Highness (Jeongcheol)

Seungcheol

"Chill, little guy." Seungcheol removed Ferdy's leash, struggling to get ahold of his wiggling body. Apparently Seungcheol's runs did nothing to tire the puppy out. Only Jeonghan's.

He watched as Ferdy ran back into the house, Seungcheol taking a minute to catch his breath before following. His run had done wonders to settle the jittery nerves left over from the care home.

They'd visited his mom for the second time together that morning. It was getting easier, walking in there. Knowing Jeonghan would be there to keep him together if he started to fall apart was a comfort Seungcheol hadn't known he'd needed.

The vampire kept his distance during the visits, probably not wanting to confuse Seungcheol's mother with an unfamiliar face, but he stayed close with Seungcheol afterward, allowing him to let out whatever thoughts or memories or emotions had come up during the visit.

Seungcheol had no idea why Jeonghan was suddenly so easy to talk to. Maybe it was just the fact that Seungcheol had never really tried before.

He'd been afraid for so long. Not of Jeonghan, really. Afraid of losing himself, maybe. Of manipulation. Of the unknown. Or maybe just Jeonghan seeing right through him.

But now the fact that Jeonghan had seen Seungcheol in his weakest moments and still wanted him—a fact Jeonghan had made clear just that morning by swallowing Seungcheol's cock down in the shower—made Seungcheol feel...some kind of way.

Seungcheol normally put so much effort into pretending. For someone to see through it and not run away?

He could get addicted to that feeling.

And for all his teasing, all his surface brattiness, the vampire was weirdly...kind. Understanding. And not afraid to call Seungcheol an idiot when he let himself get too tangled in his own thoughts. But was it really okay to rely so heavily on someone who could leave at any time? Who had no real roots here, no reason to stay?

Seungcheol found the object of his musings flopped on the living room couch, watching reality TV. Seungcheol plopped himself down next to him, hoping the vampire didn't mind that he hadn't showered after his run.

Jeonghan never seemed to mind his smell though. Couldn't seem to get enough of it, in fact. Seungcheol had never met anyone as okay with his postworkout sweatiness as Jeonghan.

"What is this crap?" Seungcheol griped, relaxing back into the couch.

Jeonghan waved a hand without looking at him. "Hush, human. You know not of which you speak."

Seungcheol rolled his eyes, unable to help scooching closer to the vampire until he could rest his head easily on Jeonghan's shoulder. It was as though, after a year of trying to keep his distance, now that Seungcheol had allowed himself to touch Jeonghan, he always wanted to be touching him.

He'd opened the floodgates, apparently.

Something about it soothed him. Touching Jeonghan had a way of settling the swirl of messy emotions that usually roiled in Seungcheol's gut. He nuzzled his head on the vampire's shoulder, groaning in pleasure went Jeonghan started absently scratching a hand through Seungcheol's curls. It was pure bliss.

They sat like that for a while, Seungcheol melting slowly but surely into the vampire's touch. Jeonghan's petting was even better than a run.

"You're kind of a homebody," Seungcheol said after a few more minutes of quiet cuddling.

Jeonghan paused his scratching. "What about it?"

Seungcheol shrugged, pushing his head back into Jeonghan's hand, encouraging it to start moving again. "Isn't it, like, kind of boring? After everything you've done? Staying here?"