Work Text:
Enhypen was a group built on unshakeable order. To the outside world, and even within the walls of their dorm, they operated like a machine, making stupid people think that they we're not a fun group in which said people can suck author nim's ass.
But this peace came with a price, a set of rules that governed everything from practice schedules to late night snacking. They prided themselves on being a team where no one got a free pass and expectations were never lowered.
Or at least, that’s what they told themselves.
In reality, the group's strict reputation faced a constant, threat in the form of a certain wide eyed, foxy member. It was a well documented fact though frequently denied in official meetings in which Yunki (their manager would honestly be fed up if not for the fact he was a victim as well) that all discipline tended to evaporate the moment Sunoo decided to deploy his secret weapon.
When those plush lips began to tremble into a perfect pout, framed by the shadow of impossibly long eyelashes, the no exceptions policy suddenly felt a lot more like a suggestion. The members would look away, clearing their throats and clutching their resolve, desperately trying to convince themselves that they weren't about to cave. They would tell themselves that those big, shimmering eyes and that soft expression couldn't possibly sway a group as disciplined as Enhypen.
No one would break.
Absolutely not.
1-Heeseung
Heeseung rubbed his temples, the blue light of the monitors searing into him. The track was almost there, but the bridge felt hollow, lacking the rhythmic punch he knew it needed. He leaned back, his spine popping in protest, and reached for his phone. The screen illuminated a chaotic flood of notifications from the group chat.
If you leave your straight
Sungooner:istg if i see one more light under that studio door im throwing a shoe at it.
Sungooner:come back fart brain we have a schedule at 6am.
Jay stappen:@HeeHee get out of there. i made soup. its getting cold. i am not reheating it a third time.
Jay stappen:Come out now.
Ni-kidding me ?: he came out of the closet ages ago hyung keep up.
Jay stappen:I'm talking about the studio not his gay ass.
Jakey$not$awakey:LMAO mood. but for real hee, you’ve been in there for twelve hours. move your limbs before they melt.
King_von_the_won:guys.
King_von_the_won:all of you should go to sleep now or else im shutting the wifi now and stop worrying about heeseung.
King_von_the_won:I sent the weapon.
Jakey$not$awakey:Oh your so done hee. RIP.
Ni-kidding me ?:pack it up hyung, the final boss is coming.
Heeseung rolled his eyes, a tired smirk tugging at the corner of his mouth.
He didn't care what Jungwon had planned, he was a man of iron will. He had the last note of the arrangement cued up, his fingers hovering over the MIDI controller. Nothing not a power outage, not a lecture from the manager, and certainly not some vague threat from their leader could drag him away when he was this close to perfection.
The heavy door creaked with a soft hiss of air. Heeseung spun his swivel chair around, his don't bother me speech already locked and loaded. But the words died in his throat as the warm hallway light spilled into the dim room, framing a small, soft figure.
Sunoo stood there, draped in an oversized hoodie that made him look even more delicate than usual. He wasn't wearing his usual stage smile, instead, he looked slightly sleepy, his hair a mess of soft bangs falling over those sharp, fox like eyes.
"Hi, Hyungie," Sunoo chirped, his voice a honeyed lilt that sliced right through Heeseung’s focus.
Heeseung groaned, dropping his head into his hands for a brief second before looking back up. "Let me guess. Jungwon sent you, right? Well, tell him I’ve got the last beat down. Just one more left, Sunny. Ten minutes."
Sunoo giggled, a tiny, melodic sound that seemed to vibrate in the small space. He hopped into the room, leaning against the edge of the.
"Oh no, Jungwonie wanted to send a fart bomb through the vent, but I told him I’d try first." He tilted his head, his eyes widening as they caught the glow of the monitors. "You look like a zombie, Hyung. A very handsome zombie, but still."
Heeseung sighed, steeling his heart. He knew the drill. This was the opening move. "Sorry, Sunny, but no. I'm finishing this tonight. Go back to bed."
Sunoo didn't move. Instead, he took a step closer, sinking into the space between Heeseung and the workstation. He let his lower lip slip out just a fraction, a pout so practiced and devastating it should have been illegal. His long eyelashes swept downward as he looked up through them, his expression shifting from playful to heartbreakingly soft in a matter of seconds.
"But the dorm is so quiet," Sunoo whispered, his voice dropping into a small, needy tone. "And I can't sleep when I know you're sitting in this dark room all by yourself. Don't you miss your bed? Don't you miss... me?"
Heeseung gritted his teeth, his eyes fixated on the green waves of the audio track on his monitor. "Of course I miss you," he muttered, his voice strained . "But still, nope. Sorry, Sun. I'm not leaving until this transition is seamless."
