Baekhyun wakes up to the softest sheets he’s ever slept in, hot and sticky and plastered to another body. The body has long limbs; one arm is holding him close, and the legs tangled with his are kind of bony and have several centimeters on Baekhyun’s own. Baekhyun only manages to think he’s done well for himself last night before the true reason he woke up hits full force. The headache of the century, dry mouth, a cramp in his leg. He may have had some fun last night, but he remembers none of it except walking away from a very unsatisfying round of roulette.

The body next to Baekhyun stirs, but Baekhyun doesn’t want to open his eyes just yet. He can tell the sun is high up already and whatever they did last night, clearly drawing the curtains wasn’t it. His head pounds. When he swallows, his throat feels like sandpaper. He had champagne, a lot of it, to celebrate Minseok-hyung’s last days of freedom, but then they switched to whiskey. It’s never a good idea to mix, especially not for Baekhyun. These are the consequences. He vaguely wonders if he can even communicate with the man, whose chest Baekhyun’s cheek is pressed against. It wouldn’t surprise him if he just grabbed the first tall person that seemed interested. Minseok had been so happy, and Jongdae was sitting on Junmyeon’s lap before they even popped off the cork on that first bottle.

The man’s hand around Baekhyun tightens, and then Baekhyun’s rolled, the other man now lying on top of him, squashing him and breathing hard into his hair. His chest rises and falls, and Baekhyun feels uncomfortable. His brain works on overdrive despite the worsening headache. It shouldn’t be possible for it to be getting more severe, and yet. The chest is hard, and the body isn’t really that heavy. Baekhyun probably didn’t do so bad for himself. He wishes he’d remember it at least, so he could live off the memories when he goes back to Seoul and brooding.

“,” a deep voice says, lips sticking to Baekhyun’s hair. It registers, slowly, that it was in Korean. Oh.

“Yeah,” Baekhyun replies eventually, when the other man stays silent after that, clearly still not really woken up. Speaking hurts.

But the sound is enough to jostle his companion, and suddenly Baekhyun is cold because the body and the sheets are mostly gone, the man sitting up way too fast, squashing Baekhyun’s thighs. He is staring, Baekhyun knows, but opening his eyes still feels like a really bad idea.

“,” his companion repeats, and Baekhyun rolls his eyes under his closed eyelids. This person probably isn’t too bright. Well, that was most likely not one of Baekhyun’s criteria last night.

“Good morning to you too,” Baekhyun finally says. More sandpaper, more throbbing in his temples, more nausea. He’s not sure the other even understood.

The body above Baekhyun shifts a little, palm pressing next to his head, and the person hovers, snatching something from a bedside table.

“More like good afternoon,” he says. Baekhyun processes that. Then bolts up. His head spins. When he finally opens his eyes, the pain is almost unbearable.

“Afternoon?” he croaks. All he sees as he squints is broad chest, brown s. “My flight,” he tries again.

“It’s past 3pm,” comes the groggy answer.

“.”

Their flight back was scheduled for 2:30pm so it’s useless, but Baekhyun still scrambles. Did his friends leave him here? What kind of friends are they? Everything hurts, and as his bed mate flops back into the bed, Baekhyun stumbles, half blind as he searches for his phone, his clothes, anything.

He finds his jeans after what feels like forever. The room is too big--and lacks Minseok--to be his own. His phone, when he focuses on it, is dead. He slumps on the floor, the carpet soft underneath his body, but not really soothing.

“, ,” he mutters.

“... that we may have done,” comes the voice from where Baekhyun left the man on the bed. “I wish I remembered. Your bottom, if you don’t mind me saying, looks absolutely delicious.” The voice is deep, and dips even lower, and Baekhyun knows from how it scratches that the other man is just as hungover as him, and still.

“Oh shut up, I don’t even know your name,” he growls and tries to sit up, clutching at his head. “I missed my flight.”

“If it was to Korea, I’ll take you,” the other says, and before Baekhyun can protest that he can hardly hitch a cab ride with this stranger across the ocean, the said stranger adds. “And I’m Chanyeol, Baekhyun. Sadly your name is all I remember about you,” he sounds broody.

This time Baekhyun rolls his eyes so it can be seen. Since they are open already, he decides to search for his clothes then for the bathroom. He figures he can think of a solution once he’s a little cleaner. He’ll need to locate a phone charger and his own hotel. His friends, whether they left without him or not, are going to kill him.

As Baekhyun picks up his jeans and searches for his shirt, he spots a glossy paper on the ground. It’s on his way to his boxers, so as he crawls, he picks it up then freezes, forgetting once again he’s and hoping for cover in a shower.

“,” he says, and his heart pounds way too loudly now, on top of the pulsing pain behind his eyes. “, , ,” and then he’s searching the floor and the pockets of his jeans once more. He pulls a paper out, an invoice of sorts, with a short message in several languages on the bottom.

“Congratulations on your marriage! We will file your marriage certificate with the clerk’s office within 10 business days after your ceremony as required. After this deadline you can request for your marriage certificate to be issued. We offer you the services of facilitating the process and securing it, as well as certification of the document’s authenticity for its use outside of the United States of America, upon your request for an extra charge of 35 USD.”

“,” Baekhyun says once more, just when the glossy picture he is still clutching in his other hand is taken from him, Chanyeol having walked to him.

“What got you so pale there, did you find a picture of you in the Bellagio fountain or some—” he doesn’t finish. Baekhyun staggers to his feet, locating the door he hopes leads to the bathroom, not a closet, and runs. He just manages to reach the toilet before he throws up.

+++

While Baekhyun showers, million options run through his aching head. The best case scenario is this being a very elaborate practical joke. Jongdae could pull it off, technically, he is skilled in all things marriage. And divorce. But Baekhyun is at the Mandarin Oriental, as he found out from the engravings on the towels, and it is pretty clear to him that Jongdae wouldn’t go as far as booking a room way nicer than those they spent their trip in for a joke. Besides, the other man, Chanyeol, is pacing next door, and Baekhyun can hear him on the phone, frantic. He can hear pieces of his conversation as he slowly massages shampoo into his hair, trying to elevate the pain in his skull in the process.

“Are you sure it’s not a joke?” Chanyeol asks for at least the tenth time, but once again he is not happy with the answer. In any other circumstances, Baekhyun would appreciate the low timbre of his voice, so distinct even through the bathroom and shower wall. As such, the progressive rise and desperation in its tone just makes him nauseous again.

When he finally gets out of the shower, Chanyeol is sitting on the bed, head in his hands, breathing deeply. Baekhyun tightens the robe around himself, and sits next to him, placing a cool towel on his neck. Chanyeol flinches but then only exhales loudly once more and slumps deeper.

“What if it’s real,” he whispers, panicked, and Baekhyun isn’t even offended by the fact this man is so repulsed by the idea of being married to him. Baekhyun is feeling the same hysteria. Chanyeol isn’t the man he once thought he might marry in Vegas because it would be fun and easy and a blast.

“I can’t think right now,” he only says.

“You’re flying back to Seoul with me now whether you want to or not. I hope you have a passport,” Chanyeol says.

“In my hotel, yes. I live in Seoul,” Baekhyun says. “And that is a very weird solution,” he notes. He wishes he could think just a bit clearer, speak a bit more without feeling like he’ll throw up again.

Chanyeol looks at him, weary, and Baekhyun properly sees his face for the first time. His eyes are big, prettily shaped, his nose straight, lips plush, and ears, oh god his ears are big and sticking out and god. He’s frowning, and it’s not a happy face now, but it is so beautiful. Baekhyun has an urge to rub Chanyeol’s ear in comfort. He would pat himself on his shoulder for bagging this Chanyeol, if only it didn’t seem like he also married him.

Chanyeol gets up then. He didn’t bother dressing either, so he’s as as Baekhyun’s been. He has no himself, and Baekhyun unconsciously wrinkles his nose. He is tall though, and his shoulders are broad, the back lean and muscled. There’s a black smudge on his lower back that Baekhyun’s tired eyes and mind can’t explain. Chanyeol’s legs are long just how Baekhyun knew they would be, but they are cutely o-shaped. It’s quite a sight, a study in contradiction. His thighs are smooth.

“I’m going to shower and then we’ll go. Stay put,” Chanyeol says.

Baekhyun attempts a put off rise of his eyebrow, but he doesn’t think he could walk out of this room just yet. He needs water, and to contact Jongdae. He hums in the end, and Chanyeol shuts the door to the bathroom from the inside of it.

The charger Baekhyun locates on one of the nightstands is the same type his phone needs. He forces himself to function, plugging it in and waiting until the phone has enough power to load.

He has twenty missed calls and twice as many messages. He curses while the number of them loads on his home screen. He dials Jongdae and it connects. Baekhyun hopes it means Jongdae’s still somewhere in Vegas and could come pick him up, could come solve this.

“Baekhyun,” Jongdae shouts into the phone, and Baekhyun’s entire body shivers as Jongdae’s voice rings in his head. “You’re alive!”

“Barely,” Baekhyun croaks.

“ you, you’re hungover! you! I thought someone kidnapped you,” Jongdae rambles.

“Jongdae,” Baekhyun manages to feel guilty, “I’m fine.”

“Where did you go? I couldn’t find you. We searched everywhere…”

“I’m not sure, but right now I’m at the Mandarin.”

Jongdae is silent for a moment. Then, “You went off, got royally drunk and slept with that tall handsome guy you disappeared with, didn’t you?” He sounds accusing and still a little winded.

“Something like that. I think you might remember more than I do,” Baekhyun admits.

“But you are okay? You have all the limbs and all the fingers?”

“Yeah, I seem to be intact,” Baekhyun says. He hears the worry Jongdae is masking by anger and whining. “I’m really sorry. Can you come pick me up?”

Another moment of silence. “Baekhyun, we just landed in San Francisco.”

“You left me here?”

Now Jongdae really sounds just angry. “And what was I supposed to do? I have a court date tomorrow. Yunho threatened my future partnership if I wasn’t back for that Tuesday morning meeting. We went looking for you, Baekhyun. We didn’t sleep, tried to report you missing, but it was too soon. Junmyeon’s going to have ulcers for months! So I packed your bag and left it in the hotel, hoping, well, for this exactly. Honestly, you drunk!” Jongdae speaks so fast, Baekhyun can’t even interrupt, not that he knows what to say.

“I called my hyung,” Jongdae continues, little winded an a bit less loud now, “and he promised me to keep calling your phone while we’re in the plane to here and to Seoul, and call the police station again if you don’t show up within the 24 hours since we last saw you. But there was nothing more I could do at the moment. He’s probably driving up and down Las Vegas Strip, searching for you, you .”

“I’m sorry, really. I…I’ll call him, to apologize,” Baekhyun mutters. Jongdeok is a nice guy, so he feels double guilty for involving him in this.

“I’ll do it,” Jongdae sighs.

“, I’m so sorry,” Baekhyun really is, for so many things. “I only remember losing all my money in that roulette game and then. I’m sorry Jongdae.”

Jongdae takes another deep breath. “I’m too, for losing you. You stormed out after you lost that spin and I followed you, but by the time I caught you, you were already hanging from this guy’s arm. And I tried to make you come back, but you were upset and he was tall, handsome, Korean even, and looked harmless. A pretty rich boy. You told me you were going down to the bar to dance, and I told you we’d meet you there. So I went back to get Minseok and Junmyeon. By the time we got to the club though, I couldn’t find you. You were just gone. I kept calling your phone, but it died after three times, and then we panicked. You really don’t remember?”

“I was already drunk. And upset…”

“I know. I think. I think Vegas wasn’t the best place for you this time around.” Jongdae trails off again.

“We’ve had it planned for months,” Baekhyun says simply. “And I’m really sorry.”

Jongdae sighs. “Just, stay safe. I’m gonna get you out of any meetings I can. I can kick your later. Now hang up, I’m going to let my poor brother off the hook. I’m sure his wife will be glad to have him back for the Sunday afternoon.”

Baekhyun does as he’s told and goes about dressing himself. His shirt is stained and he wonders if there’s something he could borrow from this Chanyeol guy. He concentrates on his movements and breathing, trying to push the panic down. Talking to Jongdae helped only a little. When Chanyeol appears in front of him, pink skinned and fresh from the shower, he startles.

“We’re leaving,” Chanyeol says, and Baekhyun’s head pounds with his heart’s rapid fast rate. He’s not sure how he manages to walk all the way to the car already waiting for them in front of the lobby.

+++

“What?” Baekhyun only manages, again. Chanyeol looks at him wearily and straps himself into the huge leather seat of his private plane. “What?!” Baekhyun repeats, and they both flinch at the volume of it. The first painkiller is clearly wearing off.

“You really didn’t know who I was?” Chanyeol asks at last, as the plane slowly rolls onto the runway.

“I didn’t even remember your name this morning,” Baekhyun deadpans.

“You married me last night,” Chanyeol says, accusing.

“And you think I did it because of what, you being rich?”

Chanyeol only looks at him, eyes tired, ears almost twitching. Baekhyun’s sure of it happening any time soon.

“I’m sorry to disappoint, but not everyone has time to keep track of all of South Korea’s chaebols,” Baekhyun says, coolly.

“I’m not…” Chanyeol swallows then sighs when Baekhyun raises an eyebrow at him. “Well okay, I am, kind of. You clearly didn’t seem to mind yesterday.”

Baekhyun is put off now. “If you suggest one more time I somehow schemed to marry you last night for money, I will find a way to throw you out of this plane right now so I can really inherit everything. I swear, don’t test me. Every other person in our country is called Park and I doubt I even knew that was your last name before we filled it into the marriage license. I wonder how we even managed to see straight to do that.”

Chanyeol looks taken aback. “I…You really don’t remember?” he asks Baekhyun.

Baekhyun doesn’t. He’s tried so hard the entire ride from Chanyeol’s hotel to his own, in that black sleek car with a chauffeur. That really should have been an indication of what was to come, but he was just trying to piece his evening together. Nothing came to him, not while he checked his bag for his passport, not on the silent ride to the airport, nor through the surreal experience of private passport control and walk to a terminal for private planes, definitely not as the pilot greeted them and let them settle down for the flight while he communicated with the control tower.

“Well, do you?” he says at last, annoyed.

Chanyeol shakes his head, something between yes or no. “I remember bumping into you. I remember dancing, running. Out of the bar, I think. Body shots in some other bar, tequila. Ride in a roofless Cadillac. Your hands and your name.” Chanyeol pauses and looks at Baekhyun, imploringly. “Lot of skin. But only flashes, moments, sensations, that first hickey I made.” Chanyeol reaches over and presses his fingers into Baekhyun’s collarbone peeking from one of his own shirts. He’s given it to Baekhyun without a word when he saw how much Baekhyun’s own was ruined.

The shirt is as soft as Chanyeol’s touch, and too big, just like Chanyeol is too tall. It all burns in the pit of Baekhyun’s stomach.

“Well, I remember nothing. I wish I did at least remember how you ed me, honestly. If I am to be married to a hot chaebol for a hot minute, I wish I could at least remember the best part of it.” He sighs.

Somehow that makes Chanyeol chuckle. “I am starting to see where your priorities are. Though I wonder if we even, you now, managed to do the deed. We were really drunk.”

“Whatever,” Baekhyun mutters. “Now please be quiet, I need to close my eyes and try to get my head to stop trying to kill me.”

Chanyeol starts to say something, but Baekhyun doesn’t want to hear it. He turns to the other side, cuddles into the blanket he was given and shuts his eyes. He’s so tired, emotionally and bodily, he thinks this time he won’t have a problem sleeping on the plane. He welcomes the fact his brain is finally catching up to the exhaustion and slowly shutting down.

+++

Baekhyun wakes up to the landing. When he turns around, Chanyeol is staring at him.

“You whined like a puppy the entire plane ride,” he says bluntly, when Baekhyun stares back.

“Get used to it, darling,” he says, bitter joke about something that was called cute or annoying depending on the stage of his previous relationship.

Chanyeol flinches, at the tone or at the endearment, Baekhyun doesn’t know.

“Oh god, it was a joke,” Baekhyun says. He still feels tired. It’s too bright outside, and his head is a little better, but he’s parched and his limbs feel heavy, joints aching. Hangovers are worse and worse as he gets older. That too just makes him bitter, that he is no longer twenty and able to bounce back from whatever life throws his way.

“So I was thinking,” Chanyeol speaks, handing Baekhyun a water bottle like he knew. He seems determined to get something out. “Since you didn’t marry me for money, you won’t mind living with me and keeping this quiet till I figure out how to undo it, right? My mother would kill me if this got out.”

Baekhyun blinks. If Chanyeol didn’t constantly accuse him of scheming for his money, Baekhyun could almost like him as a person. “I see you have a lot of trust in me,” he says. “Want to keep me under a lock, don’t you. Like I would want anyone to know I married some rich .”

“That’s not it.” Chanyeol frantically gesticulates with his hands, trying to backtrack. “I promise my flat is nice, and I don’t want to lock you up, just make sure that no one suspects…” Chanyeol rambles, and Baekhyun’s stomach turns when he suddenly remembers his options. He refuses to spend another day in his old flat. He’s only been there a few times to pick up his work suits and other clothes in the past two months, spending nights on his friends’ couches. Jongdae would probably let him sleep over again after beating him to the pulp. He’d also probably get everything out of him within an hour. Baekhyun’s parents live too far away to commute to work every day.

Baekhyun has been searching for apartments, but every single one he saw, impersonal and empty, made him feel the same way. Hollow and soulless. He couldn’t see himself feeling the warmth and comfort his old place provided in any of them. He knew he should just rent one and…rebuild. Instead, he huddled in other people’s homes and didn’t even try to mend his long broken heart.

“It’s just that my mom can be super radical, and I love her, but I can’t just come home and tell her ‘mom, I married a stranger behind your back.’” Baekhyun tunes back in to Chanyeol looking at him with big scared eyes, suddenly backtracking. “But I get it. You have your own life, so just give me your number and I’ll call you when I figure things out, get some discreet lawyer or something.”

“Whatever Chanyeol, I will play your Rapunzel. Just don’t cut my hair,” Baekhyun mutters, finally unbuckling his belt and standing up. The plane is almost quiet now that they rolled into its hangar.

“I would never, it’s so nice, longish and soft.” Chanyeol’s eyes get impossibly bigger, tips of his ears color, and he shuts up. He gets up quickly, too, and gestures for Baekhyun just as the pilot leaves the cockpit and starts to open the door. “After you,” Chanyeol mutters, and Baekhyun sighs and steps into the Korean late summer afternoon air.

Minseok’s wedding is in less than a month, and Baekhyun doesn’t have a plus one to it, is kind of homeless still, and newly married to a man he met about a day ago, who thinks Baekhyun is a con artist after his money. What more could he wish for?

+++

Chanyeol fidgets terribly for the rest of the day as he tries to make Baekhyun comfortable in his fancy apartment. Baekhyun just wants another long shower and maybe finally he could stomach some food, so he follows Chanyeol around the place. He expected something more empty and white. Less cozy. Not family pictures and a dog bowl in the kitchen corner. Definitely not the piano and guitars, or the mismatched pillows and colorful blankets in the living room or the huge pillows by the glass wall looking over Seoul. He feels Chanyeol watching him, and he doesn’t know what he sees. Baekhyun just feels confused. He doesn’t know how to deal with the quiet and comfort of Chanyeol’s world.

When Baekhyun pads out of the shower in his pajamas, he smells bean sprout soup, one of his own go-to hangover foods, and decides to think of the bright side. The partner he “chose” for his probably soon nullified marriage is more handsome and a better cook than the one he thought he’d marry before the whole cheating debacle. At least his taste is improving.

Chanyeol blinks at him from next to his stove and his ears get red again. It’s a strange reaction, but Baekhyun doesn’t address it as he slides onto a bar stool.

“A chaebol who can cook?” he teases instead, and Chanyeol only rolls his big, big eyes.

“You don’t want it?”

Baekhyun shakes his head then nods, trying to convey he does, very much so, and Chanyeol snorts.

“Where are your plates and stuff?” Baekhyun asks, deciding to be helpful, but Chanyeol waves him off and pulls two bowls and spoons from the kitchen cabinets himself. He brings out kimchi and sets them up with ease.

They eat in silence for a while before Chanyeol takes a deep breath.

“I wish this was easier to deal with,” he mumbles. “But I’ve been trying to prove to everyone that one day I could take my mom’s place in management, that I can do more than just own the shares and reap the yearly profit payouts.”

Baekhyun stays silent because what can he say?

“I suppose it sounds like a silly worry to someone, but my mom has done so despite being a woman -- not letting go of the control of grandad’s company. And my sister doesn’t want it, so...” he trails off.

Baekhyun’s googled Chanyeol after his shower, and he knows now that Chanyeol is the heir of a big pharmaceutical company. There hasn’t been much about Chanyeol personally to find out, showing that he’s probably lying low. His education, the report of him starting to work for the company, his sister’s graduation and opening of veterinarian practice, celebration of his parents’ silver marriage anniversary. Chanyeol charting high in the ranks of rich available chaebols to marry. One scandal, a boy clearly wanting money and attention, claiming all kinds of stuff about Chanyeol and what he likes in bed. Baekhyun can imagine how that may have felt.

“It’s fine. I’m over it,” Baekhyun says, trying to sound nonchalant. “Besides, we can probably just annul the marriage in the States quietly. No one needs to know. We are most likely not even married in Korea. You'd have to enter me into your family registry for that. It’s not like the US marriage certificate has much weight here or anything.”

Chanyeol blinks, trying and failing not to look hopeful. “Yeah?”

“Uhm, we probably shouldn’t let it out that I spend time in your apartment so it doesn’t look like we live together, that might halt the annulment, but I mean. I think we should call Jongdae, he’ll know better.”

“No, no one can know, we need a lawyer,” Chanyeol sputters around his spoon.

Baekhyun snickers. Chanyeol is somehow cute even when he is desperately trying to hide Baekhyun from the world.

“Well. For one, you are speaking to one. Now much more sober than I was in Vegas, too.” Chanyeol gasps. “And Jongdae, my best friend who will not let me ever live this down by the way, which I’m willing to suffer for you to get out of this mess, is a lawyer too. His specialty though is family law, which is lots and lots of divorces. He is a pro at this, even did an internship at the Las Vegas office of our firm, so honestly he’s your man.”

Chanyeol blinks. Then he gets off the bar stool, the said chair falling down as he moves quickly, and stumbles towards Baekhyun giving him this huge, tight hug.

“Oh my god, you’re a lifesaver.”

Baekhyun breathes in Chanyeol’s shirt. He must have showered too and his embrace is warm. It makes Baekhyun’s stomach flop, so he resorts to what he knows best. He pushes Chanyeol away a bit and looks up at him.

“Glad to see you so happy about the prospect of getting rid of me quickly,” he says.

Chanyeol’s face falls, and his arms drop from around Baekhyun’s shoulders.

“That’s not…” he starts to say then trails off. Baekhyun feels like he kicked a puppy.

“It’s okay, Chanyeol,” he sighs, picking up his spoon though he is not hungry anymore. “I was just joking, you know.”

