Tired Lines; Soonhoon

11

☽

11:12

He doesn't.

If anything, he scares himself. Jihoon's never felt that before, never so suddenly, so intense - but it seemed so natural in the minute. Soonyoung's lips are rosy soft, and they're so close, really, Jihoon almost can't even blame himself; he can't help that he wants to lean in a little closer, wondering what the boy might taste like. He can't.

Soonyoung looks like cotton candy, airy and pinkish and just as sweet, and Jihoon's always thought it a little too sickly, but Soonyoung makes it out to be a proper treat.

Still, he doesn't.

And he can't think about it too much, anyway, because Soonyoung's head suddenly snaps forward, his gaze glued to the lawn before of them. Jihoon can't think about his disappointment at the loss of contact, not too much. 

"What time do you think you'll fall asleep, tonight?"

Jihoon shrugs, "Dunno."

It's quiet between them, Jihoon settling deeper into the warmth of Soonyoung's hoodie, listening to the sound of his own breathing. Soonyoung's breathing. Their breathing, together. He just listens to it, and he thinks, if he listens close enough, he can tune out the rest of the party. He can trick himself into thinking it's just the two of them, for just a little while.

That is until Mingyu rudely interrupts the fantasy.

"Hey, Jihoonie," he pants, bending over to knock Jihoon's shoulder, effectively snapping him out of his reverie. "Wonwoo and I are gonna go, you'll be okay?"

"Hm? Oh, yeah. I'll be fine."

Jihoon thinks there's something behind Mingyu's eyes when he smiles, clapping him on the back before running off, something glinting, but he can't be bothered to focus on it all that much. He'll ask in the morning. Beside him, Soonyoung chuckles.

"I can't believe I thought you were dating Mingyu. I mean, I've seen those two together, they couldn't be any more obvious."

"Honestly," he agrees.

A pause, and then - well, Jihoon doesn't really mean to ask the question, it just slips out. It's just that, Soonyoung is lovely, so so lovely, and surely there's someone out there who likes him? Someone who Soonyoung must like back, right? And just, with the talk of dating and all, it crosses Jihoon's mind, and he isn't quick enough to stop the words from tumbling out -

"Are you dating anyone?"

 ... and then he immediately feels bad. If he's overstepped some boundary, though, Soonyoung doesn't seem to care.

"Me? No. Not right now."

"Oh."

Jihoon lets out a breath he didn't realize he'd been holding.

11:20 pm.

"We should talk more often."

Jihoon's heart stutters.

"I like talking to you."

Jihoon's heart flips.

"Unless, you don't like talking to me. Which is fine."

Jihoon tells himself to snap out of it.

Tonight is different - probably that damn moon - and tomorrow he'll be back to being regular, reserved, socially awkward Jihoon. The Jihoon who doesn't fall for pretty baristas and tipsy chats. The Jihoon who makes smart decisions.

Tonight's Jihoon, however, will do no such thing.

"Walk me back to my dorm?"

Soonyoung's smile is benign.

"I'd love to."

2:03 am.

Jihoon can't sleep, again - but this time, he knows exactly what it is that's keeping him awake.