not-quite-winter and a not-quite-date

Baekhyun and Chanyeol each come up with different ways to fit each other into their busy schedules. It's not often that they meet, but Chanyeol finds himself looking forwards to the meetings (not quite "dates", but he'll take what he can get). 

The younger boy is always so considerate, and gentle, and adorable, and Chanyeol sometimes wonders if it's healthy to be so amazed by somebody else, considering that he's not entirely sure he's ever felt this way before in his life. He must've zoned out because he's startled when he sees a pretty hand waving in front of his eyes, and the concerned face of the boy that was the cause of his amazement. 

"Chanyeol? Are you okay?" 

Baekhyun is sitting cross-legged on Chanyeol's large sofa, peering at the taller with a mixture of worry and curiosity like a puppy, and Chanyeol has to physically clamp his hands together to prevent himself from pulling Baekhyun into his arms or ruffling his hair or pinching his cheeks or - well, he wants to do all of that. 

It's a lot less creepy than it sounds, really. 

"Yea, I'm fine," he manages to say, more composed than he expected. He turns towards Baekhyun who had settled back into his previous position, and asks, "You were saying?" 

"Um.. no, never mind," Baekhyun waves off. He pauses for a moment before he asks, "Did you hear about the festival they're holding at the grand park next week?" 

"Yea, I heard that the street food there is amazing." 

"Do you want to go with me next week?" Baekhyun asks tentatively, ears red. "Ah, I mean if you're not busy - if you're busy, it's okay, you don't have to go - You don't need-" Baekhyun rambles nervously, a habit that Chanyeol had discovered and found quite endearing.

"I'll go," he cuts the shorter off, smiling amusedly at Baekhyun's startled expression. 

"That - that's great," Baekhyun says, smiling shyly. 

"I'm free the entire day, actually," Chanyeol reassures, "we can even head there early when there's less of a crowd." 

Baekhyun grins this time, and Chanyeol finds himself again astonished by the boy in front of him.

---

"You're going on a date with THE Park Chanyeol?!" Luhan screams, looking up at Baekhyun so fast Baekhyun was worried his neck would crack.

"It's not a date... It's not that big of a deal, really," he tries, but Luhan doesn't believe him.

"Oh, not a big deal? He agreed to go with you the entire day to some weird festival? If that's not a date, I don't know what is. And for s sake, Baekhyun," Luhan exclaims, "Park Chanyeol! You asked ing Park Chanyeol on a date!"

"I told you, it's not a date-" 

"Psh," Luhan brushes off, "Do you realise how many girls would kill to be in your position right now?" He walks towards Baekhyun as menacingly as possible (while holding a plushie), "Also, don't think I don't know about your secret little evening meetings with the most wanted Bachelor in South Korea?" 

"Hey, don't make it sound so bad! They're nice, friendly meet-ups!"

"At his apartment, sure." Luhan raises an eyebrow before jumping on the bed and pulling the blankets around him. "Look, Baek, I support you with whatever decision you make. But you, you are way too gullible. Are you sure that this Park guy is trustable?" 

"He's not a bad guy, Luhan. He doesn't have the best reputation, sure, but does anybody like us, like him, have a good reputation?" 

Luhan stares at him for a moment, before he eventually concedes and dives under the blankets, yawning. 

Baekhyun rolls his eyes at his roommate's antics. 

"Come on, Lu. It's noon, for god's sake, why are you trying to sleep at this time of day?" Baekhyun teases, probing at the figure under the fluffy blankets. 

"Argh," comes the only reply.

Baekhyun grins, before he coughs and says innocently, "I think Oh Sehun is coming to visit?" 

The reaction is instantaneous, and Baekhyun has to bite his tongue so he doesn't burst out into laughter. Luhan scrambles out of his hiding place, pink blossoming on his cheeks.

"Byun Baekhyun!" he exclaims when he sees Baekhyun struggling not to laugh. 

"You definitely have a crush on him," Baekhyun teases, eyes glimmering in mischief.

"I don't! He's just tall - way too tall - but he's nice, unreasonably so? And he's really skinny and pale so he looks like a noodle, but - but he has abs? He has really nice abs, and well, he looks like a noodle, but a kind of attractive one? Not that I think he's handsome or anything, even if he is?" Luhan's rambling sentences are short and the doe-eyed boy looks so confused that Baekhyun bursts out laughing and scoots forwards to pat the other boy on the back. 

"I get it, I get it. You definitely don't like him-" 

"Yea!"

"-but he's tall and nice, and you were totally not fawning over his abs, right?" 

Luhan scowls, "I don't like him, Baek!" He pauses for a moment, the scowl lightening and the confused expression from earlier returning as he adds as an afterthought, "I think..?" 

"You think," Baekhyun raises an eyebrow. 

"I think," Luhan agrees.  

Baekhyun decides to take pity on his best friend, and changes the topic. "Do you wanna go get some sushi with me?" he asks, and Lu heir brightens up almost immediately.

"I'm so hungry!" he laughs, and Baekhyun has to cough into his hand to stop himself from teasing the doe-eyed boy further by saying, 'hungry for noodle, huh?'

And it was such a good joke, too.

What a waste. 

Instead, he just throws on the nearest thick winter jacket and sweatpants he could find to fight the coming winter and shuffles out the door, drowning in the layers of clothes, looking like a giant snowball.

Luhan bursts out laughing - the ever reliable heir of a fashion brand - and Baekhyun turns around (with slight difficulty) to glare at the other. 

"I don't want to catch a cold, okay?" he argues indignantly.

"Jesus, Baek, it's not even winter yet! You look like somebody's gonna kidnap you and drop you into the ing Himalayas!" 

"It pays to be prepared," Baekhyun deadpans, and continues his little awkward penguin walk out the door with Luhan trailing behind, face distorted into the most unflattering expression ever as he shakes with laughter. 

"Damn, if Park Chanyeol sees you in that-" Luhan chokes out, still struggling to regain his breath. "I don't care what you say, I'm picking out your outfit for the date." 

Baekhyun huffs but comes up with no retort. Luhan whoops in glee and swings an arm around him. 

"We are not going-"