Chanyeol nods but doesn’t ask for Jongdae’s number or to call him right away, like Baekhyun expects. He is probably doing so because of what Baekhyun just said. It makes Baekhyun feel even more guilty. Chanyeol seems like an okay person. Baekhyun’s humor might just be a bit bitter these days.

“Jongdae was really upset at me for disappearing like that,” he says. “And since he flew here like a normal person, he’s probably only gotten back about the same time we did, so …” he takes a deep breath. “We’ll call him first thing in the morning. He’ll meet us even here if you want to, and he is a discreet person, you don’t have to worry.”

Chanyeol nods. “I didn’t mean to hurt your feelings,” he says.

“You didn’t,” Baekhyun utters. “There are no feelings, we met, possibly had , did a stupid thing. I understand the situation, believe me.”

“I’m sorry,” Chanyeol says again. “We did it together,” he adds when Baekhyun looks at him, questioningly. “It’s my fault too.”

Baekhyun laughs a little. “Well, a chaebol who can cook and take responsibility,” he says, making his voice light. “Who knew, unicorns exist.”

Chanyeol rolls his eyes and collects their bowls. “Glad to break down your stereotypes for you.”

+++

The next morning, everyone knows. It’s all over online and paper news, as Baekhyun learns from the barrage of Jongdae’s kakao messages. Before Baekhyun even gets out of bed. Jongdae is more incredulous than angry by now. Clearly secretly amused. And a little worried. He is a good friend.

Baekhyun doesn’t feel like getting out of bed. He doesn’t know how Chanyeol feels, and how he is coping, and despite barely knowing each other, Baekhyun feels bad for him. Stupid Baekhyun getting attached to the one night stand he doesn’t even remember. But he’s thought it, yesterday already, that Chanyeol seems like an okay person. A good person. If the circumstances were a little different, they’d probably laugh it off, annul the marriage and maybe even stay friends. Baekhyun, because he’d find it funny, would probably ask Chanyeol to be his plus one to Minseok’s wedding. Life would go on.

He hears a crash, like someone dropped a plate in the kitchen. Baekhyun asks Jongdae if he could possibly get to Chanyeol’s apartment later that day, if necessary, and trudges out of bed.

Chanyeol is swiping a broken pieces of a mug of the floor. His feet are bare and Baekhyun scrunches his nose. The idiot is going to hurt himself.

“What are you doing,” he says, exasperated. Chanyeol looks up at him, and Baekhyun notices his big red eyes, tear streaks down his cheeks.

“Did you hurt yourself?” he asks. It’s a dumb question, probably.

Chanyeol just stares at him.

Baekhyun sighs. “I just want to say that I am not barely legal, too young for you, or exist only for you to have your way with me. You should let me talk to those people, I will make them see the light.”

Chanyeol flinches. Baekhyun carefully side steps the pile of shards and takes the broom out of Chanyeol’s hands.

“Sit down,” he instructs. “Did you step on any of the glass?” he asks, and Chanyeol shakes his head before hanging it.

“I’m sorry about everything they wrote about you,” he says.

“Stop apologizing all the time,” Baekhyun says. He finds it silly, most of this isn’t really Chanyeol’s fault. Chanyeol who looks like a kicked puppy and probably is facing some kind of chaebol family crisis like in a Korean drama. Baekhyun is just going to be made fun of at the next firm party.

“I’ll survive. Clearly they aren’t very good journalists anyway. It’s not hard to find me in the bar registry.” Baekhyun finishes the tea Chanyeol started making, gets rid of the broken cup, and sits with Chanyeol.

It’s awkward. Baekhyun has no idea if Chanyeol talked to his mom already. What he is thinking. Just that yesterday, Chanyeol was this vibrant person, all alive and positive, an open book, or so it seemed. Today he is listless, broken. Baekhyun knows how that can be. It doesn’t sit well with him.

“So what is the new master plan?” he asks in the end, putting his empty cup down. “I honestly expected you to jump me in bed with some crazy idea already, having it all figured out and being excited about it.”

“It’s all ruined,” Chanyeol just says, shoulders shrugging. “Everyone on the board will think I’m absolutely useless and irresponsible. And I didn’t pick up when mom called.” The last part sounds extra mopey. It somehow makes Baekhyun perk up little.

“And here I was thinking that you marrying me was the best decision you could ever make,” he says teasingly. “They may not know it, but I am totally a catch.” That comes out more stubborn than light. “I’d show them,” he adds. He doesn’t know who “they” are or if he isn’t accidentally talking about his cheating, lying scum of ex-boyfriend. However something in his tone or in what he said seems to rouse Chanyeol.

“Would you?” he asks, and his voice has this weird tone. Squeaky, uncertain but with a hint of hope. Mad man hope.

+++

When Jongdae hears their plan, he calls them crazy. He seems to think that Baekhyun and Chanyeol pretending that they knew each other for a couple of months, fell in love, and already knew they were meant to be doesn’t solve much. Baekhyun might agree. They’re still married in the States but in a weird limbo in Korea. The plan is to say that since the Vegas wedding was kind of spontaneous and just for them, they’re taking time to register it in Korea so they can plan a nice wedding to celebrate with all their family and friends. It sounds ridiculous. Chanyeol, however, is too hopeful, and Baekhyun doesn’t manage to say no.

“At least you are single now,” Jongdae says eventually. “Were, that is,” he amends.

Chanyeol finds the idea that Baekhyun would even hit on him if he weren’t, outrageous.

“At least my new husband seems to have a principled opinion on cheating,” Baekhyun comments on that.

Jongdae still thinks they are mad.

“If I’m doing this, you are going as my plus one to Minseok’s wedding,” Baekhyun says. “It’s the third Sunday from now.”

Chanyeol nods from where he is sitting very upright and stiff across from Jongdae at his own dining table. Like he’s meeting his new partner’s parents or something. It makes Baekhyun a little giddy for some reason.

Jongdae gathers all the papers he’s brought with him – marriage annulment petition under Nevada’s jurisdiction, filled in – and puts them in a big brown folder. Then he theatrically throws it into the trash.

“That was your common sense disappearing in the basket,” he says.

Chanyeol’s face clears a bit more and his shoulders relax. Baekhyun knows this is a very stupid idea. But he’s married to a handsome chaebol he met less than forty-eight hours ago. Minseok’s wedding is in less than a month, and Baekhyun’s face is all over Korean news outlets. No matter what their reputation. At least he has a plus one to the wedding. Faking marriage, and love, can’t be that hard.

+++

After Jongdae leaves, Chanyeol picks up the folder with the annulment papers from the trash and Baekhyun watches him with interest, as he shreds them in his home study.

“Thorough,” he laughs.

It makes Chanyeol smile too. Their situation is still mad. Baekhyun thinks at some point this has got to end in disaster, and a very public one, if today is any indication. But maybe along the way it could be a little fun.

Chanyeol sits behind his desk and pulls out an empty sheet of paper. “Should we draw up a marriage contract?” he asks.

Baekhyun sizzles. “I’m not after your money, and Jongdae explained that we are not actually really married here. Unless you have property in States, I have nothing much to gain.”

Chanyeol shakes his head frantically. “No, I mean… Maybe I’ve just watched one too many romantic comedies with my sister,” he says sheepishly. “I meant like rules?”

Baekhyun tilts his head. “Nah. You just shredded the annulment papers. Don’t create any more evidence, silly.”

Chanyeol’s face does a weird thing. His left eye twitches, he opens his mouth like he is going to protest, then he shuts up and kind of smiles.

“What rules would we even need?” Baekhyun wonders.

“Like, I don’t know. No invading privacy? No kissing unless absolutely necessary?”

That gets Baekhyun’s attention.

“Well, I don’t know about that, Chanyeol. We are planning to pretend to be in a relationship for quite a bit. Like you don’t even know for how long. You just said ‘until the dust settles.’ I think we can both agree we find each other attractive and it’s not like I can go and have or kiss someone else in the meantime.” Truth to be told, Baekhyun is only half joking. He really wouldn’t mind having a bit of Chanyeol in his bed, especially if this is going to be a long term arrangement.

“What are you saying?” Chanyeol sounds panicked and his ears color again. Baekhyun is having too much fun.

“I’m saying we should actually kiss and have . To keep our needs satisfied. I mean, you found me attractive like two days ago, I couldn’t have put you off just yet.”

“No, of course not,” Chanyeol hurries to say then shuts up when Baekhyun raises his eyebrow.

Chanyeol looks down and clears his throat. Baekhyun bursts out laughing.

“I’m just teasing you, but it’s good to know you won’t be too repelled by kissing me if the need arises,” he says and moves to sit on the edge of Chanyeol’s desk. He ruffles Chanyeol’s hair as Chanyeol looks at him, eyes wide. He only realizes after he’s slid his hand to Chanyeol’s shoulder that he’s touching. Like he always does. Baekhyun is a touchy person, but Chanyeol, Chanyeol is not his person. Not like his friends are or a lover would be.

“If you fall in love with someone, we’ll end it. I’ll find a way. You just need to say a word,” Chanyeol mumbles.

Baekhyun doesn’t think that’s going to happen anytime soon. “What if you fall in love?”

Chanyeol shakes his head. “I’ll do what I can so that this isn’t too much or for too long. I don’t know how, yet, but…”

“You seem to be quite new to this crisis management,” Baekhyun laughs. “But I like it, we’ll wing it.” He winks because he needs to make this light. He doesn’t need to be touched by how Chanyeol seems to think of him, still.

This might have been Chanyeol’s idea and it might be for Chanyeol’s benefit, but somehow Baekhyun doesn’t find Chanyeol selfish. Just eager. Eager to please everyone from his mother to his company’s board or the Korean public that seems strangely entitled to Chanyeol’s life decisions, and Baekhyun.

“So what are you going to say to your mom?” Baekhyun asks, when Chanyeol only scrunches his face.

“She,” he gulps, “she wants to meet you,” Chanyeol says, almost too quickly to be understood.

And maybe that’s what really finally makes it feel all the more real. Or fake.

+++

Baekhyun has what Jongdae calls a harem at work. It's not like Baekhyun intended for it to happen and it really only is three women he works with: Seulgi, the junior lawyer that is so smart he went to give thanks to the gods the day she interviewed; Yeri, the bright but way too cheeky intern; and Yoona, the amazingly efficient assistant he actually shares with Jongdae and another senior lawyer. He sometimes thinks Yoona knows more law than all of them and can do magic with their messy documents and overlapping meetings on top of that. She is worth mines full of gold.

She is also the only one of the trio who spares him the next morning, giving him a sympathetic smile and going to fetch him coffee right away. Baekhyun doesn’t even like coffee that much, but it’s the only way to survive. Yoona knows just the right way to water it down for him. Seulgi tells him he is now the biggest heartbreaker and should steer clear of the rumor mill in Litigation. The team only has one woman, but the men in it are the biggest gossip under the sun. Yeri pretends to be one of those women whose heart he broke by taking Park Chanyeol off the market, wiping imaginary tears from her eyes and laughing at him.

Jongdae, when he arrives soon after Baekhyun's coffee, tells him that the partners don't know if this is good or bad press yet, but at least the firm's name is out there and that can never hurt.

"None of my clients are running for the hills yet," Baekhyun says, slightly hopeful. "Thankfully there doesn’t seem to be any conflict of interest either. That would be hard to explain since I am supposed to be dating Chanyeol for around three months now."

"Lucky," Jongdae comments then leans on his elbows across from Baekhyun, propping his head onto his palms. "So, does Chanyeol know about he who must not be named?" he asks.

Baekhyun rolls his eyes. "Voldemort? Well, I mean we haven’t discussed our favorite books just yet, but he seems like a person who has read all of the Harry Potter books at least twice and watched all the movies in a marathon. So I presume he knows about the main villain."

Jongdae glares. "Don't play dumb, Baekhyun."

"My ex has a name, Jongdae."

"Right right. So does he know about Joohyuk?"

"Well, yes, I had to tell him to make sure our great love story checks out."

Jongdae blinks. "And."

“And nothing. He looked at me with those big eyes of his and gave me yet another hug. Then he tried to make us go pick up the rest of my things immediately because ‘I now have a place to put them and I shouldn't have to deal with him ever again.’"

“That's…” Jongdae seems to be looking for a word that would fit.

“It's dumb, that’s what it is. I had to explain to him that it wouldn’t be best if someone saw us lagging my things from my ex’s flat together. I swear he is like a freshly born dog. Completely innocent, sloppy and gullible. He wanted to draw a fake marriage contract. I had to point out how that is not evidence he wants lying around.”

Jongdae is laughing by the time Baekhyun is done with his outburst. His neck feels too hot in his ironed collar and knotted tie.

“Did you just kind of call your chaebol husband a puppy, but not really, because you don’t want to admit you actually have a soft spot for this man already? You are pathetic, Byun.”

“I do not have a soft spot for him.” That would be a terrible thing. Even if Baekhyun seriously does think they should have that they would finally remember because at least that might get rid of all that tension Baekhyun feels rippling in the air and inside him.

Jongdae straightens up and starts counting on his fingers. “He is tall, hot, has big eyes -- your words not mine -- seems actually really nice, and you think he is innocent and a puppy. I think you should just keep him.”

“Oh god, shut up,” Baekhyun says, running his hands across his face. “And go away. I have a meeting with a client in fifteen minutes.”

Jongdae shrugs. “Fine, I’ll let you think about that,” he says and he gets up. “Also go to lunch with me or else someone is going to eat you in these halls, trying to get information out of you. Plus you need to seriously think about what you are going to say to Minseok and Junmyeon, and your parents. We can brainstorm.”

“, fine fine,” Baekhyun sighs, trying to not think about the warmth of Chanyeol’s hug or the palm of his hand on Baekhyun’s neck that somehow magically didn’t tickle. He needs to focus.

+++

After not having been at the office for a few days, it’s a long day for Baekhyun. Chanyeol’s apartment is conveniently close though, and he orders Chinese take-out on the way home so that it would arrive just in time for him to get there too. He doesn’t actually expect Chanyeol to feed him like he has been since they came back from the States. He may not be all that keen on cooking, but he can pull his weight in feeding them, somehow. He has to ask Chanyeol what his favorite take out places around here are.

The apartment is empty, almost eerie without Chanyeol and his floppy limbs in it. Then Baekhyun opens the door to Chanyeol’s guest room, his room for now he supposes, and stumbles upon boxes. Boxes from his former apartment, not moved an inch more than for Baekhyun to open the door and bump into them.

There’s a message scribbled, almost unreadable, on top of one of them.

You owe me all the manual labor that I had to do as I snuck around with your stuff. Chanyeol better be happily “married” to you or I move it all back.

Congrats on your wedding~

Sehun

Baekhyun blinks. Sehun is the friend Chanyeol called from Vegas, the one he thought could have pranked him. Chanyeol’s Jongdae, basically. Baekhyun wondered if all of Chanyeol’s friends are tall, rich and painfully handsome when Chanyeol showed him Sehun’s picture as they tried to learn things about each other. Chanyeol was so set on getting Baekhyun’s things and here they are. Baekhyun, deep down, knows already that Chanyeol is a very capable person, but somehow he is still surprised at how fast he can apparently make things happen.

Baekhyun had already packed all his things, back when he learned his boyfriend was still cheating on him, and planned to leave, quickly and dramatically. Only then he realized he didn’t want to move all his life back home, because his mom would be worried, or to a storage box somewhere across the city, and Jongdae would probably not be too happy with all of Baekhyun’s stuff boxed around his apartment either. So he cowardly hung around for a few more days, hoping for it all to be a nightmare, and then he left his stuff behind.

Now it’s all staring back at Baekhyun, and Baekhyun creates a narrow passage to his bathroom, drops his suit, takes a shower and eats half cold Chinese takeout on Chanyeol’s huge couch, staring at the turned off TV.

Chanyeol gets home when Baekhyun piles the rest of the take out into the fridge and decides to just sleep, not feeling like going through his old, newly acquired, possessions. Chanyeol looks bone tired, and his hair is a mess within seconds from the moment he steps over the threshold as he ruffles it violently with both hands, clearly frustrated.

“Bad day?” Baekhyun asks, leaning in the hallway doorway and Chanyeol looks up. He blinks, as if not expecting anyone to be there, and his eyes are so dry Baekhyun sees how his lids get stuck closed for a moment before they pop back up.

“Something like that,” Chanyeol mutters at last.

“Do you like Harry Potter?” Baekhyun asks. He probably should know this anyway.

Chanyeol lights up. “Yes, it’s so great! Hermione Granger is such a badass character.”

Junmyeon would probably have a lot to say about Chanyeol liking strong female character out of a book about a boy who saved the wizarding world.

“There’s Chinese take-out in the fridge,” Baekhyun only says, and Chanyeol stumbles to open it, sighing in appreciation when he starts opening the boxes and talking in turns about how he is starving because people chewing him up all day makes you really hungry and how Prisoner of Azkaban is not only the best book but also the best movie and wouldn’t it be cool to be able to use the Time-Turner like Hermione?

Baekhyun goes to bed way too late, but he now knows all about Chanyeol’s love for online comics and Jongin, the friend who loves to read, and Chanyeol’s bony, skinny thigh is warm as it presses against Baekhyun’s as they sit on the couch. Chanyeol promises to host a Harry Potter marathon because “we should make our friends meet anyway,” and Baekhyun manages to mumble a thanks for the boxes on his way to bed. Chanyeol peers curiously into his room, but doesn’t comment on none of them being open, just bids him a good night and automatically gives him a hug, only his ears reddening and a bit awkward as he realizes what he’s done.

Baekhyun stumbles into bed and thinks that it can’t be that hard, faking love for Chanyeol.

+++

Until that Sunday, their days are simple. They go to work, get back late, one of them picking up takeout on the way home, then they huddle together and fill in each other on their lives. They honest to god do several couple quizzes online like test runs and Baekhyun reads their compatibility horoscopes, both Chinese and Lunar, just to try and lighten things up. (Most of them though, so he only focuses on that one part about the possibility of finding the missing link for a very interesting and fulfilling life and enjoys how prettily Chanyeol reddens.)

Chanyeol doesn’t talk about his work, refuses to even when Baekhyun asks, and he comes home ashen on Friday. Baekhyun chatters about his own job that much more, making attorney office sound like stand up comedy. Chanyeol listens, even in between lines, when Baekhyun slips and manages a complaint about a client or a difficult contract. When Chanyeol’s eyes crinkle unevenly as he laughs, Baekhyun always feels a little lighter, little more motivated.

Chanyeol doesn’t need any extra motivation. He approaches the task of learning about each other with the single minded determination of the drowning man clutching at a straw. Baekhyun gets a crash course on Chanyeol age three to thirty, starting with cute chubby tiny Chanyeol pictures with sticking out ears to the progression of his allergies.

When he learns that teenage Chanyeol was in a band and still plays guitar, bass, and piano (with demonstration on those instruments that Baekhyun noticed lying around when he first came in), even though he’s never really learned notes, Baekhyun pulls out a long heavy box out of the piles of them still unpacked in his room and reveals an electric compact piano and sheet music. Chanyeol, despite it being well past midnight, becomes so excited in his effort to make Baekhyun play that he trips on his coffee table and stubs his big toe. Baekhyun offers to kiss it better. Chanyeol’s ears are still sticking out like they did when he was a kid, even through his much better haircut, and they are the prettiest when pink.

Baekhyun realizes slowly that Chanyeol, despite the over the top respect for his mom, loves his family; his sister who looks like him, only softer and more feminine, and his parents who despite their busy jobs have somehow always been there to push and love Chanyeol. Chanyeol, unlike him, doesn’t have grandparents anymore.

They probably know more about each other than Baekhyun normally would if he dated someone for only a few months, but when he remembers the paparazzi still camping under their apartment windows and the one who tried to get into his office and then stood by the entrance to the law firm offices all day, asking people annoying questions as they left and entered, he thinks it’s better to be ready than be sorry later.

Baekhyun manages to learn things Chanyeol doesn’t know he’s sharing too, the way Chanyeol crosses his legs when he sits, and drowns in his enormous hoodies the moment he has a chance to switch out of his suit, but how he likes his calves bare. He memorizes the way Chanyeol’s fingers are rough from guitar and how his hands are so big, when he catches himself holding Chanyeol’s hand as Chanyeol recalls his beginnings at his mom’s company. He does it evenly, matter of fact, but Baekhyun can tell, how much he has fought to be recognized for his capabilities, to be taken seriously. Baekhyun tries to drop his hand, but Chanyeol just squeezes it and holds on tighter, looking down at the way Baekhyun’s thin fingers fit in between his own.

+++

They both get antsy, but while Baekhyun can be a terrible homebody, to the point that Jongdae has to drag him out after days of living like a hermit, Chanyeol normally has a million activities, the most ridiculous of which is playing golf. It’s such a chaebol hobby, Baekhyun thinks, but wants to learn anyway because the way Chanyeol talks about it makes it sound like the best sport ever. It all cumulates on a Saturday evening as Baekhyun gets introspective about the fact he is going to soon flat out lie to his parents, right to their faces, and Chanyeol gets a call from his own mom about scheduling their dinner together that Wednesday.

Baekhyun’s parents are supposed to be a test run.

The paparazzi are still sitting in two seperate cars outside the front entrance and garages though and even Chanyeol’s need to do things doesn’t win over the dread of probably being followed persistently everywhere.

“Why didn’t you unpack yet?” Chanyeol asks at the end and gets to his feet in the living room where they were making yet another list of things they like and have in common. Baekhyun feels a bit nauseous from suddenly looking that far up at Chanyeol, probably, and says nothing.

“I know we were busy, but we can talk while working, right?” Chanyeol adds a bit more mildly. His whole body is fidgeting. “I’ll help.”

Baekhyun wants to say no.

“Right, right, we should do that,” he hears himself saying instead, and he drags his feet behind Chanyeol on the way to his room and thinks of the photo albums from common vacations, the casual clothes he bought because he knew Joohyuk liked the way he looked in them and video games he always tried to rope Joohyuk into playing.

“Chanyeol,” he mutters, grabbing his elbow in the room’s doorway. When Chanyeol turns around, Baekhyun doesn’t know what to say though. Not wanting to unpack is such a silly thought. Still, one day, he will have to pack all his things and more memories again, so maybe there’s no point.

“Don’t live out of boxes, Baekhyun,” Chanyeol only says.

Baekhyun’s palm has slid from Chanyeol’s elbow up his arm and rests where Chanyeol’s shoulder and neck meets. Baekhyun plays with the soft hair on Chanyeol’s neck and wonders how it looked like in real life when it was long and washed out red when Chanyeol was eighteen. It was probably frizzy and coarse, but Chanyeol must have looked like an elf out of some ancient story because pictures do not give justice to Chanyeol’s looks.

Chanyeol holds still, for the first time that evening, letting Baekhyun sort through his feelings and not pushing him away. There are goosebumps on the back of his neck now and Baekhyun runs his fingers over the skin, takes another deep breath.

