Leeteuk looked over at the clock on his desk.  The analog face indicated it was close to 5:15 pm and almost time to go home.  A smile crept across his face at the thought and he chewed thoughtfully on the end of the pen he was writing with, briefly forgetting about the papers he was grading on his desk.  Eunhyuk would be waiting for him when he got home, probably with some sort of surprise or, at the least, dinner.

            The young man worked part time at the local coffee shop down the street because he liked the people and was otherwise contracted at irregular intervals to provide choreography for dance teams or private lessons for individuals who were referred to him.  Eunhyuk could afford to be a little picky considering his skill in dancing was formidable and had competed in various competitions, earning himself several medals and awards for creativity, technique and overall performance.  He was actually between competitions and contracts at present, a state he appreciated more after things had been busy like the past couple weeks.

            Why he chose to stay with a music and vocals professor like Leeteuk was a mystery to the older man but it was something he was quite grateful for.  With a start, he pulled himself back to the task at hand and focused again on the hastily written paper in front of him.  He sighed to himself and forced his tired eyes to focus.  The sooner he got done with this the sooner he could get out of here.  At the thought, another slow smile lit his features up and he felt better despite the task before him.

            With a start, he jumped when his phone started to vibrate on the desk next to him.  When he saw who was calling, he laughed to himself and answered with a grin he couldn’t help, “Hello?”

            “Hi,” Eunhyuk responded over the phone.  “I was just calling to see how you were doing.”

            “I’m good,” Leeteuk answered, the smile easy to hear in his voice.  “I’m afraid I’ll have to stay over a bit later than I intended, though.  I’ve got a last minute project I need to finish up and I’m not sure when I’ll be done this evening.  It shouldn’t be too late though.  Sorry,” he stated immediately.

            “Oh…”  The disappointment in his tone made Leeteuk wince involuntarily.  “It’s okay.  I understand, Teuk.  I’ll see you when you get home, neh?”

            “Of course,” Leeteuk assured his partner quickly.  “I’ll see you soon.”

            “Okay.  I love you,” he added softly, his voice warm and low.

            “Love you too.”  Reluctantly, Leeteuk ended the call and glanced over at the analog clock again; 5:37.  Yep, time to go.

            Eunhyuk stared at the face of the smart phone, the screen blank.  Why was he working late tonight?  Didn’t he remember what day it was?  Slowly, the blonde brushed his bangs out of his face and looked over at the dining room set for two.  Fine china plates had been laid out and there were two nice wine goblets accompanying them with a small vase of pale pink roses set to accent the table.  The dinner he’d prepared was still covered on the stove: pan seared lemon pepper chicken, braised asparagus with slivered toasted almonds and herb seasoned wild rice.  It wasn’t that it had been hard to make but Leeteuk was supposed to be home now…or close to it.

            Resolutely, he stuffed the phone back in his pocket and went to lean against the still warm stove.  It just didn’t make sense.  Impatiently, he sat down in one of the chairs at the table, his leg bouncing up and down with nervous energy as he looked around the room, brown eyes alighting on the various pictures they’d put up over the past year and a half.  In almost all of them, they were together, an arm looped around each other and smiling happily.  Maybe he really had forgotten…

             Eunhyuk placed his elbows on the table, carefully pushing the plate out of his way, and rested his chin on his palms.  He had been really busy lately, and if this project had just snuck up on him, that would give him reason to be forgetful, though normally that wasn’t a problem.  Just to double check, he pulled his phone out and clicked on his calendar.  Highlighted for today, he had added the memo: 2 year anniversary.  No, he wasn’t mistaken; their anniversary was today.

             Annoyed at first, the emotion drained away quickly and he stood up, a determined expression on his face instead.  Maybe he had forgotten, and if that was the case, then he would just have to remind him.  Adeptly, he packed up their dinner into containers, snagged the sparkling apple cider and the unopened bottle of white wine with the two glasses carefully wrapped in a towel and threw everything into a carrying bag carefully.  Making sure to lock the door of the townhouse they lived in, Eunhyuk bounced down to the driveway and ducked into the sporty deep blue dodge caliber, making sure to settle the food in the passenger seat securely.

