It was nearly 1am when Baekhyun finally walked through the door. Jongin had fallen asleep on the sofa with his dogs and Baekhyun didn’t have the heart to wake him up to tell him to go to bed.

There was a light on in the kitchen and Minseok was reading while quietly sipping a cup of tea. Baekhyun sat down across from him. “You’re home late,” Minseok said in nearly a fatherly tone.

“Yeah” Baekhyun wasn’t sure what else to say, “You’re up late”

“Yeah,” Minseok said. There was a pause. “Your mom called”

“You?”

“Yeah, she said you haven’t called in awhile and she wanted to make sure you are still alive.” Minseok took a deep breath, “She also wanted to inform us Chanyeol is back in town and invited us all over for dinner.”

“Oh.”

“I told her we were really busy but she should call you. I take it she doesn’t know that you broke up?”

“She doesn’t even know we went out Minseok” Baekhyun sighed, “I have a girlfriend”

Minseok set down his book, which was rare for him to do during a conversation with Baekhyun.

“Taeyeon?”

“Yeah”

“What happened?”

“I don’t know. We made out, she asked what was happening, I got caught up. I guess I’m straight now. My mom will be thrilled” Baekhyun said bitterly.

“Biuality is still a very valid option Baek,” Minseok said. “Although not if you want to make your mom happy, there’s really only one way to that.”

Baekhyun sighed. He had never felt so conflicted. Minseok laughed a little.

“Dude just go to sleep. You’re overthinking again, don’t worry about it okay? Come on I was just about to go to bed.” Minseok stood up and walked out of the kitchen, leaving Baekhyun. He turned off the light, he knew Baekhyun wouldn’t stay in a dark room for very long.

Almost as soon as Baekhyun got to bed his phone started to ring. He couldn’t catch a break. “Hello?”

“Baekhyun?” The voice on the other end was groggy,

“Jongdae?”

“Did I wake you up?”

“No, but it sounds like you just woke up. What’s wrong?” Baekhyun was lying in bed but half of him was ready to get back up if Jongdae needed him.

“I’m…sorry you know, nevermind. Sorry to bother you. I’m just gonna-“

“Jongdae you already bothered me so just tell me what’s wrong”

“Nothing really I guess” Jongdae was obviously lying, “what are you doing right now?”

“Avoiding Minseok,” Baekhyun said, “What are you doing?”

“Avoiding my mom.” Pause. “When did you get home?”

“Not too long ago” Baekhyun rolled over to get more comfortable.

“I see. So are you and Taeyeon dating now?”

“What has she told you?”

“Nothing. Just that it’s up to you.” Baekhyun could picture Jongdae lying in his bed. He was probably wearing a white tank top and cotton PJ bottoms, “so what have you decided?”

“I don’t know. I mean I like her…” Baekhyun paused.

“But?”

“I don’t know.” Baekhyun could hear Jongdae frowning. It felt like they were in a bubble, two separate fish bowls, they could hear each other but just barely understand, they could see each other but not touch. He felt sick.

“Why are you avoiding Minseok?” Jongdae said after a little bit.

“He wants to talk to me about my ex,” Baekhyun said.

“Chanyeol?”

“Yeah he’s um, he’s in town.”

“ no way. Why?”

“Hell if I know. My mom wants to have a party with everyone. She doesn’t know that we ever went out let alone that we broke up.” Baekhyun sighed, “but I don’t want to think about that right now”

“You like to avoid things don’t you?”

“What do you mean?”

“You’re avoiding Minseok, you’re ignoring Chanyeol”

“You’re avoiding your mom”

“Touché”

“Why are you avoiding your mom?” Baekhyun pulled at a loose string on his blanket. He remembered Jongdae pulling at his hoodie string in the coffee shop, Taeyeon pulling at a loose string on his sweater after they kissed for the first time.

