Work Text:
Kim Kibum woke up feeling like his head was about to explode. No, maybe explode wasn't a good comparison. Explosions happen and then they're done, but Key's head wouldn't stop hurting. It felt like a tiny man with a pickaxe was chipping away inside his skull, like he found a gold vein inside Key's forehead. He was hot to the touch, yet couldn't stop shivering. He was covered in sweat, but had no desire to take a shower (or even get out of bad for that matter). He was coughing, he was sneezing, his nose was running but plugged at the same time. It was official -- The Almighty Kim Kibum was sick.
"No Kibum. You are not sick. You are the Almighty Key. You can't get sick." Or at least that's what he tried to convince himself anyways. But Key was stubborn, and if he said he wasn't sick then he. wasn't. sick.
He pulled himself out of bed and all but kicked himself into the bathroom. As he looked at himself in the mirror, he was already starting to doubt his previous statement about not being sick. He was pale (well, paler than he usually was that is), and had dark bags under his eyes despite having a full night's rest the night before. He looked feeble even to himself in the mirror. "Stop it, Kibum!" he scolded before ditching his pajamas to the floor and hopping into the shower.
After his shower, Key instantly felt eleventy-times better. No, eleventy-one, because Key was feeling great. The bags under his eyes had all but vanished, his pale, sickly looking skin had retained some of its natural color, and his headache was more a dull throbbing than a sharp pain. As he walked out of the bathroom and into his bedroom to change, he had nearly convinced himself that this morning's symptoms didn't even exist. But while he was easy to convince, Key wasn't sure if he'd be able to pull a fast one on the ever-observant Lee Jinki.
After getting dressed, Key walked into the kitchen to start making breakfast. He was mid-way through frying what was left of the eggs when in walked the little dinosaur named Jonghyun. "Good morning, Kibummie," Jonghyun said as he took a seat at the island.
"Good morning, Jjong," Key replied sweetly before dishing up the older's plate. As he placed the food in front of his friend, Key suddenly felt the urge to cough and quickly turned away from the table. After several violent coughs, Key glanced over to Jonghyun who had a worried expression on his face.
"Key, are you alright?" asked Jonghyun. "You don't look too good."
Key scoffed. "What are you talking about? I always look good."
"No, Key. I mean you look sick."
"Who's sick?" asked Jinki as he walked into the kitchen.
"No one, hyung," Key tried to chime in his usual cutesy voice, only to have his voice sound far more hoarse than normal.
Jinki walked over and placed the back of his hand on Key's forehead. "Jesus, Kibummie you're burning up!"
"I am not!" Key yelled, stomping his foot in protest.
"What's wrong with Key umma?" asked another voice. The three glanced in the direction of the doorway to see a sleepy Taemin rubbing his sleepy eyes.
"Nothing, Taeminnie," Key replied, smiling reassuringly at the younger boy. "Come, eat your breakfast." The boy nodded and made his way over to the island as Key dished the youngest up a plate. Key's hands were shaking uncontrollably as he lifted the plate and Jonghyun was quick to take it from his hands.
"Hey--" Key began to protest only to be cut off by Jonghyun.
"Go rest, Kibummie," Jonghyun whispered, low enough so as to not be heard by the other's in the room, before setting the plate of food in front of Taemin.
"I'm fine, Jjong!" Key all but yelled back. He looked over to Taemin before continuing, "There is nothing wrong with Key umma."
"Umma, your nose is bleeding," Taemin said while pointing childishly at the older. Key brought his hand up to his nose, and inspected it. Sure enough, his nose was in fact bleeding.
"Great," he muttered under his breath as he grabbed a dish rag by the sink. He looked over to Jonghyun who had an "I told you so" expression all over his face. "It's only a little blood," Key reassured as he tilted his head back slightly to get it to stop bleeding. A wave of dizziness hit him suddenly as he grabbed onto the counter for support. Jonghyun rushed over but Key held out his arm to stop him. "I said I'm fi--" but he didn't have any time to finish as the boy suddenly blacked out, nearly hitting his head on the floor if not for Jonghyun who managed to catch him last minute.
---
When Key came to he was lying in his bed in a pair of sweatpants and a loose sweatshirt. Next to him sat Jonghyun, asleep in a chair whilst holding onto Key's hand that dangled off the side of the bed. Key smiled as he squeezed the older's hand lightly, causing him to stir as he slowly sat up and looked at Key.
"Hey," Jonghyun said, releasing Key's hand to opt to pet his head instead. Key smiled as he brought his own hand to cover the older's.
"I'm sorry, Jjong," Key said solemnly as he avoided eye contact with the older.
"You know you scared me, right?" Jonghyun replied, continued to stroke the youngers soft, blonde hair. Key only nodded as he stared off into another corner of the room. "What kind of boyfriend would I be if I let my boyfriend die right in front of me?"
Key scoffed, "It's only a little cold, I wasn't going to die."
"That's not what Taeminnie thought."
Key quickly sat upright from the bed, "Taeminnie! Oh my gosh, where's my baby!!"
"Relax, I told him you're fine. That you were just tired is all. He asked to see you when you woke up."
Key smiled, "You are so good to me." Jonghyun shrugged as he bent down to kiss his boyfriend, only for him to bring a blanket up over his mouth. "Yah! I don't want to get you sick too!"
Jonghyun smiled as he bent down anyways, pulling the blanket out of the younger's grip as he passionately kissed the boy on the bed. "It's worth it," he said in between kisses before pulling away a few moments later. "I love you."
"I love you, too."