Sunoo didn't argue. Instead, he let out a soft huff, snaking his way into Heeseung’s personal space. Before Heeseung could react, the younger boy had climbed onto his lap, small and warm, clinging to his neck like a koala. Heeseung tried to maintain his scowl, typing a few commands into the keyboard and ignoring the weight on his thighs, but the tips of his ears were beginning to glow a traitorous shade of red.
Sunoo giggled against the shell of his ear, feeling the heat radiating from Heeseung’s skin. "You’re turning red, Hyungie," he whispered playfully.
"This won't work, Sunoo," Heeseung growled, though the edge was gone from his voice. "No amount of pouting is going to get me to stop. I told you, not this time."
Sunoo didn't respond with words. Instead, he shifted, softening his posture until he was draped completely over Heeseung’s chest. He reached up, his slender fingers trailing delicately through the hair at the nape of Heeseung’s neck.
The touch was light, almost feather like, as he began to stroke the dark strands. He traced the line of Heeseung’s jaw with his thumb, his touch grounding and impossibly gentle.
Heeseung’s typing slowed. His shoulders, which had been hiked up to his ears in stress for hours, finally began to drop. The repetitive motion of Sunoo’s hand in his hair was a siren song. He let out a long, shuddering sigh, the sound of a man admitting defeat.
"Fine," Heeseung breathed, his eyes fluttering shut for a moment. "You win."
In one swift motion, he reached down and hooked his arms under Sunoo's knees and back. Sunoo let out a delighted squeal as his feet left the floor, his arms tightening around Heeseung’s neck as he was hoisted up. Heeseung didn't even bother saving a backup, he just reached over, clicked the sleep mode button, and carried his prize out of the studio.
As they walked down the quiet hallway toward the bedrooms, Sunoo rested his chin on Heeseung’s shoulder, a triumphant smirk spreading across his face. Job done, he thought, mentally checking off the mission Jungwon had assigned him. He expected to be dropped off at his own door, but Heeseung didn't stop.
"No," Heeseung murmured, a sudden, mischievous smirk of his own tugging at his lips. He pushed open his own bedroom door and stepped inside. "You're the one who dragged me out of work, Sunoo. You don't get to just leave now."
Sunoo let out a startled yelp as Heeseung tumbled them both onto the unmade bed. Before Sunoo could scramble away, Heeseung’s long limbs wrapped around him, pulling him back into a tight, inescapable cuddle. Heeseung buried his face in the crook of Sunoo’s neck, inhaling the soft scent of fabric softener and home.
"Hyung!" Sunoo protested weakly, though he was already settling into the warmth.
"Go to sleep,your worse than a fart bomb," Heeseung grumbled, his voice already thick with exhaustion.
Sunoo huffed one last time, but he didn't fight it. He adjusted himself until his head was resting perfectly on Heeseung’s chest, listening to the steady, slowing heartbeat of the eldest.
Within minutes, the silence of the room was filled only with the sound of their synchronized breathing as they fell into a deep, much needed sleep, tangled together under the heavy duvet.
2-Jay
Jay stood in the middle of the snack aisle, his hand gripping the handle of the shopping cart so hard his knuckles were turning white. He stared into the mountain of items he hadn't planned on buying, his eyes twitching. How had a simple errand turned into a logistics nightmare?
Earlier that afternoon, the dorm had been a scene of absolute domestic chaos. Sunghoon and Jake were locked in a heated, disgusting burping contest, their competitive spirits channeled into seeing who could rattle the windows more effectively. Heeseung, instead of being the mature eldest, was leaned over them with a stopwatch and a serious expression, acting as the official referee. Nearby, Jungwon was slumped on the sofa, sighing every thirty seconds and offering a running commentary of complaints about the show on the TV.
Naive, hopeful Jay had looked at the scene and thought a trip to the supermarket would be a peaceful escape.
"Do you guys want anything? I’m going to buy some stuff from the supermarket," he had announced, grabbing his car keys.
It was as if he’d rubbed a magic lamp. "Hyung! I wanna come too!" Sunoo appeared instantly, his face brightening with a smile that was impossible to say no to. Jay sighed, his resolve already dipping. "Fine, okay. Let’s go."
But as he turned toward the door, he found Ni-ki already crouched on the floor, calmly tying his shoelaces with a predatory grin. "Finally," the youngest said, standing up and towering over Jay. "Hyung, I wanna buy those beetroot flavored gummies."
Jay stared at him in pure bewilderment. "First of all, where the hell did you come from? You weren't even in the room! Second of all, who said you could come?"
Jungwon didn't even look away from the TV as he paused his complaining for one second. "Jay hyung, take Ni-ki with you. He needs to get out of the house before he breaks something."
And that was how Jay found himself in the supermarket, trapped between a member who was currently trying to convince him that they needed five different types of premium strawberry jam and a maknae who was scouring the shelves for the most questionable vegetable flavored candy in existence.
