Chapter Text
Jimin returned to the Blades stadium, eager to improve Yoongi's image. The locker room was surprisingly abuzz with upbeat energy. The players were laughing and trading good natured jabs. Jimin approached Taehyung in disbelief. "What's going on?"
"It's annual Sin Bin night." Taehyung smiled. "Every year, we hit the club to kick off the season appropriately."
"You know it." Elijah smirked. "Only the hottest club in town."
Namjoon held his arms up in celebration. "I'm about to get my tequila on. If it's on the top shelf, I'm taking a shot."
Jimin raised an eyebrow. "Last I saw, Coach Smith was prying Yoongi's fist off Elijah's face."
Across the room, the culprit lounged near his locker, watching Jimin. "We hit pause just for tonight." Yoongi said.
Taehyung nodded. "When the team parties, we go vegetarian. No beef allowed."
"I'm more interested in taking someone home." Elijah said.
The locker room erupted in laughs and wolf whistles, but Yoongi just shook his head. "Better put that dream to bed before you get your hopes up."
"What about you, Yoongi?" Jimin asked. "Got your eye on someone special? Not that you'd have to look hard. The girls and guys must be lining up for the chance."
Yoongi raised his eyebrows. "And would you be in that line as well?"
Jimin cocked his head. "Depends on if I ever get that quote."
"I'm not going." Yoongi said, turning his attention to his teammates. "And we don't need to talk about the Sin Bin with the enemy. He's a step away from spinning a casual night out into a scandal."
"I'm not that kind of reporter." Jimin rolled his eyes.
"Every reporter is that kind of reporter." Yoongi deadpanned.
Half of Jimin bristled at the cutting remark. The other half remembered his conversation with his boss earlier that morning. He had stood in front of Leo Anderson, the one person standing between Jimin and the career of his dreams…
"Tell me I didn't hire some kid fresh out of school who doesn't know the difference between a news story and a gossip column." Leo said in exasperation.
Jimin shook his head. "Yoongi's redemption arc is a news story, Mr. Anderson. One with teeth."
Leo scoffed. "Those have a way of biting you in the ass."
"Last year, Yoongi hit rock bottom." Jimin said. "He single handedly cost them the championship. Now he wants to fix that. This story has stakes, tension, a hero to root for…and everyone's wondering if he can pull it off."
His boss regarded him with a cool air, letting the silence stretch until it was deafening. "Listen, Park. You're sharp, you've got a few leads, but all your info is off the record. If you wanna be a regular on Off The Ice anytime soon, you need verified facts. Actual quotes."
Jimin rose to the challenge in Yoongi's gaze, embers smoking deep in his belly. He wasn't going to prove Yoongi right. He would get his quotes the ethical way.
Taehyung stepped between them, placing his hand placatingly on Yoongi's shoulder. "Yoongi, don't be rude. You're going. And I already invited Jimin out tonight." Jimin barely kept his mouth from dropping open as Taehyung shot him a sly wink.
Yoongi huffed. "You go to brunch one time and suddenly you trust him?"
"Jimin's your good luck charm." Taehyung said. "You've scored every game since he started covering the team."
"I score every game because of my skill." Yoongi argued.
"Taehyung's right." Namjoon chimed in. "Don't mess with a good thing, Min. We don't need any more bad vibes."
Yoongi hit Jimin with a challenging stare and Jimin returned it, refusing to flinch. After a few moments, Jimin arched an eyebrow teasingly. "It's true that you've had a hot streak. In fact, you've been on fire. Who knows what could happen if you go a whole weekend without me?"
"I could have a weekend's worth of peace." Yoongi said without missing a beat. "And I wouldn't have to worry about taking so many cold showers."
Jimin smirked. "You know you'd miss me." Yoongi's eyes lingered on Jimin as he considered, and Jimin tried to sway him in his favor. "No reporting. Just vibes. Scout's honor."
Taehyung smiled. "With a few ground rules, of course. Anything you see tonight is not just 'off the record', it's forgotten."
Namjoon nodded. "What happens at the club stays at the club."
Jimin agreed and Taehyung clapped. "Excellent! I'd love to find out who wins this little staring contest but the club closes at 2:00 am so…" He went to grab his jacket as the rest of the team filed out, leaving Jimin alone with Yoongi's skepticism.
Yoongi's gaze rolled down Jimin's body and his voice sank to a husky murmur. "I'll be sticking close, Park. All night."
Excitement rushed through Jimin's veins, and his heartbeat hammered against his palm. "From you, Min? I'd expect nothing less."
***
While Jimin tore his closet apart in his search for something to wear, he FaceTimed Jungkook and brought him up to speed. "You've got to come with me, Jungkook."
"And do what?" Jungkook asked. "You know I'm only going to cramp your style."
"But I need a friend!" Jimin whined. "After all, it's a night off for us too! We deserve to let loose and have some fun!" Jungkook sighed as Jimin continued to beg him. "I'll play wingman for you. There must be someone on the team who's caught your eye."
Jungkook shook his head. "No can do, Jimin. I've got a hot date with a bottle of chardonnay and D.B. Sweeney."
