Chapter Text
“I brought coffee for everyone, sorry we’re… late?”
Chan turned towards the door, a tired smile on his face at Seungmin and Jeongin who walked in slowly to the room that was mostly empty. Han was in the back trying to change, but the practice room was empty. Practice started almost 20 minutes ago, but the other four were nowhere to be found.
“Where is everyone? I thought we would be the ones holding up practice”
“Felix isn't answering, I think he's still at work. And Minho is probably there helping out too. Binnie is on his way though, he had to bribe Hyunjin to wake up. It's fine, we never start on time during finals week, don't worry about it. Thanks for the coffee though”
Seungmin nods and hands Chan his coffee. He sat down across from him, setting the rest of the drinks down as well and laughed as Jeongin sat next to him and leaned into him heavily, almost knocking him on his side. Chan laughs at them, and he sounds exhausted.
“Have you had any sleep?”
“Not much. I had a couple essays that were due this afternoon, and I hadn't even started them. Han tried to stay up with me and do homework but I had to pull basically an all nighter. I got like an hour before I got up for class, and I've been up since”
“Dude, we could have canceled, you shouldn't be worrying about practice on an hours sleep”
“No, it's fine. We can't sacrifice practice if we want to do this for real. We've worked too hard, and if we want to do well at the winter festival we have to stick with it, we don't want to get passed over by any potential scouts”
Jeongin kicked Chan gently, with a frown and Seungmin mirrored the emotion. Chan just sipped at his drink with a smile.
“So what made you two late? You’re both such early birds usually”
“Late night. Believe it or not, neither of us have simple finals”
“What? You're saying it's not simple to pass STEM courses? No way”
Chan giggles and then his head turns as a loud bang sounds. He smiles endearingly at the frozen form of Jisung, eyes wide in shock. He slowly steps forward and closes the door behind him, a sheepish smile on his face. He had changed into his dance clothes and Chan held his hand out toward the younger with glowing fondness, all exhaustion leaving his body.
“They really should put a less loud stopper on that, it’s distracting”
“Chipmunk, it has a quiet stopper, you just continue to overestimate how heavy that door is”
“Don't chipmunk me! Oh shit is that coffee, Seungmin you are a saint, I am a dead man walking”
Jisung walks over and takes the coffee from Seungmin and sips at it happily.
“Are the other 4 still not here? This is bullshit I miss Minnie and Lixie they better get their asses here”
“I see we were not missed?”
Changbin walks in with Hyunjin leaning on him heavily. Han laughs and moves to hug the two. He gestures to Seungmin and the two gratefully take the coffees handed to them. Shortly afterwards Felix and Minho rush through the door. Han immediately attaches to Minho's side with a huge grin.
“My beloved Minnieeeeeee I missed you so much”
Felix stares at the two of them, fondly shaking his head as Hyunjin joins their hug, pulling Jisung into a choke-hold playfully.
“Everyday I spend with you I feel like I'm already engaged”
“I mean that could be arranged”
Felix laughs and soon the 8 of them are getting in formation. Practice goes by quicker than normal, Minho in full teaching mode, drilling everyone on each step. He’s understanding when they make a mistake, carefully correcting them, but they can all see the frustration on his face after a few mistakes in a row. They're supposed to be competing in the STAY U winter festival right at the beginning of winter break. Unfortunately they’re not practicing as often as they really should be, studying for their finals taking up any free time they had. This was the first time they had time to practice as a group in a week, they truly didn't have the time to waste on simple mistakes.
Han was feeling dizzy, he kept stumbling every so often, but otherwise he was finally getting the steps. But it also came to the front of his mind when he felt the start of a headache, that he really hadn't eaten much. The others had stopped by the cafe before practice for dinner, but he had been studying, desperately trying to cram so he could make it to practice. He was there first, already changed and warming up by the time the others were there. He winced when he took a spin too fast, trying to just get through the song.
