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~~~
It all starts, to absolutely no-one’s surprise, with Hyunjin falling asleep.
They’re backstage at MBC in one of the waiting rooms, settling in for the long wait to go on stage. Changbin is seated on the main black couch, half listening to Jisung and Minho beside him giggling and mucking around with the talker camera as he scrolls aimlessly on his phone.
“Minho-ssi, those are my glasses,” he hears Jisung complain. “Please take them away from the foot.”
The foot?
Changbin glances up to see Minho leaning forward, reaching out for a pair of glasses that are currently perched on a black socked foot belonging to Hyunjin. He hands them back to Jisung, who is still laughing, before the two get up to film - otherwise known as annoy - Seungmin on the other side of the room.
It’s not unusual to find Hyunjin asleep; between idol life and still having to attend school, he probably gets less sleep than Chan these days. Still, there’s something about him lying on the hard wooden floor that tugs at Changbin’s heartstrings and gets him up on his feet before he’s really had a chance to think.
Changbin makes his way over to where Hyunjin is curled up on the floor fast asleep, half covered by a jacket that Changbin is pretty sure is part of Minho’s stage outfit. He crouches beside the younger, leans forward to gently shake Hyunjin’s shoulder.
“Hyunjinnie,” he calls out, has to repeat himself several times before Hyunjin stirs. It takes Hyunjin several long moments to focus, movements sluggish as he forces himself upright, before slumping sideways without warning straight into Changbin’s awaiting arms.
“We goin’ on?” Hyunjin murmurs sleepily as he snuggles into Changbin’s embrace, clearly having no intention of waking up.
“Not yet. Come on Jinnie, come with hyung to the sofa. It’s bad for you to sleep on the floor,” Changbin encourages, heart softening at just how dazed and tired Hyunjin is. He grasps Hyunjin’s forearms and pulls lightly, keeping himself stable as Hyunjin stumbles to his feet, green jacket trailing from his hand much like a child clutching their safety blanket.
Changbin wraps one arm around Hyunjin’s back, guides him past the table, taking care that the younger doesn’t bump his legs or exposed knees against the sharp edges. Hyunjin is warm and malleable in his arms, his eyes still half closed as he places his complete trust in Changbin to keep him safe. It’s a weighty responsibility, one that Changbin doesn’t take lightly.
Once they reach the couch, Changbin lightly pushes Hyunjin to sit down. He himself sits on the end of the couch nearest to the wall and pulls Hyunjin close with soft touches and coaxing words until the other is curled up on the seat cushion beside him, long limbs tucked against his body and head pillowed on Changbin’s thigh.
“Go back to sleep, Hyunjinnie,” he murmurs and Hyunjin lets out a drowsy sigh, eyes already closing as he shuffles closer. He’s asleep within seconds, and Changbin’s likely going to be stuck here for a long time but if it saves his dongsaeng from waking with sore muscles, it’s worth it.
(It’s several weeks later that Changbin gets a chance to watch the footage from that day on the newly released talker episode. Seeing the tender smile adorning his face as he gazes down at Hyunjin, Changbin braces himself for the teasing comments he’s definitely going to receive from his sister.
Even so, he can’t bring himself to regret it.)
~~~
The next instance is after a long day of interviews and filming promotional videos. They’re being driven back to their dorm, separated into two cars. Changbin, along with Chan, Felix and Hyunjin are in the second car, with Chan and Felix seated in front, and Changbin and Hyunjin in the backseat.
Chan and Felix are talking quietly, looking over something on Felix’s phone, while Changbin and Hyunjin have an unspoken agreement to try and nap. Despite the gritty feeling in his eyes and the tiredness clinging to his limbs, Changbin finds himself struggling to fall asleep, thoughts drifting to the new album they’re going to be releasing and how it will be received.
Frustrated at his brain’s inability to shut off, Changbin glances over at Hyunjin in the hopes that the other will offer him a distraction. Instead, his attention is drawn to how Hyunjin’s body is twisted uncomfortably in his seat to be able to rest his head against the window, in a vain attempt to catch a few minutes of shut eye. Unfortunately, every time the car comes to a halt at an intersection Hyunjin’s head jolts forward, causing him to startle awake with a gasp.
After seeing this pattern repeat itself three times, Changbin decides he’s had enough. He reaches across the divide between them, tugs lightly on Hyunjin’s earlobe. The younger lets out a little huff as he turns to blearily blink at Changbin, a red mark adorning his forehead where it’s been pressing against the window.
