Chapter Text
After that whole fiasco at the club, the old rumors do come back, but new ones do too. Not all of them are about Minho, some are about his ex now too.
People who were around them when it happened seem to be taking Minho’s side, which is a pleasant surprise. He expected the rumors about him to just get worse, but a lot of people don’t believe the old rumors anymore.
He’s not entirely sure why, but he has a feeling it has to do with his friends. They stick up for him every chance they get this time. Him being their friends in general for the past couple of years is probably enough to discredit some of the rumors anyway. Anyone friends with Felix can’t be that bad, right? (That’s something he actually heard someone say, and he agrees.)
Minho really doesn’t care about the staring and all the talking, because he got used to it a long time ago, but he knows it makes Jisung uncomfortable. Jisung doesn’t like all the attention at all and it really takes a toll on his social anxiety. Minho tries not to ask him to come out with him too often because of it and when he does, he makes sure to glare at anyone he sees whispering towards them. May as well use those scary rumors to his advantage. If it will make sure to make people leave his boyfriend alone, he doesn’t mind being labeled as mean.
Some rumors surfaced about Jisung as well through it all. None of them are nearly as bad as Minho’s are, but it still pisses him off that they’re there at all. They shouldn’t involve Jisung in this in any way. Minho feels terrible about it. Jisung has never mentioned anything involving the things said about him and Minho isn’t sure if he’s just oblivious to them or he’s trying not to make him worried. No matter the reason, it bothers Minho that he got the younger into this mess.
He’s been worrying about it a lot lately and those worries have followed him to the little gathering their friends decided to have. There isn’t any special occasion behind it, just everyone wanted to hang out, so they all piled into Minho and Jisung’s dorm to have dinner together while they were all free for once.
Their friends found out about the two dating very shortly after that night. Jisung told Felix, Minho told Hyunjin, and those two proceeded to tell everyone else. None of them were shy about teasing the new couple, poking at them every chance they got. Despite the teasing, Minho can tell they are happy about it. It eases some of Minho’s worries when he sees that, especially from Felix, because it must mean Jisung seems happy with him too.
Still, Minho has a bad habit of overthinking these things and he can barely focus on the conversations going on around him. He can’t help but wonder if all the talk surrounding them is going to drive Jisung away from him in the end.
“Babe, why don’t we clean up tomorrow? It’s so late”
“I’m not going to feel like doing it tomorrow. Might as well do it now”
“I’ll clean it then”
“No, I’ll do it”
Minho sighs as he watches Jisung bounce around the living room and kitchen, picking up everything from the evening with their friends. He’s got one of the chairs at the table turned around so he can sit and watch the younger. Usually he’d be helping, but he’s been trying to convince Jisung to go to bed instead.
The younger doesn’t seem to want to listen to him at all though, and he keeps cleaning the place. It’s a bit weird for him honestly. Jisung doesn’t usually want to clean up right away, or at all really. Minho usually has to bribe him into helping clean up the dorm.
He’s so focused on how odd this all is, thinking maybe the younger is using this to avoid him, that he doesn’t notice Jisung come right up in-between his legs. He doesn’t notice until Jisung is reaching around him to gather the plates on the table and Minho can’t think of anything other than how close he is.
“Are you hungry, Hyung?”
Minho can almost feel the words because of how close Jisung’s chest is to his head and he has a bit of trouble forming a coherent thought so that he can respond.
“We just ate”
“You barely ate anything after you cooked”
He backs into his chair, trying to make some space so he can think properly, but Jisung just presses closer, reaching for something far away on the table. Minho wonders why Jisung is choosing to stand there and clean, it can’t be comfortable. He’s curious if Jisung is doing this on purpose, knowing the effect it has on the older.
“I’m not really hungry”
“M’kay.”
Jisung moves back for a moment to readjust himself so that only one leg is between Minho’s so that he can pull something on the other end closer to himself. Minho can hear him stacking everything together and for a moment he just wants to wrap his arms around the other boy’s middle and bury his face in his chest. Jisung smells so good and the domesticity of the whole thing is getting to him.
Then Jisung’s thigh is pressing up against him and all of those soft thoughts fly out the window. He grabs Jisung’s waist before he can fully back away, not wanting to let the younger boy get away with teasing him like this.
“Are you sure you’re not hungry? Hyung?”
