Eli did not know how late it was when he heard a timid knock at his door. He opened his sleepy eyes and looked for a clock; found grumbling that it was shortly after midnight.

They were awake since early morning and rushed from one appointment to another, were at the end still longer remained in the training room as they had planned and when they finally came home, they were totally exhausted and tired. The next morning was the recording of their 'Tick Tack' MV and for that they wanted to be rested.

After a quiet dinner - Dongho was half asleep so that he almost dropped his head onto his plate - they all went to bed and enjoyed the time they could sleep.

So it was more annoying for Eli that someone woke him up.

"Yes?!", he asked, an annoyed tone in his voice, and looked at the door and was curious to see who dared to want something from him in the middle of the night.

The door opened softly and somebody stepped cautiously into the room, closed the door behind him with a quiet click. Eli tried to see who it was but it was too dark to see more than a few dark outlines. Of course he could turn on the lamp on the bedside table, but his eyes had become accustomed to the darkness and it was more or less fatal, making light now.

"Eli ...?", it wasn't more than a faint whisper, but it was enough for Eli to be fully awake with a shock and his heart instantly struck many times faster. "Kevin?"

It took a moment, but when Kevin stepped into the pale moon light, which came in through the window, the elder gasped frightened when he realised that it was Kevin right in front of him, only wearing a baggy Shirt and short boxers. He had his arms wrapped around his pillow and clutched it unsafely to his chest.

"Are you okay?" Eli leaned on his elbows, a puzzled look on his face, and looked at the younger, who played nervously with his fingers and tryed to avoided permanently the look to his Hyung.

"I uhm... so you know... uhm..." Kevin mumbled quietly and looked out of the window, hoping that Eli wouldn't notice the red shade on his cheeks. "Well... ehm... I'm sorry I-I didn't want to wake you..." He nervously bit down on his lower lip.

Eli sighed but then smiled up to his band member. "Come on Kev." he said with a reassuring smile, even if he was not sure if Kevin could see it, and sat up. "How can I help you?"

He heard that Kevin took a deep breath before he finally stared to the floor. "Can- can I sleep with you? I- I uhm... I mean... next to you."

His voice was quiet and the question soft and normally it would have been hard to hear it, but Eli still knew the question; from countless nights before.

"Of course you can!" He said with a loving smile and slid to the side to make room for Kevin.

"Thank you," the younger smiled happily and settled himself comfortably in the bed of his Hyung. "And sorry again that I woke you."

"It's okay." Eli waved with a smile, shaking his head and looked at the graceful figure of his Dongsaeng. "Was it a nightmare again?"

Kevin blushed as he shook his head and pulled the blanket up to his chin. "Since a several nights Dongho-ah sleeps very restless and writhing all the time back and forth and... and... mhmhmhmmpf!"

"What?" Eli laughed and reached a hand out and tried to pull the blanket from Kevins mouth. "You should pull down the blanket so that I can understand you."

"You're not supposed to hear it", Kevin muttered softly, slowly pulled the blanket from his mouth. "Is it really okay for you if I sleep here again?"

Eli smiled and nodded, made himself comfortable next to Kevin. "Of course it's okay," he said and the younger's cheek. "So? Out with it!"

Kevin closed his eyes and enjoyed the feeling of Elis hand against his cheek. He sighed. "Stop staring at me!" he tried to roll her eyes annoyed, but failed miserably when he sensed the intense gaze of Eli.

"I-I've probably become used to it... well... to sleep here with you, that it become odd to lie alone in my bed...", the younger mumbled quietly and tried to hide himself under the sheets.

But when he heard the faint chuckle of Eli, he looked up in surprise. "So for my sake you can sleep here every night.", he said and smiled wryly. "The bed is big enough and... well... so we do not have to sleep alone."

Kevin smiled wearily and snuggled into the pillow. "Thank you, Hyung... sleep well...", he muttered tired and fell asleep a few moments later.

Eli stretched himself and sighed. After a while he twisted to the side and turns his back to Kevin, closed his eyes and tried to fall asleep again.

When he opened his eyes again, it was nearly one- which meant he had barely slept for a good ten minutes. But he needed and wanted to sleep, because since a long time this was their first chance to sleep off completely.

