It was a full-blown relapse.

He didn't even know when it happened, why it happened... it just did.

He relapsed and it was just as bad as before.

Baekhyun was back to the sad, crying boy he had always been, and it hurt more knowing how close he had been this time.

How close he had been to recovery.

It felt like a joke that God was pulling on him. As if he was teasing him, holding something right above his head just low enough for his fingertips to touch, but still too high for him to grab.

His eye bags came back, and he stopped eating again.

His body wouldn't take in the food. He would feel sick with everything he ate, leading to either a bad stomachache and a miserably sick feeling in his heart, or some vomit in the toilet.

The relapse had knocked him down once again, leaving him struggling on his hands and knees.

He cried that night.
-----
Chanyeol saw Baekhyun sitting on a bench with puffy eyes and a runny nose.

He sat down next to him, silent.

Baekhyun turned to look at him, whispering miserably. "A relapse. A fucking relapse. I was inches away from freedom. And of course, this shit happens."

Chanyeol didn't know how to answer. It was just so unfair. Baekhyun had really been right in front of the finish line, but everything had been taken away again, for no apparent reason. One day Baekhyun had just shown up in Chanyeol's room, ready to throw up any second. Chanyeol had led Baekhyun into the bathroom, watching sympathetically at what Baekhyun did next.

"The doctor says I might have a few more months in here, maybe a year or two, I guess it all depends."

"I'll make it so that you're out in a month."

"And exactly how the hell are you going to do that?"

"You eat a little today, a little more tomorrow, and more the next day."

"As if it's that easy."

Chanyeol moved closer to Baekhyun.

"Listen," he said, in a low tone, almost as if he didn't want other people to hear them, "Listen. If you want to get out of this hellhole, you're going to need to listen to me. I'll help you through this. I'll get you through it. Okay?"

Baekhyun's forehead creased as he replied, "But what about you? You need to get better t-"

"I'll get better in no time," Chanyeol cut in, "It's you who I'm worried about."

"Well I disagree," Baekhyun said.

"Well how about this," Chanyeol suggested, "I get you better, and you help me get better. Deal?"

Baekhyun didn't hesitate at all, and he answered almost immediately.

"Deal."
-----
Baekhyun's way of helping Chanyeol get better was stopping by in his room every night to make sure he was doing okay.

By okay, he meant not trying to stifle his cries with a pillow and some blankets.

It didn't seem like much, but it also seemed to be working.

He would sneak inside and sit down on the edge of Chanyeol's bed, taking a good look at his face to see if he was sleeping.

If he was sleeping, Baekhyun would leave relieved. If he wasn't sleeping, he would make sure he was okay.

If Chanyeol's eyes were swollen red, he knew something was wrong. And if something was wrong, he would sit there for a few minutes, consoling the older.

It was healing for Baekhyun too, knowing that he was doing something for someone else and helping them.

He always felt like a burden to others, like a weight that everyone wanted lifted from their shoulders.

But knowing that he was the shoulder for at least one other person made him feel, simply put, better. And happier.

And Chanyeol loved the nights that Baekhyun stopped by.

On the nights that Chanyeol was upset, Baekhyun would pat a steady rhythm on his back, calming him while whispering that it was okay and that he should close his eyes and try to forget.

Stupid, cliche, cheesy, whatever.

At least it seemed to be helping the two.

They did more for each other than any doctor ever could have.

Sometimes, the best medication is two arms and a heartbeat. ||