Sick

Chen had been feeling strange since moment he woke up the same morning, and as the day proceeded he just felt worse and worse. While he fought the Malum he had been so filled with adrenaline that he didn't think about it, but once Baekhyun went all badass punk and the creature died, with the light with the same name it had given itself Chen felt everything come rushing back. He felt worse than before, and he swore silently under his breath. The last time he felt this bad he had been in bed for a whole week. 

The thing about Chen was, that when a sickness hit it hit much worse than to normal magic users. Since he couldn’t be healed it was like the sickness decided to make it worse and the effect were amplified a lot compared to when someone else got the sickness. So it wasn’t so strange that Lay reacted with being angry, but Chen still whimpered as reply when he felt himself being lifted up in his brother’s arms. He hated being sick, and he hated feeling weak. He hated that Lay had to worry so much about him, and he hated the worried glances the others gave him. Because he knew that even though he didn't want it he would have to let the others help him through the sickness. When he got sick he usually couldn't walk very well and was very dizzy most of the time which made it dangerous for him to walk around alone since he could faint practically everywhere. He was also very pouty when he got sick, and usually didn't want to eat anything, which also was worrisome since he already was on the verge of underweight. On top of it all he had just used a lot of energy which caused him to be even weaker than usual. No, this would not be a fun time for any of them. 

As they came back to the school, Chen was feeling a bit better again, but that was just a sign for him that it was about to become a lot worse. He watched as Alice came running through the grass towards them and let out a smile. She looked so worried it was almost funny. 

”Are you guys okay?!” She questioned, giving D.O, Baekhyun and Chen worried glances. D.O, who was hanging on his husbands back made a thumbs up, and Baekhyun explained that he was tired from using moon energy, which caused Alice to immediately know what was wrong with him. She knew what the effects of using the moonlight was. When she turned her attention to Chen though, the boy blushed and hid his face in the crook of Lay’s neck.

”I am sick” he muttered out. ”I wasn’t feeling so good this morning, but then with all the panic with BTS I was so pumped with adrenaline I didn't think about it. It came back when I had used my powers though, right after Baekhyun defeated the Malum.”

Alice looked shocked, and worried at the same time. ”There was still a Malum left alive? I swear we thought we killed all of them a long time ago.”

Luhan nodded. ”Yeah, the Malum said that as well but he said that he had managed to survive.”

Alice looked grim. ”They are hell to kill. One of the worst creatures. We were lucky when they were many that they didn't like each other and never travelled together. Killing five of them at the same time would almost have been impossible. Was this the last one?”

”That’s what it said at least” Xiumin confirmed.

Alice nodded, and turned her attention towards BTS. ”Let’s go talk about what happened to you in my office. Luhan, will you accompany us?”

Luhan looked worriedly at Sehun, but after getting a confirmative nod and a smile, he nodded. ”Fine.”

They all got ready to leave, when Alice turned to Chen. ”Will you be okay?” she asked, worried. 

Chen nodded. ”The sickness will hit me harder since I can’t be healed but yes, I will. Lay knows what I’m like when I’m sick so they’ll know if something out  of the ordinary happens.”

Lay nodded, confirming, and Alice turned around and left together with BTS and Luhan. Before Luhan left, though he turned towards Sehun.

”Call me in your head if you’re not feeling well” he mumbled. ”I’ll be right there.”

Sehun smiled tiredly and nodded. ”Okay, hyung.” Suho came up to Sehun right after and put an arm around him.

”I’ll take care of him while you’re gone Luhan” he said with a smile.

Luhan looked for a moment, face still, but then he smiled just a little and nodded, giving Sehun an affectionate kiss on the lips before leaving with the others. Sehun watched him go, and then he let himself get shuffled away towards there dorm. 

”Come on Sehun” they heard Suho say. ”I’ll fix some bubble tea for you okay?”  

Sehun’s reply was immediate. ”Really?!?!”

Suho laughed. ”Really.” He turned towards Lay. ”You’ll be okay on your own with your brother?”

Lay nodded ”Yeah.”

Xiumin walked up. ”I send Baekyeol and Kaisoo and Taoris away to rest, but I’ll help take care of Chen. We live in the same room after all, and I’m his protector.”

