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The first thing Johnny noticed upon entering the club was that it smelled of tobacco and cheap alcohol. The second thing he noticed was the upholstery on the chairs was wearing thin and fraying at the edges.
Ignoring all of that Johnny went and took a seat in a booth that wasn’t too close to the stage and yet overlooked everything.
One of the waiters brought him his first drink and it took him a few sips to get acquainted with the taste. It was nothing like his father’s wine.
He had wanted to disappear for an evening, to clear his head, to enjoy what this particular club had to offer.
Burlesque dancers in their revealing costumes were swaying across the stage, the young men cheering them on, the old men leering at them. He himself could appreciate the art form, he didn’t think he could ever be that sexy. He clapped when the song was over and the ladies left the stage.
He didn’t pay the MC that much attention, instead calling over the waiter and ordering another drink. He didn’t want to get drunk, but a light buzz would suffice for the evening. He wasn’t good when his head was foggy and just thinking about the meetings he had to attend the next day was enough to want to stay relatively sober.
“Please welcome to the stage, our star, our diamond!” the MC called from the stage.
Johnny looked up as a golden cage was lowered from part of the stage and the most beautiful man he had ever seen was standing, dressed in black jeans, a sheer black top and bracelets travelling all the way up his arm.
The man started to sing and Johnny was captivated, he found himself unable to look away when suddenly gold glitter started to rain over the establishment and Johnny’s mouth dropped in awe. The boy in the cage was one of those special creatures.
A fairy person.
They were uncommon these days, centuries after the war that nearly wiped out their kind, fairy people were looked down upon, sold to the highest bidder and kept as pets. He couldn’t remember a time when that wasn’t the norm.
The boy's voice was haunting, beautiful, sickly sweet and it left him wanting more.
He called the waiter over once more, handing him a hundred dollar note and requesting time with the club’s diamond. He needed to know him, he needed to know him so bad it hurt. The waiter nodded his head and returned to the bar, whispering in someone’s ear and pointing in his direction.
Johnny didn't take his eyes off the stage until the performance was finished when he saw someone go to the cage and direct the boys attention to him. He quickly looked away, not wanting to seem overly eager.
He kept his eyes on a particularly odd looking stain on the couch across from him as he twirled the left over alcohol in his glass.
“I heard you asked for me?” the boy asked, sliding into the booth across from him. “What service will you be requiring tonight? A song, dance, or will you be taking me upstairs to the bed?”
His head shot up, eyes widening, the boy couldn’t seriously think he wanted to have sex with him? He didn't even know him.
“Hi, my name's Johnny Suh, it’s nice to meet you,” he started with instead, placing his hand out for the other to shake.
His hand was ignored.
“What’s your name?” he asked.
“Ten.”
“Well Ten, do you want a drink? I’ll order for you,” he offered but the other shook his head.
“So you can spike it and do what you like with me? You rich type are all the same,” Ten huffed.
On any other day and said by any other person Johnny would be offended at the suggestion that he was the same as those in the community who thought they were better then anyone else just because of their social status.
While his dad was tough and put work before anything else, he was fair and just and had taught Johnny to be the same.
“I would never do that to you, but if you don’t want a drink then that’s fine,” Johnny said gently, not wanting to spook him.
“Is there anything you want to do?” Johnny asked when he realised Ten wasn’t going to open up and talk to him.
“I think I’d just like to sit here in silence for the next 12 minutes,” Ten said sarcastically.
Johnny nodded his head.
“Okay then,” he said.
Ten looked at him quizzically.
“You’ll let me just sit here in silence?” the boy asked him.
“If that’s what you want, of course I will,” Johnny confirmed and he thought he saw a hint of a smile ghost at Ten’s lips and it sent his heart into spirals.
Ten shook his head, perhaps ridding it of any thoughts of Johnny before falling silent and looking more content than Johnny had seen him all night, the crinkle between his brow evening out as some tension rolled off his shoulders.
Johnny tried his best not to look at him but there was something about Ten that was addicting, that left Johnny wanting more. He was handsome and strong, yet soft around the edges, small yet larger than life, quiet but had everyone eating out of the palm of his hand.
Ten stared in front of him the whole time, not once looking elsewhere.
“Ten we will escort you back to your cage now,” an older gentleman with graying hair said, hand protectively on Ten’s arm.
Ten rose from his seat, ready to go with the man.
Johnny leapt to his feet, unable to control himself.
“Ten, will we meet again?” he called out, not expecting for Ten to turn around, pulling the man’s arm off his own.
He stood in front of Johnny, looking up at him.
“Thank you for letting me sit in silence, it’s a kindness not many have shown me in a long time. I’m here every night, and I’m sure for the right price with my owner you can see me whenever you want,” he said before turning and going back into the night as quietly as he arrived.
Johnny suddenly craved to see him again, as the son of a CEO, it was uncommon for him to return to the same establishment twice, in case someone recognised him. But for once Johnny wasn’t thinking about the business, he was thinking about the boy with the feline eyes who the world had treated so poorly that 12 minutes of silence was a luxury.
Johnny would return, and he would return with a plan to save the magical fairy from whatever hell he was living in.
Ten hadn’t expected the boy with the dark hair and sparkling eyes to return to the club so soon. It wasn’t unusual for a rich boy to be smitten with him for an evening, have his fun and never return.
He himself had gotten his heart broken one too many times to believe in true love anymore but this boy seemed different to the rest. More honest maybe.
Ten had noticed the boy as soon as he had waltzed through the club doors in the middle of his song. He had stumbled over the line, covering with a flick of the wrist and some stars falling from the ceiling, stunning everyone in the crowd.
When his routine was complete, he stood in his golden cage, waving to patrons in the crowd who either eyed him up and down like a piece of meat or shyly turned away, too nervous to recognise they were turned on or crushing on the half fairy.
He wasn’t surprised when his owner pocketed some money and released Ten from his confines. His owner walked him over to Johnny’s booth before placing a kiss on his cheek and disappearing back into the crowd.
“You choose my company once again?” he asked the boy across from him, whose hands were tightly holding his whisky glass.
“Of course, I said I would, didn’t I?” Johnny asked back, causing Ten to smile.
Ten shook his head, twiddling his thumbs, not in an uncomfortable sort of way, but just in a way that expressed he wasn’t used to this type of situation. When someone wasn’t actively hitting on him he didn’t exactly know what to do.
“Would you like to sit in silence again this evening?” Johnny asked.
Ten looked up at him, the silence was nice, the most free he had felt in the last 19 years of his life. Not many people allowed him that.
“I think I would like to talk,” he said suddenly, not even sure what he wanted to talk to Johnny about. He hoped the other would work it out.
