Work Text:
“Do you think Chenle has been acting weird recently?” Renjun asks, lifting his gaze up from his lap. He tilts his head to either side, stretching his neck as he places his crochet hook down on the cushion beside him along with his most recently completed granny square.
“Not really,” Jisung says, eyes staying locked on his own work in progress, knitting needles in both hands. His eyebrows are threaded together in concentration. “Fuck, I think I dropped a stitch,” he frowns.
“Let me take a look at it,” Renjun offers, leaning across the oversized couch towards where Jisung is sitting.
They are having a remarkably peaceful weekly craft night without Daegal running around. While she is the certified light of their lives, she can also be quite the chaos machine trying to steal yarn balls from Jisung or knocking full containers of plastic beads off Renjun’s lap and all over the apartment floor (some of which Renjun swears he is still stepping on to this day, a full three months later). She’s already with her favorite dog sitters – Jeno and Donghyuck, back at Renjun’s old apartment in Alphabet City – for the long weekend.
“Why do you ask?” Jisung asks as he brings his forgotten mug of tea over to the kitchen to reheat in the microwave.
“I don’t know,” Renjun sighs. He looks over his shoulder, expecting Chenle to return to their place any minute. Renjun had started this weekly craft night with Jisung on Thursday evenings to line up with Chenle and Mark’s weekly trip to Chelsea Rec Center to play pick-up basketball. “He just seems like he’s hiding something from me,” Renjun pouts. “I’ve already dug through his nightstand and work bag, but I haven’t found anything suspicious.”
The microwave beeps and Jisung carries his now steaming cup of tea back to the living room. “Maybe you’re interpreting his work stress as a secret? He’s probably just been worried about securing our seed funding,” Jisung explains. Their start up business, Big City Greens, has been looking for additional financing. Jisung carefully places his tea back down on the marble coaster resting on the coffee table before tossing himself down on the couch once again. “But since that angel investor came through, we’re in a really good spot,” Jisung adds.
“Yeah,” Renjun sighs again, trying his best to let Jisung’s reasoning seep into his subconscious. “You’re probably right.” He shakes his shoulders, trying to relieve some of the tension.
Jisung thanks Renjun for saving his knitting project as he takes the circular needles back. He’s working on a pink and white baby hat to go along with Renjun’s crocheted floral baby blanket. The pair of gifts are meant for Jeno’s soon-to-be born niece. Jeno and Donghyuck had immediately sent an excited voice note to their 7-person group chat to share the news after Jeno’s older sister had revealed her pregnancy to them back in the spring.
“Plus, we have this 4-day weekend to look forward to,” Jisung smiles excitedly, showing off that gummy smile that Renjun loves so much. “It’ll be good to get away from the city for a few days. It’ll be a good reset for everyone.”
“We're back!” Chenle calls out, toeing his sneakers off in the entryway to their shared apartment.
“Finally! Did you pick up dinner?” Renjun calls out, not looking back as he works at another square. Renjun had called in a massive order from their favorite Thai place two blocks over. “You never texted me back.”
“I love you, too,” Chenle teases, coming up behind the couch and leaning down to kiss the top of Renjun's head. His sweaty bangs hang down over his forehead and he’s still carrying a basketball under his arm. Chenle always insists on bringing his own ball even though the city-run center has plenty to borrow.
Renjun smiles and tilts his head back to look up at his boyfriend. “Sorry. I love you.”
Chenle kisses Renjun's lips this time.
“Aww,” Mark calls out, carrying the two plastic bags of take-out to a kitchen counter. The smell of the massaman curry wafts all the way over to the living room. “How cute.”
“How's the baby scarf coming along?” Chenle asks Jisung, tossing the ball between his hands a few times before finally heading to the coat closet to put it away.
“It's not a scarf. It's obviously a hat,” Jisung scoffs, looking up from his project. “Why would a baby need a scarf anyways? They can’t even hold their heads up. Their necks are too weak.”
Jisung is focusing on counting his knit stitches versus purled stitches that his tongue had snuck out of his mouth and creeped up towards his nose. A sign of pure concentration from the youngest among them. “Shit,” he sighs, and bringing the project close to his eyes to start recounting his stitches from the small plastic ring marking the start of the row.
“Whatever it is, put your arts and crafts down and come have dinner,” Mark offers, digging some plates and bowls out of their designated cupboards. “Is Jaemin on his way?” Mark adds, and if by magic, there's a series of ridiculous knocks on the apartment door. It’s a familiar rhythm, but impossible to place in terms of which song.
Chenle doesn't bother looking through the peephole. He just yanks the apartment door open to reveal Jaemin standing in the hallway, grinning widely. He's got a weekend duffle bag slung over his shoulder, and he's carrying several paper bags at once - supplies for the trip.
“Chenle,” Jaemin beams, dragging out the second syllable of this name extra-long. “Hey you handsome devil,” he says, stepping inside. He's still smiling maniacally, eyes just as wide. Jaemin drops most of the bags and pulls Chenle into a tight hug.
“Hey, buddy,” Chenle says, patting Jaemin on the back. “Good to see you, too.” He feigns strangulation as Jaemin gives him an extra squeeze, practically lifting Chenle off the floor, before releasing him. He whispers something in Chenle’s ear. Whatever he says Chenle doesn’t respond to. There’s the faintest flicker of emotion across Chenle’s face – nervous energy maybe – but before Renjun can be sure it’s gone.
“Does any of this need to be refrigerated?” Chenle asks, peering into the grocery bags as Jaemin kicks off his shoes and walks over the couch to greet his boyfriend.
“Yeah, one bag has steaks, and the other has that Impossible sausage stuff you asked for,” Jaemin says, not elaborating further. He clearly has got his sights locked in on Jisung. He nearly runs towards the couch, perhaps planning to dive on top of him.
Jisung quickly stands up to embrace Jaemin instead.
Jaemin pulls Jisung into a similar crushing hug but goes one step further by covering his face with kisses until Jisung is yelping like Daegal when she's overstimulated from too many hands petting her tiny body at once.
Mark abandons his task of setting the dining table that Renjun and Chenle only use when they have company and comes to assist Chenle with carrying the Trader Joe's bags to the kitchen.
“Did you get any snacks for the car?” Renjun asks, picking up where Mark left off and digging the different dishes out of the Thai take-out bag and placing them on the tabletop.
Jaemin, who has hooked his chin over Jisung's shoulder, hugging him tightly from behind now twists his mouth as he mulls the question over. “I got Everything but the Bagel seasoning chips, and those vegan spicy Porkless Rinds.”
“What about the Scandinavian Swimmers?” Jisung asks. His voice quivers with doubt at the possibility that Jaemin had forgotten his favorite gummies.
“Of course, my Sungie,” Jaemin reassures him, rocking him back and forth in his arms like a doll even though Jisung has a few inches on him. “I could never forget those.”
It's nice to have their apartment so full of laughter on a weeknight. Mark, Jisung, and Jaemin are all spending the night so they can head out early the next morning.
After a round of after-dinner drinks in which Chenle breaks out a bottle of “the good whisky,” Mark, their designated driver, has insisted they turn in for the night since they needed to hit the road before 7 – or else they'll be “sitting in traffic trying to cross the GWB for the rest of their lives.”
“Good night,” Renjun calls out in a sing-song voice, signaling that the bathroom is finally free after his extensive Olaplex treatment. He was overall satisfied with his latest dye job – dark blue – but was unfortunately dealing with some breakage.
“Good night,” Jisung and Jaemin return the call in unison. They are going to sleep in the office on the air mattress Renjun and Chenle had used when they'd first moved to Chelsea. Renjun momentarily considers repeating the advice Jeno and Donghyuck had imparted about fucking on an air mattress but decides against it in hopes that the couple has enough common sense. Though he had caught a glimpse of rope in Jaemin’s open overnight bag when he had dropped off an extra pillow at Jisung’s request.
“Good night,” Mark calls from the living room where he’s crashing on their surprisingly comfortable pull-out sofa.
Chenle zips up his duffle bag as Renjun walks into their bedroom and places it on the ground out of Renjun’s line of sight. “Hey babe,” Chenle smiles. “How did it go?”
“Good,” Renjun says, running his hands through his freshly blown out hair. “I probably shouldn’t bleach it anymore this year, unless I want to be bald.” He climbs straight into their bed. “But I think it’s getting stronger,” he adds.
