woohyun knows better; woohyun/hoya
Rating : PG
Word Count : 2k+
Summary : Hoya keeps having nightmare and he cannot stop it, but Woohyun knows better.
Notes : This is for Minh, thanks for always liking my stories, and happy belated birthday! I hope you like this.. :)
That particular night, again, Hoya doesn’t clearly remember the start of it, but the recurring nightmare always ends up with him flinging himself up in terror. Like right now, with his torso thrown up from lying down, haggard breathing breaks the silence in the room. His eyes widens and looks around the dark room, and he tries to erase the same thing that keeps taunting his mind for the past few days. He rubs his face with his sweaty palm and then extends his right hand to switch the lamp on when his body twitched to the sudden clicking at the doorknob.
“Hoya! You okay?” A head pops in as his name was called in a quite raised tone.
Hoya gasps, he swears he could die. He switches the lamp on and it turns out to be Woohyun. Heck of course it’s Woohyun, whose voice did he hear just now. Woohyun approaches his bed and sits down, and Hoya feels like a son recovering from a night terror of his but he brushes it off because that’s ridiculously scratching his strong image.
A Lee Howon never gets terrified by a bad dream.
But Woohyun knows better.
”Nightmare, again?” Woohyun shifts a bit to face Hoya, and he scrutinizes the small beads of sweats that are trickling down Hoya’s pale skin. “Was it... that bad?”
Hoya purses his lips tightly, he looks down and he mildly nods. It’s useless if he even try to lie, Woohyun would eventually figure it out from his pale appearance anyway. “Why are you here though?” He asksonly to be rewarded with a smile.
“I just happen to be here.” He simply answers, before he sneaks under the blanket and cramps himself next to Hoya who already begins to whines. Woohyun sees it coming. “You need me, dude, or you’ll scream again.”
“I really.. screamed?” Hoya asks, staring straight at Woohyun who is switching his tablet on. The latter nods and Hoya blinks rapidly in respond. He doesn’t even realize that he actually screams.
Woohyun heaves a big sigh. “I heard Sunggyu hyung and Dongwoo talking about you screaming in your sleep. It has been several times though. If I didn’t hear it, I would never know.”
Nobody is supposed to know about that, either. Hoya never really wants the others to figure it out, but when he ends up screaming unconsciously, there’s no way he could conceal that. The rest of the members should’ve figured it out. And he hates to admit that. It’s not egoism or whatsoever, but he hates it when his sturdy image peels off a layer, he feels transparent.
“You know.. Hoya..” Woohyun turns to him. “You can always tell me what’s there inside your head. You can’t keep everything to yourself.” Hoya feels the stare digging into his head, he avoids Woohyun’s eyes nevertheless.
As expected, he replies with questions. “Why are you even here, Nam? I didn’t know my scream could reach another floor?”
“I’m here because you need me.” Woohyun blatantly replies.
“Okay you can get out because I clearly don’t.” Hoya pushes Woohyun but he doesn’t budge an inch. Instead, he chuckles in amusement.
“Sunggyu hyung and Dongwoo has gone out with our managers, and you’re alone so Sunggyu asked me to come over and stay, you know, in case anything happen.” Woohyun explains, and only then Hoya realizes he went in to sleep early he doesn’t remember when did Sunggyu and Dongwoo go out. Or when did Woohyun come in.
“So it’s because Sunggyu insisted, huh.“ Hoya mutters. That old man is persistent when he’s worried.
“Even if he didn’t ask, I’d still come over you know.” Woohyun murmurs lowly. But Hoya catches it and that makes him blush. He thanks the darkness though or else Woohyun would be taunting him on that.
It is nonetheless awkward to be cramped in a single bed, without any idea on what to do. Hoya just awkwardly lies stiffly on his side, while Woohyun just awkwardly props his elbow on Hoya’s side and stares at his tab wordlessly. It lasts for another 30 infuriating seconds (for Woohyun because he can’t really stand silence) before Woohyun speaks.
“If you don’t want to tell me anything, then go to sleep.” Woohyun pulls the blanket up and covers Hoya. “I’m here, don’t worry.” There’s a layer of confirmation in the soft tone of Woohyun’s, and Hoya doesn’t deny that it wraps him in a sort of protective assurance. But still, he couldn't sleep.
Then, Woohyun just scrolls his tab silently when Hoya finally speaks. “I dreamt of falling off the cliff, blood covering my body and my eyes, I could see nothing but redness..” Woohyun stares into the dark, then he shifts his glance towards Hoya, his soft gaze tells Hoya to continue. “…the fall seems to never end, I screamed but it feels stuck in my throat. I flailed my arms but I couldn’t touch anything. The falling itself was terrifying I.. I can’t imagine what’s down there and the thought itself is just..” Hoya’s voice trails off slowly with a faded tremble, visualizing the nightmare feels horrifying like it’s real.
