Hoseok rested his head against the back of the couch, closing his eyes against the harsh light coming from the TV, a standard variety show playing out across the screen, the sound muted.
He likes moments like these: everything quiet, no need to put up a face for cameras, or pressured by the group's relentless schedule; but every time he has a few moments to himself, he is reminded just how tired he is, just how much his cheeks hurt from keeping up his image of the sun personified, just how much he wishes he could have more than a few days of this.
His thoughts are interrupted by a pained grunt from the kitchen, head lolling to the side, his eyes open lazily, catching a glimpse of a head of silver hair, clutching at a finger with a grimace on his face.
Jimin.
One of the things that Hoseok truly thinks makes all of this worth it: the long days, the torturous dance practices, the countless interviews and talk shows they sit through. He would work twice as hard if it meant making Jimin happy; seeing Jimin's smile. Hoseok has always been an openly affectionate person, but even he is too embarrassed to admit these types of thoughts to Jimin, or anyone. So, he tries to convey these feelings through physical affection and loving comments, hoping Jimin can feel his sincerity.
"Are you okay?" Hoseok yells out to a still hunched over Jimin and can't help but laugh after Jimin's unconvincing grunt as a reply.
Hoseok manages to haul his weary body off the couch, groaning as his legs straighten out and back strains and cracks as he stretches it out. He pads over to the kitchen, casually leaning his hip against the doorway, arms crossed, affectionately chuckling.
Jimin frowns up at him; more than a few unfriendly words at the tip of his tongue, he quickly stands up and heads over to the sink, purposefully turning his back on his traitorous bandmate.
Hoseok stays where he is and stares at the younger for a moment, takes in his petit yet strong body, his full thighs, lean back, slim hips.
Hoseok would be lying if he said he hadn't thought about that body pressed against his before, his lips pressed against Jimin's plump ones. He's always played it off as normal, doesn't stop to think about it for too long, and convinces himself that everyone has thoughts like these about people close to them.
Again, he pushes the train of thought from his mind, opting instead to move forward and wrap his arms around Jimin's waist, resting his chin on Jimin's shoulder. He feels Jimin's body go stiff beneath his, sees his hands pause where he's been washing the cut on his finger under the tap. Hoseok slides his hands up from Jimin's waist, almost on autopilot, watching them slip down Jimin's forearms to cup the smaller hands between his own, fingers gently brushing over the small cut. Hoseok can feel Jimin's breathing stutter through his own chest, pressed tightly to Jimin's back; can feel the tension in the younger boy's shorter body that's fitted against his.
Hoseok manages a dry laugh, attempting to dispel the awkward feeling beginning to settle in the air, "I thought you were peeling potatoes, how did you manage that?"
Hoseok reaches over and grabs a towel resting on the bench, removing both of their hands from the water before drying and wrapping the towel around Jimin's injured hand.
"Keep pressure on it." At Hoseok's words, Jimin's anger shows itself again through a disgruntled huff and a deep frown. Hoseok can't resist but to reach up and pinch both of Jimin's cheeks, his heart-shaped smile out in full force. Jimin laughs involuntarily, his free hand attempting to swat away Hoseok's attack.
"Can you two lovebirds get a room that isn't the kitchen?" Both boys startle at the sound of Jin's voice, Hoseok pouting cutely at the oldest group member.
"I can't help it, our Jiminnie is just so cute." Hoseok grins as he looks back to see a blushing Jimin, face turned down, his hands twisting at the towel between his fingers. "He hurt his hand while preparing dinner."
Jin perks up at the news, seeing the ingredients laid out across the bench, and the peeler sitting haphazardly on the cutting board. He immediately rushes over to Jimin, gushing about how surprised he is that Jimin had been making dinner for them, unravelling the towel and making a fuss over the cut, quickly digging through the drawers for a band-aid.
Jimin glances at Hoseok as Jin begins to clean and bandage the tiny cut with more care than was necessary, an emotion on his face that Hoseok couldn't quite decipher, something raw enough that Hoseok feels as though he had missed something important.
Jin ends up making dinner for the three of them, Namjoon and Yoongi being at the studio, and Taehyung and Jungkook out of the house for the night. It's a comfortable silence, the kind that the apartment doesn't usually get.
It's after dinner, dishes washed and put away that Jin retreats back to his room, leaving Jimin and Hoseok to entertain themselves.
"How about a movie?" Jimin suggests shortly after they've both settled on the couch. Hoseok agrees instantly, full and sleepy, he can't imagine anything better than cuddling with Jimin for the night.
Hoseok grabs the quilted blanket thrown carelessly at the end of the couch, comfortably tucking it around himself while Jimin quickly chooses a movie and sets it up. Hoseok lifts the blanket for Jimin to slip under when he gets back, Jimin shyly sliding in beside Hoseok, settling down with a small gap between him and Hoseok.
As the movie progresses, the two slowly press closer, until eventually, Hoseok has his arm wrapped around Jimin's shoulders, Jimin pressed comfortably underneath, an arm slung around Hoseok's waist and their legs thoughtlessly tangled together.
