Their morning session of rehearsals was held in a dance room not too far away from the hotel. Since the place where they were going to have the concert was still under construction (the elements for stage and backstage still needed to be assembled), the group had to settle down for a less appropriate place for that day.

Being the room a lot smaller than the stadium they were supposed to have their performance in, it had been decided not to practice all those choreos and elements that required a bigger space, or more than one stage, thus cutting out half of the songs.

Despite the problems and the tiredness of the boys, the practice seemed to go smoothly. Even Yixing's neck was giving him a break and he was determined to make the most out of it. But still, his body stiffened every time Sehun ended up being too close to him, making him losing the beat. Yixing was still stuck in that moment, he was still trapped inside the tingling sensation he felt when their hands were so intimately connected.

He had let himself go a bit, and now was afraid to lose control while they were with the others. He obviously didn't want the rest of the group to know what was going on.

But he had to dance now, and there was nothing that was like dancing to Lay. The perfect synchrony he would get while swinging his body following the rhythm and the others' movements was magical. It baffled him that his body seemed to move with a special code that only Sehun and Kai's were able to match. The flow of their steps, the concentration that slowly faded into passion, was something unknown for the rest of the members.

«Guys, let's stop here for today» said suddenly Suho «it's nearly lunch time, and we need to get ready for our interviews.»

Everyone nodded panting, trying to regain a steady breathing; most of the boys collapsed on the floor near their water bottles, taking big sips and relaxing. They started chatting between one another to easy the tiredness, and soon the room was filled with cheerful voices.

«Sehun, Lay, Kai! Can I have a word with you?» Suho raised his voice to make himself heard.

The three boys got up and slowly headed to the exact point where the leader was standing, his hair sticking onto his forehead for the sweat. They exchanged quick puzzled looks, silently wondering what it could have been about.

«Is something wrong, hyung?» Jongin asked as the three of them reached Joonmyeon.

«You guys are the main dancers of this group. So, you have a better perception of music and synchrony»

Lay looked at the other two confused. Yes, they probably were more familiar and at ease while dancing, but that didn't mean the rest of the group wasn't able to tell if they were doing well or not. He knew Jongin and Sehun were thinking the same thing as he saw their frowns.

«I guess... Yes?» Yixing eventually replied. «What's this for, Joon?»

«Do you think we're doing everything well enough? I can't get off of me this sensation that we're lacking at something. The fact that we can't practice in a proper way is bugging me.»

«Hyung, we're all doing our best. Haven't you see? Chanyeol-hyung and Chen-hyung's steps were on point too, today. This is nearly a miracle!» intervened Sehun jokingly.

«He's right. We were as coordinated as possible.» confirmed Kai.

«But what about the choreographies we haven't practiced yet? And what about all the rest?»

«Hyung, we still have tomorrow. Everything will be fine!»

«Joonmyeon, you shouldn't worry. We have been doing the same routine for quite a long period, now.»

«But now we have one more member missing. Is this what's making him worried, isn't it?» said glacially Sehun.

The leader didn't answer, he just stared at the floor, a guilty and sad expression on his face. «It's been only a few weeks, I don't feel confident yet. But if you say there aren't problems with today's practice, then I'm relieved.»

The three dancers nodded and bowed to end the conversation and go back to their spots on the floor, but they managed to take only a few steps before Suho spoke again.

«Sehun? Yixing? Has something happened between the two of you over the night?»

At that sudden and unexpected question, the two boys tensed up while turning around to face their leader. They were so close to each other that they nearly touched when moving.

«Why?» asked Sehun, who seemed impassible.

«I noticed (and Jongin agrees) that you were less fluid when dancing near each other, as if you didn't like being so close.»

«No, that's just-» Lay started, but found out he didn't know what to say.

Kai's eyes were piercing through him as he tried to elaborate a coherent answer, or at least a credible lie. He didn't like the way the Korean dancer was staring at him and Sehun, an expression plastered on his features that read “I know what's happening”. He felt Sehun swing a little beside him.

«I had a very vivid dream, and I accidentally kicked Yixing-hyung in my sleep. I think we both got scared and we still haven't got over it, since we didn't have time to talk about the matter.» the maknae answered.

«Is that so, Xing?»

«Y-yeah. But that's ok, I didn't get hurt, I was just frightened and shocked because that was not a normal thing, that's all. I'm sorry if we made you worry, it's nothing big.»

Suho sighed nodding, giving the permission to go wherever they wanted as he finished with his own things. Lay mouthed a quick “thank you” to Sehun when he was sure nobody was looking and then they both picked up their own things to get ready to leave. He had the strange feeling that that exchange of excuses had sounded more like as if the two of them were trying to explain to each other how they had felt that morning.

At the hotel, they had the time to just take a shower and getting changed before eating and heading to one of the two interviews that were scheduled for that day. Every member was clearly disappointed by the fact that they couldn't practice a bit more, but they still managed to look all happy and enthusiast during the recordings, because they really loved their fans and those interviews were entirely for them.

