From the second Jungkook had wandered into the kitchen area at 5:30am, fever-flushed and disheveled, Namjoon knew they were in for a very long day. It was going to be a tough day regardless, what with it being the shoot for their latest comeback today, but the pressure would only be higher if their youngest was sick.

Immediately, before even saying hello to his maknae, Namjoon began running through things he could do to make the day easier on Kookie. Maybe he could cancel the shoot? He was sure their manager would understand, but would the directors? The crew? They’d had this date booked to shoot for over a month already, they couldn’t really cancel the day of. What about filming all the parts without Jungkook, so he could stay home in the dorm and rest then they’d just film Kookies bits later on? It was possible, but he doubted again that they’d agree.

Maybe they’d just have to drug him up with cold medication and hope for the best.

“Hey Kook, you feeling okay?” Namjoon prompted, walking over to the younger as he sat on a stool. So far, it appeared they were the only two awake, but the others would hopefully be over soon since they were meant to be leaving to go to set in half an hour and they all still had to eat at least something.

“I’m alright, Hyung.”

What a bull lie from the youngest. 

“Hm. Let me know if you stop feeling alright, okay? You look a little flushed.”

“Must have slept weird.”

Giving a sigh, Namjoon grabbed a cereal bar from the cupboard and threw it, gently, at Jungkook. It wasn’t anything huge, but it was more than he’d eat if left to his own devices. “Eat it, we’ll be going soon. I’m going to check on the others.”

As Namjoon stood and walked towards the bedrooms, Jungkook let his head fall and rest on the table, letting out a small groan. He felt entirely rotten. Even last night he hadn’t felt great, but after going to sleep early he hoped he’d feel fine today. The pounding in his head and the trembling in his hands said otherwise though. He wasn’t feeling well at all, and Namjoon had unfortunately picked up on it straight away.

It would pass though, it had to. They had too much work to do today for it to not pass… and even if it didn’t, he’d cope. Fight through the illness in order to make the MV everything they wanted it to be. It was literally his job to do so.

Hearing shuffling a few rooms over, Jungkook lifted his head back up and sat up straighter, trying to keep up appearances for the others. After all, Namjoon was their leader, it was his job to notice when one of them wasn’t feeling well, he could still hide it from the others.

“Kookie! Oh my goodness you look awful.” And here came Seokjin, noticing instantly of course.

“I’m fine, Jin-hyung, please don’t worry so much.”

“He told me he was fine too.” Namjoon spoke up, walking behind Seokjin as they exited the bedroom. “The others will be out in a second. Jungkook, I need you to eat that cereal bar, fine or not, you need energy for today. We all do.”

“Just a cereal bar?? Everyone needs a full breakfast.” Seokjin frowned, heading towards the stove and placing a pot on it. “A cereal bar is no where near enough.”

“Its all we have time for, Manager-hyung will be here in 15 minutes with the car to take us all to set and the others still aren’t even out here.”

“We’re hereeee!” Hoseok called, prancing out of his room with the sleepier looking Taehyung and Jimin behind him. 

Seokjin seemed unimpressed with Namjoon, but put the pot away and gave up with his plan to cook them a proper breakfast. They’d just need to have a huge lunch later on it seemed.

“Good, everyone grab your stuff and be ready to go. We have a long day ahead and we need to be prepared for it.” 

Taehyung hadn’t seemed to notice how rough Jungkook looked, and for that he was incredibly happy. He already had Namjoon and Seokjin giving him little concerned looks, he didn’t need the others doing it too. After all, there was nothing any of them could do, they had a responsibility to the ARMY and they had to fulfill it. 

Standing slowly in order to get his bag, Jungkook quickly grabbed onto the edge of the stool as his head span, vision fading out at the corners and a pit of nausea settling in his stomach. He was either going to throw up or pass out, and he’d rather not do either as he stayed still, hopefully looking fine as he tried to pass off his sudden dizziness.

“Jungkook? Are you okay?”

Namjoon’s face swam into his view, and Jungkook did his best to give what he hoped was a convincing, reassuring smile. “I’m alright, I’ll go get my bag now.”

Pushing up from where he held the stool, Jungkook walked as steadily as he could towards where his bag was hanging, focusing on just putting one foot in front of the other without falling. How many times would they have to do the Blood, Sweat and Tears dance today? Kook was meant to be hanging from strings at some point and right now he couldn’t even stand up straight.

