No Contact Lenses At Home
Title: No Contact Lenses At Home
Length: 4000+ | One-shot
Genre: AU, Fluff, Smut (a little ok)
Summary: Minseok still likes hugging. Lu Han likes hugging Minseok more than anything in the world. They are each other’s exception. (This is a sequel to Airport Hugs)
--
Tonight is not a Friday night, or a Saturday night, not a night when one can laze around, this is not a night when one can just hold a sleepover with their best friend because today is a Tuesday night. Minseok has papers due to tomorrow, Lu Han has a meeting with the board tomorrow but here they are.
Minseok is huddled to Lu Han, shoulder against shoulder, fingers wrapped around thick mugs of hot chocolate even though it’s still summer. They are almost hugging-almost, Lu Han’s fingers are too busy scraping around the ceramic mug and Minseok is happily drinking from his own mug. Still, they are close, too close that they can feel each other’s heartbeats, so close that they can smell their different scents collide, very close that their bodies are almost melding against each other. They are, however, comfortable being this close.
Lu Han came back from Beijing a week ago, and Minseok is glad, very very glad (Minseok can’t stress this enough) that his best friend is back and Lu Han did fulfil his promise. When he got back from Beijing, all he did all day was cuddling up to Minseok and Minseok was really really fond of this idea.
He missed Lu Han a lot, that is true, and he is very okay with Lu Han sleeping over in his apartment for tonight, even though he isn’t even done with his paperwork, he is always willing to drop anything that he is doing for Lu Han.
Minseok bends forward and puts his mug of half-empty cocoa on the coffee table across them before pulling the blanket over his shoulder and snuggling closer to Lu Han, arms wrapping sideways around his best friend’s middle.
His chin rests against Lu Han’s shoulder and Lu Han chuckles, bending forward to free his hands of the mug. “This is new.” He speaks as he turns around, hence Minseok loosening his arms on Lu Han, but not completely breaking away from the other’s body. Lu Han sits in front of Minseok, legs crossed over each other on the couch and Minseok mirrors his action with a slight tilt of his head.
“What is new?” He asks, his voice is soft and the television continues on playing.
“You hugging me, usually you don’t reciprocate the hugs.” Lu Han plays with Minseok’s fingers and the latter laughs, drawing his hands away from Lu Han’s before he playfully lands a fist on his shoulder.
“Well if you don’t like it, you better go now.” Minseok snaps, seriousness completely not in his tone and Lu Han laughs, scooting forward to Minseok and enveloping him into a loose hug, their bodies melding together yet again as Minseok adjusts himself and somehow his back ends up against Lu Han’s chest and he is sitting between Lu Han’s legs.
From this scene, anybody who doesn’t know them and walk into them right in this exact moment might think that they are a couple. But they are not, they are just best friends. Right?
“I need to submit papers for school tomorrow.” Minseok tells Lu Han in hushed breathing, feeling the rising and falling of Lu Han’s chest against his back. When Lu Han laughs, Minseok feels the vibrations from the former’s chest and into him.
“I have a meeting tomorrow.” Lu Han replies and their fingers lace together on Minseok’s stomach, neither one moves. They connect through their minds and they both know what they want. Tonight, on this Tuesday night, they want to sleep in each other’s arms and worry about tomorrow later.
Maybe they should stop living so carelessly like this, as if they are teenagers who don’t care if teachers will scold them the next morning for not doing their homework. Because now they are adults, and they need to start being responsible.
But now, all that matters is that they are near each other and the thumping of their hearts fills the empty but comfortable silence around them.
The next morning, they both wake up with neck pain, the television still running and their hot cocoa still unfinished. Lu Han rushes to Minseok’s bathroom first, rolling Minseok away from him with a loud laugh as Minseok hits the floor.
For the rest of the day, Lu Han uses Minseok’s dress shirt and dress pants while he is at work, the pants and shirt fit him nicely, but it’s a little tighter than what he is used to. Minseok however, struggles to not fall asleep while checking the illegible notes of his students.
***
They are like a married couple. Jongdae says one time while they meet up with the rest of the group, their group of high school friends consist of twelve loud boys, including Minseok and Lu Han. On this night however, only six of them turn up. The other six busy with life and they all understand that.
They eat in a restaurant, with great grilled steak and really wonderful rice. Jongdae says that they are like a married couple when Minseok feeds Lu Han with his own steak and Lu Han nods in approval when they have the same kind of meat.
“What?” Minseok says, a brow rising as he looks at Lu Han then back at Jongdae who snickers mischievously at them, lips touching his cup.
Jongdae repeats his words, “You guys are like a married couple.”
Lu Han almost chokes on his steak and Kyungsoo raises his brows at them, hands lingering on cutting his steak. “What if you guys are already married and are only hiding it from us?” Baekhyun asks, voice hitching up a little as Chanyeol hits him on the arm because of laughing too much.
