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“Do you want to order food?” Beomgyu asked as soon as he walked into the small living room of the apartment he shared with his boyfriend, Taehyun. The aforementioned boyfriend looked up from where he sat on the couch, engrossed in whatever was on his laptop. He made a face as though he were thinking for a moment, then shrugged.
“Do we not have enough to just make something here?” He countered, and Beomgyu rolled his eyes good-naturedly. That response was just so Taehyun –opting to try and cook something instead of giving into Beomgyu’s laziness (and inability to cook–but he won’t get into that). Instead of whining, the older boy decided to humor Taehyun and shuffled into the kitchen, promptly opening their fridge, scanning the shelves and drawers, then announcing that no, they didn’t have enough to make lunch themselves, unless Taehyun wanted leftover kimchi jjigae from a week ago. At this, Taehyun pulled a face to himself, then sighed.
“Okay, let’s just get delivery then.” He conceded, and Beomgyu skipped over to the couch, falling next to his boyfriend as he pulled up the delivery app (which, unfortunately, he’d been utilizing way too often lately). Taehyun shut his laptop and placed it on the other side of him.
Normally, Taehyun would’ve tried to convince the other boy this was the perfect opportunity for them to go out and find a new restaurant to try and make it a date. Unfortunately, though, the two were stuck in their apartment for the next two weeks. Beomgyu’s coworker had tested positive for COVID-19 shortly after a shift with him and had exposed Beomgyu and, therefore, Taehyun. The two had already taken tests and came out negative, but they decided to quarantine anyway just to be safe. Besides–Beomgyu was receiving paid leave and Taehyun’s classes were already virtual, so they were looking at it as a much-needed vacation.
“What do you want?” Beomgyu asked, scrolling through the delivery app and settling his head on Taehyun’s lap like it was his second home. Taehyun’s hand found its way to Beomgyu’s hair absentmindedly. “That Chinese place down the street has a zero dollar delivery fee.” He quipped.
Taehyun made a non-committal noise in the back of his throat. “I don’t know if I want Chinese food, honestly.” He mumbled, tipping his head back and staring at the ceiling of their apartment. He felt a tap on his chest, and he looked down to see Beomgyu holding his phone out to him.
“You look, then. I’ll have whatever you choose, don’t care.” Once Taehyun took the phone, Beomgyu snuggled into his lap and closed his eyes. Taehyun let out a small laugh as he started looking through the app.
“Gyu, you always say that and then you’re super picky. I know you.” He impugned, causing Beomgyu to open his eyes and sit up to meet Taehyun’s eyes. He morphed his face into one of fake-offense, mouth hanging open overdramatically.
“Am not! I mean it this time. Whatever you want.” He settled himself back in Taehyun’s lap after the younger giggled at Beomgyu’s dramatics. “As long as it’s not seafood.”
“Of course not.” Taehyun replied without looking up from the phone in his hand. He was very aware of his boyfriend’s distaste for all things seafood–he refused to eat anything that was once in the ocean, raw or cooked. “If we got sushi though, you could get a cucumber roll or something.”
Beomgyu blinked up at his boyfriend’s chin. “What am I? Five?” He asked rhetorically.
“You sure act like it sometimes.” Taehyun countered immediately, then giggled as he tried to avoid Beomgyu’s attempts to whack him in the chest. “I’m sorry, you set yourself up for that one.” Beomgyu pouted at this, bottom lip stuck out and all, and Taehyun leaned down to press a kiss to his forehead.
“There’s a place that sells bubble tea and sandwiches not too far away. Oh, and their delivery fee is low.” Taehyun spoke after a few moments of comfortable silence. Beomgyu stopped playing with a loose string on Taehyun’s sleeve and sat up, moving next to the younger to peer over his shoulder at his phone.
“Oh, milk tea doesn’t sound too bad right now actually. What sandwiches do they have?” At this, Taehyun scrolled down to the food section. Beomgyu let out a small gasp. “Paninis, ooh. Let’s do it. I want a pesto panini.” Taehyun nodded, adding it to the order, along with the one he wanted.
