Archive of Our Own

“Five minutes until you're on, guys!”

Namjoon gestured for a huddle and clasped his hand on Jimin's neck, staring down their four-man ensemble. “This is it. In fifteen minutes, it'll be over. We have our dignity on the line. Look, if you had one shot. Or one opportunity –”

“Please don't quote ‘Lose Yourself,’ Joon,” Hoseok deadpanned, eyes slanted. “It's really not the time.”

“Why let a perfectly good moment go to waste?” Namjoon huffed, tugging at the fluffy white lining of the bright red, pleather miniskirt that was riding up his thigh. “I need to get into the mood.”

“I need to erase this day from existence,” Jimin said, mourning the moment he agreed to The Bet two Sundays prior. Decisions made four puffs into a Euphoria Elixir session should never, ever be trusted.

Seokjin looked a lot less distressed, fixing his styled hair in a compact mirror, practicing a sultry, hooded stare at his reflection. “Personally, I'm excited. It's about time Hogwarts embraced less conventional ways to celebrate the holidays.”

Hoseok shrugged. Jimin scowled at his indifference. At least the black knee-high boots didn't make Hoseok’s thighs look wide. Jimin prayed for strength.

“I guess. Doesn't meant it had to happen like this,” Hoseok said, flipping back his Santa hat.

“I think you're forgetting that this was entirely your idea, asshole,” Namjoon said, voice completely calm. Jimin nodded aggressively. “You should've known that we'd never manage to get past Filch. Taehyung is such a little shit.”

“Then blame him, not me!”

Jimin groaned. “I blame both of you. Soon we're going to be the laughingstock of the school and I'll never be able to look anyone straight in the eye without knowing that they're internally comparing me forever to The Plastics.”

“Chill, Jiminie. At least you look smokin’ in your outfit,” Seokjin supplied not-so-helpfully with a grin. “Those thicc legs were made to be seen. Consider this a boost that will bring more boys to the yard, so to speak.”

“Fuck you, hyung. I'm making sure there will be zero boys coming to my yard.”

Namjoon laughed, doubling over. As if he had any right to be having fun at a time like this, Jimin thought, fuming. The Gryffindor literally had the best body proportions known to all wizards.

“Okay, okay,” Hoseok said, eyes twinkling mischievously. “We can do this. We practiced enough and we're gonna slay. If you forget the lines, just swing to the beat and shake your ass. Jimin, you're doing amazing, sweetie.”

“That meme –”

“Alright! You guys are up next!” hollered Sungjae, who was holding a clipboard, covered in tinsel and looking very official as the head organizer of the annual Christmas Talent Show. “Line up and wait for your cue.”

Namjoon had them do a lame group fist bump before heading to the stage entrance. Then there was only a thick velvet curtain separating Jimin from his demise. He held his breath, wondering if it was too late to cast a hex over the whole event, and felt sweat forming under the stiff crop top.

The announcer’s voice boomed through the speakers ahead, and the crowd fell silent. “And now, please give a nice round of applause for our next group, performing the quintessential holiday classic from ‘Mean Girls,’ Jingle Bell Rock!”

Once the curtains pulled back, Jimin was blinded by the bright stage fairy lights for a split second before stumbling to his spot. The clapping was enormous, roaring in his ears, and he thought he heard someone who sounded a lot like Taehyung screeching his name.

Welcome to utter humiliation, Jimin thought, sliding his leg out to the side and bending into position, one hand splayed down his bare thigh. He ignored the hoots and obnoxious catcalls, feeling the horrible urge to apparate back into bed and forget this ever happened.

The first few notes started playing and Jimin took his mind to a happy place, going on autopilot through the ridiculous sashaying and low squats and butt slaps that Hoseok taught them from the movie’s dance routine.

“I love you, Park Jimin!” called someone from front and center, louder than most of the raging crowd, and very similar to Jeongguk. There was a low chance of that possibility being true, but considering the nature of their relationship, Jimin dismissed it. Seokjin quickly nudged at his waist between the twirls and Namjoon almost tripped over Hoseok’s heels in surprise.

Jimin knew his face was the same shade of fire hydrant red as their outfits, and chanted to himself to just finish the damn dance and get the hell out of there.

The closing melody finally looped around and Jimin was Over It by the time they struck the final pose, when the entire assembly of students in the behemoth space of the Great Hall lept to their feet in an unnecessary standing ovation, cheers bouncing off the stone walls in an amplified cry. Jimin started questioning the sanity of his classmates.

“What a wonderful, entertaining performance by Jimin, Hoseok, Seokjin and Namjoon!!” crowed the host, stepping out onto the stage to greet them.

Hoseok gripped Jimin's hand and pulled him into a group bow, arms swinging high into the air when they resurfaced. Jimin was thankful for the lights that blinded out the faces of the crowd, nearly a thousand people he managed to tolerate on a day-to-day basis, when the extent of his classmates’ interest in anything philosophical was assigning MBTI types to each House.

Behind the curtain, the response was an uproar.

“Holy shit!” Sungjae said, patting their butts in a row. “You guys were amazing!”

Lalisa squealed in front of their faces. “So so hot. Oh my god, I was dying.”

“Eh,” said Mingyu, who hadn't performed his interpretative dance yet. “You should've made it more raunchy.”

Namjoon just shrugged. “We wanted to stick to the original. Sorry.”

As they walked away to the dressing room, Namjoon sniggered, adding, “Not sorry.” Seokjin giggled and slapped Namjoon's shoulder like he was the funniest guy alive. Jimin held back a groan at their sad flirting.

Safely within the confines of the dressing room, Jimin couldn't help but smile. Namjoon and Seokjin were beaming at each other, both oblivious and blind to the partiality they shared. Hoseok was thrumming with post-performance energy, posing in front of the mirror.

Since the worst was over, Jimin guessed he didn't mind having to go through with it. Eyeing his legs, even more toned because of the heels, Jimin “huh”-ed. He'd deal with any fuckers later who gave him crap about braving the talent show with a sexy Christmas outfit.

As per annual tradition, Slytherin always hosted the Talent Show afterparty, so Jimin had to rush back to the Dungeons to help Yoongi set up decor and shit. Tugging off the last piece of his ridiculous outfit, Jimin felt much happier to get back into comfortable robes.

The door to the dressing room cracked opened and Jimin assumed it was Seokjin or one of the guys who had left something behind. “I'm almost done,” he called, shrugging on a plain shirt.

“What if I told you I didn’t want you to be done?”

Jimin spun around but his surprise was short-lived. He narrowed his eyes, hands on his hips, trying to look as intimidating as he could, considering he was just slinking onstage in a two piece and heels. “What do you want, Jeon?”

Jeongguk sighed, leaning back on the closed door, eyebrows furrowed and looking frustratingly handsome, dressed in all black, just the way he knew Jimin liked. “Jimin hyung, that’s not a nice way to say hello.” He slowly took a few steps, closing the space between them.

Just as quickly, Jimin took two steps back, ignoring his natural reflex to get closer. “Now’s not a good time. I have to get back to the Dungeons.”

“Bet I can make it worth your time.” Jeongguk’s voice dripped like honey and Jimin knew he was done for.

“I highly doubt that.”

Well, he could try to fake it.

Jeongguk was quiet for a second, then shrugged. “You’ve said that before and I’ve proven you wrong,” he said, crowding Jimin up against the cabinets, one arm propped above his head, the other stroking softly along his belt-loops. “You can’t expect me to just let you go so easily after seeing you like that on stage.”

“Fuckin', you’re impossible.”

“I’m persistent, hyung. And you like it.” Jeongguk’s breath ghosted down Jimin’s jaw, but Jimin heard the light tilting strain in Jeongguk’s voice, the one that meant he was desperate.

Jimin smirked. He could play this game, dodge Jeongguk’s stupid attempts of seduction. The thought had been brewing in his mind for awhile. “I think you know there are very few things I like about you.”

Jeongguk quirked an eyebrow, clearly amused. “I’d say the same, but maybe we should skip the bantering today. You were incredible up there, so confident and sexy. I need you, hyung.” He pressed bodily against Jimin, nose nudging his almost shyly. Up this close, Jeongguk’s lips looked shiny, smelling like cherries. “Now.”

Most of the time, Jimin was like putty when Jeongguk wanted him and said things to made him weak in the knees, but today he felt resilient. Maybe it was the rush of the performance, or the knowledge that Jeongguk had been affected by seeing him in the tiny red outfit. Maybe it had been a long time coming.

Jimin hummed lowly. “You’re needy, huh?” He gripped the collar of Jeongguk’s shirt with a sharp tug, then tilted his head just the right way, but not enough to close the gap. He knew he won when he heard the satisfying hitch in Jeongguk’s breathing.

“Yeah. Let me fuck you, hyung,” Jeongguk gasped with a shudder. Jimin felt a short shiver rush through Jeongguk’s chest as he brought his other hand under the bottom hem of Jeongguk’s shirt, where Jeongguk’s stomach tensed under his fingertips.

“You think you got me wrapped up around your finger, huh?” Jimin watched in glee as Jeongguk’s hooded, dilated eyes blinked wide in surprise. “Well, newsflash: think again, baby.”

With a shove, Jimin side-stepped Jeongguk and grabbed his belongings. Just as he was about to swing open the door, he glanced back over his shoulder and felt immediately vindicated at the sight of Jeongguk heaving shallowly. He looked caught between absolute disbelief and wanting to chase after Jimin.

“See you at the party,” Jimin singsang, the door slamming shut.

“You are a vengeful bitch,” Yoongi said, snickering after Jimin had recounted what went down in the dressing room.

Jimin cackled, almost dropping the tin of delicate ornaments that he was supposed to be hanging on the tree in the Common Room. “I know, I know. I guess I’m just getting tired of the game.”

“I’d congratulate you but you don’t look so happy about it. You've been hooking up for months. Why now?”

“That’s exactly why,” Jimin said, huffing. “It’s my last year at Hogwarts and I don’t want to spend it hung up on wondering if Jeongguk’s gonna get his shit together. I’ve managed to avoid him most of this term and I want to keep it that way.”

“We all told you to be careful.” Yoongi stood on his tiptoes to drape the last strand of tinsel across the main archway. “I distinctly recall Joon saying something about how Jeongguk is good at masking what he feels.”

“Joonie hyung is right.”

“I’m not gonna say he told you so, but –”

“Yeah, I get the point, hyung.”

Yoongi shuffled over with a look of sympathy on his face. “Listen, Jiminie. You’re one of my best friends. You’re also really stubborn. And welp, so is Jeongguk. Which means one of you has to be the bigger person and set things straight.”

Jimin giggled. “Or not so straight.”

“You've been hanging around Seokjin hyung too much.”

Jimin rolled his eyes. “Be useful and help me with the ornaments. Jennie is gonna beat my ass to a pulp if she comes back and I’m not done.”

Yoongi sighed, then held his palms out. “Fine. But tonight, I better not see you two disappearing off together. If you’re going to stop this mess, you have to be strong. Which means alcohol is not an excuse.”

“Yes, sir.”

“I’m not kidding! If I find out you hooked up again, I’m finally gonna drug Jeongguk with that Veritaserum I've been saving and ask him how he really feels about you.”

Jimin paused. “That might actually be a really good idea...”

“Jimin.”

“Okay, okay.” He gestured acceptance, pushing back the curious suggestion further into his brain. “No hook-ups. I’m done. Finito. Hate-sex sucks anyway.”

Yoongi grimaced, looking at Jimin with passive-aggressive eyes. "Please spare me the details. All I know is that when you two come out of whatever room you're fucking like rabbits in, you act like you hate each other's guts. Which seems, I don't know, exhausting?"

They shifted around to finish up the last portion of the tree. Jimin sighed. "It is. If there's anything we can agree on, it would be that. But neither of us is willing to do anything about it."

"Damn."

"Precisely."

Jimin wrapped the last velvet bow around a spruce branch. "There. My ass is safe."

Yoongi looked like he just remembered something horrible. "I don't know why my mind took me there, but I was about to say, 'Unless Jeongguk gets to you.'"

"You're nasty, hyung," Jimin said, slapping Yoongi's chest. He couldn't help the laughs that followed, and with the jazzy music crooning through the sound system and Jennie's elaborate decor oversight, covering the room in ornate gold and red tones, Jimin couldn't help but feel like the party was going to be a memorable one. "Remember what I said? I'm done with Jeongguk. Tonight marks my first night being Jeon-free."

Yoongi nodded with a proud look, head tilted back. “Thatta boy.”

Mistake #7

“God, hurry,” Jeongguk grunted, squeezing Jimin’s thighs tighter. He’d probably leave marks for later. “You take so fucking long.”

