Seokwoo's house

@Kim Seokwoo ⚸ "i have no intention of pushing you away, handsome." taeyang didn't need to think twice about that. seokwoo had made him feel things he had gone numb to, and even had he wanted to, he wouldn't have been able to put distance between them now. he had no desire to go back to the way he felt before. with seokwoo, life had regained its color and its flavors and he was desperate to hold onto that for as long as his lover would allow him to. he gazed at seokwoo, his face a little flushed as he thought of the times they had made love already. "i want that too. i want all that you'll let me share with you, seokwoo."

taeyang showed as much care in rinsing seokwoo's hair and washing the lather from his scalp and body as he had shown to him, his long- hands carefully guiding the water back from seokwoo's eyes and tenderly running his fingers over his lover's skin. he lowered his head and pressed soft kisses along his lover's shoulder and up the side of his neck, the faint residue of the shampoo's florals on his lips as he held himself close to seokwoo's back. he ran his hands affectionately along the taller man's wet skin as he held onto his back, affection pouring out of him in place of the too heavy weight of what he had already laid at his lover's feet to explain himself - funny that even in this situation he felt as if he needed to explain himself in order to be even remotely worthy of the feelings that seokwoo instilled in him.

"if we stay in here too long, we'll prune up," taeyang cautioned even as he stood, his nose pressed to the side of seokwoo's neck and his lips grazing lightly there near his nape. "we've got that brunch to get to, right?" he murmured the question as if he didn't know well already, and yet even as he did and he dragged his hands back around seokwoo to run them over his lover's back. for a moment, he couldn't bring himself to put much distance between them, and some part of him was simply left to worry how he would handle the next day apart when already he felt as if he wanted nothing more than to climb out of the shower, dry off, wrap himself up in the offered robe and sink into seokwoo's arms for the rest of the day just to be... and be happy.

@Yoo Taeyang Seokwoo listened to Taeyang's halting explanation. He was relieved to find out that Taeyang's former lover hadn't abused him, but that just meant he'd suffered another kind of pain when his lover died. In those circumstances, it was easy for Seokwoo to understand that after losing someone so important to him why Taeyang, in his despair, might try to end it all. Wrapping his arms around the younger man, Seokwoo whispered against his ear. "You must have loved him very much. I'm sorry you had to go through something like that. I wish I could make it better for you - - just know I'm here now, and I'm not going anywhere."

Leaning back, Seokwoo gazed at Taeyang, his smile a little lopsided. "I've built up some walls too, so I get it. It might not seem like it, but I can be patient. I don't want to pressure you into something you're not ready for. Just - - don't push me away, okay? I'll stay by your side and prove to you how committed I am if you'll give me a chance." Seokwoo wiped some of the shampoo lather off Taeyang's forehead before it could drip into his eyes, his fingers gentle. "I loved what happened between us last night, and I loved having instead of breakfast, but that's not the only thing I'm looking for." Seokwoo rested one of his hands on Taeyang's chest. "I want to know you - - and I want you to know me."

Afraid that he was getting too heavy too fast, Seokwoo turned around, encouraging Taeyang to wash his hair, laughing softly when the younger man about gold stars. He stayed quiet, fearful that if he started speaking again that he might say something too revealing, too emotional. He told himself that he needed to lighten up and enjoy his time with Taeyang - - to let their connection grow and develop at its own pace. Tipping his head back a little so Taeyang could rinse his hair, having relished the sensation of the younger man's fingers combing through his dark locks, skimming over his scalp, taking care of him in a way that no one else ever had before, Seokwoo resolved to reveal all his secrets to Taeyang that night. He'd take Taeyang to the local nightclub for an evening of dancing before he sat him down and confessed what he'd been hiding from the younger man since they'd met. He wasn't sure how Taeyang would react, but he knew he needed to tell him - - and to have faith that if it was meant to be that Taeyang would try to understand.

@Kim Seokwoo ⚸ it was some comfort to hear seokwoo speak as they stood together in the shower, taeyang knowing that he wasn't merely speaking to another wall, that he hadn't managed to cause seokwoo to tune him out when he was finally letting himself speak. he lowered his gaze to his feet, then let his eyes slip shut as seokwoo seemed to fill in space where he had left it. his hand gently touched over seokwoo's on his scar, fingers lacing in between, and then he leaned back to speak so that he didn't have to give the words more volume than they needed over the shower's spray. "it's not what you probably think."

his thumb caressed the side of seokwoo's hand, reminded him that this man was real and here with him and he wasn't in some grey room dream. "he was never abusive." taeyang felt his chest tighten, as if he were descending into a panic attack along with the memory... and then he squeezed seokwoo's fingers and felt the tension release. "he passed away." there was more he could have said, like how angry he had been when he had to call a cab to get home from the hospital on his release from inpatient for another episode, or how his body was already cold when he found him and he still screamed himself hoarse, or the fact it was his late partner's mother who found taeyang on the bathroom floor and saved his life where taeyang's own mother still didn't know it was ever at risk. he inhaled a shaky breath and forced the rest of the thought back down. his teeth caught his bottom lip and he quieted himself in a hurry. "i'm glad i'm still here to be with you, seokwoo."

he let it go, the words washed down the drain along with the shampoo lather that seokwoo helped to rinse away from his hair and his skin. as his lover turned him around, he placed his hands gently on his chest and gazed at him. "closer than for breakfast?" he played along, the ghost of a smile finding a place on his mouth for at least a moment before he held the shampoo in hand and reciprocated the quick kiss. "you're being a very good boy." he set the shampoo aside but within reach and built the lather in his palms before his fingers slid into seokwoo's hair, spreading the foam over scalp and roots and massaging it in as he tipped his head down to kiss seokwoo's bare shoulder. "something about hearing you say you're all mine, even in this context, really does things to me. you're even giving me manner legs, seokwoo. if i had gold stars to give, you would get them all."

@Yoo Taeyang Seokwoo felt a wave of relief wash over him when Taeyang admitted that he wasn't afraid of him. "I know we both have things in our past that worry us - - and I have things I still want to tell you about - - but believe me when I say that your well being means the world to me. Maybe that sounds like a line, especially since we've just met, but it's how I feel. I want you to be happy, and I hope I can be someone who can bring you some happiness." Seokwoo lowered his head, wondering how all these words seemed to spill out of him when he was around Taeyang. He was usually very quiet, often hovering in the background of any group setting, but for some reason, he wanted to share his thoughts and feelings with this beautiful man.

"Two and a half years." Seokwoo repeated the words, his hands grew still, coming to rest on Taeyang's shoulders, the lather of the shampoo sliding down the younger man's back, collecting at their feet. "So that's when - - " Seokwoo didn't say any more, his heart clenching in his chest. His eyes flared red as he thought of the person who hurt Taeyang, and he realized it was a good thing he didn't know who they were because all he wanted to do was hurt them, to make them feel some of the pain that Taeyang must have felt. Lowering one of his hands to Taeyang's hip, he caressed the scar, resting his head on his lover's back, whispering. "I want to know - - and I'm glad you're still here to tell me about it."