“I would still love you if you were bald,” Chenle assures him, turning off the overhead lights before joining Renjun under the covers. He chuckles and pets Renjun’s head, “But I do prefer you with hair.”
“I think it’s almost long enough to properly braid it again,” Renjun sighs, snuggling up against Chenle’s chest. He swears he could drift off to sleep in less than a minute in this position. “Let’s try this weekend.”
Chenle had watched a few hair tutorials on Youtube last summer and helped Renjun with some fun up-dos for a number of special occasions.
“Okay,” Chenle agrees, rubbing Renjun’s back and dropping him into the next level of relaxation. “Are we trying this before or after the hiking?”
“Mm, before,” Renjun yawns, flattening his palms over Chenle’s stomach.
“Cute,” Chenle whispers and presses a kiss on the top of Renjun’s head. “Goodnight baby. I love you.”
“Goodnight,” Renjun yawns again. “I love you too.”
“Everyone is sure they have everything?” Mark asks, turning to look at the back seat of the rented SUV. “And went to the bathroom?” he adds, looking specifically at Chenle in the passenger seat beside him.
Signature sunglasses already on, Chenle starts messing with the playlist and turbo-pop starts vibrating through the speakers in response. Vroom vroom.
“Yes,” Renjun yells over the bass, shaking Chenle’s seat dramatically from behind him, trying to get him to lower the volume. “Mark, you were making such a big deal about leaving before 7, and it’s nearly 8 now. Let’s just go already!”
Chenle cackles and lowers the volume momentarily only to turn it all the way back up when the chorus comes on, nearly drowning out Jisung’s voice as he starts to respond.
Mark forces the music off and wrestles Chenle’s hand away from the stereo.
“Don’t look at me,” Jisung, stuck in the middle seat, legs spread around the center console calls out lifting his arms up. “I was ready to go at 6:30.”
Jisung, with his diagnosed GAD, was never destined to sleep well the night before a trip, even one as small as this one. It was enough stress to override his Zoloft prescription and have him up early, double-checking their packed bags.
After tossing and turning on the air mattress most of the night, Jisung had gotten up early and gone through his packing checklist one more time. In the process of unpacking and repacking for the tenth time, he’d realized that Jaemin had forgotten to bring his prescription mood stabilizer.
Before Mark could offer to drive him to grab the back-up stash at Jisung’s apartment, Jaemin had literally run out the door and straight to the L-train to head back to his place in Alphabet City. The impromptu MTA roundtrip had set them back nearly a full hour.
“Hey. It’s for the benefit of everyone in this car that I stay medicated,” Jaemin says, clicking his tongue against his teeth as he leans back in his seat, arms crossed over his chest. “Daegal sends her love by the way,” Jaemin adds with a smile. He leans forward past Jisung’s torso to see Renjun. He pulls a banana shaped soft chew-toy from his jacket pocket and passes it over.
“Thanks?” Renjun replies, dropping the partially damp plush into Chenle’s lap instead.
Chenle cranks the volume back up only for Mark to reach across the console and grab his wrist. “You’re about to lose navigator privileges.”
“Fine,” Chenle whines, sinking down in the seat and pulling up Google Maps on his phone. “Traffic looks bad on the bridge, by the way. Top and bottom level.”
“I knew it,” Mark sighs, checking his blind spot before pulling away from the curb and officially starting their journey upstate.
“Holy shit,” Renjun says, lifting his head from Jisung’s shoulder as the car finally pulls up to their A-frame cabin rental four hours later. It’s painted a moody, dark gray-green and covered in an even darker trim around the massive windows. The color makes the reds, yellows, and oranges of the towering maple and oak trees pop.
Mark parks the car and pops the trunk.
“Nice find Ji,” Chenle beams, patting him on the back as he heads to the back of the car to start collecting bags.
“We should do a photoshoot,” Renjun says excited kicking at a pile of leaves that has naturally gathered beside the steps to a large deck while everyone else busies themselves with the unloading process. It’s the picture-perfect fall moment, even down to the trio of pumpkins resting beside the pair of Adirondack chairs.
“That’s the plan,” Jaemin winks, grabbing his DSLR bag from the back along with two coolers of their groceries.
“Is there a fireplace?” Mark asks, shielding his eyes from the glare of the overcast sky, noting the chimney.
“Yes! It looked so retro and cozy online,” Jisung replies, showing off his gummy smile proudly. “You’re going to love it. And there’s also firepit in the back.”
Somehow the inside of this rental is even more impressive than the outside.
“I’m not going back to the city,” Renjun says, flinging himself down on one the two couches inside the open plan living room. There’s a long dining table with seating for ten, a spiral staircase leading to the second and third floors, and a beautiful chef’s kitchen with a wood island, double ovens, and giant windows looking out to the backyard. The combination living room and dining room ceiling is vaulted, letting in incredible light from the massive windows. “This is my home now.”
“I thought your dream was a place in Greenwich Village,” Chenle teases, unloading groceries into the stainless-steel fridge. “Got to tell Larry to reroute his search.”
“I can have two dreams,” Renjun says, his dark blue hair popping up over the edge of the couch.
The A-frame turns out to have a full bath on the main floor, a primary bedroom with a queen bed and an en-suite is the only room on the second floor, and the top floor has two additional bedrooms with a shared half bath. One has a double bed with a big window that overlooks the backyard and the other has two twin beds and a little balcony that overlooks the front yard.
Mark happily takes the twin beds room, and Jisung and Renjun play a game of rock-paper-scissors for the larger bedroom. Renjun jumps up and down ecstatically when he throws rock to defeat Jisung’s scissors. For some reason, the smile Jaemin gives Jisung makes Renjun suspect that Jisung had thrown the game, but he doesn’t care to investigate why. A bigger bed is a bigger bed, and though Jisung and Jaemin are the objectively larger couple, Renjun had gotten used to sleeping in a proper adult-sized bed after all those months of squeezing into a twin with Chenle.
“Aw, it’s dog friendly,” Renjun pouts, realizing that there is a basket of dog toys and bowls for guests tucked in the corner of the kitchen. “We should have brought her,” he continues, referencing Daegal, coming up behind Chenle and hugging him from behind. “I miss her already.”
“Me too, baby,” Chenle smiles turning his head to kiss Renjun’s cheek. “Maybe next time.”
After lunch, Chenle, Mark, and Jisung set up their laptops at the dining room table to work a bit. Apparently, the hustle of a proper startup never stops – not even on an adorable weekend upstate to celebrate the successes of said startup.
“Hey, can you give us a few more minutes? Mark says, answering a phone call. His eyes flick to Renjun before turning away. He drops his voice and says, “We didn't start the meeting yet. Our guests are still here.”
Apparently very private hustling. Renjun takes the hint and sits out on the back deck on one of the Adirondack chairs and wishes he’d brought his crochet project. Jisung had talked him out of it, promising that the weekend was going to be too busy for it.
“Let’s go on a walk,” Jaemin offers, suddenly appearing over Renjun’s shoulder. He’s got his camera slung over his shoulder and his hands in his pockets. “Jisung showed me a map of the area. There’s a little trail that leads down to a nice creek.” He gestures to the woods behind the house.
“That sounds nice,” Renjun replies, standing and stretching his arms over his head, trying to release the tension in his shoulders that had built up from being stuck in the backseat, pressed up against Jisung, earlier. “Let me just grab my jacket first.”
“No,” Jaemin says abruptly, blocking Renjun’s path back into the house.
Renjun furrows his brow, not even sure where to begin with his refute to Jaemin’s objection.
“They were on what sounded like a super important call when I stepped out here,” Jaemin explains, grabbing Renjun by the wrist and ushering him to the stairs at the edge of the deck. “We don’t want to interrupt them. You can just wear mine.”
Jaemin starts to wiggle out of his jean jacket, revealing a t-shirt which is even less appropriate for the weather than Renjun’s long-sleeved shirt.
“I’m capable of being quiet,” Renjun says rolling his eyes as he yanks his wrist out of Jaemin’s grasp rolling and pushes past him. “Unlike you.”
Suddenly, the back door swings open and Chenle steps out onto the deck, his arm outstretched. “Babe,” he smiles. “Don’t forget your jacket.”
It takes the two of them about twenty minutes to make the quarter mile walk to the creek because Jaemin stops every few feet to take pictures.
