Haechan loved food. It was no secret, and the boy was constantly ordering takeout or delivery- whether that meant trying out the new little restaurant down the block or ordering the same kimchi jjigae for the one-thousandth time, he was constantly ordering food for himself and the members and shoving it down their throats. Although, none of them were opposed to free food, and Jeno even appreciated the younger for it since it meant they all stayed well-fed and healthy even during their promotions.
Still, Jeno knew that an evening with Hyuck would most likely mean a whole five-course meal worth of food throughout the day plus whatever random snacks they had lying around. So, he spent most of the day before their little hang out eating as little as possible to make room for today's feast.
That was backfiring now.
โIโm so hungry Duckie pleasssse.โ Jeno whined as he cuddled up to Haechan. Normally he would just beg Jaemin to make him a fried egg or something, but Jaemin was out practicing with the maknae, so that took him out of the equation, which only left Haechan and Renjun to supply him with treats and goodies. He didn't want to bother Renjun at the moment though, especially since he knew the younger had been having some bad art block recently and was suddenly up and drawing this afternoon. Besides, this evening was for Nono and his Duckie, so it was better for him to ask this boyfriend for food rather than asking the other.
โI know baby, itโs on its way donโt worry.โ Jeno just whined with a pout and buried his face into Haechanโs tummy. It had gotten hardened by ab muscles since the last time they got to be together like this, and the realization made him pull away with a gasp and pet Haechanโs stomach through his shirt.
โWhat happened to little baby tummy?โ Jeno asked with a pout and the most distressed sounding voice he could manage. Haechan giggled as Jeno started to tickle him a bit, smiling up at him.
โS-stop!โ He shouted in protest and Jeno obeyed, stopping his tickle attack to let the younger explain the mystery of the missing baby tummy. โI wanted to have nice muscles like you and Nana, so I started working out with Johnny hyung, thatโs all.โ Haechan mumbled as he pet Jenoโs hair. The other just hummed and shook his head slowly as he crawled up, laying himself on top of Haechan with a grumble. He sat up quickly though when not long after that the doorbell rang.
โFood!โ Jeno said excitedly, moving off of the younger and following him to the door to watch him carry in the food. It was pizza, but Jeno was nowhere near complaining. It looked and smelled delicious anyways, so how could he possibly be upset? He got himself a couple pieces of pepperoni with a thank you and kissed Haechan on the cheek before going back to flop down on the couch, happily munching on the warm food. The younger followed, sitting beside him with a hum and picking up the TV remote to let it play whatever was on for some background noise. It was some random drama that Jeno thought he had probably watched before, but he didnโt pay it much mind as he felt Haechan nuzzling his face into his neck. He turned to look at the other and let out a confused sound. โWhereโs your pizza?โ Haechan shrugged.
โIโm not that hungry right now if I'm honest, Jaemin fed me a lot of mochi before he left, and you should never let the soft appearance fool you cuz that shit is filling.โ Jeno chuckled and nodded as he continued to monch on his pizza, his attention floating to whatever drama was on in hopes of passing the time until Jaemin got home.
Cuddle time with Renjun almost always meant a movie, and tonight was no different. Jisung was out with Chenle to film something, Mark was busy filming with Johnny, and Jaemin and Haechan were out shopping together, so that left Jeno and Renjun to have some much-needed relaxation time. It had been a while since it was just the two of them at the dorms, so the possibilities of what they could do were endless, that was until they lay together in the bottom bunk of Rensungโs shared room, Renjun gazing up at Jeno who hovered over him with a gaze that was hinted with desire.
โWe can do whatever you want.โ Renjun breathed, and Jeno just blinked down at him once before dropping himself on top of the older with a sigh. Renjun let out a surprised โoofโ at the weight and groaned. โAlright, you big baby. come on, we can watch a movie together or somethin' but you gotta get off of me.โ Jeno smiled cutely as he rolled off of Renjun, watching him expectantly. When the older got up to turn off the overhead lights and grab his laptop, he thought that the pout Jeno wore reminded him of a puppy, and as he came back over from lighting a candle and turning on the fairy lights to settle beside Jeno, he could imagine the youngers invisible tail wagging with happy contentment. Renjun made sure his laptop was plugged in properly so it wouldnโt give up halfway through their show and opened Netflix to find something to watch.
โSomething weโve already seen,โ Jeno said when he saw Renjun about to play โLove Death & Robotsโ, which was one they were going to watch together but hadnโt yet. โI might fall asleep.โ Jeno offered when he saw Renjunโs confused expression. It softened to something of understanding though and he nodded before finally deciding to play โSpider-Man: Into the Spider-Verseโ. They had seen that movie numerous times because of Renjunโs obsession with the art style, so it wouldnโt be much of an issue if one or both of them fell asleep halfway through.
