Work Text:
A ringing sound resonates through his ears as Matthew wakes up to a pounding headache. He blinks away the sleep as black spots swim in his vision.
Oh shi- Matthew groaned and banged his head on his pillow. This feeling was never a good sign. He knew he shouldn’t’ve taken the maknaes out to ice cream in the middle of the night just because they were giving him puppy eyes.
And who was he to say no?
Although Jiwoong-hyung had still reminded him multiple times to where a jumper, Matthew remained stubborn in the fact that he was a strong Canadian Oppa~
And look where he was now, lying in bed with a full day of practice ahead and feeling as though his head was about to split open.
He felt his bed weigh down, as his roommate and one of his closet friends, Zhanghao jumped on him.
“Matthew-ya, wake up!” Zhanghao cried and wrapped his hands around Matthew adoringly, squeezing Matthew’s blanket burrito tightly.
Mathew groaned at the sudden impact and stared at Zhanghao with sleepy, puffy eyes, making eye contact with his hyung above him. Zhanghao stared down at Matthews face adoringly but it quickly turned into worry as he saw Matthew’s nose turning red.
Zhanghao lifted Matthew up with little protest and felt his forehead. He gasped and Matthew let out a sheepish smile, knowing full well how he was burning up right now.
“Matthew-ya, are you ok?” Zhanghao asked worriedly, wrapping his own blanket around Matthew and squeezing him tightly in a double burrito.
“I’m fine hyung, just a little-“ he let out a cute sneeze “…sick”
Zhanghao’s dolphin scream was loud enough to wake everyone up as he shrieked out “EVERYONE CALL 000 ITS AN EMERGENCY!”
Matthew started protesting feverishly in the middle of sneezing and coughing, “Hao-hyung it’s alright! I can make it through today and just rest tonight.”
Zhanghao looked at him doubtfully and just hugged him tighter to his chest chanting “oh my poor baby, I’m going to kill Yujin and Gyuvin for this!”
Matthew looked up at him scared but just wiggled closer to his hyung’s body warmth, breathing a sigh of relief when the warmth seeped into him.
His relief was short lived as the door slammed open and Hanbin stood there with messy bed head hair. His eyes roamed all over Matthews body and he ran up to them, nicely (aggresively) pushing Zhanghao onto the next bed and kneeling next to Matthew.
Zhanghao only let out a betrayed gasp saying “Yah- Sung Hanbin, you want to fight?!”
He got no response as Hanbin was concentrated on patting Matthew up and down, squishy his cheeks left right and centre and feeling his forehead.
“Hyung~” Matthew whined, “I’m alright I promise!” Matthew exclaimed as Hanbin plopped next to him and began cooing at him and claiming that he’d ‘failed to protect his precious Seokmae from the cold’.
They stared into each others eyes for a long time, and Matthew’s face was getting feverishly red, yet Hanbin still found him so adorably cute. Staring up at Hanbin with doe eyes, slightly red nose, buried in blankets and cheeks puffed out in a pout.
Hanbin was so whipped.
Zhanghao, having been forgotten just rolled his eyes and left claiming he’d bring in breakfast for Matthew, ignoring Hanbins whines of “I want breakfast too!”
The moment he stepped out of their shared room, he was bombarded with his members frantically waiting and pacing about like old worried men, with crinkles adorning their handsome faces.
Gyuvin looked up in worry and relief as Zhanghao stepped out of the door and grabbed his hand “Hao-hyung! We heard a scream and someone wanting to cal the emergency centre!!”
Zhanghao rolled his eyes, “not even a good morning?” He asked groggily and was nagged on by their youngest as well, “Hyung hyung! Is it Matthew? Is that why Hanbin hyung forced us to wait out here when he went in to check on his ‘baby’?”
Zhanghao’s eyes twitched at the thought of Hanbin calling Matthew his, but chose to disregard it.
Taerae stepped out of the room next door and rubbed his eyes sheepishly, asking Zhanghao “is Matthew ok? I heard you screaming like a girl and could hear muffled shouts…”
His eyes opened in horror “did someone get kidnapped? Don’t tell me Matthew got kidnapped for being too cute?!” Taerae exclaimed as everyone’s faces morphed into horror, believing every inch of his words.
