Rub His Back | A JJK Sickfic

chapter seven: give him the moonlight (part 2)

Pepto Bismol is a bad idea.

Pepto Bismol is the worst idea.

Jungkook's in too much pain to piece together what's going on. He couldn't stay still on the couch after a while, so they'd moved him to the pallet on the floor. He's rocking into Jin, whining into his chest. If he squeezes himself any further into him, he might just suffocate them both. Hoseok's ministrations go tragically unnoticed, even though he's literally wrenching the heel of his palm into the middle of Jungkook's back. The intense curling of his stomach is just way too much, way too loud right now to feel anything else.

"Oh oh oh oh oh, hold on, be right back. Maybe this'll help," Namjoon's feet pounds heavily out of the living room.

"Oh yeah Joonie, are you getting Ryan?" Taehyung calls out.

"Someone go get a trashcan or a towel or something—he might get sick." Jin says, as calmly as he can. He's definitely going to be sick. His hiccups sound too deep and forceful and he's been swallowing convulsively here and there. Jimin is out of the room before Jin's done with the instruction. Yoongi stays crouched closely by, watching Jungkook with a calm fire in his eyes, concern contorting his whole face.

"Shhh, baby, it's okay. Joonie's gonna get something to help."

Jungkook chokes out a breath, coughing out some airy sobs. "Hhn—hyung," His eyes go wide at a sudden piercing pain flooding his insides, gasping. "Hyung!" His nails are breaking flesh on Jin's skin.

"Baby, breathe. Come on, sweetheart, try to relax yourself. Follow after me—you can do it. Give the cramps a chance to loosen up. That's it."

Taehyung's already warming a rubber water bag in the microwave when Namjoon hurries back. It was one of the many things they'd bought from the store earlier. Taehyung slips the hot bag into the slit Namjoon had cut in the back of his Ryan plushie.

Jin can't even bring himself to laugh at it when Namjoon tucks the doll under Jungkook's arm where it presses snug into his stomach. The warmth floods the ailing boy's middle, taking the edge off the cramps, but the nausea is way too bad. He starts to sit himself up, so Jin gets up to help him.

"What can we do to help, Kookie?" Jimin asks softly but urgently, clutching a small trash can in his hands. "Tell us what you need."

"Distract me. Please." Jungkook says shakily through his teeth. There's no color in the face.

"Boo!!!" Taehyung appears from having jumped into view from the kitchen. Jungkook's throat gurgles and his cheeks balloon before Jimin's trashcan catches Jungkook's bright pink vomit. Not the distraction he had in mind. Taehyung hadn't meant to scare Jungkook into vomiting. He looks devastated at his mistake. Hoseok tries to get his attention to mouth it's okay before he can beat himself up with guilt.

The insides of Jin's lip is bleeding with how hard he's biting it. He wants to utter a string of very colorful curse words right now. How will Jungkook get hydrated at this point? Did the doctor really say the boy should keep trying to drink liquids even though he isn't keeping any of it down? Had she really said that? Because this is not fun to watch. This doesn't look safe.

Jungkook's heaves aren't even loud anymore. He just silently jerks forward for the fifth time as more liquid pours rapidly into the bin. Hoseok tends to him while Jin checks his forehead. Still hot.

"Joonie, call the doctor, please. See if she'll come by."

x

The doctor arrives as quickly as she can, but she was off, and she lived much farther from the hospital, so it takes an hour for her to get to the house. Jungkook isn't in very good shape when she gets there. The lights are off and Jimin is holding him on the couch. Jimin had been praying into Jungkook's silk pajamas. Praying hard. Jungkook had to get better. He can't go another night like this. Every part of him was hurting. He can't even turn his head without it throbbing in protest. The muscles around his stomach are so sore that it twinges every time he breathes. His limbs are stiff and painful and weak; it's almost as if they creak with every movement. The nausea is always there and he's still running a fever.

Jimin won't move, so the doctor works patiently around him, sitting in a chair Jin had pulled up for her. Jungkook peeks up at her with glassy eyes, making a feeble sound of acknowledgement. He's exhausted.

"Alright sweetie, lets get you feeling a little better."

While she calmly pulls some prep materials out of her work bag, she explains to the boys that Jungkook's fever is most likely due to all the stress his body's under, all the vomiting he's been doing and all the cramps he's been having. Since he hasn't been able to take any medicine, the fever hasn't had a chance to be fought off. The body aches and the headaches are from the fever but also from dehydration.

She taps at a syringe in her hand and says it's just some ibuprofen. Jimin watches closely as she swipes a patch of skin on the maknae's arm a few times with some gauze soaked in alcohol and pricks him once she finds a vein. And then she packs up her things and answers all of Namjoon's and Jin's questions before telling them she'll give them a call a little later when the sun comes up so she can follow up.

Five minutes after she left, the medicine is already running its course. Jungkook's body feels pleasantly warm with relief, no longer sore. His body goes lax into Jimin, finally able to melt in his embrace.

x

Jin lifts Jungkook's dozing body off the couch, reveling the fact that his baby is no longer burning with a fever anymore and is still holding Ryan close over his stomach. Jimin is dozing too, but he makes an unhappy sound at the absence of Jungkook cuddling into him.

"Go back to sleep, baby; it's been a long night. Jungkook's alright. His fever's gone," Jin beams. Jimin smiles despite the fact that his eyes won't stay open.

"Where're you going?"

"Yoongi wants Kookie in the hammock with him."

Jimin looks out toward the sliding doors leading out to the deck. He nods his head, one eyelid glued shut. "Mm, that's really nice."

"Yeah, it is," Jin says fondly. The fresh night air will be good for him, calming. "I'll be right back, then I'll get you a pillow and a blanket."

x

Yoongi tucks Jungkook close to him when Jin settles the sleeping maknae onto the hammock. He fixes his blanket so it covers them both and slips his arm under Jungkook's head. With a very content sigh, he tilts his head up to the sky. Jin tenderly rubs his thumb along Yoongi's forehead, moves some bangs out of his eyes.

"You really helped me a lot today," Jin says. Yoongi's eyes glance up at him. "Thank you for that. You're always helping. I don't know what I'd do without you."

Yoongi's eyes turn soft. He gives the eldest a warm smirk that Jin knows he'll keep close to his heart forever. "Same to you, hyung."

Jin leans over to kiss Yoongi's temple swiftly before Yoongi can make a fuss about it, then kisses Jungkook for a little longer. He's so relieved for his sick baby. So very relieved.

"Goodnight," Yoongi murmurs, turning on his side toward Jungkook, slipping a leg in between the younger's and closing his eyes.

"See you when the sun's up." Jin answers back, rocking the hammock just slightly before leaving Yoongi, Jungkook, and Ryan to the sea breeze and the peaceful night sky.

(attn: and this is where the fic is now current, my dears, which means it may take longer for an update from here. there's about 2 or 3 more chapters left of this lovely thang. then it'll be onto my next fic! <3 love you all for all the love i've gotten for this fic. i love it just as much as you've been loving it. who wouldn't love writing these precious boys taking care of each other?! <3 anyways, stay tuned! lub you! :3)