Chapter Text
𓃦𓃹
“You’re nervou-”
“I’m not!” Yeonjun cut Soobin off before even looking up from his phone, checking for the third time to make sure it was on airplane mode. “I’m not nervous,” he followed more petulantly, letting the device fall to his lap, both watching as it nearly bounced to the floor between their seats from the unsteady jerk of his knee. Soobin cooed, reaching around his boyfriend’s shoulder to tug him in a little closer.
The first thing Yeonjun had done after sitting down in the window seat was push the divider up, the second was pulling Soobin as flush to him as physically possible. There was no hiding it, not only was he not an anxious flyer but he had been quite silent the night before, muttering nonsensically under his breath, checking through his luggage for the twelfth time. Not like much could have changed for him at that point anyways, they’d spent the night at Soobin’s, it was far closer to the airport and they both knew how much of a bitch the traffic would be this close to Christmas. It didn't even matter that their alarm was set for ass o’clock in the morning.
They’d hit altitude about half an hour before and he had yet to settle. Look, Soobin got it. Yeonjun hadn’t even met his sister in person let alone his mom, dad or Ben. Obviously he was going to be a bit jittery. Yet Soobin could never have imagined it would manifest into something quite so pronounced. It had to do with Christmas. Of course it did. Yeonjun knew exactly what he was walking into, had ever since the first day they met. It was a big family affair, lots of non skippable traditions and practically negative alone time apart from the seconds before collapsing into bed at the end of the night. Even then possessing barely enough brain power to wash your face, let alone decompress before sleep took over. And Yeonjun was excited, Soobin knew he was and had been for months. But Yeonjun knew how important this holiday was for their family and in the long run, Soobin realized that was his ultimate demise. Yeonjun wanted it to be perfect, wanted to be perfect and it didn't matter how much reassurance he could give to nullify the nonsense his mind found a way to cook up. But that was okay, he would settle, he always did.
“Common,” he spoke feather light against Yeonjun’s temple, not so much as kissing but trying to breathe calm against his skin. “Nap, it will help and I’ll be right here when you wake up,” Yeonjun’s bottom lip jutted out, as if Soobin babying him wasn't self proclaimed one of his favorite things in the world. He grumbled under his breath as Soobin’s grin soothed over the little mark between his scrunched eyebrows, the very one he’d grown oh so fond of in the last twelve months. It only took a second peck for him to give in with a sigh, shuffling a bit to spread his legs more comfortably before shoving his cold nose against Soobin’s neck and wrapping both arms around his waist. That was that, it took less than five minutes of gently stroking his hair for Yeonjun’s body weight to press deeper into him, breathing evenly like his mind never knew any better in the first place.
Soobin didn't bother biting back a smile, truth be told he had been trying his best to knock down his own outward trill of excitement. He had still felt the buzz, it started the moment he finished his last project at work and only grew stronger each second they spent wading through their crowded terminal. He just knew it wouldn't help Yeonjun to show, the whole thing had already taken its silent mental toll as the last few weeks trickled by. He’d absolutely buzzed when Soobin asked him to join them for the holiday and he didn't doubt for a second that feeling had dimmed even an ounce. But change was still change. Next year would be easier for him, he was sure of it. So for the time being he let himself be what Yeonjun needed most, calm, a confident hand to hold onto and a heavy leg to throw over his hips whenever he couldn't stop tossing and turning at night.
Soobin loved him so much it made him sick. It felt even better knowing without a doubt Yeonjun had always felt the same.
Walking through the domestic terminal with Yeonjun’s hand in his own felt almost surreal, really sending home the speed in which the last year of their now utterly intertwined lives had passed. They had only known each other a few hours at the point of parting and what they did know wasn't necessarily the deepest points of connection. The whole thing still made him blush to think about too deeply, the shyness he had ignored in the heat of the moment always rearing its head as if to make up for the time it’d lost in the thick of that blizzard.
It had been a bit awkward at the beginning, sure. But they still got there. The two had independently realized right out of the gate neither were the type to casually hook up with a near stranger, especially in a public space. Unfortunately it didn’t quite soothe away the shy glaring obviousness of their body’s instant compatibility. By no means did they let that tentativeness stop them, even if the awkward understanding didn't lift for the rest of his trip home they still couldn't quite stop texting.
It had been his sister, of course it had been, to call him out on it. At least she had the grace and decency to do so while Ben was down for a nap and their parents were in the other room with her husband. Still, flames licked up his cheeks at the bluntness of her not quietly questioned, ‘who the fuck have you been texting?’ It all felt so juvenile, the way his face lit up with unbridled heat, giggling into his hand the same way she hadn't seen him do since probably sixteen. ‘Can you keep a secret?’ was all he whispered before stepping only a hair too far into her personal space, still giddy as she nodded with her whole body, hand reaching out to clasp tightly around his wrist.
He kept the more exposing details out of the retelling, but the way she practically shook after a murmured ‘I think I met someone,’ had exploded his heart into tiny oversaturated little pieces. It was no secret how much he missed living close to his family especially as Ben grew older, but work was good where he was and the job market wasn't something he was keen on trying to reenter any time soon.
