𝓯𝓪𝓵𝓵𝓮𝓷 𝓵𝓮𝓪𝓿𝓮𝓼 - 𝐚𝐮𝐭𝐮𝐦𝐧

𝐟𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐞𝐧 𝐥𝐞𝐚𝐯𝐞𝐬 - 𝟑

The first thing Autumn noticed when he woke up was the bright light. It seemed dim, and his senses were fuzzy.

Then, he began noticing too much. The lights felt too bright. The texture of the couch under his hands made him shudder, and the color of the walls was all wrong. There was a dull throbbing behind his eyes and in his ribs. Autumn clenched his arms around his stomach and gagged.

Seemingly understanding his predicament, Hyun-jae lifted the small trash can Autumn always kept beside the coffee table up.

The sound of violent retching filled the entire apartment. Aery handed him a glass of water.

Hyun-jae peered down at her phone, typing away. "Judging from symptoms.. I think the drug was GHB. It's a clear liquid, so it wouldn't have been hard to hide in the miso soup he had. His body's weak judging by what's in the vomit, as it's mostly just the miso soup and water. If it was in better condition he may have held up against the drug enough to fight back against his assailant."

Aery lit a cigarette, leaning against the kitchen counter as she wrinkled her nose at the pungent smell of vomit. "Jeez lil bro. I pay you ONE visit and I find out you haven't been eating well? How the fuck do you always land yourself into situations like this?" 

Autumn lifted his head from the half full trashbin, wiping his mouth and gulping water. "I'm older than you Aery." He hissed, grimacing as another wave of vomit hit the back of his throat. The smell stung his nose and eyes, which were already red and teary.

"You don't act like it."

Another splash hit the waste bucket, followed by violent coughing. "I feel like shit." Autumn declared. 

"You look like shit too." Aery pointed out. "Look at the big ass bruise you have on your stomach from when that guy kicked you. I wouldn't be surprised if he broke a rib considering the fact that you never drank milk when you were young."

Hyun-jae pointedly kicked Aery's shin, shooting her a death glare. "What?" Asked Aery icily. "I'm not wrong, am I?"

"Oh, you're gonna get it later.." Autumn could hear Hyun-jae's quiet mutterings, to which Aery coughed loudly, glancing aside.

"I'll run out to get medicine and some crackers." Aery offered, refusing to look at Hyun-jae. "You stay here and watch my idiot brother."

Hyun-jae nodded, and Autumn flipped the bird to the other girl's retreating back as she scampered gleefully through the door before he retched into the bucket again.

"It's getting quite full." Hyun-jae commented. "Will you be fine for a few moments if I go dump it out?"

Autumn shrugged, wiping his eyes and nose. "I think it's all out by now anyways.. what did that guy want? He.." His voice faded into silence. Autumn feared that if he continued speaking, he would burst into tears.

There was a moment of quiet as Hyun-jae tied the bag of vomit, carefully putting it into the trash can before washing her hands thoroughly.

"Aery told me about your father." Hyun-jae said, avoiding his gaze as she wiped her hands down, approaching him. "He wanted you as ransom."

Autumn sniffed, wiping his eyes. "I told him I wanted nothing to do with his business. Changed my phone number, my contacts, moved houses, even changed my-" His voice broke before he could continue.

Hyun-jae interrupted him by simply wrapping her arms around him in a hug. 

No words needed to be said. No words could be said.  

With that simple movement, Autumn couldn't hold back his tears.

"It's okay. But.. he's still your family, you know? Even with all the complications you should still visit him..." Hyun-jae sighed, rubbing his back as she let the white haired boy cry into her shoulder. 

"I have Aery.." He suggests. "And Delilah, and all my friends.." He looked down, rubbing his eyes. "And besides... he and my mom still live with my grandma."

Hyun-jae sighed again. "You shouldn't listen to her... you're malnourished. At this rate you'll be too physically weak to carry out your duties as a police officer. And don't forget the reason you joined the police force in the first place." 

Autumn was once again reminded of the solemn promise he had made to himself that day, years ago. 

He'd clenched his fist and tried to quell the memories. But he couldn't stop them, and a reminder of everything, past and present flowed into his mind like a raging canal. 

He had curled up with his hands over his ears, desperately trying to block the noise. But the sounds didn't come from outside. They were inside him, a part of him. 

"Just like this... always..."

A solemn promise to himself, to her, and to everyone else. 

"I..." Autumn swallowed. "There were many reasons for me joining the police, just like the many promises within that promise.. that day, years ago..."

The door opened. "Sup hoes, I have your-" Aery froze, seeing Hyun-jae hugging Autumn (who was still crying) on the couch. "What the shit-"

She didn't ask questions. The look on her face was of pure jealousy. 

Aery tossed the pack of crackers at Autumn before dragging Hyun-jae into the guest bedroom and slamming the door. 

Autumn grimaced. He really didn't want to have to wash the sheets again, but at least he had some alone time now. Absentmindedly nibbling on a saltine cracker, he slid in his headphones and turned on some music to (hopefully) block out what was about to come.

"Do you ever get a little bit tired of life, like you're not really happy but you don't wanna die-" Autumn quietly sang to himself, bored out of his mind.

"Ohmygod Hyun-jae slow down-!"

They need to stop having sex everywhere... at this rate they'll start doing in in public washrooms or even worse, under the table in a restaurant...

Autumn grimaced, turning up the sound.

"Like you're hanging by a thread but you gotta survive, 'cause you gotta survive-"

"H-Hyun-jae! Hyun-jae oh GOD-"

"Like your body's in the room but you're not really there, like you have empathy inside but you don't really care-"

"HYUN-JAE~"

"Like you have empathy inside but you don't really care, like you're fresh outta love but it's been in the air-"

"AERYLIS CROWN BE SILENT UNLESS YOU WANT YOUR NEIGHBORS TO HEAR US, I SWEAR TO HEAVENS ABOVE IF YOUR BROTHER GETS A NOISE COMPLAINT BECAUSE OF US!"

"Am I past repair.. a little bit tired of trying to care when I don't.."

Autumn finished off his cracker, pausing the song and running a hand through his messy white hair. Those fuckers need to stop fucking so loud...little hoes.

Autumn got up, his legs still shaky as he stumbled his way to his room. I should take a shower. I probably reek of vomit right now.

He could still hear Aery and Hyun-jae doing vigorous activity inside the guest room.