"This is all still so damn weird."
"I agree," Jimin sighs. "I've never seen such a pretty adult human before."
"Jesus, I'm talking about having a damn elf in my house," Jungkook mutters, a light blush blooming under his cheeks. "Stop hitting on me."
"Hitting...?" Jimin's delicate brows knit together in confusion. "I am not injuring you in any way, what are you talking about?"
"No—" Jungkook shakes his head. "Never mind." He averts his eyes from Jimin's and back to his presents, which include a Big Bang shirt from Seokjin, a pair of white Vans from Taehyung that have the words Damn Daniel scribbled on top of the box (which is to be expected from Taehyung because of his stupid obsession with memes), and a mug from Yoongi.
"Would you you like to see my gift?" Jimin questions, peering at Jungkook. "I think you will like it."
"Sure," Jungkook agrees, and takes the beautifully wrapped gift swathed in red and green striped wrapping paper. "Damn, this is pretty."
"You have not even opened the gift yet," Jimin giggles, and Jungkook swears his heart stops for a moment at the sheer adorability of the elf.
"I like the wrapping paper, though," says Jungkook, grinning as he stares at Jimin. "I wonder what the gift is." Feeling Jimin's eager gaze on him, Jungkook peels back the paper. His eyes instantly widen and his lips part, allowing just enough air for a shallow gasp. "Jimin— What— Jimin, oh my god—"
"You don't like them?" Jimin hangs his head. "I am very sorry, Jungkook, I thought—"
"Are you kidding?" Jungkook squeals, ensnaring Jimin in a tight embrace. "I've been wanting Timberlands for ages! Thank you so much!"
"Oh." Jimin breathes a sigh of relief, gently patting Jungkook's cheek. "I am glad you like them."
"I love them! I love you!"
Jimin laughs heartily, his small eyes crinkling up into even smaller crescents. "Oh, Jungkook, you are much like a child: overexcited and very adorable."
Jungkook wonders if interspecies romance is possible.
❄︎
Hanging out with Jimin was the most embarrassing yet most fun experience Jungkook has ever had. He'd quickly realized that the elf didn't know much about normal everyday life in the human world, which led to several very awkward situations throughout the day. For example, the two had gone out to eat, and Jungkook had bought a burger for each of them. Jimin had curiously picked it apart, and, if that wasn't embarrassing enough, loudly declared that the patty resembled a pile of reindeer poop, and that he wasn't going to eat it.
(Jungkook won't be going back to that restaurant anytime soon.)
However, Jimin's unintended adorability was very pleasant to have around, as he'd always be asking Jungkook, with a wide innocence reflected in his eyes, questions about everyday things such as vending machines and carbonated drinks, to which Jungkook would give a vague answer that somehow managed to please the elf.
Right now, the two are back at the apartment, where Jimin is curiously staring at the TV, puzzled by the Christmas movies.
"Why do all these films have Mr. Claus in that red outfit? I heard that he did not even wear red that often."
Jungkook blinks. "What do you mean, you heard?"
"Why, he has passed, of course," Jimin says incredulously, seeming surprised that Jungkook doesn't know this information. "It has been quite a few centuries since Mr. Claus has passed. We honor him every year on Christmas Eve before the elves begin their trips deliver the presents. Of course, I had to leave a bit earlier because I still needed to restore Christmas faith in you, so I was not present for the actual ceremony. But I honored him in my heart." Jimin lightly pats his chest, as if proud of himself.
"Wait," Jungkook pauses, taking all of this in. "So you're telling me... that Santa Claus is dead?"
Jimin gasps. "Don't say that word!"
"What, dead?"
"Jungkook!"
Said male can't help but laugh at the elf as he lowers his head and raises his hands up in surrender. "Sorry," he says sheepishly, peering at Jimin through his eyelashes.
Jimin moves closer to him and lightly pokes his nose. "That was a very insincere apology, Jeon Jungkook."
Jimin is pretty.
Jungkook isn't entirely sure what he's doing as he brings his face closer to Jimin's. He presses their foreheads together, and sucks in a shallow breath as their noses brush against each other. He feels lightheaded. "I sincerely apologize," he whispers, lips curling into a grin. "That good enough for you?"
"W-What are you doing?" Jimin asks, cheeks tinted a light pink, voice slightly breathless; but he makes no move to lean away. "Are you—" His eyes widen. "Are you going to kiss me?"
Jungkook's grin widens. "I don't know, do you want me to kiss you?" He brings his hand up to rest on one side of Jimin's face, his heart set aflutter when the elf sighs softly.
"I do not know." Jimin wets his lips. "Maybe."
"Maybe?"