“You guys are impossible.” Minseok laughs as he places a slice of steak into his mouth before turning to Lu Han who sits beside him with a laugh creeping up to his lips. “Maybe we are much more than a married couple, are we not Lu Han?” Minseok laughs and Lu Han hits him square on the arm.
Zitao, from the side subtly rolls his eyes at them. “You guys are pretty much fucking.”
Kyungsoo hits Zitao with the box of tissues sitting the middle of the table and the rest laughs some more. Lu Han’s ears are red and even though mirth is evident in Minseok’s laugh, there is a lump forming in his throat as he looks at Lu Han sideways.
Maybe they are much more than a married couple. Because they are best friends who are so close to living with each other, because they had been together for more than a decade that they know how one is feeling with a small gesture, that they know what the other needs and wants with the way how they breathe, that they know that one is coming due to the sounds of their footsteps. They had memorized each other from the years of being friends.
And from the years of being friends, Minseok only realizes now how beautiful Lu Han looks when he’s laughing so heartily and when he’s flushed a little from Zitao’s words.
***
Sometimes, Lu Han forgets that Minseok’s place is not his. That he doesn’t have clothes in Minseok’s place and that he lives only a few buildings away from Minseok. Sometimes, he gets confused and gives Minseok that weird look when he ushers him to go home because it’s almost midnight. Lu Han would snap out of it it, shake his head and laugh then bid his friend good bye.
And, Minseok feels too much like home to begin with.
“Lu, you left your clothes at my place yesterday. And your mp3, and your favourite pair of headphones, you better get them tomorrow.” Minseok says as he half-sits and half-lies on the couch, his hands on his stomach as Lu Han sits on the floor by the couch, with his arms folded over the papers on the couch beside Minseok.
“I did?” Lu Han looks up from his papers and his brows knot together as he tries to remember that he had indeed left his things.
Minseok looks at him, lips pursed a little before he nods and pokes the crease between Lu Han’s brows. A small smile creeps up upon his lips as Lu Han’s expression softens. “You did. Why did you ask me to come over when you have heaps of work to do and why are you not doing it on a desk?” Minseok questions once he notices the amount of paper work on Lu Han’s couch.
Lu Han smiles and pats Minseok’s thigh. “I’m stressed. I’d get more stressed if I do it on the home office, and you calm me down.” Lu Han says and his smile is enchanting, enticing, charming and delicate but Minseok can see the tiredness and exhaustion behind Lu Han’s smiling eyes.
He places his hand over Lu Han’s that sits on his thigh and squeezes it firmly, a small electricity running from his palm to the veins on his forearm and to his spine that sends shivers all over his body. “Okay, I’ll be here until you finish them.” His smile is soft and Minseok feels valued as Lu Han’s hands takes his and twines their fingers together somehow awkwardly but it fits and it’s comfortable.
“Thank you, I love you.”
Minseok feels warm.
***
He is standing by the counter of his kitchen with the groceries placed on top of the marbled material when he feels the vibrating of his phone.
Minseok's hands are full however, with his hands covered in flour which he coated the pork with for tonight's dinner, so, he calls Lu Han for help.
"Lu! Can you check my message for me, please? My hands are occupied!"
And like lightning, Lu Han jumps out of the couch, almost trips on his own feet while running to Minseok. "Where's your phone?" He asks once reaching the kitchen.
Minseok wiggles his butt in response, eliciting a laugh from Lu Han but he knows what Minseok meant.
Lu Han places a hand on Minseok's hip as Minseok's back faces him, he takes the phone from his back pocket and playfully slaps Minseok's butt after taking the phone. Minseok gasps and kicks him backwards. Lu Han laughs as Minseok misses him and rolls his eyes.
"Not funny, Lu." Minseok's voice is stern as he works on coating the pork with flour but Lu Han knows that Minseok isn't mad, hence, he passes that off and reads the message.
"It's from Yixing. No wait, Yifan." Lu Han says, furrowing his brows as he brings the phone closer to his face.
Minseok turns his head to Lu Han and frowns after seeing Lu Han have trouble with reading small letters again. "You're not wearing your contacts?" He questions as he leaves the sink and counter to join Lu Han on the table.
Lu Han hums in reply. "I really don't like wearing it at home." It takes Minseok a few while to register what Lu Han had said, 'home'. He feels undeniably happy, that Lu Han considers his place as his home so lets that go and fills his heart.
Minseok is standing beside Lu Han, who is half-sitting on the table with the phone close to his face, and because his hands are still stained with flour, he can't take the phone away from his struggling best friend and just asks instead, "What does it say?" Minseok asks as he finds a way to fit right next to Lu Han, too next that their thighs and shoulders touch but as always, neither one moves.
