99¢ Dreams
Title: 99¢ Dreams
Pairing: HanHae, TeukChul
Summary: Dreams aren't suppose to cost anything, except everything costs something...
Genre: Light angst, fluff?
Rating: R
Word Count= 2,556
A/N: A very, very belated birthday present for the wonderful, miracleshining~
Inspired by:
Hangeng buys Donghae a lollipop and he empties his pockets onto the counter, small coins rolling in every direction and he smiles even as the lady behind the counter frowns. He grabs Donghae by the hand and drags the younger boy out of there, before he hears what the lady is muttering darkly (about vagabonds and thieving and good for nothing brats), because they weren’t.
It’s raspberry, Donghae complains, but he’s smiling as he says it and holding tightly onto Hangeng’s hand. His mouth opens wide and Donghae sucks on the little lolly through a giggle, tongue peeking out and eyes flashing bright.
Hangeng feels like he’s finally done something right.
They huddle under the leaky roof of an abandoned house, wrapped up under a thick, patched up blanket Jungsu had found a few winters ago and Hangeng tucks the corners down around Donghae, making sure it’s covering his feet and shoulders. Donghae presses his face into Hangeng’s neck, hot breath ghosting over his skin, their legs entwined and arms around each other. Donghae never says he’s cold, but Hangeng knows he is and he curls his fingers in the worn sweater the younger boy is wearing.
Donghae’s asleep within fifteen minutes, he always is and Hangeng strokes the blanket and gets lost thinking about Jungsu, even when he’s not supposed to.
He's woken up the next morning by Heechul nudging him none too gently with his foot; Hangeng smiling and opening the blanket to welcome the older boy. Heechul asks them flippantly about what chaos they’ve left behind yesterday and Hangeng tells him that they robbed a store, set the bank on fire and pushed over an old lady. Heechul just nods, oh really, that’s it? and Hangeng smiles, clutching tightly at the icy cold fingers holding his.
Heechul is older, but not old enough and he’s given work at the back of a restaurant, scrubbing the floors and lifting heavy crates, only because he works hard and never complains. Heechul was slim and not all that strong- Hangeng thinks that he should be the one working, but he knows Heechul would shut him down the second he brings it up. Still, Heechul has these eyes that flashed with determination and strength and not once did he complain to Hangeng and Donghae about the aching muscles and bruises and blistered hands.
(Hangeng sees though, through his lashes when Heechul thinks they are both sleeping; the soft hisses and low groans as Heechul stretches or washes his hands in the bucket of rainwater. It’s his moment of weakness and Hangeng doesn’t dare disrupt it even if he wants, because then Heechul might never show his pain- Hangeng knew he definitely won’t do it in front of them, not ever.)
Donghae and Hangeng dances on the streets when Heechul is off working, moving from one street to another; dancing for middle aged women out shopping, for businessmen with passing interest, for other children dressed in suits and pretty dresses and shiny shoes. They’d dance and dance, until there are enough coins in the hat to pay for dinner and hopefully for a small room somewhere.
They don’t eat lunch if they can’t afford dinner and Hangeng just dances harder to distract himself, but he watches out for one particular dance step they do, because just from that he can judge just how hungry Donghae is, despite the quick laugh and the shake of the head the boy gives him. If it goes smoothly, they can last a few more hours, but if Donghae falters, he’s hungry. If he trips, they stop, no arguments allowed.
It’s okay today though and Hangeng lets out a breath he hadn’t realized he was holding and he quickly pulls into a backflip that is easier to land than usual. Donghae is particularly happy today (Heechul’s back safely) and there’s an extra bounce in his steps and Hangeng watches the bright eyes and infectious smile, the fast turns and passion. He thinks that he’d like to see Donghae dance on a stage with bright lights and actual songs and an audience that clapped and cheered without trying to touch them.
Later, Hangeng slips half of the coins used for lunch into his pocket and he buys only one roll, making sure to rub crumbs onto his lips. When he hands Donghae the food, he smiles and licks his lips, telling the boy he ate already.
He smiles watching Donghae devour the food hungrily, stomach clenching; his hands smoothing around the coins.
One day…
The first day of the month rolls around again and Hangeng’s not too sure which month it is anymore, only that it’s the first day, because Heechul tells them not to wait for him after work, he’s got something to do.
(It’s always 'something', never Jungsu.)
Hangeng holds Donghae closer on these nights as they wait for Heechul to come back, safe and not alone. So far though, it’s always only been the former. It’s better than neither, Hangeng thinks, neither would destroy them.
