red like cherries (in the spring) ⸻ tyunning
summer seeped through the glass, draping shadows over their skin, heat clinging to every inch of the air between them. a can of diet pepsi rested between huening kai's thighs, condensation sliding down, pooling on the leather seat. taehyun's hand, fingers long and calloused, drummed against the steering wheel, a restless rhythm that vibrated through the car. the smell of salt and citrus lingered, mingling with a soft, metallic tinge from the soda, sticky and sweet.
huening kai leaned back, his head against the seat, eyes tracing lazy patterns on the ceiling. his breath was shallow, almost like he was waiting, caught between hesitation and hunger, lips parted like an unsaid word. he glanced over at taehyun, and in that one look, there was a thousand words unsaid, coiled tension disguised as carelessness.
the hum of the car faded into silence, interrupted only by the low, buzzing chirp of cicadas and the occasional distant rumble of a passing car. taehyun finally glanced sideways, eyes dark and steady, like he could read the weight of the summer heat on huening kai's skin. without breaking his gaze, he reached over, plucked the can from huening kai's lap, lifting it to his lips.
the cold hit taehyun's mouth first, then the burn of carbonation. he held it there, swallowing slow, deliberate, watching the way huening kai's gaze followed every movement, his eyes narrow and unblinking, like a hawk studying prey. taehyun set the can down, a small, lingering smirk tugging at the corner of his lips.
"you're staring," he said, voice low, barely louder than the whisper of wind through open windows.
"maybe i am," huening kai replied, voice even softer, a challenge wrapped in the slow stretch of syllables.
taehyun didn't flinch, didn't look away. he leaned in, slow, deliberate, bridging the space between them inch by inch, the air around them growing heavier, like it was holding its breath, waiting. he stopped, close enough that huening kai could feel the warmth of his breath, a faint, electric buzz in the thin distance.
"what's stopping you?" taehyun's words hung, daring, a sharp edge softened only by the heat and haze of summer.
huening kai blinked, like the question settled under his skin, prickling, pulsing. his hand reached up, slow, grazing taehyun's jawline, his thumb brushing along the line of his cheekbone, tracing the soft dip beneath it. his touch was gentle, tentative, testing, as though he was afraid taehyun would vanish if he pressed too hard.
but taehyun didn't pull away. he stayed there, steady, gaze locked, mouth soft but expectant, like he already knew what huening kai was thinking, waiting for him to close the space.
and then huening kai leaned in, a slow, aching movement, his lips finally meeting taehyun's, a hesitant press at first, like tasting something for the first time. he felt the coolness of taehyun's lips, lingering traces of diet pepsi—sugary, bitter, and cold. the soda's carbonation fizzed faintly between them, mingling with the warmth of their breath, a stark contrast that sent a shiver down huening kai's spine.
they melted into each other, the taste of artificial sweetness and salt mingling as taehyun's hand found its way into huening kai's hair, fingers knotting through soft strands. the weight of taehyun's palm on the back of his head was grounding, yet there was a wildness in his touch, a desperate, unspoken hunger, like he was trying to hold onto something slipping away.
huening kai could feel his pulse racing, echoing through his veins, throbbing in his fingertips as he tightened his grip on taehyun's jaw, tilting his face, deepening the kiss. there was an urgency in the way they moved, lips crashing, breaths mingling, like they were trying to devour the summer heat and drown themselves in its thick, heady warmth.
the soda can tipped, rolling off the seat, forgotten, pooling dark liquid across the floor mats, a puddle of sticky sweetness ignored in the fervor of the moment. neither of them cared, too lost in the tangle of limbs, the press of mouths, the sharp intake of breath as taehyun's teeth grazed huening kai's lower lip, biting down, just enough to leave a sting.
"taehyun," huening kai breathed, voice breaking, barely more than a whisper, rough and ragged, a soft plea wrapped in the syllable.
taehyun pulled back, just enough to see huening kai's face, flushed, eyes glazed, his chest rising and falling in uneven rhythms. taehyun's thumb brushed along huening kai's jaw, a featherlight touch, softening the intensity, grounding them back into the moment, the quiet hum of cicadas filling the spaces between heartbeats.
"you okay?" taehyun's voice was low, gentle, a softness beneath the sharp edges, like he knew exactly how close huening kai was to losing himself in the heat of summer, in the dizzying rush of proximity.
huening kai swallowed, nodding, his hand slipping to rest over taehyun's on the seat, fingers intertwining, grounding himself in the warmth of that touch. he didn't trust himself to speak, words tangled, caught somewhere between his lungs and lips. instead, he leaned forward again, pressing a softer kiss to taehyun's mouth, a slow, lingering brush that tasted of summer, sticky and sweet, lingering like an afterthought.
they stayed like that, tangled, lips meeting and parting, breaths mingling, an endless rhythm that mirrored the quiet pulse of the earth beneath them, alive and unyielding.
the sun slipped lower, casting the car in a dusky glow, shadows stretching long and soft across their faces. time melted in the quiet rhythm of their breaths, the world beyond the car growing distant, irrelevant. the summer air thickened, settling around them like a weighted blanket, lulling them into a slow, drowsy calm.
taehyun's thumb brushed over huening kai's knuckles, tracing absent patterns, anchoring him in a way that felt both fleeting and permanent. huening kai leaned his head back, his gaze sliding to the open window, watching as the sky shifted to deeper shades of orange and violet, colors smudging together like paint on wet canvas. the cicadas were louder now, a constant hum that reminded him of lazy summers and long, endless nights.
after a moment, taehyun looked over, his eyes dark and searching, the earlier intensity softened, replaced with something quieter, deeper. he didn't say anything—there was no need for words. they understood each other in a language beyond language, something raw, primal, shaped by the ache of wanting and the quiet fear of losing.
huening kai turned to him, a small smile tugging at the corner of his lips, gentle but uncertain, as though he, too, was feeling the weight of something unspoken, something fragile. he exhaled, his gaze softening, and let his fingers tighten around taehyun's, a silent promise hidden in the grip.
taehyun leaned in, pressing one last, lingering kiss to huening kai's forehead, the warmth of his lips lingering even after he pulled back, like a ghostly echo, a memory woven into skin. they stayed close, foreheads touching, breathing in tandem, each exhale blurring into the other, bound together by the silence, the fading light, and the heady remnants of diet pepsi and summer heat.
eventually, they would leave this moment, return to reality and the responsibilities waiting just beyond the horizon. but for now, they sat there, fingers intertwined, hearts beating in sync, holding onto the lingering warmth, the fleeting softness of a summer night, a memory crystallized in the sticky sweetness of soda and the hazy heat of dusk.
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