Work Text:
11:15 AM [ SENT TO: YES, IT HURTS ] you guys told me to be here at 11 AM. It is now 11:15 and I am STILL WAITING OUTSIDE. Chris…PLEASE GIVE US KEYS.
11:16 AM [ FROM: CHANNIE 🐺 ] both binnie and han have keys.
11:18 AM [ FROM: TAT DADDY 🐿️ ] the one time you’re actually on time 🙃 i needed to get my coffee.
11:18 AM [ FROM: PIXIELIXIE 🐥 ] we'll be there so soon jinnie, promise!!
11:20 AM [ SENT TO: YES, IT HURTS ] if you don’t have one for me, i will push you into oncoming traffic, hannie.
this is a very serious threat.
not you though, lix. never you. <3
Hyunjin huffs as he leans back against the cold brick of the wall behind him. The wind bites into the skin of his fingers and cheeks and he tugs the strings of his hoodie just a little bit tighter to keep the chill from stealing his warmth. He stares down at his phone, clearly unimpressed and shoves the device into the back pocket of his jeans, digs out his vape and takes a long pull from it. It tastes like watermelon candy, the artificial flavor too sweet for his tastes, but Felix had given it to him for free so he wasn't about to complain. He could deal with the sugary sweetness of whatever extras the blonde didn't want if it meant that he didn't have to fuel his own nicotine addiction.
He exhales after a few moments, lets the plume of smoke dissipate as it leaves his lips and looks down the street, trying to see if he can spot Jisung and Felix.
Nothing yet.
Usually, he isn't the first to arrive, hell, he isn't even the third or the fourth. Most days Hyunjin's the very last to crawl through the door with minutes to spare before his first appointment. He knows that's why he'd been told to show up at eleven and no one else had.
11:26 AM [ FROM CHANGBINNIE 🐰🐷 ] i had to pick up some shit. the new kid is starting today, remember? you all need to be on your best behavior. no scaring this one off.
11:27 AM [ SENT TO: YES, IT HURTS ] i'm always on my best behavior. also!!! you never told me what this one looked like
"Hyunjinnie!"
The artist's head shoots up and he turns in the direction of the voice just in time to catch a flurry of blonde hair and lighthearted giggles. Hyunjin wraps his arms around Felix's waist, the other's warmth seeping through the material of his threadbare sweatshirt. It's a welcome feeling after standing out here for the last half hour and he buries his cold nose in the crook of Felix's neck just to hear him screech.
The jingle of keys and a huff of quiet laughter sounds from behind them and Jisung lifts an eyebrow as Hyunjin takes a step back. "Should I be concerned that you're gunna steal my boyfriend or…" He clicks the barbell through his tongue against the back of his teeth as he tilts his head to the side, watching the two of them for a moment.
Felix rolls his eyes playfully and shakes his head. "Jisungie, baby, you knew going into this that Hyunjin and I were a package deal. Sometimes we shove our tongues down each other's throats. It was literally part of the agreement when you begged me to date you."
"Aish, I didn't fuckin' beg…" Jisung's ears have gone red, and indicator that he did in fact beg, and it just makes Felix's deviant laughter increase in volume as he tugs the other two inside. The door shuts behind them and the warmth that envelopes Hyunjin welcomes him in as the clinical smell of disinfectant mixed with lavender hits his nose. Some would find it jarring, but to him it smells like home, like family, like everything that matters to him. It makes him think of Chan's kind eyes, Changbin's giggles when he can't contain them, Felix's comforting hugs and unprompted massages, Minho's dry sense of humor, Seungmin's snarky attitude and Jisung's forthright understanding.
The thought pulls a fond smile over the corners of his mouth and he listens as the other two bicker with one another.
"Oh?? That wasn't you on my cock crying and pleading to belong to me?" There's a hum as Jisung whines and Hyunjin chokes on a sip of the coffee that's offered to him. "Must've been someone else then." The grin that Felix shoots in Jisung's direction is blinding and he tosses his head back, cackles in a way that echoes contagiously off the walls of the shop as his boyfriend stares after him.
They're so hopelessly in love that it makes Hyunjin's teeth ache, fills his chest with soft tufts of cotton, a delicate feeling that's tinged with just the slightest hint of envy. He wants nothing but the best for them of course, happy that they've finally managed to figure their shit out after months of skirting around the giant fucking elephant in the room any time the two of them were in close proximity of one another.
Hyunjin heads to the jewelry case that acts as a front desk, types the password into the computer and brings up his playlist. It's a rarity for him to get to pick the music, and since Jisung and Felix are too busy sucking face in one of the piercing rooms, it means he gets to be as annoying as he wants. Your Number's Up plays from the speakers and he hums along as he opens the schedule, double checks that he only has one appointment for the day and then heads back to his station.
It's decorated with his own art, past stencils and pieces that he's done, filled to the brim with pictures of him and the others, tiny polaroids that hang from little clips attached to fairy lights that no longer work. He doesn't want to take them down, figures it'll be too much of a hassle so they act as a means to display the memories that he clings so dearly too. Hyunjin tosses his bag down onto the little stool he uses when he's working, digs out two Redbulls and the lunch that Mrs. Kang, his elderly roommate, had made and shoves it into the fridge in the tiny backroom they tend to congregate in when they aren't busy. He doesn't linger for long, steals a pack of fruit snacks from the box on the counter and makes his way back to his station.
A huff leaves his lips as he shoves his bag into a little cabinet where he keeps all his things. There's no sense in him being here right now, his appointment isn't until one, but Chan and Changbin had insisted that everyone show up first thing in the morning, so they could all meet the newbie. He pulls his phone out, starts to scroll through his notifications and his dms, answers a few questions about appointments, and responds to a handful of comments. Just as he's about to post his availability for the next month, the bell above the door rings.
Hyunjin's head shoots up and he bites in his bottom lip to stifle a laugh as Seungmin stops just outside one of the piercing rooms, a look of disgust tugging at his pretty face. "I swear to god if I open this fuckin' door and you two are about to bone…" His voice carries throughout the small shop and Hyunjin hears his fist pound on the door.
"Us?! Bone at work? Minnie I am appalled. Offended. Hurt. That you think we would be so unprofessional." Jisung snorts and squeezes past Felix, lips looking a little more kiss bitten than ten minutes ago. His ears are flushed pink and he plops himself down on the bench in front of Hyunjin as Seungmin continues to lay into Felix about sanitary practices.
"You excited to meet this new guy?" Jisung's feet dangle on either side of Hyunjin's legs and the redhead shrugs his shoulders.
"S'bin a minute since we had someone new come in. Minho-hyung was the last one and that was…two years ago? So, it'll be nice to have a new face around, yeah?"
"I guess. Doesn't it make you nervous though? What if he throws off the dynamic? Or like…makes things weird? The shop works 'cuz we've all learned to adapt to each other…"
"Sure Jisungie, but who's to say this kid won't be able to adapt! Channie-hyung wouldn't have let him start and Binnie wouldn't have taken him on if either of them thought he'd be a bad fit."
Jisung doesn't look convinced. His brows crumple inwards and he opens his mouth to argue but then the bell rings again and Changbin's voice fills whatever empty space lingers. "Jisung, Chan, and I all have keys and there will always be one of us here to make sure the place is open on time or if you're gunna schedule someone on an off day you can just let one of us know and we'll make sure you can get in."
Both sets of shoes stop moving and Hyunjin braces himself because he knows what's about to happen. "WHOEVER'S HERE COME AND INTRODUCE YOURSELVES!"
It still makes him flinch. Jisung too.
He wheels himself back in his stool, giving Jisung space to slide off the bench so both of them can make their way to the front desk. Felix is already pulling the new guy into an embrace when they round the corner and Hyunjin barely conceals the fit of giggles that threaten to bubble out of his throat.
