In These Arms [mxm]

Chapter 13 - Forget my name

A/N: Here's another unedited chapter for your convenience. If you're enjoying the story then please don't forget to vote on all the chapters you like! Thanks for reading!! 

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We arrived to the underground carpark of what was once a home we shared for many years. Neither of us attempted to move for a moment, instead sitting idly with no words exchanged between us. It was hard to bring up such a painful topic that neither of us would have known where to start. All I could do was sit and agonize over this suffocating silence, like I was sitting next to a stranger I'd known for less than a week.

When the silence stretched out for long enough, Chanyeol finally moved to open the door and step out of the car. Knowing he'd come around to my side of the door and open it for me, I attempted to move faster, but my body felt sapped of all its strength. I'd been through too much in only a day, so much so that my body now protested how careless I was with it. I unbuckled my seatbelt and watched him arrive outside my window.

As I suspected, he opened the door and extended his arm, waiting patiently for me to take it and step out. Even though I wanted to, I couldn't find the strength to move, not even just to turn my legs and put one onto the ground outside. I stared at his hand, wondering if I should just accept it anyway. Chanyeol seemed to misunderstand my hesitation and stepped back, giving me some space.

"Sorry," he mumbled, looking anywhere but at me.

"It's not that," I said, hesitating as I glanced down at my legs. "I'm a little weak."

His eyes widened and quickly crouched down in front of me, lifting his hand to my forehead to check my temperature. "I'm so sorry," he said. "Are you having fevers? Should I call the ambulance?"

The thought of the hospital said a surge dread running through me like electricity. "N-no!" I said, startled by his suggestion. "No, I... I'm fine. Just give me a moment."

I took deep breaths, trying to manage the palpitations in my heart. My efforts proved fruitless as I gripped my thighs, clutching them as if I was holding for dear life. Chanyeol reached in and swung my legs around, taking me by surprise when he pulled me to my feet and held me securely against his body. I was grateful when he reached in for my bag before closing the door and locking up. He put his arm through one of the straps and I grimaced when I heard the mugs clank inside, scared that it may have damaged them further. Luckily, he didn't seem to notice. Instead, he took me by surprise when he scooped me up into his arms, startling my arms around his neck and my legs around his waist. I clung desperately to him and buried my face into his shoulder, terrified that I'd fall. What little strength I had was being spent clinging for dear life.

His hands adjusted to hold under my bottom, relieving some of the pressure from me. Somewhat relieved, I was able to relax against him and enjoy the ride in his arms. He adjusted me a few times, like to open a door or to swipe his card in the elevator, but managed to keep hold of me one-handedly with no problem. It was a testament to his strength, reminding me that the muscle he'd put on over these years were truly no joke. Part of me felt intimidated by him because of it, especially after having treated me so callously, but the other part of me felt like I would always be safe in these arms. He confused me so much when it had only been a day.

We reached the ground floor where we had to change elevators to reach the upstairs levels. The lights were blaringly bright as we crossed the lobby, and I clenched my eyes while clinging to him.

"Ah, Mr. Han," a receptionist said with a bright and chirpy voice for such an ungodly early hour of the morning. "I trust your day went well. We managed to deal with the trespasser on your behalf so you can––"