Thread by @moonlit_pluto

apartment 127 - yoonmin au

when seokjin, namjoon’s boyfriend, leaves on a business trip, he leaves his cat hybrid, yoongi, with him. however, it seems that namjoon’s hybrid jimin doesn’t like him very much.

#yoonminau #yoonminfest #ymfest22_d7

🐈cat hybrids yoonmin
🐈hybrids and humans don’t have the same rights. hybrids usually have an owner.
🐈hate at first sight
🐈very light
🐈misunderstanding and lack of communication
🐈happy ending
🐈short threadfic

“Are you sure about this, Namjoon?” Seokjin asks, watching Jimin glare daggers into Yoongi’s side. The other remains unfazed.

“I really am not,” Namjoon sighs. “But we need to ease them into the other if we want to move in together. You get going.” He kisses him quickly.

“Call me if anything.” He gets up and puts on his jacket, bag secured in his hands.

“Don’t worry, my love. We'll be alright.”

When the door closes, Namjoon turns around and claps his hands. “Alright. Anyone wants to eat?”

“I’m not hungry, thank you,” Jimin says as he gets up and storms into his room.

Yoongi merely follows him with his eyes, face distorted into a frown. “No, thank you, Namjoon.” Silently, he goes to sit by the window.

Namjoon can already tell that it’ll be a very long week.

- 🐈🐈🐈🐈

Jimin feels rightfully upset: Namjoon brought that stinky cat into their house without warning him. He just sat with Jimin the night before and warned him that Yoongi, a stranger, would stay with them for a whole week.

Not only that, but he had to face the other hybrid as soon as he woke up.

It is surreal to Jimin how Namjoon and Seokjin are so sure about their relationship to the point of talking about moving in together.

He knew about Yoongi. Namjoon talked about him when he told Jimin about Seokjin almost one year and a couple of months ago.

Seokjin and Namjoon had tried to make them meet countless times, especially the past month, but Jimin had always refused.

There had been a time when Namjoon and Jimin went out and met with the other two, Jimin unknowing.

He spent the whole afternoon quiet and made sure not to talk to Namjoon for the rest of the day. On the next morning, Namjoon apologised, and they let the subject go.

After that, Namjoon would ask him and settle for the answer, so Jimin felt relieved that Namjoon wouldn’t pressure him. Apparently, that was over.

There are knocks on his door and soon after Jimin grunts a ‘come in’, Namjoon’s tense figure shows up.

Jimin simply glances at Namjoon before focusing on his notebook again.

“Jiminie, can we talk?”

Jimin scoffs lightly. Now that Jimin is upset, Namjoon wants to talk. “What is it?”

He hears Namjoon sigh, but Jimin doesn’t pay him attention.

Jimin knows that if he doesn’t express his distaste for the situation, it’ll keep floating over them. Namjoon avoids confrontations, so Jimin needs to be petty, even though he hates it.

“Please be kind to Yoongi while he’s with us, alright? He’s quiet, so please try to talk to him.”

This time, Jimin’s scoff is loud and indignant. “What am I, his babysitter? I thought he was older than me.”

Namjoon rubs his eyes. “You know what I mean, Jimin.”

“No, actually, I don’t.” Jimin strains his eyes at Namjoon.

“Just be nice, Jimin-ah. That’s all I’m asking. He’s going to sleep in my room, and I’ll take the sleeper sofa.” He taps twice on the door, uncertain

“I’m leaving for work now. When you go to work, warn Yoongi. Your work is the same way, so he’ll keep you company.” Namjoon smiles weirdly, then nods and leaves.

Jimin grunts loudly.

One hour later, he puts effort into leaving the house quietly, but more importantly, alone.

- 🐈🐈🐈🐈

“The flowers will wither if you keep looking at them like that Jimin-ssi.”

Jimin looks at Jungkook who has an entertained look. He’s looking up to Jimin, sitting next to him behind the counter. He turns completely to Jimin before keeping on.

“What happened? Namjoon-ssi again?” He asks. Although Jimin feels outraged, he’s aware his social circle isn’t that large for the cause of his problem to be hard to guess.

“Yeah. Remember that boyfriend and boyfriend’s hybrid situation? Well, yeah. The hybrid is staying with us for this week.” Jimin says, pouting.

Jungkook frowns. “Now that’s sucky,” Hoseok erupts from the back before Jimin can go on. “Hyung, Jimin’s Namjoon situation is back.”

Hoseok gives him a sympathetic look as he scratches Jungkook’s nape.

The bunny hybrid perks up under his boyfriend’s touch, eyes closing and humming softly. It’s a domestic picture that Jimin’s troubled mood feels envious of them.

“He brought his boyfriend’s hybrid to stay with us for some time. And he barely warned me either!

“He just sat on my bed yesterday and told me the cat was coming as he already had everything settled with his boyfriend!” He vents to his coworker and boss while they look at him with wide eyes.

Jungkook lets out a breath. “That’s a lot.” Jimin agrees. It does feel a lot.

“So he just decided on his own, in the end.” Jimin nods. He’s not sure if it’s because Jungkook is a bunny hybrid that is as territorial as Jimin that he understands him, but he feels glad nonetheless.

Meanwhile, Hoseok is pensive. “What about the other hybrid?”

Jimin frowns. “What about him?”

“Where does he stand in all of this? You haven’t talked to him at all?”

