If Memory Serves [YoonMin]

05

PAST

Jimin is being shaken awake.

The presence of a nightmare lingers at the back of his mind, cold and unwelcome. He doesn't know what he dreamt, but it left him unsettled.

The first thing he sees when he opens his eyes is the concern etching its way into Yoongi's brows. His forehead crinkles when he does it, just like when he frowns. When he sees Jimin awake, his expression relaxes if only briefly before the worry settles in.

"Jiminie," he whispers as if he's going to wake someone up. He already woke the only other person in the room. Yoongi sits down on the edge of the bed. He's only in a t-shirt and his sweats. His bare arms are covered in goosebumps, eyes set on nothing else but Jimin.

"Y- Yoongi?" His voice is a croak in comparison to Yoongi's. His cheeks feel sticky. Jimin touches the edge of his cheek, surprised to find him when it's wet. Lost, he looks to Yoongi.

"You were crying in your sleep," Yoongi explains. As he lifts the blanket and slips under, it's the first time Jimin realizes their room light is on and the tv is playing an episode of Scooby-Doo.

Jimin's body automatically shifts toward Yoongi where he leans in and closes his eyes. The instant that he does, his body jolts as if it's been shocked. He feels Yoongi tense beneath him, already sitting up when Jimin opens his eyes.

"Have you caught a nightmare?"

Jimin bites back a laugh. Yoongi makes it sound like he caught the flu. He wants to ask if one can catch a nightmare the same way, but he doesn't. He stops short when he sees the look in Yoongi's eye. Something he doesn't recognize, but makes him feel guilty.

"Bad dream," Jimin confirms quietly, slinking back into the pillow and eyes flickering to the tv. He's still got Yoongi's leather jacket on, he realizes and instantly pulls it tighter around him. "I like this one. Ice-cream bad guys."

"Do you want another jacket? You look cold."

Jimin shakes his head. He likes this one. It smells like Yoongi and makes him feel safe. He knows it won't, but he imagines it chasing the bad dreams away. A new episode comes on and Jimin points.

"I like Scooby better." He means to say best, but he struggles with the wording. His eyes droop, half open.

Yoongi snorts beside him. "Of course you do. Scooby's one of the best dogs ever."

"Scooby-dooby-doo," Jimin mumbles tiredly.

They sit this way for what feels like hours; Yoongi with his back against the wall and his arm around Jimin who is curled up into side. They watch the Scooby-Doo and Tom and Jerry reruns before Yoongi switches over to Fosters Home For Imaginary Friends. Jimin shifts excitedly.

"Jiminie?"

"Yes?"

"How old are you?"

Jimin pauses. "Eleven." He opens his mouth to ask it back, but Yoongi beats him to it.

"I'm fourteen."

Yoongi really is his hyung, who would have thought. Still, Jimin is amazed that someone has their hair dyed at fourteen. Isn't it young? Jimin doesn't understand much, but he senses that Yoongi wants to ask more questions. He nuzzles further into Yoongi's side and hums. 

"Why are you here? On the train?"

At this, he falls quiet again. He wonders if there would be a harm in telling Yoongi the truth. He imagines the worst that could happen is him being told to go back home if he's going to be this immature. 

It's certaintly what his dad said. And then he was chased.

"Because I'd be dead if I weren't, hyung." 

His words stick in the air like glue to paper. He hides his face, pressing it against the white of Yoongi's t-shirt and squeezing his eyes shut tight. He wants the moment to pass. Pretend he never said anything. If Yoongi thinks it's a joke, that's fine. If he asks for more and Jimin tells him, that's okay because he likes Yoongi.

As long as he's not sent back home. 

"Do they hurt you at home?" 

When Jimin looks up to answer, he gets the sense that Yoongi knows the answer to this. Which means he's asking for confirmation purposes. Their eyes lock and a warm feeling stirs through his chest. Jimin grips onto the material of Yoongi's t-shirt, resting his head against the nook of his arm and nodding. 

"Daddy does," he says quietly. "Mommy just watches." 

What he doesn't add is that the reason he would be dead if he were home is that ever since he realized he had a crush on a boy, the hurting got worse and he didn't know how long until he would die. So, he ran. 

Yoongi's hand is on his cheek, thumb rubbing the plaster with delicacy. He'd been cold just moments ago, but he's body is warm now. Jimin nuzzles closer, as if it were possible. Yoongi tells him to close his eyes, that he'll wake him if he cries or screams and he'll be here if the nightmare comes back.

Jimin starts to doze when Yoongi's voice fills the air. 

"I'm here because I've run away from home too."