still shy - bloomlater - NCT (Band) [Archive of Our Own] (2024)

The air conditioning flooded the shooting set up from all 4 corners, the air still felt stuffy under all the lights, and beneath the layers of fabric scorching their bodies. It was nearing midnight, the only thing they had on their mind was going home and getting into bed .

The week had dragged out long. Endless schedules, filming, blazing lights in their eyes for most hours of the day. It was their most busy time in a while, the busiest it usually gets, so nobody could be particularly annoyed. It was their virtue after all.

The director ushered his hands for the members to move closer (Strike a pose一bounce off each other). Hendery soon felt a warm presence resting beside him, enclosing his already expiring space. He didn’t take much mind to who it was. It was fine. That was until he flicked his eyes to his left side, his stomach tightening slightly at Ten moving in closer.

He had always felt nervous around Ten, and he knew that. Ten liked to make him nervous, tempting him, frenzying his senses. He thought it was fun to play with him. And Hendery thought it was fun to play along with his game that Ten always thought he was winning. He knew deep down that Ten was just the same. There were only so many lingering gazes you could spare before realising that the lonely atmosphere between you and that moment wasn’t so individual.

Ten pressed his hands into Hendery’s shoulders, gently, just barely being able to hold on with his lithe fingers. Ten’s hands were hot. So hot. But Hendery kept a straight face and continued searching for the camera lens, ignoring that his heart jumped a beat when he pressed him.

His attention was only gathered for so long before Ten unexpectedly lowered his mouth onto the bare skin of Hendery’s shoulder that was poking through his top. His lip dragged across his skin, the hotness of his mouth was running through his lips. His lip bounced from his shoulder when he raised his head back up, humming, without moving his hands from him.

“Sorry. Habit.” Ten immediately apologised almost inaudibly. He backed up a little from him. He had odd ways of showing affection; It was hard to spot—to find, but he unravelled in peculiar ways, like nibbling on your shoulder.

Hendery didn’t reply, but instead he lowered the gap in his top to reveal more of his skin, for him . “Keep going.” He mumbled loudly enough for only Ten to hear him.

His tone was nonchalant. Almost chilling within the heat of the room. Ten looked at him briefly from behind, his eyes curious. He didn’t question it and only saw an opportunity. He stepped closer to him again and lowered his mouth back down to gently kiss his skin. Hendery tightened his fists, without the other seeing. His heart was invisibly sinking as Ten sank his lips into his skin.

“Next!” the director yelled, signalling to get into the next positions.

They parted from each other and didn’t look eye to eye for another moment. The air felt prickly. Nervousness ruled. Ten’s heart was racing, pouding against his ribs. And Hendery was churning inside.

Ten pulled Hendery in by his wrist, tightening his back into his own chest and embracing him. He smirked at how easy it was to toy with him, how easy it was to make him stop in his tracks, the clocks in his mind seemingly stopped ticking every second that Ten was around.

Though his face usually rendered blank, he noticed the way his eyes would deceive him, lightening up and forming slight creases when Ten was close to him. It was a type of shyness only they understood.

The camera lights kept flashing, and Hendery leant into him, breaking into a smile and the director flashed the camera even faster. He must have liked that shot.

“Cut! Thank you!” the members dispensed out of the screening room, following behind one another.

Ten and Hendery dawdled around, smiling at nothing but themselves. Dejun had noticed and coughed for them to follow behind him out of the room. He went ahead without them anyway knowing they were just strange like that.

Hendery couldn’t stop the smirk that crept up on his face, he tried licking his lip to knock it off but it rendered useless considering the way Ten was still silently giggling at him.

The following day rolled over, another late night filming session. They were taking the last of the group photos.

He was more than pleased with his playing yesterday, nonetheless, Ten wanted more. He loved the rousing in his veins. Loved the way he made his heart feel. He already missed him being so close from the individual shoots they were just doing.

