Rooftop lounge

@yang jeongin "we might have," minho agreed with a few notes of laughter, quick to make work of putting his own gift away from the both of their sights. a sliver of him, impatiently, wished that he wasn't constantly in dire need of jeongin's affection, that way he'd have it in himself to put on the necklace as soon as he got it and flaunt it to everybody that dared to look his way. yet, the rest of minho could only draw mirth from such a thing, knowing that the feeling of jeongin putting it on him would taste much sweeter than him just putting it on alone. just as he was beginning to grab his flatware from the table, jeongin's voice had halted his movements. if it were anybody else, minho was sure he'd dramatically (yet quietly, considering their current dining location) groan, maybe even insert a playful complaint about being too hungry to wait for a picture. but this was jeongin, having seen him do this a million and one times since january, and every single one of those times being unable to fight his enamored eyes from admiring the younger, even as his head cocked to the side in amusement. a million and one times and he'd still let him do it a million more, uncaring of how long he'd have to wait.

quickly trying to blink the stars out of his eyes when the camera was pointed towards him, minho flashed a 'v' sign, fond smile still gracing his features from the second he laid his eyes on jeongin after their food had arrived. a silent push of air was pushed through his nose, something akin to a laugh, but not quite. "we shall," minho returned softly, mirroring a similar expression to that of his lover's. from that moment on, minho decided he would do anything to keep jeongin this happy for years to come.

@lee minho how could one be so... lovable? jeongin asked himself that question for the nth time as he watched the bashful smile form on minho's face, a childlike innocence to it that jeongin found so adorable. and though the unexpected arrival of the dishes dispersed this question briefly, it materialised once again, as it always did, when jeongin caught the stare minho had thrown his way. the wide eyes, the eyebrows scrunched up for just a second; jeongin couldn't help but giggle at minho's surprise, though he did try to at least save it for after the waitress had left. "i think we might have spent more time on the gift exchange than we had realised," jeongin replied with a small laugh.

but even then, that length of time hadn’t been enough for jeongin; as he picked up the gifts he had shifted to the side of the table, he found himself looking at them for just a bit longer. with the knowledge he had the rest of forever to cherish them as consolation, jeongin tucked them away into the safety of his suit pocket and returned his attention to their food. “hold on,” he said, before pulling out his phone and raising his arms high to take a picture of the fancily plated food. then, he re-angled his phone to include the thing he fancied the most — minho, on the opposite end of the table. looking at the pictures, jeongin put his phone away with a smile. tonight would be another memory for them to remember forever; it already was. jeongin picked up his cutlery and faced his boyfriend once more, smile only growing wider. “shall we?”

@yang jeongin it was almost too much for his gaze to hold jeongin's, blinking a few times to help bring his concentration back on something other than his restless heart. so instead he focused on jeongin's reaction, watching how he took the key into his hands and how his visage relaxed at the realization of what minho gave him. unknowingly, minho's shoulders relaxed and another wave of affection hit him, gentle like the waves of the ocean hitting the shore. "thank you for trusting me too, then." minho's lips sheepishly curled themselves into another smile. as usual, he had nothing to be worried about at all. he was starting to think the jitters he still felt in his body weren't from him being nervous, anyways.

before he could speak up again, the sound of their waitress returning took his attention away from the younger, face morphed into one of confusion, then amusement at just how quickly their food had got out to them. minho thanked the lady in between shooting jeongin that same stare he often did when he was bewildered, eyebrows scrunched up briefly for jeongin's eyes only. it was when she walked away that he spoke up again, murmuring across the table, "okay is it just me or we got our food a lot faster than expected?" though who was minho to complain? everything looked delicious and the sight of jeongin dressed so handsomely across from him was quick to dissipate any other thoughts.

@lee minho jeongin was about to tuck away the jewelry box, already checking his suit pocket, when suddenly, there were not one but two items on his side of the table. with knitted eyebrows, jeongin looked to minho for clarification, as he almost always did. the container was for him, jeongin realised with the help of minho's explanation. the tremble in minho's hands earlier had gone under jeongin's radar, but the tremble in minho's voice only took a few seconds for even the younger to notice. (amidst its confusion, jeongin's brain still found minho's nervousness cute.) curiosity growing, jeongin brought the container closer to him, with both hands. the shape of the gift, the explanation minho had given; jeongin slowly put two and two together and opened the container.

a key. to minho's place. that had been jeongin's guess, but his eyes still softened seeing an exact copy of the key he had seen increasingly often over the past months. the realisation of what it was, and what it meant, slowly sank in, and just as slowly, a smile bloomed on jeongin's face. "thank you, minho." jeongin looked up at his lover across the table, a slight tremble in his voice, a sure warmth in his heart. "for trusting me. i'll take care of it well." it was a familiar promise, and jeongin was just as determined to uphold this one as he had been four months ago. he then made one more promise. "and once i move in to that new apartment, you'll have a key too."

