Dinner passed by in pleasant conversation, Daehyun not allowing even the thought of Youngjae to ruin the emotional paradise Jongup had always been so good at encasing him in. The two talked of mundane things with no real substance but somehow it still felt like the most valuable conversation Daehyun had been a part of in a long time. Sure, he joked with Youngjae, they laughed, but there was always some invisible line both had seemed afraid to pass over. That line didn’t exist with Jongup and, Daehyun found, he wasn’t even annoyed when Jongup stole an onion ring from him with a mischievous smirk. An action that would have ended in Youngjae sleeping on the couch only earned Jongup a pout and rewarded Daehyun with two french fries.

“So there I was, topless in the zoo with people snapping pictures and laughing at me.” Jongup threw his hands up in the air, playfully exasperated mid way through his dramatic retelling of how a giraffe had managed to literally steal the shirt off of his back during his first trip to the New York zoo. “My shoelace is apparently untied sometime during my struggle to get my shirt from the tall bastard’s teeth and I slip, falling on my . Well. And this it my favorite part. My shoe flies the off of my foot and lands in the god damned lion cage. I’m at the zoo fifteen ing minutes and already I’m down a shirt and a shoe. These s around me just thought it was the funniest . My mom laughed so hard she was gasping for air. I get up off the ground, irritated and ready to fight a giant cat for snacking on my brand new sneakers when I realize somehow in my fall... My zipper on my pants has broken. Like. Wont ever work again, type of broken. Oh swell, it couldn’t get worse than this, right? Wrong, Daehyun. It got worse. I had apparently forgotten to wear underwear. Zoo security came up and escorted me out for ‘indecent exposure’ like I was just having a blast showing my and my nips to all these unsuspecting old ladies and kids and my ing mother. Like. Yeah, sure buddy. So there I was, not even in America for a week, sitting in our rented car with my lonely sneaker covering my junk and I realize. This is it. This is America. This is my life now.” Daehyun was sure he was going to pass out, unable to get enough oxygen in his lungs past his laughter. Only Jongup, only Moon ing Jongup, could find himself in a situation that purely absurd.

“Oh my god, it didn’t really happen, did it?” Wiping tears from his cheeks, Daehyun gasped for air. Despite his question, he had no doubt that Jongup had somehow managed to get into that particular situation.

“It did! I was never allowed back. They had a picture of me posted at the entrance.” Chuckling, Jongup shook his head. “It was insane.”

“I just... I can’t stop picturing it!” Clapping his hands in pure joy, Daehyun leaned into the couch. “ That is literally the best thing I have ever heard.”

“Why imagine it when you can...” Picking up his phone, Jongup scrolled through it a moment before handing the device to Daehyun. “See it for yourself~” And there it was, the scene playing out exactly how Jongup had said it did. A new wave of hysterical giggles washed over Daehyun and he threw himself over Jongup’s laugh, hiding his face in the throw pillow beside the other man to muffle his fit of mirth. “Gee, thanks Dae.” Chuckling, Jongup shifted slightly under him and Daehyun suddenly felt fingertips running through his hair. “You know, even if it is at the most embarrassing moment in my life, Laughing Daehyun is a nice change from the Daehyun that ran to me for help today. This is the Daehyun you deserve to be.” Blushing, his laughter tapered off and he rolled onto his back to look up at his companion, smiling.

“What can I say? You bring out the worst in me.” Letting out a soft laugh, Daehyun stretched, still draped over his legs.

“I think the New York zoo brings out the worst in me.” Jongup admitted, poking Daehyun in the forehead, sending the man into another fit of giggles.

“Oh, no doubt.” Reaching out to sit Jongup’s phone of the coffee table, Daehyun relaxed and yawned slightly. He knew he hadn’t been handling everything between Youngjae and Junhong well, but he hadn’t realized how tense he had been this week, and just how it had been effecting even his ability to sleep. In contrast to how he felt in just a few hours with Jongup, he knew anything he had with Youngjae was beyond repair. There was no going back, but Jongup gave him hope that maybe he could still move forward.

