Nectarine Sunset 4/14
Title: Nectarine Sunset
Pairing: Eunhae
Rating: PG-13
Genre: AU, Fluff, Romance.
Summary: Hyukjae has never had an easy life. He has been sheltered, living the only way he knows how. A simple meeting with a cheerful young man named Donghae will change every feeling Hyukjae has ever had.
Chapter 1 | Chapter 2 | Chapter 3 | Chapter 4 | Chapter 5 | Chapter 6 | Chapter 7 | Chapter 8 | Chapter 9 | Chapter 10 | Chapter 11 | Chapter 12 | Chapter 13 | Chapter 14 | Epilogue |
-
A very bubbly Hyukjae accompanies a very happy Donghae into the pet shelter, their fingers tangled together and their faces glowing with smiles.
“Oh wow,” Sooyoung says as they enter the shelter, “you two looked like you stepped out of some sort of catalog. Like the kind with pictures of people who are way too happy to be modeling clothing.”
“You're just jealous of our happiness,” Donghae says defensively, bringing Hyukjae's hand up to place a kiss on the back of his palm.
“I'm perfectly happy thank you very much,” Sooyoung shoots back, ignoring the happy couple.
“Aw, you don't have to be jealous, we can find you a boyfriend who will come to work with you, too,” Donghae suggests teasingly.
“Finding a straight man that will tolerate me is next to impossible and you know it,” Sooyoung says, picking at a spot on the counter.
“You just haven't looked hard enough,” Donghae says, paying more attention to playing with his boyfriend's fingers than his own words.
“It's not that easy,” Sooyoung glares. “Why are you two so happy, anyway? Did you sleep together or something?”
The room is quiet (save for a few puppies barking) as Donghae returns Sooyoung's glare and Hyukjae blinks between them.
“Maybe you can't find a boyfriend because you're insensitive,” Donghae says.
Sooyoung sighs and looks away.
“Sorry, I'm a jerk,” she says. “I can't help the things that I say. You're probably right, though...”
It's very sudden when Hyukjae pulls his hand from Donghae's and begins typing a quick message on his phone. “Be back soon,” it reads.
“Wait, wha-” Donghae doesn't have time to ask, Hyukjae is already out the door and running down the street. He exchanges confused looks with Sooyoung before they both shrug and decide to wait.
-
It's a strange feeling for Hyukjae to be in his work office on a day off, but this was necessary. He searches through the office, finding Kyuhyun, the man who had insulted him previously, working at his computer. He knocks on the wall to get the man's attention.
Kyuhyun turns, his hard-working expression melting quickly into a mix of shock and curiosity.
“Hey... what are you doing here?” He asks. “You don't even work today. Did you come to beat me up?”
Hyukjae grins and shakes his head, showing Kyuhyun a message he had prepared along the way.
“Are you single?”
Kyuhyun stares at the message and scrunches his eyebrows.
“Are you coming on to me?” He asks. “Because I'm definitely not gay.”
Hyukjae wants to laugh as he flips through his phone to find a picture of Sooyoung he had taken shortly after meeting her. Kyuhyun stares at the picture, his eyes widening a little.
“She's pretty hot,” Kyuhyun observes. “What's her name?”
“Sooyoung,” Hyukjae types, “she's a friend of mine. She said something that reminded me of you so I thought you guys could... go on a date?”
Kyuhyun contemplates for a moment after reading the message.
“I guess a date wouldn't hurt,” he says. “Haven't been on one of those in a while...”
Hyukjae smiles and types out one more message.
“You can pick her up on Friday night for dinner.”
-
“So... how did you get her to agree to this again?” Donghae asks as he eats a potato chip from a shared bag with Hyukjae.
“She thinks I'm adorable so I just asked her really cutely.” Hyukjae shows Donghae the message with a shrug.
“You never ask me things cutely,” Donghae mutters as he nibbles on another chip.
Hyukjae only smiles and they continue to watch Sooyoung scramble around the animal shelter, talking to herself at a rapid speed and getting last minute work done. Donghae had decided it would be more fun to eat and watch her panic than to help her. After several minutes of super-speed work, Sooyoung sits down across from Hyukjae and Donghae to breathe.
“Nervous?” Donghae asks, popping another chip into his mouth.
“Oh please,” Sooyoung rolls her eyes, “I don't get nervous.”
Hyukjae finds himself slowly scooting to sit behind Sooyoung, combing out her hair. Neither Donghae nor Sooyoung seem to notice as they continue their conversation.
“You're totally nervous,” Donghae says. “You haven't been on a date in ages.”
“I have!” Sooyoung counters. “It just... never works out. I never make it through dinner. They're always too self-centered or too quiet or too loud or too- Hyukjae what are you doing?!”
Hyukjae jumps and drops the comb at the sound of Sooyoung's yell. He quickly retreats to sit next to Donghae again, acting much like a puppy that has just been scolded.
Sooyoung takes out a hand mirror to examine her hair and blinks.
“What did you do to it?” She asks. “It's pretty.”
“You're pretty.” Hyukjae shows the message to Sooyoung both because it's true and because he doesn't want her to yell at him anymore.
“Aw... Hyukjae I'm sorry,” she says, “I guess I'm a bit-”
“Nervous?” Donghae says just before a comb is launched at his head, barely missing and falling to the floor.
Hyukjae looks at the comb on the floor and sighs. Poor comb. What did it do to deserve this abuse? Hyukjae thinks the comb must be sad. Just as he's about to scoop it up off the floor, the door chimes open and in walks Kyuhyun.
“Oh, hey, Sooyoung was just talking about how hot she thinks you are,” Donghae says.
Donghae must be an idiot, Hyukjae thinks, or maybe he just wants to be punched.
Sooyoung clenches her fist, ready for the punch, but Hyukjae beats her to it. He punches Donghae in the arm, glaring at him and shocking him.
“What was that for?!” Donghae asks.
“YOU need to be nice to Sooyoung.” He shows the message to Donghae who retreats into his bag of chips. “And YOU need to not ruin your nails by hitting Donghae.” He shows the message to Sooyoung but she's too busy staring at Kyuhyun.
“I'm Sooyoung,” Sooyoung says in a voice that is far too sweet to be Sooyoung's. Both Hyukjae and Donghae grimace.
“Kyuhyun,” Kyuhyun says and Sooyoung seems entranced by a simple name and a smile.
“So... um... Hyukjae... told me... nothing about you, actually, he just showed me your picture,” Kyuhyun admits, scratching his head.
“Yeah, he didn't really tell me much about you either,” Sooyoung says. “Why are you hooking us up, Hyukjae?”
Hyukjae smiles widely as he types out a message on his phone. “You're both self-proclaimed jerks! And you're both tall, too.”
Everyone stares at Hyukjae and Donghae cautiously pulls his boyfriend away from the death glare both Kyuhyun and Sooyoung are giving him.
“Well then!” Donghae says, forcing Sooyoung into her coat. “Time for you to get going!”
“My car is parked out front,” Kyuhyun says, pulling his keys from his pocket.
“Car?” Sooyoung glances outside at what she can only gather is a very expensive car and she nods. “Oh... I see.”
