quiet
yunhyeong / chanwoo

He hears his own steady heartbeat and the other's even breathing in the 2AM calm. Beyond the window, equally awake, watches starless Seoul. A car rolls by beneath the apartment window and Yunhyeong holds up a hand to test the darkness, only making out a vague outline and hint of colour. Above him lies the boy on the top bunk. Like the stars he can't see him either, and he wonders if he's sleeping like he usually does; long legs teetering over the edge of the bunk, fingers curled around his phone if it's not charging.

The boy's breathing is quiet in his sleep but Yunhyeong never fails to listen to it, here in the darkness. Wondering what he's dreaming about adds more the list.

His body feels both light and heavy, like he could float through the ceiling but he's being weighed down for the same reason. His thoughts are reeling but one-tracked and his chest is simultaneously full and empty. His arms feel emptier.

It feels complicated but it's so simple.

love
donghyuk / bobby

Donghyuk wakes up feeling like his heart's been torn out of his chest.

It's already burning bright outside which surprises him. He's always been an early riser.

He places a hand on his chest and feels the heavy thumpthumpthump beneath it. Of course it would still be there, of course it still hurts like hell. He doesn't remember the dream but he doesn't need to. Staring at the ceiling, he feels the lingering ghost of a touch on his skin. His usually lively body feels like timber and he wonders if he can get away with staying in bed all day.

There's only one person that can make him feel this way. Donghyuk doesn't want to think about it but he already is.

It occurs to him that Jinhwan's already left their room, probably a while ago. He's grateful for the silence and privacy. Beyond the door he hears chatter and a kitchen cupboard being shut carelessly. Belatedly he notices the sound of footsteps drawing closer to his room.

When Bobby bursts through the door Donghyuk has only enough time to start sitting up. The older boy is already bounding over and Donghyuk allows a laugh when he doesn't bother with the ladder to climb the bunk, babbling throughout the entire ordeal.

"Did you really just wake up you lazy kid? Hyung said you were in a really deep sleep.

Donghyuk nods his affirmation, suddenly embarassed about his own state. The tightness in his chest is still there.

When Bobby leans in closer he feels his heart attempt to crawl up his throat and maybe fall right into the other boy's lap. Then, the look on Bobby's face throws in an extra sense of dread.

"Were you crying?"

Donghyuk's hand shoots up to his face. Wet.

"Are you okay?" he looks genuinely concerned. Sometimes he'll tease you and sometimes he won't. Donghyuk must have looked like a mess.

"I was just dreaming, that's all."

He smiles and when Bobby takes his hand in his own, Donghyuk closes his fingers over the other's like it's second nature.

soft
yunhyeong / junhoe

Yunhyeong's thighs are warm even through his jeans. The odd calm thrumming through Junhoe's skull lets him take in every detail as he slides his palms upwards, fingertips pressing gently as he slowly pushes them further apart.

The bunk creaks as he leans down to press his lips against a hipbone, tongue flicking out for only a second. Yunhyeong's legs jolt (in surprise maybe) and a laugh escapes the younger before he can stop it. The older boy shushes him, nails scraping against the nape of his neck.

No words are ever exchanged during these moments. Long fingers inch closer towards the tightening area of his senior's pants, who remains silent as the taller boy lifts himself to press a kiss to the centre of his chest. His lips are gone again and Yunhyeong compliantly tilts his chin when his neck becomes the next target. His restless hands slide over Junhoe's own and further, until he can feel the boy's upper arms beneath his skin.

Junhoe lifts himself again to reach his final stop, even in the dimness they can feel each other's heavy, rivalling gaze.

He melds their lips together for the first time and he's silently, eternally grateful his hyung doesn't make a big deal of it. The moment compelled him and they were starved for it - Yunhyeong had no complaints. Finally, their bodies push together to form that perfect, familiar feeling.

He feels dizzy just from how soft Yunhyeong's lips are, though he shouldn't have expected any less.

blind
hanbin / donghyuk

All seven of them had been gathehred in front of the T.V but now it's ticking close to three in the morning. They were watching some late night drama, complaints and laughter being thrown at either side of the couch. Bundled up in blankets, they eventually settled into comfortable silence with only the occasional remark to break it.

Chanwoo was first to konk out, playing some game on his phone halfway through an unknown episode before stilling completely in his sleep. Yunhyeong didn't fail to cover him properly while Jinhwan passed him a cushion for the boy.

Eventually Jinhwan lifted Bobby's head off his lap before gently shaking Chanwoo awake. They took off, Junhoe and Yunhyeong already gone beforehand. Soon only Hanbin and Donghyuk were left.

*

From where he sits Hanbin watches the light dance against Donghyuk's sharp cheekbones as the younger sits on the floor, back leaning against the couch the leader's perched upon.

"Tired?

Donghyuk barely stirs at his voice, only a slight smile playing on his lips. A little, he says. Hanbin lifts the edge of the blanket he's wrapped around himself, pulling it open in invitation. After a moment the boy is snug against him. It's warmer under there with two people.

Hanbin doesn't pay attention to the screen for the next five minutes but Donghyuk's a little hard to read. He's kept his arm around the younger from where he's pulled the blanket around his shoulders. Up close he's still perfect. 

"What're you thinking about?" he hears himself ask.

The younger leans his head on his shoulder and Hanbin ignores how his own heartbeat picks up in a way he'll try to forget when he's alone. The scent of his hair might linger, though.

"I'm wondering just how accurate these love stories are."

Hanbin can't see his face from this angle. Under the blankets their bodies are at their closest point, not even a millimeter apart. He wonders if they'd always been so distant.

"I just want to know how people get past the fear of being rejected."

He feels like he's been blind for years. Donghyuk seems to agree with his statement but eventually stops responding to him. When Hanbin feels his own eyelids weighing heavy he wonders if he can convince himself, come morning, that everything he felt tonight was just a result of tired delusion and maybe the effects of Donghyuk's stunning beauty.

closer
jinhwan / junhoe

Jinhwan runs a thumb across his bottom lip before he feels the other boy staring. He glances up and Junhoe isn't even done chewing when he swallows his mouthful of rice.

"Yes?" Jinhwan asks as casually as possible. 

Junhow gulps down a glass of water before answering, equally dismissive. "I can't look at the person I'm talking to?"

They haven't said anything to each other for the past three minutes so that rules out that excuse. He doesn't mind, though. He waits for Junhoe to finish up before he speaks up again, wiping his mouth with a napkin this time. "Should we get going?"

They walk through the streets and Jinhwan's mind strays somewhere far. Junhoe stays equally silent. He's changed a lot, which is expected after all these years. But something was different, maybe the hair? Blonde did make him look older. In the sunlight he looked more handsome than usual.

Whatever it was he couldn't pinpoint it, it was behaviour more than looks and Junhoe had always been a little unorthodox.

"What?" the kid asks. Jinhwan shrugs.

"I can't look at the person I'm talking to?"

He places a hand on Junhoe's shoulder and feels the muscles relax under it. When had he grown so much? The boy had always loomed over him, but when had Jinhwan stopped seeing him as a kid? He distinctly remembers a time when Junhoe would tense under his nonchalant touches, he had shrugged it off easily since Junhoe had never been the affectionate type. 

But now it's different, and as Jinhwan drops his hand and lets it slide down the slope of the boy's arm he feels their fingers brush together. Junhoe lets the backs of their hands stay touching as they walk back in silence.

Unspoken words hang between them, he feels them in the warmth of the other boy's skin. Words that Jinhwan might not ever hear.