Work Text:
Chanyeol is exhausted by the time he shoves the key into the door and stumbles unceremoniously into his apartment. He drops his bag at the ground by his feet and kicks off his shoes, leaving them in a hurried mess next to the door as he drags himself into the kitchen. After a hard day's work, all he really wants to do is have a big drink and sleep for a hundred years, preferably in his most comfiest pyjamas possible and preferably in the arms of his very lovely boyfriend who Chanyeol has missed very much despite only being apart from him for a few hours.
Grabbing a glass from the cupboard, he pours himself some water and takes a few big gulps to quench his thirst, polishing off the entire glass in seconds before pouring himself another drink. When he has finished that one also, head feeling a lot less muggy than it did before, he turns around to face the door, leaning against the counter.
"I'm home!" he calls out to the apartment, frowning when he hears no reply. It's Kyungsoo's day off today and he should be home, but apparently that is not the case. Maybe he went to do some errands and just isn't back yet. Putting his glass in the sink with the mental note to wash it up later, he goes to leave the kitchen when he spies something out of the corner of his eye.
There's a piece of paper on the table next to the fruit bowl. It looks like it has been torn from an old magazine. Chanyeol picks it up when he sees there is something written on it, smiling when he recognises Kyungsoo's neat and straight handwriting.
Gone to get some things for dinner. Be back soon x
Well that explains why the apartment is empty. Chanyeol grins bashfully at the little piece of paper and takes out his wallet from his pocket, slipping the note inside along with all the others Kyungsoo has written him. Spinning around, he shuffles sleepily down the hallway and into his bedroom, tugging off his restricting day clothes before changing into a pair of loose sweatpants and an old, baggy shirt. Sighing in comfort, Chanyeol flops down onto the bed and closes his eyes, body desperately calling for a deep and lengthy nap.
He's just started drifting off, sinking slowly and further into sleep, heaviness clouding his mind, when his phone starts to ring.
The annoyingly cheerful screeching of some random girl group pierces the air (his best friend, Baekhyun, had changed it as a prank while they were out drinking and he hasn't yet been bothered to change it back) and rips Chanyeol out of his snoozing as if he has been hit by a train. Groaning loudly, he rolls over and scrambles for his phone, hidden in the pocket of his trousers on the other side of the room, before accepting the call and putting his phone to his ear, too tired to check the name of the caller.
"What."
"Chanyeol, it's me."
Kyungsoo's voice startles him awake so fast he almost drops his phone. "Hi, baby," he says, a guilty smile blooming drowsily at his lips. "Sorry about that, I just woke up."
"I can tell. You sound tired." His voice is soft, warm, like heated blankets, and Chanyeol finds himself feeling sleepy again. "Did you just get back?" Kyungsoo asks.
Chanyeol hums in affirmation. "I found your note." His eyes start to droop, and he lies back down on the bed, turning his head to bury it into the pillows. They smell like his aftershave and Kyungsoo's shampoo. "How's the shopping?"
"About that..." Kyungsoo says, and Chanyeol finds himself opening his eyes and sitting up again when he notices that his boyfriend sounds a little off. "I need your help."
Worry courses through him and he nibbles on his lip. "What's wrong? Are you okay?"
"Sort of. I was walking home and didn't see a pothole in the pavement." There's a crackling sound, Chanyeol guesses it's Kyungsoo changing ears, and then, "I think I've hurt my ankle."
Chanyeol swears he has never been more awake in his life. He crawls off of the bed and stands up. "Where are you?"
"I'm by the park, there's a bench-"
Chanyeol has already hung up, sprinted out of the bedroom and is shoving on his shoes before Kyungsoo manages to finish his sentence.
~
The park is about a five minute walk from Chanyeol and Kyungsoo's apartment. It's the quickest way to get to the supermarket, cutting through noisy residentials and busy, traffic filled roads, letting you get there in just under ten minutes, give or take.
