1.1 | louder than bombs

- 24 -

Cairo's plump lips were stuck in a pout as he was pulled by an excited Troy.

"But I don't wanna!" the brunette whined, feebly attempting to pull his wrist out of his best frined's gentle yet firm grip.

"Oh stop whining for once, Cai. Live a little, will you?" Troy huffed. He swore that his his three-year-old niece who once slobbered all over his favourite hoodie with a toothless smile was an angel compared to a displeased Cairo.

"What does me not wanting to drink have anything to do with 'living a little'?"

"Jeon will be there." And that effectively ceased all whines and tugging from Cairo.

It was a calm evening, the traces of oncoming winter even more prominent with the wilting of leaves and chilly winds blowing over the soldiers' camp. Even so, it was the perfect evening to let loose. All the soldiers collectively decided to host their 'annual fun fest'— as they put it. It was nothing more than a bonfire and drunk officials, but it was a night they all put back their inhibitions and set themselves free with smiles and warmth in the midst of the cool tendrils of winter.

They reached the main hall, the space with an open kitchen lively with laughter and teasings as each youngster held a green tinted bottle in their hands. Cairo spotted Phoenix giggling as she sat next to her exasperated boyfriend. A soft laugh slipped past Troy's lips as he saw the Lietenant try­­ and fail miserably at calling all of his cadets attention.

Meanwhile, Cairo slowly made his way to the Captain who sat by his corner, a smile playing on his lips as he watched his unit. The Medic creeped up behind the unsuspecting ravenette before swiftly pouncing onto Jaemoon's lap with a shriek. Cairo dissolved into a giggling mess as he saw his Moon's eyes widen comically and sputtering in surprise.

Jaemoon's nose scrunched softly as he calmed down enough to take in his boyfriend's sweet smile, the cute sight sending his heart palpitating once again. His large hands settled on Cairo's slim hips when he swooped down to steal a kiss from the still giggling brunette.

"Hi," Cairo said bashfully as he peered up at Jaemoon through his thick lashes.

"Hi," Jaemoon echoed with a soft chuckle, his now sparkling dark eyes fondly sweeping over the bundle of happiness in his arms.

Just when Cairo parted his cherry lips to say something, Troy presented himself before the couple with a mischievous look in his swirling blue eyes. Cairo scoffed.

Of course. Blue just had to come. Of course.

"Common on, you disgusting lovebirds," he started as an impish grin, "Park finally managed to get the Unit together."

"The Unit together for what?" Cairo asked with curiousity yet displeased with his idiot of a friend's interruption.

Troy smirked. "For a game of 'never have I ever'."

-

Two rounds of the game and Captain Jeon was already down.

"I swear to God, Blue. If you don't shut that mouth of yours this very moment, I'm posititve I can come up with a million different ways to murder you with a butter knife. I don't care if I have to go to jail for it," Cairo seethed as Troy just mindlessly laughed at him.

"Go to jail?" Jaemoon mumbled softly with his brows furrowed in concern as he tugged on Cairo's little finger gently. "But I don't want my Doe to go to jail. I- hic- I'll be," his voice tapered down to a faint whisper with pouty lips, "all lonely."

The Medic snapped his head back with shock as he laid his eyes on the drunk Captain for the first time since the game started. He was a little preoccupied with giving Troy an onslaught of death threats to notice anything else. So Troy could only sit back and tumble into anouther fit of loud laughter when he saw Cairo looking at Jeon with big eyes and mouth wide open helplessly.

"I won't actuall- what?" Cairo stumbled upon his words as he took in his boyfriend's flushed cheeks and dazed eyes.

Cairo's heart was melted into a warm puddle of pure love and adoration for this mammoth of a man. His breath nearly hitched when Jaemoon looked up into his eyes, the Captain's orbs all shiny and sparkly, reminding Cairo yet again that this man held countless galaxies in those dark eyes of his.

Is he even real?

He was suddenly pulled into a bone crushing hug by the Captain as the beast of a man clumsily plopped onto Cairo's lap. "I won't let Doe go to jail. I will protect Doe."

His right thigh started to hurt from the pressure of the very heavy man on his fractured bone, more so since the performance by Cairo in the city but the pain was overruled with a fluttering feeling toying with his heart as he gazed at his reddened Moon. Cairo turned his head up when he heard tinkling laughter, his confused yet amused monolids locked on Dohyun.

"He tends to get like that when he is drunk," he managed to let out in between his snickering. At this point, the whole Unit was a tittering mess as they looked at their Captain dazedly nuzzling his face into his startled boyfriend's neck.

"He didn't even drink a bottle!" Cairo exclaimed as he eyed the bottle that was only two sips empty. And he knew that was Jaemoon's first bottle of the evening.

Dohyun followed his gaze to the bottle. "Yeah, that is his limit. Jae is a complete lightweight. He usually never drinks with us but I guess this time was different." He smiled at Cairo. Dohyun simply couldn't help but smile everytime time he saw either of the two. He was so happy that the boy he looked after and cared for finally found someone who could do a better job than Dohyun himself.

Jaemoon was like the small potted cactus Dohyun had in his office, the plant among many others. Cactus is a flowering plant that can survive the harshest of summers with just a trickle of water. It has prickly thorns only to reveal the softest and juicest succulence.

The ravenette was just like that plant. He always stood steadfast and moved with an unrelenting resolve just with the memories of his loving past. He gave off aloof and cold vibes only to harbour the biggest heart Dohyun has ever seen.

He knew that Jaemoon was kind when he saw the sweetheart exchange his sturdy pair of combat boots with a sobbing boy's torn ones back in their training camp. He knew that Jaemoon was a devoted soldier when he saw how he had his comrades' backs during the last almost-war. He knew that his Jae was nothing but a man with a heart full of love just from the look the ravenette had in his eyes everytime he looked at his Doe.

Dohyun knew it all, but he only wondered when Jaemoon would realise that he really did deserve all the kindness, devotion and love multiplied a thousand times back.

Dohyun was pulled back when a roar of laughter sounded from his Unit. The drunk Jeon now started cooing and fawning all over his precious doe, pressing butterfly kisses all over the brunette's flustered face, all while remaining in his boyfriend's lap.

"OHMYGOD THIS IS GOLD!" Troy guffawed, clutching onto his abdominals as he fell off his chair in laughter. He didn't feel the pain of landing harshly onto the floor nor did he care, not when he got to witness the rare scene of his childhood bestfriend smothered with affection from his drunk boyfriend.

"Moon, stop. Moon!" Cairo managed to let out with his fish lips, his cheeks squished by the large and veiny hands of Jaemoon.

"But I want to kiss Doe!"

Oh God.

🏔

skz. thunderous. yeah.

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athenelar