A/n: I am so sorry I haven't updated in like three weeks. ㅠㅠ I had exams and then I needed to take some time off and then I started planning a new fic and anyways, I have been writing the past couple days for this. And I'll be back to regular updating now (even though this is almost over). No more school for me! ㅅ.ㅅ Enjoy. Thanks to everyone who's subscribed lately, even when I haven't been updating. <3 Please comment and upvote, if you would! <3

TW: I was notified that infidelity should be tagged. I didn't know it could be triggering, so I'm sorry, if slightly too late, for not tagging it. If you guys have any other triggers, please let me know, I don't want to be setting anyone off. I sincerely apologize for not tagging this. I would have if I had known. (And now I know.)

The trip to Europe was amazing to Joonmyun. The sights were memorable, the nights even more so. It started out on their arrival at the first hotel, when Joonmyun was unpacking his things onto his own bed, his roommate – whom he didn’t know – doing the same on the other. In a moment, Jongdae had swooped in and claimed the room for his own, telling the other boy to scram.

“Where am I supposed to go?” the boy asked doubtfully. Jongdae tossed him his room key, and ordered the boy to leave his own on the bed and get out. The kid seemed unimpressed, but did as he was told. While all this happened, Joonmyun just stood and watched, slightly amazed. When they were alone, Jongdae grinned.

“They always make it too easy,” he said distantly. “I’m really not that intimidating.”

“Believe me, you are,” Joonmyun assured him, and Jongdae’s grin widened.

“Well, now we can travel through Europe together, and maybe map out some other places while we’re here,” Jongdae said, voice full of mischief, eyes twinkling darkly.

“What does that even mean?”

Jongdae sighed, shaking his head, and got up, jumping onto Joonmyun’s bed and kicking the older’s suitcase to the floor. Joonmyun cried out in defense of his bag, but was ignored as Jongdae’s hand twisted into the front of his shirt and yanked him down onto the bed, Jongdae rolling on top of him. Joonmyun stilled beneath him, wide-eyed and heart beginning to pound nervously.

“This,” Jongdae breathed, emphasizing the word by trailing his fingers down Joonmyun’s chest, and down to his abdomen. “I want to explore this. Learn all the roads and hills, find the heart of this place, and all the secrets hidden away. I want to paint this landscape with my fingers, leave my mark. I don’t want to stop until I know you inside and out.”

Joonmyun’s breath was shallow, watching as Jongdae’s eyes followed his investigative hands that traced the lines of Joonmyun’s body. He was gentle and slow, lacking any aggression though his words suggested hunger. Eventually his hand found Joonmyun’s and he laced their fingers together, resting his head on the older’s chest.

“Your heartbeat is very calming,” he murmured after a while, and Joonmyun closed his eyes, trying to take in the feeling of this softer, gentler Jongdae. He sighed, reaching a hand up to the younger’s hair, hesitation and possibly better judgment escaping him because Jongdae’s breath was coasting across his shoulder and that felt really, really nice. Jongdae hummed.

“Let’s get changed,” he suggested, rolling off of Joonmyun. Joonmyun was starting to feel a bit of whiplash at Jongdae’s changing moods. You’d think he’d be used to it by now, since the guy was like that all the time. Sitting up, Jongdae shrugged off his sweater, and then, too fast, he was tearing his shirt over his head. Joonmyun sat up, wide-eyed, unable to not stare. How many times had he fantasized about that body being so close, in bed with him? He had seen Jongdae in his gym class before, but he had always avoided looking the younger’s way when he was showering. And now he was just… right there, and it was the two of them alone, and there was really nowhere else Joonmyun could look.

Jongdae caught Joonmyun’s ogling eyes and the corner of his lips turned up (more than usual). He continued to undress, shimmying out of his jeans, putting on a show and clearly enjoying the reactions he received. Joonmyun clenched his jaw to keep it from falling open, thinking about the actions of his lungs and trying to keep control of his own body. He was good at self-control, usually. But right now, his skin felt hot and he really just wanted to fan himself, because Jongdae was definitely making this so, so ual. Teasing. Because he could, because he knew who was in charge here.

“You gonna join me, or just keep watching?” Jongdae asked, smirking with his eyes as he tossed his jeans aside. Taking a breath, Joonmyun reached for the hem of his sweater, tugging it up and over his head. However, it got stuck on his head, and he struggled for a moment, feeling extremely embarrassed, worse so when he finally got the thing off and saw Jongdae grinning. “Need some help?” he said, crawling towards the older. Joonmyun paled.

