As one of the mood makers in VIXX, he was not one people would usually think to be exceptionally perceptive, most writing him off as a bit of a clown. But Jaehwan prided himself in being exactly that.

A good talk or sound advice wasn’t always necessary to fix a problem, so while that was especially Hakyeon’s field of expertise, and whereas Wonshik was an excellent listener, Jaehwan happily settled with making the members feel good by cracking jokes and coaxing laughs out of them. It was an easy job, one Jaehwan felt confident in, and he was not so against taking the back seat to his hyungs when problems arose. However, when Hakyeon or Wonshik weren’t available for whatever reason, Jaehwan would step up to be that pillar of support.

He would declare he couldn’t eat all his food and instead push it onto Hongbin’s plate, because Hongbin was too self-conscious and didn’t eat enough. He would practise singing with Sanghyuk, because their maknae would sometimes feel burdened by irrational ideas of inferiority compared to everyone else, so Jaehwan would be there by his side with praise and silly remarks to lighten the mood and wheedle a smile out of him. He’d drag Wonshik out of his work room when he deemed the rapper had been pouring over work for much too long and needed cheering up, nourishment, and rest, albeit not necessarily in that order.

Hakyeon and Taekwoon were a little different in that aspect, in that they would mostly seek each other out for comfort and assurance. Still, Jaehwan was there when Taekwoon struggled with his voice, and he was there when Hakyeon needed someone else’s advice. And there would be times where he could step in, regardless of their bias to lean on each other. They were human, after all, and fights were bound to happen. That’s when Jaehwan could help.

Jaehwan may not be Hakyeon and have his sense of leadership and he may not be Wonshik and have his flair for support, but that was okay. He was the best at picking up on the moods and averting the heavy ones with jokes and laughter. Sometimes, that was all that was needed.

Other times, he came up short.

They had been busy for two weeks already with the promotion of their newest album and its title song, and he dared say no one had worked harder than Taekwoon. This, he knew, was due to Taekwoon having written pretty much the entire title song sans the rap – Wonshik had written that part, as he so often did – which was a big thing for him. It put pressure on him, and he was set on performing his absolute best, and more.

But it was taking its toll, and Jaehwan could see it clearly. It had showed before the promotions officially started, and Jaehwan’s tricks of pushing food onto Hongbin’s plate usually fell flat when it came to Taekwoon, and not because the man didn’t eat when there was food in front of him – rather, he wasn’t around to, always busy with one thing or another. And Jaehwan couldn’t quite figure out how else he could avert a collapse, because Taekwoon was older and didn’t always react well to advice or observations regarding his behavior, no matter the concern behind the words or the softness in which they were spoken.

To make matters worse, Hakyeon had started filming for a drama a month prior to their comeback, and was thus rarely available to make sure Taekwoon didn’t forget himself, busy as he was being pulled in every other direction. Jaehwan imagined Taekwoon might miss Hakyeon, too, and would direct all his attention to work to not let the longing get too heavy. It wasn’t a healthy distraction, but it was how Taekwoon coped. Silently.

Then the promotions had started, and Taekwoon had looked worse every day, so much so that even the other members were quietly watching Taekwoon as they contemplated the pros and cons of approaching him about it and risking being snapped at.

Wonshik had tried, a few days into the promotions, and it had gone rather well, everything considered. Taekwoon had promised to eat more, and he’d sat with them that evening – only to stay up most of the night to practise the choreography because he’d seen the comments online that had caught onto his tiny mistake on stage that day. Jaehwan only knew because Sanghyuk had been in the kitchen to get some water when Taekwoon had arrived home, still sweaty and dragging his limbs that were tired from the hours of practise, and had tattled on him to Jaehwan and Wonshik the following morning – out of Taekwoon’s hearing, of course.

Jaehwan had hoped Hakyeon would notice despite the few hours he spent at the dorm nowadays and sit down for a talk with Taekwoon, but so far, it didn’t seem like anything of that sort had happened, or, if it had, that it had helped. But there was no denying it. All this pressure was making Taekwoon sick.

