Work Text:
D+1
[Monday, October 20th, 2031]
ʚ🥭ɞ
If there was one thing Kim Gyuvin excelled at, it was Shen Quanrui. He was completely sure that nobody in the world knew more about Ricky than he did—and he intended to keep it that way.
It was true that Gyuvin was a person who loved paying careful attention to people and got attached quickly, but with Ricky, it was something else entirely.
Meeting him felt like something clicked inside of him. He magnified every one of Gyuvin’s emotions—something he had never experienced before with anybody else. Gyuvin learned what made him smile, what made him sulk, his favourite food, his favourite shows. He knew everything that was relevant to making him happy—because as long as Ricky was happy, Gyuvin was too.
To Gyuvin, Shen Quanrui was happiness.
He had spent long years patiently observing him, slowly mastering how to read him perfectly. And still, after all that time of pure devotion, Gyuvin had missed something. He had missed the main point, actually. The fact that Ricky had been in love with him since fucking high school. That Ricky had been in love with him for as long as he’d loved Ricky.
And not only had he missed it, but he’d somehow sabotaged Ricky’s confession by being stupid and insecure. They’d lost so many years simply because Ricky had mistaken insecurity for indifference, and Gyuvin had been far too in love with him to realize the feeling was mutual.
It had taken a long-distance friendship, a full year of sharing a flat and an entire week of fake dating for Gyuvin to finally confess and for Ricky to admit he’d been ready to date him for more than ten years.
Ten years.
Insane.
They didn’t make it to Gyuvin’s room until late because his little sister's wedding party had been too good to leave early. Everyone was having such a great time that Gyuvin didn’t rush them upstairs (much as he desperately wanted to have Ricky to himself).
Ricky was surprisingly shy after the confession. And somehow, even though he’d half-expected it, that shyness only made Gyuvin want to cling to him more. Ricky returned every kiss and every touch timidly, always glancing around to check whether anyone was watching, but he still reciprocated, which was huge.
That shyness lasted until he started getting a little tipsy from the cocktails Jen kept bringing him. After that, Gyuvin was the one who had to control the stupid smile hanging on his lips every time Ricky initiated a kiss or pouted to get his attention.
Gyuvin danced with his sister, then watched Ricky dance with her too—an adorable sight that ended with Gyuvin stealing him back before the song was even over, in the most dramatic and unnecessary way possible. Yes, it was a dorky move even for him, and it earned him a well-deserved smirk from his sister. But who could blame him? He’d learn to be less possessive once he finally got Ricky to himself for a while.
Or maybe he wouldn’t. Who cares?
When they finally managed to pull away from the still-going party, they went straight to his small childhood bed. They spent hours there, the music and crowd muffled in the background, as they talked, kissed and cuddled. Finally sharing the bed as real boyfriends.
Gyuvin had him. Really had him, finally.
And he wouldn’t let him go.
Quite literally, actually—he had him napping next to him in the car right at that moment, Ricky’s hand loosely wrapped around his, even in sleep. He’d tried to stay awake during the drive, but only lasted ten minutes before falling asleep in the passenger seat.
Not that Gyuvin complained about it. Not when he could look at him—at his boyfriend—as much as he wanted without being interrupted.
And it also gave him some time to think. To reassess.
Gyuvin wasn’t sure he’d ever get used to this. He had spent so many years of his life wanting it to happen that he didn’t know how to act now that it finally had. One thing was knowing Ricky as his best friend, which he had done for more than half his life, and another thing was dating him. He was about to discover a new Ricky. Boyfriend Ricky.
The not knowing excited him in a good way, but it was scary nonetheless.
Also, it’d been a long while since Gyuvin had a boyfriend—or a girlfriend, for the matter. But now he did. And it wasn’t just any person; it was Ricky. His best friend. His definition of love. He had to do things right. He had to be the perfect boyfriend for him, because that was the least he deserved. He needed to adjust to being in a relationship and to manage his heavy feelings as quickly as possible. For him.
“I’m not going anywhere.”
Gyuvin jumped at hearing his voice.
“God, Rik, you scared me.”
He felt Ricky’s hand stroking the one Gyuvin still had wrapped around his. “You were squeezing me pretty hard. Are you alright?”
“I’m sorry!” Gyuvin squealed, letting go all of a sudden—only to have Ricky pick it up again with his soft fingers.
“Don’t be silly.”
Ricky linked their fingers together again, bringing Gyuvin’s hand up to press a soft kiss on its back. Gyuvin melted at the gesture.
“Sorry, I fell asleep.”
“Don’t be silly,” Gyuvin said with a smirk, using the same tone he had earlier and earning himself a soft smack on the arm.
“Copycat.”
“You’re the—ey! Stop hitting me!”
Ricky gave him a warning look and started caressing his hand again, making his heart race a little faster.
“Do you think our kittens will be mad at us?”
Gyuvin accepted the topic detour because he didn’t want to get hit again.
They’d been receiving updates from Jiwoong and the others, but still, it felt like they had spent months without seeing them. This had been the very first time they both left their house empty. And yes, it had only been a week, but they didn’t know how the kittens would act now that they were back.
“I don’t think they will be mad,” Gyuvin said, trying to reassure him. “I’m sure they’ll be happy to see us.”
“I really hope so...” Ricky murmured to himself. “Did you text Hanbin hyung back?”
Ricky was referring to the ton of messages from Hanbin he’d received yesterday. Gyuvin knew that Hanbin was half worried about his well-being, half curious about what happened at the wedding—probably fueled by Hao in the background, trying to get all the gossip he could from him. So, he’d decided to tell him that they were fine and that he’d fill him in when he got home.
“Yup,” Gyuvin answered. “I remembered.”
He kept driving until he hit a red light, using the sudden stop to finally turn his head to look at him. It was already dark outside as they entered Seoul after the long drive, and Ricky’s face was only visible thanks to the streetlights. He was so fucking beautiful. His big, soft eyes and full lips and the mole under his eye.
“You look so pretty—”
Gyuvin leaned in to kiss his cheek softly before going back to the wheel.
“Qubing!” he gasped, staggered.
Gyuvin didn’t know whether it was because of the kiss or the praise, but he didn’t care—he just felt a burst of cute aggression so strong that he had to mess with him a little.
“Pretty even after almost passing out from alcohol yesterday.”
“I didn’t drink that much,” Ricky protested, his face still very much flushed red. Gyuvin looked at him from the corner of his eye just to catch him pouting cutely. “You’re insufferable.”
Gyuvin laughed under his breath. Ricky was sulking, but he hadn’t let his hand go.
“I'm just saying,” Gyuvin continued, giving Ricky’s hand a soft squeeze, “for someone who ‘didn’t drink that much’ yesterday, you sure knocked out fast.”
Ricky huffed, leaning back against the seat and disconnecting their hands to cross his arms.
“Sorry I fell asleep. I really didn’t—”
“Shh.” Gyuvin cut in gently, stretching his arm to his right to grab Ricky’s hand again. “I was just teasing, Rwick.”
The music flaring from the speakers took over the car. A soft kind of quiet enveloping them. He felt Ricky’s eyes on him.
“What?” he asked with a tiny grin.
Ricky didn’t look away. “Nothing. Just... I’m still not used to you calling me pretty so... directly.”
That made Gyuvin take a quick look at him. Flustered cheeks and big soft eyes locked on him. “Then you’ll have to get used to it quickly. We’re kinda dating now.”
“Kinda?” Ricky echoed. “Wow. Good to know I’m ‘kinda’ dating you.”
Gyuvin laughed at his tone. “You agreed to it.”
“Yeah, don’t know what I was thinking,” Ricky sighed dramatically, absently tracing little hearts on his palm with his finger.
Gyuvin felt annoyingly happy. He was so glad they could keep doing this—this teasing, this warmth, this ridiculous banter. It was just so them. And he wouldn’t trade it for anything.
. ₊˚
Gyuvin hadn’t really realized before, but now, walking the familiar steps to their home, he suddenly understood they were returning to their real lives as an actual couple. A real couple.
And the moment that hit him, the nerves came crashing in all at once.
Before they knew it, a strange kind of tension started building up around them. Their conversation felt a little forced as they waited for the elevator to reach their floor. Gyuvin was hysterical, really struggling to keep his composure and appear normal on the outside. The excitement that filled his stomach was near sickening. They were about to enter their home and be alone. Alone-alone for the first time after becoming boyfriends. It didn’t take much to know where Gyuvin’s simple and needy mind was going.
When the front door opened, a familiar smell wrapped around him. The smell of them. Of home.
“We’re back!” Ricky singsang sweetly.
Gyuvin stood frozen as the kittens ran towards them.
It was still their house—the same one they had been sharing for a year. But it felt different. As he watched Ricky pet both of their cats, his heart wouldn’t stop pounding against his ribs. Everything felt new, more intimate, like it was truly their home for their first time. And he wanted to stay here forever with him.
Strawberry brought him back to the scene, butting against his leg to get his attention.
“Baby, hello,” he said softly as he crouched and patted her little head.
Oh gosh. He’d missed them so much it made no sense.
He petted her for a while before she returned to Ricky. Gyuvin had to stand up and walk toward Mango for him to notice he was there, too.
“What about me, huh?” he asked, pulling the cat away from Ricky’s ministrations, physically separating him from his boyfriend.
Mango stared at him for a second and meowed, twisting in his arms as he tried to escape and go back to Ricky.
“Don’t be jealous,” Ricky chuckled, already standing and pulling the suitcases to a corner. “He just loves me more.”
“I love you more.”
Ricky gave him a look. “Oh, c’mon! Don’t say things like that so easily!”
“You really need to start getting used to it.”
They played with the cats a little longer, relieved that neither of them seemed upset. It was in the comfortable quiet that followed when it all sank in again.
They were alone. In their house.
The more Gyuvin tried to ignore that fact, the drier his mouth felt. He looked up at Ricky, only to find him already watching. He felt the pull—but just as he tried to decide what to do with it, Ricky’s stomach decided to make an appearance.
They both laughed.
“You hungry?”
“A little.”
They had brought some homemade meals from his parents, but Gyuvin thought Ricky might want to eat something different.
“You wanna eat some ramyeon?”
As soon as the words left his mouth, Gyuvin knew he’d fucked up. Ricky opened his eyes wide and stared at him, his beautiful mouth hanging half-open.
“I didn’t mean it like that!” Gyuvin hurried to explain. “I really meant ramyeon. Li-like the food, you know?”
He stood up and flew to the kitchen to pull two packages of Ricky’s favourite ramyeon from the cupboard and held them up for him to see.
“See? I really meant eating the food. It’s not like I meant the other meaning, like—not that I’d mind! But—”
His stupid rambling was cut short when Ricky burst into giggles. Gyuvin instantly relaxed as he tried to coax his soul back into his body.
“Relax, Qubing. I got it, don’t stress.”
“Okay. Yeah. God, I’m so sorry,” he muttered, turning around and busying himself with filling the kettle rather than facing the teasing glint in Ricky’s eyes. “I’m so awkward, fuck...”
He couldn’t believe he’d actually said that out loud, for God’s sake. Gyuvin forced himself to focus on preparing the food and keeping his mouth shut. He knew Ricky would absolutely save that misstep to tease him with later, but that was just how they worked, so he couldn’t even be annoyed.
He inhaled deeply, hoping the steam from the kettle would hide how warm his face felt. But then something even warmer pressed into the crease of his collarbone from behind, long arms sliding around his waist.
Tight.
“Gyuvin-ah...”
That tone... that tone brought no good.
“Mhm?”
His fingers trembled slightly around the kettle.
“About the other meaning...”
Gyuvin swallowed, suddenly very aware of Ricky’s chest pressing against his back and his breath brushing his sensitive neck.
“I might be craving something else right now.”
Gyuvin wasn’t stupid. He was a grown man with the emotional depth of a teenager who had been hopelessly in love with the same person for years. So what else was he supposed to do?
He turned, his hands finding Ricky’s waist and locking there as he guided him back and lifted him onto the kitchen counter. Ricky let out a surprised, unfairly cute gasp that went straight to Gyuvin’s dick.
Fuck.
He needed to focus.
“Didn’t you want to eat, like—one second ago?” Gyuvin asked, his breath unsteady as he tried not to look at Ricky’s sinful mouth. He lost the battle the moment the older one smirked, fingers curling into the back of Gyuvin’s hoodie and tugging him close until their lips were almost touching.
Gyuvin stepped closer between his legs, pressing his hands on either side of Ricky’s hips on the counter. He tried not to touch. He tried not to notice. But it was insane how their bodies fit just perfectly.
“Mm. Food can wait.”
“Kim Ricky,” he muttered, already feeling the last of his control slipping away, “what am I supposed to do with you?”
Ricky’s grin made the next words painfully easy to predict.
“I have a few ideas.”
