Archive of Our Own

Taehyun keeps his world small; but recently, things have been changing.

After harboring a not-so-subtle month-long crush, followed by two weeks of testing his self discipline, and finally a first and subsequent couple of dates, it’s safe to say Taehyun is just about as close to living his dream now as he has ever been. Daily workouts, a hot guy who appreciates the effort he puts into said workouts, and evenings at home alone that don’t feel so lonely because his phone is always lighting up with new text messages? Throw in the fact that he’s getting off semi-regularly, and it’s kind of perfect.

It’s almost hard to imagine that just over two months ago, Beomgyu was nothing more than an out of place butt sticking straight up in the middle of his (children’s) yoga studio. The ass caught his attention first, soon followed by the face, but it was just Beomgyu the walking disaster that he couldn’t help but keep an eye on. Admittedly, it started from a place of amusement: Beomgyu was just as fun to tease in Little Beginners Yoga as he was pleasant to look at. But that base amusement quickly transitioned into a pressing need to get to know the other better the more he observed Beomgyu get into progressively more ridiculous situations without batting an eyelash. Taehyun himself can’t pinpoint exactly when it happened, all he knows is that once he was interested, he couldn’t stay away.

He’s come to enjoy the kind of resigned chaos that comes with everything Beomgyu does, always finding himself in the weirdest of situations but facing them head on. Taehyun likes that in a person, especially a person as hot as Beomgyu. Now that they’re something, he finds himself part of Beomgyu’s chaos, and it’s disarming but nonetheless fun.

Their schedules still rarely match up well, but Beomgyu has Taehyun’s work timetable and makes it a point to pop by the gym as often as he can. Only now instead of ogling Taehyun from a distance, Beomgyu sticks shamelessly close. The pretense of exercising has almost completely disappeared in favor of just hanging out wherever Taehyun is before he has to start his next session. Taehyun doesn’t mind in the least, he has Beomgyu’s eyes on him and his silly commentary to listen to along the way. (He does miss his Twice playlist a bit, but he only turns it on nowadays just to watch the hilarious way Beomgyu’s face scrunches in distaste.)

Of course, the best moments of Beomgyu’s gym visits come when Taehyun decides to wrap up his personal workout fifteen minutes early -- usually at the not-so-subtle suggestion by Beomgyu -- so that they can disappear into the towel closet to really get to know each other better. Because Beomgyu likes to touch, and watching Taehyun work out seems to only press that need further. It’s a different kind of workout, but Taehyun definitely has no complaints there.

Everything is going smoothly, no, great.

Well, except for one small problem. Or as Beomgyu would say, one neon pipsqueak of a problem that they have yet to deal with.

Mina.

It’s not that they didn’t have their chance to break the news to her. She caught them practically red handed three weeks ago, holding hands and Beomgyu’s lips perfectly swollen after their first time making out in the towel closet.

But Beomgyu, being the agent of chaos that he is, channeled his fight or flight reflexes in the least helpful way possible.

“You have a lot of explaining to do.”

“Taehyun was just…” Beomgyu’s eyes had searched Taehyun’s desperately for some sort of excuse before Taehyun watched something click. “... Showing me the towels.”

“Why?”

“I’m very interested in… terrycloth?”

Taehyun had to do everything in his physical power not to smack his own forehead at that.

“I don’t know what that is.” Mina blinked in confusion.

“You will when you’re older.”

Sometimes Taehyun wonders if things happen to Beomgyu, or if it’s Beomgyu that happens to things.

Which leads Taehyun to his current predicament.

He’s just finished a training session and is wiping off the sweat on his forehead when his eyes meet Beomgyu’s a few machines over. Beomgyu is doing lazy arm curls as always, a new, dangerous smile on his lips as he wiggles his eyebrows. Not ten seconds later, Beomgyu is bouncing over to him.

“Ready to go wind down?” Beomgyu asks with a cute tilt of his head. It’s a code they both know well by now.

Taehyun just laughs under his breath. Beomgyu already knows the answer.

“Where should we go today?” Beomgyu continues.

“I don’t see what’s wrong with the towel closet.”

He really doesn’t. They’ve exhausted just about every other space available: the workout rooms all have CCTV, Beomgyu’s hair got caught in a hook in the storage room the one time they tried to go there (that’s a trauma they’d both rather not revisit), and the laundry room gets way too much traffic. The towel closet may be small, but Taehyun has come to learn that Yeonjun chose it first for a reason.

“She knows we’ve been there,” Beomgyu whispers like it’s some kind of secret. It’s almost comical how whatever look Beomgyu had observed in Mina’s eyes three weeks ago has set the fear of God in him for them not to get caught again. Beomgyu, who was once practically gleeful about making Mina jealous, now lives in fear of her spotting them together.

“She’s ten.” Taehyun reminds Beomgyu.

“You saw the way she glared at me!”

To be fair, Mina always has always glared at Beomgyu, even back when he was still a little beginner and had his back turned. But Beomgyu doesn’t need to know that.

