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Jinyoung should’ve known better. He had an itching feeling throughout the night, a thought in the back of his head that told him to prepare for a storm coming. He assumed things would be reasonable, that he’d have a quiet evening to himself and sleep the days stress away after reading a good book, so he ignored the little voice screaming at him. That was a mistake.
“I expected this much from him, to be honest.”
“Sorry, bro. I told him not to go too crazy, but you know how he gets,” Jooheon said sheepishly.
Namjoon grunted as he shifted his weight, tightening his hold on his friend's waist so he wouldn’t face plant on the floor. “I don’t know how much he drank, but when we found him he was dancing on the pool table.”
“At least he didn’t strip this time.” Jooheon gave a small smile. “Well, he almost did, but Lucas stopped him.”
Jinyoung felt a headache coming on. He should’ve heeded to the voice or at least called him to make sure he didn’t go overboard. But, of course, he didn’t. Maybe it was because the voice sounded like Jaebeom and Jinyoung just subconsciously found himself not listening.
“It’s fine, his hangover tomorrow will be punishment enough. Thank you guys, you can throw him on the couch.” Jinyoung stepped aside so the two boys could enter his appointment and drag his limp noodle of a boyfriend to the sofa. They plopped him on the cushions, slightly panting and out of breath when they removed his arms from their shoulders.
“For someone his size, he’s freakin’ heavy,” Jooheon said as he hunched over with his hands on his knees. “It was a bitch to carry him up the stairs.”
Jinyoung gave him a confused look. “Why didn’t you use the elevator?”
The boy's eyebrows shot to his orange hairline. “There’s an elevator?”
“Don’t mind him, he had a few shots so he’s not the brightest at the moment.” Namjoon looked just as stressed as Jinyoung felt. He rubbed his droopy eyes then motioned for his friend to stand up. “C’mon, let's go before Amber-noona leaves us. She said something about picking up Mcdonalds and you know she’ll trade us for a chicken nugget.”
Jooheon slightly paled at the realization and practically sprinted to the door. Jinyoung saw them out, telling them to text him when they arrive home safely and send any videos of their night out. They promised with a pair of dimpled smiles and a good night, leaving Jinyoung to shut the door behind them. He trudged back into his apartment, the tall tale of a headache already starting.
Jinyoung peered over the back of the couch, expecting his boyfriend to be in a puddle of drool, but he wasn’t there. A ruckus from the kitchen caught his attention, making Jinyoung remember he didn’t put away the leftovers from his evening dinner. When he entered the kitchen, the sight before him made him choke on a laugh.
Jackson sat on the tiled floor, legs stretched out and leather jacket hanging off his shoulders. A chicken leg was stuffed in his mouth while his greasy hands tried to pry the lid off a tub of mint chocolate chip ice cream. The counter had bags of snacks littering the surface, a container of his leftover chicken was turned to its side, the contents spilled out on his clean and recently scrubbed counter. If Jinyoung wasn’t so annoyed by the state of his kitchen, he would’ve called Mark so he could witness the scene too.
Jackson noticed his presence by the wall opposite of him and narrowed his eyes. He took out the chicken from his mouth, the leg nothing but a clean bone, and pointed to the ice cream. “Help me.”
Jinyoung sighed but went over to his boyfriend, kneeling next to him and opened the lid, showing him an empty tub. Jackson looked at the black-haired man with sad eyes and a pout of his lips. Jinyoung had to refrain from patting his head and reassuring him he’d buy more tomorrow.
“Why’s it empty?” The brunette slurred, words coming out sluggish.
“You ate it all this afternoon.”
“Can you get more?”
Jinyoung finally gave in. He pushed back Jackson’s bangs from his eyes, tucking the strands behind his ears as he took the empty container from him. “Of course, we can,” he cooed, earning himself a dopey smile.
Depending on how much Jackson drinks on a night out, his personality changes. Sometimes he comes home blackout drunk and passes out in the threshold. Most nights he barges through the door so horny they have to go through three rounds just to sedate him (you don’t hear Jinyoung complaining). And on other occasions, like tonight, Jackson turns into a cute drunk idiot who likes to be babied.
“Hey,” Jackson’s head dropped to his chest along with his chicken bone, “where’s Namjoonie? He said-” a loud burp interrupted him, “he’d t-take me home.”
