Chapter Text
Chenle woke with a start but he was unable to move his body. His head was groggy and he felt like his brain was throbbing against his skull. His mouth was filled with cotton, dry and scratchy reaching all the way down to his upset stomach. There was an invisible weight on his chest pressing him deeper into the mattress. Chenle imagined this was how coma patients in the movies felt.
Something was wrong.
“Le, get up we have practice soon and you haven’t even eaten breakfast, baby.” Chenle recognised that voice. It was soft and more tonal than any other member, he knew the voice but it wasn’t the right voice. It sounded older than usual, wiser than normal.
Chenle was too tired to correct Renjun to call him ge, his body was slowly waking up along with his mind. He glanced around the room and noticed the different layout, there were windows above his bed, his bed wasn’t a loft and it was the only bed in the room. The walls were decorated with posters and pictures, he assumed it was from fans, clothes were strewn around the floor.
Chenle tried to push himself out of the bed, he felt his stomach churn and the fluids sloshed uncomfortably. Renjun was still in the room, waiting for him to wake up. When Chenle was finally upright, he had to breath through his nose to keep the rising nausea at bay. “Junnie, I don’t feel so good. Can you-”
Chenle had been too ambitious. He couldn’t stop this throat from contracting before puking. He curled in on himself and clutched his stomach with both hands. Renjun gasped and moved around the room. A bucket was placed under him and Renjun’s cool hand pressed against his forehead.
“Oh, baby, how did you get so sick? You were fine last night. Let me get the others to help clean this up,” Renjun silently gagged as he walked out of the room. Chenle was left alone to feel his stomach harden with each retch. His throat was burned by the acid and he knew even brushing his teeth wouldn’t get the taste out of his mouth.
Renjun was back with Jeno and Jaemin right behind him. Jeno got right to work cleaning up the pile on the floor and Jaemin sat next to Chenle on the bed. A pair of hands, one under his shirt in the front and one on his lower back, began to knead and massage to supply Chenle with comfort. “Am I hurting you?” Chenle could only shake his head in between heaves.
Chenle could hear the other Chinese member rummaging in drawers to find clothes for him, after his stomach contents were all thrown up he’d take a shower and then nap for as long as his members allowed. “Where’s Kun and Yueliang?”
“Ge is at his dorm and, I’m assuming you’re asking for Taeil-hyung, he’s at the building practicing. Do you want Kun-ge to take care of you?” That was the opposite of what he wanted, Chenle just wanted to make sure his maknaes weren’t sick as well.
Chenle caught his breath and gave Jaemin the go-ahead to help him to the bathroom. “Let me know if you need help. I’ll be right outside, kay?” Jaemin said as he deposited Chenle onto the toilet. Chenle nodded and nudged him to leave. Chenle rinsed his mouth out, then he brushed them thoroughly before he stepped into the running shower.
The warm water ran down his back, partly soothing the remnant muscle spasms caused by being sick. He had no idea what was wrong with him - never once in his life had he thrown up like that. If it continued, he’d have Jisung drive him to the hospital. No way was the company going to know that he was severely sick right before they had to appear as a full NCT unit on Weekly Idol.
Ugh. Weekly Idol was going to be a hassle. The foreign line was going to be bullied and he hadn’t prepared Kun and Sicheng for the unfair comments that would undoubtedly be hurled their way. He thanked no one in particular that Ten had a fair share of scandals and bouts of mistreatment that it rolled off his back by now. The leader of Dream was always too mature for his own good.
Chenle thought about the other units, imagining the chaos that would be the random dance challenge. He heard Jaemin shout to check on him and he reassured the rapper that he was alright by himself. Chenle let himself shut off his brain for a minute before finishing his shower. He carefully stepped out, he didn’t want that dizzy feeling to come back, and dried off in record time. He just wanted to get back in bed - if he guilt Jisung enough maybe the older would cuddle him.
The towel was secure around his waist when he left the bathroom and clothes were laid out on the stripped bed. Renjun was seated at the desk, he was on the phone with someone - hopefully it was the Dreamies and the younger Chinese member was checking on them. Chenle changed into the loose t-shirt and sweatpants provided.
Renjun hung up the phone and asked Chenle if he was alright now. “Yea, I just want to go back to sleep. Can you tell hyung to go to my room when he has time - I haven’t seen him this morning.”
“Which hyung do you want, Lele?” Chenle squinted at Renjun. There was only one member Chenle would refer to as ‘hyung’: Jisung. Then he remembered that Renjun had called Kun and Taeil by honorifics earlier. Why would he do that?
“Sungie.” Chenle said as he left the room. He had discerned that the room he woke up in was not his own and he walked down the hall to what should be his room. He opened it and saw Jisung still sleeping in his bed. Perfect, Chenle thought to himself. Just the person he was looking for.
Chenle crept into the darkened room as quietly as he could. When he lifted the covers Jisung stirred slightly, Chenle rushed into the bed with his boyfriend while shushing him. Chenle settled himself comfortably on Jisung’s chest and wrapped his arms around the older man’s waist. His skin was warm to the touch and Chenle wondered if Jisung was sick like him.
The leader tried to quiet his mind - he wanted to fall asleep as quickly as possible - and it seemed like all his thoughts left his mind when Jisung wrapped his own arms around Chenle. He hadn’t Jisung reciprocate affection this easily in years (he knew it was mainly his own fault but that knowledge didn’t stop him from missing his boyfriend’s comforting touch). “Night, Sungie,” Chenle whispered out as he shut his eyes and matched Jisung’s slowed breathing.