Ten didn’t have any friends to talk to about things he loved; cats, art, music and dance, what he hated; fruit, rude people, people who left cats on the side of the road. He wanted to talk to someone who cared, someone who understood him or at the very least, wouldn’t judge him.
“We can talk,” Johnny responded. He seemed unsure about how to progress the conversation, smiling at Ten, encouraging him to speak first.
Ten stayed silent, he didn’t know what was off bounds for someone of Johnny’s status, but his heart sped up hoping that Johnny wouldn’t ask him any questions about his status.
“I had the best sandwich today, meat, cheese, tomato, lettuce, carrot, it was to die for,” Johnny said, causing Ten to laugh. That was not what he was expecting.
“Well that’s good,” Ten said, continuing to laugh at the ridiculousness of it all, talking about sandwiches in this kind of establishment.
“What did you have for lunch?” Johnny asked.
Ten flinched a little, maybe this wasn’t a good topic to talk about. Ten was given two meals a day and one snack that he liked to save to eat before bed.
“I didn’t have lunch today,” he said, hoping that Johnny would think he was just too busy to eat.
Johnny tensed but let that particular conversation end, instead nodding and starting to talk about this show, Doctor Who, that he was really into. Ten became mesmerised with the way Johnny spoke; maintaining eye contact, saying something so silly that Ten couldn’t help but laugh.
When their time was up, Ten found for the first time that he didn’t want to leave the table to return to his cage, which felt smaller every time he got to go into the real world. Even if the real world was a table at the club he performed at.
When his master took his wrist and practically dragged him back to his cage, Johnny followed closely behind.
“I’m sorry I did most of the talking, I barely even let you speak,” he said kindly, putting his hands on the bars.
“That’s okay, I find you fascinating, you’re not like other humans,” Ten told him.
Johnny smiled at that.
Ten stuck his arm out and put his palm face up, Johnny quickly took it as Ten shut his eyes causing sparks to fly. If Johnny panicked he didn’t remove his hand so Ten continued. He felt the electricity flowing between them and when he opened his eyes Johnny was looking at him with wonder.
Ten removed his palm.
“What did you do?” Johnny asked curiously, not a trace of anger or trepidation in his voice.
“I did something I shouldn’t have, something personal,” Ten said, stepping further into the darkness of his cage.
“What was it?” Johnny asked, he didn’t sound scared which surprised Ten, most people would be furious by now.
“I checked your soul, to see how pure it was,” he responded.
“And?”
“It was amazing, you’re a wonderful person Johnny Suh,” he said smiling.
Johnny smiled back, so wide, it was like he had never been so happy.
“Your magic is amazing and the next time I come back here, I’ll get you out, you won’t be trapped here any longer,” Johnny said, sticking his hand inside the cage; pinky first.
Ten wasn’t sure what Johnny was doing, so he grabbed the pink in his hand and shook it, Johnny laughed lightly but didn’t say anything so Ten assumed he did it right.
“That’s a promise,” Johnny said.
“A promise,” Ten mumbled. No one had ever made him such a promise before, there had been empty threats of taking him away or wishes that he were a normal man, but never a promise of safety.
Ten held onto it like a lifeboat he didn’t know he needed.
He was going to be free, Johnny was going to set him free.
Johnny finished his work early on Friday, barely paying attention to the reports that sat in front of him. The work would still be there on Monday morning.
He hadn’t been able to get the thoughts of Ten out of his head, or the way his hand had felt in his. It made him shiver just thinking about it.
He had always thought he was a good man, someone who did his best at all times, donated to worthy causes, treated everyone equal, but to hear that he had a pure soul made him feel warm inside, like everything he had done in his life was worth it.
As he dressed in leather pants and a silk shirt that revealed some of his chest, he found himself wanting to impress Ten, so he put on some of his more expensive cologne and checked his hair was in place.
He left his apartment at 8pm and headed towards the club, the bouncer on the front door now recongising him and letting him in without lining up. Johnny said a quick apology to those in line but entered wanting to see Ten sooner rather then later.
Ten wasn’t hard to spot, singing to a young gentleman who had a phone stuck in Ten’s face recording the performance. Ten didn’t seem fazed, continuing to see a melody. It was a sad song about a girl and her lost love.
When the song finished the man threw a bunch of money notes at Ten and went back to talking to his friend who was getting a lap dance.
Johnny waltzed up to the cage Ten was in.
“Hi,” he said shyly, as Ten looked him up and down. Johnny suddenly feeling self conscious.
Ten’s smile spread across his face slowly, “Hi, you look handsome, what’s the occasion?”
Johnny held up a hand and called across Ten’s master, Andrew Monoman.
“How can I help you Jonathon? Has our Ten done something to disservice you, he has been feeling rather bratty lately,” the older gentleman said and Johnny noticed Ten shrink back a bit.
Johnny felt sick in his stomach.
“How much would it cost to let Ten out of his cage and out of this establishment?” Johnny asked, not daring to look at the boy in the cage.
“We don’t allow that sir, there is no guarantee he would come back, he could run as soon as he gets to the door,” Mr Monoman said.
Johnny considered it for a moment before pulling a cheque book out of his back pocket.
“Name your price and I’ll give it to you right now,” he said.
The man considered him for a moment before staring at Ten and back at Johnny again, no doubt adding up figures in his head and seeing how much he could take Johnny for.
“I want $2000 and he has to be back by morning,” the man said as Johnny wrote the amount on the cheque book before handing it over and the man unlocked Ten’s cage, allowing him to stretch and move properly again.
Johnny took his hand and pulled Ten away from the awful man without a second glance.
As they exited the establishment Johnny felt out of breath, as if he had run a marathon.
Ten was clinging to Johnny’s hand, looking around wildly.
“Where do you want to go?” Johnny asked.
Ten shrugged his shoulders and Johnny pulled him down the footpath.
“Where are you taking me?” Ten asked gently.
Johnny wanted to show Ten the world, he wanted to show him the most incredible sites, the places that had been hidden from him. But more than that he wanted to show him his favourite places.
“There’s this park and it has these beautiful swans and it’s secluded and the more I say it out loud the more stupid the idea sounds,” Johnny mumbled.
Ten laughed, that grand smile coming back to his face.
“It sounds perfect, lead the way,” Ten said, and Johnny slowly and carefully linked his fingers with Ten’s.
When they arrived Johnny took Ten to one of the park benches that overlooked the lake. He often spent his mornings here, collecting his thoughts. The pair watched
as the swans swam around and Ten looked mesmerised with the birds.
“Thank you for taking me out of that place,” Ten said suddenly, directing his attention back to Johnny.
