Beneath the Surface

Part 31

Yok stood outside Longtai's door, staring at his own bruised knuckles, his heart thudding harder now than it had during the fight.

He took a breath, wiped his hands one more time on the inside of his jacket, and knocked softly.

The door opened almost immediately.

Longtai.

His eyes wide, hair slightly messy, still wearing his comfortable house clothes, barefoot.
The moment Longtai saw him, his mouth parted-a soft, worried sound escaping him.

"Yok..."

Before Yok could say anything, Longtai was pulling him inside, shutting the door behind him.

Yok tried to smile, make it easy, make it light.

"Hey. I'm fine," he said, but his voice was rougher than usual.

Longtai didn't say anything.
He just grabbed Yok's hands, cradling them in his smaller ones, eyes locked on the bruises, the scrapes, the small cuts.

He gently, so gently, traced the injuries with his fingertips, as if trying to erase the hurt.

Yok exhaled.
"Don't look at me like that, babe. I'm okay."

"You're hurt," Longtai whispered, voice cracking.

"For you," Yok said softly, a playful lilt in his voice, but his eyes were serious-aching.
"I'd do worse if it means keeping you safe."

Longtai bit his lip, tears brimming.
He looked up at Yok, eyes shimmering.

"You didn't have to-"

"I wanted to," Yok cut him off, stepping closer until their foreheads touched. "I'll always protect you, Tai."

Longtai's fingers tightened around Yok's.

A silence fell between them. Not heavy. Not painful. Just full of emotion too thick for words.

Yok kissed his forehead first, a slow, lingering kiss that made Longtai close his eyes.

Then another kiss to his temple.
Another to his nose.
And finally-finally-a kiss to his lips. Soft. Healing. Gentle.

Longtai melted against him, trembling slightly-not from fear, but from the overwhelming rush of feeling.

They stayed like that, pressed together in the quiet warmth of home, holding onto each other.

After a while, Yok pulled back just enough to whisper,
"Let's clean these hands up, huh? Can't have you falling in love with a bloody mess."

Longtai laughed wetly, wiping his eyes and nodding, leading him toward the kitchen carefully like Yok was the most precious thing.

And Yok followed, heart full, thinking:

He's safe. He's safe.

The kitchen lights were soft, casting a warm glow as Longtai carefully sat Yok down on one of the chairs.

He grabbed the little first-aid kit from under the sink - the same one Yok had used on him once before. The memory made his chest tighten.

Yok watched him with a soft smile, his bruised knuckles resting lightly on his thighs.

Longtai knelt in front of him, the way Yok had once knelt for him.
Their roles reversed, but the love still the same.

"Hold still," Longtai said gently, opening the kit and pulling out disinfectant and cotton pads.

Yok chuckled under his breath. "You're bossy when you're worried. I like it."

Longtai shot him a look but couldn't help the little smile tugging at his lips.
He dipped the cotton in disinfectant and very carefully dabbed at Yok's scraped knuckles.