Ten looked at his phone for the fiftieth time in the last hour. He was ignoring messages from Jaehyun and Winwin who had even tried to cheer him up by texting him about Kun's love story but Ten couldn't be consoled let alone cheered up. His friends were concerned but he was worried too. In fact, he was scared. He hadn't said much over the phone to Sehun.

"Hello. Sehun hyung, I'm so sorry I'm calling like this."

"Ten? Hello."

He had known right away, from the tone of Sehun's voice that he knew.

"I-I heard Johnny is with you."

"Yeah, he is sleeping. Should I wake him up?"

"No. I mean, just...when he wakes up, please tell him I'm waiting at the dorm, on the terrace actually. And, um, I'm sorry. If he can...come, I'd be grateful."

"I'll do that."

"Thank you."

"And, Ten, take care of him."

Ten closed his eyes and faced the winter sun, breathing in. Taeyong had told him the same thing, "Just...take care of him this time". He had always thought that he was the one attached to Johnny, that he was the one who needed him and depended on him. Johnny always took care of him. Ten had felt increasingly over the last few weeks that maybe he was a burden to him and he had tried to lean on him less. But maybe Johnny, strong, smiling Johnny needed someone to take care of him too. He wanted to be someone Johnny could lean on too.

His face fell. But what if it was too late for that? His brain kept screaming at him that Johnny wouldn't come, that there was only so much someone could take.

Maybe it was foolish, then, that he listened to a small part of his heart that held on to hope, that maybe Johnny would come. He blinked back tears, smiling ruefully at himself. He was such a mess.

"Please just text me," he breathed out.

But there were no messages from Johnny and so he sat on the wooden stool near Taeil's plants, shivered against a gust of cold wind and just waited.

There was a sound on the stairs and he craned his neck to see. His breathing hitched and he stood up in disbelief.

Johnny strode up to him, out of breath, hair windswept. "Why are you on the terrace when it's so cold?"

Ten reached up to touch Johnny's face. "You came."

Johnny took his hands and rubbed them. "You'll catch a cold. What kind of idiot—!?"

Ten laughed out in a combination of relief and disbelief. "You came. I can't believe you came." And suddenly, he was crying, bawling out his eyes, his body shaking as he dug his face in Johnny's chest. "I'm so sorry, Johnny. I'm so sorry."

Johnny didn't respond at first, still shaken by Ten's sudden behaviour but a second later, his body eased and he wrapped his arms around Ten. "Hey, hey, don't cry. Tennie, it's okay."

Ten mumbled. "I thought you wouldn't come."

Johnny sighed, resting his chin against Ten's head, holding him close. "That's impossible. Besides, I literally just woke up and basically had to run all the way here. I'm sorry you had to wait and I'm sorry about yesterday. I promise, it won—"

Ten stepped back from Johnny, rubbing his tear-stained face against his sleeves. "Please don't apologize. It's me who should apologize."

Johnny smiled at him. "Let's just forget about yesterday, yeah?"

"No, that's not...I'm a horrible person, John."

Johnny frowned at his serious tone, sensing that there was something else going on underneath Ten's voice. "What are you talking about?"

Ten looked at his face, searching for a sign, anything to know how he should do this. He looked away as he realized that it had to be he himself who had to do this. "I'm sorry I stood you up on my birthday."

Johnny stared at him in shock. He took a step back.

"Wait, I know it's inexcusable but please believe me when I say this I really didn't know. If I had, I would have—"

"Ten, you don't need to do this. It's okay about yesterday. You really don't need to refer to that. We can just forget about it." The taller guy was talking quickly, as if he would do anything but go through that discussion. He didn't want to ask what he was thinking, haven't you forgotten about it already? Isn't it what you want? Because I can pretend to forget it for you.

"I can't," Ten said, looking at him decidedly. "I feel like I would die if I tried to even think about forgetting it so listen to me. I didn't read the book."

"What?"

"The book you gave me. You know the one, Crime and Punishment. I didn't read it."

"But you told me the story," Johnny said slowly. His eyes widened as he realized and he closed the distance between them, snapping out of whatever trance he had fallen. "Oh my god, you liar!"

Ten did a very failed attempt at being cute but there was definitely something that was changing in the air about them. Or maybe it was just resettling. In the seconds it had taken for Johnny to put two and two together, something heavy had lifted off both of them. It was happening so smoothly that they didn't even realize but all of a sudden, they were easing back into themselves instead of rigidly behaving as if they were walking on broken glass. Ten had expected Johnny to shout at him, be angry and even threaten to leave—hell, he had prepared himself for it—but Johnny had just blinked at him and even though he was rightly accusing him of being a liar, there was a hint of a hopeful smile around those lips of his that Ten loved.

