Work Text:
1:
When Soobin gets home it’s already dark outside, the pale blueness of the sky from the afternoon long melted into pitch black and a high moon that’s accompanied by glittering stars. He’d spent majority of the ride home pressed up against the car window looking out at them. It’s something that he usually doesn’t notice, always too busy on his phone or wrestling with Kai over the last cookie in the packet Yeonjun had smuggled in in his hoodie (to which the elder always claims that he actually deserves the last cookie but relents because he’s whipped for his bandmates).
But lately Soobin’s found himself more rundown than usual– a mix of comeback promotions and his MC position at Music Bank– and sometimes he doesn’t get home until late at night (rarely when the others are already asleep, but it’s happened more than once for it to be on Soobin’s mind). He’s also found himself feeling more snacky, dipping his hands more than once into Beomgyu’s chocolate stash and getting slapped for it. But when he’s constantly on the move, and with Music Bank not ending until late at night, Soobin’s usually rushing to find time to eat, only being able to grab a protein bar in between shoots.
So it’s on nights like this, where he’s starving and weary, that he’s thankful for Taehyun.
He waves to the manager that usually drops him off after his late Friday night schedules, getting a short honk of the car horn in return before the vehicle peels away from the pavement and down the road again. Soobin heads inside through the barren lobby until he reaches the dorm, types the code into the door panel and steps inside.
The dorm is quiet as he enters, but the lights in the living room and kitchen are still on so someone must still be awake. Soobin closes the door behind him and toes off his shoes, dropping his keys into the bowl as he goes. The wonderful aroma of meat and spice reaches his nose, and his stomach growls at the thought of finally getting to sit down to some food after such a long day.
Now, Soobin loves his job at Music Bank: it’s a great privilege, the staff are so kind to him, and Arin is easy to get along with and makes him laugh (she’s quickly become a sister figure, which makes his heart pang when he remembers his sister back home). But sometimes the bustling activity that comes with a music show and the constant social interaction is a lot and he catches himself fumbling for a hand to hold that’s not there like it should be. It’s still weird to sit in a dressing room by himself without the usual chaos going on in the background, and he realises how lucky he actually is to have groupmates to go back to. Where would he be without them?
“Hyung, you’re back.” Taehyun emerges from the living room, and Soobin’s heart instantly warms. The younger is wearing loose sweatpants and a shirt that’s clearly been stolen from Soobin’s wardrobe judging by the way it reaches his thighs, and Soobin can’t help the little swell of pride building in his chest at seeing Taehyun in his clothes. Taehyun’s made it a thing recently to borrow shirts from Soobin, claiming that he likes how unrestrictive they are for his gym sessions and general lounging around, and how can Soobin say no when Taehyun looks so happy to receive a yes? His eyes sparkle and his lips curve into that smile that Soobin adores seeing, so why would he ever want to take that away? Being the reason for that look is often what makes Soobin’s day that little bit better.
“Hi, Taehyun-ah.” Soobin sends him a smile, already feeling the tension drip off of his shoulders. “It smells great in here.”
“I made bulgogi. I plated some up for you in the kitchen if you’re hungry. The others almost snatched it, but I fended them off.” Taehyun laughs, beckoning him over to the kitchen. “I can heat it up for you if you want to shower first?”
God, he’s so sweet Soobin might actually melt. It’s not uncommon for them to do things for each other within the group– they’re all together 24/7 after all– but for Soobin it’s the little things that count: the remembered schedules, the prepared meals, the willingness to help. They’ve all spoken at length about Soobin’s responsibilities as leader of the group and how much they impact him, but Taehyun is different; he just gets Soobin like no one else does. He understands when Soobin wants space or to talk, and even when he’s hungry or tired. He’ll just pop up and offer a snack or a break, or even just contact. Taehyun is so incredibly attuned to all of them that it’s slightly scary, but also endearing. Who else would discard everything in order to be there for someone else?
