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A loud meow followed by the sound of scratching at his door. It must have fallen shut by accident. Matthew gets up from his seat in front of his PC and opens the door. Gia shuffles through the first crack immediately and jumps on the chair where Matthew had been sitting just a moment before. He curls in on himself, seeking out the remaining warmth of the cushion.
“Ah, Baby. I was sitting there.”
Gia just looks at him and blinks once, then tucks his face back into his own fur, ignoring Matthew. He shakes his head at the cat but he can't be angry for long. Gia looks so cute with his little snout hidden under his tail.
Gia got really toasted lately, the Korean winter was cold and it showed in the cat's fur. It turned to a dark brown when it had just been mostly white a couple months ago. Matthew is glad that the weather slowly turns warmer again these days. He is sure Gia is glad, too.
“He’s cute,” Gunwook says, voice hoarse and sleep drenched, spread across Matthew’s bed. He must have just woken up from the nap he was taking in his bed.
“Yes he is, my baby.”
Sometimes he doesn’t get Gunwook. Or rather, he doesn’t get the culture here yet completely. He likes hanging out with his friends, too. He definitely likes cuddling and all that - even with his bros! But he stops understanding when it comes to Gunwook coming over to nap in his bed while Matthew is working.
Do not get him wrong - he is not complaining. He likes the comfortable silence that is casually interrupted by quiet snoring or sleepy ramble.
He just doesn’t understand what it means when your dongsaeng keeps sleeping in your bed. Is Gunwook just especially comfortable around him? Matthew would really like that; being a safe space for someone, that is.
Gunwook is still looking at Gia. His gaze is soft and focused. The cat is slowly breathing, his little body moving up and down on every inhale and exhale - totally at peace, not a thought in his little brain. Just sleep and meow meow.
Gunwook softly hums, a late reply to Matthew’s statement, then he presses his face back into Matthew’s pillow and yawns loudly. He stretches his limbs in every direction possible, smacks his lips together once, twice and closes his eyes again. His cheeks are squished against soft fabric.
“Everyone is using my furniture,” Matthew complains, his voice laced in soft sarcasm, “Where am I supposed to sleep or sit now?”
Gia doesn’t even have the decency to look up at him. He just keeps snoozing quietly.
Gunwook peeks one eye back open, a smile stretches across his lips and he scoots his body backwards against the wall, making some room for another person to join in.
“Just nap with me, hyung.”
Matthew still pouts. Gunwook pats the mattress beside him, ushering him to join and Matthew drops the pouty facade and makes way towards his bed. He quickly lays down next to Gunwook, leaving some respectful space and shimmies his legs beneath the blanket to be as cozy as possible. He is face to face with the younger boy. The bed is warm and smells like Gunwook. It’s nice. He closes his eyes.
He is almost falling asleep when a hand sneaks up his thigh and over his hips to his waist. Gunwook’s hand is warm and big. It’s draped over his side, a dead weight. He must have grabbed Matthew in his sleep by accident. He refuses to open his eyes, sleep has almost overcome him and he doesn’t want to ruin his falling-asleep progress by squinting at Gunwook now.
His breath is even, just like Gia’s, so he is probably sleeping and it was an accident. It’s not like it bothers him anyways. As he said - he likes cuddling his bros. He tries to will his heartbeat to come down.
When did it even go up in the first place?
He squints his eyes closed harder, focuses on his breathing and curls further in on himself, seeking more warmth from underneath the blanket. He closes the gap between his and Gunwook’s body a little more in the meantime and Gunwook’s hand slips further from his waist to the small of his back. It curls into the fabric of Matthew’s shirt there and stays, a gentle pressure on his skin.
When he wakes back up the pressure on his back is gone. However, there is heat spreading against the side of his face. He is laying on something, or rather, on someone. At some point he must have cuddled even further into Gunwook with the result of his face pressing up against Gunwook’s chest.
He blinks a few times, his eyes still feel heavy. Finally his senses slowly come back to him the more awake he feels. First he regains feeling in his fingertips and hands. They are clutched tightly in fabric that is not part of his bedding - Gunwook’s shirt. He stiffens them slightly, not on purpose but rather by reflex after realising their situation.
Then a moment later he focuses back on hearing. Sweet, steady purring. Loud and right next to him somewhere above his head. Then he sees the fur all over Gunwook’s shirt. Gia must have felt left out and joined them at some point during their nap. Then he hears Gunwook talking in a low, almost whisper. He is not talking to him, he is talking to Gia. Unless “my pretty kitty” is something he would say to Matthew on occasion.
“He is my pretty kitty,” Matthew rasps out then, his voice feels stuffy and sleepy. Just how long was he knocked out?
Gunwook chuckles and the force of it rocks right through him. His cheek is still squished against Gunwook’s chest.
Gunwook presses a kiss to Gia’s nose. Now that Matthew is more awake he sees that Gia is comfortably loafing on top of Gunwook’s chest as well. His paws are all tidily tucked under his little body. Another kiss follows on to Gia’s head.
Matthew whines, jealousy slowly seeping through his guts.
“I want kissies, too,” he complains and he doesn’t really know what exactly he means by that himself. Surely he means kissing his cat.
Gunwook chuckles again and turns his head to look at Matthew. The grin on his face looks really cute.
