Toxic: Stage Two. [ChaBean]
Fandom: VIXX (non!au)
Pairing: ChaBean
Word Count: 5700+
Rating: PG-13 (language, club dancing)
Summary: Hakyeon follows Hongbin to discover what he's been doing at night. A depiction of the events leading up to this.
Stage One.
Stage 2: Secret Night
The next few days passed, mostly uneventful. Their new song was in the middle of being written and produced, but it didn’t stop them from having practice. Long hours in the studio between vocal and dance lessons, as well as acting for a few of the members, filled up their time even without active promotions. Hongbin had been exerting himself thin over trying to improve over this next come back. He wanted to show the CEO, the fans, even the guys, how dedicated he was to being an invaluable part of VIXX.
There was maybe one case, where Hongbin just knew Hakyeon was more reluctant to be close to him. Ever since the other night, the oldest in the group could never quite meet his eyes. The usual side-hugs that Hongbin could almost deem annoying, decreased to nothing but shoulder pats and if the other must’ve been feeling bold, shoulder squeezes. He never addressed it directly. He understood why; whether in some capacity it was due to him showing up intoxicated, or what happened after that in the leader’s own bed when his resilience had broken down to pure greed.
So when one of the mornings he had opened the bathroom door, a flimsy towel draped around his hips as a sleepy leader was standing before him waiting to get in, steam slipping out and spilling into the hallway, he knew then, there was something wrong with Hakyeon. (The only reason he had been waiting was because Taekwoon was occupying their shared bathroom and liked his bathing time uninterrupted.) The older male had immediately straightened up and stumbled away, not without tripping over his feet and yelping. Sanghyuk even came over from the couch to see if everything was alright, laughing at the sight of their oldest member grabbing onto the wall for support. Hongbin spared a laugh, too, though it still remained in him that Cha Hakyeon now viewed him differently.
However, Hongbin was growing restless. With his anxiety rising and the stresses weighing him down, he could feel the familiar ache slowly creeping over him as each day progressed without anything. He needed that release, that exhilarating escape to just subdue his worries.
Finally towards the end of the week, when they were back at the dorm for much needed rest, he was quietly fumbling through his closet for a jacket. His neatly arranged clothes almost mocked the way his nerves were jittering about, wildly jumping from the pit of his stomach to the base of his throat. Deciding on a leather jacket he passed over a couple of times, he hastily snagged it off the hanger and slipped his arms through, checking himself once in the mirror. Behind him he saw the sleeping form of Jaehwan, the other’s glasses crooked on his nose and a manga laid open on his chest. Hongbin shut the light off behind, cracking the door open to make sure no one was in the living room to hinder his efforts. When he was nearing the front door, bending over to slip into some shoes, he thought he heard a noise behind him.
"Crap!"
Hakyeon narrowly jumped back into the shadow of his room; he had carelessly bumped one of Taekwoon’s stray soccer balls into a stack of dance DVDs he had haphazardly piled in the corner of their room by the door. He was always getting yelled at to arrange his stuff in a more suitable manner but Taekwoon was just a compulsive neat-freak. Though after this he planned to rearrange things in case the need to play “detective” arose again.
He waited until he heard footsteps retreating down the hall before slipping from home base, tugging a navy letterman style jacket from the closet, his feet shoved into his usual worn sneakers (the ones with a tidbit of extra material in the sole for a little more height).
It would be far too cliche for even Hakyeon if he were to follow the predictable plot of every tailing scene in every spy movie ever made: making sure to stay half a block behind his prey, darting from streetlight to trash can to tree to try and conceal his appearance, ducking into an alleyway or restaurant doorway whenever the man in front seemed like he was going to look behind him to see if he was being followed. And that’s exactly what Hakyeon was doing, complete with humming the “Mission Impossible” theme to himself (he had never actually seen the movie, but it’s what he had seen on the television shows).
Unfortunately the bright haired leader wasn’t nearly as agile, sneaky or cunning as those movie stars. He would argue that he was just as handsome though, but he was positive his target had no idea of his presence. So what if he had knocked over a garbage can, or gotten yelled at by an angry ajumma for loitering, or accidentally stepped on the tail of a stray cat.
After “tailing” Hongbin for about fifteen minutes, it finally seemed like he was nearing his destination, heading in the direction of what looked to be a club judging by the flashing lights and booming bass echoing out from the open door. He paused and watched from behind a parked car as Hongbin paid the cover charge and disappeared before approaching, reading the obnoxiously bright red neon sign illuminating the word “Hyde”. He had no idea that there was a club this close to the studio, then again they never saw much in the area besides the studio, the coffee shop it was located behind, and the little convenience store tucked around the corner.
Hakyeon had never been to a club before, not knowing what to expect as he handed over a wad of crumpled up bills he had kept hidden in his sock drawer; Taekwoon was going to have to wait awhile longer to get that coffee.
The pounding music grew louder with each step he took down the stairs, and the air grew thicker, stale and heavy with the mixture of smoke, alcohol and perspiration. It looked like the club couldn’t handle another person yet waves of people pushed by him as he scanned the crowded room for any sign of the tall, muscled figure. There! He spotted Hongbin hovering near the bar, keeping his eyes glued to him as he squirmed, wiggled and “excuse me”’d his way through the continuously thickening mob.
“Hongbin-ah!” He tried calling to him but his words were drowned out by the thumping song the DJ was spinning, lost in the dub-step and screams of the clubbers. Patting his pants pocket, he looked down to confirm it was empty and realized he had forgotten his phone on his bed. That split second he had taken to look down was all it took for him to lose sight of Hongbin, having chased his form onto the dance floor only for it to be swallowed by the sea of sweat-soaked and drunk teenagers. It didn’t take long for it all to become overwhelming for him, bass pounding so loud he couldn’t hear himself think, hands touching, grabbing, groping every reachable part of his body.
Having frequented this club, Hongbin had a routine. After downing one drink with double shots, he'd seek out the man with a sleeve of tattoos. Sometimes he skipped the drink if he was rushed for time. Tonight, he just really needed the extra boost of alcohol as well. It'd been long enough where the double effects would hopefully taper his system even more.
However, after downing the glass, he situated himself off to the side, watching through the crowd the blatant mass of red hair. His leader had no sense of covert, Hongbin knowing he was being followed from the first block, the streets too quiet at this time of night to not hear an extra set of footsteps echoing behind him. He had to admit, Hakyeon was persistent, so much so that he let the other stay on his tail, the older woman's yells really throwing him for a silent laugh.
