Everybody is asleep when Jongdae tip toes into the kitchen, his eyes catch sight of a flicker of light in the corner, it’s actually the stove that’s light up, and also there’s someone by its side.

“Luhan?” he whispers, the rest of the boys are sound asleep,  long hours of dance practice while he, Luhan, Baekhyun and Kyungsoo spent their time with vocal lessons.

The weather is already chilly, Jongdae forgot his scarf again, and today the wind was stronger, hitting his face when he entered and exited the van, assaulting his poor and precious vocal chords, he can’t afford getting sick. His voice is important, very important.

“Yes? Jongdae?” the said boy turns his attention out of the stove and looks at him, Jongdae is found still at the door, a few feet away from Luhan.

“Why are you still up? It’s like, 3am.” he questions and walks up to stand right next to Luhan, he peeks at the stove and sees water boiling, he can feel the faint smell of camomile, one of his favorites.

“Today was cold, I feel my throat becoming sore, this can’t happen now.” Luhan massages his neck and coughs a little. “Why are you still up?”

“Sore throat, my body is threatening to get a cold and I can’t sleep when someone is snoring right next to me.” he says referring to Chanyeol and the obnoxious sounds that leave his mouth, it’s quite impossible to fall asleep, he’s usually a heavy sleeper, but he needs to be the first to enter the room and visit the so-awaited-after-hours-of-practice dreamland.

Luhan nods and turns back to the stove, Jongdae remains silent, standing by his side, glancing from time to time to the other singer’s face, long lashes evident with the light that the fire is providing, small and delicate pink lips and big brown eyes.

Jongdae thinks that Luhan is beautiful, and pretty, even though the latter insistently refuses to be referred to this word, because manly, Luhan is manly. But he’s also pretty and Jongdae won’t take a no as answer.

“Are you ok?” Luhan asks, his eyes are staring at Jongdae and he feels under his gaze, he’s not judging, he’s not glaring, he’s just simply looking and asking him a question, but he still feels uneasy when he’s left alone with him for more than one minute.

Jongdae is a sheepish person, he gets easily flustered, especially when Luhan looks at him for too long, sometimes he thinks the boy knows how much it affects him.

It’s ridiculous.

He snaps out of his clearly daze, Luhan is holding a mug in front of him, steam almost invisible under dim lights.

“I made you some tea. It actually wasn’t for me, my throat is sore too, but I only made it because of you.” Luhan says and hands it to Jongdae. “I actually thought about waking you up for this. Earlier I saw how you were struggling, coughing almost inaudible at the back of the van and all. It got me really worried.”

His face feels hot, nobody was supposed to see him weak like that when they were coming back home. He was just tired and the weather wasn’t helping.

“Thank you for your consideration.” he takes the mug and sips at it carefully, as an appraiser of tea, Jongdae has a large experience with burnt tongues and fingers, but nevertheless he gasps because Luhan forgot to add some sugar.

“Sorry.” says Luhan, searching around for the jar of sugar and a spoon, sometimes he’s as forgetful as Yixing. “Here, I fail to remember that you like it sweet.”

He chuckles, and animatedly takes the objects out of Luhan’s hands. He supports his mug on the sink and puts two spoonfuls of sugar, mixing it.

Taking his second sip he smiles in delight. Wonderful.

Tea is wonderful and it makes him feel warm. It travels from his esophagus to his stomach (and probably his bladder later on, but that’s not the point) and he feels better.

So much better, especially because he knows Luhan cares for him at the point that he stays up at 3am to make him delicious tea.

“Thank you.” he says and drinks some more, Luhan smiles before following the lead.

Taking Jongdae by the arm, Luhan pulls him slowly, until they’re standing right in front of the black velvet couch, the room is pitch black, the only source of light is gone and, surprisingly, it feels nice.

Jongdae can’t make out the shadows around him, it’s like a whole new world, except that he knows he’s still at the dorms. Luhan is not by his side anymore, he looks around, blindly trying to get sight of any movement.

He hears footsteps and light fall on the carpet of  the living room, Luhan is right next to the window, curtains opened wide, the distinct glow of the moon illuminates the room lightly, mingling with the shining stars in the night sky of Seoul.

“Better?” Luhan asks, the image is breathtaking, it’s like he’s glowing under the moonlight. It’s like he’s magical, unreachable and so perfect.

Jongdae holds his breath, it’s a times like these that realization hits him and he remembers why Luhan has so many fans, strong camera flashes shoved on his face everyday, and he endures it so well.

Luhan thinks that Jongdae looks beautiful under the twilight,  the source of it being near him and Jongdae so far, standing next to the couch, mug in hands, no more stream coming out of it.

He leaves the spot next to the window, curtains still opened and he approaches Jongdae, slowly.

Jongdae’s breath hitches, voice caught on his throat, confusing taking place on his face as Luhan’s soft features near him.

The boy sits down and pats the place next to him, and, of course, Jongdae sits too.

“Isn’t it nice?” he asks Jongdae, looking at everything yet nothing, Luhan holds his mug with both hands and his eyes have the same enchanting sparkle it posses since ever, since the first time Jongdae saw him.

Luhan doesn’t say specify what’s nice, is it the moon? The stars? Maybe the tea? Or even, the couch? But even though he didn't go further with his words, Jongdae catches the hidden message.

“Yes.” he whispers, it’s nice to know someone cares, it’s nice to know you’re here for me, that you’re by my side, that I can count on you. “Yes, it is.”

He rests his back on the soft couch, heaving a deep and pleased sigh. Luhan slowly comes closer, inch by inch, breath by breath. Jongdae side-eyes him, but doesn’t voice anything, it’s cute how rosy his cheeks are, his upper teeth gently nibbling on his lower lip.

When his thigh touches Jongdae’s, he presses his warm figure against his sides, the elder pretends he didn’t notice anything he did and finishes his, now almost cold, drink.

The flush that creeps from Jongdae’s neck to the tip of his ears pass unnoticed, and just to be a little bolder (only this time), in one go he ends his tea, and subtly places his head on Luhan’s shoulders.

A little startle, the elder jolts lightly and Jongdae chuckles.

They stay like that, sharing the warmth of their bodies, until Jongdae falls asleep, and one of his odd habits decides to attack.

Mumbling, he moves and circles his arms around Luhan’s waist, he’s still awake and - now - astonished with the sudden additional contact, but in the end, his breathing finds its way back to normal and he smiles, supporting his head on Jongdae’s and falling asleep right after.