Archive of Our Own

Chapter Text

The pressure on his chest pulled him from that gentle state in between sleep and wakefulness. Jay rubbed his eyes, barely making out the silhouette of at least three people, limbs sprawled out in some sort of puppy-pile. Jay smiled sleepily, slowly easing himself out from the mess of arms. Heeseung made a small sound and Jay reached out to soothe him, laughing when Heeseung latched onto Jake instead, tucking his head under his chin.

Jay closed the door behind him, the pounding of six heart beats the only sound for miles—at least it was all he could hear. The sun was bright, filling the hallway with beams that spilled in from the windows. He followed the light downstairs, finding his way to the fridge. He opened the drawer they designated for blood. They had maybe four bags of Sunghoon’s blood left—enough to get Riki through the day but just barely. 

Jay’s head hurt. He pulled out the eggs instead, already cracking them into the pan he’d put on the stove. It was still early, early enough that he didn’t expect anyone else to be up for at least a little while. He added a couple tablespoons of AB+, adding enough to ensure they could all digest it with no problems. Jay couldn’t even really remember the last time they properly fed, certainly not last night not with everything that had happened. 

Footsteps moved softly behind him and Jay smiled despite himself. “You’re up early.” Sunghoon sat down at the island, a vacant, spaced-out look on his face. Jay didn’t even know if Sunghoon knew he was even there. He snapped his fingers in front of the other’s face. 

Nothing.

Jay turned off the stove, cleaning up around Sunghoon instead; he’d come back eventually. Sunoo padded down the stairs just in time to catch the food while it was still hot.

“What’s with him?”

Jay stole a glance at Sunghoon, hands in his lap, gaze empty. “Give him a couple minutes, he’s still figuring out how to function.”   

Sunoo snickered, accepting the blood Jay offered without a fight. He scrolled through his phone as Jay plated the rest of the food, grabbing some fruits to cut up while he waited for everyone else to wake. Jake was next to emerge, Heeseung’s arms wrapped around his neck, their hair a disaster. 

Jay handed them plates without looking, setting the fruit in the center. Heeseung thanked him, his voice still rough and Jake sat on Sunghoon’s other side, kissing his temple. Sunghoon blinked, awareness slotting back into place as Jake nudged him gently with the fork.  He alternated between feeding himself and Sunghoon turning back to Jay.

“The cards were the same.”

Jay paused with his food half-way to his mouth. “What?”

“The cards?” Jake offered another bite to Sunghoon, who was resting his head on his shoulder. “We found one the night Hoon brought home Riki, where he said the body would be. It’s the same as the one we found last night.”

Jay racked his brain, trying to remember if anyone had mentioned that piece of information. “What card?”

Jake twisted to look at Sunghoon who just shrugged. “I don’t remember anyone mentioning a card.”

“Because someone went missing when we found it.” Jungwon said, draping himself across Sunoo’s back, like he was the only thing holding him up. He held out his hand. “Hyung.”

Sunoo popped open his phone case, sliding the card over to Jay. It was a little black card, gold trim and gold letters. Nishimura Riki.

There was a line, like a tally, underneath Riki’s name. Jay blinked. Jake handed him three more and Jay arranged them in a line. They were identical, from the design, to the font of the names. But only Riki’s had more than just his name. No other card had said ‘Tread lightly’ or had a tally. No other card had that. Jay’s head hurt again.

“Sunoo?”

He was already shaking his head. “I can find out a lot of things, this is not one of them. There’s no way I can trace those, you’d have better luck making a snowball in hell.”

Jake clicked his tongue. “Alright. Well. What now?”

Heeseung pulled the cards towards him. “Well, what do we know?”

“We know that these bodies and Riki are involved…somehow.”

“No.”

Jay looked at Sunghoon, who had just been watching up until that point. His hands were clenching into fists, and he glared blatantly at Jungwon.

“Hoon, everything is pointing to—”

“ No. I don’t believe that.”

“We don’t know him all that well.”

Sunghoon pulled away from Jake, his gaze closed off. “You didn’t see him that night. He was terrified. He didn’t even know what was happening to him. Whatever the fuck is happening—he’s not involved. He can’t be.”

Jay watched him for a moment, watched the way his pulse jumped in his neck or the way his eyes darted between the cards and Jake. “Okay.” Sunghoon’s gaze lifted to him and some of his defenses lowered. “He’s not involved. But that means there’s a third party we haven't thought about.”  

Sunoo frowned. “Do we think it’s the Underground?”

“Why would Maddie—or Syrus, or whoever the fuck was there last night give me the cards if the Underground was responsible?” Jake asked.

“A threat, maybe? A warning?”

Heeseung pinched his nose. “But why? It makes no sense for them to threaten us by killing other vampires. Why would they kill other people when they could just get straight to the point?”

Jungwon glared at him, like Heeseung was personally suggesting that they leave the front door unlocked and plant neon signs up to their rooms saying ‘ coven is this way, open to kill! ’ 

Jay swiped at him. “We’ll keep looking.”

“Looking for what?”

Jay startled and everyone whipped around to stare at Riki, who they hadn’t even heard come down. Straightened to his full height, Jay noted that Riki was tall as he stood in the center of the room. He still looked worn, exhausted but no longer like he was on death's door. Sunghoon’s sweatshirt hung from his shoulders, reaching just above mid-thigh and he rubbed the sleep from his eyes.

Sunoo jumped up at the sight of him, disappearing into the other room without so much as an explanation. They all stared after him for a moment until Sunghoon reached for him, offering him his wrist. Jay grabbed a bag from the fridge, tossing it to Riki instead. Sunghoon rolled his eyes but lowered his wrist.

“Still?”

Heeseung flicked him with his index finger. “Yes.”

Sunghoon looked like he was going to say something else but Sunoo skipped back into the room, handing Riki a box. Riki looked down at it.

“A phone?”

“He’s already set it up.” Jungwon noted, voice soft. “He put our numbers in, just in case.”

Sunoo nodded to it but Jay noticed the flush high on his cheeks, “I noticed you didn’t have one when Sunghoon brought you home, I figured you might want to call home or something.”

Riki’s eyes practically popped out of his head. “Oh my god. My family!”

He ripped open the box with a haste Jay hadn’t ever seen from him. Within seconds the phone was held to his ear, ringing once, twice, a third time before a click could be heard on the other side.

“ Hello?”

Jay blinked. The woman’s voice was soft, if a little anxious and she was speaking Japanese. 

Tears brimmed in Riki’s eyes but he hesitated, eyes darting around the room like the answers were hidden somewhere in the drawers. Jay cleared his throat softly, just loud enough to get everyone’s attention but not enough to be heard through the phone. Everyone looked at him and Jay nodded his head towards the living room. 

