It Follows {Book One}

04

Tuesday, July 31
32 days

•Yuta•

"Come back to bed." He heard soft footsteps behind him just before Sicheng leaned over his shoulder in a sort of back hug, or more like an attempt to stand upright as he was still half-asleep.

Yuta brought his hand up to cover Sicheng's, which he had moved to cup his cheek. Yuta turned his head to press his lips against his palm. "Alright." He kept his hand over Sicheng's, lacing their fingers together as he stood up and turned to face him. Yuta laughed softly to himself as he noticed Sicheng's eyes were barely even open, and his head was slumped forward like it was a struggle to even stay concious.

Yuta wasn't surprised, Sicheng hadn't been sleeping much at all the past week. Neither had Yuta, but not for the reasons he'd like.

He wished he could say they were staying up together to watch movies, or binge a new TV series, or have sex, or whatever. But he couldn't. They were both exhausted, but neither of them could ever fall asleep. They'd lay there for hours, trying so hard to get even an hour of rest. The most Yuta had gotten so far were a few twenty minute naps.

So when Sicheng finally fell asleep that night, Yuta wanted to stay with him, make sure he didn't have any nightmares (it wasn't a rare occurrence for him to wake up in tears), and pet his hair the way he knew Sicheng loved.

But he was afraid that even the slightest sound or movement he made would wake him, so he went to try and sleep on the couch. It was surprisingly comfortable, but still, no luck.

It was almost four in the morning when Sicheng came looking for him, meaning he had gotten a whole six hours, which was more than either of them had in the past three days.

Yuta couldn't think of anything other than the day it was supposed to happen. The end of the world.

In all honestly, he was glad. Humans were shitty beings that really fucked things up, and he had always believed that they were the reason everything was going to shit. Even as a kid.

It was obvious though, what else could have done it? Bears?

Yuta never had any faith that people would change their ways and save the earth. All those nature documentaries he had to sit through in school, all the times he went around picking up trash with his classmates on Earth day, bullshit. It was too late, they were already fucked.

Picking up a few pieces of plastic wasn't going to fix the massive hole in the stratosphere. The damage had already been done. All the protests, all the charities, for what? To raise money for research?

Research that told the world what Yuta had known for years.

They were fucked.

"Do you think you can go back to sleep?" Yuta asked, rubbing his eyes with his fist as if that would help him see in the dark.

It didn't.

Sicheng nodded, tugging his hand and pulled him back to their room. He crawled back into bed, before lifting the covers off the bed and holding them there as he looked up at Yuta. "Hold me this time."

Yuta was happy to oblige, though Sicheng didn't give him much of a choice when he draped himself over Yuta. He rested his cheek against his chest, his dark hair tickling Yuta's chin.

Yuta slid his hand under Sicheng's loose T-shirt and began gently rubbing his back. Sicheng hummed softly and tightened his grip on Yuta's sides. "I'm almost excited to leave," he mumbled, his voice muffled as half of Sicheng's mouth was pressed against Yuta's shirt. "I miss Taeil."

"Well, we know he definitely misses you, too," Yuta commented dryly. "Thank God Yukhei is such a klutz, we never would've met and you might've ended up with Taeil instead."

Sicheng didn't move. Yuta expected a glare at the very least, but Sicheng only yawned. He let go of Yuta's sides and moved them up to his chest. "Oh, please," Sicheng managed to say. He sounded like he was hanging on the edge of consciousness, his words beginning to slur. "He never stood a chance."

Yuta chuckled. "I know he isn't a threat. You've got me, your super hot, super strong, super great boyfriend—who's also fantastic in bed-"

Sicheng grunted half-heartedly, but couldn't be bothered to protest. Because Yuta was right, obviously.

"Tell me I'm wrong," Yuta waited, but Sicheng only huffed. "That's what I thought."

"I think you should go to sleep," Sicheng finally said, his voice barely audible. "We're leaving tomorrow, you need to rest."

Yuta pressed his lips to the top of Sicheng's head. He knew Sicheng was right, though he doubted he'd be able to sleep anyways.

It wasn't long before Sicheng fell asleep, and Yuta was totally okay with staying awake. Sicheng looked so cute, letting out soft breaths against Yuta's chest, his fingers twisting into Yuta's shirt, and every so often, his nose would scrunch up.

Yuta was whipped. He'd been teased for it, others tried getting a rise out of him, but Yuta already knew. How couldn't he be? Yuta knew early on in their relationship that he would do anything for Sicheng, anything at all, even if only for a smile.

Sicheng was perfect. The way he tripped over his Korean, bit his lips whenever he was nervous, chewed the inside of his cheek, things that might've been minor flaws were incredibly endearing in Yuta's eyes.

And Yuta had never had a proper relationship before Sicheng, either. He'd been on dates, brought people home from parties, fucked around, sure. Who hadn't? Besides Mark, who was a total virgin before Donghyuck, too shy and awkward to approach anyone.

Before Sicheng, Yuta was okay with one night stands. He was content by himself, simple pleasures were all he needed. Besides, he didn't have time for relationships. Not with school. Studying to be an environmental engineer took up the majority of his free time. But after another one of Yukhei's dumb ideas headed south, Sicheng—an incredibly adorable med student with a killer (so to speak) horror film collection and absolutely fantastic blunt rolling skills—was suddenly there, unknowingly about to become the center of Yuta's entire existence.

Sicheng held Yuta's heart in his hands, and he knew it, too.

"I don't know what I'd do with myself if anything ever happened to you," Yuta muttered before pressing a kiss to the top of Sicheng's head. "We're all about to die, so I suppose that doesn't matter. Let's hope I go first, hmm?"