If there’s one thing Baekhyun’s never once thought about doing, it would definitely be cuddling Jongin in his own bed. It almost sounds like a ridiculous idea, considering the fact that he’s absolutely certain he’s only always been attracted to his face (and maybe... his personality), but now that it’s happening, he doesn’t quite know how to accurately feel about it.

It isn’t awkward or uncomfortable... at least not for Baekhyun himself, but it doesn’t quite reach the level of excitement, nor does he feel nervous. It’s just... comfortable. Foreign... but incredibly nice. And he feels safe, knowing he isn’t going to hear Kai say anything more about meeting up with their individual ‘ buddies’ next weekend.

It’s probably nice, really nice, having Jongin as a boyfriend. Who takes actual responsibility and stays loyal enough by proving it with actions. It’s a different sort of sensation being with Kai, and with Jongin. And Baekhyun’s beginning to second think this entire switch up.

He’s absolutely terrified of getting too attached to Jongin in just one day, and being unable to control his already wrecked emotions after the entire day ends. Baekhyun doesn’t want to think about future possibilities with Jongin when Kai is right next to him. He doesn’t want to reminisce about this—whatever he feels around Jongin that’s as great as non-existent around Kai, which is insecurities and doubt.

He doesn’t want to feel like it could’ve been him and Jongin, not Jongin and Taemin together. He genuinely doesn’t want to. 

“Hey,” Jongin’s voice comes across as soft, feather light, yet Baekhyun still reacts with an abrupt jump from the surprise that zaps into him. “You’ve been real quiet ever since we got home, y’know?”

“I guess,” Baekhyun mumbles tiredly, slotting his leg between Jongin’s but definitely not before asking for permission... via his knee. Jongin seems to be fine with everything. “Too much thoughts. Too many emotions. Too tired of everything.”

The cheek that’s been resting above Baekhyun’s head pulls back and Baekhyun regretfully wishes he should’ve told Jongin sooner, so he wouldn’t have to go through this at a later timing. “You haven’t told me what’s bothering you.”

“You know, being in a relationship with Kai is like getting myself into an endless game of ‘How long can we technically last before Kai needs one of his buddies again’,” Baekhyun blurts one word after the other nearly resembling the eruption of a volcano, unable to hold back anymore.

“Well, Kai just functions this way in a—wait, what did you mean ‘Kai’?” A dumbfounded Jongin is also something new, since Jongin’s rarely ever surprised over something that shouldn’t be all that surprising.

But in a way, this probably isn’t something not surprising.

“Okay,” Baekhyun in a breath. “It’s a long story but since you literally know everything, let me just tell you—I don’t really anyone other than Kai, I’m all words unlike him... all actions.”

Jongin’s face contorts into a strangled look that Baekhyun feels on an emotional level. “What, .”

Baekhyun simply draws his arms into his chest and heaves a laughter that leaves his throat easier than expected. He doesn’t know what harm it does to let Jongin know about this, and besides, Jongin’s proven himself to be an amazing listener and comforter a long, long time ago. If Baekhyun has to admit, he’s told Jongin a lot more problems as compared to Kai even before they got together.

But it’s only because Kai’s never able to take certain things as seriously as it should be. Not that Baekhyun didn’t want to let him in on anything, because he would have. He would’ve told Kai about everything and anything if he was less playful.

“You...” Jongin’s fingers brushes the strands of hair framing Baekhyun’s hair swiftly and smoothly, yet his voice contradicts his movements extremely much. “He doesn’t know anything about this, does he?”

“Don’t tell him,” there’s a beat of pause. “Please— Jongin.”

 “May I beat his , then?” Mentioned male smiles sweetly at Baekhyun, and it’s serious with an addition growl but Baekhyun only laughs it off. “I’m serious. Stop laughing, Baek.”

“You cutie,” Baekhyun snorts. It’s instinctive, almost, as he pushes himself up to peck Jongin on the curve of his neck and it... doesn’t feel that strange. It’s comfortable now, and in the process, you smell good almost trips on his tongue, letting it blatantly be known by accident but thankfully doesn’t.

Baekhyun doesn’t know to what extent, this entire swap could reach to let it maintain the way it should be. He isn’t brave enough to try and experiment.

“I’m not cute,” Jongin pouts, his hand freely running down Baekhyun’s back to rest right above his bum that Baekhyun’s already gotten used to him doing so often in the past. “You are.”

“Seriously,” Baekhyun grunts, rolling closer to nuzzle his face in Jongin’s chest. “I didn’t ask you to stay over to shower me with these flirtatious words!”

