Archive of Our Own

if johnny had repeatedly learned just one lesson throughout his life, it’s that nothing good ever happens on twitter.

yet, not unlike his nicotine addiction, there are certain itches that are nigh on painful if left unscratched. since acquiring even the slightest extent of fame, he’s become smart enough to know that tracking every little thing ever said about him on social media is a recipe for a potion that would murder his peace of mind, but when he’s not actively promoting anything and work opportunities are still a considerable stretch of the future away, sometimes, he genuinely has nothing better to do.

besides, he’s enough of an optimist to drown out any negative voices with the seas of positive and loving comments that come his way, so more often than not, the bullshit doesn’t get him down for long, if at all. however, one of the aspects of being in a globally-acclaimed group with eight other people often sees their wires getting crossed, thus, even if he’s just looking for posts about himself (not on any front of narcissism, but seeing negative posts about his groupmates, especially the one that he is dating, leaves a bitter aftertaste that’s a bit harder to get rid of compared to when he alone is the center of the ‘criticism’), he will inevitably see conversations surrounding the others.

this is where room for disaster had been made. he’d been minding his own business scrolling through his well-concealed burner account, and because he cannot resist photos of his boyfriend’s beautiful face, he’d managed to find himself skimming through one of jaehyun’s stan accounts. the incessant thirst tweeting about someone with which he is in a relationship is a little off-putting, but nothing he’s not used to nor that he hadn’t been expecting, so he disregards a lot of the text and just focuses on the pictures.

something about jaehyun with his golden blonde hair and the way the makeup department knows just how to emphasize the ethereal beauty strung between his features makes him look so angelic. he usually sees jaehyun just about every day, yet it never gets old; beauty like that is hard to get used to, and often had johnny been caught just staring at him when jaehyun was wrapped up in some mundane task, wholly focused on the simple things in life and certainly not trying to look appealing to anyone. 

that’s when he shines the most to johnny – when he doesn’t even try, when he’s bare-faced and half-naked in their kitchen tinkering with johnny’s fancy french press or cracking eggs into a cast-iron skillet.

but the done-up jaehyun is just as breathtaking as anyone with eyes attached to a functioning brain would expect. there are times where johnny resents having to share him with the whole world, but that’s just one of the caveats of being in love with a born superstar. but, as proud of jaehyun as he is, johnny’s happy to stand behind him rather than beside him at times, to show the world that the love of his life is really something special – the drawback is that most of the world doesn’t know that jaehyun is his love, the person that lights up his night skies and feeds the ever-growing hearth of affection at his core. maybe they don’t need to know, maybe they don’t even deserve to know, but johnny isn’t quite the type to hold back something so important to him for so long. but he just doesn’t have a choice here. neither of them do.

nevertheless, his session of admiring jaehyun had been abruptly interrupted by the presence of the offending photo; he’d stopped scrolling immediately, thumb frozen over the screen as an image of jaehyun pinned to some other man had come into view.

it’s an innocent enough picture; jaehyun holds the camera with an adorably proud look on his face, his smile just tight enough to hint at the presence of his perfectly symmetrical dimples, and beside him is one of the backup dancers for dojaejung, easily recognizable by his striking monolid eyes and the gleaming jewelry pierced into his nose (johnny had seen him a few times before; he’d danced for minho and a couple of other acts at the company, but he can’t quite remember his name), showing a simple thumbs up that just barely touches his chin in a way that johnny would find cute if he couldn’t taste bile rising up in his throat. it’s a perfectly innocent picture, indeed – except that they are so close, temples almost touching, and upon further inspection, johnny notices that jaehyun’s arm is around the other man, cradling him even nearer to his side.

now, johnny suh is not the jealous type. he can’t afford to be, with how men practically fall at his boyfriend’s feet – but beyond that, he has too relaxed of a temperament and trusts jaehyun too much to stress over every other man in his life. he doesn’t even care when jaehyun pretends to be in love with some woman in his acting projects because he knows that jaehyun doesn’t even like women, so they could never be of any threat to him. but something about this photo makes johnny’s skin crawl, makes his stomach turn.

maybe it’s the fact that he knows jaehyun’s type – knows the kinds of guys he’s been into, knows that if he were single, maybe …

something sharp and dark knocks against johnny’s spine, nearly causing him to drop his phone. he shifts where he sits on the mattress, sitting up from where he’d previously been reclined on the headboard, and clicks on the tweet to open up the replies.

mistake number one.

the first thing he sees is another image of jaehyun and this dancer together, albeit it’s from a group photo and whoever had posted it had just zoomed in on them. still, it’s the same story; they’re too close, and jaehyun’s arm is around him again (his arm is also around another dancer, but johnny doesn’t find it as offensive); but the sickeningly sweet cherry on top is the recurring comment he sees, which is some variation of ‘jaehyun has a work husband’.

work husband. what the fuck does that even mean? are they suddenly living in some boring hetero sitcom where the protagonist hates his wife and considers having an affair every episode?

one of the replies names the dancer’s instagram account, so johnny makes the informed and intelligent decision to look him up and see what other incriminating photos he may encounter.

mistake number two.

upon locating the correct profile, johnny finds that this man calls himself louis, and that he is quite serious about his craft as a dancer – which is great, even admirable, but it’s not why johnny went to the trouble to find him. the first post on his page is a slideshow with a selfie with jungwoo at the forefront, and in that moment, johnny learns that louis had taken pictures with all of dojaejung, which should make him feel better. 

except it doesn’t. the pictures with jungwoo and doyoung are nothing like the picture with jaehyun. theoretically, he and jungwoo are equally as close as he and jaehyun, but jungwoo gets too close to everyone, whereas jaehyun is quite the opposite. the picture with doyoung looks perfectly normal and fraternal, and as johnny scrolls to the last picture, the one with jaehyun, the distinction is clear as day.

just as johnny feels something burning deep in his gut, his phone chimes, and at the top of his screen, just above the picture he’s been staring at with ire for god knows how long, a message from jaehyun appears.

babyboy 🍑💕at 7:48pm:
⇒ thank you, hyung. i’m still so shocked that we won today.
⇒ by the way, i asked my manager to drop me off at home. i really want to see you.
⇒ i should be there soon. 

that’s right. dojaejung achieved their first win tonight on music bank, and johnny had been so proud that as soon as he’d seen it on tv, he’d texted jaehyun with congratulatory remarks despite knowing that he wouldn’t see it until they’d finished with the show. he’d hoped he’d been the first to say it, even if jaehyun hadn’t heard or seen it from him first, but either way, what mattered most was that jaehyun knew the extent of his pride, especially after johnny saw firsthand how jaehyun’s sudden illness had impacted him and how he’d felt guilty for the unit’s first week of activities being canceled as a result.

apparently, jaehyun wants to go the extra mile and celebrate in person – which excites johnny nonetheless, as they haven’t really been able to see each other or spend much time together with jaehyun being so busy (and in-and-out of the hospital after that; plus, the company thought it would be better for jaehyun to quarantine in his room at the dorm rather than at home with johnny, which made sense because johnny really had no business catching whatever jaehyun had, but still upset him as he wanted to be with him as he recovered), but had he known that he’d finally be seeing jaehyun tonight, he wouldn’t have thrown himself down this rabbit hole of trying to figure out just what’s going on between jaehyun and louis.

mistake number three.

me at 7:52pm:
you deserve it, babe! you’ve worked so hard. ⇐
can’t wait to see you. 💙 i’ll order us some dinner and we can do whatever you want for the rest of the night ⇐
i’m all yours. ⇐

of course he’s not going to bring it up. there’s no reason for him to ruin the first night they get to spend together in forever with his dumb, jealous prying – he knows jaehyun would never do or let any other man do anything to compromise their relationship, so this shouldn’t even be a concern. 

but it bothers him so much, and there’s no way he’ll be able to just zap it out of his brain, even if he puts all of his focus onto jaehyun. louis will still be there in the back of his mind, his questionable intentions toward jaehyun like a looming threat; the darkness of dusk hanging just over the horizon as the sun sinks lower and lower, snuffing out the light of day. jaehyun will still see him tomorrow, and maybe they’ll get too close again, maybe they’ll take more suspiciously couple-like photos that louis will put up on his instagram for the world to see, maybe he’ll finally get bold enough to make a move despite everyone at the company knowing that johnny and jaehyun have been dating for the past five years and that they fucking live together.

johnny groans as he pulls up jaehyun’s favorite jjajangmyeon place on his phone and selects delivery. this is gonna be a long night.

♡

the food arrives before jaehyun makes it home, which johnny had been hoping for, as it gives him some time to get everything set out and ready in case jaehyun is really hungry – which is usually johnny’s problem after music shows, but jaehyun is always right beside him asking what he wants to eat, so perhaps he’s just a little better at hiding it.

it’s kind of weird seeing jaehyun work in a fixed unit without him – it’s only dojaejung’s first round of promotional activities, so it doesn’t feel much like anything other than a temporary stint with nct u, but johnny knows as time goes on, the bizarre feeling that comes with seeing jaehyun perform and promote without him will only intensify. it’s bittersweet; he’s just so used to them doing everything together, yet, it’s nice to be able to sit back and watch jaehyun shine without having to worry about what he himself should be doing.

he’s scooping equal portions of noodles into bowls when he hears the buttons of their security code being entered, and soon thereafter, the front door unlocks and jaehyun appears at the threshold looking exhausted, but in high spirits. he’s carrying his usual prada tote on his shoulder and has changed out of his sparkly performance clothes into something more practical; a simple sweatshirt and shorts and one of his favorite pairs of sandals.

“well, if it isn’t the first place winner,” johnny greets him, smiling wide as jaehyun slips his bare feet out of his shoes before stepping further inside. “welcome home, baby.”

though his head is down, jaehyun’s perforated cheeks give away the fact that he’s grinning. he finds his slippers by the door and ditches his bag on the couch as he makes his way to the kitchen, practically gliding on his way to johnny.

johnny giggles just as jaehyun pulls him in for a kiss; it’s soft and chaste and brimming with the love that had been forcibly held back over the treacherous stretch of time they hadn’t been able to be together. the moment their lips meet is like taking a fresh, clean breath after being held under water, it’s the sweet taste of the air when one knows they’re at home. it only lasts a second or two, but it had been enough to feel like healing.