"Yah!! You're gonna scare him away. C'mon Lix." Changbin peels Felix's arms away with a roll of his eyes before addressing their newcomer. "You get used him. He doesn't know how to keep his hands to himself."
"I'd apologize, but then I'd be a liar. It's nice to meet you, Jeongin."
"Ah…I.N is fine."
"Then it's nice to meet you I.N," Felix says with an eyebrow raised and his hands on his hips. His sass has no reservations, regardless of who he's addressing, and now is no exception. I.N laughs as he ducks his head and Hyunjin wishes he could see what he looks like, but the apprentice's back is to him.
Seungmin introduces himself, polite as ever before Changbin's large hands clap I.N on each shoulder. He uses his grip to turn him towards the remaining two and Hyunjin forgets how to be a fucking person the moment his eyes land on the other man.
His breath gets caught in his lungs, and the walls of his throat feel stuck together because Jeongin is the prettiest man that Hyunjin has ever seen in his life. He doesn't really know how to handle it, if he's honest, and he can't quite get the words he wants to say to form in his mouth. A mix between a whine and a moan slips free from his throat and Hyunjin coughs to cover the sound, and he feels the heat in his cheeks as it spreads to his ears and down his neck. He hears Jisung chortle beside him and feels a warm palm smack against his back as he tries to get a hold of himself.
"Jisung." Han says, offering a brief wave before shoving his hands back into his pockets, "Jeongin..er..I.N, I take it?" Thank fuck Hyunjin has good friends. The kind that covers for you when you make an absolute fool of yourself in front of the very pretty new guy at work.
"Yeah…it's nice to meet you? Changbin said you're one of the owners with him and Chan-hyung?" I.N's voice is so soft and melodic as he speaks and Hyunjin finds himself enthralled, lured in like a sailor lost at sea. He listens as he and Jisung talk for a little about their experiences, learns that I.N had shown an interest in tattoos at first, but the tattoo gun made his hands hurt too much. He tells Jisung that he'd actually met Chan and Changbin at a convention, that he'd been a model for some rando's suspension show, but that he really wanted to be the one doing the piercing instead and so they'd exchanged information.
He moved here last month and now things have sort of fallen into place for him.
"You must be Hyunjin then? Or Minho?" Jeongin's question pulls Hyunjin from his reverie and he clears his throat before holding out his hand to shake. I.N's fingers are long as they wrap around his, his palm rough and calloused and Hyunjin wonders what I.N does in his spare time to make his hands so weathered. He doesn't know why he finds it so fucking attractive though, has absolutely nothing to do with the fact that he's picturing them wrapped around his throat, around his wrists, his cock.
He stops thinking about Jeongin and his hands before he embarrasses himself even further.
"Minho. And that's hyung to you." Hyunjin's lips pull up in a smirk as he hears Changbin hiss.
"Aish, Hyunjin-ah! Don't tease him! Minho will kill him and you if he mixes you guys up."
A pout forms on his lips and he finally lets go of Jeongin's hand, shoving his own into his back pockets. "You're no fun!" He sticks his tongue out at Changbin and huffs as his attention returns to I.N, "I'm Hyunjin, obviously. You'll meet Minho-hyung later I'm sure. He's probably busy with his cats." He shoots Changbin a glare, because everyone had been told to be here at open, with the exception of Chan. So he's not sure why he was the only one who was on time, early even.
All Changbin does is shrug at him.
His anger dissipates almost as soon as it comes because Jeongin flashes him a smile and two perfect dimples indent his cheeks. Hyunjin finds himself wanting to sink his teeth into the soft flesh and he has to shake his head clear of that thought so it doesn't get away from him. Jeongin can't know of his freak tendencies just yet. Then he might be the one to scare him away instead of Felix and he wants I.N to stick around. He finds him charming in a boyish sort of way with his pretty smile and his two toned hair. He's got two hoops in one nostril, a single stud in the other and he thinks there was a flash of a silver barbel through his pink tongue.
Definitely Something he'll need to investigate further.
"It's really nice to meet you, Hyunjin-hyung."
Hyunjin reaches out and pinches one of I.N's cheeks gently, like they've known each other for more than five whole minutes. "You can drop the formalities with me, Innie, kay?" He says it sweetly, blows a kiss in the other's direction, basks in the red that tints Jeongin's cheeks and neck.
"Alright. That's…Can you leave him alone? God, you guys are like fucking vultures." Changbin crosses the short distance between him and Jeongin and ushers him further into the studio. "Honestly, they're not always like this. It's just been a few years since someone new has been around." He shoots both Hyunjin and Felix a sharp glare as whisks I.N away.
As soon as their voices are muffled behind the door to one of the piercing rooms, Felix is on Hyunjin, a wicked smile on his lips as he takes both of his hands in his tiny fingers. "Sooo…moaning and choking on your own spit the minute he turned towards you is a super subtle way to tell someone you think they're hot, Jinnie. Maybe I should have done that to get Jisungie's head out of his ass sooner"
Jisung scoffs, and has the decency to look mildly offended, slinging his arm around Felix's waist as he plants a wet kiss to his cheek. "Probably would have taken me even longer then. Just be grateful it finally happened, yah? Stop being a brat." He squeezes his boyfriend's side gently and lets him go before he's leaving the two of them to go set up for his first appointment for the day.
"He's cute though, right? Those dimples? Holy fuck, even I wanted to take a bite out of him." It's silent for a beat before a loud 'YAH!' sounds from down the hallway. Felix laughs, deep and full of life and Hyunjin can't help but join him.
"You have your own hot twunk. You have to share with the rest of the class! 'Sides, maybe we shouldn't objectify Changbinnie's new apprentice before he's even had a chance to settle in. Give him some time. Then we can pounce."
The door to the shop opens again, and sure enough Minho walks in, beanie pulled over his ears, coat sleeves tugged down to cover his fingers, and a smug little smile like he knows that he's just missed all the excitement. Hyunjin's eyes narrow as he shoots a glare in Minho's direction. "Ahh…all the small talk is over, yes?" he doesn't wait for an answer. "Perfect."
The only thing saving Minho from a swift demise by Hyunjin's hand is the bag he's carrying with him. The logo on the front is recognizable, from one of the local coffee shops, and Hyunjin knows there's a bunch of pastries tucked inside. "There better be a raspberry danish for me or I will tattoo a dick on your forehead."
"And I'd wear it like a badge of honor, Hyunjinnie."
He rolls his eyes and snatches the bag from Minho's hands, digging out his treat and taking a bite. "Of fucking course you would."
The rest of the day goes by easily. They all exchange numbers with I.N and he spends a little time with each of them, asking them questions, getting to know them. Hyunjin even hears Han offer to give him a small flash tattoo as an initiation.
"You uh…want anything in particular?"
It's silent for a moment and Hyunjin gets a notification from his four-thirty appointment letting him know that they're cancelling. He rolls his eyes, tells them they won't get their deposit back but can reschedule within the next two weeks.
"A fox. Er..well a fox face. Like a little one."
Cute. Fuck. Jeongin was absolutely adorable. Hyunjin was already obsessed.
He rolls his chair around the corner and grins as Han picks up a sharpie and smacks his hand against the chair. "Sure but I get to pick where it goes."
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10:57 AM [ UNSENT TO: YENI 🦊 ] what's your coffee order
10:58 AM [ UNSENT TO: YENI 🦊 ] do you want me to grab you some coffee?
10:59 AM [ SENT TO: YES, IT HURTS ] i'm stopping by brewbakers, if you want something you've got 10 mins to tell me
Jeongin gets along with everyone. He's kind and caring, but has no problem keeping up with the back and forth and dishes out just as well as he gets.
It makes Hyunjin think that maybe this was all fated, that the eight of them were always meant to end up here in some capacity. Lost little birds that Chan scooped into his caring hands to nurture and love. It's only been two weeks, but already, he's struggling to remember what it was like before Jeongin got here, before he'd made a home in the spaces between Hyunjin's ribs.
