Entry tags:
fic advent: day eighteen
for emily ♥
hoya/dongwoo
pg, 650 words
dongwoo has silly traditions and hoya takes it all in stride
hoya/dongwoo
pg, 650 words
dongwoo has silly traditions and hoya takes it all in stride
“Please?”
Hoya is already tense and nervous, the pressure of their subunit debut making him simultaneously stiff and jittery. Dongwoo has been fluttering around backstage, joking with the stylists noonas, playing for the camera, and Hoya tries to join him, but it's hard. He can't help but feel every ounce of the weight on his shoulders right now.
Onstage, with Infinite, that's one thing. That's familiar. He has the other members to lean on. Hoya is comfortable in that role, the dancer, he knows he's good at it. There's so much less risk. And it's not like he doesn't want to be here right now, readying himself for their debut stage. It's just that instead of one of seven, he's half. This is the unknown. He has to work hard, he has to do his best.
And then here's Dongwoo, snapping each of his bracelets in turn before holding his hands out to Hoya. “Hyung,” Hoya colours, glancing around to see if anyone is watching them. “Not now, come on.” The guy with the camera had gone off to film someone else, but that didn't mean that he wouldn't come back.
A muscle works in Dongwoo's jaw and it sends a jolt of guilt through Hoya's belly. “It's a tradition,” Dongwoo says stubbornly. Hoya can see the reflection of his own nerves in Dongwoo's eyes, and somehow he finds himself relenting.
“Just once,” he tells Dongwoo, and he's rewarded with a pleased smile.
He's not sure how this whole ritual started, but before their biggest, most stressful shows, he's always ended up in the corner of their dressing room with Dongwoo, playing a clapping game. It's childish and silly and just one on one like this, it's a bit embarrassing, but somehow, it helps.
Their heavy rings aren't helping anything, and Hoya is already annoyed by the way that his bracelets shift against his wrists with each clap, but Dongwoo's voice rings out clear and loud in the dressing room.
It takes them a few tries to get into it, Hoya is too self aware to pay too much attention to the timing. “Yah,” Dongwoo says, and he slaps Hoya's hands down. “Focus! This is important.”
“Important,” Hoya echoes, and he snorts. This time, though, when Dongwoo holds up his hands, Hoya drops his shoulders, takes a deep breath, and he nods.
It's been years since they started this tradition, and they've graduated from the easy games that kids play to more complex ones. Today, they don't bother with getting too fancy, there's no room for kicks or throwing their arms out, but it's not simple, either. Hoya smirks to himself when he hears one of the coordi noonas whisper “Wow,” to another.
He has to admit, it is relaxing. When he focuses on the slap of their palms and the rhythm, it leeches away some of his anxiety. And that, at least, makes the buzz of embarrassment worthwhile.
They finish with a flourish, and Hoya lets out a whoop. “Happy?” he asks. He feels loose, muscles relaxed, and his smile comes easily.
Dongwoo nods, and his eyes are sly. “It worked, didn't it?” he says. “You're not so tense anymore.”
Hoya's eyes snap wide, and his words stutter to a stop. He can feel the tips of his ears turning red. “Yeah,” he admits. Dongwoo's hand finds its way around his elbow and squeezes.
At the door, the PD calls their name. Hoya tugs his jacket straight and clears his throat, squares his shoulders. This is it. Dongwoo doesn't say anything else, rolls his head on his neck and nudges Hoya with his elbow. His grin is electric and infectious, and when they run on stage, there's one on Hoya's face that's just as wide. He feels like they can take on the world.
Hoya is already tense and nervous, the pressure of their subunit debut making him simultaneously stiff and jittery. Dongwoo has been fluttering around backstage, joking with the stylists noonas, playing for the camera, and Hoya tries to join him, but it's hard. He can't help but feel every ounce of the weight on his shoulders right now.
Onstage, with Infinite, that's one thing. That's familiar. He has the other members to lean on. Hoya is comfortable in that role, the dancer, he knows he's good at it. There's so much less risk. And it's not like he doesn't want to be here right now, readying himself for their debut stage. It's just that instead of one of seven, he's half. This is the unknown. He has to work hard, he has to do his best.
And then here's Dongwoo, snapping each of his bracelets in turn before holding his hands out to Hoya. “Hyung,” Hoya colours, glancing around to see if anyone is watching them. “Not now, come on.” The guy with the camera had gone off to film someone else, but that didn't mean that he wouldn't come back.
A muscle works in Dongwoo's jaw and it sends a jolt of guilt through Hoya's belly. “It's a tradition,” Dongwoo says stubbornly. Hoya can see the reflection of his own nerves in Dongwoo's eyes, and somehow he finds himself relenting.
“Just once,” he tells Dongwoo, and he's rewarded with a pleased smile.
He's not sure how this whole ritual started, but before their biggest, most stressful shows, he's always ended up in the corner of their dressing room with Dongwoo, playing a clapping game. It's childish and silly and just one on one like this, it's a bit embarrassing, but somehow, it helps.
Their heavy rings aren't helping anything, and Hoya is already annoyed by the way that his bracelets shift against his wrists with each clap, but Dongwoo's voice rings out clear and loud in the dressing room.
It takes them a few tries to get into it, Hoya is too self aware to pay too much attention to the timing. “Yah,” Dongwoo says, and he slaps Hoya's hands down. “Focus! This is important.”
“Important,” Hoya echoes, and he snorts. This time, though, when Dongwoo holds up his hands, Hoya drops his shoulders, takes a deep breath, and he nods.
It's been years since they started this tradition, and they've graduated from the easy games that kids play to more complex ones. Today, they don't bother with getting too fancy, there's no room for kicks or throwing their arms out, but it's not simple, either. Hoya smirks to himself when he hears one of the coordi noonas whisper “Wow,” to another.
He has to admit, it is relaxing. When he focuses on the slap of their palms and the rhythm, it leeches away some of his anxiety. And that, at least, makes the buzz of embarrassment worthwhile.
They finish with a flourish, and Hoya lets out a whoop. “Happy?” he asks. He feels loose, muscles relaxed, and his smile comes easily.
Dongwoo nods, and his eyes are sly. “It worked, didn't it?” he says. “You're not so tense anymore.”
Hoya's eyes snap wide, and his words stutter to a stop. He can feel the tips of his ears turning red. “Yeah,” he admits. Dongwoo's hand finds its way around his elbow and squeezes.
At the door, the PD calls their name. Hoya tugs his jacket straight and clears his throat, squares his shoulders. This is it. Dongwoo doesn't say anything else, rolls his head on his neck and nudges Hoya with his elbow. His grin is electric and infectious, and when they run on stage, there's one on Hoya's face that's just as wide. He feels like they can take on the world.
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:D
i like how this happened recently for their unit debut <.
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It's just that instead of one of seven, he's half.
i rly like this :( its so true, hoyas never rly stepped too far forward for infinite and now hes right in the spotlight with dongwoo? and the way you worded it cries a lot on you
AND DONGWOO IS PERFECT ETC ETC its just like him to know hoya is getting tense so he pushes for doing something like this :33 ive always adored how he balances out hoyas tendency to overthink things and fret and i love it a lot they are my favorite ever
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THANK YOU BB <3
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