You fell asleep in my car, I drove the whole time,
But that's okay, I'll just avoid the holes so you sleep fine,
I'm driving here I sit, cursing my government,
For not using my taxes to fill holes with more cement.

—Twenty One Pilots : Tear in My Heart

“Chan…”

“Mhmnn, five minuteeees…” Chanyeol groaned, putting the blankets over his head, swatting away whoever was poking him repeatedly on the back.

“Paaark Chaaaanyeeeeol…”
“Oh, let him sleep, Pup, we’ll just carry him into the car.”
“No. If we do that, he’ll become lazy.”
“Why, you foolhardy boy—oh , Chanyeol wake up, WAKE UP, he’s going to literally kill you—“

Chanyeol, grumbling, opened his eyes—well, only for a few seconds because the next thing he knew was that a white, cold thing was being pressed onto his face and his body immediately screamed for him to wake the hell up, screaming in anguish—though he could feel Baekhyun’s fingers stuffing his mouth with something of the same material and he shot up, fully awake.

“FINE! Fine, I’m awake now, stop it!” Chanyeol squeaked, spitting out the cold snow and rubbing the same thing off his face, the flakes sticking in his eyelashes. His face was alarmingly red from response of the suddenly cold snow being pressed onto his face, and he glared at Baekhyun, who stood in front of him like nothing happened.

“Be glad that winter only comes once a year, Chanyeol.” Baekhyun smiled eerily, his eyes closed and his lips stretching in such a passive-aggressive smile that Chanyeol had to shudder when he looked at him. Tao was next to him, both holding hands (Chanyeol felt something that seemed like jealousy when he saw it), though he was horror-struck at what Baekhyun had just done. His intimidating fiancé Kris just stood outside the door, looking rather bemused.

“O-Oh, hey, Tao—geez, Baekhyun, you’re so rough with me sometimes…”  Chanyeol rubbed his eyes, grumbling groggily as he sat up.

“You have an awfully odd manner towards guests at the age of twenty, ‘Yeollie.” Baekhyun sighed, flicking his forehead. “Come on, we’re going over to Tao’s.”

“God, it’s so early in the morning—on what occasion are we going over to his house, exactly?”
“For Christmas, you dimwat.”

Chanyeol got up and froze, his brows scrunching up. He scratched the nape of his neck, his mouth open in an ‘o’.

“…C…Christmas? Wait, really? Is it?”
“Yes, golden boy, Ch-rist-maaa-aaas…”

Baekhyun sighed.

“C’mon, Taozi, Krissu, we’re going now.” Baekhyun said nonchalantly, grabbing hold of Chanyeol’s ear, the taller male letting out pained protests as Baekhyun just dragged him by the ear and outside without a jacket on. Outside the house was a rather expensive car, and Kris had the courtesy to open the doors for them whilst Baekhyun shoved Chanyeol in the car, satisfyingly kicking him inside for a good measure before he himself hopped in. Tao and Kris sat on the front and they zoomed off, Chanyeol just having less than five minutes to adjust from the bed to sitting on a car.

“Oww, if you do that again, my ears will get bigger than they are.” Chanyeol whined, holding his assaulted ear. “Is it really Christmas? Boy, I never even noticed…”

“Time flies when you’re having fun.” Tao spoke from the front, looking at the backseats to Chanyeol and Baekhyun. He chuckled. “Well, assuming that you two are having fun?”

“Like he’s any fun at all—“
“Yes, we are both having fun, thank you for inquiring.”

Chanyeol and Baekhyun spoke at the same time. Chanyeol swatted Baekhyun.

“Just a question. Are you two dating? You two seem very close.” Kris asked from the front, though his eyes were focused on the road. Baekhyun was saying something, but Chanyeol was coughing rather loudly to cover it up—mainly because Baekhyun was saying that they were dating, partly because Chanyeol wished that they were dating. After Baekhyun had just nonchalantly expressed his love for Chanyeol a few weeks ago, blatantly admitting that he had been flirting with Chanyeol all the time—things got rather flattering back at home.