Hyukjae begins poking both Sooyoung and Kyuhyun in the back simultaneously until they're both past the threshold of the door.
“Have fun!” Donghae calls out after them and closes the door as Hyukjae waves. “Good riddance. Now we can have time to ourselves.”
Hyukjae grins. Donghae leans in for a kiss but is stopped when Hyukjae's phone is pushed into his face.
“Kyuhyun is the guy that said... those things I told you that guy at work said.” The message reads.
Donghae frowns.
“The rude guy?” He asks, then smiles. “Ah, I get it. Setting him up with Sooyoung as revenge?”
Hyukjae breathes out a silent laugh.
“No! I really think they'll like each other!”
Donghae looks skeptical but he nods.
“I trust your judgment,” he says. “So now what do we get to do now that they're gone?”
Hyukjae only smiles as he leads Donghae away from the shelter.
-
“Why are we in such a hurry?” Donghae asks as they reach Hyukjae's house, out of breath from running.
Hyukjae hurriedly unlocks the door and kicks his shoes off, bouncing in place as he waits for Donghae to do the same. Confused, Donghae can only follow his boyfriend's actions.
“Hyukjae, I just want you to know that... I'm really confused right now,” Donghae says as he's being dragged into the living room.
Hyukjae pulls Donghae to the window and makes a hand movement that tells him to stay in place. He obediently roots himself to the floor, sighing and waiting for something to make sense. Hyukjae opens a latch on the window to let in a breeze before standing next to Donghae.
“Hyukjae...” Donghae starts but Hyukjae cuts him off with a finger to his lips. Donghae frowns and stares out the window again, but then he sees it.
“The sunset,” Donghae says softly, suddenly remembering the time Hyukjae had mentioned watching the sunsets often in the evenings.
Yes, the sunset. Hyukjae smiles to himself and takes a step forward, closer to the window, and stares at the horizon, watching as the colors slowly change and become more vibrant.
Donghae smiles and entwines his fingers with Hyukjae's, understanding why his boyfriend finds sunsets so fascinating.
“Hey.. wait a minute,” Donghae says, startling Hyukjae a little. “The colors are kind of like the colors of a peach! Oh, wait, you have one in the kitchen!”
Hyukjae blinks, watching his suddenly upbeat boyfriend run into the kitchen and return with... a nectarine. He wants to roll on the floor in laughter but manages to instead hug his boyfriend and laugh silently against his neck.
Donghae blinks in confusion, feeling Hyukjae shake against him. “Are you okay?” He asks, genuinely concerned until Hyukjae pulls away with a wide smile. “You... were laughing at me? What's so funny?”
Hyukjae is still shaking with laughter as he manages to pull out his phone and type a simple message. “It's a nectarine, not a peach!”
Donghae frowns and looks at the fruit in his hand. “What's the difference?” He asks.
“Peaches are fuzzy.”
Donghae looks at the nectarine and sighs. “They look the same to me!”
Hyukjae laughs to himself and pulls his boyfriend back to the window, setting the nectarine on the edge of the windowsill and comparing it to the colors in the sky.
Donghae smiles, glancing around the room, noticing the glow of the sunset over the walls and the floor. He sighs in content before hugging his boyfriend from behind and enjoying the sunset.
The sky is blue and pink and purple and it means everything. The colors surrounding the fading sun, the sounds and smells carried in the breeze around them, it creates a moment. A moment that Hyukjae will always remember because Donghae is there. It is no longer just a simple sunset to be forgotten in the corners of his mind.
Donghae moves behind Hyukjae, his arms around Hyukjae's waist, chin resting on his shoulder, breath barely brushing past his neck, steady heartbeat thumping against his back.
And suddenly he knows. There are almost tears in his eyes as he turns to Donghae, reaching a hand up to hold his cheek, caressing it gently. He looks into soft, brown eyes, falling into them, and he wants to open his mouth and whisper the sweet words against Donghae's lips but he cannot. He opens his mouth to try but nothing comes out. The tears are threatening to spill now, Hyukjae clenching his jaw to keep them at bay.
He starts to open his mouth again but Donghae stops him, putting a finger against his lips, efficiently silencing his nonexistent words.
“I love you too, Hyukjae.”
Hyukjae would call this feeling speechless if he had speech to lose. Donghae knows with just a look, a glance at trembling lips, the exact feelings and words he had been trying to convey. He takes a deep breath and wraps his arms tightly around Donghae, fingers digging into the warm fabric of his sweater, nose pressed against a strong shoulder.
As he lets himself be held so tenderly in Donghae's arms, he finally feels what it is like to be loved by another human being. No other feeling in the world can compare. And he knows, in that moment, that he will never forget the precious sunset they had shared.
-
Donghae's face is stuck, pressed against Hyukjae's shoulder as Hyukjae silently giggles against him. A tap to his back lets him know that Hyukjae needs to see Donghae's face.
“Do you have to go to work?” Donghae asks sadly as he pulls away. “You can fake sick. I can fake sick. Sooyoung can run the store. We can-”
Hyukjae puts his hand over Donghae's mouth, muffling the rest of the sentence. They are already in the animal shelter, Hyukjae had walked Donghae to work as he did often before running off to his own job. On this particular morning, however, Donghae wants to kidnap his boyfriend and keep him away from the world. Memories of the night before, the perfect sunset confession, still lingered in his mind and he didn't want to let Hyukjae out of his sight for a moment. Perhaps he could keep him in one of the cages used for big dogs. Yeah, that would go over well. Sooyoung would probably end up killing him.
Donghae's mind takes a turn. Sooyoung. The woman who had had a date just last night.
“Hey... wait... Sooyoung is la-”
Before Donghae can finish his sentence, Sooyoung makes her way through the door. She subtly stomps her way past Hyukjae and Donghae to hang up her coat before stomping her way to the counter and sitting on a stool, arms crossed, eyes glaring at nothing in particular.
Curiously, Donghae edges around to see her face.
“Uh...” he says dumbly, “how did it go last night?”
“I don't want to talk about it,” Sooyoung says through clenched teeth.
Donghae glances at his boyfriend to find an almost frightened expression on his face. Donghae understands the look in his eyes. Guilt.
“You know, Hyukjae thought you guys would have fun so... don't blame him for whatever happened, okay?” Donghae asks sincerely, feeling Hyukjae's fingers entwine with his.
“Nothing happened,” Sooyoung bites out. “He just... he was an insensitive prick!”
“And you're an insensitive bitch!”
Three heads turn to see Kyuhyun standing in the doorway.
“What?!” Sooyoung stands, enraged, and makes her way around the counter, standing in front of Kyuhyun. “Get out.”
“No,” Kyuhyun says coldly, straightening his back as he tries to overpower Sooyoung with his height.
“Why are you even here?” Sooyoung asks. “Did you come back to insult me a little more?”
“Maybe I did,” Kyuhyun says. “But don't act like you didn't insult me first. In fact, I've never been so insulted in my life!”
“Yeah? Well someone should have started insulting you sooner because you deserve it!”
There is an audible gasp from the other two people in the room when Kyuhyun swoops down and kisses Sooyoung. His hands find her cheeks as hers find his belt loops and they pull each other closer in a desperate, tangled kiss.
