And when Daehyun wakes up the sun filters through the leaves on the tree just outside his window and it paints the wall and his bed various shades of vital green; it’s happy and cool and it feels like spring in his ribcage when he looks at the sleeping boy next to him with nothing short of love in his eyes.

A quick glance at his alarm clock reveals that it’s 9:27 AM. Usually, Daehyun would never wake up this early on the weekend, but today wasn’t normal and his body remembers it well; the whispers, the gentle touches, the nervous giggles and movements, the careful way Youngjae breathed, it’s all embedded in his memory for the rest of his life. Daehyun smiles and nuzzles his nose into the back of the younger boy’s neck, inhaling the soft scent of sleep wafting away from him as his arms tighten around Youngjae’s torso. Their first time wasn’t perfect, but it wasn’t full of flaws either. They were mostly nervous, Daehyun reflects thoughtfully, mostly unaware of what they should do next; but it worked out in the end, and by the time his clock showed a bright red 1:32 AM, they were both sated and clean and soundly asleep.

Minutes tick by and Daehyun’s fingers trace the green shades on Youngjae’s smooth skin, his touch soft and his eyes never leaving the younger boy’s face. He’s enchanted, always has been; from the moment they first met in the loud halls of school six months ago and up until now, Daehyun never stood a chance.

It’s 9:46 when Youngjae stirs and opens his eyes, blinking around him for a few good seconds before his gaze lands on the awaiting Daehyun. He smiles and scoots closer to the older, his eyes traveling from his boyfriend’s lips to his nose and eyes in an endless loop. “Good morning.”

And Daehyun smiles because Youngjae sounds so adorable yet so unfairly y first thing in the morning, and a small part of him wants a live replay of last night to teach the boy a lesson. “You’re so beautiful,” he says instead, the back of his hand caressing the younger’s cheek. Youngjae breaks into a fit of laughter.

"You’re terrible," he claims after he calms down, and the green light from the window makes his eyes sparkle mischievously. Daehyun just nods and kisses the tips of Youngjae’s fingers one by one and they fall into a comfortable sort of silence, their smiles wide and their bodies close and their lips touching. It’s so tranquil and private and for once in his life Daehyun doesn’t want to run away and the annoying need to always pretend to be someone he’s not isn’t there and his ribcage is suddenly open and filled with sweet, cool air. He wants to hold Youngjae close and sing something for him but he knows that Youngjae won’t hear him anyway, so he keeps his mouth shut and just stares at the miracle of a boy laying next to him and thanks god for his good luck.

And suddenly Youngjae’s grabbing his hand gently and he spreads Daehyun’s fingers wide, biting on his lower lip in hesitation before moving the older’s fingers to create different shapes and Daehyun looks at his own hand curiously, letting out a small chuckle when Youngjae’s done.

"What was that?" He asks quietly, searching for the answer in the younger’s eyes. Youngjae shakes his head and spreads Daehyun’s fingers again, swiping his thumb over the older’s palm before explaining.

"It’s sign language," he says hesitantly, shifting a little beneath the covers. His hand shapes the same figures again as he breathes, “I,”

Daehyun’s heart stops

"Love,"

And his eyes widen

"You."

And it’s hard to breathe because his skin is burning in all the spots that are in contact with Youngjae and his heart is hammering against his chest and it’s hard to think and breathe at the same time so he does just one of those actions; a small breath flies past his lips and Youngjae’s looking at him nervously through a sea of green, waiting for his reaction.

Daehyun smiles. “Do that again,” he breathes. “Say that again.”

Something close to relief flies through Youngjae’s eyes and he smiles back and inches closer to the older, his hands cupping his cheeks and their lips are so close that it almost drives Daehyun insane. Youngjae swallows thickly and his lips before taking a deep breath. “I love you,” he whispers, and flowers bloom in Daehyun’s ribcage.

The gap between them is closed and their lips are moving together almost seamlessly and the air is green as Daehyun rolls on top of Youngjae and laces their fingers together as he on Youngjae’s marble skin. “God, I love you so much,” he breathes, and he doesn’t even care that Youngjae can’t hear him say that and he doesn’t care that his muscles are still aching from the night before and he doesn’t care about anything but the beautiful boy beneath him while his lips travel lower and lower down Youngjae’s body; he wants to know and worship him like the angel he is and he wants him to know just how much he loves him even without seeing Daehyun say it, because love is wide and different and Jung Daehyun loves Yoo Youngjae more than anything or anyone else in the world.

And as the green light filters through the window and Youngjae smiles and drags Daehyun up to glue their lips together and their bodies move together in a perfect rhythm that builds up until it’s too much for them to take and Youngjae’s back arches off the mattress and Daehyun’s head falls forward and lands on Youngjae’s shoulder and they both take a minute to relax and breathe, that’s when Daehyun’s lungs take in a deep breath of green air and the flowers in his ribcage strive to reach the sun, and he pulls back from the sweaty Youngjae and makes sure that the younger watches him as he says just how much he loves him, and the sun enters him in the form of Youngjae’s smile.

Green light hits the white covers and draws small patterns on Youngjae’s skin, and Daehyun breathes in and smiles. It feels like spring in his ribcage.