Work Text:
Every cell in Chenle’s body vibrates in excitement as he pushes open the door of the dingy barbeque restaurant, and clocks eyes with his motley crew of friends.
They’ve staked claim to their favorite spot, nestled right at the back in the shadows. A feast of food and drink on the table is already being devoured, and around Mark is a glass fence of empty bottles stacked deep. It looks exactly the same as the last time they had collected here, which helps to heal the ache of not seeing everyone together for almost a year.
Now a group of struggling twenty-somethings that can only savor the sweet freedom of youth through hazy memories, group get-togethers like this are a bit of a miracle. Chenle is the only one as a public school music teacher afforded the luxury of free weekends. And for the rest of them, any weekends or evenings they can get are usually spent in bed. Or in Jeno and Jaemin’s case, spent together dirtying beds in many of South Korea’s hotels.
Mark always has the slipperiest of schedules to grab a date on; being in his final year of medical school. So as he slings an arm around Chenle’s shoulder, already heavy from the clear head start he’s got on the rest of them, Chenle cherishes the missed warmth it brings.
“Renjun just called to say he’s running a bit late. Something about a client overstaying their welcome.” Mark half slurs into his ear. Not bothering to loosen his grip on Chenle even when the younger reaches across the table to attack Jisung on the forehead with a sharp stab of his finger.
Jisung looks up from his phone with a scowl, and just like any one of the kids he teaches would, Chenle sticks out his tongue in retaliation. Weeks apart can’t even stop the innate desire to pick on the baby. Even though Jisung now towers over every single one of them and makes about three times Chenle’s pathetic teacher’s salary doing god knows what.
Busy pouring out a drink at the head of the table, Jeno offers a gentle smile in greeting as Jaemin strokes long fingers through his boyfriend’s dark hair, not giving one shit about Chenle’s arrival. Undeterred, Chenle finally slips away from Mark and flops down next to Jaemin to smack a wet kiss to the older’s cheek, pleased at the soft curl of Jaemin’s lips after.
“Hey! Me too, me too.”
Appearing out of a thin air like a demon, Donghyuck leans heavily into Chenle’s space. Lips puckered and dangerously close to Chenle’s own as he makes obscene kissing noises.
Successfully batting Donghyuck away with a few hard shoves, helped by a yank of Hyuck’s shirt collar by a giggling Mark, Chenle is free to accept the drink offered to him by Jeno. Not trusting the sweet smile behind the beer, Chenle takes a few sniffs and immediately picks up on the spike of soju. He tries to give his best glare but Jeno simply tilts his head from side to side as he laughs, a hint of a tease soaking his deep chuckles. The bastard.
Sipping gingerly at the somaek, Chenle watches his friends settle back into their usual loud bickering. He’s happy. Probably the happiest he has been in a long while. But the heat radiating from his chest still doesn’t melt the one empty seat opposite him.
“Have you spoken to him yet?”
Mark interrupts Chenle from his thoughts, eliciting a small jump in surprise from the younger as he takes up the newly vacated seat next to him. Chenle hadn’t noticed Donghyuck move on. Now sat between Jeno and Jaemin, unsuccessfully trying to force Jeno into a love shot with him as Jisung watches in disgust.
“Have you spoken to Yeri yet?” he turns the question on Mark, prompting a flush of red to paint the older’s cheeks. At least Mark has the excuse of alcohol to hide behind, whereas Chenle would rather cook his face on the barbeque infront of them than give a proper answer and embarrass himself.
“Hey, don’t dodge it. You said the last time we saw each other, you were going to tell him.”
“I was drunk,” Chenle tries to answer nonchalantly as he grabs an unopened bottle of soju from the center. “And if you don’t mind, I am currently trying to get back to that level of inebriated this second.”
“Coward,” Mark gives via a soft whisper, which Chenle simply chooses to ignore in favor of taking a shot. The sharp hit of the alcohol burns his windpipe deliciously.
And as if summoned by their conversation, a jingle rings out from the entrance of the bar and Renjun almost falls through the door from the weight of the rucksack on his back.
Chenle fights to swallow a lump in his throat as he watches their friend make his way over to the group, a blinding smile on his face and waving furiously. He’s still dressed in the suit he reserves for important meetings. The one that sharpens the delicate curve of his waist to a knife’s edge with which Chenle impales his brain on time and time again.
