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Beomgyu knows this is a bad idea, and that he definitely should not be staring at Kai for ninety percent of every single day. It’s not exactly like he can help it, or that he really even wants to actually. It’s only slightly inconvenient. In terms of the others poking fun at him, Soobin especially. But as long as Kai doesn’t figure it out, which he won’t, it’s fine.
Soobin is laughing at him, because for probably the third time today Beomgyu was too busy staring at Kai to hear what Yeonjun was saying to him, earning him a smack. Beomgyu scowls and rubs at his shoulder, Soobin shoves his opposite side and Kai looks up from his phone. His eyebrows furrow and Soobin laughs, waving his hand like ah, don’t worry about it.
It only gets worse for him as time goes on, every single day he seems to stare more and more. And asks Kai to play a game with him, or watch a movie with him, over any of his other members. To the point where he feels guilty and has to apologize to Soobin over cancelling plans again because Kai asked if he wanted to go get dinner with him.
At the company they’re regularly arm in arm, Kai likes clinging and Beomgyu tolerates it the most, thats the only reason Beomgyu can assume he’s acting the same way back to him. It doesn’t make much sense otherwise. It’s not like Kai has ever indicated to him that he has feelings. And if any of the other members knew, Beomgyu hopes they would have told him by now. If he finds out they didn’t he’s going to kill them.
This week though, it seems like it’s been dialed up to a thousand. The other members seem to go out more often, leaving just him and Kai in the dorms together, forcing them to order takeout or go eat somewhere, together, always. Soobin and Yeonjun even start staying late at the company to work on music, Beomgyu swears he’s going to lose his mind.
It’s Thursday, the fourth time this week they’ve had dinner together and watched a movie. The last three nights, Kai has taken himself to bed mid-movie. He drags his blanket from the couch to his room and Beomgyu just stares and smiles when he says goodnight, shutting the door. Once he hears the door latch he lets out a huge breath and tilts his head up to the ceiling. He feels exhausted as if he had been using every ounce of his energy to hold himself back from pouncing and cuddling Kai as if he let go he would fall down right to hell.
Tonight the second movie they watch ends, and Beomgyu looks over to see Kai already asleep, wrapped up in his blanket, holding 3 plushies within his cocoon. Beomgyu grins and turns off the movie. He stands and cleans up their food mess, as quiet as he can so he doesn’t wake him. He decides he’d rather get scolded for not washing dishes than wake him up harshly. He knows he has to wake him up and make sure he sleeps in his bed, otherwise he’ll complain for the next three days about his neck and back hurting.
He grabs his phone and shoves it in his pocket, walking slow and stepping soft. He sits down right against him and just takes his chance to look up close. After what probably lasts two minutes he shakes his head and sighs, internally feeling weird and guilty. He won’t let himself dwell on it too much, otherwise he will cry for days about being a horrible friend, a creep, and borderline stalker.
He brings it up once in passing to Yeonjun who tells him he’s stupid for feeling like that and as long as he isn’t taking advantage of him or trying to sabotage him out of jealousy then there’s nothing to worry about, and to stop thinking so hard about before it consumes him. He guesses Yeonjun has a point, and listens, for once.
He figures he’s looked for long enough. After naming everything he likes about Kai’s face, and why he likes it, through a low whisper. Of course he does this only after making sure Kai can’t hear him. It feels a bit cathartic and he has to wake Kai up now, which will make him feel pity. Because he just looks fucking cute while shuffling away to bed, dropping a plushie here and there, whining. Beomgyu takes pleasure in the tiny happiness that is picking them up and following behind him, smiling and telling him it’s okay.
He holds a hand out and places it on top of Kai’s head, brushing his hair out of his face. Kai makes a noise and sniffles. He thinks it’s going to take a little more now. “Kai, you need to go sleep in your bed.” Kai whines again and brings a hand up to wipe at his face. “Mm, why?” Beomgyu snickers and keeps brushing his hair back over and over, knowing he likes it from the hundred billion times he’s asked the members to pet him, or brush his hair.
“Because, you’ll be sore in the morning if you don’t. You’re too tall for the couch, Hyuka.” He makes another noise and sits up. Beomgyu lets his hand fall to his side and backs up a little from Kai’s face before he can open his eyes and see how close he has been. Kai groans and flops down into Beomgyu’s lap. He chuckles again and puts his hand back into his hair.
Kai mumbles something into Beomgyu’s thigh and Beomgyu hums, “I can’t hear you dummy.” Kai turns his head to look up and Beomgyu and repeats himself, “Is anyone else home?” Beomgyu shakes his head, “It’s only nine, nobody’s home yet.” Kai hums back at him and looks at the wall for a second before speaking again.
“Can I sleep in your bed?” Beomgyu’s hand stalls in his hair and he blinks at him. This is the one thing he hadn’t got to indulge in lately, if he want’s to cuddle, it’s usually with Soobin. Which he isn’t jealous of, he knows they’re different than he and Kai are. And he knows Soobin doesn’t feel that way about him, so it’s not a big deal. But still, it hasn’t happened in a while.
