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“You know, you guys don’t have to remind me that I'm single, like every waking second of the day, right?” Kai muttered as soon as he entered the dorm and took one look at the couple. “It’s my room for crying out loud and I can’t even rest here in peace.”
Beomgyu, however, just shushed the mildly frustrated younger, gesturing to the sleeping boy wrapped around him; worried that the creaking sound from the closing door would wake him up.
“Can you whine a little quieter? He just fell asleep.”
“I thought you said you guys were doing homework .”
“Well we were , until we got… distracted.” Beomgyu answered, pulling the blanket that covered their lower half a little higher up their bodies. He could feel the gentle rise and fall of Taehyun’s chest against his back while the younger breathed and it seemed he was a bit cold.
Kai, the ever dramatic college student, gasped dramatically (and to his credit, quietly ), dropping his backpack in the process and proceeded to run towards his bed.
“Don’t tell me you’ve defiled his eyes already!” He stage-whispered, hugging his new plushie to his chest- a recent addition to his collection; a birthday gift from Yeonjun Hyung. “I haven’t even named him yet.”
“Shut up Huening Kai.” Beomgyu whispered back, feeling the back of his neck heat up; the exact place where Taehyun’s breath ghosted over his skin. “We didn’t do- We didn't ! That’s not what I meant!” He threw his arms to show the empty cartons of food that were piled up on Taehyun’s desk. “We just ate !”
“Well,” Kai sniffed, plopping down on his bed and drowning in his mountain of stuffed dolls. “wouldn’t be wrong of me to assume it didn’t happen. Because it did, right there. Right in this room. With all of my babies watching you. Imagine how traumatic it would’ve been for baby Huening Bbangya.”
Beomgyu, torn between immense embarrassment (because Kai just said that out loud) and frustration (because Kai just said that out loud), decided that it was a good thing he couldn’t really move; for he was sure that the blonde would be running around with his ear in Beomgyu’s pincer grip.
“We already apologised for that Kai,” Beomgyu heard a deep, mellow voice laced with sleep from behind. “Like a million times now.” Taehyun finished, nuzzling his forehead into the crook of Beomgyu's neck.
Beomgyu sighed and rubbed his boyfriend’s forearms, which were wrapped around his waist; all while glaring at Kai. The fluffy haired blonde, who had the decency to look guilty, mouthed a sorry with a lopsided smile.
“Did we wake you up Tyun?” Beomgyu asked softly, slightly turning his head to the left only to meet the silvery top of his boyfriend’s head.
“Mhm no hyung.” The younger answered back, resting his chin on Beomgyu’s shoulder to look up at him; to look at his pretty hyung. “Was kind of awake the whole time.” he murmured, reaching up to softly press their lips together.
Beomgyu felt the ends of his lips lift up slightly; like they always do when Taehyun was around. But still, he felt worried for his boyfriend. It appeared that the younger was overworking himself again these days, if the more pronounced dark circles under his eyes were to indicate anything.
In honesty, Beomgyu came to visit the maknae’s dorm under the pretense of studying together; knowing that his boyfriend would never say no to a study date. He really went there to make sure Taehyun ate and slept properly that evening and took a break from pushing himself past his limits.
The younger had a habit of doing that towards the end of a semester, and even Soobin Hyung told Beomgyu that he was concerned for Taehyun’s health lately (which was a moot point because Soobin is always concerned about their friends’ health but Beomgyu still appreciated the sentiment all the same).
“Why not, baby?” Beomgyu asked when Taehyun moved from kissing his lips to his cheeks. “Were you not comfy?”
Despite being the smaller of the two, Taehyun likes to be the bigger spoon and hold Beomgyu whenever they cuddle. And Beomgyu often thinks it might be uncomfortable for the younger, but he likes the feeling being held in between his boyfriend’s strong arms a bit too much to argue.
“No hyung.” he replied, the corner of his eyes crinkling. “I just wanted to hold you like this for a bit.”
