Archive of Our Own

The concept of soulmates has never been easy to explain. How do you put into words the idea that a single glance could tie you to someone in a way no one else can comprehend? That when your eyes meet, their thoughts seem to collide with yours and their emotions become your own, until the line between two people begins to blur. 

It sounds unreal, almost impossible, and yet it was exactly what destiny had offered them.

Of course, it had been too much for Mydei to grasp back then. He was still so young, and the idea of soulmates was the last thing he should have been thinking about. It felt like the kind of talk meant for adults, for people who had lived long enough to understand complicated things like math. 

It felt like something meant for his parents, or for the older teenagers he sometimes saw walking hand in hand through the park where he played. It wasn’t for him, at least not yet, so he didn’t care much about it. That was a problem for future Mydei, not something he needed to worry about right now.

Still, he believed it was something that would happen to everyone eventually. That was what his mother had always told him. One day, she said, he would meet someone who was meant for him too.

He didn’t know that his “one day” would arrive far too soon.

When Mydei was about nine years old, he was walking home from the park with his mother, happily hopping along because she had promised to buy him his favorite ice cream on the way back. 

He wasn’t paying much attention to his surroundings, too busy kicking at pebbles and thinking about the sweet treat waiting for him, until he happened to look up and locked eyes with a boy crossing the street.

And then suddenly it felt like a bolt of lightning splitting straight through his skull and striking something deep in his chest. The world around him tilted and blurred, his mother still talking beside him, unaware, while all he could feel was something inside him cracking open.

It was an excruciating feeling. Not physical pain, but something far more unsettling. It was the terror of feeling his mind stretch beyond itself, as if it were being rearranged to make space for thoughts that were not his own. Voices he had never heard before suddenly echoed in his head, overlapping with his own small, frightened thinking.

And it was overwhelming, the way foreign emotions rushed through him, tangling with his own until he could no longer tell which feelings belonged to him and which did not. As if, in that single moment, he had been fused to a stranger across the street.

Mydei’s first encounter with his mate was pure chaos, the shock far too much for his small mind to comprehend. Eventually, his body tipped sideways and he fell into his mother’s arms.She caught him just in time, her voice rising in alarm as she called his name. It was the last thing he heard before darkness swallowed him whole.

“Mydei, wake up…”

In the darkness, he heard a soft voice calling his name. “Can you hear me?”

He heard the words, though not through his ears, and that was what made it so strange. They echoed inside his head, faint yet strangely clear.

Along with them came a wave of anxiety that wasn’t his. It wrapped around him, carrying the sense that someone out there was waiting, desperate for him to open his eyes.

Slowly, he opened his eyes and found his mother’s worried face hovering above him.

“Mydei? Are you okay?” she asked, her voice trembling as she brushed his hair back and cupped his cheek.

He pushed himself up, blinking as the room slowly came into focus, the white walls and the faint scent of disinfectant telling him he was in a clinic.

As Mydei sat up beside his mother, still a little unsteady, he realized they weren’t alone. A doctor would have made sense in a room like this, but instead, across from them, seated beside another adult, was the boy from the street.

The boy looked taller and broader than Mydei, likely a few years older. He was wearing the uniform of the middle school just a few blocks from the park where Mydei always played. What stood out most was his white hair and those large blue eyes watching him with quiet curiosity.

“Are you feeling okay? It’s going to be weird at first. It is for me too. But I think we can get used to it.”

The voice echoed inside his head again, and the sudden rush of words made him flinch.

Mydei pressed a hand to his temple. “Stop talking,” he groaned.

His mother gently took his hand in hers and rubbed it softly. “Mydei, you remember what I told you, right? That one day you would meet your special someone.” She hesitated, then forced a smile. “You’ve met him. Your soulmate.”

Mydei knew that tone wasn’t coming from happiness. He lifted his head and looked at her properly, noticing the strain in her expression and the way her lips trembled even as she tried to stay calm.

“It’s just… too soon,” she whispered, more to herself than to him.

“This isn’t the first case of early bonding we’ve encountered,” the doctor said from the side of the room. “From our observations, the connection functions much like the adult version. The key difference is that bonding sickness can be more intense before the age of twenty.”

Mydei’s mother tightened her grip on his hand. “Then what are we supposed to do?” she asked. “He’s just a child. If this is going to hurt him like this, there has to be something we can give him.”

The other boy’s parent looked just as shaken. “Medication? Some kind of suppressant?”

The doctor shook his head slowly. “Interfering with the bond usually makes the symptoms worse. We’ve seen cases where suppressants only intensified the sickness once they wore off. The body doesn’t accept being separated from its match.”

“So we just let them suffer?!” Mydei’s mother asked, her voice rising.

“No.” The doctor shook his head. “You let the bond settle. The shock is always strongest at first, especially at their age. The more they resist it, the worse it becomes. What helps most is proximity. Let them spend time together. Let them grow familiar with each other. The connection stabilizes when their minds stop rejecting it.”

He glanced at the two boys across the room.

“They don’t need to understand it yet. They just need time to grow accustomed to it.”

And that was how, the very next day, Mydei found himself back at the park with his mother, not just to play this time, but to spend time with the boy he now knew by name, Phainon.

Phainon, who would not stop talking in his head, who commented on everything he saw and everything he thought, even though he could have easily said it out loud. Instead, his voice kept spilling into Mydei’s mind without permission, filling it up and making him more irritated by the second.

He kept asking if the ice cream Mydei was holding tasted good, then immediately started rambling about his own favorite flavor, which was apparently chocolate. 

Phainon went on about how he once got tricked into trying chocolate mint ice cream and decided it tasted like toothpaste, how he had trusted the green color too much because green usually meant matcha or pistachio, and how after that day he swore he would only stick to chocolate. Then he started comparing different ice cream brands, judging which ones melted too quickly and which shops gave the biggest scoops. He even wondered if mixing two flavors at once counted as cheating on your favorite, or if it just meant you were smart enough to enjoy both.

The words kept pouring in, one after another, crowding Mydei’s head until it felt like there was no space left for his own thoughts.

Feeling overwhelmed and finally at his limit, Mydei threw the ice cream straight at him, then turned and ran back to his mother, wrapping his arms tightly around her legs as if he could hide there.

“I want to go hoooome,” he wailed, his voice breaking as he buried his face against her.

His mother crouched down immediately, gathering him into her arms as he clung to her. “Okay, okay,” she murmured, smoothing a hand over his hair. “We can go home.”

After apologizing to Phainon and to his mother, she lifted Mydei into her arms and walked away from the park.

Mydei knew he had done something wrong. He could feel the stiffness in his mother’s body as she carried him away, and it made him bury his face into her shoulder, small sniffles slipping out no matter how hard he tried to hold them back.

“Mama, I’m sorry,” he mumbled.

“Shh, it’s not your fault,” she said, gently brushing his hair back from his forehead.

But even when she told him it wasn’t his fault, the feeling didn’t go away. He still felt as though he had ruined something, as if he had failed to meet whatever expectation his mother had for him.

So Mydei made a small promise to himself. Next time, he would do better. The next time he saw Phainon, he would endure the endless rambling, even if it made his head ache.

The next day, when he met Phainon again, Mydei braced himself for the noise to return. He expected the endless stream of thoughts to crash back into his head the moment their eyes met, expected the same overwhelming flood that had driven him to tears the day before. But this time, it didn’t happen.

Phainon greeted him normally, with an awkward little wave and a quiet “Hi,” spoken out loud instead of inside his mind. And after that, he simply stood there, hands shoved into his pockets, unusually silent.

“What’s wrong with him this time?” Mydei thought, half suspicious, half confused by the sudden quiet.

“I’m sorry,” Phainon replied. “I didn’t realize it was hurting you. I thought… since we’re supposed to get used to this… soulmate thing, maybe it would help if I just kept talking.”

Phainon glanced at him, then lowered his gaze to his shoes, dragging the toe of his sneaker through the dirt. It reminded Mydei of a dog that had just been scolded, tail tucked in and ears drooping low.

He looked smaller somehow, despite being taller, as if he were trying to shrink into himself.

“I’ll try not to do it anymore,” Phainon added quietly.

Mydei only hummed in response, giving a small nod without looking at him.

“Mydei,” his mother said gently from beside him, “you need to apologize too. You threw ice cream at him.”

Mydei stiffened at that, fingers curling slightly at his sides. He knew she was right. He had promised himself he would try harder this time. Slowly, he lifted his head and glanced at Phainon, who was still staring at the ground.

“…Sorry,” Mydei muttered. “I shouldn’t have thrown it.”

Phainon looked up at that, surprise flashing across his face before he broke into a quick, almost relieved smile. “It’s okay,” he said  brightly. “I mean, I love ice cream too, so… hey. Free ice cream. I wouldn’t turn that down.”

For a second, Mydei just stared at the strange boy. How could he smile after having ice cream thrown at him like that?

Phainon shifted under his gaze, rubbing the back of his neck. “Uh… do you want to play catch?” he asked, lifting a small ball from behind him. “I brought this with me. So… you wanna play?”

“…Okay,” Mydei said at last, trying not to overthink it.

Phainon’s posture shifted immediately. He straightened, tossing the ball lightly between his hands. “Okay,” he echoed, a grin tugging at the corner of his mouth.

And that day, Mydei decided he could try, at least a little. He could play with Phainon for now and see where it led.

Maybe if they kept doing this, playing together and spending time side by side, the strange pull between them wouldn’t feel so overwhelming.

Maybe, with time, it would get easier.

Over the next few years, they kept meeting whenever they had free time, and somewhere along the way it stopped feeling unbearable. The more time Mydei spent around Phainon, the more familiar he became, until Phainon’s voice in his head no longer felt like an intrusion but something woven into his own thoughts, blending so naturally he sometimes couldn’t tell which feelings were his and which belonged to his soulmate.

What began with simple games of catch turned into Mydei bringing his own toys to the park, then into longer afternoons where they talked about school, homework, and anything that crossed their minds. 

Time moved quietly like that, and before he realized it, Mydei was old enough for middle school. He even ended up at the same school Phainon had once attended.

He had secretly hoped they would end up in the same building once he reached middle school, but by then Phainon had already moved on to high school, and that small hope faded without much fuss. It did not hurt the way he had expected. They still met after classes, still found their way back to the same park, as if nothing between them had shifted at all.

That afternoon, as usual after school ended, Mydei sat on one of the swings with a basketball resting against his knee. He rocked back and forth slowly, shoes dragging over the dirt while he stared up at the pale sky and waited.

He was already planning how he would convince Phainon to play. It never really took much effort, since Phainon almost always went along with whatever Mydei suggested anyway. Last time, the loser had to buy ice cream, and Mydei had made sure he was the one walking home with an extra scoop in hand.

