SUBURBIA ━ hyunbinlix ✓

四十七

Monday, November 11th

Changbin laid awake on Hyunjins bed, finally home the following night after the nurses had decided it was best for the three boys to give their friend space and time to rest. They hadn't gone without a fight, Changbin practically having to be pried off of Minho and dragged out of the hospital by his boyfriends.

The two younger boys were passed out on either side of him, catching much needed sleep after having been either awake or half-awake since the events that had occurred at the party.

Changbin, however, couldn't bring himself to settle into the same state of relaxation that his boyfriends had managed to get themselves into. It was well past midnight, probably around one or two in the morning, and the raven haired boy found himself wide awake, staring up at the pitch dark ceiling as his eyes struggled to adjust to the darkness that surrounded them.

He couldn't get the image of what had happened on Saturday out of his head, his mind trapped in a repetitive cycle of watching as Minho collapsed to the ground before him, as if his memories were stuck in a state much similar to a broken record player.

He had been sleeping on the okay side for the past couple of days, being in the embrace of two people he loved definitely impacting his sleep schedule positively, however that night in particular seemed to have different plans for the boy.

Not only were his thoughts keeping him awake, the burning pain in his throat had been bothering him as well, like a sore throat that he simply couldn't get rid of. Deciding it would be best for him to at least try and help himself out with that issue at least, he crawled out of Hyunjins bed as carefully and quietly as he could, nearly tripping over various objects and piles of clothing on the floor as he exited the bedroom.

He creeped down the marble stairway, trying to make the least amount of noise as he could. The cool surface against his bare feet wasn't a particularly good feeling, however it was almost a soothing reminder that he was alive in that moment and not trapped in an alternate reality or something like he often felt like he was at that time of night.

The dim moonlight peering through the grand windows of Hyunjins house illuminated the downstairs area a decent amount, providing enough light for him to make his way to the kitchen and fill up a glass with water from the fridge.

He felt a comfortable sense of calm fall over him as he sipped from the glass and sat himself on the counter, his throat thanking him for the small relief it had been granted with. Ever since he had begun to utter small words, his throat hadn't been receiving exactly the best treatment. His vocal cords felt strained beyond belief, and he felt a thirst that he believed probably wouldn't be completely quenched to satisfaction for a long time.

He still hadn't entirely processed the whole concept of speech himself, having spent the past nine years in silence had definitely taken a drastic toll on him that he hadn't understood until that period of time had finally ended.

"Bin?"

The glass nearly slipped from his grasp at the sudden voice spoken into the dimly lit kitchen. His heart rate had accelerated immediately from the sudden noise filling the previous comfortable silence.

His pulse seemed to calm, however, upon realizing who the source of the voice was, his brunet boyfriend stepping through the doorway and squinting at the elder.

Changbin instantly felt guilty, wondering if he had woken him up from his much-needed slumber due to his silly issues with his sleep schedule.

"You couldn't sleep?" Hyunjin inquired, voice groggy and eyes droopy with sleep as he walked closer to the raven haired boy.

"T-thirsty," Changbin responded, wincing immediately after the single word had escaped his mouth. He took a grateful sip of his water after straining himself to speak, a slight frown evident on his face even in the room that was nearly completely filled with darkness.

He had only truly been able to accomplish short, one syllable words so far, which was a great step in the right direction according to Felix and Hyunjin, as well as Minho. While he didn't see himself speaking full sentences soon, suspecting that he would probably be in need of speech therapy, he still had hopes for his future. First, however, he knew he had to become more comfortable with the concept before he could fully invest in it.

"I'm sorry," Hyunjin frowned, letting out a soft sigh as he cupped his boyfriends face. Their faces were nearly level due to Changbin being seated up on the marble counter top, which made for a perfect opportunity for the brunet to connect his lips to his boyfriends for a brief moment, hoping he could provide him with some form of relief from both his physical and mental pain.

"I know things have been tough recently," Hyunjin breathed out, rubbing his thumb against the elder boys cheek in a comforting manner. "I'll stay up with you if you need me to."

Changbin shook his head in response, taking it upon himself to return the kiss with one of his own against the younger boys cheek. Sleep, he mouthed, not wanting to be a burden towards him all because of his still persistent and lingering insomnia.

Rather than leaving the raven haired boy to rest upstairs, the  younger boys arms wrapped around him instead, Changbin burrowing his face into his chest and breathing in the scent of his boyfriend that had become a regular tactic for him to calm himself, the smell having become comforting and familiar by now.

"Things are gonna get better," Hyunjin promised, fingers lacing through his boyfriends hair in an attempt to soothe him to a peaceful state.

It was actually quite effective, Changbin seeming to become a bit drowsy from the combined comfortable sounds, smells, and feelings all at once.

As soon as the elder seemed to be lolling off into a much more comfortable state physically and mentally, Hyunjin took it upon himself to pick him up off of the counter, carrying both his boyfriend and his water up his stairs and down the halls to his room without accidentally knocking into something due to the darkness of the night.

"I'll make things better," Hyunjin whispered once they were settled back in bed, Changbins head rested on his chest as he continued to play with the raven locks of his head.

"I'll make things better for all of us."