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Chapter Text

Baekhyun and Chanyeol have some intern jokes that can be considered a little odd for other people. It's no big deal, they just have the habit of calling each other by cute nicknames, like a couple would do.

They probably don't even remember how or when it all started, but they agree that it's something that made them get closer in their friendship and gathers good laughs from each other every time they do so.

Chanyeol always laughs when Baekhyun calls him 'love' or 'honeyboo' and the shorter almost died of laughing once when Chanyeol called him 'princess'.

His friends were startled at first but now they got used to it, even though Baekhyun still notices the smirks of Minseok and Jongdae while they watch them. But that doesn't matter, because he and Chanyeol know it's just a joke between best friends.

'... Right?' Baekhyun wondered to himself as he pondered once again about those apparently innocent jokes. That's what happens on the days he lays on the couch without having many options of what to do.

On the couch of the living room and the remote in his hand, Baekhyun was almost dying of boredom. He stared at the ceiling remembering all the nicknames he had ever used with his friend and giggled. Maybe calling Chanyeol now would be a good idea. He picked up his phone and after finding the contact he was looking for, he called the taller to run away from his boring evening.

"Hi sweetheart," Baekhyun spoke when the call was answered and waited for laughter from across the line, what didn't happen.

"Baek?" a female voice identified him, and Baekhyun froze because he knew that voice. It was Chanyeol's mom.

Shit.

"Uh... hi Mrs. Park, is Chanyeol there?"

"Yeah, he's in the bathroom now, but... Baek, is there something I should know?"

The boy was so embarrassed that he could die of embarrassment at that moment. What kind of conclusions were she making about the way Baekhyun called her son 'sweetheart'? Probably not the best ones.

"P-please don't misunderstand, it's just a joke between us," Baekhyun's voice was wobbly as he tried to explain it to her, which certainly didn't help him sound convincing. "I... I'll call later."

Baekhyun hung up in a hurry, leaving no time for Mrs. Park to say anything else and threw the phone across the couch.

He buried his face in his hands, feeling his cheeks burn. He hoped she would understand that it was all a misunderstanding and would forget about the awkward few minutes that just happened.

But that was not what happened.

The moment Chanyeol returned from the bathroom he saw his mother sitting at the dining table with his phone in front of her. When her eyes saw him she told him to sit on the chair in front of her, what made the boy feel a little apprehensive.

"Chanyeol... what's exactly your relationship with Baek?" that shocked the taller for a moment. Where that question came from?

"Well... he's my best friend," Chanyeol replied honestly, his mind automatically remembering how they had always been together since they were born.

"Just friends?" His mother asked him and Chanyeol nodded, making her sigh in disappointment. The poor boy was completely confused about the direction this conversation was taking. "Son, Baekhyun is a wonderful kid. I won't be mad if you two are together."

"Alright..." Chanyeol didn't know anything else to say. He was quite lost at trying to understand why his mother was suddenly talking about it.

It wasn't the first time she made comments about it, but it was the first time she'd been so straightforward about supporting their 'relationship'.

'But there's nothing to be supported,' Chanyeol thought to himself.

She sighed as if her son didn't got the hint of what she was trying to say.

Chanyeol thought the topic would be forgotten the moment he stood up from the table, but he couldn't be more wrong.

His mother kept asking about his friend Baekhyun and making comments of how good it would be to have him in their family.

"This house is so big for just the three of us... but seems so much more complete when Baekhyun and his family visits us," she commented at the dinner that night, making Chanyeol stop chewing his food to look at her, who was acting like what she said wasn't a big deal. The boy, however, had to agree with her point He felt happier when Baekhyun was around.

Chanyeol's father was surprised at first, but after a while he seemed to understand what was happening and just nodded smirking at Chanyeol, what only made his son even more embarrassed.

Chanyeol had never been so happy to go to school on a Monday morning, because he'd finally be free of his parent's embarrassing comments.

As soon as he stepped into his classroom the taller spotted Baekhyun sitting in his usual seat reading a comic book. Chanyeol sat in front of him and turned to face the smaller one.

"Good morning, love! I missed you," Chanyeol teased laughing and waited for Baekhyun to laugh too as he always did, but this time the shorter just gave him a shy smile and returned his eyes to his comics.

"Are you okay? You didn't even call me this weekend ," the youngest pouted and Baekhyun sighed distressed, closing his comic book. He pursed his lips, seeming to think of something to say.

"I did..." the shorter murmured, and Chanyeol soon noticed the guilty look in his eyes.

Soon after Baekhyun told him everything about what happened the day he called him and Mrs. Park was the one who picked the phone.

"So it's your fault!" Chanyeol pointed accusingly at the eldest who looked confused at him. "She's been bugging me all the time about not telling her we're dating. Now I get why."

Baekhyun sounded even more sorry as he apologized once again.

While the class didn't start, both sat there in silence. Chanyeol was staring at the trees outside the window when he had an idea.

"How about..." he waited for Baekhyun to be looking at him before continuing. "... we date?"

Baekhyun's eyes widened and his face blushed. Chanyeol chuckled at how flustered his friend was.

"Not for real, you idiot! It's only to make my parents think it's true, and we can 'break up' after some time, what do you think?" Baekhyun stared at him and was about to disagree with the idea, when Chanyeol decided to go for emotional blackmail.

"Don't forget it's all your fault that I don't have peace in my own house anymore," that was enough for Baekhyun to sigh defeated and nod agreeing with him.

"All right, so when can you go meet my parents?" Chanyeol was strangely excited with the situation.

"I already know your parents," the taller rolled his eyes at his answer. Baekhyun was not getting into the mood of the plan.

"Yeah, but not as my boyfriend."

They were so busy with Baekhyun all flustered and Chanyeol laughing at him that they didn't notice two friends approaching their desks.

"I can't believe you guys are finally dating and didn't tell us anything!" Jongdae said before faking a sob and Minseok agreed beside him.

"It's not for real," Baekhyun explained, the blush finally leaving his face as he focused on someone other than Chanyeol. "We'll break up eventually."

"What a pessimistic couple," Minseok whispered to Jongdae loudly enough for the other two boys to hear.