“Impatient, but so full of empty talk,” Jimin retorted. He tugged on the small hairs at Jeongguk’s neck that he knew were sensitive. Jeongguk jerked, hips bouncing faster on instinct.

Jeongguk growled lowly. “My empty talk gets you wet, hyung.”

“Cute.” Jimin thrusted extra hard, skin slapping loud in the empty room, relishing how Jeongguk doubled over, almost hitting his head onto the lockers they were fucking up against.

“I’m curious,” Jimin muttered, “How you expect me to be satisfied with you?”

Jeongguk grunted, pushing Jimin higher up the chair, thighs clenching everytime he pulled himself up on overdrive. “Less talking, more fucking.” He smashed their lips together, pushing his tongue in, devouring as much of Jimin’s gasps as he could reach.

Jimin huffed breathlessly, digging his nails into Jeongguk’s shoulders, holding Jeongguk's hips for dear life. Jeongguk rode him with quick, sharp speed, making Jimin melt and moan and want to whine out loud. But he wouldn’t.

“Good boy, good Jeonggukie,” Jimin crooned when Jeongguk finally parted for breath, hips stuttering, taking Jimin so deep and frantic. Jimin wanted to lick at the sweat beading down Jeongguk's gorgeous exposed forehead.

Jeongguk snarled, hoisting himself up again with a thud, clenching tight. “Not a good boy.”

“Fuck that, I felt you seize up when I said it,” Jimin hissed, punching his hips up again for emphasis.

Jeongguk panted, eyes half-closed, body language struggling to maintain the building speed. “Gonna, fuck, gonna –” his voice broke, husky and desperate. Jimin loved hearing the moments right before Jeongguk came.

“Jeonggukie, come on, hyung is waiting.” Jimin replacing his scratching with soft strokes, petting Jeongguk’s tense back muscles, down his shuddering spine. He gripped Jeongguk's cock on the upstroke, gathering the beads of precum to tug down, squeezing right around the crown.

Jimin propped up a leg against the bench in front of them that they had started fucking on before Jeongguk challenged Jimin's ability to last longer than him, and used the leverage to meet Jeongguk's hips faster. “Show hyung how much you want it.”

Jeongguk’s expressive eyes widened, mouth parted, face flushed in pleasure. “Fuck, oh fuck, Jiminie hyung, I need it.”

Something about watching Jeongguk unwind was intense. Jimin arched back, white-hot pleasure racing through his fingers to his toes, the heat sucking him in each time.

Jimin rubbed at Jeongguk's chest, thumbing his nipple to encourage him faster just like he loved it, laving at his exposed neck. He felt more than heard Jeongguk gasp, followed with a dull cry before stilling with Jimin buried to the hilt.

“Mmm, feels good. Fuckin’ finally,” Jimin groaned, wiping his hand on a discarded shirt.

“Fuck you,” Jeongguk muttered. He steadied himself with a deep breath. "'Kay, I'm good."

"You sure?"

"I'm sure, now hurry up, my cum is drying like a bitch."

"Why do I put up with this." Jimin felt the words leave his mouth, but wasn't registering anything else as he fucked back up, going from zero to tops.

Jeongguk yelped, clutching Jimin’s shoulders. Jimin groaned, letting the engulfing wet heat take over, all thoughts of keeping up a rhythm out the window, barely hearing Jeongguk make soft noises as their bodies bumped together.

Jimin felt his limbs begin to lose it, trembling and wound up, his body strung like a tightrope, one second away from snapping. He arched again, Jeongguk taking him all in, and came with a momentary sense of complete sensory overload, only aware of Jeongguk's low murmurs.

“You’re so hot, how are you even real, hyung?” Jeongguk mumbled into Jimin’s shoulder as the cold air cooled them down, his small voice lowly echoing in the empty changing room.

“Reality is a social construct.” Jimin kissed Jeongguk’s salty skin one last time before nudging him away. “Get off, you’re gross.”

Jeongguk made a sound of annoyance as he pulled off, eyeing the dribbles down his thighs with a frown. “Shower?”

“Nah,” Jimin said with a wave. “I’ll shower back at the Dungeons. Need to meet up with Taemin hyung to study.” Fully dressed, he gathered his things and headed to the door, heels clacking on the tile.

“Oh. ‘Kay. Bye then, hyung.”

Jimin caught himself right before replying, sure that Jeongguk didn’t care for formalities anyway. Jeongguk never was one for cuddling. As much as Jimin disliked pulling away so quickly, it was how they operated, quick and easy and convenient. In his haste to leave, he missed the furrow between Jeongguk’s eyebrows and the way Jeongguk’s glossy eyes stayed on his retreating form all the way out of the room.

There was a reason why the Talent Show Afterparty was so infamous.

For some incredibly convenient reason, the Slytherin Common Room had been designed as a large oval space, high ceilings with an elegant, thatched pattern, and ten doors branching out into small, bedroom-sized rooms. Maybe Hogwarts originally had a need for more bedrooms, but as long as Jimin could remember, they had been used for storage or practicing tricky magic.

Paired with an all-out holiday rager and butterbeer-drunk young adults, the ten rooms were coveted and utilized in much more illicit ways. Jimin hated to think about what the House Elves went through to clean up the morning after.

After changing into something dark, slightly see-through, with the top three buttons undone, Jimin made his way to the Commons, feeling like stepping into a scene from a teenage movie. Jennie had really outdone herself this time, with fake snow and golden coins suspended in the air, and people in barely-there fashion that definitely didn't fit school dress code.

Seokjin found Jimin pretty quickly, slinging an arm around his shoulders and hissing into his ear, "Namjoon is going to kill me!"

"Are you drunk already?" The clock read barely ten o'clock.

Seokjin took a large gulp from his frosted glass. "Maybe? Maybe Joon will finally drop a pair and stop dancing with other girls while he stares at me across the room. It's a little weird seeing him grinding on someone and giving me bedroom eyes."

That did sound really weird. Jimin was about to express his agreement, but Seokjin was already stumbling away.

Jimin waded through the crowd and found the table with disposable cups and drinks. He didn't care for the overly sweet tang of butterbeer, so he opted for mixing a pop with cheap vodka.

"Jiminie! You were amazing on stage!" Taehyung bumbled into Jimin's space and pulled him into a tight hug. "I couldn't find you after the performance but I wanted to say that even though they didn't pick winners for the Talent Show, you guys should've won."

"Thanks, Tae," Jimin said, raising his voice over the music.

"You're welcome! Have your eye on anyone tonight?"

Jimin took a sip, feeling the warmth spread out through his chest into his fingers. "Probably not. Just gonna chill it tonight. Hyejeong noona said she wanted to dance."

"Ugh, she’s so hot. I think her shorts tonight could pass for panties, but no one’s complaining.”

“She’s actually really cool. I sat with her in third year DADA and we bonded over the stress of the class.”
Taehyung nodded, but his interest was clearly elsewhere. “Have you seen Minjae? I sent him some nudes on Wand earlier and he hasn’t replied. I can’t believe he left me on read.”

“The last you told me, he had just confessed. Give the guy time. He went through a gay crisis because of you.”

Taehyung looked unbelievably smug, arms crossed, mimicking a male peacock puffing out his check. “And he better be thankful I showed him the light.”

“All I’m saying is that you shouldn’t expect him to be jumping your bones until he’s more comfortable with everything.” Jimin sipped more of his drink, feeling the bass thump through the ground. “And sending unsolicited nudes might not be the best way to go about it.”

Across the room, he spotted Hoseok clamoring onto one of the beer pong tables, arms in the air, swinging his hips. The party was amping up really quickly, and at its rate, they'd be lucky if the Headmaster continued to turn a blind eye again.

“But I don’t know how else to get his attention!” Taehyung sulked, staring into his cup. “He’s so quiet around me now.”

“Like I said, give him time. He likes you, remember? He even built up the courage to confess.” Jimin briefly wondered what it would be like to have Jeongguk confess to him for once, instead of all the dirty words they exchanged in secret. He shook his head, refusing to let the thought ruin his fun.

“I know. You’re right. I’ll let him come to me.”

Jimin smiled, linking arms with Taehyung and dragging him to the dance area. “He will. But until then, let’s dance!”

Dancing with a drink in one hand took a certain finesse that Jimin was proud to say he had. He took gulps between shimmying with Taehyung, laughing and breaking into random girl group spoofs as the songs switched erratically. He’d have to thank Jihoon later for choosing a nice mix to play.

After two more drinks, Hyejeong eventually found him, true to her word, and slotted herself between him and Taehyung, ass bumping back, reaching for Jimin’s neck like she knew what she wanted. Jimin didn’t mind, still on the fence about taking her into one of the rooms by the end of the night, but not unopposed. As if sensing Jimin’s dilemma, she twisted around to face him with a sultry gaze, and ran her fingers through his hair.

“Hey,” she said, lips brushing Jimin’s ear.

“Hey yourself. Having fun?”

Hyejeong hooked her leg around Jimin’s thigh and started grinding up, moaning softly. “Yeah, lots. I’m glad I found you.”

Even though her voice smelled like beer, she was all soft curves, willing and whimpering, and Jimin was warming up to the idea of feeling more of her under his palms.

“You’re not too drunk, hm?”

She giggled a bit loudly and Jimin pulled back in reflex. “No, silly. I could definitely be more drunk. You’re a really good dancer, Jimin. Especially in a slutty Santa suit and heels.”

“Thanks, Hyejeong noona. You’re not so bad with heels, either.”

Taehyung had disappeared by then, hopefully having found Minjae. Jimin was pretty sure that Taehyung would have the strength to be subtle enough and let Minjae ease into the relationship naturally.

“And the girls, we’re so jealous of your ass.” Hyejeong removed her hands from playing with Jimin’s hair and slid them all the way down to make grabby fingers at his butt, squeezing through the denim. Jimin almost yelped in surprise, and Hyejeong giggled like it was the greatest reaction she’d gotten.

“I think we can all agree that Jiminie hyung takes top ass marks in Hogwarts,” came a low voice behind Jimin at the same time that a pair of new, warm hands wrapped around his sides, tugging him away from Hyejeong.

Hyejeong’s eyes widened, mouth gaping open. “Uh –”

Even though he could barely believe it, Jimin didn’t have to think twice about who would pull such a move. Turning around, he snapped, “Jeongguk, you’re interrupting.”

As much as Jimin hated admitting it every single time, Jeongguk looked really good, tousled hair falling perfectly into his forehead, sharp undercut, smokey eyes and pouty lips. All of that on top of a broad chest and a slim-fitting shirt tucked into skin-tight black jeans. Jimin could see where Jeongguk's shirt bumped over his nipples and felt his mouth begin to water in a semi-Pavlovian reaction. Fuck his thirst.

“I'm really not sorry. But, for formalities’ sake, I’m sorry noona. Do you mind if I steal Jimin hyung away?” Jeongguk sent Hyejeong a greasy wink, which was enough to make her sputter out a “sure, of course,” betraying Jimin to Jeongguk's claws. He glared at her retreating form.

Jeongguk entwined their fingers and started herding them through the crowd, holiday cheer and raucous noise bouncing off the Commons’ dark marble walls.

“Hey, hey!” Jimin yanked his hand away. “What the fuck do you think you're doing?” Two students who had been making out on the couch close by stopped and stared.

Jeongguk tried to reach for his hand again, which was denied. “Don't be difficult. Can we talk somewhere quiet?”

“Whatever you need to say can be said right here.”

Jimin never thought he'd see the day when Jeongguk would ever look nervous because of him. The fact that it was happening right before his eyes, in the middle of the craziest party of the year, right after Jimin had denied him in the dressing room, was pretty laughable.

Jeongguk glanced around, swallowing heavily. “Fine. You're so hard-headed, goddamn. I just wanted to get you alone."

Jimin scoffed, running a hand through his hair. “You’re just as stubborn. And as if that's going to happen. I'm not in the mood. So you can either behave like a good boy or fuck off.”

Something flared bright in Jeongguk's eyes, his stare intensifying tenfold. If it were any other night, Jimin might’ve been hesitant to press further. But it was two weeks before Christmas and he was still running off of exhilaration from the performance.

“Take it or leave it. Unless you're scared, Jeon.”

Jeongguk's hands were immediately back on Jimin's waist, splayed possessively. He leaned in, whispering, “Tell me what you mean by ‘good boy,’ hyung. I'll do whatever you want.”

Quiet murmuring hummed around them and Jimin was sure that they had started a scene. He could picture the school gossip headlines by now: Sworn rivals Park Jimin and Jeon Jeongguk getting cozy at the Talent Show Afterparty. Fuckin’ fantastic.

“You think you can be a good boy, Jeonggukie?” Jimin purred, making sure to keep the waver out of his voice. Jeongguk nodded quickly, eyes glazed over.

