Kai was fourteen when he first took that memorable stage. It was nowhere close to being a new experience for him. He was raised on the stage, practically born behind the curtains. That day was just one in a long string of performances. Yet it would become one of his most memorable. Poised just behind the wings, his body in shadow, he waited for that familiar rush of adrenaline. One more dancer to finish and get off the stage, then it would be his turn. Kai willed his breath under control, preparing the mind. He closed his eyes.

The heavy, concealed stage light beside him practically pulsed with energy and warmed his muscles. It also illuminated a figure on the other side of the stage. Across the expanse stood a boy just like himself standing in wait. His arms wrapped around themselves, hugging the tight, brilliant red top that swirled in blacks and grays until it blended with black pants and bare feet. He should have been performance ready, yet his attention was not on the stage; it was on Kai. The two stared at each other without realizing that seconds had passed until the red-clad dancer suddenly broke the connection. Kai continued to stare as the boy awkwardly searched for another object to focus on, and then he grinned. I’ll give him something worth watching. And he took the stage.

Kai’s performance was flawless, and he knew it. The power of the spotlights always pressed him on, daring him to misstep while the world watched, and yet he always had them beat. On this day though, he felt another source of power, as if the watching glance of one not so secret member of the audience could embolden him further. Kai didn’t need to make eye contact with the other dancer again, but with every flick of his head, every subtle shift in his posture, in his peripheral vision he caught him watching. I’ll give him something to remember. He performed as if his life depended on it.

The victory lasted only as long as the time it took for the boy to fold.  Energy spent, costume sticking uncomfortably to his body, sweat slickening his hair, Kai refused to leave the wings until he’d watched his competitor dance. His presence, however, didn’t seem to be as helpful. The boy looked too nervous as he stepped into the light, his presence more focused on the ground below his feet than on the judges he needed to win. He appeared as though he’d already lost. When the music began he regained most of his energy, and Kai felt a short-lived joy to see the earnest performance. It fell to pieces when he faltered, however, and in that moment their eyes met again.

The boy melted under the pressure. His dance wasn’t horrible, but it did become lifeless, hesitant, and dull. Kai felt the dancer’s disappointment deep in his own heart, and he fled the scene the moment the music ended. Strange emotions coursed through his nerves as he wound his way back to the dressing room, most of which he could not isolate. Except for perhaps one - the strangest one of all? Guilt.

“For how long have you liked me?”

Kai is silent, contemplating how to answer. “Since a few times after I first saw you?”

“But—but I never saw you again? We never spoke.”

Kai smiles. His palms rest on his knees propped up on the step below him, head hanging down as if reveling in a secret only he can remember.  Baekhyun looks at him sharply, acutely, wondering how deep this crush of Kai’s went. The last time he remembers seeing Kai was when he was sitting in the communal dressing room, surrounded by his teammates and teachers, all echoing cheap sentiments of praise to the third place winner. Between fake hugs and disingenuous words of encouragement, he remembers seeing Kai for the second time that day. Baekhyun expected the solo category winner to gloat but instead he just looked sadly at Baekhyun, and then he walked off.

“I never claimed it made any sense,” Kai says. “But I saw you a couple more times after that. I saw you win first a few months later, and again a few weeks after that. We didn’t compete, but I was around for most of those because of my mom.”

“I didn’t see you.”

Kai chuckles. “I know. I made sure you didn’t see me.”

“Why?”

Because I didn’t want to make you nervous again? “Because I only sat in the audience” – alone, in the back, in the dark – “and I didn’t know what to say to you anyways. But in any case that’s old news.”

“Yeah. That’s old news,” Baekhyun repeats solemnly. It’s a lot for him to think about: a young Kai having a crush on him. That a dancer Baekhyun genuinely admired, but refused to think about more often than necessary, liked him, and had liked him for years… he adds these thoughts to all that has happened this week.

