Work Text:
"We'll go with that take. You can come back to listen now, Leehan-ssi."
"Ne~" Leehan grinned brightly into the microphone, pleased with the sound technician's words of approval.
Leehan pulled the headphones off and hung them up on their stand, feeling like he was floating as he made his way out of the booth into the main room. He planted himself on the couch and picked up the smoothie he'd left on the table before he'd gone in to record. The cool fruitiness was smooth going down his throat, a welcome reward for all the hard work he'd put in today.
Just as he was about to pull out his phone to check his messages the studio door swung open.
Heavy boots strode purposefully inside, confidence laden in every step. The jean-covered legs attached to them were long and toned with muscle. They ended at an equally long, lean torso that expanded into broad shoulders under a vintage band tee that clung tightly in all the right places. Shaggy black hair fell into eyes the color of dark chocolate and framed a handsome, sculpted face. The energy in the room shifted, turning the air almost electric with the weight of the man's indomitable presence.
Han Taesan had arrived.
Taesan's journey to his current position wasn't exactly a typical one. Initially he'd been an idol trainee and an amazing one at that too, the kind of all-rounder that had made other trainees straighten their shoulders and practice harder to catch up to his skill. Back then he'd dabbled in production mostly for fun, a slew of unreleased tracks under his belt before he'd turned 16. The CEO of KOZ Entertainment had taken notice of him and recruited him to the company. Taesan had been given the option to continue on as a trainee and eventually debut but instead he'd opted to abandon his idol life and delved into his true passion: making music. At 25, Taesan was now one of the most sought-after producers in all of South Korea.
All that Leehan really cared about was that Taesan was his producer.
(They'd first met not long after Taesan had moved to KOZ. Leehan had been fresh off the train from Busan, wide-eyed and nervous about the path he was about to embark upon, when they'd first run into each other. Literally. Leehan hadn't been paying attention to his surroundings and had walked straight into his back, knocking Taesan's coffee out of his hands and sending it all over the floor.
It had been mortifying— because of course he'd cause an incident with the hottest guy he'd ever seen within two minutes of being in his new company building— but despite his fierce visuals Taesan had been surprisingly calm about the whole thing. They'd exchanged introductions while they cleaned up the spill together and when they were done Taesan had refused to let Leehan to buy him a replacement drink, proffering another solution instead.
"We'll call it even if you let me produce your debut song for you one day." Taesan's smile had been cheeky and radiant, "And if you let me take you out to dinner tonight. There's a really great place by my dorm building that serves the best rockfish hwe. You look like the type who likes seafood."
Needless to say, Leehan had fallen in love right then and there.
The fish had been delicious and dinner had been full of colorful conversation ranging from their pasts and where they'd grown up— Taesan poked fun at his still-heavy Busan accent and Leehan teased him easily in return when his own Gwangju satoori kicked in on certain words and phrases— to their interests and what they liked to do for fun. Taesan had let Leehan ramble for almost twenty minutes about how many different species of rockfish existed across the world and he'd actually expressed genuine interest, even going as far as to ask follow-up questions after he was done. In return, Leehan had listened with equally rapt attention when the older man had started his own dissertation on old American rock music and the sound benefits of vinyl over digital media. Music theory and the intricate workings of sound design and production had never sounded so interesting as it had coming out of Taesan's mouth in his rich, raspy voice.
That one dinner had turned into lunches together whenever they were in the building at the same time which then became meeting up outside of work and texting or calling each other whenever they had a free moment. They sort of stumbled past the friend stage and ended up dating without really meaning to, not that either of them minded.
Their CEO had given them his approval when they'd approached him about the change in their relationship, not that he would've stopped them from being together anyways.
Time had passed quickly after that and Leehan had debuted as a solo artist just shy of his 19th birthday. As promised, Taesan was the first name on the list of credits right next to his own as the producer and co-lyricist on all of the tracks. And so it had been the same for the last six years, the two of them working together on the music they loved, usually inspired by their life together and the things in and around it.
It wasn't like they were the perfect couple; their personalities were similar but clashed enough that occasionally they stubbornly butted heads and they had plenty of arguments but they always worked things out in the end. As such, Leehan's discography had become a beautiful tapestry of all of the joy and discourse that came with their relationship and he wouldn't have it any other way.
