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The dorm was unusually loud for a Thursday night. Jisung was laughing too hard at something on his phone, Chan had music playing from the living room speakers, and someone (probably Hyunjin) was doing dramatic karaoke in the hallway.
Seungmin sat curled up in the corner of the couch, knees to his chest, a blanket up to his chin, head halfway buried. He wasn't part of the conversation. He wasn't really hearing it, either.
His brain felt fuzzy.
Heavy.
Not sad. Not quite. Just full.
He rocked slightly where he sat, arms tightening around his bunny plush. His fingers kept tugging at the ear. His lips were dry from chewing. He kept swallowing like he was holding something in.
Minho noticed, of course.
From across the room, where he was sitting with Felix, Minho's gaze kept flicking back. Quiet, careful. Watching the way Seungmin shrank tighter every time someone laughed too loud. Not speaking. Just waiting.
Then, finally, the music turned down. The laughter moved into another room. And Minho stood, brushing his hands on his pants and walking slowly over.
"Hey, bun," he said, crouching next to the couch. "You okay?"
Seungmin nodded. Too quickly.
"Can you use your words for me?" Minho prompted gently.
Seungmin looked up at him, eyes wide and shiny. "M'fine," he said, too quiet.
Minho reached to smooth a hand over his hair. "You've been in fuzzies for a while now. Wanna go to the bedroom?"
Seungmin gave a tiny nod, barely perceptible.
Minho helped him up, wrapping the blanket around his shoulders and guiding him down the hall with a hand on his back. As soon as the door closed behind them, the air shifted, quiet, cool, safe. Minho kept the light low, just the soft glow of the bedside lamp.
He sat Seungmin on the bed, rubbed slow circles between his shoulder blades.
"Need help settling down?"
Seungmin nodded again, biting his bottom lip.
"Alright," Minho murmured, reaching for the drawer. "How about your paci?"
The reaction was immediate.
Seungmin pulled the blanket tighter, ducking his head. His cheeks were bright pink.
"Nuh-uh," he mumbled.
Minho stilled. "No?"
Seungmin peeked at him. "Can't..."
"Because?"
Seungmin squirmed. "'Cause... they're out there. If they sees..."
Minho's heart clenched, but he didn't show it. He sat beside him slowly and spoke low, calm.
"They won't see, baby. No one's coming in. And even if they did," he tipped Seungmin's chin up gently, "it's okay to need comfort things. Even big boys get to be little sometimes."
Seungmin blinked. His lips parted like he might answer, but only a soft, babbly sound came out—half a word, then a hum, then a sigh. His brain was spiraling into soft space too fast to catch up.
"Sweetheart," Minho said gently, "you're babbling."
Seungmin whined, frustrated, tugging the blanket over his head.
Minho leaned closer, voice low and sure. "Let me help. Just this. Just me and you, okay?"
There was a pause.
Then, a small nod from under the blanket.
Minho reached again, this time carefully pulling out the soft mint-green pacifier—the one with a bunny on the handle, the one Seungmin never asked for but always melted with.
He held it out in his palm.
Seungmin's hand snuck out of the blanket like a reluctant kitten. He took it wordlessly and stared at it.
Then he pressed it to his lips and exhaled like he'd been holding his breath all night.
"There we go," Minho whispered.
He gently pulled Seungmin into his lap, cradling him against his chest, letting him curl up there like a small creature hiding from the world. Seungmin suckled the pacifier quietly, body relaxing little by little, breaths evening out. The babbling faded into soft hums, and the tightness in his shoulders melted into sleepy weight.
Minho rocked him slowly.
"You're safe," he murmured. "Just you and me."
Seungmin nodded, barely, pacifier still between his lips.
No more words.
He didn't need them anymore.