"What are you doing now?" Chanyeol asked, hands on his hips as he watched his small roommate fluttering around the apartment, the space covered in old magazines and clothes. The small boy stopped for a moment to frown at his friend.

"I'm decluttering my life," Baekhyun said simply, dropping to the floor and sifting through a few of the magazines.

Chanyeol raised a brow. Baekhyun frowned.

"ToYeo weekly horoscope says that Taurus’s should focus on decluttering- you know, out with the old, in with the new kind of thing."

"ToYeo? You're still reading their crap?"

Baekhyun looked taken aback. "Crap? ToYeo's horoscopes are only what I live my life by!"

"I guess your life is crap then, huh, Byun?" Chanyeol said, walking over to the seated boy to ruffle his hair. The small boy huffed at the action, shaking the hand off of his head as he focused back on organising his things. Chanyeol let out a chuckle before strolling over to the couch, laying down languidly as he picked up a stray magazine off the floor, flipping through its pages.

"You might be taller but I'm still older than you..." Baekhyun muttered with a small pout. "You still need to respect me! I could totally beat you up if I wanted to!"

"Whatever you say, Baek."

"Don't you have anything else to do rather than sitting here and mocking me?"

"Nope, I'm all yours for the rest of the afternoon, my friend."

"If you're gonna stay here and complain, then, can you at least help me out with this?"

The tall boy rolled his eyes, sitting upright on the couch. "You're lucky I'm a nice person."

"It's funny you say that- ToYeo actually says that Sagittarius-"

"Nope nope nope, if you go all horoscope on me I'm not helping you."

"That's rude. If I can sit through your 2-hour lecture on why ferrets are the superior household pet, you could at least let me go all horoscope on you."

Chanyeol smiled, hands up in a sign of defeat. "Fine, you got me there. Horoscope away, friend."

Baekhyun perked up. "Well, ToYeo says that this is the week for relationships for Sagittarius, both platonic and romantic. She says that 'showing compassion and lending a helping hand will help strengthen the bonds in your life'. Also, your plant of the week is a cactus, your puppy breed is schnauzer, and your noodle is lasagna."

"My noodle is lasagna?"

Baekhyun shrugged. "Don't ask me, ask the stars."

"I don't think the stars are the ones assigning me to my pasta type."

"Well, whoever did was spot on. You just scream lasagna to me."

Chanyeol pursed his lips. "I always thought I was spaghetti kind of person."

"Well, ToYeo has spoken."

"Yeah, yeah, all hail our mighty overlord. You totally owe me lunch after this."

"Whatever, just help me clean."

It was a hobby of Baekhyun's- compulsively checking his favourite magazine every week for the latest edition of what the stars- or rather, what ToYeo, the horoscope section's author- had in store for him. He'd adjust his lifestyle to whatever ToYeo recommended for his star sign, going as far as spending every waking moment he could hanging upside down from his bed because the horoscope author had suggested that Tauruses may want to 'turn their lives upside down'. He may have taken that one a little too literally.

Over the years, Chanyeol's become accustomed to his friend's behaviour, to the drastic changes in wardrobe, to the changes in his diet. He found himself watching with interest as the small boy collected editions of the trashy magazine, infatuated with the way that ToYeo wrote.

Call it irrational, call it crazy, call it whatever because Baekhyun's heard it all.

By now, it was common knowledge for anyone who knows the boy- wherever his horoscope went, Byun Baekhyun was soon to follow.

"Are you ready to go yet?" Chanyeol called, lounging on the couch. The living space was considerably cleaner from its previous state of magazines and regret. He sighed as his foot kicked up a stray sock from Baekhyun's closet reorganisation.

"Almost!" the small boy called from his room. "Just give me five more minutes!"

"That's what you told me 15 minutes ago."

"That's your fault for trusting me!" the boy singsongs.

"I... can't argue with that."

Baekhyun hummed. "Well, lucky for you, I'm all done." the boy says as he swings his room door open in a grand gesture, posing ridiculously against the frame. "What do you think?"