This time, he was aiming higher. A few streets away, a toy shop displayed a cool sword in its window. It glowed in the dark and even made sound effects when you swung it. Mydei had been staring at it for weeks, slowing down every time he passed by. If he won today, maybe he could make Phainon buy it for him as the price of defeat.

The thought made him grin to himself as he tightened his grip on the ball, already rehearsing how he would throw the challenge.

After a while, humming a song to himself, Mydei noticed a group of teenagers in high school uniforms across the street. He recognized the familiar white hair immediately.

Without thinking, he jumped off the swing and ran toward them, waiting impatiently as they crossed the road.

Phainon was in the middle of the group, laughing while one of his friends slung an arm over his shoulder.

“You’re free tonight, right? We’re playing the game. Don’t you dare ditch us this time,” the friend said.

Mydei slowed as he approached, catching pieces of their conversation and, at the same time, catching on to what Phainon was really thinking beneath his smile.

“I really don’t want to go. I still haven’t finished my homework. The teacher’s going to be so pissed at me.”

Yet Phainon only grinned at his friends and said out loud, “For sure, bro!”

Mydei scrunched his face and marched straight over, planting himself in front of them and blocking their path.

“Hey,” he said, glaring up at the older boys. “He doesn’t want to go. He’s supposed to play with me.”

One of the high school boys blinked at him, then burst out laughing. “Who’s this, your little brother?”

Phainon stiffened at once and tried to argue, “He’s not—”

“He promised,” Mydei cut in quickly, lifting the basketball. “He owes me a match.”

The boy with his arm slung over Phainon’s shoulder smirked. “And how would you know he doesn’t want to play with us, kid?”

“I can hear what he’s thinking,” Mydei said proudly.

For a second, the group went quiet. Then a couple of them let out loud, mocking gasps, and Phainon dragged a hand down his face like he already regretted this.

One of the boys slammed a hand into his shoulder. “What the hell is wrong with you? Are you screwing around with a middle school kid now? That’s fucking disgusting.”

“I didn’t!” Phainon snapped, shoving him back harder. “Are you out of your fucking mind?”

The shove made the other boy stumble half a step before his expression twisted into something uglier.

“Yeah, you like them young and easy to manipulate, don’t you, you fucking preda—”

Before he could finish the word, Phainon’s fist connected with his jaw so hard the crack cut through the noise of the street.

The fighting and shouting drew more attention than Mydei had expected. Within seconds, a couple of adults from the sidewalk rushed over, grabbing them by the shoulders and yanking them apart before another punch could land.

“What is wrong with you boys?” one of the adults barked, planting himself between Phainon and the high schooler who was still clutching his bleeding jaw.

The boys all started talking at once, accusations flying back and forth. The bully tried to twist the story in his favor, pointing at Phainon like he was the victim. Phainon fired back just as loudly, anger burning under his skin, his body coiled like he would throw another punch if someone loosened their grip.

“That’s enough,” another adult snapped. “You’re all coming with me to the station.”

Before either of them could protest, the adults grabbed their arms and steered them down the sidewalk. The bully kept muttering curses under his breath. Phainon tried to yank his arm free once, then went still and walked where he was pushed.

Mydei hurried after them, but then Phainon’s voice slipped into his mind.

“Go home. You’ve caused enough trouble for one day.”

Mydei froze mid-step, his fingers tightening around the basketball as he watched Phainon’s back grow smaller down the street. A restless thought kept circling in his head, telling him he should follow, that he could help somehow, that he still needed to say he was sorry.

But the distance between them had already stretched too far for their bond to carry anything clearly, and whatever he tried to push through the connection faded before it could reach Phainon’s mind.

Mydei lowered his gaze and turned toward home instead, his steps slower than usual. He told himself he would apologize tomorrow, that Phainon was kind enough to forgive him. He kept repeating it in his head, as if saying it enough times might make it real, assuring himself that by the next afternoon they would be back at the park, playing like nothing had ever gone wrong.

The next day, it felt like even the weather refused to side with him. Rain poured down heavily that afternoon, soaking the school grounds and turning the courtyard into a stretch of slick pavement dotted with puddles. Mydei stood on the steps just outside the school doors, arms folded tight as he waited for his mother to pick him up. He hadn’t brought his umbrella, so he could only stay there, listening to the downpour and wishing it would ease before she arrived.

After a while of standing there and watching the other kids get picked up one by one, his mother finally appeared through the curtain of rain. She hurried over, opened her umbrella above them, and took his hand, guiding him to walk beside her.

“Mommy saw on the news it’s going to rain like this for a few days,” she said as they made their way down the sidewalk. “So you need to bring your umbrella tomorrow, okay?”

“Okay,” Mydei muttered.

His mother rested her palm gently on top of his head, brushing his damp hair back from his forehead.

“Good boy,” she murmured. “My big, brave boy is going to be okay, right?”

Mydei nodded, keeping his eyes on the ground as they walked, carefully stepping around the puddles so his shoes wouldn’t get soaked in the muddy water.

He focused on where he stepped while his mother kept talking about what she had cooked for lunch and what they would have for dinner. Her voice drifted in and out of his attention, blending with the sound of rain hitting the umbrella.

Then suddenly his feelings shifted. His chest tightened, and it became harder to breathe. There was a heaviness in his head that wasn’t his own, pressing in from somewhere else and crowding his thoughts until he felt dizzy.

When Mydei looked up, he saw Phainon walking toward them from the opposite side of the street, completely soaked. Rain plastered his white hair against his forehead, strands falling over his eyes.

Even with part of his face half-hidden behind damp bangs, Mydei could still see the faint discoloration under his jaw and the bruise spreading along his arm beneath the soaked sleeve clinging to his skin

His mother must have noticed him too. She paused mid-step and began asking, “Huh? Phainon, what happened—”

But it was as if they didn’t exist. Phainon walked straight past them without slowing down, without even glancing their way, his eyes fixed on the ground as he moved by.

“What happened to him? That doesn’t seem like his usual self…” his mother murmured, glancing down at Mydei.

Mydei only gave a small shrug, eyes drifting away as if he hadn’t noticed anything at all.

The truth was, he wanted to run after Phainon. He wanted to call out his name, to say he was sorry for yesterday, to say he hadn’t meant for any of it to happen.

But the look on Phainon’s face had told him that sorry wouldn’t be enough. Maybe not today.

So instead, Mydei stayed where he was, his fingers tightening around his mother’s hand as they kept walking. He kept the apology to himself and wished tomorrow would come faster, that somehow everything would be different.

He hoped the weather forecast would be wrong, that the sky would clear and the day would turn bright instead of gray like this one. Tomorrow, he told himself, he would find the right words. He would say sorry properly this time. And Phainon would smile at him again, and they would go back to the park and play like they always did.

Tomorrow turned into a week later, and he still hadn’t caught even a glimpse of Phainon’s face.

By Friday afternoon, as he walked home under his umbrella, Mydei slowed his steps on purpose, dragging his feet along the familiar route. He lingered near the crossings, glanced down the side streets, even paused by the park gate longer than he needed to, hoping Phainon would appear from somewhere.

But when he finally reached the front porch of his house, there was still no sign of him.

He stood there for a moment, staring down the empty street before pushing the door open. Another quiet loss for the day, he decided, telling himself that maybe next week would be better.

Saturday morning passed as usual. He didn’t do much besides helping his parents tidy the house. Since the rain had been falling since dawn, there was no yard work to take care of, so most of the chores stayed indoors. After that, he retreated to his room and spent the rest of the afternoon lying on his stomach with a storybook open in front of him, trying to lose himself in it.

Then a soft knock sounded at his door.

“Son, can you come down for a bit?” his mother called from the other side, her voice quieter than usual.

Mydei closed his book slowly. A faint unease crept into his chest as he slid off the bed and padded toward the stairs.

When he reached the living room, he stopped short because there was already a guest seated on the couch, and it was Phainon’s mother.

She turned to him at once and offered a gentle smile. “Mydei, long time no see. How are you today?” she asked brightly.

Mydei walked in slowly and sat beside his own mother, his hands resting on his knees. He glanced between the two women, the unease in his chest growing heavier, because if Phainon’s mother was here, then something must have happened.

When Mydei didn’t answer her greeting, she seemed to understand that he already sensed something was wrong. The brightness in her expression faded, and she exchanged a look with his mother before letting out a quiet sigh.

“It’s about my son,” she began. “Phainon hasn’t been himself lately. He’s been coming home with bruises, and when we ask what happened, he just says he got into a fight, like it’s something normal teenagers do. He keeps telling us not to worry because the school hasn’t called yet.” She paused, fingers tightening slightly around the strap of her bag. “He’s grown distant. There are things he’s clearly not telling us.”

Her eyes settled on Mydei. “I was hoping… maybe you could come see him today. Maybe he’ll talk if it’s you. We just want to know what’s really going on.”

Mydei nodded without hesitation at the chance to see Phainon again. He glanced at his mother for permission, and she answered with a small smile and a gentle pat on his back before walking him toward Phainon’s mother’s car. The drive passed in near silence, broken only by the steady tapping of rain against the windows as the houses blurred by outside.

Soon, he found himself seated in Phainon’s living room, his hands resting stiffly on his knees while his heart thudded against his ribs.

From down the hallway, Phainon’s mother called out gently, “Phainon? Mydei’s here. Can you come out for a bit?”

For a moment, there was no response.

Mydei heard faint movement deeper in the house, then the click of a door opening.

“I’m busy,” Phainon’s voice came at last, sounding uninterested.

But even from this distance, Mydei could feel what lay beneath it. Confusion. Frustration. A heavier sadness tangled in between, pressing against his thoughts until it began to mix with his own feelings.

Phainon’s mother tried once more. “Just for a minute.”

Another stretch of silence followed before Mydei heard a sigh, then footsteps moving toward the living room.

When Phainon finally appeared at the end of the hallway, he stopped there instead of coming closer. His gaze flicked toward Mydei, then slid away just as quickly.

He kept his head lowered as he walked over and sat down across from Mydei, close to his mother, then fell completely silent.

“We just want to understand what happened,” his mother said softly, holding his hand in hers. “So we asked Mydei to come. If it’s easier, you can talk to him instead of saying it out loud.”

“Haha. So you brought this little snitch to speak for you now?” Phainon’s voice slipped into Mydei’s mind, thick with sarcasm. “Go on then. Talk. Guess getting beaten up every day isn’t enough for you. You want me kicked out too? Want to see me end up on the street, huh? You heartless bastard.”

Mydei felt the words crash into him like bricks before he had a chance to brace himself. His fingers curled against his knees, nails pressing into his palms as if that small sting could stop the tears from forming.

Everything he had rehearsed on the way here, every version of I’m sorry he had practiced in his head, scattered all at once. His mind went blank, wiped clean by the force of Phainon’s anger, and he found himself sitting there with nothing to offer but silence.

