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The relationship between Jongdae and Baekhyun has always been strange, right from the start.
When they first meet, in the second year of university, they are Jongin's friends. Jongdae had transferred from a different university, and meets Jongin during a study session at the library. Jongin is beautiful; tall and bronzed, devastatingly sexy yet incredibly cute. Jongdae is entranced right away.
Then he meets Baekhyun. Jongin has already known Baekhyun for a while, the two having met in the first year, before Jongdae had been in the picture. Baekhyun is also beautiful, in a different way, but no less glamorous. Huge smiles and chaotic laughter, shining brighter than anyone Jongdae has ever seen. He can't look away.
They easily become friends, but Jongdae feels like he's out of his league. There isn't really a league system when it comes to friendships, but he can't help feel a little less than the others who seem otherworldly in comparison to his average self. Jongin is dazzling, Baekhyun is blinding and Jongdae is… Well, Jongdae is just Jongdae.
Baekhyun looks at him a little funny sometimes, like he might feel the same way. Or maybe he thinks Jongdae is trying to steal Jongin away from him. He sees the way Baekhyun looks at Jongin. It's almost the same way Jongdae himself looks at Jongin, so he's quick to recognise it. Jongin looks at Baekhyun too, and Jongdae begins to wonder if he actually fits here in this equation, or if he's forcing something that shouldn't be, but then Jongin smiles at him, his eyes scrunching up adorably and Jongdae thinks there's nowhere else he'd rather be. Baekhyun also smiles at him, kindly, and Jongdae feels like maybe he does belong after all.
During the third year, they are Jongin's friends who are almost a thing. Their relationship progresses a little but not quite enough. There's a tension between them, Jongdae can feel it and he's sure Baekhyun can too. It's there whenever they're alone and stronger when they hang out with Jongin. Baekhyun still looks at Jongin in that special way, just as Jongdae does when he thinks no one is looking. But Jongdae finds himself looking at Baekhyun once in a while too, and every so often, Baekhyun is already looking when he does. They're stuck between friends and something else, never quite reaching where they were headed. It's all about timing, both failing miserably, each waiting for the other to take a step, teetering on an awkward line between something and nothing.
Jongdae moves away, taking a year out to develop his resume. He travels to Switzerland on a study scheme, working with some of the best software developers in the industry in the hopes that one day he can join that list of names. Baekhyun and Jongin remain in Korea, Jongin joining a professional dance team and Baekhyun attending Veterinary school. They keep in contact, all three of them, calling each other almost daily and texting back and forth constantly. Slowly, over the months, the contact becomes less and less frequent. They don't cut each other off altogether, there's still that rare text or occasional snap, but for the most part, they move on.
He thinks of them, when things are quiet, or he's had a long week. Sometimes it's Jongin and his cheeky smile, or long legs. Sometimes it's Baekhyun with his cute giggles and pretty hands. Often, it's both, comfortable, easy smiles and carefree laughter. Jongdae misses them the most at times like these.
~~~
When Jongdae meets Baekhyun again for the second time, Jongdae is Jongin's old friend and Baekhyun is Jongin's boyfriend. He returns from his year abroad, and coincidentally bumps into his two old friends. The world is a small place after all. They'd started dating sometime after Jongdae left, Jongin tells him, and Jongdae smiles happily for them. They hang out like they used to and nothing much has changed, except now Baekhyun holds Jongin's hand under the table, Jongin leans into Baekhyun’s shoulder while they watch a movie in Jongdae’s flat, they exchange soft smiles over dinner, share sweet kisses and go home together after a night out. The feeling in Jongdae’s stomach when he looks at them is happiness he tells himself.
It takes a while, but eventually something shifts. He's not sure exactly what or when, but it does. Baekhyun beings to give him those looks again, but this time it's more obvious. He glares whenever Jongin gets too close or wraps his arm around Jongdae. And that happens a lot. Jongin is touchier with him, more open. He asks to see Jongdae all the time, and they spend more time hanging out without Baekhyun than they do with him. Jongdae notices that Jongin always looks tense and Baekhyun looks angry an awful lot, like they'd been fighting. He's not stupid. He can see he's got something to do with it, so he does the only thing he thinks will help. He distances himself. Perhaps he'd been right and he didn't fit with them. They seemed happier without him anyway.
