because I'm too much for him to deal with. Perfect Jeongguk and lovesick Jimin. That's what we've always been, right?"

Jimin sighs into the silence, because Taehyung's very good at not saying anything when Jimin's not done yet. "The worst part is that everyone would get it if he left me. I'm not much. Not for someone like him."

And that's when Taehyung's long finger bonks him on the crown of his head, a pointed reminder that Taehyung's gentle love has spikes. "You're his world. He looks at you like you're the whole world. How can that not be much? It's everything."

Jimin shakes his head stubbornly. "He loves that I love him. He loves that I'm his, that I'll say it, that I love him the most. I don't mean that… I know he cares about me. I know he does, but it's not the same amount as I do. If he wants to he'll just get over me and I'll be his, forever, and everyone knows that about us. Even you."

"That's so dumb," says Taehyung.

"It's not dumb," says Jimin, sad and broken. "All he's been trying to get me to do all week is say that I love him the most. It's not even about the sex for him, just that he's winning. In control. We're so good at sex that I hadn't seen the pattern, but it's obvious. Every time, if we're kissing or cuddling or just falling asleep, he wants me to say that I'm his. And I don't want to say it anymore if it's just me that feels it."

"Of course he wants you to say you're his," says Taehyung, running his hands through Jimin's hair. "If you don't say it, how will he know?"

"Because he's my boyfriend?"

"Pah, boyfriend," says Taehyung. "That's fine, but Kookie doesn't really have a good history with boyfriends, you know? He spent a long time ruining boyfriends for other people. Those guys probably thought being boyfriends was enough to know, too, but it wasn't once Jeongguk came along."

Jimin sucks in a breath, which makes him cough into the pillows because he's still snotty. When he's done he says, "But I'm not like that. We're not like those guys. Not us."

He remembers barrel chest guy from tonight, the prop for his anger and how that might have looked like from outside his own head, and he shrinks against Tae's chest as he repeats, "I'm not like that."

"You're not, but he is," says Taehyung. "Or he thinks he is. Look, I'm not supposed to tell you this but you're crying and the soulmate bond is so powerful that I have no choice. You have to tell everyone I had no choice, okay?"

"Okay," says Jimin, bewildered.

"Jeongguk asks Jin all the time for boyfriend tips. He asks Yoongi to do date planning for you guys. He asks me if he's doing things right, as the foremost Jimin expert on the planet. I have to update a spreadsheet about it! He's always checking in, to see if he's doing good enough for you. You make him so nervous, Jiminie."

Jimin's jaw drops. "But he's a great boyfriend. Our dates are always so romantic," he says. "And I love him! He knows I love him more than anything! How can he be nervous?"

"I know you love him the most," says Taehyung. "After me, anyway. I know, baby. But I know you always leave yourself a little way out, too."

"What do you mean?"

"You're a flirt," says Taehyung simply, like he does. "You flirt with everyone. And it's nice for us, but it's not always nice for Jeongguk. He still fights with Hoseok sometimes, when you're not in the room, even though Hoseok loves Joonie and only flirts with you for fun. And he's always glaring at people at his bars, and when we feed the ducks, and basically all the time, because you'll invite them in if he doesn't. That's why you scare him."

"He gets so many more phone numbers than I do," protests Jimin.

"Because he makes people scared back," says Taehyung. "He's got this thing he does with his eyebrows that makes people want to cry. So people stay away from you even though they want to get close because you smile at them a lot. You let them flirt with you, because you're nice and friendly and because you like it when Jeongguk puts his arm around you to keep you."

The last is said with a knowing, piercing look, and Jimin hangs his head. "It's how I know that he cares."

It comes out as a mumble, and Taehyung sighs. "But that's not healthy. It's just tests, and the thing about tests is that you pass every one until you fail. He's going to fail a test, someday, and you'll fulfill your own prophecy, and that's not fair when he looks at you like stars and he scheduled monthly training meetings with us to increase his boyfriend power. You have to believe that he cares without the games, Jimin, because he does. I know he's a Cookie Liar but he's not a Jimin Liar. He only tells the truth about you."

Jimin thinks about that for a long minute, gut churning. "Did Jin text me from Jeongguk's phone today?"

"Yes," says Taehyung. "I told him to, and he loves me so he did. I'm sorry."

"It's okay," says Jimin. He's so tired, and he feels himself falling asleep inside the weight of his guilt. Inside the fear that he might have failed Jeongguk's tests, too. Forever failed, without any second chance, because he hasn't been trying to be a good boyfriend at all. "Tae, am I the bad guy?"

"I don't think there are bad guys," says Taehyung. "There's Kookie and Jiminie, and you just need to do your best. Tomorrow you can wake up and do your best. Because you love him, right?"

