“Delivery!” Junmyeon chirped cheerily while entering the dance studio, a plastic bin with a pile of pizzas stacked on top in his arms.

Baekhyun glanced up from where he rested against the mirrored panes of the walls, other dancers milling around in similar states of exhaustion.  They’d been rehearsing for the past three hours.  Yixing was a demanding choreographer, and between his and Baekhyun’s perfectionist tendencies, no amount of rehearsing was ever enough.  There was always room for improvement.

In fact, even as Baekhyun rested on the floor, Yixing stood off to the side discussing with a few of the newer dancers about ‘balance.’  Baekhyun chuckled weakly to himself as he took another gulp from his water bottle while Junmyeon made his way across the floor.  Even after four years, Yixing still said he sometimes lacked ‘balance.’  Those newbies had a long way to go.

“How are you holding up?” Junmyeon asked as he reached Baekhyun’s side, pizzas having all vanished from the top of the bin he was carrying.  The smell of the opening boxes filling the studio made Baekhyun’s mouth water.

“Alright.  I’d be feeling better if I could eat that,” he said, head inclining towards the strands of stringy cheese that hung suspended in the air for a few seconds as the dancers dug into the pizzas Junmyeon had brought along.

“You can eat it soon,” Junmyeon promised as he balanced the bin on his hip and reached in to pull out Baekhyun’s dinner.

Baekhyun sighed as he took the neatly wrapped package of steamed vegetables and baked chicken.  Why had he ever promised to get abs?  He should have just declared his abdomen permanently Nutella, but no, instead he had gotten jealous of the articles praising Kim Jongin’s chocolate abs and the next time he got asked about his, he had boldly declared he was working on creating them for his next concert.

It had been a foolish promise.  Baekhyun hadn’t been working on anything, but he was now because foolish or not, Baekhyun kept his promises.

“I wish I was built like him,” Baekhyun murmured, popping the plastic lid off his food container before setting it on the floor and reaching for the pair of chopsticks in Junmyeon’s outstretched hand.

Junmyeon smiled understandingly as he knelt down on the floor.  “You’ll get there,” he promised, setting the bin in his hands on the floor by Baekhyun’s side.  “I brought something to cheer you up.”

Baekhyun’s head turned towards the bin as Junmyeon nudged it closer, eyes lighting up slightly as realization dawned.  “It’s the last Tuesday,” he said, energy renewed as he moved to get a better look into the bin Junmyeon had placed on the floor.

Sure enough, inside the bin lay a Rilakkuma doll.  Baekhyun’s brow furrowed as he reached into the bin and pulled it out.  “Is it just me or is this one extra big?” he murmured, hand clutched around the doll’s midsection as he surveyed its outfit.  

“I thought that too, “Junmyeon said, but Baekhyun wasn’t really listening.  He was already distracted by the larger doll’s outfit.

The Rilakkuma was wearing a white baseball jersey stitched with “Rilaplanet” and a “04” on the sleeve.  A quick flick of his wrist revealed the “04” was embossed on the back as well.  Baekhyun turned the bear back around with a smile as his eyes glided over black pants to neatly styled black cleats.  

“Zero-four,” he murmured, making Junmyeon chuckle softly.

“I noticed that too,” he said, easily recognizing the number that embossed a many pieces of Baekhyun’s merchandise.  

“And I threw that opening pitch a few months ago,” Baekhyun murmured as he turned and rested the bear carefully up against the mirror, making sure it wouldn’t topple over.

Junmyeon nodded.  “You did,” he agreed, watching as Baekhyun reached out to tap the paw of the Rilakkuma doll with the tip of his finger, a smile brightening his face before he turned in Junmyeon’s direction.

“Still no note?” he asked.

Junmyeon shook his head.  “Nope.  No return address either.  It was dropped off like all the others,” he answered as Baekhyun sighed and returned to his dinner, the doll almost resting against his side.

“We should trap the courier,” Baekhyun murmured, making Junmyeon laugh as he reached for his own dinner, identical to Baekhyun’s.  Baekhyun appreciated the gesture.  At least he wasn’t going through his torture alone.

“You really want to know who is sending these, don’t you.” Junmyeon asked, smile not dimming even as he began munching on the same rather bland vegetables Baekhyun was already half-way through.

“Wouldn’t you?  It’s been almost three years,” Baekhyun said, thinking back to the first time a Rilakkuma had been dropped off at the studio.  The courier had dropped the package off where all of his fan mail was delivered.  Back then, there hadn’t been much, and so Baekhyun’s eyes had been instantly drawn to the box in his pile of letters.  Once the box had been inspected and deemed safe, it had been handed over by Junmyeon with a smile.  “I think you’ll like it,” he had said, and he had been right.

Baekhyun had liked the small white keyring Rilakkuma doll in a pink suit quite a bit.  He had pinned it to his bag and carried it along on his schedules, expecting for someone to eventually claim the doll as their gift, but it had never happened.  Even as he had grown in popularity, and gained many, many fansites, none had ever claimed the Rilakkuma products that showed up the last Tuesday of every month since he debuted.

Not one.

And Baekhyun had tried.  He took every doll he got to an event.  Every key ring made its way to his bag, and the neck pillow he’d gotten the month after he’d mentioned losing his during his tour in America traveled everywhere.

It had reached the point where his fansites also sent him Rilakkuma goods.  Baekhyun had an entire room full of them, but the most treasured were the ones delivered on the last Tuesday of every month from one of his first fans.

If only Baekhyun could find them to say thanks.  Just knowing a new doll would greet him at the end of the month had helped him get through so many difficult moments.

“The designs are getting more obvious, don’t you think?” Junmyeon asked, casually, shaking Baekhyun from his reverie.

He glanced towards the doll again before chuckling slightly.

“Perhaps,” he agreed, smiling as he reached out to poke the “04” on the doll’s sleeve.  It had taken a few dolls for him to realize every single one was related to him in some way - either the outfit or the need (I.e. an elegant tissue cover, a neck pillow, a pen, the list went on).  That realization had made the dolls even more special to him.  Not only was his fan paying attention to him, they were designing things based on him, for him.

“So how long do you think it’ll be before it’s online?” Junmyeon asked.

Baekhyun shrugged.  “A couple of weeks?  It’s never right away,” he said, mind turning over the timeline in his mind.  It had been a few months before Baekhyun realized the dolls he received weren’t available for purchase.  At least, not when he’d get them.

He’d been so fond of the miniature brown bear in a vest and slacks fit for a king that he’d wanted to get another one, but none had appeared.  At first, he thought that maybe that meant the clothes were homemade, but then, a few weeks later, the doll had surfaced online and in stores.  It was another layer to the mystery of his Rilakkuma benefactor, a mystery Junmyeon knew well.

“Mmm,” Junmyeon hummed in response, expression contemplative.

“What?” Baekhyun asked after a few seconds, uncomfortable with Junmyeon’s silent stare.

“What would you do, if you knew who it was?” Junmyeon asked quietly, tone curious.

“Hmm… I don’t know?  Say thank you?  These guys… they’ve gotten me through a lot,” Baekhyun said, smiling fondly at the doll by his hip.

Junmyeon chuckled softly, “Wow, never thought I’d be jealous of a doll.”

Baekhyun snorted and reached out to give Junmyeon a playful hit.  “You’ve helped too,” he said with a laugh that Junmyeon echoed.

“Thanks,” he said with a smile.

Baekhyun smiled back, eyes going to the Rilakkuma at his hip.  Would he ever get to tell the sender the same?  Using the dolls probably conveyed the sentiment but still… he’d like to say it in person, someday.

---

“Did he get it?” Chanyeol asked the second Sehun appeared through door of their shared apartment.

“Have I ever failed you?” Sehun asked, turning to his jacket and hang it on the hooks by the door.

“No, but still,” Chanyeol pressed, getting up to bounce nervously.  This was his most precious baby yet. What if something had happened along the way?

“Relax dude, he was placed safe and sound in the fan mail delivery area.  Not a single scratch,” Sehun reassured, walking towards the coffee table and reaching for the abandoned container of Chinese food resting there.

“Hey, I wasn’t done with that,” Chanyeol complained, falling back down on the couch as the Olympics broadcast continued to play in the background.

“Payment,” Sehun said between mouthfuls.  “I have a real job now so you either pay up or deliver these things yourself,” he said, eyes going to the “04” jersey-ed Rilakkuma resting on the coffee table identical to the one he’d just left at Light Entertainment.

Chanyeol’s eyes widened before he leaned forward and pressed his drink and rice towards Sehun.  “It’s all yours,” he said, making Sehun laugh as he reached for the second container.

“Thanks, man, but really, wouldn’t it be cheaper for you to take them?” he asked.

Across from him on the opposite couch Chanyeol was already rapidly shaking his head.  “I could never.”

“And why not?  It’s really not hard.  I feel kind of bad for charging you,” Sehun said, though his ceaseless eating said otherwise.

“You could do it for free,” Chanyeol said back.

Sehun quickly shook his head.  “Nope.  Nothing in life is free, but… if you tell me why I have to deliver them, I’ll consider it,” he offered, giving Chanyeol pause.

He really could do with Sehun stealing less of his food, but, it was hard to put into words exactly why he couldn’t deliver his dolls.  Still, he might as well try.  If he could stop spending a portion of his food budget on Sehun, he might actually start a real savings account.

“I… I don’t.  I mean I know it’s extremely unlikely he’d see me but I… I don’t know how to face him.  He’s so important to me Sehun.  I’m not kidding when I say if it wasn’t for him I might not be here,” Chanyeol murmured, voice trailing off as his mind wandered to darker times, full of raised voices and tears.

Sehun was quiet for a moment before whispering softly, “Because of your dad?” he asked, not needing further explanation than Chanyeol’s nod.

“Yeah,” Chanyeol said, watching as Sehun stopped eating, setting his food on the table before leaning back and surveying Chanyeol contemplatively.

“But don’t you want to tell him that?” he asked.

“I…” Chanyeol hesitated before shaking his head.  “I don’t want to burden him.  I just want him to be happy.”  It was why he’d never gone to a fan sign either.  Baekhyun taking his dolls everywhere along with concerts and music shows where Baekhyun smiled at the audience like they were his world was enough for him.  

“Why would he be burdened knowing he makes you happy?” Sehun countered.

Chanyeol froze for a couple seconds before slowly shaking his head.  “It’s more than that,” he whispered, mind flashing to the late night broadcast where a newly debuted Baekhyun proudly declared he was going to be the first openly gay idol, and the most successful too.

That had been, and sometimes still was, Chanyeol’s darkest secret, and yet, there was this brightly shining person, declaring it to everyone.  He was fearless.  Chanyeol fell in love at first site.

He’d spent the evening learning everything he could about Byun Baekhyun, the pink suited angel who had happily declared that everything Chanyeol was, is, was okay.  At the time there hadn’t been much.  There were a few small fansites, but there was honestly a lot more hate, and Chanyeol, after scrolling through hours and hours of hate comments, did the one thing he could do to make himself feel better.

He designed a doll.

He’d sent it to the Rilakkuma office not expecting a response.  They rarely replied to freelance work, but, suddenly, a few days later, he got a call, and a series of complex negotiations later not only did he have a sample in hand, but he had a contract to design two more dolls if the first sold well.

Without hesitation, Chanyeol sent one of the sample dolls to Baekhyun, forcing Sehun, who was working temp jobs as a courier while finishing up college, to deliver it.  A few days later, Chanyeol was delighted to see the doll swinging from Baekhyun’s bag as he entered the airport.

His employers hadn’t been.

They’d nearly called the whole deal off, but then, something amazing happened.

Everyone wanted to buy the doll.

The website was swamped with search requests for the pink suited keyring bear, and when they couldn’t find it, the help desk email was flooded as well.

Dollar signs in their eyes, Chanyeol’s first doll went into production, and when the next two also had sales through the roof, Chanyeol was hired full time.  He loved it.

Pursuing his degree in art and design had been one of the many things his father hadn’t approved of, but now, with his dream job secured and his designs bringing joy to thousands, Chanyeol found himself discovering his own happiness.

And it was all thanks to a smiling angel in pink.

There was no way Chanyeol could meet someone like that.  No way.

---

Baekhyun was still in the midst of preparing like mad for his concert when one morning, he woke up to find his phone blasted with notifications from his social media accounts and several calls from Junmyeon.

He tapped one of the calls from Junmyeon first, holding his phone up to his ear as it dialed instantly.  “What happened?” he asked without preamble, unable to even feel dread this early in the morning.  He was just numb.  No matter how many records he broke, no matter how hard he tried, there were always going to be people who tried to bring him down.  They’d been trying since the beginning when he’d stubbornly insisted as debuting as exactly the way he was for the world to see.  Junmyeon had supported him then, and through every incident since.  Baekhyun had no doubt Junmyeon was already doing the same now, but he needed to know what had happened, what he had done to set off this new massive wave of notifications.

Junmyeon sighed heavily through the phone.  “There was a blind item released overnight—”

And there it was, Baekhyun’s stomach dropped, nervously waiting for Junmyeon’s next words.

“—about a male idol who is obsessed with pursuing up and coming actor D whose recent movie had a lot of success at the box office.”

“And they think it’s me,” Baekhyun said, voice devoid of emotion.

Junmyeon’s sigh was all the confirmation he needed, and suddenly Baekhyun was angry, reaching for a pillow and throwing it across his bedroom.

“.  Why the hell do I have to deal with being the punching bag for all of Jongin’s blind items?”  Baekhyun yelled.

Junmyeon’s voice was cautious as he spoke, “Because Jongin—”

“I in’ know Jongin isn’t out, but if he isn’t going to keep his quiet than he ing should be,” Baekhyun said, throwing another pillow.  “I’m about to have the biggest concert of my life and it’s being ruined because Kim ing Jongin couldn’t keep his in his pants.  I’m so—” Baekhyun froze, stopping himself from throwing the next thing he had grabbed from beside him in his bed, the extra-large, baseball jersey wearing Rilakkuma he’d received a few weeks ago.

Junmyeon took the opportunity Baekhyun’s pause presented.  “I know, and I’m sorry.  If it’s any consolation, Jongin feels terrible too.  He didn’t think he was being watched.  You know how he can be,” Junmyeon said with an exasperated sigh.

Baekhyun let out a small huff as he tugged the Rilakkuma to his chest, dropping his phone to the bed after tapping it to speaker so he could squeeze it even more.  “I know,” he said, anger segueing back to defeat.  “What’s the plan?” he asked, mentally preparing himself for the hell that would be the next few days.

He’s gotten popular enough his uality was usually background noise, but when instances like this happened, it’d become the same chaos he’d dealt with when he’d debuted.  At least now he had a fandom to protect him, unlike back then when his best protection had been Junmyeon and Rilakkuma dolls.

“We’ll deny it,” Junmyeon said simply.

“And?” Baekhyun asked, “You know every interview I have this week they’re going to ask about it,” he said with a sigh.

Junmyeon sighed back.  “We’ll filter the press, make sure their questions can’t hit on the issue directly.  It’s the best I can do.  I’m sorry,” he said.

Baekhyun sighed morosely as he squeezed the doll clutched to his chest tighter.  “I know,” he whispered, head lowering down so it connected with soft plush.  It was comforting, in a way.  He gently rubbed his forehead back and forth against it as Junmyeon apologized once again before hanging up, no doubt going to start working their media contacts.

They couldn’t stop message boards or Baekhyun’s Instagram feed, but they could stop the press from posting things without verified facts, and if they were looking for facts about Baekhyun’s love life, they’d be as successful as a parched man looking for water in a desert.

---

Chanyeol felt awful as he scrolled through his twitter feed, seeing post after post of the negative reactions he needed to go downvote.  He did so dutifully between responding to emails from the office and sending off a critique of the most recent sample he had received.

