Fluffy SKZ oneshots🧸

Winter Wonderland🌡️

Sickie: Minho

Caregiver: Jisung

No one's POV.:
Stray Kids had finished their schedule for this year and were officially on Christmas break. Of course, that didn't stop 3racha from composing new songs, it was their hobby so they couldn't just stop what they loved doing but in order to spend some quality time as a group, the three had left their studio and gathered the rest of their members to go on a hike. It had snowed recently and the scenery looked magical. It didn't take long to convince their friends to spend some time exploring nature. Seungmin had immediately collected his camera and spare memory card, he was planning to save all the beautiful sights in a photo album dedicated to the cold season. Hyunjin had put together a stunning yet warm outfit, hoping Seungmin would also snap pictures of him. The others just wanted to have some fun together and forget about the pressure they always lived under. Having all the time in the world, they slept in and enjoyed a long, late breakfast before dressing warmly and stepping into their boots to head out.

Chan had chosen a rather deserted route to ensure nobody would bother them. Their trail led them partly through a forest, the trees covered in snow. It looked magical and romantic. Seungmin barely put his camera down and of course, he also took pictures of Hyunjin posing in front of a small group of trees. Their hike was only interrupted for a few minutes here and there, when one of the members purposefully knocked the snow of some branches, so it would cover one of their friends, and a rough snowball fight would ensue. Chan considered making them stop because he feared they'd get drenched and fall ill from walking around in wet clothes, but it was the first time he saw them not having a care in the world, so he just joined in. Having had a very late breakfast, they decided to skip lunch and instead have a big early dinner. This would give them a few more hours of fun outside before heading back. As the hours passed though, their soaked clothing was catching up with them and they finally realized that is was actually really cold outside, something they had been ignoring, being bundled up in thick coats.

Chan could only shake his head at the whiny complaints about being too cold and not being able to feel their fingers and toes anymore, as he guided the shivering group back to the dorm. Those kids, they knew they'd get soaked by playing with snow but did they care? Of course not. By the time they got back home, they were ready to kill for the first turn to shower. Chan stood back, he wasn't as soaked as the others and was mostly worried the youngers would fall ill if they didn't get warm soon. He could put up with feeling cold for a little while longer. Minho envied him. Chan was a good hyung, Minho felt like he was never a good enough hyung to his dongsaengs. That's why he wanted to follow Chan's example when the leader claimed to shower last. Minho too decided to let the youngers shower first, despite shaking like a leaf and feeling like he would never be able to get warm again.

"Minho-yah, I think you should be one of the first ones to shower", Chan stated, "We all know your immune system sucks. We don't want you to catch a cold now, do we? So close to Christmas..." – "Hyung, I'm good. The others are freezing worse than I am", the dancer lied, fighting to keep his teeth from chattering, "besides you should know that although it is called 'cold', you don't get it from being in a cold environment." The leader rolled his eyes at his sassy dongsaeng but decided not to argue further when he saw the determined look in the other's eyes. Together they prepared two large pots of spiced chai tea, enough to warm all of them up from inside. Pouring himself a cup, Minho quietly sipped on his hot drink and used the warm cup to warm his stiff fingers. The steam made his nose run and he kept sniffling into his sleeve as he waited for his turn to shower, unaware of how closely Chan was observing him.

The leader knew that Minho was bound to come down with something after being stuck in his cold and damp clothes for so long, although the dancer himself didn't want to admit how weak his immune system actually is. Sadly, Minho was always too proud for his own good. His dongsaengs would have let him shower first because they know him and how easily he catches the sniffles, Jisung even put up a fight when he was forced to shower before Minho but it was to no avail. In order to keep the peace, he begrudgingly took his turn to shower after shooting his sniffling hyung a concerned look, cursing him inwardly for being so stubborn. While Minho showered, the members all gathered in the living room, sipping warm tea and keeping Chan company as the leader waited for Minho to finish. They all agreed that Minho would probably wake up sick tomorrow, they had watched the same scenario play out over and over again since they got to know him and the dancer would without fail always catch a cold when his clothes got wet. Whether it was performing in the rain or being stuck outside when the weather wasn't too good, the dancer would fall ill soon after. For now, there was nothing they could do, so they dropped the topic when Chan went to take his shower but they were all keeping a close eye on their friend from now on.