Ice Cream and Rainy Afternoons Pt.2

THIS IS A DOUBLE UPDATE!!! GO BACK AND READ PART 1 BEFORE PROCEEDING!!!

Ice Cream and Rainy Afternoons Part 2
7500+ words
BaekYeol Side Pairing

Baekhyun is very grateful that his hybrid status doesn’t show as long as he is trying. He hates how hard he has to try, but it is worth it when he can sit within a popular plaza and eat an ice cream without anyone gawking at him. The heterochromia is his only standout trait, but one that for some reason is really difficult for him to hide. Others hide their eye colors so easily, but he isn’t sure if it is the dual color that makes it so difficult. Sometimes he slips up and only one color shows through while his other eye stays brown. Regardless, if he is not careful, anyone looking at him will know something is different.

He is incredibly bored, but at least now he has a plethora of people to watch. Since he isn’t remotely introverted like the giant had accused him of, the crowd actually puts him at ease. He wouldn’t care if a random stranger sat and talked to him or anything else for that matter. Baekhyun smiles with ease as he watches people do shopping and meet up with friends and it only stings him slightly that he isn’t partaking in the same events himself.

Baekhyun definitely doesn’t have frivolous money to spend, and today he is without his normal group of friends.

He takes to at his ice cream, which is the one small luxury he could talk himself into. He deserves the treat after being left behind. Baekhyun savors the taste before taking another and watching more people walk by.

“Ice cream suits you.”

Baekhyun’s eyes roll as he stops to huff out a breath in annoyance. He isn’t sure whether to curse fate for listening to him about wanting someone to approach him or if he should just curse the tall giant in general.

“Thanks, I guess,” Baekhyun mutters. He turns his gaze to his right to see the man standing next to him with the dumbest grin he has ever seen. “What?”

Chanyeol shakes his head. “Nothing. You’re just really cute.”

“And you are impossible.”

“Impossible how?”

Baekhyun shakes his head, “Never mind.”

“Isn’t it a little cold for an ice cream?” Chanyeol muses.

“Last I checked, there wasn’t a temperature regulation for when one can and can’t eat ice cream.”

“Feisty today. What’s wrong?”

“Nothing is wrong.”

“Hmm,” Chanyeol hums in thought. He walks around to Baekhyun’s left and sits down in the seat next to him.

“What are you doing?” Baekhyun asks.

“Sitting.”

“Why?”

“Do you not want me to?”

“Obviously.”

“Ouch. You are grumpy today. I’ll leave if that’s what you want. Are you still going to call me? Did you keep my number?”

“Yeah.”

“Yeah to which part?”

“I want you to leave,” Baekhyun answers without flinching.

Defiantly, Chanyeol leans closer to Baekhyun. “Are you sure?”

Baekhyun inwardly shivers. Since when did the giant have such a low voice? Why did it cut through Baekhyun like a knife settling somewhere inside and stirring him up? Instead of answering, Baekhyun takes to at his ice cream before it melts more than it has.

“I like this place. For me, this is a good place to sit and think.”

“Is that so?” Baekhyun mumbles with disinterest and a mouth full of ice cream.

“Yep. I come here a lot to find a place to just sit and either work on things or do nothing.”

“What kind of things do you work on?” Baekhyun can almost hit himself for asking. He isn’t really curious.

“I dabble in composing music. Sometimes I’ll come down here with headphones and a notebook and come up with an idea for a song. It helps to just kind of watch people and see what inspires me. Sometimes it is a rhythm and sometimes it is a story.”

“Is that what you do for a living?”

“Kind of. I work with arrangements. I compose for myself.”

Baekhyun nods. It is sort of cool that Chanyeol can make a career out of something he likes but still enjoy aside from his work. Baekhyun wishes he could find something like that, but then sometimes he feels he is doomed to flounder forever.

“What do you do?” Chanyeol asks.

“Nothing.”

“Nothing?”

“It’s hard to explain, but I wasn’t very good at most things in school.” I was more distracted with the drama that came with being a hybrid. “I didn’t go to college.” I didn’t have parents to put me through and no other means to do so on my own. “I just haven’t found anything that suits me,” he adds flippantly, as if life allows such an existence.

“Not to be nosy, but how do you survive?” Chanyeol asks in curiosity.

“You are being nosy. I live with a few friends,” Baekhyun answers.

Chanyeol frowns at the smaller. “Are you just freeloading?”

Baekhyun’s stare turns icy. He hasn’t felt this angry in a while. He can’t believe the nerve of the giant to just label him when he didn’t know him at all. Standing quickly, Baekhyun stomps away, pausing only to angrily toss the rest of his ice cream in a nearby trash can.

“Hey! I’m sorry! Wait!” Chanyeol yells.

Baekhyun ignores him. Why on earth should he waste his day on someone so insensitive and presumptuous?

