"You guys go ahead without me." 

"You've changed bro. We've really lost you to your wife." 

Hyukjae's grin slowly faded. "Husband." He corrected, as per habit, as he closed his locker. He swung a black backpack over his shoulder. 

Minho glanced knowingly at his best friend. He waved his other friends off, silently commanding them to lay off. 

"He's got to prep for finals unlike you es." 

Hyukjae chuckled. "Not untrue." He quirked, before waving goodbye to his friends and exiting the school buidling. His facade dropped, piece by piece, as he reached closer and closer to his car. Once inside, he heaved an exhausted sigh and revved the engine. 

"Talk to him." 

Donghae ignored the remark as he continued to wipe down the tables. 

Heechul's face emerged from the kitchen window. "Tell it to him like it is. Don't be such a child -" 

"He is a damn child, Heechul, don't you understand." 

The manager raised his brows. "He's not the one in denial about his feelings for you, Donghae." 

Donghae stopped wiping. He hollowed his cheeks, straightening his back before throwing the rag onto the table. 

"Why is everyone so convinced they know my feelings better than I do myself?" 

Heechul gazed intently at his huffing employee. His eyes softened as he chuckled quietly. 

"Damn fool." 

Donghae blew a puff of cold air, huddling further under his thick scarf. The days had grown colder and shorter, making his nightly walks after school and work a hassle. He stalked up the steps of Lee Residence, sighing in relief that he'd finally made it home. 

"You're home, Donghae-ah." Grandpa quirked happily as the scent of meat and rice flooded through Donghae's nostrils. He nodded, equally as delighted, as he removed his combat boots and coat. 

Grandfather Lee called from the kitchen, asking Donghae about his day while Donghae's grandpa cooked the meat. The workers were nowhere to be seen, nor was the object of Donghae's wandering eyes. 

"Hyukjae's not home yet." Grandfather Lee clarified knowingly. 

Donghae blushed, muttering a "I see!". He couldn't help the disappointment lacing his features. It had been more than a week since that night. Ever since, Hyukjae would come home late, sleep on the couch in their bedroom and be gone before Donghae even awoke. 

"High schools ending soon. He's probably out with his friends." Donghae forced a casual chuckle as Grandfather Lee brought out the plates. Donghae ate purposely slow that evening, for he desperately hoped that he'd bump into Hyukjae. Unfortunately, even after Donghae had finished washing every piece of china used during dinner - he'd offered, no pleaded to do the dishes - not even a knock upon the front door rang. 

"Get some rest, Donghae-ah. He'll be late." 

Donghae glanced up from the sink. He'd dosed off in his own thoughts. He fumbled to remove the hot pink plastic gloves, nervously laughing. 

"Silly me I keep daydreaming." 

The look in Grandfather Lee's eyes gave it away that he didn't eat up all the bull Donghae sent his way. Yet, like always, he kept mum and merely smiled. 

"Get some rest boy." He repeated. 

Donghae nodded and bid the grandfathers and staff goodnight before ascending up to the bedroom he shared with his husband. The man fell onto edge of the couch with a sigh. He wondered where his husband spent his evenings. He wondered if Hyukjae was getting busy with another. That would explain how he'd so easily gone without talking to him for weeks. Donghae wondered endlessly, each time a worse situation than the last, until he felt his eyes begin to droop. 

Hyukjae chucked his textbooks to the backseat of his car before exiting and locking it. He felt tired as hell after having reviewed the entire physics course. 

"Evening, Hyukjae." Leeteuk greeted. He was propped on the sofa with his night-glasses and a novel. 

"It's past evening, Teuk." Hyukjae chuckled, throwing off his shoes. He bit back a yawn. 

Leeteuk clicked his tongue. "See, if you know that then why..." 

"Why?" 

"Why do you stay out so late, knowing your husband's up in your bedroom waiting for you." 

Hyukjae shook his head dismissively. He stalked towards the staircase. "My husband doesn't wait up for me, Teuk. Goodnight." He climbed the stairs wanting nothing more than to fall asleep. He knew the lights would be off and that Donghae would be fast asleep in the bed. He simply wanted to grab a blanket and set up on the couch. 

As Hyukjae opened the bedroom door, he didn't expect to see the bed empty. He frowned. Had Donghae not come home? He clicked his tongue in frustration. It irked him, knowing that despite their cold war Donghae had the audacity to act so carelessly. In midst his thoughts, the teenager undid the buttons of his shirt. He rolled up his sleeves and grabbed a blanket from the closet, making his way to the couch - 

"Ah!" He cried upon seeing the sleeping figure on the couch. His features softened instantly when he realized it was his fool of a husband. 

Donghae had curled up at the edge of the couch. Hyukjae smiled softly. Mindlessly he brought a hand to the elder's cheek, barely grazing it. How he missed this. 

"That's not your spot pabo." He whispered before leaning down to pick up the sleeping man. Donghae unconciously grabbed the material on Hyuk's shirt, it in his hand. Hyuk stalked to the bed, gently dropping Donghae onto it. He frowned when he was pulled down as well due to Donghae's relentless hold. 

"Let go, Hae." Hyuk coaxed. He tried to gently remove the grasping hand but Donghae held on. 

"No." 

Hyukjae blinked. He glanced down to see the seemingly asleep man open his eyes. The softness within Hyuk's own eyes disappeared. 

"You're awake." 

"Hyuk." Donghae merely muttered. He released the other's shirt from his grasp but never broke the eye contact. 

"Go back to sleep Donghae." 

"Not until you come back to sleep on the bed with me." 

Hyukjae snorted bitterly. "You and your endless mixed signals." 

Donghae scowled. He sat up. "What's that supposed to mean?" 

Hyukjae scowled back. He lay a knee onto the bed and leaned closer. "It means you're a confused brat. You want me to love you, you want me to you and sleep beside you so you don't get lonely but you won't admit that you love me and need me." 

Donghae didn't necessarily respond quick. He knew that Hyukjae had hit the nail on the head. Still in his heated stage he couldn't back down so simply. 

"I'm the brat?" He screamed. "I'm not the one who's been childish enough to ignore his own husband. Sleeping on the damn couch and coming home past midnight - grow up Hyukjae!" 

Hyukjae clenched his jaw. He was tired of Donghae using their age difference in these arguments. "I'm done with this ." He spat and turned away. 

Donghae panicked. He didn't want Hyukjae to give up just like that. He spluttered for comebacks. "Perhaps you've found someone new to . Now that your needs are met, is that why you're not chasing after me Hyukjae?" 

Hyukjae lost it. 

He turned around to meet Donghae's eyes with blazing brown orbs. He climbed onto the bed, pinning Donghae against the headboard. 

"I could a hundred others and my body would still feel unsatified until I have you writhing beneath me. So don't give me that bull." He hissed, slamming his lips against his husbands. Donghae struggled against the elder's hold stubbornly but melted eventually. His body couldn't lie like his tongue; it couldn't deny the need it had for Hyukjae. They kissed needily for one another. Hyukjae pulled away first. He released Donghae's wrists and wiped the saliva from his lips. 

"I'm waiting for you to man - no grow - up and be honest about your feelings, Donghae. Come to me when you've come to terms with yourself." 

Donghae panted on the bed, clutching his reddening wrists as Hyuk switched off the lights and fell onto the couch. He cursed the gods for he felt an aching in both his pants and his chest. Playing the offensive had failed him as well.