It felt grounding to have that tried and true slice of them present at a moment's notice. The way she had whisked him away to quickly pile on their outdoor clothes, braving the low temperatures so they could talk without being overheard. Just like they always had. Even then, being seven years older than him hadn't ever seemed to matter much. He'd seen his friends and their siblings with many less years in between interacting and knew what they had was something special. So it didn’t feel anything but typical to watch her skip circles around him like it was her own budding relationship instead of his. As if she wasn’t married in her thirties with a four year old child. In some ways it was. Once she knew, the information would flow from him to her with as little as a pointed look or hum.
He’d bought the thirty dollar wifi on his flight home. Yeonjun teased him about it now, as expected. But one night a few months in, after a few too many drinks, he shyly admitted to the deep swoop his gut had taken as he realized his messages were still being marked as delivered and read two hours after he was set to take off. Soobin had knocked his half drained beer over lunging across the bar’s sticky table top to kiss him. It didn’t take long for Soobin to realize how deeply, irreparably fucked he was.
Thankfully Yeonjun didn't give him the chance to suffer in limbo for long. It was only after their third official date, a very important distinction in Yeonjun’s opinion, that he quite casually, considering every particle of his existence being the opposite of casual, asked him, ‘so what's the timeline of you asking me to be your boyfriend?’ Soobin couldn’t help but snort. They had just walked out of a restaurant, cheeks flushed from the crowded space wicking away with the early January night breeze. Yeonjun had looked so pretty. Prettier than ever before if that was even possible. In Soobin's expert opinion the overall beauty of said man tripled each time his eyes grazed across his face. It was merely second nature for him to lean forward and steal a kiss.
He found he quite liked catching Yeonjun off guard with those small gestures of casual intimacy. It always seemed to leave him a little slack jawed, eyes round, sometimes even shimmering as he blinked back owlishly. ‘Is right now a good time for you?’ Yeonjun stared at him for another long second before his head tipped back in a hard, loud laugh. It softened to a nasally giggle as he shifted to look at the man before him, both their hearts seeming to beat with the same pulse as he reached up to card through Soobin’s parted hair.
‘Yeah. Now works.’
Soobin had barely kicked off his slosh covered boots before Yeonjun was pulling him further into the apartment by his scarf. He still hadn't quite gotten used to that ferocity. All his previous relationships had possessed a physical spark, but never before did it feel hot to the touch any time their fingers met skin or lips collided. He bullied the other against the wall beside his bedroom door, startling Tekken off the bed at the resounding thud of his body. Yeonjun just moaned as the kitten scattered from out of the room, having absolutely no interest in whatever the humans were about to get up to.
Yeonjun was quick to dig the front of his button up from the belt of Soobin’s pants, the garment too in the way of his flushed skin. In his haste Soobin felt the strain of buttons threatening to pop from the seams. He couldn't help but laugh. “Baby I'm not going anywhe- a ah,” Yeonjun nipped hard at his peck, an instant red blooming over his pale skin as the last button finally came free.
When Yeonjun looked up his eyes were fierce, a light glaze slowly clouding in from the corners as he pouted. “Doesn't mean I won't die in the meantime. Now touch me,” Soobin didn't need a second request, yanking him from the wall to carry him under the arms as his feet struggled to stay in contact with the ground. A sweet noise jumped from the back of his throat as Soobin followed down after him to the duvet, his nose diving straight to take a deep greedy gulp of air against his pulse.
“Tickles,” Yeonjun mumbled, hands splaying over Soobin’s bare chest pushing him to no avail. Even if he never said it out loud, Soobin knew the base level strength his body held over Yeonjun made his stomach fuzzy. That Soobin could overpower and move him around as he pleased, no matter how incessant the hands begging him to change course became. Soobin pressed a kiss to the crook of his jaw, tongue lazily lapping over his throat towards his Adam's apple, buzzing at the feel of Yeonjun’s rapidly fluttering pulse and ragged breath. “Kiss me,” Yeonjun whispered, quiet enough that the reverberation of his vocal chords were louder than the words themselves. As hard as it was for him to move Soobin physically, they both also knew just a few desperate words could crack him just as easily in turn. Molding him into a puddy that if not careful would drip straight through the gaps of his slender fingers.
Soobin’s breath ghosted over Yeonjun’s lips, smirking as he whined impatiently. It was still almost hard to believe where they were, that they could already be at such a point together. Boyfriends. The thought punched a smile across his mouth, eyes crunching up as both dimples pulled at his cheeks. Before Yeonjun had a second to ask the younger was crashing forward, his teeth unceremoniously cracking against Yeonjun’s bottom lip hard enough for him to hiss. Almost like an apology Soobin took it between his own, sucking monotonously like they had all the time in the world. Because somehow they did.