“I haven’t,” Jimin pouts as he focuses on the flowers again. “But he’s a cat hybrid himself, so he should understand my motives the most.”

Jungkook and Hoseok exchange a look, but Jimin is too busy to catch it.

- 🐈🐈🐈🐈

Jimin is in the middle of putting on his jacket while leaving the shop when he notices Yoongi leaning against the wall.

The older one is dressed in black from head to toe, contrasting with Jimin’s colourful sweatshirt.

“You left without me,” Yoongi says blatantly.

Jimin scoffs as he starts his way. To his displeasure, Yoongi joins him. “Yet here you are.”

“Why do you have to be so petty, for fuck’s sake.”

Jimin laughs as he halts on his steps, indignant. “Excuse me?”

“I’m only staying with you for a week. If you had been easier the other times maybe this wouldn’t have been so hard.”

“For someone who was all quiet, you sure have a lot to say right now.”

This time, Yoongi is the one laughing scornfully, eyes rolling. “You’re impossible.”

Yoongi keeps himself quiet until they’re turning on the elevator.

He sighs before he says, “Look, I don’t care if you’re being territorial or just plain annoying. Contrary to you, I wanna see Seokjin happy. So if you could stop looking at me like I spat in your food and pretend it’s all alright, I promise to keep out of your way.”

Jimin furrows his eyebrows, and before he answers, Yoongi leaves.

Later, when they’re all sitting at the table, the sound of chopsticks and plates covering the silence, Namjoon clears his throat, eyes roaming through Jimin and Yoongi’s faces.

So…How was your day?”

Yoongi doesn’t react. He keeps on eating as if he wasn’t addressed which leaves Jimin to answer Namjoon.

He gulps the food in his mouth hardly before saying, “It was alright. Yoongi-hyung picked me up at work. We had fun.”

Both Namjoon and Yoongi seem caught off guard at his words. However, while Yoongi gives him a questioning look, Namjoon smiles brightly at him.

“Really?” Namjoon’s voice is loud in the kitchen.

Jimin ignores Yoongi. “Yeah.”

- 🐈🐈‍⬛🐈🐈‍⬛

The next morning, when Jimin wakes up, Namjoon has already left and there’s only Yoongi at the table.

He’s wearing grey sports shorts and a white t-shirt, his face tousled from sleep still.

There’s a pair of black ears twitching on Yoongi’s head and a black tail curling around the chair.

As Jimin sits in front of him, he clears his throat and ignores the other’s appearance. He doesn’t like how he feels about Yoongi looking that comfy in his home.

“I don’t want to see Namjoon sad. Don’t say stuff like that. I agree, okay?”

Yoongi watches him with wide eyes. Then he nods. Jimin takes it as a sign to keep on, “Also we’ll come back together because sometimes Namjoon arrives earlier. And I’ll call you hyung.”

“You already did. Yesterday.” Jimin gives him a hard look that, as it seems, it’s funny to Yoongi. “Good morning, Jimin-ah.”

Jimin pursues his lips slightly. “‘Morning.”

Jimin also ignores Yoongi’s small smile. He still doesn’t like him a lot.

Later that day, when they take the first turn back home, the question pops up in Jimin’s head. He looks at Yoongi, who is thankfully long back to his full human aspect, and asks, “How did you know where I work?”

The other looks surprised like he didn't expect Jimin to talk to him. “Namjoon told me. That’s how we got to know it's the same way as mine. I work at the tattoo parlour three streets after.”

Jimin sends him a quizzical gaze. “Do you live nearby?”

An incredulous smile morphs into Yoongi’s face. “Yeah? It’s less than an eight-minute walk from your apartment to ours.” He pauses. “You didn’t know?”

Jimin feels embarrassed under Yoongi’s disbelieving tone. Jimin only gives him a self-answering look. No, he didn’t know.

“Actually,” Yoongi clears his throat, “I wanted to ask you something too.”

The older one doesn’t meet Jimin’s eyes, hesitating. Jimin can guess what Yoongi wants to ask him.

“Why are you so put off about all of this?” Yoongi asks, eyes searching Jimin’s face.

The younger one throws his head up, running away from it and sighs.

“I just have my reasons.” He can, however, still feel the other’s stare.

“Right. Reasons.”

The older one doesn’t speak up again. Neither does Jimin. When they get home, each goes their way, as promised.

The following two days go just the same. Jimin and Yoongi will greet each other when Yoongi picks him up, and talk as much as deemed necessary.

When they’re in front of Namjoon, phrases as easy as ‘Can you pass me the water, hyung?’ and ‘Do you want some tea, Jimin-ah?’ flow through them.

However, on both days, while they make their way home, albeit with their synched breathing and steps, there’s a tense silence.

What puts a break on their starting routine it’s not either of them but Namjoon.

When Jimin wakes up on the fifth day of Yoongi’s time with them, Namjoon has once again already left.

He’s been leaving home earlier and returning only by dinner time, which leaves the house to Jimin and Yoongi.

The two move around the apartment in a combined silence, avoiding each other. While one gets ready, the other eats and vice-versa.

Until now, Jimin had always been the second to wake up but the first to leave.

However, when he gets to their living room, Yoongi is ready to leave, sitting in one of the chairs.

Yoongi glances up from his mobile and gets up.

