Hello! My name is Felicity! I’m a multi stan, my ult group is Ateez, and Jung Wooyoung is my ult bias!
✅ I will write for Ateez, Stray Kids, TXT, NCT (all units), EXO, and SHINee
🚫 I do not write romantic or sexual content/pairings, x reader, k!nk, smut, etc. My husband and I are both aro/ace and I prefer to keep my fics clean and platonic.
🔞 Please do not follow or interact if you are under the age of 18. While this is a clean account, there may be adult language or themes. Thank you!
Please drop in and say hey 👋🏻 I accept requests but may choose not to write them all since this is something I do purely for fun. I promise it isn’t personal if I don’t chose your prompt, it’s just because I don’t think I’m familiar enough with the members in question or don’t think I’m able to write anything worth reading.
If you’re curious as to what’s coming up, check out the list below. Please note that I don’t always write them in the order that they appear here but if it’s on the list it’ll get done! ⬇️
“Hyungs are going to get home and flip if they see you guys playing in the house.”
That did nothing to stop them.
“You’re going to break something.”
Still, nothing.
“Everybody else that’s home is sleeping right now. They really need the rest and you’re going to wake somebody.”
But it seemed there was nothing that Yeosang could say to get Wooyoung and San to settle down. They had the day off and were full of energy but the cold rain pattering against the windows had them cooped up in the dorm, leaving them restless.
It was Wooyoung that had pulled out the rugby ball in the first place. San immediately ran down the hallway, indicating for Wooyoung to throw it. Their game of catch quickly grew more physical as the pushing and tackling started. Out of respect they had heeded Yeosang’s warnings to an extent, moving the game from the common area to San and Yunho’s room.
Yunho, who was now curled up on the couch asleep next to Yeosang while Yeosang allowed himself to be consumed by his video game, had warned San that if anything in their room was damaged that he’d be held responsible, but San brushed him off, promising that they’d be careful. And they were, until San whipped the ball a little too hard into the wall. Wooyoung burst out in laughter until the sound of a crash emanated from the next room over, followed by a startled cry and a groan.
“What the hell just happened?” Yeosang called out. There was no response which Yeosang found more concerning than comforting. Just as he paused his game and stood up, Jongho appeared in his bedroom doorway. He held a hand up to his head and leaned heavily in the doorway.
“The shelf above my bed fell off the wall. I think it hit me in the head…” Jongho said, his voice sounding off. Yeosang wasted no time getting to his side, carefully moving Jongho’s hand from his temple. He was relieved that it wasn’t bleeding but a large red welt was forming.
As Yeosang assessed the situation carefully, San and Wooyoung sheepishly emerged from San’s room, realizing the severity of what they had done. Yeosang’s eyes darkened considerably as he looked at them.
“Put the ball away” he said, his tone sending shivers up and down San and Wooyoung’s spines. Yeosang then turned his attention back to Jongho. “Let’s get you back to bed.”
Jongho nodded, but was unsteady on his feet. Yeosang slung his arm around Jongho’s waist, helping him lie down again. Gently taking Jongho’s wrist into his hand he felt for a pulse, unsurprised that it was elevated. Jongho was always one to keep a cool exterior in difficult situations but it was clear that the shock of being woken by a blow to the head had his anxiety up.
“Hyung, I feel…weird” Jongho muttered. Yeosang quickly instructed San and Wooyoung, who were now hovering in the doorway, to get an ice pack and some water. “What feels weird, Jongho?” Yeosang pressed, grappling to take control of the situation.
There wasn’t even time for Jongho to respond. His stomach did a somersault and sent its contents down Jongho’s front. Under any other circumstance Jongho would have been mortified, but right now the only thing he felt was confusion and fear.
San and Wooyoung quickly returned, carrying a bucket with them, much to Yeosang’s relief. Yeosang, running on pure adrenaline and instinct at this point, put the bucket on Jongho’s lap as he dug through Jongho’s drawers to find him a clean shirt to change into.
“Listen to me carefully” Yeosang said, glancing over his shoulder to make sure he had San and Wooyoung’s attention. “Please nicely wake Yunho and tell him that Jongho needs a ride to the hospital and nicely ask if he could drive.” They scurried off, leaving Yeosang to attend to Jongho.
“Hyung, what’s going on?” Jongho’s tone reminded Yeosang that, for all of his bravado, Jongho was the maknae.
“Just a little bump to the head” Yeosang replied, lifting the ice pack to have a look at Jongho’s injury. Calling it a little bump may have been a stretch but there was no reason to worry Jongho more than he already was.
Yeosang could hear Yunho stirring in the living room and could pinpoint the exact moment that he was told that he needed to get Jongho to the hospital, his slow, sleepy movements suddenly becoming rushed. The jingle of keys and sound of the front door opening and closing signaled to Yeosang that Yunho would have his car pulled around within minutes. He carefully pulled Jongho’s soiled shirt over his head, replacing it with a clean one and helped Jongho out of bed and downstairs.
*~*~*~*~*~
“They’re dead. I will kill them myself” Yunho muttered, anxiously waiting for the light to turn green. A shiver went down Yeosang’s spine, thinking of the consequences that San and Wooyoung would deservedly face.
“Relax, Yunho-ah,” Yeosang reminded him quietly, “focus on the road.” Yunho nodded silently before glancing in the rear view mirror at Jongho, who was holding the ice pack to his temple still. “Are you doing okay back there, Jongho?” Jongho responded with a weak “yeah,” which could not have been less convincing.
*~*~*~*~*~
The ride left Jongho nauseous and dizzy. Yeosang and Yunho helped him out of the car once they arrived at the hospital. Yeosang assured Yunho that he would be calling Seonghwa and Hongjoong once Jongho was settled in, encouraging Yunho to go back home. Yunho hesitantly agreed before Yeosang spoke up again.
“Yunho, don’t do something you’ll regret” he reminded gently but firmly. “Hyungs will deal with them when they get home. Go back to bed or go hang out with Mingi in his studio. But don’t…just leave it be.” Yunho sighed and nodded tiredly. “I think bed seems do be a good option for you. You’re almost dead on your feet” Yeosang added with a smile as Yunho got back in his car and pulled off.
*~*~*~*~*~
Yeosang held his breath as he sent the text:
“There was a little accident at home. I’m with Jongho at the hospital. I think he has a concussion.”
He waited under a minute to receive the phone call he had been dreading. Yeosang picked up the phone and wasn’t even able to get a quick greeting out before Hongjoong began frantically speaking.
“Sangie, what happened? How did maknae end up with a concussion? Are you okay? Who else was home? Did anybody else get hurt?”
Yeosang couldn’t respond to any of the questions being lobbed at him through the phone, which didn’t escape Seonghwa’s notice. He muttered something unintelligible to Hongjoong which immediately silenced Hongjoong. Seonghwa then spoke up calmly asking Yeosang to explain what was going on.
“Something fell on Jongho’s head and he isn’t feeling too well so I brought him here…” Yeosang stopped there, deliberately trying to keep things vague, knowing that, when the full extent of the situation was known, heads would roll.
“You did the right thing, Yeo. I know this must be scary. We’re 20 minutes away. Just stay calm” Seonghwa’s assurance brought Yeosang a little comfort but the questions continued after that. “Who else was there? Did anybody else get hurt?”
“It was me, Yunho, San, Woo and Jongho” Yeosang said, his voice shaking with anxiety. “Nobody else got hurt. I was playing a game and Yunho was napping.”
There was a momentary pause that seemed to have lasted an eternity. The tension was palpable, leading Yeosang to suspect that the hyungs were putting the pieces together.
“And San and Wooyoung? What were they doing?” Hongjoong asked, suspicion heavy in his voice. But luckily the conversation was interrupted and effectively ended by a nurse letting him know that Jongho was settled in and that he could come back now.
*~*~*~*~*~
“So let me get this straight. Dumb and Dumber were playing rugby in the dorm despite being told not to? And hit the wall so hard it knocked the shelf off the fucking wall?”
Jongho had dozed off shortly after Seonghwa and Hongjoong’s arrival, prompting Hongjoong to pull Yeosang out in the hallway as he demanded an explanation.
“You aren’t in trouble Yeosang,” Hongjoong said quietly. He was visibly shaken upon hearing what had transpired. “You did everything right.”
Yeosang nodded awkwardly, biting his lower lip. It was clear that Hongjoong wasn’t finished with him.
“And Yunho drove you here?” Hongjoong repeated back to Yeosang, making sure he had the story correct. Yeosang nodded again, feeling more like a bobblehead doll than a human at the moment. “And Yunho is where now?”
Yeosang immediately knew where Hongjoong was going with this. “Yunho went home. I told him to go to bed, but he was pissed when he left.”
After taking a few minutes to process, Hongjoong told Seonghwa that he was going home to “make sure everyone was still alive.” Yeosang was glad that he wasn’t going to be home to see it play out, but he texted a quick heads up to Yunho:
“Hongjoong-hyung is on his way home. If you aren’t asleep, it’s probably best to pretend you are.”
Heyyy I wanted to know if you are going to create a Masterlist, because I love your work so much and I am scared that I would miss something...I'm still busy reading some of your previous work and I am worried that I skip something 😅🙈❤️
I could probably do that! Give me a bit of time and I’ll work on it!
I’m back after going off the grid for a while! We decided to take a summer holiday at the last minute for a few weeks but I have a fic almost ready go release! Keep an eye out!
When Hongjoong woke up he felt as if he was coming to from a coma. He hadn’t slept so soundly in a long time, but within seconds he wished that the coma would pull him back under. This flu was wreaking havoc on his body.
He sat up, confirming that Yunho was still asleep before stepping out of his room. All that hydration had left him in need of the washroom but, to his surprise, he found the door closed. Knocking quietly, Hongjoong listened for a response but did not receive one. After another knock met with silence he entered and nearly jumped out of his skin when he found Jongho lying on the washroom floor with a long-dried face cloth draped over his eyes and forehead.
“Jongho” Hongjoong whispered, nudging the maknae’s shoulder as he sank to the ground next to him, too exhausted and poorly to keep standing. Jongho stirred slowly and reached up to toss his compress aside but made no effort to respond to Hongjoong. “What are you doing on the floor, Jongho-ah?”
“I could ask you the same thing,” Jongho responded in the most Jongho way possible, which is not at all what Hongjoong wanted to deal with in the middle of the night while his head was swimming with fever.
“I’m sick, Jongho” Hongjoong responded flatly. “I’m sick and had to use the washroom but here you are, laying in the damn floor. Your turn.”
Jongho sighed before responding. “I woke up with a headache so I got up to take my temperature.”
That was enough to send Hongjoong into hyung mode immediately. “Why didn’t you wake Seonghwa?”
“I can take my own temperature, hyung” Jongho quipped back before continuing. “I’m running a fever” he added nonchalantly. “And the floor was cold, so I just laid down with a cool compress. It’s fine. I’m fine.”
Hongjoong rolled his eyes. This situation was so very Jongho. He was about to inquire about any other symptoms when the door flung open again, this time by Yeosang who nearly face planted, tripping over Jongho’s outstretched legs, as he barreled toward the toilet to be sick again. Jongho reached out an arm to pat Yeosang’s back in silent support but was too weak to do anything beyond that.
It took Yunho less than a minute to appear in the doorway, rubbing his eyes with the back of his hand. Hongjoong sighed before speaking up, realizing that everybody would be looking toward him to take control despite him being as sick as the rest of them and it being 3:30 AM.
“Yunho-ah, what are you doing out of bed?” He asked, willing his voice not to break as he spoke.
“I heard somebody getting sick. Now I feel queasy again” Yunho replied weakly, sounding half asleep. Hongjoong’s eyes darted to Yeosang, who was still draped over the toilet. He was out of ideas until Jongho acted quickly, reaching over his head and tossing the waste paper bin toward Yunho’s feet. Yunho muttered a weak “thank you” before taking the bin into the hallway and sitting down outside the washroom door. A wave of guilt and pity washed over Hongjoong as he heard his dongsaeng getting sick in the bin but there wasn’t enough room for a fourth member on the washroom floor and he sure as hell wasn’t about to get up from his cozy spot next to Jongho.
“It’s alright. You’re going to be just fine” Hongjoong slurred, unsure if the sentiment was directed more strongly to the others or to himself.
