999<3 | ONESHOT [ ✔️ ]

[ C - minwon ] HAPPY ENDING

TAG: I want to hear that you love me

wonwoo struggles with saying "i love you" out loud. mingyu thinks it's said in the little things instead.

•••

mingyu knows that- since day one- wonwoo has never been the kind of person to snuggle up to him and casually drop 'i love you's all around the house. that's mingyu's job. but more often than not, mingyu finds the little ways that wonwoo expresses his love. and he's always surprised because...

It's in the way he smiles,

mingyu wishes he carried cameras in his eyes so he could capture every moment wonwoo shows fondness, and every moment he laughs. he wants to keep them forever to always look at. but he remembers he'll always have the real wonwoo right there in front of him every day.

mingyu thinks wonwoo's smiles are like sugar. it's an addiction but it's too sweet for mingyu to care. he tasted it once and now he wants more. he can't imagine living without it.

mingyu noticed something too. it's that wonwoo seems to smile the most when he looks at mingyu. maybe it's a nervous habit, but he can't shake the feeling. he thinks about asking wonwoo but he feels a little shameful doing so. shouldn't he know? in any case, they're boyfriends. why wouldn't wonwoo smile when they make eye contact, or giggle a little when they hold hands? (bonus points if it's in public.)

mingyu does ask him though, one morning when they're preparing their breakfast. "wonu-hyung, do you think you smile the most when you look at me?" wonwoo laughs (ah...~ there he goes). "why? you don't like it?" mingyu points fingers, "so you do!" he sighs dreamily, "hah... of course you do. it's 'cus you love me and can't get enough of my handsome face." wonwoo packs his cereal away and carries his bowl out to the dining table. mingyu catches the glint of a playful smile when he says "of course," on the way out.

It's in the way he hugs me,

when wonwoo comes up for a hug, mingyu knows to keep the moment in his heart for as long as possible. because wonwoo never reaches out. or, he does, but it's as rare as diamonds.

mingyu loves when wonwoo does ask for hugs though, because he gets to wrap his whole body around his hyung and keep him safe and warm and protect him. that's mingyu's ultimate goal: to protect wonwoo.

his wonwoo is so precious to him, so mingyu finds every opportunity to try to hug wonwoo first. he never lets him.

"why don't you let me hug you, wonu?" mingyu pleads one night under the covers. wonwoo sighs, "it's just... a little weird. mingyu makes a noise, "you think my hugs are weird?" wonwoo rushes to dispute, "oh! no! mingyu, don't say that,"

mingyu says he's joking. "i do love your hugs, gyu. sometimes i feel like it should be reserved for when i need comfort." mingyu hums, "i don't get to hug you when i need comfort?"

wonwoo pauses.

"you come hug me anytime."

It's the times when we're alone,

mingyu may say the two of them are busy as ever, but those are lies he makes up to justify spending every minute with wonwoo. he loves him too much to not want to. he loves watching wonwoo as he does some little mundane task like making tea and bringing out his little tea set, and then asking mingyu if he'd like to join. mingyu loves when wonwoo gets a spring in his step when mingyu says, "of course."

the apartment is quiet as it always is. wonwoo's doing some work on his computer at the dining table and mingyu is scrolling on his phone on the sofa. then wonwoo gets up. "hyung, are you making something?" wonwoo calls back from the kitchen, "mmhm!"