Baekhyun doesn’t even flinch as Chanyeol comes barreling through his apartment door, waltzing in as if he owns the place. And Baekhyun knows that in Chanyeol’s mind, in his unassailable logic, he pretty much does. You’re home, my home, home. It’s all just semantics, really.

Home is home is home.

So Baekhyun is used to Chanyeol barging in like this on a daily basis.

“Baekhyun, I’m bored! Entertain me!” Chanyeol hollers, kicking off his shoes and plopping down on the couch.

“If the neighbors cite me again for noise violation, you’re housing me until the end of the school year,” Baekhyun replies seated on the floor, eyes still glued to his lap top monitor, sifting through deal after deal on Living Social for a nice three day summer get away for himself and Daehyun.

“I’m bored,” Chanyeol whines, poking the back of Baekhyun’s head repeatedly when he doesn’t receive the needed attention.

“Why are you here?” Baekhyun huffs, swatting Chanyeol’s hand away. “Shouldn’t you be at home boning Jongin, or something? I’m sure he’d be more than glad to entertain you.”

“He’s at some dance recital,” Chanyeol sniffs, crossing his arms and throwing himself back into the couch. “He won’t be back for another two hours.”

“So you decided coming over to my place to pester me was your only option,” Baekhyun raises a brow, glancing over his shoulder.

“Yup!” Chanyeol crows, grinning big. “That’s what best friends are for, right?”

Baekhyun shakes his head in mild disbelief. “You have some really high qualifications for what it takes to be a best friend.”

“And you’re performing each and every specification admirably!”

Baekhyun rolls his eyes.

“No dude, but really,” Chanyeol says, lowering his voice with a softer smile. “You’re the best, best friend. What would I ever do without you? You know I really appreciate everything that you do for me, right?”

Baekhyun heaves a heavy sigh. “Okay, okay. Fine. What do you want to do?” How does he always end up giving in to this overgrown child?

“I loves you Baekhyun!”

“Alright, I get it! Stop being so homo.”

Chanyeol ruffles Baekhyun’s hair.

Baekhyun shoos his hand away.

“Hm,” Chanyeol hums, tapping his chin. “What do you feel like doing?”

“Anything but drinking,” Baekhyun grimaces, thinking about the night before. Ugh, tequila and ramen noodles are not a great mix. Never doing that again.

“That definitely narrows down our options,” Chanyeol mumbles, staring off in to the ceiling, deep in concentration.

A few minutes of silence pass.

‘Hm,’ Baekhyun thinks, a thought forming in his head. ‘Why not?’

“Hey,” he pat’s Chanyeol’s knee, jolting him out of his reverie. “Wanna do acid?”

“Acid?” Chanyeol repeats distractedly, mind still wracking through his inner catalogue, searching for interesting activities they can do on this quiet night.

“Yeah, I have a hook for some really good stuff,” Baekhyun replies, shutting his laptop and turning around to look up at Chanyeol, leaning against the coffee table with his legs drawn up.

Chanyeol thinks about it for a second, pouting his lower lip, before finally responding, “Okay! LSD it is!”

“Alrighty then,” Baekhyun smiles, reaching into the crack of his couch for his cell phone, “Let me just drop my connect a text, see if he’s available.” He starts typing away on his phone, shooting Chanyeol a quick glance. “You don’t mind if I invite Daehyun, do you? I don’t think he’s ever done it before, so I just wanna ask if he’s interested.”

“No, no!,” Chanyeol shakes his head, curls bouncing all over the place. “Go for it!” he gestures with his hands, palms up, for Baekhyun to continue. “Would it be cool if I invite Jongin to come over after his show?”

“Be my guest,” Baekhyun replies, resuming his texting. Chanyeol pulls out his phone as well, opening his iChat with Jongin.

More silence.

“Okay,” Baekhyun finally breaks the silence, “Daehyun says he’s kinda down to try. He’ll come over anyway. And my hook said it should be about an hour or so before he can hit me up.”

“Cool,” Chanyeol hums, still typing on his phone. “Jongin said he’s down too.”

“Then what should we do while we wait?” Baekhyun asks, pulling himself off the floor, using the couch as leverage.

