#bts jitb

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The sound of the door slamming shut plays though Yoongi's mind on repeat. 

Yoongi scrolls again through his chat with Hoseok, re-reading the dozens of apology messages that are still marked unread. The older rapper has been trying to get in touch with his dongsaeng for three days now. He figured Hoseok needed some time to get over it, but this is startling to feel ridiculous. Yoongi sends a new, longer, concern-filled text message every few hours. But his boyfriend hasn't opened a single one. 

Once his concern boils over, he decides to reach out to Jimin. The younger dancer is arguably the only other member as close to Hoseok as he is. If Yoongi has earned the title of boyfriend, then Jimin has earned the title of best friend. The two are inseparable in their own way. And Yoongi doesn't mind sharing Hoseok's attention. But he wishes right now that he would receive some of it.

Although maybe he doesn't currently deserve it. It's been three days since Yoongi and Hoseok had an ugly disagreement. It started with playful banter, as most of their arguments do. Hoseok had tried to convince Yoongi to fly to Chicago with him for his first ever solo performance. But Yoongi adamantly put his foot down, making the steadfast decision that he did not want to travel. It wasn’t an attempt to shun Hoseok. It wasn’t because he didn’t want to be supportive. He simply didn’t want to go through the hassle of leaving the county. No matter how much Hoseok pleaded that he needed his boyfriend with him for comfort and support, Yoongi didn't budge on the matter. After Hoseok all but groveled for over forty minutes, Yoongi's blood boiled from the repetitive line of questioning. He said no and Hoseok wasn’t listening. In the heat of the moment, he went off on his boyfriend. He'd gone as far to challenge Hoseok's professionalism and allude that his solo debut would fail because he's too dependent on others. 

No words were exchanged after that. The next thing Yoongi remembers hearing is the loud slamming of the front door. The image of Hoseok’s back as he ran out is burned in his mind. 

He assumes the rapper has been staying with Jimin. So he finally decides to make the phone call. Jimin answers almost immediately, "Hyung, I was actually just about to call you." He replies with the most forced chuckle Yoongi's ever heard. 

He picks up on the tension in the dancer's voice, postponing his question in favor of investigating Jimin's distress. He hopes it will somehow lead him to Hoseok. "Did you need something, Jiminie?"

"I was just wondering if you know what’s going on with Hoseok-hyung," Jimin admits, "he hasn't answered me in a while." 

"You and I both. I actually called you to see if you knew how he's doing. He hasn't been home in a few days." Yoongi admits, running an exasperated hand through his hair. The dancer must be really angry if he's shutting Jimin out too. Jimin hadn’t even done anything. 

"He hasn't even come home?" Jimin's voice raises an octave in concern. "You don't think something bad happened to him, do you?" There's obvious fear in the question. Jimin rambles off a few absurd scenarios in worry. 

Yoongi doesn’t think anything bad happened. He thinks Hoseok is still just mad about their argument. But if Jimin hasn't even heard from him, or about the argument, he's starting to assume the worst. Still, he knows Jimin's already anxious and he doesn't want to upset him any more. 

"I'm sure he's safe. We had a bit of an argument the other night, so I thought maybe he needed space and was staying with you." Yoongi shares hoping it will ease Jimin’s concern. Unfortunately, that backfires. Jimin questions again, sounding even more concerned. 

"You two fought? Hyung, what did you do?" Yoongi's admittedly a little offended that Jimin automatically assumes he's in the wrong. But he can’t be too mad about it. It's not like he's wrong… 

"We just," he pauses to chew on his lower lip. Just thinking about it makes him feel guilty, "had a small disagreement over his Lollapalooza performance. I overreacted. And might have said some pretty hurtful things to him. I may have told him his debut is going to flop." It sounds so stupid to say it out loud. 

"Yoongi-hyung, how could you?" Jimin's using his scolding voice, the voice he uses to reprimand Taehyung and Jungkook. But Yoongi doesn't stop him. "You know how stressed out he's been about his album debut and the performance." And yes, Yoongi does know. "He's been really nervous about it. He doesn't need any added stress right now. You know he's already overworking himself." Yoongi knows that too. 

When Jimin's been silent for a full ten seconds, Yoongi responds. "I feel awful about it, Jimin-ah. I know I took it too far. I knew the second the words left my mouth. I thought he just needed time to cool off. But he hasn't even opened my texts. And all of my calls go straight to voicemail." Guilt and regret is usually hard for Yoongi to admit, but talking to Jimin has always been easy. The words just fall out. Yoongi’s unable to restrain himself; his emotions pour onto his sleeve. 

"I know you probably do feel bad, hyung." Jimin's tone softens again. The wrath of Jimin is a force to be reckoned with. But as quick as it comes, it goes, leaving a gentle warmth behind. "But you need to tell Hobi-hyung you're sorry. You need to talk to him. In person." Yoongi huffs. Why is Jimin always right? 

"I would if I could. But I don't know where he is!" The rapper shouts into the receiver. It's not directed at Jimin, just an eruption to ease his own frustration. But he finds that he doesn’t feel any better afterwards. And he quickly corrects himself before another member, another person he cares deeply about, gets mad at him. "Sorry for yelling, but I feel sick just thinking about it. I want to see him." 

"Then find him. He has to be around somewhere." Jimin replies calmly. "You know him better than anyone else. You should know where he is." 

Jimin's smooth speech feels like a comforting hug pressed around him. He takes a deep calming breath, "I'm going to go find him. You'll let me know if you hear anything?" 

"Of course. And you'll let me know when you find him?" 

"Absolutely." 

"Once you guys figure everything out, tell him to call me. There's something I need to talk to him about." Yoongi can hear the smirk in Jimin's voice. He wonders what Jimin could want to talk about. 

"If he talks to me, I'll let him know." 

"He's going to talk to you, hyung. He loves you." Jimin reminds like it's the most obvious thing in the world. He’s quick to hang up before Yoongi can argue.

Yoongi doesn’t know where to start. He does know Hoseok better than anyone, so he knows Hoseok’s favorite place is in their home. That knowledge isn’t getting him far. If he hasn’t reached out to Jimin, it’s unlikely that he’s reached out to any other member. Then Yoongi remembers one thing that Hoseok loves on an equal scale to Yoongi and the rest of the members- ARMY. He opens social media to see if Hoseok’s posted anything recently that might give him a clue about the dancer’s location. 