Taking a deep breath, Seokwoo resumed washing Taeyang's hair, carefully rinsing it, one of his big hands protecting Taeyang's eyes as the water cleansed away the lather. Once he was finished, Seokwoo turned Taeyang to face him, his hands resting on the younger man's waist, marveling yet again at how slender it was. "I'm glad you share these things with me. It makes me feel closer to you." Trying to lighten the mood, he smiled his best smile, his eyes shining with appreciation. "Why don't you wash my hair now? It's getting quite shaggy and it could use a good wash." Handing the bottle of shampoo to Taeyang, Seokwoo bent forward, stealing a quick kiss. "That's all you get for now. I promised to be a good boy, remember?" Turning, Seokwoo spread his legs, lowering his height a little so it would be easier for Taeyang to reach him. Slicking back his damp hair, he laughed, "I'm all yours - - "

@Kim Seokwoo ⚸ when seokwoo grabbed taeyang's arm, he didn't fight against being pulled back in and held. instead, he felt his pulse quicken and his lungs grow tight as he held his breath and listened to his lover's words. the breath he had held left him slowly, breathed out for just a little longer than he had held it. slow in, hold, slow out. he could keep himself from growing anxious, from speaking too fast and thoughtlessly, from having that happiness pried from his grip. his hands touched at seokwoo's waist, slid toward the small of his back, and he held on, his damp skin pressed against seokwoo's as he gazed at him.

"i'm not." his eyes held seokwoo's. "i'm not afraid of you." because he wasn't. it wasn't seokwoo that scared him. it was the ghosts of the past that still haunted him, that told him that this could be taken away in an instant, that he was too damaged to be worthy of someone else no matter how much he had to give. but seokwoo himself wasn't someone to fear in his eyes. and as his gaze softened, he hoped the older man realized that. for a while, he remained quiet and let himself be turned around. the feel of seokwoo's fingers in his hair and at his scalp and the scent of the shampoo offered a hint of calm.

"it's been about two and a half years now, for me," taeyang said after he felt seokwoo's lips at his nape. his eyes were closed. he tried to caution himself against turning honesty into something that his lover might view as more akin to a therapy session, and yet the way he felt about seokwoo made it difficult to keep these secrets. "in the grand scheme of things i know it's not that long." he said it as if two and a half years wasn't a tenth of his life at that point, and as if seokwoo wouldn't be able to put two and two together that somewhere between then and that moment, taeyang had thought to make sure that milestone wouldn't grow any shorter in the span of his lifetime. "and i'm probably telling you way more than you want to know."

@Yoo Taeyang When Taeyang moved away from him, Seokwoo felt a moment of panic. Could Taeyang want to put distance between them? Was he wrong in thinking that Taeyang cared for him as much as he cared for the younger man? Seokwoo caught Taeyang's arms, tugging the younger man closer to him, holding him against his chest. "You're not being selfish. Or, if you are, I'm being selfish too." Seokwoo confessed, leaning near Taeyang, wanting to be heard over the spray of the shower. "I was in the kitchen, cleaning up, wishing I never had to let you go home. I hate the idea of being separated from you. I feel like I'm in a dream, and if I lose sight of you, I'll wake up and realize this has all been an illusion."

Seokwoo released Taeyang's arms, embarrassed to see the pattern of his hand on the younger man's skin. Pressing a kiss against Taeyang's bicep, Seokwoo added, his voice catching a little, "I know I shouldn't be so possessive. We both have responsibilities - - lives to live - - but I want to stay by your side as much as I can. I guess that does sound selfish, and I'm really rusty when it comes to having someone else in my life, but I don't think what I'm feeling is wrong. I mean - - I want lots of mornings like this too. As long as they can be with you." Seokwoo searched Taeyang's face, his eyes meeting the younger man's. "Don't be afraid of me, please."

To prove his sincerity, Seokwoo turned Taeyang so he was facing away from him. Reaching over, he grabbed the bottle of shampoo, pouring a little in the palm of his hand, the scent of unidentified flowers suddenly filling the air. Gently combing his fingers through Taeyang's dark locks, Seokwoo began to wash the younger man's hair, his touch tender. He couldn't stop himself from leaning closer to his lover, his chest resting against Taeyang's back again, the shampoo lathering up as his fingers continued their work. This simple task made him happy, and he wished he could make that clear to the younger man, his lips pressing a kiss against the nape of Taeyang's neck, tasting the floral notes of the shampoo, a soft sigh escaping his lips.

@Kim Seokwoo ⚸ taeyang had laid seokwoo's shirt aside and climbed into the shower alone, , his stomach and rear both sticky with smeared . it was only a momentary struggle to figure out the taps for just the right temperature for his own shower. for a moment, he simply stood in the peace of it under the flow of warm water wetting his hair and rinsing his and his lover's release from his body. reatreating into his mind as he absently lathered his body, he tried to think just how he managed to get here. what force had brought his path and seokwoo's to cross?

he didn't hear seokwoo over the sound of the shower until he heard the door of it being opened. he was in the midst of rinsing lather from his chest when he glanced over his shoulder with a smile for him. the way that he was pulled back to rest against his lover's chest caused him to laugh softly, eyes slipping shut once more. "mmh, if you do, do i get to wash your back after?" the mere suggestion made him smile, as he slid his other hand up to gently cup seokwoo's cheek, his wet fingers only slightly splayed on his lover's skin as he turned his head to kiss him on the other cheek. even the feel of having his scar touched in something so mundane gave the butterflies in him reason to test their wings. "you're making me want more mornings like this, handsome."

as the words left his lips, taeyang felt a sense of guilt. just because he didn't want to let go of this, it didn't have to mean that seokwoo felt the same way. his fingers slid down, grazing against his lover's strong jaw before settling against the side of his neck. "i'm being selfish, aren't i?" he laughed, the sound a bit empty compared to his usual giggle, and shifted as if to pull himself away within the shower - there it was, an attempt to protect himself at the first real fear that he was probably falling fast and alone.

@Yoo Taeyang Seokwoo smiled when Taeyang stole one last kiss, pausing in the doorway before he finally headed down the hallway toward the kitchen. It was hard for him to walk away from Taeyang, and he wasn't sure how he was going to handle the younger man returning to his own home. At some point, of course, he'd have to face reality. As much as he wanted to keep the younger man by his side, he was fully aware that this was his own selfishness rearing its ugly head again. As he wandered into the kitchen, he took a deep breath, pushing all his worries to the back of his mind, focusing instead on cleaning up. The sooner his work was done, the sooner he could see Taeyang again. That was enough motivation to make him jump into action.

