small words || jeongcheol

12: care.

Thud.

Seungcheol's head snapped up. He pushed the cookie tray into the oven and closed it, frowning. Glancing towards the ceiling again, he yelled Jeonghan's name, expecting a reply. The two had become used to shouting to and fro, annoying the hell out of everyone else. But now there was silence.

The nurse was suddenly filled with panic.

"Jeonghan?" he called again, tearing off his pink apron and walking quickly out of the room. One hand on the staircase, he shouted, "Jeonghan!"

A muffled whimper.

"Jeonghan!" he almost shrieked, "Jeonghan, are you okay?"

He was up the stairs in half a second, and nearly at the bathroom door-

"Seungcheol...?"

Seungcheol felt like crying. Why did he sound so weak?

"Jeonghan?" he repeated, "What happened, are you okay?"

"Seungcheol... help me-" Jeonghan's cry was cut off by a sound of pain.

The older guy fumbled with the doorknob, grunting in frustration when it wouldn't budge.

"Jeonghan, let me in!"

"I can't," he answered, his voice rising in panic. "Seungcheol-"

"The keys are downstairs-"

"Seungcheol, it hurts!"

"Oh, god," he gasped, still struggling with the door. "Jeonghan, hold on!"

Seungcheol threw all his weight against the door. And again, grunting as he felt his shoulder bruising.

"Seungcheol, I'm scared..."

"Jeonghan, I'm coming!"

He slammed into the door once more, the hinges creaking.

"Seungcheol!"

"Jeonghan!"

He burst into the bathroom.

"Jeonghan, where are- what happened- Jeonghan..."

Blood bled through the white shower curtain.

"Jeonghan, please tell me you're okay..."

He tore aside the shower curtain to find Jeonghan's crumpled form lying in the bathtub.

"Seungcheol..." he whispered, locking eyes with him.

"Oh my god, what happened?" he asked worriedly, "Did you fall?"

"Mm..."

"You're bleeding," said Seungcheol, "How did-" He spotted the empty shampoo bottle with a sharp edge, carefully picking it up and tossing it in the sink. He couldn't tell where Jeonghan was bleeding from, since the red had spread over his leg. He quickly scanned over his body. "Do you think you broke anything? You've scraped your elbows a bit..."

Jeonghan's thin body had begun blossoming with bruises.

He shook his head slowly, his hair dripping onto his shoulders. "I don't think anything's broken." He suddenly looked terrified that he might have to spend time in hospital, again. "But," he said, swallowing, "It hurts."

"Let me get you fixed up," he said gently. "Can you stand?"

Jeonghan just stared at him, reaching slowly up to him. Seungcheol gave a small smile and carefully gathered the younger guy in his arms, apologising everytime Jeonghan so much as winced.