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It was one of those nights they'd ended up getting drunk just for the sake of it. Jihoon was, as usual, clinging on Jaehyo while the latter was belting out his favourite schlagers to the rhythm of an old karaoke dvd (that was all Kyung had been able to find at his parents' before speeding back to Jiho's at the prospect of a party) when Minhyuk returned from the balcony. He tucked the pack of cigarettes in his jacket pocket on the way back to the living room and slumped down on the sofa next to Taeil, who was lazily scanning the back of the dvd cover, soon going "Hey this one's got Delilah gimme the mic it's my turn next anyway" and scrambling to his feet, knocking over a few empty bottles on the coffee table. The "party" was a mess, but weren't they always, Minhyuk thought, while watching Taeil try to wrestle the only working mic off of Jaehyo and Jihoon getting confused as to on whose side he should be in this fierce confrontation.
"Jaehyo come here, sit down for a while, you could use a little break", Minhyuk pulled the other down onto the sofa next to him when the battle was almost ending up on his lap. Jaehyo sighed and dug himself deep into the cushions in an attempt to sulk but failed, cracking a smile up to Minhyuk and leaning on his shoulder.
"Yeeeeah a break should be nice..."
But you're nicer, Minhyuk caught himself thinking. What was it with alcohol that sometimes (!) cut that snarky edge off of Jaehyo, that made him easy to please and easier to lead, he didn't know but was silently thankful for it while Jaehyo shifted and burrowed his head tighter on the crook of Minhyuk's neck.
"Don't you fall asleep yet, I'm not carrying you to bed."
"I won't I won't... but why are you saying that now, you've done it before? You're stronger than what you look like", Jaehyo mumbled, booping Minhyuk's nose, only barely managing not to prod his finger in his eye, hand falling limp on his face the second after. Minhyuk ignored the warm swelling in his chest and shushed at him; alarmed despite the noise Taeil and Jihoon were now making through the loudspeakers, and peeled Jaehyo’s hand off his chin.
"Yes I have, but I'd appreciate if you didn't advertise it to the whole kingdom."
"I do what I want," Jaehyo grumbled (how dare Minhyuk want to keep him hidden!), "because it's my kingdom!" He shot up from the sofa and, after finding his balance again, wobbled out in search of his peasants. That much for being nice tonight, Minhyuk thought as Jaehyo returned, a confusedly grinning Jiho in tow.
"Minhyuk is jealous so Jiho's here with me to demonstrate that I'm my own man - Jiho, I know you like me but I do not like you so consider this as a one-off." Before Jiho (or Minhyuk) had had time to process what he'd just heard, Jaehyo was head-on kissing him on the lips - moreover, clumsily knocking one of Jiho's legs to the side and bending him backwards for that desired movie-effect. Despite Jaehyo's hand behind his back, Jiho was too late and having not taken a hold of Jaehyo in any way yet, fell down half on the floor, half over the armrest of the sofa.
"What the fuck are you doing? Jaehyo? Help me up, that hurt! Both my back and my heart..." Jiho grunted between his efforts of trying to get back on his feet but was promptly ignored. Minhyuk met Jaehyo's challenging eyes, disbelieving, well not really: as often as Jaehyo was a nice drunk, he was also an unpredictable drunk. Enough was enough, however. If he wanted to play, Minhyuk was ready.
"This party sucks. I'm going home." Minhyuk declared and rose from his seat, Jihoon and Taeil's attention only now drawn to the scene behind them.
"Well if that's the case, I have no other option but to come with you!" Jaehyo announced, speeding past Minhyuk to find his shoes.
"You're not making any sense!" Minhyuk shouted after him but Jaehyo clearly wasn't taking the point.
"I DO WHAT I WANT, LEE MINHYUK!"
************
Twenty minutes later they were both drenched in the late autumn rain, trudging through the wet leaves for the final half a mile to Minhyuk’s apartment. Living in the next neighbourhood to Jiho’s had its pros; not being too close for the younger to hang around his place all the time but still within a convenient distance to visit by foot when needed. The con was, he lived definitely too close for there to be a sensible bus connection back home, you know, just in case the weather was like this.
“Are we there yet?”