They don't disappear completely; they have friends in common and live in the same city, so they're always at the edges of the frame. Jongdae knows they're there but the details are too blurry to make out.
Jongin reappears in his life sometime later, but this time Baekhyun isn't with him. They rekindle their friendship, almost like they'd never been apart. Jongdae has secured an internship at an IT company, a better one than he'd thought he'd ever be able to get into. Jongin's dance group is doing well, both online and on the stage. Jongin still dazzles Jongdae, but there's a shadow between them. In the end, he asks, because he has to know.
Where is Baekhyun?
Jongin laughs tightly. That's over. Has been for a while.
Jongdae says he's sorry and he means it.
It's been a while, Jongin reminds him.
That night, after a few too many drinks, Jongin kisses him. It's soft and warm and wonderful so Jongdae kisses back. The next morning, he wakes up alone, barely remembering the night before, not sure if it had been real or just a dream. The one thing he doesn't forget are Jongin's words.
It's over. Has been for a while.
~~~
When Jongdae meets Baekhyun again for the third time, Jongdae is Jongin's boyfriend and Baekhyun is Jongin's ex. Jongdae expects things to be awkward, Baekhyun’s relationship with Jongin hadn't seemed to end on good terms, but they seem to get on okay. Again, they fall into an easy friendship. It's always easy with them, falling together and then breaking apart just as quick. Things are different this time, now it's Jongdae holding Jongin's hand, kissing him and going home with him. Baekhyun is there too, on the side, a presence that doesn't intrude but is hard to ignore.
They go on like this for a while, and when it breaks apart yet again, Jongdae can't say he wasn't expecting it. It still hurts, as unexpected as it is. This time, it's Baekhyun that disappears. There's an argument between him and Jongin one night, and then Baekhyun is gone. Jongdae wasn't there for the fight, finding out about it from Jongin later, but he guesses it was serious. Jongin isn't the same after that, growing distant little by little. Jongdae can see where it's heading and he grasps at anything he can to change the outcome but in the end, he can't. No matter how much he tries, he's losing Jongin and all he can do is watch. Abruptly, Jongin calls it off with him, and then he's gone too. Despite everything, Jongdae thinks they're quite similar. They're all good at running away.
The hardest part is that they're both so close and yet too far. They have similar friends, hang out in the same places, often overlapping in their interactions. It's not like the other times they'd drifted, because people often do drift when they become adults. They're busy, barely finding time for themselves let alone friends, each working hard to make their dreams come true, so it's natural to make peace with the fact that the people you want to share it with can't always be there. Now, the distance feels impossible, a tear in the landscape that is irreparable.
Jongdae doesn't actively ask, but he finds things out; it's hard not to when everyone is talking. Jongin's dance group gets an audition in America. Baekhyun graduates a year early from veterinary school, on honours. Jongin and his team win the audition. Baekhyun gets an award and is in the papers. Jongin is a semi celebrity, appearing on a regular programme.
He's sure they get news of him too. His internship ended on a good note, he'd been transferred to a better company in a permanent position. He gets promoted to manager, one of the youngest to do so. He's doing well, and so are they. Jongdae is strangely proud of all of them, even if he can't tell them that.
~~~
The last time Jongdae meets Baekhyun again, they are both Jongin's exes. He should have seen it coming, when he gets an installation job at a veterinary clinic, but he doesn't. The name should have given it away, really. ‘Kim & Byun’. Kim is a fairly common surname, Byun not so much, but Jongdae isn't paying attention. So, he walks into the clinic for the appointment unaware.
It's a new clinic, obviously just established, since they were setting up software, but it's well made. The reception area is spacious, with a huge desk in the middle. On one side, there are aisles, housing pet toys, food and medicine. The other side consists of a large pen. Realistic grass and daisies are painted on the floor, climbing up the walls, which are sky blue, all the way to the ceiling where fluffy clouds with animated eyes smile down at the handful of puppies and few cats currently bouncing around behind the fence.
A man with cotton candy hair in a white coat is in the pen, crouching down with the animals. His back is to Jongdae but he can see that the guy is enjoying himself, pretend scolding a corgi who has taken the hem of his jeans into its mouth. Jongdae smiles to himself as he walks past to the receptionist.
