cuddlepilefics

[cuddlepilefics]

Obviously, I had to write a sickfic based on the skz Consequence interview…

You can find the whole interview on YouTube if you wanna watch the whole thing!

Now bear with me, this is the first time I’ve done any creative writing in YEARS and I’ve never written a K-pop sickfic before.

Previously when I’ve written, I’ve always written mostly in 3rd person, but with a limited insight from the sick persons point of view.

In this, I wanted to capture both Hyunjins side of the story, his emotions etc, but also some from Seungmin- naturally. Idk, I enjoyed writing it, but I do find it a little hard to make the shift feel smooth.

Please let me know what you think! I definitely would like to write more sickfics, this was an alluring start… and I really would like to improve!

Enjoy

_____________________________________

Blurred edges

It was almost like muscle memory, the way Hyunjin reached out his hand and waved it in a circle in front of Seungmins face. His other hand rested down on his shoulder as he looked at him, concern blooming in his chest.

He could notice the looks from the other members, but luckily Bang Chan held the microphone and answered the final question before they were free to leave. The camera crew could focus on him, Hyunjin thought, and he could focus on Seungmin.

His absent gaze lingered in the nothingness a little longer than Hyunjin liked, but after a second, Seungmin turned to his bandmate with a dazed blink. His expression was unchanged and vacant, eyes still glazed, but there was a silent understanding. He just wanted it to be over, and hoped it would be soon. Seungmin turned to look at Chan, dizzily trying to comprehend what he was saying.

Hyunjins hand moved from his shoulder to gently caress the back of Seungmins neck, noting the cool dampness of his skin and the heat radiating from him. He prayed the cameras didn’t catch the way he visibly cringed, unable to mask his worry. At the very least that it wouldn’t make the cut. He just felt so helpless, watching Seungmin struggle in such pained silence.

He had forgotten the ‘don’t draw attention to it’ completely in favor of checking in on his dongsaeng. It was the end of the interview anyways, so it was fine.

“-so, buckle up and get ready for the storm to come” he heard Chan finish the interview with a perfect flourish, and everyone gave a small round of applause. Hyunjin merely pat his free hand against his outer thigh, too preoccupied with Seungmin.

If it was possible, Seungmins complexion had paled even more since the start of the interview, and Hyunjin couldn’t help but notice how dull his eyes were. The worry burned in his chest.

That morning, when he had asked, Seungmin had merely shrugged and said he felt a little ‘off’. But during breakfast, Hyunjin had watched as Seungmin managed to stomach nothing but half a saltine and a couple sips of water. This wasn’t just exhaustion. Something was obviously wrong.

Chan exchanged a few more words with the interviewer, and once the cameras were off, the tension in the air seemed to shift. Without warning, Seungmin slumped forward in his seat. Hyunjin was by his side in an instant, wrapping an arm around his waist as the feverish boy wavered on his feet.

“Come on” he said with a voice so tender it almost cradled his words. Seungmin ducked his head, eyes blearily looking at the path before him as they trudged together towards the dressing room.

During the objectively short walk, Hyunjin couldn’t help but steal glances at him, increasingly aware of how he was not just supporting him, but carrying more of his weight with each step. Seungmin could hardly take a single step of his own, his feet dragging sluggishly and stumbling against the floor.

“Soon there, Minnie, I got you” Hyunjin murmured, unsure if Seungmin even heard him, but giving it a try nonetheless.

The door to the dressing room was just down the hall, only a few more steps to go.

“Hyung…”

Hyunjin wasn’t sure if Seungmin had stumbled on the threshold or if his body simply gave out, but in an instant, he was just about carrying deadweight.

“Shit-“ Seungmin felt like a deflating balloon in his arms, his face pale and his breathing shallow and erratic. Before anyone could react, a deep, guttural gurgle echoed from his throat. Hyunjin’s eyes shot wide, but he didn’t move as a surge of vomit erupted from Seungmin’s mouth, splashing across his jacket sleeve and hitting the floor with a nauseating splat.

Hyunjin swiftly dropped himself down to sit on one knee, easing Seungmin’s collapsing form into a safer position, his body the only thing holding him up. One arm wrapped tightly around Seungmin’s back and waist, the other crossing over his chest to keep him from toppling forward. He couldn’t tell if Seungmin was even conscious—his body felt like it was barely holding itself together by the seams.

Another choked noise tore through Seungmin, and a second wave of vomit poured from his pale lips, mixing with the mess already on the floor. Hyunjin didn’t even register the mess on his jacket, his attention fixed entirely on Seungmin, and what he could possibly do to help. Seungmin’s body shook like a leaf, wringing itself out, before going completely limp in his arms.

“Seungmin—” Hyunjin’s voice caught in his throat, his breath hitching with panic. “Help! Someone!” he cried out, his voice sharp and desperate as he pulled Seungmin’s unresponsive body against his chest.

Shaking, he shuffled away from the rancid mess on the floor, carefully lowering his bandmate down with trembling hands. His fingers moved instinctively to Seungmin’s neck, checking for a pulse. A rush of relief washed over him. Thank god— it was fast and weak, but at least he was still alive..

The echo of multiple sets of feet pounding down the hallway was almost disorienting, but Hyunjin barely registered it as he looked down at Seungmin, his chest tight. When he finally glanced back, he saw the rest of the group rushing toward them, their faces a mix of confusion and fear.

Chan was quick to take charge, sending out orders and making sure the scene was as secluded as it could be in an open hallway. They called the medics, and the rest of the members shielded the boys on the floor from the onlooking crews.

Within a minute or so, medical staff took over, and Hyunjin sat frozen on the floor, eyes watery and heart pounding rapidly against his chest.

Seungmin remained motionless, his brows pinched together in what seemed to be pain, his skin an alarming shade of ashen white. The sight made Hyunjin’s stomach churn, dread clawing its way up his throat.

God, please don’t let this be as bad as it feels, he thought desperately. Why hadn’t he pushed him harder that morning? If he’d insisted, maybe they could’ve postponed the interview, or Seungmin could have been excused— maybe this could’ve been avoided altogether.

“Hey-“ Changbins voice broke through his spiralling thoughts. Hyunjin flinched when he felt a hand on his shoulder, but when he looked up, he saw his hyung offering a look of care and concern. “Are you okay?”

For the first time since Seungmin had collapsed, Hyunjin allowed himself to exhale. He dropped his head forwards, hiding his face in his hands as he took a couple deep breaths to steady himself.

“Y-yeah” he cleared his throat, raising his head back up and meeting Changbins gaze.

“I just… I just need him to feel better” he concluded. His voice carried much less power than he intended, deflated and shaky. Changbins wrapped a strong arm around him, welcoming his slimmer frame into a comforting hug. Hyunjin didn’t oppose it, latching onto his hyung as the burning in his chest kept soaring.

“He’s going to be okay” Changbin said, and although there was a shakiness in his voice as well, Hyunjin believed him. Seungmin was going to be okay. He had to be.

______________________________________

The world around him came to in pieces, everything muffled like his body was floating weightlessly in icy water, the chill seeping deep into his aching bones. His head pounded in a rhythmic manner, like a dull drumbeat synchronised with his heart.

Seungmin fully expected to open his eyes to find the ceiling of a hotel room looking back at him. He didn’t. Nor was he in a comfy hotel bed, much to his dismay. Wait, what was going on?

With his eyes cracked open to slits, he meekly scanned the space around him the best he could without moving his body the slightest. A couch. He was on a couch, his neck propped up by pillows and his legs resting across someone's lap. Hyunjin's lap, his hazy mind finally supplied.

His gaze drifted downward, catching on a faint sting in his left arm. Confusion deepened as he noticed the plastic tubing taped into his skin, trailing up toward a steel pole standing beside the couch. A bag hung from it, clear liquid dripping methodically into the IV line.

His stomach twisted in knots, a wave of nausea gnawing in the pits, and he groaned softly. It was a quiet sound, but it was enough.

The weight beneath his legs shifted, and Hyunjin startled, his head snapping up from where it had been resting against the couch. His eyes widened, locking onto Seungmin with immediate, unguarded relief.

“You’re awake” Hyunjin said, a soft, relieved smile stretching across his face. Even so, there was evident tension in his expression. Concern. “How do you feel, ‘minnie?”

Seungmin blinked slowly, still feeling so out of it all. He parted his lips to say respond, but the only sound coming out was a small, unsteady breath. Hyunjins face softened, and his hand moved instinctively to rub Seungmins leg in reassurance.

“It’s okay, take it easy” the older of the two murmured, gently massaging the aching muscles in Seungmins calf.

Hyunjin was only wearing a white t-shirt, and Seungmin couldn’t help but wonder how he wasn’t freezing. He was, and he had… what, 6 jackets covering him? Could they really not find a blanket?

Clearing his throat, Seungmin winced at the sharp sting that radiated into his jaw. “Hmm.. what.. what’s going on?” He finally mustered, his eyes fluttering close to relieve them of the strain.

Hyunjins hand paused for a moment, but then squeezed his leg gently. “You passed out..” he started explaining, voice sheepish as if he was dialling it down to not alarm him.

“After the interview.. your fever was so high we almost had to have you admitted to hospital, ‘Minnie” Hyunjin clicked his tongue, taking a small break in his speech before continuing “luckily, the IV fluids and medication the medics sat up for you was very effective. We’re in a private back room right now, they said we could stay here until you get a little better”

Seungmin frowned slightly, trying to piece the fragments of his hazy memory together. He remembered feeling weak, dizzy, nauseous, hot, cold. But everything that happened after he left the studio was a total blur. His eyes fluttered open again, confusion hanging over him like a dark cloud.

He startled a little when he saw Hyunjin pointing some alien-gun looking device to his forehead, hovering just above his skin. It beeped, and Hyunjin pulled it back with a concentrated expression.

“38.8°C (102.F).. much better at least” Hyunjin said with a soft ‘tsk’, and Seungmin couldn’t help but wonder how high his fever must have been if that was considered ‘much better’.

“How long..” Seungmin trailed off, voice small. Hyunjin looked at the clock ticking on the wall. “You’ve been out for almost two hours.” He explained, and Seungmin felt his stomach drop for reasons beyond his ailment. “But it’s okay- the others aren’t even back yet. They decided to do another appearance with a studio close by so you could get some time to recover. We can probably leave when they finish” Hyunjin quickly added, sensing the distress that flashed through his eyes.

He wanted to ask more, guilt was clawing at his heart, but his energy was quickly waning. “I’m sorry… ‘didn’t mean to cause trouble..” he managed softly, tears stinging the corner of his eyes. Hyunjins eyes softened, and he shook his head, the corner of his lips twitching upward.

“Don’t” his hyung said with a sigh. “You didn't cause any trouble, Seungmin. Just get some rest. The others will be here to pick us up soon enough”

Seungmin's chest tightened in something close to gratitude, but he didn't have the strength to say more. His bandmates cared so much for him that it made his heart ache, the least he could do was try to get better for them as soon as possible.

The soft sound of Hyunjin's voice, the rhythmic drip of the IV, and the comforting weight of his touch lulled him back into a drowsy, half-conscious state. And for once, it felt okay to just let go and sleep.

[cuddlepilefics]

End of winter

Fandom: Stray Kids

Sickie: Changbin

Caregivers: Chan & Jisung

This is a gift for @1dwaekki, thanks for the compilation<3

 

No one’s POV.:

The snow had barely melted away a week ago and 3racha was back at the studio recording the guide tracks for their upcoming album. Wanting to start the new year off strong, they had a comeback scheduled in the first few months of the year. It embarrassed Chan to say but they had fallen behind schedule. They hadn’t recorded a single on of the tracks yet, most of the tracks even lacking guide versions, so there was no way the dance-racha could possibly work on the choreographies. Chan knew why they were so off schedule and he felt guilty for it, knowing the chaos stressed his dongsaengs out.

Chan himself had been struck down with the flu for close to two weeks and while he had tried to get some work done on occasion, his success was mediocre. Changbin and Jisung did their best to compensate but there was only so much the two of them could do without their leader. They insisted it was no problem to stay the nights at the studio as they tried to catch up after Chan’s recovery. Chan immediately jumping back in working the nights to catch up, worried the two rappers greatly. Not too concerned about a relapse, the Aussie mainly worried about his dongsaengs. Jisung seemed on edge from the messed-up schedule and Changbin’s eyes were adorned with angry red rims though he insisted he wasn’t that tired.

The recording was mainly Jisung’s task this time because Chan’s voice hadn’t fully returned yet and Changbin admitted to feeling quite stuffed up, making it difficult to record. Afraid their trio would be picked off by sickness one by one, they had agreed for Changbin to wear a mask around the studio in case he was coming down with something. To be fair, the rapper was sneezing up quite a storm too but he claimed not to feel sick. It made Chan’s heart ache because he figured his dongsaeng was afraid to admit to feeling unwell because they were already behind schedule, which was entirely Chan’s fault and the eldest knew it.

Chan absentmindedly passed Changbin his water bottle when the younger tried to clear his throat but only ended up triggering a cough. He tried not to cringe when Changbin tugged down his mask to drink and his upper lip glistened in the dim light of the screen. Jisung must’ve noticed it too because he offered the older a tissue and frowned: “We’re so doomed for this comeback.”

“Your cold’s only getting worse, huh?”, Chan worried, glancing at Changbin who hesitantly lowered his arm again after catching a flurry of sneezes against his wrist. His eyes still watered when he shook his head and muttered: “I-I’m not su-huh-re this i-hih-s a cold.” Scrubbing at his itching nose in irritation, he tried to stop his breath from hitching couldn’t. In a hurry, Changbin fumbled with the tissue Jisung had given him, cupping it over his mouth and nose before pitching forward with a harsh sneeze. “Bless you. I’m so sorry I gave you my flu”, Chan hummed sympathetically, “Why didn’t you say it was this bad?” – “Huh-what? Ndo”, Changbin sniffled as he shook his head, “Ndot the flu either. ‘mb way too- too itchy for that. Would’ve guessed it’s allergies but it- it’s too early for that, right?”

With Changbin insisting he wasn’t really sick, he tried his best to power through, which probably would’ve worked if his symptoms weren’t as disruptive as the were. Since it was only the guide track, the trio had gotten a small practice studio and none of the larger recording studios, which meant that they didn’t have a recording booth, merely a mic on the desk. Jisung tried not to get upset but it surely was frustrating to record the same line over and over again because his hyung seemed to be overcome by the need to sneeze the second Chan hit record.

“Alright, Ji. One more time”, Chan sighed, pressing the button. Changbin’s nose hadn’t stopped itching at all and he held his breath to keep himself from sneezing. Praying Jisung would be done quickly, the older glanced away with watering eyes and scrubbed at his nose. "hEGSHU! ohmygodimsorryi-hih h-hESSH!" – “Bless”, Jisung sighed as he leant back in his seat. Covering his face, Changbin groaned: “I’m sorry.” – “We know”, Chan breathed, pinching the bridge of his nose, “It’s okay. Maybe you wanna step out for a moment? You could grab some tea from the breakroom because those sounded like they hurt your throat.” The younger nodded in resignation, rubbing his eyes as he got up to leave. Jisung felt bad for him because he couldn’t tell whether the tears were from the itch or the frustration. Making eye contact, Chan nodded at Jisung. They should better get this over with quickly.

Sniffling into the cuff of his sleeve, Changbing trudged to the breakroom. He had left his phone at the studio, so there was little to occupy his mind with as he waited for the water to boil. Still, he startled when the door to the breakroom opened and the two maknaes walked in. They had just finished their vocal lesson and wanted to rest for a moment before heading to their next schedule. “Oh, hi hyung”, Jeongin smiled but it soon faltered when Changbin turned to him, eyes red and watering. Plopping down in his seat, Seungmin frowned: “Chan-hyung got you sick, didn’t he? You look awful.” – “Dod’t thigk I’mb sigg”, the rapper rasped, clearing his throat a few times, “If you have your phode with you, could you check the pollend coudt? I��mb so itchy.”

“Oh, guess it really is the end of winter. It’s pretty high actually”, Seungmin hummed, surprise evident in his voice. He looked up when he didn’t get a reaction from Changbin, the rapper’s eyes holding a faraway look. "hESH! KGSH! *sniff* guess that explaids id���, Changbin muttered, reaching for a paper towel to blow his nose. While the older tended to his nose, Jeongin poured the boiling water over the tea bag and worried: “Do you have your meds with you, hyung?” Shaking his head, the rapper sniffled: “Did’t thigk mby allergies would start up this early. The sdow is barely gode.” – “I could try to find Hyunjin-hyung and ask if he has any antihistamines with him”, Seungmin offered, already getting to his feet to look for the dance-racha.

“Oh, I didn’t expect you here, Innie”, Chan smiled as he entered the breakroom, “Is the tea helping any?” Changbin shook his head slightly, mumbling: “’s dot goi’g to. The polled cou’t is too high.” – “So, it’s allergies after all”, the Aussie sighed and watched his dongsaeng blink away itchy tears, “We found a different studio and Jisung is already heading over there to set everything up. It’ll be far more productive if he can just sing in the recording booth. How’re you feeling? Wanna join us there?” – “Yeah, sure. Mby eyes a’s ndose are itchy as hell a’d my throat’s scratchy but it’s okay. The headache’s really botheri’b mbe though. Mby whole face aches frob it”, Changbin groaned, massaging his forehead. “Seungmin is trying to find him an antihistamine, hyung”, Jeongin piped in, taking the teacup from Changbin when his breath hitched again.

