More Than Okay

Title: More Than Okay
Pairings: XiuBaek, side!Hunhan, mentions of past!one-sided(?)XiuKai, mentions of others
Length: 9.7k
Rating: PG-13
Summary: In which Byun Baekhyun waltzes in Kim Minseok’s perfectly okay life, with coffee and croissants, and perhaps the promise of more. College!AU
Warnings: Mild language, lame attempt at humour, over-use of emoticons, Baekhyun’s freaky word-vomit, Luhan.
Notes: This really proves that my sense of humour has been completely ed over (thanks Tumblr!), and that I should stay away from this genre forever. SayAMplus, thank you for being the first one whose eyes bled over this. You brave little soldier. Too precious for this world. <3

Byun Baekhyun: Hello! :D I was just wondering if anyone has taken down notes during Mr. Livernois’ class? Truth is, I haven’t gone to any of his lectures… Any adorable being kind enough to share his notes with me? ^_^

Minseok scoffs at the obnoxious words that appear on his home page. He should never have accepted Luhan’s proposal to join the Facebook group of “2014-2015 B.A. Undergraduates”, especially since the group’s description was “ReAdY tO gRaDuAtE?? nO, jUsT rEaDy To TaKe DoWn UnIvErSiTy!!.(He later got all explanation he needed: the administrator of the page was none else than Oh Sehun, the weird kid that was a self-proclaimed wiz when it came to social media and an awkward vegetable when it came to anything else).

Luhan had said it would be helpful, since the kids would post notes from interesting seminars they might attend, or simply information about any change in their program and such –then of course, it was Luhan we were talking about. He never should have trusted him.

Minseok is ready to keep on scrolling and completely ignore the request of his fellow student, despite the fact that he actually istaking the same course and hasnotes from the lectures, when a detail of the post catches his attention:

Byun Baekhyun: (PS: I’ll buy you a croissant and coffee for your sympathy, oh you wonderful angel that graced this earth with your presence!!)

Now that’s a gentleman’s offer. Minseok ponders for a while, lets his cursor hover over the text, before he starts typing down a comment: the offer is just too good to ignore.

Kim Minseok: Hey, I have the notes you requested… I can hand them to you tomorrow if you want.

The reply comes seconds after.            

Byun Baekhyun: Really?!? Oh my God you are a saint!! Let’s meet at the cafeteria, any time you want works for me!! Thank you so much you wonderful, amazing, detectable human being <3 <3 <3

Minseok shakes his head, amused at the amount of excitement the words of the other (Byun Baekhyun is his name, and he must be a guy, although his profile pic is that of a girl-group… SNSD, he thinks? Maybe?)

Kim Minseok: Ok. Nine o’clock then

Minseok is ready to shut down his laptop, when a notification stops him from doing so.

Byun Baekhyun: …That early? :/ :( :’( T_T TT_TT

Minseok sighs; the use of that many emoticons should be forbidden by law.

Kim Minseok: 9 o’clock. Sharp.

He smiles, liking how the unbending tone is almost palpable in his reply.

Byun Baekhyun: …Okay…

His smile widens even more at Byun’s comment.  He made the guy stop using emoticons, which must be a ing miracle. Of course, then again, he is Kim Minse-

Byun Baekhyun: See you tomorrow, Minseok-ah!! XD

Minseok can only sigh, as he shuts down the lid of his laptop, ready to go to sleep. After all that guy, Byun, seems like a freaking headache.
(The next morning, as he checks his Facebook page while taking his coffee, he sees that Luhan has liked every single comment of Byun’s, and none of his. He’ll have to talk to Luhan later about this.)

The cafeteria is eerie, as it ought to be so early in the morning; most students are still trying to will themselves out of bed after all. It’s 8:50, and Minseok is in front of the cafeteria, fully awake and a bit earlier than he should, as he likes to: he doesn’t like being late.

Byun is nowhere in sight, and when the digital clock at the entrance of the cafeteria shows 9:05, Minseok unconsciously starts tapping his foot to the ground, in a clear sign of impatience and annoyance. If he doesn’t like himself being late, he absolutely loathesothers being late.

