Between Us, Always

Dylan's POV

I held him tightly, feeling the tension in his body, the way his breath shuddered against my shoulder. He didn't cry, not fully, but I could tell he wanted to. I wasn't sure what hurt more—seeing him like this or knowing that I didn't have the words to fix any of it.

Because honestly? He wasn't wrong.

We belonged to the fans. We were expected to smile, perform, give pieces of ourselves away while keeping the most fragile parts locked up tight. Love was a privilege we weren't allowed to have—not publicly, not freely.

I knew all of this. And yet, as I held him in my arms, his fingers gripping the fabric of my shirt, I couldn't bring myself to believe that we weren't allowed to love at all.

Eventually, I felt his breathing steady. He wasn't pulling away, but he also wasn't breaking apart anymore. So I loosened my hold just enough to pull back and look at him.

"You're not wrong," I admitted, my voice quiet. "But I don't think you're entirely right, either."

He blinked at me, tired and unsure. "What does that mean?"

I exhaled slowly, choosing my words carefully. "Yeah, we have an image to protect. Yeah, it's hard—maybe even unfair. But love doesn't just disappear because people say we shouldn't have it. You think Thame and Po are the only ones who feel that way? You think Per's love for his girlfriend just stopped because they had to break up?"

He swallowed hard, his eyes dark with emotion. "Then what are we supposed to do, Dylan?"

I hesitated for just a second before answering. "We live. We feel. We find ways to hold onto the things that matter."

His gaze searched mine, looking for something—an answer, maybe, or just reassurance. I wasn't sure if I had either. But I squeezed his hand before letting go, grounding him in the only way I could.

"Come on," I said, nudging him toward the couch. "You're exhausted, and you overthink when you're exhausted. Sit with me for a bit."

He didn't argue, just let me pull him along. The dishes were forgotten, the heaviness still there—but at least for now, neither of us had to sit with it alone.

Jun's POV

I let Dylan pull me to the couch, neither of us saying anything as we sank into the cushions. The weight of the night still pressed down on me, but somehow, having him close made it a little easier to bear.

After a moment, Dylan got up without a word. I didn't question it, just sat there, lost in my thoughts—until he returned and casually tossed something into my lap.

A bag of chocolates.

I blinked down at it, my heart warming just a little. He knew. He always knew.

Without saying anything, I ripped the bag open and popped a piece into my mouth. The sweetness melted on my tongue, soothing in a way that words never could. Dylan sat back down beside me, grabbing a piece for himself, and we just sat there, letting the silence settle into something more comfortable.

A few minutes later, Per and Nano emerged from the room. Nano was holding an empty bowl—probably proof that he had somehow convinced Per to eat something. Per still looked tired, his eyes a little puffy, but there was something lighter in his expression. Whatever Nano had done, it had worked, even just a little.

Without a word, Per flopped onto the couch beside me, sighing softly. I nudged the bag of chocolates toward him. He took a piece, and Nano, never one to be left out, immediately grabbed a handful before plopping down on the floor in front of us.

And just like that, the four of us sat there, eating chocolate in silence. No forced conversation, no pretending to be okay—just the quiet comfort of existing together.

The weight of the night hadn't disappeared, but in that moment, with the taste of chocolate lingering on my tongue and my friends beside me, it felt a little easier to carry.