Jimin clenched his jaw and continued before he could stop himself. “Well for one thing, good boys don't just interrupt when others are dancing or having a nice time. Good boys ask politely and consider the feelings of others before acting.”

All the frustration from the past year bundled into an ever-growing avalanche of rage. Jimin couldn’t deny the fact that seeing Jeongguk's initial confidence drip away, face in shock, only egged him on.

“Good boys don't string people along just for their convenience. Good boys are responsible. And for the love of everything good and magical, good boys don't keep dirty little secrets,” he snapped, hands in fists by his side. “Are you listening to me, coconut panini head? If you didn't get the memo, I'm done. We're done.”

Someone whistled and said “you tell ‘em,” but Jimin was already halfway through the room, hoping to find familiar faces and forget the way Jeongguk's expression had contorted into something resembling regret.

Which was impossible, right? Jeon Jeongguk didn't do relationships. It was canon, everyone knew.

Then there would be times when Jimin was sure of something deeper to Jeongguk's behavior, the way he stared at Jimin across the halls or held him extra tight for a moment too long. Then Jeongguk would snap out of it and go right back to being his extra competitive self who challenged Jimin in very class they had together. Well Jeongguk could fuck himself, Jimin decided, he didn't mind the extra rivalry.

Jimin found Hoseok chatting it up with some fellow Hufflepuffs from the dance club and shuffled over to blend in. All he needed to do was give Hoseok the Look, and Hoseok understood, cuddling up protectively.

“Did you run into Jeongguk?”

“I may have told him off in front of a bunch of people.”

Hoseok’s eyebrows shot up. “Okay. And how'd he take it?”

Jimin caught a glance of Jeongguk's hair bobbing through the room, turning left and right as if looking for someone. He crouched lower, trying to blend into the side of the bookshelf. Hoseok’s friends gave him empathetic looks and huddled around him. Hufflepuffs were great.

“Thanks everyone.”

They nodded and resumed a chirpy conversation, making sure to block Jimin from view. He turned back to Hoseok. “Um, I didn't stay long enough to see, but he looked shocked.”

“Yeah, well, you’ve never rejected him before, right? I'm sure he's pretty stunned. And really? He let that happen in public?”

Jimin groaned, wishing he had another drink. “Yeah. I don't know what he was thinking, trying to dance with me like that. It's like he's ignoring everything we agreed on since we started hooking up.” Dropping his voice to his best impression of the Ravenclaw, he recited, “We're rivals, not friends.”

Hoseok snorted, coughing into his cup. “That was spot on. You're just missing the bunny teeth.”

Jimin melted a little inside at the mention of one of Jeongguk's cutest features. When they were kids, Jimin always adored Jeongguk's toothy grin, doting on him just to see a smile. He inhaled deeply, head spinning – whether from the alcohol or the feeling of being trapped in a ridiculous glass case of emotion, who knew? “I'm gonna hang here if you don't mind, then head to sleep in a bit.”

“But Jiminie, it's not even midnight! We still have to do body shots,” Hoseok said, giving a convincing pout. “My mission is to get Yoongi hyung to finally do them with me.”

The idea was kind of brilliant and a potentially great distraction. “Okay, now that I have to see.”

Jackson, one of the guys in their huddle, perked up. “That would be iconic. I’ll make sure to get it on Air-Wand.”

“It's a plan. Where is he, anyway?” Hoseok asked, craning his head to scan the room.

Between all the bodies, it was hard to differentiate who was whom. Seokjin and Namjoon had somehow ended up creating their own circle of onlookers while holding a dance-off with semi-abstract, pseudo-modern interpretive moves, giggling at each other’s silliness. The sight was a stark contrast to Seokjin’s complaints earlier. They looked really cute together.

“Looking for me?” came a gruffy voice.

Hoseok whipped around so quickly, Jimin feared for the wellbeing of his neck. “What in tarnation! Yoongi hyung, don’t scare me like that. I’m under the influence and I can’t handle this.”

Momo burst into giggles, resting her shoulder onto Mina’s shoulder. “Hoseok oppa wants to do body shots. I’m in!” Two more ‘Puffs raised their hands, voicing unanimous agreement. Yoongi hooked an arm through Hoseok’s and led the way to the drinks table, muttering that he wasn’t going to be the one in charge of anyone passing out in their own vomit.

Jimin gave up trying to stay concealed when Hoseok stripped off his shirt and put on a show, slinging it between his legs back and forth and hollering some incoherent nonsense. Yoongi stood by, cheeks flushed, shaking his head with a small smile.

“Clink clink, bitches!” Hoseok yelled, and the small group around him cheered.

“Time to repress another memory,” Yoongi said, before bending down to take the shot glass between his lips. Jimin was impressed by the speed at which Yoongi finished the deed, and Hoseok watched with glazed eyes, incredibly excited and probably aroused, which Jimin intentionally ignored.

Mina squealed, jumping in place. “My turn next! Let’s do the tequila!” Momo nodded and gave a swift pat to her butt.

Watching the next few couples go through the rounds was kind of bittersweet. Jimin wasn’t petty, at least, he tried not to be, but there was a distracting nag that reminded him how much he wanted someone to do body shots with, too. Someone with brooding eyes and strong, veiny hands – nope, not today Salazar Slytherin, he thought.

Retiring back to his to bedroom proved difficult when Jimin’s entire dorm building was still filled with restless partygoers, music bumping through the walls. Just as he reached the stairway, Jeongguk cut in front, hands held up. “Hyung, please. Hear me out.”

“Move.” Jimin just wanted to roll into bed and sulk in peace. Not deal with stuck-up Pureblood elitists who abandoned their childhood best friends and dealt with problems unhealthily through sex. Wow, Jimin almost laughed to himself, their affairs were really fucked up.

“I’m sorry.” Jeongguk spoke softly, a little tentative. “Jimin hyung, I’m sorry.”

Two apologies in one sitting. Jimin fought away the urge to ignore Jeongguk’s pathetic ass and push him away again.

Jeongguk looked straight at him, worry written all over his features, even in the way he kept his hands tucked into his pockets. The drastic change felt surreal from the usual hasty grab-and-go methods they defaulted to. Jeongguk rarely made small talk.

“You have two minutes,” Jimin muttered, not expecting much.

Jeongguk’s surprise spelled itself out in the tiny “o” that his mouth formed. Jimin was transported back to the moment he met Jeongguk, six years old, swinging alone at the park, tiny sneakered feet scuffing up the dirt. When Jimin asked to join him, the boy had the same exact reaction and Jimin was instantly smitten. Now, the stutter in Jimin’s chest reappeared, but he was too fucking tired to care.

“One minute and thirty seconds.”

“Okay, wait, I didn’t rehearse this." Jeongguk glanced around for a split second. "You know how I get when I’m caught off guard. I’m sorry and I want to apologize for more than what you think.”

“Oh, so now you’re gonna tell me what I’m thinking?”

“You were right. About everything. I’m horrible to you and you – well, you’ve been pretty horrible back but I know it's equally both of our faults. It’s probably been a long time coming, but our relationship isn’t the most ideal.”

Jimin’s mind tumbled over Jeongguk’s words, sloshing between his ears like torrents of rainwater. What was he getting at? “Thirty seconds,” was all he could say.

Jeongguk’s face dropped, crestfallen, chin crinkling with the force of his frown. “Please think about what I said? I don’t want you to hate me forever. I don’t hate you at all. I, um, actually like you a lot. I’m sorry.”

Jimin let out an incredulous laugh. He must have had one too many drinks because there was no way Jeongguk was confessing to him. “You have no idea what you’re talking about. If this is about me not fucking you in the dressing room, then –”

“It’s not.”

“Then what?”

“It’s about us being at each other’s throats all these years at Hogwarts, trying to one-up each other in every class, in every sport, and burying all of that into the moments when you finally let me touch you, for fuck’s sake!” Jeongguk caged Jimin in, arms bracketing against the stairwell, forehead against Jimin’s. “I meant it when I said I need you. Hyung, it was never just about the sex. Don’t push me away, please.”

“I’m too sober for this.”

“I want us to be okay.” Jeongguk’s hushed plea drowned out the steady thud-thud of whatever song was blaring around them, glittering disco ball lights flaring in sync with the melody, bleeding into the peripherals of Jimin’s vision. Jeongguk looked like an angel, framed in bright light.

Jimin looked away. “I don’t know where you got this idea of there being an ‘us’ because the last time I checked, we don't acknowledge each other in public. I’m going to sleep. Let me go or so help me, I’m not below using the Cruciatus Curse.”

“Hyung,” Jeongguk repeated, honest eyes hardening. When Jimin didn’t reply, he stepped back and let him pass.

After the party had dispersed, Jimin lay in bed, staring at the roof of his velvet green four-poster canopy, far from sleep. There was one memory he could always return to calm his racing mind – nine year old Jeongguk singing a mournful kind of lullaby to soothe Jimin after he’d woken up from a nightmare, soft fingers stroking his sweaty hair, a shining star in Jimin’s little universe.

This time, it didn’t help.

Jimin choked on a breath taken too deeply, refusing to remember feelings that had been restrained for so long. Forced his eyes closed and tried to focus on counting down the beats of his heart, wondering when the sting of wanting someone he shouldn't would eventually fade away.

Jimin’s alarm wasn’t set for the next morning, but his friends took care of that.

A constant string of buzzes echoed loudly and Jimin was barely coherent to swipe at his wand from the bedside table to silence it, revealing a string of words from the silver puff of smoke.

Saturday, 9:31 AM
snake jin:
so. update: joon didn’t kill me.
BUT
someone uploaded an air-wand clip of us dancing last night to the school hub
WHY DIDNT U STOP ME
!!??!?!?
u fail to protec
Instead
u attac

Saturday, 9:47 AM
i am your hope:
promise me we’re never doing body shots again
pls
yoongs is having too much fun watching me sufFER

Saturday, 9:56 AM
i am your hope:
this is yoongi
Im having as much fun as i can while hobi’s drooling on my sweater
hope you’re feeling better

Saturday, 10:09 AM
vante:
L00K
[see attached photo]
he’s so CUTE when hes sleeping asdhjk hes like a little puppy
we cute <3
i’ll update u at lunch today
thx for the advice, u were right, as always

Saturday, 10:23 AM
do not answer:
i hope you were able to rest well

Jimin wiped the sleep from his eyes, doing a double-take at the last message. Jeongguk never texted him unless they were planning to meet up, and none of those messages held any sort of sentimental value or affection. Jimin dropped his wand, completely baffled.

The memory of the confrontation with Jeongguk and his subsequent confession was blurry, bits and pieces floating in disjointed order. Jimin’s head hurt just thinking about it.

He sighed and pulled himself out of bed, looking miserably at his four roommates still completely knocked out. Hyungwon was draped face-down, halfway off his mattress, feet propped on the floor. Jimin had no idea how someone could fall asleep like that.

Thankfully, Saturday meant no classes, and time to hole up like the introvert he was, which sounded much better than any more confrontation. But first, food.

His roommates slowly awoke from the dead and shuffled in and out of their shared bathroom. Jimin kept to himself, nursing a bowl of ramen that he heated up on their crappy stove made out of old grillplates and some freelance spells.

“‘Sup man,” Kibum said, before spitting out his gargle into the sink. “Last night was wild, huh?”

“As always. You lit up the dance floor, though.”

“Thanks. Jonghyun hyung always goes hard on the raves.” Kibum looked half amused, half flattered. The hickeys on his neck didn’t do much except highlight the reality of the morning-after impact.

“Noted.”

“By the way,” drawled Mark, still bundled under his blanket, “What’s up with you and Jeongguk? Everyone was talking about it, even after you shut him down. From what I gathered, you’ve been hooking up?”

Jimin groaned, putting his bowl away, appetite ruined. “I don’t know. I’m probably more confused than everyone else.”

“So that’s a yes?” Kyungsoo joined in, peeking from the bathroom.

“Maybe.”

“Unbelievable,” Hyungwon said, finally awake. “How did we not know about this? You two have literally the longest on-going rivalry. The air crackles with lightning whenever you interact.”

“He’s really stubborn. I don’t have any explanation other than I guess opposites attract?” Jimin decidedly left out the detail about them being childhood besties.

“He is,” Mark agreed, swiping through his Wand messages. “I had fifth year Transfiguration with him and he managed to debate his way out of doing the final project. To this day, I have no idea how he did that.”

“He’s kind of a legend in the sack, too,” Kibum added. “But uh… I actually haven’t heard of him sleeping with anyone recently.” The insinuation hung in the air.

Kyungsoo emerged from the bathroom with a towel on his head, cooing loudly, making kissy ducklips. Jimin threw a pillow at his face and missed. Hyungwon filled the room with his signature sniggers and for a brief moment, Jimin finally felt like everything was back to normal.