As well as being the quickest, it's also Kyungsoo's favourite place to walk, Chanyeol has noticed. It's always quiet, something that Kyungsoo practically embodies, and the entire space is as green as green can be, with wide open spaces of thick grass and wild flowers, and rows upon rows of trees that sway gently in the summer breeze. In spring, the trees are covered in cherry blossoms that scatter delicate pink petals all over the ground like a soft rose blanket. Kyungsoo likes to take pictures of them sometimes. Some of them are framed in their apartment.
Chanyeol finds Kyungsoo sat on a bench just inside the opening to the park. He's wearing all black (of course he's wearing all black) and he stands out against the technicolour sea of nature behind him like a blob of ink on a watercolour painting. There are a few plastic bags beside him on the bench and at his feet, all bulging with goodness knows what (Kyungsoo is always trying out new recipes and some of the ingredients he uses Chanyeol can barely pronounce let alone recognise) and he looks up when Chanyeol calls his name. His wide eyes peer up at him through his glasses from under his cap and a little bit of hair sticks out in a tuft from the strap at the back of his head and he is so beautiful that Chanyeol would kiss him right there if he wasn't so worried about him.
He takes a moment to catch his breath (the park is about a five minute walk from Chanyeol and Kyungsoo's apartment; Chanyeol had done it in about two), resting his hands on his knees as he sucks in air before looking up and grinning at his boyfriend. "Hey, gorgeous."
Kyungsoo raises a brow at him, unimpressed, but a smile curls on his lips and his cheeks are lightly dusted with pink, like the cherry blossoms in spring. "You look like crap."
Chanyeol brushes his sweat soaked hair off of his forehead, cheeks red with exertion. He didn't think to change out of his loose sweatpants and ratty bed shirt, the one with the gravy stain that doesn't seem to wash out no matter how many times he blasts it through the washing machine, and yes, he probably does look like crap, but Kyungsoo is smiling at him so he can't find it in him to care. He grins and sends his man a wink. "I'm your crap."
"Unfortunately," Kyungsoo says back. He's chuckling, and Chanyeol feels warm. "You didn't have to run all the way here you know. I'm not dying."
Kyungsoo could have a paper cut and Chanyeol would run a marathon just to make sure he was okay. At the mention of his injury, Chanyeol looks down at Kyungsoo's feet. They both look fine, hidden under black socks and the edges of his joggers. "Which one is it?"
"Left one."
Making sure not to squash the shopping bags, Chanyeol crouches down and goes to roll Kyungsoo's left jogger leg up. He's a little too rough and Kyungsoo winces, moving his hand from where it was resting on his lap to grip at his thigh, so Chanyeol apologises and continues rolling the fabric. When it's fully out of the way, he tugs on the laces on Kyungsoo's sneakers and widens them as much as he can before slipping the shoe and then his sock off, rubbing his hand along the inside of Kyungsoo's calf when he hisses through his teeth. "Is it bad?" Kyungsoo asks.
The ankle has swollen quite a bit, about twice as big as his other one, and his skin is starting to turn concerning shades of purple and blue. Chanyeol has sprained his ankle a few times before, being a rather clumsy person himself, and this does look pretty bad. Chanyeol grimaces a little but looks up at his boyfriend with a smile. "Nothing a bit of rest can't fix," he trills, pulling the sock back on and rolling up the jogger leg before picking up the shoe and standing up. "Come on, let's get you home."
Kyungsoo goes to stand up, balancing on one leg, but Chanyeol has other ideas. He turns around so that his back is facing the smaller and ducks down, drawing his arms back to grab Kyungsoo's own and throw them over his shoulders. Kyungsoo cries out when Chanyeol stands up and pulls his boyfriend up onto his back, the younger wrapping his arms around Chanyeol's neck and he wriggles and writhes to keep his balance. "Chanyeol, what are you doing? Put me down!"