They press against each other and hands slide against rough cloth and the occasional smooth patch of skin and Hangeng can’t help think that there should be another (two) here with them.
Heechul comes back to them in the morning and sometimes it’ll be like nothing has changed, that he was here the whole night, instead of waiting at a train station. Sometimes, he wouldn’t talk for hours, eyes dark, lips pursed, fine cheekbones hollowed out as he bites the inside of his cheek.
They never ask him about what he saw or what he didn’t see. They never mention Jungsu’s name and they don’t say the word family either.
It hadn’t always been the three of them, three quarters of a whole that wasn’t whole anymore. There used to be Jungsu; Jungsu appa, Donghae had called. To Hangeng, he was hyung, Heechul only ever called him Jungsu and he does even now, jungsu…jungsujungsu, when he’s lost in his dreams and Hangeng should have been sleeping too.
It was Jungsu who found Hangeng all those years ago, beaten and horribly thin, almost a skeleton on the footpath, barely breathing. It was Jungsu who nursed him back to life, using up money and food they couldn’t really afford to waste on a stranger. Hangeng remembers Heechul flatly telling the eldest that they can’t afford to do this, but still passing the food and bandages over, hands soft on his broken body.
It was Jungsu who found Donghae, barely a year later and Hangeng remembers the terrified, mute boy trembling in the older boy’s arms. Hangeng holds his hands and begs the other two to keep him. Jungsu smiles and ruffles his hair; Heechul sighs, your heart is too fucking big, Park Jungsu, even as he helps lift Donghae onto Hangeng’s back.
It’s Jungsu who brought them together and brought them up, but now it’s Heechul trying to keep them together, but the glue is flaking and Hangeng thinks they’re going to fall apart at the seams one day.
“You’re both dreaming with your eyes open”, Heechul would snarl, hands clenching. “Jungsu is never coming back, ever.”
Jungsu had promised them a year, I’ll be back in a year, wait for me. It’s been a year and thirteen weeks and Heechul has forbidden them from ever talking about the man again, “He’s living happily somewhere and he doesn’t want us anymore, he’s forgotten all about us!”
Donghae looks like he’s going to start crying, so Hankyung speaks without knowing what to say. “Maybe he’s hurt, Heechul hyung? Maybe he needs us?”
Heechul looks even more furious, fists clenching and eyes flashing, lips pulled back in a snarl, “I already told you, he fucking left us, ok? Stop dreaming and start living!”
There’s a horrible silence that feels like dead chickens bleeding onto the concrete, and all the hear is Heechul’s heavy breathing, eyes squeezed shut and knuckles bone white.
“Dreams don’t cost anything”, Donghae mutters against Hangeng’s neck, hands clutching at his shoulders as Hangeng hug him.
Heechul’s eyes narrows dangerously, “Everything costs something. Stop wasting your time thinking about him.” There’s a flash of angry tears in those large eyes and something akin to fear, but Kim Heechul isn’t scared of anything so neither Hangeng nor Donghae dare mention it.
Hangeng’s tall for his age, but still slim from the lack of proper food and he’s no match for some of the older, more bulky boys around.
They don’t steal and they are polite, so usually there isn’t trouble as long as they behave, but when the trouble comes looking for them, there’s nothing Hangeng can do but stand in front of Donghae as the boys surround them. There’s about five of them, all bigger than Hangeng and he tries, he does, but there are too many of them and Hangeng’s heart folds in on itself as Donghae’s hand slips from his own.
There are three boys holding him down, a foot pressing on his neck and two pair of hands holding his arms and legs. Hangeng struggles even if the gravel scrapes against his cheek, because the other two were pushing Donghae around roughly, touching his face and tugging at his clothes, jeering as the younger boy goes silent and starts tearing up.
One of them rips the jumper Donghae is wearing and the other goes completely still before letting out a piercing scream, eyes hysterical as he clutches at the pieces of the jumper Jungsu had bought him. The one responsible reel back shocked and the other slaps Donghae across the face to shut him up, Hangeng cursing and kicking out to attract their attention. It works, because Donghae is left on the ground as the boys crowd around him and Hangeng falls into the darkness as boots connect repeatedly with his body.
