It’s almost 4 AM and Jaehwan hasn’t been able to get any sleep in yet.

In retrospect, watching that horror movie with the others hadn’t been the best decision. Every time he closes his eyes, he sees the face of the serial killer. He’d spent most of the movie hiding himself behind Sanghyuk’s broad shoulders, occasionally getting shoved away with Sanghyuk whining: “Ah, hyung! Just pay attention, it’s not so bad!”

Jaehwan doesn’t agree. Especially since he’s been lying awake for several hours now. His heart won’t calm down and he doesn’t dare to close his eyes for longer than two seconds.

Eventually he just gives up, padding out of the bedroom barefooted and looking around to the doors of the member’s bedrooms. Who would be most likely to let him spend the night in their bed with them?

Honestly, Jaehwan is relatively sure he’ll get kicked out of bed by every single one of them. So he decides to save himself from feeling disappointment and just turns on the coffee machine instead, grabbing a mug and leaning on the counter.

He’s staring into the distance, too tired to do much, but too scared to try to sleep again. Without sleep, tomorrow will be hell.

Jaehwan jerks up in surprise when one of the bedroom doors opens. Sanghyuk stumbles to the bathroom, still mostly asleep and not even seeing Jaehwan standing in the kitchen.

The coffee is done and Jaehwan pours some in his mug, adding more sugar than would probably be healthy. He’s stirring when he hears the toilet flush and watches as a sleepy Sanghyuk exits the bathroom.

“Oh?” The younger says, when he finally spots Jaehwan, his voice still groggy from sleep and his eyes barely open. “Why’re you here, hyung?”

Jaehwan shrugs, not entirely willing to admit that he can’t sleep because of the horror movie they watched.

Sanghyuk stands there quietly for a few seconds, before he frowns a little. Jaehwan can almost see the wheels in his head turning as he’s attempting to figure out why Jaehwan’s still awake.

The elder has to admit it’s cute to see Sanghyuk’s eyes widen slightly as it clicks. “The movie?”

He grimaces, still not ready to answer that question honestly, but that’s as much of an answer Sanghyuk needs.

The younger walks over. “What are you drinking? Is that coffee? Ah, hyung… don’t.” He takes the mug from Jaehwan and sets it aside.

A whiny noise escapes Jaehwan’s lips. He won’t survive the rest of the night, let alone tomorrow, without coffee. He turns to grab his mug again, but suddenly Sanghyuk’s arms wrap around his waist and he’s being lifted out of the kitchen. Sanghyuk drags him into the bedroom and pulls him down with him on his bed.

“Hyung.” Sanghyuk says, his arms still tightly around Jaehwan’s waist, as if he’s scared that Jaehwan will leave. “You could’ve just come here.”

“You would’ve kicked me out.” Jaehwan pouts and from the way the younger suddenly doesn’t look him in the eyes anymore, Jaehwan knows that they both know it’s true.

“Just stay now, then.” Sanghyuk offers as he brushes some hair out of Jaehwan’s face. “It’s my fault you can’t sleep anyway, since I picked the movie.”

“Damn right, it’s your f—” Jaehwan gets effectively shushed by Sanghyuk’s lips pressed against his own.

When the younger pulls away, there’s a dark blush on his cheeks. “Quiet, hyung.” He says, before he gently presses Jaehwan closer to him.

They lie in silence for a while. Jaehwan can hear Sanghyuk’s heart race in his chest. It’s only after a few deep breaths that the younger seems to calm down.

Once he’s calm, Sanghyuk speaks up again. “Do you think you can sleep now?”

Jaehwan contemplates this briefly before he mumbles: “I don’t know.”

“Can you try?”

He doubts he’ll be able to sleep, if he’s honest, but he nods anyway. When he closes his eyes, he sees the serial killer again and Jaehwan quickly hides his face in the fabric of Sanghyuk’s shirt. A shiver runs down his spine.

Sanghyuk rubs his back softly before he settles a hand in Jaehwan’s hair, threading his fingers through it softly. “It’s okay, hyung. I’ll protect you.”

Jaehwan can hear the amusement in his voice and is just about to kick Sanghyuk out of his own bed when he feels Sanghyuk’s soft lips press on his forehead.

“I don’t need protection.” Jaehwan mutters indignantly, but he’s pretty sure Sanghyuk hasn’t heard him.

He’s about to repeat himself when he feels the younger’s grip on him loosen a little. Sanghyuk’s voice is laced with sleep when he says: “I’ll let you hide behind me next time…”

A huff escapes Jaehwan. He’s quiet enough not to wake Sanghyuk when he says: “As if that’s going to make those movies any less scarier.” But if he’s honest with himself, it kind of does.