“Right,” he says in the end, stepping back. “I really shouldn’t. What if somebody comes to visit and sees all this?”

He steps inside his room, but Chanyeol is frozen in the doorway.

“You have to move into my bedroom,” he says in the end, his voice rough and panicked.

“What?” Baekhyun asks, wrong footed for a moment. “Wait, did you change your mind about the thing?” he blurts out before he can stop himself.

Chanyeol chokes on nothing. “No! I mean, you know, that’s not what we agreed on, but like, my sister and my mom both have access to this place. They don’t even need to knock.”

“Of course they do,” Baekhyun laughs lowly. “So no in open spaces like kitchen, got it.”

He winks. Making Chanyeol flustered is still so much fun.

“What, no. Just, okay yes, if we were to think of extremes, but my point is, what if they see us living in different rooms?”

Could Baekhyun sleep in the same bed with Chanyeol? Just like that, without getting entangled in some false hopes or unneeded attachment? Does he want to?

“We could just tell them there was no space for all my in your bedroom. You own too many suits and your clothes are too big and take too much space,” he says. “And if they ask about the bed, I’ll just inform them you snore too loudly for anyone to get good rest next to you.”

“I do not snore!” Chanyeol crosses his arms on his chest.

“How do you know?” Baekhyun challenges, eyebrow quirked.

“Well, it didn’t wake you up in Vegas, did it? It’s you who makes these weird yippy noises,” It’s more teasing than anything, but Baekhyun still recoils.

“I just dream actively, okay? I can’t help it,” he says, either looking or sounding wounded because Chanyeol reacts immediately, as if he can read Baekhyun like an open book.

“Of course, it’s nothing wrong, it’s cute actually,” he says, hand pulling at the sleeve of Baekhyun’s own hoodie. Baekhyun can’t judge Chanyeol for his habit of wearing too big clothes, not really. They’re both slobs. It’s just admirable Chanyeol knows where to get clothes too big for him. Baekhyun shakes his head.

“Sorry. I was projecting,” he says simply. “Look, I think the story about clothes is totally believable, but if you want I can leave a few personal belongings like pajamas and some underwear in your bedroom. I make my bed every day anyway, so it shouldn't be a problem. If someone actually comes in when we are not ready or even sleeping, we’ll make something up. Like maybe one of us having a bad cold and not wanting to get the other sick.”

Chanyeol studies him for just a little longer and probably doesn’t say what he really wants to.

“I don’t know…” he eventually ponders Baekhyun’s suggestion.

“Well, I could also tell your sister or your mom, or whoever comes in, that we can’t keep our hands off each other if we sleep in the same bed, and end up having all night, so for the sake of us being able to work and otherwise function, I lock myself in this room so you can’t get to me,” Baekhyun suggests, slowly regaining his footing.

Chanyeol guffaws. “You really like to talk big,” he says. “I think you’re all bark and no bite.”

Baekhyun winks at Chanyeol again and slaps his tiny little as he they finally move to open the first box.

“Wouldn’t you want to know,” he says, and Chanyeol glances at him and quickly sticks his head inside the box that quite fittingly contains Baekhyun’s collection of silly boxers.

It crosses Baekhyun’s mind briefly that loving Chanyeol for real would probably not be hard either.

+++

Chanyeol’s car is a huge as his hoodies, and Baekhyun attempts several times to joke about what Chanyeol is trying to compensate for. It all falls flat, and Chanyeol ends up squeezing Baekhyun’s thigh consolingly about two intersections away from Baekhyun’s parents’ place. He doesn’t pull his hand away until they park the car and he tells Baekhyun it would all be okay as long as he doesn’t ask about Chanyeol’s size in front of his own parents.

The warmth Chanyeol’s palm leaves behind is as heavy against Baekhyun's skin as is his mom's disappointment about not knowing Baekhyun’s found ‘someone else to love so much.’ It’s a little surprising to Baekhyun. Somehow, while he was trying to prove himself in school and at his job, to his parents and then to his boyfriend, he has managed to pull so far away from his family he wasn’t even sure they still cared. They clearly do, but after the initial apprehension, Chanyeol charms them completely by fumbling with the flowers he bought, by smiling too widely, trying too hard to help and almost upending a tray of side dishes and by constantly glancing over at Baekhyun like it’s Baekhyun and not some limb of Chanyeol’s that is going to break any moment now.

“He really cares for you,” Baekhyun's mom says as Baekhyun chases Chanyeol out of their kitchen before he can break his family's best set of dishes. Baekhyun doesn’t really think this parents’ visit is any indication or a test of how the one with Chanyeol’s mom will go, but somehow the knots in his stomach untie for the moment anyway.

“As I do for him,” he says, the answer obvious, and his mom just nods and disposes of cucumbers for him before he washes the dishes. Baekhyun knows she approves.

On the way home, Chanyeol stops by a sweets shop and buys Baekhyun strawberry ice cream. Baekhyun figures it means Chanyeol’s done his homework and knows how much Baekhyun loves strawberries. He at the ice cream and thinks about how warm the hug between his mom and Chanyeol was as they were leaving, and how easily Chanyeol gets people to love them.

+++

On Monday night, Baekhyun comes home to Chanyeol standing, awkwardly, still in his suit, in the kitchen with two tall men. One of them is smirking and the other one is pouting, but Baekhyun concludes all of Chanyeol’s friends really are painfully handsome.

“Hi,” he says, and they all look at him. The smirk on the face of one of the men grows bigger, the other just looks surprised now.

“So we finally meet,” the smirking man says. “I’m Sehun,” he says without preamble, and gives Baekhyun a very thorough once over. “And you must be Baekhyun.”

Baekhyun nods.

“Jongin here wasn’t sure you existed,” Sehun adds. Baekhyun feels like he is having lots of fun, watching Chanyeol and Baekhyun squirm.

The other man bows his head a little. “As I was saying, it’s just all a bit…sudden,” he says more to Chanyeol than to Baekhyun. His eyes soften so much as he looks at Chanyeol. “We didn’t even know Baekhyun existed, and then suddenly there were the news everywhere that you kind of got married.”

“Yeah, I mean,” Chanyeol starts, but he looks a bit freaked out, and doesn’t really continue.

“That might be my fault,” Baekhyun picks up from him. “We haven’t known each other that long and I was super busy, so we never got around to meeting other people when together. But then both of us being in Vegas at the same time was kind of like fate, and Chanyeol just felt so…right.” He clears his throat, and looks straight at Jongin. “It was an impulsive decision, a bit of fun.”

“Yeah, that’s how it sounded too, really, and Chanyeol usually isn’t.” Jongin looks between them confused. Chanyeol’s eyes, when he looks at Jongin are just as soft, and Baekhyun’s stomach churns.

“Of course I can be impulsive,” Chanyeol says though, seemingly finally getting his bearings. This must have been a surprise visit.

“Not with this, you're not,” Jongin insist, like it’s important he confirms he knows his friends.

“Anyway, so we came to investigate,” Sehun jumps in. “Figured if Jongin meets you, he will have less trouble believing it’s real,” he adds, and Baekhyun wonders if Sehun is a good friend or an evil friend. Or both. It does seem like another test, bringing Chanyeol’s friend over to convince. If Chanyeol’s friends won’t believe them how will his parents? Or Baekhyun’s friends who have been leaving bewildered texts ever since the news broke?

Baekhyun forces his shoulders down and to relax. Chanyeol looks a complete mess, his eyes pleading, and Baekhyun doesn’t understand why Jongin seems so important right now. He steps towards Chanyeol, right into his personal space, and wraps his arm around his waist as he looks up and nuzzles his nose under his jaw a little. It hopefully looks intimate and succeeds at last to get him Chanyeol's attention too, to get him to focus.

“It was a little silly, but it’s done now. I’m glad to finally meet you two too, since I’ve heard so much about you.”

“You did?” Jongin asks, his eyes wide now, as he watches Chanyeol’s arm squeeze around Baekhyun’s shoulders.

“We didn’t hear a thing about you though,” Sehun adds happily. He is definitely an evil friend.

“That was kind of selfish of me,” Chanyeol nods. His voice sounds sure now and he seems to be hiding half of his face in Baekhyun’s hair. “But it was all new and wonderful, and I didn’t want you to tease me because I knew I was falling so fast. I figured I could enjoy it without the likes of you being absolute brats about it,” he says and looks, very pointedly, at Sehun. Sehun’s scandalized face makes Baekhyun laugh for real, and he muffles it into Chanyeol’s dress shirt.

“Well, Baekhyun here is just your type.” It’s Jongin, who says it, and Baekhyun is surprised to see a smile playing about his eyes as he looks at them now.

Sehun sighs, like this is somehow making him suffer. “He just wanted a bit of peace, before everyone gets a whiff of it, I suppose,” he says, startling Baekhyun by the sudden support. Maybe he’s had enough fun roasting his friend. “Though I must say the way he decided to announce his relationship was a bit flashy.”

Jongin guffaws at that, his soft demeanor changing completely with a loud laugh. The way he laughs is so similar to Chanyeol’s.

It seems though that Sehun and Jongin came bearing “wedding gifts” in the form of beers and fried chicken and after the initial tension passes they make themselves at home on Chanyeol’s couch. They put a movie on, but especially Jongin doesn’t stop trying to gauge more information out of Chanyeol and then Baekhyun when Chanyeol leaves to get more beer.

“I hope you’re not upset with me. I didn’t mean to,” he searches for the right word and his eyes are so serious. “Doubt you, I suppose is the word. It’s really just that we thought Chanyeol had gone celibate on us or something, and he’s been so cautious for so long.”

Baekhyun nods. He can see how that may have been the case. “I’m glad he wasn’t with me, not for long anyway. I have just come out of a relationship that wasn’t…ideal?” he shares. He wants Jongin to be at ease. If he is important to Chanyeol, he should be important for Baekhyun too now. “And he just swept me off my feet, I suppose. He is very kind to me.” Baekhyun’s not even lying that much.

“Are you already bad mouthing me behind my back?” Chanyeol asks from above them and drops down to the couch, wrapping himself around Baekhyun live an ivy. His limbs are everywhere, and he smells so good, of the remnants of his cologne and the freshness of the hoodie he’s changed into after the introductions were really and properly made.

“Never,” Sehun says dryly from where he is sitting alone on the armchair and Baekhyun is surprised he’s been listening. “We tell you all the bad things right in the face Chanyeol, you should know this.”

Chanyeol pouts as Baekhyun laughs, unwillingly, with Jongin and Sehun. So Baekhyun reaches into Chanyeol’s hair to comb through it, in a bit of an apology. Chanyeol smiles at him widely, and once again it is too bright, his eyes shining without pretence.

Before Jongin and Sehun leave, Jongin pops into the washroom and Sehun looks them up and down, as they stand in the hallway. Baekhyun and Chanyeol still have arms around each other and Baekhyun feels warm and comfortable and way too sleepy and a little buzzed, on Monday evening of all things.

“That went well,” Sehun says at last. “Though Chanyeol should probably pay you in gold, he was totally panicking before you showed up.”

Baekhyun doesn’t know what to say to that, not to Sehun who has packed all of his things from Joohyuk’s apartment.

“It wasn’t that bad,” Chanyeol chides. “And you could have given me a heads up. You know how Jonign gets, all imploring.”

Sehun shrugs. “You have to be always ready. I was just letting you practice in a safe and controlled environment.”

“Right,” Chanyeol rolls his eyes, looking conspiratorially at Baekhyun.

“You have the besotted look down though, so you should be fine, really.” Sehun adds, and Chanyeol twitches against Baekhyun’s side.

“What a relief,” says Baekhyun when Chanyeol seems unable to come up with a comeback. Sehun only snickers.

“You seem alright though,” he adds, addressing Baekhyun.

“That’s like the biggest compliment you’ll ever hear from Sehun,” Jongin says from behind them, and it makes all three of them jump. He doesn’t seem to have heard more than that last sentence though and he is now looking fondly at both Baekhyun and Chanyeol. Jongin is probably the good friend. The really good friend.

“Well, then I thank you,” Baekhyun mumbles and yawns.

“Time to get you to bed,” Chanyeol smiles down at him, and it’s Sehun who rolls his eyes now as Jongin makes what may have potentially been a cooing sound. They slip into their shoes and leave quickly after.

Chanyeol really does put Baekhyun into bed, explaining all the while how Jongin is so thoughtful and shy, and Chanyeol always wanted him to be his friend, trying really hard to get him to open up when they were teenagers. Baekhyun listens, to the words and to the deep, soothing, even tone of Chanyeol’s voice, and he doesn’t even notice before he is lead into his bedroom. Then Chanyeol is pushing aside the covers and seating Baekhyun to the middle of his bed. He looks down at him for a moment, as if undecided, before he sinks to his knees. Baekhyun’s eyes widen because that might have been a beginning of the wet dream he’s had just this past week. Chanyeol’s mouth is so pretty. But Chanyeol only slips his socks off and lifts Baekhyun’s legs up onto the bed.

“Thank you for tonight. As always you were amazing,” he mutters, and Baekhyun lets himself be covered in blankets like a little child. Chanyeol chuckles and swipes hair off his forehead.

“Good night Baekhyun,” he says.

Baekhyun wants to tell him he should sleep here with Baekhyun, but his eyes are heavy and he passes out before he manages more than to think about how nice it would be to be loved by Chanyeol.

+++

Baekhyun almost goes to buy a new suit during his Wednesday lunch break. He gets Yoona to check if no meetings crept up in his afternoon schedule and when she confirms he has none, he asks her to find the closest good menswear shop in the vicinity of the offices. Yoona apparently calls Jongdae instead, so Jongdae gets to see him panic about meeting Chanyeol’s family that evening.

“It’s only Wednesday, and I’ve already lost years of my life to stress this week. First Chanyeol’s friends staged an intervention and now I have to walk into a lion’s den.”

“You are exaggerating,” Jongdae says. “It’s just a dinner at his family's house, and you like studied for this more than for your bar exam. I haven’t seen you do anything than go home to Chanyeol since this whole thing started.” Then Jongdae leers. “Unless you weren’t rushing home to study about each other but maybe more each other…”

“Shut up, Jongdae, don’t tempt me. Chanyeol is not only making me meet his evil parents, he is also blue balling me while walking around all hot and . I can’t handle this whole thing. What was I thinking?”

Jongdae only laughs. “For the record, I told you so, and you were not thinking. At least not with your brain, clearly. Also just seduce him. And as I told you already--you should just keep him.”

“It’s not like that,” Baekhyun bristles. “The fact I want to have with a very tall, beautiful, hot, amazing smelling man that is now constantly somewhere in my vicinity doesn’t mean I want to marry him. I’m just ually deprived.”

“So then why are you freaking out right now about the parents of your fake husband not liking you?” Jongdae asks.

“Jongdae, if you don’t say something useful in the next ten seconds, I’m gonna call Yoona so she can kick you out. I won't even be embarrassed about not doing it myself because if you didn’t notice I’m shaking too much to do it. And you know she can kick your .”

Jongdae sighs, takes his suit jacket off, and opens his arms. “Come here,” he says and Baekhyun glares at him.

“Why did you take off your jacket?” he asks.

“So that you won’t get tears and snot all over it. I will sacrifice my shirt for you though.”

“I don’t want to cry,” Baekhyun says, cross, but he does approach Jongdae because he could use a hug. One that won’t make him happy and crazy with his heart trying to beat out of his chest at the same time, like all the ones Chanyeol gives him.

“Maybe just a little,” Jongdae muses. “You are a strong person after all, despite the crazy antics,” he allows, and that is a nice thing to say. Baekhyun falls into him and lets Jongdae pat the back of his head and back consolingly. He may shed a tear, but it’s just frustration and pent up nerves that have been building for over two weeks now as he’s been slowly realizing what he’s actually gotten himself into and with whom.

“There, that’s better,” Jongdae says eventually. “I have to go divorce a couple that actually married out of love now, those fools,” he says as Baekhyun pulls away from him. “Finish what you absolutely have to here, and just go home to take a good shower before you go dazzle the parents-in-law like you dazzle all your clients. You’re a star, Byun.”

Baekhyun sighs. “When this is over, will you be my fake divorce lawyer?” he asks.

Jongdae laughs. He picks up his suit jacket and winks at Baekhyun from the door of his office. “Take this as a hunch from a person who has seen many great loves fall -- you just might not need one.”

Baekhyun doesn’t feel consoled anymore, but at least it’s not Chanyeol’s parents he thinks of anymore. Instead Chanyeol’s big hands on his waist and in his hair, his thick fingers tickling on his ankles and the feel of his stubble against Baekhyun’s cheek as Baekhyun nuzzled closer occupy all of his mind

+++

When Baekhyun is nervous, he babbles. He tries to not run his mouth, or stick his fingers in it to prevent it, when in the presence of Chanyeol’s parents. Who are actually quite nice; perfectly polite and without any sharp teeth that would suggest they bite. But Chanyeol as well as Baekhyun are so nervous and any time soon, Baekhyun is going to tell them the whole truth.

Yoora, Chanyeol’s sister, is as lovely as Chanyeol talking about her made her out to be, and she laughs at them repeatedly and the most when Baekhyun hiccups from how fast he talks and forgets to take breaths in between just to not give anyone a chance to ask a question. That however somehow snaps Chanyeol out of his own nervous stupor, and he openly grabs for Baekhyun’s left hand on the table, in front of everyone, and mouths ‘you don’t have to try so hard, you’re okay’ at him.

Of course Baekhyun must, he thinks, because this is it, he has to impress them, to prove that not only they are madly in love, but that Baekhyun is a great choice of a partner. Baekhyun is so invested he doesn’t remember he isn't either of those things.

Yoora takes that moment to steer conversation elsewhere, to her trip with friends, and everyone partakes willingly. Baekhyun actually tastes his food for the first time. Even through the nerves, it’s delicious.

“And how did your parents take the sudden news, Baekhyun?” Chanyeol’s mom asks, some time later, over coffee and cake. Strawberry. “I suppose it was as sudden for them as it was for us. Chanyeol mentioned you were really keeping it private before the trip.” Chanyeol’s mom is full of smiles and good nature, and Baekhyun sees her for the kind, sweet woman she can be. But he also sees her sharp eye, the way she listens so carefully and watches them all the time, and still probably doesn’t really believe them much.

“They didn’t believe it was me on the news, so it felt like it was actually me who told them. My mom just wants to be invited to the real wedding. My dad only wanted to know if Chanyeol likes fishing.”

“I see. I think you understand our prefered qualifications for Chanyeol’s partner may be a little bit higher,” Chanyeol’s mom says. Chanyeol’s hand is back around Baekhyun’s wrist on the table. Baekhyun wants to hide these affections, feels they might be inappropriate somehow. He forgets they are actually here to show their feelings off as if they’re real.

“Mom,” Chanyeol says, and his voice in its warning is so deep.

“None of those things they wrote in papers about me are real,” Baekhyun blurts out. “I mean, well, the one journalist who actually found out I’m a lawyer was right about that part.”

“I assumed so,” Chanyeol's mom says, and it seems like she almost chuckles. “Though I suppose my son’s life isn’t really mine to judge.”

They both go red, Baekhyun only a little less than Chanyeol, but it’s a close call.

“She is teasing you,” Yoora fake whispers over the table. “But she also has a file on you with all your education and work experience.”

“Mom!” Chanyeol says, now accusingly.

“It’s all public information, Chanyeol. Since you didn’t tell me all about your new partner, I had to find out.” She turns towards Baekhyun. “You are an accomplished business lawyer, Baekhyun. I did like what I saw. But it’s not like I can just let Chanyeol off the hook easily after such a public incident.”

“Mom?” Chanyeol sounds confused now, and his one word outbursts, still so telling, make Baekhyun chuckle. He flips the position of their hands, holding onto Chanyeol’s wrist for a change, rubbing his thumb on the inside of Chanyeol’s wrist.

“However, it seems he did chose rather well,” Chanyeol’s mom continues, and now Baekhyun can really see the hints of amusement, “and you don't seem to be buckling under the pressure of media attention either, so I suppose I should tell you that I too hope to be invited to the real wedding.” Baekhyun feels himself decompress, relieved.

“Possibly quite soon,” Chanyeol’s mom adds. And Baekhyun’s shoulders stiffen so fast he isn’t sure he can turn his neck anymore.

“Mom.” Now Chanyeol sounds so pouty.

“Chanyeol. Try a full sentence,” Baekhyun turns to him and tries to convey don't fight it, don’t fight it now. Chanyeol seems to understand.

“We already live together. Just let us figure it out,” Chanyeol says on an exhale, a little defeated. Only his ears are red now, and Baekhyun wonders if this actually went well.

“Do you fish, Baekhyun?” Chanyeol's dad asks, and Baekhyun gets flustered again, because no he doesn't.

That however makes Chanyeol laugh, and for some reason he is suddenly so giddy, and before Baekhyun knows it Chanyeol is pressing a kiss into the palm of Baekhyun's sweaty hand.

“No, dad, he doesn’t,” Chanyeol says. “But he is awesome on piano.”

From that moment on, Chanyeol brags, quite embarrassingly, about how Baekhyun plays piano and loves music too and, “He has such a lovely voice, mom, dad,” that Baekhyun colors yet again.

His dad looks excited, Yoora very supportive, and his mom--she has this look on her face as Chanyeol talks about what they found out is their common passion, though each may like different aspects of music, that Baekhyun interprets as understanding. Chanyeol’s mom thinks it’s only logical Chanyeol would fall for someone who loves music. Baekhyun thinks the same. He can’t imagine Chanyeol being with someone who wouldn't share his passion at least a bit because every time Chanyeol even looks the way their collection of various instruments is in the apartment, he lights up.

“Are you okay with pets, Baekhyun?” Yoora asks as they slowly get ready to leave. “I forgot to ask earlier.”

“Of course I am,” Baekhyun says excitedly. Chanyeol has mentioned that Toben might be here today, but Baekhyun hasn’t seen him all evening. Instinctively, he looks around now, again.

“Ah,” Yoora seems to catch on his action. “Toben is staying at my place now since mom and dad have been in and out of the city a lot. But I think, if you make Chanyeol wash his hands after cuddling with Toben, he could come back to your place for a while.”

Chanyeol protests indignantly. “I am very careful around him.”

“No, you’re not, and then you get all snotty, and that is not attractive, Chanyeol.”

“Baekhyun wouldn’t mind,” Chanyeol pushes back.

Baekhyun looks at him, judgingly. “Well, I wouldn’t break up with you exactly, but…”

He doesn’t finish. He didn’t really mean to, even though Chanyeol seems to be convinced Baekhyun is going to threaten him with taking away his s -- like they were even happening -- and he jumps to cover Baekhyun’s mouth.

Yoora laughs. “I really like you, Baekhyun-ssi,” She says.

“Just Baekhyun, please,” he blurts out because he really likes Yoora too. “And it would be wonderful to see Toben back in the apartment,” he adds. “His bowls are all ready.”