Chanyeol turns his head and has to suppress the laughter threatening to escape his lips. Baekhyun's hair was tied up and out of his face, comically large sunglasses on his face. His sweater was better described as a rain jacket made out of a single sheet of plastic with some holes poked out for his head and arms, his pants a patterned mess on his legs.

"Oh my god." Chanyeol choked out, chuckles already bubbling up his chest. "Oh my god."

Baekhyun pouted. "What? You don't like it?"

"That's... A kind way of putting things"

"You're mean."

"And you're a grown man that consults a teenage magazine for lifestyle tips."

Baekhyun pursed his lips. "Hurtful, but I refused to be shamed, Park Chanyeol."

"I respect that. So what is it this week? You need to be more transparent with yourself?"

"That's exactly it! How'd you know?"

"Lucky guess, I suppose. Now, care to elaborate how being more transparent with yourself translate into wearing a sheet of plastic out for lunch?"

"Artistic interpretation. ToYeo knows best, after all."

"Believe what you will, Byun Baek. Come on, we're gonna be late if we don't get going now."

~

"Nice outfit," Jongdae commented with a grin, leant back in his chair.

"Thanks! I think so too!" Baekhyun said excitedly, taking the seat across from the boy.

"What is it this week?"

"ToYeo thinks that I should be more transparent with my personality."

"You're killing it, man. You look great."

"I wish Yeol was as nice to me as you are," Baekhyun said, resting his head on the table with a pout. "Maybe I should start rooming with you instead."

"Hey!" Chanyeol exclaimed in indignation. "I'm still here!"

"Unfortunately," Baekhyun said. "We'll talk about this later," he whispered a moment later, receiving a wink from Jongdae.

"How you been, my friend? I haven’t seen you since you started running 2k daily.”

Baekhyun shuddered. “Don’t remind me. Worst week of my life. I never want to so much as think about running again.”

Jongdae chuckled. “Can’t say the running didn’t pay off. Your legs look hot.”

“Aw, thanks, Dae. You’re a real bro.”

“Don’t thank me, I’m just preaching the truth. Thank ToYeo.”

Chanyeol narrowed his eyes at his friend who looked back at the giant with an amused glint in his eyes. He gave the taller a smirk, almost daring Chanyeol to say something in retaliation. The giant glares back.

“So, what’s for lunch?” Chanyeol asked pointedly, eager to change the topic of the subject.

Baekhyun scoffed. “Why are you so eager to eat? You’re the one who cleared out our entire snack cupboard because you were complaining that I was taking too long.”

“I was… uh… asking for Jongdae.” Chanyeol muttered, taking a sip of his water.

“When did you start caring for his well being so much?” Baekhyun asked jokingly. “Got a new crush you wanna tell me about?”

Chanyeol choked, almost dropping his glass to the ground in surprise.

“I swear, I can’t take him anywhere,” Baekhyun said with a sigh, passing his menu on to Chanyeol. “Order for me, will you? I need to go to the bathroom.”

The giant gingerly took it in his hands as he watched his small friend confidently strut over to the bathroom dressed in his plastic tarp.

Jongdae whistled. “Yeollie’s got it bad.”

“Shut up, no I don’t.”

“You’re staring at his in that plastic tarp. If that’s not bad, I don’t know what is.”

“I don’t like him, okay?”

“You keep telling yourself that, but you’re about as subtle as you are graceful, which is to say, not at all.”

“That’s a little mean.”

“No, what’s mean is letting Baek do stupid things like this and not telling him who ToYeo really is.”

“I thought he’d figure it out on his own! ToYeo isn’t exactly a very discreet name!”

“You know Baek, he’s somehow denser than you are.”

Chanyeol groaned. “Why can’t I let him figure it out himself?”

“Because it’s been months and he still hasn’t caught on!”

“But what if next week is the week he has his epiphany?”

Jongdae raised a brow. “Really? Do you really think that next week is gonna be the week? Just like the last 12 weeks you said that? Tell him, or I do.”

Chanyeol set his lips in a tight line, unable to say anything back to his friend.

