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The first time Namjoon sneezed, nobody really minded that much.
He had been nestled on the couch, a tangle of limbs and warmth, his head cradled in Jeongguk's lap while his feet found solace on Taehyung's knees. The duo had been engrossed in a new video game, a gift from Seokjin, their laughter and playful banter filling the room. Namjoon had just emerged from his mandatory nap, still cocooned in the soft haze of slumber, content to snuggle with the two youngest members of their coven. Meanwhile, Jimin sat off to the side, petting his head occasionally when Namjoon yawned or made some other soft noise in the back of his throat.
He'd contentedly observed the two boys engrossed in their game, revelling in the comforting closeness they shared. All around them, the air was filled with their lively chatter, creating an atmosphere that felt as warm and inviting as his favourite blanket. But then, a mischievous tickle had crept up his nose, and before he could muster a frown of annoyance, a mighty sneeze had erupted, jolting his entire body forward. In a heartbeat, Jeongguk's strong, caring hand cradled his face, a melodic chuckle escaping the older man's lips as he peered down at Namjoon, ensuring that the youngest wouldn't tumble off the couch due to the force of his sneeze. Namjoon blinked up at him, still caught in a hazy daze, and sniffled softly.
"Feeling alright there, sweetheart?" Jimin inquired, his warm smile gracing his plump lips as he regarded Namjoon, who seemed to have momentarily defied gravity with the sheer intensity of his sneeze. Namjoon blinked down at the vampire, his eyes reflecting a mixture of surprise and tiredness, before nodding slowly.
"Yeah," he responded softly, his voice carrying a hint of affectionate reassurance, "I'm good, hyungie."
"Bless you, baby," Jeongguk's grin was as bright as the sun, brimming with affection and good humour, his tattooed hand offering gentle reassurance on Namjoon's cheek. Namjoon mumbled a soft "thanks, hyung," before nestling his head back into Jeongguk's lap, taking in a deep, soothing breath. Meanwhile, Taehyung had begun to stroke his legs with a calming rhythm tenderly, luring his eyelids into a gentle droop. As Jimin's delicate fingers found their way into his soft hair once more, playing with the short strands in a comforting dance, it didn't take long for Namjoon to surrender to the embrace of slumber, disregarding the persistent tickling in his nose as the cocoon of love and warmth around him enveloped his senses.
When Namjoon had sneezed the second time, his hyungs had become a little weary.
Namjoon had been nestled in Hoseok's lap, his legs dangling to the side, as Hoseok generously allowed him to drink from his neck. The warmth of Hoseok's blood coursed through Namjoon's eager stomach, comforting his vampire hunger. Hoseok's hands were securely wrapped around their youngest nestmate, one on the back of his neck and the other around his waist, ensuring Namjoon remained steady. They occupied a corner of the kitchen, while the rest of the coven engaged in lively conversation, their youngest member receiving nourishment. Namjoon was gulping down Hoseok's blood with fervor, feeling strangely unbalanced and an incessant tickling sensation in the back of his throat that refused to dissipate, no matter how much he drank.
He'd been feeling out of sorts the entire day, the discomfort lingering since he woke from his nap, where he'd snuggled with Yoongi. A persistent ache had plagued his body, leaving his head throbbing and his throat sore, despite the satisfying feed. Namjoon emitted a dissatisfied sound deep in his throat, nursing on Hoseok's neck as though he were a starving man, trying desperately to alleviate the discomfort in his throat. Immediately, Hoseok's hands spread across his back in concern, his lips forming a gentle frown.
"What's wrong, sweetheart? You seem pretty parched today," Hoseok asked, his eyes brimming with concern and care. Namjoon let out a soft breath, gently withdrawing from Hoseok's neck, and licked his lips clean of the warm blood.
Before Namjoon could respond, Seokjin had already moved beside them, his expression colored with worry as he examined the young vampire closely. "You also look a tad pale... Did you not sleep well, my dear?"
Namjoon sighed softly, the persistent ache in his throat showing no signs of relenting, and gave a half-hearted shrug. "Not sure... Just feeling a bit weary."
