Kyungsoo was a little tired when he trudged into the office the following Monday morning. Sure, they shouldn't be overly busy at the moment - their next project had been easy to plan and was currently running successfully. Christmas was approaching and the big Secret Santa event they'd meticulously planned for weeks was in full swing. Sure, they could (and probably should) share the workload, but Kyungsoo couldn't resist the urge to keep track of things over the weekend.
He was the first to arrive, which was a little unusual. It wasn't like Jongin was an especially timely person (or even a morning person in general, for that matter), but due to him having the longest way to work, he was usually forced to take a certain bus. A look outside the window and over the thin layer of frost stubbornly covering the area reassured him that the bus was probably late. If he wouldn't arrive in half an hour or so, they could still give him a call.

He sank into his seat and had his laptop half-way booted when Chanyeol entered the office with an almost insulting amount of noise.
"Morning!" he huffed out, cheeks red from the sudden cold that had washed over the city overnight. Kyungsoo eyed the tell-tale paper bag of the coffee shop nestled in between the very short way from Chanyeol's apartment to the CARE building.

"You do waste all your money on drinks, don't you?" he asked with very half-hearted accuse, watching the other shrug off his bulky, padded coat. It was endearing, how such a tall, lanky person could look that much like a fluffed up bird.
"Not true!" the other argued immediately as he sat down his laptop bag, and rustled through the bag before turning towards him with a proud grin.
"I also buy sweets sometimes!"
With this, he placed a transparent plastic box with an assortments of mini donuts on Kyungsoo's desk.
"Ta-dah! You don't eat a lot, do you?"
With an amused smile, Kyungsoo looked from the colorfully decorated, baked goods up at Chanyeol.
"And those replace a healthy meal?"
He gestured Chanyeol to come closer, and with a half-confused, half-intrigued look, the Southener followed, leaning down with a palm steadying himself on Kyungsoo's desk. Patiently, he repeated the gesture, eyes firmly trained on Chanyeol's. When he got the message and his eyes fluttered close, Kyungsoo gladly followed suit, enjoying a gentle, tender kiss, that he'd come to associate with Chanyeol. When he drew away way too early, probably a useless question on his lips, Kyungsoo placed a palm on the back of his neck and tugged him back in for another, much harder kiss. God, he'd missed this feeling. The last time he had seen him was on Friday, a mere three days ago. But back then, they had only shared an innocent peck. The last time they kissed, like this, with lips nipping at each other and the occasional sneaky of a tongue, had been on Wednesday (not that Kyungsoo was counting the days).

Now Kyungsoo wasn't impatient or upset about this - he believed in over-indulgement being the wrong way to go regarding most aspects of life. Like this, the sensation was just as intense as the very first kisses they'd shared, albeit the taste of salt had been replaced by the one of coffee and whipped cream.
Just when Kyungsoo was considering to stand up in order to soothe the strain on his neck, did Chanyeol withdraw, probably for similar reasons. He still had this undeniable look of wonder in his eyes whenever they parted, and it made Kyungsoo want to cuddle him and push him further at the same time.
Chanyeol seemed inclined to say something when Jongin entered the room, silently huffing and equally red-faced. The Southener didn't jump away from him, though his face was undeniably dusted pink for different reasons altogether when he nodded towards Jongin. Kyungsoo counted this as a small success.
"Good morning."
Jongin looked between them for a fleeting moment before replying with a sleepy 'Morning' of his own. Chanyeol approached him to draw him into a clumsy hug, that painted a tiny smile on Kyungsoo's face. Jongin, on the other hand, huffed something about getting suffocated and being too hot, though his free hand was instinctively flying up to Chanyeol's back.
Always so difficult, Kyungsoo thought.
Really, he didn't get Kim Jongin at all.
But he'd vowed to give this a try, to give Jongin a chance. He'd never considered himself as someone trying to actively bring Jongin down, but there was a difference between giving him the chance to prove himself as a co-worker and as a... lover. A potential lover. Kyungsoo couldn't say he was quite accustomed to this idea yet, but he was also aware of the fact that he didn't know him well-enough yet to come to a conclusion.
So he stared at them, waited for the two to part, before gesturing Jongin over, not unlike he'd done to Chanyeol before. Clearly anxious, Jongin followed his instructions until he stood right next to him, and Kyungsoo could feel the attentive eyes of Chanyeol on them.
Jongin looked almost frightened, so Kyungsoo attempted to sound as non-threatening as possible.