It terrifies him.
Hyunjin has never been one to love lightly. There's no build ups or in betweens, it's always all or nothing for him which is why he's perpetually single. It's why he hesitates to let himself get too close because he knows he'll fall and he'll fall hard. He already feels the inkling of adoration write itself in the cavity of his chest, carve out a space that's in the shape of Yang Jeongin and if he lets the apprentice fill it, he's doomed.
He knows this about himself.
So he keeps a reasonable, safe distance, lets this new space remain vacant. For his sake.
And his heart's.
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7:08 PM [ UNSENT TO: YENI 🦊 ] wanna come over tonight?
7:09 PM [ UNSENT TO: YENI 🦊 ] you busy tonight?
7:10 PM [ UNSENT TO: YENI 🦊 ] we should hang out, loser.
7:30 PM [ SENT TO: LIXIE 🐥 ] i’m coming over tonight 😘
make sure hannie's pants are on.
or don’t. i'd be down for a threeway.
He was only being half serious when he'd sent the text about the threesome, but much to Hyunjin's dismay, Felix and Jisung were not in the mood to get down and dirty with him. Which is fine. He hadn't prepared for an evening of marathon sex anyways, so he's more than happy to sit on their couch and watch reruns of their favorite anime.
Jeongin has been at the forefront of his mind for the past three weeks and at this point, Hyunjin is ready to throw in the towel. He's tried to keep his distance, he's tried to behave, but I.N smiles at him and it's like the rug is yanked out right from under his feet, toppling him through the precarious walls he's tried to build.
"You talked a lot of shit about Hannie and I, you know, before we got together." Felix's pout is prominent as he stares at Hyunjin, like he can see right through his little facade. "And yet here you are. Doing the same. Damn. Thing." The blonde leans forward with each word, making sure that Hyunjin is listening to what he's saying.
He pulls his eyes away from the TV, sheepish in the half smile he tosses at the other. "It's different-"
"Don't even try that shit with me, Hwang. It's not different, you're just being a coward." Jisung snorts from his spot on the floor which earns him a kick from both Hyunjin and Felix, because quite frankly he has no room to talk. Or laugh. "I don't get it, Jinnie. Why don't you just ask him to hang out? See what happens?"
"There are plenty of reasons why I shouldn't do that."
"So what are they?" Jisung's voice cuts through their chatter, muffled from the popcorn in his cheeks, but he turns around so he can look at Hyunjin without straining his neck, bringing a hand up to cover his mouth. "If there are plenty of reasons why you shouldn't ask Innie out, what are they? Mm?"
And it's not that he sounds irritated, or upset, at least Hyunjin doesn't think so, but he can definitely hear the challenge in his words, like Jisung knows that he's full of shit.
Felix lifts an eyebrow and the corner of his mouth turns up in a smirk as he leans back against the arm of the couch, waiting for Hyunjin's answer.
"I…" He doesn't know what he was thinking. He should have known that out of all of his friends, these two weren't going to put up with his silly bullshit excuses. He can see the doubt on Han's face and he watches Felix's smirk grow. "He's still adjusting! He's new to the area, to us! I can't just go waving my dick in his face when he's getting to know everyone!"
"Who said anything about dick waving? You have hands that you can wave with? Like a normal person?" Jisung rolls his eyes and shoves another handful of popcorn into his mouth. "I'm not saying you should fuck him right away, and neither is Felix-"
"Uhh..no, no actually that's exactly what I'm trying to say." Hyunjin has the audacity to look shocked at the blonde's words. "What! I'm being serious. You fuck. It's done. It's over. Problem solved. No more Jeongin thoughts."
"Yes, because that worked out so well for the two of you. Why didn't I think of that?" Sarcasm leaks into each word as Hyunjin rolls his eyes and splays himself out over the couch, throwing his head into Felix's lap. He turns to look at Jisung when he speaks around his mouthful.
"I dunno, I think it worked out pretty well for us." Jisung gestures to the apartment, waves his hands around because he's right. It did work out for them. But only after months of listening to them fuck in whatever shadowy corner they could find at the studio, pretending that their friends with benefits arrangement had absolutely no feelings involved whatsoever.
"Okay. Fine. Sure." He gives them both pointed looks, "It worked out for you guys and that's great, but we all know it wouldn't work out in my favor. I'd just get attached, my feelings would get hurt, and no one wins. I know this. You know this. We all know this. It's just a silly little crush because he's new. Fresh meat or whatever. I can't and won't let it get beyond that."
Hyunjin knows that he's not fooling Felix or Jisung, but he thinks maybe he could fool himself if he tries hard enough, repeats the words over and over again until he starts to believe them, like the prayers his grandparents used to repeat to him when they would visit.
Felix brushes his fingers through Hyunjin's hair slowly, untangling some of the looser knots at the ends. "I know that it's scary, Hyunjinnie. Especially with someone so new to the group, but I just…" he trails off, bottom lip pushing out as he leans down and hovers over Hyunjin's face. "I don't want you to hold yourself back from something that could be really really great, just because of that fear. Yeni is a good guy and so are you, but you're a little too lost in the sauce of your own brain to see how he looks at you sometimes."
There's a pause.
Hyunjin spends the next few moments trying to pick apart every interaction he's had with Jeongin to date. He wants to believe Felix, of course he does, because who doesn't want to be desired, even if subtly or quietly, but nothing jumps out. Nothing is screaming 'aha!' at him and every time he thinks something might hint at his crush being reciprocated, he feels delusional.
He knows that he's attractive. He's never doubted that, but he's always been too much in every other aspect. He loves far too quickly and far too easily, and all of that emotion has nowhere to spill but over and out. It chases people away and every time he's tried to reign it in it always backfires, explodes on impact and the fall out is always worse.
It's just better for him to keep his distance
"I'll figure it out. Eventually. Worst case scenario I redownload Grindr and fuck the feelings away..."
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12:08 AM [ UNSENT TO: YENI 🦊 ] what do you do when your elderly roommate tells you she's selling her home because she's too old?
12:10 AM [ UNSENT TO: YENI 🦊 ] you wanna go in on a mortgage with me so maybe i don't end up on the streets?
12:13 AM [ UNSENT TO: YENI 🦊 ] i heard you telling lix that you have a king-sized bed. think maybe you wanna share?
Mrs. Kang tells him that he'll need to find a new place to live.
It's nothing that he did. Of course not. He's been nothing but respectful and kind, helping around the house where he could, making sure he kept the room he's been renting for the last two years tidy. Mrs Kang, had reassured him that it wasn't anything he'd done, but rather, she's getting tired in her old age and at her daughter's behest, she'd finally agreed to move in with her and sell the house. She'd offered it to him of course, but he knew better than to accept. Couldn't afford a place like this on his own and as much as he'd love to stay, there was no way he could manage it.
That was three days ago and Hyunjin still hasn't told a single soul that he's homeless. Or rather, that he'll be homeless in a week.
It doesn't give him a lot of time to find a place to live and the longer he procrastinates, the worse off he'll be. He doesn't know why he's being so weird about the whole situation, about telling any of the guys at the shop because he knows they'll take him in. Even if it's just temporary. It's starting to weigh on him, and he thinks everyone can tell that something is up because they're all treating him very gently.
He tends to hide in the break room when he's not with a client, but recently he's been ducking out of the back door and tucking himself into one of the folding chairs they keep outside for smoke breaks. He pulls his knees up to his chest, rests his chin on top of them, and wraps an arm around his legs, keeping them tight against his body. It's mostly for warmth and a little for comfort as he scrolls through room listings like it's his second fucking job.
And at this point, he feels like it is.
It puts him on edge, fingers picking at the holes in his jeans, making them bigger, thread by thread, worry slithering its way through his bones.