“Baekhyun! Wait!” Chanyeol calls again. Thankfully, given his long legs, his strides overtake Baekhyun’s quickly. Within another minute he has caught up with the angry man still storming through the middle of the plaza square. Reaching out, Chanyeol grabs Baekhyun’s shoulder and stops him from walking.

Baekhyun has known, for at least the last few steps, that his eyes are very much on display. In a panic, he looks down at the ground and squints to hide them.

“I’m sorry. That wasn’t a nice thing to assume,” Chanyeol offers.

Baekhyun, wanting nothing more than to get away from the other and recover his control, shakes his head and mumbles about not giving a .

“Look, I don’t know what you might have gone through and I’m sure there is a lot more to you than the little bit I know right now. I’m sure you’re not just some bum living off of your friends and I’m so sorry for saying it that way,” Chanyeol tries. “Can we ignore what just happened? I’d still like to get to know you better.”

“So you can make more snap judgments and assumptions? No thanks.”

“Baekhyun, look at me.”

“No,” Baekhyun answers, still looking at the ground and shaking his head.

Exasperated but not knowing how to give up, Chanyeol just looks at the top of Baekhyun’s head as he is looking down. “Okay, then what about something else? I need to look for something for a friend of mine. Would you like to walk around with me for a little bit?”

Baekhyun stares at the ground in confusion. After a moment, he shakes his head.

“Please?” Chanyeol tries.

Baekhyun shakes his head again.

In an attempt to get eye contact, Chanyeol gets down on his knees on the cement ground and clasps his hands together. “Please, Baekhyun?”

Baekhyun spins away worried the other will see the yellow and blue of his eyes. “You’re insane!”

“Please? I could use a friend to help me out with this,” Chanyeol tries again.

Something about that sentence hits Baekhyun in a way he wish it hadn’t. “Who are you shopping for?”

“Well, my best friend’s not quite boyfriend, I think.” There was a birthday party coming up in a couple weeks and Chanyeol has been invited. He was eager until he realized it was for the very guy that his best friend was interested in. Chanyeol hadn’t been able to ask if things were going well or if their relationship had progressed because it still hurt.

“That’s rather obscure…” Baekhyun observes.

“Yeah, well, I’m trying to be supportive.”

“But you’re not, not really.”

“It’s hard watching someone you used to like be with someone else,” Chanyeol admits.

“So, you’re shopping for your nemesis?” Baekhyun asks.

“He’s not my nemesis. I’m sure he’s a great guy. I’m sure there is a good reason why Minseok likes him. And I’m trying to be supportive.”

“I thought you said you liked hybrids?” Baekhyun suddenly asks.

“Minseok is a hybrid.” Chanyeol admits cautiously. He takes out his phone and scrolls through his pictures until he finds one of his best friend. “See?”

Baekhyun carefully takes the phone and looks at the image of a man with black hair and black ears. The hair around his ears is tipped in white and he has some subtle black and white coloring to his eyebrows. His eyes are a sparkling green and for a moment, Baekhyun feels jealous.

“He makes for a rather handsome hybrid, don’t you think?” Chanyeol asks.

“I guess, if you’re into that sort of thing,” Baekhyun dismisses. He hands back the phone to Chanyeol and tries to practice his control now that he doesn’t feel as angry as he had before.

“Never been into a hybrid?” Chanyeol asks.

“It has nothing to do with that,” Baekhyun answers quickly.

“So what’s wrong with him?” Chanyeol asks in slight defense.

“He’s chubby,” Baekhyun pulls out, even if he knows it is the dumbest thing he could think to say.

“Minseok is not chubby.” Chanyeol pockets his phone and puts his hands on his hips in annoyance.

“Okay. You’re right. I don’t know. He just doesn’t suit you, Chanyeol.”

Baekhyun thinks he has things under control, so he looks up at the giant to see the man standing there in thought.

“Yeah. I should probably lower my standards. It was pretty crazy to think that Minseok would be interested in someone like me. And even now… I guess I aim pretty high,” the giant mumbles.

“God, You’re an idiot. That’s not what I meant either,” Baekhyun tries. He doesn’t really need a sulking giant human to deal with right now.

“Oh?”

“I just picture you with someone else. Someone different.”

“Like what?” Chanyeol asks incredulously.

“Someone who contrasts with you. Like, you’re so tall - it would be obnoxious if someone were as tall as you. You’re kind of mellow too, even if you’re incorrigible. You need someone who would add excitement to your world.”

“Minseok is shorter, and he has ton of energy…”

Baekhyun scowls. “Nevermind then Chanyeol. Go confess to the guy. Go tell him so that he can see what he’s missing and drop this other guy that he is with right now.”

Chanyeol let the words spin in his head. Baekhyun thinks that Minseok is missing something in him? What is it that Baekhyun has seen? Why does it make Chanyeol feel so light headed? “I-I don’t want Minseok anymore. I just wanted to be supportive. It’s okay if he is dating someone else.”