"Where's my hug?"
He saw a glimpse of wide eyes, before he felt cold zippers and buttons being pressed into him by a solid body. It wasn't very intimate, and Jongin was a little awkward, to be honest, but instead of quickly pulling away, shy hands pressed them closer together and Kyungsoo felt him exhale. As if he was actually relishing in this.
Kyungsoo neither pushed nor denied him - he made it a point to keep the pressure of his own hands on a light, but sincere level. Kyungsoo may not love this boy at this point, but if he reveled in a gesture as simple as this, he had no qualms indulging him.
When Jongin did withdraw himself to all but scurry to his own place to get out of his jacket, Kyungsoo couldn't help examining the look on Chanyeol's face. He looked a little at a loss. Had he actually expected them to kiss, too? Kyungsoo was fairly certain that even if he asked him right now, Chanyeol wouldn't have an answer himself. He blinked a little, caught himself, and Kyungsoo could see his mind shutting the topic out for now.

"What was that?!" he asked dramatically, prancing after Jongin to hug him from behind. "Kyungsoo gets this nice hug and I only get complaints? Me too! I want cuddles...!" he whined, drawing out the words as he cuddled (or rather wrestled) with Jongin.
Tuning out the conflict and instead turning to balance the atmosphere instead. It couldn't be considered a mask, not with the way Chanyeol was looking at the struggling Jongin.
Kyungsoo could only smile at that. And shake his head, as he typed in the password.
He was generous enough to give them three more minutes before bringing up the projects at hand.


 

"You haven't asked me anything about Jongin so far."
It was a simple statement, just thrown in like it was one of the printed photos they had spread out on Chanyeol's coffee table. The effect was immediate though, and Chanyeol's fingers froze mid-air, one of the photos they had taken in a shopping center hovering over the table for a full three seconds.
Chanyeol resumed placing the photo in a spot he deemed nice, before turning towards him with a look of open anxiety.
"I- I thought it wasn't my place."
Kyungsoo sighed, just a little, before fully turning towards the boy next to him.
"How can it not be your place?" he asked in a purposefully neutral voice. At the sight of confusion blooming on Chanyeol's face, however, he sighed.
"This is aspiring to be three people in one relationship, right? Not three people being in three relationships. If there's anything you are curious or anxious about, you should voice it out."
The other's lips formed a silent 'o' as he nodded in understanding.
"I just. I was just afraid you might feel pressured or anything," he admitted, the task of designing a collage long forgotten. Even Kyungsoo admitted that work was over for now (after all, they were at Chanyeol's apartment now, not at the office), and leaned back into the cushy sofa.
"What do you want to know?" he asked softly, and though Chanyeol still looked torn, there was definitely something he was itching to say now.
"Well, what do you think about him? Are you two getting along? Has he opened up a little?"
The questions all but burst out now, and Kyungsoo had a hard time not chuckling at his overly eager (and worried) fellow team member.
Funny how I'm not considering him my lover yet, he thought in the back of his head. But there was no reason to rush. Them being actual lovers was the goal he wanted to diligently work towards.

"You're worrying too much. Stop feeling obligated or guilty or whatever is going on in that messy head of yours," he said with a good-natured smile, watching surprise bloom on Chanyeol's face, followed by guilt over being caught, denial and finally defensiveness. Because Chanyeol was an open book like that.
"I was not-okay, maybe you're right. But... I'm trying, okay?" he finally said helplessly, "I know I shouldn't feel any obligations. I'm working on it, I swear. So, how are you and Jongin doing?"
He accepted the other's quite desperate attempt to divert the attention from himself, and hummed thoughtfully. Jongin. What were his current thoughts on Jongin?
"I'm not sure I get him. To be completely honest, I have no idea what's driving this boy," he admitted. "I used to think he's one of those shy, withdrawn people, but it doesn't match the way he's talking to you at all. So I guess you could say I acknowledged that I don't know him."
The statement seemed to amuse Chanyeol, who bit back on a grin. Kyungsoo's eyes unconsciously lingered on his lips for a second too long.
"What's so funny?" he asked quickly, while silently watching his mind be swayed by Chanyeol's mere existence. Such a curious feeling indeed.
"It's just that I felt the same about you, too. At first, I mean. I know you better now," he added hastily under Kyungsoo's (joking) glare.
"I think Jongin is a very strong-willed person... there's a lot going on inside of him," Chanyeol mused, thoughtfully slumping into the couch with his eyes darting around the room aimlessly. "He has a bunch of controversial and strong opinions, but he usually tries very hard to stay low, in order not to cause trouble. I feel like his world view is pretty interesting and captivating..."
Chanyeol trailed off, giving Kyungsoo an unsure look as if asking whether he was fawning too much already. But Kyungsoo had meant what he said - he usually did - and talking to Chanyeol about Jongin wasn't uncomfortable at all, quite the opposite. It helped having someone who was (quite literally) in on all this, and not only listened, but also had a fair share of input to give. So he nodded slowly.
"There is definitely something else about him. I don't think I saw enough of him to have formed an opinion, but there are glimpses that won't fit his usual behavior. He's so... skittish around me though? But I know he has this sarcastic side to him. I can't do anything but wait and see at this point," he concluded with a shrug, and Chanyeol hummed. "Unless this was you asking whether I'm attracted to his looks," Kyungsoo added, and Chanyeol actually spluttered. Adorable.
"I can't say I'm too drawn to him at the moment, but I usually develop attraction to the mind first, so I'm not too worried about that. He sure is drop dead gorgeous, look-wise."
With every word he added, Chanyeol's ears seemed to darken a shade or two. Undoubtedly, Chanyeol was very much attracted to Jongin's physique himself. Kyungsoo would be a liar to say he didn't feel a tiny pang of jealousy at that, but he reasoned that it had to be due to them never going beyond semi-innocent kisses. He hadn't ever gotten the message from Chanyeol that the Southener wanted him, desired him on a physical level. Kyungsoo wanted to be able to share, but he didn't have a lot to share yet in that department.
But well, that could be changed, right?