He was mostly just curious, wanting to see what Hakyeon intended to do once he saw where Hongbin ended up all these nights away. So far Hakyeon wasn't doing a very good job, being swallowed up by the ocean of sweat-slicked bodies and practically drowning in the wild sway of arms and the rhythmic rolls of hips. The other looked lost even from where he stood, perched off to the side by a rail. Served him right for thinking he could secretly follow Hongbin, as if he were going to yank him away by his ear when he was caught "being bad".
When he was about to slip away and find the tattooed man, there was a sudden disturbance in the crowd. His gaze was caught by a growing ruckus, that of course surrounded the red head. "Shit," Hongbin shook his head and pushed his way through, creating a seamless path to the other male. When he arrived, he saw Hakyeon being sandwiched by two bigger men, clearly unwanted attention as his saw his leader struggling to break free from the grasps on his hips and arms. He saw one man leaning in to nose along his jaw, Hakyeon yelling out something incoherent--
It didn't matter since Hongbin's anger stirred, lashing out as he grabbed the first guy and swung him out of the way, barely glancing over to see him falling back into a few people. The other guy was taken aback and Hongbin used that moment to push him away as well, grabbing a hold of Hakyeon the moment after and pulling him through the crowd. He took him to the dark hallway leading to the bathrooms, sending anyone who looked their way a glowering "do not fuck with us" stare.
"Hyung!" He finally whipped around to the other. And slowly his anger fizzled, deflating as he saw the expression on Hakyeon's tan features. "Are you okay?" He asked, eyes scanning him for any marks, though his question was also directed to his emotional state.
Unless his eyes were failing him, granted he was the oldest but still not that old, and unless there was another other-worldly attractive man in this club, which he was positive there wasn’t, then it was Hongbin who swooped in to his aid. Hakyeon wasn’t left time to process entirely what was happening, or what had happened aside from bodies flying everywhere which didn’t seem like much of a change, until the bright club world had shifted into darkness--a hallway.
“What?” It took him a moment to adjust to the sudden shift in atmosphere, the music still booming but the hall quiet enough to be able to hold a conversation, “Me? Binnie of course I’m fine!” Reaching up to ruffle the younger’s hair, he hoped his reassuring smile appeared as convincing as he felt it did. As a leader he had learned that he needed to be the strongest, to not appear weak, and while he could fake that everything was well for extended periods of time, it was always his expressions that unfolded the lies of his words.
“Couldn’t resist the urge to play hero, could you? I could have handled it myself just fine.” Retracting his hand, he crossed his arms in front of his chest, scoffing as he gave a rather dramatic toss of his hair, “Those men only wish they had half a chance with someone as pretty as me.” Jutting his lower lip out into the slightest of pouts, he glanced over at Hongbin from the corner of his chocolate-colored eyes, fluttering his lashes, “Aren’t I pretty, Binnie?”
Hongbin rolled his eyes, his hand sweeping upward into his honey brown hair, fingers carding through and leaving the silky strands to flip back over his forehead. "Why did you follow me?" He asked, straight to the point as he ignored any further antics of his hyung. There was that irritated part of him that still settled on the idea of Hakyeon treating him like an irresponsible kid who'd get into trouble and risk the reputation of the group. But Hongbin knew what his boundaries should be; how to sneak around and to remain another nameless face in the crowd, just more attractive than others. This wasn't a club in Hongdae or Gangnam that would attract actual media outlets, even if VIXX became a group worthy of that type of news. Even their fans didn't camp out all night just for a sighting of them.
But he didn't remove his unwavering gaze from the other male, keeping close. Hongbin's white long-sleeved shirt beneath the jacket was unusual for a club, but it still clung nicely to his figure, the collar swooping down to show off his sharp clavicles. He was still breathing rather hard from the rough exchange earlier, but most of all, above his irritation, he still felt worried. Hakyeon wasn't the type to enter these crowds. He preferred a night at home with a movie or book, or to just sleep. As much as he boasted about himself, Hongbin assumed this unknown territory for Hakyeon had to be nerve racking, and for him to put himself on the line for the younger member... "You shouldn't have followed me." Once again his voice couldn't muster any menace, and only held this softer concern.
Oh, right, that. In his playful gloating the leader had forgotten he was on a mission and with that mission completed, more or less, now was the time to get answers, “You shouldn’t have snuck out.” He snapped back, transitioning into “leader-mode”; his arms remained crossed over his chest but his posture had a more defiant stance, straightening himself until he was eye level with the other member.
Thanks to the extra help from his shoes they were the same height, “You think I haven’t noticed your empty bed over these last few weeks? I let it slide though because I know what it feels like to want to just get away for a few hours, to have a place just to hear yourself and only yourself think. You always came back before the others woke up, you were always at practices and schedules on time.”
Mother-hen Hakyeon was in full force, sternly lecturing his not so little chick, “But what the hell was I supposed to do when you didn’t come back? When I opened the door and found you standing in the hallway drunk off your ass, or whatever you were? I’M responsible for you, Hongbin. Me! Do even have any idea of how much I worry about you? About all of you?” His words were shakier than he intended, spilling from his lips like a leaky pipe that had finally burst.
He hadn’t been able to hold his gaze with the other for long after he had started, settling instead for staring at a crack on the cement floor, a crack just waiting to split open like he had, stretching further and deeper until the entire foundation crumbled. Now he brought his head back up, meeting those mesmerizing eyes that made it seem like everything was okay even though he was furious, ““Why here? Why did you come here?”
Hongbin actually listened. For as much as he liked to act disobedient and would join the others at any given opportunity to tease the leader, he still prided himself in his ability to listen. Hakyeon expressed what Hongbin was aware of, but he didn't realize that the leader had known about him slipping out in the middle of the night since he started. The last thing he wanted was for Hakyeon to over extend his worry to Hongbin, knowing the oldest member had so much on his plate already. "It helps me let loose," he explained so frankly, his shoulders lifting and falling. What else was there to say?
Yet an idea struck him, the rampant bass of the music flooding back into his ears as he realized briefly that in these last moments, the club had shrunk into a blur around them. "Hyung... You've been stressed lately," and his hand came up, fingertips and the heel of his palm drifting faintly over the older's cheek. "You should loosen up, too." The suggestion was gentle from his mouth, but his eyes gleamed sharply.
That was hardly an excusable reason and mother Henyeon was all set to duke it out in another round but smooth fingers gliding over your cheek as light as a feather could be a little distracting. He decided to ignore the little irregular skip of his heartbeat, immediately feeling his cheeks burn, praying to whatever god there was that his dark skin and the dimly lit hallway kept it shrouded, “I’m plenty loose!” He lied through his teeth, knowing he was wound tighter than a knotted yo-yo, before swatting Hongbin’s hand away, “Besides, if you think you can get me to go back out there with all those disgusting, sweaty perverts than you’re more crazy than Sanghyuk trying to get Taekwoon to do aegyo.” That and he didn’t like the look in the other’s eyes...not one bit.