~

It was a hobby of Chanyeol's to mess with his friends every chance he got. When he had first gotten the job, he had considered telling Baekhyun the truth, but in the end, he just didn't have the heart to tell his smaller friend that the amazing woman behind ToYeo was really just his very handsome, very male roommate that wrote his 'life changing' articles just a room away.

Chanyeol would often find himself watching Baekhyun in interest as the smaller would flutter around the apartment, magazine in hand as he turned over every last bit of furniture in the shared space.

Try looking for what may be lost. the article that week had read, You may find what missing may prove essential to your future.

With each article Chanyeol had published for the magazine, Baekhyun became more and more addicted. It really all began as a prank, nothing more to pass the time when days became a bore and he needed something to kill time. The only thing Chanyeol hadn't anticipated beforehand was exactly how infatuated with the character Baekhyun would become.

"ToYeo is a genius!" Baekhyun had screamed. "It's like they know exactly what I'm thinking!"

Chanyeol curled into a Cheshire smile. "Is that so?"

"Yeah! Chanyeol, you have to read this!"

When the magazine had offered to sign him on to write full time, Chanyeol just couldn't say no.

He watched from the kitchen table as Baekhyun stood in front of him, holding out two outfits.

"What do you think?"

"Hmm?" Chanyeol hummed distractedly as he continued typing away at his laptop, the deadline for his next article fast approaching.

"My outfits. Which one should I wear to Jongdae's party?"

"Either." the giant said dismissively.

"Chanyeol!" Baekhyun whined. "You're not even listening to me!"

The taller tore his eyes from the laptop, giving his roommate his full attention.

"What is it, dear?" he asked dramatically. "You need to know which dress would suit you best at the gala?"

"Yeol! I'm being serious!"

"Alright, alright," Chanyeol said, closing the laptop. "I'm all yours."

"Jongdae's party is in two hours and I still don't know what I'm wearing," Baekhyun said, raising the two outfits in his hands once more. "I need you to help me decide."

"Baekhyun... You do realise that you're holding identical outfits, right?"

Baekhyun looked taken aback. "I am not!" he said as if even the thought of the two being the same surprised him. "This one is off white and channels my inner confidence and spirituality," he said, raising the white t-shirt in his left hand. "This one is a faded white that enhances my creativity and my intuition!" he continued, raising the white t-shirt in his right hand.

Chanyeol raised his brow. "Ah... Now I see, you're not crazy."

"Thank you."

"You're a lunatic."

"That's a little mean," Baekhyun said with his signature pout. Chanyeol smiled, opening his laptop again.

"I'd go with the one on the right. It suits your body better."

Baekhyun smiled, holding the shirt to his chest as he ran back to his room. "Thanks, Yeol!"

"Anytime, Baek." the taller said as he continued typing, a small smile stuck to his face for the rest of the evening.

They arrive at Jongdae's apartment not much later, settling down in the large area with the rest of their friends.

"Glad to see my favourite idiots made it," Jongdae said, wrapping an arm around Baekhyun and leading the small boy into the den. "Sehun brought beer, it's over in the fridge if you want any."

"Thanks, Dae."

"Anytime, my friend," he said as the smaller boy went to greet the rest of their friends. "I see he's not in any weird get up. Did you finally tell him?"

Chanyeol smiled awkwardly. "Well..."

"Chanyeol..." Jongdae began, "We talked about this."

"I know! I know, I just... I need some more time. I can't tell him now! He's so happy now! It'll crush him!"

"You know, I somehow feel like being lied to by your roommate is somehow worse. Especially when this roommate is making you do weird !"

The giant opened his mouth to argue, but found no words, opting instead to just keep his mouth shut.

"Is this because of your crush? Is that why you don't want to tell him?"

"I don't have a crush on Baekhyun!"

"You can keep trying to delude yourself, but you can't lie to your ChenChen hyung."

"I'm not lying!"

Jongdae raised his brow. "That's a lie if I ever heard one."

"I do not have a crush on Baekhyun! That's like- like having a crush on your pet rock!"

"Your... what?"

"You get what I mean!"

"So Baekhyun is your... pet rock?"