They seemed to get the hint eventually, slowly easing into the living room, but not before giving Riki’s shoulders a reassuring squeeze. They settled on the far side of the couch, trying to give him as much space as possible while still being within reach if he needed them. Sunoo rested his head on Jay’s shoulder.

“I didn’t know Riki was from Japan.”

Jungwon hummed. “He’s from Okayama, at least, that’s what he told me.”

Sunoo frowned at him. “How much else do you know?”

“That’s it.” Jungwon flushed. 

Sunoo raised an eyebrow, eyeing him just long enough to make Jungwon squirm, before turning back to Jay. “Hyung, what’s he saying?”

Heeseung pushed his shoulder. “We’re not supposed to be eavesdropping.”

“They’re angry but they were worried more, you can hear it in their voices.” Just as Jay said it Riki’s voice drifted over to him. His voice was deeper in Japanese, rich as he spoke, desperate to reassure his family on the other side.

“ No, I promise—I’m okay. My phone broke, I couldn’t get a new one until now. I’m staying with some…friends right now.”

Jay stifled a laugh at the hesitancy in Riki’s voice when he mentioned them, the word just felt too small. They all looked at him for an explanation but Jay just shook his head, not willing to share–at least, not yet.

They busied themselves relatively easily. Sunoo insisted on attempting to braid Heeseung’s hair and Heeseung gave no fight because if they were honest, it was Sunoo and none of them were immune to his power. Sunghoon spaced out again, his head pillowed in Jungwon’s lap and Jake was talking a mile a minute about something Jay didn’t even know about, but he smiled because Jake glowed when he was happy. And if talking about physics made him happy then so be it.

Riki appeared again, silently, like a shadow. They didn’t turn to him right away, instead just Sunoo looked over at him, his smile already in place.

“Hey, are you okay?”

Jay stole a peek this time. Riki’s eyes swept over them, taking in the way they were all connected in one way or another. “Yeah, I’m fine. They were just…worried.”

“You told them you were safe though? That you’re okay?”

Riki nodded, inching closer until Jay patted the seat next to him, inviting him to sit. “Yeah, they have a general idea of where I am, but they know I’m safe.”

“You’ll have to call them more often. Let them know how you are.” Jay whispered, careful with all of Riki’s guilt that was being handed to them.

Riki looked exhausted but the day had barely started and Jay felt the need to fix it. But he didn’t know how and he hated that feeling even more. So instead he reached out, his fingers brushing Riki’s shoulder but he saw the way Riki’s head tipped toward the touch Even without meaning to, they enclosed him in their circle. Jake kneeled on the floor in front of Riki, his hand inches from his knee and Jungwon surrounded him from behind. No matter where he turned, Riki had them, for anything he needed. 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Sunoo pushed open Jake’s door, not bothering with knocking. Jake was lying sideways on his bed, his legs in Jay’s lap. He looked up when Sunoo closed the door behind himself.

“Is knocking not a thing anymore? What if we were fucking?”

Sunoo shrugged, already crawling onto the bed. “Then I guess I’d have to join,” he said, kicking Jake’s legs off and settling into Jay’s lap. 

Jay rolled his eyes but locked his arms around Sunoo’s waist, his head propped on his shoulder. Sunoo melted against him, tilting his head to the side when Jay tucked his face into his neck.

Jake glared halfheartedly.  “Oh, so first you break into my room and now you’re stealing Jay?”

“Can’t steal him if he’s mine too.” Sunoo teased.

Jake opened his mouth but Jay beat him to it—tossing a pillow at his face. Then he turned back to Sunoo, lips brushing his ear. “What brings you here?”

Sunoo hummed. “Wanted to see if I could rope Jake-hyung into something.”

Jake raised his head again. “What are we doing?”

Sunoo couldn’t help the grin that spread across his face. Jay pulled back, already shaking his head. “Oh no. That’s not a good sign…”

But Sunoo caught the look in Jake’s eye, and he knew he was on board. “Will you help me, hyung?”

Jake hesitated for just a moment but Sunoo already knew he had him hooked. Jake sat up, already leaning forward. Jay stood with a sigh, disentangling from Sunoo with a last squeeze around his waist. “Whatever you two are cooking up, I want no part in it.”

“You’ll be sorry when we come back rich and powerful,” Sunoo called after him.

“I’ll take my chances,” Jay muttered, kissing Jake’s hair on the way out.

The door clicked shut behind him and Sunoo pulled out his phone. The room shifted—lighter now, charged with the thrill of a shared secret.

Jake turned towards him fully, eyes sparking. “Alright, what’s the plan?”

Sunoo leaned in, conspiratorial. “I want to bring the stores to Riki.”

Jake blinked. “What?”

“He needs his own clothes, first of all. He can’t just keep wearing our stuff. And his bedroom still looks like a guest room–like it’s not really somewhere he’s going to stay.”

Jake’s brows furrowed slightly, the corners of his mouth tugging downward. “He is staying.”

“I know that,” Sunoo said softly. “We’re just going to make it more obvious. Real clothes, decorations, shoes—things that are actually his.”

A slow grin spread across Jake’s face, like he was already picturing the chaos. “So what, we bribe stylists and delivery runners to set up a mini-mall in the living room?”

Sunoo’s smile turned wicked. “Exactly.” He angled his phone toward Jake, showing the growing catalog of clothing options. “What do we think is his style?”

Jake took the phone, already tapping away. Sunoo leaned over his shoulder, watching as Jake filled the cart with an unhinged sense of determination—grabbing at least one in every size. Sunoo propped his chin on Jake’s shoulder, adding quiet commentary as they scrolled. 

Riki already leaned towards their darker clothing so Sunoo added more—sleek, inky fabrics, heavier boots. Jake layered in color, texture, wild prints and things that Sunoo thinks would make Riki scowl just long enough for Jake to burst out laughing. 

They moved from one store to the next, each more extravagant than the last, until Sunoo couldn’t remember which ones they’d actually purchased from and which were still in limbo. But it didn’t matter because Riki would open the door and know—he belonged here. With them. Every corner, every hanger, every choice: his.

They found themselves in the living room as they waited for the deliveries, giddy smiles on their faces. Riki walked past, laughing, his arm around Sunghoon’s shoulder. 

“Riki!” Jake called, waving him over.

Sunghoon pushed him towards them and Riki bounded over, his smile nearly blinding and Sunoo realized belatedly that there wasn’t much he wouldn’t do to keep that smile on his face. “What’s up?”

“How would you feel about a little shopping?”

Riki’s eyebrows furrowed and he tipped his head to the side. “We’re going shopping?”

“Not exactly…”

“It’s not a great idea to take you out of the house yet, but we came up with a solution.” Sunoo murmured, tugging at a strand of Riki’s hair that had fallen in front of his face. 

