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It wasn’t often for Yunho to feel so low. It wasn’t a character he played for the camera or press; he just genuinely doesn’t usually feel down. However, he always cheered up the members who were having an off day and took pride in helping them climb back up to their best selves.
But he couldn’t really do it for himself.
Imagine some people who rarely catch a cold and become sick; but when they do, it is extreme. Similarly, while Yunho rarely spirals compared to his members; when he does, it was unlike anything he’s ever felt. It wasn’t a problem, because it rarely happens. But when it does, he doesn’t feel stable enough to even stand on his own two feet.
Like today.
He was lucky that it was a free day, writhing uncomfortably in the warming bed. He desperately wanted to get up, but his body didn’t listen; heavy enough he imagined someone filling it with lead. His mind drifted off into the darker space, thinking about his boyfriends, their lives, how much easier it would be if he wasn’t there, how they only kept him out of pity-
“Breakfast’s on the table!” he hears Wooyoung call out from outside his door. He wanted to answer, to respond to the sweet smell of pancakes and syrup, but his body didn’t cooperate.
Several minutes pass by before a knock on the door and it was pushed open slowly. Yunho braced himself and turned to the intruder. Yeosang’s bright eyes bore into his as the shorter made his way to Yunho slowly, steps as light as feathers without making a sound.
“So you’re awake? Come on, we’re waiting for you at the table,” Yeosang extended his hand.
Just take his hand and get up, God so useless for no reason, why are you even-
Yunho’s whimpers didn’t go unnoticed as Yeosang immediately sat next to him.
“Pup? You okay?” he asked, voice laced in concern.
Yunho wanted to nod. He wanted to be the one taking care of others and not the other way around, but when Yeosang’s gentle hands carded through his sweat-matted hair, he couldn’t help the 2 stray tears that escaped each eye.
“Today dark day. No good. Can’t function, Sangie, I can’t” Yunho cried softly, eyes wound shut as a few more tears escaped.
Yeosang’s gentle fingers from his other hand slowly came up to cup Yunho’s face. He thumbed away the tears and pressed a loving kiss into Yunho’s furrowed brows.
“Aww, sweet pup. Okay I understand. I’ll go get the others ready okay? Do you want anyone with you while I’m gone?”
Yunho paused for a moment. He wanted everyone there and nobody there at the same time. The emotional rollercoaster of confusion made him even more upset, quiet whimpers starting again. Yeosang was quick to comfort him; a gentle caress in his hair and a quick sweet kiss to his lips.
“How about I go get Mingi to come here? Minmin always makes you better, doesn’t he?”
Yunho nodded. Out of all his amazing boyfriends, Mingi had the ability to deal with his dark days the best, mainly due to the longer time he’s known Yunho. Yeosang gives Yunho a last loving smile as he squeezed his hand.
Yunho calls him back before he left the room.
“Yes, pup?”
“Want Jjongie here too…” Yunho mumbled sheepishly.
Yeosang smiled and nodded, body disappearing from sight. With the absence of his lovers, he began drifting off into the darker space again, tears slowly blurring his vision as he prayed for Mingi and Jongho to arrive quickly.
Yunho jolts to a cool towel at his forehead. Bleary eyes stare back up at large brown orbs of their youngest lover pressing a cold towel to his head. Jongho noticed the eyes on him and smiled softly.
“Hiya, hyung. Thought you’d be a little warm.”
Hyung.
The formality rubbed him the wrong way. It ignited the provider side of him that was currently unavailable, so he began to pout intensely.
“No hyung,” he mumbled as Jongho continued to pat the newly wrung cold towel to his neck. “Can’t hyung right now.”
Jongho huffed a bit and smiled apologetically.
“Okay baby, I’m sorry. I didn’t know.”
“S’okay.” He lifts enough of his head to realise the emptiness of the room. “Where’s Min?” he asked in a small voice.
“I’m right out here, Angel,” a deep voice called to him from the door. The towering frame of his first best friend came into view and Yunho couldn’t stop the happiness he felt seeing the two of them. He shot them a little smile, surprising all three of them. They smiled back at him lovingly.
Jongho stepped back for a moment to allow Mingi to press a kiss into Yunho’s hair. Yunho hummed and made grabby hands for both men in the room. It was the most adorable sight they’ve ever seen: their tallest lover; big, broad and so reliable, pouting and reaching for them like the smallest baby they’ve seen.
They entered his embrace easily, manoeuvring themselves so that Yunho was sandwiched between them and he hummed gratefully. Until the heat of it started to catch up on him and - between their t-shirts and his sleep shirt - started to feel incredibly uncomfortable.
He whined at the barriers and clawed at the offending clothes. Mingi and Jongho both got the hint relatively quickly and immediately shed their shirts before peeling Yunho’s own shirt off his body.