Renjun has clearly run a hand through his stiffly styled bangs already, softening the border between work and play. But he still has this air of professionalism about him, one which Chenle hates himself for finding irresistibly sexy.
Huang Renjun isn’t sexy. He’s the annoying older brother who used to turn up to Chenle’s college classes with forgotten lunches and ironed his underwear every night until Jisung sat on and broke the ironing board. The loser who carries sachets of cat food in his bag for the city strays, and sends his friends unfunny memes even a middle-aged mom wouldn’t laugh at. Chenle would be crazy to find that guy sexy.
But unfortunately, he does. And it’s been killing him for the last two years.
It doesn’t take Donghyuck long to scream, “Welcome shot!” and a full glass gets pushed into Renjun’s hand before he can even take a seat. The whole table stays silent in anticipation, staring at their new victim until after a short exasperated sigh Renjun necks the shot in one swoop. Everyone breaks out into roars of joy at the sight, minus Jeno, who hurriedly calls the server over to order another round, and Chenle, who continues to watch Renjun carefully.
Hugs get shared with those close enough to receive the gift, and with Jisung still tucked against Renjun’s chest, the older man finally acknowledges Chenle with a soft nod of the head. Chenle’s fingers twitch with the urge to reach across the barrier between them to pull Renjun into his own tight embrace. Instead, he busies his hands by pouring out another large drink, watching the clear liquid slop messily over the sides of the glass.
The night continues to pass in a haze of loud gossip, a verbal fight here and there, and a stomach-churning competition between Mark and Jisung to see who can fit the most pork belly in their mouths. As always, Chenle balances on the edge of the conversation, preferring to listen as he takes charge of the barbeque. Only taking breaks from turning the meat to accept shot after shot from Jeno, and to grab sneaky glances at Renjun.
Renjun looks a little more relaxed compared to when he had first arrived. Rosy cheeks, lips bubbling with laughter, and his tie loosened by Donghyuck’s hands. Chenle begins to feel sick.
In an attempt to distract himself, he creates a parcel of samgyeopsal that he hopes is large enough for him to choke on. But before Chenle can finally put himself out of his misery, the lettuce encased weapon gets blocked in its path by an alien chopstick pushed against his mouth.
“Should we have a movie night soon?” Renjun pairs the question with a raise of an eyebrow and his chopstick still firmly pressed to the swell of Chenle’s bottom lip. He swats it away before he can allow his brain to sink its sharp teeth into the indirect kiss.
“Er, sure. When do you think is good for everyone?”
Renjun lowers his head to gaze down at his empty soju glass, but not before Chenle catches the fresh glow of pink across his cheeks.
“I was thinking it could be just the two of us, as we haven’t hung out in a while. You know… without all the chaos.”
It’s only now that Chenle realizes Renjun is speaking to him in Chinese. They often refrain from doing it around the rest of the group to avoid having to repeat themselves twice. But as Chenle looks across the table at their miserable excuse for friends, he supposes it doesn’t quite matter. Mark is passed out drunk with a concerned Jisung administering tiny pats to his shoulder whilst Donghyuck once again unabashedly tries to flirt his way into a ménage à trois with an unimpressed Jeno and Jaemin. A truly modern renaissance painting.
Shaking his head, Chenle turns back to Renjun to find him also surveying the state of their friends. Chin resting on his palm with a soft sappy smile, the flames from the still smoldering bbq in front of them reflecting off Renjun’s friendship ring in licks of red on gold. The platonic simp.
“Sure, why not? Is this Saturday good for you?”
Renjun turns his soft smile on to Chenle, eyes crinkling as he gently sways in his seat, the soju bombs from earlier finally catching up to him as well.
“Perfect. I’ll come straight after work,” Chenle almost face plants the table when Renjun reaches across to place a gentle hand on Chenle’s bicep, causing his arm to almost spasm and slip from the shock. “I’ve been dying to watch the horror movie that’s just come out.”
“Dude! You are literally the worst person to watch horror films with. I almost lost all my arm hair during Hereditary when you yanked it all out as a stress reliever.”
