Archive of Our Own

It wasn't unusual to walk into the living room of EXO's lower dormitory and find Shim Changmin sprawled out on the black leather couch, and it definitely wasn't unusual to find Kim Minseok curled against his chest. EXO never minded, often smiling when they both fell asleep, wrapping blankets around them, smiling when Minseok cuddled closer to the elder man lying with him.

It was how they were now, curled up on Minseok's bed, legs tangled as Minseok yawned. Changmin ever so softly pressed a hand through Minseok's hair, making Minseok smile. He'd been practicing all day, since four in the morning whilst Changmin had a day off. He'd spent all day preparing one of Minseok's favourite dinners, and he had to go prepare it before someone else tried to use the numerous chopped vegetables boxed up in the fridge. He had heard Kyungsoo saying he would cook soon and he wanted to get up and cook before that – but Minseok refused to move.

Changmin pressed a kiss to Minseok's temple before he sighed softly. "I need to get up and cook for you before you go all day having just eaten energy bars."

Minseok frowned softly and shook his head. His eyebrows furrowed and his eyes remained firmly shut. "I can live off energy bars for one day, Changmin, it won't kill me."

Changmin smiled and gently rubbed up and down Minseok's back. "You need a decent meal to keep your energy up for tomorrow."

"So I'll have a big breakfast." Minseok's eye cracked open in annoyance. "Shush, I'm comfy and you constantly nagging is bouncing my head up and down with your chest."

Changmin laughed and shook his head. Carefully, he sat up and leaned his head to kiss Minseok's lips. Minseok rolled off his chest with a grunt. "I'm exhausted, I want to sleep. Why are you so loud sometimes?"

"You don't even want my kisses? I haven't seen you all day and now you won't even grant me the honour of a Kim Minseok kiss?"

Changmin pouted and made his bottom lip wobble. He waited for a moment and had to stop his pout being broken by a laugh as he heard the duvet rustle as Minseok rolled over. Minseok whined softly upon seeing the pout on Changmin's lips. A lazy kick connected with Changmin's calf and he laughed. Minseok whined. "That's my move."

Changmin laughed and rolled onto his side, propping his head up on his hand and planting his elbow firmly in the pillow. His spare hand gently ran through Minseok's hair. It was starting to feel like straw from the constant treatments he had throughout 2018 so far and Changmin wrinkled his nose.

"You need to give your hair a break."

Minseok sighed, sleepiness curled around the sound. "I've asked but the stylists won't listen to me. They wanna give me some perm for the comeback... The pictures I've seen are horrible , I don't want it anywhere near my hair, but I think they're going to give me it anyway."

Changmin frowned, dropping his hand to gently massage the back of Minseok's neck rather than his scalp. Minseok made a noise similar to a purr and Changmin couldn't help but smile softly. The only thing missing from this moment was Minseok's own cat, curled between their stomachs and finding solace with them both.

"If they give you that horrible perm, I'll beat them up."

Minseok snorted and cracked his eye open with a smile. "My hero !"

Changmin laughed at the deadly sarcasm dripping from Minseok's voice and pecked a kiss to his forehead. "I'm gonna go cook; japchae tonight. I'll bring it in here and we can eat at the desk, stay alone for tonight."

Minseok seemed to perk up at the mention of japchae and nodded, eyes half open as he laid down to cuddle Changmin's pillow on his bed as Changmin stood up.

Changmin stretched his back out before he walked across the room. He paused in the doorway and looked back, watching Minseok's even breathing and realising he was already asleep. Changmin smiled, watching Minseok for a moment before he left the room, making his way through the familiar dormitory to the kitchen.

No one was there, and Changmin smiled as he pulled the small boxes of prepared meat, sauce and vegetables he had chopped and seasoned earlier. He fetched the wok from the respective cupboard and sighed softly. Ideally, he should use a skillet, but he had no idea where Kyungsoo kept the utensil and he was happy to work alone.

Changmin made short work of heating oil and stir frying the noodles. He expertly slipped them out when cooked and focused on the onions, scallion and carrot, observing them with wide eyes and making sure he didn't overcook them by a single millisecond. They got added to the bowl with the noodles and Changmin turned his focus to the meat and mushrooms.

As the dish was finishing, Changmin was careful to wipe the sides down and transfer any dirty utensils into the dishwasher; he made sure the kitchen was as clean as Minseok left it.

The scent of the food made Changmin's stomach gurgle and ache, ready for a good meal and then some cuddles and sleep, and Changmin made sure to cook everything perfectly down to the last second. He carefully poured the contents into bowls and grabbed two pairs of chopsticks, heading quickly back to Minseok's room.

Changmin let himself in and set the bowls down on Minseok's desk, making sure to avoid the notes scattered around the woodwork from his last minute cramming session the night before – the moment Minseok was mentally awake, the notes would be filed and sorted neatly and not left a mess.

