Chanyeol tapped his thumbs against the screen of his phone, making a sloppy rhythm out of the frantic patterns. He was nervous. In this cramped car where his legs were pressed too tightly against the dashboard and the pull of his flesh sticking to the cheap leather of his seat from sweat, he felt nervous.
He and Kyungsoo decided to go on a roadtrip during their vacation between comebacks; and even though it was intended for them to have a break and calm down, Chanyeol's heart threatened to burst out of his chest with every glance that he made to Kyungsoo's side profile as he drove down the dusty road.
He reached for the radio, his large hands moving to tune the knobs. But he failed - Kyungsoo slapping his hand away from the device sharply.

Oh.

"No. I have a headache." Kyungsoo said, his voice still slightly hoarse from the cold he had just last week.

"O-oh.. Sorry.." he bowed awkwardly in his chair, a head of maroon-red hair bobbing in the side view of an uninterested Kyungsoo.

He didn't even bat an eyelash as he continued driving down the dusty road, the balmy sun pleasantly warming the dashboard.
Chanyeol's lips tightened, taking the sign that now wasn't the time. He knew what it was like when the other fell into these moods. Irritable, domineering, even a bit inconsiderate. He couldn't help, it though. Or maybe Chanyeol was just blaming himself too much. The other members would get onto him about that, he and Yixing both were too nice for their own good. And, as much as Yifan liked to disagree, he was a bit like that too.

He rolled down the window, languidly slinging his arm out to feel the air. He rested his head on his bicep and closed his eyes. The hissing wind flushing his skin, the benign warmth of the sun that made the afternoon sky oh so very blue soaking his eyelids. It was relaxing.
He still wished that Kyungsoo would acknowledge him.
Maybe Kyungsoo's affection for him really was just fanservice.
Chanyeol took a deep breath, opening his eyes again.

What a shame.

--

They pulled into the driveway of the cottage that Kyungsoo had rented for the two - gravel crunching under tires loudly enough to wake Chanyeol up. His arm was asleep, his face hurt from the wind, and he was pretty sure he hit his hand on something because it hurt like a .

His head rose and his eyes squinted against the setting sun; feeling pins-and-needles in his limbs rather than the warmth of the gloam's fading rays of light as he moved his hand to block the intrusive glare.
A groan fluttered in his throat, escaping with a croak. He was thirsty, apparently.
But before he could ask Kyungsoo where his water bottle was -- he had left the car. Chanyeol opened the door of the car, making sure to not bump his head on the way out like he always had when being drove around in this tiny machine.
His sneakers clattered the rocks under his feet as he jogged to catch up to his friend, even if the friend hadn't planned to talk to him.
Once caught up, he struggled for a few moments to match his long, slow strides with the other's quick, short ones.

Chanyeol's head bobbed back, was he was satisfied with their in-sync steps, his neck exposed to the dusk's air. Summer crickets clamored for mates as stuffy gusts tousled their hair. It was starting to get chilly and the stars were finally making their appearance.
He moved to place his hand in his pockets, only finding himself jumping in his skin and wincing slightly at the pinch of his tight jeans against his swollen, injured hand.

Kyungsoo seemed to notice this.

"Yeah," he remarked from ahead. Chanyeol must've spaced out and slowed down too much for Kyungsoo to be at the cottage's porch without him noticing.

"Your hand smacked against a roadsign earlier," the keys in his hand jingled as he stuck them in the keyhole of the cabin's door. His stature held a nonchalant air as it moved through the doorway.
"There's ice in the cooler. The cooler's in the trunk, but the trunk's unlocked. Ice it."
There was no sense of tenderness in his disembodied voice's orders, only a cold demand.

"A-ah... It's OK..." he mumbled in response, the other replied with nothing.


He found himself jogging again, by Kyungsoo's side as quickly as possible.
But the shorter still showed little-to-no sign of acknowledgement.
Chanyeol's tired eyes scanned the building trying to get the other's aloof demeanor out of mind.
After what felt like a lightyear, they made it to the bedroom.
That had only one bed.
Chanyeol's eyebrows shot up, eyes wide to the bed.
Then wide to Kyungsoo's unstartled expression.

"One bed?"

"Mm," the shorter responded, tossing a big gymbag of clothes with a heavy bounce upon the springed bed.
"You should be used to it, we share beds at the dorms all the time."

"Yeah-" but over there we aren't alone, is what he wanted to say.
"Yeah, I guess you're right."

