Work Text:
“That looks really pretty.” Chanhee hears Juyeon say. The vocalist quickly whirls his head around, zeroing in on the cookie the fan is covertly showing Juyeon while also hiding it from the staff and managers hovering around.
Chanhee can tell that Juyeon is almost drooling at the cat-shaped cookie. It does look yummy, with a smooth glazing designed to look like an orange tabby. There’s even a tiny dot on one eye that makes Chanhee realize that the cookie is supposed to look like Juyeon.
“It's a very special cookie.” The fan says with a sly smile. Alarm bells start ringing in Chanhee’s head as Juyeon takes the cookie, still hidden under an album page. “You wanna try it?”
“Juyeon.” Chanhee steps in. They aren't allowed to accept unwrapped, homemade food from fans for a reason. He grabs Juyeon’s wrist and squeezes slightly in warning. “What are you doing?”
“It’s safe to eat.” The fan butts in. Chanhee is really trying his best to be nice but his patience is being tested at the thought of a member being taken advantage of. “New-ssi, do you want one too?”
Chanhee quickly glances around them. Why was no one else paying attention to this fan?
“Juyeon, no.” Chanhee hisses as the dancer breaks a small piece off. “Juyeon, this isn't allowed–”
“It's okay, New-ssi.” The fan grin widens, if that was even possible. Chanhee’s heart is hammering, and the grip he has on Juyeon’s wrist turns borderline painful. “Go on, have a taste, Juyeon-ssi!”
Chanhee glares at the fan. He’s about to call their manager for help when he hears a sudden crunch.
Juyeon’s already chewing, eyes wide at the cookie crumbs on the desk in front of him. “Oh, that’s… That was really delicious.” He murmurs, seemingly in a trance. “Wow.”
“Juyeon!” Chanhee cries out, uncaring if people start paying attention at this point. Juyeon whips his head up to look at Chanhee, eyes heavily dilated and irises… pink? “Oh my god, are you okay?”
He turns to ask the fan what the hell is going on, but she's already gone. Chanhee blinks, confused. Before he can voice out his confusion, Juyeon cups his face and Chanhee’s ears ring with the fans’ sudden screams.
“Have I told you how handsome you look today?” Juyeon whispers. Chanhee can see Kevin fake gagging behind Juyeon, and it strikes him really weird how suddenly they’re showered with attention. He can't really think much, though– Juyeon’s thumb is tenderly caressing his cheek and Chanhee feels like he’s about to burn down like a forest in a wildfire.
“Juyeon, I already told you to not touch my face when I have makeup on–” Chanhee tries to be angry.
He needs to hold onto something so we won't succumb into Juyeon’s impossibly soft gaze.
“Hands off.”
Juyeon devolves into a pout and Chanhee’s heart is physically tugged down by the corners of Juyeon’s lip tails. Chanhee has to look away.
“I’m sorry. Please don't hate me.” His hands slowly go down as well; within seconds, Juyeon looks like a kicked puppy. Or cat. Definitely a cat. “I’m sorry, Chanhee. I’ll be good.”
Chanhee’s brain blanks for a moment before a hundred rows of question marks fill it again. Usually, when Juyeon teases him and gets told off, the dancer would amp it up until Chanhee resorts to physical violence back. Never has Juyeon stopped teasing him with a simple ‘hands off’.
Juyeon has also never said I’ll be good before.
A shot of thrill mixed with anxiety zings through Chanhee’s nerves. “Juyeon, what did you eat?” He asks, voice lowered to a whisper so no one hears. And, to placate any in-fighting rumors the scene might have caused, Chanhee cups Juyeon’s face the same way he did earlier too.
“A cookie.” Juyeon smiles, leaning into the touch. He’s vibrating, and if they were in a quieter setting, Chanhee’s sure he would be able to hear Juyeon purring. “Buttercream frosting. Strawberry, I think.”
“I think that fan drugged you.”
“Hm?”
“Juyeon, pay attention!” Chanhee sighs when Juyeon closes his eyes with a content smile. “Hey, hey. Don’t fall asleep now. Lee Juyeon!”
Kevin finally picks up that something's not right, because he leans over from behind Juyeon and asks in a whisper, “What's going on?”
“A fan gave him something and this idiot ate it with no second thought.”