On the friday after school Chanyeol took Baekhyun to his house after giving the news to his parents the night before. His body still ached from the tight hugs his mother gave him.

The taller noticed Baekhyun was feeling anxious, but didn't ask why. He already predicted the shorter would get nervous with the situation, and he also knew Baekhyun wouldn't admit he was.

The shorter had been at that house almost his everyday of his life, but for some reason this time it seemed different. Their relationship wasn't even real and there was Byun Baekhyun wanting make Chanyeol's parents like him, even though they already did.

He cursed at himself because he thought it was ridiculous. He knew Chanyeol's family like his own, but still he couldn't help it.

"Mom! Dad!" Chanyeol shouted calling for them from the doorway as he placed Baekhyun's backpack on a table and held the smaller boy's hand, pulling Baekhyun into the kitchen with him.

Baekhyun was hoping his face wasn't as flushed as he felt it was. The hand of the taller on his own made him feel more relaxed at the same time it was making him all flustered again.

As they walked into the kitchen, Baekhyun saw Chanyeol's father in an apron — which seemed to actually belong to his wife — picking something from the oven, and Baekhyun recognized it as his favorite food.

"Hello Baekhyun, what a surprise to see you here," the man said sarcastically and Baekhyun laughed.

"Is mom still working?" Chanyeol asked him and his father nodded.

"But she'll be here on time for dinner," he smiled and Chanyeol helped him set the table, Baekhyun doing the same.

When Chanyeol's mother arrived everything seemed to get more agitated. She kept asking about them as Mr. Park watched amused the flustered couple sitting at his dining table.

"Well, I... We've always liked each other, right Baek?" Baekhyun looked at taller beside him and nodded, the food he was still chewing stopping him from speaking.

"I'll be honest here, I've always hoped for you to get together!" Mrs. Park had a bright smile on her face and soon after she was telling about how she and her husband got together, and she kept going for the rest of the dinner. Baekhyun and Chanyeol sighed in relief with the end of the interrogation about them.

"I wasn't crying out of joy when you agreed on going out with me! It was allergy," Chanyeol's father protested about the version of the story Mrs. Park was telling of their first date and they started a little discussion while laughing.

The two younger boys watched amused and continued to eat the delicious silently.

Baekhyun pretended that his heart wasn't racing when Chanyeol held his hand under the table.

After the dinner Baekhyun was much more comfortable and having a lot of fun, unlike Chanyeol. He even tried to prevent his mother from showing Baekhyun his childhood photos, but she didn't listen to him.

Of course Baekhyun had seen him at that age, after all they grew up together. But he had never seen the photos of the day Chanyeol wore a mermaid costume in a bathtub.

"He thought he was in a Loch Ness Monster costume, but he looked so cute we couldn't ruin his fun," Chanyeol's mother was telling as she passed by the pictures and Baekhyun couldn't stop laughing. Chanyeol made his best puppy face to his father, silently asking for help, but the man just laughed.

"What's wrong Chanyeol? I thought you had already revealed to Baekhyun your true identity as a mermaid."

Baekhyun laughed even more and Chanyeol mumbled feeling betrayed.

His family already loved his boyfriend more than himself.

After Baekhyun said goodbye to Chanyeol's parents, the taller took him home. During the car tide Baekhyun kept talking about how much fun he had and even laughed a little more of Chanyeol's childhood photos.

The taller pouted wanting to look mad at Baekhyun, but the smile that he couldn't stop from forming on his lips revealed how happy he was. Seeing Baekhyun laughing so happilly and smiling all bright always made him feel like that.

That was the first time he admitted to himself how beautiful Baekhyun was when he smiled.

The next morning Baekhyun woke up in his room and spent a few minutes just staring at the navy blue painted ceiling. He saw his middle brother Kyungsoo passing by his door and calling him to breakfast, making the older get up still a little sleepy.

As he walked down the stairs Baekhyun remembered the night before and smiled at the good laughs he had. He never thought it'd be that fun to be Chanyeol's boyfriend.

Chanyeol.

Baekhyun stopped at the last step when he felt his heartbeat fastening as he remembered the taller taking him home and holding his hand.

He tried to not think about it this early in the morning and waited for his heart to stop racing as he headed towards the kitchen table where his younger brother Sehun was already eating cereal.

His mother was talking on the phone with someone and his father was making pancakes. Baekhyun was going wait for them to be ready and then eat his breakfast.

"Um, Baekhyun..." his mother came back with her cellphone turned off and stood beside him while she petted his hair. He looked up at the woman standing next to him and waited for her to say what she wanted.

"Chanyeol's mother just called and told me about last night," Baekhyun felt his body petrifying. He couldn't even blink as she continued to talk. "Why didn't you tell us you were dating?"

For a moment Baekhyun considered telling the truth and asking them to keep it a secret, but his pride spoke louder when he heard his youngest brother laughing.

"It's a lie. Baekhyun could never get a date," the eldest felt his blood boil and his father gave a light slap on Sehun's head as he returned with the pancakes.

"It's true!" he glared annoyed to Sehun. "I was going to tell this morning."

"Oh really? Who are you dating then?"

"Park Chanyeol."

Kyungsoo complained when Sehun spat the water he was drinking on him and his father almost dropped the pancakes.

Chapter Text

Now it was Chanyeol's turn to feel nervous, and he could bet that the nervousness he was feeling when he had to go and introduce himself formally to Baekhyun's parents was even worst than when the shorter had to go his house.

Baekhyun watched from the kitchen Chanyeol talking with his father in the living room. He kept cursing himself regretting when he called Chanyeol on that fateful day of boredom when it all began.

"How long will all the interrogation take?" Kyungsoo asked behind him and their mother giggled as she prepared something to eat.

"Your father just wants to make sure Chanyeol's good for your brother."

"But why? We all know Chanyeol since always," Sehun complained before sipping from his box juice. Baekhyun sighed as he stood in the doorway.

Poor Chanyeol. He seemed to be extremely uncomfortable with the constant gaze of Baekhyun's father on him.

"You know Chanyeol, Baekhyun is a wonderful boy."

"He is, sir."

"And you know what? I have a very sharp knife in the kitchen. It's not a threat, it's just a comment I'm making before sporadically commenting that I hope you never hurt my son."