Hyukjae is staring with his mouth open and Donghae reaches over to cover his eyes as if he is a child watching something he should not be. Hyukjae swats at his hand but finally closes his mouth and nudges Donghae, telling him to do something.
Donghae clears his throat. No response. He tries again. Now Kyuhyun is practically on top of Sooyoung. They're making their way for the counter. Donghae can't let this happen.
“Hey!” He yells. “Take it outside! You're... gross!”
Without parting, the couple stay attached and wobble their way outside as Donghae shakes his head after them.
“Well that was... interesting,” Donghae says and Hyukjae nods. “I wonder what happened last night.”
Hyukjae shrugs and glances at the time before sighing. Donghae frowns at him when he realizes what the sigh means. He leans in for a small peck on the lips and receives three in return. He smiles and nuzzles his nose against Hyukjae's.
“I love you,” he mouths against Hyukjae's lips, barely a whisper.
Hyukjae shudders and grins uncontrollably before settling himself.
“I love you, too,” he mouths inaudibly, letting Donghae feel the words against his lips before pulling away.
Donghae sighs longingly as he watches his boyfriend leave. But somehow, in the shape of Hyukjae's back, he sees the future. He knows that a retreating back only means a sweet return. He smiles. The future will be perfect, as long as Hyukjae is there.
-
When is too soon? Hyukjae wonders as he looks at his boyfriend, sprawled out on his living room floor, lips moving to the song playing through the headphones in his ears. Donghae spends all of his time here anyway, right? Hyukjae is biting his nails nervously as he considers their relationship. He glances at the calendar. They had met nearly two months ago, when the weather was still very warm. Now, the leaves are falling from trees and the nights are cold. So cold that Hyukjae often wishes he had Donghae to snuggle up to.
But is it too soon for snuggling? Hyukjae frowns. They had only slept in the same bed once before and it is something that Hyukjae definitely wants to repeat. But will Donghae want to move in with him? Hyukjae takes in a deep breath and decides that there is only one way to find out.
Slowly, he makes his way to Donghae with his laptop and sits next to him, waiting for his presence to be acknowledged. Donghae takes out his headphones immediately and sits up, smiling at Hyukjae.
“What's up?” Donghae asks, resting his chin on his knees.
Hyukjae smiles and kisses Donghae's nose before taking another deep breath as he types out a message.
“How attached are you to your apartment?”
Donghae reads the message out loud and blinks up at Hyukjae.
“Not very attached...” he says. “Why?”
Although it seems that Donghae might know where Hyukjae's thoughts are going, Hyukjae still types out the sentence.
“I want you to move in with me.”
Hyukjae is practically tackled to the floor and assaulted with kisses and tickles that have him rolling away and gasping for air, his glasses almost falling from his face. Once he has rolled far enough away to be out of Donghae's reach, he turns to his boyfriend, watching the smile on his face as he takes Hyukjae's laptop to write his own message.
“I love you, Lee Hyukjae, and I want to be living in this house with you as soon as possible.”
-
Taking time off to move Donghae's belongings into Hyukjae's house is fairly easy. Kyuhyun graciously accepts the invitation to “help” Sooyoung during Donghae's shift at the animal shelter. When Donghae has to work, Kyuhyun takes the chance to help Hyukjae move things around to make up for his ignorance in the past.
Hyukjae is surprised when Kyuhyun shows up, a box of Donghae's things in hand.
“I never really apologized properly for before, so... I wanted to help,” Kyuhyun says, offering the box to Hyukjae.
Hyukjae accepts with a nod and a smile as he leads Kyuhyun inside. Kyuhyun is amazed by the architecture in his house which makes his pride soar.
“You designed it?” Hyukjae nods. “Why are they still making you do the crap jobs at work? They should have you designing stuff.”
Hyukjae grins. He and Kyuhyun talk for a while about work as they work. Kyuhyun seems a little awkward at first, unsure in Hyukjae's way of communication. Slowly, he grows used to it and their conversation flows easily. That is until Hyukjae brings up Sooyoung.
“How are you and Sooyoung?” The message reads.
Kyuhyun clears his throat and stutters out a few words before sighing.
“I've never... even dated anyone this long,” he admits. “Most girls act sickeningly sweet towards me because they think I'm hot or rich or whatever. But Sooyoung... she's really different, you know? I expected her to be one of those girls, especially because she's so pretty; I thought she'd be shallow. As soon as I made an assumption about her, she threw a drink in my face and hurled an insult at me. It was... wonderful.”
Hyukjae stares blankly at the explanation and blinks a few times. So, he had been right in his judgment to set them up together. He smiles and pats Kyuhyun on the back before they continue moving things around.
It only takes a week to get Donghae's things settled into Hyukjae's house. It is a Saturday that they both have off when they finish. There are a few messes made of boxes on the ground but as Hyukjae itches to clean them up, Donghae is dragging him away to take a walk outside.
Hyukjae sees messes and he cleans them. It's just what he does. Donghae, on the other hand, sees messes and leaves the house to avoid them.
“Come on, Hyukjae,” Donghae says as he literally drags his boyfriend across the floor, “we'll clean up after we get something to eat!”
Hyukjae finally gives in with a frown, letting himself be dragged outside. His frown turns into a smile as soon as Donghae locks their arms together and sets off down the street, spouting ideas for food. They settle on ice cream to satisfy their craving for sweets and Hyukjae promises to cook something if Donghae will help him clean. Donghae practically races home as he devours his ice cream, desperate for a taste of Hyukjae's cooking.
Hyukjae had cooked a few times before for Donghae, and the dishes were thoroughly although they were just simple meals. This time, Hyukjae promises Donghae a full meal and Donghae's stomach can't wait.
“You know,” Donghae says as he begins stacking boxes, “the animal shelter could probably use these for something. I can take them over while you cook.”
Hyukjae looks from the boxes to Donghae with a silent question.
“Ah, I texted Kyuhyun a bit ago to ask if he could drive over here to help,” Donghae explains. “I promised him I'd take over for one of Sooyoung's shifts in return so they could go on a date.”
Hyukjae laughs to himself and bounces the few steps forward to give his boyfriend a quick kiss.
“Why are you so adorable?” Donghae murmurs, smiling against Hyukjae's lips.
Hyukjae shrugs and starts to kiss Donghae again just as there is a knock on the door. Donghae groans softly and pulls away.
“I'll see you in a bit,” he says, pulling away and heading out to load the boxes into Kyuhyun's car.
Hyukjae sighs to himself and looks through his cupboards when a thought suddenly hits him. Donghae is fully moved into his house. Donghae isn't going to go home after dinner. Donghae is staying the night.
Hyukjae's stomach does a flip and he isn't sure if he should laugh or cry. He is excited, of course, and happy beyond belief, but he can't help the nervousness that creeps up inside of him. He and Donghae were perfectly comfortable with each other... weren't they? Hyukjae begins to panic. Questions begin to fill his mind and he can't answer a single one. Was it too soon to move in together? Will Donghae ask to sleep on the couch? Will Hyukjae ask Donghae to sleep on the couch? Will Donghae... expect anything from him?
