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Alver has never thought of himself as someone who can be consumed with the thoughts of someone's physical appearance.
After all, he himself is a dark elf with a devastatingly attractive physique - his face and body is something men would kill for and women would drool over. People have complimented his appearance for years, and he's proud of it.
Of course, while he might be inferior compared to the dragons and whales, he makes up for it with his charm. He's known to hold a certain grace and a majestic aura on him - thanks to his upbringing as a royalty - and that adds to his appeal.
He never doubted that no one - moreso a human - could make him change his mind about not being attracted to physical characteristics. in the first place, love or sex are not in any of his interest.
Cale Henituse, apparently, is an exemption.
It was an accident, the first time he saw Cale's naked body.
Not fully naked, of course. Cale was wearing his pants, his… his lower organ thankfully protected from Alver's probably invasive stares.
"Fuck- Sorry!" Alver yelped, quickly turning away from the man. God, Cale was going to give him a headache. In a good way. Maybe. Maybe not.
(The soft-looking, pale chest engraved itself into his mind. He could barely fall asleep with the shameful thoughts.)
I teleported at the wrong time, Alver thought, fidgeting in his position. He remained standing, firmly turned away from his dongsaeng.
Because his back was turned, he failed to see Cale blinking in confusion. "Hyung-nim?" The red-haired man picked up a shirt, inserting his arms into the sleeves. He didn't button up.
Alver peeked to the side, relieved to see a hand peeking out a sleeve. Cale must have finished dressing up. That was fast. So he turns around, and-
"Cale!" He very nearly screamed.
Cale Henituse, Young Master Silver Shield, Supreme Commander of Allied Forces, is presenting himself to the king of the Roan Kingdom with a shirt that covers up nothing of his upper body.
"What's wrong, Hyung-nim?" Cale asked, scrunching his nose.
Oh my god, Alver hysterically thought, Is this bastard really that oblivious? Button up, goddamnit!
He showed none of the panic that's going on his mind. Instead, he smiled. "Dongsaeng, would you mind buttoning up your shirt?"
Wrong request.
The moment Cale finished fixing his shirt, all buttoned up - thankfully - Alver quickly realized his mistake.
The shirt was tight, hugging Cale's slim figure. The man was painfully thin despite eating healthy meals, and his waist-
Oh god his waist.
Cale's waist was thin.
Alver thought he could wrap both of his hands around the redhead's waist, front and back, and it would still have an overlap of a few inches. His hands might not be too big, but they're long and can snugly wrap around Cale's waist.
Why is he even thinking about this?!
"Dongsaeng, why is your wa- mmh," Alver cut himself off, ears turning red. The color spread down to his neck, and he was pretty sure he resembled a tomato by now.
Cale looked at him, prompting him to continue. "My…?"
Alver shook his head, not trusting his mouth to not blurt out his shameful thoughts.
No, but. Look at that waist… How would it feel to have my hands wrapped around that? How thin is it? Can i caress-
"Eyes up, Hyung-nim." Cale sounded utterly amused, watching the dark elf as his eyes keep trailing down to his waist.
He had no idea why his hyung had a sudden fascination for his waist. There's nothing there, but it's quite hilarious teasing the other. The caught expression that he made was adorable.
The king turned an even darker shade of red. "Right. Sorry." He coughed, then attempted to look serious.
Keyword: attempted.
The man couldn't speak straight as he told Cale his purpose for his unannounced visit, eyes trailing down to the other's waist every now and then.
It didn't help that Cale always flashed him a knowing look whenever he snapped himself out of his … waist obsession.
That night, his dreams were full of a certain redhead and a certain redhead's certain body part.
The second time he saw Cale's waist, Alver would like to think he was more composed than the first time. (oh hey look, a blatant lie!)
Saw is not the right term. Perhaps obsessed over would be a better one.
He gawked, the normally well-controlled expressions running out of reach as Alver took in the view.
"Cale… Are you. Are you wearing a corset??????" Yes the amount of question marks were necessary. Alver was too confused, incredulous and maybe a little turned on all at the same time.
The other man shifted, looking embarrassed and annoyed and a lot of emotions visible, yet there was no trace of him being uncomfortable. In fact, despite looking awkward, his eyes held a pleased glint.
"It's not like I wanted this," Cale mumbled, like the liar that he is, "Miss Rosalyn wanted to see me wearing a corset. Apparently something about wanting to see what I look like with it? Weird reason. The kids cheered her on. Here I am."
Alver's mouth kept opening and closing, like a fish. Cale was almost tempted to call him "fish-hyung." He didn't end up doing it.
