Didn't expect an update so soon did you? lolz
But you guys are so nice to me, so here you go <3
 

          Donghae's eyes fluttered under his closed lids as he felt himself progressively stir out of slumber. The sensation of Hyukjae's arms wrapped around him was getting familiar. The man was all pressed against him, hugging him from behind, and his soft and warm breathing was hitting Donghae's neck. He was sleeping soundly.

Donghae felt a smile creep up his face and stretch his lips blissfully. He didn't move, enjoying the presence of the elder by his side. He didn't feel sleepy anymore. His stomach was starting to grumble, which meant it was the time when he usually had breakfast with Hyukjae, before the latter went to work.

But this day was different, because Hyukjae would stay the whole day with him.

He remained lying in silence, not moving from the elder's embrace, just enjoying the comforting and reassuring presence of the other. A long time passed like that but he didn't get bored at all. He was used not to get up from bed for hours. He'd rather be lazing in bed with Hyukjae than wandering in the flat alone.

When Hyukjae finally woke up, after what seemed an eternity, Donghae had turned his body to face the elder and had the tip of his pointer running along the man's nose.

"Hmm", Hyukjae groaned sleepily, but he didn't sound annoyed. " 'Morning, Hae."

Donghae felt a large grin slip on his thin lips. "Hae?" he repeated in a breath. He already loved the way the nickname rolled on the elder's tongue.

"Hnn, I'm gonna call you that now", Hyukjae mumbled.

He seemed still half asleep. He snuggled closer to the boy, seeking for his body's warmth, and Donghae gladly let him cuddle up with him. A few minutes passed without any of them talking, and Donghae wondered if Hyukjae had fallen back to sleep, but the elder chuckled when a loud gurgling raised from the boy's belly.

"Are you hungry?" Hyukjae inquired, though he already knew the answer.

"Yes..."

"Let's get some breakfast then", the elder male said and moved out of their cozy nest of sheets. Donghae pouted as the pleasant warmth left and he shivered from the sudden feeling of coldness. "Come Hae", Hyukjae softly said and grabbed the boy's hand, gently pulling him out of the bed.

"I like when you call me that", the younger confessed with a happy grin, obediently following Hyukjae out of the bedroom.

Hyukjae hummed, his hand safely seated on Donghae's back, leading the boy through the apartment. "It'll be my special nickname for you", he then said. "You can choose one for me, if you'd like."

Donghae nodded eagerly. He had never given someone a nickname before. "I don't know which one", he said and nibbled his lower lip. Hyukjae pushed him to sit down at the kitchen's table.

"You don't need to choose it now, you can think about it and find one that you're comfortable with", the man sweetly uttered while he began to move around the room to get them some breakfast. "Heechul would be very happy if you chose one for him too."

"Really?" Donghae beamed.

"Yeah, he's really fond of you", Hyukjae snorted at his own statement. "Sungmin likes you too."

"Really?" the cursed boy repeated, smile widening.

"Of course. It's hard not to like you Hae, you're a very nice person."

Donghae felt a warm flush spread on his face but he ignored it. Hyukjae's words sounded pleasant to his ears. Never in his life could he have imagined that someone else than his brother would appreciate him.

Hyukjae laughed a bit when the boy's stomach suddenly growled, begging for food. He quickly re-heated some leftovers from the previous day and filled two bowls for them. They ate quietly, Donghae being too busy stuffing his mouth to be able to say a single word and Hyukjae wiping his mouth and cheeks occasionnally. Once done, the elder washed the dishes while the blindfolded boy waited on his chair.

"Say, I was thinking about something", Hyukjae suddenly said. Donghae tilted his head to the side, curious. "You really need some clothes. Mine aren't fitting. You also need some new... stuff to replace your blindfold. You can't keep it for too long without washing it, right?"

Donghae slowly nodded.

Donghwa used to change and clean his blindfold twice a week, but his father didn't mind so much and usually left him with the same stinky fabric for several weeks.

"The blindfold isn't a problem", Hyukjae went on. "I can make some new out of my old clothes. I can buy you new ones too. But about the clothes, maybe we could go and... do some shopping?"

Donghae remained silent, not sure to understand what the other was saying.

"There's a small clothes shop down the street", Hyukjae softly added and sat down next to Donghae. His hand grabbed the boy's fingers and squeezed them. "It would take just, like, a minute to get there."

Donghae's heart thumped harshly. "You want me to go out?" he whispered.

"I think... it could be good for you...", Hyukjae cautiously replied. "I know it scares you but... you shouldn't fear going outside. Everything will be alright, I'll be with you. It won't take long, half an hour to the max..."

"But... I c-could hurt s-someone a-a-and..."

"No", Hyukjae placed a hand on his cheek, thumb the soft skin reassuringly. "Why would you hurt someone? You'll have your blindfold on, right? And around this time of the day there's barely anyone out, you know? Maybe we won't even meet anyone, it's really just down the street."

Donghae took a deep breath and tried to say something, but the words remained stuck in his throat.

"Don't be scared", the elder said again. "It'll be alright. Hae, you have the rights to go out, you have the rights to live among the others too. Aren't you curious about going out? About shopping?"

The boy hesitantly nodded. He couldn't deny that he was curious. Donghwa always told him stories about the times he went shopping, either for himself or for his brother, and it sounded kind of fun. But going outside the flat made him incredibly nervous.

"Hae", Hyukjae's voice snapped him out of his frozen state.

"Y-Yeah?"

"You trust me right?"

"Of course", the boy replied with a second of hesitation.

"Then, let's do it", the other softly rubbed his cheek-bone with his thumb. "I won't leave your side."

Donghae pursed his lips and whispered a low okay. The rest happened in quite a blurr. Hyukjae brought him back to the bedroom and helped him to get dressed up into something warmer than sweat-pants. Then the man quickly showered and got himself dressed as well, with Donghae waiting silently on the bed.

"Here, put this on", the elder said and placed something on the boy's head. "It's a cap", he added and Donghae brought his hand up, touching it carefully. Donghwa liked to wear those. "If you lower your face a bit, no one will see the blindfold", Hyukjae muttered, placing the hood of the boy's sweater over his head, covering the cap. "Let's not attract unnecessary attention... You don't need that."

"What if there are many people outside and they get mad because I went out?" the boy breathed out.

"No one will get mad", Hyukjae firmly said. "No one has anything to say about this, you know. Maybe it was the case in Mokpo but here is Seoul. People don't even look at each other. And even if they see a Cursed One in the street, they will just avoid him. Don't worry."

"Okay", Donghae exhaled, breath shaky. Hyukjae's words sounded confident, but he couldn't help and feel nervous.

"Here, let's put some shoes. What size do you wear?"

"What.... size?" the boy repeated. "I don't know, I never had shoes. I didn't need them", he pouted. "Donghwa made me wear his old shoes once but father got mad and we never tried again."

"Oh... well, let's see", Hyukjae mumbled and then his hands were on the boy's feet, mesuring their length with his fingers. "You're about my size, I'd say... I'll let you borrow a pair of mine, but... huh..."

"Sorry", Donghae apologized, feeling the elder was a bit bothered.

"No, no!" Hyukjae stood up and petted his head. "It's just... m-my feet are kinda smelly and... I'm sorry, for making you wear dirty shoes."

"Ah no, it's okay", Donghae quickly said, and then he giggled when he felt a hand around his ankle, lifting up his leg, and something brush on the skin under his foot.

"It's tickling, isn't it?" Hyukjae chuckled, putting the shoe on him.

"Yes..."

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