It all started when they were kids.

 

Right in the middle of the school year, Daehyun and his father had to move for reasons that was only explained to him as something he'd understand when he was older. Being uprooted from everything he had in his few short months in school was traumatizing for his poor little brain, and Daehyun had wanted nothing but to go back to the way things were.

 

Being introduced to his new class was a petrifying experience. These kids already had their intermingled friend groups from the start of the year and he hadn't been comfortable with the thought of trying to wedge his way into them. He gave his name to the class in a shaky voice, fingers clenched into his raincoat as he bowed at them.

 

When play time came around that rainy day, all the kids divided up amongst themselves to play with the various toys in the room while Daehyun kept to himself at his table. He found some paper and some colours so he could scribble little shapes and lines in solitude while he listened to all the other kids laugh amongst each other. He tried not to think about the friends he'd had to leave behind and how he'd much rather be running around on the playground with them in a wild game of tag or pretending to fly when they pushed each other too high on the swings.

 

Another kid plopped down heavily in the chair in front of him, startling him to the point where he'd accidentally thrown the crayon in his hand out behind him with a slight yelp.

 

“What'cha doin'?” The kid kind of leaned down over the table and stared intently at Daehyun.

 

And Daehyun pouted and looked around, trying to find out where that crayon he'd been using went because he quite liked the shade of pink he'd been using to scribble circles all over his paper and now the crayon was gone. He completely blanked on the fact he'd been asked anything during his search and only recalled someone had sat with him when he ducked back from having picked up the crayon off the floor and tried to get back to what he was doing.

 

“I like your picture!” Daehyun looked up to see the kid still there and smiling what was possibly the largest smile Daehyun had seen in his short life.

 

He'd really only been practicing his shapes, there wasn't any sort of picture he had in mind. He blinked stupidly at the kid who was still grinning this toothy grin with a spot missing from a lost tooth. “Why aren'tcha with your friends?” Daehyun asked, getting back to making and connecting lines on his paper.

 

“'Cuz I wanted to sit with ya?”

 

Daehyun once more stopped what he was doing and stared at the boy. “You don't gotta do that...”

 

“But I wanna!”

 

And Daehyun decided to let him, this first encounter being the start of a lifelong friendship with one Yoo Youngjae.

 

--

 

Daehyun quietly left the office in his and Youngjae's apartment to grab himself a drink and settle on the couch. Youngjae ought to be done with his recording session any minute now, and Daehyun knew that meant Youngjae was going to barrel out of his own office and flop directly onto him. Whether he was standing or sitting or what room he was in and what he was doing didn't matter.

 

May as well make it easier and comfier on the both of them.

 

He grabbed the remote off the coffee table to turn on the television and began to flick through the channels, not paying much attention to the various different shows he was passing through. He settled it on some science documentary channel before putting the remote on the arm and taking a large gulp of juice.

 

Like clockwork, he heard the footsteps padding down the hallway, and he made sure to set his apple juice down on the coffee table moments before Youngjae crawled onto the couch and flopped onto his lap. There was a certain exhaustion in his eyes -a satisfied one. The type of exhaustion that comes from loving the job he does.

 

Daehyun chuckled to himself as he ruffled Youngjae's hair out of place, laughing only harder when Youngjae whined and swatted away Daehyun's hand so he could get his hair back right.

 

“Heard you swearing profusely earlier,” Daehyun commented idly as Youngjae readjusted so he wasn't draped over Daehyun and was instead hugging him so tightly that Daehyun's next addition was slightly strained, “Hit a hard part in your game?”

 

Youngjae groaned and buried his face into Daehyun's neck. “It was such a ing nightmare puzzle,” he complained. “And I'm a who was one step away from completing it before stopping and doing everything but what I needed to do.”

 

“Can't wait to watch you make a fool of yourself as I'm editing down that stream.”

 

“Ugh, shut up.” Youngjae's whine is muffled in the skin of Daehyun's neck, and he squeezed Daehyun even tighter in his arms.

 

Daehyun can barely manage out a chuckle, but does eventually squirm around enough to where Youngjae's grip is no longer constricting his breathing. All it took was him moving his arm to allow Youngjae to occupy that space instead, and Daehyun ruffled Youngjae's hair again with his now free hand, feeling his heart race at the content little hum Youngjae let out.

 

Then he mentally chastised himself to calm that down because that noise didn't mean anything. These sorts of actions didn't mean anything more than friendship for Youngjae, and it had honestly been like that for Daehyun at the start as well. He leaned his head back against the couch and breathed deeply through his nose, eyes slipping closed.

