Idiots - to - lovers ? (Gyubrick)

Chapter 8

Hao is busy enjoying a new 50k slow burn of his favorite pairing under the shade of an oak tree when the universe once again decides that he can't have nice things.

"Would you like to explain," says Gyuvin, and Hao starts in surprise at the sound of his ugly voice, "the texts I saw on Ricky's phone the other night?"

Immediately, Hao mentally runs through every single text he's sent to Ricky in the past week, drawing a blank. "What texts?" he says cautiously, and Gyuvin's face is enough to tell him that he will probably regret asking.

Gyuvin clears his throat. "Ricky," he says, and Hao starts in surprise again at the sound of the name in Gyuvin's god-awful voice, "you're killing me here. Come home so we can finish what we started last night."

Oh fuck.

"So. Let me ask you again," says Gyuvin in a tone that would make lesser men wet their pants. "Would you like to explain the texts I saw on Ricky's phone last night?"

You see, Hao has two options here: he could tell the truth, or he could lie. The dilemma lies in the fact that even if he told the truth, it sounds so much like a lie that it'd have the same result as saying the very wrong answer on Gyuvin's mind.

In other words, he's fighting a losing battle.

"We were playing scrabble."

Which they were, and Hao was actually winning for once. They had bet a week's worth of lunch on that game. Why else would he sound so desperate?

Gyuvin snarls at him. "Do you think I'm stupid?"

"Yes," Hao answers, because if he's going down, he's at least going to get a few insults in first. "But I don't see what that has to do with this."

"Listen to me," Gyuvin clenches his fist, veins popping. "I can't, I won't ever try to control what Ricky chooses. But you—you don't get to demand things of him or force him to do anything because you want it. If I ever find out you treated him with anything other than the pinnacle of respect, so help me god you will learn to fear something worse than death."

"I don't fear death," Hao deadpans. "I crave it."

"Then I will personally find a way to make sure you stay alive forever."

A chill runs up Hao's spine. "That's impossible."

"Oh yeah?" Gyuvin smirks. "Try me."

"Okay, whatever," says Hao, holding up his hand. "Believe whatever you want to believe. I don't care."

"Good," says Gyuvin, letting go of his grip on him. "I just want you to be aware of how you are—and you never will be—good enough for Ricky. No one is."

Which is kind of a dramatic way of putting it, but all right.

"But you think you are," Hao says, eyebrow raised.

Gyuvin stiffens, his entire body going rigid as stone. Hao watches him carefully, the sureness in his shoulders suddenly sagging as he takes a step back and averts his gaze.

"I never said that," says Gyuvin, voice quieter now. "No one is good enough for him. Especially not me."

"Quit your pity party," Hao scoffs.

Gyuvin's gaze flies up, but instead of the snappy retort that Hao is expecting, he says nothing. He just stands there, silent, and stares at him. Thoughtful, almost, which is a surprise in itself considering how Hao didn't know Gyuvin's brain was capable of doing anything other than repeating Ricky at an increasingly rapid speed.

He looks like he wants to ask something.

Hao has never felt more uncomfortable in his life. "What? Spit it out."

"Is he...happy?"

Hao thinks his stone cold heart thaws. Just a little enough to say, "Yeah, he's happy."

An exhale. "Good," breathes Gyuvin. "That's good."

Hao waits, and then the asshole decides to open his big mouth again.

"Keep making him happy. Not a single frown or tear shed. Or else."

"Or else?"

"Or else you'll procure a debt that'll never allow you to rest in peace."

That night, Hao has nightmares of a life beyond death—full of blackened waters, betrayal, and a lone manor on an island full of ill-fated ghouls.

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