i’m such a fever lover bro. like yes you’re delirious. yes you’re sweaty but you’re shivering. yeah you’re cuddling up to whoever, yeah you’re pathetic.
Please, for the love of all things good, do NOT mention Jihoon's illness to him. He WILL get upset, and will either bite your head off OR start sobbing uncontrollably. Both are incredibly unsettling.
Gets very emotional when he has a fever because it makes him feel unsettled. Jihoon is a very steady person, so when things feel wrong, he is easily overwhelmed by even the smallest of things. He hides this incredibly well if he has to perform while under the weather, but his members know to be a little extra caring.
The most stubborn member when it comes to rest, and the one who relapses most often; the SECOND that thermometer reads normal again, he's back to business as usual, which usually leads him back to illness again in the blink of an eye. Jihoon needs his phone AND laptop confiscated. The studio has been forcibly locked to keep him from sneaking to work.
The king of humidifiers and vocal steamers.
Does not like to be touched unless it is his idea (because an emotional, feverish Jihoon craves being held by one of his members). If he isn't the one seeking out the physicality, the member know not to try for their own safety. But if a weepy Jihoon appears at their door? You best believe they're ready to have their own personal heater attached to them for the duration of the producer's fever-induced hibernation cuddle.
Jeonghan
One of the weaker immune systems in the group, and catches a lot of the bugs the others drag in. OR he's Patient Zero. Mingyu often gets a bad rep for this, and while he IS responsible for a lot of group illnesses, Jeonghan is often the SECRET starter of these things.
If he's minorly ill, Jeonghan is the whiniest man in existence. He will be incredibly dramatic over a cold or headache or stomachache, to the point that the other members do usually get annoyed with him. But if he's actually really, very sick or injured? This man will try to downplay his symptoms, and it is SO frustrating!
Colds tend to linger in his chest for a while after he's technically 'better.' He HATES it.
Craves affection and attention. Do not leave a sick Jeonghan alone or the sad thoughts will claim him.
Very picky about what he puts in his body. Particular about flavors and methods of medicine (some pills are fine, while others are not; don’t even TRY the cherry cough syrup), as well as flavors/textures of food.
Joshua
Doesn't get sick all that often, but gets wiped out whenever he does. Joshua goes down HARD, usually for just a day or two, but he suffers through them even if his immune system can get through a bug relatively quickly.
When he has a fever, serious headache, or is really congested, Joshua loses his Korean language skills. He reverts to English except for the most basic things, and gets VERY upset when he KNOWS that he SHOULD know the words being said to him, but his brain just can't get there... also tends to babble in English when he's deliriously feverish, which often scares the other members who don't know what he's talking about (which is, usually, nothing of consequence cause, you know, fever babbling.)
Tries SO hard not to complain or sit out. Joshua believes himself to be one of the weaker members of the group, and therefore pushes himself no matter how bad he feels, constantly striving to work harder and be better than the day before. This often leads him to downplay his symptoms, even to himself, and push his body beyond its limits.
The absolute best at keeping his germs to himself. The best at covering, and always masked up in public, and will often get upset if another member comes to his room to check on him without masking up. Gets weird about being touched for contagion purposes unless the other member had the antibodies, it's his idea, OR he's really out of it.
Extra sleepy, and just wants to be laying down. Loves to have someone playing with his hair.
DK/Seokmin
The saddest sickie in history. Seokmin still tries to put on a smile, but even the slightest bug dulls his natural energy. Fatigue and malaise are his tell-tale symptoms that something’s up. And he usually gets pouty or teary when he can’t perform or be with his members because he is terrified of missing out or letting anyone down.
Often ends up fighting a persistent cough after he’s recovered from a cold/respiratory infection, and he HATES IT. Similarly prone to migraines when congested.
Sleepwalks and sleep-talks whenever he has a fever. The members know that Seokmin CANNOT be left alone when he has even a slightly elevated temperature or he WILL cause chaos, and potentially, accidentally hurt himself.
Unfortunately VERY bad at reading his body. No warning when he's about to be sick, and has accidentally caused several problems for his group this way. Has also accidentally sneezed his way into a minor concussion by hitting his head on the wall of the shower (not the first time he hit his head, not the last he’s slipped in the shower.)
Shivery and wants to be both held and burritoed in blankets. Loves to steal other members’ clothes.
Seungkwan
One of the strongest immune systems in the group, so Seungkwan feels extra upset when he does get sick because how dare?
1000% the one who plays healthy because he does not want to inconvenience anyone. He’s the mood maker, the face of the group, the main vocal… he NEEDS to be on his A game, even when his body has other ideas. Needs several hugs when forced to relax.
Does not fight taking medicine or going to the doctor because he just wants this to be over with. Tries all of the members’ tricks and crazy remedies he reads about on the internet because it doesn’t take long for him to be absolutely done with whatever symptoms befall him.
Humidifier warrior, second only to Woozi. Cannot STAND the feeling of being congested or having a dry throat, and is overly irritated if either prevents him from sleeping (which still happens a bit, even with the humidifier.)
Gets very disoriented from a fever. Foggy short term memory, easily overwhelmed, extra snuggly… cheeks get very flushed, and it is unfortunately adorable.
A ‘push through the pain’ kinda guy, Seungcheol will push himself until he is physically stopped, either by management, his members, or his own body. He is the eldest, the leader… he needs to be strong all the time, right? (Hint: not true)
Easily overwhelmed when he doesn’t feel well. Prone to stress headaches, and has pushed himself to higher fevers by stressing too much about being sick.
Voice gets deeper whenever he’s even slightly congested. He’s been told numerous times it’s actually rather hot, but Seungcheol doesn’t want to hear that when his head feels like it's filled with concrete
Seungcheol prefers to be left alone when he’s sick to avoid spreading germs. But he also won’t refuse cuddles, so… it’s a difficult battle.
Wants to be whiny SO BAD - Cheol’s inner monologue is all “woe is me, this is the worst thing that’s ever befallen anyone,” Victorian child levels of drama. BUT he also can’t bring himself to be outwardly needy, it's just not who he is. So he RARELY actually expresses any of those thoughts. You can catch him pouting into space, but if you ask what he’s thinking about, he’ll snap out it.
Loses his appetite. That’s a major warning to the members that their leader is coming down with something. Has to be reminded to eat, or sometimes force fed, so he gets the nutrients his immune system needs
Wonwoo
One of the weaker immune systems in the group, Wonwoo catches almost anything the members bring into the dorm (unless very strict precautions are taken!) He tends to come down with something once a tour, twice a winter, and after every other plane ride or so. Usually it's just a small cold or something he can work through in a day or two. But it's annoying, and he wishes his immune system was less of a brat and responded to all the preventative vitamins he takes.
The sleepiest sickie, Wonwoo wants nothing more than to be laying down, or at the very least sitting, when he's sick. Fatigue is a main symptom for him, no matter the illness, and it's usually accompanied by severe body aches, even without a fever. The boy just wants to curl into a ball and sleep it off.
Throws on a mask, pops some meds, and soldiers through his schedules. Wonwoo is not one to complain, and will go about his day as normal, just with a little more coughing mixed in. He HATES disrupting others' schedules, and will avoid it whenever possible.
Very easily embarrassed, and does not like attention drawn to his symptoms or his illness at all. Often attempts to stifle sneezes so no one notices - often fails, but the members know to not make 'a deal' out of it. Just wrap him up in a blanket and let him be.