“What?” Kevin’s eyes widen in shock. “Where’s the fan? We can tell the staff and hold the fan responsible–”
“Kevin, that's the thing. She’s gone! And Juyeon–” Chanhee is cut off by said member sniffing the inside of his wrists, nose pressed almost painfully into the ticklish skin of Chanhee’s inner wrist. “What the fuck are you doing, Lee Juyeon?”
“Hyung, Juyeonie’s not feeling well.” Kevin calls Sangyeon over. For a moment, Chanhee thinks Kevin will tell Sangyeon about the fan too. “Can we get him and Chanhee to go back early? He seems to be feeling hot.”
Sangyeon’s eyebrows are furrowed as he walks towards them. Juyeon attempts to recoil from their leader and instead smush his bigger, taller body into Chanhee’s side as Sangyeon reaches out to check his temperature. Their leader pulls back, dissatisfied.
“He’s being moody.” Chanhee helps Kevin’s lie.
“I can see that.” Sangyeon sighs. “Say bye to the fans, Chanhee. I’ll get the managers to drive you two first and explain the situation. Will you be okay with him alone or do you want anyone else to come with you?”
“Um,” Chanhee glances at Juyeon, who’s wrapped himself around Chanhee at this point. “I think we’ll be fine on our own, hyung. I might be getting a fever too, since Juyeonie’s been draping himself all over me this entire time.”
Chanhee almost trips over himself trying to say sorry and bye to the fans, mostly because Juyeon has lost his sense of discretion and is trying to find a way to burrow under Chanhee’s skin via his neck. The members are worried, but they already know Juyeon’s clingy when sick, so Chanhee’s subtle hints that something is very wrong goes over their heads.
“How bad is it, Juyeon?” Hyunjae walks them to the basement car park.
Juyeon doesn't even bother answering their hyung, instead tightening his grip on Chanhee’s waist as they waddle together.
“This is painful.” Chanhee curses under his breath.
“You guys will be okay, right? I should come with you to be sure… Like, you’re taking care of Juy, but who’s gonna take care of you?”
Chanhee fights the urge to reach behind him and smack Juyeon’s head when the dancer lets out a growl that Chanhee can only classify as possessive. He suppresses a shudder and tries to explain what happened to Hyunjae.
“He ate something.”
“Huh?”
“Juyeon ate something a fan gave. But I don't see the fan anymore, and I’m a little scared because something seems very unnatural about this. And I know hyung doesn't believe in that kind of stuff, but I genuinely think Juyeon’s under some sort of spell.” Chanhee says it all in one breath. He pauses to inhale, assessing Hyunjae’s reaction and to adjust Juyeon on his back.
Hyunjae’s face is carefully blank. “A spell.”
“I know it sounds stupid–”
“You’re saying Juyeon got cursed by a fan.” Hyunjae frowns, and Chanhee’s heart sinks. “Are you serious? Juyeon, out of all of us? He’s deobis’ honey, Chanhee! Why would anyone ever wish harm on him?”
Oh. “Yes, well. I don't know either.” Chanhee sighs in relief. If Hyunjae, the most T person to ever exist, believes him, then the rest of the members will too. “Can you tell the members later? After the fansign, I mean. If you're the one that says it, they’ll believe it.”
Hyunjae nods, opening the car door so Chanhee can climb in with Juyeon still attached to his back like a baby sloth. Chanhee shoots Hyunjae a glare when he realizes their hyung is holding back laughter.
“Go away.” Juyeon beats Chanhee from saying it.
“What?” Hyunjae’s eyes widen in surprise.
“Stay away from him.” Juyeon detaches himself from Chanhee to jab his finger at Hyunjae’s chest. “Chanhee is mine, hyung.”
“His eyes…”
Chanhee grabs Juyeon’s wrist, pulling him back inside the car. “I know. That's why I said something’s wrong!” He then turns to a solemn-looking Juyeon, who’s still glaring daggers at Hyunjae. “And what are you talking about, you fool? Why are you like this? That's our hyung! Also, I’m not your property. I’m not a property, Juyeon.”
Hyunjae leans against the car door, enchanted at the scene. Juyeon scowls, the pink in his irises flickering to a deep red for a moment before settling back into a pastel pink color and he sinks into the car seat.
“I wish I recorded that.” Hyunjae whistles.
“I think you should go back to the venue, hyung.” Chanhee sighs, rubbing his temples. God, he’s stressed.
“Yeah. Go away.”
“Juyeon!”
The main dancer’s eyebrows knit together and he further disappears into the cushions. Chanhee forces himself to be stern, hands curling into fists as he drags his gaze away from Juyeon’s watery eyes and back to Hyunjae’s amused ones.
