Kris awoke to a ruckus in the dorm, but he was more surprised about his own situation before he could worry about the others.

            He was still on the couch, and Tao was fast asleep, his head on Kris’s chest. He still had the towel on his head and everything.

            Kris would have done anything to lie there just like that forever, but someone in the kitchen was being really loud. He took Tao’s head in his hands and as carefully as he could got up and gently moved Tao so he was lying on a pillow.

            “Eh?” Tao mumbled groggily.

             “It’s okay, Tao, you can keep sleeping.”

            “What’s that noise?” Tao asked.

            “I don’t know,” Kris replied. “I’m going to go check.”

            “I want to come with you,” Tao said, sitting up and rubbing his eyes.

            Oh God, he’s so cute, Kris thought. He took Tao’s hand and helped him up. They both walked into the kitchen, where everyone was surrounding Chanyeol and Baekhyun. Chanyeol looked confused and Baekhyun looked frenzied.

            “Oh, hey,” Lay said, sounding tired. He eyed Tao and Kris’s clasped hands but didn’t say anything.

            “What’s going on?” Kris asked. Lay sighed.

            “Well…there seems to be a slight…uh, scandal, for lack of a better term.”

            “Scandal?” Tao asked. Lay nodded, pointing to the center of the commotion. Suho and Chen were standing with Baekhyun while Chanyeol was standing with Kyungsoo and Sehun, and the rest were filling in the gaps between them. Kris pushed his way through the little crowd in the kitchen and finally managed to make it to the middle. Tao followed him.

            “What happened?” Kris asked, looking around to see if anyone would answer his question. Suho gave him his signature parent-like stare and Luhan let out a small giggle.

            Finally, Chen opened his mouth.

            “Well, it seems that Chanyeol—”

            “HE KISSED ME,” Baekhyun cried, absolutely hysterical. He turned bright red.

            Chanyeol stood silently, looking awkwardly at nothing in particular, over everyone’s head.

            “Oh,” Kris replied. So Chanyeol had a thing for Baekhyun. That explained the odd comments he’d made a few weeks before.

            “I told him that he can’t just go around and kiss whomever he pleases,” Suho said seriously, “but he’s just standing there and not saying anything.” Kris nodded. Suho was right. Kris knew more than well that you can’t just kiss people whenever you want.

            Baekhyun made a blubbering noise and was fidgeting while his face got redder and redder.

            “But…Baekhyun,” Tao piped up, and everyone stopped talking. Even Chanyeol looked at Tao. “Did you mind?”

            “Eh?” Suho asked, “of course he did, right Baekhyun?”

            Baekhyun responded by resuming his fidgeting and making strange noises.

            “What are you doing?” Lay asked, pushing towards the middle of the circle. “Baekhyun, seriously. Calm down.”

            Baekhyun closed his eyes, collecting himself, and his calm state lasted for all of fifteen seconds before he went back to exactly what he’d been doing.

            “Baekhyun,” Tao said again, and Baekhyun looked at him. Suddenly he grabbed Tao’s head and pulled it towards his, and for a split second, everyone gasped, including Tao, thinking perhaps the “scandal” was bigger than they thought. It really looked like Baekhyun was going to kiss Tao.

            But it was a whisper in Tao’s ear. Tao’s face was unreadable as Baekhyun told him whatever it was that he had to say.

            “Okay,” Tao replied out loud, and everyone else let out their breaths.

            “What’d he say?” Chen and Kyungsoo asked simultaneously. Tao just glanced up at Kris and smiled.

            “Let’s go,” Tao said, taking Kris’s hand and walking out the door.

            For some reason, everyone else took this as their cue to leave as well. Maybe that’s what Tao had intended to make happen all along. But they left Chanyeol and Baekhyun to settle their issue alone, and they all ended up back in the living room.

            Tao, Kris, and Lay returned to Kris and Lay’s room, leaving the others to discuss what had just happened. It wasn’t really as if anyone was quite sure what was going on, even Suho, who seemed so certain.

            “What did he tell you, Tao?” Kris asked once they were sitting on the floor in Kris and Lay’s room. Tao smiled.