This was upsettingly apparent one early morning, when they were getting ready for a show, and Taekwoon appeared in the doorway for breakfast looking almost translucent. He took one look at the food, ignoring the four people watching him - Jaehwan might have imagined his colour whitening even further - and then his heel, quietly announcing that he would skip breakfast.

Wonshik and Jaehwan cornered him in the bathroom, later, after a hissed debate over the table between the four remaining members. As the eldest, Jaehwan and Wonshik had taken one for the team and spared the younger two from having to have this conversation. Taekwoon wasn’t particularly pleased, especially not when Jaehwan raised his voice at him, because damn it, can’t you see, hyung? You’re about to keel over.

He was all right, he snapped, and that was about all Jaehwan and Wonshik could do.

Their manager arrived, looking frazzled and warning them that they would be late for the rehearsal if they didn’t get their asses inside the car within two minutes. It put everyone into motion, and the four members shared concerned looks as Taekwoon called shot gun and fell asleep against the window within moments of being on the road.

Taekwoon looked a little better on set, almost as if the catnap had perked him up, or perhaps that was just the makeup. It probably was, because after the first rehearsal, Wonshik approached Jaehwan and told him in a mumble that Taekwoon’s skin was hot to the touch, which had alarm bells ringing in them both. Taekwoon really had made himself sick, and Jaehwan stressed over what to do about it.

He ended up telling their manager, who took Taekwoon aside for a talk, but, apparently, even their manager had come up short with Taekwoon, for Taekwoon was back on set not even ten minutes later, and didn’t look like anyone who was expected to go home, or at least sit it out.

So Jaehwan got Taekwoon alone once more, silently taking in how sick his hyung looked up close; eyes alight with fever, breaths coming in laboured puffs, sweating profusely even if their rehearsal had been half an hour ago – Jaehwan had caught him massaging his head before he had approached him.

“I need you to think of VIXX,” Jaehwan said, slowly, trying to get through to Taekwoon, who only seemed more agitated.

“I am thinking of us,” he said. “I haven’t had anything else on my mind for the past month. Jaehwan, I’ll be fine.”

“Oh, for – Hyung, you’re being entirely unreasonable right now,” Jaehwan groused, and Taekwoon bristled.

“Watch it,” he warned in a tone that left no room to argue, before stomping off and leaving Jaehwan to massage his own head in fuming resignation. How did Hakyeon deal with him? He needed Hakyeon right now, to make Taekwoon see clearly, something he obviously wasn’t doing at the moment. Taekwoon had always pushed himself hard, but to take it this far and then turn a deaf ear to the concern of s? He was much too worried about this comeback.

Jaehwan couldn’t do much else but pass a bottle of water to Taekwoon before the show, which Taekwoon reluctantly thanked him for before downing at least half of it in one go.

They were all usually so good at not allowing behind the scenes issues to interrupt their focus, but he knew they were all hyper aware of Taekwoon as they got on stage after the emcees had introduced them. As such, they probably all saw it coming, after Taekwoon stumbled once during the first minute in the song, but continued stubbornly past that – which, reluctantly, Jaehwan couldn’t help but admire, just a little, this determination to see it through despite the fever.

It happened in the part of the choreography where Wonshik covered Taekwoon’s eyes with a hand and Taekwoon raised his arms – he collapsed, just like that, with no warning whatsoever – asides from the past month of too little rest and too little nourishment – straight into Wonshik’s arms. The music kept playing, the pre-recorded voice of Taekwoon sounding distantly as Jaehwan flew across the stage to Wonshik’s side, the weight of Taekwoon having forced him into a crouch with Taekwoon out cold in his arms.