“hi,” jaehyun says after pulling away, looking up at johnny with starlight in his eyes. their noses brush, and he gives a breathless little laugh, long lashes tickling johnny’s skin as his lids flutter closed. “i missed you.”

“i missed you, too,” johnny replies, nuzzling into jaehyun and savoring his comforting warmth. “you hungry?”

jaehyun nods, eyes flickering down to the food spread across the kitchen island; the bowls of jjajangmyeon, danmuji and onion laid prettily on a small platter, and kimchi that he may recognize as the batch johnny’s aunts had made when they came to visit. “doyoung-hyung and jungwoo went out to eat,” he explains, eyes raising to find johnny’s face once again. “they invited me, but i wanted to be with you.”

smiling, johnny presses a featherlight kiss to jaehyun’s flushed, dimpled cheek. “well, you’re with me now, baby. go sit at the table, i’ll bring it to you.”

with a little huff, jaehyun gives the slightest pout. “can we eat on the couch instead?”

he doesn’t outright say it, but the implication is clear, if by nothing else than by the vulnerable twinkle in his gaze. i want to be next to you.

“okay,” johnny agrees, smile going soft and warm. “why don’t you find something for us to watch, then?”

jaehyun hums out a sound of agreement, lingering by johnny’s side for just a moment before going off to carry out the suggestion. he moves his bag to the reclining chair to ensure that they’ll have space before he grabs the remote from the table and starts scrolling through options. all the while, johnny carefully sets the dishes onto a tray the perfect size for their coffee table (thank god jaehyun’s mother had offered it as a gift when they’d first moved in together, because johnny would have never thought to buy one and they use it so frequently it has its own special place in the kitchen that renders it easy to locate at all times), adding a couple of beers from the fridge before carefully bringing it over.

jaehyun’s selected a drama that one of johnny’s aunts recommended to him, and that he’s expressed a lot of interest in watching, but just hasn’t had the time. johnny sits beside him, uttering a gentle apology as he bumps jaehyun’s knee, but quickly bubbling up into giggles when jaehyun places an insistent hand atop his thigh and tugs his leg closer until it touches his own.

“you’re clingy tonight,” johnny teases, and jaehyun giggles back, reaching out to grab one of the bowls on the tray.

“i just want to make the most of tonight,” he replies. “i said it already, but i really have missed you a lot. i’m grateful to be busy, but it’s hard not having you there with me.”

johnny answers with a soft sigh. “i know, baby,” he says. “guess we got a little spoiled, being together all the time.”

jaehyun gives something of a wry chuckle. “jungwoo, doyoung-hyung, and the others are good company, but they can’t compare to you.”

as he watches jaehyun stir through his jjajangmyeon, johnny recognizes that bitter taste at the back of his throat again. the others. the one that’s all over his boyfriend when he’s not around.

but he won’t bring it up. jaehyun wants to make the most of tonight, after all. and so does johnny.

♡

“you should get some rest,” johnny says as he puts the last of their dinnerware into the dishwasher. “you have an early start tomorrow, right? and your manager will probably come get you even earlier so the rest of management doesn’t know you weren’t at the dorm.”

jaehyun sighs, eyes sinking as his face shifts into a seemingly unwitting pout. “you’re right, hyung,” he mumbles. “i don’t know why pre-recordings have to start so early.”

johnny chuckles. “c’est la vie, i guess,” he offers, approaching where jaehyun sits at the island with a sweeping saunter. leaning down, he kisses jaehyun’s temple. “if you shower now, i should be done cleaning up by the time you’re finished, and i’ll join you in bed.”

“are you saying i smell?” jaehyun grumbles, lower lip still protruding.

laughing out loud, johnny shoves his face into the junction of jaehyun’s shoulder and neck, taking a comically large whiff, even if his rhinitis objects to such a notion. the tickle of his breath against jaehyun’s skin makes him shiver, and he laughs along with johnny, half-heartedly trying to push him away as giggles overtake him.

“nah, you smell good,” he concludes, smiling against jaehyun’s bright red ear and pressing another sweet kiss to the flushed shell. “i’m saying that if you shower now instead of in the morning, we’ll be able to cuddle for an extra fifteen minutes.”

still smiling, jaehyun reaches up to brush his hand through johnny’s long hair. “good point,” he concedes.

they share a parting peck, and with that, jaehyun rises from his seat and heads toward the bathroom. johnny watches as he walks away until he disappears down the hall, and he smiles to himself, wondering for the umpteenth time how he’d managed to get lucky enough to win the affections of a man like jaehyun jeong. 

he hadn’t really had anything too serious before they’d gotten together – a girlfriend in high school he didn’t really like because he wasn’t into girls, a few flings here and there once he’d figured out his sexuality, and one steady boyfriend that had broken things off with him once johnny started dedicating all of his time to his idol training, but nothing that truly grips him like his love for jaehyun; nothing that is both exciting and comforting, familiar and passionate, that gives him the shivers and gives his heart a safe place to rest all the same. how precious it is; even more so when he considers the fact that his feelings are just as strong as, if not even stronger than, they were when he’d first asked jaehyun to be his after that rainy night on the terrace.

it’s just about impossible for him to imagine a happy life for himself without jaehyun being right by his side; the first thing he sees when he envisions his future, their future, is jaehyun with a ring on his left hand, still looking at him with those dreamy, starry eyes with which he looks at him now.

that’s why he’s so protective over this. for johnny, this is it, he’s found the person alongside which he wants to spend his forever, and he’s confident in feeling that jaehyun is on the same page. but that doesn’t make him any less wary of outsiders trying to push their way in. it only takes one match to burn down a house, no matter how strong the foundation is.

why didn’t he tell me about him …?

jaehyun tells johnny everything; he knows all of jaehyun’s friends – idol and non-idol, all genders, exactly how close they are. and he doesn’t press jaehyun for this information, either; jaehyun just naturally gives it away to him, eager to share every part of his life with the one he loves, and as the one he loves, johnny is eager to be included. but jaehyun hasn’t said a word about louis – johnny didn’t even know his name until he’d semi-cyberstalked him.

it could be because they’d only gotten close recently, and jaehyun’s been busy. there’s nothing suspicious about that in itself. but when piled on top of everything else johnny has seen today, it makes him want to vomit until the bad taste in his mouth goes away.

as he wipes down the counter, johnny tries to forget about it; the last thing he wants is to lie awake beside the love of his life spiraling over stupid shit. but when he closes his eyes to try to clear his head, he can only see the lack of space between jaehyun and louis’s bodies; the way jaehyun looked so happy to be by his side, jaehyun’s arm wrapped around him as if he wanted him closer.

even if it had all been platonic on jaehyun’s end, there’s no way to know how louis was reading the situation. and, well – who wouldn’t want to take advantage of being so close to such a gorgeous man? johnny couldn’t blame him for that.

but that doesn’t stop him from seeing red.

♡

the shower is still going by the time johnny finishes with the kitchen and makes his way toward the bedroom – which is a little odd, as johnny doesn’t know his beloved to take feature film length showers, but he figures it’s also possible he’d just cleaned up quicker than he realized. 

a glance at his phone informs johnny that it’s nearly 11pm, and if jaehyun intends to make it to the 5:30am pre-recording without getting busted by management for spending the night outside the dorm, he’ll have to hit the sheets practically the moment he steps out of the shower. verily, part of johnny had been hoping to squeeze in a little lovemaking before the night ends, but he’d forfeited that idea pretty quickly upon realizing how late it had come to be once they’d finished eating and snuggling on the couch.

it’s disappointing, but he remains optimistic that they’ll get the chance to rekindle their sex life soon. it’s only been thirteen days since the last time, which may be reasonable for some couples, but for johnny and jaehyun, it’s rare for them to go more than three days without indulging their mutual sexual appetite if they can help it. it’s far from the longest they’ve had to go without, but johnny has definitely felt the yearning tug in his chest, and the frustration that comes with jaehyun being so close yet so far away.

instead of moping about it, johnny uses that energy to tidy up their bed and change into the nearest pair of pajama pants, leaving his top half bare as usual. in the midst of this, he finally hears the shower stop and he can’t help but smile to himself, wondering if jaehyun had just lost track of time under the relaxing warmth of the spray or if maybe he’d managed to fall asleep standing up like he had one time during their last tour.

regardless, johnny hops onto the bed and relaxes against the headboard, stretching his legs out as he waits for jaehyun to appear looking all flushed and fluffy. hence, when the bedroom door opens a few minutes later and jaehyun emerges completely naked and with a smoldering look in his eye, johnny is, perhaps understandably, rather shocked.

there’s nothing inherently surprising about someone coming out of the shower as bare as they had gone in, but it doesn’t seem that jaehyun forgot his towel, judging that he is mostly dry, or that he’s trying to be silly or make some kind of joke as johnny often does. as he stands at the foot of the bed in all his naked glory, jaehyun looks as though he’s got one thing on his mind – the piercing heat of his gaze and the way his lips are slightly parted make that abundantly clear.

maybe johnny had been a little too optimistic.

“b-babe …” johnny starts, breath caught in his throat, “what are you doing?”

the answer is so obvious, the question may well have been rhetorical. equally as obvious is the fact that they’ve both been craving this for nights on end, and while it may not be the smartest use of their limited time together, considering jaehyun’s commitments in the morning, johnny’s resolve when it comes to saying no to jaehyun is not of any considerable valor, even when jaehyun is fully clothed and not looking at him like he wants to eat him alive.

jaehyun climbs onto the bed, slowly and gut-wrenchingly sensually crawling toward and eventually on top of johnny, maintaining eye contact with him all the while.

“you didn’t think the night would really be over without us getting to the best part,” he utters lowly, breath gusting over johnny’s lips as he leans impossibly closer, “did you, hyung?”

narrowly, johnny resists the urge to whine. “we have to be quick,” he says, hands raising to rest at jaehyun’s hips, fingers brushing his bare ass. he bites his lip, a low groan rumbling in his throat. “i don’t want you to be tired tomorrow because of me,” he adds.

he can’t see it, but johnny can feel the way jaehyun smiles against the side of his throat.

