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Minghao’s least favourite time of year was always winter when there were award shows every week.
So far, his Addison’s disease had played up a good few times, most recently at one of the afterparties when he fainted with Shownu and Wonho.
Minghao had promised the other members that he was going to take good care of himself for a change, especially since his episode when Junhui was injured.
Junhui was still off promotions, but his wrist was healed and he was no longer concussed. He’d volunteered to perform, albeit only sitting at the side, but HYBE had told him he couldn’t attend the MAMA Awards and was going to stay in the dorm with one of their managers for the evening.
Minghao was sad. He wanted Junhui to be there with them so he could receive awards with them, but he wasn’t allowed to, even if he stayed backstage.
After losing his one-man protest, Minghao gave up and packed up his bag to get to the MAMA awards.
When they arrived, the group was immediately guided to the makeup room to get prepared.
Minghao quickly sat down in a chair and a makeup artist did his makeup. It was smoky around his eyes and he was given a darker lip tint than usual, which he did not complain about.
Once his makeup was done, the stylist gave him his clothes. He was given a sheer black shirt with a maroon blazer and velvety maroon trousers. Once he had his clothes on, the stylists did his hair, slightly wavy and falling over his eyes.
Minghao looked in the mirror, smiling softly at himself as the makeup artist added final touches and Minghao unzipped his glucometer to ensure he would be fine.
After confirming that he was well within his healthy blood sugar range, Minghao packed away the case and followed the other members as they moved to get onstage.
Seungkwan gave Minghao a small thumbs up and a smile to tell him he would be great and then they all ran onstage.
———————
Everything went well during their performance, and for once in a while, he didn’t feel faint or dizzy when he came off. Sure, his body was buzzing with adrenaline, but he didn’t feel like the adrenaline was the only thing keeping him upright.
As always, Jeonghan intercepted Minghao on his way to their dressing room and handed over a pack of sweets and a bottle of water to stop Minghao from suddenly fainting on them.
Minghao gratefully took the sweets, accepting them as an award instead of something he needed to stay upright for longer than a few minutes.
Minghao was about to follow the other members to the dressing room when he spotted Xiaojun wandering around, looking slightly anxious.
“Xiaojun!” Minghao called out, rushing over and taking Xiaojun’s arm. “Are you okay? You look tired.”
Xiaojun shook his head. “I think I’m gonna have a seizure.”
Minghao opened his mouth, looking around for an empty room. “Let’s go find somewhere private.”
Xiaojun nodded, following Minghao as the older guided him down the corridor until they found an empty room.
Xiaojun lay down on the couch while Minghao shut the door before kneeling beside the couch.
“Just relax. I’m right here for you.”
Xiaojun nodded, screwing his eyes shut.
The two stayed silent until three minutes later when Xiaojun’s body tensed up for a few seconds before the convulsions started.
Minghao took his hand, anxiety starting to build.
Minghao was feeling worse and worse by the second as he watched Xiaojun’s body jerk and convulse on the couch.
Minghao heard the door open behind him just as Xiaojun’s seizure hit four minutes. He was too focused on watching his phone to notice anyone walking in until someone placed their hands under Minghao’s arms and lifted him away.
Minghao recognised Kun as he stepped forward and took Minghao’s phone, keeping an eye on the stopwatch Minghao had set on his phone.
Turning his head, Minghao saw Seungcheol carrying him away.
As soon as they were out of the room, Jeonghan took a hold of Minghao, looping his arms around Minghao’s waist and lifting him chest-to-chest.
It was as Minghao tried to protest that he realised just how hard it had become to speak. His tongue felt heavy in his mouth, and anything he tried to stay came out as a garbled slur.
“Minghao, you’re having an Addisonian. You need some cortisone.”
Minghao shook his head as he was set down in the dressing room and Seungcheol grabbed his hydrocortisone injection and began to prepare it.
Seungcheol was just finishing preparing the needle when Minghao's eyes rolled back in his head and his vision turned black, body falling limp against the couch.
———————
Seungcheol was just about to finish preparing Minghao’s injection when Jeonghan called Minghao’s name gently.
Seungcheol turned to see Minghao unconscious, body tense.
All Seungcheol wanted to do was give the injection quickly, knowing that Minghao’s brain was giving up without sufficient cortisone.
Just as the injection was ready, Minghao’s body started convulsing so much that Jeonghan had to hold him on the couch. The seizure was so aggressive, legs kicking out mere centimetres from Jeonghan and face twitching rapidly, eyes rolling around.
“Seungcheol, the injection,” Jeonghan whispered, struggling to keep Minghao from falling to the floor.
Seungcheol grabbed Minghao’s arm, the part of his body that seemed to be convulsing the least, and stuck the needle in, pushing down on the plunger and letting all the drugs get into Minghao's arm.
Minghao stopped seizing a minute later and woke up a good ten minutes later, Seungcheol gently lifting him so Minghao could sit against his chest.
Minghao was exhausted, looking around with big, frightened eyes.
Seungcheol gently brushed Minghao’s silvery hair out of his eyes, placing an oxygen mask over Minghao’s mouth and nose when he started to sound distressed.