“We had the perfect moment to tell her, and you blew it.”

Beomgyu pouts, breaking eye contact. “I wasn’t ready.”

Taehyun is not going to push him on that. They hadn’t even had their first date yet back then. And if Beomgyu still isn’t ready to fess up, then he’ll play along. Who knew dating Beomgyu would be like dating a felon on the run… from a ten year old.

“There’s no yoga today, so she won’t be here.”

Thankfully, they only have to worry about Mina twice a week on Tuesdays and Thursdays. Any other day Beomgyu chooses to visit, they have free reign of the gym without Beomgyu looking over his shoulder every ten seconds. Sometimes, Beomgyu just needs to be reminded of that fact.

“So…” Beomgyu perks up at that revelation. “Towel closet?”

“You can lead the way…”

Taehyun knows full well that Beomgyu has a thing for his arms. In turn, he also knows his favorite part of Beomgyu. He can’t help it that Beomgyu’s ass was the first part of him Taehyun ever saw, or that he hasn’t quite been able to stop thinking about it since. Like now, as he watches Beomgyu bounce ahead of him on the way to the towel closet. For some reason -- okay he knows the reason -- Beomgyu still shows up in yoga pants more often than sweats.

“You know, most people don’t wear yoga pants to use the machines,” Taehyun comments before his brain catches up with his mouth.

“Yes, and?” Beomgyu looks over his shoulder, catching Taehyun staring at his ass yet again. He beckons Taehyun into the closet with a coy smile. “Most trainers work out shirtless,” he counters as they slip inside.

Apparently Beomgyu acquires all his workout knowledge through YouTube fitness influencers which explains his unrealistic expectations, and why he thinks workout should last a maximum of fifteen minutes. One would think that after two months of gym membership reality would have set in by now. Alas.

“If I remember correctly, you’re the one who said you had a thing for my sleeveless shirts.” Taehyun crowds closer, backing Beomgyu against the towel shelf. He leans in so their noses can brush against each other as his hands settle on Beomgyu’s hips. “They, and I quote, ‘do things’ to you.”

“It’s not the shirt that matters, it’s what’s underneath the shirt that counts.”

Taehyun pretends Beomgyu is talking about his heart.

With that, Beomgyu slips his palm under the fabric of said shirt, letting out a small contented sigh. Truthfully, Taehyun loves it. He’s always enjoyed exercising and the results that come from it, but he isn’t the type to workout shirtless or show too much. He likes to keep those results to himself; and now, to share them with Beomgyu. When Beomgyu shows such obvious appreciation, Taehyun’s pride inflates ten fold to what it would when he just admires his own muscles in the bathroom mirror.

As his hands continue to wander, Beomgyu finally leans in.

“How much time do we have?” Beomgyu asks against his lips, his hand tracing down the plane between Taehyun’s abdominal muscles.

“Hmm…” Taehyun responds to the kiss, enjoying the slower pace. “About twelve minutes?”

He feels Beomgyu smile against his lips just as his hand reaches the elastic of Taehyun’s sweats. It’s just as electrifying as it had been the first time.

“There’s a lot I can do in twelve minutes.”

After the past three weeks of this routine, Taehyun knows Beomgyu is speaking the absolute truth.

Fifteen minutes later – Taehyun always plans ahead for recovery time – they’re back in the hallway, hair slightly disheveled but an effort has been made to cover their tracks. Beomgyu bids Taehyun farewell with a chaste kiss to his cheek and promises to text after he finishes his work in the studio. Taehyun, slightly blissed out, drags his feet towards the staff room to pick up his clipboard and water bottle before his next session. He’ll have to try to push the thoughts of what Beomgyu just did to him aside for the next two hours and be professional.

He isn’t surprised to find Ryujin sitting at the computer once he pushes the door open. Their breaks tend to overlap -- and between what Yeonjun and Taehyun get up to elsewhere in the gym during that time -- the office really is the only safe place for her to hide.

Once she hears the door shut, Ryujin turns her attention away from the computer to scan Taehyun up and down. She raises a knowing eyebrow.

Busted.

“I take it your boyfriend was here again today?”

Boyfriend. That’s new. Taehyun doesn’t think about it much though, only responding with a small, albeit guilty, laugh and shrug before something on the desk catches his eye.

“They’re adding a children’s zumba class?” He asks as he slides the course flier closer to get a better look.

Ryujin nods. “Yeah, from this week. You know parents are always willing to pay us to wear their children out before dinnertime.”

It makes sense. They’re a family friendly gym for the most part. Well, if you don’t count what happens in the towel closet on a nearly daily basis.

“How often?”

“Twice a week: Wednesday and Friday.”

Taehyun flips the poster over to look at the sign up sheet. Of course, Ryujin is listed as the instructor – no one else in their right mind would want to take on fifteen children without a sense of rhythm. Taehyun almost knows what name he’ll find on the list even before he properly reads it. And sure enough, right at the end of the list of twelve he spots it: Lee Mina.

