Mingyu’s mouth presses into a tight line. The act is almost convincing. Almost.
“Really?” Mingyu’s voice is flat. Unimpressed. “We’re doing this?”
"how easy this should be". au. oneshot, 6k. nc-17.
Mingyu gets dumped before Joshua's wedding and is sad about it, Jeon Wonwoo might the right man to do something about it
"love you like oxygen". hanahaki disease!au. oneshot, 8k. r.
There are over five thousand citizens with Hanahaki in South Korea. Jeon Wonwoo is one of them.
"all the love we unravel". au: commoner!ww, idol!mg. oneshot, 9k. nc-17.
It takes a rainy night and a heartfelt plea for Wonwoo to let out a drop of the decades' worth of feelings he's been bottling up for Mingyu.
"running to you (out of time)". au: vampire!ww. oneshot, 29k. nc-17.
Wonwoo doesn’t believe in holiness, could never even begin to fathom the concept when he himself is everything that goes against it, everything that is foul and ugly and wrong, but Mingyu’s kiss feels close to it, a divine promise of salvation pressed to his lips.
"these nights with you (the rest of my life won't compare)". historical royalty!au, omegaverse: alpha prince!ww, alpha royal guard!mg. 6 chapters, 71k. nc-17.
When Mingyu was 8, he promised Wonwoo that when he grows up, he would stay by his side to protect him forever.
When Mingyu turns 20, he starts his duties as the Alpha Royal Guard Kim. It’s just that reuniting with Alpha Prince Wonwoo does not go the way he expected.
JEONGCHEOL
"the affect of angels: intimate metaphor in pre-modern encounters with the divine". au: grad student!sc. oneshot, 5k. nc-17.
Seungcheol's thesis "The affect of angels: intimate metaphor in pre-modern encounters with the divine" takes quite a turn when he finds a very old manuscript and has his own intimate encounter with the divine.
"the road not taken". au. oneshot, 8k. r.
“Your house’s already started to feel like a cage for the wild bird, hasn’t it?” Seungcheol hums, and only then does he turn to stare at Jeonghan for the first time. “Welcome back, Jeonghan-ah.”
"adore me, hold me, and explore me". oneshot, 13k. nc-17.
He had already watched that video on loop dozens of times. Maybe Seungcheol hadn’t done it on purpose, maybe he didn’t even realize the effect it would have on anyone watching. But Jeonghan knew.
And that pissed him off. Because Seungcheol was far away. And Jeonghan was wet. Frustrated. And insanely horny.
"somewhere i have never travelled". au. oneshot, 23k. nc-17. ♡
“I hate it. I think I’m in love with you. It’s horrible. I hate it. It’s the worst thing I’ve done in my entire life.”
As Captain Korea, Choi Seungcheol has an obligation, a responsibility to serve and protect, to be confident in himself even when everything feels uncertain. It’s easier to ignore the haunting past when he can push the memories down, leave them to come back in vivid nightmares to be washed off by mornings and missions. That is, until his biggest ghost comes back to haunt him.
Yoon Jeonghan is supposed to be dead. That, Seungcheol is sure of.
MULTI
"en double team". wonwoo/woozi/dk. oneshot, 3k. nc-17.
Jihoon is wondering how he ended up here.
"carpe diem". dino/svt. oneshot, 25k. nc-17.
Lee Chan comes up with a fool proof plan.
A plan to get the dicking he deserves.
"if i can't love him, please do it for me". hoshi/wonwoo/dk. au. 3 chapters, 30k. nc-17.
Everything in Soonyoung’s life was finally going well.
Until Wonwoo reappeared.
OTHER
"i think you know what this is". junhao. au. oneshot, 2.5k. nc-17.
All Junhui wants is one chance with Minghao. He's finally getting it.
"all the way (i think i wanna give it)". seokhoon. omegaverse: alpha!wz, omega!dk. oneshot, 6k. nc-17.
Demisexual Jihoon takes a while to figure out his feelings towards the pack’s newest member.
"lay down misère". soonchan. au. oneshot, 26k. nc-17.
Soonyoung asks his best friend to pretend to be his boyfriend for vacation, realizes stuff, and gambles on absolute certainties.
"fools rush in". gyushua. friends with benefits!au. oneshot, 31k. nc-17.
Mingyu gets over a one-sided heartbreak by getting laid. He's a lover, not a fighter.
New York City. It's the destination of Boo Seungkwan's "I just quit my job soul searching trip," and everything is great except for one thing: he can't figure out how to use the subway.
Just when he thinks New York might swallow him whole, a helping hand appears in the form of a very handsome stranger. If rule number one is never to fall in love on vacation, Seungkwan might just end up breaking it.
I DON'T REALLYYYY HAVE ANY YET but like it's gotta be power!bottom Joshua with slightly shy top!Mingyu. I think Joshua is much kinkier than Mingyu and there MAAAY even be a bit of a corruption kink here??? and idk call me crazy but I've always seen Jeonghan/Joshua as a decently freaky FWB situation (homies that fuck but also homies that talk to each other about OTHER people they fuck) and I feel like Jeonghan and Josh text a lot more now that Jeonghan is in the army and it was Jeonghan who playfully suggested "why not try fucking Mingyu while I'm away? lmao"
but yeeah definitely size difference + a lot of wine drunk sex + Joshua corrupting Mingyu + Joshua riding Mingyu + Josh wanting to watch Mingyu jerk off etc.
Summary: Mingyu finally gets the chance to enjoy himself and somehow stumbles into the arms of his boss’s very impulsive, very rebellious, very stunning son, Hong Jisoo. "It doesn't matter as long as the intentions were pure, right?"
Tags: Explicit Sexual Content, Implied Sexual Content, Security Guard!Mingyu, Heir!Joshua, Dysfunctional Family Dynamics, Forbidden Relationship, Co-Worker Relationship, Grief *Explicit Version found on ao3 only*
Length: approx. 8.6k
Chapter 5
Mingyu woke up to a crack of thunder in the distance around four in the morning, startling him awake as lightning lit up the window just outside his apartment. He groaned, rolling on his side and pulling his pillow over his head in hopes he’d fall back asleep until his alarm. But no, another crack of thunder and Mingyu was up and out of bed, praying his coffee machine worked this morning.
The one good thing about waking up early was the gym in the company’s basement. It was mostly empty at this time, save for one or two people with the same idea as him. Mingyu set his gym bag down by the weights, looking himself over in the large mirror. He was a bit soaked from the rain, rain droplets falling from his hair and seeping into the mats. Grabbing his phone, Mingyu plopped down on one of the benches, grabbed a weight, and set it down between his legs. He looked down at himself, watching as his muscles flexed, a few veins poking out down his arm. He lifted his phone up, snapping a mirror picture and a few matching shots of the equipment and the room around him. He even included a selfie. With the string of photos uploaded to his Instagram with a fitting song, Mingyu was prepared for the next hour of uninterrupted workout time.