Choosing to ignore him, Chanyeol holds onto Kyungsoo's thighs and pulls them up to wrap around his waist, being careful not to jostle his bad foot. "You'd better hold on tight," he laughs as Kyungsoo squawks at being manhandled so much, "I'm carrying the shopping as well." He bites on his lip to stop himself cooing when Kyungsoo grumbles but clings on to him tighter, curling his hands in the collar of Chanyeol's shirt.
Bending down slowly so as not to freak his boyfriend out, Chanyeol drops Kyungsoo's shoe in one of the shopping bags, picks them up with both of his hands and starts to make his way back home.
There are a few people out on the streets, teenagers in uniform loitering down the street in groups and older women gossiping over fences, and they stare at the pair as they meander past. Kyungsoo buries his face in the curve of Chanyeol's neck. "When I said I needed your help I didn't mean for you to physically carry me home," he mumbles, voice muffled by skin and fabric. "You look ridiculous. People are staring."
"No they're not," replies Chanyeol, reassuring. "And if they were, it's only because they're jealous of me for having such a beautiful backpack as yourself."
"I hate you."
Chanyeol's laugh is loud and fond. "Love you too, baby."
It takes them a little longer than five minutes to reach their apartment block, what with Chanyeol carrying several bags of heavy shopping plus a grown man on his back, but eventually they make it. Kyungsoo insists on being put down so he can make the journey up to their home by himself ("I've not lost a leg, for Christ's sake.") but Chanyeol is persistent and carries him on his back all the way up two flights of stairs and down the hallway before putting down a handful of shopping to dig out his keys and open the door.
Part of it is because he knows Kyungsoo is in pain and he doesn't want him to make his ankle even worse by putting strain on it, but it's mainly because he loves the feeling of Kyungsoo's soft thighs wrapped around him and his breath tickling his neck. He only puts Kyungsoo down when he's dumped all the shopping in the kitchen, dropping him carefully onto their bed.
Letting out a deep sigh of relief, he spins his torso and groans as his spine creaks and cracks, listening contently as the melodic popping fills the room. Kyungsoo frowns at him. "You really didn't have to carry me all the way here," he says, words laced with a hint of concern as one pop makes Chanyeol wince. Chanyeol brushes off his worrying with a cheeky smile and a wink.
"Yeah I did. You're in pain." He steps forward and places his hand on Kyungsoo's cheek, cupping his face. "Can't have my baby being in pain."
The blush that flushes up Kyungsoo's neck and face is one of the cutest things Chanyeol has ever seen. "Shut up," Kyungsoo grumbles, swatting Chanyeol's hand away and blushing even harder when Chanyeol laughs at him and tells him how adorable he is. "You're lucky I can't walk right now."
The threat is half-hearted and weakened by the fact that Kyungsoo is smiling his signature smile, the one that never fails to make Chanyeol feel weak at the knees, plump lips curved into a heart. The taller can't stop a smile of his own from filling up his features as he turns to walk into the kitchen and grab an ice pack from the freezer. He wraps it up in a tea towel and walks back to bedroom.
Getting on his hands and knees, he bends down and digs under the bed for an extra pillow. He knows that Kyungsoo is watching him so he wiggles his butt, enticing and just a little bit silly, rejoicing internally when he hears his boyfriend snort, a chuckle singing in the air like music. He pulls out the pillow and drops it onto his side of the bed, gesturing for Kyungsoo to move up and lean against the headboard.
"Get comfortable," he says, shuffling up the bed and setting in front of his, Kyungsoo's toes just shy of his thigh, "because you are staying here for the rest of the day."
Kyungsoo's brow furrows. "What about dinner?"
"I'm making dinner tonight."
Scoffing, Kyungsoo tuts at him. "God help us. We'll be dead by the morning."
Chanyeol pouts at him, bringing a hand up to his chest. "My cooking isn't that bad," he gasps, feigning offense. He knows his cooking is terrible but at least his dramatics made Kyungsoo smile.