Loud thudding interrupted their shenanigans just as Mark was about to float Kibum’s prized jewelry out the window. “Yo! Park!” The voice sounded like Chanyeol, who roomed three doors down. “Got a delivery for you! From a,” his tenor skipped up two octaves, ringing like an annoying, broken flute, “Secret admirer! Oooooohhh!”

Four sets of eyes honed in on Jimin, who regretted waking up at all. Maybe he could get a Timeturner and just dial it back to before he was born.

“I’ll get it,” Kibum said, already walking to the door.

Chanyeol had a look of dramatic delight. “Here! One for you Park Jimin, you go Park Jimin!” In his hands, a bouquet of charmed flowers – lilies, peonies, roses and chrysanthemums morphing between various pastel hues, sprinkled with a cloud of silver fairy dust.

Kyungsoo cooed again, joined by the rest of Jimin’s roommates, fluttering their eyelashes and giggling like maniacs.

“And none for you, Do Kyungsoo!” Chanyeol exclaimed, ignoring Kyungsoo’s deadly glare, adding in his own smooching sound effects.

“Oh my god, how cute Jiminie!” Hyungwon said, taking the flowers to examine. “Chanyeol hyung, does it say who it’s from?”

“Nah,” Chanyeol said, “It was outside of the Commons’ door with a note.”

Mark fished the note out from the chiffon wrapping. “To Park Jimin, beautiful in red pleather or sweats. I hope you can give me a chance.” Everyone “aww”-ed, looking genuinely moved.

Jimin sunk lower into his pile of blankets, refusing to even glance at the gorgeous bouquet. “You guys can have it, considering you’re all freaking out about this more than I am.”

“I disagree,” Chanyeol piped up. “You look two seconds away from having a meltdown.”

“Yeah dude, shouldn’t you be flattered or something? It’s not that deep.” Kyungsoo examined the flowers, flicking bits of fairy dust into Mark’s hair.

“Holy shit! Guys!” Kibum said, poised with a creepy smile. “Do you think it’s from Jeongguk?”

“Nooooo,” Jimin grumbled, upset at the world, staring miserably at the looks of epiphanies painted on their faces. “Don’t even go there.”

“It’s kind of a sweet gesture. Especially after your lovers’ spat last night.”

“We’re not lov–”

“I have to Air-Wand this to the Hub,” Hyungwon said, eagerly snapping a photo. “Everyone’s gonna love the newest development of the Jigguk Saga.”

“Ji-what?”

“Jigguk!” Kyungsoo said, exasperated. “It’s your ship name! Don’t you follow the gossip columns? Considering you’re like, top news now.”

Jimin closed his eyes, trying to steady his breathing. “I had no reason to read the Hub before. Please don’t upload any photos.”

“Too late,” Hyungwon said, sounding absolutely unrepentant. “At least this way, we can try to figure out if it was Jeongguk for sure if anyone has clues.”

“When have any of you taken this much interest in my personal life before?”

Chanyeol looked decently ashamed, scratching at his large ears. “Well, better late than never, right? This kind of k-drama stuff doesn’t happen very often!”

“And besides,” Mark added, “If I’m not mistaken, I think you want to get under Jeongguk’s skin, and this is the perfect opportunity. Show him that you’re not interested in his courting attempts. Make him man-up and apologize. I mean, if that’s what you want, of course.”

“Oh, yeah. That’s a wicked good idea,” Kibum said, lounging across his bed with a smirk. “I bet that’s exactly what Jiminie wants.”

Jimin got up to throw a slipper at Kibum’s face and this time, hit his target, knocking Kibum’s chin and eliciting a shrill shriek that nearly made everyone deaf. Kibum pounced up, ready to attack, but Kyungsoo and Chanyeol hurried to restrain him, and everyone ended up in a pile of limbs, cackling over maybe-Jeongguk’s questionable attempts at winning Jimin over.

Mark found a vase for the flowers, and Hyungwon took more photos. The petals felt like satin to the touch, strobed in gossamer light. Jimin stared at them on his dresser, wondering if he’d stepped into an alternative universe where Jeongguk was still his best friend and maybe something more.

Saturday, 2:41 PM
do not answer:
hope u liked them, i asked hobi what flowers were ur fave

A tell-tale bubble of hope lodged itself in Jimin's throat. He opened Jeongguk’s display name, a tiny smile tugging at his lips.

do not answer has been changed to stupid bunny.

Much better.

Mistake #1

“Why the fuck did you need to bring me all the way here for?” Jimin hissed, sure that a House Elf would find them at any minute.

“Shut up. Just let me fuckin’ talk.”

“Well, you haven’t talked the whole way here, so I just assumed you needed a push.”

“I’m trying!” Jeongguk looked Done, leaning against the cramped cupboard walls. “I needed to tell you something in private.”

Jimin scoffed. Jeongguk rolled his neck to the side, stretching out a clicking sound, tugging his navy blue tie loose. Jimin caught the sight of a smooth, tanned chest and hated how badly he wanted to run his fingernails down it.

“I was getting irritated with how passive aggressive you’ve been toward me,” Jeongguk finally spat. “I don’t know what I ever did to rub you the wrong way.”

Heat flared up in Jimin’s gut, mixed with disgust and the nasty kick of betrayal. This wasn’t the Jeonggukie he grew up with, but Jimin hadn’t seen that boy since he moved away four years before. It felt like Jeongguk had shoved an ice shard through his chest.

“Me? Passive aggressive?” Jimin bulldozed Jeongguk further against the wall. “I’m not the one who’s constantly flaunting their grades and girls and correcting other students in class!”

Jeongguk narrowed his eyes, leaning so close that their noses touched. His lips flared and Jimin heard the collective huff of their ragged breathing. He was blinded by frustration, ready to split his fists against something to get the tension out.

“It’s all your fault, hyung.”

“You shouldn’t even have the right to call me that, kid.”

“I’m not a kid!” Jeongguk jeered. “Stop treating me like I’m under you!”

Jimin took the opportunity. “Yeah, I bet you’d like that, huh? Big Jeonggukie under me.”

The air froze for the split moment when Jimin’s world turned on its axis as he saw Jeongguk’s pupils dilate, an unmistakable groan spilling from his cracked lips. They both realized in unison, and Jeongguk flushed a pretty, crimson ruby red.

“You want me, don’t you?” Jimin said with a bewildered laugh. The excitement of being the center of Jeongguk's attention again after all those years felt powerful. “It all makes sense now.”

“No, fuckin’, stop. That’s not it, you just surprised me.”

“Jeonggukie,” Jimin purred, leaning around Jeongguk’s jaw and exhaling just above his Adam’s apple, watching it bob automatically. “Just be honest. Admit it.”

“Fuck you.”

“It seems like you want to.”

Jeongguk’s hands were suddenly on Jimin’s robes, clutching his hips. “You’re so difficult. Why are you like this?”

“Just using my Slytherin instincts.” Jimin nosed into Jeongguk’s sideburns, flicking his tongue out down the lobe of his ear. Jeongguk gasped and closed the gap between their torsos, sliding his palms up behind Jimin’s shoulderblades, hardening swell of his erection pressing insistently against Jimin’s inner thigh.

“Don’t make me regret this,” Jeongguk muttered. He cupped both hands around Jimin’s cheeks to stare him down.

Jimin resisted looking away, couldn’t give into Jeongguk’s games. Jeongguk was stunning even when he was mad, an almost childlike enthusiasm for anything including hysteric arguing, skin glowing with the first beads of sweat at his hairline, thick eyelashes fluttering every time he blinked. Jimin felt all of his built up resentment against Jeongguk come crashing down.

In hindsight, Jimin should’ve probably read more into the tender moment they shared right when Jeongguk kissed him – the way his lips slotted perfectly, licking against Jimin’s in a hungry madness, like teetering on the edge of starving all those years.

“I really needed a drink,” Jimin said, clutching the highball glass.

“Those are the first signs of addiction, you know,” Namjoon commented, sipping his virgin lava flow, completely unashamed of the side-eyeing from the Three Broomsticks Inn bartender.

“You wouldn’t be functioning much better if you were in my position,” Jimin snapped.

Seokjin nodded, patting Jimin’s shoulders. “If I didn’t know you personally, I would’ve disregarded the gossip. But seriously, those flowers were gorgeous, Jiminie.”

“Yeah,” Jimin murmured, “They were.”

Being that it was a weekend evening, the candlelit pub was packed, a loud air between chatter and camaraderie. Jimin glanced out toward the windows, the glass panes frosted over from the edges inward, and rethought his decision to stay at Hogwarts for the holidays. With two more weeks left of classes, he still had time to consider crashing at Hoseok’s or even finding an Airbnb in the Seoul’s hidden wizarding district.

“So remind me why we’re here?” Seokjin asked with an olive chipmunked between his cheeks.

“Because I’m a sucker for mystery games,” Jimin replied.

“Oh right,” Namjoon said, “Your not-so-secret admirer asked to meet you and you needed backup.”

Jimin didn’t really need backup. He just didn’t want to engage in a face-off to the death if he and Jeongguk were to get into another argument, which, with reflection of their track record, wouldn’t be too far of a stretch. For some reason, Jeongguk was being really sweet since the Talent Show, sending flowers and shit, but Jimin couldn’t risk being naive.

“I’d just feel more comfortable with you being here.”

“Fair enough. We can’t deny our dongsaeng’s request.” Seokjin waved over the bartender to order something from the healthy menu.

Namjoon flicked open his wand, and a circular shadow beamed the time onto the table. “Didn’t he say eight thirty?”

“I said eight thirty.”

“WhaT THE,” Namjoon yelped, and the three of them whirled around to find Jeongguk sliding into the empty high chair on Jimin’s side, a pleased look etched onto his handsome face. He kept a respectful distance between them and ordered a gin and tonic.

Jimin couldn’t help but be a little worried out of habit. Whenever Jeongguk came any closer than five meters, it was to engage in a staredown or some snarky banter of who did better than whom in the last Arithmancy quiz, or it was in private, with Jeongguk bypassing any formal greeting to kiss him breathlessly.

“So, Jeongguk,” Namjoon said, reaching over for a fist bump. “I don’t think we’ve ever hung out before.”

Jeongguk returned the greeting happily. “Nah, but I’ve heard a lot of cool stuff about you. Everyone in my year knows you’re a genius, Namjoon-ssi.”

Jimin thought it was cute that Seokjin was the one who ended up blushing at the compliment. He made a note to self: ask Namjin when they became official and why the fuck hadn’t they told said self!

“You’re pretty well-known too, Mr. Ravenclaw Golden Seeker.”

Jeongguk ducked his head, quirking his lips to the side. Jimin felt like the confused lady with the floating math equations in front of her eyes – completely weirded out at Jeongguk’s shyness. He’d never seen Jeongguk even dare touch the edge of being bashful.

Jimin’s expression must have been spot-on, because Jeongguk started eyeing him hesitantly, straw tucked between his teeth. “You okay, hyung?”

“Yeah, uh,” Jimin croaked. He took another sip of his drink. “I’m okay. What did you want to meet up about?”

“No subtlety,” Seokjin barked between faux-coughs, hacking into his fist. Namjoon gave Jimin an apologetic look. Jimin replied promptly with his middle finger.

Jeongguk looked like he was trying to hold back a laugh, lips pursed, dark eyes twinkling even in the dim lighting, painfully effortless as always. “To be honest, I wasn’t expecting company, but I guess it’s fine, as long as they don’t mind overhearing my pathetic attempts to woo you.”

“The flowers weren’t pathetic,” Jimin admitted. He’d given in and taken twenty photos of the beautiful arrangement, with Hyungwon coaching how to get the best overhead shots.

“You liked them?”

“They were pretty. And a huge surprise. My roommates gave me hell for it then tried to figure out where they could order their own.”

Jeongguk straightened his posture. “I put in a custom request from Madam Puddifoot’s. She loves anything related to romance or frilly things.”

“I see.”

“Did you, um, have a chance to think about what I said? Last night?”

A lurking, twisted desire to see Jeongguk squirm wormed its way into Jimin’s mind. Instead of moping around about their nontraditional relationship, he could have some fun. “Nope, I think it slipped my mind. Remind me what you said?”

Jeongguk did a double take, mouth parted like he was struggling to find the words to say, a slight flush spreading down his cheeks. He looked ten times more adorable like this, Jimin thought, and a lot more like the Jeongguk he knew as a child.

“What? Seriously? You forgot?”

Jimin quirked up a smile and crossed his arms. “Did I stutter? You said you’re here to woo me, but somehow I’m not seeing the connection.” He heard Namjoon “woah” behind him and was sure Seokjin was staring, too.

