Work Text:
Soobin likes overtime dance practice sessions. He’s nothing if not a perfectionist, after all, Exhibit A being how he’s always eager to push his mind and body to the (safest) limits until the choreography comes as naturally to him as breathing.
To be fair, all of TXT are like that. Soobin knows that the most, considering he’s the leader and is naturally observant of such things—observant of the fluidity in Yeonjun’s movements; of the intensity in Beomgyu’s expressions; of the power in Taehyun’s transitions.
And then there’s Kai.
To say that Soobin is observant of Kai would be an understatement. He’s more than observant; in fact, it’d be more accurate to call him obsessive.
It’s evident in the way his looking always manages to turn into staring. Focusing into fixating. Liking into loving.
Eh, you know the drill. Developing feelings (romantic or… otherwise) for your bandmate whom you practically grew up with in the industry is hardly a rarity in this day and age. He’d heard plenty of horror stories from sunbaes and manager-nims alike, even moreso after he got the gig as the MuBank MC.
And Soobin—ever the responsible and reliable idol—had (initially) taken heed of those warnings and had tried his damned best to suppress any and all feelings toward his dongsaeng, though that hardly proved to be an easy task considering their entire shtick on and off cam involved them sticking to each other like gum.
So it had been much to his relief (and disbelief) when Kai had confessed to him first, during one rainy night when the two of them were left alone in the practice room, the others having already left an hour ago.
It had been a spur-of-the-moment thing, with both of them exhausted and frustrated and emotional from having gone through the choreo over and over that evening.
“I think I like you, hyung,” Kai had said through gritted teeth. “No, I know I like you,” he had then clarified through a more sure albeit low whisper.
The confession had led to one thing and another, until it finally culminated in them doing floorwork by means of their lips rather than their limbs.
Suffice to say, that night would go on to become a treasured memory for Soobin—one he would like and aim to relive as much and as often as he possibly can.
So yes, Soobin does like overtime dance practice sessions.
But he likes them even more when it’s just Kai and him in the practice room, the other members having already left some time ago.
“I think Kai and I still need to go over the routine a bit more. We’ll stay behind; you guys go on ahead to the dorms,” he had told them earlier.
It doesn’t take long after he regurgitates that flimsy excuse before the two of them do more than just go over the dance routine, having found themselves sitting on the floor and huddled in one corner—exchanging soft and gentle pecks with each other.
Exhibit B of Soobin being a perfectionist: he likes kissing Kai… like, a lot.
Who could blame him? There’s a lot of things to like.
He likes the way Kai giggles and blushes after the initial meeting of their plush lips, almost as if it were their actual first kiss again. He likes the way Kai’s eyelashes flutter when he leans in close, and he admits that sometimes he would even open his eyes just the slightest bit to peek at how long and beautiful they look as they make out. He likes this and that, and everything else before, after and inbetween.
He likes kissing Kai, and he strives to be good (amazing) at it—which is also why he wants to do it all the time; it’s because practice makes perfect, or something like that.
The fervent sounds of lips pressing against lips and tongue lapping against tongue fill the room along with the blaring music which pointedly no one is dancing to.
This is the usual for the two of them—that is, whatever brand of ‘usual’ is allowed when you’re two members of one of the biggest K-pop rookie groups with understandably packed schedules.
And as much as practice involves the usual repetition, Soobin isn’t afraid to innovate in ways that end up (pleasantly) surprising the both of them.
Like today, when he swiftly dives down toward Kai’s neck to trail one continuous stripe of his tongue up the other’s throat. He finds that it takes a lot of coordination actually, not unlike the kind they need for performing; this prompts him to firmly grip Kai’s waist for purchase. He lets out a loud licking noise once he finally reaches Kai’s chin, spit trailing as he leans back to admire his work—wet and glistening on Kai’s skin.
The resulting shiver and whimper from Kai makes Soobin’s heart all but burst.
