Sehun wakes up to an unfamiliar weight pressed against him. At first, he wonders if he brought some one night stand with him, keeping in mind how much stressed he had been the last day, but it’s not until he catches sight of a familiar mop of healthy hair that he realizes it isn’t some one night stand, but Jongin. He remains as silent as he could all while making sure to not make even slightest of movements before realizing that Jongin was brought by him on the bed and no one else.

Now that the confusion about Jongin’s presence is no more there, he starts thinking how good it feels to have Jongin’s comparatively smaller body pressed against his bigger one. When he shifts a little, Jongin starts mumbling in his sleep before he rubs the back of his hand over his closed eyes. For a moment, he thinks that Jongin would wake up, only he doesn’t. He takes a long breath before shifting a little more so that he could look at Jongin.

He thinks he must look creepy. Especially with how his eyes are fixed solely on Jongin’s face (and the ample amount of skin displayed of Jongin’s smooth neck), and how much he refuses to blink his eyes even once in fear of missing the changes on Jongin’s face. Even while sleeping, Sehun thinks, he looks like he’s worrying about a thousand things. The thought intrigues Sehun beyond any word could ever describe. Jongin intrigues him beyond any word could ever describe.

From annoying the absolute hell out of him, while still making sure that he has Sehun whipped for him, he has Sehun wrapped around his little finger. The knowledge that he does everything unconsciously nearly drives Sehun to nuts. He has never met a person as fascinating as Jongin, and he thinks that in itself explains his curiosity to know more about Jongin to a new level. That only, somehow, makes Jongin more alluring than he already is and Sehun more fascinated than he already is.

When he’s done staring at Jongin’s face for a reasonable amount of time (mostly to avoid this bubbling feeling inside of him which demands him to place loving kisses on Jongin’s cute closed eyelids, his soft cheeks and cute button nose), his eyes slowly trail down Jongin’s neck to his curves. Not to mind or anything, but Sehun has always found Jongin’s curves rather alluring--aka very seductive--especially when he walks about his office without his coat; his shirt neatly tucked inside his pants that does nothing to hide his, unintentional, provocative figure.

Eyes fixed on a sliver of glowing tan skin of Jongin’s dainty waist, he bites his lower lip when his alter ego suddenly starts taking lead of his sanity. Of course, where did he think his other half would go? That monster is still lurking around him, ready to pounce on the first prey. Only he doesn’t understand how he managed to not screw everything in Jongin’s presence when he’s nothing short of a beauty who naturally demands attention for his entire existence.

His fingers itch to touch the skin and see if it’s as warm as it seems, but he doesn’t. He closes his eyes and lies back on his back, willing away every vulgar thought that suddenly starts invading his mind. It’s not until Jongin, a few minutes later, shuffles close to him that he opens his eyes to check if the younger has woken up. Which he hasn’t. He passes an amused glance to Jongin, wondering if the younger always seeks this much warmness--attention--in his sleep.

Jongin curls his hands on his chest and his eyes fall on Jongin’s plush lips, and he thinks back to last morning; about the kiss and why he was trying to avoid Jongin as much as he could. Now that the memory is back, he feels sudden pang in his chest. The sudden anguish that clings to his body in a desperate need of attention confuses him. In the silence around him, he wonders why does it hurt him so much. He doesn’t give the question much thought, though, thinking back to the last night when he was listening Jongin talking to Junmyeon and crying on his bed.

He doesn’t know when or how, but before he knows he’s already snaking an arm around Jongin’s waist to pull him closer. The anguish curling around him disappear as fast as it had curled around him and he exhales a deep sigh before, unconsciously, pressing a kiss to Jongin’s temple. Jongin stirs in his sleep from the touch; Sehun freezes on the spot.

“Morning, hyung,” Jongin mumbles, seemingly still in his drowsy state (his eyes are still closed and lips set into an adorable sleepy pout), before he places his head back on Sehun’s chest and closes his eyes.