"Yeah," says Jimin, tears falling through his closed eyes. It's not as scary to say here, with Tae, but it's still scary. "I love him. Just him. So much."

"Tell him that when you see him," says Taehyung, stroking his head sweetly. "And I think things will be easy. Everything can be really easy, if you let it."

"That's only true for you," says Jimin softly. "Special Taehyung rules."

"Special Taehyung and Jimin rules. Always for both of us. Sleep. Sleep all night, and tomorrow will be better."

The milky morning light feels accusing when Jimin slips out the next day, the undeserved promise of a beautiful day. It's just past dawn, and Jimin slept in broken fits, interspersed with nightmares of shadows and monsters. The sorts of nightmares he used to have when he was younger. When he was alone.

He hopes he's not alone now, unknowing.

When he gets up to their apartment, he pushes open the door with his heart in his throat. He'd tried to write a speech on his way home but the words hadn't presented themselves in any kind of order so he's here with nothing, looking for everything, wondering if there's anything left to find.

He stops just inside, eyes wide, then softening as they trail over a sleeping Jeongguk. He's curled up on one side of the uncomfortable divorce couch, his mouth open and drooling, the blanket he'd pulled over him slipped down to the side and useless. He's still wearing his bar clothes from the night before, like a kid who couldn't stay up on New Year's, and Jimin loves him all over again. He hadn't thought there was more to feel but there is more, with Jeongguk in an old, crappy t-shirt and non-business sweats, sleeping ugly and being beautiful.

Jimin moves to the couch on soft feet, tugging the blanket back up and spreading it over Jeongguk's folded arms so gently. But Jeongguk stirs anyway, his usual heavy sleep not so heavy, and Jimin can't resist kissing his forehead even though he doesn't know if he has the right.

Jeongguk's eyes blink open slowly, resisting the movement, but when he sees Jimin he cycles through sleep to wakefulness more quickly than Jimin's ever seen.

"Jimin?" he says, his voice cracked like tears, and he coughs to clear it.

Jimin holds himself very carefully, a man inside a cage with something dangerous, and he can't bring himself to say anything.

"Did you just get back?" asks Jeongguk, waking up his phone where it sits on the center console, charging. "Where -"

He doesn't ask, but he doesn't have to, because he's not looking Jimin in the eyes, and he's as small as Jeongguk can ever get. Waiting for a blow, and Jimin hadn't really believed Taehyung when he said that Jeongguk was scared. The very idea was ludicrous, except it wasn't, because Jeongguk had slept on their stupid couch waiting for Jimin to come back, and he's worrying the edge of the blanket in a familiar, terrified gesture. The gesture of going to see his family, or the train ride to meet Jimin's parents for the first time, or when Nana Jeon had been in the hospital for a long night.

Jimin believes Taehyung, and he is the bad guy.

"I slept at my apartment," says Jimin, nearly whispering. "With Tae."

Jeongguk breathes out, a little relieved, but Jimin isn't relieved. His apartment is another way out, he realizes. His escape valve if Jeongguk fails a test.

"Do you want water?" Jimin asks when Jeongguk doesn't say anything else, heading into the kitchen. Away from all of these ugly truths he's learning about himself, weighing him down with their heavy reality.

Jeongguk still doesn't answer, and Jimin gets two glasses just in case. He nearly drops them when he turns around and Jeongguk is behind him, rubbing sleep out of his eyes and staring unwaveringly at Jimin's ear.

"You scared me!" says Jimin at a more normal volume, and if his hands were free he'd slap Jeongguk in the shoulder. If they weren't in a fight, and Jeongguk's lips ghost into an almost-smile because he knows it. "Don't laugh."

"Okay," says Jeongguk, taking a glass and draining it in a few long gulps before wiping his mouth. "Thanks."

"I'm sorry," says Jimin, not touching his own water as he sets it on the counter. "I'm so sorry. Last night… that was… I didn't mean it. That guy -"

He can't continue, and he wishes he'd been able to write a speech.

Jeongguk's eyes are still uncertain when they move up to Jimin's. "You didn't…"

"I would never. I didn't even talk to him after you left," says Jimin. "I didn't even stay at the bar."

"Then why did you at all?" asks Jeongguk, his voice back to broken.

Jimin closes his eyes and sighs. "Because you told them all about the sex bet. Everyone there. They were betting on us too, betting on me breaking, and it wasn't about something silly like normal. It was something real to me, and I didn't want to be talked about that way. To be laughed at," he says. "I was really embarrassed. But that doesn't make it okay, what I did. I know that."

Jeongguk steps closer, the air around Jimin heating up with his nearness. "No one laughs at you there," he says. He touches Jimin's arm lightly, his thumb running over the sleeve of his two-day-old dress shirt. "If they did, they'd be gone. They know better."

