Ryeowook liked spring. He liked the feeling of the sun on his skin after being cooped up inside during the cold winter months. He liked to feel the breeze ruffle his hair and to see the birds happily fluttering from tree to tree and to watch as tiny buds sprung up from the earth. Spring was full of so many new colors and scents; it was bright and happy, just like Ryeowook.

Jongwoon liked winter. He liked the crispness of the chilly air and being able to see his breath when he breathed. He liked curling up inside on the couch in front of the fire, holding the one he loved close and drawing nonsensical shapes on skin hidden beneath oversized sweaters. Winter was so still and peaceful; it was subdued and cool, just like Jongwoon.

Despite their differing opinions, the pair had always seemed to complement each other perfectly.

Jongwoon knew, for instance, that spring was Ryeowook’s favorite time of the year and so consistently took his allergy pills to make sure he was ready to brave the outdoors at a moment’s notice, much like today. The younger man had burst into his study excitedly, pointing at the perfect, clear skies through the window, and Jongwoon knew that today would be a Park Day, especially since it had rained every day for the past week and they hadn’t been able to go out.

Sure enough, Ryeowook had wasted no time in forcing his hyung out of the house and down the street to the closest park. Once there, he smiled happily at the ducks floating in the middle of the small lake before lying down in the grass, marveling in the feeling of the soft green blades caressing his skin. He tugged on the hem of Jongwoon’s jeans when he didn’t lie down too and grinned in triumph when he saw the other flop down next to him.

He then turned his attention upward, studying the pure white clouds highlighted against the clear, blue expanse of sky. Clouds were beautiful; so light and free, watching over the world from their places high in the sky. They brought life in the form of tiny water droplets when they saw that it was needed and sometimes brought destruction and death with sharp lighting in storms, but never strayed from their path traversing the open skies across every country they could.

Ryeowook turned his head slightly; he saw his boyfriend’s lips moving and he smiled, closing his eyes as he placed his thin fingers lightly on Jongwoon’s neck. He couldn’t hear the older man’s voice (though he often imagined how it would sound and had decided it would be deep and rough but would wrap around his whole being and make him feel safe) but he loved to feel him talking, to feel the way his voice box vibrated and his neck moved with the words. He must have been singing and Ryeowook wished for the millionth time that that one ear infection years and years ago hadn’t taken away something so precious to him. He’d gotten used to the silence of his world but couldn’t help but sometimes wish he could hear the things his boyfriend could hear.

When the vibrations stopped, Ryeowook moved his hand down on rest on Jongwoon’s chest, where he lazily signed ‘I love you’ against the soft fabric of what must have been a new t-shirt. Jongwoon gently grabbed his hand, bringing it up to his lips and covering those fingers in soft butterfly kisses, smiling when he glanced over and saw a blush rise to Ryeowook’s cheeks. He rolled over, placing one knee on either side of the younger’s hips and his hands by his head, leaning down to press his lips against Ryeowook’s soft, pink ones.

After a moment, they broke apart and Jongwoon collapsed next to him again, gently resting his hand on Ryeowook’s chest and signing ‘I love you too.’