_TOMORROW NEVER CAME. [jakehoon]

chapter twenty-nine.

Sunoo and Jake sat talking for another hour, their anxieties mixing together as they waited for the scavenging team to return.

Just when Jake was starting to assume the absolute worst outcome, the two heard the heavy gate doors open. Sunoo and him perk up and make their way to the foyer alongside some other inmates who heard the heavy metal clank open.

"Oh, Sunghoon," Jake tried to not let his distress show as he threw himself onto the taller one, immediately burying his face in the crook of Sunghoon's sweaty neck. He smelled of musk, and his body was sticky, but Jake couldn't care less as he nuzzled deeper, "You're back."

Sunghoon chuckles and wraps his arms around Jake, "Missed me?"

The brunette nods and continues to hold on tight, "So much."

Jake leaned back and looked over Sunghoon's body, making sure he wasn't scratched, bitten, bloodied or bruised. His fingers gently ran over the slight slash on Sunghoon's neck, "What happened?"

"We sort of stumbled upon a whole raid," Sunghoon touched his own neck, "it set us back and we had to find a different route home, which happened to have a lot of annoying trees, I guess I got scrapped."

Jake narrowed his eyes at Sunghoon but didn't push it, detaching himself from the snowy-haired male and turning to Riki, who had been awkwardly standing beside them.

"Are you okay?" Jake does the same assessment he did to Sunghoon, cupping the boy's face in his palms and taking in all the boy's features, "You look exhausted."

Riki startles for a second, not expecting to be examined with such intensity, "I-I'm okay, thanks, Hyung."

Jake nods, yet looks between the two with furrowed eyebrows, "I know you're lying, but I won't push it. Go wash up and eat something, Sungho made more soup."

Sunghoon and Riki shared a look but nodded.

The youngest goes out first, mumbling something about washing up whilst Sunghoon and Jake stay facing each other.

Jake's angered expression softens when Sunghoon reaches out for him with downcast eyes. Without another thought, he brings Sunghoon into his embrace and guides the taller man's head into his neck, "Are you actually okay?"

Sunghoon nods with a deep sigh, "I just missed you."

"Me too," Jake pats down Sunghoon's hair, "go eat something and wash up, it's already late."

Reluctantly detaching from one another, the two went their separate ways - Jake to help Sungho with pouring the arrivals some food whilst Sunghoon went to wash up.

Once everyone was fed and cleaned, the juvie fell into a deep sleep. Jake and Sunghoon made their way to their shared room hand-in-hand, the air thick with longing and a desire to be together.

Settled in bed, Jake didn't hesitate to pull Sunghoon into his chest, feeling the need to hold him as close as possible, "You scared me," he mumbled into the damp locks, "I couldn't do anything until you arrived."

"I'm sorry," Sunghoon mumbled into Jake's chest, kissing the spot where his lips met Jake's thin sleeping shirt, "I wish I could've texted you or something," he chuckles, "What I'd do to have your number."

"I never had a phone, so I don't know how that would work," Jake giggled and the two fell back into a comforting silence, both glad to be back in each other's arms.

They lay like that for a while until Jake heard Sunghoon's gentle snores. The brunette smiled and continued to stroke Sunghoon's hair with the utmost care, finally feeling at ease after hours of worrying.

"Hyungs?"

Jake halts, slightly startled by the unexpected voice and knocks on the door. The brunette looked up, trying to see who was at their door in the dead of night.

"Riki?" Jake whispered, slowly detaching himself from Sunghoon. Wow, the male didn't even budge, he must've been really tired.

Jake stood up and walked over toward their cell door, opening it up to find Riki awkwardly standing there with his own pillow and blanket.

"Are you okay? What's wrong?" Jake fussed, opening the door fully.

"Can I..." the younger started, his voice bashful and tinting with embarrassment; something that was so unlike Riki it made Jake more worried, "Never mind, forget it, I'm sorry disturbing you."

"Hey, you can tell me," Jake insisted, flicking his eyes down towards the boy's pillow and blanket.

"Did you want to sleep with us?" Jake gently asked, watching how Riki flushed from embarrassment and nodded.

"I-I know it's dumb, but I just, I don't know...I feel bad and I just didn't want to be alone tonight."

"Come on," Jake ushered the boy in, closing the door gently behind him, "let's get you settled.

They ended up manoeuvring a passed-out Sunghoon to the end of the bed, Riki snug in the middle and Jake next to the wall - it was slightly cramped, but also oddly nice.

"You comfy?" Jake whispered, adjusting the blankets on both Sunghoon and Riki, "we can switch places if you don't want Sunghoon snoring in your ear."

"N-No!" Riki slightly panicked before composing himself, "I'd like to stay in the middle."

Jake gave the boy a reassuring smile and nodded, "Good night then, Riki-san."

"Good night."