“Wanna get pizza?” Chanyeol suggests, tossing his phone onto the cushions and staring up at Baekhyun.

“Sure, why not?” Baekhyun shrugs, heading for the refrigerator where a variety of delivery service numbers are stuck haphazardly across the door with colorful, mismatched magnets. “Wanna get some beers too?”

“Thought you didn’t want to drink?” Chanyeol smirks, heaving himself off the couch and making his way towards Baekhyun’s PS3 and game collection.

“Beer doesn’t count,” Baekhyun answers, calling up the number for pizza delivery. “Beer is water.”

Chanyeol snorts, selecting guitar hero and jamming it into the console. “Yo, where’s your guitar?”

“Hm?” Baekhyun says, still calling in for his order. “You want pepperoni or Hawaiian?”

“Hawaiian,” Chanyeol replies without a beat. “Where’s the guitar?”

“Closet,” Baekhyun waves his hand in the general area of the coat closet. “Yes, a medium Hawaiian pizza, that is correct. Fifteen minutes?  Okay that’s cool. Thanks.”

Baekhyun hangs up, opening his refrigerator for some Coronas.

“Where’s your roommate, by the way?” Chanyeol asks, head stuck inside the coat closet and searching for the PS3 guitar.

“I dunno,” Baekhyun answers, placing two bottles onto the counter and digging up some limes. “I think he said he went out on a date.”

“Oh,” Chanyeol says, walking back into the living room with the plastic guitar. “He dates?”

“I know, right?” Baekhyun laughs, slicing two wedges of lime and shoving them into the Coronas. He makes his way back to the living room, handing one to Chanyeol and taking a sip of his own.

“Thanks,” Chanyeol finally finishes setting up the game, flipping it on and heading back to the couch. Baekhyun follows, both plopping down and settling in.

“I call first game,” Chanyeol dibs, taking a long drink of his beer.

“Yeah, you do that,” Baekhyun leans into the cushions. “As long as you don’t hog it like last time.”

“I don’t hog,” Chanyeol replies with a sniff, “You just , and I’m amazing, and I’m way more fun to watch playing than you.”

“Oh my god,” Baekhyun shakes his head, “you can leave now.”

Half way into the game, Daehyun knocks on the door, Baekhyun flying over the couch to let him in.

“Beer?” Baekhyun offers, smiling hugely and entwining their fingers together.

“Keep down the lovey dovey sap,” Chanyeol gags, glancing up at the happy couple.

“I don’t act like a when you and Jongin do your gross in public,” Baekhyun raises a brow, sitting Daehyun down on the couch and heading for the kitchen.

“Sup,” Chanyeol greets, reaching out his hand.

“Hey,” Daehyun smiles, bumping his fist. “What’s up with you?”

“Just chillin’” Chanyeol replies, turning his attention back to the game as Baekhyun reenters the living room with an extra beer.

“Here,” Baekhyun gives Daehyun the drink, sitting down next to him.

“You sure it’s okay to drink before,” Daehyun frowns a little, “you know, the thing?”

“You mean acid?” Baekhyun grins, trying not to laugh at the boy’s adorable expression. “Yeah, trust me. It’s totally fine.”

Daehyun pouts.

“I mean, it’s okay if you don’t want to do it,” Baekhyun adds quickly, “it’s totally up to you. No pressure.”

“No, I want to try,” Daehyun says, shaking his head. He grabs the beer and takes a sip. “So what are we waiting for?”

“For my connect to hit me up,” Baekhyun answers. “And Jongin.”

“Mm,” Daehyun mumbles, swallowing more beer.

“Dude, Chanyeol. Seriously, I told you not to lord over my games,” Baekhyun swats the back of Chanyeol’s head, making to grab for the guitar.

“Okay, okay! Let me just finish!”

Baekhyun rolls his eyes. “He’s been saying he’ll be finished for the past hour.”

Daehyun smiles, shrugging his shoulders.

“You know what,” Baekhyun says, standing up and pulling Daehyun with him. “Let me know when someone knocks on the door. We’ll be in my room.”

“Uh huh,” Chanyeol hums, eyes still glued to the TV. “Keep it PG boys.”