*~*~*~*~*~
Seonghwa woke up to muffled sounds coming from the washroom followed by the sound of retching. For a split second he contemplated rolling over and going back to sleep before he heard another set of feet pattering toward the washroom. Knowing that eldest-hyung duty called, he sat up in bed quickly - perhaps too quickly - his head quickly hitting his pillow again before he even realized that he needed to lie back down. He suddenly felt a shift of pressure in his sinuses.
Dammit.
He was sick.
Unfortunately, so was somebody else based on the cacophony of sounds emanating from outside his closed door. With a deep breath he sat up again, much slower this time, and headed toward the door, bracing himself for what he may find when he opened it.
Seonghwa almost stepped on Yunho as he closed the bedroom door behind him. He knelt down in front of him, giving a light tug on the waste paper basket that Yunho was nearly falling asleep in. Seonghwa placed a hand on Yunho’s cheek, quickly realizing that he was no longer able to very accurately feel for a fever now that he too was running one of his own. Despite his own body being feverishly warm now, he could still tell that Yunho was feeling even warmer.
“Yunho, love, you’re feeling very warm again” Seonghwa said quietly, noticing now how sore his throat was. “Did you forget to take your medication? You haven’t been running this high since it was prescribed…”
Yunho shook his head in response. “I didn’t forget. I didn’t want to take it. It makes me feel funny…”
Seonghwa cut him off, trying to mask the frustration he felt rising in his chest. “You know what else makes you feel funny? A high fever. You seem to be feeling really funny now, hmm? The medicine isn’t optional, Yunho. It’s…” Seonghwa stopped abruptly when a wave of dizziness struck. In the moment it took for him to center himself he took in how absolutely pathetic Yunho looked sitting on the hallway floor. There would be a time to discuss this, but that time was clearly not now. He took a deep breath to calm his nerves before speaking up again.
“Sweetheart, why are you out here in the hallway anyhow?” He asked, his tone much calmer than a moment ago.
“Because they are in there” Yunho said with some effort, indicating vaguely toward the washroom.
“Who? Who’s in there?” Seonghwa asked but Yunho was already beginning to doze off again. There was nothing Seonghwa could do about that at the moment. He couldn’t lift Yunho on a good day, and his running nose suddenly reminded him that this definitely wasn’t a good day. Making a mental note to wake Jongho to have him help Yunho off the floor and back to bed, he slowly opened the washroom door.
So much for that mental note.
Seonghwa felt close to tears. He was in over his head. This flu had done the impossible, taking out eight grown men in the span of a couple of days. Admitting defeat, he unlocked his phone, texting a manager:
“Sorry to wake you hyung. But we need you.”
*~*~*~*~*~
When the manager arrived, not even an hour later, his jaw dropped as he surveyed the scene.
Seonghwa had miraculously gotten everybody off the floor and into the living room. Jongho sat at one end of the sofa, his head resting in his hand as he shivered too violently to make sleep possible. Hongjoong, on the other hand, was curled up into the maknae’s side, having had no trouble at all finding sleep again. Yeosang was stretched out across the middle of the couch with blanket haphazardly draped over his legs that threatened to fall to the floor at any slight movement. Yeosang had left almost no space for Yunho, though Yunho didn’t seem to mind curling up in a tight ball in the small amount of space he did have, in a way that seemed physically impossible for a person of his stature.
The manager almost instantly jumped into action. He had years of experience wrangling his own sick kids in addition to sick ATEEZ members, but he struggled to recall a time when seven of the eight were sick at once.
“San, Mingi, and Wooyoung?” He asked quietly, turning to Seonghwa. Seonghwa finished his thought on his behalf.
“Sleeping. Hopefully” Seonghwa supplied helpfully as he stood with his arms crossed across his chest.
“I’ll be honest,” the manager said after a few moments of thought. “I’d like to take anybody with a fever to the hospital. This flu clearly is nothing to mess around with.”
Yeosang piped up at that. “I don’t have a fever, so I don’t need to go” he announced, his tone laced with pride despite not even opening his eyes as he spoke.
The manager turned to Seonghwa, wordlessly looking to fact check Yeosang’s statement. Seonghwa nodded slowly. “He’s telling the truth. I checked his temperature a few times yesterday afternoon and before you got here. Normal temp, somehow.”
Yeosang pulled up the blanket as he snuggled deeper into the couch, content that he’d be able to stay home, but Seonghwa wasn’t finished.
“No fever, but he’s vomited several times. I think he should go.” Seonghwa’s words cut Yeosang like a knife.
“You can’t just change the rules like that, hyung” Yeosang responded with a huff. Seonghwa couldn’t help but smirk at Yeosang’s petulance.
“Well I can. You’re going to have to come with me, kid. I’m sorry” the manager said in response, slowly pulling Yeosang’s blanket off and folding it before stuffing it under his arm. While he was clearly not happy about it, Yeosang sat up, resigned to his fate. “Fine, but it’s still not fair” Yeosang said with a pout.
Yunho was the next to speak up, although his voice was muffled, barely audible as he spoke into the couch cushion.
“What was that, Yunho?” The manager asked as he knelt down in front of him, his voice gentle, knowing that Yunho always needed a little extra care and comfort when he was sick.
“I don’t need to go. I don’t have a fever” he repeated, a little louder this time. The manager sighed, laying a cool hand over the nape of Yunho’s neck. “I don’t think that’s quite true, is it? Hmm?”
Yunho ignored him, relishing in the comfort of his touch before his hand warmed from the contact with Yunho’s fevered skin.
“And your hyung said you were throwing up again? Is that true?” The manager questioned, brushing Yunho’s hair back from his face. Yunho only shrugged. “Let’s get you up, nice and slow” he said, taking his time untangling Yunho’s limbs one by one.
“I don’t see the point in playing games,” Jongho said as the manager helped Yunho sit up. “I have a fever. It’s not high, but it’s a fever. But I also don’t want to end up like that” Jongho said bluntly, gesturing toward Yeosang and Yunho’s end of the couch. He didn’t have to elaborate further. Everybody knew what he meant by that. “So if I have to go, I’ll go.”
The manager signed internally, relieved that at least one member wasn’t putting up a fight.
“Oh, and I mean I’m sure it goes without saying,” Jongho added, level headed as always. “He’s going to have to go.” Jongho looked down at Hongjoong, who had remained fast asleep through the entire conversation.
The manager nodded as he pulled Seonghwa aside. “I’m going to go ahead and take these four.” I’m sure it’s going to take some time to get them checked in and settled.” Seonghwa nodded as the manager continued, pinching the bridge of his nose, a clear indication of his current stress levels. “Call me once the other three are awake. If they wake up still feverish, which they will be, I’m sure, I’ll come back and get them.”
*~*~*~*~*~
Getting Hongjoong, Yunho, Yeosang, and Jongho packed up and into the van with the manager went about as well as Seonghwa had assumed it would. Four overnight bags, four sick men who struggled to take more than a few steps without needing a break, a frazzled manager who was growing more and more concerned by the minute that their van would get towed before they had everybody loaded up, and Seonghwa, who was putting on the show of a lifetime, not wanting to tip anybody off to how sick he was.
Seonghwa drew in a sigh of relief as he put the last of the members’ bags in the trunk, feeling out of breath and weak. Just as he was about to slide the door closed Yunho broke down in tears.
“Hyung, my pillow” he said between sobs. “I forgot my dog pillow.” Seonghwa felt about ready to go upstairs and throw the damned pillow out an open window and hope for the best, but he smiled instead, ruffling Yunho’s hair and assuring him he’d be right back down with it.
*~*~*~*~*~
Seonghwa all but collapsed against the stone pillar at the dorm building’s entryway as the van pulled out of sight. The sun was beginning to peak out, a reminder that San, Mingi, and Wooyoung would be waking soon and he’d be repeating this entire process again.
The energy to go back upstairs was alluding him until a woman emerged from the building. A nurse decked out in scrubs, clearly on her way to work for the day. She looked down at Seonghwa, sitting miserably on the cold concrete in his pajamas.
“Are you okay, honey?” She asked kindly. Seonghwa could feel his cheeks heating up even more than they already were from sheer embarrassment. “Did you lock yourself out?”
Seonghwa shook his head, hopping up regrettably fast to his feet and pulling his key out of the pocket of his sweat pants. “I’m just fine, thank you” he said with a tired smile. “Eventful morning is all.”
The woman smiled as she continued to the parking garage. “Hope the day turns around for you” she added over her shoulder. Seonghwa flashed a friendly wave, knowing that it would only get worse from there.
*~*~*~*~*~
Seonghwa had managed to get another hour or two of sleep on the couch before Mingi woke up.
“It’s so quiet…” Mingi grumbled, running a hand through his hair as Mingi collapsed heavily at the other end of the couch.
“Well, it’s just you, me, San, and Wooyoungie here right now. And San and Woo are still asleep” Seonghwa replied, tip toeing around the matter at hand.
Mingi simply raised his eyebrow, sensing that his hyung had more to say.
“Listen Mingi,” Seonghwa resumed, uncharacteristically frazzled. “Don’t shoot the messenger but manager-hyung was here this morning. He put his foot down, anybody running a fever this morning has to go to the hospital.”
The silence hung heavy for what felt to Seonghwa like an eternity before Mingi replied.
“Well, I’m not going” Mingi said with a shrug. Seonghwa closed his eyes, his head pounding uncontrollably.
“Mingi, I’m sorry but it’s not up to you. Fuck, it’s not even up to me” Seonghwa said but Mingi remained unmoved.
“I’m not Yunho and I’m not Wooyoung. I’m more than capable of taking care of myself…” Mingi was cut off by Seonghwa.
“Mingi that’s mean and uncalled for” he said firmly.
Mingi sighed, relenting. “I didn’t mean it that way. It came out wrong. But I really don’t need to go. My fever is hasn’t gone up.”
“But it hasn’t broken?” Seonghwa asked, locking eyes work Mingi in a way that made it clear that the debate was over.
“No, it hasn’t broken” Mingi replied, rolling his eyes like a spoiled teenager.
“Pack your bag with anything you’ll want at the hospital. You might be there overnight so pack accordingly.” Seonghwa was too tired to scold Mingi when he threw the pillow at the end of the couch to the floor and stormed off to his room, slamming the door behind him, causing the pain behind Seonghwa’s eyes to pulsate.
*~*~*~*~*~
If San and Wooyoung hadn’t been awake before, they certainly were now. San emerged from his room, promptly laying down on the couch and using Seonghwa’s lap as a pillow. They were both silent until San spoke up.
“Wooyoung was talking in his sleep. Asking for his mom” San said with a sigh, covering his eyes with his forearm. “I’m tired, hyung.”
Seonghwa’s heart broke at the fatigue in his voice.
“I heard you tell Mingi we have to go to the hospital. I packed my bag and started Wooyoung’s but…” San’s statement was cut off by a spell of harsh coughs. “I’m sorry, hyung. I felt too weak to finish.”
Seonghwa stroked San’s forehead, trying to comfort him before helping San sit up and laying him back against a pillow. “When did you get so big, my little Sannie-ah?” Seonghwa asked lightly as he draped a blanket over his dongsaeng. “I’ll take care of Wooyoung and get him packed up and ready to go.”
*~*~*~*~*~
Wooyoung was still burrowed into Yunho’s bed when Seonghwa entered. Tears stained his cheeks, confirming to Seonghwa that he, beyond a doubt, was still running a fever. Seonghwa silently took the bag that San had started packing for Wooyoung, to Wooyoung’s own room, adding a cozy sweatshirt that would keep him comfortable in the hospital, as well as his headphones and a few hair clips, knowing that Wooyoung would get restless if his hair was in his face.
He pulled his phone out and sent a text to the manager as promised:
“The kids are up. Ready to get them to the hospital when you are.”
*~*~*~*~*~
The process passed in a blur this time. Seonghwa could tell his fever was up, leaving him feeling like his head was floating as he went through the motions. He left the bickering with Mingi to the manager, confident that he had done his part earlier that morning. San, always feeling like he had something to prove, slung his own bag over his shoulder as well as Wooyoung’s, and headed down to the van, that, once again, the manager was convinced would get towed if they took much longer.
Seonghwa pulled the front door closed, the last one out, carrying Wooyoung on his back after it had become clear that Wooyoung was too dizzy to walk. With the last of his dongsaengs safely buckled into the van, Seonghwa turned to go back inside. It was becoming more apparent that he had a finite window of time to get himself back upstairs and into bed before his body gave up.