His thoughts were interrupted by a song suddenly blaring through the room. It took a moment for him to recognize it, Lu by that one guy that he could never remember the name to. Eyes wide and a blush creeping over his cheeks, Jongup held eye contact with him as he shyly reached out to slide the phone to himself and mute it. Erupting into laughter at the look Jongup was giving him, that general tone of ‘please don’t judge me,’ Daehyun covered his face with his hand.

“I am so sorry. I thought I had the ringer off.” Jongup dropped his phone on Daehyun’s stomach, defeated by his own bad luck. “I swear I’m not some creepy ert. It just... It’s really catchy and...”

”Jongup, you don’t need to justify it.” Chuckling, Daehyun reached up to pat his cheek gently. “It’s just a song. Plus, it’s a hilarious song.” Watching the relief flood over Jongup made his heart throb in his chest. “Do you need to get that?”

“Nah. It’s only Himchan.” Shrugging, Jongup put his hand on Daehyun’s. “Should I start another movie?”

“What the hell? Himchan?” Sitting up slightly, Daehyun pouted and crossed his arms over his chest. “That son of a told me you died!”

“I should have known.” Shaking his head, Jongup sighed. “Himchan has a flare for the dramatic and he was pretty upset with me when I moved. I’m sorry he lied to you.”

“Not your fault. But I am getting him in a headlock next time I see him.” Settling back down, Daehyun closed his eyes and stretched again. “Another movie sounds nice as long as I don’t have to move yet.”

“You don’t. Unless you feel the need to use the bathroom. Than I would prefer you get off of my couch at the very least.” Jongup laughed and Daehyun felt a hand on his stomach. Opening his eyes, he smiled up at the other man.

“I can make no promises but I will do my best.” Smiling, he let his eyes close again and before he realized it, he was fast asleep.

Jongup watched as Daehyun slept across his lap, peaceful and beautiful. Absentminded, he the pretty man’s head gently as he memorized his every breath, wanting to have something to hold on to when Daehyun left. Heart aching at the thought, he picked up his phone to look at the text he had received.

‘Moon Jongup, are you stealing boyfriends now?’ Himchan’s words were an accusation he didn’t quite appreciate.

‘And where did you hear that, Himchan?’ Glaring down at his phone, he could feel his jaw tensing at the conversation already. As if the thought hadn’t already crossed his mind... Jongup was not some that went around breaking people up. But Daehyun needed him, and if it were Daehyun, even if it hadn’t been pretty apparent that whatever the man had with the guy he punched was over, he’d throw away his own morals to care for him like he deserved.

‘I don’t know, Jongup. My friend you assaulted.’ Himchan’s reply dripped with sarcasm and Jongup fought the urge to throw his phone.

‘Daehyun doesn’t want to be with that guy. He blew it. And another thing. Did you ing tell Daehyun I died?’ Growling softly, he fought the urge to go find Daehyun’s ex and hit him again. Implying that Jongup would steal Daehyun was one thing, entirely on the mark if he were honest, but implying that Daehyun would cheat was unforgivable.

‘You had the chance to start over. You didn’t need Daehyun’s drama pulling you down anymore.’ Though he knew that Himchan’s intentions had come from a sincere place, the accusation didn’t make him less angry.

‘Maybe what I really didn’t need was Himchan in my life...’ Sending the message and shutting off his phone, he glanced down at Daehyun again, reaching up to pull the throw blanket off the back of the couch and drape it over the slumbering man. He didn’t care what Himchan thought, this was all he wanted in life. All he had wanted since the moment he had laid eyes on him their first day of high school...

Moon Jongup walked into the double doors to academic hell, dreading every moment he would have to spend inside. School had never been his favorite thing and he had been prone to skipping more than a few classes in his lifetime, this year seemed as though it would go no differently. A laugh broke through his brooding thoughts, music to his ears, and he found himself scanning the faces around him for the source. Standing a few feet ahead, leaned against a locker with another male running his fingers over those sweet, pink cheeks, was the most beautiful person Jongup had ever seen. To say it was love at first sight sounded cheap and cheesy but he really had no other words for what he felt in that moment.

As he approached, the teens kissed and Jongup stopped short. There was no way he’d get in the middle of that. The pretty guy’s boyfriend was bigger than he was and, though he couldn’t deny he felt some kind of pull toward the teen, he wasn’t willing to die for a chance to get to know the stranger. As they began to walk toward their class, Jongup sighed heavily, regretful of his own cowardice.

