Fluffy OnKey. Kibum comes home with a cold

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Jinki closed his laptop with a snap and leaned back, closing his eyes. He was not quite halfway through midterm papers and he was getting really, really sick of having to explain simple concepts in the margins. The door to the apartment opened and Jinki considered opening his eyes, but decided against it, until he heard someone sniffle.

“Bummie? What’s wrong?”

Kibum stepped around the wall blocking their entrance from view. He had a scarf wrapped snugly around his throat and his jacket buttoned all the way up. It was nowhere near cold enough outside for all that.

“Kibum?”

Kibum waved him off, undoing the buttons with shaking hands. Jinki ignored him, making quick work of the buttons and then unwinding his scarf. He eased Kibum out of the jacket and enveloped him in his arms.

“I don’t feel good,” Kibum mumbled, hands coming up to grab onto the back of Jinki’s shirt. Jinki kissed his cheek, rocking him gently back and forth in the entryway. “I’m so cold.”

“Come here.”

Jinki led him to the couch and settled him on it. When Kibum was comfortably curled up, his knees pulled nearly to his chest, he moved to their bedroom and pulled the comforter off the bed. He tucked it around Kibum’s body and sat back at his side, holding his arm out for Kibum to press against him.

He did, letting himself sink into Jinki’s embrace and his eyes close.

“I don’t like being sick,” he said, voice muffled by the blanket he’d pulled up over his nose.

“I know you don’t.”

Kibum started to say something, but his words were interrupted by a bout of fierce coughs that made him almost convulse with the force of them. Jinki rubbed his back soothingly until the coughing subsided and Kibum flopped back where he was before, making a miserable sound.

“Aww, baby,” Jinki cooed, kissing the top of his head. “My poor Bummie.”

“Don’t make fun of me.”

Jinki laughed softly. “I’m not making fun of you. You sound miserable.”

“Good, ‘cause otherwise I’d have to sneeze on you and then you’d be sick.”

It would have sounded a lot more threatening if Kibum hadn’t sounded like his nose was so stuffed he could hardly breathe. “Do you want anything, love? Something to drink or eat?”

Kibum shook his head, almost pushing Jinki over in his attempt to get closer. “Stay here.”

He nodded, kissing Kibum’s hair again. “Let me know if you want anything?”

“Love you, Jinki.”

“I love you too. Take a nap, okay? I’ll get you something to eat then, and then you can get some real sleep.”

His boyfriend made a soft sound of agreement, already sounding more asleep than awake. Jinki smiled down at him again, pulling him a little closer and resting his head on Kibum’s. The papers could wait.

He woke up a few hours later, Kibum still tight in his arms. He was awake, looking up at Jinki with a faint smile. Kibum reached up and tapped his lips.

“You feeling any better?” Jinki asked.

Kibum shook his head. If anything, despite the smile, he looked worse. His nose was red and he looked pale. “I don’t like being sick,” he repeated.

“I know. I’ll email my students once you go to bed and tell them class is cancelled tomorrow, and then I can stay with you. Hungry?”

“A little.”

Jinki squeezed him a little and then stood, helping Kibum to lay out on the couch. “I’ll make you some soup.”

“Not hungry if it means you have to get up.”

He leaned down and kissed Kibum’s forehead. He pulled away quickly, pressing the back of his hand to Kibum’s forehead. “You’re hot.”

“I--” Kibum coughed again, his cheeks tingeing pink as he fought for air. “I know I am.”

“Oh, baby,” Jinki murmured. “I’ll be right back.”

He headed into the bathroom and flicked the faucet on, running cool water onto a cloth. He knelt at Kibum’s side and draped the cloth across his forehead. Kibum shivered, burrowing deeper into the blankets.

“Keep that on there.”

Jinki stood and went back to the bathroom, snagging the container of Tylenol and grabbing a bottle of water from the fridge as he walked past.

“Sit up, Bummie.”

“Don’t wanna.”

“I know. Just sit up for a few seconds and then I’ll let you go back to sleep.”

Kibum heaved himself up, the washcloth tipped off his forehead and rolled to the blankets, but he ignored it, except to swipe his hand across the dampness. Jinki helped him to take two Tylenol and then forced him up onto his feet. He made a soft whining noise in protest.

“I’m taking you to bed.”

Kibum kept the blanket wrapped around his shoulders. It trailed behind him like a child’s make-shift superhero cape. Jinki wanted to laugh, but he looked so miserable that he settled for kissing his temple and helping him into bed.

Jinki put the cloth back on his forehead. “I’m going to email my students and then come to bed with you. Will you be okay?”

Kibum nodded faintly, already almost asleep again.

It took Kibum two days to get better, at which point Jinki’s head was throbbing, his skin felt too tight, and he couldn’t stop coughing. Kibum gave him a sad smile and got him a cool washcloth for his head.