Jin finally finished cooking, carefully setting the table with a fair number of food dishes. A quiet sense of pride swelled in his chest as he had completely pulled off all this work before Alex could drift off to sleep again. Leaving the kitchen, Jin entered the sitting room, but the space was entirely empty.
He stared at the front door skeptically. "Did he step out for a walk?" he muttered to himself.
He strode toward the entrance, but before his fingers could even brush the handle, he froze. A pungent, intensely spicy scent suddenly filled his nose. It was impossible to miss, and its source was unmistakable
It was drifting directly from his own bedroom. Turning on his heel, Jin rushed inside.
The air in the bedroom was thick with the fragrance. It was a sharp, heavy blend of cedar and bitter orange. Alex had tightly wrapped himself under the covers, completely burying himself in Jin's lingering vanilla scent. Jin felt a deep blush creep up his neck, thoroughly flustered by the overwhelming aroma Alex was emitting. Gathering his composure, he pushed his shyness aside and gently shook Alex awake. Surprisingly, Alex didn't protest. He quietly got up and followed Jin back into the kitchen where the feast was waiting.
"Alex, are you uncomfortable?" Jin asked softly.
Alex was staring into space again. When questioned, he merely shifted his blank gaze from the wall to the food. What am I even saying? Jin chided himself internally. He hasn't even been human since he came back.
Silently, Jin served the food, and they ate in absolute silence. Jin observed how Alex kept zoning out, yet he still managed to finish his portions. After half an hour, Jin stood up to clear the table, wash the dishes, and return everything to its place. Throughout it all, Alex sat perfectly still, his eyes tracking Jin's every movement. By the time Jin finished, he caught Alex mumbling something incomprehensible under his breath before walking out of the kitchen.
Then, the kitchen became eerily silent, and the phantom echoes of the past shattered the quiet.
"If I knew you would become like this, I should have killed you the day you were born!" an old man's voice angrily shouted.
Suddenly, Alex's memories flashed back in dark, broken shards. Terror consumed him. Darkness, broken tree branches, and pooling blood violently forced their way into his mind. Screams of terror echoed in the distance as fire burned houses down to the ground. Then came the bone-crushing pressure leaning against his chest, right before the old man brutally pulled his arm, popping it completely out of its socket.
When Jin walked back into the kitchen to call Alex for his bath, he froze in sheer horror.
Alex was trembling violently. His eyes were wide with dread, beads of sweat trickled down his pale forehead, and his hand gripped his recently injured shoulder in a death vice. His breathing was ragged, gasping as if the very air had been stolen from his lungs.
Jin rushed forward, gently shaking his shoulders. "Alex, whatever is weighing you down right now shouldn't take your sanity like this, okay? Alex!"
Alex didn't budge. His eyes began to glisten with unshed tears as the illusion worsened. "You worthless, good-for-nothing!" the old man roared, a fist flying directly toward Alex's face.
Just before impact, a suffocating darkness consumed the memory. The fear peaked, but then, a ghostly sense of safety settled in his heart. The gentle scent of vanilla filled the air, cutting through the terror.
"Ji... Jin?" Alex gasped.
The shadows receded, revealing the familiar kitchen. Candlelight flickered warmly on the table. Jin was leaning over him, tenderly patting his back while Alex's head rested against Jin's stomach. Overwhelmed with relief, Alex wrapped his arms tightly around Jin's waist, burying his face in his shirt. He held on as if letting go meant falling back into the dark. Tears finally spilled down his cheeks.
"Alex..." Jin softly called out.
"Please... I don't want to talk about it," Alex tiredly whispered.
Jin raised a brow, his worry briefly giving way to mild annoyance." So he thinks I'm just looking for hot gossip now, humph," he thought.
Sensing the sudden silence, confused Alex looked up, his arms still locked around Jin's waist. Jin was pouting, staring out the kitchen window, but as he felt Alex's gaze, he looked down and locked eyes with him.
"Alex..." Jin said, his voice dropping to a firm, soothing register.
Alex felt utterly enchanted by the intense eye contact and the smooth, comforting way his name rolled off Jin's tongue. The grounding tone left him instantly answering, "Yes, Jin..."
"It's time to bathe, then off to bed, okay?"
Alex nodded mutely. Pushing through the residual tremors, he stood up from the chair and followed Jin out of the kitchen, and feeling safe with Jin.