Mingi brought one of his large hands to Yunho’s hips, rubbing and stroking him gently, massaging small circles into his hips. Jongho on the other hand focused on towelling Yunho down with the cold towel. When he deemed Yunho to be sufficiently cool, he dropped the towel in the bucket he brought it in and cradled Yunho’s head softly as he sang a soft lullaby.
Yunho all but melted into the sheets, basking in the gentle love and caress of his lovers. Mingi’s tall stature framing his back. Jongho’s thick arms holding him close. He felt safe and cared for, protected against it all, even the dark side.
💕
“-nho? Yunho?”
“Hmm?”
Yunho didn’t even process the fact he fell asleep; he still felt Mingi and Jongho around him, but noticed the extra weight at their feet. He cracked his eyes open and peered down to see San curled up at their feet, a bright dimpled smile shot his way.
San’s smiles were always magic to them. The dimples and sheer brightness of it made the tension just melt from his shoulders, so Yunho did not resist the urge to smile back and beaconed at San to lay on top of him.
“How are you feeling, Angel?” Mingi’s baritone voice rumbled in his chest against Yunho’s back. He shuddered at the feeling, starting to think slightly unholy thoughts, but too drained to act on it.
“Better, I think? Not too dark anymore, but…” he mumbled into Jongho’s jaw with a pout.
“Don’t worry about it Yuyu, we’re ready for a cuddle session outside if you’re up for it,” San smiled from where he curled on Yunho’s chest.
The other 3 men in the room cooed at the sparkle in Yunho’s eyes at the mention of a group cuddle. He desperately wanted to lounge with everyone, but a thought clouded his head and soured his entire mood.
“What are you thinking so hard about, baby?” Jongho asked, smoothing the crease of Yunho’s brows with his thumb.
“Can’t get up… too much,” he whined as he latched onto Mingi’s neck and nuzzled into San’s hair.
He whimpered when he felt Jongho pull away and San climb off him, crying out for his lovers. A hand grasped his jaw and turned him back and he was immediately sated with a deep kiss while Mingi’s hands rubbed circles in his hips. He pulled back and blinked through the tears at him.
“Aigo, please don’t cry, my sweet Angel. We’re only going to help you get there without having to move yourself too much,” he assured, pressing gentle kisses into Yunho’s jaw and neck that had the other whimpering for different reasons.
“You ready, baby?” Jongho asked.
Yunho nodded his head, not fully understanding what he was agreeing to, but trusting his younger lover to keep him safe. He yelped as he was pulled into the air, arms flying to wrap around Jongho’s neck. The younger buried his face into Yunho’s neck and pressed little butterfly kisses wherever he could reach.
Yunho giggled at the sensation before and onslaught of dark thoughts immediately crowded him.
You’re 185 cm tall dammit, you’re probably crushing Jongho with your weight. Stop being so useless and use your own damn legs to walk. Such a selfish, bratty shit who can’t even-
“No, no, no, Yuyu stop that,” San gently reprimanded him. “You can’t wriggle like that okay?”
Yunho obeyed and stopped moving, but the tears continued to stream down his face.
“S’okay Jjongie, I-I’ll walk myself,” he muttered.
“Is that what you are saying or what the dark voices are saying?” Jongho asked gently.
Yunho didn’t answer, merely pouted at the youngest’s ability to pick up on his thoughts.
“Hmmm, thought so. Don’t worry baby, I’m strong. I’ll hold you forever if that’s what you need.” He pressed a loving kiss to Yunho’s temple.
“Just relax, Angel. We’ll all take care of you, nothing to worry about,” Mingi assured from the side.
The four walked out of Yunho and San’s room to the living room. Hongjoong and Seonghwa were in the living room rearranging plush futons onto the floor. Their couch was already pushed to the back and corner, leaving the living room space large and free for all 8 of them to pile onto the bedding.
Their oldest boyfriends raised their heads at the sight of the 4 and smiled at the sight of them. Seonghwa got up first, walking up to Yunho in Jongho’s arms and gently cupping his face with his left hand. He cooed endlessly when Yunho nuzzled into the warm palm.
“Hello sweetheart. How are you feeling right now?” Seonghwa asked gently.
“Hi hyungie… m’ better,” he smiled weakly.
“That’s good. Do you wanna eat something first or lie down?”
Yunho paused for a moment. He wanted to be able to cuddle and eat, hunger clawing at his stomach. But Seonghwa never liked the idea of eating anywhere that wasn’t the kitchen or dining because of the mess that could take place, but Yunho decided to take a chance.
“Both?” he asked, eyes wide and gleaming.
