Archive of Our Own

This is the first time Baekhyun's seen Chanyeol this sad, the first time he's seen him cry. He's known Chanyeol for about four months, now. They were fast friends, the click of magic from the first time they met, through a friend of a friend of a friend at some house party, the spring after high school ended. Their friendship is easy, full of laughs, snickers, loudness and competition too, in everything from video games to pizza slices eaten to the number of phone numbers collected in a night. Chanyeol is an occasional model and moonlights as a DJ when he manages to persuade bar owners to let him behind a booth despite not being able to even drink yet, legally.

Baekhyun thinks he DJs better than he models. He might have long legs, but they are so bowlegged, and his face is pretty, but his ears stick out too much; he's a comic creature, the biggest puppy Baekhyun's ever had the pleasure of dealing with, and he deals with a lot of puppies, every day, all day, while working in a shelter. Baekhyun giggles at his brain's word choice. Everything's fun and pleasurable when you are so very drunk. Chanyeol, next to him, hiccups, but at least now it's more because he's as drunk as Baekhyun is, and not because he cried until he couldn't breathe properly anymore.

"I will die alone, in my flat, and no one will know for weeks. Not even my cats will know because I am allergic to cats, and I will have no cats. I will be an old cat lady without cats. I'll just be old. And lonely," he says, and takes a long drag from his beer. Baekhyun's six months older than Chanyeol, so while Chanyeol still can't buy his own alcohol legally, Baekhyun can. He figures that's why Chanyeol called him and not Kyungsoo, or some other of his older friends.

"Don't be dramatic, Chanyeol. You're not even twenty yet," Baekhyun says, patting Chanyeol's head consolingly. "I'm sure someone will invent a medicine to cure your pet allergies by the time you're old," he adds.

Chanyeol hiccups again. "You're an ass."

Baekhyun laughs, grabbing the bottle from Chanyeol and finishing it. They're in Chanyeol's tiny apartment, sitting on his flea market bought sofa, and Baekhyun vaguely wonders what might have gone down on this couch in its previous life. Chanyeol didn't even have it cleaned.

"But what if Jongdae was the love of my life? What if I'm lost forever?" Chanyeol opens their last bottle of beer and takes a great gulp. Baekhyun watches him, noting his eyes are still red and swollen from crying.

"Jongdae was your high school crush. He went off to university, and you didn't. Things happen." Baekhyun is probably too drunk to not be brutally honest. "There will be others."

Chanyeol's head drops to Baekhyun's shoulder. "He was my first everything," he mutters. "I don't want to die alone because I can't ever forget him."

Baekhyun tsks in annoyance. He grabs for Chanyeol, swinging his leg over him and swaying dangerously before he settles in Chanyeol's lap. "I'll make you forget him," he says, puckering his lips for a kiss. "I'll be so much better than Jongdae," he adds, leaning down. His eyes almost cross watching Chanyeol's wide eyed expression, but before he manages to close them, Chanyeol giggles, of all the things he could do when Baekhyun's about to kiss him.

"You're cute. You're a good friend, too," Chanyeol sighs. "I bet you wouldn't break up with me."

Baekhyun tilts his head, nausea coming over him. It's all the alcohol in his system.

"I have an idea. Let's make a promise," Chanyeol says, scrambling to sit up better and move Baekhyun so he's sitting straightened up in his lap. "If neither of us is married or in a serious relationship when I turn twenty-nine, we'll go and get married. Somewhere where it's allowed," Chanyeol says. He immediately sticks out his pinky for a pinky promise.

"What?" Baekhyun's head spin. "That's a stupid promise. Twenty-nine is such a random age, too. You can meet people and fall in love when you're older than that..." He trails off. Chanyeol is looking at him like a puppy again. Sad, wet puppy.

"If you're right and there are other people out there for me, another one person, then I'm sure I'll be able to find them before then. Twenty-nine is the perfect age, still young but after mandatory service already. Come on. Make the promise. Or you don't believe there's anyone better out there for me than Jongdae?"

"I was just telling you, I could make you for--" Baekhyun stops himself. "I don't want to be your last resort," he says instead.

Chanyeol smiles at him sloppily, all twitchy eyed and full of teeth, the first real smile tonight. He presses his palm against Baekhyun's cheek.

"It's not like that, Baekhyunnie," he says, quietly. "It just means you're someone I would always chose to spend the rest of my life with."

Baekhyun knows it's all lies to get him to do what Chanyeol wants. Chanyeol's a smart person, and he always knows just what to say, especially to Baekhyun. He eyes Chanyeol, his strangely clear eyes and lips set in a determined line. "Fine," he mutters.

They hook their pinkies and drink up from the same beer bottle to seal the promise. Ten minutes later Chanyeol is fast asleep.

*

In the morning, their heads hurt too much to discuss the promise any further. They never do again. Life goes on. They enlist together soon after, but serve in different units, and Baekhyun ends up going back to school, for "puppy care," he tells Chanyeol. He determinedly clings to his major and chews his way through two years of pre-vet and four years of veterinary school itself. Chanyeol gets more modeling jobs and even more DJing ones, when he's finally out of the military and easily let into the bars, picking up more and more high profile jobs. He claims it's all thanks to the ideas he brings backs from his overseas modeling stints. Baekhyun knows it's mostly because he's good and clever and his sets are interesting and unique. Baekhyun also thinks Chanyeol might not even remember the promise they made that night, or the rejection he managed while Baekhyun sat in his lap, thighs warm on either side of Chanyeol and heart hammering.

*

It's almost December, and Chanyeol hasn't been in Seoul for two months. He should be back any minute, and Baekhyun glances around Chanyeol's apartment, thinking it was a good thing he took a day off at the clinic and cleaned a bit because the dust was gathering in all the nooks and corners.

Baekhyun doesn't have a car. He doesn't even have a driving license; it's easier to navigate this big city by public transport anyway. The only thing he's ever driven is his grandmother's tractor. So he never goes to pick Chanyeol up at the airport. Chanyeol can definitely spare the cash for the taxi. Baekhyun can't cook much either, but he manages a decent kimchi soup, especially in a kitchen as nice as Chanyeol's. He wonders why exactly he said no when Chanyeol asked him to move in with him after he'd gotten this place. It would have been nice; Chanyeol's rooms were big, the floors polished hardwood. Baekhyun had been a poor student for a huge part of his twenties, and Chanyeol traveled enough that it might have felt almost like living alone. Only Chanyeol wouldn't have to worry about leaving his apartment empty for too long.

Baekhyun hums, setting up plates around the kitchen table, ears straining for the opening of the door. He stops when he hears it, the turn of the lock and shuffling of feet. He takes a deep breath, just before a duffel drops.

"Baekhyunnie!" Chanyeol shouts from the hallway.

"In the kitchen," Baekhyun says, cheerfully. "No need to shout you big oaf, this is not a dance club in Tokyo."

Chanyeol appears in the doorway, his face split in a huge grin, arms already spread open.

"Baekhyunnie," he shouts again, before he hugs Baekhyun, squeezing him tight. Baekhyun's going to suffocate.

"You stink," he says, wriggling in Chanyeol's arms to get away a little, before it gets too much. Chanyeol's clothes smell of the staleness of travel, airports and crowds of people, and cigarette smoke. Chanyeol smells of some fancy cologne and a faint trace of aftershave.

"It smells heavenly here, though," Chanyeol says, finally letting go. "Did you learn to cook since I last saw you?" he asks, looking Baekhyun up and down.

"I certainly could have. You definitely haven't been around to pester me and eat up all of my free time for long enough." Baekhyun pouts, on purpose, puffing out his cheeks like he's not almost thirty, like that's cute or something. Chanyeol's eyes scrunch up even more, his smile gets a little manic.

"I missed you too," Chanyeol says. He steps back properly and sighs. "But maybe a shower would actually be good before I evaluate your newfound cooking skills."

*

They sit on Chanyeol's old, battered flea market bought sofa again. It sticks out like a sore thumb in his new, fancy apartment, looking even more pitiful next to Chanyeol's other, new, leather couch. Chanyeol still insisted on bringing it over because it was the first thing he'd bought from his DJ gig money, and he claims it's full of memories. This time Baekhyun made him have it cleaned. He half expected it to fall apart in the process, but here they are, sunken deep into it and in the middle of it, where it's sagging more. They're drinking more, and really not that much has changed in the past ten years, besides Chanyeol's hair that is not long, orange and fried anymore. The silver gray is weird, but it fits perfectly. Baekhyun tries not to look too much.