Chanyeol swallowed hard. How had he gotten in this situation?

"I won't, sir."

He knew it wasn't personal. It was probably just a standard procedure, but he couldn't help how his hands were sweating.

After all the psychological torture, Baekhyun's mother made the night better with a delicious dinner. Chanyeol ate so much that he was seriously considering calling a tow truck and asking them to take him home.

Baekhyun's father was already treating him normally but Sehun kept staring at Chanyeol, still not believing that all was true.

When Baekhyun stood up and walked to the kitchen to drink water, Kyungsoo followed him.

"Be honest, is that really true?" the youngest leaned against the counter and waited for Baekhyun's answer. They had always been completely honest with each other, and this time it wouldn't be any different.

"No... but don't tell anyone, okay? I'll tell you how I got into this when we get alone," Kyungsoo nodded and promised to not reveal anything.

Then they went back to the living room where his father was excitedly making everyone play some board game and Chanyeol smiled happily, while Sehun was still pouting in a corner.

Things went on like that until the holiday season. Baekhyun and Chanyeol continued to visit each other's houses regularly just like they usually did before this whole dating story began.

The only difference was that now they were no longer allowed to close the door when they were alone in the same room, what in fact made no difference for the two of them.

After a while Chanyeol got used to holding Baekhyun's hand whenever their families were around, and now he did it unconsciously even when there was no need to, like when they were in school. Minseok and Jongdae used to smirk at Baekhyun every time Chanyeol did so, but the shorter pretended not to care.

But he knew very well that the butterflies in his stomach weren't normal and he hated himself for having a feeling so cliché.

Chanyeol found himself wanting to spend as much time as possible with Baekhyun and when they couldn't be together longer, like today, Chanyeol would go home in despair and lock himself in his room, waiting for Baekhyun to finish his homework so they could talk on the phone.

But today, he found an unexpected guest as he passed by the living room.

Mrs. Byun was there, sitting on the couch and talking to his mother.

"Hi dear, how was school?" his mother greeted him like always and for a moment Chanyeol didn't move from where he was standing.

"Fine..." he murmured his usual reply and Mrs. Byun greeted him.

"I called Baekhyun's mother here because I thought it'd be nice if her family spent Christmas with us, what do you think?" she told him and Chanyeol needed some time to realize what that meant.

"Oh..." was all he managed to say.

"He always feels so alone in our relatives' house," his mother commented to Mrs. Byun beside her. "I think it'll be good for him to have company."

He heard his mother talking, but didn't pay attention.

So if Chanyeol and his parents always go to his grandmother's house in another town during Christmas, and now Baekhyun's family were going with them, that means...

Baekhyun was going with him.

Chanyeol tried to avoid the grin on his face but couldn't do anything to stop it. Mrs. Byun noticed and smiled back at him, understanding why he was so happy.

The excitement of spending Christmas holidays with Baekhyun didn't allow Chanyeol to think straight. If he had reasoned a little, he would've seen the bad side of it before it happened; he'd have to deal with Baekhyun's siblings too.

Now he was driving and taking them to the city where his grandmother's house was and where all his relatives were waiting for them. Baekhyun was by his side in the passenger seat, what wasn't bad. But the two other in the back seat was making Chanyeol uncomfortable.

Kyungsoo was being too quiet and Sehun was talking non-stop.

"I still can't believe I'm going to stay away from my video games," Sehun complained for the tenth time since they started the trip, and Chanyeol mentally calculated how long he still had to be confined there with him.

Too much time.

"Anyways," Baekhyun tried to change the subject. "Kyungsoo, are you alright?"

"Uhm," Kyungsoo murmured as he looked through the window. Chanyeol knew him well enough to know that he was angry because he had to wake up early and they shouldn't bother him.

"I have a question," Sehun announced from the backseat and Chanyeol told him to continue. "Have you guys had sex already?"

Chanyeol got so startled by the sudden question that the car swayed as he accidentally turned the steering wheel, but quickly returned the car to the normal position and everyone tried to calm themselves down from the shock.

"Chill dude, I was just asking," Sehun said and Kyungsoo chuckled.

"N-no," Baekhyun answered but for Sehun that wasn't enough yet.

"Are you waiting until marriage?"

"Something like that," Chanyeol muttered in embarrassment and Kyungsoo laughed, having way too much fun with the flustered couple in the front seat.

Then Sehun went back to complaining about the days away from his precious games.

Chanyeol's family liked Byun family so much that it seemed like a piece of the puzzle was lost and had been finally found. They all got along extremely well.

Chanyeol was happy, but not so much. Because for the next days he'd have to share a room with Baekhyun and his brothers. If he could at least sleep next to Baekhyun like he had always done, that wouldn't be a problem, but since everyone thought they were really dating that wasn't allowed anymore.

So the terrible thing was that he had to share one of the two beds in the guests room with Sehun, who for some unknown reason moved so much in his sleep that he always ended up leaving no space on the bed for Chanyeol.

But in the next morning, when he saw Baekhyun smiling at him with a sleepy face and messy hair, Chanyeol forgot everything. The smile on his face whenever the smaller was at his side revealed how happy he felt with him.

His father somehow always saw him on those moments and smirked at him, making Chanyeol blush. But then he'd wrap his arms around Baekhyun and walk with him around the house while talking about random stuff because that could always make him forget everything else.

On Christmas morning an unexpected guest arrived. His uncles who rarely spent Christmas there and only showed up at New Year's Eve were going to spend it with them this year. And with them came his cousin Jongin, whom he hadn't seen for a long time.

"Holy shit, look how you've grown!" Chanyeol exclaimed as he hugged and ruffled the dark hair of his younger cousin.

"Look how's talking!" Jongin's voice had been muffled in Chanyeol's embrace along with his laughter.

"Come on, there's someone I want you to meet. And there's also a kid of your age for you to play with this time," Chanyeol said as he led his cousin into the house, thinking how Sehun would have company and finally leave him alone.

"You talk like I'm still a kid," Jongin murmured with a pout that only made him look even more like a child.

Chanyeol laughed and ruffled his hair again, hearing more complaints.

The taller introduced Jongin to the other family there, but Chanyeol didn't notice his happy and smug smile when he introduced Baekhyun as his boyfriend. Jongin congratulated him and they both smiled happily, the combination of just pretending long forgotten.

