Myungsoo's first reaction to Sungjong, way back at their first meeting, when the manager introduced him and little Sungjong smiled his cute little smile and his cheeks were pink as he greeted them and stayed that way all night, was to roll his eyes. Sungyeol had caught his gaze and they exchanged a look that said "greaaaaat".

This kid was too much. With his feminine face and voice and mannerisms. He was polite and nice and, sure, probably a good kid, but Myungsoo scoffed him off. Secretly of course. Myungsoo was nothing but distant and polite, making sure to treat him well, but keeping his space and cool air about him. He was surprised by how quickly the kid blew through all that though. The kid, Myungsoo went with what Sunggyu called him, though he truly wasn't that much younger than Myungsoo himself, was sweet. The kid was as sweet as he was quirky and clever.

At the beginning Myungsoo mostly blew him off, he stayed with the others and Sungyeol. He rolled his eyes a lot at Sungjong and his diva antics. But Myungsoo couldn't really help himself. After a while he warmed to Sungjong, became friends. As Sungjong became more comfortable with them as a group, he became looser as well. And he also showed them he wasn't just their maknae to abuse, but secretly crafty little snot and a little violent. And always polite with a graceful smile. Myungsoo might have found it adorable. Maybe.

Of course he knew that Sungjong was attractive. Sungjong knew made sure they knew it because he was. That was never the problem. Myungsoo was never someone to speak out about his feelings. Fans, friends and family called him shy, and maybe that was some of it. He was quiet. He just liked being quiet. He was reserved. His band mates knew underneath there was a big dork of a Myungsoo, but he still kept to himself and took a good shot or two of soju before going on stage. Sungjong thought it was hilarious that he needed to be a little buzzed before shows. He’d had a good laugh about Myungsoo being drunk and had called him a lush for a few solid months. It was an affectionate name that stuck. But that was the problem. Myungsoo found it difficult to give affection.

His few girlfriends had called him sweet, but distant. He’d hurt his mother's feelings before by accident, even. It didn't seem to matter with Sungjong, though. Myungsoo could trust that the kid would understand what he meant to say when Myungsoo flicked his forehead if he was getting to bratty. And that’s about when Myungsoo knew he was in trouble.

Little by little, or who knows with as dense as Myungsoo could be, all at once, the affection came easier towards Sungjong. Noticing came after practice, when they went back to their dorm and Myungsoo was sweaty and tired and leaned back with his bamboo pillow to enjoy the fan, Sungjong would slide next to him, just as worn out, and Myungsoo would run his fingers through Sungjong's hair, keep it from plastering to his forehead, and Sungjong’s mouth would pull up at the corner and his pretty eyes would close drowsily. Or Sungjong would recruit his help cooking and they would bump elbows making just simple dishes and Myungsoo’s arm might come up, his hand might rest at the side of Sungjong’s neck, thumb rubbing against his jawline as Sungjong proudly showed off his culinary skills with the same grace he did everything. That became normal to them and to everyone. Sungyeol was still his best friend, but they no longer rolled their eyes at Sungjong. Or they still did, but he wasn't the diva pretty boy that they couldn't stand. Or. He was. But Myungsoo adored him. And that was just that.

Though that was stupid and weird. Myungsoo tried not to think about it. There was a distinct moment when he told himself that this was happening and he shouldn't give it any more of his attention. Myungsoo thought of himself as practical at least.

That moment was in the car, filled with his band mates and best friends, driving home from a good concert where the crowd had been happy and responsive, their performance had been satisfying to everyone and they had talked themselves out on the drive back, and were drowsing contently. Of course Sungjong always had his choice of pillows between his place between Dongwoo and Myungsoo, but he had nudged over into Myungsoo’s space, Myungsoo arranging himself so that Sungjong wasn't uncomfortable on his shoulder. Over the course of the ride Sungjong had slipped down his chest, breathing huffs of hot breath against Myungsoo’s chest and a hand with fingers twisted into the bottom of Myungsoo’s t-shirt (the one Sungjong had rolled his eyes at for being boring and simple, but sue him for liking simple things), and Myungsoo’s mouth rested at the back of Sungjong’s head without his permission but, luckily, no one was looking. He remembered smiling to himself at the buzz underneath his skin that wasn't the pre-show alcohol, because that had burnt out during the exertion and stage adrenaline a long time ago. He had smiled and felt overwhelmed in the best way before he frowned and dropped his head back against the seat. He remembered asking himself if he was serious, if he was stupid, if he could stop. But then, most importantly he remembered telling himself to stop thinking about it at all. For the moment, he had leaned in and closed his eyes as his mouth touched against the back of Sungjong’s head. Everyone else was asleep anyway.

When they'd gotten home Dongwoo had called them a lovely couple with his big grin and Woohyun had made a face and played victim about being called a ert when it was Myungsoo trying to get to second base with his hand solidly wrapped around Sungjong’s ribcage. Sunggyu had eyed them a little and called them little idiots.

Sungjong wasn't exactly what the fans saw all the time. He was aware of what the fans called him, but Sungjong was just Sungjong. He carried that feminine grace with him all the time, but that did not mean that he was a little angel. And it didn't mean that he was gentle with them or a sissy. Sungjong liked to play rough and mean then walk away laughing and swinging his hips. It was just over time that Myungsoo noticed more and more how much of his time was spent watching Sungjong’s hips. Sungjong had ruined Myungsoo in all sorts of ways, but he wasn’t thinking about it, remember?