“Um.” Jeongguk gulped down more of his drink, avoiding Jimin’s gaze. “I, uh, basically said that I don’t want us to hate each other anymore. And that I’m sorry for everything.”

“Hmm.”

“Did you really forget, hyung?”

“Hmmmmmm.”

Jeongguk pouted and Jimin wanted to hug him in the middle of The Three Broomsticks and nibble on his pillow-soft bottom lip.

“Hyuuunggg.”

“Being a brat isn’t going to impress me, Jeonggukie.”

Jeongguk fiddled with his glass, eyebrows furrowed, pouting harder.

There was only so much Jimin could take. “So you apologized,” he finally said, “And sent me flowers. And told me to meet you tonight. I don’t know what you’re expecting, but this is probably the longest we’ve gone without yelling at each other. Which in itself is a victory.”

Jeongguk’s pout disappeared into the crinkled cheeks that reached around his eyes when his entire face lit into a smile, dashingly handsome and full of innocence that contradicted the dirty mouth he had during sex. “It’s a good victory. I wanted to wipe the slate clean, start over.”

“But you can’t blame me when I say that’s easier said than done.”

“I know, hyung. I understand. Honestly, I wanted to apologize a long, long time ago, but we always were at each other’s throats and I couldn’t bring myself to lose to you.”

Jimin wasn't sorted into Slytherin without reason. “Too bad you couldn't apply that motivation to last long enough when we fucked.”

A loud clang of shattering glass came from the bartender, who muttered an apology with fumbling hands and a red face. Seokjin snorted into his dish of peanuts. Namjoon looked like he couldn't breathe. And Jeongguk, poor Jeongguk, actually slumped onto the glossy wood bar, face in his hands.

“Nice one,” called an older woman with broad shoulderpads holding her pet meerkat, seated two barstools down.

“I can't believe you went there,” Seokjin croaked, fist thumping the table in glee. “Joon, I think this rivalry is actually the best thing to happen to Hogwarts in ages.”

Jimin felt a little bad.

Jeongguk finally emerged from his pity party and glared at Jimin. “For the sake of The Wooing, I'm going to try to overlook that,” he said, mouth pressed into a firm line.

“The Wooing?” Namjoon repeated. “It sounds like the name of a Halloween horror flick.”

“It's what I call my action plan,” Jeongguk clarified. “I'm still working on the official title.” Jimin recognized that look of clear determination: Jeongguk knew what he wanted and he was ready to fight for it. Young Jeonggukie was a lot more timid, hiding behind his brother's legs, and much quieter. The contrast couldn't have been more evident.

So if Jeongguk was so motivated, there was no harm in making him work, right?

“Just because you have an action plan, doesn't mean you should anticipate getting any action.”

“Oh…” Jeongguk said, looking lost.

“Listen. I meant what I said, about us being done. I've been fed up with being a dirty secret for awhile now. I don't know what made you change your mind so suddenly but I'm not going to just fall into your arms like everything's swell.”

Jeongguk's big eyes grew bigger, and he swung closer, stool twirling harshly on its metal stand. “No! No, hyung, I don't expect anything! And I never wanted us to be a secret in the first place. If I could remind you, you were pretty adamant on keeping us on the down-low.”

Ever the conscientious one, Seokjin started making sniffling, cooing noises. Jimin heard a hushed, admonishing “hyung” from Namjoon, which silenced him.

And to make matters tricky, Jeongguk was right.

The first time, or the incident that Jimin referred to as the day he sincerely thought, “Is This How I Die?”, Jeongguk had, in a post-coitus, sweaty haze, leaned in for a last kiss.

To be fair, Jimin was uncomfortably pressed between Jeongguk’s grabby hands and the wooden cupboards in the Kitchens, trying to avoid being found by Narry, his favorite House Elf. The intensity of their years-long separation and rivalry clouded his judgment. He was so sure Jeongguk was going to laugh in his face if he showed weakness. So, in stricken fear, Jimin leaned away out of Jeongguk's reach and suggested that they never speak of the rendezvous again, before sneaking out of the Kitchens.

The plan was to slowly admit his feelings. When they always ended up drawn into each other's orbit, placed in all the same classes, paired as partners for projects. Jimin’s knee-jerk reaction was to act on the offensive to Jeongguk's classic arrogance. In the midst of unanswered questions and lack of closure, the tension grew and their hookups continued. Plus, Jeongguk had a nice dick.

“But I only said that because I was sure that was what you wanted,” Jimin said, disliking how the words tasted.

Jeongguk frowned, making a wounded noise in his throat. “What did I ever do to make you think that? The constant flirting? The compliments? Trying to sit with you in class?”

Jimin looked around, suddenly uneasy with having such a critical conversation in wide open public. The bartender was taking obvious glances their way. Seokjin rested a calming palm on his shoulder, rubbing in small circles. “I don’t want to talk about it,” Jimin said, face in flames.

“Okay hyung,” Jeongguk said, all the tension zapped from his posture, shoulders relaxing immediately. “I’m sorry if I overstepped there.”

“Yeah man,” Namjoon piped up, voice ten times drowsier. “Sounds like The Wooing needs some re-woo-ing.”

“Ffffng – Seokjin hyung, did you spike his lava flow?”

“Nope,” Seokjin said, battling a giggle away. “That was purely his solid attempt at humor.”

“Nice.” Jeongguk dug out a nondescript item from his pocket, clenched in a closed fist. “Jimin hyung, I don’t want to come off as the friend who just tries to buy his way into other people’s lives, but I've had this for you since a really long time ago. Thought it might be a nice peace offering tonight.”

“But the flowers.” Jimin eyed Jeongguk’s hand like it could be dangerous basilisk. “Those weren’t a peace offering?”

“No, that was an apology for just, everything.”

“Oh.”

Jeongguk held out his palm, where a thin bracelet of delicate silver chain glinted. The chain was a trio of metal links entwined into one, with a tiny sun charm dangling at the end. It looked old, in the way a treasured heirloom passed down from generation to generation would, but spotless as if it had been forged just yesterday.

“That’s stunning,” Seokjin said, peering over Jimin’s shoulder.

“It is,” Jimin muttered, unable to find more coherent words. He didn’t dare to touch it.

Jeongguk picked it up and gestured for Jimin’s wrist, his fingers leaving trails of sparks where they met Jimin’s skin. “It’s charmed to bring good luck to the wearer. My grandmother was the one who made it and I didn’t get it until my sixteenth birthday.”

“Then you should keep it!” Jimin exclaimed, horrified of taking such an irreplaceable item.

“But I want you to have it.” Jeongguk clasped the bracelet closed and ran his thumb over the gleaming metal. “Seeing you wear my grandma’s jewelry makes me happier than if I kept it myself.”

Jimin shook his head, caught between bewilderment and melting into the cracks of the pub’s dusty floors at Jeongguk’s sweetness. “I can’t believe you, Jeon.”

“It looks beautiful on your wrist, hyung.”

Seokjin made gagging sounds.

“Jeongguk…. I still… don’t know about this.”

Jeongguk sighed, squeezing his eyes shut for a second. “But we have history, right? Can you give me one more chance?”

That was the first time either of them acknowledged their friendship since Jimin’s first year at Hogwarts. Stuffed away behind false pretences, memories of their childhood years in suburban Busan – little feet dipping into coarse sand, bumbling hands linked in the nipping wind – flooded behind Jimin’s eyes. He had to remind himself that those years were long gone, swept under the thick mattress they shared for sleepovers every Friday night, thousands of miles away.

“Jiminie, I think you should do what you want to do,” Namjoon said. “Out of everyone I know, you’d be the first person I could count on to give second chances.”

“I wouldn’t be so confident about that.”

“Hyung, please,” Jeongguk pleaded. “Give me one date. Whatever you want to do.”

Jimin kept his eyes away from Jeongguk’s face, where he could guess the Ravenclaw was putting his skills of convincing to the test, a powerful pout that Jimin was weak for. “Whatever I want?”

“Yes.”

Jimin hummed thoughtfully. One date couldn’t hurt, he thought, while the perpetually pessimistic side of his brain mocked, “OnE DaTe CoUlDn’T HuRt,” looking suspiciously like a yellow sponge. “Fine,” he said, “But no sex.”

“That’s right! Don’t put out until he proves you good,” the meerkat lady cheered.

“This is the last time I’m having a serious conversation in Three Broomsticks,” Jeongguk said blankly.

“Gukkie, cheer up,” Seokjin said, reaching over Jimin to slap Jeongguk’s shoulder. “You just landed an official date. Doesn’t that mean The Wooing is working?”

Jeongguk rubbed at his neck awkwardly. “I think so?”

“It’s indeterminate,” Jimin explained, “When are we doing this?”

“Hyung, you make it sound like I’m coercing you into this.”

Jimin raised his eyebrows, tapping his fingers on the table.

“You won’t regret it, I promise,” Jeongguk huffed, “But I kind of need some direction as to what you’d want to do.”

Jimin was sure he’d wake up the next moment to find that everything had been a dream – Jeongguk would never come out so softly in public and ask for a date. The popular, confident Jeongguk that Jimin watched grow up tremendously in recent years, only to catch heated moments like quicksand between his fingers, hidden in empty classrooms or after Quidditch games were long over and the crowd had dispersed. This couldn’t be real.

“I don’t know what to suggest,” Jimin murmured. “As long as we don’t get killed in the Forbidden Forest, I guess anything else is fine.”

“Hyung,” Jeongguk prodded. He sounded worried.

“Surprise me.”

Jeongguk shuffled in his chair, sharp eyes boring intently just like the moments, bare and hurried, right before they fucked, when Jimin felt like he was being stripped open more than just physically. It was unnerving, complicated, and exactly what Jimin expected when it came to Jeongguk.

“He’s taking you where?”

Jimin took out his wand and swiped open his messages to show Hoseok. “He suggested somewhere in the Muggle district and I’m kind of all for it. Leadenhall Market? I’ve only been there once.”

Hoseok leaned back, arms crossed. “Am I the only one who’s unsure about his motives?”

“He’s a good guy. We should give him the benefit of a doubt,” Yoongi chimed in.

“Thanks for being worried, hyung,” Jimin said, forcing a smile. “But I’ll be fine.”

“Why do I feel like this is the scene right before the main character enters a dangerous room and never comes back out again.”

Taehyung snorted. “Because you watch too many horror films. And also, that’s a bad comparison because the main character never dies.”

Jimin leaned his face onto the desk, cool to the touch. “I’m strangely comforted by that.”

The library’s high stained glass windows let in streams of multicolored mid-afternoon light into the busy, chambered room. Jimin was supposed to be studying for their last week of finals before holidays let out, but Taehyung found him, and brought Hoseok who brought Yoongi, so no studying was going to be done at their rate.

“Remember Jiminie, you’re strong,” Taehyung said, wiping his mouth of the cheese crisps he had smuggled in. “Make Jeongguk work for it.”

Yoongi’s gummy grin showed his approval. “He’s probably gonna try to pull out all the stops. I wish we could tag along.”

Jimin flushed at the thought of his friends witnessing anything private.

“Oh!” Hoseok perked up with a supremely un-Hufflepuff-like expression, lips curled sinisterly. “You should wear a hidden cam. That way we can make sure you’re alright.”

“Kinky,” Taehyung commented, “I like it.”

“Nooooooo. No. No way. Not happening.”

“But don’t you think it’ll be fun? Like those CCTV shows. It’ll be great, I’ll get Namjoon to rig one up and you can wear it under your collar.”

Jimin thunked his knuckles onto Hoseok’s forehead, stunning him momentarily. “Not. Happening.”

“It was a good idea,” Hoseok muttered, grumbling under his breath.

“It was never a good idea.”

“So,” Taehyung interjected, pushing his newly-dyed silver hair back with a bandana. “What’s your standards for tonight? What’s it gonna take for Gukkie to prove himself?”

“We should make a list!” Hoseok said, ripping out a sheet of loose leaf paper.

“No one makes lists on paper anymore, Seok-ah.” Yoongi grappled for something under his chair, then paused, frowning. “Did you see my bag? It’s not here.”

Taehyung whistled, kicking his legs onto the table. “Nope. No idea.”

Yoongi stood up in a hurry, the screeching sound of the chair legs on the floor attracting the attention of a table of Gryffindors nearby. “Maybe I left it in the Dungeons. I had something important in there. I’ll be back.”

Once Yoongi was out of sight, Taehyung giggled and muttered an invisibility reversal spell. The bag reappeared in his hand.

Hoseok pinched the bridge of his nose, sighing noisily. “Hyung’s gonna be pissed AF. Prepare for your untimely death.”

