The image before him was enough to slip him in a year-long coma.

No, Cho Kyuhyun, in a sense…at this very moment, had both of his eyebrows furrowed, his nose crinkled, cheeks puffed and his lips distorted to a shape of an ugly frown – in other words, infuriated - especially when the rest of the members agreed on “pampering” their beloved Sungmin-hyung after that freak incident at the airport; and Kyuhyun hadn’t meant it to be flinging themselves right onto the exhausted man’s arms. Well, Donghae did – he does this every ing single time – but Kangin? Shindong? Eunhyuk? Ryeowook? Henry? And oh please…Siwon? Put Zhou Mi in the scene and let’s have a party.

As of the moment, he glared on as his teammates practically dragged the poor, poor man out of the couch and into a recliner, pushing him down with sickly smiles on their faces as a helpless Sungmin resigned back with defeat. “Uhm…Donghae-ah, you can let go now” the petite man squeaked, lightly pushing off the big head that started to purr on his shoulder, “But hyung~!” Donghae whined, (oh god why did he whine) batting his eyelashes like a kicked puppy, “I’m supposed to keep you warm today!”

“But I’m already warm, Hae…thank you, though” Sungmin replied almost too sweetly, making Kyuhyun grimace at the little chin scratch he gave the drooling man on his side. “Kangin-hyung will give you a neck-massage now…since your flight from Japan was delayed, we all knew how exhausting it was to wait in an airport for three more hours” Donghae, again, with that crooked smile, announced a bit more happily, and Kyuhyun could’ve sworn that if the man had grown a tail, it’d be whipping from side to side with excitement.

“All right, kiddo. It’s appa’s turn to take care of you!” Kangin, in all his tall and largely built glory, appeared from the kitchen holding a plate of…apples? No fair, Kyuhyun taught, I was supposed to bring him apples ‘til later! But seeing as his supposed lover of a hyung snatch the plate all too quickly and started to devour into the vitamin-packed fruit, he couldn’t help but to resign on his defeat of being assigned to a ‘night-care’ for Sungmin that day.

He could only begrudgingly watch as Kangin’s fingers slide down the slender curve of Sungmin’s tensed shoulders. And the , the raccoon seemed to be enjoying it too.

Eunhyuk came in next along with Ryeowook and Shindong; much to Kyuhyun’s already pestered morning. He idly watched as the trio skip along the corridors, carrying plates of food and baked cookies with strawberries in them; jovial happiness breaking out of their mouths as Sungmin patted the three of them on the head.

“Eat more, hyung! Hyukjae-hyung and Shindong-hyung helped me with these cookies!” Ryeowook shoved the bowl completely to Sungmin’s hands, his pearly white teeth a bit too bright for Sungmin’s comfort. “Aww, Wook, that’s too sweet. And Hyukkie? Really?”

STAHP IT, PLEASE.

Kyuhyun groaned, sulking in his dark corner in the living room, watching the three dote on his boyfriend like teenagers looking at make-up sets. “How does it taste?” he heard Eunhyuk and Shindong chide, and he only mentally wished Sungmin would spit the treats out, just to pester the monkey-face and the fatso.

“Oh dear god, these are heavenly!” Sungmin squealed, a hand on his cheek – dainty as ever – as he rushed forward to encase the three boys in front of him. “Thank you for these!”

“Ah, ah…I knew he’d like it” Ryeowook snickered, sending Eunhyuk and Shindong a wink before bumping fists with the overly-hyped boys. “We did it!”

“Since when did they become that close?” Kyuhyun pondered, wrapping his arms around himself while wondering how many hours more will it take for him to have Sungmin for himself. “Time, time…what time is it?” he asked himself and took a peek at the wall clock above him, slapping him across the face when the hands read:

3:00 pm.

Even time seemed to be on the devil’s side. Oh well, how hard can it be? He just have to wait for more and – WHAT THE SIWON?

“S-Siwon-ah…I’m fine sleeping by myself you know” Sungmin stammered, trying to keep the blush on his cheeks at bay before his entire face swelled from embarrassment. Apparently, the skinship addict kept a firm hold on the brunette, and squished him underneath his arms on the couch, “Shh, hyung. Go to sleep…I’m here when you have any nightmares. Remember, God is always with us”

Kyuhyun almost had a . God, he was 25 and on the brink of heart failure, and while his nose was fuming out smoke, Siwon surely had the time of his life snuggling at his supposed possession.

And with a faint grunt and a few more protests, Sungmin finally snuggled against the preacher’s chest and closed his eyes for a sleep, much to a gargling Kyuhyun’s annoyance and jealousy. Calm down, Kyuhyun. He’s just doing his job…taking care of Sungminnie…you’ll get your turn. Just a few more hours and he’s all yours.

