Kpop Sickfics & Hurtfics

In the Wake of Fireworks (Nicholas)

The air in the practice room was thick with exhaustion as &TEAM struggled through yet another round of "Fireworks." Nicholas had been lagging, the throbbing in his head building steadily from a dull ache to a piercing migraine. He fought to keep up with the others, but every beat felt like a nail driving deeper into his temples.

K's voice cut through the music. "Nicholas, can you focus? You're throwing us off!"

Nicholas flinched, sweat dotting his forehead as he struggled to push the pain away. But it was too much. He wanted to explain, but K's sharp words hit harder than the headache itself. The rest of the members remained silent, their eyes cast downward, unwilling to meet K's glare. All except Taki, who looked over with concern but stayed quiet.

Frustration and betrayal churned in Nicholas's chest. Unable to bear the burning in his head or the tension in the room, he turned and stormed out. Taki watched, his own chest tightening, but hesitated before finally slipping out to follow him.

The night air was cool, but Nicholas barely felt it as he stumbled through the streets, his mind swimming with pain and hurt. His hand pressed firmly against his forehead, and he tried to steady his breathing, but the migraine was relentless, drowning out all sense of his surroundings.

"Nicholas-hyung!" Taki's voice echoed from behind him, but Nicholas barely heard. A sudden, blinding throb hit him, causing him to stagger into the road. He raised a shaky hand to his head, trying to block out the pain.

A car horn blared, piercing through the haze, and Taki's heart dropped. "Hyung!" He sprinted forward, but it was too late. The car struck Nicholas, and he crumpled to the ground.

Taki's hands trembled as he knelt beside Nicholas, who lay still, his face pale and blood seeping onto the pavement. Fighting back panic, Taki shakily dialed for an ambulance, barely able to keep his voice steady.

Not wanting to involve the others due to how they behaved at practice, he quickly called Sunoo and Niki from ENHYPEN, who immediately promised to meet him at the hospital. They'd know what to do.

Back at the practice room, EJ's phone buzzed with a call from Jake. "Hey, EJ... I just heard from Niki, about the car accident and that Nicholas is in the hospital. How is he?"

EJ felt his blood run cold. "What? Are you sure?"

He looked around the room, realizing that both Nicholas and Taki were missing. He tried calling Nicholas first but got no answer, wanting not to believe what Jake said. His anxiety mounting, he tried Taki, who finally picked up on the third ring.

"Taki, what happened?" EJ asked, panic edging into his voice.

Taki's voice was strained. "Nicholas-hyung... he got hurt, he had migraine while crossing the street and a car crashed into him. I'm with him at the hospital, but... you and the others mustn't come, you've done enough?"

EJ swallowed as the phone went dead, he was confused what had they done. He walked over to Fuma and quietly whispered to him, "Hyung, Nicholas-hyung is in the hospital, but there is something more. Taki is acting weird. Please don't tell the others until I figure this out." 

Fuma nodded, but not without concern laced in his eyes.

Arriving at the hospital, EJ found Nicholas in a hospital bed, his head, torso, and knee wrapped in bandages, his arm in a cast, and his ankle in a brace. Taki was beside him, eyes puffy, while Sunoo and Niki stood close, offering quiet support.

Sunoo shot EJ a hard side-eye, and Jake's gaze was sharp, disappointment clear on his face. Taki didn't even turn to look at him.

"I... I didn't know—"

Taki's voice was barely a whisper. "You should leave."

Outside the room, Jake held EJ back. "What happened, EJ?" he asked, a mixture of concern and frustration in his voice. EJ shook his head, explaining that he and Fuma had asked K to handle practice while they discussed upcoming schedules with the manager. He had no idea it would end like this. 

Jay, sensing Taki's turmoil, gently guided him into the hall to get some air. Taki held back tears as he explained what had happened.

"K-hyung was so harsh on Nicholas-hyung. He kept shouting at him for being slow, even though he looked so pale, so in pain... I tried to follow him, but..." His voice cracked as he recounted witnessing the accident. Jay pulled him into a hug, comforting him as Taki's sobs shook his small frame.

EJ stood nearby, guilt pooling in his stomach. He hadn't realized how much pressure Nicholas had been under. The weight of his role as leader bore down on him as he approached Taki. "I'm so sorry," he murmured. "This... this is on me, too."

Taki sniffed, nodding slightly in acknowledgment. "I know. But we have to be better."

EJ stepped away to call Fuma, explaining what had happened and asking him to join him at the hospital with their manager. Fuma agreed, shock evident in his voice. When they arrived the manger spoke breaking the silence, "The CEO needs to hear about this," he said, promising to update him while EJ returned to Nicholas's room.

Meanwhile, Fuma stayed with Nicholas as EJ led a shaken Taki back to the dorm. EJ kept an arm around Taki, who was barely holding it together.

When they entered the dorm, the members crowded around them with questions, their concern evident. But K's expression shifted from worry to anger when he saw Taki.

"Where have you and Nicholas been? You just abandoned practice after a little fight? Do you have any idea—"

"Enough," EJ interrupted sharply, his tone leaving no room for argument. "Nicholas-hyung is in the hospital. He was in an accident."

The room fell silent, the weight of EJ's words sinking in. Taki, unable to hold back his tears any longer, collapsed into EJ's arms, his sobs echoing in the quiet room.

K's face paled, his anger replaced by shock. The other members, seeing the anguish in Taki's expression, grew still, regret lining their faces.

An hour later, Fuma returned with an update on Nicholas's condition. He'd need time to heal, but he would recover. EJ took a deep breath, addressing the group firmly.

"You're not to visit Nicholas-hyung until he's discharged," he said, his voice unyielding. "This is a consequence of how you let things get out of hand today."

The members nodded, understanding. Guilt was etched into their expressions as they realized how deeply their inaction had affected Nicholas. As a team, they vowed silently to make it up to him somehow.

A week passed before Nicholas was discharged. When he returned to the dorm, he was greeted with a "Welcome Home" banner, his favorite foods, and gifts the members had prepared in his absence. They knelt before him, each expressing heartfelt apologies.

"Nicholas, I'm sorry," K began, his voice thick with regret. "I didn't see... I didn't understand. I pushed too hard."

Each member echoed K's apology, their remorse evident. They promised to be better, to stand by him and support him no matter what.

Nicholas felt overwhelmed but touched. He glanced at Taki, who had been the only one by his side throughout everything. The younger member gave him a reassuring smile, standing close as the others looked on hopefully.

"I forgive you," Nicholas finally whispered, feeling the tension in his heart begin to ease. "But let's do better. Together."

EJ placed a hand on his shoulder, a promise in his eyes. "We will. We'll be here for each other from now on. No one gets left behind."

As they gathered around Nicholas, a newfound sense of unity settled over them. Each of them understood now—this was their team, their family. And they'd protect it with everything they had.