A/n: I'm sorry it's been so long! In two weeks, I'm done school forever and will have time to focus solely on writing. Thank you for your patience. (PS: Currently unedited. Will edit later.)

Kyungsoo tried not to let Jongin’s abrupt leave bother him, stir up old memories he had long ago shelved. Eventually he got off the couch, taking off the blanket shrouding him, and gently folded it. Its scent lingered on him, but he hardly noticed anymore, which surprised him because usually he couldn’t stand the odors that came of the boy who had slept in the blanket. They were strong and rank, burned his nose and made him gag, but right now Kyungsoo just didn’t care. He left the blanket and pillow at the end of the couch, and then searched for something normal to do. That ended up being laundry, when he spotted his basket with Jongin’s clothes mixed in his own. He picked it up, grabbing his detergent and wallet, and headed down to his building’s laundry room. When he was done there, he had nearly an hour to kill, so he returned to his apartment and cleaned his windows, vacuumed his floors, dusted, and reorganized his couch pillows. Then he was back in the laundry room, thinking to himself that the world needed to invent a machine that both washed and dried clothes in one. Another forty minutes of random cleaning and the clothes were done, his apartment sparkling. And he didn’t want to spend another second in it. He checked his fridge and decided he needed to go grocery shopping, making himself a list and getting out.

He wasn’t sure why he debated locking the door.

Normally, Kyungsoo was a determined shopper, getting what he needed and not wasting a second more. Today, he walked down each aisle at a deliberately slow pace, admiring each item he usually never bothered to look at, comparing his usual brands to others. He took a solid five minutes debating whether to get 1%, 2%, or skim milk, only to get his usual 1%. This happened with every item on his list, and items he wasn’t even planning on buying (most of which he didn’t buy). Over two hours was spent doing the shopping he could finish in less than ten minutes on a regular day. But apparently shopping had become the epitome of Kyungsoo’s life, because here he was at three in the afternoon, still not having eaten today, considering going to a different store to see if they had anything more he hadn’t seen already. He didn’t, but he did go into a liquor store, somewhere he had never been; it wasn’t that he’d never drank before – he’d just never been the provider of alcohol in the situations that he had. There he bought a bottle of wine, and then he walked home, since he hadn’t driven.

He was happy to get home after four, because it meant he could start on dinner right away. He took out a pot and half-filled it with water, sticking it on the stove and leaving it to boil while he put away his groceries. When he was done, he was left with a bag of pasta, a can of tomato sauce, and kimchi that had come from his fridge. Spaghetti plus the wine he’d bought; he wondered if he should put out candles, just to mock him, rub it in how truly alone he was.

He didn’t.

Kyungsoo made far more spaghetti than he alone could eat, and he really wasn’t sure what he was trying to accomplish, other than torture himself. It was making him lose his appetite, despite the fact that he hadn’t eaten that day. What was wrong with him today?

He dished out a single scoop of pasta, another of the kimchi sauce he’d mixed, and then took a pair of chopsticks and sat the meal at his place at the table. He returned to the kitchen to grab the wine, and glanced back at the table, seeing his lone plate. The sight depressed him. He didn’t bother getting himself a glass, popping the bottle’s lid and taking it to his seat. He took a generous sip before sighing and setting it down. Just as he was picking up his chopsticks, there was a knock at the door.

There were a few things unusual about having someone knock on his door. For one thing, Kyungsoo’s neighbors didn’t ever speak to him, because he’d made it clear that he wasn’t that kind of neighbor. So it likely wasn’t someone who lived in the building. And the place was secure – you couldn’t just walk in, you need a code whatever entrance you came in. So unless someone had broken in without setting off any alarms, it wasn’t someone from outside either. No one had buzzed up. There was no way someone was at his door right now. The only person he imagined it could be was a government worker, but why on earth would they be visiting him? Were they doing random house checks now?

Kyungsoo went to the door, checking the peephole, but it was blocked. Why were they blocking his view? He slowly unlocked the door, wishing he were in some way armed, and clenching his hand into a fist even though he seriously lacked any physical strength. However, on the other side of the door, it only turned out to be Kim Jongin. The boy had his backpack in tow, and his eyes were red. Kyungsoo could smell something on him, and scowled, closing the door. But Jongin stuck his foot in it.

“Let’s get past the warm and friendly greeting and move on to the part where I apologize and you give me my second chance.”

