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Jaehyun opens the door and pauses, tilting his head to hear if there’s any noise inside the apartment. It’s quiet so he shuffles inside and toes off his shoes. There’s a pair of house slippers waiting for the young man to shove his feet into.
The apartment is neat and clean, bright walls and windows with sunlight shining in from the early morning rays. The couch cushions are perfectly fluffed, the floors freshly waxed and there’s not a single cup cluttering the dish rack. Jaehyun chuckles quietly to himself as he makes his way to the bedroom.
Carefully peeking inside, he sees exactly who he was looking for, still asleep in bed. He pauses in the doorway to drink in the sight of his hyung looking peaceful and rested. Jaehyun’s feet move silently into the room and he gingerly sits down on his side of the bed.
Taeyong’s facing him like he always does, but this time his hair is dark and thick in a clean cut hairstyle, a far cry from the wild colours and shaggy cuts he sported as an active idol.
He’s so handsome that Jaehyun just starts grinning as he looks down at his husband. It feels like ages since they’ve seen one another and were able to be in each other’s company when it’s probably only been a few weeks. Life after enlisting was a whirlwind, but Jaehyun has settled down into the routine. Getting three square meals a day and an actual sleep schedule is something he could very well get used to and he’s sure Taeyong feels the same way.
The young man reaches over to touch Taeyong’s cheek and maybe he’s a little too caught up in his musing because he doesn’t notice the older man’s smile until it’s too late. Taeyong’s fingers wrap around his wrist and Jaehyun’s been yanked over him and onto the bed, the breath coming out of him in one whoosh as he stares up at the other man in shock.
“What do we have here?” Taeyong asks, voice rough with sleep although there’s a twinkle in his eye and Jaehyun can see his braces from how close the other man is above him. “Sneaking in like a little mouse.”
“Good morning to you too hyung,” laughs the younger man, wiggling a bit to see if Taeyong will let him go. He doesn't, he just brackets Jaehyun in with his arms, settling his weight onto the other man. “Hyung, come on.”
It’s a testament to Taeyong’s mood that he doesn’t even scold Jaehyun for getting onto the bed in his outdoor clothes and frankly Jaehyun doesn’t care. Taeyong’s a warm solid weight on top of him and when he leans in to kiss Jaehyun, the other man opens up easily. He doesn’t care if Taeyong has morning breath because he missed this so much.
Taeyong kisses him a few more times and then pulls away to nuzzle his cheek. He flops over onto his side and then he’s pulling and pushing Jaehyun until he can curl around the younger man. Jaehyun relaxes into his hyung’s hold, enjoying the sensation of being held and lying next to his favourite person in the world.
“When did you get back?” Taeyong asks, worming his fingers under Jaehyun’s shirt to stroke the sensitive skin of his belly.
Jaehyun shivers and squirms in his hyung’s grip in response. “Honestly it was like five minutes before you woke up.”
Deciding to have mercy, Taeyong stops trying to tickle his husband to death and settles for just holding him, snaking a hand up the other man’s shirt to fiddle with the matching ring he knows is sitting against Jaehyun’s chest. The younger man smells fresh and clean like he took a shower first thing in the morning before making the trek back to their place during a rare moment where they both had time off.
Their schedules are different from when they were working as idols, but no less busy and it’s hard to find time to spend together when they’ve got other family and friends wanting to see them too. It makes Taeyong appreciate the fact that they had the foresight to get a place before his enlistment plans were even set in stone. Having a home that was just for them to think about and look forward to helped whenever he missed his husband.
“Are we still having dinner with your parents tomorrow?” Jaehyun asks, smothering a yawn because he’s all comfortable in bed.
“Yeah and someone is ditching their husband tonight on their first day of leave,” the older man shoots back, scolding Jaehyun playfully. “I guess I’m just chopped liver huh?”
“Johnny-hyung said you were more than welcome to join us at his and Doyoung-hyung’s place,” Jaehyun retorts. “But you had to go be a hot shot and be a special guest on Mark’s album!”