"Haha? But see I care for you, that is why I read a Cliffnotes summary for it. It something I didn't even do for school back home. Credits for effort, right?"

"Wait a second. Does that mean...? Ten, seriously?" Johnny asked, voice filled with incredulity. His heart was hammering in his chest. He didn't read it? He didn't read it then? But he read it now? And he's here? He came? Does this mean...? Dare he hope? He had been so confident about it then but after everything that had happened his confidence had taken a blow. He couldn't help but give in to second-guessing himself, especially if it was anything related to Ten.

Ten hid his face behind his hands. "I know, I know. I didn't even try to read it and I only found out the letter this morning and then you didn't respond to my calls, you didn't even message me—"

"I left my phone behind by mistake," he offered quietly.

But Ten wasn't listening at this point. "—we couldn't find you anywhere and I have never been so scared in my life. I thought of you wandering around in the cold morning, thinking all kinds of things about me. I was so relieved when we found out where you were but I think I must have died a couple of times while waiting here because there was no way you would come here after all I've done. I'm so sorry that I hurt you. I'm an idiot and I'll totally understand if you hate me after all this."

Johnny didn't say anything. He was thinking back to the time he had been so heartbroken and confused about everything, how he had hung onto everything Ten said or did for a sign, anything but at least something to know why he had been rejected without even a response. He had craved for a response, even negative, but just anything. He had felt crushed, reduced to nothing and it had hurt so much.

"Say something, please?" Ten pleaded.

"You read the letter now, right?"

Ten nodded miserably.

Johnny took a deep breath. "So, you know I don't—can't hate you ever."

Ten opened his mouth to say something but Johnny stopped him.

"You read the letter and you're here?" Johnny still looked surprised.

It finally dawned on Ten what Johnny was exactly asking. He looked at him with affection because seriously, his heart felt like it would burst from all the love he had for him. "Johnny, if I had known then, I swear nothing would have stopped me from coming to you. I would have run over. Hell, I would have been here before you probably, dressed in my best outfit to impress you and then seduce you. I mean, isn't it obvious? You're the one for me. Always have been. It hurts so much that I let that chance go. If I could go back in time, I would change that. I wish, I could have come then. I'm sorry for these past few months. I am a shitty best friend. I didn't even know what was going on and I just thought you didn't like me anymore. It felt so bad to see you pull back every time I tried to..." He laughed sadly. "Well, every time I tried to make a move. I was so jealous of the others. It felt like you had only changed towards me. And that too when I had begun to think that maybe I had a chance with you."

"Ten," he said, shyly, "I only pulled back because I thought you didn't like me that way and it would make you uncomfortable. It was so difficult but I did it for you. Well, for us, I suppose. I didn't want to lose your friendship. Everybody around us would tell me that you might like me but I knew you didn't—or I thought I knew, at least—and I thought if you heard that kind of stuff, you would freak out."

"I messed everything, didn't I? To think that we could have been dating right now," Ten said, "I mean, to think you liked me. You idiot, how could you think I didn't like you back!?"

"Um, excuse me? You are the idiot in this situation because it's totally your fault that we could have been dating these past nine months but couldn't? People can have kids in that amount of time!" Johnny retorted.

"Hey, whose idea was it to confess through a letter? In this day and age?"

Johnny snorted. "I did it because that was how your Dad proposed to your Mom. I thought you would find it romantic, you moron."

"Oh." Ten blinked. It was his turn to come to a few realizations, Oh, so that's...well, shit, I'm going to start bawling again. He did it because...Ohh, so that's what he meant back home. That's why he was upset when we came back. He was reminded that I didn't react to his letter. The trip became bitter for him. It makes sense now. "When you put it that way...Johnny, you're kind of adorable. Is that why you were ignoring me when we came back from Thailand? I can't even begin to right all of the wrongs that have come about because of my stupidity. Wait, before you distract me. How am I the moron when you put such an important letter in a huge book? Like where did that make sense? You know, I'm not much of a reader," Ten said. "How was I supposed to know that I have to go through a whole treasure hunt for you?" But he was catching on now. He had begun to feel in the past months that he didn't understand Johnny anymore, that there were pieces of him that he was locked away from but now, those pieces fell back together.

"You weren't supposed to read the whole book. I didn't expect you to. You were supposed to read the letter and come by and enjoy dinner with me under the stars and..." Johnny trailed off, cheeks pink.

"And what?" Ten asked, sidling up to him.