Changbin slides his hand from Hyunjin’s ear to his nape, fingers brushing against the soft hair that Hyunjin’s been growing out. He scratches lightly with blunt fingernails and Hyunjin lets out a pleased hum, leans back into Changbin’s hand as he seeks out more contact.
“Tired?” Changbin asks quietly so as not to draw attention from the members in front of them and Hyunjin nods lethargically, lips slightly pouted.
“Come sleep on hyung’s shoulder Hyunjin-ah, you’re going to hurt your head if you keep leaning on the window,” Changbin murmurs as he sits back, pats at his shoulder.
Hyunjin tugs at his seat belt clumsily, pulling until he’s able to stretch out his upper body to reach Changbin, his head a warm weight atop Changbin’s shoulder. He curls his legs up onto the seat as he tucks his forehead into the crook of Changbin’s neck, one hand sliding over the elder’s torso as Hyunjin cuddles close.
There’s a light exhale of breath against Changbin’s collarbone as Hyunjin quickly doses off, his weight against Changbin’s side growing heavier as the tension leaves his muscles. It takes Changbin far too long to realise he’s been staring at Hyunjin sleeping and he quickly looks away, fixes his eyes forward only to find Chan staring back at him.
“You guys okay?” Chan asks softly, gaze flickering between the two and Changbin nods carefully so as not to disturb Hyunjin. Chan glances at his watch for a moment, before turning his attention back to Changbin.
“We’ve probably got another half hour until we get home. Why don’t you try and catch up on some sleep?” He suggests.
Between the rhythmic feel of the car engine and the warmth of Hyunjin curled against him, it doesn’t take much convincing for Changbin to agree. He lets his eyes fall close as he turns his head to bury his nose against Hyunjin’s hair, and falls asleep to the soft sound of Hyunjin breathing.
~~~
“Does anyone know where Hyunjin is?” Changbin asks out loud as he glances at his phone yet again, the text message he’d sent to Hyunjin over an hour ago still unanswered.
“I think he said he was going to be doing vocal practice in one of the rooms,” Seungmin offers from where he’s seated cross legged on the floor beside Jeongin. The three have been practising one of the newer routines together, one that’s been causing them a fair bit of headache due to the speed and precision required for some of the moves. Changbin had messaged Hyunjin to ask if he could come join them to help, but after receiving no response, he can’t help but start to worry.
“I’m going to go see if he’s still here,” Changbin decides out loud, and Seungmin and Jeongin let out matching sounds of acknowledgement, more than happy to take a break from practising the choreography.
Changbin makes his way over to where the vocal rooms are, deciding to first check the room he knows Hyunjin has a preference for due to its set up. Once there, Changbin knocks but there’s no answer. He can tell that the light in the room is on, meaning that there is someone inside, he just can’t confirm if it’s Hyunjin.
Or maybe he can.
Changbin pulls his phone out of his pocket, goes to his contacts and presses the ‘call’ button next to Hyunjin’s name. Two seconds later, he can hear Hyunjin’s ringtone go off inside the practice room, the music continuing to play as his call goes unanswered.
More than slightly concerned by now, Changbin ends the call before he pushes open the door and peers in. It’s all too easy to spot Hyunjin, seated at a small desk in the far corner, slumped over and in a deep sleep. His phone is lit up on the desk beside him, no doubt indicating Changbin’s attempt to call him.
With a sigh, Changbin steps inside the room and closes the door quietly behind him, before crossing the floor to where Hyunjin is sleeping.
“Hyunjin-ah,” Changbin calls out, shakes Hyunjin’s shoulder. It takes about a minute of this before Hyunjin sits up abruptly, creases visible on his cheek where it has been pressed against his arm.
“I’m practising,” he insists while his eyes are still half closed. Changbin snorts, crosses his arms as he stands back to give the younger a chastising look.
“You’re exhausted is what you are,” he states and Hyunjin frowns, still trying to blink the sleep out of his eyes.
“You’re exhausted,” he mutters back childishly and Changbin would tell him off but… well, he can’t exactly refute that statement. Besides, Hyunjin looks too soft and vulnerable like this, hair in disarray and face slightly sleep-swollen.
“Why don’t you head back to the dorms, Jinnie,” Changbin says encouragingly, cards one hand through Hyunjin’s hair in an attempt to tame the fluffy mess. “Get some sleep, you’ll feel better.”
Hyunjin shakes his head. “I need to keep practising,” he says with a frown. “I need to make sure it’s perfect.”