Jinyoung moved away from the heavy smell of alcohol on his breath, face scrunching up in mild disgust. “He did. Him and Jooheon had to lug your ass up the stairs.”
“This doesn’t look like my apartment. Everything’s too blurry”
“That’s because you can’t see two feet in front of you without your glasses, dear.”
The Chinese man lifted his head to squint at him. “I’m not a deer, I’m Jackson.”
Jinyoung pinched the bridge of his nose, his headache slightly pounded on the front of his skull. He’s dealt with worse cases than this, the night of BamBam’s birthday left everyone drowning in tequila with questionable stains on their clothes and hangovers that would make any grown man cry (Jaebeom did cry. Youngjae had to hold him the morning after just to stop his complaining), so Jinyoung can definitely handle his own boyfriend.
“I want more chickeeen!” Jackson poked Jinyoung’s cheeks. “Get me more, I want more!”
Jinyoung just has to make sure he doesn’t strangle him first.
“Nope, no chicken for you.” The pout didn’t work this time. The Korean man stood up, gripping Jackson’s bicep to haul him to his feet. The elder complained about not wanting to leave his precious food, stretching his hand out for the container like he could move it with his mind. Jinyoung looped an arm around his waist. “You can’t eat it all or else your stomach will be upset.”
“But I’m hungry. I’m so huuuungry!”
“Too bad, so sad. Deal with it, babe.”
Jackson glared at him, or tried to at least, his red face and puffed out cheeks made him look like a cute strawberry more than anything. “You’re mean. Where’s Joohoney? I need him to save me from this monster.”
“He went to McDonald's.”
The loud gasp in his ear almost made Jinyoung drop him. “Without me? I thought w-we were best friends!” Jackson shrieked, voice coming out high pitched. “I c-can’t believe this. I thought we had something special.”
“I’ll get you a breakfast burrito tomorrow, now please shut it.” Jinyoung dragged the brunette back to the couch, slipping his jacket off his shoulders and telling him to stay put. He needs to clean his kitchen before he deals with his idiot boyfriend. His priorities might be a little reversed, but he spent all night scrubbing that kitchen until it was spotless and he refuses to have grease stains on his counters. He wasn’t raised in a barn.
As he was wiping down the surface and making sure his leftover chicken was still edible, Jinyoung heard a loud thump from the hallway and a slew of curse words. He sighed for what felt like the umpteenth time that night and followed the commotion.
“Who the fuck leaves a freakin’ sword laying on the floor? I could’ve died!”
“You do. I told you countless times to put them away but you never listen.” Jinyoung cautiously took the fencing sword away from Jackson. A potential weapon-wielding drunk isn’t what the younger wants to be dealing with right now. He stuffed the gear into the closest and turned back to his boyfriend only to find him staring. “What are you looking at?
Jackson’s eyes raked over his form, taking in the baggy sweatpants and nightshirt framing his body. “You’re hot.”
Jinyoung snorted. “And you’re dumb for drinking so much. If we’re done stating the obvious, get in the bathroom.”
This time, Jackson complied with little resistance. He stumbled into the small room, using the walls as a guide so he wouldn’t faceplant into the pile of laundry Jinyoung has yet to sort out. The elder hovered over the sink, gripping the sides so tightly his knuckles turned white. His eyes screwed shut as he keeled over, a deep groan escaping his lips.
Jinyoung was at his side in an instant. “Hey, baby, I got you.”
Jackson braced himself on his forearms. His black t-shirt drenched in sweat. “I think I’m gonna sick.”
“Serves you right for partying so hard. No one told you to get wasted.” The black-haired man rubbed soothing circles on his back. He reached out to turn the sink on, splashing cool water on Jackson’s face. “C’mon, lets you cleaned up then we can sleep.”
The elder nodded. His eyes were already drooping as Jinyoung turned him around so he could sit on the surface. Jackson’s head slumped forward, the smell of alcohol was heavy on his breath, making the younger gag. He stripped the brunette of his soaked shirt, using the material to wipe his face free of grim. He should probably dump Jackson in the shower, but the last time he did that their bathroom had soap stains on the ceiling and Jinyoung almost died via loofah attack. Sometimes Jinyoung feels more like a babysitter when it comes to his boyfriend, but if he doesn’t take care of Jackson then no one else will. The man can barely take care of himself, without Jinyoung he can’t even function correctly.