It was different with Hendery一as if parting from him felt like losing something even though he was so close. Once he had already made a mark on his day, it was almost unbearable to let him erase from the rest of it. He hated it often, fought it a lot一but some days he allowed his mind to control his body, like this one. They had already been paired up all week, what good was it to stop now?

Hendery was playing with the ears on Ten’s hat, unconsciously nibbling at it and getting the fibres stuck in his mouth. Ten laughed at him as he picked the hairs from his tongue.

The rest had started to clear out the set. Ten and Hendery stayed back, taking their sweet time once again.

“You—your pose was like this!” Ten teased him, poking backwards into him with his butt. Twice. Hendery froze instantly, not knowing where to put his hands besides instinctively on his waist. He laughed it off, pointing at nothing in front of him, trying to make Ten move before he caused a problem.

The others were not even paying attention to the commotion Ten was causing over a few poses. And a few poses he didn’t even do at that. His crotched grazed the back of Ten’s butt when he tried to walk forward. Ten turned around to face him, laughing at the expression on his face.

“You’re still shy.” Ten jabbed quietly, poking his ribs softly.

Hendery hummed, biting his own lip back. “Hm, so you were not shy at practice this morning?” He slapped the side of his butt playfully.

( They had to practise their duo role in their dance routine earlier. They kept messing it up because Ten couldn’t bear to face Hendery so closely with everyone’s eyes on them. He saw the way he was looking at his lips and it made him panic inside. Cowering from him, he ran away and they had no choice but to move on to the rest of the dance. )

Instead of replying, he pressed back his smile and walked out ahead of him.

Hendery was soon closing in behind him, his hand tracing the dip in his back. Ten couldn’t help melt into his touch. Hendery waited before the others had already wandered out of the hallway. He pulled the hem of Ten’s cropped tee and rolled his hands up his stomach. Ten felt his chest tighten at the movement. Hendery had done this before in public, but not this intimately.

Ten could feel Hendery reeling in closer, warmer, “Leave a seat for me before you go home.” he whispered, burning his ears wholly. Ten felt every coherent thought in his mind collapse at his words, along with the breath in his lungs.

He continued walking behind Ten until they got to the dressing room doors. His fingers were light on Ten’s skin. Gentle. He let go before they’d be seen by the others. And it wasn’t that they were shy of the others seeing them一it was because there was another motive looming than just being close to your friend.

Hendery scurried over to bother Dejun and Yangyang as if nothing had been said; discussing the shoot with them and laughing playfully. Ten went to his things and started undressing, he felt like he was burning at the thought of Hendery coming home with him一felt as if he would melt into the floor in anticipation of being with him, alone.

He couldn’t help himself from looking over at Hendery, secretly hoping he’d see him too. Instead he got a glimpse of his back as he slipped into his outer jacket with nothing underneath. He knew he’d been at the gym a lot. Training. Perfecting his body. He seemed broader, it was distracting. ‘Did he always have that mole?”

“Ten-hyung.” Yangyang was suddenly standing in the middle of his view. f*ck, f*ck, f*ck, he cursed multiple times in his head. “Do you wanna come eat with me, Kun-ge and Dejun?”

“Ah, I'll eat a lot tomorrow. I wanna go to sleep.” Ten doesn’t know why he started laughing whilst speaking. Neither did Yangyang who seemed to have missed it and carried on getting changed.

But Hendery didn’t.

A smirk flashed upon his face when he walked past Ten to pick up his shoes. Ten nudged him bashfully when he walked back past him, Hendery was giggling a little too loudly.

The others soon left the dressing room. Ten and Hendery coincidentally taking the longest and also the two not going out to eat for the night. The other member’s car had left before theirs. Ten was waiting for Hendery, who was still trailing behind fixing his hair in the hallway mirrors.

Ten sat in the front seat to avoid having to look at Hendery for the car ride. As much as he would drown in him, he would rather not have to be taunted by him the entire ride, nor bother the manager that was driving the car. He took out his phone when Hendery got in the backseat.