“Hello.” She greets warmly.
“Hi, I'm here for an appointment about the software.” Jongdae shows her his business card.
“Ah, yes. Mr Kim is out at the moment but you can speak to Mr Byun.” The lady gestures to the man playing with the puppies. He doesn't seem to hear. “He can get a bit distracted sometimes. I'll just go-”
“That's okay.” Jongdae waves her off. “I'll go over myself. Thank you.” He bows, turning and walking up to the pen. “Uh, Mr Byun?”
The man turns his head, and Jongdae forgets to breathe.
Baekhyun’s face is lit up in a bright smile, perfect, pearly teeth on display. Still blinding. He looks up at Jongdae and his grin freezes. They stare at each other, neither saying anything. The door chimes as someone walks in.
“Hey, Baekhyun. I finally got that- who's this?” The man who had just walked in stops next to Jongdae looking between them questioningly.
Baekhyun looks away. “Uh… This is Jong- um. For the software I think.” He says to the man.
Jongdae turns to look, and recognises him as Mr Kim, the man who had made the appointment. Jongdae shakes his hand, eyes flicking back to Baekhyun.
Mr Kim looks at Baekhyun. “Can you show him the stuff? I need to-”
“No. No, I think it's best if you did.” Baekhyun says, turning around back to the puppies.
Mr Kim looks concerned for a moment but then smiles at Jongdae. “Okay. Follow me.”
When Jongdae is done, Mr Kim- no Junmyeon- walks him to the door after making another appointment. Jongdae doesn't see Baekhyun on his way out. Not that he was looking.
At the next appointment, Junmyeon isn't there, so Baekhyun takes him to the computers and silently watches him work. After, he talks Baekhyun through the procedures and what to do if anything goes wrong. Baekhyun listens quietly and nods along. They walk to the door in silence and pause once they've stepped outside. Jongdae doesn't know why Baekhyun had followed him out, or why he doesn't just walk away. They stand there for a few seconds and just as Jongdae starts to speak, Baekhyun opens his mouth. They freeze, and then laugh, some of the awkwardness dispelling.
“You first.” Jongdae says.
“I… I was wondering if you had some time? There's a coffee shop just down the road. Their cheesecake is amazing, you'd love it, being a cheesecake fan and all.” Baekhyun grins at him, then bites his lip uncertainly. “If… If you want I mean.”
Honestly, Jongdae doesn't have the time. He's got to get back, there are tests to run and re run, clients to call, programmes to check, paperwork to fill out, the list is endless. But he finds himself nodding.
“Sure.”
Baekhyun’s grin is back. “I'll lead the way.”
“Don't you have to be at the clinic?” Jongdae asks as they walk.
“Technically. But perks of being the owner is that there's no one to tell you off.”
“You're a Co-owner.” Jongdae points out.
“Oh, don't remind me. Junmyeon is wonderful guy don't get me wrong, but he's such a nag.” Baekhyun groans.
Jongdae laughs. “I'm sure he has every reason to be.”
“Hey, don't take his side!”
Baekhyun orders them some cheesecake and a hot drink at the cafe. They make small talk as the food comes, conversing naturally, easily. It's always so easy with him. Baekhyun was right about the cheesecake. Jongdae loves it. A silence falls over them, and Jongdae wonders what they're even doing.
“We should talk.” He says, looking up.
Baekhyun snickers. “What have we being doing all this time?”
“I mean really talk.”
“I guess we should.” Baekhyun sighs. “But I've got to get back before Junmyeon shoots me. And you're not done for the day either.”
“Um, okay another time.” Jongdae stops. He's not sure there will be another time if they leave it like this. “Are you free tonight?”
“Yeah.”
“Want to come to mine?” Baekhyun raises an eyebrow. “We've got a lot to talk about, some privacy would be nice. And… it's kind of Noodles’ birthday.”
“Who is Noodles?”
“You'll see.” Jongdae smiles. He plucks a pen out of Baekhyun's breast pocket and writes his address on a napkin.
