A/N: Mandatory MinQi fluff fic because I'm soft and craving for sweet group interaction. I don't know where exactly I went with this, but enjoy anyway.

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Yuqi felt like a heaping pile of garbage. Complete, utter garbage.

For starters, she’s terribly exhausted from all their extensive dance practices and the sleepless nights spent dealing with her chronic insomnia. The poor girl can barely even muster the energy to take a shower before slugging towards the living room and crashing onto the couch.

She wanted nothing more than to let the fatigue wash over her body and just sleep until dinner (or maybe the next day, if possible), but Yuqi knew she’d raise concern if she did.

Miyeon had shot her a few worried looks when she kept stumbling around after practice and even asked if the younger was feeling alright. Yuqi didn’t want to worry her unnie, so she forced on her best smile and lied about just needing to rest after such a tiring day. Miyeon didn’t seem to quite believe her, but she took her word for it and didn’t push after that.

Back home, Yuqi quickly sat up on the couch and tried to look less like she was dying. Her sunshine smile is cranked on to its highest level when Shuhua walks into the living room and sat down next to her. All freshened up and dressed in her favorite green shirt for pajamas. They chat for a little bit while watching TV, with Yuqi trying to focus on Shuhua’s words that muddle past her ears, until their unnies come to join them after showering and changing into their respective nightwear.

Minnie sits on the other side of Yuqi and shoots her girlfriend a concerned look when she suddenly leans into her, unnaturally slumped and boneless like a ragdoll.

While the Han girl is no stranger to initiating physical affection with others, there’s just something about the way Yuqi clings onto Minnie like she doesn’t feel too well. Like she’s trying to support herself, but can’t and needs to rely on the older girl to hold her steady.

“Are you okay, Woogie?” Minnie asked, looping an arm around Yuqi and tugging her close.

“Yeah, unnie… Just tired.” Yuqi’s voice comes out a little slurred, but she covers it up by rubbing her face into Minnie’s shoulder. Taking in the Thai’s scent in small lungfuls and sighing into her soft sweater.

Minnie rests her cheek on top of Yuqi’s head, still feeling worried about her less than energetic girlfriend as she slowly runs her fingers through Yuqi’s short hair. Knowing how much she likes it. Minnie isn’t entirely convinced with the answer either, but decides to just let it go for the mean time and makes a mental note to check on Yuqi later.

The six girls decided to treat themselves by ordering pizza for dinner and having a movie night at the Producer dorm. It’s the weekend for them without anything on schedule, so they can stay up and sleep as late as they want the next day.

Yuqi does her absolute best to appear as lively and upbeat, but it’s clear that she isn’t fooling anyone when they notice the significant drop in her mood. She’s nowhere near her usual levels of energy and enthusiasm, which causes the members to share troubled glances every so often when they think Yuqi isn’t looking. And it only makes her feel worse.

Yuqi wants them to have a nice, relaxing evening without having to worry about her, so she tries to reassure them that she’s fine. Really, she appreciates their concern. But Yuqi’s been having health problems for over a year now and feels like a burden whenever the girls have to take care of her.

They’re in the middle of their third movie when Yuqi starts nodding off on Minnie’s shoulder, despite the number of jokes and laughter coming from her friends as they poke fun at the dumb plot and the even dumber protagonist. Yuqi is one of the first in their group to tire out the fastest with how much energy she pumps out in a single day, so it doesn’t surprise her much when she feels her eyelids drooping slightly. And as the night progresses on, Yuqi grows increasingly more tired and has an even harder time faking her lost vigor.

Soon enough, Minnie takes notice of it and softly says to her. “We can go to bed now, if you want. I’ll take you to my room tonight.”

Yuqi shakes her head, half-asleep. “No, it’s okay, unnie. I’ll manage.” She mumbled before sitting up and trying to join in on the conversation.

“Yuqi-ah, can you get us more soda from the fridge?” Soojin requested, far too lazy to unwrap herself from the burrito blanket she and Soyeon are cuddled in. To their right, Miyeon is happily hugging Shuhua from the side with her head resting on the maknae’s shoulder. And Shuhua has a hand placed over Miyeon’s arms around her waist while keeping her eyes glued to the TV screen.

Hoping a short walk would wake her up more, Yuqi obliged and reluctantly detached herself from Minnie’s warmth. She only takes four steps into the kitchen before her weary legs give out, and she ungracefully lands on the linoleum floor with a hard thump and a pained yelp.

“Ack!”

Then Yuqi hears her name being called in startled panic, followed by two sets of footsteps rushing over to where she has fallen. She tries her best to stand on her own, but the poor girl continues to struggle through until an arm wraps itself around her waist to balance her.

