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How To Get A Squirrel To Like You

How To Get A Squirrel To Like You

Genre: Oneshot/HurtComfort
Word Count: 3531
Band: TXT
Ship: Taegyu (either romantic or platonic)
Written: January 17-21, 2021
Spice Alert: None
Trigger Warnings: obvious blood re: wisdom teeth, one instance of throwing up

Bang PD-nim calls the remaining four members of TXT into his office after Taehyun is on his way to the dentist.

"We have confiscated Taehyun's mobile phone," he explains. "You should consider going on a social media hiatus for a couple of days, as well. Or post approved selcas only. The world knows Taehyun's going in for surgery, they know he will be out for a couple of days, most of you are on a break from your duties as well until he's right again. But be very careful what you post, and above all else, do not let Taehyun take your cell phones from you."

"Uh, why not?" the ever innocent Hueningkai asks.

Bang PD-nim pauses, because he has to word his next few sentences very carefully. "They're going to have Taehyun on painkillers, and if my calculations are correct, they have the possibility to make Taehyun very loopy. Beomgyu, Soobin, you both remember when you had yours taken out?"

"I..." Now that Beomgyu thinks about it, he doesn't remember all that much. "I think I slept through most of mine."

"Same," Soobin agrees.

"And you remember how you were so in pain that you couldn't do anything during that time? Well, they want to try a different pain medication on Taehyun this time. So he should be feeling better than either of you did, but it has some interesting side effects. I'm going to need the four of you to keep an eye on him, help him out, get food when he needs it, and above all else, do not let him post on social media. Ever. Understood?"

The four boys nod. "Understood." It's just Kang Taehyun, who carefully crafts his social media persona, who always takes the most captivating selcas, who is always careful even when he is full on in maknae mode, off the camera. Nothing can go wrong.

Taehyun arrives back at the dorms later that day and immediately goes to his room to sleep. Normalcy soon resumes, though all four agree that at least someone should stay back at the dorms for when he wakes up. So Beomgyu stays behind to practice the guitar while Yeonjun and Soobin go to work out, and Hueningkai goes shopping downstairs for snacks.

It's about an hour later when Taehyun emerges.

Beomgyu hears the door to Taehyun's room open, and he is expecting a "Hello?" or an "Who's all here?" Instead, he gets a long, low groan, like if he went to sleep sick and drank too much cough syrup. And Beomgyu makes the mistake of turning around. Taehyun is covered in a blanket, his blonde hair is all over the place, and both of his cheeks look like he shoved two strawberries into them.

"Gyuuuuuuuuuuu," he manages to say, but it comes out more as "uuuuuuuuuuuuuuuu."

Beomgyu tries to keep from cracking up and fails. "What are -- Taehyun, are you okay?"

"Uuuuuuuuuuuuu." Taehyun smiles. His smile is as adorable as ever, but Beomgyu can see some of the gauze peeking out at this point. He knows that Taehyun's entire upper mouth is stitched up, that the gauze is in there to stop some of the bleeding, and he can't change the gauze until a nurse stops by later. Then, Taehyun giggles, takes a step forward, and nearly falls onto the carpet, grabbing the wall for support. He then slow-rolls into a ball, taking his blanket with him, laying on the floor.

Beomgyu puts his guitar down. There will be no more music writing today. "Taehyun, are you okay?"

Taehyun is still giggling, then, "Owwwwwww."