“What happened!?” Hyuk dumped his grocery bags on the floor by the hall opening and rushed forward. He took Hakyeon’s face in his hands and inspected the yellowing bruise that spread over his jaw. He then turned to Ravi and prodded at the deep purple bruise on his cheek.

“Ow,” Ravi complained slapping Hyuk’s fingers away.

“Why are you both beaten up?” Hyuk demanded, eyes turning to their hands instead.

“We had a therapy session,” Ravi joked, giving Hakyeon a sidelong look.

Hyuk’s frown deepened.

“What have you two been doing?” Hongbin arrived, hands full of groceries and equally shocked by their marked appearance.

“We had a therapy session,” N repeated, his voice soft and small.

“What’s been going on?” Hongbin’s gaze moved over them intently, stripped them both back to the core. He set the bags on the bench and came to stand beside Hyuk.

Ravi took N’s hand, squeezing a little and nodding encouragingly.

“I’m not OK.”

There was a silence in the room, a moment of release between the four of them.

“I…” Hakyeon took a long breath and turned his eyes to the ceiling. “I don’t know how to be OK. But I want to be.”

Hongbin looked from N to Ravi and back, his eyes deep and unreadable.

“I’m glad,” Hongbin said softly, coming to wrap Hakyeon in his arms. “You’re going to be OK.”

“We’ll make sure of it,” Hyuk added, squeezing Ravi’s shoulder briefly before turning away to begin unloading the groceries onto the bench.

When his face was hidden once more he let the calm expression drop. Forehead crinkled with deep concern, he began sorting the food into the empty fridge. Beginning the day with a frantic message from Wonshik to ‘come quickly and with groceries’ was not ideal. Nothing could have prepared him for what they had found upon arrival. The constant dripping of guilt filtered down through his consciousness. They should have noticed. They should have been here to help weeks ago. N had been out of control at the exhibit, how had they just dismissed that?

A warm arm came around Hyuk’s shoulder, startling him from his thoughts slightly.

“It’s OK,” Ravi mumbled, helping Hyuk to pack the pantry. “What matters is that he’s still here and he’s going to be OK.”

Hyuk paused, eyes locked to the tiled floor for a long moment before he nodded.

Across the room Hongbin and Hakyeon stood side by side, the mirrored cabinet squatting sullenly in the corner as they watched it.

“Do you want to do this today?” Hongbin asked softly.

Hakyeon stooped, a defeated man. He nodded slowly.

“OK,” Hongbin nodded, a resolute expression as he took N’s hand and squeezed. “Let’s do it.”

His lip was red and slightly ragged, teeth gnawing at it as he slipped through traffic on the Riverside Expressway. The backseat was full of folios, boxes and bags of supplies. The whole car smelt of heady oil paints and anxiety.

Ken wound down from the expressway and raced through the tight streets to the base of a plush apartment building. His palms left sweaty outlines on the steering wheel as he parked and finally released the wheel. The artworks were left behind as he jumped out of the car, locking it without even looking back and dashing to the elevator.

The lift seemed impossibly slow, the stop in the lobby leaving him itchy and irritated. Finally the doors opened to Ravi’s floor and Ken was out and down the hall in an instant. Knuckles rapping against the door and fists tightening and loosening over and over.

An imperfect smear of darkness beneath his left eye; Ken’s eyes locked to it immediately. His eyes widening as Ravi moved forward to embrace him tightly. Ken hugged his back, mind still whirling around in shock. Ravi had told him the story, but seeing and hearing were different.

“Are you OK?” Ken asked, taking Ravi’s chin in his long fingers and inspecting the dark mark.

“I’m fine.” Ravi nodded, pulling Ken’s hands away and placing a kiss in each palm instead. “I’m more than fine. N is here too.”

Ken nodded, eyes still fixed on the bruise.

“I missed you,” Ravi mumbled, bringing Ken in for a kiss.

Some of the anxiety drained a little, Ken sighed and gave Wonshik another kiss.

“I missed you too.”

“Are you two being gross?” N’s voice cut through the moment. Ken smiled to himself, even he could hear the weary defeat in the tone.

“Yup,” Ken grinned at N over Ravi’s shoulder.

N wrinkled his nose and turned away, the look not reaching his eyes. Ken’s smile shrunk to one of contentment and he moved into the apartment with Ravi properly.

Your stupid friend is here.
I’m bored

Hakyeon?
Is everything OK? You never got back to me. Are you alright?

I’m fine.

There was an unreasonable amount of time, Leo was halfway through a reply when another message clicked in.

I’m not fine.
I have a drinking problem and I’m going to my first therapy session tomorrow.
I’m ing terrified.
Which is stupid but I am.

Leo waited, emotions stirring through before he could settle on any one.

It’s not stupid. It’s pretty normal. Is someone going with you?

No.

His fingers moved without thinking.

Do you want me to go with you?

No.
Maybe.
I think so?
Sorry.

It’s no trouble. What time is your appointment? I’ll pick you up.

Are you sure? I can just catch a cab.
You don’t have to.

It’s OK. I’m between jobs. What time should I pick you up?

10am?

Sure.

Thanks
I guess.
Why are you so nice to me?

Leo sighed, shaking his head a little and smiling.

Why wouldn’t I be?

Yeah, I’m pretty great.
When I’m not going completely insane and out of control.

Leo grinned again and settled back into the couch, the rest of the world fading out as he typed his reply.

“So now, apparently, I need a new coping mechanism. Because drowning myself in alcohol isn’t recommended.” Hakyeon slipped the forkful of pasta into his mouth and chewed rapidly. “But I don’t have a hobby. I’ve never had time for a hobby. That’s why I drink… drunk. That’s why I was drinking. I’m not anymore.”

Leo smiled slightly as Hakyeon jammed more food into his mouth. He couldn’t remember ever seeing him eat properly before. His eyes lingered on the slight discolouration of Hakyeon’s jaw, the makeup covering most of it. The bruise still stirred an uneasiness in him, but Hakyeon assured him it had been necessary at the time.

“I’d be happy to help. My studio is full of hobby stuff,” Leo replied, pulling his eyes back to Hakyeon’s.

“Why? Aren’t you like a paid artist? Shouldn’t that be all you do?”

“Why would that be all I do?” Leo laughed a little. “I cycle through things to do in my spare time.”

“Like what?” Hakyeon had barely swallowed before more food went into his mouth.

“Hmm, paper-cutting, stamping and stencilling. I might even have a loom hidden in there, but I think it’s broken.”

“A loom?” His face was less than impressed. Leo shrugged.

“You could design clothes,” He continued unperturbed by N’s cynicism. “You are a fashion model.”

“Pass,” N shook his head. “I need less stress, not more.”

“How about jewelry, silver smithing courses are really popular.”

“Don’t I have to get hemp clothes and stop wearing shoes to be a silver smith?” Hakyeon’s mouth quirked with fun.

Leo chuckled and leant back in his chair. Something about Hakyeon electrified him, what he had originally felt as an itching irritation was now something else. A deeper, resounding pulse of energy through his veins.

“I give up!” Leo sighed, “Find your own coping mechanism.”

“I think I’m going to take up cooking,” N decided, looking down at his empty bowl. “That was so good.”

“I’m glad,” Leo smiled, knowing affection was shining through his eyes but unable to even dim it slightly.

“I wonder how much classes are,” N’s fingers dru