            The university wasn’t that far away and it was only about a fifteen minute drive.  A glance at his digital watch showed the time to be 5:51.  At least he would miss the worst of the 5 o’clock traffic.  In a matter of moments, he was on the road outside the cul-de-sac they lived in, heading for the school.  He tapped his fingers along to the song playing in his car, Sherlock by Shinee, and smiled when he looked over at the food that filled the cab with tantalizing smells and made his stomach growl in complaint.

            Twenty six minutes later, and still smiling happily, Eunhyuk parked as close to the music building as possible, making sure to put up his parking sticker so he wouldn’t be ticketed.  There were plenty of students still walking around, making their way to and from class, but his appearance or the bag he carried didn’t draw any additional attention.  Most were too distracted with their own thoughts and the rest didn’t care one way or the other and the vast majority was younger than him anyway.

            The receptionist at the front recognized him and Luna smiled happily when she saw him walk through the front doors.  “Eunhyuk!” she grinned, standing up to hurry around the desk so she could give him a quick and excited hug.

            “Hey, Luna,” he laughed lightly, hugging her with one arm and balancing the bag carefully with his other.  “Good to see you.”

            “And you too,” she grinned, bright eyes sparkling in her face.  “What brings you here?  I haven’t seen you in forever,” she chided, shaking her finger at him in a teasing manner.

            Eunhyuk laughed and ducked his head shyly.  “I’m here to see Leeteuk,” he responded instead, a smile reappearing on his face as he met her gaze again, though it faltered when she looked surprised.

            “Oh?  I thought I saw him leave for the day,” she mused, looking back towards the offices questionably.  When she saw Eunhyuk’s smile fading, she cautioned, “Maybe I was just mistaken.  Why don’t you go and see for yourself,” she urged with a bright smile, trying to imbue some of her cheer into him.

            “Sure,” he stated softly, his gaze fixed on the back where the rooms suddenly seemed darker and more forbidding.  “Could you keep an eye on this?” he asked as he set the bag down on the corner of the desk, careful not to cover any of the papers already there.

            “Of course,” Luna nodded, already making her way back around to take her position.  The office wasn’t busy just then and only a handful of professors were present with the rest teaching or gone home already.  She could have sworn she saw Leeteuk leave for the day…

            It’s okay.  Maybe he just stepped out and she didn’t see him come back, Eunhyuk told himself as he headed back, passing doors on either side of him.  He made his way to the one that said Jungsu and pursed his lips.  Leeteuk never had his door closed when he was working…  “Just knock already,” he told himself quietly, rapping on the door lightly with his knuckles and then waiting a moment for some sort of response.  After a moment, he tried again, hoping maybe he was just absorbed in his work.  “Leeteuk?” he called and tried the handle.  Locked.  Eunhyuk stared at the knob as if it had somehow betrayed him.

            Distractedly, he reached into his pockets and retrieved his phone.  The screen flickered to life at his touch and he couldn’t help but smile as Leeteuk’s dimpled face beamed at him from the wallpaper.  He dialed the number by heart, not bothering to look it up.  It rang a few times and he was briefly worried it would go to voicemail before he heard the receiver click.  “Hey.  What’s up?”

            He sounded distracted.  “Hey,” Eunhyuk responded awkwardly, his hand tight around the phone.  “I was just wondering where you were.  If you were still at the office, I mean, and not on your way home yet.”  The words felt stiff on his tongue and hard to get out.

            There was a pause in his response where he heard a muted voice in the background before Leeteuk replied, “No.  I mean, yes.  I’m still busy but I’m almost done.  I should be home real soon.  Promise.”

            He sounded so happy, but why was he lying to him…?  “When?” Eunhyuk persisted.

            “Soon,” Leeteuk answered immediately.

            ‘Leeteuk,’ Eunhyuk heard in the background and he felt a jolt of surprise wash through him.  “Who was that?” he asked, biting his lip in worry.

            “Huh?  Oh.  Nobody.  Listen, Hyukkie.  I gotta go but I’ll be home soon.  Love you okay?”

            It took Eunhyuk a moment to pull the receiver from his ear and stare at the screen again.  He saw Leeteuk’s face smiling at him before the screen blanked and he chewed his lip, so many emotions running through him he couldn’t begin to sort them all.  There had to be an explanation and of course he could think of several but the one that kept forcing itself in his mind was the last one he wanted to think about.