“What’s the rush?” he asks, sensing Renjun’s impatience. “Let’s admire the garbage-free beauty of it all.” He gestures for Renjun to go pose by a particularly beautiful tree.
“It’s really nice that you brought your camera for the trip,” Renjun tells him, reaching up over his head and tilting his head back to gaze up at the yellow tree. “I’d bet money that you have at least 500 photos of Jisung by the end of the weekend. And some that might even be appropriate for other people to see.”
“Something like that,” Jaemin laughs. “I brought three memory cards and an extra battery pack with me.”
“Tomorrow, if you take some cute pictures of me and Chenle, then I’ll take some of you and Jisung, okay? Fair trade.”
“Okay,” Jaemin says with a toothy grin. “Deal.”
“How the fuck is that a mermaid?” Jaemin asks, practically falling off the couch as he gestures at the pencil drawing Mark had completed on the Pictionary pad.
“This is the fish tail,” Mark says, gesturing at the bottom of the drawing. “These are the- the boobs,” Mark explains, gesturing to two wildly different sized circles he’d made.
Jisung tilts his body so far to the side, trying desperately to see Mark’s vision, that he nearly spills the mug of hot chocolate balanced precariously on the coffee table beside him.
“Just throw it in the fire,” Jaemin scoffs, waving dismissively towards the crackling fireplace.
“Sorry, I didn’t go to art school!” Mark huffs, tossing himself down into his claimed armchair now that his turn is over. “Illustration wasn’t part of my MBA.”
Chenle’s belly-laugh shakes Renjun, who is practically falling asleep in his lap. The two of them have been crushing the trio – partially because of Renjun’s artistic skills, and partially because Chenle is so competitive that he’s been motivated to squeeze a surprising number of details into his drawings before the plastic sand timer runs out.
Renjun yawns. He can’t help it. He’s remarkably cozy – wrapped in a blanket, belly full of sleepy time tea and warm vegan cookies.
“Do you want to go up to bed?” Chenle asks, running his through Renjun’s hair.
“Only if you’re ready, too,” Renjun replies, fighting to get the words out before another yawn takes over. He forces himself to sit up, adjusting his glasses on the bridge of his nose.
“Let’s go,” Chenle tells him, rubbing Renjun’s back. “We should be gracious and show them mercy anyways.”
“That doesn’t sound anything like you,” Mark says, rolling his eyes. He balls up his tiny, offending drawing into the fireplace behind him.
“Hey! The fresh country air has made me a changed man,” Chenle quips, helping Renjun up.
“What time are we getting up tomorrow?” Renjun asks the group as he gathers up the used dishware and brings it over to the kitchen. He sticks it in the kitchen sink, since the dishwasher is already running with what they’d used during dinner.
Chenle refolds the throw blanket that Renjun had left behind and Jaemin repacks the Pictionary box.
“Breakfast at 9:30. Leave here by 10:15. Get to the state park around 11,” Jisung rattles off his itinerary. He clearly knows it by heart.
“Sounds good,” Renjun nods, standing at the bottom of the spiral staircase, waiting for Chenle to follow him. He adds, “Can you send me the trail map?”
“Of course,” Jisung says, digging his phone out of his pocket to forward it to Renjun.
“I heard there’s some pretty waterfalls there,” Mark smiles, eyes fixed on Chenle as he speaks. Renjun briefly wonders if Mark is planning to push Chenle into the water or something. Maybe he should bring him a change of clothes, just in case.
“Try to get some decent sleep in that big bed tonight you two,” Jaemin says with a wink, slapping Chenle’s ass as he walks by.
Renjun rolls his eyes and retorts, “You two remember that we’re going on a three-mile hike tomorrow.” He climbs up a few steps before calling back down, “And don’t traumatize Mark. His room is right next to yours.”
Chenle laughs, close behind him.
Chenle quickly puts his phone down as Renjun returns from the en-suite washed up for bed. He’d been typing something out, a very serious look on his face when Renjun had stepped out.
“You’re not working, are you?” Renjun frowns, pulling his ponytail loose. His hair drops and his overgrown curtain bangs come to rest on the apples of his cheeks.
“No,” Chenle says, shaking his head. “I was responding to a message from my mom.”
“How are they?” Renjun asks, turning off the overhead light before climbing under the sheets to join Chenle. The room is still illuminated by the warm light of a lamp on Chenle’s side of the bed.
“They’re good,” Chenle nods, pulling Renjun closer. He takes a deep breath, inhaling Renjun’s scent before nudging Renjun’s hair away with his nose and placing a tender kiss on his cheek. “They’re asking after you. Making sure I’m taking care of you.” He chuckles, “I’m pretty sure they like you better than me at this point.”
Renjun thinks back to 17 months earlier, when Chenle and Mark had graduated from NYU in a flurry of purple academic robes. Chenle’s family had flown into New York from Shanghai for the ceremony. Renjun had been so nervous to meet them. He’d spent the entire day of their arrival pacing around the apartment, trailed in concern by Daegal. Renjun had been so nauseous on the ride to the airport that the Uber driver nearly pulled over on the side of the Van Wyck.
All those nerves just for Chenle’s family to embrace Renjun in the tightest, warmest hug the second they walked out of the automatic doors and into the arrivals area. They accepted him like their own son immediately.
They’d spent a wonderful two weeks together – cooking, laughing, seeing the sights of the city, and making their own trip upstate together. Chenle’s family – his parents, his brother and his wife, and Chenle’s baby nephew - had rented out an entire Bed & Breakfast not too far from here and gone hiking together. Renjun had been dying to go again ever since then, so he’d been delighted when Chenle had first floated the idea of the “company trip.”
“They want us to visit Shanghai over the winter holidays,” Chenle adds.
“This year?” Renjun asks, eyes suddenly wide. “That’s so soon.”
Last Christmas, the couple had made a trip to Cleveland to visit Renjun’s mom. It had been just shy of a complete disaster.
While Renjun’s mom had never outright rejected his sexuality, she had always avoided talking about it. Being presented with Chenle in the flesh was like cornering her into an uncomfortable conversation at every turn.
Plus, since coming to America, it had always just been Renjun and his mom. But not long after Renjun had gone to New York for college, his mother had shacked up with a nice enough white guy named Robert and married him only six months later. Renjun felt like a total stranger in his house with his artificial Christmas tree and extensive gnome collection.
He and Chenle had spent two uncomfortable nights on a pull-out couch in the living room and been dragged along to Christmas Eve mass before deciding to head back to New York early.
Chenle smiles a soft, thin-lipped smile and shrugs. “We can make it work.”
Renjun hadn’t been back to China since he’d left at age 12. The thought of making the long flight back made Renjun’s stomach turn with a mix of anxiety and excitement. His hands ball into fists, grabbing at the quilted bedspread. “I know it’s not close, and that it will be absolutely freezing, but do you think we could visit Jilin? I’ll pick up some extra projects if I have to, to help pay for it.”
Chenle nods again and gently runs his fingers through Renjun’s hair, “Of course. It’s only like a three-hour flight, right? That’s nothing. We’ll pick up some good jackets.”
Renjun doesn’t respond, he just crashes his lips into Chenle’s before moving on to eagerly kiss him all over his face. “My grandma is going to love you!”
Chenle laughs, delighted, squeezing Renjun’s waist. “I can’t wait to meet her.”
The next morning, Renjun wakes up before his alarm. He’s lying on his stomach, plump pillow pushed aside. He lifts his head and squints towards the clock in the corner of the room. He can’t quite make out the exact time without his glasses, but he’s pretty sure it’s around 7:30 as the early morning light starts to trickle into the room past the sheer curtains. His body clock is stuck on Daegal’s time, even without her presence.
He rolls onto his side, trying to snuggle up against Chenle who is still peacefully asleep and is surprised to find an erection poking him through Chenle’s pajama pants.
Renjun giggles playfully and slips a hand under Chenle’s shirt to steal his warmth.
Chenle inhales sharply, possibly shocked at the feeling of Renjun’s cold fingers against his skin. He blinks, eyes bleary, before recognizing where they are and pulling Renjun up on top of him.
“Good morning,” Chenle murmurs as Renjun dives right in and starts kissing his neck. “Did you sleep well?”
“Not as well as you apparently,” Renjun smirks, grinding his hips against the visible outline of Chenle’s cock.
