Drippin' Swagu

[iphisto]

Exo, Baekhyun/Kai, R
Sk8r boiz AU, and not the Avril Lavigne song
~5000 wordsWarnings: Heavy swearing, underage drinking, vague discussions and instances of homophobia and way too much talk about skating. (Also minor injuries, blood)


***A/N: Inspired by the Jeju Island shoot photo of Kai and Baekhyun with what appears to be a longboard and shortboard (i.e normal skateboard), respectively.

[quick skating glossary if you need it]
Longboard: Specially made for fast, stable rides with bigger, wider boards, larger wheels and special trucks. Longboarding can look like this. Or like this, with bonus commentary. (There's a lot of variety)
Shortboard: What people think of as normal skateboards.
Deck: The big bit of wood that you stand on.
Bearings, Trucks, Bushings: Parts of the underside workings of a board. Bearings are part of the wheel connection, Trucks are the big metal bits that act as axels, bushings are part of the trucks.
Carve, Slide: Ways to turn or slow down. Carving is shifting your weight to tilt the deck on the trucks and turn, whereas sliding involves actually dragging/pushing the wheels against their usual spin. That's a slide.

That said, liberties have been taken with accuracy.



***

When they arrive at the edge of their sleepy beach town Kai is incensed to see another figure skating down the beach-side road. The road wasn’t too steep, but it was long, meandering through bushland before reaching the shore.
“You said that this place would be practically abandoned today. I got up at the ass-crack of dawn to share the road with-” Sehun cuts him off with an eye roll. He throws his arms around Kai’s shoulder.

“Maybe,” he says, his tone a little scolding, “it would do you good to make some friends. Be nice to someone.”

“I’m plenty nice and I have a million friends and shut up, Sehun, I got up at dawn.” It’s still early, and the sky is pale and dusted with pink, the air still tangy with the taste of summer night-time. For all his bitching and moaning, Kai admits that it’s nice, to coast down towards the beach with the sounds of birds still waking up and the rhythmic wash of ocean.

Because Kai can’t help himself and all the nature shit was getting a bit too sappy even for inside his head, he crouches low and pushes his board faster, shooting past Sehun with a grin, and then uses the last few turns to carve deep and hard, swinging round and back from each side of the road. The wide arcs slow him down enough that he’s standing at the bottom ready for Sehun when he slides to a stop in the abandoned car park and says, laughing, “You’re such an annoying shit.”

Kai opens his mouth to say something in retort but he sees Sehun’s eyes slide away from him, focusing on something behind Kai. He turns, and it’s whoever it was they saw skating down ahead of them. Kai pulls off his helmet and shoves it at Sehun, muttering a “wait here,” and ignoring Sehun’s annoyed tuts.

“We were here first,” Kai says loudly, standing in front of the stranger with his board slung easy under his arm. The guy doesn’t look up from his board, a battered backpack next to him with spare parts and tools spilling out. He’s got two wheels popped off, the bearings already laid out in a careful line on the board.

“No you weren’t,” the guy says, rummaging in his bag and pulling out a can of lubricant. He finally looks up to Kai and says almost kindly, “you’d better step back,” and Kai finds himself doing it before he has time to stop himself.

He sprays down the bearings, turns them over carefully and repeats the process. Kai fidgets.

“Okay we weren’t but whatever, we’ve been coming here for ages and you better not get in our way or fall over or need help or- just, don’t get in our way,” Kai bursts out, and it sounds lame even to him, but the stranger just says, “I won’t,” and flashes him a quick smile.

Kai watches him carefully wipe down the bearings and fit them back into the wheels before screwing them back onto the trucks.

“How long have you been skating then, if you’ve been coming here for ‘ages’?” Kai can hear the air quotes, and it makes him sniff a bit with affront.

“I’ve been skating since I was twelve,” Kai says, and tries not to let the pride slide behind his words too obviously.

The stranger takes his time to respond, standing and picking up his board. He's shorter than Kai by about half a foot, with soft brown eyes that peer up at him.  He’s sort of familiar in a way that Kai can’t place; living in a small town means that he’s probably seen him around at some point. “So that makes you, what, fourteen?”