Beomgyu is not going to like this.

Beomgyu has yet to miss one of Taehyun’s Wednesday early evening boxing practices. He claims it’s because his schedule lines up best with the days Taehyun usually does his personal workouts. But really, Taheyun knows Beomgyu is fond of watching him punch a sandbag and be “aggressive.” It had been what caused him to snap a few weeks ago, afterall.

Today though, they don’t have to worry about finding somewhere to make-out afterward. Beomgyu has finals coming up, so he’ll regrettably be spending all weekend in the studio. As such, he sort of invited himself over to Taehyun’s for the evening tonight to make up for it. Neither of them have to be up early tomorrow, so it works out. Delivery food, Netflix, and Beomgyu’s nonsensical sleep talking: Taehyun has been looking forward to it all day.

It’s nice to have someone waiting for him and someone who is forward enough to just push himself into Taehyun’s routine. Taehyun wasn’t lying when he told Beomgyu he keeps his world small. He likes routine, goal setting, and having a small circle of friends. But something about Beomgyu just demands his attention, demands space in his little world. It might have been Taehyun who had to take the first step and ask Beomgyu out, but pretty much from the moment they first kissed, Beomgyu has held the reins. It’s still new, a bit novel for Taehyun, but he likes making room for Beomgyu in his life.

Pushing those thoughts aside, Taehyun does his best to focus on the sandbag -- taking in Beomgyu’s little cheers of “good one” and “nice!” as if Taehyun is actually in a boxing match -- and not the cute way Beomgyu is sitting cross-legged on the floor with his overnight backpack clutched to his chest. Because right now, Taehyun needs to focus. Ameteur competition season will start again soon, and he wants to move up in rank for his weight division. So, Taehyun goes hard for the final five minutes of his timed practice, making sure to perfect his right and left hooks, foot positioning, everything he’s been trained to do. He’s so into it that he almost forgets about Beomgyu sitting behind him – mostly because Beomgyu has gone completely silent. When his alarm finally sounds, signaling the end of the session, Taehyun finally relaxes, shakes out his arms, and turns around.

The look on Beomgyu’s face is priceless.

“Whoa,” Beomgyu finally manages to breathe out after a few seconds of eye contact. Taehyun would think Beomgyu had been the one working out if not for the sweat he can feel dripping down from his own hairline. “That was… whoa”

Beomgyu manages to stand, legs a little shaky, and approaches Taehyun with a gym towel. He’s still kind of in a daze and his eyes seemingly taking in each bead of sweat. Instead of passing the towel to Taehyun like he expects, Beomgyu takes the liberty of bunching it up to dab the sweat on Taehyun’s face.

“I don’t know how someone could try to hit you when you look like that,” Beomgyu mumbles, half to himself. His touch is tender and focused despite the seeming mess his brain is currently in. Cute, definitely cute.

“It helps that I have to wear a silly helmet and mouth guard…” Taehyun almost goes cross eyed trying to take in each of Beomgyu’s features. He’s pretty, like really pretty, and sometimes, when he’s close like this, it still disarms Taehyun a bit.

Beomgyu doesn’t seem to notice Taehyun’s fascination, too focused on the task at hand.

“Even then, I’d be too distracted to get a single hit in.”

That makes two of them.

“Good thing you’re not the one I’m sparring with, then.” Taehyun laughs, trying to pull his mind back to the conversation and away from Beomgyu’s eyelashes. “Should I be concerned that you find me punching shit attractive?”

Beomgyu laughs, finishing his work with a small pat of the towel to Taehyun’s nose.

“I’ll leave that up to you to decide,” Beomgyu wiggles his eyebrows before declaring, “All done.”

Taehyun could really get used to this: Beomgyu cheering him on, invading in space in the best way, just… being around.

“Thank you.”

Maybe Beomgyu catches how deeply Taehyun means that, or maybe he’s just too turned on to care, but something shifts in the air between them. In a moment, Beomgyu’s hands are running along Taehyun’s arms, his smile soft. Taehyun reaches up to brush the bangs off Beomgyu’s forehead, beckoning Beomgyu a little closer. Security cameras be damned, what’s a harmless kiss in the middle of a gym?

That is until Taehyun chances a look over Beomgyu’s shoulder and spots something, or should be say, someone, peering in through the half-windowed wall.

“Um, Beomgyu?” Taehyun pulls away, leaving a disappointed Beomgyu in his wake. “We have… an audience.”

Beomgyu blinks in confusion with a small pout on his lips. Sensing Taehyun’s discomfort, he follows Taehyun’s line of vision and lets out a small gasp when he spots two glaring eyes peering over the divider. With the way the boxing room is structured, Mina is only visible from the nose up, but that’s more than enough to know she isn’t pleased. Her hair is collected at the top of her head in a green scrunchie, making her look like a little, very angry, palm tree. Taehyun would laugh if not for the fact that she still hasn’t blinked, and her gaze is zeroed in on Beomgyu.