In the end Chanyeol was right. Sehun left him alone and now bugged only the poor Jongin. But he didn't seem to care that much and even enjoyed the company.

Baekhyun was talking cheerily to his relatives and everyone seemed to love the boy's extrovert personality. When Chanyeol lost view of Baekhyun because of the people around him, he sat down next to Kyungsoo on the couch in front of the fireplace.

The younger one seemed to be distracted looking at something and Chanyeol followed his gaze, seeing Jongin talking to Sehun. Chanyeol smirked as he understood what that meant.

"Why don't you go talk to him?" Chanyeol encouraged and Kyungsoo looked at him a little confused, but the smirk that still was on the taller's face made him quickly understand what he was saying.

"Well, I... I..." he started to speak but closed his mouth, and Chanyeol knew it was because his mind would get blank every time he got nervous. The taller just grinned and gave him a few pats on his back, before getting up and heading to the kitchen where everyone wanted Baekhyun to eat some cookies.

Chanyeol wrapped an arm around Baekhyun's waist pulling him closer to him and surprised the shorter, who looked at him with pink cheeks.

"Can I borrow him a little?" Chanyeol didn't wait for an answer before pulling the smaller one with him. Baekhyun felt his cheeks burning with the arm wrapping around his waist so possessively as they walked down the empty hallway to one of the bedrooms.

Baekhyun recognized it as the room they shared with his younger brothers. Chanyeol let go of him and walked to his messy suitcase left in the corner of the room and Baekhyun took the opportunity to wipe the cookie crumbs from his face.

Chanyeol returned with something wrapped in a red paper in his hands and gave it to Baekhyun. The shorter looked at it for a moment, before figuring out what it was.

"I thought your family didn't have the tradition of exchanging gifts..." Baekhyun murmured as he looked at the present in his hands. He had a warm smile on his face as he looked up at Chanyeol.

"We don't," the taller grinned and encouraged Baekhyun to open it.

As he did so, Baekhyun saw that it was a shirt that he said he wanted the last time he went out with Chanyeol, and smiled happily seeing that the taller still remembered.

Suddenly his face dropped and he stared worried at the boy in front of him.

"But I didn't buy anything for you," he confessed with a sad voice and Chanyeol just smiled again.

"I'll be happy with a hug," the taller said as he opened his arms and Baekhyun laughed, wrapping his arms around his waist and giving him a tight hug.

It wasn't unusual for them to hug, but what made Baekhyun's heart race was the way Chanyeol was stroking his back softly as he hugged him and rested his face on his head.

Baekhyun closed his eyes and enjoyed the warmth of Chanyeol's body enveloping him and making him feel so comfortable.

Chanyeol was hoping Baekhyun wouldn't hear his loud heartbeat.

When they returned to the living room, Chanyeol smiled when he saw Jongin sitting and talking to Kyungsoo on the same couch in front of the fireplace, while Sehun slept tiredly on his brother's lap.

He sat down with Baekhyun on the empty couch in the middle of them and the Christmas tree. Chanyeol stared at the boy beside him, finding him dazzling under the faint yellow lights.

Chanyeol took Baekhyun's delicate hand in his and the shorter smiled at him before laying his head on his shoulder. It was then that Chanyeol felt something he never realized he was feeling before.

He wanted so much to kiss Baekhyun. He thought about doing so, but didn't think it'd be appropriate with so many people around them. Chanyeol cursed himself when he realized he lost the perfect moment a few minutes ago, but he'd wait. Because it was Baekhyun, and even if he had to wait a little more until they were alone again it'd be worth it.

He thought that those thoughts were the gayest thing ever, but they were the truth.

'It's my boyfriend anyway, so it's okay,' Chanyeol thought to himself and smiled, before resting his head against Baekhyun's. The warmth from the shorter's body made him warmer than the one coming from the fireplace.

Chapter Text

In the New Year's Eve, after Chanyeol celebrated with his family, he drove to the Byun's house convincing himself that he was going there only to wish them a happy New Year. But of course that excuse wasn't completely true.

Soon he found the house he was looking for and parked in front of it, getting out of the car and walking cheerfully towards the door. After Chanyeol rang the doorbell he didn't wait long until he heard the sound of hurried footsteps being followed by someone opening the door.

"Chanyeol!" Kyungsoo greeted him surprised and invited him inside. "You came in the right moment. Today is the day my father is going to let Sehun drink champagne for the first time."

He followed Kyungsoo inside the house until a voice was heard from the room where all the family was gathered together.

"Who is it?!"

The taller wouldn't mistake Baekhyun's voice and identified it immediately. The middle brother replied telling him that it was Chanyeol, and soon he could see from the grand entrance to the living room Baekhyun walking and smiling at him, his smile so radiant that made Chanyeol's heart race. And he didn't need a mirror to know he was grinning as brightly as him.

Maybe they should've payed attention to Sehun with the bottle of champagne.

A moment of distraction, and when everyone realized what was happening the youngest was already drunk and laughing out of nothing.

But the one who was suffering most was his middle brother, the poor Kyungsoo, who Sehun didn't want to let go.

"I love you all! You are the best family I could ever ask for!" Sehun kept shouting the same words while he cried emotionally and Kyungsoo tried to push him away, without success.

Everyone was laughing at the scene, except Baekhyun. The taller noticed that his friend was giggling but not really paying attention to what was happening, and kept looking at him from the corner of his eye.

After Sehun had sobbed on his mother's lap for some unknown reason, Kyungsoo's phone rang. He picked up and smiled almost immediately, wishing a happy new year to Jongin who was on the other end. Sehun suddenly got excited again and spoke to Jongin for a moment, before passing it to Chanyeol.

"Jongin, you never stay awake when we celebrate it with our family. Were you waiting until now just to call my brother-in-law?!" Baekhyun laughed shyly beside him, but the boy couldn't stop the blush on his face.

"I-, I-... I don't know what you're talking about," Chanyeol laughed at his cousin's shaky voice and returned the phone to Kyungsoo, who sat at the table across the room to talk with Jongin, not listening to what his family and Chanyeol were talking about anymore.