Gathering up the eggs and other breakfast items on the counter, he returned everything to the refrigerator. Eager to finish, he left the pans and utensils where they were - - there was no harm in allowing them to clutter the counter until later. Every spare moment he could give to Taeyang was worth it. Running a dishcloth under the faucet, he wrung it out before cleaning up the which was already drying on the counter and the floor. Chuckling to himself, he realized this was becoming a habit, but he didn't mind. He had a feeling he was going to get very good at wiping up any kind of mess he and Taeyang could create - - and he'd love every minute of it.
Spraying the counter down with a cleaner enhanced with bleach, he used a paper towel to finish his work, tossing it in the garbage before carrying the dishcloth to the laundry room, leaving it the hamper he used for dirty towels and linens.

Work completed, Seokwoo hurried down the hallway to his bedroom, making his way straight to the ensuite. He could see Taeyang's lithesome form in the shower, steam rising around him, and he paused momentarily to drink in the sight. Quickly divesting himself of his robe, tossing it on the counter by the sink, Seokwoo opened the shower door with a sharp click, shutting it behind him before his arms reached out, pulling Taeyang close to him, the younger man's back resting against his chest. Kissing Taeyang's shoulder, Seokwoo couldn't resist running a finger over Taeyang's scar, finding that even something that another might see as a flaw only made Taeyang more intriguing to him. "Can I wash your hair, baby?" Seokwoo asked, his voice soft in Taeayng's ear. "Please?"

@Kim Seokwoo ⚸ slowly, taeyang's shoulders sank and rounded some as he regained himself while looking into seokwoo's eyes with the backs of his thighs now on the hard edge of the counter and his feet nearer to the floor. this connection between them was something he wanted to cling to desperately, and yet something about the older man made it feel as if taeyang didn't need to be a ravening dog at his heels, begging for scraps. he breathed deep, and when he kissed seokwoo, lightly at his lover's upper lip and following him a split second when each kiss separated. it was terrifying to feel this way about another person again, and yet he couldn't bring himself to value the fear more than the happiness that was stirring in him. "glad the feeling is mutual, handsome."

the emptiness that followed when seokwoo pulled free from him, and the slightly ticklish trickle of his lover's release after the initial gout of caused his legs to quiver, muscles tensing in his thighs. it was a shared mess, and seokwoo's shirt on his frame suffered for it as the material, pushed halfway up toward his chest at the front fell back into place. there was a shy, half-apologetic smile on his face and though he opened his mouth to offer an actual apology for the mess, instead he only gasped out as seokwoo lifted him from the counter so easily and held him in his arms like a blushing bride who hadn't just cried and quaked and came on the kitchen counter. he slid his arms around seokwoo's neck and tilted his forehead toward the taller man as he was carried back toward his bedroom and the attached bathroom.

he stood on his feet, arms still around seokwoo's neck a moment longer before he rested his hands over the material of his robe, thumbs brushing back and forth over the strong chest beneath as they kissed one another once more. when they would eventually have to part back to their everyday lives, that would be the hardest thing to go without for hours. "i'll take my time if you promise to at least call me baby again when you get in with me," he murmured, fingers curling around the end of the belt of seokwoo's robe. "brunch sounds nice. i'll try not to fight a little spoiling." he took sight of the towels and the spare robe hanging on the door before he kissed seokwoo just once more and took his hands to himself. then he had to force himself away, to let his fingers thumb open the buttons on the loaned shirt, to shrug out of it without glancing over his shoulder and begging seokwoo to let it wait so he wouldn't be alone for a moment too long - he needed a shower, after all.

@Yoo Taeyang Seokwoo's chest rose and fell as he tried to catch his breath, his eyes, once blurry, focusing on a sight which pleased him very much, Taeyang undone - - because of him. Still buried between Taeyang's walls, Seokwoo knew he should pull out, but he didn't want to. He liked feeling connected to Taeyang. It was a sensation that he hadn't experienced in years - - decades, really - - and as he searched his mind, he wasn't sure if he'd ever felt anything as intense as he felt for Taeyang. Hearing Taeyang's shaky laughter and his soft admission that he loved what had just happened between them, Seokwoo wondered how the younger man would feel if he confessed that love wasn't far from his own thoughts.

Seokwoo gently lowered Taeyang's legs, allowing them to dangle over the counter. He reached out once he felt Taeyang was more comfortable, his fingers caressing the younger man's cheek, his thumb brushing over his cheekbone. Seokwoo found himself lost in his admiration for Taeyang, and it was only the sudden realization that the ingredients for the breakfast Taeyang had so graciously offered to prepare were growing warm on the counter that brought him back to reality. Laughing softly, Seokwoo pressed a few soft kisses against Taeyang's lips. "This wasn't the breakfast that I'd envisioned, but I loved it too." Seokwoo could feel his release pooling between Taeyang's legs, and he sighed softly. "This is the part that I always hate," he muttered, slowly pulling out, releasing a gush of that dripped onto the floor.

Seokwoo grabbed his robe, shrugging it on, tying the sash quickly. Lifting Taeyang off the counter, Seokwoo swept the younger man into his arms, carrying his bridal style, cradling him close to his chest. "Hold on to me," Seokwoo said, striding down the hallway to the bedroom, heading straight to the ensuite. Placing Taeyang on his feet carefully, Seokwoo smiled at the younger man, leaning in for another kiss, his lips lingering this time, his hands massaging Taeyang's biceps. When he finally managed to pull back, Seokwoo murmured, "Take a nice hot shower while I clean up the kitchen. If you take your time, I can join you when I finish." Seokwoo chuckled. "I'll do my best to be a good boy - - and I'm going to take you out to brunch. Let me spoil you a bit, okay?' Seokwoo pointed out a pile of towels, and showed Taeyang where another robe hung on the door. "Help yourself to whatever you need. I'll be back as soon as possible."

@Kim Seokwoo ⚸ taeyang's lids and dark lashes fluttered as he let his head fall back on his shoulders, his body bounced in response to his lover's frantic s, and the sensations building in his stomach like waves brought him closer and closer to that precipice as if it were a waltz more than a tightrope to walk. his walls clenched around seokwoo more and more frequently in an attempt to keep his lover inside him, as if they belonged connected in that way. and yet as everything in him was reaching toward that crescendo for release, he could still feel it brush against emotions held tight in his throat like slender fingertips coaxing them toward the surface once more.

he kissed the older man with his eyes closed, tears gathering on his lashes and spilling down his cheeks, intermingling with the sweat at his jaw and on his neck but not enough to disappear. yet just as before he wept for feeling good, for being seen and felt, for experiencing some connection he thought quite bitterly dead to him - and then thought swept away in favor of flashes of vermillion and aquamarine behind his closed eyes when brushes over the bundle of nerves within him became more like a collision and he held onto seokwoo tight. there was color in his life again, in more ways than one, it wasn't just a fluke or a one night stand. when seokwoo pulled back from the kiss he gazed at him, gripped his lover's neck by the nape and side and a thumb pressed beneath his jawline as his hips swiveled up against seokwoo's in time once more. and then, the dam held no longer. "seokwoo!"

as taeyang sat, shuddering through the waning notes of his , it wasn't just his own , spattered against his toned stomach and rubbed into seokwoo's, it was his lover's both deep inside and seeking a way out. he felt a dribble between firm cheeks gone pink from the hard surface of the counter and the forcefulness of their bodies seeking out that shared . all he could do was let out a shaky giggle. he gazed at his lover as he still panted to catch his breath, his slightly swollen lips slow to close when he caught himself and slowly let his left leg slide over seokwoo's shoulder and rest more at his bicep. "i lo-" he bit his lip, harder than he should have to the point it nearly split instead of just turning brighter red, and laughed breathlessly, "i loved that."

