• cud·dle [ˈkədl] - hold close in one's arms as a way of showing love or affection •

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The Next Day

Jimin walked into Jeongguk's room but without the usual pep in his step. He shuffled over to Jeongguk with his patient clipboard in hand, checking over all of the vital stats. Jeongguk could tell something was wrong.

"What's got you down, kitten? You didn't visit me earlier." Jimin ignored Jeongguk again for a minute. "Jimin?"

"Nothing."

Jeongguk narrows his eyes at Jimin. Jimin glances at Jeongguk. "It's nothing, seriously."

Jeongguk quirks his eyebrow upwards and gives Jimin that 'are you serious' look. Jimin just stares at him before his eyes quickly fill with tears that rain down onto Jeongguk's blanket.

"I-it-it w-was..." Jimin couldn't speak through his harsh sobs. He collapsed onto Jeongguk's bed in tears as Jeongguk gently placed his hand on Jimin's back, rubbing in soothing circles.

"Hey, hey. It's okay. Just calm down and breathe." Jeongguk kept rubbing Jimin's back as he took in gasping breaths of air, trying to ease his tears. Once he calmed down with only a few tears falling down his face—which were quickly wiped away by Jeongguk's thumb—he cleared his throat and took a shaky breath.

"I know it's stupid but I lost a patient. It's normal to lose patients sometimes. We can't save everyone, right? But-but s-she was only five! She came in with a simple dog bite! How did it end up like this? What kind of doctor am I?" Jimin bursts into tears again and Jeongguk runs his hands gently through Jimin's dark locks, wiping his tears away as well.

"It's okay, calm down. Just breathe." Jeongguk attempts to calm down Jimin but he just continues to sob out his angry words.

"It's not okay! She wasn't like you! She didn't suddenly come back from the dead. Her heart will never start again and that's all my fault!" Jimin let out a huge sob and buried his face into Jeongguk's blanket.

"Hey. Listen to me. You're an amazing doctor. You've saved me like a million times! It wasn't your fault that you lost her, these things happen. I know it's hard but you really can't save everyone." Jeongguk softly speaks to Jimin, his hands gently caressing his face.

Jimin sniffles and wipes a few tears that fall down. "I guess you're right...I did save you a lot. Y-you're a pain in the butt." Jimin giggles out, his puffy red eyes closing entirely as his nose scrunches up in small laughter.

"I know I am, but you love me."

Jimin pushes Jeongguk away gently, giving him a teary-eyed scowl. "Never."

"You will eventually, Park Jimin. Mark my words." Jimin laughs again which brings a smile to Jeongguk's face. "Look." Jeongguk pokes Jimin's cheek. "You're smiling again."

A bright pink dusts over Jimin's cheeks. Jimin suddenly looks down at his pager.

"Ah, I have to go." Jimin quickly gets up and tries to make himself look more presentable after his breakdown only a few minutes before. He puts his hands on his burning cheeks and breathes deeply, hoping that the pink subsides slightly. Jimin was just about out of the room when he turned to Jeongguk and mouthed a quick 'thank you' before turning around and running down the hall.

"You're welcome," Jeongguk laughs out quietly once Jimin had disappeared down the hallway.

•

Hours later, past the time when Jimin had once again denied eating lunch with Jeongguk, long after multiple doctors had come in to listen to his heart, and the sun was set and the sky was dark and filled with tiny dots of pure white, Jeongguk was nearly asleep.

His mind was drifting when he heard the familiar click of his hospital door opening. He glanced over to see an exhausted Jimin coming to check on him one last time.

Jimin's lazy feet dragged against the ground as he made his way to the edge of Jeongguk's bed, checking his saline bag and other important vitals. He brought his hands up to his face and tried to rub the sleepiness out of his eyes with no success.

His eyes felt heavy from his crying earlier in the day. His arms and legs felt like dead weights and would barely move. He wouldn't be on-call until 10 the next morning so he was looking forward to receiving a good night's sleep in the comfort of his own bed.

Just as Jimin was setting down Jeongguk's clipboard he felt a grip around his wrist.

"I thought you were asleep. Sorry if I woke you." Jeongguk just pulled on Jimin's wrist, making him lose balance slightly.

"Wasn't asleep." Jeongguk was so tired he could barely form sentences. "Waiting for you." Jeongguk wraps his arm fully around Jimin's waist, pulling with more force than before. Jimin topples over into the bed, landing in an awkward position which left him halfway off the bed.

Jeongguk pulls Jimin's legs up and lays him beside his own body while once again wrapping his strong arm around his waist. Jeongguk pulls him close to his side.

Jimin, too tired to resist, just lays there. "Let me go..." His words were muffled and quiet. He made no attempt to actually get up.

"Just sleep." Jeongguk watches as the drained Jimin lazily cuddles up to his side, burying his face in Jeongguk's neck. He listens as the smaller boy's breathing becomes slow and steady.

Jeongguk hums in satisfaction as he lets his heavy eyelids close and his mind drift away into peaceful darkness.

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Just wanted to say that I appreciate everyone who reads this. Thank you guys. :)

<3