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1. They’re sitting in a green room, waiting for their call to go onstage. There aren’t any staff in the room, and Beomgyu is asleep next to Kai. Yeonjun and Taehyun are off being social. Soobin sits on the other side of Kai and scrolls his phone. Kai’s boredom gets the best of him and he starts looking around the room like there’s nothing interesting to look at on his phone. He stares at Soobin’s phone and then at his face.
Soobin zones in on things easily, loses all focus on what is going on around him and fixates on one thing. Kai picks up on this when it’s happening and tries not to startle him. He’s watching some playthrough now and puts his phone down, balancing it on his knee as he reaches into his bag. Kai gets bored of observing him and looks away but looks back when he smells something sweet.
Soobin glances over once he finishes putting the chapstick, Kai is very clearly staring at his lips. Soobin raises his eyebrows and holds his hand out to give him the tube of chapstick. Kai looks down at his hand and back up to Soobin’s lips, which are now shiny, and the smell is still so strong. He reaches up, grabbing Soobin’s hand and pushing it down into his lap, leaning over their hands and pressing his lips to Soobin’s.
He feels Soobin jerk back and hears a clatter when his phone falls off his knee and hits the floor. Soobin raises their hands together and uses them to push Kai away from him. Kai pays no mind and just opens his eyes, staring at Soobin and rubbing his lips together. Soobin’s eyes dart all around the room and he breathes heavily, still holding Kai’s hand.
“Ooh, I like that,” Kai twists their hands around to look at the tube, “what brand is this?” he looks up to see Soobin staring at him. His eyes are wide and his mouth is open, his other hand up to his face, fingers touching his bottom lip. Kai quirks an eyebrow, “Can I steal this?” he asks, placing his fingers on the chapstick. Soobin shakes his head, “What, no.” He yanks his hand back and Kai raises his arms up in defeat.
“You’re lucky nobody else is in here, what were you thinking?” Soobin says so and his hands fall into his lap, the shock Kai was seeing is now replaced by some kind of wonder mixed with frustration. Kai stands and picks up Soobin’s phone, flipping it over and looking at the screen. He holds it out to Soobin. “ You’re lucky your phone didn’t shatter. Be more careful.” Soobin snatches the phone from his hand as well.
Soobin watches as Kai walks towards the door, instead of him opening it, Yeonjun and Taehyun both come in. Kai ducks under Yeonjuns arm which is holding the door open and Yeonjun scoffs, letting the door close behind him. Soobin stares at the wall and blinks a few too many times for his own good, he thinks. Yeonjun waves a hand in front of his face after a minute or two of him being zoned out. “What happened?” Soobin looks at him and follows his gaze down to his own hand. He feels Yeonjun take the chapstick and watches him apply it himself. Soobin lets his head fall against the wall behind him with a loud bang.
2. He loses the chapstick, has to buy another one. This one smells like peaches and he tries not to use it around Kai, but it slips his mind eventually. They’re at home. The others are in the kitchen, scarfing down some ice cream, Soobin has a killer headache and is laying on his back on the couch with a cold towel against his forehead. The others are trying to be quiet but they giggle at eachother constantly. Kai stares at him and feels guilty because he can’t help.
After a while the others go to bed, Kai vows to take care of him and Yeonjun ruffles his hair telling him how good of a maknae he is. Kai grins and goes to get another cool towel for Soobin. Soobin tosses and turns on the couch, throwing an arm over his head. Kai leans next to him, pulling his arm away and replacing it with the towel. Soobin moans and whines, making Kai chuckle.
Time passes again and it’s time for them to sleep. Soobin mumbles about sleeping there on the couch and Kai is too tired and endeared to tell him to move to his room, knowing he’d probably sleep better in the living room anyways. He goes to get him another cool towel and comes back, pushing his hair out his face. Soobin opens his eyes and smiles up at Kai sloppily, his eyes flicking in and out.
Kai leans down, pressing another kiss to Soobin’s lips. Soobin’s eyes are closed when Kai pulls back. He opens them and whimpers. “‘M too tired.” Kai laughs and lays on top of his chest. “It’s peach now, hmm?” Soobin makes a noise of affirmation and falls asleep in seconds flat. Kai pushes his hair back again, laying the towel on his head. When he wakes up in the morning he’s still out of it on the couch.
Soobin doesn’t mention it, Kai isn’t even entirely sure if he remembers it. He spots the peach flavored chapstick in Soobin’s bag a few days later and smiles, knowing he was right about the flavor he had tasted on Soobin. He keeps smelling it around and has to hold back from kissing him every five seconds from how good it smells.
“I like the peach better,” he says, nonchalantly when Soobin is applying it in their studio one day. Soobin blinks at him and blushes, his ears turning red. “Just read the lyrics.” Kai bites at his lip and smiles.
3. The next time, it’s right before an interview. They’re all lazing around their lounge, Beomgyu and Yeonjun are bickering about something and Taehyun is rubbing his temples sarcastically. They’re called to move to the other room and Soobin checks his pockets, knowing they’ll be across the building for a while.
