Jongwoon cries out as a large, calloused hand slaps him harshly across the face, sending him down to the floor. The boy tries to catch himself by sticking his hands out, but the momentum was too hard, causing him to fall face down when his arms gave out beneath him. He sees a few drops of red on the ground and brings his hand up to wipe his nose a little to see that it was bleeding. The boy quickly rolls onto his back and scoots away in fear as his father approaches him again.

“Such a burden you are!” His father spits, grabbing a fistful of the boys golden blonde hair. “If only you didn’t look so much like her! It’s as if you’re trying to replace her!”

Jongwoon’s struggles were futile as he squirms about, his small hands trying to pry the others much larger ones away from his hair which was tugging his head up and back now.

“Blonde hair, pale skin, hazel eyes, everything! Even your lips!” The man yells, his grip tightening when the boy struggled more.

“Father!” Jongwoon sobs out. “F-father, please! I’m sorry! I’ll change! I’ll do anything!” he cries, tears streaming down his face, mixing with the crimson blood from his cuts and nose.

“How? How?!” The man says, throwing the boy back down onto the ground by his hair. “What’re you going to do!? Burn that face off!?”

“No, I—“ Jongwoon starts but another slap comes his way, his jaw clamping shot from the impact, biting his tongue by accident in the process.

“Get out!” His father yells, pointing at the front door. “Get out now!”

“Father please! Don’t make me leave! I have nowhere to run to.” Jongwoon cries, grabbing the others pant leg lightly, but the elder kicks him away coldly.

“You’re mere existence sicken me! Get out!” His father picks the crying and struggling child up easily and literally throws him out the front door and slams it shut.

Jongwoon falls onto the muddy ground as rain poured down on him mercilessly, drenching him from head to toe. Even the sky shows no sympathy.

“Father no!” Jongwoon screams desperately as he tries to get back on his hands and feet again to run to the door. “Please don’t kick me out!”

 He was about to run towards the door when long arms wrapped around his small frame, holding him back. The boy lets out a scream of fright as the arms tightened around him as he struggled in the hold.

“It’s alright. It’s me.” A low voice whispers by his ear, and the boy stops his struggles momentarily, finding the voice familiar, but he couldn’t quite put a name on it. Unfortunately, Jongwoon couldn’t see who it was either because the man was wearing a long, dark cloak to cover him up for the sake of anonymity, or because of the rain, the only thing visible being his mouth. The stranger picks the boy up easily despite the boy’s shouts and protests, and walks towards the forest, the rain still pouring down upon them both.

“Let me down!” Jongwoon screams after he managed to regain himself, and tries to push away from the others hold, but the stranger just tucks him closer against his chest, pulling the long cloak around the boy to keep him from the wind and rain.

“I won’t hurt you, I promise.” The other says quietly, but Jongwoon could still hear him through the whistling of the wind.

Those words.
They sounded so familiar.

Jongwoon’s fingers curl in against the others chest as he lets out a small sniffle, feeling the warmth radiating off his broad chest. “I don’t know you.” He whispers.

The boy didn’t expect the man to actually have heard him, but by the way the corners of the man’s lips curved upwards, Jongwoon knew he had heard him.

“Are you sure about that?” The man grins just as he entered somewhere.

Jongwoon looks up in surprise to see himself no longer in the forest, and was instead, in a house now that was warmed and brightly lit by a blazing fireplace.

He struggles in the others grip once again, and this time, the stranger actually sets him down onto the floor and kneels down so he was level with the child’s height.

“Who are you?” Jongwoon bites out, wrapping his small arms around himself in a protective manner, glaring at the other.

The man doesn’t reply though, not at all intimidated by the others burning gaze and says nothing as he stays kneeled in front of the other, his hood still pulled over his head. But Jongwoon saw the corners of the others lips curl up again, in an almost teasing way as if he expected Jongwoon to actually know him.

The child slowly unwraps his arms from around himself, and reaches forward hesitantly, finding that smile and those lips familiar, but still too vague for him to remember.  The stranger doesn’t stop him when Jongwoon’s fingers close around the sides of the hood that was still pulled over the man’s head, and gently pushes it back down to reveal the strangers face.

Jongwoon’s face contorts when he sees the other fully. The slightly curly caramel-brown hair, long, handsome facial features, and flickering gold eyes along with a crooked smile. The boy lets go of the hood and reaches up to gently brush his fingers across the others face as if to feel and memorize his features.

“Kyuhyun,” The name falls fast past the boy’s lips unknowingly as a grin makes its way across the man’s face.

“Hello Jongwoon.” The man whispers, reaching up himself and caresses the side of the boys face softly, careful not to touch his cuts or bruises.

“Kyuhyun?” Jongwoon repeats in an unsure way, his brows knitting together in slight confusion as memories flitter through his mind momentarily.

“Hm,” The elder hums in response, gently brushing the others soft hair back away from his face, his golden eyes flickering a little as he inspects the younger’s wounds.

The boy suddenly lets out a small sob as he lunges forward and wraps his short arms around the others neck tightly, burying his face against the others neck. “Kyuhyun!” he cries shamelessly.

“It’s alright, I’m here.” Kyuhyun whispers comfortingly, threading one hand through the others blonde hair, his free hand coming up to rest on the child’s small back.

