Work Text:
“Hey there, loser.”
There it was.
Dylan wondered when they would show up again. He rolled his eyes, luckily behind his locker, because just the thought of seeing their faces right now pissed him off. It pissed him off each time and that problem never seemed to go away. He tightened his grip on his bag strap, shoulders stiff but body alert.
Maybe if he just ignored them, maybe they would just go away, maybe they-
“Don’t ignore us.”
A hand shoved Dylan from behind, nearly stumbling forward but his locker being shut with a loud kick nearly made him fall. It all went too fast. A hand started gripping his hair and suddenly he couldn’t get control over his body. It hurt badly but he didn't want to show them, so that it could feed their satisfaction.
“Look how pathetic you are right now. You have nowhere to hide from us.”
Dylan bit his lip as the grip tightened. He just stayed quiet, he didn’t want to start a new argument, he didn’t want to waste his energy in these idiots.
He ignored all their eyes, even tho they were piercing through his skin. He felt it deeply but didn’t show how affected he was by it. Not even by the pair of eyes that bothered him the most. There was someone watching from a bit further, leaned against the lockers as if he didn’t belong with them and he was the worst of them all.
Jun.
Jun was never the first to comment, was never the one with the harshest words, was never the first one to throw a punch. But he never stopped them either. He just watched, eyes darkened, hands shoved into his pockets like this was just another boring scene he’d seen too many times.
Dylan really hated him the most.
The others were simple, loud, annoying, cruel in obvious ways.
But Jun was mysterious, quiet. And quiet made things confusing.
Dylan wanted to know more, wanted to dig deeper into Jun’s presence but for obvious reasons he couldn’t even get the chance. Not that he cared but he hated the mixed feelings he got over it. Jun has always been on the opposite side of him and that will never change.
“Got anything for us today?”
They snatched Dylan’s bag and rummaged through it like beasts that seemed to have never learned any manners. Dylan tried to yank his head back, to hopefully get loose out of the painful head grip but things only escalated from there.
Punches were being thrown, a shove to the back and a fist to the face. Dylan tasted his blood and his eye sight got blurry from the pain he felt in such a short time. He tried to fight back but each swing resulted in a disaster of an attempt to even hit their bodies.
He lost, like always. But today-
“Enough.”
Powerful. The word cut clean through the noise.
Everyone paused and looked at Jun who finally dared to take some steps forward. He pushed himself off the lockers and slowly walked over to them.
“You’re wasting time.”
One of the boys frowned. “What?”
“Bell is about to ring. Wanna get caught?” Jun looked at them with a raised eyebrow, stealing a glance to Dylan, just for a split second that felt like ages.
Silence.
Then a scoff. “Whatever.”
They finally backed off, muttering words that clearly weren’t nice words. No matter how irritated they were, they listened to Jun and Dylan found that the strangest of it all. Jun never showed any disagreements with his group. He always stood behind them, never had a say in any situation, never showed interest in what they were doing.
Dylan never had the impression that Jun could ever control a situation like this, but he was so wrong. Maybe that’s why he hated Jun the most. Always stayed behind so that he could never get the blame of anything they did.
Dylan finally found the weak link, or that's what he thought.
“You okay…?”
Dylan looked up and saw Jun standing in front of him, while the other boys were walking away. He couldn’t believe his eyes so all he could do was letting out a bitter laugh.
“Are you serious?”
Jun didn’t react but his face said otherwise.
“Why do you care? Hm?” Dylan snapped. “You’re with them.”
“I didn’t touch you.” Jun defended himself.
“Wow.” Dylan showed a smile. “You get a gold medal for that.” And his smile dropped immediately.
Jun breathed in and out, this wasn’t the outcome he wished for. “You should clean that up.”
“I don’t need your help.” Dylan replied, still tasting his own blood from the fresh cut on his lip.
A pause.
“Fine.” Jun said. He mumbled something after that but he couldn’t bother Dylan any longer, so he just turned around and walked away.