Okay, maybe Beomgyu has a point about the glaring.

Beomgyu backs away slowly from Taehyun with measured steps until he appears to have reached an acceptable enough distance for Mina’s eyes to crinkle into a happy smile that is just for Taehyun. With that and a small wave, she skips away.

“Whew,” Beomgyu breathes out. “That was close.”

It’s only hours later when it finally clicks for Beomgyu.

They’re just hanging out in Taehyun’s bed, each already changed into their pajamas even though it’s only 9pm. Beomgyu is comfortably settled, his legs tangled in the comforter while his head rests on Taehyun’s thigh. They’re half-watching an anime and half playing on their phones, but mostly just cuddling because Beomgyu’s had a long week preparing for the end of his semester. His sleepiness makes him more snuggly than usual, crowding close and letting his eyes fall closed every now and then.

Maybe Taehyun should be alarmed at how easily Beomgyu fits into his life, in his bed. In a way, it’s like he’s always been there when in fact Taehyun knows there’s still a lot he has yet to learn about Beomgyu; there are so many parts of Beomgyu’s life that he has yet to see like his apartment or his studio. But for now, this is enough – just lazy Wednesday evening cuddles and Beomgyu’s semi-delirious commentary.

That is until Beomgyu suddenly lifts his head.

“Wait.” Beomgyu rolls on his side to look up at Taehyun properly. “Why was Mina at the gym today? I thought you said she only comes on Tuesdays and Thursdays?”

“Oh, right.” Taehyun realizes all too late that he might have withheld a tiny bit of important information from Beomgyu and does his best to play it cool. “There’s a new children’s zumba class that her parents signed her up for.”

Beomgyu gapes. “And you knew about that and didn’t warn me?”

“It slipped my mind?”

Does this count as their first fight?

“I can’t believe you’d compromise my safety like that.” Beomgyu makes a show of rolling in the sheets in terror, signaling to Taehyun that he isn’t actually mad, he’s just a bit overtired and enjoying the dramatics of it all.

“She isn’t plotting your demise, Beomgyu.”

Mina is a child, and as direct as she may be, she isn’t some evil genius. Taehyun’s spent enough yoga classes with her to know that.

“Says you.” Beomgyu stops his flailing to rest on his elbows and glare up at Taehyun. “She’s all smiles for Taehyun Teacher. Meanwhile, I can tell she’s thought of just about every way to eliminate me.”

“She’s ten.” Taheyun repeats for the millionth time. “We just need to tell her.”

The sooner Mina knows, the sooner he and Beomgyu won’t have to play hide and seek. It’s impossible that she doesn’t already have an idea that it’s more than a one-sided infatuation at this point. All they need to do is let her down easy, and the problem is solved. It’s the practical solution. But as things tend to go with Beomgyu, practicality really isn’t on the table.

“I’m not ready,” Beomgyu whines, burying his face into the pillow.

“You were the one who was so excited about making her jealous, and now… you’re not ready?”

“I don’t want to… hurt her feelings.” Beomgyu’s voice comes out surprisingly small. “She likes you.”

“So do you,” Taehyun watches the cute way Beomgyu scrunches his nose, making no move to deny that fact. “Should I just never touch you again to spare her feelings?”

“Okay, definitely don’t do that.” Beomgyu reads the challenge, sitting up and moving to straddle Taehyun in one swift motion, suddenly much more alert than five minutes before.

Taehyun accepts the new weight on his lap, enjoying how though Beomgyu is bigger than he is, he’s light as a feather against his thighs.

“What then?”

“I’m not sure yet.” It appears Taehyun will not be able to persuade Beomgyu tonight to come clean to Mina, but he’s okay with the direction things are heading, with Beomgyu’s hands beginning to trace the width of his shoulders. “But still, you should have warned me she would be around.”

“I can make it up to you?” Taehyun pretends to plead at the same time Beomgyu’s hands come to rest along his jaw. Gone is pouty, dramatic Beomgyu. Now he’s faced with a very determined Beomgyu whose eyes are intently focused on Taehyun’s lips.

“Oh, you definitely will.”

Taehyun expects a kiss. What he does not expect are the hands that are suddenly pinching right beneath his armpit, drawing out an embarrassingly high pitched squeal. ‘Won’t abuse his newfound power’ Taehyun’s ass. Okay but, maybe he does deserve this.

Next thing Taehyun knows, he’s pinned down between surprisingly strong thighs, Beomgyu looming over him with nothing but mirth in his eyes. The relentless tickles have him squirming, the sounds of Beomgyu’s manic laughter filling his ears and the once quiet apartment as the other half attempts to smother him with a pillow. It’s torture, definitely, but the best kind. Because Beomgyu’s laugh is kind of amazing – a little unhinged, sure, but that comes with the territory – and when was the last time he just played with someone?

