[Neo Zone] Population: 23 Kids

Late Night Chat

Mark stared at the dark ceiling, listening to the soft sounds of everyone breathing. He had woken up when Haechan rolled so he was half on top of him and had his arm on top of his chest, but Mark was pretty sure he didn't go to sleep with Haechan in his bed. There was no way he was going to move and wake up the younger, though.

So he just laid there and tried to find some way to fall back asleep. It wasn't working too well, but he was trying.

"Is anyone awake?" Jeno whispered in the softest voice, really hoping someone was.

"Yeah. Why are you up?"

"Bad dream. Can't go back to sleep. Why are you?"

"Haechan's on top of me. I would offer cuddles, but I don't think there's room."

"Okay."

The room fell silent again, neither one of them wanting to wake everyone else up because they were talking. Jeno broke the silence again, though, when he felt he could no longer hold in the question he had.

"Gorillas aren't going to break in here and rip off our heads, right?"

Mark wanted to laugh, but he knew even from Jeno's whisper that he was serious. "No, they'd take one look at Johnny and walk away." And then, "Is that what happened in your nightmare?"

Jeno hummed. He could feel himself slowly start to get sleepy again, but he didn't want to leave Mark awake alone if he was trapped by Haechan.

"You sound like you need cuddles." Neither Mark or Jeno recognized the voice, but they guessed it was Jungwoo just from the process of elimination.

"Only if you come here." 

Jungwoo instantly sat up, wrapping his blanket around his shoulders and trying not to step on anyone as he made his way over to Jeno. He laid down and got comfy next to him on the floor before opening his arms for the younger, and Jeno snuggled up close to him. It wasn't often that Jeno got cuddles, but he needed the reassurance the gorillas weren't going to get him.

"Were you awake the whole time?" Mark asked, and Jungwoo almost shook his head before he remembered he couldn't be seen.

"No. I'm a light sleeper."

"Sorry we woke you."

"It's fine."

The room became silent for a second time while Jeno slipped back to sleep, but Mark found himself waking up even more. And Haechan didn't seem like he was moving off of him anytime soon.

"Why don't you talk?" Mark knew it wasn't something he should probably ask about, but he was curious.

"Not used to it."

"Why not? I like your soft voice." No one had ever complimented his voice. Adults always told him to speak up and stop whispering.

"Maybe another day. Good night, Mark."

It took everything within in him to not ask more questions and keep him awake with him. "Good night, Woo."

So Mark went back to staring at the ceiling as he tried to go back to sleep, eventually giving up and pushing Haechan away from him so he could finally sleep. That didn't stop Haechan from going right back to cuddling Mark, but at least he slept through it this time.