Riki looked no less confused than when they started but the sound of the doorbell cut him off. Sunoo jumped up, crowding Riki up the stairs as Jake headed to the door. 

“Hyung?”

“Just stay up here for a little, okay? I’ll call you when it’s okay to come back down.” 

Jake had very clearly gotten started with the unboxing when Sunoo made his way back down the stairs.

“Redecorating, Mr. Kim?”

Sunoo turned. “Something like that.” He smiled at Mark, a taller vampire with long black hair he pulled back. 

They may have gone overboard. Boxes towered past Sunoo’s height, stacked like a fortress, reaching as far as the kitchen island. And a mannequin wearing sunglasses stood in the corner, for some reason.

Riki remained quiet upstairs but Sunoo could feel him hovering, waiting for Sunoo’s call. Jungwon appeared at some point, hovering in the entrance of the hallway, like he was just supervising the chaos they had invoked. But Sunoo knew just from his stance that he was guarding, blocking them from Riki more than he was blocking Riki from them.

Delivery men moved around him, offering nothing more than a polite greeting or smile, never lingering too closely near any of them. Jake took a box from one of them.

“Took a bit longer than I would’ve thought. Was the hill hard to get up?”

Mark shook his head. “Nah, Council ordered checks on deliveries this big, we got stopped a couple miles back.”   

Sunoo froze. “What?”

Mark shrugged. “Yeah, they rerouted the patrols too, no warning or anything. Backed everything up for hours.”

He heard Riki’s breathing freeze in his lungs. Jungwon was rigid where he stood guard.

The workers didn’t linger.

Boxes were stacked, racks lined up, receipts signed. One by one, the helpers and delivery drivers filed out, nodding politely as they passed Jungwon—whose posture never shifted from where he’d stood, still and silent. Sunoo muttered thanks under his breath as the last cart wheeled through the door, Jake already peeling open the nearest box like a kid on Christmas.

“Clear,” Sunoo called softly, already halfway up the stairs.

Riki met him on the landing, eyes wide, fingers wound tight in the hem of Sunghoon’s sweatshirt. He looked at once overwhelmed and starved for it—curiosity warring with the hesitation in his bones.

“Come on,” Sunoo said, nudging him with his shoulder. “It’s chaos, but it’s yours.”

Riki took a single step down. Slowly. Jungwon was at the base of the stairs now, waiting.

Their eyes met. Jungwon didn’t say anything at first. Just reached out, fingers closing gently around Riki’s forearm, holding him there for a second too long. His thumb brushed over Riki’s wrist, feeling his pulse under the delicate skin. Then, quietly, he let go.

“Good luck,” Jungwon murmured, the corners of his mouth lifting and Sunoo wasn’t sure if he was teasing or warning. And then he stepped aside, finally giving Riki a path forward.

Jake had already pulled a few pieces out, laying them across the back of the couch—dark denim, soft knits, a pair of boots that still had the tags on. Sunoo was practically glowing, hands fluttering as he talked through color palettes and silhouettes and how some of the jewelry was custom-made with UV-safe stones.

Riki didn’t say anything.

He just stood there, staring.

Sunoo faltered mid-sentence.

Jake noticed too. He stepped closer, voice quieter now. “Hey. It’s okay.”

Riki’s fingers tightened around the edge of the couch. “Why are you doing this?”

The question came out raw. Barely above a whisper.

Sunoo didn’t hesitate. “Because you deserve to have things that are yours.”

Riki’s mouth opened, then shut again. He looked like he didn’t quite know what to do with his hands—like he wasn’t sure he was allowed to touch anything.

Jake stepped into his space without forcing it, just close enough that Riki could feel the warmth of him. “You’re staying with us right now. That means your room should feel like your room. Not some guest space we tossed together.”

“And your closet shouldn’t be borrowed sweatpants and one stolen hoodie,” Sunoo added, a little softer now. “You deserve to pick what you like. To have mirrors and lighting and decorations that you chose. Hell, if you want wallpaper that glows in the dark, we’ll make it happen.”

Riki blinked fast, his lashes damp.

Jake reached out first, brushing Riki’s wrist with the backs of his fingers. “You don’t have to do everything today. We’ll go at your pace, okay?”

Riki looked up at him. Then at Sunoo. Then back at the pile of clothes like it had transformed into some monster, leering towards him like something terrifying but Riki didn’t seem afraid. 

He swallowed hard. “Okay,” he said, voice thick. “Yeah. Okay.”

Sunoo grinned and shoved a jacket into his arms. “Good. Because we’re just getting started.” 

Riki held it like it was going to bite him and Sunoo gave him a little push. “I think over there are accessories,” he gestures to the boxes closer to the far side, teetering somewhat dangerously. “Over there are pants and shoes,” he pointed to a separate pile. “And over there should be shirts and jackets.”

Riki blinked at them, looking between the jacket in his hands and the sort-of distinct piles Sunoo had pointed out. “I…have no idea what to do.”

“Right.” Jake laughed. “We’ll help then. Sunoo?”

Sunoo, full of anxious energy, was more than happy to help organize. He started with the top box in the shirt pile, pulling out a hoard of tank-tops.

“How do you feel about tank tops?” He called.

Riki looked up from where he was sorting shoes, picking apart options he liked from those he didn’t. “Yes.”

Sunoo smiled, sorting them into what he mentally deemed into his ‘yes’ pile before pausing. “What size do you want?”

Riki hesitated. “Small or medium.”

He removed the other sizes, moving them to his designated ‘no’ pile before continuing. They made a system of sorts, Jake and Sunoo would ask his opinion and if he approved, move on to preference in size. Sunoo had thought they’d made pretty decent progress until he came across a soft sweater that looked almost crocheted. It was light pink, with black detailing. Sunoo held it up.

“What do you think of this?”

Riki made a face. “Absolutely not.”

Sunoo frowned and Jake looked up from where he was sorting jeans. “Why? I think it’s pretty.”

Riki made the same face again and Sunoo had to bite down a grin. “Pink is not my color.”

Sunoo stood, his knees protesting at the sudden movement and held the sweater up to Riki’s face, like he was comparing something. He turned to Jake, who hummed consideringly. “I don’t know…pink totally seems to be your color, Riki.”

Riki looked horrified, adamantly refusing and pushing the sweater away. Jake teased him further, insisting that no other color would be as vibrant on him, and Riki looked like he wanted to die. 

Sunoo laughed. “If it makes you feel any better, Sunghoon-hyung’s color is also pink.”

From somewhere upstairs echoed: “ No it’s not!”

Jake pulled another pink item from somewhere, wrapping it around Riki like a scarf. Riki tackled him, sending them rolling into a pile of folded clothes. 

Sunoo screeched. “You’re ruining my piles!”

They ignored him, grappling for the upper hand. Jake snapped his teeth at Riki, not anything threatening but enough to make Riki pause and Jake flipped it on him, rolling to pin him to the floor. 