He, like everyone else in the Bright fandom, didn't believe the blind item released two days ago had anything to do with Baekhyun.  It just didn't fit, not when you considered that the most likely candidate for actor D was someone who had expressed a dislike for idol music recently and Baekhyun hadn't had the time to pursue someone even if he'd wanted to for the past few months.  He'd gone from a musical, to preparing for his comeback promotions, to preparing for his concert without a single break.

Chanyeol was proud of his dedication and his results.  Baekhyun's latest album had outsold his previous and charted higher than many other popular artists, but he also sometimes worried Baekhyun was pushing himself too hard.  Everyone did.  Especially when they saw how skinny he was starting to look in shots stolen as he went back and forth between the studio and his apartment.

Chanyeol had tried to reassure himself that everything was fine.  Baekhyun was okay.  He continued to do that even after the blind item dropped and Baekhyun's mentions on social media became a toxic wasteland of people criticizing him for trying to coerce an actor into dating him.  However, as Chanyeol watched clips of Baekhyun's first and now only press interview for his solo concert (there had been others planned, but in the wake of the blind item they'd all been canceled), Chanyeol found himself unable to pretend anymore.

Baekhyun was not okay.  It was as clear as the "fearless" bracelet that wrapped around his wrist.  That bracelet had disappeared well over a year ago.  Baekhyun had said at the time it was because he had nothing left to fear.  Its return put a sinking feeling in Chanyeol's gut even before he listened to Baekhyun respond to questions in a somewhat stilted style, smile tight, his eyes never disappearing into the familiar crescents that appeared whenever he was genuinely happy.

Watching that interview, Chanyeol felt as useless as he had when he had first discovered Baekhyun all those years ago.  Just like back then, there was nothing Chanyeol could do to make Baekhyun's life easier, nothing except…

Chanyeol glanced over at the sample on the edge of his desk.

It was only the first mockup, meaning it had a few more flaws than usual; however, it was also a bear Chanyeol was certain Baekhyun would love.  A large brown Rilakkuma in a red Supreme sweatshirt, sweatpants and trainers.  It had taken a few months of negotiating to get the licensing resolved, but Chanyeol was certain it would all prove to be worth the wait.  The bear was planned as a premium release and would surely sell out once the few flaws on the doll in front of him were resolved.  Right now, the font was too large and the hem of the sweat pants was uneven.

Chanyeol wanted to give the perfect, final sample to Baekhyun.  The one that would be identical to the one hitting store shelves, but, that doll was still a month or more away, and Baekhyun's concerts were that weekend.  If Chanyeol wanted to give Baekhyun something to cheer him up before then, it was this doll or nothing.  His soon to be released doll that had been dropped off by Sehun yesterday clearly hadn't done the trick.

Chanyeol reached out and picked the doll up, staring down at it as one of his fingers traced over the lettering before he glanced back up at the paused video of Baekhyun on his computer screen.  It took only a few seconds of staring for Chanyeol to look away with a determined nod.

This was the only option.  If a Supreme Rilakkuma could bring even the tiniest real smile to Baekhyun’s face, it was worth giving it to him, even if, Chanyeol realized as looked down at the doll again, Chanyeol would have to take it in alone.

Sehun had left on a small business trip that morning, and if Chanyeol waited until he returned, it would be too late.

Chanyeol swallowed nervously before setting the doll on his desk and reaching for his own fearless bracelet hanging from a hook on his wall.  He'd made it himself soon after seeing Baekhyun's own.

It had helped.  

Chanyeol had taken his off around the same time as Baekhyun, but he needed it today as well if he was going to do something he swore he'd never do - hand deliver one of his bears directly to Light Entertainment's office.

---

Junmyeon didn't know why he felt the need to go check Baekhyun's fanmail again.  He'd already been the day before to pick up the one item he'd hoped would make Baekhyun’s week a little easier, but not even the small, angel winged Rilakkuma key ring he'd found could bring more than a tiny smile to Baekhyun's face.

Between the stress of his upcoming performances that weekend and the media circus that had ensued once the blind item dropped, Baekhyun was cracking.  Junmyeon could see it without even being told.  He cancelled all but one of Baekhyun's interviews and before it began he snapped a bracelet he hadn't wanted to see again back on Baekhyun's wrist.  "You can do this," he murmured, lightly clenching Baekhyun’s shoulders as Baekhyun looked down at his wrist, turning it slowly.

Finally after a few seconds, the tiniest of smiles greeted him.  "Yeah, I can," Baekhyun murmured, stepping away and steeling his expression before walking out onto the stage as the host’s introduction echoed in the hall.

All things considered, the interview that commenced went fairly well.  Baekhyun was polite, poised and directed off topic comments back to the reason the interview existed, i.e. to promote his two consecutive concerts in the Gocheok Dome.  He wasn't the first soloist to do it, but the list of those who had pulled off the feat was very short, and Baekhyun accepted the honor of joining those other artists with the grace Junmyeon had drilled into him through hours of practice interviews.

If only Junmyeon could do more to compliment him on it beyond handing Baekhyun more bland food before driving him to the arena where dry rehearsals were underway, leaving Baekhyun in the care of Yixing and the producers as he went back to the office to shut down more reporters searching for nonexistent clues.

A few hours of that had Junmyeon ready to pull his own hair out, which was perhaps why he went to Baekhyun's fanmail room now that he thought about it.  Even if there was nothing in there to make Baekhyun feel better, at least there wouldn't be a pushy Dispatch journalist looking for a scoop.

There was however, a rather worried looking young man in a pair of Adidas sweats and a black hoodie, a Rilakkuma doll in his grasp.  Junmyeon watched as his eyes widened, taking a step back and seemingly looking for a place to bolt.  The only option was the doorway Junmyeon was currently standing in.  Taking pity on the clearly startled guy, Junmyeon smiled slightly even as his mind raced.  The monthly Rilakkuma had come in yesterday.  Had a fansite sent another?

"Can I help you?" he asked, tone light as he stepped into the room, letting the door hang open.

The guy hesitated for a few seconds before slowly nodding his head.  "Could you... could I get... do you have any paper?  And a pen?" he asked, tension not leaving his shoulders.

Junmyeon’s brow furrowed.  What an odd request.  A courier wouldn't need to write anything and a fan usually would write their letter before they arrived.  Still, Junmyeon supposed he could have pity on the guy.  He must be harmless enough if security had let him through.

"Sure, one second," he said, turning and heading to the office next door to grab a blank sheet of paper and pen he'd be sure to return later.

When he got back to the fanmail room, the tall guy jumped again before accepting the pen and paper with a quiet thanks.  He set the doll on the table and started to write, hunching over slightly as Junmyeon examined the doll.  The more he looked, the more certain he was that this wasn't a doll from a fansite.  He'd never seen a Rilakkuma in Supreme before, and he was certain if it existed, Baekhyun would own it.  His entire closet would have been Supreme if Junmyeon didn't insist he at least own a few other brands.

"What are you writing?" Junmyeon asked, eyes still appraising the doll, trying to see if there was any indication the branding was fan made - but instead finding more official tags and emblems.  The sound of a pen scraping across paper stalled for a second before continuing again as the man spoke quietly.

"This doll... It's only the first sample.  I'm not supposed to show it to people yet," He explained, making Junmyeon's eyes widen as he picked up on the man's phrasing.

It couldn't be…

"Excuse me for asking, but are you Park Chanyeol?" he asked, watching as the man in front of him instantly froze before looking up at him, mouth agape.

"How do you know my name?"

---

Chanyeol had thought succeeding in asking for a pen and paper from Baekhyun’s manager would be the end of his troubles.  Now he wasn't so sure, staring at who he knew to Kim Junmyeon, Baekhyun's manager, with his mouth agape.

"How do you know my name?" he asked, mind racing as he stared.

Junmyeon let out a laugh in response.  "I couldn't exactly let a designer profit off Baekhyun's image without compensation could I?  Your company was very accommodating given the income your designs were generating.  I take it they didn't tell you?" he asked, still smiling as Chanyeol slowly shook his head.

His managers hadn't mentioned that, not that he was surprised.  He'd asked to not be too involved with the licensing side of things, preferring to just submit requests when he wanted approvals and then find out if it was too expensive or not.  (The Supreme request had been 'too expensive' for years).

"They hadn't," he murmured, uncertain of what to make of the still smiling manager that was now holding out a hand in his direction.

"It's nice to finally meet you," he said, shaking Chanyeol's hand warmly once he reached out.  "I know you've been Baekhyun's fan for a long time."

Chanyeol nodded warily as he released Junmyeon's hand.  "I have," he admitted, uncertain what would happen next, but certain the last thing he expected was what Junmyeon said next.

"Would you like to meet him?"

"What?" Chanyeol breathed out, shocked as Junmyeon just continued to smile.

"Baekhyun, would you like to meet him?  I'm going to go pick him up from his rehearsals soon.  He's always loved your designs so I'm sure he'd love to meet you," Junmyeon said, making Chanyeol's heart simultaneously leap with glee—Baekhyun loved his designs—and terror—he couldn't meet Baekhyun, no way.

Chanyeol was already shaking his head.  "I couldn't possibly...I have somewhere I need to be..." his eyes subconsciously darted towards the open door, wondering if he just dropped the pen and ran if he'd make it out.  He might not.  Junmyeon was smaller than him, but Chanyeol knew he had experience pushing through crowds of crazy fans.

Chanyeol's decision was yet unmade when Junmyeon's crestfallen expression made Chanyeol's heart ache.  "Really?  Too bad.  I've been trying to come up with ways to cheer him up all day," Junmyeon said.

"He's sad?" Chanyeol asked, already knowing the answer.

Junmyeon offered up a shrug.  "He's been better.  I know this will be a bright spot though," he said, reaching for the Supreme Rilakkuma doll.  "Still, he'd like it even better coming from you.  He's always wanted to meet you."

"He wants to meet me?" Chanyeol asked, a hand rising to tap against his chest in disbelief.  Surely, surely Baekhyun had no interest in meeting him.  He was nobody.  It didn't make any sense, and yet, Junmyeon was already nodding his head.

"Yes.  He's always felt very grateful towards you for giving him so much love for so long.  He wants to say thank you."

Chanyeol's eyes widened.  "I'm the one who should be saying that.  He's the one who... he's given me so much."

Junmyeon smiled warmly, one of his hands releasing his grip on the Rilakkuma doll in his grasp to hold it out towards Chanyeol.  "Wouldn't you like to tell him that yourself?" he asked, keeping his hand outstretched as Chanyeol stared down at it, internal battle raging.

Should he do it?  Could he really meet Baekhyun and not just make everything worse?

Chanyeol clenched his hand into a fist, the weight of his bracelet momentarily a thousand pounds on his wrist before he reached out and clasped Junmyeon's hand, letting him lead him out of the room.

If it was going to make Baekhyun happy, Chanyeol could try.

---

Baekhyun could feel the sweat dripping down his brow.  It'd been exhausting, checking the transitions, the staging, and how the lighting would follow him, but finally, they were done.

He let out a shout as he flopped down on the stage, chest heaving.  His actions were greeted by several familiar laughs before a towel was being dropped onto his face by Junmyeon.  "Loud as ever," he observed, making Baekhyun laugh as he pulled the towel off and propped himself up.

"When did you get back?" he asked, running the towel around his neck to try to gather the sweat that had beaded all over his skin.  

"A few minutes ago," Junmyeon answered, making Baekhyun frown.

"Really?  I was hoping for some feedback," Baekhyun complained, making Junmyeon chuckle softly as he held out his hand.

"Hopefully you'll forgive me when you see your surprise," Junmyeon said, making Baekhyun frown.

"I don't need a surprise," he whispered, voice lowering.  Baekhyun was fine, or well, he would be fine soon enough.

Junmyeon frowned, but before he could speak, Baekhyun caught sight of another figure hovering a couple steps behind Junmyeon on the stage.  He was tall, with dark clothes and prominent ears that Baekhyun was certain he'd never seen before.  In one of his hands he clutched a gray and black decorative gift bag.  The other hung lifelessly at his side as he looked seemingly everywhere at once, unable to pick a single place to focus on.

"Who is that?" he asked, head inclining slightly towards the space where the man stood behind Junmyeon's shoulder.

Junmyeon glanced back for a second before laughing and waving the guy forward with a shout of "Chanyeol!” making him jump before he quickly jogged down the stage to reach Junmyeon.  He froze a couple steps away from Junmyeon's side, eyes wide as they settled on Baekhyun's face.  Baekhyun stared back, perplexed and curious as Junmyeon let out a laugh and reached out to drag the guy forward the final few paces that had him in front of Baekhyun.

"Baekhyun, meet Chanyeol.  I caught him dropping off his latest design, and when I told him how much you wanted to meet him, he agreed to come with me to deliver it himself," Junmyeon said with a flourish, leaving Baekhyun puzzled as he stared at a clearly star struck Chanyeol who finally just held out his arm with a jerk.

"Here," he said, voice almost inaudible and cheeks flushed.  It wasn't the first time Baekhyun had encountered a flustered fan, but he still found it cute as he adjusted and plastered on a smile to take the outstretched bag from Chanyeol's hand.  

"Thank you," he said, completely baffled as to why Junmyeon would bring a fan along with him to the venue of all places.  Had he really seemed so down that Junmyeon would drag a random…

Baekhyun froze as he pulled aside the single layer of tissue paper to reveal familiar brown ears.  "Wha..." Baekhyun reached in a trembling hand to draw out the Rilakkuma doll, eyes widening in shock as he momentarily stared at the “Supreme" emblazoned hoodie before snapping his gaze back in Chanyeol's direction.

"You designed this?" he asked, feeling a sudden surge of emotion that was already starting to make his throat thick.

Chanyeol nodded hesitantly.  "Yeah," he murmured, shuffling slightly, still clearly nervous and uncertain.

"You designed all of them?" Baekhyun asked, voice cracking slightly on the last word.

Chanyeol nodded again.  "I did."

Baekhyun closed his eyes for a second and took a breath.  The past few days really had taken their toll, and now, in front of him stood the one person he'd always wanted to meet, the one person besides Junmyeon who Baekhyun was certain would support him no matter what.  In his current emotional state, that left Baekhyun with one thing he wanted to do.

"Can I hug you?"

Chanyeol jerked, eyes wide before he slowly nodded his head.

That was all the response Baekhyun needed.  In two seconds he had his arms wrapped around Chanyeol's back as he squeezed him tight, a sense of relief washing over him as he confirmed that Chanyeol was real.  "Thank you.  You have no idea how much these guys mean to me," Baekhyun said as he pulled back, emotions mostly back in check as he pressed at his nose with his free hand to stifle any sniffling.

Chanyeol, for his part, seemed even more star struck than before, making Baekhyun chuckle as he held up the doll between them.  "How'd you even get him in 'Supreme'?" he asked, still trying to wrap his mind around how he had finally met the designer of all his babies.

That question seemed to trigger Chanyeol, because suddenly he was letting out a long suffering sigh.  "That was a nightmare.  It took forever to get the licensing sorted out.  Supreme really likes themselves," he said, making Baekhyun laugh again.

"Tell me about it.  They consume half my paycheck since they only sponsor me for some things," he whined, making Chanyeol chuckle.

"But you like them anyway," he said.

Baekhyun nodded his head, "That I do.  Tell me, have you had dinner yet?"  Baekhyun could feel his own stomach gurgling, but he wasn't quite ready to let Rilakkuma designer Chanyeol out of his sight.  He still had so many questions to ask.

Chanyeol shook his head.  "Not yet," he admitted, making Baekhyun smile.

"Would you like to join me?" he asked, watching as a bevy of emotions ranging from excitement to hesitance passed over Chanyeol's face before he spoke quietly.

"If you want me to."

Baekhyun smiled and turned to Junmyeon with a flourish as he reached out to grab Chanyeol's hand.  "Take us somewhere to eat.  I need more time to talk with my new friend," he ordered as he raised their linked fists, making Junmyeon roll his eyes before he began to lead the pair out of the dome.

