mônsant

“Need some help?” You looked behind you with a frown. Jiyong was struggling with his bulky crutches that were stuck in the gap between the elevator doors.

“No...” He replied, tugging at one which knocked him slightly off balance. He swung his foot out and went to step down until he remembered it was his casted leg. Reaching out, you grabbed his elbow before he could teeter all the way over.

“Careful!”

He let out a frustrated grunt and then stood still on one leg until you rescued his crutch for him.

“Still need that help?” You teased as he finally hobbled his way down the hall.

Jiyong sighed in defeat. “Thanks.”

“If you’re not careful, you’ll end up right back at the hospital.”

“After five days there already? I’ll pass.”

“You know what that means then. Rest. Complete couch potato level rest.”

Jiyong pouted at the door. “You’re going to be even more strict than the nurses, aren’t you..”

“You bet,” you replied with a giant grin in his direction. Jiyong sighed again, but then smirked.

“I’ll allow it if you put one of those nurse costumes on...” he said under his breath.

You gave his butt a smack with your free hand. “Keep dreaming, mister.”

“Yah! Why did you do that? I’m injured!”

You shrugged and followed him inside your home. Iye came running as soon as he heard your voices and found Jiyong in the entrance, sniffing at his cast and the unfamiliar smell of hospital still lingering on him. Jiyong awkwardly tried to bend down and pat him as you put your jacket and keys away. Once everything was put in it’s place, you went back to Jiyong and began nudging him toward the living room couch.

“But I just got home!” He whined. “I haven’t been home since February, I want to see everything.”

You put on your stern face. “Ji, you need to elevate your leg, your toes are already swelling again. Your medication will be wearing off soon too. You can look later.”

“Yes, nurse...” he mumbled.

You helped him down onto the cushions and then rearranged the pillows to prop his leg up. “Now stay here for a bit, I’ll go make something for lunch. Any requests?”

Jiyong was still giving you puppy dog eyes. “Doesn’t matter...”

To be honest, you were exhausted yourself. Between working and visiting Jiyong at the hospital everyday since his surgery, you hadn’t been home much either. Deciding on something quick, you made a couple of sandwiches and poured some orange juice into two glasses. At the last moment you remembered Jiyong’s packet of medications and grabbed them from his hospital bag. When you returned, Jiyong was petting Iye again, who had found his way up onto Jiyong’s stomach and was curled up there.

“Is this okay? We don’t have much food in the house, I’ll have to go back out later and get some. I just haven’t had time...” You set the tray on the coffee table and sat on the floor beside Jiyong, then opened up his medications. You passed them to him and the glass of juice. “You should take these now before the pain starts up. The doctor really stressed that you stay on top of it for the next few days.”

Jiyong took them from you and gulped them down quickly, then went back to watching you. His puppy face had fallen.

“You’ve got your next appointment on Thursday to change the cast and get your stitches out too. I’ll see if I can get the time off work. If not I’ll call Taehee and let him know to take you.” There were just so many things to remember now that Jiyong was home and his care passed on to you. You tried to push the building stress back down so he wouldn’t see it.

“Jagi.”

“Hm? What is it? Are you cold? Do you want me to make something else?”

He frowned and blinked at you.

“Is your ankle hurting again? I’ll go get some ice, be right back-“

“Jagi. I’m fine, " he said, as you were getting up to head back to the kitchen for an ice pack. “But you’re over-worrying again, I can tell.”

You turned back to him. His head was tilted to the side and his eyes had softened. You really needed to work on your poker face.

“C’mere..” He called to you.

“But your ankle-“

“Will survive just fine without someone fretting over it for a few minutes.” Jiyong opened his arms wide, causing Iye to jump off him. “But the doctor has ordered a few snuggles from you.”

You sighed and went back to him. Jiyong shifted to make room for you and you crawled up onto the couch too, half on the cushions and half on his chest. Once you found a comfortable spot that wasn’t in the way of his leg, he wrapped his arms around you, letting out a content hum.

“Much better. I missed you.”

“I missed you too,” you mumbled into his neck. This was the first time in months you’ve been able to be with him like this, completely alone. Either it was a brief visit at his military base or, as it was for the past several days, sitting in his hospital room during visiting hours while nurses drifted in and out checking this and that. “I hate that you’re like this, I don’t want to see you in a hospital again.”

“It had to be done, Jagi,” he whispered into your hair. “And I can check it off my list of life experiences. My first surgery! I just hope I didn’t say anything embarrassing when I was drugged up. Like how you like to play with my-“

“Shhhh! That does not leave the bedroom!”

Jiyong chuckled. The sound of it made your heart flutter. You nuzzled into him more and wiggled your hands beneath his hoodie, the stress in your shoulders melting away. His skin was so smooth and warm.

“Uh....it might be a little bit more difficult with this cast on, now’s not really the time...”

You shook your head. “You’re warm.”

"Jagi, I just said I was fine, I swear I don't have a fever-"

"No, it just feels nice." You relaxed further into him and he kissed the top of your head.

“Now this is the kind of TLC I’ve been missing.”

“Me too.”

His hands came up and began rubbing your back in a soothing motion. You felt guilty that he was still looking after you even though he was the one who needed taken care of, but right now all you had the energy left to do was listen to him breathe and let his hands lull you into a light doze. Eventually he must have drifted off too as you woke up suddenly and realized he had stopped. You lifted your head and looked down at him. His face was peaceful, eyes closed and lips set in the slightest of pouts. You leaned back down and kissed them softly. He didn’t wake which meant his pain medication must have set in; it had made him sleepy every time he took it back at the hospital. You placed one more kiss on his forehead and then slowly extricated yourself from his hold. His face scrunched at the loss of your weight and heat next to him but then he settled again. You grabbed a blanket from a basket on the floor and spread it out over his body, being extra careful with his foot.

You weren’t sure what to do then so you flipped on the TV, however nothing interested you and you ended up just watching Jiyong sleep as you sat cross legged on the floor. He’d have to return to the military base in another week, healed or not, so you had to enjoy every last second with him, even if the circumstances were nothing to celebrate. You only wished you could be there for his entire recovery, which will be a long and difficult one.

Iye returned after a bit, nudging your hand for a pet and then batting at it when you actually went to scratch his head. He was a weird cat, very push and pull. Funnily enough, he reminded you of his owner.

About an hour later, Jiyong fidgeted and then his eyes slipped open and found yours.

“Feeling okay?” You asked quietly.

“Mmhmm,” he blinked sleepily. Then he giggled.

“What?” You chuckled.

“I just had a thought. Or maybe it was a dream....”

“Do I want to know?”

“Hmmm. Maybe. But I wonder if you could make it come true...”

“Depends. What was it?”

“Well... it might have involved that nurse costume....and I can’t get my cast wet, but I’m really tired of smelling like rubbing alcohol and boiled carrots....so a sponge bath might be on the agenda for tonight....”

You snorted and scoffed. “Nice try.”

“It’s either that or your poor, invalid boyfriend tries to shower on his own and slips and hits his head and becomes an amnesiac-“

“Fine, I’ll give you a bath later. But no costume. And you’ve watched way too many dramas in that damn hospital.”