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You would think that after almost making out in front of all their friends—twice—something would have changed between them. It wasn't like Taekwoon expected Hakyeon to suddenly start clinging to him like a baby opossum, or for giant hearts to sprout in his eyes every time Taekwoon walked into the room, but he expected... something. He already knew Hakyeon wasn't the type to throw himself at anyone; mostly because he'd sooner throw a shoe or a potted plant at them instead, but that was a different issue altogether.
Still, a little flirting that wasn't accompanied by the threat of mild aggression would have been nice. He wouldn't say no to the occasional brush of his hand, a suggestive glance, maybe even a little petting here and there, but the most affection he managed to goad out of Hakyeon these past couple weeks was a sharp kick under the table when Taekwoon made a comment about what a wonderful skincare routine Hakyeon had when all that scowling still hadn't managed to give him premature wrinkles.
So, really, nothing changed.
Which was fine. It wasn't a big deal. They were friends now. At least, Taekwoon thought they were friends. Maybe they were friends. It was hard to tell sometimes, what with all the insults, eye rolls, and generalized hostility directed at him.
Of course, there was still the whole "you better not be kissing anyone but me" thing that happened in Jaehwan's kitchen, which seemed a bit contradictory given the lack of actual, you know, kissing, affection, or any semblance of physical contact that wasn't a smack or a shove between them lately. But that was neither here nor there, and it wasn't like Taekwoon was counting the days since he'd had Hakyeon on his lips or anything.
(It was twenty-one.)
But he wasn't counting. That would be weird and sad and pathetic, and Taekwoon was only two of those things, thank you very much.
Now, as they unpacked Jaehwan's car for another weekend getaway full of bugs, dirt, and questionable stains on the sleeping bags Jaehwan assured them were in no way, shape, or form bodily fluids, Taekwoon was struck with an unmistakable sense of deja vu. The last camping trip they took, aka Jaehwan's brilliant plan to have all of his friends bond with his then-brand-new boyfriend Wonshik and said boyfriend's best friend, went about as smoothly as a three legged cat on ice skates.
And that was putting it lightly.
Getting lost in the woods for hours while Jaehwan indulged his new treasure hunting hobby was not exactly the fun bonding experience Taekwoon expected. Running for his life after Jaehwan reached into a hole in a tree trunk and pulled out a snake instead was only slightly less traumatizing than Hongbin casually picking it up and putting it back as if the damn thing wasn't trying to strike at him the whole time. Needless to say, "Come on, guys, it's probably not venomous," was not nearly as reassuring as Hongbin seemed to think it was.
Long story short, Jaehwan learned a valuable lesson that day about sticking his hand in suspicious nature holes, and thus his weekly obsession with geocaching came to an end. The rest of that trip followed in similar disastrous fashion, with Sanghyuk literally trying to roast Taekwoon over an open fire (don't ask), cramming everyone into one tent that had a tear in it no one knew about until the sudden downpour started, and then making a run for the car where they spent the remainder of the night soaked, shivering, and huddled together for warmth in a way that was not at all awkward for everyone involved.
But not before Jaehwan filled the car with his rancid farts from hell that made them all wish the snake had succeeded in taking him out.
So, yeah, that trip probably wasn't the best first impression to leave on either Wonshik or Hakyeon. Never mind the fact Hakyeon had already decided he didn't like Taekwoon from the second their eyes met; which was totally unjustified, by the way, but that was beside the point.
So what if Taekwoon poked fun at the net hat that made him look like he was on his way to a safari expedition? Or that he'd coated himself in so much bug spray, Taekwoon told him a mosquito would keel over just by looking at him? Or the fact the prissy little princess packed his entire skincare routine and brought along a fuzzy blanket that Taekwoon absolutely did not trace inappropriate shapes into—
Okay, maybe there was a pattern here.
Whatever. The point was, they were kind of friends now. And because they were kind of, sort of, probably friends, it was probably safe to assume this weekend would not turn into the usual disaster area that usually transpired whenever the six of them got together.
