Work Text:
The rain had started early that morning, soft and relentless against the city streets. By the time Jiwoong slipped on a hoodie and headed toward practice, the drizzle had thickened into something colder, harsher. He felt it sinking into his bones, the way a bad cold crept in without asking.
But he fought through it. They had promotions coming up, after all.
Everyone was tired, so he wasn't any special.
By the time they stumbled into the company building, Jiwoong already knew he was losing the battle. His throat ached, and a headache throbbed right behind his eyes. Still, he shrugged it off, pulling his hood tighter.
Matthew noticed first.
"Hyung," Matthew said, frowning as he stepped closer, studying him. "You okay?"
Jiwoong opened his mouth to say "I'm fine," but the words caught in his throat when Hanbin and a few others trickled in behind them. Hanbin, sharp as always, took one look and pressed his hand against Jiwoong's forehead.
"You’re burning up," Hanbin said immediately. "We need to tell the manager."
Jiwoong started to protest, but Hanbin cut him off with a firm look. "Don't worry about it. We'll take care of it."
Meanwhile, Matthew had already squared his shoulders. "I'm going back with him. I already know the steps, I'll stay extra next time. I'm going."
Taerae and Hao shared a knowing smirk from the corner, which Matthew caught. He shot them a glare, but Jiwoong, oblivious, only rubbed at his forehead and missed the exchange entirely.
Before he knew it, Matthew had practically bundled him up again, muttering about getting him back to the dorm.
🌧️
The walk back was a blur.
By the time they stumbled into their shared dorm, Jiwoong barely had the energy to kick off his shoes. Matthew helped him to the bathroom, fussing quietly.
"You should take a shower, hyung," he said. "I'll help you with it."
Jiwoong blinked at him, dizzy. "You're gonna help me shower?"
Matthew froze, face flushing. "N-No! I meant- I'll just run the bath! You can... you know, relax."
Jiwoong would have laughed if he had the energy.
While the bath filled, Matthew found the thermometer, some medicine, and one of the fluffy towels from their stash. Jiwoong let himself soak for a bit, the warm water easing some of the aches, and when he came out, Matthew was right there with the towel, a hairdryer in hand.
"Sit," he ordered, surprisingly firm.
Jiwoong made a face but obeyed, too tired to fight back.
He sat stiffly while Matthew ruffled the towel through his damp hair first, gentle but clumsy, and then plugged in the dryer.
The warm air buzzed low between them.
Matthew combed through Jiwoong’s hair with careful fingers, never pulling too hard.
Jiwoong found himself closing his eyes after a while, lulled by the heat and the rhythmic touch.
When Matthew finally clicked the dryer off, Jiwoong almost whined at the loss of it.
"All done," Matthew said, sounding weirdly proud.
He dropped the towel on a chair and carefully tucked Jiwoong back under the blankets.
This time, he crouched down by the bed, resting his arms on the mattress.
He was close enough that Jiwoong could feel the warmth of him, even with the fever still curling through his skin.
"I’m not going anywhere," Matthew said, voice low and steady.
"I'll be right here when you wake up."
Jiwoong barely had the strength to nod.
He watched Matthew's blurry outline for a few seconds longer before finally letting himself sink into the deep, heavy pull of sleep.
🌧️
When he woke next, the light filtering through the curtains was softer - late afternoon maybe.
Jiwoong shifted groggily, feeling the fever still clinging stubbornly to his body but less vicious than before.
Sweat stuck to the back of his neck. His stomach grumbled, embarrassingly loud.
He turned his head toward the chair by the bed, expecting to see Matthew
but it was empty.
For a second, an irrational pang of disappointment spiked through his chest.
He told himself he was being stupid. Matthew was probably just-
The faint clang of a pot in the kitchen snapped his thoughts in half.
Jiwoong pushed himself up carefully, kicking off the blankets. His legs wobbled under him, but he made it down the hall.
There, standing at the stove, was Matthew - in sweatpants and an oversized hoodie, sleeves pushed up, stirring a small pot of soup.
Without thinking, Jiwoong moved closer, wrapping his arms around Matthew from behind.
Matthew startled, nearly dropping the spoon. "Hyung!"
"What are you making?" Jiwoong mumbled, his voice rough with sleep.
Matthew went completely still for a second, like he had to reset his brain manually.
Then he cleared his throat loudly, cheeks burning.
"Making you soup," he said, way too defensive for someone stirring broth. "You haven’t eaten since this morning, remember?"
Jiwoong smiled against him, the corners of his mouth tugging upward without permission.
Outside, the rain was still coming down, soft and steady against the windows.
