Chapter Text
"Hey baby, I—"
"One second!"
Taehyung blinks at the sheer panic in Jimin's voice. Huh. He waits though, his hand still on the door handle. Jimin usually doesn't care if he knocks or not so that's weird. Taehyung still waits though.
When Jimin gives him the breathless go-ahead to come in, Taehyung enters, albeit cautiously. Jimin is hiding under the covers, looking pink in the face, only his head sticking out.
"Is everything okay?" Taehyung asks slowly.
No, Jimin hasn't been getting off. Taehyung can nose that out in a matter of seconds, being the horndog that he is. Plus, Jimin is way too vocal when he's stroking and fingering himself.
That's definitely not it.
But then there's a strong scent in the air, a familiar synthetic scent that Taehyung hasn't smelled in quite some time.
"Jiminnie?" Taehyung asks, keeping his voice very gentle, as he gets up onto Jimin's bed. "Were you painting your nails?"
Jimin turns pinker in the face if that's even possible. His cheeks are flushed and blotchy, and he takes a deep, uneven breath before he nods, ever so hesitantly.
Taehyung's heart stops for a second, and starts up again. Warmth gushes into his ribcage.
"Show me?" Taehyung offers. He wants to see, he really does.
"Don't laugh at me," Jimin murmurs, with an aggrieved pout.
"I won't." Taehyung is quick to reassure him. "Show Tae? Please?"
When Jimin slowly pulls the covers down and extends his nails out to show Taehyung, he does giggle a little bit. The coral-pink colour is really cute and super feminine, but Jimin, truth be told, has done it really messily. His cuticles have also gotten painted coral-pink.
Hurt springs up in Jimin's eyes, and he yanks his hands back, coiling them into fists against his chest.
"It looks bad, I know," Jimin grumbles.
"No, no, it's such a cute colour," Taehyung hastens to assure him, even as his mind whirrs away. "Do you mind waiting a second?"
Jimin looks confused, even as he nods. Taehyung leaps off the bed and bounds down the hallway into the living room. They haven't finished sorting out his old shit in the boxes, but sure enough at the bottom of one of them, Taehyung finds his pouch of nail polishes.
He spied a bottle of acetone and loose cotton pads on the bed next to Jimin so that's taken care of. Plus, he knew his little sister, Yejin would pack these in for sure.
When he gets back, Jimin is furiously scrubbing his nails free of the polish with an acetone-dipped pad.
He spied a bottle of acetone and loose cotton pads on the bed next to Jimin so that's taken care of. Plus, he knew his little sister, Yejin would pack these in for sure.
When he gets back, Jimin is furiously scrubbing his nails free of the polish with an acetone-dipped pad.
There's a pause of silence before Jimin stares at him, cutely uncomprehending. Taehyung coos, and leans in to press a fond kiss on his nose.
"I'm not judging you, sweetheart," he says. "I just wanted to do your nails for you. Let me?"
Jimin still doesn't look fully convinced, if the scrunch of his nose is anything to go by. Right, yeah, Taehyung remembers, cis guys are very anxious about painting their nails any damn shade. Getting them to accept a clear coat is an accomplishment in and of itself.
"Your nails would look so pretty with the colours I have," Taehyung says, keeping his tone soft and careful. "Or do you still want to go with that lovely coral shade?"
Taking a deep breath, Jimin nods, looking shy. His eyes are puppy-like, sweet and cautiously excited.
Unzipping the pouch, Taehyung lays out all his old bottles of polish. He has a good variety of colours, and Jimin gasps. When Taehyung looks up, he's endeared to find that Jimin looks really excited, like a kid at a Disneyland park for the first time.
"Wow," Jimin says.
Taehyung notes that Jimin picks up the gold bottle. He doesn't know why he isn't surprised. He just knew Jimin would like gold. Next, his eyes fall on a bright-green bottle. Taehyung always went for bright and unusual colours, preferring to stay away from neutrals and pinks.
He notices though that Jimin eventually picks up a hot-pink shade, the only pink shade Taehyung ever has and uncaps it. When he sees how vivid the shade is, Taehyung catches the obvious longing in Jimin's eyes before he closes it and puts it away, his fingers shaking slightly.
"What's your favourite colour?" Jimin asks instead, biting down on his bottom lip.
Sighing, Taehyung pulls his boyfriend close to him first, yanking Jimin in lightly by grabbing the back of Jimin's thighs so he's sort of in Taehyung's lap.
"Doesn't matter," Taehyung says easily. "I don't do my nails anymore. It's just not my thing these days."
Makes him feel dysphoric and weird. But this isn't about him, this is about Jimin and Taehyung's trying to get him to chill out about painting his nails.
Jimin nods, and worries his lip some more with his upper front teeth. So Taehyung pulls out two clear bottles, and waggles them at him.
"You need a base coat first," Taehyung explains, and Jimin takes it from him, to read the label. "After you're done, you need a top coat too."
"I have an idea," Taehyung continues. He grabs the coral-pink; it's a cheap drugstore brand and looks like Jimin made an impulsive purchase in the spur of the moment. "Why don't I do alternating coral-pink and hot-pink nails for you? That would be so sexy."
That makes Jimin's entire face light up, and Taehyung's breath nearly leaves his chest when he's blessed with a dazzling smile.
"Yeah," Jimin says, immediately. "Yeah, I like that. Is that—is that okay?"
"Of course, that's okay, sweetheart."
Something about the innocence of Jimin asking him if that's okay, fuck, it reminds him of Yejin crawling into his bedroom, curling up in his bed.
His baby sister would giggle as he'd patiently show her a bunch of bottles, and pretend to huff as she vetoed them, being so picky.
Yejin is four years younger than him. She's still in high school, and she's the baby in their family. Their parents had Taehyung, Tasesung and Yejin all a couple of years apart. She was even younger when all the family drama with Taehyung and his gender stuff went down.
Taehyung misses her the most. He babied her and Taesung a lot, but he had helped Omma out with Yejin more. When she got her period and was terrified, shaking and crying, it was Taehyung who was there for her. Yejin had gotten it early, and she was upset about that.
He'd shown her how to wash her stained panties, and then how to leave it to soak in a pail with detergent and water. He'd shown her how to put a pad on. He'd kissed her on the top of her head, and held his sister close.
He knows Yejin isn't straight either. She likes girls, and Taehyung has been covering up for her since Yejin was a baby, too innocent to know what to and what not to say in front of their parents.
He wonders how she's doing now, how she's coping.
