Okay, so I absolutely adore this ship and I suddenly felt the need to contribute something! This is short and I practically whipped this out in under an hour but I'm really proud of it and I hope you guys will like it as much as I do! It's been a while since I wrote for a group other than Stray Kids but I just love AB6IX so much so maybe I'll write more about them in the future!

 

Woong shouldn’t even be here.

He had no idea why he didn’t just stay home instead of putting himself through this torturous day. Maybe part of him just wanted to see him one more time. Or maybe he secretly hoped for a movie-like happy ending.

That was highly unlikely though. They had broken up a year ago and he was happy with someone else now. Today was his wedding day. Inviting Woong had just been an obligation, an act of politeness, because they still ran in the same circles.

So why the hell had Woong accepted? Why had he put himself through the heartfelt ceremony, the loving smiles, the ‘I do’s?

Because maybe this was his way of saying goodbye.

“You look like you could use some champagne”, a familiar low voice suddenly spoke up, making Woong look up from where he sat, slumped in his seat. The reception had just started, so it was too early for him to just leave. Instead, he had opted for sitting here, trying not to look in the direction of the happy couple on the dancefloor.

“I’m fine, Youngmin...”, Woong waved off with a half-assed smile. Youngmin looked at him like he didn’t believe him. He had good reason not to. Anyone with eyes could see that Woong was anything but fine.

“Come on”, Youngmin said, extending his hand. Woong gave him a quizzical look but took the older’s hand and let himself get pulled to his feet. Youngmin led him over to the bar and made a hand motion at the bartender who promptly served them each a glass of champagne.

Woong looked at Youngmin but the older just raised his eyebrows in an encouraging manner. Woong sighed and picked up his glass, gulping down the champagne in one go. Youngmin chuckled and called the bartender over for another one.

“Drinking won’t solve anything”, Woong muttered before downing the next glass of champagne. He knew that he should probably act a little less like a broken-hearted fool, but he just couldn’t help himself after holding back all afternoon. “I have to drive home...”, he added.

Youngmin took a small sip from his own glass. “I’ll have my driver take you home”, he told the younger boy, not leaving any room for objection. “Why did you come here, Woongie? I can see that you’re hurting”, Youngmin asked him. Woong slumped his shoulders, looking in the direction of the dancefloor again.

“I don’t know...maybe to torture myself, maybe because I still miss him...”, he replied.

“I’m sorry you two didn’t work out”, Youngmin said, sounding sincere, as he put a hand on top of Woong’s.

The blonde shook his head, waving off. “We obviously weren’t meant to be...”, he answered.

“Still, you deserve to be happy. You deserve someone who loves you and cherishes you with every fiber of his being. Donghyun may not have been the one but I’m sure you’ll find him someday”, Youngmin assured him. Woong looked back at him, surprised by his heartfelt words.

“Thanks, Min. I just wish that day was already here. I’m tired of missing Donghyun...”, he admitted. He lowered his head when he felt the tears b in his eyes. He had promised himself not to cry today. Not when Donghyun could see him.

“I know just how you feel”, Youngmin told him, making Woong look at him once again. The older man smiled and waved off at his questioning look, extending his hand instead. “Dance with me?”

Woong hesitated. Donghyun and his now-husband were still on the dancefloor and he wanted to keep his distance from them. “I...”, he trailed off. Youngmin looked at him, jutting his bottom lip out. Woong sighed, unable to resist his friend’s puppy-like face. “Alright”, he gave in, taking Youngmin’s still extended hand and following him to the dancefloor.

Youngmin spun him around once, getting a small laugh out of him, before putting his right hand onto Woong’s back, pulling him closer. Woong looked up at him, feeling a little flustered at the sudden proximity. Youngmin smiled at him as he led him along to the gentle music that filled the large ball room. Woong returned the smile and they quickly fell into a steady rhythm as they danced.

“I missed you”, Youngmin suddenly said, breaking the comfortable silence between them. Somewhere along the way, Woong had placed his head on Youngmin’s chest. At his words, he looked up at him again.

“I missed you, too...but you’re Donghyun’s best friend. I didn’t know if you wanted to be around me after the breakup...”, Woong admitted. He had remained rather close with the rest of Donghyun’s friends but Youngmin was rarely ever without Donghyun, so he had just automatically kept his distance from him.

“I think Donghyun made the biggest mistake of his life by letting you go”, Youngmin told him, his voice barely loud enough for Woong to hear him. The younger’s eyes widened slightly at his words. “I always envied him...since high school, I always wanted to be him because he was with you”, Youngmin continued.

“I...don’t know what to say”, Woong admitted.

Youngmin smiled faintly. “It’s okay, you don’t have to say anything. I just wanted you to know that I know how you feel. Pining after someone you can’t ever have.”

Woong’s breath hitched in his throat. Had Youngmin been talking about him earlier at the bar? He pulled back, bringing some distance between himself and Youngmin. “I-I’m sorry...”, he stammered, overwhelmed by the sudden confession.

“No, I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to make you uncomfortable”, Youngmin quickly apologized. Woong wanted to tell him that he hadn’t, but he just couldn’t find the right words at the moment.

“I have to go...”, he finally said, storming off. He grabbed his stuff from his table and quickly made his way out of the ballroom. He didn’t know what to think; his mind was a big swirl of confusion. Had Youngmin really liked him this entire time? How had Woong not noticed? And why was his heart doing this weird thing at the thought?

“Woong!” another familiar voice called out to him just as he was hastily putting on his coat. Donghyun. Woong slowly turned around to face his ex-boyfriend and who he had thought was the love of his life. “Are you okay? You left so quickly...”, Donghyun asked him.

Was he okay? Woong almost had to laugh.