“Mydei, are you okay?” his mother’s voice pulled him back, and he forced a small smile up at her.

“It’s okay, Mom. There’s nothing wrong. Let’s go home,” Mydei said softly, tugging at her hand.

It left his mother looking confused, but she nodded anyway and began to stand.

“Wait—” Phainon’s mother started, but Mydei’s mother gently cut her off.

“It’s enough. Like I said before, if they don’t want to talk about it, we shouldn’t force it out of them. Let them have their time,” she argued.

Phainon’s mother held her son’s hand for a moment, then let out a tired sigh. “I understand. Let me at least drive you home.”

“It’s okay. I’ll call a taxi,” Mydei’s mother replied, lifting her phone slightly before guiding Mydei toward the door and stepping outside with him.

Only once they were outside did Mydei finally break. A small, shaky sniff escaped him before he could stop it.

His mother noticed at once. She pulled him into her arms, lifting him slightly as she stroked his hair back from his face.

“Shh… it’s okay,” she murmured, holding him closer. “It’s not your fault.”

“I’m sorry,” he sniffled, the words breaking apart as they left his mouth.

His fingers twisted into the fabric of her shirt, holding on like he was afraid she might get angry at him too.

In that moment, Mydei wished with everything he had that the version of Phainon he saw today wasn’t real, that it had all been some horrible misunderstanding twisted by his own fear. He told himself that when Monday came, everything would reset. He would see the familiar Phainon again, the one who waited for him after school, who argued with him over games and bought him ice cream when he lost.

By the time he and his mother reached home, his eyes were already swollen from crying. He carried that hope with him up to his room, repeating it silently in his head until the thoughts blurred together and he drifted off, clinging to the belief that tomorrow would somehow fix everything.

Monday came, and he still didn’t see Phainon.

Strangely, after what had happened on Saturday, part of him felt lighter not meeting him at all. The tightness in his chest eased a little without that constant pull at the edge of his thoughts. He told himself it was better this way.

Days passed like that. Whenever there was even a small chance their paths might cross, Mydei found a way around it. He lingered in class when the bell rang, or slipped out through a different gate. He kept his gaze lowered when he passed the park, pretending he no longer noticed the swing where he used to wait.

Little by little, the habit of waiting for Phainon faded. The thoughts that used to circle back to him every afternoon grew less frequent. The space in his mind that once felt shared began to feel like it belonged to him again.

By the end of the season, he had graduated from middle school, and he walked hand in hand with his mom down the same road one last time.

When Mydei chose a high school that was an hour away by commute, his mother thought he had lost his mind.

Mydei insisted it made sense. If he woke up earlier, he could fit in his morning workout like he had always wanted. He argued that running thirty minutes to catch the bus was nothing for him, that it would only make him stronger and more disciplined.

His mother stared at him as if he had calmly chosen the hardest possible option for no good reason at all.

“Running every morning just to get to school?” she asked.

“It’s good training,” Mydei replied stubbornly. “And I don’t mind the distance.”

What he didn’t say was that the distance was the whole reason. That high school wasn’t along the road he used to walk every day, and the longer commute meant fewer chances of running into someone he wasn’t ready to face. The farther it was, the easier it would be to start over somewhere that didn’t carry the weight of old memories.

So he held onto that reasoning instead, repeating it to himself whenever his mother looked at him like he was being unreasonable. It was about space.

Space to think without feeling someone else’s emotions brushing against his own.

Space to grow into someone who wasn’t always defined by a bond he never asked for.

On the first day of high school, he left the house earlier than he needed to. The air was still cold enough to sting his cheeks, and the streets lay quiet in the early hour. He ran the familiar stretch toward the bus stop without once turning around, keeping his eyes ahead and his focus on the rhythm of his breathing and the steady thud of his footsteps against the pavement.

If he kept moving forward, he told himself, eventually the past would stay behind him.

He kept that routine for three whole years, running every morning without fail, until one evening it finally sank in that graduation was tomorrow.

Mydei walked a little slower that day, letting himself enjoy the last afternoon of high school. He hummed under his breath, hands tucked into his pockets, already thinking about the job waiting for him at the restaurant. It wasn’t anything big yet, just working as a helper to the head chef, but it was steady, honest work he actually liked. For the first time in a long while, his future felt lined up neatly in front of him.

The moment he spotted his house, he broke into a run and pushed the door open with a loud thud.

“I’m home!” Mydei called out, grinning as he wrapped his arms around his mother.

“Oh my gods, give me a break, would you?” she laughed, pretending to struggle in his grip. “How are you getting this big already?”

It was true, though. Years of discipline had shaped him more than he had expected. Waking up early to run, keeping up with his workouts, staying after school for basketball or swimming simply because he enjoyed it — all of it had built his physique far beyond what he had imagined. Somewhere along the way, he had grown taller than most of his friends, his shoulders widening, his frame filling out until he stood broader than the boys he once used to look up to.

Mydei hadn’t even realized the growth had hit him that hard. He used to be the kid running after someone older, trying to keep up. Now he was the one people instinctively gave space to because something about him felt intimidating, even when he wasn’t trying to be.

“Congrats on your graduation, Mydei. I’m so proud of you,” his mother said, her voice bright with emotion as she rose onto her tiptoes just to ruffle his hair.

He laughed softly and bent down a little to make it easier for her, letting her fuss over how tall he’d gotten before she gently pushed him toward the dining table, where she had already prepared a small spread to celebrate his graduation.

They ate while talking about his new job at the restaurant, discussing the hours, the kitchen staff, and how the head chef had already started trusting him with more tasks. His mother listened closely, asking careful questions the way she always did when she wanted to understand every part of his world.

After a while, she cleared her throat and shifted the conversation.

“Do you want to go to college?” she asked.

It wasn’t the first time she had brought it up. Every time before, Mydei had given the same answer, putting it off with, “Let me think about it. After graduation.” Now that graduation was finally here, the question could no longer be postponed.

Mydei lowered his spoon slowly, staring at the food on his plate for a moment as he gathered his thoughts.

“I don’t know,” he admitted at last. “I already have the job. The chef said if I keep working hard, he’ll train me properly. Maybe I’m just the kind of person who learns better from experience than from sitting in lectures, you know? Maybe that’s enough for me.”

His mother watched him closely, and Mydei could tell there was no judgment in her eyes. She had always been like that. Whatever he chose, she would stand by him. That alone made it easier to speak honestly.

“It’s not that I don’t want to study,” he went on. “I just… don’t want to spend years chasing something I’m not even sure I care about. I finally feel like I’m moving forward. I don’t want to lose that.”

She held his gaze for a moment before nodding. “College isn’t the only path,” she said. “I just want you to choose something because it’s what you truly want, not because you’re trying to run from something.”

“I’m not running from anything,” he said, a faint crease forming between his brows. “I just… this is what feels right for me right now.”

He exhaled slowly before adding, more certain this time, “If I change my mind, I’ll tell you. But at the moment, I want to work. I want to experience things for myself and see where it takes me.”

His mother didn’t argue. She simply reached across the table and squeezed his hand.

“You don’t have to decide tonight,” she said gently. “Just promise me you’ll think about it properly.”

He nodded. “I will.”

The days between graduation and his first shift slipped by in a blur of small preparations. He bought new shoes with better grip for the kitchen floor, ironed his simple black shirt twice just to make sure there were no wrinkles left, and memorized the bus route to the restaurant so he wouldn’t risk getting lost.

When the first day finally came, he woke before his alarm.

The morning air was cool when he stepped outside, and for once he wasn’t sprinting to catch a bus for school. He walked at an even pace toward the stop, hands tucked into his jacket pockets, going over everything the head chef had told him during the interview.

The restaurant looked different in the early light, shutters half-open, the faint clatter of preparation already echoing from inside. When he pushed the door open, the smell of stock simmering and freshly chopped herbs wrapped around him.

“You’re early,” the head chef remarked without looking up from his station.

“I didn’t want to be late,” Mydei replied quickly.

He gave Mydei a short nod. “Good. Apron’s over there. Go wash up and start with prep.”

He tied the apron around his waist, rolled his shoulders once, and stepped into the kitchen line.

“Oh, Mydei,” the head chef looked up from the counter. “Congrats on your graduation, by the way.”

“Thank you, Chef,” Mydei replied with a small nod before heading to the sink to wash his hands and get started.

For the next year, he stuck to the same routine without slipping once, arriving early, working hard, picking things up faster than anyone expected. He volunteered for extra prep when the kitchen got packed and stayed past closing when the others were too tired to argue.

By the end of that year, his name was announced as Employee of the Year. That night, when he came home for New Year’s, he carried the highest-quality cut of beef he could afford. The moment he stepped through the door, he lifted the bag with a proud grin.

“I’m cooking tonight,” he declared happily.

The next day, after the New Year celebration, he returned to work and slipped back into his routine. He was in the middle of prepping when the head chef looked over at him.

“Mydei,” he called gently, “can you come to my office for a moment?”

Mydei nodded at once, setting his knife aside before making his way over.

“Chef?” Mydei greeted him before taking the seat across the desk.

The head chef folded his hands, studying him for a moment. “First of all, congratulations again. You earned that award. You’ve done solid work this past year.”

He paused briefly before continuing. “There’s an opening at our main branch. They’re looking for a junior chef. It’s a really great opportunity for you.” He leaned back slightly in his chair. “But there’s one condition. They require a culinary degree.”

Mydei gave a small nod and stayed quiet, letting the chef finish.

“So here’s what I’m proposing,” the chef went on. “If you’re willing to take two years to get the degree, the company will cover the tuition. When you’re done, the position will be yours.”

Mydei didn’t answer right away. He sat there for a moment, letting the words settle in his mind. The more he thought about it, the more he realized there was nothing to lose. Tuition fully covered. A degree in his hands. A position waiting for him at the end of it.

“I…” He sighed and rubbed the back of his neck. “That’s a big offer, Chef. I didn’t plan on going to college because I thought I could build everything just by working my way up.” He glanced down briefly, then met his gaze again. “But if this takes me further… I’d be stupid not to think about it seriously.”

Mydei straightened a little in his seat. “When would it start?”

“Next month,” the head chef replied. “It’s not the kind of opportunity that comes twice.” He extended his hand across the desk.

Mydei looked at it for a second, then exhaled quietly. There was no more reason to hesitate. He reached forward and shook it firmly.

“Good,” the chef said with a satisfied nod. “I’ll handle the paperwork and the enrollment process. You just focus on getting ready. I’ve got the rest covered.”

“Thank you, Chef.”

“Yeah, Mom, I just got to the dorm building,” Mydei said into his phone as he stepped inside, his suitcase rolling behind him. “I checked the department building earlier. It’s not that far. Maybe fifteen minutes on foot.”

He shifted the strap of his bag on his shoulder, glancing around the lobby as a few other students passed by.