Sehun remains stiff where he is lying, and eyes Jongin in caution. Just what is exactly happening? It’s not until he emits a sound that resembles a dog dying (which reminds Sehun of what he said last night), that Jongin sits up straight on the bed like a bullet. There’s silence between them; Jongin avoids his gaze while all he does is bore holes into Jongin’s head. A few minutes later, Jongin adjusts the shirt he’s wearing on his waist and his shoulders, and it’s only when Jongin hides the bare skin there that Sehun realizes he had been staring at it.

“I am sorry,” Jongin apologizes when he gets back to his senses. “I-I don’t know when I came here. I don’t remember coming here…” Jongin mumbles to himself. Sehun keeps the truth to himself.

“Maybe you sleep walk,” he provides and stretches his body. He doesn’t miss Jongin’s eyes on his abdomen when his shirt rides up. Thank God, at least he has something to be proud about: that is, his glorious abs.

“But I do not sleepwalk!” Jongin denies, shaking his head even at the thought of sleepwalking. “But then how did I come here?” Jongin turns around to look at him, his lips set in a confused pout. Sehun clears his throat and looks away.

“I don’t know,” he replies, suddenly irritated that the memory of certain someone kissing certain someone is back in his mind. “Not like I care or something. But next time make sure that you don’t end up drooling on someone else when you’re sleeping. Not everyone like you drooling over them just because your husband liked. Maybe. Who knows if he liked it or not.”

There’s stunned silence between them; Sehun avoids looking at Jongin’s face in fear of catching hurt across his beautiful features. He clears his throat when Jongin remains silent before sitting up on the bed, and running a hand through his hair. He does not apologize, simply because he is pissed off. “Kyungsoo hyung never complained about it,” Jongin begins when he’s about to climb out of the bed. “I mean, he never said that he does. But, I am sorry. I don’t know when or how I came here and for that one, too.”

Sehun feels guilty of not telling Jongin that it was him who brought him to his bed last night. “Why are you telling me that anyway?” He asks, almost in a snappish tone. “Go and tell... Junmyeon about it. I am one hundred percent sure he would be delighted to hear such thing from you.” Then scoffs. “Who knows if he would even allow you to sleep with him just so you could drool on his chest.”

When he receives no answer in return, he climbs out of the bed before running a hand through his hair. He gives Jongin a few more moments before sighing and walking toward his walk in closet. He comes back a few minutes later, simply because he needed some time to breath after being harsh on the younger, a bathrobe in his hand.

“I am going to take shower. You can take after me--”

“What has Junmyeon hyung got to do anything with this?” Jongin asks, naively confused.

Sehun clenches his jaw in irritation, thinking back to the vivid memory of them kissing. He gives Jongin a baleful glance before hissing, “you would know better.”

“Hyung, you’re acting different. What have I done? Would you tell me anything?”

“What are you, a kid of four?” He barks in anger; Jongin flinches as if burned. He runs a hand through his hair and without another glance passed to Jongin, walks inside the bathroom only to close the door with a resounding bang!

When he comes back half an hour later, he spots Jongin sitting curled on his bed, his head bowed down as it had been half an hour ago. Sehun does not pass him another glance before standing in front of the mirror. Jongin, as if realizing his presence, looks up; Sehun catches reflection of his tears stained face.

“I am sorry,” Jongin says between whimpers. Sehun gulps the rising bile in his throat, that and ignores the sudden waver in his chest. “I have always been a burden to you. I have been thinking about this ever since you left me alone here. You have always been kind to me; you never shouted, never said anything mean to me even when I messed up things in the office. Everywhere else. Hyung, thank you for being so kind to me and standing beside him. I know I have been nothing but ungrateful for every little thing you’ve done for me.”

Jongin stays silent for some seconds as if gathering his thoughts and himself. Sehun feels like a douche for doing what he had done just some time ago.

“I think you need shower.” He points to the bathroom. He runs a hand through his wet hair before sighing once again. “I will give you my clothes.”

Jongin stays silent and fiddles with the duvet on his lap before opening his mouth again. “Why did you bring Junmyeon hyung between us?” The expression that Jongin wears confuses Sehun.