After work, Jongdae rushes home to clean his flat. It's not exactly filthy but it's not the cleanest either. He doesn't know why he invited Baekhyun to his house, but they used to hang out at each others places all the time before so it shouldn't be too weird. He makes a fruit ‘cake’ for Noodles, complete with carrot candles and sets it aside. He doesn't have enough faith in his cooking skills to make dinner so he orders chicken and pizza because he knows Baekhyun likes that.
Baekhyun arrives at 7, carrying a plastic bag. Jongdae invites him in and takes the bag from him.
“What's this?”
“Alcohol. We're probably going to need it.” Baekhyun looks around the flat with interest, stopping to examine pictures and ornaments as he goes. He spots the fruit treat on the kitchen table and makes a face. “No offense but that looks disgusting. Is it for Noodles? Who is Noodles and what did he do to deserve this torture?”
Jongdae sets the beer and soju on the coffee table in the living room, then picks up Noodles’ birthday cake. He leads Baekhyun down the hallway pointing out the toilet as they pass the door. Opening another door, he steps inside. Baekhyun follows him, brows furrowed in confusion. When he spots Noodles, his face softens and he coos.
“Noodles is a bunny!” He waddles forward, towards the rabbit hatch that takes up most of the room. Jongdae had a spare so he'd turned it into Noodles’ bedroom, because why the hell not?
He sets down the cake and lets Noodles out so he can eat it, not forgetting to place a little party hat on his fluffy head. They sit on the floor and watch Noodles as he nibbles, Baekhyun stroking him and giggling as Noodles jumps all over him.
The food arrives, so Jongdae puts Noodles back and they head to the living room. Baekhyun sits himself on the sofa, cracking open a beer.
“Is that pineapple pizza? That's my favourite.”
“I know.” Jongdae decides to wait till after dinner to talk.
“So,” Baekhyun says, wiping his mouth clean.
“So.” Jongdae repeats. They look at each other for a moment, not sure what to say or where to begin.
Baekhyun starts. “You and Jongin-”
“Are no longer.”
“Yeah, I heard.” Baekhyun nods.
“From who?”
A pause. “Jongin actually.”
“Oh.”
“We talk sometimes.”
“Mmm me too.” Jongdae takes a swig of beer.
“Guess it was just us that lost contact.”
Jongdae smiles wryly. “Guess so.”
“Can I ask why you broke up?” Baekhyun asks tentatively.
“He didn't tell you? I kind of want to know too actually. We sort of- He just, I don't know. After that argument you guys had, he just drifted you know?”
“Oh. I'm, I'm sorry.” Baekhyun does look very sorry.
“Yeah, me too. What was it about by the way? I've always wondered. What you fought about.”
Baekhyun drinks again. “That… It was about you actually.”
“Me?” Jongdae hadn't expected that.
“Yeah… Um I just told him to be careful, you know. Treat you right.” Baekhyun laughs. “Wasn't really my place though, sorry.”
“What do you mean treat me right? You were against us!”
“No I wasn't.”
Jongdae scoffs. “Yeah you were. Right from the start when you came back. You were always scowling and glaring.”
“I guess I was. I had every right to be though.” Baekhyun mumbles.
“What does that mean?”
“Nothing, nothing. It doesn't matter.” Baekhyun waves him off.
“No I want to know.”
“You don't need to know.” Baekhyun says simply.
“Baekhyun.”
“It's not going to do you any good now-”
“Baekhyun.” Jongdae is not going to let it go.
“Seriously it doesn't matter.” Baekhyun insists.
“Baekhyun.”
He relents. “Okay, okay. Do you know why we broke up?”
“No. Always wondered that too actually. You guys seemed real happy.” There's no bitterness there. It'd been a while. They were over it.
“We were. And then…” Baekhyun hesitates.
“And then what?” Baekhyun doesn't say anything, and Jongdae realises. “And then I happened. Right? I came back.”
“Yeah. You happened. Jongin was always looking at you, hanging around you and I was jealous. I spoke to him about it and we ended up fighting. He said something that ticked me off real bad.” Baekhyun wrinkles his nose.
“What did he say?”
“He wanted to know if it was really him that was bothering me. If he was the actual problem or if there was something else. I didn't know why back then, but that pissed me off a hell of a lot, so things got pretty tense.”
Jongdae interrupts. “You didn't know back then. Do you know now?”