 

Daehyun found himself a bit exasperated by it sometimes. Floundering in his feelings for Youngjae like a fish out of water while his best friend was painfully unaware of it all. He always had been oblivious to the emotions of others, and it wasn't something that particularly bothered Daehyun most days. He understood that Youngjae was just affectionate in nature, from when they were kids to now.

 

His mind slipped back to their days in elementary school where Youngjae would grip his hand tightly and pull him along to sit with him. Or how he'd make sure their fingers were interlocked as they made it to student pick up, only splitting when either Daehyun's father was there or one of Youngjae's parents were there. How he gave the strongest back hugs, side hugs, front hugs -even back then when they were both wimpy little boys with no muscular strength. The kisses Youngjae would plant on his cheek or his forehead or his temples...

 

These behaviours didn't disappear when junior high crept up on them. Youngjae still clutched his hand tightly to drag him around places. Rather than walking to where they'd be picked up by their respective parental guardians, they were now deemed old enough to walk home themselves, Youngjae still twining their fingers together and pulling him along, smacking a kiss to his cheek when they parted. He still draped him in hugs larger than life and planted reassuring kisses to his face, and when the other kids would give judgmental stares, Youngjae would just huff at them that it's okay for friends to kiss.

 

A constant childhood of that was probably why Daehyun never really questioned what he felt for Youngjae until much later down the line, and by then, it was too late. He was in too deep and had very little concern in getting out of it.

 

Not even when graduation came around and people were starting the next stage of their lives, separating from each other and going their own way to pursue their own things. Daehyun had thought the two would inevitably split just like all the other close friendships in their class were doing. Only meeting up when time would allow it in their newfound busy lives or letting the friendship drop by falling out of contact.

 

It was a thought that stung his heart because at that point he knew just how deeply in love he was with Youngjae. He'd come to the hesitant conclusion that the only way he'd get over it was with distance. So while he knew it would hurt, he prepared himself for it regardless.

 

But with the way Youngjae spoke about finding apartments, Youngjae didn't once think the two of them would be separated and instead thought they'd be going at life together. Hand in hand as they always have...

 

Daehyun really didn't have it in him to deny Youngjae when he said he'd come across the perfect apartment for them. Not terribly far from their families, and close enough to a university that offered classes for their respective pursuits in life, Daehyun's being in video editing. He had only chosen video editing as a pursuit because he'd made a promise to Youngjae during their teenage years that he'd be his video editor for the gaming career Youngjae wanted to chase after, but at least it was something to do.

 

It's not like he disliked it. He actually enjoyed it quite a bit, so he was thankful that he'd managed to find some kind of purpose in life thanks to his best friend. Youngjae got to do what he wanted in life, and Daehyun was glad to be a part of that. And it's not like it was only Youngjae that Daehyun edited for-

 

A gentle poke to his cheek brought Daehyun from his thoughts. “Isn't it a bit early to be going to sleep?” Youngjae asked, finger trailing higher up and tapping against the mole under Daehyun's eye. He chuckled as Daehyun's face twitched around, eyes opening and glancing down at him. “So you are awake.”

 

Daehyun huffed. “Yeah, I'm awake.” He adjusted himself to lean up better, trying to quell the disappointment in his heart at Youngjae pushing himself up to sit normally rather than remain clung to him. Youngjae shot a look at him, an unreadable one with sparkling eyes and a bright grin. “What's that look for?”

 

Youngjae giggled to himself before planting a loud smack of a kiss to Daehyun's cheek before pulling away. “Let's get some pizza! That medical drama's supposed to be having its season finale tonight and they're promising never before seen action.” Youngjae excitedly grabbed the remote from the arm, having to reach over Daehyun to get it, and began to flip the channels to get to the correct place before getting his phone from his pocket to dial for delivery.

 

“What, they're actually going to treat the patients instead of ogling each other?”

 

Daehyun's quip made Youngjae do something between a snort and a cackle. “Only one way to find out.”

 

While sharing a large all topping pizza, Daehyun eating the toppings Youngjae picked off his pieces rather than just ordering a pizza without olives and mushrooms and peppers, they determined that answer to be no.

 

--

 

Daehyun recalled staring up at his father while he was on the phone, waiting for his mother to come pick him up for the weekend to stay with her as the routine was supposed to be for the few years it had been since his parents split. He still wasn't quite sure he understood the concept of divorce, and he couldn't deny that he still wished his parents were together sometimes. Especially when he saw how happy Youngjae's family was.

 

Based on what he was hearing from his father's side of the conversation, this was going to be one of those weekends his mother backed out on him visiting.