Kyungsoo glowered. “I don’t want an apology. I want you to quit all the crap you’re on. Not come back high.”

“Can I just come in and talk to you?” Jongin asked, looking around nervously. Who knew who was listening. Kyungsoo grumbled, pulling the door open irritably and stepping aside to allow the other in. Jongin noticed his fist and chuckled. “Are you gonna hit me?”

“If you piss me off any more,” Kyungsoo muttered.

Jongin leaned in, too close to him, to say something in his ear. “It smells like I’m not the only one who’s been smoking today, hyung. You didn’t steal one of my joints from me for yourself, did you? Don’t look so confused, I have a nose for it. Are you keeping secrets, Kyungsoo?”

“I’m not a smoker,” Kyungsoo defended angrily. How dare Jongin accuse him of the disgusting habit? But… did he really smell like drugs? He couldn’t. He didn’t… It must have been the age he’d spent bundled up in Jongin’s blanket feeling sorry for himself. Now he thought of it, it was embarrassing, and he would not be mentioning it to Jongin. Instead, he changed the topic. “Why did you come back?”

“To ask to come stay here again. And before you say no, I know – no drugs. I’ll quit, really. But I can’t just do it overnight. I’ll wean myself off of it – all of it. I just need some time.” He looked and sounded very sincere saying this, and Kyungsoo knew it was true; it would take time for the other to let his bad habits go. But if he got caught with Jongin, he could be killed for sheltering a Category. Was it really worth the risk?

But then, was he really so heartless as to send the boy out on the streets and possibly into being captured?

Yes. He absolutely was. Just days ago he’d called the police to go and kill Kim Jongin, even though they had been unsuccessful. So yes, he was that heartless. He was also extremely selfish though, and didn’t want to be alone, and he’d made too much to eat anyway and had washed Jongin’s clothes, so it seemed like letting the boy stay again was inevitable.

“Alright,” Kyungsoo told him. “But I mean it when I say no drugs – none in the apartment, or on the balcony, or in or around the building. Find somewhere else, don’t get caught, and don’t let it come back to me, got it? And you’re only here until you find somewhere else,” he added. “If you’re here next month I’m making you start paying rent.”

Jongin was smiling from the second Kyungsoo agreed to it. “ Of course,” he said happily. “Wouldn’t want to overstay my welcome.” He kicked off his shoes, glancing over at the wine bottle on the table. “Rough day, huh? A whole bottle and no glass. Did me leaving affect you that much?”

“Don’t push it,” Kyungsoo growled.

“Will you share?” he asked lightly. “It’s not as fun drinking alone. You usually just end up passing out crying.”

“You know that from experience, huh?” Kyungsoo asked as he headed to the kitchen to grab two wine glasses and a second plate, trying not to think about the fact that he likely would’ve been doing just what Jongin had said tonight had he not shown up.

“Yeah,” Jongin said, taking a seat at the table. “Lots, lately.”

Because he’d lost a good friend. Because he was facing death. Because the world had turned upside down and left everyone in a mess. Kyungsoo had no doubt that Jongin was indeed drugging and crying himself to sleep at night.

Kyungsoo brought out the second plate of food, and poured them both glasses of the wine. Jongin’s was gulped down before Kyungsoo even filled his own glass, and he gave the younger a dirty look for it.

“What? You were gonna drink the whole thing yourself, don’t deny it.”

He didn’t deny it, quickly tilting back his own glass to keep up with Jongin. Then he refilled them both and focused on his meal. Jongin copied, and from there they slowly worked on eating all the spaghetti, until there was none left any they were both pleasantly full and two drinks down. Kyungsoo poured them a third, Jongin a fourth and fifth, and then Kyungsoo put the half-empty bottle away before things got too out of hand.

Unsure of what to do next, reasonably inebriated with Jongin, Kyungsoo retreated to his bedroom as he had the night before, finding Jongin’s clean laundry spewed on his bed. He picked it all up and took it out to the boy, who had taken residence on his couch again.

“Here,” Kyungsoo offered the clothes to him. Jongin laughed.

“You washed my clothes for me?” He took them, holding them up to his face and taking a whiff. “They smell good.”

“Mhm,” Kyungsoo said, and then he left again.

A few hours later he took a shower, and shortly after went to bed, early even though he didn’t have to work the next day. Nor did Jongin. He wondered what they would do tomorrow.

