Close-mouthed Consolation

Catastrophic.

Taeil stands in the middle of his room, a clutter of shredded papers and a disarray of clothes astrew, scattered amongst the floors and surrounding his bounded feet. He quivers in his spot, overpowering rage ransacking his small body as his lip quivers with taut trepidation. There is a fear that lurks behind his onyx orbs and anxious fidgeting strikes at his fingertips; he in a deep breath, his arms instinctively moving to hug himself, to shield him from the sudden draft that has chilled the thick atmosphere. He hisses in a deep exhale, seething as he drops slowly to his knees until he's rested in the middle of the floor, looking like a child in a fetal position.

He can't handle it. His mind swivels with pain and frustration, and the stress courses through the line of his arteries, overwhelming his thin frame with unncessary anxiety. It's painful, agonizing; he soon feels the hot river of his tears cascade down the sides of his face, cheeks growing red from the friction of the rough carpet rubbing against the sensitive flesh. He lays there, motionless and limp, and he wishes so dearly for her to return soon.

He can't do this alone.

Chaotic.

6:30, and she's not home. Taeil can't do this alone, he needs her; he can't handle it by himself. He sits upright, his throat closing in on itself as he fights yet again to stifle back a sob. He fails, as expected, and an inevitable cry of helplessness breaks the intimidating silence, filling the air with his expressed sadness and woe. The warmth his arms used to provide him with fades and he finds solace in burying himself in the confines of his bed, burrowing his figure into the bedsheets and comforters.

It's still cold, and he swore it was only 65 degrees in the house the last he checked. Taeil feels his heart wrench under the constriction of the ice that grows around it, feeling it suffocate under the mass of puzzling bewilderment. His muffled sobs begin to grow erratic and though his breathing is hushed, it grows substantially bated, and Taeil soon faces the onslaught of having to fight for oxygen. He feels his body slowly give away to the nudging ebbs of sorrow and nothingness, and he's just on the brink of becoming numb,

when the door clicks.

Cautiousness.

She clumsily stumbles into the room, her phone in hand; she's breathing hard, huffing almost, and if he looked, Taeil would be able to detect traces of sweat staining her rosy features. The familiar sound of Jiho's voice blares from the other end of the phone line, and she murmurs a soft word of assurance before hanging up. She throws all her belongings into a neglectful corner of the room before strolling cautiously over to Taeil. She pulls the covers back and finds his rosy-pink cheeks and his teary orbs, and immediately her heart clenches with distraught guilt.

You should've called me right away, she conveys with her eyes.

I didn't want to burden you, he returns with a regretful expression.

She brushes his dark hair back and bites her lip at how matty it is with his cold sweat; she could feel his heart beat throbbing at his temple, the pad of her thumb caressing it ever-so slightly. Her lips touch his hot forehead and instantaneously, a wave of consolation weaves through Taeil's body; his heart slows, and his eyelids flutter shut -- it's almost as if the world has stopped turning for just a moment's notice. The coolness of her palm brings Taeil back to reality and his eyes open once more, to meet the coffee-coloured irises of her eyes.

He smiles apologetically, and she simply nods, pulling herself into bed alongside him; she bothers not with her clothes, but rather tends to the dry tear stains marked along Taeil's cheeks, wiping them comfortingly as a ginger smile traces her pink lips. Taeil, overcome with grateful love, kisses them softly, and doesn't pull away right after; his breath ghosts just above , and he swears he could feel her smile against the swell of his lips. His heart soars.

He finds her staring at him, her hands latched against the plate of his chest. Are you okay? Her eyebrows lift with silence, the timid inquiry shooting from her worry-filled eyes.

Now that you are here, yes. And he responds bashfully with yet another kiss.

Comfort.

They don't speak. They don't need to. She knows Taeil doesn't want to. He can explain some other time, and she will be there to here him out. Her head rests just atop his shoulder as he pulls her body in closer to his, snuggling his arms around her waist as his nose nuzzles against the groove of her collarbone. Sensual kisses are peppered across the perimeter of her skin and she feels his grip tighten. Thank you.

She slowly snakes her arms around his neck and pulls him in for a firm kiss, lips dancing melodiously against one another in a fluid waltz, tongues gliding and breath hitching and all; he smiles graciously into the bold and endearing kiss, feeling his heart soar even higher than its ever been. She pulls away at an agonizingly snail-like pace, resting her forehead peacefully against his. There's a small glint in her eyes and Taeil smiles, knowing exactly what she's saying.

You're welcome.

He responds with a timid smile, a small apology laced in between.  I love you.

Taeil's smile is instantly reflected and there is a different gleam twinkling behind her eyes. I love you, too.

And suddenly Taeil feels whole again.