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Hao tries to focus on the book he's supposed to be studying, but he just can't take his eyes off that smile.
Hanbin's smile.
Cat whisker dimples pop out of his blushy cheeks, and that tiny fluffy tail twitches lightly from underneath him—round and white, barely peeking past the hem of his hoodie. Hao didn't mean to stare, but the movement catches his eye anyway. He's been trying not to stare. It's weird for a bunny to stare at another bunny's tail. He shouldn't be this fascinated. He's got his own tail and ears, long and floppy, currently pressed flat against his back in embarrassment.
But he doesn't have the cuteness Hanbin seems to exude without even trying. Hanbin's fur is always soft and gleaming, his ears perky and expressive, his cheeks permanently flushed like he's been running. Sometimes it feels like Hao's just not meant to be a bunny. Others are all fluffy and warm. Hao's just... this.
An aloof bunny nobody talks to.
****
An aloof bunny nobody except Hanbin talks to.
"Wanna walk home together?"
Hanbin's eyes are practically sparkling as he hops onto Hao's table, his ears bouncing with the movement, shaking a little. He's always shaking.
Even from the very first day he came over to ask for class notes because he'd missed the previous day. Which Hao noticed, of course. Wide-eyed, Hao asked if he was talking to him, and Hanbin giggled and swore he'd return them in one piece.
Turns out Hao's handwriting wasn't legible enough for him. And because he couldn't bear seeing that sad pout on Hanbin's face—those ears drooping low like a kicked puppy's—he offered to stay behind after school to read it out loud. Which led to him explaining the notes to him.
And led to moments like this.
Hanbin randomly acting like they're friends.
Hao loves it too much to shun him. Every time, his cheeks bunch up like apples and he nods eagerly, his ears flopping side to side.
Maybe they are friends.
****
Hanbin: can you help me pick a picture to post on my Insta
Hanbin: sorryyyyy if im bothering you
Hanbin: i just really need something cute
Hao: you're cute no matter what you do
Hanbin: OMG STOP
Hanbin: now you've got me blushing
Hanbin: [attached 16 images]
Hao: this many???
Hao: how am I supposed to choose
Hanbin: 🙃 well…
Hao: you kinda look edible in all of them…
Hao: in a good way
Hanbin: do you want to eat me? 🥹
Hao: stop fishing for compliments!
Hao: i want to squish your cheeks in this one though [attached one image]
Hanbin: what else do you want to do to me?
Hanbin: WAIT DONT GO OFFLINEEEE
Hanbin: come backkkk
Hanbin: ig i scared you away
Hanbin: you're so adorableeee
****
For the past ten minutes, Hao's been giggling.
And for the first time ever, he finds himself staring into the mirror, making his long ears twitch on purpose, tilting his head this way and that, wondering if he really is that adorable. Hanbin's always honest. He never says what he doesn't mean, so Hao's going to trust his judgment.
Maybe this means Hao is as adorable as other bunnies now.
****
Hao's got his cheeks squished against the table, ears tucked flat against his back, trying to complete his homework in Hanbin's room, when he suddenly sees the younger step in front of him.
They agreed to finish on opposite sides of the room so they wouldn't get distracted, and after that, they could hang out.
Before Hao can protest and ask him not to break the rule, Hanbin's getting on his knees in front of him.
"W-what?" Hao stammers, looking down at Hanbin where he's crouching, his ears flattened the way they do when he's worried about something. Hao goes into emergency mode immediately. "What's wrong, Hanbin-ah?" he says, voice more serious.
Because he really can't bear looking at him like this, he reaches out to pet Hanbin's hair, fingers brushing against the base of his ears. It always makes him smile.
Hanbin does smile now too. But it just doesn't look that genuine. These days, he's been having this sad smile on his face.
"Do you still think I'm cute?" He murmurs, biting his lips as he worries them between his teeth, his ears drooping low. Hao wants to stop him, but first, he nods furiously.
"Of course. You're the cutest bunny in the world."
A genuine smile spreads across Hanbin's face, whisker dimples popping out, and he lightly shoves at Hao's thighs playfully. "Well, you exist. I can't be the cutest."
