ot long after midnight, the house cleared of its guests. Yixing and Taekwoon found themselves not leaving, but it wasn't like Yongguk would let them go anyway since it was so late. He insisted they stay, and Taekwoon didn't know how to say no—even if he desperately wanted to put as much space between him and Ravi as possible. Yongguk left to drive Daehyun home.

By both Taekwoon and Ravi's reaction to each other, Hongbin and Yixing knew their plan went off without a hitch; however, bits of remorse were budding in Yixing's stomach because he knew how Taekwoon could get when he was thrown off. Even if Hongbin insisted it was for the "greater good", forcing him into that probably hadn't been the best idea.

"Just make them sleep on the couch," Ken waved his hand, clearing the kitchen of empty paper plates and plastic cups. Someone spilled something sticky all over the counter and he was agitated.

"Shut up, Ken." Hongbin rolled his eyes. He smiled at Taekwoon and Yixing. "Yixing can sleep in my room, and Taekwoon . . ." He trailed off for effect, "Taekwoon can sleep in Ravi's bed."

"What?" Taekwoon and Ravi exclaimed at the same time. They looked at each other in fluster, and then quickly looked away.

From the kitchen, Ken shouted something that sounded an awful lot like, Oh my god, just get it over with already!

Hongbin's grin stretched wider. "Don't worry, Ravi's bed is big enough for the both of you. And he can lend you sleeping clothes, too."

Yixing looked between them, suddenly unsure of this development. There was only so much Taekwoon could take.

"Taekwoon and I couldn't just share a room?" he tried, but Hongbin him with a glare. It was clear that Yixing was off the shipping boat and that made him a traitor.

Taekwoon would've felt sympathetic towards his best friend but no—he got him into this situation and deserved the punishment. Still, he would feel eons more comfortable sharing a bed with Yixing instead of Ravi.

Ravi.

Who kissed him.

Crap.

And that was how, twenty minutes later, Taekwoon found himself standing on the fluffy rug in the middle of Ravi's room, staring at Ravi's bed like it was a death trap. Who was he kidding, it was a death trap. How did anyone expect him to sleep in the same bed, when what happened earlier, happened? The only consolation he had right now was that Ravi wasn't in the room—but he would be soon.

When he got up here, there were already clothes folded for him on the old desk, and now he was in them. He couldn't help noticing that they smelled like the house, and like Ravi—not that . . . he knew what Ravi smelled like . . .

Another ten minutes passed, but no one else came up. He was getting tired on his feet and it was way past his bedtime. Sighing and shaking his head at his own stupidity, he drifted to the bed and pressed his palms into it. He forgot how soft it was.

It was awkward, the fact that he was actually going to sleep here when he'd kind of rather disappear into the void. But against his better judgment, he pulled back the thick duvet and slid into its soft warmth. He wondered if Yixing was really sleeping in Hongbin's room or felt too guilty to let himself sleep in comfort. Taekwoon turned his face into the pillow.

Good. He scowled with closed eyes.

Even though he'd been sure his nerves would best him and keep him from sleep, it wasn't long before his thoughts slowly began to blend together until he drifted off.

He rolled over, mind thick but realizing he was awake. The blankets were warm and he curled in on himself before rolling over one more time. His eyelids flickered, cool morning light falling onto them, and he sighed out, not entirely remembering where he was.

His tired eyelids peeled open, only to shoot wide. Ravi, messy hair and own eyes sleepy, was looking at him. Ravi was awake. Ravi was in the bed with him.

Taekwoon couldn't stop the indignant squawk that left his mouth and rolled back, blanket wrapping around him. He crashed to the floor.

Ravi scrambled up. Taekwoon was trapped in the blanket, but he wasn't moving, hoping that he would disappear right in that moment. Ravi cautiously reached for the blanket's hem and pulled it back. Taekwoon's sleep-puffy face was red and staring dismally at him.

Ravi smiled sympathetically, "You alright?"

"Do I look alright to you . . ." Taekwoon retorted in dismay.

Ravi flung the blanket edge back and stuck his hand out to help him up. He did, and Taekwoon gathered the thick fabric around himself, smushing his face into it. He peeked over the bunched folds and saw Ravi sitting in the middle of the large bed with his legs folded, messing his hair into something manageable (Taekwoon's own hair must've been wild, he always had the worst cases of bedhead), and grinning at him.

On impulse, he chucked the balled blanket at him.

"Hey!" he exclaimed, fighting his way through it. He pulled it around the top of his head like a hood, and at how grossly cute that was, Taekwoon his heel to leave the room.

"Wait!" Ravi called.