"Yes- No, Baekhyun isn't my pet rock, I just love him like a pet rock!"

"You... are a lunatic."

Chanyeol groaned in frustration. "I'm going in to find Baek." the giant muttered.

"Have fun with your pet rock!"

The party ended many hours later with nothing to show for it but a drunk Baekhyun and the overwhelming scent of alcohol the two were bathed in. He had to drag the smaller's out of the apartment when the clock struck 3, Baekhyun begrudgingly bidding farewell to his friends as he clung onto the giant.

"Yur... Nofun." Baekhyun slurred, the scent of beer heavy on his breath.

"Yeah, yeah, whatever you say, you old drunkard."

"Hey... Thas.. Mr! Ol'drunkar to you."

"Come on, there are barely any more taxis out here, and if you don't hurry up we're gonna be stranded out here all night."

"Fiiiiiiiine." Baekhyun called. "I like it ou'here... The fresh air is so niiiiiiice!" he shouted, peeling himself off his friend. "I looooooove it!!"

"Baekhyun," Chanyeol called after the boy. The smaller looked over his shoulder and gave him a weak glare.

"You're a.. big ol'meanie! I don't waaanna go back with you."

The giant couldn't even suppress the laughter threatening to spill from his lips, doubling over and letting it out in hearty breaths. The taller hadn't had much to drink himself, but he could feel the warmth in his body, a light buzzing impairing his thoughts as he broke down laughing in the quiet city streets.

"Are you... laughin' a'me? Huh? Ya punk? I... I know hap... hapkiiiiido! You might be big an' a meeeeanie but I can still kick yur flat !"

Chanyeol only laughs harder, unable to stop the joy bubbling out of his throat as he watched the small boy try to look intimidating, ready to fight even though a gentle breeze could probably knock him over at this point.

"Biiiiig ol'meaaaaanie!" Baekhyun called one last time before giggles started to bubble up his throat too, leaving him doubled over and laughing with the taller.

"I am a big ol' meanie, aren't I?" Chanyeol asked the smaller as his laughter calmed.

"The biggest and the meaaaniest!" Baekhyun agreed, leaning on Chanyeol as tears escaped his eyes. The giant looked over at the smaller boy, the two laughing until there was an aching in their sides. Baekhyun’s face was tomato red- from a lack of air from the laughing or the copious bottles of beer he had imbibed, Chanyeol wasn’t sure. All his thoughts went to the way Baekhyun’s eyes disappeared when he smiled this widely, the little mole above his lip that Chanyeol could only ever see when he was this close to the boy. ‘This close’ being mere centimetres from his radiant smile, his soft features, his sparkling eyes.

Baekhyun’s laughter simmered down as he realised Chanyeol’s too, had ceased.

“Yeol?” he asked, softly, “Somethin’ the matter? I didn’mean it… Yur not really a big ol’meeanie.”

Chanyeol swallowed hard, mesmerised by the way Baekhyun’s small lips moved.

He wasn’t nearly drunk enough for this.

The giant grabbed the small boy’s face as he spoke, the action not even fazing him as he continued to ramble.

“You need to learn how to shut up,” Chanyeol muttered, throwing caution to the wind as he leant in to take Baekhyun’s lips in his own. He tasted like cheap beer and regret. Regret from having kissed his best friend or the fact that he hadn’t done it sooner, Chanyeol isn’t sure. He pulls away, taking a moment to gauge Baekhyun’s reaction after the whole ordeal. The small boy looked puzzled for a minute before breaking out into a wide smile when he saw the blush on his friend’s face.

“Aww, does big ol’Chanyeooooollie like me? Yeol, if ya wanted to kiss me, ya shoulda told me earlier, ya big dumbo.” the boy said leaning in to place another peck on the taller’s lips. “But ya taste a liiiiiiiiiil gross. We shou…  we should go home…”

The giant nodded, ducking his head as he held onto Baekhyun’s arm, speed walking back them both back to their apartment.

~

Chanyeol wakes up in the morning with a small headache and full recollection of what had happened the night before.

He kissed Baekhyun. Baekhyun kissed him back.