“What the hell is happening?”

Sunoo stopped his complaining enough to look at Heeseung, who looked entirely overwhelmed. Their piles were gone, every inch of the floor was covered in clothing. Sunoo sighed, sweater still in hand.

“Hi, hyung.”

Jake and Riki rolled into another set of boxes, sending it crashing to the floor. They paused, Riki’s hand twisted in Jake’s hair, Jake’s knee in Riki’s stomach. “Oh. Hey, hyung!”

Heeseung blinked, he gestured around the room. “What—?”

“It’s for Riki. We took the shopping to him!”

He nodded, looking dazed and made for the stairs. Jake, at this point, had grabbed sunglasses and fussed with them on Riki’s face, patting down his hair. Suno sighed at the mess but turned enough to call out to Heeseung who had disappeared into the hallway.

“Thanks for letting me use your card, hyung!”

“ What?”

Sunoo hid his grin, picking up the pair of jeans right next to his feet. Jake and Riki had settled, their faces flushed, breathing labored. Jake leaned forward, brushing a rogue thread off Riki’s shoulder.

“You’ve got—” He plucked it gently, barely touching him. “There.”

Riki paused, following Jake’s hand as he pulled back. Jake cleared his throat, snagging a light pink hoodie from off the floor, his smile soft. “Pink really would look pretty on you.”

Sunoo leaned back against the couch. Riki very obviously did not like pink. But when Jake held up the hoodie, smiling, Riki hesitated. He didn’t say no. He took it from Jake’s hands, folding it neatly in his lap and Sunoo noticed the way Jake’s smile faltered for just a moment before returning wider, warmer. 

Sunoo brushed his hand along Riki’s shoulder, adding just enough pressure to get his attention. He handed him on the shirts he’d approved of, nudging Riki toward the pants. “Go grab an outfit. Try it on.”

Riki moved quietly, gathering a few things and letting Sunoo lead him to the downstairs bathroom. Sunoo turned to give him privacy but Riki’s fingers closed around his forearm, holding tight. 

Sunoo stilled. Riki’s knuckles were white. Then he looked up, just as Riki murmured, “Thank you.”

The words were quiet, almost lost in the air between them. But when they registered, Sunoo flushed. “Anytime.”

Riki hesitated, eyes darting between Sunoo and Jake, who sat back on his hands, watching the exchange from afar but Sunoo knew he was listening. Then Riki let go. He stepped back and the door closed, leaving Sunoo to the silence.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Sunghoon was laughing when Jay came to get him, draped over Heeseung, nearly on top of him. The glow from Heeseung’s laptop lit both their faces, the movie playing all but forgotten. Heeseung reached around him, teasingly complaining about him ruining the movie but Jay could see his grin, the glow he had when he looked at Sunghoon.

Jay smiled despite himself, leaning in the doorway to watch. Heeseung kissed Sunghoon’s cheek, only succeeding causing another fit of laughter.

“You’re not here to steal my movie buddy, are you?”

Jay grinned, pushing off the wall, “I need to borrow him for a little while, you can have him back after. I promise.”

Sunghoon was still smiling when he rolled off the bed, his lips kiss-bitten, his hair a disaster. He paused momentarily to lean down, catching Heeseung by surprise when he pressed a kiss to his lips. He pulled back, Heeseung following him up but Sunghoon held him back by his shoulder. “I’ll be back.”

Heeseung looked like he was pouting from where Jay was but he slowly stretched back out, his hands behind his head, laptop forgotten. “Be quick.”

Sunghoon rolled his eyes, finally heading towards Jay, “Don’t miss me too much.”

On their way out Jay could hear Heeseung mutter under his breath. “No promises.”

Jay didn’t say anything, but Sunghoon’s arm stayed slung over his shoulder longer than it needed to. The weight of it was comforting in a way Jay didn’t expect. “What’s up?”

“I need another bag.”

Sunghoon groaned but didn’t stop until they were in the living room. He sat on the couch. “Finally got your new hemo-something?”

Jay rolled his eyes, “Sunoo got it for me on his little shopping spree this morning.” He kissed Sunghoon’s cheek. “Let me go get my kit.”

Sunghoon hummed his acknowledgement and Jay slipped into the kitchen, pulling his phlebotomy kit from one of the top cabinets. Sunghoon already had his sleeve rolled up, arm propped up across the back of the couch, but he was restless.

Jay dropped beside him unceremoniously. “Sit still,” He said, nudging Sunghoon’s thigh with his knee as he set the kit down beside them, busying himself with setting up the empty bag in the machine. “I don’t want to chase your vein again.”  

“I am still,” Sunghoon muttered, shifting in his seat. “You just have butter fingers.”

Jay glanced up. “Butter fingers?”

“You know. Sweaty from nerves and stuff.”

Jay let the silence between them stretch just long enough to be offensive before he replied, bone-dry, “I’ve been drawing your blood for weeks. If I was nervous, you’d be dead.”

Sunghoon’s mouth twitched.

They settled into the corner of the couch, moving the piles of jeans to the side. The light was low, spilling onto them in a way that made Jay think Sunghoon looked more like an angel than anything else. Sunghoon’s fingers curled loosely near Jay’s shoulder. He’d stopped flinching a while ago, but Jay still noticed the way his jaw tightened whenever the smell of the alcohol swab reached his nose. 

Jay worked gently—so gently it made his own chest ache a little. He smoothed his thumb over the crook of Sunghoon’s elbow before he started. “Tell me if it hurts.”

“It’s a needle,” Sunghoon deadpanned. “It’s supposed to hurt.”

Jay resisted the urge to smack him upside the head. “Shut up.”

Sunghoon smiled, resting his head against his shoulder, watching as Jay pressed the pad of his finger lightly into Sunghoon’s skin, finding the vein with practiced ease. His other hand rested on Sunghoon’s thigh, his fingers digging into the muscle. He slid the needle in–smooth and precise.

Sunghoon didn’t move, not even a twitch.

But Jay felt the tension in his arm, feeling the way it ran through his shoulders, even if his face remained impassive. So he rested his hand against Sunghoon’s wrist, only turning slightly to press the power button on his HemoFlow. He rubbed slow circles there, against Sunghoon’s pulse, like he wasn’t even thinking about it. But he was. He always was. It still felt a little unreal–like something he’d only ever let himself imagine.

“You’re getting better at this,” He said, voice low.

“Maybe you’re just less bad at it.”

Jay let that slide. The bag filled gradually, the machine rocking it from side to side, a slow hum emitting from it. Jay didn’t look at it. He watched Sunghoon instead. 

He’d tilted his head back, eyes half-lidded, mouth soft–without the kind of stress he’d carried for the past two weeks. He looked…reluctantly relaxed. Not comfortable–too tense for that but trusting.