“Hyung,” Kai mutters under bated breath, “you’re like a dog, slobbering all over me like that…” He makes a show of pushing him away, although it’s so feeble an attempt (if you could even call it that) that he just ends up clinging to Soobin even tighter right after.
Soobin continues to pepper Kai’s chin and the rest of his face with quick kisses as he pouts, “What’s wrong Hueningie? Don’t you like it when your hyung acts like a puppy for you?” He pulls away for a moment to tilt his head and furrow his brows, “I just want to be your pet~” he sings with a chuckle.
Kai smiles and rolls his eyes. “You’re so laaaaame, hyung,” he groans.
“Besides, you’re not a puppy,” he pokes Soobin’s chest before bringing his finger up to boop his nose, “you’re supposed to be a bunny, y’know.”
A devilish little bulb lights up in Soobin’s head. He wiggles his nose and gives Kai a knowing smirk before he exclaims, “You’re right; I am a bunny. So are you saying that I should act like one, too? Do you know what bunnies are known for?” He leans in closer to bump their foreheads together, “Hmm? Do you?” He locks his eyes with Kai’s.
It takes a whole minute for the intended meaning to register in Kai’s brain, but only a split-second for his entire face to go from a pink rose to a red flame at the realization.
Soobin looks nothing less than amused and satisfied at the reaction.
“W-w-what are you even saying?” he stammers as he turns his head away from Soobin’s intense staring.
He’s so fucking cute, Soobin thinks. He suddenly has the strongest urge to sink his teeth into Kai’s flesh then and there, but since he’s a rational human being and a good hyung he stops himself.
So instead he just asks first, naturally.
“Can I bite you?” he blurts out, the enthusiasm in his voice plain as day.
“Huh?” Kai looks at him, a little puzzled. Though this wouldn’t be the first time Soobin’s said something like that, it still catches him by surprise.
“I want to bite you,” Soobin repeats, in declarative form now.
“Uhm… why?” Kai asks.
“Because you’re just so fucking cute,” Soobin reasons, genuinely having no other reason to want to do it.
“You wanna bite me just because of that?”
Soobin takes a moment to think, and he sighs as he buries his forehead into the crook of Kai’s neck in defeat, “You’re right… it’s weird.”
“It’s not weird,” Kai says after a stilted second, and he places both hands on Soobin’s shoulders to guide his hyung to face him. “I guess I was just curious behind the reason, but I think I get it now,” he purses his lips with an understanding look on his face.
“You do?” Soobin’s eyes widen, the sparkle in them bright and telling.
And he really could be a dog, with the way he looks like he’s wagging his tail right now, if he had one. “So…” he hesitates for a bit, “does that mean I can do it?”
Kai hums approvingly. “But only if you’d be okay with me biting you back,” he adds with a smile.
Soobin is more than okay with that, in fact he’s ecstatic about the prospect. He vigorously nods in response, and proceeds to place his own arms around Kai’s hips, scooting just a little closer as he leans forward.
“Not on my neck though,” Kai exclaims just as Soobin motions down. “It might leave a mark…” he reasons as he wraps his arms around Soobin’s shoulders.
Soobin moves his face a little to the right until it hovers just above Kai’s shoulder. “Is here okay?” he asks as he thumbs Kai’s shirt collar to expose the skin underneath.
“Y-yeah… but don’t bite too hard,” Kai requests as he pats Soobin’s back.
Soobin nods, and he licks his lips before planting them on the smooth surface of Kai’s shoulder. He gives him brief kisses at first, before adding teeth to nibble at the area—which causes Kai to grasp small fistfuls of Soobin’s white knit sweater in response.
The gesture entices Soobin to bring Kai’s entire sleeve further down his arm as he opens his mouth to take Kai’s skin in between his teeth.
Kai gasps and shuts his eyelids tight, his hold on Soobin’s back now consisting of nails scratching through the fabric and into Soobin’s skin. The firmer Soobin bites, the deeper Kai digs.
They exchange muffled grunts and pants until they’ve both had enough of the pressure, pulling away after a few more drawn out seconds. Puffs of air graze each of their faces as they try to catch their breaths.