“Great, you’re up,” he moves to the entrance as if he had been waiting for Jimin.

“Namjoon said he’ll be going to a business dinner today. Since we don’t need to come back together, I’m coming back a little later, since I'm going out with a friend. Just wanted to warn you not to wait for me at work.” Yoongi keeps on.

“Oh,” Jimin blinks twice.

Once to push the sleepiness away and another to focus. "Yeah. Yeah, sure. Have fun?”

Yoongi laughs lightly. “Thanks, Jimin.” And like that, he’s gone.

It’s been some days since he’s been home alone, and it is a small detail not worth thinking of.

So, Jimin shuffles on his feet, hurrying to get himself ready.

And quite frankly, the day goes by quicker than the last ones; maybe because he doesn’t spend it on the edge of the dominating silence that has settled between him and Yoongi, maybe not.

Although, that’s unimportant right now. What’s important it’s the fact that it’s nearing dinner time, and despite Jimin having cooked the food, Yoongi has still not arrived.

He, Namjoon and Yoongi had been having dinner together for the past four days, and Yoongi hadn’t mentioned any other change of plans, so Jimin decided to wait for him.

If anything, Jimin will make up something, so as not to look weird.

Time goes by. As the food gets cold and Jimin decides to eat, he hears somebody stumbling at the entrance.

Quickly, Jimin straightens up, high senses, and soon, Yoongi’s black hair mop shows up.

He has a relaxed smile that fades when he looks at Jimin. “Hey… You’re only eating now?”

Jimin hums, without looking at Yoongi. “Wasn’t hungry.” Then he raises his eyes to Yoongi, watching him through his hair, “Have you?”

“I…Yeah. My friend dragged me into some stall to eat something since it was getting late,” Yoongi says, scratching his head. “You weren’t-”

Jimin raises his head to look at the raven-haired properly. “Hm?”

Yoongi clears his throat.

“Nothing,” he points to the hallways. “I’ll go take a bath.”

Jimin nods. “Yeah, you do that.” He says and pays attention to his now cold food.

It has been a while since Jimin has eaten alone. He’s used to Namjoon’s soft presence across him or Jungkook and Hoseok’s loud charisma.

Eating by himself brings him a strange nostalgia that he’d like to avoid.

Perhaps he’s too far into his head that he doesn’t register Yoongi approaching until the older one sits down, surprising. Jimin “Eat. I’ll keep you company.”

Jimin smiles. “Thank you.”

When Saturday rises, the ambience in apartment 127 is lighter.

The last night, Yoongi and Jimin spent the time intercalating lazy conversations that Yoongi would pull up and a safe silence.

When Jimin finds Yoongi in the kitchen that morning, his cat ears and tail out, he doesn't think about it twice. He solely asks the older one to make some coffee for him, too.

If Namjoon notices any difference when he wakes up, he doesn’t mention anything, showing them only a bright smile.

They spend the day in a cosy manner.

While Namjoon is sitting on the couch, switching through different series, Jimin is on the floor with his head resting on Namjoon’s knee. Yoongi, still in his half-form, is in the armchair, just like he had been the day he arrived.

This time, Jimin doesn’t feel as bothered by it as he did that day. He’s unsure what to think about that thought.

On Sunday, already late in the morning, when Jimin gets out of his room and rubs his eyes, he only finds Namjoon at the table.

The apartment is in complete silence and there’s only a plain tint of the unfamiliar scent that had been swimming around the house for the week.

Jimin feels more awakened.

“Where’s Yoongi-hyung?” he pauses. “Is he gone already?”

“‘Morning, Jiminie,” Namjoon laughs softly. “No, Seokjin-hyung only comes back Wednesday in the afternoon.”

“Oh,” Jimin sits by the table. “Where is he then?

“He said he was going to spend the day with a friend. Won’t come back for dinner either.”

Jimin nods. Right, that makes sense.

Namjoon smiles at him. “Today it’s just you and me again, sorry.”

Jimin looks at Namjoon and shakes his head. “That’s more than enough, hyung.”

And it is true. They’ve been Namjoon and Jimin for over three years. Apartment 127 is their home and it was enough.

To Jimin, at least.

Jimin gets up and hugs Namjoon tightly from behind as he nuzzles into the other’s neck. The chair prods his chest but Jimin feels comfortable.

Namjoon laughs breathily, but he doesn’t budge. “You’re not gonna eat?”

“I will,” he moves his head, putting his cheek on Namjoon’s shoulder. “Can we watch a movie after. Cuddles, included.”

Namjoon hums, while downing his glass of water. “Lazy Sunday? Yeah, sure. But eat.”

Jimin waddles to his seat, happy.

- 🐈‍⬛🐈‍⬛🐈‍⬛🐈‍⬛

Yoongi spins around on the stool behind the tattoo parlor’s counter. Meanwhile, Taehyung is busy organizing everything, scrummaging through emails, bills, and appointments, and doing a weekly cleanup.

“You know, hyung, since you’re already here, you could help as well.” Taehyung says through a pout.

Yoongi wiggles his feet. “Nope, thank you very much. This is my day off and I’m already providing you with my company and background music.”

Taehyung gives him a stinky look. “I’m literally your boss.”

“Actually,” Yoongi answers with a sly grin. “You’re not. Seokjin-hyung is.”

