Chapter Text
The bright lights of the street lamps keeps flashing in Changmin's face as he is dozing off in the car. They were both exhausted after the long day. Their schedule is not as packed as their last come back but make no mistake about this choreography. Tony Testa has a very unique way of making something look easy while in reality it is far from. The dancers are doing an extraordinary job but mistakes can always occur. He can hear Yunho hum along with a soft tone to the song that is currently playing on the radio. Bringing him even close to the darkness behind his eyelids.
The car that brings them home slowly sets to a stop, they have most likely arrived at his apartment first. Yunho would insist on being second so that Changmin could have just a few more minutes of sleep. Not that those few minutes made a big difference but there was no arguing about it when it comes to Yunho. He hears some faint rummaging before a delicate hand caresses his cheek with a gentle manner. As if it almost hurts the owner of the hand to wake him up.
"Changmin," Yunho whispered.
Changmin let out a soft grunt, the hand that was resting on his cheek is radiating such warmth on this cold day that he can't resist to press his face against it much more than necessary. His body was aching from all the dancing and not to forget the fall he endured earlier today while recording yet another one of the music shows for their come back promotion. So any type of warmth for his sore muscles was much wanted. There was another shift noise in the background and Changmin almost let out a whimper when the warmth and soft hand left his face.
"Changminnie, you're home. Time to sleep in your warm bed that awaits you," Yunho announces a little louder than before. It gets Changmin to rub his eyes as a sign that he's heard Yunho.
When he finally opens them his eyes are blurry and still full of sleep. Just seeing a fuzzy out-line of where Yunho is sitting. Thinking about Yunho gets him to move quicker, rubbing them one last time so his eyes focus on the tired but still smiling face of his Hyung. Their driver seems to be a little impatient as he seems to have gotten out of the car to grab Changmin his bags and opens the door for him. His apartment block came into view and Changmin gives Yunho one look, their eyes meeting. Yunho smiles and nods before following him out of the car.
"Just pick us both up here tomorrow, Yunho will crash at mine for tonight," Changmin mumbles taking over the bags from the chauffeur who already figured as much.
It wasn't a strange occurrence as it happens more often than not; ever since they've started living separately. Yunho his bags were taken out as well and he hears Yunho thank the driver, wishing him a good night and that he should drive home safely. During that time Changmin fumbled in his pocket to find his keys, jamming them in so they could get out of the cold quickly. He holds the door open for Yunho to enter and presses the button for the lift. His jaw itching for the big yawn that he feels coming.
Yunho yawns not two seconds later and they both laugh while stepping into the elevator. Yunho presses the correct floor; and if he wasn't so tired he would of pressed all of them just to tick Changmin off. Changmin watches Yunho through the mirror or the lift and wishes it would go a little faster. He just wants a warm bed for the both of them. The lift makes the little "ding" sound and they step out, heading straight for Changmin his apartment. Once they get in all the bags are dropped with a thud and Yunho announces he's going to take a quick shower.
Changmin barely acknowledges it, only being able to think about his bed and he stumbles into the bathroom quickly before it is occupied with a singing Hyung to brush his teeth and apply all the nightly healthy creams for his skin. He changes into his pyjama pants and doesn't bother for a top. Drops his body on the bed and feels himself fall straight back into the doze he was in before. Curling up in the blanket for warmth when it gets yanked away again. The scent that fills his nose telling him it was the freshly showered Yunho. He was about to yell at him but his words soon died in his throat. Instead letting out a moan when he feels Yunho his hands massage the sore spot he had fallen on earlier that day.
By the time Yunho finishes Changmin has long gone to sleep and Yunho smiles softly at Changmin. Before entwining their limbs together as he pulls the blanket over them and finally lets sleep take over his mind, as well.
A familiar scent fills Changmin his nose. It's a scent that he actually hasn't smelled in a very long time. His stomach gave a roar when the scent gets recognized as food and Changmin opens his eyes, lets them adjust to the bright light that is shining into the room and blinks a couple of times. Yunho is currently wrapped around him and Changmin eyes him for a while. His heart feels like it's going to burst into flames until Yunho his mouth drops open unceremoniously and he has to still the laughter that bubbles up. So he gives Yunho a swift kick.
