Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

There was a boy in his class who Jay had become entranced by.

Sweet and a little socially stupid, Daniel Park was a charming ray of sunshine. There were so few truly kind people in the world, but Daniel fit the bill. Jay was not a man of few words, but rather of no words. Most, therefore, ignored him. Oh, girls fawned over him occasionally, but that didn't mean he had friends. But… Daniel saw him.

More importantly, Daniel heard him.

“See ya, Jay!” Daniel had said, his sunny smile shining on Jay, enveloping him in warmth, before excusing himself to answer a phonecall from his mother. Jay's cheeks felt warm as Daniel walked away and mentioned his birthday. 

Daniel was out of earshot when Jay overheard two girls chatting about his rumored poverty. Initially, Jay frowned. He hated hearing people talk poorly about Daniel… The corner of Jay's mouth angled mildly upward as the fashion major thought of a solution. 

—

Jay followed Daniel home. It wasn't hard. Daniel had no sense of urgency or danger, and very little awareness of his surroundings. Jay frowned as they moved to poorer and poorer neighborhoods. Daniel's happiness was contagious. Oh, to be in his orbit. Jay sat outside of Daniel's house for a while, imagining knocking on the door and not saying Hi, and Daniel inviting him in. They'd watch a movie or play a game or maybe just do homework. He wouldn't joke about school, and Daniel would laugh genuinely. 

Maybe Jay wouldn’t tell him that he wanted to hold his hand. Maybe he wouldn’t tell him he wanted to taste those soft looking lips of his. Maybe he wouldn’t tell Daniel that he wanted to touch every centimeter of Daniel’s beautiful skin.

Jay shook his head and slipped out of sight as Daniel’s short roommate headed out for the evening. Jay swallowed; once the little guy had left, Jay slipped along the outer wall of the shanty. He peeked in the window cautiously, in case Daniel noticed him. But Daniel was already sleeping peacefully, snuggled up under his covers on his yo . Jay sat there for a long while and watched Daniel sleep, smiling tenderly over the sleeping figure.

—

Jay needed a cigarette. 

It was Daniel's birthday and Jay had been up all night trying to put together the right words on paper. He wanted to really tell Daniel how he felt, but he hadn't been able to not say it yet, nevermind use actual words to express himself. 

To Daniel,

Hi Daniel! I'm

Hey

Happy birthday! 

Let's be friends

To Daniel the new kid

I accidentally overheard you on your phonecall about your birthday. Don't misunderstand just take my clothes

In the end, Jay settled on just labeling a duffel with “happy bday” and leaving it at that. He'd been up all night and was out of time. He had torn through his extensive clothing collection to choose pieces carefully. Originally the plan had been one duffel worth of clothing, but he couldn’t decide. Soon, there was a veritable mountain of duffel bags filled with Jay’s barely-worn clothes. He had been a blushing mess all night. These clothes had covered Jay’s nakedness, and soon they would cover Daniel’s. He imagined peeling the clothes off of his own back and giving them to the recent transfer student and swallowed hungrily as he pictured Daniel stripping layers of fabric from his own skin to feel the fabric that had been warmed by Jay’s skin against his own. He imagined Daniel’s gratitude, his shining smile, those soft looking lips…

Jay fell asleep with his phone unplugged, and woke up after lunch period. In a panic, he left instructions with his butler and ran out the door. He was going to miss Daniel’s birthday at school! Unacceptable! He parked in his usual spot and pinched the bridge of his nose as he hopped off his motorcycle just as the last class of the day was starting.

Jay was struggling with a killer craving for nicotine. At J High School, several bathrooms were regular haunts for the smokers on campus, but Jay preferred the one nearest to where he parked his motorcycle. It had the extra benefit of almost never being checked on by faculty. He paused outside. It wasn't unusual for the bathroom to already be occupied. Jay sparked up and took a long, relieving drag. He would just sit outside and smoke here. 

At least, that was the plan before he overheard the conversation. A group of architecture students were planning to jump Daniel Park.

Daniel was in danger. 

Correction: The Burn Knuckles were in danger.

Jay felt anger coursing through his body. He wouldn’t let anything happen to Daniel if he could help it, and with these morons… He knew he could. 

“He’s always alone after school! We’ll wait for him after school and take him out,” one Burn Knuckle said confidently.

Jay had wanted to spend at least some of the school day with Daniel on his birthday, but it looked like he had some other business to take care of. He sighed out a smooth stream of tobacco smoke and followed the Burn Knuckle knuckleheads for the rest of the afternoon. He wanted to give them the benefit of the doubt. He knew what it was like to be misunderstood. Maybe they didn’t want to kick Daniel’s ass, maybe they wanted to bring him to a nice dinner for his birthday. 

Jay wished he had thought of that.

In the end, his initial instinct had been correct, and the knuckleheads were easily dispatched in an alley a few blocks from Daniel’s tiny house. He walked the rest of the way to Daniel’s house and readjusted the mountain of duffel bags that his butler had dropped off before grabbing the one he had labeled and turning around. Daniel should be walking down any moment now. Jay felt anxious, and ultimately decided not to just stand and wait. Instead, he walked in the direction he knew Daniel would arrive from.

Jay’s expression was stony as he finally spotted Daniel walking down the dank alley. He swallowed nervously. Daniel looked so peaceful and happy. He wanted to wrap Daniel in his arms and not whisper happy birthday into his ear, he wanted to not tell him he was glad he had transferred to his school, he wanted to not say how beautiful he looked when he smiled like that.

“Ah! Jay?!” Daniel said as Jay nervously shoved his free hand in his pocket, the other tightly gripping the handle to the duffel bag. 

“You live around here too?” Daniel asked. God Jay loved how oblivious the other boy was. 

Jay didn’t answer the question, instead just plopping the bag down. 

“?! You’re giving me this?! Wow! It’s all clothes!” Daniel started looking through the bag, his eyes wide. “How’d you know it was my birthday?”

“...” Jay didn’t say, reminding Daniel that he had talked to his mom on the phone in the classroom.

Daniel shrunk a little, and Jay’s anxiety shot up. “It’s too much… Sorry, but I can’t accept it…”

Jay’s heart froze in his chest for a moment, before he didn’t explain, “...”

“You’re just throwing it all out anyway?”

“...” Jay nodded.

“If it doesn’t fit, just toss it?!” 

“...” Jay nodded again.

“It’s all cheap stuff anyway?” 

“...” Jay nodded a third time; it wasn’t really a lie. For Jay’s budget, these were absolutely affordable. And, he had so many clothes that he rarely wore them more than a few times anyways, so even the items he might have worn a few more times would have eventually been sent off to second hand stores anyways…

Daniel blushed, and Jay’s heart went from frozen to pounding. “...Thanks. I’ll definitely wear these.”

Jay’s lips curled up slightly. “...” he didn’t say, before turning and walking away. Jay’s heart couldn’t take any more of this. If he didn’t leave now, he’d take things too far. 

—

Jay made it to school with time to spare the next day. He took his seat in the back of the room by the window and waited with bated breath. Would Daniel really wear his castoffs? Would the clothes that touched Jay’s skin really touch Daniel’s? He watched the door through the corner of his hair-covered eyes nervously, angling his face so that he looked as though he were looking outside.

Jay let out a tiny breath when Daniel entered. Daniel looked amazing in the coat and shoes, and he had already switched out to the Givenchy Rottweiler backpack. He had even found the watch that Jay had included in the front of one of the duffels. Clearly Daniel had meticulously gone through Jay’s gift, and he liked it. Jay was so happy. 

“Hey Daniel! Where’d you buy this vintage wallet?” one of the girls asked.

“Oh, that thing? There’s no brand…” Daniel said, and Jay momentarily worried that he should have also made sure to have left a nice wallet for the dark-haired boy with the shining smile.

“Really? It’s nice!”

It really wasn’t anything special. Brandless, and of standard design. But now that the rest of his drip had been so finely upgraded, the class’s perception of Daniel had shifted. 

“Yeah~! Last year my mom gave it to me,” Daniel explained, smiling brightly. He looked so loving as he mentioned his mother.

Maybe next year, he’d be the one Daniel so warmly spoke about…

“Hey! Hi Jay! Yesterday…”

Jay panicked and turned his face firmly towards the window. Oh god, Daniel had noticed him staring? But Daniel didn’t press and Jay surreptitiously turned to watch the back of Daniel’s head as the boy settled into his seat, wiggling happily. Cute.

Jay smiled, content.

Chapter Text

“Jay! Hey, Jay!” Daniel was calling him as he was mounting his motorcycle a couple weeks later. Jay’s cheeks felt warm and he glanced quickly at his reflection in the mirror of his motorcycle. Okay, nothing was showing. 

“...” Jay didn’t say.

“Oh, I just wanted to ask for some fashion advice!” Daniel said as Jay basked in his smile. 

“...” Jay didn’t ask.

“Well, you see. I’m going to be performing at the festival with Duke Pyeong, you know from practical music?” Daniel explained. “Oh, you don’t know Duke? He’s really nice, and super talented. I feel so honored that he wants to perform with me! But I’m scared that I’ll end up embarrassing him…”

“...” Jay didn’t reply quizzically.

“I just… I don’t know what to wear for something like that. I know I’m a fashion student so I should know, but honestly it’s just that this was the department that had room for me when I transferred so I still have so much to learn…” Daniel explained, brushing his beautiful hands through his beautiful hair. Jay swallowed.

“...” Jay didn’t say.

“Oh, my phone number? You’ll text me? Okay! Thank you so much!”

As Daniel left, Jay’s heart thudded in his chest. He had Daniel’s phone number. He had Daniel’s phone number . He swallowed thickly and went home, considering the clothing that he knew Daniel had. There was no way that Daniel could embarrass Duke, whoever Duke was, but he was so considerate and thoughtful and Jay loved that about him. Jay was pretty sure he just loved Daniel.

—

Jay dreaded the festival day. He wanted to see Daniel perform very badly, but Daniel had also been elected for the boyfriend auction. Jay hated it. Why hadn’t he been born a girl? Not that he really wanted to be a girl, he liked being a guy. But only girls could bid in the auction, and Jay didn’t have any way around that. Well, maybe he could… As the auction got started, he stood in the crowd with a piece of paper that simply read, “Daniel Park.”

Jay didn’t normally carry cash with him, preferring a credit card, but cold hard cash would be the best way to get his point across this day. Please, please, please let him bid when the time came. He held his breath as Daniel’s name was announced.

Daniel looked terrified.

Jay, always the silent listener, was near the stage so that he had the best possible view of the object of his affections. The previous year’s auction winner was explaining that a particular girl in the audience was unpleasant, that she had bought him the previous year. Sure, she hadn’t done anything outright untoward, but she had treated him like an errand boy. She was the kind, Jay knew, who would one day grow up to take advantage of young idol trainees. 

He couldn’t let Daniel be in that position. 

Jay practically teleported to the staff booth, fidgeting shyly as he handed over the slip of paper.

“What? Sorry, no men bidders allowed,” the girl said with a shrug.

“...” Jay didn’t say, but the girl tilted her head.

“What?” 

“...” Jay didn’t shout, pulling out a wad of cash. 

“No matter how much you bid, no guys allowed…” the other girl at the staff booth said. Jay’s heart was pounding.

Daniel’s price was going up quickly, but that wasn’t what scared Jay. He knew he could win if this were simply a game of numbers. But it wasn’t. The deck was stacked against him because only girls were allowed to bid. 50,000 won. 70,000 won. 300,000 won. 500,000 won. 1 million won. 

Pocket change. 

Jay pulled out more bills.

“2 million won,” a girl’s voice said. It was nothing, but Jay still felt his panic rising further into his throat. 

“2.5 million won,” Lala called out.

“5 million,” the new girl said coldly as Lala tried to hold up her designer bag. She was right that the bag was worth serious cash, but cash was the only currency accepted here.

“That’s it! Daniel Park is sold for 5 million won!” the auctioneer announced, sounding moderately defeated by just how badly his previous year’s record had been smashed. 

Jay felt tears forming in his eyes as he tried to double the final bid again. It was the entirety of what he had brought that day. It wasn’t much for Jay, but he had never imagined that the bidding would go up that high. 

“What?!”

Jay fidgeted and gasped desperately.

“Wow, 10 million? Sorry… You still can’t. Anyway, the auction is over,” the girl said, and Jay slumped, defeated.

By the time he turned around, Daniel was running off to meet with the girl who had won him.

—

Jay got to smile again when Daniel and Duke appeared on stage. It was good to put a face to Duke’s name. A friend of Daniel’s was hopefully a good guy, Jay decided. Though, Daniel was oblivious and naive, so that might not count for much. Jay enjoyed listening to people’s comments about Daniel’s style.

Daniel looked so nervous up there. 

“...” Jay didn’t cheer, but from among the throng of teenaged girls, Daniel didn’t notice him.

“You are handsome! Do you have a girlfriend?” the MC asked. Jay froze.

“N-no!” Daniel responded, looking shocked by the question. Jay relaxed.

“I think you can pick anyone you like today!”