As he lay in bed, he found he couldn’t fall asleep, likely because of the wine. He stayed there for an hour or so in silence, and was starting to fall asleep when he heard something in the other room. He couldn’t place it at first, but then he figured out that it was the sound of crying, a sound he was unfamiliar hearing from others. People didn’t cry around him. But out in his living room, Jongin was crying. Kyungsoo didn’t know how to feel, how to react. He wasn’t sure if he should go out and comfort the other, or tell him to shut up. But since he didn’t know how to make Jongin feel better, and he doubted telling him off would help anything, Kyungsoo just stayed in his bed and tried not to hear it.

Even when he fell asleep, the crying didn’t stop.

“

Minseok was working when Byun Baekhyun entered the shop, hair wet from the drizzling rain outside. He ordered a coffee while Minseok was busy clearing a table, and then sat down to wait for his drink.

“Hey, Baek,” Minseok said as he passed the boy’s table. Baekhyun was one of his oldest (though youngest) friends, since they’d grown up in the same neighbourhood.  He had known Baekhyun longer than Baekhyun’s boyfriend, Chanyeol, and when the two had first started dating, Chanyeol had been very wary of Minseok. He fortunately outgrew that jealousy when he realized there was really no romantic feelings between his boyfriend and the older boy. “Is Chanyeol working today?”

“Yeah,” Baekhyun answered. A moment later, Minseok was bringing him his coffee. “Thanks, hyung. Have you already had your break?”

Minseok nodded. “I actually get off in like twenty minutes. Why? Did you need something?”

“Someone to talk to,” Baekhyun admitted. “I value your advice the most. Plus I really wanted coffee.”

Swatting Baekhyun’s arm playfully, Minseok laughed. “Just using me for my darn coffee,” he muttered jokingly. “Just hang around, I’ll be done soon.”

If there was one thing Baekhyun liked about Minseok, it was that he didn’t ask unnecessary questions. When he needed someone to talk to, Minseok was always the first person to come to mind, because he was the best listener, and the most understanding person Baekhyun knew.

Twenty minutes went by fairly fast, surprisingly, and then Minseok was sliding into the seat across from Baekhyun’s. “So what’s up?” he asked, sipping on a drink he’d made himself.

“It’s about Chanyeol.”

“Uh oh.” His tone made Minseok nervous. Baekhyun had been messaging Minseok about Chanyeol more lately, telling him about the stress Chanyeol’s job was placing on them. But if he was coming to talk in person, did that mean it had gotten worse? “Are you guys okay?”

“Well, you know what’s going on and everything…” Baekhyun began slowly, eyes looking sad. “But it just feels really  bad lately. I got a job and yesterday was my first day, but when I got home, Chanyeol freaked on me. I don’t know what I should do, hyung.”

Minseok frowned and gave a nod. Baekhyun and Chanyeol had always had a pretty smooth relationship, but they had also had their fights before. When they’d decided to move in together, Minseok had guessed it might get more troublesome – living with someone was always like that. When you had to be around someone all the time, see them at the worst and everything, it could prove damaging to a relationship. But he’d never said anything against it; he hoped they would be happy together – they seemed happy together – and he really believed they’d get past that trouble. But now, two years in, apparently they were finally hitting a real bump. Not that it was really their fault; it was the world’s, but it was just as hard anyway for them, Minseok was sure.

“Is he mad about you getting a job?” he asked. Baekhyun nodded. “But – why?”

“Because he’s Chanyeol. He’s trying to ‘protect me from the terrible world we live in’, by sticking me in a box and not letting me experience anything for myself. It frustrates me, Minseok,” Baekhyun sighed heavily. “I know he just cares about me and everything, but… the whole world is going through this right now, and he can’t just block me out of it.”

“Have you told him that?”

“A hundred times.”

Minseok thought about it. In a normal situation, there would probably be an obvious answer. Yet with everything happening right now, Minseok could understand how both of them felt. He wanted Baekhyun to be safe too, but he didn’t deserve to be caged away like this.

“I guess it’s just difficult right now,” Minseok said. “It’s taking away from your regular life. Everything’s been pretty different since this whole overpopulation-solution thing started, right? I don’t know what to tell you. Maybe you should just try doing something you used to do. Like a date or just a movie night or something.”