The manager was about to pull away when he rolled the window down. “Hwa” he called out, putting the van back in park. “Hongjoong texted me. He’s sharing a room with Yunho. He said Yunho is asking for you.”
Seonghwa tensed at that. He meant it with all the love in the world. He adored each and every one of his dongsaengs with his whole heart and he’d do anything for every single one of them without so much as a moment of delay.
But, in the most loving, caring, concerned way -
Not a fucking chance, Yunho.
And with that, that finite window of time closed on Seonghwa.
“I know you’re exhausted. Being a dad is a lot of work, isn’t it?” the manager said with a good-natured chuckle. “If you want to come for a bit I can bring you back in a few hours.”
Seonghwa felt his breath coming faster.
“I can’t breathe” he mumbled, losing his balance and tripping into the side of the van with a thump.
He was now coughing, gasping for breath. It all happened in slow motion. He looked into the window of the van, seeing Wooyoung sleeping with his head in San’s lap.
Sleep.
That sounded so fucking good right now.
“Hwa!” He heard a voice call out. Strangely it sounded somehow far too loud but also so far away, simultaneously.
“M’ tired, hyung” Seonghwa said with a final sigh, giving in to the immediate need to sleep.
*~*~*~*~*~
It took no time at all for Seonghwa to realize where he was when he came to. The stark white walls and ceiling, the ambient sound of beeping equipment and the overwhelming smell of sanitizer that, even completely congested, was still evident.
Yep. He hand landed himself in the hospital with the rest of the members.
Eight makes one team and all that, I guess.
Seonghwa couldn’t help but feel bitter for a moment. He had made sure everybody else had a soft blanket packed in their bag but here he was, covered in one that felt like paper.
He closed his eyes again, the pain behind his eyes no match for the bright fluorescent lights overhead. That’s when he heard the voice of his manager talking to somebody outside his door. The voices were muffled, which was further compounded by the fact he couldn’t seem to hear very well out of his right ear, but he was able to make out a few words.
“Private room.”
He turned his head, cracking his eyes slightly. He did have a private room. He sighed in relief at that. No members bothering him when all he wanted, no, needed, to do was sleep.
“Bruised shoulder.”
Yeah, that checked out too. His shoulder felt tender where he had made contact with the side of the van before he…before he fell asleep? Passed out? What exactly had happened?
And the last thing he heard before the door opened:
“Sedative.”
Before he could process that a nurse appeased his bedside. He opened his eyes for a moment as she laid a hand over his forehead. It felt far more heavenly than a simple touch had the right to feel. She looked familiar.
“Sorry that the day didn’t turn around.” She stated as she slipped a thermometer probe under his tongue. So that’s where he recognized her from. The parking lot earlier that morning. It beeped in a matter of seconds.
Seonghwa tried to sit up to get a glance at the reading on the box-like device in her hand but was gently pushed back.
“What’s my temp?” He asked, his voice surprisingly gravelly. She sighed with a sad smile, as she injected something into his IV line. She was silent for a moment, concentrating on dosing Seonghwa with the right amount of medication.
“You’ve got a fever, honey” the nurse replied as she released the IV bag and stepped across the room, grabbing an ice pack and wrapping it in a cloth before draping it over Seonghwa’s brow. He could see her lips moving but couldn’t make out what she was saying. She even picked up the thermometer again and showed him the reading but his eyes couldn’t seem to actually make it out. Couldn’t be too bad he supposed. Or maybe, more so, hoped.
Sedative.
That’s right.
“You’re going to feel sleepy. Don’t fight it” he heard the nurse’s voice.
Fight it? After sleepless nights, dealing with endless crying, puking, fainting, sweating, sneezing, coughing, and arguing? No, fighting it didn’t even cross his mind.
I’ll talk about this section from my current Ateez flu series, specifically from Part 2!
*~*~*~*~*~
*~*~*~*~*~
I really like to write humanity into my fics, if that makes sense. I get a lot of Yunho requests and I have come to really enjoy writing for him. I feel like, in a way, I’ve gotten to know this “character” that I’ve created for him, which is something I’m trying to do for all the members. I want them each to feel consistent from fic to fic and also feel real and multidimensional.
When I was writing this I wanted to show how different layers of Yunho’s predicament had culminated and left him feeling vulnerable. In the prior chapter we find out that he is feeling sick and running a fever which is always exceedingly unpleasant for him, and that he has now been more or less knocked down a few pegs by his manager who’s benched him until he’s no longer sick, and also by Hongjoong, who’s ordered him to bed immediately upon their return home. His ego has taken a hit and he takes his aggravation out on San.
Now fast forward to this chapter and this blurb specifically. He’s now really in the throes of the flu, much more so than when he went to bed, and he’s startled to be woken by Mingi so suddenly. I wanted to contrast his early frustration with a sense of the true, raw vulnerability that he feels now that he’s essentially helpless and in a lot of discomfort. The earlier blow to his ego is now so far from his mind and has morphed into something far worse and more intense as he struggles through the night.
I also thought it was important for Mingi to be stepping in to help Yunho against the direction of the hyungs because it would be a basis to juxtapose just how much Mingi wants to support the members despite not allowing others to support him in subsequent chapters. Mingi is super observant of the signals that Yunho is giving him and modifies his behavior to make Yunho more comfortable. He’s somebody that thrives when giving care bur refuses to accept it for himself.
To summarize, my goal was to set up these dichotomies that would continue to cycle through the rest of the series! So - do you feel like I made that happen?
Thanks for sending the ⭐️!! I’m not really a writer but I did go through 4 years of art school so I really like to talk about my work, it kind of comes with the territory!
“I’ll never forgive Yunho for bringing whatever this is into our home” Yeosang said with a pout as Seonghwa helped him get situated in his bed.
“It’s just the flu, and Yunho doesn’t like it any more than you do, trust me Sangie” Seonghwa responded as Yeosang rolled from his back onto his side, trying to get comfortable despite the ache running up and down his spine. “There’s nobody to blame here.”
The virus had come over Yeosang quickly, just as it had for the other sick members. He had gone to bed feeling a little lethargic and woke up congested and sick to his stomach. Seonghwa and Jongho sat with him on the washroom floor as he had done for Yunho just a few hours prior, supporting him through bouts of vomiting, encouraging him to take sips of water, and finally allowing him to lie down in Jongho’s lap once he had finished. Seonghwa checked his temperature not once but twice, somewhat shocked that Yeosang wasn’t running a fever, but Yeosang didn’t seem to care, given how poorly he was feeling with our without a fever.
“Think you’ll be able to get a little bit of sleep?” Seonghwa asked once Yeosang’s tossing and turning had come to a stop.
“I don’t know, probably not” Yeosang grumbled miserably in response. Jongho and Seonghwa sighed in time with one another. It didn’t matter how many times they had experienced it, it never got easier to see Yeosang sick, nor did it ever get easier to deal with the absolute sour disposition that came along with it.
“Can we get you anything?” Jongho asked tentatively, drawing the curtains in the room in an effort to make it easier for Yeosang to fall asleep.
“Wooyoung,” Yeosang responded quietly, craving the comfort of his oldest friend’s arms around him now that his stomach had settled. Seonghwa nodded sadly, silent for a moment as he tried to mentally navigate the situation before speaking up again.
“Wooyoungie is asleep. I’ll bring him in once he wakes up if he’s feeling up to it” Seonghwa said, running his hand through Yeosang’s hair.
“Never mind” Yeosang replied with a despondent sigh. “Jongho told me you had to drug him to get him to sleep. He’ll be groggy and sweaty and annoying…”
A well timed yawn cut Yeosang off, much to Seonghwa and Jongho’s relief, and it was only a matter of time until he was out cold.
*~*~*~*~*~
Seonghwa and Jongho sat in silence on the couch, afraid to make even the smallest amount of noise out of concern that they’d wake somebody and open a whole new can of worms. Several minutes passed before Seonghwa spoke, his voice barely audible even to Jongho who was sitting within arms length.
“So are you going to get sick first, or me?” He asked quietly, a weak attempt at a joke. Jongho couldn’t help but roll his eyes as a smile spread across his face.
“It’s going to be you, hyung. I never get sick. I’d be willing to bet that I won’t get sick at all” Jongho replied, earning an eye roll right back from Seonghwa.
A few more minutes passed in silence before they heard a door opening. Seonghwa grimaced, internally praying that whoever it was would be easily redirected back to bed.
“Hyungie” Wooyoung whined, his eyes rimmed red and cheeks flushed. “I woke up and I don’t feel good and I…I don’t know what’s going on…” he said as tears rolled down his cheeks.
“Oh honey, come here,” Seonghwa said, opening his arms to his dongsaeng. Guilt settled heavily on his chest, knowing that Wooyoung was disoriented due to the meds he had tricked him into taking. “You got a few hours of sleep, though” he added as Wooyoung sat in his lap. Seonghwa could feel the heat radiating off Wooyoung as he wrapped his arms around him, desperately trying to comfort him, it only by a little.
“Hyung, I can’t breathe and my head hurts and San is asleep…” Wooyoung’s breath was picking up as he spoke. Seonghwa quickly interjected, speaking quietly and gently, desperate to calm him before he began hyperventilating.
“You’re okay, jagi. You took some medication that made you sleepy, that’s why you’re feeling a little confused. Just take a few deep breaths for hyung” he cooed, running his hand through Wooyoung’s sweaty hair, realizing it was easier said than done considering how congested he was.
To Wooyoung’s credit, despite being in a fever and medication induced haze, he managed to get a couple of breaths out and was in the midst of a third when he sneezed suddenly, too weak to cover his mouth or move his head. Seonghwa gasped in shock, but his attention was instantly pulled back to Wooyoung, who was crying even harder now.
“I’m so sorry, hyung! I’m sorry! I didn’t mean to!” Wooyoung’s voice was laden with pure panic now as he suddenly jumped up from the couch in order to put space between himself and his hyung. “I don’t want to get you sick” he added as Seonghwa grabbed him around waist before he collapsed.
“Wooyoungie it’s okay. You didn’t do anything wrong” Seonghwa said Wooyoung slumped against his chest. “Let’s get you back to bed, okay?”
*~*~*~*~*~
Jongho cringed as Wooyoung’s sneeze landed squarely in Seonghwa’s face but sat silently by as Seonghwa ministered to Wooyoung, carefully guiding him back to Yunho’s bed for a few steps before scooping him up in his arms when it became clear that he was far too unsteady to walk by himself.
He started to feel uneasy for the first time since Yunho had walked feverishly through the front door. He had seen all of his hyungs sick before, to varying extents, but this flu seemed to be taking absolutely everything out of all of them. He hated seeing them like this, but also hated the thought of ending up like that as well. He was pulled from his thoughts by Seonghwa’s return, who sat heavily back on the couch, wiping his face with a wipe before tossing it on the table.
Seonghwa sighed before looking back at Jongho. “Yeah, I think you might be right. I’m gonna be the next one to get sick.”
“Mingi-hyung, this isn’t up for discussion. Stop worrying about everyone else and think of yourself.” Jongho had been doing his best to talk Mingi down for far too long now. First it was a never ending line of questioning about Yunho’s condition - what’s his temperature? Is he staying hydrated? Did Yeosang get him back to bed?
Once Jongho had assuaged Mingi’s concerns about his best friend, Mingi promptly moved on to Wooyoung, then San, then Hongjoong, seeming unable to calm his mind enough to settle into sleep. Just as Jongho began considering drugging his hyung, the same way that Seonghwa had “helped” Wooyoung to sleep, Mingi let out a yawn. Jongho capitalized on his sleepiness, swiftly switching off Mingi’s bedside lamp and tucking his blankets a bit tighter around him.
“Sorry to be annoying…” Mingi began before another yawn interrupted his train of thought. Jongho shook his head lightly, placing a cool hand to Mingi’s forehead.
“You’re not annoying, hyung. But you need to focus on yourself for a change” Jongho responded warmly. “Let Seonghwa-hyung, Yeosang-hyung, and me worry about the rest of them.”
Mingi nodded but Jongho wasn’t sure that he had even heard what he had said, sleep pulling him back under, not a moment too soon.
*~*~*~*~*~
Yeosang had no trouble getting Yunho back to bed once he stirred from his slumber on the washroom floor. He couldn’t help but smile fondly as Yunho followed his directions to a tee, crawling into Seonghwa’s bed without question and swallowing down some of his prescribed medication and a few mouthfuls of water before allowing Yeosang to pop the thermometer under his tongue.