Baekhyun ignores him and continues. “Anyways, after that you kind of disappeared again. And it was all okay.”
“But?”
“But I got a 6 month placement kind of far out, so I had to move. We were long distance, meeting whenever we could until he was suddenly too busy to come down. And never home when I had time to come see him. I suspected something but there wasn't a lot I could do except for watch it crumble.” Jongdae nods sympathetically. He understood that feeling. “When did you two hook up?”
Jongdae starts. That was a weird question. “Uh we started dating at the end of July. Why?”
“I mean when did you fuck?” Baekhyun deadpans.
Oh. Um. An even weirder question. “Like the week before that?”
“We were still together at that point.” Baekhyun says softly.
“What? You were- what? Wait. He.. Jongin.. Cheated on you? With me??” Jongdae clutches his beer so hard it begins to crumple. “But… But he said you were over. I'm certain. He said it'd been a while.” Baekhyun just shrugs. “I'm- shit what the fuck. He was drunk. We both were. He wouldn't have done it otherwise.” Jongdae doesn't know why he says that, but he knows it's true.
Baekhyun nods. “He probably wouldn't have. He turned up one day at like 6 o'clock in the morning. Just took the 9 hour drive down, and knocked on my door. Said he was sorry and that it was over. He didn't even come in.”
“I'm… Sorry.”
Baekhyun shakes his head. “You didn't know. He didn't actually explain, stopped answering my calls, blocked me off everything so I came down as soon as I got a chance and well by then you two were a thing. I didn't realise till later, but that day he drove down was straight after… Well.”
Jongdae feels sick. He remembers waking up alone, how Jongin had been unavailable for most of the day. He'd thought Jongin had made a drunken mistake and was avoiding him. Jongin had gone to break it off with Baekhyun it seems. “I'm really really-”
“Sorry? It's okay. I'm over it.”
“You didn't say anything.”
“What difference would it have made? You two were happy and he was right anyway.” Baekhyun laughs a little hollowly.
“About what?”
“Nothing.”
“Come on.” Jongdae presses.
“No honestly, nothing.” Baekhyun leans against the sofa and looks at him. “So, what are we?”
“I think… I think we can be friends.” Jongdae says slowly.
“Again.” Baekhyun grins.
“Yeah. Again.”
Baekhyun thinks for a moment. “I think so too.” They clink cans and drink again, a little of the weight gone from their shoulders.
“You can stay if you want.” Jongdae offers.
Baekhyun shakes his head. “I probably shouldn't. Maybe another time.”
Jongdae doesn't contact Baekhyun, and Baekhyun doesn't contact Jongdae, despite their agreement to be friends. They meet again a week later at a reunion, in an old bar they used to frequent while in university. All their friends are there, Minseok, Yixing and Kyungsoo from uni, Baekhyun comes with Junmyeon and Jongdae brings Chanyeol. There's only one person missing, Jongdae can't help but think and when he meets Baekhyun’s eyes he knows he's thinking the same. They smile at each other over their drinks.
Jongdae realises he's been subconsciously waiting for Jongin to arrive when the man himself walks in. He's followed by another man, just as tall and just as handsome. He has a wiry yet strong frame, clearly a dancer's body, sharp cheekbones and blonde hair. Jongdae recognises Oh Sehun, from Jongin's dance group. They'd met a few times over the years. They approach the table, and Jongin hesitates a little when he sees Jongdae and Baekhyun sat near each other. Jongdae smiles reassuringly at him, and Jongin smiles back.
The air becomes slightly awkward when Jongin sits at the table. It's the first time in a long time the three of them had met all together. It's obvious there's a lot between them, things they need to talk about, so their friends trickle away, until it's only them left.
“Hey.” Jongin says, chuckling awkwardly.
Baekhyun nudges him with an elbow. “Snap out of it, we won't bite.”
Jongin relaxes and smiles. “You two-”
“We met last week. He fixed the computers for my clinic and we had a little chat.” Baekhyun informs him.
“Ah.” Jongin fidgets a little in his seat. “Then you know about-”
Jongdae nods. “Yeah, I do.”
There's a silence and then Baekhyun says, “I'm sorry.”
“What? What for? I'm the one who cheated.”
