Baekhyun didn't mean for it to turn out like that. In fact, he really, really didn't, because he loved Minseok as much as his own big brother, and he would never ever want to hurt him. To be honest, there wasn't a lot of chance someone would even think about hurting Minseok. Even with a good reason. Why would you want to hurt one of the most adorable man in the world ? It might be even worse than to hurt Yixing. And that in itself was a rather serious crime punished by death. No really, it had started as a nice intention, he just wanted to get the older man's head out of all the insecurities he'd been facing recently. They were rather free, that day, and he knew Minseok hadn't planned to do anything beside training. And training. Because that idiot thought he wasn't good enough and didn't deserve a pause.

When you thought about it, Minseok was a rather simple minded person when it came to what his opinion about himself was. People who knew him a bit could easily say what that vulnerable look on his face was : profound self loathing and a great lack of self confidence. Maybe that was why, Baekhyun thought, everyone went to him for advices. Because he felt what others felt too, but he never complained. Because even thought Minseok didn't believe in himself at all, he had the wisdom of an old man, and answers for others, answers he was searching for himself, but couldn't realize he already had them. Couldn't comprehend they were those he was giving to others. Baekhyun smiled at the thought. His friend never acknowledged good thing about himself, hating compliments, even though-

That wasn't the point here. The point was that that day, they didn't have anything special to do, and were free. And the younger knew Minseok would either be stuck in the studio or the training room all day, and he would end up frustrated and sad and in a really awful mood. And Baekhyun didn't want that. So, the evening before, the younger of the two strolled from the room he shared with Kyungsoo to the one Minseok shared with Zitao, and burst the door open, without even knocking. The violent action made the elder yelp and nearly fall out of his bed, a hand to his heart and another between the pages of the book he had been reading so he wouldn't lose track of the story if the object were to fall. Well, he did understand why that had scared Minseok, after all the room had been completely quiet, and his roommate wasn't in the room. He probably had been immersed in his book when the door had harshly hit the wall to let a noisy Baekhyun in.

“What the Baek !?” He took a breath, drawing a bookmark from a spot between two pages, and placed it between the ones he had been reading before closing the book. “What do you want ?” He asked, a bit more softly this time.

Without a word – nor being invited in – the younger dropped his on the spot beside Minseok, on the bed. He brought his legs closer to his body, knees to his chest, before dropping them on the side, cross legged.

“You're not doing anything in particular tomorrow, are you hyung ?”

Minseok lifted an eyebrow, suspicious. Don't get it wrong, he loved Baekhyun, really, he adored him, but for the boy to burst in his room and ask that, there were matters to be scared as to what he had prepared. Slowly, thought, the elder shook his head negatively.

“Let's go ice skating !”

Taken aback by the sudden proposition, Minseok stared at his friend, blinking slowly.

“What ?”

“Come on, let's go out, we need to get our head out of it from time to time ! And last time you told me you never went ice skating, which is a shame since your supposed power is ice, so...” He lifted his eyes hopefully toward Minseok, whose face was completely blank, “will you come with me ice skating tomorrow ?”

He wanted to say no. Minseok really did. He was tired and did not want to deal with an overly excited Baekhyun who'd probably let him fall – because yes, Minseok was sure he would fall, after all he had never done that, ice skating – and he wanted to practice a bit more, he felt like he would get worse if he didn't. But Baekhyun had a way to convince Minseok – and the only thought made the elder internally groan – and right now, he really hoped the dark haired boy wouldn't use it.

But he did it.

The puppy eyes.

The glistening dark pupils intensely starring into Minseok's, reaching for his soul, while his teeth were playing with his lower lips with a small, cute smile. He looked just so hopeful and innocent and not evil in the slightest – which he was, Kyungsoo agreed with him on that. But Minseok couldn't resist that face and Byun ing Baekhyun knew it. The elder's brow furrowed in annoyance – at his own weakness – and leaned back on the wall, cutting their stare contest short.

“Okay.” Baekhyun squeaked in victory.

“Okay ?”

“Yes.” Minseok sighed. There was no coming back now. Tomorrow would be a long day.

+

And a long day it had been. Baekhyun didn't wake him up at dawn, at least. Sometimes Minseok was happy to be an early riser. They only left the dorm after Yixing made sure the shorter man had eaten at least a small breakfast – they were really careful with that, Minseok noticed, since the day he fainted, and he didn't know if he hated it or if he was thankful for it. At first he'd been kind of scared. What if fans recognized them ? Followed them? Baekhyun and him didn't even tell their managers where they went, knowing he wouldn't agree, so they had to take care of themselves. But nothing of the sort happened, surprising the both of them. Minseok put in on luck, Baekhyun on karma confirming they were on the good way. The reflexion earned him a punch in the shoulder from Minseok, but the younger only grinned before grabbing his friend's hand and dragging him to the entrance of the skating ring.