Mingyu’s workout routine wasn’t too complex; mostly just weights, the treadmill, and either arms, legs, or chest depending on the day. The more physical activity he’d taken up since starting the job, the easier it became.
While on the treadmill, adjusting his old set of headphones, Mingyu started up the machine, taking a slow walk as he scanned the buttons. He knew exactly how to set up the treadmill's elevation and speed. He would calculate the distance he’d run in an hour before the hour was up, his mind a whiteboard for the equations to be written out as he jogged.
A workout of the body, as well as the mind. And a bit of the ego, as Mingyu immediately took his phone back out once the treadmill slowed to an eventual stop. Mingyu reached for his water, taking a long sip, and he saw a few of his usual likes from friends and family, but nothing more…
[deerhua_ liked your post]
[deerhua_ followed you]
[deerhua_ liked your post]
[deerhua_ liked your post]
[deerhua_ liked your post]
Well. Nevermind. “Who the hell is this?” he murmured to himself, tapping on the picture to pull up the profile. “Why are they liking shit from six months ago?”
The profile gave zero answers; no face photos, no photos of people in general. The account only had about 20 photos on it, spanning different scenic views and random photos of things like shoes, shops and buildings. One of the more recent ones had a photo dump of Big Ben and the London Eye, and what looked to be fancy tea in a quaint coffee shop.
“They’re worldly,” Mingyu said, tapping a photo of cherry blossom trees in Japan from three years prior. He looked at the account bio, but still nothing but an emoji of a deer. “Huh….” Mingyu shrugged, pocketing his phone when he realized he needed to take a shower and get ready for the day. “Whatever.”
-----------------
Jiwoong, Wonwoo, and Hansol came into the locker room just as Mingyu was tugging on his jacket and brushing his hand through his hair in the mirror. Jiwoong seemed in his own world, shaking his umbrella off and mumbling to himself about the rain as Hansol and Wonwoo were discussing game strategy, Hansol’s eyes unnaturally wide as he spoke.
“See, hyung, this is why I never play Valorant with you!”
“You never play because you’re bad,” Wonwoo said, a light teasing in his voice as he opened his own locker, sticking his own belongings inside. His eyes flickered to Mingyu. “Morning.”
“Hey.” Mingyu smiled, resting just beside the door.
“Did you work out this morning, Hyung?” Jiwoong asked as he shrugged his dry spare jacket on, putting the other in his closet for later.
“Mmm. It’s been a few days, and I needed it. Too bad this storm is fucking brutal, though.” Mingyu turned on his heel. “I’m going to go find Seungcheol-hyung. I’ll see you later.” And with a wave, he exited the lockers and started towards Seungcheol’s office.
Even under the umbrella of a storm, Mingyu could hear Seungcheol’s voice from the end of the hallway; the sound of aggravation getting louder with every external rumble of thunder. When he could, Mingyu peeked through the drawn blinds to catch a peek of Seungcheol, his phone practically glued to his ear as he scribbled something down. His hair was frazzled, having most likely only been here an hour or so. He gets to work early.
Mingyu waited until Seungcheol was off the phone, rubbing his temples and pacing behind his desk, to knock on the door. “Come in,” he called, looking up at the visitor. “Oh, Mingyu. Morning.”
“Good morning.” He nodded his head. Seungcheol’s desk was littered with stacks of papers and clipboards, documents, and things scattered around his computer. “Busy morning?”
“Yeah. Sorry, I was going to meet you to work out, but I was hoping the storm would let up. And then when I got in, I realized we’re short-staffed more than I thought. I’m trying to move some people around, and prepare for the security events we’ll need to staff, and-.”
“I can handle overtime if you need.”
Seungcheol’s lips perked in a tired but grateful smile. “I had a feeling you’d come running when you heard that.” he said. “I’ll let you know.” Seungcheol rested his hand on the desk in front of him, grabbing his coffee with the other and taking a long sip. “You and Hansol are going to be doing security monitoring today, alright? Nice and easy.”
“Nice!” Mingyu pumped his fist. “Ah, I mean.” He coughed, laughing awkwardly at Seungcheol’s amused smirk. “Thank you.” And with another quick bow, Mingyu spun on his heel.
“Oh. Mingyu, wait.” Seungcheol’s voice made him stop in his tracks. Spinning back on his heel, Seungcheol had rounded his desk and stood in front of it, putting his hands on either side of himself as he leaned back. “I have a question for you.”
“Oh? Sure.” He perked up, hands behind his back. Seungcheol pursed his lips together, eyes scanning the area around him. Mingyu watched him try to formulate his question, and the sudden silence made him fidgety. But when Seungcheol opened his mouth, the fidgeting stilled.
“I heard about that thing with Hong Jisoo.”
Mingyu blinked, his heart stopping the perfectly timed crack of thunder. He saw a flash of lightning through the window. For a few seconds the lights flickered, temporarily occupying his boss’s attention. “The…” he stammered, feeling the color drain his face. “The thing?” His mind immediately flashed to a week prior, Joshua pushing through his apartment with just a tad less clothing each step, tangled up underneath him well into the middle of the night. “What thing? There was a thing?”
Seungcheol cocked an eyebrow. “I heard he came to get you during lunch the other day.”
“Oh…” Mingyu’s face went from pale to bright red; he could feel it in the way his neck burned to the point of bordering numbness. “That’s what you meant… right?”
Seungcheol’s eyebrows furrowed; he was studying Mingyu, that much was clear. Mingyu gulped, broken glass scratching his throat as he tried to speak past it. “We… well… He had some questions for me about my… father.”
“Your father?”
“Mhm. I guess he realized that my father was Chief of Security… and… he was curious.” Seungcheol blinked, still looking like he was trying to translate Mingyu’s words from another language. “It was weird, I’ll say that much. Heh.” Seungcheol nodded.
“It was. He doesn’t come to the office often, much less the cafeteria of all places. People are still talking about it.”
“I see.” Mingyu gulped, nodding his head. “I didn’t mean to cause a problem… I’m sorry…”
“Don’t apologize,” Seungcheol assured. “As long as you’re sure it wasn’t anything major. Like you did something wrong.”
