999<3 | ONESHOT [ ✔️ ]

[ c - soonhoon ] looking at you, looking at me

TAG: soonhoon, where they just sort of sit down and admire each other.

love that for them

now back to regularly scheduled soonhoon

•••

It's almost instinctive, Soonyoung thinks, wanting to reach out and feel the soft skin of the boy in front of him. 'I must be crazy,' He thinks. 'To love someone so much like this.' His heart burns for him, the boy opposite him; he who smiles so simply at him. It hurts, really. Soonyoung only gives a small smile back.

Jihoon never thinks much about how they've gotten here. Odd and rare occasions are when his memories flood his mind. He remembers how much of a blur his life was until Soonyoung, who stilled his camera, polished his lens and helped him capture what life truly is about. Looking into his eyes, Jihoon sees how they've never changed since they were 17. They're still full of youth and life, excitement just waiting to burst forth behind those glittering brown eyes. 'I must be stupid,' Jihoon thinks. 'To think about him with so much praise.'

"Will you look at me for a second?"

Television gossip turns to white noise in their minds. Afternoon rays are no longer visible outside at 5pm, a telling sign of the winter season. They sit in warm sweaters with gone-cold cups of chocolate. They're too busy with each other, but there's no movement.

Heavy, but still breathing fills the air.

Soonyoung can only focus on one thing: Jihoon. Their eyes lock, awkwardly dancing around each other's faces and both resisting the urge to fire forward and kiss the other.

'Be still,' They both say in their minds. 'Do it.' Commands their hearts.

Soonyoung takes in all of Jihoon. No more is he the small, shy boy at age 17. What a grown-up he's become! Soonyoung has always been proud of Jihoon's accomplishments of all his dreams. He's just glad he got to watch all of them unfold alongside.

Much more than that, Jihoon is so incredibly dear to him. What more can he ask?

Jihoon awkwardly smiles sometimes, but it's as cute as his bursts of laughter. His lips press together and spread over his small little face, which gets rounder at his cheeks. Soonyoung always hurts seeing it.

He has to reach out. To feel. To hold.

So Soonyoung carefully outstretches his hand to cup one side of Jihoon's soft cheek. He nestles into Soonyoung's hand and brings his own to lay on top. "I love you, Soonie," He whispers.

"You're so soft."

Jihoon won't lie and say he's not disappointed at Soonyoung's avoidance of the topic. It's always been a loose thread in their relationship (friendship?) with each other. Neither ever seemed to care enough to ask anyway.

He doesn't reply to Soonyoung. His other hand holds onto Soonyoung's, fingers interlacing like they're meant to be- like they mean something. It's hard to tell when Christmas season sparks warmth and delusion. Jihoon never fails to fall for the hazy charm of Christmas and winter and falling in love with his best friend.

How else would they have survived 8 years of friendship?

"I love you." He repeats.

This time, Soonyoung's thumb pads over his cheek, softly stroking the smooth skin. Then Soonyoung smiles.

"I love you too."

Soonyoung pulls Jihoon over to the other side of the couch to hug him close. It's messy, and their limbs are in positions that are sure to be uncomfortable, but it's all worth it in the end.

To hear Jihoon's soft giggles, and to hear Soonyoung's content sigh...

Maybe it's okay to be in love.

It's okay to love him.