It makes Soobin warm and fuzzy inside to think of Taehyun as that person that he knows he can rely on for absolutely anything. Some people think he’s cold or unapproachable, but Soobin knows the truth: that Taehyun is one of the warmest people he’s ever met.
“Thank you~” Soobin closes the distance between them and follows Taehyun into the kitchen. The room smells amazing with the remnants of dinner, and as he looks around, he notices that the dishes are stacked up in the sink and the countertops are still covered in sauce and veg prep. Taehyun follows his gaze,
“I’ll clean all that up too while you’re away. I was gonna get it after dinner but Beomgyu-hyung roped me into listening to the song he’s been working on…”
Soobin hums, turning to look at Taehyun properly and frowns when he notices how weary the younger looks himself. Up close now he can see the purple smudges gathering under his eyes and his skin is pale in the kitchen light. That’s also when he notices the small smears of soy sauce dotted along Taehyun’s cheeks, and he laughs, overcome with a sudden rush of love for the younger at the thought of Taehyun being so invested in preparing their meal– his meal– that he didn’t even notice the sauce on his face.
“What are you laughing at?” Taehyun cocks his head, and Soobin smiles as he steps closer to Taehyun, his hands reaching up to cup Taehyun’s face. He’ll always marvel at how soft Taehyun’s skin feels beneath his fingers, and how tiny his face is, and sometimes he gets an urge to trace over every small detail of his face and commit it to memory, a map he’ll never forget no matter what. Taehyun meets his eyes, and a galaxy erupts within Taehyun’s gaze that Soobin is mesmerised by that he could just stare at for hours.
Soobin gently thumbs away the trails of sauce, “You had soy sauce on your face, Taehyunnie.” He wipes it on a nearby towel with a smile. Taehyun’s cheeks are a dusty pink when Soobin turns back round and he just wants to kiss them until that shade of pink gets brighter. Instead, he gestures to the dishes, “I’ll clean up here while I heat up my food. You go shower and head to bed, and I’ll meet you up there, ok?” He immediately shuts down Taehyun’s protests when they start, “Nope, nope. You’ve done enough by making me and the others dinner. You deserve a break too, and I know you’ve been wanting to look over your lyrics before you hand them in next week.”
Taehyun looks like he wants to argue again, but Soobin can already see his shoulders relax at the idea of a hot shower and bed, and that’s enough for Soobin to gently push him over to the door. Taehyun’s smile is radiant as he turns to Soobin, “Thanks, Soobin-hyung.” He leans forward and presses a kiss to Soobin’s cheek, warm and sweet. “I’ll see you upstairs.” Taehyun heads off down the hall and Soobin’s left in the kitchen, cheeks burning and heart thrumming in his chest.
And even when he’s elbow deep in the sink with little bits of cabbage stuck in between his fingers and sauce everywhere else, Soobin can’t keep the smile off of his face. And it persists when he eats his delicious meal and eventually heads to bed where Taehyun is waiting, curled up with a notebook and pen.
“Hey.” Soobin changes quickly and slides under the sheets, hand coming up to rest on Taehyun’s knee. The younger wastes no time in closing his notebook over and placing it on the bedside table before laying back against the pillows with Soobin.
“Hey.” Taehyun looks so much better after his shower, relaxed and gorgeous in the dim light of the bedroom, and Soobin can’t help but pull him closer. Taehyun goes easily with a small laugh and sighs once his face is resting on Soobin’s shoulder. “You know, I could’ve cleaned my own mess up. But thank you for doing it.”
“It’s the least I can do after such a great meal. I wasn’t going to let you clean up after doing all the cooking. One of the others should’ve helped you out.”
“It’s fine, we’ve all been busy. And after last week I don’t trust Kai around the dishes.” The two of them laugh at the memory, pressed up against each other and Soobin’s heart is full.
…
2:
Taehyun quickly learns that not being able to use both of his hands sucks.