“Wrong, no!” Mingyu shook his head, laughing nervously. “Me? C’mon, hyung.” His grin faltered, and he laughed awkwardly. Everything about his stance right now was screaming, ‘I did something so horribly wrong and my life will be over if you continue to press me about it’. He immediately shot his hand up, wiggling the fingers. “I”m the farthest thing from wrong, I’m even becoming right-handed, that’s how far from wrong I am!”
“Okay, jeez.” Seungcheol lifted a hand. “I get it, I get it. No need to panic.” Satisfied, Seungcheol turned to head back behind his desk. Once his back was turned, Mingyu looked down at his hand, cursing under his breath as he slid it into his pocket. “Head to the security office and grab Hansol if you see him.”
“Will do. Thank you.” Mingyu bowed at an almost 90-degree angle, catching the scoff from Seungcheol before he practically darted out of the room.
Free from his higher-up’s gaze, Mingyu let his head fall forward, a deep groan of annoyance escaping his lips. “Mingyu, you’re left-handed, you fucking idiot.” He mumbled to himself. “What the hell is wrong with you?” Curiously, Mingyu turned to Seungcheol’s room again, getting a peak of him through the door. Seungcheol seemed completely normal, on the phone once again and digging around his messy desk for a clipboard. He was rolling one of his sleeves up as he chatted, completely unaffected by the buffoonery Mingyu had decided to display so early in the morning. His adrenaline was pumping but certainly not from the work out anymore.
“I need to go home.” Mingyu groaned, starting on his way to the security monitoring office just a few halls down. A few steps, and he blinked, groaning into his hands. “I took over-time… damn it….” Shaking his head, Mingyu patted his cheeks. “Okay, let’s do this. Seungcheol-hyung doesn’t seem suspicious, I’m totally good, everything is fi-.”
A crack of thunder, a flash of lightning, and an imperfectly timed: “Seungcheol-hyung’s suspicious?”
“Jesus fuc-!” Mingyu jumped, turning to see Hansol standing around the corner, sipping on a water bottle as if he didn’t almost make his senior’s soul leave his body. “Hansol.”
“Sorry. You were talking louder than I think you wanted.” The younger smiled a bit, a mix of sympathy and teasing. Mingyu was going to make the rest of the day with him a living hell if the opportunity presented itself.
“Let’s go.” Mingyu sighed, and the duo started off.
The rumble of thunder was less noticeable in the security room, the thick walls muffling the outside world just a bit so that any noise from the monitors could be heard easily. But despite the muffling of the storm raging outside, Mingyu found it almost impossible to focus.
The random text from Joshua saying that he was home a week after it was sent made no sense. Why then? What was the reason? Was he playing coy? Was he trying to coax Mingyu back into his arms despite his rejection? Was it just a week-long lag in sending that one message?
Mingyu flipped the equation every which way, and each time the answer came out wrong. It made no sense. Mingyu hated when things didn’t make sense.
The one thing keeping him semi-focused through this internal mathematical gymnastics was Hansol, who was talking about plans he and his girlfriend had that weekend, weather permitting.
“We’re going to see that new action movie with my parents.”
“Nice…” Mingyu mumbled, his eyes falling to the eighth-floor halls, watching as a few people shuffled by.
“This is the first time she’s meeting my parents.”
“Uh-huh…” Mingyu mumbled. Okay, he could hear Hansol, but he wasn’t exactly listening.
“And we’re going to tell them she’s pregnant with octuplets.”
“That’s ni-. Wait, what?” Mingyu’s head whipped around. Hansol is leaning back in his seat. “Dude.”
“Sorry, I had to,” he said. “You good, hyung?”
“Yeah.” Mingyu nodded his head. “Sorry. It sounds fun. Minus the octuplets part.”
Hansol chuckled, taking a sip of his quarter-empty water. “What about you?”
“I am not pregnant with octuplets.” Hansol laughed, and when he laughed, it was a bit high-pitched and squeaky. Like a seagull calling to its friends. Mingyu thought it was kind of cute, in a way.
“No, oh my god. Anything exciting going on?”
“Oh, no.” Mingyu shook his head. He couldn’t help it when his brain brought up the genius idea to mention his past escapade, both at lunch and at his home. But it was best not to, he already had Seungcheol breathing down his neck about the entire thing. Mingyu’s still positive that his boss is not at all convinced with his little lie. “Just working… that’s all.”
“Huh.” Great, Hansol doesn’t believe him either. This is perfect. How the hell is Mingyu supposed to keep this secret to his grave like he was planning?! “Nice, hyung. Keepin’ it easy. That’s good.”
“Yeah.” Mingyu agreed, his voice wavering over the one word like it’d give everything away. “I don’t have much else going on.” Anymore.
Mingyu’s eyes lifted up to the Hong's floor, specifically towards the second biggest office there. Lim Yeongi was standing in front dutifully, but other than that it was stagnant. Nobody came in and nobody came out.
“Did Hong Jisoo come in?” Mingyu asked.
“Hm? Yeah, I think so.” Hansol hummed. “Why? You guys have another lunch planned?”
“Planned? No, what? No. That one wasn’t planned, Hansol. Don’t start rumors.”
“I’m not starting any rumors,” Hansol assured, raising his hand. “But people have been chatting about it.”
“I know.” Mingyu sighed. “It’s really not that big of a deal. I don’t get why it is to everyone.” Mingyu prayed then for an intervention from God to just get him the hell out of this conversation.
“That’s because–.”
A snap of electricity and the room went dark. Mingyu watched as the camera in Joshua’s hallway cut out, each of them following behind it until the entire screen was a large, black square. “What the?” Mingyu turned his head to the door just in time to see most of the building in darkness, a flash of lightning turning the hall outside a neon blue.
Neither Hansol nor Mingyu will ever admit they screamed.
The lights were out for maybe 30 seconds before the generators in the basement kicked on, and the lights throughout the building returned on. Mingyu sighed, leaning back on the chair. He lolled his head to Hansol, who was sitting up perfectly straight, eyes wide in shock. He looked like a meerkat on alert for predators. “You good?”
“Yeah.” Hansol nodded, stiff.
Mingyu and Hansol were alerted by their walkie-talkies as Seungcheol came on the other side. “Hey,” he called through. “I need someone to go check the security systems; make sure they turned back on with the generators.”
Mingyu picked up the walkie, pressing it to his mouth. “I got it,” he said, unclicking the button.
“Cool. Come to me and get the checklist. Thanks, Mingyu.” Mingyu sighed, getting up.
“I’ll be back.” He patted Hansol’s head. “Don’t miss me.”
As Mingyu headed towards Seungcheol’s office, a sigh of relief escaped his lips. It wasn’t exactly the intervention he expected to get, but he wasn’t one to ever question a miracle when it landed in his lap.