The clock on the wall blinked late - much later than he thought.
"Where’s Ricky?" Jiwoong asked after a moment, lifting his head lazily.
Matthew turned just enough to glance over his shoulder at him, grin twitching at the edge of his mouth.
"With Gyuvin, I think. Probably staying over tonight too. Gyuvin's been whining about Haobin again."
Jiwoong barked out a surprised laugh, breathless.
Of course he had. Gyuvin couldn't survive five minutes without complaining to someone about his roommates - especially not when it came to the leader line’s endless flirting towards the other.
Jiwoong shook his head, amusement still flickering in his chest -
until the thought slammed into him suddenly, too sharp to ignore.
They were alone.
He and Matthew.
All night.
In their shared dorm, just the two of them, with the rain hemming them in like a secret.
But before he could even start to spiral, Matthew ruined it in the most Matthew-way possible.
"Anyway! Sit down!" Matthew said, too loud, too cheerful, grabbing a bowl and shoving it into Jiwoong’s hands.
"You need to eat before you pass out again."
Jiwoong blinked at the bowl, dumbstruck, before snorting under his breath.
Only Matthew could make something like this feel so easy - so unthreatening, so at home.
Jiwoong let himself be pushed back into the chair, still clutching the warm bowl between his hands, a quiet, hidden smile lingering on his lips.
🌧️
Jiwoong managed a few spoonfuls, but his hands trembled, and the spoon slipped from his fingers with a clatter.
Matthew was by his side instantly.
"Hyung?" he said, voice tight with worry.
Jiwoong tried to smile, but the world tilted a little.
"I... don't feel so good," he admitted.
Matthew didn't hesitate. He pressed his own forehead against Jiwoong's, hands steadying him.
The world shrank to that single point of contact.
The warmth of Matthew's skin.
The way Matthew's breath hitched slightly.
Jiwoong closed his eyes, leaning into him without thinking.
Matthew pulled back a fraction, their faces still close.
"You're burning," Matthew whispered, voice full of something heavier than worry.
Jiwoong looked at him, dazed. There were a thousand things he wanted to say and no air in his lungs to say them.
Matthew swallowed, his hand brushing Jiwoong's hair back gently.
Matthew moved first - carefully, like he was scared Jiwoong might break apart if he wasn't gentle enough.
He helped Jiwoong up from the chair, steadying him with an arm around his waist.
"C'mon, hyung," he said quietly, voice low and kind. "Let's get you back to bed."
Jiwoong let himself lean into him, letting Matthew carry more of his weight than he normally would have allowed.
But he was too tired - too warm and dizzy - and if he was honest with himself, it felt good.
It felt safe.
Matthew guided him into his bedroom, flicked on the lamp beside the bed, and helped him sit down carefully.
"I'll be right back," he promised, already disappearing into the bathroom.
Jiwoong blinked blearily after him, the soft thudding in his chest louder now.
A minute later, Matthew returned with a cool, damp towel and a glass of water.
He pressed the towel gently to Jiwoong’s forehead, his hand lingering for a second longer than necessary.
"Medicine first," Matthew said, the strictness undercut by the way he smiled.
"And then you eat a little more, okay?"
Jiwoong nodded weakly, too tired to argue - and honestly, not wanting to.
Matthew reheated the soup quickly, bringing it back in a bowl, and - without hesitation - sat down beside Jiwoong on the bed, scooping up a spoonful and holding it out to him.
Jiwoong blinked at him in surprise.
"What?" Matthew said, laughing a little. "You can barely hold a spoon and this isn't the first time you know. Just let me."
Jiwoong opened his mouth, and Matthew fed him carefully, watching him like he might disappear if he looked away.
After a few slow bites, Jiwoong leaned back against the pillows, exhausted but somehow... lighter.
Matthew placed the bowl down on the nightstand and stayed sitting there, silent for a second.
"You know," Matthew said, voice softer than the rain outside,
"I’m just doing what you'd do for me."
Jiwoong’s heart gave a painful little stutter.
"I've noticed," Matthew continued, a shy little grin pulling at his mouth.
"You always ask if I want anything when you go to the convenience store late at night.
You bring me coffee without me even asking.
You always-"
He stopped himself, shaking his head like he was embarrassed.
"This is the least I can do, hyung."
Jiwoong blinked up at him, overwhelmed.
The fever made everything blurrier, but he was pretty sure it wasn't just that.
"You don’t have to," Jiwoong rasped out, words slurring with sleep.
Matthew smiled wider - impossibly fond, impossibly there.
"I want to," he said simply.