It’s not something that he thinks about a lot of the time– how valuable hands actually are– as he’s more focused on practicing whatever new choreography has come up or penning lyrics or going to the gym for the fifth time that week. It’s as he’s sitting on the floor of the practice room, right hand heavy with the thick bandage and splint that’s a little bit of an eyesore, that he starts to realise that oh this is going to be a problem.
It's no secret that the group’s choreography is well known for excessive use of arm and leg movements, especially their latest comeback ‘Blue Hour’. They’d all been so excited at the big reveal meeting (Kai had been practically vibrating in his chair), and Taehyun had been eager to learn it. The practices before had been smooth, everyone keen and excited because comeback season was always hype with new ways to show themselves off to the world. And with everyone sporting a new look, the comeback date felt closer than ever.
Now the problem wasn’t the comeback itself: the beginning had been near flawless, and their hard work had paid off in the comeback showcase, and Taehyun had felt like he was walking on air, giddy with what was to come.
No, the problem came when Taehyun had felt a searing pain in his right hand on the set of a variety show and upon looking at it, thought oh pinkies aren’t supposed to be that swollen or bent. And what followed– a hospital trip where he’d clung to their manager, Jisoo, and been told that he’d fractured his pinkie finger– had been enough for Taehyun’s world to stop. No, no, this couldn’t happen during their comeback, after all the prep they’d done for it. What were they going to do? What would the fans think? The company hadn’t had a lot of time to decide, and this wasn’t just a small disruption: this was something that would impact their image a lot. And Taehyun had been aware of that, which was why he decided to still go ahead with the choreography as planned.
“Are you sure?” Jisoo had asked, concern evident on his face. Taehyun appreciated their manager so much; he always went out of his way to make sure that they were all happy and fed, and having a strong relationship with the protocol team was something that Taehyun really loved because it felt like they were all a family in this together. Which only solidified his choice when he made it.
“I’m sure.” He’d said, even though his heart had pounded in his chest and his nerves shook, “I’m not letting this effect our comeback.”
Which brings him to now, looking down at his cast and back up to where the other members are gathered in front of the row of mirrors, ready to start their choreography lesson. The others have been amazing, helping him adjust with whatever they can help with, and Taehyun’s never been more grateful for such a close knit group of friends. Soobin turns round at that moment and their eyes meet. A reassuring smile is on the elder’s lips as he beckons Taehyun over, and it’s incredible how it helps to ease Taehyun’s erratic nerves, like the tidal wave has slowed to a gentle ripple. He can do this if Soobin’s there, right?
Taehyun hauls himself to his feet, trying to ignore how his hand is clumsy against the wall he uses to steady himself, and makes his way over to the group.
“Taehyun-ah!” Beomgyu greets him, placing a hand onto his shoulder with a wide grin and glittery eyes. Huening Kai slides up alongside them and clutches Taehyun’s other side with a similar look of happiness to see him.
“You ready to start?” Kai asks, and Taehyun can’t help but notice how the younger glances down at his cast and he bites his lip. As if sensing Taehyun’s timidness over the subject, Kai quickly rectifies, “Is it sore or anything? We don’t want you under any stress or getting further injuries. You’ll let us know if it hurts, right?” Taehyun laughs, suddenly relieved that that’s all it is.
“I promise it’s getting better, Kai. And I’m taking my meds for it. It’ll be fine.” Taehyun nods determinedly and the relief intensifies when the others nod along. “I’m doing this.”
“Let’s go then!” Yeonjun calls out, and Taehyun realises that he must’ve been eavesdropping on their conversation. The elder pulls him into a side hug– much to Kai and Beomgyu’s protests– mindful of Taehyun’s cast. “I’ll help with whatever I can, ok, Taehyunnie? Don’t worry about being behind or slow or whatever; you’re dealing with enough, and we’re all here for you. You can do this.” Yeonjun’s smile is infectious, and Taehyun welcomes the rush of warmth that encompasses him at how well his groupmates know him.
