Work Text:
Juhoon didn’t try to be pretty.
That was the worst part.
He just existed. Soft smiles that lingered too long, lips naturally full like they were always about to say something gentle, eyes half-lidded in that lazy, quiet way that made people lean closer without realizing it. He laughed rarely, but when he did, it was warm and small and devastating.
At the dorm, Juhoon would always steal Martin’s hoodie. He walks around or sits around with boxers, his milky white-slender-smooth legs exposed.
And Martin was losing his mind.
It had started slowly.
Noticed in passing. Ignored on purpose. Denied aggressively.
But lately?
It was unbearable.
Juhoon sitting across from him, sipping juice with those stupidly soft lips wrapped around the straw. Juhoon smiling at someone else. Juhoon pushing his hair back absentmindedly. Juhoon leaning his cheek on his palm, listening, existing, breathing.
Martin felt like he was being tortured by something beautiful and completely unaware.
He couldn’t think. Couldn’t sit still. Couldn’t even look at Juhoon too long without something inside him tightening painfully.
And Juhoon… just smiled at him like always. Calm. Trusting. Close.
That trust made it worse.
.
.
.
It happened on a quiet night.
They were alone in Martin’s room, the air soft with late-evening silence. Juhoon had stolen Martin’s hoodie again; sleeves too long, collar slipping slightly to one side. But bare legs exposed, again. His hair was messy from lying down. His lips looked… softer than usual.
Or maybe Martin had just finally snapped.
Juhoon was saying something. Something slow and quiet and gentle, like he always did.
Martin didn’t hear a word.
All he could see was Juhoon’s mouth moving.
All he could think was I want-
And then he did it.
He pulled Juhoon down by the leg onto the bed while he was sitting. Juhoon yelped in surprise. And Martin leaned forward and kissed him.
No warning. No permission. No thinking.
.
.
Just a sudden, desperate press of lips, warm, trembling, too quick and too intense all at once. Like he’d been starving and didn’t know how to take a careful bite.
For a split second, Juhoon froze.
Martin felt it. The stillness. The surprise.
And that was enough to shatter him.
.
.
He pulled away like he’d been burned, eyes wide, breath uneven. Horror flooded his chest so fast it made him dizzy.
“I- I-”
He couldn’t even finish the sentence.
He grabbed his jacket quickie, walked out and didn’t look back.
Then he disappeared.
For a whole week.
No texts. No calls. No showing up where Juhoon usually was. If he saw Juhoon from a distance, he turned around immediately. If friends mentioned him, Martin changed the subject. If his phone buzzed with Juhoon’s name, he stared at the screen until it stopped ringing.
He was terrified.
Terrified he’d ruined everything.
Terrified Juhoon was angry.
Terrified Juhoon wasn’t.
Terrified of what that kiss meant.
Terrified of wanting to do it again.
Mostly, he was terrified of seeing Juhoon’s face and realizing he’d lost him.
.
.
.
.
On the seventh day, the running stopped.
Because Juhoon found him.
Martin was sitting alone on the empty bleachers behind campus, staring at nothing, replaying that one stupid moment for the thousandth time.
Soft footsteps approached.
He didn’t look up.
“…Martin.”
His name. Quiet. Gentle. So painfully familiar.
Martin’s hands clenched.
“Go away,” he muttered.
Juhoon didn’t.
Instead, he stepped closer… then sat beside him. Close enough that their shoulders almost touched.
Silence stretched.
Martin could feel Juhoon looking at him.
Not angry. Not cold.
Just… waiting.
Finally, Juhoon spoke.
“Why are you avoiding me?”
Martin swallowed hard. “You know why.”
“I don’t,” Juhoon said simply. “That’s why I’m here.”
Martin finally turned.
Juhoon looked exactly the same. Soft. Calm. Eyes steady. Lips relaxed, not offended, not hurt, not distant.
Just searching.
“I kissed you,” Martin said hoarsely. “Without asking. I crossed the line. I ruined everything.”
Juhoon blinked slowly.
“That’s your explanation?”
Martin stared. “What do you mean “that’s my explanation”?”
Juhoon tilted his head slightly, studying him.
“You kissed me… and then vanished for a week.”
A small pause.
“I thought something bad happened to you.”
Martin’s chest stuttered.
“…You weren’t angry?”
Juhoon looked genuinely puzzled.
“Why would I be angry?”
Martin’s voice cracked. “Because I forced it- because I- because you didn’t-”
“I was surprised,” Juhoon said gently. “Not upset.”
The words hit like a shockwave.
Martin’s breath stopped.
Juhoon’s gaze softened, voice quieter now.
“I wanted to ask why you kissed me.”
A tiny pause.
“But you ran away before I could.”
Silence fell again.
Heavy. Thick. Fragile.
Martin’s hands trembled in his lap.
“…Because you’re too pretty,” he whispered finally. “Because your smile messes with my head. Because I can’t think when you’re close. Because I want things I’m scared to want.”
His voice broke.
“I kissed you because I couldn’t hold it in anymore.”
Juhoon didn’t move. Didn’t speak.
Just watched him with that same calm, steady attention.
Martin forced himself to continue, even though his chest felt like it might split open.
“…And if you hate me now, I understand.”
A long, quiet moment passed.
Then Juhoon spoke, very softly.
“Martin.”
Martin looked up.
Juhoon was closer now. Not touching, just close enough that Martin could see the faint pink of his lips, the softness of his expression.
“You should have stayed,” Juhoon murmured.
Martin blinked. “What?”
Juhoon’s voice dropped to a near whisper.
“So I could kiss you back properly.”
Martin froze.
Completely. Utterly. Stunned.
Juhoon’s expression didn’t change much, still calm, still gentle, but there was something warm in his eyes now. Something unmistakable.
Something that had been there all along.
Martin’s heartbeat thundered.
“…You would have?”
Juhoon gave a small, almost shy smile.
“I still can.”
And this time, he didn’t wait for Martin to lose control.
He leaned in slowly. Carefully. Giving Martin time to move away.
Martin didn’t.
Their lips met, soft and warm and certain.
“Don’t Run” Juhoon said softly between kisses.
“I won’t”
No panic. No running.
Just quiet understanding.
And finally… relief.
END.
××