Soon, they had their food and drinks ordered and they were left with the last task–waiting. Beomgyu lifted his head from where it sat on Taehyun’s shoulder after a few moments of silence between the couple. “D’ya wanna watch something while we wait?” He mumbled near Taehyun’s ear, the latter looking up from his phone to meet Beomgyu’s eyes. He didn’t answer right away, just stared at the older, causing Beomgyu to flush a bit in the cheeks. Taehyun did this all the time –took a few moments to look at the other when they were alone, like he was studying Beomgyu or something–and yet it managed to make him blush each time.
Eventually, Taehyun nodded, smiling. “Yeah. We can continue Jujutsu Kaisen, if you want.” He mumbled back, just as softly as Beomgyu did the first time. Instead of replying, however, Beomgyu just slapped his shoulder, red still evident on his cheeks.
“Can you stop doing that, like actually?” He whined, looking forward toward their TV placed at the front of the living area. He could see Taehyun’s self-righteous grin out of the corner of his eye, though.
“Not my fault you’re pretty.” Taehyun shrugged, and Beomgyu covered his face so the other wouldn’t see the blush spread to his entire face. He didn’t want to give Taehyun the satisfaction. It was funny–the couple had been together for three years at this point, and known each other for closer to six. They entered college together, graduated together, rented an apartment together, even traveled halfway across the world together—and yet Taehyun still had the ability to make Beomgyu blush like a teenager in love for the first time. And, in some ways, Beomgyu did feel like a teenager in love for the first time when he was with Taehyun. It was just the younger’s influence, and Beomgyu couldn’t get enough of it, ever.
“Where did we leave off?” Beomgyu uncovered his face and sat back against their couch again, refusing to look at his boyfriend. Taehyun just grinned again.
“Oh, food’s here.” Beomgyu spoke after getting a notification on his phone. He stood up, grabbing a mask from the front hallway just in case the delivery person was still there, and opened the door. The food was placed neatly in front of the door and it seems the delivery driver had already left. Beomgyu picked it up and shut the door with his foot.
Taehyun met him in the kitchen after pausing their show. As Beomgyu unwrapped the food and placed it on the counter, Taehyun wrapped his arms around his middle and pulled his back flush to his own chest. Beomgyu smiled, tapping Taehyun’s hand that rested on his stomach as a way of acknowledging his presence. He felt Taehyun lean his head on his shoulder.
“You’re so warm.” Taehyun mumbled a few seconds later and Beomgyu giggled, turning around so they faced each other. He took the younger’s face into his hands.
“You’re just unnaturally cold all the time.” He countered, causing Taehyun to roll his eyes and lean forward to press his lips to Beomgyu’s. Beomgyu pulled him closer after a few seconds, running his tongue over Taehyun’s lower lip in an attempt to heighten the kiss, but his plans were foiled when a familiar ball of fur started slinking his way around their legs. Taehyun pulled away first, looking down and smiling.
“Hobak-ieee…” Taehyun sang, leaning down and picking up the cat. Beomgyu blinked at their cat, obviously annoyed that their kiss had been interrupted. Taehyun moved to the other counter so the cat hair wouldn’t be near the food, and Beomgyu felt himself start to pout.
“Why does your cat always ruin our moments?” He whined dramatically, unwrapping his straw and punching it through the plastic lid of his taro milk tea. Taehyun gave him a look–one that said you’re impossible –as he motioned for Beomgyu to do the same for his drink and pass it over to him.
“ Our cat. He’s our cat, Beomgyu.” Taehyun corrected. Hobak snuggled into his arms and Beomgyu narrowed his eyes at the auburn colored feline, handing his boyfriend his drink. What a jerk. That should be me.
“He was yours first. I just agreed to allow him to stay here with us.” He shrugged, then laughed when Taehyun’s look turned from annoyed to exasperated. Taehyun scratched behind Hobak’s ears gently before setting the cat down on the floor.
“Can’t believe you’re jealous of a cat, babe.” Taehyun shook his head, opening a cabinet and grabbing a can of the cat’s food. He opened it and shook out the contents into the little bowl near the kitchen entrance. Beomgyu scoffed as he began plating their sandwiches and placed them on the table.