“Thanks, Yeonjun-hyung.” The elder moves away satisfied, signalling to the choreographer that they’re ready to start. As they move into their respective positions for the beginning of the song, Soobin takes a hold of Taehyun’s casted hand and strokes it, gentle and soothing even through the plastic and bandage. He doesn’t say anything, but he doesn’t need to; Taehyun understands everything. He smiles and steels himself. He can do this.
An hour later he can feel the sweat collect on his back and forehead and his hand is on fire and wow this is harder than he thought it would be. Taehyun gasps, lurching for his water bottle that a staff member brought in for them at the start of the practice. Except when he goes to open it, he realises that it’s a twist off cap on the bottle. He groans and switches hands, though it’s more difficult than anticipated to hold the bottle in his casted hand.
“Everything ok?” Soobin asks, joining him with his own bottle. Taehyun sighs, sinking back against the wall.
“Fine, hyung. I just keep forgetting that I don’t have both my hands right now.” A troubled look enters Soobin’s eyes, and he reaches for Taehyun’s bottle without a word, proceeding to open it and hand it back in under ten seconds. “You didn’t have to-”
“I know.” Soobin smiles, “But you don’t have to struggle alone. It’ll take some getting used to. And we all don’t mind helping along the way. I don’t mind helping.” Taehyun feels his cheeks heat a little and god he hopes he can pass it off as an effect from the dancing.
“Thank you. It means a lot.” And it does. They’ve spoken about this before, of course. They all technically did once Taehyun got home from the hospital, but it was Soobin that held Taehyun when he panicked over the news, and it was Soobin who made sure he had everything he needed that night. “You’re not a burden, not ever.” Soobin had said and, in that moment, Taehyun could believe anything because Soobin made him feel like he could do anything.
“You’re doing really well.” Soobin’s hand trails along Taehyun’s back and although Taehyun knows the elder must feel the sweat clinging to the shirt material, Soobin just smiles and rubs his back more in soothing circles. It’s heaven.
They continue practice after that, and Taehyun slowly feels like it’s piecing together. His hand definitely feels heavier than before and there’s twinges of pain when he moves it so fast, but the satisfaction flowing through his veins at the choreographer’s praise is enough to assure him that he’s doing all right and this might not be such a disaster after all.
He wipes his forehead with a nearby towel, sighing as he watches the others pack their stuff up into their bags as they get ready to leave. When he leans down to pick up his own, a hand swoops in and snatches it first. “Wha-?”
“Let me do it.” Soobin announces, slinging the bag over his free shoulder. His hair is dripping with sweat and he’s still panting, but his skin has a healthy glow, and he doesn’t look as tired as he usually does. In fact, he looks cheerful and bright, and it raises Taehyun’s own spirits to see. He knows that Soobin’s been dealing with a lot of stuff lately too, especially because of the near disaster for the comeback, so it’s good to see that he’s in a good mood about things.
Taehyun smiles in return and follows Soobin outside to the car waiting for them. The smile stays on his face throughout the whole journey, Soobin’s hand grazing his knee, even as his finger throbs every few seconds.
When they arrive, the others scatter in a desperate rush for the shower, and Taehyun listens to them bickering from down the hall as he all but collapses on the floor to untie his shoes with a groan. Why is he so stupid? He’s been meaning to buy replacement shoes with no shoelaces during his recovery period but hasn’t gotten around to it yet, so their manager helped him with his shoes earlier that day, but Taehyun doesn’t want to disturb him any further by calling him in to help. With a sigh he starts to pick at the laces with his free hand, a bitter feeling of hopelessness welling inside of him as they don’t budge.
“Let me,” Soobin drops to his knees in front of him, abandoning their bags on the floor next to them, and his hands seek out the laces to loosen them. His fingers are nimble, so unlike the clumsy Choi Soobin that their fans know and love, and Taehyun’s heart swells with adoration as Soobin removes his first shoe with such tenderness and care. Soobin treats him as if he’s the most precious treasure, and Taehyun feels so loved and cared for that as Soobin removes his other shoe, he leans forward to pull the elder into a kiss. Soobin startles at the gesture, but wastes no time in returning the affection, a hand coming up to cup Taehyun’s heated cheek, and the world falls away in that moment. It’s calm and soft, and everything Taehyun needs.
