(Oneshot) Someone Call The Doctor
someone call the doctor
chen-pov, ot12
fluff, canon (I tried)
2893w
a/n: written in one sitting past 3am so I'm very sure there'll be lots of mistakes and probably op wasn't expecting something like this bc there's not much fluff, and obviously it's (sadly) unbetaed ;;;;;; but it was a good prompt nevertheless and I tried? Pls love me anyway? Eheh. And. Um. Would love to get feedbacks about the way I approached the prompt tbh, bc it was a sudden idea/decision and I want to know how people see it as?
anon from epm prompted this and I thought it was cute? Lol : op wanted something where Suho looks after everyone, like the umma he is but when he faints after getting a high fever, chaos ensues and everyone wants to take care of their tiny hyung.
+everyone doting on suho
++cute suho when he's ill please
+++just some suho loving and taking care of~
++++if one of the tall members spoons him while sleeping
a/n2: cross-posted at aff here
XXXX
Relative-slash-total chaos are the perfect description to the current state of their affairs, Jongdae wryly notes.
It had all started when Joonmyun-hyung fainted.
Jongdae isn't around to see shit hit the fan, so to speak-- Exo-M still has performing duties in China, and he still remembers the grip Joonmyun had around his fingers right before they head for the airport-- so all he had to do is tweak around his imagination based on Baekhyun's flaily storytelling over the phone, and honestly, it was semi-amusing and half-annoying and mostly worrying. Because Baekhyun's prone to exaggerating, and Jongdae's pretty sure that Joonmyun isn't the type to fall gracefully in a slinking effect of limbs onto the hard floors of their practice room. Quite the opposite, really. His authority as The Dancing Machine is irrefutable.
All Jongdae knows is that there was an outburst of bony planes, all warm contoured flesh, courtesy of Zitao heading straight to his small stature with high-pitched wailings about how "-Umma is sick!" alternating with "I want Suho-hyung!", and it had taken him almost an hour to make Zitao sit the fuck down and calm the fuck down and maybe, tell hyung what he's been smoking for him to be so panicky. It's the only time the hyung card works, if he's honest.
Jongdae has his bets on the cold meds Zitao's been inhaling, but then the younger kid has enough spasmodic intakes of breath to spit out about how his "dream came true" and that "last night Suho-hyung had cold like me" and somehow "I woke up right when we were cuddling together because we were cold together and we couldn't eat delicious things together"--
That is how Jongdae comes to know that their infallible leader can also fall victim to inconsequential things like fever. That's a surprise. He's so deep into their Exoplanet concept that he sometimes forgets that they're just humans.
Zitao couldn't shut up at all. His entire being is fixated on getting back to Seoul and making his dream come true-- he's adamant that cuddling Joonmyun will make things better. Jongdae snorts, because as if.
Therefore it's a miracle that Luhan-hyung thought about passing a sleep pill disguised as Vitamin C alongside Zitao's usual colorful pills meant to make his cold go away, because Jongdae doesn't know how else to make him stop shooting words at 200km/h. He doesn't press further about the origins of the pill. He's more concerned that Zitao isn't able to stop being so bouncy even when he's bogged by colds. Jongdae hates colds; makes him sound all funny.
Because Luhan's face has contorted almost unpleasantly all day at Zitao's restless, sickly energy and Minseok-hyung's on standby at all times, one palm resting lightly on Luhan's elbow. There's no point poking at the already provoked dragon. Kris and Yixing-hyung's declared themselves as Switzerland; they are not to be bothered by Luhan-Zitao Manmade And Completely Unnecessary And Whoa, Totally Invisible Bickering.
It's almost nice to have a few moments of clarity and peace while Zitao's conked out. Jongdae knows his mouth is open underneath that white mask, head hyperextended because he's so tall and the seat doesn't accommodate his length properly and Jongdae allows himself to pat Zitao's lax arm entwined around his smaller forearm. Rhythmically, because it helps him categorize and compartmentalize and sketch out his plan of actions.
Zitao's cute, even if he's a total brat. And he listens to Jongdae like his words are law. Sometimes. That's good.
True to his predictions, they didn't get to see Joonmyun immediately.
Jongdae keeps a tight hold on Zitao as they all file obediently, in pairs, to see their panel physician. Something about how it's potentially worrysome that there's respective members of both M and K bogged down with colds and fevers. Especially since they have a full schedule ahead soon.