“This temp is holding his own” Yeosang announced out loud as he read the display on the thermometer, less for Yunho’s sake than for Hongjoong’s, who remained in his bed with his eyes closed but clearly awake, intent on confirming that his dongsaeng was stable enough for the time being before allowing himself to doze off again. “But it’s not going up and that’s what’s important right now.” Hongjoong visibly relaxed upon hearing that and Yeosang hoped it would be enough to get him to rest.
*~*~*~*~*~
“Are they all asleep?” Jongho asked incredulously, not wanting to jinx anything.
Yeosang nodded softly in response. “I don’t think San and Wooyoung have moved a muscle. Hongjoong was pretending to be asleep but seemed to relax a bit once Yunho was settled in. Yunho’s fine, out of it from the meds and fever, but fine.”
Jongho was relieved to hear that the situation was, for the time being, more or less under control, allowing himself to flop down on the couch next to Yeosang.
“It didn’t sound like Mingi was exactly…” Yeosang began, but he was unable to finish his thought, his mind going blank suddenly.
Jongho helped him out, filling in the blank for him. “Sane?” Jongho said with a chuckle. “I don’t think I’ve ever met somebody as concerned about others while being completely unconcerned about himself.”
Yeosang smiled, letting his head drop down to Jongho’s shoulder without another word. “Sleepy?” Jongho asked, brushing his hyung’s hair from his eyes and allowing his hand to linger on his forehead for just a second. Getting sick at this point was almost inevitable, more of a when than an if, but Jongho let out a soft sigh of relief when Yeosang was cool to the touch.
Jongho didn’t allow him to finish, cutting him off firmly. “You don’t have to explain anything, hyung. Everybody’s got everything that they need. Go take a nap with Hwa-hyung. I’ll wake one of you if anything comes up.”
Yeosang hesitated for a moment before agreeing but made a pit stop in the washroom before heading to his room. He flicked on the faucet, hoping the sound of the running water would cover the sound of the small beeps of the thermometer when he turned it on, quickly opening his mouth and placing it under his tongue in order to get it over with before Jongho’s suspicions were aroused.
He was sure he was overthinking it. He’d know if he was sick, surely. His nose wasn’t dripping like a faucet, he wasn’t coughing and sneezing as if his lungs needed to escape body, and he wasn’t dizzy or nauseous.
A series of small beeps interrupted his thought spiral, followed by a green light illuminating the small screen, much to Yeosang’s relief. He also wasn’t running a fever. He was just tired. Tired he could work with. He’d feel completely fine after his nap.
*~*~*~*~*~
Seonghwa wasn’t sure how long he had slept, but the darkness filling the room seemed to indicate that it was the early evening. The apartment was silent apart from the low murmur of the TV in the living room. Taking the quiet as a good sign that he could get a little more sleep before being back on mother duty, he rolled over, adjusting his pillows and allowing his eyes to flutter closed again.
He had just about fallen asleep again when he was startled awake by the telltale sound of somebody getting sick in the washroom.
“Dammit, Yunho” Seonghwa muttered under his breath as pulled himself out of bed. It was almost a guarantee that this round of vomiting would be enough to land Yunho back in the hospital, completely dehydrated again, and he was sure they wouldn’t even consider discharging him this time until his fever broke. A shudder ran down his spine at the thought of more sleepless nights in that cursed plastic hospital chair at his dongsaeng’s bedside.
He knocked softly on the washroom door, not wanting to wake any of his sleeping members, before carefully opening the door. There was a split second of relief when Seonghwa realized that it wasn’t Yunho this time. At the very least he wouldn’t be making another nighttime trip to the hospital with a confused and sleepy oversized puppy. But the relief was quickly replaced by dread when he realized who it was.
“Oh no, Yeosangie. It’s okay, just let it out” he whispered as he knelt down on the washroom floor. Jongho appeared in the doorway within a few seconds, groggy after being woken from his nap on the couch just as Seonghwa had been.
Seonghwa and Jongho locked eyes for a second before the silence was broken by a pitiful sob from Yeosang. They were in for a long night.
“Yunho!” Wooyoung called out as they ran their Django choreography in preparation for an upcoming performance. “You missed your cue!” It wasn’t unusual for somebody to miss a cue or drop a beat here and there, especially after several hours of grueling practice. What was unusual, however, was the way that Yunho stood against the wall, his back turned to the members, leaning his forehead against the mirror.
“Yunho-ah, what’s going on?” Hongjoong called as the seven remaining members continued to dance. His breath was coming heavily but the concern in his voice was still evident. “Yunho? Yunho are you alright?”
With that Yunho turned around to face the rest of the members, his face ashen in a way that it hadn’t been just moments prior.
“Cut the music” Hongjoong said loudly to nobody in particular as he locked eyes with Yunho, whose eyes were wide with panic.
“Hyung, I don’t feel well” Yunho mumbled quietly, seeming to sway dangerously on his feet. San and Seonghwa were quick to step in, helping him take a seat on the floor.
“What’s wrong, jagi?” Hongjoong asked as he knelt down in front of Yunho.
“I think I just need to sit down for a second. I feel kind of…” Yunho started before being interrupted by a hiccup. It only took a moment for a waste paper bin to be shoved under his chin by Yeosang, who had grabbed it from across the room as soon as he saw how pale Yunho looked.
“It’s okay,” Seonghwa cooed, rubbing Yunho’s back as he doubled over the bin. Hongjoong stepped back to give them space, silently ushering the rest of the members out of the studio. His mind raced, trying to pinpoint what could have made Yunho suddenly so sick to his stomach. But he realized immediately as he picked up his dongsaeng’s water bottle.
Within a few minutes Yunho weakly pushed the waste basket away, indicating that he was done for the time being. Hongjoong handed him his nearly full water bottle right away, earning a groan from Yunho, who wanted nothing more than to lie down on the dance studio floor until this uncomfortable, sick feeling relented. “Small sips, Yunho” Hongjoong said, helping Yunho steady his hand enough to take in some water. He got a few mouthfuls down with some encouragement from his hyungs before handing the bottle back to Hongjoong and sinking heavily into Seonghwa’s shoulder, muttering a groggy “sorry.”
Hongjoong shook his head, cupping Yunho’s cheek in his hand. “It’s okay, no need to apologize. I think you’re just a little dehydrated.”
Seonghwa’s eyes snapped up at that as Hongjoong continued.
“You haven’t had much to drink today, hmm? Your bottle was almost full just now. You feel a bit warm but I think that’s just from practicing. I’ll take your temp when I get you home though, just to be sure.” Hongjoong could see the wheels spinning behind Yunho’s eyes now that he was regaining some colour in his face, trying to piece together exactly what had happened.
“I…I didn’t…no I don’t feel...yeah I think I forgot to drink today…I guess.” Yunho stuttered, closing his eyes and taking a few deep breaths. “I’ll be ready to start again soon though, I just need a second…for the nausea…” His voice drifted as he turned his focus back to his body with a furrow of his brow.
Seonghwa piped in this time, rolling his eyes at Yunho’s comment. “Are you sure you’re not running a fever, Yunho-ah? Because you’d have to be delirious to think that we’d let you keep practicing after nearly passing out on us” he said, playfully touching the back of his hand to Yunho’s forehead. Yunho chuckled in response, a good indication that he was starting to feel a little bit more like himself again. “Take a few more sips of water, please. We’ll get your things packed up. Just relax and Hongjoong will take you home as long as you don’t have any trouble keeping that water down for the next few minutes.”
Yunho sighed as he reached out for his water bottle again, slowly swallowing a couple more mouthfuls before his eyes grew heavy. He slumped against the mirror, just about ready to doze off, when he felt a hand on his shoulder.
“You poor thing” Seonghwa said softly, glancing at Yunho’s water bottle, satisfied that his dongsaeng had drank enough to be able to get to his feet again safely. “Let’s get you home and to bed before you fall asleep, yeah?” Yunho nodded as Seonghwa helped him stand. “And, please, Yunho-ah” he added quickly, pushing Yunho’s water bottle into his hand deliberately. “Let’s try not to forget about this again today.”
Ateez - Nauseous at Work Vignettes - 2/8 - Seonghwa
Seonghwa had been worried about Wooyoung when he put him to bed the night prior after the two of them had gone out drinking. They didn’t have schedules the following morning, but the thought of looking after a hungover dongsaeng the following morning was not necessarily how Seonghwa had hoped to spend his day off.
So it came as a surprise to him when he was shaken awake by Wooyoung, who was already dressed and looking completely well.
“Hyung, the photo shoot got moved up to today” Wooyoung said with some urgency. “There’s a huge storm coming tomorrow so they moved it up.”
Seonghwa nodded, his head aching as he did so. He glanced up at Wooyoung, who had easily downed twice as much soju than Seonghwa himself and had to be carried home on Seonghwa’s back.
Damn him.
“No hyung, please don’t close your eyes again. Hongjoong-hyung is all worked up trying to get everybody up and out within the next half hour” Wooyoung pleaded with him, shaking his shoulder again.
“Okay, okay I’m getting up” Seonghwa said, the volume of his own voice coming out far too loud despite being hardly above a whisper. Wooyoung seemed to notice Seonghwa wince as he sat up, offering him an understanding smile as he pulled out some clothes for his hyung.
“Are you feeling okay?” Seonghwa questioned, rubbing his eyes in an attempt to dull the pain settling behind them. Wooyoung nodded in response, stepping out for just a moment before returning with a few pain tablets and a bottle of water.
“I’m fine, hyung. Sorry I was so…messy…last night.” Guilt seeped into Wooyoung’s timid apology as he realized how unwell Seonghwa was feeling after he had spent the last hour of their night sitting with Wooyoung, rubbing his back and offering him sips of water after round of sick.
Seonghwa smiled in response as he swallowed his tablets. “It’s okay, Wooyoungie, I’m just glad you’re feeling better this morning. I’m sure I will be too once the meds kick in.”
*~*~*~*~*~
Seonghwa did not feel better once the meds kicked in. Hell, he wasn’t even sure that they had kicked in at all. He did his best to keep the discomfort he was feeling to himself, not wanting to add additional stress to what was already a very stressful day for Hongjoong. This was one of the more complicated shoots they’d done and the fact that it was so suddenly pushed forward had the captain on edge. He didn’t need Seonghwa’s hangover to further complicate things.
He could sense Wooyoung’s eyes on him throughout the shoot. Luckily it was not physically taxing in any way, but his outfit was heavy and uncomfortable, and much too tight around his waist with his stomach, making the nausea that was beginning to set in that much worse.
They had just about finished with group shots when the photographer announced that they’d do individual shots next and that Seonghwa would be first.
Seonghwa did his best. He really did.
The hot sun overhead did nothing to help his pounding head and looming nausea. He knew if he waited any longer, he’d have an embarrassing mess on his hands. After making the split second decision, he bowed quickly to the photographer, muttering something about the washroom, before he stumbled off the set.
Wooyoung noticed immediately and instantly dropped the snack bar he had been eating to race to Seonghwa’s side.
“Wooyoung-ah” he managed to gasp between heavy breaths. “I’m going to be sick.”
With that, Wooyoung pulled off the long jacket he had been wearing, using it as a makeshift curtain to give Seonghwa some privacy as he doubled over, immediately regretting every bit of food and drink he had consumed in the last 24 hours.
“This is so embarrassing” Seonghwa whined once he felt like he had finished for the time being. Wooyoung didn’t respond, more focused on finding some solitude and shade for his hyung.
“I’m sure they got plenty of good shots to use. You were just about done when…” Wooyoung’s voice faded off, not wanting to rehash any details unnecessarily.
Seonghwa nodded before adding weakly, “I’m just so nauseous still. But Woo, you don’t need to stay. I’ll just close my eyes for a little while to see if it’ll pass…”
Wooyoung signed, brushing Seonghwa’s hair from his face. “Hyung, you took care of me last night. Let me return the favor so we can call it even.”
Ateez - Nauseous at Work Vignettes - 1/8 - Hongjoong
It had been a long day for Hongjoong. He hadn’t intended to be in his studio for as long as he had been. In fact, he had planned on getting home before dinner that night, looking forward to eating a real meal rather than a combination of whatever highly processed snacks and protein bars he had in his desk that had been his sole source of sustenance for the past few days.