If she's even coping at all.
The guilt attacks him tenfold. He just left home in a hurry, an angry boy with two hastily packed bags, and he hadn't looked back at the time, hadn't thought about anything other than getting away. He'd left in the morning, gotten onto a bus with a sad and lonely heart.
There was no love to be found at home, no love to be found for Taehyung. They only wanted Taehee, the depressed and awkward girl who was uncomfortable and heavily dysphoric in her lanky body.
Their love was conditional, only for Taehee. There would be no love there for Taehyung.
Maybe that's why Taehyung is extra-gentle as he handles Jimin's hands, holding his fingers with care. Sometimes, he thinks to himself, with a sniffle, people just need to be handled with lots of care. Lots and lots of care.
He'll give Jimin the prettiest pink nails.
"When I left home," Taehyung says quietly, as he applies clear base-coat on Jimin's fingers. "I had actually split with Namjoon."
Jimin hums at that. "Ah," he says, his voice neutral. That makes Taehyung grin. It's cute how Jimin is still a bit jealous and petty about Namjoon.
"He was already with Jungkook then," Taehyung says. "We had an amicable split, you already know that. I didn't know who else to turn to. I ended up staying with them till I found the listing you put up. It was actually Jungkook's suggestion."
Jimin stills at that.
Jimin sighs, and leans in, kissing the side of Taehyung's head. "Baby," he breathes out, and his voice is full of sorrow.
"It's okay," Taehyung says. "Well, it's not okay. I used to paint Yejin's nails like this too. Am I rambling? I am rambling, right?"
There are tears silently rolling down Taehyung's cheeks. He doesn't know what it is about Jimin. Maybe all that Dom/sub play has made Taehyung feel even softer around him, even more connected to Jimin. These days, he's definitely more in touch with his emotions.
"What is she like?" Jimin asks. He leans in and presses his lips to Taehyung's cheek, lingering and tender.
Taehyung shrugs. "She was sweet and timid," He replies. "I think she's a baby lesbian but I'm not terribly sure on that."
That makes Jimin hum in consideration. "Do you want to meet her?"
Taehyung has thought about that a lot more recently. Of course, he wants to see Yejin. She means the world to him. But what if Taesung has rubbed off on her with the transphobia? Taehyung would die to know it.
"I do, yeah," Taehyung says. "She's my baby sister, of course I do." His eyes well up with tears again, and he blinks them away furiously, as he does his best to focus on Jimin's nails.
"But ... ?"
"My parents are fucked up," Taehyung says dully. "I just don't have the mental energy to get back in touch. I don't."
Jimin makes soft sounds in understanding. They lapse into silence, a comfortable one as Jimin watches Taehyung work, quick and efficient.
"You're okay with me doing this stuff?" Jimin suddenly asks. "Wearing dresses and skirts. Painting my nails. This kind of stuff."
Taehyung snorts and shrugs. "Of course, I am," he says. "I did those things too before. I stopped now but that doesn't mean I think it's bad."
At Jimin's questioning glance, Taehyung shrugs. "I don't know," he says to Jimin. "Who knows the future these days anyway? I may be okay with that stuff for myself later on."
All that's left is Jimin's top coat to dry off now.
They cuddle up in bed after Jimin's nails have fully dried, and Jimin's smiling in his arms, looking resplendent, even with his messy hair, his face splotchy with a ruddy pink shade high up on his cheekbones, twin spots of them. His nails look beautiful and sparkle in the light.
"Thank you," Jimin whispers, cupping Taehyung's cheek, and looking awestruck at the way his pink nails look. Taehyung giggles at how cute and happy his boyfriend looks.
"Anything for you," Taehyung says, and means it. Always means it.
♡
In the front pocket of Taehyung's old pouch filled with nail polish bottles, is a tightly folded up note.
The paper, when opened up and spread out, reads:
"Oppa, I hate it here. Please help me. I need your help, I'm going crazy. —YJ"
♡
The workout sessions at the gym are really helping with the self-confidence. Today, Taehyung decides to brave wearing the salon's short-sleeved shirt again even if Sundon waived away the requirement for him after Taehyung came out to him.
The new binder is really doing wonders for him too. Taehyung feels cocky almost, smirking as he gives himself a turnaround in the wall-length mirror in his bedroom. He really has come a long way since he decided to start with hormone treatment.
He still can't pack on the muscle for his arms but he's not so anxious, angsty and fretful about that anymore. Still a bit scrawny there, but that's okay. He can't control everything about his looks no matter how desperately he tries.
"Hey," Taehyung asks, popping his head into Jimin's bedroom, and smiling at the sight of his boyfriend sprawled facedown on his bed, still in his pajamas, his cheek smushed against a pillow as he scrolls through his Instagram feed. "Look what I'm wearing."
Jimin leaves for his shift an hour later, which explains why he's still in bed. His nails are painted a teal-blue shade and Taehyung did that for him last night. The colour looks cute on Jimin's stubby nails.
When Jimin looks up, his gaze is immediately hungrily appreciative.
"Oh," Jimin says, faintly. Taehyung preens at the way his boyfriend's eyes instantly linger on his arms, taking in his lean muscles. "Wow."
"Just wow?" Taehyung asks playfully, with a pout.
Jimin gives him a grin. He shifts on the bed to lie on his back instead.
It's Taehyung's turn to swallow hard when Jimin spreads his legs, and hooks his hands on the backs of his knees. His fists coil when he realizes what Jimin is doing.
Presenting for him.
"What—what are you doing?"
"Do you absolutely have to go to work?" Jimin asks, his voice soft and sultry. He bites on his lip. "Because I can think of better things you could be doing. Like me."
Taehyung huffs out an amused laugh, but his ego is plenty boosted and satisfied.
"Unfortunately, money is a thing I happen to be in need of," Taehyung says. He's unable to resist climbing up on the bed, getting between Jimin's legs.
"Aw," Jimin says, winding his arms around Taehyung's neck. "So my ass isn't top priority for you, is that what I'm hearing?"
"It is," Taehyung says, with a laugh, and gives Jimin's ass-cheeks a squeeze. "You wanna do something later tonight?"
Jimin nods, with a sigh. "Yeah," he says. He bites his lip. "There's something I wanted to talk to you about. About ... sex. Do you have time right now?"
Taehyung feels the stirrings of a few tendrils of anxiety. Is Jimin unhappy with something they're doing? Did he upset Jimin with anything during a scene?
Jimin shakes his head. "It's not bad," he says, in a rush. "Seriously. You—you might—you might even like it."
