au: blind!wook

Ryeowook stood, very still, on the edge of the sidewalk, his eyes closed. He held his umbrella high above his head, the metal chilling his hand. A slight smile graced his lips as he listened to his favorite sound: rain.

It was the gentle pitter-patter of the drops on the plastic held above him, the splash they made when they hit puddles on the sidewalk, the dashing clip of shoes passing as people hurried to get indoors. It was the clean, crisp smell of everything being refreshed and the dirt and muck being washed away. It was the cool feel of the droplets on his skin when he held out his hands.

He had just moved to take his hand out of his pocket when he heard footsteps coming his way.

“Ryeowook!”

He jumped slightly at the loud call, his eyes shooting open as he momentarily forgot that everything would still be black.

“Sorry!” Jongwoon put a hand on his shoulder gently. “And sorry it took so long. I got a little held up in the market.”

“Hmm?” Ryeowook hummed, carefully sliding his fingers onto Jongwoon’s waiting arm, letting the older man guide him down the street as they began to walk. “What happened?”

Jongwoon let out a quiet snort of laughter, trying to think of the best way to tell the story. “Well, I went to get the beef for the japchae and the lady there said I was really handsome and then started trying to get me to go out with her daughter.”

Ryeowook’s lips twitched upwards. “And?”

“So I told her thank you, but that I really needed the meat because today was my two year anniversary and my boyfriend was waiting for me.” He laughed loudly this time, the conversation running over in his mind. “And she gasped and told me congratulations and asked if my boyfriend was with me, so I pointed you out, and she sighed, saying she thought you were so handsome and that she would have liked her daughter to go out with you too. She just kept saying I was so lucky. But she gave me a discount on the beef as congratulations for two years with you!”

Ryeowook laughed his time, nudging Jongwoon’s side with his elbow. “I see you using our relationship to get discounts.”

“Only sometimes!” Jongwoon whined playfully, swooping down to press his lips against Ryeowook’s cheek gently; Ryeowook felt his face grow hot and he wrinkled up his nose at his hyung. Even after two years, he still got butterflies in his stomach at Jongwoon’s touch. “But I really am sorry you had to stand in the rain for so long. I tried to be as fast as I could!”

Ryeowook smiled softly, leaning into Jongwoon slightly as they walked. “It’s alright. I love rain.”

“I’ll work extra-hard on dinner to make it up to you!”

Ryeowook laughed again, rubbing his hand over Jongwoon’s forearm. “It’s okay, seriously!”

“Nope, I’m going to make our anniversary dinner perfect, Kim Ryeowook, and nothing you say is going to convince me otherwise.”

The younger man just smiled, the familiar squeak of water on tile letting him know that they were in the lobby of their apartment building. “Okay, fine. But only because I love you and it’s our anniversary.”

Jongwoon beamed. “I love you more.”

---

Ryeowook leaned back on the couch, running his fingers over a series of small bumps on the page of his novel, trying to pay attention to what they said instead of just the feel. It was becoming increasingly difficult to pay attention, however, due to the clatter of dishes and hisses of frying meat coming from the kitchen. He fidgeted for a moment more before he snapped the book shut, dropping it onto the coffee table before standing and feeling his way out of the room.

“Jongwoon?” He poked his head into the kitchen before shuffling over to the table, resting his hands on the back of one of the chairs. “Are you okay?”

Jongwoon looked up from the mess of vegetables and meat and noodles and spices surrounding him and nodded his head uncertainly. “Yeah?”

Ryeowook cocked his head to one side. “You don’t sound okay.”

“No—” Jongwoon shook his head fiercely, grabbing his phone and quickly scrolling through the recipe instructions for the eighteenth time. “No, I got it. I’m almost done, promise.”

“Well, I’m bored out there alone, so I’m gonna wait in here.” Ryeowook plopped down in one of the chairs, leaning back slightly.

Jongwoon laughed. “Is my little bear getting hungry?”

“I’m starving,” Ryeowook laughed back, rubbing his stomach gently, his ears turned toward the stove as he listened to his boyfriend cook.

“I swear I’ll be done soon. I practiced this like eight times with my mom; I don’t know why I’m having such a hard time tonight!” Jongwoon pouted, acting not at all his age. He continued to mutter to himself under his breath as he mixed everything together. He grabbed a pair of chopsticks, hesitantly taking a bite and chewing slowly. A smile spread across his face and he bounced across the kitchen, holding another bite out to Ryeowook, who opened his mouth obediently and let Jongwoon slide the chopsticks between his lips.

“Whoa, hyung—” Ryeowook paused, his tongue flicking out of his mouth to catch a droplet of sauce on his lip. “It’s so good!”

Jongwoon beamed proudly. “Good! Let me get everything on the table and then we can eat!”

---

Jongwoon had prepared a feast: grilled abalone, japchae, barley rice, bean paste stew, and a host of other things as well. He’d carefully poured two glasses of wine and made his way to his seat, looking proudly at what he had accomplished. No one could say he couldn’t cook now.

Ryeowook was slowly making his way through the food on his plate, taking his time tasting each and every dish, gushing over each one. He ate until he couldn’t anymore, and then ate a piece of cheesecake for dessert (Jongwoon hadn’t made that; he’d tried, but he given up when he saw how long it would take and just bought one instead). Then he let Jongwoon lead him back to the living room, where they curled up on the couch, sipping slowly from their wine glasses while listening to the rain on the windows mix with the music playing in the background.

Ryeowook turned his head, his lips fumbling for a second before they found their place on Jongwoon’s cheek. “Thanks. Tonight has been perfect.”

“Just you wait!” Jongwoon grinned. “Our third anniversary is going to blow this one out of the water. I’m going to start planning tomorrow.”

Ryeowook laughed. “Well, here’s to many more.”

Jongwoon gently clinked his glass against Ryeowook’s raised one. “A lifetime more.”

Ryeowook smiled and his cloudy eyes seemed to light up.

A lifetime more.