23:04.
the apartment's silence was broken by the sound of the two of them falling in through the front door. baekhyun's arm still slung over roma's shoulders. creak of the door hinges and shuffling of drunken and muddled footsteps echoed around the small space. rushed noise momentarily spilt through.
no lights; nothing. emptiness.
but roma could feel the uncomfortable red warmth of baekhyun's skin; the heat of blood from the new wounds inflicted upon him. her heart clenched at the thought of having to face his damages again, the lump rising in her throat. recalling the most recent events of damp, scarlet kitchen towels and broken whimpers. the darkened memories mirrored their current situation.
his drunken state combined with the limp in his step proved walking him through the front door a difficult task.
"roma," baekhyun sighed, laughing. roma wasn't in the mood for his inebriated state of constant smirking and joking. hands reached up to push him back.
she attempted to manoeuvre around the edge of the wall, darkness encompassing her vision, baekhyun's quickened movements halting her.
"baekhyun," she groaned quietly, her voice broken and uneven, pulling him off her as she fumbled for the light switch.
the light bulb flickered, wavered against the darkness, attempted to illuminate, and then shut off. an aura of darkness that she'd grown accustomed to. she flicked the switch again, numerous times, then gave up, baekhyun's wandering arm distracting her.
a mysterious chill ran down the length of her spin; she twitched uncomfortably, a shiver of fear rattling through her shaking entirety. her mouth was dry. she tried to hold back the tears, her throat constricted.
"baekhyun--"
she started, but was distracted by the trail of kisses that he was leaving against the skin of her neck, burrowing his head into her shoulder. pushing her against the wall. it was dark. baekhyun groaned lowly against the shell of her ear, a sound that startled her, him muttering something that sounded similar to her name.
"that was hot," he said. she managed to comprehend the quiet phrase, pulling away.
"w-what was?"
confused, embarrassed by his words, she tried to push him back slightly, so she could look at him directly. look at him.
"you telling jack to fuck off." the smirk was evident in his tone, as he leaned in again.
roma didn't know what to reply. her concerns were more focused around baekhyun and his cuts and bruises, the dark red colour standing out against the dark tension of the empty room. car lights patterned the walls, dotting the blank expanse of nothingness, the sound of the motorway filling the silence. it was so quiet.
"this isn't a joke," roma spoke through gritted teeth.
he laughed.
he was drunk.
roma didn't know what to do.
she felt anger. fear. a surge of confidence.
"baekhyun, stop! i was so fucking scared for you! don't you see that?! this isn't funny!"
he stopped, the smirk fading, his hold on roma lessening slightly.
her cheeks were heated. veiled by the bleakness. her breaths spilt heavily from her lips.
the room, yet again, became a void of emptiness. the sound of a car, far away. echoing.
"i'm sorry."
his voice was so silenced, rasping, almost inaudible.
"baekhyun."
she was frightened and quiet now. a nervous edge of fear laced her whispering tone. dark eyes wavered, unfocused on what she was saying, blurred vision hinting at something else. anything.
"what were you thinking?"
roma reached up to grab the sides of baekhyun's face. caressing the red and uneven nature of his cheek, the warmth of him radiating onto her own shivering skin.
she wanted him to kiss her.
bright eyes were shining, like beacons against the midnight-black sky.
his lips quivered, like he was trying to desperately form a coherent answer.
"i was worried, okay? worried about you. and, fuck, i don't know, i just didn't--didn't want him to find you. i know what fuckers like him do for fun, roma, and...i'm, just, i'm sorry."
a pale sliver of moonlight had paved a path through the separated curtains. an opaque glow settled over the thick atmosphere of the enclosed space. his expletive admission tore at her fragile state, clawing at her beating heart.
"did you find him? he wasn't at work."
roma whispered.
baekhyun looked up, towards her.
"no, he attacked me. the bastard." he paused. "i didn't really know what i was doing or where i was going, to be honest. i was just--"
lost for words.
roma breathed; in, out, in, out.
it was her turn, now.
"it's okay," she sighed, bringing their foreheads together. eyes closing. "i'm sorry, i should've listened to you. maybe it was my fault."
"don't be stupid, roma. i shouldn't have done it." a pause. "i didn't mean to scare you."
his hand reached up to push a strand of hair behind her ear. roma gripped protectively onto the ends of his shirt. the moist feel of his skin distracted her from his hard breaths and low voice.
roma let out another deep breath.
heavy heartbeats.
"come on."
roma's small hand clung to baekhyun's as she softly pushed him backwards. further into the dark. shadow followed them as they peeled themselves from the wall. roma's fingers entwined with his, leading them through the darkness of the living room.
baekhyun tripped slightly, the inebriation not helping. a spark of light emerged from the hanging lightbulb. roma jumped, tightening her grip on baekhyun. that same shiver ran up and down her spine, like electricity sparking. the pulsing of her heart echoed through her ears.
baekhyun looked frightened, his eyes and pupils growing darker as he frantically looked around. ran a hand through his hair. roma grabbed tighter onto his hand, the warmth of it comforting her.
the two of them were met with cold tiles beneath their feet and a broken light switch. roma gave up, instead resting baekhyun against the wall and reaching for the taps on her bath. focusing on the steadying of her heartbeat. sound of rushing water pattered against the white basin.
roma knew this wasn't normally her; taking charge. but baekhyun's weak form and the eerie nature of the darkness caused her impulses to act differently.
