Sehun's back is covered in sweat the next morning. He quickly throws off his blankets and sits up (a little too quickly, one might add, as the motion makes his head spin), stripping off his shirt. The heater had obviously been fixed overnight, but now he's suffering from it. A heat is not how he'd like to be greeted in the morning.

Now bare from the waist up, he pulls open his closet for something to wear. He would change after a shower, he decides. It would be the best way to relieve himself of this nasty heat.

He quickly grabs a pair of shorts and a black wifebeater tank and peeks out his door. There shouldn't be anyone there, though he's not sure what time it is. He should've checked.

The bathroom is only some meters down the hall. Supposedly, he should be able to make it without any awkward interaction with some poor servant in the wrong place at the wrong time, or even Yi Fan who's seen him shirtless before...when he was ten. Now he's a high school student, and he'd rather not revisit the day he almost drowned in the pool. 

With his clothes bundled into a small bunch under his arm, he tries to walk as silently as he can down the hall.

He hears a door open behind him and he stops in surprise. "Sehun, is that yo--"

Tao freezes at the sight of a half- Sehun staring at him from ten feet away. He's tempted to slowly back away and close the door. He coughs into his fist. The silence only heightens the tension in the air. "Showering?" He asks.

Sehun nods slowly, his cheeks growing redder by the second. His heart is playing drumbeats against his chest, the pounding filling his head with strange beats and rhythms. He wants to run. Instead, he points to the door behind him, muttering, "I, um, I.... Yeah...." He backs into the bathroom, eyes locked with Tao's the whole time. 

Slamming the door behind him, he lets out an enormous breath he'd been holding in this whole time.

Ridiculously awkward.

Showering has never been so nerve-racking. His thought process looks a little something like this:

My god, Tao has seen me shirtless. Holy , what the . Oh god, oh god, oh god, what the . What the am I supposed to do? Holy. ing. . Crap crap crap, oh my god. 

That continues on for a while, frosted with colorful language from every language he knows and an occasional whine from the back of his throat as he basks in his embarrassment. Where is the life-rewind button when you need one?

Mornings are not easy.

Tao has had his fair share of shock in his lifetime. Like when he was alone in his room after his third day of kindergarten and the scary man had to tell him "Sorry. I'm so sorry, my boy, but... your parents. They were in a car crash. You're going to have to live with your new guardian." 

Like when he found out his new guardian intended to enroll him into a "special training school". 

Like when he discovered he'd never get to see his old dog, or his new teacher, or his pretty neighbor ever again.

Like when he found out daddy wanted you to follow in his footsteps, Zi Tao. He wanted you to do great things.

They always called him Zi Tao. It felt bad. He was a five year old boy and they handed him a gun.

Yes, he's had more than his share of heart-leaping moments and near-death experiences. However, no one had prepared him for what he should do if he saw a boy he lives with half . For that, he is ill prepared indeed. 

He shuts the door behind him, taking in a breath. Sehun's back had been flawless pale skin, rippled with taut muscles that weren't bulging, but were still defined. It is a dangerous image to have in his head. Distracting. He needs to get back on track as soon as possible.

Yi Fan always calls him at the worse times.

"How are you, dear?"

Tao feels sick at the sound of his voice. "You saw me yesterday. Please don't call me that."

"Are you begging for it?"

Very, very sick. "What do you want?" He bites his tongue to keep the bile from his throat from coming up.

"Nothing, dear. I just wanted to check in with you. Isn't that normal?"

"Not at all." Maybe that bile in his throat wasn't imaginary after all. His stomach churns at the thought.

"How are you?" 

"Yi Fan, please. This isn't a good time."

"Oh, isn't it? I can't imagine what you would be doing so early in the morning. Are you being a good boy?"

"You're disgusting." Tao leans against the wall and brings the back of his hand to his forehead. Is he hot or is his hand cold? He lets out a sigh.

"Are you feeling feverish? You sound a bit...sluggish, dear." Yi Fan's voice seems to drift farther and farther away.

"What... the ?" Tao slides his back down the wall under he hit the floor with a thud. 

"I know you wanted to stay awake after yesterday, but I really think you shouldn't be drinking coffee in the middle of the night. It's not good for you, is it? You never know when the higher-ups want to test us."

"You're an , Yi Fan." He hangs up immediately, knowing he'll regret that decision later. His head is pounding. He lifts himself up from the floor and trudges across the hall towards the bathroom. The least he could do before he blacks out is to alert the young master that he might not be a very useful bodyguard today....

Sehun is out the shower in fifteen minutes flat, with only a pair of sweatpants on and a small towel around his neck. He's pulling his top on as he leaves the bathroom, only to stop with one arm in its sleeve as he sees Tao collapsed against the wall about three feet away.

"Oh god, Tao?" He kneels down, pushing his arm desperately through the second sleeve of the tank. "What happened?"

Tao moans quietly through his closed lips. Sehun hand flutters up to his bodyguard's face, which is a flushed red, and feels his forehead. 

