Autumn Air
Fandom: Stray Kids
Sickie: Seungmin (cold)
Caretaker: I.N
The sky showed a stunnig shade of blue as the autumn leaves crunched underneath Seungmin’s and I.N’s feet, the park bathed in a soft, amber glow. It was the kind of autumn day that looked warmer than it actually was—bright, but biting.
Seungmin tugged his scarf a little higher, burying the lower half of his face into the thick wool. It was comforting against his skin, but it did little to stop the sharp bite of the cold. His breath fogged the inside of it with every exhale, and his nose was running, more from the crisp air than his lingering cold.
“I told you this would be nice!” I.N said cheerfully, arms swinging as he walked beside him, his bright signature grin on his face.
Seungmin gave a quiet hum of agreement. His throat was still a little sore, so talking didn’t appeal much. He didn’t mind listening though—especially not to I.N, who had a gift for filling silences with his chatter without making them feel noisy. The maknae told Seungmin excitedly about his MV shooting for the title track of their upcoming comeback. Apparently he and Felix had way too much fun with some barcode scanners.
Seungmin let out a breathy laugh. Which triggered a small itch inside his nostrils, a soft, almost teasing irritation that quickly grew sharper. Seungmin scrunched his nose and took a shallow breath, hoping to stave it off. He dabbed at it with the edge of his hand. It didn’t do much. He scrunched his nose, sniffed again, and blinked hard.
Hh’ktschh!
The sneeze was small, stifled into his scarf.
“Aigoo, bless you!” I.N offered instantly, barely missing a beat in his story. “So Hyunjin was scanning himself and looked directly into the laser of the scanner. He really is the king of pabo…”
But Seungmin didn’t hear the rest. The itch had come back with a vengeance. He tried to stifle the next two sneezes, tightening his lips and squeezing his eyes shut. His shoulders jerked with the effort, but the itch was growing unbearable.
Hh’knt! Hh’tsshkt!
His nose still tingled mercilessly. The cold air didn’t help; each inhale only made it worse. His chest felt tight, and his whole body tensed as the sneezes finally broke free in a sudden, violent fit.
Hh’tssch! Huh’tsschuhh! Hhh… hh’ITSCHhuhh!
His scarf caught all of them, but his body was left trembling slightly in the aftermath.
He groaned softly, still hunched forward a little. The fit had left his eyes watery, his sinuses aching, and his nose even more congested than before. He sniffled thickly, trying to regain some composure.
He felt a steady hand on his back. I.N had gone quiet. When Seungmin emerged from the depths of his scarf with watering eyes he was met with a concerned and slightly amazed looking maknae.
“…Whoa,” I.N said after a beat. “You okay?”
Seungmin nodded a bit sheepishly, pressing his scarf against his nose as he sniffled again. “Cold air,” he croaked.
“That didn’t sound like just cold air,” I.N said, reaching up to lightly tug Seungmin’s scarf down just enough to get a better look at his face. “Your nose is all red and you’re flushed. Do you feel like you have a fever?”
“I’m fine,” Seungmin mumbled, though his voice was stuffy. “Let’s stay out just a little longer. It’s better than being stuck in the dorm all day.”
I.N gave him a skeptical look. “Let’s at least sit down for a bit,” he said, steering him gently toward a nearby bench. “Even if it’s not a fever I don’t want you to run out of stamina halfway back to the dorm. You’re heavy despite your looks.” He smirked a little at Seungmin’s halfhearted death glare.
The sun was nice—soft and golden on their faces. They closed their eyes for a second as they sat side by side on the sun warmed bench. It was a gentle contrast to the crisp air.
They sat in silence for a few more minutes. Then I.N’s quiet voice drifted over. “That sneezing fit earlier was intense. Are you sure you’re feeling better? We can go back anytime.”
Seungmin opened his eyes lazily, giving him a slow nod. “Better than yesterday. Just… sniffly and my nose itches.”
“I’m glad you’re feeling better,” I.N said, elbowing him gently.
Then they went silent again, enjoying each other’s company, the wind rustling the dry leaves around them. I.N leaned back, his hands stuffed deep into his coat pockets.
After a few minutes, I.N stood up and offered his hand. “Come on, let’s get you back inside. I’ll make you some hot tea. Honey and lemon this time.”
Seungmin took the hand, warmth spreading from the contact despite the chill. “Deal.”