Hoseok woke up and almost rolled off the couch. He caught himself, placing a hand on the armrest before looking over to see Jooheon watching him in amusement. "Is Hyungwon awake?" Hoseok asked, blinking and clearing his throat in an attempt to wake himself up. "I haven't finished healing him."

"You need calories first," Jooheon said, pulling Hoseok into the kitchen and forcing him to eat whatever Jooheon found, an odd assortment which included a ham sandwich, a can of olives, and what looked to be pasta salad.

"Better?" Jooheon asked, and Hoseok nodded, standing and heading back to Hyungwon's bedroom. He gave the obligatory knock before entering. He found Hyungwon watching him from his reclined position, and Hoseok gave him a weak smile and a small wave.

He took in Hyungwon's position with the trained eyes of a healer, focusing on the physical rather than the psychological, but he paused when he came to Hyungwon's eyes. He sighed, walking over to the side of Hyungwon's bed, sitting on the edge and looking down at his patient.

"You're looking better," Hoseok said. It was maybe true, maybe not, but part of his job had always included small talk. "May I?" he asked, gesturing at Hyungwon's stomach, and Hyungwon nodded, watching in silence as Hoseok gently lifted his shirt, pushing it up above his navel as he leaned in to survey the wound.

A thin white line remained of the knife injury. Hoseok hesitated, meeting Hyungwon's eyes and searching for any discomfort before tracing the wound gently, applying minimal pressure to gauge how well the wound had healed.

There was a flash of pain in Hyungwon's eyes, and Hoseok pulled back quickly.

"I apologize," Hoseok said, bowing his head forward. "It looks to still be healing. You'll need to be careful, all right?"

Hyungwon didn't reply, and Hoseok pulled Hyungwon's shirt back down. "Can you sit up for me, Hyungwon?"

Hyungwon pushed himself to a seated position, resting his back against the headboard, eyes still watching Hoseok carefully.

"Can I see your hand?" Hoseok asked, holding out his own, palm-up.

Hyungwon paused before placing his hand in Hoseok's. Hoseok took his hand gently, inspecting Hyungwon's broken finger and getting an idea of the abnormality in the structure. It was important for him to visualize the human anatomy in order for him to repair the damage done. "I'm going to heal your finger, all right?"

Hyungwon nodded.

Hoseok closed his eyes before channeling his magic through his palms, placing his right hand over Hyungwon's, his left hand still supporting it from underneath. He felt the magic leaking from his fingertips as he traced Hyungwon's broken finger from the top knuckle all the way down to the fingertip, moving slowly and feeling the bone shift ever so slightly as it righted itself and fused back together.

At the fingertip, he paused, giving his magic a moment to settle before removing his hand, cutting off the magical power. His hands returned to their normal state as he opened his eyes and looked down to find Hyungwon's hand restored to its original form.

He looked up to see relief in Hyungwon's eyes. "Is that better?" Hoseok asked, eyes flicking back and forth from Hyungwon's left eye to his right.

Hyungwon gave a small nod, his lips moving for a moment before they froze and returned to a neutral line.

"Did you want to say something?" Hoseok asked, his brows furrowing.

Hyungwon clenched his jaw, keeping his eyes straight ahead.

"Hyungwon, tell me what you were going to say."

"Thank you," came a rough whisper in a voice that sounded disconnected from the body. It was hard to believe such a broken voice could come out of such a beautiful creature.

"You're welcome," Hosoek said, a brightness in his eyes nonetheless. "And, Hyungwon? You can say whatever you like. You don't have to stay quiet, all right?"

Hyungwon shrank back into the headboard, and Hoseok hesitated.

"Why do you think you have to be quiet?" Hoseok asked, keeping his voice soft and gentle. Working with the sick and injured, some closer to dying than others, he'd heard many late-hour confessions, and he'd developed a knack for being able to tell when someone had something to confess.

But Hyungwon's lips weren't moving.

"Did Seungcheol tell you that you have to be quiet?" Hoseok asked, his voice even softer. It was the only explanation he could conjure.

Hyungwon hesitated before bobbing his head forward, his good ear twitching as his bangs shifted and covered his eyes.

Hoseok sighed, getting up and rummaging around the room before returning with an object. He leaned forward, putting two fingers on Hyungwon's head to alert him to his presence before he slowly dragged the brush through Hyungwon's hair, brushing out his bangs before making his way around to the sides.

"Bring your head forward a bit," Hoseok said, and Hyungwon complied, tilting his head forward to give Hoseok access to the back of his head. Hoseok continued brushing Hyungwon's hair until all the knots that had accumulated in Hyungwon's hair over the past few weeks were slowly eliminated. "Whatever Seungcheol told you is wrong," Hoseok said, his voice just loud enough to be heard over the soft rustle of the brush. He paused, pulling back and pushing Hyungwon's overgrown bangs out of his eyes. "Tell me what you're thinking, Hyungwon."

"I don't want to be thrown away," Hyungwon whispered, fear stark in his eyes and rough in his voice.

"You won't be," Hoseok promised. "Nobody threw you away, and nobody will." He paused, sensing that Hyungwon didn't believe him. He knew that the psychological damage done to Hyungwon wouldn't disappear with a few words. It would be a slow, gradual process, if it worked at all. "Now let me see your ear," Hoseok said, and Hyungwon flinched before leaning his head forward so his left ear was within Hoseok's reach.

Hoseok prodded at it gently. "Can you feel that?" he asked, and when he didn't get a clear response, he added, "Answer me with a yes or no."

"No," Hyungwon murmured.

Hoseok frowned, looking over the mangled flesh with worry. "Is it painful?"

"No."

"Was it painful?"

"Yes."

"Did Seungcheol do this?" Hoseok asked, pulling back after examining the nerve damage.

"Yes."

Hoseok clenched his jaw but didn't saw anything. "I need to restore my magic after healing your finger. I'll take a look at your ear next, all right?"

Hyungwon nodded his head, looking as though he wanted to speak again, and Hoseok waited for him to say something, wanting Hyungwon to resist against the rules in his head, but he didn't.

Hoseok fought back a disappointed sigh. "Is there anything you want to say, Hyungwon? You can answer me."

"Thank you," Hyungwon repeated from earlier, looking down and hesitantly clasping his hands together, sinking back into the headboard as they slid together with ease.

"You're welcome, Hyungwon. But you don't have to thank me," Hoseok said, standing up and going over to the door. "And Hyungwon?" he said, turning back to the skeletal boy. "Nobody is going to throw you away."

A pair of dark, conflicted eyes met his before they turned away, and Hoseok left the room.