So much for the Golden Maknae, he couldn’t even film an MV properly.

Within moments, Taehyung was beside him, holding onto both of his upper arms tightly. Jungkook hadn’t even noticed he’d been listing sideways, unfocused in his thoughts as his body tried to shut down against his will.

“Kookie, you’re burning hot!” Now Taehyung was frowning, why was everyone frowning at him? It wasn’t his fault. “Sit down, Jin-hyung is going to grab you some medicine.”

Taehyung guided Jungkook to the couch, admittedly supporting the majority of his weight as he did, and pushed him gently to make him sit. Seconds later, Seokjin was in front of him, with a couple of pills and a glass of filtered water. 

“Here, Kook, take this. They’ll make you better faster.”

Normally, Jungkook would argue and struggle against being manhandled and being handed pills and ordered to take them, but this time he didn’t say a word. He sat when Taehyung pushed him, put the pills in his mouth and took a swing of water without complaint, eyes still glassy and unfocused.

Seokjin looked up to Namjoon, worry clouding his face while his teeth chewed his bottom lip. “He’s not well enough to get through today, he’d never make it.”

Giving a sigh and running his fingers through sleep-styled hair, Namjoon gave a small nod. “I know, but I don’t know what we can do. They won’t want to reschedule, but we can’t film without him either he’s in almost every scene.” 

Yoongi chose now to head into the main room, looking just as sleep disheveled at Jungkook did, but without the paleness and fever flush. “Whats going on? Is there a hold up?”

“Kookie is sick, Hyung.” Jimin piped up, his gaze not straying from where Jungkook had seemed to temporarily faded from consciousness while comfortable on the couch. His breaths were shallow and short, croaking slightly as if there was a blockage in his chest, eyelids fluttering as he bordered between the reality of consciousness and the realm of rest. “He’s almost passed out twice in the past 20 minutes.”

As Jimin quietened, Yoongi walked over, kneeling down in front of where their Maknae was sat, glancing over the pale features with the small frown that the other members held. “He does look like . Have you checked how high his fever is?”

“Not yet,” Seokjin said, rubbing his own face to try and hold back the impending stress headache. “We’ve managed to get some medication into him though.”

As Jin stopped talking, Namjoons phone rang, signalling that their manager was outside, waiting for them to get into the car. Jungkook flinched at the noise, bringing his hands up and clamping them over his ears in an attempt to block out the ringtone.

“I’m sorry, Kook.” Turning a little away from the group, Namjoon answered the phone. “Manager-Hyung, we have a problem. Kookie has woken up really sick. He’s got a high temperature and he’s almost fainted twice, he’s currently barely conscious on the couch. There’s no way he’ll get through filming today…yes…yes…no I don’t think he needs to go to the hospital, not yet at least…Okay, talk soon.” Namjoon then gave a nod and pulled away from the phone, addressing the members who were watching with bated breath. “He’s going to see what he can do to get filming moved so we can look after him, but he can’t promise anything. So sit tight, we’ll hear in the next ten minutes.”

At Namjoon’s words, everyone got themselves comfortable. Yoongi placed himself next to Jungkook, pulling the youngest down so his head was in his lap and began to play with his hair in a soothing motion, a rare show of affection for the often stoic hyung. Jimin and Taehyung sat together, close enough to the couch so they felt they were protecting Jungkook, while Hoseok perched himself on the arm. Seokjin stood behind the couch, overwatching all of the other members like the oldest he was, while Namjoon kept a tight grip on his phone, not moving his gaze from Jungkook, who had begun to shiver slightly.

“So…do you think we’ll be filming?” Hoseok asked, looking up to Namjoon.

“Possibly. I don’t think Kookie will be either way.”

Then his phone rang again, and Namjoon scrambled to answer it before it woke Jungkook again. “Manager-Hyung…yes…yes…yes…okay, thats brilliant. We’ll decide and be out to you soon.” Hanging up the phone again, Namjoon stretched, working out the kinks that had formed in his shoulders.

“Okay, so, filming is going ahead without Jungkook, but one of us needs to stay back and watch over him. Any volunteers?”

“Well I’m already his pillow, so I’ll stay.” Yoongi said without missing a beat, he didn’t even look up from Jungkook’s sleeping face. 