Rushing to grab a few more paper towels, Changbin turned his back to his friends “h-hESSH! Heh-hESH!” – “Bless you”, Chan smiled, cringing when the younger blew his nose. Changbin sounded absolutely miserable but Chan understood his determination to keep working. Luckily, Seungmin did manage to get some antihistamines from Hyunjin and Changbin knocked the pill back with a few sips of his tea.

After bidding the maknaes goodbye, Chan guided Changbin to the studio they had chosen and the younger gave Jisung a little wave as he plopped into his seat. “You good, hyung?”, Jisung asked, the older looking more exhausted than he had an hour ago. Nodding, Changbin claimed: “Dot sigg, jus’ allergic.” – “He took some meds, Sung. Don’t worry”, Chan added as he got settled in front of the laptop, ready to pick up where they had left off. Though Changbin could tell the pill was strong, already getting drowsy, the sneezing didn’t stop yet. It didn’t interrupt Jisung’s recording anymore though.

With how out of it Changbin had gotten, he didn’t even notice how Chan and Jisung took a break before moving onto the next song. While Chan went to use the restroom, the younger approached Changbin, resting his hand on the rapper’s broad upper back. “Maybe you should lay down on the couch, hyung. You look like you’re falling asleep”, Jisung mused, catching his hyung’s attention. Rubbing his eyes, Changbin yawned: “Huh?” – “Exactly my point”, Jisung giggled, “Come on, hyung. We have a comfy couch back here and you should rest your eyes a little. They’re flaming red already.” He gently coaxed Changbin out of his seat, steadying him when his balance tipped for a moment. Tiredly shuffling over to the couch, Changbin flopped down, arm draped over his face. "hEGSHU!”

“Is he asleep?”, Chan hummed softly. He closed the door as quietly as he possibly could but Changbin still groaned: “’mb dot.” – “Almost”, Jisung chuckled, running his fingers through the other’s hair, “You can go to sleep, hyung, you know? It’s okay. Just relax, yeah?” – “Keep your eyes closed”, Chan instructed. He had run some paper towels under cold water and now draped the makeshift cold compress over his dongsaeng’s swollen eyes. Gently stroking the hair out of the rapper’s face, Chan whispered: “Go ahead and take a nap, Bin. We got you.”

[cuddlepilefics]

Perfect gift @fluff-cember

(DAY 6) @12daysofchristmas

Present

Making a new Christmas tradition

“Not another Christmas movie!”

“You say you hate Washington’s birthday or Thanksgiving, and nobody cares, but you say you hate Christmas, and people treat you like you’re a leper.”-Gremlins

 

Fandom: Stray Kids

Little: Changbin

Caregiver: Hyunjin

 

No one’s POV.:

“Are you not going to go home? Why are you not packing?”, Hyunjin frowned when he found Changbin sitting on the couch of their shared apartment. The dancer had just dragged his suitcase to the front door, so he’d be all ready to go later. Shaking his head, Changbin muttered: “No, I’m not going home.” – “What?! Why?”, Hyunjin gasped, abandoning his suitcase and instead plopping down on the couch next to the older. Changbin shrugged, his voice shaking slightly when he admitted: “I’m avoiding one of my relatives and I learned that he’s going to be there, so I’ll be spending Christmas here. There’s no way I could possibly face him. He’s the reason I hate Christmas anyway and I don’t feel like celebrating.” The younger’s heart broke at that. Yeah, he had heard how Changbin had gotten into a fight on Christmas the previous year but he had assumed things had been smoothed over since. The rapper wasn’t usually someone to hold grudges, especially not for a year.

Not feeling like he could leave his friend alone right now, Hyunjin settled properly on the couch and hummed: “You wanna tell me about it? I had assumed whatever happened last year had just been a little hiccup that happens during family dinners everywhere.” Almost tearing up, Changbin shook his head. “It nuh h-hiccup”, the rapper choked out, already slipping into his headspace as he thought back to how worthless he had felt that evening. Though surprised because Hyunjin had only known about Felix’ littlespace, the dancer shushed: “You don’t need to talk about it, Binnie. I just thought it’d help to get it off your chest.” Looking up at his friend with big, watering eyes, surprised by how calmly the other handled his slip up, Changbin pouted: “Bin swip at howme.” Rubbing his eyes with his fists, he sniffled: “He noticed an’- an’ he said- Bin be stwange an’- an’ sick- an’ – an’ he said Bin- Bin disg- disgust-gusting.” – “Oh honey”, Hyunjin cooed as he pulled the sobbing little into a hug.

With Changbin crying too hard to talk, Hyunjin just let the rapper cry it all out in his arms and promised: “Binnie, you’re none of those things he said. Gosh, how could someone be so mean. You’re so adorable and I absolutely understand that you wouldn’t want to face him again.” Still holding the sobbing little in his arms, Hyunjin typed a message to his family group chat to tell them there was an emergency and he wouldn’t be able to make it. “Bin hate Chwis’mas!”, Changbin announced, his voice holding unconcealed anger Hyunjin had never expected from his friend. Shaking his head, the dancer scolded: “You can hate meanies but you can’t hate Christmas, lovely. I understand if you don’t want to spend Christmas the way you used to but you know, we can make new traditions. How about you’re going to spend it in your headspace this year with no one to judge you for it? If you let me, I’ll take care of you and make sure the two of us have a cozy evening together.”

Staring at his friend with tears in his eyes, Changbin studied the other’s face closely, searching for any sign of deception. Did Hyunjin really mean it? Hyunjin got to his feet with Changbin in his arms, startling the rapper enough to cling to him tightly. He wasn’t used to being carried around but he couldn’t deny that he liked it. “Do you have any little gear?”, Hyunjin asked softly, heart clenching when the little shook his head, “I always have a bunch of emergency pacifiers in my room and back pack in case Felix slips while he’s here or we’re out, so that’s the first thing you get. Poor baby.” Settling Changbin on his bed, Hyunjin rummaged around a drawer and handed him a cute pastel pink pacifier. Ruffling his hair and pinching his cheek, the dancer beamed: “You’re so adorable!” – “Chu weawwy ‘tay wif dis?”, Changbin mumbled behind his new paci. He would’ve never guessed he’d get a caregiver for Christmas but right now, it almost looked like it.

Changbin seemed more at ease now and happily clapped his hands when Hyunjin sat down next to him. “What do you want to eat for dinner, bubba? Maybe I need to run out to the store and grab a few things, so we can have a nice Christmas dinner”, the dancer asked, slightly worried because he had nothing prepared. Playing with his fingers, Changbin mumbled: “I wan’ cookies an’ miwk an’- an’ nuggies.” – “Okay, sweets”, Hyunjin laughed, “We’ll have cookies and milk but not for dinner. Let me check if we still have nuggets in the freezer.”

They hadn’t. Afraid of taking Changbin out in public while regressed, Hyunjin settled the boy on the couch and turned on ‘Rudolph’ for the little to watch while he was out. He made sure Changbin’s phone was close by, so he could call him in case something was wrong. Not wanting to leave his friend alone for too long, Hyunjin did his best to hurry but still took the time to pick up a pastel pink baby bottle and a new bunny plushie for his new found little. Luckily, they also had gift bags, so he didn’t need to worry about wrapping Changbin’s presents.

“Honey, I’m home”, Hyunjin called from the door. Instantly perking up, Changbin squealed: “Momma!” – “Hey there, bubba!”, Hyunjin chuckled and placed down the bags, so he could wrap the little in a hug. The fact that Changbin already had a title for him in mind made his heart flutter and he didn’t want to let go of the other at all. Curling up in his caregiver’s arms, Changbin pouted: “Momma, chu nuh ‘pset wif Binnie?” – “Why would I be upset, love”, Hyunjin breathed, nuzzling into the rapper’s hair. The little anxiously tightened his grip on Hyunjin’s shirt and sniffled: “Cuz chu stwuck hewe wif me.” – “No, bubba. I’m here because I want to be here and spend Christmas with you”, the dancer denied, pressing a soft kiss to Changbin’s temple.

As they slowly got hungry, Hyunjin put the chicken nuggets in the oven and laid the table, while Changbin doodled on an empty piece of paper. “Momma, dis chu an’ Binnie”, the little called, holding up his drawing. There were two stick figures and a red heart around both of them. Hyunjin accepted the drawing and smiled: “That’s really the perfect gift. Let momma hang it on the fridge right away.” – “Dis us, momma”, Changbin whispered shyly. “I know, honey. Recognized us right away. I think my baby should get a present too, hm?”, the dancer mused retrieving the gift bag. Looking up at him with big innocent eyes, the little wondered what might be in there and almost bounced on his feet, impatient to look inside.

“BABA!!!”, Changbin squealed, hopping in place as he clutched the pink baby bottle. Wrapping Hyunjin in a bone crushing hug, the little giggled: “Thankie, thankie, thankie!” – “You’re more than welcome, my love”, Hyunjin chuckled, kissing the crown of the other’s head, “If I’m going to take care of you, I’m going to do it right and that means you need some little gear.” – “Chu awe da bestest gift evew”, Changbin smiled, his cheeks heating up. This Christmas wasn’t at all like the ones he had spent before but there was nothing wrong with making a new Christmas tradition.

After finishing off their nuggets, Hyunjin washed Changbin’s new bottle and heated up some milk, so he could try it out. “So, what else do you wanna do today, Binnie?”, the dancer asked, bottle in hand. Waddling to the couch, Changbin dragged his fluffy blanket with him and announced: “Chwis’mas movie.” – “Not another Christmas movie”, Hyunjin sighed exaggeratedly, plopping down next to the little. Changbin immediately curled up in his lap and covered both of them with the fluffy blanket while his caregiver turned on a movie. When both of them were comfortable, Hyunjin held the teat to Changbin’s lips and the little started suckling softly. It was a foreign feeling but he couldn’t deny he liked it, feeling so loved and care for in Hyunjin’s arms.

[cuddlepilefics]

Christmas tree @fluff-cember

(DAY7) @12daysofchristmas

Decorations

A little accident

"I was just trying to help!"

“I want my house to be seen from space.”- Deck The Halls

@whumpcember : alt1 sore throat

Fandom: Enhypen

Sickie: Sunoo

Little: Jake

Caregivers: Enhypen

 

No one’s POV.:

With their last-minute Christmas preparations, all hell had broken loose in the Enhypen dorm. Jake had slipped the second they had gotten off work after having suppressed his little-side for weeks. Sunoo was even more relieved about the break than Jake though. He had been dealing with a sore throat for the past week, the members worried about him making it to the Christmas break without falling seriously ill. Knowing how much his friends tended to worry about him, Sunoo kept his fever a secret because there was no way they’d let him keep working if they knew and he just wanted to finish their schedule before the holidays. Now that they were off though, Sunoo didn’t find the energy to get out of bed. This was more than the sore throat he had made it out to be and the members had caught on, now that he wasn’t putting as much effort into maintaining appearances.

“Morning”, Sunghoon yawned when he noticed Sunoo was awake. The younger gave a tired wave before burying his face in his pillow to muffle a cough. “Not feeling well, huh?”, Sunghoon hummed as he approached Sunoo to feel his forehead, “That’s a fever, Ddeonu. Let me go get you some water.” Not finding the strength to argue, Sunoo just closed his eyes again and waited for his hyung to return. Sunghoon had barely made it down the hallway when he heard Jake squeal: “I wan’ ma house to be seen fwom space!” The Aussie currently sat on Jay’s shoulders as the pair hung up fairy lights together. They seemed to be catching up on the decorating they hadn’t had time for before their break. “Good morning, guys”, Sunghoon chuckled, waving back at the excited little.

Joining Heeseung in the kitchen, Sunghoon informed: “Sunoo-yah is really sick now, hyung. Got a fever now and I think he’ll remain in bed for most of the day. I just came to bring him some water for his throat.” – “Oh dear, I’ll come along to check on him. Thank you”, the eldest hummed, wiping his hands on a towel before following Sunghoon to his room.

Sunoo had thought he might go back to sleep but the noise level from the living room made that incredibly difficult. “Jungwon and Niki just returned with a small Christmas tree”, Heeseung explained, taking Sunoo’s temperature, “Jake is completely hyped over getting to decorate the tree.” – “He’s little?”, Sunoo rasped when the older finally removed the thermometer from his lips. Heeseung nodded, clicking his tongue at the high reading. Handing Sunoo the water, Sunghoon offered: “I could walk you to the living room if you wanna watch him and Jay-hyung decorate. It’s adorable.” The younger took a few tentative sips before clearing his throat. He was sore and his head hurt, so he wasn’t exactly looking forward to the level of noise from the living room but Jake was the most adorable in his headspace and there was no way he could miss that.

Heeseung and Sunghoon flanked Sunoo, supporting him to the couch. “HYUNG!”, Jake squealed as he leapt at Sunoo and wrapped his arms around the other’s neck. Wincing at the volume, Sunoo returned the hug and croaked: “Good morning, puppy. You’re already up and working so hard, hm?” The little nodded, clambering off the couch to show him the tree. “I think getting that tree was the best idea you could’ve had”, Jay chuckled, patting Jungwon’s shoulder before he joined Jake. They went through their box of decorations and ornaments and laid out all the ornaments they wanted to hang on their tree, while Heeseung went to make some tea for Sunoo. Niki pulled the fluffy blanket off the back of the couch and helped his sick friend to get comfortable.

Among the ornament were also some glass ornaments but Jay wasn’t too worried about that, knowing that Jake wasn’t all that accident prone while in his headspace. He didn’t take into account the Aussie’s excitement though. Eager to help the older, Jake rummaged through their assortment of ornament at lightspeed, not even noticing how his hands got sweaty from the excitement. Before anyone realized what was going on, one of the ornaments had slipped from Jake’s grasp, shattering on the floor. The little froze at the sound of shattering glass and everyone looked at him in surprise. By the color of the shards, it was obvious, which of the ornaments he had broken and tears immediately sprung to Sunoo’s eyes. His mother had gifted him that ornament. Jake’s heart raced as he crouched down and started to pick up the shards before Heeseung called: “No, Jake! Don’t move! Don’t touch anything!”

With his friend crying and Heeseung raising his voice, Jake froze, completely overwhelmed. He let go of the shards in his hand, chest hitching with quiet sobs. Carefully tugging on the little’s sleeve, Jay got him to step around the glass and pulled him to the side. Sunoo knew he would snap at Jake for being so careless with something that meant so much to him if he didn’t get himself under control, so he shakily got to his feet and Jungwon helped him flee to their shared room. “I ish sowwy”, Jake hiccupped, hoping the other would still hear it. Heeseung already swept up the shards, humming: “Maybe you should take him outside for a bit to calm down and I’ll go talk with Sunoo.” – “Good idea, hyung”, Jay sighed, “Come on, pup. Let’s get some fresh air.”

Jay had made sure Jake was bundled up warmly in his coat before they stepped out. The fresh air usually did wonders to calm the younger down but this time, it wasn’t working. With the guilt eating him up inside, Jake only noticed something odd, when he felt warm moisture in his hand. Looking down, the little gasped. “Hyung”, he whimpered, holding up his bloody hand. He must’ve nicked his finger when trying to pick up the glass and hadn’t even noticed it in the chaos. Cursing under his breath, Jay examined his dongsaeng’s hand before he sighed in relief that the cut seemed rather small and superficial despite the amount of blood on the boy’s hand. Since they were closer to TXT’s dorm than their own, Jay decided to just ring there and ask their hyungs for a band-aid.

To say Soobin was surprised to find his Enhypen dongsaengs at his door, one of them bloody and worked up, would’ve been an understatement. He quickly ushered the pair inside, asking: “What happened to you?” – “Jake nicked his finger, do you have a band-aid?”, Jay explained, wrapping his arm around the little’s shoulders, “He’s small right now, that’s why he’s so worked up.” – “I was jus’ twyin’ to hewp”, Jake sniffled. Nodding, Soobin announced: “Let me get the first-aid kit.” While the leader disappeared, Yeonjun joined them, carrying Beomgyu on his hip. “Gyu, say hiii”, the eldest instructed and the little waved at their guests, giving especially Jake a cute smile.

While Soobin carefully cleaned Jake’s hand and wrapped a cute paw-print band-aid around his finger, Jay explained what had happened earlier. “Sunoo is sick, so I’m not surprised by how emotional he got but it makes it a lot worse to Jake that he made him cry”, Jay hummed, rubbing the Aussie’s back, “Bubba, Ddeonu knows you didn’t drop it on purpose. He’s just feverish.” Scratching his neck, Soobin mused: “Maybe you could apologize to him by getting him a new Christmas ornament. I bet Jake will feel a lot better when they made up.” – “Oh, try to find something special. Gyu and I recently saw ornaments that could be personalized with a picture inside”, Yeonjun recalled, “Gyu, do you know which store that was?” The younger nodded enthusiastically as he pulled out his phone to show their friends. He didn’t like using his words so much but could use a phone for communication just fine.