“You could have fooled me.”

“Nah, I like someone else. At least, I think I do or am starting to.”

Baekhyun looks at Chanyeol for a moment while the idiot smiles at him. Baekhyun feels confused. He is somewhat happy that Chanyeol is staring at him, but he isn’t entirely convinced that the taller is over his best friend. He also isn’t sure that should some obvious hybrid come into the picture that Chanyeol won’t become completely distracted.

“Suho, can I borrow your phone?” Baekhyun asks one particularly dreary afternoon. It has been raining all day and while he doesn’t really want to go out, he is tired of sitting and watching the streams flow down the window.

“Sure. Can I ask why?” Suho is in one of his moments of actually acting like the hybrid he is. He has been antsy since the onslaught of the storm and keeps trying to find things to do around the apartment. Chen had long given up trying to distract Suho and has chosen to re-read one of his favorite books in the tiny collection that he is starting to obtain. His favorite outing has become one of the larger libraries in the city, but he has also found himself a small independently owned bookstore that he tucks into every now and again when he notices a sale.

“Want to call someone,” Baekhyun states as though it is no big deal.

Suho frowns in confusion. “Okay, but make sure they know this isn’t your phone that way I’m not getting a billion messages when I am not home to show you.”

“I know. I know.” Baekhyun hands out his palm in wait for the device to be given to him. As soon as it is in his grasp, he runs to the bedroom and gets out the tattered napkin that he can’t for the life of him explain why it is still in his posession. Thinking mischievously to himself, he opens the phone’s messaging app and types in Chanyeol’s number. In the message he simply puts ‘I’m bored’ and sends it off.

So am I. Who is this?

Baekhyun laughs to himself while deciding to settle on his bed, back down to the mattress with the phone hovering above him.

What’s important is that I know who you are.

Um, that’s creepy. Really, who is this?

Baekhyun laughs out loud this time. He wonders how long Chanyeol will continue to reply.

The rain is making me crazy. I hope it lets up soon.

I rather like the rain.

But you said you were bored?

That’s not the rain’s fault.

Well I am bored and it’s the rain’s fault. I can’t go anywhere with it pouring like this.

Where would you go?

Out.

You sound like a trapped house cat.

Do house cats talk? Do you know what they sound like?

I happen to have extensive knowledge of several feline characteristics.

Not enough to have picked up mine, Baekhyun thinks with a scoff. He knows he is playing with fire, but this is the most exciting game Baekhyun has played all day.

You’re not one of those, are you…

I thought you knew who I was, and what if I am?

At least Baekhyun knows that Chanyeol is not aware that it is him. Honestly, how many people did this guy give out his number to? Why is he so comfortable chatting with a complete stranger? But then Baekhyun realizes that if someone had texted him like this, he would keep up the charade as well.

Maybe we are meant for each other! Baekhyun sends off with a laugh.

Are you a hybrid?

Would that make you interested?

When the giant didn’t reply for a few moments, Baekhyun frowned. Why couldn’t he just be honest? Yes or no! It isn’t that difficult! Plus, it will let Baekhyun know if the other really does have a fixation or not.

Who is this?

Yes or no, Chanyeol. Are you suddenly interested if you think I’m a hybrid?

It doesn’t matter. I don’t know who you are.

I don’t believe you. I think you’re dying to know if I am or not and I think that if I were to tell you yes, you would want to ‘get to know me better’.

How did you get this number?

It was given to me.

By who?

Irrelevant.

I happen to think it’s very relevant.

Why?

Because if I’ve made you this nervous, Baekhyun, it wasn’t my intention. I am very interested…in you.

“!” Baekhyun curses. He slams the phone face down on the mattress. He can feel himself shaking from getting caught. He stands up away from the bed, leaving the phone where it is. He needs to somehow respond so that he can prove that Chanyeol is completely wrong in his assumption.

Slowly, he leans over the mattress and picks up the phone. With a cringe and more nervousness than he knows what to do with, he turns the phone over and unlocks the screen.

I’m not ‘Baekhyun’

I’m going to the plaza to see a movie at the cinemas there. Meet me in an hour and a half. If you don’t, I will stand in the rain all afternoon waiting for you. If you come, I’ll let you pick whatever movie you’d like to see and maybe then you won’t be so bored.

I’m not who you think I am.

An hour and a half. I’ll be waiting.

Baekhyun grumbles out a slew of profanities under his breath as he starts to pace his room. The taller definitely won’t just stand all day in the rain. There is no way he would be so stupid. Baekhyun has no reason to confirm Chanyeol’s suspicion.

Grabbing the knob for his door, Baekhyun walks back out into the living room to see that Chen has fallen asleep with the book on his chest. At no immediate sign of Suho, he walks into the kitchen to find the man on the floor scrubbing at the baseboards.