“Seventeen,” Kai replies quickly, before he can realise with a start that he was making fun of him. His voice was carefully bland, more curious than anything, but Kai could see his mouth twitch in hidden amusement.

Kai was unused to this growing feeling of unsettledness, wrong footed-ness, and he says “What’s your name,” as more of a demand that a question.

“Baekhyun,” Baekhyun says, and instead of sticking his hand out to shake he just spins the now repaired wheels of his board. Kai talks over the smooth hum of clean bearings when he says, “I’m Kai, and that’s Sehun.”

***

“Watch out for the rough patch about a third of the way down on the left, before the second turn,” Kai says loftily as all three of them have ambled back to the top of the hill, and Baekhyun just nods. Kai watches him closely as they ride down - his form is okay, a bit rough and wobbly, playing it too safe at times, but Kai only has enough time to grudgingly admit that Baekhyun is pretty decent before Sehun dances past with his tongue stuck out and Kai is forces to throw his board into a slide that almost grinds him to a halt. He forgets about Baekhyun; he’s too busy trying to manoeuvre his way past Sehun, the ride-ruining asshole. And he had thought he had to worry about the new guy, shit.

As they warm up and get used to the road again Kai can’t help showing off, and he knows that Sehun is judging him by the way he wolf-whistles and claps at a 360 slide that Kai bails on, rolling off into the sticks and shit of road-side bushland. Kai doesn’t bother with fancy moves after that, tucking in close and fighting speed wobbles as he shoots past Sehun again. He makes sure that he’s close enough for Sehun to have a good view as he flips him the bird.

“Not too bad, kids,” Baekhyun says as they park themselves on the gutter and pull water bottles out of their backpacks, grimy with sweat and dust. It’s already uncomfortably warm under the summer sun after a couple of treks up the hill.

“Kids?” Sehun asks, shooting a sidelong glance at Kai. Baekhyun grins.

“You said seventeen, right? Kids,” Baekhyun smiles smugly as he stands up. “Nice riding with you. You should drop in on the skate park in town sometime,” and then he picks up his board, shoulders his backpack and walks off towards the beach.

“He seems pretty cool,” Sehun says, playing with the grip tape on his board and carefully not looking at Kai.

“Oh, fuck off,” Kai shoves him.

***

They end up at the skate-park a couple of days later when Sehun is sick of the same bumfuck nowhere roads and wants a cruise through town. Neither of them are particularly fond of shortboards or bikes or -god fucking forbid- scooters, and they both slow and pick up their boards as they get to the edge of the park. Sehun spots Baekhyun nearby, dropping into a bowl that makes even Kai’s stomach queasy. They watch him for a while, and Baekhyun keeps doing ridiculous flippy twisty spinny tricks that Kai can’t even think of naming. Sehun whistles at a particularly impressive jump.

“Well,” Sehun says. “Well well well.”

Kai doesn’t have time to roll his eyes or whack him on the head before Baekhyun sees them and waves enthusiastically. He kicks up his board and walks over to them.

“Hey,” he says breathlessly, and Kai can tell from his easy smile that he’s infinitely more at home here, if his skating hadn’t already shown it.  Kai shifts uncomfortably and ignores the gazes of who he assumes to be Baekhyun’s friends, now looking over curiously.

“So I guess shortboard is your thing,” Kai asks, trying to keep the distaste out of his voice. At least it wasn’t a scooter.

“Yeah, I’ve been messing around on the longboard for a while but it just isn’t the same, you know?” he says, and Kai closes his eyes and counts to three in his head. Not a scooter. Not a scooter. Suddenly he’s punched in the shoulder.

“I’m just fucking with you, calm down,” Baekhyun laughs, and then grabs his arm, his hand warm and rough. “Let me introduce you to the guys.”