Johnny’s heart swelled and quite possibly skipped a beat.
Before he could respond though, Ten kept talking.
“I was eight when I found out I had magical powers, my parents had divorced and I was acting out at school and one day my mum found out I’d gotten in trouble for hitting another kid and she was screaming at me and it all became too overwhelming and I just screamed and rain just started pouring inside the house and it wasn’t until I calmed down that it stopped,” Ten admitted.
“That must have been scary for you, I’m sorry,” Johnny said sincerely.
“It was a little, what was even worse was the way my mum looked at me as though I was a monster. I can remember her face so clearly. She told me to pack my stuff, that I was going to the hospital for checks, she dropped me off and I never saw her again.”
Johnny reached out and put a palm on the side of Ten’s face, catching one of the tears that had managed to escape his eyes.
Johnny’s heart broke for the man in front of him.
“I’m so, so, sorry,” Johnny consoled.
Ten wiped his eyes on the back of his hand but shook his head.
“It’s okay, I’ve come to understand she was scared, she would have been made an outcast like me just because her son was magical, I wouldn’t want that for anyone,” he said.
Johnny couldn’t believe how well put together Ten was. Johnny didn’t think he would react well if his own mother had just dumped him at a hospital at eight years old.
“I hate working for Mr Monoman, but I feel like I have some loyalty to him. When I was at the hospital, the staff soon worked out I had fairy blood and they took me to the sale yards, and I was sold to the highest bidder.”
Johnny cringed internally, he had heard about those places, there was a time when the government had tried to get them shut down, but a few continued to run in the darkest parts of the city.
“I could have been sold to anyone, in a way I was lucky that Mr Monoman had been the one to choose me. I haven’t had the worst life, I sing and dance and have sex and please people’s desires. I could be dead in a gutter. Instead I get fed and watered and I have fancy clothes,” Ten said as though he was trying to convince himself and not Johnny.
“He still keeps you locked up though, I don’t like that,” Johnny said, careful to keep his voice low.
“I know, I don’t like it either,” Ten said turning and smiling at Johnny. “So tell me about yourself Mr I am rich and have a pure soul.”
Johnny couldn’t help the shy smile that spread across his face.
“My dad is the CEO of a national gym chain. I work in the marketing side of things, but one day I’ll step into his shoes, which I’m really excited about,” Johnny said.
He loved fitness and everything it had to offer, it had helped him at some of his lowest points and thinking that this company was and would continue to help other people made him extremely happy.
“Well you look fit,” Ten said poking Johnny’s bicep.
Johnny blushed and waved his hand around.
“Oh, thank you. I mean I love my job and I think that there’s a lot of pressure for when I take over from my dad but I’m determined not to let him down,” he said sincerely, hoping the blush on his face would have died down.
Johnny felt droplets of rain on his face and shivered, he hadn’t even notice the temperature drop, warm from being side Ten.
“Would you like to come back to my place? I can heat us up some food and maybe we could watch a movie?” Johnny offered.
Ten smiled and nodded.
“That sounds nice, I’m not ready to go back yet,” Ten said.
“I’m not ready to let you go yet,” Johnny said, interlocking his hand with Ten’s once more and leading him back to his apartment.
Ten felt his heart beating fast as he stood in the elevator with Johnny heading up to his penthouse apartment. He had let go of Johnny’s hands feeling self conscious that they were sweating as his nerves rose.
“Please don’t judge, I didn’t get a chance to properly clean it,” Johnny admitted.
Ten looked around at the wide open spaces, hands itching to touch the walls, the photo frames with Johnny and his parents, the plush looking couch covered in pillows, the open kitchen that looked like it was never used, the hallways that led to the bathrooms and bedrooms.
The large windows that showed off the view of the city was the most magical part, Ten decided.
“Wow, this place is incredible and you don’t share it?” Ten asked.
Johnny laughed a little.
“Sometimes my friend Jaehyun stays over for weeks at a time but otherwise it’s just me,” Johnny said.
“You don’t get lonely up here on your own?”
Johnny, who had moved into the kitchen picked up a fry pan and placed it on the stove.
“Not really, I spend a lot of time at work and am only really here on weekends sometimes and to sleep,” he said.
Ten nodded, if he lived here, he would never want to leave.
“Are you okay if I make some chicken and rice?” Johnny asked, to which Ten nodded. Johnny, noticing Ten hovering in the middle of the room, added, “You can sit on the lounge, feel free to pick a film to watch.”
As soon as Ten sat on the lounge, he sighed out in relief, this was the softest lounge he had ever had the good fortune to sit on. He slouched down into the couch and didn’t want to move.
Ten scrolled through Johnny’s Netflix account and picked Tangled.
“Have you seen this one?” he asked Johnny. Johnny shook his head, and Ten worried he had picked something too childish.
Johnny walked over with the food and placed it on the table in front of Ten.
“This looks good, I heard the songs are amazing,” Johnny said, digging into his own food without a care.
Ten took a few tentative bites and sighed out.
“Wow, Johnny that’s really, really good,” Ten said, it was much better than the bland meals he was given daily.
“It’s my signature dish, I’ll tell you the secret ingredient, it’s made with love,” Johnny said, poking Ten’s cheek with the back of his chopstick. He feels his cheeks heat up and looks away.
Johnny played the movie, and Ten soon becomes enthralled with the storyline, loving the songs and the dynamic between the two main characters. His empty plate gets left on the table and somehow throughout the movie he had subtly moved closer to Johnny, feeling his body heat radiating off him.
As the characters sat in a boat, looking at the floating lanterns and talking about their dreams, Ten felt Johnny’s arm go around him and he turned to look at him.
“Ten, you’re beautiful, you know that right?” Johnny asked, his face so close that Ten could count his eyelashes. Johnny’s eyes were deep and soulful and safe and Ten’s heart sped up again.
“Johnny,” Ten said breathlessly.
Ten couldn’t get anymore words out as Johnny leant in and kissed his lips gently before pulling away. Ten put his hands up and touched Johnny’s lips lightly, causing the other boy to gasp at the spark.
Ten looked up into Johnny’s eyes, they were dark and hooded, before looking back down at his lips as a song started to play over the televsion.
Ten ran a hand through Johnny’s hair, sweeping some of it back before pulling Johnny towards him as he fell back on the couch and Johnny was trapping him in. He had never felt like he was in a safer cage then when Johnny’s body was above him.
“Kiss me again please,” he asked and Johnny didn’t deny him, surging back in and capturing his lips between his own.
It was messy and perfect. Ten opened his mouth wider to let Johnny explore and Ten found himself doing the same. It wasn’t like how it had been with the other men, this felt more personal, more real, like Ten could do anything to Johnny and he would let him.
