“I should figure out what size you wear,” Wooyoung hummed while going through one of the many racks with T-shirts on display. “I don’t even know my own size...” He continued murmuring and sometimes complaining under his nose, Yunho giggling from time to time while listening because he found it so cute. He was clearly more interested in Wooyoung than in the clothes but he couldn’t be blamed. He couldn’t take his eyes off of him, he was completely whipped.
The town didn’t have that many clothing stores. Or at least not many that Wooyoung liked and would shop at, so he took Yunho to his favorite one. Most of the other stores, just like the local restaurants and clubs, were open only during summer and sold clothes along with souvenirs and toys that only a tourist would look at to buy for their families or friends.
Wooyoung looked up at Yunho and squinted, trying to figure out if he was a size L or something else. He most likely was since he was so tall but at the same time, he had completely no idea how sizes worked. “You search, too. Find something that you like.”
Yunho placed his hand on Wooyoung's shoulder and grinned at him. “Found it.”
His smile grew even wider as he saw how at first Wooyoung pouted, his eyebrows curling upwards slightly. Then, he blushed deeply and moved his gaze away, pursing his lips into a thin line and getting unbelievably flustered. “Something from the clothes here, not me,” the shorter mumbled out.
While he was trying to hide his face until he didn’t feel it as if It was going to set on fire anymore, Yunho hummed and moved closer as he also started looking through the T-shirts. He ended up picking a few, letting Wooyoung look at their sizes before actually deciding to take them.
“Wanna go to the changing rooms so you can try them on after we’re done?” Wooyoung looked at Yunho as he was already moving towards the jeans section.
“Changing room?” Yunho questioned.
The other nodded and continued what he was doing until he realized that Yunho was just standing beside him with a confused look on his face. He looked up at him and tilted his head lightly until he realized what the other meant and gasped quietly. “Oh, I’m sorry, I didn’t realize you were actually asking what changing room means...” He awkwardly scratched the back of his neck and smiled at Yunho. “In most clothing stores there are changing rooms where you try on the clothes that you like so you can see if they look good on you for you to buy them.”
Yunho hummed. “I see.” He moved closer and wrapped an arm around Wooyoung’s waist, leaning against him because he was getting tired of standing for so long. As much as Wooyoung liked feeling Yunho’s warmth and being hugged by him, he felt a little uncomfortable to be clingy with him in public no matter how much he wanted it. Currently the only reason he wasn’t pulling away was that he had to support Yunho or else his legs and back would hurt more. He wasn’t sure how was he going to handle it if someone threw them a weird stare, though.
He nibbled down on his lower lip as he picked out three pairs of jeans, giving them to Yunho to hold them with his free hand. He then looked up, realizing that Yunho was so close that their faces were barely apart from one another. He blushed once again and looked slightly away.
“I think we’re done here,” he announced happily after he double checked. He started leading Yunho towards the changing rooms, looking around to see if there were many people there. “Would you need help with changing?”
The first thing that came to Yunho’s was to tell Wooyoung that he didn’t need any help but as he thought a little bit more about it, he wasn’t really sure if he could be that independent. Of course, he was going to manage alone somehow with maybe the littlest bit of help but it was much easier to use not being a human as an excuse. “Mmm, yeah, I think I will.”
Wooyoung nodded in response and looked around once more before going into one of the stalls with Yunho. He took the clothes from the mint haired boy’s hands and placed them down in his lap after he sat on the small chair in the corner.
“What’s wrong?” Yunho asked as he was taking his T-shirt off, being handed one of the ones he had chosen right after.
Wooyoung stretched his hand out to leave the T-shirt on the hanger to separate it from the clothes that Yunho had to try on. Then, he shrugged lightly and looked up at the latter. He wasn’t going to lie to Yunho and tell him that it was nothing. After all, the problem was still going to bother him, probably even more in the future, and he was eventually going to share sooner or later. “I don’t feel comfortable when we’re around people.”
“Why is that?” Yunho looked himself in the mirror, humming and turning from side to side. “Does it look good?”
“Isn’t it a little short on you?” Wooyoung pulled the T-shirt down a little. “Nope, it’s good. Wanna try it on with jeans? You’re wearing undewear this time right...?” After receiving a nod, he let out a relieved sigh and picked out one of the pairs of jeans, handing it to the older. “It’s just that... You see, I really hate this because I want to be as clingy with you as possible literally all the time, but normally in the human world it isn’t really acceptable for two boys to be affectionate with each other in public...”
“Why do you care?” Yunho moved closer to Wooyoung, so he could help him with buttoning his jeans after he put them on.
“I don’t know...” After he was done, Wooyoung pouted and wrapped his arms around Yunho, hugging him and resting his head against his tummy. He closed his eyes for a moment, caressing Yunho’s back gently. “I’ve just been growing up aware that I’d never be accepted by most people. I have no idea how normalized this is for mermaids but here people could actually get murdered just for loving each other.” He trembled slightly as he felt Yunho combing his fingers through his hair but eventually relaxed into his touch.
“Then I will be less clingy.” The mermaid sighed quietly, feeling just as upset as Wooyoung. Or even a little more because he couldn’t understand why were people like that. At least Wooyoung had gotten used to living like that while for him it was a first to even hear such thing.
“But I still want to hold your hand in public and hug you, and probably even kiss you.” Wooyoung looked up and rested his chin against Yunho. He tugged on his shirt lightly to make him crouch down. “I will try to relax and not care too much. But still, keep in mind we can’t be like we are at home.”
“I understand that.” Yunho smiled and pecked Wooyoung’s lips. “I love you so much.”
All of a sudden, Wooyoung’s usual bright smile was back and spread across his face. “I love you, too.” He pressed kisses all over Yunho’s face, letting go of him afterwards. “Now try on the rest of the clothes, so we can go eat somewhere because I’m getting hungry. Are these jeans good on you or are they too tight?”
Yunho got up and turned around, looking over his shoulder to check himself out. He frowned a little. “Does my butt look good in them? I can’t really decide. Otherwise, I like them.”
“Baby, your butt is almost flat, no jeans could help you with that,” Wooyoung giggled, patting Yunho’s thigh lightly. “You look great.”
“Thank you for your brutal honesty,” Yunho pretended to be hurt before taking another T-shirt and another pair of jeans, not missing to bend down and peck Wooyoung’s lips once again before changing his clothes.
“It’s okay, not everyone is gifted like me.”
“You’re so full of yourself for someone with an equally flat butt.”
Wooyoung didn’t even need to pretend that he got offended. He gasped and put a hand over his chest. “Excuse you! It’s nicely shaped and visible.”
“Mhm, whatever you say. Don’t forget about all the times we’ve gone swimming, sweetheart. I've seen a lot.”
“Have you been checking me out?” The younger frowned.
“Wouldn’t really call it that. Sometimes it was just getting in the way and it was impossible to look anywhere else.”
“Of course.”