canon (sort of);
set in the early to mid 2018 ish era.

==========================

Maybe it's something about Sehun being the obvious maknae of the group, but sometimes, Jongin doesn't quite feel like one of the youngest.  The other members probably forget a lot of the time as well.  And maybe Jongin doesn't invest in skinship as much as Sehun does, but he finds himself being more touchy-feely when he's next to certain hyungs.

Tension is always high during album promotions, but there's a time to recharge especially in the waiting room before music shows.  The television in the dressing room is on a low volume setting and there's a new girl group performing on the screen.  Naturally, the members aren't all sitting in one place.  In fact, some of the members are no where to be found.  But Jongin's not really paying attention to the whereabouts of his other members.  His mind wanders a little even though his eyes are on the television screen.  Minsesok hyung is sitting next to him on a small love seat.  Jongin kind of wants to lie down and there's a longer couch a few feet away but he's warm and comfortable with one leg drapped over Minseok's legs.  His head pillows into Minseok's shoulder.  One would think Minseok's smaller shoulder is uncomfortable, but it's surprisingly soft and squishy - just how Jongin likes it.

The music program on television ends; it's a rerun.  There's a loud noise as the door to the waiting room opens.  Sehun and Chanyeol spill into the room with a bunch of the dancer hyungs.  They're laughing about something and in their hands are plastic bags from the convenience store in front of the broadcasting building.  Minseok's fingers twitch a little and Jongin can tell he wants to see what they brought.  Jongin ignores this and tilts his body toward Minseok even more, tossing an arm around Minseok's middle.  Minseok stops trying to move.

"Let's play mafia!" Chanyeol bellows loudly.

In the corner, Junmyeon doesn't look up from his phone.  They've played mafia so many times now, Jongin's lost count.  Kyungsoo pretends to be asleep and Jongdae stops humming to groan.

"Not again!" Jongdae whines.

"Come on!  Come on!" Baekhyun joins in.  "One more game!"

"The dancer hyungs are joining so it's a bigger group!  It's more fun this way!" Chanyeol says, tugging on Junmyeon's arm.

Jongin doesn't move, but hears Minseok snicker quietly, watching Baekhyun slapping Kyungsoo's thighs.

"He's a masochist, I swear" Minseok mutters.

Kyungsoo flings his eye mask off as Baekhyun runs to the sofa where Minseok and Jongin are sitting.  They're jostled as Baekhyun tries to bury himself behind Minseok's back, hiding from Kyungsoo's wrath.

"Ah, hyung!" Jongin protests, but he's already been displaced and Chanyeol is already dragging the loveseat towards the other chairs to make a circle for the game.

As Chanyeol drags the furniture, the corner of the chair gets caught in Jongin's half-folded shoe.

"Ow!" Jongin yells, jumping up and trying to get his shoe free.

"Sorry sorry!" Chanyeol apologizes distractedly.

"Hyung, you sit here" Chanyeol orders Junmyeon after checking Jongin's OK.  "And Kyungsoo, sit here.  Sehun-ah, you're over there.  I'm narrator."

"You're always narrator" Junmyeon complains weakly, but he goes ignored.

Baekhyun has taken Jongin's spot and is hanging onto Minseok's arm for dear life as Kyungsoo glares daggers from the other side of the circle.  Jongin shuffles so that his shoes are properly on his feet this time.  When he turns, his seat is already stolen.

"Jongin-ah, sit over there by Sehun."

Jongin pouts almost imperceptibly, glancing at Baekhyun, but Baekhyun's already too hyper to realize.

"Jongdae's gonna die!!!" Baekhyun screams.

"Ah, why~?  We didn't even get our roles yet!" Jongdae yells back.

Sighing, Jongin slumps into the chair next to Sehun.

The room is loud as the game starts to get going and Jongin gets assigned 'civilian'.  He's kind of upset and grouchy so he doesn't say much which apparently gets Baekhyun suspicious.

"It's Jongin!  Let's kill Jongin!" he shouts, jumping up in his seat.

Mob mentality runs deep in this game and Jongin is quickly killed.  He doesn't really care.  Now, he can sulk in the comfy long sofa right behind Minseok hyung.  There's something about finding the right comfort spot and Jongin feels he's been robbed of that feeling.

When they have their heads down, Jongin leans forward and flicks Baekhyun's ear out of spite.  

"Ow!  Someone touched me!" Baekhyun screams.  "The mafia is trying to kill me!"