“then you’d better put me to bed,” he replies. “you’ve done it before.”

johnny can’t help but chuckle. “oh, so you want it like that tonight?”

jaehyun hums into johnny’s ear, one of his hands coming up to brush against the side of his face, tracing inward until a thumb tugs on his lower lip. “if i had it my way, you’d fuck the life out of me all night like you did before the launch event,” says jaehyun, his low, honeyed voice melting right into johnny’s bloodstream. “but beggars can’t be choosers.”

“fuck, jaehyun,” johnny breathes out, his cock already twitching in his pants. his grip on jaehyun tightens, fingers pressing into the smooth skin of his ass, and jaehyun moans, nipping at the skin beneath the lobe of johnny’s ear, right beside his jaw. “you really know how to get me going, don’t you?” he giggles. “my dick is already hard.”

jaehyun giggles with him, dropping his hips until his lower half is flush with johnny’s, and he can feel his growing erection pulse against his stomach. “i think that’s the fastest i’ve ever done it,” he teases.

“guess you broke more than one record tonight, huh?” says johnny, licking his lips as he flips them over, his grip on jaehyun’s hips steadying him as he pins him onto his back. he takes some time to admire him, all flawless, milky skin and a body hand-sculpted by all the gods of beauty. conversely, jaehyun doesn’t waste any time; one hand tangles itself in johnny’s hair, dragging him down for a kiss, while the other slips between their bodies and into johnny’s pants.

when jaehyun starts stroking johnny’s cock slow but strong, circling the tip with his thumb and spreading precum down his shaft, johnny gives a low, throaty moan into jaehyun’s mouth and slowly grinds into his touch, relishing in the feeling of being pleasured by jaehyun after what’s felt like an eternity.

johnny presses into jaehyun’s waiting mouth, swallowing his moans as their tongues make waves against one another, the sweetness of their mouths combining to form an addictive taste that gives johnny goosebumps every time. ever so insistent, jaehyun coaxes johnny’s tongue further into his mouth and sucks on it eagerly, simultaneously speeding up the strokes of his hand, freeing johnny’s now fully-hard cock from his pants with a little bit of assistance from johnny himself, who’d yanked his pants and underwear out of the way.

the kiss deepens even more with both of their efforts, their heads bobbing back and forth in a perfect rhythm as they savor one another, all while johnny fucks into jaehyun’s hand like a horny teenager, only breaking the kiss to pant or whisper expletives at the building gratification. never does it last long, however, for after each breather, jaehyun chases johnny’s lips with his own, kissing him until their bruised mouths tingle with numbness.

johnny starts to kiss his way down jaehyun’s neck, setting his sights on his hard, blush pink nipples, but jaehyun whimpers, tugging at johnny’s hair to get his attention. when johnny looks up, his overgrown curtain bangs fall into his face, and with a breathless laugh, jaehyun pushes them back.

“i’m already prepped,” he utters between soft, swollen lips, tongue gliding out to wet them in an image that makes johnny feel weak. “just fuck me already, hyung – we don’t have time, remember?”

that explains why he was taking so long in the shower.

as much as he hates and often doesn’t take well to being interrupted (especially when he is in the middle of something as important as worshiping jaehyun’s body), johnny heeds this plea with mercy, more than cognizant of the fact that if they drag this out, jaehyun will be screwed tomorrow – literally.  

it feels a little indelicate, just skipping to the dick-in-hole part, but they’ve done it before, and once they get into the swing of it, that anxious feeling that comes with being rushed melts away. besides, johnny can tell that jaehyun really needs this, and he needs it too, so perhaps there’s no harm in forgoing the foreplay for once.

shimmying out of both of his skimpy bottom layers, johnny soon thereafter raises up on his knees and gestures for jaehyun to lift his legs, which he does, even going as far as to bend them at the knee to give johnny the perfect place to rest his hands. 

johnny licks his lips at the sight of jaehyun’s slick and slightly-gaping hole, wondering just how he’d gone about getting ready for him – did he just use his fingers, or did he add a toy into the mix? he hadn’t heard him moaning, so he thinks maybe it had been the former of the two options; jaehyun’s not so good at holding back his moans when his sweet spot is stimulated, like it’s an off-switch for his self-control. it’s insanely cute, even if johnny had learned about it the hard way after taeyong caught them having bathroom sex during a break in a rehearsal.

taking hold of his cock, johnny circles jaehyun’s hole with the wet tip, smearing precum against the rim and pulling whimpers from jaehyun. his eyes flicker between jaehyun’s thighs, and he sees his flushed, leaking cock pulsing against his rippled abdomen in an image that shouldn’t be as pretty as it is. jaehyun makes a low, feeble sound that orders johnny to get on with it without words, and once again, johnny obeys, gently pressing the head of his cock against jaehyun’s hole and waiting for the pressure to give.

when it does, he slips right inside, the tip disappearing into jaehyun’s wet heat like magic. they both moan, jaehyun’s hole greedily clenching around johnny’s cock and johnny getting a rush of ecstasy as they’re reunited in this way, their bodies singing with jubilation as they join together. though jaehyun had clearly been thorough, he’s still tight around johnny’s thick shaft, clinging to him in an embrace that serves an unneeded yet much appreciated reminder of why nothing and no one could ever feel as good as jaehyun jeong.

“fuck,” johnny moans out, cock throbbing in jaehyun’s heat as he slowly sinks in deeper and deeper. “oh, fuck, baby.”

“mmmh, john,” jaehyun moans, head falling back into the pillows. “fuck me, please – i need it, hyungie …”

at that, johnny can’t deny the heat that plumes up from his core like molten rock rising up in a volcano; the sight of jaehyun so desperate, so gorgeous beneath him making him mad with lust. his hold on jaehyun’s legs tightens, as he raises up a little more, slanting over jaehyun enough to look right into his eyes as he pulls almost entirely out of him, only to thrust back inside with a force that makes jaehyun cry out.

not long after that does he find his rhythm, rocking in and out of jaehyun with growing speed, maintaining the strength with which he plunges into him once he effortlessly locates jaehyun’s prostate and targets it with every thrust.

jaehyun crumbles into the mattress, pink all over from his forehead to his chest as he takes all that johnny gives him, moaning out his name as if he wants all of their neighbors to know who is giving him so much pleasure. he clings to johnny’s back, hands shaking and nails leaving bright red crescents into the meat of his shoulder blades in a hold that grounds him, keeping him from being sent up toward the headboard with each backbreaking drive into his fluttering hole.

as much as he loves kissing along jaehyun’s jaw and down his neck and leaving only faint marks that will (hopefully) fade by morning, johnny gets the urge to pull back to witness just what he’s doing to jaehyun, to see his body jolt and clench and flush as arousal and ecstasy overpower any traces of logic or rationality lingering in his brain. god, he is just so fucking gorgeous – that perfect body, that heavenly face, that sweet voice calling out for him as johnny gives him what no one else in the world can give him. jaehyun is all for him, all his.

just as he makes to lean back down to kiss jaehyun once more, to be one with him in every possible way as they chase their pleasure peaks together, a sudden vibration and a beam of light snatches johnny’s attention.

jaehyun’s phone charges beside the pillow on his side of their bed, the screen brightening as the device wakes from its previously dormant state. at the bottom of jaehyun’s lockscreen, which is a picture of johnny he had taken during their tour stop in brazil, is a kakaotalk notification.

louis, 11:59pm: new message.

the feeling that rips through johnny’s stomach is indescribable. it’s adjacent to anger, to rage, but not quite that; there’s a tinge of something else, something like sadness or even disappointment, dark and cold instead of blazing hot.

in a flash, he remembers that he’s in the middle of something, but his snap back to reality isn’t quick enough to negate jaehyun’s confusion.

“johnny …?” he asks softly, panting as he looks up at him with concern in his eyes. “honey, what’s wrong? why’d you stop?”

“i –” johnny feels his stomach drop like it weighs as much as a ten-ton truck. “sorry, baby, i just got distracted. i didn’t mean to kill the mood.”

jaehyun frowns, managing to find the strength to sit up on his elbows. “you didn’t kill the mood. what’s wrong?” he asks again.

no, no. this isn’t how tonight is supposed to go.

“nothing’s wrong, babe,” he says, feeling his face heat up with embarrassment. “can we just finish, please?”

“i know when something’s bothering you, johnny,” jaehyun says, “you’ve had this … distant look in your eye all night. i didn’t ask because i thought you probably didn’t want to talk about it tonight, but if you’re thinking about it in the middle of fucking me, i think it needs to be addressed sooner than later.”

“i wasn’t –” johnny groans, running his hands through his hair. “baby, i wasn’t thinking about it while i was fucking you! something happened and i just remembered it all of a sudden, i swear. and i’ve been happy to spend time with you all night, it’s just …” he sighs. “you’re right, okay? i didn’t want to ruin our first night together in a week with my dumb, stupid shit. and i definitely didn’t want to ruin sex, but i guess it’s too late for that.”

jaehyun’s eyes go soft. “hyung, you aren’t ruining anything,” he says. “your feelings are the most important thing to me. please don’t feel bad about telling me what’s bothering you. i want to know – and i want to help , if i can.”

for a moment, johnny just sits there, still buried deep inside jaehyun while trying to sort through the ugly mess in his head.

eventually, he pulls his softening cock out, both he and jaehyun grimacing at the uncomfortable feeling. then, he reaches over to grab jaehyun’s phone, plucking it off the charger, swallowing his pride as he meets jaehyun’s eyes and the unmistakably puzzled look in them.

he shows the screen to jaehyun. “this is what’s been bothering me,” he says.

jaehyun blinks, taking his own phone from johnny, watching as the device recognizes his face and instantly unlocks.

“louis?” he asks, the cross between a pout and a frown returning. “i don’t understand. is there something going on that i don’t know about?”

johnny huffs out a frustrated breath. if he’s gonna embody the jealous boyfriend stereotype here, he might as well lean into it. 