“Here’s your phone,” Baekhyun states, holding out the device.

Suho takes it and pockets the device.

“Chen is sleeping.”

“I know,” Suho replies.

“Determined to clean these floors?”

“Might as well.”

Baekhyun nods and walks out to the living room quietly. He sits down on the floor just in front of the couch so he can use it for back support. He looks at the window with nothing but gray and trails of water in its expanse.

A movie would be nice. I haven’t seen a movie in a while. It’s better than watching water dripping down a window. No, Baekhyun thinks, shaking his head. I’m not placating that giant idiot. Baekhyun scoffs and starts to run his fingers through the carpet fibers. He wouldn’t stay out in the rain, would he? Why do I care? He’s weird. He’s totally fixated on hybrids and he doesn’t even know that I am one. If I tell him, he really won’t ever leave me alone.

Baekhyun starts to shift around. He can’t sit still for too long. He could sleep, it was the middle of the day, but he’s too wired up now.

A movie really would be nice. He would have to be quiet if we went to one together. No one likes talking in the theatre. Once it’s over I can just come back home. No harm done!

“Suho?!” Baekhyun suddenly calls out. Chen stirs slightly, but doesn’t wake up.

“Yeah?”

“I’m going out.”

“In this rain?”

“I’ll be indoors. I’m going to see a movie.”

“Baek, we don’t really have the money for that…”

“No, no. I am meeting up with a friend. He’s treating me.”

Suho took quick steps out to the living room. “What friend?”

Baekhyun pushes at the cuticle on one of his nails. “Someone I met recently.”

“Is this like a date?” Suho asks with a smile.

“No! No, gods no. Just, I’m bored and he said he was going to catch a movie and I’m going to go with him. It’s nothing.”

“Alright, I’ll see you later then. Take my umbrella, it is seriously pouring out there.”

“You won’t need it?”

Suho looked at Chen with a smile. “I really doubt we’re going anywhere tonight.”

“Thanks!” Baekhyun runs back into his room to change into the type of clothes he wears when he goes out. He takes a second to run to the bathroom and add some eyeliner, but not too much that it is blatantly obvious. Pleased with his lined brown eyes, Baekhyun runs back into the living room for his shoes and takes up Suho’s umbrella. If the busses are running on time, he should be there with twenty minutes to spare. He can only hope he doesn’t make Chanyeol wait too long.

Chanyeol looks up into the middle of his umbrella rather nervously. It is definitely raining hard. He is a little surprised that he is not more soaked than he is. His pants are more than damp from the knees down and his jacket sleeves are getting drenched. He still has about seventeen more minutes to wait and he is not sure if he should already be nervous.

He hasn’t given his phone number to anyone but Baekhyun. Unless the other gave the napkin with the number to someone else, there could be no one else to have texted Chanyeol. At first, the conversation confused and entertained him. However once he read the message about only wanting to get to know someone who was a hybrid, Chanyeol took a shot in the dark at calling out Baekhyun for sending those messages. He feels bad. He wants to try hard to make sure his previous love of hybrids doesn’t interfere with his sudden interest in the male. However, he is also a little giddy to find that Baekhyun has obviously spent time thinking about it.

Chanyeol keeps watch over those walking nearby. No one else is just standing in the rain like he is, but there are still plenty of pedestrians trying to get from one place to the other as quickly as possible. There isn’t anywhere for Chanyeol to sit and wait, plus at least on his feet he can scan the crowds a little bit better. He just prays that Baekhyun will show up. There is a good chance that the man might be too stubborn to do so, but Chanyeol is placing a lot of hope in the fact that he has guilt Baekhyun into saving him from being stuck out in the rain.

Chanyeol debates about texting Baekhyun again, but he doesn’t want to put the other off. Deciding that patience is probably the best way to go, Chanyeol simply checks the time and pockets his phone to keep it safe from the rain.

He can hear thunder in the distance and braces his umbrella just in case the sky has any intention to let more rain pour down.

Eight minutes, Chanyeol thinks while kicking at the puddle closest to his feet. He probably isn’t coming. Chanyeol lets out a breath of air, but continues to stand in place. He said he was going to stand here, so stand here is what he is going to continue to do. Chanyeol can feel the dampness from the rain rising above his knees about mid thigh. Thank goodness it isn’t too windy, but the umbrella only provides so much cover for someone so tall.

“Three minutes,” Chanyeol groans. I really must be stupid. He moves from foot to foot to keep his legs somewhat warm despite the wetness and the cold. He turns around to scan another group of people walking by. He isn’t sure which way Baekhyun will be coming from so he keeps turning around in the hope that he will see him first.

