Work Text:
“You're late for work,” Baekhyun tells the heap of blankets piled in front of him. He sees tufts of hair peeking out from beneath the covers and fingertips curled into the seams of the blanket. The blankets shift some at his words, and there's a distinctly annoyed huffing sound. Baekhyun smiles. “Kyungsoo’s gonna kick your ass.”
“Just five more minutes,” the blanket heap whines, and Baekhyun lets out a breath of laughter, dropping his backpack at the foot of the bed. He leans over him, shaking at what he assumes is an arm. The whole bed rocks with the movement.
“C’mon, if you get fired then I can't come and get a best friend’s discount on all those desserts.” There's silence, and this time Baekhyun whines, “Jongdae.”
There's a garbled sound from the bed, and, with a mocking sigh, Baekhyun yanks the covers back to expose a disgruntled Jongdae; clothes rumpled and dark curls mussed unruly against his forehead. His nose wrinkles at the burst of light, and he tosses an arm over his eyes like a shield. “You know, I really hate when you're more responsible than me,” Jongdae announces, his voice scratchy from sleep. He rubs his knuckles against his eyes drowsily. “Like, it's unnatural and annoying. Maybe more annoying than when you're being irresponsible.”
Baekhyun flashes him a shit eating grin, all pearly whites and crescent moon eyes, like his words are a compliment. “You flatter me, really,” he sighs, pressing a dramatic hand to his chest. “Come on, get dressed. I'll make you some coffee.” He gives his friend a comforting pat on the arm and Jongdae grumbles some more, half heartedly sitting up in his bed.
“I'm changing the locks if you keep coming over here and waking me up,” Jongdae mumbles around a yawn as Baekhyun opens his bedroom door. “I'll revoke your best friend card too,” he adds, with a little less malice. This time when Baekhyun laughs, it's loud and unabashed.
“C’mon, Jongdae,” Baekhyun sighs, clicking his tongue at him with a subtle shake of his head. “We both know you can't live without me.”
-
“Welcome to Tiers of Joy, where we bake your dreams come true,” Jongdae says cheerfully into the phone and absently pulls at the bright red straps of his uniform apron. “What can I do you for?”
Baekhyun sticks his finger in a dollop of icing on top of his cupcake and wiggles his eyebrows teasingly at Jongdae as he says his rehearsed lines. Jongdae rolls his eyes at him and looks away, scribbling the order on the notepad quickly.
“Alright, that’ll come out to about twenty-five dollars. Mhmm. You can just pay the delivery boy tomorrow,” Jongdae says, tapping his pen against the edge of the counter in quick succession. “Sounds good. Thank you for your patronage!” he adds, and hangs up a second later, turning to look at an amused Baekhyun. He raises a brow. “What is it?”
Baekhyun shakes his head, licking icing off his pinky with a chuckle. “I love Work Jongdae,” he sighs around his finger tip. “He’s so much nicer than you are.”
Jongdae leans over and flicks Baekhyun on the forehead, a smug smile curling up the corner of his lips when Baekhyun pouts. “I am a delight.” he insists petulantly, and Baekhyun rubs the pink spot on his skin.
Baekhyun opens his mouth to reply with something witty, when a sharp whistle cuts through the air and both boys turn to see an annoyed Kyungsoo, hand on his hip. “Hey, tweedle dee and tweedle dumbass,” he says, seeming to be in his perpetually irritated state. “I know you two love to flirt and whatever, but we have desserts to be baked and tables to be sat.”
Jongdae coughs into his fist at the word flirt, and mumbles something about how it's not like that. He pulls away to disappear to the kitchen in the back. Baekhyun stares at him—sees the sheepish way his best friend rubs at the back of his neck—and he gives Kyungsoo an annoyed look.
Kyungsoo just shrugs like he can read his mind. “I’m not wrong,” he says simply, coming close to pick up Baekhyun’s plate. “Do you want anything else?”
Baekhyun shrugs his shoulders and slumps back some. “Just some tea, for now,” he says, and leans back, clacking his nails on the bar top. “Extra sugar cubes, please.”
Kyungsoo waves the hand over his shoulder as he shuffles back to the kitchen. “Yeah, yeah, I know the drill.”
Jongdae comes back out a few minutes later, balancing a tray on his palms, stacked high with fancy pastries. “I’ll bring your tea out in a minute,” he says over his shoulder as he passes, before plastering on his most charming smile to serve his table. Baekhyun thinks he hears the girls giggle, but that’s nothing new. Jongdae is a customer favorite—always has been.
