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Jeno stares at the way Donghyuck’s eyelashes fall over his cheeks as he pauses his endless bickering with Renjun to take a swig of his drink. He catches Jeno looking and sends a wink his way, both eyes closing (Haechan, star idol: great at many things, but there are exceptions). Jeno winks back with one eye, confident enough to when he’s pleasantly buzzed and just a little in love.
Donghyuck looks taken aback, flushing pink and staring down at his bottle. The liquid swirls as he shakes it, slowly looking back up at Jeno and looking away (Jeno’s mind is running a thousand miles a minute. Did Lee Donghyuck just blush because of him?). Renjun doesn’t seem to notice, giving Donghyuck a small side hug before passing out on his shoulder.
It’s 3am before they decide that sleep is a good idea, and Renjun sends them both a small smile when he wakes up, before faceplanting into his bed. Small snores follow them as they walk down the hallway. Jeno sees Donghyuck hiding a smile.
No one in the Dream dorm is awake besides them—Chenle's at home, Mark went to 127’s dorm, and Jaemin and Jisung went to their respective families for the off day.
They stand in front of Jeno’s room and Donghyuck looks up at him, a clear question in his eyes: you and me right? Jeno’s too tired to think about how this will feel tomorrow and if his heart will be okay with it by then, and nods slowly.
Donghyuck beams at him and pushes in. He’s been here a million times before but he still looks around and sits down in Jeno’s gaming chair before spinning around to face him.
‘Can I borrow something to sleep in? Just a pair of shorts is fine.'
Through the haze of makgeolli and sleep-deprivation (part of the idol package deal) he nods again, trying not to look like a complete fucking idiot. Reaching into his closet he tosses Donghyuck a pair and turns around so he won’t stare again.
A laugh comes from behind him when he turns. ‘Never took you for a prude Jeno-ya.'
‘Just giving you privacy, Haechan. Let me know when you’re done.'
Donghyuck lets out a small done and he finally turns back.
Sometimes—when he thinks about it—he realises, yeah. It’s pretty hard being in an idol group with the person that, at 14, you had realised you'd want to be with till you're both old and grey.
He’s always been a little in love with Donghyuck. It’s hard not to be. He heard what he felt verbalized in a Taylor Swift song once: 'you should think about the consequence of your magnetic field being a little too strong.’ Or maybe he just makes everything about Donghyuck.
Donghyuck looks up at him, a little smile playing on his pretty face. ‘Jaemin would be mad if I slept in his bed right? Can I sleep in yours?’
God. If only 14 year old Jeno could see him now.
To his relief, he recovers quickly, unconsciously just a tiny bit used to Donghyuck’s antics after years of being together. ‘Of course Haechan. I’ll sleep in Jaem’s bed.’
A small pout forms on Donghyuck’s mouth. He fights the urge to kiss it. ‘I know you’re Jaemin’s favorite, but he’ll get mad if you sleep there too. You could sleep with me instead?’. His voice lilts as he asks, letting Jeno know that maybe he’s not quite as confident as he lets on.
‘Oh! Of course.’
He finally looks up from where he was staring at the bed to Donghyuck already looking back, eyes soft from the drinks and fatigue kicking in. Smiling, he lifts the covers and slips into the bed, beckoning Donghyuck over when he sees him still hovering on the side. Turning off the light, he tries to fall asleep—counting sheep in time with the hammering of his heart.
Donghyuck is a cuddler. He sleeps with a pillow stuffed between his arms every night, and hugs people instead when they’re there. Jeno remembers this when he feels an arm slide over his waist and a nose rubbing against his back. Turning around, he gently lifts Donghyuck’s arm and hugs him in return.
‘Good night Hyuck-ah.’
‘Night, Jen.’
The next morning comes too soon. Jeno cracks an eye open, morning light blinding because the curtains weren’t closed the night before.
Two things make him pause, confused.
1) He always closes the curtains. He hates when the Sun wakes him up, disturbing his routine on his off days (wake up at 3pm, call his mom, eat some snacks, workout until evening, and sleep again).
2) When he gets up to close them, he can’t. There are feet twined into his, hands resting on his chest, and a mop of familiar brown hair splayed out on his pillow.
Oh.
Looking down he tries not to coo. Donghyuck’s cheeks and nose are pink from the hangover and his mouth is a little open, lips shaped in their perpetual pout. Jeno lies back down and reaches out to gently brush the bangs out of his eyes.
The tracing of his fingers on Donghyuck’s face seem to wake him, eyelashes fluttering and nose scrunching. The apologies on Jeno’s tongue die when Donghyuck smiles up at him.
‘That tickled.’
Jeno laughs, a small sorry slipping out after all.
He mills about for a while as Donghyuck dozes off again, picking up the pants Donghyuck left in the corner last night. His legs peek out from under the sheet, hanging off the bed. Jeno lifts them back on and tucks him in, worrying his lip as he tries to make him comfortable without jostling him awake (again).
About an hour later, Donghyuck sits up groggily, stretching his arms and making grabby hands at Jeno. Jeno thought he was used to this, spent nights cuddling Donghyuck in 2017 when life got too overwhelming and the job got less fun. He’s come to realise he’ll never truly get used to Donghyuck with his sharp words and soft edges.
Finally they get up, leaving the bed the way they woke up—tangled sheets smelling like makgeolli and fresh with the imprint of two bodies. Jeno closes the door behind him and follows a laughing Donghyuck to the kitchen.