#bts!emeto

The cards laid in front of Taehyung blurred, his voice drawling off as his vision mimicked a camera losing focus and all the golds and glitters in the room blended into the same mesh, “The cards show…”

“They show…” Taehyung shut his eyes to stop the wince forming in his throat along with pinching his brows together for a second hoping to ease the pulse winding up behind them to get through this last reading over. The couple on the opposite end of the table held each other tightly with faces caved with uneasy desperation yet also anticipation and Taehyung could feel an edge of guilt make way between the pain working through his skull. Normally, the fate reader would turn every reading into an experience of wonder. Usually talking with a slower, even deeper voice and twisting his sentences into riddles or poetry to bring the most enchanting experience to his clients, but today he couldn’t even finish a sentence with cards that he already knew what was on them. 

The fate reader wasn’t sure why his little store had been so busy today. While preparing to lock up the familiar pressure and wooziness of over using his abilities had started to make their way now in his temple, telling that if he was to even think about working any more his body would be doing the complete opposite of rewarding him and sealed the warning with a couple of droplets of blood dripping from his nose. Right as he flicked them away, he looked out the window to see two figures  frantically making their way towards the entrance with a powerful enough sense of urgency that Taehyung could feel it himself.

It was a young couple. Begging the fate reader for a reading as they had driven two days after hearing about his perfect accuracy and them needing to know if there is a child in their future. While Taehyung found it hard to listen to them through the small waves of light headedness that were crashing over him the sympathetic side of him began to cloud over the voice telling him he was already having symptoms of overworking him self to step back, but he was taking the woman’s hand to sit down.

“The empress,” A spark of his energy finally returned. “Congratulations, strong fertility is in your future.” 

The couple's face stayed blank for a second before breaking into a shared squeal, leaping for each other. The scene did light something warm in Taehyung’s heart, but the noises also felt like a bullet to the brain if Tae was allowed to indulge in the dramatic tone in the room.

“God thank you, thank you so much.” The man turned to face him and the smile on his face was enough for Taehyung to feel the strain building behind his eyes was worth working past him limits. “While I guess we should try to quickly make it home then, thank you so much again.”

Slumping back into his chair, the fate reader was just greatfull he didn’t have to finish the rest of the reading and come up with an explanation for the rest of the cards sitting on the table. Maybe if had been a different day Tae would have willed the couple to stay, tell them that the cards were rigged and mostly for display (as well as if a bad reading was to happen all the blame fell on the cards or what ever the client wanted him to use in his readings) and the real fortune-telling came from the man himself when he touched the women’s hand when he led her to sit and actually saw a little baby bundle up in the man’s arms while a clear second one was on the way (It would have a priceless moment to see what could have been even more sparkles and joy in their eyes at what he actually saw.) Really he just put the cards with the empress first and hoped when they found out the card was associated with maternal influence that would be enough for them to leave because the idea of slamming his head onto the table to pass out for the rest of the week was getting too tempting. 

Looking into someone’s future for something specific always took way much 

energy than just getting a quick glance into their fortune.

And then it hit Taehyung that he still needed to finish locking up. Taehyung whined to himself, this will take a while. 

(I Did not mean for the intro to be this long, sorry) 

~

“Taetae you’re home!” Jimin was the first to notice Taehyung step into the living room entrance, being greeted by Jimin, Jungkook, Hoseok, a blasting tv and lights on everywhere in the house (pretty much a garage hide out)like it  had known of Taehyung’s carelessness for his limits and also wanted to join in the tournament plaguing his forehead. 

“Tae, it took you longer than usual to get home, is everything okay dear?” He didn’t even notice Hoseok had gotten up or that he was holding his face till the strategist spoke. 

His normal twenty-minute walk home had become a good forty minutes after having to stop every couple of minutes at different bus stops to sit because he felt if he continued on the word would slip away from underneath his feet, not including the five minutes it took for him to finally make up the courage to endure opening the garage door up plus adding another five minutes of him squatting on the floor and holding his head to stop himself from passing out from the throbbing induced from the noises of the door opening. 

Tae tried to gently shake his hands off, “Wanted to go past the river, m’m ok just tired.” He tried to turn away, feeling something start to drip down his nose again, but Hoseok still cupped his cheeks to inspect him.  

