hi there :)

well, I would like to leave this warning here because due to the previous chapter, I found it necessary to write a mention about emotional abuse. Kiwicolada gave me some tips so I could write this chapter, because I didn't want to do something just for doing it.

but I hope you like this chapter - and don't hate me too much for it haha

see you <3

Going 28 days without work was an option that Hyukjae didn’t even consider in his vacation dreams in some heavenly place. And when the doctor said he would be out of work for a while, he laughed and said it was impossible.

After all, Hyukjae had to take care of Arrow, Scarecrow and his channel. How was he, he himself, going to stop working for a long 28 days? It definitely didn't exist in his world.

The good news, after an outbreak, was that he found it could take up to ten days to recover his hand and get back to work. Hyukjae only needed to take care of everything if he wanted so badly to put his hand next to the fire again – and taking care of Arrow would be a little difficult, since the boy still didn't do things on his own (showering, eating and cleaning himself, for example).

And if on the one hand Hyukjae saw no alternative but to ask his mother to help him with Arrow, on the other he knew he would have to talk to Donghae. Hyukjae didn't want that. Honestly, he didn't want to. He was still too hurt and he knew he could just look at his ex-boyfriend and say: look, it's okay if you're dating. As long as Arrow is safe, I don't care what you do in your life.

Heechul said: don't mistreat Donghae.

Mikyong said: don't be stupid.

Leeteuk said: grow up and be an adult that you should be.

Hyukjae said to himself: it.

But Hyukjae said to himself again: they are too right for me to go against it.

However, that didn’t mean that he would simply get there and smile at Donghae. It wasn't going to happen anytime soon and he didn't want to mistreat the brown-haired man, so he ended up using the excuse of his injured hand to ask his mother to pick up Arrow over the weekend.

Mikyong knew better than anyone that Hyukjae was doing it on a simple and pure whim as if he were a ten year old child who didn't get the gift he wanted for Christmas. Hyukjae knew this was what his mother was thinking, so he wasn’t surprised when she looked at him seriously and said:

- Don't put me in the middle of this, Lee Hyukjae.

And Hyukjae could only sigh because his mother was incredibly right.

Then, still with his bandaged hand, Hyukjae went to Donghae's house to pick up Arrow after fifteen days – which was his weekend with him. Arrow was happy when he saw his appa, but he raised an eyebrow while seriously looking at that white bandage that wrapped his hand.

- Papa, what is it?

- Papa hurt his hand, but it's getting better. – Hyukjae smiled and looked at Ari who brought Arrow's backpack and said:

- I hope your hand is fine.

- It'll be fine, thanks. – he smiled at her – It was just an oversight at work.

- A very dangerous oversight.

- Yes, but on Monday I can go back to cooking and that makes me very happy. I spent all this time reading and I think Teresa lent me all the books she brought here.

Ari laughed and said:

- Donghae must have some books here. Do you want me to take them?

- No need, but thank you very much for suggesting. – and he was about to hold Arrow's hand when the boy saw Donghae and went to him.

- Dada! – Arrow hugged Donghae's leg and smiled – Papa, dada.

Donghae looked at Hyukjae who had the decency to smile and wave. The brown-haired man then walked over to them and said:

- How are you, Hyukjae? Your hand looks less swollen.

- I am fine.

- And are you sure you can take Arrow today? I won't bother to let you stay with him on my weekend.

Hyukjae sighed, took Arrow's hand and said:

- Don’t worry. We are going to have a nice weekend, and my mom and Teresa are always there to see him. – he looked at Arrow – Give a hug and a kiss to halmeoni and your dad before we go.

Arrow happily hugged his grandmother and pecked her cheek. After doing the same to Donghae, he waved and Hyukjae also waved while taking his son to the car. The brown-haired man then sighed and went to the two of them because it wasn’t fair that this was happening without even saying a word.

- Hyukjae, stop.

Hyukjae put Arrow in the car and looked at Donghae with the most neutral expression possible.

- What's it?

- You already know, don't you? About Kangin.

- So what?

- So what that you are treating me like I'm a stranger. But in case you've forgotten, we've always been friends. You and I dated and now we have a son. We share so much and it seems like you just ignore it.

- I don't ignore anything at all. And honestly? If you want to date, then do it. I don't have to stop you from being happy. All I want is for Arrow to be safe.