A sleepy brunet makes his way into the cafeteria, dragging his feet and trying to keep his eyes open. Minseok lets his eyes slid past him, sure that Byun would be a little more… alivethan this one. He keeps his eyes fixed at the door, ready to scold the boy the moment he arrives. It’s been already fifteen minutes, and Minseok has now a scowl on his face.

A light tap on his shoulder stops his intense eye contact with the door, and he turns around only to come face to face with the brunet that walked past him about a minute ago.

“Excuse me, are you Kim Minseok? Sorry I’m late.” he says, his voice low and a bit monotonic. Minseok looks at him, puzzled: there is just no way that this could be Byun Baekhyun. The brunet is distant and calm and collected, and Byun seemed to be the exact opposite of that.

“Yeah…” he says. “Are you Byun Baekhyun?” he asks. To his outmost surprise, the brunet –Byun- nods.

It’s then that Minseok notices that Byun has a huge paper cup of coffee in his hand, which dangles dangerously in his grasp as he tries to pour some sugar in it. His eyes widens in realization: if this is Byun, then this is his coffee he’s holding. “Wait! I don’t take sugar in my coffee!” he exclaims quickly, but it’s too late: Byun has already poured the whole thing in. Minseok’s heart drops a little as Byun, unfazed at his outburst, continues with mixing coffee with sugar

“Sorry to disappoint you, but that’s mine. Coffee is my top priority in the morning; I’ll take care of your coffee later” Byun says as he takes a huge gulp of coffee. Minseok can only nod appreciatively, glad that someone shares his enthusiasm for coffee (he’s not so thrilled about having to wait in order to taste some of the heavenly beverage himself, but there’s little he can do about it). He studies the brunet boy carefully, thinking that maybe he isn’t that bad after all –perhaps his obnoxious self only appears on the Internet world. They stay side by side as Byun finishes his coffee, in total silence, and Minseok thinks that this isn’t so bad: he’s a big fan of silence, and meeting someone with the same taste is certainly a good thing. Seeing Byun like this, calm and collected –albeit a bit sleepy still-, Minseok can even see them as friends, in the future.

Byun finishes his coffee with a content sigh and drops it in the bin nearby. Minseok smiles a bit as Byun turns to face him expectantly. He hands him his cleanly handwritten notes, knowing that they are in safe hands; Byun seems like a decent dude, after all-

“OMG Minseok-ah thank you sooooo much!! You are literally saving my poor from getting beaten by this scary-looking professor! I went to the first lecture we had, but he was so scary I just never returned to his class, can you imagine? Honestly I can’t thank you enough! What kind of croissant do you want? A plain one? A chocolate one? Vanilla flavour, perhaps? Say it and it’s yours! Hell, I’ll buy you the whole stock if you want to!”

Minseok gapes at the brunet that is looking at him, fully alert now, with his eyes twinkling and a huge smile plastered on his face.

…Did a simple cup of coffee do this?

He lets himself being dragged at the cafeteria by the overly-excited brunet that keeps blabbering about his life, his daily struggles to get out of bed and how his three priorities are “coffee, literature notes and then his saviour Kim Minseok”. As Byun buys him three croissants and a coffee –while flirting and chatting with the whole cafeteria stuff in the process- Minseok can’t help but feel slightly bothered by the fact that Byun has forgotten to let go of his hand.
“You are not very talkative, are you?” Byun says, as they eat their croissants (Byun ordered one for himself as well, unable to resist the almond cream-filled one). Minseok had thought (okay, hoped) that, after they had dealt with their exchange, they would go on their separate ways, but apparently this would remain an unattainable wish.
Byun isn’t bothered in the slightest by his silence: he talks enough for two people, truth be told. He can practically do all the conversation on his own –which suits Minseok just fine. He has never wanted so much to make someone shut up –and Luhan is his best friend, for ’s sake.
(Eventually the brunet gets up with a “, I’m late for class! See you around Minseok-ah!”, and Minseok waves at him absent-mindedly, silently thanking the gods that Byun is gone.)