"Hyung, look!" Sunoo chirped, dropping a giant, decorative tin of biscuits into the cart. "It’s shaped like a house! We can put it on the counter!"
"No," Jay groaned, rubbing his temples. "We have biscuits at home, Sunoo. Put it back."
"But hyung," Sunoo started, his voice dropping into that dangerous honeyed register. He turned toward Jay, clutching the tin to his chest. His eyes grew wide and shimmering, his lower lip pushing out into a soft, wobbling pout. "It would make the kitchen look so much more... cozy. Don't you want our home to be cozy?"
Jay felt the familiar, irritating sensation of his willpower evaporating. "Fine," he snapped, looking away. "Put it in. But no more jam."
"Sweet!" Ni-ki shouted from three aisles over. "Hyung! I found the beetroot gummies! And they have a kale version!"
Jay closed his eyes and let out a long, suffering breath. He looked down at his overflowing cart already filled with enough snacks to feed a small army and three different things he'd been pouted into buying and wondered if it was too late to just abandon the cart and move to a different country.
Jay stood at the conveyor belt like a weary soldier surveying a battlefield. He felt a strange sense of pride, for the last sixty minutes, he had actually held the line. He’d shot down the extra crisps, vetoed the neon gummy bears, and successfully steered Ni-ki away from a DIY Slime Kit that definitely would have ended up in the dorm's carpet. Saying no to Ni-ki was getting easier the kid’s taste was getting so bizarre Jay was convinced he was being pranked by whatever dark corner of YouTube Shorts the maknae had wandered into.
Then, the final boss appeared.
Sunoo gingerly placed a bright, terrifyingly teal box onto the black belt. Jay stared at it.
Mint Chocolate Flavored Fried Chicken.
"Absolutely not," Jay said, his voice flat. "No one in the house likes Mint Choco except you, Sunoo. And who in their right mind would eat chicken flavored like toothpaste? Put it back."
Sunoo didn't argue. He didn't even whine. He just looked down at the box, his shoulders slumping. "Okay, hyung," he murmured softly. "You already let me get a lot of stuff. It’s okay. I’ll return it."
Jay watched as Sunoo walked back to the shelf. It was the most dramatic walk of shame Jay had ever witnessed. Sunoo didn't just put the box back, he stroked the cardboard lid with his fingertips, gazing at the chicken shaped logo like he was saying a final, tragic goodbye to a long lost lover. He even let out a tiny, barely audible sniffle.
Jay’s eye twitched. He knew he was being played. He knew it. But the sight was too much. "Oh, for—" Jay growled, rubbing his face. "Fine! Just... bring it here! Put it in the cart before I change my mind!"
"Really?" Sunoo’s entire face illuminated. He snatched the box and bounced back, throwing his arms around Jay’s neck and planting a quick, sweet peck on his cheek.
Jay tried to maintain his Grumpiness, let out a long, suffering sigh, but he couldn't hide the faint softening of his expression. He leaned in slightly, tapping his other index finger against his opposite cheek. Sunoo giggled, the sound bright and victorious, and obligingly pecked the other side.
"Hey!" Ni-ki’s voice cut through the moment, his face twisted in a scowl. "Jay hyung, if Sunoo hyung can get that abomination, then I should be able to get these."
Jay didn't even look up from his wallet. "Fine, whatever, Ni-ki. Just put it through so we can leave."
Ni-ki smirked, "We're trying these tonight, Noo," he whispered.
Sunoo’s eyes went wide as he glared at the younger boy. "Ni-ki,I woul—"
Jay finally focused on the item Ni-ki had just tossed onto the belt. He froze. His brain took three full seconds to process the packaging.
"Wait a second..." Jay’s voice rose to a panicked octave. "Are those... PICKLE FLAVORED CONDOMS?! NISHIMURA NI-KI!"
Jay refused to go to the supermarket with anyone after that.
3-Sunghoon
Sunghoon stood in the center of his room, surrounded by half zipped suitcases and a growing sense of existential dread. He had meticulously laundered, ironed, and folded seven specific hoodies for the upcoming tour. Now, looking at his bed, there were only three.
"I’m losing my mind," he muttered, raking a hand through his hair.
His first stop was Heeseung’s room. Since they were practically the same size, Heeseung treated Sunghoon’s wardrobe like a secondary outlet mall. Sunghoon didn't even bother with a polite knock, he just rapped his knuckles against the wood and leaned in. "Hyung, do you have my grey oversized zip-up?"
"No," came Heeseung’s muffled voice from under a pile of tech cables. "Check the dryer."
Sunghoon trekked to Jake’s room next. Jake was sitting on the floor, surrounded by a chaotic explosion of denim and t-shirts. He looked up with a hopeful glint in his eyes. "Oh, Hoon! Since you're looking for stuff, do you want to just... pack my socks for me? I’ll give you a protein shake."
