Work Text:
If there was one thing Vernon loathed more than anything it had to be getting sick. Even worse than getting sick, getting sick just before a comeback.
Getting sick was bad enough. It meant management separating you from the members to stop the sickness from spreading around the dorms. If a sickness got around, that could warrant postponing a comeback or promotions until everyone was feeling better. Being sick before a comeback when it wasn’t the entire dorm meant being the only member missing promotions, which was always a miserable experience because it meant being alone at the dorms and the members working harder to fill the absences.
Vernon knew he was in trouble when he woke up with his head pounding and his throat dried up just a week before their next comeback. He reached for his water with a weak groan, taking desperate gulps until the bottle was empty. It didn’t help in the slightest. It was painful to swallow and every breath he took made his throat feel drier and drier, but he couldn’t breathe through his nose because - just his luck - it was blocked.
The American rolled his eyes, knowing that all in all, he was going to have to work very hard to keep it from the other members. If anything, if Vernon tried to sing he might give everything away immediately.
Vernon slowly climbed out of bed and looked at his phone.
He had set an alarm to leave for practice early, knowing that he was one of the few members who hadn’t yet perfected the routine, despite the approaching dates for their comeback. He had hoped that some last-minute panic would have forced him to perfect the dance, but now he was sick and every movement made his joints ache.
Vernon took a quick shower, disappointed that his nose hadn’t cleared with the steam, but he threw on a comfortable outfit and walked down to the company building, beanie and mask covering his face from any passersby.
Once Vernon was in the practice room, he set up his speaker and quickly got to work rehearsing.
Vernon had no clue how long he was rehearsing for before he found himself on the floor, taking deep breaths to try and help himself through a bad dizzy spell.
Although Vernon had wanted was for nobody to find out how he was feeling, it was just his luck that Seungkwan and Chan walked in on him lying on the floor, eyes screwed shut to try and combat the dizziness.
“Nonie?” Chan’s voice met his ears, anxious and quiet.
Vernon sighed, body shuddering as he hung his head in shame at being caught.
Seungkwan rushed forward, wrapping his arm around Vernon’s waist and helping him to his feet.
Chan was quick to take Vernon’s arm to support him, grabbing his Hyungs bag to help him.
Between the two, they got Vernon down to the car, only stopping to grab an ice pack from the medical staff to try and calm Vernon’s fever.
Seungkwan drove, Chan and Vernon sitting in the back with the ice pack resting on Vernon’s forehead.
When they got back to the dorms, Seungkwan and Chan helped Vernon upstairs to their dorms and the three headed straight to Vernon’s room.
Seungkwan helped Vernon get on some comfy pyjamas while Chan made sure the bed was comfortable, setting up the fan in the room to make sure Vernon didn’t get too hot in the night.
Once Vernon was changed and the three were tucked into Vernon’s bed together, they all closed their eyes, falling asleep with the fingers entwined.