Archive of Our Own

It all started slowly, then it accelerated so fast it gave Jimin whiplash.

Days with Koo were sweet and comfortable, but mostly quiet. Every time he came back from the laboratory, Jimin found Koo reading books or staring out the window, always silent. He wondered if this would finally be the last straw, if Koo would ask him what was the purpose of his life – but Koo turned to him with a wide smile and hugged him until dinner time, unable to let go for more than three seconds. They kissed softly, Koo watched him eat, then he went back to his books. His thirst for knowledge could never be assuaged. Jimin stayed next to him and watched TV, holding his hand. Nights were a little less casual – Jimin knew Koo never slept. He waited for hours, pretending to sleep next to him, and sometimes disappeared to read a book in the living room instead.

Jimin often wondered what the future could hold for them. He loved Koo with all his heart, knew it was reciprocal, but couldn’t help being scared for what life had in store. Koo could not leave the flat – everyone would notice he was made of bread. He would end up in a laboratory, ironically where his life started, and Jimin couldn’t bear the idea of them being separated. How could they stay home forever? Would Koo suddenly want to discover the world he was reading about? Would he ever sleep, eat, feel anything? Was he immortal? Would he suddenly get mouldy and crumble? They had been dating for six months, now, and Jimin still couldn’t find answers to his questions. 

“You’re worried,” Koo said, squeezing his arm with his doughy fingers.

Jimin smiled sadly. Even though Koo didn’t seem to have a regular brain hidden under his crust, he had the complete psychology of a human being. Jimin was hardly surprised by the way he understood him so perfectly, but he sometimes wished Koo were oblivious to his anxiety.

“I thought you were focused on your book,” Jimin muttered, pretending he was still watching the television screen.

“You don’t breathe at the same pace when you’re sad.”

Jimin let out a dry laugh and turned to Koo. He was looking at him with worry, his shiny eyes made of crust perfectly conveying his emotions.

“I’m okay, Koo. I just– I think a lot about how we can go from here, what our future will be, but I don’t want to scare you.”

Koo stiffened. Jimin cupped his cheeks and kissed him gently, trying to reassure him.

“I have no doubt about my feelings, I just don’t want you to think about all the things that worry me, okay?”

“But I do, Jimin. I’m not a child, you know.”

Koo looked serious, and Jimin didn’t interrupt him. It was extremely rare for Koo to complain about anything. He had to listen.

“You always talk to me as if I were born seven or eight months ago. I was already myself when I was yeast, do you understand? I was sentient, I divided myself thousands of times, if anything I might be older than you.”

“I can’t help thinking that I am taking advantage of you. You’re locked in my flat, you know nothing of the outside world–”

“I read a lot!”

“It’s not enough, Koo!” Jimin almost snapped at him. “You don’t know anyone else! Some people will like you, others will hate you, I’m scared of what the world would do to you!”

Koo stayed silent for a while, looking at him with mixed emotions that Jimin couldn’t place. Then, he held his hands tightly. Jimin’s heart missed a beat. Any contact with Koo was electrifying, the intensity of their bond could not be denied.

“I know that, Jimin. I know about the darkness of the outside world, I feel it inside of me every day.”

“Really?”

Now, that was something new.

“Yes, really. I am not a simple piece of bread who smiles and kisses you, Jimin. I feel… all sorts of terrible things.”

“You never told me about this,” Jimin whispered. 

Boredom, annoyance, yes. Terrible things, though? Never. Koo took a deep breath, something he had learned to do after watching Jimin carefully.

“When you leave in the morning, I feel lonely. When you receive a text that makes you smile, I feel jealous. When I look at myself and see that I can’t feel anything on my crust, I’m desperate. When you watch TV while I read and it’s slightly too loud for me to focus, I’m frustrated. I’m not always enjoying myself, Jimin. I’m just like you, I feel things, and they’re not always pretty.”

“I didn’t know you were so sad, Koo…”

Koo shook his head and grimaced. Jimin hugged him carefully, waiting for him to press against his chest, and Koo did. He hid his face in the crook of Jimin’s neck, in need of safety. Jimin caressed the back of his head slowly for a while, waiting for him to calm down. It usually took him a few seconds to regain his composure after any emotion, since he had no heart making him dizzy from beating too fast. 

This time, however, Jimin felt something wet on his neck and pulled away immediately. What the hell, is Koo melting? His panic was soon replaced by a strong heartache.

“Koo, oh no…”

“I’m–” Koo said, touching his cheeks. “Am I crying?”

Jimin wiped his tears away, sad to see him cry but mesmerised. It was indeed water, not a weird creation of Koo’s bread body. 

“I think you are, yes… Are you okay?”

“I read that, sometimes, it makes you feel better to cry, and… maybe? Maybe it’s working?”

Jimin kissed the tears off his cheeks and Koo giggled, still staring at his hands where the drops had already dried out. They cuddled on the couch until Jimin fell asleep, Koo safely nestled against him. 

x

It all accelerated wildly from there. The next day, they talked about what had happened during the evening, and Koo vented a little.

“I am curious about the outside world,” he admitted. “I don’t think there is any way to do it safely yet, but I will always feel brave enough to do it if you’re with me.”

Jimin kissed him on the cheek. 

“We will find a way, and I need to think about what you should see first. What are you curious about?”

“The sea, the sand desert, concerts, the forest… The museums, any place you like…”

“I would love to show you all of that.”

Koo smiled endearingly and nodded. It was hard to find him so innocent after the revelations of the previous day, though. He was extremely far from being childish and constantly joyful, even though it had been obvious from the start that Koo was not young at all. It had been tough for Jimin to accept that kissing him was not taking advantage of him, and Koo had complained many times about Jimin’s tone and fears. He was not a child. Seeing him so negative all of a sudden made it even more obvious, now – it took Koo some time to adapt to his new body, but the humanity in him had always been there. Ah, yes, his body.

“About something you told me yesterday,” Jimin said, “that you look at yourself and you’re disappointed because you don’t have skin sensitivity… It’s okay, Koo.”

Koo looked puzzled.

“No, it’s not.”

“Why? You don’t need to feel, you can’t miss it if you’ve never felt anything.”

Koo shook his head.