Changmin turned his attention to the sleeping body on the bed and carefully shook Minseok. "Hey... japchae's ready."

Minseok grunted weakly and rolled over. "Not hungry. Wanna sleep."

"Come on, you need to eat. You're not a child, don't make me spoon feed you."

"Changmin, I don't want to eat,
I'm exhausted."

"You can sleep after we've eaten... You don't want to eat the food I've made for you?"

Minseok groaned. "Manipulation."

"Eat. I'm not having you pass out from over exertion and not enough food."

Minseok huffed. "You're not backing off until I get up, are you?"

"I'll chew each mouthful with my mouth as open as possible right by your ear."

Minseok groaned and finally sat up, rubbing his eyes.

Changmin pulled the chair at Minseok's desk out for him and Minseok stifled a yawn as he picked up a pair of chopsticks and pulled a bowl close to him as he sat down. Changmin leaned against the desk and the two are in silence for a moment.

Changmin heard the bang of Baekhyun's door, the yell of laughter he shared with Jongdae, and caught the look of annoyance on Minseok's face. Changmin couldn't stop the laugh that left his lips.

"You're a gremlin when you've just woken up, oh my god."

Minseok stared at Changmin in confusion, chopsticks in his mouth with his expression a mix of offence and confusion. "Huh?"

Changmin blinked. "A gremlin. You know that old American movie? Don't get them wet, don't feed them after midnight? It's a cult classic."

"You're such a shit boyfriend."

Changmin made a noise of objection and Minseok swallowed his food, before pointing his chopsticks at Changmin.

" Chanyeol is the one who watches weird American cult movies. I watch anime movies and read manhwa."

Changmin shrugged. "Okay that's pretty fair, I should know that."

Minseok chuckled. "Managers overworking you for the future?"

Changmin laughed and held a mouthful of food out. Minseok gently took it with a smile.

They finished the rest of their meals in silence, and them returned to cuddle in bed.

Changmin wrapped his arm around Minseok, only to frown as the younger man pulled away. Changmin rolled onto his side to watch Minseok get out of bed. He carefully discarded his clothes from practice, changed his underwear and delicately collected them for his wash basket. Changmin sat up and picked up a few shirts and underwear from the past few days; Minseok gratefully took them and dropped them in the basket.

Changmin watched Minseok's toned body as he walked across the room, muscles rippling under his skin as he opened his closet. Minseok's biceps and triceps moved almost hypnotically to Changmin; he picked up folded shirts and slipped them onto shelves before he closed the doors. Changmin watched how Minseok's leg muscles shifted and stretched as he collected some pyjamas from his drawers, stepping into his underwear and bottoms.

"You're so beautiful."

Minseok jumped and turned his head with a smile over his shoulder. There was a gentle blush across his cheeks, his ears turning slightly pink. "Where'd that come from?"

Changmin shrugged and Minseok turned away, his hands delicately collecting his study notes. He carefully slotted them into the correct files for the subject they belonged to, before he pushed the folders onto his shelf, alphabetical order attesting to the man's attention to order and detail.

Changmin sighed softly and stood up, discarding his jeans and shirt from the day. "What happened to cuddling after eating?"

"I just want my room to look at least slightly clean for when I wake up tomorrow.... it's my day off and I don't want to wake up stressed."

Changmin handed Minseok some manga issues from his bedside table, that Minseok dutifully slotted into place on his bookshelf. Minseok gave one last look around the room before he turned the lights off and slid back into bed next to Changmin.

Changmin wrapped his arms tightly around Minseok, pressing a kiss to his temple as Minseok moved to lay on his chest.

"I'm sorry."

Changmin made a soft hmm in his throat as his hand rose to stroke through Minseok's hair. Minseok huffed.

"Being slightly moody. You're just looking out for me."

"You're tired." Changmin kissed the top of Minseok's head. "You've been working eighteen hours a day, I understand you're tired. You just need to get up and eat a bit more. But while you're too exhausted to do that, I'm here to make sure you do instead. I'm not as busy as you right now."

Changmin felt Minseok smile against his chest and lean up. Changmin watched the glint of Minseok's eyes as he leaned down for a kiss, and Changmin gladly indulged him.

Their lips stayed pressed together for a moment, heads tilted and tongues gently nudging at one another before they pulled back.

Minseok settled back down on Changmin's chest. Changmin looped his arms around Minseok's waist. Minseok wrapped an arm around the back of Changmin's neck.

They stayed silent as they settled down in the darkness, breathing each other in.

"I love you, Changmin."

"I love you too, Minseok."

They didn't move, they didn't kiss again – they just breathed each other in as they closed their eyes and let themselves slip off to sleep.