The Deal * Seokmin x Joshua

Nine

"Party's on," Joshua murmured as he tossed his phone back on the coffee table. It was late Saturday afternoon and what had started as a quiet study session soon descended into Netflix with him and Seokmin sharing a bag of popcorn and a bottle of Coke. "Want to go?"

Seokmin pondered the question as he stretched his legs up lazily. Joshua grabbed his ankles and pulled Seokmin's legs across his lap and Seokmin settled back against a cushion. "I guess," he said slowly. He still hadn't gotten over the last party. But he knew if he wanted to have another chance with Soonyoung this was the only way. "You?" he asked and Joshua nodded affirmatively. He shoved another handful of popcorn into his mouth and chewed its buttery goodness slowly. "I guess so. Have to be seen. Maybe we might be the new hot couple on campus once people realise we're together," he said and put the bag of popcorn down.

It had been weeks since the last party and Seokmin and Joshua had settled nicely into their little lie. Their friends had believed them wholeheartedly and now it was time to flaunt it publicly. Make their respective crushes see what they were missing out on. Make the whole campus know who Joshua was and who Seokmin could be.

Seokmin looked over to where the backpack of clothes and belongings seemed to always reside now in Joshua's living area. He'd taken a liking to sleeping on Joshua's comfortable couch and they always ended up talking until so late that his dorm roommate had sent him a text asking him if he was still alive. It had made him laugh. His roommate, Lee Jihoon, was a year older and almost a foot shorter, and the grumpiest little thing Seokmin had ever seen in his life. They'd barely even talked, only exchanging information for emergencies, and Seokmin guessed he'd been absent enough to make it seem like it was an emergency.

"What time should we get ready?" Seokmin asked as he rolled onto his side and curled up a little. "Not yet," Joshua said as he absentmindedly stroked the muscle of Seokmin's calf through the sweat pants he was wearing as he pulled his legs more onto his lap. Seokmin hummed softly in delight as he enjoyed the feeling. He'd been working his legs harder in dance class lately now he was more focused and the impromptu massage felt good. "Keep doing that and I'll treat you dinner," Seokmin groaned as he closed his eyes and stretched and Joshua kneaded his sore muscles harder. "Keep letting me and I'll treat you!" Joshua laughed earning a swift kick towards his face. But Seokmin laughed and Joshua laughed too as the next episode started playing and they quietened down again.

Three hours later, after pizza and beer and a few too many vodka shots, and way too much primping, they were ready. Seokmin was wearing one of the veil thin shirts Joshua had chosen for him, black paired with black ripped jeans, and he stared at himself critically in the mirror. "Hyung, I'm sure you can see my nipples through this in the light.." he turned one way and then the other in front of the mirror and Joshua just laughed. "So? If I was built like you I'd never eve wear any clothes!"

Joshua's eyes raked over Seokmin's impressive shape and Seokmin remembered all the conversations they'd had about Joshua's lack of ability to stack on any muscle. He wasn't overly skinny but he definitely didn't have Seokmin's strong physique. "I like you just they way you are Hyung," Seokmin suddenly blurted out but he meant it. Joshua always looked so lithe, so long and graceful, and just somehow beautiful but with enough of a sexy edge. "Aw, thanks, you'll make me blush," Joshua teased and grabbed Seokmin around the waist and they kind of stood in an awkward half embrace in front of the mirror. "We do make a nice couple though," Seokmin said as he stared at the two men in the mirror. Their slight height difference made them fit together nicely and their faces, while bearing very different features, both had the same look of happiness and kindness written into their character.

"Oh," Joshua moved away to his bedside cupboard and opened a drawer. "I almost forgot something," he pulled out a velvet box and opened it. Nestled inside were two white gold chains, just thick enough to be masculine without looking chunky, a small pendant hanging from each. "Is that our birthstones?" Seokmin stammered a little when he saw the tiny blue and purple stones decorating the chain. "Yeah, I wanted to surprise you, and what's more convincing than couple necklaces?" Joshua unclipped one of the chains and gently clipped it around Seokmin's neck.

"Ah, hyung, you make me feel so spoiled..." Seokmin smiled brightly and the flush across his pink cheeks was almost irresistible as Joshua looked down at him. The way his eyes crinkled up, his flawless peachy skin, the shy blush across his cheek. Joshua felt himself falling further and further into something he never wanted to do. He wasn't going to fall any farther.

He shook his head and cleared his  mind as he took the other necklace and strung it around his own neck. This was all for show. It was all to get his mind off things, the thrill of the chase, the danger that Jeonghan represented. He wasn't going to fall for the innocent charm of his new best friend. He'd been down that path before and the pain was too much. He wouldn't allow himself to once again become wrapped up in innocent smiles and warm hugs, holding hands in the park and gentle eyes from across the room, he was done. He'd vowed to lock his heart away while he was here making a new life for himself.

"You deserve to be spoiled Seokmin," Joshua said as they stood side by side admiring the pendants resting on their chests. "You're my best friend. And now you know how someone should treat you, whether that person ends up being Soonyoung, or someone else..."

Half hour later, another beer in hand, they walked across the dimly lit park towards the share house the Chinese exchange students lived in. They could hear the noise pumping from well before they even got close. This time there would be no splitting up, no wandering alone, no opportunities to be found vulnerable and easily preyed upon. Seokmin clasped Joshua's warm hand as soon as they got close and when they walked in to the packed house they instinctively crowded closer.

"Don't let go of me," Joshua yelled although over the music he was barely heard by Seokmin. Seokmin clutched his hand a little tighter and the other absentmindedly fingered the pendant resting on his chest and he knew he wouldn't let go. Not intentionally, not accidently, not at all. He clung to him as his life depended on it and, with his new clothes and his new hair, people turned to stare at the hot couple. Seokmin no longer felt invisible and he heard murmurs of his name as he walked past with his handsome foreign boyfriend firmly in his grasp. "Drink?" Joshua asked and he nodded as they headed into the kitchen and he didn't even realise Soonyoung was the furthest thing from his mind.