“Yes, yeah, of course.” Kai gives one last cat stretch before dragging himself off of Beomgyu and picking up his plushies, opening Beomgyu’s door and flopping down. If Beomgyu were a little more crazy he’d be sad that Kai layed down without him, but he’s not, so he doesn’t. He follows behind him after shutting off the living room light and turning on the kitchen one, seeing as their entry light is burnt out and none of them have taken the initiative to replace it.
He shuts the door behind him and pulls off his hoodie, knowing he’ll get sweaty with Kai’s added body heat. He tosses it down and sits on the edge of the bed. “The projector.” He hears muffled from his sheets. He hums like a question and Kai turns over towards him, looking him in the eye again. Beomgyu could pass out.
“Turn the projector on, please.” He says it so softly that it takes Beomgyu a second to tear his gaze away before he can turn on the projector. Kai hums happily once he sees the stars turning on the ceiling. Beomgyu doesn’t use it much because the sound of the motor itches at his brain, but he definitely can withstand it if it means Kai will stay.
He lays down, facing Kai, because he can’t be bothered to look away. Kai falls asleep quickly, his breath evens out and his face relaxes. Eventually Beomgyu does turn away, setting his alarm and playing around on weverse for a few minutes. He finds a post about Kai, i’d show him this, but he’s sleeping right now . He snaps a pic and posts it as a story with the caption
(。-ω-)zzz
He sets his phone down after a minute, looking over at Kai and deciding he should sleep as well. He gets sleepy just looking at him. After a few minutes he hears the door open and the others talking loudly for a moment before hearing a hush and then silence, his eyes snap open and he cringes, hoping he won’t wake up from the noise.
Beomgyu just stares at him, trying to steady his breath and not add to the noise. but then Kai is moving. One of the three plushies he had brought into Beomgyu’s bed gets stuck under his side and he scrunches his nose and eyebrows as he tries to get it out from under him. Beomgyu feels his own cheeks flare up and his mouth instinctively moves into a smile. he reaches across the blanket and tugs on the stuffed rabbits arm, pulling it out from under Kai’s side. Kai’s face relaxes and he pulls the bunny into his arms, pulling Beomgyu’s arm with it.
His breath all runs out immediately, and he tries not to move or make any noise, a tiny wincing noise comes out as Kai squeezes him. Kai sniffles and snuggles into his arm, making his own noise of content. It take Beomgyu a second to adjust and calm down, relaxing into his touch. He reaches behind him with his free arm and pulls the blanket down so it’s still covering him. A plushie falls from behind him and he huffs.
He assumes Kai has fallen back asleep after a few minutes, he hears the shower running and steps coming up to the door. Taehyun grins when he sees Beomgyu wrapped in Kai’s arms. He winks at him and shuts the door. Beomgyu snaps back to staring at Kai, making sure he’s still asleep. When it seems like he is, he whispers to himself. “Can they not be quieter?”
“No, never.” Beomgyu huffs out a laugh, “You’re supposed to be asleep.” Kai nods slowly.
“I should apologize.” Beomgyu makes a face, even though Kai can’t see it. “To who?” He figures it’s Kai’s sleepy-daze making him talk nonsense.
“To you.” Beomgyu’s face scrunches up even more. “Why? You didn’t do anything.”
“I wasn’t asleep.” Beomgyu scoffs and twists his hand around to hold Kai’s wrist. “That’s fine Kai-yah. You cuddle with me when I’m awake anyway.”
Kai is silent for a moment, and Beomgyu thinks he may be falling back asleep again until he speaks up again, this time an even quieter whisper.
“I mean before. Before you woke me up to make me go to bed. I wasn’t asleep, you didn’t wake me.”
Beomgyu blinks at him and tenses up Kai feels it and opens his eyes. Bending his wrist down to brush his fingers against Beomgyu’s. He stares for a moment.
“Then I should be apologizing. Ah, shit. I’m sorry Hyuka. I didn’t mean to make you uncomfortable. And the fact that you thought to apologize to me is-- ah. I’m so sor--” Beomgyu is cut off when he feels Kai push up and press his lips to Beomgyu’s cheek. He pulls away right after and untangles his wrist from Beomgyu’s hand so he can hold it instead.
“I wasn’t uncomfortable. Thank you, hyung. I don’t think I’ve ever heard that many compliments in my life.” Beomgyu turns red and even in the low light from the projector Kai can tell he’s embarrassed. He laughs loudly and then covers it up remembering the other members are probably in bed by now.
Beomgyu frowns at him and he giggles again, pressing another kiss to Beomgyu’s other cheek, three times before pulling away. Beomgyu stutters, “So you- I- Um.”
“I like you too hyung, Soobin-hyung knows, I’m surprised he didn’t tell you.”
The stylist asks if Soobin is okay the next evening when she has to cover up a bruise on his arm. He just glares at Beomgyu. He scolds him once they get home for it, that and for kissing Kai when he thought Soobin wasn’t looking. Eventually, the projector motor starts to not bother him anymore, he gets used to it.