He says it with conviction, and purpose, but he doesn't get it at all. "Which means you know they might. You know why they might," says Jimin. "I'm not like you."

"You're better," says Jeongguk immediately, and Jimin starts to cry. Ugly crying, snot and hitching sobs and the sort of wheezy breaths he hates, and Jeongguk panic-hugs him with too much force. "Don't cry. Jimin, don't cry."

"I'm not crying," says Jimin through his sobs. Jeongguk's shoulder is soaked, but he doesn't seem to care, and that makes Jimin cry even harder. After all the things he'd done, the stupid games he'd played, and Jeongguk can still be so sure that Jimin is good.

Jimin wishes he could be that sure.

"I'm sorry," says Jeongguk, and it sounds like he's crying too.

Jimin shakes his head against him fiercely. "Don't be sorry. I'm sorry. You don't get to be more sorry than me."

"Okay," says Jeongguk, still holding him so tightly that Jimin can hardly breathe, and he likes it. "But I am."

"You don't always have to win," says Jimin, but it's so soft and snotty and Jeongguk huffs a small laugh over him. "Just because you're the best boyfriend ever doesn't mean you always have to win."

Jeongguk stiffens. "I'm not. If I were the best you wouldn't be crying right now. None of this would have ever happened."

"I'm not crying because of you. I'm crying because I fucked up and you're still here," says Jimin, tears flowing faster. "You waited for me, and you're giving me hugs, and I thought you might be gone but you're not gone. I can't believe you're not gone."

"Where would I go?" asks Jeongguk. "The only place that matters is where you are."

There's a pause as Jimin tries not to cry more, and they're still in the kitchen and Jimin's feet are getting cold but he doesn't want to move yet. Because Jeongguk is right, the only place that matters is where they can be together.

"I'm sorry I told them about the bet," says Jeongguk eventually, like he's been chewing it over for awhile. "I shouldn't have. I just wanted to talk to someone, and Jin said I was being stupid when I tried to talk to him, and I missed you so much. But I shouldn't have done that."

"I missed you more," says Jimin, burrowing closer. Trying to get inside of him. "I love you, Kookie. I love you, and I missed you, and you can tell anyone anything and I'll still love you. I don't care if it makes me pathetic. You're wonderful, and I love you so much. No one else could ever come close."

Jeongguk leans back as best he can given Jimin's determination to stay close and says, "You think loving me makes you pathetic?"

He sounds a little hurt, and Jimin loosens his hold. "Not because of you. Because of how much it is, and because it makes me stupid, sometimes. You're it for me, and everyone knows it, and you could have anyone. I mean, you're Jeongguk. You're so… you could leave me whenever you want. That embarrassed me before, but it won't anymore. I don't mind being yours. As long as you want me to be anyway."

"You think I'm going to leave you?" asks Jeongguk, and now he's not just hurt but horrified.

"I hope you don't," whispers Jimin. "I always hope that."

Jeongguk steps back, his jaw tight. "I'm trying, Jimin. I've never done this before, but I swear I'm trying. I say I love you every day," he says. "Every day. You never say it first but I say it anyway because I do. I leave work and come home just because I want to see you, even though it's fucking irresponsible, but I do it. You're the most important person in my life. You're always on my mind. And you still don't trust me to stay?"

"It's not about trust -"

"Yes it is," says Jeongguk, pushing his hair off his forehead. "I know I'm not good at relationships. At being a boyfriend. I'm competitive, and I don't know how to give in, and I'm petty as shit. But I'm trying and you still don't trust me to get better. You don't trust what I say, and you don't trust what I do, so what does that leave me with?"

He stops suddenly, sighing. "How can I prove myself to you if you don't want to believe?"

"I don't have to believe," says Jimin quickly. "There's nothing to believe, because none of that is true. You do everything right. Everything. You're not bad at relationships, and you don't have to prove anything to me. I trust you to stay. It's me I don't trust to stay good enough to make it worth it."

Saying it out loud is worse, it's so much worse than thinking it, and he shies away from the sound of his own voice.

"You know why I didn't want to take you on the company retreat?" asks Jimin, looking at the floor. "Because if you come they're going to remember that they could have had you instead of me. That they traded us, and it wasn't a fair exchange. I don't want them to remember that. And the guys at the bar, and people we see on the street, and our friends, they all know it too. That nothing about our relationship is fair to you."

"Park Jimin," says Jeongguk, and it's so gentle. More gentle than Jimin deserves. "Hey. Look at me, okay?"

Jimin does, and Jeongguk's sadness nearly breaks him. "No one I know thinks I deserve you. Even Jin doesn't think I deserve you. You're the most wonderful person I know."

"I just flirted with someone right in front of you," says Jimin, biting off his words. "Because I was embarrassed. I hurt you, on purpose, and it wasn't even the first time, was it? I'm not a wonderful person, and you deserve a hell of a lot more than me."