Dylan looked at him, a frown grew on his face and he couldn’t be more confused than he already was. A fight never ended like this and all he could ask himself was:
Will it ever happen again or was it just in the heat of the moment?
Life quickly gave an answer to that because it just wasn’t that one time. It didn’t stop after that, it happened each time and it got stranger by the day.
“Back off.” Jun said, voice quiet but firm.
“Dude. Seriously?” One of them looked at Jun and let their arm fall down, as they just wanted to punch Dylan.
“Seriously.” Jun sounded serious indeed.
“Since when do you care so much?”
Jun didn’t answer now. He just joined the group and stood in front of Dylan, who laid on the ground, wiping blood from his nose. Dylan glared up at him and rolled his eyes.
“Don’t.”
Jun frowned. “Don’t what?”
“Don’t act like you’re helping me.”
“I am helping you.” Jun replied.
“Why?”
Jun hesitated. They still stood around them and this made him anxious for the first time. Dylan could read that all over Jun’s face and that made him angrier than anything else.
“Yeah.” Dylan said, pushing himself up. “That’s what I thought.”
Dylan stood on his feet and walked past them after bumping his shoulder against Jun’s. Jun wanted to walk after Dylan but stood still while looking at the ground. He’s still unsure on how to switch this whole situation around and each time he gets closer but not close enough.
Days passed and the bullying only got worse, but Jun kept on stepping up. Not always right away. Some days he wouldn’t even do anything, but he stayed, longer each time. He kept watching as if he didn’t belong with them.
It made Dylan uneasy. But it also made his heart race in a way he didn’t understand.
Dylan didn’t want it to escalate so he tried to avoid them even more, avoid Jun especially. The first couple of times it seemed to work. No sight of the bullies but Dylan almost bumped into Jun at some times and he never mentally prepared himself for that.
Jun noticed, he noticed it all.
He wanted to talk to Dylan, wanted to have an opportunity to talk about everything that bothered him but Dylan never gave him the opportunity. So no matter how many times Jun would save him, stay by his side, he would never give in.
But Jun never gave up.
“Enough.” Jun immediately stepped in when his friends cornered Dylan.
One of them scoffed and looked at Jun. “You’ve been saying that a lot lately.”
Jun just kept on looking at Dylan, feeling his heart beat louder.
“Got something you want to share with us?”
Silence.
“Leave him alone.” Jun’s words sounded cold, like the chills over Dylan’s body.
“You’ve got to be kidding me.” Their expressions shifted, slowly, dangerously. “You have a crush on this loser huh?”
Jun stayed silent but saw how Dylan’s expression changed to a mix of concern and surprise. That answer was enough for the others so the tension snapped.
“Wow.” One of the laughed. “You’ve gone soft.”
“Who would’ve thought our Jun would be in love with a loser~”
Laughs filled into the hallway and Dylan visibly got uncomfortable. Jun took a step towards him but got stopped by his friends, who shoved him back to his place.
“No. You think we let you be with your lover? Think twice.”
“You think I’m scared of you all? I’ve been pretty good at stopping you lately.” Jun backfired at them but that didn’t seem to work. One of them pushed him towards Dylan and cornered them both now.
Jun looked at Dylan, who still looked very uncomfortable. He took a deep breath and turned around to stand face to face, with his ex friends now. Out of reflex Dylan grabbed onto Jun’s shirt and held tightly onto it.
“Back off.” Jun nearly growled.
“Why would we? Two is way better than one.” The grins on their faces made the whole situation worse. Jun knew what was gonna happen and the adrenaline rushed through his veins.
“Just dodge their punches and run through them…” Dylan whispered it so silently that Jun nearly heard it but when he saw the first punches come, he did exactly what Dylan said.
Within a couple of seconds Jun and Dylan made their way out of the corner, running through the hallways with no looking back. The others were so caught off guard that they didn’t even bother running after them.
The two didn’t even notice that their hands gradually grabbed onto each other but it felt so naturally to them.
This was just the beginning of a new chapter.