“Few more hours my ” Kyuhyun growled, marching towards his own room before diving down to his duvet to ease the headache, “, tonight…Sungmin’s all mine” he huffed with an indignant snort before succumbing to sleep.

--

“Ah, Minnie you’re so cute! Try this one on too!”

“No, Zhou Mi-hyung! He looks cuter with this hat!”

“Hush, Henli-ah…I’ve known fashion even before you were born. So I suggest the pink hat goes with our Minnie”

“But hyung~!”

“NO”

Kyuhyun groaned and his bed, already roused from sleep after hearing endless banters coming from the living room. He blinked, sat up and ran a hand through his sleep-mussed hair. “What time is it?” he murmured, blindly reaching for his wristwatch near the lamp stand beside his bed.

6:30 pm. , he slept all his afternoon off. Oh well, at least he was on time for dinner.

Hanging his feet from the edge of the bed, his ears perked up in irritation when again, he heard those girly squeals coming from the living room, and another yell of a horrified “Zhou Mi-hyung!” sent Kyuhyun stumbling from his covers to the occupied space, cramped with the rest of the members surrounding a lavishly dressed Sungmin in the middle – who looked he’d come out of a fashion magazine.

“Ah, Gui Xian!” Zhou Mi belled out in that high-pitched voice of his and draped his long arms around the not-amused man, “Look! Sungminnie’s so adorable in his outfit!” he pushed forwards, bringing the irate man with him and shoved him in front of a blushing Sungmin’s face,

“Hi Kyu…” he greeted shyly, lowering his head when Kyuhyun’s eyes bore holes on his face.

“Zhou Mi…I thought you weren’t coming” Kyuhyun replied instead, brushing off the man’s fingers from his shoulders as he turned around with a hand on his waist. “No. But Henli-ah asked me to come. I couldn’t say no to him, you know…and it involves our precious Sungminnie this time!” the ball of sunshine answered, pushing past Kyuhyun to take Sungmin to his arms, “And he’s so much fun to dress up! Seriously, he’s like a living doll. Right, Henli-ah?”

The blushing boy, who had a few shirts hanging from his arms, answered in utmost delight. “Yeah, hyung! Sungmin-hyung is definitely not hard to dress…he looks good in everything!” he blushed, but not after seeing the fire on a certain Cho Kyuhyun’s eyes.

“Oh, Sungminnie you’re so cute!” Zhou Mi spun the dressed boy in his arms and pinched his cheeks, “No wonder Gui Xian is oh so overly protective!”

At this, Sungmin blushed beet red, making the other members laugh at the action before turning their smug faces to Kyuhyun, who looked a little less annoyed. “He’s all yours after dinner, Kyu. No need to get so hyped-up” Donghae commented, snickering to himself when the maknae redirected his eyes to him, clearly depicting the message that read: Shut up or you’re dead.

“Jeez, you’re no fun, Kyu. We all like Sungmin…not the same way you like him, of course” Eunhyuk defended, clearing his throat after Kyuhyun menacingly growled, his red-tipped ears peeking from his mush of auburn hair. Dismissing the fact that Zhou Mi was squeezing the life out of his lover, he sighed dramatically and planted himself on the couch next to a grinning Kangin, whose arm was too quick to encircle around his shoulder.

“You still jealous?” the large man asked, chuckling at the scene before him when Kyuhyun chose not to answer. “Relax, Kyu. We all agreed to do this, remember? Besides, he’s all yours tonight…so make sure he feels good after all that work he’d been in to.” Flashing him a smile and a thumbs up, he took hold of the neck of the younger boy’s shirt before dragging him to the dining area, laughing as Kyuhyun tried to scurry away from his grip.

“I hope you like the food, Sungmin-hyung, I cooked all of your favorite dishes” Ryeowook beamed, wiping his sweat-covered forehead before settling his spatula at the kitchen counter. Smiling appreciatively, Sungmin encased the smaller boy in his arms and limped to take a seat next to Kyuhyun, who, at the moment, took the liberty to fix his now-stretched shirt.

“Kyu?” he whispered, placing his hand on Kyuhyun’s left knee. Kyuhyun stilled for a moment, before turning around to smile, all traces of anger gone from his features. “Sorry about all of this…they get a little clingy. Especially when you’re involved” Kyuhyun reassured him, placing his own hand on Sungmin’s own before squeezing it affectionately. “I’m glad you’re fine now, Min. But you shouldn’t have exhausted yourself”

Sungmin shook his head, though touched by the sudden change of expression and tone of voice from Kyuhyun, “Its work. I have to go no matter what happens. Besides, coming home to all of this…it was worth it” he smiled sweetly, blushing at the swirls of affection and admiration dancing in Kyuhyun’s honey-brown eyes.

