Over the next few weeks, Luhan and Sehun became accustomed to each other’s schedules. Although, while Sehun’s schedule included class during the day and work at night, Luhan spent most of the day inside the apartment. By the time he woke up, Sehun had already left for class, and by the time he went to sleep, Sehun was usually still at work. They only spent a couple hours together a day, when Sehun would come home to eat dinner before going to work.

They began to learn about each other, bit by bit. Sehun continued to get annoyed by Luhan’s nosiness and incessant talking, while Luhan fussed over Sehun’s messy living habits, forgetting to do dishes and leaving clothes on the floor.

“You’re not going to bring an umbrella?” Luhan looked up from his desk and watched as Sehun prepared to leave for work.

“It’s not going to rain,” Sehun dismissed the idea as he tied his shoe.

“It might,” Luhan rested his chin on the back of his chair. “Just bring one.”

“No,” Sehun finished tying his shoes and stood up.

“Don’t blame me if you get wet,” Luhan called out after Sehun as he shut the door.

He returned his attention to his work. The novelist had sent him details of the illustrations he wanted and pieces of the manuscript to give Luhan some context. He leafed through the numerous pages and started working on another sketch of the male protagonist. He drew the curves and angles of Sehun’s face without consulting his past sketches.

We’ve lived together for almost a month, but I still haven’t learned all that much about you, Luhan talked to the face that began to form under his skilled hand.

Is it weird to be this curious? Sehun doesn’t seem to want to know anything about me...

Luhan flipped through the manuscript another time when suddenly, a small card fell out of the stack. Luhan picked it up from where it fell in his lap.

All the details needed to draw the illustrations should be in here. Should you have any questions, you have my email and phone number.

I’d like to meet up to assess your progress soon. In two weeks, if possible. I’ll contact you as the date nears.

Zhang Yixing

A deadline. Luhan affixed his eyes to the phrase ‘two weeks’, realizing he was nowhere close to what anyone would consider normal progress. Luhan decided, maybe haphazardly, to catch up that night.

Sehun rode the bus silently home, counting the money he had earned in tips that night. He rocked slightly forward as the bus came to the stop closest to his apartment. He departed from the bus and immediately felt raindrops on his head and shoulders.

“...”

He rushed down the streets to get to the apartment building, trying in vain to use his jacket as shield from the rain. He blinked the rainwater from his eyes as he neared the building. By the time he had successfully taken shelter inside, he was already completely soaked. He climbed the stairs defeatedly and walked down the hall to his apartment. He unlocked the door and opened it, surprised to see the lights on and even more surprised to see Luhan sitting hunched over by his desk.

“You’re soaked!” The blonde boy stood up and went quickly to Sehun. “I told you to bring an umbrella...” His eyebrows furrowed as he examined Sehun’s drenched clothing.

“I’m going to get you a towel. Go change your clothes for now,” Luhan rushed into the bathroom, leaving a stunned, blinking Sehun still in the doorway.

Sehun followed Luhan’s instructions and took off his jacket as he walked into his room. He was removing his wet shirt with some difficulty when a towel his his face. He moved it from his face to see Luhan facing him from the bathroom. He seemed to be blushing. 

“I’m going to make tea,” Luhan looked away from him. “Hurry and change your clothes before you get sick.”

Luhan put a kettle of water on the stove to boil and wondered why he felt so flustered. Is it because I’m worried about Sehun?

Is it because I saw him without his shirt...?

Luhan shook his head frantically, shooing the image of Sehun’s wet shirt sticking to his smooth fair skin far, far away.

“What are you doing?”

Luhan stopped and turned his head. Sehun stared at him, freshly changed into a tee shirt and sweatpants, towel still hanging around his neck. Luhan was saved from explaining as the kettle whistled on the stove.

Sehun watched as Luhan placed two cups of tea on the table in front of him and then scurried over to his desk. Luhan returned with a couple pieces of paper and lay them in front of him, taking a sip of his tea.

Sehun sipped his own tea and glanced down at the sketches that Luhan had retrieved. “Is that me?”

“Well, it’s the character in the novel that I based off of you, so technically, yes,” Luhan felt Sehun lean over the table.

“You’re actually pretty good,” Sehun made a small ‘o’ with his lips as he looked closer at the sketch.

“O-of course,” Luhan swiped the sketches from the table. “Go to sleep. You’ll get sick.”

Sehun sighed and stood, walking towards his bedroom.

“You’re such a mom...”

Luhan raised his head groggily from his desk, reminded precisely why he never pulled all nighters. He always ended up falling asleep and waking up feeling horrible the next day. He stretched, yawning, and made his way to the kitchen. The first thing that caught his eye was the sink full of dirty dishes that he knew he didn’t use. He stormed towards Sehun’s room.

If he’s home, I’m going to kill him. Luhan threw the door open, ready to yell. He stopped, seeing a sleeping Sehun on top of the sheets, wearing outside clothes, eyebrows furrowed. Luhan stepped forward quietly and peered at the boy’s pained expression.

