Kai leaves around midday on Saturday, only thirty minutes later than the time it takes for Baekhyun and Tao to wake up and eat breakfast. Every one of them is groggy from the long night behind them and grumpy about the coming day. Baekhyun doesn’t ask him or even comment, but he’s happy to see that his guest needs no suggestion to help pull out the breakfast bowls and fetch some utensils for them all to eat with. He even stares at the coffee pot nervously with his hands on the counter, as if wondering whether the machine might explode if he touches it, before Baekhyun tells him it’s not necessary to make anything. He sighs in relief, but Baekhyun loves him for even considering the machine’s existence. They don’t make coffee most days, if only because Baekhyun doesn’t drink it and Tao says that if he’s so inclined he can buy a better cup at the corner store across the street than whatever murky concoction filters through their years-old appliance. 

Kai promises to meet him later, either during intermission or after the show. He’s going to sit with Sehun in the audience tonight, but Baekhyun doesn’t blame him for not wanting to relive a second evening spent backstage and not dancing. 

“I’ve rarely seen a performance from the front before!” he says cheerfully. “This’ll be a new experience.”  He looks happy about it too, even if Baekhyun knows that more feelings than just this lay beneath his boyfriend’s cool exterior. 

“Cheer loud and obnoxiously for me!” 

“Oh I will.”

Baekhyun chuckles as he collects his shoulder bag. “I didn’t mean that. Actually I better not hear your whooping and hollering. If there’s anything more distracting, it’s one rowdy, biased audience member.” Personally, this kind of thing bothers Baekhyun immensely, because while it’s cool when the cheers are for you, it can be seriously distracting for others on the stage. 

“I’ll clap demurely for you then.”

“Golf claps, please.”

“Can and will do!” Kai mimics a rapid little clapping gesture with his hands level and to the left of his face, and Baekhyun laughs.

He walks home in a different direction than Baekhyun and Tao’s bus route.

Day two in the pre-show stage area is very much like day one, except that everyone is twice as exhausted, and adding up last night’s long hours, the company members stumble around like zombies. Never before has Baekhyun been so glad of the heavy makeup he’ll soon have to apply. The circles under his eyes should give him nightmares, they’re so large. At least his flat mate looks much worse than he does. Tao pokes at his under eyes in the mirror while Baekhyun grins smugly, verifying he’s just going to have to accent the bags even more with his smoky eye shadow palette to disguise the effects of his nearly sleepless night. 

“Good morning. Good morning!” Luhan calls, overly joyous for the occasion. He and Minseok arrive together brandishing their matching styrofoam coffee cups, and Baekhyun smiles because all things look right in the world. 

“You realize it’s the afternoon already, right?” says Baekhyun.

“Absolutely not. I only woke up an hour ago so it can’t possibly be so late.” 

“Uh huh…”

Luhan smiles in what he assumes in a winning expression, bobbing his head a little in forced glee. Minseok pinches him in the side lightly, and the expression falls with a fake, pained grimace.

“Hey watch it! If I spill my coffee, then you’re going to have to go get me another one!”

“Sure sure. I’ll do just that,” says Minseok lazily, a smile hanging about his lips nevertheless. He sits down at a counter under the mirror after greeting Baekhyun and Tao. “Suho’s still here. Did you know that?” he addresses the room.

Baekhyun frowns. “Why? Can he even walk?”

“Hobbling around on crutches,” Minseok explains. “Krystal says he’s been here since the morning overseeing Yixing with the choreographers. I don’t think he trusts him to do his part well enough.”

Luhan snorts. “As if. Yixing’s ten times the better dancer. And I don’t say that just because he’s Chinese and I’m biased. But I mean, the guy’s been a professional for way longer than Suho.” 

“Just three years.”

“He’s been in China! That’s some seriously intense training right there! He knows his stuff. He’ll be good.”

“I wasn’t arguing with you, Luhan.”

“I know you weren’t. I’m just saying… He’s good and Suho’s just being stu—”

“So where’s Suho now?” Baekhyun asks, anxious for them to get to the point. Tao continues to ignore them all. 

“In his dressing room? Same as yesterday. Yixing moved his stuff in last night.” 

Baekhyun never got a chance to talk to Suho yesterday after his collapse. He figures it’s time to rectify that now. Like the day before he finds himself angling for Suho’s room, happy enough to discover that Suho is not alone, and despite the scowl on his face, he doesn’t look quite as miserable as he could be, and often is. His leg is propped up on the chair as he discusses some of the finer details of stagecraft with Yixing, the company’s sudden newest member.

To his credit, Yixing doesn’t seem to mind being told things he has probably already committed to memory. 

