The Baeksoo Times

weekly baeksoo publication ✑

[baeksoo-times]

masterpost

ao3

[baeksoo-times]

#50: beach

"One. Two. Three. Four --"

"What are you counting?" asks Baekhyun.

Pause for thought. "Countries I've been to," says Kyungsoo.

"I've known you your whole life. You've never been anywhere but here." Baekhyun puts the finishing touches to his artwork -- two mounds of sand over Kyungsoo's feet, granules filling the dips of his toenails.

"You're right, I lied." With much difficulty and a cracking grunt, Kyungsoo breaks out of the sand that Baekhyun has buried him in and lunges forward. "It's the number of times I'm gonna punch you."

"Ow, ow, fuck, Soo!" cries Baekhyun as Kyungsoo goes at it without mercy.

He's sweaty, sand sticking to his chest and legs, but Baekhyun doesn't complain as Kyungsoo wraps his arms around him and throws him to the ground. That also means Kyungsoo goes down with him back in the sand -- Kyungsoo isn't that strong -- and this close, well, Kyungsoo is counting again.

Five. Six. How many moles litter Baekhyun's face?

Is the stubble on his chin as gritty and addicting as the sand? Does the wind ruffle Baekhyun's hair and realise it can't get enough of it? Which one wins the wet and wild contest -- the sea or the inside of Baekhyun's mouth?

Kyungsoo has a mole on his lip. Three on his chin. If Kyungsoo is the king of moles, then Baekhyun is the God of it.

"Ugh, now I'm all covered in sand," grumbles Baekhyun as they stand, but it's Kyungsoo's knees he's cleaning. The sand that comes off Kyungsoo's skin sticks onto Baekhyun's wiping hands. Fruitless.

Kyungsoo's heart doesn't care. It just goes thump, thump, thump.

[baeksoo-times]

#49: boyfriend

Kyungsoo is lounging at the bar, vibing to the live R&B performance, when a woman in a short red dress slides onto the stool beside him.

"Came here alone?" she asks, smiling sweetly.

"Yeah," says Kyungsoo.

Her teeth dig into her lower lip, just slightly, as her eyes slide down to Kyungsoo's hand. "No ring," she comments. "Anyone waiting for you at home?"

Well, there's Meokmul and Huchu... "Just my dogs."

Her smile widens. "No girlfriend?"

"No," says Kyungsoo, just as the live music peters out.

That seems to encourage the woman. Her hand, nails a matching red, slides across the counter towards Kyungsoo's -- but someone pressing to Kyungsoo's side halts her.

Kyungsoo leans into the singer's chest. The woman gapes.

"On my defense," says Kyungsoo, "you didn't ask if I had a boyfriend."

"Hi!" chirps Baekhyun, arm circling Kyungsoo's waist easily and lined eyes curving up into pretty crescents. He extends his other hand out. "Nice to meet you, I'm boyfriend."

[baeksoo-times]

#48: surprises

"Hey, Kyungsoo."

Kyungsoo turns to find Baekhyun's face right in front of his. Literally. Baekhyun's chin is propped on Kyungsoo's shoulder, and his lips are brushing against Kyungsoo's cheek.

"What?" asks Kyungsoo, softly.

"I know how much you hate surprises," says Baekhyun, also softly, "so I'm gonna tell you beforehand: in ten seconds, I'm gonna be down on one knee and asking you to marry me."

Kyungsoo stares -- struck speechless -- right into the beautiful pools of black that are Baekhyun's eyes.

Then Baekhyun is getting off the couch and crouching down on one knee as he takes a velvet box out of the pocket of his hoodie.

"Do Kyungsoo," says Baekhyun, flicking the box open to show the ring inside. He must've forked out a decent amount for that. "Will you marry me?"

They'd been cuddling on Baekhyun's ratty couch for the evening, because the heater is broken and they can't be bothered to get the blankets from Baekhyun's bedroom. Baekhyun is wearing a moss-coloured hoodie that makes him look super soft, and his hair probably smells because he hasn't washed it in four days. His ears are ginormous. Kyungsoo isn't even wearing pants, because why should he when Baekhyun's legs keep him warm anyway? Now, the cold makes the hairs on Kyungsoo's legs rise. There's a red stain on the sleeve of Baekhyun's hoodie from the spaghetti they just had for dinner.