Voice gets even deeper when he's congested, or has a sore throat, and he revels in that more than Seungcheol does. Wonwoo once said he think he looks sexier when he's sick, which he's honestly told himself because he's under the weather so often (comparatively.)
Mingyu
Hello, Patient Zero! Mingyu has been responsible for starting roughly 90% of the full-group epidemics that have swept the Seventeen dorm over the years. This is for three reasons. First, he is hopelessly bad at covering his mouth. Second, he has the world's most effective puppy dog eyes. And third, he needs to be close to people when he isn't feeling well, or his anxiety will spiral. A dangerous combination.
Also... very bad at determining when he's actually sick. Mingyu is the guy who says 'it's just allergies' when he's been sneezing all day, and wakes up with a fever. He's the guy who says 'hm, my stomach is a little unsettled. Probably cause I haven't had enough water,' and then throws up almost immediately after. For someone so fit and physically active, Mingyu is NOT on the same page as his immune system, and it shows.
Very easily upset when he isn't feeling his best. Mingyu will assume the worst, that he's failed and ruined everything, and will cry about it. Even if he doesn't want to cry, he will.
Runs hot naturally, so fevers climb high and take him out very quickly. The kind of sickie to bundle up in all the layers one minute, and violently rip them off the next.
Has to be physically removed from the kitchen. He just loves to cook, it makes him feel normal, but the others physically cannot have such a biohazard in their common space/around their food.
Vernon/Hansol
An unsurprisingly chill, easy patient. Will not hide being sick, will work or sit out depending on what he's told to do, will take medicine without complaint. It’s just a part of life. Unless….
The most emetophobic member - does not do well with others vomiting, and is an absolutely anxious mess when he’s the one doing it. Gets panicky when a member even mentions being remotely nauseous, and suffers panic attacks if he starts to feel off.
Very conscious of germs, and does his best to be as sanitary as possible. It's not that he's a germaphobe, per say, but Hansol's just more dialed into that kinda stuff, and gets grossed out when others aren't. So you can be sure that he always covers his mouth and cleans up any used cups/tissues/etc. Would die of shame if someone else got sick from him being careless (if they cuddle him, Hansol refuses to be held responsible.)
Joshua is his comfort person. Hansol will accept care and cuddles from any member, but he prefers Joshua's presence when he's unwell. Has been known to cry and push anyone but Joshua the few time he's been really sick.
A sick Hansol is either SO HERE for shenanigans or NOT HERE for anyone's bullshit. He is either the silliest boy (inhibitions down) or a miserable, agitated mess (patience completely gone). Either giggling uncontrollably or snapping at nothing. Will cry if it's the latter and he realizes how out of line he is (the members know by now Hansol doesn't mean anything he says when he has a fever, so they've learned to role with it.)
How They Act When Sick - Seventeen Performance Unit
Hoshi/Soonyoung
"Sick? Me?! What are you even talking about?" *proceeds to cough up blood* "That's just what I do on Tuesdays."
Do not, I repeat, DO NOT accuse Hoshi of being sick if there is work to be done, it will not go well. He does not listen to requests to slow down or sit out; he loves his job too much. He will keep going until he is physically spent, or is forcibly made to rest.
IF there is no work going on, then Soonyoung's more likely to admit his need for rest, and will seek attention from his members. Has the tendency to whine for dramatic effect, and will stop if it's annoying. UNLESS he has a higher fever, then the whining won't stop, (which usually gets under everyone's skin AT FIRST until they realize the root cause).
Extra sleepy, and tends to nod off, but denies it vehemently when caught.
Will pick a member to cling to when he isn't feeling well. It changes every time, but he will choose a designated comfort person, and will get extra pouty if they aren't around. (Does usually result in said comfort person coming down with whatever he has.)
Jun/Junhui
Very self-sufficient. Does not like to ask for help, and does not like attention drawn to him when he isn't well, so he's learned how to look out for himself. Jun's good about medication schedules, staying hydrated, and eating vitamin rich foods to give his body the best chance possible to get well quickly.
Will keep pushing forward, but knows his limits and will not try to escape rest when Seungcheol or the company tells him to (unlike the other three on this list...)
SLEEPIEST BOY! Fevers, no matter how mild, drain him, and Jun just wants to snuggle down and sleep... literally anywhere. If he's not moving long enough, he'll nod off. It's usually the first tell that he's not feeling great.
More prone to respiratory illnesses like colds/bronchitis rather than stomach bugs. This guy's got a stomach of steel. Doesn't mean he's invincible, though...
When Jun stops cracking jokes, that's when the members know something is seriously wrong, and they should probably get him to a doctor.
The8/Minghao
The one who pushes himself way beyond his limits, no matter how many times he is told to slow down or stop. Nothing will keep Minghao from that stage or that practice room... unless he physically cannot move his body.
Cries very easily. Minghao puts a lot of pride in being stable, strong, capable on his own. SO anything that threatens that tends to overwhelm him, and results in tears. The members know this by now, and validate Minghao's feelings while trying to distract him to cheer him up.
Prone to chills no matter the illness. Bundles up, even when inside, and gets mad when that gives him away.
Used to have one of the stronger immune systems, but it's gotten weaker with overwork and exhaustion. It really makes Minghao upset to think about it.
Looks sick. His face tends to turn all the colors: pallid skin, fever flush, red nose, dark undereye circles, slightly green tinge, you name it. Minghao hates it.
Dino/Chan
Has never heard of a sick day in his life. Will keep working until his body gives up. Fortunately (or unfortunately if you are Lee Chan) his members know all of his 'tricks' and tells by now, so they often forcibly stop him from hurting himself.
HATES being babied, and will resist any attempted care that assumes he can't do it himself. The members have learned to let Chan think their caretaking is his idea, or straight up offer help as if it were an age-similar peer rather than someone younger. (But then, sometimes, Chan absolutely adores being babied? The line is never clear, but if Chan comes to one of his hyungs pouting for cuddles, they NEVER refuse him).
Llike Minghao, cries SUPER easily. He just doesn't feel good, and his body is overwhelmed by that, so it releases that through tears.
Loves a good cuddle, and wants to be close to his members, even if he's not ready to admit he's sick. Gets clingy. Feels safe when he's attached to another member in some way, shape, or form.
Probably one of the most conscious about spreading his germs, though. Despite his desire to be attached at the hip to a hyung, Chan will go out of his way to not share his illness with anyone to the best of his ability. Masking up, washing his hands more, covering his mouth... he's good about that kind of thing.
The end of a long day. A comes home and drops down on the couch, exhausted. “God, my head hurts.“ Face buried in their hands.
B’s in the middle of cooking dinner. They quickly glance over everything on the stove: Yes, it looks okay to leave simmering for a few minutes. Luckily, everything they need is right at hand: One cupboard door for a bottle of painkillers, quietly shaken out; another for a tall glass, filled with water at the sink.
“Here.“ Quiet, tipping the pills into A’s palm and then following it up with the water. A groans in relief. “Want me to turn the lights down?“
“Fuck, could you?“ A breathes it like they’re too far gone to have thought to ask. They press the cool glass against their temple, still hunched forward, curling in on themself like that will protect them against the pain.
B lets their fingers brush over the back of A’s hand, and then goes to turn down the lights. Checks on supper. Eight minutes before the timer goes off. They’ll have to keep an eye on that. Get to the kitchen to turn it off before it starts to beep. With the time they’ve got, though, they come back to A and let their hands settle on their shoulders. Maybe they perch on the back of the couch; maybe they stand behind it, pressing in close. Either way, they start in with a gentle shoulder massage, going deeper when A, slurred, asks for more.
