cold | junhao

三十六

Of course, the curtains are still open the next morning, and being right in front of the two boys' faces, they both wake up with squinted eyes and pained groans. Jun lifts his head and immediately feels the strain pulling against his neck, having fallen asleep with his chin on his chest.

Jeonghan is luckier, and stretches his arms out to the side as he yawns widely. "The morning is almost too perfect," he mutters. "It's mocking me."

Jun lets out a small breath of laughter, stumbling to his feet and shaking his entire body. "What time is it?"

Jeonghan grabs his phone. "Just gone 8 o'clock. I'm hungry," he continues to whine, rubbing his stomach. "Haven't eaten since lunch yesterday. But..." he eyes the door. "I don't want to go out there."

Following the elder's eyes to the locked door, and remembering what lies beyond it, Jun nods. "I'll get us something," he says, "Just tell me where everything is."

Jun returns not long later with two bowls of cereal, each filled with as much as he could fit without risking spilling any on his way back upstairs. Jeonghan thanks him and they eat in silence, both staring out the window, watching birds and bees and butterflies flitter past. As they eat, something about what Jeonghan said earlier clicks in Jun's head. With the situations both of them have found themselves in, it really does feel like a mockery: to see so many creatures out there who have nothing tying them down, no obligation to be anywhere or do anything—they're free from restraints that hold humans back, how nice must that be?

Leaning back against the bed, Jun scoops up the last few mouthfuls of cereal. As he does, he feels a vibration in his pocket. He thought he left his phone back in the spare room. He digs it out, using one hand to flick through the notifications rolling in to find the message from Minghao: we're still hanging out today right? can we go laser-tagging? i've never had anyone to do it with and don't wanna go alone

The message makes Jun smile, and he instantly types out a text back agreeing. Minghao replies, saying he'll be at Jun's house within an hour, and Jun's eyes widen. no it's fine, he texts back, I'll meet you at your house :)

Thankfully Minghao doesn't question him, and so Jun pushes himself to his feet.

"Are you sure you don't mind me going?" Jun asks Jeonghan, as he's pulling a sweatshirt over his shoulders.

Jeonghan shakes his head. "I'm gonna hang out with Chan, and Seokmin might turn up too," he looks up at Jun from his bed with a smirk on his face. "Who would I be to separate young love?"

Jun picks up a pillow that's somehow ended up on the floor and chucks it towards the bed. It lands perfectly on Jeonghan's face, but before he can leap out of bed and run after him, Jun is racing from the room and barrelling down the stairs. He waves to Jeonghan's parents on his way out when he sees them in the kitchen.

As it turns out, Jeonghan's house is a lot closer to Minghao's than Jun originally realised—within five minutes of speed walking, he's running up the driveway and soon banging his fist against the door.

"I gave you a key for a reason," Minghao says as he pulls the door open, revealing himself in just boxers with a towel over one shoulder. "I was just about to get in the shower." As Jun steps over the threshold, he pulls the still sleepy Minghao in for a kiss, wrapping his arm around his lower back and using the other to cup his cheek. Their lips move against each other for a while, until they eventually pull back and walk up to Minghao's room.

"Do you mind if I shower too?" Jun asks. "I haven't had the chance."

Minghao nods, "There's towels in the drawer over there." He points to the opposite side of his room at an old and rickety chest of drawers, with intricate carvings over the outside.

Before Minghao has the chance to disappear, Jun pulls him back and drops his hands to Minghao's hips. "We should shower together, right?" he grins, swaying their bodies lightly back and forth.

Minghao rolls his eyes. "We're not having sex in the shower again. You almost broke your leg last time."

Jun shrugs, "A minor sacrifice." He pulls his shirt over his head. "So, we just won't have sex. Simple as that."

"Nice try," Minghao teases. "I'm going first."

With that, he disappears into the bathroom. 

Minghao dresses quickly after showering, and is fiddling with his hair when Jun comes out of the bathroom.

"Can I borrow a jumper or something?" Minghao stands up and walks over to where Jun is standing shirtless in the middle of the room, switching his weight from foot to foot. He watches Minghao go over to his wardrobe, and stand there for a while just staring at the inside. Eventually, he reaches up and takes out a dark green hoodie.

He passes it to Jun. "You can keep it," he says. "It's too big for me anyway."

Jun pulls the hoodie over his head instantly, and runs forward to catch Minghao in a hug from behind, leaning his chin on the younger's shoulder. Wrapping his ams over Jun's, Minghao leans his head back and presses his lips to Jun's cheek, the both of them staying locked in that position for a while—to comfortable to let go—before Minghao tugs himself free and urges Jun to hurry up.

"I wanna play laser-tag!" he says excitedly. Minghao jumps down the first step, waiting for Jun by the door to his bedroom. 

Jun quickly follows after him. "Are we playing on the same team?"

"Of course not."

"Why?"

Minghao grins, "Because then I can shoot you."