But when did anything ever go as planned?
Hongjoong had already locked up his studio and bundled up for the cold walk home when a distraught Mingi intercepted him when he was just steps away from the door. It took a few minutes for Hongjoong to get Mingi calm enough to explain what as going on, and even then he was having a difficult time following - something about his computer crashing and the demo he was working on not saving. Despite the rumble in his stomach, hyung mode, leader mode, and producer mode were all instantly activated as he guided Mingi to his studio, assuring him that they’d work together on it and have it done again in no time.
They were two hours in without an end in sight when Hongjoong started feeling off. Black splotches filled his vision, coming and going at random, followed by bright white specs that fell through his field of view like confetti. He attempted to blink them away to no avail before bringing his hands to his eyes, rubbing them as he rested his elbows on his desk.
And that’s when the nausea hit without warning.
Hongjoong quickly stood up from his chair, sending it rolling across his studio before coming to rest a couple of meters away. He saw Mingi quickly turn away from his screen with a startled look on his face, then noticed his lips moving, but all he could hear was a persistent ringing in his ears. Mingi seemed to notice as well if the speed at which he shot out of his seat was any indication.
He was out of time, that much was clear to Hongjoong. Letting out an embarrassed whine he collapsed to his knees, disappearing under his desk and grabbing his waste paper bin just in time for his body to reject everything he had eaten that day.
That’s when it occurred to him. Everything he had eaten that day was half a small bag of crackers. Hours ago.
He slowly looked up, his eyes meeting Mingi’s. If he wasn’t feeling so sick he would have laughed at the sight of Mingi’s large frame hunched under the desk with him in an attempt to fit well enough to get closer to Hongjoong.
“Mingi, please get me a snack from my drawer” Hongjoong muttered. He cringed inwardly at the sound of his own voice as his words jumbled and slurred together.
“Hyung you just threw up, are you sure that’s a good idea? Maybe I should call Seonghwa-hyung to…” Mingi started, his voice shaking with very obvious panic.
Hongjoong quickly shook his head, immediately regretting it as his studio swirled around him violently.
“Mingi-ah, just do as I say. I need a snack right now. And a can of Coke from the mini fridge. Please.”
Mingi only nodded this time, crawling out from under the desk before handing a bag to Hongjoong. Without even glancing at what it was he tore the bag open with his teeth, knowing full well that his hands were far too shaky to get the job done. He didn’t even look up when he heard the immediately recognizable sound of a soda can cracking open, opting instead to simply reach out his hand to receive it from Mingi.
Hongjoong could feel his dongsaeng’s eyes on him as he took slow, small sips, punctuating them with bites of the sweet snack Mingi had pulled out of his drawer.
It took a few minutes for the remaining nausea to pass, the shaking to stop, and the brain fog to dissipate but, once it did, Hongjoong glanced up at Mingi who’s attention was still fixed completely on his hyung.
“Sorry, Mingi-ah, low blood sugar…all good now though” Hongjoong said awkwardly, his voice still a bit too weak to fill the heavy silence. “Would you mind if we called it a night and picked up again tomorrow? I think I need to eat something…”
“Already ahead of you, hyung” Mingi said as he extended both hands to help Hongjoong out from under his desk and slowly to his feet. “Seonghwa-hyung is on his way. He doesn’t seem happy. Good luck explaining your way out of this one.” Hongjoong sighed, accepting his fate as long as it meant he could eat a hearty meal and enjoy a full night of sleep.
Hongjoong simply doesn’t have time to be sick. Ironically, however, it’s his workaholic tendencies that wear down his immune system, leaving him vulnerable to whatever bug is going around. He’ll try to hide it but won’t make it very long because, when he gets sick, he gets SICK. It’s never just a cold, it’s a full blown flu. Never a slight fever, but a shivering-sweating-can’t get out of bed-somebody make everything stop spinning fever. Despite the severity of his illness, Hongjoong needs constant reassuring that work is continuing to get done and that his dongsaengs are taken care of. Seonghwa has been known to instruct the rest of the members to stay tight lipped around Hongjoong when he’s sick, not wanting to stress him out any more than he already inevitably is.
Seonghwa
Putting himself first is a concept foreign to Seonghwa. If a member is sick it’s almost a guarantee that Seonghwa will be at their side making sure their every need is met, even when that means sleepless nights and long days. As far as he’s concerned, that is his job as the oldest hyung, but it’s only a matter of time before he has pushed himself to the brink emotionally and physically and falls miserably ill himself. Even then, however, he’ll keep testing his limits until he is incapable of continuing, at which point he will retreat to his own room where he’ll attempt to reject any efforts taken by the others to care for him. That is, he’ll try until Hongjoong pulls rank as leader, leaving Seonghwa no other choice but to acquiesce.
Yunho
Yunho absolutely hates feeling vulnerable which pairs very poorly with the fact that his fevers come on quickly and always run high - high enough that he immediately feels sluggish and dazed as soon as his temperature starts rising. That’s why Seonghwa or Hongjoong tend to realize that Yunho’s sick before Yunho realizes it himself, but from there things go downhill rapidly, leaving him achy, confused, and all around miserable. The members know to handle a sick Yunho with kid gloves, fully aware that Yunho likely has no idea what is going on around him. Seonghwa seems to have the magic touch when it comes to getting him to settle down, especially after he’s woken up by a particularly disquieting fever dream or nightmare.
Yeosang
A sick Yeosang is a grumpy Yeosang. The members can always immediately tell when he’s coming down with something because his usually sweet demeanor turns sour at the drop of a dime. The minute that he’s sent home from work or sent back to bed he makes no effort to hide how resentful he is. Of course he knows that it’s nobody’s fault that he is sick but that doesn’t change how frustrated he gets when he’s feeling “left out.” Everybody knows to give Yeosang time and space to sulk but, by the end of the day, either Wooyoung or Jongho has climbed into bed with him, partially because they know how badly the chills hit him when he has a fever, but mostly because nobody can stand seeing him so upset for too long.
San
San truly and honestly does not know when to stop. Even if he did, he doesn’t particularly know how to stop. He will continue to work through just about anything until his body finally quits on him. Best case scenario - he sits down and can’t get back up again. Worst case scenario - he faints. Both of which the members have witnessed too many times. Each and every time San thinks the embarrassment of this episode will be enough to keep him from going too far again, but somehow it never does. Once he’s been tucked safely in bed where the team knows he can’t do any further damage to himself, it usually only takes a matter of minutes before Yeosang or Wooyoung receive a text sheepishly asking them to come lie down with him so he has somebody to hold while he sleeps. Unless Yunho’s already asleep, in which case San simply invites himself into Yunho’s bed and wraps his arms around him, often times not even stirring Yunho awake.
Mingi
When Mingi is sick he just wants to be left in peace, quiet, and solitude. He’s insecure about letting people see him sick. It feels too close to showing weakness for his comfort. He knows it worries the other members but it is just easier that way for him. Mingi tends to push his boundaries. It isn’t that he doesn’t know what his boundaries are, he is extremely self aware in that respect. He simply values his art over just about everything, often including his health, and struggles to apply the brakes when he goes too far. But once he’s able to ground himself again he’ll see to it that he has what he needs and surrender to some rest. The members have come to respect his need for space, even the hyungs who fought him on it for quite some time before meeting in the middle - as long as Mingi was actually taking care of himself they’d allow it, with the caveat that the door opens if and when he gets too sick to be alone. Luckily for him, however, his symptoms tend to be milder than some of the other members when he falls ill.
Wooyoung
Wooyoung is rubbish at listening to the signals his body gives him when he needs a break and coming down with a fever is no exception. He’ll work until Hongjoong, Seonghwa, or Yunho realize that something is off and bench him, which will make him emotional 110% of the time, convinced that he’s being forced to sit down because he was underperforming and disappointing the rest of the team. His emotions typically remain dysregulated until his fever breaks and the members have a difficult time calming him down once he’s upset. They can always count on lots of tears. Without fail, he craves attention from Hongjoong, Seonghwa, and Yeosang and wants nothing more than to cuddle and, of course, nobody can say no to Wooyoung.
Jongho
Do. Not. Baby. Jongho. He is independent and that doesn’t change in the slightest when he’s running a fever. He’ll avoid his hyungs at all costs and, when he does happen to come across one as will inevitably happen despite his best efforts, he tends to be distant, citing somewhere he has to be to do something important that he’s running late for. Eventually he’ll break though, once he’s worn himself down enough. Then he’ll slink back home and snuggle into the side of the closest hyung he can find. Jongho doesn’t have to say a word, they all know by now that this is standard operating procedure when Jongho isn’t feeling well. He truly doesn’t care which hyung he finds first, as long as they don’t say “I told you so.”
It all happened so fast. Much too fast for Hongjoong’s brain to compute. He only snapped out of it when Yeosang, struggling to shoulder San’s dead weight, suddenly yelled out for Seonghwa.
Seonghwa appeared at his door almost instantly, startled awake by Yeosang’s panicked voice. Hongjoong stood motionless with his mouth agape, the box of popsicles that San had just handed him clutched awkwardly against his chest.
San came to fairly quickly once Yeosang and Seonghwa got him to the couch with his feet propped up on a stack of pillows, but for Hongjoong it felt like ages. He could hear Wooyoung crying, which came as a surprise to him. He hadn’t seen Wooyoung get out of bed. And then somebody in the washroom vomiting. Another surprise to Hongjoong. When had somebody gone into the washroom? When did he even leave the washroom for somebody else to go inside?
“Hyung!”
Hongjoong hadn’t noticed that he closed his eyes until they snapped back open at the sound of Jongho’s voice. He heard bits and pieces of what Jongho was saying and he could see Jongho’s eyes growing wider and wider with each passing second.
Hongjoong suddenly felt the wall against his back as his knees gave out underneath him. Jongho’s face, which was much farther away from him than it had been a second ago, seemed suspended in time.
Until he felt two strong hands cupping his face.
“Hyung, don’t close your eyes. What’s wrong?” Jongho’s voice was coming through more clearly now that he was seated.
“Sorry…” Hongjoong replied, trying his keep his eyes open at the very least. “I guess I got startled…”
Apparently he wasn’t very convincing, because Jongho’s grip on his cheeks tightened.
“Hyung don’t fall asleep!”
That confused Hongjoong. Of course he wasn’t going to fall asleep…
…but actually, maybe he was?
*~*~*~*~*~
“You’re a stupid idiot, you know that right?” Seonghwa huffed as Hongjoong shifted awkwardly in his bed, trying to will the daggers in Seonghwa’s eyes to focus elsewhere.
“Is San okay?” Hongjoong knew that Seonghwa’s lecture would be forthcoming but his concern over his dongsaengs needed to be assuaged before he could focus on anything else.
Seonghwa softened at that, taking a seat on the edge of Hongjoong’s bed. “He’s okay, Yeosang and Jongho are tag teaming getting him and Wooyoung to bed.” Hongjoong nodded, soaking in the relative silence before it was broken by a muffled gag from the washroom. Both Seonghwa and Hongjoong cringed at the sound.
“Yunho,” Seonghwa chimed in before Hongjoong even had to ask who it was. “Again.”
Hongjoong hung his head, irritated with himself for taking Seonghwa’s attention away from the others, angry that he couldn’t help take care of his younger members, and overall aggravated that he had managed to get this sick. He was about to send Seonghwa away when Seonghwa seemed to read his mind again.
“Mingi’s got him. Apparently the only thing that will get Mingi to come out of his room when he’s sick is Yunho being sicker.” They both let out a chuckle at that before Jongho appeared in the doorway.
“Wooyoung-hyung is asking for you, Seonghwa-hyung” Jongho said quietly, not wanting to disturb his hyungs, but he and Yeosang had been unable to get Wooyoung to settle down and they were growing concerned that he’d wake San with his whining. Seonghwa nodded, wordlessly stepping out with Jongho before popping his head back into the doorway.
“This conversation isn’t over Joong. Not even in the slightest.”
Hongjoong signed, sinking heavily into his pillows with a few harsh coughs. Of course it wasn’t.
*~*~*~*~*~
Seonghwa was frustrated. And tired.
And Wooyoung was frustrated. And tired. And sick.
