Work Text:
1. small
OD winced as he rubbed the medicinal swab over his scraped knee. It stung but he still endured as he softly blew over his wound. He was seated on a bench in a corner of the park, pant rolled up high, his backpack on his left and the little first-aid kit he always carried around placed on his lap.
OD nervously bit his lower lip as his fingers played with a band-aid.
What was he supposed to tell hyung? That he fell? Again?
The man would not believe him.
He snapped out of his thoughts when a stray cat affectionately rubbed against his leg. OD violently jerked at the sudden contact, startling both the cat and himself.
He felt quite sorry for the little thing that hissed and shot off into the bush behind him.
"I should head back." He told himself as he reluctantly shut the first-aid kit and packed it into his backpack.
A part of him wondered what his hyung would say when he saw his sorry state; another hoped the man wouldn't know he had gotten hurt again once he rolled down his pants and hid all evidence.
The park wasn't far off from the apartment he shared with his hyung.
OD liked to come here quite often when he wanted to sort out his thoughts, or just escape from, well, life.
Was it cowardly of him?
...
The walk home was short.
To his surprise, he ended up running into his hyung much earlier than he'd imagined to — at the door. The other seemed to have just returned from the supermarket, what with the big paper bags of groceries he was carrying on each arm.
"Ah, you just got back?" SP asked, an eyebrow raised as he eyed the teen.
OD unconsciously shrunk in on himself as he managed a nod, his eyes not quite meeting SP's.
"Help me open the door."
OD quickly reached out and turned the knob after using his own set of keys to unlock the door. He hesitantly turned around and stretched his hands towards his hyung, hoping to offer some help.
The older man stared at him for a moment and then, in the next —
OD felt his cheeks heat up when he was suddenly engulfed in a warm embrace. It wasn't the most comfortable because of the grocery bags squeezing him in from the sides, but, but this was okay.
He also felt the unmistakably soft press of a kiss on the top of his head.
OD quickly stepped back, face as red as a tomato as he stuttered, "H-Hyung!"
The older man only chuckled at his reaction.
"I was trying to help you carry those bags!" OD exclaimed, feeling very flustered.
"Oh, I thought you wanted a 'welcome home' greeting." The man said nonchalantly as he headed in.
OD spluttered indignantly.
"These are too heavy for you anyway, just leave it to your hyung."
OD huffed before following in and shutting the door behind him.
2. unruly
"Hyung."
The man's eyebrows furrowed. His eyelashes quivered, a sign that he was waking up.
OD called out again, voice slightly above a whisper, "Hyung."
This time he even used a finger to poke at the man's arm. As he did, he shook his head to chase away certain thoughts that assaulted his mind. His hyung's muscles were just very toned… and very distracting.
OD, however, couldn't fight away the faint blush that dusted his fair cheeks.
"Mnh?" SP managed to crack an eye open.
The teen wasn't expecting him to wake up so quickly. He found himself momentarily unprepared and at a loss of words when faced by his hyung's sleepy but questioning gaze. "Ah."
"What is it, pup?" The older man asked, his voice extremely low from having just woken up. He turned to his side to face OD. "Did you have a nightmare?"
"I told you not to call me pup." OD grumbled in reply, a pinched expression on his face as he stood up from his kneeling position. He sat himself on the edge of SP's bed and reached out to turn off the table lamp.
SP hummed and shifted inwards to make more room for the teen. The man rested his head on his palm propped up by his elbow, waiting for an explanation for having been woken up in the middle of the night.
There was a stretch of silence.
SP didn't push for an answer.
He just waited, like he always did.
"Hyung," the teen cleared his throat and softly asked, "can I sleep here tonight? I, I had a dream…"
The older man didn't inquire any further. His gaze said that he understood. He only lifted up the end of the blanket, welcoming OD to his side.
OD quickly buried himself into his hyung's side.
He hadn't quite realized his hands were shaking this entire time.
SP noticed this and gently cupped them with his own much larger and warmer ones.
"Your hands are cold."
"It's already autumn."
"And what have I told you about wearing socks?" SP sighed. "Your feet are freezing."
"I don't like wearing socks to bed," OD replied, voice muffled. He thumped his forehead against his hyung's chest as though to take out his grievances on the man.