"It's Kris sending a message from Yixing's phone, and..." Lu Han brings the phone a little farther from his face as he scrolls through the message. Minseok squints a little, trying to read what is on the glowing screen
"Yixing broke up with his girlfriend." Is all Lu Han says before he drops the phone on Minseok's thigh. It slides down Minseok's thigh on to the floor but the both of them are shocked, eyes wide as they stare into each other's eyes, reading each other's thoughts about this.
"Why?" They say in unison, brows furrowing together. Yixing and his girlfriend had always been perfect for each other... So why did they break up?
"Tell them we're coming in ten minutes."
***
It doesn't take the both of them a lot of time before they arrived in Kris' and Yixing's apartment that's just down the street. Both are their friends from high school and from their loud group of friends back in then. Minseok remembers Yixing introducing his girlfriend to them in the cafe while Minseok crammed and Lu Han watched him while sipping on his coffee because his exams had just ended with a smug smile as he nagged on him study.
Yixing’s girlfriend had always been a nice girl, with big round eyes and a pretty smile, it’s evident why Yixing fell for her. They thought that the pair would end up walking down the aisle of a wedding hall but not anymore, not anymore.
Minseok and Lu Han did not get to eat the pork for dinner, instead, at nine o’clock in the evening and after trying to comfort Yixing for around three hours (though Yixing was not crying at all?), they find themselves pulled into a club a few minute drive away from Yifan and Yixing’s shared apartment.
“She fucking cheated on me! Isn’t that fucking wonderful?” Yixing laughs bitterly before he chugs down his bottle of whiskey and yells at the bartender for another glass.
Minseok looks at Lu Han, then at Yifan who is sitting beside Yixing. Now, they are sitting by the bar and on the small stools, with Minseok next to Lu Han, Lu Han next to Yixing, and Yifan on Yixing’s left.
“But, it’s her fucking loss anyways. Not mine.” Yixing states. Yixing barely curses, but it is not new for them to hear Yixing cursing aloud. Minseok bites his bottom lip as he watches Yifan place an arm around Yixing’s shoulder and massage his shoulder a little while Lu Han pats Yixing’s back.
They let Yixing rant as they indulge themselves in their own choice of liquor, hearing Yixing’s problems about his supposed to be perfect relationship with his girlfriend, is surprising. You never really know what happens behind closed doors.
After three more glasses of whiskey, Yixing stumbles out of his stool with a loud laugh and to the dance floor where bodies grind against each other. Yifan follows suit, telling Minseok and Lu Han that he’ll keep an eye out for Yixing just in case he does something stupid. Like faint because Yixing is never fond of alcohol.
“That’s… surprising…” Minseok states and downs his third glass of beer. He has a pretty high tolerance for alcohol and out of his friends, he probably is the one who can handle his alcohol well the most.
"Which?" Lu Han asks as he stirs his glass of vodka in a hand. "Yixing drinking that much or Yixing breaking up with his girlfriend and spilling his feelings on us?"
Minseok laughs a little, "The latter. But it is quite surprising how Yixing drunk that much." He feels sympathetic towards Yixing, but he knows Yixing doesn't want or need anybody's pity. Yixing is strong.
"I bet, Yifan will complain if Yixing faints before they get back to their apartment." Lu Han tells him as he turns his stool so that he is facing Minseok then he copies Lu Han's action.
"He always complains about Yixing being a pain in the ass but he had always been there for Yixing. No matter what stupidity Yixing gets into." Minseok leans forward, forearms pressing against his thighs and the glass of beer dangling from his fingers.
It’s true, it’s like Yifan is Yixing’s guardian angel here on earth, as cliché as that may sound but for the past years of being friends with them, Yifan had always always been saving Yixing’s ass from trouble.
Lu Han nods. "Speaking of Yifan, don't you think Yifan likes Yixing? I mean, well..." Lu Han shrugs and drinks from his glass. Minseok cocks a brow and thinks about it as Lu Han finishes his drink.
He notices that. Sometimes, Yifan’s eyes show endearing affection for Yixing. Sometimes, Yifan’s smiles at Yixing like the shorter is his whole world but can’t show it. Or maybe it’s the way how Yifan always cares for Yixing, how Yifan would be the helping hand, how Yifan would be the angel in disguise, how Yifan would be Yixing’s crying shoulder (though Yixing is not crying about his break-up).
“I think,” Lu Han pauses as he turns his stool again so that his back is facing the counter, he leans back then glances at Minseok before continuing, “I think Yifan knows about his feelings, he just doesn’t know what to say.”
Minseok looks up at Lu Han and the neon lights swimming over Lu Han’s face looks so pretty from this angle, the way how the light emphasizes the features of Lu Han is so so beautiful. Perhaps it’s the alcohol engulfing him.
Perhaps he also doesn’t know what to say.
“I guess…”
Their conversation dies down into sips of alcohol and fits of laughter as they talk about the little things that they notice.
