", , ." Chanyeol's words came out in a slur as he messily tried to scoop up dirt in handfuls. 

He was into his third week of living with Kyungsoo, and he was finally feelings comfortable. Kyungsoo was clean and he burned candles that smelled nice. He would cook dinner for Chanyeol most nights. He pretended not to hear when Chanyeol showered him in compliments, which Chanyeol thought was really sweet. However, this could only last for so long. He had been dancing around a little too enthusiastically and had somehow managed to hit the little table that was home to Kyungsoo's small garden. It had sent a few plants tumbling, soil falling all over the floor.

So, here was Chanyeol, anxiously trying to clean up his mess before Kyungsoo got home from the grocery store. His luck was pretty though, and he froze mid-scoop as he heard the front door unlocking. 

", , ing . I'm gone, he's going to tell me to leave, holy ing sh-"

"Chanyeol, you here?" Kyungsoo opened the door and immediately caught sight of Chanyeol sitting on the floor, all wide eyes and dirty hands.

"Did you..."

"Kyungsoo, I swear, it was an accident."

"You."

"Me?"

"Go out for a few hours."

Kyungsoo's voice sounded even as he turned his back to Chanyeol as he set the grocery bags on the kitchen counter. It was the opposite of Chanyeol's, which was shaking and cracking like crazy.

"Yes, okay."

Chanyeol had wished he'd brought a hoodie with him because it was a bit chilly. September was in full swing and the leaves were beginning to change color. Chanyeol would have normally taken time to fawn over them, but his mind was elsewhere.

Chanyeol liked living with Kyungsoo. That was really all there was to it.

He'd tried to make  it sound tedious when he spoke to Baekhyun about it. Truthfully, though, Chanyeol was content. Kyungsoo was funny and hospitable and really, really cute. In a brotherly way, Chanyeol thought. Like he'd be a really cute little brother, not like he'd like to kiss him cute. Kyungsoo would never be into Chanyeol anyways.

But Chanyeol kept thinking as he walked in a circle around the block for the fourth time.

"Back so soon." Kyungsoo said from the couch when he heard Chanyeol entering the house.

"Aha," Chanyeol's laugh was nervous and far too high pitched for someone his age, "I couldn't stay away from your charm for too long."

Kyungsoo let out a tired sigh and kept his eyes on his laptop, but his foot twitched when Chanyeol cleared his throat.

"I, uh, got you some stuff." Chanyeol said, and Kyungsoo finally closed his laptop and met the taller boy's gaze. He stared curiously at what Chanyeol was holding. 

"What kind of stuff?" Kyungsoo asked even thought it was pretty obvious what kind of stuff Chanyeol had bought him.

Chanyeol walked over hesitantly and set down his peace-making offerings, taking a seat next to Kyungsoo.

"This," he said, pointing towards a fluorescent green cactus, "is your new child. He really needed a home, and he told me to knock over your other plants, so that you would adopt him instead. I told him a million times that you'd get mad, but he just wouldn't listen."

Kyungsoo raised an eyebrow, but his eyes were bright. Chanyeol leaned in and cupped his hand, whispering into Kyungsoo's ear, "He even threatened me with death."

Kyungsoo snorted and pushed Chanyeol away.

"I also thought you might get hungry after so much intense parenting, so I got you some snacks."

Kyungsoo eyed the box Chanyeol pushed towards him on the table. It was full of small cakes from Kyungsoo's favorite bakery. Kyungsoo briefly wondered if it was Chanyeol's favorite bakery too.

Kyungsoo hadn't exactly been kidding when he mentioned in the ad not to touch his plants. He worked really hard to keep them healthy; and having a bumbling idiot ruin his hard work wasn't ideal. But Kyungsoo, even with only three weeks of living with the nerd, knew that Chanyeol would never intentionally ruin something that someone else treasured.

Plus, he went through all this trouble to make up for his accident.

"I guess I won't kick you out."

Chanyeol let out a genuine sigh of relief. 

"So, what's its name?" 

"Pardon?" Chanyeol asked, his chicken not making it to his mouth.

"The cactus, my new kid. What's its name?"

Chanyeol shrugged.

"Whatever you want it to be? Your the father after all."

"Really? You're the one who rescued it though. Doesn't it have some tragic backstory?"

"Ah," Chanyeol set down his fork, smiling at Kyungsoo across the table. "It does actually. It got separated from his family recently and has been living in the streets ever since, no friends or anything. He really needed a good home, so he decided he wanted to live here."

"He thought this was a good home?" Kyungsoo chuckled, raising his eyebrows.

"You live here, don't you?"

Kyungsoo rolled his eyes and smiled, refusing to look at Chanyeol for the rest of the meal.

"Hey, a friend of mine is dropping by later."

"Okay?" Kyungsoo was a little puzzled as to why Chanyeol was telling him, but then he remembered his rules. "I mean, um, thanks for telling me." 

He was quite surprised though. Chanyeol'd been living with him for a month and he'd never had anyone over before. 

"He'll probably be over when you're at class, don't worry."