"Pup–"
"Hyung!" OD exclaimed, lifting his head and throwing the man an accusatory look. "How many times do I have to tell you not to call me pup!?"
"But you don't want me to call you kid." SP coolly held his glare.
"That's because I'm not a kid anymore." OD refuted.
He kept silent after that short outburst. He wasn't a kid anymore but here he was, cuddli— sleeping next to his hyung after a bad dream! How mature for a sixteen year old!
"Hmph."
One of SP's hands quietly found its way to OD's bedhead, fingers gently threading through.
"Alright, alright." SP hummed. "Sleep now, pup."
OD gave a small whine but didn't complain any further.
3. kindhearted
The first time SP showed a side that OD would have never believed he possessed was a month after they had started living together.
OD remembers this because he had, frankly speaking, never even thought the man was capable of being so gentle. Well, they had just been getting to know each other better in the first place.
This was about three years ago.
He had come down with a fever much later that evening after forgetting to carry his umbrella and getting soaked in the rain, as a result. Thankfully, his hyung wasn't around when he returned home. OD didn't want the older man to worry, seeing how he had already gone out of his way to take him in.
OD quietly changed into a set of dry clothing, dumped his soaked uniform into the washing machine, and tottered into the kitchen to clean up his empty lunchbox as he waited.
The apartment the two of them stayed in was a relatively large one. OD didn't know much of his hyung yet, but he could tell the man was wealthy. And he didn't have a family.
Probably.
SP never spoke of them or had any pictures that hinted of his family lying around in the house, so OD could only make a guess.
(A hopeful guess that maybe, maybe SP was just like him. That maybe SP had no one else… except him.)
The older man had just suddenly appeared in his life one evening, scared off his bullies, picked up his bag and offered him a hand.
"Come."
OD didn't know who he was or why he even followed this strangely intimidating, but kind — unusually kind man. Maybe there had been something about him that resonated so strongly with OD.
Maybe (just maybe) he was someone OD wanted to be.
So he had followed him anyway.
And this was something he would never come to regret.
By the time his hyung returned home and dinner was ready, OD felt his head throbbing. He brushed it off as nothing and drank a whole glass of water, thinking he was just dehydrated.
"Is something wrong?" SP asked from across the dining table, having observed that OD's expression seemed off.
"Ah?" OD looked up, a little confused. One could easily see how his eyes looked bloodshot. He shook his head almost immediately after processing his hyung's question. "It's nothing, hyung. I'm fine."
OD really didn't want to pose a problem for SP.
But there was now a frown on SP's face.
"I– My head just hurts…" OD replied as he shrunk in on himself. "It's nothing, really."
The next moment, SP rose from his seat and slightly leaned over the table, pressing the back of his hand against OD's forehead.
The teen found himself at a loss for words, his eyes wide open in surprise.
"Kid," SP sighed, taking back his hand. "Your forehead is burning up. You have a fever."
OD could only foolishly stare at him.
4. elated
"Did you walk home in the rain?"
"I… uhm, it's not much of a big deal…" OD lowered his head and shifted his gaze to his meal that had barely even been touched. His fists, placed on his lap, were clenched tight. He had done it now, right?
"Kid."
Even after trying not to cause his hyung any trouble this whole time…
"And, and school is just a ten minute walk from hom – here." OD replied before pursing his lips and keeping quiet.
There was the sound of SP's chair dragging against the floor, footsteps that followed and then the feeling of a soft knock of knuckles against OD's head.
OD looked up, his eyes unintentionally watery.
"Come, I'll take you to rest in your room." SP said in a soft tone. "Stay under the blankets and wait for me while I make some rice porridge for you."
"B-But dinner?"
SP raised a brow which made the teen flustered because he thought he had just said something idiotic.
"You haven't even eaten much of it." The older man said as he unexpectedly ruffled OD's hair. "And it's not suitable for you to eat this when you're sick. Don't worry about it."
OD hesitantly nodded before getting up from his seat. "Hyung, you don't have to drop me off to my room, I can — ah !"
However, before he could even complete his sentence, his foot hit one of the chair's legs, making him lose balance and fall forward.
Right into SP's embrace.
(This was the first time they ever hugged, albeit it being an accident.)