When the blonde seemed speechless even after a whole minute, Cale snapped his fingers in the other's face. "Hello? Hyung-nim?"
The king snapped out of his waist-obsession-induced daze. "You crazy bastard- haah, you drive me crazy." This time not because of the paperworks that Cale's troublemaking comes with, but rather because of a Very attractive looking waist.
He's wearing a corset!!! A corset!!!!
Alver's internal gay panic continued.
A hand landed on the waist the king was very intently looking at. The owner? Cale. Of course. Who else would it be?
Thanks to the action, Alver's eyes once again zoomed in on the very very thin waist.
"Anyway, Hyung-nim, will you…"
Alver was not listening.
Waist? Thin. My hand? Long. Can I touch it. I really want to touch his waist. I want to wrap my hands around it. His waist is already thin and the corset - god, the corset - accentuated his very thin and very seductive waist. Is that even possible? How is a waist seductive? Am I weird? I don't think I am. I mean, just look at Cale's waist-
Cale stared at his hyung with barely hidden amusement, fighting to keep said emotion out of his voice as he continued speaking. He was tempted to tease the other and say how his eyes are not on his waist, but decided otherwise.
It's fun to play dense every now and then.
The third time Alver practically drooled over Cale's waist, he liked to think he was at least subtle about it. Well, more subtle than the previous times.
Cale was drenched like a rat, dripping wet all over Alver's office. He did not want to know what the other had been doing prior to his sudden visit.
Alver massaged his temples, feeling a headache form already. "What the hell did you do again?" He mumbled, not expecting a response. He stood up and went to grab some clothes from his closet, throwing them towards Cale.
"Go and take a bath. You're going to wet my stuff if you keep dripping all over." He sighed.
Cale had brightened up, beaming at the older man. "Thanks, Hyung-nim!"
Minutes later, Cale came out of the bathroom wearing Alver's shirt, without the pants, causing the latter to roll his eyes.
It looks big.
Alver observed the redhead as he stretched, drying himself off. The shirt was thin, outlines of the body showing through the fabric.
The speed Alver's eyes drift to Cale's waist was a little embarrassing. He hoped that his dear dongsaeng wouldn't notice his stares.
It looked thinner than the last time. Is he eating well? Now that it's thinner, how far can my hand stretch along his waist? Will it go past it?
As if to crush Alver's hope that he wouldn't notice, Cale turned his head to the side and saw the other's very intense look at his…
His waist.
Cale almost sighed. This hyung of his really had an obsession with his waist, didn't he?
"Alver."
The sudden call of his name made the king jolt. His eyes snapped up, locking gazes with an exasperated Cale.
Fuck- he didn't catch me staring, did he? I wasn't obvious, was I?
However, like a moth drawn to light, his eyes slowly trailed downwards to Cale's waist.
Heh. The redhead's lips curled up into a smirk. He did not understand his hyung's fascination with his waist, but he didn't need to understand something to tease someone about it.
Carefully, acting like he didn't know just what he was doing, Cale pulled the large shirt back. He pinned the fabric behind him with his hand, tying it into a knot.
"It's so big," Cale sniffed. "You don't mind me crumpling a shirt of yours, do you?" Without waiting for a response, he placed his hands on each side of his waist.
"Hnn." Cale heard the light whine in Alver's breath. He faked a yawn, hiding a smile behind his hand.
He was glad that this body's fingers were long, reaching towards the other hand on the other side of the waist. He slightly clasped the fingers overlapping on the front.
He almost laughed as he heard Alver make a strangled sound.
The first time Alver held Cale's waist was during a ball.
Cale had gotten sick of the nobles' pretentious smiles and greedy eyes. He left the hall, deciding to lounge around the garden.
Alver spotted Cale as he left. He sighed, wishing he could do that too, before going back to smiling at the noble in front of him.
His expressions remained bright, even when he wanted to smack the man for the obvious bootlicking.
Disgusting.
This man had supported Robbit, before. He was one of the nobles who were foolish as they openly criticized Alver for his lack of a mother.
Hilarious, considering the man had no father figure.
He let the man's words go in one ear and out the other, smiling and nodding patiently even as he wanted to strangle him.
"-And it's really surprising, considering His Majesty had no mother to teach him!"
Crack.
"Leave the hall immediately." Alver's happy facade faded in an instant, face turning frighteningly cold.
The man seemed to understand that he had said something wrong, hurriedly apologizing and refusing to leave. Angered, Alver motions to a guard to drag the man away.
All of this happened without a soul noticing them.
Alver wanted to step out, so he did.
