Luhan awoke with a fiery pain coursing through his body. Every time he tried to swallow, his throat would constrict. His limbs felt so weak he could barely lift even a finger, and despite his body being as cold as a corpse, he felt on fire as if an inferno course within him, only growing with each intake of breath he took.

He looked around with his bloodshot eyes and found Suho asleep with his head on top of his lap. With a weak smile, he lifted a hand and placed a hand on the man’s head, stirring him awake.

Suho jolted at that, a startled expression on his face, and at the same time, Baekhyun walked in alongside Sehun and Lay, Lay holding a cup in his hand. They were all taken aback from Luhan’s consciousness, but it was soon washed away with the feeling of relief.

Luhan had perked up at the sight of the sight of the cup Lay was, silently begging for whatever Lay held in hopes it could ease the dry feeling he felt at his throat. Lay chuckled seemingly, and as if on cue he had silently walked over, and gave the cup to Luhan.

Luhan had taken it eagerly, pressing the rim of the cup against his chapped lips. Doing so, however, he paused and brought the cup back and questioningly looked at the substance. At the sight of this, those within the room had felt a pang of sorrow.

“It’s only medicine Luhan,” Sehun was quick to justify.

​

“No,” Luhan wheezed, “ C-Chen, where i-is he?”

“He’s fine.” Suho smiled weakly.

“He’s currently being guarded by Kris, Kai, and Chanyeol ,” Sehun confirmed.

Luhan nodded, and brought the cup to his lips once more, letting the warm liquid run down his parched throat.

“We brought what you needed!” Minseok walked in moments later, Kyungsoo and Tao in tow.

“Great.” Lay smiled after taking back the now empty cup from Luhan.

“What is that?” Luhan looked skeptically at the large round plastic bowl.

“It’s just to help you. Lay back down.” Suho sweetly gestured for Luhan to lay back down to which Luhan obediently followed.

Luhan had watched Lay pull his sleeves back, taking a rag Tao was holding out, soaking it within the bowl of a murky white substance, wringing it out, and then repeating the process before he brought it over to Luhan.

“What is that?” Luhan asked once more.

Lay smiled sweetly, folding the rag before placing it on Luhan’s forehead, “It’s just a mixture of medicine. It's supposed the prevent a headache, and also keep you cool at the same time.”

“Okay, now I’m going to wash my hands really quick. I’ll be back soon.”

Luhan watched Lay walk out before he turned his gaze towards Sehun.

“I’m sorry Luhan,” Sehun said sadly, walking over to sit on the free space next to Luhan’s body. It had pained Luhan to no end to see Luhan so sad Sehun like this - so pained because of him.

“For what?”

“For not being there earlier. I had no idea that chen-”

“We all didn’t, Sehun.” Suho wistfully chimed in.

“What’s going to happen to him?” Luhan whispered sadly. Even if Chen had hurt him, he was still someone he held someone dear to heart. He was part of Luhan’s family, after all. He had contributed to taking Luhan in when he had felt so lost and alone, and Luhan simply knew that whatever had happened to him, it didn’t mean that the Chen he knew was gone ; Despite not bearing it openly, he knew his very soul was still inside whatever he had become.

Sehun had seen his fear, and quickly extinguished it, “ No harm is to come to him. We’re trying to bring him back - something we will succeed at. Have faith.”

“We all hope that is only so.” Suho agreed to this with teary eyes.

Lay had walked in moments after, taken aback at the solemn expressions everyone held. He didn’t question it, however. He had quietly walked over the three holding the materials and instructed tao and minseok to take the materials back while he took an injection and tube from kyungsoo with his now gloved hands.

Alarmed at the sight of the needle, Luhan panicked, “W-wait! What are you doing?”

“Calm down Luhan,” Sehun chuckled,” Lay’s simply going to check your health state.”

“B-But why must it involve a needle?!”

“Because I need to check that whatever Chen gave to you isn’t harmful to your system. It’ll be over as soon as you know it, I promise.”

“That’s what they all say.” Luhan sighed dejectedly before lying back down.

“If it makes you feel any better, Sehun can hold your hand?” Baekhyun, who had been silent for the majority of the time, suggested bluntly.

Luhan gaped at Baekhyun, a blush rising to his face at the mere thought.

“Sure,” Sehun smiled, and Luhan didn’t know whether to thank or murder Baekhyun.

“While you’re at it, why don’t you cuddle with him too?” Baekhyun teased once more, earning a whack upside his head from Suho, and a gleeful laugh from Kyungsoo.

“Stop teasing him. Unless, that is, if you want me to do the same to you but with Chanyeol.”

Baekhyun paled and cleared his throat, “ Uhm, well, I think I’m going to go help Minseok and Tao now.”

“What of him and Chanyeol?” Luhan asked as soon as Baekhyun had rushed out the door.

“Oh, Luhan. I don’t know if you haven’t noticed, but the kid has a crush on the guy," Kyungsoo spoke in the midst of Lay placing a tourniquet around Luhan’s bicep.

“ I guess I didn’t.”

“Okay, Luhan I need you to create a fist.”

Luhan sighed but created a tight grip around Sehun’s comforting large hand. He had immediately looked away at doing so, however, from both embarrassment and the sight of the exceptionally large needle.He had almost jumped out of his skin when he felt wet a cotton ball soaked with rubbing alcohol on his skin.

Both Lay and Sehun had chuckled at the feeling of Luhan jumping absentmindedly, and Luhan turned back only to glare at them both. He had paled suddenly when he watched Lay bring down the needle, and squeezed Sehun had tighter as he felt Lay pull back a patch of his skin slightly. Then, he felt the slight prick of the needle and tensed at the sharp feeling of it sinking into his skin deeper. He felt the slight prick of the needle and tensed at the sharp feeling of it sinking into his skin deeper. He winced slightly before he finally relaxed at the absent feeling of the needle and the feel of a dry cotton ball being pressed down on his punctured skin, a sign that it was finally over.

“There. All over. Didn’t we tell you so?” Sehun smiled warmly, “and now why don’t you rest up. You’re probably tired now.”

“Will you be here when I wake up?” Luhan shyly asked.

“Of