Yeonjun’s hands worked over their clothes as Soobin greedily locked in on the pleasure of their lips. His one track mind not possessing the capacity to undress them when the plush flesh felt so good against his tongue. Maybe it should've been a touch embarrassing, but Soobin had thought many times about the real possibility of coming just from that alone. He wanted to try someday, to see just how close he could get, how worked up and over their lips could send his nerves. He knew from experience a simple lapful of the man could carry him so far as to need a break so he wouldn’t bust prematurely. Yeonjun had teased him but Soobin couldn't tell how much he realized that was working him up as well. The curious tilt of Yeonjun’s head made it apparent that if he hadn't yet, he had quickly been getting the idea. That he could control Soobin’s teen-like hormones as if they were trained to a clicker.
Soobin came back to himself at the feeling of Yeonjun squirming to the left, his hand outstretched towards the bedside table as far as he could manage while still stuck under the bracket of his naked arms. Soobin peeled himself back to see Yeonjun having torn the rest of their clothes off as far as he could manage, his sweater hanging off of one shoulder and pants pulled down to the knee. Soobin was in a similar state, he quickly got to his feet, yanking the rest of his clothes off and using the trousers around Yeonjun’s knees to help flip him onto his stomach, surprising a delighted chirp free from Yeonjun’s cheeks.
In the blink of an eye Yeonjun was writhing against the sheets, rutting his leaking cock against the comforter as shiver after shiver passed through his limbs. Each taunting drag of Soobin’s fingers across his prostate drawing his muscles tighter. “S-stopp, Binnnie close,” he groaned into the mattress, clenching hard around Soobin’s fingers like his words weren't enough to make him listen. He was right, on a normal day he wouldn't. Soobin would have stolen that orgasm and probably even another before finally entering him to finish eye to eye. But that day was special, it was a day they needed to be linked in every possible way.
Soobin ignored the wet patch below his boyfriend as he pulled him up, shifting them both so he could settle against the headboard with Yeonjun’s legs bracketing over his lap. Soobin wasn't given even a second to mentally prepare before Yeonjun was hastily reaching back and sinking down on his length like someone might just come in and steal him away.
“Woah, woah baby slow down,” Soobin’s hands shot out to grab onto his hips, keeping him in place before he could travel down the rest of his shaft. Yeonjun practically cried at the denial, but stubbornness be damned they both knew Soobin was too large for him not to take a second to adjust before meeting his hips. “Whine all you like, love,” he cooed, pecking his pouted lips before taking them between his own. Yeonjun seemed to relax a bit as Soobin lifted him up an inch before letting him sink down another, his upper body strength controlled enough to manually guide Yeonjun over his shaft. It didn't take very long for Yeonjun to be panting like a dog, clawing at his shoulders once he finally bottomed out and was given back the control of his pleasure. He didn't wait a second before rolling his hips, not starting slow as if he feared the rhythmic force might possibly leave his body. Instead he pounded back down, hips shifting over and over in his own sort of payback. Watching Soobin’s eyes flutter, his hands gripped harder over his ass. The younger couldn't help but buck his hips up, at the pace they were moving it would be impossible for either to last much longer than a few minutes, heat already slicking their skin. Too hungry, too desperate to draw things out. Besides, they had all night. The first round needed escape from their system like the sweat pouring down Soobin’s temple lapped at by Yeonjun’s greedy tongue.
He was always so easy to work up, the whining and shivering of his body screaming at him to give that final push. It was something Soobin absolutely loved. One time he had brought him to climax with just a long stroke up his neglected shaft after a good twenty minutes of teasing his skin. Yeonjun had been mortified but Soobin couldn't help but sit there in utter shock as wave after wave of pleasure rocked the foundation of his flushed body. It didn't matter how proud he had made him, Yeonjun couldn't have that this time. Soobin needed to be deep inside of him, to feel every clench and flutter around his cock as the noises from his mouth grew desperately more pleading, nails digging into flesh, toes curled, finishing like he was competing for gold.
Soobin had never realized just how much he enjoyed being the one in control until he had the pleasure of meeting Yeonjun. ‘Brat tamer’ was never a label he explicitly aligned himself with. Yet after their first rendezvous he didn't think there was a way he could thoroughly enjoy himself again without it. Or without him, was more like it. Not that he’d ever be without. They may have only just made it official but Soobin knew personally, he was in it for life. There was no emergency exit to this, Yeonjun had already burrowed so deeply under his skin that his presence had melted into the marrow surging through his bones. Yeonjun would need to be surgically removed and even then the cells would grow back with twice their ferociousness.
“Tell me you want me,” Yeonjun broke the screaming silence surrounding them, their panting mouths hovering over each other as the sound of skin slapping, desperate groans and sharp hisses filled the air. “Soobin tell me you wa-”
“I want you,” Soobin practically choked, hand dragging up his spine to grasp the back of his neck. “I want you so fucking much,” he snapped his hips harder, feeling the telltale twitch of Yeonjun’s stomach muscles. “I’ve never wanted someone more,” he whispered, finally giving in to the pooling heat of his groin, spilling into his boyfriend with the intent to leave a trace of himself deep inside for days to come.