They've gone through two beers each, talking about Chanyeol's last nights in Tokyo and Baekhyun's recent patient, a ferret. Baekhyun's given Chanyeol his late birthday present already, another plush puppy that Chanyeol made a face at, but Baekhyun knows that it'll still end up at the foot of his bed, with the rest of them, because Chanyeol claims he'd want his real puppy to sleep by his feet, too. The first plush Baekhyun had given Chanyeol for his twentieth birthday always travels with him. It's silly, and they're probably way too grown up for it, especially now that Baekhyun's finally not a student anymore and next year they'll both be thirty, but Baekhyun doesn't care. Chanyeol might be so allergic that he used to get snotty just hanging out with Baekhyun after his shelter shifts, but he still likes the stories about puppies the most. Baekhyun does what he can.

"So what else is new?" Chanyeol asks eventually. "I mean other than Kyungsoo deciding to suck face with Jongin on regular basis, when you're present even." He makes a face, and Baekhyun chuckles. "Thank you for the frequent updates, by the way."

"No problem. I thought you should be properly informed since it's probably your doing," he says. "You talked about Jongin so much when you met, praising his everything, that you actually probably talked Kyungsoo into this."

"Hey!" Chanyeol pretends to be offended, grabbing Baekhyun by the neck and shaking him. Baekhyun chokes on his next breath, but he's laughing and fighting back. "Even you said his ass was great; stop making me sound like a lovesick fool," Chanyeol cries, trying to pinch Baekhyun's stomach now.

Baekhyun finally manages to push himself off the couch cushions, trying to bite at Chanyeol's ear, and eventually climbing on top of Chanyeol's thighs so he could pin his arms to his sides. "And you weren't?" he asks. Chanyeol just shakes his head breathlessly.

"I just admired from afar, okay? How many times do I have to tell you this? I'll never move so gracefully," he says, frowning, but not really struggling anymore. He's looking up at Baekhyun with soft smiling eyes, his mouth relaxed.

"So who has your admiration now?" Baekyhun asks, tilting his head.

Chanyeol shrugs. "My modeling agent called me the other day. I almost forgot I still had a contract with them. Apparently someone picked me up from their portfolio, and they want me to be the model for their suits line. So I concluded I'm still the most handsome man there is, you know, getting modeling jobs even in this old age and without trying much." Chanyeol’s so smug, almost as smug as when his first dance mix reached ten thousand plays on SoundCloud. It's hot.

Baekhyun wiggles on top of Chanyeol's thighs and lets go of his arms. "Where's the shooting?" he asks.

"Ah, just here in Seoul. It's good. I feel like sticking around for a while, anyway. Maybe until next year's summer festival season," Chanyeol says, stretching his arms over his head and sighing. "You should do the Europe tour with me again then," he adds.

It's been three years since the summer Chanyeol bought Baekhyun a plane ticket and dragged him around summer festivals where he DJed. Five countries and seven festivals spent drinking, smoking, dancing under different stages together when Chanyeol wasn't playing, and making out, with other people, or with each other, if Chanyeol was too lazy to pick someone else up. Back then Baekhyun still thought wanting to kiss Chanyeol was a temporary kind of thing.

"We'll be too old for that soon, too," Chanyeol says into the silence now.

"Always so dramatic," Baekhyun counters. He bites his lip and takes another deep breath. "Speaking of being old though, pick a place. France or Hawaii?" he asks.

Chanyeol's eyebrows furrow.

"I was thinking late spring next year," Baekhyun continues. "And France doesn't necessarily mean Paris. Maybe Côte D'Azur, if you really wanted a beach wedding. But also you know Breton could be nice, somewhere in the flower fields."

"Wedding?" Chanyeol asks, his expression turning progressively more confused. "What are you --"

Baekhyun just talks over him, hands gripping his own thighs. Why he didn't slide off Chanyeol's lap before doing this, he doesn't know. "Well, I guess Hawaii is the more, uhm, traditional choice. It would be easier to get all the formalities sorted out," he says. "So, what do you think?"

Chanyeol shakes his head, and the silver hair flies around him. Baekhyun wants to ruffle it more, but maybe now is not the time. "Whose wedding are you planning?" Chanyeol asks, finally.

Baekhyun takes one last breath. He straightens his back and looks right into Chanyeol's eyes. "Ours, of course," he says, trying to sound as nonchalant as humanly possible when his stomach hurts from nerves and this temples are about to burst. A wave of nausea washes over him. It must be the alcohol, again.

"What?" Chanyeol's voice sounds clipped and panicked.

"I mean," Baekhyun attempts another pout. "Neither of us are seeing anyone, and we promised. You promised," he adds. quieter. "I'm just keeping my word."

Chanyeol did promise. And Chanyeol never backs out of his promises. He's faithful to a fault, will try his bestest and hardest just to fulfill his promises, to make others happy, often at his own expense. Baekhyun freezes. He may have not wanted to be Chanyeol's last resort once, but he doesn't want to be Chanyeol's first broken promise either.

Baekhyun loves Chanyeol, has been in love with him for so long. But suddenly he doesn't remember why he thought this was a good idea. The thing he wants the least is to be just another of Chanyeol's fulfilled promises. He doesn't want Chanyeol to keep his promise, only to keep it. He scrambles off Chanyeol's lap, laughing shakily and grabbing the keys to his own apartment from where they have been lying on the coffee table all evening.

"Never mind. It was silly. I was...you probably don't even remember that promise. It's always been stupid. I was just kidding. Haha," he laughs, exaggeratedly, as he slides across Chanyeol's hallway.

"Baekhyunnie," Chanyeol calls after him weakly, but Baekhyun doesn't stop moving. He slips into his big boots and heavy coat. "Baekhyunnie," Chanyeol says again, and his voice is closer now. He must have finally gotten up from the couch.

"I'll see you later, Chanyeol," Baekhyun says, forcing the cheerfulness into his voice. He shuts the door from the outside and walks away. He can't wait for the elevator, so he stumbles down the stairs, as fast as possible. Baekhyun loves Chanyeol, but it seems he has gotten too greedy to keep him.

*

Baekhyun knows Chanyeol's gotten drunk the next day because Kyungsoo texts him about it, along with:

You're a nut-case.

and

Couldn't you have at least asked him out on one date before asking him to marry you?

Baekhyun frowns.

"It's not like he'd say yes," Baekhyun says out loud to Sehun, who is keeping him company in a bar across from his apartment. He's a cute little thing. Baekhyun met him in vet school, only Sehun had been good two years younger. Baekhyun always liked a cute dongsaeng, and it was a plus that Sehun could hold alcohol much better than Baekhyun himself.

Now too, Sehun looks completely sober, even when Baekhyun's vision's swimming already.

"You know that for the first six months or so after I met you, I thought you two were dating," Sehun says, patting Baekhyun's thigh consolingly. "It was the only reason I didn't actually ask you out."

Baekhyun chuckles darkly. "Lu Han's much better at this older boyfriend thing than I am, anyway," Baekhyun mumbles. When he sways, Sehun pulls him into his side, and Baekhyun hides his face into his neck. Sehun is tall, thin and bony, and nothing like Chanyeol, but it's exactly what Baekhyun needs today, someone to hide into.

"I agree with this Kyungsoo guy, you know," Sehun says, rubbing Baekhyun's back. "But then, taking things by storm is kind of your thing, hyung. You never know, it might actually work out," he says. Baekhyun clings some more. If it's to Sehun or foolish hope, he doesn't know.

*

Chanyeol shows up on Baekhyun's doorstep two days later. It's late and Baekhyun had to perform an emergency surgery on the cutest little kitten. He's wrung out and achy and he doesn't check who's at the door. Chanyeol's standing there, in a fancy coat and a red scarf swallowing half of his face and his ears stick out even more because they're red from cold.

"You're still someone I would always chose to spend the rest of my life with, Baekhyunnie," is the first thing Chanyeol says. Baekhyun shivers, from the cold and the words chilling his spine just like they did years ago, said in a low, calm voice. Chanyeol unwraps his scarf from around his face, letting it hang loosely around his neck and opens his mouth to say more, but Baekhyun doesn't want to hear the "but" that is bound to come. He pulls at the scarf with both of his hands and kisses Chanyeol, right on his cold lips, bumping into his equally cold nose with his own.

