Chapter Text
Dehydration.
That's what the doctor had said had been the underlying cause of Jeongguk's fainting, and she'd used some impressive phase to describe it.
“He had a vasovagal response to the hot temperature of his shower in combination with not having any liquids since the middle of yesterday.”
And Jimin had asked her what that meant.
“There are several different types of fainting. Vasovagal syncope, or the type of fainting your boyfriend experienced, happens when the body's blood pressure drops significantly due to a trigger. In his case, that trigger was the warmth of his shower. The temperature caused all of the blood to rush from his head, since the blood vessels in his legs dilated, and his blood pressure plummeted as a result. Dehydration also has to be present in order for vasovagal syncope to occur. So, ultimately, he passed out because he was thirsty and hot.”
Jimin had been awed at the amount of angst that came from Jeongguk not having his morning coffee.
(In hindsight, Jimin should have made Jeongguk drink something in the middle of their sex-capade late last night. Then, they wouldn't have been in this mess in the first place and missed their lunch out [because something important came up―that was all the explanation Jimin gave to his hyungs and Taehyung, and they didn't need to worry about Jeongguk because they barely knew him].)
Meanwhile, when Jimin had been in the hall learning what the doctor knew, Jeongguk had been sleeping in a patient bed with an IV connected to his hand, slowly getting more and more hydrated. Now that Jimin was sneaking back into his room―attempting to slide the door closed gingerly so as not to wake his sleeping boyfriend―Jeongguk gradually started to open his eyes and notice his surroundings.
The room he was in held just one patient bed and was rather small. A curtained window was situated in the middle of the short, white wall to his right, and along the short, white wall to his left were two doors, one leading to the restroom and the other leading to the room’s entrance. His bed was in the middle of one of the long, white walls opposite a cupboard and a set of chairs. An IV tower stood to his right, a tube attached to the back of his hand that was dripping something into his system, and he was wearing a hospital gown. He blinked blearily at Jimin, who marched toward him then, wearing a pocket-sized smile. Jimin picked up one of the chairs across from Jeongguk’s bed and sidled it up next to Jeongguk’s IV tower before he sat down.
“Hey. How are you feeling, Jeongguk-ah?” he questioned, his lips upturned in a sad half-smile.
Jeongguk could only croak out, “Fine,” because of his dry throat and mouth. (It was ironic that he was supposedly ‘hydrated,’ and yet his tongue felt like sandpaper when he pressed it up to the roof of his mouth.)
Jimin noticed his obvious discomfort and immediately got up to hand him a cup of water with a straw. As Jeongguk sucked, the liquid from the cup quickly disappeared. When the cup was finally empty, Jeongguk blew into the straw to make obnoxious noises so Jimin would brighten up (which only happened once Jeongguk pulled away from the straw with a loud, contented sigh, sending a dorky smile Jimin’s way that caused him to laugh).
“Alright, you goof,” Jimin said, laughing, his eyes alight. “You’re obviously feeling better!”
Jeongguk nodded, suddenly sheepish. He dipped his head a little, looking down at the IV in his hand as he whispered, “I’m sorry, hyung. I didn’t mean to scare you.”
Jimin gently pushed Jeongguk’s chin upwards so he could stare into his boyfriend’s face, and Jeongguk flinched when the soft pads of Jimin’s fingers made contact with his skin. They held eye contact for a while before Jeongguk’s eyes flitted down to Jimin’s lips.
Then, their mouths crashed together, and every emotion Jimin or Jeongguk had bottled up flooded into the kiss―Jimin’s fear and helplessness, and finally, his relief; Jeongguk’s confusion and fear, followed by his happiness. They surrendered their feelings to one another through the intimate contact, and the intense sensations they’d been experiencing in their hearts for the past two hours finally lessened until all that remained was their love and adoration for each other.
When Jimin finally pulled away, pressing a hand to Jeongguk’s cheek and running a thumb over his plush bottom lip, he spoke: “I’m just happy to see you acting like this never happened, like you didn’t fall and cause me a heart attack.” Jimin smirked, his eyes forming little half-moons as they scrunched up.
Jeongguk knew he scared him, and he wanted Jimin to know he hadn’t meant for this to happen, so he said, “Just thought I’d put it behind me by acting normal, hyung. I’m really sorry, even though I don’t remember anything after you told me we’d go grocery shopping on the way home from―”
Jimin laughed as he watched Jeongguk’s eyes grow to be the size of rice bowls. He blinked his comically large orbs before trying to ask, “Do they―”
Jimin was still laughing as he shook his head, grabbing Jeongguk’s hand to hold over his steadily-beating heart. “Nope! I told them something came up,” he said, bringing Jeongguk’s hand up to his lips to kiss each knuckle between words, “so Yoongi-hyung might be able to use that excuse against us later.”
He shot Jeongguk a smile before Jeongguk looked sheepish again, asking, “…Which one’s Yoongi-hyung?”