Doyoung gets a job, this calls for a celebration.

He is tapping out a message on his phone as he hurries out of his work building and onto the busy street. Writing and erasing and writing it again as he chews on his lip and blinks rapidly to keep his eyes dry. Deciding finally to write a simple I got a job, he hits send and stuffs his phone in his pocket as he boards the bus to go home.

His phone starts vibrating not a minute later, but he only chews on his thumb as he looks at Jaehyun’s face staring up at him from his phone screen. He should answer it, he wants to answer it, but he doesn’t think he could talk to Jaehyun right now without bursting into tears. He is so close to doing that already, and Jaehyun’s voice has the ability to break down all his barriers.

His phone lights up with a message only seconds after Jaehyun hangs up, meet me in the park east exit it says, no punctuation, like always. The familiarity of it makes him smile and he sends off a heart emoticon for Jaehyun to gush over. He always loves it when Doyoung partakes in his excessive emoji use.

Ten minutes later, he is stepping off the bus and starting down the street towards the large iron gates he can just about make out in the distance. As he nears the park entrance, the street is shadowed by the overhanging trees and Doyoung wraps his arms around himself at the change in temperature. In early spring the sun warms him up, but it is still a little cold once the sun is gone.

Jaehyun is standing next to the gate and when he sees him his face lights up in his biggest smile. Doyoung’s throat starts to ache as his eyes fill with tears that he tries desperately to contain as Jaehyun jogs towards him.

“I have everything planned,” Jaehyun says when he is close enough. He stops to plant a kiss on Doyoung’s lips with a quick “hi!” and takes Doyoung’s hands in his.

“I have everything planned,” he says again, but Doyoung lays his fingers against his mouth to silence him.

“Aren’t you going to congratulate me?” he asks, hating how weak his voice sounds. Jaehyun looks at him for a couple seconds with the softest smile on his face and then he pulls Doyoung close and wraps his arms around him.

“Congratulations, I’m so happy for you,” he whispers against the side of Doyoung’s face, lips pressed to his temple. When he pulls back and takes Doyoung’s hands in his again, he is back to being over-excited and smiling far to widely for Doyoung to take.

“I have everything planned,” he says for a third time, continuing before Doyoung can interrupt him again. “We’ll go to the park, do all the things we love doing, then for dinner we’ll get burgers at that place, you remember the one with the insanely good chilli mayo. We can go to that bar slash karaoke and drink and sing and go absolute crazy,” he leans into Doyoung’s face and wiggles his eyebrows a little when he says that and then his fingers slide gently up from Doyoung’s palms to his wrists.

“And then we go home and, you know, celebrate.”

Jaehyun raises his eyebrows and bites his lower lip at that, smiling when Doyoung breathes a tiny laugh.

“Whatever you want,” he adds, quickly deflating when Doyoung only smiles tremulously with his eyes fixed on Jaehyun’s shoulder.

“You don’t like it?” he asks and Doyoung shakes his head as his eyes fly to Jaehyun’s and he takes a step closer to lay a hand on Jaehyun’s hip.

“No, I love it. I really do, Jaehyun. I’m just … can I have another hug?” he begs as he can feel the tears are only seconds from breaking through. Jaehyun’s enthusiasm makes him so warm and so happy.

He is in Jaehyun’s arms again in less than a second, held close with an arm around his waist and Jaehyun’s fingers in his hair guiding his head to his shoulder. Doyoung curls both arms around Jaehyun’s middle, holding tightly to his shoulders with trembling fingers. He inhales deeply with his nose pressed against Jaehyun’s throat, his heart instantly starting to slow as the warm, familiar scent of his boyfriend washes over him. It is like that, the tears finally falls.

“No no,” Jaehyun whispers and Doyoung’s cheek with his fingers, “no tears.” Doyoung laughs a tiny, choked sound and hides his face deeper in Jaehyun’s neck. He is a bit embarrassed about crying in the middle of the street like this, but the way Jaehyun shushes him and hums softly in his ear while his hair makes him forget about anyone else around them.

“I’m sorry,” he murmurs and Jaehyun tightens his arms around him. “I’m so happy, I’m just a little overwhelmed.”

He has been so worried for months, more and more as the end of his internship grew closer with no implication that he was going to get a job once it was done. Having to rely on Jaehyun for so much has weighed him down, no matter how often Jaehyun has told him not to worry about it. My money is your money, he always says.

“I know, I know,” Jaehyun says, mouth pressed to Doyoung’s hair. “I know how worried you’ve been, how much of a relief this is.”

He doesn’t tell him to stop crying again and Doyoung is grateful. He just wants to let it all out, and while he would have preferred to do that in their apartment while lying on the couch wrapped completely in Jaehyun’s arms, he will have to make do.

“I haven’t liked it, you know.” He sniffs a little and lifts his hand to wipe Jaehyun’s neck with his sleeve.

“Having you provide for the both of us for so long, I’ve felt so sorry, so guilty all the time. I’m so glad I managed to get a paid internship, I don’t know if I could have lived with you paying all the rent as well.”

“I don’t think I could have,” Jaehyun interrupts with a small laugh, mumbling a sorry when all it does is make Doyoung’s face pinch with more tears.

“But you know I haven’t minded a bit,” Jaehyun says and rubs a palm up and down Doyoung’s lower back.

