The Painting

Twenty Two:

The boys awaken around noon to a soft knock at Minho's door. Groggily, Minho asks who it is.

"Your mother, silly. Lunch is ready." The voice responds. Footsteps are heard descending the steps. Minho turns to his sleeping companion, brushing hair out of the boy's face. The younger looks so angelic, laying in only his boxers next to Minho,.  He leans down and kisses the boy's lips softly.

"Mmmmm" Comes the reply.

"Baby, lunch is ready. We should get up." Jisung opens his eyes hesitantly, the night coming back to him. After the boys showered, they had dinner and watched a movie with Minho's parents, promptly returning to the room to "sleep". However, the boys lost themselves in each other, lightly making out until they both were tired. Holy shit we did that. He thinks to himself, then curiously speaks up.

"Hey... Min?"

"Yes, baby?" Responds the older, still playing with Jisung's hair.

"We didn't... um go all the way... why?" Minho chuckles.

"I wanted to, Sungie. But your ribs. There's a line I can't cross until my baby is all healed." Jisung nods in understanding. "Speaking of crossing lines, I wanted to ask you something."

"Me too." Says Jisung, blushing.

"Oh? You first, baby." Minho says, listening to the younger.

"Well... I know me moving in is last minute and stuff.. and, not that I don't appreciate you guys doing all this for me... but if... if possible, I uh... I don't want a separate room from you..." Jisung manages, embarrassed.

"You want to share a room?" Minho asks with a huge grin. Jisung blushes and nods.

"I just... I feel safe... here in your arms... since everything happened... you've always been here for me to sleep with and... well I never slept well... not without nightmares or bad thoughts... and you drive them away when you hold me." Jisung explains. Minho kisses him excitedly.

"Absolutely Sungie. I'll talk to my parents when we go downstairs."

"Okay! Your turn, Min. What did you want to ask?" Jisung says. Minho smiles and gets out of bed, pulling a box out of his drawer. He opens it, showing a simple but beautiful promise ring.

"Sungie... will you be my boyfriend?" Jisung stares at him in awe.

"YES YES OH MY GOD YES, MIN!" He jumps into his boyfriend's embrace, wincing but also crying happily. The older boy kisses away his tears, putting the promise ring on the boy's finger.

"This ring is to promise you that I will always be here for you, I will never hurt you, I will be your rock, and I will love you eternally." Minho says happily. The boys embrace happily, sharing a kiss. They dress quickly and Minho carries the smaller boy downstairs, a proud smile on his face. His mother notices and squeals.

"HE SAID YES??!!"

"YES!" His mom hugs them both excitedly. Minho sets Jisung down at the dining table and walks over to get waters while dragging his mom with him to talk to her. "May Jisung and I share a room? Please?"

"Minho..."

"Please mom... he asked me shyly earlier because he says he feels safer and actually sleeps when he's in my arms." Minho pleads. His mother looks at him, debating.

"Fine. But... if you do... stuff... please try to be quiet about it." Mrs. Lee laughs, causing Minho to groan.

"Mooooom. Don't embarrass me." He mumbles, which only encourages her laughter, patting the boy's head. They then join Jisung and Mr. Lee at the dinner table.

"So what's the plan for the day?" Asks Mr. Lee, smiling at his companions. His wife shrugs, kissing his forehead.

"Whatever you wish, dear. Any suggestions, boys?" She asks, turning her attention to the couple seated across the table from her. She smiles as she sees Minho making sure Jisung eats little by little.

"Ummmm. I dunno. Jisungie? Anything you want to do today, love?" Minho replies, feeding his boyfriend another bite. The younger swallows the food, thinking.

"Um... I need to study so I'm not lost in class when I go back. So can we have study time and then maybe play a board game? Or just hang out?" He asks with a shy smile.

"That sounds like a perfect idea for a Monday afternoon!" Mr. Lee chimes in. Jisung suddenly turns to Minho, confused.

"Hyung, why aren't you in school? It's Monday."

"Oh, I got the day off to take care of you. I didn't have any important classes today anyways." Minho responds lightly. Jisung smiles, relieved.

The group finishes lunch soon after, Jisung bowing as much as he can in his seat to thank his boyfriend's mother for the food. She waves him off with a smile.

"Study hard, kiddos." She says, pecking each one on the cheek before walking away to her own study. Mr. Lee follows after her, ruffling the boys' hair. Minho laughs, picking Jisung up and carrying him back upstairs.

"S-sorry I'm so heavy." Jisung says, embarrassed by his weight. Minho kisses his forehead.

"You're not heavy, Sungie. I promise."  They enter the room and Minho sets Jisung on the bed, going to retrieve their studying tools. He returns with Jisung's backpack and his own.

"What should we study first?"

"How about Math?" Minho suggests.

"Okay."

The boys spend hours studying their Gen Ed's before moving on to Art, sitting on opposite sides of the room. Jisung sits on the bed, while Minho occupies a bean bag chair on the floor. They decide to each make progress on their final project.

Jisung glances at his phone, which he has hidden from Minho's view, to the reference picture. He starts to recreate the image, mentally noting what colours he will need. He notices Minho doing something similar, causing him to smile. He watches his hyung's face in full focus mode, thinking about how absolutely handsome he is while he works diligently. He puts down his pencil, adamantly watching the boy. After a few minutes, Minho looks up to check on the younger, instead making eye contact with him. Jisung blushes, looking away. 

"If you keep staring at me, I'm gonna have to come over there and kiss the hell out of you." Jisung blushes, closing his sketchbook and exiting out of his photo gallery, turning his phone off and then continuing to stare at his boyfriend. 

Minho chuckles, closing his sketchbook and approaching his boyfriend to attack him with kisses.