Sequel to Rekindle, which I highly recommend you read first.

Jaebum tries to be quiet, but he doesn’t quite succeed when the bed creaks under his weight and Jinyoung’s eyes begin to flutter open.

“Hyung?” he says blearily, squinting up in the darkness of his room (the curse of no windows), but Jaebum only shushes him, setting down the water and medicine on the bedside table as he slides his way under the covers.

“Feeling any better?” Jaebum asks as his hand is already coming up to test the temperature of Jinyoung’s forehead. Jinyoung lets out a noise of protest, making a weak attempt to bat Jaebum’s hand away but sleep has sapped all the energy from his limbs, and his fingertips end up barely brushing Jaebum’s forearm.

“Good, your fever hasn’t come back,” Jaebum smiles, satisfied, while Jinyoung only grunts, giving up resistance as he flops back down onto his pillows.

“Hey hey hey I need to you sit up, medicine time.”

Jinyoung lets out a muffled whine.

“Don’t wanna.”

“Hey, this is your own fault and you’ve gotta deal with it.” Jaebum’s voice is stern but still gentle, tugging on Jinyoung’s arm insistently. Jinyoung lets out another groan before he finally begins to cooperate, first propping himself up on his elbows before letting Jaebum take over and assisting him to lean against the wall.

“You’re such a big baby,” Jaebum says but it’s fond, and Jinyoung shoots him a half-lidded glare.

“I wanna sleep.”

“Once again, your own fault. You shouldn’t have gone clubbing last night when you were just starting to get better, whether or not we had the morning off.” There’s a bit more of an edge to Jaebum’s voice this time, the tension not yet completely dissipated from their confrontation in the hours previous. But more than anything else its concern that laces his voice, an underlying plea for him to never do this again.

“I know…” Jinyoung mumbles as he looks down, hearing only the accusation but Jaebum immediately has him looking up again when two hard pills are pushed into his mouth. Before Jinyoung can even react, a cold glass is being pressed against his lips and he drinks on reflex, swallowing the refreshing liquid along with the medication.

“See, not so hard after all.” Jaebum is smug as he sets the glass back down and Jinyoung just glares, petulant, but there’s no more heat behind it. Instead he just sighs noisily, lowering himself to lie back down again and purposefully turning his back on Jaebum.

“Yah, are you sulking?”

“No.” The response is undeniably whiny.

“Sureeeee.” Jaebum lies down as well, pulling the covers over the both of them more comfortably as he settles against Jinyoung’s back. Jinyoung seems set on ignoring him, so Jaebum takes the initiative this time, wrapping an arm around his waist as he tugs Jinyoung into his chest.

“Yah, what are you doing?” Jinyoung squirms and flails but even on his best days he’s never been able to throw Jaebum off. Now, in sickness, his attempt is only pathetic.

“Keeping you warm,” Jaebum had only meant to be snarky, but when he takes Jinyoung’s hand it’s still much too cold for his comfort. “Yah, were you really cold? Why didn’t you ask for more blankets?”

Jinyoung freezes at the contact and suddenly an uncomfortable silence settles over the room. Something twists in Jaebum’s gut and it’s like the air has been out of the room, the only audible noise the loud pounding of his own heart.

“Are you still…” Jaebum swallows, gulping as he prepares himself. “I’m–”

“No.” Jinyoung’s released his hand but he’s turning around to face Jaebum, expression anguished and it’s so wrong Jaebum immediately feels alarmed. “It’s not, so don’t. Just don’t.”

So Jaebum forcibly swallows back the apology he’d been about to utter, biting his lip to keep silent as Jinyoung collects himself. They’re close, they’re so close, breaths mixing and they both seem to notice this fact at the same time. Immediately Jinyoung is scooting back, and Jaebum feels something crumbling inside.

“I’ll go if you want me to leave.” The words tumble out choked and it physically pains Jaebum to say it. But he means it; he’s ready to give anything up for Jinyoung because Jaebum only knows how to love with his all. And if it’s his smothering way of loving that’s hurting Jinyoung, then so be it.

“No!” Jinyoung’s the one to pull Jaebum back this time, eyes wide with panic and Jaebum knows he shouldn’t feel relief from this, but he does. So he settles back, his own fears slightly assuaged but guilt fueled as he waits for Jinyoung’s explanation.

“I don’t want you to get sick.” Jinyoung’s words are barely comprehensible, the syllables slurred together in a murmur but Jaebum understands nonetheless.

“And?” he prompts, because even though that’s probably true they both also know that’s just a distraction.

“I’m sorry.”

Jaebum’s eyes widen but then furrow in surprise at the sudden apology; they’d already done this, hours before. He thought reconciliation had already been reached, though it was now clear there had been more to the matter.

Jinyoung is avoiding eye contact but he still holds loosely onto Jaebum’s hand so Jaebum holds on tighter, rubbing the cold hands between his own warm ones as he waits for Jinyoung to speak.

“I don’t mean to push you away so much. I just, I can’t help it sometimes. You know how I am,” Jinyoung’s eyes flit up briefly as he lets out a dry laugh, humorless and then his eyes are downcast again, “I’m moody. Or whatever. Sometimes my mind just goes places I don't even know how or why, and I just need space. I don’t want to be hot one second and cold the next. I hate it, but that’s just how I am.” His gaze slowly comes up again, and this time Jaebum doesn’t let him look back down by catching it with his own. “And…I’m sorry.” The second apology is whispered, his voice shaky and dripping with self-loathing and Jaebum can’t stand it.

“Then I’m sorry too. Again,” Jaebum smiles wryly, because wow they have so many issues but for once he couldn’t care less. “Because I have a temper. Because I hate sharing, and I like clutching onto what’s mine with no regard to whether or not I’m letting them breathe.”

Jinyoung’s eyes are beginning to moisten, and finally, finally any remaining tension is drained completely from the room and they both move to meet in the middle, arms wrapping protectively around a torso and a cold nose nudging against another’s shoulder.

“Are we finally good now?” Jaebum whispers his question into Jinyoung’s hair and he gets a weak laugh in response. But it’s genuine, it’s happy, and Jaebum’s relief leaves him feeling giddy as he leans down to capture Jinyoung’s lips.

“Yahhhh no I’m still sick!” Jinyoung pushes Jaebum’s face away his palm, his other hand coming up to hurriedly wipe away any moisture that may have escaped from the corners of his eyes. Later, he’ll deny adamantly there were any tears at all, and insist if there were any it was because of the sickness. But right now, it doesn’t matter.

“Fine, fine, but if I’m gonna get sick I’ve probably already caught it from you anyways.” Jaebum finally gives up, now focusing his efforts to turn Jinyoung around so he can spoon him instead. “Go back to sleep, we still have a schedule in the afternoon, you know. You’re gonna need rest if you’re ever gonna get better.”

“My face is gonna be all puffy though,” Jinyoung whines, and Jaebum only laughs as they finally settle back down. It's a comfortable silence now, comforting and drowsy as Jinyoung starts to drift off.

“You are warm,” Jinyoung finally mumbles a few minutes later, clearly on the verge of sleep.

Jaebum only hums in response, dropping kiss on the back of Jinyoung’s neck.

They’ll always fight, they’ll always make up, and they’ll always struggle to reconcile their differences. Jaebum will always want to grip too hard and Jinyoung will always be just a titch too flighty. They’ll both always be a little insecure, vulnerable in their faults and weaknesses.

But they’ll always find their way back to each other. They may be polar opposites, but only together can they create the perfect balance of warmth and strength.

Their hearth.

A/N: I need more JJP in my life. Do comment and upvote if you enjoyed~