Chapter 22: Just Close Your Eyes

When Baekhyun woke up, it was much too bright. The curtains were drawn, but slivers of sunlight still managed to sneak through the crack between the thick velvet. He groaned lightly and reached up to pull the curtains shut, his arm covering his eyes. When he finally sat up, he swore the world was spinning, and the dull pounding in his head was beginning to drive him insane.

Shaking his head lightly to clear his still fuzzy with sleep mind, he looked around the room. He recognized it as Chanyeol’s room, and the initial shock wore off as he faintly remembered the exchange between the two of them when he came to the first time. He smiled when he saw Chanyeol asleep on the chair next to him, head lying on his arms folded on the bed. On instinct, he raised a hand and lightly brushed Chanyeol’s light brown curls away from his forehead, smiling when Chanyeol furrowed his brows slightly.

“Baekhyun-hyung?”

Baekhyun looked up and saw Jongin and Minseok poking their heads through the door. Jongin smiled when he met Baekhyun’s eyes.

“You’re awake!” Jongin exclaimed softly as he and Minseok entered the room.

“How long was I out?”

“A few days,” Minseok replied, sitting on Baekhyun’s bed. “How are you feeling?”

“Bad,” Baekhyun admitted. “But not bad as in oh-my-god-please-kill-me-bad. More like oh-my-god-can-I-have-some-painkillers-NOW bad.”

“Um,” Minseok began. “Well, that sounds alright?”

He winced as Baekhyun muttered a damn under his breath as another wave of pain crashed into his skull.

“So…” Baekhyun began slowly after the pain had subsided for the most part. “What’s up? How…how bad is the death toll?”

His voice came out uncertain and soft, and Minseok smiled comfortingly.

“Don’t worry, most of our soldiers are just injured,” he reassured him, giving a small chuckle. “Chanyeol had trained them well. The death toll isn’t high, not compared to the enemy team.”

Baekhyun drew in a sharp breath, relief flooding his veins, along with something akin to sympathy and pity, and maybe even a little bit of regret.

“I…I didn’t want anyone to die,” he said softly, eyes not quite meeting Minseok’s nor Jongin’s.

Jongin put his hand over Baekhyun’s, squeezing it.

“None of us did, hyung. But it was necessary for the country. You know Soyeon wouldn’t be a good ruler.”

Baekhyun nodded, giving Jongin a weak smile that was returned.

“Well, now that it’s over—”

Baekhyun was interrupted by a sudden knock on the door.

“Mins—” Daehyun stopped in his tracks as he saw Baekhyun sitting up in bed. “Oh! Praetor, you’re awake!” He rushed into the room. “Are you alright?”

Baekhyun grinned. “It’s nice to see you Daehyun,” he said earnestly. “And I’m feeling fine, thank you for asking.”

Daehyun nodded frantically. “That’s good. That’s good. We’re all very worried about you.”

Baekhyun laughed before gesturing to Minseok. “Did you need something from Minseok?”

“Oh…” Daehyun’s eyes shifted to Minseok, his expression suddenly dimming. “May I speak with you outside?”

Minseok frowned, but got up, whispering an I’ll be back soon to Jongin and Baekhyun before following Daehyun out the room.

From inside, Baekhyun and Jongin stayed silent, and they could hear the soft voices of Daehyun and Minseok, although they couldn’t make out anything intelligible. They heard the voices rise with worry, and they glanced at each other, uncertain of what to make of it.

“D-do you think they’re okay?” Jongin finally asked.

Baekhyun nodded hesitantly. “I hope so.”

“—Okay, I’ll tell them. Yeah, just do what you have to. Alright, thanks.” Minseok’s face was grim as he stepped back into the room, closing the door behind him.

“What’s wrong?” Baekhyun asked, worry etched on his face. “Did the str—”

“It’s Kyungsoo.”

Silence fell upon the room as Jongin visibly stiffened. He raised his head slowly, eyes boring into Minseok and fist clenching the Baekhyun’s blankets until his knuckles were white.

“What about Kyungsoo?” He whispered.

“He’s severely wounded. They’re treating him at the Royal Hosp—whoa!.”

Minseok was pushed into the doorframe as Jongin ran past him and down the empty corridors.

“Jongin! Jongin!” Baekhyun called desperately after him, though to no avail. He bit his lip with worry and twisted his covers, much like what Jongin was doing earlier.

“He’ll be alright,” Minseok said soothingly.

“Are you sure? What if he does something reckless?” Baekhyun asked.

“Well,” Minseok replied, smiling. “I think you have something else to worry about right now.”

