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“Are you cold?”
Keonho’s looking at him with the same wide-eyed expression he had when the five boys first left the apartment for a sunset photo session at the beach. The concern had been endearing at first, with Keonho attempting to convince Seonghyeon to wear something, anything, over his tank top.
It stopped being cute when James hyung pointedly started going on about “the stuff kids these days will do just to get their boyfriend’s attention”.
That was absolutely not the case here, thank you very much. Seonghyeon had a tendency to get cold easily, all of them knew that. It was just a coincidence that Keonho brought a sweatshirt with him whenever he was out with Seonghyeon. And if he ended up wearing the taller boy’s sweatshirt more often than not, well that was just a testament to Keonho’s general kindness.
Despite this, James hyung is now glancing over at them with a raised eyebrow, clearly with another pointed remark about teenage flirting tactics at the ready.
Seonghyeon tries to suppress the shiver brought on by yet another gust of chilly wind. His bare arms are covered in goosebumps, and he’s almost certain that the tip of his nose is bright red. At least he’s wearing long pants, though jeans don’t have the best insulation.
Keonho’s hovering offered the opportunity to revel in his body heat. He was eternally grateful for the other’s tendency to run hot, always burning like a furnace. It was what made Keonho the best to cuddle with, especially in the winter. Especially when their apartment’s heater had broken during a snow storm last year. Seonghyeon always had trouble falling asleep, and the freezing air had just made it worse. So after a solid half hour of teeth chattering, Seonghyeon had caved. He had slipped out of his own bed and into Keonho’s. He couldn’t bring himself to regret it though. Not when the taller boy had quietly extended his arm, sleepily wrapping it around Seonghyeon’s shoulders. Not when he buried his nose in Seonghyeon’s still shower damp hair, took a deep breath and easily drifted back into dreamland. It couldn’t be helped that they woke up tangled together for the next week. If they had continued to share a bed even after the heater had been fixed, well, that was no one’s business but their own. And maybe Martin’s, just because they all shared a room, though he was kind enough not to comment on it.
Regardless, Seonghyeon refuses to give his hyung the satisfaction of knowing that he is in fact freezing.
“Seonghyeonie?”
Keonho’s voice is softer now, but a bit more demanding. It didn’t look like his nonchalant facade would hold up much longer. Still, after throwing a glance towards their eldest hyung, Seonghyeon tried to brush off his concern.
“Keonho, I’m okay, don’t worry about it.”
“Don’t worry?” The taller boy laughs, bringing his warm hands to press onto his shoulder and rub down his arms. “You’re literally shivering in your boots right now.”
Keonho moves to brush his fingers against the delicate skin of Seonghyeon’s earlobes, which only makes him tremble more. “Your ears are bright red too…cute.”
Huffing, Seonghyeon tries to turn away, embarrassed over his own sensitivity. Keonho apparently isn’t having that, craning his neck to maintain eye contact while steering them away from the nosy looks James is still throwing their way. The heat of his palms settled over Seonghyeon’s upper arms felt heavenly.
“Hyeon, be honest with me. I’m not gonna tease you like James hyung, you know that.”
With Keonho’s eyes on him, so singularly focused as if no one else existed, he couldn’t bear to pretend anymore. Seonghyeon suffered through another violent shiver and finally cracked. He folded himself into Keonho’s arms, sighing in relief when they wrapped tight around him. The heat coming off the taller boy felt so comforting, Seonghyeon couldn’t help but bury his cold nose in Keonho’s neck. He inhaled, trying to subtly take in the comforting scent of the other boy’s aftershave. When Keonho chuckled, he could tell his action hadn’t been as subtle as he had hoped. But before he could turn away in an attempt to control his mounting embarrassment, the taller boy brought his lips to his ear.
“I’ve got you.” He whispered, “Don’t worry, Sunshine.”
And just like that, the flood of shame drained away. It was a strange feeling, to be held so gently, but this was Keonho, the boy who teased and cared in equal measure. Keonho, who wrapped himself around Seonghyeon every night with a sigh of satisfaction. Keonho, who looked at Seonghyeon with his full attention, even when he wasn’t the one speaking. Keonho, who knew what Seonghyeon needed, even when he wouldn’t admit it. Keonho, who knew Seonghyeon better than anyone else ever had.
When the sun’s last rays were dipping below the horizon, Keonho let go of him.
“Just a second,” he said, going to remove his thick sweater. His tank top lifted as he took off the upper layer, and Seonghyeon was quick to look away before he could be caught staring. The taller boy immediately pulled the sweater over Seonghyeon’s own head, tugging the fabric down his torso and lifting the hood. With a quick gesture to wait, Keonho jogged over to where James was with Martin, discussing some of the photos they had taken.
Seonghyeon watched, mindlessly slipping his arms through the thick sleeves of the sweater. The fabric was still warm from Keonho’s body heat, and it was covered in the woodsy scent of the other boy’s aftershave. It was soft, and if he was remembering correctly, one of Keonho’s favorites. Though most of the taller boy’s clothes were slightly big on Seonghyeon, this particular sweater was more oversized than usual. His hands were almost completely covered by the sleeves, leaving only his fingertips peeking out.