Jaehwan was vaguely aware of the distressed cries of the audience – they hadn’t known, in the first moments, that Taekwoon sinking into Wonshik hadn’t been a part of an altered choreo – and Hongbin’s voice along with the emcees’ apologising for the commotion as he felt Taekwoon’s face – much too hot, what the – and shared a distraught look with a stunned Wonshik.

“I felt his body give out,” Wonshik stuttered over the noise, holding Taekwoon a little tighter. He was panicking, but Wonshik had always been one to do it quietly, to try and fix instead of break. But right now, he was struggling with how they were supposed to fix this. “He was standing fine one moment, and then he just dropped. Hyung – is it bad, do you think? He’s burning up, I can feel it –”

“His breathing is laboured,” Jaehwan murmured, looking over his shoulder to see their manager running towards them. “Is there an ambulance on the way?”

“It’ll be here in a few minutes,” their manager assured, crouching before Wonshik and reaching for Taekwoon. “Help me carry him out, Wonshik ah.”

Wonshik, visibly relieved to be of some use, got up from the floor still holding Taekwoon with their manager’s aid. Jaehwan followed them off the stage to the backroom, where Sanghyuk and Hongbin joined them not many moments later, both out of breath and agitated.

“What happened?” Sanghyuk demanded, looking between Wonshik and Jaehwan, as though they could give him a better answer than what he himself had witnessed; they could only shrug wordlessly.

“He fainted,” said their manager, feeling for Taekwoon’s pulse and checking his temperature. “Listen, I need you to finish this – no objections – and then I’ll take you to the hospital to see Taekwoon ah afterwards. You can’t just all leave now to follow him in the ambulance.”

“But hyung,” Hongbin still tried, only succeeding in getting a stern look from their manager.

“There’s nothing you can do after the paramedics take him,” he said, “except for finishing the show, even if you’re down to four. Okay? Get out there and do your best; Taekwoon will be all right, and you will be by his side later, when you’re done here.”

They knew he had a point, but it just didn’t feel right. If only Hakyeon had been –

“,” Jaehwan breathed, ignoring the reproachful glare from their manager at his choice of language, “we need to tell Hakyeon hyung.”

“I’ll call him,” Wonshik said, phone already in hand – and that was when someone knocked on the door and announced that the ambulance was here. The next five minutes were a blur of paramedics entering and lifting Taekwoon onto the stretcher and taking him away and Jaehwan, Wonshik, Hongbin and Sanghyuk having their makeup and hair and clothes touched up before taking the stage once more, now with one less member. Two too few, to be honest, and they all felt it, though they did their best without their two eldest. Or at least the best they could do when all they wanted to do was leave.

They didn’t win, but they didn’t much care. The moment they were allowed to, they all piled into the car and their manager set off towards the hospital with the four of them sitting quietly in the back, at least, until –

“,” Wonshik groaned, dropping his face into his hands as his phone lit up in his hand, “I forgot to call Hakyeon hyung.”

-

Hakyeon hadn’t spent much time at the dorm recently, and when he was there, the others would be asleep or gone for a schedule that didn’t include him. He tried to be in as many performances as possibly, which still left out quite a lot, everything considered.

He knew they would be all right without him now and then, would get through the performances with no issues, because it was expected of them to work hard and do well even when one or two members were missing. As such, he wasn’t worried about them messing up the choreography or singing the wrong lines.

What did concern him as of late was Taekwoon. They all worked hard, of that there was no doubt, but Taekwoon was pushing himself even more for this comeback, and Hakyeon was there to see the effects it had on him. To him, it was even more visible how exhausted Taekwoon was when they only really saw each other every other day, rarely had time to look closely and talk; if they were lucky, Taekwoon would be asleep when Hakyeon came back from filming late at night, and he would sneak into bed with Taekwoon and gather him in his arms, deaf to the sleepy complaints the other would mumble into his throat before nuzzling against him and falling back asleep. On the off-chance that he had an evening off, he seized the opportunity to coax Taekwoon into bed early with kisses and gentle caresses, and watched him sleep soundly after less than half an hour.