He leaned forward, and instead of kissing him senseless like Gyuvin had expected, he caught his bottom lip in a slow, careful bite. The desperate sound that escaped Gyuvin’s mouth only made Ricky’s wicked smile widen, his hands gripping the fabric beneath his hoodie to tug him closer.
“You’re going to be the death of me,” Gyuvin whispered, as he tilted Ricky’s chin up and crashed their lips together.
Ricky melted into him instantly, parting his lips for Gyuvin to push his tongue in. Gyuvin kissed him slow and lazy, enjoying every second of it—every second of his new favourite thing to do in the world.
Ricky got impatient real quick, threading his fingers into Gyuvin’s hair, pulling him closer. Gyuvin understood the request and kissed him for real, dragging a loud moan out of him. His lips faltered a little at the unfiltered sound, shock shooting through him. He’d never imagined Ricky would be this loud or vocal... but God, it did something to him. He hadn’t expected it, but now that he knew, he couldn’t stop.
The more noise Ricky made, the harder Gyuvin wanted to wreck him, to hear more. Who would’ve thought that his Ricky would turn into this whimpering mess under his hands?
His theory was confirmed when he tentatively pressed their cocks together and grinded in, making Ricky gasp in the most delicious way he’d ever heard.
“Gyuvin,” he panted. “Fuck, Gyuvin. Fuck.”
“I know, baby,” Gyuvin whispered, keeping that slow grinding motion going. “It feels good, right?”
Ricky nodded frantically and rocked his hips back, making Gyuvin hiss before diving into another kiss, greedy and more urgent than the last. He kissed him the way he’d wanted to kiss him for years. Deep and hungry and full of love. It was obscene, the way they licked into each other’s mouths and grinded against each other while still fully clothed. But it felt so good.
The strained sounds coming out of Ricky grew thicker and more desperate, as if he couldn’t hold them back. And Gyuvin learned quickly, adjusting every kiss, every grind, every touch, just to hear more of him.
“Gyuvin.”
Ricky pushed forward without thinking, chasing the feeling until his balance faltered, almost slipping off the counter. Reacting before he could fall, Gyuvin locked one arm tight around his waist, hauling him securely. He pressed his hips flush with Ricky’s, grounding him, feeling him shudder at the heat building up between them.
His hands automatically slid down to the place they’d been itching to be—Ricky’s ass. Ricky’s round, firm and perky ass. Gyuvin could write a whole thesis about it, and he didn’t bother hiding his obsession. Not before, and certainly not now that he could grope him as much as he wanted. He let out a shaky breath at the thought.
Ricky seemed to enjoy being touched there as much as Gyuvin liked to touch him, judging by the filthy sounds he let out the moment he started squeezing it tighter.
“It feels so good, Qubing.”
His touch, his taste, his scent, the crazy sounds he was making... it was all too much for Gyuvin to process at once.
And the sudden ring of the doorbell didn’t help.
Every movement stopped. They separated and looked at each other in disbelief as the annoying sound kept repeating itself.
“What the—”
Ricky looked up at him, trying to steady his breathing, looking so beautiful that Gyuvin couldn’t help but brush his thumb over his cheek, even in the situation they were in. The sharp beeping of the keypad at their door snapped them out of it.
“We’re coming in!”
The door opened just as they managed to separate their flustered bodies a little. Gyuvin took one more look at Ricky—looking freshly and hotly debauched—before turning toward the door.
“Guys, you’re finally here! Welcome back!”
Gyuvin never thought he’d get to hate the sound of Hanbin hyung’s voice, ever. But yeah, there’s a time for everything in life.
. ₊˚
It turned out that Hanbin and Hao thought it would be a good idea to bring them dinner that night to welcome them back home, since they weren’t supposed to have much food in their fridge.
Don’t get him wrong—it wasn’t that he wasn’t happy to see them, or happy to eat free Chinese takeout from their favorite restaurant instead of cheap ramyeon—but he would’ve much preferred to meet them after finishing his business with Ricky on the counter.
They used dinner to explain everything that had happened to their hyungs, both of them eager to listen. Gyuvin was glad to see that Ricky didn’t change his behavior now that they had company. He was deeply relieved that he didn’t hide it—his softer side. He kept making sure some part of their bodies stayed in contact at all times, and Gyuvin couldn’t have been any happier.
After eating and cleaning up, they all sat on the couch, grabbed blankets, and watched a movie together. Ricky must have been really tired, because he fell asleep on him before the movie was over.
When the older couple eventually left the house, Gyuvin gently took Ricky in his arms and carried him to his room. He was used to doing it, but it felt infinitely better now that the night ended with them sleeping in the same bed.
He tucked him under the blankets and kissed him softly on the lips, trying not to wake him. He seemed to succeed, because Ricky just made some soft sounds before wiggling a little to get more comfortable on his fortress of pillows.
Gyuvin looked at him adoringly. He truly didn’t know how he’d fit between the three pillows Ricky always slept with, but he didn’t care. He’d manage.
A large yawn overtook him, so he hurried to the bathroom to take out his contact lenses. While walking to his room to get some stuff ready for tomorrow, his mind drifted back to the kitchen.
They’d been so close. So, so close...
Gyuvin hadn’t thought things through—but how could he have, with Ricky acting like that?
And yet, he found himself frustrated with his own lack of control. He couldn’t let their first time happen recklessly, on the kitchen counter of all places. It had to be perfect. He had to make it perfect. They both deserved that.
He needed a plan. And he needed it fast. But it felt like he didn’t have time to breathe, let alone prepare for this.
Even if it was hard to believe, Gyuvin hadn’t expected to start dating his best friend after their little trip. Because he didn’t anticipate it, he hadn’t taken any extra vacation days, which meant he now had to face the reality of going back to work tomorrow.
He wasn’t ready to slip back into his old routine at all. All he wanted was to savor Ricky a little longer, to exist with him without schedules or responsibilities pressing in. But he was an adult. And that meant, no matter how much he wished to stay and be with his boyfriend at home, he had to go to work.
He wanted to die.
Leaving Ricky? Waking up early? Pure evil. Absolutely not cool.
Deciding to deal with the suitcases tomorrow, he prepared his clothes for work so he could spend a few more minutes in bed with Ricky when he woke up. When he turned around to return to Ricky’s room, he found a sleepy figure clinging to his door.
“Oh, gosh, Ricky! You scared me!”
Ricky stared at him, hardly keeping his eyes open, blinking so slowly it hurt to watch.
“You left me?”
“I just came here to—”
“Aren’t we sleeping together?”
The pout on his face broke something inside Gyuvin. He knew Ricky was barely awake, but he still was the cutest thing alive, looking at him with those puppy eyes, worried about Gyuvin having chosen to sleep in his own room instead of sharing the bed with him.
Gyuvin crossed the room in no time and wrapped his arms around his slim waist.
“Of course we are, baby,” he whispered softly. He would’ve patted his head if Ricky didn’t hate having his hair touched. “I was just getting ready to go to bed with you. Should we go now?”
Ricky only nodded and held out his hand for Gyuvin to take him back to his room. Well... to their room now.
As Gyuvin switched off the lights and guided him to their room, he felt so much love settling in his chest that he had to pull Ricky into a tight hug, just to feel lighter. Ricky complained softly at the sudden attack but returned the embrace anyway, knowing it would earn him a free ride straight into bed in Gyuvin’s arms. Gyuvin obliged—and he always would. He was finally dating his person, and for the first time, it truly felt like the beginning of something real. Something that was completely theirs.
---˖⁺. ༶ ⋆˙⊹❀ ❀˖⁺. ༶ ⋆˙⊹---
D+12
[Friday, October 31st, 2031]
ʚ🍓ɞ
Ricky could only describe his relationship with Gyuvin as perfect.
It might sound cliché, but for Ricky, love grew deeper over time—and Gyuvin and him? They’d definitely let that love simmer for quite a while.
Luckily for him, the result of letting their feelings marinate for so many years was exactly what he had expected. Ricky got to keep everything good from their friendship and combine it with the intimacy he had craved for so long.
He was a little tipsy tonight. Not drunk, but already feeling warm and giggly. And that buzz only made him think even more than usual about how stupidly in love he was with Kim Gyuvin.
Before dating, Gyuvin was already sweet and cute with him.
But now?
Gyuvin had taken it seriously to make him feel special every single day.
In the almost two weeks they’d been officially dating, Gyuvin had left sticky notes around the house every day before going to work, brought him flowers on random weekdays, prepared his favorite meal—one of the few dishes he actually knew how to make—, tucked him into bed every night, and spent every single second they were together all over him.
It might’ve been overwhelming for others, but Ricky loved being spoiled. He loved being taken care of, and he loved being Gyuvin’s number one priority. Plus, now he could kiss him and touch him whenever he wanted.
So yeah, he was having a blast.
The only bad thing he could find about dating him so far?
Gyuvin was taking his sweet time to pick up where they had left off on the kitchen counter almost two weeks ago.
He had avoided touching him in any suggestive way since then, and Ricky, even though it was driving him insane, wasn’t used to being the one to make the first move. Taking initiative wasn’t exactly his thing—he preferred being pursued. But he was starting to consider that maybe he needed a little push.
His phone rang just then.
qbing 💙
just got here
take ur time, i’ll be waiting <3
Gyuvin had come to pick him up from the event so they could go to Matthew’s Halloween party. He’d tried to cancel, but he kind of needed the little boost that only this place could give him. Many influencers had shown up that day, and Ricky had managed to record some good content for the following week. He’d also secured a few collabs for Christmas, so, yeah, he couldn’t really complain.
And still, he spent most of the night thinking about how much better everything would be once they made their relationship public and could bring Gyuvin to these gatherings. He loved his job, but sometimes it got a little too suffocating, and he was sure that having his boyfriend with him would make everything better.
Ricky hurried to say goodbye to the people he actually knew before leaving the reception hall. He couldn’t wait to be with Gyuvin and meet their friends instead of staying there, forcing fake smiles and talking to people he didn’t care about.
Once he reached the parking lot, he unlocked his phone and dialed him. He picked up on the first ring.
“Babe?”
“I’m here. Where are you?”
“Just right in front of the main exit door.”
Ricky hung up, swaying slightly as he walked the few remaining steps until he spotted Gyuvin’s black Jeep. The smile already tugging at his lips only grew bigger when he noticed his boyfriend’s outfit through the windows.
He climbed into the car a little clumsily, dropping into the passenger’s seat and turning to face his boyfriend.
“Hi.”
Gyuvin smiled.
“Hi, pretty.”
Ricky was surprised. Gyuvin had done an amazing job with the makeup. He’d managed to apply an adorable amount of blush on his cheeks and nose, making him look cute and sexy at the same time. He had added some sparkles to his eyelids, too. But what Ricky liked the most were his lips. He knew exactly which of his lipsticks he had used, and Ricky’s tipsy brain came up with an unhealthy number of good ways he could completely kiss it off his lips.
Ricky tried to calm his fuzzy mind by focusing on his clothes. The costume itself was simple, but it worked. They had only bought the halo and wings, and Gyuvin had paired them with white clothes they already had at home. The shirt he chose, though, left his collarbones completely exposed—something Ricky liked way too much. He was obsessed with Gyuvin’s neck and the sexy, lonely mole resting there.
Gyuvin wasn’t doing a great job at hiding how much he was staring at him, either. Ricky knew he looked good tonight, dressed in the perfect counterpart to Gyuvin’s costume. It had been a great idea, choosing matching outfits for them, and Ricky knew he had absolutely slayed his devil look, but the way Gyuvin was staring at him? Yeah, he definitely liked the result too.
After a few seconds of a silent staring battle, Ricky cooed, “Like what you see?”
Gyuvin nodded. “Always.”
He leaned in to press a soft kiss to Ricky’s cheek before turning back to set the new route on his phone.
“You had fun?”
Oh.
This wouldn’t do.
“What was that?”
Gyuvin didn’t turn around to answer. “What was what?”
“What was that lame kiss?”
He did look at Ricky then.
“Lame?”
“Lame,” he drawled, stretching the word until it hummed at the end.
He didn’t give Gyuvin a chance to counterattack. He climbed over the center console, hitting his knee on the gear shift in the process, yet somehow still managing to land in Gyuvin’s lap.
Gyuvin stared at him, open-eyed.
“Wh-what are you doing?”
Ricky smiled and pressed his thighs against his lower body, settling comfortably on top of him. Gyuvin made a rough sound in the back of his throat—one Ricky had almost forgotten.
“Ricky,” Gyuvin warned, his tone unsteady.
“I’m just showing you how I want you to say hi to me from now on.”
Ricky closed the remaining distance between them, leaning over his mouth and forcing Gyuvin to fall back against the seat under his weight.
He would never get used to kissing Gyuvin.
Every time their lips touched, Ricky came completely undone, overwhelmed by an insatiable longing for more. The way their mouths moved in sync sent a slow shudder down his spine. Gyuvin liked to kiss him thoroughly, and this time was no different. He angled his body and curled his fingers along Ricky’s jaw to deepen the kiss, and Ricky complied, resting his own hands at Gyuvin’s neck and catching his upper lip with his bottom one.