Chanyeol gasps, and Baekhyun pulls him inside. The door shuts behind them, and Baekhyun presses Chanyeol into the door.

It's not the first time they kissed. It's not the first time Baekhyun's fingers slipped under Chanyeol's shirt either, mapping his ribs, as Baekhyun leans up and into Chanyeol so he can keep kissing him. It's not the first time Chanyeol's hands slide to Baekhyun's ass, squeezing it, pressing them closer. Baekhyun's ass is amazing and they both know Chanyeol secretly likes it. It's not the first time Chanyeol's knee made its way between Baekhyun's legs either, pressing up.

It is however the first time Baekhyun doesn't stop himself from opening Chanyeol's trousers, even if his coat is still on, hanging down from the crooks of Chanyeol's elbows.

"I'm doing it all wrong again," Baekhyun whispers against Chanyeol's chin, pulling away for the first time so that he can fit his hand into Chanyeol's underwear and squeeze. Chanyeol's eyes are huge and glassy and his lips are dark red, slick and open, his groan is low and desperate when Baekhyun's fingers squeeze around his cock. Chanyeol is looking at Baekhyun like there's no one else he ever wants to look at, and Baekhyun is going to take this one more thing before he breaks their promise himself. He pulls his hand out of Chanyeol's underwear, leans up to kiss him where Chanyeol's jaw meets his ear and pushes the coat all the way off.

"Bedroom," he whispers.

"Baekhyunnie," Chanyeol mutters, his eyes questioning even as his hands settle on Baekhyun's waist. Baekhyun only turns around and walks away, pulling his t-shirt off and pushing his sweats down over his hips. Chanyeol could turn around and leave. Instead he follows.

When Chanyeol sleeps over and they fold themselves into Baekhyun's bed, their knees always bump and Chanyeol's feet stick out. It's never an ideal fit. But like this, Chanyeol spread beneath Baekhyun, who is kissing down his neck and over his collarbones, fighting hard not to leave marks because he doesn't want Chanyeol to remember this, just like Baekhyun didn't want him to remember the promise -- even if he really did and his heart hasn't stopped trying to beat out of his chest ever since Chanyeol open his mouth tonight -- like this it's everything Baekhyun's ever wanted. He only affords one short nip to Chanyeol's hipbone before he noses along Chanyeol's cock, now full and hard against his belly. Chanyeol chokes on another moan, and on Baekhyun's name again, and Baekhyun sucks one of his balls into his mouth, fingers skittering down Chanyeol's thigh. He licks a stripe up Chanyeol's cock and laps around the head. It's heady, the sounds Chanyeol makes, how his body shudders when Baekhyun's lips touch the skin, the way he's unable to push Baekhyun away, not just yet. Baekhyun feels Chanyeol's long, knobbly fingers in his hair and he whines when Chanyeol pulls, bringing him back up for a kiss. This kiss is sloppier, wet and too much tongue, their bodies pressed together, naked, sweaty, too hot skin.

"Baekhyunnie," Chanyeol murmurs again into Baekhyun's mouth, and Baekhyun whines and shushes him. He kisses across Chanyeol's cheek, reaching under his mattress and pulling the lube out quickly. Chanyeol surprises him when he wraps his long legs around him, holding him too close, too tight, licking into his mouth again. Baekhyun's hard too, and barely breathing, wanting to touch more, wanting to hear more of Chanyeol sounding so wanton for him. He tries to roll his hips, the pleasure building too fast in the pit of his belly, and Chanyeol's nails scrape down his back in response. Chanyeol has no reservations leaving marks.

With the next roll of Baekhyun's hips, Chanyeol bites Baekhyun's bottom lip. Baekhyun arches, and Chanyeol sucks the bitten place, his murmurs getting louder and absolutely incomprehensible. Baekhyun feels his own body vibrating with Chanyeol's need, and he wanted more than this, but he doesn't think he can pull away, make Chanyeol drop his vicious grip. He barely manages to slip his lubed fingers between them, distracting Chanyeol by pulling the lobe of his ear between his lips. Chanyeol's neck stretches back, and Baekhyun takes both of their cocks in his hand, stroking up and down a few times. But Chanyeol is pressing into his cheek, demanding to be kissed again, and Baekhyun can only grip Chanyeol's sides, Chanyeol's ankles hooked tight over Baekhyun's thighs. It's only push and pull, breathing and moaning into each other's mouths, licks and nips and a slide of the head of Chanyeol's cock over Baekhyun's, pressed against their bellies. It's Baekhyun not seeing anymore, breathless and asking, "Chanyeol please, please please..." Don't pull away.

Nails scratch over Baekhyun's spine again, and Chanyeol comes, muscles pulling taut around Baekhyun and his body stilling for a moment before it shivers apart. Baekhyun presses himself against Chanyeol's hip when Chanyeol's legs fall away at last, leaving him feeling cold. He rolls his hips two more time, the drag of Chanyeol's hipbone over his sensitive cock almost painful, and he comes, too. Chanyeol's whole body seems to be made of jelly, but his arm still holds Baekhyun in place as he shakes and tries so hard to breathe when his ribcage is so tight around his lungs to do so. Chanyeol's lashes are clamped with bliss and sleepiness when Baekhyun looks up at him, eyes half closed and mouth bitten, and Baekhyun's fingers cling to Chanyeol's ribs, not worrying about leaving traces just for a moment.

"Somewhere in Breton sounds great," Chanyeol whispers into Baekhyun's hair, and Baekhyun sleeps, or at least pretends to, too tired to fix his own mess just yet.

*

It's hard to run away from someone when they know where you live and work and who your friends are. It’s even harder when you can’t just run far away, when you have a job you need to keep. It's a little easier when your work place is basically an allergy zone to them. It's the hardest when the person you're running from is your best friend. It hurts when you love said best friend, and they want to be so absolutely, stupidly chivalrous as to keep their promise and marry you even if they don't love you, never even tried to be with you, even when you offered, on a golden platter when you were nineteen and most people would say yes to a less than pity make out session with a good friend.

"But he slept with you," Sehun, who's come to visit after Baekhyun begged for his company, argues, as he helps Baekhyun clean wounds and cuts of a stray corgi Baekhyun found lurking behind the noodle restaurant that lets him sneak up the back door for lunch there.

"He's just confused, probably doesn't know how to say no to me. I can be very ... hard to refuse," Baekhyun says, petting the dog behind the ears. It looks like someone took good care of this dog until recently. Baekhyun guesses it's about three years old. Maybe the owner died, and the relatives didn't want a dog. Baekhyun's seen that happen often enough. The dog looks pitifully at him as Sehun holds it down while Baekhyun gives him all the shots he can today. He's going to have to pay for it from his own pocket. The dog stays still and yips only when Baekhyun steps away from it. When Baekhyun comes back with the protective collar so that the dog doesn't hurt the places they had to sew up, the corgi licks Baekhyun's hand enthusiastically.

"No, you can't take him home," Sehun says, panicky, right away. "I know that look."

Baekhyun looks away from the dog.

"I can tell what you're thinking, too," Sehun continues. "Chanyeol's allergic to dogs, remember. Plus you're always at the clinic. You can't take him home."

Baekhyun thinks a dog might do the trick, making Chanyeol stop coming to sit by Baekhyun's door in the evening in hopes of finally being let in. But it's not why he takes him home. The corgi's legs are short, his torso long, and his eyes warm. He takes to Baekhyun right away, looks starved for affection. Baekhyun can do that, give him all the attention he needs.

"He can come to the clinic with me every day," he says to Sehun.

He snaps a picture right away, and posts it to his Instagram.

Meet my Byun Mongryong, three years old, corgi. #hiscollaristhepoint. #newfashiontrend

"You're an idiot," Sehun tells him.

Stop being a fool, Kyungsoo texts him, and Baekhyun wonders what ever compelled him to befriend this particular one of Chanyeol's friends. Well, other than the fact Chanyeol adores him and they've been the greatest of friends despite Kyungsoo's reluctance to admit it when Baekhyun met them. Baekhyun wanted an in on the secret of being Chanyeol's best friend.

