Title of Gift: Of leather jackets, coffee, and Cha Hakyeon

Pairing: Hakyeon x Taekwoon

Number of words: 4,796

Genre: Fluff, fantasy, romance

Description: In which Hakyeon tries to persuade Taekwoon to go out, but ultimately fails.

Note to Giftee: Hey there, Ruki! First of all, I'm so sorry for being this late > < I'm not sure if this is what you ultmately wants, but I hope you enjoyed reading this!! Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!
 

Of leather jackets, coffee, and Cha Hakyeon

Taekwoon hears Hakyeon’s footsteps before the latter even leans against his doorframe, knows the sigh before it comes, and mentally prepares himself for the question he knows the latter will toss at him, “Taekwoon – ”

“No.”

Another sigh, and the sound of something heavy being thrown onto his bed sheets. “Come on, Taekwoon,” Hakyeon says, in an exasperated tone, long since given up on the pleading tone he had used for the first time, and the cute voice he had used for the third and fourth time, stubbornly believing that he can somehow drag Taekwoon out of the safe haven he calls home. “You have to go today. They’re throwing a party in Midnight Moon.” And when he doesn’t respond, because heck, that’s even worse, the older mentions, with a smirk in his voice, “Jaehwannie’s performing.”

“So?” He asks, eyebrows raised as his fingers continue flying over the keyboard. “That doesn’t make any difference.”

Hakyeon groans. “Taekwoon.”

“No.”

“Woonie?”

“Nope.”

“Fine.” The other throws up his arms, and gathers his jacket which, he apparently has tossed onto his bed. “Fine. I don’t care. I’m done. You can rot here for all I care,” With that, Hakyeon sweeps away from his bedroom dramatically, and soon enough, Taekwoon hears a slam of the front door and gives a sigh of relief.

It’s amazing, he thinks as he continues to type his essay, that people like his roommate, Cha Hakyeon can somehow go partying every single Friday of the year, end up drunk in the morning, and goes back again. He himself prefers the solitude of his bedroom and his apartment, and the familiarity of the same old boring white walls and the same old boring game that he plays every single Friday night (as said by the ever dramatic Cha Hakyeon) because heck, why not? He’d rather stay in than do something risky like going out.

Like heading towards the chaotic bar and dance with a million other people. The mere thought of it causes shudders to run through his body, and he resumes.

There’s a sudden groan from one of the bedrooms, and a groggy Kim Wonshik comes stumbling out, hair mussed up from sleep and eyes barely open, wearing a sweatshirt and shorts, and looking as if he just escaped from a mob. “He gone?”

“Yeah.”

“Excellent,” With that, the younger seems more energized, and stretches, yawning all the while. “I’m going to make a cup of coffee,” He announces, and strides, determined towards the kitchen.

“One for me please,” Taekwoon calls, and stares at his seventeen page essay. It seems enough, but then again his professor had asked for eighteen. Shrugging, he continues, even though he barely has any idea what he’s doing.

“Geez, that looks goddamn long,” He nearly jumps at the sight of Wonshik leaning over his shoulder to stare at the words that are starting to blur in his vision, at which the other smiles apologetically. “Sorry.”

“It’s fine.” Sometimes, Taekwoon forgets that he is in fact living with a vampire who can travel extremely fast, which tends to cause him sudden heart attacks. He prefers to live long, but then again the three of them has been living together ever since the start of college, what with the expensive housing fees nowadays. “I’m done with it anyways.”

Wonshik grins, revealing long canines that give the other an unsettling feeling. “Good. Want to come out? I’m starving.”

“Alright.” With the prospect of food, he stands up, and halts his work for the moment. He can never disagree to food. Sure enough, the vampire grins again. “Hakyeon should’ve lured you out with the promise of food. Seems like he neglects the importance of necessities that fulfil one’s basic needs to survive. Oh well.”

“I wouldn’t go out anyways,” Taekwoon responds, and picks up his mug of steaming caffeine from the kitchen counter, sipping from it with a sigh. Thank God that one of his roommates is a barista. He couldn't have survived without coffee, and after knowing what Wonshik does for a living, he made sure his roommate knows of the fact.