Right?
Right.
"How much are we betting one of them ends up with a fish hook in their eye?" Hakyeon asked, shooting a grimace in the direction of Jaehwan and Wonshik hauling quite the collection of rods and tackle boxes from the car.
"Well," Taekwoon mused, grabbing another bag from the trunk and setting it on the ground. "Jaehwan thinks he's fishing up dinner for all of us, so either we're roasting questionable creek fish over the fire pit, or we rock-paper-scissors to figure out which one of us is getting eaten first."
Hakyeon wrinkled his nose, flinching and swatting at a bug that flew near his face. "I hate that you're saying that with a straight face."
"Or," Taekwoon said pointedly, nudging Hakyeon with his shoulder. "We could just eat the ramyun and snacks I packed."
Hakyeon rolled his eyes. "Why are you always the one in charge of actually feeding us?"
"Because if it was left to anyone else, it'd just turn into Timon and Pumbaa teaching Simba to eat bugs. You're welcome."
Hakyeon paused in the midst of unloading a bag and just... looked at him for a moment. For once, there was no roll of his eyes, no annoyed click of his tongue, no defensive snip because simply being in Taekwoon's general vicinity made his hackles go up like a pissy little alley cat. His lips twitched in the barest of movements, clearly fighting a smile, but it was the way his eyes softened around the corners and danced with the faint spark of amusement that had Taekwoon nudging at him again.
"You're allowed to laugh, you know," Taekwoon said.
Hakyeon hummed, though his expression didn't change. "Say something funny and maybe I will."
"Is that a challenge I hear?"
"More like a suggestion."
With that, Hakyeon grabbed a couple bags off the ground and headed in the direction of their campsite. Before he could get too far, he paused again and turned around, brow furrowed as if a thought suddenly occurred to him. His gaze briefly raked over Taekwoon, eyes narrowed.
"You're wearing a lot of blue lately," Hakyeon said, almost accusingly.
"Maybe I like blue."
A beat of silence, and then, "It's nice on you."
Taekwoon blinked and looked at him, but Hakyeon had already turned on his heel and headed to where Sanghyuk and Hongbin were currently wrangling a tent together like a couple of cats trapped in a burlap sack. Taekwoon glanced down at his shirt, a powder blue tee that he definitely did not painstakingly choose from the new collection of blues and purples in his wardrobe. Which, by the way, had absolutely nothing to do nothing to do with the glowing purple halo on his nightstand that was now neither purple nor glowing, nor did it have any relation whatsoever to a certain someone's preference for blue.
Blue was simply a nice color. Not too angry, not too subtle. Not too red, not too green—not that not being red or green was a factor he was considering when he definitely didn't go on a shopping spree for every shade of blue under the sun. In fact, he'd never even heard of these mythical reds and greens before. What were those, some kind of new luxury brand or something?
Shaking his head, Taekwoon allowed a small, victorious smile to play at his lips and finished unloading the last few bags from the trunk. He left a few blankets and pillows inside just in case they all had to make a break for the car in the event of Mother Nature taking a giant piss all over them again. After all, somebody needed to have some foresight around here, and it sure as hell wasn't going to be any of these idiots.
Before long, the tents were set up—yes, plural this time, and no, Taekwoon was assured neither of them had holes that any rainwater or tiny arachnids could slip through. That didn't stop him from checking the weather forecast before they left anyway, because as much as he would have actually loved to be huddled up against Hakyeon for warmth, he wasn't exactly keen on it becoming yet another group activity.
Once Wonshik and Jaehwan traipsed down to the creek where they were sure to catch nothing but muddy sticks and a handful of bug bites, Hongbin and Sanghyuk wandered off into the woods to "lumberjack their way into collecting firewood." As they left, Taekwoon glanced at the fire pit, then at the stack of perfectly good firewood provided by the campground, then quickly decided he didn't want to know what they were actually doing.