“And when you enter during the group split for the fourth scene, remember ‘left in front of right’. You’re coming in stage left so you have to cross in front of the other line. And if you don’t, you’re going to mess up the spacing because then there will be a hole where you were supposed to be, and too many people crowded upstage. Just remember that, okay?”

“Left in front of right. Left in front of right,” Yixing repeats good-naturedly. His eyes sparkle, and it’s obvious to Baekhyun that Yixing finds the injured dancer more amusing than anything else. Most of the dancers in the company, including Baekhyun on occasion, think much differently. 

“Knock. Knock.” He substitutes for the action. “Mind if I come in.”

Suho frowns to see him, however, Yixing is absolutely delighted to meet him again. Baekhyun receives a full hug and kiss on the cheek from the man he once thought was going to mug him on the street. He no longer wonders why he was so frightened that time. Yixing seems to always be invading others’ personal space with as much gusto as he can manage, though at least Baekhyun realizes now that he means no harm by it. He is just that personable. 

Still standing too close, Yixing says, “Baekhyun! I saw you dance yesterday. You were good. Very good. I’m really happy I’ve been given this chance to dance with you so soon.” He captures Suho’s wide, menacing eye stare and immediately drops the smile, regret and concern infusing his voice. “I mean— I’m very sorry to Suho, here. It’s really a pity you had to get so injured.” Suho rolls his eyes. “I wanted to dance with everybody happily and instead I’m taking your place. I hope you get better quickly, and then we can all work together.” 

“Yes, me too,” says Suho without enthusiasm. He snaps his head to look at Baekhyun. “What do you want? Anything? Tips on how to live without me on the stage or something?”

Baekhyun should be prepared for this sort of retort. Biting back a sarcastic answer, he merely shrugs and shakes his head. “No, nothing like that.”

“Then what is it?”

“I just came to see how your foot was doing. Heard you’ve been here all morning.” 

Suho looks put out that he can’t say anything to follow that. He grunts and tries to recline in the uncomfortable wooden chair. “It’s fine.”

“Do you need anything? Since you guys have been here so long… Krystal brought in some food  for everybody if you haven’t eaten lunch yet. I caught a glimpse of them when I came in. Some kind of sushi rolls. I could… go bring you some if you want.”

Suho doesn’t respond, but Yixing takes the bait.

“Oh, I’ll get it! I haven’t eaten much all day and then I didn’t take a break because Suho wanted to talk— I’ll bring us back some for lunch then. Down the hallway?”

“Yes, in the last room closest to the stage door.”

“Got it. You don’t want anything, do you, Baekhyun?”

“Nope. I’m good. Thanks.”

Yixing bounces off down the hallway and Baekhyun looks down to see Suho looking stupefied at the foreign dancer’s exit.

Baekhyun sits down. 

“He’s chatty, isn’t he?”

“No kidding,” Suho remarks blandly.

“Nice guy though.”

“He’s alright.”

High praise, coming from Suho, Baekhyun thinks. He assumed the two would clash, but short of becoming best friends, it appears that the two will get along well enough, if only because Yixing is the kind of person to befriend everyone, whether they want it or not. He hasn’t seen him really dance though, and looks forward to that. To Suho, however, he’s loathe to mention the man more than he needs to, since Yixing is technically Suho’s replacement for the evening, mostly likely for the next few weeks as well. Even with his unspoken approval, Suho is grouchy enough already. Baekhyun tries another tactic instead.

“Are you doing alright?”

Suho snorts. “You don’t have to baby me, Baekhyun. I’ll be fine soon enough. In fact, you’re making me uncomfortable.” He crosses his arms and avoids his intruder’s gaze.

Baekhyun pouts, wondering if the same technique that works on everyone else will work on Suho to get the man to lighten up. He kind of wishes he knew more about the dancer, so instead of just skirting around each other all the time at the studio, they could find something to relate to. All he knows is that Suho has danced in the company since he was a kid, and he has a long [not always friendly but at least professional] history with Kai, Luhan, Minseok, and Sehun. That, and the fact that while he gets on with most of the old timers, Sehun hates his guts and the feeling is agreed to be mutual for whatever reasons. 

Baekhyun smiles with a tight, close-lipped smile. “I’m just trying to be friendly,” he reasons. 

Apparently Baekhyun’s puppy dog face doesn’t work well on Suho yet. The injured man moans overly loud and tips his head back. He is the picture of frustration as he scrapes his fingernails into his scalp, clenching his eyes and mouth closed. Finally he vents his entire breath and fixes Baekhyun with a glare. 

“I don’t need you to be friends with me, okay? You can do me a favor by just leaving me alone.”

“No.”

“What?” His eyes grow wide and incredulous.

“I’m not going to leave you alone.”