Gyuvin was far more receptive than Ricky would have expected, considering they were in such a public space, and within seconds, the kiss turned hungry and desperate. Ricky took his sweet time torturing him, while Gyuvin seemed torn between stopping them and kissing him back even harder. Ricky fisted his infuriating white shirt, pulling it lower by the collar to reveal more of his collarbone, and then dragged his mouth from Gyuvin’s lips to his neck.
“Shit, Rik,” Gyuvin moaned as Ricky started licking and biting along his jaw and neckline. “This is not a good idea. You’re drunk.”
Ricky almost laughed at the excuse. Not that they were making out in a parking lot where anyone could see them—no, it was just that he was drunk. Ricky smiled and sank his teeth into Gyuvin’s neck, pulling a loud moan from him and making the younger man’s hips grind upward instinctively.
“What if I’m not drunk?”
Ricky licked at his neck again and rolled his hips down, maintaining a slow rhythm that made the friction between their thick clothes seem enough to start a fire.
“You’re crazy,” Gyuvin whimpered, his hands grabbing Ricky’s hips and pushing him harder against him. “There might be paparazzi in here.”
“Let me have this.”
Gyuvin groaned and grabbed him by the neck, pulling him up to kiss him hard, swallowing any other sassy comment Ricky might have had ready.
Ricky felt him everywhere. And it felt so good. They were almost the same height, and Ricky swore he was broader than him, but still, Gyuvin always managed to feel bigger and larger when he enveloped his whole body with those ridiculous, long arms.
“You smell so good, Qubing.”
Ricky couldn’t seem to stop saying embarrassing things, but it was worth it just to see the shocked look on Gyuvin’s face every time he said something like that out loud. His body shuddered at his boyfriend’s slow grind and the soft moans breathed directly into his ear.
“God, Ricky.”
Their breathing quickened, just as much as their movements, starting to fog the windows. Ricky swiped his tongue across his bottom lip before pulling him into another kiss. They kissed because Ricky didn’t know any other way to keep his desperate sounds from spilling out.
The way Gyuvin gasped for air as his life depended on it while trying not to interrupt the kiss was driving Ricky insane.
Ricky’s hands slipped beneath the waistband of Gyuvin’s jeans, making his breath hitch once more. He stared at him as his fingers found heated skin, his ears blessed by the most broken moan he’d ever heard out of him.
“Ricky.”
Ricky inhaled sharply and started working Gyuvin’s jeans open with fumbling fingers, just as Gyuvin grabbed his ass and lifted him slightly, giving him better access. When Ricky glanced up, seeking permission, he found Gyuvin’s pleading eyes already on him, waiting. A vulnerability that stole Ricky’s heart. Gyuvin looked at him as if he were everything, as if Ricky were his entire world. And Ricky couldn’t help but whine at the view.
He didn’t look away. Not even as his hands struggled with the zipper.
Voices suddenly snapped them back to reality. Ricky’s hands stilled in place as he flinched toward the window, where he could see a group of people approaching from the same direction he’d come before.
“Fuck,” Gyuvin muttered, squinting as the moment shattered.
Ricky climbed back to his seat, managing to act nonchalant despite how humbling the erection brushing against his pants felt, then turned to check on Gyuvin. His face was flushed, his lips swollen and red, and he looked so much better than before.
Ruined.
And all because of him.
“You look like a mess,” Ricky whispered, still feeling very much lightheaded.
He reached out, trying to fix the disaster he’d made of Gyuvin’s hair, even if he looked absolutely devastating like this. All Ricky’s doing. He still tried to tame it just enough so their friends wouldn’t grow suspicious when they arrived. Tonight wasn't the night they would tell them about their relationship—not when half of them were missing.
“We really should get going,” Gyuvin croaked a few minutes later, his eyes still dazed.
Ricky nodded. Then, before Gyuvin could start the car, he leaned in and brushed a lingering kiss to the corner of his mouth.
“Next time,” he crooned, pulling back with a knowing smirk, “you know what to do.”
---˖⁺. ༶ ⋆˙⊹❀ ❀˖⁺. ༶ ⋆˙⊹---
D+27
[Monday, November 15th, 2031]
ʚ🥭ɞ
Gyuvin was starting to get impatient. Really impatient. And when he got impatient, he got fidgety and loud and annoying.
He knew it was his fault—all because of his stupidly high expectations—but knowing that, didn’t make any of it easier. The worst part was that keeping things chill with Ricky had been surprisingly easy since Halloween.
They were a month away from the Christmas season and Ricky was busy preparing all the content he would post during those dates so he could enjoy a work-free holiday. That meant that when Gyuvin got home, Ricky was still busy editing or out recording content, and whenever he was done with his job, he was super tired and Gyuvin just needed to spoil him a little until he fell asleep—usually on the couch, sprawled all over him.
He was so cute that Gyuvin almost forgot the reason he had been avoiding him intimately in the first place. He knew it was stupid, but he needed to find the perfect timing to do it. It felt important to him. It had taken them so long to finally be together that the last thing Gyuvin wanted was for their first time to feel rushed.
But the wait had only given his insecurities more time to bloom. What happened on Halloween had gotten him so close to the edge that it was embarrassing. That was the furthest they’d gone, and Gyuvin had been ready to combust the moment Ricky’s fingers had started to trail towards his crotch.
He wasn’t a virgin. But he surely felt like it. Gyuvin had built his entire definition of his ideal type around Ricky, and now that they were together, the idea that he could actually do something about it felt dangerous.
He had never worried about his performance in bed, and no one had ever complained. But with Ricky, everything felt more significant, more serious. Gyuvin couldn’t help thinking that he might not last long enough when they finally went all the way, or that he wouldn’t make Ricky feel good—and that would be embarrassing, not the image he wanted Ricky to have of him.
To add to those insecurities, Gyuvin also didn’t know with certainty what role Ricky preferred in bed. He could guess, but he didn’t want to assume. And asking him? That didn’t align with his plan of making everything perfect.
“Everything okay with Ricky?”
It took him a second to process Hanbin’s words.
“How do you—”
“There’s nothing else that gets you so—“ Hanbin lifted a hand, gesturing at all of him like he wasn’t sure how to explain it with words, “worked up.”
Gyuvin exhaled through his nose, eyes darting back to his food, left forgotten since he started overthinking.
“Also, you’ve been staring at your rice for a full minute,” Hanbin added, voice a little concerned. “In complete silence.”
Gyuvin looked at his hyung and considered telling him. After work, they were meeting everyone at the bowling alley, and he and Ricky were planning to finally tell the others about them dating. After that, they would have done everything on Gyuvin’s checklist of things-to-do-after-coming-back-from-the-wedding-with-a-boyfriend. The only thing left was... sex.
Maybe he was making a whole deal out of nothing. And who better than his reliable hyung to help him?
“Okay, hyung,” Gyuvin decided, sitting up straight and pressing his hands flat on the table. “Yes, something is going on with Ricky, but you have to promise you won’t tell Hao hyung.”
“Why should I—“
“Just promise me!” Gyuvin pleaded. “Please! I really need your advice on this, but if you tell hyung, he’ll tell Ricky, and I’ll be dead.”
“Okay, I promise,” Hanbin agreed. “Is everything—”
“Just listen!” Gyuvin cut in, voice too loud. “I’m sorry. It’s just... It’s already embarrassing as it is. Just hear me out, okay?”
Gyuvin held his breath for a second, running through everything he wanted to say in his head. He had to be crystal clear—he really didn’t want to repeat himself.
“Okay, so,” Gyuvin stammered, already flustered as he tried to compose himself. “Ricky and I have been dating for a while now, as you know.”
Hanbin nodded, waiting patiently for him to continue.
“And, well, we’ve been doing everything couples do—like going out on dates, sharing a flat...I mean, we already did that before, but now it’s different. And better, obviously. We also go grocery shopping together—well, we did that too... but now we hold hands while buying things, and it’s so cute...”
Gyuvin took a shaky breath and kept going before Hanbin could stop him.
“And I get this whole bubbly feeling in my stomach every time we do, because I’m really happy that we can finally be together in public. As a couple, I mean. And we kiss. Like—a lot. It’s crazy, Hanbin, that I can kiss him now. I mean, have you seen his lips? It’s insane. I can finally kiss him whenever I want. But... let’s say we haven’t done everything yet... Like, we’re missing something important.”
“Something important?”
“Yeah, like... you know? The most important step?”
“I don’t know if I’m following you, Gyuvin-ah.”
“I mean, the thing couples do when they date...”
“Gyuvin, I really—”
“Sex! We haven’t had sex yet!”
Gyuvin’s eyes went wide, alarmed by his own volume, and he quickly looked around the room to see if anyone had heard him.
“Okay, okay. I got it,” Hanbin deadpanned, stealing one of the sushi pieces Gyuvin had bought for lunch while he was still freaking out.
“Hey, be serious!”
Hanbin laughed at his desperate tone but nodded again. He chewed slowly, likely thinking about what to say next.
“Okay, so, your worries are...?”
“I’m nervous about... you know, it’s a really important step for us, and it’s not like I think he doesn’t want to—it’s not that I'm putting myself down again, I swear!” Gyuvin didn’t want Hanbin to think he was being paranoid about Ricky not liking him. He wanted him to fully understand his issue. “I think—I know—he wants it too. But y-yeah, I just can’t seem to find the perfect moment, and it’s driving me crazy.”
“So,” Hanbin said, his voice calm and understanding—everything Gyuvin needed at that moment. “You don’t know when to have your... first time together?”
Gyuvin nodded enthusiastically, relieved at being understood.
“Okay,” Hanbin set his chopsticks on the food container and leaned forward. “Have you talked about it with Ricky?”
Gyuvin could’ve guessed that he’d ask that specific question, but it was so obvious, he didn’t see it coming. He blinked slowly, recalibrating.
“You know,” Hanbin continued, “telling him your concerns, asking for his opinion?”
“I know what you mean, hyung! But I feel like that would take all the magic away, wouldn’t it?”
Hanbin looked at him with genuine compassion, and Gyuvin felt the need to explain himself further.
“Also, you know what they say? Like when you really like a person, you might not… perform as well as you would with another person you don’t care that much?”
Gyuvin watched real surprise flashing across Hanbin’s face at that confession.
“How am I supposed to tell him about that, huh?
“Gyuvin, I really, really think you should just talk to him. It’ll just make things easier for both of you, believe me.”
“It’s not that easy!” Gyuvin protested, shaking his arms wildly. “How do I tell him that without sounding silly and insecure and stupid at the same time?”
“It’s Ricky. He loves you—silly, insecure and stupid included. I think you could just talk to him and solve this together,” Hanbin insisted. “But if you really don’t want to, try to find a good moment to... do it. And then tell him about it. Even if it’s after... the whole thing is done. Communication is key, Gyuvin. You’re adults now.”
Gyuvin hummed, palms still on the table.
“I guess I’ll have to do that.”
. ₊˚
This was the first time they had managed to align their schedules and meet all together after returning from the wedding. Gyuvin was both excited and nervous, but everything had been going just fine since they arrived at the bowling alley. Everyone was focused on their games.
They had booked two different lanes because there were so many of them that it would’ve taken ages to get to their turn if they shared a single lane.
“Nervous?” Ricky asked during Yujin’s turn. The three of them had always grouped together as the “most competitive” ever since Gyuvin decided it was a good idea to introduce Yujin to the art of bowling.
“About the game?”
“You know what I mean.”
Gyuvin looked at Ricky and felt an overwhelming need to kiss him. With every second that passed, the urge to touch him the way he wanted became harder and harder to resist.
“I’ll be fine,” he said. “I really can’t wait to tell them, though, so I can kiss you whenever I want.”
Ricky was about to protest when Gunwook called him out for the next turn.
“Gotta win this first,” Ricky said, flashing him a pretty smile before grabbing his favourite ball and throwing a fucking strike—his fifth one this game.
“This is supposed to be a celebration of my grades!” Yujin complained when Ricky pulled twenty points ahead of everyone else.
“I’m just this good. Can’t fake it.”
Yujin stuck his tongue out at him as Matthew stepped up to the lane for his turn.
“Well, then I just gotta make sure Gyuvin hyung knows what it feels like to be behind me three times in a row.”
“Hey!” Gyuvin protested when he heard his name. “Don’t be a baby!”
“Kids...” Hao warned from the lane next to them.
Their game was calm like an ocean breeze compared to the chaos on Gyuvin’s side. Hao, Taerae, Jiwoong, and Hanbin were just having fun, laughing as they played, while the rest were practically fighting for their honor.
“Don’t fight,” Hao added before throwing his ball, for good measure.
Gyuvin almost laughed at how little Hao cared about the game. His ball only knocked down a few pins—even with the bumpers up—but he didn’t even bother to look at it.
“Let them,” Hanbin said, clinging to his boyfriend once he returned to the seating area. “At least they’ll be worn out by dinner.”