He finds an Instagram story posted 18 hours ago. It’s a mirror selfie. Yoongi immediately identifies the practice room and knows it’s in the company building. He stares at the selfie, having to flip back and forth between his and Namjoon’s story after the 10 seconds pass for Hoseok’s. Hoseok looks tired, and uncharacteristically pale. He looks small, but it may just be because everything he’s wearing is at least three sizes bigger than his body. His face is mostly covered by a low sitting bucket hat. And a caption to remind ARMY that he’s doing everything he can to make sure his debut is a success. Yoongi feels that comment is directed more at him than ARMY though. He thinks Hoseok posted it as a clue. 

He starts his search from there. He knows at least Hoseok was at the company building 18 hours ago. Maybe he’s still there, living out of his studio. Or maybe someone from the company has seen him and knows where he is. It’s a starting point. So Yoongi makes the short drive over to the company and shoots up the elevator to the dance studio. He finds that same studio reserved for an ENHYPHEN practice.  

Next he wanders the halls until he gets to Hoseok’s studio. The door is locked, but Yoongi knows the passcode and lets himself inside. Hoseok’s not there. Though Yoongi speculates he recently was. Their production software is open on his screen. Sheet music and lyric papers are scattered on the desk. His phone is buried among the chaos. When Yoongi picks it up, he notices that the device is dead. He graciously plugs it into the cord that Hoseok keeps in the USB port of the tower powering his desktop and watches for the little battery symbol to light up. He then sets that aside.

When he wanders closer to the work station, he has to throw his hand over his nose. He’s nauseated by the smell coming from Hoseok’s studio waste bin. He immediately recognizes the stench as vomit, but still peeks into the bin to confirm. There’s a bag a quarter filled with brown liquid and undigested stomach contents. Yoongi knows it must have been Hoseok. He wonders how many times Hoseok’s thrown up as he ties off the bag and carries it down to the trash chute at the end of the hall. 

Yoongi returns and waits again for Hoseok. He has to come back eventually. The man can’t go more than an hour without using his phone. He sits himself on Hoseok’s oversized couch and keeps his eyes trained on the door. 

Hoseok does return, but not how Yoongi expected him to be. Hoseok shuffles slowly through the door, hunched over with an arm clutching his middle and a grimace on his sweaty face. His knees wobble as if Hoseok’s just ran 10 kilometers to get there, but Yoongi thinks that’s hardly the case. A soft breeze would be enough to knock him over.  

The dancer doesn’t even notice Yoongi sitting on the couch among his many pillows as he makes his way back to his desk. He practically collapses into the desk chair and has to yank himself back toward the computer. His movements are slow and it seems like even the slightest click causes him pain. Yoongi watches in silence and Hoseok continues to attempt to work through his obvious suffering. He shoots Jimin a quick text to let him know he’s found Hoseok, but to hold off on reaching out.

Yoongi knows he should intervene. He knows he should jump in and force Hoseok to take a break. But he isn’t sure where to start. He wants to apologize for how he acted, how he spoke the other night. But Hoseok doesn’t look like he has the energy to have that conversation right now. He contemplates just jumping in and taking care of him, but he doesn’t want to do that if Hoseok’s still mad about their fight. It’s a paradoxical situation that Yoongi can’t think himself out of. All the answers seem wrong. 

It’s not until Hoseok burps up a stream of liquid that splatters loudly inside the unbagged garbage bin that Yoongi jumps in. He’s off the couch and by Hoseok’s side in less than a second. “Easy, love. Take it easy.” He knows how emetophobic Hoseok is. It pains him to know that Hoseok was through this alone. “Just let it out. You’ll feel better. You’re doing great.”  He coaxes with gentle ministrations along the dancer’s skin as more vomit spews from his mouth. Hoseok doesn’t immediately push him away, Yoongi takes that as a sign to continue. 

Hoseok pants heavily with his face still hovering over the bin. Silent tears run down to the tip of his nose and mix with the sick mess coating the plastic. When he sniffles in an attempt to slow the tears, Yoongi finally realizes he’s crying. “Hobi. Hobi, baby. Tell me what hurts.” He uses one finger to lift Hoseok’s chin, guiding them to make eye contact. 

Looking into Yoongi’s soft, innocent eyes only makes him cry harder. His shoulders shake with violent sobs. “Wh-Why are you-ou he-here.” He cries out between hiccuping breaths. 

Yoongi gasps, taking a step back. He didn’t mean to upset Hoseok. But he guesses the younger is still mad at him. He takes a deep breath and goes in for the apology, “Oh, Hob-ah.” He uses a tissue to wipe away the rivers of tears that pour down his puffy cheeks. Hoseok allows it, trying to measure his breathing. “I came to apologize to you about the other night.” Hoseok wipes his eyes in waiting. Yoongi takes a deep breath before continuing. “Hobi, I am so sorry for the things I said the other night. I know how hard you’ve been working, and how nervous you are. It was insensitive of me to use that against you. I want to make it up to you.” Yoongi takes Hoseok’s hand into his own, using his thumb to rub over the soft sweaty skin on the dancer’s palm. “Can you forgive me?” 

Hoseok, again, doesn’t pull away. He wants to stay mad at Yoongi. He wants Yoongi to feel the consequences of his hurtful actions. But he also doesn’t feel well. He wants to be cuddled and pampered just a bit. He wants someone to rub his stomach and play with his hair because it makes him feel better. He wanted someone to break into his studio out of concern and be his knight in shining armor. God, he loves Yoongi so much. But not enough to just let him off the hook. “I can’t believe you told me my debut would fail. I thought you believed in me.” Hoseok reminds him, punctuating the sentence with a sob. 

It stings like a knife in Yoongi’s chest to be reminded. But he knows he deserves it. What Yoongi said to him probably stung even worse in the moment. “I do believe in you, jagi.” Yoongi clasps his hand tighter. “Hoseok, everything you touch turns to gold. I was an idiot. I am an idiot. And idiots say stupid, meaningless, hurtful things sometimes. Even to the people they love the most.” Yoongi sheds a tear. Then five. Then 10. Then too many to count because they just don’t seem to stop. 

The weight of the situation hurts, he can’t mask this raw emotion he has looking at the heartbreak in Hoseok’s eyes. He knows he shouldn’t be crying, because he was in the wrong and he certainly doesn’t deserve Hoseok’s sympathy. Especially since Hoseok’s emotionally hurt and physically sick. Hoseok doesn't have the bandwidth to be dealing with an emotional Yoongi right now. So he quickly rubs the tears away, swiping at his running nose with the back of his sleeve. “I’m so sorry, Hob-ah.”