“You okay?” B finally asks, still keeping their voice low. It’s obvious what the answer is, but they know from experience that A just needs some space to tell them what’s going on on their own. Trying to rush it will just shut them down.
“Just a tension headache.” Eyes scrunched shut. “Work sucked.”
“Mmm?” Leaving space, again.
A scrubs their eyes with the heel of their hand and it all comes tumbling out, everything that had gone wrong at work, “and I just couldn’t take it today, I don’t know why, I didn’t even have a headache then,“ and “the drive home was hell, I could barely keep my eyes on the road“ and “I just wanted to get home. To you.”
Maybe that’s a new confession, slipping out in a moment of vulnerability, or maybe it’s a familiar expression of long-standing care. Either way, B just lets them talk, and keeps up the massage, moving onto their neck, their scalp, and then down to their collarbone, encouraging them to sit up, to lean back against the back of the couch, to let their shoulders come down and back. One eye on the stove, and it’s time to get up, to do the next step in cooking, to keep the food from burning and the timer from going off. B eases off of the massage and pulls A in for a hug, arms wrapped around their shoulders from behind; gentle, gentle.
“Lie down,“ B murmurs. “I’ll let you know when dinner’s done.“
“Yeah, okay.” Pliant, letting themself be guided down. B glances at the timer again, and comes around the front of the couch. Down to A’s level. Their eyes can’t hide their concern.
“Hey.“ Quiet, hand still moving on their shoulder, their upper arm. Palm coming up to caress their jaw. “You sure this is just a tension headache? You feel pretty warm.“
A shrugs– “I think so”– and shivers a little, and sighs. “I dunno. Maybe not.“
The timer goes, and B pulls a throw blanket over A, whispering “sorry” for the sound. Lips to A’s forehead, and yes, that’s a fever coming on. B straightens up to go silence the timer, already mentally recalculating their dinner plans. “Sleep,“ they say, and A nods, already halfway there. “We can eat when you wake up.“
When Seungmin’s emotions unexpectedly bubbled over during the filming of his and Chan’s 2 Kids Room episode, something inside him stirred that he hadn’t anticipated.
The tears came back not long after the cameras stop rolling, but so did Chan. Always with a soft smile, a cheeky comment, and the kind of hugs that made everything feel just a little less overwhelming.
Maybe the additional hint of a fever might’ve been part of the problem… or maybe it was just the final push Seungmin needed to let it all out.
___________________________________________
Sickie/whumpee: Seungmin
Caretaker/s: Bang Chan
___________________________________________
Seungmin had never been one who cried very easily.
So when he suddenly got ambushed by emotions while reminiscing about his past with Chan during their “2 Kids Room” episode, it caught everyone off guard.
Himself, more than anything.
The tears sprung onto him so quickly, rising from a neglected little pit in his stomach and surging up his throat before he could even think to will them back.
The panic in Chan’s voice might be something to laugh about in the future, but in the moment, Seungmin couldn’t seem to focus on anything other than keeping himself intact.
He’d managed to compose himself midway through, to some extent, embarrassed to have broken down in front of the cameras, but thankful to have Chan.
Just like he’d always been thankful to have Chan, even if he’d never quite found the words to say so.
As the episode came to an end and the cameras cut off, the initial wave of emotion stirred back to life— just as sudden and just as overwhelming as the first time.
Maybe even more so, now that the pretense of holding it together had diminished.
Seungmin swallowed back the lump in his throat with all his might, pressing past a few crew members in the hallway as he made his way toward the green room.
His strides were brisk and determined, moving him through the halls and away from commotion at an impressive speed.
The second the door clicked shut behind him, the first sob broke through.
His shoulders shook with the weight of it, forcing him to bend over and grip onto the backrest of a nearby chair to stay upright.
Tears flooded his eyes, clouding his vision before swarming down his cheeks, like the damp tracks from before were made to become permanent installations in his skin.
Seungmin didn’t even understand why he was crying.
He wasn’t sad, it wasn’t something he’d bottled up for years, the way Chan seemed to fear— at least he didn’t think it was.
He was happy now, he was grateful for everything, even the bad times. It all had led him to where he was today. He was happy.
So then why did it feel like something inside him had suddenly been cracked wide open?
Collapsing into the chair, Seungmin buried his face in his hands, sobbing as quietly as he could manage.
Maybe it was just exhaustion— emotional, physical, everything— crushing down on him. Maybe he just needed to let it all out, to drain himself of both tears and these strange emotions he didn’t know he held.
There was a knock on the door, and Seungmin’s breath caught in his throat.
“Seungmin-ah?”
Chan.
Of course.
Chan had followed him.
Whether he’d seen the younger hurry off or not, the leader was bound to be searching for him, to make sure he truly was alright after his first little breakdown in the studio.
As any good leader would, probably.
Automatically and almost without thinking, Seungmin pressed a foot against the door to keep it shut, even though he knew it was a childish move.
Feeling the resistance, Chan reluctantly let go of the door handle, a soft sigh leaving his lips.
There was a pause, then the soft thunk of Chan’s forehead resting against the other side of the door. He sucked in a breath before speaking, keeping his voice calm and gentle.
“Hey, man… can I come in? It’s just me, it’s just hyung..”
Seungmin rubbed at his eyes vigourously, desperate to dispel all evidence of the emotions that kept overwhelming him.
It was no use, of course. The tears just kept coming anyways, like the dam inside him had fully been broken through.
Chan had seen him worse off, Seungmin decided at last.
Plus, he could really use a hug.
Hesitantly, Seungmin moved his white sneaker away from the door, covering his face with his hands once more as if bracing for impact.
The door creaked open, then shut again with a soft click. Footsteps shuffled gently towards him over the floor.
Then, a hand on his shoulder— not heavy, but with enough weight to be grounding in a way Seungmin couldn’t quite explain. He instinctively leaned into the touch.
“Aigoo… I’m surprised you have any tears left.” Chan murmured, leaning down beside him, the familiar cadence of humour softening the thick air. “Don’t you get dehydrated, hm?”
Seungmin let out a hoarse, breathy laugh that caught somewhere between exasperation and disbelief. “Apparently not...”
Chan huffed softly, his fingers ruffling gently through Seungmin’s hair. He suddenly paused mid-motion, tracing his hand back to brush his knuckles across Seungmin’s forehead. He frowned.
“What..?” Seungmin blinked, confused by the two fingers suddenly planted on his forehead like Chan was somehow trying to gain telepathic access to his brain.
“Are you trying to install an anti-crying software or somethin’? Cuz.. too late, dude. Damage's been done..."
Chan chuckled at that, a low, warm sound that rumbled against Seungmin’s side. “No, no… you just..” he paused, brushing his fingers briefly against Seungmin’s cheek. “You’re warm.”
“Warm..?”
Seungmin blinked blearily at him, sniffing yet again. “Probably just from crying.” He reasoned, lowering his voice to a hush. “Or embarrassment…”
“Mm, maybe…” Chan murmured, seeming entirely unconvinced. “Or maybe a low grade fever could explain why someone I hardly ever see cry suddenly burst out crying during our quality time together.”
