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Keys rustling, Minseok enters the flat that he moved into two months ago with Jongdae. He gets out of his shoes with a relieved sigh and moves to the kitchen, where he spots said man wiggling his butt to a melody played from his phone on the table. The sight has fondness tug at Minseok’s heart, but when Jongdae moves to the side, revealing a bowl on the kitchen counter - Minseok frowns.
What happened that Jongdae’s stress baking again?
Crossing his arms and leaning against the doorframe, Minseok tries to think of what Jongdae told him that could lead to the other needing to bake his anxiety away. Jongdae’s been quite busy with uni … were the exam results announced and he didn’t do well? Or is Jongdae anxious about the upcoming talk for a possible thesis topic?
Minseok bites his lips, keeping himself from asking those questions aloud. He learned it the hard way that breaking into Jongdae’s bubble of sugary safety with inquiring questions doesn’t help at all - resulting in Jongdae’s positivity crumbling away and him fleeing into his room. But Minseok doesn’t want to upset the other any further, so he prefers to wait and observe instead.
Jongdae’s mixing the batter now, arm muscles flexing when he adds flour from another bowl. Minseok’s gaze wanders higher, eyes widening when he realizes that instead of the usual blank expression of being mentally absent, there’s a determination in the way Jongdae’s eyebrows slant upwards, biting his lips.
Maybe there’s no negative cause of the other’s baking this time.
The batter seems to be ready, because Jongdae gets a cupcake tin from one of their cupboards. It gets greased and then Jongdae’s spooning the batter into the indents, scraping the last bits with a spatula that he licks when he’s finished, humming in delight. The sound has Minseok’s stomach tingle - a feeling he shushes promptly.
Then, Jongdae gets a small bowl that Minseok didn’t notice before, plopping little white balls into each indent. From previous observations, Minseok knows those white balls are actually blueberries dusted in flour to prevent them from sinking to the bottom of the tin while baking and the realization has his heart flutter.
Jongdae’s baking his favourite cupcakes.
The oven dings and Jongdae hums, crouching down to place the tin inside. While standing up, Jongdae turns to his phone on the table - and freezes when his eyes find Minseok.
“Oh, welcome back, h-hyung.”
Minseok smiles.
“Hey, ready for our movie night?”
“Hmm, yeah.” Jongdae’s shoulders relax and he mirrors Minseok’s smile. “I ordered take out but they said it’ll take some time.”
Minseok nods.
“Alright, I’ll take a shower and then we meet on the couch?”
Jongdae’s smile widens, eyes gaining an excited sparkle.
“Yes and I’ve got a surprise for you, but I still need to prepare it so, uh, please take your time?”
Minseok chuckles as he turns to leave, calling “I will give my best!” as he walks to their bathroom. Jongdae’s giggling is muffled through the door and it has Minseok’s heart flutter, not calming down while showering.
After dressing himself in comfort clothes, he finds himself seated on their couch. Jongdae’s still doing his thing in the kitchen, but soon the sound of bowls and cutlery clinking stops.
“Are you ready, Min? I’ll bring the surprise~”
Minseok hums loud enough for Jongdae to hear, suppressing a chuckle as he knows the surprise will consist of those delicious blueberry cupcakes. Yet, Minseok still thinks to himself to act surprised so he’ll see that satisfied sparkle in Jongdae’s eyes.
But when Jongdae places the cupcakes onto their coffee table, spreading them out to face Minseok - he doesn’t need to act his surprise. Staring at the cupcakes, decorated with icing, he hears Jongdae speak, voice high and nervous.
“I know you promised the new flat won’t change us, our friendship, but uh,” Jongdae whines, embarrassed and Minseok glances at him, catching the other hiding his face with his hands, muffling his next words. “Gosh, why did I think this was a good idea …”
Minseok doesn’t respond, looking back at the cupcakes with his heart thumping fast inside his chest. There, on several cupcakes, written in a shaky font with blue food colouring-
Can I be your boyfriend?
His lips form a smile on their own, a sudden giddiness spreading through Minseok. After all this time … a breathless chuckle escapes him, eliciting another embarrassed whine from Jongdae and Minseok turns to him, his smile bright. With his heart beating in elation, Minseok reaches for Jongdae’s hands, gently prying them away from the other’s blushing face.
“Everything is alright, Dae, don’t be embarrassed.” He looks into Jongdae’s eyes, his gaze fond and full with affection. “Don’t worry, because of course I say yes.”
Brown eyes widen and the blush on Jongdae’s cheeks darkens, skin warm beneath Minseok’s touch.
“Y-you mean, you, me-”
“Boyfriends, yeah.” Minseok’s smile turns gentle and he caresses one of those warm cheeks with his thumb. It has a flustered whine slip past Jongdae’s lips. “Jongdae, after all, I promised I won’t leave you, didn’t I?”
Jongdae’s eyes gain a shine, looking teary, but then he hums and his lips stretch into a smile, his cheeks turning squishy beneath Minseok’s touch. Looking into those lovely eyes filled with adoration has Minseok’s heart speed up and when he catches Jongdae glancing at his lips, his throat feels dry.
He clears it, feeling his own face heat up before he leans closer, their gazes interlocked, speaking of affection and warmth. Shifting his hold on Jongdae’s cheeks lower, he caresses the soft skin of his jaw - lingering on the corner of those enticing lips.
“May I?”
It’s only a whisper, but Jongdae nods, inhaling softly. And then, after months of holding back, Minseok gives into the urge of meeting Jongdae’s curled lips with his own.