𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐑𝐎𝐀𝐃 𝐓𝐑𝐈𝐏 ✩ Minho, TMR AU

049

F O R T Y - N I N E
.·:*¨༺ ༻¨*:·.

It was two days later, late in the evening. We planned to go out that night, and I was excited, but first, I had to ask.

Always ask, that's what Aiden said. Maybe the only true thing he ever said. It was nice to ask.

"Minho?" He was reading a paper on the chair as I bounced on my heels in front of him, nervous. My thighs were covered in a black skirt, and I wore a white top, with straps as thin as spaghetti. "Can I wear this?"

He looked up, unbothered at first, but then his eyes widened. He trailed them all over my outfit, mouth gaping open. "What?"

Both disappointment and panic filled my chest. "Never mind. I'll change." Turning around, I swallowed away the lump on my throat. Should've never expected him to say yes.

"Quinn— what? Don't change." Even with my back turned to him, I could feel him getting up from the chair.

I made sure I was face-to-face with him again. Closed my eyes, and tightened my jaw, ready for what was about to happen.

"Princess, what are you—."

"Just get over with it." I cut him off, wanting the pain to be over right away. "Please."

"I don't get what you—." There was a very long pause when he cut himself off. I was still standing there, listening to his breathing speeding up, with my eyes still closed.

"Oh, Quinn."

His strong arms wrapped around my body. I froze, confused and frowning as he rubbed my back.

Then I knew it again. It's not normal.

No one's gonna hit me. I won't get hurt. It's not normal. I can wear whatever I want. I don't need permission.

"We talked about this, remember?" Minho whispered, hurt hearable in this voice. "I'm not going to hit you."

"I remember again." I said more to myself. "Forgot for a second. I'm sorry. I just forgot. Didn't mean to. Sorry. It's just... different. I'm sorry I didn't remember. I—."

His arms were still holding me when he cut me off, "Please stop apologizing."

"Sorry. Oh, uh... yeah." I now hugged him back. "This is really nice."

"What is?"

"That you give me hugs." I informed Minho in more of a happy tone. "I like hugs. And I like how you give them to me... voluntarily, I mean. I love it."

His arms squeezed me closer to his chest. He buried his face in my neck, not replying to what I said.

"You know what I also like about you?" I continued, completely unaware of how tense Minho was starting to get. "That you want hauls from the things I bought. And that you even let me go shopping on my own or with Thomas. I really like that."

Minho was only holding me tighter and pulling me closer now.

"And I really like you in particular." I added. He still didn't reply. "Oh. Did I make you feel embarrassed? I'm sorry." I swallowed. "It was meant nicely."

He shook his head, which was still in my neck.

"Okay. Good." I nodded. "Do you like compliments?"

He just nodded.

It still hadn't hit me what was happening.
"I'll keep that in mind. To fix your bad days. Well... not fix, just cheer you up a bit... if it doesn't make you even more pissed. I just... I would rather not let you have bad days."

Something wet hit the skin on my neck.

I stopped talking and frowned. "Min... everything okay?"

The only reply was a sniff.
My heartbeat sped up. This was confusing. Aiden never dropped a tear in front of me. Why was this even happening in the first place?

Why was Minho crying?

I swallowed away all my questions and moved to his bed while his arms kept wrapped around me. I rubbed his back softly, not really sure what to do. Just had to comfort him, I guessed.

"What's wrong?" I whispered, hoping his tears were happy tears.

He finally let go off me and revealed a tear stained face. He had been crying even before I noticed. Wet drops ran down his cheeks and his eyes were the saddest ever, with pouty lips.

God, this genuinely hurt my heart.

"You apologize too much." He sniffed long. "And then you thank me for giving you hugs like it's not normal for your boyfriend to do that." More tears. "You think it's normal for me to not be interested in what you bought, while I would spend days listening to your stories. You are too happy about the fact I allow you to go out alone or with Thomas, and then you give me compliments like I won't be happy if you don't."

His bottom lip was trembling as I stared, his words repeating in my head a few times.

"And the worst thing..." He hiccuped. "The worst thing is that you seem to think that if you don't compliment me, I won't like you anymore. You think that if— if you compliment me on my bad days, I won't hit you. But... but I will never hit you." Minho said. "And it hurts so much to hear that all."

I was not used to boys crying. It was very normal, yes, they had feelings too, but I had no idea what to do or how to talk back, so just hugged him.

Has that boy ever shed a tear? Thomas's words from the train echoed in my head. Forbidden territory.

"It hurts." He said again, crying quietly into my shoulder. "A part of me wants to know that bastard's whole name and his location, but the other part doesn't want to know because it knows I would kill him right away."

I couldn't talk anymore now. I doubted he would repeat the same words once he knew who it was. He wouldn't kill Aiden. It was one of his best friends. Who knew if he would even believe me over Aiden?

"I don't feel like going out anymore." I then told Minho, who by now had crawled all the way into my arms, desperate for the comfort I gladly gave him. "Do you want to cuddle and watch a movie?"

He nodded. I lay down under the sheets and motioned for him to lay down, which he did. His head lay on my chest and one arm was wrapped around my waist. This was the first time Minho was the one on top... and it was awesome.

"I love you." I placed kisses all over his head before my nails softly massaged his scalp to give him everything he needed.

"I love you more." He whispered super quietly.

"I love you more." I shot back.

"Not possible."

I hummed. "I would step on Lego for you."

"Just marry me already."

.·:*¨༺ ༻¨*:·.

A/n: Ahw, crying Minho hurts my heart so much :( But it's princess treatment for prince treatment, that's kinda cute! 💗

What's your favorite thing(s) about Quinho??

x Vera