Sehun clenches his jaw in irritation, noticing how the sudden ache is back in his chest. “I said go and take shower, we are getting late for the company.”

“It’s Sunday,” Jongin grumbles before looking up at him, his eyes afraid and worried. “Are we not going to the station?”

Sehun remains stunned on the spot before huffing a little. “Do you want to go the station?--Then go. It’s not like I am stopping you or anything.” He fiddles with the belt around his waist before rolling his eyes. ‘Have you forgotten that I am the CEO, I am needed in the company every day?”

“Would you not come?” Jongin asks and he suddenly sounds so small, Sehun almost turns around to hug him. He doesn’t.

“Do you want to take shower or not?” He asks, annoyed. When Jongin finally climbs out of the bed, Sehun points to the closed bathroom door. “That’s there. I will give you my clothes, but first, take a shower.” Jongin nods his head and with his head hung low, takes small unsure steps toward the bathroom. When Sehun asks him to wait for a second so that he could bring him a towel, Jongin doesn’t listen and closes the door of the bathroom behind him.

Sehun sighs to himself before running a hand through his hair. They look like a bickering couple; when for a moment, he avoids thinking about Junmyeon and Jongin, the thought of them bickering like a couple, brings a smile on his face. Although he does not notice the smile on his face.

He quickly shuffles into his suit pants making sure to keep an eye on the door, just in case Jongin decides to finish it the second he’s . When Jongin doesn’t, in fact, come out of the bathroom even after half an hour (don’t get him wrong, he has just been keeping an eye on the watch), he furrows his brows in worry. He takes slow steps toward the bathroom, knocking on the door when Jongin doesn’t come out even after five minutes.

“Jongin?” He calls, worry lacing his tone. “Are you alright in there?” When Jongin still doesn’t answer, he quickly walks back to his walk in closet, grabs a new robe before walking back to the bathroom. “Answer me this time or I will come inside the next second. Are you alright there?”

When Jongin still doesn’t answer, he gives another warning before opening the door (shocked that Jongin actually forgot to lock the door) and walking inside the bathroom. He makes sure to keep his eyes shut if Jongin were ; not for his sake, but Jongin’s. The younger would probably die in embarrassment and would kill him in anger if he actually witnessed him .

When he doesn’t feel any form near him, he dares to open his eyes and in the same second, catches a figure sitting in the bathtub. At least the curtain is drawn, Sehun thinks. “Jongin?” He calls again, making sure to keep his voice soft.

Jongin looks up and toward him; although Sehun knows nothing much would be visible through the white curtain, even though its see through. The younger hums.

“Why weren’t you answering me?” He asks but then shakes his head. “Nevermind, here. I brought robe for you, wear it.” When Jongin doesn’t make any move to take it, he steps a little ahead. “Are you alright? Are you hurt?” When Jongin still doesn’t answer, he hesitantly moves the curtain a little, just a little to pass the robe to the other side. “I am going to get ready.”

There’s shuffle behind him when he turns around a minute later before Jongin calls him before he could walk out of the bathroom. He turns around just in time when Jongin steps out of the bathtub, freshly showered. Sehun has to blink his eyes a few times to blink out the sudden daze he has found himself into. Jongin manages to look gorgeous even after quick showering, without any makeup. He was right that day after all, Jongin doesn’t even need makeup to look pretty.

“Did you see us?” Jongin asks, unsure and worried, again.

“What?” Sehun asks, confused.

“Junmyeon hyung and me... kissing.”

Sehun clenches his jaw. Just when he thought his mood is getting better, Jongin had to bring that of all thing. “Yes,” he answers, not really caring if he sounds like a dying and a pissed off lion at the same moment. “I was about to call you two for breakfast when I saw you two kissing... in my bedroom, no less.”

Jongin reddens before he apologizes, then: “Hyung, are you angry on me because of what you saw last morning?”

Sehun avoids Jongin’s gaze, wondering why Jongin is bringing this up. “I am not angry on you,” he says, lies. “Why are we even talking about this--”

“Because you’re bringing Junmyeon hyung between us when without any reason.”