After a few more rounds of alcohol and a few upbeat songs which Lu Han and Minseok constantly bounce their shoulders to, Yifan and Yixing return to them with swollen lips, dishevelled hair and uneven breathing with Yifan’s arm around Yixing’s waist, pulling him close with a smug smile on his lips.
Minseok turns to look at Lu Han and he catches the latter’s eyes just in the right time as they share a knowing look.
***
Lu Han kisses Minseok.
It’s not often, but not peculiar either. Lu Han kisses Minseok a lot, during the day when they are on the couch, he kisses his shoulder as he leans his head on it. He kisses Minseok playfully, brushing his nose against the other’s neck and then kissing him on the cheek. It’s very playful and friendly, Minseok thinks.
But this kiss is different from the stupid, light-hearted kisses Lu Han gives him. Because now, Lu Han pushes him against the wall and there is tongue, teeth and lips against lips in this kiss.
Minseok doesn’t quite know how this happened, but it happens after they stumble into his apartment, minds clouded from the alcohol with the image of Yifan and Yixing never leaving their memories. They laughed at it as they stumble into the living room with arms wrapped around each other.
Somewhere in the middle of removing their shoes and falling against each other, Lu Han pushes Minseok down the couch and kisses him. Their lips touch and almost move languidly against each other. Minseok expects his hands to push Lu Han away but he does the opposite, instead, his hands find the mop of Lu Han’s hair and pull him even closer to him.
Minseok’s back is against the leather of the couch and Lu Han is straddling him, lips separated and breathing uneven. Minseok knows that this isn’t right because they are just bestfriends and Lu Han is just drunk, intoxicated from the alcohol.
But Lu Han leans down to kiss him again, his hands finding their way to unbutton Minseok’s polo shirt and Minseok sighs just against Lu Han’s lips. His mind is telling him to stop this, to push Lu Han off him because next morning, they will be confused and awkward and not friends anymore.
Nevertheless, they end up having sex that night.
The next morning, Minseok wakes up to a back-ache and skin cold from the bareness with Lu Han’s arms still wrapped around him.
For a moment, he’s scared and he doesn’t know what to do but Lu Han’s eyes flutter open and the boy hugging him so tightly as if never wanting to let him go even his sleep, smiles at him and greets him, “Hi… Good morning.” His voice is breathy and Minseok knows he’s just as confused and nervous as he is.
Minseok smiles back, facial muscles a little stiff as he does so. “Hello.”
They talk over this once they had properly pulled their clothes back on and Lu Han had slumped himself of the couch while Minseok stands up, hands on his hips and they both talk at the same time. “So-“
Lu Han looks up at Minseok and Minseok looks down at him before their cheeks stretch out and their lips let out a loud laugh and a breathy sigh. The silence reigns for a while before Minseok breaks the silence, sinking down beside Lu Han with his forearms pressed against his thighs and his hands together in between his legs.
“Lu Han,”
“Yeah?”
Minseok turns and sees Lu Han’s eyes up into crescents and he feels his words fails him yet again because what do one say to a best friend that they had sex with? Dramas didn’t prepare him for this scenario because usually, Person A leaves before Person B wakes up and everything will just shatter between them, both parties lose connection and never talk to each other again.
This, he doesn’t want to happen.
So he speaks. “Lu Han I-I know that we were both drunk last night. But I know what we did, I know that you know that too… and I-I want… I want to ask…” Minseok shifts so that a leg is folded on the couch and he is facing Lu Han.
“I want to ask… Do you like me?”
Lu Han just stares at him as if boring holes into his soul and Minseok wants to sink down into the couch to never appear again. Because this is really embarrassing and he doesn’t want Lu Han to hate him or never talk to him because Lu Han is special to him and he will do anything to not lose Lu Han in his life. Because Lu Han is his pillar and he’s the only one that he can rely on at two-thirty in the morning and when he is worrying about a presentation tomorrow, because Lu Han is the only one that is sure that will never leave him but now he messed everything up… It’s alright if Lu Han doesn’t like him b-
Lu Han’s hands are on his shoulders and his lips are against his own, he kisses him softly and now with much sureness compared to last night’s when his kisses were cautious as if learning the ropes to Minseok. But this kiss is soft and he doesn’t feel tongue in his mouth. This kiss is like a first kiss though different from the one he had back at high school at he remembers telling this to Lu Han with fiery cheeks.
“I think it took us Yifan and Yixing to realize our feelings.” Lu Han says once he’s pulled away from Minseok’s lips and albeit-Minseok is a little disappointed from the loss of contact.
Minseok raises a brow, still a little baffled from Lu Han’s words. “Do you like me? Like that type of like where you like it when we kiss and do that thing last night?” Minseok doesn’t know why he sounds so dumb right now but Lu Han laughs and kisses him again.
And again.
And again.
“If that doesn’t answer your question I’m not going to talk to you ever again and I will move back to Beijing-“
Lu Han is shut up by a bone-crushing bear hug.