“Yoongi-hyung, are you sure?” Namjoon frowned, it wasn’t like him at all to pass up on doing anything to do with the group, but he always had been rather protective of their youngest.

“I’m sure, I’ll feel bad if I wake him up to move. You guys go have fun, we’ll film everything else once he’s better.”

Another small nod from Namjoon, and he grabbed his bag, heading out of the dorm with the others in tow, leaving Yoongi stuck on the couch with a sleeping Jungkook on his legs.

Looking down on the sleeping Maknae, Yoongi felt a mix of pride and concern swell in his chest. Their youngest had grown up so much in the years since their debut, the tiny, skinny boy had grown muscle and strength, and lived up to his Golden Maknae nickname so well. Normally when he got a sniffle, Jungkook would completely ignore it and power through, so he must be feeling rotten if it was knocking him out this bad. Regardless, he couldn’t be comfy lying on the couch like this, so Yoongi decided to try and get him to bed.

“Hey, Kook, wake up.” Giving his shoulder a gentle shake, Yoongi tried to rouse the younger. After a few seconds, thick eyelashes fluttered and sleepy irises gazed up to greet him. “Morning sleepyhead, lets get you to bed.”

It took Jungkook a second to become aware of his surroundings, but when he did, he shot up from his position, scrambling to get to his feet. “T-The shoot!”

“Whoa there kid, slow down.” Grabbing the back of Jungkook’s shirt, Yoongi pulled him back onto the couch. “Relax a second, you’re not going to the shoot, Namjoon sorted everything. If you relax a second, I’ll take you up to your bed, but if you dart up like that again you’re going to pass out your fever is still high.”

Jungkook stayed silent, before giving a small nod, realising the situation he was in. If anything, that just worried Yoongi more, he expected Jungkook to complain about the fact he was being left out or treated differently, but kid just seemed to want to sleep.

“Stay here a second, I’m going to get the thermometer.” 

Getting up, Yoongi headed to the bathroom and grabbed the item before heading back, not wanting to leave the youngest alone for too long. God knows what his delirious would do while alone. Kneeling down in front of him, Yoongi gave him a pointed look.

“Open.” 

Once Jungkook did as he was told, he put the thermometer in Jungkook’s mouth and pushed his chin up to close it. Kookie didn’t say a word, just remained slumped on the couch looking miserable and exhausted. When the device beeped, Yoongi took it and looked at the number.

“39.1, ing hell Kook you don’t do things by halves do you. If it goes any higher I’ll have to call a doctor, but for now lets get you to bed. Did Jin give you any medicine?”

Jungkook nodded.

“Good, lets give that time to work and I’ll check it again in a bit.” Standing again, Yoongi headed back to the medicine cabinate and disinfected the thermometer, before grabbing a washcloth and dousing it in cold water. Hopefully that’d help at least a little, before he headed back to where Kookie waited. “Right, bed time.” 

Yoongi grabbed Jungkook’s arm, gently pulling him to his feet then wrapping said arm around his shoulder for support. “You good?”

“Hyunggggg, I’m fine.” 

There he was. Regardless, Yoongi started walking, taking small steps towards Kookie’s bedroom. How the kid had been apparently more alert this morning, he didn’t know, because right now he appeared to be dead on his feet. Some sleep would do him great.

Getting to the room, Yoongi quickly deposited Jungkook on the bed, before pulling his shoes off and removing his shirt. At least then he might be able to cool down a little. Then he shifted Jungkook so his head was on the pillow and rested the cold cloth on his forehead.

“There, comfortable Kookie?”

Getting no reply, Yoongi was worried for a second, before noticing the deep, even breaths. Jungkook was already asleep. So he sat next to the bed, opened a game on his phone, and waited.

——

Hours later, when Kookie awoke, his temperature was already lower, having dropped to 38.4. He still wasn’t well, not by a long stretch, but he was definitely out of the danger zone in Yoongi’s mind. 

“You worried me there, Kook, don’t do that again, okay?” Tangling his fingers in the younger’s sweat damp hair, he smoothed it down the best he can. “Don’t take advantage of your health like that, if you feel unwell, tell us. We’re here to look after you.”

Jungkook pouted. “Hyung I was fine.”

“You nearly fainted, twice, and I practically had to carry you to your bed. You weren’t fine, and you couldn’t have filmed today. We’ll see about tomorrow, okay?”

“Okay.”