Neither of them are actually mad or even annoyed at each other. Taeyong’s already seen both Johnny and Doyoung recently since his leave started earlier. Mark’s knee deep in preparation for his first solo album and all the other members are looking forward to the fruits of his labour, even when they keep telling him to take it easy and enjoy some time off to rest.
“It’s gonna be so good Jae-ah,” Taeyong replies, throwing a leg over Jaehyun. “Seriously, Mark’s got this vision and it’s crazy to see how far he’s come and grown. I’m honoured he wants me to feature on it.”
“I have faith you’ll both knock it out of the park,” Jaehyun says and he wiggles until he can turn around to face his spouse. “Johnny-hyung’s heard some of the tracks already and he can’t stop talking about them.”
“I’m sure he’ll send a few previews in the group chat. Mark definitely wants everyone’s feedback,” Taeyong laughs, imagining the younger man’s expressive eyebrows wiggling around as he takes in all the comments from their friends.
Jaehyun smiles and this time when he reaches over the older man doesn’t move away. He lets Jaehyun touch his face, pressing his cheek into a pale palm. Jaehyun strokes his fingertips over Taeyong’s cheek and snuggles closer after a few moments.
He’s always been bigger than his hyung, slightly taller and wider, especially in his torso. Taeyong played into a leaner look, more delicate and wispy but his time in the Navy has changed that. Jaehyun can see the difference in his husband and he can feel the bulk that Taeyong’s put on. It’s very attractive, especially when the older man puts his new size to good use like when he pulled Jaehyun onto the bed.
Jaehyun makes his appreciation known by running his hands up and down the other man’s arms, squeezing his biceps and then gripping Taeyong’s sturdy waist. With the light peeking in from the curtains, he can see every square inch of new muscle definition on Taeyong’s body since the older man preferred to sleep as close to naked as possible. His hyung can definitely tell what he’s thinking judging from the smirk on his face and Jaehyun thinks it’s unfair that he’s so stupidly attracted to Taeyong. Luckily the feeling is mutual because Taeyong’s leaning in to kiss him again and again until they’re both breathless.
“You look so good,” Jaehyun murmurs against Taeyong’s mouth, moaning a little when the older man nips his lower lip. “I like it.”
“I could say the same for you,” Taeyong replies and his eyes are so big and dark in the early morning light. “I missed you.”
Jaehyun’s face softens because Taeyong’s always been so open about his feelings, wearing his heart on his sleeve. The younger man is usually more reticent with his own emotions, preferring it that way especially when it comes to his public persona. But he loves it when Taeyong expresses how he feels when they’re away from prying eyes.
“I missed you too. I missed you so much,” Jaehyun says, eyes fluttering shut when Taeyong kisses his forehead, his cheeks and the tip of his nose. He can feel gentle fingers pressing into his cheeks where his dimples are, like Taeyong’s mapping out the features of his face to commit to memory.
They stay like that, wrapped up in each other’s arms and trading soft kisses until their lips tingle. Taeyong never wants to get up and he wants to stay like this forever, but Jaehyun starts to move away. The older man isn’t ashamed to whine, clinging to his husband to try and keep him there.
“Taeyongie-hyung, I’m hungry!” Jaehyun complains and he’s actually not lying because his stomach chooses to grumble right then and there. “I skipped breakfast to catch the earliest train.”
“Baby you know we don’t skip meals in this house,” Taeyong scolds him lightly and he’s rolling out of bed to pull a robe on since he fell asleep in just his shorts. “I’ll make you something, don’t worry.”
“Okay. Thanks hyungie,” Jaehyun whispers, curling up around Taeyong’s pillow which smells like him. “Not too much, I wanna grab lunch at that cafe Jungwoo recommended. I think you’ll like it.”
Jaehyun closes his eyes, listening to the faint sounds of Taeyong puttering around in the kitchen. Like clockwork, his hyung gets something going and then he’s calling back out down the hallway.
