Baekhyun was mad.

No, not just mad, fuming.

Wait, was that the best word for the angriest a person could get? Ok, he was furious, enraged, livid—

Byun Baekhyun, get your act together! he mentally scolds himself.

The object of his anger was just a seat away from him in the van. He wasn’t even supposed to be away from Baekhyun, but that er Jongdae went and sat between them at the last second. Said er was busy snuggling close to Baekhyun’s boyfriend again, and Baekhyun should be doing something about it, but he’s preoccupied with thinking back on their go-kart race just a couple of days ago.

He remembered being smug as he reached the finish line first, which was probably why he didn’t know about what happened to Junmyeon until he heard the staff talking about it. Apparently, Junmyeon had fallen asleep right at the track, just before the race started. One of the PDs had to go and wake him up so he could join the race.

And they were actually gushing about how cute Junmyeon had been? Irresponsible bastards. How could they let his Junmyeon drive at that state? What would they have done if he’d gotten into an accident?? (But Baekhyun makes a mental note to see the footage for himself. He does need to replenish his Cute Junmyeon Material folder).

Of course, it wasn’t like he could lash out then. There were cameras around, and whether he liked it or not, the staff were only doing their job, too. They had been inconsiderate, but what could he do? Not everyone could be counted on to be clearheaded and prudent at all times. He couldn’t scold Junmyeon then either, because that would surely bring his spirits down for the rest of the shoot.

Baekhyun had even joined in poking fun at Junmyeon, copying how he fell asleep. Deep inside, however, he was a simmering mix of anger and worry.

He crosses his arms over his chest and lets out a huff as Junmyeon giggles over another one of Minseok’s jokes. He seethes for the rest of the car ride home, but no one bothers him. Everyone in EXO knew that an angry Baekhyun was meant to be left alone.

 Enjoy yourself while you still can, Kim Junmyeon, Baekhyun says darkly in his mind. You’ve really done it this time.

 

***

 

Once the van stops and the doors open, Baekhyun shoves his way out, not forgetting to grab Junmyeon’s wrist beforehand. Jongdae lets out an affronted Hey! and Junmyeon a confused Erp? but Baekhyun pays them no mind as he marches towards the dorm with his boyfriend in tow.

Once inside, Baekhyun toes his shoes off and glowers at Junmyeon to do the same. The older gives him a bewildered look, but slowly takes his shoes off anyway.

“Hyun-ah, what—“ he starts to say, but Baekhyun tugs at his wrist again and drags him to Junmyeon’s bedroom.

Junmyeon starts getting a little scared. Having been Baekhyun’s boyfriend for a couple of years now has taught him that there really were only two instances where Baekyhun is silent: one, he is asleep; and two, he is really angry. He was definitely awake right now, so that could only point to instance number two. Junmyeon starts breaking out in cold sweat.

What did he do? Baekhyun wasn’t someone that got mad over small things, despite his occasional pettiness. He scours his memories of today and the day before, trying to find just what it was that made his boyfriend so mad.

The sound of his bedroom door slamming snaps Junmyeon back to the current situation. He is somehow facing his perpetually unmade bed, his clothes strewn about on the mattress. Where was Baekhyun?

He turns around and sees his boyfriend still facing the closed door, with his back towards Junmyeon.

“H-Hyun?” Junmyeon hesitantly calls.

Baekhyun turns around, and his glare makes Junmyeon gulp. “Kim Junmyeon,” he growls, taking a step forward.

Junmyeon reflexively takes a step back. “Yes, Hyun-ah?” he replies, making sure to hide how his voice is shaking.

“You. Did you really fall asleep at the race track during filming?”

“Uh… yeah, I did. Why do you—“

“And the PD actually had to wake you up?” Baekhyun takes another step forward.

“Um. Yes?” Junmyeon still had no idea where this was going.

“And you drove? In that state?”

Junmyeon’s eyes widen in realization. “Oh.”

“’Oh’?” Baekhyun repeats. “Oh?! You were drowsy, Junmyeon! And you ing raced while you were in that condition? What if you’d gotten hurt?”

“It’s all right, Hyun-ah. I was wide awake, I promise—“

“Don’t even give me that bull, Kim Junmyeon. If you were wide awake, you wouldn’t have fallen asleep like that in the first place! You always do this. Overworking yourself to the point of sheer exhaustion. This isn’t even the first time this has happened! When will you learn? Are you going to wait until you actually faint and break your neck in the process?”

Junmyeon finds himself bowing his head. He’d known Bakehyun was mad, but he didn’t think he was this mad. “It’s not like that, Baekhyun-ah…”

“Then what the is it?” Baekhyun shouts. “Because I’m really dying to know. Just what is it that makes you so damn stubborn about working yourself to death? Was it pressure?  Did the bigwigs give you another lecture? Was it you being competitive? Or was it just another episode of Goody Two-Shoes Suho?

Junmyeon flinches, and Baekhyun instantly regrets his words.

He sighs, finally running out of steam.