Yeonjun practically collapsed at the sudden gush of warmth, the hitch of Soobin’s breath against his jaw sending a tremble throughout his entire body, coming twice as hard as he whimpered a pitiful ‘me too,’ over and over, struggling to catch his breath. Soobin wrapped his other arm around him, cradling his smaller body as their breathing came back to earth. He couldn't stop smiling, kissing over Yeonjun’s sweaty scalp, breathing in his warmth as he internalized the truth of it all. He had never wanted someone more in his life. And he had him.
After that their lives merged in a way that felt so adult Soobin almost struggled to understand it. There was the easily identifiable and ever present youthful infatuation that he was familiar with, but it never fizzled like it always had in the past. Instead it shifted, pooling under his skin trying to crawl its way out and rest under Yeonjun’s touch anytime they were near enough. He could feel it pulsing in him on the days all they could manage was a quick half asleep goodnight call, thrumming in his gut just as fervently anytime Yeonjun surprised him at the office with a handpacked lunch. Even when the big things were so glaringly advanced, it was those little actions that had him confessing without a second thought, this time with no need to be prompted. His confidence in loving the other had briefly come as a hard pill to swallow. It was the first time he had ever really seen Yeonjun cry like that, not in the way he did while watching the sappy movies he claimed to hate or the tears that would spill out in frustrated rants after a hard day. They were glisteningly genuine, sewn deep into the devotion he had grown in his own time and in his own heart, reciprocated without a second thought.
They had spent the rest of the weekend attached at the hip, more so than usual if you could even imagine. Yeonjun sitting on the washer as Soobin moved their wet sheets to the dryer, the younger lazily leaning against the bathroom sink as Yeonjun gently applied the seventh step of his own convoluted skincare routine to Soobin’s willing face. Soobin never hesitating to pull Yeonjun onto his lap, the older always failing to hide his blush as strong arms trapped him against his chest. They danced around each other in the kitchen until Yeonjun finally had to ask Soobin to try and stop helping him cook a late night dinner. Had even laughed as the younger crossed his arms and cemented himself to the ground until Yeonjun delegated him into a ‘Soobin level’ task. Each piece of carrot he’d cut was disastrously uneven but Yeonjun held his tongue. Too in love to even roll his eyes.
Sickingly domestic.
𓃦𓃹
When Yeonjun woke up it was with a groggy snort and cracking groan. Soobin didn't even try to hide his fond smile, chuckling as Yeonjun dug deeper for just a second more. He cooed as his boyfriend came back to reality post dragging himself away from the comfort of the younger’s warm neck. He struggled to keep his eyes open as they waited for the first few rows to slowly shuffle down the aisle, blinking deeply, occasionally having to jerk up whenever he caught them closing a bit too heavily.
“Real good nap eh, Sunshine?” Soobin soothed, hand fussing over Yeonjun to help reset his hair, gentle fingers lightly swiping away the crust his eyes had built up under the dry altitude. “You can sleep more once we’re in the car,” nonverbally Yeonjun cut him off, shaking his head even as he fought back a yawn. His lips turned down to a childish frown as Soobin snorted at his expense. “You don’t have to fully wake yourself up.”
“Nuh-unh,” he shook his head, rolling his neck out with a loud pop. “Coffee,” he hummed, the corner of his mouth tilting up just at the thought.
“Jun it’s already pretty late, we won’t get to the house until like nine or ten. You sure that’s the best idea?” The denial of caffeine seemed to do just the trick, his eyes indignantly flying open with nary a trace of sleep left to find. As if the light stain of drool over Soobin’s sweater was a fashion choice rather than evidence of the last three hours. Soobin snorted, shaking his head before leaning in to smack a loud kiss against Yeonjun’s cheek. “Cute.”
With a grave undertaking Soobin managed to tug his boyfriend away from the small, somehow still open, to-go cafe directly in front of the door to baggage claim. He was well practiced in his ability to ignore Yeonjun’s pleading temptations. Even if he was playing dirty by pointing out their seasonal drink menu, wide eyes sparkling up while wistfully hemming on about just how much yummier they would taste once the nip of winter finally hit their cheeks.
“Pep in your step, my dad’s probably already doing laps around pick up,” Soobin tipped his head towards the sliding doors. The wind outside had been whorling around hard enough for drifts to bend a curve into the compacted snow, it must have been going for hours if not days with the way its ledge seemed to defy physics leaning over the salted side walk. Yeonjun shivered just looking at it. It was during the first turn of the season Soobin realized just how deeply that part of Texas still ran through his blood. The first nipping chill in the air had him pulling out his heated blankets, plural, even when the wishy-washy forecast said it was meant to jump back up to seventy five just later that week. It didn't matter how many New England winters he had under his belt, the cold always shot straight through his spine like he was wearing nothing more than a pair of briefs.
