"We're at home now, you can lower your mask, my love."
Jeongguk blinks, "What if you don't like it?" He whispers to himself.
Though the alpha hears it, "What?"
The beta lowers his mask, slowly. He closes his eyes, instinctively.
"A nose piercing?"
Jeongguk's eyes flutter open at Taehyung's quiet murmur, fascination coating his voice.
Before he could open his mouth to say something, the alpha plants a kiss on his nose, where the new piercing rests now.
"God, you're going to be the death of me." He pecks the tip of his nose.
Jeongguk feels his cheeks heating up, "Y–You like it?"
"My love, I could've eaten your nose by now, if that was possible." The alpha nuzzles their noses together, curling a hand on his hip.
Jeongguk tries to shove him playfully, but the elder doesn't relent, "You know, I won't look good without — stop staring at my nose." He almost whines.
He kisses his nose again, "I can't take my eyes off you."
The beta rolls his eyes, but the warmth which blooms in his chest is the same as a year back.
"Why did you get one? I'm glad you did, though." Taehyung smiles.
Jeongguk fiddles with the nose ring, "I wanted to pierce my nose for a long time. I was hesitant because I wasn't sure if it was too feminine for a beta to get a nose piercing."
The alpha doesn't say anything, he intertwines their hands together and gives his hand a firm squeeze.
"Now that I think about it, I was stupid. I can wear anything I want to, clothes and piercings don't come with a secondary gender label."
Taehyung's face lights up with a proud grin, "What spurred you on?"
"You." He blurts out.
"O-oh." The alpha whispers.
The way Taehyung fumbles with his words, he knows that his answer caught him off guard.
He has known the alpha for more than a year, but he can count on his fingers, the number of times Taehyung has been shy. It's different but pleasing, nonetheless, to see him like that.
"I'm happy I did, then." He says, finally getting himself together.
Jeongguk climbs on his lap, swiftly and pecks his lips, "I've become confident since we started dating and that's all because of you."
Taehyung looks surprised, he shakes his head, "Nope, you are the one, who is responsible for who you've become now." He caresses his jaw.
The beta shushes him, putting a finger on his lips, "You have always reassured me, you've been supportive of my choices, throughout. Previously, I could not even tell people that I'm a beta without hesitating, but now I'm able to embrace myself, embrace my choices and embrace who I am and that's all because of you."
The elder tucks a strand of stray hair behind his ear and tugs him closer by his waist so that their chests touch, "You just needed a push, you have always been strong, love.
"It's your love that makes me strong, it's how you love me that makes me want to be confident."
Taehyung's eyes shine with unshed tears and unspoken words. Jeongguk can see everything he's feeling in his eyes. Sometimes words are not required, the eyes itself can do the talking.
For the silences hold more beauty and power than words ever can.
Jeongguk's lips get captured in a slow kiss, the alpha doesn't deepen the kiss, he feels content by just their lips moving with each other, softly.
He breaks the kiss, but their foreheads are still touching, "I'm so happy that I love you." Jeongguk whispers on his lips.
"And I you, my love."
("Wait, would you ever want to get your nose pierced?" Jeongguk asks, when they are cuddling in their bed.
Taehyung taps his chin, thoughtfully, "Mm, now that I think about it, we can look hot together. I'll get one too."
A wide smile breaks on the beta's face, "I'll be kissing the mole on your nose then, all the time."
Taehyung's hand slides to his waist, "As if you don't kiss it, everyday." He snorts.
Jeongguk closes his eyes and visualizes how Taehyung would look with a nose piercing. And the picture he gets, should only be visible to him, he thinks.
"Is little Jeonggukie, picturing me, having a piercing, huh?"
The beta opens his eyes, "I don't think you should get one, people would stare at you."
The elder chuckles, "Well, you are the only one who'll kiss my nose. So who's the real winner?"
"Me." He murmurs, burying his head in the crook of his neck, inhaling the alpha's coconut scent.
"Yes. Always you.")
♡ ♡ ♡ ♡
Jeongguk wakes up with lips repeatedly pressing on his nose, he fails to bite back a smile at the sight of Taehyung fondly staring at him.
"I think you love my nose more than me." He mumbles, his voice comes out a bit deeper.
"Your nose is literally begging to be kissed." The alpha presses a kiss on his nose.
Jeongguk smacks his shoulder, and giggles, "Pervert."
"Oh, I'll show you how big of a pervert I am."
The younger doesn't get a chance to retort as Taehyung starts pressing his lips on every inch of Jeongguk's face, from the forehead to chin to his eyes and cheeks.
By the time he is done, the beta is breathless because of all the giggles.
"Enough?"
"Yeah, enough for me." He says, earnestly.
And with the way Taehyung caresses his cheek, the younger knows that he understands the underlying meaning of his words.
The brush of his lips against his temple makes him think, how much he loves Taehyung.
The warmth of those lips on his skin is the same as the warmth in his chest.
He could never get tired of it.
Rather he'll always crave it.
And that's exactly what love means to Jeongguk.
Soft and warm, just like Taehyung and his smiles.
- end.
(A/N: Thank you for reading <3)
