The first tendrils of dawn were beginning to paint the sky as Minho and Seo-Jun finally succumbed to sleep, the exhaustion of the day pulling them under. It was around 4 a.m. when Seo-Jun's rest was shattered. A low murmur escaped his lips, a sound that quickly escalated into panicked whispers. His grip on Minho tightened, a desperate grasp born of a nightmare.
"No! No... don't take her away... don't..." The words were choked with a raw, visceral fear, his body slick with sweat. Tears streamed down his face, a silent testament to the torment he was enduring. Minho, jolted awake by the distress, turned to face Seo-Jun, concern etching lines onto his features. He reached out, his hand gently touching Seo-Jun's arm, a hesitant attempt to rouse him from the nightmare's grip. "Sir..." he murmured, his voice a low, soothing rumble.
Seo-Jun's eyes snapped open, wide and unfocused, the remnants of the dream clinging to them. He sat up abruptly, the sudden movement disorienting. Minho, now fully awake, sat beside him, his expression a mixture of worry and apology. "I'm sorry I woke you up... You were having a nightmare, and I... just wanted to help..." He trailed off, his gaze fixed on Seo-Jun, who was now wiping away the lingering tears, his breathing slowly returning to normal. Then, without hesitation, Minho's hand went to Seo-Jun's forehead, checking for a fever. Seo-Jun flinched, his eyes meeting Minho's in a moment of confusion. Minho sighed in relief, "Good. You're not burning up anymore. How are you feeling?" Seo-Jun, his voice barely a whisper, placed a hand on his head, "My head hurts." Minho immediately responded, "Okay, I'll go get you a pill for that." He started to get up, but Seo-Jun's grip tightened, his eyes widening as he pulled Minho back down onto the bed. "Leave the pill. Get some more sleep. It's 4 a.m. We have to get up in a few hours." With that, he closed his eyes, still holding Minho close, seeking the comfort of his presence in the fading darkness.
However, Minho's concern was a tangible thing, a warmth against the chill that had settled in Seo-Jun's bones. "But what about your head? Will you be okay to fall asleep?" Seo-Jun murmured, the words thick with a weariness that went beyond mere exhaustion. "I will be fine." He shifted, the movement a slow, deliberate process, and settled into a sleeping position.
Minho released his hands, a silent acknowledgment of Seo-Jun's need for space, and turned away, his back a solid wall between them. "Okay then…" he murmured, the sound barely audible above the ragged breaths that filled the room. But sleep evaded Seo-Jun. His eyes, heavy-lidded, traced the curve of Minho's back, a silent plea etched into the air. A hand, slightly trembling, reached out, hovering inches from the warmth he craved, then retreated. "What am I doing? Get a grip, Seo-Jun..." The thought was a harsh whisper in the silence.
Yet, the pull was too strong. He turned again, his gaze fixed on Minho's back, the scent of him a phantom that filled his senses. "The fever is making me feel and act like this..." The words were a desperate attempt to rationalise the irrational pull. Turning again, he closed the distance between them, a silent surrender to the need that consumed him. "Making his smell to calm me down... and making me feel better just from him being next to me..." A small smile played on his lips, a fragile defiance against the storm within. "It is definitely the fever..." He looked at Minho's waist and reached out, the decision made. "Just for tonight." His arms closed around him, a desperate embrace, and finally, sleep claimed him.
The morning light, a pale imitation of the day before, spilt into the kitchen, finding Lily already there. "Good morning, Minho-" she called, her voice echoing in the sudden emptiness. Silence answered her, a stark contrast to the usual morning bustle. "That's strange. Where is Minho? Is he still sleeping?... But that means Seo-Jun is probably still sleeping too..." A slow smile spread across her face, a spark of mischief igniting in her eyes. "Are they together?" The thought was a catalyst, propelling her up the stairs, her footsteps light but determined.