“We’ll see about that.”
The game went on, Ricky maintaining his lead while Gyuvin, Yujin, Matthew and Gunwook stayed tightly grouped behind him. Gyuvin’s hands itched with the effort of not touching Ricky too much. He was unfairly hot when he got competitive, which didn’t help his case—but they’d agreed to tell everyone during dinner, so he had to wait a little longer. Even if he knew their forced distance was suspicious to the others—especially since everyone was used to Gyuvin being all over Ricky.
In the final round, Yujin somehow left two pins standing up. He had the last shot and if he managed a spare, he’d beat both Ricky and Gyuvin—and he’d be absolutely insufferable about it.
So Gyuvin did the least mature thing he could think of and stepped closer, nudging him slightly right as the ball left his hand. Yujin missed one pin, making Ricky first place and himself third.
Fuck. Well—at least Ricky won.
Gyuvin knew he should feel at least a little embarrassed about what he’d done. It had been immature and childish. But he didn’t—not when Ricky turned toward him with bright eyes and a big, gummy smile.
“That’s not fair!” Yujin sulked once it clicked. He scowled hard at Gyuvin and pointed at him with his finger. “That’s not fair. What is wrong with you? You act like he’s your boyfriend or something!”
“He is my boyfriend,” Gyuvin said automatically, without really thinking. “Why wouldn’t I—”
He stopped.
But it was too late.
Gyuvin felt every eye turn toward them—Ricky’s included. There was something in his expression, a quiet confirmation. So, he didn’t hesitate anymore. He walked over, slid an arm around Ricky’s waist—goosebumps spreading at finally being able to touch him the way he’d wanted to all afternoon—and pulled him back against his chest.
“Should we do it now?” Gyuvin whispered, carefully.
Ricky nodded shyly, then arched up and kissed him gently on the lips. It was brief, soft and very family-friendly—but Gyuvin’s heart clenched anyway.
“About fucking time.”
Gyuvin turned toward Gunwook.
“Language,” Hao muttered, though he was looking at them with fond, proud eyes.
“Guys,” Gyuvin said, clearing his throat, “we wanted to tell you that during the trip... in the middle of the fake dating and all, we... we kind of started dating.”
“Dating for real,” Ricky added, just to be clear.
“So...” Matthew started, eyes gleaming with something Gyuvin didn’t want to decode. “Was this supposed to be a secret?”
“Is this actually happening?” Taerae asked, looking around as if searching for confirmation.
Gunwook patted his shoulder as he nodded enthusiastically. Like a cute overgrown puppy.
“Oh my God!” Taerae squealed. “This is huge!”
“I thought we’d already decided they were a thing?” Yujin said, still glaring at Gyuvin—probably for reasons completely unrelated to the relationship and more close to the game he just lost.
“Why aren’t you two reacting?” Matthew asked, pointing accusingly at Hanbin and Hao.
“They already knew,” Ricky provided, which led to complaints from the younger ones for not being informed at the same time.
Gyuvin cut in, “We didn’t mean to hide it from you. They just... happened to catch us kind of making out in our kitchen.”
Not entirely true—but close enough.
Everyone turned toward the other couple.
“What?” Gunwook yelled. “You what?”
“Oh my God!” Matthew gasped. “Please tell us about everything.”
Hanbin’s cheeks got all flushed and Hao smirked.
“Not going to share that information.”
After another round of protests, Jiwoong finally spoke up.
“Was I the only one who didn’t know about this?”
Everyone laughed, and he looked genuinely confused.
“I mean,” Matthew said carefully. “I think we all knew—except you. And maybe those two before they went on their little holidays.”
“What do you mean you all knew?” Gyuvin asked, exasperated. Had they been that obvious?
“Before you left, it was already clear you’ve been pining for each other for ages,” Gunwook said, his tone deep like every time he explained something Gyuvin should’ve known already.
“And well, you’ve not been as subtle as you might think,” Matthew added with that annoying glint in his eyes.
“What do you even mean by that?”
Matthew only smiled at Ricky and clicked his tongue.
“You were all over each other on Halloween,” Hao supplied calmly. “It was difficult to cover for you when these two wouldn’t stop asking about it.”
Gunwook and Matthew looked downright proud of their observational skills.
“And the hickeys...” Gunwook chimed in.
Gyuvin squeezed his eyes shut. He hadn’t even noticed the hickeys—yes, plural—until it was too late into the party. It was only when he went to the bathroom that he caught sight of his collarbones—darkened with soft marks Ricky must have left back in the car. He’d tried to hide them after, but the shirt he was wearing hadn’t helped at all.
“Ricky being all over you and your neck made it kinda obvious,” Matthew said, positively glowing, his grin all over his face.
“Okay, well! Now you know,” Gyuvin blurted out, a little overwhelmed by the attention. He felt Ricky’s fingers curl around his low back, calming him just enough. “Can we please go have dinner now?”
“Of course,” Taerae said easily, already gathering his things. “Then you can explain every detail of what happened,” he added with a wink.
Gyuvin glared at him but didn’t complain. They’d have to do it sooner or later. Everyone began to move, talking animatedly about the hot topic. Gyuvin was relieved it was finally out—he didn’t like hiding stuff from his best friends.
“Hao hyung,” Yujin whined from across the room. “I won that, right? You saw it. Gyuvin made me miss.”
“You won, aegi. Don’t worry,” Hao replied, his voice soft. “And you still beat Gyuvin, even with him cheating.”
That seemed to satisfy Yujin, who quieted down—though he still shot Gyuvin glares.
It took Gyuvin a full week of treats and apologies to fully earn his forgiveness.
---˖⁺. ༶ ⋆˙⊹❀ ❀˖⁺. ༶ ⋆˙⊹---
D+31
[Friday, November 19th, 2031]
ʚ🍓ɞ
“Gyuvin, we need to talk.”
Not the words Ricky would ever have thought to use on their one-month anniversary—and definitely not the words Gyuvin was prepared to hear, judging by the terrifying look morphing across his pretty face.
Ricky wasn’t mean, but he was smart. And he knew that sometimes he had to scare Gyuvin a little so he’d loosen up enough and talk. Still, he wasn’t about to let him think something was really wrong in their relationship when it wasn’t.
Aware that Gyuvin would start freaking out any second now, he quickly added, “We’re not breaking up. But we really need to talk.”
“About what?”
Gyuvin was scared, so Ricky took his hand and guided him to their expensive couch, sitting them both down.
“What’s going on, Gyub?”
Everything had been thought through. Ricky had prepared the perfect day for Gyuvin to unwind and come back home as relaxed as possible. He’d also decided to introduce the topic with a strong start, so he’d have his boyfriend locked in from minute one. It might sound manipulative, but Ricky preferred to think of it as knowing Gyuvin just as well as he knew himself.
Ricky had never been one to celebrate occasions like this, but with Gyuvin, he wanted to. That was one of the many little things that had changed thanks to him—and Ricky liked every single one of them.
Even though they’d taken the day off, they still woke up fairly early and went out for breakfast at Ricky’s favourite cake shop—the one with that perfect strawberry shortcake. After, they headed to Ricky’s secret appointment at a ring-making place. It was obvious they were making rings for each other, yet Gyuvin still got all red and cute when he asked Ricky if he wanted to wear his once it was finished. It was crazy how—even after all these years of pining for each other and a full month of dating—Gyuvin could still get so flustered around him. It made Ricky feel the overwhelming need to kiss him senseless right there, in front of anyone who cared to watch.
Gyuvin had then surprised him with a picnic by a beautiful lake, making the day even more perfect. But that didn’t make Ricky waver from his original plan: to get back home as soon as possible and have this long-overdue conversation.
“Wh-what do you mean?”
“I know something's been going on in that little head of yours for weeks now. God, maybe even since we got home after the wedding. I just thought I’d give you some time to figure it out and tell me yourself, but we’re going to talk about it. Now.”
Gyuvin went pale.
Ricky had tried to be patient. He’d tried to find every possible explanation for Gyuvin’s weird behavior. But none of them made any sense, so he had to resort to asking the source himself.
“Qubing, we’ve been together for a month and you’re not talking to me. I’ve given you time, but I need you to tell me, or I’ll go crazy.”
“It’s not like—”
“You’ve been avoiding me,” Ricky ventured, a little tired of going around in circles. “Sexually, I mean, if it wasn’t clear. And I’m not the most proactive person here, but I’ve been trying for weeks.”
That made Gyuvin’s eyes widen.
“Baby, I…”
“Don’t baby me, and listen,” Ricky cut in, grabbing Gyuvin’s hand on his own. “I love you, and I know you love me. And I’m not exactly stupid, so I know you want me as much as I want you. I can see it, Qubing. So please do us both a favor and tell me what’s been worrying you.”
Gyuvin stayed silent for a few seconds, then he let out a shaky sigh and dropped his shoulders, like he’d been holding the weight of the world on them.
“Do we really need to talk about this... today?”
“Oh, yes,” Ricky said. “Yes, we do. We should’ve talked about this already. I can’t wait any longer for you to tell me what’s going on. A month has been long enough.”
Gyuvin grimaced and tightened his grip on Ricky’s hand.
“Sometimes...” Ricky’s voice wavered, but he needed to be honest with him. “Sometimes—even though I know it’s not true and it doesn’t make any sense—I wonder if you’re really attracted to me.”
“For Fuck’s sake, Ricky,” Gyuvin exhaled, pulling him closer. “I’m obviously attracted to you. Like nine hundred ninety-nine percent. I’ve never been attracted to anyone as much as I’m attracted to you. Not even when I tried to date other people to try to move on. I mean—have you seen yourself?”
Ricky exhaled, a little comforted by his straightforward answer.
“That’s not it, Rik. I swear it’s not.”
“But it does feel like it sometimes, and it’s confusing me. Then I think about the kitchen, or the car, or literally any kiss we’ve shared, and I know you have to find me attractive. At least a little. But then I don’t understand why you don’t—”
“Ricky—”
“Let me finish,” he interrupted, trying to keep his voice soft and soothing. “You never told me what was wrong, so I started trying to figure it out on my own, and I thought about other possibilities... like maybe you’re asexual, or maybe you just don’t have a high libido? And that’s okay, Gyuvin. Really. I just need you to tell me so I can understand. So we can figure out what works for us, and—”
“Ricky, stop.”
“I don’t want to,” Ricky said, a little annoyed. “I want to talk about it. I want you to tell me about it. I can’t stand the idea of us keeping things from each other. I don’t want to wait another fifteen years for you to tell me the truth when we could just talk and figure it out together.”
Gyuvin cupped Ricky’s face with careful fingers and forced him to meet his eyes. He brushed his thumb softly over his cheek before speaking again.
“Kim Ricky,” he whispered, almost to himself. The things that nickname did to Ricky’s heart had to be looked into. “There is nothing I want more in this life than to have sex with you. Nothing. Well—if we don’t count spending all my life with you and having kids together and—”
Ricky couldn’t help but interrupt with a pout, “Then why don’t you do it?”
He wanted all of that, too, but he needed this now.
“Because I’m scared,” Gyuvin finally confessed. “Terrified, actually. We had to wait for so long to be together, that I wanted... no, I need our first time to be perfect. For you. And for me. And I’m scared shitless I’ll mess it up. That I’ll do something wrong.”
It couldn’t be.
It couldn’t be that.
“I can’t believe—”
“I love you, Ricky. I love you so much it makes me feel insecure about not being enough for you.”
Shit.
Ricky had thought about everything. He’d tried to find any reason that could explain why Gyuvin was acting like that. But somehow, he’d overlooked the most obvious one.
It didn’t help that he hadn’t known about Gyuvin’s insecurities until his confession, and that he’d always thought of his boyfriend as an overcommunicator—never the other way around. But it seemed that Gyuvin only communicated what he felt confident about, and that didn’t include his feelings towards him. He’d only recently told Ricky about all of the fearful thoughts that had stopped him countless times from confessing in the past, and Ricky had wrongly assumed he’d already worked through them that same night in his childhood room.
But he couldn’t have been more wrong. Gyuvin was still insecure. Very much so. And damn, it made sense. It had only been a month since that day.
Ricky felt a sharp pang in his chest and guilt rushing through his veins when he realized he hadn’t been paying enough attention. Again. Of course things between them were good, but that didn’t mean Gyuvin was free from those dark, poisonous thoughts.
It would take constant reassurance on his part and countless acts of love to get rid of them. And Ricky was ready. He was more than ready to be there for him through that process. To support him and to make sure Gyuvin knew that their relationship wasn’t something he needed to doubt. That it wasn’t weak or fleeting.
“You will always be enough for me.” Gyuvin looked away when Ricky said the words, chewing on his bottom lip hard enough to draw some blood. “You heard me?”
Gyuvin nodded shyly, head low.
“Look at me, Qubing.”
He finally did—eyes a little red from unshed tears and lower lip throbbing after all the nibbling.