Chanyeol takes out his phone, even though he knows what he is going to see. The hour and a half is up and there is still no sign of the short attractive male. Chanyeol is still convinced that he was texting with Baekhyun, but he must have placed too much expectation to think the guy would willingly meet with him. But then, he did text him first, and despite any inclinations he had made about not liking Chanyeol’s company, he had continued to shop with him the last time they were at the plaza. Chanyeol can’t figure out just what exactly is going on or how to read the other male, but he still hopes that he won’t leave Chanyeol stranded all night.

“God, you really are an idiot! You should know better, Chanyeol! I cannot believe you are standing out here in this freaking monsoon!”

The taller turns around suddenly to observe the smaller frame of someone with a black jacket and completely drenched hair which is matted to his face. Without a second thought, Chanyeol takes a few steps forward until his umbrella is covering both of them.

“I’m the idiot?! Me?! Why are you out here without an umbrella?” Chanyeol yells.

“I had one, okay. But it was really windy at the seventh street bus stop and it got away from me,” Baekhyun confesses.

“You are literally drenched.”

“I’m more than aware.”

“You’re going to get sick!”

“Not if I get inside. Can we go inside Chanyeol, please? I’m freezing!” Baekhyun whines.

Chanyeol nods even though the smaller male isn’t looking up at him to see. Keeping the umbrella over both of them, Chanyeol moves to Baekhyun’s side and puts his arm around the smaller’s shoulder. He quickly nudges him to lead him to the cinema’s booth, which thankfully has an overhang. He needs to buy tickets before they can go inside, but Chanyeol suddenly remembers his promise to let Baekhyun choose the movie.

“What do you want to see?” Chanyeol quickly asks.

“I don’t care. Pick whatever. I just want to get inside,” Baekhyun says with a slight stutter and chattering teeth.

Chanyeol scans the tickers with all of the options and quickly picks one that he thinks he has heard good things about. He quickly pulls out his wallet and pays for the tickets. Snatching them once handed over, Chanyeol turns the two of them to the door and quickly pulls it open for Baekhyun to enter.

Once inside Baekhyun continues to shiver. “I hate being this wet,” he huffs out.

“Take off that jacket. It isn’t helping you,” Chanyeol instructs. He hurries out of his own jacket, which is still only wet on the sleeves. Once Baekhyun has been rid of his outermost drenched layer, Chanyeol throws his jacket over the smaller male.

Baekhyun can feel the warmth immediately and tries to control his shivering. “Thanks,” he sputters.

“Of course.” Chanyeol looks at the tickets and then looks about the theatre’s lobby. “This way,” he says with a tilt to his head.

Baekhyun pulls the jacket around him, loving that he can drown in the warmth. In doing so, he becomes keenly aware of Chanyeol’s scent. It’s something he has picked up before, but being wrapped in it is entirely different. Baekhyun feels himself relaxing as he cuddles himself into the warmth while they walk through to the specified theatre for their movie.

Chanyeol picks out seats that are centered and a few rows from the back. Baekhyun is glad because if he had picked the back row, then it would have been entirely too cliché. Instead, Baekhyun takes to sitting next to the taller and closes his eyes while he waits for the shivering to stop.

“Are you alright?” Chanyeol asks while the small ads are playing before the feature starts.

“Just… just cold. But, this is helping. Thank you.”

“Is there anything else I can do?”

Baekhyun shakes his head. Unless the giant has stashed an entire change of clothes somewhere, Baekhyun seriously doubts it.

“Let me know if you think of something. I really hope you don’t get sick…” Chanyeol murmurs.

Baekhyun inhales scent coming off of the jacket. If possible, he buries himself into the fabric even more. His legs are cold and wet and his hair is still dripping, but at least he is fighting off the cold.

Neither of them say anything as the movie begins. Baekhyun is not sure what he is in for, but with Chanyeol next to him and his environment making him feel at ease, he is not sure he cares.

Chanyeol is trying not to think about the male next to him when an hour into the film a still damp head comes into contact with his shoulder. Shocked at first, Chanyeol turns to find that Baekhyun has fallen asleep. He isn’t too sure, but a rain soaked sleeping date doesn’t seem to reek of success as far as first dates are concerned. Still Chanyeol, smiles softly and settles down a little lower in his seat so that Baekhyun’s head can rest comfortably on his shoulder. He doesn’t care about the dampness of his hair wetting his shirt and he honestly doesn’t even mind that Baekhyun fell asleep. There’s a certain amount of trust that a being has to have in another to fall asleep around them and Chanyeol thinks that it might be a step.

Chanyeol lets Baekhyun doze throughout the rest of the movie until it ends and he has no choice but to wake the other. Of course, he does so by moving around and rousing Baekhyun so that the other will think he woke of his own accord.

Chanyeol loves the way that Baekhyun looks a little embarrassed and apologizes a few times. He insists that Baekhyun keep his jacket on, even as they near the exit to walk outside. Luckily, there is a break in the rain.

