a day on the beach [dated to 2/9]

[caughtinalie]

It's really not warm enough for a beach trip, but maybe that's why they're doing it. It's an impractical trip, a flight of fancy that hadn't been planned or anticipated, a spare afternoon where none of them have other plans, or at least no plans that can't be changed. They have a free few hours and Jin's truck and nothing in the world sounds better than spending a few stupid hours together.

The hyungs all pile into the cab, Jin hyung and Joonie hyung up front, the other two just behind them while Jimin and Taehyung and Jungkook make themselves comfortable in the bed. Or at least as comfortable as they can with a few blankets, their cheeks turning a frigid pink as the wind whips at their skin. It's next to impossible to carry on any conversation back there, but that hardly stops them from trying, the three of them screaming and laughing into the wind, rejoicing in the opportunity to just be away from the rest of the world, to exist in just this exact moment with nothing else weighing them down.

Jimin's ears are ringing by the time hyung pulls onto the familiar stretch of beach, body buzzing from the vibration of the truck on the road as he hops out.

It's even colder here than it'd been in the city, the wind rushing off the water, chilling Jimin to the bone despite his big, puffy coat. But it feels amazing, the sand soft under his shoes as he runs up ahead, glancing back at his friends as he comes dangerously close to the edge of the water, hands still stuffed in the pockets of his coat. The dulled sunlight glints off the truck, a little blink as the sun is enveloped in another blanket of clouds.

They've only just got here, still have hours to spend doing just about whatever they want and yet, some part of Jimin is already dreading when it all ends.

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[venomambition]

Hoseok shakes his head because he honestly has no idea where to find firewood outside of what he's seen in movies, but those people always just seem to find wood right where they need it. He thinks maybe Namjoon or Taehyung might know, or maybe Jungkook. They're all so much more resourceful than Hoseok is, more street smarts, more ambition. He makes a mental note to ask them when the group all comes back together later.

He looks over at Jimin when Jimin speaks again, watches the way the breeze ruffles Jimin's vibrant hair across his forehead, the sun making it look like it's glowing, like his pretty eyes are too, lit up from the inside. He almost forgets that Jimin's asked him a question, too busy admiring Jimin's beautiful face.

"I'm okay," he says with a smile. "As long as you don't mind holding me up a little," he adds with a flirtatious smile.

[caughtinalie]

"No," Jimin replies with a small, warm smile of his own, his arm still wrapped tightly around Hoseok's middle, encouraging him to lean into Jimin. "No, I'll never mind that."

He doesn't miss the flirty little smile on Hoseok's face and can't help giving one of his own in response, his gaze briefly dropping to Hoseok's mouth. They still haven't kissed and, despite knowing that Taehyung would be fine with it and understand, he doesn't want to take that step without at least telling Taehyung first.

But he really really wants to kiss Hoseok. So badly.

"The offer for a piggyback ride still stands," he says, meeting Hoseok's eyes again.

[venomambition]

The sweet, mischievous smile on Jimin's face makes Hoseok's heart flutter, makes him lick his lips as he stares at Jimin's, plump and pink and so kissable. He can't kiss Jimin here as much as he wants to, can't taste the salt on Jimin's lips from the sea breeze, can't warm the chill in Jimin's cheeks, but knowing he'll get to do it some day soon makes the ache a little easier to endure.

"I might take you up on a piggyback ride later," Hoseok says, biting his lower lip as he meets Jimin's eyes. "Right now I just want to stay here for a little bit. The view is amazing," he murmurs with a blush, making sure Jimin knows he's not looking at anything but him.

[caughtinalie]

It takes a minute for Jimin to realize that Hoseok means him, that he's the view and a laugh startles out of him, soft and touched and a little embarrassed as his cheeks flush warm. He can't imagine that he's really much to look at, especially right now. He's not even wearing eyeliner and has a pimple on his cheek.

But the look on Hoseok's face is so open and so fond that Jimin thinks he could melt under it if he let himself. And that burning urge to kiss Hoseok isn't going anywhere, it seems.

"Mine's pretty good too," he says, ducking his head a little and looking up at him through his eyelashes. "It's funny, we've been here dozens of times, but I don't know that it's ever looked so pretty."

[venomambition]

Hoseok blushes, ducking his head a little, laughing as happiness rushes though him. He wants to argue, to say he's not pretty, not compared to the ocean, not compared to Jimin, but maybe Jimin honestly thinks he is, and that makes Hoseok feel like he could burst with joy.

Jungkook had said there was someone to whom he was precious, and at the time Hoseok hadn't believed that was possible, no matter who this person might be. But now, right now, he feels like it's true, like he really does mean that much to Jimin.

