late but...

HAPPY THIRD ANNIVERSARY TEEN TOP!!!

Chapter 22

Ricky was all nerves and he hoped that Changjo couldn’t tell how badly his hands were shaking as he inserted their hotel key into the door. He turned it and pushed the door open and suddenly Changjo was pushing him from behind.

Ricky stumbled in, scrambling to insert the key into the little slot by the door which would turn on the lights. The door closed just as the rooms lights flickered on and Ricky found himself standing face to face with his maknae.

Staring up with big round eyes Ricky found that despite anticipating this very moment throughout their entire dinner out, any words he planned to say refused to come out of his mouth. Instead they opted to remain tucked away and stirred, blended into a mix of intelligibility within him.

His fingers rung together in front of him and wordlessly Changjo took Ricky’s clammy fingers in his own. Ricky gasped slightly at the feel of Changjo’s warm hands, the maknae’s thumb running softly against his palm. Ricky looked down, noting how perfectly they fit together. It was like it was meant to be.

“Changhyun…”

At the sound of his voice Ricky looked up and he couldn’t help but blush under the intensity of Changjo’s gaze.

“Can I… can I kiss you?”

Ricky was surprised. Why did Changjo even feel the need to have to ask. Of course the answer was yes. Ricky nodded his affirmation and Changjo immediately bent down and pressed their lips together in a soft kiss.

The butterflies were back in full force, fluttering and flying within him and Ricky could feel that were about to carry him away, but Changjo’s hands were keeping him grounded. Changjo was the only thing keeping him tied to this Earth.

Changjo pressed a little more and Ricky pulled his hands from the other’s grip, bringing them up to instead rest on Changjo’s shoulders. Changjo’s arms slipped neatly around his waist and with one final peck he broke the kiss.

“Wow,” Ricky breathed out shakily, letting his fingers trace idly at the collar of Changjo’s shirt.

“I like you,” Changjo said.

“I like you too,” Ricky replied. “I’m sorry I took so long to reply.”

Changjo chuckled and let go of him, finally kicking off his shoes and going to sit on his bed.

“I’ll forgive you.,” Changjo began, causing Ricky’s eyes to light up with joy. “But only on one condition.”

Ricky deflated, his lip sticking out in a pout.

“What is that?” he asked.

“You agree to be my boyfriend,” Changjo replied.

Ricky didn’t want to hesitate. He think he owed it to Changjo to be as honest with him as possible from here on out. He didn’t want to make the other wait any longer so he fought down any doubt with him. He nodded, resisting the urge to wring his fingers together again.

“I do.”

A silence passed between them and neither moved, staring at each other without breaking eye contact. Ricky worried. Was his answer not enough? Did he not come off as sincere? It was the last thing he wanted to do but he could feel a slight swell of panic beginning to rise up in his chest but it was cut off by Changjo throwing a pillow at his face.

“Ahh!” Ricky screamed as it hit him, and quickly scrambled to pick it up before it fell. “What did you do that for!?” Ricky demanded, ears going red from the surprise.

“I couldn’t help it,” Changjo said. “You looked about ready to burst!”

Ricky stomped over and smacked his now boyfriend in the head with a pillow.

“You meanie,” Ricky pouted, sitting down beside the other and holding the pillow in his lap. “I was trying to be serious you know.”

“I know,” Changjo smirked at the other. “And I’m glad… I really am. But I don’t want you to feel pressured by this… so let’s take this naturally, ok.”

Ricky nodded.

“So… can I k—“

“If you’re going to ask one more time if you can kiss me I swear I am going to hit you,” Ricky cut in.

Changjo looked surprised and Ricky took that time to lay a quick peck on the other’s lips before pulling back just as fast.

“You don’t have to ask,” Ricky beamed.

----

The next morning Ricky awoke feeling as if he was living in an entirely new world. Colors were brighter; everything was alive. Ricky was alive. He felt it! Who knew that love could feel like this, and it was only day one.

There was no time for that. They had to work and he was a professional and they had practice and—

But knowing all that didn’t stop him from stealing glances at Changjo when he could or giggling just at the thought of his boyfriend. It was embarrassing and he knew it but it got to the point where he didn’t even care. He needed to be with Changjo and Changjo needed to be with him and that was that.

So they stuck to each other’s sides, only separating when absolutely necessary: costume check, make up, etc. They were always close anyway. Wouldn’t everyone just see it as normal for the two to play around together anyway?

Ricky tried to hide his laughter by covering his mouth as he crouched behind to sofa in the dressing room, expecting to jump out and surprise Changjo when he entered back into the room but was surprised instead being tapped on the shoulder from behind.

“Ack!” Ricky turned around in shock, but relaxing upon seeing it was only Niel. “Hyung don’t do that! You almost gave me a heart attack!”

