“I'm exhausted,” Hakyeon announces, flopping dramatically onto the couch with an arm slung across his face. “Let's never invite anyone over ever again.”

“You know I won't argue with that,” Taekwoon murmurs as he gently rearranges Hakyeon’s limbs so that they both fit on the couch.

“It's just… so much work! Entertaining is hard. I mean, I love it, don't get me wrong. I love having our friends here and not having to go anywhere to be home, but at some point I just want them all to go back to their own homes and leave me alone.”

Taekwoon smiles, knowing Hakyeon doesn't mean it at all. They roomed together all through University, and there wasn't a week that went by that Hakyeon didn't invite half the dorm to their room to hang out. But Taekwoon decides to keep the observation to himself, opting instead to take Hakyeon's feet in his lap to massage them.

“God, that feels good,” Hakyeon moans. He stretches out on the couch and rolls on his side to give Taekwoon a better angle. After years of practice, Taekwoon knows all the right places to press and knead to turn Hakyeon into Jell-O.

This is something they do often. They’re not a couple, but over the years, they’ve fallen into some sort of warped version of friendship. They’re really too close to call themselves friends, but they don’t date each other either. It’s complicated, that’s what it is, but Taekwoon doesn’t mind. It’s complicated, but it’s comfortable. He has no desire to be with anyone else or to take their friendship any further. He’s happy with things the way they are… the way they have been for years.

“What did you think of Jaehwan’s shoes?” Hakyeon’s voice is slightly muffled by the decorative throw pillow he’s burrowed half of his face into. He sounds sleepy. Taekwoon snorts as he debates whether he should put Hakyeon to bed. “Me too,” Hakyeon mumbles. “Seriously, who wears chrome shoes? So weird.”

“They’re flashy. They call attention, and you and I both know Jaehwan lives for attention.”

“True. I liked his scarf though. It was soft. It would have looked good on me.” Taekwoon can hear the jealous pout in Hakyeon’s voice. “I almost told him I couldn’t find it when I went to get his coat. I have a better neck for scarves anyway.”

This is true. Taekwoon loves Hakyeon’s neck. The long, slender slope between Hakyeon’s jaw and his collarbones is nothing but smooth, deeply tanned skin stretched over tight tendons, and his prominent Adam’s apple bobs beautifully whenever Hakyeon speaks or swallows. Taekwoon could worship Hakyeon's neck, honestly, but that would be as weird as Jaehwan's chrome shoes.

“Maybe you could ask him where he got it,” Taekwoon suggests, figuring it's better not to make himself an accomplice to the theft of a scarf, especially since he knows that not only would Jaehwan immediately recognise the scarf should Hakyeon wear it, but he'd be absolutely flattered if he found out Hakyeon liked it enough to want one of his own. Hakyeon might even end up with one of every color available, wrapped in shiny paper with curly ribbons, tucked under their Christmas tree next month, courtesy of Jaehwan and his affinity for spoiling his friends.

“Mkay,” Hakyeon agrees, and Taekwoon thinks he must be more tired than he thought because Hakyeon never agrees to anything so easily.

“Sanghyuk and Hongbin are cute together,” he says after a few minutes of silence, and now Hakyeon's words are getting a bit slurred. “I'm so glad they finally got their heads out of their asses. They're perfect for each other, and they seem happy.”

“Mhmm,” Taekwoon hums as he moves Hakyeon's feet aside and pushes himself up off the couch. He helps Hakyeon to his feet, helps him to the hallway, helps him remove his jeans and flashy, blue and silver button down… helps him into bed.

“Where are you going?” Hakyeon whines when Taekwoon tucks him into bed and moves to leave.

“My room.”

Hakyeon's room is dark. Taekwoon never turned the light on when they entered. He can’t see Hakyeon’s lower lip sticking out, but he can hear it in the way Hakyeon huffs.

“Don’t.” The tone is still whiny. Taekwoon doesn’t usually respond to Hakyeon when he gets whiny, but he’s curious what Hakyeon actually wants.