“Remember the night we met? How I had been kicked out of my moms house?” Baekhyun couldn’t forget. He remembered Jongdae sleeping next to him, a stranger at the time. He remembered how nice it was to have someone else in his bed instead of him having to fill the empty spot with his own stress. Jongdae sighed loudly, “She um, kicked me out because she found out I’m gay right? I had almost forgotten about that but here she is.”

“Did she say anything?”

“No, but she said we were going to talk in the morning.” Jongdae sighed again, “I just don’t want her to kick me out again or to like, tell me that I can't take care of Jongsu or that I need to hand him over to CPS. It’s so weird Baekhyun a couple weeks ago all I could worry about was how mad I was at my mom, how confused I was about myself and my uality, but now…now all I can think about is Jongsu.”

Baekhyun tried to tell him it was okay, that everything would be okay, but Jongdae kept talking.

“I mean like I’m not his dad or anything I know that but like, he is my kid I’m going to be taking care of until he moves out like, I have to be responsible for raising a child from now on I can’t just worry about myself, and like, I don’t want to do anything that would jeopardize that. Jongsu loves me I know that he wants to stay with me, I know that I am the best person in his life to take care of him but I’m just so worried I’m going to up.”

“You won’t up,” Baekhyun said, he took a second to process everything Jongdae had said,

“ sorry I didn’t mean to dump…It’s late I guess.” Jongdae tried to laugh but it was uncomfortable, like he was laughing with someone sitting on his chest.

“Jongdae you aren’t going to up Jongsu, you’re going to be fine. Honestly, if your mom does kick you out take Jongsu and you guys can stay with me or Taeyeon, you aren’t going to be raising him alone that’s for sure. Also like, I am always here please dump your on me” Baekhyun sighed, “Listen okay I don’t know what the is going on with me and Taeyeon but I know for sure that neither of us is going to leave you or Jongsu so calm down okay? Whatever happens with us we both lo-we both care about you guys a lot so we will always help out whenever you need. My roommates love Jongsu too so he has like, seven people who will be here to help him. That’s more than I had when my dad di-“

“Your dad died?” Jongdae sounded small. Baekhyun cursed himself

“Yeah, a long time ago. But that’s not important right now”

“Okay. And thank you. You’ve honestly been so great I would have literally died without you. I’m glad…I’m glad I stumbled into Minseok’s coffee shop that night.” Jongdae said, genuinely.

“Me too.”

“Are you tired?”

“No. Are you?”

“No.”

Baekhyun looked at the clock, it was almost 2am. He had to get to work at 6am. He rolled over onto his back and stared at his ceiling. “What are you wearing?”

“Baekhyun are you trying to have phone with me?” Jongdae laughed.

“I just wanted to make conversation. I’m wearing nothing.”

“You’re kidding. It's like three degrees.”

“You’re right. I’m wearing clothes. But that could easily change.”

Jongdae laughed again and it was magical. Baekhyun smiled. “Okay well, we’ll cross that bridge when we come to it.” Jongdae said, “how is Jongsu doing with piano?”

“Damn, you ruined the mood.”

“I’m not gonna have phone with you in the same conversation you told me you are basically dating my cousin”

“, you’re right. Okay well, Jongsu’s doing really good. He is very talented. One of my best students and I’m not just saying that because he’s cute and calls me Hyung.”

“That’s really good. Do you ever play? Other than when you’re teaching.”

“Like, gigs and ? Not anymore”

“Why not?”

Baekhyun shrugged but then remembered Jongdae couldn’t see him. “Um, I don’t really have time I guess. I’ve done some with Yixing in the past but he hasn’t asked me recently.” Jongdae didn’t respond for a while. “Jongdae?” Baekhyun listened closely and could hear Jongdae breathing on the other line slowly, he must have fallen asleep.

Baekhyun smiled and set his phone down without hanging up. He rolled over so he could still hear and listened to the sound of Jongdae breathing as he fell asleep. 

A/N

Finally the baekchen is getting back on track anyway i have big plans for the coming chapters so dont touch that remote!