Taekwoon stopped, heart jumping high, and weighed his options. If he left now, he didn't have to deal with Ravi and what happened last night—but it would never get better between them and it might cause a rift. If he stayed, he would have to suffer through mounds of embarrassment, but they would be able to sort out what happened last night—what happened last night—and go from there.

". . . You're not mad . . . Are you?"

Taekwoon curled his fists at his sides. No, he didn't think he was . . . mad. He was just surprised. Really surprised and really confused. And also extra, super embarrassed. He was sure he had enough embarrassment to fill up an entire Sun-sized star. He stiffly shook his head. Ravi relaxed behind him.

"Look at me, please . . . ?" he said, voice stupidly hopeful. How could Taekwoon say no?

A long, deep breath filled his lungs, and then he slowly turned with his eyes glued to the fluffy carpet. The bed shifted and he listened to Ravi move across the room until he saw his bare feet. Trying to be goofy, Ravi bent over and caught his gaze, a grin pulling at his lips. Taekwoon tucked his chin tighter into his collar, also wanting to roll his eyes at how silly the other looked.

"C'mon," Ravi suddenly whined, "my back's gonna start hurting like this."

"Good." Taekwoon mumbled, and Ravi whined even more.

"Why are you so mean to me?" he complained, obviously trying to be cute.

Taekwoon picked his head up and Ravi straightened out, a new grin on his face. A thousand questions bubbled against his lips, but only one came out in a garbled mess.

"Why did you kiss me?"

Ravi's face dimmed right then, and Taekwoon should've just kept his mouth shut.

A moment passed before Ravi asked again, "Are you mad at me?"

Taekwoon didn't like how tiny and quiet the question was. Gathering all his courage, he looked Ravi in the eye and opened his mouth.

"Leo-hyung!"

Someone quickly jumped up the stairs. Taekwoon took a step back and both of them turned around to see who it was. A head of black hair popped up through the staircase opening and the rest of Hyuk followed. Taekwoon swore he heard Ravi groan.

When Hyuk spotted the both of them, he paused, but his eyes glittered. "Interrupting something, am I?" he asked, visibly trying not to smile.

Taekwoon rushed to tell him no, but Ravi huffed, "Yes." at the same time.

Hyuk scowled at Ravi, "I just wanted to say hi to him, jeez hyung, you're such a hog." He stuck his tongue out and then made his way into the room. "Leo-hyung," he singsonged, "come eat breakfast! Xing-hyung's already eating." He grabbed Taekwoon's hand and began pulling him towards the stairs.

Taekwoon didn't resist, but he looked over his shoulder at Ravi still standing in the middle of the rug. Before he disappeared down the stairs, he motioned for Ravi to come too.

In the kitchen, Taekwoon saw his traitorous best friend cheerfully eating a bowl of cereal. Hongbin was cooking something on the stove and Ken had him trapped from behind, talking into his neck.

"Oh my god, hyungs!" Hyuk whined when they came in, "Can't you guys do that in your rooms or something?"

Ken pulled off Hongbin and grinned wolfishly in their direction, and Taekwoon's face warmed. At once, a lot of things between those two suddenly clicked—he didn't know how he missed all the subtext in the first place. He wondered if they'd been a thing since he first saw them at the convenience store Hongbin worked at.

Ken passed Taekwoon with a wink that had his face heating up even further. "Good morning, Ravi." he said loudly when he was behind him.

Before he could turn to look at him, Ravi was making his way to sit across from Yixing. He stared, a little disheartened, before Yixing pulled out the stool next to him and patted it. Taekwoon took a deep breath, and sat down next to him. He didn't look at Ravi for the rest of the meal.

Seungho called not too much later, and Taekwoon spent a little while on the phone with him; reassuring him that yes, they were still at the place where the party had been, and no, they hadn't drank any alcohol, and what they were doing now. He drifted around the living room while he talked, quiet enough for no one else to hear him, and when the call was over, he leaned tiredly against the opening to another room.

He turned his head with closed eyes, but when he opened them, he straightened out in surprise. The room he leaned into was covered wall to wall with paintings; canvases were hung on the walls, poster boards and large pieces of plywood were either pinned up, stacked, or leaning against the side. Had he ever seen this room before?

Ken popped up right behind him, slinging his arms over his shoulders and startling him. "Like it? This is mine and Ravi's art trash room," he explained, though Taekwoon winced because his loudness was right in his ear. "AKA only the best room int the house." He snickered as Taekwoon jerked himself free.

He stepped more into the room, being careful not to slip on the transparent tarp laid out on the floor. Every which way he looked was art—paint, pencil, graffiti, watercolor. There were canvases and murals on the walls, scratch boards laying around, and nestled in the corners were two different drawing stations.