"Ah, you're so loud!" Minseok chastises him, eyes still closed.

"Mafia, open your eyes and decide who to kill!" Chanyeol orders.

Baekhyun lifts his head with a -eating grin as does Kyungsoo and one of the dancer hyungs.  Jongin pouts even harder.   Of course it's Baekhyun.  Jongin's other hand absentmindedly draws little circles on Minseok's back as he surveys the interaction between the 'mafia' players.

The dancer hyung who is mafia, points at Minseok.  Baekhyun puts a thumb up and jiggles it and Kyungsoo just shrugs.  

"Alright" Chanyeol says.  "Heads down.  Doctor, heads up!"

Jongin only realizes he's raking his fingers down Minseok's back when Minseok shivers a little then reaches behind him and holds Jongin's hand steady.  

"Ah, sorry hyung" Jongin says and tries to pull his hand away, but Minseok grips it harder.

"OK, police!" Chanyeol says.  "Heads up."

Minseok brings Jongin's hand to Minseok's shoulder and keeps it there.  There's a coldness that creeps into Minseok's skin and Jongin feels it.

"Hyung" Jongin whispers into Minseok's ear.  "Are you cold?"

"The dead cannot talk!" Chanyeol yells at Jongin.  "The dead must stay in the graveyard!"  He comes stomping and pushes Jongin back into the sofa, making Jongin lose grip of Minseok's hand.  "Alright, it's day break!  While everyone was sleeping, Minseok-ee hyung was killed!"

"Aw man!" Minseok exclaims.  He stands up and moves to the back sofa with Jongin.  And it's not on purpose but the left corner of jongin's lip curls up just a little bit.

The game continues and Jongin places a hand on Minseok's thigh, leaning in.  "Are you cold hyung?"

"A little" Minseok admits, scooting closer to Jongin's side.

Unconsciously, Jongin lets out a low chuckle and squeezes Minseok's thigh, pulling him closer.  

"So who killed me?" Minseok whispers, leaning in conspiratorially.  "It was Baekhyun, wasn't it?  He's waaay too hyper."

Sure enough, Baekhyun's rabbiting up and down in his seat, pointing a finger at Sehun who's vehemently denying that he's mafia.  Jongin laughs into Minseok's shoulder, nodding.  

"I knew it" Minseok says, nostrils widening and comically stomping his foot.  "The little squirt."

And just like that Jongin's mood is lifted like a kite under a spring breeze.  His arm is pressed into Minseok's and noticing that Minseok still feels a little chilly, he tosses an arm around Minseok's shoulders.  He rubs the older's arm and Minseok giggles at something a goofy dancer hyung does.

Slowly, the 'graveyard couch' as Chanyeol calls it, fills with people being killed throughout the game.  Baekhyun gets killed fifth, after two dancer hyungs but he's just as loud as when he was 'alive'.  Jongin's just glad Baekhyun isn't sitting next to Minseok anymore so Jongin himself can hog his smaller hyung.

In the end, the game ends with the mafia team winning because no one suspects Kyungsoo hyung.  And even though Baekhyun's killed early on in the game, he gloats about the victory, saying he deserves to sit in the front seat of the van when they're going home.  It's minseok's usual seat that he sometimes fights over with Kyungsoo.  But this time, Kyungsoo's leaving early for a drama script reading, so everyone's a little surprised that Minseok doesn't really care.

Jongin spends more time snuggling and making sure Minseok's warmed up.  And when it's time for them to go on stage to record their performance, Minseok says, "Thanks to you I'm warmed and ready to dance!"

And even though Minseok probably isn't totally serious, it makes Jongin a little proud and satisfied.  

They end up needing to perform the same song three times on stage due to the different camera angles.  Then they quickly change into a different wardrobe and perform their second song.  It's all a blur because the choreography is exhausting and everyone's sweating, including Jongin.  While Junmyeon's saying thank you to the fans who came to watch, he gets tissues from the staff and hands it out, saving a fistful in another pocket until he reaches Minseok hyung.

"Ah, thanks Jongin-ah."  Minseok is a little breathless and it makes Jongin flush on top of everything, but he quickly goes back to his regular place in the line-up.

Kyungsoo hyung says bye after the final recording and though they're all tired and out of breath, they perform the songs once more for the fans without Kyungsoo hyung.  The cheers and screams pump Jongin up and he makes sure he sends out little hearts as fan service, trying to make eye contact as he waves goodbye.