They continued kissing, Johnny running his hands along Ten’s waist and chest, causing electricity to bubble inside him. He never went underneath the clothing, for which Ten was thankful, he wasn’t ready for that.
When Johnny finally pulled apart from Ten he was breathing deeply and put his forehead on Ten’s before closing his eyes.
Ten looked and saw the film was playing the ending credits.
“I think we got a little distracted,” Ten said giggling.
Johnny opened his eyes and turned and looked at the television laughing. He sat back and gave Ten a hand to pull him up. Ten straightened his clothes and patted down his hair.
“Do you want me to go back and we can finish the film?” Johnny asked. Ten nodded, before being brave and bold and laying his head in Johnny’s lap.
Johnny went back to the part they were up to, before leaning down and placing a kiss on Ten’s temple. Ten blushed and tried to focus on the film as Johnny ran his hands through Ten’s hair.
“The ends of your hair are pink, it’s so cute,” Johnny said and Ten just let him continue on, not wanting the other to know what it meant when his hair did that.
Johnny would surely run away if he found out.
Johnny rubbed his eyes and went to stand up but when a weight stopped him from moving he looked down and remembered he and Ten had fallen asleep after putting on a cheesy rom com film after Tangled had finished.
He gently grabbed Ten’s head and slid out from under him, stretching his neck which he could tell would be cramped up tomorrow.
He leant down beside Ten and gently grabbed his shoulder.
“Ten,” he whispered and the boy jumped up in his seat.
“Where am I?” he yelled, before his eyes came back into focus and he saw Johnny and relaxed. “Sorry.”
“Don’t apologise, we fell asleep on the lounge, we should go to bed,” Johnny said standing back up.
“I’m happy to take the lounge,” Ten said but Johnny shook his head.
“I have a spare room, you can stay in there if you like,” Johnny said. It was the room Jaehyun always used when he came to visit or run away from his responsibilities.
Ten nodded and slowly stood before dragging his feet behind Johnny as they made their way down the hall.
Johnny opened the door and pointed to the bed that Ten could take, Ten wasn’t paying much attention, stifling a yawn.
As Johnny made to leave the room, Ten reached out and grabbed his wrist.
“I don’t want to stay here, can’t I sleep in your room?” he asked and Johnny bit his lip.
“Sure, come this way,” Johnny said leading Ten to his own room, which now as they were standing in he wished he had cleaned it before hand.
Johnny awkwardly made the bed and Ten quickly hopped under the covers. Johnny, still in his leather pants quickly took them off as well as his shirt before putting on a baggy white tee.
He hopped under the covers and stayed laying on his back before Ten curled into him, placing one arm over Johnny’s stomach.
Johnny stopped breathing for a moment before taking some deep breaths.
“The first time we met you asked me if I wanted to take you to bed,” Johnny uttered.
“I remember,” Ten said, mumbling into Johnny’s chest.
“This is better,” Johnny said, pulling Ten closer.
When morning came Johnny found himseslf on the phone to Mr Monoman, forming an agreement. He looked over at Ten, fast asleep on the bed and had decided he couldn’t let him go.
He’d had partners before, but there was something about Ten that was different. He was kind when the world had given him nothing but a hard time. He was strong and fierce and determined, but he had let down his walls for Johnny. He was easy to fall for and all Johnny wanted to do was protect him.
Suddenly Ten started writhing in pain, tossing and turning in the bed and clutching at the back of his neck.
“Johnny! Johnny, help me! It hurts!” Ten screamed as Johnny ran over to the bed, phone on loudspeaker, as Johnny tried to calm Ten enough to take a look at the back of his neck where he clutched.
“What the fuck is happening to him?” Johnny yelled down the phone.
Mr Monoman’s voice came through rough and angry.
“We asked you politely to bring him back before morning Jonathon, this is the price he pays,” Mr Monoman said.
“Johnny make it stop!” Ten yelled scratching at his own skin, the lights now flickering in Johnny’s apartment.
“Tell me what to do,” Johnny said into the phone.
“Bring him back here,” Mr Monoman said.
That wasn’t an option, not now, not when Johnny could see first hand they were torturing him.
“I’ll give you $12,000 so Ten can stay with me this week, and he can come back to you next Friday,” Johnny pleaded.
There was a dull silence over the phone, the only noise being the sobs coming from Ten who was now curled up in the foetal position.
“Deal,” Mr Monoman said before hanging up the phone. Ten was lying still.
“Are you okay?” Johnny asked lightly touching Ten’s arm.
He was still crying softly, so Johnny got up and got a heat pack from his kitchen, some medicine and as a surprise, went to his study where his cat Mittens was sleeping and picked her up to show Ten.
As he pushed the door open, Ten was now sitting upright on the bed.
“I have a surprise for you,” Johnny said as he handed Ten, Mittens. Immediately his face lit up as he pat the soft white kitty. Johnny made sure Ten took the medicine and put the heat pack on his neck.
Ten was too busy trying to ask Johnny all the questions about Mittens.
Whats her name? Mittens. What’s her age? 1 year. Where did you get her? A shelter.
Ten continued to hug her, and Mittens loving the attention, allowed it. She had never been that kind with Johnny.
“There’s a tracker in my neck, so if I misbehave they can find me or at least exterminate me,” Ten said without Johnny needing to ask.
“I’m never letting you go back,” Johnny said, determined. “They aren’t seeing a cent of this money, and I’m getting you out.”
Ten smiled, albeit weakly.
“The tracker is connected to my spinal cord, we won’t be able to get that out, but it’s a nice thought,” Ten said.
Johnny shook his head.
“I have connections, we’ll work something out,” Johnny said as he pulled Ten into a hug, Mittens jumping out of the way and hissing at Johnny.
“Thank you,” Ten said, “For everything.”
One week goes by and then another before suddenly it had been months.
Ten continues to live at Johnny’s and he knows Johnny is spending a lot of money to allow him to live in his apartment, so while Johnny is at work Ten cleans and brings dead flowers back to life and adds permanent sparkles to the roof so when it's dark they will shine just as brightly as Johnny.
On one particular day as Ten is reorganising Johnny’s bookshelf by colour, Johnny’s door crashes open and Ten, scared, flings a book across the room hitting Johnny’s friend Jaehyun in the head.
He likes to laugh about it now, Jaehyun was just as friendly as Johnny and didn’t care that he was a magical person. He just sighed and started complaining about his relationship dramas and the pressure to be the olympic athlete his mother wanted.
Ten enjoyed talking to Jaehyun, who even helped Ten sort books or watch movies with him when Johnny’s at work.