“Yuqi! Are you alright?” Came Minnie’s frantic voice, worried out of her mind, as Shuhua hurriedly checks her friend for any bumps or bruises.

This has never happened to Yuqi before, no matter how sick or exhausted she felt from the workload and stress, so the Thai knew that something was definitely wrong with her dongsaeng.

Yuqi wants to lie and say that she’s fine, her legs are just completely beat from that dreadfully long dance practice they had. But she’s just so very tired and weak to the point that she can barely form coherent words or do something as simple as keeping her haggard eyes open.

Shuhua and Minnie help her back to the couch where they lay her down carefully, and the three other girls immediately ask about what happened. Minnie speaks on her girlfriend’s behalf as Shuhua brings over the soda Yuqi was supposed to get, and both Soojin and Miyeon start rubbing soothing circles along Yuqi’s legs to ease any pain she might be feeling while Soyeon moves to prop her feet up with a cushion.

“Sorry, guys. I didn’t mean to worry any of you…” Yuqi looks almost ashamed of herself, but the members are quick to shower her with gentle reassurances and kind smiles.

“It’s cool. Just take it easy tonight, yeah? Captain’s orders.” Soyeon ruffled their Beijing puppy’s hair, grinning when it earns her a pointed look and a scrunched nose of faux disgust.

“Duly noted, ma’am.” Yuqi replied in playful sarcasm.

Minutes later, they’re all settled back in their spots with their respective partners. Yuqi has her head pillowed on Minnie’s lap as the Thai pets her hair all the while, and a fluffy blanket thrown over her just in case she feels cold. The girls told her to rest and sleep if she can, they’ll discuss the matter in the morning when Yuqi wakes up.

With no energy left to argue, Yuqi concedes with a hum and eventually drifts off to sleep. Unfortunately, it was short-lived.

Several hours later, Yuqi wakes up in a cold sweat after having a bad dream about being removed from the group. Something about not being physically capable of continuing on with her idol career and being dismissed by their agency out of “her best interests at heart”. Yuqi finds herself lying in Minnie’s bed, with her girlfriend’s arm draped over her waist as Minnie spoons her from behind. She must’ve carried the younger back to her room when they finished their movie night, judging by the lack of noise outside the door. Soojin must likely be staying in Soyeon’s room again, while Miyeon and Shuhua have taken up Yuqi’s room in her absence.

For some reason, Yuqi’s brain is clumped and foggy. She wants nothing more than to wake her unnie up and ask for comfort, or at least a vestige of company for the lonely girl. But no, she can’t do that.

Yuqi has caused enough stress already. She’s a big girl now, she should handle this on her own and not depend on others so much. Carefully, she untangles herself from Minnie’s grasp and tiptoes out into the kitchen for a glass of water. Sitting at the table while she tries to get herself into a better, clearer mind state.

Surely, CUBE would never just kick her out of the group. Right? Yuqi might not have been the best healthwise, but she still gets the job done and always tries to give her 100% in everything they do. No matter how unwell she is.

(G)I-DLE is her strength. Her second family, her home away from home. Yuqi might be a handful sometimes, but they still love her. Right…? She’s not dragging them down or lagging behind in their performances because of her health issues. They wouldn’t be annoyed with her for being just a little bit tired or under the weather. They’re a family, and family means no one gets left behind… Right?

She was so lost in her spiraling thoughts, Yuqi didn’t notice someone else entering the kitchen until they sat down on the empty chair beside her. The Han girl almost jumped out of her skin before realizing who it is, then immediately felt a pang of guilt when she met Minnie’s tired, but concerned eyes staring back at her in the shrouded darkness of the moonlit kitchen. Yuqi drifts her gaze to the table in front of her, hands almost timidly clasped around her water glass as the feeling only intensified.

Then Minnie places a gentle hand on Yuqi’s cheek, urging her to look at the Thai. And when she finally did, Minnie spoke very quietly.

“What’s going on in that beautiful mind of yours lately?”

That was all it took for the tears to start welling up in Yuqi’s eyes. The younger thinks about explaining how she’s been feeling for the past week, and all she can do is let out a pitiful whimper as her vision grows misty with tears.

Minnie’s entire expression softens instantly. “Oh, Woogie…” She whispered before pulling her girlfriend into a tight hug.

Yuqi curls her fingers into Minnie’s sweater as she buries her face in the older girl’s neck. And suddenly, she was weeping. Her whole body wracked by sobs that Yuqi couldn’t control anymore as she eventually poured out everything to Minnie. Every emotion, every fear, every doubt, and every insecurity that plagued her for days until she used up every bit of energy left from the few hours of sleep she’s had.