After accepting a cookie from their hyungs, Jake waddled after Jay as the older led the way to the store. They’d get Sunoo a new ornament and put a picture of Sunoo and Jake inside. There was no way the boy could be mad at Jake then. The most difficult task was actually deciding which picture to put inside. Since they couldn’t decide, they got a few ornaments and Jake was already more cheerful as they made their way home.

“Where have you been?!”, Heeseung frowned when they returned, “I thought you’d just step out for a moment.” – “We visited TXT-hyungs and got something to apologize to Sunoo with”, Jay smiled, holding up a small gift bag. Tugging on his hyung’s sleeve, Jake pouted: “We go now?” – “Yeah, pup. We go talk to Ddeonu now”, Jay agreed and handed the bag to his dongsaeng.

Sunoo was almost drifting off when the door to his room creaked open. The mattress at dipped at the foot of the bed and when he blearily glanced down, he spotted Jake sitting at his feet. “I ish sowwy”, the little mumbled sheepishly, clutching the gift bag in his trembling hands. Sunoo propped himself up and had to squeeze his eyes shut for a moment to handle the vertigo. Shakily sitting up, he watched Jake lay out the ornaments on his blanket and rasped: “They’re so pretty, pup.” – “Pwease, nuh be sads”, Jake whispered as he got to his feet, “We go hang ‘em now, yeah?” – “I’ll help you, don’t worry”, Jay smiled and wrapped his arm around Sunoo’s waist when the younger struggled to his feet. Jake had already dashed ahead, waiting impatiently for his friends to join him in the living room.

Jake happily clapped his hands once Sunoo had hung the new ornaments on the Christmas tree and waited till Jay had settled the sick boy on the couch before climbing in his lap. Nuzzling into Sunoo’s neck, the Aussie mumbled: “I wuv you.” – “I love you too, Jake”, Sunoo croaked as he held the boy close. Heeseung brought Jake’s bottle filled with milk and handed it to Sunoo, who gladly accepted it and breathed: “Do you want your baba?” Nodding eagerly, Jake shifted in Sunoo’s lap and let the other feed him his bottle as he slowly relaxed. It was only then that Sunoo noticed the band-aid on his friend’s finger and pressed a worried kiss to the little’s hair. Despite the injury, Jake seemed okay now and Sunoo would be too eventually, relieved that they had made up.

[cuddlepilefics]

Homecooked meals @fluff-cember

@hurtcember : 23 bedbound

Fandom: Stray Kids

Sickie: Seungmin

Caregivers: Stray Kids

TW: emeto

No one’s POV.:

“Lix, do you know if we have any tea left?”, Seungmin hummed as he shifted on the couch. Him and Felix were enjoying a quiet evening watching movies but he just couldn’t seem to get comfortable. Shrugging, Felix muttered: “I dunno, why don’t you go check? Do you want me to check for you?” – “Please”, Seungmin breathed. He wouldn’t usually make one of his friends get up but his stomach hurt and had he known for sure that they had tea, he would’ve gone and made himself a cup, but not knowing whether the effort would actually be rewarded made it hard for the vocalist to find the energy to get up. 

“Good news is, we still have some peppermint tea, though that’s all we have”, Felix informed, “I turned on the kettle in case you’re fine with peppermint.” – “Peppermint’s alright”, Seungmin mumbled, resting his chin on his knees that he had drawn up to his chest. Taking a seat next to the younger, Felix frowned: “Are you okay? You look peachy.” – “Stomach’s been bothering me since lunch and it’s really starting to hurt now”, Seungmin admitted, nervously palming at his middle. “What did you have?”, Felix asked since they had both spent the day out. Taking a shaky breath, the vocalist mumbled: “Some sort of stir-fry. Gosh, I can still taste it every time I burp and it’s not sitting right at all.” – “I’m sorry. I’ll get you your tea and we’ll see whether that soothes your stomach”, Felix cooed as he got up to head back to the kitchen.

As they resumed their movie, Seungmin slowly sipped his tea. It felt nice initially, until the liquid started to slosh around and he shakily placed the cup onto the coffee table. Curling even further into himself, Seungmin felt beads of sweat forming on his forehead. Felix reached over to rub his back for comfort but the younger couldn’t bear to be touched right now. A wave of heat washed over him and he felt the fabric of his hoodie cling to his skin when he tried to switch up his position. 

“I think, I’ll go sit in the bathroom for a bit”, Seungmin announced quietly, already walking off while Felix fumbled to pause their movie. The dancer was shocked, sure, he had known that his friend wasn’t feeling well but he hadn’t expected it to be this bad. Though, knowing how Seungmin always tried to hide his struggle, he should’ve known there was more to it the moment the younger spoke up about not feeling well. The sound of retching pulled Felix from his thoughts and he followed Seungmin to the bathroom, only to find the door unsurprisingly locked. Of course, his friend wanted his space. Since Felix didn’t remember who Seungmin had been out with, he texted their group chat afraid one of the other members might have gotten food poisoning too.

Felix had expected Seungmin to just shuffle out of the bathroom at some point when he felt like he was done but that didn’t happen. The Aussie had heard the lock click but Seungmin made no move to exit, so he went to check on the younger. “Here, I got you some water”, Felix hummed as he approached the slumped figure on the floor. A soft, pained whimper escaped Seungmin before he looked up at Felix, face ashy pale, his forehead coated with a sheen of sweat. Kneeling down next to the vocalist, Felix brushed the damp bangs out of his face and frowned: “Do you at least want to rinse your mouth? Come on, I’ll help you sit up.” Despite the Aussie’s help, Seungmin shook from the strain and weakly rinsed his mouth before leaning against the bathtub, closing his eyes.

Running a wash cloth under cold water, Felix gently wiped Seungmin’s face and whispered: “How are you doing now?” – “Awful, ‘s so much worse than earlier”, Seungmin groaned, holding his head, “’m so dizzy an’ my head hurts.” – “Should we get you to bed? I’ll bring a bucket”, the older offered, holding out both of his hands. It took him quite a bit of effort to maneuver Seungmin off the floor but even more to keep him on his feet. The room seemed to spin around him and Seungmin desperately clung to Felix to not lose his balance. “I got you”, the Aussie promised, “Just try to put one foot in front of the other and I’ll make sure you end up in your room.”

Seungmin shook from the strain as he collapsed on his bed, stunned that he could go from feeling a little uncomfortable to miserable in such a short time. Promising to be back soon, Felix rushed to fetch their cleaning bucket and Seungmin’s water bottle. The younger had curled up on his side and Felix cooed: “Can I get you anything? I’m sorry you feel so awful.” – “Could you stay and distract me? Please?”, Seungmin breathed, throat raw from being sick. Of course, Felix couldn’t deny him and sat with him gossiping about the protagonists of the movie they had been watching.

With how deeply he had fallen asleep to Felix’ rambling, Seungmin didn’t wake up when their doorbell rang and Felix rushed to open before it would ring again. The Aussie’s face lit up when he realized their friends had come over to help them out and he followed Minho to the kitchen, where the older started making some soup. Chan started the rice cooker and Jeongin picked up some of Seungmin’s favorite tea, knowing the other had run out of it only a couple days ago. “Changbin and Hyunjin are on their way too but they said they’d take a detour to pick up some medicine”, Chan informed softly, “How’s he doing?” – “Got really sick”, Felix pouted worriedly, “He was so dizzy, he could barely walk but he’s asleep now.” – “Oh dear, I’ll go check on him”, the leader sighed, quietly making his way to Seungmin’s room.

From outside the door, Chan could already hear Seungmin cough and rushed to step in. The younger had snatched the bucket off the floor and forcefully choked up a wave of what seemed to be mainly water. Chan was by his side in an instant and rubbed his back, wincing when he felt his dongsaeng tremble. He was quick to take a hold of the bucket when Seungmin was done, the boy’s energy spent, causing him to collapse back into his cushions. It was only when Chan had placed the bucket on the floor that he noticed the younger was full on crying and he gently brushed his sweaty hair out of his face, cooing: “Oh, Seungminnie.” – “’m sorry”, Seungmin whimpered hoarsely, “Wasn’t quick enough.” It took Chan a moment before he understood what the other was talking about. There was a wet stain on his blanket though it seemed that most had landed in the bucket.

Carefully folding the blanket up, Chan placed it on the floor and promised: “It’s okay, don’t worry, Min. Can you sit up for me?” Seungmin shook his head, tearily glancing up at Chan. The only reason he had managed to sit up was the adrenaline but now…. “Here, I’ll help you. You probably don’t want to drink right now?”, the leader hummed as he carefully sat Seungmin up by the shoulders. Shaking his head, the younger closed his eyes against the dizziness. Chan still steadied him by the shoulders and pulled the desk chair closer with his foot, explaining: “Your sheets are completely sweaty too, so I’ll help you move over to your desk chair and quickly change the sheet. With the way you look, you’re probably going to be bedbound for the next couple of days and you should at least be comfortable.”

Seungmin whimpered as he sat in the chair, the upright position not really helping. Chan had handed him the bin from under the desk, afraid the stench coming from the bucket would make him sick again. The leader made quick work of stripping the sheets and replacing them with fresh ones from Seungmin’s closet. When he was done, he carefully lifted the younger out of his seat and placed him back on his bed with the bin next to him. “Try to get comfy and I’ll be back in a moment”, Chan instructed, picking up the sweaty sheets, soiled blanket and bucket. While he started a wash load and rinsed out the bucket, Felix brought Seungmin the fluffy blanket from the couch, heart aching for his dongsaeng.

“Hyun-Bin hyungs will be here with some medicine soon”, Felix promised as he covered Seungmin with the blanket and rubbed his back through the soft material. Wiping his eyes to dry the tears, the younger sniffled: “I’m never eating out again.” – “That’s okay”, Minho chuckled sympathetically. They hadn’t heard the dancer appear in the doorway but Felix smiled when the older hummed: “I’ll gladly prepare homecooked meals for you if it means you’ll eat. We got soup and rice ready, so whenever you feel like you could handle a few bites, let us know.” – “Thanks”, Seungmin whimpered, still far to nauseous to stomach anything. Jeongin joined them with a cup and thermos bottle, whispering: “Your throat must be so painful, hyung. I restocked your tea because you said you ran out during our last vocal lesson.” – “I love you, maknae”, Seungmin slurred, making his friends gasp.

“We really need to worry now, Chan-hyung”, Minho frowned when the leader returned with the bucket. Nodding along, Jeongin explained: “Seungmin was nice and he said he loves me.” – “Oh, fuck off”, Seungmin groaned hoarsely, making the others laugh. “Guess everything’s fine after all”, Minho shrugged, turning to the door, “I’ll let Changbin and Hyunjin in when they get here and then you can take something to calm your stomach.” 

Seungmin kept dozing in short intervals with Chan tracing his back, while the others gave them some space. The medicine Changbin fed the younger helped some and Minho could even convince him to have a few bites of rice and a small scoop of soup before going back to sleep. Chan had been right, Seungmin was far to dizzy to get out of bed for the next few days, only spending a few hours a day on the couch when one of the members carried him there so he could get a change of scenery. Minho was able to nurse him back to health though, the vocalist’s trust in him probably being the only reason he let himself be talked into consuming anything at all.

Even after Seungmin recovered, he still preferred homecooked meals whenever he got the opportunity.

[cuddlepilefics]

Winterstorm @fluff-cember

(DAY8) @12daysofchristmas

Touch starved

Telling secrets around the fire

„Sometimes the hardest part is forgiving yourself.”

Santa, can’t you hear me? – Ariana Grande & Kelly Clarkson

Fandom: Stray Kids

Hybrid: Minho (cat-hybrid)

Ship: Minsung

 

No one’s POV.:

“I don’t think we’re making any progress here”, Chan sighed, leaning back in his seat. It was the day before Christmas and 3racha was still in the studio working on some songs but it had been slow going today. Part of that might be that Jisung barely contributed any ideas, having withdraw completely. Not that Chan and Changbin could blame him. Their youngest was still getting over a breakup, which was so much harder to cope with knowing everyone else was with their loved ones during the holidays. Glancing at his dongsaengs, Chan hummed: “Let’s just call it a day and come back to it after the holidays.” The thought of Chan sending him home already, sent shivers down Jisung’s back. “Can we keep going?”, the younger pleaded, making Changbin roll his eyes. “What do you want to keep going with? We’re not making any progress and you’re not helping to change that”, Changbin pointed out, wanting to go home to spend time with his family.

“Come on, I’ll walk you home, Ji”, Chan smiled after shutting off the laptop. That way, Jisung wouldn’t be by himself all that soon. They parted with Changbin and Chan offered to take a detour and treat Jisung to some hot chocolate on the way to his apartment. Sitting across from each other, Jisung watched the vapor swirl over his cup and mumbled: “I don’t wanna go home, hyung.” The older hummed in acknowledgement, taking a sip. Jisung had shared his apartment with Minho for the past two years, so living there by himself made him miss the other so much more. “I don’t think I can stand another day there”, Jisung whispered, trying to hold back tears. His chest felt tight, thinking of the quiet apartment that felt cold without Minho despite the heating working just fine. “You know, you’re always welcome at my place, Ji”, Chan hummed sympathetically, “You didn’t even decorate for Christmas, did you?” Shaking his head, the younger admitted: “I just couldn’t get myself to do anything.”

Chan ended up taking Jisung back to his place to pack a small bag before they both took a bus to Chan’s place. On the ride there, they passed a park that brought tears to Jisung’s eyes. When Chan noticed it, he offered the younger his hand and squeezed it gently. It had been there that Minho had broken up with Jisung and the younger had been avoiding that park ever since. Chan only knew the bare minimum about what had gone down but he could tell that Jisung wasn’t taking it well. Jisung was well aware that he had deserved Minho’s harsh words, feeling guilty for the way he had made the older feel. Along with the guilt came the worry. Minho had left their shared apartment and Jisung had no idea where he was sleeping now. The older had mentioned having lived outdoors before but it was winter, a storm announced for the upcoming days. Sure, Minho had his fur but Jisung couldn’t imagine it would be warm enough to keep him from freezing to death.

The thing was, Minho was used to living in the wild. Being born a hybrid with the ability to shape shift, he always had the option to live in his animal form, so that day when he decided he couldn’t stand being around Jisung anymore, he shifted, confident that a soft, fluffy cat would always find a place to stay. Best case scenario, some family would take pity on the cute stray and take it in, worst case, he’d shelter in some shed to stay safe from the storm. Christmas had completely slipped from Minho’s mind ever since they had broken up, Jisung’s words still ringing in his ears. With how long they had been together, Minho had felt it was time to tell the younger about his ability to shape shift. It was a lapse in judgement to trust Jisung with that secret because after being left speechless for a while, the first thing the rapper did was tease Minho for not being fully human. He couldn’t have known but that was a very sore topic for Minho, who hadn’t expected to hear this from the person he cherished most.

Jisung had the habit of saying the most random and thoughtless things when he was overwhelmed and didn’t know what to say, he was aware of that but he also knew that it wasn’t an excuse. The heartbroken look in Minho’s eyes still haunted him, making it hard to get any sleep at all. He hadn’t intended to hurt the older and he didn’t mind his boyfriend being a hybrid but it had been a lot to take in and he hadn’t known what to say till something just slipped from his lips and he couldn’t take it back. The gift Jisung had prepared for Minho still lay hidden under his bed, it’d probably still be there collecting dust when Jisung would get ready to move out one day. “I said something that hurt him, hyung”, Jisung eventually admitted as he curled up on Chan’s couch, “It was inappropriate and kinda mean and I totally deserve him leaving me over that. I just- I just feel so bad for hurting him. If I could take it back, I would. I miss him so bad, hyung.”

Hugging himself, Jisung allowed the tears to flow freely while Chan walked over to him and took a seat next to him. He could tell the younger was touch starved, so he gently pulled him into a hug and whispered: “Sometimes the hardest part is forgiving yourself. Yet that is all you can do to feel better and I want you to feel better.” With them unable to get a hold of Minho, Jisung wouldn’t be able to apologize to the other directly, so if Jisung wanted to move on, he’d have to let go of the guilt.

“My cousin’s having a campfire with a couple of friends and he invited me. Do you wanna come? Felix is a pure ray of sunshine, he won’t mind if I bring someone along”, Chan offered, hoping the distraction would do Jisung some good. Though hesitant, Jisung agreed. Anything would be better that sitting alone with his thoughts and a campfire would be just the thing to enjoy a day before the winter storm hit. They wouldn’t get to go outside again for a few days while the storm raged, which instantly reminded Jisung that Minho might be out there somewhere. If he found shelter?

