"How was work?" Sunggyu asked as Dongwoo walked through the front door, feeling guilty even mentioning the topic. Unwaveringly, Dongwoo beamed as he sank down  into a kitchen chair. 

"It was good. Busy," he hummed, the smile on his lips only dulled by the painfully obvious shadows beneath his eyes.
"I can tell," Sunggyu commented, referring to the late hour that Dongwoo had returned home.
"Tips were good, though," Dongwoo said, shuffling through his bag to pull out a small wad of cash, "This week's groceries, covered in a night," he stated proudly.
Sunggyu offered his own small smile before pulling the plate he'd placed in the microwave moments before out and placing it in front of his boyfriend, "Speaking of groceries - eat up," he said, glancing down at the meal he'd prepared. 
Dongwoo didn't hesitate to comply, and they fell into a comfortable silence as the younger boy wolfed down his food.
Sunggyu was forced to hold back a sigh as he watched his boyfriend eat, the exhaustion clear in his sluggish movements. 

Never once though had he heard Dongwoo complain. Never once had Dongwoo been bitter about the fact that he had to work three jobs and put his own dreams on hold in order to pay their bills and put Sunggyu through medical school. Sunggyu had watched Dongwoo's weight slip away from barely having time to fit meals into his packed days, and he'd watched the circles under his eyes grow darker and darker with each passing week, but still all he got from the younger boy were bright smiles, warm hugs, and loving kisses. 

As Sunggyu watched his lover eat, all he could imagine was sitting the boy down and laying out a feast for him of all his favourite foods, and having him eat and eat until the fullness returned to his cheeks and his shirts were no longer baggy on him. He'd lay him down afterwards in the softest of sheets and let him sleep and sleep until there wasn't even a trace of darkness underneath his eyes. He'd take care of him and make it so he'd never have to exhaust himself ever again.
He promised himself he'd make that happen one day, but until then, he'd stay strong for Dongwoo. He owed him that much in the very least.
"Good?" Sunggyu asked, reaching down to ruffle the shorter boy's hair. The smile that graced his lips when Dongwoo leaned into his touch was genuine.
"Perfect," he replied, pushing his now empty plate away from him. 
"You say that every time," Sunggyu pointed out. 
"I mean it every time," Dongwoo laughed warmly, premature lines crinkling underneath his eyes.
Sunggyu just smiled.
"You go shower and get into bed, okay? I'll wash up and be there soon," the elder instructed.
Dongwoo nodded and got to his feet, rising up on his toes for a brief moment to kiss his boyfriend's cheek.
"Okay, hyung," was all he said before setting off down the hall of their small apartment towards the bathroom.

Sunggyu heard the shower turn on a few seconds later, and with that he began cleaning up the kitchen, trying - and failing - not to think too much. Time and time again he'd offered to Dongwoo to take a year off of school, to pick up a job and help with the bills and save up some money to give him a break, but each time Dongwoo had refused, insisting that Sunggyu needed to keep at his schooling, and that he was fine. He'd told Sunggyu that he enjoyed his jobs - morning shifts as a barista in a local café, afternoon shifts as a dance instructor, and evenings as a bartender - and well that proved to be true enough, that didn't change the fact that working from seven a.m. to eleven p.m. nearly every day wasn't exhausting. Sunggyu was grateful for Sundays, however, when Dongwoo only worked a 9-2 shift at the café, and Mondays when he had mornings off entirely, and got off his last shift early. Still, collectively Dongwoo worked over 90 hours a week and that simply wasn't healthy. 

Sunggyu sighed audibly this time as he finished up cleaning and began packing a small lunch and water bottle for Dongwoo to take the next day, wanting to ensure he'd at least have that much.
Somewhere during that, the shower shut off and the elder heard the other walk down the hall to their bedroom. He finished packing and stowed the lunch in the fridge before following in pursuit, grabbing a towel and entering the room. Dongwoo was already in his pyjamas, sitting cross-legged on the bed, his eyes half closed.
Sunggyu smiled softly and joined him, pulling him into his lap so that he could begin to dry his hair for him.
"I love you," Dongwoo hummed, his voice low and thick with fatigue.
"I love you too," Sunggyu said back, meaning the words with every fibre of his being. "It won't always be like this, I promise," he mumbled softly.
"I know," Dongwoo replied, nothing but love in his tone, "I know."
Sunggyu massaged the towel into the younger's hair and hummed softly for him, and he could pinpoint the exact second that the smaller boy fell asleep. He slumped back against him and Sunggyu fought to keep yet another piece of his heart from breaking as he backed up and eased Dongwoo under the covers and onto his pillow, praying that the five and a half hours of sleep would be enough for him.
He hated seeing Dongwoo like this, truly and thoroughly hated it. Dongwoo was once so energetic and full of life - he still was, given the chance, but he so rarely had the energy to be his bouncing, bubbly self that Sunggyu often worried about losing that piece of his boyfriend. 

It was wrong, Sunggyu thought to himself for the nth time as he stood up to change into his own pyjamas. Sunggyu was older. He felt that, if anything, he should be the one providing for Dongwoo. 
He stared down at the selfless miracle of a boyfriend that he'd been blessed with as he climbed into bed with him, wrapping his arms around Dongwoo's slender waist.
He vowed to himself that one day, he would. One day, he'd work hard and make enough money that they'd never have to worry again, and Dongwoo could pursue his own dreams of teaching dance full time, and he'd never have to drain himself again, nor joke about his third job only being to pay for the coffee he had to drink to keep himself going. He vowed that he'd make this right for them, for the man that he loved. He vowed to fix all of this.

*

It had been almost four years to the date when Sunggyu flopped down onto the couch in their new apartment and looked back on his life, and how far they'd come.
"How was work, Doctor?" Dongwoo asked, a playful grin on his face as he sat down next to him.
"Excellent," Sunggyu replied, opening his arms up for his boyfriend to come into, which he did immediately. 
"Were they nice to you?" Dongwoo asked teasingly.
Sunggyu couldn't help but laugh; he'd just been promoted to a new position and would be working with a new set of doctors than he had been the last while.
"Yes, baby - I even made some new friends."
"Of course you did! How could they resist these adorable cheeks?" Dongwoo asked with a loud laugh as he reached up to pinch Sunggyu's face.
Sunggyu attempted to pout, but a grin stole over his lips instead.
"You're one to talk," he laughed, poking at his lover's own full, healthy cheeks. His eyes flickered up to underneath Dongwoo's, where no dark shadow had haunted in ages.

Things were good for them, finally. With Sunggyu's promotion - that was miraculously circumstantial and had the elder boy believing in God all over again - had come a significant raise, and though they weren't living lavishly by any means, they were perfectly comfortable. 
Dongwoo had quit two of his jobs and now worked full time at a well-known dance studio, teaching senior students. He had proper days off and plenty of time for rest and relaxation, and dates, most importantly. Sunggyu had graduated in the top of his class and was hired almost immediately, and his first large paycheque had gone immediately into buying the ring that now glinted on Dongwoo's finger. Dongwoo was happy and healthy, and their wedding was set for next June. 
They'd made it through on account of Dongwoo's sheer strength and perseverance, and Sunggyu had kept all his promises, and fully intended to make sure that they'd have the life they deserved.