“I miss it anyway. I want to feel your lips when I kiss you. I want to do… I want to do the things I read about in the books.”

Jimin felt his cheeks heat up dangerously. Is he talking about –

“Uh, okay, I see… I don’t think you’re equipped for that, anyway, don’t worry about it. You’re right, it’s disappointing that you can’t feel me when we kiss, but… Do you enjoy it, at least psychologically?”

Koo kissed him and smiled against his lips, giving him the answer he needed. Jimin sighed and caressed his cheek.

“If you’re happy about it, then it’s okay for me. There’s not much we can do about it, anyway,” Jimin went on. “I don’t expect being intimate with you in that sort of way, I’m satisfied like this.”

“I’m not.”

Jimin felt his heart drop. He was at a loss for words. Koo averted his eyes.

“I’m curious, Jimin. I want to know more about you, about what you like, even if I can’t feel it.”

“That’s not right,” Jimin shook his head. “I won’t do any of this to you if you can’t feel anything, you’re not a toy!”

“That’s not what I meant…”

Koo looked away and pouted, and Jimin knew he would have blushed if there had been any blood in his system.

“I want to see you,” Koo eventually whispered. “I want to see your body.”

Jimin bit his lip. He had to admit that he had never thought about it. He had never been naked in front of Koo and didn’t even know if he had ever seen his chest once. How awkward could it be? Was he supposed to get undressed and let himself be inspected by Koo? Right now?

“How–” Jimin stuttered. “You, uh– Now?”

“Uh… Maybe not, I’m sorry.”

“No, it’s okay, just a little– awkward, you know?”

“When are you usually naked?”

Jimin laughed and kissed Koo on the chin.

“When I take a bath, obviously.”

“Let’s take a bath, then.”

Jimin chuckled again, then frowned.

“That sounds dangerous, you shouldn’t get into water. What if you get mushy?”

“I will sit on the edge of the bathtub.”

Jimin couldn’t find any objection to that, apart from his own shyness. And I want to see his reaction…  

“Okay, fair enough.”

As they watched the water fill the bathtub, Jimin felt more and more self-conscious. Koo was constantly reading books about mythology, volumes after volumes that he made Jimin order online. What had he seen? Was he expecting him to be a Greek god? Jimin was muscular, without a doubt, but not like Zeus himself. He tried to keep the derogatory thoughts away, but soon realised that Koo was lost in his own mind.

“What’s wrong?” Jimin asked him.

“I did something, last week,” Koo admitted. “I didn’t tell you, and I’m embarrassed.” 

The bathtub was full. Jimin stopped the water from running and frowned, worried about Koo's revelation. 

“What have you done? Did you hurt yourself?” 

He couldn't forget the sadness he had felt when Koo had told him he had accidentally cut his finger once. Koo's crust was solid, but not that solid. He still heard it crisp a little when they cuddled too hard, and saw that Koo was careful whenever he opened doors in the flat or handled water. As much as Jimin considered him the love of his life, he was far from having a human body. 

“It's just–,” Koo hesitated. “I wanted to give myself a more human appearance, because… Well, you remember how I looked when you baked me, right?” 

Jimin nodded. Koo had a human shape, but in a very flat way. No relief. No chest, no butt, obviously no genitals, toes barely traced. He wore clothes around the flat and Jimin had soon forgotten what he looked like apart from his face and hands. 

“I didn't remove any parts, just added more yeast on top of it.” 

“More yeast?” Jimin repeated. He realised he had never asked how Koo grew that finger back, after all.

“Yes. Then, I put myself in the oven and shaped the bread appearing there as I wanted.” 

“Koo, I swear– ” 

“It doesn't hurt! I don't feel anything!” Koo defended himself immediately. “I don't feel the heat!” 

Jimin tilted his head and pouted. He obviously didn't like hearing about Koo entering the oven during his absence, but it was fair. Koo knew what he was doing, after all. 

“Can you show me?” Jimin asked, heart beating faster. 

“You first.”

Jimin blushed. Koo had never been so daring. He removed his t-shirt, staring at his feet as Koo eyed him with no restrictions. He wanted to cover his chest. Koo opened his mouth a few times without saying anything, then he shook his head.

“I forgot to give myself nipples,” he deadpanned. 

Jimin choked on his breath and coughed, earning a desperate look from Koo. 

“I’m sorry, Koo, it’s just– I didn’t expect that. It’s not a problem if you don’t have nipples, I swear.”

“Really?”

“Yeah, at least we won’t accidentally rip them off…”

Koo smiled and stayed silent, obviously waiting for Jimin to remove the rest of his clothes. Jimin got rid of his trousers and underwear so fast to enter the bathtub that Koo groaned in frustration.

“I didn’t see anything!” he complained.

“I’m shy,” Jimin replied, hiding under the water. It was transparent, but he was deep enough to look blurry.

Koo sat on the edge of the bathtub and ran a finger along Jimin’s collarbones, mesmerised. Jimin closed his eyes, feeling goosebumps all over his body, Koo’s digit soft but slightly scratchy on his skin. 

“I can’t see the rest without getting my hands soggy,” Koo whispered.

Jimin sat up in the tub and let Koo run his fingers all over his wet chest, trying not to shiver too visibly when he brushed his nipples.

“Why are you doing this?” Jimin asked, cheeks red from the heat of the bath and his own shyness. “You can’t feel what you touch.”

“I’m convincing myself that I can feel you,” Koo simply stated, and Jimin felt his eyes fill up with tears.

He let Koo trace his shoulders and arms, biting his lips when he felt too ticklish. After a while, Koo looked at him with what could only be described as hunger. Jimin held his breath, waiting for whatever his bread boyfriend would throw at him. 

“I want to see the rest,” Koo said, his features now unreadable.

Jimin got up, trembling as the lukewarm air of the bathroom touched his wet thighs. He couldn’t find it in him to look at Koo – he was too bare, too honestly naked in front of him to hold his inquisitive gaze. The next moment, Koo’s hands were all over him, touching his legs, caressing his belly, brushing against his hips and his waist. 

“Can I–”

“Yes,” Jimin said, unable to let him pronounce the next words out loud.