“You’re awfully protective of him,” Sehun points out, turing to look at him. He passes a baleful look to the younger when Jongin opens his mouth to speak something. “What is he to you, huh? Are you two together? Or is it just because he’s a great kisser. A fact for you, I have heard many of his night flings saying how he’s a great kisser.” Jongin looks taken aback at the last sentence, his eyes widening in shock. “What? Did you think Junmyeon is a God sent from Heaven? He is my friend, and like me, he goes around ing everyone that he comes around. No, actually he had stopped doing that a few years ago, but noticing his interest in you, who knows if he’s back to his old self.”

Jongin whimpers for a full minute, his eyes turning red with the sudden tears. “I--”

“No, wait a minute. Let me speak.” Sehun points a finger at the younger. “You, my friend, have gathered my friend’s attention. He says he likes you, I don’t know if he likes you or wants to you. But the thing that’s happening between the two of you is beyond my understanding. I used to think you knew how to read people. But look, here I am!” He runs a hand through his hair, chuckling a little to himself. “Whatever I saw yesterday--I hate myself for even vividly remembering that thing.”

“You have made one thing clear at least,” he stops, his mind screams to not say the next few words because he knows they will only hurt Jongin... but he speaks nonetheless. “You’re nothing but a gullible, naive idiot.” With that being said, and not even a single glance passed to the younger, he turns around and walks out of the bathroom, closing the door behind him with a click. He thinks he heard a cry before a loud thunk in the background. But the guilt that starts gnawing on him, doesn’t allow him to turn around and actually dare to apologize to Jongin for what he said.

He paces around the room in agitation for a few long minutes before sitting on the bed and occasionally running his hand through his hair in distress. He shouldn’t have said that. Gullible is a bad word to call someone so is idiot, he thinks to himself, but naive? Naive is a good word, no? Is it bad to call someone naive?

When Jongin doesn’t come out even after a few more minutes, he falls back on the bed. His mind is in haywire right at this moment, all of the thoughts are jumbled and in mess inside his brain and if he didn’t let some of them out, he would probably faint soon. He had never been this confused in his life before; whether it’s because he’s pissed off for something that he thinks he shouldn’t be pissed off at or because his feelings for certain someone is still unexplained to him, he isn’t really sure.

The door of the bathroom opens a few minutes later, Sehun sits up quickly on the bed. He eyes Jongin in pensive silence for a few minutes before looking away from him. Jongin just walks toward him and sits next to him on the bed. There’s complete silence between them, until Jongin opens his mouth but all he does is whimper. Sehun gulps the rising bile in his throat before looking down and realizing that he’s still waist up.

“You were crying last day.”

Sehun remains stunned on the bed, not daring to open his mouth for a few seconds. “How do you know?” He asks when he feels Jongin’s burning gaze on him.

Jongin shrugs beside him. “I am a parent of a kid of five; I have more experience in a lot of things that you. If you think you could come out of the bathroom half an hour later, with red and swollen eyes, red face and bitten lips, and I won’t know then you’re wrong. Very wrong. I have taken care of a lot of people; my dead husband, too. I have learned to read the men who claim to be hard headed; I have learned to read people. You say I don’t know how to read people. Maybe I am not that good, maybe I do mistakes too.” Jongin fiddles with his fingers on his lap; he, however, doesn’t stop staring at Sehun. “Maybe you’re right because I still don’t know why you were crying last day. What is the reason, hyung? Do you, perhaps, love Junmyeon--”

“What is that even?” Sehun frowns, almost laughs out loud at Jongin even thinking that he loves Junmyeon of all people. “I don’t love him.”

“Then why were you crying?” Jongin asks, genuinely confused.

Sehun snorts before looking at Jongin, straight into the younger’s soul. “Why does it matter to you if I cry or not?” When he notices the red crawling down Jongin’s cheeks and his neck, he smirks and leans more into Jongin’s personal space. If Jongin feels uncomfortable with the close proximity between them, he doesn’t point out, much to some oblivious reasons to Sehun. “Jongin, what am I to you?”