"You're sweet," he says, turning to nuzzle his face against Jimin's shoulder briefly. "You're so sweet. I really, really like you," he adds, a whisper just low enough that the breeze could carry it away if Hoseok's mouth wasn't so close to Jimin's ear.

[caughtinalie]

It's partially the words, but mostly the fact that Hoseok's lips are right next to his ear that sends a thrill down Jimin's spine. He shivers slightly, then laughs again, soft and delighted and resists the urge to pull Hoseok even closer. If things were just a little different, he would. In a heartbeat, he would.

"I don't think I'm ever going to get tired of hearing you say that," Jimin admits, still grinning. There's every chance this could be fleeting, he knows. That if Jin hyung wakes up and looks his way, Hoseok will be there to look back. But for right now, this is his to hold onto and Jimin is going to, as tightly as he can.

He finally forces himself to look away, cheeks still warm as he squints along the edge of the water. "You wanna walk down a bit?" he asks. "We can go slow."

[venomambition]

Hoseok smiles widely, his chest feeling like it's going to burst, like his ribs are insufficient to hold the happiness in. He's had an idea that Jimin might like him for a few weeks, but actually hearing it, seeing Jimin's face, the way he blushes, his smile, it's so real that Hoseok can barely process it. No one's ever looked at him this way, no one's ever talked to him like this. It's better than he imagined it could be.

"Yeah, let's walk," Hoseok replies, leaning to bump his nose against Jimin's temple when the urge to kiss his cheek is too much. He wants to hold Jimin's hand but he doesn't know if he can yet, if that would be too obvious. It's not that they haven't held hands before, but walking slowly down the beach hand in hand is pretty much the most romantic thing Hoseok has ever considered doing. Instead he wraps his arm around Jimin's shoulders, squeezing Jimin's upper arm before slipping his arm away.

"We should come back in the summer, when we can be warm" he says, shivering now that they're not pressed as close together. "When I can see you in less clothes," he adds, his voice pitched low, gaze focused on the stiff, cold sand.

[caughtinalie]

It's a completely innocent touch, just Hoseok's arm draped over his shoulders to pull him in, but it makes Jimin's stomach flutter all over again, more so when Hoseok presses his face right up against Jimin's temple. Even though it's nothing Hoseok's never done before and they're still in this weird state of limbo and it could all easily slip away in a moment, Jimin can't deny how warm and ridiculously happy it makes him.

Hoseok's arm is gone too soon so Jimin steps in a little closer as they walk, murmurs a quiet, "You can use me as a crutch if you need it," as he grins over at him, small and secret.

That smile falters just a little in surprise when Hoseok speaks over him, face immediately flushing warm before he lets out a quiet laugh. "You've seen that before," Jimin reminds him, the tips of his ears feeling warm. It's true though. Not just at the beach, but at practice and on stage, too. Jimin's had to wear little more than tight spandex shorts for one memorable performance. "But, uhm. Yes. We should. We definitely should."

If nothing else, it will give him the chance to see Hoseok in less clothing too. And maybe by then he'll still have permission to look all he wants.

[venomambition]

"I know," Hoseok replies, and he's looking back ahead again but he moves so he can loop his arm around Jimin's, gripping Jimin's bicep with his hand like Jimin's escorting him. "But it's different now," he says, holding on to Jimin tightly as they navigate over the uneven sand.

It's only been a few days, and Hoseok worries that Jimin doesn't always believe that Hoseok really wants this, wants him. It's true that Hoseok's seeing Jimin in a new light now, has been in the last couple of weeks, but he's always liked Jimin as a friend, has always felt close to him, comfortable around him, safe, loved. He's always thought Jimin was beautiful, attractive, handsome, cute, but he noticed it in a friendlier sort of way.

It's different now. When Hoseok looks at Jimin now his heart beats faster, fluttering in his chest. He wants to be near Jimin all the time, wants to hold him, talk to him, make his days brighter. He notices Jimin in a way that hits in more deeply, emotionally, sexually. He's not sure how to describe it, how he could explain it, but it's there, it's real.

"I like looking at you," he says, turning his head to see Jimin's face. "I want to look at you all the time." He knows it sounds stupid but he's not sure he can put it a better way. "You're just, you're lovely, Jimin," he says. "Every part of you is so lovely."

[caughtinalie]

Part of Jimin wants to tell Hoseok to never stop looking at him, to always find him as beautiful as a sunset, as beautiful as rain. It's a selfish desire, he knows. And unreasonable. But he wants it so bad he can taste it, aches for it deep, deep in his chest.

"You're saying everything I've been wanting to say to you since the day we met," he admits with a quiet, almost embarrassed laugh as he goes a little off balance and nudges into Hoseok's side.

