More Than Meets The Eye [1/7]
Title: More Than Meets The Eye
Word Counts: 66k
Pairing(s): Baekyeol, side!Xiuhan, broken!Baeksoo
Rating: PG-13
Summary:They have a lot of differences. Baekhyun’s lost faith in the world, but Chanyeol still believes in fate. Baekhyun is cautious, always the one to pull away at the first sign of danger while Chanyeol's the one who’s insistent, adamant to draw him back in. Baekhyun is human; Chanyeol just might not be.
Author's Note: Originally posted here
In its entirety, including the summary, the old author's note, and the HTML formatting, this fic was exactly 66,666 words long and I'd just like you to know that because that is my greatest accomplishment
Somewhere near the end of February, he sees him while moving into Minseok’s apartment. There’s no big incident, no elaborate run-in, just a simple meeting of the eyes and a polite nod as the other fumbles to unlock the door to his own housing across the hall.
It’s not even an attraction, really, or even a flame of lust, but rather it’s a kind of pull that he’s never experienced before. Baekhyun’s curious, and not much sparks his curiosity.
Chanyeol. That’s what Minseok tells him the man’s name is after shooting Baekhyun an incredulous look. He’s nice. Those are the only words the older offers when told to elaborate.
“I’m going to go introduce myself.” He sets down the box full of clothes and darts out the door. Minseok calls after him but Baekhyun doesn’t pay much attention to him. He knocks on his neighbour's door before he can stop himself.
There’s a bit of fumbling and a harsh exhale of a curse coming from behind the door but before long, the apartment door swings open to reveal a man slightly out of breath -- Chanyeol. When Baekhyun peeks behind the man’s towering figure, he thinks he can make out a knocked over lamp. Baekhyun can’t help but crack a smile.
“Hey.” Chanyeol greets, noticing Baekhyun’s view and positioning himself to block the viewing window. “I totally didn’t knock over a lamp just now. I don’t know what you’re looking at.”
It’s then Baekhyun realizes how rude it is to be staring. “Sorry,” He apologizes, “I didn’t mean to make you knock over a lamp.”
“It’s not your fault!” Chanyeol says quickly, his volume a couple decibels louder than preferred but it’s nice. His voice is nice. Low. Resonating. “It was going to fall down anyways,” He says a bit softer this time, out of embarrassment.
Baekhyun covers his mouth as he laughs. “So it was destiny for the lamp to fall?” He asks, his lips already curling into a little amused smirk.
“Maybe.” There’s a pause before Chanyeol amends, “Probably.”
Baekhyun’s smile only widens. “Then you could say it’s destiny for us to meet?” Only after the words roll off his tongue does he cringe at just how much of a pick-up line that sounds like.
Chanyeol doesn’t seem fazed though. “Yeah, maybe.” He extends his hand with a smile. “I’m Park Chanyeol.”
Baekhyun takes the hand firmly and stares straight into Chanyeol’s eyes. “Byun Baekhyun.”
x x x
Post offices are obsolete. Practically no one sends mail anymore; it’s much too slow to be of any use anymore.
That’s why Baekhyun’s hatred for mailboxes is completely justified.
He curses as he tries to twist the key to unlock the box but to no avail. Minseok mentioned how the apartment’s mailbox can get stuck sometimes but he didn’t mention how much of a pain in the ass it could be. Baekhyun’s been here for 5 minutes and he’s deathly afraid of breaking the key in his attempts to get the damned thing open.
“Need some help?”
Baekhyun looks back to see his across-the-hall neighbor standing behind him, arms crossed and eyes light with amusement.
“How long have you been standing there?” Baekhyun asks, continuing to jiggle the key even when he’s looking at Chanyeol.
“Long enough to see that you can’t open a mailbox.”
Baekhyun groans.
Chanyeol comes closer and holds his hand out for key. “Let me try.”
“I can’t even get the key out,” He admits sheepishly and decides to just step away from the mailboxes to give Chanyeol a try. Chanyeol laughs before stepping up to the boxes. “Wouldn’t it be funny if there’s not even anything in the box?”
Chanyeol doesn’t respond, though, too concentrated on working the key to pay attention to Baekhyun. Baekhyun contemplates actually trying to carry on a conversation but decides against it, simply standing close to Chanyeol’s side to watch him work.
“I got it out,” Chanyeol announces triumphantly as he jingles the key for Baekhyun to see.
“Now open it and prove your superior mailbox-opening skills,” Baekhyun scoffs, but he can’t hide his grateful smile.
Chanyeol glances to him and returns Baekhyun’s smile with one of his own. Baekhyun can’t help but feel his heart skip a beat.
Before long, Chanyeol turns back to the mailbox and continues to work. It only takes a couple of seconds before the mailbox pops open.
Sure enough, there’s nothing in there.
“I’m going to cry,” Baekhyun states and mentally curses the mailbox to hell. His hands are red and sore from gripping at the key for so long and there’s no doubt that he’s going to complain to Minseok when he gets back.
“Don’t cry,” Chanyeol replies as he shuts the mailbox and moves onto his own that is just to the right. He opens it with relative ease to reveal a couple of letters that he grabs and shoves into his pocket. “You’re too pretty to cry.”
Baekhyun blinks at him, trying to will down the red from filling his face. “What… I…” He blusters, patting his quickly heating face with one of his hands. “...Okay,” He finishes lamely.
Chanyeol turns back to look at Baekhyun, who immediately jerks his face away.
“You okay?” Chanyeol asks and suddenly he’s closer than Baekhyun expected. He steps back, almost tripping on his feet when he does so.
“Yeah, yeah. I’m good.” He jerks his thumb back toward the staircase, "You going back up or...?" The question trails off but the general meaning is still conveyed.
"Yeah," Chanyeol answers, “You wanna go together?”
“If it’s okay with you,” Baekhyun shrugs, passing his internal giddiness with nonchalance.
The first couple of steps are awkward, with Baekhyun not really sure as to how to start up a conversation or what even is an acceptable topic, but his worry is dispelled when Chanyeol asks a question: “So how’d you end up living with Minseok anyways?”
“He and I go way back,” Baekhyun replies and he’s about to end it at that but Chanyeol’s expression urges him to go on. “Childhood friends,” He clarifies, “Best friends up until high school but then we went our separate ways for college.”
“How’d you end up living with him, though? If you went your separate ways, I mean.”
Baekhyun shrugs, “I don’t know. We just ended up running into each other at some coffee shop, just pure coincidence -- like fate, really. We started talking to each other again and then money got a little tight for me so he offered me a place to stay.”
“Oh,” Chanyeol says, “That’s pretty cool.”
“It’s cool that I’m too poor to afford my own apartment?” Baekhyun deadpans and he gives Chanyeol a repulsed look. Chanyeol almosts trips.
“No no no, that’s not what I mean -- I meant like... Like the fact that you ran into each other after… after all those years.” Chanyeol blusters, looking a bit frantic.
Baekhyun cracks a smile, “I was kidding.”
Chanyeol looks a little sheepish as he watches the floor, being extra sure where to place his steps. “I knew that,” He murmurs under his breath and Baekhyun can’t help but throw his head back and laugh.
“I do have a job, though,” Baekhyun clarifies, “So I’m not dirt poor as you seem to think I am.”
“I did n--” Chanyeol stops himself whenever he sees Baekhyun’s mouth start to twitch up into a smile, “Oh. Joking. I got it. Can I ask what this job is, then?”
“I’m a novelist.”
From the look on Chanyeol’s face, he must not have been expecting that. “Really?” He asks, eyes wide with awe, “Written anything that I might’ve read?”
“Depends,” Baekhyun twists his face in thought, “Do you read much homosexual erotica?”
Chanyeol almosts trips again and Baekhyun hates to say this, but he gets some sort of sadistic pleasure from tripping (literally) the other up like this. “Kidding,” He says again and Chanyeol looks like a kicked puppy. “Correction: I’m an unpublished novelist.”
Chanyeol’s silent for the next couple of steps, as they round the corner to start up the last flight of stairs. “...Doesn’t that mean that you, in fact, do not have a paying job that offers you the financial capabilities of owning an apartment?” He asks finally.
“I also do a couple of editing jobs every now and then so I’m not entirely unemployed but yeah pretty much. But that’s what Minseok’s for.”
Chanyeol laughs and Baekhyun really likes Chanyeol’s laugh. “And what about yourself? How do you manage to afford the rent?”
“Just a freelance web designer,” He shrugs, “Nothing as fancy as a novelist.”
“You say that like a novelist is some kind of renowned position but it’s really just my excuse to live at Minseok’s for very cheap with minimal human contact.”
“And you think freelance web designers become freelance web designers for the onslaught of human contact?” Chanyeol raises a brow as he hooks an arm around Baekhyun's shoulders and leans in close, “I think we’re going to get along great.” He laughs, a bit too loud for the proximity but it doesn’t bother Baekhyun. Surprisingly enough, he finds himself leaning just a bit into Chanyeol’s side.
“Yeah,” Baekhyun replies breathlessly, his eyes flitting to meet Chanyeol’s.
The eye contact lasts just a bit longer than intended but it’s not uncomfortable or nerve-wracking like you’d expect it to be with a near-stranger. Chanyeol pulls away seconds later. “Well, it was nice seeing you again,” He says as he draws back toward his apartment’s door.
Only then does Baekhyun realize that they’ve reached their floor. “Oh,” He says intelligently, “Oh. Yeah. It was nice talking to you.” He starts toward his door, fishing his keys out of his jacket pocket to unlock the door.
“You need help with that too?” He hears Chanyeol call out from behind him.
“Shut up,” Baekhyun says amiably just as he turns the lock, “I’m not that bad with keys.”
“Sure you aren’t,” Chanyeol says and Baekhyun turns around just in time to see his eye roll and then subsequent grin. “Have a nice day, Baekhyun-ssi.”
“You too.” Baekhyun smiles as he slips into his apartment.!
"Was that Chanyeol?" Minseok asks the second Baekhyun closes the door. He’s seated at the couch with his boyfriend, snuggling up as they watch some kind of variety show on the tv.
"Yeah," Baekhyun shrugs, toeing off his shoes before even daring to set foot into the living room. He knows how anal Minseok can be about cleanliness.
“You like him,” Lu Han, Minseok's boyfriend, sings out in a teasing way. His hands in a rather precarious position: underneath Minseok’s flimsy shirt, slowly inching up the expanse of his chest.
“I do not,” Baekhyun scoffs and he goes to join the two on the couch, not too bothered by the fact that his roommate is getting felt up about a foot away -- he’s used to this and is accustomed with third-wheeling.
“Then why were you with him?” Lu Han teases, not at all affected by the intrusion and instead
moves closer to his boyfriend to give Baekhyun room on the couch..
“We just met. He was being friendly,” Baekhyun sniffs and focuses his attention on the TV screen.
“Friendly,” Lu Han repeats in that tone.
Baekhyun, like most other times, ignores him, opting to snag the remote off of Lu Han’s thigh and switch change the channel much to Lu Han’s annoyance.
“I was watching that!” He cries indignantly.
“You’re feeling up Minseok,” Baekhyun scoffs, “Focus on one thing at a time.”
He gets a dirty look from Lu Han -- and a blush from Minseok -- but that’s about the extent of Lu Han’s indictment. They watch the music program in silence, Baekhyun absorbed in the new performances while trying his best not to acknowledge the occasional moan coming from beside him.
He forgets to tell Minseok to take him off mail retrieving duty
x x x
“You’re here again?” Chanyeol raises an eyebrow as he watches Baekhyun continue to struggle over the mailbox. Baekhyun jumps a little at the sound of his voice but he’s happy to see him nonetheless. “Lemme do it.” Chanyeol says as he moves into the space next to Baekhyun, taking the keys from his hand.
Just like last time, he opens it without any problem at all, pushing the door all the way open to reveal some ad for a nearby pizza place. “You really suck at this, don’t you?” Chanyeol laughs, moving to his own mailbox to open it.
“Shhh no one has to know that,” Baekhyun says as he eyes the pizza ad with interest. When he finally looks up, Chanyeol's already gotten his own mailbox open and is currently fishing out the two letters present in his own box. "You going up now?" He asks.
Chanyeol glances down to see exactly what has arrived for him before giving an affirmative hum. "Yeah, you?"
"Yeah, let's go together then."
"Why are you in charge of getting the mail if you can't even open the box?" Chanyeol asks to make conversation as they start up the stairs.
Baekhyun shrugs. "I don't know," He confesses, "I mean it's not that bad. I just have to struggle over opening up the mailbox long enough until some poor soul eventually comes and assists me."
"That poor soul being me," Chanyeol points out with a chuckle.
"Hey, that's your conscience making you help me, not me." Baekhyun grins and he doesn't miss the way Chanyeol almosts misses a step.
Chanyeol stumbles a bit before falling back into his usual pace. "Does he even know that you're physically incapable of performing such a task?"
"No but he doesn't need to know. I'd rather not have to take up another responsibility around the apartment."
"So what?" Chanyeol stops on the 3rd floor and looks up to Baekhyun who's already started to advance up the next flight of stairs. Even from a couple steps away, Baekhyun can see the sparkle in Chanyeol's eyes. "We're partners in crime now?"