In a swift and determined move, Kyungsoo had placed a hand on Chanyeol's shoulder to steady himself and settled right in the other's lap, straddling him. Chanyeol's eyes widened, followed by a confused sound in the back of his throat as he instinctively placed his hands on Kyungsoo's waist. His skin still looked a little flushed, his eyes a little dazed, and it was all oh-so tempting.
Kyungsoo looked down at him, and... waited. His initial courage was being tested with every stretched out second. Chanyeol looked almost somewhat frightened by the situation, and Kyungsoo couldn't stop thinking back to the way he had undressed him before. Technically, they had gone further than this, but that situation had been different. It didn't count in Kyungsoo's head, because he'd been busy thinking and willing himself not to react, while Chanyeol had forced himself through something he wasn't quite into with all his heart.

"You wanna sit here now?" Chanyeol asked clumsily, albeit a little breathlessly. Kyungsoo shrugged nonchalantly.
"Why not? You don't want me to?"
"No, that's not it. It's okay," Chanyeol murmured, driving Kyungsoo insane.
Give me a sign, he thought, no, yelled internally.
Come on, some type of signal, anything!
Do you want me or not?
Kyungsoo was patient, and he was willing to wait longer if Chanyeol told him he needed more time. But even he was beginning to feel anxious if there was no clarity at all.
Just a confirmation.

He slid a little closer, eyes locked on Chanyeol's, waiting for a reaction. He received it when he was close enough to have their crotches touch through the fabric, and the fingers on his waist tightened as Chanyeol's breath hitched audibly.
His eyes were flickering between Kyungsoo's eyes and lips. That alone sent a shiver through him, want prickling under his skin.
"We've talked about Jongin, and we can keep doing so..." Kyungsoo mumbled, daring to run his hands up his toned upper arms, feeling the muscles tense beneath his fingertips. His eyes flit up to meet Chanyeol's slightly widened pupils bearing barely concealed excitement. Kyungsoo dared to lean in closely, just close enough for him to be able to still keep their gazes locked, voice dropping to a whisper.
"...later. Let's not think about Jongin, just for a bit. Can you do that?"

It was like breaking a spell. A second of hesitation later, Chanyeol made the final move and closed the distance almost too eagerly. Kyungsoo did not melt into the kiss this time. Melting would suggest going lax and pliant, gently falling into the sensation. Kyungsoo groaned into the kiss embarrassingly fast, eager hands locking around Chanyeol's neck. This was different from usual. The focus didn't lie on gentle exploration, or reassurance. It was all hot affection and almost impatient tugs and nips at each other's lips. It made his head swirl, and if it weren't for the firm hands on his waist, he would probably tumble at the way he was pressing closer, pushing their bodies together in a slow, but hard rhythm. Chanyeol made a breathy noise of being helplessly , and Kyungsoo swallowed it greedily. Greedy for the affection, the desire, for him. Chanyeol wanted him, was guiding him by the grip on his waist, and when Kyungsoo's motions got distracted by the hot tongue dipping between his lips, Chanyeol actually pulled his body down to keep rubbing him just right. Kyungsoo was torn between mewling and challenging him for dominance, but his mind was too clouded with the blissful realization that yes, Chanyeol wanted this. And how now that he didn't have to worry about Jongin, nothing was holding him back anymore. This had been the right thing to do, after all-

