run from your demons

Min Jae chuckled, squeezing Mr. Keaton’s torso one last time before stepping back a good half meter. (He didn’t want things to get too WEIRD.) “Yeah, I’d like to believe that,” he nodded, “I’m pretty sure if you’ve been imprisoned this hellhole for too long you’d know how much more there is out there.” He pouted, actually feeling a pang in his heart for the man.  Though, as he thought more about it, the more the man’s advice made sense to him. Does he know? “Huh.  You have no idea how much I relate to that.”

“You often hug your teachers like this?” Jace chuckled and gave the boy a pat on the back in assurance that he was, in fact, just joking. If he could help out in any way - including giving the comfort of a hug - then he was more than happy to oblige for his students. He tilted his head, an eyebrow raised, when Min Jae mentioned how much he related to his situation. “Well, you know if you need to talk about it, I’m here, alright?”

“Please don’t do that, I need you on my side,” he pouted, pulling in for another hug. “Huh,” he nodded, head buried in the man’s middle once more. “Never saw you for someone who had that figured out.  The system seemed to have eaten most of us.  Y’know, thinking that academic standing’s all that matters,” he continued, attention particularly stuck on the mystery person the man felt REMORSE for. “Were you… able to make it up for that person?”

“Don’t worry, I wouldn’t do that to you. You’re my buddy,” Jace assured him, welcoming the hug openly. “Well, I went travelling straight after high school and probably learned more then than I did in my time at school. Not that that means you shouldn’t still try... just that when you are finished here, there’s more to the world.” He sighed and shook his head. “No, I couldn’t. Left it too late. Never do that, alright? Fix stuff before it gets too broken to repair.”

“Whippersnapper?” Bray gasped and put his hand over his heart. “I am a quarter of a century old, sir, that is five years past whippersnapper age,” he teased with a soft chuckle before biting his lip. “I appreciate that, man. I know you already have somebody and all that, but he’s lucky to have you, even if he took you from me,” he winked to show he was mostly joking. “I’m trying not to.”

“Yeah, well, when you reach the big ol’ 30 everyone younger than that makes you feel very old indeed.” Jace reached out to lightly ruffle Bray’s hair affectionately. “If you liked it then you shoulda put a ring on it,” he teased, doing the hand motions from the ‘Single Ladies’ dance routine. “Good. Because I’ll be on your case the minute you start thinking you’re not good enough. I’ll hunt you down like a bloodhound of love and positivity.”

Arms still tightly wound around the man, Min Jae opened one of his eyes and peeked up at the man. “If you’re age-conscious, I guess it’s a bad thing.” He then snuggled his head back into the man’s torso, maybe even sniffing him a bit. “Man, you’re GOOD at this.  Really.  Were you—” he pulled away finally, taking a good look at Mr. Keaton. “—were you great at high school?  Back when you were studying, I mean?”

Jace quirked up an eyebrow and shook is head. “Age-conscious? Not really, but if it means ‘grandpa’ or something then you’re definitely out of my good books,” he joked, patting the boy gently on the back. The question threw him somewhat - had he been great? On paper perhaps. Star of the track, good grades, a pack of so-called friends... But he’d failed to be a friend to one person who needed it - needed him - most. “I messed up a lot. I had decent grades, friends, my running trophies... But it was all the superficial stuff that got to my head. Didn’t really see what was important anymore. I thought being popular and successful was more important than being honest with myself, and looking out for the people who genuinely gave a crap about me.” 

Hearing a man’s voice, he gasped and whipped his head around. “Jesus Christ, Jace!” He said as he put his hand over his chest. “You scared me!” He sighed and walked towards him with a smile. “Don’t do that!” He playfully shoved Jace’s chest. Andi leaned down greeting him with a kiss. “Thank you. I just need a new routine.. mine are getting boring.” He rested one hand on Jace’s shoulder, letting the other play with his hair. “I’m actually glad you are here, I have been meaning to talk to you about something”

Jace laughed at his boyfriend’s sudden surprise, but held up his hands in apology. “Sorry, sorry. You just looked so good. I didn’t want to disturb the magic.” He put his fingertips against Andi’s cheek as he was kissed, and smiled. “Boring? Never,” he protested, touching his lips against the spot where his fingers had just finished caressing. “As long as you’re not about to break up with me, or say my butt looks big in these pants... Go ahead.” 