"No, Jake. Pack your own socks. Have you seen my hoodies?"
"Nope. Try Ni-ki."
Sunghoon shuddered.
He considered the youngest's room for a split second before shaking his head. Ni-ki took airport fashion with the kind of lethal intensity usually reserved for runway models, if Ni-ki had stolen the hoodies, they had likely been customized. He would sit that one out, thank you very much.
He passed Jungwon in the hallway, who was currently pacing back and forth with his phone pressed to his ear, looking remarkably stressed. "No, Manager nim, if you put them in those seats, Sunghoon hyung will spend the whole flight complaining about the legroom and Ni-ki will—"
Sunghoon didn't stick around to hear the rest. He poked his head into the kitchen, hoping for a miracle, only to find Jay meticulously wrapping his professional knife set in velvet cloths. Next to the knives sat a singular, lonely packet of salt.
"Jay, why are you bringing your own salt to Europe?"
Jay didn't even look up. "The sodium levels in hotel food are inconsistent, Sunghoon. I need control."
Sunghoon stared at him, utterly unamused. "Right. Have you seen my—"
"I haven't seen your hoodies, Hoon. But if I were you, I’d stop looking in the common areas." Jay finally looked up, pointedly shifting his gaze toward the end of the hall.
A lightbulb finally went off in Sunghoon’s head. A slow, frustrated sigh escaped his lips as he realized how he could have been so blind. There was only one person in this dorm who viewed Sunghoon’s hoodies not as borrowed clothes, but as a personal collection of soft, scented blankets.
Sunghoon didn't bother with the formality of a knock. He threw the door open, his frustration peaking as he scanned the room. There, sitting in the middle of a literal mountain of soft fabric, was Sunoo. He looked like he was drowning in the oversized grey zip up Sunghoon had spent twenty minutes looking for, the sleeves hanging past his fingertips and the hem reaching mid thigh.
Sunoo’s face went a bright, guilty crimson the moment their eyes met. "Caught in the act," Sunghoon muttered, scowling as he stepped over a stray sock. He reached down and started snatching up the hoodies from the bed, his movements sharp and fuming. "Hey! These are mine! We have a flight in six hours, Sunoo!"
"But Hyung, they’re warm!" Sunoo whined, reaching out a hand as if to save a fallen comrade. "They smell like your cologne and they're so much softer than mine."
"Yes, I know they’re warm! That’s why I was going to take them with me!" Sunghoon snapped, clutching a bundle of three hoodies to his chest. He pointed a finger at the one Sunoo was currently wearing. "And you’re literally wearing one right now. Take it off."
Sunoo’s lower lip wobbled instantly. He deployed the weapon with expert precision, his eyes widening. "Please? Can I have just one? Just for the flight?"
Sunghoon didn't even blink. He’d seen this movie before. "No. I need my comfort set. Give them here."
Sunoo let out a dramatic, soul crushing sigh. "Fine!" he huffed, stomping his foot lightly against the carpet. He turned away from Sunghoon, bending over to reach for the final two hoodies that had slipped onto the floor behind the nightstand.
As he leaned down, the hem of Sunghoon’s oversized hoodie rode up high. The movement revealed a pair of tiny, tight black booty shorts that left absolutely nothing to the imagination. The fabric strained against two soft, pale globes, his cheeks appearing to puff just as much as Sunoo’s lips had a moment ago.
The air in the room suddenly felt twenty degrees hotter. Sunghoon’s grip on the stolen laundry tightened, his breath hitching in his throat as a sudden, sharp heat pooled in his gut. He felt himself go painfully hard in an instant, the sight of Sunoo's exposed curves completely shattering his irritated facade.
Sunoo stood up, clutching the last of the hoodies and spinning around to hand them over, only to gasp as he collided directly with Sunghoon’s chest. Sunghoon hadn't moved; he was standing right behind him, his shadow looming over the smaller boy.
"Hyung?" Sunoo whispered, looking up. His eyes widened as he felt the heavy, tense energy radiating off Sunghoon.
Sunghoon didn't take the clothes. Instead, he let the bundle of hoodies slide from his arms onto the floor, forgotten. He stepped forward, caging Sunoo against the nightstand with one strong arm, his hand gripping the edge of the wood. A dark, dangerous smirk replaced his scowl as he leaned down, his lips brushing against Sunoo’s ear.
"You know," Sunghoon rumbled, his voice dropping into a low, gravelly register that made Sunoo shiver. "There's a way you can earn these hoodies back. All of them."
Sunoo’s breath hitched, his heart hammering against his ribs as he looked up into Sunghoon’s hooded, intense gaze.