“No no no,” Jackson mumbled when younger tried to unbutton his jeans. “I can d-do it.”
The Korean man watched as the elder fumbled with his button and zipper, shucking off his jeans with more effort than necessary. His feet got tangled in the leg holes, resulting in Jackson cursing up a storm that would make a sailor blush. Jinyoung found the whole scene very entertaining, however, he was tired and watching his boyfriend struggle to remove his pants isn’t helping his headache.
“Here, let me.” He bent down to free Jackson’s feet and discard his socks, getting a garbled thank you in reply. He threw the clothes in the growing pile nestled in the corner and straightened up only to come face to face with big doe eyes. Jinyoung raised an eyebrow. “Why do you keep looking at me like that?”
“You’re just,” Jackson blinked, his Adam’s apple bobbed, “really pretty.”
Jinyoung rolled his eyes. Jackson’s drunken flattery isn’t going to let him off the hook from a scolding tomorrow, but the younger couldn’t help but feel his cheeks heat up. “I know I am, you tell me every day.”
The Chinese man furrowed his eyebrows. He seemed confused, almost lost. Before he could ask the question on the tip of his tongue, Jinyoung shoved a toothbrush in his mouth. He might’ve choked, but that’s the price to pay to get rid of his awful breath. If he didn’t smell like a walking bar, Jinyoung would’ve kissed him senseless by now.
He continued to clean up his mess of a boyfriend by washing his face and mouth, then applied his moisturizer. Jinyoung knows Jackson’s nightly routine so well he could do it in his sleep. The number of times the elder griped about his dry skin after a night of partying made Jinyoung memorize every little detail down to how many dabs of acne cream he smears on his cheeks. It’s a hassle to take care of someone half asleep, but Jinyoung would never hesitate to tend to Jackson. He does so much for the younger, more than he probably deserves, this is the least Jinyoung can do to even the playing fields.
“Ya know,” the brunette began, words coming out sluggish, “I have a shirt just like this.” Jackson’s hand came up to tug at the hem of the clothing. His movements were slow, he seemed almost hesitant. He dropped the limb before Jinyoung could mull over the thought.
“You should have one, but I’m wearing it.” Jinyoung brushed back his bangs, hand drifting down to cup his cheek. Jackson leaned into the touch with a sigh escaping his lips, but just as soon as he relished into the warmth, he jolted away.
“I need water.”
Jinyoung gave him a look. Normally when Jackson comes home, he’s all over Jinyoung. Hands grabbing his sides and thighs, lips never leaving his neck. He’s a constant presence in Jinyoung’s bubble, but tonight he’s a bit more distant. He didn’t even greet the black-haired man with a kiss like usual. The man isn’t a lightweight, he can drink most people under the table (except Youngjae, that boy is scary), so whatever he drank must’ve been really strong to make him this indifferent.
“I’ll get you some, can you make it to the room?”
Jackson nodded and pushed himself off the sink counter. He sobered up a bit but he still stumbled to the doorway. When half his body collided with the frame and a pained, “Where’s the room?” came from him, Jinyoung grabbed his hand and led the way. He lied, without him, Jackson would be somewhere in a ditch.
He entered the room, flicking on their bedside lamp, and plopped his boyfriend on the edge of the bed, telling him to sit and be good, earning himself a grunt of agreement. Jinyoung went to the kitchen and snatched a bottle of water, he even grabbed some soda crackers from the pantry to sooth the elder’s up and coming stomachache he’ll have in the morning. When he returned to the room, he found Jackson right where he left him, teetering on the thin line of sleep while mumbling incoherent words.
“Here, drink it all.” Jinyoung knelt in front of him, bringing the bottle to the elder’s lips. Jackson snatched the drink, downing the whole thing in a few seconds. Jinyoung did the same with the crackers, then chuckled when Jackson nibbled on the snack. “Sorry, it's not chicken flavored.”
Jackson continued to look at him as he chewed. A few crumbs fell from his mouth. When Jinyoung tried to wipe them away, the Chinese man pushed his hand. The younger frowned but didn’t think much of it. He stood up and announced he needed to brush his teeth before going to bed, then left Jackson alone once again.