 

He tried to distract himself from that thought by knocking his light up sneakers against each other and watching the pattern they flickered in. It was a situation that was increasing in frequency. The last time he'd been there about a month ago, she'd paid more attention to the other man she had with her than him. She'd introduced him -said something about him being a boyfriend- but it hadn't clicked in Daehyun's brain what that meant. Just that they were words being said to him that held some meaning to her that he didn't understand. And since then, she'd been too busy for Daehyun to come spend time with her.

 

When his father finally hung up the phone with an exasperated sigh, Daehyun knew what type of weekend it was going to be. He tried not to feel bummed as he stared down at his sneakers, but he felt it in how tingly his shoulders felt. Silence hung between the two of them on the couch as he kicked his feet around. “You'll... be staying here with me this weekend, Daehyun,” his father declared, voice strained from masking his frustration towards Daehyun's mother, but giving his son a gentle pat to the back to hopefully assure him that it wasn't his fault.

 

Daehyun nodded and slipped off the couch. “That's okay. I like hanging out with you, Dad.” Daehyun mustered the most reassuring smile he could. He carefully kicked off his sneakers and carried them back into his room while he heard his father make a call.

 

He scurried back in right as his father was putting his phone back into his pocket. “Dinner should be here soon,” he informed. Most of the time, his father cooked. He made sure the two of them had a decent meal on the table for dinner during the weekdays. But on the weekend, when Daehyun was supposed to be off with his mother, that turned into leftovers if they were still there or delivery to give him a bit of a break.

 

“Did you get the stick food?” Daehyun asked, holding his fists in front of him and barely able to contain his excitement.

 

His father nodded, a gentle smile replacing the tired look on his face. “Yes, I ordered the things to make skewers.” Daehyun bounced around before flinging himself onto the couch and haphazardly throwing his arms around his father. “I figured you'd like that,” he chuckled. “Would you like to see if we can have Youngjae come over for the night, too?”

 

“Yeah!”

 

There had been no qualms with it, and Youngjae's parents had dropped him off shortly after the delivery person handed over their food.

 

“We've got stick food!” Daehyun cheerily sang after Youngjae had been let into the house and they'd waved at his parents from the doorway.

 

“You're eating sticks?” Youngjae exclaimed, wide eyed as he followed Daehyun over to the table and took a seat.

 

“No, no! It's like... food you put on a stick! You can put as much as you want and you can carry it with you!” Daehyun was near vibrating as he clapped his hands, eyes sparkling while he watched his father assemble said food. Spearing meat then veggie, meat then veggie, meat then veggie and handing it to Daehyun.

 

“Oh, these things!” Youngjae watched as Daehyun's father assembled a skewer for him as well with the gentle chastising for Daehyun to wait until everyone had one before starting to eat.

 

After they'd eaten their fill, they got to play for a bit before they had to get ready for bed. When the lights were turned off, Youngjae crawled up from the pallet that had been made for him and instead clambered into bed with Daehyun, giggling to himself and clutching Daehyun tightly. “You make a real cozy pillow, Daehyun,” he whispered happily after he'd adjusted to where he was laying his head on Daehyun's chest. “So soft and squishy...”

 

“I'm a person, not a pillow,” Daehyun whined quietly. But he made no move to make Youngjae get off him and instead resigned himself to the fate of being a pillow for his best friend.

 

At the time, Daehyun didn't know he wouldn't actually see his mother again. He only thought it was just another weekend where his mother was too busy for him. He didn't know that every weekend for the rest of his childhood would be spent with Youngjae instead. How the normal would become spending his weekends like this instead of wishing he could go see his mother but her always denying him.

 

Over the years, he'd still ask his father about his mother. The two of them still talked in those earlier years -Daehyun's father trying in vain to get those weekends set up so Daehyun could spend time with his mother- until they eventually fell out of contact and it was just him and his dad.

 

But by the time that happened, he was used to his mother not wanting to see him, even though it stung. Daehyun knew his father tried his best in playing the role of both parents. It's why he tried not to complain about his mother not being around and instead opted to make sure his father knew how much he appreciated him always being there.

 

Last he'd known, his mother had remarried, something he asked his dad why he hadn't done. His father simply explained that he wasn't interested in remarrying and instead wanted to put his focus on making sure Daehyun was raised happy and well.

 

Daehyun couldn't help but think he was holding his father's happiness back. But he kept those thoughts between himself and Youngjae, not wanting to make his father upset that he was thinking that way.