But back to the matter at hand.)
Leehan watched Taesan's gaze drift almost lazily around the room until it landed on him with a burning intensity that made him sit up straighter. He grinned in return, amused when the older man looked away coldly like he hadn't been the one caught staring first. Taesan passed him by without another glance, immediately going to strike up a conversation with the technician. Leehan leaned back on the couch, closing his eyes as he allowed the distant murmur of Taesan's voice to wash over him.
While his pitch was naturally higher than Leehan's own it had a certain grit to it, a subtle rasp that burgeoned on husky when he was half asleep. Often it was rough, a gruff bark when he was annoyed or terse and firm when he was being impatient. But it was capable of softness as well. His laughter was loud and childlike and his carefully chosen compliments were like sunshine on a frigid winter's day.
Leehan liked every facet of his voice, just like he liked everything about Taesan.
"Let me hear the whole thing."
The sound tech cued up the full recording that Leehan had just finished, the dreamy track flowing through the speakers melodiously. Taesan started nodding his head along with the rhythm, eyes focussed as he listened intently like he was hearing it for the first time even though that was the furthest thing from the truth.
They'd been working on this new album for the last two months since Leehan's tour in Japan had ended.
Taesan had attended the last concert in Fukuoka. He'd stayed in the wings as usual, always just at the edge of Leehan's vision, his gaze a heavy weight that he'd felt on his body with each passing second. Before meeting Taesan, Leehan had never really understood what it meant to feel someone's gaze. Now he relished that intense stare and the rush of exhilaration and adoration it caused to surge through his veins.
After Leehan had come off stage Taesan had drawn him into the dressing room, already whispering about inspiration, song lyrics and beats between kisses as they'd succumb to the post-show adrenaline surge. Leehan only vaguely remembered it in a sweaty blur of limbs and Taesan's scent imprinting itself on every inch of his skin as the older had pushed them closer and closer together until they became one. When they got off the plane in Seoul they'd gone straight to the studio to get to work and now here they were.
Leehan watched Taesan pause and rewind, listening to the chorus section once, twice, three times, his frown deepening with each pass. He blew out a heavy breath, already knowing what was coming.
"There's something off about the second line. The hook's not catching the way it's supposed to," Taesan turned his eyes away from the control panel onto Leehan.
Leehan met them steadily, "I take it that means you want me to do it again?"
A smirk quirked the corner of Taesan's mouth before he schooled his expression and jerked his head towards the sound booth, "Break time's over."
On his way past Leehan bumped Taesan's hip surreptitiously with his own, winking at the older man when he looked down at him. Taesan chuckled under his breath.
Leehan ambled into the booth and took his time setting up. He did a few warm-ups even though his voice was fine— better safe than sorry after all, Taesan always fussed when he didn't take care of himself properly— and some movement from the other side of the window caught his attention. The technician had just stood up and was shaking Taesan's hand, smiling and waving when he saw Leehan watching them before he bowed and walked out the door. Once the door was shut Taesan went over and locked it behind him. A thrill shot up Leehan's spine at the action and he bit his lower lip to muffle the gasp that punched out of him. Taesan walked back across the room, his gait smooth and unhurried, to lean forward and press the mic button so his voice filled the air.
"Just you and me now, sweetheart."
Having Taesan's undivided attention was a heady, wonderful thing. Leehan would know since he'd been given it more times than he could be bothered to count, both in the studio and outside of it, over the last six years.
He picked up the headphones for the second time that day and slipped them on as he murmured into the microphone, purposefully dropping his voice into a low, sultry tone, "Tell me how you want me, producer-nim."
Desire turned Taesan's gaze dark, almost predatory, "Don't make offers your ass can't deliver on, Donghyun-ah. Aren't you still sore from last night? You were limping when you got out of bed this morning."
He sounded so proud of himself. Leehan figured he probably shouldn't have been amused by it but sue him, Taesan was sexy when he was smug. It wasn't like his partner was wrong either, Leehan had gotten out of bed quite gingerly this morning and had been sitting with a decent amount of care all day since. He could still feel the grip of Taesan's hands on his hips, the bruises from his fingertips aching pleasantly every time he shifted even the tiniest bit. Another thing that made Taesan so hot: he was possessive. Not in a toxic way but in a warm, protective one that made Leehan feel safe, cherished and entirely loved.
