Day Two (Cuddling Somewhere)

Fragments (Pieces of You)

There is no worse feeling in the world than that of being truly and utterly alone.

Jongin felt that way ever since his parents died and when there were no relatives who were willing or able to take him in. How was a seventeen year old supposed to survive on his own? How could someone so consumed by grief be able to move on if he had no one there to support him? Luckily, his friend, Sehun, had been willing to convince his parents to stay with them, if for no other reason than pity.

But pity or not, it was better than the alternative. 

And, if Jongin was going to be totally honest with himself, he wouldn't have made it by himself, without Sehun holding him during his late night breakdowns and the depression that had weighed on him for the first couple of months after his parents' deaths. 

He isnt totally alone, then. Sehun never once left, never judged him for his grief, he only remained by his side as a constant support beam, one that Jongin despeerately needed. There were no words to express how grateful he felt to Sehun, no boundaries to what he would do to repay the kindness he'd been given.

But, at the same time, he didn't want to get emotionally attached to anyone else, out of fear of losing them. However, it was already too late for that, as he had already come to hold Sehun far too dear.

~o0o~

"Sehun, will you and Jongin be alright by yourselves? We'll only be gone a few days, but..." Sehun's mother trails off, glancing worriedly between her son and Jongin. 

Jongin doesn't say anything, and he can feel Sehun's eyes on him. "We should be okay... I won't leave Jongin alone."

Jongin remembers the words that Sehun said to him a year before, at his parents' funeral.

"Jongin... even if you never stop crying, even if you never smile from your heart again and even if you come to hate me I will never leave your side." 

There is warmth in Jongin's chest, a warmth he hadn't felt in a long time and he reaches his hand out, gently pulling on Sehun's sleeve before turning his attention to Sehun's parents. "I'll be fine, as long as Sehun is with me."

Sehun's parents seemed surprised, but they were both smiling. "Alright, then we'll see you two in three days."

And with that they left, leaving Jongin and Sehun alone.

~o0o~

They ended up spending the night on the couch watching TV, not doing much of anything, when the phone rang.

"I'll get it," Sehun said as he got up to answer the call.

"Hello?" Sehun said into the reciever. 

Jongin doesn't pay much attention until Sehun suddenly looks at him, panic in his gaze. The phone slips from his hands and Jongin springs up from the couch, swiftly making his way over to Sehun. 

"Sehun what is it? What's wrong?" He grips Sehun's arm tighly, forcing the slightly taller boy to look at him. 

"M-my parents... there was.... an accident... my dad is okay but... my mom she...she's in the hospital..."

Jongin can say nothing, but he dreads the words Sehun said next.

"The... doctors don't know if she'll make it."

Jongin wraps Sehun in a tight embrace, holding on to him as if would fall into pieces if Jongin wasn't holding him. Maybe he would. An old pain makes it's home in Jongin but he forces it down, he can't afford it now because right now, Sehun needs him. 

Sehun's body shakes against his, Jongin his hair softly. "Shh," he whispers into Sehun's ear. "I'm here for you. Come on, let's go lay down and wait for more news, okay?" 

Jongin's words are able to coax Sehun to their shared room, and Jongin picks up the discarded phone before following closely behind. 

He doesn't turn the light on, but he can make out the Sehun's form lying on his bed, body curled into fetus position as he tried not to breakdown into a fit of tears. The situation reminds Jongin of his first night here, when he thought his entire world was crashing down around him.

~o0o~

Everthing feels cold, but that doesn't make any sense because it's summer and summer isn't supposed to feel cold. Jongin shivers as he sits on the couch in this place that's far too unfamiliar for his liking and he'd rather be home but there isn't a home to go back to now. His parents are gone. He's alone now. 

"Jongin?" A soft voice said. "You can... you can sleep in my room if you want, you don't have to sleep on the couch." 

Jongin looks at Sehun, at the only person who was willing to take in a broken mess like him. 

Why? Is what he wants to ask. "Thank you," is what he says, the only words he speaks to Sehun for two days. 

Jongin didn't want to talk, for fear that if he did he would break into a fit of tears that he wouldn't have been able to stop. But Sehun was persistent in his stubborness, at last coaxing Jongin out of his grief-induced shell of self pity to at last say something.

"Sehun, you're annoying." His voice is scratchy from misuse, but the small smile he wears is genuine.

The smile that Sehun had shown then was blinding in its brilliance.

~o0o~

Jongin slept with Sehun curled into his side, the other shivering against him despite the sheet draped over them both. Jongin awakens to a quiet weeping sound, and he noticed that Sehun was crying in his sleep. The sight ignites an ache deep within his chest as he gently brushes the ebony bangs from the the pale boy's face. 

Sehun awakens at the touch, his eyes meeting Jongin's and Jongin can't help but notice how beautiful Sehun is despite the pain that clouds his dark irises. 

"Hey," is all Jongin manages to say to him, not breaking eye contact.

"Hi," Sehun responds, voice soft. "I... I never expected our roles to become reversed like this. I'm the one who was supposed to take care of you, and yet..." he snuggles his head into Jongin's neck, his breath hot against the latter's skin. "And yet here we are, you being the one to hold me when I feel like everything is about to come crashing down around me."

Jongin smiles softly. "I guess it is ironic, huh? But... I feel like I'm being useful to you, instead of the burden I usually am, so... I don't mind if I have to be the one to comfort you for once."

"Don't say it like I only stayed with you because I had to," Sehun says sharply, moving to look Jongin in the eyes again. "And I didn't do it out of pity either, so don't even think that. I did it because I'm actually selfish. You have no idea how selfish I am, Kim Jongin." His eyes are alight with a fire Jongin's never seen in them before and the intensity of his words resonates in Jongin's mind.

"Selfish in what way...?" Jongin questions, eyes half-lidded. 

"In the way that I want to keep you by my side even if it isn't what you want and even if you loathe me for it."

"Even if you come to hate me..."

"I could never hate you," Jongin says, hands moving to cup Sehun's face. "How could I hate the person who saved me from descending into the deepest depths of my pain? How could I hate the one who taught me to see the light of the world again?" His thumbs Sehun's face. "How could I hate the person that I fell in love with?" 

Sehun's eyes go wide at the sudden confession, and his mouth opens but no words come. 

Just then, the phone rang, and Sehun jumps to answer it. 

"Hello?" He says eagerly.

Jongin watches as Sehun covers his mouth with his free hand, eyes b with tears and Jongin fears the worst and he's about to move to comfort Sehun when--

"My mom is going to be alright!" Sehun exclaims, flinging himself at Jongin and holding onto him tightly. "She's going to be alright," he sobs into Jongin's chest.

Jongin wraps his arms around Sehun's slender body, his back gently. "I'm glad," he breathes into the crown of Sehun's hair.

They fall asleep like that, wrapped in the embrace of warmth that only lovers know and only the broken understand.

---

Well there you have it... I didn't mean for this to turn out so dark/deep/angsty but I mentally had to balance out the overwhelming fluff I wrote for the last oneshot so... yeah. You get this. Broken!Jongin and AlmostBroken!Sehun

I meant to update sooner but sometimes life really has this habit of getting in the way

I'm actually considering making a fic based on this? I don't know yet, I have so many other things I'm trying to write (including but not limited to an original novel) and if I did it won't be until I make considerable progress in this.

As always, thank you for clicking and comments are appreciated! I really want to know what you guys think! And a big thank you to everyone who subscribed!!! 

~AeZSiA