Everything is either too expensive or it doesn't fit into this tiny window of time he has, and nothing is fucking working out like it needs to, and Hyunjin feels like his last shred of sanity has slipped between his fingers as he throws his phone at the ground, the crunch of glass not going unnoticed. He flinches at the sound and whines in the back of his throat as he drags a frustrated hand through his hair. Strands of red fall free as he yanks his hair tie out, pressing his nose against his knees as he chokes back a sob.
He feels hopeless. Like his life is just one big fucking joke that he isn't in on.
The backdoor creaks open but he doesn't have enough time to compose himself before whoever it is sees him. He digs the heels of his hands into his eyes, wipes at his cheeks and tries to look as presentable as possible. But of course it's Felix who walks out, his eyes darting from Hyunjin to his broken phone and then back again.
"Hyune?" His deep voice is soft as he leans down and grabs Hyunjin's phone. The screen is cracked in the corner, spiderwebbing out across the surface, but otherwise it still works when Felix presses the button on the side to turn it on. "Jagiya, what's goin' on?"
Hyunjin wishes he could lie, but he's never been very good at keeping a poker face. "It's…" he swallows thickly and lets his head fall back, staring up at the gray, wintery sky. "I gotta find a place to stay. Mrs. Kang is selling her house and I gotta…be out by next week."
Felix's cheeks puff out as he kneels down in front of his best friend. "Hey hey hey," He's gentle as he encourages Hyunjin to let his legs down so that he can see him properly, rubbing his fingers along his calves. "Jinnie, I have a sofa bed. It's no bother if you stay with Jisung and I for a little while. You know that neither of us would mind."
Of course he knows. Hyunjin's hesitation had nothing to do with not knowing if he'd have a place to go. It had everything to do with feeling like he was going no where and being stuck in an endless loop of temporary roommates and no one…
No where to call home.
"I just didn't want to displace you guys. 'Cuz Hannie, just moved in yanno…" It's a lame excuse, he's very aware of that, but it's the only one he has at the moment. Felix levels him with a look that says he feels the same, but it softens as Hyunjin's bottom lip starts to tremble again. He stands up and bullies himself between the other's legs before cupping his face gently.
"Hwang Hyunjin. I need you to get out of this pretty head of yours, okay? You're getting lost in there with all these hang ups when neither Jisung or I care about being displaced. Not when it comes to you," He wipes away the tears that remain, thumbs brushing against the delicate skin under Hyunjin's eyes. "We'll make it work, alright?"
He can't lie and say that it doesn't feel like a weight has been lifted from his shoulders, because it does. It just doesn't feel like it's gone entirely. "You're sure…?"
"Positive, jagi." Felix's bright, sunny smile is hard for Hyunjin to match, but he manages a half-hearted one that doesn't quite reach his eyes. Felix reaches for his hands and tugs him up so that he's standing. "Let's get you back inside and warmed up, yeah? You have a three o'clock and you won't be able to use your hands if they're this cold."
Hyunjin's three o'clock had taken up the rest of his afternoon.
He's not surprised. The piece was extensive. Pretty florals of various sizes that ran along the girl's ribs and down her thigh, stretching over her hip. He'd managed to get the outline and some shading done before she'd tapped out and his hands were thankful when she did. They were starting to ache, sore from holding the tattoo gun and numb from the constant buzz of the machine so he was more than happy to wrap her up and send her on her way. It's dark by the time he escorts her out and locks the door behind her.
His station is a mess still, ink pots and paper towels litter the tray he'd been using, but he takes a few moments to walk off the mild aches from being hunched over for so long before he starts cleaning up. He stretches his arms over his head, groans as his spine pops, and heads towards the break room.
"You sound like an old man, hyung."
The noise that leaves Hyunjin's mouth is nothing short of a screech. He jumps and nearly loses his balance, catches himself on the wall to his right and Jeongin is fucking lucky that he didn't have anything in his hands otherwise it would have been chucked directly at him.
" - OH my fucking god I.N???" The apprentice is laughing. Head thrown back, full bellied cackling as Hyunjin tries to catch his breath, "I didn't know you could be so quiet, Yeni, holy shit." The mild rush of adrenaline settles and his next exhale includes a delirious chuckle. "Thought you went home with the others, Jesus fucking Christ."
"I was gunna, but I actually wanted to talk to you about something."
An eyebrow shoots up and the taller of the two tilts his head in confusion. What in the world would Jeongin want to talk about with him? Has he said something to upset him or make him uncomfortable? They were beyond friendly with one another by now, or rather, Hyunjin was beyond friendly with him. He liked to see Jeongin squirm when he flirted with him, liked the reddish hue that warmed his cheeks and the way his dimples deepened with each embarrassed smile. Had he taken it too far? Had he crossed the line one too many times?
His worry must have shown on his face because Jeongin was huffing out a sigh and using his foot to kick one of the chairs in Hyunjin's direction. "Not about anything bad. Relax. I just have a question I wanna ask." He waits until Hyunjin is seated, drumming his fingers against the tabletop. "I wasn't trying to listen in on you and Lix-hyung's conversation earlier when you were outside, but he hadn't shut the door all the way and I was worried because I heard you crying, so I was gonna go out, but I didn't wanna intrude or anything and it seemed like it was handled by the time I worked up the balls so…"
Hyunjin lets him ramble, shame and embarrassment sinking heavy in his gut like anchors. Of all of the people to have overheard him mid meltdown, it had to be Jeongin? It couldn't have been Chan, or Jisung, or hell even Minho? It had to be Yang Jeongin?
"But I might have a solution to your whole housing…situation."
That makes Hyunjin pause in his spiraling. He looks up from the energy drink in his hands and eyes I.N for a moment, urging him to continue.
"My roommate is actually leaving this weekend. Like…for good. She's moving in with her boyfriend or something. I don't know, but I do know that leaves me with an empty room and a rent payment I definitely can't afford on my own so like…if you need a place to go, I think it'd be pretty chill to share a space with you."
"Yes."
"What? Really?"
"Yes. Yeah. I'll move in." Hyunjin doesn't hesitate the second time either. As soon as the question leaves Jeongin's lips, he answers. Immediately. Like there aren't logistics to figure out. He'll worry about those later when he's alone and not faced with the easiest question he's ever been asked, like the little crush he has on the Yang Jeongin isn't going to pose a problem at all, whatsoever. "This weekend?"
Hyunjin is confident that he'll be fine. It'll be fine.
"Mhm…her things are mostly gone anyways. You could probably start moving in now if you really wanted to, it's not like she's ever home." Jeongin's shoulders lift up in a shrug and he meets Hyunjin's eyes. "And this way you won't have to listen to Lix-hyung and Hannie-hyung fucking all the time."
Hyunjin nearly chokes on his Redbull.
"I'm so deadass, hyung. I know they go at it like rabbits here, I can only imagine what they're like in private." It's only been a month, there's no fucking way Jeongin has already walked in on them. Hyunjin's concern must show on his face, because the piercer laughs and holds his hands up in surrender. "They aren't exactly quiet! And we've only got two piercing rooms, so like…"
"Ugh…"
"And one bathroom."
"Oh my god."
"And Channie-hyung's office…I thought Seungminnie was gonna tie them both to the train tracks yesterday…"
"I think it's kinda sweet how in love they are…don't you?"
Jeongin shrugs and stands then, pushing his chair against the table as he walks around to Hyunjin's side. "Sure, but maybe the ramifications of them fucking on every available surface should be brought to their attention." He holds his hand out for Hyunjin to take and pulls him up, huffing as the older's arm winds around his shoulders.
"Maybe you're only saying that because you're jealous it's not you."
"What?! No- that's…that's not it at all!" It's Hyunjin's turn to laugh, delighted at how red seeps into the honey tone of Jeongin's cheeks and down his neck, how bright his ears turn as he looks away.
"Oooh…is our Yen-ah a little voyeur? How cute! You know Lixie and Jisung get off on that kinda thing, right? They'd probably let you watch if you just asked." Jeongin has the decency to duck out from under Hyunjin's arm and shove him towards the hallway, his face almost as red as a cherry.
