(Fluffy Sickfic)

Junkook’s tired. So fucking tired.

It’s a gnawing sort of weariness that penetrates so deep it makes his bones ache, a level of exhaustion he hasn’t felt in months, not since he quit his nightshift job at the convenience store and moved in with the Kim-coven.

And it isn’t just fatigue that clings to him – it’s like there’s a bunch of invisible weights strapped to each of his limbs, making even the slightest movement an arduous task, and even though his current position isn’t the most comfortable, the thought of rolling over-

onto his side or (god forbid) climbing to his feet to go lay down on a cushioned surface is beyond his comprehension right now.

Everything hurts, and he's hot, WAY too hot, but the heat in his neck and face is a stark contrast to the chill that's making his fingers tremble.

"Kookie!" a familiar voice chirps, and a second later there's a body thudding down beside him on the floor of his art studio. "Are you sleeping? Yah, that can't be a comfortable position for your neck. C'mere."

As Taehyung moves to shift him, Jungkook moans hoarsely in protest.

The vampire beside him pauses, then gentle fingers cup the side of his neck, blessedly cool against his burning skin. He hears Taehyung suck in a sharp breath.

"Kookie," his bondmate murmurs, a faint note of urgency in his voice. "Baby, open your eyes for me."

Jungkook doesn't want to. His head's throbbing something awful, and the dimmed spotlights in the ceiling of his art studio feel like they're burning into his retinas even with his eyelids screwed tight shut. He just wants to rest. He wants cuddles, Taehyung and a damn good sleep.

He breathes another soft groan, and it sounds strange even coming from his own throat, not at all like his usual vocalisations. Perhaps it has something to do with the ache that's begun to build there these past few hours. Days? God knows how long he's been here.

"Fuck," Taehyung mutters, and his voice doesn't sound right either, low and shaky like he's going to start crying. "Kookie..."

Jungkook wants to reach out and comfort him, to reassure him, but the pain in his head is worsening quickly and he might just cry himself in a moment.

Distantly he hears a familiar clicking of of tiny claws against floorboards, and Taehyung's fingers leave his neck (Jungkook misses the gentle touch immediately) as the vampire leans away from him.

"Jimin!"

The click-clack sound pauses, then quickens as the newcomer approaches-

-the art studio at a more rapid pace. He hears the door being open, and can picture Chim pausing there a moment, but can't summon the strength to turn his head or even open his eyes to a squint.

"I think he's sick," Taehyung croaks above him, and the cool fingers return to-

-cup his neck, this time sliding up to cradle his too-hot cheek. Jungkook shifts his head ever so slightly and leans into the cool touch, grateful for that momentary relief.

There's a soft /whoosh/ sound, and Jungkook feels a faint breeze briefly fan his hot cheeks.

A second pair of hands settle either side of his jaw, their touch slightly warmer that Taehyung's but still a cool reprieve to Jungkook's heated skin.

"Ai, he's burning up," Jimin breathes, and a hand moves to settle across his brow. "Kookie? Sweetheart, look at me."

Jungkook loves them both, and knows it isn't fair to ignore the instruction, but they're being too loud and jostling his aching head, and GOD, it hurts so bad.

He can feel his face crumpling before the tears even begin to burn behind his eyelids. Fuck, he just feels so awful.

"Hey, hey, shhh," Jimin hushes, and while his tone his full of tenderness, there's a note of fear there too. "You're okay, hon. Everything's gonna be okay."

He feels the press of lips against his scorching brow, fingertips trailing down his cheek in a gentle caress.

"Namjoon-hyung isn't home from work yet," Tae whispers, voice faintly tremulous. "Jin-hyung's officiating something in the Old Forest. Should I wake the others?"

"Mm." Jimin's fingers move to settle over Jungkook's carotid pulse. "And call Joon-hyung. His pulse is too fast."

Jungkook is already dimly aware of that fact. He can feel his heartbeat thrumming away, a fluttering thing beneath his breastbone, but moreover he can hear it pulsing loudly in his ears. It's so loud, so fucking loud, and it won't STOP.

"Shh," Jimin hushes above him. "Easy."

He drifts for a short while, Jimin's fingers combing soothingly through his fringe, until the sound of rapidly approaching footsteps pulls him from his half-doze.

"How long has he been like this?" Hoseok asks calmly, as cool fingers ghost across Jungkook's forehead.

"He only got home at four," Taehyung explains. "I came to check on him about five minutes ago when I hadn't heard anything from him, I just found him like this. I thought he was sleeping, but his skin's on fire, and he won't answer me."

Hoseok hums, kissing Jungkook's brow.

"Kookie," the dancer murmurs, and Jungkook feels the vampires arms shifting to lever him up into a sitting position, groaning as his head falls heavily against Hoseok's shoulder. "I'm sorry, I know you feel rough, baby. Can you put your arms around my neck?"

He tries, but his-

-limbs feel uncoordinated, his movements disjointed, and that horrible aching weight still lingers, making even the tiniest movement a gruelling challenge.

"That's alright," Hoseok reassures smoothly, hushing Jungkook's whimper with another kiss to his brow. "Hyung's got you."