“What..? What??” Daniel responded a little stupidly. Cute, cute, cute…

Daniel made sure to credit Duke with the song, and Jay respected that. He thought about teaching the assholes talking shit about Duke a lesson; how dare they talk about Daniel’s friend like that? But then the music started, and Daniel went from nervous fidgeting to standing there utterly frozen.

“ y~eAh..~? ”

Oh no. Daniel was choking. 

“...” Jay didn’t shout encouragingly.

But it wasn’t Jay who came to Daniel’s rescue, it was Duke. He was good. Duke could have been in the fashion department, too, Jay thought as he considered Duke’s outfit. The guy looked good, even if he wasn’t Daniel Park. Then, as he wrapped up his verse, Daniel closed his eyes and took a breath.

There it was.

Jay felt like the wind had been knocked out of him. He had expected Daniel to be a good singer, but this was on another level. There was so much emotion, so much loneliness, so much desire. For a little while, it felt like the world had faded away. Daniel was singing to him and him alone. Jay took a deep breath as the music washed over him.

Yeah, he didn’t just like Daniel. He didn’t just think he might love Daniel. He was madly in love.

Chapter Text

Ever since the festival, Yui Kim had been lingering around Daniel. Jay hated it. He felt like he was suffocating with desire. She brought Daniel a gift but… He turned it down. Jay felt initially reassured by it until he realized she was only turning them down because he wanted to keep using the wallet his mother had given him.

“Thanks, but this is too much…” Daniel said gently, a slight flush in his cheeks. “Sorry.”

So much for feeling reassured. Of course Daniel would like Yui. Jay didn’t really get what it was about girls that guys liked, but he knew it was the norm. Of course Daniel liked girls. Yui’s flirting was becoming unbearable for Jay to witness and he closed his eyes behind his hair. 

—

“Yui, what do you think about fat people?” Daniel asked one day. Jay’s ear perked up with curiosity. Daniel was blushing as Yui hung off of his arm.

Jay answered the question in his own head as Yui lied. Jay had followed Yui around for a few days after she began to flirt with Daniel, and Jay had seen just what kind of person she was. Jay agreed with Yui’s lie, that people were people. But he knew Yui was full of shit. Still, he couldn’t interfere.

Daniel liked girls, and he’d never look at Jay. He’d never ask Jay that question. 

—

Jay started following Duke’s stream. He was Daniel’s friend, after all. Maybe Duke would ask Daniel to be a guest to perform their festival song. It was through the stream that he learned that Daniel’s roommate was also named Daniel. So they were all friends? Jay wanted to be their friends, too. The smaller Daniel also seemed kind and warm. His smile was just as warm as big Daniel’s, but with even less confidence than the already shy, naive big Daniel had.

Jay felt confused. They were so alike, the Daniels. Sometimes little Daniel even sang, and his voice had the same sort of emotion as big Daniel. They must have known each other for a very long time.

He wasn’t really paying attention to Duke’s stream when a familiar voice came through the speakers.

“Duke~”

Jay tabbed over to the stream and was rewarded with Daniel’s shining face.

“I… I let myself in. The door was open,” Daniel said. “What’re you up to? Oh wow! You’re broadcasting? I had no clue! Since when?!” 

Something seemed off about what Daniel was saying, but Jay didn’t care. He just watched as the beautiful boy stood in the back of the room. “Maybe we could go on together? We could… maybe do our festival song?”

Yes! Jay smiled, putting out his cigarette. 

People began throwing money at the pair. Well, no. They were throwing money at Daniel, but either way. Jay was glad to see it, until Lala appeared in the chat. Nope. He was still salty that she had been able to bid for Daniel, even if she had lost.

LALA PRINCESS

GAVE 1000 BALLOONS

ROCKY (ehfehfdl)

Wowww big spender

KITTYCAT (rhdiddld)

Nuts

ASDF (asdf)

GAVE 2000 BALLOONS

ROCKY (ehfehfdl)

Lol he sent more

KITTYCAT (rhdiddld)

Gimme some!

Jay smiled contentedly as the stream concluded. In the end, for a mere pittance, Jay had successfully been the top spender in the stream as ASDF. 2 million won was nothing. Sure, Daniel didn’t know it was Jay who had donated, but it made him happy to have done so. He couldn’t beat a girl in the fight for Daniel’s heart. Daniel liked girls, and Jay knew he couldn’t change that, but Jay could still find ways to shower Daniel with his love.

Chapter Text

Things had shifted in the classroom. Jay was surprised as Yui’s attentions shifted suddenly from Daniel to Zack Lee. Even more surprising was that Daniel’s attraction to Yui clearly seemed to have subsided. Hm. Odd. 

But also… encouraging.

Maybe he had misunderstood Daniel’s conversations with Yui. Maybe those looks hadn’t been attraction, maybe they had been something else? Jay stuck to his role as class wallflower, staring out the window each day as the others chattered around him. He loved listening to Daniel’s voice. 

People became better when they entered Daniel’s orbit.

In the past, Zack would have bullied Hansoo into buying him shoes with his own money. Now, though, Zack seemed pissed off about Hansoo losing his money but he wasn’t mad at Hansoo. He was mad at the scammers. He had to give Yui credit, too. She helped them find the scammer on Craigslist again.

“Hey, Yui. How do you know all this?” Daniel asked.

“Oh! My ex was a scammer too, so I saw it a lot,” Yui admitted. “Without Zack, he’d still be around…”

Jay glanced towards Mira. Sure enough, he could tell she was listening in just as closely as Jay was.

“You just watched while your boyfriend did that?” Zack asked.

“Uh, well… I was scared of him, cuz he’s the cool guy at his school…” Yui said, flushing with shame. Jay almost felt bad for her. Almost . “He was the only one I had.”

“We’re going to meet them now, let’s go,” Zack said, standing as the half-day school schedule concluded. Zack’s posse of assholes stood with him. 

Jay thought about not asking Daniel if he wanted to hang out, but before he could build up the nerve, Doo had already spoken up.

“Hey hey, Daniel. What are you doing? Let’s go. We’ll eat first,” he said. Daniel looked stunned.

“Hey, just relax. I can go alone,” Zack said, quirking a brow.

Daniel was shoving his belongings into his backpack. “Ah! Sorry! I was just packing things!”

“Haha, so slow,” one of the posse said, and Jay’s lips tightened in irritation. But Daniel looked so happy. 

Jay worried. He suspected Daniel could take care of himself, but he wasn’t going to risk anything. While the other boys headed off to catch the train, Jay went on ahead to Gian Station.

—

Jay was a little confused when he found Daniel sitting with Zack and Vasco, the other three delinquents nowhere to be seen. He hung around across the street wearing his helmet to hide his identity, and ducked instinctively when Mira, Yui, and Hansoo appeared on the scene. Ugh, he wasn’t the only one who had followed the group, it seemed. But it turned out to be a boon. By chance, Zack and trio of followers ran into a nasty piece of work. Not just any piece of work. The piece of work. The one Zack, Vasco, and most importantly Daniel were after.

He swallowed and entrusted Daniel to Zack and Vasco’s care. He needed to follow these assholes and make sure they didn’t bring friends to their meetup.

Of course, they tried. 

“Yeah, yeah, I doubt we’ll need you today either, but just hang around the area, eh? You know the signal,” the scam-artist said on the phone, unaware of his eavesdropper. “If you’re bored, too fucking bad. I’ll beat your asses if you slack, you punks.”

It didn’t take long for Jay to find the punks in question. He followed them meticulously until at long last, “Hey! Hurry!”

“What’s up?!” 

“Woojin called everyone! Three guys charged at him! C’mon, the sophomores are already there. If we all go, they’re screwed, haha,” one of the punks said.

They were easy to take out. Most people were easy to take out. Jay sighed. He wanted Daniel to know what he did for him, but at the same time, he didn’t want Daniel to be uncomfortable. He settled on the ground next to his bike and sparked up a cigarette, the punks in question scattered on the concrete around him. He had their phones on the ground next to him. 

Jay startled as someone’s voice came out of nowhere from behind him.

“Woahh! What happened? You did all this? You’re something else,” the guy said.

Jay jumped to his feet. Were they here for more?

“Hey, hey, it’s fine! Don’t worry. Those guys bug us every day; I’m sick of them!”

“...” Jay didn’t say stiffly.

“Hey, let’s go!” the smiling teen’s friend said. The guy who had surprised Jay so badly turned, but not before adding:

“And hey, you shouldn’t smoke. If you quit smoking, you’ll get a lover! Me and him quit and we both met someone!”

“Hey! I said let’s go!”

“...” Jay didn’t respond. He took a final puff, and dropped the cigarette on the ground, crushing it beneath his fine boot.

Chapter Text

“Jay!” 

Jay’s mouth parted in surprise as Daniel ran up to him excitedly one morning.

“...” Jay didn’t greet.

“You’re really smart, right?” Daniel asked, his shining smile blinding Jay. 

“...” Jay didn’t respond humbly. 

“No, really, I know you are! Can you help me study? This is really embarrassing but honestly I haven’t been studying at all… I guess I just got really caught up in all the activities and stuff,” Daniel admitted.

“...” Jay didn’t say, his heart pounding in his chest. Daniel wanted him to tutor him? Of course Jay would help Daniel study.

The days that followed were some of the happiest in Jay’s memory. He got to sit so close to Daniel that he felt like he would drown in the boy’s gentle, musky scent. Daniel was smart and catching up well. Jay watched Daniel’s lips when he sat across from him during their study sessions, the other boy mumbling to himself as he worked through math problems, and he leaned in close over Daniel’s shoulder when they sat side-by-side. He even let their thighs touch. Daniel didn’t pull away, and Jay was in heaven.

It was uncanny how quickly Daniel was learning. It was like he was spending twice as much time studying. His brain seemed to soak it all in like a sponge. Jay was so impressed. Jay loved talking with Daniel. He loved that Daniel just understood . He loved sharing his study materials, he loved the way Daniel chewed on the eraser of his pencil, the way he sometimes leaned extra close to Jay while studying. He loved the way their shoulders touched.

Every day for two weeks, Jay got to bend his head close to Daniel’s, and hear him breathe, and smell his shampoo. He spent his nights thinking about Daniel, and he couldn’t help but touch himself thinking about the beautiful curve of Daniel’s ear, or the gentle slope of the bridge of his nose. But most of all, he couldn’t help but touch himself thinking about how Daniel understood him so easily.

Jay watched Daniel with curiosity as they took their midterms. Every single class, Daniel drifted off at some point during the exam. He would look frustrated and stressed, and then he’d ask Jiho to wake him in five minutes. Jay was starting to wonder if he could get Jiho to trade seats with him… Jiho would shake Daniel awake, and the dark-haired wonderboy would fly through the rest of the exam with fresh confidence. 

When a week later the results were announced, Jay was practically ecstatic as Daniel Park was named the top of the class. 

“...” he didn’t congratulate Daniel.

“Thanks…” But Daniel didn’t look happy.

Chapter Text

“Hey Jay,” Daniel greeted Jay one morning.

“...”

“Oh I slept great, thanks for asking!” Daniel responded, setting his stuff down at his desk and sitting obliquely in his seat, facing Jay. “How about you?”

“...”

“Oh, I’m sorry to hear that. Um, I was wondering. Are you going to the student retreat next week?”

“...”

“You weren’t planning on it?” Daniel frowned, looking disappointed. “I was hoping to hang out with you…”

“...”

“You’ve changed your mind?! That was sudden!” Daniel said, brightening beautifully. Jay nodded happily. 

—

Jay’s butler didn’t like it, but Jay planned to take the bus with the rest of the class to the retreat. 

“But, young master, what if you need to come home?”

“...”

The butler sighed, not completely understanding. Jay frowned. 

“Well, I suppose you do know how to take care of yourself in an emergency,” the butler said after a while.

Thus, on Monday morning, Jay arrived at school not in his uniform, but in street clothes. Zack and Jiho gravitated towards him which confused him until Daniel started walking up. Oh right. Zack and Jiho were also Daniel’s friends. It made sense that if they were all waiting for Daniel, they’d waIt together, right?

The girls were whispering, and Jay couldn’t help but agree. He was wearing one of the many outfits Jay had given him, and Jay smiled subtly. He looked a hundred times better than anyone else there. He shined .

Jay fell behind the group as they boarded the bus. He was too shy to try and sit next to Daniel just yet. Jay climbed on just as Daniel was getting up from the front seat next to the teacher and heading to the back of the bus where a single seat remained, the others inviting him to join them. It was so good to see Daniel looking so happy. Jay wondered what his life had been like before. Popularity seemed so foreign to him.

Jay ultimately sat in the front and settled for listening to Daniel’s joyful laughter.

—

Jay lingered at the edges throughout the retreat. He had avoided attending such things in the past. He was beginning to regret coming to this one, too. He couldn’t get past his anxiety and his fear. He overheard Zack, Jiho, and Daniel heading towards Mira’s room, and he spent a little time listening outside. Zoe, of course, was all over Daniel. Eventually, Jay returned to the room he was supposed to be sharing with Daniel and tried to sleep.