The giant takes a moment to groan before flinging his legs off the edge of his bed, peeking outside his door to check for his roommate. With the quiet of the apartment, it was safe to assume that Baekhyun was still unconscious, probably knocked out cold from all the alcohol the night before. Chanyeol let out the breath he didn’t realise he was holding, stepping out into the shared living space. He breathed a sigh of relief as he rested his hands against the kitchen counter, slumping forwards. He spared a glance at the sink, full of dishes Baekhyun had forgotten to do, next to the bags of trash Baekhyun had forgotten to throw out.

Chanyeol rolled his eyes. Trust the pup to forget to forget these things.

He sighed, slinging the plastic bag over his shoulder, shouldering open his front door to take the trash out, only to return a few minutes later, back in the kitchen to clean the dirty dishes.

He scrubbed away at a plate, rubbing at tough food stains from however long ago until his fingers became pruny.

Surely that kiss the night before had meant nothing, the giant had convinced himself, Surely, he didn’t feel anything for his roommate…

He sighed as he left the dishes out to dry, fluttering around the rest of the apartment, dusting the shelves and aligning the magazines on the coffee table.

There was no way he felt anything for Baekhyun, of all people.

He was close to scrubbing the varnish off their dining table, lost in his own thoughts when a sleepy Baekhyun emerged from his room.

“Calm it, will you Cinderella?” he croaked, rubbing his eye. His hair was dishevelled, still in the white shirt he had been wearing the night before. “It’s hard getting shut eye for your poor little hungover brain when your roommate is outside trying to scrub the furniture down until it’s gone.”

“Wouldn’t need to if you had just remembered to clean up.”

Baekhyun winced. “Quiet down, giant. Have mercy on your hungover roommate.”

Chanyeol set his lips in a tight line but didn’t say anything else.

“So what’s got you in a cleaning frenzy all of a sudden?”

You. “Nothing.”

Baekhyun scoffed. "I call bull."

"On what?" Chanyeol grumbled, refusing to make eye contact. "It's not my fault you don't clean up after yourself."

"Alright, whatever you say, giant. Now, would you be a doll and wash me some strawberries?" Baekhyun asked, batting his eyelashes dramatically. Chanyeol rolled his eyes but moved to get the strawberries anyways.

"How's the hangover going?" Chanyeol asked as he let the water run over a bowl of strawberries. "Do you... remember anything from last night?"

"Barely," Baekhyun said, taking a seat at the counter. "Everything from last night is just one long alcoholic blur."

"Ah..." Chanyeol exhaled as he left the bowl out for his roommate to eat from. "So... You don't remember anything that happened?"

The smaller shook his head. "Not since Tao started screaming at Jongdae’s house plants because he thought they were bugs in disguise.”

Chanyeol laughed. “That’s the last time we show Tao documentaries about bugs that can camouflage.”

Baekhyun hummed in agreement as he took a piece of fruit into his mouth.

"So how are you not hungover right now?" the smaller asked, resting his head on the counter with a sigh. “It’s not fair.”

"I, unlike some people, choose to drink responsibly."

Baekhyun guffawed. "You used to get so drunk you’d climb on tables and start stripping.”

“Keyword being used to.”

“Yeah, yeah, Mr. High and Mighty. I get it, you’re more responsible. Don’t need to rub your hangover-less-ness in my face.”

“Hey, you started it.”

“Because I thought my good ol’ roommate would show me some compassion! And maybe carry me around because my poor little hungover feet can’t carry the weight of my poor little hungover body.”

Chanyeol scoffed, rolling his eyes as he walked around the kitchen counter, pulling the bar chair out. Baekhyun beamed, holding his arms out as Chanyeol picked him up bridal style, walking him over to the couch and plopping the small boy down.

“You’re so needy.” The giant mumbled as he drew the curtains and grabbed a folded blanket from the pile he had made while cleaning, draping it around the small boy’s shoulders.

“But you love me!” Baekhyun piped reaching for the remote. “So, what’re you feeling today?”