The guys, it turns out, are all older than them - even the youngest, Kyungsoo, is out of high school. Kai mutters “Kids?” at Baekhyun when he finds out that he’s only nineteen, but Baekhyun only ruffles his hair patronisingly and says, “Sorry mate, you’re still in high school. High school.” Kai hopes his embarrassment at being introduced as Baekhyun’s kid friend who’s still in high school doesn’t show on his face.

“You wanna try my board?” Baekhyun holds it out, his other hand already reaching for Kai’s board. Kai looks wildly for Sehun, but he’s already in some deep discussion with Suho about bushings. Fucking useless.

“Alright,” Kai says reluctantly. It’s been years since he’s ridden a shortboard, and Sehun was always the one better at fiddly tricks. He takes it round the tamer areas of the park, getting a feel for the narrower, harsher trucks and the unfamiliar deck. Once he thinks that no-one’s watching too closely he tries a grind, and then promptly stacks it. He feels his face go red as Baekhyun laughs at him enthusiastically, but he sticks his hand out to help him up and Kai swallows down his embarrassment.

“Hey, are you alright?” Baekhyun is looking at him too closely, actual concern on face as if Kai's a small child about to burst into tears and Kai wonders if it’s possible for someone to actually die from shame.

“I’m fine,” he says, yanking his hand back. “I’ve taken worse.”

Baekhyun doesn’t look satisfied, but he must be able to tell that he should drop it because he calls out to Chanyeol to show him the new aerials he’s figuring out. Kai sits with Sehun under the sparse shade of a tree, and they watch as Chanyeol tries to teach Baekhyun. He fucks it up hard and often, but they watch as he goes from sketchy to rough but decent in barely half an hour. Eventually he claps Chanyeol on the shoulder and ambles over, chucking his helmet down and dropping to sit beside them, pulling at his sweaty shirt.

“Fast learner,” Sehun notes, and Baekhyun hums to himself and nods, pleased. His smirk isn’t well hidden.

They spend the rest of the afternoon lazily watching the locals and a couple of blow-ins hurling themselves around the park. Occasionally they get up to join the others but it’s half-hearted at best, the summer heat making them dozy and lethargic. They’re in the middle of commentating on a particularly dumb looking scooter kid when Chanyeol sits down and passes along some beers.

“Is that really a five-panel cap? And an upside down cross on his shirt?” Chanyeol asks curiously.

“Swag swag swag on you,” Baekhyun play-raps terribly, throwing around his arms, and Kai laughs in shock.

“Stop being such a tool.”

“Nah,” Baekhyun says happily as he slurps on the foam from the beer can. The beers are too warm and slightly stale but it’s a nice accompaniment to the setting sun, and by the time the floodlights turn on they’re all pleasantly buzzed. By the time it’s properly dark Kai finds himself standing on Baekhyun’s board, limbs warm with alcohol and legs unsteady, with Baekhyun curled half into him with laughter. His arms are twisted around Kai’s to stop him from falling, and the hard shift of muscle under him makes Kai’s stomach twist. He stumbles off the board.

“I’m gonna go check on Sehun,” he says, watching as Baekhyun pushes the board backwards and forwards, backwards and forwards, eyes wide and careful. He ambles off and tries to ignore the feeling of Baekhyun watching him, the weight of his stare dragging at Kai’s shoulders. He doesn’t know where Sehun is, but he heads towards the road, swearing as he trips over yet another rock or branch or whatever in the dark. He’s caught mid-“stupid fucking nature” when he hears his name, and he turns as he tries to untangle himself from the shrub that he seems to have walked in to.  It’s a girl with a face that rings a bell but no name to go with it, and he can practically feel the blood rush to his face as he finally frees himself.

“Uh, hi,” he says, scratching the back of his head, heart thudding as his brain scrambles, trying to think of her name. She takes pity on him, giving a half-smile as she says “Krystal, from last summer?” and it rushes back.

“Oh, hey. Nice to see you again, um-” but he isn’t sure where to go with this, because he’d only met her once at a party while completely off his face. “Well, ah, I hope your summer’s been nice?”