"Go clean up your stuff so I can walk you home."
Hyunjin cackles his heart fluttering at the idea of walking home with I.N, of gathering his courage and asking him to come inside. Neither of them have appointments tomorrow, he could ask about having a drink, but he turns to look over his shoulder just in time to see Jeongin adjusting himself in his jeans, like maybe he does actually get off on catching Felix and Jisung in precarious positions. It makes something twist in his belly, a nasty concoction of jealousy and disappointment that makes him queasy and squashes that little bit of excitement he had just a moment ago.
It's not like he can blame Jeongin. Both Felix and Jisung are devastatingly handsome, beautiful in a way that would drive anyone crazy. It's no wonder he gets all flustered around them, not when they're so openly affectionate with one another, uncaring if they get caught, if anyone sees their secret kisses.
One of these days, Seungmin is going to start a Jilix Got Caught Fucking jar and make them pour their tips into it.
Hyunjin cleans his area quietly, letting the music that's still playing distract him from his thoughts and soon enough he's shutting down the computer at the front counter and heading back to the break room. Jeongin's got his head pillowed on his arms, eyes shut and breathing even, like he's fallen asleep in the twenty minutes it's taken Hyunjin to lock up. "Yeennii," he sing-songs, brushing his long fingers through the black and blond strands of the piercer's hair to push it away from his face.
Jeongin jolts a little, his eyes opening slowly as he glances up at Hyunjin. A small smile cracks over his lips, dimples on full display. "Ready?" he croaks, sitting up and stretching his arms over his head. He stands slowly and tugs on the strap of Hyunin's bag until it's relinquished, slinging it over his shoulder. "C'mon, hyung, it's late. And you'll wanna start packing if you're moving in this weekend."
Hyunjin is so fucking doomed.
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2:25 AM [ UNSENT TO: YENI 🦊] you've become my favorite person…and we do all of my favorite things together. doesnt it feel like fate? like this was meant to be?
I.N's roommate failed to come back for the rest of her things. It still sits in a small pile of boxes inside the coat closet, stacked and ready to go if she ever changes her mind, but Hyunjin had spent the rest of that week moving his things in to her abandoned room and making himself comfortable. It's sizable compared to the room he'd been renting from Mrs. Kang, cozy with its dark walls and low lighting. He hung curtains up to keep the sun out during the day, strung tiny little fairy lights along the ceiling and covered as much empty space with art and posters.
He cried the day he helped Mrs. Kang move the rest of her things into her daughter's place, but felt a little less silly when he saw her eyes were teary too. She hugged him tight, told him that she wouldn't have traded him for the world and pulled him down so she could kiss his forehead. She'd always been very kind to him, treated him tenderly, like he was her own son and he didn't know how to thank her for that. A drawing was all he could offer, of the house, of the family that had been raised there before they'd flown the nest. Mrs. Kang was speechless, her daughter too. Both of them had swept him up into one last teary hug, gave him a standing invitation to dinner on Saturdays and then he'd returned to the tiny apartment he now shared with Jeongin.
It's quiet when he walks in, the darkness an indicator that Innie isn't home, so Hyunjin makes his way to his room, shuts the door behind himself and feels another wave of sadness wash over him, settling in his tummy like wet sand on the beach after the tide. It's a bittersweet sort of feeling and he takes a few deep breaths to stop himself from crying about it, decides a shower is due after lifting heavy boxes all day.
He doesn't take too long, rinses the sweat and grime away before he turns the temperature down to near freezing so he can wash his hair. The red still bleeds down the drain, but he uses an old towel to dry once he's out. The shower helps with the heaviness a little, but he's still surprised to see Jeongin in the living room when he exits the bathroom.
Hyunjin isn't entirely sure what he's looking at, but there's a spread of take out containers on the coffee table and Jeongin is carrying a six pack of beer in when their eyes meet. He watches as the other's gaze moves from his face to his bare chest, down to where his towel is slung low on his waist. He sees the way I.N's adams apple bobs when he swallows and the way his cheeks go a little rosy.
"I…I got us dinner. I figured you'd be tired after helping the Kangs so I just…I…uhm…" Jeongin trails off as he watches pink tinted water trail down Hyunjin's chest. "I got your favorite…?"
Hyunjin can't help the way his lips curl into a smirk, one hand on his hip as he nods. "My favorite?"
"Mhm…uhm…sushi and some chicken from that place beside BrewBaker's, and fried rice from…" he trails off as Hyunjin steps further into the living room, holding onto his towel so it doesn't slip further down his hips. He spots a bowl of fruit amongst the other containers and steals a strawberry from the top. He bites into it as he glances at I.N and hums at the taste. They're out of season right now, but sweetness bursts over his tongue and he resists going back for another.
"Let me go get dressed and then we can eat?" He sets the leafy top of the strawberry down in one of the lids and turns to walk back to his room. "Pick a movie for us to watch, yeah?" Hyunjin leaves Jeongin standing there, staring after him as the door clicks closed.
It becomes a regular thing after that.
They have movie nights, sitting on the living room floor, curled up watching movies. Sometimes Hyunjin introduces Jeongin to different anime, some of which he really enjoys and others he can only manage a few episodes before he decides they aren't for him. They get lost in tangents that are sparked by bad plot-lines and have to rewind frequently when they talk over the characters on the screen. They eat junk food and laugh and Hyunjin wishes he could kiss the salt from Jeongin's lips when they end up pressed together from shoulder to hip on the couch.
Jeongin goes with him to art museums when they both have off days and Hyunjin shows him all of his favorite spots in the city.
There is safety wrapped in the smell of fabric softener that lingers on I.N's clothes, the simple, clean smell of his soap after he showers. There's warmth in the way he watches Hyunjin when he sketches, charcoal and graphite spread over the coffee table, drawing pad propped against his knees. Sometimes Innie will watch him while he draws, and sometimes he'll put a show on as background noise. The silence that settles over them is never uncomfortable and neither of them feel the need to fill it.
Hyunjin is positive that he's never felt so safe or content in his life.
✦•┈๑⋅⋯ ⋯⋅๑┈•✦
7:30 PM [ UNSENT TO: YENI 🦊] if i pretended that every single time we touched didn’t mean anything i'd drive myself fucking crazy.
7:38 PM [ UNSENT TO: YENI 🦊] you can't keep treating me like i'm something special and then run away to beomgyu. it isn't fair to me and it isn't fair to him.
10:26 PM [ SENT TO: YENI 🦊] binnie-hyung is coming over. might wanna stay at gyu's
Things start to get confusing when Jeongin starts hanging out with Beomgyu, a client of his that he apparently exchanged numbers with. They start spending more time together and in turn, less time with Hyunjin. At first it was fine, the three of them would do much of the same that he and Jeongin had, but soon it starts to feel like he's intruding, like he's peeping in on moments he's not meant to see.
He'll find them whispering to one another on the couch when he comes home, movie forgotten in the background. He'll get texts from Felix, warning him that Beomgyu's at the studio and that he and Jeongin are looking awfully cozy. There are nights where Jeongin doesn't come home, because presumably, he's staying at Beomgyu's doing who knows what.
And it fucking stings. More than Hyunjin would like to admit.
Even more so when he comes home and finds Beomgyu in Jeongin's lap his tongue down his throat. He stands there for a moment, unseen and apparently unheard, hurt scorching a fiery path through his veins. He feels the panic creep in first as he presses his back against the door, tiny little tendrils that wrap around his lungs, his heart, his fingers, chains made out of his internal struggle of wanting to do something but being unable to keep him stuck in place.
After a moment he ducks his head and clears his throat.
They spring apart, faces flushed and looking sheepish as ever.