*

Chanyeol doesn't stop stalking Baekhyun, trailing behind him the same way his actually puppy does, sometimes to work, to a convenience store after lunch break, even to an emergency call Baekhyun gets in the middle of night, because Chanyeol fell asleep by Baekhyun's door that night. Chanyeol only stacks on allergy meds when Baekhyun takes Mongryong home at last, and continues to talk to Baekhyun's door. After ten days of this, Baekhyun opens the door in the evening, standing in it, his puppy whining behind him and a human sized stray dog with ears that seem almost droopy with how frowny Chanyeol's expression is, in front of him.

"You can't marry me, Chanyeol," Baekhyun says. The only reason he hasn't said so right away was because he couldn't. Even knowing it was the right thing to do, he couldn't reject Chanyeol so easily. "I can't marry you," he says next, remembering how exactly the speech he has been preparing goes. "I won't marry someone who doesn't love me, and you don't love me, Chanyeol. I'm breaking off this stupid promise. I don't want this. Can't you understand?"

Chanyeol looks down at him, stepping a bit closer. "Who said I didn't love you?" he asks, and his ears turn a little red. Chanyeol really can't lie.

Baekhyun scoffs and blinks.

"You never said you did," he blurts out.

"Well, then I--"

Baekhyun shuts the door on Chanyeol. Chanyeol sneezes.

"Go away. Don't you dare says things you don't mean," he says through the door.

"So, is my indifference the only reason for not wanting to marry me?" Chanyeol asks through the door.

Mongryong barks.

Indifference! Who even talks like that?

"I'm going to report you to police if you don't leave," Baekhyun shouts.

"But is it?" Chanyeol asks.

"I'm going to call Kyungsoo," Baekhyun says, punching the door.

"Just answer me, Baekhyunnie."

"I swear, I'm going to call your mom and tell her about that time you peed in her favorite potted plant because you couldn't hold it anymore when we slept over after that one party, and then it died."

There's silence.

"You wouldn't, really," Chanyeol says, he sounds a bit alarmed.

"I'm dialing. Now leave me alone! Go find the love of your life and marry them and stop trying to fulfill drunken promises you made ten years ago," Baekhyun shouts.

"I was less drunk than you were, Baekhyunnie," Chanyeol says.

"And stop calling me that!" Baekhyun hears Chanyeol whisper it between moans and kisses in his head all the time. "You were trashed." Baekhyun can't believe they're having this conversation through the closed door, with Mongryong barking louder and louder as Baekhyun shouts and stomps and hits his door. "Why do you even remember?"

"I remember everything about you," Chanyeol says, then sneezes again.

Baekhyun stays silent for a moment. "You're not being fair. I'm really dialing your mom now," he says.

Chanyeol sneezes again, and then there are steps, slowly fading down the hall.

*

Chanyeol stops trailing Baekhyun after that, but two weeks later, when Baekhyun comes home from work on New Year's Eve, cold and wet from the heavy snow outside, he finds two flight tickets from Seoul to Paris and two train tickets to Nantes slipped under his door, for the first week of May.

You never mentioned loving me either. But I bet we could fix it by May 6, a small post it, slipped between the tickets, says.

MAY WEDDINGS ARE BAD LUCK Baekhyun texts Chanyeol without thinking. And then he panics, because fuck it's not like it's happening anyway.

I'm coming over and we can reschedule, Chanyeol texts back.

This time Baekhyun checks who’s at the door, so he opens it with, "I texted you not to come."

Chanyeol only smiles like an idiot. "I brought the booze, darling," he says.

Baekhyun only lets him in because he is promised alcohol, not because he freezes a little at the way Chanyeol's eyes are so warm when they smile down at him. The worst thing is that the booze turns out to be just a ploy and Baekhyun has to apologize to Mongryong, with his head next to his on the floor of Baekhyun's bedroom floor, before locking him in there so Chanyeol doesn't die while in his apartment.

"This is kid champagne," Baekhyun deadpans as Chanyeol unpacks three bottles of it in the kitchen, loading Baekhyun's fridge.

"Bubble gum flavor," Chanyeol nods. "I figured we actually want to be sober for wedding planning. I don't want to reschedule those tickets more than once," he says, head stuck in the fridge, rooting around it, probably for something to eat. Baekhyun's eaten on the way home, and his fridge usually isn't very full. Eventually, Chanyeol emerges looking rather victorious with carrots and kimchi and eggs.

"There's no wedding to plan," Baekhyun says when Chanyeol hands him the carrots to hold before he drops them.

"Well, I must say, the proposal was a bit lackluster, but I'm over it. So of course there is."

"What did you expect more than me picking out some of the most romantic places to marry?" Baekhyun asks defensively, then he blanches. "There's no wedding. Or wedding proposal," he backtracks.

"We'll get there," Chanyeol smiles, locating rice and onions. Baekhyun's mouth waters, because Chanyeol makes great kimchi fried rice.

"I would kick you where it hurts, but I think I'm going to let you make me dinner first," Baekhyun says.

"I think I'd like a glass of fancy bubbles with my cooking efforts, darling," Chanyeol practically sing songs, his face lighting up even more. Baekhyun's heart hammers against his ribcage, and he can't comprehend how he got to this point, in his kitchen, with Chanyeol cooking while they bicker about a wedding that is not going to happen.

They watch a movie, eating the food Chanyeol makes and drinking the too-sweet pretend champagne. Baekhyun repeats periodically that he isn't marrying Chanyeol as Chanyeol proposes different wedding dates that are not in May. Chanyeol actually goes into Baekhyun's bedroom to pet Mongryong a little and Baekhyun watches him apologize to him, too, for being stuck there all night. He must have eaten some more allergy meds before coming here, because his nose starts to get runny and his voice scratchy only late at night. He dozes off eventually, when Baekhyun goes to find some more snacks to eat to kill the taste of Chanyeol's bad drinking choices. He kind of needs something to do with his hands, too, so he doesn't reach over to Chanyeol and kiss him, or slap him, or pull at his ears until he listens. He figures some kind of crackers could maybe do a trick for a little while.

When Baekhyun gets back, Chanyeol's head is tipped back against the backrest, and he is breathing deeply, body slumped, relaxed in sleep. He drops the snacks on his coffee table and comes nearer wanting to poke Chanyeol awake because it'll be midnight soon. He somehow ends up with one knee on the couch next to Chanyeol's thigh, leaning over him to study his face. Chanyeol's eyes are slightly open, but clearly unseeing, and Baekhyun used to think that's really fucking weird, but now it's just another thing that makes Chanyeol so cute. His face is much more mature now than when they met, and there's not much softness to it left, when he's not smiling. His lips are a little dry and his skin clear. Baekhyun can't resist running a thumb over his cheekbone and the ridge of his ear. That's stupid though, because it wakes Chanyeol up, and they're left too close, looking at each other, breathing each other's air.

Chanyeol reaches into Baekhyun's hair before Baekhyun can react, before he can step away. His lips are warm when they kiss this time, Chanyeol's tongue licking at the corner of Baekhyun's mouth then pushing inside. Chanyeol's other hand wraps around Baekhyun's waist, and he's pulled up and into Chanyeol's lap again to hover over him as they kiss, deeper and slow, languid. Baekhyun's stomach hurts because he never wants to stop kissing Chanyeol, but Chanyeol's just too kind of an idiot who thinks he can spend the rest of his life with Baekhyun just because they're good enough friends to not kill each other when cooped up in small confined places together for a long time. Chanyeol murmurs Baekhyun's name into the kiss again, and his big palm is warm and heavy against Baekhyun's lower back, grounding.

Baekhyun pulls away, fighting the pull Chanyeol has on him, using both of his hand to push against the backrest on both sides of Chanyeol's head.

"Why can't you just let me do the right thing for once?" Baekhyun asks. Chanyeol cranes his neck and brushes his nose against Baekhyun's.

"Huh?" he asks. "Did we miss the fireworks?"

Baekhyun shakes his head, in disbelief and in reply to Chanyeol's question. "Soon."

That's when the first one bursts behind his window, with a loud boom. Chanyeol smiles, a small, secret smile. He pecks Baekhyun's lips quickly, and then he's raising up from the couch, but with hands firm under Baekhyun's thighs.

Baekhyun flails, hands quickly locking around Chanyeol's neck and feeling disoriented.

"Put me down," he says, but Chanyeol just makes his way to Baekhyun's tiny balcony.

Baekhyun can't do much more than cling.