Zhanghao did think it was quite believable actually. His thoughts drifted off to how unbelievably cute Matthew always was.
He smiled at them all, trying to ease their worries and said “Matthew’s fine, he’s just sick.”
Everyone started screaming.
Yujin and Gyuvin slid down the wall, holding onto each other for dear life. Taerae looked shocked and his lips started wobbling stuttering “h-he’s dead?!”
Zhanghao looked at them in shock, how did they mishear it so bad. “No!” He yelled out. “Matthew is SICK!” He said emphasising the last word.
They started panicking even more and shouted “where is he?!” And “that’s even worse!” There was even a “What’s Hanbin-hyung doing to him to make him sick?!”
Zhanghao just rolled his eyes at their antics (as if he wasn’t internally panicking for Matthew’s health) and went to fetch his teammate breakfast.
As he went into the kitchen, he saw Jiwoong standing there practicing for one his upcoming bl dramas with Gunwook. Or that was what Zhanghao would’ve guessed he was doing if Jiwoong hadn’t slammed Gunwook up against the wall and whispered seductively:
“Matthew-ya, did I… make you anxious. If you say yes then take that as my marriage proposal, if not then I’ll chase you to the ends of the earth.”
Gunwook pushed Jiwoong away and clapped his hands excitedly exclaiming “Jiwoong hyung that was perfect!! If you do that then he’ll have to fall for you!”
Zhanghao stared in horror as Jiwoong smirked in satisfaction and said “those centres are no match for me” unaware of how Zhanghao was glaring at him with fiery blazing eyes.
“Stop tainting the wall.” A deep voice said from the kitchen.
Ricky stood there, carrying his warm soup to the bench and started drooling, getting ready to dig in.
He had decided that he’d master the art of cooking, only because a certain hyung (Matthew) really enjoyed homemade food.
Zhanghao’s eyes lit up at the broth and he remembered his original purpose of why he needed to be separated from Matthew when they could’ve been cuddling.
Stomping up to Ricky, who was about to dig in, he snatched up the soup with a “thanks lovelyricky!” And stormed away, leaving a stunned blond man in his wake.
Ricky lost his composure for one hot second and exclaimed “m-my soup!”
He started chasing after Zhanghao and screamed “give me my breakfast back!”
Zhanghao had the kindness to turn around and yell “it’s for Matthew! He’s sick!”
Ricky slowed down before understanding “ahh it’s for Matthew, not you hyung that’s fine- wait he’s SICK?!” Ricky yelled.
Gunwook and Jiwoong both snapped to attention when they heard Matthew and sick in the same sentence.
They immediately paused their acting practice and followed Ricky frantically to their rooms.
There, they were met with Yujin, Gunwook, Gyuvin and Taerae huddled in a circle outside Matthew and Zhanghao’s door, chanting prayers for Matthew’s health.
Ricky immediately side eyed them whispering “so weird, kids these days” as he joined them in the huddle.
They all paused as they heard some questionable noises from inside the room.
“Ah~ hyung… stop it!” Matthew groaned.
Hanbin was heard evilly laughing and saying “Matthew-ya you can’t come!”
Matthew whimpered quietly saying something along the lines of “But h-hyung please let me come!”
Everyone’s eyes widened as Gyuvin slapped a hand on Yujin’s ear. Jiwoong looked mildy interested in what was going on behind the door and Ricky looked aghast, claiming that Hanbin was ‘torturing Matthew’. He laughed a little at his dirty mind whilst Taerae stared at him with judgement.
Zhanghao’s face was red and began too heat up in anger and he somehow karate kicked the door open whilst balancing the bowl of soup.
“SUNG HANBIN!”
Zhanghao shouted as everyone peeked through the door, only to see Hanbin pinning down a squirmy Matthew.
“Zhanghao-hyung! Please help me, Hanbin-hyung won’t let me get up and come along to practice today!” Matthew whined, staring at Zhanghao with puppy dog eyes.
Taerae let out a huge sigh of relief and told the kids that it was safe to listen in now.
Zhanghao smiled fondly at Matthew, and let out a tch to Hanbin, who was still straddling Matthew’s blanket burrito.
They got into a staring contest, to which Zhanghao said “move, I need to feed him” and Hanbin replied “give it, I’ll do it myself!”
Matthew, seeing how neither of the centres were gonna let him out turned to his last hope.