"Okay," Taehyung says, feeling really apprehensive. "What—what is it? I have some time."
Jimin takes a deep breath. His cheeks are flushed pink. He looks really embarrassed.
"I want you to be mean with me," Jimin says quietly. "I love what we're doing so far in our scenes, but I really want to take it up a notch. I want you to degrade me. Call me names. Insult me."
Taehyung feels distressed about that. Insult Jimin? He's not sure he can do that.
"Insult you how?" Taehyung asks, trying to keep his tone even and neutral. "Can you be more specific?"
Jimin groans. "Oh god. Don't judge me. Please."
"I won't, I promise. I'm curious now. What do you want to hear?"
"Tell me—tell me how useless my cock is," Jimin says, in a soft mortified whisper. His face is covered with random splotches of pink, the way it gets when he's drunk. Wow, this must really affect him. "Make fun of it? Slap it around, laugh at me?"
A whole frisson of heat shoots its way down Taehyung's spine but mainly because it's like his boyfriend is reading his mind or something. Sometimes, when Taehyung has Jimin spread out and is railing him, he's meanly thought, that cock is wasted on Jimin. Seriously.
"Oh," Taehyung says, not trusting himself to speak. Because yeah. Fuck yeah.
Jimin narrows his eyes, amused. "You like that, don't you?" He asks.
Taehyung turns a little pink himself.
"Think about it," Jimin purrs, sensing Taehyung's arousal. "Calling me a—a bottom-slut. All I'm good for is getting railed." He cards all of his fingers through Taehyung's dark curls, looking a little too aware of Taehyung's awful horny thoughts.
"Your useless cis-boy cock," Taehyung suddenly blurts out, his voice meaner. Harsher, deeper. "Just useless. Never stuck it in anyone ever, did you?"
Jimin's eyes widen in delight. "That's it," He says, urgent and pleased. "That's exactly what I want."
Oh, Taehyung is on board for that. A little too on board. His brain is awful and often supplies him with nasty thoughts like that anyway, that Jimin is just so good at taking what Taehyung has to give him.
"Good little cis bottom. Good at taking cock."
"That's all I'm good for," Jimin supplies for him, his eyes lidded. "That's all I'm ever going to be any good for."
"Oh yeah," Taehyung says. "I can absolutely do that."
Jimin looks pleased with himself. He's breathing faster.
"Still going into work?" Jimin asks. His voice is all too knowing.
"Fuck," Taehyung says, with a groan, burying his face in Jimin's neck. "Fuck. You're an absolute menace, did you know that?"
Jimin laughs, and ugh, he sounds so smug. Taehyung wants to fuck him senseless.
In retaliation, Taehyung gets off of his little boyfriend, but not without cupping Jimin's crotch, and giving it a squeeze.
"Useless," he says quietly. "So fucking wasted on you."
Jimin shudders out a huge breath. He nods.
"Yes," he says, his eyes on Taehyung. "I agree."
Taehyung is aroused in his work slacks, wet and slick. He needs to calm down. He really needs to calm down.
But that will truly be burned in his mind during shift, thinking of how mean he can be.
The more he takes on this Dom persona, the meaner and darker his wants have been getting. And it's not like Jimin said anything that wasn't already on Taehyung's mind in some way.
He's consumed with the idea of being truly mean and rough with Jimin these days.
Of having total control over Jimin and Jimin's body even more so than usual.
He feels bad, guilty about it sometimes, but it's so vindicating, so empowering to have Jimin submit to him.
It feels way too good. Submission looks way too delicious on Jimin.
♡
It's 8:30 PM and Taehyung's dead-tired. His feet ache, and throb a bit. He had to clean the toilet in their salon because it got clogged from a customer taking a shit and using too much toilet paper. It was humiliating enough to have to do that.
Then he accidentally swapped the tip money for two of the stylists, and got chewed out properly by one of the guys who generally tends to have no patience, which nearly made tears spring to Taehyung's eyes but he managed to not cry like a baby.
He was planning to send Jimin a nude of himself during his lunch break. Nothing fancy really, just his boxers tugged down, the head of his cock peeking out, his fingers wrapped around the base of it. This packer is a real blessing. Makes Taehyung feel lowkey horny all the time.
He knew Jimin's response would have been to immediately dash into one of the bathrooms of the theater he works at, to sext back with a nude of himself, his ass at an obscene angle.
That would have been fortifying.
He didn't bother taking his lunch break though. The salon was packed with customers today, and Taehyung didn't have a moment to breathe, constantly needed at the till.
He checked guys out, cleaned out the barbicide jars, cleaned the fucking toilet. Didn't chill out.
"You still open?"
Ugh. It's 8:30 and they close at 9. Technically, Taehyung prays assholes like this one don't show up right at this time because then yes, they do have to take them in. It's just, fuck. He really wanted to close the till soon.
Taehyung looks to Sundon who's just finishing up with a guy, doing a quick blowdry. His manager nods. Great.
"Yeah, Yoongi can do it. He's fast."
Yoongi's head whips up from where he was sweeping around his station. He nods dully, his face expressionless.
"Yeah, come on in," Taehyung says.
"Great, thanks Miss," The guy says to Taehyung, with a grin as he swings the glass door open to enter the salon.
Taehyung freezes.
For a split second, he feels like all the air has been punched out of his tummy.
Miss? Miss? Miss?
Why?
Is he still not passing enough? Did Jimin not look at him like he's the handsomest man alive this morning? This binder is excellent and does a good job. In what fucking way does he not pass right now? If anything, he looks super queer with his short hair?
Miss?
Too much shoots through his brain and the guy is already sitting in Yoongi's chair, getting ready for his haircut.
By then, it is too late to say something.
He looks down and grits his teeth.
It's his hips, isn't it? Yes, it is. They flare out and it's his ass too. His thighs as well.
Taehyung takes a deep breath. He is not a baby. He won't burst into frustrated tears.
He continues mopping the floor, moving the mop bucket around, feeling mutinous and resentful, trying not to shoot hateful looks at the guy.
Instead, Taehyung takes a deep breath and tries to focus on something nice. Like Jimin's smile.
It's a nice smile. It's the prettiest smile ever and when directed at Taehyung, makes him feel all mushy and soft inside. He desperately tries to recreate that feeling right now because he needs it to get through the last half hour of this shift.
He's done mopping, and decides to count his till for the day. This guy's haircut can be recorded as a transaction for tomorrow's till count, no big deal. So he begins doing that, counting out the coins first on a piece of paper.
