duality ➵ an ateez superhero au

𝐭𝐰𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐲 𝐞𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭: and so it begins.

AND SO IT BEGINS.

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"i finally made those milkshakes for us!" seonghwa has the proudest smile on his face and sparkles twinkle in the whites of his eyes when he spins around with 2 matching pink drinks in his hands, like he promised hongjoong the day before that whole catastrophe unfolded. "one for you and one for me."

"i didn't get to properly enjoy it the other day, when we first met." hongjoong's previously dazed expression lights up at the sweet, comforting taste of the strawberry drink. and seonghwa felt like he was right back home at the cafe, wishing he had a little beret and apron so it felt a bit more normal.

normalcy was something he so desperately wanted after the insanity that he's been through in the past week. thinking about all the pain, all the abuse his body has had to endure left a bitter taste in his mouth.

thankfully, it's successfully remedied with a simple sip of the smoothie.

"you know.. i never got to show you around jinju like i said i would." seonghwa absentmindedly stirs the drink with his chin rested on his palm. "it's all i've known entire life, i've never spent more than a few days away. i'm proud of my hometown, and when i met you i wanted to show it off."

hongjoong could feel the pain in the other's voice, trembling slightly before he takes another long sip of the milkshake to erase some of the nerves. he shifts into the other chair so that they were directly beside each other, taking the other's hand whilst staring directly into his eyes and watching them turn into stunning pools of ocean blue.

"you'll get to show me jinju. after all of this is over." seonghwa looked at hongjoong like he hung the stars in the night sky, this adoration and infatuation he had for the shorter was so immense and so overwhelming, he doesn't feel himself lean in closer.

"tell me about jinju. tell me your favourite spot." he rubs lazy circles on the honey coloured skin of his hand, staring into seonghwa's eyes with more curiosity than anything, watching his otherwise dark brown irises shift and marble with colour as his excitement sky rockets.

"there's this really beautiful gazebo in the local park." he talked so animatedly, with so much joy and happiness. heart's in his eyes not only because he thought about his hometown, but he thought about showing hongjoong his hometown and all of its beauty. then actually being there with him, experiencing it first hand. together. "i've been going there since i was little and if you go at the right time, just before the sun sets, the sun hits all the glass accents in such a way that you see little rainbows all around you."

"that sounds gorgeous seonghwa."

like magnets, getting closer and closer together.

"but not nearly as gorgeous as you."

"alright! i'm hungry! are there any snacks in her—oh.. am i disturbing something?" a loud and boisterous voice rings throughout the room, the door slamming wide open before they could do anything.

as much as he knew how much the taller probably despised him right now, hongjoong had never so desperately wished to be yunho so he could hex wooyoung for barging in on them.

they both let out awkward coughs, grumbling under their breath, letting their hands fall to their sides and leaning back into their chairs when wooyoung skips towards the fridge to grab something to eat.