Work Text:
It was late enough that the dorm had gone completely quiet.
Not silent—there were still the occasional sounds of pipes shifting somewhere in the walls, the low hum of the refrigerator from the kitchen—but quiet in the comfortable way that only happened after everyone else had gone to bed.
Sangwon sat curled up on the couch in the living room with a blanket over his legs and his phone resting forgotten in his lap.
Leo was beside him.
Close enough that their shoulders touched.
Not talking much.
Just existing together after another long day.
Sangwon liked nights like this the most.
No cameras. No schedules. No pretending to be energetic when his social battery had already burned itself out hours ago.
Just Leo beside him, warm and familiar and real.
Leo was scrolling through something on his phone lazily, one arm stretched along the back of the couch behind Sangwon. Every now and then, his fingers would brush absentmindedly against Sangwon’s shoulder or hair without even looking.
Like touching him was instinct.
Like breathing.
And Sangwon noticed every single time.
He always did.
That was the problem.
Or maybe the blessing.
Sometimes he genuinely didn’t know.
Because Leo loved him in ways that were so quiet they almost hurt.
Not loudly.
Not dramatically.
Just constantly.
Like it was the easiest thing in the world.
Sangwon glanced sideways at him.
Leo looked relaxed tonight. Hoodie sleeves pushed up slightly, hair soft from his shower, expression calm in a way most people didn’t get to see often.
To everyone else, Leo was loud.
Bright.
Silly.
Always making noise. Always teasing someone. Always laughing too hard at his own jokes.
But with Sangwon…
He softened.
The edges disappeared.
Sometimes he got so gentle it made Sangwon emotional for no reason at all.
Like now.
Without even looking away from his phone, Leo suddenly reached over and fixed the collar of Sangwon’s sweatshirt where it had folded awkwardly.
One small tug.
Then his hand lingered briefly against Sangwon’s neck before pulling away again.
Completely natural.
Like he hadn’t even thought about doing it.
Sangwon stared at him quietly.
Leo blinked.
“What?”
“…nothing.”
Leo narrowed his eyes slightly.
“You’re thinking.”
“I’m not.”
“You get quiet when you’re thinking too hard.”
Sangwon looked down immediately.
That too.
Leo always noticed.
Even when nobody else did.
Especially when nobody else did.
There had been so many moments like that over the years that Sangwon had stopped trying to count them.
Little things.
Tiny things.
Things Leo probably didn’t even remember himself.
Like during trainee days, when Sangwon used to forget meals constantly because he got too focused practicing.
Leo had never scolded him about it dramatically.
He’d just started showing up with food.
Drinks.
Snacks.
Protein bars shoved into Sangwon’s hoodie pocket without explanation.
“You didn’t eat,” he’d say simply.
Or when he was too overwhelmed and exhausted from monthly evaluations.
Leo would disappear randomly after practice and came back with a flower or two for him. Sometimes, a simple bouquet he bought from the flower shop nearby.
And whenever Sangwon asked about it, his answer would always stayed the same.
“You looked like you need it.”
Like it was obvious, like he always noticed.
And of course, he somehow always did.
Without fail. Everytime.
Even now.
Sometimes, after schedules, when everyone was too exhausted to pay attention to each other properly, Leo would quietly hand Sangwon a drink before Sangwon even realized he was thirsty.
Or he’d hold his things automatically when Sangwon got distracted.
Or existing quietly near him whenever Sangwon was feeling too overwhelmed from the noise and the exhausting schedules.
Like he always had his eyes on him.
Like caring for him was muscle memory.
Sangwon swallowed softly.
Leo noticed that too.
“You okay?” he asked quietly.
Sangwon nodded too quickly.
“Yeah.”
Leo stared at him for another second.
Then slowly put his phone aside completely.
That was dangerous.
Because when Leo focused fully on him like this, Sangwon always felt too seen.
Leo shifted closer.
“You’re emotional,” he murmured.
“I’m not.”
