Work Text:
“Quit staring.”
Bumuntong hininga si Jaehyun nang hindi pa rin siya tinantanan ni Donghyuck kakatitig. He can’t help it. Ang sarap lang nito bwisitin for no reason, lalo na’t nag-aaral ito. Donghyuck knows he should know better to not fuck with his boyfriend especially that exam season’s next week pero ang sarap lang magpapansin dito, testing if he can elicit a reaction from him if he just stared. And not the lovestruck stare his friends claim they see him do when Jaehyun’s around, the one where he stares unblinking, not saying anything at all until Jaehyun gives him a reaction.
Jaehyun sighs for the second time, finally turning to face him, and only then did Donghyuck drop his act to laugh out loud.
“I’m sorry.” he says, doubling over laughing. “Sorry, babe. Your face… it’s just so..” he waves his hand around. “Parang sasakalin mo na ako anytime.”
Umirap ito, and Donghyuck immediately clings on his neck para hindi na ito mabwisit ng tuluyan. He feels Jaehyun sigh (again), and then leans his head onto his.
“Sorry for being grumpy. You know how exam season is.”
“I know,” he says, fluffing his boyfriend’s hair. He can feel Jaehyun melt under his touch and it secretly gives him satisfaction. Effective talaga magpapansin dito. “I’m just gonna stay here and be silent. Hindi na ako magrereklamo. I know it’s for our own good. Alam ko namang you’re working hard to fulfill my dream of becoming a trophy husband.”
Jaehyun groans and Donghyuck laughs out loud, burying his face further on his neck. It always ticks Jaehyun off when he says he wants to be his trophy husband. Alam kasi nitong sinasabi niya ito dahil he doesn’t want to study well, kaya iaasa na lang niya ang future niya kay Jaehyun. At first, he’d pretend like he was annoyed his boyfriend wouldn’t have it, refusing to spoil him, but then hindi na niya masindak si Jaehyun over time at iniirapan lang siya nito. What a pity, sana ginamit niya na lang ‘yung tactic na ‘yon pag kailangan niya na talaga, but then again it’s all good because it became an inside joke.
“Are you mad?” tanong nito sa malambing na boses, hinahaplos ang braso niyang nakapulupot dito. Jaehyun leans in to kiss his arm, and Donghyuck tightens his hold on his old white t-shirt to stop himself from squirming. He doesn’t think he’ll ever get used to being on the receiving end of Jaehyun’s affections.
“Why would I be?” he asks, closing his eyes. Sobrang daya talaga nito dahil kahit walang ligo, he still smells like his favorite Jo Malone perfume. Sabagay, ipaligo ba naman nito ang buong bote sa sarili, tatagal talaga ang amoy ng ilang araw. He’s not complaining. Better cuddling experience for him.
“Because I’m not paying attention to you.” He hopes Jaehyun doesn’t notice the goosebumps appearing on his skin when he starts running his hands up and down his waist. Oh, this is bad. Gusto niyang kumandong dito at magpalambing buong magdamag, but he knows Jaehyun has work to do.
Donghyuck humms. “Small price to pay when I finally get a hot lawyer for a husband. A man’s gotta suffer in the process somehow.”
Jaehyun chuckles lightly near his ear, and he can’t help but squirm. Nakakakiliti kasi. “You really won’t let that go, huh?”
“Of course not,” he opens his eyes, kisses him on the neck. “Matalino ako, Attorney. And that means I know a good deal when I see it.”
“Hmmm, I haven’t agreed to it though so it isn’t really a deal.”
“Oh, I know you would.” Humiwalay siya dito, gives him a confident smirk. “You would, Jeong. I’m too good for you to let me get away. We both know that.” His smirk evolves into a grin, giving Jaehyun a peck on the lips just to be cheeky.
Jaehyun narrows his eyes at him after. “Where are you getting all this confidence, saan ka ba pinaglihi?”
Donghyuck laughs. “Confidence is a learned thing, baby. Let’s just say I graduated valedictorian when I was learning it.”
Jaehyun shakes his head, and Donghyuck lets him run his hand on his hair. He likes it, it's what Jae does when they’re already in bed and he wouldn’t shut up. It puts him to sleep immediately, pero hindi siya gagana this time kasi kakagaling niya lang sa masarap niyang siesta. Natulog siyang nag-aaral ito, at ganun pa rin paggising.
“Have dinner with me,” he says after a while. Not pleading, not threatening, just said in a matter-of-fact tone. Na parang alam niya nang papayag si Jaehyun kahit pa humindi ito on the first ask.
Jaehyun gestured to the mountain of schoolwork on his desk, but Donghyuck shook his head to say he wasn't having it. “Kahit isang oras lang. Hindi ka na humiwalay diyan sa civil law books mo. You ought to know each other very well by now.”