Chanyeol forgets to step away from Baekhyun after that, and Baekhyun relishes in it, because this too is support. He gives it back, literally, when Chanyeol trips on air when he tries to help with the last of the dishes, and he keeps the hand on the smaller of Chanyeol’s back afterwards, as he basically escorts him into the kitchen. They are alone, for a moment, and Chanyeol turns, and presses his forehead against Baekhyun’s. Baekhyun gets startled, but stays still afterwards as Chanyeol just breathes.

Baekhyun knew all this time that this is even harder for Chanyeol, but he can really feel it now, the huge amount of tension cruising through him still. Baekhyun reaches into Chanyeol’s hair, but it’s all done up and nice, so instead he redirects his hand to the ridge of Chanyeol’s ear, rubbing at it with his fingers. Chanyeol’s hands squeeze around Baekhyun’s hips. Inhale, exhale. Baekhyun closes is eyes, for just a moment, and then someone is clearing their throat from the direction of the kitchen doorway.

“You must be tired. Leave the dishes to me and Yoora,” Chanyeol’s mom says. Baekhyun’s seen flashes of doubt in her eyes all evening, but when he looks at her now, embarrassed as Chanyeol steps away from him, just a little, all his sees is a mother, soft even if still a bit worried. If Jongin’s reaction is anything to go by, Baekhyun isn’t surprised. Marrying a short term acquaintance in the spur of a moment in Las Vegas is not something Chanyeol’s family knows him to be prone to doing.

“Chanyeol, your dad wants to talk to you, probably to set up a jamming session with all three of you or something,” she says, and Chanyeol goes, albeit unwillingly.

It’s clear that Chanyeol's mom wants to be alone with Baekhyun and Chanyeol’s steps out of the room are slow.

“You don’t need my son’s money, Baekhyun, do you?” she asks when her son is out of earshot. Baekhyun supposes he is more surprised by her being so straightforward than the question itself. “I worried, but you don’t seem like the type, even though I didn’t find a property under your name yet anywhere, despite you being a senior lawyer at your firm already.”

“I…I was renting a place with -- with someone, until recently,” Baekhyun stutters and resists balling his hands into fists.

“Nam Joohyuk,” she says, and it’s not a question.

Baekhyun just wants to grab onto something. The counter, or Chanyeol, preferably.

“It wasn’t what, I…” Baekhyun looks down at his feet. He doesn't want to share this with her. He still thinks, sometimes, that somehow it was all his fault. If he wasn't good for Joohyuk to keep, how could he be good for Chanyeol, or his family, even if it is fake good. Baekhyun’s knees are weak, but this moment is too important to mess up. Still, his face probably gives him away when he manages to look back up at Chanyeol’s mom. “He was …” he trails off again.

“He cheated on you.” This time it is half a question. Chanyeol’s mom didn’t know this, she must be guessing. Chanyeol, too, often seems to know all too well what Baekhyun is not telling. It must run in the family.

“Chanyeol was like a balm, at first.” He still is, so it’s easier to say what Baekhyun has practiced when he feared the worst, when he thought about someone calling them out on the time not really matching up. “Now, he’s…he’s so much more.” This went differently in his head, but it’s got to be enough. This is speaking more than Baekhyun allows himself to think of. “I know we were foolish. I know it hurt Chanyeol more than me,” he hurries to add.

He wants to say sorry somehow, even if at the time he had no clue what he was getting into.

“That’s probably true,” Chanyeol’s mom laughs softly. “But it’s two people in this mess. I know how much there is at stake for Chanyeol. I know more than anyone else. But if at any point you want out,” she pauses, and Baekhyun holds his breath, stubbornly not looking at her in case she sees how white as a sheet he is right now. “There’s always a way out and you shouldn’t feel obligated to stay.”

She knows, she knows, Baekhyun’s mind screams, but Chanyeol's mom comes closer and squeezes his elbow soothingly. Wouldn't she be very upset if she knew though? Baekhyun takes a breath and then another.

“I want to be with Chanyeol,” he says, firmly looking into her eyes. The truth and lie ratio in that statement scares him more than anything else has in his short life.

+++

This time, Chanyeol drives them to McDonalds. Baekhyun is confused.

“They have strawberry smoothies here, right?” Chanyeol says, but Baekhyun knows it’s not his comfort food they are here for. “And they also have fries. It sounded like a good compromise.”

“Fries?” Baekhyun asks, incredulous.

“You have just learned my deepest secret,” Chanyeol says gravely. His mouth is still tight from nerves, but his shoulders seem a bit less weighed down.

“Fries? They weren’t on any of your lists!” Baekhyun says dumbly as Chanyeol orders two big portions of them on top of the smoothie for Baekhyun.

“It’s not something anyone would know about me, so…Now you know. My deepest secret.”

“Your deepest secret is that you, what? Love fries?”

“Exactly,” Chanyeol confirms resolutely as he carries their tray to a seating box. He sits down next to Baekhyun, not opposite of him, and slumps into him right away, his mouth in the crook of Baekhyun’s neck. Baekhyun’s tie has been too tight around his neck all evening, but now it is downright suffocating. Still his hand finds its way to Chanyeol’s hair, finally messing it up.

“Feed me?” Chanyeol pleads. I’m exhausted, he’s not saying. They both are, but Baekhyun lets Chanyeol eat fries from between his fingers, Chanyeol’s lips and tongue occasionally pressing into the tips of them in the process, as he sips his drink next to him. For the time being, Baekhyun doesn’t think about the kitchen encounter with Chanyeol’s mom. What he thinks of is how hard someone has to try to not love Chanyeol.

+++

As part of their continuing shock therapy, they actually do organize the Harry Potter marathon for their friends. Jongdae laughs when Baekhyun invites both him and Seulgi and they both actually come dressed up. Chanyeol then proceeds to pout that he didn’t think of it first until Jongdae, totally charmed, gives him at least his round glasses and threatens to draw a scar on Chanyeol’s forehead, with a permanent sharpie.

Meanwhile Baekhyun is caught staring at Jongin and Soojung, his girlfriend, covertly cuddling on one of the couches like the cutest pair of teenage loves, by Sehun. Sehun laughs at Baekhyun’s face then pats him on the shoulder.

“See, you have nothing to worry about. Chanyeol is all yours.” And that is even before Sehun actually gets to meet Jongdae.

Because somehow their friends get along like a house on fire, mingling and testing the boundaries of how much they can gang up on Chanyeol and Baekhyun in teasing.

Baekhyun’s life flashes in front of his eyes when he sees Sehun and Jongdae huddled together. He isn’t sure the cackling he hears from their corner is real or just in his head. Then Sehun sidles up to Junmyeon, and Baekhyun gets himself a stronger drink. Junmyeon has been confused and slightly hurt by not being included in on Baekhyun's secret, and spent his evening until now watching both Baekhyun and Chanyeol more than anyone else. Now, for the first time, his attention is elsewhere, and Baekhyun ends up giggling because Sehun is almost in Junmyeon’s lap. Junmyeon would never look at anyone but Jongdae, but Sehun clearly is one of those older friend thieves, stealing their hearts and getting people to pamper him.

Yoora comes by too, with Amber and Kyungsoo. Baekhyun thinks he is going to get punched when he meets the small man, the first anomaly to tall (but not to handsome) in Chanyeol’s circle. Only half way through the night, Jongin finally takes pity on him and explains that Kyungsoo just has a very bad eyesight. It introduces Baekhyun to the candid mischief of the quiet man, because Kyungsoo could have totally mentioned it, when Baekhyun tried, frantically, to show Kyungsoo that he has no ill intentions toward Chanyeol beyond maybe getting in Chanyeol’s pants.

Chanyeol gets flustered by all the attention Baekhyun pays him, but in the end he accepts the touching and even the playfull kiss or ten. When Baekhyun relents, after Jongin’s explanation, Chanyeol only pulls Baekhyun in his lap and tells him to just finally stay still and watch.

Amber laughs at that, and reaches over to poke Chanyeol’s cheek. “That means Chanyeol wants to cuddle you, Baekhyun, if you needed a translation.”

Chanyeol just tightens his arm around Baekhyun and pretends to be engrossed in the third movie of the night.

+++

Among themselves, they don’t talk about how Chanyeol’s mom wants the wedding soon, or that she might know what is going on. So Baekhyun worries in front of Jongdae who whacks him over the head during their lunch.

“You do realize that even in your fabricated story, you are only supposed to know each other for like three months or so. Even then the Vegas thing was rushed!”

“Yes, but why would she tell me to leave her son?” Baekhyun rubs the spot on his head and lowers his voice to not draw attention.

“Because she clearly knows him well,” Jongdae stays unbothered. “She basically guessed Chanyeol might do a lot to save his public image, and, like, he genuinely seems to be a nice guy, but he’s doing exactly what she thinks he’s doing, only on a bigger scale.”

“He’s just worried, for her too.”

“You would be defending him.”

“Jongdae, I agreed to this,” Baekhyun points out. It does sound a little ridiculous in his own head though.

“Yeah, and I have been questioning your motives ever since you did.”

“What do you mean? I just did it out of the kindness of my heart.” Because it certainly wasn’t a logical thing to do, a thing Baekhyun would do if he really took all of the pros and cons and possible outcomes into account like he does at his job. But Baekhyun, in private, was sadly always all heart.

“No. You did it because you wanted to keep him. From. The. Very. Start.” Jongdae stresses every word with a tap of his chopsticks against their table, and Baekhyun hushes him because they are in public and he can’t get this broadcasted, for god sakes.

“Shut up, Jongdae.”

Jongdae looks like he just won, like Baekhyun not denying it just because he doesn’t want to discuss this here, in public, or at all, means Jongdae is right.

“Maybe you didn’t know it, but that’s what it is.” Jongdae continues, like he is building a case. “By the way, Junmyeon has concluded you are madly in love. The both of you. Normally I would be questioning his title in psychology for such a statement, but I don’t actually feel like I need to, this time.”

Baekhyun pushes his food away.

At least Minseok and Joohyun are just days away from their wedding, so Baekhyun didn’t have to hear their judgement yet. Because even Seulgi told him this morning already that she is so happy that he’s finally found someone who deserves him. The brat.

+++

“I feel like I have been doing way too much socializing these past few weeks,” Chanyeol says the morning of Minseok’s wedding when they meet in the kitchen. Chanyeol already has his slacks on but only a sleeveless undershirt on top, and Baekhyun looks everywhere but at his strong arms and wide shoulders.

“Also couldn’t you have worn some pants?” Chanyeol continues, and Baekhyun looks, confused at his boxer clad legs. “Your thighs,” Chanyeol stops there, and when Baekhyun looks up, he’s already turned his back to Baekhyun.

Baekhyun shrugs.

“I am letting my legs breathe before another day in slacks. Seriously suits on the weekend should be banned.”

Chanyeol chuckles and places a cup of tea in front of Baekhyun, and a cup of coffee for himself next to him. He starts pulling stuff out of the fridge and Baekhyun's mouth waters because he had learned very early on that Chanyeol can make some really decent breakfast. The rice is already starting to smell really good from where the rice cooker is on.

“Maybe next time we should do something, just the two of us,” Chanyeol suggests as he cracks eggs into the pan.

“Why?” Baekhyun asks before he can catch himself, and he didn’t mean to sound so…shocked.

Chanyeol stiffens over the stove. Baekhyun takes a sip of his tea quickly, trying to not watch him, and scalds his tongue.

“Yeah, uhm, never mind,” Chanyeol says in the end and the rice cooker chimes. Baekhyun busies himself with scooping rice into two bowls and doesn’t think too much about what it would be like to go on a date with Chanyeol, a real one.

+++

Jongdae loves weddings. Baekhyun doesn’t get it and neither does Chanyeol.

“How is he basically throwing up rainbows everywhere when all he does at his job is deal with romantic relationships gone sour?” he whispers to Baekhyun, as they watch Jongdae basically entertain the entire hall while he waits to officiate the wedding.

“Well, Chanyeol, that is the most cynical thing I’ve ever heard you say.”

“Oh come on, you know what I mean,” Chanyeol whines. His hair is up and his suit is impeccable, his bowtie matching with Baekhyun’s tie that Chanyeol personally tied in some special complicated knot that morning while Baekhyun forgot how to breathe.

“This is why he is dating a psychologist. Personal therapy instead of every night. Or maybe while having , I’m not sure what exactly their kink is,” Baekhyun replies, and Chanyeol doesn’t manage to hold his laugh back, bursting into a loud guffaw that draws attention to them and slapping Baekhyun's thigh as he bends over. Jongdae looks over with a raised eyebrow, but Baekhyun ignores him, looking at Chanyeol instead and enjoying the silly things his face does when he laughs like this.

It’s fall and Minseok’s just gotten hitched and Baekhyun is kind of married too, at least in one part of the world, to a hot chaebol. His life is now a Sunday night drama.

Chanyeol’s also right about them doing nothing but entertain other people’s curiosity for three weeks now. It all descends on Baekhyun as the evening progresses and he smiles on all sides, sips flute after flute of champagne and clings to Chanyeol’s arm and then to his fingers as he slips his hand into Chanyeol’s after a particularly emotional speech from Minseok’s dad.

All in all, they should probably call it a night. Instead, Baekhyun finds himself on the dance floor, slumping against Chanyeol’s chest and dancing to some old love song.

“Bae Joohyun was the most beautiful bride ever,” he mumbles, and Chanyeol just hums. ”Minseok was very dashing too,” he continues.

“I’m sure I was too, when we got married,” Chanyeol says, with laughter in his voice. “You too; I only wish I remembered.”

Baekhyun sighs. He’s not sure he wants to remember that. He was drunk and probably embarrassing.

“You look lovely tonight though,” Baekhyun just says, and Chanyeol’s fingers slip into Baekhyun’s hair for a moment, carding through it. Baekhyun looks up from where he’s had his nose pressed into Chanyeol’s neck, and Chanyeol’s looking down at him with soft yes.

“You’re always lovely,” he says. Baekhyun doesn’t remember the last time he wanted to kiss someone so much. He figures he probably could, in the name of the perfect fake relationship. This room is full of curious people after all. He saw some sneaking pictures and some have asked openly, about their story.

Chanyeol beats him to it, leaning down and brushing their lips, just a soft press of mouth against mouth, and Baekhyun exhales in relief.

“I’m always grateful to you,” Chanyeol whispers as he pulls away. The kiss, so gentle and so fake, is more bitter than sweet. Baekhyun wishes he didn’t crave for so much more. He doesn’t want to believe how hard it could be, not loving Chanyeol.

+++

Pizza or chicken for dinner tonight the newest message from Chanyeol asks, and Baekhyun just had lunch, but somehow he can’t wait for dinner.

Pizza *___________________* he quickly replies. He wants to go back to the contract he’s been reading, but Chanyeol texts as fast as he talks about his new favorite movie.

But that means gym after dinner, Baekhyunnie!

Baekhyun makes a face. Chanyeol claims to hate exercising, but he has managed to drag Baekhyun into a gym more times since they met than Baekhyun has been there in the year before. In Baekhyun’s defence, sweaty, grunting Chanyeol is a sight to behold.

Life has settled into a rhythm after Minseok’s wedding. It’s a strangely peaceful one, given Baekhyun is dating someone for show. If he is honest with himself, it may be a better one than the rhythm of his life with the person who was supposed to love him for real.

They have breakfast together and go to work. Chanyeol makes it a point for them to eat dinner together as well, either take out on which they agree during the day or Chanyeol’s own cooking. If either of them can’t make it, they let the other know. Chanyeol always wants to do things in late evenings, as if the moment he changes from a suit to soft pants and a big t-shirt or a hoodie, he is recharged with extra energy, like characters in Baekhyun’s games. Only that means he wants to go out, to bowl or to play pool or golf in one of the city’s driving ranges or even just see a movie. He just wants to get out to walk by the river or to listen to a band, and Baekhyun gets invited every single time.

Only Baekhyun is a homebody, and even if being with Chanyeol is so much fun, sometimes he just wants to sprawl over the couch and watch a movie or play a game. Chanyeol always looks a little sad when he rejects the invitation, but soon they find a compromised routine where Chanyeol sometimes goes out without him, Sehun usually a willing partner in crime instead, and sometimes Chanyeol stays behind with Baekhyun, indulging his gaming ways or dragging Baekhyun into his music sessions, playing or singing or letting Chanyeol bounce ideas for songs and lyrics off him.

The number of paparazzi stalking the apartment dwindles and when Yoora finally brings Toben over, it’s chilly outside already, but the tiny ball of black curly fur and energy brings another layer of domestic happiness to their routine.

Chanyeol is not home when Yoora comes over.

“I knew he'd have a long day today,” she admits to Baekhyun, who feels a little lost in Chanyeol’s kitchen without him. His sweatpants are too long and he’s been sobbing about the ending of a drama episode he’s been watching, so he can only imagine he’s a mess to look at.

“He would have liked to see you,” he says in the end, and Yoora takes over making tea for both of them.

“I needed to give you a rundown on Toben care. Well, on Chanyeol care when Toben is around, really. And he would just get in the way, making light of it all and distracting you and me both with his ridiculous pouting.”

Baekhyun smiles at the image, but focuses back on what Yoora has to say. Chanyeol is allergic; Baekhyun could never forget that because Chanyeol is so sad every time he talks about it. He seems to love all animals, and sometimes, when Chanyeol pulls Baekhyun out for a walk, it feels like it’s Chanyeol who’s on a leash, and has to be pulled by his hand so that they don’t get stuck in a staring match with every single dog they meet.

Yoora explains about the hands washing and limited cuddling time and more frequent apartment cleaning. She teaches Baekhyun about the dosage of Chanyeol’s allergy meds that he tends to forget to take and explains how he can handle having Toben over for a few months at a time. However there always comes a time when he needs a bit of a break, from the constant attack of fur and the meds both, even if he never wants to admit it.

“Don't let Toben into bed with you,” she says, “Ideally just keep him out of the bedroom, so that it’s a reprieve. Well, he’d probably be in the way there anyway, now,” she giggles, and Baekhyun wishes. “You’ll help, right? I can count on you now.”

Baekhyun just nods and runs down his mental notes so he doesn’t forget anything. “You can count on me, noona,” he says, and flashes her his best capable Baekhyun smile.

“You’re so cute.” Yoora smiles at him, a wide kind of smile that makes her resemblance to Chanyeol even more obvious, and Baekhyun blinks at her. She’s so warm to him and his stomach turns when he reminds himself he’s just playing her too. It would be so lovely to have her really be his family.

+++

Chanyeol doesn’t talk much about how his sudden publicized Las Vegas wedding really influenced his effort at the company. It’s not publically traded, yet, even if it’s been considered for some time now, so that is a blessing. Chanyeol has days when he comes back from work and Baekhyun can tell it was a good day, that Chanyeol feels like he is really doing something right. However there are days too when he comes home exhausted and closed off because he doesn’t want to talk about his problems, doesn’t want to show how frustrated he is. As time passes, Baekhyun learns those are usually the days of board meetings and investors complaining about the level of money going back into research and revenues after regular reports and planning adjustments.

It’s on those days Baekhyun wants to get through to Chanyeol, more than ever. It’s on those days though that Chanyeol resists the most. Baekhyun resorts to tricks he’s slowly learning that work like flirty come ons and soft touches, a hand in Chanyeol’s messed up hair and on the back of his back as he fuzzes in the kitchen.

Then there’s Toben in Chanyeol’s lap as they eat even if they both know he shouldn’t really be there, and Baekhyun’s piano playing that coaxes Chanyeol out of his room and to sit next to Baekhyun at the piano seat. Chanyeol seems to like Baekhyun’s head on his shoulder as eventually he stops playing and they just look over the piano and out of the window at Seoul illuminated by thousands of lights.

It’s on one of these days that Chanyeol tells him why he was in Las Vegas.

“I was meeting possible new partners. We wanted to create a joint venture maybe, for new research. It could be groundbreaking, but we were just testing waters. I thought, at the time, the meeting went well.”

“Did they pull out because you got married there?”

“They took a step back,” Chanyeol says hesitantly, like he is still not sure what the extent of the damage is. “I think it was more because they figured out it means the meeting wasn’t as covert, as confidential as they hoped for, as I assured them it would be. I think I was followed, and publicizing the wedding was the way to put us in our place. We’re not the only ones trying to secure this partnership.”

“Do you know who it was?” Baekhyun asks, indignant. “I mean, there are ways to find out. Could you sue for stalking or at least defamation?”

“Baekhyun, the wedding did happen,” Chanyeol reasons, sounding resigned. “They weren’t publishing information that was false. Actually it’s us who’s lying.”

“Who cares? You just need to fight back. Stand up tall! Don’t draw your tail between your legs.” Baekhyun is so upset.

“I’m not a dog,” Chanyeol chuckles tiredly. “And this is not how I want to do things.”

“And how do you want to do things?” Baekhyun jostles in his irritation and Chanyeol grabs for Baekhyun’s thigh to pull him closer. His fingers slip along the inseam on the inside of Baekhyun’s thigh, distracting. This piano bench isn’t the most comfortable place to cuddle or each other. Baekhyun wishes they were on the couch at least, so he could let Chanyeol wrap himself around Baekhyun how he’s done a few times already during a movie. He knows Chanyeol finds comfort in that.

“I just want this company to be best at what it does, let our work speak for us. I’m sure we will be recognized then by our potential partners too. I don’t want to stoop to backhanded tactics. It’s not worth it.” Chanyeol’s always so passionate, but also way too principled for running a pharma company.

“Chanyeol, you’re too good to be in business.” Baekhyun sighs.

“Business can be run so that it leads to sustainable development. I want to run a truly socially responsible company, clean, and open, that believes in their people and the good in them.”

Chanyeol is like that, always, in all his relationships and acts, an open book full of optimism and good intentions, kind and idealistic, and soft hearted to the point Baekhyun wants to protect his heart and soul from the inevitable heartbreak he must face on regular basis.

“I don't know if you are very ahead of this generation of business or if you’re just a fool,” Baekhyun sighs. “Just don’t forget you’re allowed to protect yourself and things you love and built. Let me help or let some other, better lawyer help. You can be strong in many ways.”

“You don’t have to be worried about me.” Chanyeol’s hand is now rubbing circles just above Baekhyun’s knee. Baekhyun’s stomach is cramping as he tries to hold still because when Chanyeol is sharing things with him, this openly, he wants to listen and not let his cravings get the better of him.

“Of course I have to be worried about you. We’re married.” Baekhyun puffs his cheeks out and Chanyeol twitches in unmistakable laughter next to him. “Well, kind of, in some parts of this world anyway,” Baekhyun concedes.

Chanyeol just reaches over with his other hand and pulls Baekhyun so they’re facing each other. He leans down and Baekhyun waits for the kiss, can almost taste it on his lips, except Chanyeol kisses the crown of his head only. Baekhyun figures he’s imagined it, Chanyeol looking down at his lips. He sighs and rests his forehead against Chanyeol’s shoulder and presses his right hand to where Chanyeol’s heart is. He wonders if it would be easier to protect Chanyeol’s heart if this love wasn’t so fake.

+++

“In the span of a few months you have turned into an old boring married man,” Jongdae complains to Baekhyun over their regular lunch. “You’re no fun.”

