anodyne

chapter 12

the next morning doyoung felt a little better, however, he didn't let out a word about it. he woke up feeling healthier, the drowsiness and overall fatigue weren't so severe anymore and the fever was gone as well. still, he decided to stay quiet about it. not lie that he is still sick - stay quiet.

jihoon woke up a few minutes after, greeting the younger with some pecks on the forehead and the top of his nose. doyoung giggled, when jihoon tickled his belly a little afterward.

"how do you feel today? better?"

doyoung's smile faltered. probably for a minuscule moment, his eyes lost their dazzle. what if he said yes? would jihoon leave again?

"I am still sick I think. my throat hurts."

it was the one thought he had at that second, so he decided to go on with it, coughing. jihoon attached his lips to the other's forehead again this morning, however for a different reason - he wanted to check if he still had a high temperature. the hidden kiss in it was just an addition.

"your fever seems to be gone, I will fetch you something for your throat."

doyoung smiled his prettiest, and his eyes inadvertently followed the other all the way from the bed to the door, losing his track once he was outside the room. his sigh fanned around. what will he say to jihoon tomorrow so that he makes him stay again? he bit his lower lip and closed his eyes. how he wished they would spend time like this every day. together. a sudden thought occurred to his mind.

"maybe if I tell him that I need him, I miss him, he will stay?"

but before he finds the correct answer, his attention is drawn towards the door where he sees the smile he wished to see more often. jihoon approaches the bed, hands doyoung the herbal pill, and ruffles his hair.

"mashiho asked about you."

"why?" doyoung creased his brows.

"just to know how do you do, if you feel better than yesterday..."

the answer was sincere but not fully. there was something else that mashiho said to jihoon when they met in the kitchen but the older decided to keep it for himself. as he saw that doyoung gave him a curious look, he brushed off the doubts by widely opening his arms and welcoming doyoung in between them. they reclined down, doyoung's head on jihoon's chest, lifting and falling due to jihoon's breath, listening to his heartbeat. jihoon's fingers drowned in doyoung's lush, soft hair, tugging it from time to time but mostly just stroking. doyoung never got to know that what mashiho said made jihoon realize that something went wrong in their relationship, and neither of them has noticed it.

"he missed you so much that he got sick. you couldn't see how he wanted to have you nearby. as the fever affected him badly he kept on mumbling your name. you are the whole world to him, don't waste it."

// ✧ //