- And now you will say that he is not safe with me?

- I'm not saying that and I never said that. I just think that if we're going to put someone in our lives, then at least Arrow is safe.

Donghae was about to say something when he and Hyukjae saw how Arrow was looking at them from inside the car. His eyes were wide and he was about to cry when Donghae sat next to him and caressed his hair. Hyukjae got in the car through the other door and stood next to Arrow who held each parent's finger to feel he was safe.

Hyukjae and Donghae felt terrible about it and stayed there as long as necessary until Arrow felt he could let them go – and that happened when he fell asleep. Hyukjae then looked at Donghae who got out of the car after kissing his son's forehead. He also got out, but sat in the driver's seat and closed the door without even saying goodbye.

Donghae clenched his teeth and saw Hyukjae leave with Arrow, then made his way home and Ari said:

- You were yelling. How was Arrow?

- I don't know... I hope that idiot at least has the consideration of calling me and saying how my son is after all this. – Donghae sat on the couch and started to cry when he was hugged by his mother – Why does Hyukjae have to be so stupid?

- And why is he being so stupid?

- Because he just is and I'm so tired of it all.

Ari sighed and said:

- Take a shower and then rest. You have been so stressed out these past few days and now I understand why.

Donghae nodded and thanked his mother for always being at his side. But even after the shower, when he was already lying on his bed, he hugged the pillow and cried until his eyes hurt. Was it supposed to be that hard?

~~~
Later…

Hyukjae looked at Arrow who was visibly upset since the moment he woke up. He only ate something at the urging of Mikyong who scolded his son from head to toe after he told what happened at Donghae's house. She knew it would happen at some point, but she hoped at least it wouldn't be in front of that innocent baby.

Mikyong thought Hyukjae and Donghae were acting like two selfish idiots. Teresa didn't even try to intervene, since she knew that her girlfriend was tired of seeing how these two were dealing with a simple situation.

- Don't you want to draw?

- No.

- Really? Appa bought more pens for you.

Arrow looked at Hyukjae and stood up, walking over to Teresa who carried him and caressed his hair. Mikyong then looked at her son and said:

- I think you should call Donghae.

- And may I know why?

Mikyong narrowed her eyes.

- Hyukjae, I swear to you that if Arrow gets sick, you're going to deal with something you don't want. So get that damn phone and call Donghae now.

Hyukjae sighed and picked up the phone. He didn't think he should call, since he had absolutely nothing to talk to Donghae about, but Mikyong's gaze was so threatening that he had no choice. And when the brown-haired man appeared on the screen, with puffy eyes from crying, that guilt hit Hyukjae as if it were a slap in the face. And one of those slaps he deserved to receive.

- What you want?

And when he heard Donghae's voice, Arrow looked at Hyukjae who sighed and said:

- It’s just that Arrow wanted to see you.

Donghae then wiped his face and sat on the bed. He wasn’t at his best, but he didn't want Arrow to realize that he had spent the last few hours crying for how Hyukjae was an . And when Arrow appeared on the screen, he smiled and said:

- Hey, baby. Are you alright?

- Papa and dada yelled.

Hyukjae and Donghae pursed their lips and Mikyong had to try not to interrupt that conversation – and Teresa was feeling that she was going to do this, so she just held her hand and shook her head.

- I know baby. We shouldn't have yelled.

- We won't do it again, okay?

Arrow looked at his parents and then looked at Mikyong, stretching his arms out to her and then burying his face in her neck. Teresa then stood up and said:

- We should take Arrow for a walk.

Mikyong nodded and said when she looked at Hyukjae:

- Settle this before I do.

And he knew she was going to do that, since Arrow was crying softly on her neck. And after the three left, Hyukjae looked at Donghae who was visibly upset about all of this. He was, too, but somehow he felt he needed to end this.

- I’m sorry.

- What?

- I apologized. I don't want that to happen again.

- And how can I believe you? Did you just act like an idiot and think a simple apology will work?

Hyukjae raised an eyebrow.

- And what else do you want me to do? I shouldn't have yelled at you like that in front of Arrow. At least I'm recognizing that I did something bad and I shouldn't have done any of that.

Donghae snorted and asked:

- So you think it's normal for you to treat me like I'm a bad person just because I'm seeing someone? Grow up, Hyukjae. The world doesn’t revolve around you.