They both jump when all the lights go out and the TV flicks off. Jimin tightening his grip on Hoseok painfully.
Hoseok pats Jimin's arm, "It's alright, it's just a blackout, the lights will be back on soon." Despite Hoseok's comforting words, Jimin's body was still unnaturally tight against Hoseok's.
Hoseok looks down at where he thinks Jimin would be, a rush of emotion overcoming his rational thought; he lowers his head and presses a kiss to the crown of Jimin's head, it felt right: enough for him to linger, pressing another small kiss slightly apart.
He feels Jimin gasp, rather than hears him. Feels him tense up even more for a second before relaxing slightly and bringing himself even closer to Hoseok.
Hoseok thinks he imagines it when he feels a slight pressure on his chest. Plays it off when he feels another further up, but when he feels Jimin's hand lightly dragging across his stomach, he recognizes the feel of Jimin's lips as they press another kiss on his chest.
Hoseok feels like his breath had been knocked out of him, Jimin's hand that was now splayed out across his stomach felt hot, even through his clothes.
Jimin shifts, sitting up in front of Hoseok, his knees on either side of one of Hoseok's thighs, both hands coming up to rest on Hoseok's chest.
"Jimin, what are you…" Hoseok's hushed voice was raspy, the undisguised desperation in his voice surprising himself. Jimin balked for a second, bringing his shaking hands up to cup Hoseok's jaw. Hoseok felt like eons passed before his felt Jimin's face carefully lowering towards his.
"Jimin-" Hoseok's voice was cut off by Jimin's lips clumsily pressing into his. Hoseok froze, he could feel Jimin's lips nervously shaking before slightly lifting off, just enough that they could both feel each other's breathe hit their lips. Jimin began to back off, embarrassed. Hoseok sensed this chance slipping away, his hands flew up to grip the back of Jimin's neck, firmly bringing him closer. There was a moment's hesitation, before Hoseok angles his head and kisses Jimin hard.
The sound Jimin makes at the back of his throat urges Hoseok on, lips sliding steadily against Jimin's full ones. Hoseok's hands wander down Jimin's body, slipping down from his neck, travelling across his chest and around to grip at his shoulder blades. Jimin maneuvers his leg over Hoseok's other thigh, now properly straddling him, blanket pooled around Hoseok's legs.
Jimin slides a hand from Hoseok's chest up to tangle in his hair, tugging slightly, causing a low moan from Hoseok; Hoseok, needing more, slides his tongue against Jimin's lips during the kiss, pushing slightly, before tugging Jimin's full lower lip between his teeth, slightly sucking.
Jimin's hip stutter, pushing down into Hoseok's lap. Hoseok gasps, head slumping back harshly against the couch, hands instantly skimming down Jimin's back and anchoring themselves to Jimin's hips, urging them down again. Jimin gives a few experimental rolls, swollen mouth hanging open at the feeling of rubbing against Hoseok. At another impatient tug of Hoseok's hands, Jimin starts to grind in earnest, fluidly rolling against Hoseok's hardness with his own. Hoseok, already failing at holding back moans, attaches his lips to Jimin's neck, blindly pressing open mouthed kisses against the heat of Jimin's skin.
Jimin swivels his hips, grinding small circles down, Hoseok's choked moan adding to the growing heat in his belly.
"Fuck Jimin, I'm so close already." Hearing Hoseok's voice, Jimin tugs Hoseok's face back up into a kiss by his hair, grinding down even harder in response. Jimin feels Hoseok's moans through his mouth, feels as Hoseok lowers his hands to grip harshly at Jimin's ass, kneading.
They don't notice the TV starting up again, until the sound of the action movie they were watching begins to blare from the speakers. They both pull apart, Jimin frozen on top of Hoseok.
They both startle when they hear the sound of Jin's door opening at the end of the hall, Jimin awkwardly falling off Hoseok's lap onto the seat beside him, tugging the blanket up to hide them.
"Are you guys alright? We haven't had a blackout for ages, I wonder what caused it." Jin seemed perplexed, searching through the fridge for something to eat, before heading back to his room, saying goodnight to the silent boys on the couch.
The silence between them was deafening, uneven breaths mingling with the film's noise. Hoseok was the first to move, shifting his mussed clothes before turning to face Jimin. He sat there for a moment, observing him. Jimin's cheeks were flushed red, lips red and swollen, his body was curled in, hands fisted at his side.
"Look, Jimin-"
"Let's… Let's just pretend this never happened." Hoseok stared at him, stunned. Jimin glanced up, Hoseok could see that he was scared, and another, more difficult emotion were playing out on his face.
Hoseok bit his lip. "Okay, yeah." He had to force the words out. "It's okay Jimin, we can pretend it didn't happen." He was the older one, after all, he had to take care of Jimin. "It's okay."
Jimin immediately lowered his head, staying like that for a moment, before lifting his head as if to say something; Hoseok waited, hoped, but all Jimin did was close his mouth, scrambling up off the couch and down the hall.
Hoseok feels horrible.
Feels something tight and ugly bloom in his chest at the sight of Jimin running away from him.