Felix greeted Jisung cheerfully, handing him a cup of hot cider. “There are sticks and marshmallows over there and we have a stack of blankets on that bench in case you get cold”, Felix smiled as he guided Chan and Jisung to the yard. Shivering, Jisung made his way over to the blankets and wrapped one around his shoulders. Felix introduced Chan and him to his friends and they chatted for a bit, though Jisung was mostly spaced out as he stared into the flames. When Felix shot him a worried look, Chan whispered: “He’s getting over a breakup, I’m trying to get him out of the house a bit.” Nodding in understanding, Felix poked a marshmallow onto a stick and roasted it. “Here, I roasted this for you”, the Aussie hummed lowly as he approached Jisung. Putting on a smile at the sweet gesture, Jisung thanked the other and accepted it but his attention was soon drawn by something else.

There had been some rustling in the bushes and Jisung thought he might have seen a cat’s tail. He had never seen Minho in his cat form but it this cat was enough to remind him of his ex once again. “Oh, the kitty’s here again”, Felix beamed, getting to his feet. He ran inside to grab a can of tuna. On his way back outside, Felix explained: “That stray has been around for a bit and it always goes back to that shed a few blocks away, so it probably lives there. We make sure to always feed it when we see it outside. Come here, kitty.”

Minho had smelled Jisung already from a block away and was confused as to why his ex was at the freckled boy’s house. Eventually, his hunger won though and he reminded himself that Jisung wouldn’t recognize him in this form, so he purred when Felix came and brought him his tuna. What Minho hadn’t expected was for Jisung to start singing under his breath when one of Felix’ friends plucked away at a guitar. “Santa, can’t you hear me?”, Jisung sang, his voice surprisingly clear despite the emotions coursing through him. His voice sent a jab of pain through Minho’s chest and his appetite vanished. Instead padding closer to Jisung to listen. Touch starved as he was, Minho convinced himself that it would be fine to approach the other for some pets. He wouldn’t recognize him anyway.

Jisung’s pets felt so nice that Minho ended up hopping onto the younger’s lap, purring. “Aigoo, your paws are so cold”, Jisung cooed, using the corner of his blanket to wrap Minho up in it. The tension instantly melted off of Minho, Jisung’s scent always the most soothing. He closed his eyes, almost dozing off but what would you expect when you haven’t gotten any proper sleep for so long. Minho always had to keep his guard up, so now that he finally felt safe for the moment, the exhaustion crashed down on him.

As he ran his fingers over the cats soft but cold fur, Jisung got caught on something hidden deeply in the fur. He almost wanted to point out that it couldn’t be a stray if it wore a collar but shut his mouth when he realized it was a necklace. He knew that charm. Jisung froze, pulling out the matching necklace from under his shirt. Minho and him had gotten those on their first anniversary. Since the cat looked so peaceful in his lap, Jisung figured it was asleep but he couldn’t be sure, so he requested a different song to be played. “Please, come home for Christmas”, Jisung sang softly as he scratched Minho’s furry ears. The older must’ve heard him because he snuggled closer and nuzzled into Jisung’s hand.

“Sorry, I love you”, Jisung breathed when the song was over and he told Chan and Felix goodbye, a trail of pawprints discreetly followed behind him.

[cuddlepilefics]

Cabin in the snow @fluff-cember

Fandom: Ateez

Ship: WooSan

No one’s POV.:

Though Atiny loved to comment how cute San and Wooyoung would be together if they were an item, their management seemed to think very differently. That was also why the couple had been placed into different dorms and frequently got reminded to not act too lovey around each other, though they usually ignored those instructions, being as affectionate around each other as they pleased. It was taking a toll on their relationship though and San worried that him and Wooyoung were growing apart. To avoid that and to spend some quality time with his boyfriend, San asked whether they wanted to spend the holidays together, maybe get away for a bit. Though Wooyoung was hesitant, also missing his family a little, he instantly fell in love with the small cabin San showed him. 

The cabin was far out of the city, also a little higher up, so their chances for snow were pretty high. Wooyoung packed his warmest clothes, while San made sure they had enough food, drinks and board games with them to shut off their phones for a while. Since San had rented a car for them to drive there by themselves, he had one suitcase filled with only fluffy blankets to bundle his boyfriend up in. The younger had seemed a little down lately but had refused to tell him what was on his mind, so maybe he could cheer him up a bit. When San came to pick Wooyoung up, the dancer was still rather quiet as he placed his luggage into the trunk. Slipping into the passenger seat, Wooyoung hummed: “Hey.” – “Hey, Jagi”, San smiled, “Ready to escape for a bit?” The younger nodded and buckled his seatbelt, sighing as he relaxed into his seat. 

San turned on the Christmas playlist they had compiled together and could see the tension melting off of Wooyoung’s shoulder from the corner of his eye. Not wanting to pressure the younger to talk, San just quietly hummed along to the music. If Wooyoung wanted to talk, he’d start a conversation himself. To San’s utter disbelief, his dongsaeng fell asleep with his head against the window only thirty minutes into the drive.

Wooyoung’s neck and shoulders ached when he sat up. He hadn't intended to fall asleep but the exhaustion of the previous weeks had pulled him under despite him putting up a fight. Feeling sorry for San because he knew how boring driving alone could be, Wooyoung mumbled: “Sorry, didn't mean to fall asleep.” - “Why would you be sorry for that? It looked like you needed it”, San hummed, shooting the younger a soft smile, “Are you feeling alright though?” - “Sore”, Wooyoung laughed, “Seems that's what I get for falling asleep and leaving you to drive without my glorious comments for entertainment.”

A there was a glimpse of the humor, San had missed so dearly as of late. Noticing Wooyoung shift in discomfort though, the older smiled: “Don’t worry, we’ll be there soon and then you can lay down if you want to.” – “Thanks”, Wooyoung mumbled, his smile not reaching his eyes anymore. It drove San mad that he didn’t know why. If he knew, he could figure out how to fix it because he couldn’t stand his boyfriend looking so gloomy. The remaining drive passed in silence although Wooyoung didn’t doze off again. San was worried for the days to come. Would his boyfriend even enjoy their time there?

Though Wooyoung wanted to go straight to bed and lay down, he would’ve felt guilty leaving San to unpack their things alone. In the end, he was glad that they unpacked together because he discovered that San had brought along a large fluffy blanket. “Gosh, I love you”, Wooyoung breathed as he lifted the blanket to his face and smelled it. Sighing, he closed his eyes as a faint smile spread on his lips. San gently wrapped his arms around the younger and hummed: “I wanted to make sure, we’re cozy. You seemed exhausted, if not to say burned out.” Wooyoung’s smile faded as he leant into the other’s chest, sighing: “Why’d you gotta be so observant?” – “Why would you try to hide it”, San countered, tightening his hold. Burying his face in the blanket, Wooyoung sniffled: “It’s Christmas an’ I didn’t wanna ruin the mood.” – “It’s Christmas”, the older agreed quietly, “You need a break though and there’s nothing you could possibly ruin.”

When they finally pulled away, San offered: “Do you wanna get comfortable on the couch, Jagi? The view is amazing with all the snow. I’ll make some hot chocolate, so we can relax.” – “Do you need help?”, Wooyoung asked hesitantly. It felt wrong to be pampered like that. “Are you doubting my ability to make hot chocolate?”, San frowned, raising an eyebrow. The younger shook his head but still seemed indecisive, so San pulled him close. Pressing a kiss to Wooyoung’s temple, the older whispered: “It’s okay, really. Let me pamper my boyfriend for a bit, will you?” – “But it makes me feel so useless if you do everything for me”, Wooyoung pouted as he buried his face against San’s shoulder. “You know that that’s not true”, San denied, “But… I can see that you’re drained and I want to do something nice for you.”

Eventually, San plucked the fluffy blanket out of Wooyoung’s hands and wrapped it tightly around the younger, trapping him. Picking his boyfriend up princess-style, San carried him to the couch and made sure he was comfortable before warning: “Stay put, next time I won’t carry you as gently. Next time, I’ll through you over my shoulders and WWE slam you on that couch.” – “I think, if I wasn’t so sore, I’d risk it”, Wooyoung giggled, nuzzling into the blanket. The sound made San’s heart flutter and he chuckled: “I’ll be back, don’t try anything funny.” 

Wanting to get back to his boyfriend for cuddles, San hurried to heat up some milk. At least, Wooyoung let him take care of him now. Two steaming cups of hot chocolate in hand, San made his way back to the living room. “The snow is so pretty”, the younger breathed, unable to tear his eyes away from the window. Handing Wooyoung his hot chocolate, San agreed: “It’s really mesmerizing and peaceful. I’m glad we came here.” – “And I’m glad you’re putting up with my meh-mood”, Wooyoung mumbled, leaning into his boyfriend’s side. Pressing a light kiss to the other’s hair, San reminded: “I don’t only love you when you’re hyper and cheery. I love you, always. There are no conditions to that. If you feel like being loud together, lets be loud together. If you feel quiet, lets be quiet together.” When he looked at Wooyoung, the dancer had tears in his eyes. “I love you”, Wooyoung whispered, “With you I can just be.”

[cuddlepilefics]

Fairytales @fluff-cember

@hurtcember : 6 touch-starved, alt1 don’t leave

@whumpcember : alt5 you’re allowed to fall apart

Fandom: Stray Kids

Sickie: Chan

Caregiver: Stray Kids

 

No one’s POV.:

Chan had known that moving to a foreign country away from his family would be tough but just how awful he’d feel being away from home during the holidays still managed to surprise him. The first year had been the worst, whether that was because he was still so young or because he wasn’t used to the loneliness yet. After that, there had usually been an idol or trainee, who took pity on Chan and invited him to come along, so it was more bearable. When he finally found his group, Chan already knew he’d be spending Christmas with Felix, who was in the same position as him, so neither of them would be entirely alone, though they’d no doubt both feel homesick. Chan knew his life had changed since he got to debut but there were days, when he still felt the same. Young and alone in a foreign country, like nobody cared about him.

Running himself into the ground with their year end schedules, Chan wasn’t all that surprised when he just couldn’t fall asleep at night and only tossed and turned restlessly. His head was pounding when he rolled out of bed the next morning and he dizzily shuffled to the kitchen to have some water. It was only than that he noticed how dry his throat felt and he quickly downed another glass. The headache should hopefully improve soon. “Good morning, hyung”, Jeongin smiled, resting his hand on Chan’s back. The maknae cringed when he felt how damp Chan’s shirt was under his hand. Chan only noticed the sweat when his shirt stuck to his skin where Jeongin had touched him. Turning to the younger, Chan rasped: “Good morning, Innie.”

Chan’s eyes widened, shocked at the way his voice had come out. Jeongin too looked surprised and frowned: “Are you sick?” – “I dunno, didn’t think I was”, the leader muttered, massaging his throat. He couldn’t deny that it felt pretty irritated and that the water hadn’t done much to soothe it. Originally, he had blamed the burning pain in his muscles on the lack of sleep but, now he wasn’t so sure anymore.

Though Chan insisted he only had a little cold, he went to take his temperature and frowned at the high reading. Considering how close Christmas already was, he decided to keep his condition a secret, so his dongsaengs wouldn’t have to worry about him and could enjoy the holidays. They only had one day at the studio left before they’d be off for the celebrations and Chan was confident, he could power through. Despite the sweat, he felt a little chilled and dressed warmly before bidding goodbye to Jeongin. Instead of his regular cup of coffee, Chan had filled his travel mug with hot tea and honey, hoping it’d soothe his throat.

“Oh wow, you look bad, hyung”, Changbin pointed out when they met up at the studio. Jisung wasn’t there yet, having slept through his alarm. Clearing his throat, Chan chuckled: “Guess I caught a cold and I didn’t sleep much, so….” – “Are you well enough to be here?”, the younger confirmed. Chan gave him a reassuring nod and waved at Jisung when the boy sprinted around the corner, panting: “I’m so- so sorry, h-hyungs.” – “It’s okay, Ji”, Changbin laughed, patting the younger on the shoulder, “We haven’t started yet, as you can see.”

They surprised themselves with how much they got done but Chan’s condition only seemed to decline the longer they were at the studio. He hadn’t even taken his coat off despite the heating being turned up high and the initial irritation in his throat had turned into a burning pain. Knowing that today was there last day, after which the members would travel home to their families also didn’t help Chan keep his feverish mess of emotions in check. Changbin and Jisung didn’t seem to have noticed the occasional waves of sadness washing over Chan and simply assumed he was quiet because talking hurt his throat. Feeling like he wouldn’t be able to hold back the tears for much longer, Chan excused himself to the restroom and got to his feet. His ears rang as soon as he was upright and he shakily held onto the back of his chair before taking a careful step. Before he could reach the studio door though, his vision faded and he felt his knees give out.

When Chan came to, he was laying on the couch, Changbin leaning over him with a look of deep concern in his eyes. Cupping the leader’s flushed cheek, Changbin hummed: “You with us again?” Chan groaned hoarsely as his head pounded. “What’s going on, hyung?”, Jisung frowned, squeezing Chan’s shoulder to get his attention. “Don’t feel good”, the leader slurred, his throat growing tight with emotions.

Tears spilled from Chan’s eyes before he could fight them back once again and he propped himself up on his elbow, coughing. “You should go home, hyung”, Changbin winced sympathetically as he handed the older his water bottle. The mention of home didn’t help Chan reign in his emotions at all and though he knew the younger meant his dorm with Jeongin, all he could think of was his family. Jisung noticed how Chan tried to fight the sobs by holding his breath, not wanting to burden his dongsaengs, especially not this close to Christmas. Taking a seat next to the Aussie, Jisung wrapped him in a tight hug and whispered: “You’re allowed to fall apart, Channie-hyung.”

Changbin wordlessly saved their work and placed the laptop back into its case. There was no way they could keep working right now. “Come on, let’s get you back to bed”, he hummed, purposefully avoiding the word ‘home’. Jisung handed Chan a tissue, so he could clean himself up before leaving the studio. That didn’t mean that the tears would stop this easily though, still silently trailing down Chan’s pale face.

Jeongin wasn’t all that surprised when Changbin updated them about Chan’s condition in their group chat, knowing that the eldest always tended to downplay his struggle. Since it was the last day before being off the other members tried to finish up with their schedule early too, so they’d be able to spend some time with Chan before travelling home. The dance-racha volunteered to pick up dinner for the group and meet up with the rest at Chan’s place. Seungmin and Jeongin were next to finish and took a detour to the pharmacy to pick up some medicine for Chan, so he’d have everything he might need during the holidays.

Jeongin obviously remembered their hyung’s favorite cough drop flavor and Seungmin proposed buying a few cans of soup in case the eldest didn’t feel like cooking while they were gone. When they got home and left their shopping bags in the kitchen, Changbin and Jisung had made themselves at home in the living room after sending Chan to bed. Though they had pretended to be done working, they had set up the leader’s laptop on the coffee table and went over a few of their tracks, so the older wouldn’t get overwhelmed when returning to their work after the holidays.

“Is Chan-hyung asleep”, Jeongin asked quietly, glancing down the hallway. Shrugging, Changbin hummed: “I surely hope so. He was really emotional after he fainted.” – “He what?!”, Seungmin gasped, unaware that the leader had collapsed earlier, “I’ll go check on him.” Cough drops in hand, Seungmin snuck down the hallway and slipped into Chan’s bedroom. It seemed like the Aussie was asleep at first but he propped himself up when Seungmin approached the bed. Taking a seat on the edge of the mattress, the vocalist smiled: “Hi.” – “Hey”, Chan rasped, laying back down. “Congrats for getting a cold for Christmas”, Seungmin laughed, figuring dark humor would help the older cope, “We come bearing gifts. Cough drops, soup and medicine. The three kings of dance are on their way bearing dinner from a faraway place.”

Chan couldn’t help but crack up, the laugh soon turning into a cough. “Sorry”, Seungmin muttered sheepishly. He tore open the bag of cough drops and handed one to Chan, who quickly popped it between his lips. Sucking on the cough drop, the Aussie hummed: “Thanks, Min. I take it, we’re having a group dinner tonight?” The younger nodded, gently brushing the backs of his fingers against Chan’s forehead. “Yeah, that’s a fever”, he muttered, “Can I get you anything?” – “Hug?”, Chan rasped, sitting up with quite some effort. How could Seungmin deny him?

Chan didn’t seem to want to let go either, holding on to Seungmin, who eventually tried to pull away. “Don’t leave”, the older pleaded, making his dongsaeng sigh. Running his fingers through the leader’s curls, Seungmin whispered: “You’re really not feeling well, huh?” Chan shook his head, scooting to the other side of his bed, so the younger could sit against the headboard. Seungmin didn’t have the heart to leave Chan and quietly settled down next to him. Resting his head on his dongsaeng’s lap. The leader was out like a light in minutes.

When Seungmin didn’t return after a while, Changbin came to check on them and brought the vocalist a cold washcloth to bring their hyung’s fever down with. Minho had already texted that they were on the way and would join them with dinner soon. He felt guilty knowing he’d have to leave early the next morning. Chan hadn’t mentioned not wanting them to go but the way he clung to Seungmin’s side made it obvious that the eldest couldn’t bear the thought of being left behind. Changbin mentioned that thought to Jisung and Jeongin when he returned to the living room, sighing: “I’d offer him to come with me but I don’t think he’d want to be around my family while he’s sick.” – “Let’s wait for Felix”, Jisung hummed, “He’ll probably feel similar and can help us come up with something.”

