atelophobia | kth + jhs

10

"Hoseok!"

Hoseoks ears pearked up at the sound of his friends voice as soon as he stepped through the cafe.

"Hey Seokjin." Hoseok smiled waving slightly, removing his jacket and hanging it up on a shelf behind the counter.

Seokjin smiled and tilted his head, eyeing Hoseok up and down. "You look tired, didn't get any sleep last night?"

Hoseok chuckled slightly, images of last night making their way into his memory.

"You could say that. I'm just always tired really."

It was silent until Seokjin let out a loud laugh before slapping his hand over his mouth, supressing his laughter.

"What? What's so funny?" Hoseok asked not understanding what Seokjin found so funny, glancing at the floor until he noticed the problem.

Groaning loudly he shuffled on the spot in annoyance, "Odd shoes, you really didn't notice?" Seokjin spoke while walking behind the counter, his facial expression suddenly stiffening portraying a sensible complex once he heard the cafe door open.

Hoseok sighed in embarrassment, tying his apron on around his waist before beginning to clean the tables.

-

"Ahh I'm so tired!" Seokjin yawned out, scratching the back of his head before his eyes wandered over to Hoseok, whos hands were playing lazily with the hem of his jumper.

"At least it's nearly the-"

Hoseoks voice quickly got cut off by a loud shrilling noise which echoed throughout the store. His hands instinctly grasped the sides of his head to trap out the sound, eyes shutting in fear.

"M-Make it stop." Hoseok stuttered out backing into a corner, eyes shakily looking around to find Seokjin desperately reach over to the fire alarm in an attempt to stop the deafening noise.

His body trembled whilst he sunk down to the floor bringing his knees up to his chest. It was all too loud.

He felt pathetic and vunerable, Hoseok hated it. His head pounded in pain while his eyes leaked uncontrolably.

Hoseok froze, strong arms wrapped around his shaking frame in an attempt to make him calm down. His eyes widened as he panicked, thrashing away from the arms which attempted to soothe him.

"No! Stop it!" His vision blurred considerably and the feeling of darkness was seeping into the corners of his eyesight and mind.

"Hoseok calm down!"

Hoseok struggled against a warm chest pressed against his front, weakly punching the other persons chest while kicking his legs out almost like a little child. He scratched anything away in his reach, tightly securing his arms around his body desperatly edging away from what appaeard to be a threat to Hoseok.

"D-Don't hurt me please!" He screamed, his sobs had gotten louder yet his body became increasingly weak, slowly letting his body sink into the comforts of the others presence.

"Sshh, it's okay now."

Hoseok, unlike a few seconds ago leaned deeply into the others chest, clinging onto his soft fabric shirt like his life depended on it.

"Hoseok, it's me, Taehyung. you know me right baby?"

Taehyung secured his hold around Hoseoks shaking figure, rocking him gently back and forth.

Taehyung lifted Hoseoks head up slightly to look him in the eye, his heart breaking when he was met with tear filled fright laced ones, a layer of sadness and confusion dusting over them.

"T-Taehyung make the noise stop, please!" Hoseok clenched onto Taehyungs shirt tighter.

"I'm sorry, it will be over soon, Taehyung will make the bad noise go away." Taehyung hushed Hoseoks cries, cradling his head against his neck as he rested his head on top of Hoseoks soft hair.

Taehyung looked up, yelling at Hoseoks friend in an attempt to hurry up, not noticing the slight smoke situated from behind the counter.

"I'm trying!" Seokjin yelled back over the loud noise, shaking whilst not daring to look over at Hoseok.

"Baby it's okay, the man is sorting it out. Can you calm down? Can you do that for me?"

Hoseok didn't say anything, his body shaking slightly as his body hiccuped from time to time. The noise stopped, Taehyungs eyes lightened, yet didn't let Hoseok leave his hold, holding him like he was the most fragile person in the world.

"Hey! The smoke!" Taehyung pointed to what he could make out was a small oven, which contained what he could only imagine was the cafe's food it sold.

Seokjin quickly attended to the smoke, while Hoseoks body sat completely still in Taehyungs hold.

"It's over now, you're safe." Taehyung whispered to the smaller boy in his lap, gently swaying back and forth.

"I-I'm sorry." Hoseok mouthed out, barely coming out as a whisper.

"What was that baby? you don't have to be sorry. Please don't say that, nothing is your fault." Taehyung frowned, not being able to believe that Hoseok was blaming himself.

"I'm a failure." Hoseok sniffled, lowering his head so Taehyung wouldn't see his face.

Taehyung sighed, his heart sinking hearing those words escape hoseoks mouth.

"Please don't say that." He breathed out, wanting nothing more than for Hoseok to be able to view himself in the same way everybody else did.

"I know you probaly dont like me Hoseok-"

"I-I do like you." The stuttering boy interrupted, shakily holding Taehyungs hand in his own.

"I-I just have never met someone who has found me a-attractive or someone who cares about me."

Sad eyes made their way up to Taehyungs, receiving nothing but warmth and love in return. Taehyung kissed the top of Hoseoks forehead, whispering sweet nothings into his ear.

-

Hoseok, had been feeling tired lately, and with that grew increasingly oblivious to the battle of demons and disturbing words which danced around in his neighbours mind.

This path Hoseok was about to venture down showed him life wasn't all sunshine and roses, and what shines on the outside, will almost always have a wilting black inside.