He's done with everything when the guy comes up. Oh god, he has the audacity to wink at Taehyung, as he leans in with a smile.
Taehyung is thankful he asks for the machine. He doesn't think he could handle this guy's fingers even accidentally brushing against his own.
"I didn't think they had female receptionists in this barber shop," says the guy.
Taehyung takes back the machine, a smile frozen on his face. "Well, that would be because I'm a man too."
The guy's eyes widen.
"I'm trans," Taehyung says, pointedly.
Instead of backing off, the guy just laughs. Taehyung grits his teeth.
"No way," he says. "Just like one of my cousins lately. She's been calling herself non-binary these days. Whatever that means."
"Whatever that means," Taehyung repeats, feeling hysterical.
"Yeah," The guy says. "Seriously, though. I have to ask you, is it an attention thing? To want to change your gender and stuff? I think that's what it is."
Taehyung's blood is boiling. "You think trans people are attention-seeking?"
Something more hostile and challenging settles in the guy's eyes.
"Isn't that what it is?" He says quietly. "Pretty girl like you, hair cut short and dressed like that, what for? Unless you're getting attention from guys this way, huh?"
"Please leave our salon," Taehyung says.
"You heard him," Yoongi says, his voice hard, as he comes to stand next to the guy, his stance clearly pissed. Taehyung exhales in relief. "Leave our salon. Right now."
The guy holds his hands up in mock-surrender. "Whoa, chill. I'm just trying to get her number."
"Stop misgendering me, asshole, I'm not a woman," Taehyung snaps out. "Sundon! This guy is harassing me."
His manager is already making his way through to the fast, his expression also hard, dialing a number on his phone.
"Leave," Sundon says. "Or I'll call mall security."
Between Yoongi and Sundon, they manage to herd the guy out. Taehyung collapses against the wall facing his till. He hugs his knees to his chest, staring blankly at the binders on one of the shelves.
Right now, Taehyung feels very, very, very small and worthless.
His knees are shaking and so are his hands. He's trembling from head to foot.
"He's gone," Yoongi says, scooting down to sit beside him. "We got a cop to kick him out of mall premises. I'm so sorry, Taehyung."
Taehyung curls up into an even smaller ball.
"I'm—I'm scared," Taehyung whispers, closing his eyes. "I don't feel safe. I don't feel safe taking the bus back home."
Sundon reappears, looking worried. "Can I call you a cab home?"
Taehyung shakes his head, wrapping his arms around himself. "No," he says, shaking his head.
Yoongi shoots a look at Sundon.
"Your boyfriend gets out of work right now, right?"
Taehyung shakes his head, still vibrating, still frightened out of his mind. "An—an hour later. I need Jimin. I need Jimin. Please. Can you call my boyfriend to come get me? Please?"
He unlocks his phone, and Yoongi takes it from his hands that shake so badly there is absolutely no way Taehyung wouldn't damage his phone's screen if he tried to talk to Jimin right now. Not that he can even relate the whole situation to Jimin coherently at this point.
Yoongi dials Jimin, and Sundon hands out an unwrapped lolly, from the pile they keep for the little boys who come to get their haircuts here. Taehyung shoots him a grateful "thanks" and sucks on the lolly. The sugar on his tongue is gratifying and begins to soothe him a little.
He dimly hears Yoongi relate the situation on the phone.
"I don't get out till an hour later," Taehyung hears Jimin say, rushed and upset. "I can't exactly leave, I don't know what to do. I don't want Tae to be left alone."
"I'll stay with him," Yoongi says. "That's not an issue. You can come pick him up after you're done."
"Oh, thank you. Thank you so much."
Yoongi squirms, uncomfortable. "That's alright. We'll see you later."
So that's what it is. They lock up the salon, and Sundon goes to file a complaint with mall security about the transphobe. Yoongi buys Taehyung a cup of hot chocolate from Starbucks in the food court.
"Hey," he says. "Here you go."
Taehyung is still jittery, looking around.
"He's gone," Yoongi says steadily. "If he's got the nerve to stick around, I'll beat his ass up."
Taehyung takes a deep breath. He accepts the hot chocolate. The richly sweet flavour is much welcome and comforts him a lot.
"He said I was doing it for attention," Taehyung says, after a few sips. A faint smile plays on the corners of his mouth. "Funny. Sometimes when I was younger, I wondered if I was doing it for attention too."
"But you weren't," Yoongi says. "You aren't."
"I'm not doing it for attention," Taehyung agrees, with a sigh. "That was like a fucking nightmare. It was like he was the physical incarnation of my inner demons and parents. Are you doing it for attention, all of this? Why can't you just be normal?" He finishes, mockingly.
"It's almost like everyone thinks you have a choice when it's just who you are," Yoongi says, very dryly.
Taehyung closes his eyes yet again. He just really wants Jimin here, to hold his hand and carry him around and hold Taehyung in his arms.
They while away the time with chatting. It's nice getting to know Yoongi. He's dry and funny and coaxes laughs out of Taehyung.
But when Taehyung spots Jimin walking towards him, he gets up and rapidly bounds towards his boyfriend.
Jimin catches Taehyung immediately, and easily lifts him up, as Taehyung wraps his legs around Jimin's waist. He winds his arms around Jimin's neck, breathing fast, breathing in the scent of Jimin's floral perfume, sweet and safe.
"Hey," Jimin murmurs.
"Hey," Taehyung says. "You're here."
"I'm here," Jimin says, pressing a kiss to Taehyung's shoulder. "I'm always here, baby."
Taehyung didn't know how badly he needed to be safely held by Jimin and hear that because he finally begins crying, shaking with sobs.
Jimin gives Yoongi a grateful look.
"Thanks for staying with him," he says.
"Of course," Yoongi says. "Taehyung is a friend."
Taehyung feels out of sorts, even while in Jimin's lap the whole time, in the cab. He only relaxes when they're back in the safety of their apartment.
"Feeling better?"
Taehyung shakes his head, weary and exhausted. "Not really."
"Come on," Jimin says, his touch gentle on the small of Taehyung's back. "Let's shower."
"Okay," Taehyung agrees weakly.
He cries some more under the hot shower spray as Jimin tenderly shampoos his hair and washes the lather out.
Afterwards, Taehyung wears Jimin's clothes instead even if the pants ride a few inches up his ankles and the shirt fits more snugly on him.
He lies on top of Jimin's chest in Jimin's bed, cheek smushed as he listens to the steady metronome of Jimin's heartbeat.