"I love you."
Length: 4000+ | One-shot
Genre: AU, Fluff, Smut (a little ok)
Summary: Minseok still likes hugging. Lu Han likes hugging Minseok more than anything in the world. They are each other’s exception. (This is a sequel to Airport Hugs)
--
Tonight is not a Friday night, or a Saturday night, not a night when one can laze around, this is not a night when one can just hold a sleepover with their best friend because today is a Tuesday night. Minseok has papers due to tomorrow, Lu Han has a meeting with the board tomorrow but here they are.
Minseok is huddled to Lu Han, shoulder against shoulder, fingers wrapped around thick mugs of hot chocolate even though it’s still summer. They are almost hugging-almost, Lu Han’s fingers are too busy scraping around the ceramic mug and Minseok is happily drinking from his own mug. Still, they are close, too close that they can feel each other’s heartbeats, so close that they can smell their different scents collide, very close that their bodies are almost melding against each other. They are, however, comfortable being this close.
Lu Han came back from Beijing a week ago, and Minseok is glad, very very glad (Minseok can’t stress this enough) that his best friend is back and Lu Han did fulfil his promise. When he got back from Beijing, all he did all day was cuddling up to Minseok and Minseok was really really fond of this idea.
He missed Lu Han a lot, that is true, and he is very okay with Lu Han sleeping over in his apartment for tonight, even though he isn’t even done with his paperwork, he is always willing to drop anything that he is doing for Lu Han.
Minseok bends forward and puts his mug of half-empty cocoa on the coffee table across them before pulling the blanket over his shoulder and snuggling closer to Lu Han, arms wrapping sideways around his best friend’s middle.
His chin rests against Lu Han’s shoulder and Lu Han chuckles, bending forward to free his hands of the mug. “This is new.” He speaks as he turns around, hence Minseok loosening his arms on Lu Han, but not completely breaking away from the other’s body. Lu Han sits in front of Minseok, legs crossed over each other on the couch and Minseok mirrors his action with a slight tilt of his head.
“What is new?” He asks, his voice is soft and the television continues on playing.
“You hugging me, usually you don’t reciprocate the hugs.” Lu Han plays with Minseok’s fingers and the latter laughs, drawing his hands away from Lu Han’s before he playfully lands a fist on his shoulder.
“Well if you don’t like it, you better go now.” Minseok snaps, seriousness completely not in his tone and Lu Han laughs, scooting forward to Minseok and enveloping him into a loose hug, their bodies melding together yet again as Minseok adjusts himself and somehow his back ends up against Lu Han’s chest and he is sitting between Lu Han’s legs.
From this scene, anybody who doesn’t know them and walk into them right in this exact moment might think that they are a couple. But they are not, they are just best friends. Right?
“I need to submit papers for school tomorrow.” Minseok tells Lu Han in hushed breathing, feeling the rising and falling of Lu Han’s chest against his back. When Lu Han laughs, Minseok feels the vibrations from the former’s chest and into him.
“I have a meeting tomorrow.” Lu Han replies and their fingers lace together on Minseok’s stomach, neither one moves. They connect through their minds and they both know what they want. Tonight, on this Tuesday night, they want to sleep in each other’s arms and worry about tomorrow later.
Maybe they should stop living so carelessly like this, as if they are teenagers who don’t care if teachers will scold them the next morning for not doing their homework. Because now they are adults, and they need to start being responsible.
But now, all that matters is that they are near each other and the thumping of their hearts fills the empty but comfortable silence around them.
The next morning, they both wake up with neck pain, the television still running and their hot cocoa still unfinished. Lu Han rushes to Minseok’s bathroom first, rolling Minseok away from him with a loud laugh as Minseok hits the floor.
For the rest of the day, Lu Han uses Minseok’s dress shirt and dress pants while he is at work, the pants and shirt fit him nicely, but it’s a little tighter than what he is used to. Minseok however, struggles to not fall asleep while checking the illegible notes of his students.
***
They are like a married couple. Jongdae says one time while they meet up with the rest of the group, their group of high school friends consist of twelve loud boys, including Minseok and Lu Han. On this night however, only six of them turn up. The other six busy with life and they all understand that.
They eat in a restaurant, with great grilled steak and really wonderful rice. Jongdae says that they are like a married couple when Minseok feeds Lu Han with his own steak and Lu Han nods in approval when they have the same kind of meat.
“What?” Minseok says, a brow rising as he looks at Lu Han then back at Jongdae who snickers mischievously at them, lips touching his cup.
Jongdae repeats his words, “You guys are like a married couple.”
Lu Han almost chokes on his steak and Kyungsoo raises his brows at them, hands lingering on cutting his steak. “What if you guys are already married and are only hiding it from us?” Baekhyun asks, voice hitching up a little as Chanyeol hits him on the arm because of laughing too much.