The sensation of Koo’s fingers on his buttcheeks and cock at the same time almost made him fall back into the tub on his knees. He had expected to feel pain because of Koo’s not-so-smooth skin, but his boyfriend’s hands caressed his body with carefulness, with light touches that left him weak. He wanted to say something to break the heavy silence surrounding them, but nothing crossed his mind. He was in a deep fog.

Jimin’s cock finally twitched under Koo’s hand, something he had been expecting for a full minute with embarrassment. Koo looked at him with curiosity.

“You look so perfect. Does it feel good?”

“G–great, yeah.”

“I wish I could feel that.”

Jimin couldn’t bear to see him so sad. He needed to distract him.

“Your turn, now.”

When Koo got rid of his clothes, Jimin had to repress a strangled noise. He had shaped his own body like a work of art – incredible thighs, a tiny waist, a large chest with chiseled abs and pectoral muscles… no nipples, though. Jimin was almost expecting to see a deliriously big cock between his legs, but Koo had made the right choice by going perfectly average. He wrapped his hand around it and Koo didn’t even so much as flinch.

“I like it, you’re the most perfect bread I have ever seen.”

“Am I not the only one, though?” Koo asked with a grin.

“I don’t care if there are any others. You’re mine. ”

They giggled and continued touching each other with curiosity, comparing their hips, Koo bragging about the new toes he had made himself. After a while, he leaned over the bathtub to kiss Jimin on the lips but lost his balance, his hand touching the water.

“Ow!” he shouted. “You should get out, it’s very cold!”

Jimin stared at him with wide eyes.

“What did you– Did you say cold, Koo?”

“I– I did feel something…?”

He touched the water again and frowned.

“No, not anymore… I think I believed it, but it didn’t actually happen.”

Jimin didn’t want to see him so disappointed.

“Let’s go to bed, I want to cuddle until you pass out.”

Koo smirked. It was a private joke between them, by now.

Jimin thought he would have at least one more day to think about the fact that Koo had potentially felt the temperature of the water. He was wrong.

x

When he woke up, ready to spend a nice Saturday with Koo, Jimin found him completely lifeless next to him. His heart sank and he shook him, his arms trembling from the sheer panic that this was over, Koo would forever be a random loaf of bread, life had left him as quickly as it had given him a purpose–

“Hm…?” Koo groaned, opening one eye.

“Koo!” Jimin shouted, making him flinch. “Koo, what the fuck! Come back to me, come back to me! ”

Koo finally moved a little, turning to his side to face Jimin. He looked completely lost, haggard.

“What happened?” he asked, anxiety painting his face. “It felt good when we were cuddling, and then… I was in a desert, walking to find water, and there were strange creatures around me… I don’t get it, Jimin, what happened?”

“I think… I think you fell asleep and dreamt.”

Koo nodded slowly, leaning into Jimin. His eyes reflected an apology that Jimin didn’t want to hear from him. It wasn’t his fault.

“Oh, Koo,” Jimin murmured, stroking his cheeks lovingly. “I’m sorry I got scared, it’s just– well, you had never slept before, so I thought you were gone.”

“Do you think I’m going to die one day, Jimin?”

I swear, Koo, maybe you shouldn’t read that much. Jimin held him tighter.

“Let’s not think about that, okay? Humans don’t know when they will leave, it’s the same for you. Let’s enjoy every moment together.”

Koo pressed himself closer, snuggling against Jimin’s chest. They cuddled for a while, Jimin slowly forgetting about Koo’s depressing thoughts. It felt amazing to lie down next to him, caressing his very solid hair, even though it left crumbs here and there and he had to vacuum constantly. Koo smelt extremely good, like fresh bread, and Jimin loved hiding his face in his neck.

All of a sudden, Koo’s hips started pressing against his thigh, and Jimin held his breath. What…? He waited, wondering if he had imagined it, until Koo let out a breathy moan. Jimin’s heart wasn’t far from bursting out of his chest. 

“Koo?” he asked, kissing his neck.

Koo grinded his hips more urgently, whimpering.

“I… I don’t know, I feel–”

“It’s okay, Koo, it’s okay,” Jimin reassured him.

He caressed the small of Koo’s back and his boyfriend whined, humping him faster. 

“Do you feel that?” Jimin asked, mesmerised. “Do you feel my hand?”

“Y–yes,” Koo panted. “It’s so… so strange, I feel way too much, actually…”

Jimin stopped kissing his neck to give him some space, and Koo looked at him with pleading eyes.

“I know what I’m supposed to do, but– I don’t know if I’m doing it right…”

“Do you want me to help you?” Jimin murmured against his cheek, and Koo shivered at the contact of his lips.

“Yes, please, I’ll tell you if it’s too much…”

Jimin wrapped his hand around Koo’s cock and tugged on it a few times, his mind wild with thoughts flying into each other. How long could he stroke him, as scratchy as his cock felt against his palm? What was going to happen next? Would he come? What would he come? Koo was shaking against him, moaning with no interruption, repeating Jimin’s name over and over with panic in his voice. Neither of them knew what to expect.

“It’s okay, Koo, whatever happens… I don’t care if it’s dirty, I don’t care if we have to wash the sheets. I love you, you know that, right?”

Koo nodded shakily and held onto Jimin’s pyjama shirt, obviously scared. Jimin wondered if they should stop, but Koo’s hips were thrusting harder and harder against his closed fist and he didn’t seem ready to end it there. Jimin wanted to kiss him, he didn’t know how long he would be able to restrain himself. Koo’s lips were parted, plump, shiny under the morning light peeking through the curtains, but Jimin decided to wait. He was feeling way too much, already.

“Jimin–” Koo whimpered desperately, hips stuttering.

“Let go, my baby, let go…”

Koo’s body tensed up and he groaned, overwhelmed, his cock throbbing against Jimin’s fingers. After a few seconds, his limbs went slack and he let his forehead fall against Jimin’s neck, exhausted. Jimin let him pant in silence until his breath slowed down, a few tears wetting his cheeks. There was too much to unpack within two days. Crying? Skin sensitivity? Libido? Orgasm? Breathing?

“Do you feel, uh… satisfied?” Jimin asked him, wanting to confirm it was over.

“Yes,” Koo simply said, snuggling against his boyfriend.

“You didn’t come anything… Nothing came out.”

