Heechul lifted the phone to his ear, pressing the OK button as he did so. He did everything slowly, as if the phone weighed a ton and his arm was stuck in tar. "Yeo-Yeoboseyo?" He swallowed hard, trying to down the lump that made his voice shake so badly. 

"Heechul. . ." the other line transmitted in a rush of static. "Um, how have you been?" Han Geng's voice was relatively calm, honestly surprising both parties. The Korean huffed at the small talk attempt, but couldn't help the watery grin from spreading. 

"Let's just say I've been better," he chuckled, thumbing his eyes somewhat dry. "You?" 

"I'm getting there." Heechul played with his laptop's charge cord, not sure of what to say anymore. ". . .I miss you," Geng admitted first. 

"I miss you more," the older challenged, like he would when Super Junior M had been away for promotions in China. Han Geng realized this and was quick to interject when he heard the intake of breath as Heechul prepared to inquire about his return. 

"I love you," he inserted quickly. Heechul's chest caught like old-times and he rubbed his face, trying to smear off the shy, school-girl smile such a confession always gave him. 

"I love you, too." The reply came easily, naturally, like the truth it was. But before Geng could say anything, he took a deep breath and rushed out, "when can you come back?" 

The lines went quiet and Heechul let his forehead drop repeatedly to his bent knee, regretting the words before they left his mouth. He cursed himself when he heard Geng clear his throat quietly; Heechul could picture him twisting the receiver end of the phone away, Han Geng being the (almost) always polite young man he was. 

The pause carried on for a second longer before Geng returned to the phone with a strained, breaking voice. "Wo ai ni, Gam XiChe." And then he hung up. 

Heechul sat listening to the dial tone for a few moments before closing his phone and sliding it across the floor. He didn't move much, but just to reach for a half bottle of luke-warm soju. Taking a swig he watched his phone, remembering Geng's suggestion a few monthes before the case that he quit drinking. 

As if on cue, an all-too-familiar voice sounded behind him in his bedroom doorway. "I thought you were going to quit?" 

Heechul dropped the bottle, not caring as it shattered and splashed on the hardwood floor. He scrambled in his sock feet to stand up and fell to the door, gripping Han Geng's waist with suddenly strong arms. The dancer returned the embrace, pressing his lips to the top of Heechul's hair. He hummed nonchalantly as the smaller man sobbed "I love you, I love you" into his t-shirt. 

"I love you, too. I love you, too," he whispered back.

______

And the cliched ending of Geng surprising Heechul with a visit :'3

Sappy fluff  is sappy and sugary sweet~