"Sorry, hyung-"
"Aish, Don't mind me." He mutters, kicking his shoes off and setting them on the rack before sliding his slippers on. He gives a half assed bow and darts down the hall, closing his door behind him once he's tucked away in his room. A wave of melancholy follows after and it sits right in the middle of his chest, heavy and overbearing, an impossible weight to move when he can’t even catch his breath.
Jealousy is an ugly thing, but he can't stop the way it pulls him under. He doesn't leave his room for the rest of the night, not even when he hears Jeongin tell Beomgyu goodbye. He pretends to be asleep when a knock sounds against his door a few moments later, and in the morning, he waits until Jeongin is gone before coming out to get food, to shower, and he finds that he can't even look at the couch without wanting to burn it.
So he does the only logical thing he can think of and invites Changbin over.
It's not the first time they've hooked up, hell it isn't even the second or the third, but it is the first time that Hyunjin has done it with the intention of curing the nasty wave of envy that's made it's home in his chest. And Changbin is good, he's attentive, he knows what he's doing.
He's three fingers deep on the fucking couch when Jeongin opens the door with a surprised gasp. He turns around and covers his face and if this were any other situation, Hyunjin would have found it comical.
Instead, he feels nothing but shame and guilt as Changbin pulls his fingers free and wipes them on his thigh. He helps Hyunjin redress and gives him a polite kiss to the cheek before he's excusing himself to wash his hands in the bathroom.
"I sent you a text," Hyunjin starts, tugging his sweatshirt around his body.
"Yeah, I…I didn't get it."
"I'll send him home…once he's done."
"You should probably go with him. Gyu wasn't feeling good, so…"
"Right…" Hyunjin sighs and looks everywhere but at Jeongin. He waits a beat, hears Changbin walk down the hall and meets him halfway. "Let me get a bag together and I'll…go with you."
He doesn't see the broken look on Jeongin's face and by the time he's got some clothes stuffed in a duffle bag, ready to go, he can hear the shower running.
He doesn't say goodbye.
✦•┈๑⋅⋯ ⋯⋅๑┈•✦
2:45 PM [ UNSENT TO: YENI 🦊] i don't know what happened, but this distance between us feels far too great
2:58 PM [ UNSENT TO: YENI 🦊] i really wish you would stop giving me the cold shoulder. i don't know what i did
3:00 PM [ UNSENT TO: YENI 🦊] yeni please i can't -
The slam of the front door is loud enough that it makes Hyunjin jolt, his whole body reacting to the noise. His heart rate kicks up, and his muscles tense but after a moment he glances down at the half finished text message that he wasn't going to send and deletes it entirely. It felt too desperate, too needy, too much, just like he always is and the last thing he wants to do is project all of that insecurity onto Jeongin.
The past four days have been hell. There's been nothing but awkward silences, nothing but stale air that sits stagnant between them and Hyunjin doesn't know what to do to fix it, doesn't know if there is anything he can do, because Jeongin won't fucking talk to him. He thinks for a moment, as he hears footsteps shuffle down the hall, that maybe Joengin will poke his head in through the crack in the door and ask him how his day was, but he watches as the piercer continues on until he disappears into his own room with a soft click.
The silence that follows is heavy.
It makes Hyunjin's chest ache, makes it twist with something ugly as he tries to piece it all together in his head.
He looks down at his phone, as if it were some sort of magic eight ball holding all the answers, screen still cracked from when he threw it against the ground weeks ago, and sees that it's only three. Confusion knits his eyebrows together.
Weird.
Jeongin has a client at three-thirty. Hyunjin knows because when he tried to transfer his own schedule from the computer at work, he'd ended up with everyone else's and he never bothered to fix it. He likes knowing what his friends are doing and when they'll be available. It makes planning things a hell of a lot easier without all of the back and forth. It's how he knows that Jeongin should be at the shop rather than locked away in his room and why worry starts to weave its way through Hyunjin's frustration.
He has two options.
Either he sits here, worrying that something is legitimately wrong with his roommate, letting his unease fester into something far nastier. Or he gets up and forces Jeongin to have a conversation with him and they figure out what the hell is going on because Hyunjin isn't sure he can handle any more awkward one sided conversations.
He tosses his phone onto his bed, far too impulsive to spend too much time weighing his options, and makes his way out into the hall. They haven't said more than a few words to each other since Jeongin had walked in on him and Changbin, but it's not for lack of trying. Hyunjin will say hi, he'll ask how Jeongin's day was, but he gets little in response, one or two words before the younger disappears behind his door for the rest of the night. It's so unlike him that sirens have started to blare, warning signs are flashing, telling Hyunjin that he's too much, he's pushed too far, that they've reached their breaking point and there's no turning back.
It's a waiting game now, he's already toppled off the edge and all he can do is brace for impact.
He stands outside the piercer's door for a moment, hand lifted like he's going to knock, but he doesn't.
Because Hyunjin is nothing if not consistent in his hesitation. What if there's a reason Jeongin hasn't approached him yet? What if he's made this whole thing up in his head, twisting these little instances of circumstance into something they're not? What if Jeongin just needed space? He thinks about turning around and going back to his room, but Hyunjin is stressed out. He's scared because this place no longer feels safe. It no longer feels like home and all he wants to do is figure out where he fucked up so that maybe things can go back to normal.
His knuckles rap against the wood and he hears the muffled sound of Jeongin's bedsheets, but gets no response otherwise.
He knocks again. This time harder.
Still no response.
Hyunjin isn't in the business of invading people's personal space when they've very clearly set a boundary, but this is getting ridiculous. Jeongin hasn't skipped out on a client in the three months he's been working under Changbin. He hasn't cancelled plans with any of their friends since he started hanging out with everyone regularly. Hell he's in the studio even when he has nothing fucking scheduled.
Either Jeongin is dying or something is seriously wrong, and Hyunjin is at the end of his fucking rope. He's tired of waiting.
"Yen-ah!" he knocks again, his voice edged with impatience now. "If you don't open this door, I'm going to assume you're dead or dying and need my immediate assistance. So I will be opening it myself in like… five fucking seconds." He tries to keep his tone gentle because he's not mad, hell he doesn't even know if he's really upset, but he does know that he's concerned. Hyunjin presses his ear against the door, hears the bed creak and then the soft padding of feet on the floor. He takes a step back as they get closer and lets his arms fall to his sides, trying to look as nonchalant as possible.
The door opens just enough for I.N to peek his head out and Hyunjin can see the dark circles underneath the younger's eyes, the tired strain in his mouth and whatever snappy comment he was about to make dies on this tongue.
"What, hyung?" The formality makes Hyunjin flinch and he blinks owlishly at Jeongin. "As you can see, I'm not dying, so what do you want?"
"I-" Hyunjin pauses, chews at his bottom lip until it stings and runs a hand through his hair. "You skipped out on your three-thirty…"
"Changbin-hyung sent me home. Said he'd take care of it. Was that all?" This is the most that Jeongin has said to him in four days and he looks like he's about to slam the door in Hyunjin's face, so he does what any logical person would do and shoves his hand against the frame before before it can click shut. He hisses at the pain that flares from the wood meeting his knuckles and I.N gives him an incredulous look. "Hyunjin, what the fuck-?"
"Don't," His voice is soft but desperate, "…Innie please don't-" He takes a breath before he pulls his hand away, rubbing over the joints of his fingers. "Don't shut me out. I…I don't know what I did, but I'm sorry. Okay? If I've done something to upset you, or hurt you, I'm sorry. Can we please just talk about it so we can go back to normal? I miss you…I miss being around you and talking with you…I don't…I don't like this…"
Jeongin's expression softens into something more sincere and he drops his hand from the door, letting it swing fully open as Hyunjin continues.
"Can you just talk to me? Please?"
