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Joon always had a little trouble falling asleep whenever Jihoon was away. This night, even with his son sound asleep beside him, Joon just couldn't sleep even though he was tired. He felt uneasy and every time he closed his eyes, starting to fall asleep, he was quickly and abruptly re-awoken.

A soft sigh escaped Joon's rosy lips as he sat up in bed, having woken up for the third time in less than two hours. Propping himself up on an elbow, he smiled as he watched Cheolyong sleep, the little boy clutching the blankets and his favorite stuffed animal. His soft hands gentle, he brushed his fingers through Cheolyong's silky hair, mentally noting how much Cheolyong was starting to look like Jihoon. The little boy carried both of his parents' features well- the older he got, the more Jihoon's strong, handsome features became apparent, but their son also had some of Joon's softer, pretty features. What Joon loved most however, was Cheolyong's unique features; the product of a blend of both Joon and Jihoon.

Cuddling Cheolyong a little closer, Joon closed his eyes and tried to sleep again, the light, lingering scent of Jihoon's cologne and shower gel on the bed sheets helping him relax a little.

He was just about to fall asleep again when the sound of a child's laughter jolted Joon wide awake. His pretty eyes wide, Joon frantically scanned the dark room, wondering if he imagined the laughter. But when it happened again, this time sounding even closer, he hurriedly the bedside lamp. With the light flooding the room, he was both relieved and even more horrified that Cheolyong was still sleeping. On one hand, he was glad that Cheolyong hadn't been woken up by something so disturbing, but on the other, a little part of him hoped that somehow, Cheolyong was responsible for the laughter that he'd heard. Now that he knew that his son was still sound asleep, Joon had to acknowledge that the laughter that he had heard was disembodied... 

Cuddling Cheolyong closer, Joon waited in silence again. If the laughter that he had heard had been real, surely it would come again.

Joon waited and waited and hearing nothing, figured that he might have just imagined the laughter. After all, he was so tired.

Feeling uncomfortable, but too tired to bother overthinking anything, Joon tried to get back to sleep. Hesitantly, he turned off the light and curled up next to his son. With a smile, he wrapped his arm around Cheolyong and kissed the little boy's forehead as he tried not to focus on how much he missed Jihoon. Even with Cheolyong, his bed felt so empty without Jihoon's warm, strong frame...

Just as Joon was about to fall asleep again however, he heard the laughter again and this time, he was certain that he heard it. It happened again and terrified, Joon sat up, hurriedly the light and frantically looked around the bedroom.

To his horror, the laughter came again and Joon was certain that it was coming from the bedroom.

Perhaps driven by a mother's instinct, Joon clutched Cheolyong, who was somehow still sleeping, as the laughter kept sounding in the bedroom. It was a child's laughter, but to Joon, there was something sinister about the laughter. It was menacing almost and it sent chills down his spine.

As the sourceless laughter continued, Joon wanted to cry, especially without Jihoon. Although his height and the muscles that he had managed to regain shortly after having Cheolyong might have suggested otherwise, Joon was in reality easily scared. He didn't like spiders, he jumped at loud noises and to his embarrassment, a horror movie that he and Jihoon had watched on their second date had made him cry. Jihoon had felt horrible to have made his prospective boyfriend cry (he didn't know at the time that Joon was scared of horror films; not wanting to be any trouble, Joon hadn't said anything when Jihoon suggested that they see the film), but it was also on their second date that Jihoon was certain that he was in love with Joon.

Now, feeling as though he was in his own horror film and without his husband to hug him and make him feel better, Joon was terrified.

Finally, the laughter stopped, but Joon was now far too scared to go to sleep. Instead, he stayed wide awake, holding Cheolyong protectively. He left the light on and he desperately wanted to call Jihoon, but knowing that his husband had his own high-pressure case to solve, Joon refrained from calling.

Besides, with Jihoon miles away, what could he do...?

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Poor Joon! :( And things will only get worse...

Thanks for reading! ^^