The machine beeped lightly, automatically clamping down on the now full blood bag. The flow of Sunghoon’s blood stopped and he lifted his head from the back of the couch to watch Jay remove the needle. Jay pressed gauze to the puncture and secured it gently with tape, then traced a feather-light touch across the inside of Sunghoon’s arm, following the lines of his veins, down to his fingers. Sunghoon hummed, his eyes closing.

“You didn’t even wince.” Jay murmured. 

“Told you,” Sunghoon said, smirking faintly. “I’m brave.”

Jay gave him a look but didn’t stop touching, his fingers slipping under Sunghoon’s rolled-up sleeve to trace up to his shoulder. Sunghoon shuddered. “You’re dramatic.”

Sunghoon flexed his fingers and inspected the gauze. “So where’s my reward?”

Jay blinked, caught off guard. “Your what?”

“My reward,” Sunghoon repeated, lounging back. “I was brave. Where’s my sticker? My lollipop? My Batman bandaid?”

Jay scoffed, but he was already leaning in, the soft scent of clean linen and iron clinging to Sunghoon’s skin.

He kissed him. 

Soft, slow, gentle. Sunghoon made a sound in the back of his throat but melted into it, tugging Jay closer by his waist. Jay’s hand found Sunghoon’s jaw, tilting his face up just enough to deepen it–not urgent or even possessive until he felt Sunghoon’s tongue prod at his lips. Jay laughed, pulling back enough to see him. 

Sunghoon’s eyes were still half-closed, mouth parted like he’d forgotten what he’d even asked for. He looked breathtaking and Jay leaned back in, opening to Sunghoon, shivering when the other ran his tongue over his fangs. He swung a leg over Sunghoon’s lap, letting Sunghoon pull him that much closer, drunk on the need rolling off of Sunghoon in waves. 

He pulled back, dragging Sunghoon’s bottom lip with him until he let him go, settling back against Sunghoon’s thighs. Sunghoon blinked, coming back to himself. 

“I was expecting a lollipop,” he said, voice just a little hoarse. “But I liked that better.”

Jay let out a quiet laugh, slipping off of Sunghoon’s lap. “Next time I’ll bring both.”

Sunghoon grinned, proud of himself and faintly dazed.

Jay looked at the sealed bloodbag, still held by the machine. It was getting harder to pretend that this wasn’t costing them all something. 

But Sunghoon was still here. Still teasing him. Still brave. Still warm under his hands.

“I see you guys got…distracted.”

Jay’s head shot up. Heeseung was sitting on one of the boxes, his posture relaxed, like he was just there to enjoy the show. Jay slid off of Sunghoon, feeling mildly embarrassed, but Sunghoon didn’t let him go far, pulling him into his side instead.

“Maybe…” Sunghoon allowed, turning slightly to see Heeseung. “Why? Want to add to it?”

Heeseung scoffed but stood, catching Sunghoon’s arm to press a kiss to the gauze on his inner elbow. “Are you hungry?”

Jay caught the way Sunghoon softened but a small smirk still played on his lips. “Are you offering?”

“Always.”

Surprise flickered across Sunghoon’s face and he pulled back a little. Heeseung watched him, completely calm before tilting his head to the side, offering Sunghoon his neck. Sunghoon lifted just enough to cover Heeseung’s throat with his mouth. Jay saw a flash of fangs before Heeseung’s breath sounded like it was punched out of him. Heeseung’s eyes fluttered closed for a moment, his hand reaching towards Jay.

Jay held him, running his thumb over Heeseung’s knuckles as Sunghoon drank. The color Jay hadn’t noticed had drained, gradually returned to Sunghoon’s face and he pulled back slowly, tongue brushing over the punctures like an apology. Heeseung exhaled shakily, his fingers still tangled in Jay’s. 

“You okay?” Jay asked, voice soft.

“Yeah.” Heeseung blinked, but his smile was real, if a little tired. 

Jay was hesitant to believe him; he didn’t like the grey tint to Heeseung’s skin or the exhaustion hidden behind his eyes. He pushed off the couch, encouraging–forcing–Heeseung to take his spot next to Sunghoon, grabbing the new bag of Sunghoon’s blood on the way.

Jay passed by the mannequin in the kitchen, not even bothering to stop and question the overgrown doll with sunglasses still perched on its plastic nose. He opened the fridge, grabbing the first bag he saw and replacing it with Sunghoon’s but paused before pouring the human blood into the glass he’d prepared. Heeseung was oddly particular with his blood, filtering it a minimum of ten times before even considering drinking it. So he grabbed the old filter that probably needed to be replaced soon and poured the blood. Over and over until it looked somewhat like something Heeseung would drink.

He brought it over to Heeseung, who looked from the glass to Jay in surprise—like he hadn’t expected Jay to pay any attention to how Heeseung liked his blood. Jay wanted to strangle him, shake him, kiss him—of course Jay would do that. Hadn’t he always? Heeseung took it from him, sipping on it leisurely like he was trying to savor it. He didn’t say anything, but his fingers curled tighter around the glass. Sunghoon watched them quietly, his hand still steady on Heeseung’s knee.

“Is Hyung okay?”

Jay didn’t need to glance up to know who it was, he could feel them hovering by the doorway. Sunoo shifted nervously from one foot to the other, Riki glancing over his shoulder at Heeseung.

Heeseung laughed gently, reaching for Sunoo and beckoning Riki closer when he stayed behind. “I’m fine, promise.”

Sunoo’s expression shifted, less worried, more set, like he had a plan. Jay sat up straighter.

“Good enough to play some games?”

Sunoo bit his lips and Jay narrowed his eyes in suspicion. “Riki wanted to play and I told him you were a worthy enough opponent.”

Heeseung raised an eyebrow. “Worthy enough?” He repeated.

Jay stepped in. “Before anything happens, you’re removing these boxes from the living room. I am not dealing with a head injury; I’m off duty.”

Sunoo flopped dramatically on the back of the couch. “Where would I even put them all?”

“I don’t know, the study or somewhere but not here where it could be an issue. Especially knowing how you guys get.”

Sunoo groaned but was up in a flash, grabbing boxes and putting them somewhere Jay couldn’t see, but as long as they weren’t in his line of sight—Jay didn’t care. Within moments most of the living room was clear and Jay could actually take a breath without feeling like he was going to accidentally suck cardboard into his lungs.

Jake made his way down the stairs, Jungwon clinging to his hand. Jake settled on the floor, controller in hand and Jungwon pushed himself into Jay’s lap, making himself comfortable. Jay kissed his jugular.

“You okay?”

Jungwon didn’t answer aside from a small hum and leaning back against him further, his body more relaxed than Jay had felt in weeks. The TV turned on, bright with colors and music blasting from the speakers. Riki sat between Heeseung and Jake on the floor, his posture rigid. Heeseung leaned back, his head pillowed against Sunghoon’s thigh.