“No, don’t worry, Mom. You can stay on the line until I get to my room,” he added, lowering his voice a little. “After that I’ll send you a picture, okay?”

He rolled his suitcase toward the front desk, where a bored-looking man sat behind a monitor, lazily clicking through what looked suspiciously like an online chess game. Mydei lowered his phone from his ear but didn’t hang up.

“Um, hi,” he said politely. “I just moved in. I already signed up for a room, so could you check the system for my name and give me the key?”

The man didn’t look up immediately, finishing whatever move he was making before finally clicking out of the window. Then he leaned back and squinted at Mydei.

“Name?”

“Mydeimos,” he replied, shifting his suitcase upright with one hand.

He typed on the keyboard lazily for a few seconds. The man’s eyes scanned the screen before he gave a small nod. “Yeah, got you. Fourth floor. Room 467. Shared unit.”

“Shared?” Mydei repeated before he could stop himself.

The man shrugged. “It’s standard. Two per room.”

He reached under the desk, pulled out a small keycard, and slid it across the counter. “Don’t lose it. Replacement fee’s not cheap.”

Mydei took the keycard, muttering a quick, “Thank you.”

Through the phone, his mother’s voice drifted up. “Everything okay?”

“Yeah,” he said, lifting his suitcase again and heading toward the elevator. “I got a shared room.”

“Oh, interesting. You have a roommate,” she replied, sounding far too pleased about it.

Mydei huffed under his breath. “I just hope they’re decent. I can’t spend two years stuck with a complete jerk.”

The elevator doors slid open with a soft ding. He stepped inside and pressed the button for four, watching the numbers light up one after another.

“Well, if there’s a problem, you can always talk to the front desk,” his mother suggested.

“I don’t think that guy cares enough to help with anything,” Mydei muttered. “He looked like he’d already given up on his job.”

“Everyone has long days, sweetheart. It doesn’t mean he won’t help if you ask.”

The elevator doors opened again. He stepped out into a surprisingly clean hallway, nothing like the horror stories his coworkers used to tell him about their college days, where trash bags would sit outside doors for days because no one bothered to take them downstairs.

“It’s way better than I expected,” he said into the phone, glancing down the corridor. “If this is the men’s dorm, I guess people here actually clean up after themselves. That’s a good sign.”

“Oh, that’s good to hear,” his mother replied. “Then you make sure you keep it that way too. Clean up after yourself, even if your roommate doesn’t.”

Rolling his suitcase behind him, he scanned the numbers on each door as he walked, counting under his breath until he finally stopped in front of 467.

Mydei sighed and stood there for a moment, staring at the door before finally lifting the keycard to the scanner. “I just hope they’re not messy,” he muttered into the phone.

He knocked a few times, then pushed the door open.

The moment he stepped inside, something shifted in his head as a presence he had buried so deeply he had almost convinced himself it was gone surged back without warning, freezing him as the bond inside him abruptly reconnected.

When he finally forced himself to look up, his gaze settled across the room.

Sprawled on one of the beds with his phone held horizontally in both hands was the one person Mydei had spent years trying to erase from his life.

“Mydei! Long time no see.”

The words slid straight into Mydei’s mind, followed by the lazy curve of a grin from where Phainon lay, as if they’d just bumped into each other at a café instead of disappearing from each other’s lives for years.

“Mydei? You went quiet. Is everything okay?” his mother’s voice came faintly from the phone he had forgotten he was still holding.

“Is that Auntie Gorgo?” Phainon’s voice slipped straight into his mind again, laced with amusement. “Tell her I said hi.”

Mydei lifted the phone back to his ear, eyes never leaving the figure sprawled across the room. “Yeah, Mom. Everything’s fine.” He paused, then added dryly, “Although I might need to go back downstairs and ask that very helpful gentleman if I can switch rooms. I don’t think I can survive two years with an annoying prick as a roommate.”

“Ouch. That’s harsh,” Phainon whined inside his head.

“Is it that bad?” his mother asked, concern rising in her voice.

“It is,” Mydei muttered under his breath, already lifting the phone away from his ear. “I’ll call you later, Mom.”

He ended the call before she could ask anything else and let out a long breath, rubbing his temple as he stared at the floor. 

Was it too late to ask for a room change?

“Yeah, it’s kind of too late for that,” Phainon said out loud, already turning his attention back to whatever game was glowing on his screen. “You enrolled late, bud. Rooms are already claimed.”

Mydei narrowed his eyes, wondering how this idiot could sound so certain without checking a single fact. Was he just pulling that out of his assh—

“I’m not guessing,” Phainon cut in smoothly. “I know. The guy at the front desk asked if I could take another roommate since my last one graduated. He said there aren’t any other rooms available.”

Mydei dragged a hand down his face, already turning the options over in his head. Maybe he could just commute from home instead, or find a small place to rent somewhere else.

Phainon let out a short snort. “That’s insane. It’s almost five hours back and forth every day. You really think that’s better?”

He bristled at how easily this bastard kept answering thoughts he hadn’t even meant to let slip. If Phainon could just shut his fucking mouth for once, maybe sharing a room wouldn’t feel like a punishment.

“Well, you were thinking it pretty loud,” Phainon said, trailing off as he set his phone aside and flashed him a smile.

Mydei shot him a flat look from across the room.

Phainon only chuckled, pushing himself up on his elbows before sitting properly on the bed and giving him a lazy wave. “Come in, come in. I don’t bite,” he said lightly. “Well, unless you’re into that. Rawr.”

Mydei stared at him for a second longer, utterly unimpressed.

Yeah. He needed to get the fuck out of this room before he actually ended up murdering his roommate for being this damn annoying.

Phainon let out a light chuckle. “That’s a little concerning,” he said, not sounding concerned at all.

Instead of answering, Mydei walked fully into the room and let the door shut behind him with more force than necessary. He dragged his suitcase to the empty bed and stood there for a moment, staring at it as if weighing, for the last time, whether staying here was a mistake he could still undo.

Of all the rooms. Of all the people.

He let out a slow breath and set his suitcase upright before unzipping it.

“You’re being dramatic,” Phainon’s voice slipped into his head again. “I was a perfect roommate. My last one never complained.”

“That’s because he probably gave up,” Mydei shot back, not even looking at him as he started pulling his clothes out. “You don’t let anyone finish a sentence. You just talk over them until they stop trying.”

“Well, maybe. Or maybe he was too busy screwing some girl on that bed to even notice he had a roommate,” he said, then added with a smirk that made Mydei snap his head toward him, “Though I’m not sure the mattress was ever cleaned properly after all that.”

“Are you fucking serious?” Mydei gritted out, jaw tight as he shot him a glare.

Phainon burst out laughing. “Oh, that’s priceless. You actually fell for it?”

Mydei groaned and turned back to his suitcase, pulling out a neatly folded shirt with visible irritation. “You’re disgusting,” he muttered, keeping his eyes fixed on his clothes instead of him.

“Relax,” Phainon replied easily, still grinning as he flopped back against his pillow. “I changed the sheets.”

That made Mydei snap another glare at him before he shoved his clothes into the drawer with unnecessary force, deciding that ignoring him was far safer than giving him the attention he clearly wanted.

If having the most annoying person alive as a roommate wasn’t bad enough, what made it worse was being forced to hear what that annoying person was thinking almost all the time.

Mydei was fast asleep, drifting through random dreams, when a sudden thought jolted him awake,

“Man, why did they have to kill the dog too?”

He cracked one eye open and looked across the room to see Phainon sitting cross-legged on his bed with a cup of instant noodles, slurping without shame while watching something on his laptop.

At three in the fucking morning.

“You don’t have class?” Mydei asked, his voice still thick with sleep.

“I finished months ago,” Phainon replied without even glancing over. “All I’ve got left is my thesis. Proposal’s submitted, waiting on feedback, so technically I’ve got nothing scheduled.”

“Got it, you’re unemployed,” Mydei muttered, dragging the blanket over his head and trying to force his eyes shut again.

“Temporarily academically liberated,” Phainon corrected lightly.

“Shut up,” Mydei shot back.

Phainon let out another low chuckle, and Mydei rolled onto his side, trying to shut his mind off because he had class at seven and he absolutely could not be late on his first day.

“Oh really? I’ll wake you up,” Phainon said brightly.

“No one asked you to,” Mydei muttered from beneath the blanket.

He managed to drift off again after that, and the next thing he knew his alarm was going off. 

Mydei groaned and reached out blindly to silence it, blinking against the early light as he forced his eyes open. 

Across the room, Phainon was still awake, slouched against the wall with his phone in hand, eyes heavy from lack of sleep.

“Morning,” Phainon said, his voice rough. “I made you breakfast.”

Mydei didn’t answer him. He pushed himself out of bed and headed straight for the bathroom, brushing past as if he hadn’t heard a word.

By the time he finished washing up and came back out dressed for class, the room had gone quiet. Phainon had finally fallen asleep, one arm thrown over his eyes, and his phone still loose in his other hand.

On the small table beside his bed sat a plate with two neatly cut sandwiches and a cup of coffee, still warm with faint steam rising from it.

He glanced at the sleeping figure across the room, then back at the food.

“…Idiot,” he muttered under his breath, grabbing a sandwich and taking a bite anyway.

That afternoon after class, Mydei had planned to take his study materials to the library instead of going back to the dorm. The weather forecast, however, had warned that it would rain all day, and it turned out to be accurate. The downpour had already started, heavy enough to drench him completely even if he ran all the way back to the dorm.

He wasn’t about to risk getting stuck at the library waiting for the rain to ease, especially when it could drag on until night. The library closed at four, and he had no intention of being stranded there with no way back.

Mydei was standing beneath the overhang at the building’s entrance when he noticed a familiar figure approaching through the rain.

“Why the hell are you here, Phainon?” Mydei asked, crossing his arms.

Phainon stopped in front of him, grinning beneath the umbrella he was holding. “I knew you’d get stuck here, so I took the initiative to be your knight in armor and rescue the princess.”

“Princess my ass,” Mydei muttered under his breath, narrowing his eyes at the man in front of him.

There was a quiet flicker of gratitude he refused to show, because someone had actually come all the way here with an umbrella just to make sure he wouldn’t be stranded in the rain. Unfortunately, it had to be this specific person.

Phainon tilted the umbrella slightly, angling it so the rain didn’t splash onto Mydei’s shoes.

“Aww, you look touched,” he said lightly.

“I look cold,” Mydei replied. “And mildly annoyed.”

He stepped closer anyway, because staying dry mattered more than preserving his pride. The umbrella wasn’t large, which meant their shoulders brushed the moment they started walking.

Phainon immediately started rambling about his day at the dorm, explaining how he had reorganized his notes three times and still managed to accomplish nothing, how the front desk guy got into an argument over a misplaced package, and how he tried to cook instant noodles by throwing in every topping available, only to end up too full to finish it. His voice carried on easily, filling the small space beneath the umbrella.

