Work Text:
It was almost 11 p.m. and the night was still and quiet, a striking difference from the madness happening inside the hospital just across the street. The ground was still wet from the earlier downpour, and just the rhythmic sound of crickets could be heard at that hour. A weary figure exited the hospital and made his way towards the bus stop in front of the hospital. He checked the bench’s surface to make sure it was not wet and despite a slight dampness, sat down and waited for the bus to come.
As the figure waited patiently for the bus to arrive, he started thinking about the kind of shift he had. As a pediatric nurse practitioner at one of the biggest hospitals in Seoul, he knew his job was not always easy, and some days would be more difficult than others. But tonight’s shift had been one of the hardest one he had in quite a few months; to the point he was starting to reconsider if he wanted to keep doing this. He really loved his job and there was nothing more rewarding that seeing the little ones get stronger each day, their personalities shining through as they got healthier and healthier. But then there were those times when a patient would not make it, and those always stayed with him. This particular patient had been at the hospital for almost a month, oscillating between crashing and getting better. In the end, despite everyone’s best efforts, the girl had succumbed to her injuries.
He closed his eyes as he massaged the bridge of his nose and prayed the bus would come quickly. All he wanted to do right now was take a shower, get on his pjs, and curl himself in bed. He was not particularly sleepy- the code blue induced adrenaline still rushing through his veins- but all he wanted to do was close his eyes and sleep for the next ten hours, so he could forget this night. He had debated taking a taxi as soon as his shift ended- Yoongi would certainly understand- but he needed to see his comfort person as soon as possible.
Suddenly, as if on cue, he heard the sound of a bus engine pulling around the corner which prompted him to open his eyes. The city bus had dimmed lights and a “Not in Service” sign displayed on the side. Seeing the bus, the tired nurse got back on his feet and moved away from the bench. After a few seconds the bus stopped in front of him, doors opening to reveal a bus driver with a gummy smile who gave him a faint “hey!”. That warm smile immediately made everything better. Gathering the strength to get inside the bus, he carried himself up the steps stopping next to the driver and placing a kiss on his lips before moving to sit on the empty seat behind the driver’s spot with a deep sigh.
“Long shift Hoba?”- asked the bus driver as he began to drive away from the hospital.
“Very.” Was the nurse’s reply. Usually he liked to share with his husband how the shift had been, and update him about some of his patients, but he did not feel very chatty tonight.
Sensing Hoseok had a difficult shift, the bus driver kept quiet and gave him space as they continued their short drive towards the garage where the city buses where kept. After being married for almost two years and together for six, Yoongi understood his husband’s demeanor after every shift. Most of the time he would sit and chat away about work. But on the days Hoseok was quiet, he knew it was because a patient must have passed. Tonight though, he was quieter than usual, which worried him. Yoongi started doing a mental check of all the ingredients they had at home, and the type of food he could make. He remembered there was some leftover rotisserie chicken from the previous night which would make a delicious porridge.
After a short drive to the garage and a quick report to the night shift manager, Yoongi and Hoseok drove home in their own old small green sedan. Hoseok was still withdrawn, sitting in the passenger seat and looking outside the window as his husband drove.
“Yoongi?”
“Yes my love?”
After a small pause, Hoseok gathered the energy to mutter “Sena did not make it.”
Hearing this made Yoongi turn his head towards his husband with understanding in his eyes. He reached his right hand towards Hoseok’s left tight and gently squeezed it. “Hoba I am so sorry. I know how much you cared for that little girl.” Hoseok had been talking about this particular patient for weeks, always getting heated whenever he would remember the terrible accident that got her in the hospital to begin with. Yoongi always felt he lacked the right words to say to his husband in a time like this. How can words fully make the pain go away? “Do you want to talk about it?”
“Not really. I just need a big hug when we get home.” Yoongi just squeezed Hoseok’s tight one more time.
~~~~~~
As soon as they were inside their apartment, Yoongi rushed to the bathroom to run a bath for Hoseok. The young nurse tried to argue that he was too tired for a bath and a quick shower would be enough for today, but Yoongi did not want to hear it. After mischievously throwing one of Hoseok’s favorite bath bombs into the tub, he knew he had won the argument. Closing the door behind him, Yoongi made his way to the kitchen to work on the porridge. Chicken porridge was one of Hoseok’s favorite comfort food, and tonight he really wanted to make his husband feel loved and cherished. It was not long until the delicious smell of chicken porridge was permeating the small kitchen.