The boy says nothing else and only repeats the man’s name as if it were a prayer, clutching tightly to him as he cried. The elder gently picks the crying boy up and sits down on his bed, his back pressed to the head board as he settles the child who was still clinging onto him onto his lap.

“Shh, don’t cry….” Kyuhyun whispers softly, pulling away a little only to wipe the others tears away with his thumb, the other letting out a loud sniffle as he tries to stop.

“Kyuhyun?” Jongwoon says quietly, his small voice cracking a little from all the tears. “I have nowhere to run to.”

“I know.” The man says as he threads his fingers through the child’s wet hair once again and pulls him close. “That’s why you’ll be staying with me.” He whispers as he presses his lips tenderly to the boy’s forehead, holding them still in that position.

Jongwoon’s eyes flutter shut at the comforting feel of the others lips against his forehead, his hand pressed softly against the others warm chest, feeling the slow rise and fall of it with each breath.

They finally pull away after several peaceful minutes and return to gazing at each other again. Kyuhyun reaches up again to gently wipe away any signs of blood or tears and mud on the child’s face as the boy leans into the touch a little, before shifting so his head now rested against the man’s strong chest.

“Why’re you being so kind to me?” The boy asks and he could hear the man’s breathing falter for a second.

“No reason, really. Well, actually, I don’t know how to explain it. It’s too…..complicated, to say the least.” The man explains, his voice strained a little as he tries to find the right words.

“mh,” The boy hums. Although the answer wasn’t very helpful, he still accepted it without prying furthermore.

They stay quiet for a long time, just enjoying each other’s presence as Kyuhyun the others hair tenderly, when Jongwoon suddenly sits up straight again from where he was resting against the man’s chest, earning a questioning look from the elder.

“Kyuhyun?”Jongwoon asks, watching as the other lets his hand drop away from his face and rests lightly on the boys small hips to hold him there.

Kyuhyun raises an eyebrow to urge the younger to continue when the boy suddenly reaches up and presses his small fingertips to his bottom lip. A confused expression crosses over his face as Jongwoon keeps his hand there, but after a few seconds, Kyuhyun finds himself parting his lips a little, and the child’s small fingers slide into his mouth.

“What are you?” Jongwoon asks.

Kyuhyun suddenly jerks back, realizing his mistake too late as he move his face away from the others fingers. But Jongwoon had felt them already, those two long and slightly curved teeth, sharp enough to tear through flesh.  

“What are you?” Jongwoon repeats, raising himself higher a little on the others lap, wanting an answer.”You’re not human, I know that.”

“That is something I am forbidden to tell you.” Kyuhyun says, grabbing the other’s small hands which were trying to inspect him again. His tone was dangerous, and Jongwoon caught the red glint of warning in the others golden eyes.

“Why?” The child asks, not taking the hint, or to be more specific, ignoring it.

“It is something that you don’t need to know, my love.” The man says, trying to calm himself as he kisses the boys knuckles lightly. “It will not hurt to know less.”

“But it will hurt to know more.” Jongwoon finishes, his expression stoic as he pulls his hands back out of the much larger and warmer ones.

Kyuhyun only nods and looks away, knowing that the younger was unhappy with that answer.

“Why won’t you tell me? I know you’re not human already, so might as well just tell me.” The younger whispers, seating himself back down on the elders lap, slumping forward a little in a sulking manner. “Do you not trust me?”

“No, that’s not—“

“It’s not like I have anyone to talk about it to anyways.” Jongwoon interrupts, before letting out a small cynical laugh as his expression darkens dangerously, looking away from the man. “That’s right. I don’t even have a place to call home anymore.” He gets up from Kyuhyun’s lap, ready to leave, wanting to be anywhere but there and home.

But Kyuhyun was quick and grabs the child back, pinning him to the bed easily, pressing a hand over the boy’s mouth when he let out a sound of surprise. Jongwoon’s eyes were widened in shock as he stares up at the other whose eyes were now a blood red.

“Don’t you dare say anything like that again.” He snarls as his upper lip pulls back, revealing his long canines. He finally releases the child when he starts struggling, trying to pry the others hand away from his face, but Kyuhyun reaches forward again after releasing him and holds the boy’s small face in his hands, bringing him in closer so their forehead were almost touching. “You have me now, and I won’t let anything happen to you.”

Jongwoon was trembling in the others hold, their gazes not leaving each others as Jongwoon stared into Kyuhyun’s red eyes, but after a moment, Kyuhyun lets go of the child’s face and pulls him tightly into his arms instead, pressing his face into the boys blonde hair. “I’ll never hurt you, and I’ll never let anyone hurt you anymore either.” He whispers.

Jongwoon didn’t quite understand when the conversation had changed back to being about him, but as long as he was in Kyuhyun’s arms, nothing else mattered at the moment. He wraps his small arms around the others neck and held him just as tightly. Jongwoon felt secure around the other. Kyuhyun shows such tender care and love towards the younger that he had never felt before.

For once in his life, Jongwoon actually felt wanted, protected, and loved.

A/N: okay, this was obviously un-edited, I apologize for that.
Thanks for reading! Please leave comments~