“What were you doing hiding behind there anyway?” Niel asked, seemingly unbothered by Ricky’s state.

“I was trying to surprise Jonghyun when he got back from the bathroom,” admitted Ricky.

“I could see you easily. Your hair was sticking right up, you know,” informed Niel.

“Really?”

“Yeah… so I’m guessing by the way you two have been acting everything’s patched up?”

“Yeah!” Ricky beamed. “Everything’s great.”

“Really?” Niel arched a brow. “Just great?”

Ricky’s face involuntarily turned pink and Niel threw his head back and laughed.

“I knew it! You two are being so ing obvious!” Niel said. “The way you two have been acting you might as well just make out in the middle of the room. You’re basically doing it with your eyes anyway!”

“HYUNG!” Ricky protested. “That’s not true!”

“It is,” Niel said. “And now you have to give me details after the show. I want to hear it all.”

“No! Besides why should I tell you anything when you never tell me anything?” Ricky protested.

“Didn’t we make a deal? If you tell me I’ll tell you… so are you or aren’t you?”

Ricky crossed his arms. It was true, they had a deal and he wanted to know about Niel.

“Ok, yeah it’s true,” Ricky muttered.

“I knew it!”

Niel shouted and pulled Ricky into a bone crushing hug. Ricky felt like he’d suffocate and die at any moment. Ricky squirmed but the more he struggled the harder Niel’s hold became. Thankfully it was at that moment that Changjo returned.

“Ahem. What are you doing to Changhyun?” Changjo inquired.

“What does it look like?” Niel asked, giving one final squeeze but nevertheless letting go.

Ricky escaped into Changjo’s waiting arms feeling so much more comfortable in the maknae’s embrace. He buried his head in Changjo’s neck and sighed contentedly.

“Ugh get a room,” Niel groaned.

“In a few hours we will,” Changjo replied, referring to the end of their concert that evening.

Ricky lifted his head from Changjo’s shoulder and turned to stick his tongue out at Niel.

“If you’re jealous you should find Minsoo hyung then,” Changjo teased.

“I am not jealous, ok. I don’t like all that PDA and Minsoo knows it,” Niel’s shoulders dropped as he slunk down onto the waiting couch and Ricky could easily sense the change in his mood.

Did something happen with C.A.P and that was why Niel was bothering him in the first place?

Ricky pulled away from Changjo and grabbed Niel, pulling him back up onto his feet.

“Hyung, we’re going to have to have sound check soon. Come with me,” he pleaded.

“We don’t have to go for another 20 minutes,” Changjo pointed out but Ricky ignored him.

“Come on hyung. Let’s go!”

Ricky pulled Niel towards the door and turned back towards Changjo to send him and apologetic look. He knew that Changjo was confused by it but he seemed to get the idea that Ricky didn’t want to be followed.

Once in the hallway Ricky pulled Niel down until he found a secluded place and some boxes to sit on. The staff was busy and left them alone so Ricky thought it was good to stop there. He set Niel down and sat down beside him.

“Ok what’s up?” Ricky inquired.

“What do you mean?” Niel said, feigning ignorance.

“As soon as Jonghyun mentioned Minsoo hyung you got upset. I could tell. Is that why you came over?”

“I can’t just talk to my dongsaeng?” Niel asked.

“You can. But I know something happened.”

Niel sighed, looking to be deciding whether or not he should admit to Ricky’s accusation or not. Ricky remained silent; hoping to not have Niel shut him out.

“I didn’t come because I wanted to talk about it,” Niel finally said. “I came because I wanted you to distract me from it.”

“What’s it?” Ricky asked.

Niel seemed reluctant to answer, and his normally outspoken hyung seemed to be trying to disappear into the shadows the boxes cast onto the wall. What had happened and why did it shake him up so bad?

“Hyung?”

Niel just shook his head and Ricky knew to drop it. The last thing he needed on his hands was a moody Niel right before a concert. Besides, Niel wanted to be cheered up anyway and that’s what Ricky planned to do.

Hoping up onto both his feet Ricky smiled down at Niel who looked a bit pitiful shoulders hunched and perched on the box.

“Hey, let’s not worry about that, ok!” Ricky said, trying his best to sound as cheerful as possible in hopes that it would spread to Niel. “How about we prank Chanhee and Byunghun?”

-to be continued-

AN: ....... so CHANGRICK got together! So that little problem is solved. But while Ricky and Changjo had their things something has definitely been brewing between NAP. >:3

i took my exam last week so... *ljoe voice* FREEDOM! sorry for the long wait but... SUMMER VACATION starts... NOW! so hopefully I can get back to myself ^^ debating if i should share my twitter so we can be friends ;~; i need Angel friends. Thanks everyone who follows this story until now ^^ and anyone who is reading for the first time! Thnks so much <3