"I never want to leave this apartment," Taehyung says. "The energy I need to expend on making people just treat me as a human is exhausting."
Jimin is silent, but his fingers are buried in Taehyung's curls, petting and listening.
"That was horrible," Taehyung adds, and closes his eyes.
"It really was," Jimin says, and there's venom in his tone. "I would have punched him. No, I would have killed him."
Taehyung wraps his arm around Jimin's waist, secure in the knowledge that Jimin truly means it.
♡
Taehyung can't be fucked with rope bondage. He's looked it up online, and while he has to admit that Jimin would look beautiful in some of the rope bondage artwork he's seen that some Doms have done on their bound-up subs, it's not something that particularly interests him much.
They stuck with saran wrap bondage for some time. That is still a huge favorite of Taehyung's, to see Jimin bound from his shoulders downward. He's worked up various levels of bondage with Jimin too, shoulders to wrists, shoulders to thighs, and eventually, shoulders to ankles.
Jimin loves nothing more than to get restrained by saran wrap. Goes nice and easy, slips under real fast, his eyes all hazy, his pupils fucked-out and pretty. His mouth is free use then, and Taehyung gets off a lot on how his cock looks, sliding into Jimin's plump, pliant mouth.
Recently though, Taehyung has been wanting to push the envelope a little more. He's been wanting to restrain Jimin in other ways, but the idea of metal cuffs cutting into his boyfriend's skin doesn't appeal to him.
So they've gotten an under-the-bed restraint system instead.
It was very simple and easy to set up. They had to set up a connector strap under Taehyung's mattress, and attach the four restraint straps to the connector strap. The wrist and ankle cuffs are soft, and so far, Jimin hasn't complained about them.
The fun part of this system so far has been the way Taehyung can adjust the lengths of the restraint straps, especially with the ones connected to the ankle cuffs, depending just how spread out and exposed he wants Jimin.
They started out very simply, just positioning the straps around the head and foot of the mattress. But today, Taehyung decided to switch it up a bit. He positioned the bottom restraint straps to come up from around the sides of the mattress instead.
This means that Jimin's legs are folded up at the knees, exposing his taint for some edging fun. His wrists are restrained with just one of the cuffs above his head. There's a ball gag in his mouth, and if he needs to safe word, he's supposed to sing the tune of a Rihanna song.
He's having a good time though, throwing his head back, making the cutest, whimpery sounds ever in his throat from behind the gag as Taehyung teases his taint with a couple of lubed fingers.
Jimin's cock isn't fully hard but that's okay. He's still having lots of fun.
"Useless little slut," Taehyung says, with a grin. Ever since Jimin begged for the degradation, Taehyung's also been having his own fun, coming up with his own brand of insults. "All the cis men you fucked, begged them to fuck your little hole. But here you are, needy for me."
Jimin tries to nod, makes lots of affirmative sounds, as Taehyung carefully drags his fingers over the expanse of Jimin's taint, from his balls to rim. His hips jerk up a few times, and Jimin sobs from behind the gag as Taehyung places a censoring palm over his tummy.
"So attention-seeking," Taehyung says, and lets out an "ugh," looking bored. "You need lots of attention, so much maintenance. Always want to cum, always need affection, always need me to look at you. Haven't you had enough attention from all the men who fucked you already?"
Jimin breathes out heavily, and with that, fresh streams of drool leak from the corners of his mouth. That gag stretches his lips obscenely, and Taehyung stares at them, lost for a few seconds, admiring Jimin's pretty mouth.
He can't explain it, but there's a growing frustration and feeling of helplessness pooling within him. Recently, Taehyung has told Jimin that only touching his groin unless he's wearing his packer is okay now. That's the only thing which feels bearable these days.
One of the things they do that Taehyung particularly enjoys is when they jerk each other off in the mornings, hands wrapped around each other's cocks. Well, Taehyung doesn't really orgasm with Jimin, but the sight of Jimin's short, stubby fingers wrapped around him is really hot.
Later on in the solace of the shower, Taehyung touches himself under the hot spray of water, tugging on his tcock, his bottom lip pulled between his teeth.
He finds his brain goes blank nowadays whenever he gets off by touching his tcock.
Right now, as Taehyung looks down at Jimin, bound up and pretty and helpless on his mattress, just for him, only for him, Taehyung takes a look at his boyfriend's cock and balls and feels himself—
Go blank.
It lasts for a few seconds. He snaps himself out of it, and wills himself to return to his mean Dom persona at the moment.
"Fucking useless cis cock," Taehyung spits out, dark and angry and mean. "Useless. Wasted on you. Fucking wasted on you."
Jimin shivers. His body trembles from head to toe, and he groans in relief when Taehyung finally slides himself in.
"Gonna fuck you," Taehyung pants out, as he bottoms out, propping himself up on his elbows. "Breed you. Break your ass."
Jimin arches his back up.
He takes what Taehyung dishes out so beautifully, every single thrust, every single insult. He just takes whatever Taehyung has to give and Taehyung feels some pleasure himself. His tcock is swollen from all of the friction, and Taehyung both hates and loves it.
He watches as Jimin cums, the frustration returning as he watches with hungry eyes, the way Jimin's tip spurts out semen.
It's not fucking fair.
It's not fair, god, it's not fair at all.
Why can't Taehyung have that too?
With shaking hands, Taehyung undoes the ball gag strap, taking it out, and lets Jimin out of all the four restraint cuffs, his mind and body on autopilot. He feels like a fool himself, like a played fool for some reason, about his cock hanging out of his pants like this.
The minute Jimin's free though, he pulls Taehyung down to lie on top of him, caging him in with his arms like a human barnacle.
"Hey," Jimin says softly. He cards his fingers through Taehyung's curls.
Taehyung closes his eyes.
"Hey," he replies back. "Good?"
Jimin's still coming down. It's not right to trouble him, it's not right to say anything when Jimin is still fuzzy from his subspace. If he says shit, he'll put Jimin through a harsh subdrop.
So Taehyung stays silent.
Jimin scratches the back of Taehyung's neck, and that's nice, helps ground Taehyung and dissipitate like 0.01% of his wild, self-flagellating thoughts.
"That was the best," Jimin says, his voice warm and raspy still from the scene. "So glad I bought these cuffs. They're great."
That makes Taehyung smile a little bit, and he hides his face in Jimin's neck, closing his eyes.
"Okay," Taehyung whispers. "Good. I'm glad."