“Jaehyo, for the last time… you know where I live.”
“I think I forgot” Jaehyo pouts, and Minhyuk thinks, that’s perfectly possible, to be frank.
“Five more minutes, you idiot.” He drags Jaehyo closer, under the minimal coverage provided by the wrenched umbrella.
“Are you still mad at me?”
“…I thought you were the one mad at me?”
“Noooo, I was just playing you”, Jaehyo giggles, nudging Minhyuk with his elbow.
“Oh I see, so kissing Jiho was just to annoy me? And you tell me I’m jealous.”
“Don’t be stupid, I know you’re jealous,” Jaehyo kept basically chirping, “but I’m jealous too! And that’s exaaaaactly why I had to come with you… “
“…so that now no one at all will have a clue what we’ve been doing for the last 4 months? Yeah you’ve made it quite clear”, Minhyuk quipped, before a sudden gust of wind turned the umbrella around and got him swearing at the poor object accordingly. Jaehyo was right; he was jealous, but damn it if he didn’t hide it well, and even better than they’d been hiding the fact that they now spent more time together than apart. Not that he would mind the others knowing, he just felt sort of embarrassed now that they’d been going on for so long and everyone else was more or less aware of the situation, but they were still sneaking around like 15-year-olds.
“You’re funny, did you know that? Because I didn’t”, Jaehyo snickered at Minhyuk’s grumbling with the stupidest grin on his face and it only took a mild scowl from Minhyuk for him to fall back into silence.
“…are we there yet?”
************
“The water is hot but Jaehyo’s hotter”, Minhyuk thinks, “and I’m badly dehydrated.” He could feel the dull throb breaking through behind his temples; he really should have had that glass of water first, be the headache due either to tiredness or alcohol. Right now it was the least of his concerns, however, because Jaehyo was kissing him again, the still mildly soapy water from his hair dripping down to his lips. Minhyuk took it all in; the faint taste of coconut, the cool shower tiles to his shoulder blades contrasted by Jaehyo’s warmth to his front, his hands sliding down Minhyuk’s back, his own urge to press forward.
“Not here”, he breathes and pulls back the little amount he can, “you’re too drunk for this.”
“I know”, Jaehyo deadpans but doesn’t show any intention of stopping, taking another half a step further into Minhyuk’s space, mouth now going to his neck.
“Seriously, let me… at least wash you properly?” Minhyuk tried negotiating.
“Wash me? But that’s not… important…” Jaehyo was gradually dropping lower.
“Yes, Jaehyo, it is, I changed the bedsheets this morning and I’m not letting your stinky ass in,” Minhyuk lifts Jaehyo up by his chin, “learn some patience”, and turns him around under the shower head.
“You talk to me about patience? You, who couldn’t keep it in your pants until the end of that business dinner two days ago?” Jaehyo laughs and almost slips reaching for the sponge.
“Yes I do, Mr. “I want a hot shower before bed I’m just cold I swear please come with me?” And now stay still, I’ll scrub your back for you.” Minhyuk works a mark on the back of Jaehyo’s neck while washing him back and front, the other finally stilling, drooping his head, breathing in deep, letting him take control.
“Okay, you’re good to go” he gently slaps Jaehyo’s backside and Jaehyo all but crashes through the shower doors, only returning to quickly embrace Minhyuk and bite on his ear while he’s squeezing the water off his hair.
“I’ll wait for you”, and like a drunken, giggly shadow he disappears out into the apartment.
“Wait, you didn’t take YOUR TOWEL!”
Minhyuk sincerely hopes Jaehyo finds the ones he keeps in the bedroom closet.
************
Minhyuk swears he couldn’t possibly have taken more than three minutes to get to the bedroom but here Jaehyo is, lying spread eagle on Minhyuk’s bed, eyes closed and as it looks like, asleep. His body, still damp, was shimmering in the shaft of light coming from the living room, it’s beautiful, Minhyuk thinks, and the question whether or not to just climb on him and wake him up weighs on his conscience. He doesn’t have to mull over it for long, though, as Jaehyo is given away, cracking his eye open only a bit and smiling at the other’s adoration. Minhyuk smirks. He’s not going to wait til the morning.