He noticed Seonghwa falter and immediately regretted it. He didn’t want to make life difficult for his hyung. He should’ve just asked to eat first. God damn it, always so difficult. Would it kill you to just-
“Okay, sweetheart no problem. We can eat and cuddle at the same time, okay?” he heard Seonghwa assure. His hyung said okay, but the voices got to him first, making his eyes glaze over. Good God how many times was he going to cry today?
“Oh, sweetheart what’s wrong? Why are you crying?”
Yunho didn’t notice when he was transferred into Yeosang’s lap from Jongho’s arms, but he didn’t care to notice at the moment.
“M’ sorry hyung,” his lower lip wobbled. “I-I know you don’t like the mess, I’ll just e-eat at the table then lie down.”
Seonghwa shushed him and peppered his face with small kisses until he was no longer tearing up, instead giggling softly at the ministrations.
“It’s okay sweetheart, honestly. We’ll set up in a tray so it’ll be easier. You’re not making things difficult for me sweetheart, I promise.”
“Precious,” Hongjoong called out softly from his right.
“Hyung?”
“Do you want to watch a show while we wait for them to get the food ready?”
His eyes sparkled at Hongjoong’s direction as he nodded excitedly. Hongjoong chuckled at the adorable sight and snuggled right next to Yeosang.
“Okay. What do you wanna watch?”
“Spiderman?” Yunho asked in a tiny voice.
He worried about the reactions. He always asked to watch one kind of the insect-based superhero, many times elicited groans from his other boyfriends. But this time, they simply smiled at him.
Yeosang poked his cheek and handed him the remote. They were right in the moment where Andrew Garfield and Emma Stone talked in class for the first time when the rest came back, balancing toast and sweet pastries that would be light enough to munch on while watching the movie.
“Hi Yunnie,” Wooyoung greeted, carefully placing the tray in front of Yunho.
“Hi Youngie,” Yunho replied, his voice the clearest it’s been all day.
“How is my smol boi doing?” Wooyoung asked stroking his ear gently and nuzzling their noses together.
Yunho snorted and grinned cheekily.
“I have 10 centimetres on you, Youngie. What do you mean smol?”
The room erupted in laughter as Wooyoung’s betrayed proclamations rang through the air. After they’d calmed down, Wooyoung made a show of crossing his arms and pouting.
“And here I was about to feed you butter and jam toast, buuuuutt-“
He was interrupted with a tug on his t-shirt sleeve. He turned to see Yunho’s bright pleading eyes staring back.
“M’ sorry Youngie. Please feed me?” he pouted.
Everyone in the room was rendered speechless. Wooyoung blinked. He snapped out of it and leaned forward to pull at Yunho’s cheeks.
“You little menace. You knew I could never say no to you, didn’t you? Hmm?”
Yunho giggled as he slid off Yeosang slowly, earning a few concerned glances.
“I’m okay. Just a little off-balance.” A breeze passed from the open window and he shivered, suddenly aware of his still bare torso.
San appeared in his line of sight with Mingi’s hoodie, the only member whose “oversized” is actually oversized on him too, and not “perfectly fitting”. He raised his arms for San to pull the hoodie on him and damn near purred into San’s touch when he tried to calm his poofy fluff. When he was done, Yunho pulled San down gently by the collar and kissed him deeply. They pulled back with San sporting the pretty pink as whenever they kiss him like that.
He pulled Wooyoung gently into his lap and kissed the smaller man the same way, wrapping his big hands around the smaller’s waist. Yunho twisted and turned his body, one-by-one giving each boyfriend a deep kiss trying to convey the I Love You’s that he cannot possibly sum up in simple words. Thankfully, they understood anyways and replied in kind.
After one round, or three of lingering kisses and fluttering touches, they all pulled apart for Wooyoung to bring the butter and strawberry jam slathered toast to Yunho’s mouth.
They spent the rest of the day snuggling and pampering their tallest lover trying to bring him back up to his usual energy level. By nightfall, Yunho was back to his teasing, playful, energetic self. He had moved to press several more kisses and hugs for each member as a thank you for taking care of him. Each of them expressed their pleasure in pampering the oldest 99-liner with a smile.
“Anytime, precious.”
“Of course, sweetheart.”
“Anything for you, pup.”
“Nothing I wouldn’t do for you, Yuyu.”
“I love you more than life, Angel.”
“I’d always jump at the chance to pamper my beloved Yunnie.”
“It’s nothing to thank us for, baby. We all just love you so much.”
It wasn’t often for Yunho to feel so low. It wasn’t a character he played for the camera or press; he just genuinely doesn’t usually feel down. However, he always cheered up the members who were having an off day and took pride in helping them climb back up to their best selves.
But he couldn’t really do it for himself.
But no matter, because today was a new reminder for him that, he didn’t need to do it for himself. Not with 7 amazing, loving and sweet boyfriends that would travel hell and high water to make sure he was okay.
With them, everything would be okay. He knew it.