Eternity is cold. // Stray Kids

maybe a friend?

Felix stays quiet. It has to be a trap, he doesn't actually know.

Does he?

Please tell me he doesn't.

Felix doesn't think he can handle that. Doesn't think he can handle knowing that the boy knew he was awake that entire time. Doesn't want to know what's going to happen to him when they all find out. "Felix," Jisung calls out again. Felix hears footsteps come toward the bed and he squeezes his eyes shut tighter.

He needs to breathe. He needs to calm his breathing down, he can't be found out now, he's not going to survive this, is he? Suddenly, there's a hand pulling the blanket off of him. "I know you're scared. I'm not going to hurt you." Jisung attempts to reassure him.

It doesn't work, Felix can barely hear him over the ringing in his ears. A hand rests on his shoulder. It's light, but it's still there. It's there and Felix doesn't know what the fuck he's supposed to do in these situations. "I told them we couldn't do this. I told them this was going to go wrong." Jisung mutters under his breath.

It has to be a trap, some kind of fucked up trap to get him to open his eyes. "We shouldn't have kidnapped you. No one else agreed with me, I'm so sorry, Felix."

In times like these, Felix wishes he was able to tell people's intentions. But no, that was the one thing Jooyeon could do and Felix couldn't. If he was stuck here and Jisung knew he was awake, he might as well get this over with. He opens his eyes.

Jisung looks nothing like he imagined. Then again, Felix isn't sure what he imagined. Whatever it was, it was not the boy who was standing in front of him. "You have pretty eyes, Felix," Jisung whispers. A short while later, Jisung crouches down next to the bed. "I swear, I'm not going to let them hurt you. If I can get away with keeping you away from them, I will for as long as possible."

Jisung sounds so genuine. Felix didn't think he had any other choice but to believe him. Believe him and pray that he wasn't lying. Felix didn't think he could take being lied to. "I'm going to warn you now.." JIsung hesitates, removing his hand from Felix's shoulder and running it through the boy's hair. Felix winces at the knots being tugged out. "Some of them... Some of them aren't the sweetest people ever."

When Felix stays quiet, Jisung continues. "While I'm trying to help you, some of them are going to make everything a lot worse for you. You have more of a chance of getting the younger members to be gentler with you than my hyungs."

The free hand that Jisung has grabs Felix's closest hand and holds it tightly. He lets Felix process the information for a moment before he sighs. "The one who originally kidnapped you, the one that has eyes like a fox, that's our maknae. His name is Jeongin– I'm not sure how long you've been awake, but I'm sure you've heard his name. He's kindhearted. He's more of an annoying younger brother than anything. He cares about everyone, but if he wants something he's going to be forceful about it. Seungmin and Hyunjin came in earlier, which was the first time. I don't know if you were awake for that either, but they're both sweet. Hyunjin is sweeter than Seungmin, though. Seungmin is more reserved and can come off coldhearted and like... I don't know... like he wants to kill you, but he's loving. He's lovable, I promise. He and Jeongin will fight a lot, and neither of them is the biggest fan of touch, but they'll engage in it on occasion or when they think it's needed. Or when they want it, of course. Seungmin won't hurt you. He only went along with kidnapping you so he'd have someone to talk to. I mean, someone that wasn't Jeongin. Hyunjin on the other hand, is the kindest person here, and genuinely only wanted you so he could paint someone. I don't wanna say Jeongin only wanted you for physical touch, but that's basically what he told us he wanted. But on the other hand, While I'm chaotic and the other two can come off as cold, he's always there to ask if someone is okay. I don't know how to describe myself as a person, but I try to always be there for people. While I'm not able to help you get out, I will try to be there for you during the aftermath. You're a day younger than me, actually, and a week older than Seungmin. Hyunjin is six months older than us while Jeongin is about five months younger than us." Jisung finally shuts his mouth and runs his thumb over Felix's hand.

Jisung waits for a moment before Felix nods. In secret, he wishes he could know what the other boy was thinking. It couldn't be good, but at least he would know how to help more. Jisung sighs and can feel Felix slowly begin to relax.

"Up next is Changbin hyung and Minho hyung. They were the two in here earlier. Well, Seungmin was the one who explained what happened with Hyunjin, but they were in here as well. Changbin hyung isn't much older than Hyunjin, I want to say seven months? He's the shortest one, but he's strong. Like, you and I are about the same size, and he can throw me across a room if he feels like it. He's scary. He's the type of person to make you do everything, and if you don't he'll punish you in the worst way possible. Me and the younger boys can try and help you the best we can, but if he finds out what we're doing, it's over for us. Be careful when you're around him. I don't want to see you get hurt, Lix– can I call you Lix?"

"Y=Yeah." Felix stutters, noticing the way Jisung goes wide-eyed at his voice. Jisung relaxes again. "Your voice is not at all what I expected it to be, but I feel like it suits you. Moving on. Minho hyung is about a year older than Changbin hyung. Minho hyung... Is going to be your least-liked person here. He's terrifying. And while he might be nice to me and the younger boys at times, he is going to treat you like absolute shit. He's going to be so mean to you, Lix. I hope you're prepared for that. I'm sorry, Lixie."

Jisung moves from his spot on the floor, climbing into bed next to Felix and wrapping his arms around the boy. He's glad he locked the door when Changbin and Minho left. "The last one is our oldest, Chan hyung. He's a month older than Minho and he is terrifying. However, he's not like Minho and Changbin who will use you as a literal punching bag. He's just... a little mean... He'll just use you for whatever he wants, and then get one of us to take care of you. If you fuck up with any of the others, he will also be the one to make sure you regret it. Be careful. While I know me and Hyunjin won't say anything if you mess up, I don't know about Seungmin and Jeongin. I want to believe that they wouldn't do that to you, but I'm not sure."

Jisung takes a deep breath, letting Felix process the information once again. Felix completely relaxes in Jisung's grip. Jisung wonders why he's finding comfort in someone who has done nothing but hurt him, even if he didn't want to in the first place, but he doesn't ask that.

"I'm scared," Felix whispers, curling in on himself and trying to hide in Jisung's embrace. All Jisung can do is hold him tighter and hope that the younger boy can understand where how much he's trying to help. "I'm so scared, Jisung. What did I do to deserve this? Why did it have to be me? I should be at home right now, with my little brother and his friends. Am I ever going to be able to see him again? Any of them?"

Jisung wants to tell him yes. But he can't. "I wish I knew the answer to that, Felix. You deserve an answer more than anyone, but I don't have one for you. All I can say is keep your hopes up. I can't help you escape, but I can try to figure out a plan for you. At least, maybe that would help you not lose your sanity here."

Felix is comfortable. Maybe he finally has a friend in this fucked up environment. Someone who won't hurt him and will explain what is going on.

But he still has one question. Why did it have to be him? Why couldn't it have been anyone else? Not Jooyeon or his friends, but someone else.

Felix also doesn't wish this on anyone else.

    "We found his phone." A police officer states. Jooyeon sighs. "What is his phone going to do to help us find him?" And he shakes his head. There is nothing Felix's phone can do to help them find him. Even Jooyeon, a high school student, knows that. But maybe that will get them to finally take his brother's case seriously. If they found his phone and not him. Maybe they'll finally believe that Felix isn't a runaway. Because he isn't.