A Breath of Fresh Air

            I woke far earlier than I intended to and I ached everywhere—partly from sleeping on the couch all night and partly from overexerting myself a little the night before—but I’d be damned if I was about to complain about any of it, because the reason for my aches and pains and sleeplessness was currently across the room, humming to himself as he dusted the top of the shelf.  He was wearing one of my long-sleeved shirts because most of his were in storage and a pair of boxers, standing on top of a step stool because he was a little too short to reach the top of the shelf, even on his tiptoes.  I had to fight the urge not to laugh outright and make him angry at me, but it was just too funny to watch and I knew I was smiling like some lovestruck idiot by the time he got down and turned around.

            “Shut up,” he said, pointing at me, the tips of his fingers barely peeking out from the sleeve of my shirt.

            “I didn’t say anything.”

            “But I know what you’re thinking and I don’t appreciate the ridicule,” he continued, although the corners of his mouth lifted and I knew he wasn’t remotely mad at me.  He pushed the stool over with his foot and stood back up onto it, dusting some more.

            “Come here.”

            He looked over his shoulder at me and narrowed his eyes.  “Why?”

            “Because it’s too early to get up and I want to snuggle with you.”

            “I will later.  I’m cleaning.”

            “I cleaned the apartment before you came over!  What more is there to clean?” I asked, frustrated that he was avoiding me when I knew he’d only be in town a little while.

            “You mean, it’s tidy.  Yes, you picked up everything.  You even swept the floors and did the laundry.  I’m very impressed.  But that isn’t all there is to cleaning.  The air in here is stale,” Ryeowook said, looking over at the window he’d opened across the room. 

            No wonder I was shivering.  I was still completely under the blanket I’d thrown on us after we’d made love in the living room.  I thought it was just because he’d gotten up and robbed me of his body heat.  Now I knew the draft was a cool breeze, coming in through the window.  Fall was already well underway and it was chilly in the mornings.  At least, it was if you weren’t wearing anything. 

             “You never really think to dust off the surfaces or wipe things down unless they’re sticky, but it makes the whole place feel dirty when it isn’t done for a long time.  It doesn’t smell fresh in here.”

            “I promise I will after you leave.  Or I’ll hire someone to deep clean the apartment,” I said.  “Or I will talk my mother into helping me.”

            Ryeowook finished dusting the shelving unit and stepped down off the stool.  Then he set down the duster and walked over to me.  I hadn’t expected my proposal to work, so I was a little shocked at my success.  “I’ve finished this room, so I guess I can do the bedrooms and kitchen later.”

            I reached up and grasped his arm, gently pulling him closer.  “I really will take care of it when I tell you I will.  I would just rather you not spend your vacation time cleaning.  Let me do that.”

            He nodded and climbed back onto the couch, straddling me.  “I’m just worried about you living here by yourself.  I don’t want you getting a sinus infection or a cough because you forgot to dust.”

            I grabbed his wrist and pulled the dangling sleeve of the shirt up his arm.  Then I brought his hand to my lips and kissed his fingers, one at a time, as I answered him.  “I’ve survived the last year without you.  The worst that’s happened to me is I’ve lost a little weight and my sleeping habits are all over the place.  Otherwise, I’m alive and well.  The only thing I want in life is to have you back home.  I just want to hold onto you and not have to let you go again.”

            “I wish I didn’t have to let go either,” Ryeowook said, leaning forward and wrapping his arms around my neck.  Then he bent his head down and pressed his lips against mine.  We kissed and made out for a long time, but eventually dozed off again on the couch, cuddled up in each other’s arms.  Later that afternoon, Ryeowook cancelled his dinner plans, claiming he was too tired to go, and we spent the rest of the day lounging around together in the apartment, just enjoying what it felt like to be around each other again.  It wouldn’t last for long and we would have to part again.  We would need these memories to fall back on for the months ahead.

The Darkest Thoughts

            There was a knock on the door and we both groaned.  Was it time for the party already?  I grabbed the remote control to turn off the movie we were watching while Kyuhyun jogged to the door.  He didn’t dare take his time.  You simply don’t make Heechul wait for you!  Very few people get by with trying Heechul’s patience and we’re not two of them…unless he’s hungry.  Then he’s flexible with me.  But tonight, the restaurant was feeding him, so he wasn’t going to put up with my , and he was our ride.

            I could hear the door swing open as I gathered up my phone and wallet.

            “Took you long enough,” Heechul grumbled.

            “Hello!  Come on in,” Kyuhyun cheerfully greeted him.  He wasn’t even being sarcastic, for a change.

            There was a pause as Heechul entered and Kyuhyun closed the door, then Heechul started in on him.  “You know, even without knowing that Ryeowook’s home, I can tell you got laid.  You’re about as obvious as a losing it.”

            Kyuhyun only laughed and I bit down on my lip so I wouldn’t either.  It was true though.  You could always tell when Kyuhyun got laid after not getting some for a while.  He became super relaxed, friendly, and smiled all the damn time.  It was cute.  I picked my jacket up off the couch and headed for the doorway.

            “You realize that I almost kicked your back in February because of that, don’t you?  I could tell that you’d gotten laid and figured you’d cheated on Wook.”

            I dropped my jacket and nearly tripped over it.  I stood there for a moment, thinking over what Heechul had just said. 

            Kyuhyun sighed.  “I did get laid in February.”

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