“Jooheon-ah!” Minhyuk yells, shielding his eyes from the incoming tidal wave of bubbles. Jooheon chuckles impishly, but immediately regrets his action as he watches Minhyuk ready for his retaliation. Jooheon ducks under the water, avoiding the sudsy splash targeted at him. This dodge, however, causes the wave to ride all the way to Hoseok. He splutters confusedly, having not paid attention to the goings-on around him.

“You guys…” he murmurs, wiping the suds off his face and shoulders. Hyungwon glances over at the whine, a small smile flickering across his thick lips upon noticing the bubbles still on his hyung’s nose. He reaches over and wipes it off, causing Hoseok to chuckle nervously as Hyungwon moves back to his seat and out of the firing range. The older begins to babble something incoherently, earning a knowing chuckle from Hyungwon.

“This was a great idea, hyung,” Changkyun compliments, dipping his head back into the impossibly bubbly water. Kihyun glances over at the second-year, a playful smirk dancing across his face at the adorable way bubbles now litter his black hair. He reaches over to ruffle his hair in an effort to clear it of the suds, to which his dongsaeng only pouts. Kihyun rolls his eyes, flicking a few drops of water towards his nose.

“Leave the maknae alone, Kihyunnie,” Hyunwoo mumbles, wrapping his arms around the smaller’s waist and gently pulling away. Kihyun chuckles breathlessly under his breath, and allows himself to be tugged around. “But, I do agree with him. This was a great idea.” Kihyun hums in acknowledgment, leaning his head back against Hyunwoo’s broad chest.

“Ewwww,” Minhyuk suddenly yells in a nasally tone, shattering whatever moment of peace Kihyun had come to find. “Guys, Eomma and Appa are being gross again!!” Next thing he knows, his vision is filled with multicolored bubbles, and he’s spluttering out the water that had managed to make it into his mouth and nose.

“That’s better,” Kihyun tells him, smirking victoriously as the slightly-older chokes on the bubbles in his throat. “You choking is such an improvement over you actually talking.” Hoseok chuckles nervously off in the corner, unwittingly moving closer to Hyungwon for protection. The younger chuckles soundlessly under his breath, and reaches out to set a comforting arm around his boyfriend’s shoulders. This only causes Hoseok to blush madly. Later, he’ll blame such a reaction on the hot water, but for now he’s just content to be held by his handsome dongsaeng.

Changkyun mutters something about the sickening love vibes surrounding him, and moves off towards a corner. Jooheon chuckles at this, and moves closer to him. He reaches out as if he’s going to pop a bubble on his face, but instead he pulls the younger into a headlock, rubbing his fist into his dark locks. The maknae squeals in an impossibly high-pitched voice about how much the attention hurts, though his smile tells a different story.

Kihyun can’t help but smile at the familiar scene. Despite Changkyun now going through his angsty tween phase, even having gone so far as to dye his hair an edgy midnight black over the summer, there’s still moments like this when the younger reverts to his more innocent side. It’s a sight most welcome among the others, especially Jooheon.

Then again, any sighting of the second-year is more welcome for Jooheon than most.

Minhyuk suddenly sighs loudly, and sits up on the rim of the giant tub next to the stained glass window. The merwoman on it seems surprised one of them has come so close, pausing a moment in running her fingers through her hair as Minhyuk glances over at her with a pout.

“All this love in the air…” he muses aloud, leaning his head against his own shoulder. He then turns fully to face the mosaic, poking out his bottom lip. “How can you stand it? You’re doomed to spend eternity in that glass, watching countless people screw and bathe right before you, but you can’t experience any of it for yourself. That sounds awful…” The merwoman her head to the side, her serene expression morphing to one of confusion. Kihyun rolls his eyes, in a breath through his front teeth at his same-age friend.

“That’s the last time you’re borrowing one of my philosophy books,” Kihyun tells him, earning a knowing chuckle from the others. “You’ve been in a weird mood ever since you read my book on Descartes’s theories on skepticism.”