As he scrubbed away the stale taste of his tea, Jinyoung’s mind couldn’t help but wonder into why Jackson is acting strange. He left the house in good spirits and the Korean man knows for a fact that he didn’t miss important dates or events, so it boggles him as to why his boyfriend is rejecting his affection. Jackson jumps at any sort of contact between the pair, even if it’s small. Maybe Jinyoung somehow upset him without realizing it, the elder takes the smallest things to heart, it wouldn’t be the first time they had a fallout due to something neither of them knew the cause of.
Jinyoung pushed his thoughts to the side, opting to speak to Jackson about it tomorrow. Right now, his headache subsided briefly and his eyes are beginning to droop. If Jinyoung doesn’t get to bed soon then he’ll wake up cranky and Jackson doesn’t need that first thing in the morning followed by a killer hangover. The black-haired man washed out his mouth and returned to the shared bedroom but stopped in his tracks.
“What are you doing?” Jackson stood in the middle of the room, clutching one of Jinyoung’s jackets to his bare chest. The elder continued to look at him with a dazed expression, eyes half-closed. Jinyoung let out an annoyed huff. “Sseun-ah.”
Jackson jolted at the nickname. He shook his head then seemed to regain his bearings. “My boyfriend calls me that.”
“Yes, I know. Now go to sleep.” Jinyoung walked past him to turn off the lamp and crawled under the covers. He snuggled into the pillows, bringing the blanket up to his chin and relaxed into the mattress. He expected Jackson to join him, but when there was no movement on his side of the bed, the younger grew worried. He sat up only to find the Chinese man standing in the same spot. “What are you waiting for? Get in bed.”
Jackson slightly swayed. He fidgeted with the sleeves of the jacket, picking at the lint balls with his head bowed low. “Um, listen,” his tone was dejected. Jinyoung’s heart fell. “I’m r-really grateful of you t-taking care of me and you seem nice but…” Jackson trailed off and finally made eye contact, his voice was firm when he said, “I have a boyfriend so I can’t sleep with you.”
Jinyoung did a double-take. “What the hell are you talking about?”
Jackson frantically waved his hands. He didn’t let go of the jacket. “Don’t take it the wrong way! You're really hot and kind and, like, really hot.” The brunette’s gaze trailed over his face once more but then blinked and went back to his panicked explanations. “I don’t even know your name or where I am because everything is mashed together but you looked out for me so you’re cool, I guess.”
Jinyoung sat frozen in bed, not knowing how to react to anything Jackson just said. However, he does know one thing: he’s dating a complete idiot. An adorable and loveable idiot who thinks he’s in someone else's home instead of his own and refuses to share a bed with his partner who’s deemed a complete stranger. Jinyoung expected a lot of things from this relationship when they first started dating, but nights like this definitely wasn’t one of them.
“I hope you can understand. My boyfriend would be mad at me if I slept with someone else. I don’t wanna make him mad.” Even when he’s piss ass drunk, Jackson is still a considerate gentleman. He’s still a dumbass though. “Jinyoungie is scary when he’s mad.”
The younger finally lost it and erupted into laughter. He doubled over into the sheets, clutching his sides and shoved his face into the pillows to muffle his loud cackles. Jinyoung hasn’t laughed this hard in ages, he’s never going to let Jackson live this down. He’ll constantly remind the elder of the night he came home so wasted he didn’t even recognize his own home and boyfriend. Jinyoung couldn’t wait to tell the kids, BamBam and Yugyeom will get a kick out of this. Jinyoung laughed a bit harder.
When the Korean man calmed down and wiped the stray tears from his eyes, he noticed Jackson laying on the floor next to the bed. “My boyfriend has the same laugh. You two would make good friends.”
“Really now?” Jinyoung rolled over to the other side, a smile full of mirth started to spread across his face as he watched Jackson nuzzle into the jacket. He stole a pillow from the headboard and made himself a small bed on the floor. He’s going to gripe about his back in the morning, but that should be the least of his worries when he wakes up. The black-haired man had to resist the urge to lay down with him. “If he managed to land you then he’s a lucky guy.”
“I’m the lucky one.” Jackson’s dopey chuckle made Jinyoung’s heart skip a beat. “He’s amazing and smart and beautiful and,” a dreamy sigh escaped him, “I love him.”