“True. But you were right. What you said that time. How I wasn't the only one looking elsewhere. I might not have cheated but I wasn't exactly faithful either.” Baekhyun looks at his hands.
Jongdae glances between them, wondering what was going on. Jongin's gaze flickers to his face, and Baekhyun looks over briefly too. It hits him then, a bit late he knows, but it hits him.
Jongdae had taken Baekhyun for a possessive boyfriend, and then a jealous ex, interpreting everything through his bias.
Maybe Baekhyun hadn't been glaring at him, wasn't angry, wasn't annoyed by his presence. Maybe, all along he'd been looking at Jongdae, just looking at him. He figures out what Baekhyun had come to realise. That the person bothering Baekhyun wasn't Jongin, but Jongdae. Why Jongin's words had angered Baekhyun, because they'd struck the truth. His problem hadn't been Jongin, it was Jongdae all along.
Jongdae swallow as another realisation hits him. “I'm sorry too.”
“What?” Jongin laughs. “You didn't-”
“I did though.” Jongdae remembers his own break up. He hadn't understood it then, but now it made sense. There had always been something between Baekhyun and Jongdae, and he's just beginning to realise that maybe it wasn't Jongin.
“I can't do this.” Jongin suddenly blurts.
“What?” Jongdae looks up from his book.
“You two!” Jongin groans in frustration.”You are so hopeless.”
“What? Who? What are you talking about Jongin?”
“Clueless!” Jongin cries.
“You're not making sense.”
“You need to fucking get your shit together and stop using me as an excuse. What the fuck am I, a tool? I'm sick and fucking tired, do you know that? I'm never enough. It's never enough!” Jongin looks angry and hurt and Jongdae doesn't understand what's happening.
“What the actual hell are you saying?”
“Its over Jongdae. I'm not the one for you. It's. Not. Me. You need to open your eyes and SEE! We're over. This ends now.” Jongin storms out.
“I'm sorry. For making you feel like you weren't enough. For not seeing what it was that I wanted.” Jongdae sees it now though.
It's been there, from the moment they met. The looks, the lingering touches, the undiscovered feelings. He sees it all, and he sees Baekhyun, at last.
“I wasn't exactly fair on you either.” Jongin sighs. “We fucked up pretty bad huh? The lot of us.”
They have to agree.
Jongin smiles. “It's taken a while, but we're here now. Everything that happened is in the past and we should leave it there. You two should be together. You deserve it. God knows it took you long enough to figure this shit out.”
They don't reply, just look at each other before looking away again.
“You know,” Jongin says, “I think we were destined for each other. We keep coming back.”
“Yeah,” Baekhyun laughs. “No matter how much we run away from each other we're always back to square one.”
“We're good at that, aren't we? Running away.” Jongdae chuckles.
“Yes, but that stops now. For all of us.” Jongin says firmly.
“I think so too. I missed you guys.” Baekhyun mumbles.
“Awwwww! I missed you too!” Jongin squeals and grabs Baekhyun in a bear hug. Jongdae laughs as Baekhyun struggles, and then Jongin is pulling him in too. They end up rolling, all wrapped up together onto the floor. They lay there, a giggling mess until someone kicks them out. Jongdae’s place is closest, so they take a cab there, stumbling into the flat, barely making it to the bed, which they fall into haphazardly, still fully clothed.
Jongdae wakes with a light hangover, thankfully nothing too serious, but his body is aching for some reason. The cause is discovered when he tries to get up, but finds himself pinned to the mattress by two bodies. Baekhyun is curled up on his chest, head tucked under his chin, sleeping like a baby. Jongin isn't far, his entire weight draped over Jongdae’s lower half, his head pillowed on Jongdae’s stomach. He calls gently, trying to wake them up, but has no luck. So he squirms, wriggling as much of his body as he can.
After a few minutes, Baekhyun stirs, grumbling in his sleep. His eyebrows furrow in a frown and he blinks awake slowly. He cracks his eyes open, and finds himself staring straight into Jongdae’s face. Baekhyun shifts, then realises where he's lying, an endearing blush coloring his cheeks, but he doesn't move. They smile softly at each other, and it's getting a little cringey so Jongdae wrinkles his nose.
“You've got morning breath.” He whispers, turning his head away in mock disgust.
