Coming home

Luhan was bored. Very, very bored.

Ever since Xiumin had left earlier the same morning, the silence had been eating him alive. The room which had been filled with hushed mumbles and sweet laughter during the past couple of weeks was now silent as a grave.

"It's going to be my grave too if Xiumin doesn't pick me up soon..." Luhan snuggled his teddy-bear closer to his own chest, a grumpy pout playing on his face. He really wanted to leave the hospital, he really did, but the nurses had told him that he'd have to wait at least a day until he was allowed to leave. That is, unless his condition got worse.

The vibrations of his phone caught his attention, and he brightened up immediately once he saw who was calling him.

"Hello traitor". The pout in his voice must've been evident because Xiumin chuckled in response.

"Don't be like that Lulu, you know I would have stayed if I could. And I can't bring you to a home full of dust now can I?" At the word 'home' Luhan smiled like a fool to himself. Soon he'd be home. A home where there was a Xiumin waiting for him.

"Fine, but don't think you're forgiven that easily. When I get out of here, you're going to have to make up for two whole days of hugs and kisses, alright?"

"Anything for my Lulu *chuckle*. How are you feeling? Still sick?"

"I'm feeling quite a bit better now actually. The doctor said I should be able to go home tomorrow if keep getting better". Luhan felt a smile take over his face, brightening up immediately at the thought of getting out of the hospital.

"That's great Lulu! See, you won't have to miss me for long".

"But I miss you already..." Luhan's happy mood disappeared as soon as it had appeared, and an even bigger pout than before formed on his lips. "I just want to go home".

"I know and I miss you too Lulu, so much. Now get some rest and I'll see you tomorrow okay? Call me if you want to talk later okay? I have to help Chanyeol unpack your stuff".

"I'll see you tomorrow then I guess. Don't leave me here alone for too long okay?"

"I won't Bambi. I love you".

"I love you too".

Ending the call, Luhan went back to staring out the window, excited for the following day. He couldn't wait.

Xiumin ended the call with a heavy heart. He didn't like the idea of leaving his Bambi alone more than the other did, but what could he do?

Deciding to focus on unpacking, he brought one of the lighter boxes into the bedroom and began to place the contents where they would belong from now on. The clothes in the wardrobe, the plushies on the bed and the photos on the shelves. Placing the yellowed photo of Luhan and his baby-cousin on one of the shelves, he took a moment to stare at it once again. Of course he felt bad for the little boy in the photo, what kind of person would he be if he didn't? The boy looked so cheerful, a nice kid with a bright future he'd never be able to experience. But to blame Luhan for what had happened? Absolutely absurd.

Once the box was empty, he brought it out of the room and placed it into one of the bigger ones. He spotted Chanyeol by the book-shelf, placing novels and cheesy mangas neatly onto the shelves. Xiumin chuckled. Who could've thought that Chanyeol could be so neat and organized when his apartment... looked the way it looked.

"How many boxes do we have left Chanyeol? I'll order us dinner once we're done".

"Only two more to go. They're mostly clothes though. Mind taking care of them? I'll help you carry them and then I'll order. I'm craving Thai-food".

With Chanyeol's help they moved the two boxes into the bedroom where Xiumin then spent another twenty minutes folding and organizing Luhan's many articles of clothing. Luhan really seemed to be a person who liked fashion, and Xiumin had to admit that his taste wasn't all that different to his own, the only difference being that Luhan owned quite a bit of clothing which Xiumin would have thought was purchased from the girl's section of the store. He didn't mind though, it was really cute and he could imagine Luhan wearing it very well.

Boxes cleared and bodies tired, the two friends enjoyed the food they had ordered in silence, the only sound being their slurping and chopsticks moving. Neither of them felt like talking, too hungry to care anyway. Xiumin finished his meal first and watched in amusement as Chanyeol all but devoured his own food, sauce smeared all around his mouth. It took all of his will-power not to laugh at his friend, but his friend spotted his amused smile eventually, smiling sheepishly as he realized his own actions.

"Well, you know... A man has to eat after a long day of hard work". He then laughed a little and Xiumin was quick to join in, happy to finally get to spend some time with his best friend.

