He still abides by the rule of lullabies.

Every chance they get a moment to themselves, whether it be a quick nap in the studio or in the car coming back from a schedule, Youngbae would sing to him softly. Melodic tunes that fit so well with his honey voice that Jiyong couldn’t help but close his eyes and revel in its healing powers. The tiredness, stress, and whatever negative feelings that had accumulated throughout the day were washed away by the sound of Youngbae’s voice.

Jiyong would then sing the song to himself, in secret. It was not as soothing or as good, for he had little confidence in singing and he could never get it to be quite the same as when Youngbae did it, but still he tried.

“It was beautiful,” Youngbae said one day and he could feel the embarrassment work its way to the tips of his ears. He hadn’t realized he had been singing the song under his breath as he Youngbae’s hair. At that moment, they were curled up on the couch with Youngbae resting his head against Jiyong’s chest. The singer had gotten uncharacteristically sick and you could hear it in the scratchiness of his voice and see it in the redness of his eyes. Jiyong adjusted the blanket around Youngbae in an effort to distract him.

“Sorry. Didn’t want to interrupt your nap,” he said quietly.

Youngbae shook his head, which felt more like he was rubbing his nose into Jiyong’s chest than anything else.

“No, it didn’t bother me. Can you please sing until I fall asleep?”

It was such a small request from the Youngbae that rarely ever asked anything of him, so he caved.

Jiyong sang the very same tune that Youngbae would sing to him and to his surprise, he could see the effect it had on Youngbae, how he relaxed into his embrace and closed his eyes as he fell asleep. When he was sure that Youngbae was asleep, he kissed his forehead and looked down at him with the most stupid grin on his face that was impossible for him to remove.

“For your ears only,” he whispered.

The corner of Youngbae’s lips would turn up into a gentle smile in his sleep while Jiyong would close his eyes and sing until they were both lost in slumber, dreaming of each other’s voices and of their secret lullaby to each other.

Just a random late night inspiration.