"I think a small glass won't hurt..." mrs. Byun spoke as she was about to pour a glass of champagne for herself but her husband stopped her.

"Honey, you know how you are when you're drunk."

"A glass won't make me drunk! Can't you remember how I was in college?!"

"I only remember how I had to take care of you afterwards."

He tried to stop her again but she just acted like she wasn't listening to him and drank, Chanyeol finally understanding where Baekhyun got his stubbornness from.

While everyone was distracted and Chanyeol pretended not to see Sehun sneaking up and grabbing the forgotten bottle of champagne to drink some more, he felt Baekhyun stand up and pull his hand, asking silently for the taller to follow him.

Chanyeol walked with him to what he recognized as Baekhyun's bedroom and the said boy closed the door behind them, making Chanyeol suddenly feel anxious. He looked around the cozy bedroom and thought about something to talk about.

"Uh... I think I have a New Year's wish to make," he finally said, breaking the silence.

"And what would it be?" the smaller one stood in front of him and Chanyeol felt his face flush from the creesiness of what he was about to say, but something made him go on anyway.

"I want you to stay in my life forever."

The taller couldn't help but smile at how flustered Baekhyun suddenly got.

"Chanyeol..."

"Yeah?"

"I-I want to give you your late Christmas gift," Chanyeol got excited and looked at the shorter in expectation. "Close your eyes."

Chanyeol did as he was told and waited for his gift.

But he did not expect to feel soft lips brushing shyly against his, and he couldn't say he was disappointed.

Baekhyun's lips were so soft and sweet, and Chanyeol leaned down to feel more of it. He could feel that the shorter was nervous and held his face between his hands affectionately, smiling as his fingertips brushed against the soft and warm skin of his cheeks and imagined how Baekhyun was flushed now.

His body seemed to be receiving an electric shock when he felt delicate hands pulling him closer by his shirt and deepening the kiss. Chanyeol wrapped his arms around the boy's waist, lifting him a little and making Baekhyun stand on his tiptoe.

At that moment the door opened abruptly.

"You won't believe on how drunk mom is right no-" Sehun interrupted his own words as soon as he saw the scene in front of him. Chanyeol and Baekhyun broke the kiss immediately and looked at him embarrassed.

"Well, I guess my presence is not very welcome here so-" he seemed to be thinking of something else to say, but only closed the door slowly. But before it was completely closed he opened it again, staring at the boys who were still in each other's embrace. "Remember that you're waiting until marriage!"

Chanyeol laughed and Baekhyun did the same while Sehun closed the door and his footsteps were heard walking down the stairs.

Chanyeol leaned his forehead on Baekhyun's and no words were spoken, but Baekhyun was happy like that. The older one started to swing them in a slow waltz when a song began to be played downstairs. The sound was muffled by the closed door and they could hear voices singing together. It was probably Sehun and his mother in their drunk state, Chanyeol guessed.

It wasn't the most perfect moment with the inharmonious singing and Kyungsoo yelling at them to stop playing the Christmas songs because the season was already over, but for the boys dancing slowly in Baekhyun's room, it was perfect enough.

A few days later the holidays were over. Usually Chanyeol would mad at having to wake up early again, but not this time. Because going back to school also meant seeing Baekhyun every day, and it couldn't be better now that he felt a need to be with the shorter all the time.

Chanyeol tried to spend every second he could with him, so everyday he'd ride Baekhyun and Kyungsoo home, and Sehun would be included if he didn't study in a different school.

"I do it because I'm your boyfriend," he always said to Baekhyun and the shorter smiled, none of them seeing when Kyungsoo rolled his eyes in the backseat. Chanyeol also became much closer to the Byun family, more than when they were just friends.

'Just friends', Chanyeol repeated that phrase in his mind. Were they still just friends?

After that night in Baekhyun's room they kissed as often as a regular couple, but they had never talked about their current relationship. Chanyeol wasn't sure if they were still just pretending.

As he thought about it, he walked to the classroom Baekhyun was in, since they had different classes in the last period.

Chanyeol stood in front of the door and sidestepped a few students that were hurrying to go back home. Then he spotted Baekhyun talking to a guy.

In fact, Chanyeol remarked, only the boy was talking. Baekhyun listening to him quietly. That guy wasn't a strange, Chanyeol knew him. It was Yixing. They had some classes together.

For some reason he felt apprehensive and recognized this feeling. Why was he jealous of Baekhyun if he wasn't even sure if something between them was real?

He leaned against the wall and waited for the shorter. When Baekhyun walked to him and grinned, Chanyeol did the same but hoped the shorter couldn't see the worry on his face. The taller took the delicate hand in his as he always did and they walked together toward the exit.

"What did Yixing want?" Chanyeol tried to ask as casually as he could.

"Oh, he called me on a date," the taller felt his face drop with Baekhyun's answer.

"Oh... and you- are you going?" the eldest looked at him as if his question made no sense.

"Of course I'm not."

Chanyeol swallowed hard and thought about it for a moment. Their relationship wasn't real, right? So wasn't Chanyeol holding Baekhyun back, depriving him from having a life and new experiences?

For Chanyeol that seemed extremely wrong, and what he felt that was right to do was causing him physical pain.

"Maybe-... maybe it's time for us to break up."

Chanyeol wasn't looking at Baekhyun when he said so, but he felt when the shorter stopped walking and let go of his hand.

The taller turned around to look at the eldest and saw Baekhyun staring at him in disbelief.

"I mean... that was already part of the plan, wasn't it? We weren't real," every word Chanyeol said hurt more. "I think you should go out with Yixing."

He had a hope that Baekhyun would just call him an idiot and say he wasn't going to do that, that for him their relationship was for real.

But when the smaller just stared at the ground and nodded, Chanyeol felt like he was about to cry.

They didn't say anything more and Chanyeol could feel a tension growing between them, so the taller asked if he could take him home.

"No, I can walk back with Kyungsoo," Baekhyun said coldly and turned to leave. Before he gave a second step Chanyeol grabbed his arm, stopping him.

"But I can take you home as I always did," Chanyeol sounded more like he was begging him to stay some more.

Baekhyun looked at him with expressionless eyes that the taller had never seen before.