“You guys are impossible.” Minseok laughs as he places a slice of steak into his mouth before turning to Lu Han who sits beside him with a laugh creeping up to his lips. “Maybe we are much more than a married couple, are we not Lu Han?” Minseok laughs and Lu Han hits him square on the arm.
Zitao, from the side subtly rolls his eyes at them. “You guys are pretty much fucking.”
Kyungsoo hits Zitao with the box of tissues sitting the middle of the table and the rest laughs some more. Lu Han’s ears are red and even though mirth is evident in Minseok’s laugh, there is a lump forming in his throat as he looks at Lu Han sideways.
Maybe they are much more than a married couple. Because they are best friends who are so close to living with each other, because they had been together for more than a decade that they know how one is feeling with a small gesture, that they know what the other needs and wants with the way how they breathe, that they know that one is coming due to the sounds of their footsteps. They had memorized each other from the years of being friends.
And from the years of being friends, Minseok only realizes now how beautiful Lu Han looks when he’s laughing so heartily and when he’s flushed a little from Zitao’s words.
***
Sometimes, Lu Han forgets that Minseok’s place is not his. That he doesn’t have clothes in Minseok’s place and that he lives only a few buildings away from Minseok. Sometimes, he gets confused and gives Minseok that weird look when he ushers him to go home because it’s almost midnight. Lu Han would snap out of it it, shake his head and laugh then bid his friend good bye.
And, Minseok feels too much like home to begin with.
“Lu, you left your clothes at my place yesterday. And your mp3, and your favourite pair of headphones, you better get them tomorrow.” Minseok says as he half-sits and half-lies on the couch, his hands on his stomach as Lu Han sits on the floor by the couch, with his arms folded over the papers on the couch beside Minseok.
“I did?” Lu Han looks up from his papers and his brows knot together as he tries to remember that he had indeed left his things.
Minseok looks at him, lips pursed a little before he nods and pokes the crease between Lu Han’s brows. A small smile creeps up upon his lips as Lu Han’s expression softens. “You did. Why did you ask me to come over when you have heaps of work to do and why are you not doing it on a desk?” Minseok questions once he notices the amount of paper work on Lu Han’s couch.
Lu Han smiles and pats Minseok’s thigh. “I’m stressed. I’d get more stressed if I do it on the home office, and you calm me down.” Lu Han says and his smile is enchanting, enticing, charming and delicate but Minseok can see the tiredness and exhaustion behind Lu Han’s smiling eyes.
He places his hand over Lu Han’s that sits on his thigh and squeezes it firmly, a small electricity running from his palm to the veins on his forearm and to his spine that sends shivers all over his body. “Okay, I’ll be here until you finish them.” His smile is soft and Minseok feels valued as Lu Han’s hands takes his and twines their fingers together somehow awkwardly but it fits and it’s comfortable.
“Thank you, I love you.”
Minseok feels warm.
***
He is standing by the counter of his kitchen with the groceries placed on top of the marbled material when he feels the vibrating of his phone.
Minseok's hands are full however, with his hands covered in flour which he coated the pork with for tonight's dinner, so, he calls Lu Han for help.
"Lu! Can you check my message for me, please? My hands are occupied!"
And like lightning, Lu Han jumps out of the couch, almost trips on his own feet while running to Minseok. "Where's your phone?" He asks once reaching the kitchen.
Minseok wiggles his butt in response, eliciting a laugh from Lu Han but he knows what Minseok meant.
Lu Han places a hand on Minseok's hip as Minseok's back faces him, he takes the phone from his back pocket and playfully slaps Minseok's butt after taking the phone. Minseok gasps and kicks him backwards. Lu Han laughs as Minseok misses him and rolls his eyes.
"Not funny, Lu." Minseok's voice is stern as he works on coating the pork with flour but Lu Han knows that Minseok isn't mad, hence, he passes that off and reads the message.
"It's from Yixing. No wait, Yifan." Lu Han says, furrowing his brows as he brings the phone closer to his face.
Minseok turns his head to Lu Han and frowns after seeing Lu Han have trouble with reading small letters again. "You're not wearing your contacts?" He questions as he leaves the sink and counter to join Lu Han on the table.
Lu Han hums in reply. "I really don't like wearing it at home." It takes Minseok a few while to register what Lu Han had said, 'home'. He feels undeniably happy, that Lu Han considers his place as his home so lets that go and fills his heart.
Minseok is standing beside Lu Han, who is half-sitting on the table with the phone close to his face, and because his hands are still stained with flour, he can't take the phone away from his struggling best friend and just asks instead, "What does it say?" Minseok asks as he finds a way to fit right next to Lu Han, too next that their thighs and shoulders touch but as always, neither one moves.