“But it’s so interesting!” Minhyuk bursts out. “What if all this is just some weird illusion created by some demonic force trying to feed off our souls?” Jooheon freezes at this, and glances between Kihyun and Minhyuk with a terrified light filling his eyes. Changkyun takes the opportunity to squirm free from his hyung’s grasp, though he doesn’t move away. In fact, he scoots a little closer to him, and gently takes hold of his knee beneath the water’s surface as a silent comfort.

“Don’t listen to him, hyung,” Changkyun mumbles whilst throwing an accusatory glare at Minhyuk. “He’s only trying to scare you.” Minhyuk gasps sharply, feigning outright offense at the younger’s statement.

“Why would I ever do such a thing?” he demands in mock-defiance, the teasing light in his eyes giving him away. “It’s not as if I take any kind of pleasure in watching Jooheonney whimper like an adorable little baby…”

“Kihyun-hyung,” Jooheon mumbles, inching closer to Changkyun for comfort, “make him stop.” Kihyun parts his lips to defend his second-favorite dongsaeng, but a loud, tired sigh stops him. They all turn to find Hyungwon standing up, the full-view of the sudsy water pouring down his front making Hoseok blush wildly and begin to stutter a million miles a second.

“I’m turning into a giant prune,” Hyungwon says simply, and begins to walk towards the edge of the tub to step out. “This was a good idea though, Kihyun-hyung. It was like a bath-house. We should do this again.” Hoseok quickly scurries after his boyfriend, though he doesn’t get out of the water until Hyungwon hands him a towel to cover himself.

Kihyun hums, pulling a hand up out of the water to glance at his own skin. He frowns, noting how his fingers have begun to wrinkle.

“I ought to get out, too,” he mumbles. Hyunwoo hums himself, and releases Kihyun so the both of them can leave and dry off. Minhyuk ‘hmmphs’ under his breath, and follows their leads, leaving only the two youngest in the water. Changkyun glances over to ask Jooheon if he’s okay, and is surprised to find the older practically in his lap. Since when had he gotten so close?

“H-Hyung,” Changkyun mutters, a blush rivaling even Hoseok’s expression flaring up his face, “should we get out, too?” Jooheon looks over, and nods a little, but still doesn’t get up. Changkyun smiles a little at how clingy his hyung is when he’s scared, but manages to keep himself from hugging the older in consolation… despite how hard he has to fight the urge.

Kihyun watches the interaction with knowing eyes, and can’t help but smirk. He glances up at Hyunwoo, who merely chuckles as he shakes a second towel through his hair. The younger can’t help but laugh under his breath, as well, as he leans up on his tiptoes to press a kiss against his love’s impossibly soft lips.

The boys get dressed into nightclothes, and leave the bathroom. The Slytherins lead the two Ravenclaws, Hyunwoo and Hyungwon, down the familiar path to their room in the dungeon. Hyunwoo snuggles into Kihyun’s bed, while Hyungwon sleeps practically on top of Hoseok. Minhyuk passes out quickly in his own bed, clutching an extra pillow close his chest amidst his hundreds of blankets.

Jooheon and Changkyun lie awake among the familiar snoring of their hyungs, one unable to fall asleep due to fear and the other because of the noise level in the room.

“Kkungie?” Jooheon asks in a meek whisper. Changkyun sits up on his arm, peering at the older through the dark. He hums, nodding at him to continue. “I’m still scared of what Minhyuk-hyung said…” Changkyun sighs knowingly, and gets up out of his bed to go and cuddle with him. Jooheon gratefully moves over just to hug him close as he gets under the covers, a hold Changkyun doesn’t mind all that much.

“Do you think it’s possible?” Jooheon asks, his voice light and hesitant in the night.

“Personally,” Changkyun sighs tiredly, “I’m pretty skeptic on theories of skepticism, but it doesn’t really matter. I know I’m here, with you… That’s what matters to me.” Jooheon releases a long breath, his hold on his dongsaeng tightening a bit.

“I couldn’t agree more,” he whispers, and finally he’s able to fall asleep.

Changkyun chuckles to himself as he listens to the sounds of sleep around him. He readjusts his position ever so slightly just to get a bit closer to Jooheon, and feels himself begin to drift off, as well, the smile on his face never fading.