There’s no time to fall victim to Renjun’s classic pout as Mark is now very much awake and aggressively jabbing his finger into Chenle’s poor, abused nose. The punch of alcohol from Mark’s breath as he slurs his next words is strong enough for Chenle to feel his own senses begin to haze.
“Never, ever. call your mother ‘Dude’, young man.”
“Okay, Mark, you are well and truly white girl wasted. Let’s get you home to bed, mister.” And before Mark can even try to resist, Renjun is up from his seat and ready to hoist the taller man up by his armpits. Dragging Mark towards the exit with a strength surprising for someone also half cut, Renjun turns to the rest of them with a sharp gaze. “That goes for everyone. Out. Now.”
“What the fuck, man! I was finally getting somewhere!”
Donghyuck whines in protest, arms crossed as he sulks and completely blind to the fact Jeno and Jaemin are already at the register alone sorting the group’s bill. Jaemin with his hand in its favorite place; shoved so deep into Jeno’s back pocket that Chenle is always surprised that Jaemin hasn’t been sucked up into his asshole yet. Once they’ve finished up paying, Jeno gives his boyfriend a long bruising kiss before returning to the others, not giving one fuck to the theatre of judging looks coming from the packed restaurant. Gross.
A sarcastic “It’s nice to dream sometimes, isn’t it?” is the most sympathy Renjun can bring himself to muster for Donghyuck before beckoning Jisung to drag Hyuck’s body out the door. Jisung is a little more supportive; stroking a large gentle hand through the chocolate curls of his drunk ward as he yanks him outside into the cold winter air.
Eventually, after a lot of hassle on Jisung and Renjun’s part, and zero help from Jeno, Jaemin, or Chenle, Renjun and Chenle are the last ones left shivering by the taxi rank once they’ve seen all their friends off safely. After this utter failure of a reunion, Chenle wants nothing more than to be at home in front of the fire, whisky in hand, as he snuggles under a blanket with his pup watching UFC reruns. But it only takes one look at Renjun, bundled up in hundreds of layers like a polar explorer and looking far too miserable for someone born in the bitterly cold north, for Chenle to cave and signal for Renjun to take the next vacant taxi.
Once Renjun shuts the back passenger door, Chenle takes no time to shove a cigarette in between his lips. And when he’s just about to spark it up, Renjun sticks his head out the taxi window.
“So see you on Saturday then?”
After half expecting Renjun to scold him for his bad habits, all Chenle can do is nod dumbly at Renjun’s drunk grin. Nose bitten red by the cold and blonde hair tousled by both the wind and Mark’s wandering hands earlier; Renjun looks ethereal, as he always devastatingly does. But Chenle’s years of experience in falling victim to Renjun’s beauty have not weakened the magnetic pull his friend has against him. The longing ache permanently lodged in Chenle’s chest squeezes harder.
Watching Renjun’s taxi blend into the kaleidoscope of car headlights only tightens the rope knotted around his heart, tugging him forward to drop his body against the curb in exasperation. Chenle can’t remember when the flutters of his first crush hardened into icy fear every time he’s thrown into the depths that are his feelings for Renjun. Terrified if he ever attempts a dive to see how deep they might go, he will never resurface.
As he runs a shaky hand through his bangs, Chenle ignores both the puddle currently soaking through his jeans and the half confused, half concerned stares from the other night owls still haunting the sidewalk. He next fishes his phone out of his twisted jacket pocket before punching out a message to Mark. The ghost of the night’s countless shots possess his fingers as he types, and Chenle regrets the text even before he hits send.
Later, settled under his blanket but with none of the warm contentment he had once desired from it, Chenle finally receives a reply from Mark.
[Lele]: I’m fucked…
[Markie]: Wasssssssup me too lol
***
The movie night with Renjun almost slips his mind until he receives a chat from him later in the week, asking him if the plan was still on. Chenle drops his phone on the classroom floor in a scrabble to reply and he takes a few deep breaths before he can send off a simple thumbs-up emoji. His students, currently butchering the school’s anthem with their garbled singing, continue to pay him, and his meltdown, no attention.
And from that point, their date consumes Chenle’s every waking thought and he can do nothing else but obsess over the details.
Date. Chenle really needs to scrub that word from his vocabulary before it drives him completely insane.
