"Ha--Hanbin? What are you doing here?"

He jumps into Bobby's arms as soon as the door opens, the other looking bewildered and a bit shaky. Hanbin doesn't know why he feels the knot in his stomach tighten, Bobby's presence always calming him down.

"I..I'm sorry I had to come. Bobby she--she's sending me away next week. I can't do this I really can't."

He's grabbing onto Bobby for dear life, burrowing his face in his neck for a short minute as his fingers dig into his shoulder blades and into the dirt. Bobby's a bit jumpy but he doesn't let go, pushing the hair back from his eyes and staring at him in confusion but most of all - shock.

"What'd you mean she's sending you away?"

Hanbin buries his face in his chest without hesitation now, smelling the intense musk he's come to love and hate all at the same time.

"She's sending me away. That's it. Someone saw us in the coffee shop and now I'm leaving and Hanbyul is staying here and I--I can't go without you. I can't do this Bobby. I'm not giving you up. Not this time."

Not ever.

Bobby's eyes dart to the living room but return as soon as Hanbin lets out an almost inaudible sob.

"Shh, Hanbin, it's gonna be alright. Okay? I'm not gonna let you leave."

His hands are warm on his face, grabbing onto his cheeks with ferocity. Hanbin feels the sting of warmth all the way down in his toes.

"I love you."

Bobby's eyes widen a bit but not as much as when pushes forward, their lips colliding with a loud smack. Bobby's almost returning the kiss when there's the sound of something metallic hitting the floor a few feet away from them. Hanbin opens his eyes and knows there are a thousand questions in them. Bobby gulps but doesn't dare to turn around.

When Hanbin does it for him, they're met with a spoon on the floor and Bobby's mother staring at them with wide open.

"Kim Jiwon, what is this?"

Hanbin feels his heart sink into his stomach and wonders if it'll stay afloat.

*

"Mom..Mother I--"

Hanbin feels himself pale as the realization dawns. The darting eyes. The knot in his stomach. They're not alone.

"What is this? What's..What's going on?"

Ms. Kim grabs the spoon from the floor and puts her tea cup down with shaky hands. Bobby lets out an awkward cough as he tries to think of answer. Anything but the truth, Hanbin assumes.

But right now, the truth is all they need.

"Hi umm.. I don't know if you remember me? I'm Hanbin. I'm Bobby's uhh..I'm his.."

He wants to say the word but the look on her face makes him queasy enough he thinks he might have to puke. Bobby grabs his fingers and pulls him forward, against his back. Hanbin feels himself relax a little and knows he has to help Bobby do the same.

"My other half."

"He's my boyfriend."

They exchange looks and Hanbin squeezes his fingers and sees Bobby exhale at last. Bobby's mother looks at them long and hard. Something dawns on her face and Hanbin's knees go weak. He feels them wobble and wonders if he's about to lose control of his body and everything he's fought so hard for.

"I'm--I'm in love with your son Ms. Kim."

She nods and sits down in the armchair. Hanbin wants to giggle all of a sudden, at the sight of her knees wobbling just as hard as his. He swallows the giddiness and the lump in his throat along with it.

"I.. I see."

Bobby takes a deep breath and storms forward. Hanbin finally feels how cold he is and wonders if it'll always be like this when Bobby leaves him. Hopes it doesn't have to come to that.

"Mom I..I'm sorry I didn't tell you. But this was new. Well is new and--and we're scared. And please.. just please don't hate me."

His voice is shaky and Hanbin feels his heart clench in his chest so tightly that it's getting hard for him to breathe. He takes a tentative step forward and stands in the doorway, waiting for something to happen.

"How long has this been going on for, son?"

Her voice is steadier now but she isn't looking up at Bobby. Hanbin wants to go over there and hold him but rubs the mark on his wrist instead.

"A..while. I'm sorry I didn't tell you. I really am. I just.. We wanted to talk to you actually. Hanbins' mom is..she's--"

He interrupts without thought.

"Bobby that's not important right now."

He doesn't expect Bobby to turn around in anger desperation.

"Yes it is! Hanbin's mom is trying to send him away to a mental health institution just because he's in love with me. She's abusing him, mom. She's beating him and telling him he's worth nothing when he's worth everything in this world."

Hanbin's breath gets caught in his throat as he stares wide eyed at Bobby. The other stares at him with fear, the words he just said piling onto his shoulders and pressing down hard. Hanbin knows how that feels.

"And Hanbin's sister is..she's so adorable mom. She's so young and adorable and I'm not letting Hanbin go to that facility. But if he doesn't she'll never let him see her again and mom..mom she can't do that to the both of them. I won't let her."

