Creeping through the front door, Donghae hissed and jumped when the kitchen light suddenly flicked on and his mother stepped out from behind the corner, "Where have you been?" She asked, scanning him from head to toe, searching for a clue as to his whereabouts. Donghae fidgeted slightly under the woman's scrutinising gaze and he hung his head guiltily, "I... I've been down to the river..." His mother's eyes narrowed;

"What for?"

Suddenly, out-of-the-blue feelings of pent up anger, grief and loneliness bubbled up from the depths of Donghae's heart and boiled over, "IS IT WRONG TO PAY RESPECTS TO MY OWN FATHER?!" He exploded, "UNLIKE YOU, I STILL REMEMBER HIM AND I DON'T INTEND TO JUST MOVE ON LIKE HE NEVER EVEN EXISTED!"

Breathing heavily, Donghae sent a icy glare his mother's way, spinning around to climb the staircase but colliding with his brother's chest instead, "Oh great," Donghae spat, "Are you gonna sprout bull about Dad too? Ask where I've been? Tell me to stay away from the river?"

Donghwa looked scandalised, "D-Donghae," he stuttered, unable to continue because of his surprise. Donghae never even saw it coming, but he certainly felt the sting when he was sent crashing to the floor by his mother's slap, "Lee Donghae. What's gotten into you?! I never once said anything about forgetting your father. What happened to my son?"

Donghae stared up at her, - taking in her once beautiful porcelain skin, her braided ebony hair and her worried brown eyes - as his eyes filled with tears and his cheek burned with the result of his mother's force. Averting his gaze to the floor, Donghae stood, ready to head back out into the night before whispering;

"Your son? He grew up."

.:~*~:.

Hyukjae was surprised to say the least when he turned from staring out across the river and found the very much alive Donghae standing quietly behind him, "Yah!" He shouted playfully, "If I wasn't dead already, I would've died from shock."

When he got no response, Hyukjae stopped smiling and frowned instead, "Donghae?" Said boy tilted his head slightly, to indicate he was listening. Hyukjae swallowed stiffly, feeling his throat constrict with worry and his mouth starting to dry, "Are you... Okay?" He asked, stepping up beside the other boy and laying a gentle hand on his shoulder.

Donghae sighed, falling onto his back as Hyukjae followed him slowly, "What's wrong? You're not your usual self, Hae. I can sense you're upset about something." The boy to his side and stared at Hyukjae, without saying a word and after a moment, closed his eyes, "I fought with my Mum, Hyuk... I screamed at her and Donghwa... And she slapped me."

Hyukjae drew in a sharp breath, leaning closer to inspect the forming bruise on Donghae's face, "Oh Hae..." He breathed, letting his cold fingers trail over the heated and tender flesh. At the contact, Donghae shifted so his head was pillowed by Hyukjae's thigh and he sighed again, "I don't know what to do anymore Hyukkie... I'm falling apart."

Looking down at Donghae sadly, Hyukjae let his fingers thread through the boy's hair - petting him gently, "Well I'm always here for you when you need me." He said, smiling at Donghae reassuringly when the boy cracked open an eye to glance up at him. Squeezing his eyes shut to prevent his tears, Donghae clenched his fist into the long grass under Hyukjae's leg and tried to focus on the sensation of the long fingers in his hair, instead of the gale of turmoil in his heart.

"Let me stay with you tonight, Hyukjae..."

It was whispered, quiet and barely audible but nevertheless, Hyukjae smiled as he leaned forward and pressed a soft kiss to Donghae's temple;

"Sleep. I'll watch over you tonight."