“I’m sorry,” he says. “I didn’t mean that, Junmyeon. But you know what I mean.”

But Junmyeon is already stepping back from him. He sits down on his unmade bed before looking up at Baekhyun. “Do you really think of me that way, Hyun?” he asks. “Is that really all that my hard work seems to you?”

“No no no,” Baekhyun insists. He walks towards Junmyeon and kneels infront of him. “I didn’t mean that. You know how ty my mouth gets when I’m upset.”

“You went too far,” Junmyeon whispers, a lone tear slipping down his cheek. “I know you’re upset, but that was too far, Hyun-ah.”

Baekhyun brings up a hand to brush the tear away, his heart constricting in the process. He could never bear seeing Junmyeon cry. He mentally kicks himself in the head for being a . “You’re right,” he admits, pulling Junmyeon into a hug. “And I’m sorry for that. I really am. But I am mad at you for pushing yourself too far. I care about you. I don’t like seeing you worn out, and the thought of you getting hurt scares me.”

Relief floods him as Junmyeon raises his arms and hugs him back. They just hold each other for a while, both apologetic about different things.

“I know I tend to work too hard,” Junmyeon acknowledges. “But I promise it wasn’t just because of that.”

Baekhyun pulls back to look into Junmyeon’s eyes. “Then what was it? You could have just sat the race out. No one would have minded.”

Junmyeon looks down, embarrassed. “Yeah, it’s just… all of us haven’t been together like that for a while now, you know?” he confesses. “It still not the same as before, especially because Yixing wasn’t there, but…it reminded me a lot of when we were still rookies. We were all together again in a show, after so many years. And it was really fun, Hyun-ah. It made me feel like a rookie again, all playful and excited and carefree.”

Baekhyun positively melts.

“It was really nice, just fooling around with you guys like that,” Junmyeon continues. “And when I accidentally fell asleep, the first thing I thought after waking up and realizing the race had started was ‘I don’t want to be left out’. I swear. I just really liked playing with you all and I didn’t want to be left behind.”

Baekhyun sighs in utter adoration exasperation.

“Aigoo, our grandpa liked playing with the kids that much?” he coos, ruffling Junmyeon’s hair, earning a whiny Yah out of him. “I’m glad you had so much fun, Junmyeon-ah. But my argument still stands, okay? You have to take better care of yourself. Learn to know how to say you’re tired when you’re tired. Can you promise me that?”

Junmyeon is not sure if he could actually do it, but he nods. He wants to try, for Baekhyun.

“All right, now that that’s out of the way…” Baekhyun stands up and gives Junmyeon a light push on the shoulder. “Time for you to sleep. Uh-uh,” he tuts. “You’re not allowed to say no. I’m pulling boyfriend veto rights on this one. You’re tired and you’re going to sleep. And I call big spoon!”

Baekhyun jumps on the bed, and his heart soars at hearing Junmyeon’s ticklish giggle. Junmyeon curls up on his side, sleeping like the baby he was. Baekhyun positions himself behind Junmyeon and encloses his boyfriend’s waist in his arms. This will always remain his favorite place in the world: the closest to Junmyeon he could possibly be, he nose buried in his soft neck, his legs tangled with his, his chest positively baking from the other’s warm back.

 

 

Junmyeon smiles to himself as he closes his eyes, already feeling the tendrils of sleep claiming him.

 

 

***

 

 

“Kim Jongdae, what the are you doing here?” Baekhyun hisses, rousing Junmyeon from his sleep.

“I am the best cuddler in EXO,” Jongdae hisses back. “You do NOT have cuddles without me!”

“We’re boyfriends, you doofus, we cuddle without you all the damn time!”

“Yeah, well I liked Junmyeon-hyung first. I get Consolation Cuddles Privilege.”

Junmyeon feels the mattress sink as someone lies infront of him and hugs his waist, but he’s still too sleepy to actually open his eyes. He does feel Baekhyun slapping at whoever it was, though.

“Oh? What’s this?” It’s Minseok’s voice this time. “A Junmyeon snuggle party? And I wasn’t invited?”

Another body joins in, this time embracing one of Junmyeon’s legs.

“Minseok-hyung,” Baekhyun whines.

“Too bad for you, Byun Baekhyun,” Minseok replies. “But as Junmyeon’s bestfriend and lover, I am entitled to at least a leg and a thigh.”

“Stop talking about Junmyeon-hyung like you’re chopping him up!” Baekhyun says exasperatedly. “And don’t think I don’t know that that was just another joke between you two grandpas.”

“Pfft. You’re just jealous that I have printed proof of Junmyeonnie’s undying love for me while you don’t.”

“I knew you would do this,” Chanyeol’s voice accuses before Baekhyun could say something in retort. “Look at them, Xing-hyung. These traitors are hogging Junmyeon-hyung all to themselves.”

“Tsk. I expected this from Baekhyun and Jongdae, but Minseok-hyung?” Kyungsoo adds in. “I didn’t think you would do us dirty like this.”