"Last time you made dinner we both got food poisoning," Kyungsoo deadpans, poking Chanyeol in the thigh with his good toes. "We only have one toilet. I'm sure I speak for us both when I say I don't want to go through that again."
Shaking away his grimace as the memories of that horrific incident stain his mind once again, Chanyeol leans on his arm to gaze wistfully at his boyfriend. "Well, if I do kill us, at least I'll get to die with you in my arms, my love," he hums, dodging the hand that Kyungsoo sends his way and giggling as his boyfriend blushes again.
"You are insufferable," Kyungsoo says, ignoring Chanyeol's giggles as he gestures to his joggers. "Now help me get these off."
Raising his eyebrows seductively, Chanyeol reaches forward to take the waistband of Kyungsoo's trousers in his hands. "If you insist," he drawls, winking as his boyfriend rolls his eyes.
Kyungsoo's skin is soft under Chanyeol's rough fingers. "Lift up," he says, and Kyungsoo raises his hips, watching with round eyes and Chanyeol drags the fabric over his hips and down his thighs, unnecessarily slow and sensual considering the situation. His black boxers contrast with the paleness of his thighs. There are small patches of discolouration, marks left over from the last time Chanyeol explored there, retracing familiar patterns that never fail to make his heart race. He presses a kiss on one of them when he reaches Kyungsoo's knees, cherishing the way Kyungsoo's thigh quivers beneath his lips.
When he gets to Kyungsoo's ankles he very carefully pulls the bunched fabric over his feet, but Kyungsoo still winces and curses despite Chanyeol's attempts to be gentle. He throws the item of clothing onto the ground, making a mental note to clean it up later before Kyungsoo gets annoyed at the mess, and grabs the pillow he had fished out from under the bed, tucking it under Kyungsoo's sore foot. He picks up the ice pack and places it on Kyungsoo's purpling ankle. Kyungsoo sighs at the relief.
Sitting back, Chanyeol takes a moment to look at the man on their bed, running his eyes slowly over the plains of smooth skin, hairy legs and black clothes. Kyungsoo's eyes are closed, his mouth open slightly as he breathes through the pain, and Chanyeol can see a shadow of stubble across his upper lip and chin. There is sweat beading at his collar bones and his little tummy is sticking out a bit under his shirt, soft and full, and Chanyeol is so completely, utterly, undeniably in love with him. Kyungsoo opens his eyes after a few moments, his gaze meeting Chanyeol's, and Chanyeol swears he feels his heart skip a beat at just how beautiful and perfect his boyfriend is, even with an ankle the colour of an aubergine.
Kyungsoo meets him halfway when Chanyeol leans forward to kiss him, their lips slotting together like they were moulded just for each other. It's a simple kiss, nothing heated or passionate, nothing that would make their blood pump fast and their bodies demand to feel each other, but it's just as wonderful and as breath-taking as all their other kisses. Kyungsoo tastes of coffee and a hint of red bean paste (and something else completely and entirely Kyungsoo that Chanyeol can't describe as anything else but Kyungsoo) and Chanyeol groans deep in his throat when Kyungsoo drags his hands through his hair and takes his bottom lip between his teeth, nibbling on it for a moment before drawing back. They rest their foreheads together and Chanyeol smiles, content.
"Thank you," Kyungsoo says. "I love you."
"I love you."
Chanyeol presses one final kiss to Kyungsoo's nose before pulling back and shuffling off the bed. He sends Kyungsoo a smile that Kyungsoo returns with equal fervour and Chanyeol is blushing up to his ears as he walks out of the bedroom and into the kitchen. He pulls out his phone and makes a note to book an appointment at the hospital to get Kyungsoo's foot looked at and to ring up the restaurant where Kyungsoo works to tell them he won't be able to make it for the next few days before turning to inspect the grocery bags he had abandoned on the counter. "What do you want me to make for dinner?" he calls over his shoulder.
"Can we get take out instead?"
Chanyeol laughs, and he is happy.
And he is in love.