“How about you run through it with me and I’ll give you some pointers?” Changbin suggests but he’s met with another head shake.
“I know what I need to fix. I need to keep practising it to fix it,” Hyunjin replies stubbornly and Changbin lets out a sigh. He knows there’s no use in arguing with Hyunjin when he gets like this; in the past it’s only ended in snarky comments and hurt feelings for both parties.
Realistically, the best thing to do would be to let Hyunjin be. But seeing how tired the younger looks, how he’s stretching his arms with a wince from lying in an uncomfortable position for too long, and given how likely it is that he’ll end up pushing himself to the point of passing out from exhaustion, Changbin decided to take a more creative approach.
Crossing the room, Changbin grabs two pillows lying in one corner of the room and rests them on the floor. He tugs off his hoodie and spreads it out in front of the pillows, glancing around the rest of the room but upon finding nothing else, reaches out to grab Hyunjin’s hoodie from where it’s hanging off his chair.
Hyunjin watches, bemused, as Changbin creates what looks like a random pile of cushions and fabric that he precedes to sit on, pillows propped up between his back and the wall. When he’s done, Changbin looks over at Hyunjin expectantly, receiving a blank look in return.
“Hyung, what are you doing?” Hyunjin asks slowly.
“Here’s what we’re going to do. You’re going to nap for half an hour, then you’re going to practice your vocals for half an hour, then we’re both leaving here together,” Changbin says, with no room for argument in his tone.
“Hyung-”
“Hyunjinnie, I know you’re exhausted,” Changbin sighs, and Hyunjin looks taken aback at the level of concern in his voice. “Let’s rest for thirty minutes, hmm? And then you can practice after that, I promise.”
Hyunjin stares at him for a long moment, and there’s a split second where Changbin thinks the younger might just walk out of the room. But then Hyunjin’s shoulders slump as he lets out a resigned sigh and walks over to where Changbin is seated.
Changbin shifts until he’s half reclining against the wall, the pillows behind him helping to prop him up somewhat comfortably, before holding him arms out. He lets out a loud “oomph” as Hyunjin drops into his lap without warning, shuffling around to get comfortable.
In the end, Hyunjin ends up lying on his side atop Changbin, head pillowed on Changbin’s upper chest and their legs intertwined. Hyunjin mindlessly traces shapes on Changbin’s shirt while Changbin links his hands over Hyunjin’s torso so he won’t roll off onto the floor.
“Why are you always looking after me, hyung?” Hyunjin murmurs sleepily, head tilted back as he tries to see Changbin’s face.
“Because I care about you, silly,” Changbin answers honestly.
Hyunjin is quiet for long enough that Changbin thinks the younger has finally fallen asleep. Then –
“I care about you too, Changbinnie hyung,” Hyunjin says, sounding almost shy. And perhaps Changbin shouldn’t, but he can’t stop himself from tilting his head down to press a kiss to Hyunjin’s hair.
He feels Hyunjin snuggle closer in response, the younger falling asleep so quickly that it’s almost concerning. Feeling the tug of sleep himself, Changbin decides it can’t hurt for him to catch some shut eye while he waits for Hyunjin to wake up. The last thought that crosses his mind before he falls asleep is how unexpectedly right it feels to have Hyunjin lying in his arms.
(As it turns out, both Changbin and Hyunjin forget to set an alarm before they fall asleep. They’re awoken, over an hour later, by a very concerned Chan who shoos them back to the dorm with a stern look. Changbin’s back twinges from lying in such an uncomfortable position for so long, but Hyunjin clings to his side the entire way home, sleep-soft and affectionate and somehow it makes the pain worthwhile.)
~~~
Something changes between them after that. Hyunjin’s always been one of the more clingy members of the group, always keen for hugs and physical touch, but this just seems to increase tenfold, with Changbin becoming his favourite target.
Changbin thinks it might be a combination of Hyunjin feeling as though he’s been given permission by Changbin to come to him, or perhaps it’s that Hyunjin just feels more comfortable with him now. Whatever the reason, it means that Changbin will more often than not end up with a lapful of sleepy Hyunjin, much to the amusement of the rest of the group.
“Changbin hyung!” He hears Jisung call from the kitchen, followed by Hyunjin grumbling and a burst of laughter from Minho. “Please come collect your sleepy dongsaeng!”
With a sigh, Changbin gets up from where he’s been lounging in front of the television watching Felix and Seungmin game. He shuffles into the kitchen to find Minho in the midst of cooking lunch, with Jisung perched on the counter keeping him company, and Hyunjin seated at the table wearing a pout after presumably just being woken up.