“Fine.” Jaehyun gives in, and Donghyuck lets out a celebratory smile, happy to pull him up from his computer chair.
—
They enter the kitchen, Donghyuck humming his Justin Bieber tunes and Jaehyun recovering from being glued to his Mac, iPad, and books all day long by walking around. Ngayon lang niya napansin, ang sakit na ng likod niya. Between the two of them, it’s Donghyuck who has the posture of a shrimp and definitely needs some correcting, but Jaehyun slouches when he’s too focused on something, a habit na recently lang niya nalaman. Hyuck pointed it out, even showing him a picture he secretly took dahil ayaw niya maniwala dito. He always prided in having the better posture between the two of them, pero ngayon nararamdaman na niya na tama talaga itong may gawain siyang ganun. He doesn’t want to say it loud though, baka sabihan lang siyang signs of aging na ito.
Speaking of aging–”Does it ever bother you sometimes?” tanong niya dito bigla.
Donghyuck reaches for some ingredients in the cupboard, and Jaehyun smiles when he sees his old PE shirt on Donghyuck, hitching up and revealing his tiny waist. “What does?”
“Our age gap,” Jaehyun shrugs, and Donghyuck turns around to laugh out loud at his face.
“Why do you make it sound like ang laki ng age gap natin! You’re just three years older than me!” Napailing iling ito at nagsimulang maghiwa para sa lulutuin nitong chicken curry. “I’m telling you now, Jae, stop sounding like an old man. Aasarin talaga kita. I’m warning you while I’m still nice.”
“Besides, who the fuck cares? We’re two consenting adults, we started dating when I was twenty. No one coerced anyone. It’s all chill.” Napatango tango siya. Nga naman. It was never an issue to them before.
“Why, are you bothered by it?” tanong naman nito. “No.” sagot niya. “Asked out of curiosity.”
Donghyuck hums and just lets the topic die down. He’s never really thought about it seriously before. Donghyuck is a smart person, and age gap or not, he knows he wouldn’t date him if he didn’t want to.
“Can I help you?” tanong na lang niya. He doesn’t really know how to cook much, but he can help around.
“No,” sagot ni Donghyuck, inihahanda na ang manok. “Just sit there and be pretty. Watch me be a trophy husband in training.”
Napairap si Jaehyun at kahit hindi ito nakita ni Donghyuck, alam nito kung ano ang ginawa niya. “Kidding, can you play some music na lang? It’s kinda quiet, I don’t like it.”
“Fine.” Tumayo siya at kinuha ang itim na Sony bluetooth speaker niya sa sala. He connects his phone and plays the first song he sees, and it makes Donghyuck whistle.
“‘Wag mo ilipat!” sabi nito. “Don’t you dare, that’s Journey.”
Wala namang magagawa si Jaehyun kaya naman ay pinanood niya na lang itong magluto habang sumasabay sa Faithfully. It was entertaining, actually. Donghyuck knew how to put on a performance without even trying. Jaehyun thinks if he wasn’t so committed to being a chemist, Donghyuck would make an amazing singer. Oh, he’d be Viva Records’ moneymaker for sure. He asked him about this before, kung ayaw ba nitong mag audition sa The Voice at baka madiscover ito, pero tinawanan lang siya ni Hyuck. “No way.” he said. “The world has enough hot singers to get by, but there’d be one less hot chemist if I quit studying to sing.” Ngumiti na lang siya. Donghyuck is someone who knows what he wants and puts his mind into it, so he never doubted his choice for a bit. Besides, he feels honored hearing him sing just for him, gaya ngayon, na ginagamit nito ang sandok bilang microphone, sinasabayan si Arnel Pineda bumirit.
Napatawa siya. It’s so silly, really. Damang dama talaga nito ang pagkanta ng Faithfully at todo bigay pa siya sa final chorus. Not that he’s complaining. He’s Donghyuck’s willing audience, today and forever. Kahit pa tumungtong na sila ng sitenta at gusto pa rin nitong bumirit ng mga kanta ng Journey, well, he’d sit in the dinner table without complains and watch him, bright as the sun, happy to be included in his world.
Donghyuck huffs. “Okay, hiningal ako dun ah.” Naghila ito ng upuan at umupo kaharap siya, immediately putting his feet on his lap. Jaehyun places a hand on his ankle, giving it a light press. “Medyo matagal pa ‘yan, sorry. Do you want to talk about your readings?”
Umiling si Jaehyun. He promised him an hour of his time, and that meant he’d leave the legal talk for another time. Blur took over the speakers, singing Beetlebum. “No, how about you tell me what you did this week?”