Down the corridor she went, her gaze sweeping over the closed doors. "They are not in Minho's room for sure. Then..." Her pace quickened as she approached Seo-Jun's room, a knowing smirk playing on her lips. "Please be with clothes." The words were a prayer, a plea for a scene she was eager to witness. Slowly, she pushed the door ajar, peeking inside.
And there they were.
A wave of warmth washed over her, a mixture of amusement and something akin to fondness. "They are so cute! I can't believe Jun is hugging him! They are getting much closer to becoming an actual couple. My plan is working! I should let them sleep now..." A genuine smile softened her features as she quietly closed the door, leaving the two figures to their slumber. Descending the stairs, she paused, a new thought taking root. "I should be the one making breakfast today." The decision was made, and with a renewed spring in her step, she re-entered the kitchen, the morning now filled with the promise of a different kind of warmth.
The world swam back into focus, the remnants of sleep clinging to Minho as he slowly surfaced. Across from him, Seo-Jun's face was a study in peaceful slumber, the lines of worry smoothed away by the night. A soft smile touched Minho's lips as he drank in the sight, the quiet intimacy of the moment a balm to his restless thoughts.
A giggle, like the chime of tiny bells, broke the silence. "Are you going to continue staring at my face, or are you planning to wake me up?" Seo-Jun's eyes fluttered open, meeting Minho's gaze, and the air crackled with a sudden awareness. A blush crept up Minho's neck as he sat up, the sound a little too loud in the still room. "You are awake! I wasn't staring at you! I was just..." The words died in his throat, the usual ease of his tongue deserting him. A lie felt impossible, the truth too vulnerable.
Seo-Jun chuckled, mirroring Minho's own rising color. "You can sleep some more if you want. You probably didn't sleep much during the night because of me." Minho flinched, a flicker of confusion crossing his features. "No. I am fine." He thought, "I actually slept pretty well..." But the memory of the previous night, of Seo-Jun's fever and the fear that had gripped him, surfaced unbidden. "How are you feeling now? Any fever?"
Seo-Jun rose from the bed, reaching for a t-shirt from the wardrobe. "I don't think so." He began to pull the shirt over his head, but Minho, a sudden intensity in his eyes, moved with a swiftness that surprised them both. He pulled Seo-Jun back down to the bed, his voice a low command, "Slowly. You might still feel dizzy from the fever." And with a gentleness that belied his earlier agitation, he began to help Seo-Jun dress, his touch careful, his gaze unwavering, the unspoken words hanging heavy in the air between them.
The air in the room crackled with a familiar tension, a mixture of concern and unspoken affection. Minho's voice held a genuine edge of worry. "You should be more careful!" he began, his gaze fixed on Seo-Jun. "You had a fever because of your constant undressing and dressing at the racetrack. You shouldn't do that!" Seo-Jun met his gaze with a touch of irritation. "The suit is uncomfortable, and it's hot inside. I hate sweating."
Minho's expression turned serious. "Can't you just bear with it for 10 minutes until your next race?! You are all sweaty after a race, and after you undress, you feel much cooler. You can easily catch a cold in that way, just like it happened now. At least drink some vitamins to prevent that from happening!"
A slow smirk spread across Seo-Jun's face as he tilted his head slightly. "Are you this worried about me?"
Minho stumbled back, a flush creeping up his neck. "What?! I am not worried about you! I just... don't want to look after you all the time!" He crossed his arms, feigning indifference, but the gesture only served to highlight the truth. Seo-Jun, with a knowing glint in his eyes, saw right through the facade. "Adorable." he murmured to himself.
Pushing himself to his feet, Seo-Jun announced, "Let's go downstairs now. Lily has been waiting for us for half an hour already." A genuine smile played on his lips as he turned and walked towards the door, leaving Minho in his wake.
Minho stood frozen for a moment, then, with a mix of exasperation and frustration, he muttered, "How does he always know everything about everyone?!" Rolling his eyes, he followed Seo-Jun out of the room.