---

If someone had asked Chanyeol if what he was eating tasted good, he wouldn't have been able to give them an answer.  He hadn't tasted a single bite of any of the traditional Korean dishes that had been placed in front of him.  He'd been far too focused on Baekhyun, who kept asking question after question while hardly touching the food in front of them.

"Wait, so then how do the designs get approved?" he asked, on what had to be at least his twentieth question about Chanyeol’s job.  It seemed like he wanted to understand every aspect of it, or perhaps he had realized that of all topics of conversation, talking about work was one Chanyeol could do easily.  Either way, Chanyeol appreciated the gesture.

“Once I’m finished with the initial sketch, I send it over to marketing and the higher ups and they give me feedback.  Depending on their responses, I either make edits or we start going into the actual designing for a mockup of the doll,” Chanyeol explained to his rapt audience of one since Junmyeon had stepped away soon after their arrival to the private room at the back of the traditional Korean restaurant.

"Are they okay with a lot of the designs looking like me?" Baekhyun asked, making Chanyeol flush slightly.

"Well, I don't actually tell them they look like you," he murmured, making Baekhyun laugh as Chanyeol wondered how surprised his managers must have been when Junmyeon had shown up and demanded compensation for his designs.  He must have been making them more money than he realized for them to never even mention it.

"I suppose I wouldn't admit my muse is a gay idol either,” Baekhyun said with a soft, self-deprecating chuckle that quickly had Chanyeol raising his hands to protest.

"No, no that's not why.  They just don't really care to be honest.  So long as the design is cute, they'll approve it," he explained.

Baekhyun chuckled as he finally reached for a piece of fish on one of the plates between them.  "So what you're saying is, I'm cute," he said, popping a small piece of fish into his mouth with a teasing smile.

Chanyeol turned beat red before reaching for his water and promptly choking from trying to swallow it down too fast.  In an instant, Baekhyun was on Chanyeol’s side of the table, patting his back as Chanyeol coughed, trying to get the water out of his lungs.

"Don't die on me now.  Who'd make me more cute dolls to love?" Baekhyun said, tone still teasing, but also slightly concerned as he continued to pat Chanyeol's back until his coughing quieted.

“Better?” he asked, hand stalling on Chanyeol’s shoulder blades.

Chanyeol meekly nodded his head, still out of breath and panting slightly.  “Yeah, I think so.”

“Good,” Baekhyun said with another pat before he returned to his seat, still smiling as Chanyeol finally just decided that maybe he should try to focus on the taste of the food.  It was safer than trying to survive conversation with Baekhyun.

"Did you taste this yet?" he asked, chopsticks going towards a dish that looked like some kind of potato salad.

Baekhyun looked towards the dish over which Chanyeol's chopsticks hovered before shaking his head.  "Nope, that wouldn't be on the approved menu," he said with a laugh before reaching out and taking another small bite of fish.

"Approved menu?" Chanyeol asked, deciding he might as well try the potatoes since he'd already gotten his chopsticks over them.  They were pretty good, but Chanyeol was soon distracted from that thought as Baekhyun let out a long, suffering sigh.

"Remember how I promised I'd get abs?" he asked.

Chanyeol nodded quickly.  He remembered.  The fandom had been freaking out about it for a couple of weeks after the interview.  Chanyeol had joined in, not that he'd admit that in front of Baekhyun.

"Well, I did it," Baekhyun said, face grim rather than accomplished like Chanyeol would have imagined it to be.

"You don't seem happy about it," he observed quietly, hoping that he wasn’t overstepping.  Baekhyun had been fairly blunt and open for the past hour, something he had explained away simply by saying that if Chanyeol was “Junmyeon approved” then Baekhyun wasn’t going to worry about keeping up a perfect façade unless Chanyeol really wanted that.

Chanyeol had said he didn’t, and also confirmed that he had been given the third degree by Junmyeon the whole way to the Gocheok Dome earlier.  Junmyeon had apparently already had a background check run on him when he’d figured out he was the designer of the dolls “for safety purposes” to quote the man himself.  Chanyeol could understand, in the sense that it was probably good to know if someone who periodically sends your talent gifts is dangerous, but it was also mildly creepy to know he had been so thoroughly researched.

"It was a pain in the .  I'm apparently the type of person who really struggles to get muscle definition in their stomach so I had to go on a really restrictive diet,” Baekhyun explained with a grimace.

"That ," Chanyeol said with a frown, disliking the weight loss he’d seen the past few months even more.  Abs weren’t worth Baekhyun looking longingly at creamy potato salad.

"It really does," Baekhyun said with a nod as he reached for a piece of asparagus.  “Thank god it’ll be over soon.  After the concert I’m eating a whole pizza,” he declared before munching down on the asparagus noisily.

Chanyeol laughed.  “That sounds like a plan to me,” he said, reaching out to push back his sleeve that had run over his wrist again and was dangerously close to touching down into the contents of the various plates on the table.

The action made his bracelet glint under the lights of the room, drawing Baekhyun’s eye as he reached for another piece of asparagus.

"Your bracelet... is it the same as mine?" He asked, pausing as he studied the shiny metal chain.

Chanyeol started before glancing towards Baekhyun’s wrist where, yes, the same style bracelet resided.  "Uh... yeah... I kind of got inspired by yours and made my own," he said, hand freezing in place.

“You made it?” Baekhyun asked, surprise evident in his tone.

Chanyeol nodded, his bracelet free hand reaching up to scratch at his nape.  “Yeah…”

"That's so cool.  I wish I was more artsy like that.  Can I see it?" Baekhyun ask, abandoning his chopsticks to reach for Chanyeol’s wrist.

“Sure,” Chanyeol said, somehow managing to not flinch even as a warmth spread through his body while Baekhyun held Chanyeol’s hand gently in both of his, turning it side to side to get a better look at the bracelet on his wrist.

"It's so nice," Baekhyun whispered, finally releasing Chanyeol’s hand from his grip.  “I know I keep saying this, but you are really talented,” Baekhyun said as he sat back in his seat, having leaned forward to better observe Chanyeol’s wrist.

Chanyeol felt his cheeks warm for the hundredth time that evening as he meekly bobbed his head.  "Thank you," he whispered, wanting to yell back across the table that Baekhyun was a hundred times more talented than he’d ever be, but certain he’d lose the argument.  Besides, Baekhyun seemed distracted, lip having slipped between his teeth.

Chanyeol tilted his head to the side, letting the unspoken question hang between them until finally, Baekhyun nodded to himself, a look of determination on his face as he questioned softly.  "Did it help?"

Chanyeol blinked, caught off-guard for a second before quickly nodding his head.  "Yes," he affirmed with a smile, hoping to set Baekhyun at ease.

It seemed to work. "I'm glad," Baekhyun murmured, smiling back at him warmly as they fell into a comfortable silence neither of them was ready to break.

Unfortunately, reality did it for them as Baekhyun’s phone buzzed from where it was placed on the table.

Baekhyun sighed as he reached for his phone, glancing down at it for only a few seconds before redirecting his gaze to Chanyeol.

"Looks like my time is up," he said, making a sudden wave of sadness wash over Chanyeol.  He had been terrified of talking to Baekhyun.  He still was in some ways, but he'd be lying if the past two hours hadn't also been some of the best in his short life.  He wasn’t ready for it to end.

Perhaps Baekhyun felt the same way because before he left, he did something Chanyeol did not expect.  He gave Chanyeol his number.

---

Chanyeol would have thought he'd dreamed his whole meeting with Baekhyun if not for the fact that the sample Supreme Rilakkuma was gone from his desk and there was a new cell phone number saved in his phone under BB.

Disappointingly, there were no messages to further confirm their meeting had happened but, that made sense.  Even if Baekhyun did want to talk to him (which Chanyeol seriously doubted), he had a concert coming up in a few days.  He was obviously busy, which was why Chanyeol didn't text him either.  He didn't want to distract Baekhyun from the concerts he'd been so painstakingly preparing for, but he did want to do something to express his gratitude to Baekhyun for spending time with him.

Chanyeol was nobody.  Baekhyun shouldn't have even worried about giving him the time of day, but he had.  He had listened to Chanyeol for well over an hour talking about the most random things while smiling at Chanyeol like it was the most interesting conversation he'd ever had.  Chanyeol really had no idea how to thank Baekhyun for that, no idea at all, until an ad for pizza on the side of his browsing window gave him an idea.

---

Baekhyun was panting as the final notes of his debut single echoed in the dome while thousands of white banners greeted his eyes.

He still wasn't able to read them.  The lights on the crowd were too low, but he made sure to compliment them as the stadium lights began to adjust for his final ment, smiling as the "Always with B <3" came into clear relief, repeating thousands of times.

He complimented the message again before he began to ramble, enjoying the fans’ reactions as he reminded them that he had revealed his abs that day.

"But they're going away," Baekhyun cautioned, laughing as the fans screamed again.

"It's okay, right?  I'm allowed to eat now right?" he asked, smiling as even louder screams greeted him.

"What should I eat?  Chicken?" Baekhyun held out his mike, smiling as the audience cheered.

 "Pizza?"  He asked again, laughing as the screams got even louder.

"You all know I like pizza don't you?  You know I haven't been able to eat it for—" Baekhyun cut himself off as the fans began to scream again, looking around in confusion for a few seconds before he saw one of his backup dancers returning to the stage with a pizza box in his hands.

Baekhyun laughed as the screams got even louder.  "Who did this?" he asked as he reached for the box, flipping it open while still laughing and threatening to eat the whole thing (much to the crowds' enjoyment).  As Baekhyun happily chomped into his first bite of delicious cheese and bread after months of abstaining, he continued to wonder if the Rilakkuma face on the inside of the lid had been the request of Junmyeon or someone else.

---

Chanyeol's mind stalled as the pizza appeared on stage.  It couldn't be... but it was.  Chanyeol had asked the company to draw a Rilakkuma on the inside of the lid, and there it was, staring out at him as he sat among thousands of other fans cheering for Baekhyun as he ate another slice of pizza.

Chanyeol felt his cheeks warming as Baekhyun thanked the 'angel' who had sent him pizza.  Chanyeol wasn't an angel; that was Baekhyun's title, but Chanyeol was thrilled to see Baekhyun so happy, eyes turning to crescents as he ate through the rest of his final ment before segueing into his encore song.  Chanyeol sung along with all his heart before filing out of the venue with everyone else, wishing he could go back in time and do it all again, until he reached the train.

Why?

Because when Chanyeol reached the train, his phone buzzed with a new message.

[BB]: Thank you - That was delicious

Chanyeol stared at his phone in shock, hand shaking.  Baekhyun had texted him.  He really had kept Chanyeol's number.  He hadn't forgotten him.  Chanyeol's heart skipped a beat as he found himself blushing and typing back a response.

[Chanyeol]: I didn't think they'd deliver it on stage

[BB]: Hahah, you can thank Junmyeon.  He thought it would be fun.

Chanyeol's eyes widened.  Of course, Junmyeon would have the power to get the pizza Chanyeol had sent to the dome's rec room to the stage.

[Chanyeol]: Your manager is cool, also scary, but cool

Chanyeol’s mind flashed to Junmyeon as he had calmly described all the research he had conducted on Chanyeol when he'd determined he was the designer of the Rilakkuma dolls sent to Baekhyun.  Yes, Junmyeon definitely was scary, but he also was apparently the reason Chanyeol had gotten to watch a smiling Baekhyun eat pizza so he couldn’t be all bad.

[BB]: Haha i know right? He takes good care of me. I don’t know what I’d do without him

[Chanyeol]: :)

Chanyeol smiled to himself.  Yeah, it was probably good Baekhyun had a manger like Junmyeon, even if he was a bit scary.  He definitely seemed like he'd be able to keep Baekhyun safe.

[BB]: Who's your person?

Chanyeol's brow furrowed, uncertain.  Sehun and his mom were both pillars of support in his life, but honestly, neither of them were who Chanyeol immediately thought of when he thought of someone who he couldn't see his life without.

[Chanyeol]: Tbh… I mean does it sound bad to say it’s you

There was a prolonged pause before Baekhyun's next message, long enough Chanyeol worried he had said too much, but, when Baekhyun’s message finally came through, the rock that had been weighing down Chanyeol's chest lifted almost instantly.

[BB]: But I don’t do anything

Chanyeol chuckled lightly to himself.  Baekhyun did so much Chanyeol couldn't even put it into words.  How could he when Baekhyun had helped to give him strength for years?

[Chanyeol]: You exist

Baekhyun's protest this time was nearly instantaneous.

[BB]: That’s not doing much

Chanyeol chuckled again, shaking his head to himself and smiling.

[Chanyeol]: You sing

[BB]: Yeah, but how does that help you?

Chanyeol paused for a second, considering how much he should say.  Finally, he opted for something that was both true, but stayed away from revealing anything too personal.  He didn't want to burden Baekhyun with that.

[Chanyeol]: It makes me smile when I don’t want to, and laugh when I feel sad.

[Chanyeol]: That's enough.

Baekhyun was quiet again for a while, the composing text box appearing and reappearing a few times before a short message came through.

[BB]: If you say so

Chanyeol smiled to himself as he swiftly typed back.

[Chanyeol]: I do

---

After that first conversation, the texts kept coming, sometimes at very odd hours.  Chanyeol probably should have expected that, given the occasional 2AM Instagram lives Baekhyun was known to do, but he still sometimes raised an eyebrow at the time stamps on Baekhyun's messages and pics.  He was always happy when it was a picture of food though, even if it was at 3AM, at least Baekhyun was eating.  His cheeks had filled back in again, something that had everyone online gushing about how young he looked.  Chanyeol just chuckled to himself and reported the hysteria back to Baekhyun, who threatened to lose all the weight again so fans stopped babying him.

Chanyeol immediately protested.

And Baekhyun immediately acquiesced.  He couldn't give up pizza again anyways.

Still, despite all the texts back and forth, they hadn't actually spoken since the first time he'd met Baekhyun many weeks ago.  Given Baekhyun's schedule and his propensity to want to talk at 3AM when Chanyeol was asleep, this wasn't really surprising, but what was surprising was Chanyeol's phone waking him up at 7AM, a familiar name flashing on its screen.

“B-Baekhyun?” Chanyeol managed through a yawn, still half asleep.

“Sorry, did I wake you up?” Baekhyun’s chipper voice had Chanyeol’s brow furrowing as he rubbed at his eyes, trying to will away any lingering sleepiness.

“It’s fine,” Chanyeol said through another yawn. “Why are you calling so early?  Didn’t you have a concert last night?”  He asked, certain he had spent part of his evening scrolling through hidden periscopes of Baekhyun performing in front of his first ever Tokyo Dome audience.

“I wanted to show you something,” Baekhyun said as Chanyeol’s phone began to buzz with a request to video chat.  Chanyeol’s eyes widened.  He was certain his hair was a disaster, but he tapped accept nonetheless, reaching to flick on his bedside lamp before trying to tame his wild hair as Baekhyun’s smiling face greeted him.

“Good morning bed head,” he said through a laugh as Chanyeol gave up with a pout and let his hand fall away, opting to instead focus on why Baekhyun was calling him in the first place.

“What did you want to show me?” He asked, watching as Baekhyun’s eyes widened in response before he smirked.

“This,” he said, turning his phone away from him to show the street around him where there was a line of people leading to… a Supreme store.  Chanyeol was confused. Why would Baekhyun need to show him… Chanyeol let out a quiet gasp.

“You’re not really lined up to get the doll are you?” He asked as Baekhyun turned the phone back towards himself, still smiling.

“And what if I am?” He asked, tone playful.

Chanyeol let out a whine.  “I already have a doll for you though,” he said, eyes flicking to his desk where the final version of the Supreme Rilakkuma doll sat proudly, ready to be delivered.  There was no need for Baekhyun to be in line for the public release.

“Who said this one was for me?” Baekhyun teased back, making Chanyeol’s thoughts scramble for a second.

