Sound of Winter || Taegyu

Chapter Thirty Three

Beomgyu doesn't remember dozing off, but before he knows it, the frosty air is seeping through the cracks in the car window, sending shivers down his spine. He stays this way for what feels like a couple of hours, drifting in and out of a state of consciousness. He continues to fall in and out of a hazy realm, mind slipping from reality into a world of shadows and whispers.

Sometimes he finds himself talking to a dark shadow, their voice a distant murmur in the back of his head. He tries to say something, anything, but the words only come out slurred and incomprehensible. As hard as he tries to read their moving lips, their words hold no meaning. He's trapped in a linguistic limbo, unable to communicate or make sense of anything around him.

Other times he's surrounded by darkness, the sound of his breathing echoing in the void. There's nothing there. Nothing for him to grasp, leaving his hands flailing through empty space. The fear grips him tightly around his chest.

But then it all comes back as soon as consciousness takes hold on him. The colors and sounds of the world begin to rush back in, leaving him disoriented. He blinks weakly, the road stretching out before him again.

He's not sure how long Taehyun's been driving for, but it's dark now, and much colder than it was earlier in the day, another layer of snow already added to the ground. He's so out of it to the point he doesn't realize the car has come to a complete stop until he feels a warm hand gently unbuckling his seatbelt. The dim glow of a street light illuminates Taehyun's features as he hovers over him.

"Where are we?" Beomgyu mumbles, squinting his eyes.

Taehyun pulls him out of the car, wrapping him up in his arms and holding him close. The cold air bites at his exposed skin and he shivers involuntarily, leaning more into Taehyun's hold. He can hear the sound of Taehyun's footsteps on the ground as he walks closer to the building.

"Stopped at a hotel, Soobin was tired of driving," he twists the doorknob and pushes the door open with ease, stepping inside and closing it behind him. "I figured that a bed would be more comfortable to you than a car. The others went out to get some food, they should be back soon."

Beomgyu nods, eyes adjusting to the brightness as he looks around. He sits down on the bed, glancing at the one next to him. The room is very nice, walls painted an emerald color with a sleek, black marble floor. There's a closed window across the room, and he wonders what it looks like outside now, the area probably covered in a thick layer of snow.

The room smells like a faint hint of lavender and vanilla.

"Kai said he'll take the couch and Soobin and Yeonjun can have the other bed. Is that okay with you?"

He nods again.

"Are you okay?"

He laughs softly, looking up at Taehyun. "I'm just tired, Tyun. Everything's great. Thank you."

His legs hang off the side of the bed as he absentmindedly fiddles with the hem of his shirt. His mind begins to wander off until he feels the familiar weight of Taehyun standing between his legs.

"Are you still tired?"

"A little bit. Do you care if I go back to sleep? I'll eat in the morning or something."

Taehyun pauses for a moment, eyes scanning his face carefully. "That's okay," he leans forward and places a kiss on Beomgyu's forehead.

It's not a lie, he is still tired and disoriented from the drive, and hopefully he can sleep it off and restart tomorrow.

He moves up in the bed, closing his eyes, letting the darkness close in around him. The sheets envelope him in a cocoon of warmth and comfort and a contented sigh escapes his lips when Taehyun lays beside him, pulling him close.