So I am a er for hurt/comfort fics and I absolutely adore KyuJong's caring nature so I went with a classic scenario for this one. Mostly I just tried to show some sweetness between them. Everyone wants someone to care when they're not feeling well, ne? I'll probably do a more creative KyuSaeng at some point as well. I really have a hard time choosing HyunSaeng or KyuSaeng sometimes but for stuff like this it's totally Kyu <3
 

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Again With Your Hair?
One-Shot #3: Kyu's Comfort
 

“Achoo!”

YoungSaeng sneezed rather loudly, shuffling into the practice room. The force of the sneeze reverberated in his head making his temples throb even harder than he thought was possible. He wanted nothing more than to be far far away from the practice room but with the new album coming up he couldn’t let the rest of SS501 down.

“Ya, let’s go!” JungMin shouted from across the room. YoungSaeng could never understand how that boy was so chipper all the time. Blinking to try and clear his focus, he hurried over to join everyone. As he passed, HyungJoon gave him a look.

“Hyung, gwaenchana?”

“Gwaenchana,” he assured the maknae quickly avoiding his gaze. He certainly wasn’t okay, but he couldn’t let them know that.

“Ready? Hana, dul, set!” the manager called, pressing play.

With both his ears blocked, the dance moves quickly began to make him dizzy. More than once he stumbled slightly, having trouble keeping up with the fast movements of the new choreography.

Halfway through the song, the music suddenly stopped.

“Ya, YoungSaeng.” It appeared as if Leader had begun to notice his repeated mistakes in the mirror and he sounded frustrated.

“Bian,” he quickly apologized, nose to stuffed to even breathe properly, let alone speak clearly.

HyunJoong did a double take, peering at him carefully. “Gwaenchana?”

“Ne.” he lied. Maybe if he said it enough times he’d start to feel okay and not like he was dying.

“Ani…” their leader stepped closer. “Are you sick? Aish, you’re even sweating. Why don’t you go sit down for a bit.”

“I’ll be fine,” he insisted, uncomfortable with all four of the members staring at him.

“Ayo. It won’t do us any good if you collapse. Plus it’s taking us longer to run through it with all the mistakes.”

Defeated he nodded slowly, upset at his body for betraying him and making the other’s practice time suffer. He took a seat in the corner, settling for watching and trying to learn the choreography that way.

Before long, despite the volume of the practice music, his eyes felt heavy. His head was pounding along with the bass but he didn’t have the energy to leave and find a quiet place so he stayed where he was. Somewhere within the next few minutes he drifted off somewhere between sleep and consciousness.

He awoke to gentle hands touching his forehead, the back of his neck, and then his wrists. He knew it was Kyu by the touch and it took much of his effort not to just collapse onto his friend’s shoulder.

“You should be in bed.” The center worried aloud.

“Ani, after practice we have a photo shoot and then more rehearsal.”

“My point exactly.” Kyu replied as he sat down next to his ailing friend, feeling his forehead again.

YoungSaeng wished it were that simple, that he could just go home and curl up under the blankets and sleep. He’d even settle for staying here if Kyu’s cool hands could just stay on his burning skin.

“Here.” Those soft hands pressed two pills into his.

“Where did you-“

“I brought them from the dorm.”

“How did you-“

“I just knew. I know you well enough to see when you’re not yourself YoungSaengie. Now stop talking, you’ll hurt your throat more.” He passed him a bottle of water, “Drink.”

The prince did, wincing at the pain in his throat as he swallowed. He hated the feeling because it reminded him all too easily of being alone in the hospital left only with the fear that he might never sing again.

“I know it hurts,” Kyu said as if he could read his mind, “but try a little more so you don’t get dehydrated.”

He managed about half the bottle before he’s had enough and then he closed his eyes, hoping the room might stop spinning. Hands on his shoulders eased him sideways into a warm lap. Surprised he reached up to make sure his hair wasn’t being mussed in the process. Sick or not, he had an appearance to keep.

 “Again with your hair? You should worry more about your health. They’ll style it before the photo shoot anyway.” Kyu scolded with a laugh.

YoungSaeng said nothing, but curled closer to his dongsaeng’s belly, tucking his hands between his own legs. “It’s cold.”

