A solid knock on the front door startled Hakyeon out of his slumber. Slowly, his head instantly throbbing from a headache, he released Jaehwan’s hand and slipped out of bed, hoping to reach the door before the racket could wake up his companion.

“Mmm.” Rubbing his eyes as, he answered the door, Hakyeon was surprised as his uninvited guest pushed by him into the his apartment. “What?”

“Where is he, Hakyeon?” Jaehwan turned toward him, causing the sick man to take a step back. Never in their long history of knowing one another had his best friend given him a look full of so much anger and disdain. What had he even done to deserve such wrath?

“Who?” Hugging himself nervously, it took Hakyeon a moment to remember exactly who his friend had meant. “Oh… Please keep it down. He’s still asleep.”

“I thought I told you not to let him sleep in your bed.” Voice harsh with an edge so sharp that Hakyeon felt it slice through his soul, Jaehwan took a step closer to him. Hakyeon had never been so terrified of the other man before, or at all for that matter, but somehow he felt as though he were in danger. Why was Jaehwan even so angry with him. It wasn’t like anything had happened and even if it had, what business was it to anyone but himself and Jackson.

“It’s my bed, Jae…” Moving away, Hakyeon chewed on his lip nervously, looking Jaehwan over for any signs of a potential physical attack. “I had a fever. He was keeping an eye on me.”

“Yeah. Like I’m supposed to believe he just wasn’t getting his money’s worth…” Jaehwan’s words chased away Hakyeon’s fear almost instantly, leaving a cold numbness in it’s place. Hands shaking, he curled them into fists for some stability.

“He wasn’t! Jaehwan… It isn’t like that with Jackson anymore.” Adverting his eyes, he wasn’t sure that tears could be suppressed if he so much as glanced at his friend. “And he wouldn’t cross that line. Especially not when I’m sick like this.” Hands rested on his shoulders, Jaehwan’s grip almost rough as he shook Hakyeon slightly to make him look up at him.

“Don’t be naive, Hakyeon. All these guys you let around you, they only want you for one thing.” It was almost alarming to Hakyeon how quickly Jaehwan’s words drained the fear from him, replacing his tremors of nervousness with shakes of anger. Did someone who was supposed to be his best friend actually believe nobody else cared about him? That was really too much and Hakyeon wasn’t going to stand for it. Not anymore. Not even for Jaehwan.

“That isn’t true with Jackson!” Shoving Jaehwan’s hands from his shoulders, Hakyeon glared at him, trying to steady himself as his flu threatened to make him stagger with the force of the shove he had given the other man. “He loves me!”

“No, Hakyeon! I love you! Me!” Grabbing his wrist hard enough to cause pain, Jaehwan tugged Hakyeon closer. “But you refuse to see it!”

“Jaehwan…” Lowering his voice, remembering that Jackson was close by, still asleep, Hakyeon tried to pull away again. The confession shocked him but did nothing to quench the fury that had began to grow. “You don’t ing love me, Okay?”

“What do I have to do, huh? Do I need to buy your time like the rest of them?” With his free hand, Jaehwan fished a wallet from his pocket, tossing it at Hakyeon’s feet with rage smoldering in his eyes. “Here, Hakyeon. Charge whatever you want. Can’t be too picky when you’re primary source of income is yourself out.” Pain stung at his heart, Jaehwan’s harsh language bringing tears to his eyes. Opening his mouth, Hakyeon searched for a retort, finding nothing as that familiar static numbness began to overwhelm him and a panic attack crept ever closer. Strong hands pried his wrist from Jaehwan’s grip, leading him away, and it took a second for Hakyeon to realize that it was Jackson coming to his rescue yet again.

“You need to shut up right now, Lee Jaehwan, if you know what’s best for you.” Jackson sounded so much more vicious than he had toward Hongbin, as though he was aware that Jaehwan’s words had cut Hakyeon much deeper than the bully’s had. Much to Hakyeon’s relief, he shoved Jaehwan back a step before the other man could make another move toward him.

“Oh look. Jackson’s playing night in shining armor again.” Rolling his eyes, Jaehwan gave them a wicked smirk. “Is this some kind of kink, then? Charge extra for that, Hakyeon?”

“Nobody’s playing, Jaehwan.” Shoving him again, Jackson used more force, causing Hakyeon to wince just from witnessing the impact. “And if you want to keep disrespecting him, you and I will need to go outside and settle this.” Fearing that Jackson may actually hurt Jaehwan, Hakyeon took a deep breath and stepped in.

“Jackson, it’s okay. I can handle this.” Gently, he touched Jackson’s cheek, giving him a reassuring nod before he turned to his now former friend. “Jaehwan, you need to get out of my apartment. I… I expected this treatment from everyone… Everyone but you. But it’s nice to finally know what you really think of me.” Since childhood, Jaehwan was always best known for speaking his mind when angry. Any secrets or resentment came out in the harshest ways, and now Hakyeon could only accept what he had feared for so long. Jaehwan now only saw him for what he did, and not for who he was.

