Familiar Ambrosia

Part 2

There was no Jimin in the morning. That was expected. I had enjoyed an unsatisfying night alone while Jimin had been wrapped around his sexy stranger and wasn't likely to emerge any time soon. But I didn't hear from him in the afternoon or evening either. The entire weekend came and went without a peep from my best friend. My texts and calls went unanswered. By the time Sunday evening rolled around, I was seriously worried. Even if we didn't see each other every day, Jimin never ignored my attempts to contact him.

So I found myself standing outside Jimin's apartment, knuckles rapping lightly, telling myself that now I was the one being overprotective. I pressed my ear to the door in the vain hope that I would hear him. Maybe I was overreacting. Maybe the girl from Friday night was such a good fuck he was still unwilling to leave her. I steadied myself with a deep breath before pulling my keys out of my pocket. I'd never used the key he had given me before. Jimin let himself into my apartment all the time but I had been unable to find the same boldness in myself despite the comfort I took from his presence. He was still a guy and I didn't want to take the chance that I'd walk in on his revolving door of lovers.

Lips pressed together tightly, I pushed in and closed the door softly behind me. Belatedly, I realized that maybe I ought to have done it louder in order to alert him to my presence if he was home. The apartment was dark and sweltering hot. Too hot even for the late fall chill. "Jimin? Where are you, you ass? I've been trying to get hold of you. What happened? That woman screw the life out of you?"

Soft groans made my face heat but I quickly realized they were full of pain. Rushing to the bedroom, I dropped to my knees beside his prone form, running my hands over his clammy face. He was curled into a ball under his blankets, shivers wracking his body. An unhealthy pallor had replaced his normal golden glow and he hugged his stomach with agonized whimpers. All the annoyed anger that had been burning through me since he had forced me to go home early dissipated at the sight of him in such a miserable state. He whimpered and pressed his cold cheek into my touch. "Jimin, what happened? Why didn't you call me if you were this sick?"

"Y/N, my body hurts so much," he whined. His fingers clutched at mine but his grip was weak and his hand was freezing cold. His sheets clung to his sweaty form, smelling like he hadn't showered since Friday. That urged me to action. Jimin was a stickler for personal cleanliness even if he sometimes left messes in his wake. "Come on. We're going to the hospital."

"No!" he shouted. I couldn't recall him ever having raised his voice in my presence. Much less at me. I blinked at the unusual force in his voice.

"No hospital. I just need rest. I-I'm starving too. I've never been so hungry in all my life."

"Ok. No hospital. How about this? You hop in the shower and I'll make you something to eat. We'll wait the night but if you're not ok by tomorrow, I'm dragging you kicking and screaming to the emergency room."

With obvious reluctance, he nodded. I waited until he sat up and then stood firmly on his own two feet before I turned away from him. Only when the shower turned on did I relax. Once Jimin was eating I'd go and change his sheets. I was already planning on spending the night. No way was I leaving him alone. I was stirring soup when the shower turned off and Jimin padded out a few minutes later, the scent of his body wash wafting over me when he pressed into my back in search of comfort. The soup had a front row seat to the indulgent smile that pricked up the corners of my mouth at his needy gesture. His arms looped around my waist and his chin dropped to my shoulder. "You're so warm, Y/N. You smell so good."

Face flushing, I tried to sound casual as I turned off the stove. "It's the same stuff I always use. Same smell I always have. You're just noticing because you smelled like death 10 minutes ago."