Jinyoung had to push down the tidal wave of emotions welling up inside him. He hid his own goofy smile behind a stray pillow but the moonlight seeping through the curtains shined right on his red ears. No matter how many times he hears those words, butterflies will always erupt in his stomach like back when they were kids. After all these years, Jackson still knows how to make him feel like a giddy teenager.
He shifted onto his back with a grunt. His eyes were puffy as he stared at the ceiling, but they held a small spark that took the younger’s breath away. “Jinyoung’s something special. He’s really nice and funny, even if he reminds me of my grandpa. He can be mean sometimes, like when I accidentally spilled coffee on his new book and he threatened to skewer me.” Jinyoung scoffed. He wasn’t serious about that threat, but the multiple swords laying around their apartment would’ve made it easy.
“He also gives the best blowjobs. Like, the best I’ve ever had!” The younger swelled with pride. It’s nice to know his none gag reflex is good for something. Jackson’s giggle from the floor caught his attention. “He’s pretty too, like, reeeaaally pretty. Royalty pretty! Prince pretty!”
Jinyoung’s blush deepened. One thing he likes about Jackson when he’s drunk is that he rambles more than usual when he comes down. On any other night, he’d try to make the elder sleep by smothering him with a pillow, but tonight is an exception.
“His hair is always perfect, even in the morning when he wakes up, which is really unfair. He has this dimple on his right cheek that pops out when he eats too. It’s so cute! And his smile! God, his smile is beautiful. It can light up an entire room. And when he smiles his eye whiskers show and I can’t stop looking at him because if I do then I might miss something.” Jackson’s enthusiasm grew the more he spoke of Jinyoung. His voice got louder and his grin grew wider with each second, his eyes shined with a sort of spark that the Korean man has only seen in movies. Jackson’s so far gone for him there’s no denying he’s in love.
It makes Jinyoung dizzy to feel wanted, to have his feelings reciprocated ten folds. If someone told him he’d end up with the annoyingly loud kid with the high pitched cackle back in middle school, Jinyoung wouldn’t believe them. If someone said he’d end up loving that kid in high school and moving in with him in college, he’d call that person crazy. Jinyoung never thought of being in a serious relationship, let alone with Jackson. He’s constantly on his toes around the brunette because he doesn’t know what he’ll spring on him next. Expect the unexpected, they always say.
Another dreamy sigh broke the momentary silence in the room. “I love him. A lot. More than I’ve ever loved anyone. Jinyoung’s special to me. He’s my best friend, the love of my life, the reason I wake up in the morning. He’s my everything.” Jackson was quiet for a heartbeat then, with more assurance than a drunk man should, he said, “I’m gonna marry him.”
Jinyoung’s world spiraled beneath him. He croaked out a strangled, “What?”
Jackson nodded. “Yeah, I’m gonna marry him. I even bought a ring a few weeks ago with my hyung, Jaebeom. Though I don’t know why I need to call him hyung when we’re born in the same year. We’re only, like, two months apart.” The man frowned but continued his rambling. “I hope he says yes. I don’t have much to offer him expect myself.” He let loose a dry chuckle. Jinyoung felt tears prickle his eyes. “He deserves the world, but he is my world. Sometimes I don’t know if I can give him a happy life. I know we have petty fights about stupid things that don’t even make sense but that comes with the relationship, ya know?”
Jackson glanced at him and the only thing Jinyoung could do was nod. He knew if he tried to speak then he’d start crying.
“Jinyoung needs someone who’ll love him and take care of him and makes sure he’s always happy.” A tired yawn broke his thoughts. Jackson rolled to his side, facing the bed, and clutched the jacket close to his chest. “I wanna be that someone for him, someone he can’t live without because I sure as hell can’t live without him. I wanna love him forever, until my last breath.” Dramatic as always, even when he’s one second away from sleep. Another yawn then his breathing evened out and his body relaxed. Before Jackson fell into dreamland, with a sleep-induced voice, he said, “I wanna spend the rest of my life with him. To infinity… and beyond.”
The fact that Jackson ended his confession with Buzz Lightyear’s famous line shouldn’t be romantic, but Jinyoung couldn’t help but swoon. The tears finally fell when snores filled the room. He stuffed his face into the pillow he’s been holding and emitted a strangled sound somewhere between a squeal and laugh.