It's cold outside, and Chanyeol just pushes Baekhyun's back against the balcony railing, still holding him up, and looks over his shoulder into the dark.

"Happy New Year," he says, cheerfully.

"Hey, put me down," Baekhyun says, "I can't see a thing like this." He doesn't dare kick, or Chanyeol might drop him over the balcony or something.

"We can't see much of fireworks from here anyway. My handsome face should be a much better view. Isn't it enough for you?" Chanyeol asks, sounding dead serious, but lets Baekhyun down.

Without Chanyeol's front pressed against his, Baekhyun feels much colder. His coat is on his coat rack, and it's true they can barely see anything from here. Chanyeol wraps an arm around Baekhyun, pulling him into his side.

"Next year we're doing this at my place," he says. "The view's much better." He leans down and kisses the top of Baekhyun's head, and Baekhyun's shivering all over. He doesn't miss the implication behind Chanyeol's words and his stomach lurches. "Have a great year, Baekhyun."

Chanyeol spends the night, out on the couch. "Surely you can wait to sleep with me, until after we are married, dear. If you are serious about me, that is," Baekhyun says, rather ironically. He sees Chanyeol's eyes widen a little, his neck reddening, but he nods eagerly, flustering Baekhyun, how only Chanyeol can.

"Of course I can, if you want to," Chanyeol says, eyes and voice serious, and Baekhyun ends up hitting him with the pillow he brought out for him, repeatedly, until Chanyeol manages to grab it, and Baekhyun tumbles with everything in his arms onto the couch. So Baekhyun spends his first night sleeping on the couch, too, folded into it and into Chanyeol, nails digging painfully into Chanyeol's hips, because nothing makes sense anymore, and Chanyeol claims they're getting married the last Sunday in April.

*

After two movie dates and the fancy dinner that Baekhyun got roped into where Chanyeol wore a bowtie, looked as crooked as that bowtie, and shined like some vampire or Baekhyun's saving grace in the candlelight on their lavishly set table, Baekhyun decides to stage an intervention. Chanyeol trying to date him just can't keep happening, but when it's just the two of them, they always end up kissing or talking about the wedding that is not happening.

Chanyeol somehow manages to conclude Baekhyun wants just closest family at his wedding, that he wants Sehun to be his best man, that he wants to write his own vows and wants a wedding dance that is not some rave mix, because what is wrong with ballads, Chanyeol?

Chanyeol shows him pictures of hotel suites as they wait in line for the movie tickets, and Baekhyun tries so hard not to blink or show what he thinks, yet Chanyeol still knows exactly which one he liked the best.

Things have gone too far, and it has to stop before Baekhyun starts believing that maybe this is real, that maybe it could happen, them getting married and Chanyeol treating him like he's the best thing since sliced bread for the rest of their lives. But he needs reinforcement, someone who will knock some sense into Chanyeol. For this at least, it does come in handy to be friends with Kyungsoo, or so Baekhyun hopes.

Chanyeol looks...disappointed when he sees Kyungsoo and Sehun sitting in the booth of the grilled meat restaurant with Baekhyun. Sehun, whom Baekhyun called as a bit of a moral support, is cutting meat for them eagerly.

"I thought you'd finally invited me on a date, for a change," Chanyeol says, and he tries to sound cheerful, but the corners of his big mouth are drooping and there's something in his eyes, something Baekhyun's not sure he recognizes. But then Chanyeol shakes himself off, like a puppy, and smiles wide. "Ah, but I see now. You brought our best men out for a heated planning session," he says, smiling and pointing to the grill. "I can see Kyungsoo's already fired up."

Baekhyun hates how Chanyeol can be so good at ignoring the big elephant in the room, at pretending nothing is out of ordinary and they're just this lovey-dovey couple excited to get their wedding exactly right. He hates how much he wants to play along the most.

"Stop blabbing and sit down, Chanyeol," Kyungsoo says, sliding out of the booth so that Chanyeol can sit next to Baekhyun. That's not nice of him at all, considering Chanyeol automatically places a warm palm over Baekhyun's thigh and tries to kiss him in greeting. Baekhyun turns to face the grill, and Chanyeol's lips slide across his cheek, his breath hot, his sigh almost inaudible.

"So what's this about," Chanyeol asks, grabbing a small cup and letting Sehun pour him a bit of soju. "I don't want a stripper for my bachelor party."

"Chanyeol, there will be no bachelor party," Baekhyun starts sternly. He sees Kyungsoo wince a little, which is weird because Kyungsoo is the stone-faced incarnation of all that is evil.

"Oh." Baekhyun swears Chanyeol's ears droop again. Even if that's impossible. "You're really keeping me on a short leash, Baekhyunnie," he continues. "No sex until the wedding, no bachelor party either." Baekhyun goes red, and Sehun chuckles.

"I guess I could get you a real leash as a wedding present," he quips, and Baekhyun's going to kill him.

"There's not going to be any wedding," he says, a bit too loudly. "Kyungsoo, please. Make him listen," he adds. He sees him gripping Chanyeol's wrist, but Kyungsoo is glaring at Baekhyun rather menacingly, like he's wrong in doing this.

"Chanyeol," Baekhyun says, trying to put space between them when Chanyeol's hand falls away from his thigh. Baekhyun feels so cold even with the grill blasting heat over the table. "We made a stupid promise when we were drunk and nineteen, and you were heartbroken over Jongdae. It's not real. You can't just act on it, ten years later. I mean we were nineteen." Baekhyun takes a deep breath, closes his hands into fists. "I won't allow this," he says. "Not when back then you wouldn't even kiss me, let alone date me." Baekhyun's voice won't break, he won't allow me. "I have a dog. You can't marry someone who has a dog. Find someone else, fall in love, and marry them. Stop acting like a fool just so you don't break a promise. It's me who's breaking it," he stresses. "I'm breaking this whole thing off. Please," he adds almost inaudibly, and then Sehun's grabbing his hand under the table, prying his fingers open where his nails cut too deep into his palm.

Chanyeol just looks at him, lips pulled into a tight, line eyebrows furrowed. His leg is twitching where it's still too close to Baekhyun's under the table for him not to feel it.

"It's you who brought it up," he says at last.

"And that was stupid of me, I'm sorry, I'm taking it all back."

"It's you who wanted this, and I just thought. Why ask me if you don't want this?" Chanyeol asks, and then he yelps. Kyungsoo's hand is under the table, and Chanyeol's eyes water a bit from pain.

"Why can't you two just properly communicate," Kyungsoo asks then. "Chanyeol, I told you to explain."

"What's to explain?" Baekhyun throws his hands in the air. "It's not like he woke up one day, suddenly enlightened by my proposition, and realized he loves me and wants to spend the rest of the life with me. That's nonsense."

"You didn't even propose, you just sprang it on me out of nowhere," Chanyeol says, accusingly.

"And you looked absolutely scared shitless, so I don't know how you persuaded yourself this is actually a good idea, but it's not. This isn't some rom-com from the nineties," Baekhyun says. "You don't love me, and I won't marry you."

"You keep telling me how I don't love you, but I never said that," Chanyeol says and his voice is low, bitter.

"Well, you didn't say otherwise, either," Baekhyun spits back.

"Neither did you," Chanyeol counters, and it's quieter this time, sadder. "I thought maybe I could, that first, I could try to..." Chanyeol looks down at his hands, wrapped around his soju cup. His fingers are too long to fold around it comfortably.

"Well, someone has to be the first to say it," Kyungsoo says exasperatedly. "You can't just walk around each other and expect the other to read minds. You clearly haven't developed a telepathic connection just yet. Even if you live attached to each other's hips. Stop being idiots. Chanyeol, I told you to talk to Baekhyun about this."

"I don't want to hear some constructed argument about how it's better to be married to your best friend than to live alone. There's nothing wrong with being alone," Baekhyun says. "I thought Chanyeol would know better by now. Plus he could still meet someone," he says. Kyungsoo's no help after all.

"What about you then? You could meet someone, too, so why would you even bring it up?" Chanyeol asks, accusingly.

"Because I love you, okay?! And I'm tired of trying to fall out of love with you. Tired people do stupid things. I take it all back, all of it!" Baekhyun shouts, and people in other booths must hear, and suddenly this place is too suffocating and Baekhyun needs to get out. He pushes at Sehun, and when Sehun tries to stop him, "Hyung, just breathe," he slides under the table, crawling out like a toddler.