Taehyung shakes his head dramatically, moving away in the midst of exaggerated hand movements. “Yeah, Yoongi-hyung side with this discriminatory law that doesn’t allow me my full independence, it’s looking real pretty.”

As he goes on, Yoongi is already laughing. “You’ll see the day my rage will alone move this country.”

Yoongi shakes with a chuckle, getting up to help the younger one and prevent him from keeping on with his passionate discussion over their poor rights.

“Talking about Seokjin-hyung, when is he coming back?”

“In three days, I think?”

Taehyung hums in understanding. “How's your kitty situation?”

Yoongi shakes with laughter. “Don’t call it that. But I think it’s better?” he stops, his hands on the top of the broomstick. “He’s no longer glaring at me or sulking like a cute pup, and we actually talk normally, so yeah, very much better.”

And as Yoongi thinks about his words, Taehyung’s Cheshire cat grin is already all over his face. “Cute, huh?”

“Stop it, he despises me.”

“You just said it was better!” the younger shouts incredulously.

Yoongi rubs his forehead and goes back to sweeping the floor, his back turned to Taehyung. “Yes, but not to the point that something could happen. There’s also that big mess that happened in the beginning.”

“You still haven’t found out what that was all about?”

Yoongi puts his cheeks on the back of his hands, supporting his weight on the broomstick.

He could try and guess why Jimin made a fuss; some reasons pop up in his head after watching him through the week.

But then again, poking into it might create another problem, so he decided against it.

“I haven't,” Yoongi ends up saying. “He’s cute, let’s leave t there.”

“If you say so, hyung” Yoongi hums to Taehyung as an answer. “Have you finished your design for next week’s appointment?”

Yoongi shakes his head while he finishes sweeping. He turns to Taehyung, “Actually, I was thinking about finishing it today. Do you mind if we stay here?”

“No problem for me, as long as we eat out. On you, too!”

“Fine, fine, I’ll pay.”

As Taehyung’s childlike laugh rings through the room, Yoongi thinks drinking will be good for him. Especially for forgetting haunting plump pink lips and full cheeks.

- 🐈🐈‍⬛🐈🐈‍⬛

There’s a small noise from the door opening and closing, but the thud that follows it is much louder.

Jimin leaves his glass on the counter before moving to the entryway.

“Yoongi-hyung?”

As the older one turns his head quickly to him, the sight of blood on his nose and mouth startles Jimin’s sleepiness away.

Before Yoongi can answer, Jimin is already crouching and cradling Yoongi’s face into his hands.

“What happened?!” He moves the other’s head to the side, watching the wound closer. There’s a pink bruise next to Yoongi’s mouth and his nose is red.

“Hm, got into a fight accidentally.” His eyes are already glued to Jimin’s, when the younger one glares at him, unsatisfied.

“How do you get into a fight accidentally?” Jimin shrieks.

“Don’t scream. You’ll wake the whole building.”

Jimin pouts. “Not the time,” he whispers, still. He takes Yoongi’s wrist and gets up. “Come, I’ll handle those for you.”

As they move to the bathroom, Yoongi can't help but notice the warmth from the fingers grasping his wrist.

They pass by a dozed Namjoon in the living room, and soon he’s sitting on the toilet while Jimin pushes his chin up to the light.

“Tell me if it hurts, alright?” he says quietly.

Yoongi nods shortly.

“So, how did you end up beaten up? Weren’t you with your friend?” Jimin dabs the alcohol onto the cotton before putting it on the wound, gently.

Yoongi hisses. He hastily ignores how close they are before saying, “I was. We went to a bar after dinner but there were these three men close to us that saw my friend delivering his independence permit.

“One of them started shouting out of nowhere to the bartender for letting ‘an uncontrolled animal’ in there with them.”

Jimin lets go of his breath and stops. “Oh.” His eyes roam through the older’s face before refocusing on his task. “And you reacted?”

“My friend talked back so the dude punched him, and, please, my child doesn't know how to raise a fist so I punched him back. It was a mess. The bartender called the bodyguard and we reported them, though.”

Jimin hums. “Was your friend okay?”

“Got out with a black eye. I think he was too upset to care, too.”

Jimin changes to a cotton swab then spreads ointment delicately on his mouth. “Understandable. People keep treating us as beasts and since he’s an independent hybrid I take it he gets these problems even more.”

Yoongi murmurs in agreement. “Yeah. I’ll call him tomorrow.”

“You should,” Jimin murmurs back. He holds his breath whilst he switches to the nose. Yoongi takes the chance to wander his eyes through Jimin’s figure.

He’s wearing a baby blue pyjama set, barefoot.

“Were you heading to bed?” Yoongi asks.

Jimin looks at him before sweeping the swab through his nose once more and stepping away. “Yeah. Was just getting some water when you came in,” he throws the trash away and turns around to put everything back. “I’m done.”

Yoongi looks at himself in the mirror, before mumbling a ‘Thank you’.

“It’s fine,” Jimin answers, sitting on the bathroom countertop. “I’ll see it again tomorrow.”

“Thanks for helping me. Thought you didn’t like me,” he says, with a smirk while leaning back. “You used to glare at me like an angry puppy ready to bite me.”

Jimin strains his eyes at him. “I’m literally a cat.”

“Puppy-kitty.”