It takes a month for Minseok to see Byun Baekhyun again –the most peaceful and calm month of his life, that is of course interrupted when the obnoxious brunet comes into the picture.

Minseok is in Livernois’ class, minding his own business, positioning his things –pen, notebook, blank sheets of paper, book he’s currently reading, spare notebook- exactly the way he wants them to be in order to pay the most possible attention in class. He’s expecting the professor and the other students to enter anytime now –he’s a bit early, of course.

What he doesn’t expect is Byun Baekhyun’s excited voice calling his name overly-affectionately (“Minseok-aaaah, where have you been hiding all this time?!”), and his whole persona coming like a tornado to sit next to him. Minseok can only watch in horror as Baekhyun practically opens his bag, turns it upside down and empties its contents on the desk –hisdesk-, covering completely the things it already hosts –his things. He can almost see his sheets of paper folding and crumpling, and he cringes internally. Byuncontinues to spill the mess all over his desk and all over his life, without showing any signs of being bothered by the chaos in front of them.

All of this happens, of course, with Byun’s incessant annoying blabbering in the background, which even covers the shuffling of the other students getting their seats.
“I am aware that this might startle you a bit, Minseok-ah, but I found myself missing you a little; I must admit I find your presence oddly compelling” he drops casually at one moment, eyes looking straight at him.

Minseok doesn’t say anything, too annoyed to appreciate the brunet’s researched vocabulary or notice that his movements have come to a halt and that he looks like he’s anticipating –something… He also doesn’t notice the deception his lack of answer provides to the other, or the uncomfortable silence that follows.
Livernois’ appearance puts an end to all conversation, thankfully, but apparently Byun can’t shut up to save his life: he hears him hum or mumble, he fidgets or looks at his phone. Minseok can only sigh in frustration as he asks him: “I’m sorry, aren’t you supposed to be taking notes?”

Byun’s smile is blinding, and Minseok would really like to punch it out of his face: “What for? I have you, after all.”

Minseok groans. This is going to be a long lecture indeed.

The next time they see each other, it’s at a party Luhan practically forced him to go. He doesn’t even know who is hosting it –the name Kim Jongdae doesn’t ring a bell to him, but Luhan says that it’s an open invitation party anyways (he also mentions unlimited quantity of beer, and Minseok cannot say no to that one argument, so he tags along).

Of course he doesn’t miss how Luhan’s eyes twinkle with mischief when he agrees to go, and he has Luhan fessing up his amazing plan, as he puts it: “Okay, okay, so maybe Jongdae’s best friend is Byun Baekhyun, and maybe I might have mentioned to him that you’ll be going and that you’ll need company because you’ll be all alone?”
Minseok suddenly feels very, very tired. Of course; Luhan had wanted to match him with Baekhyun ever since he saw their discussion on Facebook, saying that “there was some right there, I can tell”. Minseok’s arguments went completely unheard by Luhan, but then again, what was new?

“Even if I was to spend the rest of eternity alone, I would say no to Byun’s company without hesitation, and besides, I won’t be alone, you’ll be with me” he says matter-of-factly, pleased with his impeccable logic, but then Luhan is wiggling his eyebrows suggestively saying that he will have businessto attend to, and Minseok is stupid enough to ask what he could possibly have to do at tonight’s party.

“Oh Sehun.”

Minseok simply groans.

The party is already in full sway when they make it to the party, since Luhan had an existential crisis that involved which shirt he should wear (“something manly!”), while Minseok had an existential crisis, period.

Jongdae apparently lives close to university in a huge house that is currently facing imminent destruction by drunk young adults that look for an opportunity to get laid and a reason to do things they will regret later. He comes to those conclusions after observing the peculiar behaviour of his –as he had thought until then- mostly sane
classmates, like Huang Zitao and Zhang Yixing, running around the garden without a reason at all, while flailing their arms around, giggling and –obviously- very very drunk. (And very very too, but Minseok conveniently pretends he doesn’t notice.)