“Does it matter what I’m feeling? We both know we’re gonna end up watching the newest episode of your drama.” The giant said, grabbing Baekhyun’s bowl of strawberries from the kitchen. The small boy looked up at him.

“I love how you know me.” the small boy smiles as he presses play, patting the empty spot next to him as an invitation for the giant to sit with him. Chanyeol eyed the spot for a moment, contemplating returning to his room and going back to sleep, but can’t manage to walk away when he sees the smile on his friend’s face slowly morph into a pout.

Damn it.

Chanyeol let himself plop down onto the couch, grabbing the excess blanket and wrapping it around himself. Baekhyun leant his head against the giant’s shoulder as he eats his strawberries, humming happily. Any other day, Chanyeol would have brushed it off, checking his phone as Baekhyun stayed glued to his side, but today, Chanyeol found his heart beating a little faster at the action.

In the end, Baekhyun falls asleep. His head is tilted back, making small whining sounds every so often. Chanyeol sighed as he reached to pause the show, knowing the smaller would wake up unhappy knowing he had missed it all.  

He stands slowly, one arm hooked under Baekhyun’s legs while the other supported his back, carrying him back to his room.

“What am I going to do with you?” Chanyeol asked quietly as he pulled the blankets over his roommate, Baekhyun curling into the sheets. “You’re making things hard for me.”

Chanyeol sighed as he watched the boy for a moment. He brushed Baekhyun’s fringe out of his face, taking a deep breath before leaning in and giving the boy a quick peck on the forehead.

“Stupid.”

~

Chanyeol lay on his bed with his laptop open in front of him, groaning as the blank page of his document stared back at him, almost mocking him.

His deadline was fast approaching and the giant had spent too much time mulling over everything that’s happened that he almost forgot to finish his article.

"Come on, come on..." he muttered to himself. His fingers fluttered over the keys restlessly, not knowing where to start.

He heard soft knocking at his door, followed soon after by Baekhyun's head peeking through the small crack in the door.

"Hey, giant, have you seen my lucky rock? ToYeo says that I need some luck this week, and I'd feel a lot better if I had it on me." the small boy said with a pout. Chanyeol smiled.

"Maybe if you weren't so disorganised, you'd remember you keep it on your dresser, next to your antique gum collection, pup."

Baekhyun beamed. "Thanks Yoda, I knew I could count on you."

"Hope the rock keeps you safe!" he called out after the boy.

"You and me both, man!"

Chanyeol let his head fall back against his headboard, smile still on his face. His friend was always so forgetful, he'd probably lose his head if it wasn't attached to his body. Chanyeol thought it'd be a shame. Baekhyun was always his cutest whenever he had on his signature pout, always coupled with a slight slump to his shoulders as his fingers fiddled.

The giant blinked, head snapping back up.

What was he thinking? His roommate was the farthest thing from cute.

Baekhyun was irresponsible, annoying, and loud. He was a picky eater and willingly followed the advice of what he believed to be a stranger on a magazine's horoscope column.

His ideas were all half-baked, his thoughts too abstract for any normal human being to understand… His annoying voice plagued Chanyeol wherever he went, and, and…

Chanyeol sighed.

They’re what made Baekhyun, Baekhyun.

And Chanyeol loved every last bit of him. 

The giant sighed as he turned his attention back to his laptop, cracking his knuckles as he started to write.

~

Chanyeol watched Baekhyun’s every move like a hawk.

It was a sleepy Sunday morning, and Baekhyun’s favourite day of the week- the day the newest edition of magazine ToYeo wrote for came out. The smaller could almost feel the giant’s gaze on him every time he moved, feeling awkward doing anything under his roommate’s scrutinising gaze.

“Have you read the column yet?” the giant asked suddenly. Baekhyun turned to him in confusion.

“Since when have you ever cared about the horoscope column?”

“I don’t care… I just wanted to know if you read it or not.”

“Well, no, I haven’t. I haven’t found the time to get the magazine yet, so-” Baekhyun began, stopping mid-sentence when Chanyeol pushed the newest copy of the magazine across the dining table. “Yeol, is there something wrong with you? Are you feeling alright?”

