A/N: This is slash, male/male. If that's not your cup of tea, then don't read. Otherwise, enjoy! :-D

Summary: Yunho comforts Jaejoong. Short and sweet.

Forbidden

I stood in the hall with my head pressed against his door, my breath suddenly unsteady. Jaejoong had just survived the biggest ordeal of his life, but none of us knew if he would ever really heal. He had walked away from the crash with nothing more than cuts and bruises, but maybe in some ways Jaejoong had died that night along with his childhood friends.

I gently turned the knob and walked through the door, the loud beating of my heart making me self-conscious. But he didn't hear me, or at least didn't have the strength or desire to acknowledge me if he did. He was curled up on his bed, in the same position, in the same clothes. It was cold in the room, but Jaejoong's blanket lay discarded on the floor. I swallowed hard against the sudden lump in my throat as I quietly closed the door behind me. My hyung, dying from the inside out, was slowly killing me as well.

Without thinking I walked over to the bed and lay down beside him, facing his back.

"Hyung," I whispered, my face slightly flushing as I disturbed the thick silence. As expected, there was no answer. Sighing, I folded my hands under my cheek and watched him breathe. Long minutes passed before I had the courage to try again.

"Jaejoonga." My voice was just a little bit stronger this time. I sat up just enough to support myself on my elbow and leaned over to see his face. My hand shook as I reached to brush away the hair that fell over his cheek, but I hastily withdrew when he suddenly opened his eyes. For the seconds that followed, I stopped breathing. I watched him, my body frozen in motion, wondering if this was finally the moment when he would wake up on the inside… and desperately trying to think of what to do for him if he did.

But nothing happened. Jaejoong lay there as before, his eyes open but not seeing. Finally I lay my hand on his shoulder and gingerly rolled him onto his back. I was reaching my breaking point, and I knew it.

"Hyung," I pleaded, my voice quivering. At that moment Jaejoong shifted his eyes and looked directly at me, and just like that time seemed to stop. I brushed the hair away from his forehead with my fingers to better see his eyes, and to my joy he was still looking at me. He had such beautiful eyes, but they were vacant. I ran my thumb along his eyebrow, attempting to bring him back to life with the tenderest touch I could manage. I rested my palm against his cheek and tried to think of words that could possibly be appropriate for this moment.

But any plans that I may have had completely vanished when Jaejoong started to cry. He didn't make any sound as the tears rolled down his face. His brows furrowed slightly, the tip of his nose turned pink, and I knew that I would never see a more heartbreaking sight in my life.

Moving fast, I leaned over him and grabbed the blanket from the floor. I threw it over both of us and pulled him onto my chest as I lay back on the bed. I wrapped my arms around him and pressed him harder against my body, one hand tangled in his hair. I could only hold him as he began to softly shake.

I acted on impulse the first time he whimpered and kissed the top of his head. The second time, I kissed his forehead. And the third time, I tilted his chin toward me and buried my face against his before kissing his lips.

I had never really thought about kissing men, with just one exception. Once or twice I had found myself thinking of kissing Jaejoong, and now that it was happening I felt naked and ashamed and afraid… But his lips were even softer than I imagined, his breath even sweeter… I closed my eyes and parted my lips against his to drink in his sobs and whimpers.

"Yunho." I heard my name as a whisper, his breath hot against my mouth. I tried to say his name in return, but I only gasped as our limbs intertwined of their own accord. I felt his long fingers find their way underneath my shirt to caress my bare back. I found just enough courage to run my fingers along his jaw, his neck, his arms, gingerly exploring forbidden territory, not knowing if this chance would ever come to me again.

Suddenly he pulled his lips away, and I opened my eyes to find his cruelly beautiful gaze on me. His tears had dried, and he was breathing hard.

"Jaejoonga," I murmured. "Hyung."

At my words he squeezed his eyes shut and buried his face in the crook of my neck, his hands continuing to caress me, so gently…

We fell asleep molded together, and at that moment I hoped I would never wake. I feared the morning more than death itself.