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‘Hyung, I'm bored.’
‘Do you wanna play video games?’ Seoho suggests, sitting on the sofa next to Keonhee, who's melted like a deflated potato bag, long legs spread outwards. It looks like he will soon liquify and flow to the cold floor.
‘Not really feeling it, but let's.’
The rain knocks heavily on the windows as Seoho connects his switch to the TV, and returns to his previous position, next to the taller. Keonhee huffs as Seoho hands him the controller, sitting up to focus on the game that Seoho is more than fated to win anyway - he has sharpened his skills over all the years of playing, contrary to Keonhee who rarely ever did, except the one he'd met Seoho in. But that was entirely different. That was a PC game.
He chooses Yoshi as his character and a fancy design for his kart.
‘He kind of looks like you.’ Seoho giggles, choosing princess peach.
The younger rolls his eyes in pretend annoyance. ‘Because I've got big eyes? Is that the issue?’
‘Yes.’ Seoho says, and Keonhee shoots him a strict glare just as the screen counts down to the start of the race. ‘And because you're cute.’ he mumbles, but Keonhee's attention is already on the TV.
As expected, even though Keonhee isn't truly bad at the game, Seoho easily wins two out of the three matches. On the last one, Keonhee figures out what he's been doing wrong all this time, and starts leaning the controller to the side whenever he wants to make a turn, instead of keeping it steady.
It's the last turn before the final line, Princess Peach and Yoshi are very close to each other on the screen. Keonhee does everything; he pushes the button on the controller to the right, he drifts, he leans to the side, but Seoho runs past him and wins the final game.
‘Argh!’
Seoho laughs again, while Keonhee, who had been leaning to the right for too long, falls on Seoho, his head on the other's lap, playfully. But it's an uncomfortable position, and he's worried Seoho is burdened by it, so he returns to himself. ‘You beat me three times. What was the point of this.’
‘Are you less bored?’
He pauses to think. ‘A little.’
‘Then that was the point.’ Seoho smiles. ‘Do you want to play something else?’
Keonhee sits back on the sofa, the rain getting louder by the minutes on the glass door beside him. It's a good thing he's spending some days here; he'd hate having to return home in this weather. ‘What else do you have?’
‘Well, there's Zelda.’
‘But only one of us can play Zelda.’
‘You can play. I'll guide you.’
Keonhee shrugs, although he's a little worried over how this is going to work. But Seoho simply takes the controller from his hands, his fingers brushing the other's softly, and he connects the controllers together. He only gets up to change the game and sits down again, screen set up and ready for Keonhee.
The older gives him the controller, but his hands come to cup Keonhee's, so as to show him the controls. It's Seoho who is leaned over to the younger, and their proximity heats up Keonhee's ears. He pats the hair at the side to cover them discreetly, tries his best to ignore the warmth.
‘Alright, so you move like this,’ Seoho says, and he's practically on Keonhee right now, ‘and if you press this one, he…’
A loud thunder cuts his words, followed by the lights going off, and Keonhee's surprised yell. The latter jumps up as he shouts, but Seoho grabs his wrists. ‘It’s okay, the power just went off.’ He looks around, trying to get his eyes used to the dark. He feels Keonhee tensing.
‘Is it just us or is it the whole area?’ the younger sounds, his voice small.
‘Let me go check.’
Keonhee pulls his legs on the couch in a hug, curling into himself, whilst Seoho searches in the dark for the walls, so he can follow them to find the power plate. Keonhee hears a thud, then a loud ‘Ow.’ and a smile tugs on his face. Footsteps and thumps signal Seoho’s return.
‘So?’
‘It’s definitely not just us. I can’t get it back on.’ he hears Seoho say somewhere near him. ‘Do you remember where I left my phone?’
‘Not really.’
A sigh escapes Seoho’s mouth, and he feels the couch sink next to him. ‘I’m not searching for it in the dark. Where are you?’ The older’s hands search for him, and they come to cover his eyes, and if he couldn’t see before, now he can’t ten times more. ‘Uh. What-’
‘That’s my face.’
The older retracts his arms, an awkward laugh escaping his mouth. ‘Sorry.’
Another thunder roars, and it’s again Keonhee who startles, letting out a whimper, plunging on the other. Seoho’s hands wrap around him unexpectedly, but he doesn’t protest against it. ‘It’s alright, it’s just thunder.’ Seoho whispers, and Keonhee feels a little dumb for being startled.
‘I know,’ he replies, in a quiet voice so as not to burst the bubble of intimacy the older created, ‘I was surprised.’