Woohyun holds his hand, Hoya almost jumps at the touch, but it’s warm. “Sometimes, you’ll need to reach for a hand, Hoya.” Woohyun mutters, as he squeezes softly on Hoya’s hand.
Hoya pretends he doesn’t get it.
Woohyun knows him better, for sure. Sensing that Hoya would never want to expose more of his vulnerable side, Woohyun let go of Hoya’s hand and flashes the later his tab. “Let’s do this.”
The sudden brightness makes Hoya squint at whatever that Woohyun is trying to show him. “What?” Hoya spats. Woohyun growls.
“Let’s overcome your nightmare! Can’t you read?” Woohyun points on the screen.
“It’s more like you want to blind me, idiot.” Hoya shoves the tab away. The latter giggles inanely. Apparently, he found an online article on how to overcome nightmares, though Hoya doubts if that would ever work.
“Okay sorry.. I’ll just read it for you. Okay?” Woohyun clears his throat, and Hoya anticipates anyway. “First, when you are awoken from a nightmare, take a deep breath and assure yourself it wasn’t real.” Woohyun looks at him. “Calm down, breath in, Hoya, and then breathe out.” He looks like an untrained yoga teacher gesturing the breathing movement, Hoya can’t help but to sneer.
“I was calm enough until you enter. Maybe you’re the reason to my bad dreams.” Nevertheless, Hoya takes a deep breath and let out a huge amount of air.
“You should be honoured if I were ever in your dream.” Woohyun defences himself.
“You’d be the worst nightmare ever.” Hoya breaks it.
“Tch..” Woohyun ignores him, and proceeds to the next one. “Next. Draw or write your dream in detail..” He halts, perhaps that one isn’t a good idea since Hoya could barely tell him what the dream really is about. “Okay.. maybe not this one.” He shakes his head.
Hoya is grateful, but he’s not Hoya if he doesn’t blurt a feisty cover-up. “You’ll cry if I draw how the dream looks like.”
“Oh please.” Woohyun sways his point finger in denial. “I’d probably cry at how awful your drawing is instead.” Hoya nudges him hard due to annoyance but Woohyun only laughs louder.
“What’s next?” Hoya grows impatient. Woohyun lies down on the pillow -Hoya’s pillow- and Hoya has to move a bit to the side to give him some space. He isn’t complaining nor whining this time though.
“Hmm okay.. next, look up for the meaning of your dream.” Woohyun hums his own respond to that. But Hoya just rolls his eyes.
“What does a dream about falling off a cliff even mean..” Hoya crosses his arm, that’s a clear refusal, Woohyun takes it.
“Who knows if it means you’re falling in love..” Woohyun smiles at Hoya, like he just made a big prediction about Hoya’s love life. As expected, Hoya looks away.
“Shut up. It’s just a dream. There’s no need for it-“
“No.” Woohyun disagrees. “It’s a nightmare, Hoya. A bad dream. A recurring terror. Of which you can’t even tell me though I wish you would. I’m just.. trying to help, you know. I know you’re not the type who talk and rant. But I wish you could, at least to me.” His fingernails tap softly on the edge of his gadget.
Hoya watches him with guilt. “I.. wish.. this is just a dream, you know. A bad one.” Hoya says, moving closer to rest his cheek on Woohyun’s side arm. He’s getting comfortable, weirdly, despite the narrow personal space. “I’d be glad if you could help, Dr. Nam the Googler. So what’s next?”
Woohyun laughs breathily at Hoya’s sarcasm. Of course, it’s Hoya. “Hmm next one is interesting. Hug a person close to you.”
As Woohyun finishes, Hoya jolts away from him. “What?” He drawls.
“Cuddle up with them, it may help to lay your ear on their chest, if possible, as the sound of their heartbeat will calm you.” Woohyun looks up and a grin graces his face. “Come on, Hoya. My heartbeat will calm you down.”
Being suspicious is his nature, so Hoya grabs a view on the screen, and indeed what Woohyun talks about is really there. He hears a smug laughter softly invading his reddening ears (for only god knows why they are getting red). Before he could say anything, Woohyun’s hand slips across his back and squeezes his shoulder. Soon he is pulled towards Woohyun, his head lies exactly on Woohyun’s (broad) chest.
“What are you-“ Couple of pats shut him up.
“I just need you to sleep, okay? So while I’m here, just, calm down.” Woohyun says.