"Well of course." Baekhyun smiles as Chanyeol starts moving again. He waits for the other to catch up.
"Mail buddies." Chanyeol grins and there he goes again, wrapping an arm around Baekhyun's shoulders. Baekhyun hums an agreement as he tries not to make his staring too obvious.
Chanyeol is attractive but he is really attractive up close, Baekhyun quickly realizes.
It’s not long until they reach the 4th floor where they wave their goodbyes before going to their respective apartments. Baekhyun gets his door open before Chanyeol has even dug out the keys from his pocket and he turns back to playfully stick his tongue out at the other before slipping into the apartment.
"Chanyeol again?" Minseok inquires and Baekhyun slams the door shut, surprised how Minseok even managed to see Chanyeol through the small sliver of visibility that had appeared when Baekhyun had opened the door.
“You like him,” Lu Han states with an amused look.
Baekhyun can’t help but avert his eyes which doesn’t help with the whole proving-that-he-doesn’t-have-a-crush-on-his-neighbor thing. “He’s my mail buddy,” Is the only thing Baekhyun can think to respond, regurgitating the term Chanyeol had defined them as earlier.
Lu Han pauses and then smirks, “He’s your male buddy.” Baekhyun wants to slap him.
Minseok does it for him, though.
x x x
They do this far more often now; it's become some sort of routine at this point. They collect the mail together and then trek back up, babbling on about nothing of any real importance. They then go their separate ways and when Baekhyun returns to his own apartment. Upon his arrival, Lu Han's always takes it upon himself to constantly badger Baekhyun about his relationship with Chanyeol and as utterly stupid he is and as much as Baekhyun says he has immunity to said stupidity, Baekhyun can’t deny the fact that fucking Lu Han has planted a seed in his mind. He hates to admit it but it keeps him awake at night, staring up at the darkness of the ceiling just thinking.
He’s attracted to Chanyeol. He’s known that since day one.
Whether or not he has a crush on Chanyeol is the real question and it's becoming harder and harder to definitely say no.
x x x
“So you ever been to that one coffeeshop?” Chanyeol starts up randomly when he’s busy fiddling with Baekhyun’s mailbox key to get it open.
“Wow,” Baekhyun rolls his eyes, leaning up comfortably on the wall, surveying Chanyeol’s work. “Thanks for being specific.”
Chanyeol opens the mailbox with relative ease and then looks up to Baekhyun with a grin. “I know right? But seriously, I don’t remember the name of it. It’s a couple of blocks away from here though."
Baekhyun gives Chanyeol a tight smile, “That’s still not all that specific but the answer is no. I don’t really know my way around here all that well yet.”
Chanyeol only hums in response as he hands Baekhyun his mail and then moves to work on opening his own mailbox. “It’s been like a month since you’ve moved in, you still don’t know your way around?”
“Exactly!" Baekhyun exclaims, rolling up some flyer into a cylinder to point at Chanyeol. “It’s only been like a month and I don’t make it much of a habit to go aimlessly walking around.”
Chanyeol laughs. “Is that code for: I never go outside?”
“Probably,” Baekhyun shrugs.
“But seriously, you should go to the place, it’s great.” Chanyeol nods enthusiastically. “It’s my favourite coffee shop?”
“And yet you don’t know the place’s name?” Baekhyun scoffs.
“Oh hush, when you get to be my age…” Chanyeol grumbles and Baekhyun has to laugh.
“How old are you, like 12?”
“13, thank you very much.” Chanyeol deadpans.
He gets a snort from Baekhyun. “No but really? Am I older?” And as an afterthought he adds in, "Don't you think it's weird that we've known each other for a month and yet I don't know whose older?"
Apart from the noncommittal shrug as a response to the second question, Chanyeol only blinks at Baekhyun like he had just asked the stupidest question in the world, but the look dispels merely second later. He shrugs. “I don’t know. How old are you?”
“26. You?”
There’s a hesitation and Baekhyun squints at him. “What, you forget your own age or something?”
“Something like that,” Chanyeol smiles bashfully, “I’m 25 though, turning 26 later this year.
“So I’m older?”
“It would seem…” Chanyeol adds in with a little smirk, “Hyung.”
There's something in the tone of his voice, and in Baekhyun’s mind, that’s enough to warrant a punch. “How dare you mock such a sacred title!” He hisses, punching Chanyeol lightly in the arm. Chanyeol only grins.
“What do you mean?” Chanyeol asks innocently, “Hyung, is something wrong?”
“I’m banning you from calling me that.” Baekhyun shakes his head. “Like if you say that again, I will fight you.”
“So you just want me to call you Baekhyun?”
Baekhyun nods uncertainly, sure that there’s going to be a trick of some kind lying in there.
Again, Chanyeol smiles, all his perfect white teeth being put on display, “Well okay then, Baekhyun.”
And Chanyeol saying his name without any honorifics is even worse on his heart.
When he returns back to his apartment, he’s greeted by the words, “You like him.”
“You don’t even say ‘Hi’ anymore? Wow rude.” Baekhyun says, giving Lu Han a pinched look.
“Okay. Hi. You like him.” Lu Han amends, sticking his tongue out.
“Nope. You’re wrong. Guess again.” Baekhyun rolls his eyes and quickly books it to his room so he doesn’t have to argue with Lu Han. From past experience, Baekhyun knows that arguing with Lu Han never goes well. Especially when he doesn’t even know if he’s fully confident in his own argument.
x x x
“Brewed Awakening,” Chanyeol says out of nowhere and Baekhyun can’t help but snort.
“What even?”
“Remember that coffee shop I told you about yesterday? Brewed Awakening. That’s the name.” Chanyeol clarifies as he jostles open Baekhyun’s mailbox door and makes way for Baekhyun to grab the letters right out of the space.
“Very nice,” Baekhyun answers distractedly as he grabs the handful of letters and starts to thumb through them.
“You should go one day.” Chanyeol says, eyes flitting over to Baekhyun for just a second but Baekhyun catches it anyways, “It’s really good.”
“Maybe I will,” Baekhyun dismisses and he brands all of today’s mail to be unimportant, just a couple of bills that he’ll have to hand off to Minseok later.
“You should come with me to get coffee today.” Chanyeol says, his eyes trained on the mailbox in front of him.
Baekhyun stops. “Are you asking me out right now?” He tries, trying to keep his voice nonchalant.
“Are you accepting right now?”
He pauses, running the options through his mind. “Your treat?”
A small pout finds its way onto Chanyeol’s face as his lips curl into a tiny frown, “And you’re the hyung in this relationship?”
“And you’re the one asking me out for coffee.” Baekhyun returns as soon as he sees Chanyeol’s pouting facade crack and reveal that glint of amusement dancing in his eyes.
Chanyeol squints at Baekhyun, contemplating his counter Baekhyun’s supposes. “You win this one, Byun.” He says finally, “So when are you up for getting some coffee?”
“I’m always free.”
“So now is good?” Chanyeol asks and he seems so eager and it’s absolutely adorable.
“That is the definition of always, is it not?” Baekhyun laughs, “But yeah, now’s fine. Just let me drop off these bills to Minseok.”
“I’ll just wait here,” Chanyeol nods as he leans up against the wall of mailboxes, waving off Baekhyun. “Hurry up or I might not pay for you.”
“You already agreed to it!” and with that Baekhyun flounces off, taking the stairs 2 by 2.
He reaches the 4th floor faster than he ever has before, just a bit more out of breath than he’d care to admit. Looking at the closed door of his apartment, Baekhyun decides his best option -- or at least the option least subject to Lu Han’s annoyance -- would be to just subtly slip the letters through the crack of the door.
He’s doing just this when the door swings opens to reveal a smiling Lu Han. “Hello there, Baekhyun. How’s it going down there?”
Immediately, Baekhyun stumbles back, not wanting to be that close to Lu Han's crotch. "Hi?"
“Going somewhere?” Lu Han asks innocently.
“Yeah I’m just going--” He stops himself about mid sentence, his face twisting into a frown, “You’re so creepy.” He states, shaking his head before moving back toward the stairwell.
“Have fun with Chanyeol,” Lu Han calls as Baekhyun starts down the stairs. Baekhyun responds by flipping the bird just before Lu Han goes out of sight.
“You ready?” He asks when he sees Chanyeol still in the same position, leaning up against the wall of mailboxes while fiddling with his phone.
Chanyeol glances away from his phone and his face immediately brightens, “Hey.”
“Sorry I took so long, my roommate’s evil boyfriend was harassing me.” Baekhyun apologizes, “We gonna go?”
“Yeah,” Chanyeol says and he’s just about to shove his phone back into his pocket when he stops. “Wait. Give me your phone number.”
“You couldn’t have thought of a better pickup line?” Baekhyun says with a snort but he holds out his hand for Chanyeol’s phone anyways, quickly programming his number into a new contact as soon as he’s given it.
“You gave me your number without one,” Chanyeol says distractedly as begins to fiddle with his phone as soon as Baekhyun hands him back his phone. “I’d like to think my game is just that strong.”
Baekhyun squints at him but Chanyeol doesn’t seem to notice, too busy with whatever he’s doing with his phone. As soon as he’s finished though, he slides it into his front pocket and finally looks up at Baekhyun, “Shall we go?”
“Yeah.” Baekhyun says with a nod and Chanyeol leads the way to the doorway. He moves to hold the door open for Baekhyun. “You first.”
“How gentlemanly,” Baekhyun snorts but still bows his head in thanks when he passes through. As soon as he’s out, though, his phone goes off and he immediately goes to check it.
Hi, the text says. It’s from Chanyeol. “Really?” Baekhyun says, laughing. “I am literally like a foot away from you.”
Chanyeol only winks exaggeratedly; he doesn’t actually offer an answer. So Baekhyun puts his phone back with a slow head shake.
And as soon as he does, there’s suddenly a hand gripping Baekhyun’s wrist, pulling him toward the right. “Now just follow me, it’s not far.”
Baekhyun practically jerks his wrist from Chanyeol’s grip, not missing the look of confusion that flashes through Chanyeol’s gaze as he does so. “I-- Sorry,” He quickly apologizes.
Chanyeol only shakes his head, raising his arms harmlessly, “No it’s my fault for being too friendly. Sorry if I made you uncomfortable.” Baekhyun can only watch as Chanyeol shoves his hands into his pocket and tilts his head to the right. “But come on.”
Chanyeol takes the lead and Baekhyun just follows. They’re nearly side by side but Baekhyun lags by just a step. He’s not sure how to fully explain why he doesn’t want Chanyeol this close to him without admitting something he himself might not be ready to say. He’s saved from having to come up with some plausible excuse when Chanyeol begins to babble.
It’s kind of cute, the way Chanyeol is talking about anything and everything at once, sometimes so distracted by his words that he almost trips on the uneven pavement of the sidewalk. Baekhyun cannot help but laugh at Chanyeol’s clumsiness but when Chanyeol glances back at him, he stops, afraid he’s being rude.
“No, you can laugh,” Chanyeol says when he sees the look of concern on Baekhyun’s face. It’s obvious that Baekhyun’s not totally convinced when he urges a second time, “No really, I’d laugh too if I could see myself. It’s just--It’s just nice to see you laugh after so long.” There’s a certain emotion splayed out of Chanyeol’s face, but Baekhyun can’t quite place it. A look of longing, of sadness is his best guess, but before he can make any final guesses, the expression clears, making way for a great smile. “But we’re almost there,” Chanyeol states, pointing to some obscure sign out in the distance.
“That fast?” Baekhyun asks in surprise.
“I wasn’t lying when I said it was just down the block,” Chanyeol laughs and it looks for a moment that he’s about to take Baekhyun’s hand and race to the nearby store, but he hesitates. His hand, instead, goes up to awkwardly scratch at his head. “Let’s hurry up, then, huh? I’m really in the mood for some coffee.”
The enthusiasm is kind of cute, that much Baekhyun will admit.
Baekhyun’s always been a coffee kind of guy. In his last apartment, there was a coffeeshop that he frequented quite often, enough so that the moment he’d walked in, the barista would greet him by name and proceed to whip up his usual. Ever since he’d moved, he’s missed that place, that kind of connection.
The place that Chanyeol brings him to could easily rival his previous coffeeshop.
It’s fairly similar in terms of atmosphere, just a tad smaller but the same kind of cozy atmosphere that Baekhyun loves. The walls are a muted tone of red, the furniture that same kind of cherrywood.
He’s in love.
“You like?” Chanyeol asks, startling Baekhyun out of his little fixation.
“I love it,” Baekhyun breathes out.
“I had a feeling you would,” Chanyeol grins widely, “And you haven’t even tried the coffee yet. It will blow your mind.”
“My expectations are already pretty high, you really shouldn’t set the bar any higher,” Baekhyun says distractedly as he scans over the menu.
“I’m gonna order now,” Chanyeol says. Baekhyun practically jumps when he finds that Chanyeol is leaning quite closely toward him “Are you ready yet?”
Baekhyun shakes his head, “Nah, I’m still thinking, you go first.”
So Chanyeol steps toward the cashier. “I want the large house blend coffee with a spoon and a half full of sugar and a some hazelnut cream. Make sure to put the sugar and cream before you actually add in the coffee and I also want a design in the milk foam.” And the long order practically rolls off of his tongue like its been rehearsed.