It was started by Hangeng a long time ago, a few months after watching Donghae dance for the first time; a little jar filled with whatever coins they could spare- ten cents he picks up near the bin on the corner, eighty-five cents he saves from eating expired bread instead of the nearly-expired one Heechul told him to buy…
Donghae joins in when he finds out, pitching in anything less than a dollar. It’s to help Jungsu and Heechul hyung, Hangeng tells him. He says nothing about the proper, comfortable shoes he’s been eyeing, that actually fits and won’t leave blisters on Donghae’s feet nor does he tell the younger about mirrored rooms with smooth floors that won’t leave smooth, pink scars all over Donghae’s knees.
Our 99¢ dreams, Donghae whispers to him, eyes sparkling as they add in another coin and Hangeng wants to kiss him once (or twice).
He wakes up to Donghae crying whilst helping Heechul put Hangeng down. His body is on fire, skin screeching and bones screaming in protest as he shifted, breathing becoming raspy as the world sways around him wildly. There’s a bottle pressed against his lips and Hangeng chokes and coughs out the water that tastes rust and bitterness; Heechul hissing at the pink tinge of the liquid.
“H-heechul hyung, I’m sorry…”
“Don’t be stupid. It’s not your fault, now shut up so we can get you to a hospit-”
“No!” Hangeng groans as he tries to sit up, “We can’t! We don’t have to, I’ll be fine-”
Heechul glares at him, “Now is not the time to be worrying about money, Geng!” He bites his lips and looks away, “I can get my boss to lend me some.” There’s an edge to Heechul’s words and Hangeng knows what he’s planning; he’s seen the old man push another boy onto his knees.
“No way in hell, Heechul.”
Heechul levels a sharp stare at him, opening his mouth to say something, but Donghae cuts in, tears still running down his cheeks, “Hyung! We can use our dream money!”
“No!” Hangeng thinks of what could be, how happy Donghae will be, “No, no way.” Turning desperate pleading eyes on Heechul, Hangeng mouthes a silent, please. Heechul sends Donghae off for more water and purses his lips at him, “What’s going on?”
There’s a pause, but Hangeng has no choice, “That money…it’s for Donghae…I don’t want him to be dancing on the streets for the rest of his life, he deserves better…”
The other man stills, “What are you planning?”
Hangeng tells him about the auditions held each year and how if they can just pay the audition fee, he knows Donghae can pass, and then-
Heechul slaps his head, voice hushed, but he’s smiling, “You pabo…you love him…”
Hangeng doesn’t know if he is, because all he’s ever known is survival, there’s no room for things like love (but then he thinks of Donghae and how all he’s known is Donghae and he thinks maybe).
“I want to make all his dreams come true…”
Heechul’s smile is part sad, part understanding, and a touch proud.
They manage somehow, to bandage up the cuts, move him into a position where it doesn’t hurt as much and convince the youngest he doesn't need medical help. Donghae is sleeping, hand clasped in Hangeng’s, who is watching Heechul glance unconsciously at his watch every few minutes.
“Heechul hyung…what are we going to do when Jungsu hyung comes back?”
The older man startles, eyes narrowing, “I told you not to mention him anymore. Jungsu’s good as dead.”
He catches the tremble of Heechul’s lips before they purse together tightly, and he thinks maybe Heechul is the one hurting the most out of all of them. “Then why do you wait for a ghost every month?”
Heechul whips around so fast Hangeng winces for him, “Is it sad that I’d rather he abandoned us then think he’s dead.”
Hangeng reaches out and grabs the other’s hand tightly in his own, “Go Heechul, please, you don’t want to miss him.”
That’s all it takes for the fog to lift in Heechul’s eyes and the other flashes him a smile, pausing to squeeze his shoulder lightly and pull the blanket over the both of them.
Then he was gone to meet the ghost of his heart.
Hangeng is lying on his side, head cradled in Donghae’s lap, eyes closed when Heechul comes back from the station. It’s mid-morning, if the bustle of the market is any indication, later than usual, but not late enough to worry.
He hears Heechul approaching and he smiles. His little accident hadn’t damaged them then; now all they had to do was wait and hope, dream together until all their dreams came true.
Then Donghae’s gasping, and Heechul's laughing, a sound they haven’t heard in forever and Hangeng’s eyes snap open, filling with tears as he sees Jungsu smiling back at him. He finds himself in Jungsu’s arms, Donghae hugging them both and Heechul grasping both his and Jungsu's hands
Heechul's hitting Jungsu as soon as they untangle, sobbing and laughing at the same time and then they all end up back in a big group hug, whispers of apologies and promises and talks of an apartment in the city and never again, never.
Hangeng laughs as Donghae wraps both arms around his waist, watching as Jungsu shuts Heechul up by locking their lips together, hands fisting in clothes and hair.