Hongbin chuckled, a smile glowing over his perfect bone structure. "I can be crazy," he combatted Hakyeon's words, and then he said with a twist of coercion, "Come on, hyung. Join me." And he was feeling the alcohol buzzing through his limbs, coursing all within his system and making him feel more bold than usual.
With those words hanging in the air, he left Hakyeon and dipped back into the crowd, not venturing far because this time he didn't want to lose the other. Hongbin found a small enough opening, shrugging his jacket off his shoulders and tying it around his waist, a juvenile act that somehow looked appealing on him. Then he started dancing, not as fluid as he should be but he just closed his eyes and let the music take over.
When he opened his lids, he stared through a hooded gaze and saw a girl, slim and curvy, eyeing him up. He sent her one smirk and she was in front of him, hands on his shoulders and flipping her hair as she tried to give off that dark sexy look.
Hakyeon just replied with a snort, not going to give into some peer-pressure by a boy younger than him so easily, at least that was the plan. But wasn’t there an old saying that said, “Not everything goes according to plan?&rdquo Well so far nothing seemed to be going “according to plan” for Hakyeon; how else could he explain the fact that he was actually considering taking advice from Hongbin, of all people. And advice about letting loose at that.
Though as he watched Hongbin dance, or rather flail, around in his inebriated state, it wasn’t sounding like all that bad of an idea. Despite the fact that Hongbin was missing the beats of the song, swaying his hips rather sporadically, he had that million dollar smile plastered on his face and an attractive girl in front of him (and the eyes of many more envious ones watching them, including a set from a certain red-haired hyung who would never admit to it).
“You’re not even doing it right.” Hakyeon appeared next to Hongbin as if he had just materialized there out of thin air, grabbing one girl’s wrists and spinning her to him with a flick of his own. His hands easily found their place at her hips, where they curved inwards forming her slender torso, and with a small gasp of surprise she found herself pressed completely to his body.
He began to sway to the music, his own hip movements far more fluid and practiced than the other’s, years and years of dance lessons and countless hours practiced unfolding on the club floor. Her hips automatically followed, as if they were bound together by an invisible force, drawing them closer when it didn’t seem possible. His eyes never left hers and there was a look on the leader’s face that the members had never seen before, one that was almost sensual, hungry with desire, like he had completely captured her mind, body and soul. Yet he had done it as sweet as a flower calling a honeybee, and just as silently too.
It was true. Hongbin had never seen Hakyeon with that vigor, desire seeping out of every sinewy movement while the tension in the club thickened. Or maybe it was the tension in his body. After all, he was merely an arm's length away from his hyung, watching the more graceful man roll his body in that continuous cadence of sensuality. He didn't even notice the girl, eyes trained on Hakyeon's form, how his tan skin bloomed warmly against his red hair underneath the colorful spotlights.
Hongbin didn't even know at what moment was his breaking point. However, it was in two strides that he abandoned the girl he was with and circled around, sliding up right behind the older male. It was an easy fit--too easy. He mimicked what Hakyeon did to the other girl by placing his hands right at his hips, the definition of them apparent through those hugging jeans. He let his cheek press against the side of the other's head, his strands growing slightly damp, concentrating on keeping their frames together.
He was lost in the moment, lost in the music, not even aware of the slender figure pressed up in front of him anymore. All Hakyeon was focused on was release, feeling the tension evaporating from his body with each swivel of his pelvis. Tense muscles stretched back into their relaxed positions, eyes shut and his head tilted back in the ecstasy of his relief, shirt clinging to his wet skin.
It wasn’t until he felt someone slide up behind him that his hazy mind ventured back to reality, the bass that had sounded so far off once again shaking the walls and his body. He was too high in his stress-free buzz to worry about whoever the stranger was, deciding to take Hongbin’s advice and “let loose”, shifting his weight to balance it on whoever was lucky enough to be his next partner. His hips transitioned with ease into the next song, circling with the slower-paced off beat pair. Lost in the sensual bliss, he dropped his arms from the female and instead snaked them behind himself, fingertips ghosting up the stranger’s rather firm thighs and up to the jacket... tied around their waist?
Hakyeon froze, lids snapping open with so much force he was sure it would project his eyes from his skull. The jacket on their waist...that meant...no, he couldn’t look, but he had to. It was as if time had completely stilled around them the moment he turned his head and found himself practically nose to nose with Hongbin, that flawless face mere centimeters from his own. The color that flooded his cheeks was too dark to be concealed this time and even though the look on his face was mortified, as if this was the most horrific moment in his life, his body refused to move.
Hongbin let his gaze rake over the other's contours: His sloping cheeks outlining high cheekbones, his lashes that weren't long but especially thick, and how his neck extended down, covered with a sheen of sweat. It's not that he thought his hyung was as appalling as he liked to pretend, but Hongbin always felt the other was attractive and had all the rights to boast about his looks. He just didn't like to give Hakyeon the air to inflate his ego.
In this moment it was hard not to admire with his eyes and body. His hands slipped more comfortably to the other's abdomen, the less obtuse muscles still present beneath his fingertips as he pressed them firmly against his shirt. The other led the dance, Hongbin following the dancer's movements, from his slower wind of hips to his favored dips, eyebrows shooting up when Hakyeon would briefly lower his rear, the curves gliding up from his thighs to the front of his pants. It was difficult not to get carried away, the drumming of the alcohol distorting his intentions and he had to remind himself this was his leader. Still, he let out a staggering exhale, the hot breath playing right against the corner of the other's jaw, just below his earlobe.
But then the other's hands were moving back to him, and when he felt the movement of the other's head, his eyes fluttered open. He felt Hakyeon tense against him, halting, reeling to a stop as if the music silenced. Everyone around them continued though, the music never stopping, and Hongbin smiled weakly, dismissing the way his heart dropped. He didn't know what to say, not enough alcohol in his blood to give him the amount of courage to tell his hyung to keep going. "Maybe we should go," he spoke, needing to hover his lips so close to the other since he couldn't raise his voice.
There was a lump in his throat that refused to be swallowed and his mouth felt dry, like he had just spent hours chewing on saltine crackers with no water. With just a simple nod in reply, Hakyeon detached himself from his teammate, trusting him to follow along as he pushed his way out of the crowd and made his way up the stairs, holding the railing for support as his legs felt like jello. It had been so long since he had just let all his inhibitions fall like that, his body so loose from the relieved stress that he felt like there were no bones to keep him standing upright.
Once outside he had to lean against the wall of the building, reveling in the cool touch of the bricks against his hot skin; he could still feel the burning pressure of Hongbin’s hands on his hips and stomach, “Damnit…” He muttered to himself, the puff of air crystallizing into fog in the crisp night.