“Hmmm, I didn’t do much.” Donghyuck looks extra cuddly wearing his shirt, at gusto niya na lang lambingin ito. He feels bad for neglecting him. Hindi nga ito nagrereklamo na wala siyang imik buong araw, nakasubsob sa readings. “Just did lab reports, nag quiz, checked how our thesis is going.”
Jaehyun perks up at the mention of his thesis. “What happened to that thesismate of yours?”
“Oh, Ivan?” Jaehyun nods. “I had someone run him over with a car, no big deal.” His smile was so sinister it made Jaehyun laugh out loud.
“You’re evil.”
“You love me for it.” Donghyuck says with an air of confidence.
“You’re right.” He confirms, and he marvels at the cute smile he gave him. “But if you just committed attempted murder, assuming he survived, wouldn’t you need someone to defend you for that?”
Bumalik nanaman ang nakakalokong ngiti nito. “Why do you think I’m dating you?”
Napatawa nanaman siya. “I can’t defend you yet. I’m still a student.”
“A student with connections. Come on, Internal Vice President. Pull some strings for your boyfriend.”
Jaehyun only rolls his eyes, giving his ankle another pinch. “I’m not spoiling you, you’re crazy.”
Donghyuck pouts. “Aww, what happened to in sickness and in health, for richer or for poorer, til conviction do us part?”
“We’re not married,” he shrugs.
“Yet.” Donghyuck smirks. “We’re not married yet.”
Jaehyun feels warm all over, but he gives him an impassive face para lang maasar niya ito. “Hmm.. we’ll see about that.”
Sumimangot kaagad si Donghyuck at napatayo pa. “Anong we’ll see about that?”
Jaehyun couldn’t fight the laugh from escaping his lips. Sobrang cute kasi nito. Parang batang pinagkaitan ng candy. “Kidding.”
“Ayusin mo lang.” Donghyuck narrows his eyes at him, turning to check on the curry.
The smile stays on Jaehyun’s lips as he stands up to set the table.
—
“So you still think Cocaine is Clapton’s best song?”
“Of course,” Donghyuck replies through spoonfuls of rice. His cooking is good as ever, perfect for them to be debating musicians over. “The guitar is sick, it was a hit.” Tumingala siya dito. “Why, you don’t think so?”
“No, it’s mediocre.”
Donghyuck gasps, scandalized by his answer. “You take that back right now.”
“No way,” Jaehyun denies, “Ang dami niyang hits and Cocaine isn’t his best.”
“And you think fuckass Wonderful Tonight is?”
“It’s a classic!” he defends. Napailing si Donghyuck. “But I don’t think it’s his best.”
“Sige nga, kung hindi Wonderful Tonight o Cocaine, what is it?”
Uminom muna ito ng tubig bago sumagot. “Tears in Heaven.”
Donghyuck deflates in his seat, shaking his head slowly. “This family is hopeless.”
Jaehyun frowns. “Why not? You know the MTV Unplugged version is amazing, wag mong ideny.”
Huminga ng malalim si Donghyuck, at dahan dahan na inilapag ang kubyertos sa lamesa. “Jae, darling, baby, sweetheart, love of my life, you know we’re talking about his best song right? Alam ko you have a penchant for pampatulog songs but it’s just not it. You know it’s not it. Cocaine is his best song.”
“I think you’re rather biased with that accusation, love. I considered it without keeping my preferences in mind.”
“Hindi halata.” he replies sarcastically. “What you’re gonna tell me I Shot the Sheriff is his second best?”
The look on Jaehyun’s face says it all, and Donghyuck face palms. “There’s literally Layla, Change The World, Old Love, I Ain’t Superstitious to choose from and you’re telling me that silly little song is your second best?”
“The guitar’s funky!”
“You know what else is funky? You taste in music.” Sumubo ulit siya ng pagkain para hindi na siya mabwisit pa. “I can’t believe I’m dating a loser.”
“Seriously? You got mad at the thought of us not marrying earlier.” Jaehyun points out.
“That was before I found out how fucked your tastes are.”
“You cannot be serious.”
“Have fun singing about a sheriff who got shot and his deputy who survived.” He stands, deposits his dirty dishes into the sink.
“Asar talo.” he hears the smile in Jaehyun’s voice, it’s annoying.
“Whatever!” he says, plopping down on the sofa.
Nakakabwisit na tinawanan lang siya ni Jaehyun mula sa kusina. Hindi talaga nito sineseryoso ang pagka pikunin niya. Sometimes he wished Jaehyun was as short tempered as him so the fights would be satisfying, pero sa sobrang mature nito, nagsosorry kaagad kapag alam nitong siya ang may kasalanan. Donghyuck can only sigh.
“Oy,” he calls out. “Iwan mo na lang ‘yan diyan. Ako na maghuhugas.”
“No way,” sabi nito. “You cook I clean, I clean you cook remember?”
“Ugh, fuck that. Come here and just woo me already, damn it.”