Beomgyu felt his ears warm up, and bit his lower lip as he tried to suppress the smile that threatened to break out. When they both got together; at the beginning of their relationship, Beomgyu never thought Taehyun would be the clingy boyfriend out of the two of them. He liked to link arms a lot, sure but that was more out of habit; since he didn’t have long legs like his hyungs.
The elder thought he’d probably have to hold back at times because physical touch was definitely his love language, and he didn't want to burden the younger or make him uncomfortable because Taehyun didn’t seem much for hand holding or cuddling. He even thought maybe he’d have to beg Taehyun for hugs and kisses when he was desperate.
But he was wrong. Oh boy, he was wrong.
There never was a moment Taehyun couldn’t keep his hands off Beomgyu while they were together. It was like he was drawn to the long haired boy at all times since day one.
There was an arm around his waist while the younger walked him to his first class every morning, a hand on his thigh whenever they sat at their table with the Hyungs and Kai for lunch, a head on his shoulder whenever they were on a bus together and legs tangled under a soft, warm blanket during movie nights at Yeonjun hyung’s apartment.
And these small gestures never failed to make Beomgyu’s tummy erupt with butterflies. Because it always seemed that Taehyun did them without a second thought, like running his thumb over Beomgyu’s knuckles while they held hands was only a natural thing to do.
And hearing Taehyun admit out loud that he likes holding the elder never fails to fluster him.
“Yah-”
“That’s it !” Kai huffed and Taehyun snickered. “No more PDA under my roof.” he said, looking the least bit threatening under his plushies, wagging his finger at both of them.
“But Kai-yah,” Taehyun giggled, hooking his chin on Beomgyu’s other shoulder to look at the giant pouting baby on the bed next to theirs. “We were just talking. And besides, this is my room too.”
“You guys act like I’m blind or something.” the blonde rolled his eyes. “Never thought I’d prefer the Taegyu making googly eyes at each other from a distance . Good old distance” he finished dramatically, shaking his head. Taehyun laughed lightly while subconsciously pulling Beomgyu closer to his chest; as if he were shielding himself from their embarrassing past and Beomgyu felt his neck warm up.
“Taegyu?” the dark haired one asked, desperate to have a subject change, tilting his head and bonking Taehyun’s gently. “What’s that?”
“It’s our ship name baby.” Taehyun answered, his perfect row of teeth on wide display, and all of a sudden Beomgyu felt more flustered; if that was possible.
“Yeah. Like Yeonbin, but for you guys.” Kai responded, digging out his Nintendo Switch from under Tobin. “Way better than Beomhyun in my very educated opinion.”
“There were options?!” Beomgyu all but screeched. The idea of his friends discussing his and Taehyun's ship name was enough to bury his face in his hands and let out a high pitched whine. He could feel Taehyun laughing quietly from the way his chest rumbled.
“You two were so obnoxious and blind in love, we had to talk about something else to keep our sanity.” Kai answered without looking up from his game.
“Alright. You’re just exaggerating now.” Taehyun replied.
“You’re so lucky you guys couldn’t see yourselves pining for each other.” The blonde deadpanned. “I swear it was painful to watch, Yeonjun Hyung and I thought we had to interfere with our Superior Matchmaking Skills.”
And this time, Taehyun actually laughed out loud, dropping his head on Beomgyu’s shoulder, while the elder smirked.
“Superior Matchmaking Skills that never work when you try to ask out that guy from your Art History class. For coffee .” Beomgyu teased lightheartedly.
“Well, it’s- I- he- Stop !” Kai spluttered as the couple next to him giggled out loud together. “It never works when you try it on yourself.” he muttered indignantly and crossed his arms like the baby he was.
“Sure, sure Kai-yah.” Beomgyu hummed.
“That’s it, I’m out of here.” The tallest huffed getting up, cheeks almost as red as the shirt he was wearing. “I’m going to Soobinie hyung’s room where I'm loved and my plushies are respected.”
