Five, Sick, Seven

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When the boys were sick, they were irritable. Taeyong came to figure this out real quick and it almost scared him. Renjun and Haechan used to not get along but it was ten times worse when they were sick.

The youngest three were just a little more whiny, bratty almost, when they were sick and Jeno seemed more indecisive. He was quieter than usual and it made it hard for Taeyong to know what the seven year old needed. And Mark had a temper unlike anything Taeyong had ever seen before. The normally calm and mature boy was replaced with...well, a nine year old.

"Mark, please take your medicine. I know it tastes bad but it's going to help you get better" Taeyong pleaded with the oldest but it was no use. Mark shook his head, crossing his arms over his chest and refused to even look at the medicine. Taeyong gave up, he didn't want to make Mark take the medicine but he would if he had to.

"Fine but you have to take it at some point. Renjun, take this and don't even think about fighting me on it" Taeyong turned instead to the second oldest. Renjun wrinkled his nose but was warned by Taeyong's tone so he didn't argue. Taeyong had been prepared for tantrums and such when the boys fell sick. Getting Jisung and Chenle to take medicine was like trying to pull a tooth out. He just never really expected it from Mark, Renjun or Jeno.

"None of you go anywhere. I have to find your brothers" Taeyong gave a firm look to the three boys on the couch before setting off to find Jaemin, Haechan, Chenle and Jisung.

"Come on guys, let's get you cleaned up" Taeyong walked into the 'nursery' to find the second youngest asleep and Jaemin sitting innocently in a pile of his own digested and spit up food. He looked really tired and Taeyong was going to scold him for just sitting there and not coming to get the man but he couldn't. Jaemin looked like he was about to fall asleep right where he was so Taeyong forgot about scolding him and just moved the five year old into the bathroom. Chenle was in no better shape so Taeyong took him into the bathroom too, bringing Jisung along just in case. He was not about to leave a three year old alone by himself and if Jisung happened to do the same as his brothers, Taeyong wanted to be there to help. 

Taeyong grabbed some pajamas for all three boys and started the bath water, making sure it wasn't too cold or too hot. Jaemin and Chenle were like rag dolls as he got them into the water. They barely moved and just let Taeyong do whatever he needed to do. It broke the man's heart to see them so lifeless but he hid it well. 

"Dad, it hurts!" Chenle complained, wrapping his tiny arms around his stomach. Taeyong bit the inside of his cheek to keep from saying anything. He had noticed the few times the boys had been sick that they called him dad. He didn't know if it was because they couldn't tell the difference between him and their actual fathers or if they were just letting their guard down because they were sick and it wasn't something they did often when they were completely healthy. 

"I know it does baby. It'll be over soon, I promise" Taeyong decided not to mention that and just continued doing what he had been. He washed the two boys, eventually putting Jisung in with them and getting the youngest cleaned up, then wrapping all of them in their fluffy towels with the little animal hoods on the top. Jaemin's was a panda, Chenle's was a blowfish and Jisung's was a shark. The others used to have one but they insisted that they were too old for it. Taeyong knew for a fact that Mark, Renjun and Jeno kept their tiger, fox and rabbit towels hidden on a shelf in their closets where he wouldn't see. 

"Come on, why don't you three go down for a nap while I see what your brothers are doing?" Taeyong tucked the three of them into their beds in the 'nursery' and went to find Haechan to make the six year old do the same thing. He knew Haechan would fight him on it but it would all be worth it when Taeyong could have a moment of peace without dealing with seven sick boys. 

"Too old" Jaemin muttered, even as his eyes fluttered a little and then closed and he was out in  no time at all. Yeah, too old Taeyong thought, smiling to himself. Chenle and Jisung curled up together just as they always did. Taeyong always put them in separate beds but most of the time, they ended up in the same bed and were always a mess of limbs even as they slept. Taeyong had taken his fair share of pictures of the two to show them when they were older, if only to embarrass them.

"Mark, turn it off. You four need to sleep" Taeyong pointed to the TV. Mark huffed but didn't argue and turned the TV off, burrowing further under the blanket he was engulfed in. 

"The babies may need to take a nap but we're too old" Haechan pouted. 

"Your six, you're not too old. None of you are. Especially not when you're all running a fever. Now that wasn't a request, to bed all of you" Taeyong motioned for the other three to get up and go upstairs. Haechan grumbled as he climbed the stairs, yet he was the first one asleep. Taeyong laughed a little to himself; it was always the ones that kicked up the biggest fuss that were the first ones to be asleep. It was almost funny. His amusement was interrupted by the sounds of crying from the nursery and someone in the bathroom; back to being a full-time parent. 

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If any of you have any ideas, I will be more than happy to write them. I have two more ideas but after that, I have nothing planned.

Mark-9
Renjun-8
Jeno-7
Haechan-6
Jaemin-5
Chenle-4
Jisung-3

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