Ms. Kim finally raises her head, shaking it as if she's been in a daze for years. Hanbin is still holding his breath but he doesn't dare to let it go just yet.

"Bobby, son, let me think about this please. I need to.. think. And then we'll talk."

She gets up from her chair and Bobby deflates, almost falling on his knees before her. Hanbin wants to pick him up and tell him he shouldn't. But he sees how earnest her eyes are when they lock with his own, sees how she'd never make her son kneel before her. Sees how a family should really be like.

"You boys stay..stay here. I'll go speak to your father."

"Mom-"

Bobby's reaching for her when the aforementioned enters and Hanbin stumbles back a bit. Bobby glances at him but stands still, puffing out his chest in the most alpha way ever. Hanbin can smell the insecurity from a mile away, though.

"Speak to me about what?"

She gives them a look before grabbing him along and disappearing into the kitchen.

There's silence for a while, until Bobby turns around and really does fall. Hanbin is there to catch him.

"We did it."

Bobby's voice is breathless but there's a smile in there. A smile in his eyes as their gazes lock.

"We did."

He wants to say how proud he is of him. Of them. But Bobby's already pulling him forwards and into the tightest hug he's ever had the pleasure to feel. Hanbin still doesn't want to let go.

*

They're sitting on the Kims' family sofa as the streetlights turn on outside. Hanbin hasn't said a word in fifteen minutes, Bobby doing all the talking for him.

His father's gone to his study and Hanbin sees how tense Bobby is because of it. He knows there's probably going to be a lot more needed for him to accept 'whatever's going on between them'. But Hanbin also knows that he will accept it. With a sigh and probably with a year.

"And she's been doing this for ages, mom. Hanbin's never spoken up because he's never had anyone to speak to. But I'm here now. We're here. And we have to help him."

His mother lets out an exasperated sigh and Hanbin tightens the hold he has on Bobby's fingers, behind his back where no one can see. Bobby doesn't flinch, not even for a second.

"Hanbin, is all of this true? Or is my son just over exaggerating things?"

Hanbin sees how she wants to believe it's an exaggeration. Sees how she's begging for him to say that it's all okay and they're not in a ton of trouble.

He squirms in his seat and opens his mouth but nothing comes out. Bobby whispers a silent 'its okay' and the ruins of the dam get washed away by the flood of his feelings.

"It's true. She's...She's not okay. Ever since my dad died she's become someone I don't know. A monster. I can't--I can't do this any longer. I can't go back to her now that I know how love actually feels."

Ms. Kim looks at him, her scrutinizing stare boring right through him. Hanbin hopes it sees all the right things. Hopes that it doesn't dig too deep.

"If..If you don't believe me umm.. here's..."

And he does something he's never done before. Shows her a part of him no one's gotten to know. Not even Bobby.

He slides the sleeve of his hoodie up and turns around his arm. Points at something small, something that looks like a bugbite or a scratch. Something that makes her turn her head away and Bobby's breath hitch.

It's the burn mark. The mark that's stuck on him forever. The one that's ticking in the back of his skull telling him to behave.

"She marked me so I'd remember how to behave. It was a cigarette. Not as bad as the things she's done but the only thing that left a scar."

Bobby's thumb slides over the mark, his fingertips shaking ever so lightly. Hanbin feels tears burning his eyes and wonders why they're coming out now. Why he's coming out now and not sooner. Not before all of this could happen to him.

"Hanbin, I'm--"

Ms. Kim crouches down and Hanbin startles, her face too close to his. He knows his tears are visible now. Knows that all of him is bared and wonders if they'll ever accept him.

"Hanbin, I'm a laywer and I'm very good at what I do. Don't you think that I'm helping you just because you're with my son. I'm helping you because every and any mother would."

He hears the silent 'real' that's stuck between her words. Any real mother. Hanbin thinks he's finally found one.

"Thank you."

She smiles and gets up, wiping at her own eyes. Hanbin feels a smile tugging at the corner of his lips and doesn't really know what to do with it. Bobby puts it against his own and Hanbin thinks that this is the first time he's ever felt as a human being. As someone who matters. He catches that feeling in his chest and lets it stay there for the rest of the night.

*

"Please don't go."

He's borrowing one of Bobby's jackets after eating toast Ms. Kim made. He didn't mention how the honey on it reminded him of her son and his everlasting kisses.

"I have to. I'm just gonna pack my things and come right back, alright?"

He doesn't want to leave either. Doesn't want to let go of what he has right now.