Seonghyeon would never admit it out loud, but he loved the way Keonho’s clothing fit him. He had a habit of stealing the taller boy’s jackets, shirts, sweatpants, and even accessories. Eventually he would return the other’s clothes, at least most of them. There was one shirt he kept, taken years back after an unfortunate accident on his first day at the company involving a cup of hot chocolate and his favorite top. Keonho had been just as kind back then, immediately offering the long sleeve shirt he was wearing, despite them being total strangers. Seonghyeon remembers how he hadn’t even had a moment to politely refuse before the other boy was pulling it off, revealing the white tank he wore underneath. With the combined power of sweet insistence and Seonghyeon’s people pleasing nature, it hadn’t taken much for him to accept the offering. That was the first time he had caught the scent of that pine aftershave Keonho was so fond of. It was instantly comforting, even back then.
Despite his usual aversion towards baggy clothing, something about lounging around in one of the other boy’s band tees and a pair of his sweats just felt right. He couldn’t exactly explain it. Maybe because the fabric wrapping over his shoulders was a gentle reminder of Keonho presence, tender and all encompassing. Maybe because he was secretly obsessed with how the scent of their shared laundry detergent and that stupidly attractive aftershave blended together so perfectly.
Regardless, his frequent thievery didn’t seem to bother the taller boy. Keonho was himself known to borrow things from Seonghyeon’s closest, though he would mostly just grab one of the many tank tops they both liked to wear during practices. In all honesty, that was probably for the best. Seonghyeon could barely handle seeing the taller boy wearing any sleeveless shirt without blushing. The image of thin fabric stretched taut over Keonho’s shoulders and chest, still strong from his years as a swimmer, should frankly be illegal.
Just thinking about all this was making his pulse flutter like crazy. Trying to ground himself back in the present, Seonghyeon curled his fingers around the edges of the sweater sleeves and brought his fabric covered hands to his cheeks. It was still cozy from Keonho’s body heat, warmth soothing over his icy skin. He would do anything to be in his bed right now, curled under the fluffy comforter with his own personal furnace of a boy beside him.
“I’m back! Sorry for the wait, Sunshine.”
Out of all the nicknames Seonghyeon had ever been given, none hit quite like that one. Maybe it was because he rarely ever heard it, other than from Keonho. Maybe it was just the way Keonho said it, soft and low-pitched like a promise. Always whispered when he least expected it, when it was just them. Keonho called him “Sunshine” like Seonghyeon’s ability to brighten his day was an absolute, undeniable truth.
Still flustered from his daydreaming, Seonghyeon just hummed in response. He kept his hands over his nose and mouth, attempting to cover a blush that was no longer due to the chill. Keonho’s grin only widened, and he swung his arm over the other’s shoulders, leading them both back towards their hyungs. Seonghyeon sighed, but let himself be guided forward by the taller boy.
Tapping their foreheads together, Keonho said, under his breath, “I convinced James hyung to take it easy on the teasing for the rest of the night.”
Dropping his hands, Seonghyeon looked at him with furrowed brows.
“How exactly did you manage to do that?”
Keonho glanced around, then quickly turned back, leaning, so there was barely any space between them, before whispering, “I made a deal.”
“What kind of deal?”
“The kind where we wash the dishes for a week instead of him.”
Seonghyeon stopped in his tracks, “We??? Why did you pull me into your deal? I don’t remember asking to be included in this.”
The taller boy just laughed, pulling them to walk forward again.
“Sunshine, you were the one bothered by his taunting. You think no one saw you pouting the whole way here?”
With an incredulous huff, Seonghyeon tried to pull away from the other boy. He had not been pouting, thank you very much. It was just a long walk from their place to the beach, and he always had a particularly concentrated expression when exercising. Keonho was apparently not having that, quickly reeling him back with a strong hand around his waist. The arm over his shoulders tightened a little, just enough to keep him from escaping again.
“Seonghyeon,” the taller boy whispered his name like a reminder. “You know that I’m going to do it all myself, right?”
Sharp and instant, the words moved through Seonghyeon’s body like electricity.
“I was never gonna let you wash a single one of those dishes, Sunshine.”
Keonho pressed a quick kiss against his temple before grabbing his hand, dragging Seonghyeon along as he ran the rest of the distance between them and their hyungs.
There was another spark in his chest, startling him with its intensity. Seonghyeon felt the corners of his mouth rising without his permission, his feet falling into rhythm beside the other boy. He just let it all happen, the words, the kiss, the smile, the infectious energy driving him forward. Keonho was simply doing what he always did, making Seonghyeon forget all his doubts and embarrassment, every negative thought that tried to haunt him. More than that, Keonho made him remember why they always laughed together.
Later, while Martin was busy obsessing over Juhoon hyung’s best angels, Seonghyeon was assigned the task of photographing James hyung. He held their digital camera up, adjusting the settings so the sunset didn’t entirely drown out their eldest hyung’s image. Without warning, Seonghyeon felt a solid wall of heat drape over his back. Of course, it was Keonho, who immediately wrapped his arms around the shorter boy, sliding his hands into the pocket of his own hoodie. Seonghyeon could feel the ghost of a smile as the other boy’s breath brushed across his collarbone.
“Don’t mind me, Sunshine.” Keonho said, teasing, “I’m just a little chilly.”