Chenle lets out a surprised gasp. “Oh,” Chenle sighs, suddenly fully awake.
Renjun lets out a loud, delighted laugh and buries his face in Chenle’s neck again.
“Shh,” Chenle hushes him, wrapping his arms around Renjun’s back before flipping them over so he’s on top. “You don’t want to wake the others.”
“Why? Do you have plans on making me scream?” Renjun asks, trying to add a sexy wink, but the giggles overtake him again.
Chenle rolls his eyes, pretending not to find the joke funny, but a wide smile spreads across his face. His cheeks are so pink, and his eyes are still glassy with the remnants of sleep. “You’re lucky you’re so cute,” Chenle smirks, lifting Renjun’s hands up above his head and pinning them there.
Renjun wiggles underneath him, trying to egg Chenle on. He lifts his legs up and wraps them around Chenle’s waist, trying to pull him down. “I think you’re mistaking my undeniable sex appeal for cuteness.”
“Topping from the bottom now, are we?” Chenle laughs before giving in and leaning down to kiss Renjun. He nibbles on Renjun’s bottom lip a bit, before pushing his tongue into Renjun’s mouth.
“Me?” Renjun giggles, sucking in air between kisses. “That doesn’t sound right.”
“Well, I’d like to see you try,” Chenle replies, a wide grin spreading across his face as he pulls away for a moment
Renjun lets out a disappointed whine before realizing that Chenle is getting up to get their travel lube.
Chenle strips off his shirt before climbing back up on the bed. The blush blooming across his chest is the same shade of pink as his cheeks and the tips of his ears. “If you do a good job, maybe next time I’ll let you top me for real.”
Renjun’s whine from being teased instantly switches to a moan, thinking back to the dozen times Chenle had bottomed for him over the years. It was a rare occasion, but not completely out of the question. All Renjun can picture in that moment is Chenle trembling underneath him as he buries himself deep inside that incredible warmth.
“Strip and flip over,” Chenle says pointedly. “Let’s see it.”
Renjun nods and wiggles out of his pajamas in just a few seconds, eager to satisfy Chenle’s demands. For as bossy as he’s often perceived as being, Renjun really does love giving up control in the intimacy of their bed.
As Renjun turns to lay on his stomach, Chenle grabs a pillow from the top of the bed and pushes it underneath Renjun’s hips the long way. For just a pillow, it does a lot to change the position. It elevates Renjun’s hips, spreads his legs wider, and gives him something soft to grind against.
Renjun shivers, goosebumps rising across his arched back as his skin makes contact with the crisp Catskills air. He sighs, delighted from the sensation of Chenle’s fingertips dragging down his spine.
“Look at you,” Chenle coos, grabbing a handful of Renjun’s ass and shaking the flesh briefly before planting a light spank on the opposite cheek. “All laid out, just for me?”
Renjun begins to nod eagerly before remembering the offer Chenle had made him. He sucks in a shaky breath and asks, “What are you waiting for?” The words come out far whinier than he’d intended. He tries to crane his neck back and catch a glimpse of Chenle’s face. “Do I have to do everything myself?”
Chenle’s tongue darts out and swipes his bottom lip. He pushes the heel of his hand into his groin, releasing a tiny whimper as he gets a taste of relief.
“Do you want to watch?” Renjun pants, starting to rock his hips against the pillow beneath him. “Is that what you want, baby? A show?”
Chenle nods, pulling his bottom lip into his mouth with his teeth.
“You’re so quiet all of a sudden,” Renjun gasps as his foreskin drags along the pillowcase and the sensitive head of his cock makes contact with the fabric of the pillowcase. “You know that I like to hear you.”
A low groan rumbles out of Chenle’s chest as he squeezes his erection though the fleece.
Renjun is too caught up in grinding against the pillow that he doesn’t realize Chenle uncapped the bottle of lube and started spreading it over his fingers.
“Does that feel good?” Chenle asks, voice wavering as he lies down on his side, facing Renjun.
“But you would feel so much better.” Renjun nods, releasing a frustrated grunt and shifting his knees, trying to come at the pillow from a better angle. “You’re always so tight. What a treat.”
He can feel his body trembling, trying to keep up with the speed at which he’s snapping his hips. He’ll probably regret it later when they’re hiking. Maybe he can use his Sunday-morning soreness as a reason to lay back and get Chenle to ride him.
Chenle lets out a shaky breath, finally pulling his erection from his pajama pants and beginning to stroke himself with a lubricated fist.
“I want to make you feel so good,” Renjun says, managing to punch the words out between quick, shallow breaths as he feels the familiar sensation of heat building low in his belly. “I want you to feel how you always make me feel.”
“I want it,” Chenle says. His voice is so soft between a steady stream of moans spilling from his puffy, bitten lips. “I want you Jun. I want you inside me.” His eye lids are hooded as he trains his gaze right on Renjun’s hips and his movement as he repeatedly ruts against the pillow. “You’re going to fuck me so good.”
“Are you-?” Renjun chokes out as he realizes that Chenle’s other hand is reaching behind himself.
Chenle nods, his eyes fluttering the rest of the way closed as he slowly fucks himself with just one finger.
Renjun barely gets the word “fuck” out of his mouth before he’s cumming – hips stuttering against the pillow as he chases the high – pleasure sweeping through his body, radiating down each limb as he squeezes the pillow tight.
He can feel the mess of cum spreading across his groin as he rocks his hips against a few more times, catching the crest of the wave before curling in on himself as the aftershocks turn to a harsher, overstimulated feeling. The damp evidence of his orgasm settles between his sweat-damp skin and the pillowcase.
“Gē,” Chenle whispers, choking on the word.
It’s so rare to hear the word from Chenle. To hear it in this context, when he’s struggling to multitask stroking himself and fucking himself – so overwhelmed. It’s almost like a cry for help.
“Gē will help you,” Renjun coos, forcing himself up. He leans down and presses a wet, open mouth kiss onto Chenle’s shoulder, not quite sure where to lay himself.
Chenle cries out, eyes still shut, at the sensation of Renjun dragging his tongue against his skin, dipping into the well of collar bone and adding a little bite. Chenle tries to roll and rest on his stomach, but his body collides with Renjun instead.
Renjun slips his arm around Chenle’s waist, pulling them flush together. Chenle stops stroking himself and stars grinding against Renjun’s side instead, focusing on fucking himself with his middle finger.
Renjun drops his hand lower on Chenle’s back and gently trails his own middle finger between Chenle’s cheeks, already spread apart by the actions of his own hand.
Chenle chokes on his own breath as Renjun simply circles the outer ring of muscles with the pad of his finger. “Fuck,” Chenle stutters.
Renjun’s attention is suddenly ripped in two opposite directions – one side being the feeling of the very tip of his finger joining Chenle’s own lubricated finger as it dips inside the tight, warmth of his body. The other side being the warm waves of cum landing on his stomach as Chenle continues to rock against him through his orgasm.
Renjun removes his finger from Chenle’s ass and rolls onto his back, using the rest of his strength to drag a completely spent Chenle on top of him, trying to trap some of the heat quickly dissipating between them.
“Ugh,” Chenle groans, his words slipping into Chinese. His body reverting to its basic programming. “So sticky.”
Renjun laughs and rubs Chenle’s back, trying to soothe him. He presses a kiss to the top of Chenle’s head, onto his sweat-slicked hair.
They are disgustingly damp and sticky. There’s cum on both of their stomachs and Renjun can feel the drying cum on the pillowcase pressing against his leg. And yet he wouldn’t have it any other way.
“So,” Jaemin says, wiggling his eyebrows as he plates some freshly cooked pancakes beside a pile of mixed berries.
Chenle, who is still toweling off his hair from his shower, lifts his gaze and shoots daggers in Jaemin’s direction – a silent threat.
“Did you sleep well?” Jaemin finishes, trying to hip check Renjun out of the kitchen as he pops a few blueberries into his mouth. They burst with a mix of sweet and tart against his tongue. “Our little blueberry,” Jaemin adds, referencing Renjun’s blue hair that Chenle had helped him braid. A few of the shorter layers had escaped but had been managed with a handful of bobby pins.
“Mhmm,” Renjun replies, turning his focus to the kettle that starts whistling on the back burner so he can make himself a nice mug of Earl Gray tea. “And we both came this morning if that’s what you’re asking.”