Jongdae makes Zitao stay still the whole time. And makes him munch on sugar-free gummy bears so that he's less nervous and more distracted. And makes him pinky-promise that he's not going to smother Joonmyun the moment they step over the threshold of their dorm.
Zitao grins cutely despite the flushed cheeks and cracked lips, and wraps his pinky around Jongdae's. Jongdae knows better than to believe him.
First thing Jongdae sees when they cross past the door is Joonmyun, completely ensconced and appearing super tiny within Chanyeol's huge arm span. He's literally swimming in Kris's 00 sweater, worn front-to-back, fingers clutching fabric like a baby, even if the weather's warm enough to not need such thick material. Jongdae catches sight of Kris smiling softly when he notices the outfit. And then grimaces before disappearing into his room, probably to unpack, because their trusty old couch sags more than it usually does since there's also Kyungsoo and Sehun, flanking Chanyeol.
Joonmyun and Chanyeol are both asleep. But in contrast to Chanyeol's normal and expected slackened jaw, Joonmyun's eyes are closed tightly and his face flushed and his forehead slick with sweat and his breaths rise and fall barely visible even as Jongdae peers closely, one step at a time. He keeps a firm grip on Zitao's wrist, one finger on his lips as he cocks his head in Joonmyun's direction. Zitao jiggles and pouts, but nods almost immediately when Jongdae narrows his gaze in warning.
Jongdae glances at his watch and pokes at the pouty maknae.
"Zitao." Gestures at his wrist, and then to the kitchen. He doesn't miss the icky frown Zitao puts on. "Medicine time." And pats Zitao's butt, pushing him to the right direction. "You have to wait till he wakes up."
Jongdae smiles and juts out his lips cutely, and laughs low as Zitao skips his way obediently into the kitchen. So, so easy. And redirects his attention to the saggy-couch line, sighing internally. There's a permanent crease on Kyungsoo's forehead, and Sehun's biting his upper lip continuously. It's probably an unconscious action, and Jongdae knows they're worried.
"Hey-" Jongdae ruffles Kyungsoo's hair affectionately, the way he always do. "Don't be so grumpy. I didn't come home to see you so black and blue." Kyungsoo snaps his head backwards and tries to bite his fingers, and Jongdae laughs more, a rumble in his abdomen. He moves his bony digits out of Kyungsoo's range and pulls at Sehun's philtrum instead. "He'll be fine, Sehun-ah. Stop that, your lips are red already."
One hand gently pushes Chanyeol's open mouth shut while his other lands equally softly on Joonmyun's forehead. Jongdae's alarmed at the burning heat emanating, his eyes widened, and Kyungsoo sighs audibly.
"He's been sleeping for two days straight now." Kyungsoo's gaze is heavy.
"So he didn't faint yesterday?" Jongdae's confused.
"Baekhyun didn't want you guys to know." Kyungsoo smiles softly. "He says Zitao wouldn't be able to focus."
Jongdae nods. Baekhyun's right. Sehun's lips tremble.
"What did you cook for him?"
"Porridge. He vomits them back out after five minutes." Kyungsoo looks absolutely forlorn. "He gags with every spoon. Jongin had to hold him while we try to feed him. Had to force medicine down his throat."
Jongdae shudders at the image painted in his head.
"He keeps saying sorry after that." Sehun's words are muffled, his face against Chanyeol's bare deltoid.
"Hospital?" Jongdae enquires.
"Too many sasaengs. Couldn't sneak him out." Sehun jerks and spits out, angry, and wilts into Chanyeol's unmoving shape again.
"That's okay. I'm here now." Jongdae pats Sehun's cheek twice, and smiles when Sehun leans into his touch.
"Tao-yah!" The croak is weak, but it's unmistakably Joonmyun.
Sleeping Beauty's up, it seems, and Jongdae glances across the room, tearing his eyes away from the game he's playing. Zitao's already smothering Joonmyun with hugs and pouts and nonstop pitter-patter of Korean, and Jongdae doesn't know why he bothers with warning Zitao beforehand.
"Hey hyung-" Jongdae raises one hand in a wave, and grins when he gets a semi-successful gesture back, weak, hidden by flailing limbs. "Zitao-"
"Sorry, sorry, sorry!" Zitao splutters, mischief still lingering in his nasal tone. "Won't do it anymore!" He giggles when Joonmyun only lets out a resigned huff and exchanges a knowing glance at Jongdae.