@yang jeongin his gentle laughter only thrummed harder, shaking his head at the other's exact copy of the design in his palm. it never took much for the other to make him laugh, and the same could be said about making his heart tickle with waves of affection. "cute," he said absently, careful when putting his necklace back inside its case as if it were one of the most precious items in the world. well, it was to him now. "mm, thank you too. for always thinking so much about me, even outside of our anniversaries and dates." now, it was time for the second act of giving him a gift, only this time minho felt increasingly more nervous than before.

it was such a silly thing to overthink about, even going as far as contemplating if jeongin would even want something like this of his. in a breath to dispel any further spiral of worried thoughts, minho pulled out a small, flat cardboard container and pushed it across the table with wobbly hands (that he tried to hide by doing the motion rather quickly, and then retreating his hand to his lap). minho was sure it was evident what it was even before jeongin opened it. "i figured b-because... you're over my place enough anyways. and i trust you... so. makes sense that i gave you a spare. my place has always been yours just as much as it is mine."

@lee minho jeongin looked up, just in time to catch sight of the smile gracing minho's features. seeing minho compare the design of the pendant with jeongin, the younger tried to help by mimicking the expression engraved into the pendant. he didn't have to do much more, eyes already crinkled into crescent moons and his lips stretched into a smile from minho's reaction. and minho, knowingly or not, had already voiced out the wishes that jeongin's gift carried: to accompany minho, even in the smallest of ways. jeongin looked back at the bracelet in his hands, his thumb tracing over the engraving. they both had another part of each other with them now. "i'm happy you like it," jeongin said softly.

with expectant eyes wishing to confirm that the necklace looked pretty on minho (jeongin had thought about it a lot when choosing it, and even after making the purchase), jeongin furrowed his brows in confusion when minho's hands stopped abruptly. but knowing the reason for it, jeongin broke into a fond smile. "of course i will." that was what jeongin wanted to do too. delicately, he placed the bracelet back into its jewelry box, letting it rest there for just a bit more. "i'll wait for you, and we can both wear our gifts together." with one last admiring glance, jeongin closed the box, before meeting minho's eyes. "thank you, minho," he said again.

@felix lee "yeah? well... i look forward to your gifts then, lix," chris murmurs earnestly, relieved and glad that the other was enjoying mittens. they meant a lot to him, and he was fully intending on using them himself this come winter. however, seeing how cold felix was, chris thought he could do something. he took the opportunity to do something kind, unexpected, and make it into a small confession. a part of him wishes he had done it differently, had he known they'd be up here having this conversation right now. if chris could've done it differently, he would've actually planned a whole thing out of it, done it /properly/.

of course he wanted to know what felix's thoughts and feelings were. so chris paid attention, kept his focus on him and listened to what he had to say, remaining quiet until he was all finished. he was learning more about felix the more they talked and it's slowly become one of chris' favorite things to do. chris was telling the truth to jeongin that day; all he truly wanted was to get to know felix, regardless of where that took him. "it'll be a learning process for the both of us. but i think that's... how all relationships first start out, right? learning about each other, learning how to move with each other." a brief pause and his expression turns thoughtful as he ponders around for the right words, mismatched hues twinkling with the city lights. "i want to experience all of that with you... i want to show you who i am when no one else is looking, and i also want to be able to see the side you don't really show to anyone. i want to be able to laugh with you but i also want to be able to cry with you." chris' head turns, gaze turning to the boy now pressed into his side. a smile slowly overtook his face and he linked their arms together firmly, butterflies in his stomach. "i understand what you're saying. we'll do this all together, and... don't ever hesitate to tell me if i'm rushing things, okay? i don't ever want to make you uncomfortable, nor do i want to hurt you in any way."