-----------------
It had taken Mingyu about thirty minutes to check the security cameras on the top half of floors in the building. There weren’t too many that needed to be reset, thank goodness.
Mingyu had reached the floor that housed The Hong's offices, however, and immediately his chest tightened. The last time he was up here was for patrolling, when Joshua had come to get him and bring him to dinner. He’d made sure to come up here as little as possible after their night together, hoping to avoid any encounters with Joshua.
But surely he wouldn’t come out of his office, right? He must be working, and with the storm…
Mingyu took a deep breath as he stepped off the elevator, waiting for it to close behind him before starting down the hall. He had about 5 security cameras just in this main hall, so he had to be quick so he could be gone. The first three were quick enough, just a reset of the system and they seemed to be turning back on. But it wasn’t until his fourth one that he heard a set of voices rounding the corner. Mingyu bit his lip, eyes laser-focused on the security camera until he heard a woman’s voice.
“I hope the rain lets up before the end of the day; it was a hassle not getting my shoes wet.”
“I’ll see about an alternative route to your car if it doesn’t, Miss.”
Mingyu looked over just slightly as Mrs. Hong turned the corner. She looked very proper, like the wife of a conglomerate owner should, with a tight bun and equally tight pencil skirt hiked over a very expensive blouse and blazer. As she got closer, Mingyu caught sight of her jewelry, from her pearl necklace to her encrusted bracelet and matching earring set. She looked expensive, but then again, Mingyu knew who her son was, so that made sense.
Mrs. Hong looked over, smiling as she walked in Mingyu’s direction. “Oh, hello.” Her eyes dipped down to his name tag. “Mingyu.”
“Hello,” Mingyu said, immediately bowing. He looked up at her.
“Are the security cameras all working?” She asked, looking up at the one above Mingyu’s head.
“Yes, ma’am.” Mingyu nodded. “Well, the ones I’ve checked,” he smiled. “I still have a few more to go.”
“I see. Thank you for working so hard to make sure our company is always well protected.” Her eyes crinkled at the corners, and Mingyu immediately thought of Joshua. It was a similar motion, but Mrs. Hong’s eyes weren’t as expressive, nor did they fold as easily as Joshua’s in the corner.
He inhaled, plastering a smile onto his face. “Thank you.” he said, nodding his head once more as she continued on her way, her assistant jogging to catch up to her as they fell back into conversation.
Your flexibility is what makes our security team the best in the country.
Mingyu’s smile dropped as Joshua’s voice flowed through his head. “Tch. I guess the apple doesn’t fall far from the tree, hm?” He muttered to himself, the smack back to reality allowing him to continue with his work.
Mingyu was just heading to the final security camera on the floor when he heard his name. It was familiar enough to send a shiver down his spine.
“Ahhh, Kim Mingyu? Miss me?”
Do not turn around, do not turn around. He thought to himself. His pen tapped at three times the speed against the clipboard, his eyes locked on the security camera. He could see Joshua strolling up behind him through the reflection, and Mingyu looked away. Yet his gaze was burning on his shoulders, and it was almost painful. But he couldn’t give in to Joshua’s games; he’d already turned him down twice. It was time he finally got the hint.
“What are you doing here, Sir?” He finally asked.
“Stretching my legs.” He said. “I was sitting all day, I needed a break.”
Mingyu didn’t believe him for a second, but he simply nodded his head. “Right…”
“What about you? I thought you normally did lobby security.”
“I’m checking the security systems on this floor after the power cut.”
“They got you doing that now? Seungcheol really overworks you, hm?”
“Nothing like that, I offered to help.” Mingyu frowned, eyes narrowing.
“Hm… that’s nice of you.” Joshua’s footsteps were heard shifting around behind him, and for a short second, he didn’t say anything. “Well, don’t let me distract you, then.” Mingyu blinked, his pen slowing on the clipboard. Curious eyes flickered up to Joshua in the reflection of the camera, but all he caught sight of was Joshua stepping a few spaces until he was out of the frame. Good. Mingyu thought, looking back down at the checklist on his board. This is what I wanted… to be left alone.
Mingyu took a step, but didn’t fully start moving for a few seconds, like he was expecting something - someone - to stop him. But nothing, so Mingyu pushed himself forward and turned the corner, starting towards the next three cameras on the floor before he got to the elevator. A few steps ahead and he heard feet behind him, walking in time with his own. Mingyu’s shoulders slumped. “Are you following me?” he asked curiously. “Sir?”
“Following? No, not at all.” Joshua cooed behind him. “Just walking. Stretching my legs.”
Mingyu sighed. “Right. You’d said that.”
The duo kept in that rhythm for the first two cameras in this hallway. The only sound between them was the rumbling of thunder, an occasional flash of lightning creating a temporary barrier between them. Mingyu scribbled on the clipboard as the cameras were checked. He wondered how long Joshua would follow him before he got bored. The longer he felt his presence behind him, he hated to admit, but the harder it was to fully ignore it. The glimpses through the camera’s reflections were very small; not at all a good snapshot of Joshua’s assets (not that Mingyu cared, of course).
Mingyu pressed his clipboard to his forehead, closing his eyes as he took a deep breath. Stop causing your own demise, Mingyu. Don’t take the bait like a hungry fish; you’re stronger than this! You didn’t graduate top of your class because you’re stupid.
“Oof, oh shi-.” Mingyu blinked as footsteps clambered over one another behind him, and he turned his head. His hand immediately stuck out, but stopped when he saw Joshua standing straight up. He had his hands in the pockets of his suit, his hips jutted to one side. His hair was styled a bit, and gelled back to expose his forehead. His tailored suit hugged him beautifully, as it always did. He looked stunning. “Heh. I knew that’d get your attention.”
Mingyu huffed. “That wasn’t funny. I thought you fell.”
“Would you have caught me if I did?” Joshua arched an eyebrow. Mingyu scoffed.
“You want me to say yes,” Mingyu said as he turned back to his assignment.
“Mmm, probably almost as much as you want to say yes.” Mingyu’s pace slowed, his attention fully turning to Joshua again. He had one more camera to check, at the end of the hall ,surveying the corner. Yet here he was, stopped dead in his tracks by the same grinning siren he told himself he had to avoid.
“I thought you said you were done trying to change my mind.” Mingyu pointed out. Like he was being arrested, Joshua’s hands raised over his head.
“I’m not trying to,” he said assuringly. “You’re just fun to tease.”
“Well, not here.” Mingyu pursed, and Joshua pouted. He stepped a bit closer, and Mingyu took a step back. His eyes dipped from Joshua’s coy gaze to his amused smile with a bit too much concealer on his bottom lip. Further inspection showed that the same cut he’d noticed at lunch was still there, caked away under all of the concealer. Mingyu bit his own lip.