“Hyung,” Hoseok whispers to get the older man’s attention. And he has it instantly. This is the first term of endearment Hoseok’s used. Granted, it’s not as romantic as Yoongi’s used to. But it’s a step in the right direction. At least he’s getting acknowledged at all. “I just wanted your support.” He swallows thickly, feeling another round of nausea creeping in. He’s not going to punish Yoongi any more. Seeing him cry was enough. “I’m scared.” The words leave his mouth in an airy whisper. 

But Yoongi hears them clearly. He doesn’t have any words, left absolutely stunned speechless for the first time in his life. His heart aches at the confession, at the vulnerability in Hoseok’s voice. He moves forward and pulls Hoseok into a tight hug, hoping that the embrace would speak to how much support, admiration and affection he has for the younger man. 

Hoseok is initially grateful for the hug. It’s warm and tight, a welcomed pressure grounding him. He’s been feeling like he’s been free falling into a void for weeks now. Like he’s been shrouded in darkness. But Yoongi brings him a ray of light. Yoongi’s arms make him feel safe. They also, unfortunately, make him feel sick. He feels the nausea he swallowed previously creep into the back of his throat. As much as he wants to melt into his boyfriend’s chest, he pushes Yoongi away. 

Yoongi’s heartbroken at first, thinking he’d moved too quickly into rekindling their relationship. He thinks that Hoseok’s holding a steady grudge. But when he sees Hoseok dive for the bin again, he realizes that Hoseok’s shove was just to avoid vomiting on him. He’s grateful, and comforts Hoseok again not a second later. He swipes fingers through Hoseok’s hair, wondering when the strands got so long. He grazes the dancer’s skin and feels the heat of fever radiating off of him. He knows the rest of the apology and the remainder of the restorations can wait. He needs to get Hoseok home, resting. He’s overworked himself to the point he’s made himself sick. And Yoongi feels like that’s his fault, too. 

Hoseok dry heaves over the bin, his stomach completely empty. But he’s been on this rotation for a while now. He knows it’s only a matter of time before the discomfort settles in his other end. He’s taken six emergent trips to the bathroom since he’d started feeling sick. And the persistent cramping and aches tell him it’s going to go on for a while. 

“Hob-ah,” Yoongi massages the tense muscles in Hoseok’s neck and shoulders. Hoseok relaxes immediately. “Let’s go home.” He encourages, kissing the crown of the other’s head. “Let me take care of you, please.”

“My album…” Hoseok replies, glancing a second at the computer screen. It’s timed out, a colorful screensaver lighting up the screen. He had wanted to finish something today. Otherwise, all his suffering had been for nothing. 

“Jagiya. You still have so much time. Please.” Yoongi pleads, kneeling in front of Hoseok, looking up at him with pleading eyes and pressing random kisses to his knuckles, “Please. Come home with me.” He won’t take no for an answer. 

A quiet voice in the back of Hoseok’s mind knows that he’s tortured Yoongi enough. And he’s tortured himself enough. He doesn’t want to take a break, the pressure of debut weighs down heavily upon him. But he knows taking a few days to recover will do him some good. “I really don’t feel well, hyung. My tummy hurts.” 

Yoongi smiles, standing up and helping Hoseok to stand as well. “I know, love. You’ll feel better soon.” He guides Hoseok out of the studio and down the hall. 

Hoseok has to stop by the bathroom before he allows Yoongi to take them to the car. When Yoongi sees the way that Hoseok wiggles his hips and clenches his ass through the door, he imagines he knows what's going on. He uses that time to go back to Hoseok’s studio and tidy up a bit. He makes sure the track is saved and the papers are organized. He grabs Hoseok’s barely charged phone when he sees it. He throws the whole waste bin down the trash chute and decides he’ll just buy Hoseok a new one. He knows Hoseok hates a mess. And Yoongi doesn’t want his boyfriend to be immediately stressed again once he returns to work. 

Hoseok’s still in the bathroom when Yoongi returns. He enters and leans against one of the sinks, waiting. He listens silently to the angry noises Hoseok’s stomach makes. He hears the steady flow of liquid shit and gaseous breaks in between. He hears Hoseok whimper, whine and moan in discomfort. When a staff member enters the bathroom, Yoongi politely asks them to find another to spare Hoseok’s dignity. 

15 minutes pass and Yoongi finally hears the toilet flush. Hoseok emerges from the stall looking seconds away from passing out. Yoongi is immediately worried about dehydration. “Hob-ah. Drink something.” He says before he realizes there’s nothing to drink in the bathroom. So instead, he just cups water in his hands and dampens Hoseok’s face and neck. He hopes through the power of osmosis it will be enough to keep him hydrated enough until he can get to a vending machine. 

There’s a machine on the lower level and he pays for a bottle of water. In one swift motion, he snatches the drink from the machine and unscrews the cap, bringing it to Hoseok’s lips. The dancer can only take a few sips before he turns away. His skin starts to pale. He looks positively green. But he doesn’t throw up. So Yoongi quickly guides them back to the car and drives. If he goes over the speed limit, Hoseok doesn’t correct him. 

Hoseok falls immediately onto their living room sofa when he steps through the door. He doesn’t have the strength to get to the bedroom. Yoongi tries to encourage Hoseok to drink a little more before he falls asleep. But Hoseok can only take five more small sips. “Cuddle me, please, jagi.” Hoseok asks shyly, making room for Yoongi on the couch. 

Yoongi can’t say no. He sits down and lets Hoseok make himself comfortable. The dancer’s head rests against Yoongi’s shoulder, his body across his lap. It’s the perfect position so Yoongi has access to his hair and his stomach. Yoongi realizes this too and provides comforting touches. “Just a little nap, Hobi. Okay? Then you need food and medicine,” Yoongi can smell Hoseok’s body odor combined with the stench of sickness, “and a ahower.” He presses a kiss to his boyfriend’s sweaty forehead. “But for now, rest.” 

Hoseok starts to fall asleep, safe and content in Yoongi’s arms. “I’m not mad at you anymore, Yoon-ie.” He slurs, voice thick will sleep. “Thank you for looking out for me.” 

“Always, Jagi.” Yoongi starts to feel tired himself, the stress of their fight finally falling off his shoulders. “I’ll always look out for you.” 

As he drifts, Hoseok thinks of the lyrics he was working on. He thinks he’s finally gotten the concept. He’s found his safe zone.

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A/N: I didn't know I was going to make this about Safety Zone literally until I wrote the final line. Guess it just kinda worked out that way? Is that cliche? Anyway, JITB is so great! I love all the songs. I love Hoseok and am so proud of his debut! Just because this is my last JITB request does not mean it's my last Hoseok request. But we'll see what comes next. However my motivations fall.