Jackson wants to marry Jinyoung. To have a life with him. To spend the rest of their lives together. Jinyoung doesn’t know if he should jump for joy or phone his so-called best friend Jaebeom and scream at him for keeping a secret this huge. He should’ve known something was up when he came home to find those two talking about a party planned in fall but wholeheartedly denied of planning such an event when questioned about it. The way Jaebeom bolted out of their apartment the moment Jinyoung stared him down should’ve been a huge red flag, yet the younger chose to ignore it. He assumed they were planning something for his birthday, now he knows it’s much bigger than he thought.
Jinyoung picked up his head from his tear-stained pillow and gazed down at the love of his life. Jackson had a trail of drool dripping down his lip and one of his eyelids was open just a crack, yet he somehow manages to look handsome. A tsunami of emotions, both old and new, crashed over Jinyoung, making his throat tighten and eyes well up with fresh tears. He reached for Jackson and stroked his cheek.
“You really are an idiot for thinking I won’t say yes. I would never say no.”
A loud and pained groan erupted from the bedroom. Jinyoung counted to five until he heard heavy footsteps and more groaning from behind him, then a warm weight rested on his back.
“How was your sleep?”
One more distressed sound escaped Jackson as he nuzzled his face into Jinyoung’s back. The younger tried to ignore him in favor of not burning the eggs he’s trying to scramble, but when weak arms wrapped around his middle, he caved. Jinyoung lowered the heat then turned in the embrace, allowing the Chinese man to bury his head in the crook of his neck.
“How are you feeling?”
“Like shit.”
“You look like shit too.”
“Fuck you.”
“Maybe later, babe, it’s too early right now.”
Jackson dug his chin into Jinyoung’s shoulder eliciting a grunt of discomfort from the younger. “My head hurts and my back feels like I slept on a pile of rocks.”
“Do you want a massage?”
The elder hummed in agreement. “Later. I’m starving right now.”
“Breakfast will be ready soon. Go sit down, I’ll bring you a plate.” Jinyoung pulled back to place a chaste kiss on Jackson’s forehead.
The look of pure joy on his face made Jinyoung giggle. Jackson returned the kiss despite the Korean man’s protest of morning breath then went to the small dining table nestled in the corner of the kitchen. He finished breakfast and brought the steaming plates over to his boyfriend, whose back was arched in a perfect distressed curve, making Jinyoung snort. He’s had worse hangovers than this, he just wants to be babied.
“Whatever I did in my past life to deserve you,” Jackson said around a mouthful of eggs and bread, “I’m glad I did it. You always make the best hangover breakfasts.”
“Your flattery won’t get you off the hook. You came home wasted as hell, made a mess of my kitchen, and continued to be a pain in the ass all night.”
He swallowed his food before sheepishly saying, “It was worth a shot.”
Jinyoung rolled his eyes and continued to eat. The room was quiet save for the sound of utensils against their plates. Jackson scarfed down everything in sight like a man who hasn’t eaten in weeks. Some rice stuck to his chin but Jinyoung didn’t bother to wipe it away because more would just follow suit. As they basked in the warm morning light coming through the kitchen window, or Jinyoung did at least, Jackson kept telling the sun to fuck off because apparently it was too bright for ten in the morning, the younger realized how he’s grown accustomed to this routine.
Every day they wake up next to each other and have breakfast then go to their classes. They wash each other’s clothes, grocery shop together, clean the house, lazy around, bicker about menial things then do it all over again. Jinyoung acts indifferent when Jackson wants attention and Jackson continues to pick at the stubborn knot that Jinyoung puts up. It’s a day to day thing with them, their own flow that’s been going smoothly since they began dating three years ago. The domesticity and comfortable living space is something Jinyoung fell into easily without a second thought the moment they moved in together.
They act like a married couple with the constant teasing and unconditional love and support they share, hell, they’ve practically been married since high school. He remembers Yugyeom and BamBam’s shouts of disgust whenever they’d openly call each other their best friends and display of platonic affection in the form of shy cheek kisses.
Signing a piece of paper and getting matching rings won’t change anything. They’d still act the same but it’s the thought of making it official is what caught Jinyoung. He won’t lie, he’s found himself daydreaming about a married life with Jackson, calling him his husband, with the occasional idea of raising a family, but as soon as the thoughts come, they vanish. The brunette’s fencing career is just kicking off and they need to focus on graduating soon, exams won’t wait just because they decide to get married. However, they can’t wait either.