That's when Luhan and Minseok enters, each nursing a cup of Americano in one hand, and Minseok is holding on to a small plastic in his other hand.
"Hey Luhan hyung, Minseok hyung-" Joonmyun's stifled greetings is reciprocated by Luhan casually sauntering to the couch, pushing Zitao aside amidst his enraged wails and pressing a kiss at his forehead and Jongdae can hear Joonmyun groaning. Minseok laughs--
"Stay down, kid. We'll make you get better fast." Minseok winks and raises the plastic higher. "Kris said his mom gave him this really simple family recipe thing, and he swears by it. Said it made him survive chicken pox." He snorts.
The weak curve of a smile doesn't disappear from Joonmyun's face. Jongdae thinks he looks loads better already.
A feverish Joonmyun is different from a depressed Joonmyun, or a sprained-ankle Joonmyun, or a homesick Joonmyun, or even a frustrated Joonmyun.
"Maybe it's a universal thing." Jongdae muses low, his thoughts directed at Baekhyun sitting next to him. He keeps watching, fascinated, as Kris tries to feed Joonmyun-- the war zone is littered with exchanges of "One more, please, please, Joonmyun-ah please just one more" and "Fuck" and several variations of high-pitched repetitions of painful "No's" and "I don't want's". Jongin's employed again to keep a firm grasp around Joonmyun while the rest watches the trade-off with ill-disguised amusement. Luhan's face is extremely laden with that, the amusement.
"I wasn't like that." Baekhyun's eyebrows are raised. "I don't think I was ever like that. Were you?"
"No?" Jongdae knows he's a baby though. And he knows Baekhyun knows because dude has his knowing, judgmental bitch face on. "My mom just wants me to get well as fast as I can?" He allows Baekhyun to snicker, because he's aware that he's utterly defenseless.
"It's nice." Baekhyun's face suddenly softens, genuine warmth scorching, and it's a heartwarming picture Jongdae doesn't get to see often.
"Yeah." Jongdae nods anyway even if it's unnecessary. "It's so rare to baby him. All we do is bully him." He snorts because Joonmyun's face is growing redder and redder by the moment and he looks like he's going to cry at the excessive amount of attention he's getting.
Joonmyun doesn't throw up after that even as they all wait in thrumming nerves, ready with a stack of brown bag and a bucket, whichever Joonmyun prefers.
Everyone releases relieved exhale of air at the same time, and Joonmyun looks proud of himself. It's really adorable. Jongdae thinks everyone will get to sleep a little bit better tonight.
Except they don't, not really. Not without some obstacles.
Joonmyun colors prettily into a shade of healthier pink compared to the sickly red he's been sporting for the past two days (according to Kyungsoo, at least), and he's been whining for their scheduled family meeting to happen anyway, because-- "I feel better already! Let's do this guys!"
Jongdae thinks everyone's nonplussed reaction is convincing enough in response to his shaky tone, but Joonmyun ploughs on anyway saying that-- "I can just cuddle with Chanyeol and then we can sit in a circle here in the middle and then we can have meetings like usual!"
But his words are punctuated with wheezes and some leftover tremblings and it's worrying; Minseok's halfway to abusing his veto power as the oldest hyung and ordering bed rest for everyone. Jongdae can read Minseok's face that much. Plus Luhan's been poking Yixing-hyung's swaying body none-too-subtly at intervals of thirty seconds and Jongdae's sure there will be tiny pinpricks of bruises sprouted tomorrow.
Jongin and Sehun keeps their hands hidden, and Jongdae knows each of their knuckles are pale with tension, entwined with each other's. It's obvious. Especially since Jongin's been hiding behind his curtain of hair, as much as he can anyway, and Sehun's hiding behind Jongin's hunched back. Jongdae wants to snap at Jongin, make him sit straight, ramrod straight, because his back doesn't need the extra curve, lest he wakes up with unwarranted ache that will take more time to disappear.
Baekhyun's pinching Jongdae's side incessantly, and he's really annoyed at it. He swats away the offending limb, but it keeps coming, like black ants that's found a trail to the holy grail of sweet honey--
"You're so annoying, Baekhyunah-" Jongdae hisses under his breath, but then he realizes that Baekhyun is gesturing at the two youngest 'uns, as if he'd noticed Jongdae's angry stare at the two.