When Jongdae returns, tea pot and teacup in hand, he seems to have forgotten Kyungsoo’s remark about flirting. Baekhyun is grateful for that-- a flustered Jongdae isn’t as much fun.
“Are you coming over tonight?” Jongdae asks as he pours his tea, dropping sugar cubes into the cup with a soft plop plop plop.
Baekhyun shakes his head, cupping his chin. “Nah. I have some work to do.”
Jongdae raises a brow. “Since when are you efficient?”
“Since I have bills to pay,” Baekhyun replies smartly, taking a sip of his sugary tea and flashing his friend a smile. “Oh, yeah, I have a movie to see tomorrow. Do you want to come with?” He asks, taking the teaspoon and pressing it against his tongue absentmindedly.
Jongdae makes a face. “What kind of movie?”
“A cheesy romantic chick flick,” Baekhyun mouths the words around his spoon, waggling his brows at him. “Your favorite, I know.”
Jongdae hums. “Will you include my oh-so witty commentary into your column?”
“I always do.”
Jongdae smiles at him. “In that case, my shift ends at 7,” he decides, tossing his rag over his shoulder again with a flourish. “Don’t be late.”
-
Baekhyun is outside Tiers of Joy by 6:55, wrapped up in a thick scarf and warm coat as he leans against the bakery’s brick walls. It's ridiculously cold outside, wind whipping across the street and turning his face a light pink from ear to ear. He prays Jongdae will hurry.
A few minutes pass, and the front door opens with the chime of a bell. Jongdae steps out, quickly adjusting his coat and mumbling a soft, “fuck,” when he’s met with the frigid air. “It was not this cold yesterday,” he says, teeth clenched against the cold.
Baekhyun nods in agreement, straightening up off the walls. “No kidding,” he huffs, and his breath comes out like smoke. “Come on, let's get to the theatre before they have to amputate my fingers.”
Jongdae quickly falls into step beside him, a shudder wracking down his spine when the wind kicks up again against them. “I should’ve worn gloves,” he sighs, mostly to himself, staring down at his fingers that are a rosy pink.
There's an awkward moment of hesitation and silence before Baekhyun shoves his hand out to him, palm open shyly. “It’ll be warmer, this way,” he says in short explanation, staring at his sneakers instead of Jongdae’s face.
Jongdae doesn't say anything when he takes Baekhyun’s hand in his. Baekhyun doesn't say anything until they reach the theatre.
-
“This is so fucking boring,” Jongdae whispers loudly in Baekhyun’s ear halfway through the film. “Like, has Nicholas Spark’s ever heard the phrase ‘variety is the spice of life’? Would it kill him to change it up?”
Baekhyun suppresses his laughter into his hand, popping a handful of sour patch kids into his mouth. His eyes squint up at the strong flavor. “Come on, now, at least this time she doesn't have amnesia,” he jokes, wiping sugar crystals off his note pad to scribble more notes for his column.
“I hope I get amnesia so I don't have to remember this tragic mess of a movie,” Jongdae snorts, leaning back against his recliner and sipping his (ridiculously overpriced) soda as the movie drones on. The protagonist shouts some love profession at her lover as a soft summer rain falls around them, and Jongdae rolls his eyes.
Every few minutes Jongdae leans over his arm rest and presses his mouth close to Baekhyun’s ear, whispering a joke or some ridiculously spot on prediction that makes them both snicker until the people around them shush them.
Eventually, Jongdae stops pulling back and instead, presses his cheek against Baekhyun’s shoulder, nuzzling comfortably into the crook of his neck to watch the film. He yawns softly, mouth opening wide, and Baekhyun bristles shyly at the feeling of Jongdae’s breath against the nape of his neck.
He sees Jongdae close his eyes and leans a little closer. “Please don't wake me up tomorrow, okay?” he mumbles, voice thick in sleepiness, and Baekhyun can only nod once. The credits roll and the lights come back on, and Baekhyun gently nudges Jongdae before they both get to their feet. Jongdae stretches his arms high above his head, twisting to grab his coat off the back of the seat.
“I’ll talk to you tomorrow,” Jongdae says once they’re outside the theatre, mouthing the words around another yawn and thumbing away a sleepy little tear that buds out of the corner of his eye. “Text me when you make it home okay, yeah?”
Baekhyun nods, yawning a bit himself. “Yeah, yeah. See you tomorrow,” he says, flashing him a small smile.
-
“Alright, alright, get this,” Baekhyun grins, stabbing his fork unceremoniously into the top of a neatly decorated red velvet cupcake. “Christmas underwear, with a little mistletoe on the ass cheeks so you can literally tell people to ‘kiss your ass’,” he punctuates his statement with a mocking jazz hands, and gauges Jongdae’s reaction.