“You’re staring.” Joshua pointed out.
“Well, I–.” Mingyu’s heart began beating, his entire face burning red. Joshua chuckled. “I just, uh-.”
“I think I saw him heading over here.” A voice from down the hall spoke, catching both of their attention. Mingyu sighed in relief, but when he saw Joshua’s expression tighten a bit, it took a few seconds for the wheels in his head to start turning. He looked down the hall, and before Mingyu could ask what he was doing, Joshua took his hand.
“Come with me,” he said, and tugged Mingyu into a small supply closet just ahead of the unchecked security camera. It all happened in a blur, and Mingyu found himself pressed against the back of the tiny closet, a mop falling over his head and a bucket rolling up against his leg. His breath was hitched despite the short run, his adrenaline pumping. But Joshua seemed completely fine, unbothered as he peeked his head out the small window on the door. “Okay, they passed.”
“Who?”
“Yeongi-hyung and Junhui.” He said. “Chan probably went the other way…”
“So you are playing hooky.” Mingyu scolded lightly, his mouth shutting when Joshua lolled his head over to look at him. He stepped closer, closing the distance between them but not reaching out to touch Mingyu. Which was probably for the best, Mingyu wasn’t sure what he’d do if that happened and he was already feeling the safety net of logic below him start giving out. The space was so confined that they could almost feel each other's breath if either leaned in a bit more, and it made Mingyu dizzy. “What do you want from me?” he choked out.
Joshua finally glanced up, his smile small but noticeable. “Get dinner with me.”
“Dinner? I can’t.” He shook his head. “We shouldn’t.” They were still only an arm’s reach apart, and Mingyu gripped the clipboard harder in both of his hands. “I need to go before we get caught.” When Mingyu went to leave, Joshua backed up, pressing against the door to prevent Mingyu from passing. “Jo- tsk. Sir. We can’t. Once was bad enough. We can’t take risks like that anymore.”
“You mean that?”
“I do.” Mingyu tightened his tone, swallowing. “I do.”
Joshua licked his lips; a more serious expression overtook the teasing one. “Then push me away.”
“What?”
“You want to be done so badly….” he shifted between his feet. “Push me away.”
“I already said we can’t do it anymore.”
“What people say and what they do are two different things.” He turned his head, briefly glancing out the window of the supply closet. When he turned back to Mingyu, he added, “If anyone knows that, it’s me.” He pressed himself a bit closer and Mingyu got a whiff of his perfume, earthy yet light. Mingyu’s fingers twitched against the clipboard at how badly he just wanted to hold onto him. “I can see how you act around me.”
“Oh, and how’s that?” Mingyu asked, watching Joshua reach out and hold onto his jacket.
“Desperately trying to deny the desire you feel. Logically, you know the risks. But when has logic and desire ever agreed on anything?” He tilted his head. “Why are you doing this to yourself? And don’t say it’s for the company or our jobs. Why are you holding back on something it’s so clear you want for yourself?”
Mingyu took a deep breath, running a hand through his hair. He could feel sweat on the back of his neck, hitting the hair that lay there. Another twitch of his fingers, and he reached forward, placing one hand on the wall beside Joshua’s waist. He could see the smug grin on Joshua’s face as his grip tightened on his jacket. “You mean it? That if I move you, we’re done with this for good?”
Joshua’s smirk dropped immediately, his eyes rounding in something like momentary shock. Mingyu felt his jacket loosen in Joshua’s grip, but not release. The way Joshua’s eyes searched Mingyu’s face threw Mingyu for a loop. But Joshua fixed his face immediately, twisting his smile back on his face and dropping his hand from Mingyu’s jacket. “Yes.”
“And you know I can move you no problem, right?”
“I do. I saw your Instagram. You lift more than I do.”
“My Insta–.” Mingyu trailed off. “Was it you who followed me this morning?”
Joshua nodded, eyes fluttering up to Mingyu as he tried to get himself back on track. “Mmm. Posting stuff like that online for me to hunt down; it’s like you’re teasing me or something.”
“I didn’t post it for you,” he breathed, feeling his head fall forward. Joshua snickered.
“Then I guess I’m just lucky, hm?” He brushed his hand inside Mingyu’s jacket, smirking at the shaky breath it created. “Anyway, you said you could move me no problem.”
Mingyu’s eyes locked on Joshua’s, and a long, tense moment of silence went through the room. Joshua broke it first. “If you don’t say anything soon, I’m gonna count this as doing something and kiss you stupid.” His voice was already dripping with that same sexual intensity he showed in Mingyu’s apartment. Even his eyes followed Mingyu’s throat as he swallowed hard. “As I said, I’m determined.”
Mingyu took a deep breath, gripping Joshua’s waist and spinning them around so Joshua was deeper inside the closet and Mingyu was right against the door. He watched Joshua’s eyes widen at the sudden shift. “I can’t,” he said. “Not now.”
Joshua was, for once, silent, watching as Mingyu turned to face the door. Mingyu sighed, pulling out his cell phone and typing away. His mind felt like a child had scribbled inside it with crayon, and he was trying to decipher the picture. What it looked like and what it was… were they really so different? He watched as his fingers set the message, and knew there’d be no going back on his decision. For real this time.
“So that’s it then?” Joshua hummed. “Alright….” He approached Mingyu. “You’ll have to move then, so I can get out.” But Mingyu didn’t respond, still typing away on his phone. “Hm? Kim Mingyu, do you hear me?” Still nothing. “Tsk, hey!” A hand hit his shoulder, hardly moving Mingyu an inch. “Don’t ignore me!”
Mingyu watched as three dots showed up on his screen, replaced quickly with a simple thumbs-up emoji. Pocketing his phone, Mingyu turned back, seeing confusion morph into annoyance. Both looked stunning when you had a face like Joshua’s. “What the hell are you doing?”
Determined feet moved with a mind of their own, mostly so his brain and mouth could focus on working together. “I’m on break now,” Mingyu said simply. One hand reached out, slamming against the wall right by Joshua’s head, while the other sent the clipboard to the ground. He could see the way Joshua almost jumped in surprise. “I have 30 minutes.”
Joshua huffed, his smirk returning as his eyebrows hiked up his face. “I knew it.” he breathed, the duo’s noses knocking together before their lips finally met. Joshua’s hands reached up to tangle in Mingyu’s hair and hold on to his jacket. Mingyu’s hand gripped Joshua’s waist, practically pinning him against the wall. His leg slotted between Joshua’s comfortably, pushing the pair closer together. He could hear Joshua let out a strangled hum against their lips, but Mingyu only swallowed it down, one hand reaching up to cup his face.
