Chapter Text
Jihoon stared at Wonwoo. Wonwoo stared at the pot in front of him.
“I’m going to just throw all these things in and it will become jook.” Wonwoo jutted out his lips while nodding to himself in agreement with his own plan of action.
Jihoon sighed. “Just let Seokmin do it. He’s already done half the work.” The shorter member motioned to a concentrated Seokmin carefully cutting up pieces of ginger.
“I can make it. I saw you make it.” Wonwoo looked back at the empty pot sitting on the stove. “I can make it.” He said again, trying to reassure both himself and his friend who stood beside him, a look of doubt crossing Jihoon’s face.
“Don’t worry, hyung,” Seokmin took a break from intensely cutting ginger to brightly smile up at the other two members, “I’m sure Mingyu will eat it even if it tastes gross like all your other food!”
The younger continued to innocently smile, while Jihoon burst out into a fit of laughter, hitting Wonwoo’s shoulder. Wonwoo scowled. What great friends he had.
“Okay, okay…” Jihoon composed himself with a deep breath and patted the taller member, who’s eye still lingered at an empty pot on the stove. “I will graciously give up my time and tell you what to do and then you do it.”
Wonwoo sighed and nodded, “Okay.”
After over two hours, a couple of restarts, an outburst from a frustrated Jihoon, and a knife wound endured by poor Seokmin, Wonwoo had a bowl of jook in one hand and cup of water in the other.
Pushing open the door that was slightly ajar with an elbow, Wonwoo softly made his way into a darkened room, the only light source coming from a bedside lamp.
“Hey. Are you sleeping?” Wonwoo tilted his head up to peek over the side of the lofted bed seeing gray blankets shift around.
“Mn . . . no.” A groggy Mingyu turned over to face the other, hair ruffled and a sleepy smile on his face
“I made…” Wonwoo dropped his gaze to the bowl in his hands, “...uh, food. Here,” he said holding out the bowl towards the other’s face.
Mingyu sat up, leaning against the wall that his lofted bed was pushed against. “Come here,” voice still rough from sleep, Mingyu tapped the empty space next to him, all the while a big grin was plastered on his flushed face.
Wonwoo held the other’s eye for what felt like minutes, which turned out to be only seconds, before sighing and making his way up the short flight of stairs. Walking on his knees over to sit in front of the younger man, Wonwoo made sure both the water and porridge stayed in their respective containers.
Sitting on his legs that were folded under him, Wonwoo held out the bowl again. “Here, eat.”
Mingyu opened his mouth wide, “Ahhh.” When his actions received no response, Mingyu pouted.
“Hyung, I fed you while you were sick. It’s my turn now.” Smirking, the younger member opened his mouth again, pointing to the food and then pointing towards his mouth.
“I think you are more than capable of feeding yourself.” Wonwoo mumbled under his breath while handing the cup of water to Mingyu and lifting a spoonful of jook towards the other’s awaiting lips.
Wonwoo nervously stirred the contents of the bowl that sat in his hands. He usually didn’t care what others thought about his lack of cooking skills and for that matter, neither did he. But now he sat shifting his weight from side to side, wondering what the other thought, how it tasted to the better of the cooks, if he forgot to add something, how Jihoon didn’t die of anticipation when Soonyoung tried his food.
“Wow...hyung…” Wonwoo finally met Mingyu’s eyes. “It tastes delicious.” A hand reached out to brush aside Wonwoo’s bangs that hung slightly in front of his eyes. “I totally get what Soonyoung-hyung was talking about…” Mingyu leaned in closer to the older man, “...that it feels special when someone you love makes food for you when you’re sick.” The taller member continued his movement forward, eyes falling to glance at Wonwoo’s nervously bitten lips. Eyelids slowly dropped until his lips were met with...a cold, slim finger. Opening his eyes fully and staring at the finger placed on his lips, causing his eyes to cross, Mingyu pouted for the second time.
“Hyung...you ruined the mood. I wanted to kiss you.” Mingyu pulled back, sending his best puppy dog eyes to the older.
“You’re sick and I don’t want to get sick again.” Placing the bowl in Mingyu’s lap, Wonwoo shifted to lie down in the empty space between the other and the wall. “I’m already taking the big risk of being in here, so you’re welcome.”
“Aw hyung, but I kissed you when you were sick. Multiple times…” Mingyu smirked, “...and in multiple places too.”
Wonwoo’s face was aflame in seconds, his hands grabbing Mingyu’s pillow to cover his face. “And you’re an idiot for doing that...stupid,” came a muffled reply.
Mingyu continued to laugh, while shoveling the rest of the jook in his mouth. “Well, I don’t regret it,” a large hand patted Wonwoo on the head, causing the other to peek out from behind the pillow that still covered most of his face, “completely worth it. I even got you to cook for me!”
Smiling, Mingyu showed the other the now empty bowl.
Remembering what he grabbed before making his way towards the bedroom, Wonwoo sat up slightly and shoved a hand in his pants pocket, fingers grasping the small packet of medicine.
“Here, take this too,” the pill packet was placed in Mingyu’s hand before Wonwoo turned over to face the wall, hugging the pillow to his chest.
“Wonu-hyung...I thought we used the last medicine pack when you were sick. Did you go to the convenience store just for me?” Mingyu downed the medicine and the rest of the water before turning to look down at the man that was still curled around his pillow and facing the wall.
“I’m exhausted. Please don’t ever get sick again. I might die if I have to exert this amount of energy again.”
Mingyu moved the now empty bowl and cup to the steps of the lofted bed before shifting to lie next to the other.
“Thank you hyung,” Mingyu whispered into Wonwoo’s ear before bringing the smaller man closer to him.
Wonwoo snuggled into the embrace, his back meeting Mingyu’s warmer chest and his fingers interlacing with the other’s fingers that lazily rested on Wonwoo’s stomach.
“You’re welcome.” He whispered back softly.
Wonwoo’s eyes started to drift shut until a pair of heated lips brushed against his exposed neck, light kisses being pressed into his skin.
Wonwoo shot an elbow out behind him, hitting Mingyu in the stomach earning him a pained moan from the other. “Knock it off...I don’t want your germs.”
Sighing, Mingyu buried his face in the space between Wonwoo’s shoulder and neck.
“I just want a kiss. A small one?” Mingyu tugged on Wonwoo’s pinky finger that was interlaced with his own.
Letting out a huff, Wonwoo quickly turned over and placed a short kiss on Mingyu’s cheek and turned back around to face the wall.
“There. If I get sick again, I will kill you Kim Mingyu.”
With the biggest smile adorning his face, the younger of the two closed his eyes and wrapped his arms tighter around the other, “You kissed me Wonu-hyung. I didn’t think you would.”
Wonwoo looked over his shoulder at the other, who was still closed eyed and smiling. After a brief moment of silence, Wonwoo placed another small kiss on Mingyu’s cheek.
“It’s because I love you.”