Leo/Ravi

804

warning: not really set in a hospital

Wonshik grumbles profanity under his breath as the doorbell to his unit goes off with his mobile phone perched on his bed stand. The doctor rolls to his side, ignoring his doorbell opting instead to answer his stupid phone. Before he could curse the person on the other side of the line for disturbing him in this god forsaken hour, Taekwoon’s voice hisses onto his ear.

“Kim Wonshik open the damned door!” Taekwoon shouts and Wonshik visibly cringes at the voice. He sighs and finally rolls out of the bed. He stubs his toe on the protruding embelishment of his coffee table as he moves out of the room and he curses quite colorfully.

“Jung Taekwoon seriously, what the ?” He hisses back, his poor toe is swelling by the moment and he swears he hates everyone. “It’s 2:35 what do you think you’re doing?”

“Just open the door Wonshik, please.”

“Yes, yes I’m getting it.”

When Wonshik opens the door, the sight of a partially wet and shivering Taekwoon greets him. The older doctor smiles weakly at Wonshik and Wonshik could swear that his heart was beating too fast for it to be good.

“Jesus,” Wonshik says and grabs Taekwoon by the elbow, closing the door with his foot consequently injuring his bad toe. “Why the hell are you drenched?”

“My plumbing broke, I thought I could fix it but then I think I did more damage than good. Landlord cut off my line, says he could get it fixed tomorrow and it’s flooding everywhere!”

Wonshik procures a towel from his bathroom cabinet and tosses one to Taekwoon, he gets another one and dries Taekwoon’s hair himself.  “Are you okay?” He asks as he pats down Taekwoon’s hair like a mother would to her child.

“I’m fine, can I borrow some clothes?”

“Sure, do you want coffee with that too, you’re shivering.”

“Thanks Sikkie.”

After Wonshik turns up the heating to his unit, –he hates it but Taekwoon likes warm things, so he does it anyway- Taekwoon emerges from the bathroom in Wonshik’s white button down and some boxers. Wonshik looks away from his temptation walking out ever so alluringly.

“I’ll skip on the coffee Wonshik, goodnight.”

“Goodnigh Taek.”

Sleep doesn’t claim Wonshik in a way he expected it. He fitfully tosses and turns until having enough of it, he gets up and walks into the hallway connecting his room to Taekwoon’s.

“Taekwoon, you awake?” The tanned doctor knocks and when Taekwoon doesn’t answer he follows his previous statement with an “I’m coming in okay.”

Wonshik finds Taekwoon as what he previously expected. His bestfriend is wide awake, staring at the ceiling and Wonshik’s red duvet tightly wrapped around his tall frame. Wonshik smiles at his friend and all those feelings he so desperately tried to contain was breaking out of their confinement and it hurts. It hurts but Wonshik endures, he walks into the bed and Taekwoon scooches to give him some space. Wonshik extends his left arm and Taekwoon easily rolls back into his embrace. Wonshik wraps an arm around Taekwoon and he tangles their legs together. They stay like that for a while, Taekwoon’s breath is tickling Wonshik’s skin under his thin wifebeater and Taekwoon’s hair is rubbing against his chin. Wonshik’s heart doesn’t race at the contact, there’s warmth. Taekwoon has always been warm and Wonshik likes him for being warm.

“Is something bothering you?” Wonshik’s fingers find their way onto Taekwoon’s hair, raking the long, obsidian strands with his long digits.

Taekwoon doesn’t answer for a while, just inhales a steady breath and answers in his soft monotone voice, “Chief Cha,” Taekwoon starts and there’s a brief moment of silence wherein he inhales a short breath before continuing, “he makes me feel things. I don’t know what to think about it, it confuses me.”

Wonshik’s heart doesn’t break at the answer.

Wonshik and Taekwoon have always been less than lovers but more than friends, they are so much more. But Wonshik has long accepted the fact that Taekwoon will never return his feelings not because of their convoluted friendship but because Taekwoon just doesn’t and won’t feel that way towards him. It is life, despite the fact that they’ve known each for a good two decades, it will never mean that romantic feelings will suddenly materialize. And sometimes, Wonshik thinks, it’s better to stay as friends for life than lovers who’ll eventually grow apart.

Sometimes, it’s better to feel heartbreak than nothing at all.

So Wonshik holds Taekwoon tighter and whispers words of assurances he really means. “You’ll figure it out soon Taek, give it time, for your happiness.”

Taekwoon doesn’t answer but when he does, Wonshik smiles.

“You do know that I’m constantly grateful that you exist. You know that Wonshik, right?”

Yes, yes he does.