“I am not.” He lied, sitting at the small kitchen table and watching as his boyfriend threw the empty can away and washed his hands. At his words, Taehyun shot him an unconvinced look over his shoulder.
“You are. You’re jealous of the cat. It’s okay, I get it. I’d be jealous too if a cat was more active than I was.” Taehyun shrugged, holding back a smile as he sat across from Beomgyu and noticing his offended stare.
“Hobak is not more active than I am! I am plenty active. You’re being mean at this point.” Beomgyu pouted (once again) and took a bite of his sandwich. Taehyun mirrored him and grinned in victory.
In the three years they had been dating, Beomgyu could count on one hand the number of really big arguments he had with the other. He didn’t see his relationship with Taehyun as one that was really argumentative, even though they did like to tease each other to no end. Their personalities meshed together well in this regard—Taehyun was a very firm, stubborn person most of the time. Beomgyu, while he could be stubborn too, liked to let things go if it didn’t matter in the long run. The few times the two of them had gotten into it verbally were limited to arguments about worrying about the other (like the time Taehyun had literally forgotten to eat and sleep during midterm season one time during their senior year of college). There had been one instance soon after they moved in together when they spent a few days mad at each other over disagreeing about the split of chores in the apartment (they both agree that was a stupid fight). Both Beomgyu and Taehyun found comfort in each other—they were each other’s best friend, confidante, and other half. It would be weird if they couldn’t go to each other for their problems because they were the problem, Beomgyu thinks.
And now, as he looks across the table at his boyfriend, he thinks how grateful he is to have him in his life. That’s cheesy as hell–he knows–but Taehyun was quite literally his living and breathing anchor holding him down from floating away. It was Taehyun who could read Beomgyu like a book the second he stepped into the room. It was Taehyun who knew there were certain parts of the year that hit Beomgyu more than others, and opted to stay with him during those times to make sure he was okay. It was Taehyun who knew him better than anyone in his life at this point; he knew how to calm him down, how to make him laugh, how to make him feel loved. Beomgyu always wondered what he could’ve done in his previous life to deserve Taehyun.
“Did you like your panini?” Taehyun’s voice broke Beomgyu out of his daydreams about–well, Taehyun–and Beomgyu glanced up at him.
“Hm?” He raised his eyebrows, then looked at his empty plate. When had he finished his sandwich? “Oh. Yes. It was good. We should order from this place again soon.”
Taehyun nodded, leaning on the table toward the older boy. “That’s what I was thinking. Good idea on my part to get it.”
“Um, excuse me. Ordering this food was a joint effort. Don’t be taking all the credit, Kang.” Beomgyu laughed, pointing a finger at the other jokingly. Taehyun slapped his hand out of the way.
“I wasn’t, Choi. I found it on the delivery app, so it was my idea.” Taehyun smiled his beautiful, all-teeth smile when Beomgyu stuck his tongue out at him in response. Beomgyu swore his heart always skipped a beat when Taehyun smiled like that. “I actually don’t know if I can take twelve more days in isolation with you.”
“Oh, please. You love me.” Beomgyu retaliated, laughing. Taehyun shook his head promptly, giggling when Beomgyu reached over to pinch his thigh, before pulling him in by the leg of the chair to kiss him senseless.
By the time the sun was setting in their small apartment, Taehyun had fallen asleep on Beomgyu’s chest. They had gotten through a fair amount of episodes, then turned off the TV and just talked for a while. Beomgyu laid with his head resting against the arm of the couch, Taehyun’s face hidden into the crook of his neck. Hobak was perched on the other end of the couch in a little ball by their feet. It was quiet and peaceful.
Taehyun stirred a bit, snuggling himself into Beomgyu’s neck more and adjusting his hand on the older’s chest. Beomgyu’s ran his fingers through Taehyun’s hair gently to soothe him back into sleep as he scrolled through Twitter on his phone.
And at this moment, Beomgyu couldn't help but feel sad. This domesticity, this time alone with his boyfriend without the worry of work or graduate degrees, all of it, was going to end in two short weeks. He felt his heart stutter a bit as Taehyun let out a small yawn, and Beomgyu smiled. He would just have to savor these two weeks while he could.