Seungcheol wakes up an hour later than he's supposed to.

His eyes are heavily-lidded, hair a terrible chuck of mess and his limb heavy from the lack of sleep he's got last night. It's fine, he thinks, he'd just ask a friend to fake an attendance to today's class.

Blearily, he reaches for his phone on his side table, putting it a distance away from his eyes because he knows at this rate even a low light will damage his eyes, unlocking it and browsing down like his every day routine.

Nothing from Seungkwan. That damn kid must've gotten some real fun to forget about Seungcheol's existence at all.

With a harsh ruffle on his hair and a wide yawn, he slides off the bed and out the room, half worried that Jeonghan's already out there wandering in the streets alone that he had to chase after him to make sure he's safe but that's when he smells it; coffee and breakfast and a little warmth of a home.

This feels pleasantly domestic. Not that he's grown to love Jeonghan — love is one too strong a word and it's far too quick for that at this point — but Seungcheol's heart still swells when he sees Jeonghan behind his stove, flipping pancakes as he hums to a song Seungcheol isn't familiar to.

"Morning."

Jeonghan turns to him, slightly surprised at the low register the sleepy older male has, but he smiles anyway before turning back to his cooking.

"Morning. I hope you don't mind me using your kitchen, I figured you'd be as hungry as I was when you wake up."

"And you figured right," Seungcheol chuckles, having the decency to cover his mouth as he yawns this time and sliding over to the kitchen counter to lean against it. Since when did he feel it's easy to be around Jeonghan now?

"Do you have maple syrup?" Jeonghan asks without turning, either because he's busy plating the pancakes now or because Seungcheol looks hot with his bed hair he just had to look away.

"Top cabinet, left shel— You know what, let me just—" Seungcheol leaves his words unfinished as he reaches for the said spot, pulling a nearly empty bottle of maple syrup, to which Jeonghan chuckles.

"I also figured you'd be the kind to eat pancakes with maple syrups."

Seungcheol laughs at that. His eyes easily focus at Jeonghan's graceful fingers as he flicks the bottle open, pouring a generous syrup over the pancakes on one plate only.

"You don't like maple syrup?"

"I do," Jeonghan briefly turns at him to smile before handing Seungcheol his plate, "I just like my pancakes plain."

Seungcheol's eyebrows knit together, thinking as he mindlessly forks at his breakfast standing, "I don't think I've ever known someone with that preference."

"Now you do," Jeonghan's laugh does a pleasant flipping thing in his stomach, "I just like my fluffy pancakes plain so I can enjoy its real taste, yknow?"

"Are you saying you're at Masterchef's level of cooking to be able to make such pancakes?"

"I guess," Jeonghan shrugs, "I mean I'm sure I boil hot water as good as they do?"

Seungcheol bursts out laughing at the statement, sending Jeonghan grinning as well because he managed to pull such sincere-sounding laugh from the older. "I'm sure you do."

There's a short pleasant silence when they chomp down their pancakes. Jeonghan's true; the pancake is fluffy and delicious, he chomps on half of it within seconds. Seungkwan's are fine, they're edible, but he figures Seungkwan is strangely better at more complicated cooking, remembering how strange his omelette tasted last week and how excellent his samgyetang was the other day. Seungcheol wonders if there's a way he can have this pancakes every morning instead.

"Do you have classes this morning?"

"I do," there's a glint of sadness in Jeonghan's eyes that he fails to catch, "I need to go back to my place after this and, hopefully, pry Seungkwan off of Hansol so I can get on with my day. Wish me luck?"

"Good luck. You're gonna need it," Seungcheol grins against his coffee.

Jeonghan laughs heartily.

"Will you come stay over more often?" Seungcheol blurts before his brain can stop himself, and he's left blabbering in surprise of his own words, "I-I mean, this pancake is really — it's super and— haha— I mean it would be amazeballs if you can make some for me again soon—"

Amazeballs?! Seungcheol mentally screeches. Dear brain, of all times you choose to fail me, you just have to go at it now!

Jeonghan chuckles, surprisingly, taking Seungcheol aback, and is that pink on his cheeks...?  "I'd love to, actually."

What—

"Are— Are you sure?"

Jeonghan nods, looking firm, but there's a smile on his lips still. "Yeah, definitely. I mean I don't think I've ever cooked for Seungkwan too, so why not. He's made me lots of delicious dishes before, I have to return the favor sooner or later."

"Oh. Seungkwan, yes of course."

The disappointment in Seungcheol's voice is much too obvious to Jeonghan that he can't even pretend he didn't notice, but he decides not to say anything over it so he grins instead, taking his and Seungcheol's now empty plates away and putting both inside the dishwasher.

"I have to get back now," Jeonghan sighs as he hips the dishwasher door closed and walks back to the table, "I'll see you soon?"

Seungcheol nods rather blankly. "Right. Tell Seungkwan to head home immediately."

"Will do," Jeonghan smiles before waving him goodbye, and Seungcheol finds himself smiling back, even though he's still feeling uneasy about the future of their... relationship, if there ever will be.