That left him alone with Hakyeon, who'd slipped inside one of the tents to preen himself, or reapply lip balm, or whatever the hell it was he did that kept him holed up in the bathroom so often. Never mind the fact it was usually just an excuse to get away from Taekwoon for a few minutes, but he tried not to dwell on that part.
After a few minutes of silence, Taekwoon decided to test his luck and poked his head inside. Sure enough, there was Hakyeon, sitting cross legged in the middle of the tent and dabbing something on his face.
"What are you doing?" Taekwoon asked.
"Sunscreen," Hakyeon said, though he barely even glanced at him as he continued applying it to his face.
"Didn't you already do that?"
"Yes."
"Then why are you—"
"You think I wake up this pretty?" Hakyeon scoffed, literally sticking his nose in the air. "It takes work. Just because you don't have to put any effort into it doesn't mean the rest of us are so lucky."
"Excuse me, I put in a perfectly minimal amount of effort, thank you."
Hakyeon shot him a look, as if he wanted nothing more than to chuck the bottle right at his face. "Exactly."
"Well, when you're done putting on your makeup, come down to the creek. I'm going to see if the two lovebirds have had any luck with their catch of the day."
When the only response Taekwoon received was a grunt of acknowledgement—or maybe it was more of a "shoo, fly, don't bother me," Taekwoon wasn't quite sure—he sighed and ducked out of the tent. Well, he supposed he shouldn't have expected anything else. At least they weren't actively going at each other's throats at the moment, so that was progress, he supposed.
Down by the creek, he found Wonshik and Jaehwan exactly as he'd expected: their hands knotted together in an impressive entanglement of fishing line that looked more like a failed string art project than something meant to be put on a fishing rod.
"Um," Wonshik chuckled sheepishly, lifting his hands that were somehow bound to Jaehwan's. "Help?"
Taekwoon took one look at the mess and shook his head. "It's the yarn all over again," he sighed, but began untangling them anyway.
"Why isn't Hakyeon with you?" Jaehwan asked, aiming a pointed glance over Taekwoon's shoulder.
Taekwoon shrugged. "He's too busy curling his lashes." Or planning where to bury Taekwoon's body. You know, the usual.
"Maybe he needs some help with that."
Taekwoon scoffed. "Unless you want one of us to lose an eye, it's probably best if I don't go anywhere near his face." Or any part of him, to be exact. Even if Taekwoon really, really wanted to.
"Or," Jaehwan suggested brightly, though the faux, sugary sweet smile plastered on his face did nothing to mask a blatant ulterior motive. "You take the opportunity we're giving you to have some alone time, because everyone's tired of you two pretending you're not dying to get into each other's pants."
"Forced proximity in the middle of the woods with someone who hates the outside almost as much as he hates me?" Taekwoon asked dryly, quirking an eyebrow. "Wow, it's like you took it straight out of my wet dreams."
Jaehwan smiled sweetly. "Unless you want it to stay in your dreams, then I suggest you listen to me and do something about it."
"I think I'd have better luck convincing him to eat the creek fish," Taekwoon deadpanned, ignoring the exasperated purse of Jaehwan's lips.
Jaehwan opened his mouth, probably to yell at him about how depressing it was to see Taekwoon fail so spectacularly in every aspect of his love life, but then Wonshik shook his head.
"Jae," Wonshik said softly, and just like that, Jaehwan snapped his mouth shut and sighed.
The remainder of the afternoon passed in surprisingly uneventful fashion. Once Wonshik and Jaehwan were successfully untangled from their own fishing line, they somehow managed to secure it to their poles without losing any fingers. After only a handful of near misses involving a stray fish hook on the backswing, Taekwoon wandered a little farther down the bank, only to find Hakyeon come meandering down the path, sporting the same mesh hat he wore on their last ill-fated camping trip.
"Still moonlighting as a part time beekeeper, I see," Taekwoon commented, watching as Hakyeon grimaced and gingerly made his way through the mud to join Taekwoon on the edge of the bank.