Jongdae laughs a little, setting down his coffee mug on the little table between them. “I mean, that's ingenious and all, but mistletoe is seasonal, you know?” he explains, taking his own fork to slice into Baekhyun’s cupcake. “It’d be a waste of money to buy it if you could only appropriately wear it once a year.”
Baekhyun wrinkles his nose thoughtfully. “Yeah, but people buy ugly Christmas sweaters even though they’re a seasonal thing only deemed appropriate once a year,” he points out smartly, unsticking his fork and picking at the glob of icing now skewered to the end of it.
Jongdae grins, his eyes curving into crescents that wrinkle cutely at the corners. He leans close, holding up a hand to hide his words from the rest of the cafe, and gestures for Baekhyun to lean in as well. When he does, he glances around dramatically before he whispers playfully, “who's gonna break that news to Junmyeon?”
They both break out into a fit of laughter, Jongdae doing his best to muffle it behind his palms until Kyungsoo calls his name to tell him his ten minute break is over. Jongdae heaves a little sigh, the last of the laughter trickling out of him before he stands.
He turns to go, but pauses, glancing back at Baekhyun over his shoulder. “Also, speaking of Christmas,” he begins, and Baekhyun thinks he looks a little bit flustered, the tips of his ears a little red. “Kyungsoo’s, uh, he's having a party here, this weekend. Kind of a company thing. Do you want to come?”
Baekhyun flashes him a grin. “Will there be a hot chocolate bar?” he asks teasingly.
This time when Jongdae smiles, he looks a little relieved. “I'll even set out whipped cream and crushed up candy canes for you.”
“Then, did you even have to ask?”
-
“You look… festive,” Jongdae jokes sarcastically when he sees Baekhyun, sizing up his jeans and plain sweater with a grin. “Kyungsoo will probably complain. Here, you can borrow my reindeer ears,” he laughs, plucking the headband off his head and offering it to Baekhyun.
Baekhyun rolls his eyes, but he’s smiling when he takes the headband, setting it down comfortably against his hair. “Better?” he asks once it's situated, and Jongdae nods with a wide grin.
“Yeah, much better. Come on, today you actually get free desserts,” he teases, grabbing Baekhyun’s sleeve and pulling him into the crowd. “I'll make you some hot chocolate.”
Baekhyun has taken a seat on a bar stool, propping his chin on his palm. “You do know you're not my waiter tonight, right?” Baekhyun teases, watching Jongdae weave between everyone to gather cups and a whipped cream canister.
Jongdae shakes the canister and grins sheepishly. “Old habits die hard,” he reasons, pouring an excessive amount of cream into Baekhyun’s cup. “Plus, Kyungsoo asked me to help serve the guests a little so technically I am.”
“You could really use a day off.”
Jongdae shrugs his shoulders. “Tomorrow, hopefully.”
Baekhyun nods, swiping the cup of hot chocolate away from him and taking a long sip. There’s a pleasant warmth on the way down, and he smiles at the taste, perfectly sweetened.
They chat for a while, Jongdae sipping at his own mug, and Baekhyun can't help but think how content he is in this moment. Everything about Jongdae is nice, the way he talks and carries himself, the way he smiles too wide when he laughs-- it’s just nice, warm, familiar, comfortable. Baekhyun thinks he could stay on the bar stool for ever, if Jongdae would stay on the other side, too.
“I’m gonna go get some Christmas cookies before they're all gone-- peanut butter or lily?” Jongdae asks suddenly, straightening up.
Baekhyun rolls the question over in his mind for a second. “Mmm… lily. The apricot kind,” he says, punctuating the sentence with a snap of his finger. Jongdae nods.
“On it,” he replies with a playful two finger salute before he slips away, off to the dessert table across the room.
Baekhyun watches him walk, an unconscious smile twisting across his face before he takes another sip of hot chocolate contentedly. When he sets the mug back down, he sees Kyungsoo waving him over from the kitchen door, gesturing for him to come close.
“Can you hold the door open while Chanyeol and I carry out more trays?” he asks once Baekhyun is within earshot, propping the door open with one foot and staring at him expectantly.
“Sure,” Baekhyun says, leaning in to take his place, and Kyungsoo ducks into the kitchen.
Baekhyun flattens himself against the door to make room for the wide trays both boys relay in and out. He cranes his head to look back at the party, he sees Jongdae setting a paper plate piled high in lily cookies in front of his empty seat, and he can't help a small smile.
He’s coaxed out of his thoughts when he hears a soft gasp from his side, and he glances over at Chanyeol, whose focus is centered on the top of the door frame. Baekhyun tips his head up, too, brows raised when he sees a little mistletoe dangling from the top of the door.