Seeing Hongbin emerge, he fell into a slow step next to him; there was no rush, they had plenty of time to get back. With a slight bit of hesitation, Hakyeon slipped his arm into its usual place in the crook of Hongbin’s elbow. Things had been so awkward between them lately because of that incident, he didn’t want things to get even worse. He only hoped that his still racing heart pounding against his ribcage wasn’t loud enough to be heard by the other because in his ears it sounded like a chorus of bass drums, “This isn’t going to become a regular thing, is it? I can’t risk breaking too many hearts on the dance floor Binnie.” He teased with warm smile drawing up the corners of his lips.
Hongbin couldn't deny his own tension, slowly unwinding his body like those dolls you cranked in the back. Thankfully there was no embarrassing set of words leaving him, but he did laugh, the sound surprisingly warm and clear in the dark of the night. "As if I haven't broken a lot already." It was rare for him to primp his own feathers, but he couldn't help it, just doing it more for the older's reaction.
Hongbin stopped though, realizing the sweat on his skin was prickling more quickly. He removed his jacket from his waist and slipped into it. The other was in his letterman jacket so he looked bundled up enough. His thoughts quickly tripped over to the recent replay of the other's hot skin beneath his shirt and Hongbin shrugged it off.
Truth was, he vividly remembered the night he came home and was unabashedly begging Hakyeon to touch him. He just had too much pride of his own to admit he did it. But he was fully aware of those desires, and how they still lingered beneath the surface of his skin like a dormant volcano that was gradually building up to another eruption.
As they continued walking, his arm offered out for Hakyeon to take once again, he did have to ask, "Would you want to do it again?" His low voice sounded casual, though inside he had an edge of nervousness, eyes furtively glancing over.
Hakyeon took Hongbin’s pause to put on his jacket to secure the buttons on his own, not realizing he had undone them in the midst of their dancing. The night was still a bit too cold to leave it open, and the chilled air evaporating the sweat on his body cooled him more.
Accepting the arm offered to him he let some of his weight settle on the other male. He could feel himself coming down from the endorphin high he had been on, like a leech was slowly sucking what little energy he had left from his body, “The only thing you’ll be breaking is your hip with the way you dance.” He still had a bit of fight left to snap back at Hongbin’s rare cocky remark, sticking his tongue out at him.
He hadn’t expected them to walk the rest of the way in complete silence, he had actually been anticipating that question yet he still didn’t know quite how to answer and kept quiet in thought. His gaze shifted back to the empty block in front of them, illuminated by the dim neon signs of the late night restaurants and 24-hour convenience stores, “We shouldn’t...we can’t. We need to focus on our comeback.”
Not wanting to leave the mood sour as they approached their dorm, he removed his arm and stretched both above his head with a groan, “Got big things coming up!” Hakyeon spoke with a smile, though the tiredness showed clearly on his face, “And besides, you never answered me when I asked if I was pretty.”
Hongbin didn't need to retaliate and tell the older member that he was the old one between the two, but he had to pick his battles wisely. After all, Hakyeon moved like liquid water, mesmerizing but hard to keep a palmful of. So he just let the smallest of smiles sit on his features until the other answered his posed question.
Despite the older's expected answer, in which Hongbin wished his hyung would be more adventurous sometimes, he still nodded. No matter what Hakyeon did, he could still choose to go out on his own. He'd just have to be more stealthy, like wait longer before leaving to ensure the leader was asleep.
But then Hakyeon was throwing big words at him again. "Pretty?" He just chuckled and saw their dorm ahead, figuring he could escape a forthright answer. Evidently his devious side that loved seeing Hakyeon's reactions always so deeply written on his face won over as Hongbin was suddenly pressing the other male against a wall. There was barely any space between them and as he breathed, so that he could feel it directing back at himself as it curled off the older's skin. "Do you want me to call you pretty, hyung?" His dark gaze was ever so observant, the slightest curve to his lips that were rouged from the cool night air.
Ready to just throw himself onto his bed and enjoy a couple hours of sleep, he was not expecting to find a wall against his back instead of his plush mattress. He couldn’t allow himself to crumble under the bold antics of the snarky brat, even with that devilish grin and those taunting words. Sure his cheeks were flushed and a shiver crawled down his spine that made his body tingle, but that could easily be blamed on the cold.
“No actually...” Hakyeon started as his fingers crawled up one of Hongbin’s arms, applying the slightest bit of pressure on his muscled bicep. Then without warning he suddenly grasped his arm fully, tugging the other towards him as he stepped away from the wall only to pin Hongbin back against it. Their bodies were completely against each other now. Hakyeon leaned in and let his hot breath create a pool of fog against the other’s chilled ear, whispering, “I want to hear my name.”
At least that’s how the scenario in his head had played out; if only he were actually so bold. In reality he was just left wide-eyed and speechless, mouth gaping like a fish out of water and an uncomfortable warmth gathering in his lower stomach that he couldn’t let grow.
“Binnie, I’m tiiiiired.” The elder whined once he managed to regain his senses, reaching up to press his palms to Hongbin’s chest and lightly push him back, but not without a subtle feel of his pecs, “I don’t have the energy for your stupid games.” He continued to babble on even after he punched in the code to their door and tromped up the stairs and did the same for their dorm code, “Do you know how hard it was to follow you so quietly? Tailing someone is hard work. And then I had to fight those men off me, and then have to put up with you practically dragging me out onto the dance floor. I’m just exhausted.”
Shoes were kicked off sloppily by the door; Taekwoon would scold him for that later but as of now it wasn’t a concern for him. Now all he wanted to do was collapse into his fortress of blankets and welcome the Sleep Fairy.
Hongbin had also side-eyed the pair of shoes tumbling onto the floor, but he didn’t have the desire to tidy the dorm while he was on the cusp of sleep. Having to listen to the older ramble on, he pretended he wasn’t listening that closely despite clinging onto every word. Hongbin still tinged in anger when Hakyeon mentioned those men, ignoring the fact that the older was retelling everything in his own glorified colors. “Yeah, me too, hyung,” he agreed, his own shoes coming off more neatly as he padded over the floor. He was less quiet than he usually was sneaking back, finding it unnecessary when the leader himself was his escort back home.
Though the younger member didn’t fall asleep right away. He wasn’t sure he really slept at all, possibly coasting on the outer rim of sleep while his thoughts kept circling on slender hips, warm skin, and dark lips mere breaths from his.
Stage Three.
A/N
Mars: This chapter is so mellow I don't even know what to do with myself HA! JKun said grinding was PG-13 rating worthy so...
