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“You look sleepy,” Dunk says as Joong stands on the outside of his seat.
“I am,” Joong says softly, not wanting to disturb Khao or First who are already asleep. “But…”
Dunk smiles, already knowing what Joong wants as always. He shifts, picking up the barrier and pats the spot next to him. Joong doesn’t need to be told twice, immediately invading his space. The warmth is welcome as Joong rests his head on his lap, it always is when it comes to Joong. Dunk thinks he would give him the entire world if he only asked.
Joong nuzzles his leg slightly, rubbing his cheek against it gently. Dunk places his hand in his hair, knowing that Joong loves when he scratches his scalp. It’s strangely intimate for their setting, enjoying this silence together. Almost everyone is asleep and those not are tucked away into their seats, oblivious to the world around them.
“You don’t want a pillow?” Dunk asks. While his legs aren’t skin and bones, he figures they must not be the most comfortable place to be laying down.
“Nah,” Joong answers quickly. He turns his head pressing a kiss to his thigh. “You’re my favorite pillow.”
Dunk smiles even though Joong isn’t looking at him. Sometimes it feels like he doesn’t know where to put all the love he has for the younger boy in his lap. Their story wasn’t a clear cut one by any means. They had once been plagued by their own insecurities and fears of what it meant to love each other.
It took almost losing Joong for Dunk to realize that not having him in his life was far worse than the fear of being able to love him. It was the best decision he’s ever made. They aren’t perfect. They argue over stupid things and sometimes say things they don’t mean but through it all — they know that they are each other's end. Both of them couldn’t imagine ever loving another.
“I can’t wait to get off this plane,” Joong says as he lazily scrolls through X.
“Are you going stir crazy?” Dunk asks, leaning forward to place himself in Joong’s peripheral vision.
Joong turns slightly to look at Dunk. “No it’s more so I’m just excited to be there.”
Dunk hums in agreement. They are both excited to be on this tour, going to places they never imagined. While Dunk has his own excitement, it pales in comparison to Joong’s. Maybe it’s because Joong wears his emotions on his sleeve, showcasing his feelings for the world to see. Some people see at as a hindrance because the fans are always able to pick up on how Joong feels but Dunk adores it.
It’s one of his favorite things about Joong. Sure, when Joong is sad it’s almost like the world is sad and that’s not something Dunk enjoys but when he’s happy. God. It’s like the sun is shining out of his eyes. He wears his happiness like a blanket and if you are close enough it’s almost like you get wrapped into that warmth.
“I know baby,” Dunk says softly. The term of endearment is said easily. While they don’t use pet names often, sometimes it can’t be helped. “I’m happy that you are happy.”
Joong smiles up at him, it’s small but his eyes shine with a sort of love that once scared Dunk. Now it’s something he embraces — something he craves. To know that Joong doesn’t look at anyone else like that has warmth spreading through Dunk’s stomach. It’s a sort of possessiveness that stems from knowing how many people would love to have that look directed at them.
Sometimes Dunk doesn’t know how he got so lucky. Joong often says the same thing but truly the prize to be won here is Joong — his boyfriend would vehemently disagree but that’s neither here nor there. Dunk feels like the lucky one.
“I love that I get to see new parts of the world with you,” Joong adds on, causing Dunk’s heart to stutter in his chest.
“I’m happy seeing the world through your eyes,” Dunk replies. “You’ve already taken so many pictures. I can’t wait to see them all.”
Joong turns back to his phone. “Most of them are you so just be prepared to see your face.”
Dunk laughs at that. “Yeah I know, which doesn’t make much sense. Shouldn’t you be documenting the world and not me?”
“Well you are my world,” Joong responds swiftly. The words are said easily, as if they couldn’t be anything but true. “Also I like seeing the world through your eyes too.”
Dunk doesn’t have a retort to that but it doesn’t seem like Joong is expecting one as he goes back to scrolling through X. Dunk leans back, resting his head against the headrest. He grabs his phone but doesn’t unlock it, not really interested in what social media has to say about anything. Watching Joong is much more enjoyable.
Dunk watches in silence while Joong also falls into silence. Neither of them feel the need to fill it. Dunk is always okay with the silence as long as Joong is the one he’s sharing it with. They don’t need to speak in order to enjoy each other's company. In fact sometimes they just need a moment to exist in the world together without saying a word.
He watches as Joong stops at a picture of a puppy and expands the image. Dunk can’t help but smile, feeling so incredibly endeared by his boyfriend. He unlocks his phone, snapping a quick picture of his puppy looking at another puppy.
“Do you want to make the fans happy?” Dunk asks after his new favorite picture is in the gallery of his phone.
Joong turns to look at him again. “How?”
“Let’s post some pictures,” Dunk replies.
Joong hums. “Okay, can I post whichever ones I want?”
Dunk ruffles his hair playfully. “You always can, you know that. I don’t care if people know I’m helplessly in love with you.”
“Shut up,” Joong grumbles, turning away from him. There is no bite to the words and Dunk catches the flush spreading on his boyfriend's cheeks before he turns away.
Dunk doesn’t respond, instead he goes through his recent pictures and picks three of his favorites. When he thinks of the caption, he almost laughs. Joong is going to get flustered and Dunk can’t wait for that. He loves when he makes Joong blush.
“Posted,” Joong says as he clicks send.
