Airport Hugs
Title: Airport Hugs
Length: One-shot | 2k+
Pairing: XiuHan
Rating: G
Genre: Fluff
Summary: Minseok musters up courage before speaking his next words. “I really like your hugs, please come back soon.”
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“Airports had witnessed more sincere kisses than wedding halls,” more longing hugs had been shared in airports than in anywhere, longest goodbyes had been muttered in low, hushed tones in the midst of people and rolling trolleys, hugs had always been the best and are the best. Maybe it’s the clutching of clothes, the pressing of bodies against each other desperately, wanting to feel the warmth of their loved one, wanting to assure themselves that they are here with them, that they exist on the same place as them, that they are real and are not speaking from their laptop or monitor screens. Or maybe it’s the want to just cry on their shoulder and tell them how much they’ve missed the ones that had been far away for too long. Whatever the reason is, hugs in airports are always the most meaningful ones, the most tragic ones, some hugs may break your heart, some hugs will make you feel warm and happy because they met. The people hugging met again.
Minseok had always been fond of hugs, he likes somebody who hugs him a lot, he likes the feeling of bodies pressed together and heartbeats beating steadily against flesh. He likes the shared warmth of cuddling when the airconditioning is too cold, he likes the feeling of skin against skin, scent colliding against scent. Minseok likes hugging.
To his luck, his bestfriend, Lu Han, likes hugging too. Much more than him, Minseok presumes this because Lu Han likes hugging him anywhere and anytime and there is no exaggeration in that when he says that.
Lu Han hugs him at the mall once, when he is scanning the racks of clothes. He is standing by one of the racks, a hand running through the shirts when a pair of arms sneaks their way into his waist, sending him in a jolt hence hitting Lu Han on the face with his elbow. Lu Han laughs that off and rubs his nose with the back of his hand before proceeding to hug Minseok from the back like nothing bad happened at all. Minseok smiles.
Then he hugs them on the field once, while they are playing soccer, they hug a lot or rather-Lu Han hugs him a lot (though there are no complaints about this because hey, it’s Lu Han and Lu Han’s hugs are always good, and secretly, Minseok wishes that he’d never stop hugging him like that). It happens after Minseok scores a goal and from across the field, Lu Han runs to him and envelopes him into a big bear hug, completely forgetting about the fact that they are supposed to be opponents on that one game.
Sometimes, in Minseok’s apartment, when Lu Han comes over (yes, comes over because Minseok never calls him over, Lu Han just comes to his apartment every single day and spend their day off in the apartment or at times, they’d go on coffee dates cafes and spend time just like that) they hug a lot, on the couch while they watch the television lazily with their legs tangled at the middle of the couch because they’re sitting on both edges, they don’t know how but before the show ends, Lu Han is already hugging Minseok from the waist, his head tucked under Minseok’s arm comfortably, legs draped on Minseok’s lap and instinctively, Minseok’s hand finds its way to stroke Lu Han’s hair. They spend most of the afternoon like that.
They are content like this, with their friendship being on its highest tier and sometimes Minseok wonders, what to do now?
Though that doesn’t imply that he is getting bored of Lu Han, nope, definitely not, Lu Han is the best friend that he can find and he loves Lu Han a lot. He loves him a lot. He is thankful for Lu Han being there for him for the past… thirteen years of friendship and there is never a dull moment with Lu Han, there had never been a dull moment with his only Chinese friend. Yeah, everything is colourful with Lu Han.
The real story starts in Lu Han’s apartment, it is Minseok’s rare turn to barge into his door with a bag of snacks and carbonated drinks for them to indulge in for the whole day. Minseok doesn’t find Lu Han sprawled on the couch and anxiety starts to fill his system as he hastily drops the bag of chips and cans of coke on the couch.
When Minseok arrives in Lu Han’s apartment, Lu Han is usually on the couch or lazily lying around the living room, and now, Lu Han is neither on the couch nor anywhere around the living room and this makes Minseok panicky, he runs to the kitchen and it’s empty (and messy).
Minseok runs to the bathroom, not minding if he’d saw Lu Han completely naked and singing to some Mandarin song but anxiety and panic gets into him more when Lu Han isn’t on the bathroom either.
There is only one last stop, okay, two. It’s either the balcony or his bedroom, Minseok runs to his bedroom first, as if he’s on an action movie and he’s about to find out whether the suspect is behind the door or not. Slowly, he twists the doorknob then pushes the door open.
He almost stumbles forward when he sees Lu Han only in his (Donald duck) boxers and a white tank top. Lu Han catches his gaze and smiles at him, and Minseok feels bad because Minseok can feel the uneasiness in Lu Han’s eyes.
When Minseok fully steps inside, panic all gone from his head, that is when he realizes what is happening. Lu Han is packing.
“Why are you packing?” He asks as he walks over to Lu Han’s side, inspecting his luggage with a hand before looking curiously at Lu Han who smiles meekly at him. And Minseok has zero intention of telling Lu Han that he got so anxious about not seeing him on the living room.
Lu Han bumps Minseok away from his luggage lying on his bed with his hips and takes back his boxers that Minseok took from the bunch. “I’m flying to China, wait, I’m going back to China.” He says plainly, stuffing his boxers back into the luggage.
It takes Minseok a few seconds before he mutters out an, “Ah.”
