Work Text:
1.
Sanghyeok came home late after work, the day heavy on his shoulders. He barely managed to kick off his shoes before collapsing on the couch, curling up against the armrest with a soft sigh. His limbs relaxed, lashes fluttering closed, and within minutes he was dozing, his cheek squished against a cushion, hair slightly messy, a faint pout tugging at his lips.
Jihoon found him like that, quiet and peaceful, wrapped in the kind of vulnerability he rarely showed when awake. Jihoon's chest squeezed. He leaned against the doorway for a moment, admiring the sight… then slowly pulled out his phone.
Snap.
He moved closer. Snap.
Another angle. Snap.
A soft groan came from the couch as Sanghyeok stirred, eyes blinking open sleepily. He caught the flash of Jihoon’s phone and groaned louder this time, dragging a throw pillow to his face.
“Spare me,” he grumbled, voice thick with sleep. “I look like a corpse.”
Jihoon chuckled, already setting the latest photo as his lock screen. He sat beside him, brushing a strand of hair off Sanghyeok’s forehead.
“What? But you look like my whole world,” he whispered, smiling.
Sanghyeok peeked from beneath the pillow, blushing faintly. “You’re so cheery.” Jihoon kissed the top of his head. "Come on, let's eat dinner."
2.
It was one of those rainy nights, thunder low in the distance, the air cool and lazy. The two of them were nestled on the floor of their apartment, the coffee table cluttered with takeout containers and crumpled napkins. They sat cross-legged, facing each other in oversized hoodies and sweatpants, warm lighting casting soft shadows around them.
Sanghyeok had barely opened the box of freshly cooked, delivered boneless fried chicken when Jihoon reached over with his chopsticks, picked up a glistening, perfectly dipped piece, and held it in front of Sanghyeok’s lips.
“Say ‘ah,’” Jihoon said, grinning, chopsticks poised.
Sanghyeok blinked at him. “I can feed myself, you know.”
Jihoon just leaned in closer, tilting his head with a mock-sweet smile. “But why would I let these pretty hands of yours get greasy?”
Rolling his eyes with a reluctant smile tugging at his lips, Sanghyeok opened his mouth and let Jihoon feed him. It was embarrassingly domestic, and a little oddly intimate. Jihoon looked far too pleased with himself.
Then came bite number two.
And three. And four.
By the time Jihoon reached for another, Sanghyeok had his face buried behind one hand, laughing between bites, cheeks slightly flushed.
“Spare me, Jihoon-ah,” he whined, voice half-laugh, half-defeated. “My hands are in good condition.”
Jihoon leaned forward, resting his elbow on his knee and his chin on his palm. “Yeah, but it tastes better when I’m the one feeding you.”
Sanghyeok peeked through his fingers, trying not to grin too hard. “Stop it. You’re ridiculous.”
“And you’re adorable,” Jihoon said, holding out another bite with that same smug grin. “Now open up.”
And Sanghyeok, helpless as always when Jihoon looked at him like that, did exactly that.
3.
One afternoon, they were lounging on the bed, legs tangled and sharing the same blanket, each half-scrolling through their own phones. The sunlight was golden, quiet music playing in the background, and Sanghyeok had one cheek pressed against Jihoon’s shoulder, drowsy and relaxed.
That was when he noticed something new.
“Wait,” he murmured, shifting a little. “Your phone… is that a new case?”
Jihoon gave him a smug little hum and casually flipped it so Sanghyeok could see the back.
It took him half a second to realize what he was looking at, a printed photo, one Jihoon must’ve snuck from his gallery: the two of them curled up on the couch weeks ago,
Sanghyeok half-asleep, cheek squished against Jihoon’s chest, their hands loosely tangled. He hadn’t even realized Jihoon had snapped that selfie.
Sanghyeok’s eyes widened. His face burned hot instantly. “Spare me... that’s so embarrassing.”
Jihoon grinned, pleased with himself, brushing his thumb over the printed case like it was a precious artifact. “Embarrassing?” he echoed, then tapped right on Sanghyeok’s sleepy, squishy face. “You look cute. This is my favorite photo.”
Sanghyeok groaned, burying his face in Jihoon’s hoodie. “You’re so cheesy.”
