(JIKOOK) Texting Story Snippets

Conversation

Even with his head bowed, Jimin fires back. "It's not an invitation if we just-"

"It's an invitation." Jungkook doesn't miss a beat. "The moment he sees our faces, it's as good as tattooing the words 'fuck with us some more' on our foreheads." He pulls himself up, moving back against the headboard. Sleep seems like a distant memory at this point. It takes him a few silent, uninterrupted moments before he braves looking in the others direction. It's a mistake as soon as he does, because Jimin's face is hidden, tucked away in his knees so nobody can witness the hurt in his eyes. Jungkook knows he's inflicting pain, but he has to keep going. Jimin has to understand. "Say something." He mutters.

Voice muffled and hard to hear, Jimin denies. "You'll just interrupt me again."

The younger sighs loudly, sweeping a hand through his hair and dropping it against his thigh. "I'm just trying to make my point. You don't seem to get it."

"Because it's your feelings, not mine." Jimin responds, lifting his head again to watch the side of Jungkook's face. He sets his jaw, vexation showing as Jungkook twirls his thumbs.

"Yeah, Jimin. It's my feelings." Coming out softly, Jungkook's return is less infuriating. "I have the right to feel them just as much as you do." His choice of words still work their way under Jimin's skin anyway.

"I never said you didn't." The older bites back, offended again.

"But you're not even thinking of them. You're not hearing me, no matter what I say to you." He's borderline whining, feeling like a kicked dog. Jungkook can feel the others eyes all over him, but he doesn't look up again, because his own feelings are too hurt to bare it. What if all that he can find inside of them is everything pulling them apart? What if the love is evaporating? What if Namjoon was right and completely incorrect all at once? What if they aren't as strong as they thought they were? "I don't want to see him, ever again." Jungkook whispers. "I want to be the reason you let it go. I want to be the one who makes it all better."

"But I want him to see that I'm all better, because of you. I want him to know that life goes on for all of us, no matter how bad it might get." Jimin's hardened expression softens. He rests his chin on his knees and reaches out one hand to graze Jungkook's thigh with his fingers, rubbing circles again with his thumb, trying to coax him to look up. "That's what everyone needs, baby. He deserves to know that life goes on. As long as we're alive, life goes on."

"He doesn't need to hear it from you."

"But, he does, because if he can feel that I forgive him, he'll come to understand that anybody can, even himself. I think he can be a good person." Feeling as if he's explaining himself well enough, adjoined with the calmer disposition, Jimin wonders if he's finally making his point clear. "We shouldn't leave people to become monsters on their own."

Jungkook's eyes snap up, alerted by the others belief. "He's already a monster. He doesn't have to become what he already is." Finally, eye contact. Jungkook's own are wet, emotions spurring. "Jimin, please."

"That's not okay, Jungkook." The older shakes his head. His shoulders sink. He finds the hurt he already knew was present in Jungkook's eyes, but he wants him to understand him. He needs him to get it. "We shouldn't abandon each other."

Jungkook's lips part, showing his genuine surprise. He hadn't expected to hear that perspective. "He's not one of us." He contests. "He's not included in who we keep and protect. He's not ours, why can't you grasp that already? Stop trying to save him from whatever you think you need to save him from, he's not your responsibility and he doesn't need your forgiveness to get better. Let him use this experience as his wake up call to become a better person on his own." All of his stance, his conclusion of who Yugyeom is and what he needs clamors out of him at once, causing his chest to heave. Jungkook pushes back against the emotional baggage clawing it's way up his throat.