@Yoo Taeyang "Go ahead and make a mess, baby" Seokwoo murmured against Taeyang's lips, unaware that he'd inadvertently used one of the many nicknames that floated around in his head every time he thought of the younger man. his lips, catching the last taste of their kiss, Seokwoo straightened up, pressing one of his hands flat against the counter, the granite offering the resistance he needed as he into Taeyang, his lover's walls rewarding him, clenching around his , the soft noises that Taeyang kept making motivating him to maintain his frantic pace.

Seokwoo leaned in again, a husky laugh rumbling in his chest when he caught Taeyang's lips again, the connection sloppy and wet. He could feel Taeyang's member pressing against his stomach as his body rubbed against the younger man's, Taeyang's legs still managing to dangle over Seokwoo's shoulders even as the older man pushed himself closer, the counter cutting into his thighs. The fire he felt anywhere that Taeyang touched him seemed to have settled in the pit of his stomach, and he knew he was close, his control stretched to the limit. "I c-can't much l-longer," Seokwoo warned, his s growing shorter as his drove into Taeyang's heat.

Body coated in sweat, Seokwoo kept moving, pulling away from their kiss again, trying to focus, his damp hair falling over his forehead, almost blinding him. Reaching up he brushed his fringe out of his eyes, gazing at his lover, his voice beckoning him. "Just let go, baby. Come with me - - " Seokwoo felt Taeyang's walls spasm around his once more, the last push he needed to fall over the edge, his hips bucking feverishly as he came, no to protect Taeyang's walls from his .

@Kim Seokwoo ⚸ once more, taeyang was too lost in the feelings coursing through him, as if a dam had burst, to notice the individual peculiarities about seokwoo as anything more than attractive little nuances about the man he was falling so fast and deeply for. as his lover shook him off in favor of lifting his legs, taeyang placed his hands down on the edges of the counter, his hips sliding forward to the edge of the counter, his body easily folded in two between his own dexterity and seokwoo's strength. he was flushed, being in this position, so vulnerable and exposed and yet somehow feeling a sort of erse security in it, in his lover's hold on him.

his breathing quickened as seokwoo touched his , the pre that threatened to dribble into the material of that loaned shirt on his frame quickly used as a bit of lubricant for himself while he watched his lover intently, his lips parted around the occasional breath between the soft whimpers that spilled over in need of his lover. he didn't worry about the lube or the condoms because all that mattered right now was in being one with seokwoo again. "please, please-" he panted, pleading with a soft cry for seokwoo just to hurry with how desperately his need for the taller man was bubbling over. as seokwoo pushed his way in, and taeyang felt him without a barrier and a little extra friction beside the combination of his own precum and seokwoo's spit, he cried out his lover's name as if he were already in paroxysms of pleasure. but what greater pleasure was there than being one with a man who he was starting to think carried the other half of his soul.

there was no coaxing needed to get taeyang to lean in as much as he could, besides the little rock of his hips against the counter's edge to meet seokwoo, and give his lover just what was asked for - or perhaps commanded of him. he barely slid a hand into the gap between his knee and the side of his lover's neck in this position, but his fingers just managed to grasp his nape and draw him in as much as pull himself up. his mouth south seokwoo's, his kiss trembling as the audible whimpers of his need and his pleasure dribbled onto the older man's lips like ruby red wine as his proverbial cup runneth over. he was no less sensitive than the night before, and he was soon whispering warnings to his lover. "i-i'm- i'll make a mess-"

@Yoo Taeyang Hearing the desire in his lover's voice was all Seokwoo needed to completely abandon the thought of preparing breakfast in favor of what he was really craving - - Taeyang. Scattering a few soft, wet kisses along Taeyang's throat, he paused when he reached his ear, catching the lobe with his teeth, making sure not to bite down, his lips on the sensitive spot before he leaned back, passion glimmering in the depths of his eyes, the red color returning to them as he stared at the younger man. "I need you too, Taeyang" Seokwoo's voice caressed the younger's name as he slowly slid his hands down Taeyang's bare legs, gripping them behind the knee, pulling them over his shoulders after he shook off his lover's hands, exposing Taeyang's entrance.

Once Taeyang;s legs were settled over his shoulders, Seokwoo slipped an arm around Taeyang's waist to help support him, his free hand reaching for his , rubbing the precum that was already collecting at the tip against Taeyang's hole. The condoms and lube were in the bedroom, and Seokwoo knew he should stop and get them, but he couldn't. He wanted Taeyang too much. Releasing , he spat on his fingers, slipping one inside Taeyang. "You're so tight - - " ing his finger deeper, he turned his head, nuzzling Taeyang's thigh, pressing a kiss just above the younger man's knee. "I can't wait." Seokwoo's blunt admission hung in the air as he pulled his finger out after a few s, grasping the head of his again, holding it against Taeyang's entrance. As he pushed inside, he groaned, his head falling forward, the muscles in his legs growing taut as his hips bucked forward.

Seokwoo's hips began to move quickly, his eyes widening a bit as he watched his length disappear inside Taeyang, the counter digging into his thighs as he pressed closer to the man who had enchanted him since the moment they had met. Leaning forward, his arm still circling Taeyang's waist, his fingers digging into the small of his back, Seokwoo pushed Taeyang's legs against his own chest, mumbling, "Kiss me." Even as he into the younger man, their labored breathing filling the air, he needed more. He needed the intimacy of a kiss, that perfect connection, his lips craving the taste of Taeyang's mouth.

@Kim Seokwoo ⚸ was it okay to feel this way toward seokwoo? to crave his embrace and the taste of his kiss and the peculiar coolness of his skin to the point that he would forego breakfast to be intimate again so soon. taeyang couldn't be sure, but he couldn't tell himself that it wasn't okay either. he knew that eggs and toast were easy enough to give up, however, and there was more fulfillment to be had in the arms of his lover. god, it felt good to still think of him that way. his belly could go empty a little while longer so that his soul could feel full in a way it hadn't for so, so very long. when his tongue danced with seokwoo's, his arms held about the taller man's shoulders and he pressed against him from chest to flat belly, he could feel that almost foreign satiety.

the feel of seokwoo's face at taeyang's neck elicited a soft exhale, the sound near verging to a moan as his nerves sang. the familiar swarm in his stomach had grown active, battering first against his diaphragm as he clutched a little tighter to seokwoo, then sinking into the space between his hips as he heard his lover's mumbled words as much as felt them on his skin. his eyes were hooded, watching the reappearance of seokwoo's bare skin and his hands and arms readjusted their hold upon his lover's shoulders. his long fingers curled over seokwoo's nape, cradling him as he slowly filled his lungs with a much needed breath at being touched once more so intimately. he felt as he had when seokwoo first touched him, all over again. his lips grazed against the shell of seokwoo's ear. he was wanted, but his own feelings seemed almost imperatives in comparison.