His eyes dodged to his feet, as his mind drifted to hopes of his bangs being long enough to cover the bright red blush that coloured his cheeks and ears so starkly.

--

He glanced to his watch.
2:02AM.
Sleep tugged at his heavy eyelids as Kyungsoo had lied back between his legs and on his chest.
Chanyeol's hands played with the strands of hair that begged for his mindless fingers to run through.
They had made love.
He doesn't quite know how it started, perhaps when Kyungsoo brushed against him while unpacking.
Or how the two of them pretended not to notice when they watched each other take out the small bottles of lube from their luggage as they unpacked.
Maybe even when Chanyeol blindly walked into the bathroom when Kyungsoo was showering.
But it happened.
And that was enough.
The only question that remained was if Kyungsoo's heart skipped when they touched as Chanyeol's did.
The gentle patter of rain clattered against the windowpanes,
The drone of the man on the radio warning about a severe thunderstorm on its way,
The calmed breaths of the two matched with each other.

But the harmony broke as he spoke up, his voice rough and tired.
The words he spoke weighed with feeling and exhaustion.
"Kyungsoo-"
Hesitation halted his words for a moment, making Kyungsoo rub against his chest with his head as if saying, "go on".
They were cuddling.
Kyungsoo emitted such great amounts of warmth that he felt suffocated under the blankets. Yet he refused to move even the slightest inch, as that if he did, the entire mask of how pleasant and perfect everything felt just now would shatter.
But he in a breath,
The words and questions he sorted through in his head swam circles in his chest, mimicking butterflies as they bounced at the walls of his torso, splashing in the waters of the storm inside him that rivaled the storm outside.
He could feel Kyungsoo look up at him, the clock on the wall impatiently ticking away the moments that Chanyeol hesitated.

Until,
Finally,
He spoke:

"Will you date me?"

He didn't waste words about how he liked the other, he just blurted it as simply as it sat in in chest. And, to be honest, that's probably all he would be able to say with his tongue tied in knots like it had.

Regret soon filled its bitter flavour into his mouth, however. Every moment that Kyungsoo stayed silent was another moment Chanyeol wished he had stayed silent.
Especially when he felt the warmth's weight move off his chest and stare him in the eye. The stark white sheets wrapped around the younger boy's figure like a robe would for a Greek god. Nothing but the crack of thunder and heavy rain sat in the air for awhile.
They watched each other;
Kyungsoo swallowed,
Chanyeol mimicked.
Chanyeol looked for a sign of confirmation;
Kyungsoo looked away.

"I don't want a relationship," was said finally, just moments before a strike of lightning illuminated the defeated look upon Chanyeol's face.
It hid the uneasy look on Kyungsoo's.

"I'm sorry. I'm sorry-" the elder rose suddenly, moving away from the smaller boy.
"I'm so sorry, I need to go, I shouldn't have said anything, I'm sorry" he bit at his cheeks, tears stinging in his eyes.

Kyungsoo's gaze held a weightless air of sympathy.
He watched Chanyeol toss a shirt over his body that was slightly damp from sweat, his tall figure pulling up jeans in haste.
He avoided Kyungsoo's eyes, looking to the floor as if he weren't there.

And with a slam of the bedroom door, Kyungsoo slunked over.
The sheets tangled and smothered him in the scent of Chanyeol's cologne as he lied back on the cold bed, all signs of warmth gone.

The weather man spoke something of a tornado watch in their area just as Kyungsoo heard the cabin door slam shut.

"Tonight, be careful of heavy rain and strong winds. Avoid going outside as heavy flooding and a chance of a tornado are present. Winds from the east at 60mph, tornado watch for the nearby areas... Ddonurae... Haendol-"

Kyungsoo yanked the cord out of the socket, letting out a frustrated scream into the pillows he flung himself into.

--

He glanced to the clock of the radio.
6:08AM.
Restlessness and worry pulled his eyes awake as he drummed his fingers against the desk by the cottage's door.
The storm was still going strong and Chanyeol wasn't back.
He was worried.
A knot twisted in his stomach as he remembered watching videos of trees being smashed into people during high winds in a storm,
Or branches knocking people unconscious during tornados,
Or people getting lost in storms and never being seen again.

"The storm seems relentless, clinging upon every cloud, folks. We're expecting it to simmer down around 8pm. Stay tuned for more weather updates."

As some cheesy ring of bells rattled through the radio's speakers with the end of the weatherman's report, his stomach shrank.