Koo chuckled weakly.

“What did you expect?”

“I don’t know,” Jimin admitted. “Sperm? A sort of yeast mixture? Flour?”

Koo shook his head, still laughing. They cuddled until Koo sat up on the bed, touching his own arms in awe.

“I feel something on my fingers and on what I touch,” he said. “I can’t believe it…”

“That’s incredible… Are you actually breathing, though? Do you need to breathe?”

Koo brought a hand to his chest and waited, confused.

“I don’t know, it’s hard to say.”

Jimin sat next to him and pushed against where his lungs were supposed to be. What he felt was way more shocking. He looked at Koo with wide eyes, in utter disbelief. Koo seemed to understand at once.

“I have a pulse,” he guessed.

“You do. That’s– I don’t even know what to say…”

Koo suddenly grabbed him by the waist and kissed him, moaning at the same time when physical sensations rushed through his body. Jimin’s lips were the same, but he still felt as if it were their first kiss. Having Koo respond so strongly to every little tug on his bottom lip and his arms circling his shoulders was a completely new feeling. They kissed until Koo fell on his back and breathily told Jimin that his legs were in an uncomfortable position, something none of them had ever cared about. They marveled about the endless list of things that Koo had yet to discover, until Jimin’s stomach growled. Koo chuckled.

“I don’t think I feel hunger… Do you think I will ever have a digestive system?”

x

Jimin forgot to look after Koo while preparing lunch. He usually didn’t need to know what he was doing, since it was almost systematically reading a book. This time, though, Koo had a lifetime of sensations to catch up on, and it had started as soon as they had left the bed.

“That’s spiky,” Jimin heard him say.

He turned to him and saw his doughy boyfriend with a kitchen knife pressed on his own finger. Jimin didn’t think and ran to him.

“Don’t touch that!” he shouted, which made Koo jump in surprise.

Koo accidentally cut the tip of his finger and let go of the knife. The metallic thud echoed through the silent kitchen. He looked at his hand, enthralled.

“Pain,” he whispered with a smile. “I don’t like it, but it’s good to know.”

“Koo, show me your finger!” Jimin ordered, absolutely not interested in his boyfriend’s discovery.

The cut was superficial, thankfully, but–

“You’re bleeding!” Jimin let out, powerless. “You’re… bleeding.”

“You should but a plaster on my finger,” Koo said very seriously. “To stop the bleeding. I read that.”

Jimin’s heart was pounding in his chest, but he couldn’t help but smile.

“ Of course you read that.”

x

One hour later, Koo was wearing trousers, a coat, a big beanie, gloves, sunglasses and a face mask. Jimin had decided to bring him to his best friend and colleague Namjoon, neurosurgeon at the hospital next to his laboratory. He was the only person he could trust on this, even though he had not said a word about his crispy boyfriend for months. This would be hard for Namjoon to digest, but Jimin knew he would understand his hesitations.

He had called him half an hour ago, telling him he absolutely needed an MRI – not for him, but for someone else. After promising he was not bringing a pet hamster or any other animal he could just take to the vet, Jimin obtained an appointment with Namjoon. Luckily, a patient had canceled his MRI that afternoon. Good. Unexpected, but good.

“We’re going to take my car,” Jimin instructed. “Don’t stare at people, don’t remove your glasses or your beanie, just walk next to me when we arrive. Okay?”

Koo nodded, and the drive towards the hospital went smoothly. Jimin heard him marvel about the outside world, almost choking in joy when he saw dogs through the car window. 

“There are so many people!” Koo exclaimed, voice muffled by the mask. “I should have watched TV with you more often!”

“We can watch some movies together when we come back, okay?”

Koo nodded and continued staring at the crowded streets.

“You’re going to meet a new friend,” Jimin reminded him. “Are you excited?”

“Yes! Is he nice?”

“Very nice. He might be surprised to see someone like you, Koo. Don’t be disappointed if he reacts strangely, it’s just that… Well, you’re made of bread. There’s no one like you on this planet.”

“Would you make another one like me, if you found more sentient yeast?”

Jimin thought about it for a moment, waiting for the traffic light to go green.

“I think it’s a strong responsibility to give another body to a living being,” he replied. “Maybe I would do it, but I don’t think I would like them to live in my flat.”

“You wouldn’t replace me, then?”

Jimin felt dizzy. 

“Why would you say something like that?” he asked with a broken voice. 

“I don’t know… Maybe the next one could be softer, maybe you could actually have sex, or–”

“Stop,” Jimin interrupted him. “Stop, stop, stop, don’t say anything until I park the car.”

Koo stayed silent, sunglasses and mask hiding his face. Jimin was shaking behind the wheel, hot tears streaming down his face. He wasn’t sure he could understand his own turmoil of emotions. He drove around a little in the parking lot to find a quiet space and parked, releasing a long sigh.

“Koo, look at me.”

Koo lowered his mask and put the sunglasses on his beanie. His lips were trembling and he was almost physically getting away from Jimin, as if expecting to be scolded. Jimin removed one of his gloves and caressed his hand, trying to comfort him.

“Why are you suddenly so insecure, Koo? You were never like this before… Something has changed two days ago, do you know what it is?”

Koo shook his head and muttered:

“Nothing has changed. I used to hide it better, that’s all.”

You know what? Fuck this. Jimin struggled to sit on Koo’s lap, choosing to ignore that anyone could see them in such an embarrassing position. Koo seemed surprised and held Jimin’s waist, letting himself be cuddled on the car seat. Jimin wrapped his arms around his shoulders and kissed him deeply, bit on his lips as gently as possible to avoid hurting him. He was ready to eat him up. Koo’s cheeks were wet with Jimin’s tears. They ended up panting into each other’s mouths, eyes closed.

“I love you,” Jimin whispered. “You’re not some old television I will get rid of as soon as I find a bigger one. You’re my favourite person, okay? I don’t want anyone else.”

“I’m a failed version of a human being,” Koo breathed out so low that Jimin almost didn’t hear him. “I’m gross, my entire body is gross–”

“No,” Jimin cut him off firmly. “I don’t think you’re gross at all, Koo. You’re not a failed human, you’re not a human at all. Stop comparing yourself, you’re way more fascinating than any person I have ever met.”

