The house was calm, the kind of quiet that settled like a soft blanket after the rush of the day. Jaehyun's mom had just finished a phone call in the kitchen, her voice measured but tinged with concern. When she entered the living room where Jaehyun and Woonhak were sitting, she gave them both a reassuring smile.

"They want us at the office first thing tomorrow morning," she said gently, directing her words toward Woonhak. "It'll be fine, sweetie. We'll figure everything out, okay?"

Woonhak looked up from where his gaze was fixed on the floor and gave a small nod. His fingers fidgeted with the hem of his hoodie, twisting the fabric absentmindedly.

"You two should go upstairs," Jaehyun's mom stated after looking at their exhausted faces. "I'll come check on you after I'm done in the kitchen."

Jaehyun exchanged a quiet glance with his mom, her unspoken request clear. Take care of him. He gave her a small nod before nudging Woonhak's shoulder lightly.

"Come on, let's go to bed," Jaehyun said, his voice soft. "You look like you're about to pass out."

Without waiting for a response, he stood and reached for Woonhak's hand, tugging him gently. Woonhak followed without protest, his steps sluggish as they made their way upstairs to Jaehyun's room.

The room was dimly lit by the small bedside lamp, casting a warm glow over the space. Jaehyun pulled out a set of his pajamas for Woonhak, tossing them onto the bed.

"You can change in here. I'll step out for a sec," Jaehyun said, heading toward the door.

"Okay," Woonhak nodded faintly as he picked up the clothes. When Jaehyun returned a few minutes later, Woonhak was already sitting on the bed, his hands folded neatly in his lap. He looked small, almost fragile, the oversized pajama top hanging loosely on his frame.

Jaehyun sighed softly and climbed onto the bed next to Woonhak, draping the blanket over both of them. They sat quietly for a little while, Jaehyun leaning against the headboard of his bed and Woonhak eventually laying his head on the older's shoulder. Neither of them said anything.

After a while, a knock at the door interrupted the silence.

"Come in," Jaehyun called.

His mom entered, balancing a tray with two steaming bowls of soup and a plate of sliced fruit. "Thought you boys might be hungry," she said with a soft smile.

"Thanks, Mom," Jaehyun said as she placed the tray on the bedside table.

"Get some rest, okay?" she added, her gaze lingering on Woonhak for a moment before she quietly left the room.

Jaehyun picked up a bowl and handed it to Woonhak, who hesitated before taking it with both hands.

"It's still hot, so be careful," Jaehyun warned, watching as Woonhak blew gently on the broth.

They ate in comfortable silence, the warmth of the soup slowly easing the last bits of tension in their bodies. When they were done, Jaehyun set the empty bowls aside and flopped back onto the bed with a satisfied sigh.

"Man, I needed that," he said, stretching his arms above his head.

Woonhak stayed quiet, but Jaehyun noticed the faintest hint of a smile tugging at the corners of his lips.

"Hey," Jaehyun said, propping himself up on one elbow to look at him. "You okay?"

Woonhak hesitated, his fingers picking at the edge of the blanket. "I... yeah. Thanks to you."

Jaehyun tilted his head slightly. "Thanks to me?"

"Yeah, for earlier," Woonhak said, his voice barely above a whisper. "Thank you for protecting me. For standing up to them."

Jaehyun's frown softened into a gentle smile. "Of course, Woonie. I told you I would and I'd do it a hundred times over. You don't ever have to thank me for that."

Woonhak's gaze flicked to Jaehyun's face, his eyes filled with something unspoken-gratitude, maybe, or relief. Jaehyun couldn't quite tell, but it made his chest tighten all the same.

"Hey," Jaehyun suddenly said, his tone lighter now. "You know what, though? I think you owe me big time for saving your butt."

Woonhak blinked, caught off guard. "What?"

"Yeah," Jaehyun continued, grinning. "You totally owe me. I'm thinking... free snacks for a year. Or maybe you can do my homework."

A small laugh escaped Woonhak before he could stop it, the sound light and breathy. Jaehyun grinned wider, proud of his success.

"There it is!" he said, poking Woonhak's side. "Knew I could get you to laugh."

Woonhak shook his head, but the smile lingered on his lips. "You're ridiculous."

"You mean ridiculously awesome," Jaehyun corrected, flopping back down onto the bed. Then he looked up at Woonhak, his gaze turning soft again. "But jokes aside," he said, "Don't ever think that you owe us anything... yeah?"

The mood in the room had shifted, the heavy weight that had been hanging over them since earlier now replaced with something lighter.

As they settled under the covers, Jaehyun reached over and gave Woonhak's hand a quick squeeze.

"Sleep tight, Woonie," he said softly.

Woonhak didn't respond, but he shifted closer, his head resting on the edge of Jaehyun's pillow. For the first time that night, he looked truly at peace. Without hesitating, Jaehyun turned to lay on his side and shifted closer, draping an arm over the younger's side, his touch light but steady.

He closed his eyes, a small smile tugging at his lips. I'll keep protecting you, Woonie. Always.

---

Word count: 916

Do ya'll have a favorite k-pop quote?

One of my favs is "It's okay to fall, just don't fall apart." by Seventeen's Minghao