Mydei listened in silence, offering nothing more than the occasional glance in his direction, letting the steady stream of commentary wash over him.

Rain drummed steadily above them, spilling off the edge of the umbrella and running in thin streams along the pavement.

If earlier Mydei had almost melted because of how kind Phainon was for picking him up and saving him from the rain, that feeling didn’t last long. 

Later, when Mydei was trying to concentrate on his homework, Phainon started singing loudly in his mind, completely ruining the moment with his usual daily streak of annoyance.

Yes, Mydei had heard the song before, and yes, he actually liked it. Normally, having music in the background helped him focus while studying. It just wasn’t meant to be screamed on an endless loop inside his head.

“YOU AND I WEAK LIKE THE REEEEEDS—”

Mydei clutched his head. He liked the song, he really did, but hearing it shouted directly into his mind was not helping at all.

“BUT CHASING FLAMES IS CARVED INTO CREEEEEEEEDS—”

He slowly lowered his hands, then grabbed the nearest book and hurled it at the annoying man across the room.

“Shut the fuck up!”

At this rate, he was seriously going to murder his roommate.

The next morning, Mydei woke a few minutes before his alarm. Thankfully, it wasn’t one of those cruel awakenings hours too early, just enough time to lie there and register the quiet before the sound went off.

And fortunately for him, his roommate was still asleep.

Across the room, Phainon had rolled onto his side, the blanket twisted loosely around his waist, one hand tucked beneath his cheek. Without the smirk or the constant stream of annoying commentary, he looked younger than he had any right to.

Mydei looked away after staring a moment too long at his roommate and went through his routine, washing up, changing into a clean shirt, tying his hair back.

When he stepped back into the room, he found Phainon watching him through half-lidded eyes.

“Morning,” Phainon said with a yawn.

“Go wash up. You stink,” Mydei replied as he packed his bag for class.

“I already did. I went for a run at dawn,” Phainon said lazily. “Couldn’t sleep because you were snoring so loud.”

Mydei stiffened and shot him a glare. “I did not.”

“Relax, I’m kidding. Your snoring was more like a soft mimimimi, not some loud SNOOOORE,” Phainon went on, far too entertained. “I just got bored and exercised.”

“Good,” Mydei answered shortly.

“I noticed you’ve been training too. Your build is insane. How did you get so tall and broad like that?” Phainon pushed himself up and walked over, stopping directly in front of him. “We’re the same height.”

The sudden closeness made Mydei’s cheeks warm before he could control it. He pushed Phainon back with one hand, creating space between them.

“Move.”

He grabbed one of the sandwiches from the table and headed out to class without giving him another reaction.

Days passed like that, with Phainon simply being Phainon, teasing Mydei about whatever crossed his mind. He would drag him to random university events even when Mydei made it very clear he wanted to be anywhere else. He would boast about being “unemployed” as a senior with nothing left but his thesis, then casually comment on every test Mydei had as if he had already taken it himself, throwing in opinions and unnecessary advice even though they weren’t even in the same major.

At the same time, he grew bolder about invading Mydei’s personal space. He would lean over his shoulder under the excuse of reading his notes, close enough for his breath to brush against Mydei’s ear. He would sit beside him on the bed instead of across the room, gossiping about whatever drama was happening around campus. Sometimes he would reach past him to grab something, his arm lingering just long enough to make Mydei suspect he was deliberately looking for an excuse to wrap it around him.

That evening, as usual, Mydei returned to the dorm around seven and found the room quiet for once. He couldn’t feel the familiar hum of the bond nearby, which meant Phainon was somewhere far enough away for it to fade into distance.

He let himself fall onto the bed with a long sigh, staring up at the ceiling and allowing himself to enjoy the rare quiet. He needed the space to breathe, especially after what had happened that morning, which had been lingering at the back of his mind and distracting him all day.

Because how the hell had Phainon so casually nuzzled into his neck earlier, wrapping his arms around him from behind while still half-asleep, mumbling something incoherent before wandering off to the bathroom as if it meant nothing at all?

He had never done that before, at least not that close and not in that way.

And what irritated Mydei most was not the gesture itself, but how easily it had made him so flustered. Even now, just replaying it in his head made his face warm and his body heat up all over again.

“Fuck,” Mydei groaned under his breath as he felt himself harden. He hesitated for a moment before slowly placing a hand over the bulge, palming himself through the fabric. He had never done this before while they were sharing the same room, not with Phainon somewhere nearby, not in a place where someone could walk in and catch him in the act.

He lay back against the pillow and spread his knees, freeing himself from the confines of his clothes. The night air cooled his exposed skin as he stroked slowly, feeling the solid weight in his hand and trying to steady his breathing.

Phainon could walk in at any time and catch Mydei in the middle of it. Maybe he would stop with a shocked expression and walk right back out, leaving him alone for the night. Or maybe he would enjoy the sight, step fully into the room with that teasing look he always wore. He would pull himself out as well, make it obvious how hard he was, and taunt Mydei to suck his cock just to see how he would react.

Mydei would decline, obviously, and tell him to fuck off. But it was still one of his fantasies, imagining Phainon shutting him up with his cock. The thought alone made him writhe and grip himself harder.

In his mind, Phainon would demand it, shoving Mydei down onto his knees in front of him, fingers tangled in his hair as he thrust into his mouth. Other times, he imagined himself lying flat on the bed while Phainon straddled his face and forced his cock down his throat.

There was something exhilarating about seeing him so dominant, because it was a side Mydei had always wanted to witness. He let himself imagine how Phainon would groan out loud, lost in the tight, wet heat of Mydei’s mouth, the sound thickening as he felt him around his cock. He imagined trying to argue back, only for Phainon to thrust the words down his throat, silencing every protest with ruthless thrust.

Mydei’s breath faltered as heat pooled low in his body. He was so hard it would be impossible to tuck himself neatly back into his pants if Phainon happened to walk in now.

There was no way he could hide himself now. Mydei would remain just as he was, openly exposed, and let Phainon see exactly what he had done to him.

Maybe Phainon’s eyes would widen when he saw Mydei throbbing for him. Not that Mydei would feel embarrassed. He would slick his fingers and slide them inside himself, moving them steadily, showing Phainon exactly how he wanted to be fucked, how he wanted Phainon to take him.

Phainon would step closer, letting his eyes wander as he palmed his hard cock and snarled, “Yeah? Want me to fill up your hungry little hole?” He’d yank on Mydei’s hair as if trying to drag the answer out of his mouth, his dick rock hard in his fist, growing even harder, ready to fuck him open.

Maybe Phainon would try to force him into submission, his hand roaming over Mydei’s body as if he needed to prove he could make him come undone. 

Mydei would fight him. Gods, he wanted them to fight so bad, bodies pressed flush together, hips grinding, neither certain who would win. Their cocks would drag against each other, desperate friction building as each tried to push the other toward the edge first.

Mydei’s breath stuttered. He was rock hard now, his cock flushed and leaking, hips jerking upward. He smeared his precum along his length so every thrust turned slick and wet, a hiss slipping from his lips when his fist tightened too hard.

He loved the fantasy of them fighting for dominance, of Phainon forcing him onto his back, spreading him open, grinding his hard cock against his eager hole and lingering there, teasing him for being so desperate for him.

He would let Phainon grind against Mydei until he swore and thrashed. Then Phainon would silence him, reaching around to wrap his hand around Mydei’s cock and growl into his mind, “Looks like you’ve got a thing for being fucked.”

Mydei would argue back, refusing to admit it. “I don’t—”

Phainon would only chuckle at the obvious lie and let their bodies clash, their cocks smearing precum over each other as they wrestled for dominance, pinning and overturning one another until he drove forward in a single hard thrust that made Mydei’s eyes roll back.

In his imagination, sometimes Phainon won and Mydei let himself be dominated. Other times Mydei came out on top. There were moments when he would hold Phainon down and guide his cock into his own hole, riding him exactly as he pleased, his grip pinning Phainon’s arms so he could not fight back. 

He would tangle a hand in Phainon’s hair and drive himself down onto him, setting the pace. Phainon would pant against Mydei’s ear, his restraint slipping as he let out soft, needy sounds, asking for more.

Mydei would ride Phainon exactly the way he wanted, grinding down on him and taking his thick cock deep until it struck his prostate again and again, chasing his own pleasure until he was trembling and crying out, his body jerking as he came.

Phainon wouldn’t stop when Mydei climaxed; he would keep thrusting through it, driving into him until he reached his own release, spilling inside him again and again, filling him completely.

Gods, he wanted to be bred by him.

Mydei wanted to be held down by Phainon, to have him thrust deep inside and fill him completely, his release lasting so long it seemed to reach every hidden part of him. He wondered if it would linger within his body afterward.

He panted, muscles drawn tight, toes curling as he stroked himself in quick, desperate motions. His cock was flushed a deep red, slick with precum, so hard it bordered on painful. “Fuck,” he breathed, legs quivering beneath him as the tension coiled tighter and tighter.

He kept imagining what it would feel like if Phainon fucked him until he was loose, his release spilling down Mydei’s thighs when he finally pulled out. Or maybe Phainon would press a plug inside him, keeping every drop sealed in. Mydei pictured Phainon taking him again and again, teeth sinking into his skin, claiming him as his. A snarl tore from his throat as he came hard, his vision washing white. “Ah, fuck.”

His release spilled across his chest. He barely had the presence of mind to grab a tissue. Cupping the head of his cock with his hand, Mydei tried to catch it, but it kept coming in hot pulses, coating his palm.

He came for a long time. When he finally caught his breath, reality crept back in as he realized Phainon might already be on his way back from wherever he was.

Mydei flushed, grateful he was alone and that no one had walked in, grateful most of all that Phainon couldn’t see the heat in his face. He coaxed out the last few drops before tucking himself back into his pants.

He grabbed a wad of tissue and wiped himself clean. When his legs felt steadier beneath him, he forced his thoughts into order and headed toward the bathroom to wash up.

When he stepped out of the bathroom with a towel slung low around his waist, Mydei stopped short, startled to find someone already there. Phainon was seated on his bed, horror fixed on his face. He didn’t speak, only stared toward Mydei’s bed in silence.

Mydei tried to pry into his mind, straining to catch even a stray thought from him—anything that might tell him whether Phainon had heard something or understood what he had been doing before. He pushed harder, pressing at that familiar mental door soulmates shared, but there was nothing. Just blank silence.

“Stop trying to pry into my mind,” Phainon muttered, as if he weren’t the one who kept slipping into Mydei’s thoughts without permission.

“Did you hear anything?” Mydei asked, narrowing his eyes at him.

“I don’t know what you’re talking about.” Phainon still wouldn’t look at him, though the tips of his ears had begun to turn red.