Seungmin let out a reluctant, breathy chuckle, his eyes squeezed shut. God, how they burned. “Mm.. Sorry about that…”
“No need to apologise.” Chan replied instantly, running his hand down Seungmin’s arm.
“I mean..” he added after a beat, the tone of his voice softening again. “It was an Oscar winning performance and all but… But you were holding something back out there, weren’t you..?"
Seungmin didn’t say anything, he didn’t really know what to say. He opened his mouth to try, but quickly closed it again.
No, he didn’t feel like he was holding back.
Not necessarily.
It was a little more embarrassing to break down with cameras all in your face, yes— and a little easier to melt into a comforting hug when it was just the two of them. A hundred percent.
But…He didn’t hold back, he didn’t try to hold back, at least. It wasn’t intentional.
Seungmin was just as confused as anyone.
He didn’t know how to explain that strange swell in his chest, the way the past suddenly felt so close it was almost brushing up against his skin.
The way just thinking back to that time had brought the same emotions up front so vividly and intense, only exacerbated by the immediate guilt ignited in Chans eyes.
The unspoken weight they’d carried for years, quietly balancing it between them like a shared burden they never really discussed.
It was a small thing, really.
It wasn’t a problem, it had never been a problem, but maybe, somehow, it had left marks deeper than Seungmin even knew.
They were just kids, after all. Just kids chasing dreams and working themselves to the bone.
And how strange it was, at that age, to care about someone so deeply you hardly knew the depth of it yourself.
“Hey..” Chan’s lowered his voice, almost to a whisper. “I just wish you’d told me earlier, y’know. About the small things. The ones that didn’t feel big enough to share.”
Seungmin’s breath hitched, and his fingers curled into the sleeves of his jacket. His lips wobbled, dangerously close to another break. “I just.. y-you know… I didn’t want to… dump them on you. You already had so much on your plate, hyung.”
Chan sighed. Not annoyed. No, just… sad. Sad and frustrated with himself for not picking up on the signs back then. For not being able to tell that Seungmin maybe needed him more than he’d let on.
That maybe, if he’d just taken the time to sit down and talk about it, things would’ve been a little different. Maybe even a little easier.
“You weren’t dumping anything. You were just being you.”
There was something about the way he said it, so plain and without judgment, that made the tears threaten yet again.
Stupid tears, Seungmin thought. Like his body hadn’t already emptied out every last drop.
He sniffled, reaching up to wipe his nose with the last remaining tissue he had crumpled in his fist. Chan beat him to it, pressing a fresh wad of tissues into his palm like he’d been waiting for the right moment all along.
Seungmin blinked, momentarily stunned, before his gaze drifted to the tissues peeking out from the pockets on Chan’s chest.
He snorted, equally grateful and amused by the gesture.
It was such a Chan thing to do. Thoughtful to the point of being ridiculous. Sweet, in the silliest of ways.
“I’m not mad about any of it, by the way.. I’m glad you told me now, at least..” Chan said softly, a quiet chuckle threading through his words. “Better late than never, right?”
“R-right..” Seungmin choked out, puffing his cheeks as he tried to control the waves that kept pushing and pulling inside him.
His face almost felt raw now, tender and flushed, with salty remnants of tears still clinging to his skin.
“And I'm really sorry, truly..” Chan’s voice faltered, and he bit his lip, watching helplessly as Seungmin’s shoulders trembled once more.
There was silence for a moment, the only sound being of Seungmin trying to get his breathing under control. Chan remained close, his hand drawing slow, soothing circles across Seungmin’s back.
Then, he leaned in slightly, one brow raised as he cupped a hand at the back of Seungmin’s damp neck. “Seriously, though. You’re really warm. You been feeling off lately?”
Seungmin paused to think, then shrugged. “I… I don’t know. Maybe a little tired. And my head feels kinda heavy? But it felt fine before crying..”
Chan let out a quiet ‘tsk’, brushing the back of his hand against Seungmin’s temple again. “I think you’ve got a mild fever.”
Another beat of silence.
“That’s so dumb*.” Seungmin declared, deadpan. “Now I’m crying AND sick? Give me a break.”
Chan smiled sympathetically, smoothing Seungmin’s hair back from his forehead. “Sometimes when your body’s a little weak, everything else gets louder. Feelings included.” He paused, then grinned softly.
“Take it as a valid excuse for crying so out of the blue. I’d milk it for all its worth if I were you.”
Seungmin thought about it for a second… then gave a small, tired nod. “Yeah.” he said softly, a hint of a smile breaking through. “That’s actually not bad.”
Chan hummed softly, clearly trying and failing miserably at hiding his growing concern. Seungmin could practically hear the sirens going off in his hyungs head the second the word ‘fever’ was spoken in relation to him.
Chan was always like that, and Seungmin hated how good he was sometimes. Too good. Too caring.
Not that he’d ever want him to change.
"Am I allowed to say it now that it’s just us?" Chan suddenly asked, pulling the younger man away from his barrelling train of thoughts.
Seungmin’s brow furrowed faintly, unsure of exactly what he meant, but he gave a small nod anyway.
“I love you, Seungmin-ah.” Chan said warmly, like a truth that had been waiting patiently in his chest.
A little incantation kept safely hidden from exploitation until it was just the two of them, in this quiet little green room, where everything felt just a little more sacred.
It was said so simply too—no drama, no fanfare. Just truth. Quiet and sincere, like everything Chan did when it mattered most.
The words wrapped around Seungmin like a warm blanket, bringing on a fresh wave of tears he didn't stand a chance of fighting. He let out a broken sound, twisting in his seat until his face was pressed against Chan's chest.
The hug that followed was full-bodied and anchoring, like it had been building for years. Chan’s arms wrapped around him, familiar and strong, holding him together when Seungmin felt himself fraying at the edges.
Seungmin clung to him, his arms wound tightly around Chan's back, the warmth in his chest blooming bigger than the previous ache he’d failed to suppress.
The fabric of Chan’s shirt was a little scratchy against his sensitive skin, and his head was starting to hurt from the sheer amounts of tears he’d shed in just the past hour.
But when Seungmin buried his face in the crook of Chan’s neck, it was like a final puzzle piece slid into place.
His voice came out soft, muffled into the warmth of his hyung’s neck.
“I love you too, hyung…”
He hiccuped softly, his voice wobbly as he added, “Please.. don’t change. You don’t need to do anything better or-or anything like that…” he sniffed weakly.
“I like you just the way you are now. So don’t… don’t change.”
Chan paused, letting the words whir around in his mind before finally settling in. He didn’t say anything in return, not with words.
Instead, he started to sway them gently from side to side, slow and instinctive. Like how you’d soothe a younger sibling after a bad dream.
Whether it was by conscious choice or some sort of muscle memory, Seungmin had to admit…
It was embarrassingly soothing.
Under any other circumstances, Seungmin probably would’ve teased him or pushed him away— told him that sort of thing was reserved for babies.. But not today, not now.
Now all he could do was lean into the gentle rhythm, letting the repetition smooth the splintered edges of his nervous system and regulate whatever had triggered today’s sudden onslaught of emotions.
After a long moment of careful consideration, Chan exhaled a soft laugh, not even a shred of judgement or condescension in his tone. “Okay… I won't. Just for you.”
And just like that, something inside Seungmin began to settle.
A smile tugged weakly at his lips, even if it trembled at the corners. Somehow, even with his face pressed into damp fabric and his head pounding faintly, Seungmin felt lighter.