Jongdae sighs, because Lord Help Him, Why Is Baekhyun So Exasperating And Attentive At The Same Time.
"Joonmyun hyung-" Jongdae speaks out amidst the low rumble of din that the other members make and grins when the noise does down, "I think you should sleep now." He ignores that overused pity face Joonmyun's been abusing as of lately, "and I'm sure Sehun and Jongin will be glad to be your bodyguards of the night. Kyungsoo said you've been sleeping with Chanyeol since you became sick and we don't need him to catch whatever you have next."
Joonmyun's face genuinely falls, and Jongdae feels like he's just murdered a dying puppy. It is low blow to guilt-trip his leader like that, he'll readily admit. Jongdae cringes internally, and hopes Joonmyun won't hate him too much.
Of course he couldn't sleep as fitfully as he wants.
Jongdae's evicted, effective for the night, because Zitao insists on being Joonmyun's third snuggle-bear. He pretends to huff and puff, but Joonmyun's exasperated-but-overwhelmingly-happy face is an image that is hard to erase, and hard to deny.
So here he is, squashed in between Kyungsoo and the wall, on Kyungsoo's bed, because Baekhyun's logic is that Kyungsoo can offer the most space since he's the smallest of them all. Jongdae still thinks it's better if they can just merge Kyungsoo's and Luhan's beds together at the middle, but the older male's disgusted scrunched up expression is more than telling.
It's comfortable. Kyungsoo is small and warm and unmoving, a stable ground to his disoriented physique. Jetsetting between Korea and China for performances and interviews and squeezing past fangirls drain him dry, and when coupled with worrying for Joonmyun, it becomes the perfect recipe to producing a prune-y flattened Jongdae.
He gingerly pushes up into a sitting position and propels his body over Kyungsoo's- he bends his knees in time to hit the floor clumsy and slightly noisy, but Kyungsoo only moves an inch. He smiles. Playing hooky in China has clearly taught him good real-life skills.
Jongdae pads on autopilot to his own room, the door's been left slightly ajar. He peeks in, and the sliver of light from the hallway falls on Jongin's profile. He's strapped into place, unmoving, by Sehun, who's supine at the very edge of the bed, his breathing regular, his mouth closed, and he looks truly pretty and handsome and perfect even while sleeping.
Jongdae enters, and belatedly notices how Joonmyun's head is nestled comfortably on Jongin's arm. Zitao meanwhile is lying on his chest over at the opposite edge of the bed, one leg over Joonmyun's lower half and one straying arm sliding uselessly down the bed.
Someone has enough sense to make it so that the beds are smushed together in a way that makes it enables Jongdae to encircle around. Even with minimal light, he can see that there's a basin on the floor on Zitao's side, filled with water and melted ice cubes, and the limp hand is clutching a damp cloth.
"Ah." Jongdae whispers. It's past midnight, definitely not a good time to be sappy and whatnot, he thinks but he cannot stop his muscles from stretching and contracting. Times like this makes life bearable. Makes things sweet and amazing and just worth it all.
Jongdae grabs a fresh towel from his closet anyway, dips it into the basin of water and squeezes it nicely before arranging it neatly on Joonmyun's forehead. He also allows a chaste kiss on Sehun's forehead before exiting because face it, such chance doesn't really come often.
It's a miracle but somehow he slips back next to Kyungsoo without waking the friend up. He weaves an arm over the narrow upper abdomen and drapes a leg over, the way Kyungsoo absolutely hates, making himself as comfortable as he can. He notices how Kyungsoo relaxes to his touch anyway; satisfied, he snuggles deeper and falls asleep so easily.
Obviously Joonmyun doesn't miraculously recover overnight.
Even Yixing shakes his head and mutters how glad he is that he's never been particularly attached to become a real healer, a doctor, or something of the sort, because two days of babying Joonmyun are nice and all, don't get him wrong. But to do that on a daily basis, for people that he barely knows, for an entire lifetime?
"I don't have that much patience." Yixing blinks, strumming at his guitar. "I'm willing to sing away my entire life, though," he adds thoughtfully, earnestly.
In the background, it's Sehun's turn to feed Joonmyun. They had Rock-Scissor-Paper-ed, but Patient Joonmyun overrules the results and demands for Sehun.
Jongdae thinks Joonmyun's having too much fun bossing around Sehun, that's all.
