LUDUS

twelve

WARNING : drug use

"shove that shit up your ass!" boomed throughout the store, followed by the plop of what sounded like a cereal box hitting the floor.

hwitaek sighed— why did teenagers always end up in his store?

he had sent wooseok and jinho home early today, he felt nice enough to close up the shop alone with a skip in his step. because of course he wasn't really alone; cue hyojong drinking healthy juices in the dairy aisle writing on eggs. after they might go to his house and make out until hwitaek's body burned and his head felt light. hwitaek just loved kissing hyojong.

but now, they both looked at each other from across the store, an egg with a mustache in hyojong's hand and a brownie in hwitaek's.

the teenagers' giggling loud despite them trying to hush each other.

what a time to be young.

hwitaek set his brownie down and brushed off the crumbs from his mouth, walking to the aisle as hyojong decided to quickly follow him. the teenager's grew quiet as they heard the footsteps approaching them.

it was two boys no older than 16, red puffy eyes and chapped lips. alarm smacked across their faces as they saw the two men. they looked high— fucking off the charts high. kid 1 had lipstick on, kid 2 had a fucking pop-tart box in his hand.

"are you going to buy anything?" hwitaek asked, at the same time hyojong said "are you okay?"

the couple looked at each other, hyojong had an eyebrow raised that hwitaek chose to ignore as one of the boys started to choke up.

"oh fuck you guys are kind of hot... like no homo— i mean i tried with a guy but dicks are really squishy in your mouth." kid 2 blabbered. and the other boy bursted out laughing, hand smacking his friend's back weakly.

hyojong hummed. "they really are, and the foreskin..." hwitaek sharply looked at the blonde, and the man didn't even think about continuing his sentence after.

kid 1 swallowed down his laughter during the awkward silence that had grown in the store. he gripped the fabric of his friend's shirt and mustered all seriousness; it was adorable. "he told me he didn't mind it."

never mind not adorable, not adorable!

hwitaek was slightly panicking that they had two young men in his store talking about sex. who were also high, and apparently not straight. of course hyojong was as nonchalant as always the little fucker.

"minhyuk! don't tell them that!" kid 2 exclaimed, smacking said minhyuk's arm bashfully.

"but you said you didn't like squishy! but you told me you liked squishy!"

"okay kids—" hwitaek tried, using his patience, because patience is key okay. but he only got ignored.

"squishy is weird though! your dick was really squishy!"

"all dick are squishy." hyojong added, furrowed eyebrows and crossed arms—

and nonono hyojong could not join this argument. this stupid and horrible argument.

"okay! enough of that, you two should go home before you get in trouble." hwitaek projected his voice. he was once again baffled by how ridiculous hyojong could be.

the two boys calmed down, minhyuk and kid 2 faces becoming stone cold all of a sudden. before drooping into visible panic.

"oh fuck i feel like i'm dying. like my whole body feels hot and cold and my head hurts." minhyuk spoke, voice cracking as he stepped backward into the shelf.

to hwitaek's horror the other boy agreed too.

"yeah like i seriously can't even breathe on my own right now, like i gotta force it in and out."

hwitaek looked at hyojong who— finally— looked distress.

"we should drive them home." hyojong suggested.

and hwitaek couldn't agree more.

***

an hour later and the couple were both at hwitaek's house. the journey of driving to inseong's home and making sure the two boys successfully sneaked was poignant. at least to hwitaek really— who had lost his youth to his head and was never really allowed to do such  thrilling things.

he couldn't do that even now; he was not an adventure hungry teenager seeking a life change anymore. he was now hwitaek; an adult who seriously could have been a hermit if it not have been for his store.

hyojong noticed his mood and calmly leaned into him, embarrassing his heartbreak with warm arms and gentle hands. as the blonde held hwitaek, he held him at his most vulnerable moment. the sudden crashing of an airplane or pop of balloons fizzling out into emptiness among the debris.

"are you okay?" hyojong asked, pecking hwitaek's lips, feeling his skin for the nth time.

"yeah, i just... it's weird being old isn't it?" hwitaek played with the hairs on the back of hyojong's neck.

"we're not that old!" hyojong whined.

hwitaek chuckled, kissing hyojong's neck. "of course we're not."

hyojong pulled away, hands still on hwitaek by his forearm. "...sex or anime tonight?"

"you want to go all the way?" hwitaek's heart started to pound.

"all the way? what are we, teenagers now?" the blond teased as he smiled gracefully, running his hands down until they met hwitaek's then intertwined them.

"you make me feel like one sometimes, so yeah— i guess." hwitaek shrugged, cheeks turning pink.

"if we were in high school together i would have let you fuck me in the janitor's closet."

hwitaek's stomach flip-flopped. "it would have been my pleasure, baby."

hyojong smiled, the moment was oddly light. "that's nice to know."

——

a/n idk where this is going now but thanks to those who still read this, i love you.