After the poor girl’s cries quieted down, Minnie eases back to look at Yuqi with such tenderness in her gaze as she gently wipes the tears from her face.

“I’m sorry, unnie…” Yuqi whined, her eyes downcast with shame. This is the opposite of what she wanted, and now her girlfriend is even more worried than before. “I just didn’t want to trouble any of you guys so much. I’m fine, I-I swear…”

She dries her remaining tears and reluctantly moves away, but doesn’t make it very far when Minnie cups her face delicately.

“Jagiya, no… You’re not fine.” Minnie’s tone is soft and resolute, leaving no room for protest. “We’ll talk about this with the others after you’ve gotten some sleep, okay? You need it.”

Knowing that there’s no use in fighting, Yuqi just gave a mute nod.

After putting her empty glass in the sink, Yuqi is then lifted up in Minnie’s arms and carried back to her room. Of course, she decides to just let it happen and simply rests her head against Minnie’s shoulder until she’s carefully lowered onto the bed. Minnie wastes no time laying down next to her, blanket thrown over them, before wrapping her arms around the tired girl with Yuqi’s head tucked under her chin.

It didn’t take long for them to fall asleep in the warmth of each other’s presence.

Hours later, Yuqi wakes up alone without any sign of her girlfriend. Seeking comfort from Minnie, she quickly trudges out into the hallway and heads straight for the living room where—much to her surprise—all the other girls are. Seemingly waiting for her, she supposes.

Soojin notices her first and gathers everyone’s attention onto Yuqi, then Minnie speaks up.

“Oh, hey. You’re awake.” She offers her dongsaeng a sweet smile and pats the spot beside her. “Come here, Woogie. We need to talk.”

Fear coursed through Yuqi’s veins as the worst possibilities ran through her mind. Did she upset them? Are they finally tired of her? Is she getting kicked out of (G)I-DLE?

With all the irrationalities overpowering her semblance of reason, Yuqi tries to quiet her mind as she walks over to sit next to Minnie who puts an arm around her shoulders to put her at ease.

“Why didn’t you tell us you weren’t feeling good, Wooks? You know that we would’ve taken care of you.” Soyeon doesn’t sound disappointed, just concerned. Very concerned. The leader’s eyes are soft and caring as she regards her best friend with a tender smile. Because no matter how much she and Yuqi try to get on each other’s nerves a lot, Soyeon loves the Beijing puppy like her own sister. A sister she’ll protect with every fiber of her being.

Yuqi doesn’t know what to say, so she mumbles out a tiny “I don’t know” before saying once more that it’s really not a big deal and they don’t have to worry about it. She’s completely fine. It doesn’t matter anymore.

The members saw right through her, though, and Shuhua responds with her usual bluntness.

“You literally collapsed the other night, Yuqi. That doesn’t seem okay to us at all.”

The maknae’s voice is surprisingly stern, but Yuqi knows that this is how Shuhua cares. The Taiwanese has the attitude of a protective older sibling in their group sometimes, despite being the youngest. Her expression is hard, but it’s betrayed by the genuine worry and fear in her dark eyes. If there’s one thing Shuhua hates the most, it’s seeing her loved ones suffering and getting hurt.

This causes Yuqi to fall silent, her gaze dropping to her lap as she can barely hold back the tears again.

The final straw was Miyeon’s gentle voice saying, “We just want you to know that we love you so much, Yuqi. And no matter what happens, we’ll always stick together as a family. You’re never alone.”

Although she and Yuqi have had their fair share of fights in the past, they still love and care for each other fiercely. The Han girl can always trust Miyeon to be there for her, to support her when she doesn’t believe in herself and cheer her on. And with their similar personalities, it was easy for Miyeon to empathize with Yuqi and provide the kind of emotional crutch she needs.

That was enough for Yuqi to burst into sobs before hiding her face in her hands. She can hear the other girls speaking, but could barely make out any words as she curls up into Minnie’s side. Crying uncontrollably while Minnie her hair to help calm her down.

Finally, Soojin’s soft-spoken voice breaks through.

“Yuqi-ah, please talk to us… It hurts to see you so upset. We just want to make you feel better.” The dancer pleaded, like she couldn’t bear to see Yuqi hurting so much and wishes she could just take her pain away.

The two don’t seem very close with how opposite their personalities are. But despite Soojin’s quiet and more reserved attitude, there’s no denying her soft spot and affection for the young girl. It’s not the most obvious out there, but Soojin has her own way of taking care of Yuqi—cooking her favorite meals, buying her snacks or little things every once in a while, listening to her problems and giving helpful advice or words of comfort, and even entertaining Yuqi’s shenanigans with the patience of a saint. To Soojin, Yuqi is someone she wants to cherish and nurture like a mother would.