 

When he'd let these thoughts out to Youngjae, his best friend would do his level best to soothe him through it with tight hugs and reassuring kisses. And when Daehyun felt better, they got to what became Daehyun's new normal. Joking around about anything, making sure the two of them were on the same page when it came to the confusing material they'd been assigned over the weekend, to eventually playing those video games that Youngjae loved to play that Daehyun never got the hang of but tried regardless because he was always at his happiest when Youngjae was laughing and having a great time.

 

And at night on those weekends, Youngjae distracted him by flinging his limbs around him and pressing kisses all over his face and talking about what a great pillow Daehyun was before their giggle fits were replaced with peaceful slumber.

 

It got to the point where it no longer stung that Daehyun's mother wanted nothing to do with him. It didn't hurt for her to not want him around. Those feelings towards his mother were a distant memory by the time he graduated, and Yoo Youngjae was the main person he could thank for always taking his mind off it all.

 

--

 

Daehyun had just clicked to save and finish video he was editing for a client when Youngjae knocked on the office door. “What's up?” he spun the desk chair around just as the door was opening.

 

“Haven't heard from you today,” Youngjae said as he leaned against the doorframe. Daehyun caught himself admiring how gorgeous his best friend was and almost didn't hear the next words that left Youngjae's mouth. “Everything good in here?”

 

Daehyun nodded. “Yeah. I was just finishing up, actually.”

 

Youngjae lit up. “Wonderful! I was thinking we could rent a movie tonight? I can warm up those leftovers and get the skewers from the cabinet.”

 

“Stick food!” Daehyun beamed, nearly hopping out of his chair. He'd never been able to contain his excitement for skewered foods well. They were his Number One Food, after all. Reminded him of fun and comforting times.

 

“I knew you'd like that.” Youngjae pulled him up out of the desk chair by the hand, lips spread into a smile that Daehyun swore outshone the sun, and he found himself dragged out into the living room and plopped onto the couch.

 

As Youngjae fiddled around in the kitchen, Daehyun got the television stuff figured out. “What type of movie were you thinking?” he asked, scrolling through the list of ones currently available for rent.

 

“One of those that look like it's going to be comically terrible!” Youngjae called out excitedly.

 

With that guideline in mind, Daehyun sorted through various movies and read through the descriptions of ones that looked promising to determine whether they fit the bill. An arduous task due to the amount of available movies and how serious most movies try to take themselves. He was still sorting through them when Youngjae joined him on the couch, placing a platter of skewers on the coffee table in front of them.

 

Then Youngjae let out a snort. “Does that say 'Sharknado'?” A few movies down the list, it did indeed say Sharknado. “With a title like that, it's got to bad. Let's watch it!”

 

It was definitely... an experience, so to say. Through them pointing half eaten skewers at the television and at each other in incredulity of what they were watching, to eventually finishing off all the food, Youngjae ended up sprawled out over Daehyun's lap with the older carting fingers through his hair a bit mindlessly.

 

As the credits rolled, Youngjae pulled up his phone. “Daehyun, there are six Sharknado movies!” He squirmed around in Daehyun's lap to allow Daehyun to look at his phone screen at the same time he was. “They all have such ridiculous names, too... We've got to watch them all, Daehyun!”

 

Daehyun scanned the titles but noticed the time on the top of Youngjae's screen. “We can do that another time, Youngjae,” he said with a pat to the younger's head. “It's getting late and we've got things to do tomorrow.”

 

Youngjae pouted but didn't complain. “Yeah, you're right. Let's get ready for bed then.” Youngjae heaved himself up with some trouble, limbs flailing around until he'd managed to successfully sit up, Daehyun laughing at him the entire time but trying to help as best he could.

 

After they'd cleaned everything up and gone through their nightly routine, Youngjae clung tightly to Daehyun's back in their shared bed. When they first got the place a few years back, Daehyun had originally thought they'd just have two separate rooms. Not entirely incorrect since they had two separate offices, but Youngjae only set them up to have one bedroom.

 

Daehyun didn't mind. The two of them had been sharing a bed for at least a decade at that point, so it probably would've been weirder the other way around -with them having two separate bedrooms but sharing an office.

 

“You're meeting your dad for lunch tomorrow, right?” Youngjae asked. Daehyun hummed tiredly in affirmation. “Give him my regards, m'kay?” Daehyun felt a kiss pressed against the back of his neck and couldn't stop the shiver that ran down his spine from it.

 

“Of course.” Daehyun cleared his throat. “Aren't you supposed to be meeting with some friends for drinks tomorrow evening?”

 

“Mhm, for Junhong's birthday,” Youngjae confirmed. “You sure you don't want to come along?”

 

“You just want me to come so I can be the designated driver,” Daehyun teased.

