Work Text:
As Jisung slowly blinked his eyes open, a sense of unease crept over him. The room seemed oddly dim, and he felt an uncomfortable pressure on his right eyelid, as if something was weighing it down. With a jolt of concern, he sat up in bed, his heart racing a little more than usual as he reached a hand to his face, fingers gingerly exploring the source of his discomfort.
His breath caught in his throat as he scrambled out of bed and hurried to the bathroom, dread pooling in the pit of his stomach. What he saw reflected at him confirmed his worst fears. His once-clear eye was now a fiery shade of red, the surrounding skin swollen and inflamed. A small lump had formed on the edge of his eyelid, unmistakably a stye, its angry presence making itself known with each blink.
Fear mingled with frustration as he realized the inconvenience this would bring. Tomorrow they start promotions. It was really the worst timing.
Jisung let out a long groan of dissatisfaction. He trudged back to his room, flopped onto the rumpled bed, and grabbed his phone. For a moment, he stared at his reflection in the front camera, observing how awful his eye looked, until finally snapping a photo. Disregarding his slightly swollen face and unkempt hair, he sent the picture showcasing his eye problem to the group chat, adding a few crying emojis for emphasis.
With a heavy sigh, he tossed his phone onto the bed beside him and buried his face in his hands. As he lay there, thoughts swirled through his mind. How long would it take for the stye to go away? Can he even perform in this state?
The sound of his phone vibrating on the mattress snapped him out of his reverie. It was a private message from Minho.
that looks really bad
Jisung read this twice and started tapping back.
yeah
I should go to the doctor
Minho probably had the conversation open cause he started typing right away.
want me to go with you?
The blue message appeared.
sure
And another response appeared in a few seconds.
be there in a few minutes
And just as he said, he did. Jisung managed only to throw on some clothes, don a hat, mask, and sunglasses, when he received a message from Minho saying he was waiting outside the building.
Jisung grabbed the handle of the back door. The car was spacious, with no one else inside besides Minho in the driver's seat. His hand squeezing around the wheel.
"I'll sit in the back," Jisung muttered softly. He buckled up and immediately let his gaze drift out the window, the sky darkened by his tinted glasses and the car's black windows.
Minho drove in silence, the rhythmic hum of the engine providing the only sound in the car. Jisung really couldn't force himself to open his mouth and talk, he wasn't in the mood to do so at all. Despite the comforting presence of Minho, he couldn't shake off the worry gnawing at the back of his mind.
"Jagi,"
Minho began after a while, his voice breaking the quietude. He glanced at Jisung through the rearview mirror. The blonde still didn't look at him, just sighed in response, shoulders slumping slightly.
"I love you,"
He said with a light and cheerful tone as he turned left into the alley. Minho was definitely in a good mood today. His fingers tapped rhythmically on the steering wheel. The cityscape passed by in a blur, the buildings and streets painted with the soft hues of early morning light.
In response, Minho heard some mumbling coming from the backseat. It made him smile anyway as it was probably "I love you too" buried beneath the weight of Jisung's discomfort and the fabric of his mask.
"Want me to play something on the radio?" Minho persisted, hoping to inject a bit of cheer into Jisung's gloomy mood.
"No," came Jisung's swift, curt, and resolute reply, his tone conveying his desire to wallow in his own thoughts.
Minho chuckled softly at his response, gaze shifting from the red lights to the rear mirror. All he saw was a pair of big, black glasses, a white mask and a grey cap covering the blonde hair. "Don't be sad, Jisunga. You'll get medication, and it'll disappear quickly," he reassured.
"Why did this have to happen today?" Jisung's voice carried a note of frustration, the weight of his predicament evident in his tone.
"Well, it already happened, so don't dwell on it," Minho replied, his tone gentle yet firm. "We'll take care of it, and it'll vanish as quickly as it appeared. Don't worry too much."
A few minutes later, they arrived at the clinic they had a contract with. Minho waited outside the office, offering silent support as Jisung disappeared inside. After the visit, they drove to the pharmacy, where Minho went inside to purchase the prescribed medication, leaving Jisung in the car, reporting everything to the manager via sms.
They drove back to the dorm, and Minho accompanied Jisung upstairs. In the quiet intimacy of Jisung's room, Minho gently took charge, his movements careful and deliberate. With practised ease, Minho administered the eye drops, his touch gentle yet assured as he ensured each drop fell precisely where needed.
He then delicately applied the ointment, his fingers moving with precision. Finally, with a tender touch, he affixed the bandage over Jisung's eye, a protective barrier against any further discomfort, blocking the way for bacteria.
Tucking Jisung into bed, Minho drew the blinds, casting the room into a cocoon of soft shadows. Despite his fatigue, he still looked charming, though there was a hint of weariness in his expression.
"Rest well," Minho whispered as he approached the bed, his voice a soft murmur in the dimly lit room. He was rubbing Jisung's chin between his fingers, his gaze softening as he watched his face. "Take a long, nice nap, and don't forget about the eye drops in the afternoon. Kay?"
"Okay," Jisung replied, his voice a mere whisper as he met Minho's gaze. Leaning in, Minho started long in his shining eye before pressing a short kiss to Jisung's lips.
"I need to get going now, have some training scheduled," Minho murmured, his fingers playing with the ends of Jisung's fringe that was falling to his eyes. "Let me know if you need anything from me; I might drop by again in the evening."
Jisung just nodded and puckered his soft lips making Lino chuckle. Without hesitation, Minho leaned in once more, placing two kisses on Jisung's pink lips. Pausing for a brief moment, he left one final, lingering kiss on his lips, leaving him breathless for a second, a silent gesture speaking volumes.
"Thank you," Jisung murmured as he settled under the covers, hands tucked snugly beneath the blanket. Minho nodded in response, rubbing his chin in contemplation.
"Sleep well, pirate," Minho whispered. With a final, lingering glance, he quietly slipped out of the room, leaving Jisung to drift off into peaceful slumber, closing the doors of his room.