The incident at the salon with that transphobe honestly chipped away at some of his confidence.
"Okay," Jimin says. "I'm going to shower."
"Alright," Taehyung says, with a groan, heaving himself up and off of Jimin.
He's feeling self-destructive.
These days, Taehyung doesn't let Jimin see him fully in the nude anymore. But today, he's feeling numb, fucked-up and like a phony.
Maybe, he really is doing this shit for attention.
Why is he being like this?
Stupid. So stupid.
Jimin's breathing hitches when Taehyung pulls his shirt up and without a second thought, removes his binder as well. He pulls his pants and stupid guy-boxers down. Without thinking, he rips the top part of the packer that sticks to the front of his crotch off.
Then, feeling particularly vindictive, Taehyung chucks the packer to the floor, without caring where it lands. He's not usually like this.
Today, he doesn't care.
Today, Taehyung is feeling like someone turned him inside-out.
He's not supposed to say anything, no, he shouldn't say anything. But the edge of hysteria under his skin is far too strong, and Jimin looks worried, immediately bending down to carefully pick his packer up.
"Baby," Jimin says quietly. "What's wrong, baby?"
Taehyung laughs, low and hysterical. He gets back onto the mattress, and spreads his legs. Parts his folds, holds open his pussy with one hand and cups one of his tits.
"So how's the trial round been with the man who's got a pussy?" Taehyung asks.
Jimin stares, aghast.
Taehyung laughs some more at Jimin, feeling mad and completely unhinged. He spreads himself open with both sets of fingers now, offering his boyfriend a sardonic smile.
"I mean, we can call it my boypussy," Taehyung says, with low venom. "If that does it more for you, sweetie."
Swiftly, Jimin moves, grabbing the folded blanket they left in Taehyung's swivel chair. He shakes it open, and Taehyung struggles against him when Jimin attempts to cover him up.
He weeps, tears flowing down his cheeks, as he hits repeatedly at Jimin's chest.
"Don't cover me up," Taehyung pants, and he weeps, and he repeats that over and over and over again. "Don't cover me up, don't cover me up, don't cover me up. I have a pussy, I have tits. Come on," he rages, his face buried in Jimin's throat, tears streaming down his cheeks.
"You're not a trial round, what the fuck, Taehyung," Jimin says, his voice low and vehement. "I love you, I love you so much."
"Don't call me Taehyung, call me Taehee," Taehyung gasps, hitting at Jimin's shoulder again. Like this, Jimin is strong, caging him in his embrace.
"I'm not dating a Taehee, I'm dating a Taehyung," Jimin says, soft and sad. "I'm dating Taehyung, and I love that man. I love him so much."
"You love me or you're waiting for when I'll give you a chance to put your dick in my boypussy?" Taehyung asks, incoherent and trembling.
That should be the last straw. That should be the end of this, all of this, all of this pretense. Taehyung wants to be far away, out of his own skin, scrabble away at himself till he's out of this body, this girlbody, this body that doesn't fucking pass, this body he hates.
Jimin will hate him for speaking like this, Jimin will want to leave him.
And maybe the fact of the matter is that Taehyung should be alone, maybe this is what he fucking deserves anyway.
"Love you," Jimin says, and then adds with a wet laugh. "Baby, I'm a bottom. I don't think I'll ever want to top. Don't you know that by now?"
That gets through Taehyung's stupid brainfog. He wheezes out laughter, and it's fucking weird, how he goes from sheer despair to this.
"I'm horny," Taehyung admits, feeling like a child. "I—I want you to get me off again like before but also, I can't. I can't, I can't, I can't."
Jimin presses kisses in his hair, cups the back of his neck, tender and loving.
Taehyung trembles, and wills himself to relax.
"What is it that you want?" Jimin asks. "I'll do anything you want."
Taehyung shrugs, feeling helpless. "I don't know," he says, petulant. "I don't know how you can do it without triggering me. I don't know. Fuck. Fuck!"
"Okay, okay, okay," Jimin says, making little shushing noises. "Easy, easy. Take it easy, baby. What's the thing you're craving the most, hm?"
Taehyung exhales. "Feeling penetrated," he grumbles. "But not by you at all, in any way."
Jimin makes a considering sound. "Why don't you penetrate yourself with a toy?" He asks. "And I could maybe suck you off. Or kiss you, if you don't want me to look at you doing that?"
"Of course, you're mentioning kisses," Taehyung accuses. "You just want kisses."
"I like kisses, and I like kissing you," Jimin murmurs, unapologetic, because of course, he always is. "It's a win for me."
Taehyung closes his eyes. Lets Jimin hold and kiss and love him. Feels undeserving, feels shitty, but needs and wants it anyway.
"Okay," Taehyung says softly. "I need you to hold me a little longer. I'm not okay," he manages to say.
Because yes, he is not okay.
He's still feeling all sorts of wild and wrong and like he's an impostor.
"I'll never let you go," Jimin whispers, and Taehyung smooths his palms out over Jimin's slender, small shoulders, clutches to him for dear life.
They stay like that for awhile, Taehyung covered up in his blanket like a burrito, and Jimin sitting in his lap.
After some time, Jimin lifts him up, still wrapped up in the blanket, and sits him down on the toilet.
"Don't look down at me," Taehyung says.
"I won't," Jimin replies.
With a deep breath, and while Jimin's got his back turned, Taehyung sheds off his blanket. He gets into the shower with Jimin, and sighs, wrapping himself around Jimin from behind.
Jimin sighs in content, resting his head back on Taehyung's shoulder.
"This is the best feeling ever," Jimin says out loud. "To be in your arms."
Taehyung buries his face in the crook of Jimin's neck.
Having a pliant Jimin in his arms is also the best feeling ever for Taehyung.
♡
Jimin wakes up the next morning, before Taehyung goes, which usually never happens. He runs his fingers through Taehyung's curls, dark, thick and soft, spilling onto the pillow. There's something which stirs within Jimin's chest, as he takes in the sight of his lover.
He never thought he would fall so deeply in love.
There's something to be said for the way Taehyung's cheek fits in Jimin's palm just right. Amusing himself, Jimin squishes it.
Taehyung stirs, under Jimin's gentle administrations.
He yawns, and Jimin brushes his thumb over the apple of Taehyung's cheek. He really is quite beautiful, with his thick lashes, and strong, dark brows, and petal-pink mouth. Feeling possessive, Jimin says, "mine."
Taehyung chuckles in his sleep. His lips crack up a fraction.