"It's Kris sending a message from Yixing's phone, and..." Lu Han brings the phone a little farther from his face as he scrolls through the message. Minseok squints a little, trying to read what is on the glowing screen
"Yixing broke up with his girlfriend." Is all Lu Han says before he drops the phone on Minseok's thigh. It slides down Minseok's thigh on to the floor but the both of them are shocked, eyes wide as they stare into each other's eyes, reading each other's thoughts about this.
"Why?" They say in unison, brows furrowing together. Yixing and his girlfriend had always been perfect for each other... So why did they break up?
"Tell them we're coming in ten minutes."
***
It doesn't take the both of them a lot of time before they arrived in Kris' and Yixing's apartment that's just down the street. Both are their friends from high school and from their loud group of friends back in then. Minseok remembers Yixing introducing his girlfriend to them in the cafe while Minseok crammed and Lu Han watched him while sipping on his coffee because his exams had just ended with a smug smile as he nagged on him study.
Yixing’s girlfriend had always been a nice girl, with big round eyes and a pretty smile, it’s evident why Yixing fell for her. They thought that the pair would end up walking down the aisle of a wedding hall but not anymore, not anymore.
Minseok and Lu Han did not get to eat the pork for dinner, instead, at nine o’clock in the evening and after trying to comfort Yixing for around three hours (though Yixing was not crying at all?), they find themselves pulled into a club a few minute drive away from Yifan and Yixing’s shared apartment.
“She fucking cheated on me! Isn’t that fucking wonderful?” Yixing laughs bitterly before he chugs down his bottle of whiskey and yells at the bartender for another glass.
Minseok looks at Lu Han, then at Yifan who is sitting beside Yixing. Now, they are sitting by the bar and on the small stools, with Minseok next to Lu Han, Lu Han next to Yixing, and Yifan on Yixing’s left.
“But, it’s her fucking loss anyways. Not mine.” Yixing states. Yixing barely curses, but it is not new for them to hear Yixing cursing aloud. Minseok bites his bottom lip as he watches Yifan place an arm around Yixing’s shoulder and massage his shoulder a little while Lu Han pats Yixing’s back.
They let Yixing rant as they indulge themselves in their own choice of liquor, hearing Yixing’s problems about his supposed to be perfect relationship with his girlfriend, is surprising. You never really know what happens behind closed doors.
After three more glasses of whiskey, Yixing stumbles out of his stool with a loud laugh and to the dance floor where bodies grind against each other. Yifan follows suit, telling Minseok and Lu Han that he’ll keep an eye out for Yixing just in case he does something stupid. Like faint because Yixing is never fond of alcohol.
“That’s… surprising…” Minseok states and downs his third glass of beer. He has a pretty high tolerance for alcohol and out of his friends, he probably is the one who can handle his alcohol well the most.
"Which?" Lu Han asks as he stirs his glass of vodka in a hand. "Yixing drinking that much or Yixing breaking up with his girlfriend and spilling his feelings on us?"
Minseok laughs a little, "The latter. But it is quite surprising how Yixing drunk that much." He feels sympathetic towards Yixing, but he knows Yixing doesn't want or need anybody's pity. Yixing is strong.
"I bet, Yifan will complain if Yixing faints before they get back to their apartment." Lu Han tells him as he turns his stool so that he is facing Minseok then he copies Lu Han's action.
"He always complains about Yixing being a pain in the ass but he had always been there for Yixing. No matter what stupidity Yixing gets into." Minseok leans forward, forearms pressing against his thighs and the glass of beer dangling from his fingers.
It’s true, it’s like Yifan is Yixing’s guardian angel here on earth, as cliché as that may sound but for the past years of being friends with them, Yifan had always always been saving Yixing’s ass from trouble.
Lu Han nods. "Speaking of Yifan, don't you think Yifan likes Yixing? I mean, well..." Lu Han shrugs and drinks from his glass. Minseok cocks a brow and thinks about it as Lu Han finishes his drink.
He notices that. Sometimes, Yifan’s eyes show endearing affection for Yixing. Sometimes, Yifan’s smiles at Yixing like the shorter is his whole world but can’t show it. Or maybe it’s the way how Yifan always cares for Yixing, how Yifan would be the helping hand, how Yifan would be the angel in disguise, how Yifan would be Yixing’s crying shoulder (though Yixing is not crying about his break-up).
“I think,” Lu Han pauses as he turns his stool again so that his back is facing the counter, he leans back then glances at Minseok before continuing, “I think Yifan knows about his feelings, he just doesn’t know what to say.”
Minseok looks up at Lu Han and the neon lights swimming over Lu Han’s face looks so pretty from this angle, the way how the light emphasizes the features of Lu Han is so so beautiful. Perhaps it’s the alcohol engulfing him.
Perhaps he also doesn’t know what to say.
“I guess…”
Their conversation dies down into sips of alcohol and fits of laughter as they talk about the little things that they notice.