"You're ing burning, Tao. What the happened?" Without waiting for an answer, he helps Tao stand with a hand under his arm and brings him into Sehun's room to lie down. He quickly piles on the layers of blankets on the sick boy and scurries around him, tucking in corners here and there like a worried mother. "Tao, god, what the...."

Tao shakes his head meekly. "Don't worry about it," he mutters.

"Don't worry about it? Why the wouldn't I!" He sits down near Tao's feet and turns his body to face him. "Do you need anything?"

Tao lets out a laugh. "Usually, I would be asking you that."

"Well not today. What do you need?" Sehun's eyebrow twitches in irritation. He's never taken care of a sick person before, but it shouldn't be that hard, right? Especially since Tao seems to be especially modest and especially stubborn today.

If he were to be honest with himself, he'd realize that his throat is itching and dry, and he needs water. But he hates having to put this on Sehun, even more so since this is all Yi Fan's fault. So instead of asking for it, he smiles. "Nothing, Sehun. I'm fine right now." He'll get his revenge on Yi Fan one day. Definitely not today, but one day.

Sehun squints his eyes. "Alright," he stretches the word. He stands, brushing off his shirt and pants as casually as possible. "I'll be right back then. Get some rest." Tao nods in response. He's vaguely aware that he's not in his own room, but his head is a bit muddled right now. It looks like Sehun's room, and he's almost sure it is. His eyelids start to droop and his thought is left unfinished as whatever Yi Fan had poisoned him with takes effect.

Sehun leaves and closes the door quietly behind him. Bull, he thinks. I'm getting him some water.

He doesn't want to admit that he's already feeling better by the time Sehun's back. Undoubtedly, the stuff he'd been slipped hadn't lasted long, and his mind is already clearing. But when the younger boy comes back, he has with him a cold, wet towel, a glass of water, and a thermometer in his hand. He props himself on his elbow, but finds that when he does, his head hurts. Odd. He should be fine by now.

Sehun hands him the glass and after he drinks as much as he needs, Sehun tells him to lie down. He places the cold towel on Tao's forehead, who reddens underneath it. How embarrassing, to have to be taken care of by the young master. Ashamed and jittery, he covers his mouth with the back of his hand. He doesn't want Sehun to see him bite his lip. He's being babied, and he despises the feeling. If anything, he should be the one taking care of Sehun.

Sehun pulls over a chair and takes a seat next to him. He leans his elbow on the nightstand. "I told you to wear more yesterday...."

"I'm really sorry."

"Why?" Sehun's face looks so placid. What an emotionless expression.

"You shouldn't have to take care of me."

"If I didn't, who would?"

"I'd take care of myself," he says quietly.

"You're absurd," Sehun rolls his eyes. Truthfully, he's quite flustered himself. Is he doing it right? What is he supposed to do now? Tao looks so fragile when he's ill. Pale -- paler than usual, at least -- moving slowly and deliberately, talking in low, hushed voices. He's worried too. This fever or whatever it is can't evolve into something worse, can it?

Pointless questions. He's only asking them to distract himself from his own problems. It's a relief, really. If he has something else to do, then he doesn't have to ask himself What next? And that is the one question he fears the most. He'd have to call Jongin again.

Jongin tilts the mouth of the bottle back into his mouth and gulps down the cold water. He stares nonchalantly out the window, over Sehun's old seat, and runs his fingers through his hair.

"No Kyungsoo today, Jongin-ah?" 

Jongin swivels around at the sound of the voice. It's Byun Baekhyun. They were best friends last year, but after separating into different classes this year, they haven't talked much.

"Why are you here?" Jongin puts the water bottle down.

"I'm, uh, visiting Chanyeol." He jerks his thumb towards where the tall, lanky boy was laughing with some other classmates. "Doesn't Kyungsoo come here every day?"

"Where'd you hear that?" He raises and eyebrow and sits straight up.

"Chanyeol tells me. C'mon Jongin, as if you don't keep tabs on us too." He playfully punches Jongin's shoulder, who grins in return. It's true. If they hadn't all been in a different class this year, the gang would still be the same as ever. But now he has Sehun and Kyungsoo. "Had", he has to remind himself. Chanyeol's still there too, but he's also found new people. It's just not the same.

The corners of his mouth fall back into place after a second. "Kyungsoo's not coming today."

Baekhyun furrows his eyebrows in confusion. He wants to ask why, but has a feeling it isn't something he should get into. "Then, no lunch?"

Jongin shakes his head no. He's never been one to cook, nor did he bring money for lunch today.

"Here, one sec," Baekhyun runs back to Chanyeol's desk. Jongin watches him say something, explain something. Chanyeol nods his head, smiling, and with a wave of his hand, sends Baekhyun on his way with a small object in his hand. He hands it to Jongin. "It's just bread," he says, "but you ought to eat something."

Jongin unwraps the plastic off the bread and looks up at Baekhyun. "Thanks, Baek."

He smiles. "No problem." The bell rings, cutting him off. "Take care of yourself, alright, Jongin? We should all hang out again." He leaves before Jongin can even say "sure".

