Title: Bedtime Stories
Genre: slight horror, romance
Pairing: sebaek ; kaisoo
Word Count: 5483

All of them are sprawled lazily at the dorm's living room, the small table and the xbox which used to be in the center was moved somewhere at the kitchen as they take as much available space as they can. It is a very long day spent on a full packed schedule from dance practices, variety shows, photoshoots and radio shows. They are all tired to move even a muscle and a single inch from where they are individually at.
 

Luhan is on the couch, a folded paper held tightly on his right hand as he harshly fans himself with it. Joonmyeon is sitting by the end of the couch, Luhan's feet secured on top of his lap as he also fans himself with a cardboard. Chanyeol is by the balcony, the luckiest one to be able to savor every gentle summer breeze through the open glass doors. The 5 other members are lying on the floor - a mess of tangled limbs here and there – and it goes by Yixing, Sehun, Baekhyun, Minseok and Jongdae who is lying comfortably beside Chanyeol.

On the other hand, Jongin and Kyungsoo are the unfortunate ones who can't lie down on the floor for lack of space. They are sitting by the TV set - a small area enough for the two of them just above the members on the floor. Although they both wanted to lie down, they are both grateful that at least they are a little closer to the balcony. Still, Jongin tries his best to fan Kyungsoo and the older thanks him by wiping the perspiration on his face.

Another unfortunate member is Tao who miserably shifts and turns in his seat on the smaller couch a few centimeters away from where the larger couch. He grumbles to himself why Kris decided to go back to China now when they can go together.

It is a friday night- an aberrant hot friday night. And each one of them is desperate to feel something cold press against their warm and sweaty skin.

“Ugh! So hot!!” Luhan complains as he shifts from side to side on the couch.

“Tell me about it.” Joonmyeon responds.

“I'm sorry guys - ” Jongdae speaks, but Chanyeol beats him to it.

“Cuz, I'm here and I am too hot?”

Baekhyun chuckles beside Minseok while both Jongdae and Chanyeol gives one another a knowing look before bursting into laughter. It seems that they are the only ones unaffected by the humidity and thickness of the atmosphere around them (must be because they feel the wind more than the others or they are both idiots). They only stopped laughing when they earned a menacing glare from Joonmyeon. Their hullabaloo worsens his headache from too much exertion within the day including the intense heat they are experiencing now.    

Above Jongdae and Chanyeol, Jongin complains and gives up. “Aish! I can't take it anymore!” He exclaims and shifts a little away from Kyungsoo who is leaning his head on his left shoulder. He takes his shirt off quickly then reaches for Kyungsoo's head and once again lets the older lean on his now bare shoulder.

“Ohhh~ As expected of Jongin... So bold and daring~” Baekhyun wiggles his eyebrows at them, directing his phone's light at them. He mentally praises himself when he sees the blush spreading across Kyungsoo's face.

“Why does it have to be today of all days?!” Luhan lets out another whine, bringing the topic back to  their dilemma. His bandmates can't even tell if he sounds like a man dying of last his breath, or a pregnant woman wailing as she gives birth.

“Black outs usually happens in summer, hyung.” Sehun responds, he himself is too exhausted to listen to his hyungs' complaints. Moreover, he feels being stuffed with the hyungs beside him. His skin feels to sticky and the black cotton polo shirt he wears sticks to him like another coat of skin. His back is damp like someone just poured water on him; his shirt soaks up sweat like a towel, holding the moisture against his skin and causing his body temperature to increase. He wants to take his shirt off, but he can't especially when he is lying beside him.

“I know that, you brat.”

“Luhan-hyung, it is a rotational thing the electric company has been doing and they already announced days for when it happens.” Kyungsoo says from the corner of the room.

“People have been using too much electricity these days that the electric company is having a hard time supplying electricity for every household and establishment. That's why we are experiencing this right now, so they can at least conserve and provide for everyone in the city.” Minseok adds.

Tao finally speaks up and asks - -  “How long will it last?”  - - instead of his grumblings.

“Usually, it lasts for an hour.” Joonmyeon answers. He taps Luhan's leg and tells him that they should change their positions so he can also lie down.

Tao checks his phone, a flash of light basking his face. He stares at the time on the screen. 11:30 pm it says and he counts the number of minutes since the black out started. “An hour and 10 minutes already passed!” He exclaims and looks at Joonmyeon.

“Usually,” Joonmyeon repeats and enunciates it clearly; then, he proceeds to convince Luhan that they can take turns, but Luhan doesn't cooperate at all and opts to give him a pout instead. So Joonmyeon shuffles towards the other end of the couch, carefully stepping over heaps of slump and sweaty limbs with the minimal light coming from his phone. He lifts Luhan's head and sits on the couch before he lets the older's head fall on his lap. This way, Joonmyeon can atleast feel even a small waft of air coming from the balcony by his right.

Conversely, Baekhyun is rolling around the floor as the other members are talking. Then stops when he notices that the floor is getting warmer. He wiggles and flails around in search of a cold surface, but fails when Minseok smacks and scolds him. He pouts at Minseok then scoots towards Sehun instead. He pulls the maknae's arm and uses it as a pillow as he grumbles to his side. He looks at the maknae's direction and catches the sight of Tao checking his phone, sinking and groaning in his seat. After looking at the wushu expert member in their group, an idea pops up in Baekhyun's mind.