When here’s only a hair breadth of distance between their lips (the closet they have ever been to each other) and Jongin looks like he would burst into tears anytime soon, Sehun pulls back from the younger before looking away to take a few deep breaths. Now that he was so close to Jongin, he realized how many times he’d wanted to kiss the absolute hell out of Jongin. This time was no different.

Jongin takes a loud gulp before he suddenly whimpers, catching Sehun’s attention at the vulnerable sound. “There’s nothing between Junmyeon hyung and me.” Again Junmyeon. “The k-kiss, hyung... I-I didn’t know what to do and I--”

“You kissed him back and what else?” Sehun stands up and runs a hand through his hair. “What else do you want to tell me?”

“Hyung, I-I didn’t want to kiss him at first, b-but he--”

“Did he force himself on you?”

Jongin shakes his head. “H-he didn’t, he just--”

“You’re just wasting my time then.” He snaps in irritation.

“Hyung, please, listen to me first,” Jongin pleads, begs; his eyes unusually big and watery. The hold around his wrist isn’t tight, but Sehun still stops himself to listen to what the younger wants to talk about.

“What is it?” He asks gruffly. If Jongin feels alarmed and or sad with the tone he uses on him, he doesn’t show it.

“Junmyeon hyung said that.” That piques his curiosity.

“What did he say?”

Jongin brings his hand back before lowering his head down; Sehun notices the shake in the younger’s body. “I always thought he was a nice guy, but yesterday... he behaved strangely. I don’t know what happened or why he was acting differently as soon as you left us, but he became mean.” Sehun almost chuckles at the use of the word. “First he was alright, he was asking about that evening and if I was hurt. It was a normal conversation but then all of a sudden he went silent. I thought he didn’t have anything to say, but then he spoke again and everything that he said was mean and hurtful. But I thought he cared about me and so I listened to him. When he was done speaking, I felt as if no one cared about me as much as Junmyeon hyung did or do.”

Sehun hums, prompting Jongin to speak further. He still has no idea where this conversation is going.

“When he was done listening about my past; the death of my husband and the birth of my son--” Sehun tunes everything out for a few seconds. So Jongin actually shared everything with Junmyeon and not with him. “He asked me about something else too.” When Sehun does not ask what is it, he continues, “about how people treat me. He said that he knew how people treat widow and he wanted to hear if I was safe in the neighborhood I was living in. I was shocked at first because no one asked me that. I thought it was very kind of him asking me such. He was very considerate of his words, too.” Jongin sounds charmed, Sehun won’t lie if he were in Jongin’s place, he wouldn’t feel the same.

“When I was comfortable with him, he started talking about how unsafe it was for me to be living alone with my son. I never thought why he would talk about all these things but, I don’t know why I felt safe talking to him about all those things. No one bothered to talk to me about that, no one outside of my family, and that moment I felt as if I was being protected by him. I don’t know how to explain it you, hyung, but it was a good feeling.”

Jongin sighs and there’s silence for some moments. Jongin takes time to gather his thoughts and probably form sentences, while Sehun simply keeps mum because he doesn’t know what to say after what he heard.

“It’s been time since someone actually cared about not so trivial things related to my life,” Jongin begins again. “I thought that he cared for me enough to know if I was safe or not; if my surrounding is safe for me and my son. He sounded like... Kyungsoo. I don’t know what he said after that, I was pretty much happy to feel safe after so many years.” Jongin stops and bites his lower lip. “A lot of things happened between us; he said a lot of things to me and everything was just…” he stops and waves his hand a little, indicating that he has something in his mind but he doesn’t know how to say it.

“Hyung, I have been alone all these years. I have been standing up for my child and my family alone, all these years and I thought I was complete. That I didn’t need anyone else now; if Kyungsoo wasn’t with me, then I wanted no one else, too... but after what happened with Junmyeon hyung last morning, whatever he said, he just made me realize how much I was missing on a lot of things. He made me realize I was, after all, incomplete.”