He munches on the sweet bread in secrecy under his desk, making sure the plastic isn't obnoxiously loud. In his head, he has two different people, and he hopes to drown them out with the sugar in his system, sweet enough to numb him down.

The teacher drones on about equations and then onto English. Eventually, he sticks to staring at the clock. Tick...tock...tick.... It seems to go slower and slower. Three hours simply won't end fast enough. As each minute passes, the school begins the turn into a hellhole. It's unbearable.

He raises his hand.

Mr. Kim looks surprised at the sudden movement. "Yes, Jongin?"

"May I go to the nurse? I don't feel well."

Mr. Kim nods slowly at the request. "Sure, sure." 

Jongin pushes his chair back with a loud screech as the chair legs scrape against the floor. He hurries out.

He takes a detour to the bathroom. Of course he plans on going to the nurse, but that can wait. He wants to waste as much time as he possibly can. After washing his hands and fixing his hair, he heads to the nurse's office.

He tells the nurse there that he feels a little sick and light-headed. "Go lie down," she tells him with a frown. "There's an empty bed near the windows. You can draw the curtains if you like."

He nods and after reaching the bed, he draws the curtains. 

The blankets are thin and stiff, and the pillow is small. The infirmary smells of medicine and chlorine. He struggles to find a comfortable position and settles for lying on his back. He'd rather be here than in that hell classroom. At least he can sleep here, and he honestly can never get enough of that.

He dozes off for what seems to be maybe a half an hour, which he realizes turns out to be more when he hears the bell ring, marking the end of the day. He sits up, groggy, only to stop when the curtains are pulled back with quite some gusto.

Jongin looks up to see Kyungsoo staring at him with teary eyes.

"Jongin," his voice breaks, "we should talk."

[Two Days Prior]

"Jongin, please...."

Jongin picks up the small boy up from the snow, concern drawing lines on his face. "Kyungsoo?" He brushes snow off Kyungsoo's knees. "Why are you here?" 

Kyungsoo opens his mouth to say something. Closes it. 

"Soo? What is it?"

"Jongin," he says weakly, "please...don't do anything rash. Please. Please don't do what I think you want to do."

He gulps. "What did you hear? See?"

Kyungsoo shakes his head. "No. I'm not kidding, Jongin. I'm begging you." There's a madness that sparkles in his eyes. That tear in his heart widens. It's so close to the edge.

Jongin bites his tongue before replying. He knows. "Kyungsoo, I..." 

His boyfriend's grip on his arms turns tighter. "No." Tears start spilling over and out his eyes. "I said no." His knees threaten to give out from under him.

"Maybe..."

"No, Jongin, I said no!" He screams out.

"...we should..."

"Please!" His throat hurts from the sharp breathing and the effort of amplifying his voice. As loud as it takes. As long as it reaches his heart.

"...take a break."

"He won't take you!" Kyungsoo collapses onto the snow, the wetness of melting ice seeping into his clothes. "He won't take you," he repeats, using the last of the breath in his lungs.

"I know that, Kyungsoo. That's not what I--"

"No you don't, you liar." Jongin kneels down and reaches to touch Kyungsoo's cheek. Kyungsoo puts a hand over his. "You just want to think so," he says. "Don't take the chance, please."

Jongin lightly kisses Kyungsoo on the forehead, then moves down to wipe away salty tears with his lips. "I love you, Kyungsoo. And I'm really sorry."

"How do you know I'll wait for you?" Kyungsoo says. "Why don't you think I might not leave you for someone else the second you leave?" 

"I don't. But I'm hoping you will, Soo, because I'm taking myself out by being an idiot, and I don't want to take you down with me." Jongin presses his forehead against Kyungsoo's.

"I'd rather you did," his voice barely sounds out.

"I'm sorry. Let's go back. Come on." He motions for the other boy to stand, but Kyungsoo waves him off with a hand.

"Go away," he whispers. 

Jongin cringes. But he leaves.

Kyungsoo can feel it. It's been there his whole life. It started out as a crack, too small to notice, and as he grew older, it got bigger with him. He met Jongin years ago, and he mended it slowly with his fingers and light kisses and promises. But it kept breaking until he was at the edge, and now it's finally over. 

He screams into his palms until his voice shatters along with his heart. And all that's left is a pile of dust and memories, blown away by gentle snowflakes and soft breezes.

A/N Hello everyone~ A chapter with not too much main-plot development to get things moving a bit~ I hope it 1) made sense and 2) was good! I wasn't so sure about this chapter, but I hope you all like it >< thank you for subscribing/voting/commenting. And if you haven't, then thank you for reading! :) Just that means a lot to me :*

By the end of this story (have I said this already?) I hope to rip your heart and and tear it to shreds OuO in the nicest way possible of course

ALSO, feel free to check out the preview to the next fic I'll be starting after Metal: Club EXOrcist

P.S. Happy (Late) Valentine's Day

P.S.S. Sorry for not always using Taohun gifs ><