Mas lalo lang siyang sumimangot nang marinig nanaman niya ang tawa nito. Why Jaehyun always finds him funny, he doesn’t know. “I’m not wooing you just because I think Cocaine is not Clapton’s best song.”
“Then come here and woo me just because.”
When he looks up from the glass table, he sees Jaehyun–shirt a little damp in the middle, hands on his hips, giving him a grin.
“Okay, what Donghyuck wants, Donghyuck gets.”
—
Contrary to what Donghyuck thinks, Jaehyun is always spoiling him. Hindi lang ito nahahalata because he doesn’t show it outright, but to him, what Donghyuck wants, Donghyuck will always get. Even if people call him soft for giving in immediately, he doesn’t mind. The pure joy he sees on his boyfriend’s face makes it worth it.
Kaya kahit pa lumagpas na ng isang oras ang break niya, hindi siya nagsalita. It was hard to leave the comfort of Donghyuck’s embrace on the couch. Kung pwede nga lang duon na lang sila magdamag, he wouldn’t mind listening to him complain about his complicated lab reports and even complicated professors. Donghyuck could complain and Jaehyun could brush his unruly hair while listening, maybe sneak in a few kisses from time to time, and when they fall asleep in the couch and wake up to sore backs, well that’s a problem for the Jaehyun and Donghyuck of tomorrow.
Napabuntong hininga si Jaehyun. Oh how he would love for it to be that way. Unfortunately, the world is cruel to law students. He would say he had it coming because he signed himself up for this, pero pakiramdam niya aping-api pa din siya sa schedule nila.
“Mag-aaral ka na ba ulit?”
He turns to Donghyuck looking up at him cutely, and Jaehyun had to fight at least ten demons inside his mind so he’d have the willpower to even stand up and get back to his readings.
“Yes, sorry.” He must’ve seen him looking at the clock repeatedly, at muntik nang masapok ni Jaehyun ang sarili niya. He promised Donghyuck his time but he couldn't help but worry. He didn’t mean for him to see him like that –tingin nang tingin sa orasan. Baka isipin nito na he’s keeping him away from his readings. He didn’t want him to feel guilty for asking him to spend time together.
Donghyuck pouts, at hindi na napigilan ni Jaehyun na pisilin ang pisngi nito. “You’re so cute.”
“Stay with me longer then.”
“I can’t.” sagot niya sa paos na boses. As consolation, he leans in to give him a kiss, and Donghyuck meets his lips halfway on instinct. The kiss is slow, sweet, and unhurried. Like they have all the time in the world. When Donghyuck tried prying his mouth open with his tongue, Jaehyun had to pull away with a chuckle.
“No, nothing too extreme. I’m going back now, baka kung ano pang magawa natin.”
“No!” pagmamaktol nito, and tried keeping him down by holding on to his shirt. “Mamaya na lang mga eleven please, ten forty na naman oh, sige na, another twenty minutes.” Donghyuck whines.
“No,” Jaehyun pats his head softly. “Baka hindi na ako umalis, ang galing mo pa naman magpacute.”
“Then don’t leave! Come on, Jae. I have more stories!”
“And I would love to hear more of them, but you know, I have work to do.” tatayo na sana siya nang hilahin siya ni Donghyuck pababa at umiling iling. God, what will he do with him? Does he know it’s taking all of Jaehyun’s self control to even take a step away from the couch? A part of him says readings be damned and just lay down with Donghyuck but he knows ikakamatay niya yata if he’ll fall behind his readings. Wala pa nga siyang reviewer na nagagawa.
“Love, please. After exams, you can have me all day.” He tries to console him, rubbing his back, but Donghyuck is too stubborn.
“But I want you today!”
Jaehyun sighs helplessly, and then, after staring at his pouting boyfriend for a second, he comes up with something.
“You’re really not gonna let me go? Paano na yung pangarap mo maging trophy husband ko niyan?”
Donghyuck sits up straight so fast it makes him laugh. Talagang seryoso ito kasi pinakawalan siya nito agad at umupo sa kabilang gawi ng couch.
“You know what, my stories can wait another time. They’re not important anywa. Mag-aral ka na don, shoo!” taboy nito sa kanya, and Jae shakes his head fondly before standing up. “I don’t even care about the twenty minutes anyway! Bumalik ka na sa readings mo, I’ll be here when you get back.” He gives him a well behaved smile. “You know, like a good trophy husband.”
Jaehyun shakes his head again, waves Donghyuck goodbye as he walks to his desk.
“Galingan mo, Attorney Jeong! Aral ka mabuti!”
Tatawa-tawa niyang hinarap ang madugo niyang readings, and as he fires up his Mac once again, Jaehyun thinks his life couldn’t be any better with Donghyuck by his side.