They enter the house (which at his normal state should be cozy and inviting but currently looks like it has survived a nuclear war) and Luhan disappears immediately, saying he’s going to get himself “occupied” –Minseok knows better than actually ask this time. As he surveys the mess around, he decides that yes, he definitely needs a beer. Like now.

Half an hour later Minseok is still at the kitchen counter that has conveniently turned into a bar for tonight, sipping his second bear as he watches the bodies move to the sound of the music as if there was no tomorrow. He is content like this, watching people having fun with a can of beer in his hand, he thinks; joining the fun is kind of overrated after all.

He’s not surprised as he should have been when a familiar voice hollers across the room: “Minseok-ah!” and Byun all but sprints towards his direction, cheeks flushed from the dancing. Minseok nods in acknowledgement, resigning to the idea that he will probably have to spend his rest of the night with Byun, at least until Luhan has decided that he has ravaged enough the mouth of Oh Sehun (at least he hopes he will limit himself to the mouth).
Byun excuses himself to get a drink, and Minseok prepares himself mentally for what is coming next –endless blabbering and a very believable simulation of hell. When Byun turns to face him again though, Minseok is still thoroughly unprepared, because something about Byun’s eyes is different tonight, and whatever it is fogs his thoughts for a little while.

…Is Byun ing Baekhyun wearing eyeliner?

Dark eyes look at his own and Minseok decides that yes, the brunet is wearing eyeliner, because his eyes are more defined and more piercing and just a little bit alluring tonight, and it blowsbecause Minseok kinda likes it, and he can’t help but admit that Byun looks kinda-

No. No amount of eyeliner will make him admit that Byun is y.

Byun has started his usual –talk-about-everything-until-there-is-nothing-left-to-say-and-then-speak-some-more thing, but Minseok hears none of it because he is busy trying to figure out if his interlocutor is wearing lip-gloss too, because he doesn’t remember his lips being so inviti- pink.

“I think I’m going to get some more beer” he says, only mildly apologetic about the fact that he’s totally left the brunet hanging; he’s the main reason for Minseok’s distress after all.

He comes back towards where Byun should have been, but he’s gone. Minseok shrugs the slight guilt he’s feeling, saying to himself that he probably left in order to do what most people do at parties, like dance or drink or snog someone’s living daylights off with those pretty lips of his.

…Wait, what?

Minseok sighs. More beer.

The party ends up being a great source of revelations for Kim Minseok, age 19 and kind of dizzy by the time the clock shows it’s 3AM: One, Luhan is definitely hitting it off with Sehun, since they have locked themselves in the only available bathroom in the house for half an hour already, despite the protests of the people that are now piling up outside. Two, apparently Byun can’t dance without making his moves , especially when he’s grinding against that dude with the ridiculously high cheekbones –Minseok finds him and his cheekbones oddly annoying for some reason. Three, Minseok probably has a thing for dark defined y eyes, but definitely not for Byun ing Baekhyun. And four, Minseok really shouldn’t have had that fourth beer (and the three tequila shots that weird and awkward fellow classmate, Park Chanyeol, offered him in between).

He’s feeling slightly dizzy when Byun, after having whispered some words with Mr-with-ridiculous-high-cheekbones, comes to stand by his side again, cheeks flushed and smile unwavering. Minseok resists the urge to roll his eyes.

Byun goes on and on about how good dancing feels, and that Minseok should totally dance and mingle with the crowd, and that Jongdae, who turns out to be the cheekbone dude, wouldn’t mind sharing Baekhyun with him for a little way. All that is said between the brunet’s efforts to catch his breath, and Minseok just wants for Byun to. Shut. The. . Up.

He’s already a bit drunk and he doesn’t even feel the need to act polite anymore, so he just says a dry “no” to Byun’s offer for a dance and keeps his eyes on the moving crowd, ignoring the other completely, not noticing how the brunet’s lips open in surprise and then meet to form a thin line.