‘I know that, too. I said it to ease you.’ Momentarily, he squeezes his hold around Keonhee’s waist.
Indeed, Keonhee’s alertness fades away in Seoho’s arms, and he tries not to think that this should not be happening, and that he shouldn’t be enjoying it. Yet he allows himself to. Seoho is rarely intimate; this moment is one of those he will cherish for months to come. Little by little he relaxes, comfortable because of the fact that Seoho can’t see his flushed face, or the small smile that finds its way to his lips.
He’s glad to have randomly met someone like Seoho in a game, and he’s lucky it’s Seoho whom he met. But perhaps that is as far as his luck goes; for falling in love with his teammate was likely not his smartest idea.
Just as suddenly as they went out, the lights turn on, blinking once and twice until the room floods with light, electrical devices start making noises again, and the TV beeps open.
At the same time, Keonhee and Seoho look at their positions, both jumping away from each other, as if they caught the wrong person in their embrace. Keonhee looks away, staring at the TV coming to life, while Seoho gets up, scratching the back of his neck. ‘Should I… bring a blanket? Water? Anything?’
The taller knows; he’s made the atmosphere uncomfortable, and the older is seeking a way out of it. So he lets him have it. ‘Uh… water, thanks.’
Seoho does as instructed, and further. He brings the blanket that Keonhee did not ask for, he disconnects his switch from the TV, lets it buzz in a low volume on a random channel. But the atmosphere remains tense even as Seoho sits back on the couch. Until Keonhee cannot bear it anymore.
‘Hyung. Let’s just turn the lights off again.’ It’s his last resort. Somehow they’re more at ease in the dark.
Seoho looks at him. ‘You want to sleep?’
‘Yes- no. I mean, sure? Let’s just lie on the couch. Watch a movie or something.’
Seoho does as told, sits next to him on the couch, switches to a channel that’s playing a film. And even though Keonhee requested it, he’s not paying attention. His mind is clouded with countless thoughts floating around, and his eyes slowly flutter closed.
‘Hey.’ a voice whispers softly. ‘Keonhee, wake up.’
He blinks, staring into the darkness. There’s no movie playing anymore, and his head is resting on something part soft, part firm.
‘Keonhee. Are you up?’ Seoho whispers again, and his voice sounds really close.
He then notices his head is tilted in a way that Seoho’s shoulder makes for his pillow. Even that realisation isn’t able to make him move, however; his body is too heavy with sleep. Instead, he nestles further. ‘Mhm.’
‘You sound half asleep.’
‘Mhm.’
‘You are half asleep.’ Seoho says in disbelief. ‘You should sleep on the bed.’
‘Mhm.’
The other sighs. ‘Fine. I actually like this anyway.’ he says, talking more to himself rather than to Keonhee. But upon hearing those words, the younger’s eyes fling open and he sits up. ‘What did you say?’
‘I didn’t say anything.’
He says it so persuasively, that Keonhee returns to his previous position. But now he tries something new.
He pushes his arm between Seoho’s, linking their arms, and when Seoho doesn’t react to it, he goes as far as to place his hand on the other’s. He feels Seoho’s fingers shifting underneath his, and his heart skips a beat in fear. Fear that he crossed the line.
Instead, Seoho’s fingers move in the empty space between Keonhee’s, their hands completing each other’s. The older curls his, trapping Keonhee’s fingertips in his hold, and for some heartbeats that the younger is sure he can count, they stay like this.
‘I like you, hyung.’ he says, finally.
Seoho stiffens, and his grip tightens. A shaky breath comes out of his mouth. He’s about to get up, but Keonhee stops him.
‘Where are you going?’
‘To turn on the lights. If we’re going to do this, I want to see you.’
‘I’d prefer it if you didn’t. My face is all… blushed’
‘Okay.’ Seoho says, now grabbing Keonhee’s hand properly. ‘Me too.’
‘You’re blushing?’
‘Er- I guess. I meant I like you too.’
‘Oh.’
‘Yeah.’
Keonhee’s still not sure if he’s half dreaming still. But if he is, that’s all the more reason not to turn the lights back on.
‘Will you still like me in the morning?’
‘Of- of course.’ Seoho replies, confused.
‘Okay.’
So Keonhee lets himself fall asleep again, until only the sun brings its beaming light back to the little apartment. He’ll worry about his pink dusted cheeks then. Now, he slips back into unconsciousness in the warmth that Seoho emits, and their hands that are gently clasped in each other.