“he posted a picture with you, and i don’t like how close he was to you, okay? i know you’re probably just really good friends and i’m overreacting, but you haven’t mentioned this guy to me at all and you’ve been seeing him every day for the past week and people think you’re fucking ‘work husbands’ or something –” pausing, johnny tries to gather his thoughts before they run ahead of him, especially since jaehyun only looks more confused with every word he says.

“just be honest with me,” johnny requests, jaw going tight as he forces himself to ask what feels like such a juvenile question, “do you think he likes you?”

silently, jaehyun gapes up at johnny for some time, evidently trying to process everything that had just been dumped onto him. he looks at his phone again, appearing to read the message from louis, before setting it aside and rubbing his own face with his hand.

“i don’t know,” he answers quietly. “to be honest, hyung, i didn’t even think about that. we kind of got really close really fast, which is why i haven’t told you about him yet. because when we finally get to talk or spend time together, louis is the last thing on my mind – i’m thinking about you. i want to know how your day went and i want to show you the pretty sunset i saw … things like that. i don’t want to talk about other people,” he sighs. “if you want to know what i think, i think that louis is really nice and we have a lot in common. he helped me a lot when we were first learning the choreography, and we started talking from there. that’s it.”

just as he suspected, hearing jaehyun speak so innocently on the matter makes johnny feel like an enormous jackass. still, he can’t really shake the icky feeling that makes his stomach feel as heavy as a cement block. 

“baby, i … i’m just worried that maybe he has ulterior motives in getting so close to you,” johnny admits. “obviously, i know you’d never do anything to betray my trust, and i’d never do anything like that to you, either. but it’s hard to know what’s going on in his head, you know?”

“john … does that really matter?” jaehyun asks, sitting up fully, now, to the point he’s almost level with johnny. “who cares what other people think, or what their intentions are? i would never let another man try to take your place. if i so much as had a reason to suspect he was even thinking about it, i would put an end to it right then and there.”

johnny whines, shoulders dropping. “i know, i just … i don’t know. god, this is so –” another exasperated sound climbs up from his throat, and all johnny wants is to be sucked into a black hole. “i’m sorry,” he sighs. “i can’t even fucking explain myself. i ruined tonight for nothing.”

“i told you that you didn’t ruin anything,” jaehyun replies, scooting himself closer to johnny and reaching out to rest his hands on johnny’s arms. “it makes sense that you feel jealous, johnny. i know it’s hard to put that feeling into words … i just don’t want you to get too caught up in it and to be worried over nothing. louis knows that you and i are together, and i don’t know him that well yet, but something tells me he’s not going to try to come between us.”

though jaehyun’s words are comforting, johnny can’t even make eye contact with him. he’s utterly mortified; never in his life has he felt this stupid, and this undeserving of jaehyun’s gentle and considerate attempts to try to build him back up. 

“all of this was just a recipe for disaster,” he mumbles. “when i can’t be with you, i’m jealous of anyone who takes up all your time. but usually, it’s the kind of jealousy that just comes and goes, you know? it’s nothing serious and it doesn’t ruin my day or anything, and i don’t hold it against anybody.” johnny kneads his lower lip, trying to piece together the ridiculous-sounding words in his brain in a way that could make them seem the least bit logical. “but when i saw you with him, i just … i thought maybe if i wasn’t around long enough, you’d forget about me. and this cool, handsome guy who you’d probably go for if you were single anyway would be right there waiting for that moment. it’s irrational, but – i felt it. it was real in my head … but that’s not your fault. it’s nobody’s fault but mine for being an idiot.”

“johnny …” jaehyun all but whispers, reaching out to brush his cheek with his thumb. “i could be surrounded by every cool and handsome guy in the world, but to me, none of them would be as cool or as handsome as you.”

something about those words just tickles johnny’s heart. he looks at jaehyun with soft, watery eyes, his lips slowly spreading into a wide smile that makes way for sweet giggles. “even if, like, ryan reynolds was there?”

jaehyun giggles back. “i’d choose you over ryan reynolds, and brad pitt, and lee byunghun.”

“damn,” johnny says, laughing louder as he leans forward, resting his head on jaehyun’s shoulder and wrapping his arms around his waist. seemingly instinctively, jaehyun returns his embrace, arms locking around johnny’s upper back. his low, warbling laughter fills johnny with warmth. 

“i love you,” he murmurs.

“i love you, too,” jaehyun replies. after some time, he detaches from johnny just enough to look at him, somewhat unwittingly reaching up to brush johnny’s hair behind his ear. “i think i know what will make you feel better,” he says.

johnny raises a brow. “and what’s that?”

“come to the pre-recording tomorrow,” says jaehyun. “you can meet louis for yourself and see that he’s not a bad guy, and maybe that’ll give you some peace of mind.”

johnny frowns. “babe, of course he’s gonna be on his best behavior if your boyfriend is there.”

jaehyun laughs quietly, tilting his head. “maybe so. but i really think it’ll help. and you said you wanted to come to one of our pre-recordings anyway, right?”

johnny shrugs a single shoulder. “these aren’t exactly the circumstances i wanted to do it under, but when you put it like that, there’s no real reason for me to say no.”

“exactly,” jaehyun agrees. “and since you’re coming, too, we’d better get some sleep.”

“so much for that extra fifteen minutes of cuddling,” johnny grumbles.

giggling, jaehyun lies down, rolling over to plug his phone back in as johnny pulls up the covers, draping them over their bodies prior to turning off the lamp by his side of the bed.

“we’ll make up for it,” jaehyun says belatedly, cuddling up to johnny’s side.

with a lovesick smile, johnny melts into jaehyun’s embrace, holding him close under the duvet and kissing the top of his head.

tonight wasn’t meant to go this way, but so long as he gets to go to sleep with jaehyun in his arms, perhaps there’s never really much he can complain about.

♡

by the time johnny wakes to his 4:30 alarm, jaehyun is already gone.

it would make sense for them to have to leave separately so management wouldn’t become suspicious that they’d spent the night together, and jaehyun has to go through rehearsals before he even gets to the venue and hair and makeup after the fact, so he hadn’t realistically expected to see him before he left. 

still, after the drama of the prior night, it would have been nice to hold him in his arms and be reassured that everything is still okay – but as jaehyun said before, beggars can’t be choosers, and when johnny considers his luck to have such an understanding and kindhearted boyfriend who would have been wholly justified in calling him an idiot yet chose not to, he finds that in itself to be comforting enough.

his own manager had texted him a bit before he’d woken up, confirming that jaehyun’s manager had contacted him about going to the pre-recording and that he’ll be at the apartment to pick him up at 5. thirty minutes isn’t exactly enough time to make himself look amazing or anything, but he’s worked miracles out of less than that before, so he isn’t worried.

after marathoning through his bathroom routine, johnny heads to the kitchen to quickly make some coffee (he knows his manager will almost certainly bring him some, but he needs his fix now) and consider outfit options in an impressive feat of multitasking. what he finds, however, is his coffee already made, and an adorably packaged egg drop sandwich waiting for him on the counter, still warm.

as he comes closer, he finds a note written in english, bearing jaehyun’s rushed, barely legible handwriting.

‘for my cool handsome guy. see you soon. ♡’

johnny has known for years now that jaehyun will be the man he marries – but never before has he felt this strong an urge to drop everything and go ring shopping.

(perhaps that can be what he does after the pre-recording. jaehyun will be busy, so it’s the perfect opportunity, right? and yuta is finally back in korea, so johnny can drag him along and ask for his opinions.)

after wolfing down his breakfast (and folding up jaehyun’s note to put in his pocket for later), johnny throws on the first suitable outfit that comes to mind and a black beanie that probably belongs to jaehyun to conceal his unruly bedhead, planting his ass in the passenger seat of his manager’s car at exactly 5:01.

“you owe me lunch for this,” says his manager. “i have a life outside of taking you places, you know.”

johnny rolls his eyes. “i have a valid driver’s license and a car. i don’t even need you to take me places.”

“yeah, right,” manager grumbles, gesturing to the iced americano in the leftmost cupholder so johnny wouldn’t grab his by mistake. “you know they’d have my head if you just rolled around town on technically official schedules on your own.”

with that, they set off from the cozy suburb to the bustling entertainment district.

johnny arrives with just enough time to spare to slip inside without causing any disruption to the actual recording, as they haven’t started yet. as he makes his way to the place that had been reserved for him, many of the fans recognize and greet him excitedly, and he returns their energy in kind, but urges them to focus on dojaejung instead of him. glancing toward the stage, he sees the backdrop already set up and the performers spread casually across the stage. jungwoo and doyoung are talking with a few of the dancers and don’t seem to notice that johnny is there, and jaehyun is getting his microphone adjusted by one of the sound engineers and is a quarter turn away from audience.

he looks cute in his mesh on mesh outfit, the earthy colors combined with his other-wordly face making him look like some sort of elf or fairy from a fantasy movie. when he finally full-on faces the audience, he locks eyes with johnny almost at once, and light floods his countenance.

johnny smiles back, giving him two thumbs up.

given that they’ve performed ‘perfume’ so many times now, it takes only one try for them to get a perfect recording. johnny is mesmerized by jaehyun the entire time; he’s truly the center of attention as he commands the stage with his smooth moves, stable voice, and dynamic facial expressions – not to mention his spellbinding visuals. a born superstar indeed.

once the recording is over, jaehyun, doyoung, and jungwoo head backstage with the dancers in tow. johnny spots louis sprinting to catch up to jaehyun, the two of them easing into conversation before they vanish from johnny’s line of sight.

he swallows down the bile this time, thinking of jaehyun’s note in his pocket.

eventually, johnny gets the ‘ok’ to join them. his manager walks him back, though johnny obviously knows where to go, and he finds the ensemble doing just as he’d expected; enjoying some snacks and casual banter before jungwoo is due to mc.

“johnny hyung?” asks jungwoo, blinking wide-eyed at him as he approaches. “when did you get here?”

“i came to watch the pre-recording,” he explains, eyes flickering toward jaehyun. they both smile. “i was almost late, which is why i didn’t get the chance to greet you guys beforehand. you were great, by the way.”

“are you talking to all of us, or just jaehyun?” doyoung asks with a sardonic roll of his eyes. “you probably didn’t even see jungwoo and i.”