Somewhere between the soft reassurances and the gentle rocking motion, the tears finally slowed to a trickle. His breathing evened out, though the occasional hitch still caught in his throat. His skin still felt warm and raw, uncomfortably so, but it didn't matter. Not when Chan was there to hold him through it.
At last, Seungmin pulled away just enough to sniffle and wipe at his face. Chan shoved a new load of napkins into his hands without a word, to which he was grateful
“Hyung…”
Chan looked down expectantly, prompting him to continue. In return, Seungmin bit his lip sheepishly,.
“I-uh.. I think I might’ve ruined your shirt…”
Seungmin blew his nose as discreetly as he could, turning away from the other as he did so. But Chan only laughed, gentle and unbothered.
“Meh… It’s just a shirt.” He said casually. “You’re a lot harder to replace.”
That earned a scoff and a weak jab to his side, but Seungmin didn’t pull away. If anything, he leaned in again, nudging his head into Chan’s shoulder like he was settling into place for the night.
“I might’ve asked for the stylists for something other than all white if I knew you were going to be crying so much though..” Chan added playfully, looking down the proposed damage.
Some smudged makeup, some wet blotches— a probable mixture of tears and snot, simply a whole lot of repressed love and emotion poured out onto its plain white surface.
Seungmin huffed again, still embarrassed, yet still not pulling away.
The smile on Chan’s face didn’t fade, and Seungmin caught it out of the corner of his eye; that reassuringing, dimpled ‘it’s all going to work out in the end’ kind of smile.
Over the years, Seungmin had come to intertwine that smile with his very sense of vitality— like it was something he couldn’t quite live without anymore.
Like Chan was something he couldn’t quite live without anymore.
When Seungmin finally lifted his gaze to meet Chan’s, eyes glassy and puffy, but vision clearer now, he noticed it. T
he way Chan’s own eyes were red-rimmed, with a faint sheen of tears still clinging to his lashes.
He blinked, brow furrowing once again.
“Hyung… you cried too?” Seungmin asked, even if the answer was painfully obvious, his voice tinged with disbelief.
Chan cleared his throat, quickly looking askance as if he could hide what clearly had already been caught. “Whaaat? Naah, ‘Dunno what you’re talking about.”
Seungmin just narrowed his eyes, unimpressed, and the post-breakdown-puppy-eye-look was utterly impossible to lie to.
Chan folded right on the spot, letting out an exasperated sigh. “Fine, yes- my eyes are a little damp. You know I’m allergic to seeing my dongsaengs cry.” He sniffled again, letting out a watery laugh. “It’s chronic. No cure.”
Seungmin scoffed, but there wasn’t much strength behind it. “You’re so lame.” He murmured, his voice deflated but with a hint of fondness woven into it.
“Yeah.” Chan agreed, tilting his head until his cheek rested gently atop of Seungmin’s head. “I’m a little lame...”
Seungmin only managed a faint hum in response, his heartbeat gradually slowing with each shuddering breath. His chest burned with every inhale, and his muscles throbbed like he’d just ran a marathon.
No wonder he rarely cried. It was beyond exhausting– like his body had been wrung dry.
“Dunno how Felix does it..” Seungmin whispered softly, pressing the heel of his palm against his warm, tender cheek. Chan’s chest rumbled softly against him, a low ‘hm?’ vibrating through the quiet.
“Crying.” he clarified, another sniffle forcing its way through. “I feel like I’ve been run over by a truck..”
Chan chuckled lightly. “Ah.. yeah, it’s quite the workout, eh?” He squeezed Seungmin’s shoulder, giving a brief massage to the tense muscles there. “But it feels a little good too, doesn’t it? Letting it out?”
“No.” Seungmin’s answer was immediate, without even a shred of hesitation.
Perhaps not a hundred percent truthful, if he really thought about it, but right now.. It just felt shitty.
“Welp, alright then.” The leader sighed, a small smile pulling at his lips. “If you say so.”
Chan’s cheek was still resting lightly against Seungmin’s head when he added, “Y’know… it’s actually kinda unfair.”
Seungmin blinked, voice still thick. “What is?”
Chan shifted just slightly, enough to catch the younger’s bleary gaze with a faint grin still tugging at the corners of his mouth.
“How pretty you are when you cry.”
Seungmin froze, jaw going slack. “What-“
“I’m serious!” Chan laughed softly, raising both hands in defense as Seungmin pulled back to give him a scandalised look. “It’s insane, actually. I cry and I look like a mess. You cry and you look like the lead actor of a top tier drama.”
Seungmin paused, his poor brain working overtime to make sure he was hearing him correctly. Maybe the tears had washed a few brain cells away along with them…
“That is... so dumb..” he mumbled, eyes narrowing once again. He covered his face with his hands, peeking through his fingers. "You're so dumb."
“Yeah, yeah..” Chan laughed softly, seeming entirely unfazed by the younger man’s words. "I'm dumb and lame, and you're devastatingly cute and a pretty crier~ We've established that."
Seungmin groaned, dragging one hand down his face, even as the corners of his lips twitched upward against his will. “Hyung…” he warned.
“What?” Chan nudged his shoulder lightly, ever the playful lilt in his voice. “Just saying what everyone’s thinking.”
“Everyone better not be thinking that.”
“Well, they are. You’re doomed, Kim Seungmin.”
It was Seungmin’s turn to laugh this time. It was tired and raw, but at least it was genuine. His head dropped briefly back down to rest against Chan’s shoulder, hiding the faint pink dusting his cheeks.
Whether from the fever, the tears, or Chan’s words, he didn’t bother clarifying.
Chan let the moment settle before straightening up, smoothing his hand across Seungmin’s back in one last comforting sweep. “Alright.. Fever or not, you’re clearly not feeling great…” he said, voice softening. “So let’s get you home, huh?”
Seungmin glanced up at him, eyes still glassy but clearer than before, the heaviness behind them beginning to lift just slightly. He nodded wordlessly. There was nothing he wanted more. All he wanted to do was go to sleep and forget this day ever occurred.
Chan took a step back, extending his hand out to the man still seated before him.
Seungmin hesitated for only a split second before reaching up to take it in his own, using it as leverage to pull himself upright. His fingers curled around Chan’s naturally; no dramatic pauses, no second-guessing.
Just quiet, honest trust.
Chan helped him up carefully, not letting go of him even once he knew Seungmin was steady. Their joined hands stayed clasped between them, comforting and familiar.
“…Thanks, hyung.” Seungmin said quietly, his gaze fixed on their hands for just a moment too long. Chan followed his eyes, but didn’t comment on it, only shifting slightly as they started toward the door.
“For what?” he prompted.
Seungmin glanced up at him– only to be met, once more, by that same damned smile. The one that somehow stitched together every cracked piece of him without even trying.
For everything, is what he initially wanted to say.
But it was too heavy. Too worn. Too cliché.
Instead, with what little energy he had left, Seungmin opted for a simpler response, one that didn’t feel too grand or melodramatic.
“For coming after me..”
Chan’s dimples grew just a little more prominent. “Of course..” he said– and then, a little stronger, a little steadier..
“Always.”
____________________________________________
Sup🤭
As you might’ve guessed, I— like many other stays across the globe— watched the newest 2 Kids Room featuring Seungchan (and yes, I may have cried a tiny bit).
