MUST'VE BEEN A DEADLY KISS

18: falling deeper in love

<3<3<3

a shiver that racks through jisung's body is what brings him back to reality. he realizes he is cold to the touch, but when warm fingers laced with his squeeze his hand, he is reminded that this is real life. he is totally not caught up in a dream right now and when he actually goes to sleep tonight, he'll wake up refreshed and relaxed.

they're on the porch of felix's and hyunjin's. they're sitting in the cold in silence, but it doesn't even feel like they're surrounded by winter air as they are currently glued together; thigh-to-thigh and shoulder-to-shoulder. jisung's cheek digs into where he's lying against minho's shoulder and minho's thumb rubs into his skin in repeated circular motions, one of the ways he has learned to calm the boy in the past.

jisung's throat is dry from how much he had cried. his cheeks feel icky and his eyes are swollen. he doesn't even register his current state, though, as he feels like he's in a bliss. what's bad, though, is how his body temperature had started to rise and the ache in his head had started to get worse.

"you're sick." minho cuts through the silence and the omega shifts, a hum buzzing from the depths of his throat to acknowledge the statement. it makes sense now, to minho. why he had shown up all wrapped up and with a scarf way too big for him around his neck. he had his suspicions that he wasn't feeling well too, and they were all confirmed when he had smelt the stuffiness in his scent when he had approached the bathroom door earlier.

"it's just a stubborn cold," jisung sighs. "i'm fine."

"well, it seems like it's getting worse," the alpha counters with a subtle shake of his head, "you should've just stayed home. you're burning up."

jisung lets out a tired noise of protest, "how else would i have confronted you about everything? if anything, i'd rather come sick today than stay in my bed all sick and grumpy because i still haven't said what i wanted to say to you yet."

minho feels a slow smile stretch across his face. he squeezes jisung's hand in his again and he leans against the top of the omega's head.

"i would have waited for you to tell me. but not forever, i couldn't have you avoiding me all shy and nervous about it forever."

"as you could see, it was very nerve wracking," jisung sniffles for good measure and the alpha chuckles. "but, i'm glad i got past it. that we got past it. you have no idea how much weight it took off my shoulders." the omega breathes out through a subtle smile. then, his lips fall back down and he stares down at their hands intertwined together.

in a small voice, he asks, "...do you actually forgive me?"

minho sighs, "jisung."

"i know, i know. you said you do, like, ten times the past half-hour, but i just... i don't know." jisung trails off quietly, fiddling with the end of his scarf with his free hand, "the guilt is just... too much. i can't escape it."

"you don't have a reason to feel bad about it anymore, okay? i told you, we're all good now. it was just a misunderstanding between us that we didn't bother resolving because we were just too stubborn."

jisung lets out an unsure hum and chews on his bottom lip, eyebrows falling down slightly. he can't help but keep on apologizing. "i know, but it's just— i'm sorry, and i really wish there was a stronger word for sorry, but there isn't one!— so i have to resort to saying it over and over and i know it's getting repetitive and i'm getting annoying..."

the omega continues with a small frown, "but i swear, minho, i swear to god that i'm fully over it. whatever the reason was for you not wanting to do... it, i don't mind it. i understand completely. i don't care about it anymore, they're completely irrelevant. just... as long as i have you. and we're happy."