Chuckling, Soobin reached into the other's pocket to pull out his stashed away knit hat, gently fitting it over his head. There was some level of him that didn’t know how to sooth this type of not nervous jitters. Even Soobin’s mind held some sort of edge, he had no experience in introducing a partner to his family, let alone adding someone to their Christmas list. He knew Yeonjun well enough to see that this whole ordeal, meeting his family, not just participating in their traditions but becoming a standing player in the ones that had existed for two generations, was like a bomb strapped to his chest that he couldn't quite unlatch. Pridefully, it was somehow more important to him than Soobin could have ever anticipated. His serious commitment and fieriness warmed the hearth in his chest way hotter than any of those burnt smelling blankets could. Even though he said it multiple times a day, Soobin wasn't quite sure Yeonjun would ever understand just how much he loved him. He reached down to zip up Yeonjun’s knee length parka, encasing him the way he wished his words could.
As he started at the buttons Soobin just couldn’t stop himself from asking again. “Are you nervou-“
“I’m not nervous!” Yeonjun almost stomped, jutted lip partially covered as Soobin fastened the last button right over his chin. Soobin tilted his head looking at him deeper, in some merit he was clearly telling the truth, but it was impossible to fully shelter that creeping trepidation. Still, as he ran his palms up and down Yeonjun’s arms he could see the way excitement was finally cracking through the surface.
“Good,” Soobin whispered as he leaned forward, words ghosting over Yeonjun’s heavily balmed lips. “You look so handsome bundled up for the cold, my Christmas baby,” the older tried to scoff at the teasing tone, but Soobin knew better. He heard the minute waver, the flustered vibrato tangled up in the falsified dismissal. It was always like this, even from that first fateful day. He craved the praise, needed attention like a flower depending on the sun. Yet he never knew where to put it once Soobin was shining over him. Soobin didn’t give him the chance to argue before his fingers were lightly carding through the hair along his nape, scratching his scalp as lips feathered over his, pressing into an insured lock kiss. He hoped the touch could fill in where his words seemed to fall. “I love you.”
Yeonjun let out a sweet hum, swaying as every muscle in his body finally relaxed forward onto Soobin’s chest. Kissing Yeonjun had never lost its addictive quality, yet Soobin still craved it more than he bashfully cared to admit. So when Yeonjun chased after his parted lips, there was no use in trying to do anything but let the magnet pull him back in. Even while remaining chaste the depth of their commitment poured through the pulsing touch. Behind his fluttering eyelids Soobin could almost taste the remaining anxiety dripping off of Yeonjun’s tongue. He swallowed it, resetting him, comfort and protection funneling through every ounce of love.
“Soobin!” A deep, aged voice traveled excitedly along a gust of frigid wind as the automatic doors slid apart. The younger made an excited noise from deep in his throat, pulling back just to lay one last unrushed peck slowly against Yeonjun’s lips, breathing him in like he was the center of the universe for just a second longer. He smiled brightly, hovering just an inch away from Yeonjun’s face to take one final scan. He was happy to notice his boyfriend seemed far more flustered by Soobin’s undivided attention than anything else. Whining gently as his face bloomed with shy reverence, he nodded in answer to the silent question. The same way they often checked in nowadays, almost too intune. A quick glance was enough to hear exactly what the other was thinking. It probably only took a few seconds for him to settle his own protective urges, but to Soobin, Yeonjun accepting that security was priceless.
Grinning, the younger grabbed his wrist and practically skipped towards his father. He didn’t let go of Yeonjun’s hand even as his dad surged forward to close the final few steps himself. The older man wrapped himself around Soobin in a brief but soulful hug, pulling away first to firmly pat him against the back, grip shaking just a touch as his fingers squeezed. His warm eyes took in his son’s face, searching for any of the inevitable differences attaching themselves to him since the last time they met. It had always been like that with him, his love shown through the smallest of actions. The almost secret ones you’d need to pay really close attention in order to catch. Yet quickly his eyes shifted.
Yeonjun smiled shyly, he probably didn’t realize how firmly he was squeezing Soobin’s hand but the younger gave him a firm clench back just in case. The reminder loosened his grip ever so slightly, thumb running over Soobin’s knuckle in silent grounding thanks. There was no way he couldn’t help but burst.
“Dad this is Yeonjun,” he utterly beamed, gesturing to his boyfriend as his dad nodded. The motion was gruff, firm like what he thought a dad meeting his child’s boyfriend should be like. Yet Soobin knew Yeonjun could see the fondness buried there, how out of place the stoic wall seemed, unable to truly hide the joyfulness of seeing Soobin so openly cherish another. He hummed, sticking out his hand for Yeonjun to shake.
Accepting it confidently, his boyfriend was still taken by surprise as the man’s other hand came up to similarly give his shoulder a warm squeeze. Soobin knew this was as close to a hearty greeting as he could muster for a near stranger. But the smile he had given Soobin on greeting didn’t shift much at all, just barely closing off to be an inch more reserved. Soobin could feel the excitement radiating off of Yeonjun’s body as he snuck his hand over to rest protectively along his lower back.