As always, thanks for reading to the end! Feedback is always appreciated. And please let me know if I missed any tags or TWs. Please call me out for any errors you notice!

Lots of Love

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Time is an illusion inside the Genius Lab. Sometimes minutes pass like hours. Sometimes hours pass like minutes. Yoongi had a hard time keeping track of the concept of time when he’s so absorbed in his work. 

Maybe he shouldn’t have accepted collaboration projects with fifteen global artists on top of his own album and debut preparations. Maybe he has become too proud, too greedy. But hindsight is always 20/20. He can see everything clearly now that he’s drowning from the pressure. Everyone always says he operates like a machine, but he’s still only human. Even the great Min Yoongi has his limits. 

He knows he needs to eat, but can’t be bothered to leave his studio. He keeps a stash of cup ramyeon in his studio for this exact reason. But he’s operating under skewed timing. He’s stuck in a mindset where minutes pass like hours. He thinks he is so far behind, not realizing that he’s only been stuck on the same part for only 25 minutes. He swears he’s been at it for hours.

He eats one ramyeon. 

Through trial and error, he’s able to move forward. He finds a combination of sounds that flows well. The bridge is complete. Now onto the refrain. He’s stuck again. He works, plugging new instruments and sound effects. Trying to layer on sounds. It’s complicated. He’s stuck again. He feels like he’s spent hours on it. It’s actually only been 30 more minutes. 

Still, he rewards himself with another cup of ramyeon. 

He moves on to the chorus. It needs to be more lively. It needs to fit well with quick motion choreography. He needs a sound that feels like driving a convertible on the beach. That’s the information he was provided. But he doesn’t know what that feels like. After thinking about it for hours (15 minutes). 

He stress-eats yet another instant ramyeon cup. He even snacks on some chips while he watches the plastic cup spinning on in the microwave. 

After he finishes gulping dowm the broth, he throws the container away and looks at the three recently eaten containers laying atop one another. The other two containers are still warm to the touch. He starts to wonder how much time had actually passed. The new heaviness and rumbling of his stomach tells him he’s eaten far too much way too quickly. 

He looks back at the time stamped revision history to the track and confirms that only about an hour has passed since he started working. He’s disgusted at himself for eating three whole cups of ramyeon in under one hour. He didn’t feel full before. But now he’s feeling bloated, his stomach swelling underneath his sweatshirt. Thankfully, it’s oversized, so the fabric doesn’t need to stretch to accommodate his bulging middle. 

But, of course, it is the one day he chooses jeans over sweatpants. And not loose fitting jeans. No, skinny jeans. He leans back in his desk chair and unbuttons them to make room for his aching stomach. The zipper unravels on its own. Instantly, his stomach pushes through and he lets out a heavy breath he didn’t realize he was holding. He feels so much better. He doesn’t think he could refasten them even if he wanted to.

He grunts when he sits up and leans back over his keyboard, determined to work more on the song. It’s a struggle. It’s nearly impossible to focus on the music over his own stomach gurgling loudly. And even when he wears his most effective noise-cancelling headphones, he can still feel the rumbling through his whole abdomen. It is screaming for attention, but Yoongi ignores. 

That is, until the hiccups start. He hardly registers the first one, working right through it. He thinks the next three are a fluke. The fifth hiccup hits hard, deep in his stomach. And by the tenth, he realizes they won’t be stopping anytime soon. 

He tries to work through them, tries to focus on the track and waits for them to go away on their own. But it proves too difficult for him to suffer through. The squeaky sound distracts him from the sounds of the instruments. His whole body jolts with each one, his hand flying off the mouse or making him click something he didn't intend to. His diaphragm jumps and slaps hard against his too swollen stomach making him wince in pain. And each hiccup leaves a burning feeling in his chest. He only makes it five minutes before he closes the software. 

He slides his chair over to his couch and throws himself onto it, kicking the chair away. Both hands wrap tightly around his middle, feeling it jump with his fast-paced hiccuping. Each loud chirp followed by a whimper or grunt. He tries to rub against the bloated organ, trying to press out the excess air in hopes it will make the hiccups stop. But it's no luck. 

It never is. He's tried so many times before. It was advice from Seokjin, who like him, gets pretty frequent bouts of hiccups. Seokjin mentioned his go to cure was to burp them away. No more airy middle, no more hiccups. It works for his hyung every time. But try as he might, Yoongi is not capable of making himself burp. 

He's tried ever since he was a teenager. Everyone always told him- "just swallow air, it's so easy." But he never understood what that meant. And he never did it right. Boys in middle school made fun of him for his pathetic attempts. When he joined the company, that weakness became a strength. They loved a trainee who didn't engage in the boyish antics and shenanigans that burping contests fell into. He became a big hit among the instructors. 

But the inability to burp came with its own rotten downside. He would always end up with pretty aggressive cases of hiccups any time he did anything to upset his stomach. Drink too many carbonated beverages? Hiccups. Eat too fast? Hiccups. Work out too soon after eating? Hiccups. 

And of course, eating too much? Definitely painful hiccups. 

He tried to swallow air anyway. But just seemed to make his case worse, each hiccup punctuated by a small airy burp that only served to hurt his throat and relieved absolutely none of the pressure in his stomach. All the slapping and jolting in his stomach was starting to make him nauseous. 

While Yoongi wallows in misery of his own making, there's another rapper down the hall who has been waiting patiently. It's 3:28. Hoseok remembers Yoongi agreeing to meet with him at 3:00 to help him. He's been stuck on the same bar of this track for days. He's tried to work through it, but he really feels like he needs reinforcements. He needs a second opinion. He needs Prod. SUGA of BTS. 

He knows Yoongi's been busy with all of his collaborations. It was with a heavy heart and a very full wallet that he approached Yoongi about it in the first place. He even willingly agreed to pay Yoongi for his time, not even at a member discounted rate. Yoongi's time is valuable. He doesn't want to disrespect it. 

But Yoongi is nothing if not punctual. Hoseok starts to wonder if Yoongi had forgotten. Or if he'd been so busy he'd fallen asleep at his desk- again. After half an hour of waiting, he finally decides to text the Daegu rapper. 

Hoseok: "Hyung, where are you?"

Yoongi texts back almost instantly. It's an ominous reply- "4342755"

Hoseok thinks for a minute, trying to make sense of the numbers. Could it be a phone number? A coordinate location? A new text lingo that he doesn't understand? 