“I don’t know if I believe you…”

“You know what, Koo? I think you’re a little more human than we think, actually. You can’t stay six months locked in a flat and not get negative thoughts running in circles in your head. Let’s travel somewhere together, yeah? I want to visit the world with you.”

Koo sniffed and smiled weakly.

“Can I even take the plane?”

“Not the normal plane. Namjoon’s boyfriend Seokjin is extremely rich, though, and he told me many times that I could take his private jet with him. You wouldn’t have to go through security, maybe.”

Koo held Jimin tighter and sighed against his shoulder.

“I love you, Jimin. I’m sorry if I made you feel guilty for creating me, I don’t regret having this body at all, it’s just– I don’t know, I thought it would be more simple.”

They couldn’t cuddle more than a few minutes, since their appointment with Namjoon couldn’t possibly be delayed. Koo wasn’t particularly noticed at the reception desk nor in the waiting room, apart from an old man finding his sunglasses impolite. Then, Namjoon got out of his office to meet them and show them the way to the MRI room.

“I don’t know if I should be glad to see you,” he told Jimin with a concerned look. “Is this for your friend?”

Koo didn’t move an inch. Jimin removed his sunglasses himself and Namjoon choked on his breath.

“Oh– Jimin, that’s– He needs a dermatologist, not a neurosurgeon! Do you know what is happening to you, sir?”

“You can call him Koo,” Jimin pointed out. “It’s not a skin disease, he’s– can you just start the MRI? I will explain everything.”

Jimin didn’t want Koo to hear that conversation. Being seen as a medical curiosity was the last thing he needed. Namjoon looked a little lost and confused, but he turned to Koo and smiled in a very professional way.

“Fine. Mr Koo, we will meet each other later, okay? Do you mind getting undressed in the small room on the left and wear this gown instead?”

Jimin didn’t have time to tell Koo that this was a standard medical procedure – he was already undressing in front of them to save time. Jimin could see that Namjoon was trying extremely hard not to faint or scream. 

“O–okay, fine, sir, Mr Koo, please uh– Lie down in there, it’s going to take forty minutes, uh– Woah, okay, okay. We will be in an adjacent room to monitor everything. You can talk to us at any moment, we can hear you. This is painless and safe, I promise. You might just be bored.”

Koo donned the ear protections to avoid hurting his hearing from the loud tapping noises. He looked scared and Jimin couldn’t help kissing him to comfort him as he lay down in the scanner. He then disappeared into the machine and Jimin felt his heart ache. Namjoon grabbed him by the arm without a word and carried him to the next room, where they sat in front of monitors.

“I don’t know what to tell you,” Jimin muttered.

“Is he your boyfriend?” Namjoon asked, his voice going dangerously high.

“Yes.”

“Is he literal bread ?”

“... Yes.”

Namjoon took a deep breath.

“I can’t– Well, no, let me start the MRI first, it’s going to be long enough like that.”

Namjoon set up the scan and said something that Jimin didn’t hear. He couldn’t look away from Koo’s face on the monitor, a little terrified oval on the screen. It was shattering his heart. Namjoon noticed his despair and squeezed his shoulder.

“He’s going to be fine… Me, though? I’m not sure. I don’t know if I’m having hallucinations or not right now.”

Jimin chuckled and finally leaned against Namjoon’s arm, seeking some comfort.

“You’re not. He’s made of bread. My boyfriend is made of bread.”

It felt incredible to say it out loud. My boyfriend is made of bread.  

“Ask me questions, Joon. I don’t know where to start.”

“How is he even alive?”

Jimin told him about the sentient yeast, then the way Koo had made him bake him into bread. Namjoon looked like someone had slapped him in the face a few times, but he nodded shakily until Jimin stopped talking.

“O–okay, I see. I’m pretty sure this is entirely impossible scientifically, but I saw him myself, so…”

“Do you think it was cruel of me to bake him? Be honest.”

Namjoon shrugged.

“I don’t know. It’s not our place to judge if his life is worth living, Jimin. Are there things that he can’t do at all?”

“He doesn’t need to eat,” Jimin explained. “He changed a lot in the last two days, actually, and that’s why I called you.”

“What’s new?”

“He cried actual tears… He slept for the first time, he started getting skin sensitivity, well maybe I should talk about crust sensitivity. He breathed, he bled. And, uh, this morning…”

Namjoon waited, then said:

“You can tell me anything, Jimin. I’m here to help.”

“I can’t say a lot because it’s very new, but he showed he had a libido, this morning. He humped me,” Jimin added, blushing furiously.

“I see… I looked away when he got undressed, but does he have… genitals, something?”

“He gave himself genitals, actually. He added yeast on his body and baked himself in the oven.”

“I… I don’t even know how to react to that.”

“Jimin?”

Jimin’s eyes shot up to the monitor, where Koo was calling for him. Namjoon pressed a button and tilted his head, inciting Jimin to speak.

“Koo, I can hear you,” Jimin said. “How are you feeling?”

“I… I don’t like it. I don’t like being locked in there…”

“We should stop, then. I don’t want you to suffer–”

“No!” Koo cut him off. “I want to know what’s inside my body, I just needed to hear your voice.”

Jimin saw him smile on the screen.

“I had to complain a little and I feel better, now. But you’ll have to apologise later.”

“Apologise?” Jimin repeated, amused. “What would you like?”

“If I have a digestive system, I would like to eat something that you will prepare for me, just for me. If I don’t, well… I would like you to buy me a big book with tons of pictures of famous natural landscapes.”

“That’s so expensive!”

“Promise!”

Jimin grinned.

“I promise, my baby.”

Namjoon released the speaker button and looked at Jimin, bewildered. 

“He sounds… Okay, I’m going to be blunt, because you don’t deserve any less, you’re my friend. I thought you were overestimating his intelligence because you’re lonely–”

“Thanks…”

“You know it’s true, you have never had anyone since high school. I saw how sad you looked when I started dating Seokjin. You wanted the same relationship but never found anyone, which I still don’t understand by the w–”

“Yeah, yeah well. Now I’m in love with Koo, so you don’t need to remind me of those awful years.”

