I rested my head against the car window, closing my eyes and listening to my friend belt out the last line of a Shinee song, too tired to sing along like I usually would. As the song faded to its end, I opened my eyes, glancing out the window and feeling relieved as I saw my apartment building in the distance.
"I thought you said you stay up all night all the time. You look tired." The man in the driver's seat teased, making me shoot him a tired scowl.
"When I stay up, it's to do something fun. Not to take pictures of you all night, Wonho." I sighed.
"You're doing 'something fun'? Is that code for doing Tae?" He retorted, flashing a devious smile. I slapped his buff arm with all my might, enjoying the whine he released enough to ignore the sting in my hand.
"I'm not 'doing' anyone, you pervert."
"All I did was ask a question. You're so mean to me." He pouted, face scrunching as he pulled into the parking lot of my building.
"Bet you'll still hire me next time." I teased as I leaned over and planted a kiss on his cheek before opening the car door.
"G'night, big guy. Love ya." I blew him another kiss, one he caught and ate as I closed the door with a giggle.
~
I let out a sigh of relief as I finally stepped into my apartment and the warmth of the heater eased my cold ears a bit. I tossed my bag on the counter, kicking my sneakers off lazily beside the expensive looking loafers and beginning to fumble with the zipper of my jacket. I heard the familiar patter of feet coming down the stairs and looked up to see a messy haired Taehyung shuffling towards me.
"Aww, Kook. You look tired." He cooed as he reached me, unzipping and peeling my jacket off. "Long day?"
"Mhm." I responded, eyes half lidded as I watched him hang the coat on the bar stool. He stared at me for a moment before sighing and lifting me into the air, my arms and legs instinctively wrapping themselves around him as I buried my face in his neck. The smell of his coconut shampoo made a familiar warm feeling pool in my stomach and I nuzzled closer.
"Big baby. Getting tired of carrying you so much." He joked as he started up the stairs. I didn't respond, too focused on the warmth of his body against mine. As we entered my bedroom, he laid me down gently onto the bed and sat beside me, his fingers carded through my hair.
"Alright, well... Goodnight." He said quietly after a moment, getting up and starting towards the door. I frowned as I watched him go, something in my heart longing for him to stay.
"Wait... Tae?" I called out sleepily.
"Hm?"
"Stay with me... Please?" I pleaded softly as I reached towards him. "Wanna hold you. You're warm."
"I'm warm?" He chuckled, his eyes softening as he came back to the side of the bed. "Move over."
I rolled onto the other side of the bed, face planted in the pillow as I felt the bed dip under his weight. I turned towards him and wrapped my arm around his body, relishing in his body heat as I buried my face in his chest. He chuckled fondly, arms encasing me as well. My hands slid under his shirt and splayed on his back, making him hiss and fidget in my hold.
"Your hands are freezing, I told you to start wearing the gloves I bought you. I even put them in your jacket pocket this morning." He pouted, reaching down and holding my hand in his. His eyes wandered over my hand, his long fingers holding mine gently, like I was made of glass. "Wow. You really have baby hands."
"Shut up," I whined, pulling my hand. "How was your day?"
"It was okay," He sighed, letting go of my hand and tucking his arm under his head. "Practice ended early, so me and Jin got ice cream and got some Christmas gifts. Then he tried to make me buy his birthday gift right in front of him."
"Ice cream? It's too cold for that, you're gonna get sick."
"And you're gonna get sick if you don't wear your gloves. Gonna lose your lil pinkies." He teased, boxy smile on his face. "You can't get sick from eating cold things in the winter anyway, jagiya."
"I told you to stop calling me that." I whined, turning away from him and letting out a huff.
"Why? It's true. You're my other half." He hummed, wrapping an arm around me. "My darling. My honey. My soulmate."
"I'm gonna make you go back to your room if you don't shut up." I huffed, desperate to change the subject as I felt the butterflies rise in my stomach. "What are we doing for your birthday?"
"Whatever you wanna do." He yawned, holding me a little too tightly.
"It's your birthday, not mine."
"But I'll be happy with whatever you plan. Surprise me."
"I am way too tired to argue with you right now."
"I know you are. Go to sleep, jagi." He hummed as he held me tighter, his chest pressing into my back and his body molding around mine as I slowly let myself drift off to sleep.
~
I woke up to a dark room and an empty bed, making me instantly frown at the cold as I rubbed my eyes. "Tae?" I called out sleepily, throwing the blankets from my body and glancing at the clock. 3:52 am. I slid out of bed and started towards the door, wincing at the feeling of the cold floor on my bare feet.
"Taehyung?" I called down the hall. No response. Frown still on my face, I began down the hall, pausing when I heard the crackle from the fireplace from downstairs. I climbed down the stairs, pausing when I saw him sitting on the couch in silence.
"Hey, why'd you leave me up there by myself? Why are you still awake?" I scolded as I circled around the couch, but paused when I saw him staring into the flames, hair still disheveled and eyes puffy. It hurt to see his beautiful face stained, trails of dried and fresh tears streamed down his chiseled cheeks as he closed his eyes.
"Tae? What's wrong?" I panicked a bit, sitting next to him and taking his hand in mine. He looked up at the ceiling for a moment, scoffing when more tears fell from his eyes. I reached up and wiped his cheeks quickly, holding his head in my hands and pulling him into my chest as he began to sob, his fingers twisting into my shirt as I held him.
We sat there for what felt like forever, a million thoughts racing through my head as he hiccuped, trying to recollect himself. He pulled back and chuckled a bit, reaching up and wiping his face with the sleeve of his shirt. "Sorry," he croaked out, "I didn't mean to wake you."
"It's okay... what's going on?"
"Nothing, I'm okay."
"You don't seem okay, Tae." I said quietly, furrowing my brows. "Tell me what's going on."
"I said I'm fine." He said darkly, sniffling and standing up and starting towards the balcony. I frowned, heart stung by his sudden harsh tone that didn't sound natural with his usually sweet voice. "Just go back to sleep." He muttered, not bothering to look back at me before stepping outside and closing the door behind him.
"Okay." I said quietly, knowing he wouldn't hear me as I watched him stare down at the city, his thin shirt blowing in the wind.