"Okay." Kyungsoo shrugged, only taking a quick glance at Chanyeol before heading out the door. "See you, Chanyeol."

It was on his way back from his classes that Kyungsoo realized that Chanyeol had been living with him for a month. He scrambled to get his phone out of his back pocket.

"Jongdae."

"Kyungsoo." Jongdae's tinkly laugh was bright, and Kyungsoo was excited to break his spirits.

"Guess who you owe $300?"

A groan was heard from Jongdae's end. "So you weren't kidding when you said that he was still living with you?" 

"Oh my god, of course not. You'd know if you ever came over to visit. I haven't seen you outside of campus in weeks."

"I could drop by today, maybe? Then I could confirm that you are actually telling the truth."

"Fine." Kyungsoo chuckled. "I'll see you later"

"Man, this is a nice place." 

"I know. Don't touch anything." Chanyeol shoved Baekhyun through the hallway and into his bedroom. 

"So, when will I get to meet your stick in the mud roommate? And when are you gonna start looking for a new place? This apartment is kicking, but with your roommate and all, you know."

"Okay, so here's the thi-"

"Chanyeol, are you home?"

Chanyeol's words got cut off, and Baekhyun's eyes lit up and his mouth formed an O.

"Is that him?" Baekhyun whispered.

"Yes, so stay cool, okay?" He hissed. 

"Chanyeol, that's you, right?" Kyungsoo's voice was a bit nervous this time.

"Yeah, it's me." Chanyeol yelled back. 

Baekhyun hopped off his bed and pushed past Chanyeol, who grabbed at his wrist before being pulled into the living room.

"Kyungsoo, I'd assume?"

"That's me." Kyungsoo raised his eyebrows, looking at Chanyeol rather than Baekhyun. Chanyeol's throat was dry, and his mouth was not working.

"I have to say, what Chanyeol tells me about you is quite interesting." Chanyeol was about two seconds away from clapping his hand over Baekhyun's mouth when the front door swung open again.

"So, which one of you is Chanyeol?" The visitor asked, with no further introduction.

Chanyeol's eyes were panicky as he looked from the visitor to Kyungsoo, mouthing Am I being arrested? 

Kyungsoo laughed nervously and shook his head. "This is my best friend Jongdae."

"Wow, what a coincidence. I'm Chanyeol's best friend."

"Is that so?" Jongdae's eyes twinkled as he moved closer to Baekhyun, causing Chanyeol to take a step back.

"So, are you moving in after Chanyeol leaves or...?"

Jongdae blurted out "Chanyeol's leaving?" at the same time that Kyungsoo squeaked "You're leaving?!"

"No!" Chanyeol answered hurriedly. "I'm not, uh, I'm-"

"But you lasted a month with this nut, you don't have to stay here anymore." Baekhyun stared at curiously at Chanyeol. "You won the bet. You're not gonna get more money for staying longer."

"You were living with me on a bet?" Kyungsoo looked at Chanyeol, and Chanyeol

"Dude, your ad was weird as . I told Chanyeol I'd pay for his first month's rent if he managed to live with you for a month. His comments about you were unbelievable." Baekhyun said, and Jongdae laughed. Chanyeol's eyebrows furrowed even more at this.

"You made a bet too? I bet Kyungsoo he couldn't find anyone with that ad. But since he did, he had to pretend that all of it was true for at least a month. If he did, I had to give him $300."

"You thought I was a pain to live with?" Kyungsoo looked hurt.

"What?" Chanyeol's face was twisting this way and that, trying to keep up with the situation. "No, I - I told Baek you were obnoxious to live with because I didn't want him to think I had it easy and take back his bet."

"Wait, so, you like living with him?" Baekhyun asked.

"Yeah, yes, I do, yes." Chanyeol chuckled and was relieved when he looked over to Kyungsoo and saw a faint smile creeping up.

"We were conned." Jongdae shook his head and patted Baekhyun's shoulder. "I bet they've been friends since kindergarten or something. They totally planned this."

"Totally." Baekhyun agreed, nodding and grinning at the hand on his shoulder.

"Can you get out of our apartment?" Kyungsoo asked suddenly. 

"Pardon?" Jongdae asked. "You want us to leave?"

"I don't accept flirting in my living quarters." Kyungsoo smiled slyly. "Go get coffee or something instead of being gross in here."

"What?" Baekhyun's voice cracked. "I have to visit my mom anyways, See you, Chanyeol."

"Wait, I need your number!" 

Baekhyun gave a quick wave before slipping out the door, Jongdae hurrying behind him. Kyungsoo closed the door behind him, letting out a short laugh.

"So, uh," He began, "You are staying?"

"I guess so." Chanyeol shrugged and Kyungsoo gave his shoulder a punch. "But I'm curious. How many of your requirements were fake?"

Kyungsoo looked like he was debating what to tell Chanyeol, but settled on not revealing too much.

"I think you'd look really nice in yellow."

a/n : this was rly long? ??? i feel like it kinda dragged especially at the end there with the overflow of dialogue ???? pls give me some feedback ok thanks stuff will keep happening, no worries