"Yeah, yeah, make your jokes," Hakyeon muttered, crossing his arms as he peered down at the murky water. "We'll see who's laughing later when your face is covered in giant red mosquito bites."
"That might just be the minimal skincare routine taking effect."
Hakyeon turned his face away, briefly finding a particular rock on the ground far more interesting for a moment. Maybe he was considering it as an impromptu murder weapon, Taekwoon thought, because there was no other logical explanation for the little smile Hakyeon smothered as quickly as it appeared.
Silence stretched between them, broken only by the rustle of the breeze and the hum of insects in the woods. It wasn't quite the tense, awkward silence they were prone to lapsing into whenever they found themselves with a few minutes alone, but it still felt... weird. He was so used to getting under Hakyeon's skin that in the rare moments he wasn't actively antagonizing him for his attention, Taekwoon wasn't sure what to do with himself.
It was easier when Hakyeon was annoyed, because at least Taekwoon knew what kind of reaction to expect. Now, in the absence of his usual hostility, Hakyeon was a complete stranger to him. A stranger he'd kissed twice now and very much wanted to kiss again, but a stranger nonetheless.
Friends, Taekwoon reminded himself wryly.
Yeah, right.
"How does Jaehwan afford all this anyway?" Hakyeon asked after a moment, grabbing a rock and yeeting it in the most depressing attempt at what Taekwoon assumed was a skip.
"What, this luxury getaway experience?" Taekwoon snorted, shaking his head.
Hakyeon shot him a look. "I don't just mean this specifically. I mean all of it. Every week it's something new, and he's usually the one footing the bill. Where is he getting the money?"
"His porn career is really taking off these days," Taekwoon shrugged, watching as Hakyeon grabbed another rock and chucked it at the water with a sharp flick of his wrist. It plunked below the surface with a pathetic little splash and sank like a, well, rock.
Hakyeon rolled his eyes. "Very funny."
"You're right, it's more like a porn side hustle. Turns out there are a lot of people who will pay good money to watch you suck someone else's toes in a leotard."
Hakyeon chucked another rock—harder this time. "I didn't need that image in my head."
"The real answer?" Taekwoon asked, picking up a rock of his own and turning it over in his palm. "Jaehwan loves two things: hobbies and coupons. He goes rabid over a good deal, especially when it comes to group discounts. Combining the two is like giving him crack."
"So, every time we all go out, it's because he's got a Groupon?"
"Not every time, but more often than you'd think," Taekwoon said as he tossed the rock with a sharp flick of his wrist. It skipped a few times before sinking with a satisfying little splash. "But also," Taekwoon added, glancing at Hakyeon and offering him a small smile. "He just likes spending time with his friends. Even the ones who think we're all a bunch of nasty freaks."
"You are a bunch of nasty freaks."
"And yet you still tag along every single time, so I guess you can't hate us too much."
Hakyeon stilled for a moment, as if the question had genuinely surprised him. He turned to look at Taekwoon, a thoughtful pinch between his brows, before quickly looking back at the water.
"I never hated you," Hakyeon said quietly, but when Taekwoon merely arched an eyebrow, Hakyeon sighed. "Fine. I couldn't stand you when I met you, okay?"
Taekwoon hummed and skipped another rock, ignoring the little pang that plucked at his chest. "Hate at first sight. Tell me something I don't know."
"That's not how it went—" Hakyeon started a bit too sharply, then stopped and took a deep breath, briefly closing his eyes. "I didn't hate you right off the bat. I... actually had a very different thought when I first saw you."
"And what was that?"
Hakyeon paused again, but then shook his head and avoided Taekwoon's gaze. "It doesn't matter, because then you opened your mouth and ruined it anyway. After that, all I wanted to do was slap you."
"Maybe that was the goal," Taekwoon murmured, shooting Hakyeon a pointed, sideways glance. "Or maybe I just wanted your attention."
"You don't have to annoy me to get my attention."
"You ignore me when I'm not bothering you."