"Let me come with you then."

Hanbin snorts and puts on his sneakers, Bobby helping him with them. He shivers at the closeness of their bodies, making Bobby smile.

"I'll be fine Bobby. I'll just get my things and tell her to off and come right back. Just.. let me know if your mom changes her mind or something."

Bobby snorts and grabs him closer, puts his arms around him and breathes in the scent of him. Hanbin shivers and entwines their fingers, letting himself go for just a second.

"Are you sure?"

Hanbin smiles and knows Bobby can tell he's doing so, even as he's standing behind him with his nose buried deep in his hair, lips the lightest of bruises on his nape.

"Yes. I'll be back in half an hour."

*

And it isn't fine. Not at all.

"Listen to me young man, if you think you can come and go as you please-- If you think you can go to that idiots house without telling me you're highly mistaken."

Hanbin walks past her and pats Hanbyul's head, running up the stairs to grab his bag and start putting his life back together.

"I can do whatever I want."

He feels confident now. Feels as if the world is his to conquer. She stands in his doorway, fuming.

Her nostrils flare in that way, that makes him shiver and hunch his shoulders. He still tries to seem confident.

"So, what? You think you're gonna go play house with him?"

Hanbin looks at her and nods, smiling wide and throwing a few pairs of socks into his gym bag. Her eyes are starting to bulge out of their sockets and Hanbin finds it to be amusing.

"You can't love him. He can't love you. It's an abomination."

Hanbin feels effervecent all of a sudden. He doesn't know if it's a bad sign or not.

"You're an abomination!"

He turns around then and stares at her with all the anger he's kept inside for years. Something in her eyes changes and Hanbin feels his stomach tighten and stumbles backwards. She snickers at him and closes the door.

Hanbin takes a deep breath before continuing but can't do so for long. There's a distinct sound behind his door and all of a sudden Hanbin knows exactly what's going on.

"You can't do this!"

He storms forward but it's too late. The door's locked and she has the key. Hanbin almost cackles at the metaphor of his life.

"Oh, I can. And I will. Have a great night Hanbin."

He's never felt as miserable as he does now, with his freedom in his hands and the way to it cut off.

*

'I cant leave. She locked me in my room.'

His charger is nowhere to be found and Hanbin is dreading losing the last of his battery. Losing his contact with his only lifeline.

'WTF??!?!? HANBIN IM CALLING THE POLICE!!'

The buzz is louder than he thought it would be and he keeps still, listening for any movement behind the door. There is none.

'No! Dont! Shes capable of turning this against us. Please dont. I'll be OK'

He doesn't have to wait a minute for Bobby to respond and he hears his heart break as he reads the message.

'hanbin stop in around!! shes keeping you hostage!! i shouldve come along im such a fckin idiot :( im gonna over'

It's his fault. It's his stupid stubbornness. It's him trying to fight back for the last time and losing anyway.

'Its not your fault! I didnt think of this beforehand, ok? U can come over but be careful, alright?'

Bobby doesn't respond and Hanbin feels his heart beating all the way up in his throat.

*

Bobby does come that night but Hanbin can only hear his voice from outside, yelling that he's going to come back and take him with.

It hasn't felt as terrifying as all the other times she's locked him in yet it's starting to. Especially so when she enters his room the next night and sits down on his armchair with something in her hand that he can't quite see.

"What...what's going on?"

She smiles at him and pushes Hanbyul out the door, closing it behind her. Hanbin thinks of knocking her out and making a run for it but knows he couldn't do it. He's not the kind of a person she is. He's not her family.

"You're leaving on Wednesday."

Hanbin chokes on his own saliva. He tries to speak but his tongue feels too heavy in his mouth and he gets stuck staring at her instead. He has three more days left to live.

"I'm not going anywhere."

She smiles again and tightens her hand around the thing she's holding. Hanbin feels goosebumps gathering along the small of his back and tries to keep himself still.

"Yes, you are. You're starting your New Year on a good note. Imagine if all the teens that are.. like you.. had a chance like this? They'd take it in a heartbeat."

Hanbin wants to laugh yet no sound comes out of his throat. He feels a heavy weight in his chest and wonders if it's suffocating him and if it'll be faster than whatever she has in mind.

He's about to protest again when she stands up and the belt unravels from her hand. Hanbin stares at it for the longest time until he feels numb enough to let her do whatever she wants with him.

*

'Im leaving on wednesday. Bye'

Hanbin feels weaker than he has in years, the weird miso soup she made him churning in his stomach and making him dizzy.

Bobby's text takes ages to come in.

