Chapter Text
The next week was a blur. But a routine, Namjoon was able to note. Loud noises were a no from the maknae. Kisses were a yes. Cuddles were a must. Some moments Jungkook seemed to be more himself, but that’s all they were. Just moments that were too few and far between for the any the hyung’s liking. The brave, silly, adventurous, happy maknae they all loved had been stolen- replaced with a small, shy, timid and sad boy.
At some point Namjoon had left the room to be alone with his thoughts. He settled for a set of recliners at the end of the hallway. Any time Namjoon got too far into his mind thinking of how changed Jungkook was, he paused. So many people didn’t have their loved ones. He had to keep reminding himself of how lucky he was. How lucky they were. How lucky Jungkook was to even be alive. Maybe Jungkook was different, but he was still with them. Besides, it had only been eight days since the incident.
“Give it time, Joon,” Yoongi sighed, placing a hand on the leader’s shoulder.
“Ah, hyung,” Namjoon slightly flinched, “I didn’t see you there.”
“Aish, how could you when you’re so far gone into that brain of yours,” Yoongi took a seat in front of the younger, “It’s gonna be okay, you know?”
“How do you know that?”
“It’s Jungkookie. Our Jungkookie. The same kid we raised. We broke him out of his shell once before, we can do it again if we have to.”
I know…it’s just…” Namjoon’s eyes traced the floor as he gathered his thoughts, “What if he’s never the same again?”
“He’ll always be our boy. No matter what, Joon. You’re always gonna love him, are you not?”
“Of course I am!”
“And he’s always gonna love you. That’s what’s most important here. Look, I’m not saying we aren’t gonna need help, cause we are. I think it’s pretty obvious without me having to say it but we’re in over our heads. This is way more than we can handle without professional help. But that’s what the help’s here for. We have options, Joon.This isn’t something you should be worrying about, especially alone. Remember, he’s still our maknae.”
Namjoon wasn’t sure he’s ever been more grateful for his hyung’s encouraging words. He sighed with a smile, placing a hand on his brother’s knee.
“Thanks, hyung, I-”
“Guys! Guys, come in, quick!” Jimin’s eyes were puffed out- definitely tears.
Panic laced both the older rappers’ faces but before they could ask what was wrong, Jimin has disappeared from he hallway and back into the room. Hoisting themselves up, the two pulled the door open rapidly, stopping at the sight they were met with.
“Look, hyungs…” Jungkook looked up from his standing position.
He may have been frail looking. His skin was pale, his figure much skinnier, his eyes straining with fatigue, but there he was. Standing. On his left he held a nurse’s arm at her elbow, on his right he held Jin’s arm at a similar place. He was slightly hunched in on himself, wobbling and swaying as he lifted his eyes to meet his brothers. Needless to say there wasn’t a dry eye in the room. Jimin slid beside Yoongi as he clutched his jaw, tears pouring down endlessly. Taehyung went up to Namjoon just as soon as the rapper’s first tears fell. Hoseok sobbed as he stood behind the trio holding onto the maknae’s IV pole. Jin nuzzled his nose into Jungkook’s hair, tears silently falling as he whispered encouraging words in his ear.
“C’mon Jungkookie, let’s walk over to your hyungs, yeah?” Jin smiled against the maknae’s cheek.
“Mhm,” Jungkook grinned, eyes falling to his bare feet as he slowly took a small step forward.
Jungkook’s feet was barely lifting off the floor before he’d hault. His panting was increasing but the maknae still looked driven and determined to get to his older brothers. Namjoon was frozen, tears falling down his cheeks and dropping onto the floor. It took excruciatingly long, but eventually, Jungkook was in front of him, looking up to meet the older’s eyes.
“Kook…” Namjoon choked as he raised his arms- he almost went to hug the maknae, forgetting for just a second about the younger’s injuries.
He settled for placing his hand over Jungkook’s cheek, to which was nuzzled within a second.
“See?” Yoongi whispered through his hushed sobs, “Still our maknae.”
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
“Come on, baby, please,” Jin sighed, trying to hold Jungkook’s hand as the maknae tucked his clenched fists under his chin in protest, “No one’s gonna hurt you, I promise. It’s no big deal. You’re not even going to be leaving the room.”
“No,” the maknae whined firmly, “Please leave me alone…”
“Jungkook…you need to-“ Namjoon pressed.
“No! No…please stop…” Jungkook clawed at the blankets as Namjoon tried to pulled them away.