 

“You know it's not like that, Daehyun...”

 

“I know, I know,” he chuckled, turning around in Youngjae's arms so he could look at the younger. “And I'm sure. I'll probably end up with Dad long enough for dinner as well, and I don't want to keep you or your friends waiting. Especially Junhong on his birthday.”

 

It was less that and more that Daehyun didn't think he could handle watching Youngjae be so affectionate with his other friends. If he didn't see it, he could pretend it didn't happen. Ignorance is bliss, after all...

 

He stared at Daehyun with an unreadable look before being overtaken with a gentle smile. “Alright.” Youngjae pressed a little kiss to the spot between Daehyun's eyebrows, giggling at the way Daehyun's face contorted around at the action before he snuggled into Daehyun's chest. “Goodnight, Daehyun.”

 

Daehyun allowed an arm to settle over and around Youngjae to hold him a bit closer, ruffling the hair on the back of his head and trying to will his heart to slow down at how Youngjae hummed at that. “Goodnight, Youngjae.”

 

It was always nice to talk with his dad. It was even better to see him chasing after his own happiness rather than worrying about his son's. He was apparently attempting to court a woman in the neighbouring section of where he worked to favourable result so far. Something that caught Daehyun off guard since his father had shown no interest in dating throughout his entire childhood, but it wasn't unwelcome.

 

After a mostly uneventful day catching up with his father, Daehyun found himself in his office to get some work done before Youngjae got back home. This evening's work was to get the most recent of Youngjae's streams completely edited down so he could begin the captioning and editing process tomorrow. That was his goal, at least. Whether or not he got it done depended entirely on when Youngjae stumbled in through the door from hanging out with his friends.

 

Given that Youngjae had been picked up rather than driving out there himself, someone else had been deemed the designated driver for the night. And he only had that knowledge because Youngjae messaged him to let him know. Which meant Youngjae would be at least a little bit intoxicated, something Daehyun would need to mentally prepare himself for.

 

It's not that Youngjae's a bad drunk. He never drank to the point where he out and could be considered drunk, actually. Youngjae was just more insistent on Daehyun being Youngjae levels of affectionate. Something he'd love to do but was apprehensive about doing when alcohol was involved, so he tried to restrain himself even more than he usually did.

 

Not that it worked. Youngjae always managed to coerce him to step out of his shell just a little bit, but at least it was for a thing Daehyun could reason away. Thanks mainly to Youngjae's repeated words from their years growing up together.

 

He didn't know how long he'd been working, but he was brought out of it by hearing knocking on the door through his headphones. Daehyun paused what he was doing and set his headphones onto the desk. “Daehyuuuuun, are you working still?” Youngjae whined through the door, knocking a few more times for good measure.

 

“You can open the door, you know.” As soon as the words were called out, Daehyun heard the door open. Slowly, if the way it creaked was anything to go by. “How long have you been back?” Daehyun asked, still fiddling around in the editing program since he'd been in the middle of making a note.

 

“I just got back,” Youngjae drawled. “Are you gonna be done soon? I wanna go to bed.”

 

“You don't have to wait for me to go to bed, Youngjae.” Daehyun spun the desk chair around to see his friend leaning against the doorframe tiredly. “You should go ahead and lay down to get some rest. I want to get this stream cut down completely before turning in.”

 

Youngjae pouted and rubbed at a spot on the floor with his big toe. “But I don't sleep well without my favourite pillow...”

 

The tone of his friend's voice and the sad look on his face was enough to change Daehyun's mind. He could just as easily finish this up tomorrow. “Fine, go get into bed and I'll be right there.” His heart leapt at how Youngjae lightened up and scurried off. A man to his word, Daehyun made sure the file was saved before shutting down the computer and doing a safety check of the apartment -making sure lights were off and the door was locked- before making his way into the bedroom.

 

Daehyun shut the bedroom door and flicked off the lights before crawling under the blanket Youngjae held up for him when he'd seen him walk in. He noted a glint in his friend's eye, and he raised a brow at him. “What's that look for?” He asked the question, knowing where it was going to go before the sleepy words even left Youngjae's lips.

 

“Can I have a goodnight kiss?”

 

The words tug at Daehyun's heartstrings, but as much as he'd love to deliver a nice kiss to Youngjae's lips with express delivery, it doesn't sit right with him to do anything like that when alcohol's been introduced into the equation. Instead of that, Daehyun just ruffled Youngjae's hair in a way he knew the younger only tolerated from him.

 

“Aw, not even a kiss on the cheek? You're heartless,” Youngjae teased, his smile cluing in that there was no malice to his words, and tangled his limbs around Daehyun like he did every night since they'd gotten this place.