(As if they don't do it on a daily basis, he snorts.)
chen-pov, ot12
fluff, canon (I tried)
2893w
a/n: written in one sitting past 3am so I'm very sure there'll be lots of mistakes and probably op wasn't expecting something like this bc there's not much fluff, and obviously it's (sadly) unbetaed ;;;;;; but it was a good prompt nevertheless and I tried? Pls love me anyway? Eheh. And. Um. Would love to get feedbacks about the way I approached the prompt tbh, bc it was a sudden idea/decision and I want to know how people see it as?
anon from epm prompted this and I thought it was cute? Lol : op wanted something where Suho looks after everyone, like the umma he is but when he faints after getting a high fever, chaos ensues and everyone wants to take care of their tiny hyung.
+everyone doting on suho
++cute suho when he's ill please
+++just some suho loving and taking care of~
++++if one of the tall members spoons him while sleeping
a/n2: cross-posted at aff here
XXXX
Relative-slash-total chaos are the perfect description to the current state of their affairs, Jongdae wryly notes.
It had all started when Joonmyun-hyung fainted.
Jongdae isn't around to see shit hit the fan, so to speak-- Exo-M still has performing duties in China, and he still remembers the grip Joonmyun had around his fingers right before they head for the airport-- so all he had to do is tweak around his imagination based on Baekhyun's flaily storytelling over the phone, and honestly, it was semi-amusing and half-annoying and mostly worrying. Because Baekhyun's prone to exaggerating, and Jongdae's pretty sure that Joonmyun isn't the type to fall gracefully in a slinking effect of limbs onto the hard floors of their practice room. Quite the opposite, really. His authority as The Dancing Machine is irrefutable.
All Jongdae knows is that there was an outburst of bony planes, all warm contoured flesh, courtesy of Zitao heading straight to his small stature with high-pitched wailings about how "-Umma is sick!" alternating with "I want Suho-hyung!", and it had taken him almost an hour to make Zitao sit the fuck down and calm the fuck down and maybe, tell hyung what he's been smoking for him to be so panicky. It's the only time the hyung card works, if he's honest.
Jongdae has his bets on the cold meds Zitao's been inhaling, but then the younger kid has enough spasmodic intakes of breath to spit out about how his "dream came true" and that "last night Suho-hyung had cold like me" and somehow "I woke up right when we were cuddling together because we were cold together and we couldn't eat delicious things together"--
That is how Jongdae comes to know that their infallible leader can also fall victim to inconsequential things like fever. That's a surprise. He's so deep into their Exoplanet concept that he sometimes forgets that they're just humans.
Zitao couldn't shut up at all. His entire being is fixated on getting back to Seoul and making his dream come true-- he's adamant that cuddling Joonmyun will make things better. Jongdae snorts, because as if.
Therefore it's a miracle that Luhan-hyung thought about passing a sleep pill disguised as Vitamin C alongside Zitao's usual colorful pills meant to make his cold go away, because Jongdae doesn't know how else to make him stop shooting words at 200km/h. He doesn't press further about the origins of the pill. He's more concerned that Zitao isn't able to stop being so bouncy even when he's bogged by colds. Jongdae hates colds; makes him sound all funny.
Because Luhan's face has contorted almost unpleasantly all day at Zitao's restless, sickly energy and Minseok-hyung's on standby at all times, one palm resting lightly on Luhan's elbow. There's no point poking at the already provoked dragon. Kris and Yixing-hyung's declared themselves as Switzerland; they are not to be bothered by Luhan-Zitao Manmade And Completely Unnecessary And Whoa, Totally Invisible Bickering.
It's almost nice to have a few moments of clarity and peace while Zitao's conked out. Jongdae knows his mouth is open underneath that white mask, head hyperextended because he's so tall and the seat doesn't accommodate his length properly and Jongdae allows himself to pat Zitao's lax arm entwined around his smaller forearm. Rhythmically, because it helps him categorize and compartmentalize and sketch out his plan of actions.
Zitao's cute, even if he's a total brat. And he listens to Jongdae like his words are law. Sometimes. That's good.
True to his predictions, they didn't get to see Joonmyun immediately.
Jongdae keeps a tight hold on Zitao as they all file obediently, in pairs, to see their panel physician. Something about how it's potentially worrysome that there's respective members of both M and K bogged down with colds and fevers. Especially since they have a full schedule ahead soon.
