“Get out…,” Heechul stated firmly, anger radiating from his deep brown eyes.
 

    Hankyung took a deep breath and rounded the counter into the living room. “I know you’re probably hungry…,” Hankyung began. “Just sit down and relax. We can talk over dinner. Please, just give me a chance to explain things.”
 

    Heechul made a small pained expression before dropping down onto the sofa. “Fine…, explain all you want. It doesn’t mean I’ll be listening.”
 

   “Well..,” Hankyung continued, turning back towards the kitchen. “The pasta’s done and the bread should be ready soon.” He didn’t really know what to say next. At least Heechul wasn’t running away. Maybe if he got him drunk, he’d listen to him? No, that wouldn’t work. Heechul was probably on pain killers. He wanted to make him easier to talk to, not kill him.
 

    “Since when do you know how to cook pasta? I thought all you could do was make fried rice?” Heechul questioned with fake interest.
 

   “Well, Leeteuk helped me.”
 

   “Leeteuk’s a terrible cook,” Heechul laughed. “Maybe you’re actually trying to poison me.”
 

   “Siwon helped too. Also, why would I poison you?”
 

   “I don’t know. It’s not like you ever take other people’s feelings into consideration before you do things.”
 

   Hankyung tried to ignore Heechul’s comment and began setting the table. He had expected Heechul to be a little hostile towards him. He deserved it. He just didn’t know how to get him to listen. If Hankyung was in Heechul’s situation, he wouldn’t listen to him either.
 

    “Dinner’s ready,” Hankyung announced, placing two plates of steaming spaghetti on the dinning room table. Heechul didn’t acknowledge him. He just kept staring at the blank television screen like it was actually on. “Is your hatred of me going to cause you to starve?”
 

   “I can go half a day without food.” Heechul stated flatly.
 

   “Heechul…,” Hankyung whispered. “Please…?”
 

    Hankyung sat noisily down in his normal seat at the dinner table, placing his face in his hands. Unexpected tears began to trickle down his writs. This entire situation was so out of control and crying wasn’t going to fix it. Yet, that was all he could think to do. A soft noise drew Hankyung’s face from his palms. Heechul now sat silently across the table from him. There was an odd look upon his face. It was as if he was pained by Hankyung’s tears and at the same time, full of rage.
 

    “This food better not kill me or I’m so coming back and haunting your .” Heechul stated with mock seriousness, before taking a bite of spaghetti.
 

    Hankyung smiled weakly as he took a fork and twirled it around in his own plate. “At least you’d be talking to me.”
 

    Heechul didn’t respond to his reply. He just kept noiselessly shoving food into his mouth.
 

    “Why don’t we listen to some music?” Hankyung suggested, fumbling with the stereo remote. “Music always makes things easier to handle…,”

    I’m never going to dance again this guilty fear’s got no rhythm. Though it’s easy to pretend, I know you’re not a fool. I should’ve known better than to cheat a friend…,

    The radio began playing an all too familiar melody. Hankyung quickly shut it off and smiled awkwardly.
 

    “Never mind, bad idea.”  Heechul just rolled his eyes and kept eating.
 

   The rest of the meal was spent in an uncomfortable silence. Hankyung had given up trying to apologize to Heechul. Maybe Leeteuk was right and it was time for Heechul to it up and make the next move?
 

    Desert was set up in the living room. Hankyung sat across from Heechul on the large, black, leather, sofa, watching him eat his cookie in silence. This was ridicules. They couldn’t spend the rest of their lives in this state. Just as Hankyung was about to finally say something, Heechul leaned forward and placed his empty plate on the coffee table. As he did so, there was an obvious sign of strain. Heechul’s thin shoulder and neck muscles tensed painfully under his white cotton shirt. Hankyung rose from his seat and rounded the back of the couch.
 

    “Lean back…,” Hankyung ordered quietly. Heechul slowly obeyed, tilting back gradually. It was clear that the accident had caused more damage than just a broken leg.  
 

   Ever so slowly Hankyung slipped his hands over Heechul’s tense shoulders, kneading the flesh beneath his shirt.  There was a small protest noise from Heechul, but he was quickly silenced by the relaxing movement of Hankyung’s hands.  
 

    “How long have you been so bent up?” Hankyung whispered shifting his fingers so that they could snake underneath Heechul’s shirt collar.
 

    “Since the accident…,” Heechul sighed, relaxing into Hankyung’s touch.
 

   “Why didn’t you get Siwon to…?”
 

   “I was too busy being pissed off to think about it. Plus, I couldn’t stand for anyone else to touch me. I don’t know why…,”
 

   “Heechul, will you please listen to me now?” Hankyung questioned, releasing the top button on Heechul’s shirt. The only answer he received was a soft sigh.
 

    “I never meant to hurt anyone, most of all you. Siwon and I had been teasing each other for weeks before you made any indication of interest in me. At the time, I wasn’t sure how to deal with all that secret attention. I just wanted to see how things were going to develop before I made any rash decisions.  After a while, I came to realize that unlike with Siwon, you seemed to actually…,” Hankyung’s words trailed off. He didn’t know how to explain things. If he kept talking in circles Heechul was bound to give-up and kick him out.
 

    “Care about you.” Heechul finished.
 

    “Yeah…, with Siwon it was just a stupid game. When I was with you, it was more than that. I could see that you cared about me a lot and I couldn’t seem to get you out of my head. I mean I wasn’t sitting around lusting over you…, well that was part of it…, this isn’t coming out right.”      
 

     “Shhh..,” Heechul moaned, helping Hankyung undo the last button on his shirt.
 

    “That night when you found us I was trying to break things off with Siwon. I was going to tell him about us and explain how I felt about…,”
 

   “Shhh..,” Heechul breathed, leaning slightly forwards, so that he could slip his shirt off.
 

   Hankyung took the second shush as a sign to stop talking. Sometimes words weren’t necessary. Letting out a nervous breath Hankyung began massaging Heechul’s pale white shoulders. The pained look that has occupied  Heechul’s  face earlier was replaced by one of total relaxation.
 

   Hankyung’s strong hands trailed delicately over Heechul’s shoulders and began to play along his chest. He made slow leisure circles with his nimble fingers causing a faint moan to escape Heechul’s lips. Leaning farther over the back of the couch, Hankyung began to plant soft kisses down Heechul’s neck. Heechul’s eyes fluttered shut at the feeling of Hankyung’s gentle lips upon his flesh.
 

    “Does this mean you forgive me?” Hankyung questioned, pulling Heechul’s head back so he could reach his lips.
 

     The words slipped out softly as Hankyung inched his face closer to Heechul’s. Just as their lips were about to meet, Heechul broke from Hankyung’s gentle grasp and stood.
 

     “I’m going to bed,” Heechul answered, picking his shirt up off the floor. “You should probably go. Don’t worry about the mess; I’ll have Siwon clean it up in the morning.”  He finished, before retrieving his crutches and disappearing down the hallway.
 

    Hankyung sat in the dim candle lit living room for several moments. What had just happened?  The night had started out rough, but towards the end…? Hankyung didn’t know what to expect anymore. There wasn’t anything else he could do. He’d practically thrown himself at Heechul’s feet and what good had it done?