Baekhyun shook his head. “Chanyeol’s not big on going out, you know, with everything happening. And we watch movies and TV sometimes, but it’s not the same. Usually we would cuddle and things during movies; now we don’t talk or touch or anything. It’s just a lot of horrible tension.” Baekhyun bit his lip, looking devastated. “Do you think he’s just tired of me? Maybe he’s had enough of our relationship…”

“Are you kidding me? The guy’s in love with you,” Minseok assured him. “He probably has the same worries about you right now. He’s not tired of you, I can guarantee. It’s just a stressful time.” He hated seeing Baekhyun so worried and upset, knowing how much Baekhyun was in love with Chanyeol. But Minseok had no doubts that Chanyeol loved him just as much in return. “Maybe going on a date isn’t a good idea. You said – when you watch TV and whatnot, you guys don’t touch? Like, not even holding hands or anything?” Baekhyun shrugged. “Well, is that… carrying on outside of watching TV?”

“Hm?”

Please don’t make me ask you about your life. Minseok really wasn’t good at those topics. He wasn’t really that ually active himself, honestly, and he didn’t want to hear about what his friends were doing in their spare time. But he pushed past that awkwardness for the sake of Baekhyun’s relationship. “Are you two still, uh, doing the whole – thing?”

“Are you asking me if-”

“Yes. Yes, I am.”

Baekhyun actually cracked a smile at Minseok’s inability to straight-up ask him, but then the happiness faded again. “I hadn’t thought about it, but no, we haven’t. When the news first came out, for the first couple weeks-”

“Please spare me the details,” Minseok interrupted, and a faint smile returned to Baekhyun’s lips. “After the first couple weeks, skip to that. When was the last time, roughly? I don’t need a full recount.”

“Probably close to a month now,” Baekhyun admitted.

“I don’t know if that’s a long time or not, honestly,” Minseok said. Baekhyun nodded.

“For us, it is.”

“You could’ve just said yes,” Minseok teased. “Okay, well, maybe you should try that, then? Get him in the mood and stuff, and then do the whole thing, I dunno. I know isn’t a solution, but it might help close the gap – no pun intended.”

Baekhyun snorted. “Gosh, hyung. ‘ thing’, why are you so offended by gay ?”

“I’m not! I’m not exactly gay, though, I don’t know how it works. And don’t explain it, either, I don’t need to know!”

Baekhyun was visibly cheered up at his hyung’s awkwardness surrounding the gay topic they were now discussing (though Minseok was trying to avoid it). “What if you meet a guy you really like, and you do need to know?”

“I won’t,” Minseok promised. “And if I do… I’ll figure it out, or hope he knows what he’s doing.” Baekhyun rolled his eyes, giggling.

“You’re so hopeless, hyung,” he laughed. He downed the final sip of his coffee, though it was cold by now. “Thanks for your advice though, and for making me feel better. I’ll try the thing tonight then.”

“Good to know,” Minseok said, clearly not wanting to know more. “Get that booty, and don’t tell me about it. Well, tell me if it’s successful, but don’t go into detail about it.”

Baekhyun grinned, standing up, and Minseok copied. Before he knew it, Baekhyun was hugging him tightly. “I’m rubbing my gay off on you,” he whispered in the older’s ear.

“You keep your gay away from me,” Minseok ordered, pushing Baekhyun away teasingly.

“You’ll regret all this mockery one day,” Baekhyun bet. “Watch, you’re gonna end up with some guy and I’ll be laughing at you. And when you go and do the thing, you won’t be able to get it up because you’ll think of me laughing-”

Minseok clamped a hand over his mouth playfully. “You shush! I’m not doing the thing!” He couldn’t help feeling ridiculous because they kept saying “ thing” and they seriously sounded like they were six-year-olds, and it was just nice to be so lighthearted like this. Baekhyun always had a way of brightening situations for everyone, even when he himself was miserable.

Baekhyun nibbled on Minseok’s hand until the boy pulled it away. “What about Luhan? I thought you said you two were living together?”

“He’s staying at my place right now,” Minseok corrected. “Because he’s a big baby and is too afraid to sleep alone at night.” Baekhyun winked cheesily. “We are not in a ual relationship, I can assure you. He’s gross and erted, and jerks off in my shower, and he’s just a total idiot. Don’t even try to suggest there’s anything there.”

“But he’s really cute,” Baekhyun pointed out. “He’s the kind of guy that makes you question if you’re a little gay or not.”