The airport lounge was freezing, the AC blasting a relentless chill that had Sunghoon physically shivering in his thin tshirt. He stood near the gate with his arms tightly crossed over his chest, looking like he’d lost a bet.
"I told you to pack your comfort set, Hyung," Jungwon scolded, not even looking up from his tablet as he reviewed the flight itinerary. "You literally had seven of them ready. How do you 'lose' an entire collection of hoodies in four hours?"
Sunghoon just scowled, shifting his weight. Across the seating area, Jay caught his eye and gave him a slow, knowing look. Nearby, Sunoo was moving toward his seat, moving a little slower than usual and sporting a slight, tell tale limp.
As he passed by, Jake leaned toward Sunghoon, shielding his mouth with a hand as he silently mouthed the word Horny with a cheeky wink. Sunghoon felt his face heat up, but he didn't regret a single second of the negotiations that had taken place in Sunoo’s bedroom.
Once they finally boarded the plane and the cabin lights dimmed for the long haul flight, the chaos of the dorm and the airport faded away. Sunghoon settled into his seat, still feeling the chill, until a soft, familiar scent enveloped him.
Sunoo settled into the seat beside him, already draped in the thick, grey zip up hoodie. He didn't say a word, just smiled sweetly and pulled at the oversized fabric, stretching it out until there was enough room for Sunghoon to tuck himself inside the warmth.
Sunghoon let out a contented sigh, the shivering finally stopping as he felt Sunoo’s warmth against his side. He reached into his pocket, pulling out his case and handing one earbud to Sunoo. Their fingers brushed, a silent acknowledgment of the secret they’d shared back at the dorm.
With the hoodie shared between them and their heads leaning together, they scrolled through the movie selection on the small screen. As the opening credits of a rom com began to flicker in the dark cabin, Sunoo rested his head on Sunghoon’s shoulder, and Sunghoon finally closed his eyes, realizing that losing his wardrobe was a very small price to pay for this.
4-Jake
Jake stood in the middle of the living room, his chest heaving and his hair a mess from his latest round with Sunghoon. He lived for this the mindless, sweaty chaos of wrestling .
Ni-ki had been banned months ago after a playful headlock resulted in Jake nearly tasting the fibers of the Persian rug. Heeseung was too much of a noodle one wrong move and Jake feared he’d snap his hyung in half. Jungwon was a hard pass, Jake would rather swallow a literal gallon of Listerine than deal with their leader’s counter moves. And Jay? Jay was the designated wrestle mate who complained about his joints the whole time but always managed to land a stinging jab to the ribs.
But now, Sunghoon was bailing.
"Right, enough. I’m going to the gym," Sunghoon announced, wiping sweat from his forehead with his shirt.
"Not fair! I'm still bored! I wanna wrestle!" Jake groaned, flopping back onto the sofa.
"Jakey? I can wrestle with you."
The voice was soft and entirely too sweet. Sunoo popped into the room, tilting his head with a small, innocent smile that made his dimples peek out. Jake froze, he shot a frantic, desperate look at Sunghoon, silently begging for a rescue.
Sunghoon, the absolute traitor, just smirked. He grabbed his gym bag, leaned over to plant a quick, peck on Sunoo’s cheek, and headed for the door. "Have fun, Jake. Don't hurt him," he called out over his shoulder, the door clicking shut behind him.
Asshole, Jake thought, his heart starting to hammer against his ribs for a very different reason now.
"Why? What’s wrong?" Sunoo asked, stepping closer. He started rolling up the sleeves of his oversized cardigan, exposing his soft, pale wrists.
"Uhm... I..." Jake stuttered, his brain short circuiting.
How was he supposed to explain the problem? You didn't wrestle with Sunoo. You didn't pin Sunoo to the floor or try to get him in a leg lock. Sunoo was the dorm’s princess, a creature made of soft sighs, peach scented lotion, and devastating pouts.
If Jake tried to grapple with him, he knew exactly how it would end, he’d get one look at those shimmering foxy eyes from two inches away and he wouldn't be thinking about a takedown. He’d end up either wrapping Sunoo in a protective bear hug or, much more likely, pinned under the weight of his own sudden urge to kiss the daylight out of him.
"You're too... uh, delicate," Jake finally managed, though the way Sunoo’s eyes narrowed told him that was the wrong thing to say.
Sunoo scowled, his brows knitting together as he looked Jake up and down with genuine offense. "Hyung, you're being mean. I'm not delicate," he insisted, his voice dropping into a huffy, sharp tone.
Jake let out a long, heavy sigh, reaching out a hand as if to pat Sunoo’s shoulder before thinking better of it. "I know, Sunoo, I know. But still..." He shifted uncomfortably, his eyes darting around the living room for any possible distraction. "Hey, uhm, maybe we can just cuddle instead? There’s this show I’ve been wanting to watch. We can get the heated blanket and some snacks?"
