Chapter 9.5
LuckyA/N: A real chapter, but like a small filler after the angst night. In case anyone wondered why it's a 9.5 chapter.
What to read if you want to skip the "filler":
If you want to only read the important part of the chapter, read only until Chanyeol's scene. The start of Chanyeol's funny karma will be indicated by a double line.
Chanyeol hurriedly, but gently placed Baekhyun upright, standing but leaning all of his weight on himself. Xiumin and Suho followed in shortly after, holding Baekhyun up for Chanyeol as he washed Baekhyun's hands of dried blood.
Chen stayed behind everyone in the bathroom. Once Chanyeol was done with cleaning Baekhyun's hands, Chen carefully dried them with a towel, lightly patting them as if they were priceless porcelain. To Chen and anyone in EXO, it was more than that. It was their brother's bleeding hands, hands...that they now knew, had endured worse pain than this before. Almost like a confirmation, as Chen wiped and flipped over the towel to check Baekhyun's hands, he had discovered the white towel to have a skin's pigmentation, a color that matched Baekhyun.
Chen, Xiumin, Suho, and D.O, Kai, and Sehun who stood in the hallway outside of the bathroom had all seen what the makeup covered. Thin, pale-white scars of previous pain were now displayed, covering most of Baekhyun's wrist. Everyone stayed quiet.
Sehun stayed in the back, farthest from Baekhyun. He didn't know what to do to help. He had done enough tonight, hurting Baekhyun.
If Chanyeol saw the marks, he did well not to show it or react. He simply brought out a medical kit from a large drawer in the bathroom and begun taking out what he needed. Quietly, the members in the bathroom helped Chanyeol with simple tasks, holding things for him when he asked and moving Baekhyun when he was done.
They carried a still unconscious Baekhyun to his and Chanyeol's shared room.
Before Chanyeol stayed by Baekhyun's side for the night, he made note that Sehun had looked the most apologetic, especially when he came in and kissed Baekhyun's forehead.
Something went wrong, more than just the breaking of a dish, but he would worry about it later. Chanyeol pulled the sheets over the both of them and just like all the nights previous to this, he protectively wrapped his arms around Baekhyun. He watched him sleep until he couldn't keep his eyes open any longer. He fell asleep rubbing Baekhyun's arm.
Baekhyun had woken up in the middle of the night, squinting his eyes and clearing his desert-dry throat. His let his eyes slowly adjust to the dark before searching for his phone and a water bottle. Just as he tried to sit up, leaning on his palms, his hand and wrist stung. He hissed from the pain, falling back onto the bed.
"...Baekhyun." A gentle, low murmur sounded from next to him. By now, it didn't shock Baekhyun, it was more of a warm welcome into the early morning. He turned his head to look at Chanyeol while he held his stinging wrist and palm.
Chanyeol met his gaze with saddened eyes, but he didn't say anything more. He turned over, grabbed one of the six water bottles that Baekhyun had just noticed on the bedside table, and offered it to him after opening it.
Baekhyun graciously accepted it and drank. As he finished and was about to toss it on the other side of him by the wall, Chanyeol caught it in midair and placed it back on the bedside table before pulling the covers over himself and Baekhyun.
Baekhyun, feeling weak and not caring much for his actions anymore tonight, gave in to his smallest desire. He snuggled into Chanyeol, lying his head on his shoulder.
Chanyeol immediately adjusted for Baekhyun and pulled him closer, making Baekhyun's head rest on his chest instead. Chanyeol tenderly traced his fingers on Baekhyun's bandages, seemingly drawing every scar on Baekhyun's wrist behind it, as if he memorized its very pattern and all its directions.
Baekhyun wasn't about to ask what happened or why Chanyeol was acting the way he was, scared that he, in turn, would also ask the same question. He wasn't ready
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