"Hyungggg," Jongin wailed, planting his face in Kyungsoo's sofa repeatedly. 

 

"It'll be fun, don't worry. And I think Junmyeon will be glad to have me there. At least he won't feel like he's completely outnumbered by your side."

 

"You're only saying that because you've never met Luhan. He may be my best friend but I will be the first person to tell you he's HORRIBLE. I cannot emphasize this enough, hyung. He's going to embarrass me completely. I can just see it. He'll tell you every humiliating thing I've ever done since junior high. I won't be able to look you in the face by the time his work is done."

 

"I'm sure you're exaggerating. Besides even if he did an exposé it wouldn't change anything - you know that."

 

"I've done some really dumb things, ok?" Jongin said sheepishly, hiding his face behind a grey cushion.

 

"I. don't. care. It wouldn't change anything, Jongin. Now let's forget paintball and get back to Star Wars. It's Han Solo and the Millennium Falcon, come on." Kyungsoo coaxed Jongin into an upright position and fed him a potato chip. 

 

"It's going to be a bloodbath." Jongin predicted dramatically.

 

"Bloodbath? Well, that's technically what paintball is about so it's all good. Now shush, we're getting to the best part." Kyungsoo settled Jongin's head on his shoulder and stuck another chip into his mouth because Jongin was right - you really couldn't do a Star Wars marathon without chips. Jongin grumbled one last time that joining in the paintball game would only lead to catastrophe, then he laid the matter to rest - snuggling closer to Kyungsoo and reaching for another chip.

 

* * *

 

Their bodies eventually succumbed to fatigue and Jongin drifted to sleep just as Luke was struggling to raise the X-Wing from the watery clutches of the muddy Dagoban swamp. Twelve minutes later, Kyungsoo discovered that his marathon companion was asleep. Smiling, he switched off the TV and lights and settled comfortably beside Jongin on the thankfully capacious couch. He shifted Jongin so that his body faced the back of the couch - then he wrapped his right arm around Jongin's waist and rested his cheek against the smooth, thin fabric that clung to Jongin's warm back. Sighing contentedly, Kyungsoo closed his eyes.

 

* * *

 

Kyungsoo's index finger trailed, slow as molasses across Jongin's jawline.  The younger man's face was relaxed and even more boyish in sleep. His cheeks puffed up slightly, his lips forming the merest hint of a pout. Kyungsoo knew it was impossibly cheesy but he couldn't help thinking Jongin looked like an angel. A sleeping angel.  He leaned close to his neck and inhaled deeply. The scent tickling his nostrils was intoxicating - an intermingling of Kyungsoo's own lemon soap and mint shampoo with another scent which was subtly different from his own, and subtly Jongin. 

 

When they had kissed for the first time under the combined glow of fairy lights and moonlight, Jongin had smelt of mint and something else. Kyungsoo hadn't been able to figure out what it was but he loved the way it had filled his senses. He remembered too, notes of vanilla with an overlaying of gamjatang. 

 

When Jongin had first shown up at his doorstep the night before, he had smelt of the same minty vanilla scent intertwined with barbeque, rain ... and ... despair. Kyungsoo hoped they'd eventually talk about what had upset him so badly but Jongin would be the one to initiate it, not him. It had never been his nature to push. 

 

Shaking off the heavy thoughts, Kyungsoo went back to contemplating the slumbering male beside him. His finger continued to skate lightly across the planes of Jongin's face and he couldn't resist tracing the outline of the sleeping man's pouty, dark pink  lips.  It was after he'd touched Jongin's mouth that the latter began stirring. He stretched his arms overhead and yawned leisurely, rubbing his eyes sleepily.

 

"'Morning, hyung," Jongin s an arm around Kyungsoo's waist and nuzzled his face in his hair, "Have you been up long?"

 

"'Morning. I woke up about ten minutes ago." Kyungsoo smiled as he felt Jongin's breath on his nape, and began chuckling as Jongin dropped butterfly kisses along its pale length, "Stop! That tickles!"

 

"But you said I could tickle you anytime?" Jongin pointed out reasonably.

 

"You'll have to pay admission though." Kyungsoo threatened, threading his fingers carefully through Jongin's silky hair, which had lost its waviness  in the shower. 

 

"Anything, hyung." Jongin's lazy smile did all kinds of things to Kyungsoo's insides, "Just tell me what and how much and I'll pay it." And before Kyungsoo could answer, Jongin blew on his neck, setting off a fresh set of anguished chuckles. 

 

"Hey, that's cheating! You snuck a freebie." Kyungsoo was still cringing from the delicious sensations, goosebumps raised, "I'm charging you for that last one." He poked Jongin in the waist in mock fury, only to have the other man shy away from his teasing touch. 

 

"Kim Jongin! Are you ticklish too?!" Kyungsoo inquired mischievously and found out to his delight that while Jongin wasn't that susceptible in the neck area, his torso was extremely ticklish, "That settles it then. The admission fee is one for one."

 

"No, hyung, nooooooooo..." Jongin groaned and collapsed in chuckles as Kyungsoo started tickling his waist. They eventually ended up spooning, Kai cuddling up to Kyungsoo from behind.

 

"I didn't make it to the end, huh?" Kai asked, slightly embarrassed.

 

"Nope. You fell asleep sometime during Empire Strikes Back. I'm not sure when exactly. I just know that when I asked you what you thought would have happened if Luke had stayed with Yoda to finish his Jedi training, there was no answer."

 

"I didn't snore, did I?" Peach pink suffused Jongin's cheeks.

 

"Just a little bit." Kyungsoo said teasingly and Jongin groaned, burying his face in the other man's back, mortified.