No. Hyukjae breathes. Donghae won't expect anything. He'll do whatever Hyukjae is comfortable with. Hyukjae, however, has no idea what he is comfortable with. His indecisiveness is taking over his entire mind. He sits on the floor in the kitchen, spices long forgotten on the counter, and he thinks.
Two months isn't very long at all. It feels like much longer to Hyukjae, all of the hours they'd spent together. But it also feels like just yesterday that they'd met on the soccer field. Their relationship progressed so quickly, passing friendship in only a week's time. They talked so often that they knew nearly everything about each other within only two months. Hyukjae briefly wonders how many words he had written to Donghae. Perhaps he should start saving them all, maybe he could write a book one day.
Hyukjae smacks himself in the head to keep himself focused. His focus is so deep now, however, that he doesn't hear the front door open.
“Hyukjae?” Donghae calls out softly, making his way to the kitchen. He blinks when he sees Hyukjae sitting on the floor of the kitchen and his eyes widen when he notices Hyukjae's expression. “Hey, what's wrong?” He asks worriedly, quickly moving to sit across from his boyfriend, taking a cold hand between his own.
Hyukjae gives a small smile when he notices that Donghae seems to be checking him for burns from the stove or cuts from a knife. He squeezes Donghae's hand to bring his attention back to Hyukjae's eyes.
Donghae stares, confused, until Hyukjae fishes his phone from his pocket.
“Remember our first date when I panicked? Well, I'm panicking again.”
Donghae frowns at the message and moves closer.
“What are you panicking about? What's wrong?”
Hyukjae's heart feels like it is being crushed. Donghae is always there, asking Hyukjae what's wrong. Donghae comforts him, holds him, takes away any bad feelings in Hyukjae's heart. Hyukjae thinks then that when Donghae is around, there should be no bad feelings. His heart is still young and childish, making him panic when there is no need. Donghae doesn't have a reason to stay and comfort Hyukjae but he does. Donghae stays because he loves Hyukjae. Hyukjae stares at the concern in Donghae's eyes before responding.
“We've known each other for two months and we've been together just as long. I thought moving in together might be rushed but... I love you. I was scared that we were moving too fast but now that you're here, holding my hand, looking at me like that, I know that I was foolish to think it was too fast. I'm sorry for making you worry...”
Donghae takes his time to read the message and his expression softens.
“Why don't I help you make dinner?” He offers. “It's been a long day. We can just make something simple, watch a movie together, and call it a night.”
Hyukjae smiles and tackles his boyfriend to show his approval of the idea. Donghae laughs and pulls both of them up to look through Hyukjae's kitchen.
The simplest dish they can find turns out to be ramen and neither of them complain. They make just enough for two, Hyukjae stirring the noodles while Donghae prepares drinks.
They decide to eat straight from the pot they had cooked in and Donghae starts to head towards the room they had previously watched movies in when Hyukjae stops him.
Donghae blinks at his boyfriend curiously. They always watch movies in the little room next to Hyukjae's. There is a simple couch, television, and computer inside to entertain company, although Hyukjae hadn't had much before Donghae.
Hyukjae smiles and points upstairs which makes Donghae even more confused. Donghae had never been upstairs since it only leads to a bathroom and Hyukjae's room.
Hyukjae excitedly makes his way up the stairs with the ramen and Donghae follows with drinks. He opens the door and sets the steaming pot of ramen down before turning on a large, wide-screen television set up in front of Hyukjae's bed.
Donghae's mouth drops as he looks around the room. More windows, of course, although these offer more privacy than other windows in the house with blinds and curtains. The room is wide, the walls painted a light blue to match Hyukjae's bedspread. There is a small, gray couch to one side of the room and a table on the other, the bed resting in the middle. It's very spacious, with plenty of room on the sides of the bed for Hyukjae to exercise or dance when he's alone or to even put another bed in if he ever needed to. Hyukjae smiles in content as he sits in the middle of his large bed, waiting for Donghae to assess the room.
“Hyukjae, this...” Donghae starts, “this is my favorite room in the house. It's beautiful.”
Hyukjae gives Donghae an appreciative look before patting the bed for Donghae to join him. Donghae bounces a little on the bed, approving its comfort level before stretching out fully. Hyukjae presses a few buttons on the remote, bringing up an old Bruce Lee movie they had decided to watch while cooking dinner.
Finally, they can eat. Hyukjae digs in to the ramen, savoring the first bite. Donghae laughs at his expression before eating as well. They feed each other a few bites, usually paying more attention to each other than the movie, until all of their food is gone and their stomachs are full.
“This bed is so comfortable,” Donghae murmurs as he stretches out on the bed.
Hyukjae glances at him and feels the slightest bit of nervousness creeping up on him again. He watches Donghae for a moment before picking up his phone.
“Do you want to sleep here, or...”
Donghae sits up to read the message and then looks up at Hyukjae with wide eyes.
“If... you're comfortable with that... we can... I mean... if you want to...” Donghae stutters.
Hyukjae blinks at his boyfriend and notices a blush across his cheeks. He hadn't considered before that Donghae would be more nervous than him. He smiles.
“I think we should try it. If you kick me in my sleep, though, you lose your comfy bed privileges.”
Donghae laughs and Hyukjae is glad that his humor could break the tension in the room. He pulls Donghae up from the bed and into his bathroom.
“You already have a toothbrush for me in here?” Donghae asks, smiling as he pokes around the bathroom.
Hyukjae hands Donghae a toothbrush before he starts brushing his teeth and grins as Donghae does so as well. It feels good, having someone he loves sharing his bathroom. Their eyes meet in the mirror and Donghae laughs while Hyukjae has to spit in the sink to keep himself from drooling with happiness.
Hyukjae changes to pajamas in his room while Donghae changes in the bathroom. He puts his glasses away and takes the dishes downstairs to wash them before coming back upstairs and finding Donghae comfortably tucked into his bed.
He wishes he could laugh and jump on Donghae and tell him a million sweet words. He settles for jumping on him and kissing him while Donghae jokingly tells him he's too heavy. Hyukjae puts all of his weight on Donghae and tickles his sides until the man beneath him is breathless from laughter.
“You invite me into your house, fatten me up, and then tickle me like that?” Donghae asks with mock anger. “You're lucky I didn't throw up on you!”
Hyukjae laughs an uncontrollable, silent laugh as Donghae gets his revenge, pinning Hyukjae to the bed and tickling him until he's almost in tears. Hyukjae finally manages to push Donghae off and he struggles to catch his breath, still laughing until Donghae pulls him into a hug.
His smile fades and he blinks until he feels a chuckle against his skin.
“I love you,” Donghae murmurs.
Hyukjae smiles again and snuggles into Donghae's warmth. This is what he had wanted. How could he be so lucky?
He wriggles until he can kiss his boyfriend and mouth the words “I love you, too” against his cheek.
Donghae smiles and holds Hyukjae tighter, shifting a little until they're both in a comfortable position.
“Sleepy?” Donghae asks and Hyukjae nods. “Me too.”
They curl under the blankets together, legs entwined, feet almost touching, and Donghae falls asleep almost instantly. Hyukjae follows soon after, lulled to sleep by feelings of love.