"That's not true—" Hakyeon said, then promptly snapped his mouth shut at the flat stare Taekwoon shot him. "Okay, so maybe it's a little true. But sometimes I can't tell what's real and what's bullshit with you. It's like you can't help but say something stupid, but then five seconds later, you turn around and say something... not so stupid."
Taekwoon placed a melodramatic hand across his chest. "You flatter me."
"I'm serious," Hakyeon huffed. "You say some of the most ridiculous things with a straight face, so why should I believe anything else that comes out of your mouth either?"
"Because I'm not just trying to get a reaction out of you when I'm telling you I like you," Taekwoon said, then froze when the words registered. Hakyeon stared at him, eerily still and lips parted as if he didn't quite know what to say, but before he could respond, Taekwoon sighed. "Look, a while ago, you told me to say one real thing. Just one. Well, there you have it. Your one real thing."
"Taekwoon—" Hakyeon started, taking a tentative step toward him, but Taekwoon was already moving back.
"Actually, I'm going to switch things up a little and be the one storming away this time," Taekwoon said, before he gestured vaguely in Hakyeon's direction. "You marinate on that for a bit while I catch up with the others."
Before Hakyeon could protest, Taekwoon turned on his heel and made his way back to Jaehwan and Wonshik. He'd barely taken three steps before an ear splitting shriek erupted from Wonshik's lips, and by the time Taekwoon reached them, he took one look at the fish hook embedded in Wonshik's palm and sighed.
Well, that didn't take long.
As the sun hovered low on the horizon, dinner consisted of ramyun, boxed snacks, and a discernible distance between Hakyeon and Taekwoon for the next few hours. As expected, Jaehwan's fishing extravaganza yielded nothing except a bandaid on Wonshik's palm, which he milked for every ounce of attention Jaehwan would give him. Which was a lot, as it turned out, seeing as how Jaehwan fussed over him like a newborn and refused to even let him eat on his own.
Watching Jaehwan feed him might have been cute in some universe, but right now, Taekwoon didn't have nearly enough alcohol in his system to stomach it. He wasn't jealous, exactly; or maybe he was, seeing as how those two were stupid in love and constantly all over each other. Because then there was Hakyeon, literally the least affectionate person on the planet, and all Taekwoon could think about was how much Hakyeon wasn't touching him. Like, ever.
So, yeah, maybe he was a little bit jealous.
And possibly a wee bit touch starved.
But only a little.
"You're sulking."
Taekwoon pulled out an earbud and glanced at Hongbin, who plopped down next to Taekwoon by the fire pit. Nearby, Taekwoon could hear the resounding chatter of their friends huddled around the picnic table, engrossed in a card game involving an unusual amount of plastic spoons and slapping.
"Who got you?" Taekwoon asked, raising an eyebrow at the prominent red handprint on Hongbin's cheek.
"Jaehwan," Hongbin muttered, rubbing at his cheek and wincing. "Apparently we're not allowed to slap Wonshik when he loses, or it's an automatic forfeit."
Taekwoon furrowed his brow. "When was that rule made?"
"When Wonshik lost and I slapped him."
"I see."
"Anyway," Hongbin said, poking the fire with a stick. "I know you lost first and everything, but you were sulking even before we all slapped you. What's wrong? Hakyeon not giving you enough attention or something?"
"Oh, no, he's giving me plenty of attention," Taekwoon shot back dryly. "In fact, just a little bit ago, I lost a card game and he slapped me so hard I actually saw stars. It was very romantic."
Hongbin snorted. "Yeah, I bet it really got you going too."
"I had to take a cold shower just to collect myself."
Hongbin laughed. "He hates it when you joke like that."
"He hates a lot of things I do," Taekwoon sighed. "It's kind of our thing."
Hongbin regarded him calmly for a moment, glancing over at the table where an argument had broken out over who cheated in the last round. Then Hongbin leaned forward in his chair and rested his elbows on his knees, a thoughtful frown at his lips.