“Can I drive you home?” Chanyeol offers.

Baekhyun hesitates. He is not sure he wants Chanyeol to know where he lives. However, he is tired and still mostly damp. Traveling by bus doesn’t really sound the most comfortable in his current state. Without actually saying anything, Baekhyun nods.

Chanyeol leads him to where his car is parked and opens the passenger door for Baekhyun to sit.

“Oh, my pants are still wet. I’m going to ruin your car.”

“They aren’t leather seats. Everything will dry. Don’t worry about it.”

Baekhyun bites his lip and sinks into the passenger seat. He is holding his heavy damp jacket near the floor while still wearing Chanyeol’s. When the taller gets into the driver’s seat, he turns on the car and starts up the heater. “Where to?”

Baekhyun gives him an address and Chanyeol types it into his GPS. When the address pops up on the map, Chanyeol gives Baekhyun a surprised look.

“You come all that way to get to the plaza? Are there not closer shopping areas where you live?”

“Don’t act all surprised. You had to know I lived close to the club. Remember?” Baekhyun grumbles.

Chanyeol looks back at the map and realizes that Baekhyun’s address is fairly close to the hybrid club. In fact, Baekhyun lives in what is prominently a hybrid concentrated area. “Those hybrids you were sitting with in the booth, those are the friends you live with?”

“Ah,” Baekhyun says with realization. “Suho and Chen live with me. You met Kai and Luhan. Kai used to live with me before Chen came along. Now he lives with Luhan. And before you ask, Suho works while Chen and I don’t. Kai and Luhan both work, but they live in some fancy apartment down closer to the business district,” Baekhyun explains, pointing off to the left side of the GPS map.

Chanyeol put his car into drive and starts along the instructed route to Baekhyun’s house. He knows the way for the most part, but he still lets the GPS instructions interrupt the silence in the car for a little while. Curiosity beats at him a little bit. After a few minutes, he decides to voice a few of them. “Chen and Suho are a couple?”

Baekhyun hums in acknowledgement.

“And you’ve only ever been friends with all of them?”

Baekhyun lets out a small laugh. “Yes. Only friends.”

Chanyeol nods to himself. “You’re not seeing anyone?”

“You’re asking me this now?” Baekhyun asks in surprise.

“Making sure.”

Baekhyun just shakes his head and turns his gaze out the window. It is much later in the evening and the city lights are on and reflecting off of all of the rain soaked surfaces. It is actually a bit pretty, Baekhyun admits to himself. Feeling exhausted, he leans his head to the side, not quite letting it come in contact with the window.

It takes about twenty minutes through town to get to where Baekhyun’s shared apartment is with Suho and Chen. Chanyeol parks the car and checks to see if the smaller has fallen asleep. To his surprise, Baekhyun is awake and slowly reaching to take off his safety belt.

“I had a nice night,” Chanyeol states.

“Really? With a rain soaked companion?”

“It was better than sitting at home all night staring at the rain,” Chanyeol offers with a smile.

Baekhyun weighs the two alternatives and takes another deep breath of what’s left of Chanyeol’s scent on the jacket. “It was.”

“Can I text you or call you tomorrow?” Chanyeol asks.

“I used Suho’s phone. The next time I can borrow it, I’ll call you.”

“Okay,” Chanyeol agrees. “Goodnight, Baekhyun. Sleep well.”

Baekhyun opens his door and gets out of the car. He is about to shrug out of the jacket and leave it on the seat next to Chanyeol when the taller protests. “Just keep it on until you get inside. I’ll get it back from you some other time.”

“I’ll just run inside, it’s no big deal. Thanks for letting me wear it all evening.”

“I have other jackets. Just go. It’s fine,” Chanyeol insists.

Baekhyun looks at the taller as he sits in the driver’s seat. He fills up the seat properly with it situated far enough back to accommodate Chanyeol’s legs. Despite how tall he is Chanyeol’s head doesn’t touch the ceiling of the vehicle at all. In fact, with his arm outstretched to keep hold at the top of the steering wheel, Baekhyun thinks he looks rather perfect. Never mind the other’s tousled dark hair and smiling eyes, which unnerve Baekhyun a little. He feels a blush creep over his cheeks and quickly turns to get inside.

When Baekhyun shut the passenger door, Chanyeol watches him jog to the apartment door to let himself in. Chanyeol likes Baekhyun a lot. He feels like a little bit of a mystery, but one that Chanyeol feels comfortable unraveling slowly. He realizes that he is in no rush with the smaller male. Unlike with Minseok, who always made him so anxious with his unrequited feelings, Baekhyun makes him feel at ease no matter how curious Chanyeol is about a great many things.

The next date they go on, Chanyeol will make sure they have plenty of time to talk.