Felix did feel similarly but had already decided he’d be spending Christmas at the dorm with Chan. That way, neither of them would be lonely, they’d both get to facetime their families and he could take care of the older. He thanked the maknae for stocking up on soup and medicine, so he had everything he needed to take care of Chan and didn’t have to worry about anything but keeping the leader comfortable. Comfort was what Chan seemed to need the most. He didn’t want to let go of Seungmin at all when the pair shuffled to the living room to join the group for dinner. “You just wanna give me your cold”, Seungmin teased when Chan pulled him into his lap. Laughing, Minho commented: “What an amazing Christmas gift, hyung. How thoughtful!”

Guilty because he didn’t want to ruin Christmas for Seungmin, Chan let go of the vocalist, so he’d be able to get up but he didn’t. Instead, Seungmin leant back against Chan’s chest. “Are you hungry, hyung?”, Hyunjin asked. Him and Jeongin already set up the food on the coffee table while Changbin turned on the TV, so they could watch a Christmas movie. Clearing his throat, Chan mumbled: “Not really but I should probably take medicine, so I guess I’ll eat a little.” – “Good choice”, Felix agreed with a soft giggle, “You’ll have a hard time eating like this tough.” The younger motioned to Seungmin, making Chan whine: “I’m cold and he’s warm.” – “Hyung, you know you can have a blanket?”, Seungmin chuckled, earning another whine. “But you’re cozy.”

“I could read to you if it helps you fall asleep”, Felix offered as Chan tried to get comfortable next to him, despite his muscles aching. Though the older seemed hesitant, there was no denying the potential Felix’ voice had to clam someone down. Pulling out his phone, the younger smiled: “How about a fairytale? Just close your eyes and try to relax for me, hm?” And with that, Felix started to read, voice soft and soothing.

Seungmin had eventually settled next to Chan, so the leader could eat and the group shared their dinner. Though Chan barely had an appetite, he forced down whatever his dongsaengs put on his plate. When he was done, Minho handed him his medicine, which he gratefully rinsed down with a few sips of tea. Chan seemed unusually clingy, almost touch starved and when thinking back, their separated and busy schedules had left him with barely any hugs lately, so it was clear that someone should stay with him tonight. Since most of the members had to leave early the next day to make their trip to their families, Felix would be the one to keep the leader company. He knew how badly Chan struggled to sleep, especially when he wasn’t well, so he already prepared himself for a rather sleepless night with his friend tossing and turning feverishly.

[cuddlepilefics]

Christmas ball

(DAY11) @12daysofchristmas

Fairy lights

Christmas party/ball

„I never want this night to end.”

“I won’t even wish for snow. And I’m just gonna keep on waiting underneath the mistletoe.”-Mariah Carey

Fandom: Stray Kids

Ship: Changbin x Hyunjin (half-fairy)

Fantasy AU

No one’s POV.:

“Why do I have to go?”, Changbin complained, while Chan fixed his suit for him. Fussing with the decorative handkerchief in the younger’s pocket, Chan sighed: “Because this Christmas ball is also to celebrate the prince’s coming of age and it is a great honor to be invited by the royal family. Oh, and because we promised Seungmin.” – “It’s rumored that the king wants to find a suitable wife for his son tonight”, Jisung piped in as he messed with his hair, not satisfied with the way it fell. “So, love drama?”, Changbin cringed, “I don’t know why everyone’s so obsessed with the prince. Nobody ever saw him.” – “Well, maybe that’s why everyone is so excited about tonight, you know, curious to finally see the prince”, Jisung mused, making Changbin frown. Scratching his neck, Changbin mused: “What if he remained hidden all his life because he’s ugly? Gosh, the poor woman they’re going to choose for him. I can’t imagine going to this Christmas ball and suddenly being married off to some ugly prick. Prince or no.”

After another stern talking to by Chan, Changbin eventually trudged behind his friends. He didn’t want to attend this ball but they were right, you don’t turn down an invitation by the king. Still, Changbin didn’t enjoy large crowds and wasn’t interested in the royal gossip, so he couldn’t care less about the prince. Maybe they’d meet some of their friends there, which should hopefully still make the evening worth going out. Felix and Jeongin were usually all in for that type of gossip, so at least they should be enjoying themselves. Minho was probably as disinterested as Changbin but with how much he loved to dance, he’d probably be dancing all night and not even have time for gossip. Seungmin would be there too but Changbin doubted they’d get to talk to him because the younger had been hired to perform at the ball. They had promised him they’d attend, so he’d see familiar faces in the crowd.

Changbin had known that there’d be a lot of people but he would’ve never expected this many. It had barely taken any time for him to get separated from his friends. Without his friends in sight, the hysteric giggles and squeals of the prince’s fangirls soon overwhelmed Changbin and he felt the need to step out for a bit. The castle’s gardens had been decorated with fairy lights, giving the snow-covered trees a romantic glow. Sure, it was a little cold but that was far more comfortable than the stuffy heat indoors.

As he walked around the gardens, Changbin soon heard some soft sniffles and found a young man standing by some of the stone steps. “Are you okay?”, he asked softly, worried that the other might be crying. Turning to Changbin, Hyunjin ran his finger under his nose and smiled: “Oh, yeah, I am. Thank you. I’m Hyunjin by the way.” – “Needed to clear your head too”, Changbin hummed, returning the other’s smile. Glancing towards the large entrance doors, Hyunjin shrugged: “You could say that. I’m not really a people person.” Changbin noticed how elegantly the other was dressed. It’d be a pity for him not to show off on the dance floor but he fully understood. He didn’t like balls either. “For me, it’s alright when I’m with my friends but we got separated”, Changbin sighed, “I didn’t want to go but they convince me and now I can’t find them.”

His frustration made Hyunjin giggle, the sound bringing a smile to his own lips. “I’d offer to help you find them but that would mean that I have to go in there and that’s not going to happen”, Hyunjin chuckled before turning aside to cough. Worriedly studying the other’s outfit, Changbin frowned: “Maybe you should go inside though. You’re not dressed to be out in this weather and it’s most definitely not going to help your cold.” – “How’d you *sniffle* how do you know”, the younger rasped, scrunching up his nose. His confused expression made Changbin laugh. “You sound sick and your nose is really pink”, the older pointed out. Groaning in frustration, Hyunjin pouted: “Mom was right, I shouldn’t rub at it so much. If only it’d stop running. Still, not gonna go in there.” – “Alright, at least take my coat then”, Changbin chuckled already draping it around Hyunjin’s shoulders before the other even got a chance to object.

Something about Hyunjin instantly made Changbin feel protective of him. Though he was taller than Changbin, he looked delicate, almost fragile and the fact that he wasn’t on top of his health only exaggerated that. Hyunjin’s skin was so pale, it was almost translucent aside from the pink around his nose. “Why did you come if you’re not feeling well”, Changbin asked softly as him and Hyunjin took a stroll around the neatly trimmed bushes. Absentmindedly tucking a strand of his long hair behind his ear, the younger mumbled: “My parents didn’t really give me a choice.” – “Like my friends”, Changbin chuckled, freezing when he turned to Hyunjin. Confused as to why the other was staring, Hyunjin stopped walking too before a look of realization crossed his eyes. He wasn’t supposed to tuck back his hair.

“Are you…?”, Changbin stammered, motioning to Hyunjin’s pointy ear. Touching his ear, the younger mumbled: “I’m a fairy, well, half. Yeah.” – “Oh, that’s so cool”, Changbin whispered a wide smile spreading on his lips, “Explains why you’re so unrealistically pretty.” – “Thanks”, Hyunjin breathed, a faint blush dusting his pale cheeks. He turned to rub at his nose again, only to catch a sneeze against the cuff of his sleeve, blinking back itchy tears. Pulling the decorative handkerchief from his suit, Changbin offered it to Hyunjin and hummed: “Your skin’s already raw enough. Be a little gentle with yourself.” Though hesitant to use it, Hyunjin eventually thanked Changbin and dabbed the soft fabric under his chapped nostrils.

With Hyunjin increasingly sniffly, Changbin tried to convince him to go inside but that seemed like an impossible task. Eventually, the half-fairy caved though, mainly because he was wearing Changbin’s coat and the older had to be cold, right? Since he knew his way around the castle well, Hyunjin linked their hands and pulled Changbin to one of the reading rooms. This room too was illuminated by fairy lights but there was also a fire crackling in the hearth, the warm air making Hyunjin’s nose run as soon as he stepped in. The shift in congestion made his nose tickle and he hurried to bring the handkerchief up to his face, catching a flurry of sneezes. Changbin gently wrapped his arm around Hyunjin’s waist and guided him to the armchair in front of the fire, so he could warm up.

They kept talking for most of the evening, not too keen about joining the crowds. Hyunjin almost felt like him and Changbin had known each other for years, a deep connection between them. The elder’s broad shoulders looked so comfortable, the fairy couldn’t resist resting his head on it. His cold had been draining his energy already, leaving him drowsy. Changbin didn’t shrug him off and only smiled: “I never want this night to end. You know, I don’t care about catching a glimpse at the prince. I’m just glad my friends dragged me here against my will because it meant meeting you.” - “I won’t even wish for snow. And I’m just gonna keep on waiting underneath the mistletoe”, Hyunjin sang sleepily, his fairy voice melodious despite the hint of a rasp.

Neither of them knew how many mistletoes Hyunjin’s father, the king, had hung up around the castle.

[cuddlepilefics]

Mistletoe @fluff-cember

(DAY3) @12daysofchristmas

Accelerated heartbeat

Kissing in the snow

„Here, take my coat.“

Let’s hope the snow will make this Christmas right – Queen

Fandom: Enhypen

Ship: Sunghoon x Jake

Fantasy AU

No one’s POV.:

Jake knew that Sunghoon was more than met the eye but he would’ve never expected just how deep that truth ran. Sure, he had noticed the silver glint in the other’s eyes from time to time but had always blamed it on a trick of the light. Sometimes, Jake started to doubt that Sunghoon was human though. Today was one oof these days for example. The group visited an ice rink and they had Sunghoon skate to a few of their songs, the boy gliding across the ice with unparalleled grace, making Jake’s heart beat out of his chest. That was the other thing Jake found mysterious about his friend. Sunghoon seemed to have the power to make his heart do funny things he couldn’t control and it scared the Aussie.

“Do you want me to teach you?”, Sunghoon offered once they were done filming. He had had a crush on Jake for ages and didn’t fail to notice how the other had watched him as he skated. Most of the members were cold and wanted to go back to the dorm as soon as possible but Jake gladly stayed behind with Sunghoon. He wasn’t confident on skates at all but if it gave him an opportunity to spend some time with the other, just the two of them, he’d take it. Even if it meant making a complete fool of himself.

After the members said their goodbyes, Jake put on a pair of skates and Sunghoon stepped off the ice to help him lace them, reminding: “I don’t want you to get hurt, so it’s important the laces are tied well.” Not that Jake would’ve been able to tie his laces after that. His hands shaking from the fluttery feeling that had hit him when Sunghoon treated him protectively. Noticing how the Aussie trembled, Sunghoon slipped out of his coat. He was warm from skating anyway, smiling: “Here, take my coat.” Though he wasn’t cold in the slightest, Jake complied because for one, he couldn’t tell the other that he was trembling because they were alone together and two, he would never say no to wearing his crushes clothes.

Enveloped in the scent of Sunghoon’s cologne, Jake’s heartbeat accelerated quite a bit and he knew he didn’t need the other’s coat at all, already feeling overly warm just from how close they were. The jelly-like consistency of his knees didn’t help Jake perform well on the ice though and was likely starting to hallucinate too, the air around Sunghoon glimmering.

“Are you okay?”, Sunghoon asked softly, holding out his hands to steady Jake as he tried to get his footing on the ice. Absentmindedly nodding, the Aussie gripped onto his friend’s hands and shakily stepped onto the ice. He stiffened when Sunghoon placed one hand on his waist and started to gently push him across the ice. Slowly starting to relax, Jake leant back into the other’s hold and hummed: “Aren’t you cold after giving me your coat?” Sunghoon’s soft laugh made Jake’s heart flutter. “No, I got my personal Australian sun right here with me”, he denied, “How could I possibly be cold?” It was true, Sunghoon couldn’t possibly be cold though Jake wasn’t necessarily the reason for that. As an ice fairy, Sunghoon felt the most alive, the lower the temperatures dropped. “See, you can skate. No idea why you were so insecure”, he smiled.

In reality, Sunghoon used his powers to smooth the ice over right in front of Jake’s skates, knowing how tricky it could get when the ice was already well used. Clutching the other’s wrists, Jake muttered: “I-I need to get off.” – “Why, what’s wrong?”, Sunghoon frowned, slowing them both down, “Are you okay?” – “Don’t- Don’t feel well”, Jake mumbled, relying more on his crushes support. He had already felt off earlier and seen weird tricks of the light but now, he was sure he was hallucinating. They were at an indoor ice rink yet there were small snowflakes floating all around them, the realization making Jake dizzy. “Why- why is it snowing, Hoonie, please- please tell me I’m not going insane”, the Aussie pleaded, freaking out.

“Whoops”, Sunghoon giggled awkwardly, “You’re not going insane, Jake. I guess, I just got a little too excited.” – “That’s your doing?! How?”, Jake gasped, clinging to the other. Guiding the Aussie to the barrier of the rink to hold onto, Sunghoon trapped him between his arms, so he wouldn’t fall if he lost his balance. Sunghoon’s eyes sparkled and turned silver but Jake didn’t find it in himself to be scared when the other whispered: “I have some powers, you know. Sometimes, strong emotions can make them go haywire and I’m just so happy right now.” – “What- what are you, Hoonie?”, Jake stammered, his chest feeling tight. When he glanced over Sunghoon’s shoulder, he could faintly make out the outline of a pair of almost translucent wings, gasping: “You have wings?!”

After a moment of stunned silence, Sunghoon breathed: “You can see them?” Jake nodded tensely. “Why are you so shocked? I should be the one to be shocked”, the Aussie frowned, holding on to Sunghoon’s shoulders. “Well, humans aren’t supposed to see my wings. Only other fairies can see them”, Sunghoon mumbled, “The only reason a human could possibly see through the veil would be a soulmate-bond.” – “Other fairies? Are you a fairy”, Jake whispered wide-eyed. The other nodded slightly, mouthing: “Ice fairy.” A look of realization flashed across Jake’s face, some things suddenly making sense.

“So, you made it snow?”, Jake confirmed, watching the snowflakes still floating around them, “Is there anymore magic you can do?” – “Sure”, Sunghoon chuckled, a spark of mischief in his eyes. Jake watched him confused, so the fairy smiled: “Look up!” Above their heads, almost as if it had been conjured from thin air, hung a mistletoe. “You know what mistletoes mean?”, Sunghoon breathed, Jake’s eyes going wide. When the Aussie seemed frozen, Sunghoon decided to be daring and slowly connected their lips, anxious whether the other would push him away. His heart fluttered, the snow around them getting thicker when Jake returned the kiss.

[cuddlepilefics]

Snowed in @fluff-cember

(DAY2) @12daysofchristmas

Little lie

Trapped together in a snowstorm

“I thought you knew where you were going?!”

“I don’t know what to say, but it’s Christmas, and we’re all in misery.”-National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation

@hurtcember : 2 breakdown, 12 cry, 13 nightmare

Fandom: Ateez

Sickie: Hongjoong

Caregiver: mainly Seonghwa

No one’s POV.:

“I thought you knew where you were going?!”, Hongjoong complained as he trudged after Seonghwa. The two had taken a trip to the country side to go on a hike and explore a snow covered mountain range. Turning back to his dongsaeng, Seonghwa reminded: “I know where I am going.” It was a little lie but it would hopefully keep Hongjoong from whining for bit. The snow was starting up again, perfecting the seasonal atmosphere, and Seonghwa wanted to be able to enjoy it for a little while longer without his friend’s complaints. The truth was though, that Seonghwa didn’t exactly recognize the path that they were on, so he wasn’t entirely sure where they were headed.

The snow fell in increasingly large flakes and the visibility declined by the minute till Seonghwa eventually announced: “Maybe we should try to find shelter and wait out the snowstorm before we make our way back down the mountain.” – “And where exactly are you planning to shelter from the storm?!”, Hongjoong frowned, fixing his scarf to protect himself from the cold winds. “Well, I dunno”, Seonghwa muttered, “There are usually storm shelter on mountains like this, so we just gotta keep our eyes open.” – “I’d keep them open if the wind didn’t make them water like crazy”, the younger retorted, rubbing his eye with his gloved hand.

Deliberately ignoring Hongjoong’s comment, Seonghwa kept pushing on, only to be reminded: “I can’t even feel my toes anymore, hyung.” – “I’m cold too, Joong-ah! We gotta find shelter if we want to warm up, so instead of whining, you could try to walk a little faster. The faster we find shelter, the sooner we’ll feel our toes again”, the older snapped, startling Hongjoong. He hadn’t expected his hyung to lose patience with him. Not wanting to fight with Seonghwa after all, Hongjoong kept his mouth shut afterwards. He sulked for the next ten minutes, sniffling into his scarf from time to time as the wind made his nose run.