“Yeah,” she laughs at him and after a moment of silence turns to where a pair of girls are watching from under the streetlight. “I better be going. Good to see you again, Kai,” and then she waves and walks off. The group of girls giggle and Kai groans and covers his face with his hands. Jesus fucking Christ, talk about awkward.

He gives up on finding Sehun, sending a typo-ridden WERE TH FUCCK R UMEET ME @ SKTTE PAK text before making his way back to the skate park. Baekhyun is lying flat on his back on the concrete, presumably looking at the stars or some shit like that.

“Who was that?” Baekhyun asks, still lying on the ground, his face washed yellow and heavily shadowed by the crappy floodlights.

“Just. Someone.” Kai says, dropping down to sit next to him.

“Ooh, someone, eh?” Baekhyun teases, his elbow swinging around until it hits Kai in the leg.

Kai elaborates reluctantly, picking at a bit of loose rubber on his shoe. The words feel big and cumbersome in his mouth. “A girl I hooked up with last year.” A mistake, he doesn’t say.

“Oh,” says Baekhyun, now sitting up. He doesn’t look at Kai, just brings one of his legs up and swings his arms over it loosely. “I thought you were gay.”

Kai snorts and flops backwards, avoiding looking at Baekhyun. He shouldn’t talk, really, not on these delicate, shaky grounds when he is tired and slightly dizzy and foggy-brained from drink. Especially not with the warmth of Baekhyun’s leg seeping through his jeans. “No, I’m not gay, because I skate, and skateboarders aren’t gay.” His eyes shift to Baekhyun’s face of their own volition, and Baekhyun’s expression is unreadable. “Fucking idiot,” he says, almost fondly, before laughing and whacking Kai on the leg. Kai sits up, pressing his shoulder against Baekhyun’s.

“No, like - look. There are no gay skateboarders, because if there were gay skateboarders then skateboarders couldn’t do shit like that,” and Kai points to where Chanyeol and Suho are pissing into the big bowl, a surprise for tomorrow’s skaters. Baekhyun wrinkles his nose but turns to Kai.

“Couldn’t? Or shouldn’t? Or won’t?” and Kai can tell that this isn’t a question about Chanyeol and Suho, or any random skaters. He can tell that this is too close to the bone and Baekhyun too knowing.  Maybe Baekhyun has walked the same dangerous lines of would if I could, would but I shouldn’t.

“Could they,” and Kai realises with a jolt that Baekhyun’s face is awfully close to his, “do this?” and then before Kai can stop him or even think, Baekhyun kisses him, grabbing at Kai’s hair, his mouth warm and gentle for all his suddenness. Kai shoves him off and scurries backwards, head swinging wildly to check that no one had seen. He bangs his elbow and scrapes his wrist in the hurry.

“No,” he says unsteadily, “they shouldn’t. I mean-couldn-can’t?” and wipes his mouth shakily with the back of his hand.  Baekhyun’s face falls, and Kai feels something like panic rise in his throat. Baekhyun swings his arm out and Kai closes his eyes, thinking I have fucked up royally and I definitely deserve this, but the punch he expects doesn’t come. Instead Baekhyun laughs, short and sharp.

“You’re a teasing little fucker,” he says matter-of-factly as he gets Kai in a headlock, hauling him off the ground and Kai’s arms pinwheel as he tries to keep his balance. “You-mother-fucking-shit-head,” he bites out, and each word is punctuated with a strong flick to Kai’s forehead. “Alright! Alright! I know! I’m sorry! I just-” but apparently Baekhyun is satisfied with his apology because he shoves Kai over towards the magically appearing Sehun.

“I got your text,” Sehun says, and then adds “and I heard a fight,” hesitantly, eyes darting between Kai and Baekhyun. Kai ignores it and instead says loudly, “Took you long enough to turn up.” He doesn’t move though, hovering between the two of them. Sehun frowns.

“Go home, kid.” Baekhyun shakes his head and Kai lets out a breath he didn’t know he was holding, slinging his arm over Sehun’s shoulder and picking up his board. He gives a two-fingered salute over his shoulder as they leave and desperately ignores the growing feeling that he’s messed everything up, maybe for good.