“Perhaps I should’ve taken that moment to let you bleed to your passing, Yoongi-ssi,” although Jimin shakes his head as Yoongi laughs quietly, the younger one looks at him, biting his lips, uncertain. “And it’s not that I didn’t like you, ok?”

Yoongi raises a brow, and a small laugh comes next when Jimin flushes brightly.

“It’s not! I’m serious here,” he sulks. “I simply didn’t like the situation, you know?”

“I know. Reasons, right?”

Jimin nods, gaze locked on Yoongi’s. “Yeah.” He gets up and opens the door.

Yoongi waves at him quickly, “‘Night.”
He waits for the younger to disappear before glaring at his hand.

He pushed his head back against the wall and closes his eyes. “Why am I weird?”

Despite the burn on his face, Yoongi feels lighter than when he got back. He promptly ignores it, going to bed instead.

- 🐈‍⬛🐈🐈‍⬛🐈

As Monday comes again, Jimin doesn't wait to hear Yoongi finish eating. Instead, he moves to the kitchen, surprisingly greeting Namjoon on the way.

Yoongi’s back is turned to him, busy on the stove.

“Morning, hyung.”

Yoongi looks at him over his shoulder with a smile. “Good Morning, Jiminie.”

“How’s your face?” Jimin stops next to Yoongi, looking at the pan.

“Better, thanks. Namjoon had a light attack when he saw me but I told him I went into a pole for drinking too much.”

Jimin hums in comprehension. “Probably for the best,” he lets the silence settle in, with the sizzle from the pan in the background.

Jimin puts his act together before mumbling quietly, making sure Namjoon doesn't listen. “Do you, uh, want to walk with me to work, maybe?”

Yoongi turns his head rapidly to Jimin with his eyes wide and mouth open in surprise. “Wow,” he says. “You are warming up to me, huh?”

Jimin flushes and turns away. “Forget it.”
Yoongi’s laughter follows him as they get to the table.

Before anyone can say anything, Namjoon’s phone is ringing. He cleans his hands quickly and picks it up.

“Hyung!” he says, excitedly.

Yoongi is right behind Namjoon, murmuring. “Hi, hyung.”

The voice answers them back and soon a quick change of words and laughter arises throughout the apartment.

Jimin sits, pours himself coffee, and watches it unfold.

- 🐈🐈🐈🐈

When Namjoon closes the door to his car, there’s another incoming call. The ID is a simple heart and he smiles as he connects the call to the speaker.

“Alright, tell me how it is?

“I’m actually getting weirded out? Remember what I told you about Yoongi and Jimin suddenly being besties?”

Seokjin hums, so he resumes his blabbering. “They’ve been steady with it. I’m starting to think they actually might be.

“ I didn't leave at ungodly hours just to make them talk. Hyung, they’ve been laughing together.”

Seokjin laughs softly. “Better than Jimin throwing Yoongi out.”

Namjoon nods as if Seokjin was right next to him. “Definitely better.”

-🐈‍⬛🐈🐈‍⬛🐈

“Hey,” Yoongi calls.

“Jimin?”

“Jimin!” Yoongi shouts. The younger boy jumps, his eyes focusing on Yoongi’s face. “You were spacing out on me.”

Yoongi pushes the door open. As they start their way to the florist, he analyzes Jimin’s face quickly. “Is everything alright?”

Jimin answers with a tight smile. “Yeah, of course.”

Yoongi coughs. “You know, I don't mind listening to whatever it is,” he reaches his hand to his scalp, scratching.

Jimin lets out a snort and looks at his feet. "It's fine.”

Yoongi looks at him, dubious. “Are you sure?”

The blond raises his head quickly and nods. “I’m sure,” he answers curtly.

Yoongi nods back.

He tries to lighten the mood, but Jimin’s answers are short and his mind remote, so Yoongi gives up.

When he leaves Jimin at the florist, it feels like a bitter aftertaste.

- 🐈🐈🐈🐈

“Jimin-ah,” Hoseok bumps their hips, making them wobble. “Heya”

Jimin laughs softly. “Hey, hyung.”

Hoseok tilts his head to look at Jimin better. “Everything alright?” The human pauses. “Namjoon situation again?”

Jimin sighs before nodding. He can feel the sting in his eyes but he forces it back. Hoseok hugs him from the side firmly.

“It’ll be alright, don’t worry. Have you talked to him?” Hoseok sighs when Jimin shakes his head.

“Well, you need to. Plus Jungkookie told me you’re already talking to the hybrid, so you’re one step further already.”

“Talking to one of you is the same as telling you both,” Jimin says, rolling his eyes.

Hoseok chuckles brightly, “You bet. And I also saw him by the door from upstairs when you came in,” he smirks, knowingly. “Ah, by the way,” Hoseok pouts, quizzical. “Was everything alright?”

Jimin furrows his brows. “What do you mean?”

Hoseok points to the street, from left to right, “He stayed there walking for some solid three minutes before walking off.”

“Really?”

Hoseok lets out a loud sound of assurance.

Jimin smiles. “He was probably worried.”

“Back with the new vases- Eh, Jimin-ssi, you look like a creep smiling like that.” Jungkook’s voice emerges in the store, soon followed by his boyfriend’s loud laugh.

“I do not!” Jimin shrieks.

- 🐈🐈‍⬛🐈🐈‍⬛

When the bell sings on top of Jimin’s workplace’s door and the blond follows the sound, Yoongi is ready for another walk of silence.

