Work Text:
"Can I paint on you?"
Huh?
Wooyoung blinked in surprise at these words, averting his eyes from the TV that played some sappy drama he didn't even know the name of. It didn't even interest him the slightest, but it was a good background noise while he studied for his upcoming exam. Sometimes though his gaze shifted to it, he couldn't help it.
Anyway, he now turned his head, glancing over his shoulder to look at Hongjoong sitting on their old sofa, playing with a brush in his hand. He had paint all over his face, small spots of blue, green, red, purple, even more. It looked cute on him.
"Since when are you here?" Wooyoung asked, confused, firstly ignoring the unusual request.
"Fifteen minutes?" Hongjoong tilted his head, narrowing his eyes as he thought about it. "Twenty maybe? I don't know, but you were too focused to notice me."
Ah that explained it.
"So?" Hongjoong asked further, leaning his body forward, looking down at Wooyoung where he sat on the ground. "Can I?"
Wooyoung stared at him, thinking about it. In a way he wanted to ask why Hongjoong thought of this, why he wanted to paint on him specifically. Honestly he had many questions but as he saw the frustrated spark in his eyes, mixed with something he couldn't name, he felt his shoulders falling. He hummed and nodded. "Okay." He simply said and the bright smile he got in return warmed his heart to no end.
___🌻___
Hongjoong wanted to do it right away. Wooyoung didn't. There was a lot he still had to do but he promised Hongjoong to do it on saturday where both of them were free and the stupid exam was over.
So this was how they ended up here in Hongjoong's room.
Wooyoung sighed as he felt the coldness of the hard ground in his bones, the thin sheet he was lying on to prevent the paint from coloring it didn't help with it. At least it was summer, the warm beams of the sun shining through the window onto his bare back.
"What's your plan?" He mumbled, eyes halfway closed as he watched Hongjoong scurrying through the room, searching and grabbing everything painting related he could find. The oversized shirt he usually was wearing to paint fluttered with his movement, the shorts beneath it barely visible. He looked cozy.
"You'll see." Was all the answer he got as the elder fell onto his knees beside him, arms full of brushes and a new pack of colors. "These are colors that are safe to put on skin, so don't worry about that." He said, unpacking the colors already. "They'll wash up easily too."
Wooyoung just nodded, observing Hongjoong's nimble hands placing the colors beside him and grabbing a thick paintbrush. Then their eyes met.
A short moment of silence.
"Is it.." Hongjoong started, sliding a hand through his peach hair one time, licking his lips. "Uh is it okay when I sit on your thighs? It's easier to get better access. But also, it's okay if not! Just tell me."
Wooyoung just chuckled, adored by his sayings. "No, it's okay." He smiled, lowering his chin to lay comfortably on his arms. "Why should I have something against a pretty boy on top of me?" He teased, loving the way an immediate blush took over Hongjoong's face. Cute.
Hongjoong glared at him but soon stood up, ready to take his seat on his thighs. "You're annoying." He just grumbled, barely shooting back and Wooyoung wondered if he managed to get him speechless. Unlikely though. He probably was focused on his doing. Well he still counted it as a win.
There was a hesitant movement behind him and Wooyoung narrowed his eyes, ready to apologize if he took it too far but then there was a weight on his thighs, two legs came to each side of his own. Oh. He couldn't resist looking back, seeing the way Hongjoong kneeled on him, trusting him in carrying his weight. He wasn't heavy but also not light. He was perfect. Somehow this was calming. The weight made him feel grounded.
His smile widened. He turned back, letting out a soft sigh.
"I'll start now." His hyung mumbled and then Wooyoung could feel the soft texture of a brush on his back, tickling him in the slightest. It felt weird; but not in a bad way. It was..good.
Hongjoong drew a line, several lines, the brush sliding over his back carefully and so gently. It was like a lullaby. Wooyoung felt his body melting under the soft care. This was..nice. Really nice.
"Okay?" Hongjoong asked, putting the brush away to get more paint on it.
