Adaption 2/3
Title: Adaption 2/3
Pairing: Henhae
Rating: NC-17 overall
Genre: Fluff and other stuff
Summary: Henry Lau, desperate for a roommate, finds himself letting Lee Donghae, a man he can't communicate with, into his apartment.
-
Donghae can't face Henry. So he leaves. He waltzes right out the door and into the unwelcoming, cold streets of the city. He would have loved to stay, curl up in Henry's nice, warm bed, cuddle Henry, maybe kiss him and tell him he's adorable. Donghae's stomach clenches. Why hadn't he just stayed?
He hadn't felt anything for Henry at first. He knew Henry was off-limits from the beginning. There was no attraction despite Henry's obvious intelligence and good looks. There hadn't been any attraction until tonight.
Before Donghae came along, Henry was a straight American boy, probably filled with dreams of settling down with a beautiful woman and having tons of kids. Now, Henry is guilty of practically begging Donghae to help him get off. He had begged with his eyes and needy whisper of Donghae's name.
Donghae wants to scream or cry or kick something in frustration but he keeps walking, ignoring the frigid air biting at his exposed skin. The fresh memories of Henry are rapidly becoming embarrassing. He'd just ruined his friendship with Henry. He'd ruined his living arrangement as well.
Reaching into his pocket and pulling out his wallet, Donghae is glad to find enough money for at least one night at a motel. He has enough sense to find a motel and knows enough English to check into a cheap room. Once inside, he finds silence. He sits on the bed and thaws his freezing limbs, listening to his heart pounding in his ears.
What the hell is he supposed to do now?
-
The first thing Donghae feels when he wakes up in the morning is a wave of guilt and regret. He forces himself to push it aside and get out of bed. He showers and puts his pajamas back on, groaning because he has no other clothes to wear. He then realizes that doesn't have a toothbrush either. He swears he can still taste Henry in his mouth and there's no way for him to get rid of it.
He has to get a new pair of clothes. And brush his teeth. He has to go back to apartment. Donghae steps out of his motel room and locks the door. He considers turning his key in but as he passes the front desk and walks outside, he knows he'll be coming back to this place tonight.
As he walks, the only thing he has to keep himself occupied is his own mind. He inevitably thinks about Henry. His thoughts only manage to get as far as thinking that maybe Henry might be okay with what had happened between them before he realizes his bright blue pajamas are quite striking in the morning light. Flustered and suddenly walking more quickly, he tries to cover himself as much as he can with his coat and he ducks his head low.
When Donghae is near the apartment building, he checks his phone for the time. Henry should be in school at this time, he has morning classes today. Donghae can sneak in, get what he needs, and sneak back out. And that's exactly what he does. He slips into the apartment and changes his clothes, brushes his teeth, packs a small bag of essentials, and leaves as quickly as he'd come in.
Donghae breathes a sigh of relief as he exits the apartment building. He hadn't run into Henry, he'd made it out with only the ailment of sweaty palms. As he walks back to his motel, Donghae reaches into the bag he'd packed and pulls out a small, Korean to English dictionary. He had wanted to sort out an apology to Henry in English but now he's frowning at the portable book. There's no way he'll come up with a decent apology from such a small guide.
Donghae detours to the library. It's a weekday morning and luckily the library is mostly empty. He slips into a computer booth and finds an online translator with relative ease. Then he realizes that he has no idea what he wants to say to Henry.
“Hey sorry I ran out on you after giving you a blowjob haha still friends?” Donghae thinks to himself. No. That won't do.
After nearly an hour of writing out and deleting sentences that he isn't sure about, Donghae gives up. He doesn't know exactly what he wants to tell Henry and he doesn't know how to say the things he is sure about. So he texts Zhou Mi.
-
“Can we meet up and talk?”
“Hey can we talk?”
Zhou Mi steps out of the shower and is welcomed by simultaneous messages. One is from Henry, the other from Donghae. Zhou Mi is immediately suspicious.
“Sure. I'll come to the apartment?” Zhou Mi sends the text to both of them and waits.
“I'm out right now, I'll meet you for lunch later.”
“I'd rather not bother Henry. I'll meet you somewhere.”
Zhou Mi is very suspicious.
“I don't feel like going out. Come to my place around two?” He sends the text to both of them again and quickly receives affirmative responses.
Something has definitely gone wrong between Donghae and Henry. Zhou Mi sighs.
“What have you dumb bastards gotten yourselves into?”
-
The only thought plaguing Donghae's mind as he walks to Zhou Mi's house is how mad Henry will be if Donghae tells Zhou Mi what had happened between them. Zhou Mi is a greater friend to Henry than he is to Donghae but Zhou Mi is Donghae's only friend. Donghae hesitates before knocking on Zhou Mi's door. He hears footsteps shuffling around inside before the door opens and a smiling Zhou Mi greets him in English.