Hoseok's arms drew him even nearer, his lips planting a gentle kiss on Namjoon's temple. Namjoon immediately sagged against the vampire's chest, clearing his throat as he did so. Seokjin continued to eye him with concern, his brows knit and hands poised as if ready to catch Namjoon should he slip from Hoseok's lap. Namjoon sniffled softly, his nose tickling once more, as he nestled his head against Hoseok's shirt, savoring the comforting scent of warmth and home that enveloped him. With barely enough time to turn his head, a high-pitched sneeze forced him to squeeze his eyes shut.
There were small droplets of blood that escaped his mouth, splattering on his own arm as he instinctively shielded himself. Namjoon let out an audible sniffle, his nose twitching with discomfort, and glanced at the specks of Hoseok's blood now adorning his elbow.
"Ew," he mumbled, a slight pout forming on his lips.
Yoongi was the next to cast a suspicious glance at Namjoon, his eyebrow arching in concern as he observed their young member, "You feeling okay, Joon-ah? That sounded pretty rough."
Namjoon responded with a soft, almost inaudible, "I'm fine, hyung," before settling back into Hoseok's comforting embrace.
Perhaps, if that had been the end of it, his hyungs would have simply shared a good-natured laugh. Seokjin might have fetched a tissue to wipe away the blood specks from his arm, a warm smile gracing his face, while Hoseok would have chuckled at his baby's antics. But unfortunately, fate had other plans, as Namjoon's body decided that, for some inexplicable reason, this was the perfect moment to unleash a series of sneezes.
He sneezed a third time.
Then a fourth.
Followed by a fifth.
And a sixth and seventh sneeze in quick succession.
When he sneezed for the eight time, all hell broke lose.
"Oh my goodness, Joonie's sick!" Jimin's exclamation set off a flurry of activity. Chairs scraped across the floor, a whirlwind of bustling figures and voices, until every single one of his nestmates had gathered around the youngest vampire. Namjoon continued to sniffle miserably, the occasional cough rising up to alleviate the persistent itch in his throat. Amidst the chaotic concern of his nestmates, who all seemed to be vying for a moment to offer comfort, Namjoon could scarcely focus. Their caring gestures came from all sides, their collective presence trying to soothe him as his coughs grew worse, wracking his slender frame with discomfort.
"What's bothering you, Joon-ah? Are you feeling unwell?" Taehyung was the first to approach the young vampire, reaching him and scooping him up into his arms. Namjoon instinctively wrapped his arms around Taehyung's neck, his legs crossing behind the older man's back.
Namjoon cleared his throat, the sound coming out noticeably congested, and shook his head, "I'm okay, hyung. I think it's just a cold, probably from our snowball fight yesterday..."
Instantly, all of his nestmates tensed up. Namjoon could only gaze at them wearily, his headache worsening from the recent bout of coughing. He was met with six expressions of sheer panic, as if he had just disclosed having an extremely contagious and incurable illness. Taehyung clutched Namjoon even tighter, inadvertently triggering another uncomfortable fit of coughing from the younger vampire.
"Taetae hyung, you're squeezing me!" Namjoon groaned, feeling flattened against Taehyung. But Taehyung appeared to be deaf to his complaint as he swiftly made his way out of the kitchen, still holding Namjoon securely. Namjoon let out a soft sigh and closed his eyes as Taehyung carried him into the living room, with the rest of their coven close behind.
Taehyung settled onto the couch, still cradling Namjoon in his arms, and promptly tugged some of the nearby blankets closer. He cocooned the young vampire in a warm, cozy embrace of softness and warmth, ensuring Namjoon was enveloped in a comforting sanctuary of blankets.