It only got worse after that.
For both Dylan, and Jun.
Whispers in the hallways, shoulders slamming into his, threats muttered under breaths.
Dylan noticed it, of course he noticed it and he didn’t like it one bit.
“You should stop.” Dylan said when he pulled Jun out of the classroom.
Jun raised his eyebrows. “Stop what?”
“This.” Dylan gestured between them.” Whatever this is. Whatever you got yourself into.”
Jun looked at him, scanned him. Dylan’s expressions didn’t match with what he said and Jun found that cute. “Do you want me to stop?”
Dylan opened his mouth, but closed it soon after.
“No…” Dylan admitted, avoiding eye contact.
“Then I won’t.” Jun slowly nodded. With a grin he started walking and felt that Dylan started walking behind him.
“Can I ask why…?” Dylan softly asked.
“Because I was tired of watching.” Jun confessed.
“And just recently you thought of that? What about all the other times…?” Dylan asked with a slight sadness in his voice. Jun heard that and it made him feel bad, because Dylan was right about that all.
“I don’t know if I can explain that… Just suddenly I was tired of seeing you get hurt. It even hurt me.” Jun stopped walking and turned around, making Dylan bump up against him. “Please forgive me.”
Dylan gasped. He felt Jun’s hands rest in his hips and he could feel the others breath on his skin. They were too close for his comfort, but he didn’t mind, he didn’t mind it at all.
“That’ll still take some time… They were terrible but you were the worst of them all.” Dylan pouted.
“Because you… like me?” Jun teased and Dylan immediately backed away.
“What are you saying?” Dylan gulped.
“You aren’t denying it~”
“As if you answered those idiots…”
“Because I didn’t want that to be the way I would confess to you.” Jun confessed and Dylan’s eyes widened. They stood there, looking at each other, as if the whole world stopped running around them.
“We need to get them, but separately. First Jun.” They looked over at them from far away and nearly gagged at the sight of the two being so lovey dovey with each other.
The day quickly came. It all happened so fast. Too fast.
They didn’t wait for after school. They didn’t wait for empty spaces.
Right in the courtyard it all happened.
“You think you can just ignore us?” One of them shoved Jun against the wall with a harsh push. “I thought we were friends.”
“Friends my ass. I dont get how I survived around you idiots.” Jun spit back at them.
“You’re just love struck by your own loser. You are so weak and weird for falling for someone you’ve been bullying for months.”
“You all know I was never involved.” Jun defended himself but a kick in the stomach didn’t make things better.
“No matter what, people would’ve always linked you with us.”
“An-and I regret I became friends with you all.” Jun eyes darkened and was ready to fight back, but they got interrupted by a loud voice.
“Leave him alone!”
Dylan came from far but quickly approached the scene, turning the situation around from all the others before.
Jun grabbed Dylan’s wrist. “Don’t.”
But it was all to late. The others closed the circle and didn’t waste any time.
Fists flew around, bodies were shoved against the wall and the pure chaos of the fight escalated quickly.
Jun and Dylan fought back. Dylan harder than he ever did before, not for himself but for Jun. Jun noticed and wasn’t taking any of it anymore. He pulled Dylan close and whispered in his ears.
“Run.”
“W-what?”
“Just like last time… Run.”
Amongst all the chaos Dylan looked into Jun’s eyes, who looked very genuine to him. He nodded and Jun took a deep breath. He took Dylan’s hand behind his back and avoided a punch.
“NOW.”
They ran, as if their lives were at stake. Out of the courtyard, out of the school territory, out of any sight from any familiar faces.
This time the others ran after them, not wanting to get rid of their preys but in their bad luck, they lost sight of the two that have escaped.
“Fuck!”
Dylan and Jun just kept on running until they couldn’t hear any threatening voices anymore, until they found a safe space, somewhere quiet. They stood there, breathing hard. The adrenaline was still high and covered for the pain that slowly faded back into their acknowledgment.
Dylan let out a shaky breath. “Wha-what now…?”