With what small bit of sanity he has left, Taehyun tries to wrap his head around Beomgyu: quiet and small some moments, impossibly loud and taking up every one of his brain cells the other. He’s gone from being a complete stranger in ridiculous yoga pants to such a presence in Taehyun’s life in only a matter of weeks. Maybe it’s best to sort through all those thoughts later, when Beomgyu isn’t straddling him and he isn’t nearly in physical pain because it tickles.

Soon, the tickling gets to be too much, tears nearly forming in Taehyun’s eyes and his limbs cramping from the onslaught. Taehyun finally uses what little strength he can muster – ironic considering he is definitely the stronger of the two – to grip Beomgyu’s wrists and stop the assault.

Beomgyu puts up no resistance, glancing down at Taehyun, his hair falling in a mess around his face. Taehyun nearly loses his train of thought.

“Okay, okay, you’ve made your point.” Taehyun tries to catch his breath and regain some semblance of clarity. “I’m sorry.”

Beomgyu shakes his head. “That was only part one. Now, you’re really going to make it up to me.”

Uh oh. Please no more tickles, Taehyun can’t handle it.

“How?”

Beomgyu just smirks.

And, oh, Taehyun could really get used to this.

Taehyun is in the staff office a week later when Yeonjun comes barging in.

“The towel closet will be occupied today,” Yeonjun says in lieu of a greeting, pointing his finger at Taehyun with authority. “So you and your pretty boyfriend need to go find somewhere else to do whatever it is you two do.”

There it is again: boyfriend. People keep saying that.

“Just because you asked so nicely…” Taehyun rolls his eyes as watches Yeonjun shove his gym bag into his locker. “And his name is Beomgyu.”

Yeonjun ignores the second remark, as he typically does with anything involving Beomgyu. Taehyun will have to confront him about that soon. But not today because Yeonjun looks to be wound up as tight as a spring, and he knows better than to mess with Yeonjun when he’s in a mood.

“I haven’t seen Bunny in eight days.” Ah, sexual frsutration. That explains the dead serious look on his face as he continues, “If I don’t get him alone soon, I might implode.”

“Needy.” Taehyun teases.

Yeonjun lets out a huff before smirking. “He likes it. Trust me.”

Taehyun can’t help but laugh at that. Yeonjun’s confidence is truly enviable sometimes. “Never doubted that, hyung.”

“Good.” Yeonjun pushes the locker closed with his shoulder. He stops again at the door to turn his attention back to Taehyun. “Now I need to go teach middle-aged people how to bend without cramping, and hopefully, without farting. But remember: keep away from the towel closet.”

And with that, Yeonjun is off, leaving an amused Taehyun in his wake.

Taehyun also hasn’t seen Beomgyu in a week; finals have been keeping the other too busy to even stop by the gym. They’ve made up for it with text messages and the occasional video chats from Beomgyu’s studio on campus. They may not have gotten to be together physically, but he did get to listen to some previews of Beomgyu’s compositions for the first time and watch the nervous way he bit his lip while waiting for Taehyun’s reaction. It felt like progress, observing the way Beomgyu’s eyes lit up when Taehyun praised him before he eagerly moved on to the next track, excited to share bits of himself with Taehyun.

He leans back in the office chair to smile to himself. He just… really likes how smoothly things are going now – save the minor Mina problem.

Speaking of, Beomgyu promised to stop by the gym today, too. And he had made his intentions for their meetup very clear earlier this afternoon in a series of text messages that Taehyun may screencap for future personal use. With Yeonjun claiming the closet and Mina somewhere on the loose for zumba class, Taehyun needs to think quickly about alternative spaces.

His eyes are still focused on the door of the staff room when an idea hits him.

Taehyun
You know where the staff room is, right?

Beomgyu
mhm
I think so

Taehyun
Let’s meet there today? 6:15?
I have a half hour break.

Beomgyu
oooh, kang taehyun you rebel
miss me that much?

Taehyun
….
You said you wanted us to be alone, so...

Beomgyu
see u there ;)

According to Taehyun’s calculations, everything should work out perfectly. Ryujin’s zumba class with Mina starts at 6:20, which means she’ll pick up her clipboard and leave by 6:10; Yeonjun and Soobin can have the closet without issue for their personal training session that starts at 6; and, there is no chance that anyone will catch them because the office door is solid metal and there aren’t security cameras. Still, he’s a mix of anxious and excited because as casual as his coworkers may be about whatever people get up to in the gym, it’s kind of an unspoken rule that the staff room is off limits.

Well, until today.

Beomgyu knocks with some silly rhythm against the door at 6:15 on the dot.

Taehyun doesn’t have to think twice before shouting, “come in,” and rotating his desk chair towards the door. Perhaps he’s missed Beomgyu more than he’s let on (even to himself). Hell, he’s breaking all the unspoken rules of gym office decorum for the guy right now; the least he can do is admit that much.