“He’s brilliant Johnny, he really is,” Ten once overheard the younger boy say to Johnny when they were alone in the kitchen.
A few days after Jaehyun’s most recent visit, Johnny and Ten were on the lounge cuddling.
Ten had his head in Johnny’s neck, hiding from the horror film Johnny had put on. Ten liked being able to find Johnny’s pulse, listening and feeling the heartbeats, how they jumped when he was nervous, scared or when Ten nuzzled closer.
Playfully Ten kissed at his pulse, before biting it and licking over. Johnny froze, and if Ten was listening correctly, it jumped two beats.
“Are you okay John?” Ten asked, acting as though he’d done nothing.
Johnny nodded, unable to form words, so Ten did it again in the exact same spot.
Ten continued with his actions until Johnny finally broke his composure and pulled Ten into his lap.
“Glad to have your attention,” Ten said, placing a kiss on Johnny’s lips.
“You always have my attention baby,” Johnny said before suddenly standing, Ten hanging off him.
Johnny navigated them through the apartment, all the way to their shared room before Johnny placed Ten down on the bed.
“Are you sure you want to do this?” Johnny asked, and Ten nodded eagerly. He wanted to feel Johnny inside him, he wanted every single part of this boy that Johnny would offer.
“Are you sure you want to do this with someone like me?” Ten couldn’t help but ask.
“What? Someone beautiful?” Johnny said back, before leaning in to kiss Ten hard.
Johnny slowly undressed and Ten couldn’t take his eyes off him, he was tall and solid, his muscles popping. Ten sat up and undressed himself, putting on a show for Johnny as he took off his clothes.
They came together once more and Ten couldn’t help the moans that escaped his lips. Johnny was perfect in every way and Ten marked his skin with love bites that he hoped would remind Johnny at work of who was waiting for him at home.
Johnny opened him up slow and steady, putting all of Ten’s pleasure before his own, and making sure to kiss Ten whenever he asked.
Once he was inside him, Johnny kept calling out his name, tenderly holding Ten’s face and moaning so loud that if he had next door neighbours they would be angrily banging on the door.
Ten let himself drift off into a land of pleasure, the only name on his tongue; Johnny, the only face in his mind; Johnny.
It didn’t take long for them both to reach their climax and once they did, Johnny hesitated on pulling out.
“Your hair, it’s fully pink again,” he mumbled before gently grabbing a strand.
Ten’s eyes almost fell out of his head as he pushed Johnny off him and he raced to the bathroom.
Johnny close on his heels.
Ten slammed the door and locked it, before looking in the mirror and Johnny was right, his head was bright pink.
“Fuck,” Ten mumbled.
Johnny knocked gently on the door.
“Ten, what’s wrong baby?” he asked and Ten stayed silent, willing the hair to go back to black.
“Please don’t shut me out.”
Ten sighed, and unlocked the door, Johnny slumped against the door frame, eyes panicked. Ten grimaced that he was the one to cause that look.
“I’m sorry,” Ten said softly and Johnny stepped forward and pulled the boy into a hug.
“What for darling?” Johnny asked back.
Ten grabbed a strand of his hair.
“For this…” Ten didn’t know how to have this conversation, he didn’t know how to explain. “On rare occasions fairies hair can change colour when they feel an extreme emotion, I didn’t think it would happen to me, because normally when I’m sad it rains, like it did with my mother, but then the other month it happened with you and I realised,” Ten said.
Johnny ever patient, took a step back to look him in the eyes.
“Realised what?”
“That my hair turns pink because it means…it means I’m in love with you,” he said and if he had been expecting Johnny to turn and run away, he was very wrong.
Johnny stepped forward pulling Ten into a kiss as he twirled him around the room.
“How can you be this happy?” Ten asked as Johnny set him down.
“Because I love you too, and now every time I see you with your cotton candy pink hair I’m going to be so excited,” Johnny said, smiling so wide it was like a kid had walked into a candy store.
“You love me?” Ten stumbled over the words, not quite believing it.
“I love you,” Johnny said confidently.
Ten bit his lip, “you love me,” he mumbled.
“Yep, I do, so now can we please go back to bed because I want to go for round two and then I want to cuddle you until the sun comes up,” Johnny said.
Ten nodded.
“That sounds perfect.”
Johnny couldn’t help chewing on the end of his pen, staring at his computer screen feeling mocked by the flashing line telling him to just start the sentence. He was distracted, Ten had been feeling sick and he wanted nothing more then to run back home and check that he was alright.
“Sir?” he looked up and saw his father’s assistant standing in front of him with a stack of papers.
“Yes Janice?”
He’d known Janice ever since he was a child, she was like a grandmother to him, tough when she needed to be but extra loving and always sneaking him snacks.
“Your father wants to have a word with you before you leave today, it seems he is in one of his moods so be extra nice,” she said before placing two of the files on Johnny’s desk and moving on.
Johnny sighed and relaxed back into his chair, if his father was in a bad mood, that was bad for everyone.
He pulled his phone out and texted Ten that he would be home later than usual.
He received a flurry of cute emojis and a ‘see you when you get home’.
The day felt like it dragged on and by the time he was headed towards his fathers office, he felt like he was pulling himself to the office.
His father was sat behind a large mahogany desk, paperwork thrown around the place and his large computer monitor taking up most of the room. Johnny knew he would make some styling changes to this room when he took over, one being to open the curtains to see what he knew was an incredible view from this tower.
“You wanted to see me,” he said to his father, who until that point hadn’t even acted like Johnny was in the room.
“Yes, come in, come in, take a seat,” his father said, standing and moving the paperwork out of the way.
Johnny sat across from his father, it wasn’t until times like this when Johnny noticed his father aging. The lines near his eyes, the slightly greying hair that Johnny knew his father dyed.
“This is hard for me Johnny,” his father started, and Johnny didn’t know what his father was talking about.
“You’ve been spending an awful lot of money lately,” Johnny’s eyes widened. His father had always said his money was his own to spend and didn’t look at his bank accounts, was his father spying on him?
“You’ve been spending it at a club down South, what is there that you can’t get at any well respected club here?” his father probed.
Johnny shrugged, playing indifference.
“Better alcohol,” Johnny said.
His father tilted his head, as though sizing him up, working out what was real and what was fake. He’d never had to do that before.
“Come on Johnny, you aren’t a big drinker, don’t lie to me I know you better then that,” he said.
Johnny rolled his eyes.
“Why were you going through my accounts? What happened to trust?” Johnny said, starting to get more and more agitated.
