secrets (little taeyong)

Chapter 39

Doyoung's POV

The air in NCT Dream's dorm hung heavy, mingling the familiar scent of home with the uneasy breath of apprehension. As we unpacked Taeyong's littlespace belongings, the chilling encounter with the spectral entity still clung to us like cobwebs.

Taeyong, nestled small and vulnerable amidst plushies on the couch, trembled visibly in the wake of the haunting experience.

"Hyung, what happened back there?" Jeno asked gently, his eyes clouded with concern. Johnny and I exchanged knowing glances, realizing we owed the younger members an explanation for the unsettling events that had sent us fleeing into the night. 

Johnny took a deep breath before recounting the bone-chilling run-in with the shadowy specter, his voice low and somber. As he spoke, the members of NCT Dream listened with a mix of disbelief and unease etched on their faces. The inky darkness that had flooded our dorm now cast its phantom shadows over their shared spaces.

"What if it follows us here?" Haechan whispered, a flicker of fear in his eyes that he quickly tried to blink away.

"We don't know," Johnny admitted heavily. "But we can't let some...thing...keep us from living our lives."

As we continued unraveling the threads of our disturbing tale, Taeyong remained curled small beneath soft blankets, unable to shake off the icy fingers of lingering fear. His wide, frightened eyes darted around the room, seeking reassurance that the shadows wouldn't return to swallow him whole.

I approached slowly, crouching beside the couch where he lay fragile as glass. "Hey there, Taeyong," I murmured gently. "We're here now. Nothing can hurt you." 

He sniffled, eyes shimmering with unshed tears. "But Doyoung...what if it comes back?"

Johnny joined us, offering a plushie for Taeyong to hug close to his chest. "We won't let anything harm you, Taeyongie. We're a family, and we'll protect each other."

As night draped its velvety cloak over the dorms, Taeyong found little solace in sleep. The clutching fingers of fear still scraped at the edges of his mind, staining his dreams with unsettling shadows.

"Hey," Renjun's soft voice cut through the late night silence. He approached Taeyong carefully, offering a gentle, reassuring smile. "You're not alone, okay? We're all here for you."

Lost in the grip of restless dreams, Taeyong began to stir fretfully, whimpers spilling from his lips. The muted sounds of distress pierced the quiet dorm, drawing the sleepy attention of NCT Dream members.

Undeterred by the daunting prospect of comforting someone deep in littlespace, Renjun sat gingerly on the bed beside Taeyong. "Shhh, it's okay," he soothed. "You're safe here with us."

Taeyong's eyes fluttered open to find solace in Renjun's gentle presence nearby. The others looked on silently, understanding the fragile nature of the moment.

A tense hush filled the room as the stark realization dawned - NCT Dream had been drawn into the unsettling darkness that had invaded our world.

Chenle, his normal lively energy tempered by the gravity of the situation, spoke up softly. "If Taeyong hyung is scared, we should help him feel better."

Jisung nodded, a thoughtful look belying his years. "Yeah, we're all part of this together now."

As the deep night wore on, Taeyong's frightened tears finally dried, soothed by the efforts of Johnny, Renjun, and the others to wrap him in warmth and reassurance. Their shared space became a sanctuary, blurred unit divisions, giving way to genuine bonds of friendship.

"Hyung," Jeno ventured tentatively, glancing my way, "maybe Taeyong hyung should sleep with us tonight...if he's still scared."

The kind offer, evidence of the unspoken camaraderie woven between us, felt like a balm to Taeyong's unsettled heart.

Renjun, Mark, and Jisung quietly prepared the spare bed for Taeyong, switching on soft bedside lamps to banish the looming shadows. Taeyong crawled gratefully beneath the covers, clutching his plushies close as he met my gaze with uncertainty still haunting his eyes.

"Stay with me, Doyoung?" he pleaded softly.

I nodded, taking a seat at his bedside. "I'm right here, Taeyong. Get some rest - you're safe now."

As the deep night unfolded, Chenle approached Taeyong's bedside, offering a pacifier with a small, reassuring smile. "You're part of our family tonight, hyung," he said gently.

Ensconced in the warmth of friendship and laughter, whispered reassurances dissolving his fears, Taeyong found security beyond the isolating shadows that had threatened to consume him. In the embrace of genuine camaraderie forged in the crucible of shared unease, the bonds between us all grew stronger.

The long night slowly melted away, leaving in its wake a wordless understanding - that in the face of creeping shadows, the unwavering light of friendship prevails. Together, NCT 127 and NCT Dream weathered the darkness in solidarity, united by bonds reaching beyond the phantom shadows.