“Well that’s rather complex,” Baekhyun comments and Chanyeol only laughs goodnaturedly.
“What can I say, I’m very particular about my coffee.” He shrugs and then gently pushes Baekhyun closer to the cashier. “Now you order.”
“Oh uhm. Uhm.” He takes one last glance at the menu, but eventually settles for his usual. “I’ll take a caramel macchiato then.”
As the cashier moves to ring them up, Chanyeol turns to Baekhyun. “Go ahead and find us a table, I’ll pay.”
Baekhyun nods, moving to snag one of the tables set up right next to the window. Chanyeol comes to accompany him a minute or so later, shoving the receipt into his wallet. “They’ll bring it to us in a little bit,” He says as he pulls out his seat and plops down. "So, tell me about yourself, Baek."
"Baek?" Baekhyun asks with an eyebrow raised.
"Yeah, it’s a nickname.” Chanyeol grins, “Isn’t it cute?”
“Yeah and quite creative as well,” Baekhyun deadpans. “And what do you even want to know?”
“Anything,” Chanyeol shrugs. “Everything.”
They talk for a long time. Long after their coffee has been delivered to their table, long after it it has run cold and they have to ask for another cup; they’re lost in conversation. And it’s not even about anything important, mainly just about random instances, random facts that run together into some semblance of a conversation.
And maybe this is what he’s really been missing all of this time.
On their way back, Baekhyun manages to wrap his hands around Chanyeol’s wrist and softly tug him forward. Chanyeol looks surprised, astonished even by the sudden gesture, but he mainly looks confused, confused as to the sudden change in Baekhyun’s behaviour. Baekhyun only flashes him a grin, “I’ll race you back to the apartment.” He challenges with a smile, giving one last tug on Chanyeol’s arm before letting go, a little uncertain of his own actions
There’s a hesitation before Chanyeol’s face twists to mirror Baekhyun’s own. “You’re on.”
Later that night, Baekhyun finally gets around to replying to Chanyeol. It's nothing much really, just a quickly typed out message that says hi back.
Apparently, just the one word is enough to launch them into a conversation that has Baekhyun awake until the wee hours of the night.
And it's not just an isolated event. As the week drags on, Baekhyun finds himself constantly fending off the intrusive feelings of sleepiness with a bright screen, fast responses, and the smile that's begun to sprout on his lips.
x x x
As much as Lu Han loves to stick around the apartment, he takes Minseok out from time to time and, with Baekhyun’s luck, of course the one time he does so, Baekhyun forgets his keys.
It's when he’s out getting yet another cup of coffee with Chanyeol.
“You forgot your keys?” Chanyeol asks as he watches as Baekhyun freezes, hurriedly checking all of his pockets.
“No,” Baekhyun indignantly replies as he roots around in his pants pocket. He has to check a second, a third time before he finally admits. “Okay, maybe. But I can just call Minseok to come back here and open the door.”
He pulls out his phone to call, but as soon as the dial tone begins, he can hear the telltale sounds of Minseok’s obnoxious ringtone from within the apartment. “Jesus fucking Christ,” He mutters under his breath, stabbing the end call button on his phone.
“You want to call the landlady? She should have a spare key or something,” Chanyeol suggests as he tries to jiggle open the door knob.
“Don’t force it! It might break,” Baekhyun rushes out, pulling Chanyeol’s hand off of the handle, “And it’s like 8:00 on a Sunday morning, I feel kind of bad waking her this early. I’ll just wait out here until they come back.” He drops to the floor and flashes Chanyeol a thumbs up. “I’ll be fine.”
“How about this,” Chanyeol starts, dropping to a squat so that he’s eyelevel with Baekhyun again, “You can wait it out in my apartment. I have board games and crap so it’ll be fun.”
Baekhyun shrugs, “I guess it beats just waiting here.” He lets himself be hauled up to his feet by Chanyeol who leads him to the apartment across the hall. “Who even goes out this early in the morning?” He groans as he waits for Chanyeol to get his own apartment open.
“We went out this early-- no earlier this morning,” Chanyeol adds distractedly. He unlocks the door and then steps in to hold it open for Baekhyun.
“That was different.” Baekhyun defends as he walks into the tiny foyer and pries off his shoes. “Nice apartment by the way,” He adds in as an afterthought as he scans around. It’s fairly similar to his own structure-wise but it’s a lot cleaner. Things are sorted in a neat fashion and it almost looks as though it hasn’t been lived in. Funny. He thought Chanyeol’s been living in this complex even longer than Minseok.
“How so?” Chanyeol chuckles. He strolls into the living room and then bends down to reach for the board games hidden strategically underneath the coffee table. Lifting up the game of Life, he also lifts an eyebrow.
Baekhyun gives an approving nod. “It just is,” He reasons before going to sit next to Chanyeol and help him set the game up.
Somewhere in the middle of the game, when Chanyeol is about 20 spaces behind but about hundreds of thousands dollars richer, there's the telltale sounds of the couple's return. Their eyes dart up to meet each other’s and there’s a quick gesture of Chanyeol’s chin before Baekhyun’s darting up to the door.
He has to stoop down just a little in order to press his face to the door’s peephole (he can hardly imagine how Chanyeol can deal with it, practically being a giant and all) and he’s greeted with the lovely sight of Minseok and Lu Han sucking face. He retracts from the door with a look of disgust just as he sees Lu Han’s hands creep dangerously close to the waistband of Minseok’s pants and the two slip into the apartment. “Something wrong?” Chanyeol asks as he watched Baekhyun return back to his seat.
“Is it cool if I wait around here for a little longer?” He asks bluntly, picking up his car piece to fiddle with it.
“Why?” Chanyeol asks before blustering over how unintentionally rude that came out, “I mean, you’re free to stay but like… Didn’t they just come back to open the door?”
“They’re kind of…” Baekhyun holds his tongue, trying to think of a more eloquent way to describe what’s happening across the hall, “Busy,” He decides on despite the understandably confused look that Chanyeol gives him.
“Busy?”
“Busy,” He repeats again, this time coupling the word with an intense look and an indescript hand gesture.
“Oh!” Chanyeol says surprised, his face slowly shifting to one of mild repulsion as the information slowly dawns on him. “Busy…”
“So,” Baekhyun draws out, carefully putting his game piece back to it’s original space. “You want to continue?”
Chanyeol nods in approval. His hand is trained over the spinner before he stops, flitting his gaze up to meet Baekhyun’s. “Wait. This might take a while, huh?”
Baekhyun nods with a strained look.
“I’ll order some pizza then.” Chanyeol offers and Baekhyun can’t help but grin at that.
x x x
About a month later, he comes by to hang out for a second time. But again, it’s not exactly by choice.
It’s when the two return from their mail expedition, there’s a note outside the door that humbly requests Baekhyun to stay the hell out of the apartment. Baekhyun squints at the neon green sticky note on the door and then subtly shifts his eyes over to Chanyeol. Chanyeol notices somehow and offers him an awkward smile, “You wanna come over?”
Baekhyun drops his head to the ground and nods embarrassedly. “Sorry,” He mumbles.
“It’s no problem!” Chanyeol reassures and leads Baekhyun over across the hall, “I’m always up to help a friend in need.”
“I just-- Sorry.” Baekhyun repeats as Chanyeol unlocks the door and carts him in. “These are rather odd circumstances to come over under.”
“It’s not your fault they’re like… Just…” Chanyeol trails off he a mischievous grin forms on his face, “Is this going to be a thing?” His smile overtaking his features in a way that’s looks a bit scary.
Baekhyun still thinks it’s kinda cute, though.
“I sure hope not,” He rolls his eyes, moving around Chanyeol to go sit on the sofa.
“But then we’d get to hang out more.”
“But then I’d know just how often they’re doing the do.”
Chanyeol pulls a face, “True. So how about some Monopoly?” He asks, pulling the board game up from out of nowhere.
And as great Chanyeol was at the game of Life, it just so turns out that Chanyeol kinda sucks at Monopoly. No, that’s an understatement. Chanyeol is an absolute disaster at the game, but Baekhyun can’t help but to smile at the way Chanyeol’s eyebrows narrow, how his nostrils flare when he lands on the wrong space, or when it looks like he’s about three seconds from flipping over the entire board (he never does, though).
x x x
“Minseok, I have a problem,” Baekhyun says casually as he’s passing the salt as per Minseok’s request.
“If it is about the fact that I burnt the garlic bread, I would like to challenge you to try to cook,” Minseok leers at him before snatching away the salt shaker and adding a couple shakes too many to his spaghetti.
Shaking his head, Baekhyun says, “No, it’s not that.”
Minseok nods in a gesture that urges Baekhyun on as he starts to swirl his pasta around his fork. Baekhyun inhales.
“Chanyeol is attractive. He’s nice, funny, tall -- a bit clumsy, but sweet and kind of perfect.”
Minseok drops his fork.
“So,” Minseok starts, extending the vowel far longer than necessary as a grin spreads on his face, “You like him?”
“No.” Baekhyun replies and Minseok gives him a meaningful look. “I don’t,” He reinforces, “I do not have a crush on him. I do not have crushes.”
Minseok doesn’t push it. He knows not to push it. Instead he picks up a roll of bread and rips off a piece to chew on it thoughtfully. “So then why are you telling me this?”
“Because he is perfect boyfriend material and I think,” Baekhyun trails off, not really sure himself where he’s going with this whole conversation, “... I think, you should be worried of Lu Han running off and eloping with him.”
Minseok’s momentarily confused but his face settles into a scowl with mock anger. He feints a throw before shaking his head, “I would throw this piece of bread at you but it’s garlic bread and that’s too precious to waste.”
“It’s burnt garlic bread.” Baekhyun points out.
This time Minseok doesn’t feint his throw.
x x x
“You know,” Lu Han starts up conversationally as he slumps over the dining room table, fingers drumming against the mahogany. “I’m pretty sure he has a boyfriend.”
Lu Han doesn’t even have to specify who he is. Baekhyun knows. Of course Baekhyun knows, it’s all he seems to talk about these days. His knife hovers right above the flesh of the apple and he turns to look over at the older male. “He does?”
Lu Han just shrugs, which looks pretty laughable with the way his body is sprawled oddly over the surface of the table. “I mean I always see this one guy coming out of Chanyeol’s apartment.”
The knife slices easily through apple and connects with the cutting board with a soft thud. “That means nothing,” Baekhyun dismisses as he turns back to the matter at hand, determined to slice the apple without nicking himself. Cuts on the hands are always the worst. “It could just be a friend. You know? Those things you don’t seem to have.”
Lu Han snorts. “Says the one who holes himself in this apartment.”
“Be nice or I’m not sharing my apple with you.”
“Oh the divine punishment.”
Sarcasm practically oozes from Lu Han's words and Baekhyun can’t help but roll his eyes. "It’s enough to make you back off, though.” Collecting the apple slices onto a plate, Baekhyun makes his way over to the table and takes a seat next to Lu Han. He gently pushes the plate toward the other as a gesture to dig in.
It takes a second, but Lu Han slowly straightens himself back into an upright position and reaches for a piece. “No but really,” He says as his hands float over the pieces, obviously trying to scope out the best one. “There’s this one guy. He comes over a lot.”
“Again. People have friends.” Baekhyun sighs as he snatched the slice Lu Han was just about to grab.
Lu Han pouts but doesn’t say much, instead going in for the piece that was right beside it. “Yes, but this guy only comes on certain days,” He begins to wave his apple slice around to add emphasis to his speech. “At certain times. And only for like an hour, two max. It’s like clockwork.”
Giving Lu Han that look he usually reserves for those who are being especially ridiculous, Baekhyun exhales exasperatedly. “Why are you even telling me this? No. Better yet, how do you even know this?”
Lu Han just shrugs. “Conversation topic? Plus, now you know that there’s a 37% chance he’s gay.”
“Thank you so much for improving those statistics for me. You’re a real pal.” Baekhyun’s only just now reaching for his second apple slice, but the plate’s already half empty thanks to Lu Han. He subtly pushes the plate a little further away from Lu Han as he adds, almost as an afterthought, “You’re avoiding the “how” part of the question.”
Lu Han shrugs again. “Sometimes you just know things.”
“Please don’t stalk my neighbour’s potential boyfriend,” Minseok says as he walks into the room. His hair is still a bit wet and it’s dripping onto his shirt. Immediately, Lu Han moves toward Minseok and begins to ruffle out the wetness with a towel that Baekhyun swears he conjured out of thin air. Watching Lu Han toweldry Minseok’s hair is so disgustingly domestic, Baekhyun has to avert his eyes.
“I don’t stalk him,” Lu Han argues, “I just happen to know that he’s an anesthesiologist, comes by at least three times a week, and prefers his coffee black.”
Baekhyun can’t help but look up at Lu Han, clearly dumbfounded by the onslaught of surprisingly personal information.
“He’s probably lying.” Minseok suggests as he waves off Lu Han and pulls out a chair to sit next to Baekhyun. As always, Lu Han follows Minseok but he remains standing, leaning against the chair Minseok is currently occupying.
Minseok is whacked lightly over the head by a pouting Lu Han. “Why would you ever doubt me?” Lu Han is doing some weird cutesy shit and Baekhyun kind of wants to hurl.