Lay nodded, and Suho kissed his lover as goodbye before turning and leaving with Sehun to get the boy’s precious bubble tea. 

”You will get so high in sugar” Suho said with a sigh when they walked off. ”Luhan’s gonna kill me.”

Sehun just laughed as reply, and Chen smiled a little at the cute scene. He had never seen Sehun as the bubble tea loving person, but he guessed he never should judge a book after it’s cover. 

As Lay and Xiumin started walking towards Chen’s and Xiumin’s room, Chen felt a wave of dizziness hit, and he let out a quiet groan. ”Great” he whined. ”I wanted to shower first, now I’m all sweaty and gross.”

Lay looked worriedly at his brother. ”What’s wrong?”

Chen buried his head in his brother’s shoulder. ”Dizzy again.”

Lay sighed. ”It has started already? It’s probably getting worse quicker since you’re so tired. Idiot.”

Chen whimpered. ”I’m sorry.”

As they reached their rooms the dizziness had gotten a lot worse, and Chen knew it would be troublesome taking a shower alone. But he was super sweaty, and he’s rather die than not shower. So he put on a brave face, and took a deep breath. ”I’m gonna shower.”

Lay looked alarmed. ”Chen! You know that’s not a good idea.” 

Chen started whining. ”But I really want to! This might be last shower I can take before it hits me seriously! Please!”

Lay sighed, and after a while he nodded. Xiumin just listened, without saying anything. ”Can you handle it yourself or do you want me to shower with you?”

Chen blushed. The last time he showered with his brother was when they were small. ”I can manage I think” he said. ”Otherwise I’ll call for you.” 

Lay looked even more worried than before, but he did out his brother down and got him some clothes. Then Chen left and walked into the bathroom. 

The shower itself went fine, his tight muscles relaxing as he stood under the shower head letting the water cascade down hid body. It was also fine when he got dressed, but as he had finished all his business in the toilet, he felt the dizziness come in with full force, and he braced the wall as he fought hard not to faint then and there. 

As small black dots started covering his vision, he opened his mouth and let out a weak ”Lay” as he started sliding down the wall, the room before him spinning. The last thing he remembered was the door flying open and the two scared faces above him and then everything around him went black. 

When Lay and Xiumin heard Chen’s weak calling they immediately ran towards the bathroom, opening the door just in time to see Chen sliding down on the ground. Xiumin caught the sick boy right before he was completely down, and lifted him up in his arms carrying him to his bed. He played him down, and put his hand on Chen’s forehead. 

”” was all he managed to get out, and then Lay pushed his hand away to replace it with his own.

”” he mimicked as he felt his younger brother’s forehead. The boy was so hot, hotter than Chanyeol, it felt like he was going to burn holes to Lay’s hand. He stood up and went to get a rag to wet in cold water to cool his brother down.

”Is this normal?” Xiumin asked worriedly as Lay returned with the rag and a bowl of cold water. 

”He usually gets a lot of very high fever, yes, but not this fast. It’s this bad mostly after a day into is or so, but since he was so tired already the whole process is speeding up, except most likely his recovery.”

”What can we do do help him?”

”The only thing we can do is to try to keep his body cool, and wipe his sweat off. We have to help him to the bathroom since he won’t be able to walk on his own, and we’re probably going to have to feed him. He usually doesn’t want to eat anything when he’s this sick, but he has to. He’s too thin already to loose more.”

Xiumin nodded. ”Okay.”

Lay sighed. ”Every time he gets sick I wish and wish that it would be the last time, but it seems like the my wishes are worth nothing. I feel so damn useless. I am the healer and I can’t do anything to help him. Nothing at all.”

Xiumin patted Lay’s back. ”I understand that must be hard for you, but you gotta have faith in him. He’s strong and he’ll get through this just fine, even though you can’t heal him. We’ll help him the ways we can, and he’ll be fine. And it’s not your fault Lay, you know that, and Chen definitely knows that as well.”

Lay looked down for a while, and then he nodded solemnly. ”Fine.”

Xiumin snorted, let out a smile, and then he pointed for the door. ”Go find your lover. I know you don’t like being without him efter a fight.”

Lay was very protective over Suho, and he didn't want the other to be alone after they had been in a fight with some creature, but he aslo didn't want to be alone himself. Suho was his strength in everything he did, just as his brother was but in another way. Suho was the love of Lay’s life. There was no one else. 