Jimin squeals when Taehyung tugs him down into his arms, and pulls him in close.
"What?" Taehyung asks, his eyes still closed. "What do you want?"
Exhaling deeply, Jimin cups the back of Taehyung's neck, stroking his skin there. Taehyung shivers.
Jimin closes his eyes, and shudders, reminded of Taehyung's meltdown after their scene yesterday with the blindfolds. He clutches Taehyung tighter, and slips his fingers under Taehyung's shirtsleeve, cupping the bare jut of Taehyung's shoulder, squeezing repeatedly.
"I'm okay now," Taehyung says bluntly. "Is that bothering you?"
Jimin bites down on his lip. "It's okay if you're not okay," he says. "I'm okay with you not being okay."
Taehyung trembles in Jimin's arms, and yeah, yeah, that's what Jimin thought. He's not okay.
"That took a lot out of me," Taehyung admits.
"Yeah, I can tell," Jimin says quietly. He didn't sleep much night, pondering this. "You think we should stop?"
Taehyung draws in a sharp inhale of breath. "We should stop what? Dating?"
"No," Jimin says. "Of course not. The kinky stuff is what I meant."
Taehyung draws back to look at him more easily. Jimin's stroking his cheek. Mirroring his action, Taehyung strokes Jimin's cheek as well.
"You want to stop the kinky stuff?" Taehyung asks slowly.
"Yeah," Jimin says. "Just for now. Let's put a pause on it."
Taehyung sighs. "I had a feeling you would say this today," he admits.
Jimin gives him a small smile. "Do you think we should put a pause on the sex as well?"
That makes Taehyung's lips purse into a pout. He groans, and Jimin laughs at him but also with him, because yeah, he has no idea how they'll do that.
They're both very horny.
"Do we have to?" Taehyung whines.
"Let me put it like this," Jimin says. "When is the last time we had vanilla sex?"
Taehyung's brows furrow as he tries to recall. "Has our sex ever been vanilla?"
"It hasn't. We both always slip."
Taehyung nods, albeit reluctantly. "Yeah, yeah, I know we do."
Jimin throws one of his legs over Taehyung's waist. They might be talking about serious stuff but that doesn't make Jimin want to cuddle and seek comfort any less.
"I'm worried our kinky dynamic is," Jimin says, waving his hand vaguely. "Swallowing up our whole relationship."
Taehyung pulls him in closer again. Jimin likes this, the simple comfort of holding Taehyung, of being held by Taehyung. Nothing more to it, but still important.
"Yeah," Taehyung says. "I get it. Like, me being your Dom and you being my sub. It's like a black hole sometimes."
Jimin wets his lip. "Yeah," he says. He leans in and places a soft, damp kiss on Taehyung's cheek. "It's like gravity. We're both rushing into this kinky stuff, and we've forgotten what Jimin-and-Taehyung is outside of our Dom/sub dynamic. Correct me if I'm wrong."
Taehyung takes a deep breath. "Yeah," He admits. "It's very overwhelming for me at times, even though I love our Dom/sub dynamic. I feel like we havent really let ourselves be ... vanilla in a long time. I do think we need that again."
Jimin nods.
"Okay," Jimin says quietly. "Let's stop fucking for a couple of weeks. Let's not play either. Is that okay? Can we try to focus on ourselves and our relationship outside of the kinky stuff?"
"You'll be begging me for sex within a week," Taehyung says, with a deadpan look.
Jimin flashes him an indignant look, and hits him lightly on the shoulder.
"Screw you," Jimin says. "I won't. It'll be you. Let me see you try to resist my ass for two weeks. Ha."
Taehyung does look a little devastated by that.
"Okay," Taehyung says. Then because, he has to be insufferable. "But you'll be the one begging to get fucked again."
Jimin smirks.
"We shall see about that," he says.
♡
Foregoing the kinky shit is all well and good. Jimin can manage just fine without that. But Taehyung seems determined to break down his defenses, playing extremely dirty. The next 2 days, Taehyung wears only a muscle tee over his binder, exposing his arms.
Jimin drools.
To make matters infinitely worse, several things go bust in their apartment. The AC unit is temperamental and the sink faucet starts to leak when they turn it on, for starters. They could call their landlord and ask him to call maintenance.
But Taehyung takes it on himself.
"It's fine," Taehyung says, hunched under the sink in their kitchen as he uses the torch from his cellphone, squatting on his feet. "I got this, Jimin."
"Are you serious? Let's just bug him to call maintenance."
"What for? I know how to fix it."
Jimin really wishes he would give up trying to solve the sink faucet situation all on his own. He's too hot.
Accompanying his boyfriend to the home interiors store, Jimin watches in barely concealed admiration as Taehyung buys some repair parts that he didn't even know existed.
"We have to fix the cartridge of the faucet," Taehyung explains later in their apartment, all his purchases on the kitchen tiles. He looks cute with his bangs taken back with a hairband.
Jimin pretends to understand what he's saying. He nods. "Uh huh."
The knowing smirk Taehyung shoots Jimin is more than enough to make Jimin blush.
"If you didn't put our sex life on hiatus," Taehyung says, with a mischievous sparkle in his eye. "We could have done some plumber porn foreplay."
Jimin groans and stomps out of the kitchen.
Aside from the sexual frustration though, which is definitely considerable, Jimin thinks it's actually a good idea. Even though they were friends, and everything fell into place rather naturally that way, he likes that they're putting a pause on the sex.
Taehyung needs it.
For one, there are some things swirling around in Taehyung's brain, things left unsaid that come out now. One of them is particularly unsettling, and makes Jimin really heartbroken.
They're cuddling in Taehyung's bed after Jimin pestered Taehyung to submit an essay early.
His back is pressed up against Taehyung's chest, and Jimin is wearing one of Taehyung's old shirts, a cute purple one that came in the box Taesung lugged all the way up here. He feels warm, soft and cherished, with Taehyung's palm caressing his thighs, over the insides of them.
At some point, Jimin zones out, listening to the sound of Taehyung humming a pop song under his breath, something mainstream he knows just from hearing on the radio but not by name. His breathing begins to steady out, when suddenly—
"Do I measure up to the cis guys you dated?"
Jimin's body must have tensed up all of a sudden because then Taehyung makes to withdraw his hand.
He puts his hand on top of Taehyung's.
"Don't," Jimin says. "Don't stop touching me."
Taehyung exhales, anxious and tortured. He complies though, rubbing his palm repeatedly over the side of Jimin's thigh that faces upward, and Jimin knows it is more to soothe himself. Sometimes, Taehyung touches his body repeatedly like that, to self-soothe.