But wait! Lu Han is going back to China?! Is this for good?! Why didn’t he tell him?! “What?! You’re going back to China? For good?! Tell me!” Minseok almost screams into his best friend’s face, hands gripping tightly on the Chinese’s shoulder.
Minseok sees Lu Han’s brow raise at him, his face scrunching upwards… and hell! Minseok knows what that stupid grin means! Lu Han is trying not to laugh at him and he wants to punch Lu Han in the face for telling him this matter only today.
“Don’t tell me you’re leaving for good or I will pull your scrotum over your head.” He threatens his best friend and then… that is when Lu Han loses it and falls on Minseok’s shoulders, erupting into loud laughter and dear Minseok still can’t understand why Lu Han is laughing about a serious matter.
“Stop that! Stop laughing!” He says as Lu Han’s laughter still fills his room and boy, Minseok feels awkward now that he wants to punch Lu Han in the gut. Is he making fun of him because he knows he’s going to miss him?
Lu Han pulls away seconds later, hands wiping the tears prickling in his eyes and Minseok just frowns harder at him, arms crossed over his chest. “Oh God… I am not leaving for good!” Lu Han says after he had managed to catch his breath (which is a very tough thing because the image of Minseok’s enraged face is just too good).
Minseok sighs in relief and slaps Lu Han on the arm before running a hand through his hair then patting his chest. “I almost thought you’re leaving me oh my God.” Minseok’s eyes are serious and he thinks (maybe) Lu Han can see the sincerity in his voice and in his eyes.
Lu Han smiles at him before pulling him into a hug, his arms wrapped around Minseok’s shoulder and Minseok, as if it’s almost an instinct, puts his arms around Lu Han’s waist, hugging him tighter.
“Min, I can never leave you just like that and disappear. You’re seriously so dumb, you need help.” Lu Han laughs against his shoulder and usually, Minseok would punch him in the arm or kick him in the shin and tell him that that is not the case (when it really is) but this time, Minseok just hugs him even tighter.
Minseok musters up courage before speaking his next words. “I really like your hugs, please come back soon.” Then, he wants to punch himself in the face or fling himself off to the sea and never reappear in the face of Earth ever again but when Lu Han laughs and kisses his cheek (Minseok thinks it’s just for fun), his worries are washed away instantly.
“I’ll come back soon, don’t worry.”
That afternoon, Minseok finds out that Lu Han is only going back to China for a week because his mother’s cat died, his mother wishes for him to come back to Beijing to honour their- her cat (Lu Han secretly thinks that this is stupid but don’t tell his mom, this will break her heart). Minseok laughs at that reason before proceeding to help Lu Han pack.
(Packing with Lu Han consists of Minseok taking out all of his packed clothes and folding them neatly for them to fit in his luggage. Lu Han acts cocky, telling himself he did a good job while patting Minseok at the back for being a great ‘helper’.)
**
He had never thought (actually he had never thought about Lu Han leaving Seoul, he’s been with Lu Han for so long that he’s starting to forget that Lu Han’s mom moved back to Beijing two years ago) that his airport hug with his best friend will be this funny.
He thought it will be emotional, maybe shedding a few tears and sad laughs, hands clutched tightly to clothes and scents inhaled deeply. But this is a hundred of lightyears away from that scene.
Now, he is accompanying Lu Han until he boards in a few minutes. They sit together, next to each other, too next to each other that their thighs are pressing but neither of them budges because the contact is so familiar to the point that it’s sometimes so weird to not feel Lu Han touching him or being near him. This week will be a weird week.
“Airport hugs…” Minseok mutters (with Lu Han’s arm around his shoulder, pulling him closer) as he watches a couple hug tightly, really tightly because the man is going away to a foreign country, leaving the woman behind. If Lu Han isn’t too quick about squishing Minseok’s cheek with the hand around his shoulder, Minseok would have been caught by the couple that he is staring.
“What-“ He asks, turning his head to face Lu Han, brows knotted in confusion as his cheeks are still smushed by Lu Han.
“Don’t miss me too much, and I promise, when I get back from Beijing, the first thing that I will do is hug you.” Lu Han says and oh my god-Minseok doesn’t know what’s gotten into him but the smile that Lu Han gives him is so so attractive.
Minseok pries the Chinese’s hand away from his face and scoots a few inches away from him. “You better keep that promise or else I will pull your scrotum over your head.” He threatens again before Lu Han laughs and pulls him into a hug.
With his chin resting on Minseok’s shoulder and vice versa, Lu Han whispers, only loud enough for Minseok to hear with their proximity. “I promise that, and when I promise something, I always fulfil that promise.”
“I know that.”
They spend most of the time waiting for Lu Han’s plane huddled next to each other, playing apps on their phone with Minseok almost half-lying against Lu Han’s body. When Lu Han’s flight is announced, they almost reluctantly parted from each other.
“Okay, see you in a week.” Minseok says once Lu Han has his luggage with him, and is about to enter the gates. Lu Han smiles at him and Minseok swears-he can see the glint in Lu Han’s eyes.
“See you.”
They stare at each other for a while, smiles wide and eyes bright. Lu Han laughs, Minseok laughs and they hug again.
Surely, this week will be a weird week for Minseok.
A/N: This fic is so dumb oh my god. Thank you for tolerating and reading up to here.
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