"Hah-wait-" Kyungsoo huffed against the other's lips in between eager kisses, nails digging into the skin of his shoulderblades on the side where he'd slipped below the woolen collar to feel skin.
Chanyeol only grunted in question, but instead of stopping, he only added more force to his movements and pressed kisses into the column of his neck that felt like they could leave hickies. Kyungsoo wanted to sigh, moan and cry at the same time. Because-
"We should stop," he muttered, shocked at how needy his own voice sounded. A large hand was cupping the back of his head, and Kyungsoo followed the pressure, nuzzling into the crook of his neck.
"Why?" he heard a raspy voice, and god, since when did being small feel so good? Kyungsoo usually hated being shorter and of an overall more petite built, but when Chanyeol was embracing him like this, all but forcing him to rut at a quick, hard pace, it felt right. Perfect, even.
"I don't have a spare pair of pants with me," Kyungsoo mumbled into his slightly sweaty skin. It was extremely embarrassing, but he really was this close already. He had been looking forward to this way too much.

He'd expected Chanyeol to slow down. To quickly back off with a flushed face and awkward grin. Because Chanyeol was still walking on egg shells around him, always careful with his words and actions.
Instead, he felt a small laugh being huffed over his damp skin, as a hand slipped around to dip inside his pants without any caution whatsoever. Kyungsoo felt the strain of the waistband and the pressure it added to his lower regions, before a warm palm was kneading him languidly, teasing along the seams of his briefs, all the while keeping up the rhythm. He gasped and wriggled a little in his grasp, only to suppress the tiniest moan when Chanyeol's second palm pushed down between his shoulder blades, keeping him in place. It was all too much, way too much. When he felt the other a hot stripe up his neck, he lost it and felt the hit him, shaking his trembling body and straining leg muscles. He wasn't thinking anymore at this point, nothing beyond the strong urge to make Chanyeol follow him on his mind. So he spread his legs as obscenely wide as he could in his current state, lips all but crashing with Chanyeol's as he tried to ride out his and sloppily palmed Chanyeol at the same time. The other was barely responding to the kiss, harshly panting into it as his fingers clenched and unclenched on Kyungsoo's behind as if he didn't know what to do with himself anymore. He followed suit with an almost shocked groan only shortly after, when Kyungsoo's fingers must have done something right through the flimsy fabric of his sweatpants. Kyungsoo felt it, felt the warmth on his fingers, and it made him feel unreasonably good. His own pants were sullied and disgusting, but knowing that Chanyeol had just actually in is pants made him feel so incredibly content and yet needy at the same time. Not needy for more stimulation, but needy for a very firm hug.

He didn't have to wait long, as Chanyeol was already looping his arms around Kyungsoo's neck, pulling them down into a lying position on the couch. Kyungsoo mewled unhappily at the ache in his thighs and the sticky feeling of his underwear clinging to him.

For awhile, they lay there, panting heavily. Kyungsoo was still dazed. It was hard to believe that this event had actually transpired. He closed his eyes and inhaled the faint scent of Chanyeol's aftershave, feeling the warmth radiating off him and the way his woolen sweater tickled his nose.

"I have a spare pair of pants for you."
Kyungsoo chuckled in tired disbelief, halfheartedly poking the other's side, causing Chanyeol to flinch and whine in equally lazy protest. He apologetically ran his hand up to soothingly card it through the silver strands. Gratefully? Yes, maybe he was grateful, too. For Chanyeol being able to fully focus on him, too.
"Now we can get back to talking about Jongin," Kyungsoo murmured, never ceasing the petting motion. A heavy arm rested around his waist, drawing him in close. Chanyeol nudged his nose into Kyungsoo's hair to leave a warm kiss on his forehead.
"M'kay," he mumbled sleepily. "Gimme a minute."
He got five. And fell asleep. Kyungsoo nuzzled closer and dozed off with his hand still lingering on Chanyeol's nape, a vague feeling of general content serving as a warm blanket. And the odd, tiny wish to see Jongin.



 

I'm back! I'm alive!

The holiday season killed me in every sense imaginable, and instead of working towards my last fic fest deadline (my last - after that, I can fully concentrate on my two chaptered stories, I can't wait!)... well, here I am *haha*
I feel like I'm tumbling a little with this story, but I'll get it together soon, promise :3
Either way, it is an important turning point for Kyungsoo.

I wanna take this chance to formally thank you guys again for voting for my story on the Asian Fanfic awards. Your support means a lot to me, and I hope you'll continue to enjoy this story in the future! ♥

Love, love, love,
Sugar-and-Salt ♥

P.S.: No, the is not some kind of 'gift' for voting *haha*