Kai continues speaking. “And then I didn’t see you for years so I kind of… well, didn’t think of you again—”

That jogs Baekhyun’s memory. The Kai he knew five years ago isn’t the same Kai as now. He no longer dances, and he hasn’t in years apparently. Back then he was a figure of immense strength and agility, an image that never faded because that’s all he had been: a stranger under a spotlight, and that stranger is very different from the real human being he’s come to know. Two entities, but one was a legend and the other is just Kai, gentle creature and considerate friend, even in the throes of depression. Kai’s been so transparent with him. If Baekhyun were to ask him seriously about whatever happened to end his career, he thinks Kai would answer...

“— I didn't think of you again until recently—”

Recently, Baekhyun thinks. The Kai he really knows is the man sitting next to him now, not Kai the dancer of before.

“— so.”

So. Baekhyun doesn’t think because he knows he doesn’t have to.  He sits up and with one hand reaches out to clasp Kai lightly around the neck. The movement startles the other, unaware of how fast their heads are pulled together before Baekhyun plants a light kiss to Kai’s lips. He rocks back almost immediately with an unadulterated look of accomplishment, and a massive box-like smile appears as he admires his handiwork. Kai looks a mess, like he couldn’t be any more shocked.

“Wh-what was that?” Kai asks breathily.

“My answer!”

“Your answer?”

“Oh.” Baekhyun looks halfway mortified. “Didn’t you just tell me you liked me still? Weren’t you… I thought kind of that you were asking me out… Oh God, I feel really stupid right now. I'm sorry.”

“Why are you sorry?” Kai really can’t get a grip on the situation, especially with Baekhyun’s lightning quick mood shifts. He grips his knees hard and his stomach churns with a mingling of sure joy and panic.

“Because… I don’t know! I really don’t. Please tell me what’s going on here before I freak out completely.”

“Baekhyun, I really like you.”

“Uh huh,” Baekhyun jitters, his eyes huge and round.

“I didn’t know if I was going to ask you tonight or later, but I’m guessing you like me too?”

“Uh huh,” Baekhyun responds.

“Then I’ll take that for an answer.” Kai grins, for the first time accepting his victory. His heart lightens when he sees Baekhyun loosening up, the tension starting to ease from his countenance. The pinkness in Baekhyun's cheeks recedes and they both begin to breathe a little more naturally.

“Kai?” His voice squeaks.

“Hmm?”

“Did I just kiss you in the moonlight on church property in front of an angel hugging a giraffe?”

“I think you just did, yeah.” Kai grins mischievously.

“Oh wow, I want to throw up. This has been such a cheesy night. Can we go back now?”

“Only if you promise not to forget anything.”

Baekhyun’s smile is back, a little embarrassed but not regretful. “Not a chance! Okay show me the way home.” He throws on his backpack, takes Kai by the hand and without waiting for a response starts to lead him out anyways.

Baekhyun gets home well before midnight on Kai’s orders that he should sleep plenty ahead of the coming week. It’s good advice, and even though he expects he won’t be able to sleep, Baekhyun passes out just minutes after closing his eyes. Monday morning comes all too soon although his windowless bedroom makes no note of it. He drags himself up yawning and finds the kitten on her usual place on his head pillow. Together they pad into the common area. He meets Tao at the same time coming out of his room, passes over the kitten (their morning ritual), and fumbles around the kitchen for a glass of water.

“When did you get in?” Tao asks, just as groggily.

“Not late. I’m surprised you were already asleep when I got home.”

“Ahh, yeah I got tired early.”

“You didn’t even do anything yesterday.”

He grumbles. “Well sometimes I get more exhausted after not doing anything than I do after a full day of dance practice. Video games wear me out.”

Baekhyun smiles amusedly. “Had fun with Kris then?”

“Yes. What’s that look for?”

“Nothing. Nothing.” He shakes his head for light emphasis, pursing his lips knowingly. With his hand resting on the door handle of the as yet unopened fridge, he thinks about breakfast, hoping to receive inspiration from the magnet picture of him and his parents and sister. Now that he thinks about it, he has a boyfriend, a boyfriend, and that necessitates a phone call home. Decisions, wording, timing. What will be the right way to phrase this? ‘Mom? Dad? I know I said I was going to work hard and focus only on dance right now, but…’ He thinks his sister Minzy will be the easiest person to approach. Maybe he’ll just start off by telling Chanyeol.