Jisung, who is sitting at the kitchen island cradling a cup of half-caf coffee, spits his last sip right back into the mug.
Jaemin tosses his head back in a semi-maniacal laugh, “Good for you, lovebirds.”
Chenle rolls his eyes, fishing the oat creamer out of the fridge, but Renjun catches his proud little smirk.
“What about lovebirds?” Mark asks, stepping down from the spiral staircase at what he doesn’t realize to be the best timing possible.
Jaemin opens his mouth to speak again but Jisung just reaches his arm across the wooden countertop and plants an open palm over his mouth. Jaemin clearly licks his palm in response because Jisung groans and pulls his hand back – wiping it on his flannel shirt.
“Nothing,” Jaemin smiles. He points towards the Chemex on the far counter with his elbow. “The coffee is ready.”
“Have you ever seen a more beautiful day?” Renjun asks, stepping out of the SUV onto the gravel of the parking lot. They’re surrounded by a mixture of evergreen trees and the most stunning orange, yellow, and red leaves turned by the early days of fall.
“Lucky,” Chenle smiles, adjusting his sunglasses, tilting his face up towards the sky.
With his camera’s view-finder fixed on his eye, Jaemin snaps a quick picture of the two of them before pretending to be particularly interested in a pine cone on the ground.
Jisung who has already pulled his hands inside the sleeves of his flannel shirt is busy reading all the warning and alerts on a posted state park notice board. “Says we have to be careful of ticks, bears, and rattle snakes? I didn’t even know there were rattle snakes in New York.”
“I feel like tick season is over, isn’t it?” Mark asks, subconsciously scratching his ankles with the laces of his sneakers.
“We’ll just have to check each other when we get back,” Renjun shrugs, strapping on his day pack. “And the bears probably don’t hang out around main trails.”
“Probably?” Jisung winces.
“He’s being weird again,” Renjun whispers to Jisung as they make their way down the trailhead on their planned hike. Renjun had looked at the trails last night and suggested another path that would give them a higher altitude vantage point to see the colorful trees over breakfast, but Mark had insisted that he needed to see the waterfall. Chenle had whole-heartedly agreed with him, annoying Renjun because Chenle was supposed to be on his team.
Perhaps Chenle wasn’t a target, but an accomplice. “Mark too.”
“What do you mean?” Jisung grimaces, looking back at where Chenle and Mark are walking twenty paces behind them. They’re talking in low voices, hands buried deep in their pockets.
Jaemin is further behind them, stopping to crouch next to mossy rocks and chipmunks scurrying out of leaf piles – clearly oblivious to whatever the pair has planned. Maybe he’s safe because of that expensive ass camera.
“I don’t know. They’re walking too slowly. And Chenle’s got that smug look on his face. They’re up to something, don’t you think?” Renjun explains, joining Jisung looking backwards.
Chenle lifts one hand out of his pocket and gives a concerned wave, furrowing his brow beneath his sunglasses.
“And why is he wearing those anyways?” Renjun adds, gesturing at Chenle’s sunglasses. “He doesn’t want me to see what he’s looking at.”
“He always wears sunglasses! Even inside sometimes!” Jisung refutes, but he sounds oddly nervous as well.
Renjun stops in his tracks and Mark jogs up to them. Chenle drops back to wait for Jaemin to catch up. “What are you guys whispering about?” he asks, eyes flicking from Renjun to Jisung. His eyes search Jisung’s for a moment too long. Even more suspicious.
“I should ask you the same thing,” Renjun says pointedly, thrusting a finger into Mark’s chest. “What are you planning?”
Mark gasps at the accusation, clutching his chest. He laughs nervously, “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
“Are you going to throw me in the water? It’s too cold for that.” Renjun hisses, jabbing another finger into Mark’s chest. “And we’d probably get a fine from the park rangers anyways.”
Mark lets out a more genuine laugh this time, “Of course not.”
“Then why are you guys being so weird and insistent about this trail this morning?” Renjun asks, raising his voice. Jisung sheepishly waves at a family walking in the opposite direction. “What’s so special about it?” Renjun continues, dropping his voice down again.
“It’s just supposed to be a nice hike Junnie,” Chenle calls out, pushing his sunglasses onto the top of his hair as he gets closer. The accessory drags his hair away from his forehead for a moment before flopping back down. “Jisung suggested it a few weeks ago, and all his other recommendations have turned out really nice. But we can go back to the other one, if you really want to,” he says, gesturing back in the direction that they’d come from.
Renjun blushes, feeling suddenly childish and demanding. “Sorry,” he mumbles kicking at a twig on the ground in front of him. “We can go see the waterfall.”
“You okay?” Chenle asks, pulling Renjun into a side hug and placing a gentle kiss on his cheek as they continued down the path. “What’s got you so worked up?”
“I don’t know,” Renjun shrugs, looking back at Jaemin who is snapping pictures of them from behind again. “I’ve got a weird feeling like I’m missing out on something.”
Chenle chuckles, shakes his head and takes Renjun’s hand in his this time, giving it a proper and reassuring squeeze. “I won’t let you go, okay? If they throw you in, they’ll have to throw me in too.”
The view of the waterfall is spectacular as they round the corner and begin to climb down further on the gravel-lined path.
Renjun can’t help but gasp at its beauty.
Jisung smiles proudly at the reaction. “I’m glad you like it,” he says before rushing forward to talk to Mark, who is chatting with strangers also admiring the waterfall.
The water tumbles over the sheer cliff that looks like it’s made of hundreds of stacked layers of sandy, sparkly rock about 60 feet up and falls into a large pool at the base. It’s flanked on both sides by colorful trees that pop in contrast with the cliff.
“Do you like it?” Chenle asks, guiding Renjun to an empty area away from the others.
“I love it,” Renjun smiles. He closes his eyes for a minute to take in the sound of the rushing water.
“Babe,” Chenle says quietly, squeezing Renjun’s hand before letting go.
Renjun opens his eyes opens his eyes but when he turns his head, he doesn’t see Chenle standing next to him. He looks down to find Chenle on one knee, beaming up at him.
“What are you-?” Renjun asks, before it finally clicks. His heart rate shoots right up as he sees Chenle pull a classic blue Tiffany ring box from his pocket. Renjun wonders if he’s dreaming, or if he’s about to faint.
They’d talked about this day a few times. They talked about getting married one day, and that Chenle wanted to be the one to propose first, but that Renjun wanted the chance to propose back. They’d talked, snuggled up on the couch with Daegal nestled between them, about what a wedding would look like – mixing traditional Chinese elements with more modern-day rituals.
And now here they were, Chenle reaching out for his hand. He’s smiling so wide up at Renjun. Suddenly, everything that had been making Renjun feel nervous makes sense. Chenle had been acting weird, but only so he could surprise Renjun - who never lets himself be surprised about anything.
Renjun glances to the side to see Jisung jumping up and down excitedly, flapping his arms like a giant bird struggling to take flight beside Mark who is watching nervously, his hand covering his own mouth to keep from screeching perhaps. He’s clearly videoing the situation as well, though he’s too far away for his phone’s microphone to pick up much of anything.
And Jaemin, with that damn DSLR camera, is in the perfect position, snapping photo after photo with the biggest smile Renjun thinks he’s ever seen from him in his life.
Damn, they really got him. All of them.
“Renjun,” Chenle says, trying to refocus his attention, taking Renjun’s hand again. He runs his thumb in tiny circles along the birthmark on Renjun’s right hand as he speaks, perhaps calming himself. “Since the very first time I met you, I knew I needed you in my life. And every single day since then has been the best day of my life, because you’re by my side.”
Renjun nods, his bottom lip quivering. Even with the waterfall rushing beside him, all he can hear is the sound of his own heart racing in his chest and Chenle’s words.
He tries his best to memorize everything about this moment and how it feels. His eyes trace over the familiar lines of Chenle’s face. The eyelashes that tickle Renjun’s cheeks when Chenle’s peppering his face with playful kisses. The tiny constellation of moles that run from his cheek, underneath his jaw and up to his ear that Renjun loves to follow with his fingertips. The dimple that shows up on the left side of his face. He’s the most stunning person Renjun has ever laid eyes on, and he loves him so much.
Renjun feels his heart swell in his chest – maybe it will explode, and he will happily drop dead in this moment.