"True." There's the sound of rummaging around, and he looks over to see Wonshik looking through the takeout leaflets in their kitchen drawer. "Chinese?"

"Nah."

"Pizza?"

"Don't feel like it."

"What do you feel like, then?"

"Sushi?" Taekwoon suggests, though he doesn't feel like eating that much.

Wonsik pulls out the correct take-out leaflet with a small triumphant "ah", and throws it at the other, who catches it with a startled look. "You seem grumpy lately," The vampire shrugs, and takes a sip from his own mug. "Thought you need some cheering up."

He sighs, and somehow manages to find a pen in the midst of their chaotic kitchen. "What do you want?"

After the food arrives, by some sort of silent mutual agreement, they sit together on the couch, putting Lion King on and let it blare, Taekwoon barely paying any attention to the movie while Wonshik watches it with silent eagerness, because he has a particular like for Disney movies, like always.

And like the other Fridays, he knows Wonshik will fall asleep halfway and won't wake up until the ending credits roll around and Hakyeon comes back, stumbling into the house drunk, somehow managing to find the lock in his drunkenness.

Again, like every other Friday, really.

Normally, he will watch in amusement as Hakyeon finds his way to the bathroom and throw up, but he's so used to this type of behaviour, and staying in for Fridays that it doesn't even come as a surprise when the other man, for lack of a better term, vomits, retching the contents of his stomach into the toilet, and promptly collapses into a heap on the floor, thankfully not trailing the disgusting stuff around.

And at that exact moment, Wonshik chooses to poke his head around, take one glance at the boy, and run away, but not before mouthing at Taekwoon to take care of him. You're the wolf.

The wolf indeed, he snorts to himself as he starts running a bath, warm water filling the tub. While it's true that the two share the same genes that mark them as hybrids, Taekwoon doesn't really like admitting the fact, especially if the responsibility to take care of his own kind is pushed onto him by a goddamn vampire.

Not that he hates the forementioned vampire, but sometimes roommates should really take care of their roommates.

He sighs as he dips a towel in the steaming bath, wiping and dabbing at Hakyeon's face gingerly, which is wet with tears. While it isn't the first time the beta has shed tears due to whatever reason, or that the act of throwing up has caused his eyes to water, it seems to be the first time he has cried so much, that he has actually seemed to be weeping and not whatever stupid thing he does in his nights out.

And sometimes, Taekwoon can't help but feel for him, for the boy that looks so fierce and runs his mouth, when he actually has a fragile heart that yearns for the need to be loved.

After all, he himself has seen the sheer amount of relationships that Hakyeon has been in and the amount of them that he has been broken-hearted over.

The tub is filled, Taekwoon notices, and he shuts off the supply, then half-heartedly tells the drunken boy, "You need to bath."

Hakyeon's eyes open a little, and send him a glare that suggests for him to off, then drawls, "Nope~"

The alpha sighs, mentally calming himself down. This is going to take longer than he had expected. "Hakyeon - "

"You're coming in with me," He points at the other, then at himself, and finally at the tub of hot water. Then his lips are tugged up in what seems to be a -eating grin.

him.

Taekwoon sighs again, exasperated. "I already had a shower, Hakyeon. It's your turn now." Taking care of a drunk Cha Hakyeon, he thinks, as the said man promptly passes out again, leaving the alpha with no choice but to drag him near the bath and dip the cloth in it again, is like taking care of a stubborn child.

In a leather jacket.

And currently, what seems to be his sixth heartbreak.

The alpha peels the jacket off him, because Hakyeon somehow is completely drenched in sweat tonight, and clumsily pulls the faded T-shirt off his lean and lithe body, revealing the toned muscles underneath. Ignoring the sound of his heart that somehow chooses this exact moment to thump loudly, blood rushing to his ears, Taekwoon starts wiping down his skin because throwing his childhood friend into a vat of steaming water seems cruel and unnecessary.

Not to add, he's scared of being arrested for attempted murder. So, no.

The tension in Hakyeon's muscles starts to relax slowly, whether it is due to the warm water in contact with his skin, or that he's in a safer place than Midnight Moon, Taekwoon has no idea. Either way, he's glad that Hakyeon isn't doing anything reckless or spontaneous anymore, and that he's home, and safe, or as safe as a flimsy apartment inhabited by two wolves and one vampire could be.