“You don’t understand! Aren’t you curious what that important thing is? Because I know.” Taehyung hummed, patting down the bag with a coy grin. “It might have something to do with you, Hobi hyung.”

“I’m gonna stay out of this,” Jimin said.

Checking the time, he had three more hours until Jeongguk asked him to meet at the entrance to the Grand Hall. Something about the Floo Network to Diagon Alley, then out into Muggle London through the Underground. Venturing out to Muggle areas had become more safe in the recent decade, with better spells to help wizards blend in and stay unnoticed. Jimin missed that kind of environment the most, being Muggleborn himself and raised in an entirely magic-free culture. His stomach churned in a convoluted mix of anxious, high-strung excitement.

“I might just head back to the Dungeons, too. I doubt I’m gonna finish this Transfiguration paper anytime soon.” Jimin ignored Taehyung and Hoseok’s scrutinizing looks.

“Gotta get ready for your hot date, huh Minie?”

“I can’t hear you over your obnoxious ass.”

“For your information,” Taehyung crowed, one pointer finger in the air, “My obnoxious ass is very nice, thank you very much. Minjae agrees.”

Hoseok rolled his eyes, reaching to snag Yoongi’s bag away and flicking out his Wand to message him. “Minjae can’t save you from Yoongi. You’re in such deep shit, Kim Taehyung. Go forth Jimin, my young stag, and capture the nectar of thy youth.”

“It’s amazing that the words out of your mouth no longer surprise me anymore.” Jimin waved before heading out to the hallway, leaving his two doofuses of friends to continue their bickering.

Mistake #4

Jeongguk never lied when he said he was good at anything he put his mind to. That included his mouth on Jimin’s dick.

“Oh, guuh – uhh, fuck, Jeongguk, just like that.”

Jeongguk moaned in response, sliding down until his nose hit Jimin’s pelvis, the rush of suction tightening around the head of Jimin’s cock, wet and sloppy down his throat. Jimin tried not to thrash or squeeze his thighs around Jeongguk’s head, slouching back against the shelves in the deserted classroom, feeling his soul leave his body.

“You’re so good with your mouth, so pretty.”

Somehow, Jeongguk managed to form half a smile with a dick in his mouth, the pink curve of his upper lip pulling up. He bobbed faster, hollowing out his cheeks right when just the tip nestled between his lips, pausing to suck at the sensitive skin.

Jimin dug his nails into Jeongguk’s scalp, panting, nearly losing his mind at how quickly Jeongguk managed to get him worked up and close to coming. “Slo–slow down.”

Jeongguk leaned back, licking kittenish, coquettishly at the angry red, leaking tip. “Too fast for you?”

Jimin gripped Jeongguk’s scalp and pushed his cock back in to shut him up. He expected Jeongguk to react in annoyance, but the breathy groan proved otherwise.

“Woah.”

Jeongguk stared up at him, a hilarious look of being caught that would’ve been cute if not for the vulgar situation.

“You liked that. Me fucking your throat.”

Jeongguk panted around Jimin’s dick, sneaking a hand to grip the base and sliding off. “So? What’re you gonna do about it?”

Jimin grinned and guided Jeongguk’s mouth back down, sliding in short jerks, pushing halfway before thrusting fully in, chasing the tightening sensation. Jeongguk sighed, relaxing his tense shoulders, letting Jimin do the work, humming and breathing through his nose. Jimin slowly built up the speed, making sure Jeongguk wasn’t showing any signs of distress.

“Finally putting your loud mouth to good use,” Jimin muttered. Jeongguk glared up, eyebrows scrunching and probably trying to say some smart retort, but not making a move to protest. It was such a mess of cute and desperately hot that Jimin almost finished right there.

“How’d you learn to do this? You’re not even choking. Fuck, I’m close.”

Jeongguk murmured something like “hnggng mhhh fffouth” so Jimin paused and slid out completely.

After clearing his throat, Jeongguk repeated with a hoarse voice, “I said, you can come in my mouth, you dick.”

“Your voice sounds way hotter like that.”

Jeongguk slapped Jimin’s thigh and guided him back in, reaching around to grip at his ass with a squeeze. Jimin yelped and feared for choking Jeongguk with the way he jostled in surprise, but Jeongguk just squeezed again and helped him back into the rhythm of slick sliding into the perfect tightness. It was more of Jeongguk shoving Jimin’s dick down his throat, than the other way around, and Jimin felt his ability to remain upright crumble, thighs one second away from falling onto the classroom floor. Jimin stopped staring at the way his cock passed between Jeongguk’s lips, looking up to the ceiling in hopes to stave off the ache, but Jeongguk was going at it so fast, Jimin let his last resolve fall apart with a dull cry.

“Might be another record.” Jeongguk swiped the last drip of come from his chin, looking triumphantly pleased.

“Cocky bitch.”

“Mmm, this cocky bitch at least gets to have all-star Slytherin Park Jimin ride his cock,” Jeongguk replied, tugging Jimin close. “I’ll have you crying for it in no time, so yeah, sure, call me that.”

Jimin couldn’t stop himself from curling into Jeongguk’s embrace, seeking his body heat. “And every time, I question myself.”

“Never question this, Jiminie.” Jeongguk jostled them into a more comfortable position, turning Jimin around to support himself against the shelves. “Sorry babe, I love seeing your face when I wreck you, but this is the most convenient position.”

“Not your babe. And hurry the fuck up then.”

Jeongguk didn’t bother with the slow teasing that time, didn’t pause to rub up around the tender perineum, but pressed in gently before fucking at the fast pace that made Jimin see stars all over again.

“Never question us,” Jeongguk repeated, confusing and cryptic.

Jimin was too focused on the rushing torrent of heat between his legs, pleasure lurching into his veins that made it easy to ignore Jeongguk’s intensity, too much but not entirely enough at the same time.

Jimin almost ditched the outfit that took thirty minutes of sifting through his closet, settling on ripped jeans that made his thighs look meaty but not too hussy, and a baggy, long-sleeved striped tee that showed his collarbones but kept everything else under wraps. The only thing that prevented him from changing into sweats was the prospect of Jeongguk's reaction. Jeongguk had asked him properly, so the least Jimin could do was treat the evening as if anyone else was taking him out.

Except, it wasn't just anyone else. It was Jeongguk, the first boy who ever made Jimin feel completely powerless and indestructible at the same time.

He shivered, waiting under the broad arch before the Great Hall, trying not to look so conspicuous. The bracelet fit perfectly on his wrist.

“Jimin hyung!”

Even though the voice didn’t sound like Jeongguk’s (he hated himself for being able to recognize Jeongguk’s unique tone), Jimin jumped in surprise.

“Hyung, nice to see you!” It was Sejun, the Slytherin who squeaked anytime Jimin came nearby, a cute sixth year, hands stuffed in his pockets, leaning forward in expectation but reeling back in just enough not to come off as clingy. Jimin had grown pretty fond of him, and ruffled his hair to show that.

“Hey dude.”

“I haven’t seen you in so long, hyung! How have you been? It’s your last year right?” Sejun talked with all of his words rushed in one breath.

“Yeah, the last hurrah. I don’t think it’s hit me yet. And I’ve been good, thanks for asking.”

“Wow,” Sejun murmured, a bit of a distressed waver in his voice. “What are your plans after graduation? How did you decide?”

Jimin chuckled, remembering the same fear from his first few years of finding himself. Hogwarts had been the perfect safe zone for so many of them to work through the kinks of adolescence and molding identities. The strong stone walls provided more than physical protection. Hogwarts was home.

“Don’t worry about deciding yet. It’ll come, and at least you’ll figure out what you don’t want to do. When things finish, you’ll have more years under your belt and with that comes a little bit of reassurance. They tell you that you’re gonna know exactly where to go after, but that’s bull. No one’s got it figured out, and that’s okay.”

“No one?”

“Yep. And from what I’ve heard, you’re set to be head Chaser for our team next year, right?”

Sejun beamed, eyebrows soaring up and full set of teeth on display, making him look like the miniature puppy Jimin always wanted to carry in his pocket. He pet Sejun’s mop of hair again.

“Sorry I’m late.” Jeongguk showed up, apprehensive like he was encroaching on something, standing a little more square in the shoulders. “Hope I didn’t keep you long. Hi Sejun hyung.”

“Hi Jeonggukie.” Sejun literally had star-eyes, glancing between them. “Is it true? Everyone in the Gossip Hub says you two are the the most legendary couple of the year.”

“What!” Jeongguk sputtered, at the same time at Jimin barely got out a “Uhhhh,” and Sejun looked very confused.

“Never mind! Let’s forget I said any of that. Me at me, delete that.” Sejun pointed to his own chest and laughed weakly.

Jimin wrapped his arms tight around his own torso, wishing he brought a thicker sweater. “Well, it’s true that Jeonggukie did send me the flowers. And he’s taking me on a date tonight. So if it goes horribly, then we’ll need to erase those Gossip Hub rumors.”

Jeongguk inhaled dramatically, hand on his heart, staggering backwards. “I am!? Is it true? Are all of my dreams coming to life?” He fell to his knees with clasped hands raised at the evening sky. “I love this song!”

“Oh my god,” Sejun said, “You guys are iconic. Please date for my sake.”

“Get the fuck off your knees, Jeongguk. People are gonna think I’m treating you poorly.”

Jeongguk guffawed, dusting off his jeans. “Thought you didn't care about what people said on the Hub, hyung.”

“I have some decency at least. Ready to go?”

Sejun shooed them on. “Have fun! Don't forget to use protection.”

“Don't worry. Jeongguk needs a condom or else he only lasts three minutes max.” Jimin tugged on Jeongguk's sleeve, wishing he could freeze-frame the look of absolute blanched horror on Jeongguk's face.

When Jeongguk recovered enough, Jimin had already dragged him to the main fireplace in the Entrance Hall, Floo Powder in hand. Jeongguk blinked, then swerved to glare at Jimin. “Seriously, hyung! Do you really want to embarrass me that badly?”

“I was just kidding, Gukkie.”

“No, I want to talk about this. Because this isn’t the only jab you’ll pulled at me about my dick." Jeongguk leaned his face against the brick wall and stood very still.

Jimin’s hands clenched uncomfortably. He was already ruining the evening and ineffectively resorted to crass humor to dispel his nervousness as per usual, but Jeongguk didn’t know him well enough (or recently enough) to catch onto the way he played out his insecurity. Fuck.

“Jeonggukie,” Jimin started, treading slowly. “I’m really sorry. That wasn’t right of me, even when I teased you in Three Broomsticks. I took a low blow and you didn’t deserve that. I just – uh, get petty when I’m nervous and don’t know what else to say.”

Jeongguk peeled away from the wall, still frowning, but at least giving Jimin his attention.

“I want tonight to be nice, just as much as you do. I’ll try to restrain my stupid comments. Can we start over?”

Jeongguk’s frown turned into a fretful stare. “But I don’t want you to restrain yourself, that’s the thing, hyung. We could be ourselves if we worked out things between us, right?”

Jimin glanced at the package of unused Powder. It would go to waste if they didn’t get a move on. “We can talk all evening. Can we at least go through the Floo?”

The fireplace flamed neon green and Jeongguk slid his fingers around Jimin’s, walking shoulder-to-shoulder into the portal. “Diagon Alley,” he muttered, then they were off.

On the other side, stepping into the Alley’s hustle of rush hour, Jimin steadied on Jeongguk’s shoulder, feeling a slight gag from the motion sickness he got every time he Floo’d. “Ugh,” he spat, rubbing his temples. “I don’t know how come everyone seems to have no issue except for me going through that.”

“No idea, hyung. Are you gonna be okay? Do you need something to drink?”

“I’m okay. Are we walking to the Market? I might need to sit down for a bit.”

Jeongguk found a small bench a few stores down that wasn’t covered with ice or melted sleet and let Jimin take up the whole thing, then shuffled behind with his hands on Jimin’s traps, massaging out the tension nice and slow.

“Thank you.”

“You're wearing the bracelet."

"Oh." Jimin lifted his hand to see the metal catch the fading amber sunlight. "Yeah, it's gorgeous, Gukkie."

You know, I missed hearing you call me that.”

Jimin softened with each knead and squeeze, the pressure against his skull fading slowly. “Hmm? Call you Gukkie?”

“Yeah.” Jeongguk’s fingers stilled for a moment. “You called me Jeongguk or Jeon for most of the years we’ve been at Hogwarts.”

“Oh. Yeah. Well, to be formal.”

Jeongguk started rubbing again, this time a bit rougher, startling Jimin. “I didn’t like it.”

Truth be told, Jimin didn’t like it either. He tensed back up and took Jeongguk’s hand, pulling him around to stand between his legs, enjoying the tingling between their fingers. “Gukkie. Gukkie. Gukkie,” he sang, trying to be as greasy as possible. “I’ll say it over and over until you get tired of it and wish you never brought it up. How’s that?”