"Okay." Wooyoung replied, sighing once he felt the soft touch back. "It feels nice, really relaxing."
"Yeah?" There was a smile on his face, Wooyoung was sure of it. He could feel it in the way Hongjoong's voice had such a light tone, the light chuckle that followed shortly after.
He nodded, a soft 'mhm' leaving his lips.
Another line on his back, followed by a circle. He wondered what Hongjoong was doing. He tried making sense of it by the way he drew but as if he was aware what Wooyoung was doing Hongjoong painted mixed, first somewhere at his sides, then at the middle of his back and continuing doing so at the other areas of his back. Smart move.
Wooyoung rolled his eyes, soon giving up on guessing and instead he just enjoyed it, allowing himself to fall into his feelings. The way Hongjoong touched him was calming, it almost felt..intimate. He swallowed dryly.
"Hyung." He whispered, closing his eyes.
"Hm?"
"Why..why did you choose me to do this with?"
A pause, the brush stopped midway on his back but Wooyoung said nothing to it, just waiting for Hongjoong to gather his thoughts. He never was the most patient person but for his hyung he could be it.
Soon the touch continued. "I wanted to do it with you." Hongjoong answered, voice devoured with a loving tone. "I.." He took a deep breath. "I wanted to get closer to you."
The confession caused Wooyoung to open his eyes again, surprise building up in his chest like a growing flower. He resisted the urge to turn his head to look at the elder, knowing he probably would shy away. "You..really?"
"Yes." He started speckling on his back. Huh. "I mean we are already close, we're roommates and all, but I.." He sighed. Suddenly Wooyoung felt a small hand on his lower back, resting there as Hongjoong leaned forward, painting at his shoulder. "..but I wanted more than that."
Did..did he know what he was saying? What else it could mean? "Oh." Wooyoung replied, staring at the door in his sight. "More in what kind of aspect?"
"Ah.." Hongjoong shifted on top of him, most likely without realizing."Just.." He sighed and Wooyoung suddenly felt the brush trembling. "It's..fuck I'm sorry, I'm not good at this, it's.."
"It's okay." Wooyoung immediately reassured, He reached out behind, getting a hold of Hongjoong's knee, stroking over it carefully. "Don't be sorry, hyung. You've got time, okay? Don't stress yourself." A soft veil took over his eyes when he continued speaking. "Besides, it's just me."
There was a moment of silence, but slowly a hand got placed on his own, squeezing it tight. "Thank you." Hongjoong whispered and Wooyoung just nodded, muttering a small 'Everytime' while he felt the paintbrush sliding over his skin again.
They stayed like this for a while; Hongjoong had his hand in a tight hold, but Wooyoung didn't complain. His hand was small, but still fitted perfectly over his own. He was warm and just so real. The angle hurt after some time, but he didn't care about that, he could handle a bit of pain if it meant he could feel Hongjoong's touch like this.
Wooyoung didn't know how much time passed since they started, his arms started to get numb at one point, but he found himself not regretting any of this.
"I'm almost finished." Hongjoong mumbled and judging from the way his voice sounded almost slumped he was in deep concentration. He let go of his hand to place it on his lower back again to steady himself and Wooyoung let out a relieved sigh, pulling his hand forward, bending and shaking it to get his feeling back in it.
Hongjoong switched out his brush to a smaller one, adding paint to it and continued drawing.
"Can I get a hint?" Wooyoung asked, curiosity overthrowing him like a wave. He had to stop his body from shifting restlessly left and right. Slowly he got impatient but he tried his best to keep it down.
Hongjoong hummed. "It's orange." He just said, leaning even more forward so Wooyoung could almost feel him on his skin. He was close, so close.
He took a deep breath, concentrating on what the elder had said. "Orange?" He repeated, narrowing his eyes.
"Yeah. And pink, very light pink though." Hongjoong murmured, fully concentrating on his work. "Bit green too, ah and red. Black as well."
What?
Wooyoung tried his hardest to think of anything that fits that description, but there was just nothing. Or was it? Worth a try. "A sunset?" He guessed.