-
Pairing: Eunhae
Rating: PG-13
Genre: AU, Fluff, Romance.
Summary: Hyukjae has never had an easy life. He has been sheltered, living the only way he knows how. A simple meeting with a cheerful young man named Donghae will change every feeling Hyukjae has ever had.
Chapter 1 | Chapter 2 | Chapter 3 | Chapter 4 | Chapter 5 | Chapter 6 | Chapter 7 | Chapter 8 | Chapter 9 | Chapter 10 | Chapter 11 | Chapter 12 | Chapter 13 | Chapter 14 | Epilogue |
-
A very bubbly Hyukjae accompanies a very happy Donghae into the pet shelter, their fingers tangled together and their faces glowing with smiles.
“Oh wow,” Sooyoung says as they enter the shelter, “you two looked like you stepped out of some sort of catalog. Like the kind with pictures of people who are way too happy to be modeling clothing.”
“You're just jealous of our happiness,” Donghae says defensively, bringing Hyukjae's hand up to place a kiss on the back of his palm.
“I'm perfectly happy thank you very much,” Sooyoung shoots back, ignoring the happy couple.
“Aw, you don't have to be jealous, we can find you a boyfriend who will come to work with you, too,” Donghae suggests teasingly.
“Finding a straight man that will tolerate me is next to impossible and you know it,” Sooyoung says, picking at a spot on the counter.
“You just haven't looked hard enough,” Donghae says, paying more attention to playing with his boyfriend's fingers than his own words.
“It's not that easy,” Sooyoung glares. “Why are you two so happy, anyway? Did you sleep together or something?”
The room is quiet (save for a few puppies barking) as Donghae returns Sooyoung's glare and Hyukjae blinks between them.
“Maybe you can't find a boyfriend because you're insensitive,” Donghae says.
Sooyoung sighs and looks away.
“Sorry, I'm a jerk,” she says. “I can't help the things that I say. You're probably right, though...”
It's very sudden when Hyukjae pulls his hand from Donghae's and begins typing a quick message on his phone. “Be back soon,” it reads.
“Wait, wha-” Donghae doesn't have time to ask, Hyukjae is already out the door and running down the street. He exchanges confused looks with Sooyoung before they both shrug and decide to wait.
-
It's a strange feeling for Hyukjae to be in his work office on a day off, but this was necessary. He searches through the office, finding Kyuhyun, the man who had insulted him previously, working at his computer. He knocks on the wall to get the man's attention.
Kyuhyun turns, his hard-working expression melting quickly into a mix of shock and curiosity.
“Hey... what are you doing here?” He asks. “You don't even work today. Did you come to beat me up?”
Hyukjae grins and shakes his head, showing Kyuhyun a message he had prepared along the way.
“Are you single?”
Kyuhyun stares at the message and scrunches his eyebrows.
“Are you coming on to me?” He asks. “Because I'm definitely not gay.”
Hyukjae wants to laugh as he flips through his phone to find a picture of Sooyoung he had taken shortly after meeting her. Kyuhyun stares at the picture, his eyes widening a little.
“She's pretty hot,” Kyuhyun observes. “What's her name?”
“Sooyoung,” Hyukjae types, “she's a friend of mine. She said something that reminded me of you so I thought you guys could... go on a date?”
Kyuhyun contemplates for a moment after reading the message.
“I guess a date wouldn't hurt,” he says. “Haven't been on one of those in a while...”
Hyukjae smiles and types out one more message.
“You can pick her up on Friday night for dinner.”
-
“So... how did you get her to agree to this again?” Donghae asks as he eats a potato chip from a shared bag with Hyukjae.
“She thinks I'm adorable so I just asked her really cutely.” Hyukjae shows Donghae the message with a shrug.
“You never ask me things cutely,” Donghae mutters as he nibbles on another chip.
Hyukjae only smiles and they continue to watch Sooyoung scramble around the animal shelter, talking to herself at a rapid speed and getting last minute work done. Donghae had decided it would be more fun to eat and watch her panic than to help her. After several minutes of super-speed work, Sooyoung sits down across from Hyukjae and Donghae to breathe.
“Nervous?” Donghae asks, popping another chip into his mouth.
“Oh please,” Sooyoung rolls her eyes, “I don't get nervous.”
Hyukjae finds himself slowly scooting to sit behind Sooyoung, combing out her hair. Neither Donghae nor Sooyoung seem to notice as they continue their conversation.
“You're totally nervous,” Donghae says. “You haven't been on a date in ages.”
“I have!” Sooyoung counters. “It just... never works out. I never make it through dinner. They're always too self-centered or too quiet or too loud or too- Hyukjae what are you doing?!”
Hyukjae jumps and drops the comb at the sound of Sooyoung's yell. He quickly retreats to sit next to Donghae again, acting much like a puppy that has just been scolded.
Sooyoung takes out a hand mirror to examine her hair and blinks.
“What did you do to it?” She asks. “It's pretty.”
“You're pretty.” Hyukjae shows the message to Sooyoung both because it's true and because he doesn't want her to yell at him anymore.
“Aw... Hyukjae I'm sorry,” she says, “I guess I'm a bit-”
“Nervous?” Donghae says just before a comb is launched at his head, barely missing and falling to the floor.
Hyukjae looks at the comb on the floor and sighs. Poor comb. What did it do to deserve this abuse? Hyukjae thinks the comb must be sad. Just as he's about to scoop it up off the floor, the door chimes open and in walks Kyuhyun.
“Oh, hey, Sooyoung was just talking about how hot she thinks you are,” Donghae says.
Donghae must be an idiot, Hyukjae thinks, or maybe he just wants to be punched.
Sooyoung clenches her fist, ready for the punch, but Hyukjae beats her to it. He punches Donghae in the arm, glaring at him and shocking him.
“What was that for?!” Donghae asks.
“YOU need to be nice to Sooyoung.” He shows the message to Donghae who retreats into his bag of chips. “And YOU need to not ruin your nails by hitting Donghae.” He shows the message to Sooyoung but she's too busy staring at Kyuhyun.
“I'm Sooyoung,” Sooyoung says in a voice that is far too sweet to be Sooyoung's. Both Hyukjae and Donghae grimace.
“Kyuhyun,” Kyuhyun says and Sooyoung seems entranced by a simple name and a smile.
“So... um... Hyukjae... told me... nothing about you, actually, he just showed me your picture,” Kyuhyun admits, scratching his head.
“Yeah, he didn't really tell me much about you either,” Sooyoung says. “Why are you hooking us up, Hyukjae?”
Hyukjae smiles widely as he types out a message on his phone. “You're both self-proclaimed jerks! And you're both tall, too.”
Everyone stares at Hyukjae and Donghae cautiously pulls his boyfriend away from the death glare both Kyuhyun and Sooyoung are giving him.
“Well then!” Donghae says, forcing Sooyoung into her coat. “Time for you to get going!”
“My car is parked out front,” Kyuhyun says, pulling his keys from his pocket.
“Car?” Sooyoung glances outside at what she can only gather is a very expensive car and she nods. “Oh... I see.”