Jeno cuddled up to Renjun eagerly, the older gladly putting an arm around him to pull him closer. Despite Renjunโs constant protests both on and off camera about how much he despised skinship, he had a soft spot for a couple of the members, and Jeno was definitely one of them. He wasnโt sure when it had first come about; maybe during We Young promotions when Jeno was Jaeminless and sought out Renjun for affection most often? He wasnโt quite sure anymore, but sometimes he wondered if their affection and feelings had crossed that obscured and blurred line that sat precariously between friendship and something more. Sure they had fucked around- all of the members had at least once before -but everything had always stayed platonic. If they cuddled, or kissed, or maybe even gave a good blow job once or twice in the warm comfort of the dorms, it always went without protest in the โhelping a homie outโ category. But Renjun couldnโt deny that sometimes he wondered about asking to join Jenoโs relationship. Maybe he was just jealous of Jeno for getting babied by Mark, Jaemin, and Haechan 24/7, or maybe he was just sexually frustrated and the four of them were hot as hell when one of them would come stumbling out of their room at ungodly hours with messy hair and wrinkled shirts to fetch a glass of water, but whatever it was, Renjun knew they should talk about it.
โHey, Jen?โ Renjun said softly as he ran his fingers through Jenoโs black hair. It had gotten longer since their last comeback for sure, but then again so had Renjunโs.
โWhatโs up?โ Jeno said, his voice soft and low. He was obviously tired, but he seemed content enough with talking so Renjun thought about how to continue. He knew that they had said it was an open relationship, and he knew that Haechan had offered him a place in their arms a couple of times before as well, but that was all when they had first started dating. What if the four of them had changed their minds? What if they were happy and content with it just being them. A gentle nuzzle to his chest by Jeno cleared his head a bit and he decided to take the risk. The worst that would happen is Jeno would tell him no and theyโd move on, so there was no point trying to shy away now.
โAre you and Jaemin and Hyuck and Mark still uh,โ He paused, staring at the movie as if it was more important than the conversation they were about to have even though he wasnโt paying attention to it at all. โAre you guys stillโฆ Open? To like someone joining your relationship I mean.โ Renjun rushed out the last bit and held his breath, waiting nervously as Jeno slowly looked up at him with big dark eyes. They stared at each other for a bit until the younger couldnโt take it anymore and broke into a fit of soft giggles.
โOf course Junnie. Letโs talk with Mark, Jaemin, and Duckie when they get back though, they should be involved in this too.โ Renjun smiled and gave a small hum of agreement before he settled down again to fully watch the movie. He was melting into the warmth at his side, beginning to drift off, until suddenly Jeno sat up and moved the laptop to be on the other side of Renjun. He rolled them over so that he was spooning the smaller and buried his nose happily in Renjunโs hair with a content sigh. The older just gave a huff of laughter and a satisfied hum before he fully succumbed to the gentle tug of sleep.
Jeno fell asleep not long after, limbs tangled with Renjunโs, nose taking in the ever so gentle scent of the olders shampoo, and nothing but warm contentment radiating from the pair.
The night was cool and the breeze was calm, with the moon high in the sky, like a hanging silver claw in the deep navy of night; but despite the calmness of it all, Baekhyun couldnโt sleep. He turned over in bed, ignoring the groaning protest from Kai who lay at his side as he gazed out into the night. The window was open, the breeze pushing past the curtains and into the room, and Baekhyun let out a sigh that carried with the wind, willing himself to sit up. He stood from the bed to leave the bedroom, padding on light feet down the stairs, and putting on a random pair of slippers, without checking whose they were, before opening the front door with a click and heading out of the house.ย
His feet crunched on the gravel road as he walked down it, watching the sky intently as he studied the patterns of the stars.ย
โYouโre out late,โ a voice said. Baekhyun jumped with a start at the sudden noise and turned to see Kyungsoo sitting on part of the old rotting fence that lined the edge of the road. He had his journal in his lap, his pen busily working in his hand to jot down something before he lifted his gaze to meet Baekhyunโs.ย
โSo are you.โ Baekhyun replied easily, and Kyungsoo smiled with a small shrug.ย
โIโm always out this late,โ he answered simply, his gaze trailing back up to the sky. โI like tracking the stars and the moon. The moon likes secrets you know,โ Kyungsoo said, more of a statement than a question. โShe likes secret things.โ Baekhyun looked up at the sky and hummed.
