Blue Collar Cuffin' - Jikook

Princes and Thorns

Namjoon was silent as Jimin got into the front seat of the yellow car. Jimin could see a vein bulge on his face as he slowly moved to buckle in, taking in Jungkook's apartment as if it were the last time he'd see it for a good while. Jimin loved his friends, and trusted them, but they were wrong about this, about Jungkook.

Jimin would figure out a way to prove it. To show them Jungkook's heart without exposing his trauma. Jieun wasn't a story for Jimin to tell, but it would be hard to find a way around involving her when convincing his friends. But Jimin would find a way, he'd figure something out, because he loved Jungkook. He loved him enough to try and to keep trying and to always try for Jungkook.

He swallowed, the action hurting his throat as he thought of his card game with Jieun. He had lost, yes, that was true, but he couldn't shake the cold in Jieun's eyes. There were moments during the game where her mouth would twitch and a shadow would fall on her delicate face - moments where Jimin swore he almost saw Jieun hope she'd lose.

Despite her threats, Jimin wouldn't leave Jungkook alone. He would take any pain she threw his way if it meant that Jungkook wasn't alone in fighting her. He must have been so lonely for so long, always keeping everyone a finger length away. Jimin would make sure Jungkook never felt like that again and he would not abandon him.

"It's for the better, Jimin." Namjoon said as he started the car and took a right, shaking Jimin out of his thoughts. A wave of something stark, like vinager, hit Jimin's nose and caused his head to spin. The smell was so strong that it cut through all of his thoughts and Jimin had a sudden flash of the night at the club when a stranger had handed him another drink. That smell was strong then. And back in the subway after his date with Jungkook at the park. And again at his apartment when his friend's had come over to celebrate the club's completion. His heart started to pound.

Jimin didn't reply for a long while as Namjoon began to swerve in and out of the city - something started to ache deep in his stomach and he thought he might throw up. It took a moment, but soon Jimin caught that they had taken a couple wrong turns and had somehow ended up on the track towards the bridge that led out of Seoul and not deeper within it.

"Namjoon, where are we-" Jimin started, his voice shaking as he tried subtly to reach for the door handle. Something was very wrong and that vinegar scent caused every nerve in his body to set off. That smell. That harsh scent. It was Namjoon - it had always been. But why?

"Sorry, wrong turn." Namjoon replied.

Jimin pursed his lips and then rubbed his forehead with his thumb. "Love's a risk, Namjoon. I'm willing to risk it for Jungkook. I believe in him."

Namjoon froze, his knuckles white on the wheel as fog started to build up at the edge of the bridge as they neared the otherside.

"No." Namjoon answered, his voice strong and loud. "No. Those aren't words for Jungkook. Those are my words. Our love is a risk, Jimin. Our love. I love you and have always loved you but Seokjin would never give me a moment alone with you. The Letters, have you not been reading them? I love you, Jimin. Not Jungkook. Never Jungkook. I did everything for us. When Jungkook hurt you, I hurt him. When you couldn't see how bad he is, I showed you at the club. Me."

"Namjoon, what are you - Namjoon, Look Out!" Jimin screamed as a girl with long silver hair and a flowy dress stopped in the middle of the road as she crossed, picking up a basket of roses she had dropped. Her grey eyes went wide as suddenly out of the fog Namjoon's headlights brightened like the golden eyes of a snake.

Namjoon yelled and his hands swerved the wheel, causing the car to turn, but the it couldn't keep up with the sudden change of momentum. Jimin started screaming as he heard the wheels screech on the road and then suddenly everything went dark.