Seonghwa wasn’t proud of the fact that he had more or less tricked Wooyoung into downing a dose of NyQuil. He knew that Wooyoung hated medication that made him feel drowsy. He didn’t like the way they made his head swim before they finally knocked him out. But when Jongho held the bottle up behind Wooyoung’s back with a questioning shrug, Seonghwa nodded, assuring Wooyoung it was only cough syrup in order to get him to agree to swallowing it down.
“Bastard…” Wooyoung slurred as he started feeling the pull of sleep.
“I’m sorry Wooyoungie, but you need to sleep. So does San” Seonghwa replied as he closed the door behind him.
So do I.
But he left that part out.
Seonghwa’s body was craving a nap. Now that the adrenaline rush that had resulted from San and Hongjoong going down almost simultaneously was wearing off and the exhaustion from his sleepless night at the hospital with Yunho was setting in again, he wanted - no - needed to sit down. For just a moment.
He didn’t even make it to the couch before he heard Mingi’s voice behind him, followed by a series of sneezes that made Seonghwa pray that he had covered his mouth.
“Hyung” Mingi croaked out. “Yunho…”
Yunho. Shit. Yes. The dongsaeng who was currently headlong in the toilet. His nap would have to wait.
Seonghwa found Yunho lying on the washroom floor with his head in Yeosang’s lap as Yeosang played with his hair.
“Mingi, you need to go to bed, jagi” Seonghwa instructed. Mingi lingered a moment more, meeting Yeosang’s eyes, who nodded and smiled lightly as if to reassure he’d stay with Yunho for as long as he needed. “Please keep the door unlocked, I’ll be in to check on you once I figure out what to do about this…” Seonghwa added, gesturing vaguely in the direction of Yunho and Yeosang.
Mingi nodded, closing his door but not locking it much to his hyung’s relief.
“His pulse is racing, hyung” Yeosang murmured as Seonghwa joined him on the floor.
Dammit, they really needed a bigger washroom. Or maybe he needed smaller dongsaengs. He wasn’t sure.
Gently taking Yunho’s wrist, he brought his focus back to the task at hand. Yeosang hadn’t been exaggerating - racing was the right word for it. There was a real possibility that Yunho had gotten himself dehydrated again after another round of vomiting.
“Jagi, take some deep breaths, okay? Yeosang and I are right here. You can relax” Seonghwa urged. Yunho nodded but took in only a few shallow breaths. “No, not like that. Nice and deep.”
“I know you know how to do it, hyung. I’ve heard you yell” Jongho said from the doorway behind Seonghwa. Seonghwa hadn’t heard Jongho approach but was relieved that his joke got a small smile out of Yunho, who had his eyes closed, trying to focus on his breath. “Put this on the back of his neck” Jongho added quietly, handing Seonghwa a wet cloth from the kitchen. “Give him a few minutes. His water bottle is almost empty. He’s just worked up and anxious, not dehydrated.”
Seonghwa nodded shakily. Jongho’s maturity never ceased to amaze him. Jongho once told him that it “came with the territory” as the oldest sibling. But Seonghwa always knew that it went beyond that. Jongho’s nerves were made of steel, whereas Seonghwa’s own nerves often felt like jelly in these situations.
Seonghwa carefully dropped Yunho’s wrist, turning back to Jongho.
“I hope you don’t mind but I changed the sheets on your bed with the lighter cotton ones. With Wooyoung-hyung in Yunho-hyung’s bed I figured that Yunho-hyung should crash in your room with Joong-hyung. I cleaned up our room and switched Wooyoung-hyung’s nasty sheets out for clean ones so you can sleep there” Jongho paused, allowing Seonghwa’s sleep deprived brain to catch up, then started again. “Yeosang-hyung and I will get Yunho-hyung up when he’s ready. I refilled his water bottle, it’s waiting for him on your bedside table. Now you need to go to bed, hyung. Yunho-hyung told us that you didn’t sleep last night at the hospital.”
“Jongho, no” Seonghwa interjected quickly, shaking his head. “I need to check in with Mingi…”
Jongho interjected immediately. “I’ll take care of Mingi. He doesn’t look like he’s quite ready to head back to bed anyhow” he said, glancing over Seonghwa’s shoulder toward Yunho, who had fallen asleep thanks to Yeosang’s soft touch and the cool cloth that had given him a few minutes of relief from his fever. “We should let him sleep for a few minutes before getting him to bed. He clearly needs it.”
“I don’t want you to get sick, Jongho” Seonghwa replied, desperately trying to stifle the yawn that threatened to work against him in this debate.
“Look around, hyung. I’m going to get sick. You’re going to get sick. Yeosang-hyung is going to get sick. But it’s going to happen a hell of a lot faster if you keep pushing yourself like this on no sleep.”
Seonghwa nodded. He knew Jongho was right. It was only a matter of time before the virus hit the three of them. The best they could do is delay the inevitable, and hopefully a little sleep would help that happen. He turned back to Yeosang, who was still carding his fingers through Yunho’s hair almost robotically at this point. Without even being asked Yeosang smiled sadly, flashing a thumbs up at Seonghwa.
Feeling reassured for the moment, he left Yeosang and Jongho to it. Sleep did sound pretty damn good right now.
It was noon by the time Seonghwa returned with Yunho in tow. Hongjoong popped his head out of his bedroom, dismayed to find his dongsaeng still flushed with fever but took solace in the fact that the glaze in his eyes had lightened up since the prior day.
“He’s doing a lot better, Joong” Seonghwa reassured upon noticing the concern on Hongjoong’s face as Hongjoong joined him in the living room. “His temperature is down and he has some meds to keep it that way, but they said the fever won’t break for another few days. The meds have been knocking him out straight away though so that’s something.”
Yunho groaned at the reminder, the fever taking its toll on him and his brain feeling scrambled and groggy from his medication.
“I’ll put him to bed” Seonghwa said as he wrapped an arm around Yunho’s shoulder. “Can you grab him a bottle of water?”
Hongjoong made it to the kitchen before his vision blurred, a reminder of the illness that was setting in with no regard for the fact he had sick kids to take care of. He took a few moments to collect himself, letting the dizzy spell pass for the time being.
Once Yunho was settled in Seonghwa and Hongjoong collapsed on the couch, both clearly exhausted.
“Did you sleep last night?” Hongjoong broke the silence, already knowing the answer.
Seonghwa shook his head as he rubbed his eyes harshly. “His nurse wanted me to go home for the night but I didn’t want him to wake up alone.” Hongjoong nodded in understanding at that. He would have done the same thing. “I tried to sleep in the chair but I couldn’t get comfortable. How about you? How are Mingi and Wooyoung doing?”
Hongjoong sighed before responding. “Mingi is Mingi. He wants nothing to do with anybody right now. I’ve been forcing tablets and water into him. He’s not very happy with me right now. And Wooyoung…” his voice trailed off for a moment before continuing. “I tried to get him to sleep in San’s bed and have San stay with Yeo and Jongho but he ended up in bed with me.”
Seonghwa glared at him with disapproval. Hongjoong knew that Seonghwa was concerned about him coming down with the flu too, but Seonghwa also had no idea that that ship had already sailed.
“Don’t look at me that way, Hwa. Please.” Hongjoong said defensively. “It was either that or stay up with him all night while he cried. This flu is no joke.”
Seonghwa rolled his eyes, the tension in the room building by the moment. “Yeah, I’m fully aware, believe it or not, after spending the night in the fucking hospital with Yunho teetering on the edge of what could have been a dangerous fever. But thank you for the reminder.”
Even in his current state Hongjoong could sense that this interaction was devolving into something that he didn’t have the capacity to deal with at the moment. “You’re right, I’m sorry. You need to get some sleep now though.”
“Shit…no, I’m sorry. I’m not trying to pick a fight…I’m just…yeah I need sleep” Seonghwa quickly agreed. “Please wake me up if you need me though” he added as he trudged off to bed.
*~*~*~*~*~
The sound of the front door opening startled San awake. Seonghwa had his hands full with Yunho and didn’t even seem to notice San, who had taken up residence on the couch.
Wooyoung had kept San and Hongjoong up for the better part of the night and into the early hours of the morning as his fever spiked and the body aches set in. Hongjoong had finally gotten him settled into San’s bed, hoping that keeping Yunho and Wooyoung together and Mingi isolated in his own room would prevent further spread but, by the time Hongjoong carried Wooyoung off to his shared room with Seonghwa, San wasn’t sure where he should sleep. His own room was out of the question, his bedding damp from Wooyoung’s sweat and tears, and he wasn’t sure when Yunho would be coming home and in need of his own bed.
He briefly considered Wooyoung’s bed before pausing. Yeosang and Jongho were the only members that hadn’t been exposed to the flu yet and San had spent the day with Wooyoung. Not wanting to risk it, San made his way to the couch before collapsing into a deep sleep.
*~*~*~*~*~
San quickly sat up and vacated the couch, his mind still hazy with sleep, catching Seonghwa’s attention as he emerged from Yunho’s room.
“Hey, I’m sorry to wake you, Sannie” Seonghwa said with an exhausted smile as he closed the door behind him. “You look tired. There’s no schedules today, why don’t you get a little more sleep?”
San shrugged in response. “I was napping with Wooyoung when he woke up feeling sick so…I can help you and Hongjoong-hyung since I’ve already been exposed.” San immediately regretted mentioning that to Seonghwa as concern crossed his hyung’s face. He immediately spoke up again, hoping to put Seonghwa at ease. “I’m feeling totally fine, don’t worry!”
It seemed to be enough to placate Seonghwa for the time being. “Well please tell me if you start feeling sick, okay?” San nodded quickly in response before Seonghwa continued. “I hate to ask you, but would you mind going out to the store to get a box of popsicles? Yunho was asking for one on the way home and I gave him Yeosang’s last one yesterday but if it will keep him cool and hydrated…” The speed with which Seonghwa was speaking continued to increase until San interjected.
“What puppy wants, puppy gets” San said with a reassuring smile, grabbing his wallet and heading for the door.
*~*~*~*~*~
“Mingi, let me in please” Hongjoong hissed through Mingi’s door, not wanting to wake any of the sleeping members.
He was about to knock again when he felt a vibration coming from his pocket. Hongjoong rolled his eyes as he opened the text from Mingi:
“Let me sleep.”
Hongjoong was about to protest when he received a second message. A picture of an empty bottle of water with a mostly full bottle next to it.
“At least let me check your…” he was once more cut off, this time by a second picture of a thermometer reading 38.1°.
With that Hongjoong admitted defeat. “Please let me know if you need anything.” After glancing into his own room and confirming that Seonghwa and Wooyoung were still both fast asleep and wrapping an ice pack around the back of Yunho’s hand where the IV needle had been inserted in hopes that it would dull the pain that he was complaining of, Hongjoong stepped into the washroom, locking the door behind him. It took a moment of shuffling to find another thermometer in the medicine cabinet but upon locating it behind a box of bandages he popped it under his tongue. He cringed at the quick beeps that signaled a fever before he could even look at the reading. It wasn’t as if he didn’t already know that he was feverish and he was fully aware that sleeping in close proximity to his own personal little space heater, Wooyoung, hadn’t helped at all, but he hadn’t expected his temperature to be 38.5°.
A cough coming from Yunho’s room quickly drew him back to reality. Knowing it was only a matter of time until he was needed again, he quickly swallowed a few of the fever reducers that he had left on the vanity that morning and turned on the shower, opting to take a fast lukewarm shower in hopes that it would get his fever down enough to continue with his day relatively uninterrupted.
If there was anything that Hongjoong was acutely aware of, however, was that no aspect of his life was ever uninterrupted, and a quiet knock on the door reminded him that this situation was no different.
“I’m just getting out of the shower” Hongjoong responded with a sigh as he turned the water off, doing his best to hide the way his teeth were chattering.
“Hyung” the knocking continued as Yeosang’s voice called to him from the other side of the door.
“Yeosang, please give me five minutes” Hongjoong sighed, doing his best to control his temper. Of course he loved Yeosang, but knowing him he’d be asking where the cereal was or confirming tomorrow’s schedule despite Hongjoong having reviewed it twice with him the day prior.
“Hyung, it’s important…its…”
Hongjoong had had enough. Hastily wrapping a towel around his waist, he swung the door open, prepared to lay into Yeosang about respecting one another’s space and about actually listening to what other people were saying. But those thoughts melted away as he found Yeosang awkwardly holding up San as San awkwardly held up a box of popsicles.
