MINSUNG ONESHOTS

stay

"i'll stay forever, by your side and within your heart."

minho hugged his knees to his chest as he spaced out, his body cold as he tried to warm himself. his chin dug deep into the fabric as he tried to stop his trembling. he failed to lift his head up as he had his low, eyes tightly shut, but all he saw was the last thing he'd want to remember : jisung's back turning, the echo of a fight they had months ago twisting itself into something uglier, and crueler, in his head.

he walked away without looking back, like they never really knew each other in the first place, and with minho like someone jisung could just simply discard in his life. the door had slammed loudly, the sound ringing like a concussion and scratching along the walls of his ears painfully.

he dragged in a shaky breath, hugging himself tighter as his surroundings became colder. he was freezing, the kind that seeped into his bones, the kind nightmares loved to nest in.

he curled smaller, nails digging into his sleeves, trying to remind himself that it wasn't real— that Jisung hadn't walked out on him, hadn't slammed the door, hadn't left him behind like something easy to forget.

his eyes squeezed tighter, until he could see colours in his black vision, sparks of pink, blue and green dancing around. but all he could see was still the image of jisung's back, walking out the door.

it wasn't real, it wasn't real, it wasn't—

a soft thud of footsteps padded into the room, careful and slow.

"minho?"

a warm voice. real.

minho stiffened, his breath catching. he didn't dare to look up, not trusting his own mind enough to believe that it wasn't still apart of his horrifying nightmare. everything was still messy and static in his head, his body beginning to tremble softly as he tried to breathe regularly.

the mattress dipped unexpectedly and minho jumped a little, startled by the sudden movement of the bed beneath him.

there was a pause in the air.

a moment of nothingness.

minho flinched when fingers brushed against a few strands of his hair, his senses heightened, causing him to be more alert. even though jisung's touch was gentle as ever, even more soft if minho could mention, he still felt the need to avoid it.

it was so pathetic.

"hey, baby..." jisung paused, his breath hitching, "you're shaking." his voice dropped, quiet and softer than the morning sun, like he were talking to an injured cat.

he gently placed his hand on minho's back, while the other wiped a tear away from his face— one that minho didn't even know had rolled down from his face. jisung continued to caress minho's cheek with slow strokes, leaving his palm against his skin as he watched minho lean into the warmth of his hand.

jisung's thumb brushed beneath minho's eye, catching another tear before it could fall.

"minho," he whispered, not demanding, not prying— just being there, solid and warm in the places minho felt coldest.

minho's breath wavered as he finally dared to lift his head just slightly— just enough to confirm the shape in front of him was real. jisung's face came into view in fragments: the soft worry drawn between his brows, the messy strands of hair sticking up, the way his mouth trembled like he might cry too.

"you... you're here," minho breathed, voice breaking like thin glass.

jisung nodded immediately, leaning forward until their foreheads touched— minho's cold skin meeting jisung's warmth. "of course i'm here," he murmured, voice thick with something tender. "you scared me, you know. waking up and seeing you like this."

minho's fingers twitched, still gripping his sleeves with white knuckles. jisung noticed, gently coaxing his hands free. he didn't force them open. he simply held them, enveloping minho's shaking fingers between his palms, warming them up with slow, careful rubs.

"breathe with me," jisung said softly.

minho tried. his chest stuttered on the inhale, but jisung followed the rhythm, steady and patient, breathing with him until the trembling softened, even if it didn't stop completely.

"i had a dream," minho whispered, eyes finally opening all the way. "you... walked out. you didn't look back."

jisung's eyes closed for a moment, as if the thought physically hurt him. when he opened them again, they were filled with something so fierce yet gentle that minho's breath caught again.

"i would never," jisung said, voice low, steady. "not in real life, not in dreams, not ever."

minho swallowed hard, the last remnants of the nightmare clinging to him, cold and stubborn.

"but it felt so real," he admitted, voice trembling, "it felt like you didn't want me. like you... like you threw me away."

jisung didn't waste a second. he shifted closer— close enough to wrap both arms around minho and pull him fully, safely, into his chest. minho stiffened at first, surprise flashing through him— but jisung's warmth swallowed up the cold almost instantly.

"hey, look at me," jisung whispered. he cupped minho's cheeks, thumbs brushing the tear-streaked skin tenderly. "you're not something i could ever throw away."

he blinked, more tears threatening to fall. a sob, a cry. "i— i know, b...but it just— it was so—" he choked.

jisung leaned in, pressing the softest kiss to minho's temple— slow, grounding, reverent. his heart couldn't bear seeing minho so sad and helpless, it pained him.

"i'm here," he breathed against his skin. "you're safe."

"i'm always, always, going to be here with you. no matter what, okay?" he grabbed minho's face to look into his eyes, sincerely wanting him to feel safe and loved. he pressed another kiss to his forehead, brushing against minho's nose as he sniffled.

his voice was so gentle it felt like it wrapped itself around minho before jisung's arms even did.

he held minho's face carefully, thumbs brushing the damp skin along his cheeks, guiding his gaze up. minho's eyes were glassy, unfocused at first— like he still wasn't fully out of the nightmare— but jisung stayed right there, steady and warm, until minho finally met his eyes.

sincerity shone through every inch of jisung's face.

minho's breath stuttered, his bottom lip trembling as jisung leaned in, placing another comforting kiss to his forehead. jisung's nose brushed against his as he lingered there, their breaths mingling, minho trembling beneath the touch.

"you're okay," jisung murmured. "i've got you."

minho sniffled quietly, something fragile loosening in his chest. his hands, previously locked tight around his sleeves, reached up hesitantly— almost shy— and curled into the fabric of jisung's shirt. like he needed to anchor himself. like touching jisung was the only proof he trusted.

jisung's arms wrapped fully around him in response, pulling him close until minho could feel the rise and fall of his chest, the warmth of his heartbeat pressed against his own.

"you didn't leave," minho whispered, voice small— like admitting it made him feel childish.

jisung pulled back just enough to look at him, brushing his thumb across minho's cheekbone. "i won't," he said simply. "not then, not now, not ever."

minho exhaled shakily, eyes fluttering shut as he rested his forehead against jisung's. the tension in his shoulders slowly melted under jisung's touch, and the cold lingering in his bones finally began to fade.

jisung kept his hands cupped around minho's face, holding him softly as if he were something precious. "minho," he whispered, brushing their noses again, "you're not losing me."

minho's voice cracked on the breath he let out. "...promise?"

jisung didn't answer with words.
instead, he wrapped him up in his arms again— tighter, warmer— pressing the softest kiss to minho's jaw, like sealing the promise right into his skin.

and in that quiet, minho felt it all:
the safety, the warmth, the unspoken vow sinking deep into his heart—

"always."