Hongjoong was close to crying when they finally found a small storm shelter. He was shaking so badly, he couldn’t open the door and almost collapsed when Seonghwa ushered him inside. “Stop being such a crybaby”, the older sighed, closing the door behind them. Finally having had enough, Hongjoong snapped: “I’m not but maybe I’m so fucking cold that everything hurts and whose fault is that? You were the one dragging me out here, insisting you knew the way. I’m not stupid. I know that we’re lost and that you don’t have the slightest clue where we are going.” – “Why do you always need to pick fights, Joong?”, Seonghwa frowned as he looked around the storm shelter to take stock of what they had, “I don’t know how they made you the leader of you can’t be a little mature and cooperative.”

Hongjoong was at a loss for what to say to that, his hyung’s words stinging badly. If only he hadn’t been feeling so miserably cold, maybe he would’ve been able to handle the situation better. When Seonghwa turned to the other again, he found tears spilling down his flushed cheeks and sighed: “What?! Can’t handle the truth?” – “Please stop”, Hongjoong sniffled, using his glove to wipe at his eyes but the tears still kept coming. He was overwhelmed and Seonghwa not being on his side this time wasn’t helping in the slightest. A shiver ran down Hongjoong’s spine and he curled in on himself tightly.

“His fever’s still going through the roof”, Seonghwa sighed as he removed his hand from Hongjoong’s forehead. The leader hadn’t reacted well to the touch at all, flinching away and curling up. The bed was almost vibrating from the force of the chills wracking Hongjoong’s body. A weak groan caught their attention and Seonghwa shushed: “You’re okay, Joong.” – “All jus’ cuz I trusted you”, the younger slurred weakly, “No’ gonna listen to you ‘gain.” Carefully tugging the blanket lower, so he could look at his friend properly, Seonghwa hummed: “What do you mean?” They didn’t get a reply. “Should we take him to a hospital?”, Wooyoung asked, anxiously biting his nails, “I know driving is tough in this snowstorm but he’s been like this all day.”

“Wake up for me, Joong-ah”, Seonghwa whispered, stroking the leader’s hair. Weakly swatting at his hand, Hongjoong whimpered: “I hate you!” – “I know you do”, Seonghwa sighed sadly, “I just don’t have the slightest idea why.” The tears spilling down Hongjoong’s cheeks startled both, Seonghwa and Wooyoung. “I’m so cold. I don’ wanna be stuck here”, the leader sobbed, triggering a cough. He weakly pressed his face into his pillow as his body was shaken with painful coughs. Gently propping the older up, Wooyoung hummed: “Where would you wanna go in your condition, hyung?” – “Home”, Hongjoong choked out, only crying harder. He was breaking down completely, his friends unable to console him.

Cupping Hongjoong’s damp cheeks, Seonghwa cooed: “Where are we, Joong?” – “Storm shelter”, the younger hiccupped hoarsely, unable to comprehend why Seonghwa wasn’t mad at him anymore out of a sudden. The eldest shook his head, denying: “You’re home, Joongie. We’re at your dorm. I came over about an hour ago because Wooyoung-ah called me. He said you weren’t feeling well and he wasn’t exaggerating. Your fever is really high.” The words were too many and too fast for Hongjoong to comprehend. All he could do was whimper when the cold hands on his cheeks made him shiver even harder.

“Hyung, you were either hallucinating or having a nightmare”, Wooyoung explained, sitting at the foot of Hongjoong’s bed, “Do you think you could stomach some soup and take medicine? We really need to bring your fever down.” Shaking his head, the older pulled his blanket tighter and breathed: “Jus’ sleep. Too cold.” – “By the way, why do you hate me?”, Seonghwa asked softly, pulling the blanket back down. Glaring at his hyung, Hongjoong tugged on the blanket and pouted: “’s exactly why.” – “No?” – “Hyung, I don’t think you’ll get any straight answer out of him right now”, Wooyoung interrupted, resting his hand on Seonghwa’s shoulder. Dropping his head, the eldest sighed: “I didn’t even do anything.”

Since Hongjoong wouldn’t comply with taking medicine, Seonghwa brought a bowl of cool water and a washcloth before settling in next to the leader. For the next two hours, the eldest dabbed Hongjoong’s face with the cold cloth in frequent intervals, slowly bringing his temperature down. At some point, he was able to thread apart the other’s feverish ramblings and understood the gist of his friend’s nightmare. It worried him greatly to know just how far Hongjoong’s consciousness was gone. Maybe they’d have to take him to the hospital, if only they weren’t snowed in like that. He had barely been able to make it over to his friends’ dorm earlier.

“Hwa?”, Hongjoong groaned, head pounding as he turned his head. Lowering the washcloth, Seonghwa hummed: “Hm? How are you feeling?” – “Wha’ are you doing here?”, the younger slurred, closing his eyes again. Draping the cold cloth over Hongjoong’s eyes, Seonghwa whispered: “Wooyoung-ah called me because your fever got really high. You got quite delirious.” – “I don’ remember”, the leader sniffled. “I bet you don’t”, the older chuckled, petting his friend’s hair, “You got really upset at me because you dreamt that I took you hiking and we got snowed in. Pretty much, you blamed me for feeling so cold and it took me ages to figure out what you were going on about.” – “Sorry”, Hoongjoong breathed, feeling around for Seonghwa’s hand to give it a squeeze. “Don’t be sorry, you couldn’t help it.” – “Still, you came over to take care of me and I gave you a hard time.” The older shushed him calmly, before remembering that they were still snowed in, mumbling: “I don’t know what to say, but it’s Christmas, and we’re all in misery.”

[cuddlepilefics]

Chocolate @fluff-cember

@12daysofchristmas

(DAY5)

Cookies

Holiday-themed contest

„That definitely looks… interesting.“

„That is exactly why you want a high-quality fire extinguisher right in the kitchen.”-The Santa Clause

Fandom: Stray Kids

Littles: Hyunjin, Jisung, Felix, Jeongin

Caregivers: Changbin, Minho, Seungmin, Chan

No one’s POV.:

When dividing the group for their new apartments, not much thought needed to be put into who would be living with whom. Considering that half of the members were littles and would struggle with living apart from their caregiver, the dorms were divided into caregiver-little-pairs, so each of the littles would have their main-caregiver with them. That didn’t mean that they didn’t spend time together while in their headspaces though. Especially with Christmas getting closer, the members’ little-sides were giddy as ever and rose closer to the surface, threatening to show during their schedules, so to reward them for their self-control and frequently fighting down the urge to slip, the caregivers had planned a holiday-themed contest for their friends.

The minsung apartment had the biggest kitchen but not by much, while the seunglix place was decorated most extensively, so the agreed to split up. Minho and Jisung would host Changbin and Hyunjin, while Chan and Jeongin would join Seungmin and Felix at their place. Each of the littles had been asked to pick their favorite cookie recipe and would bake with the assistance of their caregiver before the group would meet up at the seunglix dorm to present their work and decided whose cookies turned out the best.

To really make it look like a competition and to show their belonging to a certain team, Chan had gotten them Santa’s hats in different colors. Him and Jeongin wore pink, while Seungmin and Felix wore gold. Changbin and Hyunjin were team purple, while Minho and Jisung wore the classic red. Felix and Jeongin did well with their recipes from the start and had done the most preparation ahead of time. Seungmin knew he wasn’t really needed because Felix could handle himself in the kitchen no matter whether he was big or little. He still stayed close because it helped the dancer stay in his headspace if Seungmin opened the chocolate wrappers for him and chopped the chocolate into smaller bits after Felix had broken it apart, so the little didn’t need to use a knife.

Jeongin too was pretty neat, though he needed far more assistance. Chan had saved the recipe on his phone and had to guide the maknae through every step of the process. “Wha’ now, dada?”, Jeongin pouted with big innocent eyes after finally adding the last ingredient to the bowl. Slipping his phone into his pocket, Chan handed his dongsaeng a wooden spoon and chuckled: “You mix all of that together. Come on, I’ll hold the bowl so you can focus on mixing.”

It hadn’t taken long for Minho to regret offering his kitchen for the competition. “That definitely looks… interesting”, Changbin mumbled, arms crossed. He was still contemplating whether he should intervene, despite his little not yet having asked him for help. Hyunjin and Jisung were already a gamble in the kitchen while in their adult headspaces but there was no amount of supervision that would make them working in the kitchen safe. Glancing at the cupboard a little off to the side, Minho hummed: “That is exactly why you want a high-quality fire extinguisher right in the kitchen.” – “You have a fire extinguisher?!”, Changbin exclaimed, grabbing the bowl just in time before Hyunjin could knock it off the counter. A surprised giggle slipped from the younger’s lips, followed by an amused “oops”. “I live with Jisung”, Minho informed matter of fact, making Changbin snort: “Fair point.”

“Sungie, don’t you think that’s enough chocolate? The recipe calls for 125 grams. That does not look like 125 grams to me”, Minho frowned, making the younger giggle. Popping a chocolate chunk between his lips, Jisung reminded: “Sungie big boy. Me know wha’ doing.” – “I’m not so sure about that, love. Wouldn’t it be a good idea to stick to the recipe?”, Minho challenged, making Jisung shake his head. “’m impwoving da wecipe”, the little pointed out dumping the chocolate chunks into the mixing bowl, “Da mowe choco, da bettew.” At this point, Minho knew there was no arguing with the rapper, so he simply watched curious what the maximum amount of chocolate that could physically be added to cookie dough would be.

Unsurprisingly, their kitchen looked a mess in barely any time but to Minho’s relief, they hadn’t needed the fire extinguisher. To be fair, that was mainly thanks to Changbin, who kept a very close eye on the oven and on his little after hearing: “If we bakes twice as hot, we bakes twice as fast.” Hyunjin’s cookies were only a tiny bit burned and the little didn’t even seem to notice, cheering when Changbin transferred them to the cooling rack for him. Jisung’s cookies were coming apart a bit while baking, the amount of chocolate chunks making it hard for the remaining dough to stick together but the little didn’t see to mind. It was chocolate after all.

Jeongin’s cookies looked the best, which was no surprise because it was pretty much Chan doing all the work and guiding the maknae’s hands. It took the pair the longest though. Felix had chosen the most complicated recipe but he had done well nonetheless. Seungmin gently cleaned the little’s hands with a damp towel before humming: “Why don’t you take Innie and watch some paw patrol, while Channie-hyung and I clean up here?” Nodding obediently, Felix took the maknae’s hand and pulled him to the living room. He offered Jeongin half of his fluffy blanket and the two littles curled up on the couch together, exhausted from their hard work, while their caregivers took care of the mess in the kitchen.

Jisung had apparently entered a sugar rush from snacking while he baked and was now giddily bouncing off the walls. Hyunjin wasn’t usually like this but him and Jisung always seemed to push each other. To keep their dorm from being put into complete disarray, Minho caught Jisung around the waist and pulled him to the living room, where he tightly tucked the rapper into a blanket to trap his arms and smiled: “How about a movie while we wait for your cookies to cool?” Changbin had thrown Hyunjin over his shoulders and now dropped him onto the couch next to Jisung, hoping a movie would distract the two enough for him and Minho to be able to clean up the kitchen. That in itself was already a challenge without two hyper littles bouncing around them.

Minho and Changbin were exhausted by the time the kitchen looked presentable again, grateful that the others would be hosting the cookie tasting. Carefully stacking their cookies into cute biscuit tins, the caregivers called their littles and told them to bundle up nice and warm, so they could walk over to their friends’ dorm. The walk and fresh air helped Hyunjin and Jisung cool down a bit and left them much calmer, each proudly carrying their biscuit tins. Chan let them into the apartment and smiled when Hyunjin immediately dashed to the living room, throwing himself at Jeongin. Their maknae really was everyone’s soft spot. Urgently thrusting the cookies into Minho’s hands, Jisung pouted: “Howd dis.” As soon as Minho had taken a hold of the cookies, the younger was gone too, clambering onto the couch next to Felix and clinging to the Aussie’s side.

While Chan had let their friends in, Seungmin had heated up some milk and joined them with four sippy cups. “Your cups are in the kitchen, hyungs”, the vocalist informed the other caregivers as he distributed the sippy cups between the littles, “Are you ready to try the cookies you worked so hard for?” Changbin removed the lids from the biscuit tins and lined them up on the coffee table. The TV had been turned off by now and a soft Christmas playlist played in the background, the littles all cozy under Felix’ fluffy blanket. Jeongin innocently sucked on his sippy cup when Chan handed him a cookie, instructing: “Try and let us know what you think, okay, honey?” The maknae nodded, pushing the cookie into his mouth whole. Felix cutely nibbled the edges of his cookie, giggling at the way Jisung’s cheeks puffed up.

They tried from each of the tins, the caregivers more skeptical than their littles. There wasn’t really much of a debate about who had won their bake-off because Felix’ cookies had left all of them in awe. The Aussie simply knew what he was doing when it came to baking and him being in his headspace didn’t change that in the slightest. Jisung’s chocolate puddles needed a lot of milk to rinse them down but despite their interesting look, they didn’t turn out too bad taste-wise. Changbin had had to chop the edges off of some of their cookies because they had ended up more than a bit crispy and while the cookies were a little dry, they still tasted good with some warm milk.

Jeongin didn’t really care how his cookies turned out, more enthusiastic about cuddling up with his friends and having Chan feed him. He still beamed whenever one of the members praised his cookies, clapping his hands as he wiggled in place. While the contest had certainly been stressful for some of them, they were all glad that they had taken the gamble to give the littles a fun afternoon and to enjoy some little-time after pushing their headspaces down for so long. Besides, with how many cookies they had ended up with, they’d have a stash to take to the studio with them as a little snack whenever work got frustrating.

[cuddlepilefics]

Surprise visit @12daysofchristmas

(DAY10)

Surprise visit

Lighting scented candles

„I didn’t know you were here.”

“You’re skipping Christmas! Isn’t that against the law?”-Christmas with the Kranks

@whumpcember : 23 overwhelmed

Fandom: BTS

Sickie: Taehyung

Caregiver: BTS

No one’s POV.:

To say that the end of the year wasn’t going Taehyung’s way, would’ve been an understatement. He hadn’t really been the same after Yeontan’s passing and despite making plans with some of the members, he didn’t feel like going out at all. Taehyung wasn’t stupid, he could tell that he was spiraling into depression and that withdrawing wouldn’t help, so he was determined to not cancel on any of his friends because he didn’t feel like being around people. His plan was foiled when he woke up one morning to his nose completely blocked and a pounding headache right behind his eyes. No, this was not going his way at all.

When Taehyung checked his temperature and confirmed the fever he had already suspected, he knew was even more relieved that he hadn’t had plans for the day. Skipping breakfast, he prepared a cup of tea before shuffling back to bed and curling up under his blanket. Maybe he could use this illness as an excuse to not see anyone. The members would get worried for his mental health if he cancelled on them because he didn’t feel like going out but if he was actually, physically sick they might be grateful if he didn’t spread it to them.

As the hours passed and Taehyung’s fever rose, he slowly started to change his mind. Did he actually want to be alone? He wasn’t so sure about that all of a sudden but what could he do? The other members were probably busy, so he didn’t want to disturb anyone. With his emotions all over the place, Taehyung went from crying to sleeping and back before sitting up with a sigh. Already close to lunchtime, he decided that he couldn’t wallow in self-pity all day. He was old enough to take care of himself. Though he had no appetite, he trudged to the kitchen and forced down an apple. An apple a day keeps the doctor away, right? Now that he had something in his stomach, he could take something for the fever and hopefully, he’d feel a little less miserable soon.

The rest of the day passed in a similar fashion with Taehyung not really finding the energy to get out of bed. His phone had buzzed a few times but he had ignored it because the screen hurt his sore eyes. He hadn’t expected the following night to be so much worse though. With how much he had been napping throughout the day, Taehyung was unable to get much rest that night and had to witness the slow decline of his condition. His blocked nose was soon accompanied by a painful cough that made it even harder to fall asleep and the dull ache all over his body slowly turned to a burning pain in his muscles. The medicine wasn’t doing nearly as much as he had hoped, so Taehyung was upset that he had forced himself to eat some canned soup for dinner in order to take medicine.

By the next morning, Taehyung couldn’t take it anymore. He was feeling worse by the minute and called his physician’s practice as soon as it opened for the day. Too dizzy to drive himself, he had to call a taxi and already felt winded just from getting downstairs. Yeah, he really had to get some help. If he kept coughing like this, he soon wouldn’t have any voice left. Exhausted, Taehyung almost fell asleep during the drive there and weakly shuffled to the elevator, barely noticing the way he swayed while walking.