He thinks he has it when he stumbles through his memory. It's the pass code to Yoongi's studio. Yoongi never shares that with anyone. Hoseok runs down the hall, thinking he'd mixed it up and Yoongi had been waiting for him the whole time. He feels like such a bad client. 

Hoseok smiles when he inputs the numbers and the door unlocks. He rushes into the studio, "Hyung, are we meeting-" He cuts himself off when be sees the desk chair is empty, sitting in the middle of the room. He hears Yoongi before he sees him. 

The chirp of a familiar sounding hiccup turns Hoseok's attention to the couch. He finds Yoongi lounging there, hands on his bare stomach with his sweatshirt pulled up. The bunched up hem rests on the top of his bulging stomach. It bounces with another hiccup before Hoseok approaches. 

The younger rapper coos, "Oh, hyung. What happened to you?" He sits beside his hyung, this scene all too familiar to him. Yoongi's always had a pretty sensitive stomach. 

"I ate too-too much," Yoongi admits, freely hiccuping between words. He has no embarrassment with Hoseok. The resident sunshine member has seen him at his worst, has loved and supported him through everything. He knows he has nothing to be ashamed of. "Was-wasn't my fault tho-though. I-I lost tra-k of t-time." 

Hoseok chuckles, resting a hand on Yoongi's upper thigh. He struggles to fathom how Yoongi can think he's not at fault. "You always lose track of time, hyung. Someone needs to get you a watch to track your meals" He chides. 

"Sh-shut up," Yoongi would usually play back with him, but he's not in the mood today. "Don't te-tease me. I don't f-feel good." 

"That's okay, babe." Hoseok's hand wanders to a spot on Yoongi's hip. "I'm sorry. I see you're not feeling well." The other hand cups Yoongi's cheek. "I shouldn't make fun of you." 

Yoongi hiccups again, "Exactly. I'm still yo-your hyung. You need to respect-me." 

Hoseok has to bite back his giggles. It's amusing to watch Yoongi try to lecture him while he looks so small and bounces with cute squeaky hiccups. The expressions on the older rapper's face after each one are adorable. "You're right, hyung. What can I do to help you?" He asks, but the hand that he'd rested on Yoongi's hip is already slowly creeping toward the exposed skin of his stomach. 

Yoongi's aware of it too. He feels Hoseok's cold thin fingers gliding against his warm stomach. "You're gonna rub it fo-for me, Seokie?" He's basically begging, a deep pout on his lips. He feels so uncomfortably bloated and he's so over the hiccuping. He just wants to feel relief. 

Hoseok's hand movement becomes much more deliberate. He immediately palms Yoongi's stomach, pressing into the firmness with as much pressure as the older rapper permits. His hand bounces in conjunction with each of his hyung's hiccups. "Oh, poor hyung. They sound painful," Hoseok coos. 

"Well, it doesn't exactly feel goo-good," Yoongi groans, choking on his next hiccup, "I want them t-to stop." 

Hoseok rattles off a few common remedies, each one Yoongi doubts and challenges. He claims nothing ever works. Hoseok tries scaring him, but that just ends with a light punch to the shoulder and a loud hiccup. In a last ditch effort, Hoseok recommends kissing. It's not something they haven't done before, or something they wouldn't do again. But Yoongi shoots it down claiming he's not in the mood, feeling too full to do anything that could turn nefarious. Hoseok doesn't miss the growing blush on his cheeks as he turns his head away. 

At that the dancer deflates, having run out of remedies he remembers. He just goes on, rubbing Yoongi's stomach and suppressing the urge to giggle at each hiccup. After several minutes of rubbing, Hoseok's face lights up with a new idea. "Hyung, do you still have a heating pad in here?" Hoseok remembers Yoongi having one on hand while he was recovering from his shoulder surgery. 

Yoongi just points to a cardboard box in the corner of the studio. There's a sticky note hanging above it that reads "Lost and Found" in Jimin's handwriting. The dancer chuckles, going over to the box. He rustles through items in the box. It really does seem like a lost and found. It's filled with miscellaneous items that would otherwise clutter the studio space. Many of the member's personal items filled the box. He actually finds a bracelet he'd thought he lost in addition to the heating pad. 

He plugs in the heating pad and resumes his gentle rubbing while it heats up. "Maybe this will help, hyung." Hoseok speaks in a whisper as he lays the heating pad across Yoongi's upper stomach. He still uses his hands to massage under his hyung's bellybutton. Yoongi relaxes into the heat. 

Yoongi's persistent hiccups shake the heating pad. Hoseok has to frequently readjust. But after a few more minutes, the hiccups eventually fade out. After two full minutes without hiccuping, Yoongi lets out a relieved sigh, "Finally!" 

His stomach still aches from fullness, but he's glad to finally be rid of the hiccups. He feels a lot better, no more lingering nausea. He turns to Hoseok with a bright, gummy grin. "Hob-ah, I really owe you one." 

Hoseok really knows he didn't do anything. The hiccups had just run their course. Still, he's happy when his hyung is happy. "How about you help me with my song and we call it even?" The dancer remarks, recalling his original intentions. 

Yoongi's eyes widened, realizing he had completely forgotten he agreed to help Hoseok today. "Shit, Hoseok-ah. Yes, we can do that! Let's go to your studio." Yoongi lunges to get up from the couch and winces at the way his stomach cramps when he moves. 

Hoseok picks up on the wince. "It's okay, hyung. You still clearly need to digest. How's tomorrow?" Hoseok offers. 

Yoongi smiles timidly, "Sure."

"I'm going to bring my laptop to you, though. Now that I know the key code." Hoseok jokes. Yoongi laughs, deep from his belly despite how much it hurts. 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

A/N: I researched a lot of content to try and find any content of Yoongi hiccuping. I managed to find things for all the other members except Yoongi. Until watching Memories of 2021 anyway, which is where I clipped that gif from. Seems like this is the perfect time to post this.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Yoongi’s listening. Yoongi is always listening. He’s always watching. Always paying attention. He notices Hoseok skipping meals. He feels the dancer’s absences. He sees the lack of food related trash in the bin in Hoseok’s studio. He eyes the visible weight loss during their wardrobe fittings. He hears Hoseok’s stomach wail for food it’s not getting. It worries him. 

He’s tried to bring up the subject with Hoseok before. But it doesn’t get him very far. Hoseok assures him that he’s “fine. Really, hyung. I’ll eat later.” But that’s always his answer. And later never seems to come. He trusts when Hoseok says he’s not trying to starve himself. He knows Hoseok gets invested in his work. It’s a weakness they share. But Yoongi at least has enough sense to keep snacks in his studio. Hoseok hates to keep food, afraid it will bring roaches or ants into his studio. The horror. 