“N-no, that’s-” Jongdae’s hands were already reaching to shuck the boy’s shirt, and despite the fact that he was stripping layers, he only felt hotter. “Uh, thanks…” But when Jongdae’s hands moved to Joonmyun’s waist, Joonmyun got scared, and had to stop him. “Don’t. I can – just… don’t, please.”

Jongdae retracted his hands. “Go ahead, then.” And he sat back expectantly. But as Joonmyun continued to show reluctance, Jongdae posed, “You’re still a . I don’t know how I didn’t catch that before.”

“What makes you say that?” Joonmyun muttered, flushing as he slowly ed his own pants. He wondered if Jongdae actually planned to get dressed again tonight, or if he was – albeit successfully – just trying to get into Joonmyun’s pants. (He’d already just tried, hadn’t he? And Joonmyun hadn’t exactly said no. And he wasn’t sure he could anyway.)

“You have confidence if you’ve had before,” Jongdae assured him. “Even if it’s just a little bit of confidence. Your self-esteem is at the floor.”

“It is not!” Joonmyun protested. “It’s just hard to compete with all your big-headedness.”

Jongdae laughed. “Big-headedness, huh?” Joonmyun nodded, wishing he could stop the smoldering heat flourishing under his skin. “I think I’ve misjudged just how you think of me. I was under the impression you liked me.”

“I – I do,” Joonmyun spluttered. “But that doesn’t mean you don’t have flaws!”

Jongdae’s eyebrows raised, looking surprised but impressed. He leaned forward, and Joonmyun moved back away from him, although his mind was telling him to allow Jongdae to do whatever he wanted. Of course, there was only so far back Joonmyun could go, and soon he was leaning against the headboard of the bed, and Jongdae was crowding in.

“You’re so… fascinating,” Jongdae told him, and his eyes were sparkling, as if Joonmyun really was some fascinating object that had the ability to light up the boy’s world. Jongdae tilted his head, moving ever-so-close to Joonmyun, and Joonmyun had to try not to whimper or hyperventilate. Instead, he bit his lip slightly, and let Jongdae kiss him. Giving up on his pants, Joonmyun reached up to cup his hands against the back of Jongdae’s neck, holding the boy in place against his lips as Jongdae pushed himself closer, sitting on his calves bracketing the older’s thighs and gripping the headboard. He pressed his body against Joonmyun’s chest heavily, and Joonmyun was temporarily distracted from the younger’s less-than-gentle mouth movements by it. Jongdae’s warmth only added to his, and the feeling of softly toned muscles against him made him feel giddy.

Jongdae regained Joonmyun’s focus on their mouths as his dragged his teeth briefly along the older’s lip, and then trailed his tongue there in its stead. His fingers moved to pry Joonmyun’s hands away from his neck and press them on either side of his head against the wall. Then Jongdae pulled away, long before Joonmyun was finished with him, and his lips moved to Joonmyun’s neck. Joonmyun heaved a sigh, an underlying moan harmonizing with it.

“I really like you,” he told the other, eyes squeezing shut as Jongdae’s teeth sunk into his skin cautiously. His heart was pounding in his ears, hands longing to hold on to something as they remained trapped under Jongdae’s grasp.

“I know,” Jongdae murmured, breath leaving goosebumps in its wake on Joonmyun’s neck. “I’m sure you wouldn’t kiss me if you didn’t.” Then he chuckled and added, “Even if you think I’m big-headed.”

The words bounced through Joonmyun’s head for a while, finding no purchase. Through a haze, something slowly clicked together in Joonmyun’s mind. “You’re the one kissing me,” he pointed out, earning another bite for his observation. “Does that mean you like me too?”

Jongdae pulled up, and his character smirk was playing on his glistening lips. His hand fell from above Joonmyun’s head to the boy’s neck, his jaw line absently with his thumb. Hand now freed, Joonmyun took hold of Jongdae’s wrist, not wanting the emptiness from the loss of warmth he’d just been holding onto.

“Mhm,” Jongdae purred, and there was a loss of mischief, replaced with a warm sincerity.

That didn’t mean Joonmyun’s doubts disappeared. “You’re not just saying that to get me to sleep with you?” he prodded.