The song ends and everyone's smilling.

"We are one!  This was EXO!" Junmyeon exclaims and they all bow to the fans.

They reach the corridor before the elevator and Jongin realizes they haven't decided on who's riding in which van.  Jongin follows Minseok with his eyes and it's not necessarily on purpose, but more like a habit that he does so.  The manager hyung is giving Junmyeon details on what's happening next and the logistics about where they're going.  The dancers break off into another group and they say their goodbyes.

"Remember, I get shot gun!" Baekhyun calls out.

"Yeah yeah yeah" Junmyeon tells him.  "It's amazing you're still so energized."

"Tell me about it" Minseok mutters, rolling his eyes.

It's not anything out of the ordinary, but the familiar expression makes Jongin happy so he lets out a short laugh.  

When they enter the elevator, Minseok gets squished into Jongin's chest and he places his hands on Minseok's shoulders.  He doesn't even notice that he's doing a little dance until Sehun remarks something about "Still have enough energy after doing the choreo six times?"

There are two vans.  One is going to the SM building and one is going to their apartment.  Baekhyun gets in the front seat of the one bound to the apartment.  He's happily swinging his legs, leaning out of the window and waving to fans.

"I got the front seat!" Baekhyun brags to the fans.

But Jongin's just watching as Minseok moves towards the back of the group.  He watches as Junmyeon tells Minseok something about going back to the office and Minseok nods.  Minseok points over to where Baekhyun is and this time Junmyeon nods.  Sehun's already slipping into the van where Baekhyun sits, taking one of the middle seats.

Chanyeol and Jongdae get in the van where Junmyeon goes because there's a recording they have to finish.  And now, it's usually the case that Jongin joins the group going back to the SM building because he likes to rewatch the performance video and practice before he goes to sleep.  But Minseok's crawling into the backseat after Sehun and everyone seems to think Jongin is going into the other van when Jongin jogs to the van that Minseok's in.

"Oh!  Jongin, you're going home?" Junmyeon calls out.

Jongin nods, gripping his own back with one hand for pity.  "I'm a little tired."

Junmyeon nods and Jongin feels a little guilty, but soon, he's in the backseat, curled up against Minseok again and the guilt gets forgotten.  Jongin knows that Minseok doesn't like sweat and unnecessary heat, but Minseok stays still and Jongin briefly wonders if it's because they changed and cleaned up a little or if it's because it's Jongin who's doing the skinship.  He shakes his head of the thought when Minseok pats Sehun's head and says something about doing a good job today and isn't our maknae tired?

The manager starts the car and they're on the road after pulling out of the lot.  Once they're on the freeway and once Baekhyun has quieted down somewhat.  Sehun has his earphones in because he doesn't like Baekhyun's song choice.  And Baekhyun's chatting with the manager hyung about recording tomorrow for the repackage album.  In the backseat, there's a comfortable silence until Minseok turns to Jongin.

"Does your back hurt again?" Minseok whispers hesitantly.

There's a small hand that carefully thumbs at Jongin's side.  It's ticklish and makes Jongin feel tingly all over instead of guilty like it should.  Jongin shakes his head, gripping Minseok's hand, playing with the older's small fingers.

"You were telling Junmyeon that you're tired" Minseok reminds him.

"Mmm" Jongin makes a noncommittal noise.  "It's alright."

Minseok frowns a little, but doesn't push.  Instead, he lets Jongin settle into his side a little more so that Jongin's comfortable.  Minseok cards another hand through Jongin's hair that's still a little gross from sweat and product.  Minseok doesn't seem to mind and Jongin closes his eyes, enjoying the relaxing touches.  

On the sound system, Baekhyun turns on a rough version of the song that Jongdae hyung is recording for Kyungsoo's drama.  It's not quite polished yet and still in production, but Jongdae hyung's voice is still melodious as he sings, "Was there moonlight as beautiful as this?"

And it's then that Jongin opens his eyes.  In his line of sight is Minseok's hand in his and the moonlight shines through the window, brighter than the street lights, as they race along the highway.  

"You're like the cherry blossom that falls at the passing wind" Jongdae hyung's voice croons. 

Jongin knows it's supposed to be a melancholy sort of song, but it seems he has select hearing when it comes to moments like these.  Jongin closes his eyes again and as he does, his hand closes around Minseok's as if he's cupping a delicate flower petal that might drift away.

He smiles softly when Minseok squeezes back.