For MyAnswerIsYouu

Prompt: 'hyung, I can I sleep here tonight?'

This is the third night in a row that Jongin hasn’t been able to drift off and find peace in a few solid hours of sleep through the night. His back is bothering him again, aching dully before suddenly sending a sharp zing of hot pain along his spine out of nowhere. The pain is too much to manage sometimes, forcing him out of bed and into the bathroom to stand under the shower, blinking the tears of pain away in hopes that the hot water will ease the ache. The water barely offers him a few minutes of relief before it’s back again and Jongin only winds up even more wide awake from the shower.

He kicks the sheets off in frustration, throwing his legs over the edge of the bed and presses the heel of his hand to his head, feeling a familiar headache coming on. Sighing, he pads out of the room quietly, trying not to wake anyone else up. Just because he can’t sleep doesn’t mean he should interrupt everyone else while they can.

Jongin starts making his way to the bathroom again, wondering if he should shower as usual or just wet his face to freshen up. On the way there, he catches a glimmer of light through the corner of his eye, seeing a glow coming from another bedroom. Kyungsoo’s room. Hesitating, Jongin changes course and pushes the door to his room open further, peering inside silently. The light is coming from Kyungsoo’s tablet where he’s sitting up against the headboard of his bed, watching a movie with his headphones on.

Jongin is debating whether he should disturb him or not when Kyungsoo notices him standing there by the door, pulling his earphones off to look up at him.

“Jongin?” he says quietly. Chanyeol doesn’t shift where he’s sleeping on the other side of the room. “What’s wrong?”

Jongin takes another step inside, closing the door behind him and moving closer so he can whisper.

“Can’t sleep,” he sighs, kneading at a knot on his shoulder where another ache is starting up.

Kyungsoo purses his lips sympathetically, noticing the way he’s slouching uncomfortably. He’s always been able to read his body language well without needing to ask, especially when he’s in pain. It comes from spending so much time in the same space and the acute attention Kyungsoo pays to things when people think he doesn’t notice them. He beckons Jongin over, stashing his tablet aside on the nightstand, though he leaves the screen on to throw some light. Jongin sits down on the edge of the mattress, suddenly feeling a heavy wave of exhaustion washing over him.

“Do you- can I sleep here tonight?” he asks, looking up at Kyungsoo hopefully. He can feel the tiredness in his bones now and he doesn’t want to lose the moment, hoping it will override his discomfort to let him sleep.

Kyungsoo smiles, his expression warm and open even in the dim light.

“Sure.”

He scoots over, towards the outside of the bed, insisting that Jongin take the half by the wall.

“It’ll be better for your back so you won’t roll over,” he says, tugging Jongin up onto the bed until he’s lying across from him in the small space, sharing Kyungsoo’s pillow where he’s lying on his side. He’s right, the wall does feel more supportive when it’s immediately behind him. Kyungsoo gives him a questioning nod, asking if it’s okay, and Jongin nods gratefully. The pain is still there, thrumming around his bones, but he can feel the tug of sleep pulling at him this time.

It’s a tight squeeze and Kyungsoo shifts a little closer to keep from falling off the edge, bringing his face close enough that Jongin can feel him breathing.

“Maybe you should hold on to my hand so you don’t fall,” Jongin yawns, only half joking.

Kyungsoo grins and does just that, slipping his hand into Jongin’s upturned palm in the space between them, clasping their hands together.

“Better?” he asks, an amused lilt in his voice.

“Yeah,” Jongin says, smiling sleepily as he tugs Kyungsoo closer with his knees clasped around Kyungsoo’s leg, locking him in place. He’s warm, his skin, his proximity; it feels better than the shower Jongin could have tried. It’s no miracle; maybe it’s just a placebo effect. It doesn’t matter, really. Jongin just knows he feels better being right here, with Kyungsoo squeezing his hand lightly, coaxing him to go to sleep.

He does eventually wake up again before it’s time to, feeling the ache burning by the base of his spine. But then Kyungsoo shifts in his sleep, sidling closer unconsciously and curves an arm around Jongin’s waist, gentle even in his sleep. Jongin lets himself breathe again, pushing the pain aside to focus on Kyungsoo’s warmth instead, always his warmth.

First one down! ♥ Hope you like it TT