“Jaehyunnie! Don’t stay in bed! Come keep me company!”
Even if all Taeyong is doing is unloading the dishwasher, he wants Jaehyun there with him. Sometimes they don’t even talk, Jaehyun just sits nearby and watches his hyung move around until Taeyong’s done, flashing the younger man a brilliant smile. Taeyong’s clingy and he’s not afraid to admit it and Jaehyun can do nothing but indulge him.
He’s already moving before Taeyong even called him and in the kitchen Jaehyun inhales deeply to smell the comforting scent of his husband’s home cooking. Taeyong is stirring something in a pot and Jaehyun puts himself to work, setting the table for the both of them and fetching them something to drink.
They eat a light meal across from one another, their ankles crossed against one another under the table. Taeyong giggles when Jaehyun pokes him in the calf with a free leg and he retaliates by pinching the younger man in the side when they’re done.
Usually when Taeyong cooks, Jaehyun does the cleaning but the other man looks content to just sit and enjoy his coffee so Taeyong starts getting up to put the dishes away. He’s only just put his plate into the sink when a pair of arms wrap themselves around his waist and Jaehyun tucks his chin over Taeyong’s shoulder.
“Taeyong-hyung let’s do that later,” Jaehyun says and Taeyong shivers at the gust of warm breath against his ear.
“It’s better to get the dishes into the dishwasher now than to forget,” Taeyong replies and then he yelps when Jaehyun squeezes him tightly.
“How about we play a game?” suggests Jaehyun and Taeyong really has to do something about his husband’s insane competitive streak. “Please?”
Taeyong is also completely and utterly whipped for Jaehyun so he sighs and turns around in the other man’s embrace. “Okay, what are you thinking you brat?”
Jaehyun steps back and beams at him, all pale skin and dimples. His hair has grown a bit and it falls neatly above his pink ears. He bites his lip and then looks up through his lashes and Taeyong is suddenly reminded of how they spent most of his last break together and how weak he is for anything Jeong Jaehyun.
“I know I usually clean up but since we’re going to lunch and we both have evening plans we should make the most of the day right?” Jaehyun waits for Taeyong to nod before continuing. “Last one to the shower does the dishes. Bye!”
Taeyong’s too stunned to do anything for a second when Jaehyun whirls around and takes off. It’s instinct to chase after him, shouting that it’s not fair he didn’t get a countdown but Jaehyun’s hysterical laughter makes it all worth it.
The older man enthusiastically puts his new strength to good use in the shower, which is exactly what Jaehyun wanted. So he even though he technically did make it to the bathroom first, he’s gracious enough to do the cleaning up after they’re done using up all the hot water.
Taeyong’s just putting on his glasses as the younger man starts the dishwasher and then he’s settling down on the couch, lifting an arm so Jaehyun can come snuggle up to him. The both of them flip through the channels on the TV and settle onto some sitcom rerun for background noise. They chat quietly to one another, talking about the things that are going on in their respective units, updating each other on news they’ve heard from their loved ones and discussing what they want to do during the rest of their shared leave.
Lunch is another quiet affair with the both of them seated at the back of the cafe, matching baseball caps pulled on to try and keep their identities inconspicuous. It’s the middle of the work week so there’s not too many people around and they’re able to have a nice meal together without any interruptions.
Afterwards they take a leisurely stroll through a nearby park, enjoying the opportunity to link their fingers together as they go down the pathway. The rest of the afternoon is spent at home doing a few chores and then taking a nap because Taeyong’s favourite thing is to wake up and see Jaehyun sleeping soundly next to him.
Taeyong pouts when Jaehyun has to leave for dinner, trying to cajole the younger man to stay, but Jaehyun just laughs and promises not to stay out too late so they can go to bed together. Taeyong can’t complain, not when he and Mark have an incredible session at the studio. It’s the first time he’s seriously made music since enlisting and his blood is already pumping from hearing his voice in the studio. He can’t actually record anything new, but he’s got snippets and samples and partially done songs saved up that he’s more than willing to share with Mark.