Sunoo’s eyes immediately began to shimmer, a glassy layer of tears welling up as he looked at Jake with a heartbreakingly wounded expression. "I'm not delicate, hyung," he repeated, his voice trembling slightly. "I wanna wrestle."
Jake let out a long, defeated sigh, and that was exactly how he found himself rolling around on the living room carpet with a very determined Sunoo. Jake was using zero percent of his actual strength, basically acting like a human marshmallow as he let himself be flopped around.
Sunoo, on the other hand, looked like he was having the time of his life. He was giggling and panting, shoving at Jake’s shoulders and rolling with him with surprising energy. Somehow, in the tangle of limbs and soft laughter, they ended up with Jake flat on his back and Sunoo’s perky seat landing right on top of Jake’s heat.
Sunoo bounced happily, his eyes crinkling into crescent moons. "See! See! I win! Ha, I told you I wasn't delicate!"
Jake couldn't even process the victory speech. His blood was rushing south at an alarming rate, his heart hammering against his ribs as he felt his own body betraying him under Sunoo’s weight. He was going a shade of red that rivaled a stoplight, but he managed a strained nod. "Definitely... I was definitely wrong. We... we gotta wrestle again."
Sunoo beamed, apparently satisfied with the win, and flopped forward onto Jake’s chest. Now his head was tucked perfectly under Jake’s chin, but the shift meant Sunoo’s own dick was pressing directly over Jake’s friction starved penis.
Jake let out a sharp, strangled gasp. "Uhm... Sunoo, darling?"
Sunoo hummed contentedly against his neck, his eyes fluttering shut. "Hm?"
Jake squirmed, his hands hovering awkwardly over Sunoo’s waist, unsure whether to pull him closer or push him away for his own sanity. "You're... you're pressing a little, Sun."
Sunoo’s eyes snapped open and he yelped, realizing the contact point. "Oh! Sorry!" He scrambled off Jake in a flurry of soft limbs, looking slightly startled.
Jake didn't wait for an explanation. He shook his head frantically, scrambled to his feet, and rushed toward the bathroom at a speed that would have made Ni-ki proud.
5-Jungwon
Jungwon was beyond stressed, he was hovering dangerously close to a total meltdown. The staff had been getting on his last nerve all afternoon, and the sheer incompetence of the backstage organization was starting to piss him off. They had managed to mix up the fan service props entirely.
Sunghoon was currently standing in a corner, arms crossed, flatly refusing to wear a pair of glittery pink cat ears that had ended up in his bin. Meanwhile, Jay was scowling at a set of floppy puppy ears in Jake’s box, looking like he’d rather walk through fire than put them on. To make matters worse, Ni-ki and Heeseung were locked in a heated debate over a vintage Barcelona jersey, both of them convinced it was meant for them, completely oblivious to the fact that Jake had already snatched it and tucked it under his chair minutes ago.
Finally, Jungwon snapped. He pushed past a flustered coordinator, grabbed the clipboards, and took things into his own hands. Within ten minutes of his directing, the props were redistributed, the members were dressed, and the chaos had been beaten back into submission just as the fans began to stream into the venue.
Exhausted, Jungwon slumped into his seat at the long table, leaning his head back against the chair. He happened to be sitting right next to Sunoo, who was already in full idol mode, posing for a fansite camera with a dainty daisy headband perched on his soft hair.
Jungwon let out a long, heavy sigh, his gaze lingering on his teammate. Even after all the stress, he couldn't deny it, Sunoo was impossibly pretty. The way the light caught his foxy eyes and the soft curve of his cheeks made the flower crown look like it had grown there naturally.
Sunoo caught Jungwon staring and his face broke into a radiant, dimpled smile. He reached into a small basket of leftover props and pulled out an identical daisy headband, holding it out with a mischievous glint in his eyes.
"Jungwonie looks like he needs some flower power," Sunoo chirped, leaning over to try and tuck the stems behind Jungwon's ears.
Jungwon immediately leaned back, putting his hands up in a defensive gesture. "Nope. Sorry, Noo. I refuse."
"But it matches mine!" Sunoo pouted, his lower lip blooming into that familiar, devastating curve. "The fans will love it. Please, leader nim?"
Jungwon looked at the flowers, then at the wide, shimmering eyes and the long eyelashes blinking hopefully at him.
Sunoo’s cuteness was a gravitational force, and Jungwon felt himself being pulled in, his resolve wavering as he stared into those shimmering, wide eyes. He almost reached for the daisies, his hand twitching, but at the last second, he jerked back. He was the leader, he had an image to maintain, and flower crown Jungwon was not on today’s professional agenda.
"I said no, Sunoo. Give it to Jake hyung or something," Jungwon muttered, fixing his gaze on the Sharpie markers in front of him.