Mydei kept trying to pry into his mind as he walked over and lowered himself onto the edge of the bed, directly in front of Phainon. Phainon’s eyes widened at once. He quickly lay down and pulled the blanket up around himself.

“I’m going to sleep. Night,” he said in a rush.

It was painfully obvious that he had caught on to what Mydei had been doing, and for once, Mydei decided to let him escape without pressing further. He let out a quiet sigh and turned toward the dresser to get dressed, ready to drop it for the night.

Then a single stray thought brushed against his mind and stopped him in his tracks.

“That was insanely hot.”

Mydei wasn’t a gentleman. He had never claimed to be, and he had no intention of starting now. That single stray thought changed everything. If Phainon had found it hot, then Mydei wanted him to admit it to his face.

He knew Phainon was lying, and instead of letting it slide, he decided he would push until Phainon gave in, until the truth slipped past his lips at this very moment.

Sorry, but he had been fantasizing about this man for so long. Even though he had suddenly gone MIA, in Mydei’s heart he was the one who left the deepest impression and had remained his crush all this time.

Phainon was lucky Mydei still had the self-control not to pin him down and trace his tongue along the deep groove carved between his abs all the way down to his dick.

He smirked at how quiet and peaceful his mind could be now, even though Phainon never failed to tease him and get under his skin every single day they shared a room.

It was almost funny how easily Phainon fumbled under Mydei’s smallest provocations. For someone who loved to annoy him nonstop, he certainly wasn’t handling it well now that the tables had turned.

Mydei let the thought of getting dressed fall away for now, deciding it could wait if it meant greater impact. He moved slowly toward Phainon’s bed and eased down onto the mattress beside him.

It was tempting to simply stay there and watch him tremble beneath the blanket, to feel the tension radiating from him in panicked waves.

Letting his head rest on the same pillow beside Phainon’s, Mydei curved his body around his.

“Please, Phainon,” Mydei whispered after a long moment. “I need you to fuck me.” He let his breath ghost against the side of Phainon’s neck, barely managing to keep from licking the skin there. Then Phainon jerked suddenly, sitting up in bed so fast that he bumped Mydei’s shoulder with his, nearly throwing Mydei onto the floor.

His eyes were wide when he looked at Mydei, horror written plainly across his face. Mydei tried not to feel stung by how genuinely frightened he seemed… and failed. At the same time, he couldn’t help the flicker of amusement curling in his chest. The panic on Phainon’s face was pretty funny.

“Don’t—don’t tease me like that,” Phainon said, panic bleeding into his voice. His eyes lingered on Mydei’s bare chest, and color rushed up his face in a sudden flush. “Put your clothes on!”

“Why? Didn’t you like my body?” Mydei grumbled, poking him in the side when Phainon tried to drag a pillow over his head, clearly intending to hide and possibly go back to sleep.

Phainon groaned and rolled toward him instead, catching Mydei’s wrist before he could poke him again. In one swift motion, he pushed it down against the mattress, pinning him there as he glared, his face still flushed.

“Oh? Now we’re talking…” Mydei growled, the words coming out muffled when Phainon’s palm pressed firmly over his mouth, fingers splayed across his cheek and brushing the bridge of his nose. His eyes crinkled with laughter beneath the hand, even as he tried to twist his head free, clearly far too entertained by the reaction.

Mydei smacked at his arm until Phainon finally pulled his hand away, and he dragged in a deep breath now that his nose was no longer covered. “Which part of ‘fuck me’ didn’t you understand?” Mydei snapped, glaring up at him.

Phainon settled over him, half his chest pressing Mydei down into the mattress, his arm heavy where it draped across him. He turned his head so that his cheek rested against the pillow beside Mydei’s, close enough that his lips brushed the curve of Mydei’s neck when he spoke.

“Hush, calm down.”

Mydei shuddered and closed his eyes, forcing himself to breathe through it the way he always did. It didn’t stop the heat pooling low in his stomach or the way his body responded on instinct, his cock hardening again beneath him. The brush of Phainon’s chest against his, the faint pressure that made him acutely aware of every point of contact, sent another spike of adrenaline through him.

Before he could think better of it, he shifted his hips, grinding slowly against Phainon’s thigh just to see how he would react.

Phainon tightened his hold to still his hips, and Mydei squirmed faintly beneath him, clearing his throat as he burrowed closer instead of retreating. Phainon’s nose brushed along the side of his neck and Mydei’s eyes rolled back because of the contact.

He managed to swallow the moan that threatened to spill out, but a small, embarrassing squeak slipped free anyway. The sound earned a low chuckle from Phainon which only made everything worse.

“Where the fuck are you even going?” Mydei asked, nudging at him in an attempt to keep him talking. He knew if Phainon drifted off now, all his efforts would go to waste.

“Why?” Phainon muttered sleepily. “You miss me?”

Mydei smirked and leaned in, letting his breath ghost across Phainon’s face. “So bad.”

That made Phainon crack one eye open to glare at him. “Shut it,” he gritted.

Mydei slid out from under him, sitting up and crossing his legs. He didn’t bother hiding his hard-on or adjusting the towel that had slipped down his hips. 

Either Phainon had the restraint of a monk or an incredible amount of self-control, because when he opened his eyes and looked at Mydei, he didn’t react at all. He either hadn’t noticed or simply wasn’t interested, since he made no move to throw Mydei back down and suck him off.

“What makes you this wild tonight?” Phainon grumbled.

“Tonight? I can make it every day if you want,” Mydei replied with a smirk, lifting a brow as he reached down and tossed the towel aside, sitting naked in front of him. The sight made Phainon jolt upright, quickly pulling his blanket around Mydei’s body to cover him.

Mydei burst out laughing at the sight of Phainon panicking.

“Are you insane?” Phainon snapped, his face growing redder by the second, while Mydei only seemed to enjoy his flustered reaction even more.

“Hmm. Maybe I was. Or maybe I was just thinking more about a blow job.”

He tilted his head slightly. “Or a rim job. Or you could fuck me like it’s your job.”

“You don’t know what you’re asking for,” Phainon hissed.

“I think I know exactly what I’m asking for,” Mydei shot back, a smug smile tugging at his lips.

Phainon only shook his head.

“Unbelievable.”

Mydei let his head fall onto the pillow and sighed in satisfaction before rolling onto his side beside him. “So, you never answered me about fucking me,” he reminded him after a moment.

Phainon shot him a dry look from the corner of his eye, and Mydei only chuckled, waiting hopefully for an answer.

Instead, Phainon suddenly lunged at him, attacking his sides with both hands and digging his fingers in. Mydei let out a startled squeal, twisting and wriggling helplessly inside the blanket burrito as laughter spilled from him.

“How do you tell your soulmate and roommate that you can’t stand him, but you still think he’s kind of dreamy and want to suck on his weenie?”

Mydei intentionally thought it out loud, and Phainon, who had been typing on his laptop while taking a sip of water, promptly spat it out mid-drink.

He started coughing and shot Mydei a glare, his eyes watering as he struggled to catch his breath. “Cut it out,” he demanded hoarsely, wiping his mouth with the back of his hand before grabbing a handful of tissue to dry off his laptop.

Mydei let out a small chuckle and watched as Phainon went right back to typing, completely focused again. He had been half tempted to distract him with another filthy thought, but Phainon must have sensed it because he shot Mydei a glare.

“Don’t. I’m writing a very important email to my professor right now,” he said, narrowing his eyes.

How was it possible that even that look aroused him? Phainon looked unfairly good like this, his hair still damp from his bath, the sunlight behind him catching the strands just enough to make them shine.

Was it because he was seeing him again after so long? Because now that he had found him once more, his feelings were not fading at all, only growing stronger?

Mydei sighed and leaned back against the headboard before opening his book to the page he had left off on.

“You really don’t make it easy not to fall in love with your dumbass,” he muttered. “I’d honestly prefer it if you started acting like a jerk again so I could throw you out and be done with you… but then I suppose we wouldn’t be soulmates. So I’m doomed either way, whether it’s loving you or hating you.”

He had not really expected a reply from Phainon, so the soft “sorry” caught him off guard enough to make him drop his book.

“You think sorry is enough to cover how you shoved me away back then?” Mydei snapped. “I was just a kid.”

“But I was a kid too,” Phainon said quickly. “Even if I was older than you, I was still immature. I’m sorry. My temper during puberty got so bad that day, and everything was already going downhill, so I just… snapped.”

Phainon closed his laptop, got up from the bed, and crossed the room to sit beside Mydei. He took Mydei’s hand in both of his.

“I’m sorry,” he said again. “You can hit me, make me kneel for you, or kick me if that’s what you want.”

Mydei stared at him, almost too stunned to speak, because this was all he had wanted to hear for so long. For a moment, all he could do was look at their joined hands and the way Phainon held on, his face full of regret for what he had done.

Something in Mydei’s chest twisted. He had imagined this apology before, far too many times if he was being honest. In some versions, he told Phainon to get out. In others, he said something cruel enough to make him regret ever opening his mouth. There had even been moments, in the ugliest corners of his anger, when he wanted Phainon to hurt the way he had hurt.

But now that the apology was finally here, sitting right in front of him, all Mydei wanted was to lean in and hold him close, to tell him he was forgiven, that perhaps he had been so angry because missing him had hurt too much.

Phainon still kept his head lowered, barely moving, as though he were waiting for Mydei to make the first move. Mydei looked at him with his thoughts in a hopeless tangle. Even with the strange bond of their telepathic soulmate connection, Phainon could not possibly know what Mydei truly felt about his apology.

After a while, Mydei let out a sigh. With the hand not clasped in Phainon’s, he reached up and gave his head a few gentle pats.

“Forget it. Let’s go get lunch. I’m hungry.”

“I’ll treat you,” Phainon mumbled, still holding his hand as his thumb brushed over it a few times.

Mydei scoffed. “Aren’t you unemployed? Where is this sudden confidence in treating me coming from?”

After a moment, he let out a sigh. “Fine. Just buy the groceries, and I’ll cook.”

Phainon lifted his head to look at him. “No, I have money. Just let me treat you today, and we can stroll around the city while we’re at it.”

Mydei frowned, wondering what exactly Phainon meant and why he seemed so persistent about taking him out and paying for him, until the thought finally clicked into place.

“Are you asking me on a date?”

Phainon avoided Mydei’s gaze, but Mydei could already see the flush creeping up his neck.

“If you want to think so,” he mumbled.

That answer immediately irritated Mydei. At last, he slipped his hand from Phainon’s and grabbed him by the collar, forcing him to look at him.

“I do not like it when you speak in circles like this. Is that a yes or a no?” he growled.

Phainon blinked at him, clearly startled, though the flush along his neck only deepened. Mydei only stared back in silence, his eyes narrowing as if daring him to say something stupid if he wanted to get punched.