It's perfect. Baekhyun is perfect.

Kyungsoo is undoubtedly, unquestionably, a hundred percent sure when he grabs Baekhyun's face and says into the kiss: "Yes."

[baeksoo-times]

#47: couch

It's only when Baekhyun walks out of the bathroom, his body smelling like Kyungsoo's body wash and his teeth freshly brushed using Kyungsoo's minty toothpaste, that he notices the pile of blankets on the couch in the living room. Kyungsoo is lying there, his phone in his hand.

Baekhyun feels bad already. "If I knew you'd give up your bed for me I would've just booked a hotel room nearby."

Kyungsoo puts his phone away on the coffee table, turning to Baekhyun with an adorable, sleepy look on his face. "Just sleep," he says, tucking himself under the blankets. "You're the guest."

Baekhyun chucks the towel on the dining table -- Kyungsoo will berate him for that when he finds it in the morning -- and approaches the couch where Kyungsoo is curled up in a cocoon. "But it's your apartment."

"Just sleep, Baekhyun," says Kyungsoo, voice muffled under the blankets.

Baekhyun glares, even if Kyungsoo can't see him. "No."

"Go away."

"No."

Kyungsoo's body takes up the majority of the couch, but Baekhyun can't give any less of a fuck. He hops right into the tiny space between Kyungsoo and the backrest, wriggling his way under the blankets until his chest is flush against Kyungsoo's back.

"Baekhyun, what the fuck --"

"You go away," says Baekhyun.

Kyungsoo turns, glaring at him. "Sleep on the bed, Baekhyun."

If Baekhyun leaned any closer, their lips would brush. "You sleep on the bed," says Baekhyun instead, and definitely does not sound childish.

Kyungsoo looks so soft, even as he frowns. "Fine," he huffs, turning back to face the TV.

Baekhyun grins. "Fine."

The silence doesn't last long.

"Go away," says Kyungsoo again.

"I can do this all day," singsongs Baekhyun. It's not a lie.

Kyungsoo huffs. "Go. Away."

"Okay, Kyungsoo," says Baekhyun. He doesn't move, not even by a millimeter.

"Baekhyun --"

"Okay, I'll go." Baekhyun doesn't go.

"Baekhyun --"

They don't last too long. But not because Baekhyun gives up and heads for the bed. No, it's because Kyungsoo falls asleep -- his weak protest trailing off into a muffled snore -- right in Baekhyun's arms.

[baeksoo-times]

#46: score

"I was right, wasn't I?" taunts Baekhyun, pressing close to Kyungsoo's side on the couch in the waiting room after the first half of their Arcade filming.

Kyungsoo's eyes narrow. "What?"

Baekhyun flashes a cheeky grin. "I said you couldn't score a single goal even if I stood still, and you didn't."

Kyungsoo's quiet for a moment. Then he leans in. "I think..."

Baekhyun doesn't lean away. "What?"

Kyungsoo's hand presses flat on Baekhyun's chest, feeling Baekhyun's heart slowly begin to thunder under his palm. "I think I've already scored."

baeksoo-times

[baeksoo-times]

#45: phd

PhD students Baekhyun and Kyungsoo live together in a two-bedroom campus accommodation for money-saving purposes. No, really.

Apparently, pursuing the research path is far from glamorous unless you're a tenured professor with a library of published papers. Anything other than that pays about a sandwich and a half.

For example, Kyungsoo is sitting on his bed in his room right now with his laptop on his lap and his breakfast beside him because he can't afford a study desk. Or a study chair. He also can't afford to mark his students' assignments and eat breakfast separately. He could move to the dining table outside, except Baekhyun's got his thesis strewn all over it...

Speaking of the devil, in comes Baekhyun, hair in a floppy disarray. "Say, Kyungsoo, you don't really need this room, right?"

Kyungsoo stares. "What?"

"I rented out your room to this master's kid. You know, get them extra bucks. The school doesn't have to know."

Kyungsoo stares harder. "What?"

"I mean," says Baekhyun, licking his lips. "You can always mark papers on my bed. And eat breakfast on my bed." He digs his socked toes into the hole in the carpet. "And sleep on my bed."

Kyungsoo actually considers. "Okay... where would you sleep?"

Baekhyun's toes catch under the carpet. "On my bed."

