Not Hiding
Title: Not Hiding
Author: Aznmen
Rating: PG
Pairing: HanWook; broken!Yehwook
Summary: Yet another one from the pairing generator, this time from Suju's. Prompt: Hankyung/ Ryeowook / It's not hiding if you close your eyes and pretend no one else is there
The first time you find Ryeowook sitting in his room like that, you turn around and walks out, afraid of interrupting some private ritual. But a couple of hours later, you walks in to see him still in that position. You might not be the most familiar with Korean customs, but you suspect that this isn’t one of them.
Ryeowook’s legs are pulled close to him, almost as if they’re taut strings, and his hands are over his eyes. A soft croon comes out of his bruised lips, not unlike a mother singing to her child. The sheer unnaturalness of the pose makes you come closer, crouching, stooping, so as to reach the retreating boy. “Are you hiding?”
A small stuttering laugh echoes, “It’s not hiding if I pretend no one else is here.”
“A child’s’ game reversed?”
No answer comes, but stillness goes over Ryeowook’s figure and somewhere within you, you know you’ve been shut out.
Ryeowook’s muscles are firm and drawn, and it makes the yellowing bruises stand out against his white skin, other contusions are fresh, with a sickening purple and gray spreading out from their area of injury. Your fingers dance lightly on Ryeowook’s skin, afraid of doing any more than that and being rejected. But at the sensation, Ryeowook relaxes, “I don’t like him hitting me. I don’t mean to let him… I want to fight back, but when I bring myself to, I only get knocked down again.”
You don’t know quite what to do, you were never good with this, and not knowing the language enough to offer words of sincere comfort makes you severely limited. You push Ryeowook forward slightly though, and cushion your body between him and the hard wall.
Ryeowook isn’t warm or cold, but he leans farther back into you, pulls your arms close around his body, and cuddles farther into your chest. “You’re warm.”
He falls asleep quickly, almost like an experience diver into the water, and your muscles grow stiff with disuse - afraid to move and wake up the sleeping boy. The lights were out to begin with, and as the hours go by, it grows darker and darker until someone opens the door and a shocking light goes through the room. Almost against the laws of physics, his eyes glow evilly, despite the fact that his back is towards the light.
He inspired fear in even you - who could stand HeeChul in his rages or Siwon in his godly passion - and you do nothing more than stare back.
The two of you do nothing for several moments, but you finally take the boy in your arms and lift him into the bed on the opposite side of the room, taking care to tuck him into the blankets.
You pass him at the doorway, and out of the corner of your mouth, “Next time, I won’t do nothing.”
But you should’ve known that the threat wouldn’t last too long. You walk in yet again to Ryeowook in that position, a fresh bruise around his arms, not unlike a cuff link, and
“You still hiding?” Once more, you kneel down, and push Ryeowook forward, cuddling up behind him.
“Not hiding.” He cuddles against you, pulling your arms around him yet again. “Just pretending no one else is there.”
“So why am I here?”
Ryeowook smiles, and tilts his head against your chest, looking straight into your eyes, “Because you’re different; I like you.”
It really shouldn’t have been a surprise to see Yehsung approach you later. Nor should his eyes of fury and clenched fists worry you so. It’s almost comical as he stands full-height towards you and threatens, “You better stay away from Wookie.”
You almost laugh, “You think you have the authority to boss me around when you touch him like that? You think that you can push me down and I’ll simply turn the other cheek like he does? If you keep this act up, I won’t mind telling Eeteuk, and you know how he’ll sort it out.”
His eyes grow wide - well, you did throw a cheap shot - and he comes close, pressing his chest up to yours and pushing you into the wall, “You wouldn’t…”
Your voice lowers to a snarl, “Do you really want to test me?”
He’s waiting for you this time, his eyes are clear, and the bruises are only fading - no new ones taking their place. He’s left you a spot behind him, and you readily take it, this time wrapping your arms around him yourself. “You’re not hiding anymore?”
“Never was.” Ryeowook’s eyes slowly close, “Maybe I was looking.”
“What could you possibly be looking for?”
Ryeowook shrugs his shoulder noncommittally, only to look up at you yet again, “I don’t know… maybe someone like you?”
And you smile, and hold him closer. Inside your heart, you vow to never hurt the one before you, never to put him through the same things Yehsung did, and to always keep him close to you. “You won’t ever have to hide again.”
“It wasn’t really hiding, you know.”
“Yes, you’ve told me.”
“Mhmm, just wanted to make sure you knew it.” Ryeowook laughs and looks at you, puts a strong grip on your chin and pulls you to a kiss.
A/N: Forever of not writing, but I finally got something. I really liked it, but it took awhile to write it lol. Oh well~ It's up now. Hope you enjoy! Leave a comment, it feeds my writer's bias <3