Baby Don't Stop

Chapter Twelve

            In the dark shadows Eunjin waits outside Ten's apartment. There she waits and she watches. For Ten, for the love of her life. She had seen him walk in earlier in the night. Followed after a while by Taeyong. The dirty vermin that was taking her love away from her. She could feel the blood in her veins start to boil. She had to stop herself from jumping him right there. It wasn't time yet. Soon, soon she would have her vengeance.
            It had been hours since she had seen either of the boys but she just couldn't bring herself to leave. Being this close to Ten, even though she was separated by the building. This was the most alive she had felt since last night when she had followed Ten to his apartment after he had finished with practice at the studio.
            She would get to be together with her love soon.
            Eunjin stared longingly at the building and to her surprise she saw a figure pulling on a sweatshirt walk out. He was almost jogging out of the building. He came to a halt and looked left and right before jogging to his left. It was her love, it was Ten.
            She stood up and started to follow after him. She had to run in the shadows across the street so he didn't see her. She didn't want him to know that she was there. She was going to watch over him and be his guardian. She was going to make sure that Ten was perfectly happy.
            Slowly Eunjin realized where Ten was heading. To the piers.
            When he got to the docks he kept running to the end of one of them. Eunjin stayed back and looked around a tree nearby. She could see that Ten was breathing hard. Panting as he just stood there his arms stretched out beside him like he was opening himself up to the wind rushing past him.
            "Aaaaaaaagggghhhhhh!" Ten lets out a shout that makes Eunjin jump a little. She takes a chance and moves a little closer. All she can see of Ten is his silhouette. His arms wrap around himself as his shoulders start to shake. He clutches his sides as his feet give out and he falls to a crouch.
            As Eunjin creeps closer she can hear his ragged breathing. He is gasping.
            Eunjin doesn't know why but she knows that Taeyong is the cause of this. He is the cause of all of Ten's pain now and Eunjin has to help Ten because she told his secret.
            But last time she talked to Ten he told her to stay away. So stay away for now she would, until the time was right.
            ***
            Ten sat there with the wood under his feet. The dock was swaying with the wind.  All of the pent up emotions that he had kept bottled up in himself he let go of. He could feel the hot stinging tracks of tears streaming down his face. Falling off his chin and landing on his knees.
            Of a few things Ten knew for certain.
            He was irrevocably in love with Taeyong.
            Taeyong couldn't love him.
            He couldn't keep living like this.
            He needed boundries.
            With these thoughts he started to decide a course of action. He was going to talk with Taeyong. He could feel his heart drop as he thought about what he was going to do. He had everything he could have dreamed of. But still he wasn't able to be happy because he knew in his heart no matter how real it felt, it was all a lie.
            It was all a lie.
            Ten tried to look up to the sky to stop the tears.
            He wished will all his might he was somewhere where he could see the stars. The constellations that would have shown down on him and showered him in their light. He missed the stars so much. Ten's head feel back down into his hands. Ten quickly realized how he must look and stood up straight. He quickly wiped the back of his hands on his face.
            He should be heading back to the dorm. Taeyong had been right; it was the middle of the night. Ten had forgotten his phone and he wasn't quite sure where he was. He was somewhere along the river and hopefully if he just walked along it, it would take him back to someplace he knew and could return home.
            He might as well start walking.
            It was a long time before he found a familiar section of the road and then he just had to walk back to the dorm.
            When he finally entered the dorm he was thankful that no one was awake and he headed over to the room he shared with Taeyong. It felt like it was hours that he stood there, willing himself to go inside. But he couldn't. What if Taeyong was still awake? What if Ten saw him and he broke down again.
            Little did he know that on the other side of the door to his bedroom Taeyong was standing there, waiting for Ten to come in.
            Taeyong had been awake when he heard the door open. He knew it must be Ten finally coming home.
            Taeyong stood there on the other side of the door forever. He waited for Ten to come in. Taeyong wanted to explain. He just wanted to tell Ten that he was sorry. He didn't mean to upset him. All Taeyong wanted was what was best for Ten. He wanted all his hurts and worries to disappear. He wanted to protect Ten from anyone or thing that tried to hurt him. But he waited. He waited there for Ten to open the door.
             In the end Ten shuffled back to the living room and plopped himself on one of the couches. Almost immediately after he lay down Ten could feel himself falling into the land of dreams and slumber once again.
            It wasn't for a while that Taeyong finally opened the door. He looked out into the empty hallway. Where is Ten? Taeyong slowly stepped out of his room and walked down to the living room and kitchen.
            Ten was huddled on one of the the small squished couches. His arm was hanging off the side.
            Taeyong stood there in the entry way and smiled at how cute Ten looked. His silver hair all ruffled and messy. His small face smooshed against the couch as he slept. But his legs were all kinked up. His old knee injury would flare up if he slept like that. They were going to be starting promotions soon too.
            Taeyong decided to something impulsive but at the last minute he thought better of it. After what had happened earlier Taeyong didn't want to make anything worse. But would Ten have to know it was him? If Taeyong just picked him up and carried him to bed Ten might just think that he had sleptwalked.
            What does he have to lose?
            Taeyong walked over to where Ten lay on the couch. Ever so slowly Taeyong slipped his arms under Ten's shoulders and knees. Careful not to wake him Taeyong stood up and tiptoed back to their room. When there he set Ten down and placed his covers over him.
            As he tucked Ten in, he couldn't help brush Ten's hair back away from his face. Just like he had done earlier that same night. Could it really have been just last night? Taeyong could feel himself almost being controlled by this impulse to lean in to Ten once more.
            But this time he leaned towards the top of Ten's head. Softly, so softly it was like a butterflies wing brushing against a flowers petal. Taeyong touched his lips to Ten's head. After that he backed away and headed to his own bed.
            It was around 6 in the morning now. He could get up if he wanted to but he was going to stay and pretend to sleep until Ten woke up and Taeyong could finally talk to him.
            As Taeyong waited he kept replaying the last 24 hours in his head. Their date, the almost kiss, Ten pushing him away, carrying Ten to bed, and kissing his forehead. There were so many emotions swirling through Taeyong's head he didn't think he could sleep even if he had wanted to.
            He turned on his side to look at where he could only see the faint shape of Ten sleeping. What was he going to do? What a dumb thought. Of course he was going to let Ten go. He was going to let him be happy and watch quietly from the sidelines. He was going to tell Ten that too, when he woke up.