The Lies We Tell

Potted Plants - A Jimin Fanfic

The pain radiating from Jimin's toe was nothing compared to the annoyance etched across his face. He bent, rubbing the bruised skin, a glare fixed on the offending flower pot. The little tree had been in their household for 6 years, and Jimin still couldn't avoid it.

He pushed the bangs from his face, his other foot tapping an irritated rhythm against the cool floor. Couldn't Namjoon just move it someplace higher and spare Jimin's toes?

"Hyung, you left your tree in the way again!" Though there was plenty of sound echoing throughout the apartment, Namjoon's answer wasn't one of them. A frown pulled at his lips. "Hyung!"

Jimin huffed, toeing the plant closer to the window and away from his path. Why wasn't Namjoon answering? He could've broken his toe this time!

The man picked up his discarded phone, heading deeper into the apartment, lips settled in a firm line. His toe still hurt, and Namjoon couldn't be bothered to answer him.

He found him arguing in the kitchen, angry words wafting out like steam. "I'm not hopeless." A sigh. "At least let me help then."

Jimin paused, his anger forgotten at the exasperation in his hyung's voice. A quick peek around the corner revealed the shorter, broad frame of his oldest hyung, Jin.

He leaned against the counter, a hand held to his mouth as he warded off laughter. Beside him, Namjoon rubbed a hand between angry brows, but the corner of his lips betrayed him.

Jimin released his breath. It wasn't a real fight, then. None of them had had one in a long time, but one never knew. Living together broke a lot of friendships.

Jimin joined the bickering duo in the kitchen, the smell of cooking food wrapping around him and stirring a hungry growl from his stomach. He surveyed their meal with a critical eye before turning to rummage through a cabinet.

Jin shook his shoulder, a whine falling from his lips, "I'm making dinner! Put all those back."

Fine. Jimin relinquished the treats back to their cabinet with a flick of his hair, a mournful look passing across his face.

He stepped away from Jin with a pout as his hyungs quickly fell back into their quarrel.

"Just give me the knife, Hyung." Namjoon held out his hand, trying to look all the part of a stern leader, his brows crinkling together with a frown.

The other man stared at him incredulously, blade clutched in one white-knuckled hand, though his lips curved into a smile. "Come on, Namjoon-ah, you're help enough just supervising."

Indignation crowded Namjoon's face. "I've been practicing!" He picked up a knife, wrestling a chunk of carrot from the other man, whose protests renewed. With exaggerated movements, he sliced the carrot before sliding it into the pile Jin had made.

The older man snatched the knife from his hands, but Namjoon's smile was triumphant. Jin shooed him away with a roll of his eyes, though his smile brightened, too.

The younger man sunk into a kitchen chair, his smile fading. Their spat forgotten, he picked up one of his many art books, concentration settling in his smile's absence, his eyes zooming across the page.

Jimin's own misgivings forgotten, he hopped onto the counter, ignoring the dirty look from their eldest. "What're you guys making?"

"Japchae."

He hummed a reply, stealing a bit of carrot, which earned him a swat from Jin. He was munching on the carrot, about to hop down to finally berate his leader when the rest of the maknae trio burst in on a tide of chaos.

Jungkook and Taehyung giggled amongst themselves, passing sly smiles back and forth as they attempted to steal snacks behind Jin's back.

"Ya! Put those back!"

The two bolted from the kitchen, a bag of dried squid tucked under Jungkook's arm, a flustered Jin on their heels, spoon raised in righteous pursuit.

Their shouts echoed through the apartment, the confused laughter of Hoseok rising with them.

Jimin stifled a laugh himself. Sometimes that trio acted like 15-year-olds again.

He took a bite of carrot, relishing the quiet when he realized the opportunity before him. A smirk curved his lips. He could steal some snacks as well! His mind flashed back to the mung bean cakes he'd been ready to devour, his stomach rumbling.

A slice of carrot between his teeth, he slid down to make his own escape. As his foot connected with the floor, a twinge shot through his toe.

He grimaced, bending to pass a hand over the skin where a bruise was flaring to life.

His snacks would have to wait. The man gobbled down the rest of the carrot before approaching Namjoon. He dropped into the seat opposite him. "Hyung."

Eyes peeked over the rim of the artbook.

"You left your plant in the way again."