Jiyong turned the doorknob and quietly walked into the room. It’s dark; the lights in the room are off, but the faint light from the balcony helped Jiyong tread his steps towards the bed. Seunghyun is already in bed, covered under the blanket up to his waist. He’s lying on his side with his back facing Jiyong’s side of the bed. The younger pouted at the sight.

He dropped the towel in his hand nonchalantly onto the floor as he climbs the bed and sneaks himself under the cover, scooting closer to Seunghyun, but not too close. He lied on his side, facing the . Jiyong flinched a little knowing that tonight, there is a possibility that he will not be sleeping wrapped around the warmth of Seunghyun’s embrace. That’s how it is whenever they spend a night together. Even if they do not get to bed together, come morning, Jiyong would always find himself tangled up in Seunghyun’s arms. Because snuggling with Seunghyun before bed, helps Jiyong shut out the voices in his head that keep reminding him of work.

“Hey...” Jiyong extended his hand and traced a finger along the skin; from the nape, all the way to the small of the back. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to upset you. I assumed that you’d be okay with it. I should’ve told you and not let you find out like this. I’m sorry.” Jiyong muttered under his breath, but loud enough for Seunghyun to hear. His tone was heavy with repentance, but there was a naughty twinkle in his eyes. He kinda likes it when Seunghyun sulks; he thinks it’s cute and adorable.

Jiyong stayed silent when he received no reaction from Seunghyun. Not even a movement. He let out a heavy sigh, a fake sigh, trying to draw the older man’s attention. Then he turned himself to lie on his back, muttering a soft ‘good night’, and stared at the ceiling. Jiyong worked his mind to find a way to break the cold. And being in a good mood tonight, he decided to tease Seunghyun a little.

Quietly, he started singing a nursery rhyme. “Mary had a little lamb, little lamb, little lamb..” from the beginning until the end of the song. Then he turned his head to observe the other man’s reaction. Still nothing.

Done with ‘Mary Had a Little Lamb’, Jiyong moved on to another song. “The itsy bitsy spider climbed up the water spout. Down came the rain and washed the spider out. Out came the sun, and dried up all the rain. And then Itsy Bitsy Spider climbed up the spout again.” He played with his fingers, mimicking the movements of a spider. But the man next to him is still playing dead.

Not giving up, Jiyong continued on with “Rock-a-bye baby on the tree top. When the wind blows, the cradle will ro-”

“What are you doing?” Seunghyun abruptly turned himself on his elbow to face the little man, seemed a little annoyed.

“Oh. Was it too loud? Sorry. Don’t mind me. I can’t sleep, so I’m just singing myself lullabies.” Jiyong kept a straight face with eyes still staring upwards. He’s trying hard not to smile or laugh and starts over, “Rock-a-bye baby on the tree top. When the wi-”

“Aish stop singing! Come here.” Seunghyun grabbed Jiyong’s hand and pulled the man into his arms. Jiyong giggled and squealed as he quickly scooted closer and bury his face into the nook of Seunghyun’s neck and mold his body against the warmth of Seunghyun’s.

“I’m sorry.” Jiyong whispered as he settles in and brushed a kiss on the sharp jaw line. He is content when he felt Seunghyun squeezed him in that embrace.

“It’s not fair, you know. The fact that I can’t stay mad at you for even a minute, you are using it against me.”

“It was not intentional. I didn’t mean to make you upset. You know I wouldn’t do it if I think you wouldn’t like it.” Jiyong muttered quietly.

“It’s ok. I’ll think of something to get back at you.”

“Heh. You wouldn’t take your shirt off in dressing rooms, much less to pose topless with a topless girl for a magazine.”

“Well, who knows. If suddenly I feel like doing it, I might just do it.”

“Seunghyun!” Jiyong pulled away and shot a glare at the other man.

Seunghyun ignored the glare and pulled Jiyong back. “Tsk. Go to sleep.”

Jiyong obliged and returned to snuggle closer. Somehow he felt a hint of jealousy just by imagining Seunghyun posing half with another person. ‘So that’s how Seunghyun must have felt when he saw those pictures.’ Jiyong thought to himself. He understands it now and made a mental note to ask himself when in doubt, ‘will Seunghyun be jealous or get mad if I do this?’.

“By the way, no one would ever fall asleep with that kind of singing.”

Jiyong laughed and then he starts, purposely out of tune, “Rock-a-bye baby on the tree top..”

“Oh just shut up and sleep!” Seunghyun clasped a palm over Jiyong’s mouth, muffling the smaller man’s laughter.

“Good night.” Jiyong removed the hand and whispered with traces of laughter in his voice. He brushed another kiss at the same spot on the jaw line.

Seunghyun pulled away and cupped the flushed cheek, looking into the pair of coffee eyes for a few moments. Then he leaned down and pecked the pink lips. “Good night. Now sleep.”

==========

There. I can sleep peacefully at night now. I become restless when I write or read angsty GTOP.