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The clock above the door Chanyeol’s watching shows it’s almost midnight. Baekhyun’s been shut in the recording studio for hours. There has been a lot of people coming in and out: his vocal coach, his manager, the company CEO, some marketing manager, his vocal coach again, the sound technician went in and out all day, his manager came again two hours ago. Baekhyun emerged exactly three times, all of them to just go to the bathroom. Chanyeol’s had three meals in the meantime, and he’s not sure Baekhyun had anything at all but the water that is stored inside.
It’s less than a month until the comeback, one following a really successful promotion of a song that got more popular than anyone expected. It shot Baekhyun to bigger stardom than was predicted and earned him fame, money, immense pressure, tabloids attention, fans, some too obsessed, and Chanyeol who is supposed to protect him from them. On some days though, especially lately, he's been just a designated driver and a constant companion, maybe even in moments when Baekhyun would want to be alone. A lot is riding on this comeback, for Baekhyun to confirm he isn't a one hit wonder, to get really established, for his company to really hit the jackpot.
Chanyeol stands up, shaking his legs out, and peaks into the studio. Baekhyun is behind the glass in the recording part of the studio, eyes shut, expression twisted weirdly. The music technician looks nervous, but unlike Baekhyun, he notices Chanyeol.
“How is it going?” Chanyeol asks dumbly. He’s pretty sure it’s not going well.
Technician just sighs. “I can’t take this much longer,” he only says.
“I’ll just pop out for a second,” Chanyeol half whispers, half gesticulates, and then quickly closes the door.
It takes Chanyeol less than half an hour to make the trip. The technician was not kidding though about being done, and he’s gone by the time Chanyeol opens the door to the studio again. Baekhyun is still behind the glass, hunched over on the high stool there. Chanyeol realizes he still has the music to his new single playing in his headphones and Chanyeol turns it off on the sound board. That makes Baekhyun look up. Chanyeol’s been here enough times to know what to do, switching another button.
“Come out,” he says into the mike. He tries not to focus on how Baekhyun looks so exhausted and maybe like he’s been crying. Instead he stands up, opening his coat real quick with his free hand then closing it, winking. Baekhyun’s eyes widen and he scrambles out.
“Hi,” Chanyeol laughs when Baekhyun comes through the door and sniffs the air like a puppy.
“I’m hallucinating smells too, now,” Baekhyun only says. Chanyeol chuckles and pushes him down onto the chair next to his own.
“That’s a good theory. Let’s hold on to it.” He opens his coat again, and this time he pulls out the bags fully into the view.
Baekhyun looks around like someone, probably his manager, is going to jump out from the dark corner.
“Everyone is gone and you haven’t eaten in hours,” Chanyeol says. “Even the guy at the reception desk is napping.”
Baekhyun looks between the food and Chanyeol, then opens his mouth to say something else.
Chanyeol beats him to it. “We can douse the room in my perfume as we leave. There’s ventilation system here too, no one will know a thing tomorrow.” He dramatically looks at his watch. “Well, today in the morning.”
Baekhyun slowly opens the McDonald's bag closer to him. Meanwhile Chanyeol pulls out napkins and bottled ginger tea from his huge coat pocket. When Baekhyun looks up again, his whole face has transformed.
“You’ve come prepared, I see,” he says, a teasing lilt to his tone.
Chanyeol chuckles. “I’m always prepared,” he replies, wagging his eyebrow.
Baekhyun bursts out laughing. Clearly, just the smell of food manages to turn his mood around.
“You could get fired for this,” he points out, pulling out the burger and unwrapping it.
“Then I’ll have to kill them as they try,” Chanyeol retorts seriously.
It makes Baekhyun only laugh more, roll his eyes a bit. “You wouldn’t hurt a fly.”
Chanyeol holds his hand to his heart, fake hurt. “Your confidence in my abilities is touching.”
Baekhyun only bites into his burger, eyes scrunched as he smiles into it. Chanyeol pulls his own bag open, fishing out the biggest serving of fries available at McDonald’s.
Baekhyun eats in silence for a while, clearly famished. Chanyeol feels as if with every bite, the color returns into his cheeks. Then the sauce squirts out of his half undone burger wrapper and ends on Baekhyun’s designer t-shirt.
Chanyeol laughs at Baekhyun’s horrified expression.
“Attractive,” he mutters, but only uses both hands to pat at Baekhyun’s t-shirt. He might make the things worse rather than better, but he tries his best, lingers. Baekhyun narrows his eyes at him.
“Is it?” he asks, pointedly looking at Chanyeol’s hands on his chest. He’s so cute, and has sauce on his bottom lip too. Chanyeol moves his hand to swipe at it with his thumb, before he can think better of it. Now Baekhyun flusters and Chanyeol grins wider.
“Very. You should take a picture of your ruined t-shirt and ask to be the face of McDonald’s next marketing campaign.”