“I don’t know why you guys are so excited when you’re just going to lose.” He murmured, voice muffled slightly against the fabric of Sunghoon’s sweatpants. 

Jake turned to him slowly. “Oh. Is that how it is?”

Heeseung shrugged but Jay saw the way he hid his grin in Sunghoon’s leg. Riki relaxed a little. “I wouldn’t be so sure, don’t you have arthritis or something at your age? Are you sure you can still work the controller?” 

Heeseung’s head snapped toward him, his mouth hanging open as he scrambled for a defense. Sunoo cackled, snug in between Sunghoon and Jay. The game started and while Jay wasn’t entirely sure what he was looking at–he was sure that Riki was winning. Jake and Heeseung leaned forward, their hands flying until Riki shouted something, stealing Jake’s controller to hold it above his head–just out of Jake’s reach. 

Jungwon shifted on Jay’s lap, his face tucked into Jay’s neck as he laughed at Jake trying to climb Riki to get it back, all while cursing and calling him every name in the book. Heeseung, with both of them distracted, managed to win and Riki and Jake froze before erupting in protests and demanding a rematch. 

Heeseung grinned at them and Jay shifted Jungwon off his lap, handing him off to Sunoo. “I’ll grab some snacks.”

They waved him away and Jay wasn’t even sure they’d heard him. In the kitchen he grabbed a couple snacks and blood bags. He grabbed the new bag they’d just drawn from Sunghoon not even hours earlier, tearing it open. He poured it into a glass but hesitated on his way out. Then, glancing back at the fridge, he paused. There had to be a way. To ease the burden of Sunghoon, to bring Riki to some sense of normalcy. Maybe if it was just a drop—practically nothing but it just might work. He opened the fridge again, pulling out the bags labeled O, Sunghoon’s blood-type back when he was human. Slowly, carefully, he added one drop to Riki’s glass. He picked everything up again, handing it off to the respective people. Jay squeezed in next to Sunoo again.

His heart twisted as he watched Riki take the first sip. There was a beat where nothing happened–then Riki’s eyes widened, and he doubled over, coughing violently. The glass slipped from his hands, shattering on the carpet. His body curled in on itself, fingers clawing at his throat.

Jay sat frozen, the discarded snack still in his hand. He always knew what to do. Always. But now, his mind was blank, white noise rushing where instinct should’ve been. Jake had his arms around Riki, murmuring low reassurances as Heeseung rubbed circles on his back, but Riki was still coughing, hands trembling.

Sunghoon reached for him instinctively, dropping to his knees in front of Riki, one hand brushing his arm. “Riki—”

But Riki flinched.

It wasn’t a dramatic recoil, just a sharp jerk of his shoulders. His eyes widened and locked on Sunghoon like he was something dangerous, not familiar. Not safe. His breath hitched, fingers tightening around the blanket someone had thrown around him. “Don’t—” His voice cracked. “Please don’t touch me.”

The whole room stilled.

Jay forgot how to breath. Even Heeseung fell quiet.

Sunghoon’s hand hovered for a second longer, then curled into a fist and dropped. “Riki, it’s me,” he said, too softly. Riki looked torn, his breathing uneven but he tipped his head forward, his head landing on Sunghoon’s shoulder. Sunghoon kept his hands at his side.

When Riki pulled away he stood, leaving him to Heeseung and Jake’s care.

“What was in that?” Sunghoon asked sharply, eyeing the spilled liquid.

Jay’s stomach dropped. “It was yours…I just added—” he admitted, his voice quiet. “I added O, just to see—I thought it might help.”

The room went still.

“You what?” Sunghoon’s voice was like a whip and Jay flinched. “You thought using human blood without knowing anything about this was a good idea?”

“It wasn’t like that,” Jay said, standing now, hands lifted in defense. “It was one drop and it’s been two weeks. We need to know if we can ween him off your blood!”

“You just set him back weeks!” Sunghoon snapped. “We don’t know anything about this!”

“Exactly! We don’t know anything about this so that means we won’t know how it will affect you!”

Riki shifted, pulling away from Jake and Heeseung, his face pale and stricken. “It tasted wrong—”

Sunghoon turned toward him, and Jay could see the restraint it took for him not to touch Riki. Instead he looked to Heeseung and Jake. “Take him upstairs.”

They swept him up easily and Jay was left with all the rage boiling in Sunghoon. 

“That was fucking stupid. You have no idea what you’ve done.”

Jay grit his teeth. “I know exactly what I’ve done. I’m sorry, I would never want to hurt Riki, but you have to understand why I did it.”

“No. I don’t, actually,” Sunghoon snapped. His voice shook—not with rage, but something tighter. “Because if you understood , you never would’ve risked it in the first place.”

“It was one drop.”

“One drop is enough when it comes to him!” Sunghoon stepped closer. “You saw what happened. You heard him. He said it tasted wrong. He was scared of my blood, Jay.”

Jay’s expression faltered.

“You made him scared of me.”

That landed. Jay didn’t respond right away. His fingers clenched around the hem of his shirt, too tightly.

“You think I wanted that?” he asked, voice rising. “You think I haven’t been tearing myself apart watching you bleed for him again and again while he flinches at his own hunger?”

Sunghoon didn’t move. His chest was rising and falling too quickly, his jaw clenched like he was holding something back.

“You’re not the only one trying to save him,” Jay said, quieter now. “But the way things are going? You’re going to kill yourself before we even figure out how to help.”

“So you thought the answer was to trick him?!”

“I thought the answer was to try something! ” Jay shouted. “Because no one else is doing anything except sitting around pretending this is sustainable!”

Sunghoon’s lip curled. “You lied to him.”

Jay’s hands dropped, voice flattening. “He trusts you too much to question anything. He never even asked if it was your blood. He just drank it. ” He shook his head. “Do you know how terrifying that is? That kind of dependency?”

Sunghoon was quiet for a second too long.

Jay took a breath, low and bitter. “Or maybe you like it. That he needs you and no one else.”

Sunghoon moved.

It wasn’t violent—he didn’t shove Jay, didn’t strike him. But he closed the distance between them with enough force that Jay had to stop talking, breath catching in his throat.

“You don’t know shit about what this feels like.” Sunghoon’s voice had dropped to a deadly calm. “Watching him fade. Listening to him beg you not to stop feeding him because he doesn’t want to go back to how it felt before.” His mouth twisted. “I don’t want to be needed like this. I want him to be okay. ”

Jay’s expression cracked.

“Then help me, ” he said. “Stop treating me like the enemy just because I fucked up once.”

Sunghoon turned away, dragging both hands through his hair, pacing now like he couldn’t be still.

Jay didn’t follow.