“Not another word.” Chanhee warns their hyung. Hyunjae nods solemnly, mimicking a zipper closing on his lips. He grins at Chanhee one last time before shutting the door, heading away to call for their manager.
Chanhee settles into his own seat, opening his phone up. Already, there are tweets about his and Juyeon’s hasty exit. Chanhee grimaces and chucks his phone into his bag, not really in the mood to deal with it right now.
“I’m sorry.”
“Hm?” Chanhee almost forgets that Juyeon is beside him. The main dancer is still sunken into the seat cushions, eyes trained on his lap. Chanhee doubts Juyeon has moved at all since Hyunjae left.
“You’re not a property. I don't own you.” Juyeon repeats his words, murmuring. His big hands are fidgeting with the hem of his stage outfit from earlier, and he looks so small and sad that Chanhee’s frustrations melt away almost immediately. “I’m sorry.”
“You should say sorry to Hyunjae-hyung too.”
Juyeon visibly stiffens.
“Juyeon,” Chanhee sighs, twisting in his seat to fully face his friend. “He’s our hyung, no matter how close we are–”
“I know.” Juyeon cuts him off softly. “I respect and love hyung too. It's just…”
Chanhee raises an eyebrow.
“I really, really like you.” Juyeon lifted his gaze. His pink irises are bright and clear and earnest. Chanhee feels his stomach do a flip at the sight. “I don't want to share you with anyone! Even just thinking of it makes it hurt here.”
Juyeon has a hand on his chest, like he’s desperately trying to keep his heart from spilling out of his rib cage. Chanhee quickly puts his own hand on top of Juyeon’s, mind racing with Juyeon’s confession. There are butterflies doing the macarena in Chanhee’s stomach, and he’s sure he looks like a tomato at this point.
But– wait.
“You ingested a love potion.” It all makes sense now.
The wings’ dance party in Chanhee’s stomach falls flat and is replaced by the sinking feeling of dread.
“Huh?” Juyeon’s pink irises flickered to brown briefly.
“Oh, this is bad! What if you fell in love with a fan earlier and started acting crazy?” Chanhee tugged at his hair. A bitter emotion rises up in Chanhee’s chest and causes it to burn, but he ignores it for the time being. “Oh, what are we going to do?”
Their manager finally arrives, asking Chanhee if they're okay. Chanhee gives their manager a quick rundown sans the parts where Juyeon had been very obviously hit by Cupid’s arrow, and their manager rolls down the divider to give them privacy as the car starts moving.
Chanhee brings his phone out again and informs the group. Since the rest of the members are still in the fansign, no one sees his meltdown and he closes the messaging app to pull up the web browser.
love potion - how to detoxify from body
“Chanhee.” Juyeon tugs at his sleeve gently. “Are you mad at me?”
“Not now, Juyeon!” Chanhee grits his teeth, scrolling hurriedly. There are no quick solutions to his question, with most of the results being ingredients to make a love potion– not to get rid of one.
Chanhee growls at his phone in frustration. Why are love potions so easy to make but there aren't any remedies to it? He exited his browser and stared at the window.
The scenery of downtown Seoul is always pretty with the lights at night, but somehow today it seems dull.
Chanhee catches sight of Juyeon in the reflection of the window and almost gasps in surprise. Juyeon’s head is in his hands and he's shaking from crying too much while trying to stay silent. Chanhee pivots in his seat, panicking.
“Juyeon?”
He gets a whimper in response. “Sorry…” Juyeon swallows, gasping for air. “I- I’m sorry. I didn't mean to be loud. Or cry. I–”
“Hey,” Chanhee’s resolve fully breaks. Jesus, he’s never ever going to grow a spine when it comes to Juyeon.
Chanhee reaches out to hold Juyeon’s hand, bringing it away from the dancer’s unfairly handsome face. Even when puffy from crying, Juyeon still somehow manages to look like the modern rendition of Eros.
“Juyeonie, stop crying. Our manager’s gonna think I’m bullying you.” Chanhee tries to joke, wiping Juyeon’s cheeks with his thumb. “C’mon, show me that smile. Please?”
Juyeon looks at him with big, round, and wet eyes. Some tears still cling to his thick lashes, making them look even darker if possible.
“I’m sorry.” Juyeon sobs, pressing his lips on the skin of Chanhee’s inner wrist. The warm softness of Juyeon’s lips ignited a trail of goosebumps along Chanhee’s arm.