Looking at it the other way, Sehun is startled when someone just pulled his left arm out. He glances at whoever it is and stiffens when he realizes it's Baekhyun. Jongin nudges him using his foot and gives him that sly smile on his face. Kyungsoo notices it and asks Jongin why; Jongin mouths 'later' at his lover then gives a thumbs at the maknae. Sehun only rolled his eyes, diverting his attention at the ceiling.

“Hey, why is Yixing too quiet?” Jongdae asks suddenly, propping himself on his elbows before sparing a glance at the said member who is currently sleeping soundly below Tao.

“Thought so.” He comments and lets out a sheepish chuckle.

“I envy Yixing. I wish I could sleep easily like he does.” Minseok mumbles and everyone sighs. Everyone thinks like he does. They all do want to sometimes be as carefree and clueless as Yixing.

After that, they all turned quiet. The constant shuffling of clothes, the gentle whispers of the summer wind and the whoosings of crumpled paper through air fill the room as they all settled down. They are all starting to feel the weariness pull them to the realm of slumber, except they can't.

There is always that mumbling and groaning coming from one particular member who has been going on and on on how hot it is and of summer and its heat.

“Seriously... Hyung, stop it.” Sehun pleads and raises his other arm,placing it on his forehead.

But Luhan continued. He doesn't care. He is too distressed to even care anymore.

“Luhan, stop it. It sounds like you're having .” Minseok speaks up.

“Yeah, the neighbors might hear it.” Chanyeol agrees with his deep and scratchy voice, standing up and moving towards the kitchen to drink some water.

As soon as he is gone, the other members rolled towards the balcony. Even the sleeping Yixing rolled over. Tao immediately takes the chance to lie on the floor – a contented sigh escaping his lips once he stretches out his limbs. Jongin and Kyungsoo takes Tao's couch with Kyungsoo sitting in front of Jongin and leaning his back to his bare chest. Jongin continued to fan both of them while Kyungsoo tries to sleep in his position.

“In these heat? Come on! Who would have when it's too hot?” Luhan retorts.

“If you were Jongin and Kyungsoo, you would.” Jongdae says.

“What!? We do not!” Jongin's protest sounds so defensive, but Kyungsoo shushes him, telling him not to bother with Jongdae. Kyungsoo lets his head fall on the younger's shoulder and lands a lazy kiss on Jongin's cheek to get the younger's focus back on him.

Tao makes vomiting gestures at the side when he sees the little affectionate act between Jongin and Kyungsoo. Then he fishes out his earphones from his pant's pocket before he indulges himself in his own world. He chooses to not hear the following things that would insue if this continues.

“Yeah, yeah, yeah. You guys don't,”

“Hyung, don't joke like that it's -”

“But you jerk each other off.” Jongdae finishes while Minseok and Sehun covers both their ears. Baekhyun clearly isn't paying attention, mind wandering off somewhere.

At the kitchen,Chanyeol splutters the water he is drinking and curses from the information he just heard. Luhan and Joonmyeon shakes their head from Jongdae's vulgar words; Joonmyeon giving up in finding peace in this dorm. Jongdae laughs maniacally, enjoying himself while Jongin stutters as he tries to defend both Kyungsoo and him. They are getting louder and louder and Kyungsoo feels like something snapped, losing his composure and patience along the way.

“Kim Jongdae!!!” Kyungsoo's voice belows throughout the room and the atmosphere around them suddenly turned heavier as Kyungsoo frowns and cracks his knuckles. He is about to fall asleep if it wasn't for that stupid troll wrecking havoc in their dorm. He is tired, his throat hurts, his shoulders ache, the heat is too much and Jongdae's too cheerful laugh is annoying him.

Jongdae feels a shiver run down his spine when he sees the death glares his dongsaeng is giving him. Tao and Sehun sits up and moves away from him. Both Baekhyun and Yixing are still on the floor, one still sleeping while the other is staring at nothing. Tao and Sehun drags them both away when Kyungsoo starts to stand from where he is sitting.

 
“Hey guys,” - -  Baekhyun interrupts and breaks the chilling intents of Kyungsoo who was about to beat the life out of Jongdae. Everyone is expecting something nonsense and unhelpful come out of his mouth, but what he said after actually got their attentions. - - “do you want to feel cold?”

*****

And that's how they found 10 of them gathered in a circle, sitting on the floor in the middle of the night (Yixing woke up when he heard cold from Baekhyun). They already changed into lightweight and loose-fitting clothings as adviced by Joonmyeon. They are having second thoughts about this, trusting Baekhyun is never a good idea. Most of his ideas in the past were utterly nonsense and dangerous.  However, they are in a pinch now and they are willing to take risks even though there's the great chance that whatever it is Baekhyun is planning will fail.

Speaking of Baekhyun, he still isn't with them. He is in the kitchen, rummaging through drawers and cupboards in search of that one single prop that can set off the atmosphere he is thinking off earlier.

“Baek, what's taking you so long?” Chanyeol shouts all the way from the living room. Baekhyun yells back an uncomprehensive answer which Chanyeol responds with a 'Make it quick, !' and a 'I can help you!'. Baekhyun lets out another 'Mmmmhh' from the kitchen and Chanyeol answers back a 'Suit yourself'.

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