“Trust? Jonathan, you want to talk to me about trust? You just lied to me. I think you know a Mr Monoman, he tells me you’ve basically held his fairy boy hostage and are paying him off weekly, now is that the truth?”
Johnny wanted to be sick. He never thought Mr Monoman would have the guts to go straight to his father.
Johnny’s silence basically confirmed the truth for his father.
“Seriously Johnny? You are better than that, just give the boy back.”
As if it was that easy.
“I love him,” he said quietly.
His father pulled on the strands of his own hair.
“Johnny, you know the reputation fairy people have, you know the shame that will bring on our company. There’s a reason you’ve never been seen out in public with him, clearly you know this too.”
Johnny did know it, and it disgusted him, how he had been hiding Ten away, trapping him in another cage, even if Ten didn’t quite realise it yet.
“I…” Johnny couldn’t get the words out.
“Johnny, son, hey, it’s okay, you’re okay, you were clearly just trying to help this boy out of a tough situation, you have a kind heart and maybe this fairy took advantage of your help,” his father said, coming to his side and wrapping an arm around him.
Johnny shook his head, that wasn’t the case, it couldn’t be, could it?
“You do whatever you have to do my boy, but a fairy can’t be seen as the boyfriend of the CEO’s son, you can’t become CEO with him standing beside you, I won’t let this company fall apart due to something so trivial,” his father said.
“My love isn’t trivial dad,” he said quietly.
His father sighed out.
“It isn’t, but you have to see where I’m coming from Johnny, I put everything into this company, you have put everything into this company, we will have nothing without it, and that boy will tear it all apart,” his father said.
Johnny nodded. Without this company he was nothing, he wouldn’t be able to protect Ten if the company falls apart, he’d have no money, no house, he couldn’t do that.
“Okay dad, I understand, I’m sorry,” he said wiping the tears that had started to fill in his eyes.
“That’s okay, my sweet, sweet boy.”
Johnny stood.
“I’ll get going now, you look like you have a lot of work to do,” Johnny said, rising from his chair and walking to the door.
“Johnny,” his father called out.
Johnny looked back.
“Don’t worry dad, I’ll do what I have to do, I’ll make you proud,” he said before leaving the office, feeling like he had been hit by a sledge hammer over and over and over again until he was numb with pain.
“I’ll make you proud.”
Ten sat on the lounge with Mittens curled up in his lap waiting for Johnny to come home. When he’d received the text saying Johnny would be home late from work he thought that had meant he would be like an hour late, but it was nearing close to midnight and Ten had put the dinner he made in the oven in case Johnny was hungry by the time he got home.
Part of him was worried, Johnny hadn’t replied to any text messages he’d sent and the other part of him was mad at being left in the dark.
Mittens had kept him calm enough that he hadn’t spiralled out of control with his magic, and he tired expelling some of it by creating fairy lights on the ceiling, but even that was starting to waiver.
When Johnny finally came through the door at 12.30pm drunk, Ten felt furious.
“Where have you been?” he asked as Johnny clumsily tried to remove his shoes.
“Out.”
Ten was never spoken to like that, never. Not by Johnny.
He tried to stay calm, it was just the alcohol talking, he knew that. He had never seen Johnny drunk in this state, but he knew from working in the club, what men could get like when they were intoxicated.
“Were you out with work colleagues?” he asked gently, coming forward and helping Johnny take off his shoes.
“I needed alone time,” Johnny mumbled, making his way to the kitchen once Ten slipped his shoe off.
The lights flickered as Ten closed his eyes and breathed deeply, trying to reign in his potential outburst.
“That’s okay, we all need alone time sometimes, maybe just warn me next time? There’s dinner in the oven if you’d like it,” Ten said.
Johnny sighed, opening the oven and pulling the tin foil off the chicken Ten had attempted to make.
“You know you aren’t a good chef, you should’ve just ordered something. I’m not hungry anyway, I’m just going to get some water, shower and go to bed,” Johnny said not even bothering to look at Ten who was now shaking and standing in the middle of the lounge room.
Ten knew he wasn’t the best chef, he knew he tried his best. He tried his best every single time, following the recipe step by step.
Johnny walked past him and headed straight for their shared room, not noticing the tears flowing down Ten’s face. Maybe he’d just had a really bad day at work and needed to blow off steam. At least he had come home and was safe.
After another hour, Ten finally made up his mind that he couldn’t stay in the lounge room forever and Johnny would probably be asleep by now and wouldn’t notice either way. He had debated with himself about going into the spare room but he wasn’t going to hide away, he shouldn’t have to.
He pulled off his robe that Johnny had bought him and hung it up on the back of the door before climbing into bed and willing himself to go to sleep.
He soon felt arms wrap around him and a light kiss press to the back of his neck. He smiled, feeling some of the tension release from his shoulders.
Tomorrow will be a better day.
When Ten woke, he turned to find Johnny wasn’t beside him anymore, so he crawled out of the bed, grabbed his robe and walked into the kitchen where Johnny was just finishing a conversation to someone on the phone.
“Good morning,” Ten said, not wanting to ignite whatever mood Johnny had been in last night.
Johnny smiled, but it didn’t reach his eyes and Ten suddenly felt a stirring in his gut.
“Are you okay?” Ten asked.
“Peachy,” Johnny responded and the look in his eyes gave Ten shivers.
Something made Johnny’s eyes go cold.
They weren’t filled with warmth and love, but hardness and indifference.
“Get changed, we are going out,” Johnny said and Ten nodded, not wanting to fight with him. He put on some of his best clothes that Johnny had said he looked good in, hoping to impress him. He styled his hair, and put a touch of eyeshadow on.
Once he was ready, he headed down into the lobby and waited for Johnny to pull the car around.
Ten hopped into the car and put his hand on Johnny’s thigh, which he didn’t flinch away from or ask to remove which was hopeful.
Johnny never normally had a day off through the week so Ten wondered if Johnny was taking him on a special outing or celebration, it was getting closer and closer to 100 days together and Ten had a special surprise planned that he had been working on while Johnny was at work.
Suddenly a sharp pain shot through Ten’s neck and he twitched his head, willing it to go away. But it came back even stronger and Ten grabbed his neck with his hand, crying out in pain.
“Johnny,” he cried out.
The pain felt like a million little hot knives stabbing into him simultaneously and he found himself struggling to breath.
It felt like that first morning at Johnny’s place only worse. Much worse.
“Johnny pull over please,” he said, the moving vehicle making him feel nauseous with the pain.
Thankfully Johnny did as Ten asked, before coming around to his door and lifting Ten out of the car.
Blinking tears out of his eyes, Ten couldn’t see where Johnny was taking him until he was in a room he would never forget and the pain subsided.