Chanyeol looks back at him and flashes him a grin, all teeth, and chimes, “you know the rules, Baekhyun.”
Baekhyun feels heat curl up on the back of his neck and ears, and he looks aside, a little shyly. “Fine, fine, but no tongue. I don't know where you've been,” he replies, tone a little mocking to mask his embarrassment.
A peel of laughter bursts from Chanyeol’s lips, and he leans forward, pressing a plate of cookies close to his stomach as he does. Baekhyun lets his eyes fall shut, standing up on his tip toes to close the space between them. Before their lips touch, there's a loud clatter and Chanyeol lets out a startled gasp that echoes as the party falls silent.
Baekhyun’s eyes snap open, lurching away from Chanyeol only to find Jongdae standing before him, arms out stretched defensively. The plate of cookies is on the floor, and Chanyeol’s staggered back into the kitchen, eyes wide in surprise.
For a moment, no one says anything, and the angry look on Jongdae’s face quickly shifts into one of mortification when he realizes what he’s done. Slowly, he turns to look at Baekhyun, and a bright red blush sweeps across his face.
“Uh,” he stammers, looking between Baekhyun, Chanyeol, and the mess he’s made. His arms fall back at his sides, and Baekhyun can’t do anything but stare at him. “I… I’m sorry!” he blurts, before storming away.
Even when Jongdae is gone and out the door, Baekhyun just stares in complete shock at where he had once stood. He hears Chanyeol grumble, “what was that about?” and he straightens himself up, coming to his senses.
“Are you okay?” he asks, moving aside and stooping down beside Chanyeol to help clean the mess. He piles cookies back onto the plate and frowns, unconsciously looking over his shoulder, like Jongdae might still be there.
“I’m fine,” Chanyeol says, but he looks a little irritated. “I’ve never seen Jongdae like that.”
“Me either,” Baekhyun admits, standing slowly and dumping the cookies into a trash bin. “I’m sure it was an accident,” he says, but uncertainty trickles into his voice. “I’ll call him once I know he’s home.”
-
Baekhyun calls, but Jongdae doesn’t answer. He doesn’t answer his texts either, or his emails and Chanyeol suggests he let him sulk, give him a day or two until it “all blows over”. Baekhyun takes his advice, lets Friday turn to Saturday and then Sunday, but Jongdae still doesn’t answer. Baekhyun can’t remember the last time he’d gone this long without talking to him.
It doesn’t feel too good.
When Monday comes, Baekhyun comes to Tiers of Joy, hoping to see Jongdae in his uniform, on the phone, looking a little disgruntled the way he always does on a Monday morning. The only person he sees is Kyungsoo, organizing cups along the back counter meticulously.
“I’m guessing Jongdae isn’t here,” Baekhyun says when he takes a seat, dragging his fingers over the edge of the countertop.
Kyungsoo looks unimpressed when he turns to glance at him. “Haven’t you talked to him yet?” he asks instead, a hand on his hip. “I didn’t think it was physically possible for you guys to go ten minutes without talking, or at least texting.”
Baekhyun frowns at him. “I tried to talk but he won’t answer,” he insists, sounding a little defensive.
“Have you been to his apartment?”
“...No.”
If possible, Kyungsoo looks more irritated than before. “You know, he’s probably embarrassed and your silence isn’t gonna help him get over it.”
Baekhyun frowns, crossing his arms over his chest. “He knocked into Chanyeol, so what? It was an accident.”
Kyungsoo lets out a disbelieving laugh, shaking his head. “Come on, Baekhyun, we both know it was more than that,” he says seriously. Baekhyun looks away. “Go talk to him, please. I can’t man the kitchen and out here alone.”
-
Baekhyun lets himself into Jongdae’s apartment and stands outside his bedroom door, hand resting on his doorknob apprehensively. He knows Jongdae is home, has rehearsed what he might say, but a nervousness twists in his gut as he stands there. He takes a deep breath, trying to muster up some courage before he pushes Jongdae’s door open and steps inside.
His bedroom looks like it does any other day-- messy clothes on the floor, Jongdae’s keys and wallet on his bedside table, and Jongdae, nearly indistinguishable underneath all of his blankets and pillows. Baekhyun smiles at the familiar sight of him.
“You know,” Baekhyun begins, walking closer to the edge of the bed, “Kyungsoo will probably fire you for real this time.”
Jongdae tenses up at the sound of his voice. “Baekhyun,” he says, trying for stern, but just sounding tired. . “Not today, okay?”