“Oh my god, shut up,” Baekhyun laughs, dragging Daehyun to his room.

“No glove, no love!”

“He’s retarded, don’t mind him,” Baekhyun smiles, lightly shutting the door and pushing Daehyun against the closed door.

“I think he’s funny,” Daehyun says, looking up through his lashes.

“Do you now,” Baekhyun presses in closer, sliding his hand across Daehyun’s cheek, gliding a thumb across his bottom lip.

“Mmhm,” Daehyun breathes, lashes fluttering shut.

Baekhyun brings up both hands to cup Daehyun’s neck, tilting his face just the slightest to get better access, as Daehyun slides his hands around Baekhyun’s waist.

They press their mouths into each other’s, both molding and moving to accommodate the pliant shape of the other’s soft, plush lips.

The room starts to spin, Baekhyun getting dizzy from the lack of oxygen flowing to his brain, but he doesn’t want to stop. Daehyun, so warm, so snug against him.

Baekhyun lightly pulls at Daehyun’s dark locks, forcing a sound from the back of Daehyun’s throat that sends a jolt down into Baekhyun’s general lower region.

Oh my god, did he just mewl?

Daehyun wraps his arms tighter, squeezing Baekhyun closer to his body as if to mold them together. And Baekhyun wants to try to draw out that adorable, delicious sound again when a loud rap on the door makes both of them jump.

“Yo, Baekhyun! Are you decent in there? I think your drug dealer is here!”

“ man,” Baekhyun whines, rubbing his forehead where the two had collided, Daehyun laughing before placing a light kiss on the pink spot.

“Seriously, come on!” Chanyeol’s muffled shout filters through the door.

“Okay, okay! I’m coming!” Baekhyun calls back, pulling Daehyun close again. With a gentle smile, he places a chaste kiss on the boy’s lips before lacing their fingers and exiting his room.

Chanyeol merely lifts a brow as Daehyun sits down and Baekhyun makes his way to the front door.

“Just,” Baekhyun shakes his head, “don’t start with me.” He opens the door.

“Baek!”

“Luhan! What’s up, man?” Baekhyun greets, drawing in the foreign boy for a hug, clapping him on the shoulder. “Sorry for the short notice.” Then, Baekhyun does a double take. “Yixing? What?”

“Oh yeah! Sorry, if you’re like, one of those sticklers on privacy,” Luhan rubs the back of his neck, kicking off his shoes and entering the apartment. “But, I was kind of in the middle of something when you called.”

“You’re dating Luhan?” Baekhyun’s eyes go round, gaping at the other boy. “Since when?”

“Stop staring at me,” Yixing mumbles, following in after the other boy.

“You guys know each other?” Luhan asks, mildly surprised.

“I’d hope so,” Baekhyun smirks, getting his shock under control. “We live together.”

“Oh , no way!” Luhan exclaims. “Small world!”

“Yeah, right?” Baekhyun agrees, settling on the coffee table as the couch is packed now. He runs a small introduction for the people who haven’t yet met.”

“This is Luhan my homie, Yixing my roommate, Daehyun my boyfriend, Chanyeol my retarded best friend (hey! I am your awesome best friend)…” he points to each respective person, before coming full circle, and pointing to himself. “And I’m Baekhyun!”

“Oh, nice to meet you Baekhyun!” Chanyeol widens his eyes, smirking sarcastically. “Such a great pleasure!”

Baekhyun kicks him in the knee. “You stop talking.” He turns back to Luhan. “Now, back to businesss.”

“Alrighty,” Luhan sings, digging inside his pocket for his wallet. He takes out a small square of foil, setting it on the table beside Baekhyun and carefully unfolding the little wrapper. “With a homie discount, that’ll be six dollars a pop.”

“Cool,” Baekhyun replies, “I’ll be spotting today. You guys can buy me more beers later.”

“Thanks big boss,” Chanyeol says, checking his vibrating phone. “Be right back. Hey Jongin!” he walks away towards Baekhyun’s room.

“So Yixing,” Baekhyun leans back on the table, propping himself on his arms. “You and Luhan, huh?”