“And after finding out that you planned all of these, at your expense, even…I couldn’t help but think how lucky I am to have you” Sungmin continued, flushing as Kyuhyun scooted his chair a bit closer, their surroundings fading into distant murmurs and nonchalant conversations, enveloping them in their own world of synchronized heartbeats.

“Ah, you’re so straightforward” Kyuhyun shrank, interlocking their fingers and smiling shyly. “It made you blush” Sungmin teased, elbowing the taller male before taking the bowl being passed to him with one hand.

“I only blush when I’m with you, though. That’s a fact” the maknae nodded, sending Sungmin an impish wink before lowering his head to place a kiss on the back of Sungmin’s hand. “Now let’s eat…you’ve been snatched away from me for too long”

And before Sungmin could even say something back, he yelped in surprise when Henry plopped a piece of kimbap on his mouth, forcing him to chew. Kyuhyun however, ate silently beside him, content on keeping Sungmin’s hand on his hold for the rest of the evening.

--

“You’re giving me all these clothes? I couldn’t Mimi…they’re all expensi – ”

“Hush now! The least you can do for me is to accept these. Henli-ah had a hard time carrying all the bags, you know!” Zhou Mi dramatically placed a finger on a bewildered Sungmin’s lips, who in return, nodded with furrowed eyebrows.

“We’re off, then! Rest well, Sungminnie. We’ll see you soon! Henli-ah say your goodbyes” the tall man sashayed, pushing Henry to Sungmin who gave him a hug before tailing behind the flamboyant idol, “Thank you, hyungs! Good night”

With a shut to the door and a few more talks here and there, the remaining members each retired to their respective rooms, wishing Sungmin a good night’s sleep before patting an exhausted Kyuhyun’s back. And when the rest were all silent and the night turned even deeper, Kyuhyun approached Sungmin on the sofa, knelt on one knee and presented him his back, “Get on” he said, smiling when Sungmin stared in disbelief.

“I’m heavy” Sungmin answered, playing with the stuffed rabbit Henry gave him as a present.

“’Tis fine. Just get on” Kyuhyun, again, invited, sighing in content when Sungmin finally reached around his neck and shifted his weight at the younger boy’s back. “You sure? I’ve gained weight again, you know” Sungmin flushed, embarrassed, his face buried at the slender column of Kyuhyun’s neck.

“You’re not heavy, okay?” the maknae laughed, adjusting his balance before standing up and supporting the petite male from under his thighs. “You’re sleeping in my room tonight. No buts.”

Giggling quietly, Sungmin embraced Kyuhyun warmly, his lips planting a small kiss on the man’s neck, “Thank you…you’ve made me very happy today” he chided, feeling comfortable at the warmth seeping through his clothes. “Anything for you, Min” Kyuhyun answered, kicking the door of his room open before switching the lights on and settling the man on his bed.

“Where will you sleep?” Sungmin uttered shyly, a blush on his cheeks as he eyes Kyuhyun on the door. Turning with a smirk, he can’t deny the hint of playfulness dancing on the maknae’s eyes, “Come on, Minnie. Are you telling me to sleep on the floor?”

“N-No! That’s not what I meant…I was just gonna suggest sleeping in our old room since-Ah!”

“What? I don’t plan sleeping on the floor or any other room, Minnie” Kyuhyun finished, pinning the helpless boy on the bed with his legs tangling on the sheets. “Besides, we used to…sleep together, right?”

Now, that was suggestive. Sungmin swallowed the lump on his throat when Kyuhyun’s eyes wandered, his body heat sending chills down his spine. “Kyu…” he whimpered, pursing his lips the moment Kyuhyun supported his weight with his elbows, their chests brushing in the process.

“I’ve missed you a lot, Min” Kyuhyun whispered, his bangs tickling Sungmin’s cheeks as he embraced him, inhaling the scent he missed so much. “These days…we haven’t been able to communicate properly…I was so cold without you”

“Mhhmm…you’re such a kid” Sungmin giggled, Kyuhyun’s hair lovingly, not minding their crushed bodies on a single bed. “I’ve missed you a lot, too. Your schedules are the exact opposite of mine”

Breathing normally, Kyuhyun lifted his head, his breath fanning over the plump flesh of Sungmin’s lips, “I love you…” he whispered, closing the gap in between them as he exhaled a sigh of relief. Sungmin moaned in response, moving his mouth and opening them when Kyuhyun him open, their tongues tangling in a heated dance.