“So… you’re just going to bother me and make me feel miserable all the time, is that it?” He sighs heavily again, and Baekhyun guesses he’s floundering around inside his head for something to prolong his makeshift conflict. It turns out he is right. “Is this some kind of pity thing, because I don’t care and it doesn’t matter. Go bother your boyfriend if you want someone to mother.”

That stings, just a little bit. Baekhyun wants nothing more than to give up the towel and walk away right now except he’s kind of determined to get through to Suho. Half of year of ignoring the obnoxious man is starting to grate on the side of Baekhyun that really wants to like all of humanity.

“It’s not pity,” he says, dropping the cute face. He tries to look as serious as he feels. “I’m just tired of not getting along with you, and I want that to change. If you don’t want to be friends friends with me, then at least let’s get along as co-workers and you can stop pretending to be an all the time to everyone who speaks to you.” There, I said it, Baekhyun thinks, pleased with himself despite being fearful of Suho’s reaction.

Suho looks shocked. He tries to sit up and move his leg, but then he remembers why it is propped up, and he winces from the accompanying pain. Baekhyun waits for him to regain his composure and by then Suho just looks drained. He wheezes uncomfortably for a few seconds before letting his body relax.

“I’m sorry,” Baekhyun apologizes quietly. 

“Huh,” is all Suho can grunt. He stares at his leg without speaking for a few moments, and Baekhyun stands up to leave. He hovers in the doorway though, waiting for one last chance with Suho. He gets it.

“Okay,” says Suho.

“Okay what?”

“I’ll take your deal. You don’t baby me, and I won’t be a jerk. Sound fair?”

Baekhyun smiles to himself. “Fair. See you around then.”

“Yeah see you around. Hey wait—“

“Hmm?”

“Uhm… can you look out for Yixing though? I tried to direct him to the green room earlier to get his costume adjusted and he came back thirty minutes later and hadn’t even found it yet.” He sounds like he could care less if Yixing ever comes back, but Baekhyun knows this isn’t true.

He laughs. “He’s like that, I know. Okay I’ll go scout around for him. Take it easy, now.”

“I said don’t—“

“—don’t baby you, yeah I know. Fine. Go run some laps around the block if it’ll make you feel better.”

“Whatever. Bye.”

“Yep. Bye.”

That went well, Baekhyun thinks. He actually believes it too, and that makes his day a whole lot brighter. He sets off to find Yixing, because no doubt the man is lost and left to his own devices, Suho will probably starve to death before Yixing makes it back to their dressing room with the food. 

“Freedom!” Luhan cries when the curtain goes down on the last stage. The bows are done, the blinding lights simmer off, and they can already hear the general rush of movement from the audience as people start to vacate their seats.

“Don't get too carried away,” says Ms. Jung as she pats a few of the dancers on the back for good work. “You only have one day off!” Luhan snarls, no doubt cursing the sweet woman for raining on his parade. 

Back in the dressing room, Tao doesn't even bother cleaning off his chair which has accumulated numerous sweaty garments over the course of the evening. He sinks onto the floor with his legs splayed out at a 45 degree angle and his head lolls back on the wall. Baekhyun nudges his leg with the tip of his foot for good measure, and Tao smiles lazily back. “Hand me my phone, pretty please?” He nods towards the counter, and Baekhyun passes it down.

Minseok and Luhan pile in as well and the rush of body heat does nothing to alleviate the already humid, stale air of their dressing room. Baekhyun picks up his phone and joins Tao on the floor, persuading himself that he's allowed to sit and chill for a bit before he has to change and pick up. He hasn't checked his messages since intermission. 

Kai: Sehun's being a bum. He won't let me move to sit in the first row.

Kai: Howre you supposed to see me if I sit too far back?

Kai: You look hot btw.

Kai: Yixing's good Better than Suho. Dont tell him i said that.

Chanyeol: Hey i think i see ur bf. black hair? looks awesome? Introduce us afterwards pls?

Chanyeol: jongdae says that sounds gay. ugh. I didnt mean like that. watevr

Kai: Luhan looks like a girl Dont tell him that either

Kai: some dude keeps staring at me

Kai: I think Kyungsoos bored. he says hi though

Chanyeol: crap i think i made ur bf uncomfortable. Im just gonna introduce myself

Minzy: mom wants to know how your performance went. btw can I come visit next week?? 

Kai: Did I mention you were hot

Kai: are hot. not just were. 

Minzy: don't bother answering. I'm coming anyway

Kai: almost over and then I can see you!!!

Kai: Uhm. met your bff. Chanyeol?

Kai: hurry up and get out here. he's making me feel short and I dont like it

Baekhyun giggles to himself and shoots off a few replies, notifying his bf and bff both that he'll be out there soon. His sister's texts he ignores, because he knows she'll do whatever pleases her, and in any case nothing she does really bothers him. He scrapes himself off the floor and begins the slow work of cleaning up. 