“I can get you more,” he reasoned, trying to figure out how he could get Baekhyun to stop waiting outside a Supreme store in the cold early winter air of Tokyo.

Baekhyun was chuckling at him as he shook his head.  “Silly, just let me experience the joy of waiting outside to buy one of these things,” he argued.  

Chanyeol snorted.  “Most people wouldn’t call waiting in line in the cold ‘a joy’.”

“But it’s exciting-waiting and then succeeding in getting what you were waiting for,” Baekhyun reasoned, tone far too bright and cheerful for seven in the morning.  Chanyeol found it cute, even if Baekhyun’s logic was flawed.

“I think you can only saying that because you don’t have do it often,” he said with a soft laugh that became louder as Baekhyun let out a defensive huff.

“Excuse me, I stalk the Supreme website every drop,” he countered.

“Yeah, but if you didn’t get it you could buy it resale in two seconds,” Chanyeol said through another laugh.

Baekhyun considered his words for a few seconds before nodding his head.  “Touché,” he acknowledged before his body jerked, a shiver running up his form.

“Is it cold?” Chanyeol asked, eyes catching the way Baekhyun’s ears and nose were turning red the longer they talked.  

“A bit,” he admitted, making Chanyeol sigh because he knew even if it was cold he wouldn’t be able to convince Baekhyun to leave.  Chanyeol hadn’t been Baekhyun’s friend for very long, but he already knew how stubborn he could be once he put his mind to it.  It was a trait he had admired in him when he’d only been Chanyeol’s idol, but now, as it led to him shivering outside a Supreme store, Chanyeol found himself shaking his head over it instead.

“Did you bring hot packs?” He asked, hoping Baekhyun had at least planned that far.

Baekhyun blinked before a smile lit up his face.  “I did.  I stole them from Junmyeon,” he added before suddenly pocketing his phone, hiding Chanyeol from his line of sight.  Chanyeol could only assume in the darkness that followed that the hot packs were being put to good use, something he confirmed when Baekhyun’s face reappeared in front of him before asking a different question.

“Did you tell Junmyeon you were going out?”

Baekhyun guffawed.  “Hell no.  He’d never let me do this.”

Chanyeol laughed.  He could understand Junmyeon on that one, but he’d already lost that debate so he didn’t try to bring it up again.  “Do you know when the store opens?” He asked instead, hoping Baekhyun wouldn’t be freezing for too long.

Baekhyun nodded.  “In an hour.”

Chanyeol sighed.  “What are you going to do for an hour?” He asked, wishing he could step through his phone and wrap his comforter around Baekhyun’s shoulders to keep him warm.  

Baekhyun adjusted his phone in his grip, getting a better angle.  “Talk to you, duh, well unless you want to go back to sleep,” he said with a small, troubled frown.

Chanyeol quickly shook his head.  “No, no, it’s fine.  Tell me about your concert last night.  Any memorable moments?” He asked, hoping the topic would distract Baekhyun away from the chill that had to be settling into his bones.

It seemed to work, another excited smile taking over Baekhyun’s face as he animatedly began to describe the previous night’s show.  Chanyeol smiled back as he nodded along, shimmying down into the warmth of his blankets as he opened his Saturday morning with his own private Instagram live.

---

It was maybe a week later that Chanyeol groaned as he resisted the urge to throw his tablet across the room, instead pressing it against his thighs as he let his head tilt back, eyes going towards the ceiling.

“What’s up?” Sehun asked, eyebrow raised from where he sat on the opposite couch casually flipping through channels out of the corner of his eye.  Chanyeol couldn't blame him.  It wasn’t like this was entirely unusual behavior.  Whenever Chanyeol got artist block he’d whine and complain constantly until it went away, but right now, Chanyeol felt like it’d never go away and he’d be stuck for eternity.

“I can’t figure out what to do for the Christmas release,” Chanyeol whined as he lowered his head back down and looked at his latest rejected sketch.  It was a Rilakkuma in a Christmas tree onesie and it just didn’t quite work.  Chanyeol really wanted it to work though because he’d been at this for two days and his looming draft deadline was not helping him find inspiration at all.

“What have you tried so far?” Sehun asked, turning slightly in Chanyeol’s direction, giving him his full attention as Chanyeol let out a heavy sigh.

“Everything - Christmas trees, presents, snowflakes… It all looks awful,” Chanyeol said with a sigh, head now in his hands as he contemplated how much it would cost to get on a plane and run away and never come back.  He could survive in Africa, probably.

Across from him Sehun sighed before reaching for his tablet.  Chanyeol let him slide it off his thighs without comment, only glancing up towards Sehun after a couple moments of silence as Sehun flipped through his draft sketches.  “Terrible, right?” he asked, feeling no happier as Sehun maintained his poker face while passing back the device.

“You need Baekhyun,” he said as the tablet landed in Chanyeol’s outstretched palm.

Chanyeol’s eyes widened in surprise.  “What?”

Sehun shrugged as he reached back for the remote.  “Whenever you get blocked like this, he’s the one who gets you out.  Go watch some videos from his Christmas shows last year,” Sehun said, settling into the couch as Chanyeol stared at Sehun for a couple of seconds, mind spinning.

Sehun was right.  Baekhyun usually was the one who could get Chanyeol unblocked with his boundless optimism and heavenly voice.  Had this been a year ago, Chanyeol would have probably taken Sehun’s advice and gone and streamed every Christmas performance Baekhyun had ever done, but it wasn’t a year ago.  Chanyeol had something better than YouTube, if he was brave enough to use it.

---

Baekhyun had just stepped out of the shower when his phone began to ring from where he had left it on the bathroom counter.  His brow furrowed at the sound.  After reaching Bangkok a few hours ago, he had met with the production team and had dinner with Junmyeon before being told to go ‘rest up’ for his first of two concerts the next day.  Perhaps Junmyeon had forgot to mention something?

Baekhyun reached for his phone as he let the towel he had been using to dry off his hair fall around his shoulders.  His eyes widened as he saw the caller ID.

Calling: •( ㅅ )•

“Chanyeol?” Baekhyun mumbled to himself, feeling confused.  Despite Baekhyun having told Chanyeol he could, Chanyeol had never called him before.  He rarely texted first either, something Chanyeol had explained as him just not wanting to “bother” Baekhyun too much.  

Baekhyun appreciated the gesture in the sense that it showed Chanyeol had restraint his sasaengs lacked, but he didn’t like the distance.  If it was Chanyeol, Baekhyun didn’t necessarily mind being ‘bothered’ as it were.  Chanyeol was interesting and fun to talk to, unlike some of the other people in Baekhyun’s life—reporters, fellow idols, managers not named Junmyeon.  Therefore, after his temporary pause due to surprise, Baekhyun happily plucked up his phone as he accepted the call.  Perhaps Chanyeol had another interesting story to tell him about his roommate’s recent attempts to get Chanyeol to go on a blind date.

(Chanyeol had flatly refused, and Baekhyun had found himself oddly relieved as he laughed at Chanyeol’s text declaring that any man Sehun found to be a good match would be a good match for Sehun, not for Chanyeol.)

“Hi!” He chirped, holding back a laugh as Chanyeol stuttered on the other end.

“H-hey, I didn’t think you’d answer.”

This time Baekhyun did laugh as he decided to head towards the bed.  “You almost missed me.  I just got out of the shower.”

“Ah… do you need to sleep?  You had a flight today right?  And a concert tomorrow?”  Chanyeol’s questions came one after the other, rapid and worried.  Baekhyun smiled as he rolled onto his stomach and reached for a pillow to shove under his chest.

“No, yes, and yes.  Why’d you call?” he asked free hand playing with the edge of the pillow as he waited for Chanyeol’s response.  It came after a couple moments of contemplative silence.

“I was hoping you could help me with something,” Chanyeol admitted softly.

“What kind of thing?” Baekhyun asked, keeping his tone light even as a tiny part of his brain panicked, suddenly nervous.  Was Chanyeol about to become another person who just stuck around Baekhyun long enough to use him?

Thankfully, Chanyeol’s next words immediately erased that thought.

“I’m just… I’m supposed to be designing a Christmas doll and I’ve been at it for hours but I and everything I draw is awful,” Chanyeol whined, voice becoming slightly high pitched and a bit distraught.  The sound and the lightening of Baekhyun’s chest as he realized Chanyeol was still as innocent as Baekhyun thought had Baekhyun chuckling into his phone.

“You do not ,” he corrected, not surprised when he was greeted with a dismissive snort.

“You only say that because you haven’t seen the I’ve drawn for the past five hours,” Chanyeol protested.

Baekhyun laughed again.  “I’m sure it wasn’t that bad.”

“It was terrible,” Chanyeol moaned, making Baekhyun frown.  He was used to artist’s block, but everyone’s cures were a bit different, and Baekhyun definitely didn’t know Chanyeol’s cure, not yet.

Baekhyun reigned in his laughter, adopting a more soothing tone as he rolled back onto his back and stared at the cream colored ceiling of the hotel room.  “Just take a breath.  I’m sure we can figure something out.  Now first, tell me what you need to design.”

Chanyeol’s voice was muffled as it echoed through Baekhyun’s receiver.  “Something Christmas themed for the ‘Christmas Time Fun Collection’.”

“Okay,” Baekhyun said, turning the title over in his mind for a few seconds before asking another question.  “And it has to be a doll?”

“Yeah,” Chanyeol confirmed, voice less muffled and calmer than before.  Baekhyun took that as a good sign and kept talking.

“What have you designed before?” he asked, pretty sure he had the answer sitting in his apartment at home, but wanting Chanyeol to confirm his suspicions.

“Rudolph, an elf in suspenders, and a Christmas fairy,” Chanyeol replied, ticking off the seasonal dolls Baekhyun had received the past three years one by one.

This time, Baekhyun did let out a laugh, small and tinkling as in the back of the mind a light bulb started to go off.  “Did any of them not involve me?” He asked, not surprised when he was greeted by a slightly longer pause.  He could practically see the blush tinging Chanyeol’s cheeks when he finally answered.

“Well, the fairy was kind of abstract since the musical fairy looked pretty different.”

Baekhyun laughed again before offering up a contemplative hum.  “So, is the problem you’ve run out of things I’ve worn that can be linked to Christmas?” he ventured, waiting with baited breath through another of Chanyeol’s pauses until finally, a quiet voice echoed through his phone.

“Maybe,” Chanyeol admitted.

Baekhyun hummed, contemplating his options before suddenly realizing he might have the perfect solution.  “What if I send you some pics of me in terrible Christmas sweaters?”

Chanyeol’s response was nearly instantaneous.  “W-What?”

Baekhyun laughed as he switched his phone to speaker so he could talk while he went to his camera roll.  “Jongin throws this Christmas party every year.  It’s kind of a bad joke to be honest, but the idea is we all wear the most horrendous sweaters we can find,” he explained as he reached his pics from last year.  He’d worn a red sweater with a green Christmas tree that had actual functioning Christmas lights and a tacky, puffball tinsel star.  One of the rules of the party was to not share pics with anyone, but Baekhyun found himself quickly tapping the photo to send it to Chanyeol.

Chanyeol was safe, and besides, Baekhyun wouldn’t mind getting a Rilakkuma in a tacky Christmas sweater.

Chanyeol’s response was almost instantaneous.  “Oh my god,” he said, voice shocked before he let out a loud laugh.  Baekhyun was pretty sure in the background he could hear the sound of Chanyeol hitting his leg.

“I told you it was ugly,” Baekhyun said, laughing along as a wave of relief coursed through him.

“This is amazing. I can use this,” Chanyeol said as his laughter subsided, slightly out of breath.

“I take it you’ve been inspired then?”  Baekhyun asked, a smile splitting his face as he realized his plan was a success.

“Yes, a hundred time yes,” Chanyeol replied excitedly, making Baekhyun’s heart warm.

“I’m glad.  Just try not to make me look too ugly alright?” he asked with a soft laugh.

Chanyeol let out a shocked gasp.  “Ugly?  I could never do that.”

It was Baekhyun’s turn to snort.  “Believe me Chanyeol, I can be very ugly when my makeup disappears.”

“You aren’t!” Chanyeol shouted back, catching them both off guard.  There was an awkward silence before Chanyeol nervously cleared his throat, “I mean, you look good without makeup.  It’s cute,” Chanyeol said, almost whispering the words as Baekhyun found himself blushing at the compliment.

“Thank you,” Baekhyun whispered back softly before they both fell silent again.  Baekhyun had, had other fans tell him he was cute without makeup before, but he hadn’t expected it coming from Chanyeol.  It made him feel flustered in a way he hadn’t anticipated.  He was still waiting for his cheeks to cool as he cleared his throat, hoping to end the awkward silence that had descended between them yet again.

“Don’t you need to get started on designing the doll?” Baekhyun prompted, smiling as he was greeted with a frantic ‘Yes!’ before Chanyeol began thanking him profusely for his help.  Baekhyun laughed before making Chanyeol promise him one thing.

“Call me if you get stuck again, alright?”

“You don’t mind?”

“Nope, not at all.”

---

A month later and Chanyeol found himself with way more knowledge about preparing for a comeback than he ever expected to have.

Comeback diet? Check.

Rehearse choreography until 3am?  Check.

Record music video without really sleeping for three days?  Check.

The list was endless, and Baekhyun kept him up to date with the play by play, even sneaking him a tiny clip of the lead single that had Chanyeol bouncing up and down in excitement.  It sounded so good.  He was ready to stream it all night, which is exactly what he did the day “Take you Home” was released, not even going to sleep until the wee hours of the morning as he instead opted to blow Baekhyun’s phone up with screenshots of the PAKs his new song was racking up (four and counting).

Baekhyun seemed amused and satisfied, but also tired, which was why Chanyeol hesitated a few days later before tapping the button that would dial Baekhyun’s cell as he waited in line outside of a CD store in the early morning.  He was a on a mission for Baekhyun after all, so he should let him know.

Baekhyun sounded groggy as he answered the phone.  “Chanyeol?” he asked through a yawn, “What is it?”

“I wanted to show you something,” Chanyeol responded as he quickly tapped send on a photo he’d taken earlier of the promotional sign on the CD store’s window advertising Baekhyun’s latest fansign event.

Chanyeol could hear the confusion in Baekhyun’s voice as he raised the phone back towards his ear.  “What are you doing there?” he asked, voice still scratchy with sleep.

“I’m waiting for the store to open to buy your album,” Chanyeol answered, stating the obvious with a hint of amusement that was met with a surprising amount of indignation.

“You honestly think I wouldn’t let you into my fansign if you didn’t buy one?”

“That’s cheating.  Besides, I’ve never done this before.  It’s exciting,” Chanyeol said, looking back to see how long the line extended behind him.  The store wasn’t going to open for another hour or two, but it was already almost down the block.

“What if you don’t win?” Baekhyun challenged, making Chanyeol’s excitement momentarily dim before he shook it off.

“Then I don’t get to go,” he said simply.

“And that’s okay?” Baekhyun asked, sounding somewhat incredulous.

Chanyeol let out a hesitant laugh.  “I mean… I’m already cheating by talking to you like this.  I can’t take advantage,” he reasoned.  It wouldn’t be fair to everyone else fighting for their chance.

Baekhyun let out a heavy sigh.  “Chanyeol, this isn’t cheating.  We’re friends and if I want to invite my friend to my fansign I am allowed to do it,” he declared stubbornly, making Chanyeol flush.  It was nice to hear Baekhyun declare him as a friend that had to attend his fansign, really nice.  Still, Chanyeol was not going to be deterred.  He had to at least try to play fair.

“I’m still buying 25 copies,” he replied flatly, fully anticipating the shout that greeted him.

“Ya!  Don’t waste your money!  I’m telling you, you already have a ticket!”