After a few more rounds of alcohol and a few upbeat songs which Lu Han and Minseok constantly bounce their shoulders to, Yifan and Yixing return to them with swollen lips, dishevelled hair and uneven breathing with Yifan’s arm around Yixing’s waist, pulling him close with a smug smile on his lips.
Minseok turns to look at Lu Han and he catches the latter’s eyes just in the right time as they share a knowing look.
***
Lu Han kisses Minseok.
It’s not often, but not peculiar either. Lu Han kisses Minseok a lot, during the day when they are on the couch, he kisses his shoulder as he leans his head on it. He kisses Minseok playfully, brushing his nose against the other’s neck and then kissing him on the cheek. It’s very playful and friendly, Minseok thinks.
But this kiss is different from the stupid, light-hearted kisses Lu Han gives him. Because now, Lu Han pushes him against the wall and there is tongue, teeth and lips against lips in this kiss.
Minseok doesn’t quite know how this happened, but it happens after they stumble into his apartment, minds clouded from the alcohol with the image of Yifan and Yixing never leaving their memories. They laughed at it as they stumble into the living room with arms wrapped around each other.
Somewhere in the middle of removing their shoes and falling against each other, Lu Han pushes Minseok down the couch and kisses him. Their lips touch and almost move languidly against each other. Minseok expects his hands to push Lu Han away but he does the opposite, instead, his hands find the mop of Lu Han’s hair and pull him even closer to him.
Minseok’s back is against the leather of the couch and Lu Han is straddling him, lips separated and breathing uneven. Minseok knows that this isn’t right because they are just bestfriends and Lu Han is just drunk, intoxicated from the alcohol.
But Lu Han leans down to kiss him again, his hands finding their way to unbutton Minseok’s polo shirt and Minseok sighs just against Lu Han’s lips. His mind is telling him to stop this, to push Lu Han off him because next morning, they will be confused and awkward and not friends anymore.
Nevertheless, they end up having sex that night.
The next morning, Minseok wakes up to a back-ache and skin cold from the bareness with Lu Han’s arms still wrapped around him.
For a moment, he’s scared and he doesn’t know what to do but Lu Han’s eyes flutter open and the boy hugging him so tightly as if never wanting to let him go even his sleep, smiles at him and greets him, “Hi… Good morning.” His voice is breathy and Minseok knows he’s just as confused and nervous as he is.
Minseok smiles back, facial muscles a little stiff as he does so. “Hello.”
They talk over this once they had properly pulled their clothes back on and Lu Han had slumped himself of the couch while Minseok stands up, hands on his hips and they both talk at the same time. “So-“
Lu Han looks up at Minseok and Minseok looks down at him before their cheeks stretch out and their lips let out a loud laugh and a breathy sigh. The silence reigns for a while before Minseok breaks the silence, sinking down beside Lu Han with his forearms pressed against his thighs and his hands together in between his legs.
“Lu Han,”
“Yeah?”
Minseok turns and sees Lu Han’s eyes up into crescents and he feels his words fails him yet again because what do one say to a best friend that they had sex with? Dramas didn’t prepare him for this scenario because usually, Person A leaves before Person B wakes up and everything will just shatter between them, both parties lose connection and never talk to each other again.
This, he doesn’t want to happen.
So he speaks. “Lu Han I-I know that we were both drunk last night. But I know what we did, I know that you know that too… and I-I want… I want to ask…” Minseok shifts so that a leg is folded on the couch and he is facing Lu Han.
“I want to ask… Do you like me?”
Lu Han just stares at him as if boring holes into his soul and Minseok wants to sink down into the couch to never appear again. Because this is really embarrassing and he doesn’t want Lu Han to hate him or never talk to him because Lu Han is special to him and he will do anything to not lose Lu Han in his life. Because Lu Han is his pillar and he’s the only one that he can rely on at two-thirty in the morning and when he is worrying about a presentation tomorrow, because Lu Han is the only one that is sure that will never leave him but now he messed everything up… It’s alright if Lu Han doesn’t like him b-
Lu Han’s hands are on his shoulders and his lips are against his own, he kisses him softly and now with much sureness compared to last night’s when his kisses were cautious as if learning the ropes to Minseok. But this kiss is soft and he doesn’t feel tongue in his mouth. This kiss is like a first kiss though different from the one he had back at high school at he remembers telling this to Lu Han with fiery cheeks.
“I think it took us Yifan and Yixing to realize our feelings.” Lu Han says once he’s pulled away from Minseok’s lips and albeit-Minseok is a little disappointed from the loss of contact.
Minseok raises a brow, still a little baffled from Lu Han’s words. “Do you like me? Like that type of like where you like it when we kiss and do that thing last night?” Minseok doesn’t know why he sounds so dumb right now but Lu Han laughs and kisses him again.
And again.
And again.
“If that doesn’t answer your question I’m not going to talk to you ever again and I will move back to Beijing-“
Lu Han is shut up by a bone-crushing bear hug.
"I love you."