They develop a routine of sorts. Chanyeol wakes up with Baekhyun's smiling face still fresh on his mind, checks to make sure the boy is sleeping peacefully, and carefully tiptoes over him to head down the hall. 

From there on, he has to be quiet. He gets completely ready at least thirty minutes early, showering quickly and making sure he looks decent before making his way back to his bedroom. It's only then that he feels decent enough for Baekhyun to see him, and he wakes the boy softly with a tap on the shoulder.

Baekhyun bolts up suddenly, looking shocked that Chanyeol is there, that he's in Chanyeol's bedroom, and that it's morning. The widened, dark eyes are always the first thing Chanyeol sees. Then, right after he's startled, he smiles that beautiful, blinding smile and stretches out as a greeting.

And even though Chanyeol tells himself not to, he's grown uncomfortably used to it over the span of a week. 

He keeps reminding himself Baekhyun will leave; he can't live here forever. He will leave. Don't get too used to him. He will leave. He doesn't even know you, and he will leave. 

He hasn't yet, though, and Chanyeol is so grateful. Even though Baekhyun doesn't talk much, he sends soft smiles to Chanyeol and learns the ways of living in the Park household.

He knows that when Chanyeol says he's full, he's not, he just needs to eat dessert, and so Baekhyun suggests watching some TV and having a slice of cake. And he knows that when Chanyeol's mom, Mrs. Park, as he calls her, gets home, Chanyeol always goes to see her and ask how her day was. Baekhyun follows and does the same, always asking a basic question or two. He thinks it feels a little bit like having a home. 

After a week of co-habiting, they don't have to speak in order for Chanyeol to tell him to grab a plate; it's breakfast time.

Instead, he looks over at the smaller boy and flashes a smile towards the fridge. And Baekhyun knows. It feels like they've known each other for years. For some reason, the dream doesn't seem like an unending maze to Chanyeol anymore. It feels like a safe guarentee, with the boy there when he wakes up, the warmth from the smile never fading.

Baekhyun has gotten better at working the shower, the toaster, the microwave. He improves on everything quickly and by day three he's won over Chanyeol in mario kart. Chanyeol doesn't have the heart to admit he let him win, but the crinkled eyes and dimples that show up when Baekhyun screams in victory are enough for him.

Chanyeol has also discovered that instead of speaking, Baekhyun likes contact. Where Sehun would hold a conversation to prevent the air from turning awkward, Baekhyun just holds onto Chanyeol's sleeve softly and all awkwardness disappears. At least, for Baekhyun. 

For Chanyeol, it's like a ticking time bomb. Every moment is charged with electricity, every look from Baekhyun sets him on edge. He can never breathe, at least not deeply. Chanyeol has found himself in too many situations that seem unrealistic -- the literal boy of his dreams is standing in front of him, asking Chanyeol to teach him how to use the laptop, requiring the taller to hold hands with the smaller. It makes his head spin, his heart skip, and Baekhyun seems fine. 

And Chanyeol accepts that Baekhyun will never have those feelings for him. He knows that he's been in love with that face and smile for years now, and he could never expect it to be reciprocated. 

But it doesn't make the fact that Baekhyun is pretty, really pretty, and has the attention of many at school any easier to deal with. 

Chanyeol tries not to be jealous, really, but Baekhyun is so oblivious to people's attempts of flirting that it makes him want to scream. Sehun notices and smirks everytime Chanyeol lets the green monster get the best of him. He's trying to hide his reactions better because, really, he can't afford for Sehun to keep making fun of him so often. 

--

"Baekhyun, do you understand this? Can you teach me?"

Chanyeol can hear the fake confusion in her voice, and he physically restrains himself from rolling his eyes. He knows that Soonkyu is good at math. She needs no help, except when Baekhyun is the tutor. 

Baekhyun shakes his head, without a clue, and replies, "No, I don't understand that formula at all. I'm so bad at it, sorry." 

Chanyeol feels happiness burst in his chest. He feels mean for getting such joy out of someone else getting rejected, but the happiness outweighs any guilt by far.

It's barely five minutes before someone else comes to Baekhyun's desk, but instead they want to help him. , Chanyeol thinks frantically, Baekhyun needs help and will definitely say yes. And Yixing is ten times hotter than me. 

"Yes, please!" he can hear the smile in the shorter boy's voice. The happiness is contagious and Chanyeol finds himself feeling content -- before he remembers the tall boy who is not so subtly ogling Baekhyun elicited this response. 

Chanyeol tries to block them out, really, but when he sees Yixing scooting so close that he and Baekhyun's thighs are touching, Chanyeol sees red for a second. Baekhyun is too nice, too naive, and he won't tell Yixing to go away if he feels uncomfortable. And I'm stupid, so I can't help him with the formula, so I know I can't interfere. 

"What's wrong, Chanyeol?" Sehun asks with a giggle, eyes malicious and facial expression gleeful. 

" you. You know what's wrong," he grumbles in reply. Of all people, his best friend should understand his plight instead of taunt him for it. It's not his fault he kind of adores such a handsome boy. And that said boy is kind and radiates smiles all day, leading to others noticing how perfect he is.

"Your boyfriend won't cheat on you, don't worry," Sehun assures softly, cooing at his older friend. 

"Stop it!" Chanyeol whisper screams. Baekhyun is right there and he would rather die than have him overhear this conversation and make any connections. 

"Don't worry, hyung," Sehun laughs but no sound comes out. "I guarantee that you've already gotten farther than Yix--" 

Chanyeol slaps a hand over his mouth, mentally using every insult he knows. Why can't Sehun just be quiet? 

"Shut the up, right now!"