After three failed attempts, Eli gave up, turned with a sigh on his back and stared at the ceiling. What was wrong with him? Otherwise he had no problems getting to sleep, so why today? Why today of all days?

A slight murmur made ​​him turn his head to the side and a smile flickered across his lips. Carefully to not to wake Kevin, Eli turned further to the side and leaned on his chin in his hand, observed him silently.

It was the first time that he could observe Kevin so directly; normally they were so exhausted from their dance practice, or something like that, that Eli fell asleep shortly after Kevin.

The younger one had a milky-white, flawless skin, long fingers and was going to build here and there a few well-trained muscles.

Elis eyes went to Kevins face. He had long, thick eyelashes, a fine nose and a sensual mouth, his lips slightly open, which demanded Elis fully willpower that he does not bent over and kissed him.

What Kevin should think of him?! He let him sleep in bed with him, only to pounce over him in his sleep? Definitely not! For this kind of things Kevin was simply to important for him!

Eli sighed again and looked once more at the sleeping figure of Kevin, as he muttered something to himself, which much sounded like a "Jae..."

He hesitated for a moment before a smile crept on his face. Perhaps after all Kiseop and Soohyun were right and the younger one felt something for him too...

If Eli now thought about it, it had lately been very obvious how much Kevin was looking for his proximity.

Suddenly Eli shook his head and rolled back onto his back, staring pensively out the window. What was he doing? How likely was it that Kevin liked him too?

"Do not kid yourself Jae," he muttered under his breath and turned his head back to Kevin, as he spied a movement beside him. Startled, his eyes widened when he realized that Kevin was only a few centimeters away from him.

A smile sneaked back to Eli's lips and he gently Kevin's cheek, enjoying the feeling of the delicate skin under his fingers. "What are you doing with me...", he asked softly, running his fingers after the lips of the other.

When Kevin's mouth curved into a gentle smile and he overcame the distance between them, snuggled into the warmth of the elders body, Eli held on his breathe for the moment and froze in his movement.

It took a moment before Eli was sure that Kevin was still sleeping and he was able to move cautiously and gasped choppy.

Once again Kevin mumbled something quietly in his sleep before he snuggled close to Eli, put an arm over the middle and laid his head on Eli's chest, caused Eli to froze into a salt pillar, because he was feared that even the slightest movement would be arouse Kevin.

Hour after hour passed but Eli was still awake, the sleeping Kevin still half laying on him. Even though he no longer believed, that he would find some sleep, he had found back to a normal breathing, had wrapped an arm around Kevin and was now gently his arm and back.

Again Eli tossed a glance sighing on his alarm clock. It was already four forty-five in the morning and he was still awake.

Soohyun would lynch him, if he should not even get a few hours of sleep. Eli looked down at the sleeping Kevin and smoothed him gently a few strands from his face.

"You'll kill me one day...", he whispered softly, and breathed a kiss on his forehead before he sank back into the pillows and tried again to find some sleep. "Sleep well, Baby..."

~

"Good morning, Hyung...", Eli greeted Kiseop tired as he entered the kitchen.

"Good-WOAW!" Kiseop was shocked and flinched back when he looked at Eli. "That's what I call dark circles! Were you up all night?!"

"I would not have noticed now, if you hadn't say it...", Eli muttered and settled down at the kitchen table, nodded wearily. "More or less all night... I think I just slept for an hour..."

"What the hell did you do that you were awake all night?" Soohyun asked and eyed his dongsaeng suspicious. It was not normal for Eli to stay awake the whole night when he had the chance to sleep a fully night.

But before Eli could answer, Kevin appeared in the kitchen, was still only wearing the shirt and boxer shorts.

"Morning...", the youngest of four yawned sleepily and dropped himself on the bench next to Eli, leaned wearily against him.

Eli pointed with eyes on Kevin, who leaned asleep on his shoulder, before he looked back at his Hyungs.

It took a moment, but after a few moments their eyes widened as they took the hint and Soohyun formed his mouth to a silent 'Again?', got a quick nod in response. He rolled his eyes and shook his head, while Kiseop him reassuringly over the back.

