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It was honestly because his mother cooked too well that Jungkook was standing here in the canned foods aisle of the grocery store down the block from his apartment. He couldn’t stand eating anything else but one particular brand of chicken soup when he was sick. The others were too artificial and gross-tasting, and just made him feel sicker than before.
The brand in question was an obscure one with a distinctive red-gold cover. Jungkook squinted as he pushed aside other cans, hoping it was hiding in the back. It was cold in the grocery store, and Jungkook sniffed miserably, tightening the arm he had wrapped around himself. He covered his fists with the ends of the long-sleeved black t-shirt before continuing the search.
A few minutes later, half the shelf was on the floor and Jungkook was near tears with frustration. He had his butt planted on the ground with the cans all around him. He knew he would get kicked out for making a mess of the aisle but he didn’t care so long as he found that soup.
Jungkook sneezed and then coughed in quick succession, when he spotted movement out of the corner of his eye. One of the cans was rolling away, and as it turned over its faded cover revealed the familiar brand that Jungkook was looking for.
“There!” Jungkook slapped his hand down on it and nearly jumped out of his skin when another hand bumped into his, knocking it aside enough so his fingers landed on only half the can. Jungkook stared at the square-cut fingernails and bronze skin tone before following the hand up to the person crouched in front of him.
That was the moment the other boy, white face mask pulled over to the side of his face, promptly sneezed right in Jungkook’s face.
“Aurgh!” Jungkook fell backwards, wiping frantically at his face.
“Oops, sorry,” the other said, his deep voice cracking hoarsely. He sheepishly pulled his face mask over his nose and mouth. “I guess that’s why I should keep it on hehehe.”
Jungkook coughed and gave the other boy his most sullen look, knowing the effect was ten times worse with his flushed, drippy nose and his bloodshot eyes. “Hand it over,” Jungkook ordered, hand outstretched. Screw manners, he wanted his soup.
The other boy blinked at him and then down at the can of soup in his hand. “This?” he asked redundantly.
“Yes, that. I’ve been looking for that soup specifically. I need it.” Jungkook motioned at his face and its general ickyness.
The boy didn’t look convinced. “Well, I need it too,” he argued, pointing a thumb at his mask. “And I like this soup. It’s the tastiest brand in the store.”
He didn’t look like he was about give up the can anytime soon, and Jungkook faltered. “But I saw it first...,” he said weakly, not sure if he really did see it first but getting desperate. He just felt so terrible. His nose was running again and he couldn’t stop shivering, all his bones feeling achy. Jungkook ran his sleeve over his nose and sniffled pathetically. He didn’t realize then that that was the best thing he could have done.
The other boy looked between him and the can of soup in his hand, and back and forth before coming to a decision. He grabbed Jungkook’s hand, making the boy flail a little, and pulled him up with him.
“Um, what are you doing?” Jungkook said nervously, trying to pull his fingers away. The other boy’s hand was clammy with cold sweat. Jungkook was sick enough, he didn’t need to get sicker.
The other boy gave him a surprisingly cheerful glance for a sick person, eyes curved above his white face mask. It was then that Jungkook realized with a lurch that the other boy, despite the unwashed matted strands of hair poking out from his beanie and his sickly pallor, was actually very attractive.
Tongue-tied, he followed meekly as the boy led him by the hand to the self check-out, bought the can of soup and slowly tugged him out of the store with the can in hand. The entire time, his clammy hand remained clasped around Jungkook’s.
“I’m Kim Taehyung,” the boy announced when they were in Taehyung’s tiny apartment, the soup heating in a pot on the stove.
Jungkook wasn’t sure what was going on anymore. He coughed and muttered, “Jeon Jungkook.”
In the next few minutes while the soup heated, they managed to find out that they went to the same college, that Jungkook was two years younger and undeclared, and that Taehyung planned to switch his major from English to Theatre Acting (after being inspired by old English plays).
“To be~ Or not to be~ THAT is the question!” Taehyung croaked in demonstration of his acting skills. Then he looked at Jungkook in askance. “Well, how was it?”
“Good, hyung,” Jungkook lied through his teeth. It was worth it to see the other boy beam at him.
When the soup was done, they faced yet another dilemma. Taehyung was only in possession of a single bowl.
“I don’t understand,” Jungkook said, looking lost, “How can you only have one bowl?”
“I’m living the bachelor life! ...Maybe we can use this plate?”
In the end, they decided to just share the bowl. It couldn’t worsen their conditions if they were both already sick to the gills right?
To Jungkook’s flustered bewilderment, Taehyung took ‘sharing a bowl’ to also mean ‘sharing a spoon’, and he tried to spoon-feed Jungkook, whose face burned so hot that Taehyung grew concerned that he might be coming down with a fever.
“Man, I think you might be sicker than me,” Taehyung said as he compared their forehead temperatures. Jungkook gulped and looked down as Taehyung kept brushing his fingers over his forehead and combing through his bangs.
He didn’t notice how Taehyung grinned a little smugly at his reaction.
“I do feel a bit hot,” Jungkook admitted, right before Taehyung bent his head to plant a small kiss over his mouth.
Jungkook slapped a hand over his mouth and stuttered, “Wha-wha-what?”
Taehyung licked his lips. “You had a little soup left on your lips so I helped you clean it off.”
Jungkook gaped at him, and then pointed. “What kind of ridiculous excuse is that!”
Taehyung pouted and tilted his head like a sad puppy. “Didn’t you like it?”
“Th-that’s not the point!”
Jungkook was burning up, and scared that he really might have a fever, Taehyung insisted on the boy sleeping over. Carefully, he pushed Jungkook into his single bed and organized his own limbs around the boy. Jungkook tried to crawl back out, too hot with them pressed together, but Taehyung told him it was necessary to break his fever.
“Just be strong for a little longer, okay, Kookie?” Jungkook felt another kiss against his ear of all places and whined softly, words lost in the daze of heat.
Sometime near dawn, Jungkook would wake up to find himself stripped down to his boxers and under Taehyung’s stifling weight. Taehyung would have his nose pressed into Jungkook’s neck, so every time he breathed he raised goosebumps along Jungkook’s skin.
Jungkook would be pleasantly warm, head finally clear, if a little drowsy with sleep. When Taehyung squeezed Jungkook tighter in his sleep, snuffling a little into his neck, Jungkook would laugh a little, giddy, and close his eyes again.