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“A big one is better, we can put more pots!”
“A big fire is hard to kindle, a small one is better!”
“I’m cold, so a big one is more comfortable!”
Everyone’s a little stunned when Minghao snaps like that (in front of the cameras no less), but at the same time they all knew it would happen eventually.
“Well, his innocent image may now officially rest in peace,” Jisoo murmurs quietly to Hansol and Jeonghan, and the younger snorts with laughter, nearly throwing himself off the little stool he’s perched on.
“The better Minghao gets with his korean, the snarkier he becomes,” Jeonghan chuckles, snuggling in closer to Jisoo to share his warmth. “It’s nice to see him open up,” he muses, jerking in surprise when Seungcheol’s loud booming voice calls for them to gather for dinner.
Mingyu tries to enjoy the food that he (with Seokmin and Minghao’s help) prepared, but he’s hungry , and this damn show is so not One Fine Day.
“More like Five Hard Days,” he grumbles to himself, and Minghao snickers next to him, smirking as he inhales the ramyun and grilled fish. Mingyu sets his plate down and pulls on some gloves, bending down to check on the sweet potatoes.
“Course two is here!” he declares triumphantly, breaking the steaming potatoes into pieces to share with the other members, sneakily handing Minghao a whole one to share between them.
Minghao peels the potato silently, savouring the steamy heat as he watches Mingyu do his motherly rounds. He settles next to Minghao when he’s satisfied that the rest of Seventeen have been adequately fed, and takes a huge bite from the still steaming sweet potato, yelping in pain when it burns his tongue
“Idiot,” Minghao grumbles fondly, and Mingyu chews slowly, panting comically as he tries to cool the potato while eating.
“Didn’t know it was this hot,” Mingyu whines, watching as Minghao eats it carefully, fingers picking delicately at the orange flesh. “Why didn’t you warn me?”
Minghao wants to make a retort, but Seungcheol calls for the clean up crew to start washing up, and for those who helped to cook to get some rest. There’s grumbling about the lack of food, weather (and of course about the mess Mingyu made), but eventually the cleaning starts. Mingyu downs the rest of his potato in two bites, claiming the shower first, while Minghao leisurely finishes off his before heading into the warmth of the house.
Somehow, Seokmin decides that naruto running around the house they’re in is fun despite the slippery blankets and futons scattered around, and he nearly bowls Minghao over, sending them both crashing into a freshly showered Mingyu.
“Sorry, sorry” Seokmin yelps, scrambling off the both of them and disappearing round the corner before Minghao can react. He winces, feeling the pain in his knee from the fall, and looks up, freezing when he realizes he’s straddling Mingyu.
“Is Xiao Hao a little shy?” Mingyu coos, using the one nickname Minghao hates, and the younger (only by seven months, really), glares at him, purposefully putting more weight right onto Mingyu’s crotch, smirking defiantly when he squirms uncomfortably.
“Not at all,” Minghao coos back, smiling sweetly at a now-frozen Mingyu. “You’re the one that’s getting all shifty. Something bothering you?” he grins, pressing down harder, a thrill running up his spine when Mingyu gasps.
Mingyu can only muster a strangled protest before Minghao’s standing up, brushing himself off nonchalantly. His timing is impeccable (as usual), because the next second the producer walks in, telling them that they’ve wrapped up filming for the night, and both boys nod, thanking the producer and his team for all their hard work.
They’re soon distracted by more important things (read: fighting to get ready for bed), and Mingyu pushes the incident into the darkest recesses of his mind. After an exhausting hour of arguing and fighting for the bathroom, they’re finally curled up tight, together no less, and Seungcheol’s calling out goodnight, while some of the others are playing around with the cameras.
The noise quickly dies down, the other boys clearly having already exhausted themselves. It’s almost dead silent, apart from Seungcheol’s thunderous snoring, but Mingyu’s wide awake and hungry. He turns towards Minghao, flinching when he sees the bubblegum haired boy staring right at him, eyes wide and alert.
“Can’t sleep either?” he whispers, and Minghao nods, motioning silently to Jun, whose foot is quite literally, up Minghao’s ass. Mingyu barely holds in a snort, and Minghao pokes him sharply, motioning for the other to follow him, blankets securely in tow.
They tug on their jackets (and the others’ jackets too because this damn island is freezing), and head outside, where Minghao immediately starts kindling a small fire.
“I know you’re hungry, and you worked so hard to prepare all the delicious food for us, so I thought I could make something for you,” he grins.
Mingyu grins excitedly, curling himself around Minghao (to warm up, okay?) and the younger laughs quietly. They’re both painfully aware that they should be asleep, and not making desserts, but the peace and quiet is the perfect way to wind down after such a chaotic first day.
He drapes the blankets tighter round Minghao’s narrow shoulders, smiling softly when he hums in appreciation, holding their dessert over the fire.
The snack is simple. It’s just fruit (or whatever they can find, really) on a stick with a melted sugar coating, but Mingyu’s fascinated, and nearly breaks his teeth on the dessert, much to Minghao’s amusement.
“I like them a little softer,” the Chinese boy admits, and Mingyu sidles up even closer, taking the freshly warmed stick gratefully.He bites a little more cautiously this time, gasping when the liquid warmth spreads across his tongue.
Minghao watches Mingyu intently, giggling when a near pornographic moan slips from between his teeth. He takes a bite of his own snack, and hums, momentarily taken back to his childhood in Anshan, before any of this was even a dream.
Mingyu leans in close to Minghao, and quickly pecks him on the cheek, grinning cheekily when a pink blush creeps up Minghao’s neck.
“Thank you,” he murmurs, and Minghao’s flush darkens. Mingyu’s infinitely amused as he wraps an arm around the younger.
“Don’t tell Wonwoo hyung,” he whispers softly, and Minghao leans his head lazily on Mingyu’s shoulder, looking up curiously. “But you’re my favourite,” he breathes.
Minghao grins shyly, snuggling deeper into Mingyu while they sit, watching the fire slowly die out. “Don’t tell Jun hyung,” Minghao murmurs sleepily, body completely pliant against Mingyu. “But you’re my favourite too.”