“Stupid.” Hoya says in his mind, because right now it’s his own heartbeat that is running fast. But Woohyun’s free hand gently rubs the back of his shoulder, and honestly Hoya is getting calmer. A minute passes like that, then he slides his hand over Woohyun’s stomach and gently tugs the shirt in his baby fist. “Is that all?” He mutters against the soft fabric, his voice vibrates through Woohyun’s heaving chest.
“Next. Listen to soft music.”
Hoya boos.
“Why man?” Woohyun protests.
“That’s boring, it’ll get me sleepy.”
“That’s exactly the point, Mr Dense.” Woohyun cuts. And so Hoya mutes himself to prevent another stupidity from pouring out. He hates to imagine that Woohyun is grinning but he is sure that greasy shit is smiling. Woohyun continues. “Hmm, any soft music will do. So what do you have, Hoya?”
“Hip-hops, mostly.” Hoya moves his hand to reach for his phone on Woohyun’s side but Woohyun stops him. He looks at Woohyun and raises his brows as to question why.
“They aren’t soft music. Abort.” Woohyun places Hoya’s hand back on his stomach. Hoya is annoyed, to be honest.
“What do you mean? Hip hop is-“
“Perverted.”
“What?”
“They are perverted.”
“No they aren’t all-“
“Tell me how Omarion’s O isn’t about a man banging his girl.” Woohyun blurts.
Hoya gaps and let out an Oh. “That.. was long ago though.” Hoya sighs against Woohyun’s chest. But then something clicks in his mind. “Wait. Did you.. like, recently..”
Woohyun freezes.
“..watch the concert DVD or..” Hoya lifts his head and peeps at Woohyun. “Did you watch the fancams?”
“What? No hell what.. I watch all of them in uh the DVD though not just your solo stage. But yeah because you sang an English song so.. it.. got stuck.. but well not only yours I mean Sungjong’s was even more incredible so yeah..” Woohyun’s lips quiver and his eyes looking everywhere but Hoya’s.
Now it’s Hoya’s turn to smile. “Sure Woohyun, sure..” He doesn’t look at Woohyun but the end of his sight catches Woohyun opening his history tab, probably erasing stuff. He chuckles as he drops his head back onto Woohyun’s torso.
“Okay. This song suits the most.”
Hoya waits.
Shortly, Close Your Eyes plays. Hoya should’ve known it. “You literally want me to sleep with this sad song?”
“It’s soft, isn’t it?”
“It’s better live, though.” Hoya spurts. It takes him few second to realize what his words lead to.
“I can sing for you like, right now. I don’t mind.” Woohyun suggests cheerfully.
“Okay no thank you. I’d get goosebumps.” Hoya lazily raises his hand up as a rejection. But Woohyun is already breathing in, from the sound of it Hoya knows he’s preparing to sing already. Truthfully, Hoya isn’t sure if he could take it when Woohyun sing to him. No, he couldn’t even imagine will he even breathe after that.
So he quickly reaches up and covered Woohyun’s mouth. “No! Just.. hum, okay? Hum.”
Woohyun smiles against Hoya’s palm as he nods and the latter scrunches his face as he pulls his hand away. Woohyun takes the hand and wraps it over his waist, of which Hoya just complies with it because it doesn’t feel bad. It’s almost close to comfort now.
“Alright.. now hold onto me tightly, I’ll hum you the softest song ever. There’s one more left though.” Woohyun stares at the screen.
“What?” Hoya asks.
“Think of pleasant things. Oh right, this is important.” Woohyun nods in agreement.
“What? How? What..” Hoya is clueless.
“I’ll hum the song and you can just think of anything nice. You’ll be off to sleep soon. How’s that?” His hand is placed on Hoya’s shoulders and the fingers wrap tightly at the end of them.
“What am I supposed to think off though..”
“Anything pleasant, Hoya.. Anything.”
Hoya lazily blinks his eyes as his brain tries to pick out any pleasant things for the moment. What is it that’s calming and pleasant? He’s calm enough though, he feels like the weight of his body is already lifted, swaying softly on the warmth of the companion he has right at the moment. He treasures the tranquil mood that is starting to grow and pull him into slumber. His fingertips mildly brush against the soft fabric, sometimes they press onto the skin underneath it. And there’s this soothing sound of beating his ears could hear, eh not just that, there’s a soft melody that makes his frame of mind unruffled and-
Oh. That means it’s Woohyun he’s thinking about. Hoya slowly shifts his head, acting like he’s opting for a comfortable position, only to catch Woohyun humming as he makes his trademark smile, staring at him.
Woohyun knows it.
Well, Hoya is defeated, he can never hide anything from this man. He gives Woohyun one last look before he settles on Woohyun’s warm upper body with comfort, and let the man lull him to sleep. He doesn’t need to talk about it, he doesn’t need to pretend either.
And for the first time after a while, the nightmare is finally gone.