Chenle stutters for a moment before laughing at himself, eyes crinkling up and his invisible cat whiskers briefly emerging on his face. He switches over to Chinese to finish off his proposal, “And I want to promise to be with you every day for the rest of my life. I want grow old with you as my person, as my husband. I love you so much. Will you marry me?”
“Of course,” Renjun says in English, dropping down to his own knees to be eye level with Chenle. “Of course I’ll marry you.” He feels tears welling up in his own eyes. He wants to tackle him to the ground and roll up to see the expanse of the blue sky above them. He wants forever.
Chenle pulls the platinum ring, surrounded by sixteen round diamonds and yellow gold stitches, from the box and slides it onto Renjun’s left hand. A perfect fit, the obvious product of all the twisty-tie rings Chenle had wrapped around his ring finger for months because he was just “fidgety” like that.
“I love you,” Renjun says switching to Chinese, nearly knocking the empty ring box out of Chenle’s hand as his hands fly up to cup Chenle’s cheeks and pull him into a kiss. “I love you more than anything.” Their lips crash together and Renjun swears kissing Chenle feels as easy as breathing.
As Chenle pulls them both back to their feet to stand again, Jaemin is practically on top of them, camera lens clicking away. “Let’s see it!” Jaemin squeals, wanting to get a few detail-shots of Renjun’s hand with the engagement ring.
Random people on the hiking trail clap and holler for them as they recognize what’s going on. Mark and Jisung finally run over to join them too.
“I’m so proud of you, bro,” Mark says pulling Chenle into a teary-eyed hug, repeatedly smacking his back like a proud father. “You did it. You actually did it.”
Jisung is full on ugly crying as he embraces Renjun, pulling him into a crushing hug. “That was so beautiful,” he hisses through tears, baring his teeth in a giant smile. “You guys are so perfect together. I’m so happy.”
“I can’t believe you all tricked me,” Renjun says, his voice quivering, reaching out for Chenle again when Jisung finally releases him. He’s on the verge of tears himself, his voice cracking.
“You deserve it Injunnie,” Jaemin says, dropping his camera only to pull Jisung into a tight hug, kissing his cheek excitedly. “We’re just happy to be a part of it.”
They stay in the park for a little longer, taking a few more photos before heading back to the car to get their packed lunch. Jaemin had spent the morning preparing an intricate picnic for them – following Chenle’s chickpea salad recipe to produce a dill-licious spread for them as they settle at some tables with a lakeview.
Jisung and Mark take turns telling Renjun all the tiny details of how they’d perfectly planned this weekend. How the ring had lived at Mark’s apartment for two months. How many times they were certain Renjun was onto them. Of how they couldn’t believe Renjun had accused them of plotting to throw him into the water – in October? Are they really that evil?
Jisung shares his gummies with Renjun, picking out all the lobsters from the package for him because he knows they’re the flavor Renjun likes best.
As they pack up and return to the car, Renjun tries to reach his friends on facetime. He first calls Jeno, then Donghyuck, Giselle after, and even Karina once they pile back into the car, but no one picks up.
“What the fuck?” Renjun huffs, frustrated. “You told them, right? They know, right? Why is no one picking up.” He tries again using Chenle’s phone and Jisung’s phone – but still no answer.
“Maybe they don’t have service,” Jaemin shrugs in the passenger seat, clicking through the pictures on the camera’s display.
“In the city? Why wouldn’t they have cell phone service in the city?” Renjun asks perplexed. Texting them all to ‘CALL ME IMMEDIATELY!!!!!!!!!’
“Babe,” Chenle says, tapping on the car window. Renjun lifts his head from Chenle’s shoulder. He’s been zoning out while running his fingers over the intricate details of his new ring for the entire ride home.
Somehow, there’s even more surprises to be had.
“Oh my fucking god!” Renjun cries as they pull back up to the cabin to find another car parked out front. “Shut the fuck up.”
Waiting out on the porch are Giselle, Karina, Jeno and Donghyuck. They excitedly wave as Mark parks the car.
“When did you-?” Renjun starts, rushing out of the car to embrace Giselle who shoves a bouquet of yellow flowers bigger than his head into his arms, when he suddenly spots Daegal in Jeno’s arms. She’s squirming and wiggling so much that she nearly escapes his tight embrace.
“Daegalie?” he asks in complete disbelief as Chenle pulls her to his chest. She excitedly licks his face before turning to Renjun, trying to get him next. “You brought her too?” he asks, his voice climbing another octave higher. “How long have you all been in on this?”
“It’s really stunning,” Karina says, admiring Renjun’s ring. His hand is in Giselle’s palm as she inspects it from across the dining table. They’re setting up for a big family-style dinner to celebrate the engagement.
Jeno, Donghyuck, and the girls had left the city yesterday too and stayed in a nearby pet-friendly hotel. They’d secretly come by yesterday, when Jaemin had taken Renjun out on the walk down to the creek, to get one of the house keys and to finalize the details of the rest of the surprise. Tricked again.
“So shiny,” Jeno smiles as he places a large bowl of salad beside Renjun before returning to the kitchen. “Suits you, Injunnie.”
Daegal follows Jeno back and forth from the kitchen as he continues to set the table, tripping him more than once. Renjun doesn’t understand how she’s not completely exhausted at this point after chasing Donghyuck, Mark, and Chenle around the yard earlier – rolling in every leaf pile she could before taking off again in pursuit of another boy. She’ll certainly sleep well tonight, burying herself in the bundles of blankets on the sleeper sofa between Giselle and Karina in the living room instead of on the dog bed included with the rental.
Chenle calls out to her in Chinese and offers her a piece of carrot from his food scraps, trying to free Jeno from his all-white duckling. Chenle and Jaemin are running the kitchen like two master-chefs – preparing two different entrees and a massive spread of vegan-friendly sides.
Renjun can’t help but smile as he watches the tiny exchange from the dining room. Chenle really is the man of his dreams. Most people would look at Chenle with his frizzy hair and the holes in the armpits of his favorite t-shirts and dismiss him as some absent-minded, too-cool-for-school bro. But Chenle was one of the most thoughtful men he’d ever met in his life. Not in the overthinking way that could drag Renjun down, but in the thinking three steps ahead way where he was always thinking about others.
Chenle loves big. He loves with his whole heart, always thinking about the people in his life he cared for the most.
If you gave him a gift, he made sure to wear it every time you got together until it was literally falling apart. There is a Golden State Warriors travel mug from Mark in their apartment that Chenle handwashes every day after work so he can bring it back the next day. There is a knitted scarf from Jisung, one of his first projects. It was a little itchy and slowly unraveling to the point that Renjun was constantly repairing it with his crochet hook, but Chenle still insisted on wearing it nearly every time he left the house between November and March. There is Daegal’s ladybug raincoat that had been purchased by Donghyuck and Jeno. They take a photo of her wearing it every time they went for a walk in the rain. There is a set of yellow and blue silicone spatulas from Giselle and Karina that Chenle reaches for first whenever he cooks them a meal. And of course, a silly cat-themed bracelet that Renjun had picked up at a holiday market in Bryant Park two years ago. It had snapped a few months later during a picnic in Central Park. Chenle had spent twenty minutes searching for all the beads in the grass so that he could restring it.
And then there was the food. Chenle showes his love for others through food. He’d bought Giselle a cookie on that first coffee shop “not-a-date” with Renjun. The amount of Sweetgreen rewards points he had on his account from feeding Jisung meals that actually contained vegetables. The soup he made for Mark every time he got a cold. The jelly he’d pick up at the farmer’s market just for Jaemin. Plus, he’d learned how to veganize all his favorite Shanghainese dishes so that he could cook them just for Renjun.
And the love he had in his heart, had made this proposal possible. His love for Renjun. But also, his love for all his friends who had paid him back by meticulously planning everything to create the surprise of a lifetime.
The work meetings with Mark and Jisung dedicated to picking the perfect location and building out the perfect itinerary down to the waterfall trail. The dog-sitting arrangements with Donghyuck and Jeno. Jaemin had photographed everything for them for free, when professionally he could easily get a thousand dollars for a similar out-of-town surprise proposal and engagement shoot. The work Giselle and Karina had put in getting info on Renjun’s jewelry preferences.
It was so perfect, and it was all Chenle.