JKun: Mellow compared to what we've written after this, heuheuheu. I am excited for you all to see what we have in store~
Pairing: ChaBean
Word Count: 5700+
Rating: PG-13 (language, club dancing)
Summary: Hakyeon follows Hongbin to discover what he's been doing at night. A depiction of the events leading up to this.
Stage One.
Stage 2: Secret Night
The next few days passed, mostly uneventful. Their new song was in the middle of being written and produced, but it didn’t stop them from having practice. Long hours in the studio between vocal and dance lessons, as well as acting for a few of the members, filled up their time even without active promotions. Hongbin had been exerting himself thin over trying to improve over this next come back. He wanted to show the CEO, the fans, even the guys, how dedicated he was to being an invaluable part of VIXX.
There was maybe one case, where Hongbin just knew Hakyeon was more reluctant to be close to him. Ever since the other night, the oldest in the group could never quite meet his eyes. The usual side-hugs that Hongbin could almost deem annoying, decreased to nothing but shoulder pats and if the other must’ve been feeling bold, shoulder squeezes. He never addressed it directly. He understood why; whether in some capacity it was due to him showing up intoxicated, or what happened after that in the leader’s own bed when his resilience had broken down to pure greed.
So when one of the mornings he had opened the bathroom door, a flimsy towel draped around his hips as a sleepy leader was standing before him waiting to get in, steam slipping out and spilling into the hallway, he knew then, there was something wrong with Hakyeon. (The only reason he had been waiting was because Taekwoon was occupying their shared bathroom and liked his bathing time uninterrupted.) The older male had immediately straightened up and stumbled away, not without tripping over his feet and yelping. Sanghyuk even came over from the couch to see if everything was alright, laughing at the sight of their oldest member grabbing onto the wall for support. Hongbin spared a laugh, too, though it still remained in him that Cha Hakyeon now viewed him differently.
However, Hongbin was growing restless. With his anxiety rising and the stresses weighing him down, he could feel the familiar ache slowly creeping over him as each day progressed without anything. He needed that release, that exhilarating escape to just subdue his worries.
Finally towards the end of the week, when they were back at the dorm for much needed rest, he was quietly fumbling through his closet for a jacket. His neatly arranged clothes almost mocked the way his nerves were jittering about, wildly jumping from the pit of his stomach to the base of his throat. Deciding on a leather jacket he passed over a couple of times, he hastily snagged it off the hanger and slipped his arms through, checking himself once in the mirror. Behind him he saw the sleeping form of Jaehwan, the other’s glasses crooked on his nose and a manga laid open on his chest. Hongbin shut the light off behind, cracking the door open to make sure no one was in the living room to hinder his efforts. When he was nearing the front door, bending over to slip into some shoes, he thought he heard a noise behind him.
"Crap!"
Hakyeon narrowly jumped back into the shadow of his room; he had carelessly bumped one of Taekwoon’s stray soccer balls into a stack of dance DVDs he had haphazardly piled in the corner of their room by the door. He was always getting yelled at to arrange his stuff in a more suitable manner but Taekwoon was just a compulsive neat-freak. Though after this he planned to rearrange things in case the need to play “detective” arose again.
He waited until he heard footsteps retreating down the hall before slipping from home base, tugging a navy letterman style jacket from the closet, his feet shoved into his usual worn sneakers (the ones with a tidbit of extra material in the sole for a little more height).
It would be far too cliche for even Hakyeon if he were to follow the predictable plot of every tailing scene in every spy movie ever made: making sure to stay half a block behind his prey, darting from streetlight to trash can to tree to try and conceal his appearance, ducking into an alleyway or restaurant doorway whenever the man in front seemed like he was going to look behind him to see if he was being followed. And that’s exactly what Hakyeon was doing, complete with humming the “Mission Impossible” theme to himself (he had never actually seen the movie, but it’s what he had seen on the television shows).
Unfortunately the bright haired leader wasn’t nearly as agile, sneaky or cunning as those movie stars. He would argue that he was just as handsome though, but he was positive his target had no idea of his presence. So what if he had knocked over a garbage can, or gotten yelled at by an angry ajumma for loitering, or accidentally stepped on the tail of a stray cat.
After “tailing” Hongbin for about fifteen minutes, it finally seemed like he was nearing his destination, heading in the direction of what looked to be a club judging by the flashing lights and booming bass echoing out from the open door. He paused and watched from behind a parked car as Hongbin paid the cover charge and disappeared before approaching, reading the obnoxiously bright red neon sign illuminating the word “Hyde”. He had no idea that there was a club this close to the studio, then again they never saw much in the area besides the studio, the coffee shop it was located behind, and the little convenience store tucked around the corner.
Hakyeon had never been to a club before, not knowing what to expect as he handed over a wad of crumpled up bills he had kept hidden in his sock drawer; Taekwoon was going to have to wait awhile longer to get that coffee.
The pounding music grew louder with each step he took down the stairs, and the air grew thicker, stale and heavy with the mixture of smoke, alcohol and perspiration. It looked like the club couldn’t handle another person yet waves of people pushed by him as he scanned the crowded room for any sign of the tall, muscled figure. There! He spotted Hongbin hovering near the bar, keeping his eyes glued to him as he squirmed, wiggled and “excuse me”’d his way through the continuously thickening mob.
“Hongbin-ah!” He tried calling to him but his words were drowned out by the thumping song the DJ was spinning, lost in the dub-step and screams of the clubbers. Patting his pants pocket, he looked down to confirm it was empty and realized he had forgotten his phone on his bed. That split second he had taken to look down was all it took for him to lose sight of Hongbin, having chased his form onto the dance floor only for it to be swallowed by the sea of sweat-soaked and drunk teenagers. It didn’t take long for it all to become overwhelming for him, bass pounding so loud he couldn’t hear himself think, hands touching, grabbing, groping every reachable part of his body.
Having frequented this club, Hongbin had a routine. After downing one drink with double shots, he'd seek out the man with a sleeve of tattoos. Sometimes he skipped the drink if he was rushed for time. Tonight, he just really needed the extra boost of alcohol as well. It'd been long enough where the double effects would hopefully taper his system even more.
However, after downing the glass, he situated himself off to the side, watching through the crowd the blatant mass of red hair. His leader had no sense of covert, Hongbin knowing he was being followed from the first block, the streets too quiet at this time of night to not hear an extra set of footsteps echoing behind him. He had to admit, Hakyeon was persistent, so much so that he let the other stay on his tail, the older woman's yells really throwing him for a silent laugh.
He was mostly just curious, wanting to see what Hakyeon intended to do once he saw where Hongbin ended up all these nights away. So far Hakyeon wasn't doing a very good job, being swallowed up by the ocean of sweat-slicked bodies and practically drowning in the wild sway of arms and the rhythmic rolls of hips. The other looked lost even from where he stood, perched off to the side by a rail. Served him right for thinking he could secretly follow Hongbin, as if he were going to yank him away by his ear when he was caught "being bad".