With their friend not responding to any of their messages, the members soon grew worried, knowing the second youngest had been having a hard time lately. Jimin eventually went over to Taehyung’s place to check on him and got scared when nobody opened. He let himself into his best friend’s apartment and searched for the younger but no one was home. With Namjoon on the phone, Jimin informed that Taehyung wasn’t there but that his place looked different from theirs. He was the only member who hadn’t decorated for Christmas and while it wasn’t messy, it also didn’t look like he put in an effort to keep it tidy.

Thinking it might cheer Taehyung up if his place was all cozy, the members hatched a plan. Each of them pitched in with a bunch of Christmas decorations and in no time, Taehyung’s apartment looked completely transformed. Hoseok even brought a cinnamon scented candle, which he lit on the coffee table to fill the place with a warm, sweet scent. They had no idea when their friend would be back, hell, they didn’t even know where he was, but it sure startled them when the front door suddenly clicked.

Drained from his trip, Taehyung closed the door and weakly slumped back against it, mind hazy. At first, he didn’t notice his friends at all, startling when he saw a movement from the corner of his eye. “You’re skipping Christmas! Isn’t that against the law?”, Jimin asked accusatory, gesturing to the now sparkling living room, “Wait, are you okay? Why are you crying?” - “I didn’t know you were here”, Taehyung sniffled, feeling increasingly weak in the knees. Shakily sliding down with his back against the front door, he held his head in his hands and winced when a cold hand touched his neck. Jimin cursed as he felt his best friend’s skin burn under his touch, cooing: “When did you get that nasty fever, Taetae?”

Taehyung’s reply came unintelligibly muffled and by the time Jimin got him to repeat himself, Seokjin was kneeling by their side. “Why didn’t you let anyone know you fell ill? I could’ve come by yesterday to bring you soup and medicine”, the eldest hummed, gently lifting his dongsaeng’s chin. Taehyung looked up at him with glossy eyes and rasped: “I didn’t wanna bother any of you. You were probably busy, so I tried to jus’ sleep.” – “Never too busy for you, Tae”, Jimin sighed as he petted the other’s hair, “Come on, let’s get you off the floor. Do you think you can stand?”

The younger swayed a little when he was hoisted to his feet but Seokjin and Jimin managed to manhandle him to the couch, so he’d be more comfortable. Letting Taehyung lay down with his head in his lap, Jungkook gently played with the other’s hair and smiled: “What were you up to just now? None of us could get a hold of you, so we got worried.” – “Went to the doctor’s”, Taehyung whispered, closing his eyes as he relaxed into the affectionate touch. “Oh dear, what did he say?”, the maknae hummed, resting his palm against Taehyung’s feverish forehead when he noticed how much comfort it seemed to bring him.

Yoongi brought a washcloth to trade with Jungkook’s hand and frowned when Taehyung whispered: “Told me to stay hydrated and get lots of sleep. ‘s probably something flu-like, so I should take it easy even when I’m on the mend.” – “Well, we can work with that”, Yoongi said with a soft smile, “Did you get medicine?” With a hoarse hum of confirmation, Taehyung patted his pocket. “Is there anything specific you’re hungry for? Otherwise, I’ll just make some soup”, Seokjin offered, grateful for their surprise visit. Their dongsaeng wouldn’t have reached out, so they were lucky to have found him.

With Taehyung not hungry in the slightest, the eldest decided to prepare a pot of soup for the group to share, while the other members tried to make him as comfortable as possible. Namjoon had collected Taehyung’s duvet from the bedroom and Hoseok dimmed the light, so the room was only illuminated by the decorations they had hung up as to not aggravate their friend’s headache. Jimin joined Seokjin in the kitchen for a bit, brewing a pot of tea. It was no secret how wrecked Taehyung’s voice tended to get when he had as much as a little cold, so this really had to be taking a toll on his throat.

"Here's some tea. I bet your throat hurts", Jimin smiled as he placed the cup on the coffee table. Tiredly blinking up at the other, Taehyung breathed: "Thank you for the surprise visit. You wouldn't have needed to decorate but you have no idea how grateful I am that you're here."

[cuddlepilefics]

Hi can you maybe repost the "it happens to the best of us" fics, I can only get to part 1, 4 and 6.

Here's the full series

[cuddlepilefics]

Winter soup @fluff-cember

@hurtcember : 11 caretaking, 18 fatigue

Fandom: Stray Kids

Sickie: Felix

Caregivers: Stray Kids

No one’s POV.:

“Here, sit down”, Minho instructed as he guided Felix to the couch at their dance practice room. The Aussie was doubled over coughing and had a hard time catching his breath, so his hyungs were understandably worried. Hyunjin brought Felix his water bottle and hummed: “Don’t you think it’d be for the best if you sat today out? Your cold’s not going to get any better if you keep pushing yourself so hard.” – “I just don’t feel like I got the steps down yet”, Felix rasped, the coughing slowly tapering off as he sipped his water. “Still, I agree with Hyune”, Minho sighed, “There’s not much for you to learn when you’re not feeling well. You probably won’t remember the steps in a few days even if you manage to learn them now and you will be sicker and for far longer if you refuse to take time to rest.”

Minho and Hyunjin eventually managed to talk their fellow dancer into taking it easy and sit out the rest of their practice. Felix still insisted: “At least, let me watch. I don’t consider myself sick enough to go home and maybe I can memorize some parts from watching you two.” – “Deal but only if you go get changed and put on your hoodie. Your clothes are drenched with sweat and you’re bound to get cold soon.”, Minho smiled, glad that his dongsaeng was finally giving in and the compromise was as good as they would get. “Deal”, the younger sniffled as he got to his feet.

Shakily shuffling to his bag, Felix had to admit the fatigue was weighing far heavier on him than he wanted to let on. It shouldn’t have surprised him so much, since he had been up for most of the night, coughing up a lung and only sleeping in short intervals but still, they had things to do and he wished to be more functional for their schedule. His entire body ached as he tried to peel off his sweaty dance clothes. Funny, they hadn’t even gone over the most taxing parts yet but he was already sweating like crazy, maybe even starting to get dehydrated. If the growing headache was anything to go by, at least.

Felix made a point of finishing the rest of his water bottle as soon as he was changed, convinced it would ease his headache but Hyunjin had a different suspicion, humming: “Are you sure, you’re not running a fever? Your eyes look a little off to me.” – “I dunno”, the Aussie replied hoarsely, “They jus’ feel really tired an’ sensitive.” – “There’s probably no point in feeling your forehead now with all of us still warm from dancing but you should definitely check once you get home. I wouldn’t be surprised if you managed to make yourself worse by going all out dancing”, Minho frowned, only now paying such close attention to the younger’s eyes, which were undeniably glossed over.

“Chan-hyung is asking if we all want to meet up for lunch once the maknaes are done with their vocal lesson”, Felix read out before glancing up from his phone. By now, he had drawn his knees up to his chest, trying to preserve warmth while his body was being wracked with chills. Minho and Hyunjin were quick to agree, wanting a break too besides, maybe their leader would be able to convince Felix to go home if he saw how bad the younger was doing. As requested, Felix texted back on behalf of the dance-racha before putting his phone away because the screen was hurting his eyes, the headache only getting worse.

Felix knew he was running a fever but in his mind that didn’t mean he needed to go home. He wasn’t dancing, therefore he was resting, right? His hyungs didn’t seem to think that way but what did they know? They also thought that going out for lunch was a great idea and Felix couldn’t agree any less. His appetite had all but vanished over the past few days and going out sounded like it took a lot of energy, energy that he didn’t have. He’d be perfectly content with just staying in his spot on the couch, waiting for their day of practice to finally be over.

“Oh wow, what happened to you, mate?”, Chan frowned when he spotted Felix. The dancer huddled in his coat after the walk to the restaurant had left him even more chilled. Collapsing into his seat, Felix sniffled: “Cold.” – “I mean, I knew you’ve been sniffly recently but when did it take a turn like this?”, the leader worried, resting his pam against the other’s forehead. “Last night probably”, Seungmin piped in, “Did you manage to get any sleep?” – “Sorry if I kept you up”, Felix apologized to his dorm mate. Shaking his head, the vocalist hummed: “It’s alright but I’m surprised you still got some of your voice left with how much you were coughing.”

Seeing how uncomfortable Felix grew with the amount of attention he was receiving in public, Changbin pulled the younger into his side and smiled: “Let’s eat because Lixxie is probably going to lose that voice if you keep making him talk.” With his social battery drained, the younger was glad that Changbin had changed the topic for him and even order lunch for him. He didn’t even pay attention to what the rapper ordered because he didn’t feel hungry and would just try to force down a few bites of whatever the older picked for him. Watching Felix shiver, Changbin knew the boy needed something hot and nourishing, so he chose a hearty winter soup to warm the boy up from the inside.

Sitting on Felix’ other side, Jeongin smiled when the dancer’s head dropped onto his shoulder as they waited for their meal. The Aussie just seemed so drowsy and fatigued, it made Jeongin want to bundle him into a fuzzy blanket and cuddle him till he was feeling better, which they certainly would’ve done if they didn’t have to work. “Lixxie, I think you should go home after lunch”, Chan mused, still studying the younger closely, “You look awful and with how flushed you are, I bet you have a fever. Since you can’t dance and would only be watching aways, I think you r bed and some sleep would be the better choice.” – “I-I think, I have a fever”, Felix admitted softly, avoiding the leader’s eyes. Minho’ and Hyunjin’s heads immediately shot up at that because least they knew, he had still been uncertain.

Encouraging Felix to eat as much of his soup as he could, Chan promised he’d get Felix a ride back to his apartment, so he could lay down. Though the soup felt nice on his sore throat, Felix couldn’t stomach much. He only got sleepier after the meal and could already feel his eyelids start to droop. If his nose hadn’t started to run from the steam, he might even have dozed off against Jeongin’s side. Snatching a napkin off the table, Felix caught an itchy sneeze, his watering eyes meeting Jisung’s across the table before he ducked down again. Jeongin gently rubbed the Aussie’s back when the sneezes triggered a cough and Changbin reached for his dongsaeng’s glass.

“Really not feeling well, huh?”, Changbin cooed when Felix had taken a few sips. The dancer tiredly shook his head mumbling: “I get why you guys wanted to send me home earlier. Sorry, for giving you a hard time about it.” – “It’s okay, Lixxie”, Minho smiled, with Hyunjin nodding along, “We know how you always want to give your best for us and for Stay but I’m glad you agree that the best would be resting now.” – “Please check the bathroom cabinet when you get home, so if there’s any medicine you need, I can pick it up on my way home tonight”, Seungmin requested, unsure of how well they had stocked up their apartment.

That was exactly when Felix did after being taken home, immediately swallowing something for the headache and fever. They didn’t have much besides that, so he texted Seungmin to pick up some cough syrup and more tissues later, before grabbing the vapor rub and shuffling to his room. Sluggishly changing into his pajamas, Felix spread some vapor rub on his chest and hoped it’d help him keep from coughing long enough to actually get some sleep. He then stacked his pillows to help him breathe a little easier and was surprised when he heard the front door click. Seungmin wasn’t supposed to get home until later that evening, so what was happening?

“Hey, Lixxie, wow. You officially smell sick now”, Seungmin chuckled, holding up a small pharmacy bag, “I got your cough syrup. Innie and I have some lyric practice to do and we convince manager-nim that we could do that from home, so we’ll be in my room if you need anything.” – “Thanks, Seung”, Felix rasped, hazily looking up at the other. Stepping closer, Seungmin cupped the Aussie’s freckled cheeks and frowned: “Did you take your temperature? Gosh, you gotta be miserable with a fever that high.” – “Didn’t measure it but already took something. Hasn’t kicked in yet”, Felix pouted, neither denying nor confirming how bad he was feeling.

Having overheard their conversation from the hallway, Jeongin collected a cold washcloth from the bathroom and went to join his friends. With a shy smile, he whispered: “Maybe you wanna keep this on your forehead to ease the headache till the medicine kicks in.” – “Thank you, I.N.-ah”, Felix sniffled, “’m jus’ so cold.” – “Well, I don’t think you should have more blankets than this one but we can tuck it around you really tight”, Seungmin offered, scanning the bed. Realizing that that was as good as it would get, Felix agreed and the younger fixed his blanket for him. “You gotta practice, right?”, the dancer sniffled. Nodding, Jeongin explained: “Mainly the lyrics because we don’t remember them well enough yet.” – “You could practice them by singing, right?”, Felix confirmed, shooting Seungmin a hopeful look, “Could you practice them here, at least, till I fall asleep?” – “Lix, if you wanted to be sung to sleep, you could’ve just asked”, Seungmin laughed, turning to the door, “Hang on and let me grab my lyrics sheets.”

[cuddlepilefics]

There is a fic "Count on me" that consist of 2 parts and part 2 has a link to part 1 but it says that part 1 is a post that can't be found? I really wanted to read this story so I just want to find out if it's an error on my side or if you deleted it :)

Hey there,

I didn't delete it but it was gone for some reason, so I just reposted it with hopefully working links.

<3

[cuddlepilefics]

Count on me 1

Fandom: Stray Kids

Little: Jeongin

Caregiver: Chan

Part 2

No one's POV.:

It had been a while since Jeongin was last able to get a good night's sleep. Though he had always been the member who went to bet the earliest, he struggled to fall asleep and lately it always took till the early morning hours for the maknae to doze off. Considering how early they had to get up, that left only a few hours for him to rest, which certainly wasn't enough and left him tired and lagging behind. Even those few hours of sleep weren't really restorative and more often than not, Jeongin kept tossing and frequently woke up from nightmares. When the insomnia and nightmares first started, he thought he'd rather stay awake than be plagued by the horror he experienced during his sleep, though as time passed and he started to feel more and more run down, he didn't care about being terrified, if only he could sleep. Not wanting to worry his hyungs, Jeongin did some research to try and figure out why he was struggling and how he could fix that on his own. One of the pretty obvious reasons was that he was pretty stressed from his work. He was still young and the hours they had to work daily had been straining from the very start. To make matters worse, they were always in the public's eye and everyone was waiting for a misstep on their part, which might even end up ruining their entire career. Jeongin had always been scared of saying something wrong in front of the cameras or not being able to perform their choreographies as elegantly as his hyungs and those worries stressed him out even more than having deadlines to meet.

Since stress was most likely the reason he had trouble sleeping, Jeongin made it his nightly ritual to have a cup of warm chamomile tea with honey before bed and use lavender-scented shower gel when he showered in the evening. He also stopped checking social media before going to bed for the fear of reading something hurtful that would occupy his mind while he was supposed to be sleeping but all his efforts were in vain and the maknae found himself lying awake once again. The entire group was asleep by now, even Chan and here he was unable to shut off his racing mind. When did his thoughts become so loud and disruptive? Jeongin wrecked his mind thinking about his chances of quieting his mind. He used to be better at handling his thoughts, so why couldn't he now? What did he do different back then? Feeling like he was missing something important, the maknae glanced around his dark bedroom. He knew there was something he was supposed to remember but he just couldn't. His eyes fell on his roommate, Jisung slept peacefully cuddling the massive pig plushie on his bed, breathing calmly. Seeing the plushie, the younger felt a sense of nostalgia and comfort. Now he knew for sure that there was something he used to do to deal with the stress but he still couldn't point out what it was. Figuring a plushie might help him, Jeongin took out a fox plushie that he had been gifted at a fansign and got comfortable with it in his arms. He instantly felt weird and fuzzy and it was scaring him. His mind had gone foggy and the youngest was now really afraid of the effect sleep-deprivation had on him. Confused and scared, the maknae once again fell into a restless sleep, being woken up by a disheveled Jisung twice because he had started to cry for help during his nightmares.

The group had noticed their youngest member acting off, of course they had. Jeongin had grown a lot quieter and when asked about it, he always responded that he was only tired, which was the truth, he didn't feel sad or depressed, he was just really run down and kept spacing out a lot, so he couldn't really participate in conversations. He had looked so sincere, that the others couldn't help but believe him and after reminding him that he could always come to them for help, they stopped bothering him. Jisung once pointed out that the younger had nightmares more frequently but Jeongin only sighed, knowing that his hyung was woken up rather rarely compared to how often he really did dream bad. Once again, the issue didn't seem too serious and got brushed off again, mostly because the maknae seemed uncomfortable being questioned about it and they didn't want to push him too much. Thinking it wasn't too bad and that the youngest was just exhausted from their schedules like they all were, it came as a shock when Jeongin collapsed during one of their dance practices. He never lost consciousness but suddenly feeling extremely dizzy half-way through the choreography, he weakly dragged himself to one of he walls, lying down, so he wouldn't hurt himself by falling. Taking shallow breaths, he waited for the dark spots to disappear and for the ringing in his ears to quiet down. Even though he was still somewhat conscious, he wasn't fully there and startled when his vision cleared and he found Chan hovering over him and studying his face worriedly.