Stinging, miserable tears welling behind his closed eyelids again, Jungkook hides his hot face against Hoseok's neck, fingers loosely curling in the vampire's shirt as he's carefully lifted from the floor. Even being moved hurts.

When he's set down again, it's on something soft.

He recognises the room by it's smell, a blend of a hundred different herbal scents lingering in the air and clinging to the fabric of the soft cushion that's slipped beneath his head.

"Joon's on his way," Yoongi says quietly, and Jungkook hears the trickle of tea being poured.

"Help me sit him up," the Seer urges, hushed, and Jungkook feels hands slipping behind his head and shoulders to lever him upright.

Someone moves to sit behind him, allowing Jungkook to lean back safely against their chest, propped up.

Gentle fingers pinch his chin.

"I need you to drink this for me, sweetheart," Yoongi murmurs, as the rim of a cup is pressed against his bottom lip. "It'll help bring down your fever while we're waiting for Joon-ah."

Jungkook pulls a face, because he doesn't WANT to drink, his throat hurts and he's too tired.

"Just a little sip, hon," Jimin coaxes, his hand slipping into Jungkook's left one to squeeze his fingers.

Another, cooler hand slips into his right. "Please, Kookie?" Tae presses, kissing the back of his knuckles. "Just try it?"

"It'll make you feel better," Hoseok encourages

They sound worried, and that's enough to override Jungkook's previous inhibitions, even if his stomach feels ready to reject its contents at any moment.

The warm tea tastes bitter and medicinal, but it's clearly been sweetened with honey, and that at least makes it palatable.

"Good boy," Hoseok murmurs against his ear once the whole bitter cup has been drained, and the arm about his waist squeezes in a tender backhug. "You wanna lie back down, baby?"

Jungkook manages a shallow nod, keeping his eyes closed as he's lowered back down onto the soft rug.

For a short while he's left wonderfully, blissfully alone, and he allows his foggy mind to drift, lost in a feverish haze of disjointed thoughts.

All too soon, however, there are fingers smoothing over his brow, tracing a swirling pattern there.

"Hi, Kookie," Namjoon greets.

The pulsing in his head abates quickly, and he stirs at the voice, leaning into the healer's touch. Namjoon's thumb strokes down over the bridge of Jungkook's nose, pressing against the pressure point there for a moment as his lips brush a tender kiss against the youth's brow.

"I'm here," the healer soothes, his voice effortlessly comforting. "Sorry I took so long. I'll make it all go away. Shhh, just breathe deep for me."

The vampire's fingers stroke along his temples, then down his cheeks to settle beneath his jaw, gently massaging there where the-

-ache in his throat has built up steadily. Under the healer's careful touch, that painful thickness rapidly diminishes, and Jungkook swallows several times in quick succession, gratified at the lack of discomfort.

"Poor little one," Namjoon murmurs sympathetically, stroking-

-over the apple of his throat. "I bet you've been feeling rough all day, hm?"

Jungkook gives a little nod and another soft noise of misery, because it's *true*. He remembers it now. Sitting through art class with an aching head, feeling shaky and sick and scared and strange.

"What is it?" Taehyung asks tentatively, squeezing Jungkook's fingers. "What's wrong with him?"

"Influenza," the healer answers calmly. "And one helluva migraine. His fever must've spiked right before you found him, hon. And you did good getting that tea into him, Yoongi."

"I should've seen it coming," the Seer answers hollowly, and Jungkook hears the trickle of tea being poured anew. "If I hadn't gone to bed-"

"You would've crashed," Hoseok finishes gently. "If Jin-hyung hadn't put you under, Joonie might have two sick nestmates on his hands."

"Hobi's right, baby," Namjoon agrees, even as his fingers sweep down Jungkook's throat to rest over his breastbone. "Don't be so hard on yourself. And you were there when Kookie needed you most, that's the important thing. His fever's broken, he's going to be just fine."

At the healer's touch, the achy weight in his chest seems to dissipate, and Jungkook sucks in the first deep, easy breath in hours.

Soft lips press a lingering kiss to his brow again, and Jungkook feels himself stir again, his weary eyelids finally fluttering open.

Namjoon smiles down at him warmly, eyes creasing as his cheeks dimple, and despite his lingering fatigue Jungkook can't help but return it.

"Hey, hyung," he rasps, voice hoarse from lack of use.

"Hey," Namjoon echoes, a hand coming up to caress his cheek. "Back with us, hon?"

Jungkook glances from the healer's smiling face above him, to Tae and Jimin's anxious expression where they lean in on either side of him, and over to Yoongi and Hoseok who are perched on the edge of the low table behind Jimin, the empath's arm wrapped around the elder vampire.

"Yeah. I'm back," Jungkook confirms, and flashes Yoongi a tired but genuine smile. The Seer mirrors it, albeit wanly, and takes another sip of his tea, leaning further against Hoseok.

Suddenly, a gust of wind whips through the cosy room, rattling the doors of the tea cabinets-

-and a shadow swirls briefly in the far corner of the room before solidifying into a tall, familiar figure.

Seokjin's dark cloak flutters around him briefly before the shadowed doorway vanishes (and the wind along with it), the vampire's harried gaze flitting towards Jungkook.