"I'm not…fuck-" Jeongin looks up at the ceiling as he blinks rapidly, like he's trying to stop his eyes from watering. "I'm not mad, alright? I'm just….I'm confused. We spent weeks going back and forth, flirting and doing things together like…like a couple, but you kept withdrawing from me any time I thought you felt the same." He pauses to inhale deeply, running a hand down his face as Hyunjin just stares at him, eyebrow raised. "And then once Beomgyu started coming around you got all weird and shit-"
"What?" Hyunjin breathes out through his nose, chewing at the inside of his cheek as he processes all of what Jeongin just said. "Did you want me to third wheel the whole time? Hang out while you two got cozy on the couch and watched movies? Mm? Go with you two to all our favorite spots, the ones that I showed you? " He can't name what he's feeling at the moment. Annoyed? Angry? Jealous? An amalgamation of all three tangled together like some sort of emotional cosmic horror? "Do you know how ridiculous that sounds, Jeongin? Even if you weren't sure of where my feelings were at, it's unfair of you to ask that of me. To put all of this on me."
"I'm not putting it all on you, but you're not letting me finish!" Jeongin's voice rises loud enough that it gives both of them pause. They stand there for a moment, looking at one another as the air grows thick with tension.
Hyunjin hates it.
"I-"
"You-"
Hyunjin sighs almost defeatedly and gestures towards Jeongin,with his palm up, "Go. Finish."
When Jeongin speaks this time, his voice sounds strained, tired, almost, "I couldn't get a read on you, Jinnie. It was impossible. One minute you were all over me, and the next you were talking about Grindr hook-ups with Felix-hyung. I was getting whiplash." Hyunjin's eyes narrow and he looks like he's about to cut in again, but Jeongin holds both of his hands up, asking him to wait. So he shuts his mouth and crosses his arms over his chest instead, "I should have asked how you felt, but I ran to someone else instead." There's a slight pause as he tries to get his thoughts together but Hyunjin can tell that he's being sincere, earnest in a way that only Jeongin ever is. "But it's also not fair of you to expect me to wait around while you figure your feelings out. Because that's what it felt like you were doing, Hyunjin. Like I was some shiny new toy that you didn't know how to use."
It seems that neither of them have been very good at communicating, but Hyunjin knows that Jeongin is right, of course he does. That doesn't mean he likes to have the worst parts of himself laid bare like this. He drops his arms as he puffs out his cheeks, exhaling after a moment. "I dunno why you're saying all of this now…when it's kind of too late. You're with Beomgyu." A deflection so he doesn't have to look too hard at his own emotions.
"No I'm not."
Hyunjin blinks. "What?"
"I'm not. With Beomgyu, that is. We're not together. We never…nothing was ever 'official'" Jeongin only uses one hand when he makes the air quotes with his fingers. "We actually decided, or I guess, he decided, that we should stop hanging out."
He's trying to piece it all together in his mind, red strings on a pin board trying to connect all the dots, because the last that he knew, Jeongin and Beomgyu were pretty fucking chummy. They looked awfully close when they were wrapped around each other on the couch on Saturday, two seconds away from locking lips when he'd gotten home from work so…
"When? Things seemed fine over the weekend." And if there's a bitterness in Hyunjin's voice, he can't help it.
"Sunday night. The night you had Chang-"
"Changbin over…" He finishes the sentence for the other as the last piece of the puzzle finally clicks into place. "Is that what this is all about? Changbin?"
Jeongin doesn't answer right away. His eyes shift towards the floor and shame creeps up Hyunjin's neck because he knows why he'd invited Changbin over that night, knows that it was an attempt to make Jeongin feel half as shitty as he did the night before when he'd walked in on him and Beomgyu, but admitting that now might snap the tight rope they've decided to have this conversation on. If they're throwing everything out for the other to see though, he doesn't have much of a choice.
"Fuck, Innie…" A humorless laugh escapes Hyunjin's throat and he shoves his fingers through his hair, pushing the strands of red away from his face. "This is a fucking mess…"
When Jeongin finally breaks the silence that's fallen over them, he still can't meet Hyunjin's eyes. "I didn't really understand why my mood would tank when clients would ask you out, or when you'd talk about your hook-ups. I just thought it was because you were so…charismatic? Like I was jealous of you. Not of them."
There's a warmth that fills Hyunjin's chest in between the gaps of guilt and surprise, coloring the edges of his sadness with something softer. He takes a step closer to the other, ready to say something but stops when Jeongin continues.
"I kept telling myself that it wasn't a big deal…yanno? That I was being petty, but then I realized that I wasn't really jealous of your attention…it was the people who got it that made me crazy."
Hyunjin is close enough that when he reaches out, his fingers brush over the sharp jut of Jeongin's jaw and he cradles it in his palm, guiding him so that their eyes can meet. "You could have just told me."
The piercer's eyes close and he wraps his fingers in the material of Hyunjin's t-shirt tight enough that it pulls him closer. "I was going to…but then Changbin was three fingers deep in you on our couch and I lost my fucking mind."
"I'm sorry, Yeni." Hyunjin whispers as he presses their foreheads together, "I got so caught up in my own feelings that I…I wasn't thinking about much of anything else." He thinks if he tries to explain it further that it might sound disingenuous, like he's trying to excuse his actions when he's not, so he just lets his words hang there, honest and open.
When he opens his eyes, he's terrified that all he's going to see is anger and disdain, but Jeongin looks so fond even in his uncertainty that Hyunjin can't help but close the remaining distance between them.
Their lips meet and it's like the world tilts on its axis, and now that he's started, Hyunjin finds that he doesn't want to stop. Not when he's wanted this for weeks, when he's been longing for this since day fucking one. He feels Jeongin's hands move down his sides to rest on his hips and he gasps as he's yanked closer, taken by surprise.
It's a struggle to keep their bodies disconnected, as he holds onto Jeongin and kisses him deeply, pouring everything he's too scared to say out loud into it. He can't get too distracted, no matter how tempting it is, because he knows they have to continue their conversation. When he goes to pull away though, Jeongin chases after him, sucks his bottom lip between his own and tugs at it with his teeth.
"Innie," he mutters against the other's mouth, lashes fluttering as Jeongin starts to trail kisses along his jaw. "…We should finish our…our conversation, yeah?" He tilts his head back though, gives Jeongin more room as he finds the hollow of his throat and nips at the skin.
"After…okay? I don't-" The younger pulls away, but only far enough that he can meet Hyunjin's eyes. "I don't wanna wait any longer, Jinnie. Can I have this first…please?" His voice is laced with need, hunger woven through each syllable as he stares up at Hyunjin, begging him for everything that they've been dancing around for weeks.
Hyunjin doesn't wait. He cups Jeongin's face with both hands, pulling him into a filthy kiss, that's all tongue and teeth, exploratory, as he walks them backwards into Jeongin's room. He knocks the younger into the doorframe by accident, swallows the whine he lets out and shivers as warm fingers slip underneath the hem of his t-shirt, pushing the material up and over his head. It gets tossed aside before their bodies reconnect.
Hyunjin lets himself be greedy, tangling his fingers into Jeongin's hair and using it to tilt his head out of the way as he drags his lips along the column of his throat. He sinks his teeth in right where Jeongin's shoulder meets his neck, revels in the noise it pulls from the other before soothing over the bite with his tongue. Something possessive makes his head swim as he leans back to admire the mark he'd left behind.
"Hyune…" Impatient as ever, Jeongin guides him into another searing kiss, licking into his mouth as he shoves away from the doorframe. He walks Hyunjin back towards the bed and the artist works the buttons of Jeongin's flannel open until he can shove it off of his broad shoulders and onto the ground. Jeongin tugs him flush against his chest and what little restraint Hyunjin is holding onto crumbles. He rocks his hips forward, pressing the hard line of his cock against the curve of Jeongin's hip, right along the line of the three dermals embedded in his skin.
"Fuck, Innie," His eyes rove over Jeongin's frame, over the newly exposed skin, taking in every single detail. There are are scars along his shoulders, his chest, his hips, presumably from performing at conventions, from being pierced and hung by little hooks and it makes something insatiable curl low in Hyunjin's belly, all consuming.