Jongdae makes Zitao stay still the whole time. And makes him munch on sugar-free gummy bears so that he's less nervous and more distracted. And makes him pinky-promise that he's not going to smother Joonmyun the moment they step over the threshold of their dorm.
Zitao grins cutely despite the flushed cheeks and cracked lips, and wraps his pinky around Jongdae's. Jongdae knows better than to believe him.
First thing Jongdae sees when they cross past the door is Joonmyun, completely ensconced and appearing super tiny within Chanyeol's huge arm span. He's literally swimming in Kris's 00 sweater, worn front-to-back, fingers clutching fabric like a baby, even if the weather's warm enough to not need such thick material. Jongdae catches sight of Kris smiling softly when he notices the outfit. And then grimaces before disappearing into his room, probably to unpack, because their trusty old couch sags more than it usually does since there's also Kyungsoo and Sehun, flanking Chanyeol.
Joonmyun and Chanyeol are both asleep. But in contrast to Chanyeol's normal and expected slackened jaw, Joonmyun's eyes are closed tightly and his face flushed and his forehead slick with sweat and his breaths rise and fall barely visible even as Jongdae peers closely, one step at a time. He keeps a firm grip on Zitao's wrist, one finger on his lips as he cocks his head in Joonmyun's direction. Zitao jiggles and pouts, but nods almost immediately when Jongdae narrows his gaze in warning.
Jongdae glances at his watch and pokes at the pouty maknae.
"Zitao." Gestures at his wrist, and then to the kitchen. He doesn't miss the icky frown Zitao puts on. "Medicine time." And pats Zitao's butt, pushing him to the right direction. "You have to wait till he wakes up."
Jongdae smiles and juts out his lips cutely, and laughs low as Zitao skips his way obediently into the kitchen. So, so easy. And redirects his attention to the saggy-couch line, sighing internally. There's a permanent crease on Kyungsoo's forehead, and Sehun's biting his upper lip continuously. It's probably an unconscious action, and Jongdae knows they're worried.
"Hey-" Jongdae ruffles Kyungsoo's hair affectionately, the way he always do. "Don't be so grumpy. I didn't come home to see you so black and blue." Kyungsoo snaps his head backwards and tries to bite his fingers, and Jongdae laughs more, a rumble in his abdomen. He moves his bony digits out of Kyungsoo's range and pulls at Sehun's philtrum instead. "He'll be fine, Sehun-ah. Stop that, your lips are red already."
One hand gently pushes Chanyeol's open mouth shut while his other lands equally softly on Joonmyun's forehead. Jongdae's alarmed at the burning heat emanating, his eyes widened, and Kyungsoo sighs audibly.
"He's been sleeping for two days straight now." Kyungsoo's gaze is heavy.
"So he didn't faint yesterday?" Jongdae's confused.
"Baekhyun didn't want you guys to know." Kyungsoo smiles softly. "He says Zitao wouldn't be able to focus."
Jongdae nods. Baekhyun's right. Sehun's lips tremble.
"What did you cook for him?"
"Porridge. He vomits them back out after five minutes." Kyungsoo looks absolutely forlorn. "He gags with every spoon. Jongin had to hold him while we try to feed him. Had to force medicine down his throat."
Jongdae shudders at the image painted in his head.
"He keeps saying sorry after that." Sehun's words are muffled, his face against Chanyeol's bare deltoid.
"Hospital?" Jongdae enquires.
"Too many sasaengs. Couldn't sneak him out." Sehun jerks and spits out, angry, and wilts into Chanyeol's unmoving shape again.
"That's okay. I'm here now." Jongdae pats Sehun's cheek twice, and smiles when Sehun leans into his touch.
"Tao-yah!" The croak is weak, but it's unmistakably Joonmyun.
Sleeping Beauty's up, it seems, and Jongdae glances across the room, tearing his eyes away from the game he's playing. Zitao's already smothering Joonmyun with hugs and pouts and nonstop pitter-patter of Korean, and Jongdae doesn't know why he bothers with warning Zitao beforehand.
"Hey hyung-" Jongdae raises one hand in a wave, and grins when he gets a semi-successful gesture back, weak, hidden by flailing limbs. "Zitao-"
"Sorry, sorry, sorry!" Zitao splutters, mischief still lingering in his nasal tone. "Won't do it anymore!" He giggles when Joonmyun only lets out a resigned huff and exchanges a knowing glance at Jongdae.