“Even if I was, wouldn’t you still do it anyway?” Jongdae said, and it was more a point than a question. “You like me a lot, and if I said I was willing, you’d let me.” Joonmyun wanted to argue that he wasn’t as weak-willed as Jongdae was making him seem, but Jongdae continued before he could get in a word. “I think it would be fun, though. Think about it; we’re in London. I’d kinda like to be able to say I had in London. And Paris, Rome, Berlin… I dunno when I’ll get the chance again. And for you, I mean – unless you had some reason you wanted to be in Korea…”

Joonmyun gulped. Jongdae was asking for his ity. As long as Joonmyun had been thinking about , he’d wanted it to be with Jongdae. When he’d first thought about with the younger, he’d been disillusioned to thinking it would be extremely sweet and romantic, Jongdae would be gentle and loving and a perfect lover. (Joonmyun had foolish expectations from movies.) And now, three years in, long after giving up on that dream, somehow – somehow – Jongdae was offering it on a silver plate. Well, sort of. What better way to live this dream in London – and not just there, but all over Europe, the way Jongdae was talking – and also, that would be some amazing memories to take home with him.

But all that aside, he was still nervous at the idea.

“It’s not bad,” Jongdae promised, reading the doubt in Joonmyun’s eyes. He leaned in, capturing his lips, and Joonmyun’s head whirled. “Let me,” Jongdae begged lightly, nipping Joonmyun’s lip. The younger’s eyes were wide, filled with innocence and gentle pleading. Worse, he tacked on in a honey-sweet voice, sounding entirely unsure of himself, “Please?”

Joonmyun could feel the pressure, because it was Jongdae, and because this was a one-time offer. Maybe he could have with Jongdae some other time, but not in London.

Trying to push the stress aside, Joonmyun inhaled heavily, and then nodded. Jongdae’s face lit up hopefully, and Joonmyun offered a half-smile. Moving with dizzying speed, Jongdae began kissing and touching, and removing the clothes that remained cloaked on their bodies. Joonmyun barely had time to be self-conscious when the other was filling the air with quirky compliments and the sounds of kisses being pressed to skin. After a while, those sounds changed, and undoubtedly their room neighbours knew exactly what happened that night. Joonmyun couldn’t find it in him to feel so bad.

If there was any guilt in the morning, it was gone by the next night, and every night after that. And if there were any doubts left in Joonmyun, Jongdae smoothed them away.

“

Jongdae took lots of pictures with Joonmyun whenever they went to a famous landmark. In front of the Big Ben, the Colosseum, the Berlin Wall, the Parthenon... Jongdae would pull the older in close and snap a photo, and then abruptly he would turn and kiss Joonmyun. If he took photos of those moments, Joonmyun wasn’t sure. He didn’t know how well they would turn out anyway. When they reached the day in Paris, and stood out front of the Eiffel Tower, Joonmyun grew bold enough to kiss Jongdae first, during the photo Jongdae tried to take. Not on Jongdae’s lips, just on the cheek. He hoped the picture taken would have captured the look of surprise on Jongdae’s face, because the look vanished soon after, turning to lust which Jongdae eagerly fed. When he was sure he was blushing too much for his own good, Joonmyun pulled away from the boy’s vicious attack on his mouth, muttering something about people watching and PDA. In response, Jongdae looped his arm around the older and went off so the pair could take pictures of the Tower at various angles.

At one point, they were stopped by a tourist or perhaps a local. Judging by their English and lack of Parisian accent, Joonmyun guessed they too were just visiting the site. The woman asked them something, and he felt his eyes grow wide and himself become flustered. His English really wasn’t that good, and the lady spoke quickly. But Jongdae was smooth and politely said, “Pardon?” and the woman seemed to realize that they weren’t English speakers, rephrasing and slowing her speech.

“Are you two together?” she wondered.

Jongdae seemed to scramble for a word in his head, before offering, “Boyfriend?” to which he received an encouraging nod. “Yes. My boyfriend.” He took Joonmyun’s hand and squeezed it tightly.

“That’s great!” she exulted, smiling widely. “It’s so encouraging to see such positivity and comfort between you two…” She carried on a bit, and Joonmyun just nodded along as Jongdae did, until she finally backed off and asked, “Where are you from?”

On the bright side, that was something they had learned long, long ago in English class, and both could answer immediately. Completely synchronized, they both answered, “Korea!” This seemed to amuse her.