Baekhyun slaps a hand over his mouth, blushing deeper. Jongdae snorts and Baekhyun smacks his chest, before rolling off of him and laying beside him. “Brat.”
“It's true though, you do.”
Baekhyun goes to smack him again, but Jongdae grabs his arm mid strike and tickles him instead. Baekhyun squirms, giggling into the mattress and Jongdae’s heart could burst by how cute it is. He's so preoccupied by the view, he doesn't realise he'd loosened his grip until Baekhyun pounces, attacking him with tickles now. Jongin is still laying on Jongdae so he can't move away, forced to endure the torture.
His shaking and their combined laughing wake Jongin up. He blinks blearily at them, chin propped on Jongdae’s stomach. Baekhyun and Jongdae stop wrestling to grin apologetically at him.
“You two are cute.” Jongin laughs, then surges up and tackles them both down.
He's taller and stronger thanks to the active lifestyle of a dancer, and has no trouble pinning them half on top of each other. He holds them like that while they struggle to catch their breaths.
“No seriously, you two are adorable.” Jongin grins goofily, then leaps off the bed, running out of the bedroom. “I'm using the shower first!”
“Oh that sneaky bastard.” Baekhyun pants.
“Yeah… Bastard.” Jongdae agrees.
They turn their heads at the same time, coming face to face. They're really really close, noses almost brushing. Jongdae is suddenly hyper aware of where Baekhyun’s leg is slung over his, and where his arm is draped across Baekhyun’s stomach. They stop again, staring. Always staring.
Jongdae’s stomach rumbles embarrassingly loud, making them break out into laughter again. “I should make breakfast.”
“That would be nice.” Baekhyun says.
Jongdae stays still for a few more seconds, then tilts forward, pressing his lips against Baekhyun’s, morning breath and all before jumping out of bed and sprinting to the kitchen.
Baekhyun joins him, helping him set up breakfast. They smile shyly as they move around, and it's sickeningly innocent like a first crush but Jongdae doesn't mind. Jongin come out of the shower, and sets the coffee machine going.
“You can shower first.” Baekhyun offers. Jongdae nods, setting a plate of croissants down.
“You should just shower together.” Jongin smirks, wiggling his eyebrows. Baekhyun throws a croissant at his face. “What! I'm trying to be a good friend and save Jongdae the water bill.” He whines.
“Maybe next time don't take a 45 minute hot shower in my house then!” Jongdae throws another croissant at him.
Jongin bites into both, one after another and sticks his tongue out at them. Jongdae and Baekhyun share an exasperated look. Jongin, they silently agree.
Breakfast is nice, reminding Jongdae of the old days. He thinks back to when he first met Baekhyun and Jongin, how beautiful they were, still are actually. He thinks of the misinterpreted feelings, the missed opportunities and unmatched timings. He thinks of all the times they'd broken apart then met again, all the things they've been through and he's thankful that somehow they'd managed to make it back together. Jongin is right, they are destined. Obviously, there's still a lot to talk about and work through, but they're here now, together, and that's what matters.
“Guys you should get together.” Jongin says over the toast in his mouth.
“Yes you keep saying.” Baekhyun mutters.
“Because I'm right. I know it's for you two to work out, but the whole never date your friend's ex thing doesn't apply here because you're both my friends and my exes. Plus, I want it to happen. So it cancels out.”
“Wouldn't that square it, mathematically speaking?” Jongdae wonders.
“Yes I think you're right. Friends squared plus exes squared equals problems squared.” Baekhyun nods thoughtfully.
“Wait did we do the calculation wrong? We found two exes instead of one.” Jongdae giggles and Baekhyun laughs along.
Jongin looks disgusted. “You two nerds are perfect for each other.”
They make Jongin wash the dishes since he hadn't helped with breakfast. He complains about unfair treatment and favouritism but washes them anyway.
“I've got to go now. I'm meeting Sehun for practice.” He tells them, a tell tale glint in his eye, and instantly they pounce on him. It takes a lot of effort to trap him against the sofa, even though it's two against one. Eventually, they get the answers they want out of him.
“Okay! I think he's cute and he's totally into me. I can tell. He basically drools all throughout practice while watching me in the mirror.” Jongin says smugly.