”I can’t leave Chen right now” Lay mumbled guilty, feeling stupid that he even wished to go, but Xiumin just snorted again.

”You don’t trust my judgement? Come on Lay I’m the oldest and if I can say it myself, the most responsible together with Luhan. I’ll be able to take care of him just fine, and if I need you I’ll just call. You go rest. You need it after you kept BTS alive today.”

”But I heal fast.”

”I know you do, but your magic can still get exhausted you know.”

”But..”

”No buts! Just your walking to your boyfriend. Now hurry, go along.”

Lay looked like he wanted to protest again, but then Xiumin gave him his most stern face.

”I don’t want to hear you complaining again.”

Lay sighed, and backed down after that. Xiumin was quite scary when annoyed. Actually, Xiumin was always quite scary. So he turned around and headed for the door. 

”You sure you’ll be okay taking care of him alone?”

Xiumin gave him a genuine smile. ”Yeah. It’ll be my pleasure.”

After Lay left Xiumin turned his attention back to the boy on the bed. The boy who were similar to his sister, but yet so very different. The feelings Xiumin felt when looking at the younger was different form woking at a younger sibling as well. It was stronger, stranger. Different. 

He sighed. ”Why do you always have to be so not careful?” he asked as he brushed Chen’s bangs away form his forehead when he lifted the towel which had already turned pretty warm. He had a much better solution to keeping Chen cool anyways. He carefully but his own hand on the boy’s forehead and then he let his powers come out, slipping out through his palm laying itself cold on Chen’s forehead. Chen sighed of pleasure as he did, and unconsciously shifted closer to Xiumin, who let his other hand run down Chen’s body cooling it down.

”Don’t worry Chennie” he whispered. ”I’ll take care of you okay?”

The first thing Chen knew when he came back from the world of the fainted was that something cold was on his forehead and something else which also was cold was running down his arm. It was keeping him nice and cool, and the ache in his body was lowered a bit by it. As he opened his eyes, Xiumin’s brown orbs met his own and the older sighed in relief. 

”You’re awake” he let out quietly, and Chen gave a nod the best he could.

”Yeah, I am.”

”How are you feeling?”

Chen whined quietly. ”Like . My body aches as hell, although your hands are quite helpful though” he said with a blush and Xiumin chuckled.

”Anything else?”

”Well I have a headache and fever still I suppose but other than that okay I usually don’t get a funny nose or so when I’m sick which is great.”

”It would be better if you didn't get sick at all. When are you going to stop worrying us?”

Chen looked down. ”I’m sorry. I never meant to get sick, I didn't even really think about it because of everything that happened. I’m so sorry.”

Xiumin sighed, and nodded. ”Yeah, I know. It’s fine. Just.. Try to be more careful okay? I don’t want to feel worried about you so often. I want you to be fine.”

”You really worry that much?”

”Of course I do, stupid.” 

It got quiet after that, and the pair just looked into each other’s eyes. Chen wondered what kind of secrets Xiumin was hiding in there, and Xiumin wondered the same about Chen. He knew more about Chen that Chen knew of him, but there was still so many things he had no idea about. And Chen barely knew anything about Xiumin, but he wished hard that one day he would. And he would wait for that day to come. 

Perhaps, Chen had started to understand, there was none other than Xiumin for him as well.

”Are you hungry?” He heard Xiumin ask, and he frowned as his bubble popped. 

”Nope” he muttered, and Xiumin sighed. 

”Lay did tell me you usually don’t want to eat.”

Chen blushed a bit, but then he looked around. ”Where is Lay ge anyways?”

”I got him to go to bed, since he looked tired. He used a lot of his energy as well, while I just stood there so I took it upon myself to take care of you.”

Chen smiled a bit. ”Thanks. You’re right, Lay needed rest, so I’m happy. But you don’t have to take care of me though, I’m gonna be perfectly fine by myself” he tried although he knew it wasn’t true.

Xiumin just snorted. ”Yeah right. Your bull intrigues me. Hang on, I’ll go get something to eat for you. I think we have some of D.O’s leftover soup in the fridge. It’s really good when you have a cold, and we always have it stashed since Kai gets sick a lot as well. You two are really alike.” Xiumin frowned at the realization. 