He was sexy all of the time really— a fact that Taesan knew well and readily took advantage of as often as he was able to— but Leehan refused to stroke his ego right now.
"I have no idea what you're talking about."
Taesan laughed; it was a deep, throaty sound that made Leehan smile wider unconsciously. His expression sobered quickly, the serious producer side of him taking over, "I'll start it from the top of the first pre-chorus, I want to hear it the whole way through so I can figure out what needs to change."
Leehan hummed in acknowledgement and waited patiently for the music to start.
This was the third track titled '10:10'. The name a little nod to both of their birthdays and also the exact time they'd met that fateful morning. It was honestly probably his favorite on the whole album.
Forever seems far away when I'm by your side
Hold me, don't let me go
Without you I might forget how to fly
Leehan had thought up the lines late one night when his brain wouldn't turn off and he'd laid awake in their bed long after Taesan had fallen asleep. Taesan's arm had been a dead weight over his waist, not that he ever complained about being in the older man's arms. Even when he was being held completely still, he'd never felt so free. Something about being so close to Taesan always made him feel invincible, like he could do anything so long as they had each other. Taesan had grumbled when Leehan had woke him up to relay the lyrics but by the next afternoon had already created the perfect melody to go along with them.
You're the sun in my days, the stars in my night
Is the word "love" even enough
When it's only ever meant you
Those were Taesan's words. They were sentimental and very romantic-coded, the sort of thing the older man didn't like to say casually but saved for his songs. What was better was that this time Taesan was the one delivering them in his own voice. In all their time working together he'd never once featured on the tracks as an artist but Leehan had finally managed to wheedle him into it thanks to no small amount of begging and puppy eyes. Leehan was genuinely excited about it and was sure the fans would be too since they'd been saying they wanted to hear Taesan perform after so long of him just producing.
"Draw out the ending a bit more," Taesan called through the mic halfway through the second chorus, "Add a little depth too. I'll harmonize with it later when I do my re-records."
"Ne!" Leehan followed his instructions to the letter, feeling immensely proud of himself when Taesan gave an approving nod.
They ran it through a couple more times with Taesan providing more notes here and there before he finally beckoned Leehan out of the booth. He strolled back into the main room and instead of returning to the couch he swung himself into Taesan's lap.
Taesan settled his hands on his waist, "You did great, baby."
"Mm, thanks," Leehan wrapped his arms around Taesan's shoulders and began sifting his fingers through the hair at the nape of his neck, "But I can't take all the credit. My producer is pretty good at his job."
"Oh just 'pretty good' huh?" Taesan raised his eyebrows at him, "You had a lot more praise for me than that last night."
Leehan smacked his chest lightly, trying to will down the blush that rose to his cheeks, "Quit bringing up last night."
"Why? I thought you sounded so pretty, especially when all you could say was my name. Dongmin!" he affected a dramatic moan, "More, Dongmin! Dong—ah! What the fuck Donghyun, that hurt!'" His voice trailed off into a whine.
Leehan hummed soothingly and stroked his hand over the spot that he'd just pinched on Taesan's side, kissing him sweetly in apology which his boyfriend seemed to accept with a faux-reluctant sigh. Before he could pull away Taesan brought one of his hands up to cradle his face, using the grip to move Leehan's head to deepen the kiss. It was more intimate than they usually allowed themselves to get in a professional setting. Leehan was belatedly grateful that Taesan had decided to lock the door after the sound tech had left but then considered that maybe this had been the plan all along.
He didn't mind if it was, he always enjoyed it when they got little moments like these together.
Taesan's tongue slipped between his lips with the familiar ease of having done it hundreds, probably thousands, of times. Leehan tasted a hint of chocolate and espresso and could smell the lingering scent of smoke clinging to his skin from the cigarette he'd undoubtedly had before coming in the building. He'd become used to the smell after so long, even if he didn't exactly approve of Taesan's little habit, but he'd cut down a lot in the last year or so and he never smoked inside their apartment out of consideration for Leehan and their pets.
Speaking of, that reminded him.
He pulled away from the kiss so that he could speak, "We need to take Koni to the groomers soon; his fur's getting long again."
