Work Text:
“Baby, I want tteokbokki.”
Yoona’s voice drifted muffled from the bedroom, thick with a heavy nasal congestion as though something blocked the depths of her throat. Her volume was barely louder than a cat mewling for attention.
Jinsol walked in from the living room carrying a glass of warm water and fever pills, her phone wedged between her shoulder and ear while Haewon kept yapping on the other end about work stuff.
“Yeah yeah, I’ll send the file over tonight. Uh-huh, she’s got a fever. Not dying or anything, just being dramatic like always.” Jinsol fired off a few replies and ended the call. She lowered the phone and her voice went all soft and tender. “You say something, babe?”
Yoona was clutching her Nick Wilde plushie, blanket pulled up to her nose with her eyes peeking through a curtain of tangled hair. She repeated herself in that raspy fever-voice.
“Tteokbokki.”
“No way.”
“Fine then. Mango juice.”
“Still no.”
The girl on the bed pouted. The Nick plushie was shoved to the side. The blanket flew off as she threw her arms wide open.
“Then I want cuddles.”
Jinsol set the water and the medicine on the nightstand, putting her hands on her hips with a helpless chuckle. She brushed Yoona’s sweat-damp bangs off her forehead and tucked them behind her ear, where her skin still radiated heat like a furnace.
“We can work out a deal.” Jinsol gazed down at her, speaking like she was coaxing a cranky toddler. “Take your fever meds first then you can cuddle all you want.”
Yoona scrunched up her nose. She didn’t say yes right away, just scooted over and patted the empty space beside her. Her eyes looked all glossy and watery.
“I’ll take the pills and you have to sleep next to me.”
“I was already planning to sleep with you anyway.” Jinsol stood there with her hands still on her hips.
“And you have to sing too.”
“Sing what?”
“Anything you want. I don’t care if you sound like a dying cat.”
Jinsol cracked up and held her hands up in surrender. Yoona’s voice had gone all mushy and soft, her eyes held that bargaining look that Jinsol could never say no to. She leaned in and pressed a kiss to that burning forehead. Her lips lingered just long enough for Yoona to feel that tiny bit of coolness, which felt a thousand times better than the dry heat cooking her from the inside out.
“You’re demanding so much lately.”
“I demand it because I love you.” Yoona croaked back.
Jinsol brought the pill and the water to Yoona’s lips. Yoona swallowed it down and the bitter taste spread through her throat like poison. Her face scrunched up but she didn’t complain, just handed the glass back and collapsed into her pillow.
Jinsol put the glass away, lifted the blanket, and slid in beside her. She slipped her arm under Yoona’s neck and pulled her in close. Yoona adjusted herself right away, pressing her face into that little hollow just below Jinsol’s collarbone.
Jinsol wrapped one arm around Yoona’s back, while her other hand steadily stroked her hair.
“Your body feels so cool.” Yoona mumbled, her nose rubbing against Jinsol’s shirt. “Like an ice pack or something.”
“That’s because you’re burning up, dummy. I’m not actually cold.”
“Still feels amazing though.”
“Then hold onto me a bit longer.”
Yoona’s arm snaked around Jinsol’s waist and held on tight. Her eyelids were getting heavy, weighed down by the fever and the drowsy side effects of the medicine. Within minutes she was out cold in Jinsol’s arms. Her lips looked all red and swollen from the fever, and that tiny smile still hung at the corner of her mouth.
Jinsol ran her thumb gently across those dry lips. Yoona, still swimming in that feverish haze, parted her mouth and sucked Jinsol’s fingertip right in. Held it there for maybe two seconds before letting it go, like some kind of baby reflex. So different from the woman who loved picking fights with Jinsol on any normal day.
That little move caught Jinsol off guard. She let out a quiet laugh, reached for her phone, and snapped a quick photo to save the memory.
Yoona slept straight through for nearly four hours. When she finally opened her eyes, the sunlight outside had shifted from harsh and blinding to a warm golden glow slanting toward the western sky. She took a moment to focus and realized she was still in the exact same position. Jinsol’s arm had gone numb underneath her, and she was quietly rotating her shoulder trying to get the blood flowing again.
“What time is it?” Yoona’s voice came out clearer than before, though still a little rough around the edges.
“Almost five.” Jinsol looked down at her and pressed the back of her free hand to Yoona’s forehead. “Your fever dropped a lot. You don’t feel as hot anymore.”
“I’m hungry.”
“Knew you’d say that.” Jinsol pushed herself up with one hand on the bed frame and shook out her numb arm. “I’ll make some congee.”
Congee sounded boring, but Yoona just pouted slightly before sitting up. The blanket pooled around her waist, her hair sticking up in every direction as she leaned against the headboard and watched Jinsol shuffle off to the kitchen in her slippers.
