Everything hurt.

His lungs felt like they'd been torn open. His head like it'd been hit against a brick.

The world around Park Jimin felt foggy and dim - like there was a bubble of glass surrounding him and no matter how much he hit his hands against it, the wall wouldn't shatter.

Jimin wasn't sure how long he'd been fading in and out of consciousness, but each time the darkness faded he'd hear the honey like voice of Jeon Jungkook telling him some story of his adventures or catch a glimpse of his hand laying gently next to Jimin's own. That presence pulled Jimin back from fading each time, like a magnet anchoring Jimin to the hospital room when floating away could be so much easier.

Sometimes there were other voices mixed in too. Seokjin telling him of the club's success. Hoseok with tales of Kookie running away and having to chase the cat down the street because Taehyung refused to. Tae catching Jimin up on Yoongi and asking for Jimin to stay. Yoongi himself offering not words but a silent, solid, presence.

The voices came and went, but Jungkook's was constant. Always somewhere in the background. Always humming or talking or breathing just a touch away - forcing Jimin out of a fog that felt so warm and enticing to wrap himself up in forever.

Jimin wished now that the fog would clear so he could tell Jungkook that he heard him, that each time he flicked his wrist he could feel the cold metal of the necklace. That he understood. That he loved him too.

He wished.

***

The doctors said Jimin was getting better, but he had still to wake up fully. Days had past and soon Jimin's room began to fill up with flowers and balloons from his friends and even regular customers from his bakery. At one point, Hoseok had even brought Kookie to sleep next to Jimin's lap before the doctors yelled at him for it.

Now, the sun was up and shining bright through the pale blinds of Jimin's hospital room. Yoongi and Taehyung were playing cards on the little table by the door while Hoseok and Seokjin lingered by the wall. Their heads were bent together, talking.

Jimin's hand twitched and Jungkook lunged foreword in his chair, causing Taehyung and Yoongi to look up from their game. Their eyes went from mild annoyance at Jungkook for making them pause their perfectly competitive uno game to then instant hope as they both glanced at Jimin.

"Please." Jungkook said, his fingers slowly wrapping around Jimin's. There was a pull, a strength in Jimin's pinkie. Jimin wrapped his finger back. Then his palm.

"Jimin." Jungkook croaked out and in a blink their friends were next to Jimin's hospital bed. "Please. I know you, I know it's in you. Come back to me, you idiot."

Jungkook didn't care if he sounded cheesy - their friends didn't seem to mind either. Everyone was too busy holding their breath, watching Jimin's hand clasp around Jungkook's and squeeze it before his beautiful dark eyes fluttered open and a gasp left his soft lips as if life itself was shoved back into his small frame.

Jimin started heaving, Hoseok clapped, Seokjin started crying, Taehyung was watching in shock and Yoongi's clasp on Taehyung's shoulder turned tight.

But Jungkook. Jungkook couldn't think. Couldn't breathe.

Jimin's dark eyes found Jungkook's. His full lashes scrapped his cheek as he blinked. It was like staring at the entire world and having it look right back.

Jungkook rose up from his chair slowly. Scared that if he were to move too fast then someone would come in and say that he was dreaming.

"Kook." Jimin croaked out - his eyes only on Jungkook. His hand tight. One word was all it took; one, and Jungkook broke down laughing so hard that his lungs felt like they'd tear open. Suddenly, his cheeks were wet. His hands shaking.

There. Right there was Park Jimin. Staring at him. Smiling at him. Breathing. Living. Whole.

"Jimin." Jungkook said, his hand gentle on Jimin's cheek as he reached for it. Jimin leaned into it and shook his head as his free hand moved to grab the necklace Jungkook had given him. It was still laying by his hip on the hospital bed and Jungkook stumbled to pick it up.

"Are you sure?" Jungkook asked, cocking a brow. "Not too cheesy?"

"Never." Jimin smiled.

Jungkook beamed in response as his shaking hands clasped the thin necklace with the little golden key around Jimin's neck.

When he was close, so close that their noses almost touched, and he finished placing the necklace on his confirmed not dead boyfriend, Jungkook lowered his voice and said: "Jimin. Park Jimin. I love you. I will always love you."

Jimin beamed. It was bright and full and completely raw in a way that made their friends in the room turn away to give the two boys space. He was alive. Jungkook grinned back; the very grin he first threw Jimin's way. The grin that made Jimin want to scream and that drove him crazy every time he saw it. Jimin loved that grin. He loved the boy it belonged to. No matter what, he always would.

"Come here and kiss me, you idiot." Jimin said finally through a small laugh, grinning right back as if it was the first time either of them had ever asked.

__________
A/N: God I love them so much. This chapter and the epilogue coming in literally two minutes kept me company on a six hour flight I had to take and it was so bittersweet because we've been on this journey for so long. Thank you guys for sticking with this story, I love you all

- Vio <3