@yang jeongin his hands grasped the jewelry box from jeongin once it had reached him, buzzing with anticipation as if he weren't already from the second he had picked the other up in his car. minho had half a mind to completely allow jeongin to open his gift first, despite agreeing on them both opening their respective gifts at the same time. his patience had returned briefly, knowing that he'd find it much more tempting to watch how jeongin reacted to what he got him, wanting to watch his face light up so beautifully first hand. but, much like his brain, his body could never betray jeongin and by pure instinct his hands had already opened the box once jeongin finished his count down, eyes blinking down at the gift.

minho's own face had easily conjured up another soft grin, lifting the circled silver pendant into his hand palm so that he could see it better, the design reminding him lots of the smiling face of the man before him. "it looks like you," he voiced his thoughts, eyes playfully squinting when he glanced up at jeongin again, unable to stifle a giggle. jeongin could've gotten him a paper bag and he would've treasured it until the end. he could already hear his friends telling him to 'shut up' for proudly showing off the gift his boyfriend got him at any chance available. "it's so cute! i love it, i truly do. it's like i'll have you everywhere i go now." minho was more than eager to put it on now. he almost started to, too. but then another thought made him pout, as his eyes sheepishly met jeongin's across the table again. "i want to wear it now... but i want you to put it on me. will you help me with it later?"

@pocket sized baby tiny pup pup "m'gonna get you a nice coat. and your own mittens, from me..." felix looked to the mittens he was gifted with, the smile on his face that came with the thought of it bright on his face. if chris needed someone to take care of him, felix would be very glad to do so. it came with wanting to be a good friend, with wanting to be there for him. and also, partially to repay him for the things he had done so far.

but felix was also doing his best to convey his feelings. he was aware that chris's full attention was on him, that he was looking intently. the boy chalked it up to them talking and listening to one another, not necessarily that it was out of admiration or anything like that. instead, he was just happy to feel seen and heard. "i think i like that, a lot. we can learn and go through this journey together," he nodded again, then turned his head to look over at chris with that wide smile he seemed to love. "im not going anywhere. i just.. i dont want to rush what we have and in the process lose it, you know?" he held his breath for a moment, then inched a little closer and looped his arm around one of christopher's, leaning in to mush his cheek against his arm. "lets do this all together then, yeah? i think that... sounds perfect."

@felix lee chris snorted softly. "do i get cold easily? oh, no doubt. anything below 70 is considered cold to me. i start shivering like a damn chihuahua when it hits 40, but..." a brief pause and his smile softens wistfully. "you'll be the first person i'll call when i get sick, promise." not noticing felix taking a peek at him, chris continues smiling to himself at the thought of the other tending to him. he quite liked the imagery. not that he was purposely aiming to get himself sick, of course.

his eyebrows perked up a little upon catching the tailend of that sentence but ends up brushing it off, figuring it was better not to dwell on something like that. chris turns his head to look over at the other male, brows soon pulling together in a soft pinch. he remained quiet, respectfully and patiently so, and listened to everything being told to him, even when felix looked away. the response he got was a little unexpected and yet it seemed to gently fan the lingering flame of hope into something bigger, something that could offer more warmth to the beating organ in his chest. felix also had a really nice side-profile (he might be staring). "well... i suppose that we can learn about all of this together then... yeah?" his voice came out a little quieter than he'd like so chris gently cleared his throat and tried again, gaze diverting for a moment. "i like you, for you, too, felix. i've never dated anyone before, and this is all.. quite new to me. i'm nervous in many areas but only because i just don't wanna screw anything up, ya know? i want to learn more about my feelings for you and i want to see where they take me. more importantly, i... i wanna do all of that with you by my side. there's so much i would like to build with you, and.. the thought of growing together sounds exciting, does it not..?"

@christopher bang the nervousness in the air was palpable. it wasnt a bad thing, but felix could feel it. it made him a little fidgety, plucking at christopher's clothes while trying to keep himself from getting eager and excited. that, and he was worried about putting his foot in his mouth. "you get cold easily then right? if you get sick, i'll be there to help take care of you, okay? just call me." he nodded a few times, peeking over at chris to gauge his reaction.

"dont worry, there's no one down there i'd want to flirt with anymore," felix tagged that last word on the end with a small mumble, clearing his throat right after. he took a second, letting chris take in everything he was saying. felix turned his attention out to the city, they could see the lights up there, hear the music from the bar distantly. his hand hooked a little tighter on christopher's arm, turning his head after a moment to look at the other boy. "i wanna respond, though. i gotta get stuff off my chest, too. so..." rather than hold christopher's gaze, he turned away again, giving the older a view of his profile and showing off the rising pink to his cheeks as he spoke. "honestly, i dont think i have a type. i havent really dated enough to have a 'type'... so, i wanted to say, i like you. for you. and i want to see where what i feel for you, and what you feel for me, takes us. does... that make sense?"

