The Locker Room

           

The faint smell of sweat hit Pete's nostrils as Ae dragged him into the locker room.

Unable to free himself from the stronger boy's grip, he helplessly crashed against the lockers, breathing heavily as his heart raced. Ae's eyes were stormy as he approached, and Pete felt himself backing further into the metal frame, wanting to escape his pursuer's gaze.

"What did he do to you?" Ae demanded, his brow furrowed and his tone as dark as his eyes. Pete was just as confused about what happened between him and Tin as Ae was, and shook his head bewilderment.

"He didn't do anything to me," he insisted, hoping to quell Ae's anger, but it only seemed to fuel the other boy's questions.

"Then why was his face so close to yours?" he shot back, slowly advancing towards Pete, whose chest was rising and falling heavily as he tried to reclaim his breath.

Unsure of what to tell Ae, he responded with what he assumed to be the truth, "he was just joking around with me."

Ae exhaled sharply and slammed his palm into the locker, next to the taller boy's head. Rage was written all over his face and he locked his gaze onto Pete, who stared back at him, fully aware of their close proximity. That awareness wasn't aiding his speeding heart rate.

Ae's eyes flickered between Pete's soft lips and shining eyes, trying to not to let his shameless thoughts of the other boy cloud his mind, but the memory of Tin pressing Pete against a wall, their lips just inches apart, made Ae's possessive trait snap.

"Don't be close with anyone else in the way I'm close with you," he finally said, his face inching closer and closer to Pete's, his eyes uncontrollably fixated on his mouth.

The taller boy's response was laced with innocent provocation. He knew exactly what Ae meant, but wanted to hear it explicitly and completely from him.

"Why? Why are you saying that?" He asked, slightly surprised as Ae's head then slowly began to sink onto his shoulder, his hand sliding down the metal locker.

Both boys were still breathing heavily, and the high windows of the locker room bathed them in soft sunlight. If they had been anywhere else, it could have been considered romantic, but it seemed fitting for the pair who needed to shed their insecurities and reveal the soft colours of love they shared between them hidden beneath.

"Please go out with me... I can't wait anymore." Ae sounded desperate, his eyes tightly shut as he feared rejection. It was true, however, that he couldn't wait any longer. Since they had met, since they had kissed, Ae wanted so badly to be with Pete; to hold him, to cherish him, to love him... to touch him. He felt ashamed to have such thoughts, but he couldn't help himself. Pete was perfect - an angel in his eyes. Ae wanted to make sure no other could touch him. He wanted to make their relationship official.

"Ae!" Pete was surprised, but not unpleasantly. In fact, his heart fluttered at the declaration. Like a deer caught in rose-coloured headlights, he was lost for words. He stood and watched as Ae slowly raised his head and their eyes met once more.

Then, he felt hands slip around his neck, and his lips colliding with the other boy's. Ae seemed desperate, hungry even, as he kissed the taller boy with fervour.

Whilst Pete loved kissing Ae, he feared that the shorter boy wasn't thinking straight. Clearly acknowledging the different tone of the kiss in comparison to kisses they had shared before, he knew their situation could develop into something rather more intimate...

He didn't want Ae to regret being with him. Not after he had been so hurt by Trump...

He pushed Ae away from him.