"okay so i literally think i might be dying."

"kylie. literally, it's a cold. if you don't move and just rest, you'll be fine."

"okay but i still think i'm dying."

the girl rolled around in bed for a moment for emphasis. when she padded around for her box of tissues, she pulled it up to her eyes to see that she had already gone through all of them. she checked on how many cold drops she had for her throat. even though they weren't doing much for her, she still thought that having them around was a comforting thought.

when meg stepped out, kylie rolled back on her back and stared at the ceiling. after a few moments of tossing and turning, she found herself drifting somewhere between consciousness and sleep. frustrated with the ability to fully rest, and it getting later than she had realized, she sat up, wrapped a blanket around her figure, she rose and padded out into the living room. she found meg surrounded by the boys at the door, while jimin was nowhere to be found.

meg met up with the blanket-cladded girl first. "kylie, listen. we are in desperate need of groceries, lest you prefer starving. so the boys and i are going to get some things, so we'll be back in a little bit. are you going to be okay here?"

kylie nodded lightly and spoke back with a rasp, "if i die between now and then, it was nice knowing you guys."

everyone felt the collective eye roll, while it was meg that quipped back, "if you die between now and the time we get back, then something has gone horrible awry. but we'll be back!"

after everyone had shuffled out the door, kylie worked her way over to the couch. she fumbled for the remote and once the tv was one, she began mindlessly flipping for something to keep her occupied. after about a half hour of flipping, she flipped her gaze up when she saw a slightly timid jimin poke his head around the hallway corner.

"how are you feeling kylie?"

"still terrible. my throat is still killing me, but otherwise, it could be worse. and question.  why didn't you go out with everyone else?"

he stepped out from the hallway and made his way to sit down next to her, bringing a spare blanket for them on his way. "well i offered to stay behind so someone could be here to check on you."

the girl flushed a little. "jimin, you know you didn't have to."

he grinned at her. "i know, but i wanted to. now is there anything you wanted to watch while we wait for everyone to get back?"

"stepbrothers?"

he stood from the couch and went to the entertainment center to look for the film. when he found it, he queued it up and hit play. before he sat back down, he  shut the lights off, trying to see if darkness and stillness would the sick kylie get any sleep. when he settled back in next to her, he draped the blanket he had brought over her as best he could.

a little ways into the film, he had noticed her subtly settling into his side, her tired head falling bit  by bit onto his shoulder. every so often, he would adjust some more so that she was much more comfortable, finally catching some sleep after a few restless hours. by the time the credits rolled, she was safely tucked under his arm, curled into him for warmth and comfort. he lightly tucked a stray hair back behind her ear.

he leaned himself back slightly and whispered to himself, "maybe one of these days i'll be able to tell you how i really feel about you kylie. maybe one day."

-

and some odd hours later, when the rest of them walked back into the dorm to the sleeping kylie and jimin, they turned off the film and got themselves ready for bed as quiet as they could, preparing themselves for teasing the pair when they saw them again in the morning.

--

for my precious baby kylie who isn't feeling her best and is depending upon my affection to cure her