Work Text:
“Hi.”
Jungkook looks across the room to the other boy sitting on a bed in the standard issue hospital gown, lips turned upwards in a ghost of a smile.
Over the last couple of months there had been three other patients that had come and gone, leaving behind that characteristic, bitter smell of disinfectant and loneliness. Jungkook had long since decided that getting to know anyone else would be a futile endeavour.
“Hi.” He’d replied to be polite, but hadn’t been able to mask the disinterest that rang clear in his drawl.
“What’s your name? Mine’s Taehyung,” the boy says brightly. He waves a tanned and slender hand at him, seemingly undeterred, as his eyes crinkle slightly, mouth opening into a boxy smile.
“Jungkook,” he replies, already bored of the conversation. He turns his head away, towards the large window next to his bed and resigns himself to the mind-numbing task of recounting the ever changing number of cars parked below in the lot.
“Hi Jungkookie, why are you here?” the boy asks, still determined to make conversation. Something about the boy’s cheerful demeanour and the prodding question grates on Jungkook’s readily fraying nerves.
He sighs. The room darkens slightly as the sun ducks behind some clouds. It’s only ten in the morning and he can already feel exhaustion setting deep in his bones. “Why should I tell you?” he grits out rudely, patience wearing thin.
Receiving no answer, Jungkook glances back to see the boy’s face turned down towards his lap, lips pressed into a small frown. Something in Jungkook’s gut twists uncomfortably at the sight. It’s for the best he thinks, as he turns back to the window, a silent sigh passing through his lips.
——————————
It’s been a week. Taehyung hasn’t said a word to him and Jungkook’s slightly miffed. Usually, he would’ve been glad to be left alone but something in his chest urges at him to speak up. He sighs again. A nurse ducks into the room for his daily check up, making some inane attempt at small talk. They walk out, leaving deafening silence behind, save for the constant beeping coming from his monitor.
——————————
2 more days.
Jungkook turns to look at the Taehyung. His brown hair shines in the late afternoon sun coming through the window. He’s reading a book. Butterflies. “What’re you reading?” His voice comes out scratchy and irritated. He clears his throat and waits for an answer. A minute passes. Two minutes. Jungkook glances at the white clock hanging on the wall. 3 minutes. He sighs again and turns away, pulling the thin sheets over his body as he lies down.
“It’s about flowers.”
Jungkook raises his eyebrow and turns in his bed. “I thought it was about butterflies?”
Taehyung smiles and Jungkook’s monitor skips a beat.
“So you do actually know what I’m reading.” Taehyung’s smile morphs into a cheshire grin as Jungkook shifts uncomfortably in his bed.
“I saw the cover,” Jungkook replies snootily, cheeks turning a tinge red.
Something in Taehyung’s eyes glimmer and he opens his mouth, no doubt about to spout some sarcastic one liner. Footsteps sound in the doorway and both their heads turn towards a woman entering their room. She bends down towards Taehyung and speaks in a hushed voice, eyes tight and face lined with some sort of emotion. Taehyung whispers back, a frown marring his face. The hushed whispers become more urgent, leaving a bitter taste in Jungkook’s mouth. “No.” Jungkook sits up slightly from his bed as Taehyung pushes up from his, an almost frantic expression plastered across his face. The woman purses her lips and looks down at him, an arm reaching out to caress his shoulder. A beat passes and she starts walks away, tension lining her body. At the doorway she pauses and turns around.
“Lie down, you’re going to get hurt,” she says shortly and stalks off, shoulders set stiff.
A sour expression spreads over Taehyung’s face and Jungkook’s head swims with dread. “Not like I’m not already,” he mutters to himself. He levels a severe stare at the door and turns his head. Jungkook’s monitor skips a beat again as they make eye contact. Jungkook swallows uncomfortably, disturbed and concerned at the empty look in Taehyung’s eyes.
“You okay?”
It’s an empty question, Jungkook knows but he can’t seem to help himself as the words come out of their own accord. He sees Taehyung swallow thickly, and look down, hands fisted in his pyjama bottoms.
“Not really,” he says. His lips twitch upwards in an ironic smile. “Is anyone here really okay though.” The bitterness is clear in his voice and Jungkook blinks, heat spreading behind his eyes.
His headaches had been getting worse recently but seemed to want to make themselves known with a vengeance today, in particular. “Don’t hunch your shoulders,” Jungkook blurts out, head cloudy, then almost immediately after curses himself at his lack of tact. It seems to work though, Taehyung looks up at him and raises a perfect eyebrow.
“Or what?” he taunts playfully, grief forgotten for the time being.
“Or it’ll make you look even more ugly,” Jungkook says, smiling slightly when Taehyung throws his head back and laughs. You couldn’t look ugly even if you tried “I’m not sorry,” he adds bluntly, sending Taehyung into more laughter.