“doyoung-hyung,” jaehyun cuts in, before johnny can argue back, “johnny-hyung came to support all of us. didn’t you hear him say ‘dojaejung hwaiting?’”

“that was you?” questions jungwoo, round eyes going rounder. “i thought it was just one of jaehyun’s fanboys.”

“technically, it was,” doyoung snickers. 

johnny’s face gets a little hot, namely when both jaehyun and jungwoo laugh at that, but he laughs, too, reaching out to give doyoung a playful shove. “you’re just jealous because you don’t have any fanboys.”

“i have fanboys!” doyoung counters, genuine offense in his eyes. 

“hyung,” jungwoo interrupts, turning doyoung’s chair around on its noisy wheels and ignoring his protests, “do you think we’ll win again today? it would be cool if it happened while i was mcing, right?”

johnny smiles. “yeah, jungwoo, that’d be really cool,” he agrees. “i think you’ll win again – you really deserve it.”

“will you stay for the rest of the show?” jaehyun asks.

“i’ve got something i have to take care of, actually,” johnny answers, clearing his throat. “but we’ll talk later, okay?”

though he pouts a little, jaehyun ends up smiling again. “sure, hyung.” he gets up from his chair, then, taking johnny by the hand. “but before you go, there’s someone you have to meet, remember?”

doyoung and jungwoo exchange looks very unsubtly, but johnny doesn’t mind them. he resists the urge to groan, only nodding at jaehyun before waving the other two off with a ‘see you later.’

jaehyun guides johnny toward where some of the dancers have gathered, taking selfies and chatting amongst each other with no formality about it. they’re an interesting bunch, most of them seeming to know each other quite well, but johnny gets the feeling the majority of them had been picked for the concept for a more superficial reason.

not that it matters, if they’re damn talented.

louis is seated on a couch beside one of the blonde dancers, the two of them erupting into laughter just as jaehyun and johnny approach. when they notice them, they both perk up; louis more so than the other man.

“hey, jaehyun,” he greets, his plump lips curving into a sweet smile. “i see you brought your special friend today.”

jaehyun’s ears turn red, the color deepening as some of the other dancers giggle. johnny can’t help the small, slightly smug smile that spreads between his lips at this.

“johnny-hyung came to watch the pre-recording to support us,” jaehyun explains after awkwardly clearing his throat. “he saw the pictures you took with us, and he was interested in meeting you.”

that’s not quite the truth, but it’s a clever way to break the ice, nonetheless.

“oh, really?” louis asks. “wow, that’s crazy. i’ve actually been dying to meet you, johnny.”

johnny’s brows furrow with a concoction of confusion and surprise. “you have?”

“yeah!” says louis, standing from his seat on the couch. “jaehyun talks about you all the time. but more than that, you’re one of the coldest dancers in nct 127, which is surprising since you’re so tall.” he comes a bit closer, amazed as he looks up to meet johnny’s eyes. “you’re even taller than i thought you were!”

“i … get that a lot,” johnny replies, laughing. he looks at jaehyun, and jaehyun pats him on the back a few times before turning to saunter off.

“i was hoping after this, i’d get the chance to dance with 127 … but you guys never even need dancers,” he chuckles. “but if you ever did a concept like sonogong, i hope i’d be the first person you’d call.”

“it would be cool to do something like that,” says johnny. “jaehyun really talked to you about me, though?”

louis smiles, eyes twinkling. “yeah, for sure. he didn’t mention you were dating until i said, ‘man, you should ask johnny out’, since he was clearly into you by how much his face always lit up whenever he brought you up. he got all shy and explained that you two are already together,” he pauses, seeming to think it over. “it makes sense he didn’t say it ’til then, though — you guys are high-profile, so i get that you can’t just go around telling everyone.”

hearing how evident jaehyun’s affections for him had been through the eyes of another creates a unique warmth in johnny; at the intersection of pride and adoration, his heart swells at the news. he’s starting to realize just how laughable the jealousy he felt toward louis really was.

“yeah,” he says, lips curved fondly as he envisions jaehyun being coy. “maybe someday we’ll be able to come out with it. but for now, i’m fine with things being the way that they are. we’ve been together almost five years already, and we’re still going strong.”

“five years, huh?” louis echoes, looking impressed. “i can tell you are … i thought you hadn’t been dating that long since jaehyun still seemed like he was in the honeymoon phase, but man … i hope the person i end up with still gets all giddy about me after five years.”

as the conversation flows on, johnny doesn’t realize how much time passes by – louis compliments his leopard tattoo and even mentions that he has a similar one of a tiger in the same place and that he regrets not getting any color on it since johnny’s looks so pretty, they laugh about jungwoo’s charmingly weird antics and how doyoung’s always the butt of the joke, and they discuss jaehyun’s viral ‘killing part’ in ‘perfume’ and how louis had helped him perfect the moves when he was still learning. by the time johnny’s manager butts into their chat to let him know that management wants him to take a picture with dojaejung in the hall, it had been well over twenty minutes.

he’d given louis his kkt id before he’d left, and as he’s herded out of the room and down the hall to where the others are waiting for him, johnny realizes that jaehyun had been right – he feels approximately ten million times better about this whole situation, now.

“i came here to see you, but i spent most of my time talking to louis,” he chuckles, leaning against the wall as jaehyun changes into his outfit for ‘kiss’. 

“now i’m the one who’s jealous,” jaehyun teases, smiling as the stylist slips the cream-coloured blazer over his silky beige shirt. the soft, whitish tones coalesce with his breathtaking face, emboldening an already empyreal appearance. he turns away from the mirror after some time, thanking the stylists as they seem to pick up on the unspoken request to give the couple some privacy.

johnny pouts, reaching out for jaehyun’s hands as he comes closer. “i really was an idiot,” he mutters.

“having feelings doesn’t make you an idiot,” says jaehyun, intertwining their fingers and leaning up to brush his nose against johnny’s. he sighs, then, pulling back to look at him. “i wish you could stay longer.”

“i know, baby,” johnny replies, squeezing jaehyun’s hands. “but yuta and i have plans.” even if he doesn’t know it yet. “but i’ll be sure to watch the broadcast later so i can see you win again.”

jaehyun laughs. “okay. call me later?”

unable to resist, even at the risk of ruining jaehyun’s makeup, johnny leans in to give him a soft kiss. “i will,” he says. “i love you.”

“i love you, too,” jaehyun replies, holding him close for a little longer. “my cool, handsome guy.”

johnny chuckles. “is that our thing, now?”

jaehyun smiles up at him, brushing noses with him once again. “yeah. i like it.”

“i like it, too.”

♡

driving himself to the dorm is a little risky, but johnny’s feeling lucky tonight.

he and yuta had grabbed lunch after visiting a couple of jewelers and johnny confided in him about the louis drama, to which yuta had confirmed that he was, in fact, being an idiot and that jaehyun was just being nice in telling him that he wasn’t. yuta did sympathize with him to an extent, though, briefly revisiting the time he and taeyong had been broken up for almost two years and taeyong had been all over baekhyun, a fiasco they both know yuta had lost sleep over.

“the difference is that taeyong actually fucked baekhyun because we weren’t together, even if we were still in love,” he’d said, stabbing into his pasta unhappily. “you were torturing yourself with things that you knew weren’t gonna happen.”

a little tough love had been exactly what johnny needed to understand how to resolve this situation once and for all, to offer closure to himself and to jaehyun and to move on so that nothing like this happens in the future. if taeyong and yuta could reconcile after their catastrophic breakup and the drama that ensued and be happier than ever now, there’s no reason he can’t bury this hatchet and bounce back stronger than before.

he hadn’t told jaehyun he’d be coming, hoping that a visit instead of a call would be a pleasant surprise. he’d come by their dorm before, much to doyoung’s chagrin, but he’d been trying not to be as frequent about it out of consideration for the others, and a desire to not be a distraction to jaehyun while he’s in work mode.

stepping off the elevator, he eases his way down to their unit and considers just opening the door since he knows the code, but elects to knock instead.

not even six seconds pass before jungwoo swings the door open, clad in pajamas and holding a toothbrush between his lips.

“johnny-hyung,” he greets, reaching up to take out the toothbrush, “it’s you again.”

there’s shuffling behind jungwoo, and doyoung’s voice reaches through the hall. “johnny-hyung? what are you doing here?”

“i think it’s obvious, doyoung-hyung,” jungwoo answers before johnny gets the chance. “he’s obviously not here for us.”

“would you stop acting like i don’t know you guys exist?” johnny implores, sighing as jungwoo moves aside to let him in, and he removes his shoes. “i’ll be quick. i just need to talk to jaehyun for a little bit.” he looks around their tidy living area, slightly perplexed as to why his boyfriend is nowhere to be found. “he’s here, right?”

“yes,” doyoung answers, crossing his arms. “he’s in his room.”

“i think he’s watching something,” jungwoo adds, “which is why he didn’t come running like a puppy at the sound of your voice.”

johnny breathes out a soft laugh, nodding his head. “okay. thanks.”

as he pads toward jaehyun’s room, he notices that the door is tightly closed and the light is on, but there’s no sound from the other side. he wonders if jaehyun had fallen asleep, thus, he nudges the door open as quietly as possible, peeking inside once he makes large enough of a crack to see through.

jaehyun is reclined in his bed with his airpods in, focused on the screen of his laptop as bright colors flash across the lenses of his glasses. he reaches over to check his phone, letting out a little huff when it seems he doesn’t see what he wants to see.

with a smile, johnny opens the door wider, standing at his full height and immediately capturing jaehyun’s attention. at once, he pauses whatever he’d been watching and plucks his airpods out of his ears, setting them on the nightstand instead of in the case. that’s why you always lose them.

“hyung,” he says, surprised, but grinning wide. “i was waiting for you to call.”

“i figured,” johnny replies, closing jaehyun’s door behind him and waltzing over to sit on the edge of his bed. “but i thought i’d sneak by to see you instead. and congrats on your second win, by the way. i told you it would happen.”

jaehyun sits up, removing his glasses and slanting forward for a kiss, and johnny meets him halfway, offering something more substantial than their usual greeting peck as he clings to jaehyun’s lips just a little longer.

when he pulls back, he can see that jaehyun’s ears are red. “i’m really happy you’re here, hyung.”