“That’s enough.” Jungwon didn’t raise his voice. He didn’t have to.

Sunghoon stopped. Jay did too.

Jungwon looked between them, something unreadable in his eyes.

“We can’t afford this. Not now. Hyung was only trying to help. You would’ve done the same in his position.”

Sunghoon scoffed and Jungwon raised an eyebrow. “Would you have not? Jay being tied to a fledgling we know nothing about and for some reason we cannot figure out can only drink his blood? Would you have not done something, hyung?”

Sunghoon flinched but remained quiet and that silence was an answer within itself. 

Jungwon turned on Jay. “Go apologise, I don’t care how but make it right.”

Jay nodded and stepped around Sunghoon without another word, following their scents upstairs. 

It led him to Riki’s room but he paused outside the door. He knew Riki knew he was there but he knocked anyway. There was a shaky ‘come in’ and Jay pushed open the door gently. Riki sat, curled in the middle of his bed, Sunoo curled around him, Heeseung and Jake sitting directly across.  

Riki’s room felt warmer now but maybe Jay was just imagining it. He still had the same sheets Jay had put on from the last time he did laundry but the comforter was half-falling off and Jay could’ve sworn the blankets that surrounded it used to belong in the nest. There was a bulletin board hung up on the wall—empty but Jay smiled anyway, because at least Riki had the intention to fill it. 

The room was still somewhat empty but Jay could see glimpses into a Riki none of them knew and would never know. Printed pictures of his family, him standing in between two smiling girls tucked into the corner of the mirror. 

Jay lingered by the door, unsure where to put himself. Heeseung caught his eye, gave a small nod, then stood. Jake followed, brushing Riki’s shoulder lightly before stepping out with Sunoo in tow. No one said anything as they passed him. Jay was grateful for it. 

He walked in slowly, careful not to look at Riki directly. The bruises under his eyes looked darker now. His knees were pulled to his chest.

Jay sat on the edge of the bed.

“I’m sorry,” he said softly. “I shouldn’t have done that without telling you.”

Riki didn’t answer.

“I thought it might help,” Jay added. “I just wanted to see if—”

“Why did it taste like that?” Riki interrupted. His voice was hoarse, but steady. “It was still hyung’s blood, wasn’t it?”

Jay’s heart twisted. “Yeah. I just…I added one drop of human blood. His blood type from before. I thought if we tried to wean you off slowly—”

Riki shuddered. “It felt like it was burning me. It felt like…before.”

Jay blinked. “I didn’t know—”

“I know.” Riki’s arms tightened around his legs. “But I trusted you.”

That hurt more than anything Sunghoon had said downstairs.

Jay looked down at his hands. “I didn’t mean to break that.”

“You didn’t,” Riki said quietly. “But it scared me. It wasn’t just the taste…something was wrong with it. Like my body was rejecting it before I could even swallow.”

Jay stayed quiet.

“I thought I was getting better,” Riki continued. “I…know you’re worried about him. I hear you talk. I don’t want to hurt him either, I don’t want to be some…parasite.”

Jay finally looked up. “You’re not a parasite.”

Riki met his eyes then, and Jay realized there were tears welling in the corners of them.

“Then why do I feel like one?”

Jay didn’t have an answer. He moved closer instead, sitting against the headboard beside him. Carefully, he reached for Riki’s hand. Riki let him hold it. 

“It burned.” He whispered.

“We’ll fix it,” Jay promised. “We’ll figure out what you need and how to get there. You won’t be alone.”

Riki nodded, just barely.

Jay didn’t breathe. Riki had been so tense, jaw tight, shoulders stiff, eyes darting around like he was still waiting for something else to go wrong. But now…he was still. His head slumped against Jay’s shoulder sometimes during the silence, hesitant at first, like he wasn’t sure he was allowed to rest there. Jay didn’t move, didn’t dare to. He just let Riki lean, adjusting minutely to support the weight without startling him. 

His hand clenched on Jay’s arm before relaxing like he just had to be sure Jay was still there before slipping. His breathing evened out and Jay shifted so Riki was laying down, relieving the strain that had to be in Riki’s neck. He pulled away slowly, covering Riki with a blanket he knew was Sunghoon’s.

Jay found him sitting in the hallway, legs drawn up to his chest and head tipped back against the wall. For a second, Jay just watched. Sunghoon’s knuckles were white where they clutched his own sleeves, his jaw set too tight for someone trying to relax.

“I thought you’d be in bed,” Jay said softly.

Sunghoon didn’t look up. “Didn’t want to be.”

Jay sat beside him, careful not to touch.

The silence stretched.

Then, without a word, Sunghoon leaned into him.

It wasn’t forgiveness. It wasn’t warmth. It was the need to feel something familiar—someone familiar. Jay stayed still as Sunghoon buried his face in his shoulder, his hand curling in the hem of Jay’s sleeve, grounding himself.

“I’m still mad at you,” he said, voice muffled.

Jay closed his eyes. “I know.”

“You lied to him. You lied to me.”

“I know.”

Sunghoon’s breath hitched, his body shivering slightly despite the warmth. “But I didn’t want to be alone tonight.”

Jay didn’t ask if he meant alone in his room or alone in the way that made your ribs ache. He just tilted his head so it brushed Sunghoon’s, resting there, quiet.

Sunghoon’s hand moved slowly, clumsily, pressing against Jay’s chest like he was checking he was still real. Still here. His fingers curled in the fabric.

“I’m not ready to forgive you yet,” he whispered. “But I didn’t want it to be anyone else who found me out here.”

Jay swallowed the knot in his throat and wrapped his arm around Sunghoon’s shoulders, just enough to hold him in place. “That’s okay.”

For now, this was enough. Not healed. Not whole. But close enough to not fall apart.

Jay felt Jungwon before he heard him, lingering behind him. He pressed his cheek to Sunghoon’s hair, turning to Jungwon. 

“Is Riki…?”

“He’s sleeping right now.” 

Jungwon nodded, looking relieved. Heeseung’s arm wrapped around Jungwon’s wasit from behind, dragging Jungwon to lean against his chest. “I’m going to take this one—make sure he actually sleeps tonight.”

“Where’s Sunoo and Jake?”

“In Jake’s room.” 

Jay hummed his acknowledgement and Heeseung’s arm tightened around Jungwon’s waist. Jungwon protested as Heeseung practically wrestled him into his room, but the door never fully closed. Instead it was left cracked open, like an invitation.

Jay nudged Sunghoon a little, encouraging him to stand and led him to his room. Sunghoon crawled in bed first. Sunghoon didn’t look at him but when Jay settled next to him, Sunghoon pulled him closer, tucking his face back into Jay’s neck. Jay laid his cheek on Sunghoon’s hair.

