A/N:

holy nuggets, this one's like 52 words short of 2000. 

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A dream. For the first time in years, Changkyun woke from a dream. Not a nightmare. Not blank sleep. He stirred from his rest with a pleasant feeling, unsure from what because he couldn't remember. All he knew was that familiarity of a dream.

But of course, he woke up before the sun even rose. And heard a knock on his front door.

“Who the hell would be here at this hour?” He grumbled as he got up for the house’s entrance.

“J-Jooheon? Why’d you come back early?”

“Is a day early to you? Why the aren’t you answering your phone? I was so ing worried about you and your stupid ,” Jooheon rambled angrily as he pulled his friend in for a hug. He didn’t let go.

Changkyun forgot about his phone since the day he broke up with Kihyun. He had left it untouched and powered off somewhere in his house. Not wanting to disturb Jooheon (read: not wanting to tell Jooheon about Kihyun) or receive any messages or calls from his ex-boyfriend, the boy ignored his phone.

“I was—I just—There was no—I forgot about it. I turned it off and got distracted by other things,” he half-lied, trying to convince not only his friend but himself.

Jooheon recognized the hesitation in the younger’s voice as a poor attempt to cover something up. He released the other of the hug but firmly clasped his hands on his friend’s shoulders, looking (read: glaring) into his eyes.

“For five days?” He asked incredulously. “Bull. Something happened and you’re not telling me. You’re not planning on telling me. . . I don’t really like swearing, but . What even am I to you?”

His voice grew exasperated with a hint of hysteria.

“I’m your best friend, yet you’ve been hiding things from me for weeks. No, months. Maybe even years? I don’t know. I’m just so frustrated. You know how scary it is not being able to get ahold of you for FIVE WHOLE DAYS?”

Changkyun clamped his eyes shut, unfamiliar with Jooheon’s anger.

“I told you that I’m always here. I am, trust me. I just left to see my parents for almost a week and you go M.I.A on me. I thought that maybe you were just taking a break from your phone or, I don’t know, you maybe forgot to charge it for a day or two.”

His grip grew in strength, fingers digging into the younger’s skin through his thin t-shirt. Changkyun breathed steadily to avoid showing the pain he felt both physically and emotionally. He wanted to tell Jooheon. He did so much that it was killing him inside.

But he couldn’t. And didn’t.

“Nothing? You’re just gonna stand there in silence? Why do I feel like I’m being mocked? Is that it? Am I nothing more than just a tool to use when you need me for your ing anxiety and sleep issues? Well, I’m sorry for being so overbearing and barging in at God knows what hour it is. You know I took a taxi to get here? It was so ing expensive. I could’ve just waited till morning to take my own car, but I needed to ing make sure you were okay.”

They stood there for a moment without a word. Jooheon removed his hands, turned around, and muttered, “It seems you’re just fine.”

It took Changkyun less than five seconds to snap out of whatever daze he was in and grab Jooheon by the wrist.

And it took less than three seconds to pull him close and wrap his arms around the older.

It took less than ten seconds after Jooheon’s initial depart for Changkyun to realize he was in love with his best friend.

“I’m so sorry. You wouldn’t believe it, but a whole ing lot of went down while you were gone. I didn’t want you worrying, so I tried to handle it on my own. I—“

Any words planned to say were lost once Jooheon’s lips began making trails up the younger’s neck, leading to his jaw. He tilted his head, creating more space for the other’s mouth.

“I just—ah—I forgot about m-my phone. I didn’t-didn’t think you’d call before co-coming back,” he could hardly talk around Jooheon’s kisses on his jaw and the other’s hands in his hair.

He’s known this boy’s touch for so long, yet he didn’t know it like this.

Stepping back, Changkyun shut the door. He led the older to his room, but before they entered, he was pushed against the adjacent wall.

Eyes closed, he reached for the older’s face which was still leaving marks on the younger’s neck and jaw.

“You don’t understand,” Jooheon breathed bet