Work Text:
It was well past six when the last of the staff had trickled out of the building, leaving the headquarters in a hush that only fluorescent lights and distant traffic could fill. Caleb Seo sat alone in his office, his brow furrowed as he scanned through reports, his tie loosened and sleeves rolled up.
The door creaked open softly. “Still here, leader?”
Caleb didn’t look up immediately, but his lips curved faintly. He knew that voice. “I thought you had your meeting today,” he murmured, pen scratching across paper.
Eli Han stepped inside with the grace of a cat, his slim frame wrapped in a cardigan over his button-down, hair slightly tousled from the wind. He closed the door behind him, setting down a small thermos on the desk. “It ended early. I came straight here,” he said, sliding into the chair across from Caleb, propping his chin on his palm.
“You’ve been working since sunrise, haven’t you?” Eli’s gaze softened, watching the dark circles beneath Caleb’s eyes. “You’re going to burn yourself out, love.”
“I’ll be fine.” Caleb waved a hand dismissively, though his hand trembled faintly from fatigue. “It’s nothing I can’t handle.”
Eli tsked, standing up and walking around the desk until he was behind Caleb’s chair. He leaned down, wrapping his arms around Caleb’s shoulders, his cheek resting against Caleb’s temple. “You’re stubborn,” he whispered, lips brushing Caleb’s ear. “But I’m more stubborn than you.”
Caleb let out a low chuckle, finally setting the pen down and resting his large hand over Eli’s. “You win, then.”
“Always,” Eli teased, planting a small kiss on Caleb’s cheek. “Come on, you need a break. I made you something.”
“You didn’t have to—”
“I wanted to.” Eli walked back to the desk, uncapping the thermos and pouring warm soup into a small container he’d brought. “It’s your favorite. Seaweed soup. Just like mom’s.”
Caleb’s gaze softened, the tired lines of his face easing as the comforting smell filled the room. “You spoil me.”
“Someone has to,” Eli smiled, setting the container down and pulling up a chair beside him. He watched as Caleb took the spoon and tasted the soup, his tense shoulders slowly relaxing.
For a while, they sat in silence—comfortable, unhurried, the world outside fading away.
“You’re not just my boyfriend, Eli,” Caleb said quietly, his voice barely above a murmur. “You’re my sanctuary.”
Eli blinked, warmth flooding his chest. He leaned his head against Caleb’s shoulder, his smile tender. “And you’re mine.”
They stayed like that until the sun disappeared entirely, the room bathed in the soft glow of the desk lamp. When Caleb finished eating, Eli reached out, threading their fingers together.
“Let’s go home,” Eli whispered. “I miss you.”
“I’m right here,” Caleb replied.
“I know,” Eli chuckled, standing up and tugging him toward the door. “But I miss the you who doesn’t have to be strong for everyone. The you who lets me take care of him.”
Caleb paused at that, his expression unreadable for a moment—until he pulled Eli into his arms, burying his face in the crook of Eli’s neck. “Then take me home, Eli.”
Eli’s arms wrapped around him immediately, holding him close. “Always.”
And as they stepped into the night together, hands clasped tightly, Caleb felt something he rarely allowed himself to feel in his busy world: peace.
With Eli by his side, he wasn’t just leading—he was living.
And that was more than enough.