Chapter Text
Promotions were hectic, and Nicholas was desperate for some kind of relaxation.
The stars barely shone around the glow of the moon and the bright lights from the city below. Hand in hand, Euijoo and Nicholas sat next to each other at the back of the van as lights flashed by in a blur. Nicholas always found it nice to be held, something about the dopamine probably.
It wasn’t too long ago that they started this, whatever this was. Just two touch-starved, stressed idiots talking late at night while Kei was already out in the bed next to them. They talked about the stressful schedule, which is in and of itself pretty uncommon for them.
Before he could stop it, Nicholas proposed the idea. The idea that they could cuddle and hold hands and maybe even kiss if they were feeling up for it. The silence that followed was nothing short of anxiety inducing. Nicholas’s face burned and tears pricked at his eyes in embarrassment.
To make things worse, Euijoo fully agreed to it, a bit hesitant at first, but an agreement nonetheless. So Nicholas tucked Euijoo below his chin, so comfortable he practically purred. They fell asleep like that, Euijoo’s arm thrown around the other, holding him close.
If Kei saw them cuddling the next morning then he didn’t say anything about it.
These roles were easy to fall into surprisingly, and something about that doesn’t really sit right with Nicholas.
He’s okay, just figuring stuff out.
Right now, Euijoo, who is usually in bed right now, was on the verge of sleep, head dangling in between his shoulders with the movements of the vehicle.
Nicholas had been fighting with himself about whether or not he should have Euijoo lay his head on his shoulder. Eventually, he remembered the touchy nature of the others and softly placed his hand on Euijoo’s head, tucking him into the crevice of his neck.
Euijoo let out a small sigh, like he could finally relax, and surely enough he sunk into the space Nicholas invited him in. Something about it made Nicholas’s pulse quicken, but he ignored it, placing an arm over his shoulder, content with letting the group’s leader rest while he could.
In the seat in front of them, Fuma turns around to check on the two. When he makes eye contact with Nicholas he smiles and turns back around, finding the view cute. Nicholas smiles back politely, surely looking more like a squishy cat to the older.
When a few days passed, they found themselves in the practice room. Sweat coated every inch of skin, and clothes stuck. It sure did smell like nine sweaty men, and at first it was a little nauseating, but deep in the headspace Nicholas doesn’t really think about it anymore.
He sat with his back against the mirror, the fog from the heat surrounded his frame on the glass as he took deep breaths. He was in the middle of taking a sip of water when he looked to his left, feeling the presence of someone’s view.
His eyes met with Euijoo’s, who was hunched over, and for a second he forgot where he was and what he was doing, brain blanking at the attention. Heart pounding even harder than before.
Nicholas forced himself to look away when Taki stood up straight again.
“I’m ready when you all are,” he announced.
“I’m about done,” Harua huffed out, half a laugh.
Jo walked to the middle of the room, Maki followed.
Nicholas was really trying not to pay any mind to the gaze stuck on him, feeling a bit like the heavy clothes he definitely should’ve changed out of before practice.
Autopilot pushed him to stand, and he too got back in position for the choreo.
Finally, practice was over, and they were already back in the dorms. Half the group was showered, going in age order. Euijoo had just gotten out of the shower when he joined Kei and Nicholas in their shared room.
A towel was thrown over his head and his face practically glowed from the steam from the bathroom.
In other words, Nicholas was in awe.
Yet, he welcomed Euijoo in his bed like a friend, even if they’ve acted like more lately.
Kei blew out his candle and headed to bed soon after they all chatted and finally settled down. It didn’t take long for soft snores to be heard on the other side of the room. Nicholas wishes he could fall asleep that easy, still restless somehow even after the long, draining practice.
But this was what Euijoo was here for wasn’t it?
Like he knew, Nicholas heard Euijoo shift loudly beside him, and nearly jumped when he felt an arm curl around his waist, hugging him from behind. It took five long seconds before Nicholas turned around to face the man, and the view was nothing short of striking.
Now I know what you must be thinking. But Nicholas! Euijoo’s facial features are soft, round! Nothing about Euijoo is sharp! Nicholas knows, he does.
But it wasn’t his features that struck him, not this time, not like normal. It was that gaze again. The way Euijoo looked at him, like he was the most important person in the room, like everything he does is for him, like he’d write a song about him, a book.
He doesn’t really know what he’s doing or who possessed him when he found himself leaning in halfway. He’s damn sure he doesn’t know what Euijoo’s doing either, because he too leans in, and suddenly they’re kissing.
It was soft, just a peck, but it had Nicholas’s mind reeling. When they parted he felt his own breath shake, and Euijoo welcomed a bit of space between them, resting his head on Nicholas’s shoulder.
It didn’t help Nicholas sleep, but it definitely helped him realize.
How he feels for Euijoo is definitely not platonic, and he has to be careful.