Tension crackled in the shabby hotel room.  Himchan sat straight up on the edge of the bed, not taking his dark eyes off of Yongguk. The man in question was pacing slowly back and forth through the confined space, occasionally pausing to glance in Himchan’s general direction. He focused on the night sounds outside coming from the pub and the annoying flickering of the cheap prototype bulb that hung from the ceiling. He would focus on anything to take his mind off of Himchan.

“Yongguk…” Himchan opened his mouth, rocking his body slightly as he tried to grab his lover’s attention.

Yongguk inhaled sharply, narrowing his eyes. His fists curled into a ball as he inhaled, and he released them as he exhaled. His mind traveled quickly, thinking of all the things he could say to Himchan. There were a myriad of combinations he had thought of, but none was good enough. He desperately wanted to hang on to their relationship despite this poison that was eating them from the inside out.

“I can always quit.” Himchan murmured softly. It was barely audible over the drunken banter of the streets outside.

Yongguk swiftly cupped Himchan’s face in his hands. He watched as Himchan’s eyes widened, searching Yongguk’s for an answer. “Don’t.” Yongguk growled. He knew what having a job meant to Himchan; Daehyun was probably paying him enough so that he could pay people to take care of his brother while he was away.

“But I need you.” Himchan’s thin fingers found their way to Yongguk’s face, stoking it gently. The butterfly touches sent shivers down Yongguk’s spine as he kept himself from purring under Himchan’s touch. 

“I need you too, Himchan.” Yongguk exhaled gently, letting Himchan’s silk fingers explore him. “But I don’t want this to come between us.”

Himchan retracted his hand and squirmed uncomfortably where he was sitting. He took his bottom lip between his teeth and frowned, as if focusing. His eyes jumped, avoiding Yongguk, as he scanned the room for the thousandth time.

“What if we get caught?” Yongguk leaned against the pasty white walls of the hotel. He kept his voice down; these walls were thin.

“We won’t get caught…if we’re careful.” Himchan lifted his eyes from the ground. His dark orbs met Yongguk’s making him melt instantly. “My fear is the same as yours, what if we get too competitive with each other?”

Yongguk’s firsts curled as he tried to think of a way of putting it. He never wanted to choose between Himchan and his work. It was the cry of the heart versus the call of the mind. Logic was tugging at his heartstrings, picking them up and retying in ways that constricted and pained him. “I won’t let it happen.” Yongguk said finally. He couldn’t let his mind come before his heart.

“I don’t want to destroy you.” Himchan sighed softly. “I will share all the information on the case that I have access to. Unfortunately Mr. Jung’s other law-“

Yongguk pressed a finger on Himchan’s thin lips. He let their texture slide against his digits before speaking again. “Let’s both fight for this as if we don’t know each other.”

Himchan smiled under Yongguk’s touch; it was a sly smile, the kind that made Yongguk’s heart skip a beat. “At least then…we can solve out our frustrations in the bedroom.” His feline eyes glinted with mischief.

A half smile formed on Yongguk’s lips before it erupted into a full-blown laugh. His body trembled with joy as he found the man he had fallen in love all over again. He his lips and ran his finger over Himchan’s creamy cheek. He stopped breathing as he made direct eye contact with Himchan. Time seemed to stop around them as they read each other’s eyes. There was nothing that Yongguk could compare to this feeling. His heart sent waves of blood to his cheeks, and he suddenly became aware that he was reading some of Himchan’s most intimate parts. More intimate than any physical part of him, was his soul settled in the depth of his dark eyes. His glowing, brightly lit soul. He had the opportunity of looking at it, in its purest form. He cleared his throat and broke eye contact.

Yongguk placed his hand on Himchan’s chest, and reclined him on the bed slowly. Himchan didn’t take his eyes off of Yongguk, as his body complied with his lover’s silent command. The old springs whined in protest as both bodies settled gently on top of it.

The older lay next to Himchan, his body right up against his. Himchan kept looking at Yongguk, stars in eyes, as he anticipated Yongguk’s next move.  Yongguk wrapped his arms around Himchan’s thin shoulders and pulled him even closer until space between the two bodies was just an abstract concept that existed in another dimension.  Yongguk placed a sweet kiss on his lover’s soft lips, relishing in the sweet taste. Himchan purred in Yongguk’s embrace. They were so close that Yongguk could feel the soft vibrations in Himchan’s throat.

“You smell good.” Yongguk cupped Himchan’s head and brought into the sway of his neck.

“You don’t smell so bad, yourself.” Himchan breathed softly, his breath condensing against Yongguk’s skin, leaving goose bumps in its wake.

A soft laugh rumbled in Yongguk’s throat as he closed his eyes and took in the soft fragrance that was Himchan’s. His thumb ran softly over Himchan’s shoulder, slightly massaging it.

Yongguk’s eyes fluttered open as he felt Himchan patting his chest. His fingers drummed Yongguk’s strong chest until they found what they had been searching for. He found Yongguk’s heart and placed his hand on top it, letting the pulses beat against the palm of his warm hand. Yongguk shuddered against the warm sensation against his quickly beating heart. Himchan’s other hand crept around Yongguk’s waist, securing him.

The light bulb flickered momentarily before giving out completely.

“Light bulbs aren’t even going to last till the turn of the century.” Himchan grumbled.

“I say they won’t last a decade.” Yongguk agreed with his lover.

“Our love will, though.” Himchan nibbled Yongguk’s neck.

“It will be immortal.” Yongguk exhaled shakily as Himchan’s soft tongue teased his skin.

“Immortal.” Himchan moaned as he continued to kiss Yongguk, liking the sound of that.

The moment, although plunged in darkness, was full of tenderness that Yongguk wouldn’t give up for the world. He let himself melt under Himchan’s strawberry lips.

Yongguk couldn’t think of a place he’d rather be, than here in Himchan’s arms. He let out a soft moan as Himchan tugged softly at his earlobe. He wondered if any marks Himchan might leave tonight would be visible tomorrow. He wondered if, despite his love for his paramour, things would be the same with the rivalry in the court. His heart seized a little bit in panic, but Himchan’s butterfly kisses quickly melted away his fears, and he let himself fall deeper into Himchan’s arms.