To Put On An Act ✔ [bxb]

Epilogue - it gets better

      There's a phrase Youngbin had assumed to be a lie. A kind of false hope, a cynical joke. A sentence that'd only fall when there was no going back, when it was long over, when there was nothing left to do. Youngbin had temporarily stopped believing in that damn phrase a couple months ago.

He'd worked so hard on that mask that'd turn him invisible in the eyes of the predators. He'd disappeared, for just a while, before being thrust back into the spotlight and everything had become worse.

And then there was Alex.

On just another Saturday, Youngbin laid in Alex' bed, tangled up in a blanket, his head buzzing from yesterday's music and lights and drinks. The winter sun fought its way through the dirty window, rays of light caressing Alex' dark skin who was still peacefully sleeping next to Youngbin.

Last night, Youngbin stood on a stage again. For the first time since last summer. For the first time since his own passion for performance had led him into a trap and thrown him in front of the lion's den.

And next summer, he'd do it again. But that time it'd be different.

Truthfully, everything was different now. Everything about Youngbin, about what he felt and thought, it had all changed. Most of it for the better. Some of it-

He exhaled, turning around in the bed and closing his eyes again. No, he had grown, really. But maybe not enough. Now that he had sobered up, the familiar hand of guilt was reaching for his heart again as memories of last night flooded in. How he'd done everything he'd never allowed himself to even think about. He'd changed, yes. But had more changing to do.

Something next to him rustled and moved, and he felt an arm wrap around him, pull him just a little closer, then a gentle kiss on the back of his neck. The hand grasping around Youngbin's heart to squeeze dissolved again.

The world was still ugly. It would be, forever, and surviving regardless was a hard and long battle. But at least Youngbin now knew that one phrase to be true after all.

     

          It gets better.

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WC: 365