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Donghyuck is asleep when he feels a warm sensation across his right ankle, and it only wakes him because it's uncomfortable. He doesn't even bother to check it, simply rolling over and falling back to sleep. Free days are the perfect time to catch up on missed sleep, and Donghyuck plans on doing just that.
“Did you get a tattoo?” Taeyong asks when he finally gets out of bed and walks into the kitchen. Donghyuck suddenly remembers the warm feeling and bends to pull his sock down. “Taeil-hyung?” Taeyong asks as the elder walks into the kitchen. He freezes when he sees what's happening and tries to walk back out, only to be stopped by Yoonoh as the younger comes into the kitchen.
“Taeil-hyung?” Donghyuck asks, reading and rereading the characters on his ankle as if they’ll change the longer he stares. Taeil swallows nervously, glancing at Donghyuck’s ankle.
“You knew, didn't you?” Taeyong asks him.
“I did.” Taeil admits, pulling the collar of his shirt aside to reveal the messy characters on his collarbone. Donghyuck stares, rereading his own name until it starts to sound foreign in his head.
“This- why?” He finally asks. “We don't even- interact-” He stops. “Have you been avoiding me?”
“Yeah.” Taeil sighs, glancing away from Donghyuck. “You're just so young, I didn't want to burden you with it.”
“You don't think I would have appreciated knowing?” Donghyuck asks, taking a slow step toward Taeil. Taeyong backs away and glances at Yoonoh, both of them sharing a nervous look.
“Look.” Taeil takes Donghyuck’s hand. “I'm significantly older than you.”
“Six years, hyung.” Donghyuck whines as Taeyong and Yoonoh back out of the kitchen.
“You aren't even legal yet. Hell, Minhyung isn't legal yet!” Taeil groans, frustrated. “I was just trying not to break your dream by telling you that you have a much older man for your soulmate.”
“My dream?” Donghyuck frowns. “Hyung, I never cared who my soulmate was going to be. I just hoped I had one.”
“Of course you’d have one.”
“My uncle died without one.” Donghyuck says softly, looking away from Taeil. The elder sighs and pulls him into a hug.
“We’ll talk about it, okay?”
“Okay.” Donghyuck sighs. Taeil nods to himself and kisses the top of Donghyuck’s head.
----
When Minhyung tells the rest of Dream that they're going to be teaching the other five members of 127 how to use the hoverboards, Chenle and Renjun turn to each other excitedly, looking forward to working and/or being with Sicheng.
Donghyuck practically tackles Taeil when they're instructed to choose a member, and the elder laughs, smiling fondly at him. Donghyuck smiles back and gives up his hoverboard for Taeil to use, smiling as he tries to get on. He notices the other groups working well and the camera roaming around the room, but once Taeil is in his sights they disappear, like nothing is more important than the elder riding his hoverboard.
“I think Taeil-hyung does it the best.” Donghyuck brags, laughing as Taeil has to do it again on his own.
“Your fond is showing.” Minhyung whispers in Donghyuck’s ear, making him smile wider.
“So is yours.” He teases. Minhyung laughs and nods.
“I don't have to hide mine.” He says, wrapping an arm around Jaemin’s waist. Donghyuck sighs and continues with what their doing, moving into teaching the other members of Dream his part in the Fire Truck choreography.
~
“What's up?” Taeil asks softly, wrapping an arm around Donghyuck's shoulders as they head back to the dorm. Donghyuck shakes his head, stopping to put his hoverboard down and get on it. Taeil watches him go, still frowning.
“Are you avoiding me now?” He asks Donghyuck once they're back in the dorms, leaning on the doorframe of the room the younger shares with Jeno. Donghyuck sighs and turns to face away from the door, keen on getting some sleep before practice. “Donghyuck.” He says, walking in and shutting the door before sitting on the edge of the bed.
“Go away hyung. I wanna sleep.”
“Come on. We had such a good time today, Hyuck.” Taeil sighs.
“Yeah.” Donghyuck can't deny it.
“What happened that made you upset?” Taeil takes the younger’s hand, watching his face.
“Just something Minhyung-hyung said.” Donghyuck mumbles. Taeil sighs and glances at the door. “He pointed out that he and Jaeminnie don't have to hide, but we do.”
“We don't have to hide.” Taeil tugs gently on Donghyuck's hand, urging him to open his eyes. “There's just a lot we can't do.”
“So we have to hide.”
“No.” Taeil gently caresses Donghyuck's cheek. “Of course not. If you don't want to we don't have to.”
“The others-”
“Are also dating within the band. You don't see Hansol and Youngho giving up on their relationship for the limelight, do you?”
“We aren't dating, though.” Donghyuck sighs.
“Neither are Chenle and Jisung.” Taeil points out.
“There's a difference , hyung.”
“Explain it to me, then.”
“It's not just being soulmates.” Donghyuck looks away from Taeil. “I like you.” He mumbles. “And I want to be more than just a little kid to you.”
“You aren't just a little kid to me.” Taeil says quickly, scooting closer to Donghyuck. “You're just young, okay? I don't want you to feel forced in any way, okay?”
“I don't feel forced. I feel underestimated.”
“Like you aren't getting enough attention? I have more than enough to go around.”
“But you should give most of it to me.” Donghyuck pouts.
“Oh, baby-”
“See, and now I feel like a child again.”
“Hey.” Taeil slides off the bed to kneel next to it so he can look directly at Donghyuck. “Never think for a second that I don't see you as equals with the rest of the elders. The fact of the matter is that even though I see you that way, no one else will because they think you're too young.”
“I just want people to know.” Donghyuck sniffles and Taeil sighs, wiping away the sudden tears.
“Come on. Let's take a nap, yeah?”
“Yeah.”
----
Even though the joke was that it was the other members not wanting him to take off his shirt, Taeil refused to do so because of the ink across his collarbones. Fortunately, somehow, an event gets arranged where they want a member to remove his shirt and Taeil volunteers almost immediately. Taeyong and Yoonoh give him odd looks but let it slide, probably forgetting about his mark.
At the event, he gracelessly pulls his baggy shirt off, revealing not only his abs but Donghyuck's name inked across his skin for all cameras and fans to see. Donghyuck practically tackles him once they get home, crying into his neck.
“Thank you, hyung.” He sighs and Taeil smiles proudly, even as he’s scolded by their manager.
“That was beautiful. Really.” Hansol comments, smiling at Taeil. The elder nods and hugs Donghyuck closer, the younger now asleep against his chest on the couch.
“Yeah.” He smiles, gently rubbing Donghyuck's shoulder. Hansol smiles wider and walks away, practically tackling Youngho when he sees him. Taeil smiles and shakes his head, looking down when Donghyuck starts shifting against him. How lucky he thinks that he’s still so young.
“You're staring, hyung.” Donghyuck mumbles.
“I know.” Taeil chuckles, kissing the top of the younger's head.
“Hyung is cheesy.”
“You love it.”
“I do."