Follow that red thread home ch 5

You have to accept the awful truth that in your lifetime, there will always be people who don’t pick you back. -chasingsettingsuns (via wnq-writers)

Joshua stared at him his eyes wide. Yoon Jeonghan of all ing people. Was Fate ing with him? Seriously? Him?! Why after all these lifetimes did he have to appear in Joshua’s life again?

Niko mrowed in his ears, no doubt not liking how stunned Joshua looked. Thankfully that loud obnoxious meow startled Joshua out of his trance.

He pasted a smile on his face. “It’s not a problem. Teaching is hard. Especially if it’s your first week here.” Thank he didn’t work for Joshua’s department. He wouldn’t have to see him if he avoided showing up this early for class.

Too bad Joshua didn’t remember Destiny was a .

He held out his hand for Joshua to shake. “Jeonghan, Professor of Bio.”

Joshua took his hand and shook it, holding onto Niko rather hard, trying to hide his shaking. “Joshua. Professor of Anthropology.” He kept his eyes on Jeonghan’s face and not on that damn ring they had made their promises on. Jeonghan still wore it on his middle finger.

Jeonghan stared at him, looking him up and down, his eyes taking on a twinkle and a smirk forming on his lips.

He clearly liked what he saw. But Joshua didn’t care. He didn’t. Even if a small part of his brain said jumped in joy that Jeonghan still found him attractive.

“You have your cat in class?” Jeonghan asked, looking away from Joshua’s face to Niko. “He’s handsome.”

Niko was handsome. A fully gray, short hair cat, with the prettiest eyes when he was playing at being a domestic cat.

He hissed and swiped a claw out as Jeonghan tried to pet him though, knowing that this man set Joshua off but not knowing why. Always trying to protect Joshua after he saved him from dying that one lifetime.

Joshua pulled him close, using this to back away from Jeonghan. “I’m sorry. Niko doesn’t like strangers.”

Jeonghan nodded, pulling his hand back. “Not a problem.” He gave Joshua a long look. “Maybe we won’t be strangers long.”

Biting his lip Joshua said nothing. Jeonghan’s flirting tactics were the same as ever. They were strangers. No matter how Joshua thought they weren’t after the first lifetime they were. He thought he knew Jeonghan but in the end, he didn’t. Joshua didn’t want to get to know him anymore. Not at all.

“Professor Hong,” Wonwoo said, piping up from his seat, “class just started.”

“Thank you Wonwoo,” Joshua replied back. He gave a bland smile to Jeonghan. “I have to start class, so if you can leave…”

“Oh,” Jeonghan said, startled as he looked up at the clock. “I’m sorry. Maybe next time we can talk some more. Outside of class?”

Joshua, who laid his bag on the table, and let Niko out of his arms replied, “Maybe.”

Jeonghan gave Joshua a little salute. “Next time then,” before walking out of the lecture hall.

Joshua gripped the handle of his bag hard, trying not to shake as he took things out.

“Shua,” Niko asked, coming close.

“Not now Niko,” Joshua said, voice calm even when all he wanted to do was curl up and die. He had to be calm. He had a class to teach.

“Later?”

“Yes. Later.” Booting up his laptop Joshua said, “This class we’ll be learning how to summon familiars for the first two weeks before we take a crack at it. So, it’s magical theory and practice for a bit. Take out your book and turn to page 10, magical beasts.”

Picking up his pointer he aimed it at the screen. “Let’s begin.”

Jeonghan walked out, looking once more at his pretty fellow professor with the handsome cat. He was sort of cold but that could be changed. Jeonghan was a charmer. Jogging towards the exit, he reminded himself to swing by Seungcheol’s office and ask him about the professor. Maybe he knew about Joshua.

Nodding to the person who left the door open for him, he walked, in long strides, to Seungcheol’s office. Throwing it open he ignored the minor yelp his friend let out and said point blank, “Joshua, professor of Anthropology, do you know him?”

Seungcheol got up from the floor. Apparently, he took a spill when Jeonghan came into the office like a hurricane. Jeonghan shrugged. Oh well.

 “I do,” he said, looking a bit leery as he sat back on his office chair, “why?”

“He’s gorgeous and I’m interested,” Jeonghan declared. He wouldn’t mention the tug he felt when he saw him come through the door. Or that somehow he felt like he had seen him before.

Scoffing Seungcheol whirled back to his computer, “Listen. This is your first week here and your job is currently temporary. Keep your in your pants before you go running after all the gorgeous professors the school has.”