He actually got sick, Luhan stared at him for a few moments. It seems like he still went to class this morning, though.

Luhan tiptoed out of the room and closed the door behind him.

A few hours later, Luhan heard Sehun’s phone alarm sound from inside the bedroom. The alarm stopped, replaced by a few coughs before Sehun came out of his room.

“Are you going to class?” Luhan examined Sehun’s tired eyes and paler than usual complexion.

Sehun nodded as he put his bag over his shoulder.

“I think you should skip,” Luhan’s eyebrows knit together with worry. “You look pretty sick.”

“No, I have to go...” Sehun’s groaned response was not very convincing.

“It’s just a day,” Luhan started following him to the door. Sehun only shook his head emphatically and left.

“Sehun, go home,” Jongin walked beside his friend on the way to their separate classes.

“I can’t go home yet,” Sehun sighed. “I need to go to my lecture.”

“It’s one lecture. You can do without,” Jongin laughed a bit.

Sehun shook his head. “I need perfect grades if I want to get into the accounting program. If I slip up even a little bit, they’ll kick me out.”

“Well, okay... but don’t go to work today, and after class, go straight home!” Jongin waved and the two parted ways.

Sehun coughed. He knew that missing one lecture would probably not affect his grades, but he didn’t want to take that chance and use it as an excuse later. He needed a perfect GPA. Otherwise, for what was he working so hard? Over what was he losing sleep? For what did he risk his parents’ disapproval? For what was he practically selling his body and living with a former customer just to get by?

Luhan waited for Sehun to come home from class, knowing his schedule fairly well by this point. He got up, hearing Sehun fumble with the key in the lock. As soon as he opened the door, a heavy, towering Sehun fell right on top of him. Luhan yelped and they hit the ground, Sehun mumbled an incoherent apology.

Luhan put his hand to the younger boy’s forehead, feeling the heat of a high fever. He glanced at Sehun’s face, eyebrows weakly furrowed with pain and fatigue, and felt Sehun’s chest heave up and down as he breathed. He had never been this close to Sehun before. Luhan did not know what exactly that meant to him, but decided sitting in his doorway in a compromising position was not the time to figure it out.

“Let’s get you to bed,” Luhan attempted pushing Sehun off of him so that they could both get up. Eventually, Sehun managed to stand up and let Luhan lead him to his room. 

“Change your clothes and get into bed,” Luhan spoke softly from the bedroom door. “I’ll get you medicine.”

He exited the room and opened the cabinet to find cold medicine. As he placed two tablets on a napkin and poured a glass of water, he wondered why Sehun would force himself to go to class if he was sick enough to collapse. 

He reentered Sehun’s room to find the boy already in bed. He set the medicine and glass of water on the table. Sehun opened his eyes and started to get up.

“It’s okay, you can take it later,” Luhan ushered Sehun to lay back down.

“You already took the time to bring it here,” Sehun gulped down the pills with ease. He laid back down and closed his eyes immediately after taking the medicine. 

Luhan watched him with a quiet smile for a few moments, until the loud vibrations of Sehun’s phone snapped him out of it. Not wanting Sehun to have to get up, Luhan answered it.

“Uh, Sehun’s phone.”

“Oh. Luhan?” He recognized Jongin’s voice. “I’m sure you know Sehun’s pretty sick... Did he get home okay?”

“Yeah, he just took medicine and is in bed,” Luhan whispered, gazing at the tall young man who, laying in bed with a fever, seemed more like a small child.

“Alright, that’s good,” Jongin sighed in relief and paused for a moment. “Luhan, I know I shouldn’t really ask you to do this, but... take good care of him.”

Luhan felt the importance of Sehun’s closest friend entrusting his well being to him.

“I will.”

He hung up the phone and was about to leave when Sehun stirred, drowsy from the cold medicine.

“Why are you doing this?” he asked, eyelids drooping and threatening to close.

Luhan had asked himself the same question a bit earlier, but answered, “Because you’re sick.”

“You took care of me,” Sehun closed his eyes. “Just like a mom.”

Luhan raised an eyebrow. “Why do you always say ‘a mom’? Your mom doesn’t do this for you?”

Sehun sleepily shook his head, burying his face further into the pillow.

Sehun slept soundly until the next morning. He felt relaxed, comforted, and, coupled with the medicine he took, completely cured from his cold. He changed his clothes for school, wondering if this is how it always felt to be cared for and looked after. He stepped into the bathroom, finding Luhan in there washing his hands.

Luhan looked up at him. “Are you well enough to go to class?”

“Yeah, I feel better already,” Sehun squeezed some toothpaste onto his toothbrush.

“That’s good,” Luhan smiled as he dried his hands. He stepped back into his bedroom and grabbed the doorknob to close it.

“Um, Luhan.” Sehun kept his eyes fixed downwards at the sink in front of him.

“Thanks.”

A/N: ...finally right?

T T sorry for the long wait and the messy writing

school is starting soon for me so it’s all hectic and blah

i hope you enjoy this update with sick sehunnie and mom luhannie

<3 thanks for reading as always