Stray Kids POVs (collection)

scratches - Changbin (2)

Maybe your expectations were too high after you've listened to their conversation. Or maybe he was just really busy the last days. But you've waited for him in the living room – unusual for you, you stayed in your room the weeks before. And you have waited for some hours, but he must have always come home when you were already asleep. And because you leave early for work – or he leaves even earlier – you always miss him. Like some cruel joke of the destiny – first, you avoid running into him and it doesn't work, and now it just doesn't work to catch him.

But maybe you're a little relieved about it too. You don't even know how you could start a conversation with him. Is it strange to just ask about his day? What do you ask a husband you barely know?

It is a Friday evening after a long week when you get the first chance. You sit on the couch again, like the last days, and you're treatening the newest scratch on your hand. And then the door opens, and it feels like a déjà-vu.

"Ah hey, you're home!" It's Chan, when you remember right, who greets you amused. You look up to your husband and the other three guys, meeting their curious, expectant gazes while they look between you and Changbin.

"Hi" You bring out with an awkward smile and try to wink without thinking, pushing over the box with plasters next to you. They slip to the ground and spread across the floor. How. Embarrassing.

You feel your cheeks redden while you slip off the couch as well to grab the plasters, ignoring the quiet chuckle of one of them. It is followed by the light sound of a slap on bare skin before Changbin kneels down in front of you, picking up the last plasters and hold them out to you.

"Thanks" You mumble, take the plasters, and start to stuff them back into the packaging.

Changbin says nothing and you glance up to him. He stares down to your hand, even as you've all plasters stuffed back now.

"Changbin?" You literally whisper and he flinches as if you had screamed his name.

"Yeah, sorry." He finally looks up at you and his eyes scan your face, what makes your cheeks flush again. "Are you all right?"

You blink surprised about his question. And that he actually sounds worried with his question.

It seems to make him insecure that you need more than three seconds to answer his question and he leans back a bit, pointing to your hand, rubbing his neck with his other hand. "I-I mean, you're all scratched up again."

"Oh" You look to your hand as if you'd already forgotten about it until you finally find your ability to speak and your confidence again. "Oh! Yes, it's fine."

You get up and he follows you, standing in front of the couch as you sit down again.

"Just a very angry cat." You add while he still stares at you.

The light giggles from the guys behind him let you both shrug together. And as if on command, they move to the couch, one of them grabs Changbins shoulders and pulls him down next to you on the couch.

"So" Minho sits down as well and looks at you curious. "You work with cats?"

"I'm a vet, so yes, cats and other pets." You dig through the plaster packaging again, grabbing one out to finally stick it over the scratches.

"Ahh, that's where all the scratches come from." Jisung leans back in his place and grins at you.

You nod and your cheeks redden unintentionally. "Well, somehow all the scratchy, moody pets come to me."

You try to remove the plaster from the non-adhesive film, and you are aware that at least two pairs of eyes are watching you, what makes your fingers nervously trembling.