“Hae-hyung!” Wookie’s familiar voice called out excitedly again. Donghae turned away from the hateful atmosphere, the horrible feeling arguing with Hyukjae was giving him. He blinked up at to see his friends looking down at him from the steps that led down into the street he was on. It made him feel safer, almost. Hyukjae couldn’t accuse him of anything more when there were other people around.

His gaze fixed on Wookie. The usually smiling face looked a tiny bit concerned now. He supposed they had heard everything. It was embarrassing, but he could feel the anger leaching away. He couldn’t sustain it any longer, despite how angry he’d been merely moments before. He just wanted to get away, to run away like he did with everything, to make the unsettling feeling disappear, to make the ball of repressed, well, lust, he supposed, in the bottom of his stomach go away.

He couldn’t see the strange look that Hyukjae was giving him, but the others could, and Wookie’s eyes followed the direction of his gaze, noticing the almost pained look Eunhyuk was giving Donghae. His small mouth curled up into a distrustful expression; he wasn’t sure he liked this man. He seemed to make Hae so…introverted. Hae just couldn’t seem to let him go, and Wookie didn’t like it.

Donghae might not have been his boyfriend or anything, but that meant nothing; he was his best friend, and he cared about him, and right now, the blank look in his eyes as he tried desperately to pretend nothing had happened between him and Hyukjae scared Ryeowook. He hated how defenceless Donghae seemed to become. It wasn’t like the sweet, friendly person Ryeowook knew; he was something else.

Wookie stepped down quickly, eager to get to Donghae, to pull him out of this funk. Eunhyuk was breathing heavily, that look still there. The closer Ryeowook got, the more he could see that Eunhyuk was still as helplessly ensnared by Donghae as Donghae was by him. He wasn’t going to say he still loved him, because he had no clue, but, well. It might explain the harshness of his look. He looked back at Donghae, intending to give him a reassuring smile, but Donghae was looking down now.

It was almost a defeated posture, the hands clenched to his side in his typical manner; you could always tell that Hae was unhappy if his hands were clenched. He looked like he needed to get out of here, and Wookie felt a flutter of sympathy as he descended the last step and walked over to Donghae. The others were still watching, their faces carefully free of emotion. There was shock in the back of Siwon’s eyes, but he was trying to control it, as Yesung looked away uneasily and Henry looked down.

“Hae…” Wookie said softly, as he tugged gently on his arm. Perhaps the situation wasn’t so awful to people outside of it, and of course, there were many other terrible things that could have happened, but right now, all Donghae could think of was how it was such a ridiculous mistake to be here with Hyukjae right now, to have ever let him go, when it was evident that his mind was so fixated on having him.

His body still responded to his; years of being constantly intimate with someone would do that to you, and the very fact he had repressed all of this made it all the more urgent. He wanted to turn back around and yell that he had never ing wanted this and it was all Hyukjae’s damn fault for being such a ing thrill-seeker.  But he couldn’t. It wouldn’t help anything, so he suppressed it, as he did everything, kept quiet, as he had for ages. He sighed.

“Believe what you want, Hyukjae.” He said quietly. He didn’t look up; he didn’t want to see what that sentence did to Hyukjae, and he moved to leave. He didn’t see the flash of hurt on Hyukjae’s face. All he saw was the brick wall in front of him, and the soft fabric of Wookie’s blazer, before he was engulfed in a hug.

His arms went awkwardly around his best friend as Wookie clung to him, smelling sweetly of his favourite aftershave and soap, so familiar and goddamned comforting, that he couldn’t help but rest his chin on Wookie’s shoulder and pull him closer. He knew that the others would have done this for him too, but Wookie was the only one who could make it all seem so much better.

Hyukjae fought back the irrational surge of hurt and betrayal as he watched Donghae hold onto the other man, his eyes closed, and his chin resting comfortably on Ryeowook’s shoulder. He saw Wookie pat him gently on the back, and move to kiss his cheek, just as gently. Things Hyukjae had had, things Donghae had rescinded his right to do.

Donghae eventually let go, but Ryeowook’s hand suddenly entwined with his, keeping the contact going, and he walked up to the others, refusing to look back, because if he did, the damn would burst, and all of the things he wanted to tell Hyukjae would come tumbling out.

And there was one thing he was determined to keep secret. He refused to let “I still love you”  out because not only was it too sentimental, it also wouldn’t help a damn thing.

So he squeezed Wookie’s hand, and abandoned the argument, left it unfinished, like he did so many other things. Another day. He’d leave it for another day, he thought, as he was flanked by his friends, shuffled off back in the direction of the hotel. Siwon’s arm slung itself over his shoulders, the other around Yesungs shoulders, as Wookie held Henry’s hand in his free one. He was lucky that they were his friends and wouldn’t say anything to him about it, not if he didn’t want to talk about it.

Siwon, however, couldn’t help but turn his head slightly to see Hyukjae. He felt a flicker of sympathy for the older man, because while Donghae might be one of his close friends, Eunhyuk was obviously hurt too. And he didn’t have anybody to take care of him like Donghae did. He didn’t know the full story, hell, he hadn’t even known they had a history until a day ago, but he wasn’t stupid. Nobody argued this much in two days if they weren’t hurting and resentful. And he thought that this wasn’t helping either of them, and was most likely going to end badly, but what could he do?

Hyukjae shook his head and sighed, trying to control his feelings as he watched Donghae leave in the arms of his friends. One part of him was glad to see that Hae had such people to care for him, but the other part was jealous, and he couldn’t help it. He didn’t understand it, he didn’t want it, and most of all, he wanted the feeling to go away. But he wouldn’t run away like Donghae, oh no. That wasn’t his way. He would figure this out in his own time.