However, Jimin greets him with a shy but big smile, and an invite on top of that. “Hey, hyung, let’s go eat somewhere.”

Yoongi is glued to his spot, leaning on the wall and face expressionless while looking at Jimin.

“I mean, only if you want to, of course. There’s no reason for you to feel obligated to-”

“-Sure!” Yoongi blurts out. He clears his throat. “I…know a good ice cream place just ten minutes away from here.”

Jimin lightens up. “Let’s go then.”

It’s a nice walk. The afternoon sun warms them up nicely under the breeze as they walk to the store and back home, already with ice creams in hand.

They bicker and laugh, sliding from different topics.

Neither of them mentions the intense redness on their faces after Yoongi cleans Jimin’s cheek, dirty with hazelnut ice cream.

Instead of separating into different corners when they get to the apartment, they sit on the extremes of the couch.

Naturally, from Jimin’s stretches that make his feet fall into Yoongi’s lap, the affronted ‘Yah, Park Jimin!’ that the older releases, and the tickles that make the younger twist and twirl, they end up bundled up on the couch.

Jimin is laying with his legs bent over Yoongi’s while the older massages his knee. They criticize the participants of a cooking reality show until Namjoon arrives and joins them.

From the outside, boisterous laughs and arguments are seeping through the apartment’s walls.

- 🐈‍⬛🐈‍⬛🐈‍⬛🐈‍⬛

Namjoon laughs quietly as he looks at Jimin. Yoongi follows the other’s stare and smiles at the sight. Jimin is sound asleep, lips pursuing as his cheek is smushed against the cushion.

Namjoon gets up. “I’ll go put him in bed, otherwise he’ll get cranky.”

Yoongi looks up to Namjoon curiously, still in his place, with his hands on top of Jimin’s ankles. “Does this happen often?”

“Sometimes, when we have lazy days. He always makes sure to take up all the couch for himself and insists on staying up.

“As you can predict, he’s also the first one to fall asleep, but he made me promise not to leave him here” Namjoon laughs, shaking his head. “We haven’t eaten, so I’ll meet you in the kitchen in a minute, alright?”

Yoongi perks up. “I can do it if you want.” Namjoon looks to Yoongi, head tilting, questioning. “You must be tired, right? I’ll put him to bed and cook you something.”

It’s a bad excuse, Yoongi’s aware.

Thankfully, Namjoon doesn’t bother as much as giving him a look before stretching. “Alright then. Meet me in the kitchen.” And goes away.

Yoongi looks at Jimin again. He has his brows slightly furrowed but manages to look peaceful.

Yoongi sighs as he moves Jimin’s feet with caution. He slides his arms underneath his arms and knees and picks the blond up from the sofa.

He struggles into the hallways and pushes Jimin’s door with his foot, happy to find it open. Yoongi lays Jimin on his bed.

The younger snuggles into it, hands beneath his head.

The raven-haired sits beside him and brushes Jimin’s hair out of his forehead. “Jimin-ah?”

There’s no answer.

The younger one looks comfortable enough, so Yoongi lets him be after covering him with a yellow blanket that sits on Jimin’s chair.

He looks around Jimin’s room. It’s the first time Yoongi saw it.

The walls are pale yellow and there’s a dark wood desk pushed against one of them.

Above it are a couple of photographs glued to the wall.

Some show Jimin and who Yoongi believes to be Jimin’s acquaintances but most of them are of Namjoon and the hybrid.

In one of them, some spots are blurry and Jimin is laughing on Namjoon’s back while the other looks caught off guard, despite smiling.

In another, they’re hugging, cheeks smudged together, smiling at the camera. They’re wearing the same shirts, Namjoon’s being red and Jimin’s blue, with pigtails on his head.

“Yoongi? You coming?”

He scurries on his feet. “Yeah, coming,” he says after closing the door behind him.

He finds Namjoon behind the fridge’s door. The other peeks at him from above, “Do you want some beer to go with the food?”

“Yeah, sure.” He takes the dishes to the table with Namjoon just behind him.

“We never had the chance to talk alone since you arrived,” Namjoon starts, as he pours beer into one of the glasses. “How was the week?”

“Oh, it was fine in the end?”

Namjoon laughs as he slides Yoongi his glass. “And the beginning?”

Yoongi brings his chopsticks to his mouth and then pursues his lips after gulping the food down. “Well, despite that, it all went alright?”

Namjoon hums, mouth occupied by the glass. He clears his lips as he says, “It did, thankfully. Thank you for,” he stops thinking, “giving it a chance.”

“I didn’t do anything. We were just lucky Jimin was understanding and made room for me.”

“He’s just territorial. I hope he can warm up to Jin-hyung, too.”

“He doesn’t get along well with hyung?”

Namjoon shakes his head. “Not more than courtesy talks.”

Yoongi hums in understanding.

It’s weird gossiping about Jimin but he’s also curious, so he whispers the question to Namjoon.

“Why do you think he was so upset about all of this?”

Namjoon munches on his food, face pensative. “I think it was the abrupt changes?

“He’s closed-off. Maybe trying to insert Seokjin out of nowhere wasn’t the greatest idea. He already knew the people he works with when I met him, so I think I might have been too sudden, suddenly coming with a boyfriend.”

“Was it hard when you met him? Seokjin hyung told me you haven’t been together for too long.”