Baekhyun raises an eyebrow. “Maybe he's drooling over himself?”
Jongdae nods. “He's mega hot.”
“Right? Sex on legs, that guy.”
“Oi! Hands off my man.” Jongin protests. “Anyway, I'm leaving now so you two can finally fuck.”
Jongdae drags him out of the house by his ears.
When he's gone, things get awkward. Baekhyun suggests a movie. Jongdae powers up his laptop and they spend half an hour arguing over which one to watch. In the end, they settle on a classic: Harry Potter. They sit on the sofa, a respectable distance between them until Baekhyun moves closer, placing half the laptop carefully on his knee and the other half on Jongdae’s. In this position, their sides are pressed against each other, arms knocking uncomfortably. Jongdae moves his arm, draping it on the sofa behind Baekhyun so it's out of the way.
In all honesty, he isn't paying attention to Harry and his problems because he has enough of his own. Like how close Baekhyun is, and how good he smells (he'd used Jongdae’s shampoo but it seems to smell ten times better on Baekhyun). On screen, Harry thinks he has it bad, what with the golden egg he was trying to open (“He's not trying very hard is he?” Baekhyun mutters) but Jongdae has it worse, because Baekhyun had moved impossibly closer, resting his head against Jongdae’s chest. Jongdae stops breathing. His heart is hammering and he's afraid Baekhyun is going to feel it. If he does, he thinks he'll die of shame. He's a 28 year old for God's sake, he shouldn't be this worked up over an innocent touch.
Baekhyun lifts his head, looking up through his eyelashes in concern. “Are you okay? You're all tense.”
Jongdae doesn't answer. He can't look away from Baekhyun and his glittering eyes, his round cheeks, his pink mouth, that distracting mole on his lip.
Baekhyun pulls back a little. “Oh… Is it.. Is this okay? I'm sorry I should have asked-”
Jongdae can't resist anymore so he grabs Baekhyun’s face and crashes their lips together.
Finally.
Almost immediately, Baekhyun grasps at him, fingers gripping at his shirt, just as desperate as Jongdae. The kiss turns filthy in seconds, a battle of tongues and teeth and nipping at each other. The laptop is forgotten, pushed aside somewhere and Baekhyun clambers into Jongdae’s lap. Their shirts are discarded and flies half undone when Baekhyun pulls back.
“Is… is this too fast?” He asks, his kiss swollen lips and flushed cheeks so beautiful it takes Jongdae a few seconds to work out what he'd asked.
“Is it?” He hopes not.
Baekhyun smirks. “No I don't think so. I've been waiting for this for years apparently.”
“M.. Me too.” Jongdae manages to mumble around Baekhyun’s lips.
Jongin is absolutely delighted when he returns for dinner the next night, teasing Jongdae over the purpling hickeys dotting his neck and gleefully prodding Baekhyun’s lip which Jongdae had accidentally split by biting a bit too hard. He doesn't try to hide his amusement as both Jongdae and Baekhyun do their best to act like they're not limping after a whole day of passionate rounds in bed, on the sofa, the bed again, under the hot spray of the shower and even once on the kitchen counter. He makes snide comments and mutters under his breath about the youth and their insatiable sex drives, making sure they can hear him.
Jongdae is too giddy to call him out on it though, and Baekhyun doesn't seem to care much either. He snorts into his palm, imagining Jongin's reaction if he saw the bruises on Baekhyun’s wrists where Jongdae’s tie had dug into the soft skin as he thrashed in pleasure. Or the rope marks littering Jongdae’s arms from where Baekhyun had secured him in place so he couldn't move an inch. Baekhyun catches his eye and winks and Jongin makes gagging sounds in the background.
They get him back when he gets all pink and flushed after a text from Sehun, wrestling the mobile out of his grasp to see what had made him so flustered. Jongin protests hotly, doing his best to snatch the phone away, but it's no use. They open the message and instantly regret it. Jongdae will never be able to look Sehun in the face without thinking about his dick from now on.
~~~
Jongdae still thinks Jongin is dazzling, and Baekhyun is blinding, but he has come to realise that he too, in his own special way, shines. And even in the moments when he doesn't, he discovers that being just Jongdae is okay too.