"You don't have to. I'm not your boyfriend."

After saying that the eldest walked away and didn't looking back, leaving Chanyeol alone with a huge empty feeling in his chest.

Kyungsoo was waving goodbye to some friends and heading to the parking lot where he'd meet Chanyeol and his older brother, when he saw Baekhyun walking towards him. He couldn't be more worried when he noticed that Baekhyun was about to cry and looked like he was in pain.

"What happened?" Kyungsoo asked worried to his brother in front of him, seeing that something was definitely wrong when tears began to roll down Baekhyun's face.

He hugged him and asked nothing more, just guided him away from the crowd. They both went down a path that took longer to get home, but there weren't many people who used it so they'd have some privacy to talk.

After Baekhyun calmed down, Kyungsoo asked again what was wrong.

"Chanyeol broke up with me," the older man's voice was shaky and his cheeks were wet as he explained what had happened.

"But... I don't get it. Weren't you just pretending?"

Baekhyun sniffed and looked down at his feet, giving slow and discouraged steps.

"I guess he was the only one pretending."

Chapter Text

Minseok had just said goodbye to Jongdae and was making his way back home through the school parking lot, when he saw something unusual.

There was Chanyeol alone in his car with his head lying on the wheel, completely desolated. The older got worried and walked toward the vehicle, knocking on the closed window to get the sad boy's attention.

Chanyeol raised his head when he heard the noise and looked at Minseok, who, as the taller one lowered the window, noticed how Chanyeol's eyes were swollen and wet.

"What happened?" Minseok didn't need to ask if everything was alright, when it obviously wasn't. Chanyeol unlocked the car door and motioned for Minseok to get in and sit next to him in the passenger seat, what the eldest did.

"You know Baekhyun and I were pretending to be in a relationship, right?" Chanyeol started, his voice hoarse. Minseok nodded and the taller continued. "Today I-... I said it was time to break up. And for some reason I feel like it's a real breakup. I feel like shit."

Minseok looked at him and Chanyeol got silent. The eldest understood that this was his cue.

"Chanyeol, you clearly didn't realize it, but you guys had stopped pretending a long time ago."

That was enough said. The taller narrowed his eyes and looked at the wheel in front of him, remembering the last few days with Baekhyun. Minseok was right.

"What do I do now?" Chanyeol asked in a whisper that Minseok heard only due to the complete silence inside the car.

"Are you really asking me that?" Chanyeol stared at him. "Go talk to him. Tell him how you feel."

Minseok knew he was giving a advice, but the way he had said those words sounded more like an order. But perhaps the younger would obey him and hasten to do what is right.

"What if he doesn't want to listen?" Chanyeol was clearly feeling insecure and Minseok didn't blame him, but found it unnecessary when they both knew Baekhyun very well and also knew that that wasn't what he'd do.

"You will never know if you don't take the risk."

Minseok rested his hand on the taller's shoulder and he agreed. It was a short talk but everything needed had been said.

Chanyeol drove Minseok home and returned to the Park residence, not talking to his parents and running up stairs straight to his room.

He closed the door and threw himself on the bed, beginning to think and trying to figure out the right words to say to the shorter. But he couldn't.

Maybe he should go to Baekhyun's house right now and talk to him, but he didn't have the guts to do so.

He remembered the threat Mr. Byun had made about what would happen if he hurt his son, but for Chanyeol no stab would hurt more than the pain he felt every time he remembered the words he said to Baekhyun.

Chanyeol spent the whole dawn thinking about what he should do and what explanation he should give, but his mind wasn't working properly.

He went to school and hoped to find Baekhyun there, but he wasn't.

He didn't care his class had already started and went looking for Kyungsoo. But he was not there either.

Chanyeol didn't mind if he'd get into trouble because of this, but when no one was around he sneaked to the parking lot and found his car.

Nothing else mattered to him. He needed to see Baekhyun right now and make up for the shit he had done.

And then there he was, in front of the house where he had driven to without hesitation. But now he couldn't get out of his car. What would he do when he sees Baekhyun? What if Mr. Byun is there waiting for him with a knife in hand?

Chanyeol breathed in and decided to go anyway. He needed to sort it all out before he lost the chance, and with it lose Baekhyun.

He walked to the front door and rang the doorbell. It took a few minutes for someone to come answer him.

The boy saw Sehun opening the door, and when the younger recognized him, he began to close it immediately.

"Hey!" Chanyeol put his foot in the doorway and held it, preventing Sehun from closing it. "What are you doing?!"

"You hurt my brother, what you think you're doing here?" the eldest should have guessed that Sehun would already know, but still the question caught him off guard.

"I came to fix things," Chanyeol replied in a firm tone that wasn't only to assure Sehun, but also himself.

The younger stared at him for a few seconds before opening the door and letting him in. He was still not happy about his presence, but he hoped that Chanyeol would settle everything.

Chanyeol followed Sehun up stairs toward what he recognized to be Baekhyun's room. When younger in front of him opened the door, Chanyeol finally saw who he was looking for.

Baekhyun was lying with his face buried in the pillow with Kyungsoo sitting beside him on the bed, comforting him.

When he saw the taller, Chanyeol thought Kyungsoo was trying to kill him with his eyes, and it made him get more apprehensive.

"What is he doing here?!" before anyone could explain the situation, Baekhyun lifted his face from the pillow and his eyes widened as he saw Chanyeol standing in the doorway of his room.

"Let's let them talk a little, yes?" Sehun asked and Kyungsoo stared at him, before casting another mortal glare at Chanyeol. Then he looked at Baekhyun, who nodded indicating that it was fine.

With that Kyungsoo left the room, but not without bumping into Chanyeol's shoulder first. Kyungsoo and Sehun left and closed the door behind them, leaving the two boys alone.

Baekhyun sat on the bed and avoided looking at Chanyeol, but on the other hand he was everything the other could look at. Chanyeol smiled to himself when he realized that the shirt Baekhyun was wearing was the one he gave him for Christmas.

The younger sat down next to Baekhyun and he didn't even move. Chanyeol began to speak.

"What I said in the New Year... It was for real. I want you in my life forever," Chanyeol said in a timid voice, only to hear Baekhyun's cold, sharp tone.

"We can still be friends, if that's what you want."