Despite some thorny and awkward questions (most of them revolving around Tao's recent leaving and their opinions on the matter), the group managed to go through the afternoon with laughters and funny moments. Yixing saw Sehun flinch a couple of times while they were being asked about their new situation, especially when those questions were directed to him. The Chinese boy knew how close the maknae was to Tao and he imagined how the other was feeling.

It was nearly dinner time when they were allowed to go back to their rooms and get ready for dinner, in another restaurant that seemed pretty important. In half an hour all the boys were in the hall, waiting for the cars to pick them up and take them to the chosen place. Yixing kept on wondering when he would have had time to have a proper talk with Sehun about what had happened in the morning. Or better said, about everything that had happened until that morning. He was now convinced that the boy's suggestion to forget the kiss was a stupid idea, that they needed to talk it through to overcome whatever it was.

He spent all evening thinking about that, figuring out how to start the conversation and introduce the topic. He would push it back every time he had to do anything social or that involved a significant action, but eventually the thought would appear again. He was kind of lucky that everyone found it quite normal for him to zone out very often, so no one noticed his strange behaviour. Also because this time, the boys were more active and responsive towards their hosts and surroundings.

They stayed at the restaurant until it closed, and then two black cars came to pick them up as usual. The trip was calm, yet full of cheerful chatting. Everyone was giving a detailed description of what they had done during those hours, as if their mates weren't there too. Yixing considered that funny, and smiled fatherly as he took in the faces of the other four boys with him.

Suddenly, he felt observed, and when he turned his head towards the centre of the car, he noticed Jongin flashing him strange glares. That reminded the Chinese boy that he had to clear things out not only with Sehun, but also with Jongin. He sighed as he reasoned that maybe the maknae line was finding it funny to complicate his life.

Once back to the hotel, they waited for the elevators to take them to their own floors, so that they could finally get some sleep. Some of them -more probably it was Chanyeol, but Lay couldn't really remember- had suggested doing something like staying together in the hall or in one of the rooms and just fooling around, but it was mostly ignored. They had to be perfect for the next day.

So, the members ended up wishing a goodnight to one another before leaving for their own rooms. And as soon as Yixing and Sehun remained alone, the older boy started wondering why he wanted so bad to clear things out when he obviously wasn't ready yet.

Once he felt the door's mechanism click, he sighed, knowing he was going to have a difficult time. He waited until both were already clean and changed and in the bed, with all the lights turned off. Lay could feel his own heart galloping and he hoped the obscurity would have hidden his panicky attitude. He opened his mouth to say something, anything, to start that dreadful conversation, but he closed it immediately after, unable to bring himself to speak.

He stared at the ceiling for a while, struggling with himself. Eventually, he surrendered to his coward side and decided to let it slip, to not talk about it. He told himself he wasn't acting like a real man should have had, that he seemed more like a teenage girl and that he had to face the problem, whether he liked it or not.

But then he heard the sheets beside him rustling, and felt the maknae's warmness scooting a little closer.

«Ge, are you already asleep?» the sound of Sehun's whispering voice, too loud in the perfect silence of the accommodation, nearly made him jump out of terror.

«No. I can't sleep.» he replied softly after having pondered if it would have been a bad or good idea to answer.

«I can't either.»

Lay hummed slowly, not sure of what to say next. However, he didn't have to say anything, since the younger boy spoke again.

«I'm sorry about what happened this morning. I didn't mean to startle you like that. I've crossed the line I had drawn.» his voice was low and soft, and Yixing could read a hint of guilt in it.

«Which line?»

«Ever since the other night I've tried to forget about my feelings. I promised it to you. But there are times where I can't contain myself, like when I'm asleep. And then you seemed so willing to cuddle this morning and I nearly lost it.»

Yixing let out a shaky breath before replying. «Sehun, you didn't scare me this morning. It's just- it's still awkward, a-and I don’t know how to act. But despite what you may think now, I'm glad you told me everything. Now you're not alone anymore and I am sorry for what you've been through without me noticing it.»

«What are you talking about, Yixing-ge?»

«About you feeling too broken and not having someone to talk to. Being insulted and rejected by one of your closest friends and abandoned by another one. Being forced to hide your feelings and true self to keep your life safe. I know it all, now. And I wished I would have understood it sooner.»

«Who told you that? The insult and hiding parts?» Sehun's whisper sounded intimidating.

«After you- you... Well, kissed me, I had a talk with Jongin. And he told me about how he refused to accept you and all the other stuff I was oblivious to. He has been such a jerk with you, and it hurt me realising how alone you must have felt... All those nameless girls! You don't need to do that anymore, I promise I won't abandon you.»