“What? You really are probably just making this up to rile up Baekhyun into -- well, to be perfectly honest, I have no idea where you’re going with this either.”
As retaliation, Minseok playfully shoves his boyfriend who exaggeratedly stumbles a couple feet back with a look of mock offense. Lu Han grips at his heart and gives Minseok a pained expression. “Do you really think that little of me?” He pauses, awaiting Minseok’s answer. When Minseok finally nods, an amused smile spread on his face, Lu Han’s face turns comically solemn. “I can prove it.”
Minseok laughs. “Then prove it.”
“Baekhyun!”
Baekhyun, who had been staring at his remaining apple slices in hopes of tuning out the badgering couple, jerks his gaze back to the other two. “What do you want?”
Lu Han jerks a thumb to the front door, “Go to Chanyeol’s right now.”
“No.” He replies immediately.
“What is that even supposed to prove?” Inquires Minseok at the same time and it’s obvious as to which response Lu Han takes priority to.
“I can guarantee that the guy is over right now.”
Minseok raises a brow. “Just because he may be there right now doesn’t prove any of the other things you said as correct.”
“One thing at a time, baby.” Lu Han winks. Minseok giggles and Baekhyun pretends to gag, suddenly remembering why he had been so caught up with keeping his gaze on the table. Lu Han continues, pointedly ignoring Baekhyun’s reaction. “This will at least establish my knowledge over the guy’s scheduled visits. The other things, I’ll prove another time.”
Tilting his head side to side and pursing his lips, Minseok thinks it over before nodding. “Okay. Let’s see if you’re right then.” The two of them turn to Baekhyun.
Baekhyun looks up to meet their gazes. “No,” He answers, shaking his head.
“Why do you have to ruin all our fun?” Minseok whines. “Do ittttt.” Despite the incessant pushing in his word, Minseok's eyes still retains a look of concern. Like he’s ready to turn around and support Baekhyun if he doesn’t want to. He would never force Baekhyun into doing something against his will.
“You’ve already been there once, no, twice before, what’s the big deal with going again?” Lu Han adds in.
“That was,” Baekhyun pauses and then narrows his eyes at Minseok. “Wait, why does he know that? I told you not to tell him.”
“Minseok tells me all,” Lu Han sing-songs and Minseok just shrugs.
“Well anyways, I had a reason then. I’m not just going to show up at his doorway and barge in.”
“Then I’ll give you a reason.”
There’s a glint in Lu Han’s eyes. And then suddenly the guy is pulling Minseok out of his chair. His hand wraps around the smaller’s wrist and now they’re heading down the hallway, toward Minseok’s bedro-- Oh. Oh no.
“Really, guys?!” Baekhyun calls after them but his outburst is ignored.
“I just showered.” He hears Minseok complain before the bedroom door closes with a telltale click and Baekhyun needs to get out of here.
He shoots out of his chair and throws on whatever shoes he can find before evacuating the apartment. He makes sure to slam the front door on the way out, loud enough for the sound to resonate throughout the whole apartment.
His wallet has been left on the kitchen counter, he realizes belatedly. His keys, too.
There’s really no other choice than to go intrude on his neighbour.
“Hey, Baek.” Chanyeol greets with a crooked smile. He shifts his head to look behind the Baekhyun and gestures with his chin, “They at it again?”
Baekhyun nods sheepishly, “Take pity on this poor soul?”
“Always,” The taller male shifts to the side and extends his arm to lead Baekhyun into the apartment. “Come right in.”
Baekhyun flashes a slight smile before ducking into the apartment. As he toes off his shoes, he hears an unfamiliar voice yell from deeper in the apartment. “Hey, who’s at the door?”
“It’s just my neighbour,” Chanyeol yells from behind him and his voice is far louder than Baekhyun expects. He flinches at the noise. Chanyeol seems to take notice as he chuckles, ruffling Baekhyun’s hair playfully, “Did that startle you?”
The shorter bats away the hand, willing his face not to turn redder than it already is. When he pads into the living room, he’s met with a sight of a man hanging upside down off the couch, his legs hooked over the top of the seat and his head hanging off of the edge. When the stranger looks away from his Nintendo 3DS and makes eye contact with Baekhyun, his lips quirk into a smile. “Yo.”
Baekhyun bows politely, “I’m Baekhyun.”
“Jongdae,” The boy mumbles before refocusing on whatever he’s playing.
“Don’t mind Jongdae,” Chanyeol slings an arm around Baekhyun’s shoulders. “He’s much too busy training to become a Pokemon master than to interact with measly peasants like us.”
“My Charizard can and will burn your flat ass,” Jongdae bristles as he continues to mash the A button. Baekhyun does not discreetly drop his gaze to check out Chanyeol’s behind. Even if he did, Chanyeol doesn’t notice as he steps toward the couch and flops down next to Jongdae, nearly crushing him in the process. Chanyeol motions for him to come over so Baekhyun does, settling into a close yet measured distance away from Chanyeol.
“You wanna watch a movie or something while we wait this out?” Chanyeol asks as he tilts over to sneak a peek at Jongdae’s game. “Your Charizard is about to die,” He points out helpfully and Jongdae kindly shoves his face away.
“Shut up and go watch one of your stupid movies.” Jongdae actually growls as he angles his screen away from Chanyeol. Obediently, Chanyeol turns to Baekhyun with a look of anticipation.
“Uh,” Baekhyun says intelligently and he’s blanking out with what to say.
“I don’t have the biggest selection of movies but I should have something that can pass the time.” Chanyeol adds helpfully, grinning widely.
“Just don’t watch Star Wars. That’ll make Chanyeol cry and that’s not a pretty sight,” Jongdae says offhandedly before he swears under his breath, murmuring something along the lines of “should’ve used that full restore when I had the chance.”
“I do not,” Chanyeol replies indignantly, not even bothering to look back,“That was just that one time and it was because I got something in my eye.”
Jongdae only shrugs, too busy cussing out his 3DS to come up with some witty response. Chanyeol’s still watching Baekhyun eagerly and so he ends up just shrugging as well. “Whatever’s fine with me.”
"Well then we're watching Star War.” Chanyeol says with finality as he pries open the DVD case.
Jongdae groans but Baekhyun sits up just a bit straighter. "You like this movie?" Chanyeol asks as he slides the DVD into the player.
"Whoa doesn't?" Baekhyun laughs, "Blu-Ray?"
"Who do you think I am?" Chanyeol shoots back before taking the remote and then slinking back into the space next to Baekhyun. He's considerably closer to Baekhyun this time around, their thighs just almost touching. He only settles in closer, practically cuddling Baekhyun’s side as the movie goes on.
Somewhere in the middle of the movie, Chanyeol ceremoniously gets up, randomly announcing that he’s going to make popcorn before he relocates to the kitchen.
“Hey, Baekhyun?” Jongdae asks while they wait, his game blaring the distinctive 8bit song of a wild battle.
He gives an affirmative hum, his eyes still trained on the glorious paused frame of Chewbacca.
“You like, live in the apartment right across the hall?” Jongdae continues and there’s the sound of a Pokeball being thrown from his game. “Fuck.” He comments offhandedly when the Pokemon breaks free.
“Yeah.”
“With that one guy with the boyfriend?”
“Minseok?”
“I guess?” There’s a fistpump when Jongdae is finally successful in catching whatever he was battling. “Yeah well, tell his boyfriend to stop stalking me.”
He honestly doesn’t know how to respond to that.
x x x
“Sorry about Lu Han.” Minseok apologizes at the dinner table as he slides over a particularly large chocolate chip scoopage. “You know how he can be.”
Baekhyun can’t help but forgive him.
The next day, though, he finds himself back under Chanyeol's care because of strikingly similar circumstances and he can only hope that this time Minseok has something more than just cookies. (And Minseok does. This times it's chocolate cake.)
x x x
It’s become a sort of routine at a certain point. Chanyeol (and sometimes, usually, more than Baekhyun would like, Jongdae) is always willing to offer refuge when Baekhyun has to clear out his own apartment for the time being. Lu Han is always willing to jump Minseok when the urge strikes now that he knows that Baekhyun has somewhere to go.
It’s kind of a gross cycle, really, but it works.
But on certain days, Baekhyun even finds himself at Chanyeol's for unnecessary reasons. Just a certain look that Lu Han flashes Minseok, or a sultry kind of voice is enough to have Baekhyun scrambling to the other apartment. He'd like to think it as a precautionary move but at a certain point, he begins to think that that might be an excuse.
Not that he wants to hang out with Chanyeol. It's not that at all.
“Is their sex life really that active?” Jongdae asks with a raised brow when he answers the door. Baekhyun would say that he’s surprised to see the guy open the door instead of the usual Chanyeol, but Lu Han relays the entirety of Jongdae’s visiting schedule every now and then and it’s beginning to stick.
You don’t need a third wheel. Lu Han had hissed, to which Baekhyun could only respond by smacking Lu Han over the head and saying that There’s nothing to third wheel on.
Yet. Minseok had chirped, wiggling his eyebrows at Lu Han who mirrored the action.
“I don’t know,” Baekhyun admits, “I’m just evacuating the premise in case of spontaneous action.”
Jongdae purses his lips, eyes dancing with amusement as he gestures Baekhyun in and Baekhyun’s heart skips a beat when he lays eyes on a grinning Chanyeol that’s sprawled over the sofa. “You’re back.” Chanyeol states the obvious.
“Not by choice.” Baekhyun hurries to point out and he doesn’t miss how Chanyeol seems to deflate just the slightest bit.
Jongdae gives him a knowing look but thankfully doesn’t say anything, instead walks back to the front door. “I have to go,” He announces, “I’ll see you tomorrow, Chanyeol.”
There’s a look of surprise on Chanyeol’s face at Jongdae’s words but he waves him off nonetheless. “Okay bye.”
“You know,” Baekhyun starts whenever Jongdae’s finally left, “As many times as I’ve seen him actually come in, I’ve never actually seen him leave.”
Chanyeol only laughs. "He's really not here all that often. You just happen to come at the most inopportune moments."
"How lucky of me..." Baekhyun mutters under his breath and Chanyeol offers him a curious look.
"He's also been staying longer ever since you've been coming over..." Chanyeol adds in thoughtfully before his face contorts into a wicked smile. "Why? You miss your alone time with me?"
"N-no." Baekhyun stammers out very convincingly. "I just... He..." He wracks his brain for anything that might even semi-work as a legitimate answer but he blanks under Chanyeol's gaze. "Whenever we watch movies?" He sputters but it comes out more as a question than a statement, "He’s always playing Pokemon... With the background music still blasting!"
Chanyeol frowns at him and suddenly Baekhyun's sounding a lot more pretentious than he really is. "I mean it's not that bad..." He's quick to justify, "Just a little annoying at times. But, y'know, bearable."
Chanyeol starts out, his voice grave, "It's not his fault he wants to be the very best."
"I understand." Baekhyun nods furiously. "And I applaud him for his dedication but don't you--"
"Like no one ever was." Chanyeol interrupts in a monotone voice and Baekhyun squints at him. They end up in some sort of staring contest with Baekhyun's raised eyebrow and Chanyeol's oddly stoic expression. "To catch them is his real test." He continues, unfazed. "To train them is his cause."
Baekhyun rolls his eyes. "Are you seriously..." He trails off and then finished with a shake of his head. "Please don't."
"He will travel across the lands. Searching far and wide."
"Like why." Baekhyun raises his arms and presses his palms into his eyes out of second hand embarrassment. "What do you gain from this?"
But Chanyeol just keeps talking anyways. "Each Pokemon to understand. The power that is inside."
Baekhyun groans just as Chanyeol belts out the word, "Pokemon." And by some sort of peer pressure, he fist pumps, adding "Gotta catch 'em all" at the very end. There's an oddly smug smile on Chanyeol's face.
"You're such a nerd." Baekhyun sneers without any venom.
Chanyeol retorts with: "Says the one that recognized and then proceeded to finish the Pokemon theme song." Baekhyun really doesn't have a response for that.
"But... If you want..." Chanyeol starts off, giving Baekhyun a look of uncertainty. "I actually do have some Pokemon movies."
“You’re such a nerd.” He repeats. But then cracks a smile. “But let’s do it.”
Pokemon movies really aren't the most romantic things in the world and yet Baekhyun finds himself in a rather precarious situation. At first, Chanyeol had been just a bit clingy, leaving his head to rest on Baekhyun's shoulder as he made random comments about anything and everything that happened on screen. As the movies played on, Chanyeol began to grow bolder, wrapping an arm around Baekhyun and squeezing him in close as something dramatic happens. It’s only when they’re about 5 hours into their marathon that Chanyeol is resting his head in Baekhyun’s lap, blearily blinking at the screen but too sleepy to make the same kind of spontaneous comments as before.
Baekhyun’s not watching anymore though. Instead, he’s watching Chanyeol fight off sleepiness, watching his eyelashes flutter up and down as he squints at the movie unfolding in front of them.
It does something to his heart. Something that he’s been foolishly trying to deny for months .
“You like him.” Lu Han says while obnoxiously wiggling his eyebrows with a mildly concerned Minseok next to him. Baekhyun opens his mouth to responds before just snapping it close. “Shut up,” he mumbles and goes to his room.