But Sunoo wasn't a weapon for nothing.
He didn't just give up, he leaned in closer, his shoulder brushing against Jungwon’s. He started a relentless torrid of soft nudges, his lower lip pushing out into a pout so exaggerated it was practically a crime. He tugged gently at the sleeve of Jungwon’s blazer, his touch light and distracting.
"Jungwonie," Sunoo whined softly, the sound vibrating between them.
Jungwon tried to ignore him, but then Sunoo leaned in even further, his soft breath hitching against Jungwon’s ear. "Please, hyung?" he whispered, his voice dropping into a sweet, private whisper that made the hair on the back of Jungwon’s neck stand up. "Just for me?"
A deep, traitorous red crawled up Jungwon’s neck, blooming across his cheeks like wildfire. He let out a choked, frustrated noise and snatched the daisy headband out of Sunoo’s hand before the other could say another word.
"Fine! Give it here!" Jungwon snapped, though there was no real heat in it.
He jammed the flowers onto his head, the delicate white petals contrasting sharply with his grumpy, flustered expression. Sunoo let out a triumphant giggle, clapping his hands together as the first flashbulbs from the fansite cameras began to go off. Jungwon sat there, arms crossed and staring dead ahead with a pout of his own, looking like a very annoyed, very pretty fairy while Sunoo leaned into his side, beaming for the pictures.
6-Ni-ki
Ni-ki lived for the moments when he could remind Sunoo of their height difference. There was something endlessly entertaining about the way the older boy had to tilt his head back just to make eye contact, his fox like eyes flashing with genuine indignation. Ni-ki would lean an elbow on Sunoo’s shoulder like he was a convenient piece of furniture, grinning as Sunoo’s face turned a dusty rose color from pure annoyance.
Usually, the teasing ended with Heeseung or Jungwon calling out from the other room for Ni-ki to stop being a pest or leave his hyung alone, but today, the kitchen was a private battleground.
They were in the middle of a heated,argument about who had finished the last of the strawberry milk. Sunoo was huffing, his cheeks puffed out in that signature display of frustration that only made Ni-ki want to poke them.
"I told you, I didn't touch it! You probably drank it at 3:00 AM while watching your dance videos!" Sunoo snapped, punctuating his sentence with a sharp jab of his finger toward Ni-ki’s chest.
Ni-ki didn't back down. Instead, he took a slow, deliberate step forward, his shadow completely swallowing Sunoo’s smaller frame. He didn't stop until he had Sunoo backed against the marble countertop, cornering him between his long arms. Ni-ki stood at his full height, towering over the older boy with a mischievous, lopsided smirk.
"You're awfully loud for someone I can barely see down there, Sunoo hyung," Ni-ki drawled, his voice dropping an octave as he leaned down until their noses were inches apart. "Are you sure you aren't just cranky because you can't reach the top shelf?"
Sunoo’s breath hitched, his back pressing firmly against the cold stone of the counter. He tried to maintain his fierce scowl, but being caged in by Ni-ki’s broad shoulders and intense gaze was making it difficult to remember what they were even fighting about.
"Move, Nishimura," Sunoo managed to huff, though his voice lacked its usual bite. "You're... you're blocking the light."
Ni-ki didn't move an inch. He just chuckled, a low vibration that Sunoo could feel in his own chest, and leaned in even closer. "Make me."
At first, Sunoo shoved at Ni-ki’s chest with an annoyed groan, his palms flat against the black fabric of Ni-ki’s hoodie. He might as well have been trying to move a brick wall, Ni-ki’s chest felt like solid rock, and he didn't budge an inch. Instead, the younger boy leaned down further, his nose catching the soft scent of Sunoo’s hair as he nudged against it teasingly.
Sunoo let out a long, dramatic sigh, his head falling back against the cabinet. "Get off me, you big oaf. You’re heavy."
Ni-ki just laughed, the sound low and vibrations buzzing right against Sunoo’s forehead. "No. I like it down here. The view is great."
Sunoo shifted, his expression softening as he peered up through his long eyelashes, his foxy eyes turning round and shimmering with a faux innocence that could disarm a riot squad. "Pretty please, Ni-ki? For your favorite hyung?"
Ni-ki’s smirk didn't waver, but his grip on the counter tightened slightly. "Still no. Nice try, though."
He kept Sunoo trapped firmly within the circle of his arms, his height casting a long shadow that made the kitchen feel smaller. But then, Sunoo deployed the final strike. He tilted his head, his lower lip pushing out into a trembling, perfect pout.
For a split second, Ni-ki’s brain short circuited. He dazed over, his gaze dropping to Sunoo’s lips, his defensive wall crumbling under the sheer weight of the weapon.
That was all the opening Sunoo needed.