Yixing shrugs, Luhan smiling as he continues with his work. “We met at a party. I thought he was cute.”

“Yeah,” Luhan snorts, “And you also thought I was a girl for the first half hour.”

“But you do look like a girl,” Yixing jokes, gently tugging on a strand of Luhan’s hair.

“Whatever,” Luhan shakes his head, eyes still focused on carefully dividing a square of paper into tinier squares without actually touching the sheet. “Jealous. Haters gonna hate.”

“Seriously?” Yixing raises a brow as Baekhyun bursts into laughter. “You calling me a hater? I’m dating your , you fool.”

“And I’m just kidding, princess,” Luhan smiles, finishing his job and carefully placing the cut pieces on a tissue, wrapping away the extra in the foil and sticking it back in his wallet. “You guys don’t mind if we join you today?” he asks, turning back to Baekhyun.

“Nah,” Baekhyun waves a hand. “Of course not! You’re the provider of all our joys and happiness! How do I say no to that?”

Luhan smiles appreciatively.

“Plus you do look like a girl,” Baekhyun adds, Luhan trying to shove him off the table with his foot. “You got some big doe eyes there that no one can refuse.”

“I change my mind,” Luhan pouts, crossing his arms. “No drugs for you.”

Baekhyun laughs, sliding off the table ans settling beside Daehyun where Chanyeol had vacated his seat. “I’m just kidding,” he smiles. “You’re like one of the most manliest dudes I know.”

Luhan huffs, Yixing tucking back some stray hairs behind his ears.

“Oh, wait hey!” Luhan suddenly says, frown thawing from his face. “Just kidding! Can I keep this in your fridge until I leave?” He digs his pocket for the wallet, pulling out the small Ziploc bag.

“Go for it,” Baekhyun answers, drawing little patterns on Daehyun’s jeans. “Why don’t you just accidentally forget to take it and leave them here?” he says suggestively.

“Yeah, haha very funny,” Luhan rolls his eyes, standing up and making his way towards Baekhyun’s kitchen. “Do you know how much this one sheet is worth?”

At that moment, Chanyeol bounds out of Baekhyun’s room.

“Jongin’s almost…”

Knock, knock, knock.

“He’s here!” Chanyeol catapults towards the door, pulling it open and throwing himself onto the boy outside.

“Hey baby,” Jongin smiles, stumbling backwards and hitting the rails. “Missed you too.”

“Come on!” Chanyeol calls, unwinding his limbs from Jongin’s body and dragging him inside. “Let’s get the party started!”

Baekhyun reintroduces the room to Jongin as Chanyeol sits Jongin down beside him on the coffee table.

“Okay then!” Baekhyun claps his hands, jumping in his seat. “Cheers, let’s go!”

Luhan laughs, holding out the tissue for each person to grab a tiny square. “Calm your , you little imp.”

“YOLO,” Baekhyun crows before sticking out his tongue. “On three!” Baekhyun counts, “one, two, three! To good times and ed up !”

They all stick the squares in their mouths, Baekhyun instructing Daehyun how to properly take the drug.

“You chew,” he says, chewing on his own piece and ushering Daehyun to put his in his mouth, “then you swallow when you feel like it’s been melted down to a tiny pulp.”

“Okay,” Daehyun nods, following Baekhyun’s directions and chewing.

“I don’t feel anything,” Yixing says to the room at large.

“You gotta wait for it,” Luhan answers, patting his leg.

“So what do we do now?” Jongin asks, wrapping an arm around Chanyeol’s shoulders and leaning his head. “You know, while we play the waiting game?”

“Video games?” Baekhyun and Chanyeol suggest in unison, smiling and high fiving each other. “This is why we’re best friends,” Chanyeol laughs as Baekhyun climbs over laps and legs in the small space between the couch and coffee table, making his way for the game console.

“I have Smash Brawl, if you’re interested in a group game,” Baekhyun calls, kneeling in front of his TV.

“I like Smash,” Luhan says, catching a controller Baekhyun tosses behind him. After turning on the game, he climbs back over the obstacle course of legs into his seat.