His chapstick isn’t in his pocket, he lifts the cushion of the couch and doesn’t see it still so he just disregards it, Kai is beside him asking what he’s looking for. He freezes and realizes what he has to say. He closes his eyes, taking a deep breath.
“My chapstick.” Soobin says it, the others are already out of the room along with the staff, Soobin accepts his fate in that moment. “Ah, that’s my bad, I borrowed it and left it in my bag, it’s with,” he pauses, trying to remember who he left his bag with. Soobin waves his hand and goes to leave.
Kai grabs a hold of his wrist, stopping him from getting out of the room and pulling him back towards him. “Here,” Kai says. He leans forward kissing Soobin for the third time now. Soobin had prepared himself, and isn’t caught off guard or scared this time that someone will see them.
When Soobin actually moves his mouth in turn with Kai’s, Kai is a little shocked. He stumbles back and Soobin wraps his hand around Kai’s waist, pulling him back towards him just like Kai had done a moment before. Kai drops Soobin’s arm and lets himself be kissed for a second until Soobin pulls back.
“When we get done, put it back in my bag, yeah?” Kai stands, frozen. He nods and Soobin smirks, reaching up and squishing his cheeks with one hand. “Thanks,” he says. Kai nods. Yeonjun asks if he’s okay when halfway through the interview he hasn’t said much more than five words. Just stared at Soobin, who is, by great shock to Kai, very lively, and keeps leaning back to rub Kai’s knee.
Kai supposes he cant take the taste of his own medicine, and puts the chapstick back, feeling dizzy. Soobin applies some later on in the day, leaning over to Kai and asking if he needs anymore. Yeonjun gives him a weird look and Soobin winks. Making Kai’s knees feel kind of weak.
Yeonjun stares at them the rest of the day, giving them side-eyes but not questioning anything. Kai starts to think he bit off more than he can chew and prays that Yeonjun is clueless as to what’s going on. But the next time Soobin pulls out his chapstick a few days later, Yeonjun watches him and Kai sees as he looks from Soobin to himself. He turns red. Soobin seems to notice and raises his eyebrow at Kai.
“I think you may be playing a dangerous game,” Yeonjun says to Kai a few hours later. He spots Kai with his fingers to his lips, blushing yet again. Kai turns even more red and smacks Yeonjun’s arm, “I think you should mind your business, hyung!” Yeonjun laughs and tells him to be quieter while the others are sleeping.
4. Kai has decided he doesn’t like Soobin’s new found confidence. He has absolutely no clue where it came from, or why it’s only seemingly targeted at him, but he’s growing tired of it very quickly. Winks and air kisses constantly being sent towards him every minute of everyday. Soobin grabs hold of him and tugs him close every chance he can get. Kai blushes every time and the others just give them weird looks and let them be. Kai kind of regrets starting this in the first place.
Soobin comes home one night with a bag, and places it on the counter. Beomgyu is nosy, of course, and immediately takes it off the counter, peering inside. “God damn, how many chapsticks do you need? You stocking up for winter?” Kai, Soobin, and Beomgyu all look up when Yeonjun bursts out laughing. He slaps a hand over his mouth and holds his other hand up, apologizing. “Sorry, sorry sorry.” Beomgyu gives him an odd look as he comes over, grabbing a hold of his arm and dragging him away from the counter and taking the bag from him. He hands it to Soobin.
He makes eye contact with Kai and smirks an evil smirk. “Me and this one are gonna go play games,” he’s interrupted by a quiet we are? from Beomgyu. “Have fun!” Yeonjun shuts the door behind him and Kai can almost feel the confusion coming off of Beomgyu from the other room. He looks down at the ground, at his phone, the TV, anywhere but Soobin. He hears the bag rustling getting closer and closer and feels Soobin sit next to him.
“I got a bunch, I know you like the berry and the peach but I figured we could try a bunch, see which one you like the best.” Soobin is a little less confident now, speaking quietly and not being flirty and obnoxious with him. Kai tries his hardest to not feel weird about this and asks Soobin which is favorite is.
“Hmm, I haven’t tried all of these before. This strawberry lemonade smells really good though.” Kai watches him pick it out of the bag and snatches it from him before he can put it on. Kai rubs it against his lips maybe a little too aggressively. Soobin leans back away from him and gives him a look.
“Try.” Kai says. He leans forward, kissing Soobin, again, maybe a little too aggressively. Soobin is taken aback for a second but Kai doesn’t pull back so he doesn’t either. Kai feels his hand come around and go into his hair on the back of his head. Soobin moves his hand to move Kai’s head to the side so he can kiss him deeper. Kai makes a noise in the back of his throat like he’s going to cry and pulls away. Shoving his face into Soobin’s shoulder.
“I feel sick.” Kai says, it’s muffled into Soobin’s shirt. Soobin runs his hand through Kai’s hair. He says nothing for a moment and then pulls his hand away, putting it on Kai’s cheek, lifting his face so he can look him in the eye. Kai blinks up at him, rubbing his lips together and wincing when he realizes what he’s doing.