He was glad Daniel was having fun.

He just… had wanted to have fun with Daniel.

—

In the morning before the sun had even risen, Daniel slipped into the room clearly hung over. Jay hadn’t slept a wink. He sat up quickly. Daniel’s face was covered in marker. 

“...” Jay didn’t ask.

“Oh, sorry! You weren’t in the room when Zack came by… I texted you, why didn’t you come?”

Jay looked at his phone and felt horrible. It had been on silent, and he had missed the notification entirely. He was an idiot. Three texts from Daniel, the first explaining the plan, the second with several typos asking Jay if he was coming, and the third utterly incomprehensible. Daniel had clearly gotten utterly wasted. Jay had been so wrapped up in his loneliness and envy that he hadn’t even thought to check his phone. Surely Daniel was having too much fun with his real friends and the girls…

“...”

“That’s okay. I really missed you, but you must have been tired,” Daniel said. “Um, hey, could you maybe give me a hand with this?”

“...” Jay didn’t respond. He and Daniel sat on the floor together as Jay pulled his skin care products out of his bag. His heart was pounding as Daniel closed his eyes. 

He swallowed as he intimately swiped a cleansing wipe over Daniel’s cheeks. As he managed to wipe away the last of the marker, Jay let himself stroke soft skin of Daniel’s face directly with the back of his hand, and shivered. Daniel twitched, and Jay pulled away.

“No, sorry, it’s okay,” Daniel said, opening his eyes. “It just feels kind of nice.”

“...” Jay didn’t say, his lips parted. 

“Um… Yeah. You can,” Daniel said breathily. 

Jay reached up with both hands and stroked Daniel’s face softly. He ran his fingers over Daniel’s cheeks, the line of his jaw, and his forehead. Daniel closed his eyes, his breath deepening as Jay fluttered his fingertips over Daniel’s eyelids, along the sides of his nose, over his sensitive lips. Daniel’s lips quivered, and Jay swallowed, pulling his hands away.

“...” Jay didn’t whisper. Daniel opened his eyes again.

“That… Yeah, it felt really nice,” Daniel said, looking away briefly, his cheeks flushing lightly. “Did someone teach you that?”

Jay shook his head, “...”

“Ah, you just thought it would help with my hangover?” 

Jay nodded.

“I think it worked… Um… Would you… Would you maybe keep going?” Daniel asked shyly.

“...”

“...Okay. You can,” Daniel agreed, biting his lip. Daniel laid down, placing the back of his head in Jay’s lap, and glancing up nervously. 

“...”

“No, it’s okay… I um, I guess I’m just a little shy,” Daniel said.

“...”

“No way, you too? But why?” Daniel asked.

Jay gave no answer, instead just threading his fingers through Daniel’s hair and gently massaging the boy’s scalp. Daniel closed his eyes and practically purred . Jay bit his lip, and began to regret suggesting Daniel lay down in his lap for a proper scalp rub. He could feel heat building up in his groin. Think about something unsexy. He thought about his butler, he thought about Sophia Alexander, he thought about bugs and dogs. The heat died down and he focused on making Daniel feel good.

Jay ran his hands over Daniel’s face again, stroked down Daniel’s neck and gently massaged the powerful muscles of his shoulders. Even as Daniel was trembling slightly, the boy sighed contentedly. 

“...” Jay didn’t ask.

“I’m okay,” Daniel said, eyes still closed, his lips remaining parted. How Jay wanted to kiss those soft lips. “Are you?”

“...” Jay lied. 

Daniel’s eyes flew open and he stared intently at Jay’s face. Jay wondered if Daniel could see his nostril hairs from this vantage point… He turned his face to try and prevent it.

“You can tell me the truth, Jay,” Daniel said softly, wringing his hands together over his stomach. “I’m… This is too much, isn’t it? You’re probably really annoyed with me, right?”

Jay’s mouth dropped open as he shook his head. Daniel was sitting up and Jay was feeling panic rise in his heart. He couldn’t tell Daniel the truth! Daniel would never look at him the same way again! He’d run! He’d regret letting Jay touch him at all! Jay bit his lip and clenched his fists in his lap.

Daniel turned to look at Jay, and Jay found his will to keep his own degenerate secret crumbling.

“...”

Daniel blinked and stared at him.

“Wh-what?”

“..!” Jay didn’t repeat before he buried his face in his hands, his fair skin turning a brilliant shade of scarlet.

In the pre-dawn dark, Daniel and Jay sat silently for a few moments. Jay heard Daniel swallow thickly. Here it came. Here came the moment that his sun would stop shining on him. Jay cringed into his palms and jumped when suddenly Daniel’s soft fingers were touching the back of one of his hands.

“I… I…” Daniel’s voice was trembling as Jay parted his fingers for one eye to peek out through the curtain of blonde locks. “I hadn’t thought about it, to be honest… I… But I think… Maybe… I think I like you, too.”

Jay’s hands dropped slowly from his face as he stared at Daniel dumbfounded. 

Daniel’s cheeks were so pretty when so brightly flushed. His eyes were doe-like and his lips were parted slightly, and Jay, with his heart pounding powerfully in his chest, steeled his nerve.

“...”

“..Okay,” Daniel whispered, his ears going maroon. “Y-you can.”

Jay leaned forward cautiously and touched his lips to Daniel’s. 

Electricity sparked between them as Daniel let out a tiny noise. Daniel laced the fingers of one hand with Jay’s and leaned into the kiss, deepening it on instinct. Jay could have cried with joy as Daniel’s lips remained parted and Jay darted his tongue out cautiously to taste Daniel’s mouth. The boy tasted of alcohol and salty snacks. Daniel’s tongue moved on its own, massaging Jay’s tongue gently. Jay’s free hand found its way to Daniel’s hair as the gentle kiss transformed into something more eager, more hungry.

Daniel pulled away first, and Jay did not stop him, though he looked aside embarrassed.

“Jay…” Daniel asked shyly, “Have you done this before? You’re… You’re really good at it…”

“...” Jay didn’t ask in response. Ah yes, the good old “(not) answering question with a question” tactic.

“Ah, no, I haven’t… Was it bad?” Daniel asked, looking ashamed. 

“...” Jay shook his head passionately, squeezing Daniel’s hand in his own. Daniel met Jay’s fringe-covered eyes with his own and smiled shyly. Suddenly, Daniel pulled Jay back to him.

Daniel had misjudged how much force to use, and suddenly found himself laying on the floor with Jay laying on top of him. Jay was shocked, and there was no more hiding his physical response. The sudden full-body contact was too much, and he felt his cock springing to life, straining against his soft sweatpants against Daniel’s hip. But, his body wasn’t the only one reacting. Daniel gasped as his hips seemed to move on their own, pressing his own erection into Jay’s thigh.

“S-sorry-” Daniel started.

“...” Jay didn’t interrupt him. Daniel stopped.

“Yeah… Yeah I just… I want to keep kissing,” Daniel admitted bashfully.

Jay obliged.

Daniel made a small noise as Jay touched his lips first to his jaw, then slid on down to Daniel’s ear. He kissed the soft lobe, and rubbed his nose along the firm shell. He had Daniel’s hand pinned overhead on the floor while his other hand held Jay up, his thigh tantalizingly pressing against Daniel’s hardness. Daniel’s hips bucked eagerly and Jay smiled, bringing their lips together yet again.

Daniel moaned , his own free hand finding its way to Jay’s hip and squeezing gently, shyly.

“...” Jay didn’t whisper.

“Y-yeah,” Daniel replied, his hips angling against Jay. He spread his legs and Jay positioned himself between them, rubbing his groin against Daniel’s. “Oh… Oh Jay…”

Fully clothed, the sensation was dulled but still utterly overwhelming as Jay rolled his hips enticingly and Daniel met him eagerly. A few thin layers of fabric were all that separated the boys’ hungry cocks. Daniel captured Jay’s lower lip in his teeth and Jay let out a gasp as Daniel worried the sensitive skin with little nibbles and movements.

Jay’s hips began to move more eagerly, and Daniel began to let out a steady stream of little noises, releasing Jay’s lip. He reveled in Daniel’s pleasure. He reveled in his own. Surely this was a dream. There was no way Daniel had come back from the girls and decided he wanted to kiss Jay back. He’d wake up and likely have a mess to clean up in his pants…

Well, one part of that was true, anyways.

After a few minutes of desperate movements, Daniel held his breath and arched his back. “Jay!” he cried far too loudly, and Jay covered Daniel’s mouth with his own as the dark-haired boy released into his pants, his body twitching violently with each wave of orgasm. It was enough to send Jay over the ledge, seeing how Daniel’s eyes had glazed over, how he moaned into the kiss. 

Jay sped up, and soon he spilled his own seed into his underwear, sweat dripping down his temple as he collapsed on top of Daniel, releasing Daniel’s hand at long last. Daniel threaded his fingers through Jay’s hair, and Jay relaxed into the gentle touch.

“...” Jay didn’t say.

“Y-yeah,” Daniel agreed. “It was really nice.”

Daniel yawned widely, and Jay lifted himself up off of the other.

“...” he didn’t ask.

“I’ll get through it… Besides, are we really supposed to sleep during school retreats?”

Jay giggled in response, and Daniel grinned as he sat up, touching Jay’s face. “I really like listening to you laugh.”

Jay, still pink, smiled and leaned forward again, pressing his forehead against Daniel’s as the first light of dawn peeked in through the blinds.

Chapter Text

Daniel Park was distracted. Things had escalated so fast in the room he shared with Jay that morning. He couldn't stop thinking about how soft Jay's lips were, and the wet sensation of Jay's tongue in his mouth. It hadn't been very long since Daniel had first developed feelings for someone else, but his feelings for Yui had abated swiftly. He fidgeted anxiously at lunch, sitting between Jiho and Duke.

What if Jay was like Yui? What if he turned out to hate fat people, too? Was this all just the privilege of his good looks? He wasn't stupid. When he looked in the mirror in this body, he knew he was a damned Adonis. But Jay seemed like such a good, caring person. 

The day passed into an emotional evening.

“The candle represents a personal sacrifice to light up its surrounding,” the counselor said. Daniel sniffled along with the others. He hardly saw Jay all day, but finally they were standing beside each other again. Would… Would they kiss again, tonight? 

“Let’s think about what people are candles for us,” the counselor continued, and Jay shyly bumped his elbow against Daniel’s. A jolt of electricity jumped up Daniel’s spine as he blushed. Should he have been thinking about Jay? He had immediately thought of his mom.

It was the last night of the retreat already, and Daniel felt so satisfied with the trip even as anxiety continued to curdle in his body. It was an odd mix of feelings. This was what high school was supposed to be like. He swallowed shyly as Jay entered the room after Daniel had already laid down under his covers. 

Tonight, Daniel was going to sleep in the same room as Jay. 

After passing out drunk in Mira’s room, Daniel had come back into the room in the pre-dawn dark to find Jay wide awake, and then… Well. Things had gone the way they had. Daniel was exhausted . 

He closed his eyes and pretended to be asleep.

Jay moved around the room quietly, shutting off the light and crouched down by Daniel’s head. 

I’m sleeping, Daniel thought. I’m sleeping .

Jay chuckled, and Daniel’s eyes fluttered open.

“...” Jay didn’t say.

“S-sorry,” Daniel stammered, looking up at Jay’s beautiful face in the darkness.

“...” Jay didn’t assure him gently, touching Daniel’s hair.

“Jay…” Daniel whispered emotionally. “I guess, yeah. I’m a little worried.”

“...” Jay didn’t ask.

“No, no, it isn’t that you’re a guy. I mean, I guess that was a bit of a surprise… I didn’t know that I even could like guys,” Daniel explained, gripping the covers to his chin as Jay stroked his hair gently. “It’s just… Well. Recently there was someone else that I thought I liked…”

Jay frowned.

“No, I don’t mean I still like her! It’s just, I asked her what she thought about something, and I found out later she lied to me,” Daniel said a little glumly. “I guess I’m just a little worried that you just like me because I’m… I dunno… I guess…”

It sounded sort of narcissistic, but he didn’t know how else to put it as Jay looked at him quizzically.

“I know I’m… kind of… maybe good looking?” Daniel finally spat out.

Jay nodded. Duh, Daniel was good looking.

“Do you… only like me because of that?” Daniel asked nervously, looking to the side.

Jay shook his head, concern masking his features. “...”

“You like me because I listen to you?” Jay nodded. “And because you think I’m funny?” Jay nodded again. “Okay, but… Would you like me if I was fat?”

Jay blinked, and nodded again. “...”

“I really want to believe you,” Daniel whispered, still not looking at Jay.

Jay bent down and kissed Daniel on the forehead.

“Okay. Um. By the way, does… Are we boyfriends now?”

Both boys were blushing furiously now, and Jay didn’t answer, “...”

“I think I want to be,” Daniel said. “I guess I just feel a little shy… Before coming to J High, nobody ever showed interest in me before, and now it’s… happened twice?”