Chanyeol hesitated thinking of what to say, before continuing.

"You're the best friend I've ever had," he didn't see Baekhyun swallowing hard beside him. "but after my feelings for you became this strong... I don't think I can ever see you as just a friend again, Baekhyun."

When Chanyeol he looked at him, his face was soft again. The shorter smiled, and his smile made Chanyeol feel completely relieved.

"You're such an idiot," Baekhyun said with a relieved smile and teary eyes, before hugging the taller.

They shared a tight hug and Chanyeol never wanted to let him go again.

"I'm sorry," Chanyeol whispered against his ear.

"You better be!" the younger smiled. It was so good to have Baekhyun talking normally to him again. "You'll have to work hard to make up for it."

"I will," Chanyeol loosed the embrace a little so he could meet Baekhyun's eyes. The shorter looked happier and more relaxed, the smile on his cute face making the taller's heart speed up even more.

He thought about kissing him, but Baekhyun did it first. He kissed him with need and Chanyeol felt all the affection the smaller one was trying to show through the gesture, and reciprocated it without hesitation.

Baekhyun's mouth was sweet and warm as ever, making Chanyeol feel a shiver all over his body.

The embrace around his neck tightened as they deepened the kiss. Chanyeol was so entertained by it and Baekhyun's beautiful quiet moans that he didn't even notice when the shorter climbed on his lap.

He wrapped his arms around Baekhyun by reflex and the eldest held his face between delicate hands to have more control over the kiss, making Chanyeol feel his body melt.

It was only when Baekhyun rolled his hips on his crotch making they both moan that Chanyeol realized his intentions.

The taller was the one who held Baekhyun's waist preventing him from doing more. The grin on his face did not let him lie about how amused he was by the situation they were in.

"What are you doing?" Chanyeol asked as he admired the boy on his lap. He moved away the hair falling on Baekhyun's flushed face, admiring how beautiful he was with his eyes closed and mouth half-open as he breathed heavily through it.

"Can't we?" Baekhyun asked after a while, getting closer to Chanyeol to reach his earlobe and kiss the spot underneath it, making his intentions even more clear.

Once again the taller felt a shiver run through his whole body, and he chuckled with his breath caught in his throat.

"We have a lot of time, no need to rush," Chanyeol laughed again at Baekhyun's impatient expression and kissed his cheek affectionately. "Besides, I think your brothers will be back here at any moment."

Baekhyun realized that Chanyeol was right and sighed defeated, climbing out of his lap to lie with his head on it.

The taller was not wrong, Baekhyun proved.

While Chanyeol played with his hair almost making him sleep, Sehun opened the door abruptly, followed by Kyungsoo who was trying to look over his younger brother's shoulder to see what they were doing.

The days he could play video games with Baekhyun had always been Chanyeol's favorites. But it was even better now that the boy besides being his best friend was also his boyfriend, and he could steal kisses to distract him and then laugh at the look of frustration Baekhyun made for losing the game.

He was being punched by Baekhyun as a punishment for making the eldest lose the fifth round of the game when he saw Kyungsoo walking nervously around the house.

"Wait! What's up with him?" Baekhyun stopped the punches and looked at Kyungsoo, who was fixing his hair in front of the mirror for the fourth time in ten minutes.

"Oh, he's going on a date with Jongin tonight and had been nervous the whole week."

Chanyeol coughed exaggeratedly pretending to be shocked, what made Baekhyun roll his eyes.

Sehun leaned on the back of the sofa where they were sitting, momentarily getting the two boys' attention to him. They said nothing more and only watched an anxious Kyungsoo walking around.

After a few minutes Mr. and Mrs. Byun went downstairs, both of them looking too good for the night.

"Why are you so well dressed? And why is dad coming along?" Kyungsoo asked his mother. "I thought you were just going to drive me there and come back home."

"What's wrong with us having a date too?" his father questioned and hugged the beautiful woman beside him with a proud smile. Kyungsoo looked at him and then at his mother with a pleading look.

"Please tell me it's not in the same place."

His mother laughed and straightened her son's shirt.

"It's not, don't worry."

"But could be!" Mr. Byun exclaimed as if he had had the best idea ever, and Kyungsoo seemed to be in a brief moment of despair.

"Please don't. You'll make him feel awkward like you did with Chanyeol."

"It's a family tradition!" his father said as if it was obvious and his wife rolled her eyes but laughed right after.

She said goodbye to the boys on her couch while her husband left to get the car. Kyungsoo seemed to be getting more nervous now as he stood and waited at the door.

After Baekhyun encouraged his brother and also said goodbye. After a few minutes the woman shut the door behind her, leaving the three boys alone.

There was a moment of silence between them as the paused game played a song in loop before Baekhyun spoke.

"Do you think they gonna kiss tonight?"

Sehun chuckled behind him.

"You should be wondering if they'll at least be able to look at each other. Those two are too shy," he bent on the couch until his hands were touching the seats.

"I bet twenty bucks that they'll kiss," Chanyeol challenged Sehun and the younger smirked.

"Done."

They both shook hands and Baekhyun sighed, also wondering if Kyungsoo would get anything tonight. But he didn't think much of it, since he already had plans for himself.

It didn't take long before Sehun complained about being tired and Baekhyun persuaded him to go to bed. After the youngest closed his bedroom door, Baekhyun took Chanyeol to his own room and they both laid on the comfortable bed, enjoying each other's presence.

They were doing nothing, not even talking. All they could hear was each other's breathing, until Chanyeol began to hum a song without noticing.

"I can't believe you're humming the video games' song," Baekhyun said laughing and the other stopped, realizing what he was doing. "You ruined the mood."

Chanyeol laughed and looked innocently at the boy lying on his chest.

"Mood?"

"Chanyeol, my parents and Kyungsoo are not home. Sehun is sleeping. We are practically alone."

Baekhyun looked at him and waited for the younger to understand, what only happened when he raised an eyebrow suggestively.

He couldn't hold back a chuckled when he saw how flustered Chanyeol suddenly got.

The taller looked like he wanted to say something but didn't, so Baekhyun pecked his cheek and traced a path of kisses to his lips.