Their little Maltese was with Woonhak right now, out on a walk that the younger had offered to take him on when Leehan had texted that he and Taesan would be working late tonight. Leehan had promised they would bring dinner as compensation when they came to pick Koni up to which Woonhak had excitedly requested steak. With no vegetables on the side, of course.
"You fed the fish before you left, right?" Leehan fixed Taesan with a pout, eyebrows furrowing as he realized something, "If we're going to eat at Woonagi's place we won't be back until way past their evening feeding schedule."
Taesan pressed a line of kisses along his jaw, "Yes dear, don't worry I took care of the kids." Leehan smiled at the use of the word 'kids' in reference to their fish, "They'll be fine even if we're a bit late. I hardly think they'll even notice we're gone."
Leehan laughed in agreement, tilting his head to allow Taesan more access to his neck.
They made out for a while longer until Leehan's legs started falling asleep from the position he had them in with his knees on either side of Taesan's thighs. Taesan palmed his waist to support him as he moved into a more comfortable spot sitting with his back pressed against Taesan's chest. He felt Taesan hook his chin over his shoulder and leaned heavier against him, relaxing fully in contentment. To fill the silence Taesan played the recording again and both of them started singing along with it quietly.
"Candy-flavored smiles, voice like a summer breeze. When did I ever think such lovely things before you?"
Leehan giggled when Taesan murmured the lyrics directly into his ear, "Oh~ So flirty. I don't ever understand how anyone thinks you're intimidating at all when this is what you're like."
"I'm only like this for you Donghyun-ah, don't get it confused."
The words would've sounded harsh to anyone who didn't know him. Leehan, however, had a front row seat to watch Taesan's ears turn red as the corners of his lips turned up in a small, pleased grin.
"Mm, I would never. My big, bad, handsome Taekitty."
The flush spread across Taesan's cheeks. He repaid Leehan's earlier pinch with a tickle assault on his ribs that he couldn't escape, not that he tried very hard. He didn't try to contain the peals of laughter escaping him. It turned into a yelp when Taesan lifted him up under the thighs and carried him over to the couch, depositing him on the cushions with care before he blanketed his body with his own.
"You're so troublesome," he grumbled, hiding his face in Leehan's shoulder.
Ah, he was really too cute. Leehan loved him so much that not even a thousand songs would ever do it justice. He ran his fingers through Taesan's hair again, relishing in the happy sigh the gesture earned.
"We should take a vacation," Taesan's voice was a drowsy mumble, "After we finish the final recordings, I wanna take you somewhere."
The words left him giddy, a fizzy feeling of excitement bubbling in his stomach that made him bury a smile in Taesan's hair, "Where would we go?"
He felt Taesan nuzzle into the crook of his neck, "We never did end up getting to Paris."
They'd originally planned to go for their anniversary this year but Leehan had gotten sick the week they were meant to go and with the Japan tour having been scheduled and the album recordings set, the trip had ended up on the backburner.
Leehan could already imagine it: two weeks of bliss in the City of Love, waking up every morning to the Parisian skyline, walks down by the Seine... Riwoo had sent him plenty of café recommendations all around the city with Woonhak piping in a few suggestions of his own here and there. Sungho had helped find the perfect hotel with the best view of the Eiffel Tower. Leehan suspected Jaehyun had been conscripted into helping Taesan organize something since the two of them had been whispering in secret to each other whenever the six of them hung out.
Whatever it was, Taesan was keeping it very close to the chest and even Leehan's best pleading face wouldn't get him even a hint. He could be patient though; he knew Taesan would tell him eventually anyways.
"Paris sounds wonderful," he leaned in to kiss his love again, "I can't wait."
Taesan kissed him back, "Me neither. So," he smacked Leehan's ass, snickering when he yelped in shock, "Let's get back to it."
He rolled to his feet in one smooth motion— which was way more attractive than it should have been— and sauntered back to his chair, folding himself into it with all the cocksure grace of a satisfied cat as he turned it back towards the soundboard.
Leehan laid on the couch for a moment longer, watching Taesan's broad shoulders shift under his t-shirt as he fiddled with some knobs and hit a few buttons. His chest swelled with affection when he caught the reflection of his serious expression in the window. He turned his head up to the ceiling, a wide smile stretching across his lips as the opening notes of '10:10' filled the room again.
A story told in seconds
An eternity in your eyes
10:10, the moment that I met you
A blessing in disguise