“Bedtime then,” Soobin says, he stands, bringing Kai with him. Dragging him towards his room. The bag full of chapstick is left on the couch and Kai glances at it as he’s dragged away. Soobin lays him down in his own bed, and leaves the room after doing so. He comes back a moment later, Kai’s blanket and a plushie in hand. He places them down and lays next to Kai.
It must be the anxiety, because he falls asleep a few minutes later. He wakes up to sunlight coming through the curtain. He’s facing Soobin, and an alarm goes off a few minutes later. Soobin turns, groaning and shutting the noise off. He turns back and his eyes open, making contact with Kai’s.
5. Kai leans forwards and kisses him. Soobin wraps a hand around Kai’s waist again pulling him closer. The sound of the sheets rustling and the fact that Kai can feel Soobin’s heartbeat against his chest breaks him out of his haze. He pulls back so quickly that Soobin makes a noise of shock and asks if he hurt him.
“We can’t do that again. No more. I can’t.” Kai says so while laying on his back, his two hands covering his face. He feels tears welling up in his eyes and takes a deep breath, cursing. “I’m sorry for starting this stupid game but I can’t play it anymore. I don’t want to kiss you again and it mean nothing. I don’t think I can do it. I think I’m going to have a breakdown.”
Soobin tries to speak but Kai cuts him off with a cry and apologizes again. “I’m sorry, I’m really sorry. I was just taking advantage of the fact that you were kissing back. I thought I could get away with doing it knowing you don’t care like I do. I thought I could manage it. I thought if I just kissed you once or twice I’d be satisfied and I could go forever without caring or thinking about to all the time anymore but I was so wrong. And then you-- shit. I’m sorry.”
He wipes at his face, feeling ridiculous and regretful. Soobin sits up, leaning over him and wiping at his face now. Kai let’s his hands fall to his sides. Soobin is smiling softly at him. Kai asks a blunt what? and Soobin huffs. “You know we were both playing, yeah? When we did that interview I was definitely kissing you more than you were kissing me.”
Kai shakes his head, sniffling. “Yeah, well, I don’t want to play anymore. I’m quitting.” Soobin nods solemnly. He takes a deep breath, and lets it out with a sigh, running a hand through his own hair. “Well, I guess if the games over I don’t have to go brush my teeth first then.”
+1. He leans down, pushing Kai’s hair out of his face. He presses his mouth to Kai’s and pulls back a moment later. “Right? The original thing was about tasting good? I probably taste horrible right now. Sorry. You kissed me first though so you probably don’t mind.”
+2. He leans back down, kissing Kai again. Kai lifts his hands, pushing Soobin back on his shoulders. Soobin tilts his head. “You- what?” Kai sputters and sits up, they’re level now. Soobin grins at him. “It’s not a game now, I’m only kissing you because I want to.” +3. He leans back in, putting his hand behind Kai’s head and pulling him forward. Kai closes his eyes and tries to think while he feels Soobins teeth touch his bottom lip. He jerks back and covers his face with his hands again.
“No no, I-- I don’t want you to kiss me just because-- ugh I shouldn’t have-- Hyung.” Kai buries his face in Soobin’s shoulder again. “Would you do that with Beomgyu?” Kai makes a questioning sound, still into his shoulder. “Would you kiss him like you did with me? Yeonjun hyung? Would you kiss him for a game?”
Kai shakes his head. His hair tangling from rubbing against Soobin’s (now tear-stained) shirt. “Why do you think I kissed you back then? Are you that oblivious? I wouldn’t kiss Beomgyu like that. Or Yeonjun hyung, or Taehyun.” He lifts Kai’s face off of his shoulder again, looking him in the eye. “Why would I kiss you and not them?”
He waits for an answer and gets nothing but a blank stare. He sighs wiping his thumbs under Kai’s eyes. “Is it maybe because I like you?” Kai blinks at him, his mouth opening and closing. “Do you?” Kai whispers. Soobin laughs, squishing Kai’s face. +4. He kisses him again, quick and soft. Kai is feeling faint again. “Yes.”
“Oh,” is all Kai can get out. He gets about twenty more kisses after that, but he loses count after a bit.
+100. Yeonjun and Beomgyu are pointing their fingers in their mouths, faking throwing up. Taehyun just rolls his eyes. Soobin figures he’s heard the most about it. Kai loves talking and Taehyun loves listening. He’s probably used to it.
“Ah, as much as it’s terrible and disgusting and vile and domestic. I’ll admit I’m a little jealous.” Yeonjun glances over at Beomgyu after he says so and grabs his face, placing a sloppy kiss on his cheek. Taehyun and Beomgyu make a terrible noise at the same time. And they all stare at Taehyun wondering why he made a noise.
“If any of you kiss me, I’ll punch you in the mouth.” Yeonjun backhugs Beomgyu, making kissy noises at him as he cringes and tries to escape from his grip. He’s shouting and shoving at Yeonjun as Yeonjun keeps saying you’re mine! over and over on a loop. Kai giggles and leans up to kiss Soobin on the nose. +101.