“Johnny what are we doing here?” Ten asked, turning to Johnny who was staring straight ahead.
Mr Monoman walked out from the shadows and reached his arm out for Ten, who curled into Johnny’s side.
“Come on pet, you’re home now,” Mr Monoman said but Ten just shook his head, he wasn’t going anywhere.
“No, no, no, there’s been a mistake, Johnny tell him,” Ten begged, the closer Mr Monoman came to him. Johnny gently pushed Ten off his side and into Mr Monomans bony hands.
“Please, Johnny what’s happening, what’s happening? I’ve been good, I’ve done everything you’ve ever asked, I thought…I thought you loved me?” Ten cried out, and the mask Johnny was wearing was starting to slide as more emotion flooded into the others face.
“As if someone of Johnny’s calibre could ever love something like you, now get into your cage like a good boy,” Mr Monoman patronised him.
Ten pulled against Mr Monoman’s forces, but the old man was stronger then he looked.
“Don’t leave me like this!” Ten screamed as Mr Monoman pushed him into his cage once more.
“Say something Johnny, say anything! I deserve an explanation,” Ten sobbed hanging onto the bars of his cage for dear life.
Mr Monoman turned to Johnny, and stuck his hand out to shake but Johnny ignored the hand.
“Look at me!” Ten screamed, all the lights bursting in the club and his cage door flinging open. As he stepped forward he felt a syringe plunge deep into his neck.
Johnny didn’t look at him and the last thing Ten saw before his world goes black, was the back of Johnny as he walked away from him, from them, and exits the door without looking back.
Johnny fills his days with work, starts early, gets in multiple gym sessions and comes home late. On nights where he is forced to go out with Jaehyun or work colleagues he normally comes home with someone to take his mind off the boy he let go of.
He never spoke about him and Jaehyun never asked.
At some point he pushes him away too because he never stays over and he can’t remember the last time they spoke on the phone.
Johnny makes it through another work week when the email pops up with the location of the next workplace gathering and he groans to himself when he see’s the name. It’s the last place he wants to go so he tries to wrack his brain for an excuse he can use.
As though his mind was playing tricks on him, he couldn’t find a good enough excuse and at 8pm, Johnny and his colleagues walked into the club he had vowed he would never return to.
Ten wasn’t on stage yet so Johnny squeezed himself into his booth, his colleague crowding around him.
“Drinks?” the waiter asked, Johnny taking a beer, trying to peel his eyes away from the stage, but it was a lot harder to do than he’d hoped.
The room then went dark and a silence fell over the crowd as a figure walked out of the shadows, and Johnny would’ve recongised him anywhere.
Ten stunned the crowd with his rendition of a Thai balad before pulling a young girl up on stage to dance with and Johnny felt his hands grip the table tightly, jealousy swirling in his gut.
The dance seemed to go on forever before the music swelled and came to a crescendo and light fairy dust fell from the ceiling.
When Ten pulled away from the girl, kissing her hand and directing her off stage, he made his way down from the stage to interact with people in the crowd.
“Johnny, man, you don’t look so good,” one of his colleagues pointed out.
He didn’t feel so good either.
“I’m just going to get some air,” he said, standing and making his way to the side exit of the club.
He leant his head against the brickwall, sucking in air like it was his last lifeline. He hadn’t even heard the door open or close.
“What are you doing here Johnny?” Ten’s voice invaded his mind and for a minute he thought he was dreaming again.
It wasn’t until he turned to face the gorgeous boy that every feeling came running back; love, guilt, regret, lust.
“I’m here with work colleagues,” he admitted.
Ten huffed, crossing his arms over his chest, which was on display more than usual.
“What and you couldn’t get them to agree to go elsewhere? You had to come here and torment me? You should leave Johnny,” Ten said.
Johnny looked Ten up and down, he looked healthy, he looked good.
“You’re outside, clearly some things have changed since I last saw you,” Johnny pointed out.
Ten shook his head vigorously.
“No, you don’t get to do this Johnny, you don’t get to come back here and act as though what you did was some merciful act.”
But it was merciful, a life with Johnny was just another cage, he thought Ten would be able to see that.
“I’m outside because I threatened Mr Monoman that I’d use my power again, I can’t go further than the street or down these alley’s but it’s fresh air,” Ten explained when Johnny didn’t say anything.
Johnny nodded, glad Ten was getting fresh air, he wouldn’t have to threaten Mr Monoman himself.
“Will you tell me what I did wrong?” Ten asked, voice small and Johnny felt his heart crack.
“It wasn’t you,” Johnny said, voice strained and tense.
When it looked like Ten was about to ask another question, Johnny thrust some cash towards him.
“Dance with me?” Johnny asked.
Ten’s face went blank, devoid of emotion. He stared at the money, disgusted but he reached out and pocketed the notes.
He slowly inched forward and put his arms around Johnny’s neck.
“Is this okay?” Ten whispered.
Johnny nodded, closing his eyes and wrapping his hands around Ten’s waist, as the memories flooded his brain of the two of them slow dancing in Johnny’s lounge room as pink sparkles lit up the room and Ten’s laughter vibrated through them both as Johnny whirled him around the room.
“Perfect,” Johnny uttered.
After what felt like hours but was only mere minutes, Johnny opens his eyes and took one hand off Ten’s hip to move the boys hair out of his eyes.
“Your hair, it’s pink,” he said quietly.
Ten’s eyes shot open and he quickly stepped out of Johnny’s grasp, flattening his hair. He turned around so his back was facing Johnny.
“You should go,” Ten said quietly and as Johnny stepped forward to comfort him, Ten whirled around. “I can’t trust anything now, I never thought you, you of all people would break me Johnny, just leave.”
Despite everything in his heart screaming at him to stay, Johnny rushes past Ten, only turning to see the boy crumple to the ground, tears running down his cheeks.
He didn’t stop to tell his colleagues he was leaving, as he jumped into his car and sped home, managing to just make it behind closed doors before he himself fell apart.
Staring at his empty apartment, he felt the hot tears wet his cheeks, looking around he raced over to his mantle piece, where a photo of Ten and himself stood proudly, it was a selfie with Ten smiling broadly and Johnny’s arms wrapped around his waist, his head leaning on Ten’s. He then looked at the photo next to it, one of himself with his dad, shaking hands on the day Johnny joined the company.
He picked the photo up cautiously, before throwing it against the wall, glass splattering into a million pieces, the way Johnny smashed his own heart the day he gave Ten up.
Seeing Johnny was hard, touching Johnny was excruciating. But Ten pulled himself together, like he always did.
