"I can walk just fine Mr Park!" Baekhyun's laughter was right on the edge of his lips. He realised his mistake when Chanyeol looked down at him in dismay. "Chanyeol. Sorry." A pink blush crossed his cheeks. Chanyeol's expression quickly softened. He loosened his grip on Baekhyun's elbow as they entered the apartment.

"Sit." Chanyeol directed him to the couch. He sat next to him, just close enough to feel awkward but not close enough to feel intimate, and stared at him. Baekhyun. Perfect. Angelic. Exquisite. And he didn't know what to do with him. He folded his hands in his lap and racked his brain trying to find the words. Not even just the right words. Any words.

Say something Chanyeol. Anything.

"Ah.... Do you need a drink?" Chanyeol stammered out the words nervously. He looked down at his hands. Of all the things he wanted to ask Baekhyun and he was asking if he wanted a drink? He cleared his throat and tried again. "How do you feel?" He looked up from his hands with trepidation but Baekhyun's gentle eyes soothed him immediately. "Fine. Normal. I'd love to wash my hair but I can't get the stitches wet." Baekhyun's hand ran instinctively through the flat mess of dark hair that usually sat so glossy against his forehead.

"Do you want me to do it for you?" Chanyeol asked quietly. His bravery astounded him. He never dreamed he would have the nerve to offer something so intimate but if Baekhyun needed something Chanyeol wanted to make it happen. "Would you? How would you even do that?" Baekhyun asked. Chanyeol thought about it. "Easy!" He said. "Come with me." He got up and, grabbing Baekhyun gently by the hand, led him into the bathroom.

Baekhyun knelt on the bathroom floor, his arms folded on the side of the bath, head bent over into the tub he had sat beside so many times. It smelled like fruity bubble bath. Chanyeol placed a towel over his shoulders and filled the jug he used to wash the boy's hair. He carefully covered Baekhyun's stitches with a dry washcloth as he poured warm water over Baekhyun's hair. He managed to avoid the wound successfully and put the jug down. As he gently lathered Baekhyun's soft dark hair with shampoo, meticulously washing the dried blood from the strands near the wound, he wanted to cry. He never dreamed he would be this close to Baekhyun. But their intimate moment was one caused by violence and fear. He still harbored a deep seated guilt over Baekhyun walking home alone.

Baekhyun closed his eyes and tried to steady his breathing. Chanyeol's large fingers lathering the shampoo into his hair was an explosion in sensuality. How could something feel so good?