“He’s intelligent, that’s what I want to say. I’m sure his MRI will show us that his brain can be compared to a human adult brain. The conversation you’ve just had was cute but not really childish. He’s smart, he seems to be emotionally mature too– not perfectly so, which is normal if he started living in this body recently.”

Namjoon rubbed his forehead.

“I’m impressed. With any other person, I would be scared to let you live with such a powerful being at home, because I wouldn’t trust them to take care of him. But you know what you’re doing, Jimin, and you’re a good person… I think it’s going to be okay.”

Jimin hugged Namjoon tightly and sighed.

“It’s hard, sometimes…,” Jimin confessed. “We don’t know what will happen to him in the future, if he will develop more human skills, that’s all very mysterious. He feels insecure, though, because we will never have normal sex and he thinks I care a lot about that…”

“Normal sex… That doesn’t mean much.”

“Sex without bread, Joon.”

Namjoon scoffed and couldn’t repress a laugh. Jimin giggled to release some tension, but Koo’s fears were contagious. Would they ever find a way to please each other without feeling frustrated?

“That nose,” Namjoon suddenly said, “the shape of his face… He’s your type, though. Exactly your type.”

“Do you think he sensed it and took this shape on purpose when I baked him?”

“Well, he could have gone for anything else, giving himself breasts, very long hair, a bald head, a completely different face… But he ended up looking exactly like your type.”

Jimin nodded slowly. He didn’t care if it was science or magic – it was destiny. They had found each other in a very strange way, nothing else.

x

Namjoon showed them 3D representations of Koo’s body on a huge computer screen, and Jimin was waiting for his explanations. He had never had to study MRI results for his research projects and didn’t understand what he was looking at.

“Let’s be quick, because I have an appointment in twenty minutes,” Namjoon said. “Koo… you have a heart and blood vessels, in a quantity really comparable to humans. It is in excellent shape, by the way, so congratulations for uh– growing a good heart, I guess.”

Koo looked delighted. Jimin didn't dare to say it aloud, but the words comparable to humans warmed his own heart. They would most likely live together. They would be okay. 

“This,” Namjoon continued, gesturing at a dark spot, “is where your digestive system would have been… if you had one.”

“Oh.”

Koo turned to Jimin with a worried stare, a million words flowing through his eyes. They would never eat together, Jimin would never make him discover his favourite dishes, Koo would never be able to cook because he couldn't taste it-

“I'll buy you the book you wanted, then,” Jimin told him, making him smile sweetly. 

But his soft expression rapidly faltered as he looked at Namjoon again.

“Will it ever grow?” Koo insisted, touching his belly. 

“It's impossible to tell with an MRI, I would have to open you up and hunt for stem cells–” 

“Do it,” Koo pressed him. “Please, do it–” 

“No!” 

Koo and Namjoon turned to Jimin, who was so desperate his fingers were tingling. 

“Stop torturing yourself! You're not exactly human, so what? You will always miss something, Koo, always. If you get a stomach, you will be sad because you don’t have skin, because you don’t have hair, because your tongue won’t be as precise as mine, because you didn’t go to college, because– it won’t stop, Koo, there will always be something…”

Koo looked at him without saying anything, and Jimin wondered if he had overstepped.

“You made me, but it’s my body, now,” Koo declared confidently.

Oh, shit, I did overstep.  

“If I want to be sad about how I look and how I function, it’s not your place to judge. You can be upset that I’m so negative, but in the end… I want to know more about myself, Jimin.”

Jimin sniffed and nodded. He grabbed Koo’s hands and caressed them softly.

“I worry about you, I’m sorry…”

“I worry about myself constantly, Jimin, and it won’t make it better if you add your own worry to it.”

Jimin felt terrible, but he could understand him. Koo had most likely hidden his feelings until now to avoid Jimin interfering in his life. He seemed to be pretty secretive and wanted comfort when he voiced it, not before he said anything. It hurt Jimin to put a stop to his own protective reflexes, but he would have to make an effort for Koo’s sake.

“What I think Jimin meant,” Namjoon chimed in, “is that opening you to search for missing organs might be uselessly painful. Stem cells can’t be seen without a microscope, so let’s say I take a few parts of your body to check what you’re made of… What if I accidentally remove all your stem cells and your only chance to get a digestive system?”

Koo nodded, looking grim.

“Moreover,” Namjoon continued, “I’m not sure I could perform surgery on you. How am I supposed to close you afterwards?”

“You could put yeast on me and put me in the oven, that’s what I do everytime.”

“You can feel pain and differences in temperature, now,” Namjoon reminded him. “The pain would be absolutely unbearable, maybe you would die in there…”

“That’s true! And what will happen if you cut your fingers again?” Jimin asked, alarmed. 

“We could put a prosthesis on him,” Namjoon said, “but be careful as much as possible. It’s not my main specialisation, and I can’t promise you it would look great. I wouldn’t send him to any other doctor either, they wouldn’t keep their mouth shut. On a brighter note, look at these pictures. Koo has no bone or muscle anywhere, but he has lungs and a brain!”

Jimin immediately forgot about their depressing conversation and squeezed Koo’s doughy hair.

“I knew it! You have a big brain, Koo!”

“Same as the heart,” Namjoon added. “In good condition, nothing to say. It’s a brain without a skull, though, so be extremely careful about your head. Don’t hit it needlessly, Koo.”

They looked at many pictures, fascinated by the MRI results.

“Do you have questions, Koo? You can call me anytime, if you want to know more about brains. That’s… my job, more than bakery.”

“I have one, actually,” Koo averted his eyes. “Do I have a prostate?”

Jimin choked on his spit and coughed in his hand, looking away. Oh lord. Namjoon visibly tried to sport his most professional face. He clicked on another set of pictures. 

“So, uh… I have no idea how your penis works, to be honest. Blood rushes there, I can see the vessels, but you have no testicles.”

Jimin nodded. Logical, so far. 

“You have something where the prostate should be, but it doesn't really look like one, to be honest… You also clearly have an anus, but it's a dead-end since you have no intestines. I don't really know how that's possible.”

I hope he didn't–

“I dug it myself,” Koo said. “Jimin, don't say anything. Please.”

Jimin forced himself not to even think about it. He's a grown bread. His body, his problem. But, still– NO. Shut up, brain. 