But his one-track brain continues to treat it as such. Even down to going to three different convenience stores to find Renjun’s favorite snacks, and obsessively cleaning his apartment until every surface reflects his dumb, infatuated face back at him. Even Daegal, extremely unimpressed by her owner’s antics, is subjected against her will to a bath.
Just like that, the rest of the week bleeds into Saturday evening and Chenle finds himself standing helpless in his kitchen as his doorbell rings over and over.
Renjun knows the code to the door, like every single one of Chenle’s friends do, so for him to use the bell makes everything seem a little too formal. Goosebumps kiss Chenle’s skin and he feels the threat of sweat under the collar of his shirt, bought specially for the occasion.
The doorbell goes off once more, and Chenle almost trips in a race to the door. Renjun appears poised to ring again, a furrow between his shaped eyebrows when Chenle yanks open the door to greet him. Jumping back in fright, Renjun’s eyes are wide and wild as his chest heaves to catch his breath at the shock. Chenle almost coos until he remembers he’s the asshole who almost scared his friend to death.
“How are you supposed to watch a horror film when me opening a door almost makes you shit yourself?” and Chenle can’t stop his big mouth from continuing his mission of self-sabotage. Fucking perfect.
“You took forever to answer the door, jerk,” Renjun looks genuinely annoyed as he pushes past Chenle into the hallway. “I was starting to think you forgot I was coming over.”
It takes all his willpower for Chenle to not scream out, “I could never!”, but he can at least bring himself to mumble an apology. This seems to please Renjun, his shoulders relaxing as he kicks off his sneakers.
Just as Renjun reaches to grab a pair of the guest slippers, Chenle leans across him to open the shoe cupboard. Fingers softly grazing Renjun’s cheek on the way. The heavy scent of black cherry burns his nostrils as he pulls back to place a pair of well-loved Moomin slippers into Renjun’s hands.
“You still have these?” he asks in soft surprise.
“Well, yeah, they’re yours. I’d never throw them away.”
Memories rise of Renjun buying the most ridiculous slippers he could find in Daiso as they shopped for Chenle’s first apartment post-graduation. Cooking in the kitchen and crying out in anguish when he drops a piece of kimchi on the white plush, resulting in Chenle spending an entire night painstakingly removing the stain. Renjun wearing them asleep with a Disney movie playing in the background as Chenle returned home from another failed date. He wanted to nag him for putting those god-awful slippers on his new couch. But his one-track mind drew a blank as soon as clocked the full pink of Renjun’s lips mumbling Chenle’s name in his sleep.
Renjun helps to break Chenle’s spiraling by making his way into the living room. A soft “oh” eventually pulls Chenle along with him.
He finds his friend standing silently looking at the coffee table, piled high with popcorn, candy, chips, and every single one of them being Renjun’s favorite. It’s only then that Chenle also notices the two full plastic carrier bags clutched in Renjun’s fist.
“You okay?” he asks and Renjun looks back at him with a wistful smile.
“Yeah,” he breathes out softly as breaks their stare to move to the open-plan kitchen and place his own bags onto the counter. “I just didn’t expect you to get snacks, that’s all.”
It stings a little. The knowledge that Renjun assumes Chenle wouldn’t put in the effort for him. Of course, he’s spent years trying to put some distance between them, but Chenle still loves his friend as he deserves. Platonically and without Chenle’s stupid feelings trying to complicate things.
“So, what are we gonna watch?” Chenle tries to steer the conversation back on track as he takes a seat on the couch. Body pressed tight against the armrest, praying that Renjun takes the hint to sit as far away as possible on the opposite end.
However, the planets never align in his favor, and Renjun plants himself right in the middle. A jean-clad thigh rubbing against Chenle’s own, and bare arms brushing the smooth material of the younger’s shirt as Renjun reaches across him to grab the remote control.
Chenle’s throat feels painfully dry, and he grabs for the glass of water he had placed down next to him before Renjun’s arrival. Taking large gulps of the liquid, and still not brave enough to look over at the man sitting next to him, Chenle instead watches Renjun scroll through Netflix until he hits gold.
He recognizes the title. It has been mentioned once or twice in the staff room (and definitely by some of his students as well - but he chooses to ignore this in favor of being the cool teacher). Yet the choice of film doesn’t mean shit when the only thing he can concentrate fully on is the feeling of Renjun’s shoulders against his as he shuffles around, making himself comfy.
