Sicktember Sickfics

19: Hypochondriac Tendencies

Taehyung's POV

I stared at the appointment reminder on my phone screen with a growing sense of dread. "Vaccine appointment at 3:00 PM," it read in bold letters. I knew this day was coming; everyone had already gotten their shots without a fuss, but I just couldn't shake off the anxiety twisting in my stomach. It wasn't the idea of getting the vaccine—I knew it was important.

It was the needle.

"Taehyung-ah, are you ready?" Namjoon called out from the kitchen. 

The others were buzzing around the dorm, busy with their own things, but I could feel their occasional glances my way. They knew. Of course, they knew. I'd been avoiding the topic for days, coming up with every excuse I could muster, but now there was no avoiding it.

"I'm... not going," I mumbled, sinking further into the couch and pulling a blanket over my head.

Jungkook plopped down beside me, his hair still damp from his morning shower. He peeked under the blanket, his eyes big and concerned.

"Hyung, it's just a little prick. You'll be done before you even realize."

"That's what they all say," I grumbled. 

The thought of that sharp needle piercing my skin made my heart race. Jimin joined us, sitting on the armrest and ruffling my hair gently.

"You know it's important, right? And we'll all be here when you get back. You've got this."

I nodded, but my mind was still spinning. The last time I got a shot, it wasn't pretty. I ended up nearly fainting, and it was embarrassing. What if that happened again?

Hobi hyung wandered over, handing me a cup of warm tea.

"This will help calm you down," he said, his voice soft.

He knew I loved warm drinks when I was feeling anxious.

"Just think of it like a small sting, like when you accidentally bite your tongue. Annoying but over quick," he reiterated.

I sipped the tea, the warmth spreading through me. It did make me feel a little better, but the nerves still gnawed at me. Jin joined in, sitting cross-legged on the floor, looking up at me.

"Hey, remember when we went bungee jumping? You were scared then too, but you did it. This is kind of the same, just less... falling from a height."

I laughed weakly.

"Yeah, but at least with bungee jumping, I just had to jump. I didn't have to get stabbed by anything."

"True," Jin conceded, smiling gently, "but you're braver than you think."

Hobi sat quietly on the other side of me, just his presence reassuring.

"We all get scared of things, Tae; but you're doing this to protect yourself and others. We'll be with you every step of the way. You're not alone."

It was comforting, hearing their words, and feeling their hands pat my back or ruffle my hair. Slowly, the overwhelming fear began to fade, replaced by the warmth of their support. I knew they were right—I had to do this, and they'd be there, cheering me on, even if it was just a shot.

When the time finally came to leave, Namjoon grabbed his keys, and Jungkook threw an arm around my shoulder.

"We'll get ice cream after," he promised, grinning.

The doctor's office wasn't nearly as bad as I imagined. The nurse was kind and quick, and although my heart pounded when I saw the needle, I kept my eyes on the guys. Namjoon held my hand, squeezing it lightly.

"You're doing great," he whispered.

Before I knew it, it was over. A small pinch and a little bandage later, and I was done. I blinked in surprise, feeling slightly embarrassed that I'd worked myself up so much.

"See? Easy!" Jungkook cheered, and the others clapped like I'd just run a marathon. I laughed, feeling lighter than I had all day.

We celebrated with ice cream just like Jungkook promised, and though my arm was sore, I felt proud. Proud that I'd faced my fear, but mostly grateful for my members who were always there, making the tough moments a little less scary.