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It wasn’t often that Jungkook woke up on his own, without an alarm going off or one of his hyungs shaking him and telling him they were going to be late for practice. It was rare that they didn’t have to be at practice first thing in the morning, and they would often take the chance to sleep in. Jungkook would normally still get up early on these days to get an extra workout in, even if they had gotten back home late.
But this morning Jungkook slept in late after going to bed early the night before. He had been exhausted and had a pounding headache, so he decided to get as much sleep as he could in order to feel rested and refreshed.
He could tell that wasn’t the case as soon as he woke up. His headache hadn’t lightened in the slightest, and with it came a sore throat and heavy nausea. He whined softly, even that slight action grating his throat. He didn’t want to move, and he especially didn’t want to go to dance practice. He just wanted to sleep and maybe spend the day in little space with his hyungs taking care of him. But he also didn’t want to sit out of the only schedule the group had that day, so he pulled himself out of bed and forced himself to get ready for the day.
Jungkook dragged himself out of bed and into the living room, where his hyungs were sitting, in various states of consciousness, and the older ones drinking coffee. He took a seat on the couch between Jin and Taehyung, the oldest bringing his hand up to guide it through the youngest’s hair. “Did you sleep alright, Kookie?” Jungkook hummed with a nod. Jin chuckled. “Someone’s still sleepy. You can take a nap after practice. We’ve got most of the day free.” Jungkook nodded again, eyes closed in contentment as Jin continued to brush his hand through his hair. The action made his headache more bearable while also making him feel little, and he felt like he could fall asleep right there.
“Don’t go to sleep again, Jungkook,” Namjoon said, bringing him back from the edge of little space. “We have to leave in 15 minutes, so we need to get ready.” Jungkook sighed and opened his eyes. He just wanted to go back to sleep, but instead he stood up and forced himself to make it through practice.
It didn’t go well, but it didn’t go bad either. Jungkook was more sloppy than normal, getting scolded by Hoseok and their dance instructor multiple times, but he didn’t pass out or vomit all over the floor like his body was trying to do, so he would count that as a win.
When they got home, he went straight to his room and laid down, falling asleep within just a few minutes. The others were a bit concerned of his state, aware that something was off with him that day, but they attributed it to being exhausted. They ate lunch as he napped, making sure to set some food aside for when he woke up.
Jungkook ended up sleeping until just before dinner. His headache had receded during his nap, but he was still nauseous and had a sore throat. He also felt a bit feverish now, and the combination of uncomfortable sensations made him slip into little space. He pouted as he walked to the living room, spotting Namjoon on the couch and immediately moving to curl up in his lap. The older smiled, assuming from how clingy the youngest was that he was little.
“Did our bunny have a good nap?” The younger didn’t answer, just snuggling closer to the older, and Namjoon hummed. “Why’s our bunny so sleepy today, huh?”
Hoseok came into the living room, spotting the two of them on the couch and cooing. He crouched down in front of the couch and pet the younger’s hair. “Someone just wants to sleep all day. I wish we could let you, little one, but it’s time for dinner.” Jungkook whined quietly, feeling his headache come back, and the thought of moving made him want to throw up. “I know you don’t want to get up, but you can’t sleep all day.” Hoseok picked up the little from Namjoon’s lap, letting him wrap himself around the dancer as he carried him out to the dining table.
“I’ll take him,” Jin said. Hoseok set the little down on his lap, where he laid his head on the oldest’s shoulder and closed his eyes against the bright lights in the room. The clinking of dishes and chattering of his hyungs wasn’t helping his headache, which in turn made his nausea worse.
“Open up, bun,” Jin said. Jungkook opened his eyes, seeing the older holding a spoon with rice and chicken in front of him. The sight of the food made him feel like he was going to throw up, and so he instead turned his face into his hyung’s neck. “Come on bun, you have to eat.” The youngest didn’t budge, and he remained quiet in fear of further irritating his sore throat. Jin sighed, and the little knew he was frustrated that he wouldn’t eat, but he didn’t want to upset his stomach more.
“Kookie, you’re not being a very good boy,” Yoongi said. The words brought the little away from his hyung’s neck, eyes wide with shock. “Good boys would eat their food, and you can’t be a good boy if you won’t eat your food.” Tears welled up in the little’s eyes. More than anything, he wanted to be a good boy for his hyungs when he was little, and he would do his best to stay out of trouble and listen to them. He knew that they wanted him to eat, but he also knew that he couldn’t keep anything down.
