Warmth

Jungkook x Jimin — BTS Fanfiction

Genre: Fluff, Hurt/Comfort, Sickfic · Rating: General Audiences

The first thing Jimin noticed was that Jungkook had stopped complaining.

Usually, getting Jungkook to rest was practically impossible. He was the type of person who insisted he was fine even when he could barely keep his eyes open, who would push himself through exhaustion and then act surprised when his body finally gave up on him.

But tonight, he had been unusually quiet.

He sat curled up on the couch beneath a thick blanket, his cheeks flushed pink and his dark hair sticking to his forehead. His eyes were half-closed, and every few seconds, he let out a small, miserable sigh.

Jimin frowned.

"Kookie?"

"Hm?"

"Look at me for a second, baby."

Jungkook slowly lifted his head. "I'm looking."

Jimin pressed the back of his hand against Jungkook's forehead.

His expression immediately changed.

"Oh, sweetheart. You're burning up."

"I'm not," Jungkook mumbled, weakly attempting to pull the blanket higher around his shoulders. "I'm just a little tired."

"A little tired?" Jimin repeated, raising an eyebrow. "You're practically melting into the couch."

Jungkook gave him the smallest pout.

"Don't be mean."

Jimin's heart practically folded in half.

"I'm not being mean, silly." He brushed Jungkook's fringe away from his forehead. "I'm worried about you."

"I'm okay."

"Of course you are," Jimin sighed affectionately. "And I'm the president of the moon."

Despite himself, Jungkook let out a tiny, breathy laugh.

There it was. That little sound Jimin loved so much.

He leaned forward and kissed Jungkook's warm forehead.

"Come on. Let's get you into bed."

Jungkook shook his head immediately.

"No."

"No?"

"Stay here."

Jimin blinked at him.

Jungkook reached out from beneath the blanket and caught the sleeve of Jimin's sweatshirt between his fingers. His grip was weak, but his intention was unmistakable.

"Please?"

Oh.

Oh, that was unfair.

Jimin glanced at the couch, then at Jungkook's flushed face, and finally at the hand holding onto him as though he might disappear.

"You're lucky you're cute," he whispered.

"I'm handsome," Jungkook corrected sleepily.

"You're a feverish little menace."

"Your feverish little menace."

Jimin couldn't help smiling.

"Yeah," he murmured, gently squeezing Jungkook's hand. "My feverish little menace."

Still, he wasn't going to let Jungkook spend the entire night on the couch. He helped him stand, keeping an arm securely around his waist as they made their slow journey to the bedroom.

Jungkook leaned heavily against him.

"Sorry," he mumbled.

Jimin stopped walking.

"For what?"

"Being difficult."

The words were so quiet that Jimin almost missed them.

His expression softened. He turned slightly, enough to see Jungkook's tired face.

"Hey. You don't have to apologize for being sick, okay?"

Jungkook didn't answer.

Jimin brushed his thumb over the back of Jungkook's hand.

"You take care of everyone else all the time. Let me take care of you for once."

"But—"

"No buts."

Jungkook sighed dramatically, though the effect was somewhat ruined by the fact that he immediately leaned his head against Jimin's shoulder.

"You're bossy."

"And you're stubborn."

"Love you, though."

Jimin's heart melted.

"Love you too, baby."

By the time they reached the bedroom, Jungkook was practically asleep on his feet.

Jimin settled him beneath the covers, tucked a pillow comfortably under his head, and disappeared briefly to fetch a thermometer, a glass of water, and a cool washcloth.

When he returned, Jungkook was attempting to curl himself into the smallest possible ball beneath the duvet.

"Kookie, sweetheart, I need you to sit up for a moment."

Jungkook opened one eye.

"Why?"

"Because I want to check your temperature."

"Can you check it tomorrow?"

"No."

"Please?"

"Jungkook."

"Jimin."

They stared at each other.

Jimin crossed his arms.

Jungkook blinked slowly.

Three seconds later, Jungkook reached out both arms.

"Can I have a hug first?"