“Come in!” Zhou Mi says enthusiastically, practically pulling Donghae into his house.
“It's good to see you, Zhou Mi,” Donghae starts in English but switches to Korean, “but I have to talk to you about something serious.”
“I know,” Zhou Mi says.
Donghae stares, confused until he's suddenly being pushed into a room and a door is slammed behind him. Now Donghae is in Zhou Mi's guest room, staring at Henry who is sitting in the bed in front of him. A few seconds of silence pass before Henry shouts to Zhou Mi outside the door.
“What the hell is going on?”
“I know something weird is happening between you two so I'm forcing you to work it out,” Zhou Mi calls back.
Henry puts his face in his hands as if he's annoyed and exhausted. Donghae wants to console him but he doesn't.
“Zhou Mi,” Henry grumbles, “you have the most paranoid logic. Everything would have been fine. You didn't have to lock us in a room together!”
“Whatever!” Zhou Mi yells. “Just... talk!”
“What are we supposed to say when we can't understand each other?!”
Donghae stands in between a frustrated Henry and an obnoxious Zhou Mi and although he can't understand everything, he's slightly offended at Henry's comment.
“I can understand you,” Donghae says softly. Henry looks at him as if he's just remembered that he's not alone in the room. Donghae stares at Henry's suddenly nervous face and a rush of words flow into his head. “We can't always understand each other, but when we can... it makes me really happy. I like studying English with you. You make me want to learn quickly so we can know more about each other. Last night, I... I crossed a boundary that I shouldn't have crossed and if you ask me to leave, I will. But... I don't want to leave. I've come to enjoy living in your apartment. I thought I'd be lonely and miserable in America without my family and friends but taking walks with you and making music with you and ordering erotic cakes with you has made me... just... happy. I'm sorry, Henry, and thank you for your hospitality... I'll leave the moment you ask me to.”
It isn't until his words are finished that Donghae realizes he's said everything in Korean and Henry hasn't understood a word of it. But the look on Henry's face is somehow understanding and sympathetic, as if Henry sees through the outburst of a foreign language and knows what Donghae is trying to say.
The door behind Donghae opens and Zhou Mi steps in, staring at Donghae and then Henry. Donghae turns and leaves the room quietly, sitting on the couch in Zhou Mi's living room and waiting for Zhou Mi to translate his words.
Donghae takes a calming breath and looks around Zhou Mi's house. He'd stayed here when he had first come to America and he notices that not much has changed. Zhou Mi's house smells of tea and a mix of fragrances that are probably very expensive. Zhou Mi isn't incredibly rich but he does have expensive tastes. Donghae remembers the well-tailored suit he had first seen Zhou Mi in and he smiles. He's glad things hadn't worked out between them romantically. He could never have handled Zhou Mi and his brand-named everything.
Donghae tenses as Zhou Mi takes a seat next to him on the couch.
“He doesn't want you to leave,” Zhou Mi says softly and Donghae isn't sure if he feels himself relax or tense more. “He said that he's a little confused but he wants you to stay.”
Donghae stays still and doesn't speak because he isn't sure what to say. He feels a warm hand patting his back and turns to look into sympathetic eyes.
“I'm here for both of you,” Zhou Mi says. “You're my friends and I'm glad you both came to me when you did something stupid.”
Donghae can't help his laugh as he pushes Zhou Mi away. “Thank you,” he says, smiling and returning the pat on the back. “Thank you for everything.”
Zhou Mi smiles and gives a slight nod before standing. “Now I think you two should talk. I'll be in the kitchen if you need help, okay?” Zhou Mi turns swiftly and walks straight to the kitchen, leaving Donghae feeling vulnerable on the couch.
Donghae cautiously returns to the guest room. Henry is sitting comfortably on the edge of the bed and he glances up when Donghae enters. He moves to the right slightly, making room for Donghae to sit beside him. Donghae leaves the door to the room in a crack and takes a seat next to Henry.
“I'm sorry,” Henry says quietly. “I shouldn't have... I should have... it's not your fault, it's mine.”
Henry's words are slow and carefully-chosen so that Donghae can understand. Donghae smiles softly and places a hand on Henry's shoulder.
“It's okay,” he says, “it's my fault, too. I'm glad... that you still want me.”
Donghae watches Henry's face go from surprised to amused and he wonders if he'd said something incorrectly.
“Yeah,” Henry practically whispers, “I want you... to stay.”
“Good,” Donghae says. “Thank you.” He wants to say a million more words to Henry. He wants them both to get out all of their feelings and clear any awkwardness between them. But he calms himself. He'll continue staying with Henry, there will be time for more words in the future. For now, Donghae shakes Henry's hand. Donghae has a feeling that repairing his friendship with Henry will be worth it because even though Henry's hand is hesitant, his smile is sincere.