Jimin shot him a look. "Tell me you're not staying at home on a weekend night to watch The Cutting Edge."
"Guilty as charged and proud of it." Jungkook grinned. "Toe pick!"
Jimin rolled his eyes. "Well, if you won't come out with me, at least help me choose what to wear."
"That I can do." Jimin held up items from his wardrobe for Jungkook's appraisal, and Jungkook rejected them all one by one. "Everything you're showing me screams 'reporter'. If you wanna blend in with the team tonight, dressing like a narc won't help." Jimin reached into his closet and pulled out a low-cut, see-through shirt and pair of tight leather pants that fit him like a glove and made his ass look divine. A splurge from when he'd gotten his first paycheck. "Much better. That's a look that says you're there to party, not snitch."
After pulling on the outfit, Jimin checked out his reflection in the mirror. He couldn't help but imagine how Yoongi was going to react when he saw him less buttoned up. "His jaw is gonna hit the floor!" He thought back to their first meeting when Yoongi had seen him shirtless prior to knowing Jimin was a reporter. Jimin hadn't stopped obsessing about how Yoongi's eyes raked his body with unchecked desire. Just the memory left him breathless.
***
When Jimin arrived at the club, he found Yoongi standing out front with his hands shoved in his pockets. He was scanning the street looking for someone…looking for Jimin. At first his attention skimmed past Jimin, then he did a double take. "Park? That you?" He asked in shock.
Jimin smiled innocently. "Well, I'm certainly not Elijah."
"You look…" Yoongi ran his eyes over Jimin hungrily like he was a starving lion and Jimin was a gazelle. Jimin wouldn't mind being devoured. "Different."
"I look like I’m off the clock and ready for a good time." Jimin smirked. Yoongi cleared his throat and shifted from one foot to the other, obviously trying to look unaffected. But the heat between them gave the game away. Beneath Yoongi's jacket, Jimin could see the contours of his chest peeking out of his shirt. Jimin wanted Yoongi to drape the jacket over his shoulders so he could get lost in the older male's scent. "Were you waiting on me? That's sweet."
Yoongi gave Jimin the kind of gruff denial he was coming to recognize and secretly enjoy. "Nothing sweet about it. If you're gonna be here, I'm not letting you out of my sight. I'll be watching your every move."
"I hope you do watch my every move." Jimin said. "Because I'll be sure to give you a show." He undulated to the beat of the music spilling from the club and Yoongi couldn't tear his gaze away. His eyes followed Jimin's every movement, drinking in his form. Jimin swore he saw the corner of Yoongi's mouth twitch.
"Show yourself through the door, will you?" Yoongi finally asked. "We're late." He jerked his chin to the entrance.
They approached the bouncer, pushing through a throng of partygoers. The bouncer fist bumped Yoongi then looked over at Jimin with suspicion. "Who's this? He on the list?"
Jimin held his breath, looking at Yoongi for confirmation. Yoongi made Jimin wait, a smirk playing on his lips. To Jimin's surprise, Yoongi took his hand and squeezed it tight. Jimin's knees nearly buckled at the sudden contact. "He's good. He's with me." Jimin clasped Yoongi's hand tight as the bouncer unhooked the velvet partition, refusing to let go as Yoongi led him inside.
As soon as they stepped through the door, the thumping bass drove Jimin's pulse and the scent of sex filled the air. They were greeted with raucous cheers and whistles from the team members who were already there and on their way to getting faded. "Our own Clark Kent is all grown up!" Namjoon exclaimed.
"Look at you!" Elijah whistled. "Damn, bro. Looking lethal out here."
Yoongi glared at him. "Eyes to yourself, Elijah."
Taehyung sniffled and pretended to wipe a tear from his eye. "I knew he could hang."
"Why do you all assume I have no life?" Jimin asked.
"Maybe because you spend every waking hour pestering us at the arena." Yoongi pointed out.
Jimin smiled. "All the more reason why I need to let loose tonight."
Namjoon lifted a bottle of tequila and waved Jimin over. "This right here…is the BEST. TEQUILA. On the top shelf. I tested all nine." He filled a shot glass for Jimin, tequila sloshing over the rim.
Yoongi grabbed a beer and raised an eyebrow as Jimin raised his shot glass towards him. "You gonna join me for shots, Min? Or do I have to show you how it's done?"
"I doubt there's anything you could show me that I haven't seen." Yoongi said.
Jimin set the shot glass down and bent over the table, wrapping his lips around the shot glass rim before tossing back his head. As the liquid pleasantly scorched down his throat, Yoongi's intense gaze never left his own. The wicked look on Yoongi's face sparked a fire in Jimin's belly that was even hotter than the tequila. "Your turn."
"I'll pass." Yoongi's wary gaze alternated between Jimin and the shot glass like Jimin was just waiting to pounce and catch him red handed if he dared take a sip.
"I'm just here to have a good time." Jimin assured him. "It's all off the record. Pinky promise."
Yoongi scoffed quietly. "I'll believe that when I see some collateral."
"What about Truth or Drink?" Taehyung suggested. "That'll even the playing field."