“Hey wait, you have a bit of…. oh.” the pad of the strategist’s thumb lightly grazed above Taehyung’s lip, while his expression faltered into serious yet concerned demeanour. Hoseok then brought his hand up to Tae’s temple for him to lean into. “You overused again.” Taehyung made a small whineand nodded to fall deeper into the older's palm with a sigh and closed eyes. He heard a gasp from Jimin and cracked one eye open enough to see Jimin ogle for the remote to turn the tv off while Jungkook swiftly got up to dim the lights.

Hoseok moved his hand away (much to Taehyung’s dismay) muttering a “Oh Taehyungie what are we going to do with you?” and wrapped it around the fate reader's waist to rest it on his stomach, taking Taehyung’s hand with his other one mouthing “Do you want to go to the couch?” stroking his thumb against Tae’s knuckles, who nodded back listlessly. 

“Mmm sorry, it was a young couple ann’d they drove two days to-see me.” Taehyung paused, the small journey was enough to make the room start feeling a little lopsided again. “They really wanted to know if there is children in their future.” 

Hoseok made a sympathetic hum and rubbed at Taehyung’s shoulder, helping him make his way to the last couple steps before the sofa, “Your hearts too big for your good.” Hoseok spoke softly, “Are you nauseous at all, still dizzy?” He whispered, with the news of him having a headache he could expect everyone to be speaking in hushed tones for the time being. 

“Still a little dizzy, I just want the world to stop for a moment.” Tae sat down, bringing his head to rest in his hands, and Jimin wrapped his arm loosely around Taehyung’s upper torso. 

“Do you perhaps want a bath Taehyungie, you know, to wash the dirt and fates of the day away?”  

Taehyung just nodded and felt Jimin’s hold slowly leave him, “Kook come help me.” Jimin whispered and the weight next to him disappeared, but he felt a hand softly pat his hair before the two completely left, “I wish there was more we could do to help you Hyungie.” 

It was true, there wasn’t much that could be down from a headache induced by over using his abilities. Namjoon had once spent hours slaved away try to come up with a remedy for both when Seokjin would get tension headaches after spending hours looking at his computer since no medication was working enough and to aid Taehyung’s overuse ‘migraines’ as no medication could do anything for him. Thankfully the treatment works wonders for Seokjin and even helps the others through their head pains, but to this day still remained as just a funny tasting liquid for Taehyung.

“My poor Taetae.” The weight in the cough was back, but now with Hobi next to him. Taehyung leaned over and rubbed his face into Hosoek’s upper arm like he could physically rub away the awareness of the fibres of his skin (and the room still felt way too bright.) 

“It’ll pass eventually, Hyung thinks you're so strong for going through this for the couple.” His hand was back on Tae’s shoulder, and Taehyung could only sigh in acknowledgement. “Hey don’t fall asleep yet.” To that the fate reader made another tiny whine and settled into the silence,  occasionally being broken by Taehyung shifting positions, Hoseok cooing at him and a “Tae, the bath is ready.”

The first thing the fate reader noticed about the bathroom was how steamy it had become and the natural light that would normally seep through the window above the bath had been sealed behind one of Taehyung’s canvases with it being just the right fit to leave a tiny bit of light to leak over the top of it to have enough lighting to still see through the room. 

The thought the two put in was honestly enough for Taehyung to want to cry and if it had been in a different circumstance Jimin and Jungkook would probably be making a show of their efforts with ‘Tadas,’ and Jazz hands, though a new surge of wooziness was enough for Taehyung to slightly sway and Jungkook had to grab his arm and slowly lead him over to the closed toilet lid to strip down to his boxers. 

The second Taehyung‘s skin touched the water he let out a shaky breath, a hint of tension left around his neck as he melted into the water, eagerly however still slowly leaning his head against the makeshift towel pillow. “Wait, don’t go too far in yet, Hyung.” Jungkook was grabbing an equally steamy flannel from the sink and kneeled down in front of the bath. He cupped Tae’s cheek and with the faintest movement tilted Taehyung’s face ever so slightly towards him and started to gently wipe at the glitters Tae used to cover the scratch running down his eye, continuing onto lightly scrub at the rest of his daily make up finishing by laying the mildly warm flannel onto Taehyung’s eyes. 