Kai’s eyes are half-lidded as he watches Soobin clumsily tug at his own collar. “Now it’s your turn,” he says.
The sight of Soobin’s pale skin and sharp collar bones makes Kai visibly gulp.
Soobin can feel his heart hammering at such an intense speed in his chest from the anticipation; he impatiently tugs at his sweater again to gesture that he’s ready.
Kai sucks in an inhale and dives right in.
He mirrors what Soobin had done earlier, gentle pecks and small sucks at first. Soobin giggles at the tickling sensation, which prompts Kai to abruptly bite down hard. Soobin yelps and clicks his tongue, and Kai whips his head up to look at him with pleading and (not so?) apologetic eyes.
“It’s okay, Huening-ah. Go on,” Soobin encourages him. He steadies himself using one hand on the floor, the other carding through Kai’s soft locks of gold. Soobin chances a glance at the huge wall mirror across the room, and he’s a little embarrassed (albeit excited) at how messy and tangled they look like right now. The feeling sends heat throughout his body.
Kai presses his teeth firmer, canines sinking into skin as Soobin pulls on his hair. They stay like that for a while, until the buzzing sounds of Soobin’s phone in his pocket prompts them to stop.
It’s a message from Yeonjun asking them what time they’ll be heading back home.
Soobin checks the clock on his phone and he blanches at how late it is; he hadn’t even noticed how much time had passed. He flips the screen to show Kai, who gives him pretty much the same reaction. They take a couple of minutes to breathe, just looking at each other for a few more moments before finally getting up to leave.
Once they’ve packed up, they head down the hallway to the elevator; Soobin presses the down button and they wait.
After a while the elevator dings and the doors slide open, and when an empty cabin greets them, they instinctively turn to each other. It’s a suggestive gaze, although they’re both aware that what they’re thinking is impossible to do, knowing that the elevators have security cameras installed in them.
So they step inside, fingers loosely interlocked as they lean against one of the reflective metal panels of the elevator.
Which brings us to Exhibit C of Soobin being a perfectionist: he prides himself in taking only the best of the best selfies, and he’s confident about mirror selfies in particular.
So he whips up his phone from his pocket and promptly opens the camera app.
“Hey, come join me; let’s take a pic,” he calls Kai’s attention.
Soobin takes a long, hard, look at Kai before anything else; even under the black baseball cap Kai had worn to hide his mussed hair (Soobin internally smiles knowing that he’s the reason for that), Soobin can still see the remnants of an intense makeout session—the flushed skin, the slightly swollen lips, and the bright eyes.
It’s the perfect triple combo for taking the ultimate selfie, and that’s exactly what Soobin intends to capture as he points his phone at the mirror across from them.
“Isn’t that a little… I mean, we just finished…” Kai mumbles in barely-there protest.
“Hmm? I’m just trying to record a memory here, Hueningie. Plus, aren’t you aware that we look our best after kissing? It’s, like, a natural Snow filter. Now come on, pose for the camera with me!” he explains as his thumb hovers over the red circle on the screen.
Kai huffs petulantly, although in the end he relents. He tries his best to strike the most casual I-totally-did-not-just-make-out-with-my-hyung-in-the-practice-room face as he pulls out a peace sign to place under his chin.
Soobin snaps a quick two or three shots before pocketing his phone back in his jeans, a huge grin on his face as he successfully captures the memory. He turns back to Kai, his arm reaching to squeeze the other’s hand.
His eyes flit to Kai’s shoulder, and he blows air through his nose as he advises him, “You should probably put ice on that when we get home.”
Kai flinches, but only for a moment before he playfully nudges Soobin’s own shoulder. “Shut up,” he exclaims.
And just like that, laughter and affection resonate throughout the four corners of the elevator cab; and despite the relatively cramped space they’re in and the fact that they’re on their way down to the ground floor, Soobin can’t help but feel as if he’s going up to the highest peak of the world—floating as he reaches the feeling of pure and perfect adoration.