Chanhee suppresses a shiver.
“Okay, stop crying now. We’re almost home. Why don't you stay at our dorm for now? You can make us dinner and I’ll research how to flush the love potion from your system.” Chanhee can't keep himself from touching Juyeon’s lips when the dancer maneuvered his hand to kiss his fingertips.
Adoring. Idolizing. Intimate.
I’m not gonna survive this. Chanhee sucks a breath in as Juyeon looks at him again with those pretty pink eyes.
“I’ll make the best plate of spaghetti for you.” Juyeon whispers.
Despite his heart hammering wildly in his chest, Chanhee lets out a chuckle. “Of course, Jyu-chef. I trust you. In another life, you’d probably be a Michelin Chef, huh?”
“I don't want another life.” Juyeon pouts. “There's no guarantee that I’ll meet you in another universe, Chanhee. I want this one. You’re here. That's enough for me.”
Chanhee thinks it's an absolute pity that Juyeon’s only saying these words while being absolutely drunk on a love potion. He looks at Juyeon’s to confirm– yep, still pink. Still a lie.
“C’mon, let’s wash up. Then you can cook me dinner?” Chanhee pulls him out of the car as the manager parks. He thanks the manager in lieu of Juyeon’s totally inebriated, intoxicated state.
Their manager glances at Juyeon worriedly. “Will you guys be okay?”
“Yeah, he probably just needs some sleep.” Chanhee hurries them both to the elevators, slamming the buttons for their floor and to close the doors. He immediately feels Juyeon nuzzling at his neck, and he has no choice but grip onto Juyeon’s hair to try and pull him away. “Juy–”
He gets cut off when Juyeon lets out a low moan. Chanhee immediately drops his hand, flabbergasted.
“Did you just–”
“Do it again.” Juyeon whispers, dropping an open mouthed kiss behind Chanhee’s ear. His grip on Chanhee’s waist tightens and Juyeon even has the audacity to pull the vocalist flush against his bigger body.
“Juyeon, we’re in public!” Chanhee scrambles to find a reason to not give in. “What if someone–”
“Good, they’ll know you’re mine.”
Chanhee lightly slaps his arm. “Juyeon, we just talked about this! I’m not a property that you can just claim, remember? You even repeated that earlier. Let go.”
“Can I take it back?” Juyeon whines, though his hold does loosen. Chanhee's not sure why Juyeon is more playful now than submissive and teary, but he chalks it up to the love potion again. “Okay. I won't do it again. In public.”
The last caveat made Chanhee’s eye twitch. He bares his teeth at Juyeon, defensiveness kicking in.
In the dim light of the elevator, Juyeon’s eyes are dark but twinkling and Chanhee briefly wonders if they're still pink. Then again, would sober Juyeon be this annoyingly charming and flirty? True, Juyeon has his moments for fanservice, but they end with the main dancer immediately cringing in on himself.
So far, Juyeon has been unashamedly affectionate.
I wonder what ingredients went into this stupid love potion… why is it so potent? Chanhee scowls and stomps out of the elevator, heading straight to the door of his dorm.
“Why are you angry? Do you want me to take it back? I can claim you in public too, if you want~”
“Juyeon,” Chanhee turns around to face him. He’s sure his cheeks and neck and ears are red, but he has to do this. “I have a request. Can you grant it?”
Juyeon perks up. “What is it?”
“Can you act like you didn't just eat a love potion?”
“Why? Don't you like me like this?”
“I prefer it if you're acting like that but you didn't eat something that could be poisonous!” Chanhee harrumphs and unlocks the door, throwing his bag and jacket on the couch. He hears Juyeon following behind him, silent but for the sound of his feet padding along.
Chanhee heads to the dark kitchen and quickly fills up a glass. He shoves it into Juyeon’s chest, blindly reaching out with his other hand for the light switch.
“What are you doing?”
“Drink this water. The sooner you pee whatever it was in the cookie out, the faster this entire thing will be.” Chanhee curses as he can't find the switch for the lights. “Can you move? I think you’re blocking the light switch.”
“C-can we not turn the lights on, please? My eyes hurt.”
“Can you cook with the lights off?” Chanhee challenges.
Juyeon hesitates. “Okay, I can’t do that. But there are lights on the gas range and they’re less bright. Can we use those instead?”