"roma, what--"
"shh."
she touched the rough nature of his hand, bringing its shaking form up to her lips, peppering a few kisses over the sore skin. roma heard him let out a deep sigh, a broken exhale of unsure breaths. the dripping of the warm water could be heard in the background, as she reached forward for his t-shirt. she peeled it from his bruised body, slowly, careful not to hurt him, the soft material lifting with his outstretched arms.
his hair fell messily over his forehead. the t-shirt was dropped to the tiled floor, along with the clink of her undoing his belt. bare, tanned skin felt warm and comforting underneath her small fingers. he stared at her, wide-eyed, unmoving. chest heaving up and down. she held onto the strong muscles of his arms, mustering a small and reassuring smile.
roma let go, unwillingly, walking over towards the bath to turn off the taps.
emptiness, again. silence.
baekhyun had pulled off his jeans, leaving the rest of his clothes in a crumpled mess on the bathroom floor. darkness encompassed them, but roma managed to find her way, baekhyun's outstretched hands making it easier. roma removed the lasting items of clothing.
bare skin.
the red blushing of her own skin was thankfully hidden.
quiet settled. the bath water rippled slightly as baekhyun lowered himself in, slowly, painfully. one leg after another. his right hand grabbed tightly onto her shoulder, as roma gasped, making sure he didn't fall. making sure she didn't fall.
garnet red coloured the transparent, warm water, seeping from his shivering skin. roma ran the water from the shower over his back, his arms, her own hand rubbing over the cuts and scrapes. he winced. roma apologised. she wished there was another sound, another something, another person breathing.
baekhyun's eyes were shut, tight, as roma washed his face. blood ran down his cheeks, his neck, his chest, dissipating into the bath water. roma gasped at the particularly large purple and dark blue bruise along his right side. how many more times she'd have to see him like this, roma didn't want to know.
it broke her. she desperately held in her trembling breaths. neither of them spoke.
roma left him to dry and dress himself.
her bedroom was humid and bare, as she tread softly over the floorboards, the open window fluttering the curtains. it was less dim, the moonlight visible through the parted clouds and the still stars. roma's lamp didn't work; didn't switch on. she was starting to get scared. what was it with the lights? perhaps her electricity was out.
electricity.
that's exactly what she felt; running through her veins, her blood, travelling up and down her tingling spine. her skin felt pressured, like she was holding down a heavy weight. quickened breaths escaped from between her dry lips. darkness.
he'd returned, bare chest, hair dripping slightly and positioned messily. his dark, dark, eyes pierced the room, shining, as he threw the towel to the side and moved closer to roma, stepping cautiously.
roma didn't shy away, drawn in by his compelling aura, drawn in by the utter darkness of the room but the luminescence of his eyes.
his arms wrapped around her shoulders, bringing her closer. heart was beating. million times per minute. her shaking hand traced over the numerous bruises and injuries. his lips ghosted past her ear.
aura of the room was pulsing.
empty.
"i wish i could explain," was all he said, his captivating voice tearing through the silence.
roma's head felt funny; her breath shook, her spine tingled. their hearts thudded against one another.
the small lightbulb hanging on the ceiling lit up. its rays cast a golden shadow upon his prominent features. she was scared. it flickered ominously, dimmed, returned to brightness.
car lights patterned the walls.
the bathroom light switched on, and then off; seeped in through the open doorway.
"baekhyun," she breathed out, shakily, her vision frantically darting from one corner of the room to another.
heat prickled through her thin shirt, drawing her in closer, as baekhyun encompassed her within his grasp. lights switched, on and off.
on and off.
at a loss for words.
his lips attacked hers, head tilting, his hand wrapping around to rest in between her long strands of hair. she wasn't thinking. roma feverishly reciprocated the gesture, hot breaths mingling, her movements careful but desperate to touch any part of him that she possibly could.
she didn't know what she was doing. or if she was doing it right. or how many girls baekhyun had probably done this with. whatever this was.
she didn't want it to stop.
with a loud thud that shook the doorframe and her body, her back collided with the wall, as baekhyun pressed himself against her. more. all she wanted. baekhyun kissed her, and she felt like she was on fire.
she felt him put pressure underneath her thighs, as he lifted her up, still holding her against the confinements of the wall. skin next to skin. roma felt stupid, and naïve, but she kissed him back with as much fervour as she could. his hair felt soft and thick between her fingers. hot hands palmed her tingling skin.
the lightbulb shut off.
darkness enveloped their corner.
"baekhyun, what--"
"i can't," he breathes heavily in between kisses, as he spun them around.
she was on her feet again.
"baekhyun."
their bodies detached momentarily, and roma felt lost in the darkness.
baekhyun's lips found hers.
he'd lifted her up again, strong arms, her back colliding with the bed. soft sheets felt in contrast to baekhyun's rough and desperate movements. she wanted him.
flashing lights pulsated in front of her vision, stars in her eyes, the lamp on her nightstand: on and off.
"roma," baekhyun groaned into her ear, her hot skin, his hands travelling further down her body to rest on her waist, her thighs.
she clung to his shoulders, forgetting about the injuries he'd sustained. his tongue sent sparks through her.
the lights.
on and off.
the lightbulb smashed. orange sparks. baekhyun's hands continued to move in the darkness. he grabbed the side of her face, gently, so that they were looking into each other's eyes.
he was beautiful.
roma didn't know what could explain the thumping of her heartbeat, the uneven nature of her breaths, the way her hands held his face, too, as if she knew what she was doing.
"i want this to be real," he sighed, his chest heaving.
roma didn't really know what that meant.
the lights flashed, illuminating the darkened corners, leaving nothing to the imagination.
she was scared.
"me, too."
"really? you mean that?" baekhyun asked, a serious tone lacing his voice.
roma stared at him.
their heavy breaths became one.
"yes."
and he kissed her, and touched her, and his bare torso rested heavily against hers, and he made her feel like he cared.
//
sorry for the long wait, I hope it was worth it :) thank you again for taking the time to read my story. all of your comments mean so much, and I can't thank you enough.
if any of you guys have had exams or are studying for them, I wish you lots of luck xoxo