Pieces of you

Jeongsung - Wood and Hurricane

It was a well-known fact, a truth universally acknowledged so to say, that Han belonged to Minho. And this truth could have many meanings to it, a soulmate, a best friend, a boy toy, whatever it was he was his.

So when that boy toy ran wild Minho let him, his pet wouldn't run far anyway.

Han might flirt with irresistible Hyunjin, say sweet words to freckled sunshine Felix or even melt in Jeongin's hug, at the end of the day he needed Minho to take care of him.

What Minho didn't and couldn't notice was that the always indifferent Jeongin who pushed away everything and everyone started to crack under Han's effort to melt his heart.

At first, it just made the younger laugh, the over-the-top flirting that emphasized how special he was; he didn't even notice how it got to him, sneaked up on him. Han would desperately cling to him, their bare forearms touching when he would fall on the couch next to I.N. in the changing room, or say that he never gets the younger's affection. Han relentlessly pushed all the different buttons to see what could make the distant maknae tick.

Han was hopeless, everyone knew that, including himself, so when Jeongin approached him first in the quiet kitchen late at night, wrapping him in his arms from the back, Han, despite himself, let out a moan when the familiar strong smell of wood and hair conditioner hit his nostrils.

He turned around to look at the younger's face, and only saw the sly fox smile that always played on his mouth when he was hiding something.

He could have been upset or angry or up to something, with Jeongin you couldn't tell unless he let you.

What Jeongin felt though was the shift in power dynamic he never hoped to get. It was maknae this and maknae that, you are the younger and that's how it is.

But Han just let him take the lead, out of all members Han just loved to give that power to someone else, subconsciously.

In the airport when the overwhelming social anxiety hit, he'd just put his forehead on Jeongin's shoulder who was walking in front of him. That small gesture triggered the protector instinct that was just waiting to be unleashed, the brunette's face became stone cold signaling everyone in the vicinity not to mess with him.

Han also knew where not to cross the line, everyone knew Jeongin didn't like skinship, yet it almost never stopped them from intruding into his personal space.

With Han though, he did touch him at times but the truth was that Han just wanted to be touched, and more so wanted to be touched by him. Once again giving the power to I.N. to lead.

I.N had no doubt that deep inside he was much older than his hyung's, yet Han seemed to be the only one to agree.

And also that move, that move on stage when Han begins to rap while sitting on Jeongin's knee.

In moments like this Jeongin was ready to scratch his knees to blood just to support his...

However, the more I.N. began to need Han, the more he realized he was putting himself up against his scariest hyung, by trying to take away his favourite toy.

The look Minho sometimes gave him when Han stretched a bit too close to him, pierced right through him. Reminding him who Han really belonged to.

However, what Han just truly craved was protection and affection. He already got it from Minho, he found his soft side, he made the tough guy surrender, so the thrill of getting Jeongin's affection felt new and victorious. A rush of another man succumbing to his charms.

It didn't stop surprising him though. In the late evening, hours before the show when I.N. approached him in the empty hallway, making Han trapped against the grey wall, wrapped his long fingers around his wrist and virtuously put a silver bracelet around it, Han just looked from the wrists to the dark eyes dumbfounded.

"Just thought you'd like this," Jeongin whispered to him, leaning forward. His long fingers brushed against Han's cheek which began to overheat, and then he was gone like nothing happened. Just a breath of air that caressed his skin, but in reality, a hurricane that turned his insides upside down, pushing all thoughts outside. Only one remaining. He thought about me?

Han wouldn't go for a straightforward approach. Not anymore. He tried to lean and kiss I.N. once while holding firmly the back of his neck but was faced with Jeongin pushing his whole being away from him. No this wouldn't work. Okay, maybe he tried more than once to realize it wouldn't.

It also seemed that he had competition. He didn't think of it much at first, after all before the bracelet he didn't think he had any chances at all. But after that, he wanted to be the only one, the only one with the bracelet.

Yet there was just one other person in Stray Kids who loved to give away his power, just be taken care of, and that seemed to work on Jeongin just as well.

The blonde hair innocently cuddled up against Jeongin's chest like a cat searching for the perfect spot. The inside of a car was dimly lit and everyone else was too exhausted after the show. The car lulled the team to sleep, only a few still remaining awake. Han was one of them, looking at the scene through the rearview mirror. Felix's perfect bow-shaped lips were smiling, and eyes closing.

If it were Han Jeongin would already push his head against the window, that though sneaked up on him like a sly fox towards a clueless squirrel.

And Han didn't know who was playing who anymore.

A few days later when Seungmin and Jeongin were doing live, and Han was religiously watching it, Seungmin kept teasing I.N that Felix was his favourite member. Jeongin kept denying it, with that unreadable smile of his.

Han felt another pang in his stomach. Seungmin knew I.N. like no other and didn't shy away from exposing him once in a while, and in Han's head, it started to make sense.

The head which started to read into every interaction too much. The head that exploded along with the heart when it saw the innocent freckled sunshine ( that didn't seem so innocent anymore) to receive from Jeongin a kiss on the cheek. Han's kiss!

At the end of the day Han liked to be taken care of but he wasn't dependent on it. He had the things in his life that made him forget about everything and everyone around him, when he was rapping on stage and giving it his all or when he was watching anime in the dorm's living room. And that's what made Jeongin come back for him.