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kihyun has a tendency to pace around the dressing room, not out of nerves but because it’s second nature to be moving as he sings and it’s no different as he warms up for their comeback stage in a little over half an hour.
his eyes trail around the room, looking at everything but nothing in particular as he transitions into practicing his lines. the members are all scattered about — jooheon is getting his make-up touched up, changkyun by his side mumbling his rap under his breath; hyunwoo is out to the bathroom; hoseok is looking over minhyuk’s shoulder as the latter plays a game on his phone, the both of them loudly commentating. and as kihyun turns on his heel to walk in the opposite direction, his eyes fall on minhyuk’s usual gaming partner, hyungwon.
at the far end of the vanity stands the other vocalist, his eyes focused on his reflection and the tips of his fingers brushing the bottom of the strip of delicate fabric clasped around his neck. lying on the vanity table is another choker. thicker. heavier.
wrong.
letting the note naturally go quiet, kihyun tongues at the inside of his cheek as he walks over.
hyungwon blinks and catches sight of him coming in the mirror. “what’s u-“
stopping behind hyungwon and a little off to the side, kihyun slides a finger up the back of the thin lace holding hyungwon’s neck in an intimate hug, right along the clasp. it’s soft and the skin of hyungwon’s neck is warm and the wispy exhale of surprise the pretty vocalist lets out when kihyun tugs on the weightless fabric and draws the choker tighter is intricate — holds as many emotions as the lace has carefully crafted flowers.
“you ready?” he asks casually.
hyungwon licks slowly over his lips, ruins a bit of the tint coloring them a ripe pink, and hums low in his throat.
“then what’s that?” he nods his head at the choker on the table before them, doesn’t take his finger out from where it’s trapped.
he’s not sure if hyungwon notices the way he angles his own head back, the way he steps back into kihyun, but the main vocalist sweeps his eyes around the room again to make sure no one else does.
“i wasn’t sure if i should switch or not,” says hyungwon.
“i like this one.” kihyun tests how hard he can pull against the choker — its strength; he tests how hard he can push hyungwon — his strength.
turns out the choker is stronger.
the taller man reaches back when the lace pulls tighter. kihyun softly guides his hand away before it can find whatever it is looking for so hyungwon turns to grasping the edge of the vanity table.
kihyun slips his finger from beneath the collar. he flattens his palm against the back of hyungwon’s neck, slides it around to the front, lets his finger curl, squeezes just enough to draw another sigh and a fluttering of eyelashes.
“don’t change it; it fits you.” dropping his hand, kihyun takes a step back. and then another. through the mirror reflection he watches hyungwon linger in the phantom of his presence before pulling himself together again.
blinking a few times, hyungwon feels the patterns at the base of his neck with one hand while he picks up the second accessory with the other. “ok.” he clears his throat. “thanks, ki.”
giving a half smile, kihyun shrugs and slips his hands back into his pockets — slips back into being an idol in a full room, soon due to be on stage. he turns to head to the couch still occupied by hoseok and minhyuk. “yeah, mhm.”