“Hyunjin-ah, what have I said about sleeping at the table,” Changbin scolds lightly as he holds out his arms. Hyunjin stands up and falls into his embrace, clinging tightly and letting Changbin support his body.
“You weren’t here,” Hyunjin whines into Changbin’s neck, lets the older slowly sway them from side to side.
“Then come find me, you big baby,” Changbin teases gently. Hyunjin huffs but doesn’t say anything in response, just tightens his grip on Changbin.
“Alright, there’s too many people in the kitchen. Out, out,” Minho orders as he flaps his hands at them.
“How come Hannie is still allowed to stay?” Changbin complains even as he begins shuffling away, Hyunjin clinging like a limpet to him. Minho doesn’t even bother responding, just glares at Changbin for a moment before turning his back to them.
“Blatant favouritism,” Hyunjin mumbles against Changbin’s neck as they slowly make their way to the sofa, progress hindered by the fact that Changbin is now essentially all but carrying Hyunjin.
“He doesn’t even try and hide it,” Changbin agrees, trying to peer over Hyunjin’s shoulder to see which direction he should be steering them towards.
“How dare he,” Seungmin chimes in dryly, clearly listening in on their conversation while somehow still managing to beat Felix in the race they’re playing. He turns to face them, ignoring Felix’s frustrated squawking in the background, and eyes them both, gaze purposefully flicking to the tight grip they have on one another. “I wonder who your favourite is, Changbin hyung?”
Changbin chooses to ignore the pointed comment and instead focuses on carefully settling Hyunjin on the couch. He’s starting to move back when Hyunjin reaches out a hand and grabs his wrist, keeping him in place.
“Stay?” Hyunjin asks, eyes pleading and lips pouting and Changbin knows he’s lost the battle before he’s even had a chance to show up.
“Just for a little while,” he tells Hyunjin, tries to ignore how Hyunjin’s bright smile makes his stomach do cartwheels. He sits down, lets Hyunjin curl against him and wrap his arms loosely around Changbin’s neck, his legs hooked over Changbin’s lap. Hyunjin’s head finds its favourite place, nestled in the crook of Changbin’s neck, as the two settle in to watch another round of Seungmin coming first yet again before being tackled to the floor by an exasperated Felix.
~~~
It’s quite normal in their dorm to switch up sleeping arrangements. Sometimes it’s because one member will accidentally fall asleep on someone else’s bed after staying up too late chatting, which usually results in a complete reshuffle for the night. Other times it’s more intentional, cuddling for comfort because someone had a bad dream, or a bad day. One time Felix was going through a bad bout of homesickness and each member picked one night to stay with him over an entire week until he felt better.
Changbin, as the third eldest of the group, will often have the younger ones coming to him if they need comfort from a hyung. Chan is too often in the studio at night and Minho’s preferred approach to comforting is more practical than emotional. For those who need a shoulder to cry on or someone to listen and sit with them during hard times, Changbin prides himself in being able to provide that.
That doesn’t mean it’s easy for Changbin to see any of the younger members upset. Especially Hyunjin, who is both the most sensitive to harsh words and the member most likely to cry in the group.
Changbin is lying in bed, mindlessly scrolling through his phone as his wind down before going to sleep, when a subdued Hyunjin comes into the room and slides under the covers with him, wrapping his arms around Changbin’s waist and hiding his face against his shirt.
Changbin places his phone to one side, pulls Hyunjin closer and makes sure he’s properly covered by the quilt before speaking.
“What happened?” He asks quietly and Hyunjin lets out a muffled sigh, tilts his head to one side to stare up at Changbin with red eyes.
“You can’t yell at me, okay? I’m already upset,” he says miserably, tears already pooling in his eyes and threatening to spill down his cheeks. Changbin exhales, already able to guess why Hyunjin is so upset.
“Hyunjinnie, you know you’re not meant to read those comments,” he admonishes gently but even that is too much for Hyunjin who starts crying and Changbin’s stomach drops in response.
“Jinnie,” he croons softly, rubs one hand reassuringly over Hyunjin’s back. He lets Hyunjin’s tears form a wet patch on his shirt, lets out soft hums of comfort every now and then to let Hyunjin know he’s not alone. It takes a while, but eventually Hyunjin pulls back, sniffing and scrubbing his face.
“Back with me?” Changbin asks and Hyunjin nods, bottom lip jutting out.
“Yes,” he sniffles.
“You know what they’re saying isn’t true.”