“me too,” he says, the curve of heart-shaped lips immensely fond as he falls into the sweet darkness of jaehyun’s eyes. “but i won’t stay for long. i just wanted to talk to you about something.”

jaehyun blinks, head tilting slightly. “what is it?”

johnny takes in a deep breath. “i just wanted to apologize again,” he explains, tugging on the hem of his beanie. “the way i acted was so stupid, and i know you think my feelings were valid, and maybe they were, but i didn’t have to be a total ass about it. i freaked myself out over stuff that i had no proof was happening, and that deep down i knew made no sense.” he sighs, looking at jaehyun miserably before continuing. “it’s no fun to have a boyfriend who gets jealous like that and who makes a big deal out of nothing. i’m sorry i did that … you didn’t deserve to have to deal with that, jaehyun. and i’ll make sure i won’t put you through it again.”

silence drags on after johnny finishes speaking, for jaehyun only looks at him with mild eyes, lips parted like he wants to say something, but he isn’t sure what to make of the thoughts scrambled in his brain. eventually, he throws his covers back, pulling his legs out from where they’d been nestled under the blanket so he can come closer, sitting beside johnny on the mattress’s edge and placing a hand on his thigh. johnny can feel his warmth through his jeans.

“things you feel aren’t always going to make sense,” he says, looking up at johnny with constellations in his eyes. “i don’t want you to hold things back from me because you’re worried about sounding silly or you think i might not understand. i won’t ever judge you, john.” he smiles, then, squeezing johnny’s thigh only slightly. “i wasn’t upset with you for acting weird … i was just worried. but either way, i accept your apology. and i know that you’re a man who learns and grows from his mistakes, so i’m not worried about it happening again.”

johnny feels a lump in his throat a bit too thick to swallow. he exhales shakily, leaning down to gently knock his forehead against jaehyun’s. “you’re a saint, do you know that?” he says, unsure if he’s laughing or crying with the stuttering breaths he releases. “you’re an actual angel, jaehyun jeong.”

jaehyun giggles lowly, reaching up to cradle the side of johnny’s head, rubbing the tender spot just in front of his ear. “i just love you a lot,” he replies. “you always think of me and my feelings. someone has to think about you and yours.”

overwhelmed with affection, johnny slants forward and closes the distance between them, claiming jaehyun’s lips in an eager kiss. jaehyun responds without delay, slotting his mouth against johnny’s with the same immaculate ease they had always known – from their first kiss on the terrace to now, johnny has always found amazement in how they fit together so well, like they’d been made for each other. sometimes, he wonders why god needed seven hundred thirty-six days to make his soulmate, but he settles to accept that there are some things he will never understand.

jaehyun’s tongue slips into his mouth, and johnny hums around it, caressing it with his own as his arms loop around jaehyun’s waist, pulling him closer. blunt nails scratch the the nape of johnny’s neck, fingers curling in the long hair sweeping out from under his beanie, all while jaehyun melts into johnny’s mouth, tongues swirling around each other like they’ve never tasted something this sweet. 

there’s a tug at johnny’s shoulder, which he realizes is jaehyun trying to pry off his jacket, and though he’s quickly drowning in a whirlpool of desire, he remembers his promise to the others.

“babe,” he gasps out, barely managing to pull back from jaehyun’s amative mouth. “i have to go. i told doyoung and jungwoo i wouldn’t be here long.”

jaehyun pouts, looking at johnny through his long lashes. “i think you should stay,” he says, raising up to climb into johnny’s lap, seating himself there with a bold insistence about him. his voice drops an octave as he looks right into johnny’s eyes from so close, and like he’s casting a spell, johnny’s hands settle at his waist as he utters, “can’t you stay, hyungie?”

“jaehyun …” johnny says on a bewitched sigh. “maybe i should make up for last night …”

“or you could let me make up for it,” jaehyun replies. “you went to the trouble to come here, hyung, so let me give you a reward.”

before johnny can even conceive a reply, jaehyun hops off his lap and makes his way down to the floor, the speed at which he manages to do this nearly making johnny dizzy. or it could be the way jaehyun kneels between his thighs like there’s no better place in the world to be, the way he looks up at johnny with smoldering eyes that could bring any man to his knees, ready to do anything to please him.

johnny spreads his thighs further apart, giving jaehyun more than enough space to make himself comfortable, and watches with baited breath as jaehyun unbuttons and unzips his jeans. he’s pulsing already, thinking of all the times jaehyun has done this for him and the many toe-curling orgasms it had brought him, all the times jaehyun seemed to be enjoying it just as much, somehow, like he can’t get enough of the taste, the scent – like he feeds off of johnny’s pleasure and it vibrates through the both of them in an exchange both physical and spiritual.

he sees jaehyun lick his lips when he tugs johnny’s cock out of his underwear, eyeing the way it twitches to life with visible interest.

“i’ve seen it so many times,” he murmurs, tracing a finger along his favorite vein on the underside, “but i never get used to how big it is.”

somehow, johnny full-body shivers and laughs at the same time. “you’re flattering me,” he accuses.

jaehyun gives a little pout, closing his hand around the base and starting up an even stroke. “it’s easy for you to be humble when you’re not the one that feels it in your guts every other day.”

johnny hums, lips pressing into a line as sparks of pleasure start to crackle at his core. “are you complaining?”

giggling, jaehyun leans forward, pressing barely-there kisses to the underside of the shaft, working his way up. “you know i love it.”

a low moan takes the place of whatever johnny was going to say, for when jaehyun’s mouth meets the tip, he rolls his tongue against it expertly, dipping into the slit that’s starting to weep precum. he tastes him a few more times, satisfied breaths and hums flooding past his lips as johnny only gets harder and harder, the shaft going stiff in jaehyun’s hand.

at last, he parts his pretty lips and takes the tip between them, pillowing the underside with his tongue and sucking lightly, like a divine taste fills his mouth and he wishes to savor it. when he pulls back, it’s to flick his tongue against the slit again, and by now, johnny’s stomach is pulled taut.

“jaehyun,” he whimpers. “baby, quit teasing me … i want your mouth.”

by now, jaehyun’s taken a bit more than just the tip, but he appears not just cognizant of what johnny is aching for, but more than willing to comply. he releases him once more, one hand perched on the tensed muscle of johnny’s left thigh while the other skims up his cock, curling loosely around the head and circling ’round to spread the slick mixture of spit and precum along his palm and fingers, which in turn smear it down the rest of the shaft. that same hand takes hold of the base, then, pressing lightly into johnny’s balls which clench with the bit of attention.

with the stage set for his mouth to work its magic, jaehyun doesn’t hesitate, taking johnny past plush lips that spread wide enough to accommodate the thickness of his cock, sinking down on him about halfway. it pulls a long, low moan from johnny that vibrates through the room, his eyes slipping closed for just a moment as he basks in the wet warmth slowly surrounding him.

quickly, johnny cracks his eyes open against his body’s urges, determined to watch jaehyun make his dick disappear.

jaehyun moans, starting to bob his head back and forth on the half of johnny’s cock he’s taken in, sucking and slurping around him like he loves the taste. johnny throbs in his mouth, the feel of the slick heat and the gratifying pressure on his hard cock beyond amazing, and jaehyun’s resolution to pleasure him more than apparent. the way he looks so pretty and sweet doing something so dirty adds to the feeling; his plump pink lips wrapped around johnny’s cock like a vice, whether his eyes are lidded with focus or open and looking up at johnny, they’re gorgeous with his long eyelashes and the love and devotion shining alongside the dark, alluring haze of lust. his blonde hair shakes with each quick, steady movement of his head, his too-long fringe falling into his eyes, so johnny reaches out to thread his fingers through it, keeping it out of his face, but also providing him with a grounding grip on his beloved.

“fuuuuck, jaehyun,” johnny groans, employing all his resolve to not buck into his mouth like a madman. “that’s it, baby. feels so fuckin’ good.”

at his own pace, jaehyun takes in more and more of the shaft until johnny’s tip pokes through his throat, the excess of saliva making each pass over the veiny flesh smooth and easy, slick sounds filling the room. johnny quivers, hips stuttering into jaehyun’s quickening pace, fingers tugging at his hair tighter. jaehyun only whines, jaw completely slack as he slows, suddenly, raising up on his knees until his head eclipses johnny’s lap.

even though he knows it’s coming, johnny still cries out when jaehyun takes him all the way down his throat, swallowing tight around him. his toes curl in his socks and his thighs tremble as jaehyun’s throat relaxes, but remains just tight enough to grip him, and he picks up his pace once again, fucking his throat on johnny’s pulsing dick. johnny’s eyes roll back into his head, his abdomen quivering as a climax rushes toward him.

“baby,” he moans out, a gasp slipping past his lips when jaehyun’s hand starts to fondle his balls, slick with the wetness that’s dripped down his shaft. “oh, shit, babe i’m – i’m close, i’m gonna cum –”

jaehyun acknowledges this with a busy hum, not breaking his pace or his focus as he keeps his throat open and continues to slurp up all of johnny that he can, not seeming to mind the mess of saliva and pleasure fluids that leaks past his mouth.

eventually, he gives his throat a break, pulling back to lick up and down the shaft and play with the tip with his tongue again, breathy moans leaving him as he mouths his way down to johnny’s balls. he maintains a strong, quick stroke over his dick with his hand as he sucks them into his mouth one at a time, kneading between them with his tongue and driving johnny right towards his limit.

“ah, jaehyun,” he moans out, bucking up into his hand and letting his head fall back, baring his neck while the beanie slips off his head, revealing his mussed hair. “jaehyun, jaehyun – fuck, babe, oh fuck –”

johnny cums, spilling white onto his jeans, onto jaehyun’s hand, onto jaehyun’s face.

jaehyun whimpers, closing his eyes and leaning his head back as it hits him, mouth open and panting breaths pouring out of it. even with cum on his face and in his hair, he looks gorgeous – though he’s achieved a post-orgasmic stupor, johnny is present enough to revere him, and to thank the stars that this beautiful man is for him.