He likes to keep a hands-off approach to the other members. He knows they are all capable adults, each leading their own lives and making their own decisions. He doesn’t like to abuse his hyung card. But this is Hoseok. He’s taking a huge risk by being the first one to debut solo. He can only imagine how much stress the dancer is under. And he knows how meticulous Hoseok is when it comes to his work. He wants the debut to go well for him. He wants everything to go well for him. All the time. And he knows Hoseok won’t be able to maintain his stamina without keeping his body well fed. So he’s willing to step in this time. 

Still, he’s not stern like Seokjin and Namjoon. He’s gentle and laid back. He’s not going to force anything onto Hoseok. But he knows Hoseok’s weak spots. One of which happens to be the Daegu rapper himself. Yoongi knows if he frames it in the right way, Hoseok will not be able to refuse. 

Yoongi treats himself to lunch one day. He purposefully orders one of Hoseok’s favorites. And he purposefully only eats half of it. He packs up the other half and makes his way to Hoseok’s studio right around lunch time. It’s unlocked, as per the usual. Yoongi invites himself inside and hovers, listening to the beat Hoseok’s working on. “That’s coming along well,” He gets the younger rapper's attention.

“Yoongi-hyung. What are you doing here?” Hoseok spins around in the chair. 

“I got lunch for myself, but I wasn’t as hungry as I thought I was.” He passes the take out container to Hoseok, “You want the rest.” 

Hoseok eyes the meal with a wide smile. “Thanks, hyung.” He opens the lid and smells the food. It’s still warm. “Bulgogi. My favorite.” He grabs the chopsticks Yoongi’s offering and takes a bite. 

Yoongi sits on Hoseok’s couch, making himself comfortable. “So, tell me what you’re working on.” He opens conversation. He truly doesn’t want to know anything about Hoseok’s album. He doesn’t want any spoilers. He wants to be able to fully experience it upon completion, take in the whole thing at once. But he stays. He just stays to make sure that Hoseok empties the container. 

Hoseok falls right into his trap. He starts talking about his concept and his ideas. He talks about his filming and his costumes. Yoongi wipes it all from his mind. He lets Hoseok resume his work once the container is empty. 

Yoongi makes a habit of it. For a week straight, he visits Hoseok’s studio for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. He even stops a few times in between to share a snack. He mixes it up every time. Sometimes he brings leftovers to the studio. Sometimes he invites Hoseok out to a restaurant, or even just for quick street food. Sometimes he has food ‘accidentally’ delivered to Hoseok’s studio. Every time, Hoseok greets him with kindness and shares a meal with him. He doesn’t seem privy to Yoongi’s intentions. 

Yoongi’s simply satisfied to see that Hoseok is eating. He can see the color improve in the dancer’s face. His eyes look more alive. He looks less faint. And his bones protrude less through his skin. He’s willing to share as many meals with Hoseok as it takes to get the dancer back on a normal diet. At least until after his debut. 

Hoseok’s at his wits end. He’s so grateful to Yoongi. He knows Yoongi visits him out of concern. And he doesn’t want his hyung to worry. But he can’t take much more of the ‘random’ food invitations. It was sweet at first. But Hoseok’s body is struggling to manage all the food Yoongi’s been giving him. He’s been bloated and miserable for days. His loose fitting clothing feels tight around his stomach. Nothing digests well anymore. Even just half a take-out meal fills him. The thought of another sympathy lunch rendezvous makes him feel sick. 

He knows it’s his own fault for switching his diet so abruptly. He knows his body just isn’t used to eating so much since he’d been too busy to eat. He can’t blame Yoongi for being concerned. If it were any of his dongsaengs, or any member for that matter, he’d be concerned too. But he needs to talk to Yoongi about it. Because the never-ending stomach ache is making it hard to focus on his work. He can’t focus on his tracks, he can’t practice his choreo, he can’t prioritize his debut preparations feeling so gross. 

He decides to go to Yoongi before Yoongi can come to him for the usual lunch date. He makes his way down to Yoongi’s studio, rubbing his stomach on the walk over. The aching worsens with every step. He doesn’t want to look at food. He doesn’t want to think about food. At least until his stomach settles. He stands outside the door. It’s locked, as per the usual. So he knocks. 

Yoongi answers it, surprised to see Hoseok at the door. He immediately wonders if Hoseok has grown so accustomed to their shared mealtimes that he was seeking out the elder. But the thought leaves his mind when he sees the pained grimace on Hoseok’s face. “Hob-ah,” he invites the younger inside. “What’s wrong?” 

“I don’t feel too good, hyung.” Hoseok admits, hands on his stomach. “My stomach really hurts.”

Yoongi clicks his tongue. He escorts Hoseok to the large couch in his studio, checking him for fever. He doesn’t find one. While he looks through the emergency kit he keeps in his studio, he begins his lecure. “See, Hoseok-ah. This is why it’s important to eat well. When you don’t eat well, you make yourself sick. What will you do if you fall sick so close to your debut? We are all piggybacking off of you. So you need to be in good health. You should have-” Yoongi could have continued, but Hoseok cuts him off. 

“Hyung, I’m feeling sick because I ate too well.” He admits shyly. He plays with the hem of his shirt for a few seconds before he pulls the material up to his chest, exposing his obviously bloated stomach. It pushed to the brim of his waistband, an astonishing feat considering how baggy the dancer’s pants are. 

Yoongi feels immediate guilt rush over him. He eyes Hoseok’s stomach and knows he’s at fault. And he’d just jumped right into a lecture without gathering all the information. He bites his bottom lip and curses at himself. “Hob-ah. When did you start feeling sick?” He sits beside the bloated dancer, ready to listen.

Hoseok doesn’t answer, eyes darting across the studio to look anywhere but Yoongi. This is how Yoongi knows it’s bad. He asks again, “Hoseok-ah,” his tone is much more firm, “How long?”

“A couple days,” Hoseok answers in a tiny voice, still avoiding eye contact with his hyung. 

“Hob-ah!” Yoongi starts but Hoseok jumps in immediately. 

“I know! I know! I should have told you sooner.” He takes responsibility. “But you were being so kind, taking time out of your day to make sure I was eating. I know you were worried about me. You weren’t doing anything wrong. I should be grateful. And I am. But it was just…too much too quickly, I guess.” He doesn’t want Yoongi to feel any blame. “I’m sorry for making you worry, hyung. I’m going to take better care of myself. I promise.” 