The fact that his body wouldn’t let him be a good boy for his hyungs made tears roll down the younger’s face. His body was shaking, hiccups escaping occasionally, but he was hardly making any noise due to his throat being sore. The hyungs were shocked at his reaction. Usually the little was very good for them, and if he ever misbehaved, a reminder that he wasn’t being good was enough to make him behave again. He had never been so visibly distraught before, and they didn’t know what had made him react in such a manner.
It wasn’t long before it was made clear to them though, as the crying pushed Jungkook past his limits, and his stomach forced its contents up his throat, causing him to vomit all over himself and his hyung, much of it also ending up on the floor.
The others gasped, shocked by the action. They began moving, Jin standing up with the little and carrying him to the bathroom, followed close behind by Taehyung. The latter began running the bath while Jin sat the little in front of the toilet and held him as he threw up again.
“Shh, you’re okay, baby,” he soothed. “Let it all out. You’re okay.” The little stopped vomiting shortly after and let his hyungs undress him and move him into the bath, where they proceeded to clean him up. His tears had stopped, and he just watched his hyungs with big eyes as they bathed him. Yoongi dropped some clothes off for the little and for Jin, who had joined the little in the bath to both support him and clean the vomit off himself as well.
“Jimin and Hoseok are cleaning up the kitchen,” Yoongi said. “Namjoon’s calling the managers and letting them know Kookie’s sick.” Jin nodded in acknowledgement. “Do you need anymore help in here?”
“Could you grab the thermometer? I think Kookie has a fever.” Yoongi pulled the thermometer out of the medicine cabinet, giving it over to the older.
“Open up, baby,” Jin gently ordered the little. “I need to take your temperature.” Jungkook obediently opened his mouth, letting the older place the thermometer under his tongue. It beeped a minute later, reading at 101.5 degrees Fahrenheit. “He has a fever, but it’s not too high right now. Let’s get him out of the bath and get him into bed.”
Jungkook was pliant as they dried him off and put his pajamas on him, sleepily rubbing his eyes as Jin picked him up and brought him to his bed. He was wrapped tightly in his blankets, Taehyung lying down behind him and lightly stroking his stomach to help with the nausea. Namjoon came into the room shortly after, medicine in one hand and a sippy cup filled with water in the other.
“Can you take some medicine for hyungs, Kookie?” Namjoon asked. The little whined, but his hyungs helped sit him up anyway. He pouted as Namjoon gave him the medicine, holding the sippy cup for him to drink from right after. “Good boy. You can nap now with Taehyung. Hyungs won’t bother you anymore.”
Jungkook was quick to lie down again and snuggle into his youngest hyung who chuckled. “Aigoo, someone’s feeling cuddly.” He wrapped his arms around the little, pulling him closer. The hyungs left the two youngest in the room, moving to the living room so they wouldn’t wake the sick little.
“Do you think he was feeling sick all day?” Hoseok questioned.
“He has been really sleepy all day, and he had a rough day at practice,” Namjoon pointed out. “So it’s likely he woke up feeling sick.”
Yoongi sighed. “I shouldn’t have told him he wasn’t being a good boy. I made him feel like shit when he was already feeling sick. Of course he didn’t want to eat if his stomach was upset.”
“You didn’t know he was sick,” Jin said. “Don’t blame yourself for that. Although telling him he wasn’t being a good boy was a bit uncalled for since he wasn’t really misbehaving to begin with.” Yoongi shot him a half-hearted glare more out of stubbornness than disagreement.
“He was being really quiet,” Jimin pointed out. “Do you think he has a sore throat?”
Jin hummed. “We’ll have to pick up some more medicine before he wakes up. Jimin, do you want to come with me?” Jimin nods, and the two leave in the hopes of returning before Jungkook wakes up again.
When Jungkook woke up, the first thing he noticed was the fingers carding through his hair and the arms wrapped around his middle. Taehyung was humming a light tune as one of his other hyungs moved his fingers through his hair in time with the tune. Jungkook sighed in content, his nausea and headache forgotten for the moment as the medicine worked in his system.
“Are you awake now, bun?” Taehyung asked. Jungkook hummed in response, still feeling sleepy in the safety and warmth of his hyungs’ arms.
“Do you feel any better?” his other hyung asked, making Jungkook realize the fingers in his hair belonged to Yoongi. Jungkook shrugged. “I’m sorry I said you weren’t being a good boy at dinner, bun. You didn’t do anything wrong, and I shouldn’t have said that.”
“‘s okay,” Jungkook said, speaking for the first time all day.