A beat of silence settles between them until Renjun looks up at Chenle and asks, “Shall I hit play?”.
Head entranced by his words like a siren calling him to the rocks, for the first time in the night, Chenle takes a good look at Renjun. It’s only then he realizes how small Renjun appears nestled next to him. His head reaching Chenle’s ears, even with how he’s currently slumped back in fear. A lone hand rests on the knee next to his and Chenle yearns to engulf it in his own, hiding it away in his fist like a treasure.
Renjun is forcing eye contact with him, his lips slightly parting to allow the peek of a tongue to quickly wet them. It’s torture of the most wonderful kind.
Thankfully, a tiny bark stops Chenle from making both the best and worst mistake of his life. Renjun quickly hoists Daegal into their laps as she yaps in excitement at the appearance of a new friend.
It’s the most endearing sight - even for Chenle’s cold, stunted heart - Renjun giggling as he bends down to Daegal’s level to caress her cotton fluff ears. Lapping up the pets, Daegal nuzzles back at the tip of Renjun’s nose with gentle licks.
Chenle scoffs. What an attention whore.
“Are we going to watch this film, or are you two just going to make out all night?” he sputters out, arms crossed and trying his best to not sound bitterly jealous of his own dog.
“Look, Daegal-ah,” Renjun coos into Daegal’s fur, sweetly kissing her head as he lifts Daegal up into Chenle’s face. “Your Daddy is jealous.”
And as the last bits of his sanity slip, Daegal has the audacity to appear smug - a smirk appearing on her soft puppy lips. God, he needs actual medical help.
On a good day, he would make a snide comment in retaliation. Or even better, perform a Chenle specialty - sulking until he gets his own way. But instead, he only grumbles and swipes at the remote to get the night over and done with a bit quicker.
The opening credits begin, and Renjun leaps up with Daegal still in his arms to turn off the lights and grab a blanket. Expecting Renjun to settle a little further away this time, Chenle relaxes his body into a more comfortable position. But Renjun clearly has other plans.
Placing Daegal down on the armchair in the corner, Renjun returns to the couch and snuggles further into Chenle’s side before throwing the blanket over the top of them both. The tickle of his hair pricks at the skin of Chenle’s neck as Renjun tucks his head against his shoulder.
Sure, they’ve cuddled in the past. Mornings spent in college, hungover and suffering a lifetime’s worth of drunk regret, laid out on the floor with his best friends. Legs and fingers laced together like vines; rooting themselves to a carpet still sticky from the night before.
But now it’s painfully different. Chenle has never had Renjun alone to himself like this. Within his own four walls, molding to his own body like burning liquid gold.
The film is well into its first act before Chenle can pull himself together enough to pay attention to the narrative. And not instead to the warm trace of Renjun’s fingertips against his forearm as he strokes at Chenle’s skin absentmindedly.
It’s a slasher film based on real-life events…or maybe another cliche supernatural killer sent from the grave in an act of revenge…honestly, Chenle doesn’t give a shit. Not when Renjun has his hackles up even before the horror begins. Jumping further and further into Chenle’s lap at every little jump scare booming from the surround sound.
Little yelps of fear drift out from under the blanket; Renjun pulling it up to cover the lower part of his face. For the antagonist, the chase is now on, and every time they take aim at their victim Renjun yanks the blanket further up over his eyes. Chenle simply melts watching him. Torn between wanting to poke fun at how cute the scaredy-cat in his arms looks and protecting him from the 2D villain currently slashing away on screen.
Any semblance of the plot is soon abandoned for blood, guts, and oversaturated gore. Renjun is now full-on screaming whilst the storyline is completely lost on Chenle in favor of laughing at his friend. The blanket is also abandoned in their laps as Renjun tries to fit his whole body behind Chenle’s trying to escape his own poor choice in films.
“It’s not funny, you bastard,” Renjun screeches, slapping his hand pathetically against Chenle’s back. His forehead weighs heavy against Chenle’s shoulder-blade as his words vibrate through the bones of the younger’s chest.
“I can’t help it,” continuing to chuckle, Chenle turns to take the sight of Renjun in. Eyes wet with tears of fear, and mouth wobbling. The tendons in his neck stand out against the ashen sheen of his skin as a lone bead of sweat slips off the line of his jaw. It might be sick, but Chenle enjoys how pretty Renjun looks even when terrified. “Do you know how adorable you are when you get all worked up like this?”