As the alpha starts on the buttons of his skin-tight jeans, a hand suddenly shoot out and grabs his wrist, squeezing it until Taekwoon looks up. "I thought you were drunk?"

"I am," Hakyeon murmurs, eyes still hazy. "I just...thanks, but I can manage."

"You sure?" Taekwoon asks, eyebrows knitted. Even though he will give anything to get out of this situation and hide in his bedroom, he's still a good friend and won't leave his friend alone. One of his best friends. Maybe the only one, even.

"I'm sure," The beta his lips nervously, and he unconsciously swallows. "Just...leave me alone."

"Alright." With some reluctance, Taekwoon stands up, and hands him the soaked towel, which slips out of Hakyeon's weak grasp immediately. "Yell if you need anything."

"Hadn't I always?" Hakyeon gives a small smirk that makes all the sympathy the other feels for him wash away, replaced by a prickling irritation.

"Yes," The alpha replies shortly, and turns to leave, before he is called again.

"What?"

"Thank you," The older suddenly murmurs, his eyes vulnerable, showing the gratefulness in full, causing Taekwoon to be mesmerised by how genuine it is.

And it is this, these moments that he can't help but fall for his childhood friend, these moments that he can't help but feel for him, his vulnerability underneath the sarcasm and the facade, feel for his childish - no, innocent is the right word - desire to be loved, and nothing more.

Beneath the leather jacket as well, of course.

Holding back the urge to hug the other as tightly as he possibly can, Taekwoon whispers back, "You don't need to thank me" in an equally soft tone, somewhat, foolishly hoping that he can preserve that special moment with such subtlety and silence, and quietly slides the door shut, but not before taking in the scene of the older boy slumped against the edge of the tub, fingers barely catching at the edge of the towel, eyelids shut and deeply in sleep.
 

And it is the moments in the crack of a Saturday dawn that makes Taekwoon hates Hakyeon all over again, because the beta has a tendency to wake up complaining, of his headache, of his aching limbs and whatever else needs complaining.

Dragging himself out of the warm covers - because he knows Wonshik is a deep sleeper, and wouldn't have bothered anyways -, Taekwoon trudges to the kitchen and slaps the coffee maker to life, grinding up the coffee beans and pouring the powder into the machine, then swears when he forgets to plug it in, when, out of all things, Wonshik drags his feet into the cold brick floor of their kitchen, hair fluffed up like a nest went wrong.

"What're you doing?" He mumbles, and leans against the counter. By now, Taekwoon is somewhat more awake and feeling less of the urge to crawl back into bed again.

"Trying to keep myself awake, and a certain Cha Hakyeon shut up," The alpha responds, and yanks the fridge open to snatch the cartoon of milk from it.

Hearing his response, the vampire frowns, and takes a whiff of the aroma that is slowly filling the kitchen, and asks, in a slightly dramatic tone, "Is that supposed to be coffee?"

"Yes?"

Wonshik shudders, and heads over to the machine to promptly pour the contents down the sink. "You call that monstrosity coffee. I can't believe it, Taekwoon. I thought you had better taste than this." Grinding up another batch of coffee beans, he turns the machine on again, and with an expert hand, pours the powder into it, and lets it do its magic, as the barista often jokes.

"Well, people like me who doesn't have experience of coffee-making has to resort to this, I suppose," The alpha shoots back. Minutes later, three cups of coffee sit steaming on the kitchen counter, one with foaming milk on it because Taekwoon absolutely needs his latte, one with a tiny amount of milk for Hakyeon, while Wonshik is once more experimenting with the small amount of ingredients in their tiny kitchen, at which he throws a frown at.

The vampire looks down at his mug. "Perhaps more chocolate," He says to himself, and Taekwoon shudders, imagining the list of things he can whip up, and carries the two mugs to Hakyeon's room, where the said man is buried under a mountain of blankets.

"Get out." A stuffed animal makes its way towards the alpha's head, who promptly ducks, and says in monotone, "I got coffee."

Immediately, the large amount of blankets are tossed to one side as an excited, but barely awake Hakyeon utters, "Coffee?"