Chanyeol just chuckled into the receiver on his phone as Baekhyun’s panting echoed in his year, a result of him getting riled up when he shouted.  “Who says I’m wasting it?”  Chanyeol asked as Baekhyun quieted down.  “It’s a really good album made by my friend.  I just want to support him,” he teased gently.

“You…” Baekhyun trailed off into silence that made Chanyeol smile, a warmth spreading through his body before Baekhyun let out a defeated sigh.  “Fine, but even if you don’t win, you are still coming and that’s final.”

Chanyeol smiled as he nodded his head despite the fact that Baekhyun couldn’t see him.  “Whatever you say.”

---

Fast-forward 6 days and Chanyeol found himself bouncing nervously as he waited in line for his turn to meet Baekhyun.  Even if he spoke to Baekhyun all the time, and met with him occasionally, it wasn’t like this.  There weren’t 100’s of other fans watching and Baekhyun wasn’t dressed up to the nines, blonde hair perfectly coiffed and suit flawless.  It was almost jarring in a way, now that Chanyeol had seen behind the curtain so to speak.

Seeing Baekhyun like this made Chanyeol’s heart flutter in a way it hadn’t in a while.  It was just Baekhyun who had been teasing Chanyeol a few hours earlier about insisting on using his rightfully won fanmeet ticket instead of Baekhyun’s VIP one.  Just Baekhyun.

Chanyeol took a breath and stepped up to the table as one of the coordinators ushered him across the stage.  Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Junmyeon give him a subtle wave from where he stood a couple steps behind Baekhyun to accept the gifts fans handed to him.

Chanyeol’s head bobbed slightly in response, but he really only had eyes for Baekhyun, whose already bright and cheerful expression bloomed into a full blown grin as he reached out to take the two items in Chanyeol’s hands, a copy of his latest album, and an ugly Christmas sweater wearing Rilakkuma doll.

“The one I got last month didn’t look like this,” he said as he looked at the glowing lights on the doll’s Christmas tree sweater.

Chanyeol nodded.  “Yeah, they decided the lights were too expensive, so they got cut from the final version,” he explained, smiling as he watched Baekhyun finger one of the glowing bulbs for a couple seconds before turning to hand the doll off to Junmyeon.

“I like it.  It’s really cute,” he said, turning back and reaching for his pen as he flipped open Chanyeol’s album without even looking down, eyes focused on Chanyeol’s as he flushed in response to the compliment.

“Thank you,” he whispered softly, making Baekhyun smile wider as his eyes curved into crescents.

“You’re welcome.  Now, who should I make this out too?” he asked, making Chanyeol blink in surprise for a second before he responded.

“Chanyeol,” he said, wondering if Baekhyun expected him to ask for anything else.

If he had, Baekhyun’s face gave nothing away.  He just kept smiling as he gave a nod and looked down to focus on signing Chanyeol’s album, leaning forward slightly to block what he was writing from view as he mumbled to himself for a few seconds before pulling back and handing over Chanyeol’s freshly signed album with a flourish.

Chanyeol could only stare for a few seconds, mouth agape as he took in Baekhyun’s neat and tidy scrawl.

For my dumb friend Chanyeol

“Y-you are supposed to sign it nicely,” he sputtered after a few seconds, in response to which Baekhyun let out a tinkling laugh, smile still on his face.

“Don’t buy twenty-five copies of my album anymore and I’ll think about it,” he said, keeping his tone honeyed and his smile wide, the perfect picture of innocence.  No one in the hall could possibly tell Baekhyun had just exacted revenge on Chanyeol for ignoring him.

Chanyeol was speechless until he felt a hand on his back ushering him away.  Baekhyun raised a hand to wave goodbye as he went, clearly holding back laughter as he patted his cheeks a few times before acknowledging the next fan who had stepped up to get his sign.

---

“I still can’t believe you signed it like this,” Chanyeol whined a few hours later, a grill between him and Baekhyun as they sat in a private room in the back of the barbecue joint Junmyeon had texted to Chanyeol.  His defaced album was on the table between them as well, Chanyeol tapping it to emphasize his point.

“You should consider yourself lucky.  It’s a one of a kind sign,” Baekhyun teased with a laugh, glancing down at the album with a satisfied smirk before focusing back on Chanyeol who was stomping his feet in annoyance.

“Baekhyun,” he whined again, full on pouting now in a way that had Baekhyun laughing as his heart did a little leap.  Chanyeol was cute like this.  Baekhyun liked it, but he didn’t want to distress the poor guy too much.

“Alright, alright, don’t get too upset.  I got you a better one,” he said, reaching for his bag and pulling out another copy of his album as Chanyeol froze.

“What?” he asked as Baekhyun held the album out across the table.  

“Take it.  It’s yours,” Baekhyun said, shaking the album a few times to spur Chanyeol into action as he accepted the album from Baekhyun’s outstretched hand.

“You didn’t have to do…” Chanyeol’s voice trailed off as he drew the album down into his lap and opened it.  In a second, he was looking back at Baekhyun in shock.

“How did you…” Chanyeol’s voice trailed off again as he stared back down at the album in his lap while Baekhyun chuckled.

“Artist’s privilege,” he explained simply, smiling as he watched Chanyeol reach down to the holographic first page where Baekhyun had neatly written, For Chanyeol 'ㅅ' before signing with his usual flourish.  The holographic first page was limited to 1,000 random albums in production, but of course, Baekhyun had received a few to give away and one of the first people that had come to mind was Chanyeol, who was now looking back up at him with teary eyes.

“Hey, don’t cry,” he said, reaching out to swipe away a tear that had spilled over.

Chanyeol jumped at the contact before looking down at the album in his lap again as he sniffed and wiped at his nose.  “It’s so nice though,” he almost sobbed as his opposite hand reached down to the page again.

Baekhyun sighed as he pulled the napkin from his lap and held it up to Chanyeol’s face until Chanyeol took it from him and started blotting at his eyes, heart constricting slightly even if the tears were happy ones.  As Chanyeol regained control, Baekhyun let out a laugh, trying to loosen the tension in his own chest.

“I’m really glad I didn’t go with my original plan of giving this to you earlier.”

Chanyeol looked up at Baekhyun in shock.  “Oh my god I would have died.”

“So I’m gathering,” Baekhyun said with a laugh as Chanyeol made to hand back Baekhyun’s napkin before realizing it was now rather dirty.  

“Sorry,” he murmured, pulling the napkin down and swapping it for the clean one on his lap.  He held the clean cloth out to Baekhyun who took it with a shake of his head.

“Don’t worry about it.  I’m glad you like it so much,” he said, smiling genuinely as Chanyeol’s face lit up.

“I really do,” he said, carefully closing the album and setting it beside himself on the bench before redirecting his gaze to the forgotten grill between them.

---

“You can eat everything now, right?” Chanyeol asked, glancing up at Baekhyun who shrugged as he reached for a slice of pork belly.

“Not exactly, but it’s fine if I cheat every once in a while,” he said, wrapping the slice of meat in a piece of lettuce before holding it out in Chanyeol’s direction.  “You don’t like it spicy right?” he asked, making Chanyeol blink in surprise before he nodded his head and took the offered piece of food.

“Thank you,” he murmured, swallowing down the bite as Baekhyun made his own lettuce wrapped piece of pork belly with a hearty topping of spicy sauce.

“No problem.  So how’s work been?  No more artist’s block?” He asked as Chanyeol reached for another piece of lettuce, his first bite having reminded him that he was actually quite hungry after not eating before the fanmeet due to nerves.

He shook his head.  “Not lately.  Your new album has helped,” he said, thinking about how many times he’d streamed the full things the past few weeks as he’d been designing for the White Day releases.

“I’m glad,” Baekhyun answered, smiling between bites.

Chanyeol smiled back.  “What about you?  How have you been?” he asked, not surprised by the shrug that greeted him.

“I’m a bit tired, but that’s nothing new to be honest,” he said, picking up another piece of meat with his chopsticks and holding it out for Chanyeol.  Chanyeol held out a piece of lettuce for Baekhyun to drop it into as he let out a sympathetic sigh.

“Are you getting any sleep?” he asked, having not missed the bags under Baekhyun’s eyes that were now apparent since his fanmeet makeup had been removed.  His clothes had changed too.  Gone were the neatly pressed suit and tie and back were Supreme sweatpants and an oversized hoodie.  To be entirely honest, Chanyeol wasn’t sure which look he preferred, perfect idol Baekhyun, or the much more human looking one shrugging in front of him, a fact that set off a couple of alarms in the back of Chanyeol’s mind that he chose to ignore as Baekhyun gave a noncommittal shrug.

“Some.”

“You should try to get more,” Chanyeol said sincerely, holding out a piece of meat in Baekhyun’s direction to return his earlier favor.

Baekhyun offered up a small smile in response but said nothing, signaling the end of that conversation.  Chanyeol didn’t protest, knowing Baekhyun didn’t like to talk about the darker sides of idol life, at least, not all the time.  Therefore, he instead opted for another question as they continued to eat.

“What are your plans for New Years?”

“Idol athletic competition,” Baekhyun said, reaching for his glass as Chanyeol let out a groan.

“Again?”  Of all shows, Chanyeol hated that one the most.  The first time Baekhyun had attended, he’d managed to sprain his wrist during archery and had to wear a brace for three weeks.  Chanyeol had never forgiven it.

Baekhyun laughed at his reaction.  “It’s just bowling.  I’ll be fine.  Though I’ll be terrible at it since I have no idea how to do it,” he admitted with a smile.

Chanyeol froze for a second, mind whirring before he reached out to clasp Baekhyun’s hands.  “I know how to bowl,” he said, already running through all the things he could teach Baekhyun so that he’d be 100% safe from the, in his opinion, evil reality show competition.

Baekhyun glanced down at their clasped hands with a laugh before looking back at Chanyeol’s face.  “I take it you want to teach me?”  He asked.

Chanyeol quickly nodded his head.  “Yes.”

---

It took a few days for Junmyeon to find a suitable location, but finally, Chanyeol was standing with Baekhyun in front of a semi-private bowling alley.  "So," Baekhyun said, fingers reaching out to glide down the bowling bowls racked along the wall, "where do we start?"

Chanyeol smiled as he reached for one of the lighter balls on the rack with a medium grip.  The first step, obviously, was figuring out what size bowling ball Baekhyun could effectively throw.  Once they had that figured out, everything else would follow.

Chanyeol's lesson ended up lasting well over an hour.  By the end of it, Baekhyun was able to at least get the ball down the lane without hitting the gutters, though his accuracy was still far from perfect.  Baekhyun sighed as his latest attempt to knock down a 7/10 split glided between the pins like a football between uprights.

"That's the hardest kind of split to hit," Chanyeol consoled as Baekhyun turned away from the lane as it was cleared.

"Yeah, but you'd think I could at least hit one," Baekhyun said with a snort, reaching for the beer he'd ordered towards the beginning of their training session "to loosen himself up."  Chanyeol had chuckled at the explanation, but had joined Baekhyun in sharing a pitcher along with a pizza that appeared halfway through their first 10 frames.  It didn't come with a Rilakkuma embossed lid, but it did have plenty of cheese to keep them both satisfied as Chanyeol instructed Baekhyun on the finer points of grip, delivery and release.

Chanyeol shrugged as he reached for his own beer.  "You're still doing pretty well for a beginner.  I couldn't even get down the lane after my first lesson," he said, remembering how much his coach had struggled in the beginning.  Bless Changmin for putting up with him, or else Chanyeol would never had been able to pass his skills along to Baekhyun, who was now staring at Chanyeol with an inquisitive expression.

"What is it?" Chanyeol asked, head tilting as Baekhyun flushed slightly at having been caught before he opened his mouth.

"When did you start bowling?"

"High school," Chanyeol answered, flashing back to his first lesson at 15 when Changmin had been smiling as Chanyeol stared at him in disinterest.  It was his mom who wanted Chanyeol to take up a sport, not him.

"Why bowling?" Baekhyun asked, reaching for one of the remaining slices of their pizza and taking a bite.  It had gone a bit cold, but the taste wasn't all that bad.  Chanyeol took up his own slice as he gave a shrug.

"Because I could do it alone," he answered, remembering clearly how he'd decided that if he had to pick up a sport, it'd be one that didn't require him interacting with any of his classmates who stared at him knowing what was going on with his family at home.

Baekhyun frowned.  "Isn’t that kind of lonely?" he asked, making Chanyeol let out a dark laugh.  Yes, high school had been lonely.  So had college, until he met Sehun and a few other art majors and started to open up, but even then, he'd only really turned a corner when a certain someone inspired him shortly after he'd finished school.  Still, Chanyeol wasn't sure how much Baekhyun wanted to know about that.  It wasn't something they talked about, mainly because it wasn't something Chanyeol wanted Baekhyun to worry about.

"High school wasn’t the best time for me," Chanyeol admitted quietly, watching as Baekhyun's expression fell, transitioning from a mere frown to genuine concern that had Chanyeol briefly consider running away, but he found he couldn't as Baekhyun's hand reached out to rest on his.

"Want to talk about it?" He asked softly, not even a glimmer of surprise passing over his features as Chanyeol shook his head.  He didn't want to talk about it, for many reasons, but as Baekhyun pulled back with a small understanding nod while quietly offering, "If you ever do I'll listen," Chanyeol found his mouth opening in spite of himself.

"My dad—" Baekhyun froze, watching Chanyeol carefully as Chanyeol stood up, a hand running through his hair as he attempted to dispel a sudden wave of nerves.  Baekhyun followed, a hand firmly clamping onto Chanyeol's shoulder.

"You don't have to say anything," he repeated reassuringly, waiting as Chanyeol closed his eyes and took a breath before focusing on Baekhyun's face.

"No, it's fine.  It's in the past, and I'm better, mostly.  It just not fun to think about and I'd rather spare you the details, but to sum up, my dad and mom got divorced when I came out at 14 and he was less than happy about it.  I blamed myself, for years.  It was only later I learned he'd been cheating on my mom most of their marriage and trying to get that s approval for anything was pointless."  Chanyeol really wished his mom had told him earlier.  He'd been mad at her for a while when she finally had, but, he'd come to understand.  It'd had been just as hard on her as it had been for him.  It had been hard on all of them.  It still was, sometimes.

"Chanyeol…I'm sorry," Baekhyun's voice trailed off as Chanyeol's journey through darker times was interrupted with a small jolt.

"It's not your fault," Chanyeol said with a bitter laugh, looking up at the ceiling as he sniffed.  He didn't feel like crying over this, not anymore.

"Still..." Baekhyun's voice trailed off again as he moved instead, hand sliding from Chanyeol's back down to his waist as he enveloped Chanyeol in a hug, pressing against the side of Chanyeol's body in a warm embrace.  "I'm sorry."

Chanyeol sighed as he let his arm fall against Baekhyun's back and looked down at the crown of Baekhyun's head, the side of Baekhyun's face pressed against his shoulder.

"I’m not going to break you know," he murmured, squeezing Baekhyun's back.  Baekhyun squeezed his arms around Chanyeol in turn.  "I mean, yeah sure… it was really bad then, but I’m doing a lot better now," he whispered, finding himself smiling as he considered how different he was compared to who he was even just a half year ago.  That Chanyeol would never have told Baekhyun anything.  This one though, this one, was smiling down at Baekhyun as he pulled away from Chanyeol's side, eyes a bit pink as he blinked up at Chanyeol's smiling face.

"Am I conceited if I think I have something to do with that?" he asked quietly.

Chanyeol gave a soft chuckle as he shook his head, giving Baekhyun's shoulders another squeeze.  "You have everything to do with it," he assured softly.

A smile slowly overtook Baekhyun's features, gentle and as soft as his voice as he gave Chanyeol a squeeze back.  "I’m glad," he whispered, making Chanyeol's heart stutter in an unfamiliar beat as they stood in the bowling alley, food and lesson forgotten until a crash of pins from a neighboring lane had them jumping apart, equally startled expressions on their faces.