“I’m not that married. I’ve always been a homebody, and I hate to break it to you Jongdae, but we are kind of old now.”

“Yes, but all you do now is go home and play house with Chanyeol.”

“We don’t play house.” Baekhyun only protests because he feels like he should.

“You do everything together. You have breakfast and dinners together like one happy family and you even raise a dog together,” Jongdae counts on his fingers.

“Toben is Chanyeol’s dog, Jongdae.” He’s a cute, fluffy puppy, just like his owner, always bouncing around with floppy ears and so much energy.

“Right, and how many pictures of Toben, or Toben and you, or Toben and Chanyeol, or Toben, Chanyeol and you are on your phone right now? About a hundred. My point is if I didn’t know better--”

“Stop it.” Baekhyun doesn’t want to know what is at the end of that Jongdae’s sentence. “Chanyeol is basically like a roommate. Admittedly, a very well adjusted roommate but that’s it. Like he won’t even have with me, and I wish he just would, so I could finally get over feeling I will suffocate from all this tension. I can only in the shower with a fist in my mouth for so long.”

Jongdae makes a face. “Baekhyun, you probably like to have a fist in your mouth. Even more if it was Chanyeol’s.”

“Oh god, shut up, don’t give me ideas.” Baekhyun has plenty of those. ”Jongdae, why won’t he sleep with me? I know he was willing to at some point. Okay, he didn’t know me then, but like…” Baekhyun’s throat is dry just thinking of Chanyeol. He’s going to go crazy soon.

“Baekhyun, I seriously doubt it’s your personality that is putting Chanyeol off sleeping with you. If anything, every time I’ve seen him, he’s looked at you like you hung the moon.”

“Yeah, right, and men will live on Mars within a year.” Baekhyun sighs. “I wish he’d just put me out of my misery. I can’t stop thinking about how it would feel, or how it felt because it may have happened, but I don’t remember a minute of it. We are pretending to be seriously dating, the least he could do is cater to my needs.”

“But isn’t that just it?” Jongdae finishes eating and fixes Baekhyun with a serious look.

“What, is a normal human need, Jongdae. Just because you regularly get some, you couldn’t have forgotten that.”

“No, Baekhyun. I told you; you act like an old happily married couple,” Jongdae talks to him like he is obtuse on purpose. “Minseok and Joohyun could learn from you, really. So if you start sleeping with each other, then where is the line? What is real, and are you even still pretending?”

“ doesn’t mean feelings,” Baekhyun protests. It just means Baekhyun wanting to touch every part of Chanyeol and feel Chanyeol’s big hands on his own body. It means Baekhyun dreaming of the way it would feel to kiss across Chanyeol’s lower back where Chanyeol’s apparently hiding an intricate tattoo. How it would feel digging his nails there as they .

Baekhyun only noticed the tattoo last week when Chanyeol was running around the apartment like a headless chicken, without a shirt on, trying to find his special bowling gear, change clothes and eat dinner all at the same time because he was late to a planned bowling showdown. Baekhyun gaped at the thin black lines and pulled on Chanyeol’s elbow to stop him.

“What’s this?” he asked, poking one finger in the middle of the design. Even now Baekhyun’s not sure if it’s a guitar or a complicated constellation that spirals just above the tiny dimples in Chanyeol’s lower back.

“Tattoo?” Chanyeol said, freeing himself from Baekhyun to quickly pull on the t-shirt he picked up right from the dryer.

“You have a tattoo?”

“It’s not something I show off,” Chanyeol said, looking at Baekhyun properly then quickly averting his eyes to study the hardwood floor. “Can’t have it on a more visible place even though I wanted to. Not many people know.”

“What is it?” Baekhyun blurted out, going for Chanyeol’s t-shirt and trying to lift it up. The atmosphere felt kind of heavy. Like he’s learned another one of Chanyeol’s secrets, but this time it was not given away willingly.

“I have to go, Baekhyun,” Chanyeol insisted, stepping away from Baekhyun’s reach and finally locating the bag with his bowling gear in their hallway.

“One day, you’ll finally let me strip your clothes off and I’ll have a really good look at it. With my tongue,” Baekhyun said, catching Chanyeol's eyes. “The sooner the better.”

Chanyeol’s breath hitched and he blushed so hard his ears were still red when he finally managed to leave.

“Earth to Baekhyun,” Jongdae’s loud voice startles Baekhyun. “What the hell did you just imagine? Because I swear to god if you’re thinking of Chanyeol’s in your mouth while at lunch with me, you have lost your lunch mate.”

“I’m not,” Baekhyun says, hastily, blinking at Jongdae and the busy restaurant around them.

“I see, then perhaps you have given a good thought about how you're lying to yourself about being able to have without emotions. Baekhyun, I saw you sad for days after one night stands, because they unsurprisingly turned out to be just that.” Jongdae scrunches his nose like he is still judging Baekhyun for that.

“I thought we agreed to not talk about that. Just like we don’t talk about how you wrote about Junmyeon’s cute little cheeks in your diary for weeks as a form of unrequited love therapy, all the way until he finally let you near them.”

“Byun Baekhyun!” Jongdae‘s eye widen.

“An eye for an eye.” Baekhyun grins from across him.

“Well, now that you are paying attention to me again,” Jongdae drawls. “Minseok wants to go out for drinks.”

Baekhyun scrunches his nose. Work has been piling up lately and he promised Chanyeol to go to the gym with him regularly, so he doesn’t think going out to drink with Minseok, who drinks them all under the table, is a good idea.

“Don’t make that face, you old grandpa,” Jongdae pokes him as they get up to pay. “You are just proving my point from earlier. Bring Chanyeol along if you need to. It will be fun.”

“I’ll talk to him about it,” Baekhyun concedes.

“Whipped,” Jongdae mutters and shakes his head.

“Pot Kettle,” Baekhyun shoots back. “That sweater you have on is definitely something only Junmyeon would wear or buy and yet.”

“And here I was, going to pay for your lunch too. But you don’t deserve me, Baekhyun.” Jongdae is whining now, so Baekhyun pays and pokes more fun at him about his casual Friday clothing choices all the way back to their office.

+++

When they finally do manage to go out for drinks, the fall chill has really set in. It’s actually Chanyeol who suggests the place, a music bar, with a live band and a dance floor for late nights. It’s Jongdae though who invites Sehun and Amber because he apparently keeps in touch with them. Of course he does.

“Judging by this place and music, you seem to have pretty good taste. How did you end up with Baekhyun again?” Yoona, who tags along, asks Chanyeol when the first band takes a break and they all have at least two rounds of drinks in them.

“Baekhyun has his charms,” Chanyeol says sunnily and grabs for Baekhyun’s hand under the table. He’s always like that, trying to reassure Baekhyun, appease him if he thinks Baekhyun might not like something. Jongdae laughs like a hyena, and Baekhyun doesn’t know what he is whispering about with Sehun and Junmyeon, but that is probably a good thing.

“Well yes, but I always thought it only worked on the middle aged ladies that Jongdae keeps representing in divorce proceedings,” Yoona muses, and maybe she isn’t worth all that gold after all.

“Hey,” Baekhyun protests, hiding his face in Chanyeol’s shoulder because it’s right there. “It just means their taste improves with their divorce. Obviously they want to take me out for lunch once they’re finally free. Jongdae is just jealous it’s not him they want to spend their alimony on even though he got it for them.” Jongdae always complains but in fact, Baekhyun just does him a favor by taking them off his hands and then gently letting them down while Jongdae moves on to the next bloodbath that is an ugly divorce.

“Baekhyun, they buy you a salad and hope you will be their little pet in return,” Jongdae snickers now, however, that traitor.

“I guess it means Baekhyun gives off that vibe that makes people want to take care of him. That’s not such a bad trait, is it?” Junmyeon muses.

“You mean he attracts sugar mamas?” Sehun asks, looking intrigued. His arm is around Junmyeon’s shoulders, but Jongdae seems to be strangely content about it. Chanyeol chokes on his beer.

“I hate that our friends get along.” Baekhyun hisses from next to him. “I want a divorce.”

Chanyeol turns to him with his eyes purposefully open wide and a mouth in a pout. “But you love me,” he says and plants a big kiss on Baekhyun’s mouth. Baekhyun sputters and doesn’t know where to hide this time, as his neck flares with heat.

Jongdae cackles and Amber tells Chanyeol to take it easy if he’s already smooching people. Chanyeol, Baekhyun already knows, is an affectionate drunk. In a way that too explains a lot about the night they met. But Baekhyun also knows that a paparazzi has followed their taxi all the way to this club. Today they’re playing it up, not just for the sake of their friends.

After another band has finished playing, the girls want to dance, and Baekhyun and Chanyeol observe as Sehun pays way too much attention to Yoona on the dance floor while Minseok orbits around Joohyun like she is his sun.

“Does Sehun like older women?” Baekhyun asks and Chanyeol guffaws.

“He likes noonas, alright, and his plethora of hyungs. Mostly because they end up doting on him and he enjoys it,” Chanyeol explains.

Chanyeol and Sehun seem to have that in common. Baekhyun’s pretty sure Chanyeol likes Baekhyun’s friends so much because they aren’t, unlike his own, immune to his cute ways and pet him for it like he really is a puppy. They are all so charmed, Baekhyun thinks it’s a little alarming. Right now thought there’s only Baekhyun here to give Chanyeol his attention, and he does, carding his fingers through his hair and rubbing the shell of his ear. Chanyeol sighs and leans into Baekhyun more.

“So he’s a brat,” Baekhyun voices in the end, when he sees Sehun sidle up to Minseok next.

“Maybe,” Chanyeol’s mumbling things practically into Baekhyun’s neck now, and Baekhyun has goosebumps rising on the skin there. “But a loyal brat. You can always count on Sehun.”

Baekhyun remembers the day he’s found all of his things moved to Chanyeol’s apartment and Sehun’s note, and he believes Sehun’s friends really can.

“You can count on me too, now,” he says to Chanyeol, and Chanyeol squeezes his thigh under the table.

“Stop cuddling and come dance with us!” Amber shouts at them as she passes on her way to the bar for more drinks and Chanyeol laughs. Baekhyun shivers at the feel of it under his jaw.

“I’m drunk. I’ll step on your feet,” Chanyeol murmurs.

“I can handle it.” Baekhyun thinks if Chanyeol doesn’t give him a bit of space, he’s going to suffocate soon. Stepped on feet are nothing against soft tipsy Chanyeol nuzzling his pulse point, probably feeling his racing heart there.

“Of course you can, my brave Baekhyunnie.” Chanyeol squeezes Baekhyun’s thigh one more time under the table and obediently shuffles out of their seating box when Amber waves at them again. He doesn't let go of Baekhyun though, only shifting his hand so it holds Baekhyun’s as he pulls him onto the dance floor.

Chanyeol keeps close while they dance too, essentially ending up clinging to Baekhyun’s back like a koala, even when Minseok dances over to them, swaying in sync with Baekhyun and eventually telling him he really likes Chanyeol now that they got to properly interact.

It feels like the final approval and Chanyeol laughs into Baekhyun’s hair, seemingly having the same thought.

“Did he just give us his blessing?” he asks, sounding pleased. Baekhyun wants to roll his eyes, but doesn’t really manage to because it seems like Minseok really did. Instead he turns around in Chanyeol’s hold, properly looping his hands behind his neck and breathing him in. He’s in that state between pleasantly buzzed and really drunk, and all he wants is to dance with Chanyeol even if they probably lost the music’s rhythm a long time ago.

Chanyeol quiets like this, pulling Baekhyun in but letting him lead as they move in their tiny bubble, ignoring the bodies pushing around them. When Baekhyun reaches on his tiptoes and kisses Chanyeol, he’s long forgotten about the paparazzi he’s seen taking obvious pictures from the bar stool. Chanyeol’s lips are chapped and taste like beer, but he gasps and chases Baekhyun’s tongue into his mouth, and Baekhyun swears he will remember this kiss.

In the cab on the way home, Baekhyun tries to leave a hickey on Chanyeol’s neck so that Chanyeol remembers this too, has to think about it like Baekhyun undoubtedly will. Chanyeol giggles but pulls at Baekhyun’s hair until they’re kissing again. The kiss grows soft and fumbling too soon as Baekhyun slowly lets the alcohol drain the last of his energy. He wakes up, the next morning, in his bed in Chanyeol’s guest bedroom, alone with a headache and swollen lips and a glass of water and painkillers on the nightstand.

There are pictures of them kissing on the internet and when Baekhyun emerges from his cocoon a couple hours later, Chanyeol very politely thanks him for the kissing like it was for a show. He also cooks Baekhyun hangover soup, so Baekhyun forgives him for the way he doesn’t look into Baekhyun’s eyes for the rest of the day. Baekhyun thinks he knows now that the hardest part about loving Chanyeol will be all the inevitable rejections.

+++

Baekhyun is assigned to a new client at the beginning of November. Well, it’s Changmin’s--Baekhyun’s boss and firm partner--client, but it would be Baekhyun handling most of the job unless it becomes big scale. Baekhyun doesn’t have a good feeling about it, even before he meets the client’s team. He chalks it up to the fact the client is a biomedical engineering company and Baekhyun, despite years of training in rationality, does not believe in coincidences as much as he should. But his firm, as well as Baekhyun himself, has a list of companies they won't represent due to conflict of interest and these guys aren’t on it, so he prepares for the first meeting the best he can.

It goes...relatively well. If Baekhyun ignores the weird looks the client’s inhouse lawyer and CEO both give him, coupled with a snicker or two that only Baekhyun seems to notice. The feeling of foreboding intensifies as the client explains they want to be represented during a deal negotiation with an American based company for a big project. Potentially, they are looking at a joint venture deal. Given Baekhyun's firm’s ties to the U.S. West coast and its track with business law cases like this, it makes sense. Changmin is super excited because this is a big opportunity. And it’s not like Baekhyun can’t see the billable hours rolling in either.

When Baekhyun gets out of work, late and unsettled, it’s raining. It’s the unrelenting, cold, November rain, and Baekhyun can’t help but feeling it’s a sign. The unease rolls through him all the way to Chanyeol’s apartment, and it only intensifies when he finds it empty. Chanyeol mentioned he might be a bit late himself today, but he hasn’t messaged all day, so Baekhyun assumed he’d find him home already. There were promises of pasta, but it’s almost eight in the evening, so Baekhyun turns all the lights in the apartment on and makes ramen.

The rain doesn’t stop, and Baekhyun only walks Toben around a few apartment blocks before they’re back inside. Baekhyun is miserable and Toben senses his mood, anxiously circling him until Baekhyun settles on a cushion in front of the big glass wall, watching the rain wash away the lights of Seoul. He can’t very well tell Chanyeol what he’s starting to work on, not with names. He can’t be specific enough either, without company’s names, to check if what he’s dreading is really true. Right now all he can do is wait.

Baekhyun hates waiting. He’s been waiting for almost three months now for Chanyeol to realize their arrangement is a terrible idea and that Baekhyun cannot handle it. He has been waiting for the day he finds himself on Jongdae’s couch again, probably with his heart more broken than the last time. He’s been waiting for someone to see through their lies, and for the day he stops feeling like not being able to keep Chanyeol and this fairytale version of his life will be like losing the best part of himself. He’s been waiting for the fall cold to hit him, finally overcoming the warmth Chanyeol’s presence in his life brought into his skin. Now maybe all that wait will come to an end, at last, all at once. But still Baekhyun has to wait some more, even for that to unfold.

He hears Chanyeol come in and call for him. Toben runs to his rightful master, and Baekhyun curls his fingers into the pillow underneath him.

“Why are you sitting here with all the lights on?” Chanyeol asks from behind Baekhyun, just a moment later. Baekhyun can hear him slipping out of his suit jacket, but he doesn’t turn around yet to look. He isn’t sure what his face would show Chanyeol right now. Despite his terrible mood, the fact Chanyeol is home at last, makes him feel lighter already.

“It’s too dark outside,” he only says.

“Are you like afraid of the storm or something?” Chanyeol sounds confused. It’s not really a storm either, just a persistent rain, but it makes everything feel blurred, sinister.

“Would you let me sleep in bed with you tonight if I told you I am?” Baekhyun asks, choosing to try and fluster Chanyeol to lift his own spirits and the strange mood around them.

“I…” Chanyeol hesitates, no quick denial like usual, and Baekhyun looks around and up at him at last. Chanyeol looks confused, but earnest. Baekhyun probably wasn’t as convincing as he thought in his bravado.

“Oh god, Chanyeol, I can’t even take advantage of you when you’re like this.” Chanyeol once again just wants to make things right.

“Are you trying to take advantage of me?” Chanyeol bristles a little, and it hasn't happened for so long, Baekhyun hitting that chord and finding it sensitive, that it surprises him.

“No, I think I made that clear in the past three months. No trying to ride on your back, Chanyeol,” Baekhyun says, finally getting up so he doesn’t have to look up at Chanyeol, not that much anyway. “Well, I’d like to, a little, hopefully in bed,” he shrugs and purses his lips. “But mostly I’m just here out of the goodness of my heart,” he says.

Chanyeol takes a breath, his face is still kind of serious, and it’s like he’s weighing what to say and where to poke at Baekhyun’s false front.

“Just, I try to remind myself that this is not real, that it’s not forever or what you wanted,” Chanyeol says at last, and it’s not at all what Baekhyun expects to hear. It seems non-sequitur even, like Chanyeol’s own thoughts and Baekhyun’s state of mind and the rain got to both of them. “You don’t look happy right now,” Chanyeol adds as he turns around and starts walking towards his bedroom. “I had a long day and had to go to dinner with some officials. I’m sorry I didn’t send a text.”

Baekhyun wasn’t even upset about that; he doesn’t expect Chanyeol to report to him.

“I’ve had ramen,” he says in return. “And a long day too, I suppose.”

Chanyeol stands in the door to his bedroom for a moment, then steps inside. “So, are you coming?” he asks, and Baekhyun is left gaping as Chanyeol moves further into his room to change into his pajamas.

Baekhyun washes his teeth super fast and when he comes to stand in front of Chanyeol’s bedroom, the door is still open. Chanyeol seems to be washing up too, and Baekhyun slips under the covers of his big bed with his heart trying to beat out of his chest. When Chanyeol comes out of the bathroom, he just looks at his bed and Baekhyun in it for a moment, then moves to switch of the light.

Baekhyun wishes he could read Chanyeol at least half as well as Chanyeol can read him.

“Goodnight, Baekhyun,” Chanyeol says and lies down on his side, facing away from Baekhyun.

“Chanyeol,” Baekhyun says, barely a whisper. He turns to face Chanyeol’s broad back, feels more than sees it moving with Chanyeol’s breathing. “You don’t have to try so hard.” Saying anything more doesn’t feel safe.

Chanyeol doesn’t respond, and Baekhyun falls asleep thinking it has become too easy, finding reasons to love Chanyeol.

+++

In the morning, Chanyeol admits his mom took him out to lunch the day before and asked him when they planned to register their marriage in Korea.

“She said that since we’re living together anyway and things are going well, we should just do it, so we can bury the strange Vegas wedding forever and let people focus on more important things.”

Baekhyun gets a text about it just twenty minutes later. Granted, it’s polite and more about how Chanyeol’s mom would like to finally officially call Baekhyun her son, but the underlying message is clear.

“We have to find a way to get you out of this,” Chanyeol says before they leave the apartment that morning. “I just wish I had more time,” he adds, almost as if to himself, just as they reach the elevator.

In the evening, the door to Chanyeol’s bedroom stays open as they get ready for bed. Baekhyun watches it like a hawk from where he is drinking a cup of water, already in his sleeping clothes. Chanyeol eventually appears in the doorway. Baekhyun thinks he could cut the silence spreading between them.

“If you sleep in the same bed with me, we can at least stop worrying about my mom coming over with wedding invitation samples and finding you in the guest bedroom,” Chanyeol says in the end.

Baekhyun blinks. He remembers that it was him, at the very beginning, who didn’t want to stay in Chanyeol’s bed because it would be dangerous. Only now, Baekhyun is beyond the point of saving anyway. And he’d take whatever he is given, even if it’s just Chanyeol's soft breathing and cold toes pressing into his shin under the blankets.

“I feel like we could both use one less worry right now,” Chanyeol adds after another silent moment.

Baekhyun grabs his toothbrush and moves it to Chanyeol’s bathroom. The guest room becomes just that again, and Baekhyun learns how Chanyeol’s breathing evens out when he falls asleep and how they share the hate of the morning alarm clock.

On Saturday, barely a week later, he wakes up with Chanyeol draped over his back, and Sehun sitting on the edge of their bed, laughing gleefully.

“Chanyeol, you forgot about our gym date, so I came to kick you out of the bed,” he says. “I should’ve known not to bother.”

Chanyeol groans into Baekhyun's neck but doesn’t move away, if anything the arm thrown over Baekhyun's side curls around his waist and pulls Baekhyun closer. Baekhyun hides his face into his pillow because he can feel all of Chanyeol against his back, and he’s seconds from gasping at the way his body screams for more.

“Go away, Sehun-ah. I’m changing the passcode on you the moment I get up,” Chanyeol whines into Baekhyun’s neck, and Baekhyun’s so sensitive there that he can’t help squirming. He’s going to jump out of his skin soon.

“Yeah I better, I’m not here to witness your anyway, you exhibitionist,” Sehun says, sounding pouty. “Whenever you’re done, I’m having breakfast in your kitchen.”

Chanyeol stiffens at that. He pulls away from Baekhyun just as the door closes behind Sehun.

“Sorry,” he mutters, and he’s out of the bed before Baekhyun can do more than shakilly exhale. He wonders, as he jerks himself off in the shower, remembering Chanyeol’s body pressed into him from behind, the feel of his full against Baekhyun’s , if Chanyeol sometimes hears him now. Because all of Baekhyun’s toiletries are in Chanyeol’s en suite bathroom now, and the only thing left in the guestroom are the clothes Baekhyun rarely wears.

+++

It takes another two weeks for Baekhyun to confirm what he’s been dreading. During the first meeting between his new client and their potential US business partner, they discuss including an exclusivity clause in the contract. It would mean the parties would first have to try to agree on terms of any cooperation among themselves before looking elsewhere. The example given is Chanyeol’s company, and the client’s in-house lawyer is looking pointedly at Baekhyun as he says it.

The people from the opposite party look a little taken aback themselves at the mention of Chanyeol’s company name, and Baekhyun stands up from his seat abruptly.

“I can’t be in this room,” he says. That’s not how this should be done. He should calmly explain and excuse himself, but all he can do is turn around and quickly leave. He’s gasping for breath outside, knowing now for sure he’s been helping with preparations for a deal Chanyeol had been hoping to get during that Las Vegas trip. He wishes he acted sooner or that just this one time he had deduced it wrong.

Changmin comes out, five minutes later, looking livid, and Baekhyun wants to crawl somewhere dark and never come out.

“I can’t work on this case,” he says, before Changmin can tell him off for his unprofessional behaviour.