"Thank you for today Chanyeol, really, you've been such a great help. Thanks to you Luhan will come home to an apartment without dust and dirt littering the floors and walls".

"Ya, don't make me sound like some kind of hero. All I did was helping you clean, what are friends for? But it really is no problem, I'm glad I could be here for my buddy. But I seriously need to get going now. You'll be alright on your own right?"

Xiumin only gave Chanyeol a pat on the back, shooing his worries away swiftly.

"I'll be just fine, don't worry about me. I'm a big boy after all. Now get going before it gets really dark or you won't be able to even find your own car".

"Fine, fine I'll leave. I'll pick you up at 11 AM tomorrow right? You don't want to keep Luhan waiting for too long". Chanyeol smirked at him, and Xiumin felt a slight blush make it's way to his cheeks.

"Hey! Luhan and I can be separated from each other just fine. We just... miss each other a lot". He shifted from one foot to the other, amusing Chanyeol even more.

"Oh I believe you hyung, I believe you. Have a good night and I'll see you tomorrow morning".

Waving goodbye to his friend, Xiumin then went back inside his apartment, once again admiring how nice and tidy it had turned out in the end. Now there was only one piece missing...

He went to sleep that night with a big smile on his face, but not before texting his little deer good night. It's safe to say he slept extremely well that night.

"Xiumin-hyung stop fidgeting. He's moving into your apartment, not marrying you. Those are things you can worry about later. We'll be there any minute now and you really need to calm down before you have another heart-attack, and I simply refuse to clean your apartment once again just because you were too nervous to keep your together!"

"I think you're the one who needs to calm down, geez. I'm not going to have another heart-attach you big dummy, I'm just a bit nervous I guess. I mean, this is actually a big deal. Luhan is actually moving in with me". Xiumin still couldn't believe that he was actually on his way to the hospital to pick his boyfriend up, everything ready and set up for the other to actually move in. It all felt so surreal.

"Like I said, it's not that big of a deal hyung. Just go in there, bring him out here and you're ready to start your new life. No big deal right?"

"Yeah right Chanyeol. The way you just put it made it sound like no big deal at all". The sarcasm dripped from his words, but a smile soon made it's way onto his face. Chanyeol was right, this was going to be a whole new kind of life for him and Luhan as well.

Parking outside of the hospital, Chanyeol gave his best buddy an encouraging pat on the back, followed by a big smile and two thumbs up. "Go get your princess hyung. Don't keep me waiting for too long though".

"I won't Chanyeol, I won't". With that, Xiumin exited the car and headed inside the hospital.

Walking towards the room he had been living in up until just recently felt really weird. Usually he would have been the one who was waiting for a visitor a nurse in that room, only going along this corridor when he was being wheeled somewhere in a wheel-chair. Now, he was the visitor, here to fetch his beautiful boyfriend.

As soon as he opened the door, he was attacked by a pair of slim arms which wrapped around him tightly, refusing to let go of him anytime soon.

"Wow, haha! Did my deer miss me this much?" He was quick to hug Luhan back, nuzzling his cheek into the other's soft hair. God, he had missed him so much even if it was just for a day or two.

"You bet, it was so dull and boring here without you. I missed you all the time..." Luhan hugged him tighter, nose glued to Xiumin's neck as he took in the smell of Xiumin's coconut body-wash and shampoo. It was a new smell to him, so different from how Xiumin had smelled when he was still in the hospital using their soap and shampoo. Luhan decided that this was an improvement he could get used to.

"I missed you too Lulu, so much. It felt weird being away from you even if it was just for a short amount of time. I guess spending week after week together 24 hours a day does give you separation-anxiety huh?".

Xiumin let go of Luhan, placing a small peck on the other's cheek before taking in the other's appearance. The other boy looked much better than he had when Xiumin had left him, color having returned to his face and hair fluffy and sweat-free. He was dressed in dark-blue skinny jeans and a light pink sweater, white sneakers on his feet. He looked adorable.

"Well then Luhan... Ready to actually get out of here for real?" Xiumin extended his hand and Luhan took it without a second thought, a wide smile on his face and a twinkle of pure joy in his eyes.