Neither of them shared a word. Hendery was busy scrolling away too; sitting far too comfortably with his leg up at his side. It almost annoyed him that Hendery seemed so chilled when Ten felt like he was going to die if the car ride didn’t end fast enough.

Ten wanted to run inside and get into the elevator before Hendery got in with him. He tried speeding up but Hendery must have caught on and somehow had tangled his hand around his wrist, intertwining their fingers together.

“Ay Henry, i’m too tired to play.” Ten laughed off. The doors of the elevator closed. Ten hid his face in his own shoulder一shy.

“Tired? Were you tired at the shooting too?” Hendery raised an eyebrow.

He kept a distance一leant against the wall of the elevator opposite, but his hand remained tangled with Ten’s, skimming the back of his hand with his thumb. Ten rolled his eyes, walking out of the elevator to his apartment door.

Plus it was just so fun.

Ten slipped his shoes off and hurried inside to press the automatic pet feeder just in case his babies wanted food, though the cats seemed to be resting already. It seemed they hadn’t moved much at all since when he visited at lunch, their beds and the sofa remained untouched.

“Aren’t you going to eat anything?” Hendery said from the doorway, still untying his laces. He hummed as he did so and the sound became louder as he closed in on Ten who stood in the living area. He wiggled an eyebrow suggestively at him.

Ten rolled his eyes for a second time tonight, “You, Henry. Is that what you want to hear?” He played along. Half-jokingly.

Though it was reciprocated, Ten knew that Hendery still needed the affirmation from him to know if it was okay to keep going.

Hendery did that thing again where he would smirk and wet his bottom lip. The dimples in his cheeks became more obvious when he did that which Ten would comment was the most attractive thing about him.

Ten felt his ears burning, “Don’t make that face.” He attempted to look away. A swarm of flies felt like they were attacking his body.

Hendery’s eyes widened in exaggerated shock, “What face?” He sassed at him, closing the space between them further.

“That smirk,” Ten pushed him away, grinning. “It makes me一nervous.” There was a slight pause, Hendery’s eyes attached to him, reading his face momentarily.

“Nervous?” Hendery taunted, pulling him back in with his wrists, “Do I make you that nervous?” Daring.

He curved a finger under his chin, tilting Ten’s head towards him. He was ticklish so it made him recoil away from his hands, scrunching his nose as he attempted to back off.

Hendery was looking down at him. His face was way too close to his for it not to feel like Ten’s stomach was going to tear inside out. He closed the space even more—Hendery walked right into Ten as he tried to move back. Ten nodded, giggling into Hendery’s chest. His breath on his face and every hum of his words felt like it was shredding through him.

Hendery tripped forward slightly with his head pressed onto his, his hand rested on his waist again. He refused to break eye contact even for just a moment.

There was a newfound confidence instilled within him from Ten’s cowardice. Not that Ten was particularly cowardly, but he could definitely pretend to bite more than he could chew.

These days it seemed often that they would find themselves in the same predicament, in the same position, weeping for the other all day but not being able to calm the cries until the night fell.

Hendery cupped Ten’s face with both hands, pulling his own head down to kiss him. He leant in with purpose, but gently. The grip on his face was firm but the movement of his lips against his felt so tender. Ten no longer felt nervous as he melted into Hendery’s familiar lips. He smiled as his tongue hit the bottom of his lips.

They tore at the skin, their kiss became messier the more comfortable they became—the more heart that opened whilst their veins pumped blood heavily.

Ten placed his hands on top of Hendery’s, clawing on to deepen their lips; pulling him in, fastening the space further, desperately trying to kiss him harder, filthier, allowing his lips to part for him.

It was so fast.

The mild sounds escaping Hendery’s equally desperate mouth elevated Ten’s motive to get what he originally wanted. A taste of his skin, a taste of his soul, to have him wholly and to relish in him. He felt like he had waited forever一even though only 2 days had passed.

