Hollow Fusion

Chapter 1

Every day in the morning, they have to make sure to charge for at least 30 seconds. Taekwoon and he have been matched and paired up together for 15 years now. Except for the rare occasion when one of them have to go on a necessary field trip, every morning like clockwork Hakyeon transfers his power, which is made naturally inside his body, over to Taekwoon without fail. He’s like a machine recharging Taekwoon’s battery.  They exchange power through mouth to mouth.

Thus, he knows when Taekwoon’s lips stay longer on his than 30 seconds. Just as that thought enters his mind, Taekwoon’s lips leave his and his partner steps back.

“Going to have a busy morning?” Hakyeon asks conversationally as he lets himself lies back down onto his bed. His first class is cancelled today. His teacher is on maternity leave, and the school won’t have a substitute until tomorrow.

“Yes,” Taekwoon answers. He picks up his school bag and heads for the door without further elaboration. Taekwoon has never been much of a talker in the early morning, unless he’s complaining about something or another.

Hakyeon stares at Taekwoon’s back until the door is closed shut. He allows himself the luxury of closing his eyes for another hour; sleep still hasn’t given up its claw on him.  Sometimes he wonders if Taekwoon has started dating anyone yet.  Some part of Hakyeon’s mind is curious to know, and some part of him is not keen on asking about his partner’s dating life. He has heard funny stories from other people about their partners dating others, and running back and forth when they need to recharge.

Yeah Hakyeon is really not keen on imagining Taekwoon dating someone, and coming for him for charging. That fact should be common for same partners, or male – female partners who don’t date each other, but other people.  But still … Hakyeon stops his pondering and let himself drift back to sleep.

***

Taekwoon opens one tired eyes and then the other as the sound of the curtain is being pushed open. He looks up from his lying position, and right into Hakyeon’s familiar pissed off dark eyes.

“We are graduating High School soon,” Hakyeon grumbles with concern and exasperation. His words are punctuated with his heavier breathing. “How many times do I have to tell you this? If you are running out of power, you need to find another working supplier and use them!” His partner must have received words from the school nurse that Taekwoon was feeling weak, and had to come running to him right away. Their school is on the large side that it even has dormitory rooms to house students.

Taekwoon only half listens to Hakyeon’s familiar lecture. He can already recite Hakyeon’s words for words in his head. He slowly lets his back get off the infirmary bed, and instead sits his on top of it. “I get it already,” he says almost curtly. His lethargy makes his words come out harsh and demanding. “Just come over here.” 

Hakyeon drags the curtain close around the bed again, before he climbs up to join Taekwoon. He kneels on his knees while leaning his upper body over, and pressing his lips against Taekwoon’s slightly parted one, effectively starting their power exchange.

Taekwoon closes his eyes as surges of energy and warmth enter his body, and flood his brain. He’s the receiver so he knows well when he receives enough power to last him for how many hours until noon or evening time. He’s almost always the first one to open his eyes. He’s almost always able to look at Hakyeon’s still closed eyes and peaceful expression as energy still flowing from Hakyeon’s mouth to his. Their faces are as close as they can be; he can see the individual strands of Hakyeon’s eyelashes, and how his bangs are starting to fall past his eyebrows again.

There are days when Hakyeon gets annoyed with him more often than not. He mutters, he frowns, he may glare, and even gives Taekwoon the cold shoulder for hours on end, but Hakyeon always becomes gentle during their exchange of power.

In this country, every person must be matched up with a partner as early as three years old. People are paired up with another person in the same generation, with the same wavelengths. It is impossible for a receiver, such as Taekwoon, to live without periodically being given power from a supplier, in this case Hakyeon. Though in emergency or special circumstances, a receiver should be able to accept power from other suppliers.

However there are some receivers who can’t stand that sort of thing, in this case him. He had had to receive power from other people in the past when Hakyeon and he had to be apart. The taste of power from others just felt weird and uncomfortable, and again weird.  He can’t help how he feels. If he can wait for Hakyeon, even if he has to be weak for half an hour to an hour, he rather waits for his partner. Yes, he's not the most selfless person in the world. No, why would he want another person's weird taste of power on his tongue, and unfamiliar lips and body pressing against him, if he can have Hakyeon's instead as he always does for as long as he can remember.

Taekwoon shifts slightly away and breaking their contact; Hakyeon takes the cue, opens his eyes and leans back his upper body. “You have enough?” Hakyeon’s inquisitive eyes observe him. He’s always the most gentle and attentive during these moments, never harsh.

“Yes.”

Hakyeon leans back fully and gets off from the bed. He turns to look back at Taekwoon again, and his eyes are losing their softness. Taekwoon can feel another lecture coming and he braces himself for them, while his face looks blankly up at Hakyeon.

However the lecture never comes. Hakyeon presses his lips tight together once, and then relaxes them. He pats the top of Taekwoon’s head and lets his fingers thread through a few strands.

“How long did you lie on this bed before I came?” Hakyeon asks as he pats on one side of Taekwoon’s head. “Your hair is standing up.” He smiles, his dark shiny eyes and face light up, as he's amusing himself in trying to pat down those strands of Taekwoon’s hair. Those strands once stand up are always very stubborn and refuse to be flattened down, until they get wet with water or by a hair product. Taekwoon sits still and feels contend. His body is relaxed and full again, and he lets himself enjoy the contact. The action gives a calming effect to his brain, as it has been doing so for many years.

****

Note: Even though I'm no longer actively following VIXX, my mind can't help but keep wondering "oh what NEO AU" can I make out of this story or that. Shinkuu Yuusetsu is an old fav though which I just remember again recently. Happy Valentine Day.