@lee minho jeongin loved all the small details of minho: how the older became like a little toddler when 'hangry,' how his lovely features gave it away when excited, how his lips curled into the cutest smile when embarrassed. and for all of it, jeongin watched with a fond smile. "okay, at the same time," he nodded with a laugh. "can't keep you waiting for too long." he took a jewelry box out of the small bag he had brought, using both hands to slide it over to minho. the same two hands picked up another jewelry box, minho's one this time, and jeongin held it like a schoolboy who had exchanged secret notes with his crush, dying to read the love letter he hoped would fill the page inside. "on the count of three," jeongin softly announced. "one... two... three."

with bated breath, jeongin opened the box, eyes blinking slowly, a sparkle gradually growing in them, one akin to that of the contents of the box. a familiar silver bracelet, similar to the one that often adorned minho's wrist. "it's pretty," jeongin exclaimed softly, more to himself than minho. he had said it before, when he first saw minho wear it, and now he knew exactly where to look for the small detail as he brought it up to eye level. "and it has soonie, doongie and dori!" he gasped excitedly, seeing the detailing of three (nondescript) cats. "thank you, minho," jeongin said, beaming wide as he looked back at minho across the table. hands still holding onto the gift he liked so much, jeongin's mind temporarily put it aside to see something just as precious: minho's reaction to his gift.

@felix lee in a way, he thought it was best to keep certain things to himself. all of those looming questions would be that never-ending track playing as background noise in his head, questions that he wasn't sure he wanted to know the answers to just yet. you see, christopher had a tendency to ramble if he doesn't keep himself in line. he'd give himself straight away in the least graceful way possible, and it would be absolutely /humiliating/. but there was always that 'no filter' when it came to him, all his earnest feelings and thoughts pouring out of him once the initial hesitation is out of the way.

christopher huffs out a laugh, his breath visible in the brisk air and shook his head in both disbelief and denial. "sounds sus, b-but i'll allow it. for now." the light bap to his chest earn a soft snicker, nose scrunching up as he flashes a grin; looking almost cheeky. "if her "doing her best" includes letting me freeze to death every time i walk outside then i'm suing. should've seen me this morning, i was shakin' 'round like a damn chihuahua. guarantee you i'll end up sick eventually." felix's next words caught him by surprise. he gazed at the other with slightly wide eyes, full lips parting slowly. chris diverts his gaze with a second huff of laughter, arm flexing a little without him realizing. "y-yeah, i'm.. sure that if you go and flirted a little, someone down there would take you home." the fabric of the wool mitten was soft, albeit considerably cold now. he shuddered slightly but doesn't move away. "m-my letter? oh.. i-i mean, i'm okay with.. no answer, ya know." it took him a moment to find his footing, to find the right words without stumbling over himself. he was suddenly feeling incredibly nervous and unsure of himself, couldn't quite look felix in the eye either. "like i said towards the end of it, i'm not-- i'm not expecting anything. i don't want you to feel as if you /have/ to answer."

@christopher bang honestly, felix wondered sometimes what went through christopher's mind. he seemed like he could get lost in his thoughts easily, something felix himself related to very well. it was easy to get lost in the what ifs, to go for a dive in his mind and forget where he was. something, in fact, he found himself doing in the moment with chris, grounding himself again when brushing over the fabric of the mittens. "well, i think you're a very nice, a perfectly sweet person. mittens or not." felix nodded very matter of factly, only to burst out into soft giggles at chris's words. "be nice to elsa! she's just doing her best."

one hand had lifted to gently bap chris's chest, felix's eyes upturning into little crescents. he walked with the older boy, coming to the edge of the rooftop where he peered over the edge, a soft 'woah' coming from his lips. it was pretty. almost as pretty as the way chris's lips tucked into his cheeks when he smiled. felix admired that smile again, finding it brought a similar one to his own lips. "mm, i actually wanted to catch you," he started, turning his gaze to chris's face, keeping his attention there as he spoke, that same small smile on his lips. "hold on, you dont think this is perfect clubbing attire? i bet if i went down there and flirted a little, /someone/ would take me home." felix laughed, teasing chris and watching him go all red, but shortly after he lifted a hand to pet at chris's cheek. "anyways, no, not clubbing. i wanted to talk, about your letter— i figured the anxiety of waiting for my response would eat you up inside, so i didnt want to wait. can we... talk about it?"