Who said dreams didn’t come true…
//
Pairing: HanHae, TeukChul
Summary: Dreams aren't suppose to cost anything, except everything costs something...
Genre: Light angst, fluff?
Rating: R
Word Count= 2,556
A/N: A very, very belated birthday present for the wonderful, miracleshining~
Inspired by:
Hangeng buys Donghae a lollipop and he empties his pockets onto the counter, small coins rolling in every direction and he smiles even as the lady behind the counter frowns. He grabs Donghae by the hand and drags the younger boy out of there, before he hears what the lady is muttering darkly (about vagabonds and thieving and good for nothing brats), because they weren’t.
It’s raspberry, Donghae complains, but he’s smiling as he says it and holding tightly onto Hangeng’s hand. His mouth opens wide and Donghae sucks on the little lolly through a giggle, tongue peeking out and eyes flashing bright.
Hangeng feels like he’s finally done something right.
They huddle under the leaky roof of an abandoned house, wrapped up under a thick, patched up blanket Jungsu had found a few winters ago and Hangeng tucks the corners down around Donghae, making sure it’s covering his feet and shoulders. Donghae presses his face into Hangeng’s neck, hot breath ghosting over his skin, their legs entwined and arms around each other. Donghae never says he’s cold, but Hangeng knows he is and he curls his fingers in the worn sweater the younger boy is wearing.
Donghae’s asleep within fifteen minutes, he always is and Hangeng strokes the blanket and gets lost thinking about Jungsu, even when he’s not supposed to.
He's woken up the next morning by Heechul nudging him none too gently with his foot; Hangeng smiling and opening the blanket to welcome the older boy. Heechul asks them flippantly about what chaos they’ve left behind yesterday and Hangeng tells him that they robbed a store, set the bank on fire and pushed over an old lady. Heechul just nods, oh really, that’s it? and Hangeng smiles, clutching tightly at the icy cold fingers holding his.
Heechul is older, but not old enough and he’s given work at the back of a restaurant, scrubbing the floors and lifting heavy crates, only because he works hard and never complains. Heechul was slim and not all that strong- Hangeng thinks that he should be the one working, but he knows Heechul would shut him down the second he brings it up. Still, Heechul has these eyes that flashed with determination and strength and not once did he complain to Hangeng and Donghae about the aching muscles and bruises and blistered hands.
(Hangeng sees though, through his lashes when Heechul thinks they are both sleeping; the soft hisses and low groans as Heechul stretches or washes his hands in the bucket of rainwater. It’s his moment of weakness and Hangeng doesn’t dare disrupt it even if he wants, because then Heechul might never show his pain- Hangeng knew he definitely won’t do it in front of them, not ever.)
Donghae and Hangeng dances on the streets when Heechul is off working, moving from one street to another; dancing for middle aged women out shopping, for businessmen with passing interest, for other children dressed in suits and pretty dresses and shiny shoes. They’d dance and dance, until there are enough coins in the hat to pay for dinner and hopefully for a small room somewhere.
They don’t eat lunch if they can’t afford dinner and Hangeng just dances harder to distract himself, but he watches out for one particular dance step they do, because just from that he can judge just how hungry Donghae is, despite the quick laugh and the shake of the head the boy gives him. If it goes smoothly, they can last a few more hours, but if Donghae falters, he’s hungry. If he trips, they stop, no arguments allowed.
It’s okay today though and Hangeng lets out a breath he hadn’t realized he was holding and he quickly pulls into a backflip that is easier to land than usual. Donghae is particularly happy today (Heechul’s back safely) and there’s an extra bounce in his steps and Hangeng watches the bright eyes and infectious smile, the fast turns and passion. He thinks that he’d like to see Donghae dance on a stage with bright lights and actual songs and an audience that clapped and cheered without trying to touch them.
Later, Hangeng slips half of the coins used for lunch into his pocket and he buys only one roll, making sure to rub crumbs onto his lips. When he hands Donghae the food, he smiles and licks his lips, telling the boy he ate already.
He smiles watching Donghae devour the food hungrily, stomach clenching; his hands smoothing around the coins.
One day…
The first day of the month rolls around again and Hangeng’s not too sure which month it is anymore, only that it’s the first day, because Heechul tells them not to wait for him after work, he’s got something to do.
(It’s always 'something', never Jungsu.)
Hangeng holds Donghae closer on these nights as they wait for Heechul to come back, safe and not alone. So far though, it’s always only been the former. It’s better than neither, Hangeng thinks, neither would destroy them.