Jimin was next to act, sitting on the tiles that connected the bathtub to the wall, with the shower head on a low but pleasant temperature setting. Jimin began at the base of Taehyung’s forehead, massaging it with one hand then carding his fingers through’s Tae’s curls like they made of the most delicate strands of glass and let the water breeze through them before restarting the massage, occasionally muttering something along the lines of “You’re too kind to do that for the couple, let’s stop getting into this position yeah?” or simply humming a simple breathy tune, Jungkook kept leaning over to urge Taehyung to take a sip of a water bottle or to suck on ice chips the two had also brought up for him. Taehyung felt like he could drift off to the sweetness of it all, but as the water grew colder in the pits of his stomach he could start to feel the rise of the little breakfast he had that morning gradually turn into a churning sensation as well as his throat going a tiny bit warm. “Out now?” Tae could guess Jungkook must have taken notice of the small discomfort in Taehyung position from his sudden twisting to ease the fullness starting to present itself in his tummy. 

Taehyung breathed loudly in confirmation, not ready to jolt his stomach just yet, but Jimin’s hands were already finding their way around Taehyung’s torso, joined by Jungkook’s. “On three okay?” Taehyung nodded and put one arm around his stomach and the other into the side of the bath and pushed him up once Jimin whispered ‘3,’ not to his surprise his head buzzed along with the change in height.

Taehyung grimaced as the flannel fell off his eyes, letting the light still occupying the bathroom shock his eyes enough for him to just stagger a little bit and a hand caught him, stroking his back lovingly. “You did good, kookie brought some of his clothes for you to wear.” He must have zoned out so hard during the duration of the bath, he didn’t even notice the youngest leave. They sat him again onto the closed toilet lid. Jimin taking it upon himself to dry the fate reader while Jungkook put his folded clothes onto Taehyung’s lap, “the loosest I have and no scents.” 

‘They are so precious,’ a small smile formed on Taehyung’s lips. 

It felt hopeless for Taehyung to need Jimin and Jungkook to help him make his way to his bedroom, yet the pair still rubbed his head and patted his back through the hallway with no annoyance on their faces, rather concern, telling him with affection in their voices to sit and not lay down when he wanted to finally crash seeing his bed. 

“First this, then off to bed.” Hobi walked through holding a cup of fresh tea still steaming. Hoseok sweetly curled his lips in sympathy when Taehyung turned his head away from the feeling of his tummy becoming even more turby at the thought of adding anything to it’s already sloshing mixture. 

“Mm, nauseous.” The pain still painfully danced behind Taehyung’s eyes, he tried to suppress it by placing a palm to one of them, but it was no advil. Hoseok sat down next to him, sighing, “You didn’t eat much before you left for work, and you said it was a busy day, it’s better than throwing up bile later.” Taehyung hummed, still looking at the tea and imaging it not settling well at all in his stomach. “Plus, maybe it will actually calm down the nausea for once.“ They always made him drink tea as he had yet to not be left nauseated during an episode. 

Taehyung looked down at the tea, really not being able to stomach it, but if it would get him into his bed quicker with the other three to cuddle him, so be it. 

~

Everything was still blurry when he woke again, Taehyung’s eyes shut on instinct with a groan, feeling his head spin despite his eyes been closed again. The fate reader stopped squirming, feeling a hand brush through his hair, “are you up Tae-bear?” 

Seokjin. 

Taehyung felt his stomach flip, and he rolled over, smushing his face into presumably Seokjin’s thighs, the older’s hand still lacing through his hair. He could also hear the barely there sound of piano blend with a complementary rain noise. 

Yoongi. 

While Yoongi knew how to layer his music with frequencies and notes that could induce a number of symptoms into a person, he had yet to master music that could heal Taehyung’s aliments but it no stretch he knows how to sting along a peace that could at least ease Taehyung into a more comfortable feeling. It playing low enough that everyone in the room had to be quite enough to hear.

Opening one eye, he saw the brightness of Yoongi’s laptop lighting one corner of the room including his Hyung’s face and next to him was Namjoon who noticed the ill man’s glance and gave him a small smile. 

It had to be late now as the other three have a preference for working at night, the exchange must have taken place during Taehyung’s nap with enough care that the three men could untangle from Taehyung and swap with Seokjin to not wake him when they could have just left him for the night. 

He felt the need to whisper a small thank you and reached to hold any part of his Hyung he could, though the timing hit right as Taehyung’s stomach and head throbbed at the same time and his hand dipped to abdomen, it feeling sicker being able to feel his heartbeat under his palm. 