“I guess you asked for, uh– sexual intercourse,” Namjoon went on. “I don't know if it will be comfortable or not, I would say it's your own story now. You're unique, Koo, and I don't have all the answers.”

Koo smiled. 

“I know. Thank you so much for everything, you helped me a lot… It's good to have a new friend. We are friends, right?”

Namjoon cooed. 

“You're adorable, Koo, of course I'm your friend.”

“I have one last question.” 

“Yes?” 

“Is it true that we can use your rich boyfriend's plane?”

“Jimin, you've baked yourself a very smart lover.”

x

In the car, Jimin found he couldn’t just drive home wordlessly. His relationship with Koo had taken a new direction, one of mutual understanding of their limits. Jimin intertwined their fingers and took a deep breath.

“That was a lot.”

Koo removed his sunglasses with his other hand, and for the first time since they had met, Jimin felt it. They understood each other. Not just a word to describe the fact that they didn’t fight each other constantly. Real understanding. 

“I’m happy to know that I will live a long, normal life,” Koo said, lowering his face mask to smile. “Are you relieved too?”

Jimin suddenly felt a wave of emotion hit him like a truck. He was going to burst. Tears were already rolling down his cheeks before he could stop them. 

“Jimin?”

“Hold me,” Jimin sobbed, opening his arms.

They hugged more tightly than ever, cupping each other’s cheeks and kissing feverishly. There was no arousal in their embrace, just the absolute certainty that they were going to be fine. It was a promise, not just hope. Koo panted against Jimin’s lips, then kissed him again.

“Please don’t cry,” he murmured, peppering his cheeks with more kisses. “Are you sad?”

“No,” Jimin shook his head, leaning into Koo’s crusty lips. “I love you so much, I don’t know– I felt emotional…”

Koo chuckled and nuzzled his cheek.

“Can we go home?” he asked softly. “I want to watch a movie and cuddle on the couch.”

“I would like to go somewhere first, you might like it.”

“Oh?”

“Put your sunglasses on and be very careful, okay?”

Jimin drove through the city and parked near a big store. The car was surrounded by other vehicles and people. Jimin checked that Koo was wearing his beanie, sunglasses, mask and gloves.

“Follow me.”

“In front of everyone?”

Jimin held his hand through the parking lot, feeling him extremely stiff at his side.

“It’s okay, Koo. Be natural.”

“I have never seen so many people, where are we going?”

“It’s your gift.”

They entered the store – a book shop. Jimin turned to Koo and smiled.

“You’re going to choose your books yourself, now. Enjoy and be careful!”

Koo jumped a little on his feet, the only way to know he was excited. He left him to roam around the store, and Jimin felt naked, exposed. It was terrifying to leave Koo alone like this, but they had to cross that step. It was the culmination of the trust they had to give each other. Yes, it was dangerous, and Jimin was partly responsible for Koo’s safety, but he had to let him take his own risks. He was smart enough to know what would look suspicious in public or not. 

Jimin chose a few books for himself and found Koo in the art section, hesitating between two big books about Van Gogh. He waited, mesmerised by the way Koo opened more books to compare them.

“I don’t know which one I should take,” Koo suddenly said.

“I thought you hadn’t seen I was there. Are you alright?”

“Uh-uh… I don’t know which one to get, they’re both beautiful.”

Jimin grabbed the two books and put them in his cart. Koo shook his head, almost vibrating with excitement from head to toe.

“No, that’s expensive!”

“It’s okay, Koo, it’s not a car or something… Two books.”

“I don’t bring any money to the flat–”

“How much do you think you cost me, Koo? You don’t even eat or shower,” Jimin whispered. People around them didn’t need to hear such a questionable conversation with no context.

“Oh… Okay, thank you Jimin.”

“I’d like you to choose one more book, though. You wanted something with natural landscapes pictures, right?”

“Yes, but–”

“Pick the best book you can find, and you will choose where we will travel first this year. Your favourite place to visit.”

Jimin had expected Koo to tell him it was too expensive, or to thank him shyly, but his declaration was only met with silence. After a short while, he saw tears fall from under Koo’s sunglasses, forming little wet patches on his face mask.

“Oh, Koo, my baby…”

Jimin squeezed Koo’s shoulders and caressed his face over the mask. He stopped trembling and took Jimin’s hand to choose the book with him in the Travel section of the book store.

x

They spent the evening on the couch, limbs tangled and eyes stuck on the pictures of beautiful landscapes all around the world.

“I don’t know what to choose,” Koo admitted, leaning against Jimin’s shoulder. 

“Take your time, I can’t take days off before next month… And we have to ask Seokjin first, even if I’m sure he will be delighted.”

“Is he nice? Do you think he will be my friend?”

“He’s a really great man, with a strong passion for food. He’s an international chef, actually, and he has opened more than ten restaurants! I think he will be interested to know more about you… Promise me you won’t let him taste your crust.”

“Do you think he will ask?”

“I am certain he will, bun.”

Koo grinned at the nickname and closed his eyes.

“It’s so strange…,” he muttered. “I know what it feels like to be tired because I’ve read about it, but it’s the first time I actually experience it.”

“Let’s go to bed, then,” Jimin told him kissing his forehead gently.

“I hate that feeling,” Koo went on. “And I hate that I won’t be able to read all night anymore.”

“You need to sleep to keep your heart and brain in good shape. And we’ll cuddle.”

Koo smiled and let himself be led to the bedroom, where he collapsed and fell asleep before Jimin could even wish him a good night. He listened to his slow breathing until his mind was at ease, convinced that Koo would still be here in the morning, alive and well. 

When Koo woke him up in the middle of the night, whimpering from a nightmare, he held him in his arms and kissed his worries away.

“I hate sleeping, it’s scary,” Koo whispered.

“It was a long and emotional day for you, bun,” Jimin told him. “Your brain doesn’t know how to process it properly. It will get better when our lives are more– normal, with a routine. I promise.”

Koo nodded and fell asleep in Jimin’s arms, this time with no nightmare to ruin their moment of serenity.

x

Life went on smoothly. They discovered each other’s bodies slowly, one step at a time. Jimin became aware of how dedicated Koo was about anatomy. Listening to Koo describe how Jimin’s penis was supposed to function like an encyclopaedia was half awkward and half arousing, in a way he couldn’t quite understand himself. 