He snuck him snacks when he could and Taekwoon always ate them without any protests, which soothed Hakyeon a little bit, at least. He was doing what he could when he was home, but with Taekwoon like this it was limited how much he could do. Taekwoon had to learn to watch over himself, because there wasn’t always someone there to make sure he remembered to eat and rest as he should.

Hakyeon relied heavily on Wonshik and Jaehwan to keep him posted, about Taekwoon as well as themselves, and tirelessly reminded them of taking care of themselves and each other.

And that, really, was about all he could do. He had to trust them with the rest.

Filming for his drama demanded much time, what with him having landed the lead role, but he loved it all the same and would gladly live through the many late nights and early mornings to make sure every scene was perfect. He wanted his fans, and everyone else watching the drama, to see his development as an actor, wanted them to think, oh, he’s a natural! Or at least something along those lines. He didn’t know if they would, but that was what he strived for. He wanted to show them only his best; he wanted to make them proud.

The director called for a break as they set up for the next scene, and after exchanging words with his co-actors and -actresses, he found a place to plop down with his phone, already unlocked in his hand and loading a new Internet tab. Perhaps he could upload a selca to Instagram; the lighting was pretty well, even if he were huddled in a corner.

He scrolled habitually through the news, pausing once to read an article, and then –

VIXX’s Leo collapses on stage during Fade Away performance.

He nearly dropped his phone whilst his heart leaped to his throat.

Taekwoon had collapsed. He had collapsed. Was he all right? Why hadn’t anyone called him? The thought alone sent a wave of panic through him; what if they hadn’t contacted him because – because it was bad?

The article was to little comfort. It had been posted an hour ago, and said nothing much that the title hadn’t already told him, except that Taekwoon had been taken to the hospital by ambulance, which – that wasn’t good, right? But according to the article, the others had stayed behind to finish up…

He was dialling Wonshik’s number before he was aware of it, and waited with bated breath for Wonshik to pick up, which he, thank God, did within two rings.

“Hyung –”

“Is he okay?” Hakyeon demanded, leaning against the wall as he ran a hand over his face. “Please, please tell me he’s okay. And why did I have to find out through the media?”

“I’m sorry,” Wonshik moaned. “We had wanted to call you, but in the chaotic aftermath of Taekwoon’s collapse –”

“All right, all right,” Hakyeon cut off, not really interested in knowing why he hadn’t been informed immediately. He just wanted to know if Taekwoon were okay. He pinched the bridge of his nose, drawing in a sharp breath before letting it out slowly. “Taekwoon?”

“We’re not sure, hyung,” Wonshik said softly, and Hakyeon’s heart skipped a beat. “We’re on the way to the hospital right now. Manager hyung told us it would be all right, that Taekwoon hyung will be okay after a few days’ rest.”

Hakyeon glanced up momentarily and caught the eyes of his worried co-actress, though she allowed him his privacy, which Hakyeon was grateful for.

“I’ll meet you there,” Hakyeon said, but someone else was speaking already.

“Tell him to wrap up filming first.” That was their manager. “There’s nothing any of us can do while we wait for the results of Taekwoon ah’s check-up, so it would be pointless for him to leave.”

Hakyeon bristled, pushing himself away from the wall and onto his feet. “But hyung,” he hissed, “how can I stay here when Taekwoon –”

“The other members stayed behind to finish the performance,” the manager said. “You should be able to do the same.”

“I won’t be there before dinner then!”

“You have a responsibility. Taekwoon ah’s life isn’t in danger, Hakyeon ah, so you need not worry too much. His collapse was a result of recent stress,” he said matter-of-factly, and if he had been standing in front of him, Hakyeon had no doubt that he would have struggled not to punch him in the jaw for being so nonchalant. “He will be all right, Hakyeon ah, so wrap things up. We will keep you updated between takes, okay? If he wakes up in the meantime, you’ll know.”

