You shifted beneath the piles of sheets stacked on top of your small figure, wrinkling your nose as the fabric tickled your face. The sound of the wind roaring outside lulled you gently, whispering soothing words of comfort, coaxing you back to sleep. With more force than you’d have thought necessary, you peaked one eye open, glancing at the almost antique analog clock resting on the side table.

12:03 AM

A faint grumble fell from your lips as you turned away from the glaring red digits, shutting yours eyes tightly and telling yourself repeatedly, go back to sleep, go back to sleep, go back to sleep. Just as the mantra began to work it’s magic, a loud, cacophonous rumble shattered the steady melody of the wind.

 You creaked your eyes open just enough to see the blue light of your phone lighting up the previously pitch black room. With a determined frown, you shut your eyes again, content to leave whatever the alert had been unattended till you’d had your fill of rest. However, just as quickly as you’d forgotten the interruption, the noise blared again, the vibration of your phone drumming against the hard wood of the side table. You moaned, covering your  head with the sheets as the metal shook against the surface again, and again, and again still, notification after notification flooding the screen of your phone, the light alone glaring bright enough to keep you from your slumber.

Furiously, you turned to the table, clawing out for the phone, your dilated eyes squinting at the bright screen of message alerts, all from the same person, more arriving still. You muttered a curse, sliding to unlock the device, the even brighter message screen nearly blinding you. With added effort, you pried your eyes open, reading through the messages slowly, your mind still half asleep.


Sehun : 12:09
What are you doing ?
Are you sleeping?
Tao and the guys went out for dinner.

Sehun : 12:10
They’re going to noraebong too.
They asked me to come but I said no.
Don’t you want to know why?
Why aren’t you replying?
It’s too early to go to sleep, wake up!
You don’t sleep anyways.

Sehun : 12:11
I said no because I don’t feel well.


Sehun : 12:12
You never sleep and the one night I need you awake you knock out like a koala.
How can you sleep like this when I’m dying I don’t believe you.

Quickly, you replied, tapping furiously upon the glass keys, racing to send your message before he could continue his.

I’m awake now! What do you want?

Almost instantly, the boy replied, his message short, blunt and just as demanding as he always was.

Sehun : 12:13
Come over.

************************************

You slammed the door knocker hard against the matte white paint, stuffing your hands into the pockets of your coat as you waited. The wind rushed through the open hallways of the apartment complex, causing you to pull your scarf closer around your neck. The weather was not nearly as nice when standing outside as it was in your warm bed, lulling you to sleep.

You knocked again, this time louder.

A muffled, “It’s open.” sounded from behind the thick wood.

When you stepped inside, you found him huddled on the couch, wrapped in a blanket, watching television. The overwhelming desire to shake him into unconsciousness rushed through your veins.

"Sehun," you sighed, pulling off your boots and coat and placing them in the closet by the door, "Why did you wake me up and call me here to keep you company in the middle of the night?”

The quilt around his shoulders rose and fell in an apathetic shrug as he continued to stare at the T.V, the white noise of some variety show or other echoing from within the speakers. “Didn’t you read my texts?”

"Yeah," you scowled, making your way to the couch, "You said you’re sick. So what? It’s not the first time in your life. How exactly does that make it ok for you to blow up my phone while I’m trying to sleep?"

"Well, Jesus," he exclaimed, his small lips turning down in a pout, "Go back to bed then."

He brought a hand to his head, running his slender fingers through the mess of flaxen hair falling over his forehead as he muttered something along the lines of, “What kind of girlfriend…”

You sighed, rolling your eyes and sitting down beside him, gently taking his hand away from his face, only to replace it with your own. The skin of your palm burned as it came into contact with his cheek. You bit your lip, your brow curving in worry.

"You’re searing, Sehun."

"I told you I was sick.” he replied almost arrogantly, as if he’d proven quite a fantastic point.

"What are you doing up then?" you tutted, snatching the remote from his lap and pressing the power button.

The boy watched silently as you removed the quilt from over his body, revealing the jeans and t shirt he wore. You took a hold of his hands, pulling him up. He didn’t object, but followed your orders, pushing himself off the sofa.

"Go change into some pajamas, ok?" you commanded, turning and pushing him towards the hallway.

He obliged, dragging his feet across the plush carpet towards his room. As he disappeared behind the door, you made your way to the kitchen, rubbing your eyes tiredly as you rummaged through the fridge, picking out what sparse ingredients he’d had lying around. In an almost robotic state, you prepared a small serving of makeshift soup, setting it in a bowl beside a glass of orange juice upon a tray. The sound of rustling echoed from down the hall as Sehun called out your name. Steadily, you carried the tray down the small corridor, entering the room to see him sitting up in his bed, his back supported by an array of pillows, his fresh pajamas half covered by his duvet.

"Here," you placed the tray on his side table, giving him the bowl and spoon, "Drink this."

"I’m not hungry." he declared, shoving the bowl back your way.

"Eat." you glared, pushing it back to him. "Or I’m going back home."

Almost instantly, the boy swallowed a spoonful of the soup, smacking his ruddy, bitten lips before taking in another spoon. In a matter of minutes, the bowl was emptied. Satisfied, you took it from him, giving him the glass of juice and a couple pain relievers you’d managed to salvage from the jungle that was his medicine cabinet. He popped the pills in his mouth, tilting his head back to chug the tall glass, sighing contentedly as he placed it back upon the tray.

