Jaebum really should have known something was up the second Mark and Jackson volunteered to check in for the group at the motel. They've been travelling for over a week now, and not once in all that time have either of them shown any interest taking on any kind of responsibility - until now, apparently - despite being two of the older members of the group. Granted, it is the first time they're stopping at a motel rather than pulling into a rest stop to freshen up and sleeping in the car, so Jaebum hadn't thought too deeply of it at the time.

"You must be tired," the pair in question had crowed reassuringly, as if their sudden desire to be helpful was precedented rather than a jarring change of personality on their part. "Just go find parking, and we'll take care of everything here." Despite the strangeness of the circumstances, in the moment, Jaebum had just been grateful for the assistance.

Youngjae, Bambam, and Yugyeom had filed out of the car after Mark and Jackson like the little ducks they are, of course, which Jaebum hadn't protested about. They had been complaining about being bored and cramped for at least three hours anyway, and Jaebum knows at least 90 percent of it was for show, but by the end of it, any break from the noise, however short it may be, had been welcome.

Jinyoung's choice to stay with him in the car is less expected, but ultimately not unwanted. "I don't want you to be by yourself," Jinyoung says, despite the fact that the parking lot is quite literally less than a hundred feet from the entrance of the motel. But his tone leaves no room for argument and his smile leaves Jaebum no option but to accept it, so that's that. The situation leaves a warm feeling Jaebum's chest, like blooming hope that Jinyoung might actually return his feelings.

That warm feeling, unfortunately, almost immediately transforms into dread when he and Jinyoung arrive in the lobby of the motel to find five identical scheming faces grinning at them.

"What did you do," Jaebum says warily, not bothering to frame it as a question.

"Just the biggest and best favor you never asked for," Bambam says, and he really looks proud of himself, bless him. Jaebum would have pinched his cheeks and cooed if Bambam, like the rest of them, wasn't a devil in disguise.

"Why don't we just go to our rooms?" Jinyoung suggests before Jaebum can start shaking the five troublemakers by the shoulders and demanding answers. "Jackson, hand out the keys."

Jackson smirks. "My pleasure." He makes a big show of handing Youngjae the first card. "For the kiddos. Enjoy your freedom!"

The three youngest peel away from the group, already chattering amongst themselves gleefully. Jaebum narrows his eyes, because suddenly, it's all too clear what's going on. If the three youngest are together, and it's only the four of them left, and Jackson couldn't have chosen anyone besides Mark as his roommate - "Wait a minute..."

With a flourish, Jackson hands him and Jinyoung a second card. "And here's the key to JJ Paradise. They didn't have any rooms with two beds left, but we thought you wouldn't mind. So have fun you two...but not too much fun!" He caps off his words with a truly horrifying and greasy wink.

Well, that settles it. Jaebum is going to have to murder him. And Mark too, sadly, he notes, because his supposed best friend is barely keeping it together beside Jackson.

Jinyoung, angel that he is, intervenes before Jaebum can do anything drastic. He takes the key readily and offers the scheming pair a saccharine smile. "Oh, we will."

To be honest, Jaebum has no idea what that means, but Jinyoung loops his arm around Jaebum's and smiles at him and suddenly, Jaebum finds that it doesn't really matter that he doesn't know what it means, because they still got the last word in the end.

~~~

Despite the luxury of having slightly separated rooms, they decide to regroup in Jinyoung and Jaebum's room after dinner for a movie. Jaebum - who already spent all of dinner with Jinyoung plastered dangerously close against his side, because Jinyoung apparently recently decided that he can't get enough physical contact with Jaebum - is distressed but ultimately not surprised by the group's collective choice to crowd the couch in such a way that Jinyoung is conveniently left without a seat.

"Oh no," Yugyeom says from his spot where he's sandwiched between Mark and Bambam, his tone so exaggerated that it couldn't possibly have been more obvious that they're up to something. "Looks like you don't have anywhere to sit, Jinyoung-hyung."

"Where could you possibly go?" Bambam continues, scratching his head in a way that somehow has his elbow nearly colliding with Youngjae's face. It all would have been comical if Jaebum didn't feel like ripping the hair out of his own head in exasperation.

"Sorry you don't have a seat, Jinyoung," Mark adds, which is just the icing on the cake, really, because Mark is supposed to be mature or something, but now Jaebum sees the truth - out of their group of friends, only he and Jinyoung have ever actually been sane.

Speaking of which, Jinyoung catches Jaebum's eye then, the corners of his mouth curling upwards in amusement. Jaebum mirrors the expression, already significantly less apprehensive than he had been just seconds ago. "Of course I have a seat," Jinyoung says without missing a beat, and perches himself directly in Jaebum's lap. He turns to smile at Jaebum hopefully. "You don't mind, right hyung?"

"Of course he doesn't," Jackson says a little too loudly, but Jinyoung - perfect, wonderful Jinyoung - pointedly ignores him in favor of looking at Jaebum intently.

And Jaebum is just hopelessly whipped, because even though he knows every single other person in the room is watching them with obnoxiously suggestive grins on their faces, he can only melt into a smile to match Jinyoung's. "Of course not." Jaebum doesn't notice it, but Jinyoung lets out the tiniest sigh of relief as he nuzzles into Jaebum's neck.

And, well, this - this is nice. Jaebum could get used to this. One day, Jaebum promises himself as his arms circle around Jinyoung's waist, one day soon - by the end of this road trip, even - he'll finally tell Jinyoung that he's madly in love with him. But for now, getting to have Jinyoung here, with him, in his arms, is enough.