He's a little too loud that time. Baekhyun and Yixing look over, shocked. Yixing's eyebrows are into his hairline, and Baekhyun is observing Chanyeol and Sehun with unwavering eyes. Chanyeol blushes deep, removing his hand from Sehun's face, and cursing himself for responding to the younger boy's first comment. He should've known. 

"Are you okay, Chanyeol?" Baekhyun asks in that smooth, sweet voice of his.

Chanyeol has his head down on his desk now, avoiding looking at Sehun, Baekhyun, and definitely not Yixing. He nods and utters a muffled "yes."

Sehun bursts out laughing, hitting Chanyeol's head softly out of joy. Baekhyun's eyes follow them suspiciously, trying to fit the pieces of the puzzle together. When nothing comes of it, Baekhyun refocuses on the homework, leaving Sehun to toy with Chanyeol's hair. 

Five minutes later, when Yixing has run out of math talk and turns towards personal conversation, Baekhyun cuts him off. 

"Thanks for the lesson, Yixing!" Baekhyun lilts, a shining smile thrown towards the boy.

Yixing nods, blushing, and stands up to leave, knocking over a book on the way. Chanyeol can see Yixing's (ugly) shoes walking away and he mentally lets his guard down. It's then that Sehun's previously soft fingers threading through his hair pull harshly, forcing him to sit up. 

At least now I don't have to worry about Yixing acting creepy or anything, he thinks through the pain. Then, as Chanyeol does, he whacks Sehun harshly on the neck, forcing the younger boy to retreat back towards his desk. 

It doesn't keep the younger away for long, because before Chanyeol knows it, Sehun is standing behind him, testing if his hair is long enough to French braid. Chanyeol ignores him and focuses on his psychology homework.

Absobed in a textbook, Chanyeol doesn't notice the dark eyes watching the two of them, mind racing and anger flowing through veins like blood. He definitely doesn't see Baekhyun turn away quickly, eyes downcast and panicked.

--

It's a Saturday when Baekhyun finally wakes up first. Chanyeol's eyes open and the same face that was just in his dream is hovering above his, eyes curious and bright. 

He still thinks he's dreaming, even though he can tell something is different. When Baekhyun smiles down at him and he has the ability to speak, his mind goes blank. Is the dream changing? I can speak now? 

"You're beautiful," he sputters out, almost as if it's by instinct. It's what he's always wanted to say, he supposes.

But instead of the smiling face remaining unchanged, it goes pink and moves out of Chanyeol's line of vision. Suddenly, he realizes that he's awake. That that wasn't a dream. He's a ing idiot. 

"Sorry!" he manages to spit out, face turning a deep red. He wants to die. 

Baekhyun is a light pink shade, the corners of his lips upturning ever so slightly. 

"It's okay, it's okay!" Baekhyun reassures, shaking his hands out in front of him as if to explain the no-big-deal-ness of the entire situation. 

"I thought I was dreaming, and so I just said it, I didn't realize it was you for real. Sorry." Chanyeol rubs his sleepy eyes harshly, half out of shame and half because he can't believe he has eye boogers in front of Baekhyun. 

"Me for real?" Baekhyun stops shaking his hands suddenly, alarm in his eyes. "Do you dream about me a lot?"

Chanyeol panics. How do I answer without sounding creepy? Is it even possible? He watches Baekhyun's usually calm posture transform into something more stiff, almost forced. 

"I-- I dream about you an average amount," Chanyeol lies. He feels like he might throw up. "I dream about my other friends, too, trust me! I'm not trying to sound gross or weird or erted, but you do have a good bone structure. So when I called you beautiful, I was just pointing out that you fit the beauty standards that most people hold themselves to. You're very pleasing to look at--" 

"Are you sure?" Baekhyun sounds as if he knows Chanyeol's lying. That's not a big surprise, really, because he's always been a liar. He's just never been in a situation where he needed to lie so much. 

"I--" 

Baekhyun's posture reflects that he doesn't want a lie. Chanyeol is so so scared, but how else is he supposed to ever say it? If he backs out now, he knows he'll keep it until his dying day. He takes one last look at the shining boy in front of him, wearing one of Chanyeol's old t-shirts and with messy bed head. 

Yeah, he thinks, I can do this. I'll just tell him. It can't be that big of a deal. 

"Okay, to tell you the truth, I dream about you a lot." Baekhyun's eyebrows quirk up. "Like, before I ever met you. I don't know how to explain it, it's like your face would be gone by the time I woke up, but I always had you in the back of my head? And then you walked into class and, holy , I was losing it. Because you were real and that's actually why I followed you. I'm so sorry." 

Baekhyun looks blankly back at him. His dark eyes are devoid of emotion besides comprehension, and Chanyeol thinks that he might actually throw up right now. He'd pretty much just confessed his brain's fixation with Baekhyun's face, and he's being stared at like he's some moldy bread left on a grocery store shelf. 

"You knew me before I got here?" is his only response. His voice is deeper than usual, more on edge. He's not angry, but there's something bubbling inside that Chanyeol knows isn't good. He nods gravely as an answer. 

Chanyeol watches the cogs turn in the shorter's brain, and an emotion he can't decipher flashes in Baekhyun's eyes. Then, before he can do anything, the boy has turned and sprinted out of the room. By the time Chanyeol realizes what is happening, he hears Baekhyun opening the front door, escaping into the cold winter air in only pajamas. 

HDHFHA I LOVE cliffhangers and also not knowing where my own plot is going ;-))) ! also i applied to some colleges today ,, wrote this,,, and vaccumed so like. its a big day ok guys (even tho it doesn't count bc i finished writing this at like 1am ok)

comment upvote blah blah blah u guys know!

ok bye yall i love u <3