When Sehun still doesn’t speak anything, he sighs, “I spoke like a broken record, but even then he heard me. I started crying so he held me. He promised me sweet nothings and I believed every little promise of his. What do you expect from an incomplete man, anyway? I hadn’t been getting the affection that I needed but didn’t know that I needed, Junmyeon hyung promised me to give it. So when he gave me, I ran after it like a starved man.”

“When he kissed me, I didn’t fight it. I thought it was natural of me to run after the smallest of affection Junmyeon was showing me. Junmyeon hyung gave me, without me even asking. I was happy; I felt safest than I had felt in years.” Jongin’s expression turns sad then, he takes a 180 degree change. “Even though his words were right and maybe intentions, too. I don’t know why, but now that I think about it, I shouldn’t have kissed him. Oh, he said he liked me and I-I... used him for my selfishness. He kissed me because he liked me, but I kissed him because I was nothing but selfish.”

Sehun clenches his jaw. “He is a ing manipulator, deceitful, unscrupulous man!” Sehun growls; Jongin replies with a shake of his head. “I can’t believe that I actually forget how much that bastard is good with words.”

“He was truth.”

“What the hell does that even mean?”

“Whatever he said was real. He wasn’t lying to me.”

“Are you kidding me?” Jongin shakes his head. Sehun scoffs. “Then go and with him. He is probably dying to be your man.”

Jongin whimpers. “I don’t like him like that.”

“You two were kissing!” Sehun points out.

“We were kissing because I was selfish. I was hungry for attention...”

“What is it--why did you stop?”

Jongin’s chest heaves up and down in heavy breathing, a few tears fall from his eyes. “I-I need someone.”

After a brief silence Sehun finally dares to ask, “what do you mean?”

“I-I have been alone for so long. I cannot take it anymore.” Jongin cries. “I kissed him because h-he…” He wipes his tears. “I kissed him because I need someone to take care of me. I-I... when Junmyeon hyung finally showed me reality, I felt vulnerable. When he showed that he cares, I felt all those things that I used to feel all those years ago.” Jongin waves his arms around as if struggling with words to explain his thoughts. “I felt needed. I haven’t felt like that in years; since Kyungsoo left me. The thought that you’re needed by someone is great; the feeling... you cannot explain it, but it’s there and you feel it when you feel needed.” Jongin sighs and shakes his head as if giving up on his explanation. “I don’t know if you’re understanding what I mean or not.”

Sehun is, in fact, understanding things a bit. A bit, but he’s understanding nonetheless. He sighs and runs a hand through his hair before walking out of the bedroom and toward the balcony. Jongin does not follow him; he does not explain to the younger that he needs some time to understand everything that he just said. He still doesn’t know if there’s anything going between them or not; if Jongin feels anything for his friend or not. If Jongin has chosen Junmyeon. When his thoughts (and worry. worry?) look like they won’t leave him anytime soon, he walks back inside the room, surprised to see Jongin standing on the same spot with his head hung low.

“You like Junmyeon?” He asks.

Jongin shakes his head almost immediately. “Junmyeon hyung is a nice man, but I don’t like him like that. I told you, I was selfish enough to play with his feelings--”

“No, wait, tell me first,” he stops and clears his throat. “You do like someone?”

Jongin stops, stunned. “What?”

“Do you like someone?”

Jongin reddens, much to Sehun’s confusion (and worry). “I don’t know…”

Sehun furrows his brows. “Lucas? Your neighbor.”

“Oh my God, no. He is a kid.”

“He is only three to four years younger than you,” Sehun points out before shaking his head. He stays silent for some moments before opening his mouth again. “Do you know them well?”

Jongin shrugs a little, by now, his tears have dried on his cheeks; his eyes, though, are still red and swollen, and he looks like he would burst into tears soon. “Kind of.”

“Is it Baekhyun?” Sehun furrows his brows. He hasn’t seen Jongin with Baekhyun a lot; in fact, he hasn’t even heard Baekhyun talking about Jongin to an alarming level... but if Baekhyun turned out to be the guy, Sehun will probably end up committing--

“Of course not. He’s like my older brother.”