"Can I be real with you for a second?" Hongbin asked, and when Taekwoon merely hummed in response, he continued. "I know Jaehwan and Wonshik are all gung-ho about pushing you and Hakyeon together, but I've got to be honest here. Sanghyuk and I, well, we just don't see it working out."
"Believe me, I'm well aware that the only ship sailing here is the Titanic heading straight for an iceberg," Taekwoon deadpanned. It stung even as he said it, but it wasn't like he didn't already know that.
"Those aren't the words I was going for, but I like the imagery," Hongbin chuckled with a shake of his head. "Look, I just meant that I think you guys speak two completely different languages. Obviously you can do what you want, and I'd love to have to eat my words—"
"Do you mean that literally, like when you shoved my ex's research paper into his mouth while Sanghyuk held him down?"
"One, I'm not sorry about that and he should be grateful he didn't write an entire dissertation," Hongbin said, pointing his stick at Taekwoon. "Two, I'm allergic to double spaced font and APA formatting, so no, I will not be doing that."
"Fair enough."
"My point is," Hongbin went on, gesturing wildly with the stick. "You're both too damn stubborn to let the other in, so unless something drastic changes, I can't see you guys doing anything but murder each other. But that's just my unsolicited opinion."
With that, Hongbin returned to the picnic table where Jaehwan and Sanghyuk were now hitting each other with the spoons while Wonshik tried to separate them, leaving Hakyeon to referee the violence. Looking back to the fire, Taekwoon sighed and stuck the earbuds back in his ears.
Hongbin wasn't wrong. Taekwoon already knew that trying to start anything with Hakyeon was bound to end in disaster, but that didn't stop him from wanting it anyway. Never mind the fact that he had, in fact, said something real just like Hakyeon wanted, but still Taekwoon was met with the cold shoulder. It aggravated him as much as it left him with an ache in his chest, because even now, nothing had changed.
Nothing except everything.
Two tents and six people meant they obviously had to distribute everyone equally and fairly between the two. And what better way to impartially decide sleeping arrangements than a civilized rock-paper-scissors tournament that definitely didn't devolve into physical blows or accusations of cheating?
Read: their usual order of operations.
In the end, Taekwoon, Wonshik, and Sanghyuk were designated one tent, while Hakyeon begrudgingly joined Jaehwan and Hongbin in the other. Stuck between Wonshik's snoring next to his ear and Sanghyuk's flailing limbs every time he tossed and turned, it went without saying that Taekwoon had a difficult time falling asleep.
He wasn't sure how long he listened to the rustling of the wind and the crickets chirping in the dark, but eventually a light bouncing around outside the tent caught his attention. A few seconds later, the sound of the zipper opening had him propping himself up on his elbows.
"Taekwoon," Hakyeon whispered, and suddenly the light of the flashlight passed over his eyes.
Taekwoon flinched and groaned, holding up his hand to block the light. "What?"
"I need the bathroom."
Taekwoon blinked, his brow knitting together as the words slowly sunk in. "Okay, and? Did the principal not give you a hall pass or something?"
Somehow, Taekwoon swore he could hear Hakyeon rolling his eyes.
"Come with me," Hakyeon demanded.
"Why? You still haven't figured out how to do that on your own?" Taekwoon whispered back, though he was already untangling himself from his sleeping bag.
"I'm not walking out here alone in the dark."
With that, the light disappeared through the entrance as Hakyeon backed away, leaving Taekwoon palming for his shoes somewhere in the darkness. Once he'd slipped them on, he grabbed a flashlight of his own and followed Hakyeon outside.
The air was warm, but still a little sticky with the lingering humidity. The sky was a blanket of darkness through the trees, and as he walked alongside Hakyeon in the direction of the only bathroom on the premises—on the opposite side of the campground, no less—all Taekwoon could think about was this awkward silence stretching between them. It made the sounds of their footsteps that much louder, but when a stick snapped somewhere in the woods, Hakyeon latched onto Taekwoon's arm and yanked him to a stop.
"What was that?" Hakyeon hissed, his light frantically darting between the trees.
