Thank you all for being so wonderful! ;_; (some of) the wait is finally over,  so I hope it's worth it.

The evening was unseasonably warm, matching the wine that swirled in Seunghyun’s tired bones. He sat in his usual worn chair, cigarette to his lips, observing the passerby's below.  Each moving about their own way, ignorant and apathetic to one another, simply hanging like little more than a winter morning fog. Until there was Jiyong. Always Jiyong. That ember within him radiated through the fog, a beautiful beacon in the night. He looked up as he crossed the courtyard, spotting Seunghyun and nodding, a slight smile present on his small lips that Seunghyun couldn’t help but match. He extinguished his cigarette as he took his final drag, its billow of smoke the last barrier between Jiyong and his sanctuary.

Jiyong knuckles rapt lightly on the plain oak door and he waited. Waited for what he wasn’t sure. Seunghyun, certainly, but what else? What did he really expect to lie beyond that door?  A tangible presence of Seunghyun’s inner workings? Some insight into the young man that seemed to do nothing more than ade into every fiber of Jiyong’s being, whether Jiyong wanted him there or not. Or it will be nothing more than an awkward favor. Jiyong found his mind spewing it’s usual venom before his thoughts could grow dangerous.

The door swung open to reveal Seunghyun, a smile warm in his eyes as he invited Jiyong inside. His place was just like him. Warm and inviting, yet dimly lit, detail and intricacies laying hidden in shadow. Sketches and canvases lay strewn about the apartment, forgotten cups of coffee usually not far away. Journals, books, and moleskines filled the bookshelves that lined the wall to the kitchen. The air wafted with the same woody cologne that filled his lungs every time he was in Seunghyun’s presence.

“Sorry it’s a mess. I usually don’t have people over.” Seunghyun said stacking the watercolor paper that were strewn about the coffee table. Jiyong couldn’t help but feel a beating against his ribs. He was an exception, at least this once.

“No, it’s fine. It reminds me of you.”

“I’m not sure if i should be insulted.” Seunghyun gave a mischievous smile, that was returned with a playful shove.

“So what do I need to do?” Jiyong said as his eyes followed Seunghyun, suddenly feeling a bit lost.

“Oh yeah, the painting. You can just sit down, I’m just sketching today to see what works.” he said, offering Jiyong a chair.

Seunghyun hardly needed Jiyong here to be able to draw him, but was on a mission. He was determined to crack that facade. To pull something more than just Jiyong’s usual feigned emotion. He wanted, needed, to see something real. He pulled up a chair of his own on the other side of the table. Slowly but deliberately he laid down the first .

“Is there anything you want me to do?” Jiyong asked, trying his best not to move his lips. Seunghyun gave a small laugh at the adorable, if rather awkward, consideration. 

“You can talk, and just move your head if I tell you.”

Jiyong gave a nod in understanding, and Seunghyun went back to work. Slowly but surely lines began to form shape, the smooth bridge of his nose, the bow of his lips. Seunghyun scooted about, with the occasional ‘Look a little left, sorry my left.’ ‘Can you look down?’ but otherwise they sat in comfortable silence, a feat for Jiyong in-and-of itself. Seunghyun flipped between pages mumbling inaudibly to himself, causing Jiyong to suppress a smile at his concentration. Finally after much flipping and little drawing he set his pad down.

“Let’s take a break. We’ve both sat long enough for the day.” Seunghyun smiled, despite his own frustrations, and stood up.

“Can I see?” Jiyong asked, unsure of the etiquette of art modeling.

“Oh, uh sure. Something’s missing, but i’ll be able to fix it once we sit for the painting.” Seunghyun said disappearing into the kitchen.

“I hope I was a decent model.” jiyong mumbled, more to himself than anything, as he picked up the sketchbook.

“You were great. I really owe you.”

Jiyong barely noticed his words as he studied the drawings. He was in awe. How could he create so much from so little? They were were just lines. Series of light and dark yet they were beautiful. They were so full of life, but Seunghyun was right. Something was missing. He looked at all the variations of himself. They were him, through and through; from the slope of his brow to the pout of his lips, but his eyes felt so empty. Was he really that cold? That withdrawn? Had that face that stared back at him all those late nights and tired mornings really be the man he had become? 

He wasn’t able to continue dwelling as his thoughts were broken by Seunghyun poking his head around the corner.

“Speaking of owing you, let me make you dinner.”

Jiyong was quickly brought back to reality. Someone was going to cook him dinner. Seunghyun was going to cook him dinner. He felt that increasingly familiar thump against his ribs at the thought. No one actually did things like that, not for him.

“But… we have to go to the store first. I’m out of… everything.” Seunghyun laughed. “I hope you don’t mind.”

“No,” Jiyong smiled back, the hum in his chest temporarily damping the thoughts rattling his brain. “I don’t mind at all.”