Jeongguk sighs. "Maybe we both deserve more than each other, sometimes. But what matters to me is that I want to deserve you. That you want me. That we love each other. If we love each other, then we can both be more, together," he says. "But we have to talk about things. Okay? I don't want to play games with you anymore over stuff that matters."

He says it without hesitating, his face open and vulnerable and perfectly Jeongguk, and Jimin can't imagine ever wanting to look at anyone else.

"Okay," says Jimin, taking a deep breath and bracing himself. Talking about things. Right. "I love you. Just you, more than I've ever loved anyone. Sometimes I feel like I love you too much, more than you love me, and I get worried about that. So I like it when you put your arm around me in front of people and let people know we're together. It makes me feel special, and like you still want me, and sometimes I make it happen if I'm feeling insecure. I get you jealous on purpose, so you'll do it. I'm sorry."

Jeongguk blinks, but Jimin doesn't let him get a word in.

"Also I only ever masturbate about you," he continues recklessly. "I don't even watch porn anymore. I feel like I should miss it, but I don't, which is the dumbest thing that's ever happened to me. I wake up early some mornings to go to work and then I'm almost late because I get stuck watching you sleep. Memorizing you. And sometimes I put on your stupid old t-shirts that I hate when you're not home because they smell like you, and I get all weepy about how much I love you. Once when we first started dating I called Tae from a park because there was a rabbit in the bushes and it made me think of you and I had a breakdown. He still has the voice mail.

"But when you ask me to say all of this to you I think maybe you only love that I love you. That the love part of me is the most important part to you, that you'll always want more of it, and I don't know how to love you any harder than I already do."

He trails off, then, cheeks flaming, because Jeongguk is laughing. Not cruelly but happily, his smile wide enough to split his face, and without warning he picks Jimin up and sets him on the counter, bracing his arms on the cabinets, trapping him in their cage.

"I do love that you love me," says Jeongguk. "God I love it. I love it because it's you, and sometimes I don't know why you do. I really can't figure it out, because I'm just good at sports and business and sex, and you don't care about sports and you're good at business too. So I just try to have as much sex with you as I can, because you deserve the good parts of me, if I have them. I want to be worth it to you, too, because you're so good, all the time. Good at your job, at handling me, at caring for everyone you meet, at being the most beautiful person.

"And they don't miss me at the office. You work so hard, and every time I'm there people tell me how much they like you. I can't even get mad about it, because I get it. I like you so much, too. I love that I just asked you to talk about things sometimes and you did a whole speech. I love that you do everything all the way, even if it scares me that you might go so far one day that I'll lose you before I know it."

Jeongguk shakes his head, tears flying out of the corners of his eyes and he blinks them away. "Every time I see you I love you more. God, I always thought people who said that shit were so cheesy, and they are. They're so fucking cheesy, but I like to be cheesy with you. I love everything about you. I've saved audio clips of you laughing. I have bottles of your shampoo at the bars in case I forget how good you smell. I just want to boyfriend you forever. I want to be with you all the time. I have a whole fucking squad of people helping me to get better at this because I want it so badly. I just want you to be mine, every day."

He pauses, his tongue darting out to wet his lips, and says, "I want you, every day."

And all of a sudden Jimin's very aware of how close they are, and how long it's been, and how smoky Jeongguk's eyes are. Jimin tilts his head back, shifting his hips forward just far enough that Jeongguk's pressed against him, and murmurs, "Kiss me, Kookie."

"Are you sure?" he says, and it's a real question.

"Yes," says Jimin, pushing his hips even closer. "Because I've missed you, and we have to have sex before we can do post-sex cuddling, and if you don't let me tell you how much I love you for the rest of the day I will never, ever forgive you."

"It's not even eight yet," says Jeongguk, fingers tracing along the nape of Jimin's neck. "That's going to be a really long day for you."

"Damn right it is," says Jimin. "Nothing but the best for the best boyfriend in the world. Now kiss me or I'm going to pinch you."

Jeongguk laughs as he complies. His breath comes hot over Jimin's mouth, a tease before the gentle pressure of lips, the soft play of tongue that comes right away. Jimin parts his mouth, asking for it, and then there's no more teasing, nothing flirtatious, just need. Desperation, and a taste of something bigger than either of them alone.

"I love you," says Jeongguk against him, mouth roving down the sensitive skin of Jimin's neck. "I love you, and I love being your boyfriend. I'm so proud of you. I love how jealous people are that I get to be yours. I love that everyone I know adores you. I love falling asleep with you. I love when you laugh at me."

"You do not," says Jimin, tilting his head to give Jeongguk better access, gasping when Jeongguk nips at his collarbone with dangerous intent. "You hate it when I laugh at you."

