Work Text:
Jeongin has had a shit day. He’d slept awful the night before, woken up with a scratchy throat which made vocal practice nearly unbearable, now he’s so exhausted he’s struggling to focus at dance practice.
He can tell Minho’s patience is wearing thin, the rest of the boys too since they keep having to repeat the same parts. He can feel his head start to get more frazzled, his thoughts tumbling around in his head like a washing machine. His heartbeat is elevated, but he attributes it to the dancing.
All the pressure on him is something he’s not normally used to since they try to balance it all out between the eight of them, but he’s the only one messing up right now. After the ninth run through of the same section, Jeongin losing his balance this time and tumbling into Felix, Minho finally snaps. “Come on, Jeongin. You should know this choreography by now. Either stop wasting our time or get out.”
It’s harsh. Chan is already stepping up to get in front of Minho who has his finger pointed just inches from Jeongin’s face, but he’s not really listening anymore.
He’d flinched back hard when Minho had taken a step toward him, something in his brain finally snapping. He’s trembling, unable to get a handle on his fine motor skills as he stumbles away until his back hits the mirror and he slides down it to sit.
His heartbeat is racing for real now, elevating his breathing and making him feel a bit lightheaded.
But then Jisung is there, warm and kind and grounding. Jeongin can’t hear him over the sound of his own breathing, but Jisung’s hands are gentle where they cup his face. He’s filling all of Jeongin’s vision and it’s comforting even in the face of whatever is happening to him now.
His ears eventually stop ringing long enough for him to hear Jisung commanding him to breathe in a calm tone, and Jeongin has never been able to deny Jisung anything. He sucks in a heaving deep breath and earns himself a good job and a command for another.
He closes his eyes and focuses on Jisung’s thumbs brushing away his tears and finally gains enough control to bring his hands up to grasp as Jisung’s wrists.
He’s not sure how long they’re like that, Jisung kneeling between his legs, talking him through his breaths and praising him as he slowly regains control of his own body.
He’s aware enough now to glance behind Jisung. Minho is hovering close, looking guilty like he just accidentally kicked a puppy, while the rest of the boys are across the room, clearly giving them space.
He pulls Jisung’s hands off his face but keeps them twisted with his own and finally finds his voice, addressing Minho. “I’m sorry, hyung. I should be better by now. And now I’ve wasted more of our time.”
Minho is dropping to the floor in front of him before he’s even finished talking. “No, baby. I’m the one who’s sorry,” he threads his hands through Jeongin’s hair, and Jeongin leans into the touch. “I was too harsh.”
Jeongin just nods. The weariness of the day catching up to him like he’s been hit by a train. He looks to Jisung. “Can we go home?”
Jisung kisses his knuckles and looks to Minho, who nods, before turning back to Jeongin. “Yeah, we can go home.”
Jeongin lets himself be led around, gathering his items and making his way to the van. He must fall asleep, and someone must have carried him to bed, because he wakes to Jisung sliding into bed next to him and tucking into his side.
“Thank you, hyung,” he whispers. “You knew exactly what I needed.”
Jisung presses a kiss to his forehead and cuddles in close. “Of course, I’d do anything for you.” Jeongin knows this is true. “Now go to sleep.”
Jeongin knows he will have to make peace with Minho tomorrow and apologize to the others for how practice went, but for now, he’s been given another Jisung command. He’s not going to start denying him now.