Lying down on the soft cushions, he opened his tear-filled eyes to see Donghae reaching out to wipe his tears with a soft tissue. The motions were gentle, hesitant, not wanting to cause the boy any more pain. Kyu opened his mouth to thank the boy, but opened his eyes in terror when no sound escaped his lips.

 

"You've lost your voice Kyu, try not to panic. The doctors say that it will be back soon, just try and rest. We'll look after you." Ryeowook's voice was soothing, soft and sweet. The caring words had a soft singsong quality, light and airy. Kyu felt tears prick his eyes, and jealousy swell inside him. He turned away from the smaller boy, not wanting to hear anyone speak. Now that he couldn't talk, he could hear the perfect notes in the member's voices, the sweet harmony that was created when they talked together.

Letting out an animalistic groan, he cried harder.

 

Yesung soothed him gently, touching his hair and pressing kisses to his forehead. "Let us look after you Kyu. You'll feel better in no time at all." Helping the boy to bed, he laid him beneath the sheets, tucking the soft fabric over the boy's chest. As he did so, he pressed a kiss to the fabric of the pajama top, knowing that Kyuhyun was sensitive about the new scars that had formed there from the accident. The boy mouthed something to Yesung, trying to talk to him.

The older boy just frowned gently. "I'm sorry Kyu, I don't know what you're trying to say.."

Just as Kyuhyun was about to break down in tears again, Eunhyuk stepped into the room holding a notepad.

"Here Kyu, so you don't have to strain your voice."

 

Slowly, all the members gathered in the maknae's room to comfort him and talk gently to him.

'My chest is ugly..' the boy wrote, crying gently. Shindong sat at the side of the bed, and Kyuhyun's hair softly.

"No it's not Kyu. It's not at all."

'I'm damaged goods..' 

"No you're not. You're not damaged. You're just a little injured, but we'll fix you up, we'll help you to get better." 

As Kyuhyun cuddled gently into Shindong, he felt a small hand touch his shoulder. Sungmin was standing over him with a bowl of soup, tears welling up in his eyes.

"Here Kyu. Try and eat some" said the gentle boy, before wiping his eyes with his sleeve. Kyu reached for his hand and gave it a squeeze, knowing that Sungmin was almost incapable of seeing others in pain.

 

'Eat with me?' he scrawled messily, giving the boy a smile. Sungmin smiled back through his tears. Leeteuk took the other members out of the room, leaving just Sungmin to care for the boy. As the members left, Kyu could hear Donghae crying and Heechul sniffing.

 

"Why can't we stay hyung? I want to be with Kyu!"

"Just let him rest and eat a little, then you can go and see him Hae."

"Can I watch a film with him?"

"As long as it's not too loud. He needs to get lots of sleep."

There was a small pause. 

"Will he ever be able to talk again?"

Leeteuk looked around for the speaker, and his eyes opened in surprise to see Heechul crying. Holding out his arms to the diva, he felt the soft human side of Heechul. Wiping away the tears, he reassured everyone. 

"The doctors said he has to have vocal help, to assist with getting his voice back. But it will be back within a week or two, so don't worry."

Heechul clung tighter, and the tears fell silently on the leader's shoulder. Everyone just sat silently, shocked at the normally self-absorbed boy. Heechul just glared at them.

"What? I'm worried about my brother, I want him to be okay.. I'm not the only one crying.."

 

Eunhyuk burst into noisy tears. "Am I your brother too Heechul?"

The older boy nodded desperately, before clinging to Hyuk and crying with him. "You're all my brothers.." He wiped his eyes, and took the tissue that Yesung offered. "I love you all, and I'm sorry I never tell you enough.."

"It's alright hyung, we know you love us" Kibum said softly, wiping the boy's eyes and soothing Eunhyuk. "You don't have to tell us."

"I want to see Kyu.."

 

As Heechul went into the room, composure regained, he broke down seeing the boy in the bed. He was pale, his limbs thin and frail against the sheets as Sungmin helped him to eat. The bunny boy was gentle, motherly, everything Heechul wasn't.

Wailing, Heechul sat on the bed next to Kyu, his hair and sobbing. Yesung came in after him, carefully taking him from Kyu and leading him from the room. Sungmin left with the  boy, letting an anxious Ryeowook take over the feeding.

"Here Kyu, try and eat something. Does it hurt to swallow?"

At the small nod, Ryeowook leaned to kiss the boy's cheek, earning a bright blush. He the boy's hair softly, and sang to him, trying to distract him from the pain. After a few minutes, there was a small knock on the door.

