Two

It starts around October. Barely noticeable. Faint. Baekhyun can feel it, though, when he looks at Kyungsoo and caresses the side of his face. Sometimes it makes his stomach turn, his chest jolt, but he says nothing. It doesn’t seem important, relevant enough, even, to bring up in conversation.

He never tires of looking at Kyungsoo. In fact, since this started occurring, one could argue that he looks at him more than normal – though, what is normal? What is considered the normal length of time for one human being to stare at another? Kyungsoo is his husband. Baekhyun spends at least three cumulative hours a day talking to him, watching him, doing household chores with him. Except, now something is different. When Baekhyun looks at Kyungsoo, it’s not the same.

In November, things become thicker: the air around them, the tension, the aura Kyungsoo emits. Kyungsoo gets hard to touch. Baekhyun’s hand prickles whenever he tries. Still, he doesn’t bring it up, no matter how coarse it is. Sometimes, the feeling Kyungsoo gives off can ruin the mood. When they’re lying in bed, touching, kissing, and Baekhyun can’t help but notice it. He’ll bristle. Then Kyungsoo will bristle, all over. And Baekhyun doesn’t have the heart to tell him the truth about how he feels.

That changes in December. Baekhyun can’t take it anymore. It’s like an itch he can never get away from – always there, even when Kyungsoo isn’t around. Baekhyun scratches at his skin to d