-
Donghae hadn't expected it to be easy, and it isn't. There's an anxiousness and a frustration eating away at his relationship with Henry. It's difficult to just forget the intimate night he'd had with Henry and it's even harder to discuss the event when Donghae still struggles with his English.
It's been several days and they've barely looked at each other. Donghae has no idea how to start a conversation when the atmosphere between himself and Henry is uncomfortable. Besides the occasional smile and nod to reassure each other that they're still on good terms, Donghae and Henry hardly interact at all.
When Donghae is past the point of desperation, needing to break the silence between them, he takes the first step in rebuilding their friendship. He hears Henry exiting his room and entering the kitchen. Nervously, Donghae walks toward the kitchen as well, notebook in hand.
“Henry?” Donghae calls out, making Henry turn to face him. “I need some help.”
“What is it?” Henry asks in a tone that lets Donghae know that he isn't a burden.
Donghae opens his notebook to a page filled with sentences he'd been practicing on his own and hands it to Henry. “Can you correct these?”
“Sure,” Henry says with a smile, taking the notebook and scanning the page. His mouth opens slightly to mouth the words and Donghae's fists clench because Henry's mouth isn't something Donghae should be paying attention to.
“Okay,” Henry says, pointing to a spot in the notebook, “this should be 'are' instead of 'is' but besides that, you did really well.”
“Thank you, I'll fix it,” Donghae says quickly, taking his notebook and returning to his room without even glancing at Henry.
He closes his door and then rests his forehead against it and closes his eyes. Looking at Henry's mouth only made him think of Henry's moans and Henry's breathing. He knows those are not things he should be thinking about. Friends, Donghae tells himself, they're going to be friends. Henry isn't gay. Their night together had been nothing more than an accident. Henry is probably just lonely and Donghae refuses to take advantage of that.
Henry's feelings come first because Donghae knows Henry is the most confused between the two of them. Donghae had been confused but he realizes now that his confusion had merely been a lack of admitting his feelings for Henry.
Donghae sorts those feelings out slowly. It's an attraction just deep enough to make him want to try a relationship with Henry, deep enough to make him learn English just to talk to Henry every day. Thinking about Henry intimately again brings out repressed feelings that Donghae wishes he could keep repressed. His attraction to Henry is undeniable. A mix of Donghae's loneliness and Henry's kindness and availability have morphed into Donghae wanting nothing more than to plant himself in Henry's love life and stay there.
With a calming sigh, Donghae admits to himself that he's incredibly attracted to Henry for a number of reasons. Then he clears them all from his head and opens his eyes. When his thoughts are finally in place, Donghae returns to his studying, slowly translating all of the things he wants to tell Henry but probably never will.
-
The saga of silence continues. Donghae is hesitant to cross paths with Henry and for all Donghae knows, Henry is the same. Donghae isn't going to pounce on Henry. The only indication that Donghae has of Henry's feelings is what Donghae considers a moment of horny male weakness that led to an accidental sexual encounter.
Donghae is dying to know what Henry is feeling but with the language barrier and a river of awkward between them, it's impossible for him to ever know. He decides to try and observe Henry, hoping to determine feelings from actions.
Henry is sitting on the floor, his back against the couch, his legs spread in front of him. The television remote is in his lap and he appears to be absentmindedly watching an infomercial about waist-slimming pants for women. This doesn't help Donghae at all.
Donghae fiddles with some words in his mind before stepping within hearing range of Henry.
“Should I buy it for you?”
Henry's head turns to Donghae quickly. He glances back to the screen and laughs.
“Yes, please.”
Donghae smiles and, at the sound of Henry's friendly laugh, takes a seat on the floor, leaving plenty of space between them for the river of awkward to flow. Henry looks mostly relaxed and it makes Donghae relax in return. Henry relaxing is something that Donghae needs right now.
There's a silence as Donghae tries to think of something to say and Henry flips through the channels. There is no deepness to Henry's actions, he's simply changing the channel, looking for something to watch in boredom and perhaps in an attempt to avoid conversation with Donghae. The itch to know, the pain of wondering what's going through Henry's head finally breaks down all of Donghae's cautiously placed barriers. He has to know.
“Henry...” Donghae starts, watching the channel number come to a halt as Henry stops to listen, “are you okay with... being gay?”
Donghae watches Henry's eyes widen slightly and his face stiffen. Henry seems to ponder the question very seriously before opening his mouth to speak.
“Uh... I'm not sure I understand... what are you asking?”
Donghae quickly tries to rephrase the question in his mind. “Is it okay that I'm gay?”
Henry's mouth parts for a moment in realization and then closes into a thin line. Then he smiles. “Of course,” he says. “There's nothing wrong with it.”
