999<3 | ONESHOT [ ✔️ ]

[ c - soonhoon ] SAME3 (rewritten)

TAG: -
queue jihoon being exhausted and getting advice to make a song by bumzu. soonyoung finds him passed out in the studio.

i wrote one iteration before but i think this one is better

•••

at another informal discussion with bumzu late one night, jihoon tells him he's been feeling exhausted lately, "i know what to make for the title, but i'm just so tired. i don't think i can do this properly." bumzu takes it in and thinks about it.

"you know i'm here to help. so don't put all this on you. if it helps, why not make the vocal unit song? you'd feel calm and get work done." he proposes.

here jihoon is now in universe factory, at 4 in the morning. on the monitor in front of him is the program with a few tinkered-with layers of rainbow instrumentals. jihoon swings himself left and right as he leans back in a position that is going to do some bad things to his back.

a little bit of zoning out later and jihoon springs back to work, snapping his headphones on to add layers and edit the track.

for some reason, he started to lean towards the vibe of a 2000s western teen romance movie. he's seen enough foreign films to know what the song is like, purely by osmosis from the other members exploring western media.

by 6:30, he feels like he's nearly there. but he knows the sun will rise and bring his members to him and he can't deal with that now. he saves and shuts down for the night (or day). blinking hurts his eyes and he knows he's gone overboard. he can't stay this late again.

soonyoung interrogates him when he wakes in the afternoon. "i was making a song..." jihoon yawns. "for the vocal unit. bumzu suggested i do that to be productive but also calm me down." soonyoung pauses, "you're stressed?" jihoon closes his eyes again and shakes his head. "...maybe."

jihoon lets himself rest for one night and then hops back to finish it up. he goes on until 3am and gets it to a place he's comfortable with.

after getting one night of good sleep, jihoon feels tired faster and his eyes are already drooping. finding it too much of a hassle to go back to the dorms, he decides to just sleep on his couch. it's not like it's his first time there anyway.

jihoon doesn't answer the phone when soonyoung texts him or calls him and he's worried. he isn't home either... so there's only one place soonyoung can find him.

it's drizzling when soonyoung steps out. the rain makes the air cold and he thanks his subconscious for wearing a jacket out. the usual bright morning sky is completely shaded by one grey tone. rushing out under a bright red umbrella, soonyoung heads to the company building, straight to universe factory.

abandoning the umbrella at the door and inputting the passcode, soonyoung opens the door to see the producer's chair empty. then his eyes shift to the couch and his heart softens. the speakers are playing some sort of instrumental. soonyoung puts the clues together and infers that jihoon must've fallen asleep to the song he's been making.

soonyoung closes the door softly behind him, letting it beep shut. "oh jihoon..." he crouches beside jihoon's torso, admiring the younger's sleeping features. jihoon looks so calm, but his eyes look pained- from looking at the screens is soonyoung's guess.

he taps jihoon awake and suggests they go back, "i know you're comfy here and it's raining outside but let's get you back home to sleep on your bed, hm?" he combs back jihoon's hair. the younger boy just hums.

soonyoung waits as long as it takes for jihoon to wake up enough to stand. as they walk back, he links their arms so they can both stay under the umbrella and so that jihoon can half close his eyes.

with sleepiness still surrounding him, jihoon gets rushed into his room and he collapses on his bed. soonyoung removes unnecessary accessories, items and clothing.

as soonyoung is preparing to leave, jihoon flings an arm out and grabs his jacket sleeve. "you were warm, kwon. lie down." soonyoung is slightly taken aback but does so anyway. at least his jacket gets to encapsulate jihoon's cold, tiny hands and he gets to hold jihoon's tiny figure in his arms. just once.

"sleep well, ji."

•••

a short! like jihoon! my tiny boy!