That's when Luhan and Minseok enters, each nursing a cup of Americano in one hand, and Minseok is holding on to a small plastic in his other hand.
"Hey Luhan hyung, Minseok hyung-" Joonmyun's stifled greetings is reciprocated by Luhan casually sauntering to the couch, pushing Zitao aside amidst his enraged wails and pressing a kiss at his forehead and Jongdae can hear Joonmyun groaning. Minseok laughs--
"Stay down, kid. We'll make you get better fast." Minseok winks and raises the plastic higher. "Kris said his mom gave him this really simple family recipe thing, and he swears by it. Said it made him survive chicken pox." He snorts.
The weak curve of a smile doesn't disappear from Joonmyun's face. Jongdae thinks he looks loads better already.
A feverish Joonmyun is different from a depressed Joonmyun, or a sprained-ankle Joonmyun, or a homesick Joonmyun, or even a frustrated Joonmyun.
"Maybe it's a universal thing." Jongdae muses low, his thoughts directed at Baekhyun sitting next to him. He keeps watching, fascinated, as Kris tries to feed Joonmyun-- the war zone is littered with exchanges of "One more, please, please, Joonmyun-ah please just one more" and "Fuck" and several variations of high-pitched repetitions of painful "No's" and "I don't want's". Jongin's employed again to keep a firm grasp around Joonmyun while the rest watches the trade-off with ill-disguised amusement. Luhan's face is extremely laden with that, the amusement.
"I wasn't like that." Baekhyun's eyebrows are raised. "I don't think I was ever like that. Were you?"
"No?" Jongdae knows he's a baby though. And he knows Baekhyun knows because dude has his knowing, judgmental bitch face on. "My mom just wants me to get well as fast as I can?" He allows Baekhyun to snicker, because he's aware that he's utterly defenseless.
"It's nice." Baekhyun's face suddenly softens, genuine warmth scorching, and it's a heartwarming picture Jongdae doesn't get to see often.
"Yeah." Jongdae nods anyway even if it's unnecessary. "It's so rare to baby him. All we do is bully him." He snorts because Joonmyun's face is growing redder and redder by the moment and he looks like he's going to cry at the excessive amount of attention he's getting.
Joonmyun doesn't throw up after that even as they all wait in thrumming nerves, ready with a stack of brown bag and a bucket, whichever Joonmyun prefers.
Everyone releases relieved exhale of air at the same time, and Joonmyun looks proud of himself. It's really adorable. Jongdae thinks everyone will get to sleep a little bit better tonight.
Except they don't, not really. Not without some obstacles.
Joonmyun colors prettily into a shade of healthier pink compared to the sickly red he's been sporting for the past two days (according to Kyungsoo, at least), and he's been whining for their scheduled family meeting to happen anyway, because-- "I feel better already! Let's do this guys!"
Jongdae thinks everyone's nonplussed reaction is convincing enough in response to his shaky tone, but Joonmyun ploughs on anyway saying that-- "I can just cuddle with Chanyeol and then we can sit in a circle here in the middle and then we can have meetings like usual!"
But his words are punctuated with wheezes and some leftover tremblings and it's worrying; Minseok's halfway to abusing his veto power as the oldest hyung and ordering bed rest for everyone. Jongdae can read Minseok's face that much. Plus Luhan's been poking Yixing-hyung's swaying body none-too-subtly at intervals of thirty seconds and Jongdae's sure there will be tiny pinpricks of bruises sprouted tomorrow.
Jongin and Sehun keeps their hands hidden, and Jongdae knows each of their knuckles are pale with tension, entwined with each other's. It's obvious. Especially since Jongin's been hiding behind his curtain of hair, as much as he can anyway, and Sehun's hiding behind Jongin's hunched back. Jongdae wants to snap at Jongin, make him sit straight, ramrod straight, because his back doesn't need the extra curve, lest he wakes up with unwarranted ache that will take more time to disappear.
Baekhyun's pinching Jongdae's side incessantly, and he's really annoyed at it. He swats away the offending limb, but it keeps coming, like black ants that's found a trail to the holy grail of sweet honey--
"You're so annoying, Baekhyunah-" Jongdae hisses under his breath, but then he realizes that Baekhyun is gesturing at the two youngest 'uns, as if he'd noticed Jongdae's angry stare at the two.