Before Renjun can snap back at him, the music suddenly stops and silence falls upon the room like an invisible shadow. His body now full-on shaking; Renjun appears absolutely petrified as he pokes his head out from his hiding spot.
Lying innocently on Chenle’s knee, and still nestled under the safety of the blanket, Renjun’s hand tenses up. The sharp cut of his friend’s nails breaks through the material of his pants, and Chenle tries to shake him off. But like a viper’s bite, Renjun only digs in harder.
The final girl is just as tense. Ducking under a kitchen counter, her rapid breathing helps to drown out the drum of Chenle’s heart beating up into his throat. Renjun’s chin is fully perched on his shoulder and hot exhales of breath fan against Chenle’s neck in shaky waves. The sweet smell of buttered popcorn sugaring-off his senses.
And right when Chenle's stomach takes a ten-foot drop into the unknown as Renjun misplaces a kiss against his adam’s apple, the murderer tears up through the floorboards to drag his victim back down with him.
If Chenle’s neighbors haven't already called the cops, the blood-curdling scream Renjun lets out is sure to do the trick. Sensing imminent danger for his body hair, Chenle tries to move his arm in time before Renjun can rip it to shreds again. Instead, he’s halted by the slide of a clammy palm against his as Renjun laces their fingers tight together.
The room spins on its axis, and Chenle clutches the armrest with his free hand to stop his body from being ripped from its seat. Fictional horror is still playing out in front of him on the TV, but Chenle is ready to flee just from the touch of Renjun’s hand alone.
Fighting to the death, the two characters charge at each other; Chenle, in parallel, is paralyzed by the creep of Renjun’s thumb along his knuckles. His heart thrashes like a caged animal against his chest, roaring for its sweet release.
It’s ironic, really. Finding joy in Renjun almost pissing himself over a B-Movie horror plot when Chenle gets struck completely stupid by just his crush holding his hand. It’s the kind of shit his students would bully each other for. But here he is, a grown adult, about to blubber as his best friend rubs his cheek against his chest.
As the credits roll, Renjun is unnaturally quiet. By now he’d be up furiously rubbing his eyes and giving protest that, of course, he, Huang Renjun, doesn’t get scared. Chest puffed like a baby bird, glaring daggers at his friends as if he wasn’t the cutest thing in the world.
Minutes trickle by into the night; the Netflix home screen back, trying to suck them into their next poor offering. Renjun stays curled up against Chenle, legs tucked under the blanket, and hand still firmly locked with his. Shifting slightly, afraid he might shatter the illusion by any sudden movement, Chenle cranes his head slowly to see if Renjun is awake.
From the weird angle, he can only see a scruff of bleached blonde tickling up into his nose and the small body woven with his own. A chest rises and falls in a pattern that dooms Chenle to no escape.
“Renjun?”
The man in question looks up to meet his eyes in answer. Pupils trembling with the same fear of the conversation to come that Chenle can feel also clawing at his muscles.
Worried he is squeezing on Renjun’s hand too hard, Chenle flexes his fingers to slip from his friend’s grip, but Renjun chases them and takes the hold back. Looking down at their entwined hands, Renjun purses his lips in thought. As if witnessing the movement of a stranger and not his own wild impulse.
“Renjun… what’s happening right now?” Chenle slumps into the cushions in anticipation of an answer he’s been dreading their whole friendship, allowing Renjun’s head to sink back with him.
“What do you mean?” Avoidance rings out as Renjun turns his head away from the scene of the crime. “We’re just hanging out.”
Chenle lifts their hooked limbs directly into Renjun’s line of vision again.
“I mean this. Holding hands,” he gravely puts out into the open. “This is something Jeno and Jaemin do. Not us.”
“Why not?”
A heavy sigh deflates from Chenle, years of frustration running free with it.
“You know why. Renjun, you have to be pretty fucking dense to not have noticed how I feel. About situations like this,” he jerks a fist wildly between them. “How I feel about you.”
“Why don’t you try actually telling me?”