It was safe to say that Jeongin wasn't allowed to continue practicing, no matter how hard he begged. His assurances that he hadn't fainted and merely felt a bit dizzy, fell on deaf ears and at one point, Chan simply cut him off: "Innie, you can choose, you won't continue dancing but if you stop trying to change our minds, you can stay here and watch. If not, I'll send you home to rest properly. Your choice. We're not doing this to annoy you or to make you fall behind or whatever you're claiming our intentions to be, we have noticed you not acting like yourself for a while now and we want you to be okay but you almost passing out just proves that you're not okay and you certainly won't be if you continue practicing right now." – "But hyung-" – "Alright, pack up your things-" – "No, no, no, I'll be quiet, just please let me watch", Jeongin pleaded when he realized that Chan was serious about sending him home. He didn't want to go home, he didn't want to be alone. When he was alone, he'd only think more and therefore stress more. He wouldn't be able to rest like they wanted him to. Nodding, the leader guided him to their bags and handed him his water bottle. He went through his own bag to lend the youngest his hoodie, so he wouldn't catch a cold in his sweat-damp practice clothes. "Hey, if you feel bad, mate, don't hesitate to speak up, yeah?", Chan said quiet enough for only Jeongin to hear. The younger almost teared up from the leader's soft smile and for the sake of holding back his tears, he only nodded silently, not trusting his voice. Chan was about to go back to practicing, when the maknae suddenly hugged him. It had come unexpected but not unwelcome and he instantly hugged back only letting go, when Jeongin retracted his arms. He'd always be there for his members when they needed comfort. Knowing the youngest would feel embarrassed or even humiliated, the rest of the group pretended not to see what was happening but they realized there was something the boy was hiding something from them.

They all checked on him individually during their water breaks but Jeongin seemed to be doing better and despite the loud music, he even managed to fall asleep with his head tipped back against the wall, napping for almost half an hour. He woke up just in time for them to pack up and go home. The members kept it down, as the boy still felt sleepy and out of it, and after dinner, they all cared for him in their own ways. Minho had picked up on Jeongin's habit of drinking tea, so when the time came for the youngest to go to bed, he made him a cup of chamomile tea with honey and placed it on his nightstand for the maknae to find when he'd come back from his shower. Felix left one of his plushies on his dongsaeng's bed and Changbin adjusted the air conditioning in the room. Seungmin plugged in a nightlight he had found from years ago when Jeongin didn't want to sleep in the dark and hoped it would help with the nightmares or at least not have the boy wake up to darkness if he had one. Hyunjin had already been clinging onto the youngest the entire evening to ensure he knew how much he loved him and Chan took him aside, asking Jeongin to come to him if he wanted to talk, even if that meant waking the leader up in the middle of the night. When the maknae was ready to go to bed, Jisung was already settling in his despite it not even being close to the time he usually went to bed at because he didn't want to wake the younger by sneaking into the room later. Yet, the only one of them falling asleep was Jisung.

It was already close to two at night and most members were asleep. Although he was glad that none of them decided to stay up till five, which they often did, Jeongin couldn't help but envy them. He was so tired that he almost felt physically sick but he couldn't rest. The incident from earlier only made him stress out more. What if it happened again? What if he had to miss more practices? If his dancing ended up lacking even more? At this point he was only holding his hyungs back, so was there anything he could do to fix himself or should he rather leave? Taking a shaky breath, Jeongin felt his eyes sting. He knew he should go talk to Chan but he knew just how bad it felt to lose sleep and he didn't want to be the reason the older lost sleep. His hands started to shake as he remembered just how good the hug had felt and he yearned for some comfort. Why did he have to be like this? So weak, so dependent? Swallowing his pride, Jeongin rolled out of bed and quietly made his way down the hallway, silent tears streaming down his face. He pressed his ear against Chan's bedroom door and heard the familiar clicking of the leader's keyboard. If it was any other situation, he would have rolled his eyes at the older for still working but right now he thanked the heavens that the Aussie was still awake. He wouldn't have had the heart to wake him. Quietly, he snuck into the room as he expected Changbin and Felix to be asleep. They were and didn't even stir when he stepped in. He had been so careful in fact that not even Chan noticed him and startled when the maknae tapped his shoulder. Turning around, he frowned at the tears and wordlessly guided Jeongin to the living room, so they'd be able to talk in privacy without having to worry about the older's roommates waking up.

For a few minutes, they just sat on the couch, hugging as the younger tried to calm himself down. Chan knew there was something Jeongin wanted to say but he didn't want to push it, the boy would speak up when he was ready to. "H-hyung, I – I need h-help", the younger stammered, breaking down again. Chan held him tighter, calmly rubbing his back as Jeongin sobbed, trying so hard to be quiet and get his breathing back under control. Pulling away again to get a better look at the maknae's face, the leader hummed: "What do you need help with, Innie?" – "I-It's ridiculous", the younger sniffled, rubbing at his reddening eyes, "I shouldn't even c-complain to y-you 'bout it." Taking a shaky breath, he whispered: "I can't sleep." Chan felt his heart break, being able to relate all too well. "That's been going on for a while now, hasn't it? What about the nightmares Jisung mentioned", he asked softly. Realizing his hyung wasn't judging him for crying over something that the leader himself had to deal with every day, he calmed down and admitted: "Yeah, and if I sleep I always have nightmares. Hyung, why aren't you upset with me for crying over something when you have it a lot worse and don't cry?" – "Who says I don't? Being tired makes you emotional, that happens to you, that happens to me and literally anyone else. Crying is nothing to be ashamed of. I am upset but not with you. I'm upset that my friend is struggling with something I know sucks. Do you know why you can't sleep? I mean, are you thinking too much or does it just not work?", Chan asked sympathetically. Pulling his knees to his chest and resting his chin on them, Jeongin whispered: "I constantly think too loud and worry about everything. I already stopped using social media before bed but it doesn't help. What I don't understand is that I only struggle with that now, when it had to have been a lot worse during the survival show and stuff. It feels like there is a solution in my mind but I can't grasp it, like a word you usually know but when you want to say it, it's gone."

The gears in the leader's head were turning, was there a solution that the younger was missing? At least Jeongin's habit of drinking chamomile tea every night now made sense to him. "Innie, do you remember your littlespace?", Chan guessed, furrowing his brows, "You once mentioned that it helped you most during the survival show." – "Littlespace? What do you mean?", the maknae frowned, the feeling of a memory escaping him stronger than ever. Smiling fondly, the older pulled out his phone and searched his gallery. He soon held the phone out to Jeongin, showing him a picture where the youngest was sitting in Hyunjin's lap, holding a stuffed toy and sucking on a pacifier. At first, Jeongin was shocked at what he was doing, not able to remember any of that but slowly the memories came back overwhelming him. As he remained quiet, Chan put his phone away and smiled at his dongsaeng, waiting for him to take everything in. "Hyung, was I a bother? I don't remember much but we were all struggling, wasn't I making things harder for all of you by doing that?", the maknae frowned, still feeling a bit estranged. The older shook his head: "No, you weren't. You were pretty cute actually and knowing you found a safe way to quieten your mind, calmed us because we didn't have to worry about how you'd take all the pressure put on us. I don't even remember when you slipped the last time but it's been ages ago and I still don't understand why you stopped so suddenly. I didn't even think you would be able to." – "I-I guess I was just busy? And there was no time? Or if there was, I'd end up sleeping because I was so exhausted, so at one point I just kind of forgot about it? I don't know if that makes sense but it's the only thing that would make sense to me because I can't imagine why I'd stop if it was helping me", Jeongin wondered, secretly wishing to look at the picture again.

They both sat deep in thought before Chan broke the silence: "If you want to, you can slip right now. Maybe you'll be able to fall asleep while you're little." Biting his lip, the maknae had to admit that it did sound appealing but would he be able to slip after not doing it for so long and how did he even do that? Wouldn't it mean Chan staying awake with him even longer? Sensing his hesitation, the leader added: "I wouldn't be going to sleep anytime soon anyway, we have all the time in the world. You also don't have to but you could always try. I don't see any harm in trying." – "Hyung, I don't know", the younger whined, "I don't know how I did it and I don't know what slipping felt like, I'm scared." – "It's okay, you don't have to be scared. I could try to help you slip, talking to you softly and using nicknames always worked wonders back then. How about you get some of your stuff, I think you hid it under your bed, and I'll go get you one of my sweaters and we'll meet here again in a few?", the older hummed with a small smile. Desperate for sleep, Jeongin nodded and ventured back to his room. Luckily, it wasn't too dark with the nightlight on and he lay on the ground reaching under his bed, hoping to find whatever Chan had been talking about. Touching something, he pulled it out and looked at it. It was a cardboard box, which he opened, sitting on his bed. Jeongin's eyes fell on a baby bottle, decorated with little pink hearts. Right next to it lay a pink pacifier which looked so appealing to him but he didn't know why. Looking at his little gear, all the memories came crashing back, taking his breath away and almost bringing him to tears again. It took all of his self-control not to slip the paci between his lips right away, remembering that he should probably wash the dust off first. Hurriedly he carried the box out to the living room, finding Chan waiting for him with his biggest and softest sweater that Jeongin loved to borrow whether he was big or little.

Chan noticed the sparkle in the youngest's tired eyes and smiled: "Why don't you change into this while I clean that for you?" The maknae nodded and handed him the box before taking his sleep shirt off. The older went to the kitchen and washed the paci first before rinsing the bottle too in case Jeongin would want some warm milk later. When he returned to the living room, the younger was wearing his sweater and looked at him expectantly. He really wanted to have that pacifier. He didn't know why because he didn't feel little, all he knew was that he needed it right now. Sensing the maknae growing restless, Chan quickly handed him the comfort item, which Jeongin instantly pushed between his lips, heaving a sigh. He was still big but it felt good nonetheless. The leader sat down too and opened his arms, thinking the younger had slipped. Jeongin shot him a questioning look, mumbling a clueless: "I don't know why I'm still big despite having my paci. Hyung, I don't think I can slip. I'm to stressed to slip voluntarily but not stressed enough to slip involuntarily." – "What do you want me to do then? Stress you out more or talk you down?", Chan chuckled when his dongsaeng let out a frustrated whine. He might be slipping already, making noises like that. "Talk me down, please?", he mumbled shyly, climbing into the leader's lap and settling against his chest.

"You want me to talk you down sweetie? You look so, so tired to me", Chan cooed quietly, starting to play with Jeongin's hair, who let out a sad whine in confirmation, "We should really make you a bottle of warm milk. I'll even let you have two teaspoons of honey instead of just one. Do you remember what it tastes like? So, so sweet and warm." The younger relaxed into his touch, closing his eyes as he remembered what his caregiver talked about. Watching the boy pout, Chan decided to risk referring to his old nickname and continued: "Daddy is going to feed you your bottle and then he'll tuck you in nice and cozy. You can cuddle with Drippy, you do remember Drippy, right? He must still be in your room because you never go anywhere without that goldfish plushie of yours." He felt Jeongin freeze in shock and instantly feared, he had made the younger uncomfortable by calling himself daddy but the truth was: "N-Nuh, dada, me fowgot 'bout dwippy." – "It's okay, sweetie. Daddy will get drippy for you and you can give him all the cuddles. I'm sure he'll forgive you", the leader smiled, gently rocking the little in his arms when he started to cry over his plushie, "Don't cry, little one. If you can sit here by yourself for a second, Daddy can go to your room and get him." Jeongin nodded with a quiet sniffle, rubbing his face and pouting at his caregiver.

Feeling the boy had calmed enough, Chan shifted him from his lap and handed him his keyring for entertainment while he hurried to find the younger's plushie. He started to sweat, not being able to find it anywhere. Desperately digging through the depths of Jeongin's closet, the leader woke Jisung, who sleepily mumbled: "Wha's goin on?" – "Nothing, go back to sleep", Chan muttered and when he looked over his shoulder, the rapper was out cold again. He could only envy him for his ability to fall asleep as fast as switching of the light but he didn't have the time to dwell on it because he was afraid, Jeongin would snap out of it. Pulling something out under a stack of jeans, Chan let out a breath and smiled at the plushie that Jeongin had hidden so well. He hurried to the living room afraid that by the time he got there, the maknae would be big again. His worries disappeared though when he heard the jingle of his keys. Looking at the item in wonder, Jeongin shook them again and giggled lightly when it made the same noise again. "Hey, sweetie. Look what daddy's got here", he beamed, catching the boys attention. Squealing happily, the little made grabby hands at it, so the leader quickly handed it over, not wanting the boy to be too loud and wake up the entire group. They probably wouldn't mind being woken up if they got to see the maknae's little side again but they probably wouldn't let him go to sleep before all of them had showered him in love and what he needed right now was sleep. Jeongin seemed to be pretty young right now if his fascination with Chan's keys and the rapid suckling on his paci was anything to go by, so the leader got comfortable on the couch and pulled the little to lie on his chest, drawing patters on his back in hopes of luring the boy to sleep.

Not having regressed in so long, his headspace had gotten unpredictable and Jeongin shifted between different ages frequently, sitting up after almost an hour. He was still unable to sleep and had started overthinking again as he felt a bit bigger now. "Daddy, I can't sleep", he whined, taking out his paci. Chan sighed and sat up too, of course, it wasn't as easy as he had hoped. Running a hand through the boy's hair, he smiled: "Well, if you can't, there is no use in Daddy forcing you to. Would you like to color instead?" – "But daddy, don't we have to get up early tomorrow", the little worried, looking at Drippy. The leader was already up and placed opened a coloring book, searching for the box of crayons as he promised: "You don't have to worry about tomorrow." If that was what it came down to, he'd call Jeongin in sick tomorrow since he certainly didn't want him to collapse again. The maknae nodded hesitantly and popped his paci back in as he waddled to the dining table, sitting down and waiting for his daddy to get the crayons. Chan knew there was no way Jeongin would fall asleep while intending to, so maybe he'd fall asleep unintentionally while doing a task that didn't require as much focus. Patiently, he watched the younger color, his hopes high as the little's head started to dip down to his chest more frequently. He even dropped his crayon twice when dozing off but each time he shook himself awake again. Seemed like Chan's plan wasn't working.

He let the younger color while searching for other toys, trying to come up with a new plan. Stumbling over a bag with small marbles, the leader took out the marbles and stuffed them into his pockets before going to the kitchen and heating up some milk. Like he had promised earlier, he added two spoons of honey, cringing at the thought of consuming something so overly sweet but he knew Jeongin liked it, so he tried not to judge. "Sweetie, do you want to take a break and have your bottle? You can continue coloring afterwards", Chan whispered, showing the boy his bottle. The little's eyes lit up and he started to make grabby hands at it but Chan still had to get them both settled on the couch first. As soon as he got comfy against the leader's chest, Jeongin opened his mouth and the older had to suppress a laugh as he started to feed the impatient boy. Like he had expected, the maknae's eyes got even more droopy as he drank but unlike he had expected, the little managed to finish the entire bottle, not falling asleep half-way through like he always had. He wasn't completely awake however and had long forgotten about the coloring book he had abandoned, so Chan decided he'd just bore the younger to sleep. "I found those marbles, sweetie, and I wanted to know exactly how many I found of them", he explained, "Daddy needs to count them but Daddy's really bad at counting so maybe you can make sure he doesn't make a mistake."

Although Jeongin didn't seem too happy about it, he nodded and watched as Chan pulled out a hand full of marbles from his pocket. The leader was practically back hugging him, holding the marbles in front of them both. Still sitting against the leader's chest, he looked at the older's hands and watched as Chan started to count the marbles from his left hand into his right. Sometimes, the caregiver deliberately made a mistake and waited for Jeongin to correct him, which he did in the beginning, though he started to get fussier the more he got tired. The caregiver could tell his dongsaeng was upset with him for keeping him awake for such a pointless task and for messing up something easy. "Hold up, I think I have some more", he muttered when he had counted all the marbles from one hand to the other. He pretended to search his pockets but instead secretly traded the marbles from his right hand back to his left and continued counting where he had left off. Jeongin was too tired to pay close attention to what his caregiver was doing and only wondered where he got so many marbles from but never saw through the trick. His eyes fluttered closed a few times but he always opened them again though he stopped correcting Chan's intentional mistakes after few minutes. Some more time passed with the leader repeating the boring cycle over and over again and then suddenly, the little's head dropped backwards against Chan's collarbone, eyes closed and slightly parted. With a hopeful smile, he continued to count in a soft voice while slowly putting the marbles away. He kept counting for a bit till he was confident the boy had fallen into a deeper sleep. Then he picked up the pacifier, that still sat on the coffee table from when Jeongin had his bottle, and slipped it between the little's parted lips. The younger instinctively started suckling on it as Chan carefully carried him to his bedroom and placed him on his bed. Then he walked over to Jisung's nightstand and switched his alarm off before texting Seungmin.

Crispy

Hey, I talked to Jeongin last night and we'll both stay at home today. Don't worry, he's fine and we'll explain everything later. Please wake Jisung, I turned off his alarm, so it wouldn't wake Innie up. He's pretty exhausted and should get as much sleep as he possibly can. I know you're the most responsible one, so please don't let me down, Minnie.

After that, he turned his phone off, not wanting anything to disturb the little's sleep. He carefully got into bed next to Jeongin, covering them with the blanket and tucking it under the maknae's chin. The younger huffed out a breath and snuggled into his daddy's arms, making Chan's heart flutter. Feeling all warm inside, the leader drifted off to sleep too.