โI think youโve been reading too many scriptures lately,โ Baekhyun teased with a grin, earning a light punch in return. But despite this, Kyungsoo was still left smiling stupidly as he continued his stargazing. โAnything new from our beloved galaxies lately?โ Baekhyun asked after a moment and Kyungsoo nodded.ย
โThere was an eclipse on Earth recently. And I can feel the earth rustling under my fingertips. Do you feel it too?โ He asked, looking back at the older. Baekhyun did feel it- like a bright ball of energy ready to burst from his chest. It was welcoming and warm, but it left him on edge.ย
โYes, but somethingโs off,โ Baekhyun said, his brows furrowed. โItโs like somethingโs ebbing away at my soul.โ Trying to describe it was harder than he thought. It was a feeling of decay that ached through his body like nothing he had felt before, and it was leaving a terrifying sense of dread in its wake.ย
โYea, I feel it too,โ Kyungsoo said softly, glancing towards the courtyard behind their home where the Tree of Life could be seen standing tall and proud, its limbs rustling in the breeze of the night. โMaybe sheโs trying to warn us of somethingโฆโ He mutters softly, drawing Baekhyunโs gaze to the tree as well. The younger shook his head after a moment as if to clear it of the thought. โAnyway, you should go back and get some sleep. Itโs pretty late.โย
Baekhyun let out a huff of laughter before moving to sit beside Kyungsoo, kicking his feet once he sat steadily on the fence.ย
โIโll be alright. Letโs stay out a bit longer. Besides, I couldnโt sleep,โ he replied with a drawl. Kyungsoo smiled and nodded, holding Baekhyunโs hand idly before picking up his pen and jotting something down in his journal that sat in his lap. Baekhyun just watched the sky, content with holding the younger boyโs hand as the serene calmness of the night hovered effortlessly around them. โTell me about the stars,โ He said suddenly. Kyungsoo hummed in thought for a moment, flipping back a couple pages. He skimmed the scribbles of writing on the old parchment for a moment before drawing his gaze up to the sky.
โWell, for starters actually, thereโs a new star in the sky tonight that Iโve never seen before.โ Kyungsoo said, tilting his head and letting go of Baekhyunโs hand before lifting up an arm to point at a certain gleaming dot above them. He leaned into Baekhyun a bit to be sure his pointing was showing the right one to the older before swaying back to sit how he had been before, looking down at his note once more. โItโs been moving in strange patterns too- normal stars donโt move ever, its normally our positioning that makes it seem so. And yet, the size of it doesnโt match with a meteor or comet.โย
Baekhyun watched the object with a tilted head. He couldnโt quite see it moving and he wondered how in the world Kyungsoo knew how to properly compare it to a meteor or a comet, but he supposed if youโd been staring at the same stretch of sky so intently each night for the last 8,000 or so years, you would get to know the details of it all pretty well.
โMaybe itโs a ship.โ Baekhyun suggested after a moment. It wouldnโt be all that odd of an idea. They knew full well that there were others out there- other humans, other deities, other species. Kyungsoo let out a small sound of agreement at that and nodded.ย
โPerhaps.โ He reasoned, tilting his head and scrunching his nose a bit. โItโs awfully big and clunky for a well developed species though, so they must be less developed life forms,โ He said, flipping a couple pages in his journal and jotting down the important details of their conversation for later. Kyungsoo shut his notebook with a heavy sigh, looking out across the vast expanse of land before them. Baekhyun followed his gaze.
Their planet was nothing exciting- it was a lot like earth in the way it was structured and filled, but from what the twelve of them knew they were the only creatures resembling something human on the entire planet. It wasnโt too horrible- they had each other, they had their garden, and if they wandered far enough they had the far lands that they used to practice using their powers on as children. Baekhyun could still fondly remember the first time Kyungsoo and Suho had worked together to create mockups of the pyramids that now inhabited earth. But, as Chanyeol had mentioned, it got boring sometimes. It was calm, it was peaceful, it was perfect, but it was just- boring.ย
โDo you ever just wonder,โ Baekhyun began, his voice hushed. โwhat itโs like on earth?โ He said the sentence blissfully as he tried to envision it- the varying terrain from mountains to fields, the expanses of towering buildings that the human species had managed to somehow create without a single ounce of magic, -but no matter how hard he tried to envision it all, he knew he would never truly know what it was like unless he ever got to go himself.
โI suppose I do,โ Kyungsoo began thoughtfully. He hopped off the fence after a moment and began to walk around it, making his way to the garden behind the house. Baekhyun watched him for a moment before scrambling off the fence to follow him, trailing not too far behind as they made their way towards the courtyard.
Baekhyun had been out here at night a couple of times before, but it still amazed him to see it dimly lit by nothing but the silver glow of the moon above them. The creek looked most beautiful in this gray light, but that wasnโt their intention for being back here and Baekhyun knew it.
They stood before the tree in silence, scanning the way itโs elegant form reached out for the stars, itโs trunk and leaves still as lively and beautiful as they had been when they first saw it. Kyungsoo smiled knowingly before giving a small nod.
โItโs late, letโs go to bed.โ
โ ๐ ๐๐๐*:๏ฝฅ๏พโง
(and so the EXO brainrot begins-)
The rain that fell on the window was cold and soft, the sound murmuring around the cozy apartment where four boys were cuddled together on the couch, limbs a tangled mess while they watched whatever random drama the eldest had on when they got there earlier that day.
"You watch the cheesiest shit Renjun." Jaemin commented as the two main characters flirted with each other some more. The older sighed at the remark.
"What can I say, I'm a sucker for a good love story." He admitted and Haechan chuckled, rolling his eyes as he nuzzled more into Jeno's stomach. Jeno just smiled quietly as he ran his fingers through youngers hair some more.
They were happiest like this- quiet and sated by each other's soft touches and gentle teases. Jeno had always thought that he liked the storms that were brought with spring because of the soothing properties of rain, but he was beginning to believe that he liked it for a better reason than that.
