Work Text:
Fuck. The build up is not building up…
“Hyung.”
But the tempo is better than the previous draft.
“Hyung!”
Doyoung, immersed in the music, started singing above the instruments that played in his headphones. “Am I, am I, am I–”
“Doyoung-hyung!”
But midway through his singing, he yelled.
The ad lib on the chorus wasn't supposed to sound like a scream. But Doyoung couldn't help but yell out in frustration when he felt a thin object made out of maple wood that someone purposely hit, though not even a tiny bit hard, on his forearm. And that someone was Donghyuck.
Donghyuck, the rowdy skateboarder he accidentally encountered one time who was now his 'friend' (Donghyuck had claimed but Doyoung wouldn't agree).
“Can you? Stop hitting me with that thing! Seriously, Donghyuck, it's been what—a month?”
He didn't even bother to open his eyes to find out the culprit behind it, having been hit by him more than his fingers could count. Even their first encounter was of Donghyuck slamming his skateboard on Doyoung's lap, and as if invading his personal space wasn't enough, Donghyuck also invaded his privacy by looking through his lyric-filled notebook and running away on his skateboard. Of course, Doyoung chased him around the park. But clumsy, cranky Doyoung accidentally stepped on Donghyuck's skateboard while trying to grab his notebook, which resulted in him falling ass flat on the hard cement.
So, if there was anything that Doyoung absolutely hated, it would be Donghyuck's skateboard with a bright orange, almost red, sun painted on the bottom of it.
As if it hurt, Doyoung kneaded the sore spot with his left hand, face scrunching in annoyance. While Donghyuck was just laughing his guts out as he put his skateboard down. Then, he took Doyoung’s headphones off.
“It's been a month and you still sit here blasting shit on full volume. It's pretty annoying because it's like you're ignoring me and you know no one likes being ignored, hyung.” he paused for a moment to sit down on the steel bench, crossing a leg over it so he could sit with his body facing Doyoung. “Well, unless they're used to it. Like you!”
Doyoung finally opened his eyes to look at Donghyuck, burning holes in his head by how hard he was glaring. “Why do you always feel the need to be a bitch? Go bother your friends—oh wait—did they exclude your annoying ass again?” he said, accidentally raising his voice since he was frustrated.
It brought a frown on Donghyuck's face since this was the first time Doyoung ever raised his voice at him, no matter how irritating he was being. “Sorry,” he said with his head down as he fiddled with the blue headphones, turning it off since it was still playing.
His voice was small, barely audible, but it slowly brought a smile to Doyoung's face. Donghyuck didn't often apologize, especially about small things like this. He would rather laugh it off and continue to argue. So despite his apology being just a mumbled 'sorry', Doyoung accepted it, and he was grateful that Donghyuck got the hint that he wasn't in the mood for his playful insults.
“It's alright. I'm just not feeling it today, it's been a rough week.” he hugged himself, heaving a long and loud sigh, trying to calm himself. “I'm sorry, too, I didn’t mean to yell at you.”
As he looked up, he saw Doyoung rubbing his forearm, the one he hit earlier. It made him frown even more. So, Donghyuck brought Doyoung’s headphones over his head and rested it around his neck. Then, he reached for Doyoung's hand with his right one, pulling on his finger, and Doyoung immediately understood.
Chuckling, he gave Donghyuck the side-eye as he loosened his grip, letting Donghyuck pull his hand open, palm facing upwards. Donghyuck's face lit up, surprised that Doyoung got what he was trying to signal but it didn't even take him a second to recover. He quickly wrapped his hand around Doyoung's palm, his thumb rubbing soothing circles for comfort.
“Aw cute, so you do want to hold hands with me. Even though you pretend not to.” Donghyuck teased, trying to lighten the mood, which he wasn't sure was a success since Doyoung glared at him. But the hint of pink on Doyoung's cheeks would tell him that it was.
He added, “You're always so cute when you're grumpy. It's just so damn hard not to tease you.” He reached for Doyoung's forearm with his free hand, lightly massaging it as he asked, voiced laced with concern, “Does it hurt?”
Donghyuck never failed to surprise Doyoung with his antics. It had been a month and a half since they first met on this exact same bench in this usually unpopulated park near his place. Yet, Doyoung felt that talking to Donghyuck was always a new experience to him since he didn't get to meet new people often. “You're single, you don’t have friends, and you live alone, don't you?” Donghyuck had once said on their second encounter, accurately describing Doyoung's lonesome life.
But Doyoung had always been competitive, he'd make everything a challenge. Recently, he had one-up Donghyuck with the teasing.
