The older boy was gentle, soft and affectionate. His hugs were soothing, and his smile made people feel lighter inside. Ryeowook loved him.

 

He grew to love and long for the short phone calls they could have together. When the time came, he would sit next to the phone for ages, just waiting for it to ring. He would always answer on the first ring. 

 

When he held the reciever to his ear, he could hear the soft voice that he missed, the distinctive laugh that he aimed to hear with every joke. He could hear Leeteuk, but he couldn't see him, couldn't feel him. He couldn't reach through the phone and feel the soft short hair, the warm strong back, the gentle hands. He couldn't see his smile.

For the first few phonecalls since Leeteuk enlisted, all he could do on the phone was cry. He would ask Leeteuk about his day, and then fall apart as the waves of longing washed over him, his heart calling out for Leeteuk.

 

Whenever he could, he would write to his boyfriend, long letters full of love and hope, full of happiness. Every day, he would sit down to write, the paper smudging with tears as the heartache got too much to cope with. He would press a kiss to the paper, tucking it into the envelope along with the letters from the rest of the members.

Together, they would encourage their leader.

 

Leeteuk's letters were full of happiness, he was the leader of a group, and felt happy to be caring for people, to be able to mother them.

The members were happy to hear that he was doing well, but they all secretly cried that night. Leeteuk wasn't supposed to be caring for a group of soldiers, he was supposed to be home safe with them.

 

One night, with eyes full of tears, Ryeowook couldn't take the pain anymore. Standing up, wearing a pair of Leeteuk's pajamas that still smelled of the older boy, he padded along the corridor, before pushing open a door.

Slipping into bed beside Kangin, he felt the older boy's arms wrap around him, soothing away the pain. Kangin was gentle, warm and reassuring as he cradled Ryeowook, promising that Leeteuk would come to no harm. Even so, the younger boy still checked the news every day, praying that nothing bad would come up.

Wook slept in Kangin's bed from then on.

 

Every night, after he had written his letter, and kissed it, he would reread Leeteuk's last letter, the soft paper and feeling the love in the blue ink.

Once the tears started to fall, he would go to Kangin and feel himself being gently rocked to sleep. Kangin was different to Leeteuk, but they were both gentle when caring for people. Nuzzling into the older boy's chest, Wook would close his eyes to sleep.

 

His dreams were always of Leeteuk, his cute dimple and perfect personality. His dreams weren't about flying, or kings and castles. He dreamed of regular things.

But mostly, he dreamed of just being in bed with Leeteuk. Of waking up in the morning to see Leeteuk's face, to see the soft smile that he wore even in sleep, to see the love in his eyes as Wook kissed his forehead to wake him. A dream so vivid, so realistic, that Ryeowook would feel crushed when he woke up and his boyfriend wasn't there. It was like the day Leeteuk had left all over again.

 

He could remember the day well, the tears that had started to fall before he had a chance to stop them, the way Leeteuk kissed them away and promised to be back as soon as he could. The way he had clung to Wook, as though it was the last time he would ever see him.

 

But, Wook reminded himself as he pressed a kiss to his 300th letter, it wouldn't be long until he could see Leeteuk again. The waiting was almost over.