Okay so no one recognized them. The building was rather empty – well it was tuesday, teens were probably at school – apart from the girl standing behind the counter, tall and a bit chubby, all smile and gentle behavior. She gave them their pair of ice skates, and blinked when her eyes met Baekhyun's, and for a second they both thought she knew who they were. But she didn't day anything, or do anything that would indicate it, only asking them to give her their shoes so she could keep them while they were in. After the both of them had tied their skates up, they steered toward the gigantic skating rink. Baekhyun entered first, slowly, keeping Minseok in his line of sight and his hands near his friend, careful as to not let him down, not let him fall. Thinking about it, Baekhyun thought that, at the moment, the way he kept hovering around Minseok was sort of a metaphor for the other members around their eldest comrade. Always gravitating, ready to help, here for him when he needed it, but never actually forcing themselves of him. They had grown to know that if Minseok wanted to talk, he would.

The latter took a tentative step on the slippery surface, and when he dimmed himself ready, he put the other one on the ice. Both his arms instantly shot to Baekhyun, helping himself staying on his two feet. Baekhyun had chuckled, amused and endeared, and Minseok had glared and pouted at the same time. But soon a smile eased on his face, and Baekhyun pumped a metaphorical fist in the air. Today, Minseok wasn't thinking of the ty weeks he had had recently, those thought that keep hovering around his head, harmful. Today Minseok was having fun, ice skating with one of his best friends. Today Minseok was smiling this wide gummy smile, that looked so ing adorable and at the same time kept everyone at peace : a day where Minseok smiled that brightly was a good day.

It had been a few minutes since Baekhyun had let go of Minseok – or rather the other way around, Minseok claiming that he could manage without the younger – when a sharp scream that sounded an awful lot like Minseok's voice echoed on the walls.

Baekhyun instantly turned around only to find the elder, slumped on the cold ice, hands circling his right ankle in a protective motion, hissing thought the pain. The pain. Baekhyun ran – skated – toward Minseok and let his knees fall on the slippery floor, sliding just a few centimeters away from Minseok.

“ hyung ! Are you okay ? What happened ?”

Baekhyun's eyes were wet, worried and concerned over his friend. Minseok rubbed his palms up and down on his ankle, the younger's eyes following the movement.

“It's nothing, I feel and it just, kind of, ended up in a wrong movement. But it's okay--”

Baekhyun didn't wait for Minseok to finish what he had to say, he hooked an arm under his armpits, dragging him up. He noticed the elder flinching in pain, and without asking for Minseok's opinion, he grabbed his legs under the knees. The elder yelped in surprise and instinctively brought his hands behind Baekhyun's neck.

“What the , Byun !!”

The latter only grinned, skating through the piste – Minseok wondered how he could both hold him and skate at the same time. Minseok was heavy and fat, just how much had Baekhyun worked out recently ? - until they reached the safe border. Baekhyun didn't let go of Minseok until they got to the benches on the side. He placed him on the wooden seat and knelt down to untie Minseok's skates. He was speechless when Baekhyun checked the other's ankle, and he could feel the younger swallowing hard – something he did when he was nervous.

“Come on, Baek, i'm okay, it's nothing,” the elder whined. He only felt a slight, dull pain, it would soon go away.

With a defeated sigh, Baekhyun raised his head to meet Minseok's 'baek-stop-fussing-over-me-i'm-not-made-of-glass-please' glare.

“Okay, but we're going home then.” Baekhyun said, fully pouting now. Minseok's eyes rolled and he got up – only to remember that that ankle actually hurts. He tried not to visibly flinch, and apparently succeeded because Baekhyun didn't notice, the younger busying himself by removing his ice skates.

+

They did not have to walk a lot, to Minseok's relief, since they called a cab. Baekhyun kept fussing over the elder, asking if he was okay, if he needed help walking, if he was sure they shouldn't go to the hospital in case something was wrong. Minseok nearly screamed at him, that he was okay, but one look at Baekhyun was enough for the elder to know that he was truly worried – and sorry. He had apologize thousands of times, probably, since they left the skating rink, and Minseok kept telling him it was okay. But Baekhyun was a stressed, easily worried person. It didn't surprise Minseok in the slightest when, at something close to half past one am, he felt his bed move and welcome a warm body pressed against him. Baekhyun only gave him the excuse that he couldn't sleep and that he was cold, but the elder knew better. He was just really sorry and wanted to apologize in the form of cuddles.

Minseok internally chuckled and gladly complied, too sleepy to even think about shooing him away.

A/N : FINALLY

I HAVE RISEN FROM MY PILE OF HOMEWORK AND CRAWLED TO MY COMPUTER

sorry it took so ing long i swear ugh

i'm not even entierly happy with the outcome but oh well.

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