“Providing for you, it’s kind of made me feel good. I know I can take care of you now.” He says it so lightly, with a happy smile on his face and in his eyes, and Doyoung tilts his head to kiss him. Pressing their mouths together softly, hoping it will make Jaehyun feel how grateful he is for him, and how much he loves him.

“Okay,” he huffs when he pulls away, “no more crying. How did that plan of yours go again?” Jaehyun smiles widely and leans in for a short kiss before taking one of Doyoung’s hands in his and pulling him along into the park.

They stroll down the dusty paths for a long time, hands swinging between them and Jaehyun pulling Doyoung over to the side every so often to pose amongst the flowers. He takes a picture every time to add to his collection called My boyfriend is more beautiful than flowers. Doyoung always makes fun of him for it, but he also blushes every time Jaehyun mentions it. Jaehyun is rather good with a camera as well so even with only his phone the pictures always come out nicely and to Doyoung’s horror, Jaehyun has framed quite a few of them.

“Stop it,” he says finally after the sixth time Jaehyun stops him.

“Just one more,” Jaehyun begs, pouting cutely at him in the way he knows Doyoung can never resist. Doyoung sighs exaggeratedly like he always does, and lets Jaehyun pull him to stand under a cherry blossom tree.

“I haven’t gotten a picture like this in a whole year!” Jaehyun gushes while he moves around to get the best angle. A group of old women walk past them, laughing a little, and Doyoung blushes bright red even if the sound had been one of pure amusement. Jaehyun takes three pictures from three different angles and then Doyoung grabs his phone away from him and grumbles “that’s enough.”

Jaehyun laughs and doesn’t ask for his phone back when Doyoung stuffs it in his coat pocket. Instead he hooks his arm through Doyoung’s and leans his head on his shoulder for a small hug before they continue down the path. There is a large open space in the middle of the park with countless little fountains, mostly holes in the paved ground spurting thin streams of water, and it is Doyoung’s favourite place.

He has always liked water, for their anniversary three years ago Jaehyun surprised him with a trip to the sea and he still talks about that to this day.

They walk back and forth between the fountains, jumping out of the way of the periodic spurts and tugging at each other in an attempt to pull the other into a stream.

“Can I take one last picture of you?” Jaehyun asks when they are standing at the edge of the patio, looking at the fountain display. Doyoung digs his phone out of his pocket without a second thought, he wouldn’t mind a picture from this place. As long as it’s not flowers, he really doesn’t mind.

Jaehyun walks backwards a few steps and Doyoung turns to face him, following his directions when Jaehyun tells him to move a little to the right.

“Just a little more, a little more. You look so handsome,” he smiles happily and Doyoung feels butterflies in his stomach at the easy compliment.

“A little more to your right, just a tiny bit,” Jaehyun says and Doyoung moves one small step and then he yells in surprise and jerks forward as a cold spurt of water hits him right between his legs. Jaehyun breaks down laughing, loud and unattractive, face scrunching as he almost collapses to the ground. Doyoung runs up to him swatting him time and time again on his shoulder while he tries to hide the obvious wet spot on his dress slacks.

“Why the hell did you do that?!” he whines, blushing furiously and breathing harshly in his anger.

“Relax, I have a change of clothes for you,” Jaehyun wheezes as he straightens from his laughter-induced slouch. He tugs at the strap of his messenger bag and then points towards the public restroom not far from them.

“They’re clean enough that you can change in there, I think.”

Doyoung slaps him hard in the chest and tears the messenger bag from Jaehyun’s shoulder, using it to cover his behind as he stalks to the restroom to change.

He is still fuming when he returns, stiff work clothes replaced with comfier slacks and a soft long-sleeve sweater, but it feels so nice to be wearing clean clothes that he can’t stay angry at Jaehyun for long. He only did it because he knew Doyoung would be able to change immediately after all.

“Well I’m starving,” Jaehyun proclaims once Doyoung reaches him and flings the bag at his chest.

“You’re paying,” Doyoung grumbles and starts walking, slowing down only when Jaehyun wraps an arm over his shoulders and pouts at him in apology. It was actually a little bit funny, at least it will be by the end of the night. Or maybe tomorrow.

Dinner is delicious, the juicy burger in the relatively new restaurant is the best in the area and the place is predictably full. Instead of waiting for a table they order take-away and walks the sidewalks until they find an empty bench. They sit with their knees touching, a large box of curly fries between them, as they eat in silence.

The sky is dark when they finish, the city around them slowly turning from day to night life, but the small bench they have found is in a quiet spot and there is not another soul to see. They can hear them well though, but the city sounds are something they are used to. It is a necessary background noise. Jaehyun gathers all their food wrappers and paper cups with melting ice cubes and dumps it all in a nearby trashcan.

When he sits back down, Doyoung tangles their fingers together and rubs his thumb over Jaehyun’s in a soft caress.

“Do you think we can go back home now?” he asks and Jaehyun hums and tilts his head to urge Doyoung to meet eyes with him.

“I just … want to celebrate,” he says with emphasis and lays a hand on Jaehyun’s thigh. “And I don’t want to do that while drunk.”

Jaehyun hums again as he lays his hand on top of Doyoung’s on his thigh.

“It’s better sober anyway,” he says and leans in for a kiss. It tastes of grease and salt and chilli mayo, and his lips are soft against Doyoung’s.

And as always, a kiss is all it takes for Doyoung to lose himself completely.