“Honestly, it doesn't hurt. Not one bit.” he laughed as he lowered both of their hands on his lap, facing Donghyuck properly instead of glancing his head to the side. “It's just that you're really adorable when you care.” His face was smug, sending Donghyuck a wink, the frustration from earlier was gone as it was replaced with a different fire.
Now it was Donghyuck's turn to laugh. “I know I am. And of course I care about you, you mean a lot to me!” he said as he lightly smacked Doyoung's arm. Giggling, he turned Doyoung’s palm towards his direction so that their hands were now mirroring each other.
“Comparing hand sizes, really? Are you sure you aren't in love with me yet?” It was bold of Doyoung to say that, even he himself was surprised. He had never said anything to Donghyuck that could even compare to what he just did.
“What if I am?” Donghyuck casually answered with a genuine smile on his lips, eyes still fixed on their hands as he slid his fingers between the gaps. He giggled again when he felt Doyoung's hand go tense.
Doyoung froze on his spot, mind going circles as he tried to make sense of the situation. For him, what Donghyuck was feeling had always been easy to read. He was genuine, and his emotions equal to that of what his face shows. Donghyuck wasn't one to put on a facade, and never one to filter his words. But every time he said things that made Doyoung's heart flutter, the latter wouldn't know what Donghyuck was trying to tell him. Donghyuck's words were confusing to Doyoung.
He suddenly was reminded of the day Donghyuck stayed over at his apartment because Donghyuck’s mother was away for four days (which wasn't usual since she would be gone for 2-3 days only). He couldn’t handle being home alone for one more day since it was going to ‘bore him to death’. Doyoung didn’t know why the boy hadn't called his friends instead, so he asked, and Donghyuck’s reply was: “Since you lived alone, I figured why not have me as company. And besides that, I’ve been to all my friends’ places except yours.”
Doyoung didn’t mind company really, but Donghyuck was different. He couldn’t figure out if his company was entertainment or a nuisance, though at least it was quite comfortable. But again, Doyoung didn’t mind, so, he didn’t object. However, he objected to Donghyuck calling him a friend because that bothered him more than Donghyuck’s request.
“No, you idiot. I said the fifth floor, not the sixth.” Doyoung mumbled as he stood in front of the elevator doors waiting for it to open, but it didn’t because the elevator had stopped on the floor above him.
Furiously, he scratched his head through the hood of his sweatshirt as he took his phone out of the pocket of his joggers to make a call.
“Donghyuck, you are so stupid. You’re on the wrong floor, come back down here. To the fifth floor.” He was about to drop the call but Donghyuck was quick to respond.
“I was about to call you, I thought you flaked on me. You’re very much not seeing the light of day if you actually did,” Donghyuck said as he got back in the elevator.
Doyoung turned his head to the windows on his left, looking outside at the horizon. “I can still see the sun right now, so no. Besides, this was your idea and you’re accusing me of flaking on you?”
The doors finally opened revealing Donghyuck and Doyoung to each other. They both sighed in relief, exchanging a small smile as a greeting. Their eyes were enough to tell how much they missed each other’s presence. Though, they would never say it, not seriously at least. Doyoung would also never admit that he subtly checked Donghyuck out, because this was the first time he saw him wearing shorts. And if Donghyuck noticed him staring at his thighs, he wouldn’t say anything because he liked it—the way Doyoung would steal glances at him.
“You could’ve sent me a fake address, hyung. And I could’ve knocked on a psycho’s door while he was torturing someone. Who knows what would happen to me.”
Donghyuck was laughing but Doyoung didn’t find it funny. Noticing that the call was still on, he turned it off with an aggressive tap on the end button as he turned around to walk back to his apartment without sparing Donghyuck a glance, not even a word.
“Hyung, I was kidding. I missed you,” Donghyuck said as he caught up to him. And Doyoung did miss him too, but he didn’t miss the fake gag and disgusted look Donghyuck let out after saying that.
He responded to the previous topic, ignoring Donghyuck's last remark. “You watch too many psychological horror movies.”
“So what? It’s fun, we should try watching one! In case I suspiciously disappear, you’ll have an idea on how to save me.”
Doyoung stopped, and Donghyuck too, in front of the door of his apartment. “If you suddenly went missing, I’d probably be the suspect.” he opened the door, making way and gesturing for Donghyuck to come inside first before he followed, closing the door behind him.
Donghyuck laughed as he plopped down on the couch while his eyes wandered around the place. “So, this is what a psycho’s house looks like?” he asked with a challenging eyebrow raised at Doyoung who was standing in front of him with his hands in his pockets.