“Jiwoon-hyung…” he murmured with glistening teary eyes.
Jiwoong was standing in the doorway and nearly collapsed when he heard Matthew calling him that. He cleared his throat and turned to the two hovering over the bed.
“Surely as long as Matthew stays warm he can come to practice today and take it easy?”
Matthew’s eyes widened and he bounced out of the bed, flouncing past two protesting people and giving Jiwoong a tight hug.
“Thank you hyung!!” He said, as his sniffles began to get louder.
Jiwoong frowned at the young man hugging him as he felt his body temperature gave off an unnaturally high amount of body heat.
But who was he to say no to Matthew?
Matthew felt his sleeve being tugged and he turned to Yujin who was staring at him guiltily. He immediately softened and asked “what’s wrong Yujin-ah?”
Yujin only looked crestfallen and sulked out “I’m sorry for forcing you to get ice cream yesterday night hyung…” Yujin actually looked so guilty that Matthew felt bad for getting sick.
He smiled and ruffled their maknae’s hair replying “don’t worry, it’s no one’s fault.”
Everyone around them cooed at Yujin and Matthew’s cuteness too one another before Matthew let out another sneeze, this time louder. He sheepishly smiled and Hanbin pulled him and everyone back into the heated room.
Zhanghao pushed him to sit on the bed and EAT his (Ricky’s) breakfast, whilst he ordered everyone to find Matthew the warmest clothes they could for the day.
Jiwoong then turned to him with an evil grin, holding a spoon and saying “Matthew-ya ahh”, feeding a spoonful into his mouth.
Matthew giggled a little, remembering the times where Jiwoong would feed him a ‘spoon full of sugar’ during Say My Name.
His ears perked up as he heard a buzzing noise and turned to Hanbin singing “here comes the airplane Seok Mae-ya! Open up”
“Hyunggg,” Matthew whined telling them he wasn’t a child anymore.
Zhanghao only looked at him sharply, saying that he’d have to be treated like one until he got better.
Matthew resigned to his fate as Zhanghao switched up, exclaiming “Matthew-ya! Who do you like feeding you the best?!”
“No one.” He deadpanned.
———
It was cold outside to say the least.
And that’s how Matthew ended up outside in Taerae’s overrated red pants, Yujins hot-pink fluffy sweater and Zhanghao’s puffer coat around him.
Gunwook and Gyuvin had also taken the time to find every scarf in the dorm and wrapped each one around Matthew.
Jiwoong had lovelingly placed each strand of Matthew’s hair into a beanie, and Hanbin had shoved a pair of gloves onto a Matthews hands, all whilst getting distracted and playing with it.
Ricky, trying to make a contribution to the great closet of Matthew, just shrugged and plopped a $5000 ring on Matthew’s finger. “Our promise ring,” he had exclaimed when Zhanghao rolled his eyes and said “that’s not gonna make him warmer”
So their he stood, face fully covered, save the eyes, bundled up in dozens of layers of clothing and looking like a kid just waiting to get bullied for their crappy fashion pants.
Gyuvin blamed it on the bright red pants.
It was an interesting fashion statement. Even more so when Hanbin slid a pair of sunglasses lovingly onto his face, exclaiming that “Matthew’s too bright for the sun… let’s protect him”, so now he was fully covered.
“You look cute! Like a snowman!” Taerae exclaimed as Matthew turned to him in disbelief.
If the fans caught them now would they be able to recognise him? Or would they think it’s 8 idols with a walking fashion terrorist.
Either way Matthew was quiet grateful no part of him was showing nor recognisable.
As they walked to the their studio, Yujin and Gyuvin were clinging tight to him and all he saw were the other members sneaking looks at him and mumbling “cute”
Matthew puffed his cheeks and turned to the two hanging off him, “don’t blame me if you get sick,” he scolded half-heartedly, to which they nodded and held him tighter.
Gyuvin reached into Matthew’s sweater paws, Zhanghao’s jumper was far to large, and held his hands for ‘warmth’.
Yujin gave him an angelic smile and whispered “although you look like a loser, our hyungs still love you so I gotta protect you!” He said whilst bundling closer to Matthew and skipping along together.