Ten dragged down Hendery’s hands from his neck and placed them on his hips, knowing that Hendery liked his waist, a lot. Hendery pressed his thumbs into the sides, into the dip of his skin, he lowered his fingers sequentially down his slim torso and dug slightly beneath the hem of his shorts. Pressing. Pressing. The touch of his fingers embedded into his bare skin made him mewl into Hendery’s mouth helplessly. The impact was bound to leave temporary blemishes upon his skin.

“You like that?” Hendery said between broken kisses. Ten hummed into his mouth.

His skin was soft. Hendery traced along his crotch, scraping softly against his delicate skin. His nails were blunt but it sent shivers down his spine. He liked Hendery’s hands on his waist too. It felt safe.

They both knew what they wanted when they backed into the door completely. They broke apart momentarily and the sudden pleading in Ten’s eyes felt as if they were eating Hendery alive, as if he had pushed a lever and activated his senses.

Hendery gulped slightly, knowingly—in that moment, Hendery felt smaller than Ten.

Ten hastily scaled his hands up Hendery’s jacket, feeling over his bare skin that was exposed underneath since he usually abandoned the need for clothing most days. Ten would never tell him that it excited him. Nor would he tell him that every day he hoped he would fall into his arms because he was always ready as long as he willed.

He traced his fingers over Hendery’s chest, his nipples, the grooves in his abdomen. The sensation of his hands made Hendery jerk into him, tingled by his fingers, pushing their already tightened space together exhaustingly.

He unzipped his jacket, throwing it into the main hallway and sank his lips into the skin on his shoulder. His skin was warm against Ten’s lips, and Hendery felt like each kiss scored ruby patterns into him. Patterns that beamed redder and darker the further Ten moved down his arm, his chest—tasting the salt of his skin and sweetness of his heart. Hendery always seemed to smell nice. Or maybe Ten was just really hungry.

Hendery’s eyes relaxed closed as Ten painted his body with small bruises with his mouth. He rested his hands in Ten’s hair, combing it soothingly. Every part of him felt loved. Worshipped. Every touch and kiss imprinted into his skin and sent waves of warmth all over his physique.

Hendery’s chest heaved softly as he continued plotting kisses dangerously close to his beltline. He drew his tongue across the skin above the hem of his pants; his tongue sending Hendery into frenzy. His saliva left a cold trail where the air would hit his skin. Ten laughed as he felt Hendery stiffen against his chin.

He moved from his space, standing back up and opening the door behind them. He pushed Hendery’s bare chest backwards with his hands, their faces still extremely close. Ten wasn’t usually so demanding, this was different. Perhaps the sleep deprivation had gone to his head, because the thoughts in his brain were far from stable; far from anything sober.

“Are you sure?” Hendery said against his face, weakly, only a sliver of confidence withstanding within him by now at Ten’s probes for action.

“I thought you were shy." Ten wouldn’t usually. Hendery wouldn’t even dare to ask.

“I am.” He paused, “But I still want to finish what I started.” Ten shut him up with another kiss, biting his lip when he let him go.

He sat him down onto his bed. He slowly lowered to his knees, keeping a hand on Hendery’s thigh and rubbing through the fabric of his sweatpants. He was already sensitive but stopped himself from begging Ten to please kiss his skin again. He missed his lips being on him already.

“Can I?” Ten whispered. He co*cked his head to the side, like a cat would when feeding for a reply. Hendery nodded, biting into his own lip that felt too vacant.

Ten peeled back his sweatpants and helped him take them off, revealing his hard length sprawled in front of him. Ten lowered his mouth without breaking eye contact—the way Hendery looked at him with those big nervous eyes gave him butterflies knowing he was waiting for him, and probably dumbfounded by Ten lowering himself down on him.