“Yes,” he said at last, the word barely more than a whisper. “Yes, I’m asking you on a date.”

Mydei tightened his grip on Phainon’s collar slightly, wondering why he sounded so unsure of himself about this.

“Then say it properly.”

Phainon swallowed. “Mydei,” he said, still holding his gaze now, “will you go on a date with me?”

A part of Mydei was still annoyed by how unsure Phainon sounded, enough to make him wonder whether he was being toyed with again. But hearing the words said plainly loosened some of the pressure in his chest, and his irritation softened at the edges, even if he refused to let it disappear completely.

“Though you’d never ask,” he muttered.

Phainon’s expression shifted at once, and Mydei could see the worry flicker across his face. “Is that a no?”

Mydei let out a long breath through his nose, then released his collar only to flick him lightly on the forehead.

“No, it is not a no. Honestly, with how much I’ve been teasing you, you can be absurdly slow.”

Phainon stared at him for half a second before a bright smile broke across his face.

“So that means yes?”

“It means yes,” Mydei said, already sounding annoyed again just to cover how warm his face was starting to feel. “Do not make me repeat myself a third time.”

Phainon’s whole body seemed to lighten. He sat up straighter, found Mydei’s hand again, and lifted it to press a quick kiss against it.

“Then I’ll take you somewhere nice.”

“You had better,” Mydei said. “I deserve every coin in your pocket if you expect me to tolerate your dumbass.”

Phainon huffed out a laugh. “You’re so mean to me.”

“You deserve it.”

And true to his word, he treated Mydei absurdly well, perhaps a little too well for his comfort. Phainon let him order whatever he wanted without a single complaint, even when Mydei intentionally chose the most expensive items on the menu just to test him.

Phainon only smiled at that, which made Mydei narrow his eyes in suspicion, half wondering if this was some sort of trap and whether Phainon was about to leave him with the bill.

That thought only made Phainon laugh. He told Mydei to choose anything he wanted, and if anything, he looked more pleased each time Mydei pointed at something else.

It left him strangely unsettled. Only a few days ago, they had been going at each other so often it felt as though they might kill each other at any moment, and now Phainon was treating him with such gentleness.

The sweetness of it almost made Mydei uneasy. Was this how Phainon would be if they were truly together, if this was what it felt like to be loved by him?

It almost felt as though he had been dropped into some romance novel where the male lead was hopelessly in love with him and trying far too hard to win his heart.

The whole thing felt a little embarrassing, almost cringeworthy, because what Mydei actually wanted was not this polished version of Phainon trying so hard to impress him. He just wanted Phainon to be himself, instead of bending over backward to become whatever he thought Mydei wanted.

Like right now, after their little stroll through the city, Phainon had left Mydei at one of the small tables in a lounge bar with a dance floor, saying he was going to get him a drink. He had been gone for a while now, leaving Mydei alone with his thoughts, and Mydei could not help wondering if he had chickened out.

Mydei was just thinking about pulling out his phone to ease his boredom when a man slid into the seat beside him, wearing a look that made Mydei dislike him on sight.

“Hey there, pretty. Did you come here alone?”

Mydei rolled his eyes, then spotted Phainon in the distance making his way back with two glasses in hand.

He let out a small sigh and jutted his lower lip out. “No, I’m not alone. I’m in love with my soulmate, and he still won’t give me the D.”

The man laughed drunkenly, flashing him a crooked smile as he shook his head. “You want a D? I’ll give you a D,” he said eagerly.

That made Mydei snort. Then he looked past him and watched Phainon draw closer. The moment Phainon noticed the man sitting beside him, his eyes narrowed.

“Who is that bastard? What did he say to you?”

Phainon’s low voice cut through his mind enough to make Mydei shudder. Gods, that tone did something dangerous to him. He already knew he had a weakness for Phainon when he got rough, but this jealous, possessive streak aroused him even more.

A wicked curiosity rose in him at once, making him want to see just how far he could push that button.

So Mydei only smirked at him and answered, “Wouldn’t you like to know, weather boy?”

He watched Phainon sigh and shake his head. “I’m not falling for your trap. You’re just trying to get under my skin and annoy me,” he said, then continued walking over to where Mydei was.

Phainon set their drinks down on the table, and Mydei immediately took his. As he sipped from it, he watched Phainon remain standing beside the table before clearing his throat loudly.

“Sir, did you not notice this table was already occupied?” he said, glaring at the drunken man.

The man, however, was far too drunk to understand that Phainon was speaking to him. He only slumped farther over the table, grumbling under his breath.

Mydei was, admittedly, enjoying the show.

Phainon lifted a hand and, with visible disgust, grabbed the man by the collar to pull his head off the table and move him away.

It was almost funny to watch, but after a moment Mydei decided he did not want this turning into a fight.

So he rose to his feet, caught Phainon’s hand in his, and tugged gently. “Let’s just move to another table.”

But even after they moved to another table, Phainon was still grumbling about it, sipping his drink in obvious annoyance while Mydei sat there quietly chuckling at his sulking.

“Don’t laugh. I’m still mad that you just let him sit there so calmly. You should’ve left that table right away,” Phainon grumbled.

Mydei snorted at him. “Fine. I’ll leave next time.”

“There should never be a next time,” Phainon snapped, his face now flushed from the alcohol. “I’ll never let that kind of man get near you or even set eyes on you again.”

Right. He was definitely just talking nonsense now, Mydei thought.

“It’s not nonsense. I’m serious,” Phainon insisted.

Mydei gave a soft chuckle. “How are you already drunk from one glass?”

Phainon narrowed his eyes on him. “I’m not drunk.” Then he rose to his feet and held out a hand. “Come dance with me.”

Mydei looked at the offered hand, then let out a sigh and placed his own in it.

“Fine.”

Phainon happily dragged him onto the dance floor. Mydei was not especially in the mood to dance. At this point, he was mostly curious to see how Phainon would dance and whether he might embarrass himself even more. He was already half tempted to pull out his phone and record the whole thing.

Mydei gasped when Phainon suddenly caught him by the hips and began swaying with him to the music, leaning in until their bodies pressed close. For a while, they simply moved together beneath the dim lights, surrounded by only a handful of other people on the dance floor.

Then Phainon lowered his head to Mydei’s shoulder and whispered, “I want to say that I’m really sorry for the way I acted before.”

Mydei only hummed, not quite answering, and Phainon kept going. As they swayed together, he lifted his head to look at him.

“Even though I acted like I was fine, the truth is that the whole soulmate thing scared me,” he admitted. “The thought of being tied to one fated person, of having someone who was supposed to be mine... it frightened me. I could not see what that future was supposed to look like.”

His hold on Mydei’s hips tightened a little.

“But after you left, I kept wishing I had never said those things to you. I kept thinking that I should have stayed, that I should have spent more time with you. There was even a time when I waited in that same spot every day like an idiot, hoping you would come back.” He let out a quiet, self-conscious breath. “After a while I started thinking how foolish I was, so all I could do was wish for fate to let us meet one more time.”

Phainon’s gaze never left his as he lifted a hand to softly brush it along Mydei’s cheek.

“Because I realized there was no one I wanted to spend my time with more than you. I like you most, Mydei.”

“This kind of seriousness doesn’t suit you,” Mydei grumbled, which only made Phainon chuckle.

“But I like you too, dumbass,” he said, leaning into Phainon’s hand with a small smile.

Between the dim lights, the pulse of the music, and the heavy thrum of his own heartbeat, Mydei barely noticed the moment Phainon leaned in and captured his lips with his. He surged forward at once, clutching at Phainon’s shirt as he kissed him back with the same eager intensity.

It felt as though a gate had finally been thrown open between them, and in the next breath their kiss turned hungry with want for each other.

Phainon hummed, tilting his head as he licked at Mydei’s lips. Mydei let his mouth open for him, a soft, broken whimper slipping from the back of his throat as Phainon slid his tongue against his. It was the first time he truly tasted him, and not even the strong trace of alcohol made him pull away.

Phainon’s hands shifted, his fingers digging into Mydei’s hips, while Mydei’s own hands slid up his chest to tangle in the hair at the back of his head. He pressed into him harder, letting the kiss deepen and grow hungrier by the second, until at last they pulled apart. Their breaths came heavy, their eyes unfocused, both of them looking dazed from it.

“Want to come back to my place?” Phainon murmured with a smirk.

Mydei let out a breathless little chuckle. “I think it’s a bit my place too, actually.”

The walk back to their dorm passed in a blur, and the next thing Mydei truly registered was being inside with his back pressed to the front door. His mind seemed to short-circuit as Phainon dropped to his knees between his legs, looking up at him with those blue eyes that always seemed to see straight through his soul.

Phainon pulled at his waistband, and Mydei lifted his hips automatically, letting him peel off his pants and underwear in one smooth motion. His cock slapped against his stomach, already rock hard, and Phainon had not even touched him yet.

“Someone’s eager,” he murmured, and the way Phainon was looking at his dick should be illegal, especially with how he licked his lips like he had just been served a five-star meal right in front of him.

“Stop teasing me,” Mydei grumbled, which earned a soft chuckle from Phainon before his mouth closed around him. He moved slowly, taking Mydei inch by inch, and Mydei let out a low grunt at the sudden warmth enveloping him.

“Ah… Phainon, shit…” Mydei bit his lip as the sensation intensified, his breath hitching.

Phainon only hummed around him, the vibration shooting straight up Mydei’s spine as he took him deeper with each slow movement.

“Ah… fuck,” Mydei moaned as he felt Phainon take him all the way. His entire length disappeared into his mouth, the tight heat of his throat wrapping around him.

Phainon looked up at him, his eyes slightly watery with Mydei’s cock buried deep in his throat, and Mydei found himself needing to know what it felt like. He reached down, resting a hand against Phainon’s neck, feeling the shape of himself there, the faint bulge moving against his palm as Phainon held him deep.

"Gods, Phainon. How are you… fuck, that’s incredible. I can feel it... I can actually feel it..."

He pulls back slowly, his tongue still working as he eases into a steady rhythm, and it leaves Mydei losing himself completely, words spilling out in broken fragments as his thoughts start to blur.

"Fuck, your mouth... gonna ruin me for... oh gods, do that thing with your tongue again..."

Mydei keeps babbling, barely aware of what he is saying, and Phainon follows eagerly, adjusting without hesitation and moving with even more enthusiasm. But the way he does it, the way he stays so calm through it all, so sure of every movement, makes something hot coil low in Mydei’s chest before it turns into a flare of anger he does not know what to do with.

Who the fuck taught him to deep throat like this? Had he ever done something like this with someone else before?

But then Phainon’s tongue does something to the underside of his cock, and Mydei decides he cannot give a shit anymore. Whoever they were, they are not here now, and he is the one getting his mind blown.

Phainon pulls off with a soft pop, his lips swollen and shiny as he gives Mydei a small smile.