@felix lee felix's smile was the first thing that had caught his attention. it reminded him of the summer sun, sitting high in the sky, bright and warm. he distantly wondered if blindness was possible for staring at it too long (if so, chris would happily lose one of his senses). anytime he ever saw felix smile his chest would swell in something warm and fuzzy and his thoughts would kind of derail for a few seconds. he'd have to stop and (a̶d̶m̶i̶r̶e̶) stare. christopher quickly looks away so that it doesn't get weird and could feel the heat rising to his cheeks in an obvious scarlet hue. "i think you give me too much credit," he mutters bashfully with a shy simper. "b-but that's good, uh-- they're made of wool, so i have no doubt they'll keep your hands warm through this winter." his head ducks low to try to hide the furious blush as felix guides him up the stairs, unconsciously stepping closer as a brisk gust of wind barrels through him.

chris cursed through his teeth, accent laying thick through his complaints. "ing hell, i really need elsa to chill the out. don't worry, though, we won't be up here long." as they approached the balcony railing, he gazes down at all the city lights and cars driving along the roads below. it was quite an incredible view. he discovered this little nook on his second day bartending. it's peaceful up here. there was always no one up here whenever chris would wander up and, despite the rigid temperatures, it was something he would always make sure to look at before heading home after every shift. it gave him a moment to wind down from the job, from the people-ing, from the... obnoxious and down-right /creepy/ advances he gets on the near daily by all sorts of drunks (god is glad there's a counter separating them). christopher never liked driving with tension on his shoulders and on his mind, having caught himself speeding way over the limit several times when under such circumstances. he finds himself coming up to this rooftop more often than not, even on his days off. "so what brings you here so late at night?" christopher's eyes are soon wandering back over to the male at his side, gaze softening a little. "you don't look dressed to be clubbing, no offense."

@christopher bang felix had always found chris endearing, no matter how many questions or rambling that came with their time together. he loved it, the way they were able to connect, to enjoy each other's presence, to just be there with each other. that joy showed even now, when chris came back to him, all smiles and happiness on his pretty freckled face. he thought about what he had read in the letter, giving a little sway on his feet as a smile broke out on his lips. he hoped chris felt comfortable around him.

the boy's eyes were wide as he stayed glued to chris's side, peering at him as he listened to the story. his fingers curled a little, holding onto the mittens in his hands, briefly glancing down to them with a growing smile. "i think your mom is very smart. and you're so... amazingly nice to be giving them to me." felix paused, then bumped his cheek to chris's shoulder, his eyes turning up to meet the other's with that smile. "i promise i'll take good care of them!" nodding excitedly, he held onto the older boy a little tighter, letting him lead the way up to the stairs and then up to the rooftop. the burst of air as they stepped outside had him gasping and shivering, clinging to him a little more. "... its warm in the bar, colder up here. brrr."

@felix lee while disappearing temporarily, christopher had to take a moment to gather himself. it was a surprise to see felix so soon but it was never an unpleasant surprise. it was always a joy to see him, the highlight of chris' day. he was still not much of a talker despite his occupation(s) but when it felix, christopher had all sorts of things he wanted to talk about. all sorts of things he wanted to ask. did they like the same things? did they happen to have the same hoobies? christopher was afraid that it would end up overwhelming the poor guy if he ended up saying something. christopher wanted to get to know him, genuinely and purely, but he was still quite new at this. info-dumping can be a nasty habit of his, especially if he's excited. he's just... awkward. and he really doesn't want to mess this up by being clumsy and frazzled.

seeing felix honestly enjoy the gifts made his heart warm. the edges of his eyes crinckle as his smile broadens, nose scrunching up a little. "that's good," chris chuckles, stepping to his side and hooking their arms together with a soft laugh. "ya know, my mom always told me that gifting mittens is a sign of comfort and warmth - and that if someone was giving you a pair of mittens, then it would be as if they were right there with you holding your hand. keeping you warm, keeping you company, offering comfort." his gaze drifted to the pair covering felix's hands. they didn't match the hat and scarf. "when my mom was young, her mother gave her a pair of mittens that her mother gave to her. when i was making the big move out of australia, my mom then gave me the same pair of mittens... now you have them." chris' eyes lift to meet the pair in front of him and his smile turns tender, head tilting a little in the direction they need to go. "i entrust you with them, so don't lose them, alright? now come on. there's an employee-only staircase leading to the roof-top. quicker access than the main staircase."