“...” Jay didn’t say.

“What? No, it’s only twice! Just you and Yui!”

Jay shook his head, “...”

“Wait, really? Who else? Oh, I have to figure that out for myself? Wait, are you jealous? A little?” Daniel was stunned. Who else could like him? Well, again, he wasn’t blind. He knew what this body looked like. He yawned heavily, and Jay smiled softly.

“Yeah, I am pretty tired,” Daniel said, looking back at Jay. His eyes landed on Jay’s lips, and Jay licked them sensually. 

“...” Jay didn’t ask.

“...Okay,” Daniel whispered. Jay crawled under the covers with Daniel and wrapped his arm around Daniel’s waist, kissing Daniel gently before leaning his head on Daniel’s strong chest. Daniel’s heart pounded, but that end-of-retreat exhaustion was overwhelming his ability to stay awake. Soon, he fell asleep with Jay’s warm body against his own.

—

Daniel stared at his reflection in his home’s bathroom. He was short and fat and ugly. If Jay ever met him in this body, what would he think? Surely Jay would be disgusted like Yui had been…

Daniel had the night off from work, so why not try to better himself? He headed out in a sweatsuit and tried to jog. It was so much harder to run in this body. Shorter legs meant he was more likely to stumble over curbs. Less muscle meant that his legs began to burn much faster. More fat meant chafing and sweating and heavy breathing. He had no real stamina. He could run about half a block, and then he had to walk for a while, then he could run for about half a block, then he had to walk a while. 

Daniel tried to run past the convenience store when his boss stuck his head out and grabbed Daniel by the collar.

“Oi! I thought you wanted the day off to rest!” he shouted. “C’mere, give me a hand!”

Daniel blinked and without question followed his boss in the store before his jogging-exhausted brain caught up to the absurdity.

“Can you put up that poster for me?” his boss asked, handing it to him.

“Okay,” Daniel said, sweat dripping between the folds in his neck uncomfortably.

Why am I working on vacation..? He stood on his tiptoes to get the poster up to the right height on the window. I’ll just put this up and lea… Huh?!

Staring back at him from the Most Wanted list that he was putting up was Camp Counselor Zeus. No, Heemin Kim. 22 years old, and a serial sexual offender. Daniel’s heart began to race. Were his friends safe? Was his other body safe? He had to call someone… Daniel’s other body didn’t have a phone.

He tried calling Jay, but the call went directly to voicemail. Shoot, had he turned his phone off? Would it seem weird to Jay that he had a missed call from Daniel’s phone? He only had the one…

In the end, Daniel called Zoe, who had given his other body her number on a post-it note a few weeks earlier.

“Hello?” she sounded so cold for a moment, and Daniel winced.

“Zoe! It’s me, Daniel! From the store!”

“Goodness! How’d you get my number?!” Zoe asked, suddenly much warmer. Oh, it was just because she didn’t recognize his number. Of course, he’d never called her with either body so… 

“Er, I got it from Daniel…”

“Huh? Why my number?”

“Listen, Zoe… I have a favor to ask… Can you please wake Daniel up? It’s really urgent, and I need him to call me,” Daniel told Zoe.

“What? Why can’t you just call him?” Zoe asked, confused.

“Er, he dropped his phone in the toilet while peeing right before going on the retreat, so he doesn’t have one right now…?” Daniel lied awkwardly.

“Oh no! Okay, I’ll wake him up for you!”

—

Daniel woke up in his other body to Zoe knocking on the door. Jay shot up to his feet and opened the door as Daniel groggily sat up.

“Dannyyy!” Zoe cried, “Piggy-I mean Daniel asked me to wake you up! He said it’s urgent!”

“Ah… Um… Thank you Zoe,” Daniel said, rubbing sleep from his eyes. Jay looked at him quizzically as Daniel stood up. “Uh, Jay, can I use your phone?”

Jay nodded as Zoe walked off.

“...”

“I have to call the police,” Daniel explained.

“...”

“Can I explain after?” Daniel asked, fidgeting urgently. Jay nodded, and he called the cops. Jay listened intently as Daniel explained that he realized that Zeus was actually on the most wanted list. He remembered because his friend worked at a convenience store where they kept the most wanted list up to date. 

Jay leaned in the doorway to their room while Daniel paced up and down the hall. As he got off the phone, both boys startled as Zack appeared around the corner carrying a bag of snacks and booze. Zack looked ready to murder someone. It was a look Daniel had never seen before.

“Zack?” Daniel asked antsily.

“MIRA!!” Zack cried, sprinting.

“Hey! Keep it down! Does Mira owe you money or something?!” Zoe asked, sticking her head out of her door. 

“Zoe! Did something happen?” Daniel asked.

“Dunno… He said there was no sign of Mira for some time…”

Daniel’s heart was pounding. Doo and Jiho were sleepily peering out from their own room. Poor Jiho; Daniel hadn’t realized that he’d had to stay with Doo… But right now, that was not the most pressing issue. Daniel, Zoe, Jay, Jiho, and Doo mobilized. Where had Zack run off to? Where was Mira? Where was Camp Counselor Zeus?

“They’re probably just hanging out together!” Doo grumbled. 

“They’ll come back later,” Jiho said nervously.

Daniel knew that it was a possibility which is why he hadn’t woken everyone up. Only those who had heard Zack shouting down the hall were out in the dark mountain night. The search area was huge, and the group was sticking tightly together. 

The cop arrived as they were searching and they all converged on a shack where at long last they heard Mira’s scream.

Daniel stood in the doorway stunned as Mira wrapped her arms around Zack’s waist. The boxer’s arms were bent at strange angles even as he thrust them towards Camp Counselor Zeus’ face again and again. 

Zack’s expression remained deadly, but no longer was he angry. He was desperate. He was fighting for his life, and hadn’t noticed he had won. 

—

Daniel laid back down in the room he was sharing with Jay.

“...” Jay didn’t ask.

“Oh, um… I uh, dropped my phone the other morning in the toilet,” Daniel lied uncomfortably. Jay glanced at his phone and put it in his pocket.

Oh no… I called him first, Daniel realized anxiously. Would… Would he notice? But Jay didn’t say anything, he just took Daniel’s hand and looked at him seriously.

“Yeah, I’m okay,” Daniel said quietly. “I’m just glad we were in time. You too, huh? Yeah. Well… The trip has been really nice other than that… I hope he goes away for a long time, and I hope Zack recovers soon.”

Jay smiled shyly, and Daniel’s lips parted to say something else. He didn’t get the chance as Jay kissed him gently, persistently. Daniel drifted off to sleep with their lips lightly locked.

Chapter Text

Jay watched uncomfortably when Vasco handed a box of chocolate milk to Daniel at school one day. Nope. He wasn’t jealous of Daniel having other friends at all, really. He just wanted Daniel to keep smiling… Okay, no. He was absolutely jealous. As soon as Vasco and the other Burn Knuckles knuckleheads had walked away, Jay approached Daniel with not one, but a pair of chocolate milks.

“Oh! Jay… Thanks for the drink…” Daniel hesitated, and corrected, “Drinks?”

“...”

“Haha, yeah, I guess I do have three now.”

“...”

“Two’s a company, three’s a crowd? Where’d you hear that?” Daniel asked, tilting his head.

“...”

“Oh, I guess that makes sense. Here, how about you have one. Oh, I should give one to Daniel? That’s probably a good idea,” Daniel said warmly, smiling his shining smile. “But that still means I have two to myself… Are you sure you don’t want one?”

Jay shook his head. “...”

“Jay!” Daniel cried out in a hushed voice. “You can’t say something like that at school!”

“...” Jay didn’t say, smiling. 

Daniel blushed and nodded, “Okay. Yeah, alright. You can come over.”

—

Jay waited for Daniel by his motorcycle after school. Daniel waved to Zoe and jogged up to Jay. Jay put his helmet on Daniel’s head.

“Wait, what about you?” Daniel asked, his voice muffled when he realized that Jay didn’t have a second helmet. “But, what if something happens? It won’t? But then why do I need it? Just to make you feel better? I can always walk home… No, it’s not that I don’t want to ride with you. I mean, I’ve never been on a motorcycle before, but… Well. You promise it’ll be okay? Okay… Alright. I trust you.”

Jay smiled and mounted the bike, patting the seat behind him.

Daniel swallowed and climbed on. Jay smirked and with both hands gripped Daniel’s thighs and pulled him tight against his back.

“Hold on tight?” Daniel asked, his voice in Jay’s ear. Maybe this wasn’t the best idea, Jay realized. This was going to be distracting. No, he’d make sure it was okay. Daniel wrapped his arms gingerly around Jay’s waist and leaned his helmet-covered chin on Jay’s shoulder as Jay sped off.

Outside of his house, Daniel paused. Shit. He had been so distracted by Jay’s suggestion that they spend some alone time together that he had utterly forgotten about his other body. 

“Um, let me just… Let me just clean up a little bit,” Daniel said nervously. Jay nodded, and Daniel slipped inside. After a few minutes, he popped his head back out, his face bright pink as he invited Jay inside.

Daniel continued to putter about anxiously while Jay looked around the house. The closet had a bit of fabric pinched between the door and the frame, and Jay narrowed his eyes behind his blonde fringe. Hm. 

“Do you want some ramyeon? Oh, you’re not hungry? Okay. No, I’m not really hungry either… My mom just raised me to always offer food to guests. Maybe some juice? Oh, I should put the chocolate milk in the fridge for uh, for when Daniel… gets back,” he said, glancing furtively at the closet.

“...”

“Where is Daniel? I’m not sure where he is,” Daniel said awkwardly. “Wait, what-”

Jay walked over to the closet, and opened it before Daniel could say anything, and his original body fell out of the closet with a jarring thud.

—

Daniel opened his eyes in horror, seeing his handsome body unconscious on the floor before him. He had been startled awake by the sudden fall out of the closet. He should have placed himself more carefully…

“Oh no! What happened?!” Daniel asked, trying to play it cool. “Daniel!”

“...”

“What? That’s… Haha, that’s nuts…” Daniel said in a panic. “Um, I mean, you’re not nuts, or anything, it’s just… Why would I have two bodies? That’s impossible!”

“...”

Daniel’s heart was pounding in his chest. Guilt washed over him as Jay looked at him. Jay was right, of course. He had two bodies, and there was no denying it. Not really. He bit the inside of his cheek and clenched his fists, looking down in shame.

“I’m sorry,” Daniel said as tears began to dribble from the corners of his eyes. He closed them and dashed them away with the back of his fat fist. When he opened them, he yelped in surprise.

Jay’s face was right in front of his. His soft lips were parted, his expression gentle and soft.

“...”

“Even though I lied?” Daniel asked, swallowing thickly. “Even though I look like this? This… This is my real body… I was born looking like this.”

“...”

“That’s not true,” Daniel said, looking down at his belly. “I know what I look like.”

Jay’s hand touched his soft cheek, and Daniel shivered at the warmth. He swallowed thickly as he met Jay’s fringe-covered eyes with his own. “You really mean that, don’t you?”

Jay nodded, smiling gently. He didn’t understand, but that didn’t change how he felt. Daniel began to cry in earnest, wrapping his short arms around Jay’s neck. Jay returned the gesture, encircling Daniel’s broad waist with his long, strong arms. He glanced to the side where Daniel’s other body was out cold, twisted up in an awkward position on the floor. 

“...”

“Oh, yeah… That would… probably be for the best, yeah,” Daniel agreed. “My neck will be really sore if I sleep like that for too long.”

Jay pulled the yo from the closet and laid it out carefully before kneeling down before Daniel’s daytime body. He lifted him easily, and Daniel felt a weird pang of jealousy. Was he jealous of himself as Jay laid him down on the yo ? But then Daniel let out a small noise in surprise.

“Wait, what are you doing!”

“...”

“You’re gonna take my uniform off so it doesn’t get wrinkly? I can do that,” Daniel said awkwardly, “Or I could wake myself up and I can do it… Wow, that’s really confusing. I’ve never talked about this with anyone out loud… You’re really taking this in stride…”

Jay shook his head and gently pulled the sweater vest off over Daniel’s unconscious form. Daniel swallowed shyly. He sat down against the wall and buried his face as Jay tenderly cared for his other body. He couldn’t stand watching. Surely Jay was doing this because he liked his other body better, right?

After a few minutes, Jay had covered Daniel’s other body with a blanket and had sat down against the wall next to the conscious Daniel. 

“...”

“Um… If you want to uh… You should… I should wake up my other body, and then we can, I guess do that…” Daniel stammered out.

“...” Jay didn’t say, interrupting Daniel. He turned his face towards Daniel as the soft, small boy looked up at him.

“O-okay,” Daniel said shyly. “But wait! I haven’t brushed my teeth yet!”

But before he could move, Jay had lifted one many-ringed hand to Daniel’s cheek and turned the boy’s lips towards his own. Jay pressed his lips against Daniel’s. Daniel melted into putty in Jay’s arms, grasping at Jay’s shirt with his small hand. Jay’s tongue darted out, pink and soft, to taste Daniel’s thick lower lip. 