“But that’s exactly what I’m gonna do,” Jongin chuckles lightheartedly. It’s boyish and young, unlike the usual manly and low-sounding one, and Baekhyun thinks he hasn’t heard it in awhile... strangely. At least not since they turned 19 last year. Or maybe, it’s only bc they haven’t hung out that much as compared to when they were in high school, still unattached—all 4 of them.

“Babe,” Baekhyun mutters softly, and Jongin responds with a questioning hum. “I think...”

“That things are going to change the day after tomorrow,” Jongin finishes off for Baekhyun, and does the most insane thing someone could do at a situation like this: he pecks Baekhyun on the lips with 0 hesitation.

Instead of being frantic, Baekhyun finds actual comfort in the little action and he finally chooses to stick with whatever happens in the moment. “What are we going to do? What am I going to do?”

“It takes two to be in a relationship, right?” Jongin sends a small smile at Baekhyun’s way and pecks his nose. “Now that I know the real you... I guess it’s fair to say that we’ll both be on the same boat, then?” It doesn’t really help, and Baekhyun knows that Jongin’s aware of that in the little dull light that flickers knowingly in his eyes.

“Whatever happens, happens...”

“We can always back out if you want,” Jongin says, but the little circles he’s rubbing on Baekhyun’s back gently distracts him from every other thought in this world. It’s hard resisting reeling away into comfort zone so Baekhyun forces himself to think about how it’d feel to go back to Kai. Start worrying about the same thing without a distraction, and hurt in silence and that itself, is something that’s frankly already a reason to cling onto this whole... whatever-it’s-called.

“I... need this,” Baekhyun manages to say as quietly as possible, making another possibly useless attempt to hide his emotions. “Sorry, Jonginnie.”

“You don’t have to apologise, let’s strengthen our bond overtime. You need it, and I’m offering you everything I have.” The short silence that falls upon them is greatly appreciated, before Jongin’s entire body jolts; reverberating against Baekhyun. “Hey, you haven’t called me that since we were like, seven and nine!”

Baekhyun looks up, astonished. “You actually remember that?”

“Sure,” Jongin grins, and Baekhyun doesn’t refrain from reaching out to play with Jongin’s hair distractedly. “I mean, Taemin still calls me that. Even Kai, but just not you. Never you, not until now.”

“Sorry, I just didn’t want to... ah, well, I don’t even know why I stopped calling you that,” Baekhyun hums thoughtfully. “I regretfully stopped, seeing as... you totally look like you missed me addressing you this way.”

“It’s nice knowing that you know,” Jongin shamelessly agrees, hand sliding up Baekhyun’s shirt that’s riled up in the process of flipping back and forth. “Anyway, we should shower.”

“ you,” Baekhyun barks a laugh. He blows a raspberry that Jongin mirrors.

“Men shower together in the locker room,” Jongin points out persistently. “What’s the big deal? It isn’t as if I’d get on my knees to you off, or shove you against the wall to you. I wouldn’t dare push my limits. Plus, it’s saving water and water is precious to the environment so what’s so—”

Baekhyun closes in on the gap between their lips and shuts Jongin up simply and efficiently. “Will you shut up now?”

“Will you say yes now?”

“...yes.”

“Great,” Jongin pats Baekhyun’s again. “Don’t worry, I won’t do anything weird.”

Baekhyun doesn’t believe him at all.

Baekhyun had been right not to believe Jongin, because instead of proceeding with the mental images he’d given Baekhyun last night, he was faced with a little boy trying to get his shower done by someone but himself.

In other words, Baekhyun basically washed Jongin for him and was bossed around by the younger male, who’s also at the down side half a head taller than him. It was such a challenge.

But he can’t say it wasn’t fun. He felt like he was 10 again. He’s always felt like he was 30 and even though this was tiring, it was the fun type of exhaustion.

“Baby?”

Baekhyun groans and pushes the finger that’s jabbing his ribs away as far as possible as he tries to squirm away. “Get out, Kai.”

“Wrong name.”

“,” Baekhyun moans this time. “Jongin, let me sleep.”

“No!” The bed begins shaking. Shaking from being jumped on time after time, it’s probably going to break with a few more jumps. Maybe. “Today you’re mine and we’re not wasting so much as a second before the next day arrives!”

“Baby, please,” Baekhyun cries aloud, stuffing his face impossibly deeper into the pillow with a hand hovered closely over the ear that’s exposed to Jongin. He barely has the strength and energy to exert for tight grip. “C’mon, sleep with me. Let’s cuddle. You do the cuddling. Come on.”

