Take My Breath Away

27

Jimin woke to the feeling of someone holding his hand, gently moving their thumb over his. He opened his eyes and was met by the visage of Jungkook sitting next to hir in his usual chair reading a book he had rested against Jimin's bed. Sunshine fell through the window hitting Jungkook's brown hair making it shine golden. His boyfriend looked tired, though the bags under his eyes seemed to have lessened slightly over the past few days.
It was one of Jimin's favourite things to do, just looking at Jungkook when he didn't think he was looking. He was always beautiful, it didn't matter what he wore or if he'd styled his hair or not, but Jimin loved seeing him like this the most. The slight flush on his cheeks from the run he'd been on earlier in the day, his fluffy curls falling into his eyes, the look of concentration in his eyes as he pored over the book telling Jimin he was reading something he found interesting.
Jungkook looked up and smiled when he noticed that Jimin was awake. "Did you sleep well?"
Jimin nodded. He still got tired easily and he usually needed to sleep for a few hours during the day.
"How long was... I asleep?" Jimin asked while he lazily stretched his arms.
"A couple of hours." Jungkook closed the book and put it in his lap. "Do you feel better?"
Jimin had spiked a fever that morning and Dr Choi had put him back on antibiotics. It didn't seem like it was a serious infection but now that his health was so fragile Dr Choi didn't want to take any risks and Jimin wasn't about to argue with him.
"A bit." Jimin replied. He fiddled a little with the blanket still covering him up to his stomach. "I'm just... worried this will... keep happening and... that I won't ever... get to go home.
Jungkook gave him a sympathetic smile, his hand squeezing Jimin's a little. "I know."
Jimin looked at his boyfriend. "I want to... get better, I..
need to."
Jimin could see Jungkook's eyes trace his features, his gaze finally fixing on his eyes. They looked at each other for a while, neither of them saying anything, while
Jungkook kept caressing the back of Jimin's hand with his thumb.
"What?" Jimin finally said.
Jungkook smiled and got up to sit on the edge of Jimin's bed, putting his book on the chair behind him. "I'm just happy you're telling me how you're feeling, that you're not shutting me out anymore."
Jimin pulled on Jungkook's arm, getting him to move up a little on the bed until he was close enough that Jimin could wrap his arms around his neck. He nuzzled into his boyfriend's shoulder, drawing in the familiar scent of orange blossoms. It wasn't really that he was consciously trying to share everything with Jungkook, he just did it naturally now. It was like a wall had come down, the wall that he'd thought he'd needed to keep himself from hurting the people he loved.
Jimin felt Jungkook's breath ghost over his neck as his boyfriend wrapped his arms around his waist. "I know this has been really hard for you, in many ways, I just don't want you to keep everything to yourself anymore. If you're happy I want to share in your joy, if you're sad I want to comfort you, if you're worried I want to find a way to make your concerns go away. Please don't feel like you need to protect me, I want to be there for you through everything, both the good and the bad. I always have.'
Jimin exhaled, bunching up the fabric of Jungkook's knitted sweater with his hand. He had always done this, hidden things from his family and friends, thinking that if they didn't know they wouldn't be upset. They'd all told him this before, to tell them what he was thinking and feeling, but Jimin had always thought it best to keep it to himself for as long as possible, to protect them. He'd always hated the way they looked at him, the worry, the pity. He'd never liked that he caused the people he loved so much pain. But he'd realised that in the end it was inevitable, they would worry about him whether he hid things from them or not, because they loved him. It didn't help them if he kept things from them, and it didn't help Jimin either.
"I won't hide... things from you... anymore." Jimin held
Jungkook a little closer, hoping his boyfriend could feel his honesty. "I promise."
Jungkook pulled back after a second and looked at Jimin, the stars of a thousand galaxies shining in his eyes. His boyfriend's hand came up to cup Jimin's cheek and he leaned into the touch. "Thank you." Jungkook finally said before he pressed a soft kiss to Jimin's lips.
Jimin moved a little to the side to make space for Jungkook on the bed. His boyfriend lied down next to him and snaked his arm under Jimin's upper body to pull him close.
Jimin rested his head against Jungkook's chest and closed his eyes for a second. Jimin felt Jungkook's fingers start to run circles on his back. He felt so at home.
When he opened his eyes again Jimin's eyes landed on the cover of the book Jungkook had been reading. Jimin frowned slightly as he read the title. It seemed to be a book on photography, a well-used one at that. He found it a bit strange that his boyfriend had brought it. He hadn't seen it before and Jungkook wasn't really the biggest reader.
"What are you... reading?" Jimin finally asked.