They press against each other and hands slide against rough cloth and the occasional smooth patch of skin and Hangeng can’t help think that there should be another (two) here with them.
Heechul comes back to them in the morning and sometimes it’ll be like nothing has changed, that he was here the whole night, instead of waiting at a train station. Sometimes, he wouldn’t talk for hours, eyes dark, lips pursed, fine cheekbones hollowed out as he bites the inside of his cheek.
They never ask him about what he saw or what he didn’t see. They never mention Jungsu’s name and they don’t say the word family either.
It hadn’t always been the three of them, three quarters of a whole that wasn’t whole anymore. There used to be Jungsu; Jungsu appa, Donghae had called. To Hangeng, he was hyung, Heechul only ever called him Jungsu and he does even now, jungsu…jungsujungsu, when he’s lost in his dreams and Hangeng should have been sleeping too.
It was Jungsu who found Hangeng all those years ago, beaten and horribly thin, almost a skeleton on the footpath, barely breathing. It was Jungsu who nursed him back to life, using up money and food they couldn’t really afford to waste on a stranger. Hangeng remembers Heechul flatly telling the eldest that they can’t afford to do this, but still passing the food and bandages over, hands soft on his broken body.
It was Jungsu who found Donghae, barely a year later and Hangeng remembers the terrified, mute boy trembling in the older boy’s arms. Hangeng holds his hands and begs the other two to keep him. Jungsu smiles and ruffles his hair; Heechul sighs, your heart is too fucking big, Park Jungsu, even as he helps lift Donghae onto Hangeng’s back.
It’s Jungsu who brought them together and brought them up, but now it’s Heechul trying to keep them together, but the glue is flaking and Hangeng thinks they’re going to fall apart at the seams one day.
“You’re both dreaming with your eyes open”, Heechul would snarl, hands clenching. “Jungsu is never coming back, ever.”
Jungsu had promised them a year, I’ll be back in a year, wait for me. It’s been a year and thirteen weeks and Heechul has forbidden them from ever talking about the man again, “He’s living happily somewhere and he doesn’t want us anymore, he’s forgotten all about us!”
Donghae looks like he’s going to start crying, so Hankyung speaks without knowing what to say. “Maybe he’s hurt, Heechul hyung? Maybe he needs us?”
Heechul looks even more furious, fists clenching and eyes flashing, lips pulled back in a snarl, “I already told you, he fucking left us, ok? Stop dreaming and start living!”
There’s a horrible silence that feels like dead chickens bleeding onto the concrete, and all the hear is Heechul’s heavy breathing, eyes squeezed shut and knuckles bone white.
“Dreams don’t cost anything”, Donghae mutters against Hangeng’s neck, hands clutching at his shoulders as Hangeng hug him.
Heechul’s eyes narrows dangerously, “Everything costs something. Stop wasting your time thinking about him.” There’s a flash of angry tears in those large eyes and something akin to fear, but Kim Heechul isn’t scared of anything so neither Hangeng nor Donghae dare mention it.
Hangeng’s tall for his age, but still slim from the lack of proper food and he’s no match for some of the older, more bulky boys around.
They don’t steal and they are polite, so usually there isn’t trouble as long as they behave, but when the trouble comes looking for them, there’s nothing Hangeng can do but stand in front of Donghae as the boys surround them. There’s about five of them, all bigger than Hangeng and he tries, he does, but there are too many of them and Hangeng’s heart folds in on itself as Donghae’s hand slips from his own.
There are three boys holding him down, a foot pressing on his neck and two pair of hands holding his arms and legs. Hangeng struggles even if the gravel scrapes against his cheek, because the other two were pushing Donghae around roughly, touching his face and tugging at his clothes, jeering as the younger boy goes silent and starts tearing up.
One of them rips the jumper Donghae is wearing and the other goes completely still before letting out a piercing scream, eyes hysterical as he clutches at the pieces of the jumper Jungsu had bought him. The one responsible reel back shocked and the other slaps Donghae across the face to shut him up, Hangeng cursing and kicking out to attract their attention. It works, because Donghae is left on the ground as the boys crowd around him and Hangeng falls into the darkness as boots connect repeatedly with his body.
It was started by Hangeng a long time ago, a few months after watching Donghae dance for the first time; a little jar filled with whatever coins they could spare- ten cents he picks up near the bin on the corner, eighty-five cents he saves from eating expired bread instead of the nearly-expired one Heechul told him to buy…
Donghae joins in when he finds out, pitching in anything less than a dollar. It’s to help Jungsu and Heechul hyung, Hangeng tells him. He says nothing about the proper, comfortable shoes he’s been eyeing, that actually fits and won’t leave blisters on Donghae’s feet nor does he tell the younger about mirrored rooms with smooth floors that won’t leave smooth, pink scars all over Donghae’s knees.
