The soft click of the bathroom door shutting was followed soon after by sounds of running water. Baekhyun opened his eyes once he was sure Sehun was safely in the shower. Quicksand. It felt like he was sinking into a pool of shifting sands - anathema for someone like Baekhyun who constantly craved control.

 

For a few brief moments, he allowed himself to savor the residual warmth Sehun had left behind; then he stared at the slight dent in the pillow where his head had lain just moments ago. Involuntarily, Baekhyun moved closer and his nostrils were filled with the faint scent of apple. Was it Sehun's shampoo? His soap?

 

He'd spent the past eight years sitting and standing beside Sehun, even lying down next to him during camping trips and sleepovers, but Baekhyun had never once registered what he smelt like. He'd just never been aware of Sehun physically before yesterday. Now he couldn't comprehend how he could have not noticed Sehun all those years because he hadn't stopped noticing him since he'd seen him shave the morning before. All those years ... how could he not have seen?

 

He shook his head and closed his eyes again, guiltily breathing in the warm clean scent that was uniquely Sehun's. As his sleep-fogged brain cleared, he belatedly realized that Sehun must have brought out the pillow and quilt during the night. Why hadn't he just woken him up so he could move to his own room? And why had he remained with him? Was that why Sehun had so vehemently insisted he wasn't his dongsaeng? Was Sehun attracted to him too? 

 

The bathroom door inched open quietly and Baekhyun tensed, keeping his eyes tightly shut. He wasn't ready to deal with this. Whatever 'this' was.  So Baekhyun tried his best to snore convincingly - not that he had any idea what his snoring even sounded like. It was probably loud though since his friends always complained that everything about him was noisy. So Baekhyun pretended to snore as loudly as he could. 

 

Muffled footsteps approached the sofa and Baekhyun's fake snores became increasingly loud. Then, for some reason, Sehun gave a low throaty chuckle and the light fragrance of apples flavored the air as he stopped right in front of Baekhyun. After a moment's pause, Sehun pulled the quilt up to cover his shoulders before rubbing his back gently. Then he brushed Baekhyun's hair off his forehead and left the apartment quietly.

 

Baekhyun exhaled jerkily and stared up at the ceiling. Quicksand. He was surrounded by quicksand. And apples. All he saw were shifting sands and sleepy almond-shaped eyes, and apples. He smelt apples. He burrowed his face into Sehun's pillow and Sehun's quilt, and desperately, futilely tried not to think about Sehun.