The warm aroma of vanilla, rich cocoa and sugary goodness wafts through the air and engulfs Kyungsoo in a blanket of temporary bliss where he sits guard at the kitchen island, keeping a watchful eye over the array of sweets laid out for the taking.

In his peripheral vision, he spots a hand reaching for a basket of freshly baked sugar cookies decorated exquisitely in royal icing, a prized gem that the members had been eyeing eagerly since its arrival two hours ago. “Don’t,” Kyungsoo hisses and turns swiftly, swatting Jongin’s prying hand away from the treats. He narrows his eyes at the younger, having repeatedly warned Jongin to stay away from the goodies until Chanyeol and Baekhyun had returned from their champagne run- as per the orders of Junmyeon- yet of course, no one listens especially when food is involved.

Cookie protection duty isn’t exactly how he imagined he’d be spending his Christmas Eve with the members, their second as an entire group since debut. As if to taunt him, Jongdae and Junmyeon’s soft, melodious voices filter into the kitchen, a perfect acapella version of Mariah’s All I Want For Christmas Is You bathing him in warmth and inexplicable feelings of joy and contentment. He longs to be out there belting out Last Christmas on Minseok’s karaoke machine and getting faced with expensive alcohol and too much sugar but instead, he’s glued to the barstool, perpetually alone and slightly miffed.

“Just one,” Jongin whines, breaking him out of his internal self-mourning and Kyungsoo makes sure to dig his nails into the younger’s soft skin, relishing in the yelp and frown that he’s graced with as Jongin looks down at the crescent-shaped markings in horror before storming out of the kitchen, most likely to complain to someone who wouldn’t care even if his arm was sawn off; everyone.

“Hey hyung.” A dry and lethargic voice calls out to him. Kyungsoo’s attention falls on Sehun’s lanky form, black hair tousled from sleep as he pads into the kitchen in lazy steps that reminds the older of a panther, if not for the fact that the maknae’s wearing an atrocious Christmas sweater and incredibly tight black boxers that leaves nothing to the imagination.

Sehun takes the stool next to Kyungsoo, their thighs and arms now brushing. Kyungsoo swallows hard, ignoring the heat that floods his body. “Slept well?” he asks, secretly inhaling lungfuls of Sehun’s natural baby scent. The younger hums disinterestedly, eyeing the largest snowflake-shaped sugar cookie with blue and white piped designs and edible pearl beads.

And then, as if time itself ceases to exist, Kyungsoo watches in a mixture of abstract terror and fascination as Sehun’s long, thin fingers reach out and grab onto the delicate snowflake, picking it off the woven basket and lifting it to his thin, pink lips, mouth stretching around an intricately crafted branch before breaking it off between his teeth and chewing loudly. “This is really good.” He mumbles between bites, a smile stretching the width of his face and eyes lighting up.

“I- yep.” Kyungsoo squeaks, heart plummeting dangerously to the pit of his roiling stomach. He’s not sure if it’s because Sehun is so breathtakingly beautiful even with crumbs at the side of his mouth or if it’s because Junmyeon himself had laid claim to that specific cookie and he just allowed his pretty little maknae to eat it without reprimanding or stopping him.

Sehun offers him a bite and he smiles weakly, politely shaking his head. As Sehun polishes off the last snowflake branch, Kyungsoo’s mind is a chaotic mixture of blaring alarms and flashing red lights, scrambling to devise a suitable excuse that would get neither him nor Sehun in trouble. Blame Jongin is the final call when the front door opens and Chanyeol’s obnoxiously loud ‘ho ho ho es:’ echoes throughout the dorm.

Kyungsoo runs a hand through his matted hair, planting his elbows on the countertop as he waits for the microwave to beep. He’s unable to sleep, a product of having stayed up one too many nights until the early hours of the morning drenched in sweat in the practice rooms at SM, vocal chords and body spent. It’s his off night and the frustration only builds as he dunks his teabag carelessly, causing the green tea flavoured water to spill over the rim of the cup. The exhaustion has settled in his bones, body and mind begging for rest, yet sleep eludes him. Sparing a heated glare at the clock on the wall reading 2:34 am, he takes his mug and trudges to the living, flipping off the kitchen light and shrouding the dorm once more in darkness. As he sits, blowing on the liquid, a door creaks open and Kyungsoo arches a brow. It shuts a little too carefully and soon, footsteps can be heard approaching. Maybe someone wants to use the bathroom. That’s common.

What isn’t common is Sehun’s familiar silhouette tip-toeing into the living room, shoes in one hand and dressed like he’s about to head out. At half two in the ing morning. Irritation clouds his mind and before he knows it, Kyungsoo is hissing, “Where the do you think you’re going?” He feels a sense of satisfaction at the quiet shriek the younger produces as he startles and spins around so rapidly, Kyungsoo barely catches the movement.

