Limbo

Don't Wanna Leave Here Anymore

"He's coming back, hyung, I promise." Changbin cooed, rocking Minho back and forth in his arms. They were still stuck on the floor, Minho sobbing loudly from the pain (both emotional and physical). It had been at least an hour, but the tears just wouldn't stop. Seungmin had left to cook them something to see if food would settle the elder down - maybe he was hangry? - but Changbin could hear the mumbling between the sobs. He wanted Chan. Food wouldn't satisfy that. 

Minho just cried, burying his face against Changbin's chest as the rapper continued to rock him like a child who refused the go down for his nap. He wanted Minho to sleep, crying wouldn't help him get any better. But no matter what he said, the dancer wouldn't stop. 

It was at least another hour when Minho's cries finally died off and he went silent and still in Changbin's arms. The rapper sighed, and he peeked down at the dancer curled up in his lap. Minho's eyes were closed, and his lips were slightly parted as he breathed slowly and deeply - as deeply as he could. Changbin looked up, blinking rapidly. He never, ever, wanted to hear any of the members cry like that ever again. That was torture. He couldn't stop the tears that finally dripped down his cheeks. Poor Minho - he was hurt inside and out and there was nothing they could do for him. 

Changbin very carefully picked the dancer up and laid him out in his bed, replacing himself with the pillow Minho always hugged when he slept. He patted the elder's head then retreated from the room to find Seungmin standing in the kitchen staring at a mixing bowl. The vocalist, while his eyes were fixed on the bowl, was clearly not processing that he was seeing something. 

"Seungmin." Changbin called out, waving his hand in front of the younger's face. 

The vocalist startled slightly before he locked eyes with the elder. "You cried." He blurted, noticing the shiny look in Changbin's eyes. "How's Minho hyung? I could hear him crying from here. He... he's so hurt, hyung. Should he even be here? I think he still needs a hospital. He broke his ribs, he should be in the hospital, right? We aren't capable of taking care of him. He needs-" 

"Min." 

"He needs help. Help we can't provide. I don't know what we're supposed to do, hyung."

"Seungmin." 

"He just... he's so hurt. I don't want to watch him cry like that again."

Changbin rounded the kitchen island and pulled Seungmin into his embrace, squeezing him tightly as he felt the younger release the tension in him. "He's going to be okay. This is Minho we're talking about. They wouldn't have released him if they didn't think he'd be okay. Right now, he just needs coddling. He lost Seojun, Minnie, you know how much his manager meant to him."

"I don't know how to help him with that though..." Seungmin admitted, pulling back from Changbin and glancing back at the mixing bowl. 

"What are you making?" Changbin asked, peering into the bowl at the dough. 

"I'm making lemon cake." Seungmin shrugged, nodding towards the recipe paper on the counter beside the bowl. "It was in Minho hyung's recipe book, and I figured I'd try to make it for him. I suck at baking though." 

"Want some help?" The rapper offered, rolling up his sleeves. 

"Please." Seungmin nodded, catching the elder's eyes and smiling softly at him. 

Changbin mirrored the expression and patted the younger's shoulder. "You might think you don't know how to help him, Min, but I think you are helping in your own way. Minho hasn't eaten anything yet, so maybe this will convince him to get something in him."

Minho slept for several hours, but woke up with the world's worst headache, making his entire head throb with a pain so deep he didn't even believe it could be real. He groaned, burying his face into his pillow. It felt damp against his cheeks, and he pulled back, trying to peer through the darkness to see the wet patch. Why was his pillow wet? Was he... was he crying? Why would he cry himself to sleep? What time was it? Minho sat up and gasped a silent scream at the pain that shook his chest. "Ow." He exhaled, cupping his hand over his ribs. Right. He'd broken his ribs. He had a concussion too, right? From what?