But then he figures friendship between them is a good start. There's no need to rush when it comes to love.

Right?

"What happened to you and Jeonghan?"

Seungcheol turns his focus from his books to the voice behind him, and he's met with Seungkwan's squinted—judging—eyes. "Nothing?"

"Lies," the younger huffs, flopping down on Seungcheol's bed without so much as a permission, "His smile was wider than the front door when he pried Hansol away from me. For once, I like his gorgeous face more than mine."

"I'm actually surprised you let him," Seungcheol's focus have returned to his book, pretending to be unfazed by Seungkwan's dramatic rant.

"Hansol was too surprised to say no!" Seungkwan has his arms crossed on his chest now, eyebrows furrowing, "That idiot. I knew we should've stayed instead. It would chase away disturbances."

Seungcheol snorts and shakes his head. Not the time to be shoved such graphic image.

"Also, he smiled when Hansol mentioned if it was you, but he said nothing else," Seungkwan watches his elder companion with his eyes squinted and a smug smirk, "So back to my first question. What happened?"

With a groan, Seungcheol closes his notebook, Law of Demand has to wait until Seungkwan got his demand. "Nothing happened, Seungkwan, we just slept together!"

"You slept together?!" Seungkwan shrieks. Seungcheol has to clamp a hand to his mouth because what if their neighbors heard?!

"Not you and Hansol kind of slept together, we just slept on the same bed," he watches the way Seungkwan looks at him still, so he just had to add, "Fully clothed."

Seungkwan huffs, clearly disappointed. "Damn. That's no fun at all. Was that it?"

"I'm going to pretend I don't know what you were hoping for."

"He clearly has the hots for you," Seungkwan states, matter-of-factly, 'duh' all over his face, "and you're obviously — weirdly — head over heels for him, so when are you going to hook up for real?"

"We're not— That's too early for that!"

"You've known him for six months! I've known Hansol for two and a half and look where we are now."

"It's different, teenagers can't hold down their at will."

Seungcheol cries out as Seungkwan kicks his shin.

"Do you really need me to jump in to help?"

"I'm fine, Seungkwan," Seungcheol groaned, pushing Seungkwan off his bed until he squeaks involuntarily, "I don't need any help, and especially not from you."

"Boy, you should really get laid, I don't like grumpiness in my house."

Seungcheol glares at him. "You're the sole reason I'm grumpy."

"A denial, huh," Seungkwan shrugs, almost sending Seungcheol pouncing at him in frustration. "Sure, whatever makes you sleep better at night, dear hyung of mine."

Seungcheol decides to just kick him out of his room entirely, slamming the door to his face with a grumble.

[ chat (2): seungkwan (yourbestboo) and hansol (hanstealingyoursol) | 11:43PM ]

[ yourbestboo has changed the chat name to "boonon is love!!" ]

yourbestboo: i have a plan

hanstealingyoursol: it's almost midnight
hanstealingyoursol: no you don't

yourbestboo: wow youre a very supportive boyfriend

hanstealingyoursol: i try :)
hanstealingyoursol: go to sleep, seungkwan
hanstealingyoursol: i thought you said you have morning class tmrw?

yourbestboo: u know how cheol hyung is like
yourbestboo: crushing deep oceans on han hyung but too coward to make a move

hanstealingyoursol: dont u love it when you're treated like passing wind
hanstealingyoursol: also yea 

yourbestboo: and how han hyung crushes on him all the same but tries to be calm and not obvious about it

hanstealingyoursol: thats
hanstealingyoursol: that one's news wow r u sure

yourbestboo: ??? you're his roommate how do u not notice

hanstealingyoursol: ok 1. not a roommate, i just crash at his place a lot

yourbestboo: oh my bf is a leech

hanstealingyoursol: 2. he doesnt do crushes
hanstealingyoursol: I HELP COOK MEALS SOMETIEMS OK DONT SASS ME NOW

yourbestboo: well he does now
yourbestboo: sure u r, sure u r

hanstealingyoursol: how do u know

yourbestboo: i just do
yourbestboo: and ure a dumb so ofc u dont notice

hanstealingyoursol: HEY

yourbestboo: so i was thinking
yourbestboo: lets be cupids
yourbestboo: at this rate were gonna have grandkids before they hook up

hanstealingyoursol: is this
hanstealingyoursol: did u just sneak a piece of future imagination of us

yourbestboo: i didnt say our grandkids together

hanstealingyoursol: :(

yourbestboo: l i s t e n 
yourbestboo: and focus !!
yourbestboo: welltalkaboutthatsomeothertime

hanstealingyoursol: :)

yourbestboo: so r u in or r u in

hanstealingyoursol: whats in it for me

yourbestboo: . . . icb
yourbestboo: im the best thing uve ever got why r u asking for anything else

hanstealingyoursol: damn u right

yourbestboo: thats my boy
yourbestboo: come over tmw @ 2
yourbestboo: cheol hyung has class until 6

hanstealingyoursol: ill be there sharp with snacks 

yourbestboo: i kno i lov u for a reason

guess whos back ( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)
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