Congee came out still steaming, the rice cooked down into a smooth creamy consistency with bits of egg and scallions scattered through it, the flavors perfectly balanced. Jinsol handed it over and grabbed the thermometer from the drawer. While Yoona bent her head to take a sip, Jinsol aimed and pressed the button.
Beep — 37.9.
Jinsol let out a relieved breath. “Get some good rest tonight and you should be fine by tomorrow.”
Yoona wasn’t exactly a fan of congee, but Jinsol knew her way around a kitchen, and with her stomach growling like crazy, the bowl was finished in no time.
“Do you have any work left tonight?”
“I just need to email a file over.” Jinsol sat on the edge of the bed and placed the empty bowl on the nightstand. “You look more like a human now.”
“I was always a human.”
“Then what was that thing babbling nonsense this morning?”
Yoona gave her waist a sharp pinch. Jinsol giggled and dodged to the side. They wrestled around for a bit until Yoona grabbed Jinsol by the wrist and pulled her back, resting her forehead against Jinsol’s shoulder.
“Thank you.”
“Duh, for what? You’re my girlfriend.” Jinsol chuckled, sitting there to hold Yoona a little longer.
Past eight in the evening. Yoona had finished her second bowl of congee, her temperature had dropped to 37.5 and she was feeling way more like herself. Jinsol prepared warm water for her bath. After getting cleaned up, Yoona was immediately guided down into bed by Jinsol, who tucked the blanket around her carefully.
“Go to sleep first.”
“What about you?” Yoona whined when she noticed Jinsol had no intention of lying down with her.
“I need to send that file to Haewon first. Then I’ll shower and come right over.”
“You barely got any rest today.” Yoona puffed out her cheeks.
“Because someone kept calling me for cuddles, and songs, and congee deliveries—”
“I was testing your love.”
Jinsol shot her a glare, but a smile still spread across her face. “Yeah yeah. Just sleep already. If you’re not better tomorrow, I’m dragging you to the hospital.”
Yoona finally closed her eyes, but after a minute she cracked them open again and stared through the doorway at the living room. Jinsol was sitting at her laptop, fingers flying across the keyboard, occasionally stopping so she could rub the space between her eyebrows before typing again. The light fell across her face at an angle, highlighting that sharp nose and that killer jawline.
About an hour passed before Jinsol turned off the computer and headed to the bathroom. Water ran for a while. When she came back out she had changed into fresh pajamas. As she walked into the bedroom, Yoona was propped against the headboard scrolling through videos on her phone. She tossed the phone aside and patted the empty spot next to her.
“Why didn’t you go to sleep first?” Jinsol asked, frowning as she stood with her hands on her hips.
“Wanted to wait for you. Plus I slept way too much today anyway.” Yoona patted the spot again, more urgently this time.
Jinsol killed the light and climbed into bed, letting out a satisfied sigh as she settled in.
Yoona turned onto her side, resting her head on Jinsol’s shoulder while her fingers playfully twirled the ends of her short hair.
“You must be dead tired today.”
“Eh, not too bad. Just a little sleepy.” Jinsol yawned wide enough to crack her jaw.
“Then let’s sleep, or you won’t have any energy for work tomorrow.”
Jinsol didn’t answer. Her eyes had already drifted shut.
Yoona rose slightly to gaze at the sleeping Jinsol. She smiled softly, placed a gentle kiss on her forehead, and pulled the blanket up a bit higher, whispering a quiet goodnight.
Next morning, Yoona woke up because of the heat.
The air still had that early morning chill to it. Her own condition seemed fine now. However, Jinsol, who was pressed tight against her back, felt abnormally hot.
Yoona turned around and pressed the back of her hand against Jinsol’s cheek. The temperature was definitely wrong.
“Jinsol.” She called out quietly.
No response.
She tried again, a little louder. “Sol-ah.”
Jinsol’s brow furrowed. Her eyelids twitched a few times before she forced them open, her gaze all blurry and unfocused until it landed on Yoona. She mumbled something under her breath.
“What time is it?”
“You’ve got a fever.”
“No I don’t...” She touched her own forehead but seemed to jump at how hot her own skin felt. “It’s... probably just from waking up. Body temp’s always higher in the morning.”
Yoona didn’t bother arguing. She grabbed the thermometer and pointed it at Jinsol.
Beep — 39.2.
“See?”
Jinsol stared at the number then flopped back onto her pillow and pulled the blanket up over her face.
“...I made fun of you for being weak yesterday.”
“Everyone has their bad days.” Yoona giggled, rubbing Jinsol’s head through the blanket. “Now it’s my turn. So tell me, babe, what do you want for breakfast?”
The blanket rustled. Jinsol peeked out with one eye. “Congee.”
“No tteokbokki?”
“Are you trying to kill me or something?”
Yoona burst out laughing and pressed a kiss to Jinsol’s burning forehead.
“Just lay here and be good. I’ll go make some congee. I’m going to take care of you exactly the way you took care of me yesterday.”