“shit,” johnny says once he drops back down to reality, reaching for the box of tissues kept at jaehyun’s bedside. “c’mere, baby. it’s all over you.”

climbing back onto the bed, jaehyun sits still as johnny wipes the cum off his face and hand and does his best to get it out of his hair. he doesn’t fail to notice the incredibly prominent bulge in jaehyun’s sweatpants as he does this, and the way his heart rate is still sky high. he hadn’t thought they were done before, but now, he knows for sure that they’re not.

“was it good, hyung?” jaehyun asks softly, heat burning in his gaze as he looks up at johnny.

“it’s always good when it’s you,” johnny answers, brushing a knuckle along jaehyun’s jawline. “but judging by the fact i busted all over both of us, i think that more than answers your question.”

giggling, jaehyun leans into his touch, looking at johnny through half-lidded eyes. “i like it better when it’s inside me.”

johnny grazes his lower lip with his teeth. “well, since i’m staying, i think there’s still time for that.”

with interest, jaehyun watches as johnny gets rid of his pants and underwear, letting them collapse into a pile on the floor without a second thought. he removes his denim jacket and his shirt, too, allowing them to meet a similar fate before he pulls his legs up onto jaehyun’s bed, crawling closer to the headboard and lying on his back.

jaehyun takes this as an invitation to remove his own clothes, his t-shirt and sweatpants swiftly discarded and his usual calvin klein briefs gliding down his unreasonably sexy legs as he lifts his hips to get them off. he moves to join johnny, who finds a familiar bottle of lube in the bedside drawer, and as he makes to crawl on top of him, johnny stops him with a hand on his shoulder.

“turn around,” he says.

jaehyun blushes, unable to bite back a smile. “oh,” he says, licking his lips. “we haven't done this position in a while.”

johnny grins. “i think the last time was your birthday last year, right?”

“mmmh,” jaehyun nods, straddling johnny’s lap. “that was a good birthday.”

at that point, he does as he’d been asked, shifting so that his back faces johnny and he can see himself in the mirror toward the corner of the room, angled just so that it catches the foot of the bed. johnny grabs hold of his hips and tugs him back, prompting jaehyun to fall forward and catch himself on his palms with a small yelp, leaving him on his hands and knees and leaving johnny with a faceful of his ass.

“perfect,” johnny purrs, raking his hands down jaehyun’s tiny waist and stopping with palms over his small, round globes, spreading his cheeks to further expose his rosy little hole.

he can see that the shells of jaehyun’s ears are bright red, and as he lowers his head to rest against johnny’s navel, he can feel the flushed heat of his face. how jaehyun can be so bold and dirty while giving him the best head of his life and then be shy and embarrassed moments later is a duality that makes his head spin, but johnny wouldn’t change a damn thing about it.

abandoning the lube at his side for now, johnny pulls jaehyun back even more – he could reach him just fine from the prior distance, but he likes the way jaehyun reacts when he manhandles him; his soft gasps and poorly concealed whines, the way he blushes and shivers at the show of his strength. by this point in their relationship, johnny knows that jaehyun loathes being wrongfully thought of as weak or delicate, but that he can appreciate another man’s strength, and gets a thrill out of being the smaller one by comparison, even if he’d never admit it. given that he’s tall and well-built himself, men like that weren’t easy for jaehyun to come by in his adult life – but johnny is more than able and more than willing to give him that dynamic he craves, and jaehyun crumbles for it.

spreading him again, johnny watches the way jaehyun’s hole flutters, the tight pucker so deliciously pink and practically begging to be devoured.

and who would johnny be to deny it?

he dives in with his tongue, licking a wide stripe between jaehyun’s cheeks and pulling an adorably surprised moan from him. the response prompts johnny to lick him again, but faster, stroking his tongue over the hole repeatedly as jaehyun buries his face into johnny’s abs, already circling his hips and pushing them back for more.

gripping jaehyun harder, johnny gives him more; more tension, more pressure, more pleasure, circling his tongue around the rim and flicking it against the hole in quick, bold thrusts. every so often, he presses the blade of his tongue against him and gives him slow and languid licks, moaning into him as he revels in his taste.

“hyung,” he hears jaehyun moan, his voice breathless. “th-that – feels so good …”

johnny smirks, pressing soft kisses to jaehyun’s quivering hole, loving the way he goes so pliant whenever he does this. “you want more?” he asks.

“yes,” jaehyun answers, wiggling his hips insistently. “your tongue feels amazing.”

with a pleased hum, johnny starts eating him out again, licking at his hole even faster, even sucking around it just to hear jaehyun keen. his bruising grip on jaehyun’s cheeks functions to immobilize him as he starts to move his head along with the flicks of his tongue, deepening the stroke and making jaehyun tremble, attempting to squirm in johnny’s hold but ultimately unsuccessful.

“fuck,” jaehyun whines, reaching down between his legs to touch his own cock, stroking himself with a pace that matches johnny’s. “johnny, john– fuck, please …”

johnny can feel his own cock starting to get hard again, but he focuses on jaehyun’s pleasure, given that he’s already had an orgasm tonight. he pushes against jaehyun’s hole with his tongue, the slippery flesh giving with little effort and letting him shove it inside, the tight ring trying to clench around him.

jaehyun gasps, back arching as he shivers on top of johnny. reaching around jaehyun’s hip, johnny knocks jaehyun’s hand out of the way and starts to stroke him instead, perfectly in tandem with how he’s tongue-fucking him. 

“i’m gonna cum,” jaehyun warns, shaking all over as he struggles between trying to thrust back against johnny’s face or into his hand. “oooh, hyung, i’m – fuck, i’m gonna cum.”

he could already tell by the way jaehyun’s body convulses and by the sounds he’s making, but the verbalization prompts johnny to spread his palm against jaehyun’s abdomen, pushing him up and back until he’s up on his knees again, straddling johnny with trembling thighs. once he’s in the position he wants him, johnny goes back to stroking his cock, jacking him off at a punishing pace and encouraging jaehyun to ride his face, tonguing his hole with fervor until jaehyun arches again and cums with a broken sob, shooting his load onto johnny’s stomach.

jaehyun shivers and pants through his aftershocks, whimpering when johnny kisses his flushed hole a few times and rubs his thigh, encouraging him to relax.

when he’s not as tightly strung, johnny gently rolls jaehyun onto his side so he himself can sit up against the headboard. “you alright?” he asks, leaning over to see jaehyun’s face and placing a grounding hand at his waist. johnny hears an airy laugh, prompting him to smile.

“i’m great,” jaehyun answers after a trickle of time to catch his breath. “it’s really hard to get used to how good you are with your tongue.”

johnny laughs, nuzzling into jaehyun’s neck. “you know, i could say the same thing about you.”

another giggle, a little less breathless than the first. “i still want you to fuck me, but i don’t know if i can move right now.”

“i can prep you like this,” johnny suggests. “would that be okay?”

“mmmh, yes,” jaehyun answers. “just go slow?”

“of course, baby,” replies johnny, already reaching behind himself for the lube. “you did so well, by the way. wish i could have seen your pretty face when you came.”

he nestles himself up against jaehyun’s back, not unlike spooning him, except he slides a hand beneath jaehyun’s leg to lift it up, exposing his still-slick hole.

jaehyun doesn’t reply with words, but he gives a songful hum, reaching back to claw through johnny’s hair while johnny kisses his shoulder. then, he moves his arm down to replace johnny’s in holding his leg, so johnny can slick his fingers up with the lube.

“did you use this while we were apart?” he asks, circling his middle finger around jaehyun’s hole. “did you fuck yourself thinking of me?”

jaehyun whimpers, leaning more heavily into his pillow. “yes …”

slowly, johnny sinks his finger in to the first knuckle, amazed at the way jaehyun’s heat always seems to recognize him. “how cruel of you to not show me how pretty you looked all desperate for my dick.”

a tight breath leaves jaehyun, his eyes fluttering closed as johnny starts to pump his finger in and out of him, slowly coaxing his hole to open wider.

“i didn’t think to record myself,” he says, eyes remaining closed, though he bites his lip when johnny gets close to his sweet spot; teasing, for they both know he can find it without any trouble. “i was too focused on trying not to let doyoung-hyung and jungwoo hear what i was doing.”

finding that jaehyun is ready, johnny gives him another finger – his ring finger, this time. jaehyun sighs at the stretch.

“i guess you aren’t so focused on that tonight.”

jaehyun chuckles, but it quickly tapers into a moan when johnny just barely grazes his prostate again. “i guess i’m not.”

johnny opens him up more, spreading his fingers apart and massaging the lube into his walls, feeling the rim loosening up millimeter by millimeter. he turns his head to kiss jaehyun’s neck, ever so fond of the mole on his nape; always treating it like a sign that reads ‘kiss here’.

“you didn’t record yourself for me, either,” jaehyun says, opening his eyes, though he liquifies under johnny’s kisses. “i know you didn’t go all that time without touching yourself. and you were alone, so what’s your excuse?”

he can’t help but laugh at being called out, nipping his lower lip as he plunges his fingers even deeper inside of jaehyun as if trying to distract him.

it works; jaehyun moans and pushes back against him, but johnny answers him anyway, fond of their little back-and-forth. “maybe i wanted you to send a video first. you know i’m shy.”

jaehyun giggles yet again, emitting a long, heavy breath at the end of the mirthful sound as johnny takes the opportunity to slip in his index.

“right. i know that.”

with all three fingers inside, johnny works him open as wide as he can, spreading him slow but thorough and pressing in deep just to hear him whine and see his stomach clench. the angle is a little awkward, but johnny knows jaehyun’s body as well as he knows his own – or maybe even better – to the point that he could do (and has done) this forewards, backwards, sideways and upside down.

“you’re ready for me,” he says, gently removing his fingers and tracing around the stretched hole to feel how much it’s expanded. he raises his arm to hold onto jaehyun’s leg again, giving jaehyun a break from it. “you want to do it like this?”