Namjoon makes a noise. “Not really? I was the one who approached him and despite staying quiet, he never did dismiss me.”

Yoongi nods. He decides to keep quiet and eat his food.

He knows he’ll overthink whatever Namjoon tells him, so he stops himself from asking more.

As they move in the kitchen to clean the dishes, soft thuds echo and soon a yellow blob sticks to Namjoon’s back.

“Oh,” Namjoon giggles. “You’re up. Hungry?”

“Hmh, super,” Jimin’s voice drags, sluggish.

He can see the blond mop snuggle more into Namjoon’s back. Yoongi turns his gaze into his hands.

“Can you heat it up for me?” He hears.

“Sure Jiminie.”

- 🐈‍⬛🐈🐈‍⬛🐈

“It’s you and me again, Yoongi-hyung,” Jimin says after Namjoon leaves, smiling broadly while leaning into the kitchen counter.

Yoongi answers him another smile, albeit tighter, focusing on the dishes. Upon no answer, Jimin comments, “You’re on your half-form frequently.”

The blond is staring at the older’s tail, curled up tight on Yoongi’s waist.

“Oh, yeah.” Yoongi falters. “Does it bother you?”

Jimin shakes his head. “Was just thinking. Most hybrids refrain from their half-forms, so I was curious. Sorry.”

Yoongi thinks Jimin is one of them but he doesn't say that.

“It’s fine,” Yoongi replies. “It’s mostly out of habit, too.”

It takes the younger one another moment before he says, “You look the prettiest like this.”

This time, Yoongi stops altogether.

He can feel the blood rushing to his ears, but he chooses to ignore it.

Jimin smiles again, seeing Yoongi’s tail straighten up. Before Yoongi can say anything, Jimin speaks once more.

“I need to leave earlier for work. There’s a wedding we’re supplying for, so there’s a lot to be done.”

Yoongi murmurs in comprehension, getting back to the dishes. “Alright, give me ten minutes.”

Jimin looks at him, surprised. “You’re coming, too?”

“Wasn’t that what you meant?” Yoongi asks hesitantly.

He’s still aware of Jimin’s attention to his tail, that’s flicking slightly. Jimin is also a cat hybrid, so Yoongi figures the younger is piecing Yoongi’s emotions together.

Jimin nods, excited. “No, yeah, of course.”

The air around them is light. From the moment they leave the apartment and round to the florist’s street, they maintain easy topics and taunts. Then, Yoongi’s phone rings.

It’s Seokjin, warning him about his flight for the next day being delayed for a couple of hours, so Yoongi will have to either leave alone or later.

He looks at Jimin and tells his human that he doesn’t mind leaving later.

Though, when Yoongi turns off his phone, Jimin’s mood seems to have dampened. It seems to happen every time Seokjin is mentioned. The younger one had his head lowered, seemingly lost in his thoughts.

Yoongi can’t say anything because Jimin stops, raising his head.

“Do you want to wait in the shop before going? Since there’s still sometime before your shift.”

Yoongi could go to work now. Taehyung is definitely at the parlor already and Yoongi’s work hours are flexible- he had only been working on those hours to adapt to Jimin’s schedule.

He still accepts Jimin’s offer, the bell ringing on top of their heads before he can think about his choice any further.

A loud ‘Jimin-ssi’ echoes in the store before it is interrupted by a gasp.

“Hi. I brought Yoongi-hyung. Please don’t embarrass me.”

Yoongi doesn’t comment on how Jimin tells them his name, as if the two men looking at him already know him.

One of them laughs brightly, his smile blinding, while the other frowns at Jimin, offended.

It’s a fun hour.

Hoseok, Jungkook (as they introduced themselves) and Jimin work in entertaining dynamics.

There’s a familiarity in their exchange that Yoongi remembers Namjoon had told him the three knew each other for some time.

Still, Yoongi prefers to ignore the glances both Jungkook and Hoseok throw at Jimin, apparently knowing something Yoongi does not. Looking at Jimin handle the flowers with care and attention is far more interesting anyway.

Later, when they’re sitting on a bench near the ice cream store, Jimin apologizes for holding Yoongi longer than usual, despite also having left earlier.

“It’s fine. You got everything cleared out?”

“Yeah. It’s a pain working in the middle of people flirting, but nothing new in these waters.”

Yoongi looks at Jimin. “Hoseok and Jungkook like each other?”

Jimin laughs, baffled. “They’ve been dating for years, it’s disgusting.”

“I thought Jungkook was a hybrid,” Yoongi says, recalling the lack of body odor.

Jimin tilts his head. “He is. A bunny hybrid. Is anything wrong with that?”

A human-hybrid relationship, he means. Yoongi shakes his head. “They seem to fit well.”

The blond looks up. “They do, always have, I think.”

Yoongi really wishes he hadn’t let his curiosity take the best of him when he talked to Namjoon.

His mind is connecting everything and he is blabbering the question before he can stop himself.

“Do you like Namjoon?”

Jimin’s face blanks and turns to Yoongi slowly. He has a funny face when he mumbles, “Excuse me?”

Yoongi has flashbacks to their first walk-back. However, the question is out so Yoongi tries to make his point through.

“It’s just you don’t like Seokjin for ‘reasons’,” he motions with his hands, “ are greatly attached to Namjoon and human-hybrid relationships are ok. And you are always avoiding confrontations, so…” Yoongi feels that after voicing them out, his reasoning seems silly.