Jimin's stern expression lasted approximately half a second.

"Come here."

He carefully sat beside him and gathered Jungkook into his arms, letting him rest against his chest. Jungkook immediately tucked his face into the crook of Jimin's neck, breathing a tired little sigh against his skin.

Jimin wrapped his arms around him and held him close.

For a moment, neither of them said anything.

Then Jungkook whispered, "You're comfy."

Jimin smiled into his hair.

"That's the nicest thing you've ever said to me."

"Liar."

"Absolutely."

Jungkook's shoulders shook with a faint laugh, but the sound quickly dissolved into a tired sigh.

Jimin felt how warm he was, how his breathing seemed heavier than usual, and how his fingers occasionally tightened around the fabric of Jimin's shirt.

His concern returned.

"Okay, baby. Let's check that temperature."

This time, Jungkook cooperated.

While they waited for the thermometer, Jimin dampened the washcloth with cool—not icy—water and gently wiped the sweat from Jungkook's forehead and temples.

Jungkook's eyes fluttered shut.

"That feels nice," he whispered.

"Good."

Jimin carefully smoothed the damp strands of hair away from Jungkook's face. His hair was sweaty and tangled at the edges, and Jimin took his time brushing through it with his fingers, careful not to pull.

"There we go," he murmured. "Much better."

Jungkook leaned into the touch almost instinctively.

Jimin's chest ached with tenderness.

He loved Jungkook when he was laughing loudly with the others, when he was showing off his latest achievement, when he was being competitive over something as ridiculous as a game of rock-paper-scissors.

But he loved him like this, too.

Sleepy. Vulnerable. Uncharacteristically quiet.

He loved being the person Jungkook reached for when the world felt a little too uncomfortable.

The thermometer beeped.

Jimin checked it and frowned slightly at the elevated reading. Jungkook had a fever, and although he wasn't showing any immediate signs of an emergency, Jimin wasn't about to dismiss it.

"All right, love. We're going to get you comfortable, and I'm going to keep an eye on you."

Jungkook cracked his eyes open.

"You're staying?"

Jimin looked at him in disbelief.

"Where else would I go?"

"Don't know." Jungkook swallowed. "Just asking."

Jimin set the thermometer aside and leaned down to kiss his temple.

"I'm right here."

He helped Jungkook take a few small sips of water, then adjusted the bedding so he wouldn't get too hot. He left the heavy duvet folded back and settled a lighter blanket over him instead.

Jungkook watched him through heavy eyelids.

"You look worried."

"That's because you have a fever."

"But I'm okay."

"I know you're trying to reassure me, baby." Jimin brushed his fingers through Jungkook's hair again. "But you don't have to pretend you're feeling better than you are."

Jungkook stared at him for a long moment.

Then, very quietly, he admitted, "I feel awful."

Jimin's expression softened immediately.

"Oh, Kookie."

"My head hurts. And I'm hot. But then I'm cold, and everything feels weird, and I can't get comfortable."

The words tumbled out in a small, exhausted rush.

Jimin reached for his hand.

"That sounds miserable, sweetheart."

Jungkook nodded, his lower lip pushing into a little pout.

"Can you stay close?"

"Always."

Jimin slipped into bed beside him, propping himself against the pillows so Jungkook could rest comfortably against his chest without being trapped beneath the covers.

Jungkook moved closer at once.

He tucked his head beneath Jimin's chin and draped one arm loosely around his waist. Jimin adjusted the pillow behind them, then began running his fingers slowly through Jungkook's hair.

From his forehead to the crown of his head.

Then back again.

Gentle, unhurried strokes.

Every so often, he paused to massage Jungkook's scalp with his fingertips, carefully separating the damp strands and smoothing them away from his face.

Jungkook made a small sound of contentment.

"That good?"

"Mhm."

"Want me to stop?"

Jungkook shook his head so quickly that Jimin almost laughed.

"Okay, okay." Jimin smiled and resumed stroking his hair. "I'll keep going."