"Baekhyun," Chanyeol's saying and Baekhyun hears a thud and that tall silly oaf probably tried to climb under the table too, but Baekhyun doesn't look back to see him possibly stuck. He gets to his feet and runs out of the restaurant without paying.

*

The thing is, no matter what, Chanyeol is always the one that knows Baekhyun the best. Two hours later, he finds Baekhyun sitting on a bench in a park near his apartment, Mongryong playing with a cloth bone by his feet. Chanyeol sits on the bench gingerly, just on the edge, and watches the corgi watch him back. When Mongryong finally turns back to his bone, uninterested, Baekhyun sighs. His dog is useless; he should be protecting him, scaring Chanyeol away, barking at him to run. Instead he treats him with the same indifference one treats the long term fixture in life that isn't going anywhere.

"Baekhyunnie," Chanyeol says then.

"Chanyeollie," Baekhyun replies. "We have to stop acting like we never grew up."

"I like acting silly with you though," Chanyeol says. "I like doing whatever with you."

"Chanyeol," Baekhyun starts, but Chanyeol hushes him.

"No listen. Just let me get this out," he says.

"No lies though. No pity party either," Baekhyun says quickly. "Don't, just don't be silly, okay?"

Chanyeol laughs a little. "Kyungsoo called me the stupidest person on the planet, and Sehun kicked me in the shin. I think it's going to bruise. And I have a bump on my forehead from when I tried to climb after you. I think I've had enough silly for tonight."

Baekhyun has to grip the leather leash in his hand harder so he doesn't slide across the bench to Chanyeol to kiss it better or something like that. It's ridiculous. "Okay," he says, instead.

"About what you said," Chanyeol starts. Baekhyun's said a lot of things in that restaurant. He didn't really think that if he ever told Chanyeol how he felt, it would be in a shouting match and with an audience.

"Which part?" he asks, dejected.

"The part about waking up enlightened," Chanyeol says. He clears his throat again. "Actually, it...it was a little like that. I mean, when you started talking about the wedding, I was shocked. Not scared." Chanyeol fidgets, and Baekhyun's stupid dog moves so that his head rests on top of Chanyeol's foot, like he's the one that needs the comfort. It's too cold to be sitting outside like this, barely the beginning of February. "I guess, just like you, I didn't think you remembered that. But you did, and when I realized what you're asking, what you're suggesting...it was enlightening, but I didn't wake up just knowing I love you because I didn't even sleep."

Baekhyun has to chuckle, because Chanyeol's picking apart his metaphors for some reason, and Baekhyun's too cold and sad to understand why.

"I realized that night that saying I don't want to marry you was the only option I didn't think of. I was all, let's do it right now, why wait for spring? And then I was wondering if maybe it wouldn't be better to date a little first, just so that you're sure about it because it would seriously suck if you changed your mind once we went through with it. And then I thought how my mom would be happy because she likes you almost better than she likes me. And that I don't want a black suit, and I want us both wearing some stupid colorful bowties. I thought about how Kyungsoo will finally stop making lewd comments about acting like we've been married for years already, because it would finally be true. But never, never had I thought that I don't want to marry you." Chanyeol's not looking at Baekhyun, even if Baekhyun turned to stare at him somewhere mid-speech. He's wearing another one of those fancy coats that are more for show than functional, and he must be so much colder than Baekhyun. If they stuck close together, they'd generate more heat, feel warmer. Baekhyun can't make himself move or say much, his stomach turned inside out and his eyes stinging from focusing on the blob that Chanyeol is in the dark.

Chanyeol moves then, pulling something out of his pocket. "So really, Baekhyun, I got up that morning and I just knew. But then I probably knew much sooner, even if I may be the stupidest person on the planet not to realize it, because I bought these in Paris last summer when I was over there for that fancy leather bag shoot. And I was looking for a chance to give one to you, and not look like a fool. I just...saw them, and thought how good it would look on you because you have such lovely fingers and..."

Baekhyun reaches forward and finds a soft velvet box. It's too dark in here, but Baekhyun opens it. There are two rings inside, and the details he can't see really aren't important, because there are two. Matching. Rings.

"You bought us couple rings. Last summer, you bought us couple rings." Chanyeol had been away for most of the summer and they spent it skyping during his late nights and Baekhyun's early mornings. Baekhyun was sure Chanyeol was dating that Korean consulate worker he met in Paris, a put together, confident guy, so much more suited to worldly Chanyeol than Baekhyun, freshly out of school vet.

"What I'm trying to say," Chanyeol starts again, finally turning towards Baekhyun. It's very inconvenient how dark this place is. Baekhyun really should have chosen a better place to brood. He wants to see Chanyeol now, as his heart leaps into his throat. "What I should have said probably from the start is that...that I'd love to marry you because I would always chose you to spend the rest of my life with because I love you, and I don't know when that happened, but it did. Even all those years back in Europe I kept trying to find excuses why to not kiss anyone else but you, and I still don't know why we stopped when we came back. And when we were nineteen, I thought you were joking and I didn't want a pity kiss from you, and I'm sorry. I'm sorry if I rejected you, that's not what I meant."

Baekhyun should say something right now. He's as fucking loud as a radio on most days, but he doesn't know what to say now. He’s having trouble managing to sit upright, to not just roll onto the cold ground and melt into it because his entire body feels too warm and about to burst into million pieces.

"What?" he manages in the end. "What?"

Chanyeol laughs a little. "I was always too greedy and never wanted to lose my best friend. I guess somewhere on the way that turned me into a coward, one that could only be saved by a marriage pact," he says.

It's not like Baekhyun hasn't felt exactly like that for too long, counting down the days he could pull their old promise out of the hat like a magical white rabbit.

Chanyeol scoots closer to him on the bench and pulls a hat out of his coat pocket. "You forgot this in the restaurant," he says. He pulls it on top of Baekhyun's head, covering his ears just how Baekhyun hates it and Chanyeol knows it, but always insists that's what woolen hats are for, keeping your ears warm. He takes the velvet box from Baekhyun, and before Baekhyun can croak out another confused question, Chanyeol is kneeling on one knee like some stupid prince in some fucking fairytale, ideal rom-com hero.

"Byun Baekhyun, will you marry me?" he asks. "It doesn't have to be this spring, but will you...will you at least think about it?"

Mongryong barks, two front paws suddenly on the bench next to where Chanyeol's leaning, looking up at Baekhyun as expectantly as Chanyeol. They even both have their head tilted the same.

"If you leave me in front of the altar or just stranded somewhere in the flower fields in Breton, I will hunt you down Park Chanyeol, and no one will ever find your body. So you better be serious about this."

Chanyeol laughs. Baekhyun takes one ring out of the box, the clearly bigger one of the two, and pulls Chanyeol's hand closer. When he slides the ring on Chanyeol's ring finger, Chanyeol turns Baekhyun's palm around and kisses it. Baekhyun's heart stutters again before starting to beat again, even faster.

"So does that mean I can have a bachelor party?" Chanyeol asks, keeping Baekhyun's palm against his cheek and grinning up at him.

Baekhyun pushes him down onto the ground. "Idiot," he shrieks.

Chanyeol only laughs and his teeth are so white that it's all Baekhyun sees for a moment, before he slides down, too, straddling Chanyeol and kissing him. Mongryong tries to lick Baekhyun's cheek, probably feeling left out, and it's all pretty disgusting. Baekhyun's favorite jeans are dirty, but somehow, he can't stop laughing into the kiss, swallowing all of Chanyeol's groans and giggles and not caring how long they stay there, rolled into a tangle of limbs and coats and happiness under a park bench.

*

Baekhyun's tux gets lost at Charles De Gaulle, in Paris. His head almost bursts from the nerves. It doesn't help that Chanyeol, dressed in light blue jeans and a simple white t-shirt, is so unbearably hot as he talks to the French lady at customer service, in perfect English. Baekhyun wants to push him against that stupid counter, stick his tongue into his mouth and let all the prim French customer service personnel evaluate how good they are at French kissing. He can't believe Chanyeol has been blue balling him since winter, actually keeping his promise not to have sex with Baekhyun until after the wedding. It's maddening, and Baekhyun has never been this sexually frustrated, never wanted to jump anyone in such a public place. He wonders if he could at least manage to cop a feel on the train to Bretons. Then he hears his mom laugh at something Kyungsoo says as they come back with water bottles, and he sags against Chanyeol's big suitcase and gives up on all his plans. It's bad enough Kyungsoo has flirted his mom into believing he's a wonderful human being, he doesn't need the extra embarrassment of being caught by her with his hands down Chanyeol's pants.

