"The stars are beautiful tonight."
Seungcheol hummed in response. The two settled down on the sand after walking around for about 30 minutes. They were halfway on their way back again when Jeonghan insisted on taking a break to gaze at the stars for a moment. And Seungcheol was glad Jeonghan did, because the stars indeed were beautiful.
It was a clear night and no clouds were to be seen. The half moon watched over them in the centre of the black curtain above them, surrounded by millions and millions of little specks. Some brighter than others. A breathtaking view for both of them.
Seungcheol looked next to him, only to see Jeonghan intensively looking up to the sky. As if he was busy counting every single one of the little lights. There was only a very little space in between them, but unlike the afternoon before, they were both scared to close the distance. Or even to cuddle again. Scared the other might not like it. Although they both already missed the physical contact they made a few hours before.
Jeonghan suddenly turned his head too, surprised to see Seungcheol was already looking at him. "Seungcheol?" Seungcheol's expression turned a bit worried. They had been calling each other 'cheol' and 'han' for the past thirty minutes they had spent together. Wasn't it weird Jeonghan called him by his full name out of sudden? "Han?" He replied.
"Why did you gave me another chance after i went off on you? I mean, I'm not that special and still you chose to spend a lot of time with me beside the project." Seungcheol laughed a little. "And when exactly did we actually work on the project? Because in my experience the only thing we did was gaming and watch a series, which you fell asleep on." Jeonghan lightly slapped Seungcheol's chest and the elder acted like he was in immense pain. "You ass! I'll smack your face next time!" Jeonghan said playful, facing the sky again.
"i'm sorry I'm sorry." Jeonghan turned back to Seungcheol and gave him a small but honest smile. "I don't know Han. Something about you drew my attention. Maybe it was a part of me that was really interested, since you come off as a little mysterious. But I think it's mostly because I noticed something on you and I wanted to take you in my protection." Jeonghan felt a little insecure about the last sentence.
"You only wanted to protect me because I look weak, don't I?"
Seungcheol's serious expression made place for a beautiful heartwarming smile where he showed off his perfectly shaped canines. "Of course you don't look weak. At least not in my eyes. And I'm not saying that to make you feel better, I'm saying it because I'm serious about it Han. You seemed like a lovable person to me since we got teamed up and even though we had that fight in the hallway, I knew that couldn't be you. And I was right!"
"Are you sure?" Jeonghan seemed so insecure about his feelings and that's what drew Seungcheol in only more. "Han, of course I'm sure." Seungcheol decided they spent enough time laying next to each other and he couldn't resist Jeonghan's warm body against his anymore. So he shuffled a little closer, shoving his arm underneath Jeonghan's head. Jeonghan shuffled a little closer to him to so their tummy's nearly touched. They never lost eye contact, even though their noses brushed against each other from time to time.
A situation you would assume to be awkward. But for them it wasn't. Not in that moment. Because they could finally be intimate with a person who fully understood them. They could both be themselves without having the fear of judgement. Jeonghan felt like he could open up to Seungcheol while Seungcheol felt like he didn't have to change his personality to make someone like him. And that was beautiful to both.
"Look Jeonghan, I know that it's hard to trust someone. Especially since we just met and because of your mom and dad. But when I tell you that I think you're a beautiful human being and that I want to fully protect you, I'm being one hundred percent serious." Jeonghan couldn't move. He wasn't used to compliments at all, let alone someone telling him something so beautiful he was afraid he could break down in tears any moment.
And he did.
Without him even noticing it in the first place, he suddenly felt a warm substance flowing down his cheeks and a lump rose in his throat. He could no longer keep himself strong and for the first time in front of anyone, he broke down in tears.
"Hey hey hey.. it's okay han.. it's okay.." Seungcheol swung his other arm around Jeonghan's waist and pulled him completely against his body. Jeonghan, who was too embarrassed to keep looking straight at Seungcheol, shoved himself down a little so he could bury his face in the crook of Seungcheol's neck so he could cry out there.
"I'm sorry- I- I'm so.. sorry." Jeonghan managed to choke out in-between the sobs that kept leaving his mouth. Seungcheol brought the hand that lay underneath Jeonghan the whole time, up to the back of his head. He tangled his fingers in his long silky hair, brushing through it to calm him down for at least a little. "You don't have to be sorry, you didn't do anything wrong. You know what? I'm actually really proud of you that you're actually showing your feelings to me-" "-but I look horrible right now.."
Seungcheol sighed and slid his hand to Jeonghan's already wet cheek to brush his thumb over it. "Didn't I just call you a beautiful human being? Seeing you crying isn't going to change that. Don't be so insecure about yourself Han. You're beautiful."
You're beautiful.
It was barely a whisper, but the words kept repeating themselves in Jeonghan's head over and over again.
Those words that made him hold onto Seungcheol even tighter. Not wanting to let him go.