"Are you nuts?" Yoongi asked incredulously. "That's every reporter's dream. He's got you eating out of the palm of his hand."
Jimin crossed his arms over his partially exposed chest. "So you're not gonna play because you're scared I'll drink you under the table."
Yoongi narrowed his eyes, clearly rising to the challenge. "I'd like to see you try."
"TRUTH OR DRINK!" The group of hockey players immediately began chanting.
Jimin smirked at Yoongi. "I bet I could surprise you, Min." He sidled up to the hockey play, shouting over the music as Taehyung climbed onto a table to dance. "What kind of 'collateral' would it take? Hypothetically."
"Something sufficiently embarrassing." Yoongi said. "Dealer's choice."
"Don't you get it?" Jimin asked. "You don't need to blackmail me, Yoongi. If I ratted you out, I'd lose my locker room access." Jimin watched the scowl on Yoongi's face give way as he remembered their shower room rendezvous. Jimin remembered it too. He could feel the steam rising off Yoongi's body in the scalding shower, the weight of the soap in his hand. "After all, what we did in the shower is what we like to call an exclusive."
Yoongi raised his eyebrows. "Then let's make sure you keep it."
As proof, Jimin grabbed the bottle of tequila and poured a shot for his defiant hockey star. He stepped close to Yoongi, their chests nearly touching as he held the brimming shot glass under Yoongi's lips. "Bottoms up. Unless you can't bury the hatchet for a few measly hours."
To Jimin's surprise, Yoongi took the glass from Jimin's hand, looked him directly in the eye, and threw back the shot like a pro. "I can bury the hatchet." He leaned close, the scent of tequila and the proximity of his body almost making Jimin drunk already. "But I won't go easy on you."
Jimin grinned. "Do your worst. I'm not scared. I can handle my liquor."
A smirk tugged at Yoongi's mouth as Jimin leaned closer, unflinching in the hockey player's challenging gaze. "You're planning to drink? Wouldn't have pegged you for the deep, dark secret type."
"How many times do I need to tell you?" Jimin asked. "You're wrong about me."
Yoongi turned to the group, brandishing his arms in the air. "Let's play Truth! Or! Drink!"
Namjoon let out an excited cheer. "Baddie Yoongi's finally coming out to play!"
"Where's the bottle service hostess?" Elijah asked, looking around the club. "We need another round!"
After pushing tables together, the team collapsed onto the couches. "So who's gonna show Jimin how it works?"
"I'll demonstrate." Namjoon offered. "Hey, Taehyung. What's your favorite sex position? Truth or drink."
Taehyung answered the question easily, a twinkle of humor in his eye. "Missionary. As in the mission is to get off so I roll with whatever works." According to the rules, Taehyung didn't have to drink but he took the shot anyway. The team's roar of approval had the table rattling. "My turn to ask. And I choose Yoongi."
Yoongi rolled his eyes. "Of course you do. Whatever you ask, I'm drinking."
"But I was gonna be all nice and ask your favorite color." Taehyung said.
True to his word, Yoongi glanced pointedly at Jimin and tossed back his shot. His tongue slowly traced his bottom lip as he broke into a grin. "My turn." He glanced around at his team, but Jimin knew his eyes would inevitably land on him.
"I guess it's only fair." Jimin shrugged. "Fire away."
"What's the most devious thing you've done to get a story?" Yoongi asked.
"I aped a mic to my chest." Jimin answered honestly. "I was working on a story for the college paper undercover."
Yoongi cocked his head. "So how do we know you're not wearing a mic right now?"
Jimin smirked. "I can strip for you if you'd like. It wouldn't be the first time you've seen me in a precarious situation regarding my clothes."
Yoongi looked as though he was thinking about it. His gaze skimmed the contours of Jimins' chest, and Jimin couldn't help imagining how it would feel if Yoongi's hands traced the same path. "As tempting as that sounds…" The team gave Jimin props for playing along and Taehyung toasted him by taking another shot.
After a few more rounds, it was Jimin's turn again. He zeroed in on Yoongi, eager for his chance to finally grill him. "You're mine, Min."
"Do your worst." Yoongi challenged.
"How do you blow off steam off the ice?" Jimin asked.
Expecting Yoongi to grumble and take a shot, Jimin was surprised when Yoongi actually spoke. "What kind of steam? We talking the gym or something more like private training?" The team crowed, beating the table in encouragement.
Heat rose in Jimin's cheeks, but he forced himself to hold Yoongi's appraising stare. "Well, I'm certainly not interested in your gym habits."
Yoongi leaned in close, and his warm scent was intoxicating. Jimin held his breath in anticipation as Yoongi's gaze burned into him. "There's nothing like a good, long session to really take the fight out of you." The game moved on, but Jimin was still floating in the moment, his mouth watering at what he'd just heard.
Eventually, Taehyung grew bored. "Someone crank up the music! This party's getting way too tame!" He grabbed Jimin by the arm and pulled him up on the table to dance with him. Jimin lost himself in the neon lights and pumping bass, gyrating to the beat, knowing Yoongi's eyes were on his body the whole time.