Time felt like it was going both super fast yet incredibly slow, a weird time pocket that only existed in this supply closet. Mingyu had no idea how long it would take for someone to realize what was going on here, or for Joshua’s people to locate him. What would they say if someone were to walk in on them, what could they possibly say?
Joshua’s fingers tightened in his hair, and Mingyu pulled away for a minute, leaning into the touch as he struggled to catch his breath. Joshua seemed just as out of breath, his lips slightly parted and his chest rising and falling. His lips were slightly swollen, one little red patch noticeable where Mingyu had bitten down. It was one of the most attractive things Mingyu had ever seen.. Joshua’s hand loosened in Mingyu’s hair, fingers gently scratching his scalp. Sweaty foreheads pressed together, and the room felt hot. Mingyu just allowed himself a minute to relax, to collect himself. He didn’t even know how much longer he had for his break, but he also didn’t care.
Joshua’s fingers teased at the hem of Mingyu’s shirt, tugging it loose from his pants. The cool air brought Mingyu back to reality, a sharp inhale cutting through the tension left in what little space was between them.
“Hyung.” He gasped. Joshua hummed, already sliding his hand up Mingyu’s shirt, the soft pad of his fingers making him shiver. “Wait.. we can’t do that. Not here.”
Joshua clicked his tongue. “You’re no fun.” Despite his disappointment, his hand slipped out of Mingyu’s shirt. But it lingered, gently smoothing out the fabric. “When can I see you again, then? Outside of here.”
Mingyu bit his lip. He felt so good, his body craved and begged him for more, and his brain was far too fuzzy to think properly. “The shift I took… ends at 10.” he said softly. “Right before the graveyard guy comes in.” He leaned in one more time, barely catching Joshua in a quick kiss. “I’ll be home a bit after 11.” He whispered against his lips.
Joshua followed his gaze, mouth hanging slightly open. “I can make that work.” He glanced over, tilting his chin up to catch Mingyu’s gaze. “See you tonight…” And within a few seconds, Joshua slipped out the door, closing it behind him. The room felt a bit bigger with Joshua gone, but the second he was left alone, Mingyu rested his forehead against the wall, his breath quickening.
“Shit…” he gasped. But it was too late to regret it now, so Mingyu picked the clipboard up, slapped his cheeks back into focus, and was out the supply closet door.
At least he didn’t check that camera yet.
-----------------
Mingyu was already two hours into his overtime shift when he got a call. He looked down at his phone to see Minyeong displayed at the very top, a selfie of himself and his younger sister at a chicken restaurant by their house taking over the screen. He chuckled, pressing the phone to his ear. “Hey.”
“Oppa!” Mingyu immediately smiled at the sound of his younger sister. “It’s been a while!” He could hear faint horn honkings and wind muffling the phone call slightly.
“Yeah. How are you doing? Are your classes going well?”
“They’re pretty easy!” Minyeong beamed. “I’m just leaving the library now, though.”
Mingyu turned to the clock, seeing it read just past 7:30. “Don’t overwork yourself.” Mingyu said, looking up at the monitors in front of him.
“I won’t,” she reassured. “What are you doing?”
“Took some overtime tonight,” Mingyu said, clicking a few buttons on the keyboard. He heard Minyeong’s laugh. “What?”
“Don’t overwork yourself.” Mingyu rolled his eyes at the advice being thrown in his face.
“Yeah, well, my overworking makes sure there’s a house you can come back to.” He said. Minyeong hummed; he could picture her annoyed face on the other end. “It’s a short overtime tonight,” he said softly. “Just an extra five hours, until 10.”
“Alright,” Minyeong said softly. “Make sure you get some rest and relax tonight when you get home, then. Okay?”
Mingyu let out a breathy laugh, his heart twisting. “You too.” He insisted. “Go straight home and relax.”
“I’m meeting some of my friends for dinner right now.”
“Yunah and Bora?” he asked. “Good, enjoy.”
“I will.” he heard background noise, smiling as he heard Minyeong call out to her friends. “Yeah, I’m on the phone with my brother, hold on!” She called.
“Tell him I said hi, please, Minnie!” He heard one girl’s voice in the background, followed by laughter.
Minyeong groaned, and Mingyu broke out into an amused grin. “Oppa, you need to stop posting those gym photos. I can only hold these girls back for so long.”
“Well, sorry, but I like my gym photos,” Mingyu said.
“Yeah, so do they,” Minyeong said. “Even though I think you look kind of douchey.”
“Alright, hey now!” He heard Minyeong laugh, and a few girls in the background. “Go enjoy your food. Eat well, okay?”
The chattering girls in the background faded away and he was left hearing Minyeong’s giggling. “Alright.” There was a brief pause. “I miss you.”
Mingyu’s heart tightened, inhaling into a soft smile. “I miss you too. But I’ll see you on your next break. Okay?”
“Kay. Goodnight… have a good rest of your shift.” And the line went dead. Mingyu set the phone down, sighing in relief. At least she’s doing well. He thought to himself. As the phone returned to the home screen, Mingyu sighed. “My photos are not douchey,” he murmured to himself, opening Instagram. “They’re aesthetic.”
As the app came to life, the first post that loaded caught his attention. A photo of Mr. and Mrs. Hong, with their son at their side. Mingyu tilted his head, his eyes immediately scanning his appearance. He was standing tall and wearing an expensive suit as was expected. He smiled, but it was tight. Jisoo looked like he wanted to be anywhere else. The rest of the pictures in the collection were no different, standing beside his father and the CEO of a large partner company at an event they held earlier in the week, the logo plastered on the background display they were posing in front of. Mingyu remembered it being in the papers and circulating the internet. The Hong’s had been praised for their poise, beauty, and overall friendly demeanor at the event.
There was no caption to go with the photo, just a tag of the other company’s account, and then a sea of comments. Mingyu saw a few praising the overall family, the companies within the conglomerate, and a few commenting on Jisoo’s stunning looks. He couldn’t blame them for thinking that. The Hong’s were always so good to their employees, even if they were strict. They had a successful business to run, so it was to be expected. But when it mattered, it seemed nobody had anything bad to say about the Hong’s.
What you do and what you say can be two different things. Trust me, I’d know.
Joshua’s comment popped into his head just as a notification came onto his phone.
Deershua commented on your post:
Whoever gets to see this irl is lucky, hm? ;)
Mingyu’s cheeks flared up, turning his phone over and covering his face in his hands. He was shameless, but Mingyu couldn’t help but feel an amused smile form on his lips as he stared back at the comment.
