Zerobaseone Sickfics [REQUESTS CLOSED]

《 Taerae: I'm Fine 》

Written on: Sunday, 4.08.2024

Words: 1317

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It was another late night at the practice studio. The air conditioning hummed softly in the background, but even that couldn't cut through the sweltering heat inside the room. The members moved through their choreography, their movements sharp and precise despite the exhaustion weighing heavily on their shoulders.

Taerae's body felt like it was made of lead. Every step, every spin, every jump felt like it required twice the effort. His head was pounding, and he could feel the sweat dripping down his face, more than usual. But he didn't say anything. He couldn't. They were so close to their comeback, and they couldn't afford any delays.

The music cut out abruptly, and the choreographer clapped his hands together. "Alright, let's take ten." The others immediately broke formation, heading for their water bottles or collapsing onto the floor to catch their breath. Taerae, however stayed where he was, his breath coming in short, shallow gasps. He felt like the room was spinning around him and he had to close his eyes to steady himself. "Taerae hyung, you okay?" Gyuvin asked, noticing that Taerae hadn't moved from his spot. Taerae forced his eyes open and managed a weak smile. "Yeah, just... catching my breath." Gyuvin frowned, not entirely convinced, but before he could say anything else, the choreographer called them back into formation. Taerae sighed in relief, grateful for the distraction. He didn't want to worry anyone.

The music started again and Taerae forced himself to move, to keep up with the others. But with each passing second, it became harder to focus. His vision blurred and his movements became sluggish, almost robotic. He felt like he was moving through a thick fog, every sound and sight muffled. He stumbled slightly during a particularly fast turn, catching himself just in time to avoid falling. But the movement sent a sharp pain shooting through his head, and he winced, pressing a hand to his temple. "TAEARE HYUNG!" Ricky's voice cut through the music, filled with concern. The music stopped again, and everyone turned to look at Taerae, who was now hunched over, his hands on his knees as he struggled to catch his breath. "What's going on, Taerae?" Hanbin asked, his brows furrowed in worry.

"I'm fine, hyung. Just....need a minute." Taerae insisted, though his voice was weak. Gunwook stepped forward, placing a hand on Taerae's shoulder. "You don't look fine, taerae hyung." Taerae tried to shrug off the concern, but he couldn't ignore the dizziness that was making it hard to stand. "I just... I just need to rest for a bit. I'll be okay." The choreographer, who had been watching the exchange, finally spoke up. "Alright, let's call it a night. We've pushed hard enough."

There were murmurs of agreement from the other members, but Taerae could see the concern in their eyes. He hated being the reason they had to stop early. As they began packing up, Taerae tried to move as normally as possible, but every movement felt like a herculean effort. His muscles ached, his head throbbed, and he felt a wave of nausea wash over him. "You sure you're okay, hyung?" Gyuvin asked again as they left the studio, his voice gentle but persistent. Taerae forced a smile. "Yeah, just need some sleep. I'll be fine by morning."

The ride back to the dorms was unusually quiet. Taerae leaned his head against the cool window, hoping the cold would help soothe his feverish skin. He could feel the heat radiating off his body, but he was too exhausted to care. All he wanted was to get back to the dorm and collapse into bed. When they finally arrived, Taerae practically dragged himself to his room, ignoring the worried glances from the others. He barely managed to change into his pajamas before he collapsed onto his bed, the cool sheets a welcome relief against his burning skin.

He was just drifting off to sleep when there was a soft knock on the door. He groaned, not wanting to move, but the door creaked open anyway, and Gunwook peeked inside. "Taerae hyung? Are you sure you're okay? You've been acting weird since morning." He whispered, stepping inside. Taerae opened one eye, trying to muster up the energy to respond. "I'm fine, Gunwook. Just tired." Gunwook frowned, moving closer. He reached out to touch Taerae's forehead, and his eyes widened at the heat radiating from his skin. "Taerae hyung, you're burning up!"

"It's nothing,gunwook. I just need to sleep it off. " Taerae mumbled, turning his face into the pillow. But Gunwook wasn't convinced. He rushed out of the room, and moments later, he returned with the rest of the members in tow, all of them looking concerned. "Taerae, you should have said something. You're clearly not well." Hanbin scolded gently, sitting on the edge of the bed. Taerae sighed, feeling too weak to argue. "I didn't want to worry anyone. We have so much to do..."

"We can't do anything if you're not okay. You need to take care of yourself." Ricky pointed out, his voice soft but firm. Taerae tried to protest, but the words died in his throat as another wave of nausea hit him. He closed his eyes, trying to block out the sensation."We need to get him some medicine." Yujin said, already heading towards the kitchen. "And water also.He needs to stay hydrated. " Gyuvin added.

The others sprang into action, each taking on a task to make Taerae more comfortable. Gunwook grabbed an extra blanket, draping it over Taerae's shivering form, while Ricky propped up his pillows so he could sit up slightly. When Yujin returned with the medicine, Taerae forced himself to sit up, though it took all his strength. He swallowed the pills with a few sips of water, grimacing at the taste."You should have told us you weren't feeling well. We would have understood." Gunwook said softly, sitting down next to Taerae on the bed. Taerae leaned back against the pillows, his eyes heavy with exhaustion. "I didn't want to be a burden."

"You're not a burden. We're a team, Taerae. We're suppose to take care of each other." Hanbin said firmly. Taerae felt a lump form in his throat at Hanbin's words. He knew they were right, but it was hard to let go of the guilt and the pressure he felt to always be at his best. "I'm sorry." he whispered, his voice barely audible.

"There's nothing to apologize for hyung. Just focus on getting better, okay? We'll handle everything else." Gunwook replied, giving him a reassuring smile. Taerae nodded, feeling a wave of gratitude wash over him. Despite the fever still burning in his body, he felt a warmth in his chest that had nothing to do with his illness.The members stayed with him until he drifted off to sleep, their quiet presence a comforting balm to his frayed nerves. As he finally gave in to the exhaustion, he knew that no matter what challenges they faced, they would face them together.

~THE NEXT MORNING~

Taerae woke up feeling slightly better, though still weak. His fever had broken during the night, thanks to the care and attention of his members. When he finally emerged from his room, he was met with a chorus of greetings and relieved smiles. "Feeling better?" Gyuvin asked, handing him a cup of warm tea. Taerae nodded, taking the cup with a grateful smile. "Yeah, much better. Thanks, everyone."

"Don't scare us like that again hyung. " Ricky teased, though his eyes were filled with relief. "I won't, okay?" Taerae promised, his heart swelling with affection for his members. As they sat down to eat breakfast together, the atmosphere was light and easy, the stress of the previous night forgotten. They talked and laughed, the bond between them stronger than ever.