“We are not close!” Chanyeol denied, crossing his arms in an ‘x’. “Not at all!”
“But who snuggles up to me in the middle of the night, seeking my warmth—“
“That’s because we share the same bed! I-I can’t help that!” Chanyeol said hotly, his face alarmingly as red as cherries.
“But you’re not even trying to get a new bed, you refused my offer when I offered you a bed—“
“La la la la la la, I can’t hear you!” Chanyeol blocked his ears, shouting.

Kris rumbled up in deep laughter whilst Tao chuckled, Baekhyun smirking beside Chanyeol. Though when Baekhyun discreetly held Chanyeol’s hand after the laughter died down, Chanyeol didn’t retract his arm back. Instead, he squeezed his hand back and let a small smile escape his lips, rather blissfully happy, though still confused about the whole setting of going over to Tao’s over Christmas—is it Christmas? Really?

“I always come over to Tao’s every Christmas—they pick me up at eight in the morning.” Baekhyun said simply. “Well, as I’ve got you under my wing now and I absolutely cannot trust you to be a good boy at home, I figured that I bring you along.”

“Ooh? Is it not because you miss Chanyeollie whenever you’re away from him?” Tao teased.
“Miss him? Haha, right…” Baekhyun mumbled, but his cheeks had a slight tinge of pink.

Chanyeol knew that Baekhyun had indirectly mentioned that Tao and Kris were rather wealthy, but he didn’t expect going far into the countryside and into a private estate.

“Oh look, Baekhyun, pretty trees.” Chanyeol said. Though when he received no response, he looked next to him to see the boy curled up next to him, his body slumped onto his shoulder, sleeping rather cutely with his lips slightly parted, and still holding Chanyeol’s hand in his sleep.

“Ah, bless. Our son is sleeping, Kris.” Tao joked, but he had a fond look in his face.

“Hmm? Why, is his sleeping significant to you?” Chanyeol inquired politely.

Tao gave him a rather sad smile.

“Back then, he had bags under his eyes from the lack of sleep.” Chanyeol could see Tao biting his lower lip, looking at Baekhyun with a look of brotherly affection. “He used to spend his nights waking in fear in case his father ‘tries to kill him while he slept’, and when he first squatted his house he could never go to sleep ‘cause he was scared.”

Tao smiled warmly at him. “Maybe it was a good thing you came along into his life, Chanyeol. It’s good to see him doing something without being scared or being in fear—even if it’s just sleeping.”

Perhaps Tao struck a chord—because Chanyeol realised that he was probably right. When Chanyeol spent the first of his days with Baekhyun he noticed that the boy was rather jumpy around him, always jerking his head around, fixing his eyes quickly on something that had just moved—or maybe it was just the influence of drugs. But as the days wore on, Baekhyun stopped acting like he was sitting on a cushion of pins and his body was more relaxed, even if his hawk eyes stayed hone and sharp.

“… Tao.” Chanyeol spoke slowly.

“Yes?”

“What…” he let out a slow breath. “What happened to Baekhyun before me?”

. . .

“I can’t tell you that, even if I trust you.” Tao looked forward onto the road again, propping his elbow on the window, his voice sounding far away—like Baekhyun’s voice after he had a joint. “Baekhyun will tell you in his own time, when he’s ready.”

“Hey, depressing things aside! It’s Christmas!” Kris exclaimed, harshening the ‘christ’ so that it sounded like ‘krismas’ instead, the two other awake passengers laughing at his corny pun (to be honest, it’s literally the worst pun you can ever make).

Chanyeol gawped when the car pulled up in front of a rather posh mansion, the roof supported by beautifully carved bronze pillars. Baekhyun was still peacefully asleep inside the car—and Chanyeol had the courtesy not to stuff his mouth with ice to wake him up, but to carry him out of the car instead, bridal-style, one of the servants scurrying to help him.