Minho lifts his head to look at Jisung, expecting to see his usual doe eyes. Instead, he’s met with the most sinful look he’s ever seen from him. It makes Minho realize Jisung definitely isn’t talking about food this time, and he had stood in between Minho’s legs with a certain motive. He actually had been doing it on purpose.
And well, suddenly Minho is starving
Jisung looking down at him with those lidded eyes makes Minho think he’d do just about anything the other boy wanted.
“Are you trying to make me hungry?”
The glint in Jisung’s eye’s is all the answer Minho needs as he slips his hand under the younger boy’s shirt, massaging circles into his hip. Using his free hand, he grabs the back of Jisung’s head to pull him down for a kiss. Just as their lips touch, a knock at the door is heard, making Jisung startle and pull his face away to look towards the sound.
It’s quiet for a moment and Minho hopes they were hearing someone else’s door, but a couple more knocks are heard and Minho groans in annoyance. Such bad timing.
“I’ll get it”
Jisung pecks him on the lips and pulls out of his hold to check the door, and it’s really taking everything in Minho not to throw a temper tantrum right there. It’s out of character for him, but he feels like the universe is fucking with him. Jisung has been busy working on a project with Changbin and Chan and he’s rarely been at the dorm lately. They haven’t even been able to have their movie nights. Minho would whine about being neglected if he didn’t know he’s the same way when there’s something coming up with his dance group.
Voices get closer and Minho turns to see Jisung walking to the living area with Seungmin. When the taller boy catches his eye, he waves with a smile.
“I forgot my phone here. I’ll be quick”
The two look around for Seungmin’s phone and Minho feels himself start to get a little irritated. They stay right next to each other the whole time (Seriously, wouldn’t it work better if they split up?) and they talk the whole time in hushed whispers. The whole scene reminds Minho of when they were together at the club that night. Jisung is usually physically close with the other boys, especially Felix, but right now with Seungmin, it’s striking a nerve.
Minho feels bitter as he watches them walk back towards the door, having (finally) found the phone. They look cute together. People would probably prefer if Jisung was with someone like Seungmin. They wouldn’t talk so much shit if he was. Seungmin is tall, handsome, a good student and just really kind. The perfect package. He’s had plenty of people in his class ask about Seungmin when he comes to shows.
A vocalist and a producer, they’d be a nice fit. Maybe he should let that happen. Minho frowns at the thought. No, he’d hate that. If they started dating, he would probably have to find a new group of friends. He wouldn’t be able to stand seeing them together at all. He really needs to stop thinking like this, it’s not doing him any favors.
Seungmin and Jisung are still chatting at the door, this time a lot less quietly, so Minho forces himself up out of his chair to join them. Seungmin waves and Minho gives him a tight-lipped smile, hoping he’ll take the hint and finally leave. Minho hugs Jisung from behind, feeling him jump, and rests his head on his shoulder. He was hoping that would make Jisung realize what Minho wants, but the younger boy doesn’t stop talking to their friend.
He presses up as close to Jisung as he can, trying and failing to get a reaction from his boyfriend. Seungmin, however, finally seems to realize what’s going on and cuts Jisung off to say goodbye to the couple. The moment he’s out and the door is shut, Minho flips Jisung and pins him up against the wall. Jisung rarely initiates these types of things and he’s not letting this opportunity go to waste.
Jisung reacts with wide eyes, his mouth falling open, but his surprised expression is quickly replaced with a smirk as he wraps his arms around Minho’s shoulders.
“Is there something you need, Hyung?”
The way Jisung practically purred those words has Minho feeling all types of ways. Minho’s hands find their spot on Jisung’s waist and he smiles, he never gets tired of how well his hands fit into Jisung’s curves.
Minho can never wrap his head around how someone as cute as Jisung can look and act like this. It’s a rare treat, Minho loves when he’s confident like this. He leans down to peck Jisung’s lips and then moves to Jisung’s ear to respond.
“You“
He moves down to kiss Jisung’s neck, the other tipping his head to give him access and slipping his hand into Minho’s hair. The sounds Jisung makes as Minho nips at his skin encourage him to keep going as his hands make their way back under Jisung’s shirt to trace his waistline. Jisung shivers at his touch, pulling Minho’s face back up to finally kiss him properly.