“Oh, I don’t know.” he leaned forward to Donghyuck’s eye level. “Didn’t you learn a thing or two from those movies you watched?” Doyoung took the bait, teasing Donghyuck back exactly how the latter expected him to do.
“Haven't you learned anything since we met?” Donghyuck teased back as he closes the gap more.
He pulled the strings of Doyoung’s hoodie, making it cover Doyoung’s entire face. Then he rushed towards what he assumed was the bathroom (and he was correct), leaving Doyoung in the living room whose yells and curse words were being muffled.
“Lee Donghyuck, you piece of shit!”
Donghyuck tried his best not to be loud, but he couldn’t help but laugh at how gullible and predictable Doyoung was.
Shortly after, Donghyuck was startled by a slam on the door followed by Doyoung’s voice telling him he better get out before he comes back from his room or else he’ll drag him out of the apartment. So, when Donghyuck heard a door being slammed again, this time not the bathroom door, he stepped out and made his way back to the couch still laughing as he remembered how Doyoung’s face changed from cocky to angry (which he wouldn’t deny, looked hot).
Doyoung came out of his room a few moments later, bringing a pillow and a blanket for Donghyuck. “Before you ask, no, I don’t have any more spare pillows. And no, you can’t use mine,” he said as he handed them to Donghyuck.
Doyoung thought he could avoid Donghyuck’s nonsense this time, but the latter never ran out of things to say. “Why? Haven’t washed them in years?” Donghyuck chuckled as he wrapped the blanket around himself, inhaling the scent of lavender.
“I refuse to say anything regarding that,” Doyoung said before he went to turn on the TV. “You can watch anything you like except the ones I haven’t finished.” he instructed, referring to the ‘continue watching’ section on his Netflix.
Donghyuck nodded and hummed as he held his hand out for the remote. Doyoung handed it to him, stopping midway to give Donghyuck a firm look which gained an eye-roll from the latter.
“I won’t mess with it, don’t worry. It’s the unspoken rule, hyung, everyone knows about this.”
“Good. I’ll be in my office, I’m just a phone away so text me when you need anything. And I don’t know what you like so you’re free to venture into the pantry and the fridge,” he said, which earned an enthusiastic nod from Donghyuck.
Doyoung, then, made his way to his studio but Donghyuck had something to say. “Hyung!” he called out before Doyoung could get inside. “Is it too much to ask you not to close the door? I know I’m not allowed inside but, can I at least hear you? I want to listen,” he said as he looked at him with anticipation in his eyes and the brightest smile that could make anyone succumb to him.
Doyoung didn’t expect this at all, but he didn’t want to refuse. Although he stammered, he still gave him a ‘sure’ which, as if it was even possible, made Donghyuck’s smile even brighter.
On the other hand, Doyoung had panicked once he sat down on his swivel chair. There wasn’t any problem about Donghyuck wanting to listen since he already heard a snippet of the title track of his album (that’s a story for another day). The problem was Donghyuck hearing the song he was about to record, because as far as it was from being done, it wasn’t just any song. He’d been working on it for almost a month, it was a song he cherished more than his soon-to-be debut song. He didn’t want Donghyuck to hear it yet. So, Doyoung decided to play with the mixer instead, making whatever beat and singing whatever ad lib he could, saving them for future purposes hoping they could be useful.
This is fine.
Doyoung thought, however Donghyuck decided to say something out of nowhere, breaking the long silence that they surprisingly maintained for hours. “I have an idea!” he exclaimed. “Why don't you try writing a sensual song? People will love it—I would love it. Your voice would suit it well, it’s really sexy…”
He couldn’t believe what just came out of Donghyuck’s mouth, but he was grateful that he said something since Doyoung was starting to get annoyed at what he was pretending to be doing. So, he turned off everything and stepped out of the room.
He saw Donghyuck sitting on the couch—correction—manspreading on Doyoung’s couch with his shorts hiking up a little bit too much. And his thighs—Donghyuck’s goddamned thighs—were on full display, the blanket now discarded to the side. He found it cute how Donghyuck was all snuggly with the blanket wrapped around him earlier, but now Donghyuck was no way near cute. And Doyoung refused to think anymore, not wanting his mind to go that way.
“I don’t want my debut album to have an explicit song in it. I aim to create music for empowerment and encouragement. For the youth,” he simply said as he sat on the arm rest farthest from Donghyuck. Both of them had their eyes focused on the screen playing an episode of ‘The Legend of Korra’ which coincidentally was their favorite cartoon show.
