Chapter Text
Hongjoong wakes to the smell of cooking bacon. Lifting his head, he peeks around the room, squinting.
Daylight. What time… what time is it? Shit.
He pushes himself up to his knees, and winces, a sharp reminder of the events from last night shooting up his spine. He looks down to find himself clean and wearing a pair of Yunho's boxers, sheets somehow magically changed under him. Of course.
He smiles, huffing a laugh. Yunho sure is something else.
After last night, Hongjoong is more convinced of that than ever. He'd been surprised at every turn, never really feeling like he had his footing in that encounter. Yet somehow, still so safe.
He'd come here to pick a fight, and somehow ended up even more stupidly in love.
He finds a shirt and follows his nose out of the bed on shaking legs that still feel like noodles. He feels a deep internal ache with every step that somehow gives him butterflies. He blushes, feeling completely insane.
Yunho is in the kitchen, cooking, as expected. Pajama pants hanging low on his hips, no shirt, kitchen towel slung over his shoulder. He looks like some sort of calendar model for lonely housewives.
Yunho turns around, taking the pan off the heat and carefully settling bacon onto a cooling rack. He spots Hongjoong standing there staring at him and smiles, his whole face lighting up.
"Morning, babe. Sleep okay?" He asks.
"Yeah." Hongjoong says, the butterflies rioting in his stomach. Maybe he's a lonely housewife. Fuck.
"Good." He says softly, seeming genuinely happy to hear that, and motions to a stool at the counter. "Come sit! I'm almost done."
Hongjoong sits, watching as Yunho assembles a plate for him with eggs, bacon, and toast. He sets it in front of him and then pulls a fucking fresh melon out of the fridge and cuts slices to put in a bowl in front of him. He hums a familiar tune and starts cleaning up the kitchen, and Hongjoong is left staring, confused.
"What's wrong, babe? Not hungry?" Yunho asks, pouting, when he turns around and sees that he isn't eating.
"Aren't you going to eat, too?"
"Oh! I already did, don't worry. I woke up early, and I didn't want to wake you, so I had cereal."
"So… you just made all this for me?" Hongjoong asks, shocked.
"Well… yeah." Yunho blushes, bashful, leaning against the counter and rubbing the back of his head. "I was going to bring it to you in bed, but… well." He chuckles, picking up a tray that's still sitting on the counter and tucking it on top of the fridge.
Hongjoong gapes at him.
"What?" Yunho asks, chewing on his lip, crossing his arms over his chest. Hongjoong's confused staring clearly making him insecure.
"Why… would you do all that for me?" Hongjoong asks. "I don't understand how your mind works."
Yunho smirks, looking at the ceiling, leaning a hip against the counter.
"You mean… because you think you don't deserve it, right?" He asks, looking at the floor. Hongjoong gasps, caught.
"It doesn't really matter to me if you deserve it or not, babe. I love you, and I want to. That's all." Yunho shrugs, looking at him with a lopsided smile.
"You should eat before it gets cold." He says.
Hongjoong nods, totally at a loss, and eats. It's a simple meal, but it still makes him feel all sorts of gross, sappy things. Guilt, too. But he always feels that. As he finishes his food, he looks at the clock on the microwave to see that it's almost noon. He wonders how early Yunho got up and let him sleep. He wonders when he'll be dragged back to the city. Back to work.
He doesn't want to go, he realizes with a start. He doesn't want to leave. Yunho takes his dishes when he's done and washes them as he sits there, mind distant.
"You're really quiet, babe. What's wrong?" Yunho leans his elbows on the counter across from him.
"I think I'm going to quit my job." Hongjoong hears himself say.
"What? Why, baby?" Yunho's eyes widen. "You love music, it's all you have ever wanted to do."
"Because… this is more important. Us. You." Hongjoong says. "I was ready to blow this up yesterday, because being apart from you makes me fucking crazy. The stress of the job, combined with the distance. I can't do it anymore."
Yunho smiles, sad, and reaches across the counter to take Hongjoong's hand. Hongjoong meets him halfway, entwining their fingers.
"I love you so much, Joongie." Yunho says.
"I love you, too." Hongjoong whispers.
"I love you so fucking much. Which is why I can't let you do that." Yunho says, serious.
"But—"
"You need music. I need you. Apparently, you need me just as much." Yunho says before Hongjoong can protest.
"I told you I woke up early. I've been thinking. Honestly, the decision was easy once I had a couple hours to work it out. You told me, when you left before, that you didn't want me to make sacrifices for you. Do you remember that?" Yunho asks.
"Of course."
"Well. I'm not doing it for you. But I am doing it." Yunho smirks. "I quit my job this morning. I'm coming with you when you go back. If you want, I mean."
"Your apartment—"
"Wooyoung is taking my lease. He and Yeosang need a bigger place."
"You—" Hongjoong frowns, completely unequipped to handle this. "How the fuck are you real?"
"Does that mean you want me to come with you?" Yunho asks, cheeky.
"If you don't, I think I will actually end up in an asylum." Hongjoong sighs, overwhelmed and more grateful than he has words for.
"Can't have that." Yunho smiles, wolfish. "Your crazy ass is mine."
Hongjoong barks a startled laugh.
"Maybe we'll end up in there together." He says, incredibly fond.
"Probably. I might be worse than you. Remember?" Yunho winks.
"God, yeah. I remember." Hongjoong shivers.
"Good. Try not to forget. Unless you want me to remind you, again." Yunho says with a playful shrug. "I'm gonna go shower."
As he walks away, Hongjoong can't help but watch him go, the memory of last night completely overcoming his mind. When Yunho gets to his bedroom door, he turns with a coy smile. Beautiful and crazy. Perfect. His.
"You can join me, if you want."
Hongjoong has never moved so fast in his entire life.