“Would you like to go out for coffee?” was a simple question and it came from Hongbin’s lips a day after the train incident on their way home. Eight words formed into a sentence that answered TaekWoon’s doubts. What happened that morning in the train was a step forward.

TaekWoon’s answer to the question was small nod and he could swear he had never seen HongBin smiling brighter, and he was sunshine in human form on daily basis. Yet his smile dropped almost as soon as it appeared.

“I was thinking that it could be somewhere outside the campus,” the younger admitted and TaekWoon understood while his radiant smile left his face. “But, if you trust me enough and believe I will keep the crowd away from you, I think we could manage,” he added and TaekWoon looked at him wide eyed for a moment before nodding again.

“Okay. I will find a quiet place where we could meet then,” he said, his smile back and that alone put TaekWoon at ease at least until the day came and he had to face the world to meet HongBin. How hard could it be? It turned out harder than expected.

The route the younger had suggested, showing a meticulous and careful planning skill, allowed TaekWoon to avoid busy streets, leading him to a quiet park where he was ‘instructed’ to wait. The younger had thought it all through and it all would have probably resulted in a wonderful day, if not TaekWoon stepping away from the plan only because he wanted the day to kick of faster, if not something inside him urged to move away from the chatting couple on the other side of the path and laughing children further away.

‘I’m stuck at the crosswalk. Don’t worry. I will be right there,’ came a message from HongBin and TaekWoon raised his head, hearing the sound of cars a bit further away. He could walk the few meters to the crosswalk and meet HongBin there. It was right there - around the corner behind the brightly blooming forsythia shrub. It was just few steps. How wrong TaekWoon was to do so.

The moment he left the quiet serenity of the park, a wave of people swallowed him up immediately, washing him into the the sea of unknown faces, scents, sounds and bodies pressing against him. In a flash his senses left him. This was not the stoic mass of the train that swayed along with the metal carcass, not, this was an organism that fought each part of it with another and TaekWoon was in the middle of it, losing ability to think, losing connection with where he was and why.

Movement.

Hands pushing him forward and pulling back.

Voices.

Not a single familiar one, not a single word he could understand the language suddenly foreign.

Pavement.

Gone underneath his shoes, asphalt in black and white takings its place.

Light.

Suddenly red, alarming, dangerous. Yes, red was danger.

Sounds.

Honking, yelling, all coming from directions he couldn’t pinpoint.

Green.

This was not a signal for him. No, it was meant for the roaring sound on his left.

A touch.

Not familiar, yet not foreign. Could it be?

Embrace.

Strong, indestructible, protecting, caring, loving.

Scent.

Earthy, fresh, like soil after rain yet stronger, hitting TaekWoon right over the head, bringing him back.

HongBin.

Yes, it was him. He was here. Finally.

TaekWoon wrapped his arms around the man holding him, hiding his face in the crook of other’s neck, inhaling deeply the scent that meant no more and no less than security for him. He bit his lip to hold back a sob of fear, of terror, of disorientation so strong he had never experienced before.

“Why did you leave the park? I told you to wait for me there. You could have been hurt,” it sounded like HongBin tried to scold TaekWoon, but his voice was on  verge of breaking. His heartbeat was loud and clear, so fast his heart was about to break his ribcage open. He was as terrified as TaekWoon but for a completely different reason.

“I’m sorry,” HongBin now whispered before TaekWoon could part his lips to say the same words to the younger one holding him. “I will never allow this to repeat. I promise, no, I swear,” he said and his embrace tightened.

Voices whispering profanities and silent curses melted away, HongBin worked as a sound barrier again. All TaekWoon could hear was the slowly calming heartbeat of other and his own gaining the same rhythm.

How badly, how recklessly TaekWoon wanted to be with him. How safe he felt with him close. No doubt, not a single moment of contemplation was needed. HongBin was a stronghold TaekWoon needed, a home he had to have and oddly enough, HongBin was ready to be it, despite the disgusted noises around them. Not a step forward, a mad leap into unknown now was their position taken willingly.

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These series are arket with ☆. In this drabble I wanted to portray more why TaekWoon and HongBin had this special bond formed in the train - because of TaekWoon’s demophobia aka fear of crowds (description and symptoms HERE). I tried to show his confusion and disorientation with my writing, giving you the same feeling he would have.
Actually, I have had this kind of feeling a few times and it’s horrible. Trust me. This kind of disorientation makes you unbelievably vulnerable and scared. My most hated experience EVER.
 

♬ still stands for idol AU - aka them as a part of VIXX and ⚔ stands for Medieval knight AU. Added ✎ to ‘Mr.CEO’ as this AU will have at least one continuation. ^^
 

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BONUS: One of the cutest LeoBin moments - TaekWoon capturing his Bin and mounting him with no questions asked.