“Get ready for some whoopin’” Chanyeol crows, him and Jongin sliding off the table to settle on the floor and lean beside Baekhyun’s and Daehyun’s legs.

“You keep talking man,” Luhan smiles, hunching over into ready position.

“I’m not just talk,” Chanyeol retorts. “I will kick your behind all the way back into last Sunday.”

“Mmhm, let’s see you try.”

Somewhere in between Chanyeol and Luhan insulting each other’s ancestors, taking the lord’s name in vain, and the controllers rotating ownership around the room, the colors on the TV screen start to move right before Baekhyun’s eyes.

At first, they start off with unnoticeable, tiny little waves, much as hot concrete emits invisible waves of heat, causing ripples across the horizon.

Baekhyun ignores that.

Then, the pictures actually start to swirl, the colors waving in giant crescendos, roiling and twirling towards a fixed focal point.

Everything is so bright, so vivid. Baekhyun can almost see a thin layer of blinding white glow surrounding each color, separating between the differences, yet at the same time blending them together to make one cohesive whole.

And from the eye of the storm, a small yellow creature crawls out.

“Dude,” Baekhyun says, leaning back into the cushions. “I think Pikachu’s trying to talk to me.”

“What?” Chanyeol replies, glancing over his shoulder at Baekhyun, and then squinting back at the screen. “Nah man, you’re trippin’.”

“Seriously” Luhan says, still focused on trying to shove Chanyeol’s Link off the stage with his Ness. “you trippin’.”

“Yeah,” Chanyeol repeats, furiously pushing the buttons on his controller. “Cause that ain’t Pikachu. That’s the Ice Climbers.”

Jongin glances at Chanyeol, raising a brow.

“Come on, little dudes,” Chanyeol urges, removing a hand from his controller to wave at thin air. “You guys can’t be like this. You need to go back inside the TV.”

“Baby,” Jongin says, weaving his fingers into Chanyeol’s and pulling his hand back down.

“Yes, I win!” Luhan shouts, shooting up from the couch and breaking out into a victory jiggle. “I win, I win!” Somewhere mid-dance, his attention gets sidetracked to the floral print tablecloth draped across Baekhyun’s and Yixing’s dining table. “So pretty,” Luhan breathes, walking towards the dining room. “It’s snowing flower petals! I think I see a fairy! Ooh, look how they float and drift in the wind.”

“Who’s trippin’ now?” Baekhyun snorts, eyes going cross-eyed as Yoshi tosses an egg in his direction.

“You guys, it’s hot in here,” Yixing fans himself, wincing as he pulls of his cable-knit sweater. “Let’s go outside.”

“Yeah, it’s getting hot in here. Outside sounds like a great idea!” Chanyeol agrees, shooting up too quickly and stumbling back into the coffee table.

“I second this motion,” Luhan says, spinning on the spot and turning away from the dining table.

“Okay,” Baekhyun gets off the couch, pulling up a wobbly Daehyun with him. “Let me change first. I’ve been in sweat pants all day.” He guides Daehyun back into his room, shutting the door behind him. “Help me find something to wear,” Baekhyun requests, opening and closing every drawer he owns. “I’m pretty useless right now.”

“Okay,” Daehyun replies, joining Baekhyun at the dresser and digging through his clothes.

With much giggling, and struggling to pull Baekhyun’s thermal over his head, and laboring to shove the proper limbs into the proper places, Baekhyun is finally dressed for public and ready to go.

With a small peck, they join the group back outside.

“You guys having some serious conversation or what?” Baekhyun asks as they come across the others deep in some kind of discussion.

“What took you so long?” Chanyeol pouts, Jongin standing up first and pulling Chanyeol up with him.

Baekhyun glances at the wall clock, squinting in the hopes that the numbers will stop line dancing across the round surface. “What are you talking about?” he says, finally getting a proper read on the time. “It’s only been six minutes.”

“What?” Chanyeol says incredulously. “That can’t be right.” He takes out his phone, pressing the screen nearly to his nose. “No way,” he breathes in disbelief. “But we had this really in depth conversation about how to correctly bake a soufflé! We even talked about nature versus nurture and Rebecca Black’s one hit wonder business!”