“I’m fine. Why would there be anything wrong with me?”

“You’re acting weird.”

“I’m not acting weird, you’re acting weird.”

“No, I really don’t think I am.”

“You get upset when I tell you to stop reading, you get upset when I support your interests. What do you want from me, Baek?”

The smaller gave Chanyeol a weird look but chose not to question him anymore. He grabbed the magazine off the table, flipping through its pages as the giant sat on the edge of his seat watching.

“Do you want me… To read you yours?”

Chanyeol shook his head vehemently. “Just read yours.”

“Okay, what’s going on with you today? You’ve never been this excited to have me read the horoscope. You hate ToYeo.”

The giant looked at Baekhyun, lips set in a tight line. “Read it.” he continued stubbornly, clearly unwilling to make conversation until the horoscope got read.

“If you’re so keen on what ToYeo’s saying, why don’t you?”

“I can’t.”

“Why not?”

“It’s… complicated.”

“Complicated how?”

“I just need you to read it.”

“You’re such a weirdo.” The smaller commented, taking a breath before reading out the passage anyways. “Mars is aligned with Jupiter this week, and romance is in the air, Taurus! If you’re already in a relationship, this is the weekend to spend in with your special someone. If you’re not, then take today to tell someone how you feel! Or better yet, agree to a date with your tall, handsome roommate that’s been pining for you for way too long. He takes care of you and watches bad dramas with you when you’re hungover and loves to hear you yip like a puppy through the paper-thin walls before you go to bed. He promises to make you the happiest person around and to never let you hurt, ever. So go on out there, Taurus, and love away!”

Baekhyun lowered the magazine. “Uh…”

“Go out with me,” Chanyeol said abruptly. “Please.” He adds as an afterthought. “If you wouldn’t mind doing that.”

“But… How did you…”

Chanyeol smiled meekly. “S-Surprise!” he said, feigning enthusiasm. “I’m ToYeo!”

“You… You…” Baekhyun began. “You !” the smaller yelled, eyes wide.  

“I-“

“I left the house wearing a sheet of plastic! I ate vegan for a week! You… You made me run! I hate running!”

“On the bright side, your legs-“

“Don’t try to sweet-talk me, Park!”

The younger smiled sheepishly. “I did it out of love…”

“Love? Love? Is making me run love to you?”

“I only wrote that one because you were in a slump and weren’t leaving the house. You hadn’t seen daylight in days and the only person you’d listen to was ToYeo!”
“But-“

“And I made you go vegan for that week because you were eating so much meat it was making you sick!”

“Then what about the plastic-”

“I didn’t even know you owned a plastic sheet to wear out! I can’t be blamed for that one.”

Baekhyun sighed, raising the magazine higher, up above his head before bringing it down on his roommate. Hard.

“That’s for not telling me earlier.”

“I’m sorry, Baek.”

“Shut up,” Baekhyun said, throwing the magazine to the floor and walking up to the taller, wrapping his arms around the giant’s waist. “You’re freakishly tall and your ears are too big and you have a twitch when you get too happy and you’re a big ol’meanie.” He muttered into the fabric of Chanyeol’s sweater. “But you also carry me home when I’m drunk and help me be a better person,” Baekhyun said pulling away. Chanyeol searched his face for something, anything, but the smaller remained neutral.

“So… Okay.”

“Okay?”

“Okay, we can go on a date. I don’t mind doing that.”

Chanyeol’s face lit up. “Really? Do you mean that?”

Baekhyun smiled. “Sure. If you grab some popcorn, we can start now. After all, ToYeo did say that we should be spending this weekend in, and you know the last thing I'd want to do is go against what ToYeo says.”

Chanyeol smiled. “Anything for you, pup.”

W O W
this was somehow more of a hot mess than I thought it'd be 
I'm sorry for this tbh it's actually garbage just like me haaaaa
guess the apple doesn't fall far from the tree
in my defense, most of this was written at like 3am so honestly good is the farthest thing from whatever this is 
also i want it to be known that the words 'liver of champions' has been written on my doc for the past week and I don't know why 
haaaaaaaappy baek day my dudes