Baehyun furrowed his eyebrows in confusion. “What are you ta—”

“BAEKHYUN! YOU’RE AWAKE!”

A body crashed into Baekhyun, knocking the lights out of him, and he felt strong arms wrapping around his torso. In retrospect, the impact should’ve hurt his already battered body, but before his mind could even register the pain, his eyes fell on the adorable copper curls and wide smile of Chanyeol, and suddenly, all he could feel was a warm fuzziness.

“I’ll…leave you two alone now,” Minseok called, amusement lacing his voice. He chuckled and backed out of the room, easing the door close behind him.

As soon as Minseok left, Chanyeol pulled away and bounced a little on the bed, smile growing even wider, if that was possible. Baekhyun had half a mind to ask him if he was going insane, because who smiles that much but before he even had a chance, Chanyeol’s smile turned into a pout.

“Do you know how worried I was?” Chanyeol whined, tugging on Baekhyun’s arms. “I thought I was going to explode from worry! How could you do that to me?”

Baekhyun laughed a little and gently pulled his hands from Chanyeol’s grasp to softly ruffle his hair.

“But I’m fine now, aren’t I?”

Chanyeol scowled a little, but leaned into Baekhyun’s touch, eyelids fluttering close for a couple of seconds.

“I’m happy you’re awake, Hyunnie,” Chanyeol murmured.

“So am I.”

Chanyeol glanced at Baekhyun and grinned, before hopping onto the bed and nudging him a little.

“Come on, give me some room.”

Baekhyun grudgingly moved over, giggling when Chanyeol’s head crashed into the wall in an attempt to lie down. Chanyeol growled playfully before throwing an arm up and around Baekhyun’s shoulders, pulling him down with him. Baekhyun fell onto the covers with a yelp, landing on Chanyeol’s chest.

“Why are you doing?” He hissed. “Let me go.”

“No,” Chanyeol laughed, tightening his arms around Baekhyun. “I like this.”

Baekhyun squirmed for a few more moments, before giving up with an exasperated sigh. Chanyeol loosened his hold until they were both comfortable and buried his face in Baekhyun’s hair. The scent of Baekhyun’s shampoo was always something Chanyeol had wondered about. It was almost a mix with many different fruits, and Chanyeol liked it. It was something he could never get used to, and something he never wanted to get used to. Getting used to something means he’s a step closer to getting tired of something, and he knew that he’d never be able to get tired of Baekhyun.

“I love you, Baekhyun,” Chanyeol breathed, ruffling Baekhyun’s hair lightly.

“I love you too,” Baekhyun replied, closing his eyes in preparation for another long nap.

His reply startled Chanyeol, and he was about to open his mouth again, before he realized that Baekhyun had thought he meant it in a friend way, and that even though Chanyeol didn’t, Baekhyun had meant it in a friend way. Chanyeol sighed and dug his hands into Baekhyun’s side, hugging him closer.

“What’s wrong?” Baekhyun muttered, voice dragging with sleep.

“Nothing. Just go to sleep. I’ll tell you when you wake up.”

Baekhyun nodded sleepily and gave a murmur of assent. “Are you going to leave when I’m sleeping?”

“Not unless you want me too.”

“Don’t leave, Chanyeol.”

Chanyeol could feel Baekhyun lightly grabbing onto the front of his shirt, and he felt his heart swell with a sensation that was like the first petals of spring or the first snowfall of winter.

“I won’t, Baekhyun. I won’t.”

---

Jongin’s heart pounded with fear and trepidation as he hurtled down empty passages, twisting and turning and skidding passed corners, not daring to slow down, not even by a second. As he made his way through the Palace’s complicated maze of hallways, he inwardly cursed the Royal Hospital for being so far away from the Crown Prince’s chamber.

He tripped down the grand staircase and out the side doors, the cold night air whipping his hair back as he ran through the fields. As he neared the hospital, he could make out gurneys and stretchers being loaded and unloaded, along with masses of doctors and nurses dressed in white, standing out in the dark background. The sirens on the ambulances were still flashing, but Jongin could barely even register the loud ringing of the ambulance; his mind too cluttered with thoughts about Kyungsoo, Kyungsoo, Kyungsoo.

Two doctors bowed as he rushed past them, and he hastily waved a hand about. He finally stopped in front of the reception desk and impatiently waited for the nurse to give him her attention.

“Yes, Prince Jongin?”

“What room is Centurion Do Kyungsoo in?”

Without batting an eyelash or checking her records, she replied, “He’s in the emergency room right now. He’ll be taken to the urgent care unit after he’s out. I’m afraid you can’t see him.”