“What puppy wants…” San started before interrupted momentarily with a cough. “…puppy gets” he finished, quickly swinging his arm around to hand Yunho’s popsicles to Hongjoong before leaning a little more heavily into Yeosang.
“Sorry, I’m just a little dizzy all of a…” but before San could finish, his eyes rolled back as the rest of his body weight sunk into Yeosang’s arms.
It took a moment for Hongjoong’s fever-addled brain to comprehend what had happened. And even when he realized that San had fainted, it still took his mind another moment to move on from the first and only thought to cross his mind:
Wooyoung glanced up at the clock on the wall. They had the practice room reserved for another few hours but he decided to call it anyhow.
“This is pointless. Only half of us are here. We’re spending more time trying to figure out how to navigate all the empty spaces than actually working” he said with a shrug.
The rest of the members nodded in agreement, nobody having any objections to getting out early.
Yeosang and Jongho packed up and announced that they were going to catch a movie and maybe a meal before heading back home, heeding Seonghwa’s advice about avoiding the apartment for the time being. They had invited San and Wooyoung to join and San was about to accept the invitation before he turned back to Wooyoung, who looked deep in thought, completely oblivious to the conversation going on around him.
“Have fun, I’m going to try and take care of this though” San responded, indicating toward Wooyoung.
Wooyoung hadn’t even noticed the others leave and was momentarily startled when San sat down next to him, ducking his head slightly to get a look at Wooyoung’s face.
“What’s on your mind?” San asked gently, not wanting to pry too hard while also addressing the proverbial elephant in the room.
“Hmm? Oh, no I’m fine” Wooyoung replied flatly, but San wasn’t about to let it go so easily.
“Wooyoung I don’t think you are fine. It’s just us. What’s wrong?” San continued to push. This time Wooyoung looked up and San immediately noticed the tears in his eyes.
“The way I snapped at Mingi…” Wooyoung started, his voice cracking. “I didn’t know he was sick. But I shouldn’t have responded the way I did.”
Wooyoung was spiraling, that much was obvious to San. “What’s done is done Wooyoungie. Just apologize. Things happen and I’m sure he knows that you didn’t mean it.”
Wooyoung only nodded. There was nothing else to say.
San took the opportunity to change the subject, hoping to get Wooyoung out of his own head. “Do you want to catch up with Yeosang and Jongho? We could still make it to the movie theater in time.”
Wooyoung shook his head at that. “I’m just not in the mood. I want to go home” he responded pulling himself to his feet. “You can go though. I think I’m going to go home and take a nap.”
San quickly stood up, following Wooyoung to collect his things. “Actually a nap sounds good. We never get to nap.” San smiled sadly at Wooyoung before heading toward the door. “Would you mind if I crashed with you again? From the sound what Hwa hyung said when he left Yunho’s not feeling any better.”
“Only if you’re willing to cuddle” Wooyoung quipped back, a small smile crossing his face much to San’s relief.
San wouldn’t have it any other way, holding the door open for Wooyoung. “Deal.”
*~*~*~*~*~
When San and Wooyoung arrived home the apartment was silent. San poked his head into the hyungs’ room, finding them sleeping on top of their blankets fully clothed. He quickly indicated to Wooyoung to be quiet before pulling their door closed again.
“Hyungs are tired too” San whispered as he and Wooyoung changed into something more comfortable in Wooyoung’s room.
“Of course they are, they are stuck taking care of two big, sick babies.” Wooyoung’s mood seemed to be lightening now that they were home. He wasted no time getting into bed, relieved to have the opportunity to catch up on some sleep.
By the time San had returned from the kitchen where he had grabbed some snacks for the two of them, Wooyoung was already fast asleep. He considered lying down in Yeosang or Jongho’s bed in order to avoid disturbing Wooyoung but he remembered that Wooyoung had asked him to cuddle. So instead he carefully pulled the covers back and eased himself down. It was only a matter of seconds before Wooyoung had his face buried in San’s chest.
*~*~*~*~*~
Hongjoong was surprised when he woke up in a dark, empty room. He sat up quickly, much to the dismay of his aching head, being pulled back into reality. Before he could make his way out of his room he noticed a note on his bedside table in familiar handwriting:
Joong -
I’m taking Yunho to the hospital. His temp isn’t budging and he’s extremely nauseous. I think he’s dehydrated. Please look after Mingi. And make sure you are looking after yourself as too. You’ve been overextended lately and I don’t want to be taking you to the hospital next.
-Hwa
Hongjoong tried to make sense of what Seonghwa had written but his brain was having trouble comprehending. He couldn’t seem to figure out how long he had been asleep, how he hadn’t heard Seonghwa get up, and why he hadn’t woken him before he left with Yunho for the hospital.
But his thoughts were interrupted by a loud thud coming from somewhere in the apartment. The overwhelming lethargy he had been feeling was immediately shaken as he jumped up from his bed to determine what had happened.
Hongjoong was met with the sound of muffled voices punctuated with occasional sobs as soon as he opened his door. He quickly found the source when he opened the door to Yeosang, Wooyoung, and Jongho’s room, finding Wooyoung crumpled on the floor, crying in front of an overturned desk shelf and plastic vitamin containers strewn across the floor.
And then there was San seated next to him on the floor, tears streaming down his own cheeks as he looked up at Hongjoong like a deer in the headlights.
“San, I can’t - breathe” Wooyoung choked out. Hongjoong was immediately kicking the mess out of the way to take a seat opposite to San, his mind replaying their time in the dance studio together earlier that day. Wooyoung had been involved in the fight with Mingi, sure, but nothing happened that would have led Hongjoong to predict the situation unfolding before him.
“Young-ah, hey, look at me” he started, a bit startled when Wooyoung’s eyes snapped up to meet his own and finding them red, glassy, and swollen. “I need you to take a deep breath.”
Wooyoung struggled for a moment before letting out a whine. “Hyung, I can’t…” he groaned, tears continuing to soak his cheeks.
“Yes you can, just keep trying,” Hongjoong interrupted, grabbing Wooyoung’s hand and placing it to his own chest. After a few exaggerated breaths he was able to get Wooyoung to follow along, slowing his shallow quick breathing to match his hyung’s.
“That’s better, Woo. Just relax” Hongjoong continued, glancing over at San, who was white as a ghost as he silently held Wooyoung’s other hand, stroking the back of it with his thumb. They remained that way for a few minutes until Wooyoung had calmed down, hiccuping a quiet apology. All three startled when the door unexpectedly open, revealing Mingi with a bottle of water in his hand.
“Mingi, you should be in bed,” Hongjoong murmured, loud enough only for Mingi to hear. A small shake of his head indicated that Mingi had heard him but he joined the other three on the floor anyhow before handing Wooyoung the water.
“I’m sorry” Wooyoung said, his eyes glancing toward the downed shelf on the floor and resulting mess around them. He then averted his gaze to Mingi as tears began to well up in his eyes again. “I’m so sorry” he repeated, but Mingi only shook his head.
“It’s okay, don’t give it another thought” he replied, laying his head on Hongjoong’s shoulder, exhaustion quickly settling in again.
Hongjoong rubbed his back before getting to his feet and helping Mingi to his. “I’m going to get Mingi back to bed” he said quietly to San. “Can you get Wooyoung up and this mess cleaned up? I’ll be right back.”
San nodded, doing his best to muster a confident smile as Hongjoong led Mingi out the door.
*~*~*~*~*~
Sam’s mind raced as he set Yeosang’s shelf back on his desk, absentmindedly placing the containers back on it. He wracked his brain, trying to think of what could have caused Wooyoung to wake up gasping for breath and in tears. Wooyoung had seemed fine when they went to sleep, tired sure, but okay. Which is why San was so shocked to be woken by Wooyoung pushing him away in an attempt to get out of bed before stumbling into the desk and knocking Yeosang’s prized vitamin collection to the floor.
Once the room had returned to a state of normalcy San turned back to Wooyoung, who was lying in his bed, buried in his blankets with his back turned to him.
“What’s going on Wooyoung?” San asked gently, sitting at the foot of the bed, careful to avoid Wooyoung’s feet. Wooyoung didn’t respond, only burrowing himself deeper into the blankets.
Not sure what to do, San stepped out before standing in Mingi’s doorway. Hongjoong looked at the thermometer that he had just taken from Mingi’s mouth with a frown.
“Your temperature is up, Mingi. I’m going to get you some meds and I want you to hydrate as much as you can before you go back to sleep. Hwa’s at the hospital with Yunho right now because he’s dehydrated. I don’t want to have to take you too” Hongjoong said firmly as Mingi’s face sunk even further upon hearing Yunho was in the hospital.
“Anything I can get you?” San asked as Hongjoong left to get Mingi some meds and water.
Mingi shook his head before coughing into his elbow. “I didn’t realize that Yunho had to go to…I yelled at him this afternoon. He was…it doesn’t matter. I shouldn’t have been an asshole.”
San shrugged with a reassuring smile. “Seems like a lot of that has been going around. I’m sure he understands. You’re sick. Sick people are crabby. He was crabby with me last night.”
Hongjoong soon returned with a bottle of water and a couple of tablets. “I’m serious about this, Mingi. Try to finish as much of this as you can? Okay?”
Mingi nodded as he swallowed his tablets. Hongjoong then turned to San, drawing in a deep breath as he ushered San out of Mingi’s room and closed the door behind them.
“Alright” he said, taking a moment to center himself before speaking again. “Any idea what’s going on with him?” Hongjoong asked but San shook his head.
“Its okay, San. That must have been scary for you. I’m going to talk to him. Can you put Yunho’s blankets in the wash and put new sheets on his bed? I’m not sure if he’ll be staying overnight or if he’ll be coming home…”
San could sense Hongjoong’s voice trailing off and nodded quickly, leaving Wooyoung in Hongjoong’s capable hands.
*~*~*~*~*~
It was times like this where he wished that Hongjoong wished he wasn’t a hyung or the leader, or…but he quickly snapped out of it as he opened Wooyoung’s door to find him curled up in a cocoon of blankets. All of his selfish thoughts of wanting to be free of responsibility melted away and he quickly forgot about the pounding pain behind his own eyes when he heard the sniffles coming from his dongsaeng. Hongjoong took a seat at the edge of his bed before drawing the blankets down just enough to uncover a head of unruly black hair.
“Hey,” he said quietly, stroking Wooyoung’s hair, smoothing it out bit by bit until Wooyoung rolled over to face him. “Can you tell hyung what happened?” He asked softly.
Wooyoung shrugged as he shifted closer to Hongjoong, clearly craving the comfort of his leader.
“I had a nightmare” Wooyoung finally said. “I can’t remember it. But I was so warm. And then I woke up and I was sweating and I couldn’t breathe.”
Hongjoong’s heart dropped at that. He placed the back of his fingers to Wooyoung’s cheek. “Wooyoung, you’re a little warm to the touch. Do you feel like you could be running a fever?”
Wooyoung didn’t respond, simply shrugging again with a sniffle as Hongjoong laid his fingers over his forehead. “You sound like you’re getting a little congested too” Hongjoong added, noticing the flush over Wooyoung’s cheeks.
Wooyoung looked none too happy when Hongjoong stepped out and returned with a thermometer.
“I know, I’m sorry” Hongjoong replied sympathetically and was relieved when Wooyoung extended a hand and placed it under his tongue, holding it in place without further prompting.
Wooyoung quickly pulled it out of his mouth and groaned before handing to Hongjoong.
38.2°.
“Yep, that’s a fever,” Hongjoong said with a sigh. He considered having Wooyoung take a flu test before determining it was futile. With two members already down with the flu and he himself feeling more exhausted and achy get the minute, there was no question as to what Wooyoung had come down with.
“It’s okay, Young-ah, we’ll get you back on your feet in no time” he said as he pulled his phone from his pocket, finding an unopened text from Seonghwa:
“He’s settled in and getting IV fluids. The nausea’s from the dehydration and his nurse said that would subside once he had his fluids replenished. He said that he can go home to rest but they want to get his fever down a little before they discharge him since he was pushing 40° when we got here. So we’ll probably be back tomorrow.”
The message was followed by a picture of Yunho, dead to the world, curled up with his puppy pillow and Spiderman blanket. Hongjoong couldn’t help but smile at that. It was just very Seonghwa to make sure to bring something to keep his dongsaeng comfortable in the hospital.
Hongjoong quickly responded:
“Glad you’re there with him. He looks more comfortable than he was earlier. Some bad news here though - Wooyoung’s sick.”
