freckles

* chapter one hundred and twelve *

"It's bedtime." Namjoon took the bowl from her hands and set it on the coffee table, pulling Claudette to her feet. "Come on, you're exhausted."

"No I need to stay up for everyone else." Claudette pulled away, but Namjoon latched onto her hand tightly. Her hand shook in his, him not noticing. "Namjoon."

"Claudette please, you need to sleep." Namjoon pushed, looking at the clock, unaware of Claudette's pale face. "Please."

"Joonie." Claudette whimpered softly, swaying slightly. "I don't feel good."

Namjoon held her wrist, looking at the number displayed on the watch. 138 and it was steadily rising. "Breathe, breathe." Namjoon spoke calmly, Claudette freaking out in front of him. "Deep breaths, deep, deep breaths."

Her hands burned with flames, the t-shirt she was wearing suffocated her, threatening her with it's cloth around her weak body. "I can't pa.. pass out." Her eyes fluttered close, leaning into Namjoon, but they shot open again, Claudette whimpering. "No no-"

"Relax." Namjoon held her tightly, pushing her back down to the couch again. "Just relax. It's okay, you're okay." The number's rate of increase was a lot slower, but it still ticked up and up, never going down. "Look at me." Namjoon held her face, knelt in front of her. Claudette's breathing was still panicked. "It's okay."

Her eyes closed and she fell into him, out.

"Okay." Now he had to keep himself calm. "Okay it's okay." He sat beside her, putting her head on his shoulder. "Deep breaths Claudette. Slow and deep breaths." Namjoon swallowed, holding her hand tightly as he waited. "I'll count for you."

His eyes were on her watch as he counted. Her heart rate went down at a steady pace, slowly going back to normal. What Namjoon was in charge of was to keep it low, to help her not freak out when she wakes up.

"In two three four five six, out two three four five." Namjoon repeated over and over, refusing to stop. After about five repeats, her hand tightened around his. "Hey, Claudette."

"I..." She turned into him and hugged him tightly, her slow breaths turning into quick ones.

"Easy Baby, easy." Namjoon rubbed her back, so relieved she didn't start freaking out. "You're doing so good. Take some deep breaths again." She sniffed a few times, but started to take longer breaths. "There you go."

"I didn't die." She whispered, still holding him tightly.

"You didn't." Namjoon held her back just as tightly. "You're stronger than you think Claudette."

She held onto him tightly, letting his arms protect her. 'I didn't die. I didn't die. It wasn't a sudden pass out, it wasn't sudden. I wouldn't die because of that.' Claudette buried her face deeper into Namjoon. 'It's so scary passing out.'

She slowly let go of him, rubbing her eyes. She needed a topic change. "When will everyone else be back?"

"Not for a while." Namjoon spoke gently, rubbing her knee reassuringly, searching her face.

"I want to stay up for them." Claudette looked at her watch, relieved at the number.

"Clauds-"

"I'm staying up." She leaned back on the couch, putting her foot down. "Thank you, so much, for helping me."

Namjoon's eyes narrowed slightly, scanning her for a second before standing. "I'm going to bed." He leaned forward and kissed her forehead. "Goodnight."

Claudette watched him walk away, wishing his response was different.

"Goodnight."

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