“Here, let me try,” one of the three nurses in the room approached Jungkook’s side, leaning in close with a soft smile.
As soon as her hands came in contact with his, Jungkook swiped a little too harshly, hurting his side wound in the process. He yelped out before crying for a moment. Namjoon couldn’t believe that he was watching his maknae have a full blown temper tantrum over something like this. He understood Jungkook had been timid since the incident, but he never expected this. He hoped that this was just a side effect from the drugs.
“C’mon, Kook. Make this easy. You need to-“ Yoongi tried.
“No, hyung! No!”
“Sweetheart, why won’t you do it? I know you’re shy but they’re nurses. It’ll be quick and done with the sooner we start. You’re gonna need to be reconnected to your IV drips soon or you’re gonna be sore,” Jin nuzzled his nose to Jungkook’s cheek as he attempted persuasion.
“No! I don’t want them seeing me naked, hyung! They’re strangers! And they’re girls!”
“Jungkook, it’s just a sponge bath! You need it. You haven’t bathed since we landed in LA. That isn’t good for you,” Yoongi sighed, rubbing his hand down his face as he crossed his other arm along his chest.
“I don’t care!” Jungkook protested, “No, no, no!”
Jin huffed, standing up straight. He held onto the maknae’s closed fist to ensure him that he wasn’t going anywhere, but he was about to lose it. Jungkook needed to be cleaned. Jin really didn’t think it was a big deal, but then again he wasn’t in Jungkook’s shoes. The youngest was already vulnerable enough as it was, on top of always been being a little more than reserved. Heck, Jin had lived in close quarters with Jungkook for over six months before he even saw him naked because the poor thing had been so shy. He knew his maknae well- there was no coaxing him into this. Every scenario that played out in his head, Jungkook would end up winning. Jin mentally cursed himself for always being a pushover when it came to the maknae line. But he was the hyung, not Jungkook. Regardless of Jungkook’s trials, it was still Jin’s job to take care of him and decide what was best. He looked down at the panicked and frustrated maknae, then to the three nurses as they huddled off to the side, seemingly trying to come up with a plan.
“What do you think we should do?” Namjoon groaned, “He needs to be cleaned up.”
“I know. I just don’t want to push him and make him more scared,” Jin explained, “I’m not about the force him to do this just because he’s too weak to fight back.”
“Hyung,” Jimin chimed in from where he, Hoseok and Taehyung had been sitting aside, “What if we bathed Jungkookie? I could help you!”
It wasn’t a bad idea. Actually it was a pretty good one. Jimin assisting Jin did seem pretty reasonable and something Jungkook would likely agree to. But they didn’t exactly know how to go about cleaning around his wounds.
“Namjoon, do you think you could ask the nurses if we could do it? Maybe ask if they can show me how to clean around the bandages?” Jin inquired, earning a nod from Namjoon as he approached the three women.
“Um, excuse me,” Namjoon began, the three females smiled in his direction, “Sorry, my little brother’s just a little shy. He always has been.”
“Oh it’s totally normal,” The young blonde lady smiled, “But unfortunately he does need to be cleaned. If he isn’t maintaining some form on hygiene he’ll be more prone to infection of the skin, bed sores-“
“I know. So I was wondering if we could bathe him instead? Would you mind possibly showing my older brother how to clean around the wounds properly?”
“Of course, that’s fine. However we’ll have to double check the incisions once Jungkook is back in bed,” The brunette nurse stated kindly.
Namjoon knew this was the only option, so he simply nodded with a smile as he called Jin over. The oldest let go of Jungkook’s bawled up fist and joined Namjoon on the other side of the room, ready to translate instructions to the eldest. One of the things the rapper sincerely appreciated about Jin, especially in a moment like this, was Jin’s particular attention to details. Within about five or so minutes Jin was confident enough that he and Jimin would be able to carefully clean Jungkook without issue. That was if the maknae would comply.
“Jimin, come here please,” Jin hollered, the younger at his side quickly, “I need you to grab the chair that’s in the bathroom closet and place it in the shower, okay?”
“Okay, hyung,” Jimin left for the bathroom, but what alerted Jungkook’s attention immediately was the sound of water flowing from the shower.
“I’m not doing it!” Jungkook scowled weakly from across the room.
“Jungkookie,” Jin sighed, walking towards the frightened boy, “C’mon, I’m gonna-“
“No, hyung. No, no, no-!”