@christopher bang felix bounced on his toes a little, excited when he noticed the man freezing on the spot, then turning to meet his gaze. he looked shocked, and felix tried to relax, grinning widely as he lifted his hands up to wave his fingers in the other's direction. for a brief moment, he couldnt tell if chris was glad to see him or not, but he told himself it was just anxiety, nervousness. he hoped.

"thats okay!" he lifted his hand, giving his friend a thumbs up, feeling his heart in his throat honestly. chris had a pretty smile, he wished he had the gall to say it more often. "i loved it..." felix answered with a smile, but he wasnt sure if chris heard, either because of the music or leaving, but its okay, he'd explain it later. waiting patiently and bopping to the music, politely declining a drink, and then instantly he perked up when chris came into view again. the second he could, felix reached out and snagged chris's sleeve, latching onto his arm. "rooftop, right? im prepared." he pointed proudly to the gifted hat, then happily swung one arm of the scarf around his shoulder.

@felix lee christopher spent his entire shift trying to keep himself busy with whatever mundane task he could find. the nerves were making him incredibly anxious and he was getting a little too lost in his thoughts. the care package he put together for felix. the hand-written letter. the mini confession. and frankly chris wasn't expecting to see felix until tomorrow most likely. he was busy cleaning up the last few glasses when a familiar voice filled his ears. his head lifts, mismatched eyes widening a little as they recognized felix's figure. and, more importantly, the new hat and scarf that were included in the care package. chris gives a brief pause, stunned for a few seconds before his usual eyesmile overtakes his features.

"nah, you're just in time! i'll be clocking out as soon as i finish this last glass here," he held up the aforementioned object for show and continues drying it with a rag. "s-so, uh- i take it you liked the care package?" trying to keep his tone casual while motioning to the scarf, he sets the glass down and holds up a hand with a sheepish; "hold that thought, lemme go clock out real quick and then we can go up to the rooftop. it's a nightmare trying to talk over this music." with that, christopher politely dips behind the second bartender arriving to replace him and ducks into the back. gone for only a short moment or two, he eventually returns with a coat and scarf in hand, moving out from behind the counter.

@christopher bang felix fiddled with his new scarf, the matching hat atop his head and it was pulled down enough to warm his ears, a little giddy as he made his way to the bar. he knew it was closer to the end of christopher's shift, he'd be dumb to not have been aware of that. but the hat and mittens were part of the nice gift, the letter made his heart warm, and he instantly knew he needed, wanted to see chris. sure, he looked a little dorky going into the bar dressed that way, but it was just chris.

tiptoeing as he entered, he pulled the mittens off to let them hang just a little bit out of his pocket, the hat pushed back a bit as he made his way up to the bar itself. leaning up on the counter, felix grinned upon seeing the familiar back, distracted for a moment at the sight before finally calling out. "chris! did i come too early?" he chirped his question over the music playing, suddenly worried about his timing... or even if he was welcome there.

@yang jeongin "i know! even the spring menu online wasn't nearly as big as the one they gave us." minho followed jeongin's gaze briefly to other tables, smile only widening while he nodded gently in agreement. everything smelt so good. even the glance he got at somebody's food when they walked towards their table was enough for him to sigh with impatience, a trait he seemed to only possess when he was hungry. "well," he started again, sheepishly this time because he had obviously been caught, eyes darting around the table a few times until they returned home, to jeongin. there was never any use playing pretend around him.

"that's true, yes." his nose scrunched up softly for a few seconds, now unable to help the lilt of his laughter. he pulled a black, velvet jewelry box from his suit pocket, blinking rapidly as he was growing unsure what he wanted to do first; see what jeongin got him first or watch him open his gift first? "same time sound okay?" minho asked, slowly sliding one of his gifts across the table in the direction of jeongin, like a schoolboy offering a juice box to their crush for the first time.

@lee minho jeongin's ears perked up when minho picked the other dessert that he had considered choosing (after many preliminary rounds of selection, given how tempting the menu was). perhaps they had synchronised a little over time like this. jeongin would have to trade bites with minho later.