He hears Lu Han yell “Called it!” from the living room.
>>>
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Word Counts: 66k
Pairing(s): Baekyeol, side!Xiuhan, broken!Baeksoo
Rating: PG-13
Summary:They have a lot of differences. Baekhyun’s lost faith in the world, but Chanyeol still believes in fate. Baekhyun is cautious, always the one to pull away at the first sign of danger while Chanyeol's the one who’s insistent, adamant to draw him back in. Baekhyun is human; Chanyeol just might not be.
Author's Note: Originally posted here
In its entirety, including the summary, the old author's note, and the HTML formatting, this fic was exactly 66,666 words long and I'd just like you to know that because that is my greatest accomplishment
Somewhere near the end of February, he sees him while moving into Minseok’s apartment. There’s no big incident, no elaborate run-in, just a simple meeting of the eyes and a polite nod as the other fumbles to unlock the door to his own housing across the hall.
It’s not even an attraction, really, or even a flame of lust, but rather it’s a kind of pull that he’s never experienced before. Baekhyun’s curious, and not much sparks his curiosity.
Chanyeol. That’s what Minseok tells him the man’s name is after shooting Baekhyun an incredulous look. He’s nice. Those are the only words the older offers when told to elaborate.
“I’m going to go introduce myself.” He sets down the box full of clothes and darts out the door. Minseok calls after him but Baekhyun doesn’t pay much attention to him. He knocks on his neighbour's door before he can stop himself.
There’s a bit of fumbling and a harsh exhale of a curse coming from behind the door but before long, the apartment door swings open to reveal a man slightly out of breath -- Chanyeol. When Baekhyun peeks behind the man’s towering figure, he thinks he can make out a knocked over lamp. Baekhyun can’t help but crack a smile.
“Hey.” Chanyeol greets, noticing Baekhyun’s view and positioning himself to block the viewing window. “I totally didn’t knock over a lamp just now. I don’t know what you’re looking at.”
It’s then Baekhyun realizes how rude it is to be staring. “Sorry,” He apologizes, “I didn’t mean to make you knock over a lamp.”
“It’s not your fault!” Chanyeol says quickly, his volume a couple decibels louder than preferred but it’s nice. His voice is nice. Low. Resonating. “It was going to fall down anyways,” He says a bit softer this time, out of embarrassment.
Baekhyun covers his mouth as he laughs. “So it was destiny for the lamp to fall?” He asks, his lips already curling into a little amused smirk.
“Maybe.” There’s a pause before Chanyeol amends, “Probably.”
Baekhyun’s smile only widens. “Then you could say it’s destiny for us to meet?” Only after the words roll off his tongue does he cringe at just how much of a pick-up line that sounds like.
Chanyeol doesn’t seem fazed though. “Yeah, maybe.” He extends his hand with a smile. “I’m Park Chanyeol.”
Baekhyun takes the hand firmly and stares straight into Chanyeol’s eyes. “Byun Baekhyun.”
x x x
Post offices are obsolete. Practically no one sends mail anymore; it’s much too slow to be of any use anymore.
That’s why Baekhyun’s hatred for mailboxes is completely justified.
He curses as he tries to twist the key to unlock the box but to no avail. Minseok mentioned how the apartment’s mailbox can get stuck sometimes but he didn’t mention how much of a pain in the ass it could be. Baekhyun’s been here for 5 minutes and he’s deathly afraid of breaking the key in his attempts to get the damned thing open.
“Need some help?”
Baekhyun looks back to see his across-the-hall neighbor standing behind him, arms crossed and eyes light with amusement.
“How long have you been standing there?” Baekhyun asks, continuing to jiggle the key even when he’s looking at Chanyeol.
“Long enough to see that you can’t open a mailbox.”
Baekhyun groans.
Chanyeol comes closer and holds his hand out for key. “Let me try.”
“I can’t even get the key out,” He admits sheepishly and decides to just step away from the mailboxes to give Chanyeol a try. Chanyeol laughs before stepping up to the boxes. “Wouldn’t it be funny if there’s not even anything in the box?”
Chanyeol doesn’t respond, though, too concentrated on working the key to pay attention to Baekhyun. Baekhyun contemplates actually trying to carry on a conversation but decides against it, simply standing close to Chanyeol’s side to watch him work.
“I got it out,” Chanyeol announces triumphantly as he jingles the key for Baekhyun to see.
“Now open it and prove your superior mailbox-opening skills,” Baekhyun scoffs, but he can’t hide his grateful smile.
Chanyeol glances to him and returns Baekhyun’s smile with one of his own. Baekhyun can’t help but feel his heart skip a beat.
Before long, Chanyeol turns back to the mailbox and continues to work. It only takes a couple of seconds before the mailbox pops open.
Sure enough, there’s nothing in there.
“I’m going to cry,” Baekhyun states and mentally curses the mailbox to hell. His hands are red and sore from gripping at the key for so long and there’s no doubt that he’s going to complain to Minseok when he gets back.
“Don’t cry,” Chanyeol replies as he shuts the mailbox and moves onto his own that is just to the right. He opens it with relative ease to reveal a couple of letters that he grabs and shoves into his pocket. “You’re too pretty to cry.”
Baekhyun blinks at him, trying to will down the red from filling his face. “What… I…” He blusters, patting his quickly heating face with one of his hands. “...Okay,” He finishes lamely.
Chanyeol turns back to look at Baekhyun, who immediately jerks his face away.
“You okay?” Chanyeol asks and suddenly he’s closer than Baekhyun expected. He steps back, almost tripping on his feet when he does so.
“Yeah, yeah. I’m good.” He jerks his thumb back toward the staircase, "You going back up or...?" The question trails off but the general meaning is still conveyed.
"Yeah," Chanyeol answers, “You wanna go together?”
“If it’s okay with you,” Baekhyun shrugs, passing his internal giddiness with nonchalance.
The first couple of steps are awkward, with Baekhyun not really sure as to how to start up a conversation or what even is an acceptable topic, but his worry is dispelled when Chanyeol asks a question: “So how’d you end up living with Minseok anyways?”
“He and I go way back,” Baekhyun replies and he’s about to end it at that but Chanyeol’s expression urges him to go on. “Childhood friends,” He clarifies, “Best friends up until high school but then we went our separate ways for college.”
“How’d you end up living with him, though? If you went your separate ways, I mean.”
Baekhyun shrugs, “I don’t know. We just ended up running into each other at some coffee shop, just pure coincidence -- like fate, really. We started talking to each other again and then money got a little tight for me so he offered me a place to stay.”
“Oh,” Chanyeol says, “That’s pretty cool.”
“It’s cool that I’m too poor to afford my own apartment?” Baekhyun deadpans and he gives Chanyeol a repulsed look. Chanyeol almosts trips.
“No no no, that’s not what I mean -- I meant like... Like the fact that you ran into each other after… after all those years.” Chanyeol blusters, looking a bit frantic.
Baekhyun cracks a smile, “I was kidding.”
Chanyeol looks a little sheepish as he watches the floor, being extra sure where to place his steps. “I knew that,” He murmurs under his breath and Baekhyun can’t help but throw his head back and laugh.
“I do have a job, though,” Baekhyun clarifies, “So I’m not dirt poor as you seem to think I am.”
“I did n--” Chanyeol stops himself whenever he sees Baekhyun’s mouth start to twitch up into a smile, “Oh. Joking. I got it. Can I ask what this job is, then?”
“I’m a novelist.”
From the look on Chanyeol’s face, he must not have been expecting that. “Really?” He asks, eyes wide with awe, “Written anything that I might’ve read?”
“Depends,” Baekhyun twists his face in thought, “Do you read much homosexual erotica?”
Chanyeol almosts trips again and Baekhyun hates to say this, but he gets some sort of sadistic pleasure from tripping (literally) the other up like this. “Kidding,” He says again and Chanyeol looks like a kicked puppy. “Correction: I’m an unpublished novelist.”
Chanyeol’s silent for the next couple of steps, as they round the corner to start up the last flight of stairs. “...Doesn’t that mean that you, in fact, do not have a paying job that offers you the financial capabilities of owning an apartment?” He asks finally.
“I also do a couple of editing jobs every now and then so I’m not entirely unemployed but yeah pretty much. But that’s what Minseok’s for.”
Chanyeol laughs and Baekhyun really likes Chanyeol’s laugh. “And what about yourself? How do you manage to afford the rent?”
“Just a freelance web designer,” He shrugs, “Nothing as fancy as a novelist.”
“You say that like a novelist is some kind of renowned position but it’s really just my excuse to live at Minseok’s for very cheap with minimal human contact.”
“And you think freelance web designers become freelance web designers for the onslaught of human contact?” Chanyeol raises a brow as he hooks an arm around Baekhyun's shoulders and leans in close, “I think we’re going to get along great.” He laughs, a bit too loud for the proximity but it doesn’t bother Baekhyun. Surprisingly enough, he finds himself leaning just a bit into Chanyeol’s side.
“Yeah,” Baekhyun replies breathlessly, his eyes flitting to meet Chanyeol’s.
The eye contact lasts just a bit longer than intended but it’s not uncomfortable or nerve-wracking like you’d expect it to be with a near-stranger. Chanyeol pulls away seconds later. “Well, it was nice seeing you again,” He says as he draws back toward his apartment’s door.
Only then does Baekhyun realize that they’ve reached their floor. “Oh,” He says intelligently, “Oh. Yeah. It was nice talking to you.” He starts toward his door, fishing his keys out of his jacket pocket to unlock the door.
“You need help with that too?” He hears Chanyeol call out from behind him.
“Shut up,” Baekhyun says amiably just as he turns the lock, “I’m not that bad with keys.”
“Sure you aren’t,” Chanyeol says and Baekhyun turns around just in time to see his eye roll and then subsequent grin. “Have a nice day, Baekhyun-ssi.”
“You too.” Baekhyun smiles as he slips into his apartment.!
"Was that Chanyeol?" Minseok asks the second Baekhyun closes the door. He’s seated at the couch with his boyfriend, snuggling up as they watch some kind of variety show on the tv.
"Yeah," Baekhyun shrugs, toeing off his shoes before even daring to set foot into the living room. He knows how anal Minseok can be about cleanliness.
“You like him,” Lu Han, Minseok's boyfriend, sings out in a teasing way. His hands in a rather precarious position: underneath Minseok’s flimsy shirt, slowly inching up the expanse of his chest.
“I do not,” Baekhyun scoffs and he goes to join the two on the couch, not too bothered by the fact that his roommate is getting felt up about a foot away -- he’s used to this and is accustomed with third-wheeling.
“Then why were you with him?” Lu Han teases, not at all affected by the intrusion and instead
moves closer to his boyfriend to give Baekhyun room on the couch..
“We just met. He was being friendly,” Baekhyun sniffs and focuses his attention on the TV screen.
“Friendly,” Lu Han repeats in that tone.
Baekhyun, like most other times, ignores him, opting to snag the remote off of Lu Han’s thigh and switch change the channel much to Lu Han’s annoyance.
“I was watching that!” He cries indignantly.
“You’re feeling up Minseok,” Baekhyun scoffs, “Focus on one thing at a time.”
He gets a dirty look from Lu Han -- and a blush from Minseok -- but that’s about the extent of Lu Han’s indictment. They watch the music program in silence, Baekhyun absorbed in the new performances while trying his best not to acknowledge the occasional moan coming from beside him.
He forgets to tell Minseok to take him off mail retrieving duty
x x x
“You’re here again?” Chanyeol raises an eyebrow as he watches Baekhyun continue to struggle over the mailbox. Baekhyun jumps a little at the sound of his voice but he’s happy to see him nonetheless. “Lemme do it.” Chanyeol says as he moves into the space next to Baekhyun, taking the keys from his hand.
Just like last time, he opens it without any problem at all, pushing the door all the way open to reveal some ad for a nearby pizza place. “You really suck at this, don’t you?” Chanyeol laughs, moving to his own mailbox to open it.
“Shhh no one has to know that,” Baekhyun says as he eyes the pizza ad with interest. When he finally looks up, Chanyeol's already gotten his own mailbox open and is currently fishing out the two letters present in his own box. "You going up now?" He asks.
Chanyeol glances down to see exactly what has arrived for him before giving an affirmative hum. "Yeah, you?"
"Yeah, let's go together then."
"Why are you in charge of getting the mail if you can't even open the box?" Chanyeol asks to make conversation as they start up the stairs.
Baekhyun shrugs. "I don't know," He confesses, "I mean it's not that bad. I just have to struggle over opening up the mailbox long enough until some poor soul eventually comes and assists me."
"That poor soul being me," Chanyeol points out with a chuckle.
"Hey, that's your conscience making you help me, not me." Baekhyun grins and he doesn't miss the way Chanyeol almosts misses a step.
Chanyeol stumbles a bit before falling back into his usual pace. "Does he even know that you're physically incapable of performing such a task?"
"No but he doesn't need to know. I'd rather not have to take up another responsibility around the apartment."
"So what?" Chanyeol stops on the 3rd floor and looks up to Baekhyun who's already started to advance up the next flight of stairs. Even from a couple steps away, Baekhyun can see the sparkle in Chanyeol's eyes. "We're partners in crime now?"
"Well of course." Baekhyun smiles as Chanyeol starts moving again. He waits for the other to catch up.