An hour later they end up at an all-night cafe near the campus: Baekhyun snuggling cozily into Kai's shoulder; Minseok and Luhan playing happily with the sugar packets on the table; Tao halfway dozing with his phone still between his fingers; Kyungsoo gazing around in what's probably not a Satanic sulk but looks that way anyways; Chanyeol and Jongdae attempting to understand all the dance lingo and failing miserably. Sehun tries to irritate Suho and ends up being smacked on the forehead by the ever moderate Yixing. Min and Krystal come along for the ride too because they claim the boys are far more entertaining than anyone else they know in the company, and Baekhyun loudly agrees. 

Now this is the life, he thinks privately to himself. A table full of friends, and the only awkward ones are the people who generally don't mind being in awkward situations. Chanyeol fits right into the crowd in his own clumsy way, just like he and Kai seemed to agree upon some sort of shaky friendship before Baekhyun could join them after the performance. They eyeballed each other warily at first, but relaxed completely when Baekhyun was around. All in all everyone appears happy with the exception of Suho, but even he tones down the snark for the evening, content to be a grouch back to Sehun only.

The best part of the evening though is seriously how content Kai is hanging out with the pack. He knows Kai probably won't say such things, but he must have missed this kind of thing: the after show wind down with a good set of company. Or maybe Kai just likes having a boyfriend to hold and occasionally make overly flirtatious gestures towards for the sake of the cheers and gags everyone makes. Minseok told Baekhyun once that Kai never went out with anyone before him. Nineteen, and Baekhyun is his first boyfriend - just how long was Kai nursing his crush on Baekhyun, that he apparently never dated? He really wants to find out.

The party dissipates in the early hours of the morning and Baekhyun and Tao make their way home by themselves. On the last leg of their journey, they can barely walk faster than a slow amble, despite the chill in the air, so tired are they from the two long, crazy days. 

“I'm so sleeping in tomorrow,” says Tao with a slur to his speech.

“You mean today? It's already Sunday...”

“Whatever. Same thing.”

“Well, we did technically get to sleep in this morning,” says Baekhyun.

“Doesn't count. Still had to get up and dance. I'm not going to budge until at least three.”

“Good luck to that. You know the cat won't let you sleep that long.”

Tao groans. “She can feed herself.”

“Again, good luck with that.”

“You can feed her then.”

“What, me? I plan on sleeping in too! Anyways, she's your cat.”

Tao pouts, probably resigning himself to an earlier alarm clock than he would like, and Baekhyun laughs. He dodges the elbow sent his way and skips a few feet ahead of his trailing, flagging roommate. It's then he notices something more than fatigue plastered to Tao's face. The man looks tired, certainly, but also a tiny bit confused, pensive, sad? He still carries his phone in his hand despite having numerous pockets where he could have placed it. 

“What's up with your phone? Waiting for a call or something? This late?”

Tao tries to shrug it off. He drops it finally into the side of his leather shoulder bag just as they reach the stairs leading up to their apartment. The place looks a disaster after several days of not being around long enough to clean. Another task Baekhyun will probably have to do tomorrow - today - when he wakes up. 

“Night, Tao,” he says with a yawn. Tao, however, freezes just outside his bedroom door and Baekhyun stops too to look over at him. “What's wrong?”

“Huh? Oh - it's nothing. Nothing.”

“Okay... you sure?”

“Yeah. Yes. No.”  He hesitates and bites down on his bottom lip. “It's just that...well, Kris.”

“What about him?”

“He didn't... he didn't come to the performance tonight.”

Something clicks inside Baekhyun's brain, thinking back to all the times throughout the evening when Tao would stare at his phone, expectantly. Had he been waiting to hear from Kris all evening? Was that it?

“Did he say he would come today?”

“No, he didn't. I just... kind of expected he would.”

Tao shakes his head, and the confusion and hurt disappears from his features, like it had never been there. He's just a man exhausted and without further conversation, he whispers a hushed good night and enters his room. 

3,570 words

I'm gonna try not to cry about how this chapter ends... Uhm.. I think, I'm good.. yep, I'm good. Okay. Moving on. For now....

So yeah, I realize there's not a lot of Kaibaek in this update - but I needed another chapter to move the characters along, especially with the Subaek and then drawing in all the other fringe characters so that they have time to get to know one another (without me having to write every single word of dialogue and interaction - because, that gets boring after a while). 

Guess what though - those hilarious Kaibaek scenes I've been teasing you about for a few chapters now (that I wrote well in advance) they're coming up next! As well as... dun Dun DUN... Xiuhan. That's right subbies. If you're here for the Xiuhan, expect some major developments next time around. Sh--  (ahem) Stuff's about to get real  ;)

<3 Rosie