Hyukjae begins poking both Sooyoung and Kyuhyun in the back simultaneously until they're both past the threshold of the door.
“Have fun!” Donghae calls out after them and closes the door as Hyukjae waves. “Good riddance. Now we can have time to ourselves.”
Hyukjae grins. Donghae leans in for a kiss but is stopped when Hyukjae's phone is pushed into his face.
“Kyuhyun is the guy that said... those things I told you that guy at work said.” The message reads.
Donghae frowns.
“The rude guy?” He asks, then smiles. “Ah, I get it. Setting him up with Sooyoung as revenge?”
Hyukjae breathes out a silent laugh.
“No! I really think they'll like each other!”
Donghae looks skeptical but he nods.
“I trust your judgment,” he says. “So now what do we get to do now that they're gone?”
Hyukjae only smiles as he leads Donghae away from the shelter.
-
“Why are we in such a hurry?” Donghae asks as they reach Hyukjae's house, out of breath from running.
Hyukjae hurriedly unlocks the door and kicks his shoes off, bouncing in place as he waits for Donghae to do the same. Confused, Donghae can only follow his boyfriend's actions.
“Hyukjae, I just want you to know that... I'm really confused right now,” Donghae says as he's being dragged into the living room.
Hyukjae pulls Donghae to the window and makes a hand movement that tells him to stay in place. He obediently roots himself to the floor, sighing and waiting for something to make sense. Hyukjae opens a latch on the window to let in a breeze before standing next to Donghae.
“Hyukjae...” Donghae starts but Hyukjae cuts him off with a finger to his lips. Donghae frowns and stares out the window again, but then he sees it.
“The sunset,” Donghae says softly, suddenly remembering the time Hyukjae had mentioned watching the sunsets often in the evenings.
Yes, the sunset. Hyukjae smiles to himself and takes a step forward, closer to the window, and stares at the horizon, watching as the colors slowly change and become more vibrant.
Donghae smiles and entwines his fingers with Hyukjae's, understanding why his boyfriend finds sunsets so fascinating.
“Hey.. wait a minute,” Donghae says, startling Hyukjae a little. “The colors are kind of like the colors of a peach! Oh, wait, you have one in the kitchen!”
Hyukjae blinks, watching his suddenly upbeat boyfriend run into the kitchen and return with... a nectarine. He wants to roll on the floor in laughter but manages to instead hug his boyfriend and laugh silently against his neck.
Donghae blinks in confusion, feeling Hyukjae shake against him. “Are you okay?” He asks, genuinely concerned until Hyukjae pulls away with a wide smile. “You... were laughing at me? What's so funny?”
Hyukjae is still shaking with laughter as he manages to pull out his phone and type a simple message. “It's a nectarine, not a peach!”
Donghae frowns and looks at the fruit in his hand. “What's the difference?” He asks.
“Peaches are fuzzy.”
Donghae looks at the nectarine and sighs. “They look the same to me!”
Hyukjae laughs to himself and pulls his boyfriend back to the window, setting the nectarine on the edge of the windowsill and comparing it to the colors in the sky.
Donghae smiles, glancing around the room, noticing the glow of the sunset over the walls and the floor. He sighs in content before hugging his boyfriend from behind and enjoying the sunset.
The sky is blue and pink and purple and it means everything. The colors surrounding the fading sun, the sounds and smells carried in the breeze around them, it creates a moment. A moment that Hyukjae will always remember because Donghae is there. It is no longer just a simple sunset to be forgotten in the corners of his mind.
Donghae moves behind Hyukjae, his arms around Hyukjae's waist, chin resting on his shoulder, breath barely brushing past his neck, steady heartbeat thumping against his back.
And suddenly he knows. There are almost tears in his eyes as he turns to Donghae, reaching a hand up to hold his cheek, caressing it gently. He looks into soft, brown eyes, falling into them, and he wants to open his mouth and whisper the sweet words against Donghae's lips but he cannot. He opens his mouth to try but nothing comes out. The tears are threatening to spill now, Hyukjae clenching his jaw to keep them at bay.
He starts to open his mouth again but Donghae stops him, putting a finger against his lips, efficiently silencing his nonexistent words.
“I love you too, Hyukjae.”
Hyukjae would call this feeling speechless if he had speech to lose. Donghae knows with just a look, a glance at trembling lips, the exact feelings and words he had been trying to convey. He takes a deep breath and wraps his arms tightly around Donghae, fingers digging into the warm fabric of his sweater, nose pressed against a strong shoulder.
As he lets himself be held so tenderly in Donghae's arms, he finally feels what it is like to be loved by another human being. No other feeling in the world can compare. And he knows, in that moment, that he will never forget the precious sunset they had shared.
-
Donghae's face is stuck, pressed against Hyukjae's shoulder as Hyukjae silently giggles against him. A tap to his back lets him know that Hyukjae needs to see Donghae's face.
“Do you have to go to work?” Donghae asks sadly as he pulls away. “You can fake sick. I can fake sick. Sooyoung can run the store. We can-”
Hyukjae puts his hand over Donghae's mouth, muffling the rest of the sentence. They are already in the animal shelter, Hyukjae had walked Donghae to work as he did often before running off to his own job. On this particular morning, however, Donghae wants to kidnap his boyfriend and keep him away from the world. Memories of the night before, the perfect sunset confession, still lingered in his mind and he didn't want to let Hyukjae out of his sight for a moment. Perhaps he could keep him in one of the cages used for big dogs. Yeah, that would go over well. Sooyoung would probably end up killing him.
Donghae's mind takes a turn. Sooyoung. The woman who had had a date just last night.
“Hey... wait... Sooyoung is la-”
Before Donghae can finish his sentence, Sooyoung makes her way through the door. She subtly stomps her way past Hyukjae and Donghae to hang up her coat before stomping her way to the counter and sitting on a stool, arms crossed, eyes glaring at nothing in particular.
Curiously, Donghae edges around to see her face.
“Uh...” he says dumbly, “how did it go last night?”
“I don't want to talk about it,” Sooyoung says through clenched teeth.
Donghae glances at his boyfriend to find an almost frightened expression on his face. Donghae understands the look in his eyes. Guilt.
“You know, Hyukjae thought you guys would have fun so... don't blame him for whatever happened, okay?” Donghae asks sincerely, feeling Hyukjae's fingers entwine with his.
“Nothing happened,” Sooyoung bites out. “He just... he was an insensitive prick!”
“And you're an insensitive bitch!”
Three heads turn to see Kyuhyun standing in the doorway.
“What?!” Sooyoung stands, enraged, and makes her way around the counter, standing in front of Kyuhyun. “Get out.”
“No,” Kyuhyun says coldly, straightening his back as he tries to overpower Sooyoung with his height.
“Why are you even here?” Sooyoung asks. “Did you come back to insult me a little more?”
“Maybe I did,” Kyuhyun says. “But don't act like you didn't insult me first. In fact, I've never been so insulted in my life!”
“Yeah? Well someone should have started insulting you sooner because you deserve it!”
There is an audible gasp from the other two people in the room when Kyuhyun swoops down and kisses Sooyoung. His hands find her cheeks as hers find his belt loops and they pull each other closer in a desperate, tangled kiss.