“I mean, not only are you skipping work, but you skipped out on the Christmas party… Shame on you, really,” Baekhyun continues, until he's at the edge of the bed. When Jongdae doesn't answer, he nudges his shoulder. “Come on, scoot over.”
Jongdae does so, begrudgingly, and Baekhyun slips under the covers beside him comfortably, leaning close on his small bed. “You feel so fucking cold,” Jongdae mumbles when Baekhyun’s hands brush against him, yanking away.
“Well, it's really cold outside.”
Jongdae grumbles something unintelligible, his head finally peeking up from beneath the covers. “Why are you here?” he asks, and his voice is a little softer this time.
Baekhyun lies down so they're face to face, pressing his cheek into his pillow. “I think you're overreacting a little over knocking into Chanyeol. I mean, people knock into him all the time, he's tall and gangly and takes up too much breathing space--”
He expects Jongdae to laugh, but he doesn't. A frown weighs down on his lips, and he looks aside. “It was… it wasn't an accident, Baekhyun,” he admits, picking at his fingertips nervously.
Baekhyun goes quiet, taking Jongdae’s hand. “Why?” he asks simply, and Jongdae closes his eyes.
“I didn't want him to kiss you,” he whispers, and a blush burns from his cheeks down to his chest.
“Why not? It's just a mistletoe. You know I don't think of Chanyeol like that. I said no tongue,” he says, trying again to make Jongdae smile. It works, a little twitch of his lips turning up, but it fades away as quickly as it came.
Jongdae looks down again. “Because, I wanted to… be the one to kiss you…” he whispers, flushing even darker, and he sinks back under his covers slowly.
Baekhyun stares at him in surprise, his own cheeks flushing red. “Oh,” he says, because that's all he can think to say. “Jongdae…”
“Please, don't say anything. I'm embarrassed enough,” Jongdae whines, voice muffled into his palms. By now he’s all but disappeared entirely beneath his comforters again. “Just leave me here to wallow and die.”
“God, you are so melodramatic,” Baekhyun says, locking his fingers around Jongdae’s wrists and pulling his hands away from his face. “And really, really dense.”
“Sure, kick me while I’m down,” Jongdae huffs, lowering his eyes. His lips are pursed into a petulant little pout. Baekhyun thinks it's cute. “I can’t believe I ever liked you.”
Baekhyun grins, now, and gives his wrists a little squeeze. “You still do, Jongdae.”
“Yeah, well, you’re walking on thin ice.” The smile on Baekhyun’s face only widens as he leans closer, until their noses are almost touching. Jongdae looks like he’s holding his breath. “I know there isn't a mistletoe now, but could I still kiss you?”
“If you don't I will.”
Jongdae smiles some, now, as he leans in, freeing his hand from Baekhyun's to fist the collar of his shirt and drag him in. The first touch of Jongdae’s lips on his is soft, warm, and Baekhyun thinks that maybe his heart is going to swell right out of his chest. He presses closer.
Baekhyun can't fight the smile on his face when they break away, still ridiculously close to Jongdae. “I think I kind of love you,” he admits, and when Jongdae laughs the sight of his grin floods Baekhyun with relief and adoration.
“I think I kind of love you too,” he echoes, and gives Baekhyun another kiss before he can speak again.
-
“I was always rooting for you kids,” Chanyeol sighs dramatically, holding his palm to his chest when he sees Jongdae and Baekhyun walk into the bakery, fingers locked together. “Kyungsoo, come look at this,” he calls to the smaller boy not far behind him.
Kyungsoo glances around Chanyeol at them, and his expression softens, just a little bit. “Well, it’s not like I’ve been telling them they like each other for months, or anything,” he huffs.
Baekhyun grins a little bit and gives Jongdae’s hand a squeeze. “You’re right, you’re right. You could double as a matchmaker and baker,” he teases, and Jongdae snickers a little bit.
“Look, it even rhymes,” Jongdae adds, and Kyungsoo rolls his eyes, waving a hand at him.
“Whatever, just get to work,” he tells Jongdae, and mumbles something to Chanyeol about a delivery waiting for him in the back.
Jongdae lets go of Baekhyun’s hand slowly, but he’s smiling. “Come on,” he says, walking to the other side of the bar and picking up his apron. “Today, you get a boyfriend’s discount,” he jokes, tying the red strings around his back.
Baekhyun grins wide. “Is it better than a best friend’s discount?” he asks playfully, taking his usual seat by the cash register.
“Oh, yes. It comes with my applied employee discount and free kissing during my break,” he explains very seriously, and Baekhyun laughs, cupping his chin and watching Jongdae move.
“That sounds absolutely perfect.”