            “Nothing that’s going to change anything,” Tao said vaguely. “Don’t worry, everything will resolve itself.”

            “Does that mean that Baekhyun actually likes Chanyeol?” Lay asked, and Tao just smiled at him. Lay gave Tao a look of something like understanding, but Kris certainly did not have the same feeling. He was just as confused as he’d been when he’d woken up to the noise.

            Speaking of that—

            “So, we came home last night and you two were sleeping on the couch together,” Lay said in his creepily gooey voice.

            “Eh?” Tao cried, his face reddening.

            “Tao, you were sleeping with his chest as a pillow, you can’t be—”

            “Lay, seriously, it’s not a big deal. We had a big night last night,” Kris explained, but Lay looked shocked.

            “A…big night?” Lay asked incredulously.

            “NO,” Kris and Tao cried at the same time. Tao’s face was buried in his hands, but that didn’t hide the bright red hue practically radiating from it.

            “Well then, what did you mean?” Lay asked.

            Kris explained the story, and Lay was polite enough not to laugh when Kris fumbled over his words when describing just how terrified he was when Tao fell in the water. Tao nodded along all the while, confirming Kris’s words.

            “Damn then,” Lay said, “you should teach Tao how to swim, in that case.”

            “In the river?” Kris asked.

            “No, pabo, in the bathtub.” Lay sighed with a slight chuckle. “Kris, there’s a pool at school, you know. They use it to teach the primary school kids to swim, and the swim team uses it too. I’m sure if you asked Jungsu he’d give you permission.”

            “Tao?” Kris asked. Tao looked at him nervously.

            “I want to learn how to swim, but…I’m scared,” Tao replied. Kris smiled.

            “I’ll be there just like I was last night, and the pool is far safer than a river, trust me. How about it? It could be fun!”

            “Really?” Tao asked.

            “Sure! Swimming is actually great once you’re confident with it.”

            “Okay then,” Tao breathed. “Can we go now?”

            “Now?” Kris asked.

            “Before I get cold feet,” Tao replied, and Lay laughed.

            “You should,” Lay said. “Definitely do it.”

            “Now then,” Kris confirmed, and Tao nodded. They both got up to gather their things, touching hands before Tao left the room.

            “So…” Lay began, leaning back. “What really happened last night?”

            “Lay, seriously,” Kris laughed, “do you really think I’d make up a story about Tao falling in the river?”

            “Yes,” Lay replied bluntly.

            “Well, he really did fall in the river. And I really did jump in after him.”

            “Fine. What kind of reward did you get?”

            “Lay,” Kris deadpanned.

            “You were holding hands,” Lay pointed out. “This morning.”

            Kris grinned and nodded. Just remembering the way Tao intertwined their fingers the night before made him smile like an idiot.

            “Come on, you kissed, didn’t you?” Lay asked in that same gooey tone of voice. Kris’s demeanor changed, also remembering his failure from the previous night. He sighed.

            “Actually, I tried to kiss him, but…he wasn’t ready,” Kris explained. Lay smiled.

            “Understandable. You’ll just have to make him ready, right?”

            “I told him I’d wait,” Kris replied.

            “Shouldn’t take long,” Lay grinned. “The way he looks at you is enough to tell me that he’s almost ready.”

            There came a knock on the doorframe. Tao stood there, carrying a bag and a towel, looking expectantly at Kris, who had just finished stuffing a towel into his own backpack.

            “Are…are you ready?” Tao asked, and Kris smiled at him.

            “Let’s go,” he replied, taking Tao’s hand. Tao smiled up at him.

            Yeah, the way he looked at Kris was like nothing Kris had ever seen before. He was pretty sure his heart melted into a little puddle every time Tao looked at him like that. 

Photo credit: Liddy Mouse

A/N: Oh Chanyeol...

@BalancedCuppycake: That's right! Kekeke.

@sullifxify123: Of course! I try to reply to all the comments! I really liked the hair drying part :)

@AlwaysMe-: I like the awkward/innocent relationship. It's fun to write.