Hyukjae is staring with his mouth open and Donghae reaches over to cover his eyes as if he is a child watching something he should not be. Hyukjae swats at his hand but finally closes his mouth and nudges Donghae, telling him to do something.
Donghae clears his throat. No response. He tries again. Now Kyuhyun is practically on top of Sooyoung. They're making their way for the counter. Donghae can't let this happen.
“Hey!” He yells. “Take it outside! You're... gross!”
Without parting, the couple stay attached and wobble their way outside as Donghae shakes his head after them.
“Well that was... interesting,” Donghae says and Hyukjae nods. “I wonder what happened last night.”
Hyukjae shrugs and glances at the time before sighing. Donghae frowns at him when he realizes what the sigh means. He leans in for a small peck on the lips and receives three in return. He smiles and nuzzles his nose against Hyukjae's.
“I love you,” he mouths against Hyukjae's lips, barely a whisper.
Hyukjae shudders and grins uncontrollably before settling himself.
“I love you, too,” he mouths inaudibly, letting Donghae feel the words against his lips before pulling away.
Donghae sighs longingly as he watches his boyfriend leave. But somehow, in the shape of Hyukjae's back, he sees the future. He knows that a retreating back only means a sweet return. He smiles. The future will be perfect, as long as Hyukjae is there.
-
When is too soon? Hyukjae wonders as he looks at his boyfriend, sprawled out on his living room floor, lips moving to the song playing through the headphones in his ears. Donghae spends all of his time here anyway, right? Hyukjae is biting his nails nervously as he considers their relationship. He glances at the calendar. They had met nearly two months ago, when the weather was still very warm. Now, the leaves are falling from trees and the nights are cold. So cold that Hyukjae often wishes he had Donghae to snuggle up to.
But is it too soon for snuggling? Hyukjae frowns. They had only slept in the same bed once before and it is something that Hyukjae definitely wants to repeat. But will Donghae want to move in with him? Hyukjae takes in a deep breath and decides that there is only one way to find out.
Slowly, he makes his way to Donghae with his laptop and sits next to him, waiting for his presence to be acknowledged. Donghae takes out his headphones immediately and sits up, smiling at Hyukjae.
“What's up?” Donghae asks, resting his chin on his knees.
Hyukjae smiles and kisses Donghae's nose before taking another deep breath as he types out a message.
“How attached are you to your apartment?”
Donghae reads the message out loud and blinks up at Hyukjae.
“Not very attached...” he says. “Why?”
Although it seems that Donghae might know where Hyukjae's thoughts are going, Hyukjae still types out the sentence.
“I want you to move in with me.”
Hyukjae is practically tackled to the floor and assaulted with kisses and tickles that have him rolling away and gasping for air, his glasses almost falling from his face. Once he has rolled far enough away to be out of Donghae's reach, he turns to his boyfriend, watching the smile on his face as he takes Hyukjae's laptop to write his own message.
“I love you, Lee Hyukjae, and I want to be living in this house with you as soon as possible.”
-
Taking time off to move Donghae's belongings into Hyukjae's house is fairly easy. Kyuhyun graciously accepts the invitation to “help” Sooyoung during Donghae's shift at the animal shelter. When Donghae has to work, Kyuhyun takes the chance to help Hyukjae move things around to make up for his ignorance in the past.
Hyukjae is surprised when Kyuhyun shows up, a box of Donghae's things in hand.
“I never really apologized properly for before, so... I wanted to help,” Kyuhyun says, offering the box to Hyukjae.
Hyukjae accepts with a nod and a smile as he leads Kyuhyun inside. Kyuhyun is amazed by the architecture in his house which makes his pride soar.
“You designed it?” Hyukjae nods. “Why are they still making you do the crap jobs at work? They should have you designing stuff.”
Hyukjae grins. He and Kyuhyun talk for a while about work as they work. Kyuhyun seems a little awkward at first, unsure in Hyukjae's way of communication. Slowly, he grows used to it and their conversation flows easily. That is until Hyukjae brings up Sooyoung.
“How are you and Sooyoung?” The message reads.
Kyuhyun clears his throat and stutters out a few words before sighing.
“I've never... even dated anyone this long,” he admits. “Most girls act sickeningly sweet towards me because they think I'm hot or rich or whatever. But Sooyoung... she's really different, you know? I expected her to be one of those girls, especially because she's so pretty; I thought she'd be shallow. As soon as I made an assumption about her, she threw a drink in my face and hurled an insult at me. It was... wonderful.”
Hyukjae stares blankly at the explanation and blinks a few times. So, he had been right in his judgment to set them up together. He smiles and pats Kyuhyun on the back before they continue moving things around.
It only takes a week to get Donghae's things settled into Hyukjae's house. It is a Saturday that they both have off when they finish. There are a few messes made of boxes on the ground but as Hyukjae itches to clean them up, Donghae is dragging him away to take a walk outside.
Hyukjae sees messes and he cleans them. It's just what he does. Donghae, on the other hand, sees messes and leaves the house to avoid them.
“Come on, Hyukjae,” Donghae says as he literally drags his boyfriend across the floor, “we'll clean up after we get something to eat!”
Hyukjae finally gives in with a frown, letting himself be dragged outside. His frown turns into a smile as soon as Donghae locks their arms together and sets off down the street, spouting ideas for food. They settle on ice cream to satisfy their craving for sweets and Hyukjae promises to cook something if Donghae will help him clean. Donghae practically races home as he devours his ice cream, desperate for a taste of Hyukjae's cooking.
Hyukjae had cooked a few times before for Donghae, and the dishes were thoroughly although they were just simple meals. This time, Hyukjae promises Donghae a full meal and Donghae's stomach can't wait.
“You know,” Donghae says as he begins stacking boxes, “the animal shelter could probably use these for something. I can take them over while you cook.”
Hyukjae looks from the boxes to Donghae with a silent question.
“Ah, I texted Kyuhyun a bit ago to ask if he could drive over here to help,” Donghae explains. “I promised him I'd take over for one of Sooyoung's shifts in return so they could go on a date.”
Hyukjae laughs to himself and bounces the few steps forward to give his boyfriend a quick kiss.
“Why are you so adorable?” Donghae murmurs, smiling against Hyukjae's lips.
Hyukjae shrugs and starts to kiss Donghae again just as there is a knock on the door. Donghae groans softly and pulls away.
“I'll see you in a bit,” he says, pulling away and heading out to load the boxes into Kyuhyun's car.
Hyukjae sighs to himself and looks through his cupboards when a thought suddenly hits him. Donghae is fully moved into his house. Donghae isn't going to go home after dinner. Donghae is staying the night.
Hyukjae's stomach does a flip and he isn't sure if he should laugh or cry. He is excited, of course, and happy beyond belief, but he can't help the nervousness that creeps up inside of him. He and Donghae were perfectly comfortable with each other... weren't they? Hyukjae begins to panic. Questions begin to fill his mind and he can't answer a single one. Was it too soon to move in together? Will Donghae ask to sleep on the couch? Will Hyukjae ask Donghae to sleep on the couch? Will Donghae... expect anything from him?