Jongdae sighs, because Lord Help Him, Why Is Baekhyun So Exasperating And Attentive At The Same Time.
"Joonmyun hyung-" Jongdae speaks out amidst the low rumble of din that the other members make and grins when the noise does down, "I think you should sleep now." He ignores that overused pity face Joonmyun's been abusing as of lately, "and I'm sure Sehun and Jongin will be glad to be your bodyguards of the night. Kyungsoo said you've been sleeping with Chanyeol since you became sick and we don't need him to catch whatever you have next."
Joonmyun's face genuinely falls, and Jongdae feels like he's just murdered a dying puppy. It is low blow to guilt-trip his leader like that, he'll readily admit. Jongdae cringes internally, and hopes Joonmyun won't hate him too much.
Of course he couldn't sleep as fitfully as he wants.
Jongdae's evicted, effective for the night, because Zitao insists on being Joonmyun's third snuggle-bear. He pretends to huff and puff, but Joonmyun's exasperated-but-overwhelmingly-happy face is an image that is hard to erase, and hard to deny.
So here he is, squashed in between Kyungsoo and the wall, on Kyungsoo's bed, because Baekhyun's logic is that Kyungsoo can offer the most space since he's the smallest of them all. Jongdae still thinks it's better if they can just merge Kyungsoo's and Luhan's beds together at the middle, but the older male's disgusted scrunched up expression is more than telling.
It's comfortable. Kyungsoo is small and warm and unmoving, a stable ground to his disoriented physique. Jetsetting between Korea and China for performances and interviews and squeezing past fangirls drain him dry, and when coupled with worrying for Joonmyun, it becomes the perfect recipe to producing a prune-y flattened Jongdae.
He gingerly pushes up into a sitting position and propels his body over Kyungsoo's- he bends his knees in time to hit the floor clumsy and slightly noisy, but Kyungsoo only moves an inch. He smiles. Playing hooky in China has clearly taught him good real-life skills.
Jongdae pads on autopilot to his own room, the door's been left slightly ajar. He peeks in, and the sliver of light from the hallway falls on Jongin's profile. He's strapped into place, unmoving, by Sehun, who's supine at the very edge of the bed, his breathing regular, his mouth closed, and he looks truly pretty and handsome and perfect even while sleeping.
Jongdae enters, and belatedly notices how Joonmyun's head is nestled comfortably on Jongin's arm. Zitao meanwhile is lying on his chest over at the opposite edge of the bed, one leg over Joonmyun's lower half and one straying arm sliding uselessly down the bed.
Someone has enough sense to make it so that the beds are smushed together in a way that makes it enables Jongdae to encircle around. Even with minimal light, he can see that there's a basin on the floor on Zitao's side, filled with water and melted ice cubes, and the limp hand is clutching a damp cloth.
"Ah." Jongdae whispers. It's past midnight, definitely not a good time to be sappy and whatnot, he thinks but he cannot stop his muscles from stretching and contracting. Times like this makes life bearable. Makes things sweet and amazing and just worth it all.
Jongdae grabs a fresh towel from his closet anyway, dips it into the basin of water and squeezes it nicely before arranging it neatly on Joonmyun's forehead. He also allows a chaste kiss on Sehun's forehead before exiting because face it, such chance doesn't really come often.
It's a miracle but somehow he slips back next to Kyungsoo without waking the friend up. He weaves an arm over the narrow upper abdomen and drapes a leg over, the way Kyungsoo absolutely hates, making himself as comfortable as he can. He notices how Kyungsoo relaxes to his touch anyway; satisfied, he snuggles deeper and falls asleep so easily.
Obviously Joonmyun doesn't miraculously recover overnight.
Even Yixing shakes his head and mutters how glad he is that he's never been particularly attached to become a real healer, a doctor, or something of the sort, because two days of babying Joonmyun are nice and all, don't get him wrong. But to do that on a daily basis, for people that he barely knows, for an entire lifetime?
"I don't have that much patience." Yixing blinks, strumming at his guitar. "I'm willing to sing away my entire life, though," he adds thoughtfully, earnestly.
In the background, it's Sehun's turn to feed Joonmyun. They had Rock-Scissor-Paper-ed, but Patient Joonmyun overrules the results and demands for Sehun.
Jongdae thinks Joonmyun's having too much fun bossing around Sehun, that's all.
(As if they don't do it on a daily basis, he snorts.)