'dont do this to me bin. tell me where she's taking u and what time ur leaving.'

Hanbin doesn't really think it'll make a difference but does as he's told. The next buzz is quicker.

'im coming for u. u just wait.'

And Hanbin does.

*

Wednesday arrives way too fast and too slowly at the same time. Hanbin hasn't heard from Bobby in days, ever since his phone decided to die on him and now he's sitting in his room and waiting for her to tell him when it's time to go and lose all the dignity he's ever had.

He wonders if he should make a run for it as soon as she leads him to the car or if he should wait for Bobby. If Bobby really is coming for him and everything will finally be okay.

She opens his door as soon as she's done with unloading his bags and Hanbin feels a desperate urge to just run. He knows it'll take him nowhere and puts on his jacket instead. Her smile of approval makes him gag.

"Are you ready for your new life?"

Hanbin thinks that the only new life he'd ever want to have is with Bobby. And she robbed him of the chance.

He sits down and winces, the marks on his back making him ache. It's not as deep as the ache in his bones though, the one that's screaming because a certain heat of a certain body is missing.

Hanbin waves at Hanbyul from the window and hopes that the neighbour who's babysitting her won't question the two lovely people that come to visit. The ones that'll hopefully take her to a better place that he isn't sure he'll ever have.

It's about an hour into the drive when Hanbin starts thinking of Bobby again. It's not as if he isn't in the back of his mind all the time but now he's the front line and center.

They agreed that Bobby'll stop the van near a gas station out of town. They agreed that Bobby'll come and rescue him. Like he's rescued him in so many ways before.

But Hanbin isn't sure he's coming. They're passing the gas station and there's no sign of him. No sign of anything and the ache in his bones turns into a static buzz under his skin.

He wonders if happy endings really are for princes and princesses and if he'll ever get the chance to have one.

"We're almost there."

Her voice sounds contempt and Hanbin feels like throwing up. He's scratching the burn mark on his wrist when it starts raining again and Hanbin accepts that it'll never stop.

A sudden jolt goes through him as the car stops to a hault and his mother breathes loudly, confused at what just happened. Hanbin doesn't want to hope but his hearbeat skyrockets anyway and he looks out the window, praying that he's gonna be hunted again.

He smells the earth and the musk in the air as the rain keeps pounding down around them, slowly turning into snow. His mother unlocks the doors to go check what happened and he takes the chance, hopping out with his bag, heartbeat thundering in his ears.

He looks up and it's him. It's Bobby. It's his new life, his future and his home everything wrapped up in one.

He hears her gasp and starts running to the car in the middle of the road. Starts running until he feels he's lost it all. Shed the skin of his old self to become a new one.

"I'm sorry! I'm so sorry our car got totaled and we had to take Jinhwans'. I'm so sorry."

Bobby's panting, worried look on his face deepening as Hanbin starts crying. He falls into his embrace, hearing nothing but their heartbeats in sync and the rain patting down on his skin.

"You came."

Bobby smiles at him and Hanbin cries more, the sound of it similar to a child lost in the woods. It's guttural and hollow and deep all at the same time. It's everything he's never gotten to let out. It's relief.

His mother yells at him to come back, yells at him that he's worthless yet Hanbin has found his worth in the arms he's in right now.

Bobby grabs his face in his hands and Hanbin feels his shoulders shake as their lips touch, tears covering his face as he tries his hardest not to sneeze all over his boyfriend.

His fingertips find the hem of his coat and bury themselves underneath it, finally digging through the dirt as Bobby digs through his heart and burrows there.

Their breaths mingle as their lips part, Bobby's tongue darting out to his lips one last time. Hanbin feels an involuntary giggle escape his throat as he tightens his grip on Bobby and the feeling of hope that's finally blooming in his chest.

"Let's go home."

Hanbin nods and takes his hand, staring at the specks of sun on Bobby's face and not even bothering to hide his eyes in shame in front of Jinhwan's dad and Chanwoo.

"Hanbin!! Come back here, right now!"

She's running towards them, stumbling over in her heels and Hanbin grabs his boyfriend the love of his life even tighter and thinks he never ever will.

The rain stops falling. And so do they.

*************

so.. the finish line is here!! this is the official ~~final~~ chapter but theres an epilogue coming since i really just want to write about happy bfs in love and junhwan and hanbyul and--you get the point. 

i hope you like this!! i wouldve wanted it to be a bit longer but it didnt happen so rip also if theres any mistakes ill fix them later since i wrote this on a ship extremely sleep deprived and im too tired to even think of fixing anything atm