“Wanna go home,” Minghao muttered, looking up at Seungcheol, voice small and scared behind the mask.
Jeonghan joined them on the couch, petting Minghao’s soft hair. “We can go home. We can go home. I’ll take you.” He whispered, smiling sweetly to avoid distressing Minghao more.
“We just need you to recover a little from the seizure, yeah? Once you’re doing a little better we can go home.”
Minghao sighed, placing a hand on the oxygen mask to hold it to his face a little better.
They sat in silence, letting Minghao slowly gather his thoughts while waiting for his brain to recover. After around ten minutes, Minghao spoke again.
“How’s Xiaojun?”
Jeonghan and Seungcheol exchanged a glance. “I’m not sure,” Seungcheol said, looking at Jeonghan.
Jeonghan stood up, leaving the room to track down Kun and Xiaojun to make sure everyone was alright.
Jeonghan returned a few minutes later with a soft smile.
“He woke up quickly. Kun’s letting him recover before their manager takes him home. I think it’s time we got you home, Yeah?”
Minghao nodded, letting Seungcheol remove the oxygen mask and slowly help him to his feet.
Minghao stumbled a little once he was upright, whining softly and letting Seungcheol grab him around the waist in case he fell. Somehow, Minghao kept his balance, clinging onto Seungcheol for support.
Jeonghan packed up Minghao’s bag while Seungcheol made sure their manager knew they were leaving.
Once everything was packed up, Seungcheol led Minghao out to the car with Jeonghan.
Minghao had left his performance outfit on, too tired and unsteady to take it off. Seungcheol had promised one of the stylists that he would return the outfit by the end of the week.
In the car, Minghao lay down across the back seats, head in Jeonghan’s lap while Seungcheol drove. During the journey, Jeonghan helped Minghao take off his jacket and some of the bigger accessories that had started annoying Minghao like the long chains in his ears, and he also gently took off Minghao’s smoky makeup.
Without the dark makeup around his eyes, Minghao looked a lot more vulnerable, large eyes threatening to slip shut every time he blinked. He seemed to be very in and out of consciousness or at least awareness. Sometimes when Jeonghan would talk to him, he wouldn’t respond until Jeonghan asked him again.
“Do you want the oxygen mask again?” Jeonghan whispered, preparing to reach back for the bag.
Minghao stared up at Jeonghan’s kind face and shook his head, whining softly and pressing his face into Jeonghan’s leg. “‘M so tired. I wanna see Junnie.”
“I know, Honey. Just a few more minutes. We’re almost home.”
Minghao stayed silent for the rest of the journey, and when they got home, he let Jeonghan pick him up and pass him over to Seungcheol. Seungcheol was gentle as he carried Minghao to the elevator and up to the dorns, Jeonghan trailing behind with Minghao’s bags in case he had another adrenal crisis.
Minghao had been sluggish after the seizure for almost forty minutes, and he was still struggling to keep up with everything that was happening. There seemed to be huge gaps in his memories, especially just after the seizure and in the car.
Junhui came to greet them at the door, struggling along in his wheelchair to say hello to Minghao. He was also carrying a pile of clothes for Minghao. Some of Junhui’s sweatpants and an oversized shirt which probably belonged to Mingyu at one point.
“Hey, Honey. What happened?” Junhui asked, following Seungcheol as he took Minghao to the couch.
Seungcheol set Minghao down gently, letting Junhui start to help Minghao take off his jacket and shirt to change into comfortable clothes. “He got very stressed at the award show and had a seizure. He’s been pretty out of it since then so I think we should give him some more oxygen and see what happens.”
Junhui nodded, pulling the shirt over Minghao’s head and moving to get the sweatpants onto his legs.
Junhui finished getting Minghao changed, letting him lie down properly as Jeonghan got out Minghao’s oxygen mask and gently placed it over his face.
Minghao looked so tired. So much more tired than he usually was after a seizure.
“We’ll take him to the hospital if he doesn’t improve in an hour, but until then let's just keep him company and let him sleep,” Seungcheol suggested, helping Junhui from his wheelchair onto the couch beside Minghao’s head so he could play with Minghao’s silver hair.
Seungcheol knew that Junhui wanted Minghao to be closer, but he was still in a lot of pain from his broken pelvis, which still wasn’t completely healed but was causing him enough pain to be in a wheelchair and not on crutches.
“Call one of us if he has another seizure or if his breathing gets weird. You know, anything concerning.”
Junhui nodded silently, grabbing the controller and turning on the TV.
Seungcheol and Jeonghan left their China line on the couch, Junhui watching a C-Drama and Minghao fast asleep beside him.
———————
Seungcheol didn’t sleep well that night. He was constantly worried about Minghao having another adrenal crisis or if he stopped breathing, but Junhui didn’t come to visit him at all.
In the morning, Seungcheol went out to the lounge to see Minghao and Junhui lying side by side, Junhui lying behind Minghao with his arms around his boyfriend's waist.