"..."
"You can?"
"Hyung!" OD hated how his tone sounded more like a coy whine than a protest.
He tried to straighten himself but was overcome with a wave of tiredness, and feeling pretty lightheaded, ended up leaning against his hyung again.
Talk about embarrassing.
"Can you walk?" SP asked with all seriousness after the initial tease. He could feel OD's high body temperature seeping through his clothes now that they were sticking close to each other.
"It's…" OD's reply faltered at SP's gaze.
Would it be okay if he spoke the truth?
"…no. I'm tired."
When OD peeked at SP, he was stunned to find a genuine smile on the man's face. He was caught so off guard that he didn't hear SP's words and could only give a silly nod.
Which was a mistake (or a blessing in disguise?) because in the next moment…
"Ah!"
The man was scooping him up into his arms, carrying him like he was some — p-p-princess!?
"Don't struggle, I don't want to accidentally drop you."
OD was so flabbergasted, he could only splutter incoherently the whole way.
This was very, very embarrassing.
But this was…
"Thank you… hyung."
OD wondered if this bursting feeling in his chest was what one called — happiness.
5. adaptable.
OD snorted in amusement as he recalled how mortified the fifteen-year old him had felt that night, three years ago.
"What are you thinking of?" SP casually asked as he came to sit next to him on the couch, two mugs of coffee in his hands. He carefully passed one over to OD.
"Thank you, hyung." OD replied with a bright smile.
"So?"
OD cupped the mug with both hands and took a sip of his drink. "Just something funny."
"That's rare."
"Hyung, that's mean."
SP stifled his smirk behind his mug of coffee. "Sure."
The two of them sat close, shoulders and thighs touching. There was a comfortable silence as they leisurely finished their drinks.
"Meow!"
A large and fluffy white cat loudly mewed as it padded into the living room, breaking the silence that had settled. It hopped up to the sofa, purring loudly, and settled down on SP's lap like it belonged there.
"Biyoo-ah. Don't disturb hyung —"
The cat only flicked its tail at OD and shot him a look that said it didn't care if it was a bother or not. While it was pretty fond of OD in the first place, it had long learned that the skinny eighteen-year old did not give out as much body heat as SP.
And cats liked warmer people better.
OD let out a long exhale, knowing that he wouldn't be able to get the cat to go away. Sometimes, just sometimes, he wondered if he hadn't come across the injured Biyoo and taken it in — would he have had more alone time to spend together with his hyung now?
Cough.
…at least he was being honest with himself.
"Biyoo-ah." OD called as he reached out and scratched under the cat's chin. He muttered his next words so that only the cat would hear him (which seemed unlikely, seeing how SP was right next to him). "Stop acting so spoiled."
"Let it be." SP said and OD could hear the smile in his voice.
"Don't want to." OD said as wrinkled his nose. It was, after all, rare to be able to sit and relax with his hyung on a weekday like this.
"Aren't you the one acting spoiled now?" SP laughed.
OD looked at him straight in the eyes and (perhaps it was confidence from the caffeine) responded, "Yes."
SP met his gaze without any hesitation.
"Yes hyung, I'm the one acting spoiled now." OD spoke as he huddled closer to the older man. "What are you going to do about it?"
SP stared down at OD, eyes dark with something and a corner of his lip slightly lifting. "What should I do about it?"
"You tell me."
The next thing he knew, SP was lowering his head and OD could feel his own heart hammering against his chest…
"Be a good pup."
— was all SP whispered before drawing back and laughing at OD's stunned expression.
"..."
OD hated his hyung sometimes.
Really.
6. brash.
SP sat crouched next to Biyoo as he opened a can of wet cat food and emptied it into its bowl. The cat mewed in satisfaction.
"Eat up." He said as he stroked its fur.
The distinct sound of the front door opening made him look up to see OD who had just returned. The kid was in his final year of high-school now and would graduate come February.
"Welcome back." SP greeted him first.
OD looked at the man and opened his mouth as though to say something, but after a brief second, he stomped off to his own room without saying a word.
SP didn't mind his childish behavior.
It had been a few days since he had teased OD, and the little pup had stopped talking to him altogether.