Donghae smiles back and then nods so that he doesn't have to say another word. He returns his eyes to the television screen and they watch together in silence.
That hadn't been the question he'd wanted to ask Henry, but it was a start.
-
Donghae wakes up from a dream with a start. As soon as he wakes and realizes that it's still dark outside, he forgets his dream entirely. His bed is far too warm for his liking. A walk to the kitchen will give it time to cool down.
Donghae walks quietly so that he doesn't disturb Henry's rest, but then he hears a soft voice coming from the kitchen and notices that the light is already on. Donghae walks silently until he recognizes the voice as Henry's, and then he stops and listens.
“Well his English still isn't the greatest, you know? And sometimes he says things... but he means something else... and today he asked me if I was okay with being gay. I thought he meant me but he meant himself. But I was thinking... and... well, the idea of me being gay isn't something I've thought about before and now I realize that it doesn't bother me. What?” Henry sighs. “That's not a fair question. I'm really confused right now, especially about him. Yeah... yeah, I guess it would be best to sleep on it. I'm sorry for calling you so late, man, but I really needed someone to talk to. Yeah, thank you, seriously.”
Donghae barely hears Henry whispering a “good night” to someone on the phone. He's already back at his bedroom door by the time the call ends and he's trying to replay Henry's words in his head. There had been words he knows and words he doesn't know, all spoken quickly. Even so, Donghae knows what Henry had been talking about. Henry is confused about him. To Donghae, the most prominent part about that is that Henry had been talking about him. It left him hopeful, somehow, but not willing to pry past Henry's defenses too harshly. Although perhaps a prod or two in the right direction might be called for.
Donghae crawls back into his now cold bed and dreams of the path to a bed that's always warm.
-
It's a dreary, late winter morning and Donghae finds himself eager to start the day. He wakes up early, takes a shower and brushes his teeth, and then he spends far longer than necessary standing in front of his mirror. He picks out a plaid shirt that's just tight enough to show off his muscles under rolled-up sleeves. He pairs it with simple, comfortable jeans and a pair of white socks just to keep his feet warm. He eyes his dark hair in the mirror before putting half of it into a ponytail that he considers stylish and leaving the rest down. After examining himself and deciding that he looks pretty damn good, Donghae trots towards the kitchen to make breakfast.
Donghae doesn't have anywhere to go today; his extra effort into his looks had been prompted by the fact that Henry doesn't have anywhere to go today either. They'll both be together, inside on a rainy day, and Donghae is only being kind by thinking of tactics to pull Henry from his confusion. He doesn't want to push Henry but he figures that making himself more appealing isn't a push, it's merely an influence.
Making a typical breakfast of scrambled eggs and toast is easy and just fast enough to give Donghae time to set out two plates before Henry trudges sleepily into the kitchen.
“I smell food,” Henry mumbles and stretches to wake himself. Donghae points to a plate on the table and watches Henry trudge further to sit down in front of it. Donghae sets a mug of coffee (sweetened to Henry's tastes) in front of him and Henry reaches for it first, happily waking himself further.
“Did you sleep well?” Donghae asks, knowing the answer already. Henry had been up in the middle of the night taking a phone call, there's no way he'd slept well.
“Not really,” Henry answers, sighing very softly before taking a few bites of food. “Thanks for breakfast, by the way, this is awesome.”
“You're welcome,” Donghae smiles and takes a few bites from his own plate. He feels slightly stupid, being clean and dressed while Henry looks like a zombie. Zombies don't want to look at your ass in your jeans or your muscles through your shirt, they just want to eat. So Donghae leaves Henry alone. They eat quietly minus a few food compliments from Henry. When Henry is done, Donghae stands to pick up the dishes to clean them but catches Henry's now awake eyes glancing up and down his body.
“Are you going somewhere today?” Henry asks after a moment of contemplation.
“No,” Donghae shrugs and carries their plates and mugs to the sink, easily keeping his cool composure.
“Oh,” Henry says, nodding slowly. “You just look... so... dressed.”
Donghae can practically feel Henry kicking himself for that one.
“I am dressed,” Donghae replies simply. Feigning stupidity with words is easy for Donghae when they're in a language that he doesn't technically know.
“Yes,” Henry nods, clearing his throat, “yes you are. Hey, um, I think I'm gonna take a quick shower and get a couple more hours of sleep.”
Donghae doesn't have time to think of the right words to stop Henry, so he watches Henry leave and then he scrubs a plate with an unnecessary ferocity. Henry is going to sleep the day away and ruin Donghae's plans of finally hanging out. He stops scrubbing to briefly think back to the moment that Henry had looked him over. He wonders if Henry's flustered appearance had been because of Donghae's looks or due to lack of sleep. Then he wonders if maybe he'd confused Henry further. Then he feels bad.
