King of Heart

It’s been a tough day. He sights before opening the door. He rubs his eyes, smearing the make-up that is still lingering on his face after filming. He types the code and the door opens with a beep, someone on the other side already waiting.

Thor trots to greet him first, jogging around his legs and wagging his tail joyfully, jumping to his knees with his long legs, his snout between his thighs, barking at his arrival. He pets him, snuggles on the floor sitting there with crossed limbs, pressing his face down his curly fur, feeling its softness melting his exhaustion, its happiness, contagious, spreading to his core and he finds himself smiling amid his own expectation - he shouldn't feel content, not when he failed, not when he has ended everything he has been longing for, cheering him with. 

"Oh, the King is back!" A voice jokes, cheerfully. He doesn’t need to see to know who he is - there is only another person living with him after all. Seunghoon appears to the hall to witness the mess that are Seungyoon and Thor laying over the carpet, laugh and barks joyfully mismatching, the chaos that he has welcomed inside his life. He smiles at them, smirks especially at Seungyoon, who pouts at his words. 

"Please, hyung, stop it," Seungyoon pleads, still holding Thor, keeping it between his legs, his hands rubbing, nose against nose, playfully.

"Never!” Seunghoon proclaims, joining him on the ground, petting both alternatively. When Seungyoon looks at him, his heart skips a series of beats.

He has come from the army just the day before and he hasn’t had a moment to appreciate him fully, too busy working, too engrossed in his music and dramas scripts to pay Seunghoon the attention he so much deserves. With his hair buzzed he is even more handsome than before - his hands ache, he wants to run his fingers on it, feel the tickles under his palm. He is smiling at him, at the picture that he is displaying only for him to see: soft and adorable, playing with his puppy, his hair everywhere, falling on his forehead in curls of raven ink, eyes half shut, enjoying the moment, the warmth coming from his heart, the instant shared that his heart so much craved for, missed during the long month they have been apart - he knows because he can see the shine on his eyes, the way he is gaping at them, holding so much love, so much pride, so many emotions reserved only for Seungyoon.

Seungyoon has to tell him, even when that means that he won’t be praised, kissed on top of his forehead, his smile spreading until taking his whole expression, all twisted to show the delight he has for his achievements - far much more than he has for himself and than Seungyoon doesn’t deserve.

He doesn’t deserve any of this, not now, not when he has lost and Seunghoon will be so disappointed, so dejected and broken - because he trusted him fully and he couldn’t live up to his expectations, to match the dreams he has for him (for Seungyoon to prove them wrong, to show everyone the color and force of his voice, to rule above his throne for as long as he lived, to let all enjoy his songs, his ability to master others' music). He needs to tell him the truth before he finds out himself; he has been monitoring him even from the army, calling him to cheer him up, to provide him with his honest opinion of all his stages, his songs choose. He couldn't have come this far without Seunghoon and his perpetual support - he has always stood by his side, shielded him from hate, from his own self-loath and hard criticism, he has been the voice to lull his fears, to motivate him to keep going, try again after the fall, after a mistake. 

“I got dethroned, hyung,” he explains, looking down at the ground. His chest sinks, too, sorrowful for having let him down, for not being able to stay one more week as a king of KOMS. 

“So what? You are always my king,” he says with so much care lingering on his words, his eyes trailing on him, on his dejected expression. He pulls him into his open arms, his chin resting on top of his black hair. “It doesn’t matter if you win or not, you are always my pride, my love,” he continues, and his soft voice swirls on Seungyoon’s ears, listening to it melting all his fears.

“Don’t be so condescending, hyung, I know I disappointed you. You said you would kick me out of the dorms,” he pouts, unsure. Seunghoon could be joking that time, but he took it by heart, did his utmost best to win, to be deserving of Seunghoon without realizing that he always deserves Seunghoon's love, that he gives it to him openly, for free - that he doesn't need to do anything but to be himself, to be with Seunghoon.

“Silly baby,” he murmurs, his hands closing on his heart, pulling him deeper, his back colliding against his core. “It did the trick,” he explains, smirking, “you won six rounds, that’s more than enough. Besides, you have to film your drama, you won’t have that much time to prepare the stages. Don’t you think I hadn't noticed?” he pinches his cheek, pressing his digit on the soft spot, turning his pouting lips into a funny face instead. “You retired, not lost,” he remarks knowingly.

“Hyung, you are too kind,” he says, his voice like crying.

It’s true, though, Seunghoon has always been kind and caring, taking him under his protection, under his gaze, bathing him with unending love and fun and fondness. He has been pouring all of his affection to him, has given him his whole heart without asking for anything in return - just to be by his side.

“You make me be like this,” he holds onto him even harder, raining kisses down his curls, peppering him, once more, with undeserved love. “And you earned every inch and ounce of what I feel for you,” he adds, reading his mind as he only can do. Seungyoon smiles reassured - Seunghoon has this way to get into his heart, to tell him what he needs to hear, to own all that he has.

Seunghoon spins him until they are face to face and Seungyoon is lost stargazing inside his eyes - it is so beautiful, like contemplating the whole universe.

“You are the king of my heart,” he promises, his hand grabbing his shirt, pushing him in, crashing his plump lips against Seunghoon.

And never a kiss has felt so right, so good, so sweet.