All he wants to do once he gets home is to wash up and go straight to bed. Hyukjae groans, his bones and joints are aching so bad- probably because he’d been losing sleep for the past four days having meetings after meetings with the staff and Shindong hyung in preparation for their upcoming concert. He’s also still had to talk with the choreographer so, there’s no time for him to actually rest his bones for a mere minute.

I’m getting old, Hyukjae groans as he walks along the hallway leading to the dorm. Probably the result of eating too much ramen and no work out, he bitterly thinks, and wonders if Donghae’s comments about him getting all pudgy and weak is true.

“I’m not pudgy,” he remembers saying, and Donghae the brat only giggled and poked his ramen belly with an iPad stylus.

“One more pack and you’re going to be all jelly.”

Hyukjae threatened to hit him, but he didn’t actually hit Donghae because Hyukjae is just like that.

As he unlocks the door to the dorm, his tiredness instantly dissipates a little once he gets into a familiar, homey surroundings. Hyukjae calls for Kyuhyun in a soft voice in fear of disturbing the maknae, who’d probably had gone to sleep since it’s 2 AM- but got no answer. The foyer is void from Kyuhyun’s usual shoes, so he probably isn’t home tonight. Yongsun hyung is asleep already- Hyukjae concludes as he tiptoes around his bedroom door to get into his own-can’t wait any more second to peel his disgusting clothes from his skin as soon as he gets into his room. He really needs a shower.

After changing into a simple black t-shirt and shorts, Hyukjae proceeds to walk towards the bathroom with towel in hand, but stops dead in his tracks once he steps into the living room.

There’s someone sleeping on the dorm’s couch. He didn't notice the person at all when he got home since he went straight to his room, too tired to take a proper look around his surroundings. When Hyukjae steps closer, a small smile instantly forms on each side of his lips.

It’s Donghae, clad in his stupid corgi-peach pajama, draping himself over the couch with papers laying all around his sleeping form. He sleeps so peacefully almost like a baby, his pretty face is devoid of all emotions with his semi-long hair falling over his eyes. Hyukjae has to fight the urge to reach and tucks the stray hair behind the composer’s ear. Donghae probably was feeling lonely holed up in his own apartment and decided to crash in their dorm- and of course, because Donghae is being Donghae, he just had to bring something for him to busy himself with- songs he’d been working on for the past few months.

“Goodness,” Hyukjae sighs softly. “There’s no escaping from you.”

He sprints towards the bathroom to wash up and brush his teeth rather quickly before walking back into the living room, finding his lover is already stirring awake and groggily collecting his papers before lifting up his tiny hand (“Not tiny!” Donghae protested) to rub over his sleepy eyes, soft tufts of hair all tousled up around his head like a halo under the dim sepia-toned warm light. He looks so cute and rather childish. All pouty lips and stupid corgi-peach pajama.

Hyukjae feels his heart clenches as he silently coos at the adorable sight of his lover.

“Oh, you’re home,” Donghae incoherently mumbles. “I thought you’re going back to your family house.”

“And what are you doing, sleeping on the couch?” Hyukjae says in a low voice as he kneels on the floor, giving in towards his urge to caress Donghae’s soft hair. “You always break into my room all the time, but now you decided to be thoughtful and chose the couch instead.”

Donghae leans into the touch like a puppy, nuzzling his nose against the pad of Hyukjae’s fingers. “I was waiting for you, but you took so long I fell asleep.”

“I’m sorry.” Hyukjae tells him, in a genuine way, and he meant it. He’s being sorry for letting Donghae wait for him for so long to the point the younger man can no longer contain his exhaustion and fell asleep in the middle of song-writing. He could have gone to Hyukjae’s room to sleep but instead he chose the couch, so he could greet Hyukjae first thing once he got home- staying there so patiently like a puppy waiting for his owner under the rain.

The thought gets him soft, so he leans in to give a small peck on Donghae’s temple. “Meeting takes longer than I’ve anticipated,” a kiss on the tip of his nose. “Shindong hyung was kind of angry,