Soobin laughs as he pulls back, the hand on Taehyun’s cheek coming up to brush Taehyun’s damp hair away from his face. His eyes are bright and his smile is beautiful, and Taehyun is so glad that Soobin is here. What would he do without him?
“Go wash up, and I’ll get our manager to order in for dinner. You deserve a treat after working so hard.” Soobin pops Taehyun’s shoes into the rack. “And we’ll get you another pair of shoes before the next practice, though I don’t mind doing that for you anytime.” Soobin pulls him to his feet, his hand warm in Taehyun’s, before he steers Taehyun down the hall towards the bathroom that is surprisingly empty at the moment. “Just shout if you need any help in the shower, ok?” He suddenly looks down at Taehyun’s hand, “Is it hurting much? I saw you wincing a few times in the car, but I didn’t wanna put you on the spot.”
“It’s ok, hyung. It’s been a little sore because of the mass movement today, but I’ll take my meds again before dinner and that should take care of it.”
“All right, I’ll have them waiting for you when you get out then.”
Taehyun watches Soobin go before he slips into the bathroom, closing the door behind him, the promise of dinner and an evening with Soobin’s arm around him at the forefront of his mind. He’s almost giddy as he fiddles with the water knob, his feet tingly and his heart quick.
…
3:
“Achoo!”
After the fourth sneeze in a row, Taehyun begins to accept that he’s likely caught a cold. He groans as he peels himself out of bed and down the hall towards the bathroom. This could only happen to him, right when they’re recording for their new album. He sniffles miserably into the balled up tissue in his hand, eyes downcast so he doesn’t notice he’s walking into someone until he nearly knocks them both over.
“Whoa, Taehyun-ah!” Yeonjun laughs, steadying them both, and Taehyun tries to ignore the head rush that comes with it. The elder grips his shoulders and squints, concern evident on his face. “Are you feeling ok, honey? You don’t look so good…”
“I’m fine.” Taehyun pulls away, blowing his nose again. The last thing he wants is to get others sick as well. “Just a bit of a cold, it’ll go away eventually.”
“Ah, bad timing. We have recording this morning, right?” Yeonjun ruffles his hair and Taehyun nearly preens from how good it feels. “I’ll go make you tea,” He grins, eyes bright and hopeful. “I’ll put some honey in it. Honey for my honey~”
“Yah, that’s awful, hyung.” Taehyun whines, hiding in his tissue. Yeonjun just laughs, leading him into the bathroom before wandering down the hall to the kitchen, a “You know you love me!” reaching Taehyun’s ears as he disappears.
Taehyun sighs, discarding his tissue and pulling another from the rack. It’s going to be a long day.
When he emerges from the bathroom, he finds the tea waiting for him and remarkably it does help a little, the honey soothing and deliciously sweet on his tongue. He relaxes in his chair, eyes closing, the pounding in his head temporarily halted and his brain no longer feels like it’s being squeezed.
A hand sweeps across his back, jolting him out of his daze, and he coughs in alarm. Which is followed by a sneeze which has him fumbling for his tissue packet.
“Sorry, Taehyun-ah. I didn’t mean to startle you.” Soobin sits next to him, passing Taehyun a tissue which he accepts with another sniffle. “Yeonjun-hyung told me you weren’t feeling well.” Traitor. Soobin’s brows are creased with worry and his lips are pouty, and Taehyun already knows that Soobin’s mind is running a mile a minute. When one of them are sick and can’t perform like usual, it’s usually Soobin that gets the scolding, not the other member, because as the leader it's apparently his responsibility to ensure that the group is up to standard. Taehyun’s always thought that it’s unfair how that works, since it’s not Soobin’s fault if their bodies suddenly decide to call it quits for a few days. They’re so busy all of the time, barely resting, especially Soobin, so it’s not exactly a mystery as to why Taehyun is sick right now.