“Oh my god, hyung!” Sehun whisper-yells, clutching his chest or at least that’s what it looks like he’s doing. His vision is already poor in regular lighting, far less for a dark room barely illuminated by moonlight. “You scared me!” He makes his way over to the older and seats himself on the couch.

“Where the hell are you going?” Kyungsoo repeats sternly. The idea of Sehun leaving the dorm at o’clock in the morning without informing anyone and without company has him miffed. Call it his overprotective nature when it comes to exo’s youngest but even though Sehun is old enough to take care of himself, there are some things Kyungsoo strictly objects to. Like this.

Sehun seems a little taken aback by the tone in Kyungsoo’s voice. His body stiffens and he leans away just a tiny bit. He turns to face him and though they can’t really see each other’s faces, Kyungsoo knows Sehun is frowning in confusion. “I- I was going for a walk. Couldn’t sleep.” He admits guiltily.

“Alone? Sehun, you know it’s not safe. Especially without letting anyone know.” Kyungsoo chastises, this time a bit softer. He sighs and sets down his cup of tea. “I’ll be back.” He pats Sehun’s thigh and retreats to his bedroom, tugging on the first sweater he finds and grabbing a face mask and snapback from his dressing table. Sehun is sitting in the exact spot Kyungsoo had left him, when he returns and he smiles a little at that.

“Come on. I’ll go with you. I can’t sleep either.” He admits, extending his hand for the younger to take. Sehun’s slender, long fingers slip into the slots between his own, his palm curling around Kyungsoo’s warm hand like it was made for him.

“Thanks hyung.” Sehun speaks up once they’re outside.

Kyungsoo’s balls feel like they’ve shrunk and disappeared into his stomach. It’s ing freezing but Sehun’s grip on his hand is warm and his smile is gentle and sweet and Kyungsoo finds himself returning the gesture, squeezing the younger’s palm. “Anytime.”

“It’s been an hour, Junmyeon. Can you explain to me why Sehun isn’t here yet?” Kasper snaps, wiping sweat from his forehead. Their manager sits in a corner of the practice room, arms folded over his chest, an angry frown marring his face. Junmyeon gulps and shrinks back. Kyungsoo sighs and steps forward. It's his job to wake up the youngest when he's being particularly difficult on mornings with early schedules, a duty he’d given himself under the pretense that Junmyeon needed an ease up. It certainly wasn’t because he loved watching Sehun’s eyes flutter open as he pouted and complained, begging for five more minutes of rest. It most definitely wasn’t because he’d drag Kyungsoo under the blanket with him while the older allowed him ten extra minutes despite knowing they were on a time crunch.

“It’s my fault.” He admits. He’s never been the type to shy away from responsibility. Junmyeon flashes him a dubious look but Kyungsoo simply shrugs, knowing that his straightforward personality makes him less of a target by the staff. Kasper arches a brow and scoffs, shaking his head and clapping to round up the group for another go at the choreography. Sehun hadn’t slept at all the night before, or so he told Kyungsoo when he’d gone to wake him up this morning. It showed in paleness of his face and dark circles under his eyes. Kyungsoo had made the decision there and then to allow him to stay in.

The younger has the choreography down anyways and with the state he was in, not even coffee would have been able to sustain him to perform at one hundred percent. Kyungsoo knows that if it had been any other member, they’d have dragged Sehun off the bed kicking and screaming. He himself has done it to Baekhyun and Jongin several times. But this is different. This is Sehun who overworks himself to sickness and worries until his fears keep him up all night. Sometimes he needs a break and Kyungsoo is willing to put himself on the line to allow the maknae some time off.

Their manager pulls him aside after practice. He’s heaving, sweat soaking his tank top and sweatpants, muscles aching with fatigue but the older man doesn’t care. “The next time you make Sehun miss any of his schedules, there will be repercussions.” He warns, the threat evident in his tone. He stalks off, leaving Kyungsoo behind, blinking unsurely.

“You let him get away with too much.” Chanyeol tells him, having overheard everything from where he’d been standing just a few steps away. He’s smiling but it’s not his regular Chanyeol smile. There’s uncertainty in the slight downward curl at the corners of his lips and Kyungsoo knows the older is right but it’s not a grand problem, nothing life-threatening so it’s fine, right?

“You’re wearing my snapback.” Kyungsoo growls, snatching it off Sehun’s head and planting it on his own.

“Hey, give it back!” Sehun whines, or at least tries to, sounding awful even to Kyungsoo. He attempts to take it back but his hands are swatted away.

“You’re always stealing my clothes, Sehun. My closet is nearly half empty. At least return my stuff after you use it.” There’s no malice in his voice because he actually doesn’t mind Sehun using and keeping his things. If he wants it back, he just has to go into the younger’s room and take it. It helps that Sehun actually takes care of the things he borrows. But he likes teasing the younger, loves seeing the way he frowns and pouts oh so childishly, rolling his eyes and furrowing his brows in mock annoyance.