He nods weakly and hands the other a mug, which he sips eagerly from. "Wonshik is as good as expected. This is amazing."

"Well, you know who to thank," Taekwoon takes a sip from his own mug, and cannot deny the praise; no matter how many times he drinks it, the coffee still tastes good.

He sips again.

"By the way," The alpha raises an eyebrow at Hakyeon speaking. "Jaehwan is coming by tonight."

"For dinner?"

"For convincing you to come out with us." At that, Taekwoon chokes on the burning liquid, and coughs, feeling the burn at the back of his throat as he splutters out, "What?!"

"Don't 'what' me, Taekwoon," Hakyeon takes a delicate sip out of his mug, and places it to one side. He shoots a glare at the forementioned man that says you better not argue with me or else.

Except Taekwoon is already long used to this sort of treatment and doesn't let it intimidate him.

"You know perfectly well what I'm proposing," The beta continues. "And that it's absolutely needed for your own good, because well, truthfully? It's time to get a mate."

"Says the man who has been through six heartbreaks of his," He retorts, and stands up to leave. The alpha's not having any of that conversation again.

As expected, Hakyeon's face takes on a dark flush at that. "For your information, it's five," He replies shortly. "But yes. You need to find someone because you're getting old. Which means that you need to come out with me tonight. Which brings Jaehwan into the equation because he's adorable and persuading and apparently, I'm not." He huffs, as if thinking that he not being persuading and adorable is impossible.

Taekwoon's fingers close around the knob, and before he slams the door behind him, he shouts back, "It's not going to work!"

There's the thumping of footsteps on wood, and in a second the door opens an inch, with Hakyeon sticking his face halfway out, and saying, with a creepy smile on his face, "It will."

And it turns out, Taekwoon is right.

As soon as the clock strikes seven thirty, Hakyeon bounces out of his room glowing with happiness, wearing the same goddamn leather jacket, and the same goddamn pair of skin-tight jeans, ready to go out and come back with a face full of fresh tears.

Which the alpha prays won't happen again.

Wonshik, as always, remains holed up in his room, not wanting to see the disaster of Hakyeon leaving the house, but when the doorbell rings, he trudges out, groggily and running a hand through his hair, which, if possible, seems even messier than the day before, wearing a loose shirt and boxer shorts, mumbling nonsense under his breath.

"Taekwoon hyung!" The beta opens the door to an equally beaming Lee Jaehwan, who seems, somehow, happy to see him, and hugs him.

Maybe because he will take part in dragging Taekwoon out. And possibly with pleasure too.

"Hey, Jaehwan," He greets warily, and peels the other boy off him. Jaehwan likes using his 'skills' to wheedle people out with him, which is often open displays of affection.

Which Taekwoon, again, does not appreciate.

And it is that exact moment which Wonshik chooses to appear, walking out from the kitchen holding, again, a steaming cup of coffee, in his half-awake state, looking like a zombie. (Which he technically is, but oh well)

"Hey, Taekwoon, do you want - " The three of them watches the vampire's eyes enlarge comically, before hastily fixing his hair and clearing his throat, saying, in a more clear voice, which rings out in the awkward silence, "Oh. I didn't know you have guests, Hakyeon."

"He's not a guest," The alpha says, sending a pointed glare at Jaehwan, who gulps. "In fact, he's about to go."

"But why?" Wonshik asks, then realises what he's saying. "I mean, yes, sure. He's leaving," He clears his throat again. "Right. With Hakyeon, I presume?"

"We're about to drag Taekwoon out too," Jaehwan pipes up, which earns him a slap on the head from Hakyeon. "What? You wanted me to persuade him," He argues, causing Taekwoon to sigh.

"I'm not going out!" The alpha walks back to his room, and promptly shuts the door to the argument breaking out in the living room.

What a life he has.

The next Friday rolls around again, much to the surprise and satisfying pleasantness of Taekwoon, because he can hole himself up again, with the companion of only Wonshik, who never bothers him anyways.

However, another surprise lies in wait for him when it's not the vampire, but Hakyeon who is curled up in the couch, mindlessly flipping through the channels.

"What are you doing here?" He asks in surprise, stopping midway in his trip to the kitchen.

