D-39 to Lee Sungjong's Birthday!

Pairing: Sungyeol/Sungjong

Prompt: Baking

(Harder Than it Looks)

Sungyeol realized something very early on; it was that when one member was unhappy, all members somehow ended up affected by that one member’s dour mood.

It always when another member hit a rough patch. The dynamics of the group changed and morale was almost always lowered. They were one unit, and would always be one unit, so when one of them wasn’t happy- well, it showed. It was always glaringly obvious to the rest of the members; but although the unhappiness may be obvious, the solution may not always be.

But as such, obvious was obvious and it was obvious that one member was unhappy.

The member in question at this moment of time happened to be the one and only Lee Sungjong.

And Sungyeol hated it.

It was always the worst when Sungjong was the one feeling unhappy.

When the maknae wasn’t exactly feeling himself, he threw their whole dynamic off balance.

Because while Dongwoo may be considered the human vitamin of the group, Sungjong was an entirely different type of energy system by himself.

As the resident sunshine flower boy maknae, Sungjong was considered a constant healing method and a solid support system. As the maknae, it was a hard job to handle, but it was something Sungjong did with ease.

He knew when to say a snarky comment which would inevitably get a laugh from his hyungs. He also knew when to keep quiet, to let his hyungs rant to him so that the anger could fade quickly. With one smile or hug, Sungjong could generally make any one of them feel better. Because as maknae, he knew and understand all of them well. As Sungjong, he knew how to take that understanding and make sure to help when he could, to make sure they were happy.

One of his smiles could light up a room and erase all tense feelings. The threat of tears would make any type of argument cease and desist (because, damn it, how can anyone not feel guilty at the sight of Lee Sungjong’s tears). And one little comment from Sungjong would always do the trick- because maknae always knew what to say.

That was why it was the worst when Sungjong was unhappy.

Sungyeol really hated it.

-

Sungyeol figured that Sungjong was getting exceedingly grumpy because of the strict diet they had all been put on. The maknae was naturally lithe, and as such, usually ate whatever the hell he wanted. He never really needed to worry about his figure.

But now, with the comeback drawing nearer, even his diet was put on lockdown.

And as such- the whole dorm had been on pins and needles, watching Sungjong’s perpetual frown with weary eyes. The maknae would be bound to snap sooner or later- but no one wanted to be the actual person he snapped at.

So that got Sungyeol thinking- maybe he could prevent Sungjong from snapping. No one wanted to be feed to the angry maknae, so he figured that anything was worth a shot.

After a full seventeen minutes of thinking, Sungyeol could only think of one thing Sungjong would become grumpy for.

Maybe, just maybe, he was just a little deprived of the sweets he so lovingly adored.

The more he thought about it, the more he was sure of it. His maknae was just sugar deprived!

Sungyeol nodded decisively before heading to the kitchen with a fist pump of determination. “Don’t worry, Jongie,” he mumbled. “Sungyeol hyung to the rescue!”

-

Sungyeol, in theory, was supposed to make a deliciously awesome and amazing cake, clean everything up, and wait for Sungjong to come home with a smug smirk on his face, cake in hand.

That was all in theory of course, because theory was always much harder than actually applying it to the real world.

All he wanted to do was make a simple little cake!

But no! The instructions had to be hard to understand! And the utensils had to be poorly organized, making Sungyeol dig for them. Not to mention the stupid ingredients. He just had to want to make it from scratch. Boo.

He was going to make an awesome cake, damn it!

-

Sungjong came home to a the dorm being almost devoid of hyungs, a little bit of cursing, and a wrecked kitchen; he walked towards the kitchen wearily, following the sounds of muttered cursing.

And he did not like what he saw.

There was flour on the cupboards, bowls and utensils strewn everywhere, and ingredients haphazardly all around the kitchen.

In the middle of it stood Sungyeol, who was mixing a bowl of questionable batter with much more fervor than needed.

It looked like Sungyeol picked a fight with the kitchen.

And lost.

Sungjong was judging him hard. “Hyung?”

Sungyeol turned around so fast at the sound of the voice that he almost dropped the bowl he was holding. He stared blankly at the speaker, registered who he was, and then grimaced. Sungyeol took three seconds of Sungjong’s questioning stare before miserably crowing, “It’s harder than it looks, okay?” He didn’t even bother with a greeting. He wasn’t even bothered that Sungjong came home earlier than expected. He didn’t have an awesome cake ready. “It really is!”

Sungjong would agree, except he didn’t know what “it” is in the first place. “What were you trying to do?”

Sungyeol looked appropriately offended. “You can’t tell?” He held his mixed bowl of batter defiantly towards Sungjong. “It’s supposed to be a cake, damn it! A cake!”

“Why are you baking a cake?” Sungjong asked, already grabbing a towel. He was going to be told to clean this up later anyhow, so might as well start early.

“For your grumpypants,” Sungyeol retorts, full of sass. “Because you’ve been frowning all the time lately.”

Sungjong probably would have been more touched if the whole kitchen didn’t look like it was sacrificed for the sake of a pastry. But he grinned regardless, touched by the sincerity. “Aww, hyung! You shouldn’t have.” Sungyeol really shouldn’t have.

Sungyeol swatted at him, blushing slightly at the grin. “Yeah, well, you know things get weird when you’re unhappy and stuff,” he huffed. “And no one likes that, so, you know, I thought I would make you something to cheer you up.” Sungyeol was rambling and was completely mortified.

Sungjong grinned once more, eyes smiling in happiness. Sungyeol figured he could take being mortified if that meant Sungjong smiled at him like that. “Thanks, hyung. I appreciate it.” He really did.

He felt touched that Sungyeol would even think about doing this for him.

“I didn’t get to finish before you came home, but I’ll make you a cake right now,” Sungyeol said this confidently, although they both knew that Sungjong would probably have to help Sungyeol. “Don’t think I at baking or anything, because it really is a hard thing to do.” He said this seriously, waving the whisk he was holding with a flippant hand.

Sungjong grabbed the mixing bowl from Sungyeol and looked into the bowl questioningly before making a soft sigh.

He looked up again to his hyung, and with a serious face, merely said, “It really is harder than it looks.”

Sungjong always knew what to say.

e n d.

because of sungyeol baking in the man in love mv + this thing. ;)

(woot! one more drabble and i'm back on schedule! ;D)