“This is actually my first time, but seeing your cock makes me so insanely curious. It makes me want to take you all the way down my throat.” His voice comes out rough.

“Don’t worry. I have never done anything like this with anyone else before, and nobody else gets to touch you like this either. Just me.”

The possessive tone shoots straight to Mydei’s balls, making him shut his eyes as he lets his head rest against the door.

“Fuck, yes—”

Phainon’s mouth is back on him, moving down his length, his tongue tasting along every inch. The feeling sends a shiver through his whole body. The tightness at the back of his throat pressing around the tip makes Mydei whimper, actually whimper, his breath catching.

His balls draw up tight, and he knows he is not going to last long. Not with the way Phainon keeps looking up at him like that, not with the wet and warm heat of his mouth.

Phainon suddenly reaches up, takes Mydei’s hands, and places them in his hair, giving him permission to move him however he wants.

“Shit… Phainon,” Mydei threads his fingers through his hair, the pale strands silky between his fingers. He tugs gently at the back like he said.

Phainon moans around him, and holy fuck, Mydei feels that everywhere, making him shudder.

“So good,” Mydei stutters. “So fucking good...”

Getting more confident, his hips start to move on their own, small thrusts into Phainon’s willing mouth, and Phainon takes it all, encouraging him with soft sounds and the way his hands tighten on Mydei’s thighs.

Then he does something with his tongue, some slow swirl that makes Mydei grunt, his hands tightening in Phainon’s hair.

“Fuck, Phainon... I’m gonna... fuck, fuck, fuck!”

He feels like he is about to come, the tension pulling tight in his body, almost painful, yet part of him still wants it to last just a little longer.

“Ah…” Mydei moans, shuddering as he squeezes his eyes shut, trying to hold himself right at the edge.

Phainon suddenly pulls off completely, and Mydei actually lets out a whine.

“Fuck, why did you stop—”

But Phainon is already looking up at him with a grin that makes his stomach tighten, something playful in it that still manages to make his dick twitch.

“Can’t make you come before the main dish, can we?”

Before Mydei can even respond, Phainon rises to his feet and lifts him into a bridal carry, which makes Mydei grumble under his breath in annoyance.

Phainon throws him onto the bed, and Mydei immediately sits up, grabbing him and pulling him down with him. They tumble together in a tangle of limbs, ending with Phainon on top, which suits Mydei just fine. It lets him wrap his arms around him, hold him close, and kiss him like he cannot get enough.

For a while, they just keep kissing, slow at first, then deeper, more desperate, each one lingering longer than the last. Phainon’s hands slip into Mydei’s hair, holding him in place, while Mydei’s hands roam over him, his back, his chest, then slipping under his shirt to feel the warmth of his skin.

Phainon leans back, straddling Mydei’s hips, then reaches up to pull his shirt over his head. He unbuttons his pants and pushes them off, tossing them aside along with the rest of Mydei’s clothes until they are both left bare.

His expression softens as he cups Mydei’s face in his hands.

“Everything stops the moment you’re not comfortable,” he says gently. “I mean it, Mydei. Any time. For any reason. You say stop, we stop.”

“Okay.” Mydei’s voice comes out rough. “Yeah... okay.”

“Good.” He kisses him sweetly. “Now let me take care of you.”

Then Phainon starts working his way down Mydei’s body. His mouth finds his nipples first, tongue flicking, teeth grazing, and Mydei’s body arches off the bed with a groan. Phainon laughs against his skin and does it again.

“So sensitive,” he murmurs.

“Shut up.”

Phainon doesn’t shut up at all. He keeps going, kissing down his chest and over his stomach, tracing the V of Mydei’s hips with his tongue.

“These should be illegal,” he whispers, pressing a kiss to the cut of muscle. “So fucking sexy.”

Then his mouth is back on Mydei’s cock, still hard from the blowjobs he gave him before, and the moment he takes him again, Mydei’s whole body shudders. His grip tightens on the bedsheet as his legs fall open wider, giving Phainon room to settle between them, while his hands slide back into Phainon’s hair.

“Fuck...” Mydei moans as Phainon hums around him, the sensation crawling through his whole body until his vision starts to blur.

His hips start moving on their own, driven by instinct, shallow thrusts into the wet heat of Phainon’s mouth. And still, Phainon just keeps taking him, taking him in fully until Mydei is getting dangerously close to the edge, and then he just pulls off.

Mydei lets out a whine, already about to protest, but then he opens his eyes and sees Phainon reaching over. He hears the drawer open and close, watching as Phainon smirks while opening the cap of the lube bottle.

Mydei’s heart was thumping hard, knowing exactly what was going to happen next, but he still scoffed at him. “Since when do you have that bottle?”

“Eh? Not long,” Phainon said as he poured the lube into his hand.

He leans down again, his mouth returning to Mydei’s cock, and Mydei lets out the breath he did not realize he was holding, only for it to catch again when he feels a slick finger circling his hole, his whole body going tense.

Phainon pulls off just enough to speak.

“Relax, babe. I’ve got you.”

“Shut up, don’t call me babe, and just—ah…” He feels himself stretch around his finger.

“Do you want this?” His finger stills. “You know, I just want to make sure...”

“I’m sure, just do it.” Mydei lifts his head to look at him, and Phainon holds his gaze for a long moment before nodding.

Then his mouth sinks back down onto him as his finger starts to press inside. He works him open slowly, one becoming two, stretching and curling as if he is searching for something, until Mydei lets out a loud moan when he hits it.

“Oh fuck—” His whole body jolts.

Phainon just laughs around him at the reaction, and the vibration makes everything feel even more intense. His fingers curl again, hitting that same spot, and Mydei swears he can see stars behind his eyes.

“There it is,” he murmurs as he pulls off, watching his face while he does it again.

“Phainon… fuck, I can’t—”

“Yeah, you can.” He adds a third finger, and the stretch burns a little at first, but then he finds that spot again, and the pleasure takes over, pushing everything else out.

Mydei starts moving without even thinking, following the motion of Phainon’s fingers, his hips rolling as he chases the feeling.

“I see, you’re ready,” Phainon says, his voice trembling slightly. “Fuck, Mydei, you’re so gorgeous.” He licks his lips as he looks at him.

Then he lifts Mydei as they shift positions, which turns into a bit of a mess, all awkward movement and elbows knocking into the wrong places, and at one point Phainon nearly slips off the bed entirely.

They’re both laughing by the time they get settled. Phainon hands him a condom, and Mydei takes it with shaking fingers. He rolls it down Phainon’s cock slowly, watching Phainon’s face, loving the way his eyes flutter shut and his breath catches.

“You’re going to kill me,” he groans.

“Not yet,” Mydei mutters as he swings a leg over and settles on top of him, his knees bracketing Phainon’s hips.

Phainon looks up at him with so much desire in his eyes that his usual bright blue has gone unfocused, almost hazy, as he watches Mydei move above him.

Mydei reaches behind himself, guiding his cock into place before slowly sinking down.

“Oh fuck,” Phainon breathes. “Mydei, you’re so fucking tight. So hot. Oh gods.” He groans as he places his hands on Mydei’s hips, gently massaging them while resting his head against Mydei’s chest.

Mydei gives himself a moment, pausing to let his body adjust to him.

“You okay?” Phainon looks up at him, his voice strained, like it takes everything he has not to move.

“Yeah. Just… give me a second.” Mydei sinks down a little more, then a little more, until he is fully seated and Phainon is all the way inside him.

Mydei leans forward to kiss him, shifting his angle, and at the same moment Phainon’s hips push up, making Mydei moan loudly.

“Wait, Phainon—holy fuck!”

Phainon laughs breathlessly. “Ah… you feel incredible.” He gives a few shallow thrusts, and Mydei braces his hands against his shoulders to steady himself as he moves against him.

“Ah… yes. Do that again.” Mydei bites his lip as Phainon keeps finding that same sweet spot.

Mydei starts to move with him, rising up and sinking back down, chasing the angle that makes everything light up.

“So good…” he pants, barely coherent. “Gods, fuck me harder.”

Phainon lets out a light chuckle as he obeys, his hips snapping up to meet Mydei as he starts moving faster. After a while, they fall into a steady rhythm, Mydei riding him hard while Phainon matches every movement.

The sound of skin meeting skin fills the room, the headboard knocking loudly against the wall. Mydei is making sounds he has never made before, and at this point, he does not care at all.

“So good,” Phainon gasps as he keeps moving. “Mydei, you feel so fucking good—”

“Don’t stop. Don’t stop, don’t stop, don’t—” Mydei tightens his arms around his neck, pulling him closer as he bites into his shoulder.

Phainon’s hand lifts from Mydei’s hip, where he has been holding on tightly. Through the haze, Mydei hears the soft click of the lube cap, then feels the cool slickness, and then his hand wraps around his cock, drawing a low groan from Mydei as he keeps moving.

“That’s it,” Phainon pants, jacking Mydei off in time with their movements. “Come on, babe. Come for me.”

It only takes a few more seconds for Mydei before his orgasm hits like a truck, pleasure whiting out his vision as cum spills over Phainon’s chest. He’s shaking, clenching around him, and he leans down to kiss him desperately.

“Come inside me,” Mydei begs against his lips. “Please, just come inside—”

And Phainon does, climaxing inside him with a groan tearing from his throat as he thrusts up into him once, then again, before his body finally gives out beneath him.

Mydei sits up slowly, still on him as they both pant. Phainon has cum all over his chest, wearing the most blissed-out expression Mydei has ever seen.

“Holy shit,” he breathes.

“Yeah.” Mydei rises up carefully, wincing as he rolls off him and collapses onto the mattress beside him. Everything aches in ways he didn’t even know were possible.

“As soon as my ass doesn’t hurt,” Mydei says, staring up at the ceiling as he catches his breath, “we’re doing that again.”

Phainon bursts out laughing, which makes Mydei start laughing too, and soon they are both lying there, sweaty and spent, laughing like idiots.

Mydei woke up that morning feeling like he had been hit by a truck. Every part of his body ached, and even his eyes felt swollen. He remembered they had kept going until dawn, but that did not mean he could just sleep the whole day away and laze around like a bum.

He opens his eyes to find Phainon already leaning over the side of the bed, looking at him with such a bright expression that even the morning sun would have to admit defeat. The warm smell of tea drifts from the cup Phainon has placed on the bedside table.

“I can’t believe I’m going to have to put up with a sore ass every day from now on,” Mydei thinks to himself.

Which makes Phainon choke on his own spit, and Mydei chuckles at him.

“I’ll tone it down a bit from now on, I swear,” Phainon says as he grabs the glass and offers it to him.

Mydei sits up to take it, then smirks at him. “I know a lie when I hear one,” he says before taking a sip of his tea.

“You’re such a menace,” Phainon whines.