Huh. Kyungsoo closes his laptop and puts it aside on his bed. "And then maybe we can cuddle and save on heating, too?"

Baekhyun beams. He jumps onto Kyungsoo's bed, right into Kyungsoo's arms. "Deal!"

*

PhD students Baekhyun and Kyungsoo live together in a single bedroom on campus. Mostly for money-saving purposes and definitely not for cuddling purposes.

(Okay, fine, it's the other way around.)

baeksoo-times

[baeksoo-times]

#44: shaved

"I'm sorry Kyungsoo hyung couldn't come," says Sehun, muffled behind his mask.

They're standing by the gates, under the huge Nonsan Training Centre sign.

Baekhyun smiles, genuine, hopes it shows in his eyes. "Nah, I saw him last night."

He runs his hand through the prickly edges of his shaved head, like fresh-cut grass.

The memory of Kyungsoo's fingers in his hair, his tummy pressed to the bony end of Baekhyun's shoulder. Baekhyun sitting on the edge of his bathtub. Kyungsoo hovering over him, an electric razor in his hand as he runs the clipper down one side of Baekhyun's head.

Kyungsoo's hand is big, and strong, and soft.

I look ridiculous, says Baekhyun, watching their reflections in the mirror.

Good, says Kyungsoo, his low voice reverberating off the bathroom walls.

Baekhyun laughs. Wow, hurtful.

Kyungsoo chews his upper lip. Can't have you looking good in a building full of men.

Oh.

Baekhyun buries his head in Kyungsoo's chest. Warm, like home. I'm gonna miss you.

Kyungsoo's hand wraps around the back of Baekhyun's neck, his lips pressing to the crown of Baekhyun's head. Grounding, like an achor. It'll be over before you know it.

"Baekhyun!" calls Baekbeom, waving him over.

Baekhyun grins. "Coming!"

In the pocket of his jacket, Baekhyun's fingers tighten around the dog tag in his hand.

Kyungsoo's dog tag.

It'll all be over before he knows it.

baeksoo-times

[baeksoo-times]

#43: passcode

Baekhyun can't feel his legs or his arms, or even the ground under his feet as he runs for his life -- but he can hear the wet growl of the zombie behind him, feel its gnarly fingers just a hair's breadth away from his neck.

Several feet ahead of him, Kyungsoo's reached the door to Baekhyun's apartment.

"What's the passcode?!" demands Kyungsoo.

Baekhyun screams: "Nine - three - zero - one - one - two!"

The door unlocks with a chime. Lightning speed, Kyungsoo pushes it open and slips in, leaving it ajar just long enough for Baekhyun to sprint toward the tiny gap at full speed before Kyungsoo slams it shut. The lock chimes again, and Baekhyun rams the manual lock into place.

On the other side, the zombie bangs its body against the door in protest.

"Fuck," exhales Baekhyun heavily, sliding down the door. His limbs lie heavy on the floor.

He'd close his eyes, take a breather for just one second -- except Kyungsoo is giving him a weird look.

"What?" asks Baekhyun.

Kyungsoo doesn't say anything, just looks at him, brows a soft furrow.

Baekhyun frowns. "Are you okay?" On instinct, he slides to Kyungsoo's side, patting him up and down to check. "Are you hurt?" Kyungsoo watches as Baekhyun pulls up his sleeves to check his arms, then his tummy, then his legs. Nothing. "Kyungsoo, where are you hurt --"

"Baek." Kyungsoo stops him, hands around Baekhyun's wrists.

"What?"

"Baekhyun," says Kyungsoo, softly, "why is your passcode my birthday?"

baeksoo-times

[baeksoo-times]

#42: boo-boo

“Kyungsoo, my boo-boo hurts. Will you kiss it better?”

“Fine. Where is it?”

Baekhyun grins, pointing to his lips. “Here.”

baeksoo-times

[baeksoo-times]

#41: bathroom

The last thing Junmyeon expects to see as he opens the door to a bathroom at a frat party is Baekhyun and Kyungsoo getting it on against the sink.

Byun Baekhyun, the loud, clingy, inquisitive kid he had to interview for stealing fruit loops from one of the cafeterias at two in the morning; and Do Kyungsoo, the reserved, aloof, lowkey threatening kid who submits occassional scathing reviews of the university’s theatrical productions.

