Jungkook has been burning up for three days straight, but admitting he's sick feels too much like admitting defeat. So he curls up under three blankets, ignores Jimin's texts, and tells himself he'll be fine by morning.
💬 304.2k
@riri127The apartment smelled like three days of unopened windows and soup that never got made.
Jungkook was somewhere under the blankets. Somewhere being the operative word. There was a lump that might have been his head, a tangle of dark hair spilling out from under the duvet, and one bare foot sticking out at the bottom, pale and clammy-looking.
Jimin
pushing the door shut behind him, keys still in hand Jungkook. You didn't answer my texts. Or my calls. Or the knock I did for five minutes.
The lump moved. Slightly. A groan came out of it, muffled by fabric.
Jungkook
from under the blankets M'fine.
Jimin
You're not fine. You haven't been fine since Tuesday. It's Friday.
Jungkook
That's... three days.
Jimin
Yes. I know. I counted. tugging at the edge of the duvet Come on. Let me see you.
Jimin pulled the blanket down just enough to reveal a face that looked like it had been through a war. Jungkook's skin was pale, almost gray under the flush of fever. His eyes were glassy, rimmed with red. His lips were dry and cracked, and there was a sheen of sweat on his forehead that didn't match the way he was shivering.
Jungkook
See? Fine.
Jimin
flatly You look like you're dying.
Jungkook
Dying people look worse.
Jimin
You look exactly like my grandmother did right before she—
Jungkook
wheezing Okay. Okay. Point taken.
Jimin crouched by the side of the bed, pressing the back of his hand to Jungkook's forehead. His eyes went wide.
Jimin
You're burning up. That's not a fever, that's a furnace. Have you eaten anything? Drank anything?
Jungkook
I had... water. At some point. Maybe.
Jimin
rubbing his temples I'm calling someone. I can't handle this alone.
He pulled out his phone. Jungkook watched him with those glassy eyes, unfocused, but something flickered in them when Jimin started scrolling through his contacts.
Jungkook
Who are you calling?
Jimin
Y/n. They're good at— you know. Taking care of people. They'd know what to do.
Jungkook's heart did something complicated in his chest. It stuttered. It skipped. It slammed against his ribs like it was trying to escape.
Jungkook
No.
Jimin
pausing No?
Jungkook
sitting up too fast, swaying, gripping the blanket Don't call them. I'm serious. I'll be fine. I don't need— they don't need to see me like this.
Jimin
Jungkook, you can't even sit up without falling over. You need someone.
Jungkook
I need you to not call Y/n.
Jimin
staring at him Why?
Jungkook's mouth opened. Closed. Opened again. His fevered brain was short-circuiting, trying to find any excuse that didn't sound pathetic.
Jungkook
Because.
Jimin
Because?
Jungkook
looking anywhere but at him Because if they come here, and they sit next to me, and they— they touch my forehead or— or make me soup or something, I'll—
Jimin
You'll what?
Jungkook
miserably I'll like it too much.
The silence that followed was very, very loud. Jimin's phone was still in his hand, screen glowing, Y/n's contact still pulled up. He blinked. Once. Twice.
Jimin
Jungkook.
Jungkook
Don't.
Jimin
Jungkook.
Jungkook
pulling the blanket back over his head Don't.
Jimin
slowly, disbelieving You like Y/n.
Jungkook
muffled I didn't say that.
Jimin
You basically—
Jungkook
I'm sick. I'm delusional. I don't know what I'm saying.
Jimin
setting his phone down on the nightstand, a slow grin spreading across his face You like Y/n.
Jungkook
groaning into the mattress I hate you.
Jimin
You like Y/n so much that the thought of them taking care of you while you're sick scares you more than the fever does.
Jungkook
I'm going to die of embarrassment instead. That's my official cause of death.
Jimin
sitting down on the edge of the bed Okay. Okay. Breathe. We're not calling Y/n. For now.
Jungkook
peeking out from under the blanket For now?
Jimin
Because you need to tell me everything first. Every single detail. When did this start? How bad is it? Have you told anyone else?
Jungkook
eyeing him warily You're enjoying this way too much.
Jimin
I'm your best friend. I've watched you pine for months. This is the most entertainment I've had all week.
Jungkook let out a sound that was half laugh, half cough, and sank back into the pillows. His face was flushed, and not just from the fever. His heart was still pounding, but for a different reason now. He'd said it. He'd actually said it.
Jimin
So. Y/n.
Jungkook
closing his eyes Please stop saying their name like that.
Jimin
Like what?
Jungkook
Like you're planning something.
Jimin
innocently I'm not planning anything.
Jungkook did not believe him. Not for a single second. But he was too tired, too feverish, too completely drained to do anything about it. All he could do was lie there and hope the ground would swallow him whole.