Chanyeol finally comes back and smiles at him. "They found it. It's still in Seoul," he says cheerfully. “At least your bowtie is in my suitcase."

"What a blessing," Baekhyun mutters through his teeth. It's red with white dots and the most ridiculous thing ever. He hoped Mongryong would chew it up when he left it on the coffee table, in revenge for going to live with Jongin's mom, but no. That traitorous dog seemed happy to move, playing cheerfully with the rest of the pups Jongin's family owns when they went over to see if it would work, and he didn't even look at the bowtie until Chanyeol took it and decided to pack it alongside his own, which is purple and has yellow stars on it.

Chanyeol ruffles his hair. "Don't be so stressed, Baekhyunnie," he says. “We'll get you some nice slacks in Nantes, and I'm not too pressed to wear a jacket anyway. It's all good."

Baekhyun is honestly completely indifferent to what kind of trousers he wears to his wedding as long as it's easy enough to get Chanyeol out of his once it ends.

"Just remember my words, Park Chanyeol. If you run away, you're shark food."

Chanyeol just kisses him, right on his lips. Chanyeol's mom coos, and Sehun coughs, turning to Chanyeol's father and sister, asking them if they're excited about all the cheese. Baekhyun just grips Chanyeol's elbow to keep him leaning down a little longer so that he can suck at his bottom lip properly, hoping the rush of it will tie him over for the rest of the travel.

*

Chanyeol doesn't run away. As Baekhyun walks towards the patio in the hotel garden, spring flowers all around them, he feels it's so picturesque and perfect he might throw up. Well, that might be from the nerves. Sehun spent the last three hours hiding all the alcohol from him and stealing all the wine Baekhyun had ordered as room service. His brother just watched him and laughed like the married slacker he is.

"I'm going to puke all over Chanyeol's bowtie and it will be all his fault because that thing is atrocious. And then I'm going to forget my vows, and he's going to turn on his heel and finally realize it's all been some weird fluke and his mind will clear and he's going to disappear into that flower field out back and I will never see him again," he had said when Sehun took the last bottle from him.

"You are the biggest drama queen I have ever met," Kyungsoo deadpanned then, peeking into the room.

Sehun came closer, sticking the paper with Baekhyun's vows into his pocket and patting his own for the rings.

"I'll hold your hair back if you have any stomach fireworks problems," he promised.

So Baekhyun stops in front of Chanyeol, facing the clerk, and concentrates on the way Chanyeol's eyes are kind of glassy, like maybe he's about to cry. Well, okay, he's better off than that. He can hold it together. He grins up at Chanyeol, and Chanyeol reaches for his hand. Chanyeol's is warm and clammy, and Baekhyun's vibrating with all the feelings, the elation, the remnants of fear, the joy, the love for the person standing next to him. The clerk speaks in melodious French, and their translator translates in this excited whisper, like she’s the one getting married. Baekhyun grips Chanyeol's hand so tight that there are marks when he lets it go to put the wedding band on his finger. He doesn't forget his vows and neither does Chanyeol, which is unfortunate really because by the time he's finished talking, they're both sobbing and the picture will be so ugly. Like it's not enough that their bowties clash.

"You may kiss your husband," the translator says, at last, and Baekhyun's swept up into Chanyeol's arms. Chanyeol kisses the wetness off his lashes first and by the time their lips brush, Baekhyun's trembling like a leaf in the wind. There's applause and Sehun hoots. Baekhyun hears his family laughing, even if Jongin is the loudest, his stupid laugh infectious. When Baekhyun finally dazedly drops to the soles of his feet, both he and Chanyeol are laughing, too.

"Husband, I love you," Chanyeol says. Baekhyun squeezes his hand again.

"Thank you for always keeping your promises, husband," he replies. His nose is snotty in every single group picture preview, but at least the photographer is kind enough to edit it out from the final result.

*

Their first dance is an old slow Korean song that speaks about love for centuries, and Baekhyun loves it. The reception is small but boisterous and Baekhyun does drink too much French wine. Chanyeol laughs at him and when Baekhyun asks, he sneaks into the hotel gardens and brings Baekhyun the prettiest bouquet of flowers that Baekhyun dances with for about an hour and then throws at Kyungsoo. Jongin blushes so fiercely, seeing Kyungsoo look down at it with a surprised but pleased expression, that Baekhyun can't help but poke his cheek and glomp him, before he grabs both him and Kyungsoo and dances with them like the third wheel he is in that couple. Chanyeol drags him off eventually, and they sit on the chair near the dance floor, watching their few guests have fun. Baekhyun sits on Chanyeol's lap, one arm looped around his shoulders and feels so good he never wants to move again.

He wakes up the next day in the fluffy bed of their hotel suite, to Chanyeol tickling him with kisses down his neck.

"No way," Baekhyun groans, sitting up abruptly.

"Ouch," Chanyeol hisses, rubbing his nose that Baekhyun bumped with his chin.

"No way, what happened?" Baekhyun looks down at Chanyeol who is already laughing too hard.

"You fell asleep. Right at the reception. I mean, I'm surprised you didn't crash sooner, given you haven't slept since before we left Korea three days ago."

So maybe Baekhyun had been a little nervous, a little a lot, thrumming with too many thoughts and emotions to sleep even when Chanyeol spooned him all night, holding him close.

"I still carried you across the doorstep like the good newlywed I am," Chanyeol says, sprawling across their bed and smiling up at Baekhyun smugly.

"But, but, your pants. I mean I wanted to...to get in them." Baekhyun has no shame left anymore.

"Ah." Chanyeol fake-pouts, a little sadly. "I wish I knew about that, I'd have woken you up sooner," he says, pouting. "We have to leave in like an hour."

Baekhyun blinks. "What?" Baekhyun scrambles for the phone he sees on the night stand. It's past eleven in the morning. They have to catch the airplane down to Cannes soon, and why did Chanyeol have to go so over the top with the honeymoon plans. They could have just stayed here. It's not like Baekhyun doesn't plan on just staying in bed for the entire week, preferably with Chanyeol on top of him. Or beneath him. He's not too picky.

"I couldn't possibly wake you," Chanyeol says, brushing his fingers down Baekhyun's cheek and neck, over his collarbones. Chanyeol must have undressed him because Baekhyun's in just his boxers.

Baekhyun drops back into the soft pillows, pounding at it like a little kid. "I can't believe this, I can't believe this," he keeps repeating while Chanyeol, the biggest tease in the world, kisses down his naked back, sucking a bruise right above the waistband of Baekhyun's boxers.

"I'll make it up to you, I promise," he whispers and Baekhyun finally stops squirming. He deflates and lets Chanyeol kiss right up his spine again and into his hair.

"You better," Baekhyun mutters.

*

Their hotel is right on the coast, just outside of Cannes, and their room has a huge balcony, with the view of the sea. Not that Baekhyun notices much because he jumps up into Chanyeol's arms outside their hotel room, ignoring the poor hotel staff caring their suitcases completely. He kisses him just as they trip over the threshold, and Chanyeol grips his ass tighter and laughs into his mouth. He does head for the balcony though and Baekhyun whines, eyeing the big bed mournfully. Chanyeol presses Baekhyun against the railing and kisses behind his ear and down his jaw, nipping at the skin until he reaches Baekhyun's mouth.

"Fireworks," he mutters against Baekhyun's lips, just as Baekhyun hears the first one go off. "They mentioned it at the reception." Not that Baekhyun paid attention to what they were talking about, too fascinated with how Chanyeol's mouth moved around the foreign words.

"My view is much better," Baekhyun mutters, and Chanyeol laughs, letting Baekhyun lick into his mouth. It's the best, being pressed against Chanyeol like this, even the railing digging into his back feels good, when Baekhyun can suck at Chanyeol's tongue like this, can slide his hands under his soft cotton shirt, and cling to his sides. He arches when Chanyeol kisses down his neck again, tongue sliding into the hollow of Baekhyun's throat. It pushes Baekhyun's hips right up against Chanyeol's and Chanyeol groans, his hands on Baekhyun's ass squeezing tighter.