“What’s that look for?” Himchan’s voice caused him to begrudgingly look away from the pair. “Jeeze. I’m not happy to see you either, Jongup.”

“Hey, Chan. Who’s that?” Nodding toward the duo, Jongup hoped his friend who lived off gossip and drama would have the inside scoop. As always, Himchan did not disappoint him.

“Yongguk or Daehyun?” His best friend questioned as he glanced toward the couple Jongup had pointed out.

“The cute one.” Rolling his eyes, Jongup busied himself looking over his class schedule.

“Cute one? I dunno, Uppie. Yongguk seems more y to me.” Giving a wicked chuckle, Himchan winked and went on his way, being of literally no help to Jongup.

Lucky enough for him, Jongup’s first class was with the beautiful teen with the angelic laugh. Daehyun. His name was as perfect as he was...

A pounding on his apartment door startled Jongup and he felt Daehyun jump awake in his lap. Groaning, he shot the door an angry look and ran his hand through Daehyun’s hair to calm him. Whoever it was better have a death wish, because that’s all they’d be getting, scaring his companion like that.

“What’s going on?” Voice soft and sleepy, Daehyun sat up and rubbed his eyes, allowing Jongup to stand.

“It’s probably just an .” Jongup shook his head and positioned the throw pillow that had been next to him so that Daehyun could lay back down. “I’ll go deal with it. You get just relax.”

“Tell Himchan I said ‘ off’ would you?” The sleepy smile that Daehyun gave him as he cuddled back into the couch was the cutest thing Jongup had ever seen. Laughing quietly, he tucked the other man in, watching as he began to drift off again before he went to open the door. Sure enough, Himchan stood in front of him, first poised to start another onslaught of knocks.

“What are you even doing here?” Stepping into the hall, Jongup closed the door behind him, not wanting to disturb Daehyun any more than Himchan already had.

“You didn’t answer my calls.” Himchan stated as though it was an obvious reason to come over knowing Jongup already had company.

“ Yeah. I turned my phone off because I was over our conversation.” Jongup shrugged and leaned against his front door. “If you’re here to insult Daehyun some more, you might as well leave. Unless you want to me actually hit you.”

“You’re not obligated to be his god damned body guard, Jongup!” Himchan raised his voice slightly, gesturing at the door. “All he does is take advantage of you!”

“I never said it was an obligation, I take care of Daehyun because I want to." Jongup glared at his friend, hands balling into fists. “Daehyun does no such thing. He’s sweet and kind and all he ever does is try to thank me for helping him. If you hadn’t been jealous of him since high school maybe you’d know he isn’t at all what you think he is.”

“Me? Jealous of him?” Giving a harsh laugh, Himchan crossed his arms over his chest. “What reason would I have?”

“Your crush on Yongguk, for one.” Jongup challenged Himchan’s denial, using personal information to his advantage. “Your crush on me. And I’m guessing the head I decked in the mouth today is your fabled Youngjae.”

“I-” Before Himchan could defend himself or further slander Daehyun, Jongup continued.

“Daehyun is a good person, but you’re starting to make it clear that maybe you’re just a selfish brat.” Reaching out for his doorknob, he gave Himchan a sad look. “You’re my best friend, Himchan, and I love you... But you need to seriously sort your out. Stay away from Daehyun. Because, friend or not, if you upset him, I will fight you.” As the door closed behind him, leaving Himchan in a stunned silence in the corridor, Jongup rubbed his temples and let out an exasperated breath.

Locking the door, he returned to Daehyun’s side, sitting on the floor in front of him with a heavy sigh. The other man’s eyes fluttered open and Jongup gave him a reassuring smile. Daehyun reached out for him and Jongup leaned his head against the other man’s as their hands met, fingers lacing together. With the contact, Daehyun was fast asleep again and Jongup watched over him until he felt the darkness of slumber overtake him as well. Fighting with Himchan , he hated it, but in the end, the argument seemed more than worth it. When faced with Daehyun’s happiness, Jongup would go to any length to keep the laughter in the other man’s soul.