“I’m fine...”, he lied for the second time that evening. “Thanks for the invite, but I’m afraid I have to leave now.”

Donghyun took a step towards him, a somewhat pained expression on his face. “I just...”, he trailed off, before seemingly rethinking his words. “Are we okay?”

No. “Yes. Of course, we are”, Woong told him, a pressed smile on his face. He knew that Donghyun could see right through him. They were together for four years, so it was only natural that they knew when the other was lying.

“I saw you with Youngmin”, Donghyun told him.

Woong’s jaw tightened. He crossed his arms over his chest defensively. “So? I don’t see how that’s any of your business”, he snapped. Donghyun looked surprised at his tone. Woong had always been a rather soft-spoken person who never lashed out at anyone.

“I just-”

“You should go back to your husband, Donghyun”, Woong interrupted his ex-boyfriend. Over Donghyun’s shoulder he saw Youngmin jogging up to them, his expression growing worried when he saw Woong with Donghyun.

“Good, you’re still here. I promised to take you home, didn’t I?” he said, coming to a halt right in front of Woong. Donghyun looked at the two of them, his expression unreadable.

“Yes, thank you...”, Woong replied, feeling himself blush at how close they were again. He looked at Donghyun. “Thanks again for the invite. And congratulations...”, he said, before heading towards the exit, Youngmin not far behind.

“I’m sorry about just running off”, Woong apologized once they had made it outside. The cold November air made him shiver and he wrapped his arms around himself in an attempt to get a little warmer. Youngmin noticed and immediately proceeded to shrug off his coat. “Oh, you don’t have to-”

“Please, I insist...”, Youngmin said, gently putting the coat around Woong’s shoulders. The younger smiled faintly, muttering a small thanks. “And don’t worry about what happened back there. I probably caught you off guard”, the older man added, trying to sound casual, but Woong sensed the tension behind his words. He probably thought that he had scared Woong off for good.

“You did...but don’t feel bad about it. I just...didn’t know”, Woong told him honestly, putting a reassuring hand on Youngmin’s biceps. “How long...”, he trailed off, not really knowing how exactly to phrase his question.

“How long have I been in love with you?” Youngmin asked, like he had read Woong’s mind. The blonde’s eyes widened again, and his cheeks flushed in a way that had nothing to do with the cold air. In love? “Pretty much the entire time.”

“I’m sorry I didn’t notice”, Woong told him, feeling terrible about all the times he and Donghyun had been lovey-dovey in front of Youngmin. He knew what it felt like to see the person you love with someone else.

“Don’t be. I’m glad you didn’t”, Youngmin told him, actually smiling for real this time. “It would have just gotten me into trouble with Donghyun. He really loved you.”

Woong’s heart ached a little at Youngmin speaking in past tense about Donghyun’s feelings. But at the same time, it fluttered at the older’s consideration. He had selflessly put his best friend’s happiness before his own.

“However,” Youngmin started again, “if I had known that he would just let you go like that, I would have fought for you.”

“Don’t say that”, Woong mumbled, blushing. He wasn’t that desirable, and he was surely not worth ruining a friendship over. Youngmin came a little closer, though still giving Woong room to back out. He gently reached for the younger’s hand.

“I mean it, though. I love you, Jeon Woong. I could heal your heart if you let me”, his voice had dropped to that gentle almost-whisper that Woong really found himself liking a lot. His heartbeat picked up at Youngmin’s words.

“I don’t want to use you...”, he answered, subconsciously moving closer to Youngmin though. Youngmin reached up with his free hand to gently brush some of the younger’s blonde bangs out of his face before moving down to caress his cheek. Woong leaned into the touch. “Youngmin...”

“I’ll leave you be, if you really want me to”, Youngmin told him, his face now only inches away from Woong’s.

Did Woong really want him to? On one hand it felt wrong to be this close to Youngmin, Donghyun’s best friend, when he still wasn’t over him. On the other hand, Youngmin’s touch felt so good; he finally felt like his heart really could be healed.  

Woong was ultimately the one who closed the distance between them, carefully pressing his lips onto Youngmin’s, even standing on his tippy toes a little. Youngmin made a surprised noise but kissed back once he’d gotten over his initial surprise. His hands cupped Woong’s face as their lips moved against each other.

Kissing Youngmin felt like quenching his thirst after going without water for days. His lips were soft, albeit slightly chapped from the cold, and they fit so perfectly against his own. Woong hadn’t expected it to feel so good. So right. His arms wrapped around Youngmin’s waist, pulling him impossibly closer. He found himself not wanting this moment to end.

Eventually though, Youngmin pulled back, leaning his forehead against Woong’s. His hands were still cupping Woong’s face and he gently his cheekbone with his thumb. Woong’s eyes fluttered open after a few seconds, his mouth slightly agape.

“I’ve wanted to do this since we were teenagers...”, Youngmin told him, making Woong smile shyly. “Can I take you out? It doesn’t have to be right away. We can take things slow, if you need time...”, he rambled nervously.

Woong laughed and put a finger on Youngmin’s lips, effectively shutting him up. “I’d love for you to take me out someday”, he told the older man. Youngmin’s face lit up and he pulled Woong in for a hug. The younger’s eyes closed again in content when he realized how perfectly he seemed to fit into Youngmin’s arms. He buried his face in the crook of his neck, relishing in his scent.

A honk made them jump apart. Youngmin whirled around and laughed. “It seems as though my driver is here”, he told Woong, offering him his arm. Woong smiled at him and linked his arm with his, as Youngmin escorted him to the car.

His heart was still far from healed, but looking at Youngmin; his bright smile, his flushed cheeks, his sparkling eyes, he figured that it wasn’t impossible anymore.