Seunghyun slowly opened his eyes. It took him a moment to focus. He felt a sharp pain on his left side and figured that was what woke him. He eased carefully out of bed and slipped quietly down the hall. Once in the bathroom, he lifted his shirt. He in a breath and his eyes widened. On the left side of his torso were three claw marks. They burned and ached. Seunghyun opened the medicine cabinet, thankful there was a small first aid kit on the bottom shelf. He bandaged himself and headed back to the bedroom. Heechul was curled into a little ball facing away from him, towards the wall. The sheet had slid down below his waist and Seunghyun drank in his pale skin. Seunghyun's smile widened when he thought of how Heechul had reached out to him the night before, wanting his company because he had been hearing strange noises.

“Heechul,” he murmured, sliding into bed. “Heechul.”

Heechul didn't stir. Seunghyun rolled him over and pulled him closer.

“Mmmm,” Heechul groaned. “Was I snoring?”

“Not at all,” Seunghyun whispered. “I just want to cuddle.”

Heechul smiled up at Seunghyun, eyes still closed, before throwing his leg over Seunghyun's waist, his arm over his waist, and clinging to him like a koala on a tree. Seunghyun smiled, and ran his fingers through Heechul's hair until he finally fell asleep.

Seunghyun was woken up with a kiss on the nose. He opened his eyes to see Heechul standing next to the bed, holding a small white box.

“Breakfast,” Heechul smirked, opening the box to reveal two rows of doughnuts.

Seunghyun smiled and reached for the box, but Heechul held it back.

“Uh-uh,” he said firmly. “Talk first.”

Seunghyun sighed and bit his lip. Heechul just looked expectantly at him. After a few moments, Seunghyun pulled Heechul into bed with him- Heechul depositing the box onto the nightstand- adjusting him so that Heechul straddled his legs. Heechul raised an eyebrow but said nothing.

“Hyuna and I were together for about a year or so. She was- is- a nasty person. She was more enamored with being linked to my name than me. She was demanding and spoiled and gold digging and had no problem cutting me down in public.”

“Why did you stay with her?” Heechul asked, horrified.

“Laziness,” Seunghyun shrugged. “I didn't think I'd find anyone else. My being shy is misinterpreted as being an ice queen so people don't approach me. I was settling, basically.”

“Ice queen?” Heechul smirked.

Seunghyun rolled his eyes.

“Was it the ?”

“No,” Seunghyun admitted. “It was good at first, but she's just a selfish lover.”

“And then you met me.”

Seunghyun smiled- wide, bright, dimpled. “And then I met you. Cute, kind, shy you. We had just broken up when I met you. And you were so different. You made no demands. You made me laugh.”

“And I'm a fantastic kisser,” Heechul supplied.

Seunghyun chuckled. “Definitely that.”

“And that night?”

Seunghyun sighed, reaching up to Heechul's now sad face. “That night Hyuna cornered me. I was able to rebuff her until she kissed me.”

Heechul looked down.

“It was... familiar. And I'd be lying if I said I didn't enjoy it.” Seunghyun closed his eyes and a single tear trickled from his eye. “But then I saw how heartbroken you were and all that mattered was you. That's when I realized the extent of my feelings for you.”

Heechul's eyes snapped up. Seunghyun shifted so that they were forehead to forehead.

“I'm not going to say I love you because I'm not sure. But I do like you a hell of a lot. And I do want to give us a serious try.”

“Awww,” Heechul teased. “Are you asking me to be your boyfriend?”

Seunghyun blushed. “Yes.”

“Okay,” Heechul replied. “We'll start over with a clean slate. I'm trusting you, Seunghyun.”

Seunghyun smiled before pulling Heechul down into a steamy kiss, breakfast forgotten.

They started off slow- text messages and late night -sometimes dirty- phone calls and sleepovers. Seunghyun asked everyday if Heechul would just move in already. Heechul would just grin and shake his head. He didn't want to rush anything.

Heechul may have wanted to take his time with Seunghyun, but he was definitely ready to leave his apartment. The faucet still turned itself off and on at will, despite a new fixture from Seunghyun. The lights were always flickering, things were always in different places than where Heechul left them, and cabinets and doors often opened- and slammed shut- on their own. Seunghyun was over one night when the toilet flushed on its own. Seunghyun very calmly dragged Heechul out of the apartment and to his own place. He refused to go back if he could help it.

Well, tonight he had to. Heechul had found an antique tea set and wanted to have a proper tea. Seunghyun whined until Heechul promised a tea. Heechul couldn't help but snicker when Seunghyun readily agreed.

Heechul was currently standing on a chair in the hallway, changing out a light bulb. It was a brand new bulb and after three days it was already out. The chair started to shake so Heechul readjusted his footing so as not to fall. The chair began to shake even more violently, until Heechul fell with a cry. The chair settled and Heechul curled himself into a ball, whimpering.

Not too long after, Heechul's door opened. “Chulie?” Seunghyun called.

Heechul moaned in relief- he was so glad Seunghyun insisted on having a key to his place for emergencies.

“Here,” Heechul coughed. “I was changing out a bulb and fell off the chair.”

“Baby,” Seunghyun clucked softly. But before he could help Heechul help, his leg yanked in the opposite direction.

Heechul looked up with wide eyes. “Seunghyun,” he breathed, terrified.

Seunghyun knelt down, but Heechul's leg was pulled once more and he was being dragged by an unseen force backward into the bedroom.

“Seunghyun!” Heechul screamed. “Seunghyun! SEUNGHYUN!”

Seunghyun stumbled after him but the door slammed in his face.