The Trials of Neo City [WINWIN • YUTA]

🖤 36. Bella's Lullaby 🖤

The air was quiet and still smelled of sweat. It was early morning now, the rising sun flooding in through the shattered windows. They had no idea when the door to their room (or closet, rather) had been opened, but Yuta was grateful that he didn't wake up in sweaty darkness. Waking up in a lack of light might have brought back the flashbacks and Yuta can't deal with that, not here. Not after last night.

Yuta smiled to himself, rolling over onto the ground and sighing when the heat of his own body made contact with the cold floor. Sicheng meanwhile, couldn't help but grab one of the jackets they'd laid down and wrapped it around himself, shivering softly.

Yuta wordlessly sat up and pulled Sicheng in closer, pulling his jacket over the two. The younger boy stirred awake, eyes fluttering gently as they adjusted to the light. Neither of them spoke, they just reveled in being together, warm in each other's embaraces.

"Good morning, sunshine." Yuta smiled softly, running a hand through Sicheng's knotted hair. It was dry and crunchy the night before, but the sweat must have softened it a little. Yuta might have found that a little gross if he wasn't head over heels for Sicheng.

Sicheng blinked awake and looked into Yuta's eyes tiredly. There was a pause and then Sicheng started to blush a furious red, as if all of the memories of last night flooded back at once.

"Something tells me you've never done that before." Yuta's voice was quiet in Sicheng's ears.

Sicheng sat up suddenly with wide eyes and stared at the older boy. "You have?!"

"Yeah. I mean, I've done some things I'm not too proud of. There's nothing wrong with that... right?" Yuta's voice was calm, almost disappointed. He shook his head and sat up with Sicheng, cradling his face in his hands. "But you! I enjoyed every moment with you! I'm proud of this, I'm proud of us!!" Yuta beamed and Sicheng realized then and there that Yuta's smile could single handedly heal the world.

"Anyways, enough about me. You're really cute when you sleep." Yuta continued, giggling and moving a stray piece of hair in front of Sicheng's eyes.

Sicheng furrowed his eyebrows. "I didn't realize I fell asleep." He admitted, voice hushed. He stared at Yuta and laid back down. A part of him wished they could do this again, maybe regularly. In another universe, perhaps, they woke up next to each other every morning.

I know love now, he thinks. He couldn't imagine himself waking up next to anyone else in the universe.

"Yeah. You passed out right after our little... y'know." Yuta clicked his tongue and looked out into the empty building before him. He squinted his eyes and went dead silent.

He stopped in his tracks and held his breath. Sicheng panicked and was about to ask Yuta why he'd suddenly stopped breathing, when the older boy put a finger to his lips.

Yuta's face was stern and serious and Sicheng remembered exactly where he was. He only listened and held his own breath, hearing nothing but the soft chirp of beetles.

After too long of silence, Yuta stopped in a panic and breathed again. He jolted up and called out for Shotaro, but heard no response. He called again, horror painting his expression when there was no answer.

"Taro." Yuta's eyes were wide as he pulled on his pants frantically. He stared at Sicheng again with the seriousness he'd seen when they defended him and broke the Career alliance. His eyes were dull, back to being dangerous, glinting in the sunlight. "He's gone."

Above them, a cannon sounded and the two teens paled.