Baekhyun stirs to the feeling of something warm on his forehead. He shivers, realizing how cold he is and snuggles closer to the small warmth.

“Are you okay?” someone asks.

Baekhyun opens his eyes and finds that he is lying in his bed. He aches everywhere. He doesn’t want to raise his head to make eye contact with the owner of the voice. Instead of answering, he merely groans.

“You’re burning up Baekhyun. I am pretty sure you have a fever.”

“Were you in those wet clothes all night?!” Baekhyun recognizes Suho’s voice. To him, he nods once. “Well then no wonder. Why were you this drenched? Where is my umbrella?”

“Lost it,” Baekhyun mumbles.

“So why didn’t you come home? You actually stayed out like this? You’ve gone and made yourself sick.”

“Shhh. He doesn’t need to be scolded. Do we have any soup? Baekhyun are you hungry?” Chen asks.

Baekhyun shakes his head. He doesn’t want to eat. If anything, he just wants to sleep. “Tired.”

“Your friend should have brought you home to change. I can’t believe you stayed out all night like that,” Suho continues.

“It’s not his fault. And I wasn’t out all night…” Baekhyun defends.

“You must really like this guy,” Suho states. He has dropped the authoritative tone in his voice in exchange for something much warmer.

“Not really,” Baekhyun denies.

“It is that guy who walked by us at the club that night, right? Chanyeol. He doesn’t know you’re a hybrid?” Suho asks.

“No, he thinks I’m human like him. But get this, he’s virtually obsessed with hybrids. He was in love with his best friend who was an obvious hybrid. Apparently his parents are hybrids too.”

“Okay, so he is bound to absolutely adore you!” Chen exclaims, excited for the other.

“I don’t want him to like me because he has some sort of ,” Baekhyun grumbles, snuggling into his blankets even more.

“Well, from what I can tell, he already likes you. At least you know that he won’t go running because of it,” Suho advises.

“You read the text messages didn’t you?” Baekhyun accuses.

“Yeah, and you’re kind of a . But, he still likes you so go for it,” he laughs.

“Get some rest, Baekkie. Let us know if you need anything okay?” Chen takes the blanket off of the other bed and adds it to the small pile covering Baekhyun.

Chanyeol thinks that Baekhyun might be right. He might just be an idiot. It has been three days without hearing a word from the smaller and Chanyeol is riding a fine line between anxiousness and worry. Three days is really nothing, but he doesn’t want too much time to go by without hearing from the other. Having Baekhyun’s address in his phone, Chanyeol makes a rash decision to drive over mid-morning that following Sunday. He isn’t sure how to explain himself, but he keeps looking at his phone and telling himself not to send text messages to what would most likely be Baekhyun’s housemate.

Chanyeol gets out of his car and walks up to the apartment door. Straightening his clothes and finger combing his hair, he raises his hand to the door and knocks a few times in a row. It only takes a moment for the latch on the door to click before someone is opening the door. Chanyeol doesn’t know if he should be prepared to be looking at Baekhyun or perhaps Suho or Chen, so he takes a step back and resolves to offer a warm smile.

What he sees is Baekhyun wrapped in a blanket, held together in the front with his fist. His face is flushed. But what catches Chanyeol’s attention is the fact that the smaller is staring at him with eyes that can’t possibly be what they in fact are. Chanyeol is staring at one blue eye and one yellow eye. Baekhyun has always had brown eyes. Is he wearing contacts? Why on earth would he be wearing contacts when he looks like he’s probably been camping out on a couch all morning?

Baekhyun’s eyes widen as he takes in the taller. He blinks quickly and looks down at the ground in shock. “What are you doing here?” he asks while trying to hide his panic.

“Honestly, I was worried when I didn’t hear from you the past few days. I came to check to see if you were okay.”

“Hmm. I got sick, but I’m feeling alright,” Baekhyun offers while staring at his feet.

“I’m sorry that I asked you to come out in the rain. I guess it was a bit impulsive of me.”

Baekhyun simply shakes his head.

Chanyeol wants to see Baekhyun look at him. He hates talking to the top of the other’s head and seems to do so a lot lately.

“Baekhyun?”

The smaller male hums in return.

“Baekhyun,” Chanyeol tries again.

“What?”

“I just… I want to see something…” Chanyeol takes his chances and reaches out to cup Baekhyun’s chin in his palm. Surprised by the touch, Baekhyun doesn’t fight against Chanyeol as the other raises his chin so that he can see his face. Baekhyun is so thrown off of his expectations of the other to respect his space that he can’t focus properly. His blue eye is properly brown but his yellow eye is an obvious gold color.

Chanyeol squints and leans down to look closer at Baekhyun’s eyes. “I don’t get it. I thought your eyes were brown. Then they were yellow and blue. Now they are gold and brown. How did you do that?”