Johnny purposefully avoided his gaze. "And, I don't know, do couple stuff, I guess."

"What kind of couple stuff?" Ten asked, smiling openly now.

Johnny let out a strangled noise. "Teeen."

"What? I'm genuinely curious. Can I get a demonstration if it's difficult to explain?" Ten said, looking all innocent when inside, his heart was thumping loudly while his mind was screaming at him for daring so much.

Johnny leaned forward and kissed his cheek, pulling back in a matter of seconds while blushing madly. He rubbed the back of his head, shyly. "Something like that?"

Ten's eyes were wide. His mind was clouding over with a hundred thoughts, that was so quick, like his lips? How am I supposed to be content with that? Because they're so soft and I want to feel them against mine now? But he voiced the thought that was most important to him. "So, does this mean you still like me?"

"I know, I'm a loser, but god, yes, I love you so much." Johnny covered his mouth. "I mean..."

Ten smiled at him. "Good, because I fucking love you so much. Since forever. I mean, I was so homesick when I first came here you know? I was so sure I would chicken out. Then, I met you and you were just so understanding and supportive. I wanted to be you but soon I realized I just wanted you. You became my home here. Like, you're where I want to be at the end of a day. You make everything worthwhile and I want to make you happy too. I really do."

"You already do. I'm the happiest when I'm with you," Johnny whispered. "Sometimes, I just can't you know find it in me to ease up and face the day. I want to lay in bed and wallow in everything that doesn't work out or doesn't make sense. The pressure is so much—to look happy, to smile, to laugh and I am happy and grateful but sometimes I don't know where I am going. Everything seems out of control but I can't say it aloud. Everyone has enough problems already and I got to be the positive one, you know? But with you, I don't need to cover up. When I smile around you, I can feel the calm spreading through me. I've been told it's noticeable, that I tend to forget everyone else as soon as I see you. I can't help it. You're Ten, you're you. You're my own sunshine and I was only wandering until I met you. You're my home. I—I didn't...I wouldn't know where to go without you."

Ten was embarrassed that he was sniffling but to hell with emotional floods. Johnny had already seen him crying tears and snot into his t-shirt. He took Johnny's hand and intertwined his fingers with his. "I'm not going anywhere. Know that even when we fought I knew for sure, I would always stay. It hurt to admit it before because I didn't know how you felt but it's true. I want to spend every moment I can with you because when you're not there, it feels empty. I love how your eyes crinkle just the right way when you smile. I love the sound of your laughter. I love how excited you get when you talk about singing and dancing, and photography and yes, even those books you like. You collect a lot of junk for no reason but I like that too. You're so soft and homely and so damn intelligent. If I wasn't in love with you, I would have a huge inferiority complex but thankfully, I love myself a lot too so that's okay."

Johnny laughed. "I can relate. You're very loveable."

"If that's the case, then why don't you kiss me?"

"Hey, don't I get to tell you all the things I love about you too?"

"Hmm, maybe kiss me first?"

Johnny leaned forward and did just that.

Ten felt like he would die when he felt Johnny's lips on his own. He could feel that Johnny was hesitant at first but when Ten didn't pull away, he smiled against his lips, mumbling, "I love you, Tennie."

Which seriously didn't help with all the butterflies in his stomach because sure, Ten had fantasized about this but oh, he had been so wrong because this was way better. Johnny's lips were soft against his and the way Johnny held him with care, one hand cupping his check and the other ghosting over the small of his back, Ten felt like he was drowning in ecstasy. Warmth spread through him as every inch of his body tingled with excitement. Ten tiptoed against him and deepened the kiss, pulling him closer. The sense of lost time, of being aware of the others' feelings, the proximity of their bodies and heat radiating off them, lent an urgency to their kiss. Ten's fingers found themselves under Johnny's shirt, running along his abdomen and chest, revelling in the way Johnny shivered under his touch.

"Ten hyung, I brought you a blanket—"

Johnny and Ten jumped apart, blushing furiously.

Mark stood on the stairs with a blanket on his arm. "I-I-I didn't know Johnny hyung already came. I thought Ten hyung would be cold so I brought him my blanket but I see you're here and he doesn't need a blanket. Oh shit, I am so sorry. Please, um, continue. Pretend I never came here. I will, uh, get going now. Should I leave the blanket here? No? Uh, okay, happy kissing. I mean, good luck. What am I saying? Okay, bye." He ran down the stairs, muttering to himself, face red from embarrassment.

Johnny groaned. "I can't believe we traumatized him like that."

"Johnny, you do know he's not a kid, right?" Ten laughed. "Besides, he already saw Taeyong and Jaehyun kiss so yeah, let your Dad complex chill."

