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it’s almost primal, how the first thing that registers in his mind is sore. beomgyu feels the burning tensity in his muscles and the way they ache; the way his biceps pull taut when he stretches them out and above his head. his body is rigid with the way his chest tightens and relaxes, trying to feign off sleep. it culminates in a yawn, ripping out from his chest; he pulls his hands close to his form, allows himself to shake a bit from the force.
there’s a second of stillness before beomgyu blinks the sleep from his eyes, the final remnants of his rest. the first thing he notices is the darkness, there’s a light haze in the sky - beomgyu wonders how long he slept.
it’s rare for him to have moments like these - waking up before the sun. he was able to retire to his bed early the night before, something that happens maybe once in a blue moon. their schedules have them working all day and through the night more often than not; he looks out the window and is grateful for the view.
the brunette turns just slightly to reach for his phone on the bedside table; his hands still weak post-waking, so he’s grabbing the device with caution, hoping it doesn’t slip away from him.
5:53, the device reads. he chuckles to himself and considers it a coincidence.
there’s a few notifications from the night, but beomgyu pays them no mind; they’re probably unimportant, he figures. he doesn’t really want to be on his phone anyways, at least not at this time - he spends his life on it already. also, his eyes aren’t adjusted to the brightness at the moment, and he knows he’ll get a headache if he tries to use it.
it isn’t until beomgyu sets the device back onto the table that he realizes that he’s not alone in the bed. the mattress is relatively large, so he’s not pressed on top of the other figure - but they’re close enough for beomgyu to feel their warmth, like a radiator.
he doesn’t need to look at choi yeonjun’s sleeping frame to know that he found himself in the younger’s bed sometime in the night. beomgyu can’t recall the older slipping under the covers; he assumes yeonjun must’ve come in after his schedule - once he’d already fallen into his slumber.
without shifting his torso, beomgyu peers toward his hyung’s resting form, studies his expressions. beomgyu tries to think, but the only word his mind provides him with is beauty. his heart swells at the sight.
rarely does he ever have the pleasure of viewing choi yeonjun at his most peaceful. hardly ever does he see him still. he’s always moving - dancing, singing, modeling, being a superstar. he takes in the sight and captures it in his mind, wants to save it for the future, wants to prove to himself that this happened.
beomgyu worries about him sometimes, knows how hard he dedicates himself to his craft. he’s aware the older doesn’t like to be told he overworks himself, that he tries his best to stay balanced - still, beomgyu nags. he’s positive his incessant nagging has dragged his hyung back to his bed many times in the past - he’s sure that’s what has him bundled in the younger’s duvet currently.
(it’s already 9pm, beomgyu notes, he said he’d be back by now. it’s relatively quiet in the dorm at the moment - he’s already retreated to his room. there’s not much more than the faint sound of the anime kai’s forced soobin to binge.
today was an easier day than most, they used the afternoon to wrap up filming the music video for the next title - after having worked through that night and the previous day. needless to say, beomgyu was exhausted; he was beyond grateful that management decided to keep the group’s schedule that day clear. he definitely needed it; they all needed it.
he near begged yeonjun to come back with them, could sense how badly he needed the rest.
‘beomgyu-ya,’ the sigh he lets out is one of exasperation, beomgyu can tell the older is tired of his prodding, ‘sbs needs me for reshoots, there’s no other time...’ the older isn’t looking at him, still beomgyu can’t do anything other than stare; he knows it’s yeonjun’s responsibility as mc to attend these things, no protesting will change his mind.
‘but-’ beomgyu tries to object, instead yeonjun takes his hands, cutting him off. ‘beoms, I won’t be back late,’ a beat of silence, he’s looking the younger in the eyes now, ‘i promise.’
beomgyu wants nothing more than to smooch his cheek, reassure him - tell him that it’s okay, i’ll be waiting for you. they’re in public though, so he elects to hold himself back, much to his chagrin. he thinks yeonjun can sense this, instead brings beomgyu’s hands to his lips and leaves them there a moment before pulling them away.
the younger allows himself to give a kind grin as he takes yeonjun’s hand in his and gives it a slight squeeze before watching him turn to leave.
when beomgyu goes back to his room that night, he sits and he waits for his companion to walk through the door, but he never comes. it isn’t until after he’s out cold, having fallen asleep with his chest towards the door, that the handle starts to turn.)
beomgyu wishes he could’ve been awake to watch the older enter the room last night, feel him slip under the covers. wishes he could’ve massaged the knots out of his shoulders and held him as he dozed off. it’s what he does when he sees that yeonjun is being a little too self-critical, he helps the older step away from himself for a moment.
looking at him now though, beomgyu’s just glad he’s here. glad he’s found his way back - to his bed, no less.
he turns his body all the way on its side, torso facing the other, and reaches out towards the sleeping boy. his hand rests on his jaw, thumb softly stroking his cheek. he wonders if his hands are cold, it’s slightly chilly in the room - yeonjun must’ve cracked the window before laying down, he’s always ran warm.
the body in front of him shudders slightly, and almost like out of a movie, yeonjun’s eyes flutter open. beautiful, his mind reminds him, how can he be so beautiful?
it takes a beat for the older to recognize the moment; there’s a soft smile on his lips, his eyes form crescents. beomgyu hopes the other notices the way his gaze softens when their eyes meet, hopes yeonjun realizes in this moment how deeply he cares for him, for his hyung.
‘morning, beoms’, the older croaks.
‘did you sleep well?’ beomgyu asks. he hopes yeonjun slept comfortably, hopes the ache in his bones has dissipated, even if slightly.
the response he receives is a hum, quickly cut off by a yawn - a roar that would rival the one beomgyu let out 10 minutes ago.
‘look,’ the brunette tries to keep his voice as soft as possible, ‘the sun’s about to rise’.
his eyes follow the direction of yeonjun’s gaze as it moves towards the window and then back to him.
another hum, and then silence. beomgyu thinks he can hear a bird or two from outside the window, he believes that means the sun is just over the horizon - waiting to peek out.
he’s right, and soon the purples and blues in the sky begin to fade; replaced by faint oranges and pinks. he looks back to yeonjun, who’s focus is already on him.
there’s a question on the tip of his tongue, beomgyu can sense it. the younger knows how difficult it is for yeonjun to ask for things, he’s not a mind-reader - still he tries to be.
before he feels he can truly appreciate the colors painting the morning sky, beomgyu scoots his body closer to the other; opens his arms in an unspoken invitation and waits as yeonjun makes himself comfortable against his side.
life feels so perfect like this, the sensation of his hyung’s hair tickling the side of his neck feels like home.
yeonjun struggles to keep his eyes open, determined to watch the sunrise while he’s given the chance. beomgyu reaches up to rub circles into the elder’s scalp with his fingers, mentally cursing the styling team for bleaching his hair again.
he lets the thought pass quicker than it came, more interested in the boy curled against him. beomgyu can tell that it’s getting increasingly more difficult for the other to stay awake.
feeling overwhelmed with warmth, he leans down slightly and places a kiss to the crown of yeonjun’s head. it takes him just slightly off guard when he feels the older lean into the touch, nuzzling his face deeper into beomgyu’s neck.
he places a single kiss there, in the junction between his neck and collarbone. the younger can feel the way yeonjun’s lips pull into a smile against his skin and allows the feeling to consume him.
it’s not much longer until beomgyu feels his breathing even out, lulled back into sleep. it’s barely 6am, and they don’t have any schedules for a few more hours, so he lets the man sleep - fingers still tangled in his hair.