"I pretend to hate it," says Jeongguk, biting at him again. "But it's really fucking hot. You think you're being such a smartass, and you look at me like you're daring me to do something about it, and then I want to get you naked. Even more than usual."

His hands move to the planes of Jimin's stomach, fingers stretching under the hem of his shirt, and he kisses him again hard on the mouth. It's bruising, and Jimin moans against his will when Jeongguk twists his fingers into his hair, then moans again when Jeongguk sweeps his tongue across his lower lip as balm. "You like that?"

"Like being yours," says Jimin, just to get Jeongguk do it again. "Love you. Want to fuck you."

"Oh my god yes," breathes Jeongguk, and then they don't have the time to talk because they're too busy with each other. Jimin tugs at the waistband of Jeongguk's sweatpants, eager and impatient, and Jeongguk's hands are everywhere, hard and powerful and wringing noises out of Jimin that he's never made before but Jeongguk can't seem to get enough of. Jeongguk tears his shirt away, ripping the buttons like they're nothing, leaving the shirt flapping around Jimin's overheated torso in the most delicious way.

Jimin's breathing goes ragged, his exhausted, sex-starved mind narrowing in focus until it's just this place, their place, a place he never wants to leave again.

Suddenly Jimin grinds into him, hard, catching Jeongguk off guard for a brief second before he gets back into the groove. He rolls against Jimin in turn, a smooth motion that gets Jimin embarrassingly hard, but there's no space to be embarrassed here. He's moaning loud enough to echo off the tile, and people are going to hear them and he doesn't care at all. He can't believe he ever worried about people knowing this. Everyone should know this, all the time.

Their lips catch again and again, dragging roughly, Jeongguk taking Jimin's breath for himself, and Jimin thinks he's welcome to it, thinks he's welcome to anything at all if he'll just keep -

Jeongguk stops moving, and Jimin's eyes fly open. "Don't stop," he whines, tugging at Jeongguk's waist with hands that feel a little drunk. "Kookie, it's been so long, don't stop."

Jeongguk's panting over him, shallow breaths that somehow make Jimin lightheaded. He's not even showered, a little filthy, and Jimin likes that too. He likes everything, and he pulls at Jeongguk's waist again and pouts until Jeongguk kisses him again.

"I'm not going to come in my pants in our fucking kitchen," says Jeongguk when he pulls away, then moves back in a little more slowly. A little meltingly, with a few crumbs of desperation around the edges. "Not when you're not even naked yet."

Jimin considers stripping, right there, just to get what he wants, but Jeongguk will complain about it being unhygienic as soon as his orgasm wears off and Jimin's going to be sweet to him today.

"Carry me to bed then," he says, slapping his arms over Jeongguk's shoulders and laughing when he grunts. "Unless you think you can't handle it with that big distraction between your legs."

Jeongguk growls, but it's playful, and Jimin's still irritatingly hard but he's also happier than he's been in a long time. "I can always carry you."

He suits actions to words, though he runs them into a few walls in the haze of devouring each other, and Jimin definitely hears something fall to the floor and break behind them as his foot brushes it. But it doesn't matter when he's lying back on their bed, his shirt lost forever, Jeongguk stripping above him primal and dark. Jimin shivers under his gaze, watching intently as the sweatpants drag down, the boxers follow, and Jeongguk's pretty cock comes into view.

He's tempted to say he forgot what it looked like, to make another joke, to lighten the heavy look in Jeongguk's eyes as he stares down at him. But this should be heavy. It feels right that it is, so instead of smiling Jimin unzips his own pants, wiggling them off as sexily as he can with his limited leverage. It's enough, if the way Jeongguk's eyes follow his movements mean anything.

When he's done and they're both naked, breathing in the anticipation, Jimin says, "I want you. I can't think about anyone but you." He pauses, trying to put everything he is into his words. "I love you, Jeongguk."

Jeongguk smiles, big and beautiful, and he doesn't look primal anymore. He looks relieved, like he might cry, and he collapses on top of Jimin gracelessly. But his forearms catch his weight, careful and protective around him, and Jimin huffs a laugh even as tears spill from the corner of his eye.

"There's never been anyone like you," Jeongguk says, his own voice thick with tears. "Never in a million years. I promise I'll always want to be here. How could I want to be anywhere else? You're my whole world. I'm sorry if you didn't know that."

"I knew," says Jimin. "I did know, most of the time. But you can tell me again."

"You're existence," says Jeongguk, lowering himself until they're pressed together again. "I adore you. From the minute we met until the end of time."

Jimin laughs, and Jeongguk bites him, which just makes Jimin laugh harder. "I never knew you were a poet, Kookie."

