stutter | jikook

36 | caught in a lie

BY the time he came back it was dark. The collar of Jimin's shirt was wet from his spit, his hand still cradled against his chest and the back of his hair ruffled. He struggled to get his keys from his pocket, doing all one handed as if his arm was in a sling. After some time, he finally got the door unlocked. The keys jangled as he removed them from the lock and walked in. It was dark and he could faintly hear Jungkook's breathing, a good indicator that the younger was asleep. Jimin felt this way through the dark with one hand until it landed on the desk lamp he had. He turned it on.

Jungkook was fast asleep at his desk. His head sat against the keyboard of his laptop, which had turned off a while ago. His arm rested on a text book and his mouth was open slightly to breath. His hair fanned down over his eyes, a bit too long for him. Jimin's heart melted, he looked precious.

The lamp gave him enough light to find his way to the bathroom. He entered and closed the door before he turned on the light. It burned his retinas a bit and took a while for his eyes to adjust. He sighed, making his way over to the shower. He turned it on, messing with the temperature for a while.

He really needed a shower, especially after sitting on the dirty floor of an alleyway next to a garbage can.

Happy with the water level, he slowly took his arm away from his chest. It felt tender almost, even though there was no physical injury to his arm. He grimaced, reaching to peel off his shirt. Once that was removed, he stripped completely and got in. Under the warm temperature of the water he finally relaxed, melting back into the cold white tiles on the wall. His arm felt better, like a knot in your muscle going away with a massage.

He must of been showering for a while, because there was a knock at the door.

"Jimin? Can I come in?" Jungkook muttered sleepily.

Jimin gulped, backing into the corner of the shower as if it'd help him hide behind the shower curtain. He nodded before realizing that Jungkook couldn't see him, "Uh, y-yeah."

The door opened and Jimin could hear the pads of Jungkook's feet hit the tile with every step he took. He pressed further into the corner.

"You're home late." Jungkook said after a moment of silence. Jimin heard rummaging.

"Y-Yeah, sorry."

Jungkook shook his head, something Jimin could see his shadow do faintly off of the white shower curtain, "It's cool. Were you with Tae?"

"Not f-for long. W-Went to the café, g-got some work done."

Jimin didn't like mentioning his arm issues, especially not to Jungkook. He'd make him see a doctor, a real doctor. Someone who was so much more than Taehyung, someone who had years of experience, someone who could tell Jimin he was dying or had cancer if they wanted to.

Jimin was afraid of dying.

It's not like he didn't know he should see a doctor. If anything, he was certain he should see a doctor. His arm issues and the stutter that seemed to have appeared from nowhere he's been living with for a few years is enough to tell him that. Not to ignore the fact that it's gotten worse since the time he's met Jungkook, which is coming close to a year now.

He's not stupid either. He knows Jungkook's noticed it. He knows Taehyung's noticed it. He knows they've talked about it together when Jimin wasn't there. They'd probably sat down for a cup of coffee and discussed everything that was wrong with him, Jungkook agreeing with whatever medical lingo Taehyung throws his way.

"You took a while to unlock the door." Jungkook's voice broke him out of his thoughts.

"Y-You were awake?"

"Not really. I was mostly asleep, but I heard the keys jangling for a while."

"O-Oh."

Jungkook stayed silent for a while, "You don't do that unless your hand is acting up."

"H-How would you kn-know that?"

"I've been living with you for almost a year."

Jimin stayed silent for a moment, "So?"

"So I recognize things like that," Jungkook sighed, "Is it acting up?"

"No."

"Are you lying?"

"No."

"Don't lie."

Jimin rolled his eyes, "You sound li-like my m-mom."

"Is it acting up?"

"You'll m-make me see a d-doctor."

"You need to see a doctor."

Jimin shuffled in the shower, playing with the grout that held the tile together. He was glad he didn't have to see Jungkook's stupid beautiful face for this. He sighed and muttered, "Maybe."

"Jimin."

"Yes." Jimin finally gave in, "It's a-acting up."

Jungkook hummed, "Was it bad today?"

"Yes."

"You're seeing a doctor."

"I-I don't want to. I-I'll just go to Tae."

"Taehyung's great for bumps and bruises and self-stitches, Jimin," Jungkook started, crossing his arms and keeping his tone firm, "But he's not a real doctor. You need to see someone who's actually graduated medical school. This is getting out of hand."

"Why a-are you so co-concerned about it?"

Jungkook sighed, "Because you're my best friend and roommate—"

Jimin's chest tightened a bit.

"—And I'm tired of waking up to you screaming your lungs out."

"S-Sorry."

"Don't." Jungkook muttered. He pulled back the shower curtain slightly, making Jimin shriek. "Now get out. You've been in there for an hour. We aren't made of money."

With that, the bathroom door closed and Jimin could finally breathe again.