until you let me in.

‘It’s one of those days’, Chanyeol thought as he stared at his cellphone, full of his messages to Baekhyun, none of which were replied to. It would normally not bother him since the other one was usually just busy, but the way Baekhyun was silent on the way to his apartment put him off way too far. Signals went off inside his head, but there he was on his way back to his own apartment.

No. Wait. Chanyeol quickly u-turned to return to his boyfriend’s apartment. He wasn’t going to leave Baekhyun like this, not when he knew Baekhyun needed someone at the moment. Being alone makes you think a lot of things, and the silence in your solitude makes those thoughts louder. Chanyeol wasn’t going to let that happen.

When he arrived, he quickly signed his name as a visitor and then pressed the elevator button impatiently. He got on as soon as the doors opened and then pressed the close button with as much vigor as he did a while ago. Baekhyun needed him right now and his silence was loud enough to tell Chanyeol that.

The moment he reached Baekhyun’s apartment door, he didn’t bother to knock as he punched the code. Baekhyun had always told him to use the code only when it was an emergency since he didn’t like surprise visits, but this was considered an emergency for him.

“Baekhyun?” He called out. He heard a sniffle and ran towards Baekhyun’s bedroom just to find out it was locked.

There was no response, only sniffles and cries, and every single one broke Chanyeol’s heart.

“I’ll be here until you let me in, Baekhyun, yeah?” Chanyeol said, before sliding down to sit on Baekhyun’s tiled floors, back against the door, letting his boyfriend cry his heavy heart out on the other side.

Baekhyun on the other side of the door was leaning against it as well, but with his head between his bent knees. This day was just awful and all these thoughts were slowly making it worse. It was so hurtful and he didn’t know what to do. He heard the door of his apartment open and the call of his name, but his thoughts were louder.

“I’ll be here until you me in, Baekhyun, yeah?” A muffled voice came through, silencing the thoughts, making them background noise. It was Chanyeol.

Baekhyun cried harder, his boyfriend always knew when something was wrong.

“Just cry it out, babe, I’ll be here.”

And he did. All those pent-up emotions, all those frustrations, anger, disappointment, everything he felt became tears that ran down his face. He was an ugly crier and thank heavens Chanyeol wasn’t there to see him, but he was beyond blessed that he was there, on the other side of the door, waiting for him.

“I love you,” Baekhyun heard Chanyeol’s muffled voice from the other side. “I love you so much.”

That was it, that was what he just needed to hear. He cried more, now happy tears as he realized that this shall pass as well. He wasn’t alone in this fight and he will never be as long as Chanyeol is there. He realized that he is capable of being loved and of loving back. Baekhyun was strong.

Slowly, he stopped crying, eyes slowly closing. He was tired and before he knew it, he was fast asleep.

Baekhyun awoke with his cellphone’s alarm ringing for the morning. He looked around and realized he fell asleep on the floor, and that’s when he remembered something.

“Chanyeol,” he whispered before quickly opening his bedroom door only to feel a weight on his feet. There, his boyfriend was now lying down upon falling from his former position of leaning on the door.

Baekhyun smiled and remembered the words Chanyeol had said to him the night before. He crouched down and kissed his boyfriend’s forehead.

“I love you, too,” he whispered, clearly, no door in between them to muffle it.

twenty-two — muffled, from the other side of the door.