Slowly, though, he felt his eyelids getting heavier.
His limbs growing heavier,
His lips parting,
His head sinking onto the desk,
He was falling asleep and he couldn't force himself to stay awake this time.

--

His head jerked up immediately to the door opening and bright light flashing through the doorway.
As soon as Kyungsoo's eyes opened, his heart perked.
"Chanyeol!"
Knocking over the chair as he stood, he moved to hug the other, only to notice how drenched he was.
"Oh, Chanyeol," his words were lit with concern as he ed the wet shirt that clung to the lifeless one's chest.
Kyungsoo hovered over him, gently moving the other into the bed they had made love in just a few hours ago. It was a task, considering how heavy he was, how much he was swaying, and how much taller he was, but after several moments and hushed murmurs of, "it's ok," and "we're almost in the bedroom," they made it.

Chanyeol limply fell into the bed, rolling over with a slight groan.
Beads of sweat glistened on the furrowed brows of Chanyeol's distressed expression under the yellow light of the bedside lamp.
Kyungsoo's mouth set into a tight line of worry, moving to their luggage.
Had they packed anything to help them in a situation like this?
The storm knocked out the phoneline, they didn't have any internet to begin with, and he wouldn't be able to leave for help when Chanyeol was this sick.
Kyungsoo rummaged through the drawers, bags, counters, cabinets, everything in the cottage he had rented. This was supposed to be a nice trip. A calming trip. A fun trip.
Kyungsoo's head rushed for some sort of knowledge that would help him. That would help them.
First thing's first, does he have a fever?
Kyungsoo moved his smaller, more petite hand to the forehead of his friend's - pulling it away almost immediately.
Chanyeol most definitely has a fever.
Ah... What are you supposed to do with a fever..?
Cool them down, right?
"Chanyeol, you have a fever... I'm going to help you get better, okay?" he asked, lifting the woolen sweater off his torso, heavy and wet with rainwater.
Nothing but a groan was given as a response and he lifted his arms to move with Kyungsoo actions. At least he was working with him, Kyungsoo supposed.
How would his mother help him? How did his mother help him when he was sick?

It's been so long since he was home, he could barely remember his mother's face.
Kyungsoo swallowed back the impending wave of homesickness, focusing on helping Chanyeol.
His mother would place cool rags on his forehead and throat, he remembered that.
He moved out of the room, tossing the sweater into the dryer on his way to the kitchen.
Knots set in his stomach as he ran the dishrags under the cool water of the faucet. His mind drifted off for a moment, picturing how he would be without Chanyeol goofing off for these next few days. He knew that he seemed rather distant and even hateful, but he truly did enjoy the positive energy that Chanyeol gave to everyone he met so freely.

He was brought back to reality from the water than overflowed out of the sink and fell to the floor with scattered splashes. It waterfalled off of the counter, soaking into his socks and weighing his jeans down. His hands moved to the sink's handles, twisting them in every which way until the water shut off. Gritting his teeth in embarrassment, he moved quickly back to the bedroom, lingering in the hallway for a moment.

Chanyeol was pale, sweat drenching his hairline and dripping down his reddened cheeks. He'd groan occasionally, moving on his side slowly and sluggishly. As if his muscles were sore.

He twisted the rags in his hands, eyes to the floor as he moved to the edge of the bed.
"Chanyeol," he let out a breath, a sigh of frustration as he searched for the words that could express the sinking feeling in his chest.
"I'm sorry...."
There was a lilt at the end of the words, giving off that he was planning to say more.
He gently placed the rags at Chanyeol's forehead,brushing away strands of hair that would tickle at Chanyeol's eyelashes.

Chanyeol's eyes were closed, but he wasn't sleeping. He heard every word that Kyungsoo said.

"I'm sorry that I didn't admit that yes, I," he gently placed the other rag on Chanyeol's neck, unfolding it so that it rested upon his collarbone as well.
"I... I like you. I didn't say that, but I really don't want a relationship, you know? Is that weird?"
He pulled back into the chair by their bed, another sigh leaving his mouth. This time, of exhaustion.
"But you're OK, right?"

Chanyeol turned over slowly, as if he were tossing in his sleep, until his back was to Kyungsoo.
He bit at his cheek, holding back a slight smile. He felt like he was going to throw up, but that could've been because he was sick. His heart skipped a beat in his chest, butterflies fluttered in his stomach.