Jiwoong felt something crack open inside his chest.
Something warm and terrifying and beautiful.
Before he could stop himself, he whispered, almost too soft to hear
"I'm glad you're here."
Matthew froze - just for a second - and then something unbelievably tender flickered through his face.
He reached out without thinking, brushing Jiwoong’s hair back from his forehead, careful not to dislodge the towel.
"Me too," he said, just as softly.
Jiwoong let himself sink back into the pillows, letting sleep pull him down.
The last thing he felt was Matthew’s hand, still carding gently through his hair.
The last thing he heard was the steady sound of rain, and Matthew’s breathing, quiet and steady beside him.
And for the first time in days, Jiwoong slept easy.
🌦️
The morning sunlight filtered softly through the dorm window, accompanied by the faint patter of lingering rain. Jiwoong stirred under his blanket, blinking slowly awake. His body felt lighter, not weighed down by fever and aches the way it had been the night before. Only the faint pressure of a stubborn cold remained - a manageable, almost comforting reminder of the care he'd received.
When he shifted, the first thing he noticed was the towel, now dry, fallen by the side of his pillow.
And just across the room, curled awkwardly on the small couch with a jacket thrown over him, was Matthew - still in the same clothes from yesterday, his head tilted back slightly in sleep.
Jiwoong smiled to himself.
He really stayed all night...
When they arrived at the Spotify ON! shoot later that day Jiwoong tucked his mask closer against his face as they entered the building, the damp February chill clinging stubbornly to their clothes.
Jiwoong touched his forehead absently, still able to feel the ghost of Matthew’s warm hand there, the memory making his chest tighten in a way he didn't dare explore too deeply yet.
Hanbin had clapped his shoulder as they stepped inside. "If you start feeling bad, tell us. We'll cover for you," he'd said in that serious leader voice that left no room for argument.
Jiwoong had promised with a smile. "I'm fine. It's just one shoot. Thanks to Matthew."
He hadn't meant to say the last part out loud, but the way Matthew - walking just ahead - glanced back at him with the softest, proudest little grin made the accidental confession worth it.
🌤️
Jiwoong sat with Hao, Gyuvin, Ricky, Gunwook, and Yujin at the table, laughing easily as they answered the staff's prompts. Across to their right side - Hanbin, Taerae, and Matthew had disappeared into the "Spotify Music Zone," oversized headphones clamped over their heads as music blared to keep them from hearing.
They were waiting for their next question which the staffed asked:
"Among Matthew, Hao, and Ricky - where does Matthew rank in Korean proficiency?"
Jiwoong leaned back slightly, listening in on Gunwook's argument, mentioning how he had asked his non-korean friends about this question and them saying it's about pride.
Matthew on the other hand had whipped off his headphones immediately, curiosity written all over his face.
"It's pride! It’s all about pride!" Gyuvin called from the other table.
Zhang Hao, always calm, just nodded sagely. "It is a pride issue."
As the discussion buzzed, Jiwoong stayed quiet, fingers tapping thoughtfully against the table. He was debating how he'd rank Matthew when suddenly-
BZZZT!
A small alarm blared, and the staff handed Jiwoong a laminated Silent Card.
Jiwoong blinked, startled. "What...?"
He hadn't even spoken yet!
Across the room, Matthew was grinning shamelessly behind his headphones.
Annoyed but secretly amused, Jiwoong started ranking the 3 foreign members by pointing at them and showing with his hands in what ranking they'd go. Hao was first, Ricky second and Matthew last. While the other's where talking about how Ricky and Hao had improved a lot and also debating on who had the better proficiency still, Jiwoong grabbed the big notepad in front of him and started scribbling fast.
The others leaned in, curious, as Jiwoong wrote furiously:
"I'm always thankful for Matthew... thank you for yesterday...
I want to say it but I can't say anything right now...
Matthew, I love you! ❤️"
He smacked the notebook down on the table for everyone to see, cheeks burning despite himself.
Gyuvin howled with laughter. Ricky clapped his hands like a seal.
"SO CUTE!" Hao practically yelled.
Even Taerae, noticed and elbowed Matthew, who suddenly looked very interested in studying the ceiling.
Jiwoong buried his face in his hands, pretending to be embarrassed, but underneath it all-
as the rainy afternoon wore on,
as laughter filled the room,
as Matthew kept glancing at him from across the space like he couldn't help it-
Jiwoong couldn’t stop the quiet, steady warmth that bloomed in his chest.
A thought surfaced gently, stubbornly, where no sickness or exhaustion could push it away:
Maybe this was already becoming something real.
☀️