But god, he hoped that they wouldn’t fight like this all the time. The malicious pleasure he had felt had frightened him; that wasn’t who he was, but it had been so long since he’d even talked to him for longer than five seconds, and oh… Would he ever understand just what the Donghae was doing to him? Maybe accepting this job had been a bad idea. He could have been at home, laughing with Sungmin, walking Sungmin’s dog without the stress, without the memories. No; he had forgotten what it was like to be with Donghae, remembering his laughter would get him nowhere.

Donghae found himself shepherded back into the hotel room, where Wookie pushed him down onto the bed. “You should have come with us, hyung.” He shook his head, and Siwon smirked a little, Henry giving a chuckle.

Donghae swallowed, choosing to ignore the uneasy feeling he still had for sarcasm. “Oh yeah, totally. I would have had so much to do.” He rolled his eyes at Wookie. “Did you actually find anything fun to do?”

Yesung sniggered and cut in before Wookie could. “No, we didn’t, Hae, you’re right.” He flopped down onto the bed nearest to him. “It appears there is nothing to do here. And we’re stuck here till tomorrow.”

Henry scoffed. “Surely there’s a bar or a club or something around?”

Donghae shook his head firmly. “No. No alcohol. Just no.” Not again. He’d learnt his lesson for the time being. He was not to be trusted with alcohol at all, and god knew what he’d do this time.

Siwon shook his head too. “And I don’t want to go, because Wookie will try and find a gay bar, and you guys will try and drag me in again, and I am not getting hit on by the male stripper, ever again.” He shivered, the memory of the man in a leopard print thong cornering him. “I have no idea why you needed to bring me along. You know I’m not into…that.”

Yesung nudged him with his foot from the bed. “Ah, Wonnie-dear, are you so sure you don’t swing for the other team?” He snickered, enjoying teasing the token straight boy of their group.

“Yes!” Siwon said loudly, uncomfortable.

“Eh.” Henry waved a hand non-committedly. “If Siwon doesn’t want to admit that he’d like to try it up the-”

“Shut up!” Siwon flushed now, a little pissed. “You know I’m straight.” He groaned and muttered. “I don’t even know why I talk to you people sometimes…you’re all mean…”

“Because you loooooove us.” Wookie cut in, sprinting over to attack Siwon with a hug. Siwon looked down, bemused, as Wookie attached himself. “And you have muscles.” Wookie grinned up at him.

“How on earth is that relevant?” Siwon asked.

“Because they’re nice to look at.” Wookie grinned wider. “You could get them out…that might entertain us for a while…” Wookie’s giggle seemed to make Siwon wary.

“No.” Was his answer.

Donghae decided to get in on the fun. “Oh, you know you want to…” He laughed a little at Siwon’s glare.

“You are all a bunch of bastards, you know that right?” Siwon groaned, inching away as Wookie’s fingers tried to undo the buttons of shirt. “ert.” He told Wookie, who blinked back innocently.

Donghae smiled as he lay back on the bed. They really could just make it better for him, it seemed. He wasn’t happy, no, but he was smiling and laughing again, and it was because they didn’t pressure him to do anything, to say anything. “Maybe it’s because mine are better, Wookie.” He poked his tongue out at Siwon, but regretted it slightly as two pairs of jealous eyes, Yesung's and Henry’s, turned to glare at him.

Wookie giggled again. “Maybe, hyung~”

“Oh please.” Siwon snorted. “You could never beat mine.”

“That is true…” Henry cut in.

“Yeah…” Yesung agreed.

Donghae frowned, knowing that they were only agreeing because of their interest in Wookie. He knew he had hot abs.

“Maybe you two should compare.” Wookie said, a wicked smile creeping across his face.  Suddenly, his fingers were popping Siwon’s buttons quickly, so quickly, Siwon didn’t have a chance to stop him before he’d spread it apart. “Aha!”

Siwon tried to button it back up, but Wookie was having none of it. He held it apart, an evil smirk letting Siwon know that he would rip the shirt if he had to. “Hae, come on, get yours out!”

Donghae could feel the silent death threats that both Yesung and Henry were aiming at him, begging him not to encourage Wookie, but, well, what could they do. He sat up, smirking, and shrugged his t-shirt up, over his head. He laid back, head cradled in his arms. “So, Wook. Who’s got the best?”

Wookie pondered, looking at each of them, Siwon’s blush intensifying as he cursed being friends with such a bunch of erts. He trailed a finger down Siwon’s chest, finger hovering over the happy trail peeking out above his jeans, before Siwon’s hand slapped it away. “I’m sorry…But I am gonna have to say Siwon.” He shrugged, looking apologetic. “Sorry hyung~!”

Donghae could practically hear Yesung and Henry’s sighs of relief. “Oh, Wookie, I’m hurt. I really am.” He gave a dramatic sigh, and Wookie pouted back at him, releasing Siwon’s shirt. Siwon quickly began to button it back up as Wookie bounced over to Donghae to slide onto the bed with him, snuggling into his side.

He prodded him. “Shh, hyung. You know you’re special.” He nestled closer, and whispered. “Do you feel any better?”

Donghae nodded. He did feel better. He didn’t feel happy, but he felt…calmer. He wanted…he wanted Hyukjae to come back and he wanted to tell him all those things he could never say. But he couldn’t have that.

So he was stuck trying not to argue with him. He just hoped tomorrow was a better day. He hoped, but he didn’t believe as he swallowed down the lump in his throat. He didn’t need to cry, and he wouldn’t.