The couple kept on laughing as they watched their flustered maknae move around the room, stuffing a pair of his clothes and many of his stuffed toys in his backpack.
“I’ll crash there for the night so there better be no funny business going on in this room in my absence.” He retorted while stepping out.
“No promises!” Taehyun shouted back and Beomgyu slapped his arm. “What? We can’t guarantee that.”
“Oh my God, stop it. What we’ll be doing right now is sleeping .” Beomgyu said as sternly as he could. “I want to see you resting properly Taehyun-ah. And no, sleeping for a few minutes does not count as rest.” He broke out of the younger’s embrace and turned to face him properly, to look at his boyfriend’s dull eyes and tired face.
“I am resting properly Hyung.” Taehyun replied avoiding the elder’s eyes, feeling the guilt rise up in his chest. “You shouldn’t be worrying about me.”
“Of course I should be worrying about you baby. It’s part of my job description as Kang Taehyun’s boyfriend” Beomgyu replied, hooking his finger under the younger’s chin to look at him properly. “It’s rule number 2 actually.” He smiled, nudging his nose to Taehyun’s.
“Oh really?” Taehyun’s lips lifted up in the tiniest smile and Beomgyu’s lifted up as if to match the other’s. “What’s rule number 1 then?”
“Loving you.”
“ Hyung! ” Beomgyu giggled as Taehyun’s ears turned red, delighted; after all red is his favourite color on his boyfriend.
The younger groaned at the sound of his hyung’s laughter and fell backwards onto the bed, turning away and hiding his face in the pillows.
Beomgyu immediately started cooing at his boyfriend's adorable actions, knowing that it would further fluster the younger.
He then fell next to Taehyun, facing the boy who refused to look at him. Chuckling, the elder wrapped his arms around his boyfriend, tangling their legs and kissing the top of his head.
“Seriously though Tyun-ah, I’d always worry about you.” he said, running his hands through his boyfriend’s hair; in hopes that it would help relax the younger. “Seeing you be hard on yourself hurts me. I can’t bear to see you falling sick.”
He heard Taehyun sniffle before the younger curled himself completely onto Beomgyu’s side; making himself tinier and placing his head on his shoulder, as if hiding in Beomgyu’s arms.
“I’m sorry Hyung.” he whispered. “I try to take care of myself, I really do. It’s just- it’s just really hard sometimes.” Taehyun breathed out, shoulders less heavy now that he admitted it out loud.
“It’s okay baby.” Beomgyu whispered back. “Hyung-ah will take care of you. Just go to sleep for now, okay?” he gently lulled the younger, patting his back and humming lightly.
“Hyung?”
“Yeah?”
“Will you sing for me?”
“Sure baby. Anything for my Tyunie.” And Beomgyu sang with his deep voice, melodies coming like waves and dragging Taehyun towards the ocean of dreams.
Taehyun was never good at expressing his emotions or his struggles. He was the kind of guy that dealt with his own problems on his own. But it wasn’t that he didn’t care about his friends. No, he did care about the rest, maybe a little too much. And in his mind, that’s all the more reason to not talk about himself and let the others worry about him. They already had battles of their own, so why ask them to fight his for him.
But he was thankful for Beomgyu; And sorry at the same time. Thankful because the elder always seemed to know what to do, or how to take care of him. And sorry because he always seemed on the receiving end of things. And even though he knows that he doesn’t deserve someone like Beomgyu, he would always strive to become that someone Beomgyu deserves.
Someone who’d tell him how special he was, someone who’d tell him how beautiful he was and someone who’d tell him how deserving of love he was. Someone who’d show him all of that
And Taehyun vowed to be that person. He’d let Beomgyu know how special he is. He’d let him know how pretty his soul is and most of all he’d tell him how much loved he was.
“Hyung.”
“Yes Tyun-ah?”
“I love you.” Taehyun felt a flutter in his stomach, a warmth in his chest and the soft pressure of a kiss on his forehead before he finally slipped into sleep.
I love you too baby.