"You better be OK," Kyungsoo continued, moving to sit in the bed with Chanyeol.
He played with a strand of hair that fell against his muscular back, moving the reddish-brown hair in his small hands absentmindedly.
"When you wake up, we're going to take a lukewarm bath. I know, that sounds gross, but if I give you a cold bath it'll shock your system."
A closed-mouth smile gently lifted his lips, his eyes holding compassion rather than the suppressed fury that they usually had.
Kyungsoo kissed Chanyeol's shoulder, continuing the rest of his words in a soft tone.
"It's a shame that I can only admit my feelings when you're not able to hear them."

--

Kyungsoo kept his word, he took care of Chanyeol, dabbing at his forehead, making him tea, cooing words of comfort to him, he made sure that would be okay. The storm was over now, and even if he couldn't get Chanyeol better by then, maybe he could call for help.

Chanyeol turned over at one point, wide awake and taking Kyungsoo by surprise. He grinned as Kyungsoo dropped the rag he was dabbing at Chanyeol's neck with and clasped a hand to his mouth.
His eyes were wide with shock.

"Oh, Chanyeol!" Kyungsoo exclaimed.

"Oh, Kyungsoo!" Chanyeol mimicked, a chuckle making its place between words.

"You're alright!" He laughed, too, a sudden care-free air surrounding them.

"I have been, you know." He sat up, grinning. "I've been listening."

Kyungsoo's eyes widened further than before, an embarrassed blush heating his cheeks and ears.
"Oh?"

Chanyeol nodded, closing his eyes.
"Mm, I've heard some stuff."

"Like what?" He had a sinking feeling that he knew exactly what Chanyeol was hinting at, but he played along in hopes that he hadn't.

"About how you'd take care of me," he grinned, taking Kyungsoo into his large arms.
"How you liked me," he quickly changed their positions, suddenly hovering over the smaller boy, all his weight into his arms as he peered down.
"How you'd bathe me..." His voice deepened as he moved closer, lips barely an inch away from Kyungsoo's.
"And to be honest, I never was that sick. Just a bit hungover."

Kyungsoo hit Chanyeol's chest with his fist, his cheeks red as he let out a scream of frustration.
"You sonuva !" he screeched, eyeing up at the bigger boy angrily from below.
"I've been worried sick! You know I don't take well to Baekhyun and Jongdae's ways, why would you do that to me!?"

Chanyeol almost felt bad.
"I was mad at you, is all."
His lips moved closer to Kyungsoo's as he intensified his gaze.

"Oh hell no!" He responded, pushing Chanyeol away with a huff.

"What about my bath?" he pouted. Kyungsoo now understood why fans said he was part of the 'beagle line' - he was very much like a puppy.

Kyungsoo stormed off in a huff, slamming the bedroom door behind him.

"Ah..." Chanyeol lied back in the bed, blowing at his bangs.

--

It wasn't until the weekend until Kyungsoo was paying attention to Chanyeol again.

"Kyungsoo, do you want to go swim in the lake with me?" Chanyeol beamed, leaning casually through the doorway between the hallway and their bedroom.

Kyungsoo had been lying back in their desk chair, reading a book with very many pages, it appeared, before he looked up and peered up to Chanyeol through his glasses.
"So you can squeeze my and blame it on a fish swimming by?"

Chanyeol shrunk back, a guilty grin making its appearence as he ruffled the hair on the back of his head.

"I'll pass." Kyungsoo added.

"But I'm already in my swim trunks!" Chanyeol persisted, snapping  the waistband of his swimshorts to show that he was, indeed, in his swimwear. 
"And it's no fun to go alone!"

"You should've thought about me saying no before you changed clothes, then," Kyungsoo stated nonchalantly, flipping a page loudly for emphasis.

"I'll bring you out myself, if you don't come along!" Chanyeol pouted, crossing his arms. He'd dump Kyungsoo in the lake if necessary.
 
Kyungsoo, exhaling loudly out of frustration, slung his book across the room and stood.

He stormed past Chanyeol in a huff, murmuring something along the lines of, "I didn't know having feelings for you would be such a chore."

Chanyeol gave a wide smile, chasing after the shorter boy's figure into the lake.

--

^A/N:
I know you asked for 4k+ words, I tried! It's not quite 4k+, but it's a bit past 3k. I'm sorry!
I tried my hardest with this concept, I really forced this out. I've been sick, but I really wanted to get something done after all this time. Forgive me! And a huge thank you to MakeMyLifeColourful, who requested this story!