Seonghwa wasn’t surprised when he got a text from Hongjoong just as everybody began returning from their break. In fact he was kind of relieved. He hated that they had to leave Yunho alone that morning and, now with Mingi down for the count, Seonghwa let out a sigh of relief as he read the message confirming that Hongjoong would be staying home with them:
“Sorry Hwa, there’s no way I can come back to work. Mingi got so achy on the way home that he cried when he had to get out of the car. And Yunho is so wound up, I didn’t think he knows if he’s coming or going.”
Seonghwa immediately responded without a second thought:
“Leaving the company now, see you soon.”
After apologizing to the rest of the members and urging them to stay out of the apartment for as long as possible, Seonghwa excused himself from practice to head home.
As he walked out of the studio he received a response from Hongjoong:
“You don’t need to come home. We both don’t need to get sick. It’s under control.”
Seonghwa rolled his eyes and returned his phone to his pocket without responding.
*~*~*~*~*~
“Yunho, I know it’s uncomfortable but hyung needs to take your temperature. It’ll just take a minute. Please, jagi…”
Seonghwa cringed as he locked the front door behind him. He silently stood in Yunho’s doorway for just a few seconds listening to Hongjoong beg Yunho to cooperate with him until he was interrupted by Mingi, who was wrapped in his comforter looking worse for wear.
“Hyung, make him stop. My head is pounding. They’ve been arguing like this for half an hour. I can’t deal with it anymore. I’m so tired, I just want to…” Mingi’s tirade was cut off by a sudden yawn that made Seonghwa’s heart sink.
Seonghwa quietly urged Mingi to go back to bed with the promise he’d have some peace and quiet soon before stepping into Yunho’s room where Hongjoong still sat on the edge of the bed with a thermometer in his hand as Yunho sat in bed with his face buried in his knees.
“I’ll take it from here” he said softly, taking the thermometer from Hongjoong’s hand. “Mingi was up. He’s pretty upset. Make sure he’s back to bed and settled down.” Hongjoong nodded, leaving Seonghwa to try to work Yunho down.
“Hey, Yunho-ah, what’s going on?” Seonghwa asked as he took a seat, placing the back of his hand on the nape of Yunho’s neck and instantly understanding why Hongjoong was so determined to get his temperature. “You’re so warm. Can you look up at hyung?”
Yunho conceded that much, a good sign.
Seonghwa immediately frowned at the disoriented, glazed over look in Yunho’s eyes and the bright red flush across his face.
“Everything hurts” Yunho said with a pout. “Hongjoong hyung wouldn’t leave me alone.”
Seonghwa nodded along, noticing Yunho’s labored breaths as he spoke. He was beginning to think that a trip to the hospital might be in order.
“I’m sorry, jagi. This is rough, isn’t it?” Seonghwa brushed Yunho’s hair from his face, laying the back of his hand on Yunho’s forehead and cheek and slowly pulling back one of his blankets in a way that he’d hope would go unnoticed. “I’m going to check your temperature and while we wait I’ll get you one of Yeosang’s popsicles from the kitchen. I know he doesn’t like to share them but I think he’d be okay with making an exception for you.”
A conflicted look passed over Yunho’s face. He didn’t want his temperature taken but a popsicle was the first thing that sounded remotely palatable since he had woken up that morning, and his throat was absolutely raw from coughing.
“It’ll be fast, I promise. In and out” Seonghwa said encouragingly, taking his dongsaeng’s silence as an opportunity to turn on the thermometer. Much to his surprise Yunho opened his mouth just enough for Seonghwa to slip it under his tongue. He winced for a second at the cold metal before resting his cheek back on his knees.
Seonghwa gave him a small smile as he stood up. “Hang tight for a few seconds. I’ll check it once it beeps.” Yunho nodded slightly. Seonghwa quickly left, grabbing a popsicle from the freezer as well as a bottle of water and some fever reducers.
The thermometer beeped just a few seconds after he returned to Yunho’s bedside. He gently pulled it from Yunho’s lips, a bit unnerved by the red screen flashing at him with a reading of 39.7°.
“Yunho your temp is really high. We’ve gotta get that down, okay?” Seonghwa said firmly. Yunho nodded back at him mindlessly. He didn’t even put up a fight when Seonghwa handed him a couple tablets and the water bottle to wash them down. Satisfied for the time being, he unwrapped Yeosang’s popsicle and handed it to Yunho.
“Yunho, look at me” Seonghwa’s tone was deliberate, wanting to make sure that it got through to Yunho even while his mind was scrambled from the high fever. “I’m going to check your temp again in two hours. I know you’re not feeling at all well but no arguments, okay?”
Yunho nodded in a way that made Seonghwa smile. Between his doe eyes and the way he was licking away at his popsicle, there was something adorably childlike about the way Yunho was looking up at him. He left the room once more before returning with a fever patch that he stuck to Yunho’s forehead as he finished his popsicle.
“Think you’re ready for a couple hours of sleep? Like I said I’ll be back to check on you in two hours” Seonghwa asked, already knowing the answer as Yunho’s eyes drooped closed. Once he had helped him lie back down he pulled a couple of blankets over him before grabbing the comforter to take with him.
“Hyung I’m so cold” Yunho muttered. Seonghwa placed a gentle hand on his cheek for a moment.
“I know you are but you’ll warm up very soon, I promise” Seonghwa waited a few more minutes until he was sure that Yunho had dozed off. He took a moment to toss Yunho’s comforter in the laundry before setting a two-hour alarm on his phone.
*~*~*~*~*~
As much as Hongjoong hated to admit it, he was relieved to hear the front door opening upon Seonghwa’s arrival home. Despite what he had said, he very much did not have the situation under control.
He had gotten Mingi to the car before he took a fairly sudden turn. Hongjoong was able to get him to take a flu test that came back with a very clear positive and ended up spending the ride home with Mingi’s head in his lap, running a hand through his hair in an attempt to comfort him to little avail. Getting Mingi back inside had been no small task either. He was in tears by the time they got home, complaining that he had the worst headache of his life and that he felt like he got hit by a truck.
“It’s okay, take your time” Hongjoong repeated as Mingi stopped to catch his breath again on their way back to their apartment.
“I’m sorry” Mingi replied breathlessly, leaning heavily into Hongjoong who was also shouldering both of their bags.
“You have nothing to be sorry for, Mingi” Hongjoong insisted, but he could tell that Mingi didn’t believe him.
By the time they arrived upstairs there was no way that Mingi would make it to the shower so Hongjoong instead took him straight to his room, helping him change into his pajamas before getting him to bed.
Hongjoong was a bit surprised that Mingi’s fever was lower than expected until he remembered that Yunho’s was far lower when their manager took it at the Idol Radio studio and it had since gone up significantly.
“Mingi-ah, think you can keep your eyes open for me for just another minute?” Mingi groaned at the question but nodded in response. “I’m going to get some medication for you to take before going to sleep.”
Mingi was agreeable to taking the tablets that Hongjoong brought him, truthfully too tired to disagree with his hyung and it was only a matter of time before he was fast asleep.
Sleep.
Nothing in the world sounded better to Hongjoong at the moment. He had already been stretched a more than a little thin before Yunho came down with the flu and now between practice, producing, and having two sick dongsaengs he knew that it wouldn’t be long until he was running on fumes.
Glancing down at his watch, Hongjoong realized that it had taken longer than he had anticipated to get Mingi home and comfortable and that, if he wanted to make it back in time, he’d have to leave within the next few minutes. He’d have a moment to pop his head in on Yunho and grab a bite to eat before he left, and even then he was cutting it close.
As soon as he stepped out of Mingi’s room, however, he knew that there was no way he’d make it back before the end of the hour break because, sitting cross legged on the couch next to a box of tissues was a very disheveled Yunho.
“Yunho-ah, what are you doing out of bed?” Hongjoong asked, sitting down next to him.
Yunho simply ignored his question and proceeded to ask his own. “What time is practice, hyung?” He quickly grabbed a handful of tissues before sneezing violently into them. “Is everybody else still sleeping?” He added as he wiped his nose, which was bright red and irritated.
Hongjoong sighed patting Yunho on the knee before he responded. “It’s 1:00 in the afternoon. You stayed home because you’re sick. You’ve got the flu, remember? How are you feeling?” Hongjoong waited for his response but Yunho didn’t seem to hear him.
“But it’s dance today. I need to go.” Yunho sounded completely deflated.
“Wooyoung’s got it under control,” Hongjoong replied, placing a hand on Yunho’s forehead. “How about we get you back to bed, okay?” Yunho shook his head in response but didn’t say anything more. Hongjoong couldn’t help but notice how confused Yunho seemed and that, in addition to how warm he felt to the touch, made Hongjoong’s heart begin to race.
It took some time to get Yunho back to bed, but the damage was done by then. Hongjoong tried his best to calm him down but Yunho was already anxious and aggravated in his disoriented state, refusing to allow Hongjoong to help him lay down or check his temperature.
Hongjoong glanced at his phone. He was out of time. He quickly sent a text to Seonghwa before turning his attention back to Yunho:
“Sorry Hwa, there’s no way I can come back to work. Mingi got so achy on the way home that he cried when he had to get out of the car. And Yunho is so wound up, I didn’t think he knows if he’s coming or going.”
He didn’t expect a reply, assuming that they’d already be practicing again, so he was surprised when his phone vibrated in his lap.
“Leaving the company now, see you soon.”
Rubbing subconsciously at his temples as Yunho continued to ramble on about wanting to be allowed to go to practice or to be left alone, Hongjoong picked up his phone to respond to Seonghwa’s text but was interrupted by Mingi showing up in Yunho’s doorway.
“Yunho, go to sleep” Mingi said coldly. “Go to sleep or shut up please. I love you, you know I love you. But I’m trying to sleep. You already kept me up half the night. Let me sleep, I’m begging you.”
“Mingi please” Hongjoong said turning to him only to find his eyes welling up with tears. “Okay, it’s okay” Hongjoong repeated softly as he guided Mingi back to his room. “You’re so tired, I know. Yunho’s just feeling a little confused so I’m trying to get him to sleep. Give me just a little while, okay?”
Mingi nodded but continued to cry. “I shouldn’t have said those things. He’ll never forgive me.”
Hongjoong tucked Mingi’s blankets around him a little tighter. “I don’t even think he’ll remember it if I’m being honest” he added with a smile. “He’ll be asleep soon enough. Just close your eyes.”
He paused for a moment after closing Mingi’s door, taking a deep breath to calm himself down before sending a response to Seonghwa:
“You don’t need to come home. We both don’t need to get sick. It’s under control.”
A boldface lie but hopefully enough to keep Seonghwa from coming home.
Hongjoong had hoped that he’d return to Yunho to find him asleep but instead found him sitting against his headboard with his knees drawn into his chest and tears running down his cheeks. Hongjoong reached out to wipe them away but Yunho turned away.
“Hongjoong hyung, leave me alone” he muttered under his breath.
“I promise I will leave you alone, but we have to get your temperature and you need to take some medicine” Hongjoong replied desperately. He could feel his own head beginning to ache as Yunho pushed back.
Until the front door opened.
Within a few minutes Seonghwa joined him in Yunho’s room.
“I’ll take it from here, Mingi was up. He’s pretty upset. Make sure he’s back to bed and settled down” Seonghwa instructed. Hongjoong, beyond relieved, stepped out of Yunho’s room, closing the door behind him before he sank down against the wall.
He rested his head in his hands, feeling a heat in his cheeks behind his fingers as his head continued to throb.
No. This can’t be happening.
Once he had collected himself enough to stand again he quickly checked on Mingi, confirming that he had fallen back asleep, popped a few pain tablets, splashed some cool water on his face, and collapsed on his own bed, absolutely too overwhelmed to say, do, or think anything else.
*~*~*~*~*~
Hongjoong wasn’t sure how long he had spaced out for but was pulled back to reality when Seonghwa joined him in their room, laying down on his own bed, enjoying a few minutes of silence before speaking up again.
“He’s asleep. He’s at 39.7° though. I’ll check again in two hours. If it’s not down I’ll take him to the hospital” Seonghwa said, making no effort to open his eyes as he spoke. “Is Mingi asleep?”
Hongjoong nodded as if Seonghwa would be able to see him. “He’s positive for the flu” Hongjoong added.
Seonghwa muttered a quiet “shit” before they both dozed off.