He leans down and presses a kiss right on to the middle of his forehead. It doesn't last long and his lips don't linger longer than necessary but Gunwook definitely kissed him. The slightly wet patch of saliva cooling his skin is proof enough for it.
“Ah, sorry, Hyung. I didn’t mean to,” Gunwook says and Matthew doesn’t understand. A second later Gunwook’s hand comes up and wipes across his forehead, gently. Removing the wet patch in one swift motion.
Ah, that’s what he meant.
He looks up at Gunwook and their eyes meet. Gunwook’s face looks so confident, as if he didn’t just kiss his best friend on the forehead unprovoked.
Maybe it was provoked actually, Matthew isn’t so sure anymore.
Maybe this is just another thing he doesn’t understand about this culture yet. Or maybe it’s exactly what he thinks it is. He pushes that thought down quickly.
“You are kind of my little kitty, too,” Gunwook says then and if Matthew wasn't already on the verge of crashing out, he would be now.
“What do you mean?” he sputters, disbelieve of what Gunwook just said, drenching his tone.
“Well, Hyung,” Gunwook starts, his fingers start cradling through Gia’s fur, “you are small and cute. You have a bit of a temper, just like any housecat,” his gaze leaves Matthew’s, focusing back on the cat. Matthew notices the blush high on his cheeks, though.
“You like to sleep and cuddle. You fit right into my chest, see?” he gestures between them and his other hand comes up to hold Matthew’s waist again. This time with purpose and intent.
Matthew can’t help but gape his mouth open.
“Oh.”
Gunwook giggles, his teeth showing, “My little kitty! Get it?”
Matthew nods, dumbfounded. Yes, he gets it. He gets it in some twisted random way but he kind of likes the thought. This is something positive. Cats are something people really like and adore. Something they find cute. It might not be the most masculine animal to be compared to but Matthew will take it. He likes it.
“Okay, your kitty,” he agrees because what else is he supposed to do when he’s currently tucked in against Gunwook’s chest, Gunwook’s hand draped over his waist and Gunwook’s attention on him?
Gunwook smiles proudly, leans down and presses another kiss onto Matthew. This time on the crown of his head. And this time he lingers a little longer, breathes him in before pulling away.
“You smell so good.”
Matthew chuckles, “Thank you, Gunwookie.”
What universe did he wake up in?
Gia stirs, their attention no longer on him for too long now. He meows once as if to say “Hey, I am still here, too!” and paws at Matthew’s face. A giggle breaks out from Matthew and he finally sits up slightly, just enough to pull his arms out from under the blanket and pull Gia to his chest. He cradles the cat in his arms and presses a bunch of kisses in rapid succession into his soft fur. He meows again.
“You are the cutest little cat in the world,” he coos, his voice high pitched like babytalk. Gia tried to escape, the sudden attention apparently wasn’t what he wanted after all but Matthew keeps holding him and keeps cooing at him and keeps pressing kisses onto his little snout and his little head.
This is his baby!
Eventually Gia escapes and bolts off the bed just to jump back on to the chair he previously occupied already.
Matthew looks at him for another moment, his body now turned away from Gunwook’s. He is leaning on his elbow, holding himself up with the other hand.
Suddenly two arms wrap around his middle from behind him and Gunwook pulls him against his chest. A ‘oof’ escapes his lung as he is pressed closely against the other.
“Ugh, Hyung. You give me the worst case of cute aggression,” he mumbles into his hair. Another kiss is being pressed there right after.
There is no way this is normal in Korea. There is no way this is just how friends interact with each other.
He turns around in Gunwook’s hold, suddenly feeling a lot more brave than usual. His chest swells with nerves as soon as his eyes lock with Gunwook’s.
There is just one way to find out, he guesses.
One thing that cannot be misinterpreted.
He leans up and locks their lips together. The press is soft. Gunwook’s lips are soft, too. He presses a little closer and woah…woah! Stop! Why is he the only one putting pressure into this? His eyes shoot open, anxiety crawling at the top of his throat.
He is about to pull back, ready to apologize and make up some dumb excuse for why he just kissed Gunwook on the lips when Gunwook leans his head to the side and finally returns the pressure, deepens the kiss. His hand comes up over Matthew’s back and cradles in the hair at the nape of his neck, keeping him from pulling back.
Matthew’s eyes flutter shut again and he lets out a deep sigh as he sinks deeper into Gunwook’s embrace.
His hands come up to Gunwook’s chest, holding onto it as Gunwook’s tongue licks across the seam of Matthew’s lips, asking to be let in.
It feels so good, Matthew believes he is flying, yet, he has to pull back eventually to catch his breath.
His eyes open once more and Gunwook is already looking at him. The same smile plastered across his face.
“I thought you would never do that,” he admits cheekily.
“What do you mean?”
“I’ve been giving you hints that I like you left and right. I thought you were purposefully ignoring them.”
Gunwook had what?
“You did what?!”
Gunwook’s pretty smile turns into a playful pout, “You didn’t notice, Hyung?”
Ugh, now he feels guilty. How did he miss that?
“I am so sorry, I thought it was just how you are with your friends…”
Gunwook gasps in disbelief, “No way, Hyung! I do not do this with all of my friends.”
“Only with your little kitty?” Matthew giggles and he leans up again.
“Only with my little kitty, yes.” Gunwook meets him halfway.
Gia meows loudly from the chair as their lips meet again.