“Mr. Choi, I'm so glad to finally meet you,” Yeonjun greeted him genuinely, making his father grunt with a final tamp over his shoulder before letting go. “Thank you for having me, I know how much this holiday means to your family,” he glanced quickly back at Soobin, something in his gaze making Yeonjun sport a light blush, whether that be the unrestrained fondness or the pride he simply found impossible to hide, he didn't know. “I'm really touched you’d have me,” his dad half shrugged before flashing a toothy grin, one that made him look just like Soobin.
“Well, my son just won’t shut up about you,” was the graceful way he chose to respond, his son’s resounding scoff fully unacknowledged by the two of them. “I’ve been impatient to find out for myself,” Soobin was momentarily too shocked by the vulnerability of his words to think of anything snarky to glean in response. He felt his eyes sting with an affinity he’d yet gotten used to accessing. It was still so new to him, only knowing its true conductivity for barely over a year. The way it overwhelmed him was something he was still quite unsure of the best way to move around. With it. In it. How to continue acknowledging while also desperately begging for it to settle, to hover in the back of his mind instead of constantly in his peripherals where it would inevitably become a distraction.
“Wow,” he heard Yeonjun snort, effectively pulling him away from the frozen force of his dad’s immediate between the lines acceptance. “Not even gonna argue?” He heard his dad let out a chuckle as Yeonjun turned on him with a cheeky grin. Soobin could only shrug, pulling him just a touch closer before dismissively tilting his head.
“What’s the point in arguing when it’s true?” He quite uncharacteristically conceded, stowing a small kiss away along Yeonjun’s temple. Soobin heard his dad let out a weak whistle, not needing to look to know his eyes were rolling at his son, still the fondness permeated the sarcasm of his voice.
“Alright ya love birds, let's go. I'm double parked.”
Yeonjun moved first but a gentle hand around his wrist stopped him from taking even a half step further. Grinning ear to ear, Soobin spun him to steal one more kiss. Fingers lingering along his spine just a second too long before falling in step towards the door. His boyfriend stayed breathlessly frozen for a beat, flushing red enough to heat the room. Grumbling, he scurried after Soobin, nudging him with a passive shoulder. His long strides not pausing to wait as they carried him out the door.
𓃦𓃹
It would be a blatant lie if he tried to say it didn’t genuinely surprise him to see Yeonjun stay awake the entire ride towards the property. Then again maybe it shouldn't have been all that shocking when even at night the scenic landscape was so damn beautiful. Sitting in the front seat beside his father, Yeonjun’s curious eyes stayed glued to their surroundings, rapidly absorbing every passing detail as the car turned off the main road and onto the ones only locals tended to travel.
It slowly dawned on him that Yeonjun might not have ever seen anything quite like it. Yes New England was chock full of boreal forests, mountain ridges and ocean views, but he knew better than most Yeonjun didn’t often stray too far from the city limits unless deeply coerced or financially incentivized. The wonder in his relaxed jaw made Soobin want to scream. Sometimes he was even grossed out by himself, how gobsmacked he got, how pitifully obsessed he was and how horribly he hid it from the world. It was almost painful trying not to reach out and touch him. He thought about it, maybe he could get by with just a finger resting on his shoulder or a quick brush through his hair. But Soobin couldn't bear the idea of stealing any attention away, the wonder in his curiosity too deep to disturb. Instead he resigned himself to simply staring unchecked, gaze glued to Yeonjun as his wide eyes analyzed each passing tree.
The personalized entertainment certainly helped the drive pass quicker. Normally it dragged on, his legs screaming to stretch out, joints pulsing to get a move on and ears ringing in the car’s silence. Last year was notably the first time in a while he had felt relaxed during this particular fragment of the trip. His body had been loose, it seemed the combination of wine and getting off seconds before boarding had done just the trick. But this time much like then, it was his mind that had something fresh to focus on. Soobin felt like he’d only gotten to blink twice before they caught the distant sights of illuminated windows peaking through the densely packed spruce.
Yeonjun audibly gasped as they pulled through the clearing. As much as Soobin had tried to describe the house, there was no true way to realistically do it justice. Calling it his grandfather's ‘passion project’ gave the illusion of nothing much, just four quaint walls he could call his own. No, this property teetered between descriptors. Even while rusticly sided with rounded wooden panels, rough log beams at each corner that held up the mossy roof edges and red gutters training its sides matching the shutters framing each window with sparkling honey gold Christmas lights, a cabin was far from correct. House was closer, yet it also seemed a bit too timid of a term. It certainly wasn't a mansion by any means, but the way it sprawled along the cleared acre plot of land made it look larger than life. The structure as long as it was tall.
His father parked them in front of the main house, a boxy section with a grand door and wrapping porch. It was where the kitchen settled attached to a large dining area with an offshooting room that at one time had been the original master bed and bath. The rest of the house peaked loomingly out from behind the single story. The center room was slanted steeply so as to not allow the winter’s heavy snow to pile up and weigh it down. The A-framed section homed the living room, a dipped conversation pit centered in the space with plush cushions, muted green upholstery and throw blankets complementing the light wood wrapping the floor and walls. It soon would pridefully display the Christmas tree through its ceiling high window, pyramided from the ground up to a sharp point. It would sparkle at night for no one but the deer and silent foxes skitering past outside to see.