“I’ve never questioned my not-gayness. If anything, Luhan makes me even more straight.”

“Uh huh.”

“Don’t even go there.”

“I didn’t say anything!”

“You implied it,” Minseok muttered. Baekhyun was grinning. Then he pulled Minseok into another, sincere hug.

“Thank you, really. I love you in a non-gay, pure bromance kind of way.”

“You better,” Minseok told him, but then added seriously, “Love you too. And don’t worry about Chanyeol. You guys’ll be fine.”

“

Baekhyun went home after talking to Minseok, feeling a lot better about his whole situation. He was glad Minseok was so positive. At home, he made dinner like always, but decided to strip out of his clothes and wander around the house in his boxers. He had dinner ready and set on plates on the oven, keeping them warm for the next twenty or so minutes until Chanyeol would be home.

Then, for the first time in a while, he his stereo and started playing music loudly, dancing around and singing. He hadn’t sang in so long, and he definitely missed it, because he loved singing. He was singing into his spoon while theatrically making hand movements to the lyrics, not paying attention, when he heard Chanyeol’s laugh rumbling over the music. Baekhyun spun around, spotting the boy kicking off his shoes, and grinned, shamelessly dancing his way towards Chanyeol.

“Join me!” he said, grabbing the other’s hand and laughing. Chanyeol shook his head, chuckling, and Baekhyun pulled him down to give him a big kiss. Then he went and turned the stereo off, still smiling.

“That was fun to walk in on,” Chanyeol said, mirroring Baekhyun’s smile. “You dancing around in your underwear."

Baekhyun laughed. “I’m in a good mood.” And hopefully you are too.

“That’s good,” Chanyeol told him. “I’m hungry. You haven’t been too busy dancing to cook, right?”

“Of course not. Your stomach is always my first priority,” Baekhyun joked. Chanyeol went to sit at the table, but Baekhyun told him off. “No, there’s a dress code for dinner tonight.” Chanyeol frowned. “No work clothes,” Baekhyun explained.

“Should I be dressed more like you then?” Chanyeol asked.

“I’d be okay with that,” Baekhyun said, smirking. Chanyeol sighed and undressed, Baekhyun watching him. He missed getting to just enjoy Chanyeol’s body. It had been far too long.

“You’re making me self-conscious,” Chanyeol pointed out when Baekhyun his lips. Baekhyun just gave a smile.

“You’re so gorgeous,” he said softly. Chanyeol blushed, and Baekhyun went to grab their meals, distracted as he was. When he placed the plates on the table, Chanyeol grabbed his wrist, yanking him down to kiss him roughly, and Baekhyun was glad to taste the lust on his lips. Baekhyun straddled the chair, grinding slowly in rhythm of the movement of their lips. It didn’t take long until they were both loudly, eyes darkened with longing.

“Should we take this to our room?” Chanyeol said against Baekhyun’s lips.

“Why not do it right here?” Baekhyun wondered. Chanyeol nodded, and soon they were fully undressing, pushing plates aside so as to not make a mess. At least, not a food mess. They moved from the table, and then later back to Chanyeol’s chair, and then Baekhyun was leaning against Chanyeol, Chanyeol’s head thrown back on the back of the chair, both trying to hold it together while the world was whited-out.  

Eventually, Baekhyun’s thoughts pieced themselves back together, and he smiled, pulling himself off the other and weakly dragging them up and into the bathroom to shower. There they realized neither of them were done, and they faced round two against the shower wall. After a while, hot water mostly gone, they cleaned themselves up for real, and, without bothering to get dressed, went out to eat their meals, which Baekhyun re-heated for them. Chanyeol crept up behind him while he was washing the dishes, which ended up with said dishes being deserted and the two boys finally making it to their bedroom.

Lying in their bed, too lazy to clean up just yet, their sighs harmonized.

“I’ve missed you,” Chanyeol murmured.

“I know,” Baekhyun sighed, tracing lines along the other’s face.

“I don’t want to fight anymore,” Chanyeol told him. “But I don’t mind this part.”

Baekhyun chuckled. “We can just skip the fighting part from now on, then. Does that sound good?”

“Mm.”

Maybe they wouldn’t stop fighting. Because nothing was really changed. But Baekhyun thought maybe he could handle it, at least a little better. Chanyeol still loved him, after all, and that made it bearable.