"No."
Ah well. Too bad. He blew the strands of hair out of his face. "Then what is it?"
"Wait." Hongjoong started speckling again, the soft tapping felt relaxing, even ticklish. "Only a second longer…finished." The brush got pulled back as his voice echoed loudly through the room, a warm and proud tone in it.
Wooyoung felt excitement rushing through his body. "Great!" He yelled out, already fighting his way up to his elbows, holding himself up. "Can I look now?"
"Oh uh, I mean you can. I.." He cleared his throat. Wooyoung could feel the way Hongjoong's fingers were tapping on his skin. "I hope you like it."
Wooyoing froze, narrowing his eyes again. Thinking. There was something in Hongjoong's voice again, a deep hidden emotion, somehow so fragile but also strong at the same time. It was weird, very weird and it bothered him more than it should that he just couldn't read it. But, he would accept it. For now.
"I'm sure I will." He said, turning his head to face Hongjoong, smiling brightly at him. It seemed to calm him as the elder smiled back. The sun slowly started to set, shining through their window, enveloping the whole room, Hongjoong, in a bright orange light. It was magical; beautiful. Wooyoung felt his breath stuck in his throat at that sight, even more once he noticed small, light, freckles gracing Hongjoong's face.
Oh fuck.
As Hongjoong slowly got up from his thighs, Wooyoung noticed the paint all over his hands. He worked hard, really hard. Carefully he got up too, making sure not to stumble or some other shit that would cause the painting to get ruined. He would never forgive himself if he did.
"Here." Hongjoong mumbled, guiding him to the big mirror hanging beside his bed. His hands were trembling again.
Wooyoung observed him for a second before he averted his eyes to the mirror, taking one..two..deep breaths. Then he turned around, ignoring the way his heart pounded so loudly in his chest. 'Calm down.' He thought. It's just a painting. A painting on his bare back…done by Hongjoong..his pretty hyung..
Fuck.
He swallowed dryly, closing his eyes and finally turned his head to look over his shoulder, opening them in the same heartbeat.
Oh.
Oh.
God. Hongjoong.
Wooyoung put a hand in front of his mouth, looking at the painting with wide eyes, pure disbelief deep in them. That could not..he could not..fuck.
Right there on his back was a fox staring back at him, fur in a light orange while the sun shined down on him, causing it to have a glowing effect. There was a smile on its face, head leaning against a tendril of different kinds of flowers, sunflowers, roses, camellias. And there…right around his neck hung a thin string, a precious stone gracing it, sparkling in a yellowish color.
"That's a topaz." Hongjoong suddenly whispered, tearing Wooyoung out of his amazed state. The elder had followed his gaze. "It's your birthstone..mine too."
Wooyoung swallowed, heart beating so loudly in his chest. Too fast. He felt blood rushing through his ears, making it so hard to hear or concentrate. He scanned the flowers on his back again, admiring it, but also..
He averted his eyes to Hongjoong. "You know my grandfather was a florist?" He tucked a strand of hair behind his ear, mouth feeling suddenly dry.
Hongjoong nodded, crossing his arms while lowering his gaze. It caused him to look even smaller. Wooyoung just wanted to wrap his arms around him, embracing him so he could hide him from anything bad in this world. "He..he taught me a few things."
"I know, you told me this at our first meeting." Hongjoong chuckled, rubbing along his crossed arms. "Go on, Wooyoung-ah." He glanced up at him. "You know the meaning of them, don't you?"
"I do." Wooyoung whispered, stroking over his shoulder as best as he could.
"A sunflower, very beautiful. It's a very positive flower, it doesn't have its name for nothing. Happiness and loyalty usually are connected with it." He let out a trembling sigh, shifting his gaze back to the mirror to look at the camellia touching the fox' head. "Camellia, they.." He cleared his throat. "..they symbolize love and adoration but also a strong feeling of longing, yearning. It's a strong hint of romance just like the red rose." He eyed the rose that was on top of all the other flowers, almost like it was meant to catch attention. "The most common symbol, with a reason, to show love. Together these three..they can mean a confession."