“South Korea?” she asked. Jongdae gave another nod. She said something about how fantastic that was, and then bid them to have a wonderful day, to which they both bowed and said goodbye. When she was out of sight, Jongdae laughed.

“English people are so queer,” he chuckled. “Though I’ll admit I was worried there for a second. I thought she was going to make a scene. ‘That’s a sin you know! You’re having a terrible influence on children!’ I dunno, something like that. But she seemed exorbitantly happy about it. They’re all nuts, I swear.” He shot the quiet boy beside him a glance. “What?”

Joonmyun shook his head. “I didn’t understand a word she said,” he muttered, and Jongdae snorted.

The two of them and their behaviour didn’t go unnoticed by those with them. Their teachers gave odd looks occasionally, but Mrs. Han was positive whenever she noticed the two holding hands or taking photographs. Most of the other boys slept in a room on either side of them at some point, and annoyed glares were sent Jongdae and Joonmyun’s way at least once in the morning. Some boys were bold enough to grumble as they passed, but said nothing more when Jongdae called them out on it. That was the perks of being the most feared boy on this trip.

Well, the second most feared. There was still the absolute alpha, Kris. And to say he was aware of the interactions between his friend and Joonmyun was far from exaggeration.

The first time he pulled Jongdae over to ask just what he was trying to accomplish, Jongdae brushed the older off casually. It was a harmless relationship, Jongdae told him, no big deal. Kris felt no guilt when he chose not to bite his tongue at that comment. Just like the last ‘harmless’ relationship, he’d reminded Jongdae, but only received an eye-roll.

Kris persisted, asking the boy again when they were hanging out alone in Kris’ hotel room. Again, Jongdae shrugged it off. Every time Kris brought it up, Jongdae dismissed it. It wasn’t like he was avoiding the topic, but he didn’t seem to see anything worth telling. So the “why” in Jongdae’s new relationship remained a mystery to Kris, which quickly began to infuriate him.

People didn’t keep secrets from him. His friends certainly didn’t. He was in the loop in their circle, because that’s what leaders did. Kris knew all the ins and outs of everyone, because he wanted and needed to. Because when he’d been friends with Heechul, he’d seen how the boy cared for his friends – in that he didn’t. He was neglecting and inconsiderate and there were too many things he didn’t know and Kris just thought he’d done it all wrong. So when Kris had gotten his friends together, he’d learned about them. He knew Baekhyun’s biggest secret, Chanyeol’s worries and insecurities directed towards Baekhyun, Yixing’s observing skills despite his general lack of conversational input, Jongdae’s timidity regarding relationships, Tao’s feelings towards Kris, and Jongin… well, Jongin was just a big softie, and very awkward despite his image. Jongin and Jongdae were probably the most open, Kris thought. That wasn’t the point. He wanted his friends to be open with him, to trust him. Because he had a sort of leader complex.

Really, Kris was just afraid of losing his friends, losing face, losing status, and being like Kim Heechul. In his eyes, that was what failure consisted of, and he didn’t handle the idea of anything endangering himself and his position. And Jongdae was becoming a threat to that.

Paris was sort of the final straw for Kris. Jongdae got a little too unguarded in the city of love, and as he very blatantly began to make out with his new boyfriend, Kris saw some of the other students pulling out their phones to snap pictures. Already on edge from earlier that morning for very similar reasons, Kris snapped at the kids to delete the pictures or he would break their phones. And then moments later, when the group began walking around again, Kris pulled Jongdae away from Joonmyun, dragging him to the back of the pack.

“Did you see that picture going around, of Baekhyun?” he questioned Jongdae. Jongdae raised an eyebrow, and then laughed.

“Oh, yeah! Someone sent it last night to me,” Jongdae nodded. “I thought it was funny. We leave for a couple days and the whole school falls apart, huh?” His eyes were flashing, but also trying to read Kris’ expression.

“Yeah well,” Kris grumbled. “Maybe your new toy isn’t Do Kyungsoo, but I don’t want to see pictures of you and him like that. Joonmyun’s not much better than that brat.”

“I kinda think Kyungsoo looked cute with Baekhyun, you know,” Jongdae said lightly. “I mean, despite having Baek’s tongue down his throat.” Kris didn’t look amused at all. “Oh, live a little. I know Kyungsoo’s not like super cool, and maybe Joonmyun-hyung isn’t either, but, well, I can at least say Joonmyun’s nice. And cute, and dorky. But so is Baekhyun. And so is Yixing-hyung. You don’t have a problem with them.”