“I’m gonna do it!” Jin slightly, but with control, elevated his voice.
“…Huh?” Jungkook huffed.
“Will you let hyungie wash you?” Jin tried gently, knowing this was the last resort.
Jungkook silenced, deep in thought. He really seemed to be contemplating the idea, so Jin kept quiet until he got an answer.
“Just hyung?” Jungkook pouted up to Jin.
“Just Jin hyung and Jiminie,” Jin assured, locking eyes sincerely with the youngest.
“Only if they go away while you do it,” Jungkook fretted, finally giving in.
Before Jin could turn his gaze away, Namjoon was politely asking the three women to leave the room, to which they agreed to but not before instructing Namjoon to press the nurse’s button on Jungkook’s bed once they were finished.
“C’mon, JK, up you go,” Jin began, to slowly raise and turn Jungkook as the maknae swung his legs over the side of the bed, “Hobi-ah, wanna grab his other side, please?”
“Yeah,” Hoseok grabbed onto Jungkook’s other forearm as the younger stood upright.
As they slowly made their way to the bathroom, Jin nodded to Hoseok above Jungkook’s hunched figure, indicating for the other man to wait outside.
“Thank you, Hobi. Could you get the door behind us, please?” Jin asked.
“Yep. Let us know if you need anything.”
“Will do.”
With the door closed, the bathroom was left with just Jin, Jimin and the already winded maknae.
“C’mere Jungkookie, come sit,” Jimin, clad in just his boxers encouraged the two to approach the bath.
Jin noticed that Jimin had already filled the tub about eight inches with perfect temperature water- what an angel the young man was. Always so thoughtful. A mental note was made to thank his sweet dongsaeng later.
“Jiminie, come let him take your arm for support,” Jin handed the maknae’s hold to Jimin before he turned behind the maknae.
He slowly untied the hospital gown, tossing it to the floor. He then began pulling the maknae’s briefs down before the younger could protest. To both Jin and Jimin’s surprise, he barely reacted aside from a slightly whine. The two gently helped Jungkook lift over the tub to sit on the chair. As soon as he was leaning in as comfortable a position as he could be, Jin removed his shirt and his pants, tossing them into the corner with Jimin’s discarded clothes. He then headed to the supply closet and grabbed everything the nurses instructed him to get- sponges, towels, soap and the special plastic bandages to cover the gauze covered incisions. Jin quickly got to work on covering Jungkook’s gauze with the plastic wrap, carefully pressing as the nurse had instructed. Luckily, the maknae only flinched once. He then handed a sponge to Jimin before pouring the soap into the water that sat at their feet. With Jin’s instructions, the two older brothers got to work on cleaning the youngest gently. Jimin was grateful when he gaged Jungkook’s reaction- the younger sitting patiently and almost contently. Or he was.
Out of nowhere Jungkook’s face scrunched and he huddled in on himself slightly. Before looking down, immediately knowing what the problem was. Without hesitation or reaction, Jin was taking a damp and soapy cloth to Jungkook’s privates, not even giving it a second thought. When Jungkook began to whine in embarrassment, Jin simply shushed him and continued, being quick but very gentle. As Jin was finishing the sponge portion of his bath, Jimin washed Jungkook’s hair- the maknae returning to a more blissed out state, before Jin lifted the squeaky clean youngest from the bath. Towels immediately wrapped around his body to keep him nice and warm.
“…I’m sorry, hyung,” Jungkook mumbled.
“For what, baby?” Jin momentarily stopped drying the youngest.
“For not letting the nurses do it…I just…”
“Shh, enough. It’s okay. I know, Kookie. Hyung knows,” Jin soothed, enough for Jungkook to start tearing up.
“Let’s get you back to bed, maknae,” Jimin came up from behind after pulling the shower drain.
Jungkook nodded as he allowed Jin and Jimin to guide him back out to the bedroom. They sat him down as Yoongi rummaged around his hospital bag, finding clean boxers that he slid up the weak boy’s legs once he reached him. Jin was tying up the last of Jungkook’s fresh hospital gown strings when only the blonde nurse returned, removing the plastic wrap bandages, and gauze. Carefully analyzing the incision, she sprayed antiseptic on fresh bandages before recovering them. She then set everything aside and re-hooked the IV before ministering a generous dose of pain meds. Within minutes, Jungkook’s content form began to relax into the bed, sleep peacefully taking him.