"Finding happiness in your love, forever I will be yours."
His eyes started to burn, tears were forming in it as Wooyoung kept staring at the mirror. He didn't know why, but suddenly he just felt overwhelmed, it was so hard to breathe. To just exist. Nobody, no one ever did something like this to him, never.
"What's with the fox?" Hongjoong asked and Wooyoung could observe through the mirror how the elder came closer, stopping right beside him. A soft hand got placed on his shoulder while the other hovered over the painted fox. "Do you know this too?"
Wooyoung tried to control his breathing, it's getting ridiculous, but somehow it was so hard. "You..I mean all of you compare me with it, saying how much I look like it."
The hand travelled further south, stopping at the necklace of the animal. "The topaz?"
A breathless laugh got teared out of Wooyoung. "I thought it had to be connected to me, and maybe it is, but more I suppose it's connected to you?" He couldn't stop the single tear streaming down his cheek.
Too much.
"With you, Wooyoung-ah, I feel so much happiness. I'm in love with you, I yearn for you. I want you to be mine, to be yours, I want us to become so much more than what we are now." Hongjoong's words were quiet, so easy to miss, but Wooyoung heard them as clearly as glass, causing more tears to silently fall.
"It's okay if you don't feel the same." Hongjoong whispered, lowering his head until Wooyoung felt him resting on his shoulder. "I just..I just wanted to get it out of my system, I had to say it somehow, but I didn't know how. And then I painted and thought and just I thought of this and it seemed good, okay the least." He took a deep breath. "So, here we are."
Here they were, indeed.
"It's beautiful." Wooyoung said, still eyeing his reflection in the mirror. It was true.
Slowly he turned his body to face Hongjoong, causing him to raise his head off from his shoulder. There was fear in his eyes, uncertainty. He risked everything with this confession; a friendship, a peaceful life as roommates and most importantly he risked his own heart in the process. Wooyoung thought he never met someone as brave as him, not with the way he did this.
Carefully he reached out, enveloping Hongjoong's hands into a soft hold, guiding them up to his mouth where he placed a soft kiss on each of it. Wooyoung held eye contact, observing the way Hongjoong's eyes widened and his body seemed to tremble.
"Thank you, hyung." Sincerity filled the words to no end, honesty so deep in them it was impossible to miss. "For being honest to me, for doing something as outstanding as this." He kissed his hands one more team, whispering the words against them. "I feel the same, you know?" He smiled. "Since I've met you, you were always on my mind. You're really special, did you know that? Just everything about you amazed me and slowly I started to feel different about you. I've fallen for you." The tears just won't stop; it got even worse and Hongjoong too seemed overwhelmed. "I love you too."
"Wooyoungie, are you..are you serious?"
Another kiss onto the shaking hands, caressing them with his thumb. "I am, hyung."
A sob got teared out of Hongjoong's throat and Wooyoung didn't waste any more time. Letting go of his hands, he reached out to wrap his arms around Hongjoong's waist, pulling him so incredibly close, holding him safe against him and hiding his face against his soft neck, placing a gentle kiss on it as well.
Even though he cried his heart out, there was a relieved smile on his lips.
Wooyoung felt hands clinging onto his back, nails digging slightly in his skin and Hongjoong pressed his body against his own so much there wasn't any space left in between them.
"Don't ruin the painting." Wooyoung chuckled, tightening his grip to a max, trying to calm down.
"Shut up." Hongjoong just replied, a wet laugh following after. But still his hands slid down, resting on his hips to not touch it.
Wooyoung kissed his neck again..and again. He felt warmth overthrowing his whole body, his heart beating loudly in his chest, happiness filled it like an endless vessel. This was good, perfect. God he was so much in love.
"I love you." Hongjoong whispered again. He fitted perfectly into his arms, Wooyoung just noticed. Like he was made for him.
"Too. I love you hyung."