“I’m fine, really. I can still record.” Taehyun immediately says, because absolutely no way is Soobin getting a scolding today. Not when Taehyun can see the dark circles under his eyes and how his eyes keep darting to his phone. “I’ll take some cold medicine and then rest straight after. We can’t afford to be behind right now.”
Soobin looks torn, biting his lip, like he wants to argue that Taehyun should be tucked up in bed before he gets any worse, but at the same time Taehyun knows that Soobin would never force him to stop if he doesn’t want to. Taehyun values what they have as a group so much, and if he has to fight through a cold to release something amazing, then he will. Taehyun reaches across for Soobin’s hand, “Don’t worry about me, hyung. I can take care of myself.”
“I know you can, but I don’t want you to…” And wow, Taehyun is hopelessly endeared. It’s not exactly a secret that Soobin’s love language is acts of service, making sure that all of them are safe and have everything they need, and Taehyun doesn’t even believe he does it because of his leader role. Soobin always goes out of his way to make sure everyone is comfortable, even at the expense of his own comfort, and it makes Taehyun feel a little giddy inside that someone wants to go out of their way that much to make sure he’s happy and satisfied. It’s one of the things Taehyun loves most about him.
The urge to kiss Soobin rises within him, but on second thought it’s probably best that he doesn’t; they don’t need two members infected. So, he settles for something else, “I love you, hyung.”
Soobin looks taken aback, but once it processes, the sweetest smile crosses his lips, and he squeezes Taehyun’s hand. “I love you too.” And for the rest of the morning Taehyun can pretend his head isn’t killing him and his nose isn’t running like a river, because at least Soobin is there. He rests his head on Soobin’s shoulder during the drive to the company, and drifts off feeling warm.
The recording is obviously not his best work, and Taehyun wants to sink into the floor with every wretched sound that comes out of his mouth. He doesn’t even want to hear the replays of his takes– most likely drowned in abrupt sneezes and coughs– and instead he trails out of the recording booth and drops onto a seat next to Beomgyu. His head pounds with the bright lights above and he covers his face with his hands, groaning.
“Rough day, huh?” Beomgyu puts his phone down in favour of rubbing Taehyun’s head, brushing Taehyun’s hair out of his eyes and presenting him with another tissue packet. “I know what that’s like. You’ll be able to do the takes again when you’re better, there’s no rush, you know?”
Taehyun sighs, “I just don’t want us to fall behind because of me. I should be able to work through this.”
“Taehyun-ah,” Beomgyu’s expression and tone are serious as his eyes bore into Taehyun’s, “You can’t help being sick. It’s ok to rest for a bit. I know you’ll catch up super-fast, because it’s you and you don’t let anything get in your way.” He pats Taehyun’s shoulder with a smile, “Take some more medicine, ok? Soobin-hyung brought you more, and also some more tissues cause you’ve been going through them crazy fast.”
“Where is Soobin-hyung?” The look that dawns on Beomgyu’s face has Taehyun squinting, the elder’s gaze darting away as he starts to whistle innocently. “Beomgyu-”
“Oh, is that me being called in? Well, gotta go, Taehyun-ah!” Beomgyu rushes to the empty recording booth, sliding inside without another word and Taehyun is left sitting alone, sniffling into another tissue. Weird. He fishes out his phone, pulling up Soobin’s number and hovering over it for a moment, until Beomgyu pokes his head out of the booth again. “He’ll be back soon! Promise! Just go home and rest!” That’s even more suspicious.
Taehyun looks at his phone again, contemplating. But maybe it would be worth it to wait for whatever it is Soobin’s doing? He hadn’t even noticed that Soobin had finished his recording and disappeared until five minutes ago; Soobin usually never leaves without telling him…
Although he’s curious, Taehyun finds himself pocketing his phone again and heading out to the car to take him home. Once he gets there, he beelines for his bed. He doesn’t even change into something else; just drops into the sheets and lays there, unmoving.