“We keep going.” Jun licked some blood off of his lips.
“Going where?”
“Home.” Jun said with a slight smile.
Dylan swallowed, but then slowly he smiled too.
“Okay.”
Jun took Dylan’s hand and started walking towards his house, which was luckily close by. The whole mood changed in seconds and they felt stronger than ever.
Dylan knew this part of town but never had any reason to be here, until now. Jun was his new reason, in so many ways. Jun is his new reason to come to school, to fight for his own right and to make sure that these idiots will get banned from school. Jun was his new reason to believe in love, to believe in people, and that took time but he’s glad it has happened.
They entered Jun’s house and it was nicer than Dylan thought. Very neat, very minimalistic. Books spread wide open on the table and dishes still needed to be washed.
Jun immediately grabbed his first aid kit and sits Dylan down on his couch. He looked at Dylan, not like before. Not distant or unreadable. It was different. Dylan could finally read his eyes and that made his heart jump.
“You’re bleeding.” Jun said, grabbing a cotton.
“Are you shocked about that?” Dylan sighed. “You’re bleeding too.”
“Mhmm but first I’m helping you.” Jun kneeled between Dylan’s legs and leaned in closer. “It will sting, squeeze me waist if it hurts.”
Dylan nodded and put his hand on Jun’s waist. He saw how close Jun got and he knew he couldn’t take it any longer. His eyes landed on Jun’s lips, they were still bleeding and his mind was running with thoughts that he can better keep for himself.
“You’re thinking, what’s up?” Jun asked while still taking care of the wound.
“Just… how did we end up here?”
“Well I brought you here.” Jun smiled and Dylan squeezed his waist.
“You know what I mean.” Dylan pouted. “This is all so weird. You helping me, us running away together. You not being a-“
“A jerk?” Jun chuckled.
“Yeah exactly, but sometimes you still are.”
“I think that’ll never go away.”
Dylan smiled. “I don’t mind.”
“So you don’t mind being with me forever?” Jun asked and looked straight into Dylan’s eyes. He was close, closer than before. Dylan’s heart nearly pounded out of his check and his grip on Jun’s waist tightened.
“I-“ Dylan opened his mouth but noticed the cut at Jun’s eyebrow. “You have a cut…”
Jun leaned in more. “That’ll come later.”
Dylan swallowed.
“You can tell me if I should stop…”
He should.
At the end of the day this doesn’t make sense. None of this really made sense. How did they even turn around from being enemies to something they can’t even explain. Jun was part of them. Jun was the reason why he spent so many days scared, preparing himself, physically and mentally, fighting these idiots.
But Jun was also the one who stayed.
The one who stepped in.
The one who ran with him.
“I… don’t want you to stop…” Dylan finally admitted and that was all it took.
Jun closed the distance and Dylan immediately responded. The kiss wasn’t perfect, it was careful, slow. Dylan tasted the blood, the iron taste that gave the kiss an other meaning. They were figuring out what felt the best to them but that quickly escalated a bit more.
Jun’s hand slid form Dylan’s face to the back of his neck, holding him there, gently, like he was making sure that Dylan would feel comfortable in this moment.
Dylan’s hands wrapped more around Jun’s waist and that was a new weakness that he just learned about. He felt a little bit of Jun’s skin, he felt warm against his touch.
Dylan nearly melted away from Jun’s kisses. Jun kissed like he mattered. Like he wasn’t the loser that everyone called him. Like he was worth everything in this world.
When they finally pulled back, it wasn’t because they wanted to. It was because they had to breathe.
“Okay… That definitely just happened.” Dylan chuckled, as their foreheads were still resting against each other.
Jun smiled. “Yeah.”
Dylan looked at him, really looked at him. “You’re not what I thought you were.”
“Well you’re not either.” Jun said.
“Wow. Rude.”
Jun just grinned. “Stay with me.”
“Yeah I will.” Dylan didn’t hesitate and finally felt free in a space he was scared to enter.