"Mail buddies." Chanyeol grins and there he goes again, wrapping an arm around Baekhyun's shoulders. Baekhyun hums an agreement as he tries not to make his staring too obvious.
Chanyeol is attractive but he is really attractive up close, Baekhyun quickly realizes.
It’s not long until they reach the 4th floor where they wave their goodbyes before going to their respective apartments. Baekhyun gets his door open before Chanyeol has even dug out the keys from his pocket and he turns back to playfully stick his tongue out at the other before slipping into the apartment.
"Chanyeol again?" Minseok inquires and Baekhyun slams the door shut, surprised how Minseok even managed to see Chanyeol through the small sliver of visibility that had appeared when Baekhyun had opened the door.
“You like him,” Lu Han states with an amused look.
Baekhyun can’t help but avert his eyes which doesn’t help with the whole proving-that-he-doesn’t-have-a-crush-on-his-neighbor thing. “He’s my mail buddy,” Is the only thing Baekhyun can think to respond, regurgitating the term Chanyeol had defined them as earlier.
Lu Han pauses and then smirks, “He’s your male buddy.” Baekhyun wants to slap him.
Minseok does it for him, though.
x x x
They do this far more often now; it's become some sort of routine at this point. They collect the mail together and then trek back up, babbling on about nothing of any real importance. They then go their separate ways and when Baekhyun returns to his own apartment. Upon his arrival, Lu Han's always takes it upon himself to constantly badger Baekhyun about his relationship with Chanyeol and as utterly stupid he is and as much as Baekhyun says he has immunity to said stupidity, Baekhyun can’t deny the fact that fucking Lu Han has planted a seed in his mind. He hates to admit it but it keeps him awake at night, staring up at the darkness of the ceiling just thinking.
He’s attracted to Chanyeol. He’s known that since day one.
Whether or not he has a crush on Chanyeol is the real question and it's becoming harder and harder to definitely say no.
x x x
“So you ever been to that one coffeeshop?” Chanyeol starts up randomly when he’s busy fiddling with Baekhyun’s mailbox key to get it open.
“Wow,” Baekhyun rolls his eyes, leaning up comfortably on the wall, surveying Chanyeol’s work. “Thanks for being specific.”
Chanyeol opens the mailbox with relative ease and then looks up to Baekhyun with a grin. “I know right? But seriously, I don’t remember the name of it. It’s a couple of blocks away from here though."
Baekhyun gives Chanyeol a tight smile, “That’s still not all that specific but the answer is no. I don’t really know my way around here all that well yet.”
Chanyeol only hums in response as he hands Baekhyun his mail and then moves to work on opening his own mailbox. “It’s been like a month since you’ve moved in, you still don’t know your way around?”
“Exactly!" Baekhyun exclaims, rolling up some flyer into a cylinder to point at Chanyeol. “It’s only been like a month and I don’t make it much of a habit to go aimlessly walking around.”
Chanyeol laughs. “Is that code for: I never go outside?”
“Probably,” Baekhyun shrugs.
“But seriously, you should go to the place, it’s great.” Chanyeol nods enthusiastically. “It’s my favourite coffee shop?”
“And yet you don’t know the place’s name?” Baekhyun scoffs.
“Oh hush, when you get to be my age…” Chanyeol grumbles and Baekhyun has to laugh.
“How old are you, like 12?”
“13, thank you very much.” Chanyeol deadpans.
He gets a snort from Baekhyun. “No but really? Am I older?” And as an afterthought he adds in, "Don't you think it's weird that we've known each other for a month and yet I don't know whose older?"
Apart from the noncommittal shrug as a response to the second question, Chanyeol only blinks at Baekhyun like he had just asked the stupidest question in the world, but the look dispels merely second later. He shrugs. “I don’t know. How old are you?”
“26. You?”
There’s a hesitation and Baekhyun squints at him. “What, you forget your own age or something?”
“Something like that,” Chanyeol smiles bashfully, “I’m 25 though, turning 26 later this year.
“So I’m older?”
“It would seem…” Chanyeol adds in with a little smirk, “Hyung.”
There's something in the tone of his voice, and in Baekhyun’s mind, that’s enough to warrant a punch. “How dare you mock such a sacred title!” He hisses, punching Chanyeol lightly in the arm. Chanyeol only grins.
“What do you mean?” Chanyeol asks innocently, “Hyung, is something wrong?”
“I’m banning you from calling me that.” Baekhyun shakes his head. “Like if you say that again, I will fight you.”
“So you just want me to call you Baekhyun?”
Baekhyun nods uncertainly, sure that there’s going to be a trick of some kind lying in there.
Again, Chanyeol smiles, all his perfect white teeth being put on display, “Well okay then, Baekhyun.”
And Chanyeol saying his name without any honorifics is even worse on his heart.
When he returns back to his apartment, he’s greeted by the words, “You like him.”
“You don’t even say ‘Hi’ anymore? Wow rude.” Baekhyun says, giving Lu Han a pinched look.
“Okay. Hi. You like him.” Lu Han amends, sticking his tongue out.
“Nope. You’re wrong. Guess again.” Baekhyun rolls his eyes and quickly books it to his room so he doesn’t have to argue with Lu Han. From past experience, Baekhyun knows that arguing with Lu Han never goes well. Especially when he doesn’t even know if he’s fully confident in his own argument.
x x x
“Brewed Awakening,” Chanyeol says out of nowhere and Baekhyun can’t help but snort.
“What even?”
“Remember that coffee shop I told you about yesterday? Brewed Awakening. That’s the name.” Chanyeol clarifies as he jostles open Baekhyun’s mailbox door and makes way for Baekhyun to grab the letters right out of the space.
“Very nice,” Baekhyun answers distractedly as he grabs the handful of letters and starts to thumb through them.
“You should go one day.” Chanyeol says, eyes flitting over to Baekhyun for just a second but Baekhyun catches it anyways, “It’s really good.”
“Maybe I will,” Baekhyun dismisses and he brands all of today’s mail to be unimportant, just a couple of bills that he’ll have to hand off to Minseok later.
“You should come with me to get coffee today.” Chanyeol says, his eyes trained on the mailbox in front of him.
Baekhyun stops. “Are you asking me out right now?” He tries, trying to keep his voice nonchalant.
“Are you accepting right now?”
He pauses, running the options through his mind. “Your treat?”
A small pout finds its way onto Chanyeol’s face as his lips curl into a tiny frown, “And you’re the hyung in this relationship?”
“And you’re the one asking me out for coffee.” Baekhyun returns as soon as he sees Chanyeol’s pouting facade crack and reveal that glint of amusement dancing in his eyes.
Chanyeol squints at Baekhyun, contemplating his counter Baekhyun’s supposes. “You win this one, Byun.” He says finally, “So when are you up for getting some coffee?”
“I’m always free.”
“So now is good?” Chanyeol asks and he seems so eager and it’s absolutely adorable.
“That is the definition of always, is it not?” Baekhyun laughs, “But yeah, now’s fine. Just let me drop off these bills to Minseok.”
“I’ll just wait here,” Chanyeol nods as he leans up against the wall of mailboxes, waving off Baekhyun. “Hurry up or I might not pay for you.”
“You already agreed to it!” and with that Baekhyun flounces off, taking the stairs 2 by 2.
He reaches the 4th floor faster than he ever has before, just a bit more out of breath than he’d care to admit. Looking at the closed door of his apartment, Baekhyun decides his best option -- or at least the option least subject to Lu Han’s annoyance -- would be to just subtly slip the letters through the crack of the door.
He’s doing just this when the door swings opens to reveal a smiling Lu Han. “Hello there, Baekhyun. How’s it going down there?”
Immediately, Baekhyun stumbles back, not wanting to be that close to Lu Han's crotch. "Hi?"
“Going somewhere?” Lu Han asks innocently.
“Yeah I’m just going--” He stops himself about mid sentence, his face twisting into a frown, “You’re so creepy.” He states, shaking his head before moving back toward the stairwell.
“Have fun with Chanyeol,” Lu Han calls as Baekhyun starts down the stairs. Baekhyun responds by flipping the bird just before Lu Han goes out of sight.
“You ready?” He asks when he sees Chanyeol still in the same position, leaning up against the wall of mailboxes while fiddling with his phone.
Chanyeol glances away from his phone and his face immediately brightens, “Hey.”
“Sorry I took so long, my roommate’s evil boyfriend was harassing me.” Baekhyun apologizes, “We gonna go?”
“Yeah,” Chanyeol says and he’s just about to shove his phone back into his pocket when he stops. “Wait. Give me your phone number.”
“You couldn’t have thought of a better pickup line?” Baekhyun says with a snort but he holds out his hand for Chanyeol’s phone anyways, quickly programming his number into a new contact as soon as he’s given it.
“You gave me your number without one,” Chanyeol says distractedly as begins to fiddle with his phone as soon as Baekhyun hands him back his phone. “I’d like to think my game is just that strong.”
Baekhyun squints at him but Chanyeol doesn’t seem to notice, too busy with whatever he’s doing with his phone. As soon as he’s finished though, he slides it into his front pocket and finally looks up at Baekhyun, “Shall we go?”
“Yeah.” Baekhyun says with a nod and Chanyeol leads the way to the doorway. He moves to hold the door open for Baekhyun. “You first.”
“How gentlemanly,” Baekhyun snorts but still bows his head in thanks when he passes through. As soon as he’s out, though, his phone goes off and he immediately goes to check it.
Hi, the text says. It’s from Chanyeol. “Really?” Baekhyun says, laughing. “I am literally like a foot away from you.”
Chanyeol only winks exaggeratedly; he doesn’t actually offer an answer. So Baekhyun puts his phone back with a slow head shake.
And as soon as he does, there’s suddenly a hand gripping Baekhyun’s wrist, pulling him toward the right. “Now just follow me, it’s not far.”
Baekhyun practically jerks his wrist from Chanyeol’s grip, not missing the look of confusion that flashes through Chanyeol’s gaze as he does so. “I-- Sorry,” He quickly apologizes.
Chanyeol only shakes his head, raising his arms harmlessly, “No it’s my fault for being too friendly. Sorry if I made you uncomfortable.” Baekhyun can only watch as Chanyeol shoves his hands into his pocket and tilts his head to the right. “But come on.”
Chanyeol takes the lead and Baekhyun just follows. They’re nearly side by side but Baekhyun lags by just a step. He’s not sure how to fully explain why he doesn’t want Chanyeol this close to him without admitting something he himself might not be ready to say. He’s saved from having to come up with some plausible excuse when Chanyeol begins to babble.
It’s kind of cute, the way Chanyeol is talking about anything and everything at once, sometimes so distracted by his words that he almost trips on the uneven pavement of the sidewalk. Baekhyun cannot help but laugh at Chanyeol’s clumsiness but when Chanyeol glances back at him, he stops, afraid he’s being rude.
“No, you can laugh,” Chanyeol says when he sees the look of concern on Baekhyun’s face. It’s obvious that Baekhyun’s not totally convinced when he urges a second time, “No really, I’d laugh too if I could see myself. It’s just--It’s just nice to see you laugh after so long.” There’s a certain emotion splayed out of Chanyeol’s face, but Baekhyun can’t quite place it. A look of longing, of sadness is his best guess, but before he can make any final guesses, the expression clears, making way for a great smile. “But we’re almost there,” Chanyeol states, pointing to some obscure sign out in the distance.
“That fast?” Baekhyun asks in surprise.
“I wasn’t lying when I said it was just down the block,” Chanyeol laughs and it looks for a moment that he’s about to take Baekhyun’s hand and race to the nearby store, but he hesitates. His hand, instead, goes up to awkwardly scratch at his head. “Let’s hurry up, then, huh? I’m really in the mood for some coffee.”
The enthusiasm is kind of cute, that much Baekhyun will admit.
Baekhyun’s always been a coffee kind of guy. In his last apartment, there was a coffeeshop that he frequented quite often, enough so that the moment he’d walked in, the barista would greet him by name and proceed to whip up his usual. Ever since he’d moved, he’s missed that place, that kind of connection.
The place that Chanyeol brings him to could easily rival his previous coffeeshop.
It’s fairly similar in terms of atmosphere, just a tad smaller but the same kind of cozy atmosphere that Baekhyun loves. The walls are a muted tone of red, the furniture that same kind of cherrywood.
He’s in love.
“You like?” Chanyeol asks, startling Baekhyun out of his little fixation.
“I love it,” Baekhyun breathes out.
“I had a feeling you would,” Chanyeol grins widely, “And you haven’t even tried the coffee yet. It will blow your mind.”
“My expectations are already pretty high, you really shouldn’t set the bar any higher,” Baekhyun says distractedly as he scans over the menu.
“I’m gonna order now,” Chanyeol says. Baekhyun practically jumps when he finds that Chanyeol is leaning quite closely toward him “Are you ready yet?”
Baekhyun shakes his head, “Nah, I’m still thinking, you go first.”
So Chanyeol steps toward the cashier. “I want the large house blend coffee with a spoon and a half full of sugar and a some hazelnut cream. Make sure to put the sugar and cream before you actually add in the coffee and I also want a design in the milk foam.” And the long order practically rolls off of his tongue like its been rehearsed.