Daegal, their little fur ball daughter, a manifestation of their love, takes the carrot between her teeth and brings it to the living room, climbing straight into Jisung’s lap in front of the fireplace, fully satisfied. Six-foot Jisung had been trying his best to feed the fire Mark had started, but he’s now stuck sitting – trapped by all ten pounds of white fluff.
“For the record, we ordered that vegan earl gray crepe cake you like, but we didn’t think it would survive the trip, so we changed delivery to next week,” Giselle explains, snapping Renjun out of his Chenle haze. She picks some of the pomegranate seeds out of the salad Jeno had just placed on the table and tosses them into her mouth. “We did bring vegan macarons for dessert, though!”
After dinner, Jaemin uploads his photos onto Jisung’s laptop to show the group. Jisung groans in embarrassment and covers his face with his hands when Jaemin clicks the wrong way in the folder – revealing pictures clearly taken the night before of Jisung in some insane, extremely impressive Shibari chest tie.
“Relax,” Jeno says, elbowing Jisung’s side. “It’s nothing that we haven’t already seen before.”
The group of them had gone to a gallery in FiDi last year to see a photo exhibit Jaemin had been part of, and they’d all gotten quite the eye full of Jisung (face obscured) all tied up – including a few of him fully suspended in the air.
Renjun had had many questions, but decided not to ask for Chenle’s sake, as he’d spent the entire hour they were there flushed up to the tips of his ears and concentrating on the floor.
The photos are beautiful, an assortment of nature shots interspersed with pictures of Renjun and Chenle holding hands as they walked through the colorful forest, close ups of Renjun’s face as his emotion shifts from pure shock to excitement to practically blubbering – all pouty lips and soft cheeks. Through it all, Chenle smiling wider than the whole sky.
Jaemin wants time to edit them all the way through, but he sends a link to two dozen photos in a Dropbox so they can send them to Chenle’s parents.
Renjun hastily pulls his dark blue hair in a short ponytail once they’ve closed the bedroom door. Chenle has two hands on Renjun’s hips, walking backwards, pulling Renjun towards the bed until the back of his own legs hit the bed. He tumbles backwards, and pulls Renjun down on top of him. The pair had slipped away from the group who were watching a movie together down in the living room.
“Were you serious this morning?” Renjun asks, hovering over Chenle, who has seemingly melted into the mattress beneath him. His cheeks are a little rosy and he’s smiling up at Renjun like he’s hung all the stars in the sky. The flushed skin is either a nod to the bottle of wine they’d had before, or the remnants of heat from the fireplace they’d been sitting beside with their best friends not too long ago.
“About bottoming,” Renjun clarifies, his fingers slipping under the hem of Chenle’s pajama shirt and gliding along the soft skin of the side of his body. Chenle’s skin is so warm and the chill of Renjun’s fingertips pull goosebumps to the surface.
Chenle, ticklish to a fault, surprisingly shifts further into Renjun’s touch rather than away from it. He nods, eyes fluttering shut, “Yeah.” He swallows and sucks in a deep breath before opening his eyes to gaze down the bridge of his nose at Renjun with hooded eyes. “I want you to fuck me.”
Renjun’s right arm slides underneath Chenle, encouraging a gentle and beautiful arch as he spreads his fingers across Chenle’s lower back. God, he’s gorgeous. Renjun can’t help but thank the heavens that Chenle had decided to read in the park four Septembers back, planting himself next to Renjun and Giselle and accidentally starting their forever together.
Chenle watches Renjun’s eyes flick up to the headboard and receives his silent message, scooting further up the mattress towards the pillows to make more room for them to play. He peels his own shirt off before reaching for the hem of Renjun’s shirt as well.
“Are you nervous?” Renjun asks, licking his lips to stop himself from chewing them as Chenle smiles up at him once again. He reaches for their lube on the side table, a souvenir left there from the morning.
Renjun pauses before taking off his engagement ring for the first time since Chenle had slid it onto his finger at the waterfall and gently drops it into a tiny heart-shaped ring dish Jisung had given him during dinner. Jisung had crafted it a few weeks back at their apartment when the two of them had been experimenting with clay, but Jisung had carved the tiny R + C into the bottom when Renjun was busy chasing Daegal around the apartment trying to retrieve a sponge she’d stolen from them.
“No. Why?” Chenle replies, raking his fingernails lightly over his own stomach, grazing the tiny trail of hair that disappears underneath the elastic of his pajama pants. His stomach muscles twitch as he teases himself.
Renjun isn’t sure if the teasing motion is more for himself or for Renjun. Renjun sucks in a quick breath, feeling the familiar heat build low in his stomach. He wants to leave a trail of kisses from Chenle’s neck all the way down to his waistband, burying his face in the softness of Chenle’s thighs.
“Are you?” Chenle asks, reaching down between his legs and palming himself directly this time, holding eye contact with Renjun as he does so. Beckoning him forward.
“A little,” Renjun admits, glancing away and putting his glasses on the side table. He tries to tuck the shorter layers of hair behind his ears, but they keep falling and framing his face as his haircut intended. “I don’t want to hurt you,” Renjun explains. His confidence from this morning as he’d humped that poor pillow to completion has evaporated. All the promises previously spilled from his lips about making Chenle feel as good as he makes Renjun feel had dried up.
“You have never hurt me before,” Chenle frowns, pulling Renjun back on top of him like a weighted blanket. “Why are you worried now?” He kisses Renjun’s neck, focusing on his pulse point, trying to pull him away from his worries.
“It’s different,” Renjun huffs. “This is- this is the first time we’re having sex since we’ve been engaged.”
Chenle lets out a bark of a laugh in response, earning him a light slap on the shoulder from Renjun.
“Stop,” Renjun whines, pushing himself up and off of Chenle. “I’m serious. I want- I want this to be special. I want it to be really good.”
“It is special babe,” Chenle says, though he drops his hands from Renjun’s waist down to his ass and squeezes it playfully, almost undercutting his point.
“You should just- I’ll bottom,” Renjun stutters. “It’s more familiar.”
“Jun. No,” Chenle huffs, grinding his hips up against Renjun so he can feel that he’s already halfway to erect. “You’re going to fuck me into this mattress with that gorgeous cock of yours. And you’re going to do an incredible job.”
Renjun swallows, biting at his bottom lip as he remembers Chenle grinding against his bare skin twelve hours earlier while he’d fingered himself. His cock twitches in his sweats as he thinks back to the last time Chenle had bottomed for him a few months ago, his legs wrapped around Renjun’s waist, pulling him impossibly deeper with each thrust.
“Gē, please,” Chenle continues, pulling out that rarely used honorific way too early. He places a gentle hand on the back of Renjun’s neck and squeezes, trying to soothe him. “It’s going to be so special. You’re an amazing top.”
“You’re sure?” Renjun asks, sliding a hand under Chenle’s plush thigh this time. He squeezes, pressing his fingers into the fleece before tugging at the fabric, pulling Chenle’s bottoms off in what he intends to be one swift motion. The fabric gets stuck around Chenle’s ankles, and Chenle has to awkwardly help kick them off. Renjun is only half surprised to find that Chenle isn’t wearing any boxers underneath.
A shaky sigh slips past Chenle’s lips as Renjun gently pushes his bare legs up, folding him easily at the hips and creating more room for Renjun to settle comfortably between his legs. Chenle’s cock rests weighty on his stomach, the pink head of his penis starting to peak out from his foreskin as he gets even more erect.
Renjun goes back to massaging the back of Chenle’s thigh, pausing to place a kiss on the inside of his knee, but he’s more ticklish this time, squirming against the mattress.
“You want me to beg, is that it?” Chenle asks, practically writhing underneath him. “I’ll beg for you Gē, if that’s what it takes to get you inside me.”
Renjun laughs, delighted at how eager Chenle is and sits back on his knees, locating the bottle of lube he’d put down before. He spreads a layer of it over the pads of his pointer finger and middle finger with his thumb, trying to warm it up a bit.
“You ready for me to open you up?” Renjun asks bringing the tip of his pointer finger to the puckered ring of muscles. He drags his fingertip along Chenle’s hole, earning a shaky moan, before quickly swiping up towards his taint and massaging his balls for a moment. “Or are you planning on doing that yourself?”
“Not fair,” Chenle groans, rocking his hips against Renjun’s hand. He whines, “Don’t tease me.”