Hakyeon thought it was unfair, but he begrudgingly acknowledged his points. It wouldn’t serve a purpose to just sit by Taekwoon’s bedside for hours while worrying, yet… As the leader, and as a partner, shouldn’t he be with Taekwoon in these kinds of situations? He couldn’t very well leave Taekwoon alone.

But Taekwoon had all the kids to fuss about him, so he wouldn’t be alone. And Hakyeon would be home before it got dark; he would make sure of it, come hell or high water or delayed shoots.

“All right,” he eventually caved. “I’ll finish here first.”

-

Hakyeon explained the situation to his fellow actors and actresses and the filming crew, and kept his phone on vibrate for the rest of the time in case a message or call ticked in; one message an hour later informed him that the doctor’s verdict was stress and too little sleep, and that he’d be okay in a couple of days, while another message let him know that Taekwoon was awake and asking for food – he had smiled fondly at this, the worry eating at his heart starting to ebb away – and a third message from half an hour ago was to report that the doctor had allowed for Taekwoon to go home if he promised to take care of his health, so when filming had wrapped up for the day, Hakyeon shouldn’t go straight to the hospital, but to the dorm.

It was nearing seven when Hakyeon was finally on his way home, with the director’s words alleviating some of the pressure on his shoulders; there would be no filming scheduled for him the next day, which, Hakyeon suspected, had to have a little bit to do with his distress after the news of Taekwoon’s collapse, but as it was, he couldn’t bring himself to feel guilty.

He’d have all day tomorrow together with Taekwoon, and for that he was relieved. A firm reprimand was in its place, and he’d get to it, but his top priority was to make sure that Taekwoon really, truly, was all right after the day’s upsetting incident.

What met him after typing in the code to the dorm and entering was silence. Eerie in itself, as the dorm was never this quiet, which worried him for a moment, though he thought the notion to be completely unjustifiable. There was nothing wrong with this silence, he insisted to himself as he toed off his shoes, though he couldn’t help but call out for s.

And, bless, an answer. “In the living room, hyung!”

Hakyeon couldn’t help but draw a reassured breath as he started for the living room, his jacket thrown somewhere on the floor carelessly. He’d deal with it later, if Hongbin didn’t get to it first.

In the living room, the television was , but the sound was so quiet that Hakyeon had to strain his ears to catch it; he hadn’t thought upon entering that there’d been any. Sanghyuk and Hongbin were huddled in one armchair, watching the drama – Japanese, Hakyeon noted, which meant there were Korean subtitles, so they weren’t completely lost without sound and little knowledge of the language – airing on the television wordlessly; at Hakyeon’s arrival, they looked up and mumbled their greetings.

In the corner of the couch sat Jaehwan, and on his lap was Taekwoon’s head, the man appearing to be snoozing peacefully. It didn’t take a genius to conclude that it was so quiet in the dormitory because no one wanted to interrupt him.

“How is he?” Hakyeon asked softly as he sank into a crouch before the pair. He reached out to tuck stray hair away from Taekwoon’s face, frowning at the remnants of heat radiating from his skin.

“Exhausted,” Jaehwan answered, smiling cheekily at the look Hakyeon tossed him. “He’s better, I think. Apologised earlier, even, half-asleep as he was when we got back. He’s on medication as per the doctor’s instructions, just something to help him sleep. Hyung is getting us food and Wonshikie went with him.”

“They should be back soon if you’re hungry, hyung,” Sanghyuk spoke up, and Hakyeon looked up briefly to smile at him.

“That’s good,” he hummed, getting settled on his knees and moving to caress one of Taekwoon’s wrists, the one next to his head. He was taking up the entire sofa, and someone had been kind enough to cover him with the blankets from his room. “Did he pass out like this?”

Jaehwan nodded, idly carding his fingers through Taekwoon’s hair. “Pretty much,” he said with a shrug. “We considered moving him to his room, but saw no harm in letting him stay here. Hongbin fetched the blankets after he dozed off so that he wouldn’t wake up with cold toes.”