“Tae, how is it feeling?” Namjoon got up. Taehyung could only whimper in repose and squeeze the bedding while the room suddenly started to grow hotter and murky.

No, maybe it was just his throat heating, it gaining a taste of his breakfast at the back of it and his stomach was pacing up its thrashing of it’s contents, even tightening around his muscles. Taehyung pushed himself up into a sitting position, wavering when his forehead gained the same tightness.

Taehyung’s heart in his stomach suddenly leaned into his throat and he groaned, dropping his head to sallow down the feeling of wanting to puff his cheeks out from the taste of saliva filling his mouth. 

“Tae do you think you need…” Taehyung cut Seokjin off by shaking his head not meaning to and wanted to cry from the pulse it shot through his forehead, he just wanted to savour the moment before losing it all but his stomach clenched unsympathetically, and he had to wrap one arm around his stomach and placed the other hand into to his mouth wanting to catch the heave that came from him.

“Oh shit where’s the bin, oh shit sorry Tae.” Namjoon spoke loudly before dropping his voice to whisper, but the damage to Taehyung’s temple had been done, wincing from the exposure of his loud voice that he could compare to an explosion in his skull. He heaved as a reflex, only a tiny bit of drool pooled his mouth, but it was enough to trigger the next wet cough. 

“Okay, you’re okay.” The bin was finally pushed in front of Taehyung in time for the sound of vomit to gurgle up his throat and push him to gag a spray of liquid into it. He hated that the cramps forcing the vomit out of him were comparable to the pressure hitting behind his eye and god there was a second round that cut his breathing break off. 

Taehyung had to cling onto the bin if he didn’t want to fall in, and Seokjin reached for it and brought it closer to him. “Can you two go prepare a broth and flannel.” Jin’s free arm snaked around Taehyung’s stomach to keep him place as the next heave doubled him over in a choke. 

Taehyung made a pained noise when the next gag pulled the last of what ever his stomach could find into the bin, leaving him a now empty yet cramping tummy that Jin’s hand shifted slightly to trace circles over. “Done Taehyungie?” He spat the remaining saliva into the bin and nodded and leaned back, the world was starting to go black around his vision. 

“This one has got you bad.” Seokjin grabbed a glass for Taehyung off the counter, then laid him back down onto the bed once he finished taking a small sip. Jin shifted so his palm was still circling his stomach and the other under the younger head. “It’s so bad.” Taehyung squeezed his eyes for what must have been the hundredth time today, wetness making it down his cheeks. “Maybe it will just be a day long one.” Taehyung scoffed through his tears, “I Haven’t had one take only a day since I was a child.“ 

Fingers come to under his eyes, wiping gracefully, “I’m so sorry we can’t do anything to take the pain away-“

Taehyung butted in,“You being here is enough.” He thought back to how all of them spent the day with him and the loving touches, words of encouragement and the consecrated thought behind the way they cared for him despite him bringing this upon him, sure it couldn’t ease the actual pain in his body, but his heartfelt full enough to settle the discomfort of his headache. 

“That’s a sweet thought.” Seokjin’s finger traced the scratch on Taehyung’s eye, “who ever removed the glitter did a shit job.” He brought his hand back and looked at it with a mocked face of disgust, flicking the speck off, and then smiling when a hint of a giggle came from Taehyung.  

“Broth should be done soon.” Yoongi stood at the door, Namjoon poking his head through as well. 

“Then why are you standing there, come here.” Seokjin moved closer to Taehyung, freeing up space for the others. “And leave it to burn?” Yoongi mumbled back but still came to the bed, “You can sleep with us for a couple of minutes.” Yoongi huffed but still moved next to Seokjin and reached over his hand held onto Taehyung’s arm. 

“Here Tae.” Namjoon motioned for Taehyung to lift his head up and placed a wet cloth where the base of his head would be when he returned to a full laying position and draped the other across Taehyung’s eyes, this time the flannel was cold enough for Taehyung to moan as the hot stickiness of the vomiting spell had yet to part with him. The scientist also crawled into the bed, sure the bed was cramped, but Taehyung couldn't care less, it felt right to have them all with him, it felt too perfect. 

“I love you all.” He whispered and smiled to himself, hearing them all say it back, even if his head still felt on fire he felt fatigue take over his main sense. 

It felt okay, it felt like destiny or even fate that he would end up in his Hyung’s embrace. 

And he was more than fine with that.