Seeing Seungmin cry definitely sparked something within me, and this little fic was born from it. The idea of adding a potential fever actually came from a friend while I was tossing around my idea, so shoutout to them😗
Anyways, I haven’t proofread this or anything yet, so I’m sure I’ll have to go back and fix it up BUUUUT I wanted to post it and get it out into the world 😇 Hope you enjoyed it🫶🏽
• he can’t hide it because everyone notices when changbin isn’t changbining
• able to work through it most times
• doesn’t mean to push himself to the limit but working usually distracts him from the problem, so he does
• bad at realising when his body is on the verge of giving out
• and bad at realising he’s sick in the first place
• doesn’t bother to hide it but he tries to be reassuring or crack a joke here and there so no one thinks he’s dying
• likes company sometimes but appreciates being alone too
• if it’s something mild, he prefers being alone and sleeping it off, but if it’s bad, he’ll seek someone out
• feels bad about the maknae line seeing him sick but then remembers they’re not babies and it’s fine
• never wants to worry felix but the younger notices anyway, and he’s too comforting to lie to him about being fine
• his favourite members to go to are chan and minho, sometimes seungmin, but if the rest ask what’s wrong he’ll tell them
• ‘it’s okay, i just feel bad’ in a quiet voice with a tired smile that’s just sad
• won’t cuddle someone other than resting his head on them because he doesn’t have the energy to, but welcomes physical contact. cuddle him even if he doesn’t cuddle you.
• shy about being picked up so he won’t allow it unless he feels really bad, but he likes it. only lets chan or minho tho.
• a lot of the time he’s just laying down with his eyes closed, so the members think he’s asleep
• ‘he doesn’t look good, he’s so-’ ‘i’m awake’
• not scared of taking pills. they don’t bother his stomach or anything, so he just whatever he can
FEVERS
• pale face with flushed cheeks that give it away
• that’s usually the only way he can tell he’s getting a fever
• his temperature changes a lot during the day, and with it his will to live
• absolutely drained and more distracted than usual
• he zones out mid conversation if he even has one, because he doesn’t have the motivation to talk to people
• he never knows if he wants to be alone, sleep or be with someone
• body aches, so felix now has an excuse to knead his muscles
• dizzy baby. he will always try to be with someone if he feels that he’s about to pass out because he hates it so much
• stays unconscious for a longer time than the others, but everyone is used to it now
• super out of it when he comes back to his senses, looks around like a lost kid in the supermarket and panics if no one is there
• emotional when his fever is high and after passing out
• weird jokes come to his mind
• wakes up from discomfort more than from nightmares
• likes someone hugging him when he gets chills
• one moment he’s freezing and the next he doesn’t want anything warmer than ice touching him
• melts when someone checks his fever with a hand on his forehead or cheek. he leans into the touch and the others find it so cute and sad
• doesn’t get low-grade only fevers, it’s either always over 38°C or varies between ok and furnace
• dazed and unfocused, will run into anything that’s in his path
• so he likes it when the members have an arm around his shoulders or hold his hand while walking
STOMACH BUG / PAIN
• really strong stomach
• can count on one hand the amount of times he’s had a stomach bug or food poisoning
• but his belly gets upset if he eats too fast or eats a lot before going to the gym
• spends a long time being nauseous before actually throwing up, and sometimes he can’t
• but he’s afraid he’ll feel more sick once he leaves the bathroom so he just stays there on the floor
• the type to spend the night curled up on the cold tiles in front of the toilet or the bathtub with a blanket and a pillow. it’s so sad.
• absolutely can’t stand being anywhere far from the bathroom if he’s nauseous, which is like 80% of the time when he has a bug
• finds it hard to sleep when his stomach hurts because he worries he’ll wake up queasy
• likes to have someone with him because nausea drains him out and makes him feel shaky
• he just really hates the feeling of being sick or like he’s going to be
• isn’t emetophobic but the whole ordeal is just exhausting and really uncomfortable for him, so he’ll do a lot to prevent getting to that point
• which is why he also finds it hard to eat when his stomach feels sick
• prefers heating pads over hot water bottles
• luckily he rarely gets fevers with stomach bugs, because then he always gets dehydrated and since he’s scared to eat or drink anything he often ends up on an IV
• has definitely upset his stomach before by overworking in the gym, and then it just feels sore the whole day
• also, protein shakes are either a hit or miss, and he found himself throwing up in the gym’s bathroom once. since then, he’s really careful with the ones he buys and changes as little as possible
COLD / FLU
• has had the flu like two times and it was terrible
• the fever was so bad it looked like he was high on something, which could be accurate considering the amount of painkillers and stuff the members gave him
• he spent the whole time coughing up phlegm to the point of upsetting his stomach
• and if nausea is normally unpleasant, imagine when he couldn’t even take deep breaths to settle it
• he’d been really panicky because his chest had felt heavy and like he couldn’t take a full breath in, so he was always next to someone
• didn’t dare to sleep laying down. he was propped up on several pillows
• cried a lot then got shy about it once he was better
• for colds, he gets them more often
• with varying fever, but not delirium inducing like the flu
• his nose gets kinda stuffy and though he’s not exactly congested, he gets this annoying pressure between his eyebrows
• which equals headaches
• so he just lays his head on someone’s lap and lets them play with his hair
• since there’s really not much to do, he tries to sleep through it. most times it works
CARETAKER
• i love him
• the best person ever
• caring, funny, gives sickie space or hugs whenever he feels like they need it
• he’s really perceptive so he easily reads everyone’s moods
• probably the first to notice when one of the boys is sick
• cuddles and puns are his quick fix
• not squeamish at all and really really strong (like, his arms 💕)
• also great with emotions
• so you can throw up and faint and cry peacefully in his presence
• has a very reassuring aura
• he just steps into the room and sickie immediately feels safer
• has such a good way of adapting to the sickie’s needs that he’s probably the only one that has never been pushed away
i love him sm you don’t understand 😭 like he’s so perfect and pretty and everything
Feveruary Day 24: "Don't you think you should stay home today?"
Fandom: Seventeen
Sickie: S.Coups (stomach bug)
Caregiver(s): Woozi, Hoshi
Word Count: 527
Notes: Content Warning - someone is forcibly made to throw up in this fic as a tactic to coerce them to stay home. It's not graphic, but it is there!
Jihoon, thoroughly unamused, crossed his arms over his chest as he leaned in the kitchen doorway. “Don’t you think you should stay home today?” Soonyoung, who Jihoon had enlisted as backup, mimicked his pose and intimidating glare.
Seungcheol shook his head, his lower lip pouted as if in genuine thought about the question. “Not particularly.” He turned back to washing up the vegetables he was throwing together for a salad, in the process of packing a lunch. A lunch he should not be packing at all, considering he’d been throwing up for the better half of last night. The maknae line had been down with a bug all last week, having caught it from Mingyu and Wonwoo before them. It wasn’t wholly surprising that their mighty leader (the chosen pillow of all five of those members), had gone down too. It also wasn’t surprising that he was trying to deny it now, playing off his sickness as ‘just dinner disagreeing with him,’ and his unnatural paleness as ‘too many days in the studio,’ and his shaking body as ‘I worked out too hard yesterday.’
All bullshit, in Jihoon’s humble opinion.
The producer heaved a sigh. He leaned in close to Soonyoung’s ear, whispering, “I’m about to do something really mean, and I need you not to judge me for it.”