"Does it hurt?" He asks against Jeongin's lips as he drags his fingers over the little pink marks that litter his shoulders and his chest. The piercer shrugs, working the waistband of the other's shorts down, letting them join the pile of discarded clothes at their feet.
"Yeah…'course it does," There's a little smirk on his lips as he grabs a handful of Hyunjin's ass before sliding to wrap his fingers around the base of his cock. It earns him a breathless noise. "But I like it. S'part of the reason I did it." He leans back and spits into the palm of his own hand, smoothing the glide as he starts to jerk his fist over Hyunjin's length slowly.
The artist tosses his head back, teeth biting into his bottom lip to quiet the whimper that bubbles out of his throat. "You're so fucking hot…" The words leave his lips before he can stop them, the flush on his cheeks spreading down his neck and over his chest and Jeongin chases it with his mouth, sucking a bruise where Hyunjin won't be able to hide it easily. He drags his lips further down, leaving a trail of little red marks that'll surely bruise before running the metal bar through his tongue over a nipple.
It makes Hyunjin's hips kick forward, and the head of his dick rubs against the rough denim of Jeongijn's jeans and suddenly he's very aware that he's the only one naked. "Off," He huffs, clumsy digits fumbling over the button fly uselessly. A frustrated grunt leaves him and Jeongin chuckles low in his chest.
"Already, hyung?" Hyunjin can feel his pupils dilate at the formailty, the sharp jolt of pleasure that tugs behind his naval as he chokes on his next breath, and his cock twitches. Jeongin smiles deviously. "I've hardly touched you…"
Hyunjin leaks, precum dribbling from his tip and over the other's knuckles, and he still can't get Jeongin's jeans undone. "While…oh fuck- while this is really fucking hot and sexy of you…I need these off, like yesterday."
For a second, it doesn't look like Jeongin cares, like he's taking pleasure in watching Hyunjin struggle, but he relents with one last flick of his wrist, before he's sending the other toppling back over his comforter. Hyujnin lands with an oof, sits up on his elbows and watches as Jeongin's fingers work each button of his pants undone before shoving them down his legs, along with his boxers.
His cock is so pretty, curved and flushed red at the tip and it makes Hyunjin's mouth water. He licks over his lips, glances up at Jeongin and leans forward to drag his mouth along the piercings on each side of his hips, but doesn't get any further before he's being pulled back with a rough hand in his hair. "Innie-"
"Next time…yeah?" Jeongin's voice sounds wrecked and when Hyunjin glances upwards, he sees just how desperate the other man looks.
"Yeah…yeah, okay…" Next time. It makes Hyunjin's heart soar and he shuffles back until he's splayed out against the pillows.
They don't waste any more time. Jeongin grabs a bottle of lube from the table beside his bed and slots himself between Hyunjin's thighs. He clicks open the cap and then pauses, eyes widening as he glances down at the artist. "Wait I-" he lets out a nervous laugh, "I should have asked how you wanted to do this…my bedside manners are awful…"
Hyunjin buries his giggle in the back of his hand and shakes his head, "It's okay. Like this is good…" His hips grind against the other's thigh as he watches Jeongin pour lube over his fingers, warming it a little before pressing against his rim. "I'll get my turn next ti-ime-" He's cut off with a moan, eyes fluttering shut, lashes fanning out over his cheeks as Jeongin slips a finger inside.
He makes quick work of it, opening Hyunjin up, fucking this digits in and out until he's a writhing mess, panting and begging for more. "M'ready, Jeongin…c'mon. I've waited long enough."
"Aish," Jeongin presses in once more, angling his fingers to press against his prostate. Hyunjin's back arches off the bed and he twists like he's trying to get away, too afraid he'll cum if this goes on for any longer.
"In-innie, please. I don't wanna cum like this…"
"But you look so pretty, hyung. Can't you give me more than one, mm?" Hyunjin wails as Jeongin teases at the head of his dick with calloused fingers, spreading the sticky mess of precum down the length of it.
"No…nonono, don't wanna-don't…I," He tries to grab at the younger's wrist but his hand gets smacked away, "Wanna cum on your cock, please."
Hyunjin goes a little cross eyed as pleasure sears through his veins, but just as he's about to burst, Jeongin pulls his fingers out of him, shushing him with gentle kisses as he wipes his hand on the sheets. "Don't worry, baby, you'll get what you want." He hears the cap of the lube click open, and he opens his eyes to watch as Jeongin pumps over his cock. "Ready?"
"Mhm…need you," Hyunjin doesn't care that he sounds fucked out and desperate, he can't wait any longer. He brings his legs up to his chest and wraps his arms behind his knees, presenting himself. Jeongin curses at the sight, shuffles forward and guides the blunt head of his cock to Hyunjin's hole.
He presses in, doesn't stop until he's fully seated, flush with the artist's body. Jeongin eases Hyunjin's legs down, wraps them around his waist so he can lean in and steal a languid kiss while he lets the other adjust. After a few moments, Hyunjin rolls his hips in a little circle, seeking any kind of friction. "It's…god, Yeni…you can move. S'okay."
Jeongin pulls out, and thrusts back in, setting an even pace as he brackets Hyunjin with his arms on either side of his head. His fingers twist in the red strands of the artist's hair and in turn nails drag down the skin of his back. They share kisses in between breaths, licking into each other's mouths, swapping spit like promises and it isn't long before Hyunjin feels the hot coil of pleasure building low in his belly.
His eyes pinch shut and his head falls back against the pillow as he bites into his bottom lip. "Innie…m'not…" he chokes around a gasp, fingers slipping over sweaty skin, seeking purchase wherever he can. "I'm not gonna last."
"S'alright," Jeongin sounds just as fucked out as he feels, breath coming out in heavy pants, chest heaving as he fucks into the tight heat of Hyunjin's body. "I wanna see you fall apart for me, mm? Isn't that…oh shit- isn't this what you wanted?"
Hot, open mouthed kisses are pressed along his jaw as Jeongin breathes the words into his skin. They feel like a brand and Hyunjin tries to work a hand between their bodies so he can push himself over that edge. He doesn't get very far before rough fingers encircle his wrists, pinning them above his head. It gives Jeongin better leverage, makes the angle that much deeper and Hyunjin cries out as he nails his prostate over and over. "I can't…I can't, I can't, I can't…I need-" he hiccups around a teary moan, "It…I need…"
A smirk ghosts over the younger's lips, tongue pressed against the inside of his cheek as he drives into him relentlessly. "C'mon, hyung. Give it to me. You wanted to cum on my cock so badly," he leans down, thrusts slowing into more of a grind, "So do it." Jeongin pulls back one last time and rams into man beneath him.
Hyunjin's head falls back on a wail, body going rigid as he spills between their bellies in thick ropes of white. He covers his chest and stomach, cum pooling in his naval as Jeongin works him through the afterschocks. He can feel how hard the other still is where he's split open and he once he's caught his breath he gives a little nod. "Inside. Wan'it inside."
Jeongin chases his own pleasure, gripping tightly at Hyunjin's waist as his thrusts turn sloppy and uncoordinated. It doesn't take much, not when he's been given permission, and especially not when Hyunjin is clenching down around him erratically as he fucks these tiny punched out moans from the artist's throat. Hyunjin musters up one last bit of strength and swipes his fingers through the mess on his stomach, coating the digits before pressing them against Jeongin's mouth and the bitter taste of cum is what sends him toppling over the edge.
He doesn't stop until he's spent and sated, filling Hyunjin to the brim.
After a moment, he collapses off to the side, immediately gathering the other against his chest, wet spots be damned.
"I know we have a lot to talk about but…I think I'd like to keep you for myself." It's muttered against Hyunjin's neck, and it has him leaning down to press kisses along Jeongin's hairline.
"I think I'd like that very much."