He wasn’t usually so eager, but clearly during the eve his desire to be fed grew larger. Knowing his performance was what mattered right now made Ten’s ears burn. Ten always put on his best show.

Ten wrapped his fingers around him, the touch alone making Hendery twitch in his place. Ten couldn’t help but smile at him, both timidly and feverishly. He pressed his already hot lips against him gently, glazing his tongue against his own lip along him before enveloping his tip into his mouth. He sucked steadily, reaching further to meet his own hand that was at his base, and carefully winded his hand in tune with his mouth.

Ten’s eyes closed as he savoured him, he felt Hendery’s clammy hands tie knots into his hair. Hendery’s breath hitched in his throat every movement Ten made, the sheer heat of his mouth exaggerating the feeling of pleasure roaming throughout his body. The pulse in Hendery’s chest, audible to only himself, was blurring out the sounds his own mouth was making; pliant whimpering and curses. Pathetic weeps were bouncing from his throat. He didn’t realise he was buckling his own hips deeper into Ten’s mouth, eager, hasty, pulling on the other’s hair a little too hard.

“f*ck, sorry.” Hendery halted his movements and Ten released his mouth for a moment. He giggled rather than seeming bothered. They were never particularly a pair to be rough with each other. Ten had seen the way he could be harsher with his manhandling with other members in more playful ways, but he had never done that to him. Wouldn’t dare to. But it’s not that Ten had ever refused him.

“Don’t stop me Henry.” Ten slurred, he guided himself back down—desperate to taste him again. He moved slowly, but with vigour, his lips bouncing from his shaft as he sucked along it, leaving dainty kisses all over him.

His eyes were glued onto his, swirling his tongue so slowly that Hendery felt like he was tormenting him. Hendery wiped the hair out of Ten’s eyes, revealing his reddened forehead and his cheeks sanguine. He would be lying if Ten didn’t look even more pretty like this. His eyes were drunkenly more feline than usual, drenched in lewd, glowing with satisfaction. Ten didn’t want courtesy, he wanted full saturation.

“You’re crazy Yongqin.” Hendery heaved. “You still look so beautiful.” Ten hummed at his praises, he liked to be praised at the right time, and God was Hendery full of them. Ten couldn’t think of a day he hadn’t been complimented by Hendery when he was around him.

The vibrations of Ten’s own pleased moans caused the grip on Ten’s hair to reappear. He wanted to hold back, let him savour him longer, but Ten got faster, faster, and the corners of his mouth began filling with saliva the greedier he got.

Ten placed a hand on Hendery’s stomach so he could feel how much he was heaving over him. He got off on the fact that it was him that made him act so feebly. He felt his abdomen tighten and slowed back down which made him whine at him. Ten couldn’t help but laugh when he started weeping when his mouth departed once more.

“Please.” he begged him, uncaring of how pathetic he sounded by now. Ten looked at him with sickly dollish eyes, smirking whilst he worked him with his hand.

Ten’s hair had become awfully dishevelled and was sticking to his forehead. Hendery’s eyebrows were furrowed so pitifully looking down at him that Ten could almost feel bad. He sank back down, tightening his mouth around him entirely. He abused him with his tongue.

He hissed “f*ck, Ten.”, he croaked out weak panting, buckling. He let him ride it out dirtily on his tongue, spluttering all over his lips. Ten sucked the rest off him still sensitively, making him shudder—whimpering carelessly.

Hendery swallowed his own cultivated saliva, surprised at what just happened, “Come here.” He gravelled at him. His tone rendered a sense of warning, still raw.

“Hm? A thank you would suffice.” Ten chimed. He wiped his own mouth, the excess on his fingers. He ran a hand through his dark hair and felt like he had been serviced enough, smiling at him.

Ten was satisfied with his performance and was ready to call it a night. But a tight fist scrunched the fabric of his shirt, dragging him onto Hendery’s lap. He yelped at the sudden movement and was baffled at the strength he encompassed doing that with one hand. He felt like a ragdoll when he ended up limply on top of the other, cradling his waist between his thighs. He knew his ears were bound to be bordering on purple at this point.