Daniel’s mouth opened and Jay’s tongue slid in to explore Daniel’s original mouth. Daniel’s original body didn’t move like his new body did. His new body moved in magical ways automatically, while Daniel’s old body felt awkward. He knew his mouth was too wet, and his tongue was moving weird and surely it wasn’t pleasant. He flushed and tried to pull back, but Jay held him in place.

Daniel’s heart fluttered in his chest, his whole body was on fire. He still had tears slipping down his cheeks even as Jay kissed him. This had to be a dream, somehow? But, how would he be dreaming? If one body was asleep, the other was awake. Daniel didn’t dream anymore. 

After what felt like an eternity, Jay pulled back, a string of saliva snapping between them and moistening each boy’s chin.

“...”

“I’m sorry,” Daniel said, ashamed. “Oh, you don’t mean it in a bad way? You… like that kissing this body is different from kissing the other? But you have to like the other one more, right? You like them both?!”

Jay nodded vigorously, smiling.

“It’s weird, though, isn’t it?” Daniel asked. Jay shrugged. Daniel was trembling as he leaned his head against Jay’s arm. Jay tilted his face to kiss the hair Daniel had been born with. “I’m sorry I didn’t tell you sooner… When would I have told you? I guess that’s a good point… I don’t know. I don’t even know how I would have told you.”

—

Jay stood in Daniel’s bathroom staring at himself in the mirror while he washed his hands. His suspicions, as wild and insane as they had seemed, had turned out to be true. He had half hoped he would be wrong, mostly because this completely changed the way he understood the world to work. Daniel had nobody to share this secret with, and now Jay had forced the matter. He clenched his jaw.

He was an asshole.

He should have waited for Daniel to provide confirmation on his theories, rather than press the issue. But it was too late now. He sighed and turned the faucet off, wiping his hands on the towel. 

The bodies were like night and day, but the person who inhabited them both was the same warm ray of sunshine. Daniel knocked on the door shyly, and Jay cracked it open.

“I um… I have to get ready for work,” little Daniel said.

Jay frowned. His expression quickly shifted to one of surprised concern and Daniel started to apologize profusely. There was one difference that Jay couldn’t help but notice in how Daniel behaved in each body. 

He was so much more afraid in this one.

Jay pulled Daniel into a hug, pressing Daniel’s round face into his chest and kissing his hair. 

“But you don’t have anything to apologize for!” Daniel insisted. Jay shook his head. “I… Okay. Fine. But you have to accept my apology, too.”

Jay, at long last, released the short boy. “...”

“I really like you, too,” Daniel said quietly. Jay smiled and bent to kiss him again. “Oh, you’re leaving? O-okay… I’ll uh… I’ll see you tomorrow at school, right?”

Jay nodded. Daniel walked him out to his motorcycle and waved until Jay had driven out of sight. As he drove, his mind went a million miles an hour. Once home, he flung himself into his bed and hugged his pillow tight to his chest, falling asleep dreaming of two pairs of eyes, two pairs of lips, two pairs of hands. 

Chapter Text

Daniel had avoided having his old body meet up with Jay ever since he had come by the house and uncovered his secret. Jay seemed a little disappointed when Daniel came up with excuses to not have Jay come over, but he didn’t push, and Daniel was grateful for that. The only problem was, it meant they hadn’t had any private time together. Daniel knew Jay hated it, and frankly, Daniel did, too. He wanted to kiss Jay, he wanted to hold Jay’s hand, he wanted to…

Daniel shook his head violently and clapped his hands to his cheeks.

Zack stared at him with a quirked brow.

“What the fuck?” the boxer asked, his broken arms awkwardly set out in front of him.

“Oh, nothing, it just helps me wake up,” Daniel lied. He glanced over his shoulder. Jay was smirking and looking out the window.

“Alright class, we have a new transfer student,” the teacher said as he walked in. “A girl.”

In walked a short, chunky girl with thick glasses. She smiled politely.

“Hello, I’m Crystal Choi. Nice to meet you,” she greeted.

Daniel blinked. Huh. A transfer so close to winter vacation was odd. The new transfer reminded him a lot of himself. Or well, his other self. 

“Holy cow, she’s big,” someone muttered. Kids giggled and cackled as Crystal looked around the room. 

“Where do you live?” one of the nicer girls in class asked.

“Near Inwan Mountain,” Crystal said. Daniel’s ears perked up. Doo started throwing some veiled insults her direction, and Daniel stood up suddenly. Jay watched as Daniel walked over to introduce himself.

“Hi! I’m Daniel! I transferred here a few months ago, too,” Daniel said, smiling his shining smile at the girl. “Doo, I live in the same area as Crystal. At the peak there are really nice houses, and the air is fresh. The neighbors are nice. It’s really nice to meet you!”

Crystal stared at him blandly. “Yeah… Thanks.”

—

Over lunch break, Jay stole Daniel away to the least popular bathroom on campus. It was least popular for a reason. Three of the four toilets were broken, and the fire alarm was under a welded cage. There was no getting away with smoking in this bathroom. Which suited Jay and Daniel just fine as Jay pushed Daniel gently into the single functioning stall.

“...” Jay didn’t say as he pressed his lips against Daniel’s.

Daniel gasped. Jay flipped Daniel around and pushed him against the stall door. 

“Wh-what’s this about?” Daniel asked shyly.

“...”

“I guess it has been a little while, yeah… But, what if-” Jay covered Daniel’s mouth with his own again, pushing his tongue past the threshold of the other boy’s lips. He nudged his thigh between Daniel’s legs and Daniel let out a little moan. “Jay…”

Daniel wrapped his arms around Jay’s shoulders and let the blonde apply pressure and friction to the growing bulge between his legs. He wasn’t completely sure where this was coming from. It had been so sudden . He had practically dragged Daniel away as soon as lunch began with nary an explanation. Daniel closed his eyes as Jay passionately ran his hands through dark hair.

Lunch break was over too soon. Daniel and Jay looked at each other’s scarlet faces, and Daniel glanced downwards. Their erections were painfully obvious. 

“...”

“Something unsexy?” Daniel repeated. “Um, I guess uh… I don’t know?.. You think of your butler? Wait, you have a butler?” 

He looked down and sure enough, Jay’s erection was shrinking. Poor butler; to be used as a mental ice pack for an unruly erection seemed rather unfortunate. But it wasn’t hard for Daniel to think of something.

He had plenty of unpleasant memories to choose from.

Daniel cringed, and Jay touched his face. “Let’s go,” Daniel said, turning and fleeing the bathroom stall.

—

After school, Daniel waved to Jay with a smile. Jay clenched his fist, and Daniel worried about what that meant, but the blonde was already peeling out of the parking lot. He took a scenic route walking home. He wasn’t ready to face his old body just yet after calming down his earlier excitement with memories of Logan Lee's abuse. He overheard some odd noises and turned a corner to see a group of boys looming over Crystal Choi and an emaciated yellow dog.

“Crystal?” Daniel asked, blinking and dropping his bag in surprise. “What’s wrong?”

Vin Jin and his crew split before Crystal could answer. Crystal stared at him in surprise. Before Daniel could say anything else, though, Crystal had picked up her bag and started to walk away. 

“I don’t need your help,” Crystal said coldly. Daniel stared after her, confused. But he was running out of time. He needed to get home and switch bodies if he wanted to shower before work. 

“Um, alright,” Daniel said, glancing at the dog. Hm. He’d pick up some food for the dog, too. She clearly needed some nourishment.

—

Jay didn’t like Crystal.

No, that wasn’t right. He didn’t like the way Daniel kept looking at her. The flash of jealousy had become a persistent simmer in Jay’s gut. He cringed as Daniel walked into the classroom smiling, carrying a stack of papers while Zack complained that he had been the one who saved Crystal from falling. 

Right.

Daniel liked girls.

Crystal was pretty. She had sparkling eyes and soft looking lips and gentle features. Jay didn’t necessarily understand the appeal of women, but he knew that most boys liked them. And he knew that Daniel did. Did Daniel even really like Jay? 

Jay followed Daniel home from school that afternoon from a distance. He had no particular goal in mind. He just wanted to see him. All of him. Both of him. His throat closed anxiously when Daniel took an unusual route. He had a bag of dog food with him, to Jay’s horror. Dogs were terrifying. Did Daniel adopt a dog? But if he had, why wasn’t he going home?

Daniel continued walking, and Jay followed worriedly. His worries grew exponentially when Daniel finally stopped. In front of Daniel was a skinny yellow dog… and Crystal Choi. Jay’s jaw clamped down, and he clenched his fists at his side. 

“Crystal?” Daniel asked. He sounded surprised. Well, that was good at least. “...It seems she’s a stray dog, so I brought some food…”

The dog was barking furiously, and Jay shook in his hiding place. If that dog tried to attack Daniel he’d… He’d… He’d..! Damn it. What would he do? It was clear Daniel wanted to help the dog. If he interfered, if he got violent towards the animal, would Daniel be able to look at him the same way again? What if he ended up choosing Crystal over him in the end? 

“Did you come to see the dog, too, Crystal?”

“...Dummy,” Crystal said. Jay flinched from his hiding spot. “You only brought food. She needs water…”

“Really?” Daniel asked. 

Jay could have pointed out that she didn’t bring water either, but that would have meant revealing himself. And it would likely mean speaking through Daniel, since there was no guarantee Crystal would understand him like Daniel did. 

“Her name is Enu. Her owners dumped her and moved, I guess. She’s very wary of humans, but she seems kind. She doesn’t bite hard.”

Jay trembled as he peeked around the corner and saw the dog gnawing on Crystal’s hand. 

“Not my hand… Eat the food!” the stout girl said.

“Crystal…” Daniel smiled his warm, sunny smile, running a shy hand through his hair. “Isn’t school life hard? I can-”

“You’re Daniel, right? Listen, thanks for your help, but I don’t need sympathy. This girl is fighting alone, and I can survive on my own as well. I’m not as weak as you might think,” Crystal said, smiling confidently at Daniel. “If someone keeps helping me, I will probably want to rely on them.”

Jay almost wished he didn’t have such a good vantage point. He could see the flush rising in Daniel’s cheeks. Daniel looked so beautiful when he was falling in love.

Chapter Text

Jay curled in on himself. He wanted a cigarette. He had followed Daniel to the dog every day, and many days he met Crystal Choi there. Sometimes a different girl was there. Daniel was so kind and warm, a ray of light. The dog was terrifying, barking furiously and biting Daniel. Daniel usually visited in his original body because the dog was close to the convenience store. The tall girl who sometimes visited the dog also, as it turned out, would visit the convenience store. She left Daniel digestive drinks and smiled brightly at him. He smiled back.

Jay felt defeated.

He started to withdraw from Daniel. It wasn't right for him to take up Daniel's time if he liked girls. He deserved to be happy. Jay… didn't make anybody happy.

Be a man.

Jay didn't wish he were a girl, but he was tired of being a man.

Two years before when he was in middle school, his father had come close to disowning him entirely. Instead, Jay remained a pariah with a bank account. Jay was stronger than his father. He could probably beat him if he wanted to. But that day in his room, with gay porn playing on his computer, he didn't want to beat his father. He let his father beat him. 

Jay was a useless faggot. 

“..Jay??” 

Jay flinched. Daniel in his little body had finished with the dog and was standing a few feet away. Jay had been so wrapped up in unpleasant memories that he hadn't been paying attention.

“Did you come to see Enu, too? No? Oh, you saw me and were curious where I was going?” Daniel was so soft and gentle, and Jay felt tears pricking at the corners of his eyes. “Jay, what's wrong?! Why are you upset?! Are you hurt?!”

Daniel crouched down to Jay's level and Jay turned his face away. Daniel furtively glanced around before reaching forward and touching Jay's face.

“Please tell me what's wrong,” Daniel asked quietly.

Jay's lips parted. “...”

“I don't understand… what… what are you saying?” Daniel asked, his voice strained.

Jay pulled his cheek away from Daniel's hand and stood abruptly. He grit his teeth and tried to walk away. Daniel grabbed the fabric of Jay's pant leg and fell forward onto his face. 

“!!” Jay didn’t shout, horror washing over his features as he knelt down to help Daniel up. He looked away when he noticed the blood on Daniel’s chin. “...”

“No! I’m not letting you just walk away!” Daniel shouted, leaping to his feet with remarkable agility given his current body type. “I don’t understand what’s wrong! I don’t understand what I did!”

Jay rounded on Daniel and Daniel shrunk. Self-loathing boiled in Jay’s gut, and he turned and sprinted away. Daniel had no chance keeping up in this body.

Idiot. He was an idiot. How dare he threaten Daniel’s happiness with his perversion? How dare he want to bask in Daniel’s shining light? Jay was buried in shame as he made his way back to his condo. 

“Welcome home, Young Master,” his butler, Gitae Woo greeted, then paused. “Young Master..?”

Jay’s head hung low. He shook his head and his butler, one of the few people who came anywhere close to understanding him. Jay crumpled onto the floor and sobbed pathetically. Gitae knelt down and placed a hand on Jay’s shaking shoulder.

