D-42 to Lee Sungjong's Birthday!

Pairing: Howon/Sungjong

Prompt: During their morning ritual

(Being Roommates Had its Perks)

*another college!au, because why not?

Having a good roommate while living in a dorm for school was always important.

Howon remembered how much he prayed that the random way of choosing roommates wouldn’t screw him over; he was mildly irritated when he found out that he didn’t get to pick, but what could he really do about that? So he focused all his energy on hoping for a good, clean roommate.

He had been all jittery nerves and stuttering, all the way until the day he was assigned to move in. (Which was strange, considering who he was. But he really, really wanted a good roommate. Who you roomed with changed and molded your college experience- and he wanted a good experience.)

On moving day, Howon bustled about, moving his things to the car, rushing his parents, and mentally preparing himself.

He headed towards his campus and in no time, found his dorm building. He shakily took his room key from the dorm attendant and shooed his parents away, ready to start his new college life with his (hopefully) awesome roommate. He walked to his room with a nervous heart and was srprised to see that the door was already open. 

This was it. He was going to find out who his life changing roommate was. Howon walked to the door with shaky footsteps. 

Once he reached the door, he knocked softly.

He saw a slim figured person turn around, he saw sparkling doe eyes and flawless hair, and saw the figure walk towards him and extend a hand.

Howon mechanically returned the gesture and they shook hands, all whilst Howon stared blankly.

“Hi, I’m Lee Sungjong,” is what Howon heard from a tinkling, beautiful voice.

This really was it.

Howon could have sworn that this Lee Sungjong, his roommate, would be the gentlest, prettiest, best person in the world.

-

Howon, on a first impression basis, wasn’t exactly right.

(But he was close enough.)

-

Howon learned the hard way that his roommate was in no way gentle. He definitely had a mouth on him; one that wasn’t afraid to leave scathing remarks or speak its mind.

It led to a lot of fights.

(Howon had even tried to get a roommate change; unfortunately for him, there were no other rooms available.)

So, gentle was something Lee Sungjong definitely was not.

(Granted, there were a few situations that could be considered exceptions to that. One moment in particular occurred during their fifth week as roommates, when their relationship had just started getting better.

Howon had been too mentally exhausted to move after his classes had ended; it took everything he had to get back to his own dorm.

Sungjong, to his own credit, hadn’t kicked him for laying on the floor and blocking the doorway when he got home half an hour later. Instead, he simply prodded him lightly- and when Howon still didn’t move, Sungjong had stepped over him, gotten two blankets, covered Howon with one, and then laid down on the floor too.

“What are you doing?” Howon still didn’t move.

“Laying on the floor alone is pathetic. Laying on the floor with a friend makes it a sleepover.” He gave a slight smile to Howon before snuggling into the blanket and making himself comfortable on the floor.

Howon never saw Sungjong the same way after that.)

-

Sungjong, regardless of a horrible first impression that ruined whatever “gentle” type of impression Howon had of him, may still be the prettiest person in the world.

Except he hated being called pretty and punched him in the gut whenever Howon tried to say so.

But no matter what Sungjong did, regardless of whatever time of the day, despite whatever weather condition-

Sungjong still looked flawless.

It perturbed Howon to no end.

(Because no one should look that good all the time. It wasn’t fair.)

-

Sungjong was the best person in the world.

Simply because there was nothing in the world that Howon would exchange for their morning ritual.

-

They had a simple routine in the morning.

Sungjong always woke up first. He would freshen up and do his own morning routine before going to wake Howon up.

Sungjong woke him up usually by shaking his shoulder or jabbing his tummy. More often than not, Sungjong waking him up led to some shameless, harmless little flirting (that consisted of Howon bringing Sungjong into the bed and tickling him- which, really, wasn’t all that harmless, if Howon’s subconscious had anything to say about it).

Howon didn’t know how Sungjong managed it, but one little, “Howon hyung, it’s time to get up,” from Sungjong, and he would instantly wake up. It was strange.

(Maybe because he knew that if he woke up, he could coerce Sungjong into a tickle fight? It sounded like a good enough reason to him.)

From there, Sungjong would scramble around and get his things ready for the day, while Howon would take to cooking breakfast.

Their mornings always felt cosy, if not a little rushed, warm, and a lot like home (even when he knew that he was about three hours away from his actual home).

He liked that.

Adored it, actually.

And wouldn’t trade anything for it; would never trade Sungjong for anything.

-

When the next year starts and they get new dorms, Howon does everything humanely and legally possible to room with Sungjong next year.

His argument with the dorm head sounds ridiculous, bordering desperate. (“Please, you don’t understand. I have to dorm with him! How else am I going to feel at home?!”)

When Howon finally gets approval for rooming with Sungjong next year, Howon does a little fist pump of victory and then throws an arm around Sungjong’s shoulder. “I knew they would see it my way.”

Sungjong only laughs and with a twinkling eye smile, promises to wake him up gently tomorrow morning.

e n d.

has anyone noticed that i am getting later and later with these? ;o next two should be up by tommorrow but i'm horrible so i make no promises ><;;