“I love you. So. Fucking. Much. Do you understand?”
A tear slipped from Gyuvin’s eye, and Ricky hurried to rest his forehead against his boyfriend’s.
“I need you to understand that you have to talk to me about these things. To tell me what scares you, what you want, what you’re unsure about. Even if it’s stupid, Gyuvin. I need to know so we can go through it—together.”
Gyuvin nodded, foreheads still pressed together, his bangs tickling Ricky’s face.
“That’s what this is, baobei. Communication and trust. I don’t want another stupid misunderstanding to happen between us. Okay?”
“Okay,” Gyuvin sobbed, tears now freely falling down his face.
“And I promise,” Ricky added quietly, “I promise that I’ll do the same for you.”
“I’m sorry for keeping it inside for so long,” he said in a tiny voice. “I really didn’t know how to handle it any other way.”
“I’m sorry too,” Ricky apologized. “For being careless with your insecurities. I shouldn’t have taken for granted that you’d get over them so quickly.”
“I’ll try to open up more. I promise.”
After giving him the softest kiss, Ricky pressed his thumb beneath Gyuvin’s left eye, brushing away the tears there, then did the same with the other, smiling warmly as Gyuvin fought to swallow a sob.
That obviously only made it sound louder.
They both chuckled.
“I wasn’t expecting to cry on our first anniversary.”
“You also cried when you confessed. At this point, we might as well make it a tradition.”
“Ricky,” he whined, pressing his cheek against Ricky’s palm. “This is so embarrassing...”
“What is?”
Gyuvin surprised him with something else entirely.
“I actually wanted to do it tonight,” he admitted, “but I chickened out.”
That got Ricky’s full attention, his body reacting immediately at the words. He shifted a little closer, brushing their knees together and letting Gyuvin warm his cold hand with his pretty face.
“I was planning the perfect day—with the perfect ending,” Gyuvin continued, words starting to trip over each other, as they usually did when he was nervous or excited. “But I just... dropped the idea. I was getting too anxious, and I didn’t want that to stop me from enjoying the day with you.”
Ricky leaned in closer, staying quiet as he assessed both the situation and his next move.
Gyuvin scowled at the silence, “Don’t look at me like that!”
“Why did you get anxious?”
“Because it never feels perfect enough.”
“Wasn’t today perfect?”
“I mean,” Gyuvin laughed nervously. “We woke up and spent the whole day together on a weekday. Something we never get to do. So that was already perfect to me. And...”
The murmur of his voice describing their day in detail became background music to Ricky as he stared at his boyfriend and the unfairness of how good he looked in the clothes he’d chosen for their date.
He was wearing a white shirt under a tight black waistcoat. It wasn’t just that the waistcoat made his waist look insane—the sharp v-neck, which followed the neckline of the vest, made Ricky’s head feel light. The pretty necklace pressed against his skin only made him look manlier and more attractive. Perfect for Ricky to eat.
His body moved closer on its own as Gyuvin kept rambling. He slowly lowered his hand to play with the necklace as he felt his body warming up dangerously.
Ricky just wanted to—
“Are you listening?”
He dragged his gaze from where it had dropped on Gyuvin’s lips back up to his earnest eyes and nodded.
“I was saying that I’m glad that I was able to get us a table at the restaurant you’ve been talking about for months. That was pretty dope. And you liked it, right?”
“Of course,” Ricky replied, voice husky, reacting to how their bodies were almost fully pressed together now.
His mind felt foggy and completely ready to move on from this conversation.
“So,” Ricky whispered.
Gyuvin seemed to realize just how close they were in that moment, his arm reacting by wrapping around Ricky from behind, his absurdly large hand settling on Ricky’s hip.
“Then, today was perfect, right?”
“Well... yes, it was—I mean, it is but—”
“No buts.”
Ricky looped his arms loosely around his boyfriend’s neck and moved, sitting on his lap in a quick motion and bringing their lips impossibly close. Then he dropped the bomb.
“Would you let me suck your dick, Shim Gyuvin?”
Gyuvin’s eyes opened wide, his hands now pressing hard into Ricky’s hips. He opened his mouth as if he were about to speak, but no sound came out.
“Did I break you?” Ricky asked with a smirk.
“I—no, I don’t—I think…”
Ricky surged forward and shut him up with a kiss. The whimper that came out from Gyuvin was so devastatingly hot that it made Ricky groan in response as he kissed him even harder.
He pushed down against his crotch and pressed there—all of his damn weight.
“Fuck, Ricky, Fuck. I can’t—”
“Tell me,” Ricky urged, grinding harder against Gyuvin, who started rutting back. It felt too good, even with their clothes on.
“I don’t think I can last much once you touch me, Rwick,” he confessed, eyes pressed shut.
“Is that something that worries you?”
Gyuvin nodded. Ricky stopped the grinding and kissed his lips one more time before dropping to the floor—on his knees. The loud thud made Gyuvin open his eyes and look down at him. Ricky swore he saw something darken in his eyes for the first time in his life. Something dangerous.
“Tell me you don’t want this,” Ricky demanded. He wanted to look confident for Gyuvin to let him do this, but it was difficult when his boyfriend was towering over him with that crazy look in his eyes.
He took the silence as a confirmation and moved his face close to Gyuvin’s crotch. He mouthed the fabric, eyes up, locked on the younger man.
“Fuck,” Gyuvin cursed. “Fuck. Wait. I can’t do this.”
“Do you really want me to stop?” Ricky asked, still on his knees, eyeing him from the small distance Gyuvin had created by pushing him slightly away.
“I don’t, Ricky, of course I don’t.”
“Then shut up and fucking let me.”
Ricky crawled back to him and slowly unzipped his pants. Gyuvin’s gaze burned into him, so intense it made Ricky’s fingers tremble a little when he yanked everything down. He licked his lips when Gyuvin’s huge cock came into sight.
It hit him at that moment.
Ricky could hardly believe this was really happening. After all of those years of waiting, he could finally taste him. And he was not going to back down.
He didn’t listen to Gyuvin’s request to take it slow as he gripped the base of his length, enjoying the fact that he couldn’t fully close his fingers around it. If he hadn’t been completely aroused before, he was now, and he had to fight the irrational urge to rut against his boyfriend as he jerked him off.
He wanted to look good for Gyuvin. He wanted to be the best.
Ricky kissed the tip, eyes on him, who let out a strained moan as Ricky started playing with the head. Gyuvin’s hands grabbed hard into his hair, only to let go and apologize immediately after.
“I’m sorry I didn’t mean to—”
Ricky looked up at him through his lashes. “You can touch.”
“Baby, I’m really not going to last.”
“I don’t care,” he said before letting some saliva drip down to make his hand slide easier. Gyuvin looked so lost that Ricky wasn’t even sure he was listening. “We can repeat as many times as you want.”
He didn’t wait for Gyuvin to react; he just flattened his tongue and took his length into his mouth. Ricky moaned at the feeling, the vibrations making Gyuvin throw his head back and groan deep.
He was big.
Ricky had known that fact for a long time, and it didn’t make the longing any easier. However, so many years of thinking about doing this had left him more than ready and eager to please.
Ricky built a slow rhythm, plumping his lips around his boyfriend’s veiny dick and relishing the taste of him across his tongue. Heat poured all over his skin, growing hot and itchy beneath his clothes at the sounds he was drawing out of him. Gyuvin seemed completely out of it—undone. And all of it because of Ricky. His hands rested uselessly at the back of Ricky’s head, not daring to guide him yet. Ricky smirked at his restraint and took as much cock as he could manage into his mouth.
“Fuck, Ricky. Fuck-fuck.” The moans did wonders for Ricky’s ego, and he had to fight against his eyelids to keep them open. He didn’t want to miss any of his reactions. “You look incredible. So good to me, Ricky. God, this is insane—you’re doing so well. I really can’t—”
When Gyuvin closed his eyes, Ricky stopped moving altogether, hand gripping harder at the base of his cock. Gyuvin groaned but opened his eyes to look at him again, knowing exactly what Ricky was doing.
Ricky smirked.
“Good boy,” he snarled, a smile on his wet lips. “Keep them open, or I’ll stop again.”
He went back to work.
His knees were going to kill him tomorrow, but he continued brushing his tongue over Gyuvin’s cock slowly and deliberately, using his hand on the part he couldn’t fit in his mouth. He tasted so good—so Gyuvin. And it smelled so much like him, like his own scent, that Ricky thought he was really going crazy with how horny he was.
“Holly shit, baby,” Gyuvin panted as Ricky increased the speed. “You’re so pretty, fuck.”
Ricky preened under the praise and doubled his efforts. He felt Gyuvin’s dick pulsing against his tongue and hummed in approval, hollowing his cheeks and making Gyuvin moan and thrust into him in response. He pushed himself a little harder and tried to take more, gagging a little as he attempted to deep throat him.
“Ricky,” he warned, voice breathy and low. “If you don’t stop now…”
Ricky gave him his most sultry eyes so he’d understand what he wanted, and it only took a few more bobs before Gyuvin came on his throat with a lewd groan.
It was a lot of cum, but Ricky swallowed every drop. He licked him clean until Gyuvin softly complained from oversensitivity.
“Was that good?” Ricky asked carefully, pressing his cheek against the inside of Gyuvin’s knee. He knew it had been good, but he wanted to hear from him.
Gyuvin didn’t answer. He just stood there, looking at him in silence as he panted softly.
Ricky wondered for a second if he’d fucked it up—if he’d rushed things.
But all of those thoughts were cut off when Gyuvin bent down and picked him up from the floor, hooking Ricky’s legs around him.
“Gyuvin!” Ricky shrieked, but he didn’t get any answer as Gyuvin grabbed his thighs and carried him to their room.
Ricky was feeling everything now—the hands gripping tightly over his clothes, the way Gyuvin didn’t look him in the eyes, probably feeling as overwhelmed as he was, and his needy erection trapped against Gyuvin’s still-clothed abs.
He was going crazy.
“Gyuvin?” he tried again.
But Gyuvin just carried him into the bedroom, closing the door behind them—probably not wanting the cats to think it was bedtime and come join them. He walked straight to the bed and sat down, positioning Ricky on his lap.
Ricky trembled over him.
“That wasn’t fair,” Gyuvin finally said.
“It was.”
“It wasn’t.”
Gyuvin looked at him. There was a dark need in his eyes. There was lust. And Ricky needed and wanted him, too.
“I fingered myself before getting ready for dinner,” Ricky confessed in an attempt to make him do something. Anything. “But I don’t think I’m that loose anymore.”
“You did what?”
“I fingered—”
“Yes, I heard.” Gyuvin cut in, unzipping his trousers and sliding a hand inside, finally touching skin—grabbing and pressing hard enough to bruise Ricky’s ass cheek. “You do that a lot?”
Ricky thought about his answer.
“Just sometimes.”
“Define sometimes.”
“I like to be prepared,” Ricky said, avoiding Gyuvin’s demanding eyes, “just in case you wanted to...”
Gyuvin grabbed him by the chin with his free hand and tilted his face so their eyes met.
“You only think about me when you do it, right?”
Ricky wasn’t expecting that question. Everything in him felt like it was collapsing under the authority in Gyuvin’s voice. He wasn’t used to seeing this edge to him. He knew Gyuvin probably had felt possessive many times before, but Ricky wasn’t familiar with this feeling pooling low in his belly.
After a long pause, Gyuvin called again, “Ricky, answer me.”
“I only think about you.”
“Where’s your lube?”
Ricky’s mouth hung open. This was happening. This was really happening.
Gyuvin seemed to notice Ricky’s brain lagging and slipped his other hand into his pants, squeezing the flesh of his ass for leverage as he pulled their bodies closer. Ricky groaned at the feeling.
“Only if you want to, of course,” he added, his lips brushing Ricky’s ear as he traced his hole with a finger.
“I’m going crazy, Gyuvin.”
Gyuvin kept kissing and nibbling the sensitive skin under his ear, making Ricky squirm under his ministrations. The tension was beyond anything comfortable at this point, so Ricky pulled away.
“Off,” he commanded, pointing at his remaining clothes as he yanked his own shirt off and stood to grab the bottle of lube from the nightstand.
When he turned around, his boyfriend was naked.
And what a sight.
He sat on his lap again, only to be lifted and thrown onto the mattress. Ricky didn’t move as Gyuvin climbed over him, covering his body with his lean muscles and caging him between his arms. When their skin touched, Ricky couldn’t hold back anymore. He kissed him, the need too strong to ignore. Too many years. Too many lost chances.
“I need you,” he whimpered, spreading his thighs as an invitation.
And Gyuvin didn’t hesitate.
He got rid of the rest of Ricky’s clothes and stared at his boyfriend’s naked body.
“You’re so pretty, Rwick,” he whispered, pressing a loving kiss to his lips, then going back to staring at his long, milky legs. He extended his fingers and touched them, spellbound, before moving higher until he ended up caressing the curve of his ass. Ricky vibrated under him, unable to keep steady as goosebumps broke out over his hot skin. “It really makes no sense.”