Hendery held onto his waist with one hand, shoving the other into his shorts. Ten’s jaw fell open quickly, a once concealed moan filling the space. His fingers immediately groped at him.

“Do you think I'd ever let you go without your turn?” Ten’s face flushed immediately.

His heartbeat accelerated once again, felt it in his stomach, felt it inside his ears. He let Hendery take off his shorts, allowing him to do as he pleased. It was true that Hendery would never have all the glory to himself, it felt selfish. He would never leave Ten out of anything.

He pressed his lips against his again, the stale taste lingering in his mouth, his lips being swollen against his made it harder to control his tongue. Hendery instead kissed down his cheek, searing his jaw with the smack of his lips.

He was eager. The force of each kiss made Ten whine; he opened his neck for him, leaning to the side, holding onto him by his temples. He was close enough to return the favour, melding his lips upon Hendery’s jawbone.

Ten didn’t know how Hendery knew where it was, but perhaps he had just been over too often . A cold wet hand glazed over his length, causing him to jolt on his lap. He searched for Ten’s mouth again to kiss and he ploughed his wild hands along him. Ten couldn’t help but moan into his mouth, allowing for Hendery’s tongue to enter carelessly. He kept on stroking, stroking, Ten was biting into his lips, pinching at the dead skin.

Ten knew Hendery was good with his hands, but maybe he was too good because he couldn’t stop whining at the pace that Hendery was playing with him. Couldn’t stop chasing his lips. Couldn’t stop his eyes from clenching shut. Another sensation crawled up his skin, it was cold again. His fingers slowly moved inside him. He writhed against him, his chest squeezing against Hendery’s.

His back arched the faster he moved in both areas. It was so overwhelming, solicitous, his fingers were burning around him and inside him.

“Ah Hen—ry,” Ten gawked. His body was grinding uncontrollably, he tried to tighten his thighs in one place but it was useless. “Hen—Hen,” he could sense that Hendery was smiling against his lips as he called for him.

Ten knew his face was contorting, his eyes scrunched and his breathing disjointed as his hand’s overburdened him. The noises created by the friction of himself and the lube were disgustingly vulgar.

“Don’t stop.” Ten bit into Hendery’s shoulder, letting him continue, because truthfully he wanted to be fragmented by him.

“Do you like it Yongqin?” Hendery said lightly. Wanting to confirm it. He was like that—needy for reassurance. His voice was echoing around Ten’s brain.

The added drowsiness exaggerated the feelings of stimulation around his body, he groaned crudely. Every sense was heightened, every hair on his skin was standing, and every movement felt infinite.

Ten found it within himself after several heaves to reply, “I like it so much Henry.” He started shaking towards him, his thighs tensing around Hendery’s waist.

“I like it so much.” He repeated. Jagged weeps crept out of his mouth一he pulled the ends of Hendery’s hair upon his neck as he came. He kissed his forehead through it, his lips trembling slightly below him.

He immediately wanted to just kiss Hendery again, the thought seemed to be shared considering that Hendery was already leaning into him, his nose brushing against his softly.

“Do you want to clean up with me?” He trailed. “We don’t have schedules tomorrow.” His voice was still shaky.

“With you? Um—” Hendery hesitated. He didn’t know why he suddenly felt nervous. Perhaps the adrenaline wearing off brought him back to his usual state of mind.

“Stop being so shy!” Ten complained, only jokingly. He got off from his lap, standing beside him. Hendery’s cheeks were shrivelled in embarrassment.

“I can’t help it,” He defended, whining like a child. “You’re always shy too!” Ten pulled him from the bed, laughing tenderly whilst walking him over to his bathroom.

“Come.” He spun him around and kissed him another time before closing the bathroom door behind them.