Guilt still weighed heavily on his chest but the sound of Sunghoon’s heartbeat softened it. They’d find their way back. They always do.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The house was quiet

Unnaturally so. No murmuring from the other rooms, no laughter echoing from the living room. Just stillness. Heavy, tense and regretful.

Riki woke to it, blinking in the dark with a start. His heart stuttered, unsure why at first. Then he realized: he was alone.

The mattresses he was so used to being filled when he tiptoed over them in the middle of the night were empty. The heartbeats he’d used like a lullaby were distant. Their presence, once a constant hum underneath his skin, was now dimmed. He could still feel them, but it was like trying to listen to a pulse underwater.

He tried to sleep again. Rolled over. Kicked the blankets off. Pulled them back on. But the silence lay thick in his lungs. 

So he got up. 

One by one he padded up to their doors, bare feet silent against the wooden floor, heart louder than his steps. The house was still—like the walls themselves were holding their breath as Riki hovered outside of doors he wasn’t sure he was invited into.  

He paused outside of Heeseung’s room first. The door cracked open before he could even touch the handle, slow and soundless, as if it had been left that way on purpose. As if someone had hoped he’d come. Or maybe that was just Riki’s own hope.

The light from the hallway spilled across the bed. Heeseung was sprawled sideways across the mattress, his body half-draped over Jungwon’s, a tangle of limbs and shared breath. They looked soft like that, unguarded, peaceful, asleep.

Riki stared for a long time.

It would be so easy, he thought. To knock on the door. Heeseung would probably offer to make him tea, if Sunghoon’s stories were anything to go by, and Jungwon would likely invite him in, pretending it was all for Riki’s sake but he could tell it was for Jungwon as well. But something stopped him. He couldn’t bring his knuckles to the wood, even if he tried. 

The memory from earlier pressed hot behind his eyes, and he swallowed it down. He lingered in the doorway, hand clenched at his side, then stepped back without making a sound. 

Jake’s room was next.

The door was wide open and Riki could see the faint glow of Jake’s bedside lamp washing over the mess of blankets. Only the very top of Sunoo’s hair was visible, pressed into the crook of Jake’s shoulder, their legs tangled beneath the sheets. 

Sunoo’s arm was thrown carelessly over Jake’s stomach, and Jake’s hand rested over it, even in sleep. Both of them were so still, so quiet, it almost didn’t feel real. 

Riki stood in the doorway and bit down on his lower lip, hard.

He felt like a ghost. 

Like he was haunting the hallways.

Like he didn’t belong in any of these rooms, much less this house.

He ended up in front of Jay’s door.

He knew Sunghoon was in there before he opened the door. Their bedside lamp was on, a faint golden light that spilled across the room, illuminating the countless musical instruments.  Sunghoon was curled into Jay, his head in Jay’s lap. Jay was sitting up, his book resting on Sunghoon’s head. He looked up.

Riki froze.

Jay blinked, like Riki would disappear at any moment. He started to get up and Riki took a step back. Jay paused but Riki didn’t know whether it was because of Riki’s reaction or if it was because Sunghoon shifted in his sleep, clinging to Jay.

“You’re up.” It wasn’t a question, but surprise still colored his voice.

Riki hesitated. “I…can’t sleep.”

Jay frowned, his eyebrows creasing. “Is something wrong?”

“It’s empty. My room is…empty and quiet. I can’t sleep.”

Jay looked like he was processing for a moment then he turned to Sunghoon. Jay shook his shoulders gently, coaxing him up. Sunghoon sat up groggily, but the moment his eyes landed on Riki all the sleep evaporated from his gaze.

“Riki? What’s wrong, are you okay?”

Riki didn’t have the opportunity to answer before Jay wrapped an arm around Sunghoon’s shoulders, grabbing his attention. 

“Come on, get up.”

Sunghoon stood without question but he looked lost as he watched Riki. Jay slid off the bed, taking Sunghoon’s hand to drag him from the room, only pausing to offer his hand to Riki who only hesitated for a moment before taking it. 

They ended up in front of Jake’s room. Jay let them go, entering the room without any sort of hesitation.  Riki reached for Sunghoon, who startled at the touch but reciprocated immediately, his arm coming up to wrap around his shoulder.

Riki watched in horror as Jay stripped Jake’s bed of its comforter. Jake groaned fighting with Jay for possession of his blanket. Jay won.

“Let’s go, come on.” 

Jake rolled over onto Sunoo, who was already half-awake, cursing at Jay. Jay leaned over enough to kiss his forehead, before pushing Sunoo off the bed completely. Sunoo flailed, landing with a thump that honestly sounded painful to Riki.

He shot back up, his glare lethal but Jay merely smiled.“Hyung.” Riki called. Sunoo stopped in the middle of launching himself at Jay to stare at Riki, his arms falling to his sides. 

“Riki? You’re up?”

Jay was still dragging Jake from the bed as Sunoo made his way to Riki. Jake looked mildly annoyed but not surprised and Riki wondered how many times they’d done this. Jake fell onto Sunghoon once Jay had managed to haul him from his room. Sunghoon laughed, somehow not breaking the silence and patted his back sympathetically. 

Riki leaned into Sunoo’s side, watching. The quiet was still present but Riki didn’t feel like it was suffocating him anymore. It felt warmer, like there was space. Space that Riki didn’t feel like he was invading. He could just be present.

They were in front of Heeseung’s room next. Jay seemed a lot more gentle this time, running his hand up and down Heeseung’s shoulder and whispering to Jungwon. Jungwon’s head popped up, his hair disastrous but he rolled off the bed without any other complaints. He padded over to the small crowd by the door, his head landing on Riki’s shoulder. Riki decided he liked sleepy Jungwon the most.

“Hyung said you couldn’t sleep?”

Riki nodded against Jungwon’s head and Jungwon shuffled closer, pressing his nose against Riki’s neck, breathing him in. Heeseung came slower, his eyes half-shut but he just squeezed by them, walking into Riki’s room like he owned it.

Jay shrugged, beckoning the rest of them forward into Riki’s room. Heeseung was already in Riki’s bed, one arm behind his head. Riki blinked at him but Heeseung didn’t seem to care, just smiled and moved over to give Riki room to climb on. 

Jake nudged him and Riki took the hint, settling next to Heeseung easily, his head inches from the other’s shoulder. Sunoo curled around him from behind and Riki could feel Jay behind him, his hand resting on Riki’s shoulder. Sunghoon and Jake settled somewhere on Heeseung’s other side, if their bickering was anything to go by and Jungwon crawled up the bed, laying on top of Heeseung who—to his credit—complained minimally. 

Riki let out a sigh through his nose. Their heartbeats filled his ears and for the first time since he woke up he felt calm—peaceful. And finally, finally, the steady hum began under his skin again. He could breathe. They were there, every single one of them within reach. And for now, it was everything he could ask for.