            “No,” he told himself.  Leeteuk wouldn’t do that…  His inner voice was having a hard time making him believe it though and he felt his heart ache at the mere thought.  He slowly made his way back to the front and Luna saw him as he stepped out.

            She noticed the look on his face and she forced a smile anyway.  “Did you find him?” she asked, though she knew the answer already.

            Eunhyuk shook his head and met her eyes, the brown depths filled with emotion and just the beginnings of tears.  “No.  He’s not here,” he assured her with a shaky smile.  “I’m sure I just misunderstood him earlier,” he went on, doing his best to reassure her with false bravado.

            “Here,” she offered as she came around the desk, struggling with the bag since it was fairly heavy, the glass containers and food hefty to her.  Quickly, he moved to retrieve it with a real smile, relieving her of the burden easily.  “It smells great,” she winked, looking at it with some longing.  “I’m kind of jealous actually, and I’m sure he’ll love it.”  Before he could step away, she stood up on tiptoe and gave him a peck on the cheek in a sisterly manner.  “It was good to see you again.  Take care of yourself alright?” she stated before she watched him head out, that slightly dazed expression still on his face.  If Leeteuk had done something to make him look like that, she was going to have to beat his tomorrow.  Or maybe she’d just kick him in the shin…

            Eunhyuk sat in his car for several moments before he was able to get moving again.  Fiercely, he rubbed his eyes and made sure the food was secure before he headed home, the traffic having died down enough so that he was able to get home in a matter of sixteen minutes.  The driveway was still empty when he arrived and he hauled himself back inside, leaving the bag on the kitchen table, the bottles slightly askew and getting warm for the proximity of the still cooling food.

            He wasn’t hungry anyway.  With his feet dragging at every step, he moved back to their bedroom and stared at it, his gaze conflicted.  He glared at the digital clock on the nightstand, 6:49.  Soon?  Right…  Finally, he threw himself down on the plush covers and grabbed the pillow Leeteuk always slept on, holding it close fiercely as he let the tears come that he couldn’t hold back anymore.  Too tired to care, and not wanting to think on it further, he fell asleep.

            Leeteuk arrived, arms full and smiling brightly, but when he stepped inside, the house was quiet.  Most of the lights were out and though the kitchen light was still on, there was no sign of Eunhyuk.  The clock on the microwave changed to 7:03 as he watched it and he frowned.  That had taken considerably longer than he thought.  A glance at his analog watch showed it was still sitting on 5:58.  “Damn,” he muttered.  What a time for the battery to die…

            “Hyukkie?” he called softly, looking around in confusion.  Carefully, he set down the still chilled box he carried, a stuffed animal holding a card and a smaller box artfully tied with a green ribbon.  There was a bag on the table and a peek inside revealed what had to have been dinner and two glass bottles; sparkling apple cider and sauvignon blanc.  Remnants of a lemon pepper scent lingered in the air and he smiled slightly, still concerned that he didn’t see his partner.  “Hyukkie?” he called again as he adjusted the designer frames on the bridge of his nose and flicked his styled spiked black hair back nervously.

            The door to their room was cracked open and the interior was lit by the lamp on the nightstand.  Eunhyuk was curled up with his back to the door and that alone told him something was off.  Quietly, he slipped inside, leaving the door partially open, and eased onto the bed, letting his hand reach out to brush against Eunhyuk’s shoulder lightly.  “Hyukkie?”

            The blonde stirred under his touch and peeked through reddened eyes back at him.  “Teuk…” he murmured softly, as if he hardly dared to breathe the name.

            Immediately concerned, Leeteuk leaned over the young man and looked down at him with worried eyes, noticing the tear streaks and slightly blotchy complexion.  “What’s wrong?  What happened, Hyuk?”

            “You weren’t at the office,” Eunhyuk muttered behind the pillow, holding it tighter as he struggled not to cry anew and keeping his hands clenched tightly.