Soonyoung watched with wide, confused eyes as Jihoon moved into the kitchen. Seungcheol pretended not to watch him from the corner of his eyes as the younger man walked behind him to the mug cabinet, casually standing on his tip toes to dig around inside. After a few moments of rummaging, he came away with his preferred travel coffee mug, and stepped over to the coffee maker. As soon as he turned the machine on, Seungcheol let his guard down, missing the way that Jihoon observed his hyung, calculating exactly how much longer it would take him to longer have any cucumber in his hands. While the coffee maker warmed up, Jihoon turned to the fridge. He dug around in there for a moment. And then, Jihoon shut the fridge door, turned around, and hugged Seungcheol from behind, squeezing his abdomen with much more force than a usual hug.
“THe FU-c…” Seungcheol’s yell was cut off by a sharp gag that had him scrambling over the sink. Jihoon stopped squeezing, but kept a strong hold on the leader as he threw up in the sink. Soonyoung, completely taken aback by this turn of events, rushed in to help too, fluttering to Seungcheol’s other side and rubbing soothing circles against his shoulder blades.
As Seungcheol coughed, spitting the remnants of bile out of his mouth, a shout of “WHO JUST THREW UP?!” rang out from the upper floors. It sounded eerily like Jeonghan.
“CHEOLLIE-HYUNG!” Soonyoung called back, instantly apologizing when Seungcheol winced at the loud volume right next to his ear.
“I’M CALLING MANAGER-HYUNG!” Definitely Jeonghan.
“Well, would you look at that? Guess you’re staying home today,” Jihoon hummed with a sardonic smile.
Seungcheol glared at him. “That was cruel, Jihoonie, and you know it.”
Jihoon shrugged. “The devil works hard, but I work harder.”
Sicktember Day 11: ALT - "I didn't mean to wake you up."
Fandom: Seventeen
Sickie: Vernon (stomach flu), Joshua + Dino (regular flu)
Caregiver(s): Joshua, Dino
Word Count: 1,953
As he trudged through the door of the dorm behind the rest of the hip hop unit, Vernon believed he had never truly felt this tired before. The week had been excruciatingly long. Seventeen had been asked to attend a collaboration stage with a handful of other artists on Saturday, which had been derailed when over half of them had gone down with the flu. Or, to put it more specifically, two separate flu viruses that had assaulted them from all sides. No one had thought much of it when Seungcheol had made the decision to send Seokmin home on Monday with a cough and low-grade fever, and still didn’t after lunch when Mingyu barely made it to the trash can before throwing up. It was overwork, exhaustion. Or at least it was until Seungcheol had to run out of the subsequent meeting with their management team to avoid throwing up in the room with them. It was at that point that everyone (members, managers, EVERYONE) realized something bigger was going on, and subsequent tests revealed that, while all three members had the flu, the virus infecting the two rappers was different from the vocalist.
But that hardly mattered when everyone knew they were in for a rough week.
The group had been picked off one by one until only five healthy members remained on Friday: Jeonghan, Soonyoung, Wonwoo, Seungkwan, and Vernon. Their managers considered cancelling their appearance on Saturday, but Jeonghan (acting leader) and Hoshi (actively leading also) had convinced them to just send BSS, since both Soonyoung nor Seungkwan had been spared thus far, and Seokmin, as one of the first to get sick, was starting to turn the corner and argued he’d be healthy enough to get back out there if they pumped him with meds the morning of. They had, of course, been taking measures to keep the last healthy members as germ-free as possible. So their managers reluctantly agreed. But their hopes were ended with Soonyoung throwing up at 2am Saturday morning, and Seungkwan spiking a fever at 7. And because it was too late to back out now, the group chosen to represent Seventeen had been the hip hop team, since neither Seungcheol nor Mingyu had thrown up for 48 hours, and Wonwoo and Vernon hadn’t been sick at all.
The performance had been perfect. There was nothing better than sharing the stage with their colleagues, combining talents and seeing their fans eat up the interactions.
What was less perfect was the dull throbbing assaulting Vernon’s brain. As each song wore on, it became harder and harder to ignore the pounding in his skull, the pulsing at his temples. He started to feel claustrophobic in his own skin; the sweat pouring down his face, sticking his hair to the nape of his neck, adhering his clothes to his body, was agonizing.
Even more agonizing was that Vernon immediately knew he was getting sick. There was nothing he could do about it now. Except pray he hadn’t caught the stomach bug.
Thankfully, the rest of his bandmates didn’t seem to pay much mind to his listless silence on their journey home. Wonwoo was usually quiet after performances, recharging his social battery, and the other two clearly weren’t back to a hundred percent yet, so everyone was mercifully quiet and lost in their own thoughts on the drive back. Vernon certainly appreciated their distraction to hide his own condition, but at the same time, he had nothing to distract him from the growing pressure in his abdomen. But he could, and definitely was, owing that to the placebo effect.
When they arrived home, they were met by a welcoming party in the living room.
“Hey superstars!” Jeonghan smiled brightly from his spot on the chair with Chan wrapped around his abdomen, (Vernon didn’t have the energy to figure out how Chan was doing that, but knew that an unwell Chan wanted nothing more than to curl into one chosen hyung’s body and not let go, so he figured physics didn’t apply to him.) Jun waved from one of the couches, but the effect was dimmed since it was only one hand waving from around Minghao’s head, as the younger dancer was slumped against Jun’s left shoulder while Jihoon’s head was pillowed on his right thigh.
At Jeonghan’s words, Soonyoung’s head appeared from the back of the other couch, hair smushed up and face red with the pattern of the throw pillow. “How’d it go?”
Seungcheol chuckled adoringly, rubbing Soonyoung’s cheek. “Fantastic.” The dancer captain nodded contentedly before falling back against the couch. Vernon smiled in spite of the horrible feeling in his gut, moving quickly away from his members to escape into the void of sleep. If he could just fall asleep right now, maybe he could avoid the inevitable.
As Vernon hurried to his room, his feet automatically stopped outside a closed door. There was only one thing he wanted as much as, if not more than, sleep. Vernon considered the handle carefully, then tapped twice. There was no response. So he pushed it open. The hall light fell on the bed, on a deeply asleep Joshua’s arms already wrapped around Seungkwan. Vernon’s heart sank. Both of them looked so peaceful, yet so obviously ill, so in need of this sleep. Vernon wasn’t selfish enough to take the few steps to awaken his chosen comfort person. He closed the door with the gentlest click possible, and scurried to his own room, rubbing tears out of his eyes with a mix of frustration and embarrassment.
***
Vernon had been able to sleep for all of an hour before his body decided enough was enough. He awoke to the worst pressure he’d ever felt in his abdomen, a tangled, cramping pain as if there were a monster writhing beneath his skin. His head was pounding worse than before. His skin was clammy and sweaty and too tight. He was going to throw up. And soon.
There were no memories between the moment he woke up and the moment he was in the bathroom, emptying the contents of his stomach. In fact, Vernon would very much like to not be present in this moment at all. The churning in his stomach, the horrifying, acidic feeling of bile in his throat, the loss of control, the desire to instantly clean everything… Vernon would rather suffer anything else than vomiting.
He had no idea how long he’d been in the bathroom, how many times he’d lurched over the toilet, when a hand, ever-so-gentle, was placed on his back, right between his shoulder blades. And, try as he did, Vernon couldn’t stop his muscles from tensing, an automatic, uncontrollable response of ‘get the fuck off me.’ A sign that his body knew exactly what it wanted and would reject anything else.
And his attempted comforter knew it too. The hand withdrew, only to be replaced by the softest of grips on both of his shoulders as Chan’s voice whispered in his ear, soft as honey: “It’s okay. I’m getting Shua.”