Minho doesn’t think he could ever get tired of the familiar feeling of Jisung’s lips on his and how they slot together perfectly, like they we meant to connect. The way Jisung kisses him always makes Minho feel more confident, like Jisung really does want him. Whether he initiates it or not, he’s always eager and responsive in a way that makes Minho feel good about himself for once. Even quick pecks have Jisung smiling at him brightly and Minho has to hold back from telling him he loves him already every time.
Jisung deepening the kiss pulls Minho out of his thoughts and makes his head spin. Right now Jisung’s kissing him like he has something to prove and Minho is struggling to keep up in his surprise. He definitely has no complaints about it, but he wasn’t prepared for it at all. He’s able to pull away for a second to catch his breath before the younger is crashing their lips together again. Minho had thought he was starving, but it seems like Jisung is the one who was truly hungry with the way he’s greedily taking everything Minho is giving him and more.
It’s Minho’s hands ghosting over Jisung’s waistband that makes the younger finally pull away with a gasp and his hand catches Minho’s wrist to stop him. His heart drops to his stomach in panic, but Jisung smiles reassuringly up at him, calming his racing thoughts.
“Not out here. Bedroom”
Minho smiles down at him and pecks his lips before bending to pick Jisung up bridal style and walking them to his room. Jisung squeaks in surprise and then laughs brightly and loudly. Minho almost trips and takes them both down because he’s staring too hard at Jisung’s face. He doesn’t think he’ll ever get over how pretty he is when he laughs, or how amazing it sounds.
When they make it to the bedroom, Minho gently drops a giggling Jisung onto the bed and climbs on so that he’s hovering over the younger with a wide grin. Jisung grabs Minho’s face to pull him down and kiss him, this time a lot slower. Minho sighs into the tender touch and savors the taste of Jisung’s lips while he has the chance. He breaks away to trail kisses down his boyfriend’s jawline, reveling in all the breathy sounds he hears from Jisung.
“Hyung, I love you”
Those words stop Minho cold, and he pulls away to stare down at Jisung with wide eyes
“What?”
Jisung is avoiding his eyes and Minho almost feels bad for needing him to repeat himself, but he just doesn’t believe he heard him right.
“I love you”
Minho can hear his heartbeat in his ears and he straightens himself, trying to calm himself down. He’s spent this past week convincing himself Jisung was going to leave him soon and yet here they are. Jisung props himself up on his elbows to look at Minho with a confused frown.
“I’m sorry if that was too soon. I just, got caught up in the moment and wanted to tell you”
“Do you like me?”
Jisung makes a face at his question and laughs, making Minho frown
“Don’t laugh Jisung, I’m serious”
“Really?”
“Yes”
“I just told you I love you. Of course I like you Hyung.”
“Not Seungmin?”
The younger tilts his head to the side before sitting up all the way. Minho climbs off of him so that they’re sitting side by side on the bed
“Seungmin? No, I don’t like him, you dummy. Not like that anyway, he’s my friend”
Minho sighs in relief. He knew he was being stupid, but it was nice to know for sure, to hear it himself from Jisung. They sit without talking for a minute as Minho internally battles with himself on whether he should just tell Jisung what he’s been feeling lately. He knows he should, he really needs to. He decides to just say it, glad that they aren’t facing each other at the moment.
“I think I’m just trying to push you off to someone else in my mind because I keep convincing myself you’re going to leave me anyway. I’m afraid you’re going to realize how much it sucks to be with me and break up with me”
He hears Jisung sigh loudly and move so that he was facing Minho. Jisung tugs at him until he finally faces him as well and he hesitantly looks up to meet the youngers eyes.
“So that’s what was wrong? You’ve been weird these past few days, and you were so quiet all night. No matter what I did or said, I couldn’t seem to get your attention. I thought maybe you had been thinking about breaking up with me. That why- that’s why I did all this. I wanted to cheer you up if something was wrong, or convince you to stay with me if I needed to”
Guilt washes over Minho at his boyfriend’s words. He was so worried about himself that he didn’t realize how he had been affecting Jisung with his distance. He hated that he made Jisung feel like he had to do something he didn’t want to just to get his attention.
