sleeping sickness

chapter 5//youngjae pov

(psa: the next chapter will be this same scene but from jaebum's pov instead)

I didn't mean to fall asleep. I had planned to stay up all night, as I usually did, but I couldn't seem to keep my eyes open. As soon as they shut, the memories started playing like an old film reel

///

When I woke up, I was in a basement. It was unfamiliar to me, and I was scared. It didn't help that I was tied to a chair. I looked around for my mom.

"Mommy," I called. No answer. "Eomma! Eomma! Mom! Mommy!" I was screaming through tears. No one answered me. I sat there, crying. I finally heard the sound of a door opening. I looked up, hoping to see my mom, but instead, I saw a stranger. He was holding a gun. He smiled at me.

"Your mom wants to see you." he said.

///

Someone was shaking me and yelling my name. I opened my eyes, expecting Jinyoung or Eomma Chaerin. I saw Jaebum.

"Youngjae, what's wrong? Are you okay?" he asked, worry in his eyes. I just stared at him, before I started to cry. He sat down on my bed and pulled me against him.

"He k-keeps coming b-back." I sobbed.

"Sh, sh. It's okay. No one is here to hurt you. I'm here to keep you safe, and so is Jinyoung." he continued to hold me, rocking me back and forth. He didn't ask another question, which I was grateful for. When I had calmed down, I pulled back and wiped my eyes.

"You gonna be okay?" he asked. I nodded and he got up to leave. Before he left, he turned back around and got into my bed with me.

"W-what are you doing?" I asked. He held his arms out to me.

"Come here," he said. Uncertain, I moved into his arms, and he held me close again. "I'm gonna make sure you're okay. I'll protect you." I snuggled in closer to him and closed my eyes again.

"Thank you," I mumbled. He kissed the top of my head and ran his fingers through my hair. In almost no time at all, I fell asleep. But this time, I felt safe. I had the same memories play, but I knew that that's all they were. I wasn't scared.

~unedited