Kyu frowned, looking down at the shivering boy in his lap. “Hyung,” he called out as HyunJoong passed by. “Can you bring me my jacket?”

The leader nodded, handing it over.  Kyu spread it over the otter, tucking it beneath his delicate chin.

“Is he alright?” HyunJoong asked. “We don’t need to go to the hospital or anything right?”

“I don’t know,” Kyu answered honestly, a little worried at the thought. “I don’t know.”

***

The medication he had taken earlier seemed to help for the few hours between practice and the photoshoot. In the car he had rested against the cold windowpane until Kyu had tucked his own jacket beneath his head to protect him from getting hurt on the bumpy roads.

He had been able to breathe through his nose temporarily as the coordi noonas fixed his hair and makeup for the shoot. He was happy that he at least looked normal enough so that they didn’t fawn all over him with sympathy.

Under the bright lights of the set however, his strength was fading quickly. His nose had stubbornly clogged itself again and even his eyes felt swollen.

 “Ah that’s not it! Again.” The photographer yelled when he failed to produce the shot once more.

“Excuse me sonsaengnim, can you give us a second?” Kyu politely asked, bowing before the photographer. Flustered, the man nodded.

He pulled the prince to the side, looking him in the eyes. “Gwaenchana? You usually do well at this, I don’t remember the last time a photographer was unhappy with you.”

“Anyo,” YoungSaeng half-whined, slumping against the younger boy. “I really don’t feel well Kyu.” He mumbled into his jacket.

Kyu frowned at the statement- it was highly unusual for YoungSaeng to complain unless something was really bothering him. He reached around and gently slipped his hand beneath YoungSaeng’s collar. The back of his neck was on fire. Damn he was burning again.

“Ya,”He lifted up YoungSaeng’s droopy head. “Just a few more shots, araso? Then I’m taking you home, practice can wait.”

“Hajiman…” the prince protested unconvincingly.

“Anyo, you can barely stand upright,” he scanned YoungSaeng’s pale face worriedly. “Just finish the shoot and then you can rest.” He took his hyung by the shoulders, helping him to stand straight. “Just a little longer, you can make it. I’ll be right here, araso? Just look at me and don’t think about how you’re feeling.”

YoungSaeng nodded, leaning into the touch as Kyu fixed his hair for him and gave him a push back towards the set. Swallowing hard, he shook his head to clear his mind and did as he was told. It was when he started getting lost in Kyu’s dark eyes that he finally heard the photographer announce that they had captured the desired look.

The manager agreed to drive them home after Kyu explained the situation. YoungSaeng was so tired that he barely noticed as the center helped him change back into his regular clothes. On the ride home he lay limply across the back seat, too sick to sleep.

When they entered the dorm, Kyu sat YoungSaeng on the couch with orders to stay put. In the bathroom he wet a cloth with cold water and wrung it out rather anxiously. Raiding the medicine cabinet for more a thermometer and more fever medication he returned to find the otter staring into space.

Kneeling beside him, he wiped the trademark chubby cheeks. “Let’s get this makeup off.”

The washcloth felt cool against his skin and Young leaned forward with a soft moan. “Does your head hurt?” Kyu whispered softly, dabbing at his face.

“Feels full…” he mumbled. “My ears hurt.”

Kyu sighed sympathetically, remembering the last time he’d had a head cold. Out of the things that about being sick, the terrible ear pain and pressure of a head cold had to be one of the worst.

“You shouldn’t have pushed yourself to hard today hyung.”

YoungSaeng opened one eye with a frown. “Don’t you need to be at rehearsal right now?” He asked in a raspy voice.

Kyu smiled at how cute he was, even in this state. “I’ll learn it later with you. Then you won’t need to be alone.”

The prince opened his mouth to say thanks, but Kyu quickly stuck the thermometer in before he had a chance. “You don’t need to say it Saeng, I want to take care of you.”

“Gmwh.” He mumbled anyways.

Kyu laughed before taking it out of his mouth. “38.6, no wonder you’re not feeling well,” he gasped looking at the readout. “You need to go to bed, ga ja.” He hoisted his older member off the couch, helping him down the hall.

“KyuJongie…” YoungSaeng whispered as the center lay him down on the bed.