Even if Jinyoung overthinks every little thing, he still won’t say no. He knows if Jackson were too pull out a ring and get down on one knee in the middle of their kitchen in just his underwear, Jinyoung would call it the best proposal he'd ever seen. He loves this hyper, loud, overbearing, and endearing goofball with all his heart and then some. If Jackson wants to make it official, wants to call Jinyoung his forever, then who is he to decline? Jinyoung wants it just as much.
A poke to his cheek is what broke the younger out of his thoughts. “What’s with the Joker smile? You’re kinda creeping me out.”
He didn’t even realize he was smiling. “N-nothing. I was just,” Jinyoung can’t tell Jackson he knows about wanting to get married, that’ll just cause the elder to go into a panic and neither of them needs that right now. The Korean man took a sip of orange juice then cleared his throat. “I was just thinking of those embarrassing videos from last night on Jooheon’s story.”
The last time Jackson paled that fast was when he was down with the flu, Jinyoung should be concerned, but the way he scrambled for his forgotten phone made him laugh. Then when the anguish filled whine from his boyfriend came from the living room, Jinyoung laughed even more.
“I’m gonna kill him. I’ll go to his house and choke the living hell outta him.”
“Good luck with that, Sseunie!” The Korean man called from the kitchen as he washed the dishes. “You’ll need to get past Minhyuk-hyung first.”
Another yell of frustration and more chuckles echoed throughout the apartment. When Jinyoung walked into the parlor, he found Jackson curled into a ball on the couch glaring at his phone. His fiery eyes would have more effect if his hair wasn’t a rats nest and his pout wasn’t so cute. Jinyoung gives him credit for the effort though.
“If I distract Minhyuk-hyung with something shiny then I could probably get to Jooheon before I die.”
“There’s a fifty percent chance you’ll get past him but then there’s Hyunwoo-hyung and you know he won’t let anyone harm a hair on Jooheon’s head.”
Jackson threw down his phone then threw himself into Jinyoung’s lap. He draped his upper body over the younger’s legs and kicked his feet in annoyance. “Let me guess, he sent you everything from last night?”
“No.” The hopeful look in his eye made Jinyoung give him a devilish grin. “Him, Namjoon, and Lucas sent me everything.”
The black-haired man fished his phone out and played a video of Jackson body rolling on top of a pool table, attempting to remove his shirt. The cheers of the crowd seemed to fuel the flame but he was so rudely interrupted by the younger Chinese boy hoisting Jackson over his shoulder and carrying him off-camera.
Jinyoung patted Jackson’s head as the elder hid his strawberry red face. “I know you can do better strip shows than that.”
A quick pinch to his thigh elicited a small yelp from the other man. “I’m never drinking again. This is the last time I’m going out.”
“Sseun-ah, we both know you’re lying. You’ll be back at the club by next week.”
“I know,” Jackson bemoaned. “But it was a nice thought.” He shifted in his seat so he was comfortably laying on his back with his head perched on Jinyoung’s thighs. “I didn’t anything else stupid, did I? Please tell me I didn’t repeat the New Years' party.”
Jinyoung giggled. “I don’t think you can top setting a whole tree on fire. You just came home, stuffed your face with chicken, and almost cried because there was no mint chip ice cream left.”
“Oh, that doesn’t sound—”
“You also thought I was a complete stranger and refused to sleep in the same bed with me.”
“Never mind.”
The younger carded his hand through Jackson’s hair, enjoying how his cheeks glowed red as he explained the eventful night. His face only grew brighter when Jinyoung retold his confession of having a boyfriend who’d be mad at him if he slept in someone else’s bed. It was adorable how Jackson turned and buried his face into the black-haired man’s stomach, trying to hide from his ever-growing embarrassment.
“Did I say anything dumb? Just tell me what dark secret I revealed and let me suffer in peace.”
“You didn’t reveal anything I didn’t know in the first place.” Jinyoung doesn’t like lying to his boyfriend, but he’d rather not tell him just yet. He’ll wait till fall and maybe after Jackson proposes, then he’ll tell him he knew along.
Jackson shot straight up and looked the younger in eye. “Jinyoungie, I’m serious. There’s too much information I know about our friends that you definitely can’t know .”