***

Kai gets a text from Taemin inviting him and Sehun down to one of the annual beach parties.  When Sehun and Kai arrive at the party it’s clear that everyone is very drunk. And from the smell of it, pretty high too. They make their way towards the bonfire, nodding to the people that they know and the vaguely familiar faces that they don’t. As they get to the bonfire, someone stumbles up out of a camping chair to shout “Kai!”

“I’ll leave you to it,” Sehun murmurs in his ear, and Kai kicks at his ankle as a parting gesture before turning to deal with Baekhyun. His stomach swoops traitorously as Baekhyun finally reaches him.

“You’re here,” Baekhyun says, the sweet warm flush high on his cheeks visible even in the flickering light of the fire.

“Yeah,” and Kai is feeling increasingly out of his depth, especially as Baekhyun smiles lazily and attempts to sling his arm over Kai’s shoulder. He starts to drag Kai over to the seats and leans in, breath hot on Kai’s neck, and Kai only has enough time to try and palm Baekhyun’s face away in vain before he notices Taemin nearby. Shit.

Taemin ambles over like he’s got all the time in the world and Kai knows the fucker is going to lock this away for years of blackmail.

“I see you’ve found yourself a new friend, Baekhyun,” he says, but his eyes are locked with Kai’s. Kai tries to disentangle Baekhyun from around him, but Baekhyun’s arms are having none of it.

“Look, Taemin. Kai oppa came to the party,” Baekhyun giggles into his drink, his accent stronger with alcohol, and even as Kai splutters “what the fuck?” something tight and nervous settles in his chest. Taemin looks unfairly pleased with himself and the situation. Sehun is probably laughing at him somewhere.

“At least give me your fucking drink,” Kai spits out, grabbing at the cup in Taemin’s hand. This situation - whatever it is - is definitely out of his control now, and if he’s going to deal with Baekhyun slung warm and comfortable across him then it isn’t going to be sober.

“Have fun,” Taemin whispers with a smirk and then he’s gone.

“We will!” Baekhyun calls after him, before falling heavily against Kai with laughter. Kai shoves at him, overwhelmed suddenly by Baekhyun on him and around him and all over, closer and closer. He falls to the ground with a soft oof and looks up at Kai in surprise, eyes wide. His face looks awfully open, honest and vulnerable. Kai looks away, stomach churning, but sighs and hauls him back up.

He thanks whatever god it is that has taken pity on him when he spots Chanyeol’s head above the crowd. He drags Baekhyun over to him and practically throws him at Chanyeol, avoiding eye contact, and hurries off to find Sehun. He’s found an abandoned half-full keg and Kai thinks maybe whoever it is up in heaven who’s calling the shots has decided to payout for the last week of bad breaks.

It’s not until much later, when the keg is much emptier than it was when they found it and the bonfire is low and flickery that Kai sees Baekhyun again. Kai’s slouched against a dune and a bit of driftwood with Sehun’s face pillowed in his lap, drooling gross beer-spit on Kai’s jeans.

“Oi! Get out of the water you drunk fuckwits!” Kai shouts to a couple of guys in the grade below him at school, watching them run out in drunken terror before something lands on his shoulder and he jumps.

“Oh, it’s just you,” and his breath rushes out in relief as Baekhyun crouches beside him, his hand still resting on his shoulder.

“Is he alright?” Baekhyun asks quietly, poking at Sehun’s face. Sehun splutters and blinks.

“Yeah, but we better be going.”

Baekhyun helps them up and helps Kai sling the still sleepy-drunk Sehun over his shoulders. Kai almost yelps when Baekhyun leans in close and his hand slides around his waist to his back pocket, but he just pulls out Kai’s phone and punches in some numbers. He calls it and Kai sees his pocket light up and the beginning of a ringtone begins to play.