Our 99¢ dreams, Donghae whispers to him, eyes sparkling as they add in another coin and Hangeng wants to kiss him once (or twice).
He wakes up to Donghae crying whilst helping Heechul put Hangeng down. His body is on fire, skin screeching and bones screaming in protest as he shifted, breathing becoming raspy as the world sways around him wildly. There’s a bottle pressed against his lips and Hangeng chokes and coughs out the water that tastes rust and bitterness; Heechul hissing at the pink tinge of the liquid.
“H-heechul hyung, I’m sorry…”
“Don’t be stupid. It’s not your fault, now shut up so we can get you to a hospit-”
“No!” Hangeng groans as he tries to sit up, “We can’t! We don’t have to, I’ll be fine-”
Heechul glares at him, “Now is not the time to be worrying about money, Geng!” He bites his lips and looks away, “I can get my boss to lend me some.” There’s an edge to Heechul’s words and Hangeng knows what he’s planning; he’s seen the old man push another boy onto his knees.
“No way in hell, Heechul.”
Heechul levels a sharp stare at him, opening his mouth to say something, but Donghae cuts in, tears still running down his cheeks, “Hyung! We can use our dream money!”
“No!” Hangeng thinks of what could be, how happy Donghae will be, “No, no way.” Turning desperate pleading eyes on Heechul, Hangeng mouthes a silent, please. Heechul sends Donghae off for more water and purses his lips at him, “What’s going on?”
There’s a pause, but Hangeng has no choice, “That money…it’s for Donghae…I don’t want him to be dancing on the streets for the rest of his life, he deserves better…”
The other man stills, “What are you planning?”
Hangeng tells him about the auditions held each year and how if they can just pay the audition fee, he knows Donghae can pass, and then-
Heechul slaps his head, voice hushed, but he’s smiling, “You pabo…you love him…”
Hangeng doesn’t know if he is, because all he’s ever known is survival, there’s no room for things like love (but then he thinks of Donghae and how all he’s known is Donghae and he thinks maybe).
“I want to make all his dreams come true…”
Heechul’s smile is part sad, part understanding, and a touch proud.
They manage somehow, to bandage up the cuts, move him into a position where it doesn’t hurt as much and convince the youngest he doesn't need medical help. Donghae is sleeping, hand clasped in Hangeng’s, who is watching Heechul glance unconsciously at his watch every few minutes.
“Heechul hyung…what are we going to do when Jungsu hyung comes back?”
The older man startles, eyes narrowing, “I told you not to mention him anymore. Jungsu’s good as dead.”
He catches the tremble of Heechul’s lips before they purse together tightly, and he thinks maybe Heechul is the one hurting the most out of all of them. “Then why do you wait for a ghost every month?”
Heechul whips around so fast Hangeng winces for him, “Is it sad that I’d rather he abandoned us then think he’s dead.”
Hangeng reaches out and grabs the other’s hand tightly in his own, “Go Heechul, please, you don’t want to miss him.”
That’s all it takes for the fog to lift in Heechul’s eyes and the other flashes him a smile, pausing to squeeze his shoulder lightly and pull the blanket over the both of them.
Then he was gone to meet the ghost of his heart.
Hangeng is lying on his side, head cradled in Donghae’s lap, eyes closed when Heechul comes back from the station. It’s mid-morning, if the bustle of the market is any indication, later than usual, but not late enough to worry.
He hears Heechul approaching and he smiles. His little accident hadn’t damaged them then; now all they had to do was wait and hope, dream together until all their dreams came true.
Then Donghae’s gasping, and Heechul's laughing, a sound they haven’t heard in forever and Hangeng’s eyes snap open, filling with tears as he sees Jungsu smiling back at him. He finds himself in Jungsu’s arms, Donghae hugging them both and Heechul grasping both his and Jungsu's hands
Heechul's hitting Jungsu as soon as they untangle, sobbing and laughing at the same time and then they all end up back in a big group hug, whispers of apologies and promises and talks of an apartment in the city and never again, never.
Hangeng laughs as Donghae wraps both arms around his waist, watching as Jungsu shuts Heechul up by locking their lips together, hands fisting in clothes and hair.
Who said dreams didn’t come true…
//