Behind that section they’d added a wing to house its growing occupant count, a good four bedrooms, small library and study, each with their own unique flare. Construction had started around the time his mom had turned fourteen. It hadn't been strictly necessary at the time, but it gave them all something to do with the emptiness living in such a secluded place was so deeply married with.
Yeonjun snapped his head back with a disbelieving crease denting his forehead. Soobin bit back a snort when he mouth ‘WHAT THE FUCK’ as his dad opened the car door to fumble with the manual garage. Soobin just shrugged, heart fluttering for the millionth time as he watched astounded excitement zoom out of Yeonjun’s every movement. Soobin knew he couldn't wait to explore, almost as much as he himself was itching to show him around.
Shuffling carefully over the packed snow the group was greeted even before they could fully knock it off their boots. His mom ushered them in, practically snatching him into a drawn out hug before he could even say hello, pecking his cheek over and over until he was groaning undecipherable words of protest. Still he didn’t try to shove her off, he never would, it just didn’t stop his ears from burning red. He could feel the wrath of Yeonjun's unspoken and secretive teasing smile brewing behind him.
“Oh honey, you’re finally here!” She squeezed him once more before pulling back, her hand reaching up to brush down a cowl lick his hat had been hiding. “I’m just so glad you didn’t have the same weather this year,” she praised innocuously. To her it was an ode to nothing more than a relic of time passed, yet the words still turned all of their attention unanimously to Yeonjun.
“Hmm yes, well I can’t be too mad at the storm,” there was no possible way for Soobin to keep the cheeky grin out of his voice, the sound washing over his features as he watched Yeonjun flush.
Quite early on in their relationship, during one of the nights when sleep couldn’t touch them, their heart rates unable to lower as pleasured sweat dripped from every pore, it was an endearment that he thoughtlessly let slip. ‘My little storm’. It had instantaneously tipped Yeonjun over the edge, the pleasure coursing through him joined by disbelieving shock. Soobin would never forget the way his eyes shot open, a pitiful ‘wha- oh fuck’ spilling from his lips as he warmed the skin of their abdomens. Soobin couldn’t do much but watch in wonder as Yeonjun jerked and clenched around him.
Later, once cleaned up and tangled together in a tight knot, Yeonjun bashfully equated the feeling to the 2001 film adaptation of Pride & Prejudice. How Matthew Mcafadyen delicately and besottedly called Keira Knightly Mrs. Darcy, over and over, growing fonder as the music swelled and he kissed her gently. As if no time could escape their love.
The fragile secret speared Soobin’s chest in a swarm of gentle arrows. As cheesy and fantastical as it was, his normal teasing nature shriveled up in utter astonishment. He didn’t bring up the fact that he had been relentlessly pounding into his prostate or that Yeonjun’s eyes had already been watering the way they always did when the stimulation was teetering from mind numbing to too much, to just enough. All he could see was the sparkle in his soul, the crewed sense of vulnerability in admitting something so deeply personal to his still timid heart.
That raw emotion quickly became Soobin’s own sort of weapon. It not only had the ability to soothe but to tease, to joke and rile him up in a moment's notice. It could both turn him on and set him down to be cared for. Soobin couldn't count the times the little name had drawn Yeonjun back from a frazzled state of overwhelming anxiety. ‘Take a breath my storm,’ turned instantly grounding, usually ending up with an armful of Yeonjun deeply gulping air down as his mind took steps towards settling. A cooed praise never failed to heat the bridge of his face, eyes bashfully shifting to the side. ‘Ah, my storm looks so handsome today. What a lovely man I have to love.’ His friends wanted to vomit every time he let it slip in their presence but Soobin didn’t care. How could he when a rumbled ‘careful there little storm,’ husked into his ear along with a pointed look and leading hand could end him up with a lap full of squirming lust the second they got back to the closest of their apartments.
Soobin knew he was going to hell. The bindings of his bible had long since been scrubbed clean, no longer dedicated to a lord but instead filled page to page with what best could serve his Yeonjun. He would be happy to rot in hell as long as he got a lifetime of this. His love was worth far more than any chance of eternal salvation.
When the room didn't turn away, Yeonjun shifted a little from foot to foot before taking hold of his nerves. “Hi!” He chirped, pausing like he'd forgotten everything else his brain had planned to say. It didn't matter all that much. Soobin watched as his mom took Yeonjun by the cheeks, cupping him so tenderly that the action itself barely had room to take him by surprise. A fond second later she was encapsulating him with her soft warmth, arms wrapping around his shoulders as she swayed him along with her chest.
Of course Soobin had expected a tender welcome, his mom hadn't been able to stop gushing about her own excitement for weeks. But he didn't expect to have tears prick his eyes as Yeonjun giggled, hugging her back with the same ferocity. Maybe it was the holiday that had him feeling so soft, maybe it was just another thing he could lay on Yeonjun’s doing. Either way he let out a wet chuckle as his dad clapped him on the back once more, nodding approvingly again and scuttling down the hall towards their bedroom.