“Well, that’s boring. Approximately 99% of artists are like that, why not just release a microwave-sounding song with the most random rhymes, moaning it like ‘that bitch a fucking snitch, trynna scratch that itch’ you feel me?” Donghyuck laughed at himself as he fiddled with his shorts just as Doyoung glanced his way to glare at him, but his eyes quickly travelled down to Donghyuck’s hands and down to his lush thighs.
I want to feel you, yeah. “The world needs more artists like the 99 percent you say. But if it’s boring for you then, that’s personal preference. I, personally, enjoy the music I’m making.”
Donghyuck only shrugged. “I just wanted to say you sound as hot as sex, can you just accept the compliment?”
“Oh that was a compliment? I thought you were trying to get me in bed,” Doyoung said, sounding sarcastic to level out Donghyuck’s sass.
“Fantasizing, aren’t we? Like the shorts, hyung?” Donghyuck was smug as he looked at Doyoung, catching him staring at what he was referring to.
He had enough so he stood up and went straight to the kitchen as his face was starting to heat up. Donghyuck on the other hand had the widest smirk on his face.
“Is there anything you want to eat?” Doyoung asked as he was washing his hands, trying to distract himself.
Donghyuck finally gave what Doyoung thought was his most proper and normal response today. “The watermelon in the fridge, can you slice it for me?”
And so Doyoung did as requested. While he was slicing it, they talked about where the watermelon came from since Doyoung said out loud that he almost forgot the extra watermelons Mark gave him since he had received too much. Donghyuck thought it was a weird coincidence so he asked if he was a singer like Doyoung. And if he was somehow Mark as in the idol Mark who was in a duo with Taeyong. And he was right.
“No fucking way! You’re friends with 99TY?” Donghyuck exclaimed. “Damn, now I get it. Must be hard to have busy and famous friends… but you guys are still cool with each other, right?”
“We’re cool, yeah. But I just miss having people around. We used to share this apartment together, that's why there’s three rooms.” he smiled, one of longing.
Doyoung pictured Taeyong folding their laundry and Mark playing with his guitar as the two sang along. Then the memory faded and Doyoung was left with nothing. But when he turned to his left, Donghyuck was still there on the couch, smiling warmly at him. And for the first time in a while, Doyoung felt that he wasn’t alone.
He added, “How do you know them anyway?”
Donghyuck lied, saying he randomly saw their music video on YouTube but Doyoung can spot a fan anywhere, having encountered too many. And it didn’t help that Donghyuck wasn’t good at hiding that he panicked at that question. Doyoung didn’t bother to push it, though, he took a mental note for future reference.
He continued to slice the watermelon into triangles and shortly after that, they had an argument on why Donghyuck didn’t say that he wanted to eat it earlier. Which almost ended up with Doyoung stabbing the damned watermelon instead of slicing it, because Donghyuck’s answer was that he was reminded of a song from their conversation earlier.
“Watermelon Sugar by Harry Styles. Wow,” Doyoung said, sounding unimpressed as he handed Donghyuck a plate before he sat next to him, keeping enough space between them for safety measures. “Your mind can be great sometimes, you should use it on more important things instead of trying to get dick.”
“Who says I can’t do both? And for the record, your dick wasn’t the goal.” He stuck his tongue out at Doyoung before taking a bite of the watermelon, its juice dripping from Donghyuck’s chin to his neck but he didn’t mind and continued eating.
Doyoung on the other hand was disgusted at how much of a messy eater Donghyuck was. “Then, what were you trying to achieve?” he asked, not even eating from his plate since he was busy examining the mess that is Donghyuck.
“You.” he looked at Doyoung. “You’re fun to tease, you know this. I just wanted to spice it up a bit.” He sent Doyoung a wink before looking back at the TV and carrying on eating.
Doyoung just scoffed. For a moment, he froze when Donghyuck looked at him. His stare was so intense that it made Doyoung anticipate what he was going to say next, only to be disappointed. Putting his plate on the table in front of the couch, Doyoung stood up and made his way to one of the drawers in the kitchen.
When he came back, he had a box of tissues in his hand. “Up,” he said as he gestured for Donghyuck to look up so he could clean him up—his chin and his neck.
“You can go lower if you want.”
Doyoung wasn’t having it so he picked a small chunk of watermelon from Donghyuck’s plate. Then, he shoved it into his mouth, shutting it close right after with his hand that was holding the tissue. He held Donghyuck's chin and carefully wiped his mouth as he said, “Sorry, you were just too messy—and noisy—it was bothering me. Do you want me to slice it into small cubes so you can just use a fork?”