Jeongguk fiddled with Jimin’s sweaterpaws. “Better, I guess.”

“Hey, look at me. Gukkie.”

Jeongguk finally looked at Jimin point-blank. Under the electric cloud of artificial light, a thin shimmer coated his beautiful doe eyes.

“You managed to convince me to trek out here in the middle of winter. We’re holding hands and not having a screaming match. By the end of the night, we’re gonna hash out our shit and see what happens. I’m actually happy to be here and I want you to be happy, too. Can we try that? Hm, bun?”

Unadulterated surprise flooded Jeongguk’s face, so strikingly handsome with the same puffy cheeks that Jimin remembered, but sharper with the years. “That’s my nickname you gave me,” he whispered, his breath whirling into cotton candy air.

“Some things you just can’t forget.”

Jeongguk helped Jimin to his feet, keeping their hands locked in a gentleness that felt new after all the rough edges they dared to show in secret, but altogether old if they just turned back the pages far enough, to a time that was better and more innocent.

Out of Diagon Alley into the Muggleworld, they took Charing Cross Road to the Underground, where Jimin felt the rush of nostalgia peak, standing as a face in the masses of Muggles, people he could relate to. Jeongguk squeezed his hand a little tighter all the way until they reemerged at Bank Station and hurried to Leadenhall Market. The immense walkthrough structure looked just as grand and palatial as Jimin remembered.

“What’s on the itinerary tonight?” Jimin asked, taking in the beams of antique metal, corners and tiny shops illuminated in swathing orange light. The glass ceiling above was spectacular. Jimin wanted to spend the entire evening there.

“Maybe I shouldn’t have suggested such a nice establishment if you’re gonna keep gawking at it instead of me.”

Jimin jabbed at Jeongguk’s thick coat enviously. “But everything’s so beautiful! Your jealousy is showing up.”

“Not denying that when I’m looking at the most beautiful person in the world,” Jeongguk said, and scrunched his face into what could only be best described as ( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°).

Jimin had to fight back his instant recoil. He cupped Jeongguk’s cheek and watched him lean into the touch, doll-like and so endearing. “How do you pull off being so meme-y and cheesy?”

“Years of practice, Jiminie hyung. And to answer your original question, I figured since we both skipped out on dinner, we could go to Chamberlain’s? I Googled it.”

“You know how people have a certain thing that they just find really, really attractive and arousing?” Jimin skimmed his fingers through Jeongguk’s bangs, leaning closer. He didn’t mean to fall back into the flirting, but seeing Jeongguk all dressed up and ready to focus on him made Jimin kind of reckless. “That’s me with a man who’s organized and plans ahead.”

Jeongguk let go of his hand and for a millisecond, Jimin feared that he ruined the evening, but Jeongguk slowly wrapped him into a tight hug, whispering “goddammit Park Jimin” into his hair.

“Can’t believe you liked that, Gukkie. But I’m glad.”

“I like anything about you, hyung, don’t you know that by now? The way I always tried to get your attention, to make you notice me.”

Jimin did indeed notice Jeongguk, and not solely because of their rivalry. “We’re so stupid,” he whispered.

“Two birds of a feather, flock together.”

“What the – never mind. Shut up and hold me.”

“With pleasure, hyung.”

They stood, in the gigantic intersection of the Market, like those transition scenes in the movies where currents of strangers zoom by in time-lapse speed. Jimin felt increasingly safe in his decision to let Jeongguk take him out, and maybe to make amends for their shitty spilled milk-past.

“So.”

“So,” Jimin repeated, dread filling the air.

Jeongguk took another sip of water, glancing at their empty plates. “We should talk about it, right?”

It, being the events they did not speak of. The lost years.

“Yeah.” The word felt dry on his tongue. What was he even afraid of? Jeongguk figuring out that this was a waste of time? Or hearing out loud that they were hopeless to begin with?

“I guess it would make sense to start when when I moved away,” Jeongguk said softly. “My parents got relocated to the States, but we promised to keep in touch, hyung. What happened?”

Jimin remembered that day, when they refused to let go of each other and their parents almost had to tear them apart. “Well, we tried. We were still really young kids, with attention spans the size of Legos and we didn’t have cell phones or whatever. The time difference sucked and you stopped calling.”

Jeongguk inhaled deeply, reaching out to link their pinkies on the soft tablecloth. “Jiminie hyung, I never stopped. You stopped calling me back.”

“But I didn't! I tried to call every Friday night but there was always something that went wrong. And after awhile, we drifted apart. Looking back, I understand how the distance took us away from each other. So many years had passed already by the time we met again at Hogwarts.”

“But hyung,” Jeongguk insisted, “I really did try. Mum limited my phone time and you sounded so tired whenever we did talk.”

“I’m sorry, Gukkie... I don’t remember cutting off communication, but I know it eventually happened and then I felt like I didn't want to bother you."

The waiter stopped by to clear their plates, offering dessert. Jimin didn’t feel like he could stomach much more.

Jeongguk inched his chair closer. “Once I got to Hogwarts, I was so excited to talk to you again, hyung. I tried to find out what classes you had, even if you were a year ahead and already had a circle of friends. I asked around for you and people thought I was some weird ass kid trying to stalk you.”

Jimin sniffed back a laugh. “Jaehwan hyung told me you almost broke into the Admissions office for my schedule. To be honest, I thought you were mad at me for not trying to keep up our friendship.”

“I know. You made it pretty clear that you wanted distance.”

Jimin felt so stupid, like he’d stepped into the worst fanfiction troupe of enemies to lovers. The irony was stifling. “No Gukkie, I never wanted that. I was just hesitant. You had changed so much, we both changed. I wanted to have my best friend back but how could I just expect that? You grew up so much. I didn't want to make you feel pressured to be friends again.”

“Fuck, this is incredible. Everything makes absolutely no sense, but it still happened.”

Jimin searched Jeongguk’s face for any hesitation or regret. He found none. “And then somehow that snowballed into you beating my score in Arithmancy. I was so pissed and I had no idea why!”

“That was actually really cute. Minah noona told me that you crumpled your paper to bits when you found out. I think that day I made a decision to bug you as much as possible. At least then, you’d give me your attention.”

“Oh my god,” Jimin grumbled.

Jeongguk laughed more, clutching at his stomach, dark eyes twinkling. “It worked, right? You eventually caught on and gave me some attention. I mean, even though it was only in private. Between all the fighting, I found myself believing it was worth it.”

“Was it? All of that?” Jimin didn't know if he could handle hearing Jeongguk regret everything, after all they had been through.

Jeongguk lifted Jimin’s hand, spreading his palm flat out and kissing the fingertips one by one. “If it got us here today, then yes. Absolutely.”

Figuring out that years of stress and suppressed pining was the result of a huge, fucked up misunderstanding, and that Jimin could’ve been kissing Jeongguk in public way earlier was kind of a downer.

“Did you like tonight?” Jeongguk asked, wiggling up behind Jimin in a bear back-hug, cozy and right where Jimin intended to keep him.

“Eh, it was alright.”

Jeongguk yelped indignantly, making the sound of a half-dead vulture or a difficult Howler.

Jimin turned around, tucking himself happily into the front of Jeongguk’s coat. “You know I’m kidding, silly bunny. Solid 10 out of 10.”

Jeongguk made a face. “I’d say it’s at least a 15 out of 10.”

“That makes absolutely no sense. And no date can go over 10 if doesn’t end in collective orgasms.”

Jimin almost cooed at the way Jeongguk’s expression froze and breath stuttered, almost choking on the brisk air. “Hyung,” he whined.

Jimin kissed the cute quirk in Jeongguk’s frown. “So do you think this date will have a score higher than 10?”

“I do have one more place we can go,” Jeongguk whispered, the nervousness obvious in his voice. “But don’t hit me or say it’s a dumb idea.”

“I’m already having apprehensions with that introduction. Is it illegal?”

Jeongguk huffed. “What kind of date do you take me for?”

“Okay, I’m kidding. Where is this last, potentially dumb stop?”

“Um, it was hard finding a place we could be alone. So the next best thing was the Prefect’s Bathroom.”

Jimin let that sink in. “The Prefect’s Bathroom?”

“It’s a nice room, hyung, and the tub is huge and comfortable and it’s like a sauna. And on the plus side, we can keep kissing.” Jeongguk nipped Jimin’s bottom lip, licking at it for emphasis.

Jimin’s breath hitched. “Just kiss?”

Jeongguk grinned and swooped in for another quick kiss, like he couldn’t get enough. “I knew you’d catch on.”

“I’m so glad Minjae finally confessed. This is incredible.” Jeongguk twirled in a circle, clutching the fluffy towel that came with the Prefect’s Bathroom privileges.

“I only feel slightly bad about using their relationship to get access,” Jimin said, running his fingers down the soft robe. “Let’s never leave, Gukkie.”

“A good plan.”

The tub filled automatically, mixed with soaps and Jimin watched in keen interest as the gigantic tub was soon bubbling.

Jeongguk wasted no time, shrugging off his robe and waddling down the pool stairs, completely stark naked, two gorgeously shaped asscheeks flexing at Jimin with each step.

Jimin shrieked. “Why aren’t you wearing swim shorts!” He’d seen Jeongguk naked a number of times already, but never in this context, of willingly romantic terms.

Jeongguk looked at him like that was the world’s dumbest question, arms spread along the edge of the tub, biceps bunching as he relaxed into the water. “They’re just gonna come off anyway, hyung. Why waste time?”

Jimin remained seated, still robed, feeling stubborn and more flushed than he wanted to let on. “It’s the principle,” he insisted, “We’re not skinny-dipping.”

“But we’re taking a bath. You don’t bathe with shorts on.”

“It’s a public area, Jeongguk. Ugh. Why am I even trying to argue.” Jimin disrobed and eased into the tub, almost halfway into a moan at how good the warmth felt over his tired muscles.

“Nice, yeah?” Jeongguk carved out spheres of bubbles and floated them into the steamy air.

“It’s so good. Gonna stay here forever.”

“Don’t fall asleep, hyung!”

“Hmmmmm.”

Jimin was rudely awakened with soapy splashes and mannerless, tickling fingers, and one muscle bunny. “Jeongguk!! No! Tickling!!!” He thrashed in Jeongguk’s hold, sending miniature waves of water out of the tub.

“Hyung,” Jeongguk repeated in his brattiest voice between kissing down Jimin’s neck. He was already fully hard and made sure Jimin felt it as he rutted against his thigh, the heat from the tub making everything wet.

“Christ, you’re insatiable.”

Jeongguk ignored that and palmed down the front of Jimin’s shorts, back to kissing at his neck, breathing loud and ragged. Jimin felt himself swell up in no time, body tightening under Jeongguk’s hands, eager to get closer. Jeongguk made soft sounds in the back of his throat, keening when he rolled his hips enough to get the underside of his cock against the thick of Jimin’s thigh.

Jeongguk sucked extra hard, grabbing under Jimin’s ass with no pretense. “I’ve wanted you for real this whole time. Now that we’ve cleared up everything, I want this to mean something.”

“Gukkie,” Jimin said, softness dripping into his voice. “You mean a lot more than just something to me.” Not more than two hours had passed since they’d made amends, and Jimin already was overwhelmed by how much he wanted to love Jeongguk the right way.

“I know.” Jeongguk sounded sure. “I want to show you how I feel.”

“How do you want it?” Jimin asked, surprised at how gravelly his voice got, low satoori brimming out in arousal.

“Romo.”

“I have no idea what you mean by that, Gukkie.” Jimin flicked Jeongguk’s forehead, then tugged him in for a kiss, so intense and heavy from the get-go that Jimin’s mind reeled in response. Jeongguk crowded him into the tub’s ledge, sliding between his legs, demanding every inch of him.

Jeongguk pulled back and laughed, his bangs slicked back. “Just want to make love. Every time before has been rushed and angry.” He dropped his head onto Jimin’s shoulder, placing a tiny kiss in the divot there. “I’m sorry I never got to show you.”

Jimin shook his head automatically. “Gukkie, don’t apologize for something that was a huge misunderstanding. C’mere, kiss me again.” Tugging Jeongguk up, he was stunned by his rapt expression, like all the dots had connected.

“What?” Jimin asked.

“I love you, Jimin hyung.” Something about Jeongguk’s eyes were soft, painfully open.

One month ago, if Jimin had known that Jeon Jeongguk would one day confess his love in a form that wasn’t a nasty prank, he’d quickly dismiss it as the joke of the century. He dipped his chin down, gulping past the impulse to kiss Jeongguk silly.

“Hey, don’t worry about saying it back, hyung. Just wanted to tell you properly.”