“Oh baby, I’m so sorry. You don’t need to do that, you don’t need to convince me to stay. You don’t ever have to do anything you don’t want to just to make me happy”
“No, no, that’s not what I meant. I want to do this. This is something I enjoy doing with you. I always love kissing you and everything. I just wanted to make sure you still did too”
Minho pulls him forward to press their foreheads together
“Of course I do baby. I love you too Jisung. I’ve wanted to tell you that so many times, but I didn’t want to scare you away. I’m sorry I questioned you when you said it instead of responding properly. I should trust you more”
Jisung wraps him into a hug and pulls them down so that they are laying on their sides. Minho adjusts himself so that he can fully cuddle the younger, letting himself finally relax in Jisung’s hold.
“You wouldn’t have scared me away, but I understand because I felt the same way. When you pulled away just now, I thought I ruined everything by saying it. Neither of us our perfect, we’ll learn together. Let’s just tell each other what we’re thinking next time, yeah? So we aren’t both hurting ourselves thinking the other is going to end things when it’s not true”
“Okay, let’s do that. I’m sorry I made you feel that way”
“It’s okay Hyung. I’m just so glad I was wrong”
“Me too”
Minho buries his face in Jisung’s hair with a content sigh. He feels so silly for the way he had been thinking before, but he’s so happy to hear that Jisung wasn’t planning on leaving him, and that he actually loves him too. He’s glad he can freely say those words to Jisung now too. It was driving him nuts, holding them back every time he wanted to say it to the younger.
They lay in a comfortable silence tangled up together on the bed and Minho is just about to fall asleep when his mind starts to overthink again. He shifts in Jisung’s hold so that he can look at him, figuring he’ll just ask Jisung for reassurance like they said they would, and Jisung blinks at him slowly, looking like he was almost asleep as well.
“hm?”
“What do you like about me?”
“You’re handsome”
Minho pouts and nudges the younger
“That’s it?”
Jisung smiles and reaches up to cup Minho’s face, gently smoothing his thumb over the older’s cheek
“Of course not. You being handsome caught my attention first. I mean, have you seen yourself? That’s not why I like, no love, you though. It’s just a bonus. You’re an amazing dancer, the best I’ve ever seen. You’re a great friend. Ask the others, they always talk about you and how much you help them. You’re a wonderful boyfriend, I always wonder how I got so lucky. I see the way you always try to protect me and make sure I’m comfortable when we go out, seriously I’m so thankful for that. You’re so incredibly kind and gentle. I never understand how people can believe the things said about you. Anyone who pays attention can tell you’re a good person. And dating you does not suck, I wish you wouldn’t think that way about yourself. I love you a lot Hyung, everything about you is amazing.”
The older lays in stunned silence for a moment. He hadn’t expected Jisung to respond like that at all.
“Do the rumors bother you? Not the ones about me”
“It bothered me at first, but I figured that as long as you and our friends didn’t think that way about me, then they didn’t matter. You always silently protect me too, and I appreciate that. I know you let people keep thinking you’re mean so that you can scare them into not bothering me. You don’t have to keep doing that. It’s not your fault either. You can’t control this situation and you shouldn’t feel bad about it.”
Minho wants to tell him that it is his fault but he decides that he should take his boyfriend’s words as truth and believe him. It’s hard not to blame himself since that’s all he had done in the past, but he doesn’t want to anymore. Minho wants to believe Jisung, so he’ll try. He’s thankful Jisung seems to know him better than himself, that he had noticed the way Minho thought without him even having to say it. He’s glad he’s too sleepy to really react because he probably would have started crying and that would be embarrassing as hell.
“God, why are you so perfect? I love you so much, it’s ridiculous”
Jisung smiles brightly and cuddles into his chest again, Minho hugging him tightly and kissing the top of his head.
“I love you too, Hyung. Now let’s go to sleep, we have to finish cleaning up tomorrow and I’m really tired”
When he tries to get up to turn off the light, Jisung just holds on tighter with a whine and he huffs in fake annoyance
“I’m trying to turn the light off so we can go to bed”
“Fine, but hurry back”
Minho laughs and quickly gets up when Jisung releases him to turn off the light as fast as he can. He climbs back into the bed where Jisung is waiting with open arms and cuddles into him with a happy hum. He presses Jisung closer and kisses his head.
“Goodnight Sungie”
“Goodnight Hyung”
Minho realizes that maybe he should tell Jisung why he loves him too, and about how happy he makes him, but he can tell the younger is already asleep this time and he can feel sleep overtaking him as well. He’ll just tell him in the morning. He has plenty of time to tell Jisung how much he means to him.