“Ok, what's wrong Sung”
Jisung looked forward again, looking at Minho, who had his hands on his hips and was looking at him through the mirror. He shrank a bit, folding in on himself when he saw the others eyes on him as well. He spoke quietly at first, barely above a whisper, but when Minho's gaze didn’t waver he repeated himself louder.
“It's nothing I just. I’m starting to get a headache, it’s fine, I just took the turn too fast”
Minho's eyes softened, all frustration leaving him as he dropped his arms and turned to look at him directly.
“You should've just said that Sung, I have ibuprofen in my bag, let me get it for you”
Jisung took Minho's arm when he walked by, stopping him effectively and muttering something under his breath again.
“Sung I need you to speak up hun”
“I said. I said I can't take ibuprofen. Not now at least, I’m fine really- we can go back to practice, I won't mess up anymore I swear”
“Can you give me more than that? Why can't you hun?”
“I. If I take pain meds on an empty stomach I'll get nauseous and sick. I don't want to stop practice, please”
Minho looks at him with concern before taking hold of Jisung’s hand. He turns on the music again, telling the others to keep going before pulling Jisung over to his bag. Jisung is confused when Minho pulls out a granola bar with ibuprofen and water. He smiles gently.
“Here. Hopefully that's enough to get through practice? And then after practice we can stop and get you something more ok? Dancing on an empty stomach isn't good, baby, let me know before we start next time ok? I always have snacks in my bag”
Jisung feels his eyes widen and he takes the items carefully, giving Minho a small kiss on the cheek with a smile.
“Thank you hyungie”
“No problem. Now eat up and let's get back to work hm?”
Minho followed through with Jisung after practice, kicking Seungmin and Jeongin out, telling them to ride back with Changbin and Hyunjin. He took Jisung with him and drove through some shitty fast food joint, getting Han some more protein, and both of them caffeine. Instead of driving straight back, Minho parked and turned to face Jisung, who had already started to scarf down the burger he was given. Minho smiled softly and sipped on his soda.
“You know you can tell us whenever you need something right? Anything at all and we will do anything we can, you know that right?”
Jisung pauses eating, looking at Minho, trying to finish chewing his bite before speaking. He didn't look straight at Minho, looked at him from his peripherals, instead focusing out the window, nothing particular catching his attention. Minho stayed looking at him.
“I know. Its just, well I dont know, Channie always freaks out when I fuck up and forget simple things like that, and I hate worrying him, but its just. He's very protective over me, and that's not a bad thing but sometimes I feel like I'm just. I'm more his child than his boyfriend. I don't take care of myself, so he ends up having to, and I don't work, or do anything on my own, and I don't like feeling like I'm adding to his burden. He shouldn't have to do all of that for me. And. and Changbin and you I just. I don't know, I just feel like I'm going to annoy you because I can't. Function on my own”
“Ok. Do you just want me to listen, or do you want me to try and help some?”
“You can help. I’d like that, actually”
Jisung finally turns and looks at Minho fully, and there's an exhaustion on his face that makes Minho melt. He reaches out and brushes a strand of hair behind Jisung’s ear before speaking.
“So, you aren't fucking up by forgetting to take care of yourself, lets get that straight. You're forgetful, and we’ve always known that about you, it makes sense that it follows through to self care. Don't beat yourself up for that, we know you do your best, and we dont mind reminding you”
“But it's all the time-”
Minho gently taps at Jisung's nose and he stops speaking.
“My turn ok? Let me finish first, I want you to listen for a minute, and not try and argue with me, is that ok?”
Jisung nods, letting himself lean into Minho's warm hand that's cradling his cheek still.