“I love you, too, Gukkie.” The words came out rushed, but held every ounce of truth. “I think I’ve loved you since we were kids, if that’s possible.”

Jeongguk’s downcast eyes snapped up in surprise. “It’s definitely possible.”

Jimin slid his palms into the sensitive crook of Jeongguk’s neck, rubbing slowly, watching Jeongguk sigh into it. He kept kneading there, sliding closer, letting them bask in the bubbly moment.

He’d thought about this, being with Jeongguk in a more traditional arrangement aside from their trysts. How they could kiss and let it linger naturally, unhurried and fueled on something more palpable than pent-up tension. He’d dreamed about Jeongguk’s lips tasting his own, Jeongguk’s fingers sliding across his skin, holding him without making bruises from being rough all the time. Indulged in the fantasy that he was positive would never be fulfilled. Until now.

Jeongguk kissed him, tilting his head and sighing into his mouth, gently coaxing out his groans of appreciation. “Love you, let me love you,” Jeongguk chanted, hands running down Jimin’s chest under the water, humming in pleasure.

“Love you, Gukkie bunny.” Jimin was mesmerized by how quickly Jeongguk flushed. He’d use that information for later. “Get my shorts off now, hm?”

Jeongguk resisted, kissing him until Jimin’s lips felt swollen, shyly licking into his mouth, eager and desperate, but insistent on drawing it out. He finally tugged down Jimin’s shorts. “Always so difficult with these thighs.”

Jimin slapped Jeongguk’s leg, the impact muted under the water. “Like yours are any easier.”

“But the thicker the better, better to crush me with, Jiminie.”

“Afterwards, we should probably discuss how ridiculously sassy you get during sex.”

Jeongguk growled a cute sound and lined up, flatting his chest against Jimin’s, angling his body so that his pelvis grinded right up under Jimin’s balls, the girth of his cock heavy to the touch, pushing up against Jimin's own hardness. Jimin grabbed at them both in his hands, squeezing where Jeongguk’s head slid against his, then pumping back down. Jeongguk arched, fingernails digging into Jimin’s shoulders, a low cry bubbling from within his chest.

“Love it when you do that, hyung. Your pretty hands holding us at the same time.”

“Want me to draw it out?”

Jeongguk shook his head hurriedly. “Yes. But no. I can’t decide.”

With hooded eyes, Jimin mumbled, “Then I’ll decide for us, you’re gonna fuck me right now.”

Jeongguk leaned in for a quick, tender kiss. “Make love, hyung, make love.”

Jimin soaped up Jeongguk’s chest, watching the suds slide down into the water, drawing doodles between his glorious pecs. “Okay bunny, make love. Want me in your lap?”

Jeongguk’s instant look of awe confirmed the answer, and Jimin managed to switch their positions and straddle Jeongguk, steadying himself along the slippery tile wall. He paused with a frown. “Technically, this isn’t gonna work if lube is water-based. It’ll just wash off, right?”

Jeongguk groaned. “I don’t know, but that sounds right. Hoseok hyung told me about a lubricated condom spell that just kind of blankets your dick and provides enough slide.”

“That sounds ridiculous but totally brilliant. Are you willing to try out a spell on your dick?”

Jeongguk kept splashing droplets of water onto Jimin’s sides, rubbing them down to his ass. “If I get to fuck you, then yes.”

Jimin got three fingers into himself with the real lube, jerking every time he brushed that spot, enjoying the dull warmth of the tightening coil in his gut. Sure, he got off of touching himself, but watching Jeongguk stare, like Jimin was the end of his most wild desires, his ramrod hard cock twitching every time Jimin let out a lewd sound – that was incredibly hot.

“‘M ready.”

“Fuck, yeah okay.” Jeongguk helped guide Jimin down, past the bulbous head, until their hips met, Jeongguk buried up to the hilt.

Jimin leaned in to tip his head against Jeongguk’s, sharing puffs of air. Everything felt like overdrive, the magical lube thrumming a really mild tingle, sending wet shocks to his curling toes.

“Uuuuhh, hyung. It feels so fucking weird but so good.”

“I really hope the spell doesn’t have any side effects,” Jimin grunted, lifting himself up and slamming down effortlessly, pressing Jeongguk as far in as he could get. Jeongguk kept his eyes open, just barely, already muttering incoherently, gazing at Jimin with a far-gone look.

“Oh my god please,” Jeongguk groaned – whether about the prospect of the spell’s side effects, or in reaction to Jimin’s bouncing, Jimin wasn’t sure.

Jimin arched back, resting his hands on Jeongguk’s knees behind him, sliding down the silky, slicked up condom that made Jeongguk feel fuller inside of him. Throbbing heat pulsed everywhere.

“That is the world’s best piece of magic,” Jeongguk blurted, words sluring together. He buried his face into Jimin’s shoulder, gripping his ass to help guide them, hips jutting off the tub seat to push up halfway.

“Agreed. We need to learn more about tha – ahh, that.”

Jeongguk seemed to get his wits arranged, because he started working up Jimin’s neck with little nips, licking and sucking marks.

“If I didn’t know any better, I’d think you had a kink for marking me up,” Jimin whispered, caught mid-gasp as Jeongguk rocked up harder.

“Maybe because now I can officially say you’re mine.” Jeongguk bit under Jimin’s jaw for emphasis.

Jimin brushed his fingers over Jeongguk’s nipples – a place he suspected Jeongguk was extra sensitive, but never got to test out. The instant fluttering in Jeongguk’s lashes and the way his stomach tensed, confirmed his guesses.

“Fuck, hyung, don’t tease me like that,” Jeongguk whined. “I’m hypersensitive there, uhhhnnn.” His rhythm faltered, and he writhed against the tub wall, with frantic eyes and heavy panting, looking like he was intensely torn between pulling away or coming in an instant.

“Cute bunny. I’ll take care of you, right?” Jimin tightened his thighs around Jeongguk’s hips and doubled his effort, relishing the spikes of pleasure down his spine as Jeongguk’s cock brushed the right spot over and over.

“Fuck, fuck, oh hyung, please.”

“Please what, Gukkie?”

Jeongguk trembled, legs tensing in fast spasms under Jimin, fingers digging into his sides. “I’m so close already.”

“We need to add a longevity portion to this spell.” Jimin grinded faster, feeling the rushing burn through his legs as he kept rolling back onto Jeongguk’s cock, bracing himself for the tightening incline that would morph into a euphoric drop.

“I’d like that, hyung, oh, right there, hyung!” Jeongguk tugged him for another kiss, holding his waist like a lifeline, back to thrusting up helplessly, lust-driven and inhibitions forgotten.

“Gukkie, I’m sorry, my legs aren’t gonna hold up.” Jimin pulled off, watching the life drain from Jeongguk’s punch-drunk eyes, a pitiful frown curling down on his lips. “C’mere.” He turned around, gripping the edge of the tub and tried to give his best coy look back over his shoulder at Jeongguk, who was staggering to regain his footing in the waist-high water, one hand at the base of his thick, arching cock coated with a silver sheen.

Jeongguk was a beautiful sight in the steamy air, gorgeously smooth skin painted by the soft candlelight, a glowing contrast to the heedy need in his eyes. Jimin never felt so sure about anything before.

Jeongguk immediately gravitated, pressing fully against Jimin’s spine, mouthing at his earlobe, rubbing the head of his cock between Jimin’s ass. “Jiminie, please.”

“You’re good, Gukkie. Get in me.”

“Love you so much, hyung,” Jeongguk moaned, his voice raising into a tilt as he pushed back in, keening, thighs shivering again until he bottomed out.

Jimin did his best to prop himself up as Jeongguk fucked and struggled to keep as much skin contact while angling best, hips meeting at a jostling angle with a slick slapping noise.

“I can’t take it anymore. Gonna, need to come.”

Jimin stroked himself, spreading the magical lube from between his thighs all over, groaning at the enveloping warmth. “Go ahead, bunny.”

“Can I? Inside?”

Jimin moaned at the thought, almost tipped over the edge. “Yeah, yeah, the spell should take care of it. Come inside me.”

Jeongguk mouthed at Jimin’s neck distractedly as his body froze up, a low noise burrowing up from his chest, pushing one last time as deep as he could reach before coming to a slow stop, riding it out in shallow thrusts.

“You did well, bunny,” Jimin said, keeping his voice soft.

“But it was over too quickly.”

“We have so much time ahead of us.”

Jeongguk stilled, keeping his arms wound tight around Jimin. “How do you wanna finish?” He trailed his fingers down around Jimin’s groin, feather-light touches to his hipbones.

“Your hands, just like this. With you in me. The lube feels amazing.”

Heat spiked through Jimin’s hips, down into his groin when Jeongguk wrapped a solid palm around his cock, working him up to the point of jerking into his fist, twisting his wrist around the leaking head before slicking back to the base. Jeongguk used his other hand to massage down to his balls, giving it a few wet, slippery gropes, rolling it between his nimble fingers.

“Yeah, you got it,” Jimin encouraged, “Faster Gukkie, I’m right there.” He chased Jeongguk’s fist at a pace that made him fall apart quickly with a dull cry, reeling in the intense proximity of Jeongguk holding him close. He slumped into Jeongguk’s arms, boneless and sated, only to feel a stirring pressure build up inside his ass.

“Jeon Jeongguk.” Jimin pushed him away, feeling kind of nasty but thankful for the tub’s easy cleanup. “Seriously?” He eyed Jeongguk’s groin.

Jeongguk bit his lower lip, shoulders curving in. All of that bashful cuteness did nothing to hide his full erection. “What can I say, hyung?”

Jimin laughed and stretched out his arm, settling back into the tub. “Get over here, you horny shit.”

Jeongguk shot him a brilliant grin and ambled over, splashing water all over the tile before settling next to Jimin, arms immediately slung around his shoulders. “Don’t mind my dick. This is perfect right here. How long do you think we can hog the Bathroom before the Prefects kick us out?”

“I’d say an hour tops. Minjae might get in trouble if we stay longer.”

“Hyung,” Jeongguk whined, “I want to stay. We don’t get a lot of alone time like this.”

“You’re right. Hogwarts’ lack of privacy kind of sucks.”

“I suck you even better, though, right?”

Jimin kissed Jeongguk to shut him up, in quick, delightful succession. Jeongguk hugged with his whole body, a leg tossed across his, as if he’d apparate away any moment, like a vision destined to disappear in the Pensieve. Jimin loved how their bodies lined up just right – Jeongguk’s tan to his flush, Jeongguk’s hands smoothening down his back, calloused but lighter than broom trails across the dawn sky. Minutes ticked by and Jeongguk settled finally, lazily tracing a finger down Jimin's eyelids, counting each eyelash under his breath, down the slope of his nose, over the swell of his cupid's bow, up his jawline to his forehead, where he kissed his temple.

"Can't believe you like me back, Jimin." Another kiss.

“Is it really that much of a shock?”

"Yes, you’re like, everyone’s ideal type," Jeongguk whispered with such confidence, Jimin was diving headlong into the deep-end of believing him.

“Ideal types are stupid, Gukkie. Generalizations don’t work when it comes to individual people or chemistry.”

Jeongguk cackled, threading his fingers through Jimin’s soapy hair. “Especially when people dress up and perform the Mean Girls routine on stage.”

“Don’t remind me of that. I chose to erase that moment from existence.”

Jeongguk pressed two quick kisses down Jimin’s brow. “I’m actually glad it happened. That day changed everything, remember?”

Jimin did remember. He remembered their childhood, the way Jeongguk would stand up for him in the face of dumb third-grade bullies, even if he was too short to match their brawl. He remembered the gorgeous flowers from Madame Puddifoot, the bracelet from his grandmother, the trek out to the Market. His Lenny faces, bouts of shyness, and the way he would say such enigmatic things whenever they hooked up.

Somehow, between discovering the world together as kids, drifting apart and reuniting with the spark of their infamous rivalry, Jimin knew Jeongguk had constructed a permanent place in his life, between the passing and going of other temporary things.

He let the reminder sink into his bones. “Yeah,” he agreed, “I guess you’re right.”

Jeongguk’s shining eyes stayed with him until their fingers and toes got pruney and the time read much too late when they finally drained the tub and mourned their lost privilege. A dusky, gleaming flare settled between Jimin’s chest when they ended up passing out in Jeongguk’s dorm at three in the morning, arms tangled, sharing a blanket.

Eyes fluttering shut, Jimin thought he might apparate into unbearable lightness. Content. He squeezed Jeongguk’s hand one last time and let the relief of feeling so much dissolve into the feeling of Jeongguk’s skin on his. When he woke up the next day, Jeongguk would be there, and there would be no secrets.

No more mistakes.