“Well that’s rather complex,” Baekhyun comments and Chanyeol only laughs goodnaturedly.
“What can I say, I’m very particular about my coffee.” He shrugs and then gently pushes Baekhyun closer to the cashier. “Now you order.”
“Oh uhm. Uhm.” He takes one last glance at the menu, but eventually settles for his usual. “I’ll take a caramel macchiato then.”
As the cashier moves to ring them up, Chanyeol turns to Baekhyun. “Go ahead and find us a table, I’ll pay.”
Baekhyun nods, moving to snag one of the tables set up right next to the window. Chanyeol comes to accompany him a minute or so later, shoving the receipt into his wallet. “They’ll bring it to us in a little bit,” He says as he pulls out his seat and plops down. "So, tell me about yourself, Baek."
"Baek?" Baekhyun asks with an eyebrow raised.
"Yeah, it’s a nickname.” Chanyeol grins, “Isn’t it cute?”
“Yeah and quite creative as well,” Baekhyun deadpans. “And what do you even want to know?”
“Anything,” Chanyeol shrugs. “Everything.”
They talk for a long time. Long after their coffee has been delivered to their table, long after it it has run cold and they have to ask for another cup; they’re lost in conversation. And it’s not even about anything important, mainly just about random instances, random facts that run together into some semblance of a conversation.
And maybe this is what he’s really been missing all of this time.
On their way back, Baekhyun manages to wrap his hands around Chanyeol’s wrist and softly tug him forward. Chanyeol looks surprised, astonished even by the sudden gesture, but he mainly looks confused, confused as to the sudden change in Baekhyun’s behaviour. Baekhyun only flashes him a grin, “I’ll race you back to the apartment.” He challenges with a smile, giving one last tug on Chanyeol’s arm before letting go, a little uncertain of his own actions
There’s a hesitation before Chanyeol’s face twists to mirror Baekhyun’s own. “You’re on.”
Later that night, Baekhyun finally gets around to replying to Chanyeol. It's nothing much really, just a quickly typed out message that says hi back.
Apparently, just the one word is enough to launch them into a conversation that has Baekhyun awake until the wee hours of the night.
And it's not just an isolated event. As the week drags on, Baekhyun finds himself constantly fending off the intrusive feelings of sleepiness with a bright screen, fast responses, and the smile that's begun to sprout on his lips.
x x x
As much as Lu Han loves to stick around the apartment, he takes Minseok out from time to time and, with Baekhyun’s luck, of course the one time he does so, Baekhyun forgets his keys.
It's when he’s out getting yet another cup of coffee with Chanyeol.
“You forgot your keys?” Chanyeol asks as he watches as Baekhyun freezes, hurriedly checking all of his pockets.
“No,” Baekhyun indignantly replies as he roots around in his pants pocket. He has to check a second, a third time before he finally admits. “Okay, maybe. But I can just call Minseok to come back here and open the door.”
He pulls out his phone to call, but as soon as the dial tone begins, he can hear the telltale sounds of Minseok’s obnoxious ringtone from within the apartment. “Jesus fucking Christ,” He mutters under his breath, stabbing the end call button on his phone.
“You want to call the landlady? She should have a spare key or something,” Chanyeol suggests as he tries to jiggle open the door knob.
“Don’t force it! It might break,” Baekhyun rushes out, pulling Chanyeol’s hand off of the handle, “And it’s like 8:00 on a Sunday morning, I feel kind of bad waking her this early. I’ll just wait out here until they come back.” He drops to the floor and flashes Chanyeol a thumbs up. “I’ll be fine.”
“How about this,” Chanyeol starts, dropping to a squat so that he’s eyelevel with Baekhyun again, “You can wait it out in my apartment. I have board games and crap so it’ll be fun.”
Baekhyun shrugs, “I guess it beats just waiting here.” He lets himself be hauled up to his feet by Chanyeol who leads him to the apartment across the hall. “Who even goes out this early in the morning?” He groans as he waits for Chanyeol to get his own apartment open.
“We went out this early-- no earlier this morning,” Chanyeol adds distractedly. He unlocks the door and then steps in to hold it open for Baekhyun.
“That was different.” Baekhyun defends as he walks into the tiny foyer and pries off his shoes. “Nice apartment by the way,” He adds in as an afterthought as he scans around. It’s fairly similar to his own structure-wise but it’s a lot cleaner. Things are sorted in a neat fashion and it almost looks as though it hasn’t been lived in. Funny. He thought Chanyeol’s been living in this complex even longer than Minseok.
“How so?” Chanyeol chuckles. He strolls into the living room and then bends down to reach for the board games hidden strategically underneath the coffee table. Lifting up the game of Life, he also lifts an eyebrow.
Baekhyun gives an approving nod. “It just is,” He reasons before going to sit next to Chanyeol and help him set the game up.
Somewhere in the middle of the game, when Chanyeol is about 20 spaces behind but about hundreds of thousands dollars richer, there's the telltale sounds of the couple's return. Their eyes dart up to meet each other’s and there’s a quick gesture of Chanyeol’s chin before Baekhyun’s darting up to the door.
He has to stoop down just a little in order to press his face to the door’s peephole (he can hardly imagine how Chanyeol can deal with it, practically being a giant and all) and he’s greeted with the lovely sight of Minseok and Lu Han sucking face. He retracts from the door with a look of disgust just as he sees Lu Han’s hands creep dangerously close to the waistband of Minseok’s pants and the two slip into the apartment. “Something wrong?” Chanyeol asks as he watched Baekhyun return back to his seat.
“Is it cool if I wait around here for a little longer?” He asks bluntly, picking up his car piece to fiddle with it.
“Why?” Chanyeol asks before blustering over how unintentionally rude that came out, “I mean, you’re free to stay but like… Didn’t they just come back to open the door?”
“They’re kind of…” Baekhyun holds his tongue, trying to think of a more eloquent way to describe what’s happening across the hall, “Busy,” He decides on despite the understandably confused look that Chanyeol gives him.
“Busy?”
“Busy,” He repeats again, this time coupling the word with an intense look and an indescript hand gesture.
“Oh!” Chanyeol says surprised, his face slowly shifting to one of mild repulsion as the information slowly dawns on him. “Busy…”
“So,” Baekhyun draws out, carefully putting his game piece back to it’s original space. “You want to continue?”
Chanyeol nods in approval. His hand is trained over the spinner before he stops, flitting his gaze up to meet Baekhyun’s. “Wait. This might take a while, huh?”
Baekhyun nods with a strained look.
“I’ll order some pizza then.” Chanyeol offers and Baekhyun can’t help but grin at that.
x x x
About a month later, he comes by to hang out for a second time. But again, it’s not exactly by choice.
It’s when the two return from their mail expedition, there’s a note outside the door that humbly requests Baekhyun to stay the hell out of the apartment. Baekhyun squints at the neon green sticky note on the door and then subtly shifts his eyes over to Chanyeol. Chanyeol notices somehow and offers him an awkward smile, “You wanna come over?”
Baekhyun drops his head to the ground and nods embarrassedly. “Sorry,” He mumbles.
“It’s no problem!” Chanyeol reassures and leads Baekhyun over across the hall, “I’m always up to help a friend in need.”
“I just-- Sorry.” Baekhyun repeats as Chanyeol unlocks the door and carts him in. “These are rather odd circumstances to come over under.”
“It’s not your fault they’re like… Just…” Chanyeol trails off he a mischievous grin forms on his face, “Is this going to be a thing?” His smile overtaking his features in a way that’s looks a bit scary.
Baekhyun still thinks it’s kinda cute, though.
“I sure hope not,” He rolls his eyes, moving around Chanyeol to go sit on the sofa.
“But then we’d get to hang out more.”
“But then I’d know just how often they’re doing the do.”
Chanyeol pulls a face, “True. So how about some Monopoly?” He asks, pulling the board game up from out of nowhere.
And as great Chanyeol was at the game of Life, it just so turns out that Chanyeol kinda sucks at Monopoly. No, that’s an understatement. Chanyeol is an absolute disaster at the game, but Baekhyun can’t help but to smile at the way Chanyeol’s eyebrows narrow, how his nostrils flare when he lands on the wrong space, or when it looks like he’s about three seconds from flipping over the entire board (he never does, though).
x x x
“Minseok, I have a problem,” Baekhyun says casually as he’s passing the salt as per Minseok’s request.
“If it is about the fact that I burnt the garlic bread, I would like to challenge you to try to cook,” Minseok leers at him before snatching away the salt shaker and adding a couple shakes too many to his spaghetti.
Shaking his head, Baekhyun says, “No, it’s not that.”
Minseok nods in a gesture that urges Baekhyun on as he starts to swirl his pasta around his fork. Baekhyun inhales.
“Chanyeol is attractive. He’s nice, funny, tall -- a bit clumsy, but sweet and kind of perfect.”
Minseok drops his fork.
“So,” Minseok starts, extending the vowel far longer than necessary as a grin spreads on his face, “You like him?”
“No.” Baekhyun replies and Minseok gives him a meaningful look. “I don’t,” He reinforces, “I do not have a crush on him. I do not have crushes.”
Minseok doesn’t push it. He knows not to push it. Instead he picks up a roll of bread and rips off a piece to chew on it thoughtfully. “So then why are you telling me this?”
“Because he is perfect boyfriend material and I think,” Baekhyun trails off, not really sure himself where he’s going with this whole conversation, “... I think, you should be worried of Lu Han running off and eloping with him.”
Minseok’s momentarily confused but his face settles into a scowl with mock anger. He feints a throw before shaking his head, “I would throw this piece of bread at you but it’s garlic bread and that’s too precious to waste.”
“It’s burnt garlic bread.” Baekhyun points out.
This time Minseok doesn’t feint his throw.
x x x
“You know,” Lu Han starts up conversationally as he slumps over the dining room table, fingers drumming against the mahogany. “I’m pretty sure he has a boyfriend.”
Lu Han doesn’t even have to specify who he is. Baekhyun knows. Of course Baekhyun knows, it’s all he seems to talk about these days. His knife hovers right above the flesh of the apple and he turns to look over at the older male. “He does?”
Lu Han just shrugs, which looks pretty laughable with the way his body is sprawled oddly over the surface of the table. “I mean I always see this one guy coming out of Chanyeol’s apartment.”
The knife slices easily through apple and connects with the cutting board with a soft thud. “That means nothing,” Baekhyun dismisses as he turns back to the matter at hand, determined to slice the apple without nicking himself. Cuts on the hands are always the worst. “It could just be a friend. You know? Those things you don’t seem to have.”
Lu Han snorts. “Says the one who holes himself in this apartment.”
“Be nice or I’m not sharing my apple with you.”
“Oh the divine punishment.”
Sarcasm practically oozes from Lu Han's words and Baekhyun can’t help but roll his eyes. "It’s enough to make you back off, though.” Collecting the apple slices onto a plate, Baekhyun makes his way over to the table and takes a seat next to Lu Han. He gently pushes the plate toward the other as a gesture to dig in.
It takes a second, but Lu Han slowly straightens himself back into an upright position and reaches for a piece. “No but really,” He says as his hands float over the pieces, obviously trying to scope out the best one. “There’s this one guy. He comes over a lot.”
“Again. People have friends.” Baekhyun sighs as he snatched the slice Lu Han was just about to grab.
Lu Han pouts but doesn’t say much, instead going in for the piece that was right beside it. “Yes, but this guy only comes on certain days,” He begins to wave his apple slice around to add emphasis to his speech. “At certain times. And only for like an hour, two max. It’s like clockwork.”
Giving Lu Han that look he usually reserves for those who are being especially ridiculous, Baekhyun exhales exasperatedly. “Why are you even telling me this? No. Better yet, how do you even know this?”
Lu Han just shrugs. “Conversation topic? Plus, now you know that there’s a 37% chance he’s gay.”
“Thank you so much for improving those statistics for me. You’re a real pal.” Baekhyun’s only just now reaching for his second apple slice, but the plate’s already half empty thanks to Lu Han. He subtly pushes the plate a little further away from Lu Han as he adds, almost as an afterthought, “You’re avoiding the “how” part of the question.”
Lu Han shrugs again. “Sometimes you just know things.”
“Please don’t stalk my neighbour’s potential boyfriend,” Minseok says as he walks into the room. His hair is still a bit wet and it’s dripping onto his shirt. Immediately, Lu Han moves toward Minseok and begins to ruffle out the wetness with a towel that Baekhyun swears he conjured out of thin air. Watching Lu Han toweldry Minseok’s hair is so disgustingly domestic, Baekhyun has to avert his eyes.
“I don’t stalk him,” Lu Han argues, “I just happen to know that he’s an anesthesiologist, comes by at least three times a week, and prefers his coffee black.”
Baekhyun can’t help but look up at Lu Han, clearly dumbfounded by the onslaught of surprisingly personal information.
“He’s probably lying.” Minseok suggests as he waves off Lu Han and pulls out a chair to sit next to Baekhyun. As always, Lu Han follows Minseok but he remains standing, leaning against the chair Minseok is currently occupying.
Minseok is whacked lightly over the head by a pouting Lu Han. “Why would you ever doubt me?” Lu Han is doing some weird cutesy shit and Baekhyun kind of wants to hurl.