“You’ve known me almost our whole lives, Hakyeon. And you’re siding with Jackson over me?” Coming toward him again, Jaehwan stopped short when Jackson cleared his threat, a subtle warning not to overstep the line between them.

“No, Jae. I’m siding with myself.” A small, sad laugh escaped Hakyeon as his shook his head, somehow both numb and aching. “I thought you were my best friend. That nobody had my back like you did. But now I know that isn’t the case. You only have my back if I’m doing what you want, but if I’m not, you’re angry. I could have loved you, Jae. I really could have. But not anymore. So please leave.”

“Think this through, Hakyeon!” Desperate to regain control on the situation, Jaehwan turned to his last weapon, a weapon Hakyeon had hoped he wouldn’t sink low enough to use. “You only have your place in the school because my father runs it.”

“Are you threatening my education now, Jaehwan?” Suddenly just very exhausted, Hakyeon turned away from him, rubbing his temples in a poor attempt to stave off his headache. “Cool. Okay. Get out before I call the police.”

“Fine! you, Hakyeon!” Shouting, Jaehwan aimed a kick at him, colliding with a solid whack to Hakyeon’s shin, sending him to the floor. “You’re used up anyway!”

“I’ll kill you!” Lunging forward, Jaehwan barely made it out of the apartment before Jackson could get his hands on him. After the door slammed, the anger seemed to drain from him and he turned to drop down beside Hakyeon, checking over any potential injuries. “Are you hurt? Are you okay?”

“I…” Unable to get out his words past the lump forming in his throat, Hakyeon burst into tears, hiding his face against Jackson’s chest. The other man held him close, rocking him gently as he placed soft kisses over the top of his head.

“I could kill him for doing this to you. Hakyeon. Cha Hakyeon.” Voice quiet, soothing, Jackson practically whispered into his ear. “You are not used up. You are not a . You are smart and beautiful and talented. Hakyeon, you’re funny and strong and caring and I have never seen someone fight so hard for anything than I’ve seen you fight just to live. I’m proud of that. More than proud, Hakyeon. I admire you. You’re my hero. You are not someone to be ashamed of. And anyone who thinks you are just doesn’t know how incredibly valuable you are as a human. But I know. And I will not stop until the world knows.”

“Jackson…” His stomach churned as all the stress fully caught up to him, and Hakyeon turned, barely managing not to vomit on the man hugging him.

“You poor baby. Let’s get you back to bed, okay?” Jackson eased them to their feet, scooping Hakyeon into his arms and causing the man to blush. “Then I’ll clean this up for you.”

“Will you come back?” Biting his lip nervously, Hakyeon couldn’t bring himself to meet Jackson’s gaze, still feel ashamed of the things Jaehwan had said.

“Do you want me to?” Questioning him, Jackson planted a small kiss on his cheek and held him closer to his chest as he walked him to the bedroom.

“Please…” Holding on to him a moment longer after Jackson sat him on the bed, Hakyeon finally gazed up at him. What met him wasn’t the cold judgement he had seen in Jaehwan, but a warmth that almost felt loving and it made his chest feel tight.

“Then of course.” With a smile, Jackson touched his cheek lightly before he turned to leave the room. Hakyeon’s phone chimed as the other man left and his heart dropped, hand shaking as he reached out for it, afraid that Jaehwan was attacking him again. Instead, Wonshik’s contact information flashed up at him. With a sigh of relief, Hakyeon opened his text and read it.

“Yo, I feel like skipping school today. Mind if we watch that movie? I’ll bring one with me.” Wonshik’s text made him sigh in exasperation. Sure, he didn’t mind the new kid, but something about him made Hakyeon feel nervous and the idea of having him in his home worried him. But if Jackson was going to be there, then maybe it wouldn’t hurt to get to know his new friend better. Especially if he wasn’t going to be allowed back to the academy.

“Sure. Just give me a few more hours to sleep, okay? I’m still sick.” Sending off his reply, Hakyeon sat his phone down as Jackson reentered the room.

“Everything okay?” Seeming to read the expression on Hakyeon’s face, Jackson sat beside him, rubbing his back.

“My life is falling apart but you’re here. So I can’t complain too much.” Smiling a little, Hakyeon allowed Jackson to give him some medicine and lay down with him, Hakyeon’s head on Jackson’s shoulder. “Oh, and Wonshik is coming here later to watch a movie. Do you mind staying?”

“Cha Hakyeon, I wont leave unless you want me to. I promise.” Jackson ran his fingers through Hakyeon’s hair, humming softly between his words. “Now get some more sleep. Your head is getting warm again.”

“Okay.” Yawning, he closed his eyes, leaning against the other man’s side, calmed by the warmth. “Thanks, Jackson. For everything.”

“I don’t need thanked, Hakyeon. This is just the stuff you do when you love someone.” Jackson rubbed his shoulder and kissed the top of his head again. Unsure of how to reply, Hakyeon chose to pretend as though he was asleep until slumber finally took him again. One day he would figure out how to repay Jackson, but for now, all he could do was take advantage of his kindness.