"I'm anything for you," says Jeongguk, and Jimin sobers and kisses him softly. Jimin still wants him, the back of his mind still clanging with desire, but that's less important now than this. Than just being together here, lips meeting and hearts opening and Jimin feeling safe and warm.

"So did you have anything to do today?" asks Jimin later, when they've scooted up the bed to their pillows, their soft make out uninterrupted no matter how much they move. They're both still naked and a little more urgent, Jeongguk's leg thrown over Jimin's hip, his hand working between them teasing Jimin back to hardness.

"Just you," says Jeongguk, grinning. He nips at Jimin's shoulder when Jimin spanks him, and that's enough to change the mood as Jimin rolls over him and pins him to the bed.

"Are you going to be a problem for me?"

Jeongguk shimmies underneath him, just enough to let Jimin feel the flex of his abs. "When am I not?"

Jimin runs his hands over Jeongguk's chest, pressing down hard, raking nails over skin as Jeongguk groans. "Be good, baby. Unless you want me to play with you all day without finishing anything."

Jeongguk's eyes narrow, until Jimin flicks his nipple and he gasps. He surges up to try to kiss Jimin, but Jimin dances back, making a disappointed noise. "That's not being good at all."

To his surprise, Jeongguk settles back, blinking up at him contritely. "Sorry." And he must sense Jimin's confusion, because he smiles softly, full of love, before he adds, "You want to be in control."

Jimin's heart contracts painfully, squeezed in the grip of love, but he only says, "I am in control. I always am, thank you very much."

"We'll see about that," says Jeongguk, because he never really stops fighting, and neither does Jimin. But he makes sweet, needy noises when Jimin start to play in earnest, working him up to the edge of desire, teasing him until he starts to swear under his hands. And when Jimin finally reaches for the lube Jeongguk nearly weeps when Jimin works him open gently, fingers pressing into him as he sucks little marks on Jeongguk's beautiful thighs.

Every hint of teeth brings a new groan, but Jeongguk never rushes him even as he shifts restlessly under the torment. Even as Jimin slows down, pressing more deliberately, dragging his fingers over his rim before settling back inside. Jeongguk hisses whenever he's empty, whimpers when Jimin fills him again, and when Jimin looks up at him he's sweating with the effort to keep himself steady. He's wrapped his hands around the headboard, squeezing so tightly his knuckles are white, and Jimin can't believe how good he's trying to be.

Which perversely makes Jimin want to fuck with him more. "Missed this?" he asks, grinning when Jeongguk glares.

"What do you think?"

"I think you're mouthy," says Jimin, then sucks the tender flesh of his inner thigh hard enough to leave a purple bruise behind him.

Jeongguk laughs through his groan and says, "Come up here and I'll show you mouthy."

"Later," says Jimin, patting him comfortingly just to watch him glower. Jimin's going to die if he doesn't get inside him now. "You ready?"

"I've been ready all week," says Jeongguk, eyes dark. "Are you ready?"

Jimin rises up in response, pressing kisses to Jeongguk's sweaty skin, drawing his leg over his shoulder and guiding himself into position. He doesn't push in, and Jeongguk's arms flex as he says, "Are you kidding me?" through clenched teeth.

But Jimin isn't teasing this time, his own need crowding his mind. "I want it hard. Is that okay?"

"Fuck yes," says Jeongguk, his hips shifting to try to draw Jimin inside. "It's been a week, not a year. Please get inside me. Please."

"Okay," says Jimin, pressing into him with more intent. "Tell me… tell me if it's too much."

Jeongguk nods, his eyes closed as he tries to relax, the cords in his neck taking all of his tension. He feels good like this, keeping himself relaxed for Jimin, the thick meat of his thigh pressing into Jimin's side as Jimin moves too fast for comfort. But he never says it's too much, not when Jimin's hips snap against his in unending rhythm, not when Jimin bends him in half to get a better angle, not when Jimin finds his prostate and won't get off it, tearing cries from Jeongguk's throat.

He does lean up to kiss him when he can, messy and open, and it's barely there but it's a thing that Jeongguk needs to have. Jimin slows his pace whenever he does it, edging away from his own desire, pouring his soul into the way Jeongguk feels around him, hot and tight and perfect. Into the way Jeongguk's gripping him with his legs, now wrapped around Jimin's waist in a vise of resistance every time Jimin pulls back in his bruising pace. Into the energy between them, the sweat droplets falling onto Jeongguk's washboard abs, the body that Jimin still can't believe no matter how many times he sees it, the rivers and valleys that he's still memorizing after all this time.

He pours his soul into Jeongguk, and Jeongguk pours his soul back, and when Jimin realizes he's going to come he holds him tighter and moves frantically, almost painfully, stuttering into a patternless rhythm that makes Jeongguk cry out again. Jimin can't find words either, just harsh gasps for air, and his belly tightens as Jeongguk spasms around him, finding his own end, spilling across his stomach to mix with Jimin's sweat.