It took more than a second for Donghyuck to register that he was being asked a question. “No, it’s fine.” he was still chewing and still in shock. Because out of all the things Doyoung had done, that was his most unpredictable one yet, save for when Doyoung wrote his name on Donghyuck’s cheek with a heart around one of his moles.
Doyoung sat down beside him, closely now, as he had the box of tissues on his lap in case Donghyuck makes a mess again. Donghyuck was just staring at him—admiring him—for a moment before he grabbed Doyoung’s wrist, bringing his hand to his thigh. He could feel Doyoung tense up but he was quick to relax when Donghyuck bumped his shoulder on him. Slowly, his hand opened, fingers grazing Donghyuck’s skin before he finally placed his palm flat on Donghyuck’s thigh. He gave light squeezes and caresses, trying to find a comfortable angle and spot. Then, Donghyuck looped his arm around Doyoung’s arm, snuggling closer to him.
This was the closest they have been and it was pretty intimate for two people who had just met, not even a month passed. Though, there wasn’t an inch of awkwardness as they fell into a comfortable silence, watching their favorite show that they would’ve memorized by now by the amount of times they rewatched it. But this time was special, it was the first time they watched it together. And Doyoung was reminded of the second day they met, Donghyuck had suggested they binge-watch it and not-so-subtly invited Doyoung over to his place but Doyoung just called him a creep. Now look where he was, next to Donghyuck watching the show, his hand on Donghyuck’s lap as he draws hearts on the smooth surface (a habit he does when he spaces out).
And if Donghyuck was eating the watermelon properly now, that would mean he didn’t want to untangle himself from Doyoung. Doyoung, too, did not want to let go even if he wanted to eat because his plate was too far. So, Doyoung ignored his plate of watermelons on the table and Donghyuck finished his own plate without any more tissues being wasted.
“I highly doubt that,” Doyoung said as he relaxed in Donghyuck’s hold.
Donghyuck pushed the topic further. “Theoretically, what if I am in love with you and I’d confess, what would you do?”
Doyoung wasn’t going to lie, the thought had definitely passed his mind a few times. He knew what he would do, but that was his own little secret that no one should know because he was sparing the answer for when it would actually happen. And as if the universe was on Doyoung’s side today, rain slowly poured on them. The conversation earlier was being washed away as they basked under the light rain.
“Hey.” he paused as he squeezed Donghyuck’s hand. “Have you ever danced under rain?”
“Not really, but I've skated.”
And so Donghyuck ended up being pulled by Doyoung who stepped onto his skateboard, dragging him to the wide area between the bench and the graffitied wall in front of them (art in courtesy of Donghyuck and his friends).
“Did you see that? How was my skateboarding skills?” Doyoung asked as he stepped off of it, still not letting go of Donghyuck’s hand.
“I thought you hated that thing.” he looked at Doyoung weirdly, who only gave him a shrug in response. Donghyuck continued, “Your posture was bad, and you were wobbling. But it was good enough considering you were pulling my weight. Does this mean you're now willing to be taught by me?”
It was a rhetorical question but Doyoung nodded. “It's actually not that bad if you don't hit me with it,” he said, making the both of them laugh.
Now, it was Donghyuck’s turn to ride the skateboard. He slowly skated around Doyoung, hands still locked together. The light rain now had gotten a bit heavier but it was enough not to fully drench them. After a few rounds of circling around, Donghyuck stood in place as he turned on Doyoung’s headphones that the latter forgot were still around the former’s neck. He caught up to what Donghyuck was doing, reaching for his phone to play one of his playlists and turning up the volume to the highest so they could hear the music from the headphones as if they were speakers.
“Be careful,” Doyoung said as he let him go. Donghyuck skated freely around him, doing tricks to impress him. It made him smile so wide (remembering when Donghyuck first told him he liked his smile).
Doyoung didn’t need much impressing though, because he was already charmed by Donghyuck since the first time they met, and every damn time after that. He would get even more endearing than the last time Doyoung saw him. But all he could do for now was look at him from afar, and maybe occasionally hold his hand or his thighs—or both. Doyoung was so lost in the art and beauty that was Donghyuck, that he didn’t notice what song played next. It was the song that he didn’t want Donghyuck to hear.
Because Donghyuck is his friend. And his album’s b-side is dedicated to him.
“Am I Just A Friend To You?” by DOYOUNG, for those who wished they could be more than just friends.
Luckily, it was just the instrumental version that played.