When he was about to slip away and find the tattooed man, there was a sudden disturbance in the crowd. His gaze was caught by a growing ruckus, that of course surrounded the red head. "Shit," Hongbin shook his head and pushed his way through, creating a seamless path to the other male. When he arrived, he saw Hakyeon being sandwiched by two bigger men, clearly unwanted attention as his saw his leader struggling to break free from the grasps on his hips and arms. He saw one man leaning in to nose along his jaw, Hakyeon yelling out something incoherent--
It didn't matter since Hongbin's anger stirred, lashing out as he grabbed the first guy and swung him out of the way, barely glancing over to see him falling back into a few people. The other guy was taken aback and Hongbin used that moment to push him away as well, grabbing a hold of Hakyeon the moment after and pulling him through the crowd. He took him to the dark hallway leading to the bathrooms, sending anyone who looked their way a glowering "do not fuck with us" stare.
"Hyung!" He finally whipped around to the other. And slowly his anger fizzled, deflating as he saw the expression on Hakyeon's tan features. "Are you okay?" He asked, eyes scanning him for any marks, though his question was also directed to his emotional state.
Unless his eyes were failing him, granted he was the oldest but still not that old, and unless there was another other-worldly attractive man in this club, which he was positive there wasn’t, then it was Hongbin who swooped in to his aid. Hakyeon wasn’t left time to process entirely what was happening, or what had happened aside from bodies flying everywhere which didn’t seem like much of a change, until the bright club world had shifted into darkness--a hallway.
“What?” It took him a moment to adjust to the sudden shift in atmosphere, the music still booming but the hall quiet enough to be able to hold a conversation, “Me? Binnie of course I’m fine!” Reaching up to ruffle the younger’s hair, he hoped his reassuring smile appeared as convincing as he felt it did. As a leader he had learned that he needed to be the strongest, to not appear weak, and while he could fake that everything was well for extended periods of time, it was always his expressions that unfolded the lies of his words.
“Couldn’t resist the urge to play hero, could you? I could have handled it myself just fine.” Retracting his hand, he crossed his arms in front of his chest, scoffing as he gave a rather dramatic toss of his hair, “Those men only wish they had half a chance with someone as pretty as me.” Jutting his lower lip out into the slightest of pouts, he glanced over at Hongbin from the corner of his chocolate-colored eyes, fluttering his lashes, “Aren’t I pretty, Binnie?”
Hongbin rolled his eyes, his hand sweeping upward into his honey brown hair, fingers carding through and leaving the silky strands to flip back over his forehead. "Why did you follow me?" He asked, straight to the point as he ignored any further antics of his hyung. There was that irritated part of him that still settled on the idea of Hakyeon treating him like an irresponsible kid who'd get into trouble and risk the reputation of the group. But Hongbin knew what his boundaries should be; how to sneak around and to remain another nameless face in the crowd, just more attractive than others. This wasn't a club in Hongdae or Gangnam that would attract actual media outlets, even if VIXX became a group worthy of that type of news. Even their fans didn't camp out all night just for a sighting of them.
But he didn't remove his unwavering gaze from the other male, keeping close. Hongbin's white long-sleeved shirt beneath the jacket was unusual for a club, but it still clung nicely to his figure, the collar swooping down to show off his sharp clavicles. He was still breathing rather hard from the rough exchange earlier, but most of all, above his irritation, he still felt worried. Hakyeon wasn't the type to enter these crowds. He preferred a night at home with a movie or book, or to just sleep. As much as he boasted about himself, Hongbin assumed this unknown territory for Hakyeon had to be nerve racking, and for him to put himself on the line for the younger member... "You shouldn't have followed me." Once again his voice couldn't muster any menace, and only held this softer concern.
Oh, right, that. In his playful gloating the leader had forgotten he was on a mission and with that mission completed, more or less, now was the time to get answers, “You shouldn’t have snuck out.” He snapped back, transitioning into “leader-mode”; his arms remained crossed over his chest but his posture had a more defiant stance, straightening himself until he was eye level with the other member.
Thanks to the extra help from his shoes they were the same height, “You think I haven’t noticed your empty bed over these last few weeks? I let it slide though because I know what it feels like to want to just get away for a few hours, to have a place just to hear yourself and only yourself think. You always came back before the others woke up, you were always at practices and schedules on time.”
Mother-hen Hakyeon was in full force, sternly lecturing his not so little chick, “But what the hell was I supposed to do when you didn’t come back? When I opened the door and found you standing in the hallway drunk off your ass, or whatever you were? I’M responsible for you, Hongbin. Me! Do even have any idea of how much I worry about you? About all of you?” His words were shakier than he intended, spilling from his lips like a leaky pipe that had finally burst.
He hadn’t been able to hold his gaze with the other for long after he had started, settling instead for staring at a crack on the cement floor, a crack just waiting to split open like he had, stretching further and deeper until the entire foundation crumbled. Now he brought his head back up, meeting those mesmerizing eyes that made it seem like everything was okay even though he was furious, ““Why here? Why did you come here?”
Hongbin actually listened. For as much as he liked to act disobedient and would join the others at any given opportunity to tease the leader, he still prided himself in his ability to listen. Hakyeon expressed what Hongbin was aware of, but he didn't realize that the leader had known about him slipping out in the middle of the night since he started. The last thing he wanted was for Hakyeon to over extend his worry to Hongbin, knowing the oldest member had so much on his plate already. "It helps me let loose," he explained so frankly, his shoulders lifting and falling. What else was there to say?
Yet an idea struck him, the rampant bass of the music flooding back into his ears as he realized briefly that in these last moments, the club had shrunk into a blur around them. "Hyung... You've been stressed lately," and his hand came up, fingertips and the heel of his palm drifting faintly over the older's cheek. "You should loosen up, too." The suggestion was gentle from his mouth, but his eyes gleamed sharply.
That was hardly an excusable reason and mother Henyeon was all set to duke it out in another round but smooth fingers gliding over your cheek as light as a feather could be a little distracting. He decided to ignore the little irregular skip of his heartbeat, immediately feeling his cheeks burn, praying to whatever god there was that his dark skin and the dimly lit hallway kept it shrouded, “I’m plenty loose!” He lied through his teeth, knowing he was wound tighter than a knotted yo-yo, before swatting Hongbin’s hand away, “Besides, if you think you can get me to go back out there with all those disgusting, sweaty perverts than you’re more crazy than Sanghyuk trying to get Taekwoon to do aegyo.” That and he didn’t like the look in the other’s eyes...not one bit.