            It took a moment for Leeteuk to understand what he meant and then he smacked his forehead with his open palm.  “Ayah…”  His concern softened to a gentle smile and he traced his fingers lightly over Eunhyuk’s forehead, moving the bangs back so he could see his face better.  “You tried to surprise me didn’t you?” he asked with a wry grin as he made the connection with the bag on the table.

            Quietly, Eunhyuk nodded, peering up at him with tear filled eyes.  “Why did you lie to me?  And who were you talking to?”

            Leeteuk had to think about that for a moment considering he’d made several stops on the way home…  “Ah.  I’m sorry,” he apologized sincerely as he crawled over Eunhyuk and laid himself down facing the young man.  Evenly, he held his gaze and then grabbed one of his hands and brought it to his lips, kissing it softly.  “I didn’t want to spoil the surprise,” he sighed, regretting every word he’d spoken that had led him to believe anything else.

            “Surprise?” Eunhyuk blinked and brought his head up to rest his chin on the pillow instead, his fears and worries beginning to dissipate as he listened further.          

            “Neh,” Leeteuk smiled brightly, reaching out his free hand to wipe away the last of the tears from his face.  “Shall I take you to them or would you rather I bring them here?” he asked softly, his fingers lingering on the younger man’s face tenderly.

            “Here,” Eunhyuk smiled, suddenly shy, and pulled the pillow closer, feeling slightly giddy.

            “Alright,” Leeteuk chuckled, a warm smile still on his face.  He kissed Eunhyuk’s hand again and then leaned forward to kiss his forehead, his lips soft and tender, before he eased away and crawled back over him, smacking him on the bottom playfully before running out.

            Eunhyuk grunted in surprise and then laughed, finally pulling himself together and sitting up with his back propped against the headboard.  He cradled the pillow close as he sat cross legged on the bed and felt his heart beat speed up when he saw Leeteuk’s shadow coming down the hallway.  Hastily, he wiped his eyes again and smiled brightly.

            When Leeteuk stepped into the room, he had kept the stuffed monkey with a card and the chilled box in plain sight but the other he held behind him.  “Happy anniversary,” the older male spoke and took his seat next to Eunhyuk, letting his thigh rest against the other man’s.

            “A monkey?” Eunhyuk laughed, reaching out and replacing the pillow with the stuffed animal, careful not to bend the card.

            “It was all they had,” he winked, playing with the lid of the box he held and watched as his partner opened the card to read it.  He wasn’t the best at cards and the ones he picked usually erred on sappy but it made Eunhyuk cry with tears of happiness and he laughed.

            With a gummy smile, Eunhyuk wiped the new tears away and sniffed, looking up at Leeteuk.  “Thank you, Teukkie.  It’s very sweet,” he nodded and leaned forward to kiss his partner quickly on the lips; just a taste, but it was sweet and giddy.

            “I try,” he responded, rubbing the back of his neck with a nervous hand.  “Here,” he offered finally, holding out the chilled box.  “I thought you might like these.  I always think of you when I see them.”

            Delightedly, Eunhyuk opened the red box to reveal a bouquet of chocolate covered strawberries.  The berries were dipped in milk chocolate and mounted on ‘stems’ with one or two leaves for decoration.  Immediately, he ate one in pleasure, savoring the combination with his eyes closed, to Leeteuk’s amusement.

            “I take that as a success,” he grinned, his eyes twinkling when Eunhyuk started in surprise and smiled at him sheepishly with a mouthful.

            “Here.  You try one,” he offered, proffering one of the covered berries to his lover who leaned forward to accept.  “See?” he asked after a moment in which the berry subsequently disappeared.

            “I did choose well,” he murmured around the fruit, laughing when the words came out garbled.  When Eunhyuk laughed in response, he felt the last of his worries ease away and he grabbed his chin lightly in his hand and pulled him closer to press their lips together, the taste of strawberry and chocolate lingering in their mouths.  For a moment, they both savored the experience and then Leeteuk backed away just enough to speak, his dark brown eyes meeting the softer brown of Eunhyuk’s.  “Do you forgive me?” he questioned softly.

            Eunhyuk his bottom lip and then nodded.  “Of course I do.  But next time, can we plan surprises together?” he asked with a wry smile, resting his forehead against the other man’s.

            Leeteuk stole another kiss and then sighed, “But where’s the fun in that?”  He winked mischievously and then nodded.  “No more lies.  I promise.”