 

Daehyun internally groaned because Youngjae always gets like this when he's had a bit to drink. Later, he hoped he'd remember to tell Youngjae to not drink so much when he's out with his other friends. But for now, he resigned himself to his fate and decided upon a light kiss to Youngjae's forehead with his usual mantra sounding out through his head in his best friend's voice.

 

Friends can kiss, you know.

 

A sinking feeling always accompanied that reasoning, a reminder of what he wanted but knew he would never get, but it's quickly replaced by warmth from Youngjae's reaction.

 

“A forehead kiss? Wow, I've lucked out today!” The end of Youngjae's sentence tapered off into a giggle fit, and Daehyun can't help but chuckle along as Youngjae pushed Daehyun to lay on his back so Youngjae could drape an arm over him and rest his head against Daehyun's chest. “You really do make the best pillow, you know,” he sighed contentedly before settling into slumber.

 

And Daehyun makes the executive decision to just let it slide like he always does. It's not like it's often that Youngjae goes out drinking, anyway.

 

--

 

Daehyun didn't like the way the look from the girl in front of him was making him feel. With the hem of her shirt being twiddled about nervously in her fingers, she'd look from her hands to the side and back to Daehyun. Almost expectantly. “So? What do you say?” she nervously asked.

 

All Daehyun had been doing was waiting by the school gates for Youngjae to get done with the meeting he was having with one of his teachers. He in no way wanted a girl from one of his classes to come up to him and declare that she really, really liked him and would like to go on a date. Either after school or this coming up weekend.

 

What she felt, what she wanted from him... He knew he couldn't give it to her. The only person who occupied his thoughts that way were Youngjae, even if his best friend was oblivious to it. Even if he was too scared to tell Youngjae he was in love with him, he couldn't think about being with someone else without feeling like he was betraying Youngjae.

 

A silly thought, really. Youngjae's always made it clear to everybody that they were just friends, so there was no reason for him to think it could be anything more than that.

 

He realized she was still waiting for an answer, and he gulped down his nervousness. Daehyun didn't like the thought of making someone upset, but he figured that was better than faking it and trying to make something impossible work. After all, that was how his parents' relationship had ended as terribly as it did. “I'm sorry, but... I'm not interested.”

 

He tried not to feel bad as she visibly deflated and thanked him for taking the time to listen to her before she wandered off to presumably meet up with some of her own friends.

 

“What was that about?”

 

Daehyun turned to see Youngjae walking over, an unreadable look on his face. “It's nothing.”

 

“Didn't look like nothing,” Youngjae pointed out. He rocked on his feet a bit, waiting for Daehyun to give further elaboration.

 

Daehyun sighed, grabbing Youngjae by his wrist so they could begin the trek to his best friend's house. Within moments, Youngjae had grasped his hand like he normally did and they were walking onward. “She was asking me on a date, but I turned her down,” he explained.

 

“You turned her down? Why?”

 

Daehyun looked over at the way his friend was blinking at him and thought that Youngjae really was the most oblivious person in the world. “I wasn't interested.”

 

“Not interested in dating, or just not interested in her?” Youngjae wondered. There was a teasing tone in his voice, and given the route they were taking, they'd subconsciously decided Daehyun was going to be spending a few hours over at Youngjae's before going home.

 

“Don't see why that matters,” Daehyun chuckled, nudging Youngjae's shoulder with his own when the younger only pouted at him. “Hey, that new game of yours was supposed to come in today, right?”

 

Daehyun was internally glad the subject was dropped as Youngjae began to excitedly talk about the game he'd ordered and what it was supposed to be like. He didn't want to have to dodge questions about who it was he was interested in by the person he was interested in.

 

A few hours later, after they'd gotten schoolwork done, Youngjae was camped on the bed with his back against the wall his bed was parallel to. Controller in hands with Daehyun slumped onto his shoulder to watch as Youngjae played his new game. It kind of made his brain enter a meditative state, so when Youngjae suddenly paused the game and set the controller to the side, it took a moment for Daehyun to recognize that.

 

“Hey, Daehyun?”

 

Daehyun leaned up off of Youngjae to look him in the face, which was unreadable. “What's up?”

 

Rather than be given an auditory response, Youngjae grabbed his face between his hands like he did before he sprinkled kisses over Daehyun's face. But instead of that, he pressed their lips together. A shocked little squeak caught in Daehyun's throat as he felt Youngjae's lips on his, but he eventually melted into it.

