Frost

your light touches (i forget reality at once)

"You said you'd have the money by last week!" A voice hissed into the phone, angry and spiteful.

Yeonjun sighed, running a hand through his pink hair. "I know." He said, tired. "I sent you all I earned this week. Every last won. I'll have the rest by next payday."

"And when's that, huh? Where the fuck are you, Choi?" She wouldn't let up, venom dripping from her words to bite him across the vast distance between them.

"Monday. I'll send it to you by Monday afternoon."

At least she didn't know where he was, hadn't tracked him down yet. Thank God for small favors. He hung up, not bothering to hear what she had to say about waiting two more days, and pushed off from the wall, walking back to the library, where the rest of the group awaited him.

Good mood dashed to pieces, he searched for Kai's face the moment the boys were in sight, frowning when he couldn't find him.

"Where's Kai?" He asked, a hint of panic in his voice as he approached the table.

Soobin gave him an odd look. "He just left, why?"

"Where? How long ago?" It wasn't like him, but the panicked feeling wouldn't leave his chest, suffocating him a little, not letting him breathe. A sudden newfound chill shook his body.

"Are you okay, dude?" Beomgyu suddenly asked, closing his philosophy textbook. "You look a little pale."

"Where did he go?" Yeonjun asked, struggling to keep his voice even.

Taehyun wordlessly pointed towards the nearest exit.

Yeonjun left without another word, grabbing his bag with one hand as he rushed towards the exit, leaving the whispering trio behind him.

He broke into a jog right outside the building, heading in the direction of the campus park. His breathing evened out as soon as he saw him.

He was in one of his oversized white t shirts, and those ripped jeans he had so many pairs of. His icy blond hair had faded out to a grey-ish brown, and his tote bag was slung carelessly over one shoulder.

Yeonjun sped up a little. "Wait up!" He called out, hoping the boy heard him.

He did, stopping to wait for him with a suppressed smile.

"Damn, I didn't realize you left already." He said when he caught up with the younger, trying to even out his breathing as the panic tightening his chest left as if it were never there in the first place. "Where're you going?"

Park. Feeding the cat there.

"The skinny orange one?"

Yeah

"I'll come with." Because god knows, Yeonjun can't stay away.

Grinning at the company, Huening Kai nodded, resuming in the direction of the small convenience store near the park.

They walked side by side as Yeonjun overthought everything. Was the distance he kept between them too little? Too big? Should he take his hand? Did Kai want him to take his hand?

Why was this so complicated?

He was still deep in thought as the door to the store swung open, attacking him with a current of cold air from the AC. Mindlessly, he reached out for Kai, shadowing him to the back aisle, where he watched the boy pick out tins of cat food, carefully and methodically.

He looked up when he was done, and seeing the elder's eyes on him, ducked his head, walking past him to the front counter to pay.

Yeonjun walked after him, unwrapping yet another blue raspberry lollipop, because his newfound fixation with the flavor never seemed to end.

As they left the store, Yeonjun took the bag from Kai, the boy's necklace catching his attention. It was pretty; a small anchor charm hanging round his neck, nestling in the space between his collarbones.

Tugging on it, Yeonjun grinned. Cute. "Lead the way, captain."

He very obviously underestimated the younger boy's attachment to the creature in the park. Kai's eyes wouldn't leave the poor cat, fussing over her as she fed.

The cat was as clingy to him as he was to her, purring and rubbing against him, eyeing Yeonjun with a suspicious look and ducking away from him.

To be fair, if he was a cat, Yeonjun would never leave Kai's side, either.

And it gave him an opportunity to study him even more. To see him when he looked relaxed, playing with a pet. Kai smiled when the cat purred, and stroked her fur gently, removing the leaves caught in it with careful hands.

His happiness lit up his entire face, shining bright in his eyes and spreading to encompass Yeonjun, too, lifting his mood even higher. He felt like he was soaring, with no intention of coming down.

"You know, you're like a cat yourself, Hyuka." He suddenly said, noticing the similarities.

Kai blinked up at him, tilting his head in question, and Yeonjun had to bite his lip not to coo out loud. Instead, he settled for ruffling his hair, laughing when he noticed Kai's eyes shut for a second or two.

He was, really, a cat. "It's cute."

The actual cat purred louder, demanding Kai's attention back. And she got it, much to Yeonjun's annoyance. Kai turned back to her, and he felt like a sunflower without the sun.

Oh god, he was not getting jealous of a cat. Nope, not happening.

"And you– You're hogging all of Kai's attention for yourself!" He complained, wishing the irksome creature understood.

Kai lightly hit Yeonjun's shoulder, the brief contact sending sparks, before returning to the damn cat.

"See! He won't even pause to answer me!" Yeonjun complained, mock disbelief coloring his voice.

Kai merely shook his head, rolling his eyes as he said his goodbyes to the stray.

"I have a grudge against your cat, Hyuka." Yeonjun complained again as they were walking.

Kai chuckled, looking over at him with a fond expression. Is that why you didn't pet her?

"Mm." He paused, as his brain short-circuited. Because were Kai's eyes always so soft? Had they always reflected the setting sun, burning like two bright supernovas, taking his breath away?

Blinking, he remembered why he didn't touch the dirty feline. "But mostly because she's a stray cat, and I really wanted to do this."

And leaning in, he places a soft kiss to Kai's lips, delighted when the boy parts them in surprise, but doesn't step back. "And this." he kisses him again, just as softly, reveling in the feeling. "And, of course, this."

And then he does what he's wanted to do for weeks now, cupping Kai's face with both hands and tasting sunshine again. He can feel the boy responding, and savors the happy sound the younger makes, smiling into the kiss.