“mhm,” jaehyun responds, letting his arm fall heavily at his front. “you never want to do it from behind because you complain that you can’t see me, so this is a good compromise.”

johnny kisses along jaehyun’s shoulder again, pleased with the way his flushed skin makes him feel even warmer than usual, and how there’s not even a micrometer of space between them. it’s a bit of a struggle, but he manages to get his free arm under jaehyun so he can reach around him, and he only briefly releases jaehyun’s leg so he can line up his cock with his hole.

slowly, he pushes inside. the stretch is tight, but not too tight; it’s just the right amount of friction and pressure to satisfy them both, to send ripples of pleasure up both their spines. jaehyun moans low in his throat, his deep voice vibrating through the room, and johnny rests his hand at jaehyun’s chest, rubbing lightly over one of his nipples.

“oh,” jaehyun sighs, letting his head fall back against johnny’s shoulder, “johnny …”

he sinks into jaehyun inch by inch, resisting the urge to just start pounding him until his voice tears and his body goes tight all over. he likes that, but he likes this, too; entering jaehyun nice and slow, feeling his body open up for him and suck him in like it’s saying, “i missed you, welcome back.”

there’s no feeling on earth like being fully seated inside jaehyun. his tight heat was made just for this, just for him, and johnny is endlessly grateful to every force that holds the universe together for allowing him to have something this beautiful.

“good?” he asks, and jaehyun nods, a soft moan spilling from his lips as johnny pulses inside of him. jaehyun’s cock is hard again, and johnny reaches for it, just holding it in his hand for now, feeling the way it throbs seemingly in tandem with his own.

“just give me a second,” jaehyun requests, looking back at johnny with tender eyes. “i just want to feel you for a second.”

johnny cranes his neck to close the distance, kissing jaehyun soft and sweet as their bodies sing a harmony only they can hear. jaehyun reaches back to comb a hand through his hair once more, and johnny considers never cutting it again, for whenever it gets this long, jaehyun can’t seem to stop touching and playing with it when it’s just the two of them.

when it feels right, he starts to thrust. it starts with gentle rolls of his hips, plunging himself impossibly deeper into jaehyun, until his navel bulges the slightest bit and he makes that sweet, high sound in his throat – but the yearning hits johnny like a freight train, and suddenly, it’s hard to hold back.

he picks up the pace, and jaehyun chokes on a moan, breaking their kiss to hide his face in the pillow, muffling his intensifying sounds of pleasure. normally, johnny doesn’t let him do that, but he doesn’t mind, tonight; jaehyun is close enough for him to still hear and feel and see everything, every sensation reverberates through their bodies like a pinball bouncing between two brackets, and where johnny ends and jaehyun begins is suddenly beautifully unclear.

johnny fucks him faster still, his grip on his leg tightening and the the way he holds his leaking cock turning to slick strokes, pulling increasingly incoherent moans from jaehyun as words become too difficult to muster in the hazy mush of his brain – everything becomes johnny, johnny, johnny, and johnny knows that feeling, because there’s not much else he can see, feel, hear, smell, taste other than jaehyun.

“fuck,” he curses, channeling all his strength to his hips to thrust into jaehyun, aside from the fraction he reserves to hold him tight, to keep him down on earth. 

jaehyun cries out, flushed all over and holding more tension at his core than a loaded crossbow. “johnny,” he moans, scratching at the bed with one hand and johnny’s scalp with the other. “nngh, johnny – don’t stop, please, i’m so close –”

“me too, baby,” he sighs into jaehyun’s bright red ear, “you feel so fucking good, it’s driving me crazy.”

verily, his grip on his sanity wanes as jaehyun’s hole flutters around his shaft, clinging to him in a grip strong enough to keep him inside forever, it seems. johnny wouldn’t mind it, he thinks; being joined with jaehyun forever, the two of them eternally locked in an embrace of pleasure and ecstasy – it’s like something the ancient greeks may have written about, with their obsessions around love and beauty. they would have fucking loved jaehyun – they would have thought he was a god.

and what would that make johnny? a lowly mortal that was lucky enough to catch his eye – with hands unworthy to touch him and eyes unworthy to behold him, but he’d do anything that would make jaehyun happy, even if he couldn’t understand it.

he slams himself into jaehyun hard and deep, knocking relentlessly into his prostate until jaehyun cries to the heavens from whence he came, erupting into orgasm and clenching so hard around johnny that he can’t even move. but he doesn’t need to, he bites down against jaehyun’s shoulder and reaches the top of the mountain with him, locking both his arms around his middle and bursting inside of his divine heat, filling him with a heavy stream of cum, just like he’d wanted.

a sweet silence follows. the only sound in the room comes from their jagged, shallow breaths, as if the entire world had stopped to pay respects to the paradise they’d built together.

johnny barely loosens his hold on jaehyun, pulling him down with him as he shifts to lie on his back. he brushes his nose against the back of jaehyun’s ear, which is still flushed and warm like the rest of him, and as bleached hair tickles his face, johnny can’t tell if it’s his own heartbeat knocking against jaehyun’s back or if he can feel jaehyun’s knocking against him.

“wow,” jaehyun utters, voice so soft, if johnny hadn’t been conditioned over the years to always listen for him, he may not have heard it.

“yeah,” johnny agrees, tone only a notch or two above jaehyun’s in volume.

a few beats pass, and they both start to giggle, jaehyun turning himself in johnny’s arms so he can face him.

“that was incredible,” he says. “exactly what i needed.”

johnny grins, lying back against the pillows. “i’m happy i could provide. holy shit, though – i think that might have been the best sex we have ever had.”

“you’re gonna say that again next week,” jaehyun claims, snickering right after.

“well, that’s a good thing, right?” johnny laughs with him. “that means it just keeps getting better. somehow.”

jaehyun hums, leaning in to kiss johnny, their mouths soft and sweet against each other.

“good for us,” he replies upon pulling away. “maybe not so much for jungwoo and doyoung-hyung.”

at that, johnny laughs out loud, hardly able to catch his breath as he does.

“they’ll be alright.”

♡

when morning comes, johnny buys everyone breakfast – he claims that it’s to celebrate both wins, but doyoung and jungwoo seem covertly cognizant of the fact that it’s more than likely a peace offering after he’d overstayed his welcome and disrupted the calm ambiance of their dorm by having noisy sex with jaehyun the prior night. 

either way, they seem to accept it to some extent (jungwoo doesn’t look all that bothered at all, but doyoung had been eyeing johnny like he’d poisoned the water supply of the entire country until he saw the vast array of food that he had set out for them), and johnny hopes it means he’s in the clear and that he won’t be subjected to whinging about it for the next six months.

jaehyun keeps his leg pressed to johnny’s under the table as they eat, both of them staying relatively quiet as doyoung and jungwoo take turns leading the conversation. eventually, jungwoo’s phone chimes, and as he looks at it, his lips curve into a smirk.

johnny raises an eyebrow. “what’s that look for?”

doyoung seems equally curious, his brows furrowing and lips pulling taut. “yeah, what was that look for?”

“one of our dancers keeps sending me good morning texts and asking when i’m free,” jungwoo chuckles, setting his phone down and leaning on his hand. “i think he’s gonna ask me on a date.”

doyoung looks scandalized by this information. “what?”

jaehyun raises his head at this, leaning a little closer to jungwoo, but not enough to detach his leg from johnny’s. “really?” he asks. “which one?”

jungwoo’s grin is ever-present as he breaks off another piece of his pajeon with his chopsticks. “louis – the one with the nose piercing.”

johnny blinks, looking toward jaehyun, who is already leaning back in his chair and looking at him. they’re both resisting the urge to laugh, but even if they hadn’t been successful, the sound wouldn’t have stood a chance against doyoung’s loud gasp.

“you’re not going to agree to it, are you?” he asks, mouth slanted unhappily. 

“why not?” jungwoo asks, cocking a brow at doyoung. “he’s good-looking, and always nice to me. and jaehyun-hyung knows him pretty well, right?” he looks toward jaehyun, suddenly. “should i go out with him, hyung?”

before jaehyun gets the chance to reply, doyoung answers for him. “no!” he exclaims, “you don’t even like him, do you?”

“you sound pretty jealous, doyoung,” says johnny giggling mischievously as he spectates this exchange as if it’s free entertainment.

doyoung’s cheeks turn bright red. “wh–! no, i’m not!” he claims, looking between everyone at the table with panic in his eyes. “hyung, why would you say that?”

“aww, don’t be jealous, hyung,” jungwoo says, giggling along with johnny, and jaehyun joins in, unable to resist. “i like you more than him, anyway.”

if just doyoung’s cheeks had been red before, now it’s his whole face. “i’m not jealous of anyone!” he proclaims, huffing as he crosses his arms.

“jungwoo, you probably shouldn’t go out with louis anyway,” jaehyun says, dimples on display as he smiles wide. “you two kind of look similar, so that would be weird.”

“ah,” johnny agrees. “jaehyun’s right – you do kind of resemble each other. people would think you’re brothers.” he snickers again as he looks at doyoung, still pouting and red-faced at his side. “say, maybe that’s why doyoung was telling you not to go out with him.”

chuckling, jungwoo anchors his chin on his hand again as he looks in doyoung’s direction, too. “yeah, maybe that’s why.”

as they finish, johnny volunteers to clean up the table, and jaehyun helps him. doyoung announces that he’s going to shower, and jungwoo disappears soon thereafter.

“so, louis is into jungwoo,” jaehyun says, placing a stack of dishes into the sink. “that’s kind of cute.”

“yeah, but it seems like he doesn’t stand a chance with doyoung around,” johnny replies, smiling to himself as he discards of all the trash. “maybe now that he’s got some competition, he’ll finally stop playing hard to get.”

jaehyun laughs. “maybe. then i’d feel even more like i’m third-wheeling them in this unit.”

“well, that’s what i’m here for,” says johnny. “they can be a pair of wheels and we can be a pair of wheels. i’ll be the unofficial fourth member – dojaejungjohn doesn’t sound so bad.”

“that’s too long,” jaehyun replies, shaking his head. “and too many ‘j’ sounds.”

johnny comes nearer to where jaehyun stands by the sink, kissing his dimpled cheek and causing his smile to grow. “we’ll work on it.”