Frowning, Donghae puts the clean dishes away and shuffles his feet to the couch. Perhaps a little more sleep is a good idea.
-
“You look better like this.”
Donghae hears a soft mumble but he's not sure what it means. Maybe he'd imagined it. He keeps his eyes closed and tries to sleep some more. Something carefully removes a strand of hair from his cheek, pushing it back to a more comfortable place where it won't tickle his skin. Donghae hadn't imagined that.
Eyes open and Donghae sees Henry seated on the edge of the coffee table directly in front of the couch, his hand pulling away from Donghae's face.
“Hey,” Henry says with a hesitant smile. He's dressed in a plain red t-shirt and a pair of sweatpants. It's obvious that he's more well-rested now, even to Donghae's tired eyes.
“Hi Henry,” Donghae murmurs, smiling back sleepily. He sits up slowly, trying to at least pretend he doesn't feel incredibly groggy. He stops smiling when Henry suddenly laughs.
“Donghae, your hair,” Henry says, his mouth covered to muffle his laughter.
Donghae reaches up to pat his head and realizes that his ponytail is half undone and the other half is a mess, strands sticking out wildly. Donghae groans and tries to fix it but his tired hands are too clumsy and he only manages to make it worse.
“Let me do it,” Henry says as if he's annoyed at Donghae's attempt and Donghae freezes. “Sit on the floor.”
Donghae gathers enough sense to sit on the floor with his back against the couch. Henry sits on the couch behind him, legs on either side of Donghae's body. He carefully untangles Donghae's hair from the hair tie and then runs his fingers through the soft locks, smoothing them down. Donghae is sitting with eyes squeezed shut and palms clenched because all he can think about is the fact that this isn't the first time he's been between Henry's legs with Henry's hands in his hair. Henry's hands go from untangling and smoothing to gentle combing and Donghae relaxes at the calming touches.
“I like your hair,” Henry says quietly. “I don't think I've told you that before, but I like it.”
Donghae pieces together the words and is suddenly glad that he's been putting off a haircut for a long time.
“Thank you,” Donghae says because he's pretty sure he was just paid a compliment and that a “thank you” is a proper response. The gentle combing continues and Donghae relaxes more, eventually letting his head lean on the knee next to him. Henry's sweatpants smell nice enough to keep Donghae's head there as Henry's fingers start to play with Donghae's hair. The playing slowly becomes tame until Henry is practically petting Donghae, his hand trailing through Donghae's hair comfortingly. Donghae shivers when he feels fingers press through his hair just enough to lightly brush the back of his neck and then Henry stops.
Donghae realizes that he's breathing rather deeply, relaxed and slightly turned on from the gentle actions. He has no idea what Henry is feeling or why Henry had just become incredibly familiar with his head but suddenly he feels like the confused one between them.
“Donghae,” Henry whispers and if it weren't for the silence in the room, Donghae wouldn't be able to hear him at all, “I like you.”
Donghae pauses. “I... like you, too,” he says, eyes focused on his knees.
“You know what I mean by that... right?” Henry's voice is still quiet.
“Yes,” Donghae says.
“But I'm...”
“Confused.” Donghae finishes for Henry, then he turns around. “Henry, I...”
Donghae doesn't realize that his face is almost in Henry's crotch. Henry's eyes widen. He closes his legs quickly and looks away. Donghae is stunned momentarily but regains his composure and tries to remember at least one of the phrases he'd learned for Henry.
“Take as much time as you need,” Donghae says slowly, “I'm not going anywhere.”
Henry looks at him then, a sort of adoration in his eyes, devoid of confusion. He reaches his hand out slowly and Donghae is too busy looking into Henry's eyes that he doesn't realize that Henry isn't trying to reach out to him, he's trying to return the hair tie.
“I don't know how to do ponytails, so...” Henry offers a small smile.
Donghae smiles back and takes the hair tie. “I'll teach you someday.” Not wanting to disturb Henry any further, Donghae stands to leave, brushing Henry's leg with his own before heading towards his room.
“Donghae?” Henry calls out just before Donghae can disappear from his sight. “Do you wanna maybe... go out to lunch with me? I'll pay since you made breakfast this morning.”
Donghae smiles. “Sure,” he says, and the awkwardness between them fades further away.
-
Several days pass. Henry's confession and Donghae's reciprocation had opened up communication between them. There are no longer awkward silences and the smiles they share are genuine. Sometimes Donghae will throw an arm over Henry's shoulder and Henry responds with a pleased smile. They don't talk often since Henry is busy with school and the absence makes Donghae lonely and bored. So when Henry comes home one day and excitedly announces that it's spring break, Donghae mirrors Henry's enthusiasm with an enormous smile.