"i need you." his voice was barely a whimper as he pressed against his lover's questing fingers. he wasn't used to this sort of domesticity, wanting to make love in the kitchen while wearing only his lover's shirt. his thighs grazed against seokwoo's sides, skin-to-skin as he lowered his face to his lover's shoulder. he placed open-mouthed kisses to the taller man's skin, seeking not to leave a mark so much as to have all of him on his lips and tongue. "please, seokwoo," he whispered into the taller man's neck, "i need you like i need water."

@Yoo Taeyang It flashed through Seokwoo's mind as he lifted Taeyang onto the counter that he was being selfish again. To be a gracious host, he really should let the younger man eat his breakfast, but food meant so little to Seokwoo that he forgot his manners. His human side allowed him to ingest food, something a full blooded vampire would never do, but his vampire side allowed him to survive on blood alone if necessary. For the most part, he ate meals to fit into human society, but when push came to shove, his own desires would always win over food - - and right now, he desired Taeyang.

His arms dropping to his sides, Seokwoo reached out, gripping the younger man's firm thighs, his fingers digging into his flesh. Seokwoo groaned softly when he felt Taeyang's tongue teasing his mouth, his lips parting to welcome Taeyang inside. While their chests rubbed together, Seokwoo slid both his arms around the younger man, noting once again how lithesome Taeyang's body was - - like a dancer, really - - supple limbs and a slender torso, and he felt very lucky that this amazing man hadn't already been snapped up by someone else. Tipping his head to one side, allowing Taeyang to deepen the kiss, he shuddered when their tongues met, his arms flexing involuntarily, tugging Taeyang closer to the edge of the counter.

He could feel his getting hard again, and he swallowed thickly, wondering if he was being a brute, making demands on Taeyang because he was so needy. Yet once he had Taeyang in his arms, he felt like they were connected somehow, that Taeyang understood how much he wanted him, that this was not some "one night" fling for Seokwoo. Pulling away from the kiss, his lips a little swollen, he nuzzled Taeyang's tempting throat, listening to his blood pumping through his veins. "I want you so much," he mumbled against Taeyang's skin. While one hand kept a tight hold on the younger man, the other slipped down, untying the sash of his robe, a shake of his shoulders allowing it to fall to the ground. Slipping his errant hand under the shirt Taeyang had borrowed, Seokwoo skimmed the pads of his fingers over Taeyang's muscular abdomen, purposely avoiding the younger man's , wanting to hear a plea from Taeyang, proof that he wanted him too.

@Kim Seokwoo ⚸ "you had me worried, handsome," taeyang admitted, his chin tipped down as seokwoo held his hand from his chest and offered such small, simple affection to him. he nodded in understanding, feeling far too much like he was gazing into his own reflection as seokwoo explained his feelings. for a while, he could only stand in contemplation of how it was that he seemed to have met someone so like him that he wasn't certain if he should be worried he hadn't sought the door the second the opportunity presented itself to him in the morning. of course, seokwoo wasn't running either when taeyang had made it very clear he is, undeniably, broken.

he turned with seokwoo's urging, leaned back against the counter and ran his free hand along the middle of the older man's back. his fingers curled into material, clinging on as he felt his feet briefly leave the floor as seokwoo sat him up on the counter and put enough space between his thighs that it wasn't exactly a secret any longer that the only thing he wore was seokwoo's shirt. "that makes two of us. i wouldn't call myself magical. maybe it's just my natural magnetism." then he laughed. it was quiet, but it was clearly at himself. and yet here this man was pouring out his heart, and all he could do at first was nod. "me too, seokwoo," he murmured, his hands finding new purchase - one at the taller man's shoulder and the other slid into his hair and curling within soft strands as they simply looked at one another.

"i don't know what you're doing to me," he murmured, lips grazing lightly against seokwoo's jaw as he sat with his nose to the other's cheek, "but it's everything right." those little cheek kisses, the ones that ventured so near his lips, they seemed to leave him breathless when coupled with the weight of these feelings. his thighs pressed around seokwoo to keep him there, their bodies close together as he returned the kiss proper - the tip of his tongue threading gently against seokwoo's lips as if to coax him into something just a bit deeper while the ingredients for breakfast, and the purpose of the kitchen, lie forgotten in favor of another round of intimacy.

@Yoo Taeyang "No, no - - I'm fine, really," Seokwoo smiled reassuringly, lifting Taeyang's hand off of his chest, nuzzling his palm before he kissed it, his eyes shutting for a moment before he lifted his head to gaze at his lover, his admiration clear on his face. "If I have an illness, it's lovesickness, and I don't really mind. It's just not something I'm used to, but I'd like to be." Seokwoo's expression changed again, a look bordering on shyness settling on his features before he spoke again. "I've kept most people at arm's length for years. The minute I met you, though, I didn't want any distance between us. Maybe you're magically or something - - "

Seokwoo's voice trailed off, and, forgetting about breakfast, he grasped Taeyang's slim waist, pushing him toward the counter behind him. Once Taeyang's back met the row of cabinets, the edge of the granite gently pressing into his skin through his borrowed shirt, Seokwoo lifted him onto the counter. Pushing Taeyang's thighs apart, Seokwoo moved between them, resting his hands next to Taeyang's bare legs. Looking up at his lover, Seokwoo smiled again, the shyness gone, one of his fingers reaching out to trace the younger man's sharp jawline. "I know we barely know each other, but I already feel like I want to spend every waking moment with you." Seokwoo's hand left Taeyang's jaw, slipping around to caress his nape. He stared at Taeyang’s lips, his tongue running over his own plush brims before he blinked a few times, breaking himself out of his reverie. His fingers massaged the back of Taeyang’s neck, slowly pulling him near while he leaned closer, mumbling to no one in particular, just saying his thoughts out loud. “Lovely, lovely - - “

Seokwoo pressed a kiss against Taeyang’s cheek, his movements slow, before his lips strayed over, catching the corner of the younger man’s mouth. His mouth seemed satisfied to cling there, but when he finally pulled back, he only hesitated for a second, leaning in again, his lips molding against Taeyang’s, his free arm slipping around the younger man’s gracefully thin frame, his hand sliding up his back, fingers splayed open, the back of his shirt, tugging him flush with his chest.