“Why can’t I know?”
“They think you’ll blackmail them into doing your bidding.” Jinyoung can’t argue with that. If he had enough dirt on the kids, then he would’ve been making them do his homework for years. Jackson clutched his bicep with more force than necessary and leaned into his personal space. “Tell me what I said.”
Jinyoung mulled over the outcomes then sighed. “You thought out loud a lot. You said you loved me and went on a tangent about how I’m your everything.” The Korean man swallowed the small lump in his throat. “You also said you hope I say yes.”
Jackson’s eyes widened. “Say yes to what? What did I ask you?”
If this was any other situation, Jinyoung would be teasing him by now. He knows Jackson’s mind is racing, trying to think of ways to worm himself out of an awkward moment if Jinyoung tells him about his plan to propose. No matter how much the younger wants to blurt out his knowledge, he’ll refrain. Jackson must have a whole scheme ready in September, something both him and Jaebeom and probably all their other friends helped plan. He can’t ruin that. Besides, Jinyoung would enjoy a nice fall background to go along with his ring when Jackson pops the question.
The black-haired man took Jackson’s hand in his. “You asked if we can buy more mint chip ice cream.”
Even if he tried to hide it, a visible weight lifted off Jackson’s shoulders. He sighed then slumped against Jinyoung’s side, attaching himself to the younger like a starfish. “Well, can we? I’m in the mood for the best ice cream flavor in the world.”
“I can’t believe I’m dating someone who actually likes that stuff. It’s disgusting.”
“I’m sorry you have poor taste in ice cream.”
“And poor taste in boyfriends.”
Jackson scoffed. “That’s not what you said last week when I fucked you into the mattress.”
Jinyoung flicked his forehead. “You also said I’d come first. Guess we both lied.”
The Korean man couldn’t even get a full chuckle out before he was pushed onto the couch cushions and lips attached to his. It was short and rough and held the faint taste of orange juice mixed in with morning breath, but it still left Jinyoung woozy. When they parted, Jackson let out an annoyed huff.
“You’re lucky I’m craving ice cream or else I would redeem myself.”
“Sex with a hangover isn’t good for you, Sseun-ah.”
Jackson’s eyes glazed over with a sort of fondness that made Jinyoung’s breath hitch. “Four years ago Jaebeom said you weren’t good for me, yet here we are.”
Jinyoung grinned, his eyes matched Jackson’s own. “And here we’ll stay. To infinity and beyond.”
“Did you just quote Buzz Lightyear?”
The black-haired man’s smile widened. He wrapped his arms around Jackson’s bare shoulders and brought him close. “Yes. The answer to that question and all future questions is yes.”
“Does that mean we can finally get a puppy?” The hopefulness in his voice and how Jackson’s lips moved down his neck almost made Jinyoung agree. Almost.
“For the last time, we’re not getting a pet. We can barely take care of ourselves, we can’t take care of a puppy. We can get one in the future if we don’t end up in college debt.” Jackson stopped littering kisses along the column of his throat to peer at Jinyoung. A shiver ran down his spine at the intense way Jackson’s irises changed color from a dark brown to coffee shade when the sunlight hit them just right.
“As long as you’re in my future, I don’t care where we end up.”
Jinyoung’s face scrunched up in disgust, despite his heart skipping multiple beats. “You’re so cheesy. Get off me and go shower or else we’re not getting your ice cream.”
Jackson has never jumped up faster. He sprinted down the hallway but only made it halfway through before he ran back to Jinyoung’s side and leaned over the armrest.
“I don’t remember much from last night, but I do know I didn’t kiss you hello or goodnight. So,” Jackson pecked him once, “hello,” another peck, “ and goodnight.”
He then turned on his heel and walked away with a smug smile on his face. Jinyoung had to fully take in the last few seconds then he felt a deep blush journey over his cheeks and to the tips of his ears. Jackson continues to surprise him at every turn he takes, making Jinyoung fall a bit more in love with his boyfriend every day.
A giddy feeling overtook his body. He let out a small laugh of excitement and couldn’t help the huge grin spread over his face. Jinyoung won’t be calling the brunette his boyfriend anymore. He needs to get used to calling Jackson his fiancé for a few months, then his husband for the rest of their lives.