He heard Sehun clicking his tongue. «Jongin should stop sticking his nose into my business. Now what do I have? I don't want you to be pitiful towards me. It hasn't been that bad, after all.»

«Sehun. You don't have to make yourself look strong. It's ok to show your weaknesses sometimes.» Yixing said soothingly, placing a hand on the other's bare arm.

«Like you are the right person to tell me that!» Lay chewed on his bottom lip a little in discomfort, because he knew the other was right «I have come to terms with who I am, ge. I've endured enough and I really don't need any pity. I'm fine. Forget it.»

Lay felt the other turning his back to him as if to claim that that conversation was over. But it was too late to stop now, and the Chinese boy was resolved in not letting go this unexpected yet pleasant opportunity.

«I can't forget. I've tried, but I can't. It's not that easy, and it isn't also for you. Pretending to be tough and impassible won't prevent you from hurting, and it won't help me understand what's going on inside your head. And inside mine. I am only asking you to give me some time to work on whatever this is, but I will always support you, and I really mean it. This is not pitying you, it is caring about you.»

«Yixing-» Sehun tried to protest, but he was cut off.

«No, let me finish first. I've been meaning to tell you these things but I never had a chance to. Now listen.
You don't have to think I don't care about you. You don't have to think I don't care about how you feel, because I've been doing the exact opposite since that night, ok? I've been wondering if staying close, talking to you affectionately, hugging you and so on would make things better or worse for you. What Jongin told me only made my discoveries clearer and made realise how much a jerk I would have been if I had hated you or rejected you as a person. I don't want to see you sad or broken, I want to see you happy and sassy as you usually are. I'm sorry if this morning I've been so tense and detached, but you should understand it is difficult also for me, I still have to draw that sort of line you were talking about.
But, above it all, you should keep in mind that I don't blame you and I don't feel disgusted by you. You're still our little bratty Sehun. My favourite maknae Sehun. I won't lie and tell you that finding out you like boys has been totally fine and normal, but I can always work on it... Also Jongin is trying to work on it for your sake.
I get the fact that you can't exactly tell the others the truth, but you can talk to me. I know it might be awkward or difficult but I'm here, even when I am not physically around. Is it clear?»

While Yixing was pouring all his heart out, the maknae had slowly turned his head and body around to look at him. He had a surprised look on his face, as if he couldn't believe what the Chinese boy was saying.

«It doesn't make me suffer.» Sehun said half smiling while shrugging.

«What?»

«This» he answered as he inched closer to Yixing's body, thus making him shiver «Being close and touching. It's ok, if it doesn't bother you. You've always done that, if you stopped, I would feel left alone, you know. Like something is missing.»

«You sure?» Lay was really worried about the younger.

«Yeah, sure, ge»

There were a few beats of silence, then Lay felt the maknae sighing beside him, his breath actually tickling the older's sensitive neck. They were so close that their hands and arms brushed continuously. But Yixing was appreciating the warmness of  Sehun's body.

«Ge, do you remember that time on the Show Time? When we slept and cuddled together and I warmed up your part of the bed because you were cold?»

«Yes, that was sweet» answered the older, smiling in the darkness as he recalled the specific moments the younger was referring to. The warmness of Sehun’s embrace in that bed that was so cold, the joy of being encircled by loving and caring arms, the beautiful sensation of feeling both physically and spiritually close to someone special for him.

«Well, this reminds me of that time. We had a lot of fun, back then... I wish we still were the same guys of those days.»

The voice of the younger was gradually starting to fade, and Yixing could only guess that he was falling asleep. It was really late and they needed to rest, or else they wouldn't have been able to be in their best shape for the show. He moved so that now he was directly facing Sehun, both laying on their sides. Lay watched the younger's eyelids closing as he whispered to him "goodnight", before nuzzling closer and, instinctively, encircling the maknae's waist with his arm.

«We're better than them» he said in an inaudible murmur.

In that comfortable position Yixing finally dozed off, relieved that he had made a significant step forward in that so complicated labyrinth of what ifs and fears.

AUTHOR'S CORNER... YAY! 

Hi guys~ 
I've reached nearly 1550 visualisations and I'm sooo happy and grateful! *^* 
So, I wanted to upload this chapter on the 28th, because on that day it will be three months since I started this adventure, but since I will be busy all the week-end and today I'm sick at home (can someone tell me why I spend more than half a year sick or ill? That's unfair...), I've decided to hurry up and finish revising it asap. Also, next week I'm going to start my second year at University so I'm gonna be a bit occupied.
I swear there will be no more than 3 other chapters until the end of this fic, and I'm really grateful to all of you who are still sticking with it despite all its flaws... *bows* 
Let me know what you think in the comments below (don't worry, I really consider all of your opinions, so there might be one or two surprises before I call this fic thouroughly completed), and thank you for subscribing and upvoting and commenting, it makes me feel much less a useless person, LOL. 
See you for the next chapter! ;)