Now it's Hao's turn to blush. He has to hide his face between his long floppy ears so Hanbin doesn't tease him.
He's really not prepared for the next words to come out of Hanbin's mouth.
"Do you want to kiss me?"
Hao's head snaps up so quickly his ears fling back, wondering if he's hearing right. "Huh?" he asks.
"You say you want to do all these cute things with me." Hanbin mutters petulantly, his fluffy tail twitching behind him. "Like squishing my cheeks or holding me to sleep instead of my plushie and all the other stuff you've said…" he trails off, a light blush dusting his already pink cheeks, ears perking up nervously. "Does this mean you like me or not?"
Gulping, Hao feels a wave of dread settle over him and his own tail twitches from nerves, ears pressing flat again. Is Hanbin weirded out by everything he says to him? That would make so much sense. Hao does blurt out those things whenever he gets cuteness aggression from him. He never thought he'd make Hanbin uncomfortable with his feelings.
"I'm sorry," he murmurs honestly, looking down as his ears droop, tears springing to his eyes.
Hanbin reaches for his hands. "What? Why are you sorry?"
A tear drops from Hao's face before he sniffles and looks up. He doesn't find disgust in Hanbin's eyes at all. Instead, it's more like worry mixed with concern.
Oh.
"Do you really like me?" Hanbin repeats again, softer this time, his thumb tracing small circles on Hao's knuckles. And when Hao keeps staring at him, blinking back tears and saying nothing, he adds, "Because I like you too."
"You do?" Hao practically yells, ears shooting up. But then doubt crashes over him immediately. "Wait—no. You don't have to say that just because I—I mean, if you're just being nice, I completely understand, I know I blurts things out without thinking and I never meant to make things weird between us—"
"Hao." Hanbin cuts him off, squeezing his hands. His ears are perked forward and he looks so serious. "It's not being nice. I've liked you since you brought me ice cream after I failed that test. You just never noticed."
Hao's mouth opens and closes. His tail is going crazy behind him, twitching erratically. "But—you're—I'm just—"
"You're just what?" Hanbin tilts his head, whisker dimples peeking out despite the serious moment. "The prettiest bunny I've ever seen? The one who makes my heart race every time you laugh? That's what you are, Hao."
A sob catches in Hao's throat. He doesn't even realize he's crying again until Hanbin's thumb wipes a tear from his cheek. And then Hanbin leans in, his nose brushing against Hao's first—a gentle, questioning nuzzle. Hao nods shakily. He doesn't trust his voice.
Hanbin closes the gap between them, pressing his lips against Hao's. Hao's eyes go wide at first, shocked and in disbelief that he's finally getting to kiss Hanbin for the first time ever, like he's been imagining. But slowly all his disbelief melts away, just like he does. His eyes flutter shut and he feels their ears press together, soft fur brushing against soft fur. His tail stops twitching and curls contentedly against Hanbin's.
Tietie.
Close to each other. Like they're supposed to be.
****
"Appa, Appa!!" Two loud voices yell in Hao's ears, practically jostling him from his slumber.
His eyes snap open at the same time Hanbin's big arms grab onto the two of them, letting out a loud shush. "Appa is sleeping," he says to their twin daughters, who giggle way too loudly, their little bunny ears flopping with each shake of their heads.
Oh.
Hao can't help the smile that appears on his face watching them—their matching cotton tails peeking out from their pajamas, their apple cheeks round like his and pink just like Hanbin's. He shuts his eyes again, hoping to go back to that dream. Even though he knows it's practically impossible.
It's worth trying.
****
"I had a dream," Hao says to Hanbin as the younger slowly applies nail cuticle oil to his damaged nails, eyes laser-focused on the task. His own ears are draped lazily over his shoulders, relaxed.
Despite Hanbin not looking at him, he's still ever attuned to Hao even after all these years. He replies in the cartoonish tone he uses with the twins, "You did, Hao-ya?" And then he looks up with mischievous eyes, whisker dimples popping out, ears perked forward. So uncanny to the dream, it feels like déjà vu to Hao.
Still, he raises a fist to Hanbin in a mock punch, making him giggle some more. "It's Hao gege to you!" He jokes, his ears flopping with the movement.