“You’ve got my number, I got yours, see you later,” Baekhyun says rushed as he tucks Kai’s phone back in his pocket, and Kai only has enough time to see a quick grin out of the corner of his eye before Baekhyun is already moving off, leaving an odd ghost of body heat.

***

Sehun catches him staring at his phone one too many times and gives him a vicious poke in the ribs.

“Stop lying about and sulking,” he says, looking down disapprovingly to where Kai is flopped gracelessly on Sehun’s front veranda. “You’re all lovesick or some shit and it’s ruining my vibes. When was the last time we went for a proper skate?”

Kai gives him the best evil eye he can manage given the circumstances and tucks his phone away. “I’m not sulking, and I’ll go for a ride right now. By myself,” he manages, but Sehun just laughs at him and chucks him his helmet.

“Alright, go on, fuck off then. See you later.”

It’s still early enough in the day, only mid-morning, and when he’s skating down a well-worn and empty part of town he sends off a Hey, free today. Wanna hang? before he can think better of it. He gets back a text with far too many smiley faces, an address, and a C U soon.

The house Kai arrives at is small but neat, and he follows the clatter of skateboard around to the backyard. There’s a large concrete patio and a clipped lawn, and Baekhyun turns and waves when he hears him coming.

“Here,” he says, and hands Kai an old battered shortboard. “It’s my old board, I played around so it should be more suited to you. You’re shit at shortboards and I’m gonna teach you.”

Kai knows he could say something, should say something - could easily laugh and tell Baekhyun to fuck himself and then leave, but - well why was he here in the first place? That’s something that stops him short and the sudden nervousness is maybe worse than feeling like an idiot while trying to ride a fucking shortboard, so.

He drops the board and does a few rounds, avoiding Baekhyun’s eyes. He pulls an ollie no sweat, and yeah, the board does suit him a lot more. Baekhyun starts showing him tricks then, easier ones that suit his longboard style and then increasingly more complicated ones that send him sprawling. Baekhyun ignores his swearing and frustration for all that Kai can see, staying calm and laidback. He laughs often and quick at Kai’s stuff ups but he’s so relaxed looking that Kai can’t even be bothered to give him shit for it. By the time that the sun is past midday he has to wipe the stinging sweat from his eyes and his legs are killing him, and yet again he’s stuck banging his shins and tripping over.

Kai tumbles off after a particular bad failure of a trick and falls backwards and lays there, looking up at the sky, so high and bright and blue it hurts his eyes.

“Fuck I fucked it up and fuckshitfuck,” he spits, frustration making him incoherent, and then Baekhyun swings over him. The sudden shade makes Kai squint up, Baekhyun’s face still dark and unreadable as his eyes adjust.

“Oi, gimme your arm,” but Kai just looks up at him confusedly before Baekhyun tugs at his bicep and ow. Kai tries to get a good look at his elbow the same time as Baekhyun and they manage to clunk heads. Baekhyun swears and rubs at his forehead, and Kai is aware even through the burning sting of the graze and the dull ache reverberating through his head of the way that Baekhyun’s grip tightens.

“Let me look at it, jesus. You want me to get a band aid or something?” Kai watches Baekhyun’s face, waiting for him to look up from peering in concern at Kai’s arm to crack a grin and start mocking him. When Baekhyun looks up at him, waiting for an answer, his face is too close, too soft and confused.

Kai wrenches his arm away as best as he can. “Will you stop it? I’m not some delicate flower and I’m not some fucking child that needs taking care of.” His words are sharp and harsh and Baekhyun rocks back on his heels, eyebrows knotting together as blotches of red rise on his cheeks. Kai tries to ignore a stab of guilt.

“You piss me off so much,” Baekhyun says evenly, his voice oddly loud. His face is strangely calm, blank, and he leans over again, his hand planted by Kai’s side.

“Uh,” Kai says, hyper aware of how close Baekhyun is, “Sorry?” but it doesn’t sound genuine to either of them. Baekhyun lets out a noise of frustration and moves off, and by the time Kai hurriedly turns around Baekhyun is halfway up the steps to his house.