He doesn’t know how much time has passed when Huening Kai enters the room and dramatically plops onto Taehyun’s bed, plushie in hand which he lovingly tucks into Taehyun’s arms. “Are you feeling any better, Taehyunnie?” Kai runs a hand through Taehyun’s hair before delicately picking gross tissues off the bed and tossing them in the bin next to them. God bless the universe for Huening Kai. Taehyun’s not even fully conscious, but his heart melts at Kai’s little gestures (he doesn’t give his plushies to just anyone, and to not even care that Taehyun will likely snot all over it? Wow). Kai’s always a welcome presence; he’s someone that Taehyun can rely on for anything.
“I’m feeling a little better. I’ve managed to nap a little bit, but god my nose won’t stop bothering me.” Taehyun complains, reaching for a tissue to blow his nose. Kai whines in sympathy, rubbing his back.
“Well, Mittens can keep you company until Soobin-hyung gets back. She’s a great cuddler.” Even though he feels like death, Taehyun smiles.
“Thanks, Huening-ah.”
Kai positively beams as he tiptoes out, only to stop just beyond the threshold of the ajar door, whispering to someone. Taehyun tries to listen beyond the static in his ears but gets nothing and just resigns himself to his pillows with a huff. It’s probably Yeonjun or something. He squeezes the cat plushie, a rising feeling of longing building in his chest. He wants Soobin.
“Hi.” Taehyun whips his head round towards the door, moaning at the sudden onslaught of pain in his head at the quick movement and the light pouring in through the open door, closing his eyes. “Shit, sorry. Kai, close the door.” Soobin hurries over, placing something at the bottom of the bed before taking Taehyun’s face into his hands, pressing his fingers along Taehyun’s cheeks and forehead. Taehyun sighs at the pressure, the pain lifting for a bit. Once he can stomach opening his eyes again, he meets Soobin’s gaze. The elder looks incredibly worried and Taehyun just wants to take all of that away because he shouldn’t be this whiny over a cold that’ll go away in a few days. But it’s nice to be doted on.
“Where’ve you been?” Taehyun asks, eyes drifting down to see what Soobin brought in. It turns out to be a tray, and Taehyun’s overcome with affection when he sees that it’s covered in tissue packets, cold medicine and a bowl of soup that smells heavenly and has his stomach growling in the quietness of the room.
“Well, after I finished recording, I told my mum that you weren’t feeling well, and she offered to make you soup to help you feel better. So I asked our manager to take me over there so I could pick it up.”
Oh god, Taehyun might cry. It’s arguably one of the nicest things anyone has ever done for him. To go all that way just for soup? And for Soobin’s mother to waste no time in making the soup after hearing he’s ill? He’s obviously met Soobin’s mother befor and she’s the nicest person, all smiles and laughter just like her son, and she’d been thrilled to hear about their relationship. It made Taehyun feel good to know that he was on her good side.
He sniffles, “Thank you so much, hyung. That’s so nice of you both. Please tell her I said thanks.”
“You haven’t even tried it yet.” Soobin laughs.
“Doesn’t matter. Her food’s always good.” Taehyun reaches for the bowl, eagerly spooning some of the broth into his mouth and the beef flavour erupts on his tongue, and he sighs in contentment. “See? Always good.” Soobin laughs again, moving further up the bed to lay beside Taehyun as he eats. Taehyun quirks a brow, “You’ll get sick, you know?”
“Hm, it’ll be worth it.” Soobin’s smile is like the sun and Taehyun smiles into his soup as he takes another sip. He’s starting to feel better already.
…
+1:
“I don’t know what I’m gonna do with Odi.” Soobin sighs, face buried in Kai’s shoulder. The younger pats Soobin’s back, cooing in sympathy.
“Can’t you just take him with you? Surely your parents won’t mind?”