"It's the weed," Taehyung says, with a strained laugh. "Making me say stupid shit."
They did smoke a bowl before they laid down.
"It's not stupid, my darling," Jimin says, turning over to face his boyfriend. "Not if it's bothering you."
It's easier to address the question like this, it's also more intimate and important this way. Because there is a helpless look that Taehyung wears, something both wild and defeated at the same time. Like he is the predator but he is also his own prey. The hunter and the hunted.
Maybe it's because Jimin is still a little high, because he smiles, loose-lipped and stupid, as he says, "Love you."
Taehyung shudders, visibly so, his eyes falling shut. Jimin finds his jawline with his palm, and kisses him on his chin.
"You more than measure up," Jimin murmurs, cradling his jaw. "I don't think there's anyone else for me anymore."
Taehyung laughs, short and brusque. "You're just saying that to appease me. So I can feel less crazy."
"Liar," Jimin says. "In this relationship, I'm definitely the one who's crazier, and we both know that."
That makes Taehyung laugh. He breathes a little easier, but not all the way through.
"No, I'm crazy," Taehyung says. "Sometimes, I torture myself with thoughts. They never stop. It got worse after the incident with that transphobe. And I never really had time to process Taesung's bullshit. My family. Suddenly, all I do is think about all of that hurtful stuff."
"You used the sex, the kinky things we were doing to distract yourself from thinking about all of it?"
Taehyung's eyes widen. He nods. "Yeah."
Jimin scoots down further so he's face to face with Taehyung's chest.
He rubs Taehyung's side, as he leans in to press a kiss just above Taehyung's chest, making his boyfriend laugh.
"What's that for?"
"Giving you a kiss so your heart can stop hurting."
"Give—give me some more. Touch me there."
He's not wearing his binder. Jimin looks up to clarify. He does want to kiss, he does want to touch here.
"You sure that's okay?"
Taehyung smiles, a little bitter. "Does my body ever weird you out?"
Jimin exhales, and does his best to keep touching Taehyung, keeping an arm around his boyfriend's waist. One thing he's learned about Taehyung is that he's not open about it, but he is also very clingy and finds Jimin's touch comforting.
"No, baby," Jimin says. "Not at all."
Taehyung studies him for a long time.
"Talk to me," Taehyung whispers, looking mentally exhausted. "Tell—tell me what you like about my body."
"That's going to be a long list," Jimin warns, teasing him gently.
"Maybe I want to hear it."
"Love your hands," Jimin says, taking one of them in his own. He kisses the back of it; Taehyung shivers. "Strong and sexy. Hold me down so good. Capable of fixing anything. Love them."
"Oh yeah?" The bluster in Taehyung's voice is so fake.
"Yeah."
"What—what else?"
"When you flex your arms," Jimin says, and he shifts to sit in Taehyung's lap, something that always sits well with his boyfriend and makes him light up. He's right to have made that choice at the moment; Taehyung is smiling a small smile. "Definitely hot."
Taehyung pushes himself up to rest on his elbows, and Jimin feels hot around the collar as he stares back down. Fuck, he is so in love. He knows that but sometimes it really hits him that Taehyung is The One for him.
"Yeah?"
"Yeah. Your curls are the cutest."
Taehyung averts his gaze, shy, and it's part-flirting, part-validation. Doesn't matter, Jimin adores this moment, especially when Taehyung sits up, and pulls him in closer, making Jimin emit a happy squeak.
Their foreheads press, and it feels like they exist in their own world.
"Love your legs," Jimin murmurs, pressing his lips against Taehyung's cheek. "Love how long they are, drives me fucking crazy when I see you in just your boxers. I love your eyelashes too. What the fuck. They're so long. Pretty."
Taehyung laughs. It also sounds like a sob.
"I'll love and touch any other part of your body that you want me to love," Jimin says. "If you want me to kiss you there too, you just have to tell me. Not a single part of you is weird to me. You're very handsome, baby."
Taehyung sighs. He closes his eyes.
"I want some surgeries," He admits. "I'm going to definitely get chest removal. And—and phalloplasty. Not now, I'm a broke student. But as soon as I can. I can't live like this for too much longer."
"Okay," Jimin murmurs, kissing the side of his head. "Okay, I understand."
"I have a weird request," Taehyung says, his cheeks coloured a deep pink. "In fact, I'm probably never going to ask you ever again. But—can you kiss over my chest the way it is right now? I want one good memory associated with it before I get it removed."
Jimin nods.
Taehyung's hands are shaking as he slowly removes his shirt. He immediately wraps his arms around himself, mortified, and Jimin places his palms over Taehyung's shoulders.
"Easy, easy," Jimin says, quiet and careful. "It's just your Jiminnie."
Taehyung's breathing eventually eases, and gets less laboured. Slowly, he lets his arms drop, and Jimin carefully lays him back. He can see why Taehyung has been tortured about his chest. He's larger-chested and binding is harder on him and his body as a result.
Carefully, Jimin cups his chest, and Taehyung's breathing hitches. "This okay?"
"Ye—yeah."
"I'm going to kiss you here."
"O—okay."
His skin is soft, and Jimin makes sure to linger with every hot press of his lips. Taehyung gasps when he kisses all over the sides, and the sound of Jimin's kisses echo in the room, sweet and intimate and loving. Tender, so tender, that's how his heart feels too for Taehyung.
Eventually, he pecks Taehyung's nipples, giving them lots of pecks, as he slowly massages Taehyung's chest. That makes Taehyung giggle.
"Okay," Taehyung says, sounding a little dazed. "Help me put my shirt back on?"
Jimin pulls off and away to grab his shirt again.
Taehyung is looser-limbed when Jimin helps him put his shirt back on. He still looks a little glazed in the eyes when Jimin curls up to him again, in a side hug.
"I love when you do that," Taehyung says.
"Do what?"
"When you just, take charge sometimes but do it all soft."
"Imagine this, I can willingly do that more often," Jimin murmurs, kissing his cheek repeatedly. "You want to be kissed thoroughly somewhere else next time? I'm your man."
Taehyung laughs once more. This time, there's no sob to puncture it. Just pure, real happiness.
"Love you, baby," Taehyung whispers. He kisses the top of Jimin's head.
Jimin needs water because the weed has made him thirsty. But he accepts his situation; a clingy boyfriend cuddling him.
Not a bad situation to be in, not by far.
♡