“What is your problem?” Kai snaps as he stumbles to his feet, even as the guilt grows fast and liquid in his limbs. Baekhyun is frozen, hand still on the rail and his shoulders high and stiff with tension. He turns as Kai strides over, and Kai stands close up in Baekhyun’s personal space as he backs against the wall. Kai moves closer, using his height to his advantage, but suddenly Baekhyun tilts forward and Kai feels the power shift so acutely it's almost physical, like he’s the one crowded against the wall instead. Baekhyun leans in and Kai freezes, and he can feel Baekhyun’s breath on his throat and it makes him shiver, the vulnerability of it.

“My problem, Kai, is that you are a coward,” and Kai knows what he’s talking about, it’s too obvious and substantial. It weighs heavily in the air between them, so much that Kai almost thinks he can smell it like the humidity before rain. He doesn’t know what to do; he feels like he’s scrabbling for control, the usual when it comes to Baekhyun. He’s looking up at him and his eyes are narrow with a challenge, and in the close quiet Kai thinks he can hear Baekhyun’s quiet swallow. In one frozen, shaky second the loud couldn’tshouldn’tcan’t that is ringing in the back of his head becomes oddly silent. Something inside Kai stretches and snaps and gives, finally, and he shoves his hands at Baekhyun’s hips and his mouth at Baekhyun’s. Even as something tight in his chest loosens he can feel Baekhyun’s mouth curl into a smile and fucking manipulative fuck. Kai grabs at Baekhyun’s shoulders and hauls him off so that he can lean against the wall instead, holding Baekhyun at arm’s length.

“I’m not some weepy, wimp-ass kid,” Kai says forcefully. Baekhyun gives a twisted smile and shrugs off his hands to lean up, nipping at his mouth before replying.

“I know. But you don’t have to be such a fucking asshole, either.”

Kai ducks his head at that, tucks his face as best as he can into the warm skin of Baekhyun’s neck and the fabric of his shirt.  “Sorry,” he murmurs to Baekhyun’s collarbone, and then his head bumps as Baekhyun’s shoulders move with laughter.

Baekhyun lifts Kai’s chin then, and presses him insistently against the wall. He kisses slow but relentless, and Kai finds it hard to breathe with Baekhyun’s chest so close against his, with all of Baekhyun so close and real and warm. Baekhyun’s fingers ghost past his graze, electric-static shivers going up Kai’s arm, and then Baekhyun’s hands slip under his shirt and Kai feels goose-bumps on the hot skin of his lower back as Baekhyun traces patterns with his calloused fingers. Kai leans in low, pressing at Baekhyun’s throat with his mouth, the skin soft and delicate under his lips as he kisses back to the corner of Baekhyun’s mouth. Kai only realises the tenderness of it once he's done it, a warmth blossoming slow and inexorable behind his ribs as his thumb brushes at Baekhyun's jaw.  He feels oddly exposed, open and defenceless with sun-hot bricks digging into his back. Baekhyun bites at his lip again and Kai can taste blood, coppery and sweet.

“Hey, that hurt,” he says, almost in a huff, but Baekhyun just stays close and smiles.

“Good.”

While Baekhyun’s tone is toying and a smile tugs at his mouth, his face is still oddly tight, his eyes not meeting Kai’s, and Kai feels the word echo and tug at his gut and - oh.  He laughs shakily and tugs Baekhyun closer.

“Well to be fair, I did deserve it,” he whispers, embarrassingly hoarse, and winds his hands in Baekhyun’s hair. Maybe he tugs a little too hard in revenge.  Baekhyun doesn’t seem to mind.

When Baekhyun finally moves off and gives Kai some air the sudden absence is disorienting. Kai feels unweighted and lopsided, and he’s glad for the wall to lean on.  Baekhyun keeps his hand against the wall, tethered.

“Tomorrow you’re gonna have to teach me how to do those longboard tricks. No shouldn’ts, no cant’s.”

Kai laughs.

***

A/N: Thankyou for reading! If there was anything that I've forgotten to warn for, please let me know. Feedback welcome!