----------------
The walk from the bus stop to his apartment felt longer than it usually did, but Mingyu kept a steady pace. He could feel exhaustion in his bones, but he knew that would only be temporary.
His eyes immediately began scanning the parking lot, hands in his pockets forming into anxious fists. It took a few seconds, but his eyes locked on a particularly sleek and expensive car parked in the first visitors spot on the far right of the lot. Mingyu’s breaths quickened as he turned to the front entrance of the door. There was someone sitting on the steps leading to the front door, and the light of a phone was enough to illuminate his face and the black hairs falling in front of it.
Mingyu’s footsteps caught his attention and he looked up, immediately breaking into an amused smile. “Hey, you.”
“How long have you been out here?” Mingyu asked, following Joshua as he got to his feet. He had already changed out of his work attire, opting for a much more comfortable grey tee shirt and pair of shorts. It was the most casual look he'd ever seen and something about the sight made Mingyu’s entire body warm. His eyes dipped down to the hints of his thorn tattoo poking from the sleeve.
“Just five minutes,” he finally said, following as Mingyu scanned around the dark, car-filled lot as he walked to the apartment’s door, pressing the code to get in through the front. “What are you doing?”
“Next time, if you’re here waiting for me, wait in your car with the doors locked.” He pushed the door open. “This neighborhood is pretty quiet, but you never know…”
Joshua put his hands in his pockets. “Is this your way of protecting me or something?”
Mingyu hummed, the duo strolling across the hallways to the elevator. He pressed the button, eyes flickering up to see the numbers descending. “Yeah.” He said.
When he looked at Joshua, he caught the tip of his ear turning a bit red, his own eyes focused on the numbers as the elevator door opened. Joshua stepped in first, Mingyu right behind him as he pressed the button to his floor. He watched the doors close, and with a quick shake to life, the elevator ascended.
Joshua rocked back on his feet, leaning against the wall and crossing his arms. “This elevator doesn’t have security cameras, does it?” he asked.
Mingyu glanced over, stepping the whole three feet towards Joshua, which made up the distance between them. “Bold of you to assume that I can afford a place that fancy,” He noticed the way Joshua bit softly into his lip, pulling back the mark on it.
“That’s true…” he purred, the sound sending a jolt down Mingyu’s spine. “But I guess I can’t complain…”
It took all of two seconds for the duo to be trying to jump one another's bones in the confines of the elevator. Mingyu had pressed Joshua up against the wall, a hand tight on the back of his neck and the other tugging at his waist. It just felt right to have his hand molded into Joshua’s side at any given moment. Joshua made quick work of Mingyu’s suit jacket, pushing it off his shoulders and letting it fall behind him.
“I like the shirt.” Mingyu breathed before kissing him again, pushing his hand up into the fabric. He felt the other’s breath hitch against his lips, immediately tightening his hold on Mingyu’s neck to pull him closer for a deeper kiss. Mingyu’s fingers brushed along Joshua’s stomach, trailing up higher and higher.
“But it’ll look better off.” Joshua cooed, pulling back to bat his eyes up at Mingyu. “Is that what you were going to say?”
“Tsk.” Mingyu shook his head, kissing him again. “No. I like it so much it should stay on.” He reached up to Joshua’s collarbone, his fingers barely popping out of the shirt before yanking it back down, dragging his fingers along the skin and letting the fabric drop with it. Joshua hummed, head falling back against the wall. His eyes were dark, excited, and Mingyu couldn’t help but be entranced.
“Oh, we’re feeling playful tonight, hm? Fun~.” Joshua smirked, his cheeks a much more noticeable shade of red as the elevator came to a stop. Mingyu knelt down for his jacket, gripping it in one hand and leading Joshua down the hall with the other. He just barely got to his door before Joshua pushed him up against it, kissing him once again. But this time, he began undoing the buttons of his shirt. He turned his head, glancing awkwardly behind him as his hand fumbled with getting the key in the lock. A warm set of lips pressed against his neck and collar and he gasped, the hand gripping his jacket loosening on the garment to yank Joshua tightly against him. Joshua’s lips moved with precision over the expanse of his skin, and it felt like he was going to explode before he got the key in the lock, twisted it, and all but kicked the door open. Mingyu turned to Joshua, who was taking a second to catch his breath as Mingyu kicked the jacket behind him and into his hallway. The part of his chest now exposed to the air was a bit cooler and he shivered. Just as he turned his attention, ready to kiss Joshua breathless all the way to his room, his eyes caught the mark on his lip. The kissing had all but wiped away anything used to cover it up; it was much more noticeable now. A slight halo of red around a healing, yet still visible cut. It was small, but Mingyu wasn’t stupid. He knew how cuts like that happened…
The heat around them seemed to fizzle for just a second. Joshua was still pulled up against him, his hand loosening on his back. It slipped up Joshua’s side, and he saw how confused, slightly blown out eyes followed as it settled right on his cheek.
“What are you doing?” Joshua breathed, the air tickling Mingyu’s own lips. “Don’t tell me you’re having second thoughts again.”
Gently, one of Mingyu’s thumbs swiped along the cut. He wondered if Joshua would react, if it still hurt, if it hurt at all. He shivered under Mingyu’s touch, eyes widening a bit as his mouth fell open. Mingyu tilted his head, making it easily fit with Joshua’s to kiss him. Just as he was about to pull back, throat ready to bubble up the question again, Mingyu sank his teeth right into the spot beside Joshua’s little cut. His brain was on autopilot, just focused on the desire burning in his gut. He didn’t know what he expected Joshua to do in response, but the moan he let out so close to his face was enough to kick every nerve ending into high gear.
Grabbing Joshua’s waist, Mingyu dragged him inside and left any concerns he’d ever had about the situation God put him in at the door.
-----------------------
Mingyu tossed both condoms into the trash before stretching his hands over his head. “Mm…” Every bone jostled around a bit, the tightness escaping his body in a relieved groan.
“You know.” Joshua hummed, dragging his finger along the sheets in front of him. He glanced up at Mingyu, who turned his head back around to listen. His eyes were drawn to Joshua’s collarbone and chest, littered with marks in various hues of red (the shirt barely made it into the apartment before it was yanked off). “This entire experience is much more fun when you’re just as into it as I am.”
“You make it sound like I wasn’t into it last time,” Mingyu commented.
He saw a glint of amusement in Joshua’s eyes. “I’m sure you were. But I could see the terror in your eyes like it was your first time.” He shifted a bit, and a Mingyu-sized space in the sheets reopened. He inhaled, but ultimately crawled into bed. Instinctively, his arm slipped under Joshua’s head, supporting him as he rolled on his side, the duo now face to face. “But I guess if all that pent-up energy gives me results like this-.” he motioned to his chest. “We might have to wait again next time.”