“Something smells good.” Said Hoseok as he was exiting the restroom clad in his bathrobe and with a towel around his head. “What is it?”
Yoongi turned the stove to the lowest setting and covered the pot. “I will tell you in about twenty minutes or so.”
“Did you make porridge?”
“Maybe. Now let’s get you dried off before you catch a cold.” Yoongi gently pulled Hoseok’s hand and led him back to the restroom. Gently sat him on the closed toilet and removed the wrapped towel around his head. Usually Hoseok would complain about Yoongi doing this for him, but tonight he was awfully quiet and did not fight his husband. He found the hairdryer under the sink and after fumbling around with the tangled cord, he managed to plug the device.
“Let me know if it gets too hot.” In response his husband just nodded as he closed his eyes. He could really see how tired he was. Seeing him this defeated really broke Yoongi’s heart. After a few minutes, Hoseok’s hair was dried, and a bit puffed out. As Yoongi stored the hairdryer away, he noticed two fresh tear streaks on his husband’s cheeks. He wrapped his arms around Hoseok and gently placed a kiss on top of his head. Hoseok reacted by returning Yoongi’s embrace as he began sobbing.
Yoongi did not say anything and just allowed him to cry. He kept placing kisses all over his face, telling him that it would be ok. He reassured him he had done all he could have and that the little one would not be in pain anymore. Hoseok’s sobs eventually subsided and the two of them embraced one another for quite some time until Yoongi’s stomach growled, sending them both in a fit of laughter.
“The pot!” A frazzled Yoongi rushed to the kitchen to turn off the stove. Luckily the porridge did not burn and he went ahead and served two bowls.
“Tomorrow we can do anything you want to.” Said Yoongi as he placed one of the bowls in front of his husband. “Anything you want.”
“I kind of just want to stay home tomorrow, but I don’t have to be at work until Wednesday. Maybe the day after tomorrow we can head to that new café?”
They began eating their meals with gusto. Hoseok did not realize how hungry he really was. With how busy they had been tonight, he did not get a chance to take his usual meal break at work. He hesitated sharing something with Yoongi, but after a short pause he announced:
“I don’t if I want to do this anymore Yoongi. I don’t know if I am fit for this. It is getting harder for me to overcome these losses and it’s starting to get to me.” He expected Yoongi to dismiss his concerns or to tell him that it would get better soon. But to his surprise, his loving spouse held his hand and squeezed it tightly.
“I will support whatever decision you want to take Hoba. If you want to take a step back from nursing, I will support you. I just want you to be happy.”
Hoseok felt a warm feeling spread all over his chest that had nothing to do with the porridge he was eating. “Well I don’t think I want to quit nursing altogether…Maybe just focus on a different area?”
“If you want to give it a try and see if that would be a better fit, then it would not hurt to consult with your supervisor.”
And with that they ate the rest of their meal in silence. Hoseok felt extremely grateful to have such a loving and understanding husband. Despite his equally exhausting schedule, he still went ahead and gave him first dibs on the bath and made him one of his favorite meals. He felt so loved by Yoongi.
After dinner, Yoongi made him a chamomile tea and sent him to bed. It was almost 2 a.m. and Hoseok was finally getting sleepy. Yoongi was more of a night owl and liked to stay up for a little longer. Usually he liked to be in bed by 12:30 a.m. but days like today always made it harder for him to all asleep. He was grateful to Yoongi for forcing him to take the bath and making him porridge. His husband’s loving actions had managed to take some of the weariness of the day away. After Yoongi promised he would not stay up too late and would get in bed after his shower, Hoseok finally allowed himself to rest.
Just as he was beginning to fall asleep, he felt Yoongi getting into bed. His body automatically turned towards Yoongi’s and he rested his head on his chest. He thought about his conversation with Yoongi and if maybe a different department may be a better fit. But he would come back to those thoughts on a later date. Right now, all he wanted to think about was his husband’s warm embrace and the sound of his heartbeat lulling him to sleep.