Whoever that is, Eric thought as he rolled out of bed, I'm going to kill them. He grabbed a pair of sweatpants from the floor and yanked them on. Of course, he'd tried ignoring the pounding on his door but it hadn't stopped. Who the hell could it be? He made it clear to everyone he knew that he hated being woken up in the middle of the night.

As he padded out into the living room shouting joined the pounding. He could barely hear it over the roar of the rain outside but it sounded vaguely male. Eric sped up, wondering...But surely it couldn't be. Not now, not at this hour, not here.

He yanked the door open. Hyesung fell inside, as if he'd been leaning against it. He caught Hyesung around the waist, taking the brunt of his weight as he crashed into him. Hyesung shivered violently, soaking from head to toe. Eric shivered too, but not from cold or rain; Hyesung pressed into him, his face against his chest, so he could feel the trembling of his lips. With one arm tight around him he closed the door, then pulled him further into the living room.

"Sunggie?"

He didn't answer.

"Hey, look at me," Eric said. He put two fingers under his chin and pushed up gently.

He almost never saw Hyesung cry. Occasionally he saw his nose go red, like he might, but he always held it in. He knew just from looking that he'd been crying tonight. Hyesung's eyes were red and swollen, still glossy with unshed tears. Shocked, he drew him to the couch and made him sit down.

"What is it?" he asked as he sat next to Hyesung. "Sunggie, what's wrong?"

He sniffled. "You'll never believe me."

"Try me." Eric paused, looked at him, then frowned. "Jesus Christ, you're soaked through. Hold on just a second."

He rose, a little reluctant to leave Hyesung. For a moment he stood watching him, making sure no more tears would fall. Then he moved quickly through his apartment, gathering what he needed.

Eric grabbed a towel from the bathroom. From his room he retrieved a T-shirt and pair of old sweatpants. These he tossed to Hyesung. He managed a strained smile as he gathered them up. Then Eric went into the kitchen, to the cupboards. He took down two shot glasses and a heavy glass bottle full of brandy. He almost never drank it—it was too expensive to drink all the time—but tonight he thought it was in order.

As he walked back into the living room, he froze. Hyesung had already stripped off his wet shirt and jeans. He stood, trembling, dressed in nothing more than simple black boxer briefs, toweling himself off. He's right here, whispered a voice at the back of his mind. You can touch him, kiss him, finally... Eric ignored it. He was upset about something. Even if he changed his mind, decided to make a move, he sure as wasn't going to do it now.

"Is that the good stuff?" Hyesung asked as he finished dressing. He wrapped the towel around his shoulders.

"Of course. Now sit down, or you're not getting any."

"Harsh."

He smiled. Hyesung sat back down, then looked up at him with pleading eyes. He settled next to him again and filled both shot glasses.

"So?"

He sighed. "I'm telling you, you won't believe me."

"Just try. Give me a chance, okay?

"All right..." Hyesung knocked back his first shot and began.

Eric listened to his story with growing incredulity. At first, when he held out his glass for more brandy, he considered refusing. But despite the words coming out of his mouth, his voice was stone cold sober. He sounded like Eric felt, like the whole thing was hard to believe. Faerie? Not just any Faerie, either, but stepbrothers? And the whole time he got the impression he was holding something back, like there was some detail he didn't want to reveal.

"I...left," he said quietly, holding out his glass for a third shot. "I had to, I...God, Eric I should be checking myself into an asylum, shouldn't I? But I don't feel crazy. It all seemed so real."

"Sunggie..."

"I told you that you wouldn't believe me." he swigged the shot back. "I don't blame you..."

Eric took a deep breath. He knocked back a shot of his own and closed his eyes as the brandy burned down his throat, warmed him stomach.

Did he believe him? He probably shouldn't. But when he looked at him...This is Hyesung, he thought, the only real friend I've ever had. Oh, he had others, but he was the only one who would drop everything for him, if he needed him. During high school he'd ignored his bad reputation, ignored his attempts to brush him off, and barreled into his life.

It started small. Hyesung noticed Eric often forgot to bring his lunch and started bringing kimbap for him every day. Then one day Hyesung appeared at the garage he worked at back then, looking for a job—or, at the least, help fixing up an old car he'd bought off some guy for maybe a hundred bucks. That had been the day Eric gave in. Intrigued by this pale thin male and his banged up car, he surrendered and let Hyesung into his life. Even if he'd known ahead of time how strongly he'd be attracted to him, he wouldn't change that choice.

"Eric?"

He smiled gently. "I believe you, Sunggie. I...I'm not entirely sure why, but it doesn't sound like you're lying."

"Oh!" he breathed, relief evident on his face. "Oh, Eric, thank you, I...I can't face this alone."

Hyesung hiccupped softly and leaned into him, pressing his face against his arm. Now that he had the story out in the open, the brandy seemed to finally hit him.

"Maybe...maybe I'll wake up tomorrow and find out it really was just a dream," he murmured, voice slightly slurred. "Right? That has to be it..."

Eric kissed the top of his head. The scent of rain and cologne made him want to kiss other places too, but he restrained himself. I don't care if it's a dream or if it isn't, he thought. This is the last thing he needed, on top of everything else he's been through lately. If he could protect him in any way, help Hyesung somehow, he would. After all, he'd gotten him through high school, helping him focus whenever his mind wanted to wander away from studying.

"Why don't you stay here tonight?" he suggested quietly.

He froze.

"It's all right. I've got a couch; I can sleep on that for one night."

He sat back, shook his head. "No." Hyesung held up a hand, cutting him off before he could say another word. "I'll stay, but...I'll take the couch. I won't feel right, stealing your bed."

Then join me in it, he almost said. Instead he kissed his forehead and left him there to go collect a pillow and blanket for him. When he came back out into the living room he was already asleep, curled up on the couch. Chuckling to himself, Eric lifted his head to put the pillow under it, then covered him with the blanket. He mumbled incoherently in his sleep but didn't wake.

He stood watching him a moment. Then he went and retrieved another pillow and blanket. Perhaps he should sleep in his own bed, but he didn't want to leave him alone. So he stretched out on the floor next to the couch, on his back, one hand reaching up for Hyesung's hand. Eric wound his fingers through Hyesung's and closed his eyes. It wasn't exactly the way he'd envisioned Hyesung's first night staying over at his place, but it would do.

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Hello everyone, I have been having a good writing day. So I decided I am going to update. I am saving the other chapters because, well I am not completely happy with the way they are turning out. I might have to change a few things before I completely update it. I plan to add at some point to this story, I added a little undressing in this one. keke. I might get add a bit in the next chapter to keep you all interested. THANK YOU FOR READING!! PLEASE COMMENT! I would really like to know what you think. ^_^