The beta shoots him an annoyed, but tired glare. "As you have mentioned, I'm currently nursing my sixth heartbreak." Taekwoon doesn't argue, because he is, again, the one who has taken care of Hakyeon when he stumbles back home last Saturday, face wet and body full of sweat. "So I decided I'm tired of this romance and relationship . I'm resting for now," He announces, and promptly flops back onto the couch.

"Alright," The alpha replies, because what else can you say? "I'm going to get some food, you want to come choose?"

Hakyeon sits up, legs crossed on the couch, at the mention of food. "You mean take-out?"

Taekwoon shrugs. "Yeah? What else do you think we have?"

He frowns, and walks to the kitchen. Without a word, the beta yanks open the fridge, and begins to take out vegetables and packets of food he doesn't know has existed. "This." Hakyeon proceeds to toss them to Taekwoon. "This, this and this." A packet of chicken, a head of cabbage, and a wrapped box of what seems to be month-old kimchi came flying at the alpha, who catches them neatly.

"Seeing as your pathetic seems to have lived on nothing but take-out for the past Fridays," He continues, digging out a pan and the bucket of rice they had left rotting in the cabinet underneath the sink. "I'm going to cook for you. Because I'm nice." At that word, Hakyeon slams a chopping board on the kitchen counter, and rips open the packet of meat, leaving Taekwoon in silent awe. "What?"

"I didn't know you can cook," He says, watching the other move around in the kitchen with the same amount of confidence he has when he dances. The first time the alpha has seen Hakyeon dance, he was absolutely blown away. Seeing the other cooking has a similar effect.

"I can do a lot of things, half of which you've never witnessed," He retorts, and, Taekwoon blinks, because there's no way Hakyeon just winked at him...or is there? "What're you standing there for? Prepare the rice. That you can do, right?"

"Yeah." He almost smiles as he scoops a cup of rice, then pours it into a small wash basin to rinse, because he hasn't seen this side of Hakyeon for such a long time. "Of course."

In little more than ten minutes, the aroma of cooked meat and warm kimchi fills the small space, something Taekwoon hasn't scented for...ever since he left home, really. "Where's Wonshik?" He tries to make conversation as he sets the table, leaving a large space in the middle of the table for Hakyeon to put his dish onto.

"With Jaehwan." At that, Taekwoon raises his eyebrows questioningly as he sets two bottles of beer down, one in front of Hakyeon and the other beside his bowl of rice. "He's smitten with him," The beta starts to eat, using his chopsticks to pick up a piece of meat and puts it into his own bowl. "Fallen for him at first sight. And apparently, Jaehwan likes him too. Since the two are vampires, it doesn't seem much of a surprise."

"Jaehwannie's a vampire?" He's shocked at this piece of news. Taekwoon has always thought the boy is human, or at least wolf like the two of them, since the three of them has gotten along so well in college.

"You don't know?" Hakyeon knits his eyebrows slightly, then softens when the other shakes his head. "Oh...well, guess it didn't come up in conversation. Anyways, he's a vamp. So the two can skip happily ever after to Midnight Moon, while I stay at home." There's a note of bitterness in his voice, and Taekwoon quickly places a piece of chicken into his mouth, exclaiming, "It's really good! Really delicious."

"Thanks," The other stabs at his rice moodily. "My mother taught me how to cook." At this, his voice catches on an edge, which Taekwoon notices comes out whenever he talks about his past. He knows that Hakyeon doesn't like his past memories, which often come as nightmares in his sleep, so the boy instead tries to nitpick good ones from the pool, fishing them out carefully and leaving the others.

Like what's he doing now.

And it's also moments like these, in which Hakyeon reveals his vulnerability beneath all that fierceness and sarcasm (not to mention, leather jacket), that Taekwoon feels the beat of his heart against his rib cage, thumping loudly, which brings him to attention of his feelings for the other.

"Well, good thing she did," Taekwoon tries for a lighter tone when the silence was stretching for too long. "Otherwise I would've starved to death."

Sure enough, Hakyeon frowns, and leans forward to neck-chop him. "You and Wonshik would've survived on ty takeout anyways."

As soon as dinner and the washing up is over, Taekwoon, by habit digs out the Lion King DVD and puts it on, then promptly flops onto the couch.