Matthew only laughed at the ‘joke’ and endearingly ruffled their hair. “He’s not joking!” Gunwook exclaimed. “I was bribed this morning into practicing with Jiwoong!”
Matthew only raised his eyebrows, curious but not curious enough to ask.
They made it too their studio where the 9 members made heads turn. Sure all of them were very visually gorgeous, but that was what Matthew was trying to gaslight him into thinking.
It definitely wasn’t because he was waddling in bright coloured clothes with everyone surrounding him and glaring at anyone who looked a Matthew the wrong way.
Upon reaching the dance studio, their instructor took one look at Matthew and burst out laughing.
“Hahahaha!! Look at you Matthew-ya!!” He said whilst laughing hysterically at Matthews fit.
Matthew’s face only heated up further in embarrassment and he shuffled away to hide behind Hanbin who was giggling into his hand.
Jiwoong spoke up for all of them and claimed that “Matthew got sick.”
That silence up the instructor as he only looked at them in pity.
“We’ll have an easy one today but make sure y’all take good care of him ok?”
Matthew raised his voice to say he was perfectly capable on his own but was interrupted when everyone screamed “YESSIR!” in army voices.
Matthew’s headache increase tenfold.
———
They were practicing through their new debut title track when Matthew felt the black spots in his vision start to increase.
Their new choreography was amazing and synchronised, ready to shake the 5th gen industry, but with that came intense dancing. He knew he was fully capable of mastering the dance moves with his amazing body control and fluid movements but today was clearly just not his day.
He tried forcing his body through it again, as they began the song from the start. He was doing well, really, with no major mistakes but it got to a breaking point.
Matthew’s lungs gave in and he started spluttering and coughing, swaying dizzily from side to side.
His vision grew hazy and the next this he knew, his legs were giving out. The person closest to him yelped screaming out “MATTHEW!”, before holding onto Matthew before he hit the ground.
Jiwoong gently knelt on the ground, holding Matthew up whilst the rest of the members halted immediately and ran to Matthew.
“Matthew-ya!!” Hanbin screamed as he starting stroking Matthew’s fluffy hair and everyone started crowding around Matthew.
Taerae looked on worriedly as Matthews face was getting more redder and feverish. His breaths were puffed and short.
The manager rushed to them, claiming he’d carry Matthew to the infirmary, with a slight glint in his eyes.
Taerae narrowed his eyes as being a WAKEONE trainee, he knew that Matthew’d be left in there unattended, and they would prioritise the debuted idols first.
Zhanghao gestured to the others to block Matthew protectively as Jiwoong squared the manager off with a sweet smile.
“Ahh thank you for your suggestion, but I think it’ll be best if we take him home to rest.” Jiwoong stated calmly as the others waited with baited breaths and Matthew groaned was the slightest touch.
The dance choreographer sighed in trepidation and let out a fond smile, as all 9 of them looked at him with pleading eyes. Yes even Matthew as he didn’t even need for try hard to look cute and convince their instructor.
Judging from this event, the staff member knew this group was gonna be fine in the future and would always take care of each other.
Seeing their instructor wavering, Taerae elbowed Yujin hard and he hissed, glaring at the dimpled man. Taerae frantically gestured to their instructor and Yujin nodded, knowing what needed to be done.
“Sunbaenim… could we please rest for the day to take Matthew hyung back home?” Yujin cried out with pleading eyes as crocodile tears started forming in his eyes.
His eyes glistened as he folded his hands together and started sniffling. Gyuvin sprung into action next to him, and started pleading as well.
“Yujinnie! Don’t cry! Matthew hyung is going to be fine!” He cried as he hugged Yujin tightly and they sank onto the ground, dramatically wailing.
Matthew had half the mind to look at them concerned, coughing out a “I’m fin-“ before spluttering even more.
Hanbin panicked even further and held Matthew up, “Seok Mae-ya, listen to me! You’ll be ok. Don’t die on me yet!” He screamed holding his best friend to him as Matthew groaned.
Even Zhanghao and Gunwook were clinging to each other, murmuring “bet they’re gonna fight over who gives him CPR”
Gosh his teammates were too dramatic.
Jiwoong looked ready to punch an answer into the instructors face, and Matthew pulled on Hanbin’s sleeve.
“Hyung~” he said tiredly. “I wanna go home.”