“Jesus Christ, Renjun,” Finally breaking free from the physical hold the other man has on him, Chenle leaps up from the couch. He grabs at the roots of his hair in a tense pull and glares at Renjun, who is still sitting and gazing down at his now empty hands. “Do we have to do this right now?”
“What, so you can run for the hills like you always do? We’ve been dancing around each other for too long and I am terrified we’re going to spin out of control and away from each other.” And, for real this time, Renjun is furious. Looking up at Chenle with tear-filled eyes as he spits the words out through his teeth with forced restraint.
“Please don’t make me do this,” he pleads, stumbling back until his heels hit the coffee table.
Renjun stands and follows him in his path, fingers reaching out to caress under Chenle’s chin. Inhaling him back towards Renjun like smoke.
“Just try,” he whispers softly, face blank. Chenle hitches a breath.
“I love y-”
And suddenly Renjun is kissing him. Bruising fire burning Chenle’s lips as he cradles the younger’s face between his two hands. He pushes further and deeper, on his highest tiptoes to match Chenle’s height. Chenle stiffens from the shock, brain still back at the taxi rank, watching Renjun drive out of view into a cold winter’s night. But soon, his eyes slip shut as he flattens a palm against Renjun’s waist to kiss back with equal pressure. Renjun’s lips taste like dark chocolate Hersheys, mango lip balm, and home.
Eventually, they have to break for air, although Chenle wouldn’t mind drowning on Renjun’s tongue. What a way to go indeed.
Holding each other close - Renjun with his fingers laced behind Chenle’s neck and Chenle with his arms wrapped around the other’s waist - Chenle gives the older man a smug smirk.
“Well, that was outstanding.”
“Don’t get cocky,” Renjun scoffs, a blush tinting his nose the most delectable pink. “It was okay, I guess.”
“You like me,” and his own words form a sweet-sounding symphony around them. Warmth engulfs the fear from only moments before, and Chenle can already feel the grin on his face cut into his cheeks.
“Don’t be annoying,” the smaller spits out, but his next words betray him. “I don’t like you. I love you, you bloody moron.”
Chenle dives back in for another kiss, smiling into Renjun’s lips as he feels the curl of the other’s fingers around his bicep. He gives a little flex of his muscle, hoping it has the combined effect of both turning Renjun on and infuriating him a little more.
It works fantastically, if the whispered, “I hate you so fucking much”, as Renjun deepens their kiss, is anything to go by. Chenle can only indulge him as he presses back harder, lips parting to run his tongue along Renjun’s in a slow tease that almost brings them both to their knees.
***
“So, was the horror film just an excuse to get in my pants?”
Not for the first time that morning, Renjun tries to kick Chenle out of the bed. Daegal whines in protest at the sudden movement, snuggled between them with only her head poked out over the top of the duvet. Renjun reaches down to stroke at her ears and Chenle takes this lapse of judgment to scoop him up in his arms.
“Ouch, get off me!”
Renjun’s protests soon hitch in his throat as Chenle begins to trail soft kisses along the long line of his neck.
“Don’t avoid the question,” Chenle mumbles onto the other’s skin. “Were you playing scared so I would find you cute?”
Renjun slaps him hard in the chest and even Chenle thinks he might have deserved that one a little.
“No, I was actually terrified, you asshole!”
“Okay,” he drawls out, the sleepy gravel still gritting his voice. “I believe you.”
Leaning back, Renjun looks up at him in thought before speaking.
“I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t hoping something would happen. But honestly, I’ve been wanting to tell you for a while.”
It’s rare for Chenle to be shocked into silence. But even after spending the entire night exploring every inch of Renjun and baring his own soul and body in return, he still can’t believe the gorgeous man in his arms is for real.
“I was planning on telling you during Mark’s birthday drinks,” the night Chenle got smashed and cried on an equally wasted Mark’s shoulder. Doomed to then have Mark breathing down his neck every second about confessing his own feelings. “But you disappeared with him before the dutch courage set it.”
Chenle wishes he could go back in time and smash their skulls together so they could have reached this conclusion sooner. But the past is the past, and Chenle has the freedom now to pull Renjun into another kiss that he prays may never stop stealing his breath away.
***
“You know we’re going to have to tell the others soon, right?”
“I would rather die than have Donghyuck know that we’ve seen each other naked.”
This time, Renjun successfully kicks Chenle out of the bed.