“I have to see him,” Jongin said through gritted teeth, leaning onto the counter for emphasis.

She didn’t flinch. “I’m sorry Prince, but our patient’s health and environment is our utmost priority. We can’t risk any intrusions from outsiders while a patient is still recovering.”

“I—”

“What’s going on here?”

Jongin turned to see a man dressed in white robes with a clipboard in hand walk towards him. The nurse bowed.

“Doctor Kim,” she said politely. He nodded at her before turning his head to look curiously at Jongin.

“Prince Jongin wants to see Centurion Do Kyungsoo,” she said, gesturing to Jongin, who was shifting side to side impatiently.

“Can I?” He growled, ready to push past the doctors and nurses if he had to.

“I’m sorry, but he needs to rest, and we can’t ha—”

“Please don’t give me that bull,” Jongin interrupted. “I won’t even talk to him; I just. I just want to see if he’s okay.”

His voice trailed off into a whisper, and he lowered his gaze to the floor for some reason, the floor seemed to be blurring, and there was a hot sting behind his eyes.

“Alright then.”

Jongin’s head shot up at the doctor’s words, and he saw his kind smile.

“Really? Really, I can see him?”

The doctor smiled at the childish glee that lit up his face.

“I’ll make an exception this time. Please come this way.”

Jongin bounded after the doctor, a new spring in his step, and he profusely thanked him. The doctor brushed off all the thank you very much’s with a laugh, but Jongin continued to bow with every step he took until he finally asked him to stop, saying he couldn’t take so much respect from a prince.

“And your name?” Jongin asked as they turned into the urgent care ward.

“Kim Joonmyun,” he replied, eyes curving into crescents as he smiled once again.

“Thank you, Joonmyun-shi.”

Joonmyun laughed. “This has got to be the one-hundredth time you’ve told me this. You must really care about Centurion Do.”

“Well,” Jongin began with a frown. “I. Uh, I—”

His sentence broke off as he spotted Kyungsoo through the glass. His eyes widened, and he slowly moved to it, placing his hand on the pane in an attempt to be closer.

“Can I,” he whispered, not trusting his voice. Jongin gestured to the glass.

Joonmyun shook the head. “I’m sorry, you can’t go in there.”

Jongin nodded. “Thank you,” he said softly again, and Joonmyun bowed his head.

He slowly stepped away from the glass, clenching his hand into a fist to keep what composure he had left. Jongin felt like any provocation would have him breaking down, and he couldn’t afford that. He kept his eyes wide, praying that the moisture in his eyes would not overflow and become telltale tears. He was strong. He could do this.

Joonmyun was understanding, and turned around, giving Jongin a few moments to himself. He breathed deeply a couple of times, before coughing lightly, giving Joonmyun the permission to turn back around.

“What happened?” Jongin asked, unclenching his hands just a little.

“From what I heard, when the streltsy shelled the West Gate, Centurion Do was closest to the blast. The soldiers told me that he’d stayed behind to make sure everyone had gotten as far from the target as possible.”

Jongin swallowed and felt his nails dig into his palm. This time, he was the one to turn around. He faced the glass again, feeling a lump form in his throat as he took in Kyungsoo’s feeble figure. He couldn’t be more thankful for the beeping of the heart monitor machine and the rise and fall of Kyungsoo’s chest.

“He’s going to be fine.”

Jongin glanced up at the sound of Joonmyun’s voice, and once again, he saw the soft smile Joonmyun was wearing. He flinched when Joonmyun laid a hand on his shoulder, but relaxed, as the weight of Joonmyun’s arm seemed to comfort him.

“I know,” Jongin muttered, eyes closing for a moment before opening with a fiery kind of determination and silent faith in them. “I know he’s going to be fine.”

_________________________

A/N: Hello everyone, I am back! I apologize for the long delay ;___; I've been busy with piano testing (I passed, yay!) and school and everything :D But thanks to your supporting comments and stuff, I got everything sorted out and sat my down to write this next chapter. I just realized that my writing got worse, so I hope this doesn't disappoint ;____;

Um guys, since this is one of my few serious fics, should I make an FAQ for this? :O Tell me what you think/submit questions. :D

Follow me on Tumblr? :D Feel free to ask me questions about the character's backgrounds, relationships, etc etc on Tumblr or AFF!

Also, one more thing! I feel like this story is getting too long (chapters wise), so I'm going to revamp it a little. Don't worry, I'm not going to end it soon! I'm just going to merge some of the chapters together so the chapter count doesn't look too intimidating.

Well, until next time, ciao~