As the infamous opening starts, Hakyeon walks out of the kitchen, drying his hands on the apron he is wearing and stops dead when he catches the cartoon playing on the television. "What are you doing?" He demands, taking the apron off and straightens his shirt.

"What do you mean?" Taekwoon frowns. "It's what you - oh, never mind," He mumbles at the end, realising that it is in fact Hakyeon standing in front of him and not Wonshik. "It's just something Wonshik watches every Friday."

"Really? Wonshik?" The beta looks horrified at the mention of the vampire's name, as if watching cartoons from childhood is a sin in itself. The alpha tries not to laugh, but at the end a small grin stretches his lips. "Didn't know he likes this sort of thing."

"Well, you know," He gives a sort of half-shrug. "People has their own favourites."

"That's true." Hakyeon crosses the room and digs out another DVD, then proceeds to pop it in. "Let's watch this instead." After he switches off the lights, the beta then sits next to Taekwoon, who tries hard not to stare.

"Beauty and the Beast? Really?" He pulls a face at that, causing the other to laugh. "Come on, it isn't that bad."

"The characters aren't portrayed according to the original story. Plus Belle isn't exactly my type," Taekwoon states plainly, causing Hakyeon to laugh once more.

"Aish, Woonie. The whole world knows you're gay." Another blow is landed on his arm, and the alpha winces, because Cha Hakyeon's punches aren't exactly soft.

Like his appearance.

The movie continues to play on without much problem, then suddenly...

"I'm cold."

"There's a blanket over there," Taekwoon says, not even bothering to look.

There's the sound of rustling as Hakyeon pulls the fur material over himself, then he whines, "I'm still cold."

The alpha sighs, telling himself to have patience. "Do you want me to turn on the heater or something?"

"Just come over." Without much notice, Taekwoon edges his way over to where the beta is seated, then all of a sudden, a blanket covers his body, and the warmth of another person envelopes him as Hakyeon scoots over to his side.

When the alpha gives him a pointed look, thanking the stars that the lights are switched off, the only response he gets is, "What? I'm cold. You're a heater anyways."

It isn't long before the film is drawing to a close, and the scene of Belle sobbing over a what seems to be a dead Beast appears. Taekwoon has long since given up on the film for favour of concentrating on Hakyeon, who, after demanding for his body heat, has soon fallen asleep and has rested his head on the alpha's shoulder, snoring away quietly in the dark.

It's unfair, he thinks, that whoever he watches movies with tends to fall asleep in the middle of it, and he is the one left to suffer through the movie by himself. But then again, having a certain boy curl up beside him, sleeping peacefully and safely at home, now that he's not complaining about. Taekwoon sighs, and switches off the movie after the happily ever after ending has played, then sits there in silence, letting the tranquility wash over him.

Hakyeon, he thinks, is one of a kind. And knowing him for nearly twenty-four years has proved that point, because Taekwoon has truthfully never seen anyone so full of life, so passionate about everything and throwing himself head-first into anything that he enjoys. It makes him envious, though only slightly. And that's also the reason that the beta has had his heart broken so many times too, because he loves with all his might, with his whole being, and not many can appreciate that.

Except Taekwoon.

He believes that he can return those feelings with the equal amount of passion Hakyeon does. He believes that, he, and he alone can take care of the fragile boy leaning against him, the seemingly strong person who is sitting and breathing next to him, whose face is, for once, not marred by the appearance of tears.

"Hakyeon..." The alpha murmurs softly, letting his breath ghost over the other's lips. The boy doesn't respond, and merely continues to sleep on, peacefully, and he thinks, perhaps this is for the best. That the other doesn't know, won't ever know his love for him, because it will just lead to disaster.

For Hakyeon's heart is already chased by another, another who has more chance to succeed, than Taekwoon, who the beta will immediately dismiss because of their friendship for all these years.

So he sighs again, and picks the other up, feeling the fragile build of the beta underneath his hands, and deposits him onto his own bed and familiar sheets, then plants a small kiss, a stolen kiss on Hakyeon's lips, murmuring, "Sleep tight, Hakyeon."

And he thinks, what a tragic love this is.