Hongbin chuckled, a smile glowing over his perfect bone structure. "I can be crazy," he combatted Hakyeon's words, and then he said with a twist of coercion, "Come on, hyung. Join me." And he was feeling the alcohol buzzing through his limbs, coursing all within his system and making him feel more bold than usual.
With those words hanging in the air, he left Hakyeon and dipped back into the crowd, not venturing far because this time he didn't want to lose the other. Hongbin found a small enough opening, shrugging his jacket off his shoulders and tying it around his waist, a juvenile act that somehow looked appealing on him. Then he started dancing, not as fluid as he should be but he just closed his eyes and let the music take over.
When he opened his lids, he stared through a hooded gaze and saw a girl, slim and curvy, eyeing him up. He sent her one smirk and she was in front of him, hands on his shoulders and flipping her hair as she tried to give off that dark sexy look.
Hakyeon just replied with a snort, not going to give into some peer-pressure by a boy younger than him so easily, at least that was the plan. But wasn’t there an old saying that said, “Not everything goes according to plan?&rdquo Well so far nothing seemed to be going “according to plan” for Hakyeon; how else could he explain the fact that he was actually considering taking advice from Hongbin, of all people. And advice about letting loose at that.
Though as he watched Hongbin dance, or rather flail, around in his inebriated state, it wasn’t sounding like all that bad of an idea. Despite the fact that Hongbin was missing the beats of the song, swaying his hips rather sporadically, he had that million dollar smile plastered on his face and an attractive girl in front of him (and the eyes of many more envious ones watching them, including a set from a certain red-haired hyung who would never admit to it).
“You’re not even doing it right.” Hakyeon appeared next to Hongbin as if he had just materialized there out of thin air, grabbing one girl’s wrists and spinning her to him with a flick of his own. His hands easily found their place at her hips, where they curved inwards forming her slender torso, and with a small gasp of surprise she found herself pressed completely to his body.
He began to sway to the music, his own hip movements far more fluid and practiced than the other’s, years and years of dance lessons and countless hours practiced unfolding on the club floor. Her hips automatically followed, as if they were bound together by an invisible force, drawing them closer when it didn’t seem possible. His eyes never left hers and there was a look on the leader’s face that the members had never seen before, one that was almost sensual, hungry with desire, like he had completely captured her mind, body and soul. Yet he had done it as sweet as a flower calling a honeybee, and just as silently too.
It was true. Hongbin had never seen Hakyeon with that vigor, desire seeping out of every sinewy movement while the tension in the club thickened. Or maybe it was the tension in his body. After all, he was merely an arm's length away from his hyung, watching the more graceful man roll his body in that continuous cadence of sensuality. He didn't even notice the girl, eyes trained on Hakyeon's form, how his tan skin bloomed warmly against his red hair underneath the colorful spotlights.
Hongbin didn't even know at what moment was his breaking point. However, it was in two strides that he abandoned the girl he was with and circled around, sliding up right behind the older male. It was an easy fit--too easy. He mimicked what Hakyeon did to the other girl by placing his hands right at his hips, the definition of them apparent through those hugging jeans. He let his cheek press against the side of the other's head, his strands growing slightly damp, concentrating on keeping their frames together.
He was lost in the moment, lost in the music, not even aware of the slender figure pressed up in front of him anymore. All Hakyeon was focused on was release, feeling the tension evaporating from his body with each swivel of his pelvis. Tense muscles stretched back into their relaxed positions, eyes shut and his head tilted back in the ecstasy of his relief, shirt clinging to his wet skin.
It wasn’t until he felt someone slide up behind him that his hazy mind ventured back to reality, the bass that had sounded so far off once again shaking the walls and his body. He was too high in his stress-free buzz to worry about whoever the stranger was, deciding to take Hongbin’s advice and “let loose”, shifting his weight to balance it on whoever was lucky enough to be his next partner. His hips transitioned with ease into the next song, circling with the slower-paced off beat pair. Lost in the sensual bliss, he dropped his arms from the female and instead snaked them behind himself, fingertips ghosting up the stranger’s rather firm thighs and up to the jacket... tied around their waist?
Hakyeon froze, lids snapping open with so much force he was sure it would project his eyes from his skull. The jacket on their waist...that meant...no, he couldn’t look, but he had to. It was as if time had completely stilled around them the moment he turned his head and found himself practically nose to nose with Hongbin, that flawless face mere centimeters from his own. The color that flooded his cheeks was too dark to be concealed this time and even though the look on his face was mortified, as if this was the most horrific moment in his life, his body refused to move.
Hongbin let his gaze rake over the other's contours: His sloping cheeks outlining high cheekbones, his lashes that weren't long but especially thick, and how his neck extended down, covered with a sheen of sweat. It's not that he thought his hyung was as appalling as he liked to pretend, but Hongbin always felt the other was attractive and had all the rights to boast about his looks. He just didn't like to give Hakyeon the air to inflate his ego.
In this moment it was hard not to admire with his eyes and body. His hands slipped more comfortably to the other's abdomen, the less obtuse muscles still present beneath his fingertips as he pressed them firmly against his shirt. The other led the dance, Hongbin following the dancer's movements, from his slower wind of hips to his favored dips, eyebrows shooting up when Hakyeon would briefly lower his rear, the curves gliding up from his thighs to the front of his pants. It was difficult not to get carried away, the drumming of the alcohol distorting his intentions and he had to remind himself this was his leader. Still, he let out a staggering exhale, the hot breath playing right against the corner of the other's jaw, just below his earlobe.
But then the other's hands were moving back to him, and when he felt the movement of the other's head, his eyes fluttered open. He felt Hakyeon tense against him, halting, reeling to a stop as if the music silenced. Everyone around them continued though, the music never stopping, and Hongbin smiled weakly, dismissing the way his heart dropped. He didn't know what to say, not enough alcohol in his blood to give him the amount of courage to tell his hyung to keep going. "Maybe we should go," he spoke, needing to hover his lips so close to the other since he couldn't raise his voice.
There was a lump in his throat that refused to be swallowed and his mouth felt dry, like he had just spent hours chewing on saltine crackers with no water. With just a simple nod in reply, Hakyeon detached himself from his teammate, trusting him to follow along as he pushed his way out of the crowd and made his way up the stairs, holding the railing for support as his legs felt like jello. It had been so long since he had just let all his inhibitions fall like that, his body so loose from the relieved stress that he felt like there were no bones to keep him standing upright.
Once outside he had to lean against the wall of the building, reveling in the cool touch of the bricks against his hot skin; he could still feel the burning pressure of Hongbin’s hands on his hips and stomach, “Damnit…” He muttered to himself, the puff of air crystallizing into fog in the crisp night.
