Hi guys!
Finally I'm updating this story! I'm so slow, I know, I'm sorry...
Hope you'll like this chapter :) it's not very long but~ it's special~! :D

Thanks for the support you keep giving to this story! It means a lot to me <3
Also, thank you so much haesthetics for the nice poster, it's so pretty ;; <3

          Hyukjae released a quiet sigh as he felt himself slip out of his deep slumber. He snuggled closer to Donghae, enjoying the warmth of the younger’s body and the way their limbs were comfortably entangled under the sheets.

He went back and forth between a state of half-consciousness and sleep for a few minutes, until his body finally awoke. Another minute passed before he managed to crack an eye open. The room wasn’t completely dark because he never shut the curtains; he felt it was easier for him to wake up with the sunlight gently hitting his closed lids. Therefore, as soon as he opened his eyes, a smile graced his face at the sight displayed in front of him.

Donghae was still fast asleep, nestled against him. Their faces were only a few inches apart, which caused Hyukjae to squint a little as he gazed at the other. The boy’s lips were slightly parted and he was breathing softly, blowing warm air against Hyukjae’s face. Donghae had his arms trapped between them, fingers unconsciously curling on Hyukjae’s t-shirt and gently clutching it, while the elder’s arm was wrapped around his waist, holding him firmly into a protective embrace.

Hyukjae quickly glanced at his alarm-clock and heaved another sigh. 6:47am. His alarm was about to get off and he only had a few minutes left before having to get up and ready for work. He wished he could stay in bed a little longer, because it felt nice and warm there with Donghae, but he couldn’t afford to be late, nor to take a day off.

His gaze went back to the sleeping figure next to him and a warm sensation filled his chest. He smiled again as he stared at the boy, his heart melting at the endearing sight.

His hand cautiously came up to brush a couple strands of hair out from Donghae’s face, revealing the boy’s small forehead. The black locks felt like silk under his digits, caressing his fingers nicely as he pushed them aside. Donghae looked somehow younger, with his forehead exposed like that. It enhanced the aura of innocence emanating from the boy, and it made Hyukjae smile tenderly. His thumb brushed the soft skin next to Donghae’s temple, before his digits trailed their way down to the boy’s nose, ghosting over the fabric of the blindfold.

Hyukjae wished that thing never existed. He wished Donghae wasn’t cursed, that he didn’t have such a burden to live with. He wished the boy didn’t have to suffer so much. It was unfair. Donghae was so kind-hearted and innocent, he didn’t deserve any of this... But then, none of the Cursed Ones deserved to be cursed by the witches.
He knew the boy enough now to be aware of how scared Donghae was to hurt someone. How guilty and tortured he felt for having killed his mother and his brother. How hurt he felt because he could never be normal, because he couldn’t see the world around him like everyone else. How lonely it was for him, to be confined into darkness and fear.

He had been wary to let Donghae take off his blindfold the first times. Of course he had been leery; he knew how dangerous the curse could be. Having witnessed the death of his own parents, he knew all too well the damages caused by curses.
It had taken time for Kyuhyun to convince him about it, to let him understand how important it was for Donghae and that the boy wouldn’t be able to grow up and move forward if he didn’t do this. He had to free himself from his fears and from the power of his curse, he had to learn how to control it or else he would never be able to live with it, and he could never be happy. 

Now, Hyukjae could only be proud of how brave Donghae had been. He could imagine how scared the boy was. It had taken days and countless soothing words to convince him to try and take off the blindfold. For a moment, he had though Donghae wouldn’t be able to do it, that it was too soon, but the boy had eventually overcome his fears.

Days had passed since the first try and they had proceeded with their plan. Donghae had taken off the blindfold a few more times and opened his eyes for a while. It never lasted more than a couple hours, and the boy still refused to take it off if it wasn’t in the bathroom. He also only let Hyukjae be with him in the bathroom, though he would make sure the elder was safely hidden in his back and there was no way their gaze could meet.
It was a slow process but the results were already showing: Donghae looked happier, less scared and insecure. He was almost radiating with satisfaction and bliss. And Hyukjae could only feel his own heart thump with satisfaction.

He knew Donghae only needed to keep trying and soon he’d be able to use his eyes properly. The boy had told them about the strange sensations in his eyes and Kyuhyun had confirmed that the curse was working on making the boy’s eyes optimal again. Once his eyes would be fully functioning again, they would be able to show him the world and teach him about everything. They weren’t sure yet about how they would proceed but they would find a way. The most important was to make Donghae happy.

It still made Hyukjae a little nervous whenever the boy took off his blindfold, but he told himself they just had to be careful and nothing would happen. If they were careful, they could control the situation, and if the situation was under control, they could give a better life to the cursed boy.

Donghae huffed in his sleep, causing Hyukjae to smile widely, his gums all showing. His fingers left the blindfold and followed the curve of the boy’s small nose. Hyukjae liked Donghae’s nose, it was all round and cute, unlike his big one. Then, his hand moved down and his fingers lingered over the thin lips for a couple seconds, feeling the smooth and moist flesh under his skin, and the warmth of the boy’s breath. Donghae’s lips were quite thin, but he smiled they could stretch widely. The boy’s crooked smile was like a ray of sunshine to Hyukjae’s heart. It was adorable and endearing, no one could resist to it, not even Heechul.

His digits left the boy’s lips and went to his cheek instead. He caressed it tenderly. The once sunken and bony cheeks were completely gone now. Donghae’s face was still thin and a little skinny, but nothing like the sad and emaciated state they were when Hyukjae had found him. Lots of food and human warmth, and Donghae was now a healthy young man. Still fragile but on the way to full recovery.

He pulled away when his alarm suddenly went off. He squirmed and swiftly turned off the ringing before it could wake up the sleeping boy. Sighing deeply, he went back to his previous position and gazed one last time at Donghae before snuggling out of bed.

Tip-toeing out of the room and silently closing the door after him, he headed to the bathroom to get ready. He undressed and showered first, letting the warm water wash off the last remains of his sleepiness. Then he shaved and took care of his hair, grumbling because his black roots were already starting to show and he needed to dye them again. Or maybe he could have them black again.

Once dressed in his jeans and sweater – the perks of working in a garage, you don’t need to dress up nicely – he headed to the kitchen to make himself some coffee and breakfast for the two younger ones. As he walked in the room, he wasn’t surprised to find the lights on and Kyuhyun sitting on one of the chairs, half slumped on the table. The cursed boy looked exhausted, dark bags under his eyes and his skin paler than usual. His hair was a mess too.
Hyukjae shivered as he entered the room and met the other’s dark and intense gaze.

“You look like ”, he muttered after a glance to the younger’s dishevelled appearance.

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