For several minutes, the only sounds in the room were the quiet hum of the air conditioner and Jungkook's breathing.

Then Jungkook whispered, "Jimin?"

"Yes, baby?"

"Tell me something."

"Something like what?"

"Anything."

Jimin thought for a moment.

"Do you remember when you tried to convince me that you could cook better than me?"

Jungkook made a weak, offended noise against his chest.

"I can cook."

"You nearly set off the smoke alarm making toast."

"The toaster was broken."

"The toaster was perfectly fine."

"It was against me."

Jimin laughed softly, careful not to jostle him too much.

"Of course it was, Kookie."

Jungkook's fingers curled into the fabric of Jimin's shirt.

"You're laughing at me."

"I'm laughing because I love you."

There was a pause.

Then Jungkook mumbled, "Love you too."

Jimin looked down.

Jungkook's eyes were closed, his face nestled against Jimin's chest. His cheeks were still flushed, and a few damp strands of hair clung to his forehead.

Jimin gently brushed them away.

"Try to get some sleep, sweetheart."

"Stay until I fall asleep?"

"I'm not going anywhere."

"Promise?"

Jimin bent down and pressed the softest kiss to his forehead.

"Promise."

Jungkook seemed satisfied with that. His breathing gradually grew slower, and the tension in his shoulders began to ease.

Jimin continued running his fingers through his hair, moving carefully whenever Jungkook stirred. Each time his boyfriend shifted restlessly, Jimin murmured something reassuring, rubbed his back, or offered him another sip of water when he woke enough to drink.

He kept checking on him, watching for any worsening symptoms and making sure he remained comfortable.

Eventually, Jungkook stirred again.

"Jimin?"

"I'm here."

"Can you hold my hand?"

Jimin immediately slipped his fingers between Jungkook's.

"Like this?"

Jungkook squeezed his hand weakly.

"Yeah."

Jimin rested their joined hands against Jungkook's chest.

"Anything else, my love?"

Jungkook was quiet for a while.

Then he whispered, barely audible, "Thank you for taking care of me."

Jimin's throat tightened.

He leaned down and kissed Jungkook's forehead once more, letting his lips linger for a moment.

"You never have to thank me for that."

"But—"

"No buts." Jimin smiled when he heard Jungkook's faint, sleepy huff. "Taking care of you isn't a chore, Kookie. I want to be here. Even when you're sick, even when you're grumpy, even when you insist that you're perfectly fine while looking like you might fall asleep standing up."

"I'm not grumpy."

"Of course not."

"And I'm handsome."

"The most handsome."

Jungkook's lips curved into a tiny smile.

"Good."

Jimin chuckled and brushed his fingers through Jungkook's hair again, soothing him with the same gentle rhythm as before.

"I love you," he whispered. "So much. Now close your eyes and rest."

This time, Jungkook didn't argue.

He simply nestled closer, holding Jimin's hand against his chest while Jimin continued to stroke his hair.

And as the minutes passed, the tight little crease between Jungkook's eyebrows finally disappeared.

Jimin stayed awake a little longer, keeping him close and checking that he was comfortable.

Outside, the city continued on as usual. Cars passed beneath their window, lights flickered in distant buildings, and somewhere in the apartment, the refrigerator hummed quietly.

But in their bedroom, everything was soft and still.

Jungkook was warm against him, his breathing slow and even, his fingers loosely entwined with Jimin's.

Jimin pressed one final kiss to his hair.

"Sleep well, my love," he whispered.

And when Jungkook, already half-asleep, managed one last little murmur—

"Love you, Jiminie."

—Jimin smiled so tenderly that his cheeks began to ache.

"I love you too, Kookie."

He kept running his fingers through Jungkook's hair until he was certain his boyfriend had drifted off.

Because tomorrow, Jungkook would probably insist that he was feeling better, try to get out of bed too soon, and complain when Jimin made him rest.

Tomorrow, Jimin would fuss over him all over again.

But tonight, Jungkook was safe in his arms.

And for now, that was enough. ♡