@Kim Seokwoo ⚸ how remarkable to taeyang that he could so easily lean back into the arms that held him, rest against seokwoo's chest and tilt his head toward his shoulder as he savored the feel of his lover's mouth wherever it chose to grace him. "not easy to be out of your sight right now either, handsome," he murmured, eyes nearly closed. he turned easily in seokwoo's hold and slid his arms over the taller man's shoulders, loosely hooking them behind his neck. "i love that i can be motivating." there was a small pause, like a little hiccup after the heaviest word in the sentiment, and he could feel his face warm from being so near seokwoo with his head in his thoughts. he returned the kiss, lips parting slightly to envelop, and the taste of mint on both their tongues and slowly blending into the familiar sensory melange of the kiss. it was getting to be too easy with seokwoo.

when they parted, he gazed at seokwoo with pink cheeks, soft eyes and slightly parted lips. when he regained himself a split second later, he nodded and slid his hands to seokwoo's chest while they both seemed to be squaring themselves. "that sounds like a good idea." his fingertips were the last to slide away from seokwoo before he joined him at the sink, his hip casually pressing in against the other's while he washed his hands and went on his way to the refrigerator to look for his selections. while seokwoo was so eager to get the needed utensils and dishes sorted out, taeyang chose more than he normally would for a breakfast alone - in a sense, it was an event. "let's have toast," he agreed. he had found the eggs, a wedge of hard cheese to grate, and rather than choose the bit of leftover rice he found in the fridge as a perfectly acceptable compliment, he held the milk carton in his hand like a trophy and a small package of bacon balanced atop the egg carton and cheese. "are you-" he stopped himself from asking about the possibility of something as lavishly out of place as pancakes to see seokwoo gripping the counter's edge.

taeyang set everything down, closed the door to the refrigerator with his hip, and swept over to seokwoo in his long, lanky stride to wrap an arm around his lover and cup his cheek in his other hand. "hey," he murmured, "there's nothing wrong with not being used to this sort of thing. i'm not anymore, either." his voice was soft as he brushed his thumb over the older man's cheekbone. while taeyang wouldn't say why, the sight of seokwoo seemingly pained caused his eyes to grow glassy as he lowered his hand from his lover's cheek to rest on his chest. "you're not going to have a heart attack on me, are you?"

@Yoo Taeyang Seokwoo smiled when he felt Taeyang's hand on his arm. It was a simple thing, just a gentle touch, but it meant the world to him. He had someone in his life again, and he was going to do everything he could to make sure that he didn't mess this up. Once Taeyang moved further into the kitchen, heading over to the refrigerator, Seokwoo followed him like a moth attracted to a flame, his arms reaching for him, hugging him from behind. Leaning over Taeyang's shoulder, he inhaled deeply, Taeyang's familiar scent making his heart flutter. "I don't want to let you out of my sight, so I'd love to cook with you." Pressing a kiss against Taeyang's neck, his lips lingering just below Taeyang's ear, Seokwoo ultimately turned his lover to face him, his expression growing softer the moment he could see Taeyang's features clearly. "First I need some motivation." Cupping Taeyang's cheeks, Seokwoo bent closer, pressing his lips against Taeyang's, his mouth moving slowly, his hands holding the younger man with a tenderness he'd never felt for anyone before.

Seokwoo wasn't sure how long the kiss lasted, but when he finally pulled away, he reached up and touched his lips, surprised by how intense even this gentle connection felt to him. Straightening his shoulders, he shook off his reverie, flashing a happy grin in Taeyang's direction. "You get the eggs and anything else you see that you'd like to have with them, and I'll work on the pots and pans." After washing his hands, Seokwoo headed over to the stove, opening a cupboard, pulling out a skillet, placing it on one of the burners. Grabbing things that Taeyang would need to cook - - a mixing bowl, a fork and spoon, a turner and a spatula, olive oil and butter - - Seokwoo scrunched his nose, trying to decide if he was forgetting anything. "How about toast? Should I make us some?" He turned toward Taeyang, his face expectant, and he was immediately overwhelmed again by the sight of his lover in his shirt. Sighing, he turned away, gripping the counter in front of him, his voice a little shaky. "It's going to take me a while to get used to all of this. You - - you're so - - I don't even have the words. It's been so long since I've felt anything. I just glance in your direction, and my chest - - " Reaching up, Seokwoo clutched at the robe, his fabric wadded up against the palm of his hand.

@Kim Seokwoo ⚸ “singe the kitchen? perish the thought. the pan though…” taeyang’s voice had trailed off, but the sound of his smile was evident in his tone. the sense of seokwoo’s skin remained at his lips after he had kissed his chest, and his slender fingers brushed over his tiers as if to savor it, and his tongue threaded between when there were only dregs of it to drink. “i can do scrambled,” he practically hummed the words in agreement, having to shake himself from that momentary reverie over something so small. then he sat at the edge of the bed, bare legs swung over the edge, after seokwoo had left his side. his eyes followed his lover’s movements, and taeyang realized that even now when he wasn’t in the taller man’s arms - when he had every intention of leaving his bed - he could still think of him in those terms. it was relieving. “i’ll see you there, bare legs and all,” he agreed.

for taeyang, as he padded his way to the bathroom and slipped his feet into the slippers there, his startling realization was that he had begun to think of a future morning. one in which he and seokwoo would weave around each other in the en suite bathroom to handle those morning tasks together instead of offering some hint of privacy to the mundane act of morning preparedness. taeyang was quick, of course, the type to brush his teeth with his left hand while he combed his hair out with his right, all while seated on the commode just to save time (how many times had he had to do four things at once to be on time just walking downstairs to open shop?). but in seokwoo’s bathroom, there was a need to be neat - to the point of making sure he didn’t spit out minty fresh mouthwash and splash back on the faucet, didn’t leave a stray hair on the counter or on a borrowed comb. in a way, he was making sure that the evidence of himself he left behind in seokwoo’s life would be curated to just the scent of left in his sheets, the edges perfumed by cardamom and amber.

he made his way downstairs in seokwoo’s shirt, the collar a touch damp from having washed his face, his feet having traded the bathroom slippers back for the house slippers that were bought just to be his. perhaps in some senses, he was pressing his luck - like in not having put his boxers back on from the night before so that he was genuinely clothed in nothing but the borrowed fabric. he wasn’t exactly surprised to see seokwoo ahead of him, even in such purposeful corner cutting. it gave him the opportunity to step behind his lover, one hand at the taller man’s arm to announce himself as he tipped his head up and gazed his lips against his nape. “guess i’m the rotten egg,” he whispered. his laughter was soft, subdued, as he stepped around him into the kitchen to begin the task of learning his way around enough to at least put together some semblance of a breakfast. “you’re going to have to tell me where everything is.” he looked over his shoulder as he made his way to the refrigerator, bare legs still quite obviously on display. “i have a feeling your kitchen and mine aren’t set up quite the same. unless… you want to cook with me?”