"I don't know, a deer?" Taekwoon brushed off, but found himself a little distracted by the way Hakyeon's fingers suddenly dug into his skin. "Maybe a boar. A chupacabra. The ghost of a psychotic lumberjack come to enact his revenge on the living."
"That's not funny," Hakyeon whispered sharply.
"You're right, it's probably just Winnie the Pooh out for a midnight snack."
"Shut up, Taekwoon," Hakyeon grumbled, though Taekwoon swore he might have heard a smile. Even if the death grip on his arm didn't loosen at all.
They walked in silence for a few moments more, Hakyeon visibly on edge as he kept flicking his flashlight between the trees. Another snap had him flinching farther into Taekwoon's side, nearly knocking him off balance.
"Something's out there," Hakyeon hissed.
"Yeah, probably."
"Aren't you worried it's something that's going to eat us? Or chop us up into little pieces and then eat us?"
Taekwoon shrugged. "Not particularly, no."
"Why not?" Hakyeon huffed, his fingers still gripping Taekwoon's arm like a vice.
"Because no one wants to eat you when you smell like a toxic chemical spill from all that bug spray you've lathered yourself in."
Hakyeon froze, lifting his other arm to his nose for a sniff. "It's not that bad."
"It's like you spilled floor cleaner on yourself and then rolled around in a citronella plant."
Hakyeon scoffed. "Excuse me for not wanting to leave here with malaria or Lyme disease."
"Still doesn't change the fact that you stink."
"Whatever," Hakyeon sighed, shaking his head as they resumed their trek. "Better to stink than get eaten alive or die of disease."
"If you say so."
Eventually they arrived at the bathrooms. Hakyeon darted inside while Taekwoon leaned against the building to "keep watch," as Hakyeon so eloquently demanded. A few minutes later, Hakyeon reappeared, and they began the journey back. This time, they both remained quiet, though Taekwoon didn't miss the way Hakyeon inched closer every time there was the faintest rustle in the woods.
By the time they made it back to their campsite, Hakyeon was all but pressed up against Taekwoon's side again. As they reached the tents, Taekwoon briefly let his hand rest on the small of Hakyeon's back by way of goodbye. Just as he started to pull away, he felt Hakyeon's fingers encircle his wrist.
"Wait."
Taekwoon paused, turning around. "What is it now?"
"Come here, I need your help with something."
Taekwoon raised an eyebrow, even though Hakyeon probably couldn't see it through the darkness. "What, did you forget to wipe or something?"
"No, just..." Hakyeon trailed off, then sighed. "Come here, okay?"
He tugged Taekwoon past the tents, toward the path that led down to where Jaehwan parked the car. He kept a tight grip on Taekwoon's wrist, noticeably tense, which Taekwoon wriggled out of just so he could take Hakyeon's hand instead. He felt Hakyeon's grip pause, hesitating, before his fingers slowly wove between Taekwoon's and held on tight.
Once they reached Jaehwan's car, Hakyeon let go of his hand. He fished out a set of keys he'd clearly taken from Jaehwan at some point, opened the back hatch, and climbed inside.
"Get in," Hakyeon said, turning off his flashlight and beckoning him in.
Taekwoon laughed at the absurdity of this, but crawled inside after him anyway. One of the blankets he'd left inside earlier was now spread across the entirety of the rear cargo area, the seats down to allow more space. He settled in beside Hakyeon, watching with mild amusement as Hakyeon closed the hatch and engulfed them in darkness once more.
"Was this all just a ploy to get me in the backseat of Jaehwan's car with you?" Taekwoon chuckled, hearing Hakyeon shift beside him.
"No," Hakyeon snipped, a little too defensively. Then, after a beat of silence, "Yes. Jaehwan spoons me, okay? And Hongbin talks in his sleep. So, I'm staying out here instead."
"Hakyeon," Taekwoon breathed, smothering the laugh that bubbled up his throat as he rolled over onto his side. He blindly reached out in the dark, his hand bumping the side of Hakyeon's head before he let his palm rest against his cheek instead. "All you had to say was backseat, and I would have been here. The whole charade just now was entirely unnecessary."
