Chapter Text
miyeon bites her tongue when shuhua comes into the room in a flurry of cold air and quiet shuffling. the dip in the mattress when the younger girl tumbles under the covers.
"bad dream?" she asks, after three long minutes have passed.
there's some mumbling.
"maybe."
miyeon is good at coddling shuhua when the camera is on. she know exactly how to get that classic irritated glare from the younger girl with a few well placed kisses on the cheek, or maybe a cutely initiated pick-up line. but in these quiet moments...miyeon always feels awkward...like she should say something but the words are just out of reach.
the ceiling becomes faintly outlined as miyeon's eyes adjust. shuhua has moved just close enough that her hand is barely touching miyeon's - something that makes a stream of nervous energy trickle into her body.
"can you stop being so jumpy?" shuhua whispers. her pinky finger gently nudging miyeon's.
"sorry!" miyeon jumps, sitting up so fast, she rips the covers off the both of them. "i mean," she clears her throat. "sorry..."
"jeez, unnie. what's gotten into you? this isn't the first time."
miyeon feels the faint redness gathering in her ears, and even though shuhua can't see it, she lays down quickly.
"unless..." this time shuhua's turned over, "you're not comfortable?"
the words miyeon had lost come back twofold, slippery and uncontrollable as she tries to explain herself. "no - no! i'm fine. i always like you coming in here," miyeon sputters, voice pitching to a high squeak. "i mean, soojin's better at...this than-" she swallows, "than i am, so i'm not su -"
shuhua's hands on her cheeks shut her up.
"i pick who i want, unnie," she murmurs in that low, confident tone that miyeon usually only hears when she's speaking in mandarin. it's a different shuhua that she's looking at right now. one who meets her eyes without hesitation. but as soon as she comes, she's gone, and miyeon is left staring at air.
"now go to sleep," shuhua says distantly, back turned and covers already pulled up.
miyeon dreams of warm hands that night.