“What happened?” Gitae asked gently.

“...”

“Okay… Well, you know you can talk to me if you want to,” Gitae said, offering his hand to Jay. “Come, I’ll draw you a bath.”

—

Daniel stood at the convenience store counter, but his mind was somewhere else. For days, Daniel had been trying to get Jay’s attention at school, but Jay had been so quiet. When Daniel had found Jay crouched around the corner from Enu’s box, he had momentarily felt happy, even if he was confused. But Jay’s expression had been even more closed off than it had been at school.

For the first time, Daniel felt like he didn’t understand Jay.

Oh, he understood Jay’s meaning. It was done, they weren’t going to be in a relationship anymore.

What he didn’t understand was why. They had barely started. It had to be because of this body. It had to be because Jay had thought it over and realized Daniel was a disgusting freak. 

“Oi! Pig!” a fist slammed down in front of him, almost knocking over the bottle of soju he was aiming to purchase.

Daniel was startled out of his spiraling thoughts and looked up at a mountain of a man. 

“Are ya fuckin deaf?” The mountain growled. “I said get me a pack of Camel crushes and a pack of Marlboro classics and ring me the fuck up.”

“Oh, right! Of course, sir! May I uh, see your… ID..?” The mountain man snarled and Daniel swallowed. To Daniel's great relief, the man pulled out his wallet and showed it to him. The rest of the transaction went smoothly, as did the rest of the night. 

In the morning, Daniel took off his old body and put on the new. Maybe he could talk to Jay at school.

—

Daniel Park

hey jay i noticed you arent in class hope you arent feeling sick! 

10:10 am

Seen.

Daniel Park

just so U know were having a quiz tomorrow for math

11:25 am

Seen.

Daniel Park

can we talk?

12:45 pm

Seen.

 Daniel Park

i can bring you the assignment if you'd like

1:17pm

Daniel Park

Jay?

1:33 pm

Daniel Park

ok ill leave u alone… i dont know what i did, but im really sorry.

2:00 pm

Daniel Park

I know i said I'd leave you alone but I really wish you'd tell me what i did wrong…

6:45pm

Daniel Park

I miss talking to you and its only been a day

9:20pm

Chapter Text

The same day Jay had disappeared, Crystal Choi had stopped coming to school. Daniel thought she was a really nice person, even if she didn't trust him in the body he went to school with. He wanted very much to be her friend. If the retreat hadn't happened, maybe he would have ended up having a crush on her. As it was, he deeply admired her. She was pretty, and kind, and sweet. But she wasn't Jay. It bothered him that both of them had been missing class and that he didn't know how to reach either of them. He kept visiting Enu, washing her scarf and bringing her food in hopes that she would eat it. Two days after Jay and Crystal had stopped showing up to school, it rained, and as Daniel returned Enu's scarf, the yellow mutt went into labor.

For a little while, Daniel's human concerns felt far away as he went back and forth between the convenience store and Enu’s corner. One pup, convenience store. A second pup, convenience store. A third pup, convenience store. Finally, a fourth pup, and Daniel presented the tired mother with seaweed soup. 

“Here you go, Enu. I looked it up, and seaweed soup is supposed to be good for new moms,” Daniel said kindly, leaving it at the threshold of the little cardboard shelter. “You did a really good job, Enu… I wish I could tell Jay all about you.”

I wonder if someone brought Mom some when she had me, Daniel wondered absently as he backed away.

His eyes widened as Enu shyly poked her nose out and began to lap up the broth. Daniel smiled with utter elation.

“Enu! You're eating what I brought you already! Yes! Good job! You've got to eat well! Whew! I'm so relieved!” Daniel cried, still maintaining a healthy distance.

Daniel was unaware of his observers, one dark haired girl, and one blonde boy.

—

Jay Hong

👋

12:30 am

Daniel Park

JAY! Sorry it took long to reply! I'm at work!! Hi! How are you! I missed you!

1:20 am

Jay Hong

😊

1:21 am

Daniel Park

I'll hold you to that!! See you tomorrow!!

1:35 am

—

Jay wasn't the only person of note who showed up at school that day, but the other was not Crystal Choi, but rather her twin sister… who… was also named Crystal Choi. And, as it happened, turned out to be the mystery girl from the convenience store. Like Yui, it seemed the girl had two faces. She was rude to several students, and the death glare she gave Daniel alarmed him. He was relieved when she left and lunch period began. He had been eagerly awaiting the chance to properly catch up with Jay.

“Hi Jay!” Daniel said, smiling nervously.

“...” Jay didn't say, looking out the window with embarrassment.

“Yeah… I really missed you, too. Um, you're much smarter than I am so you probably don't really need help, but I was thinking I could come over tonight and help you with the assignments you missed..?”

Jay looked up at Daniel. 

“I… yeah, you're right,” Daniel admitted. It wasn't about the missed assignments. It was about Daniel wanting to talk. “I just… really want to know what I did.”

“...”

“Huh? It wasn't anything I did? It was something else? Um… are we… still..?”

Jay's fist clenched, and Daniel stiffened anxiously. Jay looked up meaningfully at Daniel.

“Okay. Let's talk about it later,” Daniel said softly. “Um… do you want to eat lunch together? What about Duke and Jiho? Oh, I guess that's true. I do usually eat with them. But I don't have to eat with them every day! You aren't hungry? Oh…”

Daniel eventually gave up.

The texts from the night before had been so encouraging, but Jay was acting weird. Daniel drooped and went to lunch, sitting quietly between Duke and Jiho.

Jay hated himself. He had come to school with every intention of (not) apologizing to Daniel and (not) asking him to let Jay have a second chance. But then Crystal's sister had shown up. She was the girl who had been there the previous night in the rain, when that terrifying and ferocious yellow hound had given birth to four new terrors. Jay found himself all twisted up inside. Who were these girls? The rest of the school day passed slowly. Daniel kept glancing over his shoulder at Jay, and Jay kept looking out the window. When at last the day had ended, Jay was tempted to bolt. Daniel was faster, though.

“Hi Jay! Ready to come over..? Great! Okay, let's go!”

—

Jay sat on the floor across the small table from Daniel's tall body. Behind him, Daniel's short body was sleeping peacefully. He sat rigid, a drop of sweat forming at his temple. For once, Jay wished Daniel didn't so easily understand him. Now he was going to have to actually explain himself.

Despite being in his tall, muscular body, Daniel looked small as he sat cross legged, looking down at his hands in his lap.

“So… um… the other day…” Daniel started shyly. “Did I do something wrong?”

Jay shook his head vigorously, the drop of sweat freeing itself from stasis and rolling down his face. 

“What? You didn't do anything wrong, though!” Daniel argued, before Jay shocked him with the big doozy of an issue.

“I don't like her that way,” Daniel said earnestly, listening intently to Jay's silence. “You're right… I do like girls. No, wait, let me finish! I do like girls in general . But I want to be with you!”

Jay looked at him skeptically.

“I want to be Crystal’s friend,” Daniel said, “But she doesn't seem to want to be mine. Everyone seems to like me in this body… but not her. She seems really nice and sweet and pretty and strong and I want to be more like her…”

“...” Jay didn't say, jealousy rearing its head in his gut.

“Yeah, I admire her. That's the right way to put it, thanks Jay. You always know what to say…”

Jay blinked and gave no response to that absurd statement.

“I just… always blamed everyone else for why I was so unhappy in Sunukdo. I just wanted to be a normal kid, but looking like… like that meant people looked at me like I was an animal instead of a person. But Crystal…she's really strong. I really want to be like that,” Daniel said, looking down at his hands, a flush rising to his cheeks. 

“...”

“Okay… I guess I kind of do like her that way,” Daniel finally acknowledged.

Jay looked utterly defeated. He sunk his face into his hands, and Daniel cringed at his own romantic ineptitude. He didn't want to lie to Jay. Jay was the only person who knew his deepest, darkest secret. He didn't want there to have to be other secrets between them.

Daniel's new body was so much longer than his original body. He reached across the small table with ease and touched Jay's shaking elbow. Jay flinched but didn't pull away.

“Jay… I'm not very good at any of this,” Daniel said. “But please believe me… I want to be with you, not with Crystal. You're the one I like the most.”

Jay peeked up at Daniel and Daniel resented the table for being between them. Jay looked so sad.

Jay eventually stopped shaking and, still not looking at Daniel, he started to (not) speak. He didn't say that he was scared of ruining Daniel's chances at being a normal kid. He didn't say he thought Daniel should be with a girl and not him, because people wouldn't accept him. He didn't say that he was just dragging Daniel down.

Daniel frowned as he successfully tugged Jay's arm gently so that their hands could lace together in the middle of the table.

“Crystal taught me something,” Daniel said, squeezing Jay's warm palm. “She taught me that it's possible to be strong. I want to be strong with you.”

Jay's lips parted.

“So please…” Daniel whispered, his voice cracking. He felt like the male lead in a drama, and in this body he could have been. “Take me back? Or… at least be my friend again?”

Jay choked. That was his line. He was the one who messed up! He was the one who dumped Daniel over a misunderstanding! He tried to pull his hand away, but Daniel's inhumanly strong grip held him place for an instant. Daniel released him quickly, ducking his head apologetically and closing his eyes, squeezing out disappointed tears.

Jay seemed to practically teleport around the table to wrap his arms around Daniel. His many-ringed hand lifted up to Daniel's face and tilted Daniel to look at him.

“...” Jay was sorry. Jay was so sorry. Jay wanted to make it better. He hadn’t pulled away because the answer was no . He pulled away because he was afraid to admit that his answer was yes . That if Daniel would have him, he would be his.

“Me too,” Daniel whispered, his beautiful mouth hanging open in surprise.

“...” Jay didn't whisper.

“I really like you,” Daniel reiterated. 

Daniel's body moved on its own. He turned in Jay's arms, wrapping his own arms around the kneeling blonde's neck and shoulders. Their faces touched. Foreheads, noses, cheeks, before finally their lips came together and they shared a breath of sincere relief. 

Daniel liked how naturally this new body of his moved. One hand cradled the base of Jay’s skull while the other found its way around Jay’s shoulders, gripping Jay’s shoulder tightly. He liked the way his tongue seemed to autonomously dart out and taste Jay’s lip, encouraging Jay to open his mouth and let him in. He pulled Jay tight against him as he explored Jay’s mouth, nibbling at Jay’s upper lip, gasping with delight when Jay sucked Daniel’s lower lip into his mouth. 

—

Some time later, Daniel laid down next to his other body and poked himself awake. He opened his eyes and found himself looking up at the ceiling. Sitting up in his original body, he turned to look at Jay who was sitting against the wall.

“Jay, do you like dogs?” Daniel asked.

Jay hesitated. Should he admit the truth? He was terrified of dogs. But he knew Daniel did not feel the same, and much as they had broken past a barrier in communication, Jay was still a teenaged boy with pride and ego. He nodded awkwardly.

“Enu had her puppies,” Daniel said, smiling warmly, crawling out from under the covers and replacing them over his sleeping body. He glanced down and flushed, realizing he was in boxers and nothing else. He covered himself with his arms. “Ah, sorry…”

Jay’s eyes were drinking in Daniel’s near-nudity. He could almost pretend he wasn’t horrified about the dog begetting another four monsters into the world while appreciating Daniel’s soft belly and thick thighs, the gentle slope of his calves… Jay licked his lips and Daniel went scarlet. Jay realized what he was doing and buried his face in his hands.

“N-no, it’s okay!” Daniel insisted anxiously.

Jay shook his head.

“You think you’re being a creep?” Jay nodded. “I don’t think you’re being a creep! I just… don’t really get what you like about me in this body… It’s not about my body? But you’d like me even if it was? You like my belly?!”

Daniel was stunned as he looked down at his round belly and blinked. Someone could find this body, his body, attractive? He approached the blonde and sat down on his knees in front of the boy, reaching out to gently pry Jay’s hands from his face. Jay flinched, but did not fight the motion, staring at the dark-haired boy with awe. 

Daniel’s eyes were shining and his smile was warm and broad as he held Jay’s hands in his own. He felt utterly overjoyed that Jay had taken him back. He couldn't quite believe that Jay really found this body attractive, but he did his best to believe Jay. 

Daniel didn't want to leave Jay's side, but he had work to get to.

Chapter Text

A few weeks had gone by since the puppies had been born, Crystal had returned to school, and most importantly (or, maybe at least as important as Enu's pups…) Jay had taken Daniel back. Before long, Jiho was asking Daniel where he kept disappearing to at lunch. 

“Oh uh, Jay's been tutoring me more,” Daniel lied.

“Really? Where?” Jiho asked, skeptical. “And aren't you top of the class?”

“I guess I just feel more confident with his help…”

Jiho looked at Daniel with an odd expression and then shrugged. It was clear he wasn't especially satisfied with the answer, but Daniel and Jay were both big, strong, and popular. He wasn't about to interrogate his obvious superior.