Junhui’s body looked a little stiff as if he’d fallen asleep in an uncomfortable position, and Seungcheol was willing to bet that Junhui has sacrificed his own comfort for Minghao’s.
Minghao no longer had the oxygen mask on his face. It had been discarded on the floor beside Minghao’s bags.
Seungcheol knelt beside the couch, gently running a hand through Minghao’s hair and down his face until his hand rested on the side of Minghao’s neck.
Minghao whimpered softly, screwing his eyes shut tightly before opening his eyes and turning his face into the pillow under his head.
Seungcheol heard his breath catch in his throat and quickly turned Minghao’s head away from the pillow so he didn’t accidentally suffocate himself, pressing a gentle kiss to Minghao’s forehead and giving him a concerned look.
“Morning, baby. How are you feeling?” Seungcheol asked, pulling gently on Minghao’s mullet to soothe him.
Minghao pitched forward and pressed his face into Seungcheol’s chest, letting out a sigh and pulling him closer.
“I’m okay,” Minghao whispered, voice small and scared.
“Anxious?” Seungcheol asked, pulling Minghao up a little more so he wasn’t lying awkwardly on the couch, instead sitting on the edge.
Minghao nodded, hands tightly clutching Seungcheol’s shirt. “Is Xiaojun okay?”
Seungcheol smiled softly. “How about we give him a call. I’m sure you have his number.”
Minghao nodded slowly, movement a little jerky as Seungcheol handed Minghao his phone.
Minghao went into his contacts, selecting the right person and pressing the call button.
Xiaojun picked up after a good thirty seconds of the phone ringing.
“Hey, Minghao. Kun told me what happened. Are you alright?” Xiaojun asked, voice soft and worried.
Minghao smiled, happy to hear Xiaojun’s lively voice.
“I’m okay. I’m just so tired from the seizure.” Minghao replied, voice quiet and shaky.
Xiaojun sighed. “Yeah. I’ve had postictal states go on for days. They’re really difficult but I’m sure Seungcheol and Junhui are keeping an eye on you. Bit of advice, use it to your advantage. Remember, it’s a reason not to cook or clean the dishes.”
Minghao giggled softly, glancing at Junhui as the elder began to wake up with an annoyed groan.
“I thought you were meant to be sleeping.” Junhui groaned, slowly moving to sit up.
Seungcheol held his finger to his lips, signalling Junhui to be quiet as the leader started helping him back into his wheelchair.
“I will definitely use that excuse. But seriously, my head is killing me and I feel kinda faint. Not to mention the aching muscles.” Minghao complained, pouting at Xiaojun laughing on the other side of the phone.
“All normal. Just take some painkillers and drink lots of water. Lie down if you feel faint and just make the other members do everything for you.”
Minghao giggled again, making Junhui coo at him. “I’m just glad you’re alright.” Minghao sighed, starting to fiddle with the hem of his shirt.
Junhui gently rested a hand on the back of Minghao’s neck, tugging softly at his hair.
“And I’m glad you’re alright. Remember, it’s normal for me to have seizures. Don’t stress over it too much and get help next time, yeah?”
Minghao nodded. “Yeah.”
“Good. Now I’ve got to go. Get lots of rest and let Seungcheol do all the work for you. Tell Junhui I wish him a good recovery, too.” Xiaojun added, starting to shuffle around with the phone.
“Thanks, Xiaojun.” Junhui called, taking Minghao’s hand.
“Bye, guys,” Xiaojun said, a hint of a smile in his voice.
“Bye, Xiaojun.” Junhui and Minghao called at the same time, Minghao hanging up the phone after.
Junhui smiled softly at Minghao. “How about some more sleep, eh? I think you deserve it.”
Minghao nodded. “Yeah, okay.”
Seungcheol pushed Junhui’s wheelchair to Minghao and Junhui’s bedroom, Minghao trailing behind with his bags.
As Junhui struggled into bed, Minghao took his blood sugar and got into bed. Once Minghao confirmed his blood sugar was at a reasonable level, he pulled the covers over himself and Junhui and rolled around to face his boyfriend, throwing an arm around Junhui’s waist.
Cuddling Junhui closely was something Minghao had only just begun to be able to do again, even almost two months after Junhui’s fall, and it was the one that Minghao had been missing the most. Not having his daily skinship with Junhui had been killing him to the point where he’d often just burst into tears if he wasn’t getting enough skinship from his members.
Junhui pressed a kiss to Minghao’s hair, looping an arm around Minghao’s small waist and pulling him closer.
“I love you so much, HaoHao. You scared me when I saw Seungcheol carrying you inside.” Junhui whispered, stroking Minghao’s waist with one finger, soft and adoring.
Minghao whined softly, burying his face in Junhui’s chest. “I’m sorry. Please let me sleep though.”
Junhui chuckled, nodding softly and placing another kiss on Minghao’s head before closing his eyes and gently humming so Minghao could fall asleep.
Junhui watched as Minghao’s blinking slowly got slower and slower before his eyes finally slipped shut. Once he was sure Minghao was sleeping soundly, he closed his eyes and fell asleep to the sound of Minghao’s breathing.