Remembering Hosoek's wounded ankle, he pulls back a second later, his arm wound tight around Hoseok's middle as he says, "Sorry, sorry!" with a red face. "Sorry, just... you're so pretty, hyung. And so cool. You dance like no one I've ever seen. And you were so nice to me right from the start. You know I had no idea that you were going way out of your way to walk me home until months later and then I just. I think maybe that's when it happened, that's when..." Even now, he's afraid to say the words, still embarrassed that he's been carrying these feelings around for so, so long. "Just. I'd been to new schools before and no one ever-- I never really made friends. Even after that first day, I was so sure you'd never speak to me again. But you did, and you kept speaking to me and walking me home and it just... it was the first time I could remember someone actually caring about me, you know?"

[venomambition]

The little stumble doesn't off-balance Hoseok too much, and his ankle holds up, only just twinges a bit when he sidesteps, nothing bad enough to even make him wince. And then Jimin is grabbing him, holding him steady, and heat bleeds through Hoseok's body. The touch is only just a little intimate but it's enough to make Hoseok's heart skip a beat. He loves this already, being close to Jimin, being more, even though there's a lot that still isn't certain.

The things Jimin's saying only further fluster Hoseok, using words like pretty and cool. He bites his lip as Jimin keeps talking, about how Hoseok's been walking Jimin to and from school for almost two years, how he'd sought Jimin out on his first day, how he'd kept seeking him out, taking him under his wing, caring for him.

It's Yoongi's fault, really. Because Yoongi had done that for Hoseok when he'd first come to this school, had spotted Hoseok and seen a kindred spirit, had gone out of his way to take Hoseok in, to care for him, watch out for him. And when Hoseok had first seen Jimin the instinct to do the same had been overwhelming. He hadn't even thought about it, just crossed the school yard and introduced himself, had decided in that moment that Jimin was going to be his friend.

He'd had no idea how important they'd be to each other, back then, now. Jimin's probably the most important person in Hoseok's life, especially now. Hoseok can't imagine ever going without him, doesn't know how he'd survive.

"It was easy," Hoseok says, wrapping his arm around Jimin's shoulders. "It is easy. You're amazing, Jiminie. Everyone should be able to see it, we all do," he insists, nodding toward the others, farther down the beach. "I do. I've always seen it." He takes a breath, inhaling the ocean air. "From the day I met you, I knew you'd be part of my life. A big part. And now..." He smiles, wide, happy. "Even bigger."

[caughtinalie]

Hoseok does make it sound easy, though Jimin has a feeling it wasn't, really. How could he have known that Jimin might welcome his presence, that he wouldn't have been rejected on the spot. Maybe that hand't mattered to him in the moment, but Jimin still thinks there's a massive amount of courage that goes in to approaching someone, especially someone unknown.

But it's the kind of courage Hoseok's always possessed and the kind Jimin's never had. He thinks Hoseok makes him braver in a similar way that Taehyung does. And maybe that's normal for people who feel a love this intense.

He sort of hopes that's the case.

"How could you have known that?" he asks, laughing as he leans into Hoseok's side again, walking easily with him once more. "Can you see into the future, hyung?" His voice is teasing and maybe a little flirtatious as he tips his head up to meet Hoseok's eyes. "All I knew when I first met you was that I didn't want to stop looking at you."

[venomambition]

Hoseok's face goes warm when Jimin says he didn't want to stop looking at him, and he can't really fathom it, that Jimin found him worth looking at all the way back then. He sometimes finds it hard to believe he's worth all the attention Jimin's giving him now, even when he considers that Jimin doesn't see him as undesirable as society generally does. He's not handsome like some of their other friends, or cute like some of the others, like Jimin is himself. Honestly Hoseok feels like everyone around him is so beautiful where he's plain at best and ugly at worst, and while his looks don't usually bother him, he wishes he could be nice looking for Jimin.

But he believes what Jimin says, can see that Jimin's telling the truth by the earnestness of his expression, and it makes Hoseok's heart ache. Jimin sees something in him, something precious, and Hoseok plans to treasure Jimin, wants to hold onto Jimin as long as he possibly can, forever if he has anything to say about it.

"It was the way looked at me," he says, gripping the sleeve of Jimin's coat in his fist, tightening the embrace of his arm about Jimin's shoulders. "When I saw you alone it reminded me of me," he goes on. "When I came over you stared at me like no one had ever spoken to you like that before. And then you smiled and I just, I guess I just knew. My brain said he's going to be my friend."

It sounds a little stupid, maybe, but that's exactly how he'd felt that day when he first saw Jimin's smile, when Jimin agreed to let Hoseok walk him home. And he'd approached Jimin for his sake, but very quickly Hoseok had realized that Jimin's friendship was going to change his life for the better, too. He just never realized how much better, not until now.