“Ne?” He tucked him in gently, laying another cold compress over his head.

“Johaeyo.”

Kyu wasn’t sure if it was the fever talking, but he sincerely hoped that is wasn’t. Watching the otter drift off, he stayed beside him and let his fingers trace the smooth, babyish features.

“I feel the same way hyung. Do you really like me though, I can’t help but wonder. Will you remember those words tomorrow?”

***

He tried to slip into the room as quietly as possible so as not to disturb his sleeping friend. Sensing the movement as Kyu crawled into bed beside him, the prince rolled over, squinting in the dark.

“Kyu?” he croaked.

“Ne, it’s just me Saengie.”

YoungSaeng felt his soft hands once again palpating his skin, checking his temperature. He was confused as to why Kyu was under the covers with him. “What are you-?”

“We all decided you shouldn’t be alone tonight. Just in case you need anything. Here, sit up for a second.” He supported the prince’s back and brought a glass of cool water to his lips. It made him happy to see YoungSaeng drink greedily, his cheeks puffing up adorably.

“They picked you to stay?” He asked after finishing the contents of the cup and laying back down, closer to Kyu. It just felt nice to have someone beside him, especially when that someone was so comforting to be around.

“Ani, I volunteered. I couldn’t leave you.” The younger boy admitted, rubbing his hyung’s back in small comforting circles.

 “Please don’t,” he pleaded, holding onto Kyu’s shirt. It felt so good to be in his arms and he was afraid of waking up alone.

“I won’t. Don’t talk now, just rest. Your fever is starting to go down so you’ll feel better in the morning.”

“But what if you get sick by staying…” he mumbled, beginning to drift off contentedly.

“Then you can return the favor, but don’t worry about that now. I’m right here and you’re okay. Everything’s okay.”

***

Two days later YoungSaeng woke up to a warm body pressed against his back. It surprised him at first as he wasn’t quite used to sleeping with someone so cuddly. Ever since the faithful center of SS501 had nursed him back to health a few days ago, they had taken to sharing a room. Even though it was partly because the other members insisted that he was still contagious, YoungSaeng was quickly coming to relish in the feeling of having KyJong beside him each morning.

Rolling over and nuzzling up to his friend, he pulled back alarmed at the heat radiating from his dongsaeng’s  skin.

“Kyu?”

The boy groaned a little, wetting his lips uncomfortably. “I don’t feel good,” he whined rubbing his temples.

“You caught it from me didn’t you?” He felt bad that because of him Kyu was now suffering.

 “I blame you.” His dongsaeng murmured, sounding quite stuffy. He opened his eyes long enough to glare at his hyung before closing them tightly again.

“Mian,” YoungSaeng apologized, the younger boys bangs so that they weren’t sticking to his face.

“Hmmph!” was the reply. As the eternal center, KyuJong was hands-down the most laid back in the group but the one exception was if he managed to get sick.

YoungSaeng didn’t mind, he understood that it was uncomfortable to feel poorly and he’d forgive his friend for being grumpy. He looked down at with a smile. “I didn’t mean to. And you took such good care of me, I’ll take care of you. I promise.“ He kept talking even though he wasn’t sure if Kyu was even paying attention to him anymore because it looked like he had gone back to sleep.

“And your hair is a mess.” Kyu grumbled, ignoring his speech continuing where he had left off before the otter had interrupted. He hiked the blankets up closer to his chin and rolled away from the touch.”

YoungSaeng actually giggled at the outburst. “Now you’re just trying to be mean. You’re the only one who can get away with that and it’s only because you’re sick.”

He scooted closer to the boy, rubbing his back soothingly between the blankets just as Kyu had done for him the previous two nights. “Gwaenchana, I’ll be right here. For whatever you need.” He leaned forward and whispered softly in the boys ear.  “Joyaheo.”

It was the second time Kyu had heard him say that. “Damn fever,” he cursed soundlessly under his breath. He had hoped he’s hear it again but he didn’t know if he could trust his hearing at the moment…

Or could he?

***

Sorry this took so long, my other fic and all my homework took over- 3 exams this coming week, yikes!
This was my study break so I hope it's alright. Please let me know if you catch any mistakes and I'll try to correct them.
Thanks for reading!