Silver Lining

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(And here we have a longer chapter<3)

Chan fidgets in place.

The tension in the air is nearly suffocating as Felix sits curled up with a blanket tightly wrapped around his shoulders, staring into the burning flames of the fireplace.

And the alpha just stands awkwardly staring for a few moments, unsure of the best way to break the silence and secretly mourning over the fact that the comfortable little bubble that they had formed around the two of them is now reduced to a transient layer that they can pass through as they please ( What did you expect? A cruel voice whispers to him, Between your pride and duty, you lose sight of the lines you cannot cross, the lines that you for once did not create). He is a harbinger of misfortune in Felix's life; the omega, if he now knows the full extent of the problems Chan has created, has every right to rebuild the icy blockade around himself. A defense mechanism, his brain unhelpfully supplies, Because he doesn't trust you now.

Shadows dance across Felix's face and embers smolder in his blue eyes; Chan can't help but notice how utterly exhausted and miserable the omega appears. His right arm, only having just recovered from a fractured elbow, once again hangs limply at his side (mostly liking having been reinjured while running through the woods with an unconscious Lee upon his back) and the rest of his drained form was racked by occasional shivers despite being given a pair of dry clothes to change into (Felix was at first wearing nothing except the black cloak that was secured around his waist and neck) and a spot on the couch in front of the fireplace to sit at while Minho and Seungmin worked on treating Lee in the other room (the silvernette was hesitant to leave him in their care but Jisung kindly explained that they needed room to work and Felix's main priority should be warming up before he suffers from low-grade hypothermia; or suffers more from it if the sudden passing out at the doorway was anything to go by. The omega reluctantly digressed, but not before giving a warning look to the two, a quiet message uttering the grave consequences if anything worse was to befall the old human man; message easily received).

It was hard to believe earlier that Felix had passed out at all, if they were all being honest. He was down long enough for Chan to carry him inside and hand off Lee for medical care but then his eyes were shooting open and he was darting past the others in search of his hyung ( "Why did you come if you don't trust us to help him?" Minho had snapped, losing his dwindling patience at the lack of words exchanged but furious gestures and stubborn head shaking when asked to wait in the den. Chan had wondered the same question but perhaps the answer lies not in trust but pure desperation from literally no one else to turn to... And that truth hurt about just as much). Now Felix was awake but clearly absent, deep in thought and refraining from acknowledging Chan's hovering presence. There was a lot to say, a couple of apologies and a couple of confessions but the alpha was just so darn nervous and ridden with guilt and a bit overwhelmed with the fact that the first time he ever hears Felix speak is when his hyung is dying in his arms because Chan didn't warn them .

He is to blame; he should be the one suffering, not Felix. And if only they could talk to each other, he hopes the omega will at least know how sorry he is for... everything .

After much deliberation, Chan takes a tentative seat on the other end of the couch, wanting to give space and give Felix a clear visual of the exits to let him know that he is not being trapped into having this conversation. The brunette's hands are in his lap, legs crossed at his ankles as he hesitantly looks at the silvernette. "He's stable now; Minho said that he'll make it through the night and fully recover in the upcoming weeks if they can keep the wounds from getting infected."

Felix's gaze stays glued to the fireplace but a small sigh of relief escapes his lips.

Chan shifts, uncrossing and recrossing his legs. "You and him are... welcome to stay until it is safe for you to return."