i didnt do anything i was supposed to thursday
i forgot a doctor''s appointment, i ditched school. i dodnt keep looking for a new job.
this was not a productive day
so you guys should have another double update
fun fact: roy kim and kim joonmyun went to the same middle scool

            There was a knock at the door and Tao looked at the rest of the surprised occupants in the room. “Are you expecting anyone else?” He asked to no one in particular. There wasn’t an answer. Minseok opened the door and a small nervous looking man was at the door. “Can I help you?”

           “Oh… hello, I'm looking for– is Joonmyun home? Did I get the right address?” He asked as he showed a piece of paper with Joonmyun’s handwriting. “He hasn’t reported to the office in a few days. Would you know where he is?”

           “He…” Minseok rubbed his face and looked up and groaned, “He’s in a really delicate place right now.”

           “What’s wrong with him? Is he depressed? I mean the last few days when I saw him he seemed to be on top of the world, probably thanks to him finding a special someone, what could have happened?” He prattled at the orange haired man.

           “Yeol, could you come here a minute?” Minseok shouted from the front door.

           Chanyeol and Baekhyun came to the door. Chanyeol’s eyes widened.

           “Roy?” Chanyeol asked.

           “Roy Kim?” Baekhyun asked.

           “Chanyeol? I thought you and Joonmyun broke up, what are you doing here?” Roy asked. “And how is Baekhyun here?”

           “I live here with Joonmyun, my boyfriend Baekhyun and Tao… Joonmyun’s husband for lack of better definition.” Chanyeol said.

           “What happened to Joonmyun?” Roy asked.

           “There… was an accident …” Chanyeol said, trying to think on his feet.

           “His moped got hit by a car.” Baekhyun said without batting an eye. “He’s in a coma”

           “Which hospital is he in?”

           “He’s actually upstairs, Tao didn’t want him to rot away in some hospital.” Baekhyun replied solemnly.

           “Who’s taking care of him medically?” Roy asked.

           “We have a live in.”

           “Can I see him?” He asked, “I’m just as much a friend as you are.” He said to Chanyeol.

           Baekhyun retreated to the living room to tell them to move Kris to another room because Roy was a persistent bastard. Always had been.

           Yixing ran upstairs to warn Joonmyun and Kris not to try to wake up.

           “Some guy from your job is here and Baekhyun told him you were in a coma.” Yixing said. “Stay here. Also, you can stop giving his energy back, you look pretty pale.”

           Yixing covered Joonmyun with a heating blanket and pulled a chair up by the side of the bed, pretending to read a magazine. He taped a convincing looking IV to his arm

           Roy was shown upstairs by Chanyeol. Tao was sitting on one side of the bed against the headboard, holding Joonmyun’s hand. Yixing never looked up from his magazine.

           Tao looked nervous (but really wasn’t) about the newcomer.

           “Hey Tao, this is Roy Kim. He works with Joonmyun.” Tao looked up with a small frown as Chanyeol introduced him in an uncharacteristically quiet voice.

           “Hi…”

           “How is he?” Roy asked.

           “He’s not waking up anytime soon.” Yixing said quietly flipping to the next page.

          “How are you Joonmyun’s husband?” He asked Tao, “He told me that he met his boyfriend maybe two months ago”

           “That’s right.” Tao said gently.

           The genie was having a mental conversation with Yixing ‘What do married humans have to mark their mate?’

            ‘I suppose a wedding ring would be what humans use. Simple band on the left ring finger.’

           “You ask many questions for someone who is just a coworker.” Tao said quietly as he made wedding rings show up on their hands.

           “I’ve known him since middle school.” The smaller man said. “Chanyeol and Baekhyun too.” He sat on the edge of the bed, “He was so happy he got the promotion. We miss him at the office now that he only has to come in once a week to turn in random papers, but everyone in the office is going to be devastated when I tell them what happened.”

           He sat for a moment staring at Joonmyun’s still form before standing up. “Look, I have to get going, but I will tell our boss that he’s… out.”

           “Thanks…” Tao said almost too quietly.

           Chanyeol walked Roy out, with a promise to hang out at some point.

           They moved Kris back into the bedroom and everyone went down the stairs except for Yixing.

            ‘You two have pretty much equal energy, so any time you two feel like waking up is cool with us.’ Yixing said to the two men who were lounging on the dream house’s living room couch, talking.

           They opened their eyes with a gasp and slowly sat up. Yixing helped them down the stairs.

           Their respective partners helped the two men to sit by them. “So we figured out how to level the energy between us, but I think we’re just buying time.” Joonmyun said.

           Tao wrapped an arm around Joonmyun’s shoulder and kissed his temple. Tao’s left hand played with the fingers on Joonmyun’s left hand. The brunet looked at their hands. “Tao… what’s this?” He said as he brought their left hands up to eye level.

           “That Roy guy didn’t believe that you were my… husband. So now we have rings– that is correct isn’t it?” Tao asked, making sure he didn’t offend his mate. Joonmyun responded by kissing Tao softly.

           “Roy was here?”  Joonmyun asked a few moments after breaking his kiss and giving a loving look to his mate.

           “He said he was going to tell your boss that you were in a coma.”

           “Oh… ok… good.” Joonmyun nodded.

           “How are you feeling?” Jongdae asked Kris.

           “A little run down, but better.” Kris said.

           “Has anyone thought of anything?” Joonmyun asked, looking at the occupants of the room.

           They all shook their heads.

           “Isn’t there anyone else you can ask?” Joonmyun asked, “I can’t keep forcing Yifan’s energy back into him forever.”

           “We know,” Sehun said raising an eyebrow as if he knew exactly what they were up to.

           “But every scenario we can think of ends with Luhan taking one of you away.” Minseok frowned.

           “I wouldn’t be able to take Joonmyun to the hereafter…” Luhan mumbled. “He’’s not mine to take.”

           “You have no idea either?” Joonmyun asked Luhan who was eating a bowl of sugary cereal. He was sure they didn't even make that brand anymore. The psychopomp shook his head.

           “I don’t even have any previous experience in something like this in which to draw from.” He said around the mouthful of chocolaty breakfast,

           Joonmyun’s expression went grim. “Tao… a word please.” He said as he struggled to get up.

           Tao helped him up and they slowly made it to the kitchen. “I know what you’re going to say, but give me time, please.” Tao begged. He tightly wrapped his arms around Joonmyun.

           “I think I can only give you until the next time I have to push energy back into Yifan.”

           “Why only until then? Tao asked.

           “I don’t think I can do it more than that without killing us both.” Joonmyun dropped his head against Tao’s chest.

           “But – I don’t – I can’t… If you die, I’ll fade out too. I don’t give a if I’m being selfish. You just can’t…” Tao turned his face into the side of Joonmyun’s neck. The brunet could feel the hot tears rolling down his skin. “Please… please please. I just got you back.” He cried weakly.

           “I don’t know what is going to happen to me after either… I gave up whatever comes next… maybe I get to hang out with Luhan or something…” He tried to brighten the mood.

           “I love you too much to let go…” He said through heavy tears “… Don’t go.”

           “I have an order to how I want to do this, Tao…” He said, accepting whatever fate may come.

           Tao nodded nervously.

           Outside, Kris had his face in his hands. Jongdae wrapped his arms around Kris and pushed his nose against his shoulder.

           It was painfully quiet in the room as everyone tried to think. They could hear murmuring from the kitchen and the unmistakable sound of a low keening cry.