"Jimin! I need you to get a bath running, right now. Use one of Yoongi's eucalyptus bath bombs," Taehyung barely managed to get the whole instruction out before Jimin saluted him like a soldier and dashed off to the left, heading for their spacious downstairs bathroom. Namjoon could only observe his nestmate's speedy departure, a faint furrow of confusion on his face. It seemed his coven was taking his minor illness a tad too seriously. But honestly, he shouldn't have been surprised. Once, he'd lightly singed his fingertip on the stove, and Seokjin had practically burst into tears, berating himself as 'a terrible hyung' for letting 'Namjoon suffer.' It had barely hurt, but since then, Namjoon wasn't allowed in the kitchen without one of his hyungs present.
"Jeongguk, you're in charge of tea duty. Get the water boiling and add plenty of honey," Jeongguk nodded eagerly, rushing into the kitchen as if he were being chased by the devil himself. Taehyung hummed in approval and pulled Namjoon even closer, wrapping him snugly in the blankets.
Taehyung pivoted towards the three elder members, his expression a mix of stern and determined. "Yoongi hyung and Hoseok hyung, I need you guys to hit the pharmacy and grab everything under the sun. Cough drops, fever reducers, bandages, enough tissues to build a tissue fortress, painkillers –"
"Hyung, seriously? Bandages? I've got a cold," Namjoon protested in disbelief.
"—Cold compresses, warm compresses, a first aid kit. Scratch that, make it three first aid kits!" Taehyung's orders were met with unquestioning compliance. Yoongi and Hoseok bent down to each plant a kiss on Namjoon's pouting lips while ruffling his hair lovingly, and then they vanished from the living room on a mission to empty half the pharmacy, it seemed.
"Jin hyung, I need you to stay here with me and make sure that Namjoon is warm and comfortable," the younger boy addressed the coven eldest.
Taehyung's voice held a note of urgency as he spoke, his eyes brimming with concern. He appeared utterly fixated on his mission to ensure Namjoon stayed warm, seemingly impervious to the light-hearted complaints from their younger companion. The room was slowly transforming into a cosy cocoon, with blankets artfully draped around Namjoon, rendering him almost immobile. Acting swiftly, Seokjin knelt down in front of the two younger members, lending his expertise in the delicate task of swaddling Namjoon with blankets.
A sudden sneeze from Namjoon was followed by a throaty cough. He blinked up at his two loving hyungs, a slight pout gracing his lips, "Honestly, hyungs, it's not that big of a deal. I've faced the cold a hundred times before. A little nap, and I'll be back to my old self, believe me, it'll fix itself."
Instantly, both of Namjoon's nestmates fixed their gaze upon him, their eyes carrying a resolute determination that left Namjoon somewhat taken aback. Seokjin let out a soft, disapproving tut and shook his head gently as he cradled Namjoon's face in his big hands, his eyes full of love and care.
"We won't simply 'let it fix itself,'" he chided tenderly, "You're our fledgling, and that means you're our responsibility, my love. We're here to take care of you, regardless of how much you might try to downplay your illness. Plus, since we're all grown vampires, we can't catch your cold, so you don't have to worry about that. There's nothing in the world that I'd love to do more than make sure that you're feeling good. Let hyungs take care of you, yes?"
When Namjoon locked eyes with Seokjin, all he saw was an abundance of warmth and caring, a gentle twinkle of hope sparkling in those loving eyes. Namjoon let out a subdued sigh, the sound catching in his throat once more, prompting another round of coughing. Taehyung acted instantly, cradling his neck with warm hands to keep him upright, while Seokjin tenderly started massaging his thighs, tracing soothing circles into his legs. After the brief bout of coughing, Namjoon released a shaky exhale and nodded slowly.
"Okay. Thanks for looking out for me, hyungs," he whispered softly, his voice quivering with vulnerability.
Seokjin responded with a smile brimming with affection and warmth. When he leaned forward to press a kiss against Namjoon's lips, the fledgling basically melted into the touch, his eyelids fluttering closed and a happy little hum escaping him.
Seokjin let go off him, only for his hand to settle across Namjoon's cheek softly, "Of course, my dear. Let's get up then; I think the bath should be just about ready!"
And when Taehyung softly cradled him against his chest again, to carry Namjoon into the bathroom, the fledgling really couldn't find it in himself to argue.