Jihoon laughed, tucking his phone away and wrapping both arms around Sanghyeok to hold him close. “Exactly! Cheesy for you.”
And despite the embarrassment, Sanghyeok let himself smile into Jihoon’s chest, warmth blooming in his chest like it always did when Jihoon said things like that, so shameless, so corny, so... Jihoon.
4.
The door creaked open, and Jihoon’s voice rang out, “Sanghyeok hyung, I’m home!”
Sanghyeok, who had been lazily sorting through some laundry on the couch, barely looked up, responding with a distracted hum. “Mm, welcome back…”
Moments later, Jihoon appeared in the doorway, his grin wide and mischievous. In his hands were two sets of plaid pajamas—one black with small cat paw patterns and one red with the same design, which was somehow both childish and looked comfy. Sanghyeok blinked, momentarily unsure if he was seeing things correctly.
Jihoon’s grin only grew. “I bought us matching pajamas, hyung!”
Sanghyeok’s gaze darted from the sets of pajamas to Jihoon’s eager face, and he felt his cheeks heat up. “Spare me... do I really have to?”
Jihoon’s smile didn’t waver. He was already pulling his t-shirt off, revealing his body. His eyes gleamed with playful mischief. “Of course, you have to! We’ll look adorable, I swear. Just trust me on this one.”
Sanghyeok sighed dramatically but couldn’t help the small smile tugging at his lips. He glanced down at the soft fabric of the pajamas Jihoon was holding, and with a resigned groan, he stood up from the couch.
“Fine,” Sanghyeok muttered, taking the pajamas from Jihoon’s hands. As he changed, Jihoon was already on the bed, lounging comfortably with a smug expression on his face, as if he knew exactly how this was going to turn out.
When Sanghyeok finally emerged from the bathroom, wearing the matching red plaid pajama pants and shirt, he caught Jihoon’s eyes on him immediately. Jihoon’s gaze was soft, almost too intense as he took in the sight of Sanghyeok. Sanghyeok tugged self-consciously at the hem of the shirt and gave him a small, unsure smile. “Tsk. How do I look?”
Jihoon didn’t answer right away, his eyes scanning Sanghyeok from head to toe as if trying to memorize every detail. Finally, his lips curled into a soft, approving smile. “You look…” He paused for a moment, searching for the right words, before grinning widely, “...so cute, hyung. Like, ridiculously cute.”
Sanghyeok rolled his eyes, though he couldn’t hide the pleased warmth spreading through him. “I look ridiculous, Jihoon. This is... this is too much.”
“Ridiculously cute,” Jihoon corrected him with a wink. He reached out and pulled Sanghyeok down next to him on the bed, his arms wrapping around him in a comfortable embrace. “I love it. You look so soft and cuddly. Perfect for a night in with me.”
Sanghyeok snorted, though his face was still flushed with embarrassment. “I guess it’s not that bad…” he murmured, sinking into Jihoon’s arms. He could feel the way Jihoon’s embrace was filled with affection, despite his initial resistance, he found himself feeling grateful for Jihoon’s thoughtful gesture.
Jihoon pressed a kiss to Sanghyeok’s cheek. “See? I told you it would be cute.”
As they lay together, wrapped up in their matching pajamas.
5.
It started with something dumb, Jihoon couldn’t even remember what the joke was. Probably one of those terrible puns he learned from Sanghyeok himself, the kind Sanghyeok always pretended to hate but secretly found hilarious.
They were sitting on the floor in their living room, snacks scattered between them, legs lazily tangled as a random reality show played softly in the background. The room was warm with the soft glow of evening light, and the air was filled with that easy comfort that only came from being around someone who knew you inside out.
Sanghyeok had just taken a sip of soda when Jihoon delivered the punchline, smirking at his own ridiculousness.
“Jihoon-ah, that was so bad,” Sanghyeok groaned, already breaking into laughter, trying not to choke. But he failed spectacularly, doubling over, shoulders shaking as he laughed harder than he should have.
Jihoon didn’t laugh with him. He just watched—watched the way Sanghyeok’s face lit up when he laughed, how his eyes crinkled, how his whole body tilted forward as if joy overtook every part of him.