“Sounds intense,” Daehyun laughs, following Baekhyun towards the door.

“We couldn’t have discussed all that in less than ten minutes,” Chanyeol frowns in confusion, Jongin smiling and pulling him towards the door.

“Acid, man,” Luhan shrugs, following Yixing and pulling on his sneakers. “Don’t think about it too much. It’ll just get you more confused.”

“Chanyeol should just stay away from thinking in general,” Baekhyun comments conversationally, avoiding Chanyeol’s swinging fist. “We all know what happens when Chanyeol tries to use his brain.”

“Amazing things happen when I think,” Chanyeol says, sticking his nose into the air haughtily. “I’m brilliant.”

“Of course you are,” Jongin smiles fondly, patting Chanyeol’s head and guiding him down the stairs.

“Okay, everyone out?” Baekhyun calls, checking to make sure everyone is called for. “Locking up!”

He turns for the door, having some difficulty making the key fit, but manages with a little effort. Baekhyun is about to follow the rest of the group downstairs when he hears a “whoops” and lots of loud banging and cursing. He glances towards the bottom, seeing a tangle of limbs and heads lumped together on the ground.

“What happened?” Baekhyun asks, furrowing his brows. “You guys okay?”

“Yixing,” Jongin grumbles from amidst the bottom of the pile.

“Oops,” said boy apologizes. “For a second, I thought we were on level ground.”

“Don’t’ you live here?” Luhan stumbles away from the bodies scattered on the floor, everyone rubbing different spots on different body parts.

“Yeah,” Yixing answers, Baekhyun carefully climbing down the flight of stairs. “So?”

Luhan chooses not to comment.

Baekhyun laughs, feeling a slight body high prickling just beneath his skin. When he reaches the bottom, he bends down to gather Daehyun’s arms and set him properly on his feet. “You were right though. Outside does feel nice.”

After setting Daehyun the right side up, Baekhyun hangs his head back, inhaling a giant breath of cool, crisp night air. Daehyun wraps his arms around Baekhyun’s waist from behind, resting his chin on his shoulder. With a smile, Baekhyun places his arms on top of Daehyun’s leaning back and just enjoying each other’s company.

He stares at the grass, watching as they wave in a fluctuating pattern, much as if the whole world was submerged under water.

“That’s cool,” Baekhyun hums, pointing out the floating grass to Daehyun, who nods and stares at it with rapt attention.

“Woah,” Daehyun whispers, rocking their bodies side to side with the motion of the waving greenery. “So this is what acid feels like.”

“Yup,” Baekhyun says in affirmation, dropping his head back onto Daehyun’s shoulder and grinning up at his face. He places a small kiss just under Daehyun’s jaw.

“What are you doing?” Baekhyun hears Luhan’s voice, lifting his head back up to see what the problem is this time. Baekhyun chokes, pounding his fist against his chest, as he sees Chanyeol waving his arms animatedly in front of a tree, Jongin sitting on a short, brick ledge dividing the lawn from Baekhyun’s neighbor apartment.

“Dude, Chanyeol,” Baekhyun snorts, dragging Daehyun over to his best friend deep in conversation with a plant. “You’re talking to a tree.”

“Rude,” Chanyeol shushes, glaring at Baekhyun.  He turns back to the tree. “Can’t you see I’m having a very profound, life changing conversation with this refined woman here?” he gestures with his hand as if he’s presenting the Queen of England. “Don’t listen to him, grandma Willow. Baekhyun is an idiot and he doesn’t know what he’s talking about.”

Baekhyun wheezes for air as he laughs too hard, hanging on to Daehyun for support, while Jongin his head, throwing Chanyeol an endearing smile.

“What’s that?” Chanyeol leans closer to the tree. “There’s an outbreak of pestilential squirrels this time of year?” he pouts. “I’m sorry, grandma. I don’t have the authority to set any traps around this neighborhood. I can’t help you.”

“Oh my god,” Luhan doubles over, gasping for air. “Jongin, please, control your boy.”

“Come on,” Jongin says, bouncing lightly to his feet and making his way for Chanyeol. “How about we go for a walk?”