They’re both so different, almost poles apart, and yet here they are, making out like teenagers in heat, Baekhyun’s tongue shoved down Kyungsoo’s throat and Kyungsoo’s hand tight around a fistful of Baekhyun’s hair.

Baekhyun moans so loud Junmyeon can hear it over the deafening noise that is Yixing’s shitty EDM playlist — and that’s his cue to slam the door shut.

“What’s wrong? Someone inside?” asks Sehun, the new intern Junmyeon’s in charge of at the student newspaper, already unbuttoning his pants and shouldering his way through.

Junmyeon grimaces. “I’m peeing in the lawn.” He’s never wanted to bleach his eyes so bad.

baeksoo-times

[baeksoo-times]

#40: scar

"Fuck, that was good," sighs Baekhyun, collapsing on Kyungsoo's chest, hair damp and skin sticky with sweat. "So fucking good, in fact, that I didn't notice you had all these scars on you."

Kyungsoo runs a lazy hand down Baekhyun's side. "Mm."

Baekhyun grazes his fingers against the scar that sits right in the middle of Kyungsoo's chest. "Got a story for this one?"

"Arrow," says Kyungsoo. 551, Goguryeo, a painful arrow to the heart.

Baekhyun's distracted, though, already trailing his fingers along the length of scar on Kyungsoo's abdomen, right under his left ribs. "And this one?"

"Sword," says Kyungsoo. 1292, Goryeo, a powerful blade that teared his stomach in half.

"What, cut yourself in the kitchen?" asks Baekhyun, grinning, incredulous. "Okay, what about this one?" He points to a scar on Kyungsoo's forehead, near his hairline, almost concealed by his hair if not for Baekhyun pulling and messing it up just moments ago.

"Gunshot," says Kyungsoo. 1913, Japanese occupation, a searing bullet through the brain.

Baekhyun narrows his eyes, and when he giggles, his canines peek out, like a little wolf cub. "Yeah? From one of those crime movies you directed?"

Kyungsoo smiles too, content, feeling the warmth and weight of Baekhyun on him. "Mm."

"They're all so different," muses Baekhyun. His cheeks are filled out, his hair a lighter shade of brown, but his eyes, and his moles -- they're all the same, the same beautiful shine, the same constellation of stars on soft skin.

"Not really," says Kyungsoo.

I got all of them trying, and failing, to protect you, he doesn't say. But now I have you, and I'm not letting you go.

baeksoo-times

[baeksoo-times]

#39: egg

"What is this?" asks Kyungsoo as Baekhyun presents to him a bowl filled with suspicious yellow goop.

"It's steamed egg!" announces Baekhyun, grinning proudly. He brandishes a spoon. "Try it."

Kyungsoo hesitates. "Is it edible?"

"What do you take me for?" tuts Baekhyun, as Kyungsoo finally scoops a spoonful into his mouth. "Besides, I didn't forget the most important ingredient of all time --"

"Please say salt."

"-- love."

Kyungsoo spits the egg back out.

baeksoo-times

[baeksoo-times]

#38: idiot

Kyungsoo sighs, watching as Baekhyun tries and fails to fit himself in their fridge. "I can't believe I'm in love with an idiot."

From where he's got his legs all folded up and half his butt in the vegetable compartment, Baekhyun gasps, affronted. "Who's this idiot you're in love with?!"

There's milk and cheese actively rotting on the dining table right now. Kyungsoo has no time for this. "It's you, Baekhyun," he says, dragging a hand down his face, "you're the idiot."

"Oh, phew," says Baekhyun, relieved. Then it clicks. "Wait, did I just agree I'm an idiot?"

baeksoo-times

[baeksoo-times]

#37: grim reaper

The sharp blade of the knife exits the woman's throat with a squelch, blood flowing down her front and soaking her white blouse red. The body falls dead to the ground, wet and filthy in a dark alley where it will lie undisturbed for long enough before it is found -- and by then, Kyungsoo will be long gone.

"We should stop meeting like this."

"Like what?" greets Kyungsoo, turning to meet the grim reaper in the eye. "You're just here to do your job."

Baekhyun is cloaked in black again today, all in his physical glory, but his hood is down, revealing the unearthly white of his hair, and that face... that face. Kyungsoo thinks all the blood on his hands is worth it.

