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Soonyoung hears the front door open and close before he recognizes the sound of footsteps against the linoleum flooring.
He only halfway acknowledges that someone else has returned to the dorm, the majority of his attention focused on the cartoon he has been watching and the consideration of rising from his perfectly molded place on the couch to search for more snacks.
His attention is quickly diverted, however, when the newcomer decides that Soonyoung looks like a comfortable alternative to the only other empty couch in the room, and the wind is completely knocked out of him as Jihoon collapses in a heap on top of Soonyoung with very little grace or regard for the older boy's lungs.
Soonyoung takes a moment to account for any bruised or broken ribs before even acknowledging the existence of the weight on top of him and although he is almost certain that his heart is slowly being deprived of oxygen, Soonyoung thinks he could die happy. If this is how he must go, smothered by Jihoon at five in the afternoon as Scooby-Doo plays in the background, then that is just how it must be. There are fates worse than his.
Soonyoung does not even allow himself to be surprised by Jihoon's sudden proximity. Though Soonyoung is a tactical person by nature, Jihoon is not, and so any time that Jihoon is feeling generous with his physical affection Soonyoung allows himself to indulge.
Right now, he breathes in deeply, savoring the concoction of scents that is so wholely Jihoon, and buries his face in the folds of the boy's hoodie. The weight of Jihoon against his chest is reassuring and reaffirming, and if his arm is slowly going numb, he chooses to ignore it. Circulation is not a priority at this moment.
Slowly he raises his arms to wrap them tightly around Jihoon, allowing one to grip the opposite side of his waist while the other is pressed firmly between his shoulder blades.
Jihoon let's out a heavy groan as Soonyoung massages the palm of his hand into the tight muscles of Jihoon's back, slowly working out the knots and the tension.
Almost fifteen minutes later Jihoon is a limp pile of limbs and steady breathing as he shuffles down to tuck himself comfortably under Soonyoung's chin. He lets out a content sigh as Soonyoung's fingers begin to drag lazily through his short-cropped hair, continuing his methodical motions at the base of Jihoon's skull.
Slowly, Soonyoung's ministrations lull Jihoon into a lazy, restful state, punctuated by his shallow breaths blowing warm air against Soonyoung's collarbone.
Soonyoung reaches for the remote control and turns the volume down of the television, letting the subtitles guide him through the remainder of the storyline until the final credits roll. By the time he has turned the television off Jihoon has completely fallen asleep. The steady rise and fall of his shoulders being the only indication that he is still alive along with the steady, pulsing beat of his heart against Soonyoung's chest.
With careful hands and slow movements, Soonyoung maneuvers himself into a sitting position with Jihoon hanging limply in his arms.
As much as Jihoon may resent them for repetitively making fun of his height, at times like this Soonyoung considers his short stature a blessing as it allows him to cradle Jihoon against his chest with little difficulty and rise to his feet.
The distance from the living to Jihoon's bed is not very far and yet as Soonyoung takes slow, steady steps, desperately trying not to jostle the boy in his arms, he could swear he is covering the distance of the Sahara Desert.
Thankfully the door to Jihoon and Mingyu's shared dorm room is ajar when Soonyoung arrives outside, allowing him to nudge it open with his toe as he enters the room and makes a beeline for Jihoon's bed.
The sheets are pulled up tightly and tucked expertly under the edges of the mattress, a testament to Jihoon's tedious morning routine.
Soonyoung silently curses the boy's disciplined nature as he lays Jihoon on top of the bed and tries to determine the most effective way to get the blankets out from under him so that he can be tucked under the covers and left to sleep off the exhaustion of the day.
However, the transfer from Soonyoung's arms to the cold bed seems to have disrupted Jihoon from his slumber as he blinks up at Soonyoung with bleary eyes and slowly takes in the change in his surroundings.
Once he recognizes that he is on his bed, he slowly moves to situate himself under the covers and Soonyoung prepares to leave him to his rest when Jihoon's hand shoots out to wrap itself tightly around Soonyoung's wrist. His grip is impressive for someone who is quite obviously half-delirious but Soonyoung understands the message that he is trying to convey.
With no hesitation, Soonyoung lifts one side of Jihoon's duvet and carefully slides into the bed beside him. The single bed mattresses of their bunk beds were never designed to accommodate two grown males but as Jihoon hums contently and tucks himself into Soonyoung's side he does not see a reason to complain.
Jihoon is asleep again within minutes, soft snores vibrating into Soonyoung's chest and yet Soonyoung lays awake simply admiring the boy in front of him. He softly stokes one finger along Jihoon's cheek and watches as his nose crinkles in reaction. He rubs slow circles into the base of Jihoon's spine and reveals in the way his body turns to liquid against his side. He wraps his arm tightly around Jihoon's waist and smiles softly as Jihoon subconsciously rubs his cheek against Soonyoung's chest.
Soonyoung sends Mingyu a short text message, warning him to enter quietly if he needs something from his dorm room, and then decides that a few minutes of sleep himself will not hurt.
He sinks further under the covers and permits himself to bury his nose in the soft, tufty hair at the crown of Jihoon's head, allowing the boy's presence to surround him and lull him into a dreamless sleep.
If a few minutes turn into a few hours then Soonyoung will deny he even remembers closing his eyes, and if they happen to miss dinner that night he instead blames Seungcheol for not coming to wake them.