“What do you mean you can’t work on this case? They specifically requested you when they came to me. They said they had great references on you,” Changmin sounds as upset as he looks, even as he whispers because they are just outside the conference room.

“Chanyeol,” Baekhyun starts saying and he almost chokes on the name. “Chanyeol was trying to cooperate with these Americans. I believe on the same project even. This client, they, I--”

The client’s in-house lawyer comes out of the conference room then, and Baekhyun tries to stand up taller, because now he understands this was a scheme, just as much as it was a business deal.

“Gentlemen, is everything alright?” he asks, and his eyes are on Baekhyun again, calculating.

“There seems to be a bit of a problem, but I’m sure we can resolve it if you just gave us another minute,” Changmin says, suddenly appearing magically calm.

“Is this about Mr. Byun’s involvement with Park Chanyeol?” the man asks, cold and matter of fact.

Even Changmin seems taken aback now.

“Because we are aware of the connection, and we were from the very beginning willing to overlook it. We want Mr. Byun to be part of the team.”

“I suppose you must have mentioned this information to me,” Changmin says, clearly looking for something in the man’s reaction now.

“I will no longer work on this negotiation,” Baekhyun interrupts him. “I’m considering this situation to be a conflict of interests.”

“How so? The only way that would be is if Park Chanyeol knows about this partnership from you. Or attempted it before us?” He’s playing dumb, that is clear now. “The second is improbable as we would surely hear if there were official negotiations and the first I believe is something a professional like you, Mr. Byun, would never let happen.”

Baekhyun’s managed to get his shaking legs under control. He stands that bit taller as he pushes off the wall.

“Of course that would never happen,” he says, looking right at the man. “However, I believe that this firm’s integrity is built on strong principles, thanks to which we are able to provide the best services to our clients. I don’t wish to compromise it by the misunderstanding of us working together might cause, once this partnership becomes public. It would not be good for this firm, or for you and your partnership overall, I believe.” He can’t even imagine what the public would make of information that Park Chanyeol’s partner helped his competition seal a deal as significant as this one is shaping up to be.

He realizes Changmin too has caught on and now seems approving of Baekhyun’s explanation by the way he seems to take a breath.

“Well then, we’ll have to reconsider this cooperation entirely,” the client’s in-house lawyer says. “If you excuse me, I think we shouldn’t leave the others waiting,” he adds as he leaves, one last smirk thrown their way, openly now.

Baekhyun bows to Changmin the moment the man is back inside the conference room.

“I’m sorry. But I really can’t.” If the firm loses this job, it will definitely be viewed as his fault, one way or the other. “I should have realized sooner.”

Changmin coughs and Baekhyun straightens. “Yes, you probably should have. But I can see they’re trying to use you, somehow. I don’t appreciate our clients not disclosing information to us that is essential to the case they have us working on.”

Baekhyun wishes, sometimes, Changmin wasn’t actually so bright. He doesn't want to discuss the possibility he has become a toy in some competition battle, and with him this entire law firm.

“I am going to go back and see what I can salvage. You go and get yourself together. I don’t want to see you near them again.”

Baekhyun nods and notices Yoona coming around the corner with a water bottle in hand. Seulgi must have emailed her from inside the conference room. Baekhyun feels like a fool. Like a very incapable fool. How did he think for one moment that he could protect Chanyeol?

+++

Jongdae finds Baekhyun at the end of the day, hiding in the tiny conference room at the far end of their offices. Baekhyun was made to sign another ridiculous non-disclosure agreement once the meeting with the client ended, with fines so high his head spun just reading about them. He was treated not as a lawyer who acted ethically and who has had the duty of confidentiality built into him from the moment he stepped into law school, but as a nuisance, an annoying issue that needs to be solved. The client is staying with the firm, probably thanks to the fact Changmin charmed the pants off their CEO, or maybe because that is enough to be used later for whatever they are scheming, but Baekhyun isn’t actually relieved by the news. He didn't expect to be, anyway.

“You had yourself taken off the case?” Jongdae asks. When he turns the lights on, he gets a good look at Baekhyun and the next moment he is sitting half on the same chair as Baekhyun and his arm is wrapped around Baekhyun’s shoulders.

Jongdae shouldn’t know either, the extent of the mess Baekhyun has gotten into, but Jongdae is not Chanyeol, and Baekhyun can’t hold this in, can’t bare to carry the weight of the situation alone. And Chanyeol can’t be the one he shares it with.

“I can’t ever tell him,” he says when he finishes the whole story.

“You probably really should,” Jongdae sighs. He’s hugging Baekhyun with his jacket still on. It just serves to highlight the complete ing mess Baekhyun's in.

“No I can’t. If he does one thing that even smells like he knows what’s going on, or that they are trying to intimidate him through me somehow, then he’s in trouble, his company is in trouble, I am in trouble, this firm is in trouble. Trouble is a wrong word. Everything is ed.”

“Baekhyun,” Jongdae tries to say more, but Baekhyun’s not done.

“This way, the only thing that will be ed is my fake relationship, the moment this deal gets out with the name of this firm attached to it.”

“Baekhyun, it’s not like that.”

“I just wanted--” Baekhyun has trouble breathing again. “I wanted to prove I was good enough. That’s what I promised to Chanyeol from the very beginning. Instead, I’m a liability.”

“This is not your fault.” Jongdae shakes Baekhyun.

“And yet here we are,” Baekhyun says weakly.

“This too shall pass.” Jongdae sounds almost confident. He rubs Baekhyun’s back and sits with him until Baekhyun feels like he can at least go pick up his stuff and go home. He’s not so sure about being ready to face Chanyeol, but he may never be ready to do that again.

Chanyeol’s birthday is in a week, and Baekhyun’s been planning a birthday party. He wonders if he at least has time until then, to give Chanyeol the best birthday he could think of. He thinks that in the little time he may now have left to love Chanyeol, he will do his best.

+++

Chanyeol’s birthday is on Friday, and Baekhyun takes the day off. It was much less of a problem than he anticipated, mostly because Changmin doesn’t want him even possibly bumping into anyone related to the biomedicine deal while the negotiations continue.

When the alarm clock sounds off in the morning, Baekhyun pushes through the desire to just sleep more and pinches himself to stay awake just as Chanyeol presses the snooze button for the first time. He has to carefully extract himself from the bed and from underneath Chanyeol’s arm. On most nights, Chanyeol gravitates towards Baekhyun or maybe Baekhyun finds Chanyeol. They both like to stay warm, and that’s what Chanyeol chalked it up to that first and only one time he actually had to address it in front of Sehun.

Baekhyun looks at Chanyeol’s long limbs as he sprawls on the bed for a bit, but he doesn't want to be in a wistful mood today even if the last few days have been so tense he could barely sleep or eat. Chanyeol has definitely noticed, but he seems to think it’s because Baekhyun feels pressured by Chanyeol’s mom and her continuous hints they should get married this winter.

“Just tell her I want a summer wedding?” Baekhyun said, shrugging, when Chanyeol asked him about it.

But Chanyeol isn’t convinced and he keeps suggesting ridiculous ways for how to cancel or postpone the wedding until an undetermined time far off in the future.

When the alarm clock chimes the second time from Chanyeol’s phone, Baekhyun slips out of the bedroom.

 

“Happy birthday!” Baekhyun says when Chanyeol walks out into the kitchen, already in his work clothes, thirty minutes later.

Chanyeol blinks. “Oh,” he says, and he is so surprised. Did he really think Baekhyun would forget? Or not want to celebrate?

“You made breakfast?” he asks in the end, surveying the set table, rice and eggs and tiny sausages and all kinds of side dishes.

“I tried?” Baekhyun replies a little wrongfooted by how startled Chanyeol looks.

Chanyeol seems to put himself together as Toben pads towards him with silly birthday hat on his head. Baekhyun thinks he’s going to shake it off soon, but it was worth it for the cooing laughter it pulls from Chanyeol as he pulls Toben into his arms and lets him give Chanyeol ill-advised dog kisses.

“So does this mean that all this time you’ve been withholding the important information that you can make food from me?” Chanyeol asks in the end as he slides onto his chair. “Or,” and his eyes finally light up all the way, like Baekhyun loves it the most. “Is this just for me?”

Baekhyun wants to say no, just to be contrary and to tease, but he also wants to say yes, and in the end he just stands there caught in the middle. Chanyeol’s smile gets wider.

“I thought you liked our arrangement where you cook and I manage the clean up,” Baekhyun says at last, but Chanyeol is only laughing.

“Thank you for the breakfast, Baekhyun,” he says, and pats the chair next to him for Baekhyun to sit on.

Chanyeol is surprised all over again when Baekhyun tells him he arranged for him to have lunch with his parents to celebrate so that he has his evening free and that he should listen to his secretary when she tells him to leave work at no later than four in the afternoon.

“I know you have no meetings after that,” Baekhyun says before Chanyeol tries to protest.

“How?” Chanyeol starts but then shakes his head and only stuffs another spoonful of rice into his mouth with a smile. As they finish, he sighs happily.

“This was the best birthday breakfast ever,” he says. He’s probably lying, but Baekhyun refuses to think like that today. “What if we told my mom that you have discovered your calling recently and want to become a top tier sheff so you need to go and study the trade in Europe for a year or five?”

Baekhyun deflates. He may know he won’t be able to stay with Chanyeol for much longer, much less forever, but the constant suggestions that he basically disappears from not only Chanyeol’s life but this country are getting too much.

“Stop trying to send me away and across the universe, Chanyeol,” he says, sharper than he wants to. “Unless you plan to just go away with me,” he adds petulantly.

Chanyeol’s eyes go wide.

“I mean, I can’t be so annoying that, that...” That Chanyeol doesn’t even want a chance of bumping into him again.

Chanyeol is standing in front of him in the next second. “It’s not like that. It’s not like that at all,” he says, and his voice is so deep, so earnest in that moment as he squeezes Baekhyun’s shoulders. “I just need more time,” he adds. He’s been saying that, but he never specifies what he needs the time for.

“You’re so lovely, Baekhyun. I just wish I didn’t get you into this situation in the first place,” Chanyeol mutters in the end and gives Baekhyun another big hug. Baekhyun doesn’t care if he’s messing up Chanyeol’s tie and shirt. He presses closer, taking in Chanyeol’s clean, freshly shaven scent, and for a minute he lets himself just be, in that moment, Chanyeol’s embrace chasing away all the things that are going so very wrong.

Before Chanyeol leaves, once again puzzled by Baekhyun’s announcement that for Chanyeol’s birthday, he’s the one who has a day off, he halts in the doorway, taking in Baekhyun standing there, still in his sleep clothes, with bare feet.

“You’re really the best,” he says.

Baekhyun grins and it is the most honest smile in days, his heart preening at the compliment. “Just wait till the evening,” he says, with a wink.

Chanyeol tilts his head. “Will I be getting a birthday kiss too?” he asks, and Baekhyun is so shocked it’s Chanyeol asking that he freezes. Chanyeol only chuckles, almost deprecating. “Or are you all talk and no bite?”

Baekhyun moves so fast he almost falls on his nose on the slippery wooden floor. He’s still not sure what Chanyeol’s asking for or where this sudden challenge comes from. So instead of kissing the life out of Chanyeol in the hallway, jumping into his arms like in some drama and wrapping around him like ivy, he only grabs his face into both of his hands and places a loud smooch on his left and right cheek.

“There, the first two of your birthday kisses,” he says when he pulls back. Chanyeol is positively bewildered now, and it takes a moment before his eyes clear. But then he smiles down at Baekhyun and ruffles his hair.

“My day is already onto a great start,” he says, and finally leaves. Baekhyun takes Toben for a long walk to get the shakiness out of his knees. He comes back with an idea though.

Chanyeol wants birthday kisses ( ˘ ³˘)♥, he texts Sehun. Can you pass the word around that everyone is to smooch him at least once this evening? (◍´͈ꈊ`͈◍)

Baekhyun. You are an idiot, Sehun texts back. (╯°□°）╯︵ ┻━┻

+++

Baekhyun would like to keep Chanyeol to himself all evening, but that would be selfish love more than anything else. Instead he packs his late afternoon and evening with a kind of relay of things Chanyeol loves.

They go for just one game of bowling with his bowling buddies. On the way to a game of screen golf, an idea that makes Chanyeol laugh so loud and hard he complains of a stomach ache for the next few hours, Baekhyun gets him fries in the McDonald's drive-thru. They go play pool too, before finally going to dinner. At each stop they acquire a couple of Chanyeol’s or now their common friends, and when they finally arrive to a late dinner at Chanyeol’s favorite music bar, Chanyeol is shining like the brightest star, basking in the attention of all the people he loves.

Baekhyun’s managed to talk the music bar into organizing an impromptu open mic night, and Chanyeol pretends to be shy for a bit, but ends up on stage with a guitar, taking requests rather willingly after they are done with food. Once everyone has fooled enough with what turns into an unplugged edition of karaoke, the stage gets taken over by a local indie band Chanyeol likes.

At this point, Baekhyun realizes Chanyeol is a bit overwhelmed. He is clutching onto Baekhyun’s hand way too tightly and hides his face in his neck. He’s touched, almost to the point of tears, so Baekhyun brings him to hide in a quieter corner and properly pulls him in, rubbing circles into his back.

“Just enjoy this, Chanyeol. This is your day,” he whispers, and Chanyeol presses closer, taking shallow breaths in the crook of Baekhyun’s neck.

“It's. Perfect. Too perfect; and it’s all you,” Chanyeol whispers, soppy. His hands are balled in the fabric of Baekhyun’s sweater and are pulling the neck of it down.

Baekhyun chuckles, grabbing Chanyeol’s wrists and rubbing the insides of them to get Chanyeol’s hands to relax. “Sehun helped. Yoora helped. Everybody pitched in somehow. They all love you,” he mutters.

Chanyeol only shakes his head like he can’t believe it, which is silly. Slowly though, he calms down, and when he looks up at Baekhyun again, his eyes are so soft and he is so happy.

One of the best parts of the evening though is that even if Sehun didn’t actually promise to fulfill Baekhyun’s request in the morning, he did come through. The look on Chanyeol’s face every time some attacks him with kisses throughout the night is priceless. Shortly before midnight, when he’s definitely caught on since Baekhyun can’t stop giggling every time it happens, he turns to Baekhyun reproachfully.

“Everyone is kissing me but you,” he pouts. Baekhyun can’t believe this. “Aren’t you supposed to be my husband?”

Baekhyun almost hisses at Chanyeol for that, but the only person close by is Jongdae, who raises an eyebrow in amusement.

“What do you mean? I gave you your very first birthday kiss this morning,” Baekhyun protests. It is super hard to deny Chanyeol anything when he looks at someone like he is looking at Baekhyun right now. He is also somehow pulling at Baekhyun’s sweater again, dragging him closer.

“Kiss, kiss!” Jongdae chants, and Baekhyun is going to smother him one day. The chant gets people's attention and they join in. Baekhyun should really try to escape the situation somehow because it’s just more of the pretense that breaks him in the end. But the fact is he doesn’t want to and when Chanyeol’s eyes drop to his mouth, he slips his hand to the back of Chanyeol’s neck and leans up into the kiss.

There’s a roar of cheers and whistling. Baekhyun can barely hear it through the sound of his heart loud as a stormy ocean in his ears. Chanyeol’s never been this greedy, stealing Baekhyun’s breath and all thought with it. His lips are insistent and he doesn’t let up, his tongue mapping Baekhyun’s mouth and teeth catching on Baekhyun’s bottom lip at the slightest sign that Baekhyun might want to pull away.

“Get a room,” someone shouts, and that finally breaks the spell. Chanyeol jerks against Baekhyun and finally pulls back, just a little. Baekhyun's hand is in Chanyeol’s hair and he keeps Chanyeol close, for just a moment longer, to collect himself. He takes a deep breath and nips at Chanyeol's plush lip one more time. Chanyeol tries to chase his mouth again, but Baekhyun drops down onto his whole feet and steps back.

He can’t take another polite thank you from Chanyeol, even as he sees Chanyeol opening his mouth to probably say something like that or something even worse again. He’s faster this time, glancing at the clock on the wall behind them.

“It’s not your birthday anymore, no more birthday boy kisses for you then,” he says. Chanyeol’s eyes cloud, and Baekhyun turns away from him.

You’re an idiot. It’s Jongdae who texts him this time as Baekhyun hides by the bathrooms. Baekhyun doesn’t deserve this. All he wants is to save himself from the heartache that comes with loving Chanyeol.

+++

The first week of December brings frigid cold weather that finally gets under Baekhyun’s skin, the over the top Christmas lights that apparently Chanyeol loves and wants to install in the apartment as well, and a press release about the failed negotiation attempt of a big biomedical deal that could have brought significant investments and top research knowledge to South Korea. As it turns out, it’s the U.S. side that releases it to the press to effectively put stop to unsatisfying negotiations that were dragging without results.

Baekhyun doesn’t know the details, only what is murmured in the hallways at work. His name is mentioned several times, but Changmin doesn’t talk to him about what went wrong. Of course he doesn’t, and Baekhyun doesn’t want to know a word more than he already does anyway. He is pretty sure though that any hope of ever becoming a partner in this firm has just slipped between his fingers.

The report that their law firm was involved in the negotiation of the deal only comes later in the day. Baekhyun can feel all the walls of his office closing in on him when he sees the first article about it pop up. All day has been like watching a trainwreck in slow motion, and only now comes the impact of the hit.

It’s pretty clear that this information is circulated with a purpose. It serves to make it substantially more difficult for Chanyeol’s company to proceed with possible negotiations, should they wish to do so. It also provides the grounds to implicate Baekhyun and his firm, to create a seed of doubt that could grow into a big scandal at the first chance, if any part of what may come next appears to be a result of using information that should stay confidential to the parties of the failed partnership. A huge lawsuit is just waiting to happen, hanging over them now more than in any other scenario that could have transpired. Either Chanyeol gives up on his deal or he risks losing everything trying to make it happen.

Baekhyun thought he had lived this nightmare enough times in his dreams these past couple of weeks that it cannot hurt anymore, but he’s wrong. When his name appears in article number four as one of the lawyers involved in the negotiations, he shuts his computer and his phone down and leaves.

“Baekhyun,” Yoona rushes after him, and he stops by the door, not really looking at her.

“Chanyeol called the main line. He can’t get in touch with you?” she says, a bit accusingly.

Baekhyun stays mum.

“He sounded worried.”

“I’m just going home,” Baekhyun says, and she grabs his elbow then slides her hand to his wrist to squeeze it.

“I’ll let him know then. Baekhyun,” she hesitates. “You’ll figure it out,” she says in the end. “Chanyeol’s a good man.”

Baekhyun knows he is, but even good men have their limits. Chanyeol's family’s company is his everything. He’s made enough sacrifices in his life for that to be crystal clear. Now, he finally has a way out of the latest cage he’s created for himself, of being trapped with Baekhyun. Who would want a partner that could crush everything by simply existing? No need to ship Baekhyun to an uninhabited island or pretend they slowly grew apart due to Chanyeol’s strenuous schedule, something that Chanyeol’s suggested recently. Baekhyun would never leave someone just because they’re busy, and he told Chanyeol so, angrily then.

“No, of course you wouldn’t, Baekhyunnie,” Chanyeol tried to quickly reassure him. “I didn’t mean to suggest that, but I don't want you to be at fault here.”

“And I wouldn’t be?” Baekhyun bit back. “For leaving you because you work too hard?”

It wasn’t really an argument because Baekhyun left the room before it could become one, shutting himself into the bathroom to wash up and falling into a restless sleep before Chanyeol made it to bed. His heart hurt too much to think what that meant, Chanyeol leaving him more alone than he’s been in months.

Now, however, Baekhyun has no way out, no way of stopping the inevitable. There is no other option. He has to go. Maybe, if Chanyeol has a busy enough of a day at work, Baekhyun could have the essentials packed by the time Chanyeol gets home. That way it will be quick. Not easy though.

+++

Of course, Chanyeol’s already waiting for him in the kitchen when Baekhyun gets to the apartment.

“Yoona told me you cut your day a bit shorter,” he says. He is just standing there, hands in his pockets and face blank. Baekhyun can recognize the overall pose, it is one taught in many of the management trainings Chanyeol’s gone to, purposely relaxed, trying to project calm and control over the situation. Chanyeol’s left eye twitches and Baekhyun knows it's a lie. He bends down to pet Toben. Even when he straightens up again, he doesn’t look up, just nods.

“What’s going on here?” Chanyeol asks when Baekhyun stays quiet. “I read the news, but it makes no sense to me. I mean you would have told me, right?” Chanyeol’s voice breaks at the last word; just like that the mask goes off. He’s pleading.

“No, I wouldn’t have.”

“What?” Chanyeol’s hands fly out of his pockets, but he doesn’t seem to know what to do with them. The anger is now breaking through. “You mean you knew? All this time you’ve been working on, on…” He can’t seem to find the right words for some reason.

“Yes and no,” Baekhyun sighs. That much he can explain, even if it changes nothing. “They approached us over a month ago. I had a weird feeling about it, but at first I wasn’t sure. I didn’t know any names. I thought I was just being paranoid, about the looks and the leering.”

“What--” Chanyeol interrupts, but Baekhyun shakes his head and talks over him.

“Two weeks later during the first meeting with the guys from the U.S., they made a jibe. I knew then, for sure. I left the room, right away. Acted rather unprofessional, really. It was still too late.” Baekhyun doesn’t think he can watch Chanyeol fight with himself any longer.Chanyeol, always so lovely and hiding his negative emotions as long as he can, always more broody than mad, hardly ever angry at others. Chanyeol, who is now pacing from right to left, from left to right in front of Baekhyun.

“So you didn’t actually work on the deal,” Chanyeol says after a moment, like he’s needed time to process what Baekhyun’s saying. He sounds like he’s grasping for the last straw of hope.

“Just long enough for me to be too involved.” Baekhyun laughs, dryly. “I can say this much Chanyeol, they knew what they were doing. They knew I wouldn’t be able to say anything and they made sure I knew too. I had to sign an extra non-disclosure agreement. I’ve worked with their data for two weeks, I heard all about their plans and intentions, read all the investment goals, everything.”

“Still, you should have told me. We could have done something,” Chanyeol's voice rises, and he steps closer to Baekhyun. Anger’s rolling of him now, his eyes dark and hard.

“How could I? Chanyeol, don’t you understand? Anything you could do would just make things that much worse. They’d sue immediately for unfair competition practices. Just the press of it.” Baekhyun needs to take a breath. “You thought marrying a stranger would be bad press, would ruin your chances in the company management. What about an ugly lawsuit about your company using information I should have never disclosed, then?”

“Still. I trusted you,” The accusation behind Chanyeol’s words stings. “I told you things. You should have been open with me.” His words are reproachful, but Chanyeol’s showing how hurt he is now, the last layer of his emotions peeled off. Baekhyun’s stomach rolls, and he wonders if he’s going to throw up.

