Jay x Daniel - You Came With the Spring

Chapter 1: first encounter (Jay)

Sometimes winter was a little bit depressing. Cold, wet, dark and lonely. Sometimes it seemed like there was no one in the world beside Jay - and he liked that. But there were times when he looked at those grey, stormy clouds and he felt like no one understood him.

He pretended it was fine.

That it's fine to stay alone, to see the days pass by and watch from the side lines. He was different from them.

For a long time he didn't really mind, that was just the way things were.

But there was a small, dark part of him that didn't want to shrink away from the light. That little part wanted it, needed it. It was an intense craving, a hunger. That dark part of him was selfish, greedy.

And he hadn't felt it until he'd met Daniel.

Daniel Park was a transfer student and the new center of attention.

"Ooh, he's cuuuuute," Zoe gushed, pushing her dark hair away from her face. She put a nail to her lips and giggled.

The other girls in the class wrinkled their noses. "There she goes again, that slut."

Zoe hears the whispers but only stands from her chair and glides over to Daniel's desk. She puts on her best smile. "Hiya hun. I'm Zoe."

Daniel looks up at the girl, blinks a few times in surprise, then smiles. His lips tilt gently and his eyes crinkle - in that instant the light catches him perfectly and he glows. The air around him curves and swoons. The entire classroom seems to gasp in a collective heartbeat.

Jay watches from the back of the class and for the first time, he could see past the hair covering his eyes and watch every detail clearly. He could see the gentle plains of Daniels face, the glistening of his eyes, the dusting of red on his cheeks.

Jay could feel a slight thump in his chest.

What?

He clutches his stomach and his throat becomes dry.

Daniel looks up and spots Jay.

Jay knew he should have looked away, avoided eye contact. He knew. But the way Daniel stared, like he could see straight through his protective barriers, made him freeze. He stiffened, glued to his chair - face reddening and the fluttering panic inside him building.

Daniel got up from his seat, walking away from the frantic Zoe and enraged Zack. He walked past the barricade of girls and stopped in front of Jay's desk. The sunlight all around danced at Daniel's fingertips and enchanted Jay with their song.

"I- I'm Daniel. . ." The boy bit his lip, looking up under his dark hair. His eyes whispered of hurt and the quiver in his voice was uncertain.

Jay swallowed, the air around him suddenly dense and heated. He nodded, unable to get any words out.

Daniel continued to shift uncomfortably and avoided his eyes. He then bit his lip again and refocused. Black-brown eyes looked straight past into Jay and he said with a gentle smile, "I hope we could be friends."

That's when that dark part of Jay wormed it's way into the sunshine. It clung, like an ugly leech onto his heart and wouldn't let go. It's when everything clicked and he started feeling the emotions he'd tried hiding away. That dark part of him was despicable, appaling, repulsive.

And he loved the way it made him feel.

Jay smiled and nodded.

That was the day he'd met Daniel Park. It was a cold winter day about to make way for spring.