A few joyous laughs ensued, and pretty soon, they were back to discussing the finer points of Baekhyun's form and planning out the next time they should meet so that Baekhyun could do well at the competition.  In the end, they managed to meet two more times before the recording took place, and while Baekhyun didn't come in first, he wasn't last, something that made Chanyeol proud as he watched the show from his mom's couch while she cooked their New Year's dinner.

---

Chanyeol stared down at the sample he'd laid on the coffee table.  It was the final sample for the White Day release, a cream doll with a heart shaped box that would be filled with little candies wrapped in bear themed cellophane in the version sent to stores.  It looked perfect.  It was cute and captured the spirit of the holiday just right, but Chanyeol still found himself unable to put it into the usual bag he'd hand off to Sehun for delivery.  (Sometimes, Chanyeol took the dolls himself now, but Chanyeol had a meeting in the office that Tuesday so Sehun was back on duty.)

Chanyeol sighed as he picked up the doll, staring at the heart.  Was it really okay to send this?

"Is something wrong with the doll?"

Chanyeol jumped nearly a mile high as Sehun came into view, critically examining the doll in Chanyeol's grasp.  Chanyeol quickly shook his head, reaching for the bag.  "No, no, it's nothing," he said dismissively, shoving the doll into the bag.  He was being silly.  It was just a doll with a heart, nothing to be worried about.

Sehun raised an eyebrow.  "You sure?  You looked pretty worried there," Sehun pointed out, reaching for the bag slowly, seemingly ready for Chanyeol to yank it back.

Chanyeol didn’t, instead nodding his head.  "Yeah, I'm sure.  I was just being silly.  It's just a doll.   He won't get the wrong idea," he said, trying to reassure himself as much as Sehun.  He'd sent Baekhyun far more romantic dolls than this.

"What kind of wrong idea?" Sehun asked, eyebrow raised as he looked between the doll in the bag and Chanyeol's slightly flushed face.  

"That I like him or something," Chanyeol explained, blushing deeper.  The mere thought was ridiculous to his own ears.  Baekhyun would never think Chanyeol liked him because of a heart-holding doll, would he?

Sehun's frowned.  "But you do like him.  Don’t you?" he asked, making Chanyeol blink before he let out a laugh.

"You know what I mean," he said dismissively.  Of course he liked Baekhyun.  He'd always liked Baekhyun.  He just—

"You never worried about this kind of stuff before," Sehun pointed out, stopping Chanyeol's thoughts cold.

Sehun was right.  Excluding the Supreme sample, Chanyeol had never questioned sending a doll to Baekhyun before.  He had even sent him one with play engagement rings a few months after his third single, "Marry U."

The mere thought of that doll now made Chanyeol flush.  How could he possibly send something like that to Baekhyun?  It was too embarrassing to even think about because he—

"," Chanyeol cursed softly.  Sehun's eyebrow was raised as Chanyeol looked up to meet his gaze.

"Yes?"

"I love him," Chanyeol said softly, watching as Sehun's eyes widened a bit before he spoke.

"You love Baekhyun?" he asked, watching as Chanyeol nodded.

"Yeah," he murmured, mind turning over the way his heart has stuttered and skipped when Baekhyun had hugged him in the bowling alley, or how he'd always be disappointed when Baekhyun got busy and they didn't speak for a few days.  His life would start to just feel a little bit dull, like something important was missing and no amount of YouTubing Baekhyun’s music videos and reality shows could fix it.  (He’d tried.)

"How is that different from before?" Sehun asked, breaking up Chanyeol's thoughts as Sehun evaluated Chanyeol critically.

Chanyeol considered that.  How was it different?  Because, Chanyeol had definitely loved Baekhyun before.  There was no denying that, but still...

"Before... before I loved him as a fan.  He was my inspiration.  He was who I wanted to be, but now..." Chanyeol's voice trailed off, blushing again as Sehun let out a sigh.

"But now, you love him as a person huh?" he asked, clearly anticipating the nod that greeted him as Chanyeol shakily his lips.

"Yeah," he admitted, the confession making his heart pound.  He did.  He loved Baekhyun, a lot.  He couldn't pinpoint when he had stopped loving him as a fan and started being in love with him as a person, but he was.

Sehun was quiet for a while, simply staring down at Chanyeol as they both processed his words before finally asking a simple question.   "So, what are you going to do about it?"

Chanyeol shook his head.  "I have no idea."

---

Junmyeon was smiling as he walked into the recording studio, a cream colored bear in his grasp.  Baekhyun stood up instantly from where he'd been listening to a playback, arms outstretched.

"It came with a note this time," Junmyeon said as he handed over the doll and a sheet of a paper, the pair of them already headed towards the door.  Baekhyun had a photoshoot that afternoon, and his hair and makeup needed to be done first.

"A note?" Baekhyun questioned as he flipped the folded piece of paper open in his grasp, quickly scanning the page.

It's the White Day design, don't misunderstand.

Baekhyun's head cocked to the side in confusion as he held up the doll, examining it critically.  "Misunderstand what?" he asked quietly, not really understanding the need for an explanation.  The doll was obviously for White Day.  It was really cute design for it too.

"Probably the heart?" Junmyeon offered, glancing over at the note before his eyes flicked to the doll as well.

"Maybe," Baekhyun conceded, "but he's sent me hearts before."

Junmyeon nodded in agreement.  "True, but I don't think you knew each other then.  Perhaps that's why?  It's kind of cute if you ask me," he said, pausing at the exit to check for fans before quickly ushering Baekhyun towards the parked van.

Once they were inside, Baekhyun let out a contemplative hum, mulling over Junmyeon's words as he looked at the doll again.  "That would be kind of cute, wouldn't it?" he agreed, imagining Chanyeol worrying about Baekhyun reading more into the doll than he should, a smile on his face.  When Junmyeon was silent for several seconds in response, Baekhyun looked up to find his manager staring at him pointedly as their driver whisked them away towards the salon.

"What is that look for?" Baekhyun asked, suddenly feeling defensive as Junmyeon let out a laugh.

"What look?" he asked teasingly eyebrow raised.

Baekhyun instantly pointed a finger at it.  "That look.  The look that says you're thinking something is going on when it isn't!" Baekhyun almost shouted as Junmyeon kept his eyebrow raised, head tilting to the side inquisitively.

"There isn’t?" He asked, tone dancing between teasing and innocently curious.

"No, of course not!" Baekhyun said back emphatically, almost shouting again.  He and Chanyeol were just friends.  There was nothing going on, and that... actually, that kind of hurt the more Baekhyun thought about it.  Why was he disappointed?

"Do you want there to be?"  Across from him, a slightly knowing look was overtaking Junmyeon's features.  Baekhyun didn't really appreciate it, and he definitely wasn't going to admit to anything, not when his own heart was still trying to make sense of why he might want something to be going on with Chanyeol.

"Who are you and what have you done with my manager?" he asked instead, watching as Junmyeon's eyes widened and he let out a surprised laugh.

"What, I can’t ask if you’re interested in someone?" he questioned.

"Aren’t you supposed to be concerned about my image?" Baekhyun challenged, well aware of the many times Junmyeon had advised on what he could and could not do as an idol.  

Junmyeon smiled, expression becoming surprisingly sincere as he reached out and placed the bear Baekhyun had sat on the floor of the car back on his lap.  "I’ve protected your image through multiple fake dating rumors.  It’d be nice for it to be real for a change," he explained, expression not faltering as Baekhyun just stared, unable to find words for a few seconds.  When he finally did, they were words still firmly set in denial.

"Are you sure you’re feeling well?" he asked, reaching out to press a hand to Junmyeon's forehead.  Perhaps the long hours had given him a fever.  It was the most logical explanation for all this crazy talk.

Junmyeon shrugged beneath Baekhyun's palm.  "Look, I’m just saying, you’ve been happier these past few months talking to Chanyeol than you were for the several prior, and maybe it’s just the food but if it’s more than that it’s nothing I can’t handle.  I have plenty of dirt built up to trade to keep things buried."

"You..." Baekhyun's voice trailed off as he let his palm fall away from Junmyeon's cool forehead.  No fever, which meant Junmyeon was perfectly sane, and also, that the clenching of Baekhyun's heart might have a deeper meaning than Baekhyun wanted to think about.

"What?" Junmyeon asked, a gentle smile on his face.  Perhaps he was starting to realize Baekhyun wasn't quite as far along as Junmyeon in making sense of his feelings, which was good, because Baekhyun definitely needed some more time to sort them out.

"Chanyeol was right, you are scary," Baekhyun said finally, making Junmyeon laugh as they rolled up to the salon which filled Baekhyun with relief.  He could escape now and figure things out later, even if in the back of his mind, he already knew the answer.

Junmyeon's final words echoed in his mind throughout his salon appointment, challenging him.

"Just let me know if anything does happen, alright?  I can't protect what I don't know about."

Did Baekhyun want there to be something for Junmyeon to know about?

Did Chanyeol?

---

A few days later, Chanyeol found himself across from Baekhyun as they ate a quiet dinner together.  Baekhyun was smiling as they chatted freely about random things, but when the topic of Baekhyun’s upcoming schedules came around, Chanyeol frowned.

“What’s that look for?” Baekhyun asked with a laugh, startling Chanyeol as he realized just how disappointed he must have looked after hearing Baekhyun would be gone for two straight weeks for his North America tour dates for Baekhyun to comment on it.  In Chanyeol’s defense, two weeks sounded like a pretty long time after the past two months of local promotions.

“I think I got spoiled by your comeback promotions.  I’m going to miss seeing you,” Chanyeol admitted sheepishly.  That was safe right?  He had decided that confessing to Baekhyun was out of the question, but he could still be sad Baekhyun was leaving for two weeks, as a friend.  That was acceptable friend behavior, right?

Baekhyun blinked in surprise before he smiled softly.  “Aww, I’ll miss you too,” he said, reaching out pinch Chanyeol’s cheek.  Chanyeol’s eyes widened in shock at the contact, and Baekhyun froze staring at the piece of skin he had grabbed for a few seconds before he released it with an awkward cough.

“Anyways, we can still text.  Just will have to be early or late because of the time difference,” Baekhyun said, one hand rubbing the back of his neck as the other reached for his chopsticks.  He picked up the first thing they hovered over without even looking down, moving to put it into his mouth.

It was as the green object neared Baekhyun’s lips that Chanyeol’s stalled mind registered something.  Without hesitation, Chanyeol lunged.

“Don’t!” he said, hand wrapping around Baekhyun’s wrist to prevent him from putting the piece of cucumber he’d grabbed between his lips.

Baekhyun blinked in confusion.  “What…” Baekhyun’s eyes shifted from Chanyeol’s to the piece of food he had grabbed.  Instantly, his eyes widened in disgust.

“That’s cucumber,” Chanyeol supplied rather lamely, releasing Baekhyun’s wrist as it became his turn to sit down and let out an awkward cough.  Baekhyun may have hated cucumbers, but it wasn’t like eating one would kill him.  Still, Baekhyun’s disgusted and flushed face as he sat the offending piece of cucumber down and proceeded to wipe off his chopsticks on his napkin made Chanyeol feel like he’d done the right thing.

“Why are those even on the table?” Baekhyun said in disgust, eyeing the offending side dish like it was its fault Baekhyun had nearly tasted death.

Chanyeol couldn’t help but laugh as he reached out, dragging the dish to his side of the table.  “They won’t kill you, you know,” he said, watching as Baekhyun shuddered in response.

“They’re disgusting, and I don’t know how you can eat them,” he responded, making Chanyeol laugh as he picked up a piece and ate it just to prove his point.

Baekhyun looked away with a shake of his head.  “Gross.  I’m glad I’m leaving you for two weeks,” he said, making Chanyeol laugh again as he pushed a dish of spicy squid in Baekhyun’s direction.

“I can’t eat this one,” he said, watching as Baekhyun nodded his head and took a bite.

“Shame really, it’s quite good,” he complimented, taking another bite as Chanyeol shook his head.

“You feel about cucumbers the same way I feel about spicy stuff.”

“It’s works.  I get all the spicy sides and you get the cucumbers,” Baekhyun replied, moving on to eating the large piece of fish on the table between them as Chanyeol joined in, pulling out bones as they went.

“Why does that sound like I’m getting less food than you?” Chanyeol asked with a laugh as they worked.

Baekhyun shrugged.  “It’s not my fault you’re pickier than me.”

“This from the person that refuses to eat anything with even a hint of cucumber,” Chanyeol teased, shaking his head as Baekhyun shrugged and countered back, keeping up the playful banter for the rest of their meal until Junmyeon was texting for Baekhyun to go to the alley to get picked up.

“Really,” Chanyeol said, as he held out Baekhyun’s coat for him to put on.  “I hope you have fun these two weeks, but I’ll miss you.”

Baekhyun was smiling as he turned around to face him after slipping his arms through the holes of his coat.  “I’ll miss you too, Yeol,” he echoed before stepping forward, arms wrapping around Chanyeol’s back so quickly that Chanyeol found his senses suddenly overwhelmed.

Baekhyun was so close, the scent of his cologne right beneath Chanyeol’s nose and his warmth pressed right against this chest.  Without a thought Chanyeol’s arms automatically wrapped around Baekhyun’s back to give him a squeeze as his lips lowered as well, pressing a kiss to the crown of Baekhyun’s head.  “Stay safe,” he whispered as he pulled back, the words breathed into Baekhyun’s hair as Baekhyun nodded against his chest.

“Of course,” he promised, stepping away after a few more seconds, still smiling as he waved while walking backwards as long as he could.  Finally, when his back hit the alleyway door, he turned and left, leaving Chanyeol to stare at the closed door as his earlier actions sunk in.  By the time he recovered enough to leave the restaurant, he had hundreds of questions racing through his minds but no answers.

Baekhyun’s angelic smile as he left hadn’t provided any of those.

---

Baekhyun spent the first week of his tour pretending nothing had happened when talking to Chanyeol while internally waging a war against himself.  He hadn’t imagined it, right?  Chanyeol had kissed him, right?  Which meant Chanyeol liked him, RIGHT?

Baekhyun sighed as he rolled over in his bed for what felt like the hundredth time.  Between jet lag and worrying about Chanyeol, he was never going to fall asleep.  Besides, even if Chanyeol did like him, it wasn’t like Baekhyun could confront him about it from halfway across the globe.  He’d just have to wait until he got back, and then, he could talk to Chanyeol and they could figure things out and then he’d tell Junmyeon—

Baekhyun sat up, a new idea rapidly forming in his brain.  Without even glancing at the clock he went across the hall and started pounding on Junmyeon’s door.  “Junmyeon, Junmyeon, I need to talk to you,” he insisted, continuing to knock until a crash echoed from behind Junmyeon’s door.  This was followed by some cursing before Junmyeon was opening up his bedroom door with a Bible in his hand.

“What is that for?” Baekhyun asked as Junmyeon pulled Baekhyun into his room while simultaneously looking up and down the hallway, Bible raised threateningly.

“With the way you were knocking I assumed someone was trying to attack you,” he said as he finally deemed the hallway free of threats and turned to face Baekhyun, an eyebrow raised as he evaluated Baekhyun’s state of undress.  Baekhyun flushed as he realized he hadn’t even thrown on a shirt and just strode across the hall in his boxers.

“You were going to protect me with a Bible?” he asked, hoping to distract away from his embarrassment as Junmyeon quietly closed his hotel room door and led Baekhyun into his room.  There were two full sized beds inside, so Baekhyun quickly bounced onto one as Junmyeon settled onto the other, returning the hotel’s Bible to its place.

“I had limited weapon choices,” Junmyeon said with a shrug.  “So?  What had you pounding on my door at this ungodly hour?”

Baekhyun bounced nervously for a few seconds, letting out a hesitant laugh as he realized he probably could have waited a few hours to have this discussion, but he’d already woken Junmyeon up so he might as well push through.  “Well, you see… I was wondering if…”

“If?” Junmyeon prompted, hand waving in a mixture of impatience and encouragement.