Hakyeon's hand clasped around Taekwoon's wrist, his fingers tracing the veins there. "You would have made fun of me."
Taekwoon gently ran his thumb across Hakyeon's face, smiling at the pout he was certain had made itself prevalent on Hakyeon's face. "I'm making fun of you now, so what difference does it make?"
"Maybe I didn't want everyone else to make fun of me too," Hakyeon huffed, dropping his hand. He shifted again, making Taekwoon's hand fall away as he sat up.
Taekwoon hummed. "Well, half our friends are dead set on playing matchmaker with us, and the other half think we're a match made in hell, so either way somebody's gonna have something to say about it. Might as well do what you want."
"And what if I just want you?"
Taekwoon paused. That had definitely not been what he expected to come out of Hakyeon's mouth, especially after the cold shoulder Taekwoon had been shivering under all afternoon. Surely there was something stupid he could have said right now, a smug, self deprecating comment about how of course Hakyeon wanted him, Taekwoon was a slut, he should get in line behind everyone else.
Instead, it was Hakyeon who broke the silence again, his voice soft and tentative as he said, "Because I do, and it's been that way for a while. And that's..." He trailed off, his breath shuddering as he let out a long exhale. "That's it. One real thing. My real thing."
Taekwoon opened his mouth, but no words came out. Not when a blur of movement in the darkness saw Hakyeon suddenly straddled across his lap, his hands clutching at Taekwoon's shoulders as their lips collided in a frantic kiss. Taekwoon's hands went to Hakyeon's waist, pulling him closer as he kissed him back, hungry and desperate, as if this was the only chance he'd ever have.
It wasn't long before Taekwoon found himself on his back, his hands slipping under the hem of Hakyeon's shirt and tracing a path around his side, down his back, before moving up his chest. His fingers quickly found the little barbells pierced through each nipple, his thumbs toying with he metal and drawing out a sharp, breathy gasp from Hakyeon that went straight to Taekwoon's crotch.
"How much did those hurt, anyway?" Taekwoon mumbled against Hakyeon's lips, pinching and tugging at the piercings and swallowing down the flurry of whimpers it earned him.
"Enough to make me reconsider my entire life for about three seconds," Hakyeon breathed, arching into Taekwoon's touch.
"Why'd you get them?"
"Because I wanted them," Hakyeon ground out tightly, his fingers digging into the muscles of Taekwoon's arms with every little tweak and twist of the barbells.
"Fair point," Taekwoon chuckled, before he grabbed hold of Hakyeon's shirt to pull it over his head.
Taekwoon's shirt soon followed suit, as did his pants. He wasn't quite sure where all his clothes ended up, but when Hakyeon's head moved between his thighs, he suddenly found it hard to care. It was funny, he'd pegged Hakyeon as the type to want it fast and rough and sloppy, but he took his damn sweet time taking Taekwoon into his mouth. Every flick of his tongue, every bob of his head, it was all so maddeningly slow, so torturous, so wonderful.
He made love the same way, Taekwoon found, when Hakyeon sank into him with a languid rhythm that had Taekwoon begging to go just a little bit faster, a little bit harder, until he was clawing at Hakyeon's back when he finally gave him exactly what he wanted.
Afterward, as they lay in a tangle of limbs and skin slick with sweat, Taekwoon nuzzled his face into the curve of Hakyeon's neck and inhaled deeply. When he wasn't immediately bombarded with the smell of citronella, replaced by sweat and the faint hint of soap, he sat up and squinted at Hakyeon through the darkness.
"Did you wash off the bug spray in the bathroom?"
"You told me I smelled like a toxic chemical spill," Hakyeon muttered, swatting at Taekwoon's chest. "Of course I washed it off."
Taekwoon hummed, falling back against Hakyeon. He draped his arm across his waist, feeling the steady rise and fall of his chest, and smiled.
Okay, maybe something had changed between them after all.