“Agreed,” Yixing raises a hand into the air, grabbing Luhan’s hand and beginning to run.

“Wait, what?” Luhan mumbles in confusion, flying behind Yixing as he furiously makes his way for the complex gates.

“I think there’s a park two blocks from here,” Yixing replies briskly. “I think.”

“It’s four blocks down,” Baekhyun corrects after the disappearing pair, throwing an arm around Daehyun’s shoulder. “Let’s go!”

Jongin manages to coax a reluctant Chanyeol away from the tree, dragging him along to catch up with the others.

“But she’s lonely,” Chanyeol whines, still staring longingly behind him.

“I’ll be lonely without you,” Jongin grins, glancing over his shoulder at Chanyeol. “Let’s just go, yeah? I’ll make it up to you.” He stops walking, Chanyeol running in to his back. “Whoa,” Jongin catches the taller boy before he falls backwards to the floor. He brushes a few stray curls out of Chanyeol’s eyes, smiling softly before placing a light kiss on Chanyeol’s nose.

Jongin pulls away to see Chanyeol’s lashes fluttering open, a pretty pink hue dusting his cheeks. He’s about to lean back in for a real kiss when their attentions are called towards the front.

“You guys, come on!” Baekhyun calls, interrupting their moment. “Hurry up or we’ll leave you!” He turns back around, eyeing Daehyun with a weird look.

“Boo, what are you doing?”

Daehyun is waving across an empty street, and Baekhyun squints into the darkness to see if there’s someone there that he’s missing. “Who are you waving at?”

“The lamp,” Daehyun replies obviously, smiling a goofy grin and still waving his arm. “It’s saying hello, can’t you see? It’s waving,” Daehyun sways back and forth, following the momentum of his arm.

Baekhyun smiles, reaching up to grab Daehyun’s hand. “Hey,” he says, pulling Daehyun close, “the others are waiting. Let’s get to that park, huh?”

“Okay,” Daehyun sighs, allowing Baekhyun to guide him down the sidewalk and turn the corner.

Jongin and Chanyeol catch up to them.

“Where’s Luhan?” Jongin asks, clutching hard onto a fidgety Chanyeol’s arm.

“I think Yixing got a little overexcited,” Baekhyun answers as they reach the little community park. “Look, there they are.”

They find YIxing and Luhan on the playground, racing each other up and down the slides, around the bouncy bridges, and across the wooden seesaws.

“Such amateurs,” Baekhyun says dramatically as Yixing screams about piranhas wearing party hats and Amazonian waterfalls.

“Watch out! It’s gonna eat you!” Yixing shrieks in a mixture of amusement and panic, jumping up onto the jungle gym.

Baekhyun shakes his head, distracted by the fields again, captivated by the sway and flow of the grass.

“Weird,” Chanyeol says, staring at a soda can littered on the ground.

“You guys, I want milk,” Jongin announces to the night sky, Chanyeol still too busy studying each and every facet of the crumpled piece of trash.

“How did we end up at the pier?” Yixing asks in confusion, staring out over the wooden rails into the deep black ocean below. “We’re like fifteen minutes away from campus.”

“I dunno,” Luhan frowns, staring up at the moon and wiggling his fingers at the little bunny bouncing around its bright white surface. “Good question.”

“I drove,” Jongin answers from the side, leaning back against the wooden beams as Chanyeol bends over to stare into the murky depths. “You don’t remember?”

“You did not,” Baekhyun furrows his brows, looking at Jongin’s face.

“I vaguely recall,” Luhan interrupts in a dreamy voice, still watching the rabbit bounce, bounce, bounce. “So cute,” he hums, “like Yixing.”

“What?” Yixing looks up, perplexed. “Did someone call my name?”

“Dude, you shouldn’t have done that,” Baekhyun reprimands Jongin, “what if you ing got pulled over? How you gonna explain a car full of trippin’ boys with pupils all blown like we demon possessed?”

“You are the last person to be lecturing me,” Jongin says with attitude. “This was your idea.”

“I did not suggest we come to the pier,” Baekhyun retorts, crossing his arms.