"Can we?" he whispered against Chanyeol's plushy lips and the younger replied taking the initiative for a shy kiss. Baekhyun smiled into it.

As the kiss grew hotter, Baekhyun felt his body heating up too. He then laid completely on Chanyeol, propping his body with his knees on either side of the taller.

Chanyeol was so nervous that he didn't know what to do with his hands, keeping them awkwardly on Baekhyun's waist. The shorter noticed that Chanyeol wasn't feeling safe enough to touch him more, so he stopped the kiss to look into his eyes and grab his hands.

"You can touch me, Chanyeol."

Keeping eye contact with the boy beneath him, Baekhyun guided his hands to his own thighs and then to the flesh of his asscheeks, what made them both blush with the heat that increased between them.

Baekhyun was sure he was just as nervous as Chanyeol, but felt like he should assure the taller that it is okay and he was sure that this is what he wants.

"I love you, you know that don't you?" he stared into round and big eyes as he uttered the words from deep within, and Chanyeol felt the joy of his smile spread across his face.

"I do."

"Then don't be nervous," Baekhyun whispered softly against Chanyeol's face and kissed him again. The taller seemed more relaxed now, and his hands slowly explored the smaller body making Baekhyun feel his skin burning in all places where Chanyeol touched him.

It didn't take long before they got rid of all their clothes, and seeing such perfection above him Chanyeol could not control himself anymore.

He switched positions to stay on top of Baekhyun and kissed everywhere he could, telling him how beautiful he was and the blush on the shorter's face every time he said so only confirmed his words.

Chanyeol prepped him carefully as he heard the soft mewls the shorter let out. Soon they became louder moans that sounded too much like Chanyeol's name, escaping thin lips along with some obscenities when long fingers found a sensitive spot inside him.

After he was properly prepped, the taller intertwined his fingers with Baekhyun's and entered him slowly, waiting for the shorter to get used to it. Chanyeol kissed his face and neck, leaving marks on parts of the fair skin where he knew the clothes would cover up the next morning.

It didn't take too long before Baekhyun was begging him to move, what Chanyeol did without hesitation.

He kept looking and admiring Baekhyun's beautiful and flushed face, complying all the begs for him to go faster, until he released the delicate hands only to touch the sweaty body beneath his.

His hands roamed on soft skin and Baekhyun tried to open his eyes to look at Chanyeol through his eyelids, watching when the taller reached Baekhyun's leaking cock and massaged it suggestively. The eldest's moans repeating his name were the best sound Chanyeol had ever heard.

The taller thrusted harder as his hand worked faster, and the smaller one arched his back as he groaned incomprehensible words. Chanyeol knew Baekhyun was as close to cumming as he was.

Baekhyun came first and Chanyeol came right after him. They kissed slowly as the heat of the moment decreased and they shared a warm embrace, before Chanyeol got up to cleaned them and then finally lay down next to the shorter again.

"I love you too, by the way," Chanyeol confessed with a grin and Baekhyun laughed softly, lying on his body in the same position they were earlier that night.

Chanyeol fell asleep feeling like he was sleeping on clouds and an angel slept in his arms.

The next morning the elder woke up in Baekhyun's room, what wasn't unusual with so many years of friendship. But soon the memories of the previous night hit him and he looked down to see the handsome boy lying on his chest, making Chanyeol smile happily and kiss his forehead.

After Baekhyun woke up they both went down for breakfast, and Chanyeol thought it was better not to comment on the funny and limp way the little one was walking.

But he looked adorable anyway, Chanyeol couldn't deny it. Maybe his big sweater looked much better on Baekhyun. And he only looked cuter every time he looked up at the taller and smiled shyly as his face turned pink.

When they walked into the kitchen they found Sehun already eating his daily cereal. The youngest avoided looking at them as they sat down at the table with him.

They remained in complete silence but Baekhyun didn't care. He was so happy and still felt like he was walking on clouds. He had already given up on avoiding such cliche feelings and accepted that Chanyeol would always make him feel that way.

"You know," Sehun said for the first time that morning. "I thought you were going to wait until marriage."

Chanyeol froze and stopped chewing his food to stare at Sehun, who still refused to have eye contact with either of the two boys sitting in front of him.

"What makes you think we aren't?" Baekhyun questioned casually and Sehun looked at him incredulous.

"What else would you be doing with all those 'oh God' I heard yesterday?!" this time Chanyeol really choked and Baekhyun patted his back, laughing at the taller's red face.

When he recovered, Chanyeol thought of an answer.

"... praying?" he answered in a low voice and Baekhyun laughed, but Sehun didn't seem to be amused since he looked about to begin a speech. He got interrupted by the sound of footsteps walking toward them. Soon they saw a sleepy figure rubbing his swollen eyes.

"Oh, good morning Kyungsoo!" Baekhyun greeted and his brother replied with a nod, before taking one of the empty glasses on the table and filling it with a juice box he found.

"Where are mom and dad?" Sehun asked as Kyungsoo sipped his drink. Only then did Chanyeol realize the two adults were not there with them.

"Well, after I called them to pick me up they dropped me at the door and said they'd stay in a hotel. Don't know about you, but I was not interested in the details," Kyungsoo spoke before continuing to drink, and it reminded Baekhyun about the date the younger had the night before.

Before he could ask anything about it, Chanyeol did first, obviously remembering his previous bet with Sehun.

"Anyways, let me make the main question," he turned on his chair to look at Kyungsoo, who was standing by one of the sides of the table. "Did Jongin kiss you?"

The question was so direct that even Sehun got surprised. Kyungsoo's face turned redder than the apples in the fruit bowl between them on the table.

Kyungsoo looked for words to say but his mouth just opened and closed pathetically, forcing him to simply nod. He rolled his eyes when he saw Sehun reluctantly giving twenty dollars to Chanyeol, who grinned victoriously.

Baekhyun laughed at his brothers and went back to eating his breakfast, but this time watching the taller next to him. When Chanyeol noticed the attention he turned to him and winked, making Baekhyun giggle.

The silence in the kitchen was only interrupted when a notification noise came from Kyungsoo's phone, and the smile on his face as he read the message received was enough for everyone to know it was from Jongin.

That morning everyone was especially happy, except for Sehun who had just lost twenty bucks.