"You know, the view would be even better if you were under me in bed," Baekhyun gets out between gasps, and Chanyeol chuckles into his collarbones, and moves, albeit much more shakily back inside.

The bed dips underneath them, and Baekhyun crawls over Chanyeol, already stripping out of his shirt. Chanyeol does the same but lets Baekhyun open his trousers. Baekhyun licks his lips and Chanyeol's eyes drop to his tongue. Baekhyun wants to laugh.

"I wish I could make you suffer without denying myself at the same time," he says, dipping down and mouthing at Chanyeol's cock through his underwear. Chanyeol groans and arches, his hand going right into Baekhyun's hair.

"Baekhyunnie," he mutters, and it goes right into Baekhyun's cock. And he would love for this to last longer, to be unrushed and full of teasing touches. He'd love to kiss every part of Chanyeol and taste his skin until he has had enough, but there will be time for all that some other time. Right now, he needs, he wants, and soon.

"Where's the lube?" he asks, and Chanyeol point at the smaller of the suitcases.

"Front pocket," he says, and Baekhyun's sliding off the bed and tripping out of his trousers on the way to where their bags are. When he turns around back to bed, Chanyeol's naked too, his hand palming his cock.

"Fuck, I love you," Baekhyun whispers, and it's still not the perfect love declaration that he wants Chanyeol to hear, but it has to be enough. He straddles Chanyeol again and coats his fingers for him, leaning over him and letting Chanyeol circle his rim from behind. Chanyeol's impatient, too, and that's good, it makes Baekhyun feel much better about how his insides twist with pleasure, his own cock hard and twitching when Chanyeol pushes the first finger in to the first knuckle. Baekhyun pushes against it, right away. He hisses but doesn't want it too slow. He bites Chanyeol's collarbone, leaving the first mark of the evening. "More, give me more," he whispers.

Chanyeol moans and twists the finger inside him, pumps it in and out a few times before he presses the second one inside Baekhyun. His other hand comes around Baekhyun's waist to keep him steady. Baekhyun tucks his head under Chanyeol's neck and murmurs encouragements.

"Baekhyunnie," Chanyeol whispers into his hair. "I've wanted this so much, for so long."

Baekhyun hisses at that, biting at the skin in his reach. "Stubborn idiot. We could have been having sex for months now," he says and moans, high pitched, when Chanyeol adds the third finger. He takes more time now, twisting and scissoring, pads of his fingers searching intently, pressing up against Baekhyun's inner walls. It doesn't take long though, before Baekhyun arches against him with another loud moan.

"There, there," he chants, and Chanyeol keeps his fingers pressed against the spot. "No, no," Baekhyun says, his stomach tightening, his hips rocking back without his say. "Chanyeol." He grips Chanyeol's shoulders, but Chanyeol doesn't relent, his fingers pressing against the same place over and over again, and Baekhyun comes, too wound up after all, white hot stripes against his and Chanyeol's stomach, whining and moaning, his cock twitching painfully, untouched. "Fuck, fuck, fuck, Chanyeol," he sobs, and Chanyeol finally pulls his fingers away, only playing with Baekhyun's sensitive rim now.

"Felt good?" Chanyeol murmurs, and Baekhyun wants to smack him over head for how smug he sounds.

"What do you think?" he asks. Chanyeol chuckles and grips Baekhyun's waist harder, flipping them over.

"I told you I'd make it up to you," he says. He kisses Baekhyun again, deep and so, so hot, then mouths down over his nipple and ribs, licking Baekhyun's stomach clean. Baekhyun props himself up on his elbows, watching him, Chanyeol's hair sticking to his forehead with sweat, the muscles in his back moving as he holds himself over Baekhyun, his tongue moving lower until Chanyeol's mouth wraps around Baekhyun's soft cock, cleaning the slit, too.

"Next time, I want to come around your cock," Baekhyun says, and Chanyeol chuckles into his hipbones.

"I'm not going to protest," he says, finding the lube and coating his fingers properly again. "I love you, Baekhyunnie," he says, kissing Baekhyun's chest, right over his heart, before pushing all three fingers into him again. Baekhyun drops against the pillows, pulling his knees to his stomach, and lets Chanyeol stretch him more, his fingers only teasing around Baekhyun's prostate now while Chanyeol kisses across his chest again, picking Baekhyun apart with his hands and mouth. Baekhyun clutches to him and pulls him back into his mouth before he can't kiss anymore.

"Just do it," he murmurs, feeling his cock fill again. "Come on." Chanyeol moans, and Baekhyun palms his cock for him, finding the lube and slicking him up. "Want you in me," Baekhyun gasps, and Chanyeol noses along Baekhyun's jaw, grabbing his thighs and spreading them, pressing the head of his cock against Baekhyun. Baekhyun holds Chanyeol's cock in place, letting it slide through his fingers as Chanyeol pushes in. "Yes, yes, yes," he chants, until Chanyeol bottoms out.

"So hot," Chanyeol whispers, breathing hard, and Baekhyun moves his hands to Chanyeol's ass, fingers digging in to keep him in place.

"Yes, it is," he agrees. Chanyeol kisses him again, and Baekhyun feels so full, so happy then, letting Chanyeol lick behind his teeth and completely steal what's left of Baekhyun's breath. When Chanyeol pulls back, ever so slowly and then pushes in, strong roll of his hips, Baekhyun's nails dig into his ass, leaving marks. Chanyeol does it again, pushing in faster and harder and soon it's a rhythm of slow, maddening drag out, crown of his cock catching on Baekhyun's rim, and a strong, fast push in. Baekhyun writhes, pressure building in his underbelly and prickles of pleasure skittering down his spine.

He practically screams, voice already hoarse and throat too dry, when Chanyeol's warm, big palm presses between them, pushing Baekhyun's cock against his stomach, fingers dragging up and down the length of it. Chanyeol is kissing up his jaw again, and he whispers right into Baekhyun's ear when he reaches it, about how good Baekhyun feels, and how beautiful he is. Baekhyun buries one of his hands in Chanyeol's hair, pulling him closer, and when Chanyeol drags a thumb over the head of Baekhyun's cock, he comes again, body arching impossibly. Chanyeol's thrusts slow down a little, his hand stroking Baekhyun through his orgasm, and only when Baekhyun feels the white behind his eyes receding, Chanyeol grabs his thighs again, kneeling between them and thrusting hard and fast, and soon too messy. Still, the head of his cock manages to brush against Baekhyun's prostate with every push and pull, and Baekhyun squirms, squeezing around Chanyeol. He tries to pull out, but Baekhyun locks his heels behind him.

"Come," he breathes, and Chanyeol does, his eyes wide and unseeing, his body trembling just as Baekhyun's had. Baekhyun thinks it's something he wants to see again and again. Chanyeol thrusts in a few more time then goes completely slack, his palms sliding down Baekhyun's thighs and shins, taking Baekhyun's legs down, his body curling up over Baekhyun's. Baekhyun laughs, because even now Chanyeol's a chivalrous fool trying to not squish him, and he pulls Chanyeol down. Chanyeol makes this sated, satisfied sound, and snuggles into him, as if he was the smaller one of the two, with his head on Baekhyun's chest, and Baekhyun still feels too full, with love and happiness and absolute bliss.

"I must say, you picked a great hotel. The bed is just right," he says, after a moment, and Chanyeol only laughs sleepily, his breath tickling Baekhyun's sweaty skin.

*

Baekhyun manages about a dozen of perfect 'I love yous' over the next week. Chanyeol counters back twice as fiercely. To Baekhyun's dismay, they do leave the bed from time to time. Sometimes they even get pass the shower and onto the beach or into the town. The last night, it's Baekhyun who pushes Chanyeol's back against their balcony railing, not letting him watch yet another firework display, because the view of Baekhyun on his knees, with Chanyeol's cock in his mouth is much better. Afterwards, they curl up in the love seat, listening to the waves, and Chanyeol combs fingers of one of his hands through Baekhyun's messy, wind swept hair, playing with two rings on his left ring finger with the other hand.

"Baekhyunnie, thank you for not forgetting about our promise," Chanyeol says.

Baekhyun laughs, kissing Chanyeol on the chin, since that's what he can reach without moving. He's too comfortable to do that. "Thank you for marrying me despite it," he says.