“But I like your stuff.” Sehun replies petulantly. He rolls over onto his stomach, arms resting on Kyungsoo’s abdomen.

“Then buy a set for yourself.” The older snorts, flicking the maknae’s head, taking off his hat and placing it over Sehun’s head messily.

Sehun makes a face, rubbing his forehead but he immediately lights up once his pilfered hat is returned. He fixes it properly and grins, eyes crinkling and pearly whites bared at Kyungsoo in gratification and joy. “Thanks hyung.” He smiles.

“Yeah, yeah.” He returns, thick lips tugging into a half smile. However, it falls right off his face when he recognises the rest of Sehun’s outfit. “Wait.” He says slowly. Sehun smirks, knowing exactly what’s coming. “Is that my sweater? Sehun I’ve been looking for that for ages!” He groans, slapping the younger’s arm when he lets out an obnoxious laugh.

“You clearly didn’t look in my room.” He teases playfully.

It’s Kyungsoo’s turn to roll his eyes. Sehun sits up and only then does he notice the little hole at the bottom of the sweater. Clearly, the material had snagged on something sharp and caused it to rip, the threading around it fraying. “You ripped it.” He huffs in exasperation. That had been one of his favourite Gucci sweaters. It costed a too.

Sehun’s eyes widen and he scoffs until he realises Kyungsoo isn’t joking. He hastily looks down, lips parting when he spies the tear. “Oh . Hyung, I’m so sorry.” He rushes out, panic swimming in his eyes when he finally meets Kyungsoo’s gaze. “I’ll get you a new one, I swear. I didn’t know-”

Kyungsoo snickers and shakes his head. He should be annoyed, really. In fact, he should be pissed as . Instead, he finds himself reaching out to give Sehun’s hand an assuring squeeze. “Keep it. It looks better on you anyways. Plus holes in your clothes is apparently a trend now.” He finds himself saying, stretching out his foot to knock Sehun in the ribs when he grins victoriously, cheeks tinted pink.

“Where’s hyung?” Sehun asks as he saunters into the living room where Chanyeol and Jongdae are sprawled out on the floor arguing over something on a sheet of music and Junmyeon is curled up on the recliner reading a book.

To Sehun, everyone is his hyung (except for Jongin. He’d kill himself before he calls the older that) but they all know who he’s referring to. Junmyeon looks up from his novel and frowns. “He’s asleep, Sehunnie. What do you want?”

Sehun groans. He’d gone straight to bed after recording at the studio, foregoing lunch, and now his stomach feels as if it’s imploding on itself. “I’m hungry.”

“Why don’t you order something? Tell me what you want. I’ll do it for you.” Chanyeol supplies, sitting up and pulling out his phone.

“I don’t want fast food. I want hyung’s food.” Sehun snaps stubbornly. He also develops a nasty case of hangry whenever he goes too long without sustenance.

Junmyeon arches a brow. “Well he’s asleep. I just said that. He got back from filming around seven this morning, Hunnie. He needs his rest.” Junmyeon’s words are final. Kyungsoo had looked positively exhausted when he stumbled into the dorm after filming for his drama all night. On his insistence, he’d managed to get the younger time off from recording to catch up on his sleep but Kyungsoo has only been asleep for maybe three hours or so. It’s not nearly enough. He watches as Sehun stalks off, annoyance radiating off his frame, and sighs knowing exactly what was going to happen.

Not even fifteen minutes later, Kyungsoo is dragging himself into the kitchen, one eye still snapped shut from sleep, yawning loudly and hair a bird’s nest. Sehun follows him out after, smiling sweetly as he seats himself at the island, replying something that Junmyeon doesn’t catch when Kyungsoo affectionately asks him what he would like to eat.

Kyungsoo enters his assigned hotel room, breath catching when he spots a foreign figure perched on his bed. For a second, he's about to bolt, a scream ready to rip from his throat because how the did a psychotic fan manage to break into his room? But then he notices those soft back curls and slender, pale legs barely concealed by the robe Sehun has draped over his shoulders and left open, and he sighs. “Are you okay?” Said man asks slowly as he eyes Kyungsoo’s rigid frame.

“No, I'm not ing okay.” Kyungsoo snaps, peeling off his jacket and flinging it on the armchair before plopping himself down on the bed next to Sehun. “You almost gave me a heart attack! I thought you were a fan or something. How did you even get in here?”

Sehun shoots Kyungsoo an amused look that makes the older feel like he's suddenly become the whiny, annoying maknae. “You told manager hyung to give me your extra keycard, remember?” Sehun’s smiling wryly now but Kyungsoo can't be bothered, too busy trying to recall doing such. He vaguely remembers Sehun pestering him for it and he'd agreed only to shut him up because he'd been busy helping Junmyeon organise everyone's room assignments.

“Right.” Kyungsoo trails off slowly, narrowing his eyes as Sehun laughs and lies down, bathrobe slipping off his shoulders and dear god, Sehun