His laughter ends abruptly, leaving Jungkook staring wide eyed at the tan boy sitting up. “What?” He asks curiously, sitting up, sheets falling off his shoulders. Taehyung smiles softly at him leaving Jungkook self conscious as he looks down quickly.
“I’m glad I shared a room with you,” he says quietly, fingers playing with the rough white sheets.
Jungkook chuckles. “We haven’t even been talking for a day .” A bittersweet undertone lines their words and his chest twists uncomfortably again. Images of him and Taehyung flashes through his mind. What could’ve been, if they weren’t stuck here in this hospital room.
“Time doesn’t matter,” Taehyung replies, mouth turning up into a boxy smile.
Jungkook smiles back and tilts his head. “You should smile more, you look pretty like that,” he says softly, not caring when he feels his face blush.
Taehyung hums in response. “Yeh,” he says.
Jungkook yawns, eyes watering and blinks, a sharp pain flaring up at his temples. He winces and screws his eyes shut willing the pain to subside.
“You should sleep, it’s good for you,” Taehyung lies down, pulling his sheets up. “I’ll sleep with you,” he says, shooting Jungkook an dramatic wink.
Jungkook huffs out a laugh and lies down too. He wants to keep talking but his eyes are closing on their own accord.
Taehyung starts to sing softly, his deep voice lulling Jungkook deeper into sleep as he struggles to stay awake. “Let me sing with you tomorrow,” he murmurs, listening as the singing stops for a second.
“Sure.”
Jungkook sighs and relaxes, allowing himself to drift away.
The truth runs wild
Like a tear down a cheek
Trying to save face, and daddy heart break
I'm lying through my teeth
This voice inside
Has been eating at me
Trying to replace the love that I fake
With what we both need
The truth runs wild
Like kids on concrete
Trying to sedate, my mind in its cage
And numb what I see
——————————
Jungkook wakes up. It’s dark but he can clearly see the clock. 2:59am He glances over to Taehyung’s bed and smiles fondly at the sleeping boy wrapped tightly around his sheets. “Thanks for the singing,” he says softly, grinning as Taehyung shifts, muttering quietly. Jungkook raises an eyebrow and leans closer, knowing the minuscule distance he just travelled would make no difference.
“Mmm don’t… feed the ducks bread.” Jungkook sniggers quietly, rolling his eyes.
“You’re gonna have a great time when I ask you about this later,” Jungkook murmurs into the dark grinning as Taehyung snorts quietly and begins to mutter more. “Night,” he says and turns in his bed. Once, twice. Then he’s out like a light.
——————————
It’s the morning when Jungkook wakes up and he already knows that something’s gone wrong. He looks to the other bed and frowns. The bed has been stripped and everything smells strongly of antiseptic. Jungkook’s heart sinks and feels heavy in his chest, his usual aches and pains forgotten for the moment.
A nurse walks in and smiles kindly at him. “How are you feeling?” she asks, fiddling with a remote by his monitor.
He swallows thickly, the lump in his throat not dissipating. “Fine,” he says, glancing over at the empty bed once more. The nurse catches him looking and smiles sympathetically. “Where did he go?” he asks, even though he already knows the answer.
“I’m sorry, he passed away this morning,” she says, a soft lilt to her voice.
Jungkook swallows and looks away sharply, nausea rising like a tidal wave. “Ok.” His voice comes out cracked and broken. He licks his lips and fists his hands in his sheets.
He doesn’t know why he’s so affected. He only knew him for a week. You ignored him for most of it. It’s not the first time this has happened either. You never cared about them as much.
“He wrote you a note,” the nurse says, drawing Jungkook’s attention to a light blue piece of paper in her hand. She hands it to him and leaves, footsteps receding away as she walks on to the next patient.
Hi Jungkookie
I know we didn’t know each other well but I’d like for you to have my book. Take care of it for me while I’m gone, we can talk about it when we see each other again since we were interrupted last time!
Tae
P.s. smile more, you look pretty when you do
Next to his bed lies the hardback book on the table. Jungkook picks it up and opens it, tracing the folds in the corners. As he flicks through the book, he comes across a note hidden in the crease that tumbles out onto his lap.
P.p.s. I know I’m not here right now, but sing for me please?
Jungkook closes the book and places it back on the table gently, staring glassily at the note in his hand. Emotion wells up behind his sternum as he inhales roughly, a shudder running through his body. He curls into the sheets and pulls the covers over his head. A tear falls from his eyes as he clenches them shut, cradling the note to his aching chest.
Despite everything, he was glad to have known Taehyung just for a little while. Next time, Jungkook vows. Next time we’ll sing together.
Awake, wide eyed
I'm screaming at me
Trying to keep faith and picture his face
Staring up at me