“Don’t try and turn this around,” Kris told him. “I put up with you and Minseok, because he was alright. But then your whole break-up thing – that really didn’t look good for you or the rest of us.”

“Ah yes,” Jongdae said sarcastically. “It finally comes out. That’s what’s you care about, right? The group image.”

“If you don’t care about your own friends, then you don’t have to stick around-”

“Hey, you should be thankful for me! I supported you when you had no friends, if you recall. Because you had a crush on someone. So don’t you call me out for this! I don’t know what you’re so worried about,” Jongdae went on more calmly, lowering his voice after it had heightened in frustration. “What, you think I’ll mutiny you? And then everyone will take my side because they’re all in love with someone and they stick up for that kind of thing? Honestly, we all graduate this year, I’d rather not have any big dramas. Is it so hard for you to accept me liking someone you don’t like?”

Kris scowled. Jongdae was deliberately trying to make him feel guilty, and all he was feeling right now was anger. Because Baekhyun was back in Korea, letting people take pictures of him making out with the absolutely most annoying person Kris hated most – and when Kris had messaged him asking what the hell he thought he was doing, Baekhyun had just said “I just felt like it” which was maddening – and Jongdae was doing the same thing with one of Kyungsoo’s best friends and that person was also Jongdae’s ex-boyfriend’s best friend and Kris had a lot of doubts and… ugh. Everything was starting to piss him off royally.

“Like him, I don’t care,” he said. “Whatever. Just stop being so flamboyant. I don’t want pictures of you two floating around, I don’t want you to be some big news, I just… don’t want to hear about it. You get that?”

“Yeah sure, I’ll just deny my relationship. That’s healthy.” The look he gave Kris said everything. He knew about Kris’ feelings for Yixing, and about his relationship with Tao. Maybe he knew other things. “People get hurt that way, when you can’t even tell your own friends who you’re in love with.”

“You saying you’re in love with Joonmyun then, already?”

“No. I’m just… saying.”

Kris knew what he was saying, and he didn’t want to hear it anymore.

“Well. Don’t.”

“

If Kyungsoo anticipated the week that Kris would be gone to Europe, if some part of him actually believed Jongin would treat him better openly without his leader around, he was very sadly disappointed. On Monday, Jongin reminded him that Tao was still at the school, and that was the same as Kris being there. Of course, in art class, he didn’t have to keep his voice down so much when they talked to one another at the paint buckets. Jongin fooled him at first, pulling him aside down an empty hallway during lunch to kiss him, and Kyungsoo thought that was something, since Jongin never kissed him at school. But when Kyungsoo tried to return the favour at the end of the day, Jongin pushed him away lightly and said something about too many people around. Key was there to drag Kyungsoo away, tsking under his breath as they stepped onto their bus.

The following day didn’t go much differently. By Wednesday, Kyungsoo was feeling disheartened, and had returned to his charade of acting like he didn’t care about Jongin. Why did he even bother?

But Wednesday brought with it a small surprise, and that surprise came by means of a small, brown-haired boy confronting Kyungsoo outside of the cafeteria at the beginning of lunch.

“Hello, Kyungsoo,” he offered, stepping away from the doors as if he’d been waiting for the boy to arrive.

“Hi,” Kyungsoo returned, trying not to allow his brow to furrow. Baekhyun pulled Kyungsoo out of people’s way, closer to him, and Kyungsoo’s jaw clenched slightly. He waited for the older’s explanation.

“I was wondering if I could do you a favour,” Baekhyun finally said. At that, Kyungsoo couldn’t help but frown. But he nodded his head to allow Baekhyun to explain further. “For you and Jongin, I mean.”

Kyungsoo tensed. “What… what are you saying, exactly?”

“It seems a bit silly to say out loud,” Baekhyun confessed. “But, I thought that maybe I could kiss you.” Kyungsoo winced. Getting right to the point, aren’t you? Baekhyun seemed to be in a bit of a rush, and continued. “So everyone can see, and maybe realize it’s not a big deal. People think Kris and the rest of us are some elite bunch, which I guess would make you some lower-class peasantry crap… Anyways, the point is, I figure if people saw you and me, they’d think differently about that kind of thing. That was my idea anyway.” His cheeks were a bit pink as he spoke. “I wouldn’t mind. I just thought it could pave the way for you and Jongin.”