“CouldyouflyChanyeoltoNewYork?!” Baekhyun rushed out, wincing as he heard the way the words pressed together, nerves getting the better of him.

“Come again?” Junmyeon asked, confused expression.

Baekhyun took a breath, calming his nerves.  Junmyeon had already said it would be fine if he dated Chanyeol.  He probably would have liked Baekhyun bringing this up again during the day as opposed to the middle of the night, but, sometimes things just happened alright?  “I said, could you fly Chanyeol out to New York?  I miss him,” Baekhyun repeated, watching as Junmyeon’s eyes widened and any lingering sleepiness vanished from his face.

“You miss him?” he asked pointedly, watching carefully as Baekhyun nodded his head.

“Very much,” he admitted, mind flashing to how safe and warm he’d felt enveloped in Chanyeol’s embrace.  He wanted that back, as soon as possible.

Junmyeon reached for his phone.  “I’ll see what I can do,” he promised, looking up after a few seconds.  “Is there anything else I should know?” he asked, a small smile playing at the edges of his lips.

Baekhyun shook his head.  “Not yet, but maybe soon,” he admitted, ducking his head as his cheeks tinged, feeling like a school boy confessing his first love.

Junmyeon gave a nod as he returned to his phone.  “Let me know, alright?  And please try to get some sleep.  You have an interview tomorrow morning with iHeart and I don’t want a repeat of last time,” he warned, looking up to eye Baekhyun sternly.

“Understood,” Baekhyun said as he rose from the bed, beating a hasty retreat so as to avoid getting lectured about his last interview again.  It wasn’t his fault that the interviewer kept asking questions Baekhyun could only respond to with jokes.

---

Chanyeol’s knees bounced nervously as he waited at the gate where Baekhyun’s plane would arrive.  A few days ago he couldn’t have imagined this, but a call from Junmyeon and a few waves of self-doubt later, Chanyeol had requested permission to take a few days off work and found himself on a plane to New York.  (Thank god his job had flexible deadlines and Chanyeol was well ahead of any of them.)

He’d landed in Los Angeles and gone through customs there, then flown to New York on a domestic flight that had dumped him out in the same gate area as Baekhyun’s flight in from Chicago.  It was all perfectly planned, as expected of Junmyeon.  Chanyeol shook his head as he reread the instructions from the manager again.  He had laid everything out so clearly.  He even somehow got him on the same returning flight as Baekhyun for the journey home, in first class.  Chanyeol didn’t even want to think about how much that cost.  He shuddered at the mere idea, but his protests had fallen on deaf ears.

Baekhyun had insisted on paying for everything, and Chanyeol really couldn’t argue when there was no way for him to afford it himself.  Instead, he’d opted for the only thing he could do, which was bring along his latest design, a barista Rilakkuma that would come with a real coffee mug.  The mug had stayed home.  Chanyeol was afraid it’d get broken somewhere along the way, but the doll had come along.  It was now sitting on top of his suitcase, awaiting his soon to be new owner’s arrival.

When Baekhyun’s plane finally did touchdown, Chanyeol stood up nervously, doll clutched in his grasp.  They hadn’t talked about the kiss since it happened, but Baekhyun had brought him to New York.  That had to be a good sign, right?  Chanyeol could only assume it was as Baekhyun and Junmyeon appeared in his line of sight, Baekhyun’s slow steps instantly becoming lively as he made a beeline for Chanyeol.

“Is that for me?” he asked, pointing at the doll as he stopped less than a foot away.

Chanyeol nodded as he held it out.  “Yes.  It’s good to see you,” he said, resisting the urge to close the gap and envelope Baekhyun in an embrace.  Junmyeon’s instructions had very emphatically forbidden hugging in public.  They could never know who was watching.

Baekhyun smiled as he took the doll before surveying Chanyeol up and down.  “I see you followed instructions,” he said with a laugh, taking in Chanyeol’s dark slacks, button up shirt and black face mask.

“I did.  Why this though?” he asked, turning to Junmyeon, who had pulled up beside the pair.

He smiled as he pulled a hat out of seemingly nowhere and held it out for Chanyeol to take.  “So you look the part,” he explained.

Chanyeol took the cap, enlightenment coming in the form of the word emblazoned above the brim.

SECURITY

“So, I’m a guard,” he said, quickly turning the cap to put it on his head.

Junmyeon nodded.  “You are, and your job is to stay as close to Baekhyun as possible while we get out of here.  Understood?” he asked, watching them both carefully as Baekhyun took the invitation to link his arm with Chanyeol’s own.

“Understood!” he chirped “You ready for some fun?” Baekhyun asked, turning to look up at Chanyeol with a smile.

Chanyeol gulped as he pulled Baekhyun a bit closer, remembering some of the crazy airport scenes he had witnessed via fancam over the years.  “I guess,” he said, hoping for the best as Baekhyun let out a cheer and began to lead him down the hall.

---

Their exit from JFK was far from the worst airport experience Baekhyun had been through.  Honestly, he barely noticed the fans, more focused on the way Chanyeol was clutching his hand like it was a lifeline as they made their way between a mass of fans on either side of their route towards the exit.

It reminded Baekhyun of his earlier idol days, when airport crowds were intimidating and his fears of getting squashed were very real.  He gave Chanyeol's hand a reassuring squeeze as they finally reached the sliding doors, the clicks of cameras echoing behind them as they made it onto the street and were instantly ushered into the back of a dark van.

Chanyeol released Baekhyun’s hand as he fell into the back seat, releasing a long puff of air.  After a few seconds, Baekhyun climbed in after him, sitting on the opposite side as Junmyeon climbed into the front and began confirming their hotel location with the driver.

After Chanyeol let out a couple more deep breaths while they pulled away from the curb, Baekhyun reached out his hand, settling it gently on Chanyeol’s thigh.  Chanyeol still jumped, making Baekhyun’s hand lift off his thigh for a second before Baekhyun lowered it back down, still concerned.

“You alright?” he asked, maneuvering slightly so he could better see Chanyeol’s face.  His eyes were wide, but the panic in them seemed to be subsiding as Baekhyun slowly transitioned to running his hand up and down Chanyeol’s arm, hoping to soothe away any remaining distress.

“That was a lot of people,” Chanyeol finally whispered after a while, eyes focusing on Baekhyun’s face.

Baekhyun nodded, offering up a small smile as he gave Chanyeol’s arm a gentle squeeze.  “Yeah.  I don’t come here often so they get a little excited,” he explained, watching as Chanyeol nodded in understanding.

“Makes sense.  I’m just… not quite used to it,” he said, voice steadying as he focused on Baekhyun’s face.

Baekhyun smiled as he released Chanyeol’s arm and instead opted to flop beside him, pressing their sides together as he let out a laugh.  “You mean you never went to watch me arrive at an airport before?” he asked, smiling wider when he felt Chanyeol’s arm settle around his shoulders as Chanyeol gave a shrug.

“Didn’t have to.  There were lots of pictures online,” he explained, making Baekhyun chuckle as he tucked himself closer to Chanyeol’s side, enjoying the warmth.  This was exactly what he had been missing the past few days.  It was nice to have it back.

“True.  Sorry if it freaked you out a bit.  I’m used to it I guess, but I could have sent you ahead...” Baekhyun let his voice trail off as he considered the fact that he really could have had Chanyeol leave the airport ahead of them.  He had told Junmyeon not to because he had wanted to see Chanyeol as soon as possible, but if he had realized the experience might be a bit traumatic, he would have made a different choice.

Chanyeol let out a soft chuckle in response.  “That would have been even worse.  I’m terrible with directions.  I probably would have gotten lost,” he whispered, making Baekhyun laugh while setting his mind at ease.

“Okay, maybe it's good I didn't then, but still, I’m going to try to make it up to you tonight,” Baekhyun said, speaking through a yawn as Chanyeol shifted slightly, making it so his head was more comfortably rested against Chanyeol’s side.

“Tonight?” Chanyeol asked softly.

Baekhyun nodded as he closed his eyes.  He hadn’t been able to sleep on the flight to New York.  He had been too anxious about meeting Chanyeol once they landed, but now, with Chanyeol safely secured, Baekhyun was ready for a nice, long nap.

“Yeah, I’ll explain later.  I want to sleep now,” he murmured, letting out another yawn as Chanyeol chuckled softly.

“Alright.”

---

It was a few hours later that Chanyeol found himself being led down an alleyway between two buildings towards a dark metal door.  “Are you sure you know where we’re going?” Chanyeol asked as Baekhyun stopped in front of the door and pulled out his phone, starting to scroll through his contacts as he nodded.

“Yes, I'm sure,” Baekhyun said as he tapped a name Chanyeol couldn’t quite make out and held it up to his ear.

“I don't understand why you won't tell me what we’re doing,” Chanyeol said, looking around the alley for clues.  Before they’d turned down the alleyway they’d been on one of the many colorful streets of Broadway.  There had been advertisements for all kinds of shows in the theaters that dotted the avenue, but when they’d turned before the entrance to the theater Baekhyun had seemed to be pulling him towards and instead ended up at a mysterious back door, Chanyeol started to have doubts about what Baekhyun's mysterious plans actually were.

“Yup, we’re here.  Can you get someone to let us in?”

Chanyeol’s thoughts were redirected as Baekhyun hung up his phone, starting to rock back and forth.

“Is someone coming to let us in?” Chanyeol questioned, asking the obvious as he continued to wonder what his surprise actually was.

If it really involved seeing The King and I on Broadway, the show that had been brightly plastered on the front side of the building they were now trying to enter form the back, then he was going to enjoy it, but he definitely didn’t understand why they had to go in the back of theater.  A few fans had recognized Baekhyun as they walked around, but not many, and the few that did had kept their distance.  Apparently Chanyeol’s looming figure was intimidating.  (“They still think you’re security,” Baekhyun had whispered, making Chanyeol laugh inside.  If only those girls knew he couldn’t hurt a fly)

Baekhyun nodded in response to Chanyeol’s question, smiling when a few seconds later the door swung open to reveal a security guard, who, after confirming their identities, let them into the backstage area with a nod down the hallway to the right.  “Kyungsoo’s room is that way,” he said before turning away, leaving the pair to their own devices as stage hands moved back and forth, getting things organized for the evening’s show as Chanyeol’s head snapped in Baekhyun’s direction.

“You're friends with Kyungsoo?” he asked, mind already racing.  Kyungsoo had definitely been the actor D from the blind item a few months ago.  Perhaps it hadn’t been as fake as Chanyeol had thought.  Perhaps—

“His boyfriend introduced us a few months ago,” Baekhyun answered as they drew to a stop in front of a door marked Kyungsoo.

 “Boyfriend?” Chanyeol asked, mind grinding to a halt for a second time as Baekhyun’s fist rapped against Kyungsoo’s door.

“Yup, it was at his annual ugly Christmas sweater party actually,” Baekhyun said, turning to Chanyeol with a wink Chanyeol barely had time to process before Kyungsoo’s door swung open to reveal the man himself still in street clothes though his makeup had been started.

“I thought you weren’t going to make it,” he said as he smiled and pulled Baekhyun into a hug that might have made Chanyeol’s heart constrict if he wasn’t so busy trying stop his head from exploding with new information.

“That blind item…”

His voice trailed off as he stared at Baekhyun and Kyungsoo.  Kyungsoo looked confused while Baekhyun was nodding his head, already understanding where Chanyeol’s thoughts had gone.  (He’d led them there after all.)

“Yup, that whole thing was quite the mess, but Jongin got the guy in the end so I’ve forgiven him, for now,” Baekhyun said, reaching out to pull Chanyeol into Kyungsoo’s dressing room.  “Kyungsoo, this is Chanyeol,” He said, forcibly pulling out Chanyeol’s hand when he didn’t move to shake Kyungsoo’s own, still trying to process all the new information he’d received in the past minute.

Jongin, teenage heartthrob and idol rival to Baekhyun, was gay, and dating hot rookie actor Kyungsoo, who, Chanyeol now vaguely recalled had landed a Broadway gig as a result of his impeccable English.  It had been quite the headline and it probably would have been better for Chanyeol to compliment him on the role or even just to say hi as opposed to shaking his hand while asking, “Jongin is gay?”

At least Kyungsoo was a good sport about it, laughing as he shook Chanyeol’s hand.  “Very, but please keep that to yourself.  I’m sure I don’t have to tell you how messy it’d be if that got out,” Kyungsoo explained, laughing again as Chanyeol quickly began to nod his head, scrambling.

“Of course.  I would never.  I mean—” Baekhyun and Kyungsoo’s laughter eventually had Chanyeol trailing off as he instead turned to Baekhyun with a huff.

“You could have warned me before you know,” he whined, annoyed as they were led into Kyungsoo’s dressing room and seated on a loveseat as Kyungsoo plopped himself back in his makeup chair, an attendant going back to work as he did so.

Baekhyun wiped a tear from his eye, tone far from apologetic.  “This was way more fun.  I’m guessing you’ve figured out your surprise now?” he asked, head tilting cutely.

Chanyeol sighed.  He couldn’t even pretend to stay annoyed when Baekhyun was like that.  He nodded.  “I’m guessing we’re going to watch the show?” he asked, looking between Kyungsoo and Baekhyun, who was nodding quickly.

“Yup.  I got you front row seats,” Kyungsoo answered, pointing towards an envelope on the table in front of the couch.  “Just make sure you actually watch,” he said, giving Baekhyun and Chanyeol a meaningful look through his vanity mirror that Chanyeol decided not to read too much into as Baekhyun laughed and reached for the tickets, pocketing them quickly.

“Of course we will,” he promised.  “And speaking of Jongin, how is he?  We haven’t had a chance to talk lately.”

“You know how he is,” Kyungsoo said with a laugh.  “I think he's switched from counting down the weeks until I get back to the days.”

“He'll be at hours pretty soon,” Baekhyun said with a chuckle.

“Probably,” Kyungsoo agreed.

“How much longer is it until you go back?” Chanyeol asked, finding himself amused at the thought of teenage heartthrob Jongin pining over his boyfriend.  It was cute.

“Four more weeks.  My feature was always a limited run,” Kyungsoo explained.

Chanyeol nodded and was about to ask another question when a stage hand opened Kyungsoo’s door, informing him that he needed to head to costuming.  Apparently, an outfit that had been damaged the day before had been fixed, and Kyungsoo needed to try it on again.  Kyungsoo stood from his chair with a sigh.

“I guess that’s the end of our conversation for now,” he said, a small frown playing at the edges of his lips.  Chanyeol had the sneaking suspicion that Jongin wasn’t the only one feeling a little sad about how far Kyungsoo was from home.

Perhaps Baekhyun felt the same, because he was quick to offer up a smile as they walked towards the door.  “We should grab dinner when you're back in town.  Get caught up,” he said, tone warm and bright.

The expression on Kyungsoo’s face lightened, a small smile overtaking his features.  “Maybe a double date?” he asked with a laugh as he stepped through the doorway, making Chanyeol’s mind freeze again as Baekhyun reached to pull Chanyeol out of Kyungsoo’s dressing room.

Chanyeol could only guess at Baekhyun’s thoughts as he answered Kyungsoo's suggestion with another laugh and a smile.  “Sounds like a plan to me.”

---

The show was great.  Kyungsoo’s role was a supporting one, but Chanyeol could tell how he captured the audience’s attention as he and the rest of the company sang and danced through the colorful extravaganza.  It was like nothing Chanyeol had ever seen before, and even an hour after the show as he and Baekhyun found themselves walking aimlessly around Times Square, he was gushing about the costumes.

“I have so many new ideas for designs,” he said, mind racing through the golds and reds of the stage costumes as Baekhyun let out a laugh.

“So I guess it’s safe to say my surprise was a success?” he asked before raising his cup of Starbucks to his lips.  He’d insisted on an Americano, but Chanyeol could tell it was too bitter even as Baekhyun kept drinking it while they walked along.  Baekhyun was stubborn like that.