“It’s not. You were just feeling sick, and I made you feel bad for that. Hyung’s sorry for making you feel worse, baby.” Jungkook turned around to snuggle into his second oldest hyung, showing him through his actions that he forgave him and wasn’t upset with him. His hyungs settled into the new position easily, staying there for a few minutes until Jimin quietly opened the door.
“How is he?” he whispered.
“He’s alright,” Taehyung answered. “He’s awake right now, just sleepy still.”
Jimin hummed, sitting on the edge of the bed and moving to feel the little’s forehead for a fever. “It seems like his fever’s gone down. Are you feeling any better now, bun?” Jungkook nodded. “Do you have a sore throat? We got some more medicine just in case.” Jungkook nodded again, sitting up with a yawn. He lifted his arms for Jimin to pick him up, the latter doing so with a small smile. They went out to the living room where Jin waited with a bottle. He put the medicine in the milk with some honey, figuring it would be the easiest way for Jungkook to take it while also hopefully getting something in his stomach after throwing up earlier.
Jimin placed Jungkook in the oldest hyung’s lap, where he easily began drinking from the bottle. His hyungs were relieved to see that his stomach had seemingly settled after taking some medicine and napping more. Jungkook hummed happily as he drank, the milk going down easily and the honey helping his sore throat.
After he finished the bottle, Jin passed it to Namjoon, who took it to be cleaned. Jungkook remained on Jin’s lap, content with playing with his hyung’s fingers. The other members were all relieved to see him feeling better, even if it was likely only temporary due to the medicine in his system.
“We watch movie?” Jungkook quietly asked.
Jin was slightly surprised to hear him talk since he had been fairly quiet all day, but took it as a testament to how he was feeling. “Of course, baby. What do you want to watch?” Jungkook shrugged in response, not really caring much about what they watched. He just wanted an excuse to snuggle with his hyungs. He was feeling significantly better than earlier, but he definitely still felt sick and just wanted to be with his hyungs.
Taehyung searched through their movies, looking for one that he knew the little enjoyed. He settled on Ponyo, knowing it was Jungkook’s favorite movie when he was feeling really little.
They all settled around each other, Jungkook in the middle of their large cuddle pile, watching as the movie started. Hoseok noticed Jungkook yawning shortly into the movie, and he smiled fondly at him. “You can sleep if you’re tired, bunny. You’re still sick, and if your body’s telling you to rest then you should listen to it.” Jungkook pouted but let himself slowly fall asleep nonetheless. They were all focusing more on their maknae then the movie, attuned to his every action, afraid that he would wake up at any second feeling sick again. But as the movie continued, they each dropped into sleep, one by one. By the end of the movie, they were all snuggled together, Jungkook wrapped tightly in their embrace.
The next morning, Jungkook woke up snuggled safely between Jimin and Taehyung. He wiggled himself out of their embrace, seeing that all his other hyungs were nowhere to be seen. He walked to the kitchen, seeing Jin making breakfast while Yoongi sat at the table drinking coffee, Namjoon and Hoseok next to him on their phones.
Namjoon looked up at his entrance, smiling when he saw him. “Hi Kookie, are you feeling better today?” Jungkook nodded with a smile, taking a seat next to his hyung.
“Kookie’s throat still hurts, but only a little,” he said.
“How about your stomach?” Jin asked from the stove. “Do you feel like you’ll throw up at all?”
“No, Kookie feels hungry.”
Jin chuckled. “I bet you do after throwing up yesterday. I made you some oatmeal, so you can start with something light. Just in case your stomach still isn’t ready for much food yet.” He grabbed to bowl of oatmeal he had just finished making, setting it in front of the little.
Jungkook looked expectantly at Namjoon. “Can hyung feed Kookie?”
“Of course, bun,” Namjoon agreed. Namjoon moved the bowl closer to him, grabbing a spoonful of the food and blowing on it before moving it to the little so he could eat it. Jungkook hummed in satisfaction, always happy to eat his oldest hyung’s food, no matter what it was.
Jin watched on fondly as he continued making breakfast for the rest of them. Jimin and Taehyung walked in, taking their seats at the table, just as Jin brought food out to everyone.
They conversed lightly as they ate, each taking glances at their maknae occasionally as he happily ate. Seeing the little happy and feeling better settled something within all of them. At some point, he had become the center of their group, and they all felt bad whenever something was wrong with him. But as they ate breakfast together, the little smiling at all of them, they knew they didn’t want it any other way.