ETY | MW [✔]

09.

Wonwoo went to bed, his thoughts on Mingyu. He fell asleep quickly but woke a while later, sleepy and confused, sensing something in the room had changed. He stayed still, listening. There. He could hear the sound of breathing, and it wasn't his own. Sitting up, he noticed his door, which he'd closed over, was now open.

Moving to the end of the bed, he leaned over, looking down at the floor. Mingyu was lying on the carpet at the foot of his bed, curled up as if asleep. Wonwoo could tell he wasn't sleeping, a little too much tension in the alpha's body.

"Mingyu?" he whispered.

The alpha blinked his blue eyes open and turned his head, peering up at him.

"What are you doing down there?"

Mingyu's eyes flicked to the door and back to Wonwoo, but he didn't reply.

Wonwoo rubbed a hand across his eyes, yawning. "Can't sleep?"

The alpha shook his head.

"Okay, then," Wonwoo said, moving back to the head of the bed. A moment passed, and nothing happened.

"Mingyu?" he called.

The alpha's head appeared above the end of the bed.

"You want me to go?" Mingyu asked.

Shaking his head, Wonwoo patted the bed next to him.

"Come on, up you get. You can't sleep on the floor."

Mingyu stood up, walking around the bed but not getting in.

"I can go back to my room," the alpha offered.

"Will you sleep?"

Mingyu shrugged.

"I don't blame you. It's been a tough day. Climb in, and get some rest. We'll figure things out in the morning."

He pulled back the blanket, and Mingyu got in, stretching out next to him.

Wonwoo laid back down and closed his eyes, listening as Mingyu settled in next to him, the alpha's breathing evening out. He drifted off a few minutes later.

*****

When he woke up again, it was bright out. He looked down, finding Mingyu had moved closer during the night, sleeping with his head pillowed on Wonwoo's stomach. He pictured Taehyun's face if the alpha ever found out and started to laugh.

His laughter woke Mingyu up, the alpha peering around in confusion.

"Morning," Wonwoo said.

"Hi," Mingyu replied. He seemed to realize he'd attached himself to Wonwoo and let go, pulling back slowly. "Um, sorry."

"That's okay. Why were you sleeping on my floor last night?"

Mingyu sat up, avoiding Wonwoo's eyes.

"Nightmares?" the omega guessed, remembering Mingyu's injured hand.

"Sometimes," Mingyu said softly. "There's something there, something I just can't..." He trailed off, pressing a hand to his forehead.

Wonwoo laid back against the pillows, drawing Mingyu with him. He pressed his palm across Mingyu's forehead, and the alpha sighed with relief.

"Do you remember what happened before you came here? The marketplace? Or the stuff before that?"

Mingyu's nightmares could have been from memories trapped beneath his conscious mind, struggling to break free.