Beomgyu pokes his head in first – probably to make sure he’s gotten the correct office – before he enters the room fully. He didn’t bother to change into gym clothes today, and after the week he’s had, it honestly looks like he’s seen better days. There are dark circles under his eyes, his hair pulled back in a lazy ponytail, yet his eyes are bright as ever when he smiles at Taehyun.

“Not bad.” Beomgyu takes a look around, seemingly impressed with the new space. “Definitely roomier than the towel closet.”

Another raving review. “Glad it has your seal of approval.”

“I’m not picky, as you know.” Beomgyu laughs. He wastes no time in approaching Taehyun and properly sitting in his lap. Well, Taehyun can’t say he hates this kind of greeting. “What matters most is that, for today’s purposes, it’ll do.”

“Is that all you think about? And here I thought you might want to actually talk to me…”

Taehyun means it in jest; however, Beomgyu seems to take it far more seriously, his brows instantly scrunching as the fingers that had just begun to play with the hair at the base of Taehyun’s neck suddenly stop.

“Taehyun. I like you.” Beomgyu says, deadly serious. He punctuates it with a kiss to Taehyun’s nose. “I like you a lot. But I haven’t seen you in a week and I have needs.”

“Needs?” Taehyun swears Yeonjun and Beomgyu are long lost twins or something. If only Yeonjun would actually get to know Beomgyu, they’d hit it off right away.

“You know what I mean…”

Taehyun very much does. Which is a bit new for him, too. He’s around attractive people all day, and likes to think of himself as someone with a reasonable amount of self discipline. But since meeting Beomgyu, he’s discovering new ‘needs’ of his own.

So, he leans in first to capture Beomgyu’s lips. He takes in the small breath of surprise Beomgyu lets out before his hands continue to play with the skin along Taheyun’s neck. It’s far from a slow kiss, Beomgyu’s lips fervent as always as he tries to take the lead. This time though, Taehyun sets the pace. He wants to savor the little moments, each breath Beomgyu lets out against his lips.

It isn’t long until Beomgyu adjusts himself to properly straddle Taehyun and press impossibly closer. Taehyun knows his hair is a mess at this point, and he very much plans to leave a few marks along the skin of Beomgyu’s collar bones. He dips his head lower to do just that, loving the way Beomgyu tilts his head to accommodate him. It’s a bit overwhelming, really: a fully lit office and a lap full of Beomgyu.

“We can’t make a habit of this,” Taehyun whispers against Beomgyu’s neck. His breath against the skin must do something to Beomgyu because the other gasps, his hips rolling instinctively. And crap, that action pushes Taehyun’s brain into dangerous territory for an office makeout session. “Meeting here, I mean.”

“Consider today an exception,” Beomgyu rasps out with a bit of effort.

It’s been a week, exceptions can definitely be made – though Taehyun fully plans to uphold their rule of ‘(mostly) nothing above the waist at the workplace.’ They aren’t nearly as shameless as Yeonjun and Soobin, afterall.

Beomgyu, though, seems to have other plans. Whether he’s running on autopilot or is just so into it that he can’t help rolling his hips into Taehyun’s crotch, Taehyun really can’t tell. All he can do is tighten his grip on Beomgyhu’s hips to hold him in place a bit and try to redirect his attention to their lips. He lifts his head up once again to properly kiss Beomgyu. To kiss him like he’s missed him (because he has), and like Beomgyu deserves. At the same time, he’s come to know a few of Beomgyu’s most sensitive spots, and for once, actively avoids them. He still has some clarity about him and is not going to start something he can’t finish. That wouldn’t be fair to either of them.

Despite holding back a bit, kissing Beomgyu is always a new experience. Beomgyu may consistently be a bit insistent, but just how they kiss depends on the spectrum of Beomgyu’s moods. It’s exciting for Taehyun, who has lived with comfortable monotony in his daily life until recently. Beomgyu, with his very tactful lips and equally colorful personality, keeps Taehyun on the edge of his seat – quite literally in this moment.

They’re both so into the kiss that Taehyun somehow misses the sound of the staff room door opening.

“My one safe place, Taehyun.”

The new presence surprises them both. Taehyun feels Beomgyu freeze in his arms, leaving him to open his eyes to peer over Beomgyu’s shoulder and find a none-too-happy Ryujin standing in the doorway.

“Don’t you have a class right now?” Taehyun tries to ask as casually as possible – as if he doesn’t have a full grown man currently straddling his lap and burrowing into his neck. He vaguely remembers from one of his nature documentaries that this is a tactic possums use when faced with threats….

“I forgot my phone.” She nods her head to the desk space behind Taehyun. “Kind of need it for the music.”

Taehyun cranes his neck, and sure enough, there lies Ryujin’s phone on the desk. Meanwhile, Beomgyu seems to still think that if he clings tight enough to Taehyun, Ryujin won’t notice him. Despite that, Taehyun reaches for the phone, passing it to Ryujin over Beomgyu’s shoulder.