"Get off of me," Changmin mumbles, trying to stop his heart from exploding.
Yunho only seems to tighten his grip and Changmin feels Yunho nuzzle into his hair. Changmin sighs and tries to squirm away when a thought occurs to him. If they are both in bed, then who the hell is cooking? Changmin gets himself untangled from the mess that is Yunho and lets the carpet welcome his feet. It stops him for the second time. He has a wooden floor in his bedroom. Changmin looks around, taking in everything the room has to offer and realises that its not anything like his own apartment. Panic starts to rise and he leans back over Yunho to shake him awake.
"Hyung, wake up," Changmin frets, the panic clear in his voice, "god damn it, Hyung. This is a panic situation you can't sleep through this!"
The door opens and Changmin his face shot up, he puts his body ready in a position to defend himself and Yunho if it was to be needed. However he comes eye to eye with a young male that enters and Changmin feels his jaw drop to the floor. He rubs his eyes a good few times, wondering if he is hallucinating. Because it is not possible that he is standing face to face with a young male, with big surprised eyes that equal his own. The young male is wearing a school uniform outfit he had worn not too long ago for their 10th anniversary concert, and gazing him up and down.
This has to be a dream. He must still be asleep and he's dreaming of the past. Changmin pinches himself in the arm and lets out a squeak because the pinch of pain is there, it's real. This is not a dream. Yunho seems to have woken up during the event and was currently gawking at the younger male as well.
"Changminnie?" Yunho crawls off the bed, the blanket sliding of his body, and steps on the carpet as well. "How is this possible? You truly do age backwards! Tell me your secret is it the night cream you use?"
The young male seems to be as dumbstruck as Changmin is because he doesn't reply to Yunho. Just seems to stare at Yunho with wide eyes that seem shy and confused. Changmin bites his lip as he remembers his crush on Yunho from that age and now his younger self was staring at a half naked grown up version of Yunho.
"Yunho," Changmin whispers. "I'm right here, that is...not me. Please cover yourself up."
Even in times like these Yunho manages to whirl around almost gracefully and gathers the blankets up against his body. Yunho his eyes are darting back and forth the younger male and Changmin and it makes him feel a little self-concious. He hopes the younger version of himself is not going to blow his secret of the crush he's actually had on Yunho since their first meeting. Since the younger already seems to be blushing and uncomfortable from the view he just witnessed.
"Changmin what's taking so long we have to go-," a younger Yunho enters the room but stops dead in his track.
Silence fills the room and lots of questions scatter through Changmin his mind. How is this possible, what day it is, what year even. But Changmin knows exactly what day it is. The outfits their younger selves seem to be wearing indicates that they're heading out for their first debut stage. He remembers that he, his younger self, was going back to the room because he had to catch a breather from everything. Everything was so new to him then and he was scared. He remembers how Yunho gave him strength, gave him reassurance that he would be fine. That Yunho was there to carry him forwards. Who knew that now, years later, they'd be carrying each other forwards.
"I want to ask who you are but that seems like a stupid question" the younger Yunho says slightly stunned.
Changmin sees younger Yunho standing half in front of his younger self and has to fight back a smile. Always protecting him. Some things never change. He clears his throat and raises his hands in front of him, taking a step forwards. The carpet still feeling strange but welcome under his feet.
"This is just as strange to us, as it is to you. But seeing as you are on your way to a very important chapter of your life, I would say please do what you were planning to do while we try and figure out how this has happened" Changmin says.
Yunho blinks at him clearly oblivious of the younger Changmin his stares and the fact that this was the very first big day for the group. Yunho is about to interfere, wanting to ask so many questions, but Changmin slips his hand over Yunho his mouth just in time. Their eyes connect and Yunho understands immediately. They can both feel eyes on them and the younger version of Yunho seems to be a little shaken. Changmin wonders why because he always has his guard up. Knows how to handle each and every situation. Even though this situation is very unexplainable.
"You can't go anywhere! You must stay hidden and all four of us will figure this out. We will be back late but...I guess you already know that," with that the younger versions walk out the door.