In those days when their time was controlled by somebody else, even the slightest hint of eye contact was scarce. Their hands never brushed, nor a single strand of their hair would tangle. It was tiring, and for both of them, it was worse than having their day packed with exhausting activities. And when Sungmin left for Japan for his musical, Kyuhyun felt guilty that he wasn’t able to see him off, let alone kiss him goodbye when he had the time. But this time, as he felt heat rising to his cheeks, felt hands roaming every part of him and felt Sungmin moving against his touches – everything clicked, just where it should be.

He deepened their contact, pulling at the man’s hair as he made his way to his neck, never leaving a patch of skin unscathed, “Kyuhyun” Sungmin whispered, his mouth opening in a soundless gasp, fingers blindly pulling at the auburn tresses. “I love you, I love you”

Kyuhyun grunted, removing his mouth from Sungmin’s neck to ravish at his lips again, drinking in his moans and silently enjoying the pleasured scratches on his back. “We’ll continue this tomorrow…” he ended abruptly, leaving Sungmin hanging on the edge with a flushed look on his face.

“But…”

“You’re tired. I can see it. And I was supposed to take care of you…not, uhm, exhaust you more. So yeah, good night” with a quick peck to his lips and a stretch of his arm to turn on the lamp, Kyuhyun stood up, switched off the bedroom lights and scooped the curled Sungmin to his arms.

“I enjoyed that kiss…and I was hoping for more” Sungmin meekly confessed from underneath his hold, and Kyuhyun couldn’t help but to snuggle closer and plant a kiss on his hair. “We’ve never touched each other that long, Kyu”

“I know…but tonight, I’m taking care of you. I swore to myself that I’ll be restraining myself so you’ll be able to recover. Your injury wasn’t a joke Min. Almost gave me a heart attack when I saw you slumped on the airport” Kyuhyun explained, recalling the day when his ‘overprotectiveness’ radar sprang to life the minute he saw Sungmin slip.

“That’s so sweet of you…” Sungmin cooed, reaching up to kiss Kyuhyun’s jaw, “Fine, take care of me tonight. But tomorrow, I expect a new kind of treatment” he winked, encircling an arm around Kyuhyun’s neck.

“Heh, don’t bother. The minute you wake up, I swear you won’t be walking straight for another week” Kyuhyun answered unashamed, his hands skipping over the soft curve of Sungmin’s waist, “Touché” Sungmin giggled, edging closer until sleep flooded his senses.

--

“Mhmm, Kyu”

Sungmin moaned in his sleep, eyelashes twitching at the feather-light touches being embedded on his skin. He couldn’t tell whether it was still night or the morning after, but having those fingers slide against him made his body curl in utmost content.

“Hey, wake up” Kyuhyun’s voice sounded like an echo, far away yet still clear. He laughed when Sungmin’s nose crinkled under his touch, and he dreamily traced the slender line of Sungmin’s jaw, the curve of his neck and the shape of his lips.

“Sungmin…” he tried again, both eyebrows rising to his bangs when the smaller man rolled around, took the blanket with him and settled on his cocoon of baby blue sheets. Kyuhyun, amused, draped an arm over the huddled form and hugged him tight.

“I’ll kiss you awake if you don’t come out from there…” the maknae warned, answered with another roll of the blanket toward the opposite direction. “Fine. You asked for it, Min”

With much strength, Kyuhyun pulled the sheets off of a surprised Sungmin’s form, and, not giving him the time to react, hovered above the bewildered boy and pinned him by the shoulders, “Good morning, Min” he greeted, eyes slated and irides dancing playfully.

Sungmin smirked up to him; closing his eyes the minute Kyuhyun sealed their lips in a fiery kiss. He lifted his head off the pillow, reaching back to the man’s neck as he moved to sit up, settling himself on Kyuhyun’s thighs before opening his mouth, their tongues wasting no time in devouring each other’s palates. Kyuhyun slid his hands inside Sungmin’s shirt, cold fingers tracing the skin of the elder’s abdomen as he feverishly kissed back, the mere echo of ling lips driving them insane.

Sungmin rocked back and forth on Kyuhyun’s thighs, breaking their lip contact as he smiled back at Kyuhyun, pressing their foreheads together.

“Good morning”

It was low – sensual, even. And when Kyuhyun darted his eyes upward, Sungmin stared back at him, fingers locked on his hair as the faint peek of his tongue to an endless reverie of possible scenarios. “You remembered what I said last night?” Kyuhyun asked, pulling the man closer, their crotches brushing past thin layers of cloth.

“Hmm…I don’t” Sungmin feigned innocence, his eyelashes batting playfully, “Make me remember, then? Kyuhyunnie…”

“” Kyuhyun growled, tumbling back to the messy bed as Sungmin’s giggles echoed around the four corners of the room. “I love you…” he whispered, kissing the man’s plump lips right after squirming to pull the sheets.

“Thank you for everything, Kyu”