Metal

87%

"Do you remember," Tao says, stroking the back of Sehun's hand with his thumb, "when I was drunk?"

It's a light rain, the kind that falls with fat drops, far apart from each other. The kind that doesn't last long, just long enough to drench a person with a thin layer of rainwater. Somewhere above the horizon is a stripe of blue sky, but over them is the thick grey clouds gently crying without resolve.

Sehun squeezes his fingers, looking up at the small roof above them protecting them from the rain. "Of course," he says, his voice small.

Tao tries to pinpoint the spot Sehun is looking at. "After that, I thought you'd never forgive me, even though I didn't know what I did. I knew I did something. It came as a shock to me, with you being so direct like that."

Sehun chuckles, blushing at the memory. He tries to keep his face straight. "What can I say? I don't like slow progress."

They stare out at the rainy evening with little interest in their eyes. "I suppose we should find a place to stay soon," Tao proposes the idea.

As Tao is about to let go, Sehun holds into his hand tighter. "I'd rather we stay here. For a few more minutes." He knows he's being selfish, suggesting that they stay. He can't help it. Why can they never have peaceful moments?

Tao takes both of Sehun's hands and faces him. His expression is serious, and his gaze pierces Sehun's heart in short pinpricks, the way it used to give him that uneasy feeling back when they'd first met. Sehun feels a wave of shame rise in his stomach.

"Sehun," Tao says, trying not to sound too harsh. "You know we can't. We're being tracked. We're in danger. This...this is a high school fantasy." He touches their foreheads together. "I would love to give you that, if that's what you want. But I want to give you all that and more when this is over. We can't risk it now."

Sehun gulps, nodding. He knows. He bites at his lip to keep himself from tearing up. Why is he so sensitive lately? He hates it. Hates being vulnerable. Hates being weak.

They step out into the rain, Tao all the while shielding Sehun with his arm. The downpour thickens.

----

"Hello boys, how can I help you?" The woman's smile is a little too sweet for this ungodly hour of night. Sehun feels bad for her, having to handle the night shift at a grand place like this. There must be a lot of unwanted customers. He reddens. Do they look like those kinds of people?

Tao takes command. "Hello, ma'am, yes you can." He smiles just as sweetly as her, drawing her in with his charming features. "I'd like to request a room for one night, if there's one available." As she clicks away on the keyboard, he adds, "It doesn't have to be for two people, miss." 

She flashes him her faux smile again, her cheeks slightly pinker than before. Sehun furrows his brows. "Of course. Let me check for you." She continues her tapping.

As they chat away about the reservation, Sehun crosses his arms and lets his mind wander elsewhere. From the snippets of conversation he catches he hears "high security", "close to stairs or elevator", and "is it possible to erase this from the credit history?" 

(He wants to tell Tao "no, of course not", but he doesn't bother. The woman will inform him anyway.)

All his thoughts return him to the one question that's been flashing blinking red lights at him from all angles, that's been prodding at his mind for ages. Warning signs. 

How long do I have left? 

Even with Tao here as his bodyguard, he can feel the impending doom approaching. It's like his own shadow creeping up on him. He knows it's there, it's coming, but he cannot touch it. Cannot stop it.