_TOMORROW NEVER CAME. [jakehoon]

chapter eighteen.

After clearing the whole apartment complex, they all met on the first floor once again, the sun now fully set in the distance.

They successfully barricaded the front and back doors of the complex, using whatever furniture they could scavenge from the first and second floors and the basement - it should definitely keep out any Walker that dared to try and enter.

"Let's settle on the third floor, we can carry down some of the mattresses from the other floors," Sunoo suggests, leading the team to the third floor, "Sunghoon Hyung said there was a fully empty apartment."

"Yeah, I guess it was on the listing site before all hell broke loose," Sunghoon yawned as they shuffled inside the small apartment.

"Glad that whoever raided this place before left some of the mattresses, my back has started to ache," Jay whined, bringing in the last mattress with Sunghoon's help, "let's finally all get a good night's sleep."

Jungwon and Jake arranged the three mattresses on the floor all next to each other whilst Sunoo, Jay and Sunghoon barricaded the front door of the apartment for extra protection.

"Wah!" Jungwon sighed contently as he flopped down on the mattresses, "I'm so tired from all that walking."

"Me too," Sunoo mumbles, laying down next to Jungwon in the middle of their Frankenstein mattress.

Jake carefully took off his shoes and lay on Jungwon's other side, using his vestment as a blanket.

Before Sunghoon could consider laying next to Jungwon, Jay had already passed out comfortably by Jungwon's side, leaving him with no other option than Jake's other side. Damn it.

Sunghoon cursed under his breath as he took his time taking his shoes off. He didn't want to make Jake more uncomfortable than he already had, he doubted the shorter wanted to sleep next to Sunghoon after everything that had happened.

Just as he was considering sleeping on the floor or heading to another apartment, Jake made eye contact with him and gently patted the spot next to him.

Sunghoon felt his heart pick up pace at the sight. Now with much less hesitation, Sunghoon lay down next to Jake, whispering a soft "sorry" as he turned to face the other way and shuffled as much to the edge as he could.

Yet Jake seemed unsatisfied with his actions.

With a small pout, Jake poked Sunghoon's back, which made Sunghoon look back and whisper, "Yeah?"

"Can you face me?" Jake whispered back just as softly, "Please?"

Sunghoon blushed yet obliged, turning his body towards Jake who had already faced him.

"You okay?" Sunghoon mouthed.

Jake nodded and shuffled closer, which instantly made Sunghoon try to back up. The brunette grabbed his wrist before Sunghoon could fall off the mattress.

"Cuddle?" Jake looked at him with big eyes and Sunghoon felt himself melt from the inside out. He looked so cute . He looked so fucking cute in the middle of a zombie apocalypse. Jake looked like a honey-coloured puppy with nothing but innocence in his eyes and the taller was completely and utterly smitten by him. Sunghoon felt his heart burn from how much admiration he felt.

"Cuddle?" Sunghoon whispered back, unsure if he heard Jake correctly.

"Unless you...don't want to," Jake blushed, letting go of Sunghoon's hand in embarrassment.

"No, I," Sunghoon tried to compose himself, "you're not uncomfortable with it?"

Jake shook his head and urged Sunghoon to shuffle closer to him. Sunghoon tries to ignore the way his heart starts to pick up pathetically as Jake snuggles into his chest, his head perfectly placed under Sunghoon's chin.

Jake carefully places his vestment over both of their upper bodies, providing them with some warmth, his arm lingering around Sunghoon's shoulder before sliding back and settling between their chests.

"Is this okay?" he whispers, his voice laced with nervousness, clearly just as affected by everything as Sunghoon.

"Y-Yeah," Sunghoon managed to stutter out, his own arm stiffly glued to his side, not fully knowing what to do with it.

"Okay..." Jake shuffled around some more, trying to get more comfortable, "Can I...?"

Sunghoon nodded like a fool, ready to do whatever Jake asked him to.

Jake extended the arm Sunghoon was sleeping on and placed his own head on the bicep, his cheeks blushing at the feeling of the firm muscle underneath. He continued to make himself comfortable, guiding Sunghoon's awkward arm around Jake's waist.

They both blushed deeply at the position but didn't pull away, "Are you sure you're okay with this?" Sunghoon nervously asks, his arm still incredibly stiff as it hovers over Jake's middle.

"Yeah," Jake breathed out, "I trust you."

Sunghoon felt his heart squeeze. He trusts Sunghoon, he isn't afraid or uncomfortable around Sunghoon, and he wants to cuddle Sunghoon. He feels like he might cry from relief - Sunghoon didn't realise how much he needed to hear those words.

"I promise I wouldn't do anything you wouldn't want me to," Sunghoon whispers, gently allowing his arm to relax around Jake's middle, "just tell me to stop and I will."

Sunghoon wants to say more, he wants to apologise for what had happened between them on the road and how foolishly he had acted and wants to tell Jake that his actions were nothing but disgusting and that he would never do something like that again.

Jake nodded, snuggling deeper into Sunghoon's chest, "I know."

Sunghoon exhaled softly, tightening his grip on Jake the slightest bit, opting to apologise tomorrow, "Good night."

"Night."