Baekhyun huffs. "You know what I mean."

Kyungsoo wipes the blade of his knife on the sleeve of his jacket, stowing it in the inside pocket. "Maybe I want you to tell me."

Baekhyun's bottom lip juts out in a pout as he glares. "I meant, you should stop killing innocent people just so you can see me."

Kyungsoo smiles, and the tips of Baekhyun's hair blush with a soft, peachy colour. "Let's hope I die soon, then, so I can see you everyday."

Baekhyun sputters, but follows when Kyungsoo steps out of the alley, heavy scythe dragging against the ground.

"Three days till you have to bring her to the afterlife, right?" Kyungsoo doesn't bother being discrete as he presses close to Baekhyun's side, seeking the familiar cold. "Got any place in mind?"

Baekhyun is subtle as a brick as he bites down a smile and presses back to Kyungsoo's side. His scythe is gone, his cloak has been replaced with a soft, black sweater, and his hair is red, an embarrassed flush. "Well, there's this pizza place I've been meaning to try..."

baeksoo-times

[baeksoo-times]

#36: revolution

The snake that slithers through the metal bars of the cage wakes Lee Yul from his slumber. Its platinum blue skin and red markings reflect the dim lights above.

Lee Yul almost laughs. After all the hardship they went through to capture him, going as far as taking advantage of his temporary amnesia, they’ve decided after all to let a measly snake do their work for them.

“Cowards can’t even give me a public execution,” he sneers.

The snake glides behind him, and he waits for the bite to pierce through — but it doesn’t come. Instead, he feels the snake wrap around the middle of the metal chain that binds his hands together, lithe body circling it repeatedly. Lee Yul groans — too tight — the snake gives one last powerful squeeze, and the chain breaks, freeing his hands completely.

From the shadows, a man approaches.

“They are giving you a public execution,” says Wang Eun, the tenth prince of Goryeo. It’s hard not to recognise him from the numerous piercings adorning his right ear and the snakebite on his lips.

Meanwhile, the snake slithers around Wang Eun’s ankle and up his back to settle around his neck. Its mouth opens, showcasing its pointed fangs, not unlike the snakebite on Wang Eun’s lips. This time, Lee Yul does laugh — should’ve guessed that.

“So what is a pampered little prince like you doing here, helping the crown prince of the enemy kingdom?” asks Lee Yul as he stands, rubbing over the bruises on his wrists.

To Lee Yul’s surprise, Wang Eun retrieves from his coat a key, and proceeds to unlock the cage door.

Now that they’re face-to-face, Wang Eun reaches up with one hand to touch the dried blood on Lee Yul’s forehead, right above his brow. The touch is soft. Lee Yul doesn’t flinch.

“Two kingdoms go to war against each other,” Wang Eun recites. “One starves its poor to death, the other murders anyone who dares to disobey.” His hand drops from Lee Yul’s face. “Which one deserves victory?”

The answer is obvious, but Lee Yul knows, Wang Eun isn’t looking for one. “What are you saying?”

“It’s a revolution.” Wang Eun’s eyes don’t waver. On his shoulder, his pet snake hisses. “In five days, we rise up. Now” — he hands Lee Yul a gun — “we get you out of here.”

baeksoo-times

[baeksoo-times]

#35: discharge

The second call that Kyungsoo makes the night before his discharge from active duty, right after his parents, is to Baekhyun.

“Hello?” comes in Baekhyun’s voice from the telephone.

“Hey,” sighs Kyungsoo, an invisible blanket of warmth enveloping him. He’s missed waking up to Baekhyun every morning, rubbing the broad expanse of his back in the shower until it’s just the tiniest shade of red, burying his face in Baekhyun’s pillow at night just to smell his shampoo. Just the thought of Baekhyun makes Kyungsoo smile so wide his cheeks hurt. “I get discharged tomorrow.”

On the other end of the line, Baekhyun is silent.

Then, he laughs. Kyungsoo knows when Baekhyun’s faking a laugh. “That’s nice,” says Baekhyun. “I’m happy for you.”

Kyungsoo’s smile fades. “Baekhyun?”

“Kyungsoo, I, uh,” Baekhyun says, soft and fragile, like a caress, “I enlist tomorrow.”

baeksoo-times