Chen just laughed, but then he started coughing and XIumin frowned even more. Chen seemed to have felt a bit better just when he woke up, but now he suddenly was very pale agin. He’s have to ask Lay if that was normal.

”I’ll be right back” he said, and Chen, who had stopped coughing nodded and smiled halfheartedly. 

Xiumin went quickly to the kitchen, got Chanyeol to heat up the food (”I’m not a microwave hyung!”) and got a glass of water before walking back to Chen. He sat down on the edge of the bed, and Chen looked away trying to pretend there wasn’t any food that he needed to eat. 

Xiumin sighed. ”You’ll eat this whether you like it or not. Should I feed you?”

Chen didn’t answer, but he did blush madly and Xiumin smirked and picked up the spoon, put some soup on it and made sure the temperature was right before putting it infront of Chen’s mouth. ”Say ah” he said teasingly, but the warning look in his eyes told Chen he wasn't joking. 

Chen looked at the spoon for a moment and then he reluctantly opened his mouth to let Xiumin feed him the soup. Surprisingly, he could actually taste something in it even though he was sick which told him that is was very well made. He’d have to thank D.O later. 

Chen managed to get some more soup in him with the careful feeding of Xiumin before he felt nauseous. Then he closed his mouth and shook his head weakly, whimpering quietly. Xiumin quickly but down the spoon and felt the boy’s forehead. 

He sighed. ”You’re really warm again. You should rest some.” 

Chen nodded, and after he drank some water he laid down on the bed again, closing his eyes. Xiumin looked at his shaking body for a moment before putting another blanket on top of him and his hand on Chen’s forehead. 

”Sleep” he mumbled. ”I’ll be right here if you need anything.”

Chen smiled softly, and opened his eyes just for a second to look at the older. ”Thank you” he whispered, and then he fell into a dreamless sleep. Xiumin just sat beside him with his free hand playing with Chen’s bangs, until he felt himself get drowsy as well. And since he never really got sick, he laid down carefully beside Chen and closed his eyes. He didn't even notice when sleep came,

When Chen woke up the next morning, he surprisingly felt pretty fine, and just laid and enjoyed the feeling of already feeling much better. His body was aching still, and he felt nauseous but he did feel better. His fever had probably gone down considerably. When he opened his eyes and looked around that was when he noticed he wasn't alone on the bed. Xiumin was laying beside him with his eyes closed, breathing deeply with a face without worry. He looked peaceful, Chen realized, which was quite different for Xiumin. Chen smiled softly at the sight. 

Just a few moment after, like he knew someone was watching him, Xiumin opened his eyes and met Chen’s gaze.

”Morning” he mumbled hoarsely. ”How are you feeling today”?

Chen smiled. ”Much better actually. Perhaps you guys are right, I might be healing as fast as I should as a magic user now. In that case that would be a relief.”

Xiumin nodded, and smiled brightly. ”I’m glad to hear that you’re feeling better already, but things could change quickly so you’ll stay in bed next few days just to make sure. No buts” he said sternly and Chen closed his mouth again after opening it to complain loudly.¨

”Fine he muttered.” 

Xiumin grinned. ”We should try to get you to eat some breakfast, alright? I’ll go get some.”

When he returned, Chen was sitting up in bed, and he was right, he did look a lot better than the night before. ”So” Xiumin said with a huge smirk on his face. ”Want me to feed you again or can you eat by yourself?”

Chen blushed even more madly than before. ”Hyuuuung” he whined loudly, and then he took the spoon and shoved some food into his mouth. 

He was on bed arrest again, and on top of that Xiumin was behaving extremely teasing and Chen thought he might just die from the embarrassment. 

ing fantastic.

Author’s note

I AM SOOOOO SOOOO SORRY LIKE SERIOUSLY GUYS!!!!! I always tell myself that I will update faster, but school has been eating me up. It is eating me up, actually. Next week we have tests every day (we are free Friday though) which literally . I am sorry I am ranting, but please be patient with me, I will try to update the next chap as soon as I can okay! And for all of you poor people with tons of school (or something which is troubling you), fighting!!! We could all need that, sometimes:D I know you can all do it! We just have to believe we can.