“No, Chanyeol,” he barrels on anyway. “Talking about anything that was happening was not an option. For your sake and for mine, too. The firm’s reputation would be ruined. That is tons of lawyers compromised. For a lawyer, breaching the confidentiality obligation we have to our clients -- it would ruin me. Not to mention the fines. What would I do then, without work? I have to live off something, when you finally discard me.”

“Discard you?” Chanyeol reaches out for Baekhyun’s shoulders but then lets his hands fall to his sides and closes them into fists. Baekhyun’s own fingers itch. He wants to touch Chanyeol, get him to uncurl. Instead he takes a step back. “You told me yourself that I should protect myself,” Chanyeol breathes out, “protect the things and people I love. You’re my responsibility too. I would have protected you.”

“Chanyeol, you’re not even married to me that much. I’m just a stranger that dragged you into a mess while drunk. I’m not your responsibility. I’m a liability.”

“ that, Baekhyun,” Chanyeol hits his curled fist against the kitchen counter, and his eyes water from how much that probably hurt. “You know that’s not true. Besides, if you’d just told me, I could have made it quietly known we are no longer interested, take the wind from their sails or something.”

“But you are, Chanyeol. You are very interested. Don’t you think I know?” Baekhyun hates that Chanyeol just can’t seem to cut him off when he finally can. “I told you already that you doing anything, even circulating rumors would just implicate you. And now, now that the deal fell through, it’s going to be even harder. Everything you chose to do is going to have my shadow over it.”

“We could have fixed this,” Chanyeol sounds like a broken record. Or maybe just like a broken man. “They can’t use you like this. We still can fix this.”

“Yeah. Which is why we need to break up. Now is your chance Chanyeol. Cut the ties. And maybe then, with time, things can be salvaged.”

Chanyeol gapes at him, speechless for the first time that evening. His face is red, eyes still teary, and his fingers are white from how hard he’s pushing his nails into his palms.

“Two birds with one stone, really,” Baekhyun points out with contempt.

“No,” Chanyeol growls out.

“You’re crazy!” Baekhyun throws his hands in the air. “You’ve spent weeks now trying to come up with a plan to leave me. What are you waiting for?”

“You’re not leaving. Not right now. Not like this,” Chanyeol’s voice is determined, resolute.

“You can’t very well stop me,” Baekhyun spits out.

Chanyeol hangs his head. “I can beg,” he whispers, and Baekhyun sees him shaking, with nerves, sadness, exhaustion probably.

This time, Baekhyun can’t fix it with covert touches and slow piano songs. He suddenly feels so very tired, one hundred years old and shrivelled inside. He doesn’t know what to say. He pours himself a glass of water and turns around. He feels Chanyeol’s eyes on him as he heads for the guest room for the first time in days. He should have known loving Chanyeol would make leaving difficult.

+++

In the morning, Baekhyun wakes up to Chanyeol sleeping on top of his covers, on the very edge of the bed, like he’s ready to bolt. The alarm clock rouses him too, though, and he turns to his side and looks at Baekhyun blearily.

“What are you doing here?” Baekhyun asks. Chanyeol has dark circles under his eyes and looks like he hasn’t slept for weeks, not like he just woke up. The morning stubble and dry lips just make him look more haggard.

“I couldn't sleep without you,” Chanyeol murmurs, like he’s afraid he’s going to spook Baekhyun with louder tone. His voice is scratchy too. Baekhyun aches to touch as he always does, just to soothe him.

“What?” he just asks, instead.

“You move in your sleep and make those sounds of yours and I… I got so used to it that. Being alone in that room, everything quiet and still… It felt like I was trapped somewhere.” Chanyeol’s eyes are steady on Baekhyun, and his hands are curled in the blanket. “And I needed to tell you again that I want you to stay,” he adds when Baekhyun stays mute, still trying to understand.

“Chanyeol, that’s mad,” Baekhyun points out in the end, once more. He’s not shouting like he must have been yesterday though. But someone has to be rational here.

“No it’s not,” Chanyeol argues, reaching out and taking Baekhyun’s hand all of a sudden. “I’m not going to be the person who throws someone away just because I’m in a tight spot.”

Chanyeol's hands are cold, he’s all cold probably, and Baekhyun wants to pull away. “So you’re just saving face.”

“No.” Chanyeol’s voice is hurt, but he pulls on Baekhyun’s hand, presses his fingers between Baekhyun’s. “Let me try again. I am not the kind of person who would push you away just because things are difficult. I’m not saving face, I’m just not succumbing.”

Baekhyun’s throat is tight and he is so close to crying. Chanyeol doesn’t look any better. But when Baekhyun stays silent, he continues. “The last thing I want is for you to be a scapegoat who takes all the blame. Part of me is still...” He pauses, cautiously looking for words, “unhappy that I was kept in the dark, but I understand now too. If you leave now, my situation undoubtedly improves, but yours gets so much worse. That is not the cost I would ever want to pay.”

Baekhyun wanted to protect Chanyeol’s heart. Instead he was an instrument to breaking it one more time. Yet Chanyeol refuses to budge from his principles. Baekhyun loves him for it that much more, even if he is a fool.

“How long are we going to be like this then? How are things ever going to be less difficult?” he asks, choked up, his resolve to leave crumbling.

“I…I don't know that yet,” Chanyeol admits, pulling Baekhyun again, closer, close enough that their toes touch. Chanyeol’s are icy, even through the barrier of the blanket wrapped around Baekhyun. “But I’m asking you to give me time. The last time I made a rush decision, I got you shackled to me, and eventually risked your career on top of putting your life on hold.” Chanyeol looks down on their hands, rubs his thumb over the top of Baekhyun’s. “We’ll end this on our own terms, not because someone is forcing our hand.”

“You mean on your terms,” Baekhyun says shakily, his last attempt to push Chanyeol away.

Chanyeol only pushes his forehead against Baekhyun’s. “I’m asking you to stay. Not forcing you to though. If you really must, I will accept your decision. But if there’s a chance to hold on for a little longer, I...I promise to let--”

Baekhyun pushes the palm of his free hand over Chanyeol’s mouth between them. He doesn’t want to hear a promise of being let down gently. Chanyeol doesn’t fight it, just pulls Baekhyun all the way to him and into his chest. Chanyeol may be cold, but his embrace to Baekhyun will always be warm. Like this though, Baekhyun feels Chanyeol shaking, and he’s not sure which one of them lets out the tiny sob into the quiet of the room. Even as Baekhyun hides from the world in Chanyeol’s hold and tries to hide Chanyeol with him, for just a moment, he is ashamed of ever doubting Chanyeol’s loyalty. He thinks that being loved by Chanyeol might not be something he deserves.

+++

In the next couple of days, there’s a nauseating amount of speculation online and in the press, and some very upsetting meetings in store for both Chanyeol and Baekhyun. At the end of it, there are two more official statements released.

The first one is published on Baekhyun's law firm’s website. It strictly denies any misconduct, expresses support for Baekhyun, and stresses the firm’s commitment to integrity and their client’s confidentiality.

Byun Baekhyun had voluntarily resigned from the negotiation team the moment he discovered any possible conflicts of interests, putting our clients first and high above his own professional growth and recognition. He has proven his credibility and professionality, and has our full support on the matter. We now hope the public stands corrected on the issue of his involvement in this case as it has been brief and ended in the early stages of negotiations. We wish to make our position clear to prevent any unfair defamation of his character or our practices.

Baekhyun knows the statement is more crisis management for the firm’s sake. He still feels the support, even if it may be stronger in the public eye than in reality. Changmin hasn't told him they’re terminating his association contract yet and neither was he stripped of any of the clients handed to him from Changmin. He honestly thanks his past self for having chosen this firm to intern in when still in law school.

The second statement comes from Chanyeol personally. He creates an Instagram account for this very purpose and goes against all the advice of his company's PR team to just lie low. He expresses his support for Baekhyun and his trust in him as a professional and the person who he’s come to know him as. Then he promptly falls victim to Instagram addiction, follows tons of accounts from cute dogs to guitar makers to tattoo artists and starts posting pictures of Toben on his account.

“Chanyeol, your mom has texted me to control you five times in the past two days and called me twice,” Baekhyun says as they sit on the couch, watching some movie because Chanyeol wanted to go out to a movie theatre, but there are paparazzi circling around the apartment building again.

“I’ll tell her to stop calling,” Chanyeol says and makes himself more comfortable, dropping a pillow and then his head onto Baekhyun’s lap and looking up at him instead at the TV screen.

“You’re being reckless again,” Baekhyun sighs, and his fingers automatically find their way into Chanyeol’s hair. Chanyeol sighs in contentment.

“I mean I appreciate your support, but really you’re just creating another layer to untangle from, later when--”

“Shhh,” Chanyeol shushes him. “I thought about this and it’s what I think is for the best.”

“You creating a public Instagram account and posting about your private life on it while everyone waits for one wrong step from you?” Baekhyun doesn’t hide how incredulous he finds it.

“Me showing people who I am and what I think is worth standing up for,” Chanyeol says. “I thought about it a lot, Baekhyun. About my choices and what I want to do in my life. I always thought, you know, ‘be a nice person, do well and your results and actions will speak for you.’ But sometimes in between I got so tangled in it, that instead of letting my actions speak, I started to hide in fear of taking the wrong step.” Chanyeol lifts his arm and pokes Baekhyun in the middle of his chest. “You told me I could fight. I think about that a lot. How I never do these days.”

“I didn’t mean it like that.” Baekhyun may have tried to get Chanyeol defend himself on a few occasions, but he didn’t ever mean it as criticism.

“It’s my effort to be always liked by everyone and never do anything that someone may judge me for that really got us into this situation. But if I want to lead my company one day, I won’t be able to hide like that,” Chanyeol speaks slowly, weighing every word, as to make sure he explains as well as possible. “I’ll always be under scrutiny, always walking on eggshells. I should learn how to do it, not how to avoid it. That also means taking responsibility for mistakes I am bound to make.”

“And you're starting by posting million pictures of your dog on Instagram at the least opportune time?” Baekhyun wants to tell Chanyeol well done, tell him he is amazing. But it’s easier to joke about it, just to make sure Baekhyun doesn’t say too much. Baekhyun, too, is an expert on hiding.

“Hey, people like it!” Chanyeol pouts as he protests. “It makes me more human in their eyes or something like that and I already have like a hundred thousand followers. Even if Sehun claims I have no sense for Instagram aesthetics, whatever that is.”

“You're an idiot,” Baekhyun says. He is still so charmed.

“Well, if I could hide that from our investors, I admit that would be nice,” Chanyeol chuckles and closes his eyes. Baekhyun runs his index finger across the small wrinkle on his forehead and down his nose. He wants to drag a thumb across Chanyeol’s lower lip, but stops himself in time. Chanyeol whines, for no apparent reason, and turns to bury his face into Baekhyun’s stomach. Baekhyun stiffens and his pulse quickens, muscles so tight he isn’t sure he can even move.

“You have such lovely fingers,” Chanyeol mutters. Baekhyun, lost for words, manages to pull at Chanyeol’s hair to get him to move away. It doesn’t work. “I like it when you pay attention to me. It makes everything easier,” Chanyeol adds.

Baekhyun forces himself to relax. He wonders if Chanyeol can feel the way his heart has dropped to the bottom of his stomach.

“What would you even do without me, you big baby?” he chides teasingly. He swears he’s not fishing for a reaction.

“I can’t even imagine that,” Chanyeol mumbles, already half asleep. As Baekhyun feels Chanyeol slipping into dreams, he thinks that what he can’t imagine is not loving Chanyeol.

+++

Things don’t magically get better overnight, even if Chanyeol’s candid Instagram video of Baekhyun attempting to decorate the piano with fairy lights, because he knew Chanyeol would love it, makes it to nearly all of South Korea’s online media with the hashtag #relationshipgoals. It’s the first good press they get after days of rumors about them breaking up, people claiming they saw them arguing in public places, and never ending speculations about the whole partnership debacle. Some conspiracy theories are so wild Baekhyun would be impressed, if they didn’t make him into a Russian spy (among other things).

Chanyeol manages to convince his company board to put all attempts to earn the partnership on hold, and regularly gets chewed out in meetings he attends. Baekhyun’s not surprised about it because having your company permanently on the edge of an unfair competition lawsuit is really not ideal. It’s why he puts those damn fairy lights up and buys Chanyeol and Toben matching ties with Reindeer Rudolph on them. His nose squeaks when pressed on Toben’s tie and lights up on Chanyeol’s.

The tension between them doesn't disappear either. Baekhyun feels like Chanyeol’s biting his tongue not to say something half the time, and wonders if he’s already thought of a viable break up solution, and is just looking for a right time to bring it up. Baekhyun tries hard to hide the stress of his own work and his feelings for Chanyeol and any moodiness from the way this limbo they’re in stretches him thin.

He ends up so exhausted at the end of the day that he just shuts down. That makes Chanyeol antsy because Baekhyun doesn’t want to go out, not even to gym with him. It’s a vicious circle and it needs breaking.

Instead, Baekhyun saves that silly Instagram video where he’s all tangled in Christmas lights on his phone because the audio of it contains Chanyeol laughing freely at him and calling him Baekhyunnie in that soft way he does sometimes, and hangs on for dear life.

+++

Chanyeol’s company organizes a big fundraising dinner on Christmas Eve. Chanyeol’s mom facetimes Chanyeol a few days before it, requests Baekhyun’s presence as well, and gives them a lecture on being on their best behaviour.

Chanyeol pouts but mostly stays silent. Even in his rediscovered bravery, his mom is the one person whom he still has the most respect for and it ties him down at times. Baekhyun sits up straighter and nods and bows for both of them. He can be the perfect husband or boyfriend or whatever he is, really, in the public’s eye one more time.

That morning, Baekhyun wakes up before Chanyeol and realizes he’s managed to hog all the covers. Chanyeol is lying on his tummy and the only thing under the blankets are his toes pressing into Baekhyun’s ankles. He’s peaceful like this, lips parted and eyes slightly open because they're so big they don’t close the whole way. Baekhyun pushes back the matted hair against Chanyeol’s forehead and goes to pull down Chanyeol's sleep t-shirt that has ridden up his ribs in his sleep. Maybe Chanyeol is catching the active dreaming from Baekhyun like a disease.

When his fingers pull at Chanyeol’s t-shirt, Chanyeol shifts a little, and it brings Baekhyun’s attention to Chanyeol’s tattoo. He realizes it’s on full display like this and drops the t-shirt quickly. He at least pulls the blanket up over Chanyeol’s thighs, to make him a little warmer, and then moves so he can watch the play of the ink on Chanyeol’s skin as Chanyeol’s back rises and falls with his breath. The tattoo is intricate, precise beautiful lines. A guitar or two moons in different phases.

Baekhyun forgets himself and touches, pads of his fingers smoothing over the circles in Chanyeol’s skin. Chanyeol shivers again, and Baekhyun covers his lower back with his palm, thinking Chanyeol might be cold. It only really registers what he’s doing when Chanyeol grunts and shifts again. Baekhyun pulls his hand back, but it’s late. When he looks up, Chanyeol is wide awake, watching him.

“What are you doing?” he asks, groggily.

“I didn’t mean to…” Baekhyun starts. “It's just, your tattoo. It’s interesting,” he says at last.

“Hmm, I like it,” Chanyeol nods. He’s not telling Baekhyun to go away, and he’s not hiding like he’s done a few times when Baekhyun tried to check the design out before, so Baekhyun doesn’t move either, returns his hand to Chanyeol’s lower back.

“What does it mean?” he asks, bringing his nail down one of the long lines, holding his breath as he does. There are goosebumps on Chanyeol’s skin, but he doesn’t move away.

“A bit of everything,” Chanyeol whispers. “Of me,” he adds. Baekhyun presses his nail into the crescent of one of the moons. Chanyeol's breath hitches. For a moment, everything is still and silent.

“You?” Baekhyun prompts on an exhale. He wants to kiss where his fingers are, but doesn’t dare to. He doesn’t want to chase Chanyeol away, not in this moment.

“Music, nights and moon, science, things I love, connected,” Chanyeol explains, and he’s whispering even if there is no one but Baekhyun here to hear him.

“It’s not something I’d expect you to have. Tattoos I mean,” Baekhyun says, pad of his finger tracing one of the circles again. Chanyeol is so very still.

“I just like it. The idea of being able to transform my skin. But…” he trails off, exhaling shakily.

Baekhyun finally manages to pull away, moving so he is lying face to face with Chanyeol.

“But…as with many other things,” Chanyeol continues, looking into Baekhyun’s eyes. “I can’t show it. So it’s a little rebellion as well, I suppose. A secret.”

“I like your secrets. I like to discover them,” Baekhyun says, without thinking. The french fries, the softness of Chanyeol’s eye smiles, the guitar calluses on Chanyeol’s fingers, his need for attention and recognition, his inability to handle spicy food, his competitive streak and love of Christmas lights, his soft spot for animals despite his allergies, the warmth of his hugs and the willingness to give them, his admiration of strong women and his idealism.

Chanyeol bites his lip. “Yeah?” he asks. His chest rises and falls heavily as if he’s catching his breath. Baekhyun’s too. He’s not sure he knows how to break this tension.

“It’s a lovely tattoo,” he manages to say. “Maybe you wanted to show it off, but like this, it takes time and effort for a person to discover it. Not everyone gets to see it… Just like you. It fits.”

Chanyeol reaches for him, fingers brushing over Baekhyun’s collarbones and moving to the back of his neck. He’s so close, and Baekhyun’s the one shivering now. He wants to lean in. He always wants more than Chanyeol’s offering. He would only get rejected. So instead, he pushes his palm into Chanyeol’s chest, pushes against it until he falls back, body sinking into the pillows.

The moment is broken. Baekhyun closes his eyes and tries to make sense of the panic rising in him. Next to him, Chanyeol coughs awkwardly and grabs for his phone, cursing when the alarm in it goes off in his hand. They hear Toben through the door, running towards their bedroom, because he knows what the alarm clock means, that soon the door will open.

If he believed in the Christmas spirit, Baekhyun would wish he could love Chanyeol well enough for Chanyeol to love him back.

+++

Chanyeol looks dashing, tall and handsome and relaxed to the untrained eye in his dark blue suit. He navigates all the conversations with the guests with ease, steering Baekhyun here and there, smiling and entertaining.

“Such a chaebol,” Baekhyun teases him, when they are alone for just a moment, over the top of his flute of champagne. He’s being careful though, knowing very well what bubbly wine does to him. He already has to be mindful not to be too handsy with Chanyeol, even if he’s allowed to be touchy just a bit, to show off how happy they are.

“Shut up,” Chanyeol mutters, and his ears redden. It’s lovely.

Baekhyun giggles. “Honestly, it suits you. All dapper and the perfect host.”

Chanyeol starts to say something, but another guest approaches them. Automatically, Chanyeol places one hand on Baekhyun’s back to keep him close, and his polite smile slips on. He’s nervous, but only Baekhyun knows, by the way his hand sometimes curls against Baekhyun’s back at an uncomfortable question or a remark. Baekhyun always leans into him a little more then and says something distracting.

“You really make a great duo,” Yoora says as she comes to see them later on. She too looks stunning in her long red dress. “Everyone’s cooing.”

“You mean they’re gossiping,” Baekhyun corrects her, carefully glaring at the man who called him ‘so short’ the moment he turned his back on them.

“Well, it’s a good gossip at least,” she points out, brushing an invisible something from Baekhyun’s suit lapel. “You’re an even bigger sweet talker than Chanyeol.”

Baekhyun shrugs. He’s trying to pull his weight. It’s not that much different than trying to charm their clients during the firm events. Every time he says something particularly fit for the situation, Chanyeol gives him this big, genuine smile. It’s great motivation.

“Love suits you both,” Yoora only adds and clings glasses with them. Chanyeol looks down at his shoes and Baekhyun only sighs.

After cocktails, some speeches and dinner, the atmosphere relaxes. Baekhyun slips away for a quick washroom break, and on his way back he stops on the edge of the big ballroom, only now truly taking it in. The room is beautiful, high ceilings, impressive lights, mirrors, and shining table set ups creating a constant shimmering of lights and splendour. It makes him realize, not for the first time today, just what kind of family Chanyeol is part of and how much there really is on the line for Chanyeol. Baekhyun doesn’t want to let his own mood dampen though, so he focuses on the live music that starts up again, inviting guests to the dance floor. The band is great, and Baekhyun thinks that maybe he could get Chanyeol to dance a little, now that they don’t have to mingle so much. He smiles at the idea and looks across the big ball room, searching for him.

He sees Chanyeol sitting at the table with his friends, Sehun, Jongin and Soojung all here for the occasion. He starts walking towards them when he notices someone else approaching, a handsome man almost as tall as Chanyeol. He comes to stand next to Chanyeol and places a hand on the back of his neck. Baekhyun’s stomach rolls at the gesture, and he thinks he notices the atmosphere shifting. Maybe he’s just projecting.

Yet, Sehun seems to be glaring at the man and Chanyeol stands up and fidgets. The man’s hand falls away, but he is standing very close in Chanyeol’s personal space. Baekhyun walks that bit faster.

“I was very disappointed we never got to hang out again after that night in summer,” the man is saying, and Chanyeol coughs. “I thought we bothhad a good time.”

“We did,” Chanyeol says, sounding hesitant, “but--” Baekhyun reaches the table and steps between the man and Chanyeol, interrupting them.

“Here you are,” he says, forcing a smile.

“Baekhyunnie, you’re back,” Chanyeol exhales. He looks between Baekhyun and the other man quickly. “Meet Taejoon-hyung. He’s a family friend.”

“Nice to meet you,” Baekhyun says and bows a little. Taejoon almost leers at him.

“Taejoon-hyung, this is Baekhyun.”

“I know, Chanyeol.” Taejoon says before Chanyeol can continue. “Don’t we all know?” he teases, but it doesn’t feel as good natured as when Jongin or Sehun does it. Baekhyun fights the need to glower at him. “I must say I was very surprised when I read about it. There was a lot of funny rumours, too.”

It’s Sehun who stands up now. Baekhyun glances at him, and he’s never seen him that grim and stiff.

“Hyung, do you want to come get a drink with me? You always know something fun to mix and I’m in the mood for something special,” he says. He’s trying to sound light, and almost manages.

“Maybe later, Sehun-ah,” Taejoon only shrugs him off. “I've been really wanting to meet the famous Baekhyun-ssi.” Baekhyun senses how flustered Chanyeol is, tense too. He really doesn’t like this person. “Since he stole Chanyeol from me.” Baekhyun’s blood runs cold.

“It’s not like that, hyung,” Chanyeol argues. What is not like what, Baekhyun wonders. Chanyeol’s voice is all kinds of strange. “We should go out sometimes, again.” he adds, and Baekhyun feels nauseous.

“Should we?” Taejoon raises an eyebrow.

“Yeah, Baekhyun really likes music too. It’d be fun if we all went to see a performance.” That seems to surprise Taejoon as much as Baekhyun. Chanyeol steps from foot to foot, and Sehun is pulled back to sit down by Jongin and he sulks about it. The music shifts, a slower song. Baekhyun doesn’t recognize it.