"Come with me!", Kiseop said as he turned to Kevin and grabbed the younger ones on his wrist. "You'll catch your death even if you're sitting here like this!" With these words he pulled Kevin out of the kitchen and disappeared with him in his room.

"Talk to him!" Soohyun said, once he was sure that Kevin was out of earshot. "This state continues now been going on for months and we all know that you two belong together and even a blind man would see that Kevin is madly in love with you!"

Eli sighed. "Yes... I know... but how will you know that-"

"Believe me! Kiseop can be more than pushy with his questions and at some point you gives up, so that you get rid of him again!" Soohyun grinned knowingly. "And if you do not tell him, then we-"

"Here we are again," Kiseop grinned and reappeared in the kitchen, pulled a half sleeping Kevin behind him, had somehow managed to pull him some sweatpants on. Kevin let himself fall tired beside Eli and leaned back on him, yawned quietly und snuggled against the warmth of Elis body.

"Dear, would you come with me?" Kiseop smiled quizzically at Soohyun, grabbed at the same time the hand of their leader and left the kitchen with him, winked at Kevin with a reassuring smile. Eli looked quizzically at the two before he lapsed into silence.

"Hyung...", Kevin began suddenly and grabbed Elis hand, remarked that the elder winced. "Does it bother you, if I come to you at night?"

Eli looked puzzled at their hands and then on Kevin. "Of course not," he said quietly, leaning his head on Kevins. "What makes you think that?"

"Kiseop-Hyung said that you wanted to say me something, because I always come to you at night." Kevin mumbled embarrassed with a deep red blush, as Eli put his arm around him.

Without really realizing it, Kevin continues to snuggle up to Eli and increased the pressure on their hands. Eli sighed. He had little desire to discuss such a topic here in the kitchen, where somebody could come in any time.

Without further ado, he stood up and raised Kevin on his arms. "Hey, what-" the younger frightened whimpers and threw his arms around Elis neck. "We talk in my room," Eli answered with an apologetic smile, ignored the smirk of Soohyun and Kiseop as they walked past the living room.

"Is everything okay?" Kevin asked surprised when Eli sat down with him on his bed and wrapped his arms around him. Kevin sat sideways on Elis lap and leaned his head against his shoulder, closed his eyes and enjoy the feeling, got a hesitant nod in answer to his question.

Eli grabbed Kevin's hand hesitant and looked at it again, once again stated that their hands just fit together perfectly.

"You're always so nicely warm...", Kevin muttered softly and looked at their hands as well. "And if you take me in your arms at night, over my back and give me a goodnight kiss... then I always feel safe... so safe and protected..."

Eli said nothing and simply listened to Kevin, held him still in his arm and clung to him.

"And I do not know what I would do if I could not come to you at night... I- I've gotten so used to it, I could, I believe, do not fall asleep without you...", Kevin now began to play dreamy with Elis fingers.

"Even though we are on the road..., then- then I like the way you take care of me... and I can lean on you while I'm asleep...", a deep red graced Kevin's cheeks and he hid his face on Elis shoulder. "I- I am so happy when... I am with you..."

Even if the words were muttered against his shoulder, Eli had heard them yet and began to grin.

"Actually, I wanted to tell you that." he finally sighed and rubbed Kevin's arm, heard the younger grinning quietly. "Well, then tell me!" Kevin breathed him a tender kiss on the cheek.

Eli enjoy it and closed his eyes. How could be someone so cute and just as easily wrap him around his finger? He took a deep breath, before he put his arms around Kevin again.

"I like it when we are together, when you come to me and want to cuddle, like the random touches here and there, our hugs..." Eli tried to say it as calm as possible, even if he knew that Kevin could feel his racing heart beat.

"I am... happy... when you come to me in the evening, if you sleep with me in bed, when we snuggle up together... if you mumble my name in your sleep ("I do what?" Kevin asked horrified.) and when I wake up and you lie in my arms..."

"And?", Kevin asked expectantly, put his arms around Elis neck and pulled him slowly down to himself.

"And... every night is not enough...", Eli muttered softly and leaned over to Kevin, just a few inches away from his lips.

"And?" Kevin giggled, brushed his lips very delicate about Elis. "Isn't there something missing?"

"I love you!"