hold me 𐦍 yeonbin

011 ᯓᡣ𐭩

Siyeon’s house overlooks the harbor from a hundred-meter cliff. The ocean view is obscured by ginkgo trees and evergreens but the salty breeze reaches all the way to the driveway. Soobin takes out the keys, picks up the small bag of clothes he packed and the bag of dried chamomile leaves he picked up on his way back with the van, and walks around the van to open Yeonjun’s door. He gently pries his phone from Yeonjun’s hands, careful not to startle him awake.

Yeonjun has drool on his shoulder, his mouth hanging open slightly and his eyelids fluttering in a way that makes Soobin’s heart clench. Pixies are so fucking cute, he almost wants to let Yeonjun stay asleep, not to ruin the sight. Against his better judgement, Soobin snaps a picture of Yeonjun like this, then texts Siyeon that they have arrived.

“Yeonjun,” Soobin coaxes, hesitant to rouse Yeonjun by touch as he fears his reflexes. “Wake up.”

Yeonjun stirs when Soobin calls his name again, this time louder, and his eyes snap open as he jolts awake, kicking into the dashboard in his panic and staring at Soobin like he saw a ghost.

“We’re here,” Soobin says, taking a step back so Yeonjun can take in the new environment. The fear doesn’t leave his eyes as he whips his head around. His hollow brown eyes glow against the black of the shade blocking out the sunset. Yeonjun’s breathing slows, his trembling hands reaching for the edge of his seat.

“Soobin?” he asks, his voice soft and worried.

“I’m here. It’s just me.”

Yeonjun looks beyond him, then back to the van, and then back to Soobin, who is afraid to move in fear it might startle Yeonjun.

“Where are we?”

“We’re at Siyeon’s house. You fell asleep a couple hours ago.”

“Why didn’t you wake me up? What if the doctors found us? Or cops?”

Soobin decides not to explain to Yeonjun the difference between a real doctor and the monsters—the humans who held him captive. Yeonjun isn’t ready for that conversation yet.

“I wouldn’t have let them touch you. I’m strong for a human.”

Yeonjun obviously disagrees but doesn’t correct him.

“You shouldn’t have let me sleep,” he says.

“You needed it. You were bleeding out less than a day ago. And you looked too adorable drooling on my shirt.” Soobin would have pinched his cheek like he was a child if he wasn’t afraid Yeonjun would bite off his fingers.

“What’s adorable?”

“You, for asking that.”

“What do you mean?”

“Anyways,” Soobin steps away, “Unbuckle and we’ll meet Siyeon inside.”

Yeonjun doesn’t move.

“Oh—the red button. Press it down.”

Yeonjun jumps as the belt zips into place, and Soobin offers his hand to help Yeonjun step out of the van. Yeonjun looks at his palm, tilting his head.

“What do you want?”

He forgot Yeonjun has never been offered any amount of courtesy. No one has offered him their hand.

“Hold my hand,” Soobin says.

“Why?”

“So I can help you out of the van.”

Yeonjun swings his legs over the side and peers down at the dead leaves on the ground. “Why?” he asks. “What’s down there?”

“Nothing is down there,” Soobin kicks the dirt at his feet. “This is something humans do. It’s just...polite, I guess.”