“I can’t. We’re travelling while I’m there, so I don’t want to put Odi under any stress. You know how he gets.”
“Ah.” Kai hums, “That’s a bummer. I would’ve offered but it’s Hiyyih’s birthday and when my mum heard I’d be getting a week off, she planned a trip to Jeju for all of us.”
“Don’t worry about it, Huening-ah, thanks anyway. You deserve to have time off with your family.”
“I’m sure you’ll find someone, hyung.”
Soobin groans again because he knows he won’t. Odi isn’t the worst pet to keep track of as he usually keeps to himself, but he does stress easily, and Soobin loves him too much to force him along on a family holiday which will take him out of his comfort zone. He knows he has reliable people on hand that would help, but with the group being given a whole week off to go home to their families, Soobin doesn’t feel right for asking them to do him a favour like that when they all deserve the time off. What is he going to do?
“I can look after Odi for you, hyung.” Taehyun murmurs to him later that night when they’re in bed together.
Soobin does a double take, “What? Aren’t you going home like everyone else?”
“No, my parents are on a business trip and my sister’s swamped at work, so I don’t wanna distract them. I was just gonna stay at the dorm, maybe meet up with a few friends in Seoul.”
Soobin sits up properly so he can look at Taehyun, heart warm and fuzzy in his chest. Taehyun doesn’t have any strong opinions on Odi– not like Yeonjun does– but he doesn’t exactly go out of his way to hold him or feed him either, despite the large amount of time Taehyun spends with Soobin. “Are you sure? It’ll only be for a week, but I don’t want to take you away from other things-”
“We’ll be fine, Soobin-hyung.” Taehyun smiles, hand ghosting along his thigh. “Won’t we, Odi?” The hedgehog obviously doesn’t respond, tucked up in his little house in the corner of his cage, but it makes Soobin relax at the thought of Odi being in good hands.
“All right, if you insist.” He presses a kiss to Taehyun’s cheek, then his forehead, then his lips. “Thank you, you’re a life saver, Taehyunnie.” Taehyun giggles,
“That’s what they say about me.” Soobin leans in for another kiss and it’s settled.
The following week when the others have already left to go home, Soobin runs through the list of Odi’s requirements with Taehyun again, until the younger shoos him out the door to his waiting car. “We’ll be fine, I told you.” Taehyun smiles in reassurance, eyes glittering in the afternoon sun, and Soobin sighs in agreement. “Have a good time with your family, hyung.” Taehyun squeezes his hand and Soobin’s overwhelmed with how much he loves this man, willing to do anything for him and make sure he can have the time off with his family.
“I love you so much, thank you.”
Taehyun laughs, “Stop saying thank you, it’s not a problem, hyung. I’d do it anytime, you know that. Now go. I’ll keep you updated.” Soobin reluctantly does turn away towards his car, watching as Taehyun waves until he disappears behind the door. Soobin’s not worried about Odi; he’s in good hands and Soobin knows Taehyun would never let anything happen to him. So he relaxes into his seat and looks out the window at the shimmering summer’s day that greets him.
Later that night, he’s at the dinner table when his phone pings with a message, and upon opening it he notices it’s from Taehyun. Heart in his throat, he quickly opens it, only for his heart to melt instead at the photo attached. Taehyun’s knelt beside Odi’s cage, drowing in one of Soobin’s hoodies, his hair wet from the shower, and he looks so incredibly cute that Soobin bites his lip to keep from cooing. But what really catches his attention is what’s in Taehyun’s hands. Odi lays curled up there, spines limp and most importantly happy, and Soobin feels all his worries melt away. The caption reads: all going well, we’ve become friends. We both miss you.
Soobin’s cheeks ache from the smile on his face as he saves the picture to his phone and sends a heart in reply. His mother gives him a knowing look when he puts his phone back down, prompting him to explain (which only caused the two of them to coo over the photo together). Yeah, Odi’s in safe hands. And Soobin can’t wait to get back home to them.