Jimin loved watching Koo fall apart under his hands and against his tongue, his doughy boyfriend still way more sensitive than he was. They had found a way to touch each other without hurting Jimin’s hand and cock, with gloves and lube. Jimin could see that it wasn’t enough for Koo, that he wanted to go further and not spend a few minutes stroking each other’s cocks every night, even if it made him almost black out from pleasure.

Jimin found that there was no way to make sure penetrative sex would be enjoyable for both of them without trying. He had spent enough time being sick with worry on websites explaining how random guys had injured their genitals with bread, after some experimental sexual practices. They had to try, period.

“Bun?” Jimin finally asked one night, as they started getting heated in bed, Koo whimpering against the pillow and rutting his hips against Jimin’s crotch.

“Hm?”

“Want to try something more?”

Koo’s eyes widened and he nodded eagerly. 

The first test was an absolute mess. Koo prepped him as well as he could, but Jimin couldn’t find the strength to tell him that it felt weird. He was not used to fingers feeling that stiff, nor to the occasional scratch that sent electric jolts to his toes. God, it was terrible. When Koo pushed the tip of his cock against his rim, wearing a condom with as much lube as humanly possible, Jimin knew it was over.

“No,” he blurted out. 

Koo froze, but there was understanding on his face. He had obviously felt from the start that something was off. He stroked Jimin’s belly slowly, comforting him.

“It feels weird, right? Bread feels weird?”

“I’m so sorry, Koo–”

“No, no, you don’t have to force yourself!”

Koo lay down on Jimin and kissed him soundly, letting their cocks rub together. Jimin moaned and held Koo tighter, feeling him shiver under his touch. 

“I love you,” Koo panted. “I don’t care if we only do it with our hands or with toys. It’s okay, Jimin, it’s already great like this.”

Jimin’s worries melted away as Koo kissed him and caressed his hair. He was allowed to feel uncomfortable, even though he wished he had denied it when Koo called his own body weird.

“Can we try it the other way around?” Jimin muttered, blushing deeply. “If you want to, of course.”

He was still unbearably aroused, and curious. Koo didn’t hesitate one second and brought Jimin’s hand to his buttcheeks. 

“I made it smooth, just for you.”

Jimin’s face warmed up even more dangerously. He pushed one finger inside as slowly as possible, wondering if it would be scratchy or not, if he would need a glove – but it was indeed the smoothest part of Koo’s body. Okay. Game on. He grabbed Koo by the hips and turned him around on his back, before attacking his solid thighs with hungry kisses. Koo whined and whispered Jimin’s name over and over, trembling under him.

“Jimin, please,” he begged.

Koo grabbed one of his hands and led it again to his rim, panting louder.

“Jimin…”

Jimin couldn’t find it in his heart to tease him. He discovered pretty quickly that Koo didn’t need to be prepped – his hole felt like the inside of a baguette, although thankfully harder than the real thing. Jimin pushed a third finger in his boyfriend and watched him squirm. He had no idea if he had touched Koo’s prostate or not, the sensation was way too different from his own body – until Koo almost jumped out of his skin in surprise. 

“Jimin!” he shouted. “Jimin–”

“Did it feel good?”

“Jimin, please– You’re going to make me– I’m crumbling!”

Jimin took his fingers out and playfully licked the tip of Koo’s cock, making him whine louder.

“Was that a pun, baby?” he teased him.

“I– I don’t know–”

“Don’t worry, I’m going to give you what you want.”

Jimin was infinitely worried as he pushed the tip of his cock inside Koo, but he tried his best to hide it. To his own surprise, he bottomed out in no time. Any trace of air had left his lungs as he watched Koo carefully, waiting for the smallest hint of discomfort to pull out. 

“Are you okay?” he asked, caressing Koo’s chest with the tip of his fingers.

“It’s… new.”

Jimin leaned down and kissed his neck, not getting enough of Koo’s faint moans every time his lips touched the tiniest parcel of his crust. He couldn’t believe this was going to work out, somehow. He was actually inside Koo. That was wild. Koo took a deep breath and smiled, his little bread teeth shining under their bedroom ceiling lamp.

“Can you move?”

Jimin snapped his hips slowly once and almost stopped when Koo wailed in pleasure, losing his mind and shivering at the smallest movement. Jimin thrust into him carefully, more turned on by the way Koo was melting under him, crying out that he had never felt so good, than by the actual friction his cock was getting. The sensation was foreign but enjoyable, and heat was already pooling in his lower belly.

“Are you close?” Jimin asked, panting into Koo’s neck. 

Koo whined something unintelligible, his voice so shaky it was almost concerning.

“Koo?”

“I’ve– Already twice, twice–”

Jimin gasped. He wanted to come on Koo’s body and not inside, as he had no idea how to clean him afterwards, but he should have stopped it way earlier – Koo was extremely overstimulated, to the point he could barely form coherent sentences. Jimin pulled out and stroked his cock three times before he spilled all over Koo’s chest, moaning loudly. It took him a minute to come down from his high, overwhelmed by Koo’s blinding pleasure and his own climax. 

Jimin cupped Koo’s face and kissed him. 

“I’m sorry, I didn’t know you had come. Did it hurt?”

“Not really, but– I couldn’t think straight,” Koo replied, eyes closed, ready to go back to the nice dreams that had finally replaced his nightmares.

Jimin cleaned Koo’s belly and wiped away the few tears that had rolled down his cheeks. He tucked him under the bed sheets and kissed his temple.

“I love you, Koo,” he muttered, wrapping his arm around Koo’s waist and pressing his chest against him.

“I love you too, thank you for trying this… Even if it didn’t work at first.”

“Maybe it will, one day… We have a lot of different things to try, you know?”

Koo chuckled, half asleep.

“Yeah… And also, I forgot to tell you… I think I know where we should travel with Seokjin’s plane.”

“Oh? Where?”

Jimin waited for his answer, but Koo stayed silent. He turned his head to look at him and saw he was completely out, already snoring lightly. Jimin grinned and pulled his bread boyfriend closer. He had never been happier.