Work Text:
“I miss you.”
Riku has to bite down his smile. He twirls the wire between his fingers, forming a loose knot around his pinky. “We just saw each other four hours ago.”
“I know. Miss you all the same,” Daeyoung confesses softly. “I miss you when you’re around too. Miss you when we’re walking home and we’re still holding hands. Miss you when we’re eating dinner and you’re like - scraping the bottom of your bowl for the last rice grain.”
“Hey!”
“Okay, sorry,” his bright chuckle floats over the line. Riku can’t help but let his heart swell up to a size incomprehensible to even himself. “Not really romantic, huh?”
“I didn’t say I didn’t like it,” Riku bashfully admits. He props his chin on top of his folded knees, leaning on his bedroom window to feel the cool touch of glass on the side of his head. “I like it when you notice things about me.”
“I know you do. You get really shy and all happy. You do that little pout smile thing. I bet you’re doing it right now.” Riku catches his own reflection in the window and huffs. It only earns a gleeful but quiet cheer from Daeyoung. “See! I’m always looking, hyung.”
Riku shakes his head, letting out a soft breath of laughter. “Yeah, yeah.” He stops for a few seconds, letting the words roll around in his mouth experimentally. He’s never said it first - it took some time for Daeyoung to say it too. But Riku’s never taken this step before. Not with Daeyoung, not with anyone in the way that mattered to him right now. “Daeyoung-ah?”
“Hm?”
“I love you.”
It’s too silent until Riku wonders if he’s hung up the phone by accident. The beeping doesn’t come though, and after a moment or two, Riku can hear the smile growing on the other line.
“Me too. I love you,” Daeyoung manages to choke out.
Riku laughs again. A blanket of warmth curls itself around Riku’s huddled figure, making him forget about the cold winter night outside. The window pane isn’t cold where Riku rests his head. He’s back in Daeyoung’s arms, nestled perfectly under his chin. “I know you do,” Riku parrots lightheartedly.
Daeyoung’s giggles in disbelief feels like it could power Riku through whatever seasons the world decides to toss them into. Riku decides that yes, he loves this feeling. And he, very much - definitely without a single doubt in the world - loves this boy.