Jay had regained his confidence. Or maybe he gained it for the first time. He and Daniel would “chatter” all day, and people would walk by them wondering what the hell was going on. He lingered in the background of any conversation Daniel participated in and so a few weeks down the line his ears perked up as Daniel mentioned that the hound had ultimately moved in with him along with her four pups. Shit. Jay had been unable to visit Daniel's place for a couple of weeks, neither when Daniel invited him nor in his clandestine stakeouts to make sure Daniel was happy and safe.

“Anyways, feeding five dogs is really eating up my budget… I need someone to adopt them who I can visit regularly… Zack..?”

“No fucking way,” Zack said, scowling. “You think I have time for a pack of mutts?”

Mira pouted at him. 

“I mean, unless you really need the help?” Zack corrected swiftly, but before Daniel and Zack could speak any more on the subject, Jay’s hand tentatively touched Daniel's shoulder.

“Oh! You'll take them, Jay?!” Daniel asked, smiling his shining smile. Jay basked in it and pretended he wasn't signing up for living hell. “You’d like to show me your place anyways? I figured you didn't want to tell me so I didn't ask! Alright! How about we do the move this weekend? I could stop over before work!”

Mira and Zack watched the whole exchange with question marks in their posture and eyes. “How do they understand each other?” Mira asked, blinking.

“I have no idea,” Zack responded. “And honestly I'm not sure I want to know.”

“Welcome home, Young Master. Ah, and guest!” Gitae smiled warmly, bowing to Daniel (Tall Edition) who was holding the pups in his arms while Jay shuffled about with faux confidence and courage. Gitae raised a brow. “Sir, I'll have to ask for the dogs to-”

Jay set down his duffel bag and physically put himself between Gitae and Daniel, shaking his head sternly as Daniel absently hefted one of the pups up to make sure it didn’t successfully wiggle out and fall to the floor. Enu sat politely at Daniel’s feet. After a little while Daniel set the pups on the floor.

“Wow, Jay! Your place is so nice!” Daniel said, excitedly peering out the floor-to-ceiling windows. “You can see like, all of Seoul! Ah, how rude of me! It’s really nice to meet you, Mr. Kim! I’m Daniel, Jay’s, um, friend!”

Gitae bowed again, “Please, call me Gitae. The pleasure is mine, Sir.”

“Oh, my name’s not ‘Sir,’ it’s Daniel,” Daniel said naively, crouching at the window as the pups crowded around his ankles. Jay remained firmly on the other side of the room. Gitae lifted a brow.

“Of course, Sir,” Gitae said simply. Daniel opened his mouth to argue the point again before Enu nosed her face into his and gave him a kiss. The butler glanced over at Jay. The blonde looked like he was in a battle with himself. Gitae shook his head slightly. Jay climbed over the back of the couch to sit on it, watching Daniel with the five terrors with a drop of sweat slipping down the side of his face from his temple.

“Okay, so, I made sure to pack everything you need. There’s puppy pads, and they’re already really good at using them if you’re not able to take them out right away so I definitely recommend laying some out, and of course some leashes. Let me know if you need anything else and I can try to buy it as soon as possible! Oh, if you need anything you’ll buy it? Are you sure? You’re already doing me such a huge favor in taking care of them… Their food was really getting expensive for me, but I can do a few more small purchases. I don’t want to put too much of a burden on your finances.”

Gitae blinked as he observed the interaction. Here they were in one of the finest, most prestigious residential towers in Seoul in the penthouse suite, and Daniel was worried about Jay’s finances? Jay was a little pink in the face as he smiled nervously to Daniel. Jay patted the couch beside him and Daniel crossed the room to join him. Jay tensed up as the pups and fully grown dog all followed Daniel. One sniffed at Jay’s foot, and Jay pulled his feet from the ground to sit cross legged on the couch.

“Young Master, shall I set the puppies up in the guest suite?” Gitae asked, and Jay nodded apprehensively. 

“Oh, already?” Daniel asked, looking a little disappointed. Jay shook his head, and Gitae hesitated. 

“Well, I suppose I can always get it ready for them for when you leave, Sir,” Gitae said stiffly, taking the duffel and leaving the teenagers and the five dogs in the living room.

Jay looked meaningfully at Daniel. “...”

“Yeah! I’ll visit every weekend at least! We can go for jogs together with the dogs! I’ve always wanted to do that, go running with dogs!” Daniel said. Jay smiled nervously and then leaned over to kiss Daniel’s cheek.

Daniel flushed adorably, and Jay smiled a little more confidently until Enu set her face on Daniel’s lap, her wet nose touching Jay’s hand. The blonde startled, and Daniel laughed, petting Enu on the head. 

“I think she knows we’re leaving the pups here. It’s gonna be hard for her. Maybe this week I’ll try to come over extra with her… I could probably get Tuesday night off…”

Jay had retracted his hand. “...”

“Yeah, I have to go soon,” Daniel acknowledged, ducking his head a little. “I’ve got to get Enu home before work. This body, too.”

Daniel got to his feet, letting his hand linger on Jay’s shoulder for a moment before bending down to give the blonde a shy, surreptitious kiss. Jay grasped Daniel’s face in his hands and held him there for a moment, reveling in the feeling of Daniel’s lips. By the time Jay was done with Daniel, both boys were breathing a little heavier.

“See you tomorrow, Jay,” Daniel said warmly, and Jay was left alone in the livingroom with 4 tiny yellow hellbeasts.

“Young Master! Why would you adopt four dogs when you're terrified of them?!” Gitae asked exasperatedly while Jay held out the leashes for his butler. Gitae folded his arms and shook his head. “No way. I didn't adopt them. You did.”

Jay visibly deflated. He gestured to the little outfits he had made for the pups on the table.

“Fine. I'll dress them. But that's all. You will have to take them out.”

Jay nodded earnestly. Scary as the puppies were, he couldn't help but make clothes for them! He was still trying to think up names. He supposed he couldn't name them Dan, Danny, Hyungseok, and Danielle. Hellion, Monster, Terrorist, and Evil Incarnate were also right out. They were pretty cute… from afar. Gitae dressed the squirming creatures in the little handmade outfits. They fit a little funky and Jay frowned.

“You're going to have to take measurements, Young Master,” Gitae observed. Jay winced and gestured at Gitae. “Nope. I didn't adopt them, and I'm not the one studying fashion.”

Jay scowled and Gitae shrugged. He clipped the leashes onto the pups and offered them to Jay who begrudgingly took them. 

Day 1 with the pups down. Only… however long the terrifying creatures lived for to go.

It had been weeks and Jay still couldn't handle the puppies without trembling if Daniel wasn't present.

“Have you considered speaking with the young sir?” Gitae asked pointedly. “He seems to be the understanding type.”

He was, but that was the problem. He didn't want Daniel to think he needed to take the puppies back. Also, ever since adopting them, he saw Daniel every single weekend. Mind, that would probably continue even if Enu, Givenchy, Versace, Armani, and Chanel didn't exist. Ever since Jay had come clean about his fears, Daniel had been particularly affectionate. They would sit on Jay's floor playing video games and snuggle on the couch watching movies. The pups would often fall asleep all over Daniel, and Jay would steel his nerves to rest his head in Daniel's lap even with the rapidly growing little demons right there. 

Jay was still, in his heart of hearts, a jealous little bitch.

Gitae finished dressing the pups and handed the trembling Jay the leashes. Jay nervously led them outside, his legs vibrating with anxiety. What was he scared of exactly? Truthfully, he wasn't sure. The fact is, Jay is irrationally afraid of all sorts of things. Dogs. Bugs. Cats. Talking with words. Sophia Alexander. Well, Sophia was a reasonable fear. But the point stands. And it doesn't particularly matter why he was afraid, simply that he was afraid. The pups didn't seem to notice. In fact, they seemed to adore him. They wanted to climb all over him. More than once he had been startled awake in his lounger by a pup wickedly innocently licking his fingers or worse, his toes. 

The walk started off like any other, and like any other morning, Daniel (Tall Edition) was out jogging with Enu. They paused and let the canine family exchange good mornings. Jay loved these moments. His shaking would cease and confidence would straighten his shoulders. He wanted Daniel to feel confident that he had made the right call in accepting Jay's offer to adopt the puppies. Sometimes when nobody else was around, they would steal quick little kisses. Other times like today, they'd settle for a handshake, fingers lingering a little too long on the other's wrist.

Daniel resumed his run, long legs carruing him away swiftly. Jay frowned as he looked down at Armani.

Shit . Literally. 

Okay okay, this was fine. He had done this before, he could do it again. Bag in hand, Jay knelt down and-

“!!!”

Chanel LUNGED at him with fangs bared. Okay, she actually just playfully jumped towards him with her tongue out. But Jay almost fell on his ass as he cringed away from the yellow pup. Sweating, he stood to his full height. He ended up tying the pups to a pole so that he could deal with Armani's little pile. Jay took care of it, jogging down the path a bit to toss the disgusting thing and coming back to find four broken leashes and zero pups.

He knew the little beasts had wicked teeth in there. 

In a frenzy, Jay began to run in earnest looking for his little wards. Panic filled him further when he ran into Daniel again, running just as frantic because Enu had gone missing. It didn't take long to happen on the terrible sight.

Daniel did not hesitate to leap forward with superhuman agility and slam the vicious dog out of the air as he actually lunged with teeth actually bared at Enu who was already looking worse for wear. Relief and guilt filled Jay in equal measure and he broke down in tears as he gathered the tiny, broken little pup into his arms. He was so sorry. He was so, so sorry.

Gitae, bless him, took the remaining pups and Enu home while Jay and Daniel waited in the emergency vet office waiting room. Daniel took Jay's hand.

“...”

“I don't care,” Daniel replied. 

“...”

“Why are you sorry?” Daniel asked, lacing his fingers with Jay's and watching the blonde's face intently.

“...”

“You're… scared of dogs?” Daniel repeated back, blinking. Jay half expected Daniel to retrieve his hand, but Daniel just gripped harder. “You adopted them so that I could come visit more? You didn't want me to know because you thought I'd think less of you?”

Daniel's expression was so soft. Jay waited for it to turn sour and hard, the way it did when some injustice or another got under his skin. 

“Jay…” Daniel said quietly. “You're so brave.”

“..?!”

“You adopted four puppies even though you're scared! My mom taught me that bravery is only meaningful if you felt fear. Otherwise, it is nothing special. I… want to kiss you,” he said, voice dropped to a whisper, “You're so great, Jay.”

Before Jay could (not) answer, the veterinarian came through with Versace wrapped in bandages and wagging his tail happily. Jay leapt to his feet, tears streaming down his grinning face. He accepted the pup gently into his arms as Daniel stood back and watched.

That night, Jay let the puppies into his bedroom for the first time and quivered like a leaf as the pups snoozed contentedly against him.

He was brave.

Chapter Text

Life was pretty good, Daniel (Tall Edition) thought as he sat in Jay's living room at the blonde’s feet looking at his budget. Now that Jay had adopted the puppies, he only had three mouths to feed. Rent, utilities, food, and other living expenses came out to 90% of his convenience store salary, leaving the remaining 10% for school supplies… he needed to save for a sewing machine for his major. Jay glanced over his shoulder and tapped Daniel's shoulder.

“I know you could afford to, but it wouldn't feel right… I relied on my mom's hard work for so long, it's about time I support myself,” Daniel said, leaning back against Jay's knees. “I don't want to keep being a burden on others.”

He peered at the paper spreadsheet and his face screwed up in concentration. “It's just a shame I have to feed both bodies. I'd like to start setting aside savings. My mom would be so proud if I did that…”

Jay smiled and leaned forward, wrapping his arms around Daniel's shoulder and burying his face in the other male's dark hair. He wondered if Daniel knew that he smelled the same in both bodies, and that it wasn't just because he used the same shampoo. Jay nibbled enticingly at his ear. Daniel shivered and a flush rose in his cheeks.

“Jay, won't Gitae see..? Oh, he's off for the day? Well, okay…” Daniel said, clasping Jay's ring-covered hands with his own.

Daniel could worry about budgeting later, he decided, closing his eyes as their fingers laced together. They had stolen kisses and little moments over the last couple of months, but Daniel swallowed as he thought about what a free, private afternoon with Jay might entail. They hadn't gone half as far as he wanted to. His body reacted instantly, and he sighed breathily as Jay's tongue traced the line of muscle from his ear towards his collar. His skin erupted in goosebumps. Jay lifted one hand to Daniel's throat, his thumb stroking his jawline, his fingers tickling his cheek. Daniel licked his lips and Jay tilted Daniel's face upwards and to the side, leaning forward to kiss him from over his shoulder.

Daniel's lips parted automatically and his tongue begged ingress, which Jay readily allowed. Jay tasted like ripe plums, the aftermath of their post-school snack. Daniel's breath hitched as Jay sucked Daniel's lip into his mouth.

Jay pulled away and Daniel, eyes still closed, frowned slightly.