"Can I come in Kyu?"

 

Kangin was standing in the doorway, holding a glass of water and some painkillers. Next to him, Siwon was standing anxiously, twisting his hands as he tried to stop the tears. Although it would be so easy to break down and weep, they knew that they had to be strong for Kyu, to support him through the therapy.

As Kyuhyun took the painkillers, the boys watched his eyes slowly close, until he was almost asleep. Ryeowook stood up, leaving the boy in peace to sleep.

But they turned around at the desperate whimper, the wordless plea.

 

The maknae was trembling, his eyes wide as he reached out for them. Unable to hold the pen to write the small note, he just grabbed at the air like a child, almost collapsing with relief when Siwon walked towards the bed. Holding onto the taller boy's hand, Kyu pulled him gently to sit on the bed, and then hastily wrote, unwilling to let go of the boy's hand for long.

'Please don't leave me.. Can you sleep here?'

Siwon smiled gently. "Of course I can Kyu. You won't be alone, we'll always be here for you."

As Siwon slid under the blankets, he put his arms around the boy, feeling the desperation for affection. Kyu was pressed completely against him, despite the doctor's instructions to avoid strain on his chest area. Siwon felt like the devil as he slowly removed the boy from his body, hearing the small sobs.

"You need to be careful about putting pressure on your chest Kyu. You don't have to worry about hugging me, you just lie still and I'll hug you." Placing his arms around the boy, Siwon soothed him warmly, pressing kisses to his hair.

Just as the boy was about to drift away to sleep, the door swung slowly open.

 

A small figure appeared in the bed next to Kyu, and the moonlight shining on the soft blonde hair revealed the boy to be Eunhyuk.

"Can I sleep with you Kyu? I brought you a present." In shaking hands, Eunhyuk held out the soft plush toy dragon. "I wanted to give it to you in hospital, but I thought it would be best to wait until you were home."

As Kyu reached out to comfort the boy, thanking him with his soft kisses, he thought about the words. Home. He was home now, safe with the 12 boys who had become family to him. His brothers.

 

They loved him, they cared for him. They wanted him to be safe. So he wasn't suprised in the least when more and more members appeared in his room, each with an excuse.

"I brought you some more painkillers Kyu"

"I made hot chocolate"

"This honey is soothing for throat problems"

"I thought I heard a noise"

In pairs and groups, Super Junior assembled in the small bedroom, each welcomed happily by Kyuhyun. The boy was silent, but his smiling face said all the 'thank yous' that he needed to. Sleeping curled up on the bed, or on the chair, resting in each other's laps, the group was safe and supportive. Kyu would never be alone again.

 

Looking around at the faces, Ryeowook settled in Leeteuk's lap, Yesung hugging into Sungmin as they leaned against the wall, Kyuhyun couldn't be happier.

But looking around the room, he realised that one face was missing, one family member was absent.

Heechul.

 

Writing a note to Siwon using the soft glow of his phone, Kyu asked where the boy was. Heechul was usually resting by himself, it was usual to find him sitting in his room listening to music or playing a video game whilst the others laughed noisily together in the living room. But his hyung had been out of sorts today, crying hysterically as he clung to Kyu as thought he would never see him again.

Kyuhyun knew that his hyung was delicate.

He needed caring for as much as Kyu did.

 

When Siwon returned with the tearful boy, Kyu sat upright suddenly, gasping at the pain in his chest. Almost immediately, the members were at his side, massaging, whispering comforts, tucking him back under the sheets. Siwon moved to lie on the floor next to Shindong, hugging him tightly as he slept, letting Heechul rest in the bed next to Kyu.

 

Heechul slowly, carefully, wrapped his arms around the boy, hugging him warmly.

"I'm sorry Kyu.. I'm so sorry that you're going through this pain.. I'm sorry that I don't tell you that I love you.. I love you, I love you all, so much. So much that it hurts."

There was a moment of silence.

"I love you all too."

 

The words were short and sharp, the voice harsh and painful. As soon as the last syllabyl had left his lips, Kyu coughed violently, trying to rid himself of the the pain in his throat. Kangin was at his side with water, and Leeteuk was kissing his forehead, dripping happy tears onto the maknae's face.

The words had stung his throat, burned his mouth. But they had soothed his hyung, and calmed his nerves.

 

He would recover, he would be strong again. Heechul was right, love did hurt.

But, with his hyungs caring for him and cuddling him gently, Kyuhyun knew that recovery would be painless.