Unfortunately, Henry spends the entire first day of spring break in his room. Donghae assumes he's catching up on sleep and doesn't disturb him. Donghae is on the couch the next day mindlessly watching television when Henry trudges into the living room.
“I'm bored and I need to get out of this apartment,” he declares. Donghae stares with no idea of how to respond. Henry frowns and sits next to Donghae. “Will you go somewhere with me? It'd be boring if I went alone.”
“Sure,” Donghae says even though he has no idea what's happening.
“Thanks!” Henry says, slapping Donghae's shoulder and standing up quickly. “Pack your bags.”
“Huh? But... wh... where are we going?” Donghae manages to stutter as Henry struts away.
“A lake!” Henry yells from his room.
Donghae doesn't question further. He remains puzzled as he packs a duffel bag with enough clothes to last for a few days along with toiletries and other necessities. He hears Henry talking to someone and he peeks his head into Henry's room just as Henry hangs up the phone.
“I reserved a cabin for us by the lake,” Henry explains, hauling his own duffel bag out of his room and into the hallway. “I saw that they were having deals online for coupl... for... parties of two, so...”
Donghae smiles and nods as if he understands Henry's stuttered words but then he frowns. “What about Zhou Mi? Or... other friends?”
“Well... everyone else is probably busy,” Henry mumbles. “Besides, you've barely left this apartment since you've been here! We both need to get out for a while.”
“Yeah,” Donghae agrees. “Thanks, Henry.”
Although Donghae has questions, he doesn't ask them. Having fun with Henry is more important than the questions in his head.
-
The drive from the city to the lake is comfortable. Donghae sits in the passenger seat with his window opened in a crack, giving him a light breeze. It's sunny and warm, the perfect weather for spending a day outside, and Donghae slowly becomes more excited to reach their destination. He still isn't sure what Henry's intentions are but he doesn't worry about it. Henry had been right, they both need to get out for a while.
“You know how to drive, right?” Henry asks as they push deeper into woods, no longer passing tall buildings or getting stuck in traffic.
“Yeah,” Donghae says. “I do.”
“Then maybe you can drive on the way back.”
“No!” Donghae whines. “That's scary!”
Henry laughs. “Okay, you can drive through the woods where there aren't any cars and when we get back to the city, I'll take over.”
Donghae thinks before he nods. “Okay.”
Henry laughs again and it sounds as if he's laughing simply because he's happy. Donghae smiles, eyes lingering on Henry's happy face before he turns to gaze at the trees outside his window.
When the lake comes into view, Henry slows the car just a little, leaving just enough time for him to share a grin with Donghae before speeding up again. The road they're driving on is above the lake, giving them a view above the trees. Donghae notices cabins spread out along the shore, gradually becoming more clear as their car drives closer.
“I came here with a few friends a couple summers ago,” Henry starts. “It's usually pretty packed during the summer but the lake is still cold during spring so there shouldn't be many people around.” Donghae nods, tearing his eyes away from the lake when Henry parks the car. “I gotta go into the main office and grab the key, be right back.”
When Henry leaves, Donghae glances around the car and considers the vehicle he'd been sitting in for what feels like hours. Henry's car smells nice. It isn't really a surprise to Donghae since Henry's apartment always smells nice too. Donghae hopes he doesn't make the apartment smell worse. He frowns at the thought and opens the glove compartment. He only realizes that it's an invasion of privacy after it's already open and he's looking at a pamphlet for lakeside cabins. Henry seems to be taking forever so Donghae decides to read the pamphlet and practice his English.
The pamphlet is boring, an advertisement for the lake and its activities, until Donghae passes a phrase that he has to read twice to fully understand.
“Now offering special deals for couples - spend a romantic getaway in one of our cabins for half-price,” he reads out loud. “Romantic?” Donghae imagines a cabin decorated with hearts and rose petals and he feels himself flush. Henry wouldn't get that kind of cabin for them, would he? Donghae glances at the office door just in time to see Henry coming out and he stuffs the pamphlet back in the glove compartment and turns to look out the window.
“Hey,” Henry says, sounding out of breath as he gets back into the car. “Sorry it took a while. Um... the lady at the desk kept insisting on... a cabin with one bed... but I got one with separate rooms, so... yeah...”
Donghae tries to hold back but he can't help it, he laughs. Henry looks adorable when he's flustered. Donghae reaches a hand to pinch Henry's squishy cheek and then proceeds to mess up Henry's hair until Henry is laughing too.
“Stop it!” Henry screeches. “Let's just go!”
Donghae grins through the short ride to their cabin, then opens his mouth in amazement upon seeing it. The cabin itself is small, quaint, with a short set of stairs leading to a porch attached to double doors. Donghae steps out of the car and his eyes survey the area. The lake looks much bigger up close, the large expanse of water separating their cabin from the others. Trees surround the cabin, darkening the view, but the sun reflecting off of the water creates a warm light. Donghae glances at a small dock extending from the shore into the water but his eyes are torn away when his duffel bag hits him in the stomach.
