kibum is perched on the couch in his and his boyfriend minho’s shared apartment, one leg thrown over the other and tapping the one that’s touching the floor. he peers at their bedroom door every now and again, waiting for it to open.

“Hey! minho-ah. is everything okay in there?” kibum yells impatiently.

“almost done.” comes minho’s voice, muffled by the door separating the two rooms.

kibum rolls his eyes and leans back again trying to relax as he waits.

eventually, minho steps out of the bedroom and comes to a halt a few steps outside the bedroom. he stands there and smiles, inviting kibum’s scrutiny.

kibum gives his boyfriend a once over, taking in the denims, t-shirt and leather jacket; and purses his lips, unimpressed. “is this what I waited more than 10 minutes for?”

minho’s smile falls. “don’t you like it?” his eyes are wide with anxiety.

“no. you look like something that just walked out of the damned 80s. it’s unacceptable. go change.”

minho blinks and scoffs, scandalised, but he bites back a retort and matches back into the bedroom.

kibum relaxes back into the couch and pulls out his phone to keep busy.

*

minho comes back not long after and kibum’s gaze slowly slides towards him.

kibum gives the new outfit a bored look. “you look like a 45 year old golfer who is trying to look young. also, despite what movies tell you, kaki and pink don’t exactly match.”

minho walks away disappointed again.

*

the next outfit is a pair of minho’s best evening dress pants and a black button up shirt.

“black on black? are you a catholic priest?” kibum is mortified. he even tears his gaze away in horror like the outfit is too atrocious to look at.

kibum sighs and shakes his head at minho’s next outfit. “babe I know you like shorts, but you don’t have the legs for them. leave the kind of thing to me. shorts need long, flowing, smooth legs.” just to emphasise the point, kibum runs an elegant finger along his thigh, minho’s gaze following the gesture.

minho’s jaw drops because the comment is so offensive and terribly condescending. “do you think I’m going to manage to impress you tonight?” minho asks, catching the mild irritation and anger in his tone and having no regrets about it. his boyfriend is straight out just being mean now and minho doesn’t appreciate it.

Sensing the tension rising in minho, kibum smiles sweetly, hoping to cajole and soothe him. “there is hope. keep trying.” he softly encourages.

minho opens his mouth to reply- tell kibum off and quit this already-,but words fail him. He ends up gritting his teeth in frustration at the power kibum wilds over him.

kibum smirks victoriously as he watches minho walk away.

*

“we sort of left that look in Top Gun and it hasn’t been hot ever since.” kibum is quite literally cringing at how awful the current outfit apparently is.

*

kibum blinks, giving minho a dry look, “you look like a single dad.”

*

“That’s a country club douche look honey.” kibum shakes his head as if disappointed that minho would even consider doing such a thing.

*

The reprimanding goes on and on until minho finally throws his hands in the air and waves a metaphorical white flag. Sighing tiredly, “I give up.” he says, head hanging and shoulders slouched.

kibum feels bad seeing minho like this. It’s not kibum’s intention to criticise minho’s fashion sense so harshly. he sighs too and walks up to minho, wrapping his arms around minho’s waist and looks up into minho’s wide eyes. kibum hates the demoralisation he sees swimming in the otherwise bright and positive depths of minho’s child-like animated eyes.

“I’m sorry.” kibum says with as much cuteness as he can muster. “I was too cruel with you just now. I know.” a small smile tugs at kibum’s lips when minho’s arms slowly slide around his kibum’s slender figure.
“then why do it?” minho whines indignantly, almost pouting.

kibum has to hold back a laugh at how adorable minho can be when his confidence is robbed from him least he upset minho some more. “I nag and criticise. That’s how I am because I like to see things done right. I’m only trying to help you get back the sense of style you once had. I noticed that lately you’ve let yourself go a bit.”

minho puckers, shocked and he looks down at himself then back at kibum “I have?”

kibum nods ruefully. “it’s not bad, but you’ve seen better days. what we just saw moments ago proves the fact.”

minho sighs, resigned. “I admit things have been a little weird for me since Jonghyun left us.”

kibum’s chest clenches painfully because he understands minho’s anguish and struggle only too well. “I know, baby. it’s been hard on us all, but we have to try hard to move on and learn to love ourselves and each other.” kibum pauses and let’s one hand cup minho’s cheek, lovingly the smooth skin in comfort. “you can only love yourself if you like what you see. you must take care of yourself. Jonghyun would want you to take care of yourself.”

A load seems to lift off of minho’s shoulders and he smiles bright at kibum. “you are right.” he nods. “I need your help though.”

kibum’s eyes are twinkling with love and happiness because he has succeeded at getting minho to understand the point of this exercise. “of course. I need your help in many ways too. that’s why we have each other.”

“okay but ease up on the scolding and nagging. it really frightens me.” minho looks so serious and terrified suddenly.

kibum bursts out laughing. “you always say that. okay okay, I’ll take it easy on you.” he concedes.

“thank you, kibummie.” it’s gratitude for a number of things and kibum understands them well even though minho doesn’t elaborate.

kibum closes the final distance between them and kisses minho full on the lips, slowly, deeply, lovingly, silently reminding minho that he is still incredibly beautiful and that kibum’s heart would never stop swelling for him.