"M-Maybe." Jimin is staring at Jungkook with a desperate sense of longing in his eyes, a longing that Jungkook's eyes mirror. Slowly, Jimin reaches his hands out and gently grips Jungkook's waist, bringing their bodies together. "Is this alright?"
"This is more than alright," Jungkook sighs, running his teeth over his bottom lip. "I— I'm going to kiss you now."
Jimin smiles. "Please."
It takes Jungkook several seconds to actually slot their mouths together, as his heart is pounding so hard that he can't breathe, by which time Jimin takes initiative and leans forward as well. Their lips meet in a shy, tentative kiss before Jimin sharply pulls their bodies closer, and everything becomes more— fervent.
This isn't the first time Jungkook has kissed someone. He's kissed many people before, and he's kissed them well, yet there's something about Jimin's lips that makes him never want to let go, to drink in the sweetness of this elf's mouth and to kiss him so hard that his lips are bruised for days afterward and people ask what happened. Jimin's lips are simply irresistible— or rather, it's Jimin himself who is irresistible, as the soft noises he produces every time Jungkook's teeth graze his lips make Jungkook lean in a little more.
"God, Jimin," Jungkook groans as the two finally break apart. "How are you—" He pauses to catch a breath. "How are you so good at this?"
"It does not matter," Jimin says, cheeks flushed and hands resting on Jungkook's hips. "Just let me—"
A loud beep startles both of them, Jimin only flinching slightly while Jungkook nearly jumps out of his skin. "What was that?"
Jimin reaches into his pocket and pulls out an object resembling a powder compact. It's red, with a softly glowing blue screen, at which Jimin frowns. "I must leave," he mutters.
"What?" Unease is roused within Jungkook's gut. "What do you mean, leave? Leave where?"
"Back home," Jimin says weakly, his plump lips pressed into a thin line of disappointment. "Back to the North Pole."
"Why?" The hot blood that had been previously coursing through Jungkook's veins has now stilled, and is cold with dread. "You— You just got here, why do you have to leave all of a sudden?"
"Because I was not supposed to be seen by you," Jimin says, shame radiating from his entire body. "I was not supposed to be seen by you, I was not supposed to talk to you, I was not supposed to kiss you— this is all wrong. And now I must leave."
"But why all of a sudden?" Jungkook asks, desperation etched into every line of his face, every movement he makes, as his fingers hastily latch onto Jimin's small hand. "Can't you wait just— just a few hours?"
Jimin sadly shakes his head, refusing to look directly at Jungkook. "No, I cannot. They will put me on trial. I— I will most likely be found guilty."
Swallowing against the lump in his throat, Jungkook asks, "What happens if you're found guilty?"
Jimin tugs his hand out of Jungkook's grip. "I will be sentenced to— to many years in prison, and once I am released, I will not be allowed to do any work; I will be ostracized by my entire population."
Jungkook doesn't know what else to say besides a quiet "Oh."
Jimin clutches the red object tightly. "And I just got a message from the Council; they want me to come back home immediately, to put me on trial."
"Take me with you."
Jimin stares at Jungkook incredulously, his eyes wide. "Are you insane?" he asks. "I cannot take you with me! They will execute you!"
Jungkook recoils. "Execute...?"
"Okay, maybe not execution," Jimin backtracks, "not for you, anyway..." He hesitates. "They might execute me."
"Has anyone ever been executed for bringing a human back?" Jungkook asks, worry saturating every pore of his body as he stares at the petite man in front of him.
"Well, no one has ever brought a human back before." Jimin swallows. "So I do not know what they would do."
"Oh."
"But I absolutely cannot bring you back with me, Jungkook," Jimin says loudly, staring at the red object. "I must leave."
"Jimin," Jungkook pleads, taking a hold on Jimin's arm, "wait, please; I can try to somehow convince them that you're innocent, right?"
"It will not work," Jimin says, hanging his head. "They will not listen to me, let alone a human."
"Well I'll make them listen," Jungkook argues. "I can't have you put in jail because of me."
Jimin shakes his head firmly. "I have made my decision, Jungkook. I must leave, and I will not be taking you with me." His expression momentarily softens. "I will miss you very much. I quite liked kissing you."
Jungkook's heart hurts.
Jimin fiddles with the object once more, and a silvery light surrounds him, lifting him into the air. "Good bye, Jungkook!" he calls, squinting through the light. "Do not forget me!"
"I won't," Jungkook says, sadness weighing him down. "Don't forget about me, either!"
"I most definitely will not." Jimin puts on a brave smile. "Good bye!" The light glows brighter and brighter until Jungkook can see nearly nothing. He can make out the faint shape of Jimin's form, and, in a moment of impulsive thinking, leaps up and grabs onto the elf's legs. There's a moment of disorientation and blindingly intense light before Jungkook comes to his senses again.
He's cold.