 

When they pulled their lips away from the other, Daehyun felt his lips move to speak, not registering whether there was sound with the way his lips moved or what words he'd been trying to say. There was no time to because Youngjae was joining their lips together again, fingers grasping tighter into Daehyun's face to pull him closer. And Daehyun let it happen, let his lips move against Youngjae's, let himself get lost in it because certainly this had to mean something-

 

“What's going on here?”

 

Then he was filled with panic and dread because that was Youngjae's mother and they were quickly pulling away, Daehyun trying to get farther but Youngjae's grasp on his face preventing it.

 

He noticed the way Youngjae frowned towards the doorway, seeing from his peripherals how Youngjae's mother was beginning to tap her foot impatiently, and he tried to think about being anywhere but where he was and anything but the consequences that would certainly come since Youngjae's mother didn't sound happy at all-

 

“Friends can kiss, you know.”

 

And it crashed into him that even something like this was only seen as something friendly in Youngjae's eyes, that it wasn't anything more than that. Daehyun kept his breath held, swallowing down disappointment and not registering what was going on around him until he felt Youngjae pressing those reassuring kisses to his cheeks and his forehead and his temples and another one to his lips before letting his face go.

 

“It's time to wash up for dinner, Daehyun,” he said softly.

 

Youngjae looked at him, still full of brightness and energy and an unparalleled happiness that Daehyun couldn't find it in him to be bothered by how heavy his heart felt. He mustered the best smile he could manage. “...Okay.”

 

Sure, Youngjae only saw these affectionate things as something friendly, but it's much better he be able to show that freely rather than have to restrain himself because Daehyun let the romantic implications of his actions get in the way. Besides, he was still on the receiving end of Youngjae's friendly affections, which was more than anybody else could say at this point.

 

God, he had it bad.

 

--

 

“Daehyun?”

 

“Hm?”

 

“What are we?” Youngjae asked, tone of voice light and sing-songy.

 

Daehyun let out a snort as he pulled some leftovers from the fridge to heat up and eat with whatever they decided to put on the television. Youngjae would probably try to get him to put up one of the next Sharknado movies like he had been insisting upon for weeks. “So help me if this is a setup so you can sing a horrible rendition of The Killers' Human, you're sleeping on the couch tonight.”

 

It's a half hearted threat he doesn't mean. He's also well aware of what he's inviting with it, so he's unsurprised when he hears Youngjae clear his throat from his place on the couch to prepare his voice. As he put one of the bowls he'd grabbed into the microwave and pressed some buttons to get that process started, he felt Youngjae's arms snake around him from behind, and his friend rested his chin on his shoulder. “Are we humaaan? Or are we danceeeers?” he sang, adding a much more dramatic flare to it that had Daehyun cackling as he continued on.

 

Youngjae managed to spin Daehyun around in his arms before grabbing his hand and twirling Daehyun playfully while continuing to sing. Even if the words weren't correct and were just substituted words to the tune.

 

“Looks like we're dancers,” Daehyun teased, a bit woozy from spinning around so much, so he leaned his weight against Youngjae a bit and chuckled . His best friend simply laughed along with him, and it wasn't long before the two of them were settled on the couch with their reheated food ready to go.

 

Instead of figuring out what to watch, Youngjae shoved at Daehyun's shoulder with his own. “I was serious, though.” Daehyun raised a brow at his friend, watching as he blinked slowly at him. “In your eyes, what are we?”

 

“Best friends?” Daehyun confusedly answered. His confusion only grew at how Youngjae laughed and promptly covered it with one of his hands.

 

“Best friends, huh... What's your reasoning on that?” Youngjae shot a look his way, one with sparkling eyes and a bright grin that had Daehyun's breath catching in his throat.

 

Then he remembered himself and attempted to gulp down how nervous he was feeling. “My reasoning? D-do I need a reason to consider you my best friend?”

 

“Let me try this a different way.” With no warning other than those words, Youngjae shifted from his spot on the couch to straddle Daehyun's thighs. Bum planted on Daehyun's lap, he grabbed his face by the cheeks in an all too familiar fashion and kissed him in a manner that had only happened one other time before.

 

And just as it had been back then, Daehyun allowed himself to get lost in it. Lost in the way their lips felt together, lost in the way it heated up his core, and lost to the feelings he kept buried inside.

 

When Youngjae pulled away -just a short bit, Daehyun blinked up at him confusion. “Wh-what does this... mean?” he wondered breathily.