“I'm not carrying your luggage for you,” Henry says rather smugly before briskly walking towards their cabin. Donghae glares at the back of Henry's head before picking up his bag and following.
The cabin is warm and comfortably lit from the day's sun. There is a small living area with a country-style couch and table across from a fireplace. The living area connects directly to a small kitchen and dining table. The wood is a bright color, suiting a spring vacation.
Henry steps forward to open a door, peering inside. “I guess I'll take this room,” he says. As Henry stands in the doorway, looking around the room, Donghae quietly stands behind him, inching closer until they're almost touching. Henry turns and jumps in fright. “Jerk! You scared the crap out of me!”
Donghae laughs and pats Henry's head before moving to the room next to Henry's and placing his bag inside. As he exits the room, he sees Henry's t-shirt being draped over the back of the couch. Henry's torso is bare and his shoes are being slipped off until he's left in a pair of shorts.
“What are you doing?” Donghae questions as if a mostly naked Henry doesn't bother him.
“I'm gonna go swimming,” Henry states with a shrug. “Wanna come?”
Before Donghae can answer, Henry is walking out the door, bathroom towel slung over his shoulder. Donghae stares after Henry before registering Henry's invitation and quickly removing his own clothes, grabbing a towel, and heading out the door. He reaches the water's edge just in time to watch Henry dive in. He sets his towel down and sits at the end of the dock, waiting for Henry to resurface.
When Henry's head pops out of the water, he blinks up at Donghae, mutters “ohmygod” quietly and then slowly sinks his head back underwater. Donghae takes a second to realize that Henry had been looking at his body before he laughs and leans back on his elbows, putting himself on display. He closes his eyes and pretends to be enjoying the sun. He hears several splashes and a frustrated sigh before he's pulled off of the dock and into the water.
Over the next few minutes, Donghae discovers that Henry likes pushing him underwater. When Donghae whines and asks Henry to stop, Henry only does it again before swimming away. Donghae resurfaces and floats in one place, frowning at Henry. Henry only manages to ignore him for a minute before he sighs and swims closer.
“I'm sorry and you can dunk me if you want to,” Henry says although he doesn't look happy about it.
Donghae grins, kisses Henry's cheek, and then splashes Henry in the face with water before climbing up onto the dock. He lies on his back with his eyes closed, feeling quite pleased with himself. He hears Henry pulling his body onto the dock and feet padding against the wood but he doesn't open his eyes. Just as Henry's foot moves to kick Donghae off of the dock, Donghae latches onto Henry's leg and rolls, throwing both of them haphazardly into the water.
“Hey!” Henry gasps and coughs up a bit of water. “That was dangerous!”
Donghae bites his lip to hold back a smile and then he reaches out, pulling Henry's body against him. Henry's further complaints die in his throat.
“I'm sorry,” Donghae says softly, his back leaning against the dock for support, Henry's warm chest against his.
Henry stares at Donghae for a while before he smiles and relaxes in Donghae's arms. “You're forgiven,” he says. Then he gently pries himself from strong arms and hauls himself back onto the wooden platform, followed by Donghae.
They sit side bye side at the edge of the dock, towels draped over their shoulders as the sun goes down and their skin dries. It's peaceful and comfortable although neither of them speak. Donghae turns his head slightly, watching Henry's face, wet strands of hair sticking to skin slightly flushed from the sun's warmth. Henry's eyes flicker to his for a moment and they both smile.
“It'll get dark soon,” Henry says. “We better head in.”
They walk beside each other slowly until they're inside, only a dim glow left to naturally light the cabin's interior. Donghae starts to shuffle to his room.
“Hey,” Henry's voice interrupts his shuffling. “Do you wanna shower first?”
“I don't wanna shower,” Donghae frowns, too tired to bother with being clean.
“You better shower,” Henry scolds, “you smell like lake water.”
Donghae frowns more. “I smell fine,” he says.
“Nuh uh,” Henry protests, “you smell like... fish. And wet dog. And... dirt.”
Donghae is about to retort when he gets a better idea. He runs into Henry's room and jumps into the bed, rolling around in the sheets.
“What are you doing?!” Henry laughs although he's slightly horrified. “Now my bed smells!”
When Donghae is satisfied with his work, he rolls out of Henry's bedroom and struts toward his own. He doesn't get far before a pillow hits him in the back of the head.
“I get your room since you ruined mine,” Henry says. Donghae merely steals the pillow and quickly locks himself in his room, hearing a mutter of “jerk” before Henry leaves for the bathroom.
