"being good at everything isn't always a good thing."
• • •
Jungkook is good at everything, but that's not necessarily how you get the boy.
; mentions of depression and suicide.
[namkook]
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"Focus on breathing."
Loud coughs and quiet cries racked up in the apartment. Harsh coughs leaving his lips as if he was choking on something, only air. Taking long dry gulps of air.
Yoongi held Namjoon despite being smaller than the younger, tears soaking his shirt till it was a darker color. His hand ran through the shaking other's hair, the other hand trying to pick a song off his phone to play it through the small bluetooth speaker on the coffee table.
Taehyung was in the kitchen making herbal tea and something easy for Namjoon to eat with the groceries Jungkook and Jimin dropped off.
This was a routine: someone watches Namjoon while the other prepares medications or comfort food. Namjoon had a habit of not being able to swallow solid foods if his throat hurt, and he would refuse to eat it. Taehyung had given up on giving him sleeping pills as well after Namjoon got upset and ended up vomiting it up once, so Yoongi figured it would help him sleep if someone was laying with him or music was on. It was hard to take care of him. Namjoon just wasn't use to being cared for.
Namjoon's shoulders shuddered as he clutched Yoongi's shirt, his eyes closed as his harsh breathes left his lips. Tears soaked his cheeks, and his lips were beginning to get chapped.
Taehyung came into the room with a tray of tea and porridge. "... How is he?"
"His breathing got better, I guess," Yoongi sighed, "... What did you make?"
"Rice porridge," Taehyung says, setting it on the coffee table and sitting beside the two.
"Do you think he'll eat it?" Yoongi asks, a hand rubbing Namjoon's back comfortingly.
"It's easy to swallow, I'm sure he will," Taehyung nods, looking at the heavy breath other. "Is he sleeping?"
"He's falling asleep," Yoongi glances at the clock, "Can you watch him for tonight? I have work."
"... I have work too..." Taehyung says, looking at the older.
"What? Since when?" Yoongi furrows his eyebrows, sitting up slightly.
"I took a job on the other side of Seoul," Taehyung shrugs, "... I started two days ago, night shifts."
"Are you serious?" Yoongi sighs, pinching the bridge of his nose, "Who's going to watch Namjoon then?"
"Hyung, we're running out of money and the company hasn't paid us in how long?" Taehyung's year lowers, "All your shifts don't pay enough, so I got a job. We need the money."
"We need someone to watch Namjoon," Yoongi says. "I'll get more jobs."
"You have three on-call jobs," Taehyung sighs, "Three! Let's not forget you almost died on job because you fell asleep driving. You would've crashed and gotten in trouble by the police and company, or worse. You're lucky you got out with only a broken shoulder, but we couldn't afford to pay your medical fees and the company refused to as a fucking punishment! I'm pretty sure your shoulder still hasn't magically healed yet, right?"
"You need rest," Taehyung continues, "Don't dare tell me otherwise, Yoongi."
Yoongi quiets as Namjoon turned over, facing his back at Taehyung. Soft snores finally leaving his mouth, his breath stable.
"We made a deal that I'll work and you watch him," Yoongi says, "I'd stay home when you were at school, and when you got out you'd watch him as soon as you got out while I go to work. It was always like that, and it's going to continue being like that. You stay home while I work. No matter how much I'm not home, how many jobs I get, how many times I get tired at practice, how many times I leave the studio early: we need that money, no matter what. I'm the only one whose going to work, it's too risky for you to get caught by the company. I know my ways around the rope."
"We can't even afford to buy him a new breathalyzer! Do you think you'll even make enough money in time despite all that? Let's not forget about food, clothes, medicine, having basic life essentials! The only free thing we got from the company was this shit show of an apartment!" The younger stood up, "It doesn't matter how many jobs you have or how much you're not home after being the artist in the spotlight. His condition has been getting worse and worse without that breathalyzer, the company is probably going to kick him out if he can't even endure one performance without fainting. So quit with the independence speech, I'm working tonight. You stay home, and rest with him."
"His condition wouldn't be so bad if you didn't get fucking drunk that night, Yoongi."