“Aigoo, will you drama queens just come and join us already?” Minseok groans. “Oh and hi, Yixing-ah! How have you been?”

“Ge, you’re all making me feel left out,” Yixing’s voice complains from a phone speaker. “I’m sleeping alone here. It’s not fair.”

Baekhyun perks up at the voice of the only person in EXO he can actually trust with his boyfriend. “Sorry, Yixing-hyung!” he chimes in. “But Junmyeon-hyung was working himself too hard again. It’s okay now, I already scolded him for it.”

“Aiyo our Junmian is so hard-headed. Keep looking out for him, will you? And give him an extra tight hug for me. ”

“Ne, hyung.”

“Next time you can drop by, I’ll make sure to have all the kids here and we’ll put you right in the middle of the cuddle puddle okay?” Minseok promises. “For now, make do with Jun-Bun.”

Ah. So that’s where Junmyeon’s missing bunny plushie went.

“See, Jongin, I was right,”Sehun’s voice says. “The dorm was too quiet, there had to be something nefarious going on.”

Junmyeon feels Baekhyun’s arms tighten around him. “Ya, this bed already has five people in it, don’t even—“

“I say we just lie on top of them,” Jongin proposes.

“I say you’re right.”

The maknaes crawl into the bed and position themselves horizontally on top of their hyungs, not caring for the indignant cries and groans. “You thought you could get away with this? Without your cute maknaes?” Jongin says. “You hyungs are really vile.”

“Cute?” Baekhyun spits as he gasps for air. “You are ing twenty-five years old Kim Jongin! You stopped being cute ages ago!”

“I beg to differ,” Sehun and the author argues. “Maknaes are perpetually cute, and your opinion is eternally rejected.”

“Xing-ge, I’m hanging up now, okay?” Chanyeol says apologetically. “That bed is running out of space, and it is a great injustice that Park Chanyeol is still not in it.”

Junmyeon feels Jongdae raise his head. “Why are you stepping back?” he asks.

An ominous silence fills the air.

Baekhyun gasps. “Park Chanyeol, you insufferable bastard I know what you’re about to do, don’t--“

“Cannonball!” Chanyeol shouts and he launches himself in midair, much to the horror of the seven people below.

A collection of Oofs and angry Ouches fills the room as the giant lands, but a single, soft Ow silences them all.

“Junmyeonnie, are you okay?” Baekhyun asks worriedly. To the rest, he says “You stupid s. See what you did!”

Six voices splutter a mix of hisses (towards Chanyeol) and grumbles (towards Baekhyun) and apologies (towards Junmyeon).

“I’m fine,” Junmyeon assures them. “Just—Jongdae, can you move your head, please? I can’t breathe…”

Baekhyun kicks at Jongdae, and the head at Junmyeon’s stomach disappears.

“Hyung, Baekhyun-hyung said we’re not cute anymore!” Sehun whines.

“And he was mad at us for wanting to cuddle with you,” Jongdae chimes in.

“We just wanted to snuggle with our Super Leader Hyung,” Chanyeol fake sniffs.

“He even denies that you and I are lovers, Junmyeon-ah,” Minseok gleefully adds.

“Tattletales,” Baekhyun hisses. “Traitors!”

“You see, hyung?” Jongin implores. “Baekhyun-hyung is mean!”

“Oh my god, why can’t I just cuddle with my boyfriend in peace?” Baekhyun explodes. “Will you all take your hands off of him, he’s mine, goddammit.”

“Now, now, what happened to We Are One?” Kyungsoo says.

The unexpected line makes everyone erupt in laughter.

“It’s okay if even if they’re all holding me, Hyun-ah,” Junmyeon reassures his boyfriend. “Because I’m only holding you.”

Six people groan simultaneously (one sits up and graces them all with a smug smile), and the cuddle puddle disintegrates.

“Geez, hyung, save the cheesiness for when you lovebirds are actually alone,” Jongin scolds as he stands up.

“Ugh, I suddenly feel icky all over,” Kyungsoo says with a shiver.

“Don’t listen to them, Junmyeonnie,” Minseok winks. “That was adorable. As your lover, I approve.”

A pillow hits him on the head and Junmyeon’s amused laughter follows him out.

Finally alone, Junmyeon turns to face Baekhyun. “Thanks for today, Hyun-ah.” His face stretches into a soft smile, and Baekhyun stops himself from pinching his boyfriend’s pink cheeks, still adorably swollen from sleep.

Baekhyun returns the smile and brings a hand to the back of Junmyeon’s head to pull him closer. Junmyeon’s eyes flutter shut as Baekhyun—

Flash.

“Sorry about that,” Jongdae says flippantly, holding up his phone. “Could you kiss again, though? I didn’t quite get the right angle.”

Baekhyun yells out a war cry and he launches himself off the bed, the day’s accumulated stress finally getting the better of him.

 

Junmyeon watches from the bed as Baekhyun attaches himself on Jongdae’s waist and pulls on Jongdae’s hair. He sighs in contentment as his laughter dies down to a smile.

Days like this are the best.