congratulations || jeongchan

- 24 - Calm -

I can see that smile and can tell that you did more than move on

Chan would rather be anywhere else than here. Sat around the table with nine people who each hated at least one of the other people there.

For some it was at least three.

Very exciting.

"Could you pass me the butter please Felix?"

Felix doesn't even look up from his plate as he frisbees the poor butter across the table in the general direction of Jisung, somehow thankfully missing every single glass on it.

Chan, along with everyone else sat at said table, flinched as Changbin opened his mouth, anticipating his imminent words going badly before he even gave voice to any of them,

"Have you ever thought about finding a career in a sport like cricket? You look like you can throw pretty well."

It was said in a nice enough manner but Felix started growling under his breath and if his eyes had lasers this apartment would definitely be ablaze in seconds.

"Tell me what you want me to say Felix." Changbin threw up his hands when Felix stayed silent.

"I-" he carried on, but was interrupted.
"Not here." Hyunjins voice was calm, but firm.

Changbin relaxed under Hyunjin's touch as he placed a hand on Changbin's arm.

Meanwhile Felix was clenching his fork so hard it was beginning to bend. Chan could almost feel the tears screaming to be set free from his eyes.

"Excuse me." His voice was so quiet. So broken.

He stood up and Chan stood up as well. Very quickly Minho, Seungmin and Jisung were also stood up and they all started walking. Away from the table. Away from the rift that was building between their two groups once again.

As he picked up his coat, Chan gave Jeongin a small wave who waved dejectedly back; before jumping up from his seat and running over and giving Chan a tight hug.

"Stay?" His bright eyes were wide and Chan almost did. He almost stayed. But then he saw Felix leaning against the doorway in the position of a broken man. He saw the pain in his eyes as he cast them to the floor. Burning holes in Hyunjins very distasteful and outdated carpet.

Chan had always hated that carpet.

"I can't Jeongin. I have to go. I'm sorry."

"Okay Channie." Jeongin sighed and started making his way back to the table.

Chan ruffled his hair and made his way over to Felix. Slinging an arm around Felix's waist as Jisung did the same on the other side.

As soon as the door to the apartment closed Felix slumped and the tears started to fall.

"It hurts. Why does it hurt Chan?" Felix whispered. Chan's heart went out to him.

"I don't know."

"Yeah, that sounds about right." Then Felix passed out and it was all Chan could do not to drop him.

He managed to get his knees under himself and him and Jisung started the long walk back to the closest apartment which happened to be Chan's (/Minho's, who still hadn't left.)

Thankfully Chan only lived one flight of stairs up. And thankfully there was a lift. And thankfully no one was around to point out the 'two guests only' rule. And thankfully Chan's neighbours dogs were somewhere that wasn't barking up and down the corridor.

Chan heard Seungmin heave a short sigh of relief at that last thing.

Since none of them had eaten very much at Hyunjin's; mainly because of Felix, but also because Hyunjin's food was just always exceptionally bad (Chan had seen Jisung take a large bite of the possibly pork meal Hyunjin had prepared and try to discreetly return said bite of food onto his plate whilst Minho distracted Hyunjin by engaging him on the topic of sports, which Minho knows nothing and yet everything about), Minho and Seungmin went straight to the kitchen, which could go either way - burnt to a crisp or entirely raw.

Chan and Jisung went to the guest room. Which was a lot of,
"Which way?"
"This way"
"Which way is this way?"
And thudding as Jisung walked into things that only Chan could have known were there in the dark.

Eventually they managed to lie Felix down on the bed and let him rest.

It was about an hour later when he emerged, he said nothing as he sat down in front of the sofa with the rest of them, a table full of food directly in front of him. And he just started eating.

It was about two minutes later when he stopped eating and just started crying. Jisung slid down to the floor and wrapped an arm around his friend as he picked up the tv remote and flicked through the channels until he found what he was looking for.

Felix smiled through his tears as he heard the familiar rustic lilt of the intro to his second favourite film.

As 'Horton hears a who'  blared bright across Chan's tv screen, Jisung gently raised himself back onto the sofa.

Felix sighed sadly but contentedly and started eating again. Not even looking at what he was shovelling into his mouth as he giggled along with the film.

"Enjoy the film Chan." Jisung whispered directly into Chan's ear, "I'm pretty sure it cost £12.99 and no I will not reimburse you for it."

Minho high fived him and they settled back into the sofa to enjoy the film. Seungmin giggled quietly and joined them in leaning back into the cushions on the sofa.

With each minute of the film that passed, Felix sniffled less and by half way through he was smiling gently and the tears that had fallen from his eyes were dry.

Chan noticed how Jisung's eyes flooded with warmth when he heard the first quiet chuckle that Felix let out that sounded like himself again.

He sometimes forgot how, like him and Minho, Jisung and Felix had been together since the beginning.

But now they were all together, Chan hoped he could just stay in this moment of calm. Forever. And forget about the rest of the world.

But then there was a knock at the door, and his world suddenly bleached itself of all colour and his vision collided into his scent and his smell and all he could taste was blood.

A/N - I'm sorry about the use of rustic lilt but I did a quick questionnaire with my friends and that is all they managed to come up with.

Entirely not my fault

Enjoy peeps (I hope) xx