"Now what?" he asked, his mood somewhat less sullen.

You stood up, taking the tray with you. “Now you go to sleep. Drink plenty of orange juice and take your medicine every 8 hours.”

"Wait!" he grabbed a hold of your shirt as you turned to leave, "You’re not going home are you?"

"Sehun, I’m tired." you whined, feeling the sleepiness press against your eyelids, "You’ll be fine for a night, just let me-"

"No," he stated, pulling on the hem of your pullover, "Stay."

"Sehun-"

"Just for a while, _______." he pouted, his normally rigid features taking on a kind of childishness you and he both knew you couldn’t resist, "I still don’t feel well."

You sighed, mumbling a tired, “Fine.” as you left the room, placing the dishes in the washer and gathering a towel and bowl of water before returning to his bedside.

"What’s that for?" he asked, lying down flat upon the bed, shifting to face you.

"Lie on your back," you ordered, dipping the towel in the bowl and wringing it, "It’s to help with your temperature."

He watched quietly as you placed the damp towel upon his forehead, brushing the wiry strands of hair away from his face. He closed his eyes, taking a slow breath as you wiped the cold sweat from his brow, concentrating on the smooth plains of his skin. His eyelashes fluttered as he hummed quietly, “Does this really work?”

"Do you feel as hot?"

He bit his lip, thinking for a moment before replying, “Not really.”

"Then it’s working."

You continued wringing and pressing the towel against his skin, observing the small details of his face as he breathed softly beneath your hands. Now that you could look closely, it was quite obvious just how sick he was. His eyes were slightly swollen, along with his lips. His nose and cheeks were flushed cherry red and small beads of sweat decorated his exceptionally pale skin, a sheen of perspiration even coating the valleys of his neck and clavicles as his chest heaved up and down, the raspy sound of congested breathing coming from his soar throat. You bit your lip, a slight sensation of guilt churning within your stomach.

"Why didn’t you tell the other guys you were sick?" you asked quietly, not really wanting to wake him from his somber state, "One of them would’ve come over to stay with you."

"Hmmm," he mumbled, "I didn’t wanna bother them. They’re all having fun."

"Really, Sehun, that doesn’t mean you have to sit here and die all alone in your apartment."

"That’s why I called you.” he grimaced, peaking one eye open, “Besides, why would I want them to take care of me if you can?”

You scoffed, covering the blush on your cheeks with sarcasm as you retorted, “And who says I can? I was sleeping.”

"You have to take care of me,” he replied rather matter of factly, “You have to take responsibility for me.”

"And why’s that?"

"Because." he shrugged, covering his mouth as he yawned, closing his eyes again.

The wind picked up pace outside, the small, but increasing pitter patter of rain sounding as it collided with the frosty glass of his bedroom window. You glanced outside as a bolt of white lightning lit the looming clouds in the sky, disappearing into darkness after a split second.

"It’s raining." Sehun stated. You glanced down to see his head turned towards the wall, his eyes fixated on the small window as he mumbled, "You shouldn’t go home in this weather."

"Sehun…"

"The buses stopped running at 12:30 anyways." he interrupted, blinking tiredly as he continued to watch the rain, "The subway isn’t safe at this time, ______."

He shifted to face you, his warm hand reaching out from underneath the blanket to play along the fabric of your leggings, his fingers tracing random patterns over your knee. “Just stay the night.”

He trained his eyes on the pattern of your pants, waiting, not so much for an answer, as for you to move to the other side of his bed. So, with a sigh, you crawled over his long legs, tucking yourself beneath the cozy covers. It was hardly worth it to argue and besides, you’d been longing to lie down beside him almost since you’d entered the room.

Sehun turned again to face you, resting his head upon his hand as he watched you, shifting to support your neck against the pillows. Steadily, he scooted closer, unbeknownst to you, until his chest rested hardly a few inches from your own.

"Will you go to sleep now, Sehun?" you muttered, unable to even open your eyes as you readied yourself for slumber.

He hummed vaguely, his eyes darting all over your features, illuminated by the faint rays of moonlight shining in from the window. His hand snuck between the covers, sliding around your waist to pull you closer. A small moan escaped your lips as you leaned into his warmth, your hand instinctively holding onto the shirt fabric stretched across his torso. He smiled shortly to himself, admiring the faint blush tinging your cheeks, perhaps from his own warmth. He sighed, brushing the messy strands of hair from your face, closing his eyes as he leaned in to place a gentle peck upon your forehead.

"Sehun, stop," you mumbled incoherently, leaning closer, despite yourself, "I’ll get sick too."

"Who cares?" he replied snidely.

He let his hand trail down to your cheek, cupping your face as his thumb brushed against your soft skin. He bit his lip, swiping his tongue over the dry flesh before leaning into your lips, catching them quickly in and almost taunting kiss. His lips lingered against yours, embracing them again and again, unable to pull away from the intoxicating flavor he’d come to crave so often, even daring to place teasing bites on your swollen flesh. Slowly, hesitantly, he pulled away, resting his forehead against yours as you peaked your eyes open to glance at him. You blushed as he smiled down at you, burying your head against his chest to hide the red creeping over your cheeks. He breathed a laugh, bringing his hand around to the nape of your neck, pulling you closer as he whispered, “I’ll take care of you.”