Dunk follows suit. As soon as he sends the tweet he hears the ping of the notification on his phone. It’s cute that Joong has notifications on — Dunk has Joong’s on too but that’s not relevant. Joong clicks on the notification and when he reads the caption he sits up.
“The dads?” Joong asks and even if Dunk wasn’t looking at him, he would be able to hear the smile in his voice.
“Mhm,” Dunk responds as he moves to cup Joong’s cheek. “You act like we haven’t talked about it before.”
Joong’s cheeks turn a pretty shade of pink and Dunk can practically feel their warmth as the heat spreads on his face. Dunk can’t help but place a kiss to the tip of his nose.
“That’s…” Joong stops, looking at Dunk with an expression that’s not quite unreadable but instead contemplative. “I didn’t know you were serious about that.”
Dunk’s eyebrows furrow slightly. He runs a thumb across Joong’s cheek. “I’m always serious when it comes to you.”
Joong looks away for a second but Dunk pulls him back with the hand on his cheek. “Don’t hide from me.”
“M’not hiding,” Joong says almost petulantly. It’s cute. “You just say insane things and I don’t know what to do with it.”
Dunk drops his hand, letting it fall into Joong’s lap. Joong immediately interlaces their fingers almost as if it’s second nature. Dunk assumes that it kind of is.
“Not insane,” Dunk corrects. “Just true. I mean it when I say that I’m spending the rest of my life with you and that includes it all. Marriage. Kids. Whatever you want. As long as I get to have it with you that’s more than enough.”
Joong doesn’t say anything at first and for a second Dunk wonders if maybe what he said was too much. That thought is fleeting though, especially when he ends up with an armful of Joong.
“I love you,” Joong says as he hugs Dunk. He presses his face into the crook of his neck, a small habit that he’s always had.
Joong claims it’s his safe place and Dunk is honored that he can provide that for him. Hugging Joong is his safe place too. Being able to hear his heartbeat and know that it beats not only for himself but also for Dunk is a comforting thought.
“I love you too pup,” Dunk says into Joong’s hair. He places a quick kiss to it while he’s at it. “Now it’s time for you to sleep.”
Joong pulls back and looks like he wants to argue but instead he yawns. Dunk almost laughs at him but doesn’t, instead he just maneuvers him until Joong’s head is on his lap again. Dunk shifts, reaching for the blanket they provided them. He drapes it over Joong who smiles up at him in contentment.
Dunk leans down and presses a quick kiss to his lips, unable to help himself. Joong smiles, grabbing the back of Dunk’s neck when Dunk goes to pull away. Joong kisses him again — this one just as soft. There is no heat behind it — no intention other than just wanting to share this kind of closeness. Dunk welcomes it, as he always does.
He loves kissing Joong, especially when it’s for no one else but themselves. Eventually they need air which is unfortunate but just a fact of life. When they pull away, Dunk drops a kiss on Joong’s forehead.
“Sleep now,” Dunk says gently. He resumes stroking Joong’s hair. “We have a long few days ahead of us.”
Joong nuzzles against him again. Unlike before he’s turned so that he’s facing Dunk. His arms are wrapped around his waist and his nose is pressing against the fabric of his shirt.
“Mm,” Joong agrees sleepily. “As long as I have you to keep my battery from draining I’ll be fine.”
“Cheesy.” The word sounds far too enamored.
Joong doesn’t respond and Dunk feels his breath evening out rather quickly, which isn’t surprising. Joong always falls asleep fast when they are together. It’s something Dunk cherishes because he understands the amount of trust that comes along with that fact. Joong feels safe with him — feels safe enough to know that even in his most vulnerable state, Dunk would never let anything happen to him.
Dunk watches him sleep for a while, admiring the curves of his face. Joong is pretty. It’s such an obvious statement but Dunk is always blown away by just how beautiful he truly is. What’s even better is that beauty isn’t just physical but also internal.
It’s moments like this that Dunk feels immensely grateful that he didn’t run away. Truly he can’t imagine a life without Joong. The mere thought of it is enough to make his heart clench. It would have been so easy to let fear win.
They have had to work on their relationship constantly, dealing with the mounting stress from those online as well as those in their personal lives. Being in the public eye is by no means easy — of course in a way they signed up for it but Dunk thinks quite a few people forget they are still human at the end of the day.
There have been fights. Miscommunications brought on by their own internal fears. Insecurity rearing its ugly head when they are apart for too long. But there also has been so much love. The love they share easily outweighs anything else.
Even when they are arguing, they still love each other with their entire beings. Dunk fondly remembers a time where they had been angry at each other, fighting over something so insignificant neither of them even remember what it was about. Dunk wanted to be dramatic and storm out, not realizing it was pouring out. He stood under the protective cover of the roof overhang, contemplating what to do when he felt a jacket being draped over his shoulders. Dunk had been startled, looking to the person who did it only to find Joong there.
Joong was still mad, Dunk could tell by the way his shoulders were tense and his jaw was clenched but yet he was giving Dunk a jacket. Joong also gave him an umbrella after wrapping him in a jacket — Joong’s jacket.
“Don’t get sick, dummy,” Joong said, trying to sound detached but he was anything but.
Dunk had realized then that he was going to spend the rest of his life with Joong.
Nothing has changed since then but things soon will.
The ring in his pocket feels heavier than it once had.