Kyungsoo’s already dressed to head out when Jongdae gets home, hair stylishly tousled, a white tee under a black button up. His tight light-wash jeans hugs his thighs, and Jongdae’s trying to remember if the jeans are actually Kyungsoo’s or one of theirs when he notices the hint of eyeliner on Kyungsoo’s waterline and oh –

“Did Baekhyun dress you up?”

Kyungsoo reaches for him, nods around the loose hug he gives Jongdae.

“Yeah. We dressed each other actually.”

It’s said with the tiniest amount of cheekiness, and if this was Baekhyun, Jongdae wouldn’t even bat an eyelash. But this is Kyungsoo, the most serious of them three, and Jongdae pulls back from Kyungsoo’s embrace to look at him.

“Why does that sound vaguely ominous?”

Kyungsoo shrugs slightly, full lips stretched wide in a smile that’s almost a full blown grin. Jongdae is suspicious. But then, Kyungsoo ushers him into the bedroom, tells him to hurry up and change so they can go meet Baekhyun at the bar and Jongdae forgets about it between the many pecks Kyungsoo leaves on his cheeks and nape and back as he swaps out his day clothes for something for appropriate. They end up taking longer than they’re supposed to, but Kyungsoo’s stolen enough kisses from Jongdae to not be mad. It’s mostly Kyungsoo’s fault anyway.

The bar is not too crowded when they reach, the night still young. Baekhyun’s at their usual table, nursing a glass of what looks like plain water, and Jongdae finds himself skipping a little to get there faster.

“Hello stranger,” Jongdae says, then laughs when Baekhyun makes the scrunched face he always does at that terrible line.

“If I’m a stranger, it’s because you stay in the lab for too many hours staring at bacteria instead of me, your boyfriend.” Baekhyun pouts, grumpy but adorable nonetheless.

Kyungsoo laughs, slings an arm around Baekhyun.

“Both of us really. Neglected by our other boyfriend, and for what? Bacteria.”

Behind the bar, someone laughs, and Jongdae turns to give the bartender, Yixing, an evil eye. Yixing holds his hands up, slinks away quietly. Jongdae makes a face, turns back to Baekhyun and Kyungsoo with a pout of his own.

“Come on, you know the bacteria culture take time to grow and I have to take them out after exactly six hours for testing or it’ll be useless and –”

“I’m sure Baekhyun and Kyungsoo would like to hear about something other than the bacteria that’s been stealing your time,” Yixing comments as he places three beers on their table – their usual order – avoiding the smack Jongdae tries to give him.

“I –”

“He’s right, you know,” Kyungsoo says, elbowing Jongdae, and that’s when he realises Baekhyun’s uncomfortable expression.

“I’m sorry. You know I don’t mean to spend so much time away from you guys.”

Baekhyun sighs softly, a sad dejected sound, and Jongdae can’t help but scoot over to give him a hug.

“I’m really sorry,” he mumbles into Baekhyun’s hair, slowly smoothening down the strands. It’s messing with the wax he’d put in (or Kyungsoo, if they’d dressed each other), but Baekhyun sinks into his arms, doesn’t complain. So Jongdae kisses his forehead gently, mumbles, “Since I’m here now, why don’t you tell me what you guys were up to while I was away? Kyu