“Why not?” Renjun beams down at him, moving his fingers back down to circle around Chenle’s asshole with two fingers this time.
Chenle gasps, tilting his head all the way back in response.
“I was offered begging, but I don’t hear any yet.” Renjun smirks, biting back a smile. “Do you want me or not?”
Chenle regains his composure and his lips twist into a devilish smirk as he realizes Renjun is starting to get his confidence back. His eyes flutter closed, and he swallows, battling his tendencies to be defiant and dominant in order to keep building Renjun up.
“Please Junnie,” Chenle begs, stretching the syllables out extra-long. He leans into the roleplay perhaps a bit too hard. “Get me ready for your cock. Open me up. I’ve been so good.”
Renjun giggles at the absurd phrasing but rewards Chenle by pressing his pointer finger inside, past the tight ring of pink muscles. He starts to stroke the inside of Chenle, curling his finger before he twists his wrist counterclockwise and pulls out. “You can take two, right, baby?” Renjun asks, not waiting for a response as he pushes forward with two slicked fingers this time. He pumps into Chenle at a steady speed. “I think you’re still a little open from this morning.”
Chenle sighs, nodding and wraps his own fist around his cock, lightly stroking himself until he’s fully hard. “I’ve been waiting since then. Imagining how you are going to fill me up. How you’re going to fuck me so good.”
Renjun uncaps the lube with his free hand and drizzles more lube on Chenle’s hole so he can add a third finger. Chenle groans a bit at the feeling of lube dripping down between his cheeks. Chenle can be surprisingly finicky about the extra mess of bottoming – waddling off to the shower in the past almost instantly – Renjun chasing after him, wanting to cuddle and bask in the post orgasm haze together.
“Me too, baby. You’re going to feel so good around me,” Renjun sighs, changing the angle of his wrist slightly so he rubs directly against Chenle’s prostate.
When he makes contact, Chenle gasps, his back arching off the bed in pleasure. “Fuck,” Chenle punches out with a shaky breath.
“Right here?” Renjun grins, rubbing the smooth lobes with the pads of his fingers with more pressure. He knows exactly where he is, but he’s enjoying Chenle squirming too much to stop the teasing.
“Yes,” Chenle says with a shaky breath, dropping his cock and reaching out to grab at Renjun’s arm instead, stopping his movement. “But I’m not going to last long if you keep doing that.”
Renjun smiles proudly from ear to ear and pulls his fingers out. “And that’s a problem because?” He wants to hear Chenle say it. He’s enjoying flipping their usual dynamic too much to let the opportunity pass by.
“Need your cock, baby,” Chenle groans, almost frustrated. “You promised,” he whines, brattier than before. “You promised to fill me up.” He’s tugging at Renjun’s sweatpants, whatever he can get a handful of. “Fuck me properly Jun.”
Renjun nods, biting back a moan of his own, as he slides his sweats and briefs down in one go. Chenle’s demands leave him practically shaking as he struggles to get them off fully.
Chenle is so eager for him. He’s lowered his legs, giving his hips a break and returned to lazily stroking himself. He’s watching Renjun at the end of the bed through heavy eyelids. Chenle pushes his hair off his sweaty forehead with his other hand, swallowing the saliva pooling in his mouth.
Renjun watches as Chenle spreads the crystal-clear bead of precum over the head of his cock with his thumb, pressing down and lightly dragging his thumb nail along the slit until he’s gasping.
Meanwhile, Renjun fumbles with the bottle of lube, squirting more into his palm. He blushes as he slicks his length up. It’s almost too much. The squelch obscene as lube seeps through his fingers as he fucks into his palm a few more times. It’s going to be wet and messy. It’s going to be so good.
“Are you ready babe?” Renjun asks, settling himself back between Chenle’s legs. He pushes Chenle’s hips back up and into position.
Chenle nods eagerly, licking at his lips. He’s almost too blissed out to properly respond. “Need you,” he repeats.
“Breathe, Lele,” Renjun offers the gentle reminder, his eyes flicking down as he lines himself up with one hand and presses forward into Chenle with steady pressure until he bottoms out. Chenle is warmer and tighter than Renjun remembers him being.
Chenle gasps, tensing up underneath him, twisting his face in discomfort and clenching around Renjun’s length as his hands fist into the blanket beneath them.
“Breathe baby,” Renjun repeats, shaking as he holds himself above Chenle in a steady plank. A bead of sweat from his face drips down onto Chenle. He leans down, kissing along Chenle’s brow, trying to comfort him throughout the discomfort.
Chenle, eyes still scrunched closed, forces out a shaky exhale. He takes a shallow inhale before pushing an exhale again.
“You okay?” Renjun asks, peppering Chenle’s face in kisses. “Do you want me to pull out?”
“Don’t pull out,” Chenle says, arms scrambling to wrap around Renjun’s back, his hands meeting and squeezing together. “Just give me a minute.”
“You’re doing so well,” Renjun assures him, nuzzling against Chenle’s again, feeling him finally start to relax, his body sinking deeper into the mattress beneath them. “My Lele,” Renjun coos. “My fiancé.”
Chenle smiles at the praise and opens his eyes, looking straight up at Renjun with pupils blown wide. His skin is beyond pink, completely flushed at this point. His face, his neck, and his chest.
“My fiancé,” Chenle repeats and lift his hands to the back of Renjun’s neck, squeezing his nape once more. “You feel so good.”
Renjun’s hair tie slips out and the rest of his hair falls, dropping down to frame his face. They laugh and Chenle runs his fingers through Renjun’s hair, purposefully messing it up.
“Move, Gē,” Chenle says, pulling him down so they’re pressed chest to chest. “Fuck me.”
And Renjun does. He pulls back to the point that Chenle starts to whine at the sensation of loss, before quickly snapping his hips and pushing back in with a deep thrust. Renjun’s balls slap against Chenle’s ass each time he pulls back and thrusts in again, repeatedly fucking into him, finding a rhythm and chasing his high. Chenle feels beyond amazing. “You’re so tight,” he pants, fucking into Chenle. “You’re so warm and wet, Lele. Not going to last long. It’s too good. You’re too good.”
Each thrust leaves Chenle gasping, clawing at Renjun’s back with short, bitten nails.
“Touch yourself,” Renjun says, slowing so he can reach for Chenle’s arm and bring it from where it’s scratching his skin raw to the space between them. “Come on baby, just like before. You looked so good stroking yourself.”
Chenle nods, too overwhelmed to speak. Shallow moans falling from his trembling lips each time Renjun thrusts into him. He finally finds his leaking cock and starts stroking himself again. His eyes fluttering closed and jaw dropping open even further.
Renjun shifts his legs, trying to get more leverage from the bed beneath him. Whatever he does shifts the angle enough that Chenle bites down on his own fist to muffle a borderline scream.
Renjun can’t even shush him because Chenle is still moaning, begging him to keep going. “Right there Junnie. Yes. Don’t stop. You can’t stop.”
Renjun chokes on his own moans, sweat dripping down his face, down his neck. He’s panting, breathing heavy as he desperately tries to hold his orgasm back just a little longer. He’s focused on giving Chenle what he needs.
Thankfully, Chenle’s hand that’s been pumping himself between them slows and he cums with another loud cry. “Junnie. Junnie. Baby. Junnie,” he chants. The words tumble out of him like a prayer as he coats his stomach in cum, the excesses seeping between his fingers as he strokes himself through it. Chenle clenches around Renjun in a way that pulls Renjun’s orgasm from him as well.
Renjun moans into the side of Chenle’s face, licking at the salty sweat of his cheek as he spills inside him. Cum leaking out of Chenle’s ass as he fucks into him through the rising wave of pleasure.
He curses, arms trembling as he lifts himself just enough that he can pull out, collapsing back on top of Chenle, smearing the mess between them and adding more lube and cum to the sweaty, sticky mess.
Chenle shivers and groans as the rest of the cum dribbles out of him and onto the bedspread, his hole clenching around nothing. “Fuck,” Chenle curses, trying to catch his breath and lower his heart rate. “Gross,” he mumbles, but he lifts his legs and wraps them around Renjun’s waist, pulling him impossibly closer, smearing the mess between them. “You’re lucky I love you.”
“I love you too,” Renjun laughs, peppering Chenle’s pink cheeks with kisses again. “I love you so much.”