"Keep going," Jeongguk says, his legs wrapping tighter, his hands still gripping the headboard. He hisses when Jimin does, oversensitive and fighting it. His voice is wrecked, a little slurred, a little screamy still even post-orgasm. "Jimin, fuck, oh fuck baby. Come for me. I love you, I love you, please."

And that's enough, it will always be enough, and Jimin's hips jerk a final time before he's spilling inside him. It's endless, and timeless, and Jeongguk's talking him through it but he can't hear it past the rushing in his ears or the thundering of his heart. Sex has never been like this, like he's outside of his body, like he's floating away into the sky, and he wonders if this is the only time or if it's every time. If he and Jeongguk will be this every time with each other, for the rest of their lives.

That sounds good, he thinks muzzily. It sounds really good, as he lowers his head to Jeongguk's chest and tries to catch his breath. Tries not to be in the sky too much, or at least not without Jeongguk.

"Always like this," he says through his panting breaths, not sure what he's trying to say. "I want it always like this, Kookie. Oh I love you."

He can't even open his eyes to look at him, his body heavy with exhaustion and satisfaction and love. He can't even pull out of Jeongguk, though he will if Jeongguk asks him to. He'll do everything for him, because he's everything.

Jeongguk's arms circle his waist, pulling him tighter against him, and Jimin feels a kiss press into his sweaty hair. Jeongguk moves himself out and away, slowly, and Jimin should clean him up but he doesn't know how to move right now. He thinks he's crying, but it doesn't feel like crying. It feels like Jeongguk.

"Always like this," Jeongguk says quietly, and Jimin falls asleep.

"Your attention please! A little bird told me that much sex has been had," says Taehyung, tapping a long stick against the nearest hard object, which happens to the coffee table. He's not standing this time, laying sideways across Yoongi and Namjoon's laps like a model posing for a painting, and Jin's staring at him appreciatively and a little grossly. "It's bet-settling time! Who broke first?"

Jeongguk opens his mouth, but Jimin interrupts and says, "I did."

"No way," says Namjoon, eyes wide. "I can't believe he had the self-control to outlast you. Jeongguk, have you been listening to those meditation podcasts I sent?"

"Ew, no. And no," says Jeongguk, squeezing Jimin more firmly against his side. His arm hasn't left his shoulders all night, and Jimin's not going to complain. "It was me. I lost. Jimin's irresistible."

Jimin elbows him, but not hard. "That's very sweet, but you're the irresistible one. I didn't stand a chance."

"No, it's you," says Jeongguk, kissing him on the nose. "The perfect man."

Jimin kisses him back, a little more firmly than he needs to, and Jeongguk's just parting his mouth to take it to the next level when something hits Jimin in the head.

He pulls away and glares at Taehyung, who withdraws his long stick without any remorse. "If I'm not allowed to French hot boyfriends in a group setting, neither are you."

"For the record, I'm the perfect man," says Hoseok, reaching over to pinch Jimin's cheek, then Jeongguk's. "But I'm happy for you both."

Seokjin snorts. "I'm not. They're disgusting. Jeongguk has called me five separate times this week to cry about Jimin's eye-smile. When I blocked his number he called me from a burner. I'm begging one of you to take my position as his best friend."

Jeongguk shrugs. "What can I say? It's cute, and I love him. Which is why I lost."

"Kookie," Jimin whines. "You know I lost."

"Someone please kill me," says Seokjin, but his eyes are fond. "So I guess we all lose out on beef."

"Or we all win," says Namjoon thoughtfully. He looks at Jimin and Jeongguk like he's sizing them up. "How are you handling your bet?"

Jimin puts a hand on Jeongguk's knee, way too high, and Jeongguk jumps when he squeezes his thigh. "Jeongguk's coming to Cebu with me, and he's going to charm everyone and further my career."

"When we're not fucking," adds Jeongguk.

"Right," says Jimin. "And he's going to go through his t-shirts and get rid of the ones that he really doesn't need anymore. But the other ones he can wear whenever he wants and I won't say anything about it."

Taehyung cocks an eyebrow skeptically, and Jimin laughs. "Unless I'm drunk."

"But that's okay," says Jeongguk low in his throat. "I don't mind if you want to take them off of me."

"Oh my god it's endless," says Seokjin. "Please make them stop. Yoongi, do something. Talk about something unsexy like portfolio management."

Yoongi's been quiet, playing with Taehyung's hair ever since they made it to the couches, but he looks over at Seokjin skeptically. "Portfolio management turns both of them on, though."

Jeongguk and Jimin nod agreeably, and Seokjin puts his head in his hands and mutters about his constant suffering.

"But no one's checked my bet yet," Yoongi continues. "You guys might have all lost to me."

