WATERCOLOR || Remake

Uncertainty

Minho and Chan usually had a free period, while others had math or physics first period during the morning, and they usually stuck together during that time. As friends, they would banter in the bean bag chairs in the open library. However, today was an exception. They found themselves in a quiet, secluded room within the library. The windows were covered with yellowed parchment, casting a dim, eerie light into the room. The heavy wooden door was firmly locked, adding to the feeling of isolation. When the group abruptly took their leave from the corridors, leaving Minho and Chan alone, the atmosphere was tense following Chan's public confession. Feeling a rush of emotions, Minho took a moment to gather his thoughts. He found himself reflecting on the many moments he and Chan shared, realizing that his love for Chan had been a steadfast presence throughout his life. Being here at this moment only made it feel like a mere facade. 

"Mhmm. You're being too loud, Chan-ah." Minho mumbled, kissing Chan's jawline and meeting the elder's softened gaze. His breathing was heavy, contradicting his expression. A dream, having him so close, kissing Chan's neck, feeling his touch. He craved more. Minho had Chan pressed up against the table that centred the room, their papers long forgotten and tossed onto the floor with no care. Minho had his face in Chan's neck, and hot breaths filtered down the older's throat, which made him dazed by the younger's intentions. Hushed whispers by each other as they had other students try and enter the locked room, followed by subtle husky and laced laughs, before they continued their undivided attention on each other. Heavy breaths were released as Chan gripped Minho's hair, setting him into a frenzy of shaky breaths.

The push and pull of their emotions weave themselves together.

"Min..." Chan gasped, feeling Minho's teeth bite into the flesh of his collarbone. He could feel Minho's hands wander to the sides of his torso, causing him to flex his muscles from the foreign feeling.

"My Channie, right?" 

"Yes, Min- I'm yours... But let us go a little slow... I can't dive in this quick."

Minho abruptly stopped from his intoxicating high immediately once he heard Chan's voice becoming rugged, and his hands started pressing against his shoulder to stop the motion. His hands let go of the older waist, automatically pulling them upwards and stepping back. The last thing he wanted was for Chan to feel pressured. 

"It's okay, Chan. I understand that your last relationship was difficult. But I want to treat you like the special person you are, loving you and giving you everything," Minho whispered softly, his understanding a beacon of hope in Chan's dark world. Chan's heart fluttered at these words. He never thought Minho would genuinely want to be with him. After Chan's challenging previous relationship, he became cautious and experienced deep heartbreak. He closed himself off emotionally, feeling disconnected from others. However, Minho seemed to effortlessly break down the walls around his heart, a true testament to Chan's emotional vulnerability and his trust in someone who had been by his side since day one.

"Chan-Hyung... I won't ever make you suffer the way that jerk did..." Minho reassured, cupping Chan's cheeks as he continued his stare at the other. His dark chocolate eyes glossed. Minho ran his thumb along his cheekbone.

"I won't ever hurt you." He repeated again to Chan.

"It'll just take time. I'm sorry, Min..." Chan softly replied.

Minho kissed Chan's forehead before pulling him into a soft embrace. He understood the vulnerability Chan felt. He watched his entire life torn away from him when they were fourteen. Seeing Chan become a different person was painful—closed off and unwilling to show affection. Their once close relationship suffered as a result. Minho also knew who Jisung was long before anyone else did. They were each other's closest family.—closed off and yielding any affection. His relationship with his only cousin who understood him dwindled. Minho knew who Jisung was well before everyone else did. They were the closest family they had.  

"Its okay Chan. We will work through this. This jerk broke you and I want to fix you."

"You're cheesy Min. We have class." Chan pouted. He really didn't want to have to go to his next class. His new found relationship made him want to say screw school.

"A few more minutes. Then I'll walk you to class love." Minho replied kissing Chan's head for what felt like the hundredth time. Chans face reddened at the mini nickname given to him.

"Cheesy... Definitely cheesy!" Chan laughed pushing Minho away trying to get himself composed again. Minho chuckled at him following out behind collecting Chans hand in his own enjoying the warmth that is radiating off his finger tips.

It was a start, Minho was willing to be patient, he had been for three years, what's another few more. 

☆ミ　☆彡☆ミ　☆彡

After school, the group had all separated into their parties to do whatever they would do on a Monday evening. Basketball was cancelled, the coach had some conference meetings, and the team knew Jisung wouldn't be available to take the lead. With Changbin being out of commission due to his fractured foot, he wasn't allowed anywhere near the gym, so the coach permitted a day off. Minho and Chan found themselves at the youngers house in a state of uncertainty about the seriousness of their newfound connection. They had to burst that bubble sooner than later so they could definitively know where they stood. Sure, Chan's open confession was there, and so was Minho's, but what was next? Kissing and making out aren't the answers they were searching for. 

"My little Min is cute. But I don't think we should go further." He lightly kissed Minho on his forehead, his lips feeling warm against Minho's skin. The younger man already craved more; his adventurous antics were wanting more. He wanted more, but he didn't want to overstep Chan's boundaries. After all, Chan was still healing from his past breakup, yet this side of Chan that Minho was seeing was rather intriguing. 

"Mhmm..." Minho hummed.

"Maybe another time. Just cuddle and movies like usual?" Minho replied, sitting up. He watched Chan stand up and turn the youngers TV on nodding to the question.

"What should we watch?"

"You choose; I'll go get us snacks." Minho smiled, and Chan turned to look at the movies. Of course, both felt awkward, but how could they further a relationship that had just started? They've been friends for years, and Chan has liked Minho for some time but has always been scared. He was scared of two things. First, Minho wouldn't return the feeling, which wasn't the case. But deep down, his second reason, his ex, traumatized him emotionally. He was emotionally abused. His ex was so mentally traumatizing to Chan that he felt himself breaking.

Breaking down daily, emotional and beaten down verbally by his ex. Chan was thankful he wouldn't ever see his ex, not anytime soon. His ex publicly shamed him for being attracted to men, and it was like he wanted to get into Chan's head. Then, he turned around and shamelessly kissed another girl in front of him. It also didn't help that Chan's family wasn't accepting of Him either, saying cruel and trashed words. At the time, aside from his small group of friends, he would see Jisung. Jisung was also his haven, even when the younger struggled with his battles.

Minho was lucky he never ended up in jail at that time, either. When he went was shopping at the mall with Changbin. He watched it all happen, and he couldn't control his anger. He knocked some sense into the ass hat, being ripped away by security and questioned. Minho wasn't the one to engage in violence, but when Chan was involved; even if it wasn't him; any friend; His intentions would have been the same. He never once regretted hitting the asshole. It's why they never speak his name. It was also the light that Minho needed to know Chan was more than a friend to him. 

It was a silent oath. That messed up Chan; he went to multiple therapy sessions to help break his mental mindset of the other. Minho stayed by his side the entire time. He was being his protector. Minho had moved out on his own after his parents wanted to move to another country; because he wasn't entirely of legal age, he still had his parents' consent to stay where they were. This was how he lived independently, Chan being his regular visitor, and now they had a newfound relationship.

They only hoped they could keep it strong. They wanted to be each other's support. They needed each other.