Chapter Text
It was another one of those nights when Changkyun woke to nothing but darkness. He reached over, blindly searching until his hand met with his phone. Checking the time, he sighed and groaned at how he barely managed to get an hour of sleep.
He woke up energetic, as if he had slept for hours, so falling back into his slumber was out of the options.
Changkyun sat upright and, using the light of his phone, grabbed his laptop and headphones and pulled up a movie.
He was tired physically, not mentally, so he didn’t care to determine what to watch. Instead, he just opened Netflix and clicked on the first movie he saw.
Unbeknownst to him, he had accidentally chosen one of the other user’s profile rather than his own on their shared account and began watching a horror film. Too tired and invested in the movie to change it, Changkyun thought that maybe his avoidance of scary films was all for nothing.
Big mistake.
An hour into the movie and Changkyun was nervously checking all corners of the room, lights on and phone in hand ready to call for emergency, more awake than earlier that night.
His chances of rest were diminishing by the minute and Changkyun naturally dialed his best friend and neighbor when he heard a suspicious noise.
In less than five minutes, Jooheon burst into the scared boy’s room, face full of worry and concern for the “emergency” he was called over for. His alarm vanished as he pieced together the situation after noting what was on the computer screen and how the younger was standing on guard against any possible supernatural being.
Jooheon rolled his eyes and approached his friend. Putting a coaxing arm around the other, he sweetly dragged him back to the bed to sit and calm down.
“Why were you on Hoseok’s Netflix?” He asked with a chuckle, head nodding towards the lit up screen with an obviously fake murder scene. “You know you can’t handle anything remotely creepy, why did you watch one of the most iconic horror films of all time?”
Changkyun breathed, finally relaxed in his friend’s hold, feeling safe and protected. He nodded softly.
Jooheon couldn’t help but find the younger cute, especially in his oversized hoodie that he borrowed months ago and never returned.
“It’s all fake. Made up. Fictional. Nothing’s gonna hurt you. Just go to sleep.” He tightened his grip around the other’s shoulders for reassurance.
“But I was watching the movie ‘cause I couldn’t sleep in the first place. I woke up after less than an hour, hyung. There’s no way I’ll be able to now. You know my insomnia’s getting worse these days.” Changkyun sighed as he reiterated his undesirable situation. “I’m tired, but I can’t sleep. It’s frustrating, hyung. What do I do?”
Jooheon ghosted a weak smile and hugged his friend. He felt guilty about momentarily forgetting about the younger’s condition.
“Would it help if I stayed with you?” He offered.
Changkyun froze and seemingly withdrew into the hoodie as if it were a shell, unsure of how to respond. If he accepted, would things be awkward? But Jooheon’s the one who said it. If he said no, would he be able to sleep? Jooheon was his sense of comfort, but isn’t this just being needy?
“Um, I- You don’t hav-“ He was cut off by Jooheon forcibly lowering both of them to lie on the bed. “-to do this,” he added quietly.
“Don’t feel like your being pushy, Changkyun. Whenever you need me to come over, it’s no problem. You’re my best friend. You have been for as long as I can remember. So shush and close your eyes.”
Jooheon pulled the strings on Changkyun’s hood, squeezing it against his head, and pulled him into his arms, Changkyun’s face at his chest.
Feeling the surrounding warmth of Jooheon envelop him, Changkyun’s lids drew heavy and his breathing started to even out slowly. He could finally feel restful slumber take over him, hardly noticing movement as Jooheon got up to turn off the lights and put the laptop away (after exorcising the demons on the younger’s laptop, of course).
After returning to his place on the other’s bed with an arm wrapped around the younger in a tight embrace, Jooheon stared at the peaceful face in front of him. Using his free hand, he loosened the hood and lightly brushed away the hair covering the younger’s eyes, careful not to disturb his sleep.
Jooheon’s hand gently rested on Changkyun’s cheek, the sleeping boy subconsciously melted into his touch and the faintest of smiles was visible on the younger’s mouth. The older boy traced the shape of the lips with his thumb, memorizing the curves and softness beneath his touch.
Changkyun, puppy-like and deeply asleep, shifted slightly towards Jooheon and quietly whimpered.
“Don’t worry, I’m still here,” the older whispered as he leaned in to press his lips against the younger’s forehead.
Pulling him in closer, Jooheon tucked Changkyun beneath his chin and softly kissed the top of his head.
“I’m always here,” he mumbled as he drifted off to sleep.