Hoseok sits up and snaps his fingers. "That's right! Joonie, do you still have the paper?"

"Of course," says Namjoon, shifting Taehyung off of him to turn out his pockets and dumping his wallet on the cushions. Receipts and little notes rain down over everything, much to Taehyung's amusement as he snatches at them, but eventually he finds the distinctively folded page and holds it aloft.

"Behold, the prediction from Min Yoongi, cutest cheek man and my very hot boyfriend. Hear ye, hear ye -"

Jeongguk tries to kick him from across the circle, but he misses because he won't let go of Jimin. "No town crier roles, for the love of god."

Taehyung grins at him and unfolds the page. "Yoongi said -"

He breaks off as he reads, then starts to laugh so hard he can't continue. He looks over at Yoongi, who presents his cheek for a kiss that Taehyung gives him through his laughter. Hoseok grabs the paper impatiently and starts to read it himself, Namjoon looking over his shoulder.

"He said that the bet would be inconclusive, because Jimin and Jeongguk will jump each other and then fight over who lost for the rest of time," says Hoseok. "That's not a real answer! That's cheating!"

"It's not cheating to be right," says Yoongi, smirking.

"Exactly. Don't hate the player, hate the game," says Seokjin. "Nostradamus ain't got nothing on my man."

"But you lost too," says Jeongguk, only a little red-faced. "He was right! So you owe him beef."

"Damn right I do," says Seokjin, licking his lips. "Competency is so hot."

Hoseok laughs. "Now who's being disgusting?"

And Seokjin protests that facts aren't disgusting, which Namjoon finds intensely interesting as a concept, and Yoongi's busy trying to confirm that the beef in this situation is not a penis while everyone devolves into an argument. And Jimin leans up to Jeongguk and whispers, "But I cracked first."

"You didn't," says Jeongguk. "And even if you did, I wouldn't let you say it. I'm too gone for you, baby."

Jimin blushes and smacks his chest, which turns him on, which makes Jeongguk grin wickedly.

"Want to make a new bet?" he asks, kissing the pads of Jimin's fingers a little more seductively than necessary. "Whoever makes the other one come first tonight gets a blowjob when we get to the room in Cebu."

Jimin blushes harder and says, "Is everything sex to you now?"

"We went a week without it! That's at least ten missed orgasms," says Jeongguk. "I'm still trying to catch up."

"Fine," says Jimin. "We can have mind-blowing sex here and in Cebu. I guess. If we have to."

"Thanks," says Jeongguk, still working his way over Jimin's fingers. "And the bar people say they're sorry, and they closed out the book without paying anyone, and they said they're never going to gossip about us again."

"They're absolutely going to gossip about us again," says Jimin. "They probably are right now. I know for a fact they've already bet on how long it would take you to get our old couch back."

Jeongguk winces. "You just had to bring that up."

"Yes," says Jimin. "Because I'm still waiting. The stupid divorce couch is not cuddle friendly or Jimin-approved. You didn't even give the old one to charity, you just sent it to Jin's. Get it back!"

"Jin is being difficult," says Jeongguk. "But I'll work him down by next Wednesday."

"That's a very specific day," says Jimin suspiciously, before the penny drops. "Oh my god. You put a bet on when you'd get it back, didn't you? Didn't you?"

Jeongguk grins. "Through a proxy. I'm going to make a killing."

"I can't believe how sexy I still find you even when you're being the most annoying person alive," says Jimin, crawling into his lap to kiss him. "How are we going to have movie night without our couch?"

"Just like this," says Jeongguk, squeezing his ass playfully as he tilts his head back into the cushions. "My lap is a first class seat, baby. Plenty of room for you."

"You're the worst," says Jimin. "I love you."

"Love you infinity."

Jimin squawks as he stops mouthing at Jeongguk's neck. "You can't just skip right to the infinity like that. I was going to say it! There are steps! "

"I can't help it if I loved you infinity first," says Jeongguk, pulling Jimin into a sweet kiss.

Jimin considers fighting him, but Jeongguk bites his lip gently and sends tingles up his spine, so he decides to let it go. Just this once.

For now.

As he sinks into the kiss, Jeongguk's fingers wrapped in the strands of his hair, he hears Taehyung say, "It's nice that everything's back to normal around here. Now, I have our discussion topic for tonight - Who Can Hold Their Breath For The Longest? But we have to go to the bathroom so I can fill up the tub for testing. Jimin, you're first! Jiminie! Jimin?"

But Jimin just wraps himself more tightly around Jeongguk, ignoring the catcalls and the teasing, and when Jeongguk starts laughing underneath him he joins in. But he doesn't stop holding him, and Jeongguk doesn't stop kissing him, and everyone hates them but they love each other, which is the only discussion topic that matters.