“What? You really are probably just making this up to rile up Baekhyun into -- well, to be perfectly honest, I have no idea where you’re going with this either.”
As retaliation, Minseok playfully shoves his boyfriend who exaggeratedly stumbles a couple feet back with a look of mock offense. Lu Han grips at his heart and gives Minseok a pained expression. “Do you really think that little of me?” He pauses, awaiting Minseok’s answer. When Minseok finally nods, an amused smile spread on his face, Lu Han’s face turns comically solemn. “I can prove it.”
Minseok laughs. “Then prove it.”
“Baekhyun!”
Baekhyun, who had been staring at his remaining apple slices in hopes of tuning out the badgering couple, jerks his gaze back to the other two. “What do you want?”
Lu Han jerks a thumb to the front door, “Go to Chanyeol’s right now.”
“No.” He replies immediately.
“What is that even supposed to prove?” Inquires Minseok at the same time and it’s obvious as to which response Lu Han takes priority to.
“I can guarantee that the guy is over right now.”
Minseok raises a brow. “Just because he may be there right now doesn’t prove any of the other things you said as correct.”
“One thing at a time, baby.” Lu Han winks. Minseok giggles and Baekhyun pretends to gag, suddenly remembering why he had been so caught up with keeping his gaze on the table. Lu Han continues, pointedly ignoring Baekhyun’s reaction. “This will at least establish my knowledge over the guy’s scheduled visits. The other things, I’ll prove another time.”
Tilting his head side to side and pursing his lips, Minseok thinks it over before nodding. “Okay. Let’s see if you’re right then.” The two of them turn to Baekhyun.
Baekhyun looks up to meet their gazes. “No,” He answers, shaking his head.
“Why do you have to ruin all our fun?” Minseok whines. “Do ittttt.” Despite the incessant pushing in his word, Minseok's eyes still retains a look of concern. Like he’s ready to turn around and support Baekhyun if he doesn’t want to. He would never force Baekhyun into doing something against his will.
“You’ve already been there once, no, twice before, what’s the big deal with going again?” Lu Han adds in.
“That was,” Baekhyun pauses and then narrows his eyes at Minseok. “Wait, why does he know that? I told you not to tell him.”
“Minseok tells me all,” Lu Han sing-songs and Minseok just shrugs.
“Well anyways, I had a reason then. I’m not just going to show up at his doorway and barge in.”
“Then I’ll give you a reason.”
There’s a glint in Lu Han’s eyes. And then suddenly the guy is pulling Minseok out of his chair. His hand wraps around the smaller’s wrist and now they’re heading down the hallway, toward Minseok’s bedro-- Oh. Oh no.
“Really, guys?!” Baekhyun calls after them but his outburst is ignored.
“I just showered.” He hears Minseok complain before the bedroom door closes with a telltale click and Baekhyun needs to get out of here.
He shoots out of his chair and throws on whatever shoes he can find before evacuating the apartment. He makes sure to slam the front door on the way out, loud enough for the sound to resonate throughout the whole apartment.
His wallet has been left on the kitchen counter, he realizes belatedly. His keys, too.
There’s really no other choice than to go intrude on his neighbour.
“Hey, Baek.” Chanyeol greets with a crooked smile. He shifts his head to look behind the Baekhyun and gestures with his chin, “They at it again?”
Baekhyun nods sheepishly, “Take pity on this poor soul?”
“Always,” The taller male shifts to the side and extends his arm to lead Baekhyun into the apartment. “Come right in.”
Baekhyun flashes a slight smile before ducking into the apartment. As he toes off his shoes, he hears an unfamiliar voice yell from deeper in the apartment. “Hey, who’s at the door?”
“It’s just my neighbour,” Chanyeol yells from behind him and his voice is far louder than Baekhyun expects. He flinches at the noise. Chanyeol seems to take notice as he chuckles, ruffling Baekhyun’s hair playfully, “Did that startle you?”
The shorter bats away the hand, willing his face not to turn redder than it already is. When he pads into the living room, he’s met with a sight of a man hanging upside down off the couch, his legs hooked over the top of the seat and his head hanging off of the edge. When the stranger looks away from his Nintendo 3DS and makes eye contact with Baekhyun, his lips quirk into a smile. “Yo.”
Baekhyun bows politely, “I’m Baekhyun.”
“Jongdae,” The boy mumbles before refocusing on whatever he’s playing.
“Don’t mind Jongdae,” Chanyeol slings an arm around Baekhyun’s shoulders. “He’s much too busy training to become a Pokemon master than to interact with measly peasants like us.”
“My Charizard can and will burn your flat ass,” Jongdae bristles as he continues to mash the A button. Baekhyun does not discreetly drop his gaze to check out Chanyeol’s behind. Even if he did, Chanyeol doesn’t notice as he steps toward the couch and flops down next to Jongdae, nearly crushing him in the process. Chanyeol motions for him to come over so Baekhyun does, settling into a close yet measured distance away from Chanyeol.
“You wanna watch a movie or something while we wait this out?” Chanyeol asks as he tilts over to sneak a peek at Jongdae’s game. “Your Charizard is about to die,” He points out helpfully and Jongdae kindly shoves his face away.
“Shut up and go watch one of your stupid movies.” Jongdae actually growls as he angles his screen away from Chanyeol. Obediently, Chanyeol turns to Baekhyun with a look of anticipation.
“Uh,” Baekhyun says intelligently and he’s blanking out with what to say.
“I don’t have the biggest selection of movies but I should have something that can pass the time.” Chanyeol adds helpfully, grinning widely.
“Just don’t watch Star Wars. That’ll make Chanyeol cry and that’s not a pretty sight,” Jongdae says offhandedly before he swears under his breath, murmuring something along the lines of “should’ve used that full restore when I had the chance.”
“I do not,” Chanyeol replies indignantly, not even bothering to look back,“That was just that one time and it was because I got something in my eye.”
Jongdae only shrugs, too busy cussing out his 3DS to come up with some witty response. Chanyeol’s still watching Baekhyun eagerly and so he ends up just shrugging as well. “Whatever’s fine with me.”
"Well then we're watching Star War.” Chanyeol says with finality as he pries open the DVD case.
Jongdae groans but Baekhyun sits up just a bit straighter. "You like this movie?" Chanyeol asks as he slides the DVD into the player.
"Whoa doesn't?" Baekhyun laughs, "Blu-Ray?"
"Who do you think I am?" Chanyeol shoots back before taking the remote and then slinking back into the space next to Baekhyun. He's considerably closer to Baekhyun this time around, their thighs just almost touching. He only settles in closer, practically cuddling Baekhyun’s side as the movie goes on.
Somewhere in the middle of the movie, Chanyeol ceremoniously gets up, randomly announcing that he’s going to make popcorn before he relocates to the kitchen.
“Hey, Baekhyun?” Jongdae asks while they wait, his game blaring the distinctive 8bit song of a wild battle.
He gives an affirmative hum, his eyes still trained on the glorious paused frame of Chewbacca.
“You like, live in the apartment right across the hall?” Jongdae continues and there’s the sound of a Pokeball being thrown from his game. “Fuck.” He comments offhandedly when the Pokemon breaks free.
“Yeah.”
“With that one guy with the boyfriend?”
“Minseok?”
“I guess?” There’s a fistpump when Jongdae is finally successful in catching whatever he was battling. “Yeah well, tell his boyfriend to stop stalking me.”
He honestly doesn’t know how to respond to that.
x x x
“Sorry about Lu Han.” Minseok apologizes at the dinner table as he slides over a particularly large chocolate chip scoopage. “You know how he can be.”
Baekhyun can’t help but forgive him.
The next day, though, he finds himself back under Chanyeol's care because of strikingly similar circumstances and he can only hope that this time Minseok has something more than just cookies. (And Minseok does. This times it's chocolate cake.)
x x x
It’s become a sort of routine at a certain point. Chanyeol (and sometimes, usually, more than Baekhyun would like, Jongdae) is always willing to offer refuge when Baekhyun has to clear out his own apartment for the time being. Lu Han is always willing to jump Minseok when the urge strikes now that he knows that Baekhyun has somewhere to go.
It’s kind of a gross cycle, really, but it works.
But on certain days, Baekhyun even finds himself at Chanyeol's for unnecessary reasons. Just a certain look that Lu Han flashes Minseok, or a sultry kind of voice is enough to have Baekhyun scrambling to the other apartment. He'd like to think it as a precautionary move but at a certain point, he begins to think that that might be an excuse.
Not that he wants to hang out with Chanyeol. It's not that at all.
“Is their sex life really that active?” Jongdae asks with a raised brow when he answers the door. Baekhyun would say that he’s surprised to see the guy open the door instead of the usual Chanyeol, but Lu Han relays the entirety of Jongdae’s visiting schedule every now and then and it’s beginning to stick.
You don’t need a third wheel. Lu Han had hissed, to which Baekhyun could only respond by smacking Lu Han over the head and saying that There’s nothing to third wheel on.
Yet. Minseok had chirped, wiggling his eyebrows at Lu Han who mirrored the action.
“I don’t know,” Baekhyun admits, “I’m just evacuating the premise in case of spontaneous action.”
Jongdae purses his lips, eyes dancing with amusement as he gestures Baekhyun in and Baekhyun’s heart skips a beat when he lays eyes on a grinning Chanyeol that’s sprawled over the sofa. “You’re back.” Chanyeol states the obvious.
“Not by choice.” Baekhyun hurries to point out and he doesn’t miss how Chanyeol seems to deflate just the slightest bit.
Jongdae gives him a knowing look but thankfully doesn’t say anything, instead walks back to the front door. “I have to go,” He announces, “I’ll see you tomorrow, Chanyeol.”
There’s a look of surprise on Chanyeol’s face at Jongdae’s words but he waves him off nonetheless. “Okay bye.”
“You know,” Baekhyun starts whenever Jongdae’s finally left, “As many times as I’ve seen him actually come in, I’ve never actually seen him leave.”
Chanyeol only laughs. "He's really not here all that often. You just happen to come at the most inopportune moments."
"How lucky of me..." Baekhyun mutters under his breath and Chanyeol offers him a curious look.
"He's also been staying longer ever since you've been coming over..." Chanyeol adds in thoughtfully before his face contorts into a wicked smile. "Why? You miss your alone time with me?"
"N-no." Baekhyun stammers out very convincingly. "I just... He..." He wracks his brain for anything that might even semi-work as a legitimate answer but he blanks under Chanyeol's gaze. "Whenever we watch movies?" He sputters but it comes out more as a question than a statement, "He’s always playing Pokemon... With the background music still blasting!"
Chanyeol frowns at him and suddenly Baekhyun's sounding a lot more pretentious than he really is. "I mean it's not that bad..." He's quick to justify, "Just a little annoying at times. But, y'know, bearable."
Chanyeol starts out, his voice grave, "It's not his fault he wants to be the very best."
"I understand." Baekhyun nods furiously. "And I applaud him for his dedication but don't you--"
"Like no one ever was." Chanyeol interrupts in a monotone voice and Baekhyun squints at him. They end up in some sort of staring contest with Baekhyun's raised eyebrow and Chanyeol's oddly stoic expression. "To catch them is his real test." He continues, unfazed. "To train them is his cause."
Baekhyun rolls his eyes. "Are you seriously..." He trails off and then finished with a shake of his head. "Please don't."
"He will travel across the lands. Searching far and wide."
"Like why." Baekhyun raises his arms and presses his palms into his eyes out of second hand embarrassment. "What do you gain from this?"
But Chanyeol just keeps talking anyways. "Each Pokemon to understand. The power that is inside."
Baekhyun groans just as Chanyeol belts out the word, "Pokemon." And by some sort of peer pressure, he fist pumps, adding "Gotta catch 'em all" at the very end. There's an oddly smug smile on Chanyeol's face.
"You're such a nerd." Baekhyun sneers without any venom.
Chanyeol retorts with: "Says the one that recognized and then proceeded to finish the Pokemon theme song." Baekhyun really doesn't have a response for that.
"But... If you want..." Chanyeol starts off, giving Baekhyun a look of uncertainty. "I actually do have some Pokemon movies."
“You’re such a nerd.” He repeats. But then cracks a smile. “But let’s do it.”
Pokemon movies really aren't the most romantic things in the world and yet Baekhyun finds himself in a rather precarious situation. At first, Chanyeol had been just a bit clingy, leaving his head to rest on Baekhyun's shoulder as he made random comments about anything and everything that happened on screen. As the movies played on, Chanyeol began to grow bolder, wrapping an arm around Baekhyun and squeezing him in close as something dramatic happens. It’s only when they’re about 5 hours into their marathon that Chanyeol is resting his head in Baekhyun’s lap, blearily blinking at the screen but too sleepy to make the same kind of spontaneous comments as before.
Baekhyun’s not watching anymore though. Instead, he’s watching Chanyeol fight off sleepiness, watching his eyelashes flutter up and down as he squints at the movie unfolding in front of them.
It does something to his heart. Something that he’s been foolishly trying to deny for months .
“You like him.” Lu Han says while obnoxiously wiggling his eyebrows with a mildly concerned Minseok next to him. Baekhyun opens his mouth to responds before just snapping it close. “Shut up,” he mumbles and goes to his room.
He hears Lu Han yell “Called it!” from the living room.
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