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Jisung hears the breeze before he feels it. He sees it whistle through the trees, still green but fading as the days stretch by, and then he hears it shake the leaves off of their branches.
It’s relaxing. Jisung can’t remember the last time they walked down to their local park and spent the day lounging around.
Changbin cards his fingers through his hair, and says, “It’s surprisingly warm for October. Weird.”
Jisung tilts his head up from where he’s laying against Changbin’s legs, smiling.
“It doesn’t feel like summer’s over.” Jisung’s still wearing shorts and t-shirts, clinging to the last bit of warmth the sun is offering them before it’s replaced with a bitter chill and cloudy skies.
Even now, puffs of white streak across the sky, threatening to hide the sun. Jisung wants the warmth to last a bit longer.
Changbin’s already permanently living in fall, with his mustard-colored sweater and jack-o-lantern printed socks rising under cuffed jeans and ratty converse he refuses to get rid of. Jisung thinks it’s cute.
“Are you kidding?” Changbin leans over to press his hands to the sides of Jisung’s face, sending a chill down his body. “Feel how cold my hands are.”
Jisung cups his hands around Changbin’s, trying to keep them warm. “Am I gonna have to spend all of winter keeping you warm?”
Changbin hums. “Maybe. Sweaters don’t seem to do the trick the way cuddles do.”
“Funny,” Jisung teases, keeping his voice light. He stays where he is, sprawled out on the blanket they spread out on top of the grass.
People come and go from the park as they stay rooted in place, and the swings creak alongside the whistling of the wind, hovering up above children’s laughter and quiet, careful conversations throughout the grass.
He’s content, lying here with Changbin and trying to create stories for all the people passing them by. It’s a game Jisung’s been doing for years, either out of boredom or the urge to let his imagination run wild.
“We should decorate,” Changbin says, interrupting Jisung’s train of thought. “Maybe we can do a Halloween haul or something since it’s our first one together.”
Jisung flushes at the reminder that they even have their own space to decorate, not used to it. Not used to them. Some days he remembers how they walked on eggshells around each other, how they were so unsure and hesitant.
“I bought a bunch of leftover stuff from the clearance section last year,” Jisung finally offers. “I also tried making some with my cousin since he’s really into that sort of stuff. We can do that together, if you want.”
“Really?” Changbin’s head appears above him again, and he leans down to kiss this forehead. Gentle and short, like always. “I didn’t think you were a crafts type of person.”
Jisung laughs. “Not really, but it made him happy. I have a feeling you’re probably into it as well, which would make it even more exciting.”
“Ah, I see.” Changbin’s peering over at him again, and Jisung twists so that he’s lying flat on his stomach, resting the side of his face on one of his knees. “Maybe we can all try doing them together one day.”
Jisung hums in agreement.
“It can be like, a whole thing.” Changbin starts talking faster out of pure, unrestrained excitement. “We can pick him up and go shopping at a local crafts store—I get the feeling he’d know exactly what we need—and then go back to our place.”
Jisung props his head up with his hand, staring up at Changbin. There’s something about the light poking in behind the tree nearby that makes him look more beautiful than usual.
“That sounds like a lot of fun,” He agrees, but he’s lingering on the words our place and thinking about how new all of this is to him.
New, but all that he could have ever asked for. Changbin notices him staring, and smiles. “What? You’re staring.”
“Nothing,” Jisung mumbles, suddenly embarrassed. “You just look really nice right now.”
Changbin laughs, and it’s like they’re in their own world, tucked away from the rest of the people going about their lives. Jisung never really believed that the rest of the world tends to fade away when you’re with someone you love until he met Changbin.
“That’s cute.” Changbin taps the top of Jisung’s head softly, smiling. “I like hearing about what goes on up here. You can be mysterious sometimes.”
Jisung rolls his eyes. “I can very much assure you that whatever goes on up here is either incredibly insightful or meaningless.”
Changbin leans back on the palms of his hands, laughing. “I’ll have to take your word for it.”
They fall quiet after that, Jisung leaning his head against the denim covering Changbin’s knee, thinking about the milestones they’ve already reached and those that are catching up to them. It puts him at ease, remembering how far they’ve come since the puzzle pieces started falling into place.
“Should we go?” Changbin’s pulling at the sleeves of his sweater. “The sun’s gonna start setting soon. You know how it gets dark early now.”
Jisung hums in agreement. “Probably. I’m just, like, extremely comfortable right now. It’d be such a shame if I got up.”
“I literally lost feeling in my leg like 30 minutes ago,” Changbin deadpans. “Also, we have quite the walk back to our place.”
(There he goes again, with his our and we . Jisung thinks he loves him a little too much).
“Surely the numbness of your limb is worth it for the time spent cuddling with me,” Jisung murmurs, but he’s merely teasing. He sits up after a few seconds, reaching up to smooth down his hair and stretch a little. His entire body feels syrupy, weighed down by the slow and lazy day they spent together.
Changbin starts packing up their leftover snacks and half-empty water bottles, gingerly picking up the Polaroids they took earlier and the bracelet making kit they brought but forgot to use.
(Maybe it crossed Jisung’s mind once or twice throughout the course of the day, but the buzzing of bees and the flurry of life around them became more demanding until it was drowned out).
“How many times are we going to sit down to do this and forget?” Changbin asks, shaking his head.
Jisung giggles a little, unable to help himself. “We really need to get better time-management skills. Better memories, too.”
He stands reluctantly, letting Changbin pack everything up into the bag they brought so he can fold up the blanket nearly. He drapes it over one arm to ease Changbin’s burden a little, slipping his shoes back on.
“Ready?” Changbin asks, holding out his hand. Jisung accepts happily, twisting their fingers together like it’s their first time and they’re learning how to fall in love.
Jisung leans in to kiss Changbin, and he thinks they’re still learning how to love each other, how to make a home within a home and fall into place together, like stars aligned in a constellation in the night sky. He smells like pumpkin and tastes of the months to come, of mistletoe and home cooked meals and everything in between.
Or maybe it’s Jisung’s imagination running wild again, and he’s simply a lovesick fool with tunnel vision. Whatever it is, Jisung doesn’t mind.
He knows Changbin doesn’t either, because he kisses the ridges of Jisung’s knuckles at stoplights and buys him flowers from a local stand despite Jisung insisting he doesn’t have to, that he doesn’t need them, but yes, he thinks they’re gorgeous and blushes when Changbin hands them to him with an overly-flirtatious smile and a gleam in his eyes.
So Jisung’s a bit of a hopeless romantic. He cherishes the flowers and the photos and everything they do together on the days they can spend with each other. He cherishes the hot chocolate they stop for at the coffee place near their apartment, and he cherishes the way Changbin vaguely tastes of peppermint when they steal a kiss at another stoplight.
The fall breeze kicks in soon enough, and Jisung knows he’s ready to let go of summer. It all feels different with Changbin by his side, like he’s suddenly experiencing everything for the first time all over again.
Jisung doesn’t mind. He wouldn't change a single thing if he had the chance to start over, because he thinks what they have is good. Not perfect by any means, but he’s head over heels and wouldn’t give it up even for the entire world.