Jay let out a soft laugh, and Daniel felt Jay's hands pulling at his shirt. He let Jay pull Daniel's top up over his head before Jay encouraged Daniel to join him on the couch. Daniel obliged, plopping down next to Jay. He was about to turn towards Jay to kiss him when Jay surprised him by swinging his miles long leg over Daniel's hips, turning to straddle him.

“Oh!” Daniel said, flushing brilliantly as the friction of their covered cocks sent electricity through his entire nervous system. Daniel's fingers fluttered over the hem of Jay's shirt, and Jay pulled it off quickly, tossing it to the side. Jay bent down and practically devoured Daniel's lips. He rolled his hips deliciously and Daniel's breathing quickened desperately as he wrapped his arms around Jay's waist, reveling in the smooth flesh. 

“You're so beautiful,” Daniel whispered reverently, and Jay's hips quirked hungrily in response. He reached down between them and fondled Daniel's bulging groin. Daniel groaned, his own hips bucking hard enough to bounce Jay briefly into the air. Jay was turning red himself now. “Sorry!”

Jay shook his head, continuing to rub the tented fabric.

They stayed like that for a while, hips rolling against each other, hands exploring nude chests and backs, tongues vying for dominance in the wet hot of their mouths. Jay and Daniel were gasping and pink.

“...”

“You want to go further?” Daniel asked, his voice cracking on ‘further.’ Jay nodded, climbing off of Daniel's legs. 

Daniel, awestruck and dumbfounded, followed Jay to his bedroom. Further. What did further mean, exactly? He was a little scared to ask. Jay closed the door behind them and before Daniel could sit on the edge of the bed, Jay's hands were fumbling with the front of Daniel's pants. He looked up at Daniel through his blonde curtain of hair for permission, and Daniel nodded after an audible gulp .

Jay undid the button and pulled the zipper down painfully slow. He slipped his fingers between cotton underpants and smooth skin. Soon, Daniel's pants were a puddle on the floor, followed shortly by Jay's. 

Daniel felt terribly exposed. He automatically started hugging himself to make himself smaller, to expose less of himself, but Jay stood confident and beautiful. His cock stood at attention from a base of dark curls, a drop of moisture forming a lens set within his foreskin over the eager head. Jay reached for one of Daniel's hands cautiously.

“I've never done something like this…” Daniel admitted quietly as he let Jay take his hand and lead him to the bed. Jay sat Daniel down on the edge and returned to the position they had been in back on the couch, straddling Daniel's hips. This time, though, there was nothing between them. Skin touched skin. Cock touched cock. Daniel looked up with parted lips at Jay who kissed him lovingly.

Daniel swallowed, “I'm sure you have a lot more experience than I do… I don't want to be a disappointment…”

Jay nudged his hips forward, pressing their aching dicks between their bare bellies, sighing into Daniel's ear. He didn't deny experience. But that didn't mean they had been good experiences. Jay wasn't ready to tell Daniel about the kinds of shenanigans he got up to in middle school with older men. They hadn't been strictly bad, but they also had been definitely, certainly strictly unhealthy. Daniel was his everything. Daniel could be the worst lay in the universe and honestly Jay would probably love it.

“Stop worrying so much? But-” Jay cut him off with more kissing, more grinding motions of their hips. Daniel gasped as he became increasingly undone. He let Jay lay him back, let Jay suck marks into his chest, let Jay trail kisses up and down his neck.

“Okay,” Daniel breathed. “I trust you.”

Daniel shivered as Jay kissed the indentations between his abs before Jay sat upright again and began to painstakingly remove his rings. How did the removal of jewelry feel so much more intimate than the removal of clothing?! Jay set the half dozen rings on the end table and turned his attention back to Daniel, reverently dragging his fingers down his sides, inching backwards until his mouth was so close to the tip of Daniel's erection that he could feel Jay's hot breath.

“J-Jay?” Daniel asked nervously before Jay wrapped his lips around the shaft and gently, lovingly massaged the firm flesh with his tongue. Daniel arched his back immediately at the silky sensation, moaning heavily. His vision went dark at the edges as pleasure overwhelmed his senses. Jay squeezed Daniel's girth between the flat of his tongue and the hard surface of the top of his mouth. He swallowed, letting the rhythmic tide of his tongue urge Daniel in deeper. Jay's fingers reached up and clasped Daniel's hands, squeezing them as he peered up through his curtain of hair. 

“Oh wow,” Daniel breathed as his cock hit the back of Jay's mouth. Surely that was the end, right? Wrong. Jay seemingly was related to snakes as his throat opened for him, impossibly tight, impossibly hot. Daniel gasped and squeezed Jay's fingers powerfully enough to make Jay wince. He was so lost in the moment that he didn't notice, and Jay was grateful for that. He didn't want Daniel to stop him. Daniel tasted like salt and skin. His scent was so concentrated here, all musk and vanilla and plain bar soap. The slight bitter tang of precum was savored like a fine wine. 

Mm. Maybe after this, he'd share his favorite wine with Daniel. Would he like wine?

Jay was in a state of pure bliss as Daniel writhed beneath him earnestly, but there was something else he wanted. He didn't want Daniel to finish now, and so after a little while of slowly, deliberately taking in as much of Daniel's length as he could, he slowly retracted. Daniel was gasping, his cock twitching eagerly. He looked barely conscious he was so lost in sensation. Jay disentangled one hand and Daniel finally glanced down at the blonde.

“Huh?” Daniel asked, “Oh, do you want one now? I've um… I guess you know I've never–That's not what you want?”

Jay reached over to the end table and pulled open the drawer. He reached in and revealed a condom in its wrapper. Daniel blinked as Jay placed the square of foil on the bed and reached back in to grab a small bottle of lubricant. 

Jay looked up at Daniel enticingly.

“You want me… inside of your butt?”

Jay nodded before he reached in a third time and produced a box of gloves. It wasn't that gloves were truly necessary, but they made clean up easier… and they also made sure no nails could cause any particular problems. Daniel didn't have the capacity or understanding to ask questions as he sat up onto his elbows and watched curiously as Jay offered Daniel a glove after putting one on himself. Jay would show him, he promised. Daniel nodded shyly and put the glove on his right hand. Jay laid back on the king sized bed, his head on a pillow, and lifted his knees up to reveal his pink hole. Daniel swallowed as he sat up the rest of the way and stared at the beautiful specimen presenting himself for him. Jay squeezed a little lubricant onto a gloved finger and spread it about by scissoring it with its neighbor, then he reached under and around his thigh, curling his hips upwards and pressing up on the bed with one foot as he began to gently circle his asshole with the wet, latex covered finger. He took a breath as he slowly inserted it into himself. Still, looking up and seeing Daniel watching him utterly entranced, his mouth a little O of awe… Jay's entire body felt like it was on fire.

Jay kept his eyes on Daniel's eyes, who kept his eyes on Jay's ass. Jay began to gently pump his finger in and out. Jay let out a small noise and Daniel flinched in surprise. Jay giggled, and Daniel relaxed as Jay added another finger. He fucked himself for a few long moments and Daniel licked his lips and swallowed before Jay finally slipped his fingers back out. He held up three fingers before he removed his glove with medically trained precision. He reached between his legs then with one hand, and Daniel silently placed his gloved hand in Jay's hands. Jay poured a healthy amount of lubricant onto Daniel’s fingers, and copying the earlier motions perfectly, Daniel spread the fluid around before he nervously brought his finger tip to Jay's well trained hole.

Daniel swallowed and began to press in. Jay's eyes fluttered shut as he sighed, his hips shifting to encourage Daniel in deeper. Daniel obliged, and soon he had buried his own forefinger into Jay's ass to the knuckle. Jay needed more. He looked up at Daniel and whimpered, causing the other boy's dark eyes to flicker upwards nervously.

“O-okay… just… tell me if I go too fast,” Daniel said as he began to move. Jay's ass felt so tight and hot around him. Hotter than his mouth had been. Tighter than his throat had been. He added a second finger, and Jay began to run out of patience. His hips began to roll with Daniel's motions, encouraging faster, rougher moments. He held up his free hand with three fingers again and Daniel shook his head. “No way! How will it fit?!”

Jay frowned and Daniel winced, “Okay. I… yeah. I do trust you.”

He added a third finger, and now Jay moaned . It was such an unusual sound from the blonde that Daniel froze. Jay, however, did NOT freeze. Instead, Jay began thrusting his own hips rapidly to impale himself on Daniel's hand. Daniel gasped with surprise as Jay smiled and let out a series of tiny noises. Jay handed Daniel the bottle of lube, and Daniel added more. The wet shlick sounds filled the room. Daniel swallowed thickly.

What would that ass feel like around his cock?

Jay relaxed his legs and urged Daniel to pause. He slid a finger under the wrist of his glove and peeled it off then held up the condom questioningly.

“Honestly, I don't know how…” Daniel admitted, embarrassed. During sex ed in 9th grade, he hadn’t picked up much of anything really. Why would he? It wasn't like he was going to get laid anyways. Well, that was before this body. No, more to the point, that was before Jay.

Jay put the wrapper to his lips and with his teeth peeled the foil corner down, revealing the thin disc of rolled material. He pinched it with his thumb and forefinger and urged Daniel closer. Daniel scooted up the bed on his knees beside Jay who gripped Daniel's still rock hard cock at the base, gently urging the foreskin back down and away from the glistening slit. The light, foreign touch of latex to his most private place sent shivers down Daniel's spine, and Jay patiently, gently rolled the material over his erection.

“Thanks, Jay,” Daniel said, smiling. “I would have messed that up for sure!”

Daniel took some initiative for the first time since coming into the bedroom to lean down and kiss Jay. Jay wrapped his arms around Daniel's neck and they kissed like that for a minute before Jay urged Daniel to position himself between his knees.

Shyly, Daniel positioned the head of his cock at Jay's entrance. Jay nodded while holding his knees in place for the time being. Daniel swallowed thickly again and slowly, carefully pressed forward.

“Oh… J-Jay,” Daniel whispered. He could feel Jay's steady heartbeat in the tight ring of muscle that was welcoming in every inch of Daniel's cock. Daniel's hips bucked suddenly and he was suddenly buried to the hilt. “Oh! Sorry!”

But Jay, heart rate rapidly skyrocketing, simply threw his head back in pleasure, smiling as he rolled his hips to meet Daniel's. Jay's eyes were closed behind that yellow waterfall of hair and as Daniel began to give Jay the motion he so craved, Daniel closed his eyes as well. Jay was not so tight as to be uncomfortable, but he was still utterly overwhelming. Daniel could hardly control himself, trying to take his time and not hurt Jay… but Jay was having none of it.

Jay hooked his ankles around Daniel's waist and grabbed Daniel's wrists, pulling him tightly against him before rolling his hips powerfully to encourage Daniel to keep moving, to pick up the pace. Jay reveled in the feeling of filled , and the feeling of empty, and the feeling of Daniel. His cock twitched each time Daniel bottomed out. There was no finesse in Daniel’s movements, just clumsy virginal instinct. 

Daniel was a quick study.

He picked up the pace, nearly sliding out from that hot, wet space before thrusting fast, hard, deep. Jay made little noises and his grip on Daniel's wrists tightened with each such thrust. Soon, Jay’s nails were drawing blood, each point of the spicy sharp little slivers of pain seemed to have a direct line to Daniel’s hindbrain, directing his body to fuck Jay harder.

Daniel leaned forward, dropping his hands on either side of Jay's face. They sank into the pillows as Jay readjusted his grip to more gently cup Daniel’s forearms. Jay craned his neck up, their noses grazing in passing as Daniel thrusts again before coming back together for a kiss that would leave bruised. Daniel threaded a hand through blonde hair and gripped tightly as he closed his eyes against Jay's brow, his lips touching Jay's cheek, tickled by Jay's eyelashes as Jay's hands found themselves clawing at Daniel's back. 

The crescendo came to a steady dynamic and Daniel rutted into Jay's eager hole, back and scalp respectively burning. Daniel grunted gutturally as as heat built behind his eyes and under his stomach, and Jay let out intermittent whimpers that were becoming far more rhythmic and loud . Jay's orgasm came in desperate little spasms, dribbles of cum painting his stomach and chest. His moans went ragged and he froze beneath Daniel, who didn't stop. As the rhythmic pulses of Jay’s orgasm sucked around Daniel's cock, Daniel careened straight over the cliff and Daniel buried himself as deep as he could inside of Jay and stilled.

After a beat, Jay melted and Daniel melted with him. Jay's legs dropped down and his arms fell with his wrists by his utterly blissed out face. Daniel slotted his face in Jay's neck, lips absently caressing the skin there. For a time, they laid there like that, feeling the aftershocks of their orgasms one after the other. Jay's ass would reflexively squeeze, Daniel's cock would twitch from somewhere deep inside of his abdomen. Finally, Daniel rolled off of Jay, and the two laid facing each other, side by side.

Daniel opened his eyes dreamily to find himself looking at Jay's eyes without their usual privacy screen. Jay's eyes were beautiful and shining, and the privilege of seeing them was all Daniel’s. Daniel gently brushed Jay's hair back in place and closed his eyes again. They touched lips and did not move for a long time, content and spent.