“Well, you might as well pick up where you left off.” Ryujin acquiesces, taking the device from Taehyun and throwing an amused smile to Beomgyu’s back. “But Chaeryeong’s class finishes in twenty minutes, and she won’t be as forgiving if she catches you.”

Taehyun nods in understanding, Beomgyu’s weight shifting slightly in his lap.

“Noted.”

When the door shuts, Beomgyu finally pulls his face away from Taehyun’s neck. His eyes are blown wide with what looks to be a hint of embarrassment and a whole lot of amusement. They maintain eye contact for only a few seconds before Beomgyu breaks out in hearty laughter, once again nestling into Taehyun’s neck. Beomgyu’s laugh is always so loud. Taehyun can feel it rumbling up from Beomgyu’s chest that is still pressed tightly against him. Taehyun soon follows, tightening his hold on Beomgyu, because Beomgyu’s shallow breath against his skin tickles, and he can’t believe this is what his work life has become.

“That was fun,” Beomgyu says with a worrying amount of glee before his gaze once again zeroes in on Taehyun’s lips. “So, where were we?”

Truthfully, Taehyun isn’t a trained yoga instructor. He’s taken a few classes to improve his flexibility and mindfulness, but he’s in no way equipt to teach adults. Thankfully, Yeonjun only had to drop his children’s class this semester; and children, Taehyun can handle. He enjoys leading them through basic breathing exercises and watching them attempt to mimic his poses when in reality they’re just bending themselves in ways most adults are entirely incapable of. It’s as comical as it is inspiring.

So, he very much looks forward to his Tuesday and Thursday Little Beginners – even without Beomgyu’s tragic lack of flexibility taking up space in the middle of the studio. Kids are ridiculous, and watching them just exist provides him hours of amusement each week; sometimes they bite each other, sometimes they fold their feet behind their heads and roll around like weebles, and that’s all fun to witness. The fact that they seem to view him as some kind of superman only adds to his enjoyment.

However, since Beomgyu made an appearance, Mina has begun to stick around a bit longer after each lesson. Instead of filing out with the rest of the kids, she tends to stick back and take her time rolling up her mat. Taehyun has come to accept it as her way of keeping an eye on Taehyun, her little crush motivating her to stick around. He tends to let her do her thing, packing up his speaker and phone and preparing for his next training session.

Only today, once it’s just Taehyun and Mina, she finally speaks up.

“Is Beomgyu oppa still bothering you?”

Taehyun almost spits out the water he had just started to gulp down. ‘Bothering’ is by far not the thing Beomgyu is doing. Consuming a concerning amount of his brain cells would be more accurate.

“Bothering me?”

“He still keeps touching you.” Maybe this is the side of Mina that Taehyun’s never seen but Beomgyu fears. She stands with her hands on her tiny hips, hair sticking straight up in pigtails, and a deadly serious look on her face. “Do you need me to have another talk with him?”

“No, I can handle it,” Taehyun reassures before his brain fully catches up to what she just said. “Wait, what do you mean by ‘another’?”

“Well…”

Even before she elaborates, Taehyun knows that they definitely can’t keep this up much longer.

Taehyun
You didn’t tell me you ran into Mina last week.

Beomgyu
it slipped my mind?

Taehyun
It's time to tell her.
Come by on Thursday after class ends?

Beomgyu
…
fine.

Little Beginners has just finished. As expected, Mina hangs back as the other students run off to their parents. Today she’s sporting an all purple ensemble that Taehyun is sure Beomgyu will have plenty of commentary about. He knows he’ll be privy to said commentary because Beomgyu promised to stop by to resolve The Mina Problem when this class lets out.

He’s already sent Beomgyu a text message telling him the coast is clear, so when the door to the studio opens, he knows what to expect. He can’t help but reciprocate Beomgyu’s nervous smile once their eyes meet, trying his best to reassure the other that this is necessary if they ever want to have peace in the gym.

Mina, spotting Beomgyu, instantly glares at the newcomer before turning to Taehyun.

“What’s he doing here?”

“Why don’t you sit down and let’s talk,” Taehyun requests in his gentlest voice.

He doesn’t anticipate Beomgyu to follow that request and move into the studio to sit cross-legged on the mat next to Mina. He kind of expected himself and Beomgyu to do this together. Oh well. He blinks away his confusion – Beomgyu always throwing him for a loop – and takes a deep breath before he begins.

It’s better they get this over with as quickly as possible. It’s just like ripping a band-aid off, right?

“There’s something you need to know,” Taehyun begins.

Both Mina and Beomgyu’s eyes are intently focused on him, and why does he feel like he’s having ‘the talk’ with his own daughter?

“Beomgyu is my boyfriend.”

“He is?”

“I am?”

Oh, Taehyun hadn’t anticipated one of those reactions. His confidence falters.

“Aren’t you?” Maybe Taehyun’s been hearing Beomgyu referred to as his boyfriend so often that he just assumed? Is there some step he skipped here?

