𝘉𝘭𝘰𝘯𝘥𝘪𝘦 | 𝘩𝘺𝘶𝘯𝘭𝘪𝘹.

| 21 |

Now playing:
New Year's Day by Taylor Swift

☀︎

He leads Felix down the hall, pushing open his bedroom door and flicking the light on. Felix clutches tightly onto the blanket Hyunjin wrapped around him, looking for comfort in anything.

"Here.." He swipes the comforter, patting it. "Sit down, please." He says.

Felix does as Hyunjin says, taking a seat on the bed next to the older boy. He sniffles. His head is hurting now and he is freezing. All he wants to do is lay down and go to bed.

It's been such a long day for him. He needs to sleep this out, he doesn't want to do anything else.

Hyunjin, however, has other plans. He looks to Felix with worried eyes. He needs to know what happened. It might not be a good thing to ask though. He's waiting for the right time, trying to read Felix.

He just curses to himself. "I'm sorry for asking.. if you don't want to talk about it that's fine— but what happened?" He asks, scooting slightly closer. "Are you okay, blondie?"

Felix raises his head to look at Hyunjin. He looks into his eyes, seeing the genuine look of worry and care. He sighs, looking away. He knows he should be in such a bad mood, but his cheeks are starting to flush by being this close to Hyunjin.

He ignores the fluttery feeling as their legs touch slightly. "I—" he starts.

He pauses, debating if he really wants to talk about this. Especially with Hyunjin, the boy he has a crush on. This whole thing started because he admitted he had a crush on Hyunjin. It isn't at all Hyunjin's fault though, don't misunderstand.

He inhales slowly, looking up to Hyunjin. "Did you.. hear?" He asks. "What people have been saying about me?" He clarifies.

He feels like he doesn't have to even ask. He's pretty sure the whole school has heard. He knows for sure that Hyunjin knows. But if that's the case.. shouldn't things be different?

Maybe he doesn't know.

The older just listens. Hyunjin knows damn well what Felix is talking about. He nods his head slighty, not at all bothered or thinking about it. He just heard it, and thought nothing off it.

Well, he was a little upset. Finding out Felix has his eyes on somebody. Yet— Felix doesn't know that. He doesn't need to.

Felix watches Hyunjin nod his head, and sighs. He waits for something else, yelling, disgust, nastiness. He waits for Hyunjin to remember what that implies and suddenly kick him out, like anyone else would.

However, he doesn't.

Hyunjin just sits there. He doesn't move, he doesn't flinch or back away, he doesn't even falter. He just continues to look at Felix the same way he always has.

Felix furrows his brows. "Hyunjin." Felix stops for a second. "Don't you—"

"I know, Felix." Hyunjin nods.

Felix is taken aback. He sucks in a breath, holding it in as he waits for something bad. But he doesn't get anything like that. He just gets a small nod, and a gentle, supportive smile.

"It's okay." He whispers, putting a hand on Felix's thigh.

He doesn't judge at all. He would be a hypocrite if he did, because he struggled with the same damn thing for years. The looks, the nasty comments. However, Hyunjin is lucky that, in his case, only a few people knew.

And those few people have either moved on, or forgotten.

Felix just exhales, trying not to cry again. He puts a hand up to his mouth. He closes his eyes and lets out a few ragged breaths. The comfort in Hyunjin's touch makes him feel so much better.

Somebody. He has somebody. While nobody else is here for him, he has Hyunjin. He has somebody else who doesn't judge him and accepts him. He is so thankful for this boy.

"Thank you." He says, almost whispers with his broken voice. He's holding back tears. He opens his eyes, looking at Hyunjin with teary eyes. "Thank you so much."

"Please don't thank me for being a decent human being, Felix." Hyunjin says gently. "I'm doing what anybody else should and would."

"But they're not." Felix says, shaking his head. "And it means the world to me that you are," he says, looking up at Hyunjin with a foggy mind. He smiles, adding on. "—Berries."

Hyunjin softly giggles. "Thank you," he says, after going silent. He speaks in a whisper, feeling like he is sharing a secret with the younger. "—Blondie."

Felix just giggles softly. He lets his hand fall from his face after wiping a tear. It falls on top of Hyunjin's hand, that still rests on the younger's thigh. He feels it, but doesn't make any attempt to move his hand.

They sit there silently, admiring each other secretly before Felix sighs. "I know now is not the moment, but I kinda need you help." He still speaks lowly.

Hyunjin tilts his head slightly, before nodding his head. "Anything you need, I'll try. What's up?"

"I need a place to stay tonight." He says, implying that he wants to stay with Hyunjin.

Hyunjin sucks in a breath. "I'm okay with you staying here," He starts, but Felix knows there's going to be a hiccup. "But I don't have any kind of extra bed." He says.

Felix hums. It's not a big problem, nothing that can't be solved. "That's okay." He says, already coming up with a solution. "I can uh– sleep on the couch out there?" He motions to door, signifying the living room couch.

Hyunjin immediately shakes his head. "No way. I would feel so bad if I make you sleep on the couch out there." He says. "It's very uncomfortable. Trust me, I'd know."

Felix raises a brow, before just shaking his head. "I don't care, that's fine." He says. "It's already such a big ask to let me stay, so I'm not going to be push—"

"You can sleep on the bed." Hyunjin stands up. "I'll sleep on the couch."

"No way." Felix denies immediately. He shakes his head, "I cannot let you do that. I will feel terrible knowing it's uncomfortable. I'm not that—"

"No, it's settled." Hyunjin says. "I'll sleep out there."

Felix has a thought, and doesn't even think about anything else before spitting it out. "How about we just sleep together?" He spits.

Hyunjin's eyes widen. "Together?"

Felix panics. He realizes now how that might come off and sound to Hyunjin, so he immediately starts to shake his head no. "No— I mean—"

Hyunjin sees Felix panic, and starts to feel bad about it. "No, wait—" he starts. "That's fine. In fact, that's the best plan. Mhm." He says. "The bed is big enough and we can.." he trails off, looking at the bed.

Felix gulps. "Okay." He stands up. "It's settled then. We will.. sleep together. In one bed. Yes. Now—" he looks to Hyunjin. "Can I use your shower?"