            “I’ll hold you to it,” Eunhyuk assured him firmly, half in jest and half serious.

            “Good,” he surprised the other.  “Because I have one more surprise for you.”  Finally, he pulled his hand out from behind his back to give him the smaller box wrapped in the lacy green ribbon.  “I hope you like it,” he added, suddenly nervous about his selection.

            Gingerly, Eunhyuk accepted the box and stared at it, wondering what on earth he’d gotten him now.  Carefully, he pulled the bow off, watching the ribbon slide away easily and paused before he took the top off.  Nestled in the soft foam padding was a pendant; silver angel wings accented by tiny diamonds at the tips of the feathers and hung on a delicate but sturdy silver chain.  “Leeteuk,” he murmured breathlessly as he pulled it out and watched the pendant swing gently in front of him, sparkling captivatingly in the lamplight.  “I love it.”

            Leeteuk reached out and retrieved the chain from his lover’s hands and shifted so that he could put it on him.  “So that no matter where you go, I will always be with you.”  When he hooked the clasp together, he rested his hands on Eunhyuk’s shoulders and watched his reaction from the side.

            When the pendant settled against his chest, it just felt right and Eunhyuk reached a hand up to lay his fingers tentatively against it, feeling the detailed carving of the wings and the tiny bumps of the diamonds.  “I don’t know what to say,” he finally murmured, turning his head to look at Leeteuk out of the corner of his eye, his expression awed and giddy.

            “You don’t have to say anything,” Leeteuk responded, sliding his arms around the younger man’s torso and pulling him against him firmly.  “Just know that I love you, Hyukkie,” he assured him and turned his head so that he could kiss him again from the side, passionate and hungry.

            Almost immediately, he felt Eunhyuk’s body respond as hands came up to entwine in his hair, pausing to remove the glasses and set them awkwardly on the nightstand.  “I love you too, Teukkie,” he spoke around kisses.  Eagerly, Leeteuk lowered Eunhyuk to the bed where they proceeded to give each other an anniversary to remember.

            Later in the evening, when they were both pleasantly spent and still shimmering with a thin sheen of sweat, Leeteuk held his lover close against his chest, feeling his heart beat under his hands where they rested on his .  “Thank you,” he murmured into Eunhyuk’s ear, his nose resting again the side of the blonde’s head and breathing in the scent of his shampoo.

            “For what?” Eunhyuk asked sleepily, running his fingertips gently against Leeteuk’s hands.  When he turned his head, his ear pressed against Leeteuk’s chest and he could hear his steady heartbeat, measured and reassuring.

            “For being you,” was the eventual response.

            Pleasantly warmed by the words, Eunhyuk cuddled closer, turning so he could wrap his arms around his lover in turn.  “I can say the same, my love.”

            After another pause, Leeteuk spoke again, “Sorry about dinner.”

            Eunhyuk shrugged, the rise and fall of his shoulders prompting a chuckle in the other man.  “We can reheat it later.  Besides.  I’m happier with the dessert,” he laughed, picking his head up enough to look down where they had managed to knock the chocolate covered strawberries.  Amazingly, they remained otherwise unscathed and still in perfectly enjoyable condition.

            Carefully, Leeteuk reached over and retrieved one of them, removing the stem immediately and offering it to his lover.  “This dessert?” he asked with a contented smile.

            Teasingly, Eunhyuk nibbled on the fruit, nipping off bits of the chocolate before carefully pulling the whole berry out of Leeteuk’s fingers.  He reached up and took a bite, offering the other half to the older man who happily obliged, his lips brushing lightly against the slender fingertips.  Eunhyuk swallowed his bite and gave him a chance to finish.  “No,” he stated, catching the other man’s attention quickly.  “I meant this dessert.”

             Before Leeteuk could respond, Eunhyuk reached up and grabbed head in both hands before pulling him into another strawberry and chocolate kiss.  As their tongues danced and explored each other’s mouths, while their hands roamed their bodies anew, Eunhyuk showed his lover just how good dessert could be.

(a/n: Yay!  This was just fun to write and while I probably do need work, I hope you enjoyed it.  My forays into more modern pieces continue!)