Jimin laughs. It’s a weird laugh, between incredulous and entertained. “Well you certainly have put a lot of thought into it,” Jimin rubs his face. “That’s a lot to unpack, oh my god.”

He turns his body fully to Yoongi. “I don’t like Namjoon that way,” Jimin says, fidgeting with his thumbs.

“I mean, sure I thought about it but never did I feel that way. Namjoon-hyung is family. The only I have, in fact, apart from Hoseok-hyung and Jungkook.”

Jimin pouts before continuing, “And the reason I’m so reluctant about this all, is precisely that. He’s all I’ve had. Sure, Jungkook and Hoseok have been with me, too. But first and foremost, they’re together. Namjoon was my person.

“When he came to the shelter, he said he was looking for company, and luckily, he took me. Then, Seokjin comes. And he has a cat hybrid, too. Why would Namjoon need me?” Jimin rubs his nose and then smiles small at Yoongi.

“Then Namjoon brings said other cat to our house, without my tell in it. I was already upset and it didn’t exactly contribute well, you know. Treating me like a pet who he takes care of and not someone who he shares the house with.”

Jimin sighs. “Every time I saw Seokjin or even you, my mind would twirl around this and my mood would sour. Bad instincts.” Jimin tilts his head, holding Yoongi’s stare.

“But I was starting to feel more motivated to try this all again since we were kind of starting to go out?”

Yoongi’s mouth drops slightly. “What.”

Jimin grunts, embarrassed. “What, what.”

The blond moves his head around. ‘Just like a puppy,’ Yoongi thinks. Jimin’s rambling brings him back.

“I mean we flirted, and go out and blush like teenagers, was I wrong to think that?” he asks, scandalized.

“I get that everything started terribly, mostly my fault, but I thought we were past that?” he wails, hands raised.

“So, these ice cream outings,” he points to between them, “were dates to you?” Yoongi asks, trying to get a better look at Jimin.

The blond covers his face and his voice comes out muffled as he answers, ”Kind of? Like getting to know each other better type of date.

“Thought it was clear.”

Yoongi hums. “And this is one of those dates?”

The other cat nods again, pretendedly given up from speaking.

“Alright,” Yoongi smiles, gums popping out. “That makes me happy. I like it. I like you.”

“Don’t just say that out of nowhere!” Jimin shouts.

Yoongi laughs softly at the younger one’s red cheeks.

“On a more serious note, I think the best would be talking to Namjoon and clearing those thoughts.” He says, pushing his finger into Jimin’s forehead. “I promise it’ll go alright.”

Jimin nods, reluctant. Then, Yoongi gets up, and drags Jimin with him.

“You’re going to the wrong direction, hyung.”

“I’m not. We’re on a date, right? Let’s do it properly.”

Jimin gives him a stunned look before laughing, loud and happy. Yoongi decides then that it is his favorite sound.

They stay out until Namjoon calls them, asking where they are. The night rushes through them and so does the next morning.

Yoongi and Jimin walk bumping into each other, hands intertwining midway to the florist.

Hoseok and Jungkook don’t let Jimin start working before sharing.

Meanwhile, when Yoongi retells everything to Taehyung, the younger laughs at him and tells him he can’t imagine his ‘unbothered hyung being so cute’. His laughs grow louder when Yoongi tells him off.

Even Seokjin, when he picks Yoongi up at Namjoon and Jimin’s apartment laughs knowingly at him, after he found the two sitting close together on the couch.

Namjoon and Jimin talk. According to Jimin, it was stressful and tears-full, but they both promised to stop avoiding talking and confrontations, and also to be more mindful of each other. Yoongi thinks they’ll be ok.

Taehyung and Jimin meet and they gang up against Yoongi, but as he listens to Jimin’s amused laughs, he figures he can tolerate it.
Yoongi and Jimin also keep on with their daily dates after work.

Sometimes they stretch until the moon is following them.

Whenever Namjoon and Seokjin go out, Yoongi meets up with Jimin, too. They mostly stay in, though, lazing in Jimin and Namjoon’s apartment. This night is one of those.

As Yoongi gets back from the convenience store, Jimin is laying on the armchair, wrapped in his yellow blanket.

The older one drops the bag on the floor and pokes Jimin.

“Yah. Make some room for me.”

Jimin peeks at him. “There’s plenty of space in the couch over there, Min Yoongi.”

“Don’t be a brat now.”

The blond smiles cheekily, as he sits up to make space for Yoongi.

The older fits right in, hand finding Jimin’s nape, scratching until Jimin starts to hum softly under his touch.

“See,” he says, giving Jimin a small peck on his lips. “Just need to make room for me, I’ll fit right in with you, puppy.”

Jimin hums again, eyes focused on Yoongi’s lips. “If you call me puppy again, I might just have to hate you again.”

Yoongi kisses him again. “Sure pup.”

- the end 🐈‍⬛🐈

AAAAAA m so tired it’s done!! hope you enjoyed this small ride pls remind me never to post unfinished threadfics again thoshskdj thank u so much for reading and interacting 😁

(+)

https://twitter.com/moonlit_pluto/status/1550490644489146368

pls do join me into the next silly thing i would love to have ya on the next rides too 🥺

@threadreaderapp unroll