Yoongi deflates at the admission that Hoseok knew his intentions the whole time. It goes against his whole hands-off approach. But maybe he was making it too obvious. Three meals a day? When was the last time he had independently eaten three meals for himself? He should have known that would be too much for his dongsaeng to digest after eating the bare minimum for several weeks. He should have been more careful. “I should have checked in with you more.” Yoongi admits, taking some responsibility for the outcome as well. “How can I help you?” 

“Would you…” There’s a question on the tip of Hoseok’s tongue. But he doesn’t ask, too afraid Yoongi would say no. He changes it at the last second, “Do you have anything for tummy aches?”  

Yoongi revisits his studio medicine supply. He’s got a half-full bottle of pepto in his arsenal and pours a dose for Hoseok. “Here, take this.” He hands the plastic cup to Hoseok, “I have some peppermint tea, too. Think you can stomach it?” 

Hoseok greedily shoots back the pink liquid. He doesn’t think he can stomach the tea, but he knows that peppermint is good for stomach aches. And it would be something soothing and warm in his otherwise angry stomach. So he nods when Yoongi offers him a cup. Yoongi prepares the tea quickly, microwaving the water so it’s not too hot. It’s a drinkable temperature when Hoseok receives it. He only lets it steep for a minute, not wanting the minty flavor to be too strong. 

Hoseok settles further into the couch. Only once he’s settled does he realize that he’d never asked to stay. “Hyung, sorry. Did you need me to leave?” He secretly hopes the answer is no. He knows he’s wasted enough of Yoongi’s time this week. But being with Yoongi feels so good. Even if his stomach is still giving him hell. 

“Hobi-yah,” Yoongi sits beside the dancer, settling into the couch himself, “You never need to leave. Stay as long as you’d like. I’ll be here.” The older rapper eyes Hoseok’s bloated stomach again, listening to it gurgling in every attempt to digest. He seeks how Hoseok tries to hold back pained expressions. They were well trained to minimize any emotion that wasn’t positive. But they’ve also known each other long enough to see past those learned responses. “Is there anything else I can do to make you feel better?” 

Hoseok looks around awkwardly again and Yoongi knows it’s because Hoseok feels embarrassed. “Whatever you need, Hob-ah. Hyung will help.” 

“Could you…rub my belly. Please,” Hoseok finally asks, “It really really hurts.” It feels like a massive weight is lifted off his shoulders. 

Yoongi chuckles, “Is that all?” He finds it cute how Hoseok was so embarrassed to ask. “Of course I can.” His hand pressed against the bloated stomach. It feels hard as a rock, but he doesn’t comment and just rubs with a steady pressure. 

Hoseok hums in pleasure as Yoongi’s hand travels across his distended middle. Yoongi smiles in satisfaction. “Does that feel good, Hobi.” He chides. 

“Really good.” He lets out a soft burp, Yoongi’s rubbing finally working out some of the built pressure. He peeks at Yoongi and he doesn’t seem phased at all. So he lets himself burp openly a few more times. “Please don’t stop.”

So he doesn’t. 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Yoongi wakes up the morning of the 13th with a sore throat. He thinks nothing of it at first. Maybe he just recorded too much the previous day. His new tracks feature a much more raw voice, putting much more strain on his throat. So feeling a little sore is not uncommon. He carries on with his morning. He brews himself some green tea to soothe the pain and sips it leisurely. 

Yoongi blocked the day off to prepare for Hoseok’s debut party. He goes through his wardrobe, trying to pick what would be best for the album release party. He’s been excited about the party since Hoseok invited him. If Hoseok is throwing it, he knows it will be the party of the year. And he wants to make a good impression. 

He hasn’t listened to Hoseok’s album yet, out of principle. He’s been wanting to wait until the official release. But because of it, he has no idea what vibe to go with. Knowing Hoseok, a hip-hop vibe would be appropriate. Even with that in mind, he lays out a couple outfits on his bed and snaps pictures. He immediately texts them to Hoseok for feedback.  

Hoseok replies quickly despite how busy he must be. Organizing the party, filming his promotions, rehearsing for his upcoming stage. He still makes time for the members. Hoseok picks one of the outfits the older rapper sent him, remarking that Yoongi will kill at the party. He even commends Yoongi for being so proactive. 

Yoongi carries on the conversation. He goes on to tell Hoseok how he was going to get his makeup done for the party, which Hoseok laughs about. And he constantly praises Hoseok for his efforts and how excited he was to support him. 

Hoseok goes on and on about everything he's planning and all the fellow stars he's invited to the party. Yoongi's never met most of them. It only makes him more excited, the ability to form potential collaborations with new artists. Parties are all about networking. And supporting Hoseok, of course. 

But really, Yoongi is Hoseok’s biggest supporter. He could not be more proud of his fellow rapper. When they started discussing their solo debuts, Hoseok volunteered to go first. It must have taken a lot of guts to go first. Having no reference for how things would go, putting himself on the line like this. At least the rest of them can learn and coordinate their own debuts by learning from Hoseok. The dance leader went into it alone, operating through sheer trial and error. Yoongi is so impressed.

As the day progresses, Yoongi picks up a dry cough. It becomes an unmanageable tickle in the back of his throat that doesn’t quit. It serves to further irritate that sore throat he couldn’t quite kick in the morning. But he just drinks more tea in hopes that it will help. 

The sore throat and cough worsen overnight. Yoongi wakes the morning of the party in a cold sweat. He aches everywhere. He feels a chill despite being buried under his comforter and snuggled up with Holly. His throat is still sore, burning worse than yesterday. And the grating cough doesn’t help at all. He overlooked it, but now he's concerned.

He forces himself out of bed and to the bathroom. He thinks he keeps his thermometer in there. He's already assumed he’s running a fever. And when it beeps, he confirms and glares down at the blinking 39.2. 

He thinks about all of the symptoms and swallows a lump in his throat, painfully of course. He knows what it looks like. And he’s not happy about it. 

The first thing he does is schedule a test. The second thing he does is create a group text with Seokjin, Namjoon, Jimin, Taehyung, and Jungkook. 

Yoongi: 

I don’t think I can go to Hoseok’s party tonight.

Namjoon: 

Why can’t you go?

Taehyung: 

Hyung, you have to be there! 

Seokjin: 

Yoongi-yah. You better not be putting work over Hoseok’s debut. He needs our support. 

Yoongi: 

Hyung, no. Of course not.

I woke up with a fever. And a sore throat. And a cough.

The group chat is eerily silent for several minutes until Jungkook replies, 

Jungkook: 

Are you getting tested?