“You are.”
“I’m literally just sitting here.”
Leo reached up and brushed Sangwon’s hair away from his forehead carefully.
“You get this look.”
Sangwon blinked slowly.
“What look?”
“This one.”
“That explains nothing.”
Leo smiled faintly.
“The one where you look like you’re about to cry because someone was too nice to you.”
Sangwon immediately looked offended.
“I do not look like that.”
“You do right now.”
Sangwon opened his mouth to argue.
Then stopped.
Because annoyingly enough, his eyes were burning a little.
Leo saw it happen in real time and softened instantly.
“There you are. My cute emotional boyfriend,” he murmured fondly.
“Stop saying that every time I cry.”
“But you looked cute.”
“I’m serious.”
“So am I.”
Sangwon groaned softly and covered his face with one hand.
Leo laughed quietly under his breath before gently pulling his hand away again.
“No hiding.”
“You always make fun of me.”
“I adore you,” Leo corrected softly.
That shut Sangwon up immediately.
Leo’s expression softened even more at the sight of his boyfriend going quiet and flustered so easily.
God.
He really was cute.
Especially like this—eyes slightly glossy, trying and failing to act unaffected.
Leo leaned forward and pressed a soft kiss to the corner of Sangwon’s mouth.
Sangwon melted immediately.
Just slightly.
Enough for Leo to notice.
“You know,” Leo murmured quietly, “you’re really a cute emotional mess sometimes.”
Sangwon looked away.
“No I'm not.”
“Baby. You literally stared at me for one full minute and a half with teary eyes once because I gave you my hoodie.”
That memory made warmth crawl up Sangwon’s neck instantly.
It had happened during MAMA in Hong Kong a few months ago.
A rare night where they’d briefly gone out with just their managers after schedules ended.
Sangwon had already been tired before they even left the hotel. Too many people. Too many cameras. Too much noise all week.
By the end of the night, he’d gotten quieter.
Not enough for anyone else to really notice.
But Leo had.
Of course he had.
The car ride back to the hotel had been cold from the air conditioning, and Sangwon remembered quietly rubbing his hands together without thinking.
Less than a minute later, Leo had pulled off his hoodie and draped it over Sangwon’s lap.
“You’re cold,” he’d said simply.
Sangwon remembered blinking at him.
“…what about you?”
Leo had shrugged.
“I’m warm.”
Which was a lie.
Sangwon knew it was a lie because Leo’s hands had been cold afterward.
But he still kept the hoodie around Sangwon anyway.
Then later, when they arrived back at the hotel and fans crowded near the entrance despite how late it was, Sangwon had instinctively slowed down a little from exhaustion.
Leo noticed immediately.
Without a word, he slowed his own steps too.
And quietly stayed close to him the entire walk to the elevator.
Protective without making it obvious.
Careful without embarrassing him.
Sangwon remembered lying awake that night afterward feeling stupidly emotional over something so small.
But that was the thing.
It was never just one thing.
It was everything together.
Years and years of tiny acts of care stacked so high that Sangwon didn’t know what to do with all the love inside his chest sometimes.
Back on the couch, Sangwon sniffled quietly before he could stop himself.
Leo immediately smiled.
“Baby.”
“Don’t.”
“You’re crying again.”
“I’m not crying.”
A tear slipped out immediately after.
Leo actually looked delighted.
“Sangwon,” he whispered softly. “Are you really crying because I gave you my hoodie once? It was months ago, love.”
“That’s not why,” Sangwon whined in response, shaking his head softly.
“Then why?”
A pause.
“I don’t know.”
Sangwon frowned helplessly.
Leo’s expression melted completely.
He reached over and gently wiped beneath Sangwon’s eye with his thumb.
“So sensitive,” he murmured affectionately.
Sangwon leaned into the touch before he could stop himself.
Leo noticed that too.
He noticed everything.
“…you always take care of me,” Sangwon whispered quietly.
Leo blinked.