Baekhyun flails, hitting Chanyeol’s thigh lightly. “Ass,” he says.
“If you starve like this, you’ll have no left yourself,” Chanyeol shrugs. “Your fangirls will be so disappointed.” He picks up another fry and waves it in front of Baekhyun’s face. “No more jiggling.”
Baekhyun groans at the mention of the fan famous .gif. “It was the pants--” he starts to say, but Chanyeol only stuffs the fry into his open, pouting mouth.
“It was a nice butt then. I mean, it’s cute now, too,” he adds, and realizes he probably shouldn’t be exposing how much he stares at Baekhyun’s bottom when he trails the other on schedules or when they work out together in the gym. Baekhyun only raises an eyebrow, pleased now. “All I’m saying is I have ways to sneak you food, clearly, so you just need to give me a sign.” Chanyeol tries to steer to safer grounds.
“Hiding McDonald’s in your oversized coat. How stealthy,” Baekhyun snickers and steals another fry, letting Chanyeol off the hook about his butt. “I’m still not convinced about the success of this operation, agent Park.”
Chanyeol rolls his eyes. “You can blame it on me if it fails,” he says. “So, feeling better?” he adds, when Baekhyun bites into his burger again, almost having finished it by now.
“Yeah,” Baekhyun sighs. “It’s just … I couldn’t get it right. How will I get it right on stage then? And of course today is the day everyone needs to monitor me like I don’t know myself what sucks, and--”
Chanyeol shuts Baekhyun up with another fry. It’s not like he doesn’t want to listen, but he feels Baekhyun needs to stop thinking about it, just for a moment. “You’ll be wonderful,” he only says, earnestly.
Baekhyun works so hard. His voice is great, full of emotions and distinct color, and Chanyeol secretly can’t wait to download his album officially. He was so excited to work with idol Baekhyun when he first got the job. Now that he knows Baekhyun, the person, too, he knows his new music will feel that much more personal, better, that it will touch him even more.
“Yeah?” Baekhyun breathes out, blinking.
“Yeah,” Chanyeol smiles and pokes Baekhyun’s cheek. “And I’m far from the only one who knows this.” he adds. “Your voice is beautiful, you picked good songs and you are a great singer, Baekhyun.” Chanyeol has to look down, because now he is embarrassed at Baekhyun’s slowly growing smile. He clears his throat. “Now, what would you give for a strawberry milkshake?” he asks.
Baekhyun’s eyes widen again. “You didn’t,” he exclaims, checking his own paper bag like he could have missed it in there, somehow, and Chanyeol laughs. He’s hidden the thing in his own bag as to not give away all his surprises at once.
“Hmmm” he only hums. Baekhyun narrows his eyes at him.
“Give me the milkshake, Park Chanyeol,” he says, a little bossy. Chanyeol can’t help but to like that even. Baekhyun’s practically vibrating for the milkshake in his chair now. “Please?” he adds.
“This is a very valuable contraband, Baekhyun,” Chanyeol eggs him on.
Baekhyun wriggles his wrists a bit, crumpling his bag into a small ball then looking at Chanyeol again. “Fine,” he says, and then he surprises Chanyeol by leaning over and giving him a quick kiss to the corner of his mouth. Baekhyun’s lips are greasy from food and chapped from long day of singing in a cold room, and Chanyeol blinks, shocked.
That’s not what he was fishing for, he swears, and his brain freezes a little. Then Baekhyun huffs and snatches his bag, dipping his hands into it to pull out the milkshake box. Chanyeol was going to ask for a sign to Baekhyun’s new CD when it comes out.
“Next time, don’t push it if you can’t handle it,” Baekhyun only says, and sucks the straw into his mouth, lips puckering, eyes challenging.
Chanyeol has to shake his head to get it together, but then he only smiles, rubs the shell of his ear. “So full of it,” he murmurs and stands up to clean away the renmants of their mini debauchery.
It’s hilarious the way Baekhyun sprays every corner of the room with Chanyeol’s perfume to “destroy the evidence.” All the trash and any sign of food brought in are back under Chanyeol’s big coat, to be disposed of, according to Baekhyun’s instructions, as far away from the building or Baekhyun’s dorm as possible.
Baekhyun’s wide awake and a bit high on the first sugar he had in about two months as they finally leave the studio, and Chanyeol pretends he doesn’t notice Baekhyun’s hidden the perfume bottle into his own bag, effectively stealing it. He just pulls Baekhyun into the front passenger seat of the car, lets him choose the music for the night drive and smiles to himself when Baekhyun slumps into the seat, rubbing his full stomach happily and humming along the music.
Chanyeol wonders where he can get a strawberry cake for next time. Baekhyun’s schedule for the comeback is tight and he should be put right into bed after the comeback showcase, but Chanyeol thinks he could sneak it to him.