“Why?”

Hakyeon rolls around on the bed without answering for a few long moments. Taekwoon is just about to give up and leave when he finally says, “Don’t want you to go. Want you to stay. With me.”

Taekwoon makes a huge show of sighing and dragging his feet as he walks back over to the bed, pretending he’s very put out by having to keep Hakyeon company, but the truth is, Taekwoon had kind of hoped Hakyeon would want him to stay.

“Scooch,” he whispers, nudging Hakyeon’s hip with his knee. Hakyeon only moves about an inch, leaving just enough room for Taekwoon to lay down without falling right off the bed. It doesn’t matter, though, because as soon as Taekwoon is settled, Hakyeon’s arms and legs wrap around him like an octopus, squishing Taekwoon against Hakyeon’s chest.

They’re face to face. Taekwoon can feel Hakyeon’s breath on his neck. Hakyeon’s eyes are closed, his lips parted. Taekwoon would believe him to be asleep if not for the way his nose scrunches.

“Need more.” He’s still whining, but now it’s less of a conscious, manipulative device and more because he’s just plain sleepy.

“More what?” Taekwoon knows what Hakyeon wants, knows what 'more’ is, but he wants to hear Hakyeon say it.

However, instead of saying it, Hakyeon simply puckers his lips and makes whiny kissy noises about two inches from Taekwoon’s nose Taekwoon laughs.

“Nnh! Gimme.”

“Say please,” Taekwoon counters.

Hakyeon frowns, squirms, bats weakly at Taekwoon's shoulders, all sleepy and adorable, then he blows a breath right in Taekwoon's face and says, “Ple-”

Taekwoon cuts him off, pressing a lazy kiss to Hakyeon's lips. It takes a moment for Hakyeon to kiss back, tired as he is. It's mostly just their mouths moving against each other, no tongues or teeth clashing, no real purpose besides the intimacy of it.

Hakyeon’s lips are soft as they brush against Taekwoon’s, and he hums, pleased that he’s gotten what he wants from Taekwoon. His motions slow, gradually. He becomes less responsive, and Taekwoon takes it as his cue to let his lips travel over Hakyeon’s jaw, down his long, beautiful neck, across his collarbones.

Hakyeon leans his head back to give Taekwoon room, and Taekwoon lifts a hand and slides his fingers into Hakyeon’s hair. It’s so silky and shiny and slips through Taekwoon’s fingers like sand. Taekwoon could spend days sifting his fingers through Hakyeon’s hair.

Hakyeon arches into the kisses and lets out quiet sighs and moans that dwindle to tiny, pleased whimpers. Eventually Hakyeon stops moving at all. He’s still wrapped around Taekwoon, but he’s no longer squeezing, just kind of crushing a few vulnerable spots with his heavy limbs. Taekwoon doesn’t mind this, either.

He continues kissing Hakyeon, even though he’s essentially dead to the world. He kisses Hakyeon’s nose and forehead. He kisses Hakyeon’s cheeks and eyelids. He trails kisses up Hakyeon’s neck from his shoulder, and when Taekwoon reaches that smooth, soft spot behind Hakyeon’s ear, Hakyeon stirs slightly.

“Thanku, Woonie. Loveu,” Hakyeon mumbles, his lips barely moving enough for Taekwoon to understand.

Taekwoon slides his cheek along the side of Hakyeon’s neck until his lips are near Hakyeon’s ear.

“You’re welcome, Hakyeon. I love you, too.” He does love Hakyeon. They may not be in a relationship, as far as the standard definition, but it is a relationship of sorts. It’s nothing more than everything Hakyeon and Taekwoon need: each other. “Goodnight,” Taekwoon adds, tucking Hakyeon’s head against his chest and pressing one last kiss to the top of Hakyeon’s head. Taekwoon closes his eyes and holds Hakyeon close until sleep takes him as well.