@Yoo Taeyang Seokwoo was starting too look forward to Taeyang's giggles, especially if he had a hand in helping to elicit them. "I might have to have you sleep with me every night from now on. I'm usually lucky if I get a few hours, but i slept straight through last night." Heading over to the closet, he turned back to look at Taeyang, his smile blooming as he watched him stretch his supple limbs, his muscles flexing under his skin. Shaking his head, Seokwoo tried to keep the humor in his voice, but he couldn't stop his tone from becoming serious. "No burning yourself, okay? You can singe the kitchen a bit if you must, but I don't want anything happening to you." The trip to the closet and back didn't take long, and once Seokwoo had the shirt he wanted, he hurried back to the bed, offering the garment to Taeyang. He shivered a little when Taeyang's fingers touched his thigh, and he couldn't resist stroking the younger man's hair when he leaned in to kiss him, the robe exposing his chest, his skin warm where Taeyang's lips lingered.

"How about scrambled eggs," Seokwoo suggested. Honestly, he liked eggs in most forms, but scrambled seemed just the ticket for a lazy morning. He didn't want Taeyang slaving over a stove - - he wanted him on his lap so he could feed him. Hopping off the bed, Seokwoo flashed his best smile in the younger man's direction, nodding appreciatively because Taeyang looked so good in his shirt. "Why don't you use the ensuite, and I'll use the bathroom down the hall? Meet me in the kitchen in 10 minutes - - last one there is a rotten egg." Pausing in the doorway of the bedroom, Seokwoo added, "There are some slippers in the bathroom if you'd like to wear them. In fact, you can think of my clothes as your clothes. Just do me a favor - - don't cover up your legs right now. I love looking at them."

Waving as he left the room, Seokwoo trotted down the hall to the guest bathroom, startled when he realized that he was whistling. He quickly washed his face and combed his hair before he exhaled into his cupped hand, checking out his breath. He thought it smelled fine, but he used some mouthwash anyway just to be on the safe side. Examining his reflection in the mirror, he wondered why he didn't look different. He felt like a new man. Shrugging, Seokwoo tightened the sash on his robe before he tossed a hand towel at the mirror, laughing at himself, his feet scurrying down the hallway to the kitchen, already eager to see Taeyang again.

@Kim Seokwoo ⚸ "you have trouble sleeping too?" taeyang asked, not exactly seeking anything deeper than to express that it wasn't only seokwoo who slept better than usual when beside each other. his smile widened, a soft giggle dripping from his lips as he cuddled even closer to his lover. "maybe i did. or we're just of a similar mind," he repaid the nibbling with his lips grazing against seokwoo's jaw. "i think i'll sooner take my chances with that danger than being clumsy and burning myself in your kitchen. that danger sounds... fun."

he shifted in bed, moving to his back as seokwoo moved away from him. it was too easy, even the morning after, almost natural to be like this together. that thought likely should have scared him, and yet he was content to lie back, slowly stretching out his long, slender limbs like a cat, the muscle tone all the more apparent in his stomach and biceps and even his forearms for that brief instant before he relaxed once more. the contentment evident on his face remained even as he slowly sat up and combed his fingers through his hair to try and offer some semblance of order to the strands as they waved over his ears and stood a little higher to one side from the pillow.

as seokwoo returned to the bed, he touched his lover's leg and shifted a leg beneath himself to lean toward him and kiss his chest through the window framed by the lapels of the bathrobe he wore. "that looks perfect, handsome." he took the shirt himself, careful in opening buttons and shrugging into the sleeves. as it hung open on his shoulders, he slowly dragged his legs off the bed and fastened the two center buttons on seokwoo's shirt on his own frame before he stood from the bed, the sleeves hung over his palms, the shirt's collar hung toward the point of his right shoulder and his sunflower tattoo only peeking out from below the shirt's hem. he reached out to brush his long fingers through seokwoo's hair. "how do you usually like your eggs?"

@Yoo Taeyang "I haven't slept this well in as long as i can remember, " Seokwoo confessed, smiling a little sheepishly because he had memories of decades past, but he didn't really want to explain that to Taeyang yet. Basking in the younger man's gentle affection, Seokwoo had no desire to leave the warmth of his bed. At least, he didn't want to move until he heard Taeyang's question, his eyes widening. "Did you read my mind?" he asked, nibbling on Taeyang's cheek. "I would be honored if you'd wear one of my shirts - - though it might be just as dangerous as staying , to be honest."

Grinning, Seokwoo slowly scooted to the edge of the bed, looking around for the robe he'd slipped out of last night, chuckling when he saw all of their clothes scattered around the room like breadcumbs on the forest floor in an ancient fairy tale. Rising to his feet, comfortable in his birthday suit, he found the robe, giving it a shake before he pulled it on, the sash tied nonchalantly around his hips. Heading over to his closet, he studied his shirts, his eyes brightening when he saw one of his favorites, a traditional button down in a pale blue. Most people would see it as a nondescript article of clothing, but Seokwoo had been wearing it when he saw Taeyang the first time. Taking it off its hanger, he carried it back over to the bed, settling on his knees next to Taeyang, the robe revealing one of his muscular thighs. Handing the shirt to Taeyang, an almost shy smile on his face, he asked, "How about this shirt? I bet you'll look great."

@Kim Seokwoo ⚸ sleep for taeyang had been a luxury for some time now that he only afforded a few hours of with melatonin and magnesium, swallowed down at his bedside, and the nightmares that came with were an unfortunate but unavoidable side effect. yet in seokwoo's bed, in his arms, taeyang slept soundly. his sleep was mercifully dreamless, or at least that's what he would think when he woke shortly after to the feel of warm lips on his own. his eyes remained closed as the words settled into his conscious thought, and he knew that it was his lover waking him. blindly, his hand ran from the small of seokwoo's back, up along his side, to gently touch at his cheek.

"good morning, handsome," he murmured in reply, the soft petals of his lips still close enough to graze against his lover's mouth once more. he opened his eyes slowly, his expression slowly taking on a wide smile, one that made his eyes crinkle at the corners. "how did you sleep?" he asked quietly, his fingers gently caressing the taller man's cheek as he let himself slowly wake in the comforting embrace of the bedclothes and the mattress. it was going to take a herculean will to make himself leave the bed when the sheer comfort is enough to make his limbs feel heavier than usual. his nose grazed against seokwoo's as he still lay so close, and then reluctantly drew back after his lips tenderly touched at the corner of his mouth, then his cheek. "do you mind if i borrow a shirt? might be a little dangerous to stay next to the stove."

@Yoo Taeyang Seokwoo rarely slept well. His human side wanted to sleep at night, and his vampire side wanted to hibernate during the day. He tended to fight both impulses, and he ended up catching the occasional fretful nap. The lack of sleep didn't hurt him too much - - his vampire side made sleep a luxury, not a necessity, but he hated the long, wakeful hours when his mind would lead him down a path of sorrowful memories and remorseful regrets.