Baekhyun shakes his head to escape Chanyeol’s hold. He’s mildly annoyed at how clueless the taller is and feels defeated at having no good explanation ready to offer the other. “What do you think?” Baekhyun asks with a sigh.

“I don’t know. That’s why I am asking you.”

“You’re so stupid, Chanyeol.”

“Why? Why am I so stupid?” Chanyeol asks defiantly.

Baekhyun can’t stand it any longer. He grips the edge of the door, losing his grip on his blanket and letting it fall to the floor. “Because you stand in people’s way when they’re crossing the road! Because you stand out in the rain to meet with someone based on a hunch. Because you think that being a hybrid is some wonderful thing. Because you don’t get it when someone tries to tell you that they’d be better for you than your chubby best friend. Most of all you’re so stupid because you thought I was a human and I’m not. I’m a hybrid too, but because I don’t have ears you missed that fact entirely. You claim you’re such an expert on hybrids but you don’t know anything Chanyeol!”

The taller had long let his hand fall away from the smaller male. “Th-then… who was the non-hybrid?”

“Luhan! Kai’s boyfriend. He’s the only freak among us,” Baekhyun states sarcastically.

Chanyeol just shakes his head. He’s sorry he made an incorrect assumption, but he’s not sorry at all that things have wound up the way that they have. He doesn’t like that Baekhyun has insinuated that anyone amongst their group is a freak, whether human or not. Looking at the striking male standing before him, Chanyeol can’t come up with a single thing to say or do except for maybe one. Feeling more daring than he ever has with anyone, Chanyeol reaches to take Baekhyun’s chin in his palm again.

While staring at a very surprised Baekhyun, Chanyeol closes the distance and kisses him.

Baekhyun is swamped with Chanyeol’s scent. It is surrounding him and drowning him and it is much more potent than it was when he was just borrowing the other’s jacket. But he doesn’t want this if it is just because Chanyeol now knows. Baekhyun fights against himself as he enjoys the taller’s kiss but is torn about it being ‘right’. With a shove that he regrets as soon as he thinks of it, Baekhyun forcefully puts his arms length between the two of them.

“You can’t just kiss me because I’m a hybrid,” Baekhyun breathes.

Chanyeol straightens his posture and looks at Baekhyun with a comfortable smile and a lift to his brows. “Now who is the idiot? I was going to kiss you eventually, human or hybrid.”

“You don’t know that!”

“No, you don’t know that, but I do. I know it because you were the one who ran into me that day. You came to meet me in the rain despite losing your umbrella and getting sick after the fact. Because you think being a hybrid is something to hide. Because I did chase you a hell of a lot and I wouldn’t have if I weren’t interested. Mostly, I would have kissed you because you’re absolutely adorable. You are smart and quick, handsome and feisty, and there’s nothing I would do to change you. Anything else about you that I learn from this day on is just an added bonus.”

Baekhyun’s jaw almost drops to the floor. He can’t believe that the other has countered back everything he had said to him.

He wants to believe all of it. He wants to believe the giant idiot.

“I’m a handful,” Baekhyun admits.

“That’s okay.”

“You say that now, but-”

“It’s okay.” Chanyeol interrupts. “As I recall, I’m mellow and in need of someone who will add a little excitement.”

“You...remember that?” Baekhyun cringes.

Chanyeol huffs out a laugh with a smile that tugs at the corner of his lip. He reaches out and ruffles Baekhyun’s already messy hair. “Mmm,” he hums in admission. Chanyeol reaches out again and softly cradles Baekhyun’s jaw with both of his hands. “I have a favor to ask of you.”

Baekhyun raises his gaze to the taller’s eyes even though at this angle it is a bit of a stretch. “What?”

“When it’s you and me, just you and me, let the facade go? It’s just eye color and it’s really awesome.”

Baekhyun rolls his eyes. “I’m not going to sate your .”

Chanyeol laughs. “Isn’t that what lovers do?” But before Baekhyun can think of a retort, Chanyeol leans forward and kisses Baekhyun again.

This time, as Baekhyun melts into the kiss, Chanyeol lets go so that he can wrap his arms around the smaller and pull him closer. Baekhyun has to crane his neck, but he doesn’t care because Chanyeol invades his mouth perfectly, making him feel like he’s somehow becoming part of him. Baekhyun has never felt like he belonged to anyone. He chose to be with his friends and they chose to be around him, but now there is someone to which he wants to become part of.

Baekhyun has a purpose, and he is suddenly elated.

Neither of them were aware of how long they had stood on the doorstep like that, but when Chen and Suho return in the early afternoon, Baekhyun is nowhere to be found.

A/N

Thank you for putting up with another side pairing expansion of this story. It's nice to break away and have some fun with other characters. Back to LuKai soon, but at least Baekkie has someone to keep him busy! haha.

Maybe I'll give BaekYeol a 'collar' scene later... but meh, we'll see...