Eventually, Yuqi finds her voice again. “I’m really sorry, guys…” She whimpered. “I never meant for you all to worry so much…”

There was a pause from her friends, and she hesitantly peeks up to see five concerned faces looking at her with so much love and fondness in their eyes. “Really, I’m fine. I was just tired last night, that’s all…” Yuqi doesn’t sound very convincing with how shaky her voice is, but she tries anyway.

Then Minnie starts talking again. Gentle, but firm.

“You know you don’t have to bottle your feelings from us, right? We know that you’re tired, you don’t need to pretend to be strong all the time. We’re always here to help and support each other in the end, and stuff like this shouldn’t be handled with on your own.”

The other members quickly nod in agreement, so Minnie continues.

“Now, can you please tell us how you’ve really been feeling these past few days? And don’t be scared, alright? We’re not going to judge you.”

“Yeah. You have a safe space with us, Wooks. You can be as honest as you need to be.” Soyeon adds with a comforting smile of her own, and that’s more than enough for Yuqi to tear down her defenses at last.

Holding onto Minnie’s hand, Yuqi takes a deep breath before explaining the pure exhaustion and stress she’s been dealing with, the bad dream she had last night, and how much her health problems have affected her. Of course, the girls listened and understood completely. They’ve all been there before. Maybe not to the same degree as Yuqi had, but similar experiences with the same mutual thoughts and feelings.

In the end, they made Yuqi promise two things:

1. To be more open about her struggles and never be afraid of reaching out for help, and
2. Tell the members when or if she’s about to hit her limit—regardless of when it would happen—so they can put Yuqi on a break and take care of her.

The rest of that day was dedicated to just showering their Beijing puppy with all the unconditional love and appreciation in the world. No work, no practice, no schedule, just six girls hanging out in their dorms. Laughing and smiling like a bunch of idiots as they smothered Yuqi in hugs and kisses. She complained and whined a lot, sure, but she also couldn’t be any happier than being surrounded by her family. The people whom she loves the most.

The next week was just as busy, but a little more tolerable and less exhausting. Though, Minnie has been much clingier and affectionate than usual with Yuqi.

It wasn’t often that she showed this side of her, since Yuqi is normally the one who follows the Thai around and clings onto her at every opportunity. But Minnie refuses to let her girlfriend out of her sight, nor leave her alone for more than what she deems necessary. And while the younger didn’t mind, Yuqi was curious to know what caused this sudden change in behavior.

One night, as they’re cuddling on Yuqi’s bed with her blanket wrapped around them, the Han girl decides to say something.

“Unnie… You know I’m actually okay now, right? You can relax.”

Minnie only gives her a confused look. “What do you mean?”

Yuqi sighed and played with Minnie’s sleeve, all bundled up in her girlfriend’s purple hoodie to take in more of the relaxing scent.

“It’s just… You’ve been really focused on me lately. Not that I mind, I honestly appreciate the attention.” She admits shyly. “But I hope I’m not worrying you all this time… I’m alright now, I promise.”

Minnie stares deep into her doll eyes before caressing Yuqi’s cheek with her thumb.

“I can’t just not worry about you, Yuqi.” She whispered ever so softly. “Seeing you breakdown like that last weekend was one of my worst nightmares coming true… and it scared me so much.” Her voice falters at that, cracking slightly. “I’m not going to let it happen again. Not when it forces me to see you suffer the way you did…”

Feeling guilty for possibly hurting the older girl, Yuqi lets her gaze fall to Minnie’s shirt. But Minnie is quick to lift it back up by grasping her chin carefully and urging Yuqi to meet her loving eyes.

“Hey, no… Don’t feel bad. That was never your fault, to begin with.” Minnie punctuates this with a gentle kiss, a silent reassurance between their lips as Yuqi sought her comfort and warmth. Her girlfriend always knew how to read her mind. “I’ll take extra good care of you for the meantime, just to make sure that you’re really fine. And I don’t mind in the slightest, okay?”

Yuqi nods a little when they pulled away, the weight lifting off her chest as she gives Minnie her favorite sunshine smile—the one Minnie loves the most—and is rewarded with another kiss and a pretty giggle that melts her heart. “Okay.”

The two girls huddle even closer together, with Yuqi hugging Minnie by the waist as she rests her head on the Thai’s chest.

“Love you, unnie.” She murmured, eyes closing blissfully when she feels those soft lips against her head while Minnie’s arms hold her close.

“Love you too, my sweet baby.”