Work Text:
Jae frowns as he sees the time.
2:43 am
He's feeling something. His mouth falls agape as the sensation intensifies. His head feels light as he scans his empty room. He glances at the time again then he hears something.
His tummy, grumbling.
He heaves a surrendering sigh as he sends a message to Mark.
jaesix: I'll head out for a bit, dude. My tummy's been angry at me for half an hour now.
mtuan: Ok sure. I think I'll be hitting the sack in a little while, too.
jaesix: are we playing again tomorrow?
mtuan: doubt it, bro. We have a schedule tomorrow.
They exchange a few more messages before Jae exits Fortnite and stands up to leave his room. He saunters towards Sungjin's room and knocks loudly on the door.
"What?" Sungjin asks, annoyed. His face is twisted and his eyes are closed. The wrinkles on his forehead, nose and under his eyes are showing.
"I'm hungry."
The leader groans and shuts the door loudly before he flops back on his bed.
Jae's shoulders drop in disappointment. He proceeds to go to Younghyun’s room. Knowing that the bassist is fast asleep, he doesn't bother knocking. He slides himself in the younger's room and shakes him.
"Bri…"
No response.
"Bri Bri," he repeats, shaking the bassist again. "Brian." He creases his forehead. "Young K!" He speaks louder but Younghyun only shifts position.
He huffs a sharp breath and leaves the fox-eyed's room. He eyes the other two rooms that he hasn't entered yet. His eyes travel back and forth from these two doors. He strides towards Wonpil's.
His palm hugs the knob before he stares at the wood in front of him for half a minute. The knuckle of his left middle finger taps on the surface twice. He waits for a response but there's none. He knocks again, this time, a little louder.
He hears Wonpil groan and a moment after, there's shuffling inside the room. The door flips open and a Wonpil with dozy eyes stand before him. The keyboardist leans his cheek on the door frame as his eyes slowly try to open from time to time.
Jae just stares at him, thinking how cute the scene is before him, forgetting he needs to speak.
"You need something, Jae?" Wonpil asks as his eyelids drop and his mouth stretches wide as he yawns.
"I--" Jae blinks, now remembering to talk. "I was thinking of going to McDonald's and was hoping for someone to come with me."
Wonpil's cheek is squeezed on the door frame and he still hasn't opened his eyes again. Jae just stares at him as he waits for him to respond. He doesn't know if the younger is still processing what he said or he just fell asleep while standing. Finally, he nods.
"Give me a second." Wonpil turns around and walks back inside his room, leaving the door ajar.
Jae takes a peek, curious of what the keyboardist will do. He sees him stop in his tracks in front of his closet but not moving. The older chuckles and shakes his head before letting himself in. He strides toward the younger and opens the closet. He takes one of his black hoodies before he faces the shorter.
He grips the hem and slides the hoodie on Wonpil's head. "I'll do it for you." He takes the hand and slips it in the sleeve. "Or I can just ask Dowoon to come with me instead. Or maybe I can just go alone." He repeats the action for the other hand and he pulls the edge of the hoodie down.
"Nope, I'll come with you."
"But you're too sleepy."
Wonpil shuts his eyes tightly before opening it wide. He shakes his head. "Nope. I'm not." Jae smiles at him. "Let's go."
Wonpil is the first one to take a step. He gets out of his room and Jae follows behind, closing the door. Jae notices how Wonpil tries to force his eyes open whenever he would feel them dropping. Jae hides a smile.
"Did you call for a driver?" Wonpil asks after they got out of the building.
"Nope." Jae slides his hands in his hoodie's pocket. "We'll just walk. It's not that far anyway."
The keyboardist nods as he continues on his way. Jae eyes him from the corner of his eyes. The shorter is still sleepy. Jae confirms that when the younger yawns which makes him do the same.
Wonpil jolts when he feels Jae gets his hand. He looks at the older with eyes filled with query.
"In case you fall asleep while walking." Jae answers to the keyboardist's unspoken question.
Wonpil pouts and nods. He looks away, hoping the blush creeping on his cheeks is not evident.
They arrive at McDonald's at almost half an hour past three in the morning. They fill their stomachs as they confabulate. Wonpil is awake now. Although sleepiness is still knocking, at least he can handle it better now.
"Shall we take a cab?" Wonpil queries when they got out of the fast food chain.
Jae tilts his head and glances on the younger's hand. Without a warning, he takes it again and starts to walk, making the shorter follow him.
"I prefer walking. Is that okay?"
Wonpil moistens his lips before nodding. "But I'm not that sleepy now. I can walk properly on my own." Wonpil looks ahead and sees a lady approaching. "You can stop holding me now, too."
Jae feels the younger move to the opposite side and loosens his hold but the taller holds him to stay in place and he raises his hand so that the lady could pass by them without letting go of the shorter's hand.
Wonpil stares at the older with wide eyes because of what he did. Jae arches his brows, feigning innocence.
"Don't want to."
Wonpil knits his eyebrows together.
Jae glances at him and plasters a boyish smile. "Just in case you'd suddenly feel sleepy and walk like a drunk guy." He chuckles while the other just shakes his head wearing a bright grin.
The guitarist suddenly slips his fingers between the younger's, making them intertwine. Wonpil's smile vanishes as he bites his lower lip. His chest is thumping so loud.
I hope he gets hungry tomorrow, too, and will ask me to come with him, Wonpil wishes. And maybe we can walk hand in hand again.
Wonpil is lost in his own thoughts not knowing Jae preferred walking so that he can hold his hand again, and just so they can extend their time of being together alone.
I hope he's sleepy when I ask him to come with me tomorrow, too, so I can have an excuse to hold his hand again, Jae hopes as he squeezes the younger's hand softly.
They both want a detour. They both want to just continue walking. They both don't want to arrive back at their dorm yet.
I don't want to let go of his hand, they both tell themselves silently.