Baekhyun’s fingers were still wrapped around his wrist gently, and his eyes looked tender and slightly nervous. Kyungsoo wanted to argue that Jongin should be able to handle this situation himself and Baekhyun needn’t interfere, but then what could it hurt, really? It wasn’t like Kyungsoo had anything against kissing, even someone like Baekhyun.

“What about Chanyeol?” he wondered. “Where is he, anyway?”

“He said he’d be a few minutes,” Baekhyun said, looking over Kyungsoo’s shoulder warily. So that’s why Baekhyun was in a hurry. “He was going to talk to a teacher about something. I wasn’t really paying attention, but I jumped on it anyway.”

“You’ve been planning this, then?”

Baekhyun shrugged. “Can I?”

“I guess so,” Kyungsoo answered, returning the shrug. This wasn’t a circumstance he was used to, or had in any way ever even considered preparing for. But whatever. He knew Baekhyun wasn’t doing it because he liked him – he already had Chanyeol – and he probably wasn’t doing it for a joke or something either. This left, what? That he actually wanted to help out Kyungsoo’s relationship. So he allowed Baekhyun to move his hands to his narrow shoulders, holding him firmly still.

“Alright,” Baekhyun said slowly. “Don’t move until I… get to you.” Then he bit his lip. “This is weird,” he muttered, more to himself it seemed. “I haven’t kissed anyone since Chanyeol for a long, long time. You’re the second not-Chanyeol I’ll have kissed.”

Kyungsoo cracked a smile. “Well, I’ve only kissed a few people, but it’s mostly been Jongin for me. Just… get on with it.”

Baekhyun nodded, and there was no other warning before his lips were touching Kyungsoo’s, and then Kyungsoo was pulling back.

“No, don’t,” Baekhyun told him. “People need to see.” And then he leaned back in, and kissed Kyungsoo for a second time. Kyungsoo stayed put, letting Baekhyun feel around, and then moving his mouth slightly too. Baekhyun’s lips quirked up a bit in response, and Kyungsoo tentatively let his hands rest on the older’s waist. He could hear people around them making comments. Against his lips, Baekhyun breathed, “Can I use my tongue?” Kyungsoo hummed an affirmative response, and then he felt the other’s tongue pressing into his mouth.

There was enough time for Kyungsoo to explore – and be explored – that he got a feel for the way Baekhyun kissed. It was very different from Jongin’s kissing, but he supposed that was because Baekhyun could practice all the time on Chanyeol, and find out what he liked and didn’t like. Jongin was a one-night-stand kisser, although he was soft when he wanted to be, and there was often passion underlying his sometimes-sloppy movements. (Not that Kyungsoo had ever minded.) Kyungsoo resolved that he kind of liked this different kissing with Baekhyun, but he didn’t want to do it again per se. Too soon or not soon enough, he couldn’t decide, Baekhyun pulled back and gave him a flushing smile.

“Um,” Kyungsoo said awkwardly, his own lips clear from Baekhyun’s saliva. “Thanks.”

Baekhyun was mirroring his action. “I’d say let’s do it again sometime, but I’d rather not. No offense.” Kyungsoo nodded in understanding. “But I hope it helps, anyway.”

“Thanks,” Kyungsoo repeated, genuinely. “Do you think Kris will find out about this?”

“Probably,” Baekhyun admitted. “I saw people with their phones, I think. Honestly, though, I’m more worried about Chanyeol.”

“Right. Well, good luck there,” Kyungsoo offered. “Thanks again.”

“It was nothing. Wait, that sounds… I meant, it was nice, but it was no problem.” And, both still blushing, they moved their own ways. As Kyungsoo turned to face the crowd of people still gathered though, he spotted Kim Jongin, looking utterly stunned.

Kyungsoo had a feeling he’d seen everything.

“

Honestly, Baekhyun expected Chanyeol to find out sooner. He thought the word would have gotten around the school pretty quickly, but maybe people were avoiding telling him. Either way, sometime during their last class, Chanyeol apparently heard the news. Baekhyun was dialling his lock when he felt a hand on his shoulder, wrenching him around and slamming him – too roughly – against the lockers. His heart dropped into his stomach, eyes becoming saucer-like.