Gyuvin prompted him to lift his hips, carefully placing a pillow beneath them, then reached out without warning, grabbing his cock and pumping it experimentally. Between the sudden shift and the feel of Gyuvin’s fingers around him, Ricky was lost.
“So damn pretty everywhere...”
“Please, Gyuvin,” Ricky pleaded when he gripped him tighter and pumped faster. It was dry, but it felt so good. “I want you now, please.”
“I want you too.”
Gyuvin blindly grabbed the bottle of lube from between the sheets as he went back to kissing him. Ricky knew what he was doing, but he still moaned loudly when he felt the first lubed finger brush his hole.
“Oh my God.”
“I know,” Gyuvin said as he slowly worked his first finger in. “You’re so fucking tight, Ricky. Did you lie to me?”
“Fuck,” Ricky nodded, unable to think straight. “I didn’t lie—I didn’t.”
Gyuvin pushed deeper, and Ricky gasped, his eyes fluttering shut at the delicious pressure. It felt so good. And it felt better when he remembered who was fingering him. He couldn’t fucking wait to have all of him.
“You feel so deep, fuck,” he said, a mewling sound leaving his mouth when Gyuvin started thrusting his finger in and out of him.
Another finger joined the first soon enough, and Ricky arched his back desperately, rutting against Gyuvin’s already half-hard cock, crying and whimpering as if he were in heat. It was too much. Too fucking much.
“Do you want me to stop?”
What?
Ricky opened his eyes, just to find Gyuvin looking at him with glassy but worried eyes.
He must have said that last part out loud.
“No, no-no,” he begged. “Please, more.”
Gyuvin obeyed, burying his two fingers deep inside him, persistently searching for his prostate. Ricky moaned incoherent sentences, guiding him—or simply showing how much he wanted him—until he felt the pull of another finger joining the others inside.
His eyes rolled back.
“Holly fuck, Rwick,” Gyuvin groaned when Ricky pushed back onto his hand, gripping his arm and crying out as all three fingers finally hit his prostate. “You’re unreal.”
Ricky couldn’t think straight as Gyuvin kept aiming flawlessly for that exact same spot, making his whole body buckle and his mouth let out high-pitched moans that were partly drowned by Gyuvin’s wet kisses.
“Shit, Rik.”
Somewhere in that trance, Ricky smiled at the realization that he hadn’t heard this many curses come out of his boyfriend in all their years together—and he was proud of every single one of them, knowing they were because of him.
“You want another one, baby?”
“No,” he managed to gasp. “I need you to fuck me now. Please. Can you?”
“Condoms?”
“You know I’m clean.”
The need to feel him bare was overwhelming.
“I’m clean too.”
Ricky rolled his eyes at the unnecessary exchange. They had both gotten tested the first week back in Seoul—for obvious reasons—so there was no real need for them to talk about this. It was still cute that Gyuvin double-checked with him before doing anything.
“Oh, c’mon, don’t look at me like that!” Gyuvin shoved him playfully before squirting some lube onto his fingers. Ricky stared as Gyuvin generously slicked up his gorgeous cock.
“It’s been a while since I—”
“Me too,” Ricky interrupted way too fast, only to feel his cheeks grow hot under Gyuvin’s attention. His eyes softened before he leaned down, aligning their bodies again as he pressed a gentle kiss to his temple.
“I love you so much.”
“I love you too, Qubing.”
Gyuvin rubbed the head along his rim, prodding and circling, coating it even more with lube. It felt like the second he entered, everything would change between them once more. Ricky tried to reassure him by locking their eyes. He needed him more than anything—and Gyuvin’s eyes told that he felt the same way.
When he finally pressed the tip in, forcing him open, it felt so good.
So right.
He went in slowly, letting Ricky feel every inch of him until his hips pressed against his ass. He stopped there, breathing hard, looking down at where they were locked together and then back into Ricky’s eyes. His own were all unfocused and shining, probably feeling just as much as Ricky was, but he was somehow managing to hold the tears back this time.
“You’re shaking, baby.”
It wasn’t until he heard those words that Ricky realized he was actually trembling. He was feeling everything he’d ever wanted all at once, so of course he was a little overwhelmed—but not in a bad way. Never in a bad way with Gyuvin.
He tried to give him a small, reassuring smile, just to let him know everything was going exactly the way he wanted it to.
“You want me to stop?”
Ricky shook his head, the tremors of his body growing a little stronger.
“No. It’s just…”
“A lot?”
Ricky managed a nod.
“Breathe with me, okay?”
Gyuvin was still a little concerned, but he seemed to know exactly what Ricky needed. So he stayed deep inside him, not moving an inch, and began kissing his face—soft kisses to his cheek, the tip of his nose, then his lips.
It was hard to think logically when the only thing Ricky could focus on was that Gyuvin was inside him. Kim Gyuvin was inside him and kissing every accessible spot he could find while he tried to adjust to his size and steady his thoughts. He was so happy they’d finally allowed themselves to have this.
His boyfriend looked at him adoringly and brushed his thumb over his cheekbone.
“You’re so beautiful,” Gyuvin said before kissing him for the hundredth time that night.
He moved slowly, taking his time exploring Ricky’s body with his hands. Gyuvin lowered his kisses to his neck, and Ricky moaned at the slightest movement of his dick inside him.
He needed him.
He wanted him now.
“Qubing,” Ricky managed, his voice croaking as he pulled back just enough to look him directly in the eyes. “I’m ready.”
“We’ll go slow, okay?”
Ricky nodded again, gripping his arms, trying to steady himself a little.
“If you need me to stop, just say it, mhm?”
“Yes.”
Gyuvin pulled out slowly, then bucked his hips up again at a demonically slow pace. The drag of it made Ricky moan helplessly and bury his face in Gyuvin’s neck, inhaling deeply.
“Keep going.”
He was dizzy. Dizzy with the scent of him. Dizzy with the crazy sounds he was making. Dizzy with the delicious way he was being fucked by the love of his life.
His boyfriend complied with his request, guiding his cock in and out with deliberate movements. Every thrust reaching so deep, Ricky saw black spots behind his eyelids. His head was spinning and his dick was painfully hard.
“Oh my God, Gyuvin,” he growled, glancing down and seeing—feeling—just how deep he was. His whole body trembling as he fought the inevitable pull of his orgasm. “It feels so good. You feel so... fucking... deep.”
“You like it deep, baby?”
Ricky nodded, and Gyuvin smirked at him, pulling out completely, only to slam back in with one smooth thrust that knocked the breath out of Ricky’s lungs. It wasn’t enough that he was getting as deep as he could—he was taking his damn time, savoring every second and making Ricky suffer for it. And Ricky wanted more.
“Faster, Gyuvin, please.”
“You’re such a bossy princess, aren’t you?”
Ricky rolled his eyes. “Gyuvin, don’t you even dare start calling me—”
His protest cut off into a sharp cry when Gyuvin angled his hips and aimed directly at his prostate.
“Fuck!” Ricky mewled, arching his back. If Gyuvin was already this good, he couldn’t wait for him to really let loose. But now, there was just one thing he wanted. “Right there, Gyuvin. Please.”
“Here?”
He repeated the motion, and Ricky’s vision blurred with tears.
“Yes—yes! Please, Gyuvin, please!”
Gyuvin stayed right there, rolling his hips in steady circles, pumping into him while gripping Ricky’s ass hard enough to keep him in place and push even deeper.
“You feel incredible, my Rwick,” he murmured between kisses and slow, wet licks along the line of Ricky’s neck tattoo, “I don’t think I’ll ever want to leave. I love it in here.”
Those words alone nearly undid him.
Then Gyuvin’s hands moved up, thumbs brushing over his nipples, teasing and pinching as his thrusts picked up the pace and grew rougher. His low, sexy grunts and broken moans were the only thing Ricky could hear.
He tried to focus.
He tried to last a little longer.
But it was inevitable.
“I’m gonna come, Qubing,” Ricky gasped, feeling his hole clenching around him.
His release hit hard, spilling over Gyuvin’s glistening abs as his whole body shook some more. Gyuvin followed a second later, warmth flooding inside him, pushing Ricky over the edge again.
Everything blurred. He was spiraling, oversensitive and throbbing, breath stuttering in his chest.
“Gyuvin...” he whimpered.
He seemed to understand exactly what Ricky needed. He kept grinding lazily into him, softer now but still deep, like he couldn’t bear to pull away. He pressed their foreheads together as he kept pushing the cum into him as deep as he could.
“Baby,” he groaned, kissing him slow and sweet. “I love you so freaking much.”
. ₊˚
Ricky must’ve blacked out for a moment, because the next thing he knew, he was being lifted into strong arms.
Everything felt warm and heavy around him. A soft, wet cloth traced over his thighs, careful and tender as it cleaned him up. Then familiar fingers helped ease the cum out of him. He let out a small sound of protest, but Gyuvin only shushed him softly.
“I’ll be quick.”
Soon, he was back in those arms again, carried toward their bedroom. His vision cleared a little, just enough to notice their kittens already curled up together at the foot of the bed, waiting for them.
Cute.
Once they were under the blankets, Ricky breathed out a contented sigh. His happiness only deepened when Gyuvin slid in behind him, spooning him close and tucking him securely against his warm chest.
Gyuvin nosed along his neck, pressing lazy kisses to his skin, and rested one of his hands low on Ricky’s tummy, warm and protective beneath the oversized shirt he’d somehow managed to dress him in without him even noticing.
Ricky tilted his head back and kissed him.
“Hmm,” Gyuvin hummed in his lips.
They kissed slowly, sleepily, for a few seconds before pulling apart. Gyuvin smiled at him and gave him one last peck, tightening his hold and drawing him in.
Ricky smiled.
He fell asleep wrapped in Gyuvin’s arms, exactly where he belonged.
---˖⁺. ༶ ⋆˙⊹❀ ❀˖⁺. ༶ ⋆˙⊹---
D+67
[Thursday, December 25th, 2031]
ʚ🥭ɞ
Christmas was a blur.
They spent two full days celebrating—Christmas Eve with their friends and Christmas Day with Gyuvin’s family. Ricky’s mom couldn’t make it, so they promised to meet each other soon. Gyuvin was pretty excited about officially meeting his mother-in-law, but he’d have to wait a little longer.
The 25th at Gyuri’s house was a tight fit because everyone was there. They had lunch and exchanged gifts afterward. It only took three hours to get through everything this year. It was one of their other special traditions to watch every single present being opened individually, and Gyuvin would be lying if he said he wasn’t a little anxious about Ricky getting bored or stressed by it. But once again, Ricky blended right in and had fun with everyone else. He seemed completely at ease, and that made the whole experience much better.
Gyuvin was so happy, surrounded by his family. And when he thought it couldn’t get any better, Jen and his brother announced that they were expecting a kid. Everyone burst into tears and congratulations, but Gyuvin couldn’t get out of his head the look Ricky gave them as they showed everyone the ultrasound picture. It made Gyuvin realize that someday they could become parents as well—and that thought made him even more teary.
It kept snowing all day, and when they finally headed home, the buildings were completely covered in white, turning the city into a captivating winter scene. They held hands the entire way back—first as an excuse to warm Ricky’s fingers, and then simply because they wanted to. They talked to Ricky’s mom about their day over a FaceTime call as the city passed by outside the windows. It took them a while to get home because of the traffic, but they still managed to arrive before seven. Plenty of time to enjoy the rest of the day together.
Ricky picked Mango up as soon as they got home, with Strawberry following close behind.
“Hot chocolate?” Gyuvin asked as he took off his coat and rolled up his sleeves.
“Please.”
They moved in sync after that. Ricky fed the kittens while Gyuvin prepared two mugs of hot chocolate. It was already their tradition to spend the end of Christmas Day together, but it was the first time they did it as a couple.
“Should I get your presents?” Ricky asked, peeking from behind him and resting his chin on his shoulder.
“Go get them while I finish this, and I’ll get mine after.”
Ricky hummed and kissed his cheek before disappearing to retrieve the presents.
Gyuvin was nervous—for a change. He’d been thinking about Ricky’s gift for a while now. Ricky loved Christmas almost as much as he loved presents, so Gyuvin felt a lot of pressure to live up to his expectations. The tricky part was that his boyfriend could buy himself anything he wanted, which meant Gyuvin had to think a little outside of the box. And still, he couldn’t wait to see what Ricky had picked out for him.
A few minutes later, his boyfriend reappeared wearing Gyuvin’s first present.
“I guess you wanted me to wear this?” Ricky asked, a little shy.
Gyuvin stared at him with a goofy smile on his face.
He’d bought them matching Christmas pajamas and left them sprawled across their bed before heading out earlier. Ricky had clearly understood the assignment. He looked so cute in the ridiculous outfit—a sparkly shirt with a cat wearing a Christmas hat printed on it and red chequered pants.
