Another paper ball hit the back of Taekwoon’s head, he refused to flinch, didn’t even turn around to look at the people that tormented him. Taekwoon simply clenched his hand around his pen; burning a hole through his one simply four beat melody onto the sheet of manuscript in front of him. His mind was a muddle of anger and tiredness. The usual snide comments and balls with horrible detail messages of what he should do to himself had increased, those he could deal with, he been use to those same people for years now. The ones that had stared spreading rumors about him when he had transferred to the school where he met Hakyeon during his last year of High School. He’d offend them apparently, ruined all chance at a social life as they told him when he turned to glare at the other members of the football team who had knocked down a tiny male. Taekwoon, despite his icy glares and built stature, couldn’t stand to see any soul bullied or knocked down. The boy had been so fragile looking, skinny and drowned in his one size too big jumper but the way he glared when Taekwoon had helped him up, the strong words that had left his mouth before he’d limped away had caught Taekwoon’s interest and found himself helping the other. Five years later they were best friends, maybe more, living together and in their last years of their Arts Majors. Taekwoon still had to deal with a few of their old classmates that loved to torment them but they learned, they learned that threatening him did not get under his skin but Hakyeon did. The words they threw at him, the ones that depicted horrible things that they’d do or implied things that Hakyeon had apparently done to have gotten the lead role in the dance performance. Those were the things that got under Taekwoon’s skin.

                He could hear the whispers, the comments of those that wanted to get a rise out of him. They had purposely sat behind him in order to continue the harassment they started all those years ago, to drive him into a rage that never happened. Taekwoon always kept calm, repeated sentences in his mind such as ‘it’s not worth going to jail over a few idiots’ ‘blood takes forever to get out of shirts’ ‘Hakyeon will murder you if you murder anyone’. Taekwoon was drawn out of his mind by a gentle touch on his shoulder. He stopped drawing circles with his pen and gazed up at the sympathetic eyes of his Lecturer. She sighed, throwing a glance at the group behind him. She patted Taekwoon’s shoulder softly, her eyes showing understanding as she picked his bag up from the floor and taking a few of the papers into her hand. ‘Go home for today Taekwoon, no one can work under these conditions. I have the evidence; I will speak to the Dean, just go home and relax. A top student like you can afford to miss a day’ she whispered softly. Taekwoon nodded, taking his bag and slinging it over his shoulder. He cradled his hard back and manuscript to his chest, exiting the class as quietly as he had entered it. He walked the empty corridors. That had been his last class of the day, there was no reason to stick around. Hakyeon had finished at two o’clock, all his class were shortened to half days due to the performances every two nights. Taekwoon made his way through the darkened streets, shoulders slumping slightly with each step. He was tired; he was so damn tired of facing the same things every day. Tired of having nightmares of their ideas happening to Hakyeon, watching the person he was closest to suffer. The rain started to fall, quickly soaking through his shirt.

                                      Taekwoon was saturated by the time he made it to the door of the apartment, his hand shaking as he turned the key. He could hear the soft hum of whatever program Hakyeon had been indulging in while Taekwoon was in class. Taekwoon walked silently, dripping rain onto the hardwood floor but the noise didn’t matter anyway as he turned the corner to the sight of a sleeping Hakyeon. He was wrapped up in Taekwoon’s grey hoody, his mouth open softly, cheek squished against his hand, It brought a smile to Taekwoon’s lips as he approached, draping the blanket from the back of the sofa over his lifelong friend before heading towards the bathroom to wash away the rain and change into something warm.

                           Hakyeon blinked his eyes open slowly.  The fuzzy feeling of sleep causing his head to loll every time he tried to lift it from its place on his hand. He squirmed, the warmth comforting him as he buried himself deeper into the blankets covering him and the hoody. The hoody that smelt like Taekwoon, filling him with warmth that he could only get from a hoody, too afraid to ask for it from the actual person. Hakyeon forced his eyes open, making him sit up, whimpering softly at his aching muscles from hours of practice and performances. He could hear the soft footsteps in kitchen, grabbing the blanket; he got up on wobbly feet and headed towards the source of noise. His eyes half open, bleary with sleep as he tried to stop the world spinning, he didn’t have a performance tonight, leaving him free to sleep the night away but all he wanted right now was the warmth of Taekwoon’s arms. ‘You should be sleeping’ Taekwoon’s soft voice reached his ears before he could even find the other. Hakyeon let out a soft whine, turning towards the voice and making his ways towards it. Taekwoon watched fondly as the other wobbled on his feet, blankets dragging on the ground like a cape, his hair sticking out in fluffy tufts on his head. ‘Cuddle me’ Hakyeon demanded, sleepy eyes glaring at him as the smaller held out his arms towards him. Taekwoon chuckled softly, setting down his bowl of ramen as he ushered the elder back towards the living room. Hakyeon only too happy to let the other shuffle him towards the couch. Taekwoon made him wait; pulling at the end of the sofa to convert it into the bed that they had used when family had come to stay throughout the year.

               Taekwoon lay down, taking the others hand to guide him into lying down with him. Hakyeon snuggled closer, letting Taekwoon pull the blanket over them. Hakyeon nuzzled his nose against the pale skin of Taekwoon’s throat, hand resting above the others heart, monitoring the beating of it with his palm. Taekwoon curled an arm around the slender waist, fingers drawing circles into the soft skin of Hakyeons hip. Hakyeon hummed, reminding Taekwoon of the soft purr of a cat. ‘You’re like the kitten my parents never let me have’ Taekwoon muttered into Hakyeons soft locks. Hakyeon chuckled, a puff of warm air against Taekwoons skin, ‘Cause you’d squish it to death if they’d got you one’. Taekwoon rolled his eyes, despite knowing that Hakyeon couldn’t see it. He didn’t reply, closing his eyes and letting the warmth of Hakyeon’s body comfort him. He would never admit to love moment s like this. The ones were Hakyeon was less annoying and more clingy, when he craved the others closeness and silence. Taekwoon felt his chest constrict as he pulled Hakyeon tighter against him, hand clasping on the others hips so there was no space between them. He pressed his lips against the soft skin of the others temple. ‘When I said you’d squish the kitten I didn’t mean squish me’ Hakyeon teased softly, molding his slender body to fit Taekwoons. Taekwoon mover his hand to his chest, linking their fingers there as he gulped, trying to rid of the lump in his throat. ‘I’ll always protect you, I promise. I won’t let anyone hurt you’ Taekwoon whispered against Hakyeon’s temple. Hakyeon shivered at the intimacy of their positions, but knew where Taekwoon’s words were coming from, what had inspired them. ‘They can’t hurt me here Taekwoon, I have you. You’re  all I need, my lion’ Hakyeon murmured, sleepiness filling him as Taekwoons hand slid under his shirt to rest warmly against the base of his spine. ‘Will I always be enough?’ Taekwoon asked, lips brushing Hakyeons cheek as he pressed their forehead together. Hakyeon smiled, bumping their noses together, ignoring how painfully fast his heart was beating and how much he wanted to kiss those lips and tell him he was the only one, that it had always be him. ‘You’ll always be enough for me’ Hakyeon murmured, moving his arm to detangle their finger. Taekwoon felt slim fingers run through his hair once before curling around his neck protectively, filling him with the reassurance he needed. ‘Thank you’ Taekwoon whispered against Hakyeon’s cheek, the soft puffs of air against his own lulling him into a dreamless sleep for the first time that week