He still hasn’t opened the fridge when a movement off to his left distracts him. Underneath where Baekhyun threw his bag on the couch last night is a very large, very lengthy sleeping figure. It rolls over waking up and Baekhyun’s bag crashes to the floor.

“Uhm, Tao? Did Kris sleep over?”

“Obviously,” Tao drawls.

Baekhyun stares blankly from Tao to Kris, who’s starting to sit up and rub his eyes. Baekhyun thinks he has the least iest bed hair he’s ever seen on a man, with his long black mane sticking out in a dozen different directions, and some even curling up under his chin by what he hopes isn’t nighttime drool. Kris just slept on his favorite blue couch pillow.

“Do me a favor, Tao and get him a haircut at least.”

“Done deal.”

Kris throws off the blanket he’d been wrapped under and stalks over to where Tao sits at the 4-seater dinette table.

“Hey.” Kris looks around, as if expecting to see breakfast.

“Cereal’s in the cabinet,” Baekhyun offers languidly.

“Huh? Oh, okay.” He doesn’t get up.

“So where were you all night then,” Tao asks Baekhyun. He fetches out three bowls, spoons, milk and cereal and places them in the center of the table. To Kris he says, “Eat up. Baekhyun and I don’t have too much time this morning.”

Baekhyun catches himself gawking at Kris again, and closes his mouth with a gulp. “Me? With Kai…”

“That whole time?”

“Yes…”

“Doing what?”

“Oh, you know. Just hanging out.”

“Are you at least dating finally?”

“Yes…”

Tao almost drops his bowl. “Seriously?! Already! Wow you two work fast! Who said what? Did he ask you out?”

“Well he sort of did.”

“Was he just boring about it? Wasn’t he romantic at all?” Tao frowns in disappointment, while Kris looks like he should be taking notes.

“Calm down, Tao. It wasn’t like that. I mean, I guess it was sort of because I did kind of kiss him first, but…”

“You kissed him first? Baekhyun, really!”

Tao squeals in delight, laughs happily and shoves a large spoonful of cereal into his mouth just in time for Kris to interject.  “I thought that Kai guy was dating the short dude.”

Tao chokes on his mouthful and starts sputtering violently, one hand clutching his throat. Kris looks on uselessly for a second before he pounds on Tao’s back, causing the poor man to choke even harder until he manages to get himself under control. By this point Baekhyun doesn’t bother to respond. 

“Details. Later.” Tao clears his throat a couple more times and then glares at Kris. From somewhere below their feet the kitten mewls unhappily, either for food or for a lap and probably for both. Tao instantly shifts into mother cat mode. “Velvie! Here, baby. Come here, baby. Velvie!” He pats at his lap but the kitten mistakes her position and jumps into Kris’ lap instead. The man startles to see the small animal suddenly appear, and jolts, tossing off the kitten who is just as surprised. She hisses furiously and scurries away into a bedroom and Tao scowls at Kris as he runs after her.

Baekhyun slurps his milk and Kris looks at him pitifully.

“What did I do?” he pleads.

Baekhyun rolls his eyes.

“I didn’t mean to scare it. I just don’t really like animals…”

Kris looks like an animal himself, Baekyun wants to say, but at the helpless look in the man's eyes, he feels a little bad. He swallows his current mouthful. “Here, I’ll presume to give you some sincere advice. If you want a chance with Tao, learn to like cats.”

Kris nods, fretting at this apparent hardship.

“P.S. He likes panda toys.”

2,314 words

Worth the wait? We now have a partial backstory, and... another true Kaibaek moment: because first kisses in my au wouldn't be the same without something memorable to follow ;)

Also, a little Taoris on the way. 

I'd also like to point out that while "Velvie" is a perfectly cute name that I can totally imagine Tao naming a kitten (that feels like velvet by the way), I am less genius/cutesy with the name choice as I am slightly embarrassed that yes indeed, my cat was a Velvet, called Velvie. She lived with me for 16 years and died on Christmas Day two years ago. So here she is reborn and ready for action. :')))))