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To say it's easier in the underground scene is to be biased. The alleged freedom in building your own image - an advantage it has against the idol life. No fanservice is also a big point for him. Chan can list some pros of idol life too… But he doesn't really want to give into this discussion again. Not when it's unnecessary, at least. When you're messing with someone from a different scene, you are bound to compare your lives all the time, the conversation slipping into the subject without either of you noticing.Let's change the topic, one of you says at some point and you laugh, wondering how you got into this again.
"It's not easy," Minho's words trail off. Chan doesn't suggest a topic change this time; even his face muscles feel too exhausted to move and show his dread for the discussion. He just stares at Minho until the latter's gaze clears up and he notices it. Chan stands up and strolls towards Minho who doesn't straighten up in his seat even when Chan gives him a once over, then his palm lands on his cheekbone, caressing it. Minho doesn't lean into the touch, knowing better than getting clingy with studio door unlocked; their position is compromised - anyone who decides to enter the studio now is destined to be the insider source that will leak the idol-underground rapper gay scandal.
Minho and Chan are different, even in their distrust for adrenaline inducing forms of entertainment - while Minho could use thriller movies to lull him to sleep, Chan who shut his eyes from a jumpscare, enjoys rollercoasters and bungee jumping that make Minho feel sick just from watching others do it. Yet if you consider affairs within the music industry a sport, Minho and Chan are the two biggest enthusiasts.
At last, their lips clash, hands exploring the expanse of forearms, chest and thighs, teeth biting down on each other's bottom lips until one of them lets out a sound down from the throat. That's their rule - to stop right when it gets too heated for some nosy unwanted public.
They also have this game - the one that makes noise first fails. And while the penalty is more often in seeking trivial benefits (like paying for each other's coffee and snacks that they don't usually buy with their own money), sometimes they get nasty.
Needless to say, it's usually Chan, as he's the one who has more time on himself to design his methods to rile Minho up.
However this time Minho is the winner - he's latched his hands on Chan's belt, brushing the edge of his palm against Chan's crotch, rather purposefully. It's not unfair - Chan has pulled some ruthless penalties on Minho, he's surprised the latter still goes on with it.
(His favourite one was when he made Minho read out a non-existent comment that he messaged him just before one of Dekira's broadcasts. It was a comment from user linolover0310 that discussed eggplant harvesting season.
It didn't sound sexual, at least to anyone else besides Minho and Chan who did watch the show live - it was July, actually the start of the harvest, and Seungmin, Minho's co-host, has just dyed his hair purple.
"Eggplants are finally growing in my kaleyard! But I think there's just one missing… Hold on… Seungmin-si? Your hair is just of the color of my lost eggplant ㅠㅠ."
"Wah, did you steal the eggplant for color reference, Seungmin-si?" Younghyun laughed beside them, as Seungmin was still looking for the comment on his and Minho's shared screen. The purple haired one eventually had to look away, after Minho ensured him the comments moved too fast anyway.
"Oh, so linolover has their eyes for eggplants and not Lee Know-hyung. How come? That was supposed to be a smooth mission," Seungmin made a filler comment before they dived into discussing Seungmin's unit comeback.
As the two spoke away Minho was left alone with the sound of blood pumping in his ears, his face flushing red. He made sure to glare twice or thrice into camera throughout the live, which caused his fans to flood social media with memes and concerns about his mood. Minho did damage control later, posting a SNOW video with some new silly filter.
"What was that even about? Are you popping boners for Seungmin now?"
Minho called Chan as soon as he was alone - Seungmin headed back up for his cardigan he left behind and their shared division team manager stood outside, having a smoke.
"Hello to you, too," Chan picked up calling with hiccuping laughs, "The boners are for you, Lee Know."
Minho hummed into the speaker, "Linolover0310? No one associates us, you're just some no-name from Lee Know Marriage Team now."
The elder erupted in throaty laughs, Minho could picture him doubling over, the imagery making him smirk, despite his own failure.
"Woah, if my comment was unimpressive, why so bothered? Do eggplants make you thirsty?" Chan noted, meaning he's watched the whole show: seen Minho gulp down a total of 2 water bottles by the end of it and fan himself over; witnessed him making up excuses about his hot clothing. Minho felt so weirdly humiliated that night.)
Chan bares his teeth, huffing out a laugh between them. Minho's eyes are still glassy with the want as he watches Chan accept his defeat.
"What do you want?" he tucks a stray hair falling into Minho's face behind his ear and catches his earlobe between his fingers.
Minho smirks at him, taking his hand by the wrist and attaching it to his cheek instead.
"Write me a song."
Chan fixes his gaze on Minho, lust slowly seeping away from his eyes.
They're not dating. At least they never settled that. They're also more than fuck buddies, they like kissing, spooning in sleep (Minho stays over at Chan's whenever there's a break in his schedule). They may have gotten into this for pure fucking, but they developed good friendship too.
As far as Minho knows, the public is unaware they are actively contacting each other, but Chan mentioned Minho's group in an interview once. Minho's fanbase was affected more than Chan's, but the latter once emphasized the group is worth checking out. Anyway, if they were to be caught hanging out together in public during the nearing Chuseok, that would only cause a positive reaction. Especially if there were plans for producers' collaboration - something Chan has been daydreaming of, not yet ready to propose the idea to their management or Minho himself.
"Okay."
Though Minho doesn't voice a prefered theme he has in mind - some cock song, horny dump - he has a feeling the song could blow up. Because Minho knows Chan has a mutual obsession with him. And when Chan is obsessed with something, he ends up expressing it in his music, involuntarily creating pure masterpieces.
He wants to see the frenzy that the song would cause, wants to see other people claiming it their fucking song, but also wants to hold onto our song narrative, wants to tease Chan for the effect he has on him, because Chan can't deny it. Some could think Minho is a romantic, but he decides he's mostly feeding into his ego, his sexual frustration that has been building up for years ever since he became a trainee and his first few years in the industry; now that the dating ban is off he wants to make his partner get crazy for him.
Chan's hand falls on Minho's shoulder, then to his nape, bringing him closer for a quick peck, "Give me a deadline."
Minho huffs. "Two weeks. I'm already impatient."