“That would be lovely, Taejoon-ssi,” he says and places his hand on Chanyeol's lower back. “I’m always happy to get to know Chanyeol’s friends better.” Baekhyun rubs a slow circle into Chanyeol’s back, in hope of loosening Chanyeol's stiff pose a little. “But if you’d excuse us now, I really like this songs. And Chanyeollie promised me a dance.” He glances up at Chanyeol and smiles the sweetest smile he can muster. “I’d like him to make good on that promise, now.”

“Oh,” Chanyeol says, very eloquent. “Sure.”

“Of course,” Taejoon concedes.

Baekhyun slides his hand from Chanyeol’s back so he can loop his arm around Chanyeol’s. “It was great meeting you,” he says with finality and the fakest polite smile he can muster, and pulls Chanyeol by the arm.

Chanyeol goes willingly, and they silently make their way between the tables. When Baekhyun looks back at where they’ve ve been standing, Taejoon is gone and Sehun gives him a tiny smile and a thumbs up. Baekhyun pulls Chanyeol pass the dance floor and into an empty hallway.

“Who was that?” he asks, as he spins to look at Chanyeol. He doesn’t manage to keep the anger out of his voice.

“That was, well Taejoon-hyung.” Chanyeol still looks wrong footed.

“And what was that talk about me stealing you? Chanyeol, when this started you told me...” Baekhyun stops himself, realizing how irrationally he is acting, pulling Chanyeol away from a friend, almost making a scene.

“We just had dinner, but it was nothing I swear,” Chanyeol defends anyway, sounding so awfully earnest. “We used to hang out a lot, and he tried … But we weren’t anything, I--”

“You don’t have to explain,” Baekhyun interrupts him. He runs his hand through his hair, messing it up. “What am I even doing, making a scene about you having a dinner date before we met?” he asks bitterly.

“I get it, he’s a risk,” Chanyeol is quick to reply, voice tight. “I didn’t even think about it at the time, how close before Las Vegas that really happened or what Taejoon-hyung might think it meant,” he bites his lip. “I should have realized, but I didn’t think, yet again. I really should’ve shut him down back there. I’m sorry for jeopardizing everything so carelessly.” Chanyeol reaches to Baekhyun, reading his distress all wrong.

“No, Chanyeol, the guy’s not a risk,” Baekhyun throws his hand in the air. Chanyeol’s priorities only cut that much deeper when Baekhyun’s feeling hurt already. “If push comes to shove, it’s our word against his about that date. And if you didn't notice, if you told me to go shout blatant lies from the top of Namsan tower while a horde of reporters take pictures and videos, I would do it.”

Chanyeol tilts his head, confused, but steps closer to Baekhyun. “What--”

“I'm just being jealous,” Baekhyun blurts out, before he can stop himself. Chanyeol’s eyes widen and his mouth opens almost comically. Baekhyun can’t stop himself from talking now that he’s started. “Jealous because you may have wanted to be with someone else, right before this whole charade started. And where does that leave me, if you pushed someone else away just to fake date me to save your company?”

“Oh,” Chanyeol breathes out. His eyes sharpen, but the emotions on his face shift so much Baekhyun can’t read any of it. “Okay.”

“Okay?” Baekhyun asks, deflating. His hands are shaking.

“Okay,” Chanyeol repeats. “I think we should go home now,” he adds, voice calm but the words tumbling fast out of his mouth.

“What?” Baekhyun looks up and into Chanyeol’s eyes. Chanyeol’s looking back at him, serious but soft.

“Yoora and my parents are still here, and I think we deserve an early exit after the last few days.”

“I don’t understand,” Baekhyun whispers. He expected something else. Maybe not a scene because this is Chanyeol, but definitely some kind of reaction, shock or at least surprise, Chanyeol’s disappointment with him, Baekhyun being let down right away. Not ‘okay.’

Chanyeol reaches for Baekhyun’s hand. “It wasn’t a date,” he says. “Taejoon-hyung might have wanted it to be, but I didn’t.”

“Chanyeol, don’t say things like that if you--”

Chanyeol shushes him and pulls at Baekhyun’s hand, squeezing it. “Come on,” he says, “let’s just talk at home.”

+++

The taxi ride is mostly quiet, each of them sitting on their side. Chanyeol opens his mouth to say something but closes it again at least three times before Baekhyun can’t take it.

“What is it, Chanyeol? You’ve been like this for days now, not saying what you really want. Just say it.” Baekhyun bites his lip and pointedly doesn’t look at Chanyeol. Chanyeol reaches for Baekhyun’s hand on his knee and squeezes it briefly.

“You would notice,” he says. “I promised you though to really think things through this time. Plus some things are hard to admit, aren’t they?”

Baekhyun looks up at him sharply, but the taxi stops then in front of their apartment building. Chanyeol pulls Baekhyun out of the taxi and doesn’t let go of his hand as they walk through the building’s reception hall.

In the elevator, Chanyeol moves to stand right in front of Baekhyun, so close Baekhyun has to crane his neck up uncomfortably to look at him. He makes a face for it, and Chanyeol chuckles and bops his nose with Baekhyun’s. It makes Baekhyun gasp, but then Chanyeol is pulling him again, out of the elevator this time.

“Chanyeol,” Baekhyun says the moment they’re inside the apartment. “Spill.” They both quickly slip out of their coats and dress shoes, and Chanyeol loosens his bowtie. Baekhyun loves that Chanyeol prefers them. They make him look a little quirky in his handsomeness.

“I keep looking for the right words,” Chanyeol replies and pulls them more inside the apartment. “But I suppose I just have a proposal to make.” He actually grins, even if it seems a little sloppy with nerves, maybe. Baekhyun’s not sure because at the word proposal, his heart stops.

Baekhyun’s made himself squash all signs of hope for months now, yet it blooms in him now. Chanyeol still didn’t tell Baekhyun off after all. And now he’s holding both of Baekhyun’s hands in his own, rubbing circles with his thumbs into the back of them.

“Yeah?” Baekhyun asks weakly. Toben is jumping around their feet wanting to be pet, but Chanyeol doesn’t let go of Baekhyun, only steps closer.

“Yeah,” Chanyeol repeats, and he really is smiling, tentatively. Baekhyun’s heart leaps. “I would like you to date me for real, because I like you very much,” he says, simply, just like that. Baekhyun’s knees are going to give out. “Actually I love you, and I would like to marry you, for real too, but Sehun says I shouldn’t overwhelm you with that proposal yet, even if he’s been suggesting the marriage for months now, as a solution to our situation.” He laughs at himself, a little deprecating, and brings one of his palms to Baekhyun’s cheek.

Baekhyun can’t look away from Chanyeol, and he leans into the touch because he needs another indication that what he’s hearing isn’t just in his head.

“But that’s not why I’m asking,” Chanyeol continues hurriedly. “I don’t know why I’m even talking about Sehun, but I just want to make it clear that I really want you, not Taejoon-hyung or anyone else. And it’s not because of my company or saving my reputation, just…”

Chanyeol’s rambling, but Baekhyun cannot move. “I didn’t think it could ever be…” Chanyeol’s steam seems to run out. He’s still looking at Baekhyun like he’s seeing him for the first time though, like he’s really seeing now, what Baekhyun’s been feeling for so long. “But lately,” he starts again, “it felt like maybe...”

Baekhyun finally makes himself move, if only so that his hands loop around Chanyeol's neck to bring him down so their mouths are almost touching.

“Shhhhhh,” he whispers. He’s so close, and he’s not sure how he’s still holding back. “Breathe, Chanyeol,” he whispers. Chanyeol obeys, taking a deep breath, only for Baekhyun to steal it in the next moment, their lips finally, finally connecting.

Baekhyun’s head spins with the way Chanyeol’s mouth feels, hot and wet and soft. Baekhyun wants to take it all in, feel it with his entire being, and keep it for himself, the small sound Chanyeol makes when Baekhyun on Chanyeol’s tongue and the way it feels when Chanyeol pulls at his bottom lip with his teeth before running his tongue over the bitten skin. The way Chanyeol tastes and smells in this moment, crisp and irresistible.

It’s overwhelming and too good, and then Chanyeol mouths down Baekhyun’s jaw and nips at the skin behind his ear. Baekhyun just wants more, to touch and kiss everywhere too. When Chanyeol’s hands slide down to his , he moans, and Chanyeol swallows that sound too.

“Chanyeol,” Baekhyun whispers, and Chanyeol loops an arm around his waist to keep Baekhyun close as he pulls them the rest of the way to the couch. Baekhyun catches on and starts pulling his jacket off, left hand getting stuck in his sleeve because Chanyeol’s holding his face in both of his hands now and won't stop kissing him. “Come on,” he whines against Chanyeol’s mouth. At least Toben stops circling them, finally giving up with one last sharp bark and going to lie on the pillow he’s made his own.

Chanyeol chuckles and lets go of Baekhyun to get rid of his suit jacket too, before falling down on the couch and pulling Baekhyun with him. Baekhyun just plops in his laps, thighs on both sides of Chanyeol, and kisses him again.

“Just,” Chanyeol gasps, letting Baekhyun mouth along his jaw and gripping Baekhyun’s waist. “Say something.” He tries to pull Baekhyun away, with his hand in Baekhyun's hair, and chuckles when Baekhyun only moans at that and pushes his nose into Chanyeol's neck, breathing him in.

Baekhyun probably should say something, but this is better, sitting here in Chanyeol’s arms, marvelling in the intimacy of it, just the two of them and the erratic beating of Chanyeol’s heart that Baekhyun can taste when he mouths at his pulse point.

“Okay, just--” Chanyeol starts to say, and there’s this soft amusement in his voice. It’s cut off by a gasp when Baekhyun pulls at Chanyeol’s bowtie, and scrapes his teeth over his Adam apple. Baekhyun doesn’t manage to take the bow tie apart, and it pulls a laugh out of him, hidden in the hollow of Chanyeol’s throat.

“Your fingers are so lovely, long and beautiful,” Chanyeol says, running his hand through Baekhyun’s hair as if soothing him. “But I suppose I will have to teach you how to deal with my bowties.”

“Yeah?” Baekhyun asks, pulling back so he can study Chanyeol’s face. His eyes are shining, and his lips are wet and pink from kisses. Baekhyun leans down for more of it. Chanyeol bites his bottom lip again, pulling at it and humming happily when it earns him another moan from Baekhyun. He takes off Baekhyun’s tie between kisses and finally his bow-tie too and smiles at Baekhyun, resting his hands on his waist.

“Better?” he asks, and Baekhyun nods, ing a few buttons and slipping his hand into Chanyeol’s white shirt, dragging his palm over his collarbone and out towards Chanyeol’s shoulder.

“There’s so much I want you to know.” Chanyeol sighs. He reaches for Baekhyun's hand and peppers kisses from the middle of his palm to his wrist.

Baekhyun only blinks. He knows now what Chanyeol meant when he said he was trying to look for the right words, because Baekhyun wants to say so much too, and yet, here he is, Chanyeol open and accepting, and Baekhyun can’t get the words out.

“Like what?” he asks instead, as Chanyeol moves underneath him, trying to sit up better. Baekhyun groans, because it brings their hips together, and he sees Chanyeol shudder too. Chanyeol’s hands, both back on his waist, ground him though, and he shifts his focus. Later, he thinks, there’s time for that later.

“Like that you’re so lovely,” Chanyeol says, when Baekhyun finally looks him in the eyes. He pushes Baekhyun’s hair away from his face. “I think about it everyday, ever since we met.”

Baekhyun chuckles, feeling so light. “Don’t lie,” he says, rubbing their noses together, and then stealing another soft kiss.

“No, I’m not. I still remember you, coming out of the shower in Mandarin, so very hungover, but still breathtaking. You sat next to me on the bed, and gave me that towel and I just thought how I wished we’d met different way, when I wasn’t panicking and questioning all the coincidences of meeting someone so beautiful, Korean and unbothered by who I am …”

“You thought I wanted your money.” Baekhyun pouts into Chanyeol’s cheek. Chanyeol pulls Baekhyun’s shirt out of his pants and slips a warm hand underneath it, slowly moving it up Baekhyun’s spine. His fingers are calloused and perfect and make Baekhyun shiver all over again.

“Yet, soon enough, I begged you to stay. I think even then I wanted to hold on. I know I’ve liked you from the start. Not the way and as much as I do now, but I just remember sitting here in the office with you, and you already knowing how to sooth me and caring about things like not leaving evidence and teasing me, and I thought …” Chanyeol trails off.

“What did you think?” Baekhyun’s hungry for all the things Chanyeol's not been saying, just as he’s hungry for the feel of Chanyeol’s hand on his skin, making him fall apart. Chanyeol’s fingers count down Baekhyun’s vertebrae as he mulls his next words over.

“Already then, you fit me so well, “ Chanyeol explains at last. “Now even more, with your humour and the way you can be so sharp and the way you always know when to touch me and when I’m hiding from you.”

Baekhyun holds Chanyeol’s face in his hands now, fingers playing with his ears, and he kisses him more, over and over again, studying his mouth and tongue and what he likes the most. It’s a while before he pulls back again, just to close his eyes and let Chanyeol kiss down his jaw.

“What else?” Baekhyun asks. “Is there more?”

“Aren’t you being greedy?” Chanyeol chuckles, and his fingers are fumbling with the buttons of Baekhyun’s shirt. That’s good because Baekhyun’s slowly burning up.

“I am,” Baekhyun whisper and arches when Chanyeol on his collarbone.

“Your neck is so long and graceful.” Chanyeol traces fingers down the slope of it as he says so, and Baekhyun wiggles because somehow, even when hot it also tickles. “Yet, how you can be so cute?” Chanyeol sighs.

“I’m half on your lap and you’re calling me cute?” Baekhyun manages to ask. Chanyeol’s really trying to make him fall apart, teeth scraping over his right now that Baekhyun’s arched like this and offering, fingers circling Baekhyun's belly button.

“Yes. You always are, but especially when you sleep, so loud somehow.” Baekhyun probably pouts, even though he knows by now Chanyeol doesn’t seem to mind. “I love how you fit against me when we sleep together,” Chanyeol adds.

Baekhyun’s heart is too full. Chanyeol’s so random with the things he chooses to talk about, but every word seeps deeper under Baekhyun’s skin, leaving a mark, like the ink on Chanyeol’s lower back.

“Chanyeol,” Baekhyun whines again, hands on Chanyeol’s hips, still in his fancy suit pants.

“I should’ve been saying all these things for weeks now, but I couldn’t, always wondering if you wouldn’t hate hearing it, like maybe I deceived you by falling in love. So now you should know. And I didn’t even tell you yet, how your drives me crazy, it’s the best , okay? Best and the best person.” There’s a bit of mischief in Chanyeol's eyes now, when he brings Baekhyun closer to him again so they can kiss some more. It’s like he’s lighter now that he’s told Baekhyun everything he’s been thinking for so long.

“Come here.” Baekhyun fists Chanyeol’s shirt in his hands and does his best to on Chanyeol’s tongue for the next few minutes.

“My turn, I suppose,” Baekhyun says, at last pulling away just as Chanyeol’s nails dig painfully into his sides. He’s wondering how he’s going to ever tell Chanyeol how much he really means to Baekhyun. “You don’t even have an , but you are devastatingly handsome despite it,” he says in the end, finally ing Chanyeol’s shirt all the way down and pulling it out of his dress pants. His own shirt is gone already and Chanyeol keeps running his fingers over his torso, mapping his birthmarks one by one. Baekhyun tries to concentrate. “Your face is like, the best face, okay? A-plus mother nature. Bonus points for the ears.”

Chanyeol chuckles, but it’s breathless. “Baekhyunnie,” he chides a little.

Baekhyun splays his palm over Chanyeol's stomach and pushes down a bit. He revels in being able to touch as much as he wants, planning to map Chanyeol’s body so he remembers every detail. Just being here, in this moment, is so thrilling. “I want to tell you things too,” he murmurs. He spreads his fingers on Chanyeol’s stomach and leans down to kiss up Chanyeol’s chest. Chanyeol sighs, sounding pleased.

“Like how I love the shape of your eyes and the depth of your voice,” Baekhyun mutters. “And your big hands. How I want them touching me all the time. How I love the way you hold me and let me hide from the world.” A kiss to Chanyeol’s shoulder. “Or how your legs are so long, and sometimes when I see you just sitting on the couch or even in the kitchen, all I think of is me, kneeling in between them.”

Chanyeol guffaws, just when Baekhyun nuzzles under his jaw again, having trailed kisses all the way to the spot where he wants to bruise.

“You ruined it again,” Chanyeol says, a little whiny.

“Hmm,” Baekhyun hums and at the soft skin he’s been mouthing on. Chanyeol moans, his hands on Baekhyun's again, and Baekhyun can feel his too, against his leg, half hard already. He pulls away and watches the red bloom on Chanyeol’s skin.

“What I really want to tell you though,” he says, pressing one hand right above where Chanyeol’s heart is, “is that that’s not the reason I love you. I am very attracted to you, alright. You are like all my most daring dreams coming true, but a little better, because you’re real.” Chanyeol’s hands on his squeeze, and he hides his face into Baekhyun’s shoulder. His breath, as he laughs again, tickles. But Baekhyun wants to see his face, so he scrapes his nails against Chanyeol’s scalp with his other hand then pulls his head up by his hair. “Chanyeollie, I love you, and it’s because you’re all heart, warm, big, caring and so full of affection, and all I want is to steal it so it’s mine.”

Chanyeol’s breath hitches and he blinks, rapidly several times, frozen otherwise, but then he covers Baekhyun’s hand on his heart with his own.

“You love me,” he says, only a bit incredulous like Baekhyun hasn’t been trying to spell it into Chanyeol’s mouth and skin for the past hour, maybe more, he doesn’t know.

“I love you,” Baekhyun says again.

“My heart. I’ll give it willingly, ” Chanyeol whispers.

As Chanyeol drags his fingers up Baekhyun’s back again and leans up for more kisses, his lips now bitten and swollen, still so kissable, Baekhyun thinks the wait, for Chanyeol’s heart and love, was definitely worth it.

+++

Next morning is a lazy one. Baekhyun makes Chanyeol spoon him in bed when they’re already awake, playing with Chanyeol’s fingers on his stomach and hopefully managing to tell him, more coherently now, how he feels. He revels in feeling of Chanyeol being this close and loving, wanting Baekhyun whether Baekhyun has shown himself to be a good choice or not. They have late breakfast and Baekhyun steals Chanyeol’s hoodie to walk around in. Chanyeol keeps stealing kisses from him, and laughing happily every time Baekhyun tilts his head up obligingly for more. It’s like Chanyeol too still can’t believe the kisses will be always given from now on.

When Chanyeol does it yet again, while they wash the dishes, Baekhyun grabs him by the hips and turns them so that he can press Chanyeol into the kitchen counter, and himself against Chanyeol's front while he does his best to properly steal Chanyeol’s breath. He can’t be teased with just soft kisses like this, not right now.

It works, and Chanyeol’s dazed when Baekhyun lets up, because the water is still running in the sink behind them and Toben needs to go for a walk.

“I knew you’d let me have hot kitchen with you,” Baekhyun says cheekily. And Chanyeol breaks into a loud laugh yet again.

“You caught me,” he says and turns back to the dishes. “How could I resist you.”

That somehow makes Baekhyun wistful. He leans into Chanyeol’s side, wrapping an arm around his waist while Chanyeol continues to clean up.

“Thank heavens you didn’t resist me. Seriously, because I didn't ever stand a chance, either.”

“Baekhyunnie,” Chanyeol says softly. He dries his hands this time and their next kiss is sweet, Baekhyun leaving the last of his longing in it.

After they take Toben out and present him with big toy bone as his Christmas gift, Baekhyun settles on the couch, wanting to watch something silly he could use as an excuse to possibly make out with Chanyeol again.

Chanyeol lets him browse through Netflix for a bit, disappearing into his office.

“I kind of have a present for you too,” he says when he comes back. Baekhyun looks up at him, pouting.

“But you said no presents,” he says. Neither of them really celebrate Christmas. It’s really just the fairy Christmas lights that Chanyeol enjoys so much. Chanyeol seems to not be carrying anything in his hands, so it only makes Baekhyun more confused.

“This one is for both of us,” Chanyeol says placatingly. He sits next to Baekhyun, his legs crossed, and for a moment he just plays with Baekhyun’s fingers that he’s pulled into his lap. “I’ve had this for a while now,” he says in the end. “People kept pointing out we don’t wear wedding bands. But I didn’t want to make you do that just because of others, like it means nothing.” He reaches into his pocket, and pulls out a small box.

Baekhyun gasps.

“In the end, I couldn’t stop thinking of it. Of your pretty fingers. So … there’s two of them,” Chanyeol explain as he opens the box to reveal two identical rings, white and red gold. He pulls the smaller ring out. “Right now, they’re couple rings, really. But ... ” He takes a deep breath, and Baekhyun wonders if he knows how he’s making Baekhyun feel right now, bursting at the seem with love and joy but also shivering from how much it is, all at once. “But if you wanted to,” Chanyeol continues, “one day they could be a promise, too.”

Everything is so fresh still, Chanyeol’s kisses and Baekhyun’s growing need to be close and closer still, the feeling of all of this being real, and not just some badly written romantic comedy that is going to end one day. But Baekhyun knows, with all his being, that what they have is so right, that it’s something he never wants to let go off. He takes the bigger ring out of the box. When he looks closer, he sees a date engraved on the inside.

“It’s the day I met the person I want to spend my life with,” Chanyeol says. He’s so…very, very sappy. Baekhyun loves it.

“Yeah, me too,” he mutters, and lets Chanyeol slip the ring on. After that, Chanyeol pulls him in for a kiss so fast they almost lose Chanyeol’s own ring to the soft carpet underneath their couch. As they bicker and try to keep Toben from finding it first, Baekhyun somehow knows this love they have is never going to pale.

+++

Never doubt the intuition of a divorce lawyer, Jongdae texts him. I TOLD YOU SO. I’m glad you get to keep him.

Chanyeol wants you to officiate the wedding, Baekhyun texts back.

YOU JUST MADE MY BOYFRIEND CRY! comes the text from Junmyeon.

+++

“Hi mom,” Chanyeol says when his mom finally picks up one spring afternoon. “How does a June wedding sound?”

+++

Chanyeol better be happily married to you, Sehun texts. I KNOW ALL YOUR SECRETS.

+++

Wedding of the year?

Park Chanyeol marries Byun Baekhyun in summer extravaganza. Again.

Many speculate the marriage is to ensure they don’t have to testify against each other in court. Is this the beginning of the Parks taking over Korea’s pharmaceutical industry?

 

Baekhyun doesn’t expect to have a fairytale happily ever after, for all their troubles to disappear. Both he and Chanyeol know there are always going to be things to overcome, battles to fight, stresses to sooth over. Chanyeol, however, is the best person to hold on to as they do so, and now that Baekhyun can, he does his best so he never has to let go.

To have Chanyeol’s love will always be Baekhyun’s own piece of fairytale magic.