Chapter Text
It’s Yoongi’s shift to watch you two, 2 to 4 AM so Jin and Namjoon can get some much needed sleep, the paramedic too, though he’s on call in case something should happen. Not that anything should happen. So he has no reason to be nervous. It’s just two sleeping, sick, kids.
One of whom has snuggled closer to the other in his feverish state.
He’s not sure if he should separate the two of you or not.
When you fell asleep, Jungkook was holding your hand, but you wake up to find him much closer than that, the other hand clinging to your sweater sleeve as his face presses into your shoulder. His knee hits your leg.
You sit up slightly, blushing when you see Yoongi observing you from the corner, notebook in hand. “Are you okay?” He asks, voice so low it’s nearly a growl.
You nod, sparing a glance at the boy beside you as he curls more into a ball, coughing weakly in his sleep.
“Are you sure?” The rapper continues, nodding at Jungkook beside you.
“As long as it’s okay with the company,” you respond weakly.
He just shrugged. “I don’t mind. Doubt anyone else will at this point.”
“Okay. I have to get up though.” You pry his hands off of you, meeting with some resistance before he suddenly rolls over and curls up into a little ball.
You frown a little, noticing that his skin is quite red. "When was his temperature last checked?" You ask, leaking over to feel his forehead. "He's burning up."
Yoongi frowns, rising from the armchair in the corner of the room. "It was a couple hours ago. I'll check, you take care of yourself."
You're right, Yoongi finds, startled, as Jungkook's temperature has spiked to a startling 40° C (104°F). Ever since you left for the restroom, he's been tossing and turning, even pushing Yoongi away from taking his temperature. Normally sleepy grumpy Jungkook would amuse him, but this isn’t normal. None of this last 24 hours has been normal, and Jungkook suddenly springing up from the mattress, calling frantically for “Noona!” is the cherry on top.
“Hyung, Hyung, where’s Noona?” He cries, staring at Yoongi with wild eyes. “The snow- you’ve got to get her!”
“She’s in the bathroom,” Yoongi soothes, sinking down on the mattress next to him and running his thumbs over his brother’s clammy hands.
“The snow, hyung,” Jungkook repeats, voice cracking. Yoongi goes to reach for some water, but his hand is gripped tight.
“Jungkook-ah, she’s here, she’s safe,” he repeats gently, realizing that Jungkook’s not quite all there. “See, we’re in the hotel, and she’s in the restroom. She’ll be out soon.”
He just stares back, eyes hazy. Then a racking cough takes over his body, and when its grip leaves him, slumps forward into Yoongi. “The snow, hyung. Out in the snow. It’s cold.”
Yoongi’s heart stutters, and while he’s glad the younger has calmed down, the temperature is still bad, and he’s still delirious.
Time to call the paramedic.
In the privacy of the restroom you curled up in the corner and opened your phone, catching up on the various concerned messages from roommate and coworkers alike. Then you simply took a breather. It was strange being in such an intimate vicinity with the Bangtan Boys, no other managers, no cameras. Yoongi had reacted kindly, and Jungkook, well- he was just sweet. And you were too tired and slow-brained at present to be worried about it.
What you hadn’t realized was that the bathroom was so soundproof, upon opening the door to complete and utter chaos- Namjoon opening the fridge door and something spilling, Jin stuffing something into a bag, while listening to the paramedic’s conversation with Sejin and Yoongi, the latter of which was explaining rapidly about what had probably transpired in the past twenty-odd minutes.
And in the center of it all was Jungkook, crying, clutching his head with one hand, gripping Yoongi’s with the other.
It takes you a long minute to figure out what all’s going on and another to figure out just what Jungkook’s repeating over and over again.
Then, when all eyes turn curiously to you, you ask. “He’s talking about me, right?”
“Hey,” you say, a minute later, settling next to the bed and reaching out to tentatively rub Jungkook’s shoulder. He’s rocking back and forth, clutching his head and muttering to himself. “Jungkook-ssi.”
“Huh?” His head whips up, and he cringes, hands flying back up to his temples. “Agh…”
Your heart pangs at the sight of his pained expression. “Lie down, Jungkook-ssi,” you continue, ignoring the eyes on you, “You need to rest.”
He blinks up at you for a solid minute, but slides down onto the pillow when you push gently at his shoulder. Then he curls up facing where you had been sleeping before, and reaches blindly for you.
You look up at Sejin. Sejin nods.
So you walk around the bed and climb back in next to Jungkook. This time, it’s quite obvious when he finds you- he pulls himself closer and practically throws himself over you, tucking his face into your shoulder, forcing a surprised laugh out of your throat.
You dare to open your eyes again just as the paramedic smiles. “He never took the pain medicine you had put out, miss, and his fever spiked. He just took some with the help of Mr. Min here, and the medicine should kick in very soon. It's gone down already with the water. I think he’ll be just fine. Just make sure he stays in bed, and keep the both of them hyrdated. I'll be awake for a bit to make sure everything stays stable.”
“I will,” You and Jin say at the same time. He glances at you. “It’s my shift now.”
“Oh,” You say, nerves returning at one of Jungkook’s closest hyungs watching the two of you cuddle.
Even if you wanted to escape, though, you couldn’t. Jungkook sighs deeply, and his arm tightens a little, wrapping snugly around your torso. You aren’t going anywhere for the present, if he can help it. And you (wrapping your arms around him too) don’t mind one bit, snuggling closer and drifting off into a comfortable sleep.
Jungkook wakes up with his nose pressed against your temple, wrapped up in your arms, with a blistering headache and still achy muscles, but he’s not moving anywhere. It’s too warm and comfortable right here with you.
Years later the Ramen Cup Incident would be largely regarded as the catalyst to your and Jungkook’s romance, though hardly a romantic event in itself. The other members would mention it offhand, and though everyone would smile at the thought of the old days, and how you two were 'just kids', it also reminds you all just how brief and precious and delicate a life is, and how it must be cherished each and every day.