“But what if they have a point?”
“Those same people say that I’m not attractive enough to be an idol, do they have a point there?”
Hyunjin physically rears back, expression one of disbelief. “Why would you say that hyung? You’re beautiful!”
Changbin’s brain stutters to a halt at that, before he manages to pull himself together. “If I shouldn’t believe what they say about me, then why are you believing what they say about you?”
Hyunjin furrows his brow but he doesn’t have a response to that. Changbin reaches out to wipe away the remaining tears lingering on his cheeks, soothes the puffy skin under Hyunjin’s eyes with his thumbs. Hyunjin sniffs again, attentively watching Changbin without saying anything.
“Binnie hyung?” He finally asks quietly when Changbin’s fingers leave his face.
“Hmm?”
“Can I stay here tonight?”
“You know you never need to ask, Jinnie.”
Hyunjin finally smiles, small but nevertheless breathtaking. Changbin expects him to roll off to one side and get comfortable, perhaps steal Changbin’s pillow while he’s at it, but curiously Hyunjin remains where he is lying atop Changbin, propped up on one arm.
“Binnie hyung?” He asks again.
“Hmm?”
Hyunjin brings his free hand up to brush Changbin’s fringe to one side. He stares down at Changbin for a moment, eyes unbearably tender.
“I meant what I said before,” he says softly, eyes drifting over Changbin’s face as though trying to memorise it. “You really are beautiful.”
For once in his life, Changbin has no idea how to respond. He stares up at Hyunjin, lips slightly parted but unable to make a sound. Hyunjin lets out a soft giggle before he leans down and presses the sweetest kiss to the corner of Changbin’s mouth.
Changbin’s pretty sure his brain short circuits. Hyunjin, the devil that he is, just lets out another giggle before rolling to one side and curling up against Changbin.
“Goodnight Binnie hyung,” he murmurs, rests one hand over Changbin’s chest where his heart is racing.
“Night Jinnie,” Changbin somehow manages to get out.
Needless to say, it takes him a long while to fall asleep. When he finally does, it’s with a smile gracing his lips.
~~~
Another day, another dance practice.
They’ve been at it for three hours already, running through their older choreography to brush up for their upcoming concert. Everyone is tired, so it’s no surprise that as soon as Chan calls for a break, the eight of them collapse onto the nearest piece of furniture. Or in Changbin’s case, given that he’s closest to the mirrors and therefore furthest away from the sofa, the floor.
Changbin stays there for a while, eyes closed and trying to catch his breath, when a familiar weight presses down on him. Without opening his eyes, Changbin moves his hands up to grip Hyunjin’s hips, feels a warm breath huff against his neck.
“Binnie hyung, what do you always tell me about lying on the floor?” He hears Hyunjin ask cheekily, and he squints one eye open to find Hyunjin smiling down at him, elbows propped up on either side of Changbin’s head. With a sigh, he lets his eye fall closed and turns his head to brush his nose against Hyunjin's wrist.
“I’m too tired to move,” he whines, lets Hyunjin’s laughter wash over him like a ray of sunlight on a winters day.
“My poor Binnie,” Hyunjin teases but his eyes are fond when Changbin turns to looks at him. “Come on hyung, let’s go lie on the sofa.”
Hyunjin tries to get up but Changbin doesn’t let him, uses his hold on Hyunjin’s hips to keep the younger pressed flush against him. “Kiss first,” he says and Hyunjin smirks but leans in obediently, lips warm and needy as they slowly brush against Changbin’s.
“Channie hyung, they’re being sappy again,” Changbin hears Jeongin complain distantly and he has half a mind to sit up and scold their maknae. But then Hyunjin’s lips part against his as he lets out the softest moan and Changbin’s entire world narrows down to the boy in his arms and the way his entire body trembles as Changbin deepens their kiss.
“Hey, hey, no making out during practice!” Changbin thinks he hears Chan call from across the room but he’s not paying attention, can’t pay attention to anything other than Hyunjin.
Until Hyunjin lets out a yelp against his lips when six boys fling themselves on top of him, crushing both him and Changbin in the process as they loudly complain about the sight they’ve just been forced to witness.
Changbin can hardly breathe under the combined weight but watching Hyunjin laugh, eyes bright and smile wide, he can’t think of anywhere else he’d rather be in that moment.
(He changes his mind five minutes later when he tries to stand up and his back twinges in pain. “This is why you shouldn’t lie down on the floor!” He insists to Hyunjin, who just laughs and kisses him quiet.)
~~~