His attention returned just in time to hear the end tail of his moms words, a glee in them that was a critical roll against his weak sentimentality. “Thank you for making my son so happy.”
“Maaaa,” Soobin complained, grasping onto that teenage embarrassment he as the youngest never quite did away with by design. It was a feeling far easier to process. “Why are you still up anyways?” He asked while not so subtly stealing Yeonjun back with an arm over his shoulder. It wasn't slick, the two both watching it happen their eyes conspiratorily connecting. Her smile only grew as Yeonjun loosely wrapped his arms around Soobin’s waist, hugging him while still mostly facing their host.
“Well, I couldn't let my youngest get here without greeting him, now could I?” She spoke with a coy tilt, the kind that’d grown so deeply embedded in his own cadence that he was sure Yeonjun got deja vu. It made Soobin snort.
“You can just say it's because of Yeonjun,” he rolled his eyes.
“If you say so~” she sang, winking towards Yeonjun as he bit the corner of his lip under the attention, the arms holding his boyfriend tightening just a hair.
“Well I'm so glad the feeling is mutual,” Yeonjun added confidently, the veil of unease he’d entered with already melting away in the secure realization he was standing in front of just another part of the man he loved. The familial presence so starkly apparent it almost felt like a slap across the face. “This home is gorgeous by the way,” turning to squint sharply up at Soobin, sarcastically scolding as he pinched a premature yelp from the man’s side. “Soobin's description was deeply lacking in detail. I can't believe your father built this with his own hands,” Soobin loved the way his tone turned astonished, it was so clear he wasn't just complimenting to get on her good graces. Not that Yeonjun was the type to do such things, he was just genuinely that taken aback.
“Ah, well he had some help. God rest his soul, but don’t go letting Soobin’s big starry eyes fool you anymore than is already inevitable. That damn boy,” Yeonjun snickered as she shook her head, the ribbing right up his alley. Soobin huffed, the sound rivaling that of a puppy left to the side without direct attention. A pitiful attempt at best.
“You really haven't seen anything yet,” he added, steady hand shifting to squeeze the back of Yeonjun’s neck. His mother’s eyes tracked the movement, the permanent spark in her eye once again flagging joyously. “Which room are we in this year?” He reached down without quite letting go to grab their bags.
“I figured you’d want to be in one of the guest bedrooms this year? You'll have your privacy,” her head moved along with the words, to Soobin’s true thanks and relief she didn’t move on to make any additional comments or alluding sidelong glances as to why. “Ben wanted to try being in his own room so we set him up in yours,” she grinned. Yeonjun snorted as a half sulky huff left Soobin at the thought of it no longer being his room. In actuality he was flattered Ben wanted to be there. Last year he had spent almost half the nights Soobin was home tucked by his side on the much too small bed. Even if it meant Soobin had to buck up and be an adult, it was perfect for his nephew. Besides he knew the both of them would not be able to fit on that bed in any type of pg manner.
“Do we at least get the bay window?” She nodded, a small shiver running up her spine from the draft they could never quite eradicate from the front mud room. Wordlessly she stepped forward, Soobin automatically bent down so her much smaller self could reach his cheek giving him a kiss before gracefully moving over to do the same with Yeonjun. He loved the way his boyfriend blushed, the familial physical affection was something he knew from hours of late night conversations he had never been exposed to. In that sense, this trip would be a challenge. As much as Soobin had spent the last year subjecting him to unrestrained physical affection, adding a slew of fresh faces to the mix was going to be a challenge. By all means, so far it looked like he was enjoying himself. The smile that had settled along the contours of his pretty face only added to his perpetual beauty.
“We kicked on the furnace for that end of the house this morning but it might still be a bit chilly,” she commented walking backwards in the way his father had retreated. “I left a hide in there, the thick one,” she yawned, hand wrapping around the bedroom door. “Sleep well boys,” she sighed almost wistfully, taking in their conjoined bodies with a smile, light seemingly radiating straight from her heart.
“Love you mom,” Soobin replied easily.
“Good night Mrs. Choi,” Soobin snorted the exact same time she did.
“Oh please,” her groan was as playful as her smirk. “Call me mom or at least Soojin,” she rolled eyes once more before stepping into the room. “You’re just too sweet,” they heard as she closed the door, speaking more towards the room than any one in particular.
They stood there another beat, settling into the moment before turning to each other. The cup in Soobin’s chest felt so full it could spill. There was no use in hiding a giggle, tumbling forward to press a smattering of kisses against his lips.
“This house is fucking insane,” was how Yeonjun broke out of Soobin’s attack, kissing the side of his mouth before fully pulling away. Soobin hummed, slowly groaning as Yeonjun stepped back knowing all too well that if he let his boyfriend settle his weight over him now his exhaustion would set in and they would be stuck to the spot for minutes. “Let's get to bed, big guy.”
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