a/n: WHAT. if I say it's a birthday fic, will you kiss me or kick me? 

This is a companion fic for my other fic, if you get it, YOU GET A GOLD STAR.

11.

He wasn't made for this. 

He didn't do this.

, he's been celibate for so long.

And he detested one night stands.

But they are friends.     Best friends. And that's more than he had ever bargained for.

Fate is like that party game where an apple is dangled in front of you for you to bite it--without using your hands. No matter how hard you go after the apple, without proper science applied, you will lose.

And all this time, he has resigned himself to being that kid who stares and stares at the apple but will never get to bite down and take part in its juicy flesh.

Yet now, the apple is not dangling from twine. Instead, it's been handed to him, polished and bright red, enticing.

Time has weakened him.

"I've never done this before," the apple says.

"It's not important, Hae," and so he takes a bite.

10. 

The club is noisy and to be honest, he is nervous.

They've never really ventured into this kind of territory before.

They say that compromise goes a long way. 

He concedes. 

He remembers an old parlor game where the adults string packs of sweets or red envelopes of money on bamboo slats, hoist it up over the children's heads and let them reach up to pull one of the prizes.

Once again, Fate dangled it over his head and he, of sharp eye and critical mind, plucked what he thought was better for both of them--he ultimately chose friendship and silence over freedom and true love.

That's why they are here now, he is out to find someone that can make it bearable for him to love his clothes inside that blasted walk-in closet and replace the phantom mouth that cradles his desires.

In his drunken haze, with his head heavy on Donghae's shoulder, he cannot determine what is real and what is tequila-induced hallucination, he hears Siwon say "Hyukjae hasn't had anyone serious...like ever,"

"Are you still going to insist on that?!"

It's the tequila, Hyukjae concludes before denial bludgeons him unconscious.

4.
He knows this isn't love.

It was doomed from the beginning.

But he is just a person with a yearning heart, a heart he knows no one can ever fill to the brim with the kind of love he was looking for so he adapts.

The body adapts and they call this muscle memory.

So he goes through the practiced motions. He hates himself but this was his kind of high. 

He is the piñata, repeatedly being hit and when you successfully destroy the harder outer shell, goodies come out that children race over to grab off the ground.

There are rules. The player must have his eyes blindfolded, he spins ten times before approaching the piñata and gets three chances for a hit.

The proverbial piñata has a smile plastered on its piñata face, regardless of the destruction brought on by the party.

He is coasting between sleep and wakefulness when he feels his companion get up from his side of the bed and quietly retrieves his clothes before slipping out like a thief in the night.

3.
He would love to get married someday.

It doesn't matter that nobody approves, doesn't matter how many people will be attending, doesn't matter what wedding motif.

What matters is that his groom says yes, I will willingly spend my life with you, through smelly feet and in breeding Pomeranian puppies, I will love you like the way I always wanted to be loved.

But the groom he has in mind is looking for a different person altogether.

Someone in a flowing white dress, flowers in her hair, weeping mother and teary father by her side -- he clearly does not qualify.

The jealousy in Donghae's watery eyes throws him off, however. David was just a passing fancy, an experiment. Just like curious children putting Mentos inside recently shaken cola and watching it explode.

"I'm falling in love with you."

BOOM!  

2.
They make love that night.

Because he was the experimental volcano with baking powder and Donghae was vinegar.

Quite ugly if you put it that way.

Because he...he was Hyukjae and he was in love with Donghae since forever (but Donghae doesn't need to know that).

This is unreal. He denies it even as pleasure thunders through him, it is heavy but he feels like soaring. It is painful but what rapture could this be?

Because this is Donghae and Hyukjae has grown tired of the games that children play.

500.
He s up yet again.

Because he was scared and being away from Donghae too long is like a child standing in the corner with his duncecap on and reflecting his mistakes.

David was persistent and his world is not quite right. He sees Donghae in everyone. 

This was worse than a hangover.

Donghae comes in, drunk and loud, driving David away and now Hyukjae is angry.

"I told you I love you! You love me!"

...does he? Love Donghae? Or has he been deluded to the point where his vision can only see Donghae when the world is like a snackbar free-for-all for him to take?

"Not in the way you think, no,"

LIES.

And suddenly, a strange whistling rings in his ears as he is in, feeling a hook through his belly button, transporting him back to high school.

Adrenaline kicks in and his sense of self-preservation gives him strength.

A door is slammed and the hormone wanes as his knees give way.

He knew they were doomed from the beginning.

250.
Picking up the pieces was not too hard.

He's been down this road too many times yet he feels like he is not completely whole.

Like a huge gaping hole is left in the middle of his chest.

But he fights the urge to run through the streets and take Donghae back. If he wants to come back, that is.

He's not entirely sure if he wants Donghae back.

The world is getting shabbier and shabbier. 

How he wishes he could go back to playing games that children play.

1.
"You are both ed up people,"

"Yes."

"You should have had better judgment."

"Yes."

"You look like complete ,"

"Yes."

"It's ok, Hyukjae,"

"It's not."

"This can't be just him working on himself. It should also be you working on yourself. It should be the both of you working on each other."

"Oh, the games that children play,"

"You're both children," and they couldn't help scoffing. "It's simple. Will you forgive him?"

"Only if he deserves it,"

"Do you love him?"

If only he had Cyclops' X-men eyes.

0.
"Won't you stay with me? Because you're all I need."

DAS ENDE.

a/n: this was bad, isn't it? I'm never writing during birthdays again!! ARGH. Did this even make sense?????????????? eff. wuteva. I'll reevaluate when I'm not half-asleep.  And is it so crazy confusing? If you squint really hard, you'll know its connected to something else. ;)