As Chan’s soft footsteps retreated, Vernon hung his head in defeat and felt tears threatening. This was the very last thing he wanted, to be a burden to others. Now he’d likely insulted and hurt Chan by rejecting his help, and Chan was going to wake Joshua, who was also sick and needed his sleep, and the roiling of his stomach had yet to stop, and both Joshua and Chan would probably stay up to take care of him, which was the worst possible outcome in all of this, not to mention how horrific his entire body was feeling at the moment, and…
Vernon’s brain stopped completely when gentle hands wound around his abdomen, and he was enveloped in a cloud-soft hug from behind. The contact, the only thing his body wanted, opened the floodgates that had threatened for the past hour, and he let out an unrestrained sob.
“Oh, sweetheart, what’s wrong?” Joshua asked, his grip tightening ever so slightly to calm the sobbing without upsetting the rapper’s fragile stomach.
“I don’t feel good,” Vernon cried.
Joshua clicked his tongue. “Oh, Sollie. It’s gonna be okay, baby.” Vernon sobbed again, falling back into Joshua’s arms. “Have you thrown up?” Vernon nodded. Another sympathetic tongue click. “I know you hate that.” One hand left Vernon’s stomach and pushed his hair back from his forehead. The other stayed firmly in place over his abdomen, the warmth already soothing the pain there. Vernon closed his eyes as he nodded again. “Think it’s gonna happen again?” Instead of nodding, Vernon’s face screwed shut with another round of tears, prompting Joshua’s finger to smooth over his cheeks. “Oh, sweetie, I know. I know. It’s gonna be ok-ay…” The elder broke off coughing, leaning away and retracting his hand to bury his face in his sleeve. Vernon whined against his will as Joshua’s fingers left his face, and his eyes swam with new tears, this time with guilt at his selfishness. It was only a moment before the fingers were back in his hair. “Sollie, it’s okay.”
“I’m sorry…”
“Hey, hey, none of that.”
“You shouldn’t be here…”
“Honey, please…”
“Hyung, you’re so sick too, I can’t…”
Joshua’s hands cupped Vernon’s face, gentle but firm. “Chwe Hansol, listen to me. It is one in the morning. You are in a heap on the bathroom floor, throwing up, which is something you fear with a burning passion. You need to focus on you. I will be fine. I am going to sit here with you until you are ready to go back to bed, and then I’m gonna stay with you until you fall asleep. Got it?”
Vernon’s answer was to collapse forward against Joshua, face buried in the older man’s shoulder and arms scrambling for purchase around his waist. Joshua couldn’t wrap his arms back around him fast enough.
They had been sitting like that, Joshua rocking them back and forth, for an indefinite amount of time when Vernon heard a whispered, “How can I help?” He squirmed enough to see that it was Chan, leaning in the doorway, looking incredibly young. Vernon felt like crying again for rejecting the younger’s help earlier.
“Can you grab us a water, please?” Joshua replied quietly. “Maybe a damp towel too?”
“Of course.” The younger man sprang forward, pulling a clean wash cloth from the cabinet below the sink and dowsing it with water. He handed the cloth to Joshua before disappearing into the hallway.
“Okay, love, I need to sit back just a bit, there we go.” The older man pressed the damp cloth to Vernon’s forehead, smoothing the damp material across his overheated skin, cradling both cheeks and the nape of his neck. Vernon’s eyes slipped closed.
“Thank you, Shua,” he slurred.
“Anytime, love.”
Vernon didn’t realize he’d fallen asleep sitting up until he was jostled awake, hands tugging at both of his arms to try and stand him up. He pushed himself to his feet, only stumbling a little bit as his knees shook from sitting on them too long. His supports (Joshua and Chan, of course), wrapped his arms around their shoulders as they led him back to his bed. Vernon crawled under the waiting covers, his entire body sighing with relief at the soft surface of his bed after the cold discomfort of the bathroom floor. He settled further when he felt Chan slide into the bed against his back, Joshua climbing in on his other side.
This was all he’d wanted. Warm and content, safe with his best friends in the entire world, Vernon let sleep pull him under once more.
whumpee skips dinner and goes to bed early, feeling a little shaky and chilled, then wakes in the middle of the night burning with fever and drenched in sweat. she knows something is very, very wrong, and that she needs help. she stumbles her way down the hall to caretaker's room, but when she catches herself on the doorframe, she hears caretaker crying. she knocks on the door, there's no response, so she opens the door to find caretaker in the middle of a panic attack.
"what's wrong?"
"sorry, i just--it's stupid. i'm fine. i'm fine. i'm--what are you even doing up?" she manages around frantic inhales and trembling exhales.
"i heard you crying," she half lies. "i wanted to see if you were okay."
caretaker opens up and they sit together on the floor, caretaker's head on whumpee's shoulder, for a few minutes before caretaker realizes how hot she is and asks if she's still not feeling well.
"don't worry about me," she dodges.
"no, i think i will." she reaches up to whumpee's forehead and curses, immediately beelining for flu tablets and a thermometer.
"you don't have'ta do this," whumpee slurs, delirious and exhausted from the fever. "you're not okay."
"you're not okay, either," caretaker says. "you came into my room to die horribly like a hamster. we need to focus on you for a minute."
feeling guilty, whumpee accepts the thermometer--the reading far too high--and the flu tabs, drinks as much water as she can without being sick. they get her to her caretaker's bed because it's closer and tucks her in.
"just rest," caretaker says. "i want to keep an eye on you."
"but you--"
"i'm feeling much better now. it's time we take care of you."
Just because you aren’t feeling well,or you have other problems, nobody is just going to leave that alone. While broadcasting, if there isn’t a big setback, the common principle is to not let it out to the public. But because I’m writing a diary and its part of their trying course, I was deciding whether to write or not.
Yesterday night, I asked trainer ‘Bbal Ma’ about the theme of the mission and he told me that he was at the hospital.
Choi Seungcheol, who causes a lot of problems, was in the hospital.
2 weeks before the first mission, Seungcheol wasn’t feeling well too. So he stayed at the hospital for a day and left to broadcast the next day. He didn’t want people to know that he wasn’t feeling well so as if nothing, he ran around and pretended to have fun. Nobody would’ve known that he just came from the hospital a few hours before.
Last Tuesday, during the broadcast, Wonwoo wasn’t feeling well also. His fever was very close to 40°C. He was given a day to rest but he refused it and begged to be let on air. After, he then went inside the small vocal room and lied down.
They don’t want people to know that they aren’t feeling well. If they miss one day of practice, they feel like they are behind. So they would always say “Yes, we are fine.“ They really don’t want to miss a day of broadcast so they would say they are fine.
In today’s broadcast, Wonwoo and Seungcheol might not come out. They are asking their trainer to let them on air today. Their trainer is strongly disagreeing with them. We’ll see who wins when it comes out.
In Seventeen, someone is always not feeling well. Although there are 16 people, if each person gets sick, everyday they are patient. We pray for them to be strong and healthy but they are at an age where it could be home sickness are because they miss their parents. They are getting stressed out too.
Anyone can suffer from a sickness. But they are suffering and still come smiling to practice. We just really hope that you come back and support them.
Gastroenteritis is an infection of the stomach and bowel (large intestine).
The most common symptoms are vomiting and repeated episodes of diarrhoea (three or more episodes within 24 hours).
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