 

"It was a really really soft snore, Jongin, seriously. I didn't even realize you'd fallen asleep. I promise!" Kyungsoo placed his hand over Jongin's hand where it lay possessively over his hip.

 

"I'm sure you're just saying that to make me feel better. I'll bet I was going like a lawnmower." 

 

"You. were. not. Stop it. We should probably have something to eat. My stomach has been trying to get my attention since I woke up."

 

"What do you normally do for brunch on Saturdays?"

 

"I usually ... ! It's a Saturday!" Kyungsoo's voice had risen in mild panic.

 

"What am I missing?" Jongin sounded bemused.

 

"It's Saturday! On Saturdays I usually go out for brunch with the guys at around 11. It's 10.50 now and I haven't checked my messages. We take turns to pick the venue. Today it's Junmyeon's turn to decide but I haven't checked my phone. It's too late - I'm just going to cancel."

 

"Why? You shouldn't."

 

"I'd rather we grab something to eat together, Jongin."

 

"It's okay, hyung. I really should get a move on." Jongin gave him a reassuring squeeze.

 

But before they could say anything else, the quiet of the apartment was shattered by an extremely loud buzz. Looking a touch hunted, Kyungsoo jumped off the sofa and went over to the intercom. 

 

"Hello?"

 

"Open up! Why haven't you answered your messages? We've been texting you all morning!" Yixing's disembodied voice emanated from the speaker holes. 

 

"Erm, what are you guys doing here?" Kyungsoo sounded extremely wary.

 

"You would know if you'd read your messages. Baek found this great bagel stand two blocks from your place so we decided to buy some and have brunch at your place. Which you would know if you'd checked your damn phone." 

 

"So you want to come up?" 

 

"That's why we're in your lobby, dude. I keep telling you, you need to switch to coffee. Tea just doesn't do enough to wake a person's system up."

 

"Is Jongdae with you?"

 

"I don't see why this is relevant but no. He went out with some college mates last night and the dumb had Sambuca again! He just won't believe he can't beat it. So in denial. He must be hammered because he hasn't been answering our texts either. He sent Baek a few selcas of him drinking Sambuca with his buddies though, so we reckon it's Jongdae 3 points, Sambuca 26782 points."

 

"Soo, can you just let us up! I really need to pee!" Baek yelled urgently.

 

"O-kay." Kyungsoo answered reluctantly and pressed the button to release the security door.

 

"No need to overwhelm us with your enthusiasm, Do Kyungsoo." Yixing said sarcastically as they moved out of earshot.

 

Kyungsoo turned to face Jongin, eyes wide and apologetic. Jongin looked surprisingly calm though as he said, "It's okay, hyung, I can be out of here before they arrive. I can use the stairs and take the elevator from the floor below."

 

"No! No! I don't want you to leave! I want you to meet my friends."

 

"Hyung, you look a little stressed. It's probably better if I go." 

 

"Stay, please? I want you to stay. If I look a little anxious it's because I didn't want you to meet them en masse. I know you don't like meeting strangers so I was hoping to introduce you to my friends one by one - but they've kind of taken it out of my hands now. I'm sorry, Jongin. At least you already know Junmyeon. It'll be ok. Jongdae is the only who's really in your face nosey. Yixing and Baek are chill guys. You've actually met Baek."

 

"Me? I've met Baek?" Confusion was etched into Jongin's face. At least he didn't look distressed though, Kyungsoo noted with relief. 

 

"That time you sent the tulips? I sent Baek out cos I was a little ... um excited and I needed to calm down a little before I saw you."

 

"Excited?" Jongin asked curiously.

 

"I was waiting for you and I was a little ... antsy so I asked Baek to go out and stall you while I got myself back to normal."

 

"So he was that serious looking guy ..." Jongin looked thoughtful, "Yeah, he does seem a lot less intimidating than Jongdae. You know you should just have come out and we could have hyperventilated together because you know I was ting myself every time I went to your office, right?"

 

"I had a feeling," Kyungsoo chuckled, "You kept blushing and shuffling your feet."

 

"Hyunggggg," Jongin buried his face in Kyungsoo's shoulder in embarrassment. 

 

"It's one of the things I like best about you, that you're shy."

 

"I hate that I'm shy." 

 

"Don't. Like I told you in TuneStop, Jongin ... you're perfect." Kyungsoo calming circles on his back. Before Jongin could respond, the doorbell chime curtailed their conversation. 

 

"Well, here we go." Kyungsoo held his hand tightly and guided him to the front of the apartment. Kyungsoo had barely opened the door when Baek pushed Yixing out of the way and jogged into the apartment with an air of desperation.

 

"Toilet! Gotta go! Oh hi, you're here." He gave Jongin a jaunty wave and ran to the hallway toilet. 

 

"Who's here?" Yixing asked interestedly as he strode in the door.

 

 

--------------

 

Hi everyone, 

 

First of all, sorry this chapter is so y but it's been a super hectic week and I've had to pack for a family vakay as well so I haven't been able to sit down and write properly. I really wish I could have done better but I'm leaving town in 6 hours (and I haven't slept argh) and I wanted to post this first in case there's no time to update later, orz. I'll be away for 5 days but I'll try to write some paintball action if I can. 

 

Meanwhile, I wanna say a huge thanks to all my subbies and silent readers - you guys have been so great! 23 new subbies in the last 6 days since I updated  and 800+ views! It means so much to me, you have no idea. Which is why I feel bad that this wasn't a better update. But I'll try my best to make it up to you with the next update, promise! Shout out to Chodingchoding for giving me the idea to write in more detail about Kyungsoo's tickle admission charges ...

 

ok, imma try to get 3 hours sleep before my flight. One day I will manage to get more than 4 hours sleep before a flight, sigh.

 

take care everyone! Lots of love, LotusK