When his eyes opened the next morning, the first thing Seokwoo saw was Taeyang sleeping next to him, looking beautiful, his hair hiding his eyes, and he realized that he'd had a long, restful sleep for the first time in a long time. Rolling over on his back, Seokwoo stared up at the ceiling, a grateful smile on his lips, mumbling "It was real, it was real." Shutting his eyes for a few seconds, Seokwoo soon got lost in a little daydream where Taeyang was puttering around his kitchen, dressed in one of his shirts, his legs bare, his hair tousled, and breakfast soon forgotten when Seokwoo pounced on the younger man, covering him in kisses. Laughing softly, covering his mouth with his hand so he wouldn't disturb Taeyang, he turned back toward the younger man, settling on his side, watching him sleep, his fingers reaching out tentatively, his thumb gently brushing over Taeyang's cheekbone. Biting his lip, his smile sparkling in his eyes, Seokwoo decided to risk waking Taeyang, leaning closer, mumbling "Good morning, beautiful" before his mouth captured Taeyang's soft lips.

@Kim Seokwoo ⚸ the way seokwoo spoke to taeyang, both on the realization of what he had done, and now that he admitted his weakness to him, still managed to surprise him - and yet be a comfort that he had needed for far too long. he didn’t address it, of course, he just tucked himself back into seokwoo’s chest when he had the opportunity to again. his lips grazed at his lover’s shoulder and he softly murmured his “thank you” into skin gone cool compared to the heat still lingering in his own.

he lay quietly, listening to seokwoo speak as he slid his arm back over the taller man’s middle. somehow, those shared words only managed to make him feel closer… and closer, falling deeper into the feelings that had brought him to the conclusion that he needed to say something. the fear that something he could say would drive them apart was fading, slowly creeping back into some darker corner within him. he could deal with that fear lurking in the background a little longer more than having it cling onto his back.

“oh?” he tipped his head back to look at seokwoo at the mention of a club. that awkward little smile, pressed together lips and the corners upturned into his cheeks, reappeared on his face. a club was out of the norm for him, but if it was somewhere seokwoo knew and felt comfortable, and seokwoo wished to dance with him - well, that seemed good reason to make an exception. he scooted up a little on the bed, his unaltered hip sliding over sheets, so that he could face his lover and kiss his lips. “i would love that,” he murmured against the other’s lips. “we should get some sleep though,” he adds, “and i’ll make breakfast in the morning.”

@Yoo Taeyang "I bet you're stronger than you think," Seokwoo said, reflecting on the bad years he himself had suffered through, the number far exceeding the years of Taeyang's existence. Blinking back the tears that had threatened to fall, Seokwoo ended up shutting his eyes when Taeyang reached out to touch his face, the heat of the younger man's fingers calming Seokwoo, the indignation he'd felt at whoever had hurt Taeyang in the past tamped down to a slow burn in the back of his mind. He wanted to know more, but he agreed that it was something they could talk about later. Right now, he just wanted to hold Taeyang while they both chased after some sleep.

Lying back down, Seokwoo tugged Taeyang closer to him, skin against skin, content to maintain a companionable silence while they both settled comfortably under the blankets again. Seokwoo was startled by how proud he felt that Taeyang trusted him enough to share a painful secret about himself. It made the older man feel worse about the secret that he was hiding. Gently tucking a strand of dark hair behind Taeyang's ear, Seokwoo spoke, his voice low, almost conspiratorial as if he was revealing something for Taeyang's ears only. "I hope this makes sense, but I'm happy you feel comfortable telling me about your scar. If it changes anything, it makes me want to treasure you even more." Pausing for a moment, Seokwoo added, "I have something I want to tell you too, but I think we should rest right now. I'd like to take you out again tomorrow. I want to dance with you, so I hope you won't mind going to a club I know. I'll share my secret too - - I don't want to keep anything from you."

Seokwoo's voice trailed off, one of his big hands slowly rubbing Taeyang's back. Taking a deep breath, he mustered up the energy to ask, "What do you think? Ready for an evening on the dance floor with me?" Seokwoo felt like an awkward high school boy asking his crush on a date, and he smiled a little wistfully, his concern about Taeyang's potential reaction to his secret hardly assuaged.

@Kim Seokwoo ⚸ a lump had formed in taeyang's throat as he considered the fact seokwoo might wish him out of his bed, so when his lover just gathered him closer in his arms, speaking so few but such tender words, he swallowed hard and hid his face in the taller man's shoulder. he slid his arm over seokwoo's side and held on tight, remaining hidden until he felt his breathing grow even and he dared look at him once again. the question caused him to shake his head, at first not wanting to dredge up old memories when he had been so committed to growing toward the sun that he had poetically had that sentiment inked onto his own skin to conceal a still too recent past. "seokwoo-"

he could scarcely react until after the blanket was already off of them both and seokwoo was down between their thighs, his fingers on his scar, then his lips. he rested back, his eyes glassy, and he looked at this man who could hear something like that and not think twice about calling him so sweetly. "i had a few bad years," he admitted after a moment, his hand inching down the length of his body to touch at seokwoo's cheek. the pad of his thumb brushed at the corner of the older man's eye. "i'm not exactly the strongest man, that's all." his already thin waist sank as his next breath out even deprived his belly of strength. "we don't have to talk about it all tonight, handsome. come... come lie down with me again."

@Yoo Taeyang Seokwoo listened, keeping his expression calm, but the moment Taeyang admitted that he'd inflicted the long, jagged scar on himself, he couldn't stifle his gasp, the sudden rush of air in past his parted lips almost enough to choke him. "Baby - - ," he muttered under his breath, his arms instinctively wrapping around Taeyang like he was trying to shield him from all the pain in the world. He realized that Taeyang thought that the fact that he'd harmed himself - - potentially killed himself - - was a deal breaker, but if anything, it made Seokwoo want to protect Taeyang even more, his heart hurting when he thought about the trauma that must have caused Taeyang to think what he did was the best solution. Holding his lover in his arms, Seokwoo whispered soft words in his ears, reassuring the younger man that nothing had changed. "It's okay, it's okay - - "

He could still feel the strong pulse of Taeyang's femoral artery against the pads of his fingers, and he knew how life threatening severing it would be. Leaning back a little, his arms still enfolding the younger man, Seokwoo studied his face, missing the smile that usually greeted him. "What did they do to you?" Seokwoo wasn't sure what to say or what to ask, but he knew none of it mattered. Whatever had driven Taeyang to despair would never be able to touch him like that again if Seokwoo could help it. His own worries about the massive amount of baggage he had yet to share faded into the background as he struggled to think of how he could convince Taeyang that the only thing his confession did was to increase Seokwoo's feelings for him. With some reluctance, he released Taeyang from his embrace, pushing the blankets aside, exposing Taeyang's hip, his fingers reaching for the scar again before he leaned in to kiss it, his eyes shimmering with a glaze of unshed tears, his voice catching in his throat. "Baby - - "