"It's hard not to tease him," SP told Biyoo who seemed more interested in its meal, "when he looks like that."
Long eyelashes hanging low over his eyes that would glaze over with a watery sheen every time anyone (to be fair, it was only around SP that OD ever put up such a front) poked fun at him — and his little puffed up cheeks and furrowed brows.
OD's bedroom door suddenly opened and the boy poked his head out with the same puffed up cheeks that SP had just thought of.
"Hyung, I won't be having dinner tonight."
SP raised his brows. "Why not?"
The door slammed shut in reply.
"This brat…" SP huffed as he stood, hands supported on his knees, before straightening up.
The clock on the wall showed that it was six o'clock in the evening. OD had returned earlier than usual.
SP knocked on OD's door.
There was no response.
"Pup?"
He knocked again.
"Are you okay?"
"I'm fine," came OD's muffled reply.
"Did something happen at school? Or are you feeling unwell?" SP continued enquiring, completely ignoring the other's unconvincing reply. "Do you want hyung to bring you medicine?"
"Hyung," OD's voice sounded clearer now, and irritated too, "I'm fine."
"Say that to my face and I'll believe you."
A whole minute passed before the door slowly opened and an irritated OD greeted him.
"What happened?"
OD scoffed at his concern.
"What happened?" OD repeated. " You're asking me what happened?"
SP's eyes narrowed. "Did someone bully you?"
OD threw him an incredulous look.
"Did 'someone' bully 'me'?"
"Well?"
"Hyung, you — you're so frustrating!" Then, OD abruptly grabbed him by the neckline of his sweatshirt and tugged him close, their noses almost touching. "I—" But he paused, shut his eyes and loudly exhaled.
When OD opened his eyes again, there was a look of resignation in them. He slowly let go of his hyung's clothing as he uttered, "Forget it. I'm sorry."
SP looked at OD with an unreadable expression.
"I'm sorry too." SP said, voice hoarse.
And before OD could even react, he leaned in on his own accord, and claimed those soft, little lips with his own.
7. amused.
When OD had finally come to from the shock, SP was snaking a hand around his petite waist, the heat from the man's larger palm almost burning into his skin as he deepened the kiss.
OD let out an unintended whimper, eyes shut tight, his legs going weak and giving way. Not that it mattered since his hyung seemed to be easily holding him up with only an arm — just the thought of it made OD feel hot all over.
He eagerly threw his hands around the man's neck for better support.
When SP pulled away, his breathing heavy, OD unconsciously chased after his lips. The older man gave an amused chuckle at his actions before giving in and meeting his lips again.
"I think that's enough for now," SP softly murmured against the other's mouth, voice breathy and rough, "I have to make dinner."
OD frowned in discontentment at the interruption. He opened one eye and shot him a look that meant, "Really?" all the while as he ministrated kitten licks on SP's lips.
"Come on, dinner."
"Hyung." OD whined.
With an irritated but devious glint in his eyes, OD suddenly hauled himself up using his arms that were still around SP's neck, and wrapped his legs around the man's strong waist. SP stumbled forward at the sudden action but managed to gain his footing in a second, his hands automatically landing on OD's perky little butt to hold him up better.
"You…" SP was speechless.
OD was determined not to shy away from this bit of heated intimate moment between them. His hyung had taken the initiative to kiss him on the lips today, so OD took it upon himself to take the initiative to carry out… other things.
He was not going to let this go wasted. Did SP even know how long he had waited, even dreamed, of this?
A mutual return of his feelings?
But of course SP had other ideas.
There was OD, acting coquettish and wanting for more — and then there was SP who stared at him, shrugged as though it couldn't be helped and made his way to the kitchen while carrying OD.
"You're really going to make dinner!?" OD exclaimed with disbelief.
"I don't carelessly throw around my words." SP smiled and pressed a kiss on the tip of OD's nose. "Be good and let me finish this."
Surprisingly, this small show of affection made OD furiously blush. SP raised his brows.
"Are you going shy from just this small kiss even after —"
"Hyung!" OD yelped and almost lost his balance from trying to cover SP's mouth with his hands. "Dinner! Just, just hurry up already!"
SP laughed before peppering OD's face with more light kisses just to see him melt in embarrassment.
■ END ■