OFF-ROAD. － b.c + l.mh

↳ 8: smile

Questions were left with no resolution, but continuously bounced off the walls of their minds in search of one.

Understanding Chan's unwillingness to arrive at the airport, for he secretly felt the same, Minho drove to a café near-by and parked slightly farther along the road.

Engine off, radio silent, and then their breathing was all that could be heard within the vehicle, tense yet quiet, as if they were both trying to be invisible to the other.

"Let's get going, Chan," Minho eventually spoke up, not looking to the man but focusing on removing his seatbelt and reaching for the door handle instead.

"Babe."

He froze, blinking at the faint reflection he could see of the brunet on his window.

"Call me babe, at least until the end of today, and I will call you honey, like I always have."

Minho didn't respond until some seconds passed, and Chan squirmed in his seat, uncomfortable and with a sorrow glazing his eyes.

"Is that not okay? I'm sorry. Just ignore －"

"No, don't worry," The taller interrupted his partner's anxious rambling, "It's okay."

He turned his head to glance over at Chan, who lifted his gaze to meet their irises in a stare which appeared to hold many secrets, a number of which they couldn't decipher.

Minho gave a warm smile, and even if empathy shimmered upon his features, the sight made his boyfriend's heart thud as if he were falling in love all over again.

When was the last time Minho wore such a sweet smile, one which wasn't plastered on his dry lips like a stage actor's make-up?

"Being called by a pet name still makes you all gooey inside, doesn't it?"

It was probably supposed to sound almost teasing, but the fondness which held his words together was far too overpowering compared to anything else and it made Chan flush pink, dusting his ears a cherry red.

"Being called pet names by you makes me gooey inside, yes."

The curved line of Minho's lips briefly faltered, a twinge of pain striking the muscle trapped in his chest, and then it returned, perhaps brighter than before and genuine.

His boyfriend was the most adorable man in the universe, certainly. He was adorable when they first met in the stationery, and he's adorable now, at twenty-four-years of age.

Minho refrained from voicing such thoughts, but his expression had their emotion written all over, and Chan smiled back at him, warmth spreading through his veins.

Unaware of his actions, far too entranced with admiring the face of his partner, Minho shifted minimally in his seat and lifted a hand to delicately cup the other's jaw, hot palm setting upon a cool cheek.

It was natural, an instinct he couldn't refrain from allowing to control him that made Chan press back into his lover's touch, hungry for more and nuzzling it in happiness as his eyes flickered from Minho's own to his lap, timid.

The latter let out a breath, tranquil, for in that moment, for some reason, everything felt perfect, as if it would be alright.

In the moment, he began to consider the fact that maybe, just maybe, they didn't need to keep cutting each other or part ways to avoid shedding more blood.

"Let's go eat, babe."

❅❂❅

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