“You did cheer? Are you gay or just a perv? No straight guy joins cheer unless he wants to look up girls’ skirts. I don’t need any practice though, thanks. I don’t think there’s anything you could teach me.”

“Well, I am gay, but plenty of guys do cheer. Presidents, even. And Samuel L. Jackson. And who can say anything against him? And the offer’s open if you change your mind. You might be surprised.”

Bray put his hand on Jace’s shoulder in response to the hand on his knee. Now that they were past their sexual desires toward each other, Bray was glad to have Jace as his friend. “Oh yeah, with your whole, what, five years on me? You’re so old,” Bray teased with a shake of his head. “I really hope he will be, but I’m terrified of messing up. I’ve been in love before and I don’t think I’ve ever cared this much for somebody. I want the best for him, and I want to be that.”

Jace laughed and wagged his finger jokingly at him. “Oh yeah, you get a lot of experience in those extra five years. So listen to your elders, whippersnapper,” he said, smiling. “Yeah, well... we all mess up. If it’s meant to be, then you’ll get through it. Because, for the record, I think you’re a great guy who anybody would be lucky to have, alright? Don’t doubt yourself, Bray.”

It had been a while since Bray and Jace had actually talked, he didn’t realize how much he missed the man. Bray didn’t miss a lot of the things they’d done in the past, but he was actually fairly glad about that. “I…didn’t think I would be a live at this point, so it’s hard for me to even imagine five years from now. I  want to be around for this guy, but I’m not sure I’m teaching material for the long run.”

Jace put a hand on Braylon’s knee, in a reassuring, brotherly way. “Yeah, I get that. I mean, when I was your age, I was totally aimless. And now I’ve made myself feel really old by using the phrase ‘when I was your age’.” He laughed and shook his head. “I’d say keep up the teaching until you can figure out what you really want to do with your life. You’ll work it out. And hopefully this guy-” Levi? “Will still be around when you decide.”

Min Jae shrugged, giving the man a tight-lipped smile when finally, he admitted that the boy was right.  That was just the thing about people of authority, isn’t it?  They know they’re WRONG, but would never admit to it.  At least Mr. Keaton had the decency to be honest about his IMPERFECTION. Out of nowhere, he attacked the man with a hug to his middle, mumbling childishly, “that means a lot, Ahjussi.”

Jace was a little startled when the boy suddenly threw his arms around him, but his surprised quickly dissolved to make way for a smile. “I don’t know what ahjussi means, but I’m going to assume its something good.” He laughed and gave Min Jae a gentle pat on the back. “You’re a good kid, Min Jae. Things will work out, y’know. In the end. School is shit when youre in it, especially somewhere like this. But it’s not forever.”

“Physically I still am a bit, I can’t walk too long before it hurts like a bitch,” he chuckled a little before shrugging. “I’m…not sure if I should stay or go. I’ve been teaching my class on my own for six months now and…I don’t know if I should just suck it up and become a teacher or move on…I found somebody here, my person, and I’m just not sure.”

“Ah, that sounds like it sucks. But at least you’ve made progress. That’s something. As for the teaching... I suppose you’ve got to think about what you really want. Like, can you imagine still working in a school in five years time? Or is there something you’d rather be doing? Because it’s a big world... and, knowing you, Bray... I think you could do anything.” 

“No, no, don’t worry about it, I would much prefer that you forget I’m broken than call attention to it all the time,” Bray shrugged, turning to smile at his lap. “Trying to figure out what I’m going to do with my life.”

“You’re not broken, Bray,” Jace said, shaking his head as he at beside the other man. “Sounds deep. You want to talk about it? Because I tend to give pretty good advice on this kind of stuff.”

“Yeah, this school’s doing a HORRIBLE job at that,” he splayed his hands to express ANNOYANCE.  He was normally not such a downer, but the man was being so positive he was surpassing Min Jae’s usual, sunny self that it was almost WEIRD, even for him. “You’d do that?” He perked suddenly, mood slightly renewed by the offer.

“Alright, you might have a point there,” Jace admitted. Even he couldn’t pretend that the school was doing perfectly... far from that, in fact. “Of course. They might ignore me - the school officials tend to do that - but I can sure try.”

“You know…I would, if walking didn’t put me in minorly crippling pain. Anyway, it’s been awhile man, how you been?”

“Oh shit - forgive my mouth running off before my brain could catch up. Stupid thing to say.” Jace laughed sheepishly. “I’ve been good. Busy with work mostly. What about you, Bray?”