“Baekhyunnie~”

“Jonginnie.”

“Rise and shine, my adorable sunshine.”

“Shut up and leave, you er.”

The laughter Baekhyun hears next is completely surreal. Musical. Nice... it sounds like—oh, Baekhyun’s phone is ringing. “That’s why I woke you up. Kai’s been ringing off the hook, Baek. I’d really appreciate my sleep too, you know. It’s ing five-thirty AM.”

“Just answer it for me,” Baekhyun dismisses with high hopes— that come crashing when Jongin positions the phone right at his ear on loudspeaker.

“Hey Baek, you up?”

“No dip I’m sleeping,” Baekhyun grumbles grudgingly. “What do you want?”

“To talk.”

“We’re not talking at five in the morning, Kai. You of all people should know me the best, I hate being woken up. And today’s the day you’ve been waiting for, isn’t it?” Baekhyun manages a chuckle. It’s easy, much simpler than before trying to pretend when Jongin’s next to him, pressing kisses on every open skin that’s in Jongin’s view.

“Kai, you want some snacks?”

Jongin freezes.

Baekhyun follows when Kai doesn’t dare utter a word and Baekhyun could already taste the complication on the tip of its tongue. There’s a deafening silence that joins shortly after that, only vanishing when Baekhyun greets with a goodnight.

He still doesn’t know what to think... he doesn’t know what to feel. He knows he should feel something—something at least, but he doesn’t. Because both parties have cheated... if he assumes Kai’s done it too.

It’s highly possible.

“They’re already together,” Jongin monotonously states. “Like us.”

“Who knows? They probably met up last night too—it’s like a telepathic thing between you and Kai. You always do the same things without thinking twice or discussing with each other, ever since we were kids.”

“True.”

“I don’t know how to feel.”

“I don’t know about you but I’ll admit,” Jongin inches his face closer to press a light kiss on Baekhyun’s jaw. And he moves, letting his lips trail down his jawline to his neck. “It kind of makes me feel better that today, I’m able to do so much more than just kiss your lips.”

“No ing allowed though,” Baekhyun giggles from the ticklish sensation, fingers curling in Jongin’s hair as his arms encircle the younger male’s neck. No restrictions today, right? Apart from the rules that Baekhyun etches to his head. “C’mon, let’s go back to bed.”

For once, Jongin obliges like an actual teddy bear, and ends up crawling closer to sprawl himself over Baekhyun’s petite frame. But Baekhyun doesn’t mind—as long as the weight on him weighs lesser than he is. Jongin wiggles on his body, their bare chests causing slight friction and Baekhyun opens his mouth to make a remark on that—to be shot down quickly with another peck.

“I’m trying to get comfortable so I know how we should angle ourselves in the future if there’s another chance,” Jongin clarifies. Baekhyun huffs through his nostrils. “Mm, you look a thousand times cuter in the morning, I could get used to this.”

Baekhyun lets out a low whine. “Jongin.”

“Yes, baby?” The cheeky tone makes Baekhyun’s heart race. Even more so his constant use of that nickname... which shouldn’t even be considered special anymore. But still. It affects Baekhyun, big time.

“You talk too much in a morning.”

“I’m me, Kim Jongin. Specializes in ballet dancing and writing poems so he doesn’t know why he joined art class. Wants to die because of art class. Like meeting new people, clubbing sometimes, frankly... had a crush on someone two years older than him when he was six years old. Loves dogs like bees love nectar. Absolutely cannot cook to save his life—”

“And his crush liked him back, too.”

Jongin stills immediately. Baekhyun feels it like a robotic process: muscles tensing gradually; body stiffening uncomfortably against Baekhyun’s body. He gulps, uncertain about whether or not he just made a mistake. He had completely forgotten to think before speaking.

“You... did?” Jongin asks incredulously.

“Yeah?” Baekhyun ends up squeaking.

“You... ended up with Kai. Not...” Baekhyun knows the last to that sentence. Not me.

“I knew Taemin had a crush on you,” Baekhyun laughs quietly, hot breath fanning over Jongin’s shoulder reflecting to let him feel the warmth himself. “And Kai crushed on me. I guess I grew up handling the nurturing of relationships for being the oldest?”

“You ed fate up, Baek. You really ing did. But instead of getting mad when it’s too late, I’m going to seize this opportunity to let you know how ing much I still do.”

“You do?” Baekhyun doesn’t believe. He can’t.

It should’ve been him with Jongin...? 

“We all fell in love with the wrong person, hyung.”