“Ok. Channie is like that, he's a mother hen sometimes, to a fault, as I’m sure you've seen since meeting him. I understand that it can feel a bit too much, me and him had a huge argument shortly after meeting because I thought he was treating me like a child. He really just cares like that, but if you tell him you feel overwhelmed by it, he will do his best to mellow out. But I don't blame you for not necessarily wanting to tell him you forgot to eat again, I'm sure he'd make a big deal of it, and that's definitely not what you needed”
Jisung nods again, trying to ingrain everything Minho is telling him into his brain. Minho's hand moves from his cheek to ruffle his hair and then drops to hold his hand.
“You aren't a burden. Ok? Not to Chan, not to Changbin, not to me, or anyone else. None of us help you or take care of you out of obligation, you are our boyfriend, and even before that, you are our friend. We take care of you because we love you. We don't have to do anything for you, but we want to, because we care about you. Silly Hannie, don't you know how precious you are to all of us? You won't annoy me or Changbin or any of us by asking for help. We aren't burdened by you, we want to help you, and you keeping it from us, taking that ability for us to show you the affection we want to? That makes us more sad and frustrated than you ever would by asking me for a fucking granola bar and some ibuprofen. I know that this won't necessarily make you want to ask for help more but. Well it's an attempt. We love you Sungie, don't forget that ok? And if you need some help and you don't want it to cause a whole scene, I'm always here for you ok?”
Han nods again, and Minho squeezes his hand gently, and he squeezes back. He opens his mouth but Minho can tell he's still trying to gather his words. He flounders for a few moments before speaking, so quietly, almost too quiet again for Minho to hear, but the car is so quiet, and his soft words echo across the open space.
“It feels weird to have you all like this. I never had friends like you back home, and I've only known you all for a few years. It's hard to feel deserving of all of you, of all the unconditional love you give me”
Minho feels his heart shatter at the strained words, sounding like Jisung is holding back tears. He moves closer as he sees the tears welling up in his eyes, moving his center console out of the way and pulling Jisung into his lap, hugging him securely, wiping his tears as they begin to fall. Jisung shook in his hold, just barely, and from this close Minho heard the sobs leaving him, the deep breaths that he was trying to take in, and he saw the way he ducked his head away from Minho's gentle hands and rubbed his eyes aggressively, trying to force the tears back. Minho gently, so very gently, pulled his hands away, holding them both with one, wiping his tears softly as the younger looked at him with his huge sad eyes.
“Hyung I-”
“It's ok Sungie, I've got you ok? You're safe baby”
So Jisung sat and cried and cried until he couldn't cry anymore, and Minho held him and rubbed soothing patterns on his back the whole time. When his cries died down to sniffles, Minho leaned back to the backseat and pulled out his water bottle, handing it to Jisung, who took it gratefully. He sipped at it slowly, a face of distaste as he slowly forced the liquid down.
“Thank you hyung. M sorry, I didn't think I was gonna break down like that”
“It's ok baby, you clearly needed that. You wanna go back now?”
“... I don't want Channie to see me like this, don't wanna worry him”
“Ok, how about this, I can call Lixie and have him stay with Channie, and I can take care of you for tonight. How does that sound?”
“Mmm thank you hyung”
“No worries Ji”
Felix turned out to be ahead of them already, and Minho laughed at Felix's quiet sleepy voice as he told him as much. So Minho led Han to his dorm, immediately pulling out fluffy pajamas for the younger to change into. He gulped when he realized both their beds were lofted together, and Minho hugged him gently.
“Lixie has the same problem, we had to push the beds together so he wouldn't fall out of bed. Don't worry I'll keep you safe”
Han let the tension leave him, though he grumbled about having to climb the ladder, but he couldn't complain when Minho tucked them both in, wrapping himself around Han carefully. It was the first good night's sleep he'd had all week, previously unrestful from study induced insomnia. He woke up with a start when his alarm went off, just like always, but he was held in place by a still asleep Minho. He let himself watch the elders' peaceful sleeping face for a moment before wiggling away, needing to go back to his dorm for his class supplies. He placed a kiss on his forehead before leaving to his own dorm.