“Yes,” Jongin replies, arms akimbo. “Your boyfriend wanted to see the moon and stars so you suggested the pier. It was all a matter of who would drive. I just happened to lose at rock, paper, scissors.”

“Oh,” Baekhyun deflates, pouting. “Huh. My bad.”

“Don’t worry about it,” Jongin shrugs, putting his hands inside his pockets. He suddenly snaps his head  over the pier, frowning into the water. “Hey,” he says cautiously. “I think I hear singing. Woah, I see mermaids down there!”

“Let’s go in the water!” Chanyeol sings, taking Jongin’s hand and pulling him back to the other end of the pier. “I wanna swim with Sebastian! We gon’ jam together!”

Baekhyun doesn’t even want to dignify that with a response. Instead, he opts for watching Chanyeol drag Jongin down the pier, disappearing off into the distance.

“You know,” Daehyun smiles, slipping his hand into Baekhyun’s, “I was expecting to see like unicorns and talking gnomes or singing animals and .”

“That’s a really common misconception,” Luhan says, arm draped around a giggling Yixing. “American movies portrayed acid like that because them directors dunno what the good is really like.”

“Yo,” Yixing hums, head tilted back and staring up at the sky. “Scorpio is trying to take Virgo’s ity. There’s some kinda constellation party goin’ on up there.” He leans back a little too far, losing balance and falling onto his back, dragging Luhan down with him.

“Ow,” Luhan moans, rubbing his sore hip for the second time that day.

“Sorry,” Yixing sings, patting Luhan’s . “My bad.”

Luhan flips onto his stomach, rolling on top of Yixing in the process.

“Oh my god, Luhan, you’re heavy!” Yixing  wheezes, scrabbling his fingers to push Luhan off.

“Hey, you have a zit,” Luhan comments, staring at a spot on Yixing’s forehead. “That’s like some Invader Zim Pustulio ,” he blinks, then frowns, then leans in closer. “He wants me to take over the world,” Luhan whispers.

“For christ’s sake,” Yixing squeals, “get off!”

Luhan huffs as Yixing shoves him off with a well-placed kick to the lower abdomen.

Daehyun shakes his head in amusement as Baekhyun squints at his phone.

“It’s already five in the morning,” he comments, shoving his and Daehyun’s laced hands into his jacket pocket. “I think we should go check up on Chanyeol and Jongin, make sure they haven’t drowned or anything.”

“Fine, fine,” Luhan grumbles from the floor, rubbing his stomach as Yixing sticks out a hand to help him up.

“I think it’s about time we go home,” Baekhyun says, turning for the other end of the pier. “It’s starting to wear off and I wanna be in bed before the sun comes up.” He turns to Daehyun. “Wanna join?”

“Naughty!” Luhan shouts from behind, Yixing snickering at his side.

“You don’t even know,” Yixing says dramatically, rolling his eyes. “I’ve been through five pairs of ear plugs this month alone.”

“You guys are gross,” Baekhyun sniffs. “I just meant to cuddle and .”

“Mmhm,” Yixing raises a brow, “you say that now.”

“You know what?” Baekhyun glares over his shoulder. “Fine, you’re iled. Go find somewhere else to kick it for the night.”

“You mean morning,” Yixing corrects with a smirk.

Baekhyun stomps his foot, speeding up to get as far away from his nightmare roommate and demon soul mate as possible.

“Baekhyun, wait,” Daehyun jogs up beside him, curling his arm into the crook of Baekhyun’s elbow. “For the record,” Daehyun smiles, Baekhyun drowning in those crescent moon eyes. “I’d love to cuddle. And .”

Baekhyun smiles in return as the cross over the end of the pier back onto cement floor.

“I found Nemo!” they hear Chanyeol scream, Jongin bursting into laughter, somewhere in the direction of the dark, barely visible seashore. “Help me find Marlin so Nemo can be with his daddy!”

a/n: i am terrified to read this over, so i think i'll just leave it as is ㅠㅜ i am mid-angst!kaiyeol and it's making me super depressed so this is the resulting word vomit. yeah, i'm sorry. what's college without a little recreational drug use? TuT /hides in corner. i'm planning a third installment revolving around kyungsoo and youngjae, you know, if you're interested.