Sehun sighs before furrowing his brows again. Then who it is? “Do I know him?”

Jongin shrugs, before whimpering all of a sudden. “You know him well more than anyone else.”

Sehun stays silent; Jongin, too, if his whimpering and another set of tears are not taken into consideration, that is.

“Oh God,” Jongin says all of a sudden. “I am cheating on Kyungsoo.” He covers his mouth with both of his hands, looking horrified at the sudden thought (and fear) of cheating on his late husband. “I-I should leave. Kyungsoo would hate me so much.”

“For what? Falling in love again and for being happy?”

Jongin does not seem to register his words; if anything, he cries harder, suddenly looking small and too vulnerable for this world. Sehun lets him have his little moment of worry and fear; he thinks it would be better if Jongin comes to a conclusion himself. The younger doesn’t even look like he would hear anything from him anyway.

Some moments later (exactly twenty-five minutes later; Sehun has been keeping his eyes on the wall clock) when Jongin finally relents a little and looks into his eyes (his eyes wide and teary, and his lips keep wobbling as if he still wants to cry some more), Sehun sighs; in part relief and part something.

When Jongin only sniffs, he walks toward the younger in slow leisure steps as if he isn’t only calculating Jongin’s expression but is juggling with his own feelings and thoughts. He stops just in front of the younger, stares at him for a few minutes before deciding to hover over Jongin’s smaller frame. “Jongin,” he calls, coos in adoration. When Jongin only whimpers in response, he pulls his hands out of his pants pockets and gingerly wraps them around Jongin waist; in a tight, tight hold, still soft and delicate nonetheless.

“You want someone, you say,” he begins, burying his face in the crook of Jongin’s neck and only registering Jongin’s natural scent and his small, vulnerable whimpers and nothing else. “You have been alone for so long, you say. You need someone to be there for you, you say. You say how you’ve come to realize how alone you have been all these years. You say how difficult everything has been for you; you say how difficult it is to raise your son and smile when every second you feel nothing but sad, and vulnerable and worried about everything.” Placing a kiss to Jongin’s temple, he ignores the pain that travels down his spine when Jongin’s desperately clings to the bare skin of his chest when he couldn’t find anything to hold onto.

“Jongin,” he whispers, nosing along Jongin’s ear. “You want someone. You’ve finally realized. You want to move on? Move on, that’s the best thing you could do. To yourself, your son and for everyone around you. It has been difficult, no? It’s painful, no?” Jongin nods into his chest, a very small nod. “You want to fall in love again.” He concludes. Jongin goes lax in his arms, in his hold; Sehun feels wetness on his bare chest. The younger is crying, again. “Jongin, say you want to fall in love again. Tell me you want to fall in love again.”

Jongin curls his fists on his chest and stays silent for the first few minutes before finally whispering an answer in a very unsure, timid voice; a very simple, innocent “yes” that will only bring change in his life.

Sehun smiles, his lips puffing soft breathes in the shell of Jongin’s ear; Jongin whimpers in response, cowers more in fear or hurting a certain someone; thoughts of Kyungsoo and his smiles and laughs suddenly invading every crevices of his brain before finally setting in his mind. “Then stop running,” Sehun whispers, his lips forming words on Jongin’s ear and his neck. “Stop running, step aside, and stay still.” Jongin goes lax in the elder’s arms, closes his eyes, and forgets about every little worry of his. “Let me come to you.” His hold on Jongin’s waist tightens, the muscles of his arms now bulging and looking well defined.

“I need love, too. I want to feel everything again. Let go.” Sehun rubs his thumb under Jongin’s shirt; Jongin’s warm skin inviting him in, luring him in the beauty that he has yet to claim as his own. “Forget him,” he begins again; “forget about him, move on, let him go, and…” he stops, throat suddenly feeling clogged with sudden onslaught of very familiar feelings and emotions. “Let me be your man.”