Then looked genuinely confused.
“Of course I do.”
Like it wasn’t even a question.
Like Sangwon had just pointed out that the sky was blue.
Sangwon’s chest ached.
“You do it without thinking,” he whispered.
Leo tilted his head slightly.
“That’s bad?”
“No,” Sangwon said immediately.
Too quickly.
Too emotional.
“It’s just…” He swallowed softly. “Sometimes I think you love me so naturally that you don’t even realize how much you do.”
The room went quiet.
Leo stared at him for a long moment.
Then his expression softened into something unbearably tender.
“My love,” he said quietly.
Sangwon’s eyes burned harder immediately.
Leo moved closer without hesitation, both hands gently cupping Sangwon’s face.
“You know why I do those things without thinking?” he murmured softly.
Sangwon shook his head weakly.
“Because caring about you stopped feeling like effort a long time ago.”
That broke him a little.
Not dramatically.
Just enough that tears finally spilled properly down his cheeks.
Leo immediately smiled in that helplessly fond way he always did whenever Sangwon cried.
“Such an adorable baby,” he whispered warmly.
“You’re so annoying,” Sangwon protested weakly.
Leo laughed softly and kissed him.
Slow.
Gentle.
Warm enough to make Sangwon melt against him immediately.
Leo kissed him like he handled everything else about him—with care.
No rushing.
No force.
Just affection overflowing naturally from him.
When they pulled apart, Leo rested their foreheads together.
“You know I’d do anything for you, right?” he asked quietly.
Sangwon nodded immediately.
“I know.”
Leo brushed another tear away.
“Then stop looking surprised every time I take care of you.”
Sangwon let out a weak laugh through his tears.
“I can’t help it.”
Leo smiled softly at that.
“Adorable.”
“I hate when you say that while I’m crying.”
“But you are.”
Sangwon groaned quietly and hid his face against Leo’s shoulder instead.
Leo wrapped both arms around him immediately, holding him close against his chest.
For a while, neither of them spoke.
Sangwon just sat there curled into him while Leo played absently with his hair, occasionally pressing small kisses against his temple or forehead whenever he felt Sangwon shifted in his arms.
Eventually, Leo glanced down at him.
“You sleepy?”
Sangwon nodded against him.
“Mhm.”
Leo smiled faintly.
“Come on.”
Before Sangwon could ask what he meant, Leo slid one arm beneath his knees and the other around his back.
Sangwon blinked in surprise as Leo lifted him effortlessly from the couch.
“Hyung—”
“You’re tired.”
“I can walk.”
“I know.”
“But you’re carrying me anyway.”
Leo adjusted him slightly higher against his chest.
“Correct.”
Sangwon stared at him for a second.
Then quietly buried his face against Leo’s neck to hide his smile.
Leo carried him down the hallway carefully, making sure not to make too much noise while everyone else slept.
When they finally reached Sangwon’s room, Leo set him down gently onto the bed before climbing in beside him almost immediately.
No hesitation.
Like he belonged there.
Maybe he did.
And Sangwon curled into him instinctively beneath the blankets, still warm and emotional and a little embarrassed from crying.
Leo pulled him close against his chest and kissed the top of his head.
“You okay now?” he murmured softly.
Sangwon nodded faintly.
“…better.”
Leo smiled.
“Good.”
That earned him a quiet hum from Sangwon.
Then,
“Hyung...”
“Hmm?”
Sangwon stayed quiet for a moment before continuing softly,
“…I love you.”
Leo’s arms tightened around him instantly.
“I know,” he whispered warmly. “And I love you too.”
Then, after a pause,
“Probably more than you realize.”
Sangwon’s eyes stung again immediately.
Leo laughed softly against his hair.
“Crybaby.”
“Shut up.”
But he only held Leo closer after saying it.
And sometime later, tangled together beneath warm blankets in the quiet dark of Sangwon’s room, they fell asleep exactly like that.
Like loving each other had long since become as natural as breathing.