Upon entering the club once more a boy who looked far too young to be in the club in the first place sauntered up to him.
“I’ve been looking for you,” he said, reaching out to grab at Ten’s hair, Ten slapped his hand away.
“Why?” Ten asked, not caring how rude he came across.
The boy tilted his head in Mr Monoman’s direction.
“Your boss said I had half an hour with you and I want us to go up to bed and get freaky, that’s what you do right?”
Ten paused, controlling his anger.
“Excuse me,” he said storming off in the direction of Mr Monoman who was standing behind the bar.
Looking underneath the bar, Ten found a pair of scissors. They’ll have to do, he thought.
“Could I see you outside for a second?” he asked Mr Monoman who looked prepared to shoo him away from the bar.
The older man nodded and followed Ten outside. As soon as the man exited the building, Ten closed the door with his mind and rounded on the gray haired bastard placing the scissors at his throat.
“Get rid of my chip, or I’ll do it,” Ten said watching as the man’s botoom lip quivered.
“You wouldn’t defy me, you’ve always been a good boy,” the other said and Ten pressed the scissors in deeply.
“I’ve learnt that life is about more then just surviving, I’m not doing your bidding any longer, now take out the damn chip.”
Ten watched as the man pulled out a small black machine from his pocket.
“If you do anything funny, I will blow your brains out and fry it with my mind,” Ten threatened and the other man nodded.
He placed the tool on Ten’s neck and with a beep Ten felt a sharp stabbing pain, which dissapeared.
“Done, now let me go freak,” Mr Monoman said and Ten stabbed the scissors into the man’s thigh. He screamed out in pain and Ten reached into his pocket and took out his wallet, taking the mans credit card before throwing the wallet back at the man who was now clutching at his leg.
“I’m taking my share of money, and you’ll never have to see me again, thank you for saving me those years ago, but if I hear of any other fairies working here you’ll have me to deal with,” Ten said before turning and walking away from the life he had always known.
Three years later
Ten stood in his backyard, paintbrush in hand and cats at his feet. He was trying to paint the scenery but just couldn’t get it right.
A client had asked for the picturesque mountains with green glitter that moved so it looked like the trees had life. It was a simple enough request but every time he had painted it, he was disappointed.
After finding safety in a new community, it took him a while to find what he loved to do. When he got stressed or upset he found himself drawing and one day when he was in the park painting the lake, an elderly lady had approached him and asked if she could buy the painting off him. She’d told him she didn’t have much money but would be willing to give him what she had.
When she saw the water a sparkling blue, she hadn’t jumped back in fear like he’d expected. Instead she told him he had a gift, a gift that should be shared with the world.
Ten had taken the woman’s advice, and started advertising online and on social media and he’d found a loyal amount of followers who were happy to purchase his works.
Putting the paintbrush down, Ten picked up Socks who was begging for attention and carried her back inside before getting ready to get groceries.
He was running low on supplies and wanted to beat the lunch time crowd. He also enjoyed his morning walks in the crisp air, it gave him a chance to be at one with nature, which helped release the pent up magic stored inside him. He hadn’t had an outburst in two years, something he was incredibly proud of.
He used magic when he wanted and how he wanted. He didn’t bow down to anyone anymore.
Ten was looking up at the sky as he walked the street when he slammed into a solid wall of muscle.
“I’m so sorry-”
“Ten?”
Ten couldn’t believe after three years Johnny was standing in front of him. He looked like himself, but his eyes were still cold and unrecognisable from the man he first met.
“Hi Johnny,” he said.
“You look good,” Johnny said pointing up and down before quickly putting his hand behind his back.
“So do you,” it was true. Johnny looked incredible, a bit more muscle then the last time he saw him, and he looked as though he hadn’t aged a day.
“I saw your father passed away, I’m sorry for your loss,” Ten said. He had seen it on the news, big shot CEO had died from a heart attack and his son was left in charge of the business.
The business had continued to grow internationally and from what Ten read, Johnny had been spending a lot of his time in America.
“Thank you, that means a lot.”
Ten never thought he’d live to see his relationship with Johnny break. Or be this awkward.
“You got out, I’m proud of you, I knew you would,” Johnny said grimacing as the words tumbled from his mouth.
“Is that why you left me?” Ten couldn’t help but ask. He had always been curious about what happened that night Johnny came home late.
Johnny looked sheepish, clearly not prepared for an interrogation about his motives.
“My dad found out I’d been spending a lot of money to keep you out of that place and he said that I had to let you go if I wanted to inherit the business.”
Ten stepped forward and slapped him, hard.
“You gave up our love because you were scared of your dad?” he asked.
Johnny rubbed his cheek.
“No. I gave you up because he made me see that I was keeping you in a cage. I was too cowardly to announce we were together and while you were content at home, I wasn’t content to keep you in a prison of my own making,” Johnny said and when Ten went to cut him off, he raised his hand and continued.
“Our love walked a fragile line Ten and looking at you now, you are way happier then you ever could have been with me.”
Ten shook his head, that wasn’t true. They hadn’t been together long, but Johnny had been his person. His everything.
Ten took one of Johnny’s palms into his hand and closed his eyes, letting his magic flow through him.
When he opened his eyes, Johnny was staring at him intently.
Ten stepped back as a car pulled up on the sidewalk and a man rolled down his window.
“Johnny, we are ready for you,” the man said as the back door popped open.
“Well, this is me. It was really nice seeing you Ten.”
Ten smiled quickly, unable to sustain the fake happiness as Johnny stepped into the vehicle and closed the door.
The window rolled down as Ten was about to walk away.
“Ten?” Johnny’s voice called out.
He turned around and waited for the other to continue.
“What did you see?” he asked.
Ten smiled brightly this time.
“Your soul is still pure Johnny, amazing, it always will be, it’s just who you are,” he said and Johnny smiled as the car drove off in the opposite direction.
Ten let a tear escape his eyes. He had finally gotten out of the cage like they had talked about but it seemed like Johnny was the one trapped now.
“Ten?” he spins around and comes face to face with another person he hadn’t seen in years.
“Jaehyun?” The other boy runs up and spins Ten around.
“I haven’t seen you in forever, I wouldn’t have even known where to try and get in contact! Do you want to catch up? Grab a coffee?”
Ten looked back in the direction where Johnny had driven off and smiled, before looking back at Jaehyun.
“Yeah, that sounds nice.”
He had meant every word he’d ever said to Johnny. He’d loved him, and maybe in Johnny’s own way, he had truly set him free. Maybe one day it wouldn’t hurt to think about him as much as it did now.
Johnny haunted his dreams just as much as he did his waking hours, but Ten hoped he haunted Johnny just as much.