“What the hell is wrong with you?” Chanyeol screamed, and anyone who hadn’t seen him heading Baekhyun’s way was now staring at them. Baekhyun’s throat felt like it had closed off, and words were not happening for him right now. There was pure rage in Chanyeol’s eyes, but underlying was a lot of brokenness that Baekhyun had learned to recognize in the boy, no matter how well he tried to hide it.

“It wasn’t Jongin you were trying to protect, was it?” Chanyeol went on angrily. “You’re the one hooking up with Kyungsoo! All that I know how he feels bull – you lying piece of – how long have you been screwing him?”

It went on. Accusations, fury, endlessly blaming and wondering how stupid Baekhyun thought he was. And when Baekhyun remained silent – in fear, and something of devastation – Chanyeol took it as confirmation of every word.

“So what, being with me, that got too boring for you? Kissing me, sleeping with me, being with me the past three years the way we have been, it’s not enough, huh? You had to go find someone else – but him? Do I mean that little to you? You couldn’t even break it off with me?”

Baekhyun wanted to wipe at the tears pouring from his eyes, but his veins felt like they’d been filled with concrete, and he couldn’t move. Chanyeol saw his tears, and his jaw clenched. Baekhyun wanted to speak, but… Just, Chanyeol confronting him, like this, in front of everyone, genuinely reacting this way because he thought Baekhyun was cheating on him and Baekhyun didn’t love him anymore… And his shoulders and the back of his head were aching where they’d hit his locker. He wasn’t used to angry, aggressive, terrifying Chanyeol.

“I’m so-rry,” Baekhyun half-pleaded, words catching in his throat. “It’s not – not like that…” Chanyeol looked more disgusted than sympathetic, and Baekhyun was starting to feel the concrete was turning into jello. He tried to reach out for support, but Chanyeol jerked out of his way, and Baekhyun’s knees gave out. He slid down the lockers to the floor, and hid his face behind his knees, arms limp at his sides. He couldn’t handle this right here, right now. Sorry Chanyeol. It’s all just a silly misunderstanding. He wished he could just laugh it off like that, but Baekhyun had never really done well under pressure.

It took a while, but it seemed that the crowds died down – for the second time that day – and then Baekhyun felt Chanyeol sitting down beside him.

“Alright,” Chanyeol sighed, some of the hostility gone from his voice. “Alright, then. Explain why.”

Unsure if he was allowed to touch Chanyeol yet, Baekhyun remained where he was, and offered his choked explanation. Chanyeol stayed quiet during it all, and then for a while afterwards. Though his neck was getting sore, Baekhyun didn’t look up. At last, he felt Chanyeol’s arm around him, squeezing him lightly.

“I swear, sometimes you have the stupidest ideas,” Chanyeol uttered, and there was laughter in his words. Baekhyun dared a glance, and saw a smile directed his way. “Next time you kiss someone to save their relationship or whatever, may I humbly suggest you tell the guy you’re in a relationship with – beforehand? I could’ve gone without that stress today, hyung.” He leaned in and kissed the spot above Baekhyun’s ear.

“Sorry,” Baekhyun mumbled. “I kinda thought you’d be mad either way, but...” His hand reached up to the back of his head, unconsciously rubbing at the bump he felt forming there. Chanyeol watched the movement, and swallowed hard.

“I didn’t mean to push you.” His hand moved behind Baekhyun’s, but Baekhyun brushed it away lightly. “I hurt you…”

“No, it’s alright,” Baekhyun promised. “Remind me not to make you jealous again, okay?”

Chanyeol nodded, and Baekhyun could tell it wasn’t just going to drop like that. Chanyeol never hurt Baekhyun. He never got mad at him. They never even fought, not really, not like that. And even when they moved on from this, Baekhyun was scared that Chanyeol might direct his hostility towards Kyungsoo.

Suddenly, Baekhyun was wondering whether this whole thing was going to help Kyungsoo and Jongin, or just make their situation worse. If this had been Chanyeol’s reaction, how would their strict, more close-minded, strongly Kyungsoo-disliking leader respond to the idea of Kyungsoo and Baekhyun kissing? And worse, how would he react to Kyungsoo dating one of their friends?

A/n: This was a lot of Suchen, and then ... Baeksoo? I wasn't gonna write them - the thought came to mind a while ago and I was like no I shouldn't - but then I did! Not even sorry. No one else is impressed with the Baeksoo, but what do you guys think? (Don't kill me please <3)