"You and Ravi did all this?" he asked.

Ken puffed his chest proudly. "We're art students," he said, "we go to a fine arts school."

Taekwoon glanced between Ken and the room. He didn't know that.

Yixing appeared by his side, talking to him and Ken, but he wasn't paying attention. The fact that he didn't know what school Ravi even went to—how old he was, what his real name was, the things he liked to do, what his future aspirations were . . . He didn't know Ravi.

Ken was rambling on about something, but Yixing leaned into him and murmured, "Are you alright?"

He tried not to look at his friend because he knew all it would take was one look in his eyes by him to know the answer. He stiffly nodded his head. That probably already gave him away, but he didn't care at the moment.

Pressing his forehead into Yixing's collar, he mumbled, "m'Ready to go home . . ."

Yixing pressed his lips together and looked over his shoulder. Ravi was watching them, expression flat, and in front of them, Ken was still going on about their school. He wasn't sure how to navigate out of this situation.

"Alright," he gently replied, sweeping Taekwoon's hair back, "work with me here."

Slouch still heavy on his shoulders, Taekwoon stood back and made a beeline for the stairs. Yixing watched Ravi watch him all the way up.

Producing his best smile, Yixing went back to the kitchen. Hongbin wasn't around, so he decided this was a good time to say something to Ravi.

"I know we don't know each other very well," he began diplomatically, "but I know Taekwoon." This caught Ravi's attention. "He's my best friend, and I never want to see him hurt. I see the way you look at him . . . I hope you make sure you know what you're doing."

Ravi stared at him, obviously between bewildered, muted, and offended, but then looked down at his folded hands that began to fidget. Yixing smiled and patted him on the shoulder before heading to change out of the clothes lent to him.

"Are you sure you don't want to stay for them to open their presents?" Yixing asked Taekwoon when he came back down the stairs in his own clothes.

Taekwoon paused behind the couch, realization skittering through him. He'd completely forgotten about the presents. So many things swirled in his head that he barely had control to think straight. Covertly sliding a glance to the kitchen, he found that Ravi wasn't there and his shoulders fell with a feeling of stupidity stinging at him.

He had things to say to Ravi . . . He just didn't know what those things were yet. Or if he'd ever get the courage to say them.

When he looked back at Yixing to see him smiling knowingly, he scowled. "I have everything." he said, borderline pouting.

Yixing hummed, wrapping a comforting arm around Taekwoon's shoulder. "Shouldn't we tell someone we're leaving?"

"Leaving where?" They both looked over their shoulders to see Hyuk trotting down the stairs. His expression was a little hurt and Taekwoon wished they just could've slipped away without alerting anyone. "You're leaving already?" he frowned.

Taekwoon opened his mouth to say something—probably something stupid—but Yixing got there first, "Taekwoonie isn't feeling well," he cooed, letting go of his shoulders. "Did you know he gets sick easily? He's like a baby." he chuckled.

To see Hyuk's reaction, Taekwoon peeked between his bangs; he bought what Yixing said and relief trickled into him. Now that he thought about it though, he was feeling a little crappy—last night on the high roof had been cold.

"Could you tell the others that we're going home?" Yixing continued, "Thanks for having us over—and it was really nice to meet you guys. Taekwoon told me a lot about you."

Taekwoon could practically hear Hyuk perk up. "Okay, yeah!" he piped. "Here, I'll walk you guys out."

They walked through the hallway and Hyuk opened the door for them, cheerfully insisting they visit again. Taekwoon wasn't entirely sure about that; he was socially exhausted enough to last him the rest of the break.

Before they could get down the craggy stone steps, "Leo-hyung!" All three of them turned around to see Ravi hurrying down the hall. Taekwoon's heart felt like it was beating in time with his steps.

Out in the light of morning, Taekwoon could see that there was a dark green bomber jacket in Ravi's hand—one he quickly recognized as his; the one he lent him the day he bought him the latte and came to his apartment. Yixing tried to hide his smile.

They stared at each other too long a moment for Taekwoon's comfort, and then Ravi stumbled to hold the jacket out to him. "You . . . You forgot it." he said gracelessly.

The look on his own face was probably stupid, Taekwoon knew, but he gawked at the jacket and didn't know what to say. Yixing had to nudge him in the side for him to react, and only then did he fumble over his words.

"N-No . . . You can . . . I mean. You. Keep it. I'llgetitnexttime." he pushed out, fighting against a tightening throat. He could hardly look Ravi in the eye.

All he could think about were his lips and how that jacket was going to smell like him when he got it back.