The second he saw Ni-ki’s eyes glaze over, Sunoo’s pout vanished into a sharp, triumphant grin. He ducked under Ni-ki’s long arm, his small frame slipping through the gap before Ni-ki could even blink.
"See ya, giant!" Sunoo cackled, laughing manically as he sprinted out of the kitchen and down the hallway, leaving a very confused and very flustered Ni-ki staring at the empty countertop.
+1
Sunoo was a miserable, fluffy mess. He shuffled into the living room, dragging his feet in Sunghoon’s oversized grey slippers. He was wrapped so tightly in a heavy duvet that only his face poked out, his nose a startling shade of flamingo pink from constant sneezing. A damp towel was balanced on his forehead, and his silk eye mask was pushed up, sending his bangs into a chaotic, ruffled nest.
The rest of the members were mid stretch, dressed in athletic gear and grabbing water bottles for dance practice, when the ghostly figure of Sunoo appeared in the doorway.
"I wanna go, guys... I can..." he croaked, his voice sounding like it had been dragged through gravel.
Jay whipped his head around, his eyes widening in disbelief. "Didn’t I already tuck you in? I literally saw you close your eyes ten minutes ago!"
Sunoo pouted so hard his lower lip nearly touched his chin. "Guys, I really can go. I’m fine... it’s just a little cough."
As if on cue, he let out a sneeze so violent his entire body shuddered, his eyes fluttering as he nearly tipped over from the force of it.
Ni-ki scoffed, not even looking up from tying his laces. "Fine, my ass. You look like you’re hallucinating, Hyung."
Jake sighed, walking over to place a gentle hand on the bundle of blankets. "Noo Noo, you're sick. You can barely walk to the kitchen, let alone do a five hour run through of the choreography."
"No! I can come! Please!" Sunoo’s eyes widened, shimmering with a feverish, desperate intensity. The weapon was in full effect, even through the sniffles.
Heeseung let out a long, weary sigh, turning to look at Jay, who looked at Jake, who looked at Ni-ki. Ni-ki suddenly shrieked, Take cover and dove headfirst under the dining table as if Sunoo’s cuteness was a live grenade.
"Baby, you’re sick. Too sick," Heeseung said, trying to be the voice of reason. "Look at you."
"I am not!" Sunoo stomped his foot, the oversized slippers making a soft thud against the floor. He sidled up to Jungwon, but the leader resolutely stared at the wall, refusing to make eye contact because he knew he’d crumble in three seconds.
Sunoo turned his gaze toward Sunghoon, blinking slowly. Sunghoon didn't say a word. He just stepped forward, ignored the pouting face entirely, and dove for Sunoo’s waist. In one swift motion, he hoisted the blanket wrapped boy into the air, throwing him over his shoulder like a sack of potatoes.
Sunoo let out a muffled whine of protest, his arms and legs trapped in the duvet as he began spluttering and banging his small fists against Sunghoon’s broad back. "Let me down! I’m fine! Cough Sunghoon!"
Sunghoon didn't even flinch at the weak blows. He just adjusted his grip and marched straight back down the hallway toward the bedrooms. "You're going back to bed, and I'm locking the door from the outside if I have to," he called back to the living room, leaving the rest of the members exhaling in collective relief.
Sunghoon lowered the bundle of blankets onto the mattress with more tenderness than he’d ever admit to the others. He pulled the duvet up to Sunoo’s chin, meticulously tucking the edges in until Sunoo looked like a cozy cocoon. Reaching out, he smoothed the ruffled bangs away from Sunoo’s warm forehead, his fingers lingering against the soft skin.
"Listen to me," Sunghoon said, his voice dropping into that low, grounding tone he used only when things got serious. "The choreography isn't going anywhere. If you go out there and faint, we’re all going to be ten times more worried."
Sunoo rubbed his eyes with the back of his hand, looking small and exhausted against the white pillows. "I just don't want to be behind," he murmured, his voice cracking. "I don't want to miss anything."
Sunghoon’s expression softened into a rare, genuine smile. "You won’t. I’ll personally walk you through every single step the second you’re not a walking sneeze bomb. I promise."
He leaned down, pressing a lingering, sweet peck to the tip of Sunoo’s pink nose, then another to his forehead. As Sunghoon stood up to head back to the living room, Sunoo’s hand shot out from under the blanket, grabbing Sunghoon’s wrist with surprising strength for a sick person.
Sunoo squinted one eye open, his pout returning with a vengeance. "If you let Jake hyung or Ni-ki do my part while I'm gone," Sunoo croaked, his voice a tiny, rasp of a threat, "I will personally sneeze on every single one of your ironed hoodies. And I'll use your favorite skincare as hand cream. Don't test me, Park Sunghoon."
Sunghoon chuckled, shaking his head at the sheer audacity of the sick boy even in his weakened state. "Message received, princess. Rest up."