No. Hyukjae breathes. Donghae won't expect anything. He'll do whatever Hyukjae is comfortable with. Hyukjae, however, has no idea what he is comfortable with. His indecisiveness is taking over his entire mind. He sits on the floor in the kitchen, spices long forgotten on the counter, and he thinks.
Two months isn't very long at all. It feels like much longer to Hyukjae, all of the hours they'd spent together. But it also feels like just yesterday that they'd met on the soccer field. Their relationship progressed so quickly, passing friendship in only a week's time. They talked so often that they knew nearly everything about each other within only two months. Hyukjae briefly wonders how many words he had written to Donghae. Perhaps he should start saving them all, maybe he could write a book one day.
Hyukjae smacks himself in the head to keep himself focused. His focus is so deep now, however, that he doesn't hear the front door open.
“Hyukjae?” Donghae calls out softly, making his way to the kitchen. He blinks when he sees Hyukjae sitting on the floor of the kitchen and his eyes widen when he notices Hyukjae's expression. “Hey, what's wrong?” He asks worriedly, quickly moving to sit across from his boyfriend, taking a cold hand between his own.
Hyukjae gives a small smile when he notices that Donghae seems to be checking him for burns from the stove or cuts from a knife. He squeezes Donghae's hand to bring his attention back to Hyukjae's eyes.
Donghae stares, confused, until Hyukjae fishes his phone from his pocket.
“Remember our first date when I panicked? Well, I'm panicking again.”
Donghae frowns at the message and moves closer.
“What are you panicking about? What's wrong?”
Hyukjae's heart feels like it is being crushed. Donghae is always there, asking Hyukjae what's wrong. Donghae comforts him, holds him, takes away any bad feelings in Hyukjae's heart. Hyukjae thinks then that when Donghae is around, there should be no bad feelings. His heart is still young and childish, making him panic when there is no need. Donghae doesn't have a reason to stay and comfort Hyukjae but he does. Donghae stays because he loves Hyukjae. Hyukjae stares at the concern in Donghae's eyes before responding.
“We've known each other for two months and we've been together just as long. I thought moving in together might be rushed but... I love you. I was scared that we were moving too fast but now that you're here, holding my hand, looking at me like that, I know that I was foolish to think it was too fast. I'm sorry for making you worry...”
Donghae takes his time to read the message and his expression softens.
“Why don't I help you make dinner?” He offers. “It's been a long day. We can just make something simple, watch a movie together, and call it a night.”
Hyukjae smiles and tackles his boyfriend to show his approval of the idea. Donghae laughs and pulls both of them up to look through Hyukjae's kitchen.
The simplest dish they can find turns out to be ramen and neither of them complain. They make just enough for two, Hyukjae stirring the noodles while Donghae prepares drinks.
They decide to eat straight from the pot they had cooked in and Donghae starts to head towards the room they had previously watched movies in when Hyukjae stops him.
Donghae blinks at his boyfriend curiously. They always watch movies in the little room next to Hyukjae's. There is a simple couch, television, and computer inside to entertain company, although Hyukjae hadn't had much before Donghae.
Hyukjae smiles and points upstairs which makes Donghae even more confused. Donghae had never been upstairs since it only leads to a bathroom and Hyukjae's room.
Hyukjae excitedly makes his way up the stairs with the ramen and Donghae follows with drinks. He opens the door and sets the steaming pot of ramen down before turning on a large, wide-screen television set up in front of Hyukjae's bed.
Donghae's mouth drops as he looks around the room. More windows, of course, although these offer more privacy than other windows in the house with blinds and curtains. The room is wide, the walls painted a light blue to match Hyukjae's bedspread. There is a small, gray couch to one side of the room and a table on the other, the bed resting in the middle. It's very spacious, with plenty of room on the sides of the bed for Hyukjae to exercise or dance when he's alone or to even put another bed in if he ever needed to. Hyukjae smiles in content as he sits in the middle of his large bed, waiting for Donghae to assess the room.
“Hyukjae, this...” Donghae starts, “this is my favorite room in the house. It's beautiful.”
Hyukjae gives Donghae an appreciative look before patting the bed for Donghae to join him. Donghae bounces a little on the bed, approving its comfort level before stretching out fully. Hyukjae presses a few buttons on the remote, bringing up an old Bruce Lee movie they had decided to watch while cooking dinner.
Finally, they can eat. Hyukjae digs in to the ramen, savoring the first bite. Donghae laughs at his expression before eating as well. They feed each other a few bites, usually paying more attention to each other than the movie, until all of their food is gone and their stomachs are full.
“This bed is so comfortable,” Donghae murmurs as he stretches out on the bed.
Hyukjae glances at him and feels the slightest bit of nervousness creeping up on him again. He watches Donghae for a moment before picking up his phone.
“Do you want to sleep here, or...”
Donghae sits up to read the message and then looks up at Hyukjae with wide eyes.
“If... you're comfortable with that... we can... I mean... if you want to...” Donghae stutters.
Hyukjae blinks at his boyfriend and notices a blush across his cheeks. He hadn't considered before that Donghae would be more nervous than him. He smiles.
“I think we should try it. If you kick me in my sleep, though, you lose your comfy bed privileges.”
Donghae laughs and Hyukjae is glad that his humor could break the tension in the room. He pulls Donghae up from the bed and into his bathroom.
“You already have a toothbrush for me in here?” Donghae asks, smiling as he pokes around the bathroom.
Hyukjae hands Donghae a toothbrush before he starts brushing his teeth and grins as Donghae does so as well. It feels good, having someone he loves sharing his bathroom. Their eyes meet in the mirror and Donghae laughs while Hyukjae has to spit in the sink to keep himself from drooling with happiness.
Hyukjae changes to pajamas in his room while Donghae changes in the bathroom. He puts his glasses away and takes the dishes downstairs to wash them before coming back upstairs and finding Donghae comfortably tucked into his bed.
He wishes he could laugh and jump on Donghae and tell him a million sweet words. He settles for jumping on him and kissing him while Donghae jokingly tells him he's too heavy. Hyukjae puts all of his weight on Donghae and tickles his sides until the man beneath him is breathless from laughter.
“You invite me into your house, fatten me up, and then tickle me like that?” Donghae asks with mock anger. “You're lucky I didn't throw up on you!”
Hyukjae laughs an uncontrollable, silent laugh as Donghae gets his revenge, pinning Hyukjae to the bed and tickling him until he's almost in tears. Hyukjae finally manages to push Donghae off and he struggles to catch his breath, still laughing until Donghae pulls him into a hug.
His smile fades and he blinks until he feels a chuckle against his skin.
“I love you,” Donghae murmurs.
Hyukjae smiles again and snuggles into Donghae's warmth. This is what he had wanted. How could he be so lucky?
He wriggles until he can kiss his boyfriend and mouth the words “I love you, too” against his cheek.
Donghae smiles and holds Hyukjae tighter, shifting a little until they're both in a comfortable position.
“Sleepy?” Donghae asks and Hyukjae nods. “Me too.”
They curl under the blankets together, legs entwined, feet almost touching, and Donghae falls asleep almost instantly. Hyukjae follows soon after, lulled to sleep by feelings of love.
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