"How about…" Hanbin murmurs, lifting Hao's hand closer to his mouth and pressing a kiss on his knuckles, nose twitching adorably. "Jagiya?"
Hao can't help but smile wide as he nods furiously, his ears bouncing. "That works too."
Their laughs mix together in the room before Hao has to shush them both because if the twins wake up right now, they'd struggle to put them back to bed. Well, Hanbin would, because Hao would make him do that.
"But it's kinda odd that in my dream, we were the same age," Hao starts. "We were even in the same class in high school and all. Did you infuse your fantasy into my head or something?"
Hanbin looks up smiling, eyes shining. "I guess I did. So what happened in this dream?"
"We fell in love in high school and kissed basically. I had a crush on you first."
Scoffing, Hanbin shakes his head, ears moving with him. "Wow, it's really my fantasy. Hyung rejected me so much in high school!"
"Well, you were too young." Hao reiterates, already smiling because he knows that's what gets Hanbin annoyed.
Hanbin practically huffs, Hao's hand slipping from his for a second, his tail puffing up indignantly. "It was just a year and eleven months. You were being dramatic, acting like we had an eleven-year difference or something. You kept treating me like a baby."
"Because you were!" Hao laughs, remembering. "You'd follow me around after class with those big shiny eyes, asking me to explain things you already knew, just so you could talk to me. It was obvious, Hanbin-ah. Painfully obvious."
"And you still said no every time I asked you out." Hanbin pouts, ears drooping. "You're genuinely evil, Jjanghao."
Hao softens, reaching out to pet Hanbin's ear the way he knows calms him. "Because I was scared," he admits quietly. "You were so bright and confident and everyone loved you. I thought—I don't know—you'll find someone your age that you liked and realize you made a mistake."
Hanbin's expression shifts, the playfulness fading into a tender expression. "I never made a mistake," he says firmly. "I've known what I wanted since I was seventeen, hyung. It was always you."
Ugh! When Hanbin says things like this, it really gets to Hao.
"At least we met in college again, right?" Hao tries to lighten the mood, but his voice is thick.
"Yeah." Hanbin smiles. "And then I had to watch you date others that aren't me. Do you know how painful that was? Having to smile and act happy for you when all I wanted was to be the one holding your hand?"
Leaning in, Hao starts pressing kisses all over Hanbin's face, the way Hanbin always does when Hao gets sad or annoyed, his ears brushing against Hanbin's. The younger immediately softens and chuckles. "I'm yours now anyway," Hao says seriously, tail curling contentedly. "And I'm never letting you go again. We wasted too much time."
Hanbin grabs onto his face too and presses a fat kiss on his cheek before his lips, his own tail wagging slightly. "Yes, you're mine now. Finally.”
****
"Okay, baba will be the mouse and we're the cat. We need to catch him, okay?" Hao explains the rules to the twins, who have already played this a million times but end up making mistakes every time. Their little ears flop with each nod, tails wiggling in excitement.
It's to be expected. They're three anyway.
"Catch me if you can!" Hanbin challenges as he jumps on the couch, his ears flying back, signalling the start of their game.
Soon, their entire house fills up with loud laughter as Hanbin tries to dodge and Hao follows after him closely, trying to catch him, his own long ears streaming behind him like ribbons. The twins are mostly just there to do what Hao does and laugh, their tiny paws reaching out clumsily.
Still the most fun Hao's had in ages. He's glad he and Hanbin got vacation time at the same time and can spend it together with the twins. He had to take them out of daycare for the two weeks, just so they can do different variations of this every day.
But it's very worth it.
Later, when the twins have finally crashed—one curled up on Hanbin's chest, the other tucked into Hao's side, both fast asleep with their ears twitching in dream—Hao finds himself watching his little family. Hanbin catches his eye across the tangled pile of limbs and blankets.
"Happy?" Hanbin whispers, his voice barely audible.
Hao doesn't answer with words. He just reaches over, careful not to wake the twins, and presses his forehead against Hanbin's. Their ears fall together—their right place.
Tietie.
Hao could do this forever.