Seeing Hongbin emerge, he fell into a slow step next to him; there was no rush, they had plenty of time to get back. With a slight bit of hesitation, Hakyeon slipped his arm into its usual place in the crook of Hongbin’s elbow. Things had been so awkward between them lately because of that incident, he didn’t want things to get even worse. He only hoped that his still racing heart pounding against his ribcage wasn’t loud enough to be heard by the other because in his ears it sounded like a chorus of bass drums, “This isn’t going to become a regular thing, is it? I can’t risk breaking too many hearts on the dance floor Binnie.” He teased with warm smile drawing up the corners of his lips.
Hongbin couldn't deny his own tension, slowly unwinding his body like those dolls you cranked in the back. Thankfully there was no embarrassing set of words leaving him, but he did laugh, the sound surprisingly warm and clear in the dark of the night. "As if I haven't broken a lot already." It was rare for him to primp his own feathers, but he couldn't help it, just doing it more for the older's reaction.
Hongbin stopped though, realizing the sweat on his skin was prickling more quickly. He removed his jacket from his waist and slipped into it. The other was in his letterman jacket so he looked bundled up enough. His thoughts quickly tripped over to the recent replay of the other's hot skin beneath his shirt and Hongbin shrugged it off.
Truth was, he vividly remembered the night he came home and was unabashedly begging Hakyeon to touch him. He just had too much pride of his own to admit he did it. But he was fully aware of those desires, and how they still lingered beneath the surface of his skin like a dormant volcano that was gradually building up to another eruption.
As they continued walking, his arm offered out for Hakyeon to take once again, he did have to ask, "Would you want to do it again?" His low voice sounded casual, though inside he had an edge of nervousness, eyes furtively glancing over.
Hakyeon took Hongbin’s pause to put on his jacket to secure the buttons on his own, not realizing he had undone them in the midst of their dancing. The night was still a bit too cold to leave it open, and the chilled air evaporating the sweat on his body cooled him more.
Accepting the arm offered to him he let some of his weight settle on the other male. He could feel himself coming down from the endorphin high he had been on, like a leech was slowly sucking what little energy he had left from his body, “The only thing you’ll be breaking is your hip with the way you dance.” He still had a bit of fight left to snap back at Hongbin’s rare cocky remark, sticking his tongue out at him.
He hadn’t expected them to walk the rest of the way in complete silence, he had actually been anticipating that question yet he still didn’t know quite how to answer and kept quiet in thought. His gaze shifted back to the empty block in front of them, illuminated by the dim neon signs of the late night restaurants and 24-hour convenience stores, “We shouldn’t...we can’t. We need to focus on our comeback.”
Not wanting to leave the mood sour as they approached their dorm, he removed his arm and stretched both above his head with a groan, “Got big things coming up!” Hakyeon spoke with a smile, though the tiredness showed clearly on his face, “And besides, you never answered me when I asked if I was pretty.”
Hongbin didn't need to retaliate and tell the older member that he was the old one between the two, but he had to pick his battles wisely. After all, Hakyeon moved like liquid water, mesmerizing but hard to keep a palmful of. So he just let the smallest of smiles sit on his features until the other answered his posed question.
Despite the older's expected answer, in which Hongbin wished his hyung would be more adventurous sometimes, he still nodded. No matter what Hakyeon did, he could still choose to go out on his own. He'd just have to be more stealthy, like wait longer before leaving to ensure the leader was asleep.
But then Hakyeon was throwing big words at him again. "Pretty?" He just chuckled and saw their dorm ahead, figuring he could escape a forthright answer. Evidently his devious side that loved seeing Hakyeon's reactions always so deeply written on his face won over as Hongbin was suddenly pressing the other male against a wall. There was barely any space between them and as he breathed, so that he could feel it directing back at himself as it curled off the older's skin. "Do you want me to call you pretty, hyung?" His dark gaze was ever so observant, the slightest curve to his lips that were rouged from the cool night air.
Ready to just throw himself onto his bed and enjoy a couple hours of sleep, he was not expecting to find a wall against his back instead of his plush mattress. He couldn’t allow himself to crumble under the bold antics of the snarky brat, even with that devilish grin and those taunting words. Sure his cheeks were flushed and a shiver crawled down his spine that made his body tingle, but that could easily be blamed on the cold.
“No actually...” Hakyeon started as his fingers crawled up one of Hongbin’s arms, applying the slightest bit of pressure on his muscled bicep. Then without warning he suddenly grasped his arm fully, tugging the other towards him as he stepped away from the wall only to pin Hongbin back against it. Their bodies were completely against each other now. Hakyeon leaned in and let his hot breath create a pool of fog against the other’s chilled ear, whispering, “I want to hear my name.”
At least that’s how the scenario in his head had played out; if only he were actually so bold. In reality he was just left wide-eyed and speechless, mouth gaping like a fish out of water and an uncomfortable warmth gathering in his lower stomach that he couldn’t let grow.
“Binnie, I’m tiiiiired.” The elder whined once he managed to regain his senses, reaching up to press his palms to Hongbin’s chest and lightly push him back, but not without a subtle feel of his pecs, “I don’t have the energy for your stupid games.” He continued to babble on even after he punched in the code to their door and tromped up the stairs and did the same for their dorm code, “Do you know how hard it was to follow you so quietly? Tailing someone is hard work. And then I had to fight those men off me, and then have to put up with you practically dragging me out onto the dance floor. I’m just exhausted.”
Shoes were kicked off sloppily by the door; Taekwoon would scold him for that later but as of now it wasn’t a concern for him. Now all he wanted to do was collapse into his fortress of blankets and welcome the Sleep Fairy.
Hongbin had also side-eyed the pair of shoes tumbling onto the floor, but he didn’t have the desire to tidy the dorm while he was on the cusp of sleep. Having to listen to the older ramble on, he pretended he wasn’t listening that closely despite clinging onto every word. Hongbin still tinged in anger when Hakyeon mentioned those men, ignoring the fact that the older was retelling everything in his own glorified colors. “Yeah, me too, hyung,” he agreed, his own shoes coming off more neatly as he padded over the floor. He was less quiet than he usually was sneaking back, finding it unnecessary when the leader himself was his escort back home.
Though the younger member didn’t fall asleep right away. He wasn’t sure he really slept at all, possibly coasting on the outer rim of sleep while his thoughts kept circling on slender hips, warm skin, and dark lips mere breaths from his.
Stage Three.
A/N
Mars: This chapter is so mellow I don't even know what to do with myself HA! JKun said grinding was PG-13 rating worthy so...
JKun: Mellow compared to what we've written after this, heuheuheu. I am excited for you all to see what we have in store~