Chapter Text
Junsu hasn't heard from Jaejoong in a week. He wouldn't be too bothered by it, if not for the omega's radio silence on his SNS accounts. Junsu's calls go unanswered and his messages unread, although Jaejoong's manager assures him that he's alright, back in Seoul after completing a set of Japan showcases for his newest EP, that Jaejoong is probably resting. Junsu isn't satisfied by the reasoning, which is why he's in front of Jaejoong's apartment door, worry growing when the calling bell goes unanswered. Junsu finally puts in the code, thankful for the time Jaejoong had sent it to him to let himself in a few months back.
Jaejoong is nowhere to be seen, not in the living room, or the kitchen, or the bedroom. Junsu has one hand holding his phone to his left ear and the other pushing open one door after the other in Jaejoong's spacious and no- doubt too-big-for-one-person-apartment. Jiji is nowhere to be seen either, but the door has been locked, so the cat is probably lounging around or asleep in a cozy nook somewhere in the house.
The scent of rot and stale strawberries leads him to the walk-in closet that Jaejoong was so proud of having designed, when he first moved in. The closet door is half ajar with the lights out. To his surprise, there is a lumpy silhouette in one corner of the closet which looks too big to be a pile of clothes. Junsu blindly feels around for a minute before finding and turning the light switch.
His relief at finding Jaejoong dissipates soon enough. Jaejoong is curled up on the floor, shivering with the lack of heating inside the closet. Jiji lays on him, purring and nuzzling into him, as though realising that her companion needed her at the moment.
Small. Jaejoong looks small, frail, lying there shivering on the icy tile. Junsu doesn't think he's ever described his hyung with such an adjective. Jaejoong has always seemed larger than life, lively and majestic even in melancholy. He laughed loud, cried louder, lived and loved unabashedly. Jaejoong has never, ever looked small, and now he does.
Junsu doesn't hesitate to embrace his hyung into his arms, Jiji and all. The cat makes a sound of protest before slinking away, deeming its job complete.
Jaejoong looks up at Junsu with blotchy eyes. There are tear tracks running down dimpled cheeks but Jaejoong is no longer crying, although the trembling doesn't cease and doesn't seem to be from the cold alone. Junsu gently rocks the fragile body in his arms, back and forth. He doesn't attempt to ask anything, knowing that he wouldn't get much of an answer- letting Junsu see himself in such a poor state is pushing it too close as it is for the older omega.
Junsu doesn't have the physical strength to lift his hyung, so they stay there for almost half an hour, Junsu soothing the older man and humming half-written melodies until the tremors slow down and finally cease. Junsu's hold doesn't slacken once. When Jaejoong finally lifts his head of his own accord, nuzzling into Junsu's neck in thanks before unfolding himself from his embrace, Junsu doesn't waste a second to plaster himself to Jaejoong's side, moving them both to the kitchen.
He doesn't know the first thing about cooking, but he finds the tea leaves easily enough(his hyung has meticulously arranged the kitchen cabinets). The kettle works just fine, so Junsu makes himself busy with making tea. Jaejoong is seated at the island, Jiji making his presence known by jumping into Jaejoong's lap once again.
Junsu is thumbing absentmindedly at the tiny crack in his mug, tea long done, when Jaejoong finally speaks.
“There's something I haven't told you. About last year. When we left.”
At Junsu's enquiring look, he continues.
“I was pregnant last year.”