 

Youngjae's fingers trailed down Daehyun's cheeks to rest on his shoulders. “I've been under the impression that we've been dating since high school, Daehyun,” he admitted, the smile on his face not faltering even at Daehyun's confused and somewhat panicked squeak. “That afternoon when my mother walked in on us.... you told me you loved me. And...” Youngjae chuckled, his fingers clutching tighter into the fabric of Daehyun's shirt. “I was so excited that I kissed you again. I'd loved you for so long but never knew how to say it. All I could really do was show it in the hopes that... you'd feel it, too.”

 

As Daehyun processed the words being said to him, he assumed the role of a fish out of water as he gaped and tried to find out how to respond. The day he'd written off Youngjae's affections as only ever being friendly was apparently the same day Youngjae had gotten the impression that they'd escalated into being boyfriends.

 

“But... But you always told everybody-” Daehyun cleared his throat. “When people would ask, you'd always say that it was okay for friends to be so affectionate. That... That they can hold hands and hug and... that friends could kiss... I never thought it was anything more than that for you.”

 

He hesitantly looked up into Youngjae's eyes to see realization flicker through them. “So that's it.” A pathetic sound that was half chuckle half huff escaped his lips. “That would be my luck,” he whined, burying his face into the crook of Daehyun's neck.

 

Daehyun rubbed at the back of Youngjae's neck with one of his hands. “What's that supposed to mean?” he questioned lightly.

 

Youngjae leaned up off his shoulder. “Daehyun, you're the only one that fooled,” Youngjae wheezed. “No one else ever believed me when I told them that.”

 

He did feel quite foolish for thinking Youngjae was the oblivious one this whole time when it was actually him, but that was quickly replaced with elation. “Y-you mean to tell me that I could've been... This whole time I could've been not hiding how much I- That I- That I'm in love with you?” Daehyun stammered out, a bit dizzy from the realization of it all and finally being able to say those words after the years that had passed.

 

“Well, you weren't very good at hiding it,” Youngjae commented after a small nod, lips spreading into a gentle smile. “I was always able to tell that you loved me, so it never occurred to me that we weren't on the same page until I spoke with your dad yesterday.”

 

“You spoke with my dad yesterday? I thought you were going to visit your parents.”

 

“I mean, I did visit with my parents. I just um... I dropped by to see your dad afterwards,” Youngjae said, almost shyly as he dropped his gaze began to play with the fabric of Daehyun's shirt in his fingers. “I uh... In talking with him, I learned that um... you probably didn't think we'd been dating all these years. He recommended I get us on the same page befo-” Youngjae stopped his speaking and instead cleared his throat rather than finish his thought, putting his focus more into the way his hands were still clutching Daehyun's shirt.

 

Daehyun took Youngjae's heated face in his hands and inspected him curiously. He pressed a soft kiss against the younger's lips. “Before what, Youngjae?” he asked quietly.

 

“Well, um...” Youngjae gulped nervously and chewed at his bottom lip. “What page are we on, Daehyun? What are we?”

 

Daehyun was silent for a beat, thinking about his suppressed wishes from his school days to the fact that Youngjae had been under the impression they'd been dating all this time. Clearly the two of them wanted each other, and Daehyun had no actual reason to deny his wishes anymore. His lips curled up into a grin. “I hope it's the page you've been on this whole time,” he answered. “I'd much rather be there than where I was.”

 

“I'm fine with that,” Youngjae giggled and began to press kisses all over Daehyun's face.

 

“Youngjae!” Daehyun whined, in no way fighting the affections he was being given.

 

He ended with a slow kiss on the lips, the two of them humming contentedly as their lips danced with each other. As they pulled away, Youngjae breathily admitted, “I went to speak with your dad to get his blessings to marry you.”

 

Daehyun blinked -once, twice- before spreading into a smile. “We would need to be on the same page for that, wouldn't we?”

 

“Yeah,” Youngjae sighed. “It probably would've been pretty awkward if I went to propose to you and you were under the impression we'd only been friends this whole time.”

 

Daehyun gave it some thought with a hum. “Well, if you don't consider the person you want to marry a friend, then you probably shouldn't marry them.”

 

“I mean, you're not wrong...”

 

Daehyun chuckled and pressed a quick kiss to Youngjae's pouting lips. Then a soft pat to the side of one of his thighs. “What do you say we get dinner reheated? We can put on the next movie in the Sharknado list like you've been wanting.”

 

“Hell yeah!”

 

--

A/N:

Writing this one shot was how I learned that "Human" by The Killers was:
A) Not titled "Are We Human Or Are We Dancers?"
B) That the chorus bit says "dancer" and not "dancers", but one singular dancer didn't flow right with me so I just pluralized it like I always thought it was.

It's also how I learned that there were six Sharknado movies. I only thought there were two.

Feedback welcomed and appreciated~