1. Proximity Maintenance: The desire to be near to the people we are attached too

Chanyeol looked up from his textbook, stealing a glance at his study partner. If the other boy was as hot and uncomfortable as Chanyeol was, he sure didn’t look it. Baekhyun caught his glance (much to Chaneyol’s endless embarrassment), and returned a sweet smile.

Chanyeol flushed and quickly broke the awkward eye contact, clearing his throat loudly and pretending to look interested in his work. To be honest, Chaneyol wasn’t even sure why he was here, in the stuffy library, re-reading what he’d studied weeks previously. It was hot, and he’d rather be outside, or at home. And Baekhyun wasn’t helping. Chanyeol could barely breathe with his stupid face so close, and his hot breath peppering Chaneyol’s neck.  

And it didn’t help that Baekhyun had been biting Chanyeol’s lips just a minute ago.

“Are you ok, Channie? Do you need to go home?” Baekhyun gently put a hand on his shoulder. “You don’t look so well.”

How do you expect me to look well when your spit is condensing on my neck?

“No, no, I’m fine.” Chanyeol tried to ignore the increasing pressure of Baekhyun’s hand. The other boy frowned.

“No, Yeol, don’t lie. I’ll take you home.” And without any further discussion, Baekyun looped his arm through Chanyeol’s and led him towards the library exit. Chaneyol, meanwhile, was attempting to keep his breath inside his body, a much harder task when the boy you’ve loved for pretty much the entirety of your life is practically holding you. Holding you.

“Besides, your lips look swollen. How’d that happen?”

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Proximity Maintenance: the desire to be close to one that you love. By keeping proximity, the relationship between two people will grow.

Chanyeol couldn’t help but replay this sentence over and over in his mind as Baekhyun drove him home. It sounded simple enough: stay close to the person you love, and they’ll love you back.

If only it was that simple.

Baekhyun, meanwhile, indicated left and pulled into Chanyeol’s driveway smoothly. Chanyeol moved to unbuckle himself, but Baekhyun’s hand rested on his shoulder. He caught Chanyeol’s eye and smiled.

“I’ll do it.”

Chanyeol was going to protest, but all that came out was a short, spluttering noise. Baekhyun chuckled, his eyes glinting with laughter.

“Relax. You’re sick.”

Baekyun’s hand slid smoothly from Chanyeol’s shoulder, down his chest and lightly rested on his lap. Chanyeol’s heart felt like it was running a marathon, beating loudly against his chest. Blood rushed into his ears and heated up his face, and the spluttering noises started again.

“Hyung, hyung, stop, I can do it, I’m not sick, I’ve, I’ve got this!” Chanyeol brushed Baekhyun’s hand away from his lap and unbuckled himself, leaping from the car and skipping awkwardly to his front door.  Anything to get away from Baekhyun’s curious hands.

Chanyeol pulled out his key, fumbling. His hands felt as though he was wearing oven mitts, and he kept missing the key hole. Behind, he could hear the crunching of Baekhyun’s feet on the pavement.

What’s he doing? He’s not coming in! He’s not coming in!

“Can I come in?” Baekhyun wrapped his arms around Chanyeol’s waist, and the boy stopped fumbling.

“I… I don’t think that’s good, no, I mean, my house isn’t clean or hot, NO, not hot, I mean-“

“Can I come in?” Baekhyun crooned, his hot breath swirling around Chanyeol’s ear. All of Chanyeol’s will power dissolved into wisps of wind, and blew away with Baekhyun’s hot breath.

“Yeah, yes, ok, sure, hold on-“ Chanyeol renewed his battle with the house key, only to have Baekhyun lightly kiss the shell of his ear. Chanyeol dropped his key and gave a little shriek.

“Can’t you pick it up?” Baekhyun muttered, the base of Chanyeol’s neck. Chanyeol shook his head.

“You’re, you’re… holding me… I can’t…”

“That’s ok, then.” Baekhyun whispered. “I don’t mind letting you go… if you let me inside.”

Chanyeol was, by now, internally screaming.

“Um… ok.”

Baekhyun smiled into his neck and released him. Chanyeol quickly bent down, scooped up the key and, after knocking it against the door a few times, forced the key into the hole and let himself and Baekhyun inside.

Chanyeol quickly did a skipping/ running combination into his small, old kitchen. Baekhyun followed, hands inside his pockets, and a seriously unnerving smirk on his face.    

Chanyeol tried to make himself busy, cluttering around, attempting to ignore Baekhyun as he leaned against the fridge door. In a last-ditch effort to destroy the butterflies in his stomach, Chanyeol started a conversation.

“I mean, thanks for bringing me home and everything, do you wanna come in and have some coffee, or I don’t know, tea-“

Baekhyun grabbed hold of Chaneyol’s waist and brought the stuttering, flushed boy against him. Chanyeol made a strange spluttering noise and almost dropped his cup.

“Baekhyun, what~”

“Just shut up, you freak.” Baekhyun muttered. “Stop talking for once, and just let me hold you.”  His head fell forwards, resting on Channie’s shoulder. Chaneyol froze awkwardly, not sure where to rest his hands, or whether being a freak was bad or good, or why Baekhyun was holding him like this and why his breath was sending shivers up his spine… All Chanyeol knew was that it felt good.

“Why are you doing this to me today?” Chanyeol whispered, eventually resting his hands on Baekhyun’s back. Baekhyun drew in a deep breath, causing his small frame to shake.

It was amazing how someone could go from y and powerful to childlike in a single breath.

“I don’t know.” For a seeming lack of anything to do, Baekhyun began kissing Chanyeol’s collar bone, causing the other boy to shift uncomfortably. “I don’t know why I like doing this to you, Channie.” Baekhyun’s hands slid under Chanyeol’s shirt and began tracing his abs.

“I just like being close to you.”