“You’re expecting there to be a next time?” Mingyu asked, moving his arm from the pillow to support his head. He looked down at Joshua, brown eyes moving up to him.
“Are you still going to insist that there shouldn’t be?” The sharp sass in his voice was dulled just a bit by a tone Mingyu couldn’t place, something he’d yet to hear. Nervousness? He wasn’t sure, but Mingyu’s chest tightened a bit. His free hand moved up to gently brush hair out of Joshua’s face, tucking some of it behind his ear.
“No,” he said simply. “Look at where it's gotten me so far.” Joshua chuckled. “I have tried every single method I can think of to keep you off my mind, to convince myself it was better that we stopped this…” his fingers took a piece of Joshua’s hair, twirling it between his fingers. “But I’m gullible, I will fall for everything you say hook, line, and sinker. I don’t know what it is.”
When he met Joshua’s gaze again, he expected a cocky grin, lips ready to spout a confident declaration of victory. But he didn’t get that; what he saw instead was a softer look. A look of relief, almost, his entire body relaxed under Mingyu’s touch. “I dunno, maybe that whole ‘intentions being pure’ thing really did work on me.”
Joshua’s expression seemed to teeter into unreadable territory for a minute, eyes flickering down to the open space between them. “Mmm, I see.” Joshua finally mused. After a second, he brought them back down. “I mean, sure. I guess.”
“You guess?” he asked.
“I mean, if you really want to keep sleeping together, I can keep my schedule open from time to time. I’m a man in high demand, you know.” He lolled his head back over to Mingyu, smirking. Mingyu scoffed.
“Right. Okay.” He said. Joshua rolled back on his side, reaching up to take Mingyu’s arm and stretch it out under him, pillowing his cheek there immediately. He obliged, his fingers resuming their gentle rakes through Joshua’s hair. “I’m just going to say one thing, okay?”
“Mmm?” Joshua’s eyebrow cocked.
“If we’re going to continue this, and this ends up becoming something that’s going to really impact either of us at work, we have to stop. Seriously. I can’t put my sister and me at risk like that.” Joshua was silent, lips pursed together.
“...Right,” he finally said.
“I won’t humor you anymore, either. If it comes to it, we have to stop for real. I really need you to understand, my family, my sister, comes first.”
“I do,” Joshua said simply. “But as long as we’re careful… It’ll be just fine.” Mingyu sighed, nodding his head. His fingers resumed in Joshua’s hair, listening as he exhaled in comfort.
“Do you need to be at work early tomorrow?” He asked softly.
“No. I have the day off. Surprisingly.” Joshua responded, his eyes finally closing. Mingyu’s eyes searched Joshua’s face. He was even more beautiful up close, and the way the moonlight streamed in through the window and cast over his face made him look like some kind of angel. Mingyu’s hand stilled in Joshua’s hair, gently tracing back down to his lip. Joshua’s eyes opened a crack, eyebrows furrowing. “What’s your obsession with that? You’d think I got stabbed or something.”
Mingyu shook his head. “I think I have ointment for that,” he said. “It’ll keep it from scarring.” Joshua hummed, watching as Mingyu hopped off the bed and fumbled for his boxers. “Wait here.”
“Wasn’t planning on going anywhere,” Joshua said, rolling onto his back with an amused smile on his lips.
Mingyu staggered into the bathroom, flicking the light on and opening his medicine cabinet. The ointment was on the top shelf, and he grabbed it. When the cabinet closed and Mingyu looked at himself in the mirror, he rested against the counter for a moment. He wasn’t having a panic attack, questioning everything he stood for. He’d laid all of his thoughts out for Joshua to do with as he pleased, and his response was to simply smile. But not a performative smile, not a smile he thought everyone wanted to see. A genuine, happy smile. And Mingyu knows that they are indeed very different. Mingyu thought back to the picture he’d seen earlier, the hoard of comments gushing over Joshua - well, maybe in that case, Jisoo’s - smile and how stunning it made him look.
If any of them had the chance to ever see a real smile on Hong Jisoo, only then would they know the true meaning of stunning.
characters: jisoo/joshua, minghao/the8, mingyu (seventeen)
summary: the more, the merrier -- so smile.
word count: 438
genre: bxb, poly couple
content warning: none.
"Smile!"
Their arrangement is strange for the normal person to wrap their heads around. Joshua, Mingyu and Minghao - they were all in a relationship with each other. Joshua and Mingyu kiss each other, Minghao and Joshua cuddle, Mingyu and Minghao go on dates - they all love each other equally.
Minghao and Mingyu became a couple first, since they were classmates in Photography class. Joshua was invited by Minghao to date him and Mingyu, after the younger confessed that he liked both men. Joshua and Mingyu, at first, were awkward due to their differences, but they slowly grew to love each other just as much as they love Minghao.
But in instances like these, when Joshua is behind the camera, capturing the picturesque smiles of his boyfriends in front of a painting whose artist the eldest had no knowledge of, his head is clouded in doubt and anxiety. Looking at the perfect picture he took, Joshua thinks that Minghao and Mingyu were perfect together... and that he had no place squeezing himself into what little space the two had. They were, after all, a couple even before Joshua came in the picture.
As his head fills with these troubled thoughts, he becomes quiet, trailing after the two men who were happily engaging in a conversation about the beauty of the art pieces that filled the art museum they were exploring. They chatted animatedly as Joshua walked two steps slower, watching his boyfriends having the time of their lives.
A few feet into their stroll, Mingyu turns to Minghao, whispering into his ear. Simultaneously, they turned back to face Joshua. 'This is it, they'll break up with me,' the eldest thought as he looked down, hands on the camera trembling ever so slightly.
Quietly, Minghao wraps his arm around Joshua's waist. "I can hear your mind thinking, babe," the Chinese murmured into his ear. "I know that look, darling, and I just wanna tell you, we will never, ever leave you. You love us, we love you. Don't doubt yourself." Mingyu chimed in, burying his nose into Joshua's hair.
"I-I'm sorry Haoi, sorry Gyu, I just-" "Shh," Minghao interjected, his finger pressing against the American boy's rattling lips. "Don't be sorry, prince. It's alright. Say, should we get some ice cream? I know choco ice cream's your comfort food." Minghao smiled at him, leaning in to peck Joshua's lips softly. Mingyu's warm palm cups Joshua's cheeks and gently maneuvered Joshua, facing him to the taller and kissing him as sweetly as he could.
Joshua held his boyfriends' hands, comforted by their endless profession of love, spoken and unspoken.