Hanbin stared at him with soft eyes replying “of course sweetie, anything for you.”
Ricky gagged.
In reluctance their instructor let them off and Jiwoong princess carried Matthew to the car, with much protest from the members and the person himself.
Matthew was so ready for a night of rest.
If only they would let him do so.
———
“Matthew ya! Dinner time!”
“Seok Mae, say ahhh!!”
“Matthew-ya don’t be stubborn or I’ll feed you through my mouth.”
“Matthew hyung have some ice cream!”
“Neil bomyeon mami getting hot eonjena Summer night~”
Matthew was getting bombarded.
Hanbin, Jiwoong and Zhanghao were trying to force feed him medicine, even after his strong insistence that he could put a spoon to his mouth just fine. Jiwoong sighed disappointedly.
The Maknae line was trying to feed him ice cream, persuading them that if ice cream got him sick, it could make him better. If only life worked like that.
Ricky was, as always, sitting there poshly, glancing in his handheld mirror and fixing his hair.
And Kim Taerae?
Taerae was singing him a lullaby. Not even one that would put him to sleep as he’d hoped, but Hot Summer?
Matthew seriously adored his voice but the guitar and a deep sexy voice singing their finals song right in his ear was not needed at the moment.
As chaos ensured around him, Matthew sat there glum on the couch, nose red with fever and wrapped in a burrito blanket once again.
Everyone was buzzing around him like flies and he didn’t have it in him to refuse them.
“Matthew-hyung, ice cream!” Gunwook exclaimed proudly, saying he, Yujin and Gyuvin had compiled all the flavours they owned into one single bowl.
A bowl of ‘happiness’ apparently, because a person with a cold should definitely eat ice cream.
Zhanghao, being their reliable hyung rolled his eyes at them and snatched the concoction away snapping “Matthew needs medicine right now”
Zhanghao forced a tight lipped smile and stared down at a pouting Matthew.
“Matthew-ya. Drink. It.”
Matthew pouted and shook his head stubbornly.
The medicine that Zhanghao was forcing him to drink was in the hands of Jiwoong and Hanbin. Jiwoong, wanting to get a kiss out of it and Hanbin wanting to spoon feed him.
Matthew pride was not prepared for that. “NO! I’m not drinking it like that from them” he said as he stared at Zhanghao with pleading eyes.
The other two ignored the offending statements and just stared at Matthews cute wrapped up form, whipped.
Zhanghao sighed and rubbed his temples, but he soon softened when he saw how Matthew was really genuinely tired.
Zhanghao really adored him so much. He stole the medicine away and sat Matthew down in his lap.
“Matthew, open up.”
Matthew complied straight away and drank the medicine with a satisfied smile. “Thank hyung!” He said enthusiastically as the others started screaming “NO FAIR!”
Zhanghao only chuckled and squeezed Matthew tightly. Matthew’s eyes started to droop and he leaned his head against Zhanghao’s chest.
“M-tired” he mumbled as Zhanghao only rubbed his back soothingly.
He then made grabby hands towards Hanbin with a “hyung~”.
Hanbin melted on the spot and together with Jiwoong and the Maknaes, they made their way towards the couch, squishing him from all sides.
“Hot summerrrr” Taerae was still singing with his best friend, his guitar, and he too set down his prized possession to come and engulf them in a big giant cuddlefest.
“Mattchu-ya, go to sleep now and you’ll wake up feeling better,” Hanbin said as the 9 members cuddled together and one by one, fell into a deep sleep.
Matthew wriggled into the warmth and he too, wrapped arms around Hanbin and fell asleep.
Too bad morning always comes after the peaceful night.
——
Matthew woke up to entangled limbs on the couch. He lifted his head from Zhanghao’s chest and get freed from Jiwoong’s back-hug.
His head felt light and fresh as he let out a cheerful smile, feeling back to his bright normal self again.
Woohoo! I’m alive! He mentally cheered, wondering if he was just hallucinating everyone’s weird actions to him yesterday cause he was sick.
He turned to his members and yelled “rise and shine!” as he bounced up and down excitedly.
He heard a groan and saw Yujin sneeze into the air. Gyuvin awoke and was coughing into his hand.
One by one, they sat up, showing different variations of a cold.
Matthew stared at them and paled.
Oh wow, and history repeats itself.