Jeonghan played with his ring, twirling it around. He never wondered why it was just a bit big on him. All he knew was that he never took it off. Ever. Staring at it he felt his heart warm and then a light tug once again, as if drawing him towards something. Or someone.

“He’s really pretty though. My type,” Jeonghan said absentmindedly.

Seungcheol let out a gusty sigh. He got up, his chair creaking.

Feeling Seungcheol’s beefy hands on his shoulders, Jeonghan looked up. “Listen,” Seungcheol said, “let’s secure this teaching job before you think with your ok? Professor Hong isn’t going anywhere. He’s been teaching here longer than me.”

“Hong?” Jeonghan said as Seungcheol let go and sat back down.

He nodded. “Joshua Hong, anthro prof. A cat person and wildly loved by his students. Jihoon is in his classes.” Seungcheol looked away at that, remembering the last conversation he had with Joshua about that. And the ensuing conversation he had with Jihoon, reassuring him that he loved him and that one night with Joshua was a very long time ago and that it only reaffirmed his feelings for Jihoon.

Jeonghan narrowed his eyes. “You sure you aren’t hiding something from me?”

Hunching his shoulders, giving Jeonghan a big tell, he said, “I’m not. I only met the guy a few times.” True words. Seungcheol had only met him a few times. One time was in his bed and having Joshua underneath him. Joshua Hong was gorgeous, especially . He just couldn’t tell that to Jeonghan, unless he wanted Joshua after his own , likely to cut it and feed it to him given that death glare he had given Seungcheol. And Seungcheol liked his as did Jihoon so he’d shut his mouth.

“Fine,” Jeonghan drawled, “be like that. I’ll get you spill one way or another.”

He shuddered. Jeonghan was too good at that . “Not hiding a thing.”

“Whatever,” he dismissed, “how was the date with Jihoon?” Jeonghan changed topics. He’d get Seungcheol to spill one day.

Joshua sighed as the class gathered their belongings. After a very trying lecture thanks to that encounter with the man who broke his heart across many lifetimes Joshua needed to go home, away from this place. Even being in a lecture hall far away from the Biology building was too close still.

He said goodbyes as his students waved or nodded their heads or murmured their goodbyes to him. Wonwoo and Jun though stopped to talk a bit.

“You ok Prof?” Wonwoo looked at him through his round glasses, the worry clear.

“I’m fine,” Joshua said, as Niko sat on the table letting Jun pet him.

“That other professor…” Wonwoo said trailing off.

“What about him?” Joshua asked, putting his laptop into his bag.

“He scared you.”

What a bomb for Wonwoo to drop. Joshua turned to him. “You felt that?”

Wonwoo nodded.

Joshua sighed. He forgot that Wonwoo came to this school an empath who didn’t quite know how to harness his powers or cut it off when needed. Joshua had literally guided him from step one to where he was today, comfortable in his own skin again and no longer shutting his own emotions out.

“It was so loud. Even with my shields up I heard you,” Wonwoo bit his lip, worried. “Is he bad news?”

Choking down a sob, Joshua said, making sure to try and project calm that he didn’t feel. “I have history with him. A promise made long ago.” He held up a hand as Wonwoo opened his mouth, “I won’t go into this further. You are my student and I’m your teacher. Especially here on this campus.” He patted Wonwoo on the head even if he was a few inches taller than him. “I know you care but this isn’t something you should involve yourself in.”

Jun sneaked a glance and made a sad face.

Wonwoo nodded. “All right. I’ll see you tomorrow Professor.”

Joshua watched as the two of them linked hands and left.

No doubt Wonwoo wouldn’t forget this. But he wouldn’t bring it up for a while. Out of respect for his mentor who helped him deal with his empathic powers.

“Time to go home Joshua,” Niko said. “You need rest.”

Joshua nodded. “Yea. Let’s go home Niko.”

“Then we can talk about this Jeonghan man.” Niko looked at him, seriously staring at his master. The way he held himself together even though Niko could tell that Joshua was just a few words from breaking apart. His fragile beloved human that was his to protect and he couldn’t do anything about this pain that plagued him for centuries. Niko nearly bit his tongue, but he had to ask. He had to ask this question. “Is he the one?”

Turning to him Joshua gave him the bleakest expression he had seen yet. Gripping his bag tightly Joshua answered him. “Yes,” his lashes falling on the top of his cheeks. His eyes looked like they wanted to cry an ocean deep.