“I loved it,” Chanyeol confirmed as he pulled out his phone to take a picture of Times Square, turning slowly to take even more photos.  They’d be a good source for inspiration too.  “Thank you for bringing me here.  You didn’t have to,” he said as he finished and turned to Baekhyun, who was looking at him fondly, a soft smile on his face.

Chanyeol blushed as Baekhyun shook his head and stepped towards Chanyeol, holding out his hand after he tossed his half full coffee into a nearby trash can.  “Don’t thank me.  I wanted you here,” he said, giving Chanyeol’s hand a squeeze as their palms fit together and they began to walk slowly in the direction of their hotel.

“You wanted me here?” Chanyeol questioned softly.  The thought made his stomach flip as Baekhyun gave a nod.

“Yup,” he said, lips popping on ‘p.’

“Why?” Chanyeol questioned softly, suddenly nervous.

“Couldn’t sleep,” Baekhyun answered back, tone equally quiet.

“Why?” Chanyeol repeated.

Baekhyun was quiet for a while, but finally as they turned down the street their was hotel was on, he answered, voice barely above a whisper.  “Because, I couldn’t understand why you kissed me when I left.”

Chanyeol’s steps faltered, nearly tripping over himself.  Baekhyun paused and helped to keep him upright before they looked at each other.  “You noticed,” Chanyeol said lamely, feeling embarrassed as he looked down at Baekhyun who had an indecipherable expression on his face.  The answer to that question was obvious.

“Are you going to say anything else?” Baekhyun asked after a couple seconds, tone as difficult to read as his face.

“I... I don't know what I'm supposed to say,” Chanyeol admitted.  This hadn’t been the plan.  The plan had been to stay Baekhyun’s friend, but, friends don’t exactly kiss one another, do they?

“You could tell me why you did it for one,” Baekhyun offered after a few seconds, making Chanyeol bite his lip nervously.

He could… but then what?  It wasn’t like they could actually date, could they?

Chanyeol’s decision was yet unmade when out of the corner of his eye he noticed a figure peeking out around the corner of the building at the end of the block.  Instantly he turned and placed an arm on Baekhyun’s back, leading him towards the hotel door.

“Chanyeol?” Baekhyun questioned, noticing the difference in Chanyeol’s pace as they went down the street.

“We need to have this conversation inside,” he responded as they reached the doors to the hotel, pausing to let the doorman usher them inside as Baekhyun answered him.

“Okay, as long as we have it.”

---

Chanyeol was silent as they headed up to their room so Baekhyun was too.  He didn’t really know what else to say.  There had been so many signs, and Baekhyun had tried to read all of them, but until Chanyeol finally put something into words, Baekhyun wouldn’t either.  It might be selfish, but Baekhyun needed that.  He’d already been brave once that evening.  It was Chanyeol's turn.

Still, even though Baekhyun wanted a confession, he wasn’t expecting the hug that enveloped him the second the door to his hotel room closed.  Chanyeol’s embrace was so tight it almost hurt, and his voice was muffled against Baekhyun’s shoulder as he spoke softly.  “I’m sorry.  I really, really like you, and I’m sorry.”

Baekhyun was quiet as he let the words wash over him.  They were exactly what he wanted to hear and not what he wanted to hear at the same time.  Why did everything have to be so complicated?

He raised a hand to Chanyeol’s hair as he trembled slightly.  Baekhyun had been nervous back on the sidewalk when he’d brought up the kiss.  He could only imagine how Chanyeol felt now.   “Why are you sorry?”  He whispered softly, fingers continuing to run through Chanyeol’s hair as he began to take steps backwards towards the bed.

Junmyeon had booked him a room with a king size bed.  He’d have to thank him later for the thoughtfulness, but for now, Baekhyun’s focus stayed on Chanyeol, who stalled at the edge of the bed.  Baekhyun found himself falling out of Chanyeol’s embrace to land on the edge.  He immediately looked up to try to make out Chanyeol’s expression in the dimly lit room.  What he saw stole his breath away.

Chanyeol looked so torn, so uncertain.  Baekhyun had only seen that once before, at the bowling alley when Chanyeol had talked about his family.  They’d talked about it a few times since, but never in person and now as Baekhyun saw Chanyeol’s face he felt his own heart catch in his throat even before Chanyeol spoke, voice barely above a whisper.  

“Because I know I'm not good enough for you.”

Baekhyun wanted to cry, but he knew it wouldn’t help.  Instead he reached for one of Chanyeol’s hands, catching it in both of his.  He drew it to his lips, gently pressing a kiss to Chanyeol’s knuckles before he spoke, eyes flicking up to Chanyeol’s face.  “Why would you think that?”

Chanyeol’s eyes widened, and Baekhyun felt a slight tremor ripple through him, but he didn’t draw his hand away.  He left it in Baekhyun’s own as he spoke quietly.  "Because you're you and I'm just... me."

Baekhyun offered up a small smile as he kissed Chanyeol’s knuckles again.  "I'm just me too,” he whispered as he drew back, eyes never leaving Chanyeol’s.

Chanyeol let out a quiet sigh, hand clenching into a fist even as he left it in Baekhyun’s grasp.  “No you're not, you're perfect,” he argued, making Baekhyun chuckle slightly as a slight blush tinged his cheeks.

“You've known me long enough to know that I'm far from the angel my fans make me out to be,” he murmured, releasing his grip on Chanyeol’s hand.  It fell limply to Chanyeol’s side as he let out another sigh. 

“Yeah but you're still... you're so perfect, so funny and cute and nice and I just…” Chanyeol’s voice trailed off as his cheeks flushed.  Baekhyun could feel his own cheeks warming.  He was going to make Chanyeol tell him all of that in a happier context someday.

“You just?” He prompted quietly after a few seconds had passed.

Chanyeol let out a huff as he held out his hands in the space between them.  Baekhyun took them willingly, allowing Chanyeol to pull him up from where he was seated on the bed.  “I don't want to mess that up.”

Baekhyun smiled as Chanyeol released his hands. Chanyeol’s expression was still uncertain, but Baekhyun could tell he just needed one more little push and then, they could both dive in together.  “You won't.  You're only going to make it better, I promise.”

Chanyeol bit his lip even as he reached out a hand to cup the side of Baekhyun’s face.  “Your job—“

“Junmyeon will take care of it.  You know he can,” Baekhyun said with a smile.

Chanyeol didn’t move to do more, making a frown overtake Baekhyun’s features as he let out a quiet whine.  “C’mon.  I’m running out of ways to ask you to be mine,” he complained, leaning into Chanyeol’s palm.  It felt so nice to finally have it where it belonged.

That seemed to work, making Chanyeol let out a quiet chuckle.  “You really want me to be?” He asked.

“Well, I sure didn't wake Junmyeon up in the middle of the night to bring you here because I don't want you,” Baekhyun answered with a laugh of his own.

Chanyeol’s eyes widened as he raised his other hand to Baekhyun’s opposite cheek.  “You woke him up in the middle of the night?”

Baekhyun nodded between Chanyeol’s palms.  “Yup.”

Chanyeol let out a quiet laugh as he leaned closer.  “Bet he didn't appreciate that,” he murmured.

Baekhyun let out a quiet hum in agreement.  “He didn't, but he did imply that if I managed to get a boyfriend out of it I might be forgiven so…”

Baekhyun let his voice trail off as Chanyeol stopped a hair’s breadth away from his lips, speaking softly.

“A boyfriend huh?”

“My boyfriend,” Baekhyun corrected before he closed the gap, not willing to wait any longer.  

Chanyeol accepted the motion, kissing Baekhyun tenderly before he pulled back with a smile that outshined the sun.

“I like the sound of that,” he whispered, thumbs gently Baekhyun’s cheeks.

Baekhyun smiled back.  “So do I.”

Chanyeol kept smiling, thumbs still Baekhyun’s cheeks.  After a few moments of him standing there, seemingly in awe, Baekhyun let out a huff and reached for his neck.  “You should kiss me again,” he ordered.

“Okay,” Chanyeol replied, laughing as their lips met, again and again until their mouths were sore and their breaths were ragged.  That night, for the first time since he had arrived in North America, Baekhyun slept the night through, snuggled against Chanyeol’s chest, heart warm and mind at peace.

---

Chanyeol was about two seconds away from throwing himself out of the hotel window the next morning when Junmyeon walked in, an alarm on his phone blaring.  The only thing that kept him from trying, from moving at all really, was Baekhyun, whose reaction was to hold Chanyeol down with one arm while throwing a pillow at Junmyeon with the other.

Junmyeon caught it one handed, laughing at the pair of them while Baekhyun let out a groan, flopping down onto Chanyeol’s chest.  “Why are you here?” He whined.   From his vantage point Chanyeol could see the way Baekhyun’s ears had turned slightly red.  At least he wasn’t the only one feeling mortified at Junmyeon walking in on them clad only in boxers while snuggled up in bed.

Junmyeon let out another laugh as he set the pillow on the edge of the bed while offering an approving bob of his head in Chanyeol’s direction.  Chanyeol mirrored the action as Junmyeon grabbed one of Baekhyun’s ankles.  “I’m here because you have rehearsals,” he reminded as he pulled, dragging Baekhyun a few inches down Chanyeol’s chest.  

Baekhyun let out an annoyed huff and rolled onto his back.  “Alright, alright, I’m up.  Can I have a few minutes to make myself presentable?” He asked.

Junmyeon nodded as he released his grip.  “Five.  If you take any longer I will come in and drag you out no matter what you are wearing,” he threatened.

Baekhyun let out another huff as Junmyeon exited the room before he crawled up the bed and settled back on Chanyeol’s chest, making him blink in surprise.  “I thought you were going to get ready?” He asked as Baekhyun’s hair tickled under his chin while Baekhyun let out a yawn. 

“Five minutes,” he murmured, making Chanyeol chuckle before he shifted slightly and slipped out of Baekhyun’s grasp.  Baekhyun let out a whine at his departure, turning to look up at Chanyeol with a pout.

“Come back,” he whined.

Chanyeol shook his head as he made his way over to Baekhyun’s suitcase.  “I can’t have Junmyeon calling me a bad influence from day one,” he reasoned as he turned to face Baekhyun, a pair of sweats and a Supreme hoodie in his grasp.  “Now get dressed.  Maybe we can get breakfast together first,” he offered, which seemed to do the trick, spurring Baekhyun into motion as he crawled out of the covers and down the bed to take the sweats from Chanyeol’s hands.  

“Fine.  But I get to wear one of your shirts,” he replied, pulling on the sweats as Chanyeol dropped the hoodie at Baekhyun’s feet and headed towards his own suitcase.

Chanyeol found himself nodding as he reached into his clothes, first pulling on a pair of sweats before looking for something he hoped Baekhyun would deem suitable.  “Whatever you want Hyun, whatever you want.”

“What if I want a kiss?” Baekhyun asked, making Chanyeol jump as he draped himself over Chanyeol’s back, chin hooking over his shoulder as he looked down into the contents of Chanyeol’s suitcase.  Chanyeol could feel himself blushing at the proximity as Baekhyun reached out to point at one of Chanyeol’s white tees.

“This one,” he said, clutching the shirt in one of his hands when Chanyeol held it up for him.

“Anything else?” Chanyeol asked after a few seconds when Baekhyun didn’t move away, still plastered to Chanyeol’s back.

“I wasn’t kidding about the kiss,” Baekhyun responded, making Chanyeol laugh at the stubbornness in his voice before he turned to look at where Baekhyun was perched on his shoulder.  He leaned in to give him a quick peck that didn’t stay quick when Baekhyun dropped Chanyeol’s shirt to tangle a hand in his hair.

Needless to say, Junmyeon did eventually come back into the room, and Chanyeol was turning red for the second time that morning as Junmyeon scolded the pair of them before supervising the rest of their morning routine.

---

Chanyeol ended up spending his afternoon wandering around the backstage area of the concert hall.  Baekhyun and Junmyeon both offered to pay for him to explore the city, but he declined, instead opting to watch in fascination as Baekhyun rehearsed and prepped for the night’s show.  Finally, with about an hour to go, he found himself in Baekhyun’s dressing room, watching as he got his opening makeup done.  The process was fascinating.  Before his eyes the Baekhyun he saw everyday was transforming into Byun Baekhyun, superstar.  It was as the stylist moved around Baekhyun in his chair that Chanyeol caught sight of the vanity table and noticed a familiar doll.

“You still have that one?” He asked, surprised to see the pink suited, white key ring Rilakkuma he had gifted Baekhyun years ago.  Chanyeol had kind of assumed it’d been thrown away when Baekhyun had stopped carrying it around.

Baekhyun glanced down at the table carefully so as to not interrupt the stylist’s work.  As he caught sight of the doll and comprehension dawned, a smile overtook his face.  “That one goes everywhere with me.”

Chanyeol’s eyes widened as the stylist stepped away, confirming she was done before quietly excusing herself from the room.  Baekhyun turned to face Chanyeol, plucking the doll from the table so that he could hold it up for Chanyeol to see better.

“The day you sent me this doll, I had almost given up.  Things were so hard you know?  But then this… somehow this was what made me think that maybe I could do it.  If one of my fans was willing to spend the time and money to send me this, then I had to keep going, for them.  I’ve kept it with me ever since to remind me of that, but maybe I don’t have to anymore,” Baekhyun said softly, a small smile on his face as Chanyeol stood up from the dressing room couch and walked over to where Baekhyun sat in his chair.

“When I sent that to you, it was right after I found out about you.  The comments online were so bad, but I thought what you were doing was so great… you were like an angel who appeared out of nowhere to tell me I was fine just how I was.  I wanted to thank you for that, but I didn’t know how so I sent you this, the first doll I ever designed based on the first outfit I ever saw you in,” Chanyeol whispered, fingers tapping down on the bear’s head as Baekhyun let out a sniff and looked up.  

“Damn it, if I cry right now I won’t be forgiven,” he said through a laugh.  Chanyeol reached out to carefully dab around Baekhyun’s eyes as he chuckled too.

“Please don’t, I won’t be forgiven either.”

Baekhyun shot out a fist, lightly jabbing Chanyeol’s chest.  “It’s your fault.  Telling me those kinds of things,” he complained.

Chanyeol chuckled as he lowered he his hands down to wrap around Baekhyun’s fist, raising it up so he could kiss Baekhyun’s knuckles like Baekhyun had done to his the night before.  “But it’s true, you were the one who made me into the designer I am today.  It’s all thanks to you, my inspiration,” he whispered softly.

Baekhyun snuffled again as he stood up from his chair and went up onto his toes.  “And I’ll keep being your inspiration so don’t look at anyone else,” he whispered.

Chanyeol nodded with a smile.  “I would never,” he promised.  He meant it with all his heart. There was no one else.  How could there be?  Baekhyun was the only one for him, even if he could only kiss him lightly for fear of ruining his makeup.

---

Baekhyun knew that Junmyeon knew something was up when he asked to change the outfit for his encore stage, but after a few moments of consideration he had granted the request.  “If you want to wear that, it’s fine,” he said before making the arrangements as Baekhyun completed the rest of the concert.  Baekhyun was smiling as he came back to get ready for his encore stage and found the pink suit laid out.  Usually he wore the concert merchandise and a comfortable pair of pants, but that evening he wanted to do something special, something Chanyeol would never forget.

The second the lights went up, he caught sight of Chanyeol in the crowd.  His eyes were wide for a few seconds before his face split into a blinding smile as the audience screamed.

Baekhyun smiled in response, raising his microphone to his lips.  “And now, for my last song, ‘Angel.’  Are you ready?”

The entire audience roared, but Baekhyun had eyes only for one, who wasn’t screaming but was still smiling blindingly while dabbing at his eyes when the first notes of ‘Angel’ echoed in the arena.

It’s for you.

I know.

~the end~