“That was so good!” Mark exclaims and he fist pumps into the air. “I knew you’d be perfect for this song hyung!”
“Anything for you Markie,” Taeyong laughs and he ruffles the other rapper’s hair. “It’s your big moment, how could I say no?”
Mark’s all smiles as he works side by side with the producers to fine tune the song and Tayeong sits down on the couch to take a break. It’s refreshing to be back in the studio even as just an observer. He has to be careful about what he contributes because the last thing he wants to do is cause any trouble for Mark’s debut. Watching his friend animatedly go back and forth about his music makes Taeyong smirk because Mark’s enthusiasm is infectious. Taeyong takes some time to pick at the takeout they got delivered, making sure to eat quickly just in case they want to ask him for more input on his parts.
His phone buzzes a few times and Taeyong fishes it out of his pocket, the smirk on his face turning into a fond smile as he reads through Jaehyun’s messages. His husband sent him a few pictures of himself with Johnny and Doyoung along with what looks like an incredible spread of food. Jaehyun’s last few messages tell Taeyong that the younger man made sure to pack leftovers of what he knows Taeyong likes the most and that he even fought Johnny off to get the best picks so Taeyong has to reward him when they get home.
“Love you and thinking of you always.”
It’s how Jaehyun always signs off when he messages Taeyong and it makes the older man’s heart ache from how sweet it is to see those words. His Jaehyunnie has always been such a romantic. When Taeyong glances up from his phone, Mark is looking at him with a knowing expression on his face.
“Taeyong-hyung, we’re just about finished so why don’t you head home?” Mark suggests, fighting to keep a grin off his face. “I know you’ve probably got a lot of plans for your time off and I don’t want to keep you from whatever you want to do.”
He emphasizes the last few words and Taeyong has half a mind to get up and get Mark into a headlock, but they have company in the studio so he settles for rolling his eyes with a sigh. They part ways with Mark promising to send him a link to the finished song as soon as he gets it and Taeyong inviting Mark to come over and hangout the next time he’s free.
Jaehyun’s already home by the time Taeyong finally gets back from the studio. He can hear the faint sounds of the TV but when Taeyong comes up behind the couch he finds the other man sound asleep, clutching a cushion to his chest and already dressed for bed.
Taeyong resists the urge to poke one of Jaehyun’s soft cheeks and he does his best to stay silent as he quickly gets himself cleaned up and changed for bed. He prefers to sleep as bare as possible, but Jaehyun bought them matching pajamas and Taeyong indulges his adorable husband whenever he can.
Back in the living room, Taeyong worms his arms underneath Jaehyun’s body and carefully picks him up. Half a year ago he would have struggled to do so, but lifting the younger man is now something he can do without too much trouble. Jaehyun starts to stir as Taeyong carries his prize to their bedroom, squinting up at him for a few confused seconds.
“You’re home,” Jaehyun says and then cuts himself off with a yawn as Taeyong gently lays him down on his side of the bed. “Welcome home hyungie.”
His voice is drowsy with sleep and he’s slurring his words slightly too. Jaehyun gives him a dopey smile, obviously waiting for the older man to get into bed and Taeyong loves him in a way he can never ever truly put to words because Jaehyun is the very definition of home to him.
Taeyong pulls the covers over them, pressing a kiss to the crown of Jaheyun’s head when the other man rolls closer. Jaehyun’s hair smells like his shampoo and he knows his husband likes to use the excuse of not being able to see when he uses up Taeyong’s products to his annoyance. But it’s moments like this where he likes being able to smell his signature scent on Jaehyun.
“I’m home,” Taeyong murmurs as he tangles their legs together. “I’m here.”
“Stay,” Jaehyum mumbles as his eyes drift shut and he falls back asleep in the safety of Taeyong’s arms.
“Always.”