"i'm excited," jeongin admitted, leaning over the table too, travelling that few inches so that his excitement could better reach minho. "i can't wait to try the food," he said, glancing at the plates of food already on the other tables. "i think i can smell ours already!" jeongin soon returned his focus to minho, chuckling at his boyfriend's visible eagerness. "and also because you wanna see your gift, no?" jeongin teased, but his hand had already reached for the gift he has prepared, itching to show it to minho soon. jeongin could totally understand too; he was curious about what minho had gotten for him, already knowing he would like it, just because it came from minho. "so, how do you want to do this? at the same time, or...?"

@yang jeongin he found his ears tingling again at the slightest look of jeongin returning his gaze, well aware that over the months they had spent together so closely, they had mastered the ability to talk to each other without actually saying anything. it was no easy feat, especially for somebody who proclaimed that they could never read the other. maybe he could this whole entire time. perhaps he had just needed time for jeongin's sunlight to warm his heart. "that's fine. could we also get water just incase?" minho's eyes finally fell back to the menu, sifting through it in search of what had been on his mind since they agreed on dining here. "and for me could i please get your molten lava cake?"

with both of their menus folded back up and handed to their now retreating server, minho couldn't help adjusting himself in his chair, slightly leaning over the table in excitement. "how are you feeling? i know it hasn't been long since we sat down, but i'm just curious." he tapped his fingers against the table a few times, a failed attempt to curb himself from wanting jeongin to see what he got him. "and also because i want to give your gifts."

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@lee minho jeongin concentrated on the server's every word, the dish in question having been one that jeongin hadn't understood based on its list of ingredients. owing to the server's explanation, jeongin had some idea now. he glanced at minho across the table, immediately making eye contact. the slightly raised eyebrows, the bright eyes, the tiniest curl of his lips. having read minho's expression, jeongin's own expression eased into a smile as he turned back to the server with a nod. "mm, we'll both get the 'coq au vin'," jeongin said, repeating the server's pronunciation with utmost care, "and the lobster macaroni and cheese as well."

the server followed up with their choice of drinks, to which jeongin immediately asked for yet another recommendation. red wine, a particular brand of burgundy in particular, was the server's answer, and jeongin looked at minho once more. he then flipped the pages of the menu until he landed on the page with "desserts" proudly declared at the top, the word having been on his mind ever since minho mentioned it. "i'll have the tiramisu, and..." jeongin peered at minho, passing the baton to him to choose whichever desserts his heart desired.

@yang jeongin "only for you, my love," he poked back with a teasing lilt to his voice. watching jeongin's face bloom with various shades of pinks and reds from the things he said only grew more and more entertaining with every passing month. today had proved no different, and the night was just getting started.

minho was unable to stop himself from chuckling once, even if he was partially in the same boat of confusion as jeongin was. some of these foods he did know, but there were quite a lot of ones on this list with unfamiliar names that he still hadn't heard of, even if the ingredients were listed right underneath. he hummed for a few seconds, a mirror image of jeongin as he put his own menu down in front of himself. "i think i have a few ideas on what we could get, but it wouldn't hurt to ask. good idea."

a passing server seemed to sense their distress and came over, greeting the two of them with a smile. "hi, we were looking at the menu and were having a hard time picking what we wanted. do you possibly have any recommendations?" minho pulled his menu in the server's direction, who immediately got to work at turn a few pages for him and his boyfriend to look at. "our special this month is 'coq au vin' which is chicken cooked in wine, vegetables, garlic and tons of seasonings for 80 minutes, after being tenderized for 8 hours. the most popular side people pair with the meal is lobster macaroni and cheese." minho hummed again, the choice not sounding bad, but still looking over at jeongin in curiosity to see what he thought.

@lee minho "hm?" eyes widened and smile still lingering, jeongin leaned a little closer, giving minho his full attention. in his brain that was still holding onto the picture of the pretty night, minho's words finally sank in. "you big sap," jeongin chided lightly. but the way the corners of his mouth reached the reddened apples of his cheeks, even as jeongin ducked his head to hide it, was more than a good indicator of his feelings.

he pored over the menu, a third of it being dishes he didn't recognise and half of that being dishes he couldn't pronounce. "thirty-two egg yolk tagliolini..." jeongin read off the page, slowly. "will we be eating thirty-two eggs or...?" he probably should have had paid more attention when his parents ordered the last time his family went to a restaurant this fancy. however, jeongin doubted that fifteen-year-old him would have remembered much.

gently setting down the menu in defeat, jeongin faced minho with a tiny smile. "i might have to leave this one to you," the younger said, putting in his request with hopeful eyes. "i trust you, anyway." jeongin then turned to look around the expanse of the restaurant. "or we could get a recommendation?" he suggested, on the lookout for a server that was less busy.