“O-Oh, no, no, I’m fine, I’ll carry him myself.” Chanyeol shook his head. He supported Baekhyun’s head in the crook of his elbow and his knees on the other, Baekhyun’s arms dangling, his face sleepily lolling into his chest. Chanyeol chuckled fondly and proceeded to follow Kris and Tao inside, even more amazed at what the mansion looked like in its interior walls, festively decorated with Christmas accessories that Chanyeol wondered why he hadn’t gone blind.

“Welcome back, Master Wu, Master Huang.” A butler in suit bowed deeply Chanyeol swore he could’ve kissed his knees in the process.

“Seunghyun. I want a room prepared for both of these—lovebirds.” Kris pointed towards them both.

“Not!” Chanyeol squeaked, almost dropping Baekhyun in flattery.

“Whatever. I also want the kitchen to prepare. Make our guests comfortable.”
“Yes, sire.”

As if on cue, a flurry of servants suddenly gathered around them, Kris and Tao pleasantly taking off their coats and handing it towards them. One servant nudged Chanyeol and showed him to their guest room, Chanyeol debating whether this was a hotel or Kris’ and Tao’s household. Baekhyun must’ve felt like a nephew with rather rich uncles whenever he went here every other year.

Chanyeol couldn’t help but marvel at the mansion as he walked along the halls. There were a lot of rooms for guests, but only one was occupied—and that was only for Chanyeol and Baekhyun.

Chanyeol’s mind travelled back to when Baekhyun rejected Tao’s offer of staying in his household. Perhaps it was right of Baekhyun—he rejected it because it was nice if it’s just a one-night stay, but overwhelmingly outrageous if it were to be for the rest of his life. Or maybe—or maybe Baekhyun was just scared of being a burden to both Kris and Tao.

“Mnnn…”

Baekhyun stirred in Chanyeol’s arms, though his eyes didn’t open.

“… Nn… Chan… where are we…?” he asked groggily.

“We’re at Tao’s.”
“Mnn… kay…”

Chanyeol decided that Baekhyun looked very cute sleeping—exclusively in his arms.

The servant left them to their room, Chanyeol amazed once again. It looked rather—rather Baekhyun-ish, and it probably looked like so because this was probably the room that Baekhyun stayed in every year. The bed was large and looked irresistibly soft, and the carpet beneath him felt rather velvety. There was a wardrobe and a shelf on one wall, and large windows facing out towards a peaceful-looking garden with a swimming pool. Everything was complexed with the right harmony of colours and decoration, and Chanyeol never felt so relaxed in his life.

He carefully laid Baekhyun down on the bed, gently pulling up the covers to cover his small body. Then he watched him for a few minutes, before his eyes fell on the bedside table.

There was a small photo framed with gold-coloured wood standing on the polished oak surface. Chanyeol reached out gingerly and took hold of the photo, his eyes scanning the picture. There was a small piece of paper slipped inside the frame.

Best friends forever!

Sure enough, Baekhyun and Tao was depicted—in what seemed like a birthday party (Baekhyun’s, Chanyeol assumed). Baekhyun was easily recognised; skimpy body, messy hair with his tank-top hanging limply on his shoulders, and Tao; with bright silver earrings and defined jaw. They both looked no more than around eight in the picture, both giddily laughing at something, Baekhyun with a birthday-hat and Tao smeared with cake icing. Baekhyun’s eyes seemed to shine brightly in the picture, toothily smiling-and he had no scar on his neck. There was an unknown woman in the picture, whose resemblance is strikingly familiar to Baekhyun’s.

Next to where the picture stood, was a photo album.

Chanyeol knew it was flattering behaviour to look at other people’s private properties, but curiosity got the better of him and he reached for it. The cover bore Tao’s family crest, printed in shining gold.

Carefully, he lifted the cover and looked at the first page, discovering a slightly old photo.

Byun Baekhyun, Huang Zitao

They both looked newborn. Baekhyun on the left, sleeping in an oversi