"You have such a pretty laugh," he replied, in awe.

Ten blushed deeper. "John, why do you...ugh, dirty talk I can handle but if you're going to attack me with all this cute shit, I'm going to be a mess, okay? I'll start kissing you again and again."

"And the way your nose scrunches when you laugh," Johnny added.

"Johns, this isn't helping, you know?"

"And how your eyes twinkle? Well, I am whipped for you."

Ten narrowed his eyes. "Hey, you're doing it on purpose, right?"

Johnny shrugged but there was a mischievous glint in his eyes. "And I just found out that not only are your hands the prettiest in the whole universe, they feel amazing on my skin."

"Fuck you," Ten said, and crashed his lips against Johnny's who was laughing but held him firmly against himself. Ten tugged Johnny's lower lip with his teeth and made an exasperated noise. Johnny grinned and kissed him back, allowing Ten to explore his mouth. Ten was eager for all of Johnny. His lips traced along Johnny's jaw and then, trailed down his neck and the way he kept on repeating, "I love you, John. I love you, John. I love you, John" rang against the taller guy's heart. Johnny had never felt happier. He hadn't known it was possible to feel this light-headed, slightly dizzy with a buzzing joy and completely over the moon, to feel held and cherished and treasured this way. He didn't want this feeling to ever stop. And so, when Ten began to pull away finally, Johnny couldn't help but cupping his face and kissing him deeply, putting all of his love and passion into one swift but deep moment before letting go. He smiled and gave Ten's nose a peck before stepping back. Both of them were breathing deeply.

"I love you, John," Ten said, giggling shyly, tracing Johnny's swollen, pink lips with his thumb.

Johnny grabbed his hand and kissed it. "I love you, Ten."

And to both of them, it felt just right and only natural to say the words they had always meant to say.

They went downstairs, hand-in-hand.

"You want to grab something to eat. We can go to the café down the street?" Johnny asked as they descended.

"I will come along if you say it's a date."

"It's a date, of course, but date zero because I want our first date to be way better."

"Okay." Ten smiled. They walked out of the building, down the street. "To think I tried to make you jealous so you would date me when I could have just kissed you for it."

"You tried to make me jealous?" Johnny raised an eyebrow. "When?"

"When we went out with Kun and Doyoung?"

"You tried to make me jealous of Kun? That guy is probably celibate."

Ten gasped. "Oh, Johnny, you don't know right?"

"What?"

"I have the tea but let's order something first. You're going to be shook."

"I am famished, to be honest. What do you want, babe?"

Ten clutched at his chest. "Johns, I'm going to die if you do that unannounced."

Johnny fluttered his eyelashes innocently. "What, babe?"

"Don't make me do something that's going to make it to headlines tomorrow."

"Okay, babe."

"Johnnnns."

WinkWink: So...

NotPeaches: While we were getting worried about you

You have been kissing Johnny

WinkWink: I was going to say congrats

But wtf I'm the only single one in this gc now

NotPeaches: Single? I thought it was complicated?

Anyway, TEN

Taeyong is mad that you guys left without coming down for his 'JOHNTEN FINALLY SAILS' breakfast

WinkWink: I ate your share, don't worry

NotPeaches: Winwin isn't admitting it but when Mark came down and told us, Winwin bust an uwu and even cried saying how happy he was for you

Meanwhile, I like a true man, squealed and then, cried

WinkWink: I thought we were going to be all cool and high and mighty in front of him?

But since he already said it

CONGRATULATIONS, TEN, COME HOME SO I CAN HUG YOU

NotPeaches: We're preparing the party already SO YEAH, HOW MUCH BLING IS TOO MUCH BLING?

Because, damn, my boy got himself a boyfriend, we gotta celebrate :')

WinkWink: He isn't replying

NotPeaches: Let's have the party without him

ElevenMinusOne: GUYS, I'M IN LOVE

AND HE LOVES ME BACK

Brb gotta cry some more

[  YESSSSS JOHNTEN IS OFFICIAL LET'S HAPPY DANCE OUR BABIES FINALLY GOT TOGETHER :') this was so emotional to write hopefully you all enjoyed it as much as we did. and sorry for the delay in updating, we were having exams ugh. thank you to all those who inquired about the new chapter!

and what do you think is up with yuwin?

please tell us what are your feelings and thoughts. we would love to hear them. also only one chapter is left now, do look forward to it! <3

thank you so much for reading and supporting this fic, you all are the best.

ps: mark really has the best timing hehe

love, positive vibes and love letters~~ ]