And in that moment, something inside Jihoon squeezed, warm and urgent and full. His heart raced, and before he could think better of it. before even Sanghyeok had stopped laughing, Jihoon leaned forward and kissed him.
It was impulsive and full, lips soft and sure, right in the middle of Sanghyeok’s laugh.
Sanghyeok froze, caught completely off guard. His laughter cut off with a soft noise of surprise as Jihoon pulled back only slightly, just enough to see the wide-eyed expression on his hyung’s face.
“Spare me… what if I choked?” Sanghyeok muttered, half-scolding, half-dazed, lips still parted in shock. His ears were tinged with pink, and his hand came up instinctively to touch his lips, as if confirming the kiss had really happened.
Jihoon just grinned, eyes sparkling with affection. “Then I’d save you,” he whispered, leaning in once more, this time slower, lips brushing Sanghyeok’s gently like a secret. “And kiss you again.”
Sanghyeok blinked at him, completely still for a moment. then let out a soft breath, part chuckle, part sigh, before mumbling under his breath, “What?…You’re unbelievable.”
But his voice was warm. He didn’t move away.
And Jihoon? He couldn’t stop smiling.
Because out of all the ways he'd kissed Sanghyeok before, quiet ones in the dark, sleepy ones in the morning, shy ones when they were still figuring this out, this one, full of laughter and surprise, might’ve been his favorite.
+1
Their place was quiet, dimly lit with only the warm glow of the hallway light spilling into the bathroom. Jihoon stood at the sink in a plain tee and pants, brushing his teeth. His reflection stared back at him through sleepy eyes, hair still a little damp from his shower.
The sound of soft footsteps padded down the hall, slow. Jihoon didn’t think much of it, until he caught movement in the mirror.
Sanghyeok stepped into view behind him, fresh from his own shower, wearing nothing but a silky robe. A deep navy one. Loose. Too loose. The tie at his waist was barely holding it closed, the edges gaping just enough to tease smooth skin and a glimpse of his chest.
Jihoon paused, toothbrush still in his mouth.
"Hmm...Hyung…?" he mumbled around the foam.
"Mm?" Sanghyeok replied, voice low and lazy, like velvet sliding over skin. He leaned against the doorway, one hand casually playing with the ribbon around his waist, as if debating whether to fix it or let it be. His damp hair clung to his forehead, and his cheeks held a faint flush from the hot shower.
“I think it’s warm in bed already… want to join soon?" Sanghyeok continued, walking forward. His robe shifted with every step, slipping open a little more until—
The ribbon gave way with the lightest tug.
The robe fluttered, then parted completely.
Jihoon choked.
His toothbrush nearly fell out of his hand as his eyes snapped to the mirror—and then to Sanghyeok, now standing in full, glorious view. Everything bare, skin dewy and glowing under the soft bathroom light.
Sanghyeok blinked innocently, not even making a move to cover up. “Oh? Did the tie come undone…?” he murmured, fingers brushing down over his now open robe. “That’s so careless of me.”
Jihoon turned away, smacking his palm to his face as if that would erase what he just saw. It didn’t.
“Hyung… spare me.” His voice cracked. He sounded like a man at the edge of a very thin cliff.
But Sanghyeok just chuckled, walking up behind him slowly. “Spare you from what?” he asked, feigning innocence.
He leaned in close, his breath warm against Jihoon’s ear. “If you take any longer, I might fall asleep… or start without you.”
The older man turned and walked out, the back of the robe swaying with every step, teasingly loose as if it might fall open again at any second. He didn’t look back, but he didn’t need to. He knew Jihoon was watching. He wanted him to.
Jihoon stood rooted to the floor, blinking as the fog in his brain caught up with the moment. The toothbrush dropped into the sink with a soft clatter.
He rinsed his mouth quickly, slapped some water on his face, then practically ran out of the bathroom, breath shallow with anticipation.
From the bedroom, the soft sound of sheets rustling and a quiet hum from Sanghyeok greeted him. The door was ajar.
Jihoon paused at the doorway, heart pounding.
He was in trouble tonight. The kind of trouble he wanted.
Maybe being spared by Sanghyeok was his favorite kind of surrender. If this was what being spared felt like, Jihoon never wanted to be saved.