He found himself in the garden, hands clenched into a fist as he remembered the comments of the man before. His nails dug into the skin, breaking it and drawing out blood. He didn't notice.
-considering His Majesty had no mother to teach him!
"Haah, damn it." Alver scoffed.
A cold hand wrapped around his own, and the blonde startled. He turned to look at the owner, and-
"Cale…"
The redhead didn't glance at him, taking out a handkerchief and gently dabbing it around the bleeding area. He clicked his tongue, "You can't be careless about hurting yourself, Your Majesty. You're the King. If you're hurt, people will panic."
"Hyung-nim. And why are you here, dongsaeng?"
Cale looked at him for a second, before turning his attention back to the bleeding palm. "Am I not allowed to, Hyung-nim?" He wrapped the handkerchief around Alver's hand, quick and efficient.
"And you?" Cale asked, "You're the host. You should be in the hall."
"Someone pissed me off. I left the hall to cool my head." Alver answered, eyes turned toward the stars in the night sky.
A moment of silence passed, then Alver spoke again. "Hey, dongsaeng. Do you think life would have been easier if my mother was alive?"
"... Hyung-nim, I'm the worst person to ask that question to. Whether as Cale Henituse as Kim Roksoo, both of my mothers were dead."
Alver snorted. "Right. We both don't have mothers. Well, you have Duchess Violan, but it's not like she raised you. She isn't your biological mother, either, and you transmigrated years after the former Countess Jour passed away."
Cale hummed in reply.
Same as earlier, silence passed between them. Once again, something broke it. This time, however, it was neither of them.
It was the sound of music.
Alver tapped his fingers for a few seconds, then stood up. He bent down, offering a hand to Cale. "May I request a dance with the Roan Kingdom's hero?"
Cale scrunched a nose at the title, obviously displeased. "And I'm supposed to accept your request to dance because…?"
"Because I'm older than you." Alver answered, smug. Cale shot him an incredulous look, but took the offered hand anyway.
They swayed along to the melody, alone, together.
"Mn, this is probably an inappropriate thing to say considering our conversation moments ago, but your waist is really thin, Cale." Alver tried to appear nonchalant as he held Cale's waist, but the latter could see the excitement in his eyes.
Cale's lips quirked up as he snorted, "No worries. I knew about your obsession with my waist a long time ago."
Alver's jaw dropped, "You do?!" He seemed to be embarrassed as he exclaimed out loud, coughing to regain some of his dignity. "Ahem, what do you mean by that?"
"You're really cute sometimes, Hyung–nim." Cale chuckled, pressing his forehead against Alver's. He shifted, pressing his waist against the blonde's hand. "You know, if you wanted to touch my waist so badly, just ask me. I don't mind, although I don't understand why you like it so much."
Alver's face was definitely not a healthy shade of red. He flushed furiously, spreading down his chest. Cale would like to know until where the color spread.
"W-What-"
A kiss on the cheek.
"-blruehrdj?????????"
Cale had no idea why he felt so bold. All he knew is that Alver is adorable, his reactions are adorable, he wants to make Alver let out more and more of those reactions.
He's in love.
"Hm. I love you, Hyung-nim." Cale nodded, as if confirming it to himself. "Mhm. I love you. Even if you have a weird obsession with my waist."
Annoyed but utterly fond of the man, Alver pinches Cale's waist. The redhead giggles, the cute sound sending imaginary arrows to Alver's heart.
"We look like a cheesy couple."
Alver sent him a dry look, "Cheesy couple? You'd never find a couple where someone confesses so nonchalantly while teasing the person they're confessing to."
Cale smiled, "At least we're original?"
"Wow, you're really annoying."
A laugh, "Won't you confess to me, Hyung-nim? Ah, and don't wax poetic about my waist, please."
"Cale please shut the fuck up-"
Alver ended up confessing while his hands were caressing the sides of Cale's waist.
extra
Huh.
Thin waist.
Cale frowns, worried about whether or not his lover is eating properly. Is it even possible for men's waist to be that thin?
(Yes, Cale. In fact, your waist is thinner than his.)
He disregards his worries, knowing that his tendency to push food from his plate to Alver's ensures that the latter is actually eating. Alver is just too hardworking, which is why he remains slim.
Which means-
Alver's waist is really that thin.
… Cale supposes he now understands why Alver has an obsession with his waist.
His hands aren't that long compared to his family, but he's pretty sure his lover's waist would fit perfectly if he wrapped his hands around them.
Alver notices his stare, raising an eyebrow. A teasing smirk forms on his lips, "Do you get me now?"
"Oh, I do, alright."