lovestrippedbare | 𝕖𝕩𝕡𝕣𝕖𝕤𝕤𝕚𝕠𝕟𝕚𝕤𝕞

When the sun starts to filter in through his curtains, soft and with a warm, rosy glow, Jungkook finds himself immediately burying his face back in his pillows, chasing after the dark. Dramatic is not a word that he typically enjoys applying to himself, but he's not sure anything else quite fits the mood he's in, eyes still puffy from lack of sleep. He's afraid to look in the mirror. Afraid to let his limbs slip out from under his covers, out of the soft white, exposing bruises that should be varying shades of purple and pink by now.

His cheek still prickles a little against the soft cotton of his pillowcase.

The pain doesn't bother him. He's not sure that it has in years — doesn't even think that it was his primary concern the first time his father's hand slipped, too quick and direct to pass as an accident. Instead, shame is the emotion that lingers in Jungkook's bones. Not brave enough to stand up. Not strong enough to leave.

Not good enough to be loved.

A gentle knock on the door is what rouses Jungkook fully from his slumber, blinking sleep out of his eyes as he jolts up, instinctively reaching for the robe he keeps by his bed on nights like these. He's sure that he's slipped before, once or twice, in front of his mother. But enough covered tracks have always made it such that she doesn't question it when Jungkook claims that he's just clumsy, bumped into a boy at school he shouldn't have.

He's securing the robe around his waist when the door starts to creak open when he realizes — shit, his face. He doesn't know if the rash has subsided yet.

Doesn't know how he'll explain it, this time.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

"Ahh, that makes sense. Complementary colors. Kind of evening it out before maybe you add my skin color on top with more foundation," Jungkook murmurs, nearly nodding before he realizes that doing so would probably cause Seokjin to dab the color somewhere totally unwanted — like his eyes or mouth. He holds still for several seconds, not even flinching when Seokjin brushes over the area of the bruise — he's grown accustomed to the way that they ache, the sudden flares in pain. None of it really feels like a big deal, especially when the current touch is soft and gentle. Tender and full of care.

When Seokjin takes a moment to pull away and grab more color, Jungkook grins. "I just mean that with all the makeup caked on top, I don't know if my face will move normally. Like, sometimes I watch my mom after she's put on her expensive lipstick. Her mouth moves totally differently! It's really cute," he remarks, forcing his face back into a neutral expression as Seokjin returns to his face.

"Exactly," Seokjin replies in a tone of voice that makes it clear he only sort of understands color theory, and then only as it applies to makeup. Once again, he can't help being a little bit awed and a little bit unjustly proud at how brilliant Jungkook is. Although he jokes about being the one to raise him, Seokjin knows it's not really a claim he can make. Jungkook is just brilliant all on his own, the best of them.

All he can do is offer his limited skills and his bottomless care and hope, someday, it will be enough.

"Should I be putting expensive lipstick on you?" he teases. Probably not but it's easy to imagine how Jungkook's features might transform under the care of a real professional.

In spite of his best efforts to keep a poker face, Seokjin's question has Jungkook caving once more to a smile, giggling as he shakes his head minutely. The fact that he's using makeup at all already feels like a big enough change; he's not sure that he can really wrap his mind around getting a full face of it. It doesn't feel to Jungkook like the sort of thing that would suit him, anyway — he's a bit too boyish to make it work.

"Hyung can save the expensive lipstick for yourself, and maybe then you'll get scouted by a modeling company or something," Jungkook muses. It probably still isn't the type of job that Seokjin's dad would want for him, but Jungkook thinks Seokjin would do well nonetheless, all broad shoulders and height, and a handsome face to boot.

Seokjin's mouth quirks, amused by how close Jungkook actually came to the truth. He had been scouted once and he'd wanted nothing more at the time than to take the opportunity. His father had assured him that that kind of thing was beneath him and beneath their family.

Instead he shakes his head and smiles. "I prefer tints," he says, pausing to check the state of the bruise before gently smoothing on concealer and then measuring out some foundation on the back of his hand. "Etude House makes some. The bottles look like popsicles."

"Ah, I think I've seen some girls in class use those," Jungkook murmurs, pursing his lips at the memory. Back in middle school, makeup was much more closely scrutinized, with most girls needing to hide in the bathroom if they wanted to reapply any color — and anything that stood out too plainly was liable to get them sent home.

Now, in high school, it looks for the most part like teachers and staff have given up on trying to rein them in, and Jungkook feels like he sees different types of makeup and applicators all of the time.

"They kind of do a nice little stain on the lips, right? Not really changing the surface texture or anything."

Jin nods but doesn't speak as he furrows his brow, carefully blending in the foundation and making sure the bruise is totally concealed. There's nothing he can do for the tiny bit of swelling but there's no more discoloration and he's done his best to make it look as if the makeup isn't makeup. He finishes the look off with powder to set and dry everything and thinks this is the best he can do.

"What do you think?" he asks, flipping open a compact so that Jungkook can see his reflection. "I wish I could make it go away for real but this is the next best thing?"

On some level, it's true that it's just a little bit of makeup. The end look is subtle, not all too different from how Jungkook looks on a normal day — or at least, one where he hasn't had sudden breakouts pop up overnight. But what ends up getting to Jungkook most isn't so much about the makeup itself as what Seokjin's application actually achieves — giving him his dignity back.

Jungkook stares for a few seconds before he nods, pressing his lips firmly together, willing his eyes not to tear up. Failing, perhaps.

"It looks really good, hyung," Jungkook manages to reply, nodding again as he stares at his reflection.

"It just takes practice," Jin says, though his tone isn't particularly cheerful. He'd rather that Jungkook have nothing to cover up and not need the skill but the world isn't kind enough for that. Finding a napkin, he dabs at Jungkook's eyes for him and then a few other places. They both know he's not touching up the makeup but it lets them both pretend otherwise.

"You make a good model."

Jungkook can't help but hope that there are other reasons for Jin's practice. That it isn't just covering bruises that has driven the interest — that there might be other things, more superficial and more meant to cater towards his happiness, that have spurred his interest in makeup. But he doesn't feel confident enough to ask about it now, so soon after his own incident. He's been enough of a burden without dredging up bad memories; he doesn't miss the way Jin dabs around his eyes.

"I'm pretty sure the credit goes more to the artist than the model," Jungkook says with a small nod. "You'd make any of us pretty, hyung."

"Want to know a secret?" Seokjin asks rhetorically. He takes a moment to play with Jungkook's hair, artfully mussing it so that his bangs fall over one eye. Strange how the Jungkook he knows is so inherently good, even if full of mischief and teasing, but how the simplest change can make him look so armored. Jungkook looking out at someone through the fall of his hair is somehow icy, ready to fight.

"I think all of you are beautiful. Beautiful and talented and amazing. I just put some finishing touches."

𝕖𝕩𝕡𝕣𝕖𝕤𝕤𝕚𝕠𝕟𝕚𝕤𝕞

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject