Work Text:
Storge [yellow love] : an affectionate love slowly developing from a stable friendship; based on shared similarities.
If you asked Seungcheol, he would tell you he wasn't in love with Jeonghan. He would say, dreamily, that he admired him and his stubborn determination, his high ambitions and strong attitude, but didn't like how he constantly pushed his body to its limits. He would say he hated Jeonghan's devilish pranks, but would admit he could never stay mad when the other flashed his angel smile. Seungcheol would tell you, bashfully, that he thought his best friend to be the most beautiful person in the world, but would be quick to claim that anyone with a set of working eyes would agree. If you asked Seungcheol, he would tell you he loved Jeonghan, but he wasn't in love with him; no, that would be silly.
If you asked Jeonghan, he would tell you Seungcheol wasn't in love with him. He would say, laughing brightly, that Seungcheol didn't have a choice but to deal with him, and that the older probably had grey hair because of him at the young age of 23. He would say Seungcheol always gave the best reactions, hence why he teased the other so much, just to see his exasperated sigh and cute dimples. Jeonghan would tell you, with a secret smile, that Seungcheol would scold him for overworking himself and getting sick, but would always be the first to offer warm food and a warmer hug. If you asked Jeonghan, he would tell you Seungcheol loved him, but he wasn't in love with Jeonghan; no, that would be ridiculous.
If you asked just about anyone else with a brain, they would tell you Seungcheol and Jeonghan were both idiots.
It was a minor miracle no one in their combined friend group suffered a burst blood vessel, yet some would argue that Joshua and Jihoon were well on their way. Junhui had long lost count of how many times he'd sighed around the pair, and even Seokmin, sweet and gentle Seokmin who would never hurt even a fly, almost threw a shoe at his hyungs had it not been for Mingyu. Really, the others were beyond tired of watching the same unprogressive show for the last three year; it was amusing the first three weeks. If Seungkwan's threats were to be taken seriously, then a murder was going to take place within a week if the two 'didn't get their shit together'.
"Hey guys, have you chosen a movie yet?" Jeonghan toed off his shoes, seemingly oblivious to the random Marvel movie playing on the screen and the dirty looks thrown in their direction. Seungcheol noticed, however, and he nudged Jeonghan softly.
"Hi hyung, so nice of you to join us," Chan said dryly, eliciting a snort from Jihoon. Seungcheol at least had the decency to look ashamed, and he held up a large bag in surrender.
"We brought food?" He had to smile as the kids dove for the bag, tardiness and irritation forgotten as the takeout was revealed. He offered a cheeky wink to Jeonghan, who rolled his eyes and shrugged, a fond gleam in his eyes.
Their movie night ritual started as a request from Chan, and really, no one could say no to the maknae. They ran with it until it became a weekly event, and although some - mainly Seungkwan - complained on a regular basis, no one missed out on it. Every week, all thirteen of them gathered in one of their apartments and watched movies or dramas until they all passed out. And, well, Seungcheol was grateful for these nights. As they all got older, the less they saw each other, school and work slowly taking priority until they barely remembered to send a text. Seungcheol had missed them, but his pride prevented him from ever admitting that out loud. So when Chan had pleaded with big eyes and a hopeful pout, Seungcheol agreed reluctantly, refusing to make his giddiness known. He thought he had done well to hide his excitement; the way Jeonghan had grinned at him spoke otherwise.
"You look way too happy to be watching this battle scene," Jeonghan murmured softly, careful not to wake the sleeping Seokmin in his lap. They were only halfway through the second Avengers movie, but almost all of them were asleep already. "What are you thinking about?"
Seungcheol hummed absentmindedly, keeping his eyes on his friends scattered on the floor and the couch, his heart swelling as Soonyoung struggled adorably to keep his eyes open while cuddling close to an asleep Jihoon, as Junhui ruffled Minghao's hair, barely paying attention to the ongoing movie, as Hansol and Seungkwan snickered at a joke, lost in their own little world. Seungcheol turned his eyes back to Jeonghan, who tilted his head curiously while wearing a soft smile that matched his own.
"I feel like a dad," he whispered, ignoring the way his heart skipped a beat as Jeonghan grinned at him.
"Should I call you abeoji then?"
"Please, no."
Jeonghan laughed quietly, his eyes lighting with a contagious mirth that had Seungcheol chuckling as well. "I get what you mean. They're all grown up now, and I feel like we raised them."
"They're like a little family, aren't they?"
Seungcheol wasn't quite prepared for the searing warmth against his palm as Jeonghan slid his hand into his casually, affection etched so deeply in his eyes it left Seungcheol a little breathless. "You mean, we're like a little family."
The private smile Jeonghan offered him wasn't any different from the ones he had given him a million times before, nor was the weight of his hand against Seungcheol's. Seungcheol had known him for the better part of his life; every laugh, every word, every movement, everything about Jeonghan was familiar, comforting, a constant in Seungcheol's life of uncertainty. He knew Jeonghan.
But as he stared at him in the dim room, lit only by the movie no one was watching anymore, as his eyes fell to their joined hands that just looked so right, as he let the floodgate burst open and welcomed a surge of emotions he had been too afraid to put a name to, only one coherent thought occupied his hazy mind.
I'm in love with my best friend.
Much to Seungcheol's relief (or disappointment), nothing changed after that night. Jeonghan continued to tease him relentlessly, Seungcheol continued to glare playfully, they continued to take care of their friends who, despite them all being adults, acted like they were still children. He went to class, he went to work, he went home; his life remained uninteresting and predictable as always. Nothing changed after that night.
Nothing changed, and yet everything changed.
Everything changed the moment Jeonghan burst through the doors of the library with an odd spring to his steps and a bright gleam to his eyes. Seungcheol would've been happy to see him had it not been for the next words that poured from his lips.
"I have a date tonight."
The chorus of surprised questions and delighted congratulations that erupted from their friends did nothing to soothe the biting pain that stabbed into Seungcheol's heart. But he was a good friend before he was anything else; he plastered on a smile, praying it didn't look like a grimace, and tossed a teasing comment that was much more half hearted that he had intended. It seemed to do the trick well enough though; Jeonghan turned his smile to him, and Seungcheol ignored the tight constricting within his chest as he returned it.
"Thanks, Seungcheollie." He looked beautiful that moment, the setting sun painting his features with a light golden, happiness an unmistakable light in his smiling eyes. Seungcheol didn't have the heart to cruelly take that happiness away from him.
"Anything for you." Seungcheol meant it with his whole heart.
Seungcheol wasn't bitter. Absolutely not. Maybe he was getting a little sick of seeing that guy (he hadn't bothered to learn his name, but only because he was busy) hanging off of Jeonghan like a second skin, and maybe he wanted to throw something in his general direction every time a pet name rolled off his tongue, and okay, maybe Seungcheol just really, really wanted to slap him, but he wasn't bitter. He was glad his best friend was happy, even if that happiness came in the form of a slimy, expert sweet talker.
"You're scowling." Jihoon nudged him gently, the barest hint of laughter colouring his voice betraying his amusement as he followed Seungcheol's gaze. The mentioned couple were oblivious to their intensive staring, their soft whispers and loud chuckling occasionally making their way to Seungcheol's ears; he kind of wanted to scream.
"I am not."
"You are. Your frown lines are practically permanently indented on your face."
"They are not."
"They are," Wonwoo deadpanned, ever the honest one. "You look halfway between wanting to commit murder and wanting to burst into tears. My guess is both."
Okay, so maybe he was right, but Seungcheol would rather stab himself than to admit that. He refused to give Wonwoo the satisfaction of knowing he was right. After all, Seungcheol was a mature, responsible adult who knew how to handle his emotions, not a child who gave in to his frustrations and projected unfairly onto his innocent friends.
He slapped Wonwoo. Hard.
"Ow, fuck, what was that for?" Wonwoo made a show of rubbing his arm dramatically, drawing the attention of Jeonghan who tilted his head at them questioningly. Seungcheol only smiled at him sweetly.
"I saw a mosquito."
"It's winter."
"I saw wrong."
Wonwoo mumble something about stupid jealous hyungs with anger management issues but Seungcheol lost interest after the first three words. He slumped into his seat, books and notes in front of him forgotten as he sighed for what felt like the hundredth time that hour. His midterm was less than a week away, and yet he had done nothing but, ahem, look respectfully (read: glare passionately) at Jeonghan and his boyfriend.
"What happened?" Junhui slid into the empty seat next to Seungcheol, poking his cheek cautiously; Seungcheol only gave an unintelligible grunt in response. "Who killed his puppy?"
"Yoon Jeonghan. And co."
"Ah."
"Don't you 'ah' me, Wen Junhui, as if you're any better than me. Might I remind you how long it took before you realized Minghao was flirting with you?"
"We don't talk about that here."
"Seven years," Wonwoo quipped helpfully, decidedly ignoring the withering glare Jun threw in his direction. "Seven years of hopeless pining and idiocy."
"Still better than Cheol-hyung." Jihoon raised an eyebrow when Seungcheol opened his mouth to protest, a challenge clear in his eyes. "If you had just sucked it up and worked up the courage to ask him out, maybe you would be the one over there instead of sitting here, making us listen to your sulking."
"I will literally throw out your guitar." The threat was empty; Jihoon was right and they all knew it. But regret was an old friend and Seungcheol welcomed it with open arms and a cold beer. Jihoon must have noticed the resigned exhaustion on his face, as he reached over wordlessly to pat Seungcheol's shoulder, his actions offering a quiet comfort his words didn't.
"You still might have a chance," he said softly. The other two nodded in agreement, but Seungcheol shook his head, smiling a small, sad smile.
"As long as he's happy." Seungcheol meant it with his whole heart.
As it turned out, 'as long as he's happy' was a very long time. The couple had just passed their fifth year anniversary when Jeonghan showed up on the doorstep of Seungcheol's apartment one night at an ungodly hour, his face an impassive blank slate as he asked to stay the night. Seungcheol had always had a hard time saying no to the other; this time was no exception. He hadn't even thought to question Jeonghan as he opened the door wider and stepped aside, silently padding to the kitchen to retrieve a bottle of strawberry milk - he always kept a stash in his fridge despite his aversion to the artificial sweetness of the beverage.
Jeonghan stared at him, then at the bottle in his outstretched hand, then back to Seungcheol again. Even the slightest sound felt inappropriate, too unnecessary and too heavy in the tense silence, and so he stared back awkwardly as Jeonghan took the bottle with trembling hands. It wasn't long before his facade broke, shattering into jagged pieces as tears streaked down his face, barely intelligible words stumbling clumsily through his sobs, spilling into the darkness of the night.
"He cheated on me."
Seungcheol was no Seungkwan, or Seokmin, or even Joshua; he didn't know how to give comfort naturally, and especially not to his newly broken hearted best friend. Why Jeonghan had decided to seek out Seungcheol was a mystery in itself. But as much as Jeonghan was a constant in his life, maybe Seungcheol was also a constant in Jeonghan's life.
(Morning would find them huddled in each other's embrace, unopened strawberry milk left unattended on the floor by the couch as the two friends fought off their own individual heartbreaks.)
Seungcheol really should start learning how to say no to Jeonghan. If he were a stronger man, he would have firmly denied him, shut the door, returned to his work, and bought the other dinner as compensation after his work presentation. Alas, Seungcheol was always weak when it came to Yoon Jeonghan; the numbers on his phone blinked a clear 4:00 in the morning, yet the excited, nonstop ramble next to him could have fooled him into thinking it was the afternoon.
He was certain the energy drink he'd managed to snag before Jeonghan dragged him out of his own apartment could not be healthy, but it was either risking cardiac arrest or a car crash. In his sleep deprived state of mind, Seungcheol wondered briefly if this was the other's elaborate plan to kill him and claim his life insurance.
"Just to be sure."
"Hm?"
"You're not trying to kill me, right?"
"What?"
"To get my life insurance."
"Choi Seungcheol." The laughter in Jeonghan's voice was addicting; Seungcheol could get drunk off of it. "You don't even have life insurance."
"Oh, right."
"How do you even come up with such ridiculous thoughts?"
"To be fair, I wouldn't put it past you."
"Touche. Oh, would you look at that, we're here!"
'Here' was a vast area of absolutely nothing, a deserted piece of land lit only by the dimmest moon. Perfect spot for one to meet their unfortunate end, yes, but also perfect for catching meteor showers impulsively at hellish hours of the morning.
Seungcheol quickly parked the car and opened the door, too stubborn to admit that the quiet serenity and fresh air of the crisp night were doing wonders for his throbbing head. Jeonghan flashed him a knowing smile anyway as he clambered up to seat himself on the hood of the vehicle. Seungcheol grumbled loudly about the scuff marks but followed suit anyway, settling comfortably beside the younger as Jeonghan began to talk endlessly about god knows what.
In all honesty, Seungcheol had not the slightest clue what Jeonghan was saying; the warmth of his body nestled into Seungcheol's side, the lull of the night, the chirp of his voice, it all served to weigh down his lashes until his head was dropping onto Jeonghan's shoulder sleepily. The sound of Jeonghan's talking tapered off to a pause, the rustling of wildlife rushing in to fill the emptiness of the silence before his smooth voice returned, only this time, a hand came up to pet Seungcheol's hair as he chattered happily. Letting out a sigh of contentment, Seungcheol shifted closer, drawing a soft laugh from the other.
"Silly Cheollie. Half a step from falling flat on your face from exhaustion and still willing to drive me out here." The whispered words seemed directed more to Jeonghan himself; Seungcheol wondered if the younger knew he was still awake. The petting stopped and Seungcheol had half a mind to complain until he resumed. "Thank you for driving and watching the meteor shower with me. Even if you fell asleep."
Anything for you.
After almost ten minutes of quiet, Seungcheol risked a glance up at Jeonghan, and kind of wished he didn't instead. He found the other with his eyes closed, stolen away by the clutches of sleep, oblivious to the meteors streaking across the sky and painting the night with its beauty, kissing the softness of Jeonghan's skin with an ethereal glow; Seungcheol blamed the pounding of his heart on the energy drink.
He sat up, gently guiding Jeonghan to lean against him more comfortably, heart bursting with fondness as the younger melted into his warmth. "Look who fell asleep after all." The meteor shower was in full show now, but Seungcheol's adoring attention was only on the sleeping boy tucked neatly into his side, dreams tickling his lashes and moonlight brushing his face.
Seungcheol would drop everything to drive him to the ends of the world, if only he'd get to see him resting so peacefully every time.
"I love you." Seungcheol meant it with his whole heart.
Out of all the scenarios Seungcheol had imagined himself confessing in, holding a bewildered Kkuma while stinking of dog piss was not one of them. He didn't even know how he had gotten himself caught in such a bizarre situation, only that he had gone out with the intention of walking his daughter and returned with a poodle's urine dripping down his leg. He honestly believed this moment should be commemorated.
Sighing with an exhaustion that preceded his 28 years of life, he knocked on the door of Jeonghan's apartment. He could go back to his own home, but that was an extra ten minutes of walking he absolutely did not need. The short three minute walk from the park to the apartment unit was already agonizing enough.
The door opened, and Jeonghan peeked his face out sleepily, despite the fact that it was already well into the afternoon. Seungcheol was no longer surprised by his odd (read: completely nonexistent) sleep schedule.
"Good m-"
"I got peed on."
The way Jeonghan gawked at him was almost comedic, especially with the pink headband shoved messily into his hair that did nothing to stop his bangs from falling into his eyes. But Seungcheol was beyond the point of laughing.
"What are you-"
Seungcheol aggressively shoved his leg to Jeonghan, displaying the streaks of yellow proudly colouring his skin. "I. Got. Peed. On."
In hindsight, Seungcheol had no idea what reaction he was expecting from Jeonghan. Maybe shock. Sympathy? Compassion, certainly. But how could he forget he was talking to Yoon Jeonghan, the devil incarnate? So rather than a normal, human reaction, what he got instead was a door slammed in his face and a howl of laughter muffled by the walls.
He blinked. The door remained shut and the manic cackling continued. He turned to Kkuma, still tucked in his arms, who blinked confusedly back. Was this supposed to happen?
"YAH! YOON JEONGHAN!" He started banging on the door, no doubt earning the instant hate of all of Jeonghan's neighbours, but it stayed stubbornly closed. "Open the damn door!"
The door slid open by a crack, and Seungcheol barrelled his way through before it could slam shut again. Jeonghan was still snickering, but one look at Seungcheol's piss stained leg had him wheezing with laughter again. Seungcheol was...unamused.
"Oh my god," Jeonghan gasped out, clutching at his stomach, "that's hilarious."
"No, it's not- wait, are you crying?!"
The sheer disbelief and incredulity in Seungcheol's voice sent Jeonghan in yet another laughing fit, and more tears rolled down his face as he found his entertainment in Seungcheol's misfortune. Really, Seungcheol should reevaluate his choice of friends.
He should be annoyed, he really wanted to be, but standing there, with a random dog's piss streaking his skin, watching Jeonghan almost pass out with how hard he was cackling, only a warm burst of affection and adoration flooded his chest. Jeonghan was beautiful; his face was puffy from sleep and red from laughing at Seungcheol, clothes wrinkled, sleep mussed hair stickling all over the place, but he was beautiful. He was beautiful and Seungcheol was helpless to stop himself from falling deeper and deeper.
"I'm in love with you," he blurted out, freezing as the words tumbled out on their own accord. That seemed to startle Jeonghan out of his endless laughing fit; the snickers caught in his throat, dying out as he stared owlishly at Seungcheol.
"What... what did you just say?"
Well. It wasn't like Seungcheol could do anything to take it back now, not when the echo of his words still lingered heavily in the still silence. He swallowed hard and forced himself to look Jeonghan in the eyes.
"I'm in love with you, Jeonghan."
Jeonghan looked at him for approximately five more seconds before deeming him uninteresting enough to turn his attention back to Kkuma, who was currently settled in Jeonghan's lap. He played with her paws, and if it weren't for the nerve wracking tension in the air, Seungcheol would have cooed at the domesticity of the scene.
He opened his mouth to speak, but Jeonghan interrupted him. "I know."
Excuse me?
It was Seungcheol's turn to gape at him, nervousness morphing into mortification as his brain worked overtime to process the words thrown so casually at him. "What do you mean?" He winced at the obvious panic in his voice, but Jeonghan didn't so much as react aside from a nonchalant shrug.
"I wasn't quite asleep yet when you told me."
"Asleep? What do you m-"
Wait
Oh.
Oh.
Oh shit.
The meteor shower.
"Oh my god."
Jeonghan finally smiled at him again, and Seungcheol was relieved to find no strain in it. "Yep."
"Then why didn't you...?"
"Why didn't I say anything?" Seungcheol nodded, absurdly nervous and confused. "Seungcheol, you are amazing to me and I'm grateful for everything you've done for me."
"There's a 'but' following that sentence, isn't there? There always is."
"Stop being cheeky." Jeonghan slapped him lightly, laughing. "I owe you a lot, but I just don't think I'm ready for another relationship yet." A wistful look replaced the amusement in his eyes, bittersweet and fleeting, as he turned to Seungcheol. "I honestly don't know when I'll be ready."
Seungcheol didn't know what to say, so he didn't bother to try. He simply reached out to slide his palm against Jeonghan's, feeling a weight lift from his chest when the other didn't pull away; instead lacing their fingers together in a firm reaffirmation.
"Thank you."
"For what?"
"For not forcing me." Jeonghan paused thoughtfully before giving him a smile that was worth everything in the world, even the dried urine still clinging stickily to his leg. "You know, I think I can learn to love you."
Seungcheol squeezed their intertwined hands, ignoring the way his heart soared with unbridled hope. He would give Jeonghan as much time as he needed; after all, he was certain his feelings for the other would never change.
"I will always wait for you." Seungcheol meant it with his whole heart.
The bright chimes of the music sounded softly from inside the doors and the pastel pinks and violets coloured the venue beautifully, but Seungcheol only had eyes for his groom. He was stunning, fitted suit clinging perfectly to his body, bleached hair catching the sunlight like spun gold. It had been years, yet he never failed to render Seungcheol speechless with just a mere sight.
"You're drooling," he chuckled, eyes bright with a fond amusement at Seungcheol's blatant staring. Seungcheol adored him.
"It can't be helped, my husband is just too beautiful for a mortal like me to handle."
"Yah, you're shameless. I'm not even your husband yet."
Seungcheol didn't miss the faint pink colouring his cheeks, and he couldn't resist stealing a quick kiss from his pretty mouth. As he pulled back, he was pleased to find the blush darken ever so slightly.
"Are you ready?" At the small nod, Seungcheol twined their hands together, pressing butterfly kisses to his knuckles with the utmost affection. "Have you learned to love me yet?"
"Seungcheol, I have always loved you."
Grinning, Seungcheol pushed open the heavy doors, letting the wild celebrations of family and friends wash over them as he led his groom down the aisle. His friends, all with their own little families, cheered the loudest, letting out loud chortles and whistles as they walked down. Of course Soonyoung's boisterous presence could not be missed, and Jihoon only shook his head in faux irritation; his wide smile betrayed his true emotions.
As they passed by a familiar brunet, however, Seungcheol slowed. Age had deepened the lines on his face, matured his delicate features, but the years had done nothing to dim his beauty or the brightness of his sharp eyes. Seungcheol flashed him a brilliant smile, and was given a blinding grin in return as they passed the brunet.
Seungcheol was barely listening to the rest of the ceremony, too focused on his groom to pay attention, so it really came as no surprise when Wonwoo had to kick him to get his attention again.
"Sorry, Seungcheol-hyung is just hopelessly in love," Wonwoo said exasperatedly, drawing a ripple of laughter from the crowd. Seungcheol didn't even try to deny it. The officiant raised a brow in amusement, but repeated his words nonetheless.
“Choi Seungcheol, do you take this man to be your husband, to live together in matrimony, to love him, to honour him, to comfort him, and to keep him in sickness and in health, forsaking all others, for as long as you both shall live?”
Seungcheol couldn't help it; his eyes flicked automatically back to the brunet, back to Jeonghan, searching, questioning. He received only a thumbs up and another encouraging smile.
Yoon Jeonghan. The man Seungcheol loved for over half his life. The man Seungcheol waited for over half his life. The man Seungcheol could no longer wait for anymore.
If you asked Seungcheol, he would tell you he loved Jeonghan. He would say he loved the younger's unpredictable and childish antics, loved the cheery laughter he always seemed to bring everywhere with him. He would say he admired Jeonghan for his strong will and his selfless attitude, as well as his seemingly endless gifts of genuine blessings. If you asked Seungcheol, he would tell you he loved Jeonghan, but he wasn't in love with him; no, not anymore.
If you asked Jeonghan, he would tell you Seungcheol loved him. He would say the other always took care of him, always looked out for him, always protected him from his own demons. He could say he was thankful for their friendship that lasted for over twenty years, that he was grateful for Seungcheol's ability to love utterly and unconditionally. If you asked Jeonghan, he would tell you Seungcheol loved him, but he wasn't in love with Jeonghan; no, not anymore.
Seungcheol turned his gaze back to his expectant groom, eyes glittering with unshed tears as he looked at Seungcheol. Six years ago he might have imagined Jeonghan in front of him instead, looking at him with the same warmth and intimacy. But now, with the blessing of the same man he'd learned to love in a different way, his heart belonged to someone else.
"I do." Seungcheol meant it with his whole heart.