Hearts Awakened, Live Alive

Mingi: Will You Join Us?

Mingi could hardly keep the smile off his face. Even as he did one of his least favorite chores of all time: washing dishes. He hadn't been able to stop since last night when they'd heard the news. Well, except for the hour this morning when he went to make sure his father was doing alright where he couldn't stop crying tears of absolute joy. He'd never be caught dead crying in front of anyone, not even Yunho. All of them had their own problems, they didn't need his on top of it all. He had to be happy for all of them, especially Yunho and his little brother, Gunho. That had been rather difficult as of late; money had been tighter than ever before and there had been no relief in sight. But then Ghost had come along with his seemingly infinite amount of surprises and mysteries and completely obliterated their earlier struggles in just five seconds. Now, granted he also brought with him what would probably end up being their hardest and most risky job to date, but Mingi had high hopes. He'd always been hopelessly optimistic about life; well, about everything except for when it came to himself.

But the long journey ahead of them didn't matter right now. He pushed all thoughts of Agony and his job out of his mind. He wasn't Twilight the interrogator tonight. Tonight, he was Yunho's partner and Gunho's loving hyung. He wasn't going to let the looming threat of an early death ruin tonight. Tonight was a happy occasion, something they hadn't been able to celebrate properly in years due to their financial issues. Mingi's smile came back in full force just thinking about how Gunho's face had instantly lit up upon seeing the decorations and presents he and Yunho had set up for him. It had truly made his year.

"I love it when you smile like that," Yunho's voice took him out of his thoughts. His boyfriend wrapped his arms around his waist, resting his chin lovingly on his shoulder after pressing a sweet kiss to the back of his neck. Mingi turned the sink off, having just finished cleaning the dishes from their dinner. Mingi had made Gunho's favorite for the occasion: Mac 'n Cheese. He leaned into his boyfriend's warm, sturdy body. Mingi hadn't met a lot of people who were taller than him and in moments like these, he really appreciated Yunho's height. He fell that much harder every time.

"My smile makes my eyes disappear," Mingi said; how small his eyes were had always been a bit of a sore subject for him.

"But that's the best part," Yunho laughed, kissing Mingi's cheek. "They don't disappear, they smile with you. Turning into these beautiful crescents that sparkle and make my heart just melt."

Mingi felt the tips of his ears heat up. Yunho never failed to amaze him; his eloquent words always charming him right out of all his insecurities. What in the world had he done to deserve this man? He must've been a fucking saint in his previous life because he'd done nothing remarkable in this one.

"I don't deserve you," Mingi said with a giggle, playing the statement off as a joke even though he absolutely meant it.

"Of course you do, don't say that," Yunho whispered, leaving kisses along the length of Mingi's neck. Mingi's eyes fluttered shut, savoring the feeling. "I love you, I don't know what I'd do without you."

Mingi blushed again, turning his head as much as he could to face his boyfriend. Yunho met his gaze with a smile that made his heart flutter every time, a smile that he was always the sole recipient of.

"I love you too," Mingi told him and he meant it with every fiber of his being. Yunho leaned in and Mingi's eyes automatically closed, so familiar with the action that it was basically second nature at this point. Their lips met sweetly in the middle and Mingi felt like a teenager in high school all over again when Yunho had first kissed him, the first person to ever kiss him, behind a staircase when they should've been in class. Mingi kissed him back slowly, loving this absolutely amazing moment. Both of them hadn't been so stress-free in a very long time.