He hears him take an intake of breath, as he says: “You don’t really like me much, do you?”

There is bitterness in his voice and Minseok whips his head at the brunet’s direction, surprised, but Byun is already gone.

Five, Minseok will probably feel guilty about all this tomorrow.
  

He does feel guilty about it tomorrow –and the day after tomorrow, and the day after, and the day after that as well.

Nothing changes, and Minseok can almost convince himself that really, everything is the same; except it isn’t. After all, his eyes dowander around the campus at times, looking for a certain brunet; his head doesperk up when Luhan mentions his name offhandedly; he does takes notice of Byun’s absence, absence that isn’t at all something new or unexpected, but that is felt that strongly for the first time.

Minseok convinces himself that it’s simple guilt that makes him seek silently the brunet day by day; he says to himself that it’s because he wants to apologize that he wishes to talk to him, that it’s because he hates being rude to people in general that he hopes to cross paths with Byun and make things right. He convinces himself of that and so much more, except he doesn’t. Not really.

Luck is on Minseok’s side though, and he does cross paths with Byun Baekhyun again, in the last class of Livernois before the end of the first semester.
Minseok is a bit early again, exactly as he likes it, and he sits at his usual desk, carefully arranging his things on it, exactly as he likes them to be. He does however make sure that all of his things are strictly covering only his part of the desk, giving a clear signal that the seat next to him is free –and that if Byun just might happen to pass from here, Minseok maybe just has a seat saved for him. Maybe.

He still is the only one in the class when a very familiar silhouette appears at the doorstep and enters the classroom; Minseok’s breath gets caught on his throat for no apparent reasons, and he just stares, as Byun Baekhyun, without making eye-contact with him, slides into another seat at the other end of the classroom.
Remembering the events of the party and his more than obvious hostility, Minseok can’t possibly blame him. Yet seeing the brunet so far away bothers him for some reason, so he gets up and moves close to Byun, coaxing himself into apologizing honestly. He braces himself for the blabbering of the other as he approaches, determined to at least manage to slip into the other’s incessant speech that he really is sorry about the other night.

To his surprise, the brunet doesn’t even utter a sound; he just stares at him in wonder, waves at him hesitantly and returns to his work –drawing stupid chibis on his notebook. Byun can’t draw to save his life, apparently. Minseok fights to regain his composure, coughs a little, and says:

“Hi.”

Byun’s head shots up, and he smiles with a little, reserved smile that Minseok isn’t used to seeing. “Hi yourself” he says then quietly, and Minseok is just frustrated, because this isn’t, this simply isn’t Byun Baekhyun.

“Uhm… I just… I kinda wanted to apologize? About the party?” he tries, probably sounding less than convincing, but Byun’s eyes are gentle, so hecontinues. “I know I was a bit rude that night, but I… I guess I was a little out of it; I had also had some more drinks than I should, and I just shut you off… So yeah, sorry…” he says, rubbing the back of his neck sheepishly. “I was just distracted by… some other things” he adds, trying not to remember what exactly was distracting him that particular night.
Defined and dark eyes… Soft, pink, provocatively inviting lips… And an even more daring tongue that darted out to moist them every few minutes…Goddamn it.

Minseok’s eyes drop at Baekhyun’s lips for the briefest of seconds.

Then they shot up again to meet a pair of brown ones that look at him curiously.

There is silence.

“Uhhm, okay, that’s all, I’ll just go… erm… back there. Bye. See you around. I mean, since winter vacation is coming, I guess I’ll… see you after the holidays? If we have other classes together, that is?” Minseok things that his brain must have stopped functioning. Oh well, it was a good brain, it lived long so it doesn’t matter if he isn’t capable of forming a coherent sentence in front of his crus-

Woah. Woah, woah, woah. That escalated quickly, far too quickly, and Minseok is not ready to go there yet.

“Right. Bye” he says and he’s gone, but before that, he looks at Byun one more time –and he’s beaming at him. Minseok