when changkyun’s sleepy he does this thing, a thing that jooheon actually really loves but won’t admit it, where he exerts a death grip on the nearest object and refuses to let go (even after he’s fallen asleep). sometimes he talks about the most trivial things - like how jooheon’s thighs are really thick or how kihyun’s fly was open that day - until he goes quiet. most of the time, like tonight for instance, he’ll trace patterns and objects on jooheon’s body until his eyes get heavy and he’s forced to surrender to his own fatigue.

jooheon doesn’t blame him for being tired. today was one of the rougher days. long hours in the studio recording verses only to scrap and re-record them, minute after minute spent nitpicking and tweaking choreography with the dance coaches; both perfect conditions for passing out from exhaustion.

there’s no doubt about it, their schedule is gruesome, and though changkyun doesn’t really talk about his days as a member of nu’bility, jooheon’s certain this is all quite new for him. it’s new for them all, really. but he’s certain this is the first time in his life changkyun’s worked so hard he can’t stand. so, no, he doesn’t blame changkyun for being tired at all.

in fact, jooheon encourages changkyun to rest - with him, of course - as much as he can.

tonight changkyun’s fingers take their time on jooheon. they trail down his chest in long, unwavering , slow and steady and sure. he twists them around on jooheon’s stomach, uses them to caress his sides, dances them on random patches of exposed skin.

more than twice jooheon falters at the soft touches, hand spazzing in the middle of a word, and he has to reposition the pad atop changkyun’s head because wait what was he saying again. but changkyun just continues in his ministrations, oblivious to his boyfriend’s struggle to concentrate.

it goes on like this for a while - changkyun mindlessly tracing, jooheon feverishly scribbling out ideas he knows don’t make sense (maybe because he’s not really paying attention anymore).

then, like the tug of a receding tide, changkyun’s fingers drag to the middle of his abdomen and stop completely. jooheon doesn’t notice at first, doesn’t acknowledge the lack of movement on changkyun’s part.

then he hears one final sigh, a deep slow drag of breath, signaling the relinquishment of his consciousness, and it hits him - he’s asleep.

the older lifts the notepad from atop changkyun’s head. as expected his eyelids are shut and his facial muscles have gone slack. gentle breath fans on jooheon’s chest. he’s down for the count.

jooheon can’t help but smile as he watches the younger boy sink deeper into his dreams. without really meaning to, his gaze flicks toward the clock hanging on the wall - 12:56, it reads.

he leans over the bunk and drops his notepad and pen onto the adjacent shelf. it’s time for him to rest as well. they’ve got another hellish schedule to face in a few hours, and he needs as much rest as he can get.

with the lyrics out of the way (for now), jooheon peels the sheets from underneath his legs and settles underneath. for a moment changkyun mewls, gripping him tight as the older adjusts himself.

now on his back, jooheon turns on his side and drapes an arm over changkyun’s. the latter boy shifts in his sleep, pulling jooheon closer, pressing their bellies together before he nuzzles his way into the dip between his boyfriend’s neck and shoulder.

jooheon closes his eyes and already feels the effects of his own exhaustion creeping up on him. his body deflates into the mattress and the sound of the a/c grows fainter much quicker.

he falls asleep fast, but not without pressing his lips to changkyun’s forehead.

‘i love you,’ the kiss means.

a/n. this was a mess, tbh. the first monsta x fanwork of many from me. for this prompt.