“I’m gonna put mine on!” Gyuvin squealed, pecking Ricky quickly on the lips before running off to change. “The hot chocolate is ready, by the way!”
He was buzzing with excitement at the thought of spending the rest of the day with his boyfriend. The plan was to exchange presents while drinking hot chocolate, then settle in for a Christmas movie marathon with snacks. Gyuvin couldn’t think of a better way to end the day.
When he came back, Ricky was already sitting on the couch, wrapped in a blanket and scratching Strawberry’s ears.
“You look cute.”
Gyuvin smiled at the compliment and paraded his dog-themed pajamas a little before hurrying over to kiss him again.
“You look cuter, baby.”
They snuggled together on the couch, their bodies close and the presents still hidden.
“You wanna start?” Gyuvin asked.
“You already started,” Ricky replied with a soft scowl that made Gyuvin giggle.
They exchanged some small presents first. Ricky got designer clothes for Eumppappa—according to him, so she could dress well “for the first time,” which Gyuvin didn’t agree with at all, because she is obviously the most fashionable dog out there. Gyuvin gave Ricky stickers from his favorite shows for his journal, which Ricky quickly saved in his binder.
After a few more cutesy presents, Ricky pulled a box from under the couch and handed it to him.
“Here.”
Gyuvin took it, inspecting it carefully. This seemed important. It was a box with a strawberry and mango drawing on the lid—which was obviously adorable—but he couldn’t quite guess what was inside.
“What’s on it?”
“You’ll have to open it.”
He wasn’t expecting what he found inside. It wasn’t just one thing—it was many things. There were drawings of him, of places they’d been together, photos, and little objects they’d picked up during their time together. But Gyuvin was mesmerized by the drawings. Ricky had drawn him. Over and over again.
“This is the first time you...” Gyuvin struggled to find the words. “I’ve never seen you drawing me before.”
“It was a delicate topic,” Ricky admitted. “Showing the person you love your stupid portraits of him...”
“Don’t you dare,” Gyuvin snarled, giving him a look. “This is beautiful, Ricky. Insane.”
He studied every single drawing. Gyuvin could see a kind of progression—not only in Ricky’s skills, but in their relationship. The closeness and distance between them were visible on paper, and it made his chest ache to realize how much time they’d spent apart, when all Gyuvin had ever wanted was to be with him.
It still made him feel strangely proud that Ricky had never stopped drawing him. It made him realize that their love had always been there.
“I love you so much, Rwick. This is beautiful.”
Ricky smiled at him. A real smile. His hands trembled just a little, probably because he was sharing a part of himself he’d never dared to. And Gyuvin was glad—proud—that he was worthy of it.
“There’s something else at the bottom.”
Gyuvin frowned and pulled out a blueprint. He eyed it with confusion. It looked exactly like the ones he used at work, but that couldn’t be right. Ricky nodded, so Gyuvin carefully unfolded the paper. When he recognized what it was, his eyes shot back up to Ricky.
“Why are you giving me the blueprint of the apartment?”
Ricky smiled, soft and a little nervous.
“You wanna move in with me?”
“What?” Gyuvin asked, completely dumbfounded. “I thought we were already living together.”
“We are,” Ricky said gently. “But I thought maybe you could redesign your old room. Turn it into a study for now. And later... we could make it another room, if we need one.”
Gyuvin’s eyes widened.
“And you’ve already mentioned some ideas before about other possible layouts for the house...”
“Ricky,” Gyuvin said, voice a little shaky. “What are you trying to say?”
“I’m saying you can change anything you want, baby. This is your house too. And we have an appointment next Monday to sign the papers and make it official.
For a moment, Gyuvin couldn’t say anything.
He stared at Ricky, the blueprint in his hands suddenly feeling heavier than paper ever should.
“You’re being serious.”
“I am,” Ricky whispered. “I want this to be real. I know we’ve been living together for a while now, but I want this to be truly our home. And if all it takes is for your name to be on the deed, that’s what we’ll do.”
“This is difficult to top, babe,” Gyuvin said, laughing weakly.
Ricky scooted even closer and kissed him.
“You don’t need to top it,” he said tenderly. “It’s something I’ve been wanting to do for a long time. I just waited until Christmas.”
Gyuvin nodded and kissed him slowly. “Thank you so much, Rwick.”
“No need to thank me,” Ricky replied, a smile tugging at his lips. “Just give me the last present. I know you still have one left—I can see it in your eyes.”
Gyuvin laughed, pulling back. His eyes stung with unshed tears as a mischievous smile grew on his lips.
“Get ready,” he warned, reaching under the blanket and pulling out an envelope.
Ricky arched his brow.
“Open it.”
Ricky did so carefully, revealing a small sheet of paper with a drawing of a sakura blossom branch.
“I’m scared,” he admitted after a moment. “What is this about?”
Gyuvin smirked.
“Okay, so—don’t freak out.”
Ricky’s hands immediately flew to his necklace, fingers fidgeting with it the way they always did when he was nervous.
“I’m already freaking out, Gyuvin.”
“Okay,” Gyuvin started, tugging at the hem of his shirt. “You might’ve noticed I’ve been sleeping in a shirt the past two days.”
“Yes...”
“And that I said I felt a little sick and didn’t want it to get worse.”
“Qubing...”
“I was lying,” he finally confessed, pulling the shirt over his head.
Ricky’s eyes dropped instantly to Gyuvin’s lower abdomen, where fresh ink bloomed against his skin—it was the same sakura branch on the paper.
“I know I always said I’d never get a tattoo,” Gyuvin rushed to explain, Ricky still openly staring. “But I wanted something permanent. Something that reminds me of you even when we’re apart. A necklace or a ring just... felt too easy to lose.”
Gyuvin had been expecting a reaction, but Ricky was completely speechless, so he kept rambling more timidly.
“It’s a sakura branch because it’s our flower. And it symbolizes renewal. Which feels right—because to me, this is a renewal of us. A better version. After all those years stuck between friendship and misunderstandings... we finally became this.”
Ricky looked up slowly. “Gyuvin...”
“Also,” Gyuvin added, excitedly pointing at the tattoo, “there are three blossoms. See? The two open ones are us. The third is whatever comes next.”
Gyuvin watched in slow motion as Ricky’s eyes filled with tears and immediately reached up, brushing his thumbs beneath them before they could fall.
“Do you like it, baby?”
Ricky broke down with a sob, nodding as he wrapped his arms tightly around him. Gyuvin flinched when the fabric brushed against his sensitive skin—but he held on anyway, just as tightly, pressing his face into Ricky’s collarbone.
“Can I touch it?” Ricky asked after a moment, when his breathing finally steadied enough for them to pull apart.
“Of course,” Gyuvin smiled. “It’s yours.”
Ricky’s cheeks flushed faintly at that, but traced the branch carefully with the pad of his finger, completely in awe.
“It’s beautiful.”
“Matthew recommended the place and helped me with the—”
“It’s perfect,” Ricky interrupted. “I’m sorry. It’s just... it’s too much for me to process. I don’t know how to show you how much I love this.”
“You don’t need to.”
“And it’s hot, too.”
This time, it was Gyuvin’s turn to get all red.
“I hope,” Ricky said, still touching the tattoo and not quite meeting his eyes, “that you love me more than last Christmas.”
Gyuvin laughed, breathless at the absurdity of that sentence.
“That’s impossible.”
Ricky looked up, lips parting, ready to bicker—but Gyuvin cut him off, cupping his face for him to look straight at his eyes.
“There’s no way I can love you more,” he admitted, his lips suddenly feeling very dry. “I already loved you with everything I had last year. And the year before. And every Christmas we’ve spent together.”
His boyfriend’s expression softened, his eyes growing big.
“So... you don’t love me more than last Christmas?”
Gyuvin smiled.
“I just get to love you better.”
Ricky leaned in and kissed him—slow and tender, full of everything they’d survived to get here.
The snow kept falling as they watched movie after movie together, curled into each other, hearts full, knowing that this Christmas wasn’t just special—it was the first of many where they finally were allowed to show their love fully.
---˖⁺. ༶ ⋆˙⊹❀ ❀˖⁺. ༶ ⋆˙⊹---
D+365
[Tuesday, October 19th, 2032]
ʚ🍓ɞ
Ricky walked barefoot through his family's LA house, following Gyuvin’s cheerful, excited voice. It had been difficult to get out of bed with all the kissing and cuddling, but Ricky had eventually forced Gyuvin to get into the shower—and then into the kitchen to make breakfast while he finished his skincare routine.
They’d already been in LA for a few days. This trip was for Gyuvin to meet his mom and sister as his official boyfriend, and to celebrate their first anniversary. The weather had been perfect—warm and dry, ideal days for the pool or the beach, and slightly cooler nights that made it easy to curl up together under the bed sheets.
When he reached his childhood kitchen, he couldn’t stop the smile that spread across his lips. Gyuvin was facetiming Gyuri while he prepared scrambled eggs for his signature avocado toast. Everything on the counter looked like it was either messy or barely holding on to the surface, but somehow, he was managing. He was getting better at cooking. A little, at least.
No matter how many nights Ricky fell asleep wrapped around Gyuvin’s arms or how many hours they spent together, it still didn’t feel like enough sometimes. He had these moments where he would look at him while he wasn’t looking back, and he felt himself grow small under the weight of how much he loved that man. He was his everything.
Ricky tiptoed over and wrapped his arms around Gyuvin from behind, hugging him and resting his face on the curve of his shoulder, like he always did.
Gyuvin turned his head and beamed.
“Morning, babe.”
Ricky buried his face deeper into his collarbone. How could he still make him blush with just two stupid words?
“Morning,” he muttered shyly.
After a moment, he pulled back from his hiding place and looked at the screen. His sister-in-law was looking at them with mischievous eyes.
“Morning to you too, Gyuri,”
Gyuri smiled brightly, mirroring his brother's smile, and waved from the other side.
“You two are so sappy! Happy first anniversary, lovebirds!”
Ricky laughed.
”Happy one year of being married to you, too.”
“You look so relaxed.”
He was relaxed. Spending time with his mom and sister, staying off social media, enjoying the sun, and his boyfriend—it felt like he was adding years to his life.
“We really are.”
“You don’t look stressed either,” Gyuvin said. “How are the babies behaving?”
Woonhak and Gyuri were celebrating their own anniversary in Seoul, staying at Gyuvin and Ricky’s penthouse. They lived in a small town outside the city, so being there felt like their own getaway.
Gyuri rolled her eyes just as Woonhak’s face appeared on screen, their two kittens barely secured in his arms.
”They’re behaving so well!” he cooed, struggling to keep Mango from wriggling free.
”They’re so needy…” Gyuri said at the same time.
“They are,” Gyuvin admitted with a laugh.
They talked a bit longer, Gyuvin’s hair tickling in Ricky’s cheek, his familiar scent making Ricky feel grounded. By the time they hung up, breakfast was ready.
Ricky climbed onto one of the tall chairs by the kitchen island. His gaze drifted to Gyuvin’s bare torso, now fully facing him, his eyes lingering shamelessly on his favorite part.
“Control yourself, jagiya.”
Ricky ignored his teasing and dug his nails into the sakura blossom tattoo, making Gyuvin breath hitch loudly before letting out a husky laugh.
“I’m just admiring what’s mine.”
Gyuvin smiled darkly at that and stepped closer, slotting himself between his legs. He tugged his t-shirt up to reveal the newest addition to Ricky’s skin. “I like mine, too,” he smirked, clearly loving the matching tattoo Ricky had rushed to get after seeing Gyuvin’s.
“But it’s not your favourite,” Ricky pouted, nudging him away with the back of his hand, t-shirt falling back into place.
Gyuvin leaned in again and pressed a soft peck to his lips.
“You know I like all your tattoos.”
“You better,” Ricky said, narrowing his eyes at him until they both broke into laughter.
After setting the food in front of them, Gyuvin finally sat beside him. They ate the delicious breakfast as they scrolled on TikTok for a while, until Gyuvin got up to grab the mangoes.
He had a thing for that fruit. Ricky couldn’t exactly be jealous of a fruit, but if he could, he’d definitely hate mangoes.
“You want some, babe?”
“Please.”
Ricky waited while Gyuvin peeled and sliced the mango with practiced fingers.
“Open.”
Gyuvin popped a piece into his mouth. It was tasty. His boyfriend knew how to pick the best mangoes. He fed Ricky a few more pieces. One for Ricky, two or three for him. Juice coated Gyuvin’s fingers by the end, making them sticky and shimmering.
When Gyuvin held out the last piece, Ricky caught it with his mouth. But before his boyfriend could pull his hand away, Ricky leaned forward and darted his tongue out to lick the remaining juice from his fingers. He lingered there, sucking them lightly.
Gyuvin glanced around instinctively and groaned, pulling his hand back—even when they both knew his mom wouldn’t be home until lunchtime.
“We need to go, Rwick,” he said, stepping away like it was actually hurting him. He didn’t break eye contact, though. “We still have to buy the food for today’s barbecue before your sister and mom get back.”