@yang jeongin even when their hands separated, minho still felt his warmth, the tips of his fingers tickling with electricity and the back of his hand still tingling with the phantom touch of jeongin's thumb. it was true, from the experience of his senior and multiple reviews he had read online before they arrived; the view was gorgeous. minho had always favored the night life for reasons like this, the ability to tear his gaze away from the cityscape being proven near impossible. but once he pulled his eyes back and in turn taking in jeongin again, his breath had been caught in his throat. no, this view was surely more breathtaking no matter how many times he seen him. it was a view he found himself not minding spending the rest of his life admiring with each passing day.

"you're prettier," he complimented easily with the same lilted tone, unabashedly continuing to trace his features and only dragging his eyes back up to jeongin's brown ones when he turned to face him. minho shook his head and hummed, taking his menu from him with a quiet 'thank you.' really, he was grateful. had jeongin not have broken his concentration, he would've sat here the entirety of the night, chin propped into his palm and adoring his boyfriend.

"not sure! i know their menus are seasonal, so when i tried researching at home the only menu they had available was the one from spring." minho's bottom lip poked out for a brief second, fingers turning each page while his eyes filtered through each option. it had been so long since he actually sat down in a restaurant as fancy as this one. he was grateful who it was with this time, rather than another suffocating experience with his parents. "stuffed rigatoni? hm, it seems they have a lot of pasta, meat and seafood options."

@lee minho a single step into the lounge was all it took for jeongin's eyes to light up, the glow of pretty chandeliers reflected in them. the establishment definitely lived up to its reputation, and jeongin suddenly felt the need to stand a little straighter, a little taller. "okay, we've got to remember to leave some room in our stomachs for the desserts," jeongin replied, corners of his lips lifted into a smile in response to minho's nose scrunch. "and now you get to tell your senior all about it." hoping his sincerity could travel from his heart, across their intertwined hands, to minho, jeongin nodded. "i'm happy i'm here with you."

the hostess' return flustered jeongin slightly, and he nodded hastily when asked to follow her. still, he kept his hand in minho's, all the way to their window seats. with one last brush of his thumb over minho's hand, jeongin let their hands separate as he sat down. his hands now held onto the menu that the hostess had presented before leaving, but his eyes were drawn to the view beside him, the one that had stolen his attention as soon as they had approached the table. rows of building unfurling to make up nowhere city's skyline, and the half moon hanging in the night sky above it all. "it's pretty," jeongin said, almost a whisper, gaze unchanging. it took him a while to capture everything in his eyes before he spoke up again. "yeah, my brother had /no/ idea what he was talking about."

jeongin finally tore his gaze away from the window, sheepish smile on his face as he looked at minho. "sorry to keep you waiting," the younger said, sparing the menu some attention for the first time. "so, what should we get?"

@yang jeongin minho, truly, didn't know what was wrong with him tonight. it was as if he had never been complimented by jeongin before, as if it were his first time being complimented by anybody in his whole entire life. it felt a bit silly to still be so easily flustered, but even as red began to paint his face rather than just his ears, it simply became another reason why he adored his boyfriend so much. "we shall," he hummed while flashing a grin, interlocking his fingers with jeongin's as the familiar, and always welcomed, warmth flooded into his palm.

it didn't take very long for the pair to get inside the lounge, minho telling the hostess the name in which their reservations were under. his eyes had darted around, trying to take in as much as he could while occasionally squeezing at his boyfriend's hand. his nerves had eased by now, melting into even further anticipation for what their night entailed. "other than the view," he started, turning to jeongin, "i heard the food here was really good. one of my senior's came here a few months back and i was so jealous at the time. he wouldn't stop talking about their desserts." his nose scrunched up briefly at the memory, but the warmth never left his eyes while gazing at the younger. now he had a reason to be here. it would surely be a night to remember, at that. "you brought a lot of light into my life. i'm glad i could come here with you."

the hostess returning had pulled minho from his trance, having fell deep into the habit of admiring jeongin everywhere the two went. "come on," minho hummed gently and tugged at jeongin to follow after their hostess, as if he hadn't been the one who started to get starry-eyed. there'd be enough time for that once they sat alone.