Hakyeon smiled approvingly, murmuring okay and then falling silent as he watched Taekwoon’s sleeping face. He was still too pale, but it seemed rest had done him good, and Hakyeon was grateful to everyone for being there for Taekwoon. He voiced as much, and earned a smile from Jaehwan and a hand squeezing his shoulder. Jaehwan understood, and Hakyeon thought Hongbin and Sanghyuk did, as well, though they said nothing.

When their manager and Wonshik returned with food, Wonshik and Hakyeon carefully moved Taekwoon into his room, to avoid waking him up from the relocation. Everyone had wordlessly agreed that Taekwoon was better off sleeping and so they wouldn’t wake him up for dinner; he could get that later.

Their schedules for the next two days were cancelled, and they would be free to do whatever they pleased, their manager announced over dinner. He recommended rest for all of them, and no one really had any objections to that; they were all more or less affected by long nights and early mornings with schedules and practise. Hakyeon had only tomorrow, but that was okay.

After dinner, Hakyeon snuck into Taekwoon’s room, closing the door softly behind him and then padding over to the bed. The mattress dipped under his weight, and Taekwoon opened one eye to squint up at him.

“You’re awake,” Hakyeon observed, grasping Taekwoon’s hand and squeezing it. “How are you feeling?”

“I made you worry, didn’t I?” Taekwoon asked softly, scooting over and patting the empty space with his free hand, an invitation – or demand, Hakyeon thought amusedly – to Hakyeon. It was like him to ignore the question for the sake of another, putting Hakyeon’s feelings ahead of his. It was frustrating at a time like this, but it was Taekwoon.

“You did,” Hakyeon affirmed as he settled down besides Taekwoon, laying his cheek on Taekwoon’s outstretched arm and meeting his gaze fondly. “I read an article online.”

Taekwoon winced. “I’m sorry.”

“That was the others’ fault, though,” Hakyeon assured, moving their linked hands to his cheek. “Don’t worry about it.”

“I’m better now,” Taekwoon promised, placing a tender kiss on Hakyeon’s forehead. “I’ll be okay. I apologise for making you upset.”

Hakyeon’s eyes slipped closed, tiredness pulling at him now that he was home. He hummed. “I’m going to admonish you,” he said, feeling Taekwoon tense up, “but tomorrow. Tonight, we cuddle and rest.”

“All right,” Taekwoon exhaled. He gathered Hakyeon in his arms, and Hakyeon breathed in Taekwoon’s scent, glad that Taekwoon was already feeling better. His fever had mostly receded, Hakyeon noted with satisfaction. He was still not going to be allowed out of this bed tomorrow, if Hakyeon had any say, but for now he was just happy to see sleep was, in fact, helping.

It had scared him, seeing that article and knowing he hadn’t been there. It had felt as if he abandoned Taekwoon in a time of need, but Taekwoon did not seem to feel that way. If anything, Taekwoon seemed just as happy to see him, as always. So Hakyeon pushed those doubts and fears away, letting himself relish in the rare moment of intimacy.

He stole a kiss, smiling teasingly against Taekwoon’s lips, and the man answered by pressing their mouths together once more. He felt the tension in his shoulders finally melt away at Taekwoon’s loving caress, and sighed contentedly.

Taekwoon would be okay. And for Hakyeon, that was all he could ask for. 

I am so sorry for how delayed this ended up being. I hope it was worth the wait, however! I will aim to update Work in Progress, soon, too, and perhaps... I finished another fic, Neo, as well, with VIXX as faeries, pffft. I might upload the first part in some not-so-distant future. We shall see!

If you have questions, ask away and I’ll answer. Also, if you catch any typos neither my beta nor I have caught, or have other forms of constructive critique, please let me know so I can edit and improve my writing!

Upvotes are loved, and comments may save characters in future works by me ♥ ♥

Thank you for reading, dears!