@missmacyy: I get annoyed when things progress too fast so that's why I write this slowwwww~

@ShaZam: So close still :) 

@Lala1901: I'm happy you like it~

@silverphoenix: Oh he does, don't worry hahaha.

@JulietteShawol1: I took your suggestion! Swimming lessons are for the next chapter~

@sumomoyuki: Yup! Kris is the best.

@insaneleeee: Hehehehe fluff is what I do kekeke.

@pripri: A kiss now would be too soon anyway though! Kris and Tao are not speedy by any means hahaha.

@chigire: AH you don't know how to swim? Then you could relate to Tao~

@Lee_HyunJae: Feels are what I aim for hahaha.

@kitty_kat: Knight in shining armor :D

@Chrissy8997: Genius savior! I like that.

@BlueStarLover: NOT ENOUGH TAORIS AT SMTOWN LA THOUGH >:(

@EXOluv95: Yahhhh I'm pleased that people were scared for Tao because it means I captured the moment well. 

@Nakonoshi: Ahhhh Taoris and all the other pairings I just want to write everything about them ahhhhhh.

@OMFGitsJC: Whooo thanks.

@noonabb: YES reactions are good hahaha. I'm glad you like it.

@xxjenjaexx: Unfortunately...this is fiction. I'm saddened by it too.

@aznmusiklife: Well nobody let him drown since he's obviously alive, but he just didn't think that he mattered enough to anyone to be worth it.

@Writtendlessly: CONGRATULATIONS!!!!!!! I support your shipping wholeheartedly.

@sorrowlicher: I CAN'T NOT WRITE FLUFF HAHAHA.

@Krispy-Lays: They did :)

@1wkeylove: Thanks~

@angelsmiles: Ambient noise with the story! Awesomeeeeee. Cute Tao is cute.

@SadisticRainbows: YES. YES YES.

@mj_a_lover: Tao = cat because of water scarediness and the eyes. Lololol no Chenmin, sorry~ I actually ship Xiuhan so hard even though I also ship Hunhan to the ends of the earth lololol. Idk how that happens. 

@ExoticVIP: YAY because I love Taoris. I've loved them since I first saw them together. Sooooo cuuuuuute.

@HepHapBBC: Dadaaaaan update voila. 

@MsChocoChan: I have no idea how I can write such fluffy things when I literally have no emotions besides moderately happy and fangirl. 

@yshaness: AHAHAHAHAHA THAT'S PRECIOUS I LOVE IT. 

@a_song_4_yoo_rin: They're cute, right?

@Yuki_Hime: I love them toooooo!

@underthetwomoons: You made an account to keep track of this fic? Wahhh I'm flattered, thank you!

@XmaknaeluverX: I swear I get those feels too hahaha.

@gatorbitez: Wahahahaha thank you kekeke.

@kitten83: Kris is so valiant!

@freemyse0ul: YUP the no railing was the hint. I'm glad you picked up on that :D And I'm happy you like my descriptions~~

@fluffcloud: I love new readers~ Yay. I'm happy you like the Taoris~~ More to come!

@s7herry: Tao trusts him now!

@kpopchicken: I got it off tumblr...I can't remember now where it's from. Try searching it? I'm pretty sure it was taken around the 7th or 8th of May, if that helps. 

@MeiXiah: Oooh I'm happy you liked the mix of themes~

@Miss_Logical: Yayyyy new reader! Baekyeol moments will come eventually, I promise~

@Kahlem: Selca-king Tao. Oh god I love him so much.

@tarp_walls: THE HAIR DRYING WAS YOUR BRILLIANT IDEA AND I LOVED IT SO THANK YOU <3 You never have to think about Yugoslavia again (Emimi and Chantoria lolololol)

@maktaemint: Yayyyyy feelings are good.

@vintagescout: You don't know how happy your comment made me. Reccommended? By who? I LIKE YOU.

@m3nt0s: Wushuuu...haven't thought about it. I'm happy you like the story though!!

@jjongai: *blushes* Why thank youuuuuu <3

@K-Poop: Teared??? Ahhhh I'm happy you like it!

@PikaKyuLove: Kekekeke Kris is gonna be there forevsies.

♥ Exie