“Uh…”

Mina’s head turns back and forth between the two – her indignation seemingly put on hold while she watches the discussion unfold.

“Are you seeing anyone else?” Taehyun zeroes in on Beomgyu. He feels like he already knows the answer, yet his stomach drops a little at the question. This is not at all how he planned this mediation to go.

“No.” Beomgyu quickly shakes his head. He’s still sitting cross-legged on the mat, and looks so silly and a bit small, but it only encourages Taehyun to push more.

“Do you want to see anyone else?”

“Definitely not.”

Taehyun tries to hide his relief at that answer. Maybe he jumped the gun a bit, but Beomgyu seemingly doesn't object. Sometimes – Taehyun is learning – Beomgyu just needs things laid out for him directly.

“Then…?” Taehyun tests.

He watches as Beomgyu ponders for a moment - a series of very amusing expressions splashing across his face – before he sits up straighter before and turns to look Mina in the eyes with a soft gleam.

“I’m his boyfriend.” Beomgyu states with a newfound confidence.

“But why you?” Mina instantly counters.

Beomgyu seems to take offence to that. “What’s not to like about me?”

“Your clothes are so boring and…” Mina scrunches her nose. “...black.”

“We can agree to disagree there, grape Fanta.”

Okay, maybe he is dealing with two children.

“Anyway,” Taehyun intervenes, “Beomgyu is my boyfriend.”

Wow, that feels really nice to say. Beomgyu is his boyfriend. He wants to repeat it a bit more until the word feels familiar on his tongue, but maybe now isn’t the time.

“Right.” Beomgyu nods enthusiastically in an attempt to back Taehyun up.

“So, he’s going to be around because I like having him around.” Taehyun means the words for Mina, but in reality they’re for Beomgyu, too. He likes being with Beomgyu, likes chatting or kissing, whatever it is they do, it all is a nice change of pace to his regimented world. “And you trying to scare him away won’t change that. In fact, it would make me unhappy.”

Mina’s face falls a bit, but Taehyun doesn’t regret being blunt. It’s true: Beomgyu makes him happy, and he doesn’t want to live in hiding forever because a ten year old has some sort of power over his now boyfriend.

“So you two like, kiss and stuff?” Mina cringes.

“Ha, ‘kiss and stuff.’”

“Something like that.” Taehyun confirms, ignoring the way Beomgyu is still chuckling to himself because they’ve definitely done more than kissing at this point. “But the point is, Beomgyu is someone I… care about, and if you like seeing me happy, you’ll be nice to him.”

Wow, Taehyun never expected to have to give a parental lecture to a ten year old, but that wasn’t half bad.

“Okay.”

“Okay?” Taehyun and Beomgyu ask in unison, half in disbelief.

“I guess.” Mina shrugs before turning to face Beomgyu properly. “But if you make Taehyun Teacher sad…”

“I won’t!” Beomgyu defends with so much conviction that Taehyun kind of melts.

“Fine.” Mina moves to stand, her little pigtails bouncing. “My dad is waiting for me, so if you could move…” she indicates to Beomgyu to get off the mat. “Please.”

Taehyun smiles, watching Beomgyu shuffle off the mat and move to stand. It might not be perfect, but it’s a start. They’ll hopefully have plenty of future run-ins to become civil with one another.

Once Mina – in all her purple glory – is gone, Beomgyu finally makes his way toward Taehyun. All the nerves from before dissipate as he takes in the way Beomgyu is smiling oh-so-proudly at him. One second he’s approaching, the next his arms are wrapped around Taehyun’s neck.

“So, boyfriend huh?” Beomgyu quirks a brow. “And you said you weren’t presumptuous.”

“Is that not how it works? We’ve been seeing each other and…”

“You’re so nervous. It’s cute. I’m not going to take it back or anything.” Beomgyu laughs, moving to fuss with the stray hairs on Taehyun’s forehead. “Usually, though, people ask. Or I don’t know, have that talk not in front of a ten year old.”

“Everyone has been calling you my boyfriend around here. It just kind of slipped out,” Taehyun admits. It’s not that he’s new at dating, but Beomgyu is completely uncharted territory and he’s kind of learning as he goes.

“I really don’t mind,” Beomgyu reassures. “But being my boyfriend comes with specific obligations. Are you up to the task?”

“What kind of obligations?”

“Well, attending my performance in two weeks, for one.”

Taehyun nods, all too excitedly. He’d love to hear Beomgyu play live. “I can do that.”

“And staying over at mine occasionally even when Heeseung is home.”

“Not a problem.” They’ve spent too much time in Taehyun’s apartment at this point, so it’s only fair.

“And I demand full permission to touch your arms and abs, whenever socially acceptable.”

Taehyun can’t help but laugh at that.

“They’re all yours.”

“Then, I think we’re all good here, boyfriend.”

Yeah, Taehyun is really going to like this.