While Henry is in the shower, Donghae checks out the kitchen. He finds a complimentary fruit basket and a bottle of cheap wine. Realizing that he's kind of starving, he opens the basket and finds that it also includes a box of crackers and cheese spread. Fruit, crackers, and wine for dinner. Donghae would prefer a steak but decides that this will do.
“What's that?”
Donghae looks up to see Henry in a t-shirt and pajama pants, looking curiously at the basket.
“Dinner,” Donghae replies with a bit of a scrunched face.
Henry mirrors the face but then shrugs. “We can eat after you shower.”
Donghae is famished so he showers quickly but makes sure he's clean enough to smell better than a wet dog. He changes into his pajamas and returns to the kitchen, finding Henry at the end of the dining table, cutting the ends off of strawberries and placing them on a paper plate. He grins when he notices peeled apple slices among the strawberries.
“I found plates and bowls, some silverware, and paper cups,” Henry explains as Donghae takes a seat in a chair at the corner of the table. “And I found a couple of water bottles in my car so we don't have to drink wine.”
Donghae eyes the wine bottle. It's tempting, but Henry seems to prefer the water, so he fills his paper cup with water instead. Strawberries, apples, and a few crackers are surprisingly filling and Donghae finds himself leaning back in his chair with a satisfied stomach. He glances outside and notices that it's raining. The combination of a full stomach and rain against a wooden roof makes him lethargic.
“Bed time,” Henry mumbles with a yawn, starting to put away the remainder of the fruit before Donghae helps him. “Since I cut your fruit for you, you owe me your room.”
Donghae laughs lazily, trudging to switch his luggage with Henry's. “There,” he says, glaring at the sheets he'd rolled around in earlier.
After teeth brushing and mumbled good nights, Donghae lies in bed, happy to find that it doesn't actually smell. He grins, replaying a perfect day in his head and trying to fall asleep when a loud clap of thunder causes him to shriek and pull a blanket over his head. He would be worried about his manliness being at stake if he hadn't heard a similar shriek come from the bedroom next to his. After cowering under his blanket for several more rounds of thunder, Donghae hears quick feet against the floor and a door opening. He peeks his head out to see Henry rushing to jump into bed next to him.
Donghae forgets about the thunder momentarily, staring at Henry until a flash of lightning strikes along with thunder and then they're clinging to each other, Donghae pulling a blanket over both of their heads to protect them from the scary storm.
“What if a tree falls on us?!” Donghae whimpers.
“What if we get struck by lightning?!” Henry squeaks.
“That's scary!” Donghae cries, hands clenched in the front of Henry's shirt.
The storm begins to die down, leaving only quiet rolls of thunder and light rain. Donghae pulls the blanket down, glad to be out of the furnace created by their body heat. In the tiny bit of light brought by the moon, Donghae can see Henry's face, looking more nervous now than scared.
“Are you okay?” Donghae whispers.
“Yeah,” Henry nods. “You?”
Donghae nods too, still staring at Henry who stares back. They're so close, Donghae can feel Henry's breath as much as he can hear it. Donghae swallows and tilts his head up, gently kissing Henry's forehead. He pulls back and Henry is looking away. Henry moves closer, resting his head on Donghae's shoulder. Donghae wonders if Henry can hear his insane heartbeat in such close proximity.
After several minutes of Donghae gently rubbing Henry's arm to comfort him, Henry shifts abruptly and presses his lips to Donghae's. It's a quick touch and Donghae pulls away with a sharp intake of breath and widened eyes. Only a second passes before Donghae leans in again, capturing Henry's lips in a softer, sweeter kiss.
Henry wants just a little more than sweet and soft. He slips his tongue under Donghae's upper lip, tasting him briefly. Donghae's arms encircle his waist and pull him closer. Donghae opens his mouth for Henry's tongue and shivers because Henry's tongue is soft and tentative and they both taste of fruit and shared minty toothpaste. Henry pulls away and breathes, his forehead against Donghae's, both of them resting on each other after exhausting themselves for so long.
Donghae holds Henry and Henry finds shelter from the confusion he's felt for so long. They lie together, their unsorted thoughts melting away, being replaced with fresh touches and kisses and giddy feelings.
“I should go back to bed,” Henry murmurs, his lips brushing Donghae's.
“You're in bed,” Donghae murmurs back and Henry smiles before kissing him one last time and slipping out of his arms.
“Your bed smells.”
Donghae sticks his tongue out at Henry and although Henry has the urge to crawl over and bite it, he walks to the door instead.
“Good night, Henry,” Donghae whispers and Henry turns to look at him.
Donghae is hopeful, looking up at Henry and waiting for a response.
“Good night, Donghae,” Henry replies before smiling and slowly returning to his own room.
When Henry curls up in cold sheets, exhaustion claims him quickly, but he falls asleep with a smile on his face.
-
Part 3