Ricky knew that. Still, he smiled.
“I know,” he murmured, licking his lips before leaning in to press a slow, wet kiss to Gyuvin’s mouth, making him groan once again. “Just wanted to taste it from you.”
Gyuvin exhaled sharply. “You’re going to be the death of me.”
Ricky had lost count of how many times he’d heard that from him, but he didn’t want him to stop any time soon.
. ₊˚
They said no presents.
They’d been extra clear on that when they decided on the trip as their mutual anniversary present. But, of course, Kim Gyuvin had other plans.
“I can’t believe you didn’t keep the promise.”
Gyuvin ran his hand along Ricky’s wrist as they walked to an unknown destination. He patted each of his knuckles before answering. “It’s something for both of us, I swear.”
“You still tricked me,” Ricky kept complaining. “You should’ve given me a heads-up or something, at least.”
Gyuvin stopped in his tracks, pulling Ricky with him and making him almost stumble over his own feet.
“Gyuvin!”
“Give me kiss,” he said, pressing his long, stupid finger against one of his cheeks. “And stop complaining. I haven’t done anything yet. We’re just walking around this beautiful beach together to celebrate our anniversary.”
Ricky stared at him. He was right. Damn him.
Still, he was Gyuvin. He needed to do something goofy every few minutes, so he turned his head at the last second when Ricky’s lips were about to land on his cheek, catching his mouth instead. Ricky knew Gyuvin had to be feeling his smile against his lips, but he just kissed him slowly. Unhurriedly. Savoring him.
He didn’t forget to kiss his cheek before taking his hand to keep strolling.
During lunch, Gyuvin had asked his mother to tell him about a quieter beach for them to spend time before their dinner reservation. So here they were, walking as the day faded, with the sound of the waves surrounding them.
Ricky felt so happy as their casual conversation flowed back and forth. They talked about how nice Nicholas’ new boyfriend was. They’d met him a few days ago, in one of Nicho’s days off from his new makeup campaign here in the States. They even talked about his mom’s new neighbour. She was obsessed. Joshua was allegedly an American-Korean singer, and she kept insisting that they had to talk to him.
“I need to cover your eyes,” Gyuvin suddenly said, making Ricky turn to him, eyes wide.
“What?”
“Please?”
Gyuvin was now holding a white blindfold up to him, and Ricky was about to implode.
“Why?”
“Do you trust me?”
Ricky blinked at him. “Of course, I trust you. But why—”
“No questions.”
When Gyuvin secured the blindfold in his eyes, he took his hand, and they started walking. Each step he took made his stomach do weird flips at the many possibilities. He didn’t really know what Gyuvin could still surprise him with. But he was as scared as he was excited to find out.
“I’m going to pick you up,” Gyuvin informed right before manhandling him into his arms in bridal style.
Ricky yelped, his legs kicking uselessly in the air.
“What the fuck!”
“We’re a little tight on time,” he explained. “We’ll get there faster this way.”
Ricky wrapped his arms around Gyuvin and held onto his body as he waited. He could hear his labored breathing, and he knew it wasn’t only because of carrying him. Gyuvin was nervous. And that made him more nervous.
“How long?”
“Almost there,” he said. Ricky could hear Gyuvin’s smile. “Be patient. You’ll love it, baby.”
He kept walking for a while until he came to a sudden stop and lowered Ricky carefully to his feet, his hand not leaving his waist until he was steady on the sand again.
Ricky couldn’t sense anything different, so he just waited.
“Okay,” Gyuvin said suddenly. “Gonna take this off, okay?”
He just nodded. He was really nervous.
When the blindfold was removed from his eyes, it took a second for his vision to adjust. Time slowed as he took everything in.
The sunset was already almost gone, so the low, warm light of the candles surrounding them was the strongest light his eyes captured.
The candles were placed on different points, forming a circle around them. He didn’t know how Gyuvin had managed to bring them to the center without him noticing, but he had. There were petals all over the sand beneath them, making the place look like it was taken straight out of a fairytale.
When he turned to Gyuvin, he saw him holding a bouquet of white and blue roses.
“This is for you,” he said, handing him the flowers. “They should be starting in less than—”
He was cut off by the first boom.
Ricky's heart jumped, and his eyes flew to the star-filled sky to see the first firework explode. It was on the shore across from them, but he could clearly see them now. One after the other.
Fireworks.
He must’ve lost the ability to speak because he just stared and stared at them, unable to look back at his boyfriend—this whole situation too big for him to understand. The decorations reminded him of the place he ran to during Gyuri’s wedding, where Gyuvin asked him out. And the fireworks...
“Ricky, baby,” Gyuvin whined, taking his free hand and pulling him gently so he faced him. “I’m sorry.”
They stared into each other’s eyes for a second.
“I’m sorry,” Gyuvin said again. “Because I once missed the opportunity to ask you out under fireworks. And it still hurts to think about all the time we lost because of that day.”
“You don’t need to apologize.”
He ignored Ricky as his hand moved to the back of his trousers to grab something.
“But I also want you to know how much I love you, Ricky. In the past, I felt like I didn’t deserve you, and it seemed enough just to be close to you. Back then, I thought that could be enough if that meant keeping you by my side.”
Ricky felt his bottom lip trembling.
“But it wasn’t enough.” Gyuvin’s voice faltered. “I learned the hard way that I didn’t want to watch from the sidelines anymore. I wanted to finally accept the love you’ve always been ready to give me—to stop letting my insecurities hinder our happy ending. I realized that I will always love you, no matter what.”
A ring box came into view, and Ricky had to remember himself to breathe.
“I thought maybe I could still ask you something with fireworks as our background,” he said with a soft, nervous laugh.
Ricky felt his whole world collapse as Gyuvin dropped to one knee in front of him, opening the ring box and revealing a delicate gold band with a small but pretty diamond in the center. Just perfect for him.
“I know we cannot get legally married in Korea, but I don’t care. I just need to be able to call you mine. Forever. You’re it for me, Ricky.”
He pulled the ring out of the box and took a shaky breath.
“This last year has been the best year of my life. Every moment I’ve spent with you, every morning I’ve woken up with you in my arms... When I look at you, I feel complete. I feel like home. And it’s been like this since the first day I met you. You’re my best friend, Ricky. My soulmate.”
“Oh my God,” Ricky gasped.
“And I know some people might think this is too soon—because technically we’ve only been dating for a year—but... damn it, I’ve been loving you for more than half of my life. So I feel I’m overdue.”
Ricky felt his whole body trembling, the world around them fading away.
“Shen Quanrui,” Gyuvin looked up at him with his shiny, hopeful eyes. “All I want is you. It’s always been you. It will always be you. I promise to love you every single day of my life. Would you make me the happiest man on earth by marrying me?”
ʚ🥭ɞ
The light of the candles danced across Ricky’s face. He was staring at him. Blankly. His eyes full of tears that didn’t seem ready to fall yet. And Gyuvin waited for him. He knew he was slowly processing everything, so he dug his knee deeper into the sand and waited and waited.
It was probably less than a minute, but felt like a lifetime.
The sob that escaped his boyfriend nearly killed him. “I love you so much, Qubing.”
His voice was truly struggling to come out clearly, but he kept talking.
“I... I really don’t know how to—” Ricky got slightly distracted by multiple fireworks exploding at the same time. His gaze moved from him to the fireworks, to the roses still in his hand, to the petals on the sand, and back to him again. “H-how can I...”
Gyuvin waited. He waited for him to sort his thoughts out. He had already said everything he meant to. He’d spent all day thinking about this. Well, not only that day, but ever since they got the tickets to LA.
“I want to spend every day of my life with you, Gyuvin.”
And there it was. The words Gyuvin needed to hear to break his composure. He had been holding on for dear life until that moment, when his tears finally started falling, mirroring Ricky’s.
“I’m yours. Forever, Qubing.”
Ricky extended his hand for him, his finger slightly arched, inviting him to place the ring. That was the final blow.
“Is that a yes?”
Ricky’s tears flowed freely down his cheeks now as he nodded.
Gyuvin smiled foolishly and slid the ring onto his finger—it fit perfectly. He was so happy. He grabbed Ricky’s hand and kissed it, pressing his lips firmly against the ring. Against his fiancé’s hand.
Ricky sobbed again.
Gyuvin stood up, took the bouquet from his hands to set it down on the sand for a moment, and pulled him by the waist until their bodies were flush against each other.
“You can’t escape from me now.”
“You can’t either.”
Between smiles and tears, Ricky looked at his hand, now adorned with the beautiful ring, and pressed it to his heart.
“You’re insane,” he finally said. “How did you manage to prepare all of this?”
“I did some research and found out about the fireworks, and got Nicho and Juju to help get everything ready before we arrived.”
“I swear,” Ricky said, “I can’t believe you did all of this. It’s crazy.”
“Your mom also knows.”
“What?”
“She got very involved after I asked her for permission to marry you.”
“Oh, my God,” Ricky squealed, covering his face with his hands. “That’s so embarrassing! What did she say? Did she say anything?”
“Just what a proper mother needs to tell the future husband of her son.”
“Did she threaten you?”
Gyuvin laughed out loud at how sharp Ricky was. How well he knew his mom.
“Just a little.”
“I’m going to kill her!”
“Don’t,” Gyuvin said, interlacing their hands and feeling the cold metal press against his own fingers. “I need her alive for our wedding.”
“Stop, please,” he pleaded, their foreheads touching, eyes closed. “Give me some time to get used to it first.”
“I love you,” Gyuvin said.
“I love you too.”
They kissed, all wet-eyed and breaths shaky, feeling each other in this new step of their relationship. When they parted, they stayed close—Ricky watching the last fireworks with shining eyes, and Gyuvin watching Ricky.
. ₊˚
Later that night, legs tangled together in their bed, it finally felt real for Gyuvin.
“We’ll do the games again!” he realized all of a sudden. “And we could invite everyone! Imagine Gunwook and Yujinnie there—it would be crazy, impossible to win…”
His mind ran wild, imagining all of their family and friends reunited to celebrate their wedding. His body trembled with excitement.
“And also, we need to convince Woonhak to play with The Neighbors again,” Gyuvin was almost bouncing now. “Oh my God, Rwick, it’s going to be so awesome. And our babies! We could find something cute for them to wear. Maybe Mango won’t want to… Oh! But will they get along with Eumppappa? Because she needs to be there too, or I’ll—”
“Can I ask you for my wish?”
Gyuvin shifted in the bed, facing towards him. “Your what?”
“My wish, remember?”
Gyuvin had completely forgotten about the wish. The wish Ricky had won back in Gyuri’s wedding. The wish he had never asked for.
“Sure?” he said, raising an eyebrow. “Were you even listening to me?”
“Would you marry me?”
That caught him off guard. He glanced at the ring he had just given him.
“My wish,” Ricky continued, his voice low but sure. “I want to use my wish. And my wish is to get married here. Before we leave.”
That threw Gyuvin completely off track—it felt like falling off Everest. Ricky wanted to marry him now, in less than five days, because that was all the time they had left before leaving the country.
He wanted to marry him now.
“Gyuvin?”
“Yes, I’m—I’m... wow, I just—”
“If we get married here,” Ricky said, lowering his eyes to their hands, linked under the light blanked, “we could be legally married. Officially. Then we can have the ceremony there. With everyone.”
Gyuvin had so many things to say, but he struggled to process them. Ricky wanted to marry him. In the next few days.
“I know we’re far away from home,” Ricky continued when Gyuvin remained silent. “It’s okay if you don’t... Oh my God, Gyuvin, I’m sorry. It’s just a suggestion, we don’t need to—”
Gyuvin cut him off with a kiss, still unable to speak. When he pulled away, he waited for Ricky to open his eyes and meet his gaze. Then he pressed a thumb over Ricky’s cheek, caressing him, pressing over the small mole under his eye before cupping his jaw and pulling him closer to kiss him again.
Ricky was smiling when he pulled away. His gums showing, making Gyuvin’s heart ache.
“So,” Gyuvin asked softly, “where would you like to marry me, Mr. Kim?”
Ricky’s cheeks turned so red that Gyuvin had to hold back his laugh.
“Really?”
Gyuvin nodded.
“We need to tell my parents and family, though,” he said. “And the boys. I don’t want them to kill us during our first week of marriage. But yeah, Ricky. I want to marry you. Anytime. Anywhere.”
Ricky smiled again.
And Gyuvin felt it—the warm feeling of forever wrapping around his chest, spreading through his whole body.
This was everything he could have ever wished for.
Exactly one year ago, they had finally allowed themselves to be together, to love each other fully. They opened their hearts to each other. And today, they were doing it all over again.
They had made it.
---˖⁺. ༶ ⋆˙⊹❀ ❀˖⁺. ༶ ⋆˙⊹---
---˖⁺. ༶ ⋆˙⊹❀ ❀˖⁺. ༶ ⋆˙⊹---