Yoongi:

I scheduled one. But the earliest appointment is tomorrow morning.

Namjoon: 

Were you exposed? 

Yoongi: 

I don’t think so. 

Seokjin: 

Still, you should air on the side of caution. If you’re having symptoms, you shouldn’t go.

Namjoon:

I agree with Jin-hyung. We don’t want to turn Hobi’s party into a superspreader event. 

Yoongi: 

What do I tell Hoseok?

He’s so excited. We were just talking about it yesterday.

Jimin: 

You tell him the truth, hyung.

You didn’t mean to get sick. It just happened.

Jungkook:

Hobi-hyung will understand why you can’t be there.

Yoongi:

Do you think he’ll be upset?

Seokjin: 

Probably. But like Jungkookie said, he’ll understand.

Yoongi: 

I really wanted to be there to support him.

Seokjin: 

You’ll just have to support him extra hard in other ways.

While you’re resting, of course.

Jungkook:

He’ll forgive you.

Namjoon:

We all love you hyung.

Jimin: 

Take care of yourself. Hope you feel better, hyung.

Taehyung: 

We’ll send you pics and videos from the party!

Seokjin:

Now go talk to Hoseok.

Yoongi closes the chat and feels the support of the other members behind him. 

But he still drafts the text to Hoseok about 50 times. He doesn’t know how to go about telling him. He doesn’t want Hoseok to think he’s bailing at the last minute, or faking an illness just to get out of it. He really was excited and he hopes that Hoseok knows that. 

He deleted all the character’s he wrote. He sticks the thermometer back in his mouth to just take his temperature again. He snaps a photo of the reading and sends it to Hoseok. The number would speak for itself.

Yoongi sends the photo, sans caption. Before he even has time to put his phone down, it blasts with the annoyingly peppy tone he has set as Hoseok’s contact tone. That was quick. He takes a deep breath and answers on the fourth ring. 

“Hob-ah,” His voice is croaky, only helping his case. 

“Hyung, are you okay!? Your fever’s pretty high. Do you need to go to the doctor? Have you taken medicine?” Hoseok rattles off with concern.

“I’ll be okay,” He coughs, turned away from the phone receiver, “I haven’t taken anything yet. I just woke up not too long ago. But I didn’t have a fever yesterday. Too soon to tell if I need a doctor.” 

“Are you having any other symptoms?” He asks. 

“I’ve had a sore throat. And a cough that started yesterday. Now a fever.”

“Hyung, that sounds like-” 

“Don’t say it. I know what it sounds like.” Yoongi’s quick to cut the dancer off, like the word alone is traumatizing enough. “I have a test scheduled for tomorrow morning.” 

“Tomorrow morning…” Hoseok’s voice deflates. Yoongi thinks everything just now clicked for Hoseok. Including why Yoongi had randomly texted him. Fevers are something they are all used to, stress fevers specifically. They don’t usually share every fever with each other. “That means… you’re isolating, right?” 

Yoongi nods, but he remembers Hoseok can’t see him and answers verbally. “Yeah. I don’t want to risk exposing anyone, if that’s what it is.” He comments.

“Of course not,” There’s a clear sadness in Hoseok’s voice, but he’s trying to push through it. Yoongi’s heart cracks knowing he’s the cause. 

“I’m so sorry, Hob-ah.” Yoongi apologizes. His voice is going, and he’s tired. He’s not sure how much longer he can carry on this conversation. “I really wanted to go to your party.” 

“Don’t apologize, hyung.” Hoseok is really trying to mask his disappointment. He wants Yoongi there most of all, knowing he hadn’t shared any of the tracks with the older rapper. He knew that Yoongi put thought and planning into attending. He knew it wouldn’t feel right without all of his members there to support him. But much like everything they’ve experienced in the last few years, nothing ever goes the way they want it to. “You can’t help that you got sick.”

“But you worked so hard-” 

“Yoongi-hyung,” Hoseok interrupts. He doesn’t want Yoongi to feel guilty. “I’m sorry you’re not feeling well. I know you’d come if you could. But we both know it’s best that you stay at home.”

“You’re not mad, are you?” Yoongi’s voice is small, fearful. 

“Of course not.” Hoseok assures, “I’m disappointed you won’t be there tonight. It won’t be the same without you. But you need to prioritize your health.” Yoongi can hear the fondness in Hoseok’s voice. “So take some medicine, maybe a shower, and get some rest.” 

“Thanks, Hob-ah.” Yoongi’s voice cracks, a sign it’s nearly. He tries to clear it, just to buy more time. 

“Feel better, hyung.” Hoseok can tell Yoongi’s losing his voice. He wraps up the call, “I’ll miss you.” 

“Enjoy the party. I’ll be waiting for pics.” It’s the last of his voice, the end of the sentence is nothing but a raspy whisper. He hangs up the phone, feeling much more at ease than he had previously. He takes care of himself, like he promised everyone that he would. 

Yoongi sleeps most of the day away, trying to fight off the miserable symptoms. It’s a routine of naps and tea and fruit and naps and medicine and tea. While he’s taking his evening dose of fever reducers, he hears a knock on the door. He slips on a mask and goes to answer it. There’s no one there. Only a teal and black checkered box sitting on his stoop. Even his fevered mind recognizes the pattern immediately. 

With a chuckle and a headshake, he brings the box inside. The words “Jack In The Box” are inscribed on every side of the box and Yoongi wonders how Hoseok had time to arrange for this despite how busy he surely was with everything else. 

He opens the box and finds a small taste of the release party inside. The checkered pattern covers all the merchandise, obvious gifts he’s arranged for his guests. There’s snacks and tiny bottles of alcohol. There’s a mood lamp he assumes will turn his living room into a pink and teal strobe show. But there’s also a pouch of tangerines and a bottle of fever reducers and throat spray and cough drops. He also finds a box of licorice root tea that Yoongi knows is not easy to find. Along with all of it, there’s a handwritten note: 

It’s not a real party without my SUGA-hyung. Please celebrate with us. ♡ Jack

Yoongi smiles, helping himself to the tangerines and graciously uses the throat spray. He sucks on a cough drop while setting up the mood lamp. When he finishes his tea, he falls asleep to the vibrant neons bouncing around his walls, thinking about how proud he is of his dongsaeng.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

A/N: I also banged this out pretty quickly for Lollapalooza. So there was very little editing or re-reading of the finished product. Call me out on my BS please. If I missed something, please let me know. As always, thanks for reading to the end! Feedback is always appreciated. And please let me know if I missed any tags or TWs. Please call me out for any errors you notice!