“Do whatever you want. I’ll have a shower.” Chanhee mutters, shuffling past him through the kitchen doorway to get to his own room and ensuite. Juyeon purses his lips in an attempt to hide a grin as Chanhee ambles past him.
The love potion/cookie the fan gave him had long since lost its effect, probably when Juyeon started crying buckets during the car ride home. It was… weird, to say the least. While Juyeon was painfully aware and awake during his time under the potion, he genuinely had no control over what he’s doing.
But the way he felt while trying to get under Chanhee’s skin? God.
Juyeon has had a long crush on the vocalist, and while he only told Eric and had sworn their youngest to secrecy, somehow word has gotten out to Kevin, Jacob, and Sangyeon. Their class president gave him a stern talking to that Chanhee might not return his feelings and Juyeon should prepare himself for that.
But with the way Chanhee’s cheeks flame up when Juyeon flirts, even with the knowledge that the dancer’s affections are heavily influenced by a love potion…
He quickly checks his eyes’ color through his phone camera. They were still pink, but specks of dark brown are already starting to come through. Juyeon has seen it during the elevator ride before, thus why he thought of back hugging Chanhee to hide it.
Happy, Juyeon whistles a merry little tune under his breath as he rummages around the kitchen looking for ingredients to a simple pasta dish he saw on Instagram. He heats the water and starts chopping the ingredients up, ears perked and listening to the sound of water from Chanhee’s room.
Admittedly, some heavily-influenced, lovestruck part of him wants to go in and join the vocalist in the shower… but Juyeon thinks that’s too far. Besides, Chanhee has always been adamant about showering alone even when they lived in their overcrowded dorm. He’d kick Juyeon’s ass and never speak to him again if he did that.
“What’s that called?”
“It’s a recipe I saw.” Juyeon smiles as Chanhee exits his room, lured in by the smell of sauteed mushrooms. “Do you like it?”
“It looks really good.” Chanhee comes closer to get a better look. He closes his eyes at the savory smell and Juyeon doesn't fight the urge to lean in and press a light kiss on Chanhee’s forehead.
Chanhee blinks his eyes open and Juyeon is quick to back away into the shadows to hide his eyes again.
“Sorry.” Juyeon smiles, sheepish. “You can sit on the table and I’ll serve this up.”
“Okay.” Chanhee shoots him with a suspicious look, but complies and sits on the table anyway. Juyeon quickly transfers his dish onto a plate and places it in front of Chanhee before retrieving two sets of plates and forks.
“Isn't this romantic? We’re just missing wine!” Juyeon scoops a healthy helping of the pasta onto Chanhee’s plate. “You’ll love this one, I promise. The original recipe calls for adding tomatoes, but I know you hate those.”
“Nice… thanks.” Chanhee seems to be at a loss for words. Juyeon beams at him, taking care to sit opposite Chanhee so the light doesn't shine into his face and shows his irises are losing their pink color.
They eat in silence, with Juyeon taking advantage of Chanhee believing he’s still under the full influence of a love potion to just stare at him unabashedly. He occasionally feeds Chanhee with the mushrooms, smile growing wide with every content hum the vocalist makes.
“Juyeon, I’ve been thinking…” Chanhee gulps. Juyeon pauses, hand mid-air with a forkful of pasta. “Um, do you think you’ll remember anything when the potion is completely out of your body?”
Considering Juyeon has been basically sober for the last couple of minutes, it might not be the case. Still, Juyeon isn't just going to let his chances slip away.
“I’m not sure.”
“What are you feeling now?”
“Happy.” Juyeon answers earnestly, cupping Chanhee’s cheek gently. “Very happy. So happy, my heart feels like bursting out of my chest, actually. Don't you feel happy too, Chanhee?”
Chanhee bites his lip, seemingly in deep thought. Juyeon watches, enraptured and enamored, his thumb still swiping soft circles on Chanhee’s cheek.
“What can make you happier?”
“Oh.” Juyeon pauses. “I’m not sure? This is already making me very happy, Chanhee– being here with you. Whatever else may come, I’m already very happy.”
Juyeon doesn't even have to pretend to be under the love potion’s spell anymore. He’s already here, damn it! He’s gonna take advantage of the situation.
“I might know something that can make you happier.”
Juyeon’s eyebrows raise and he begins to think of what Chanhee could have meant; are they gonna put a movie on and cuddle? Have a quick run to the convenience store downstairs to get candy? Open the new jar of Juyeon’s favorite maple syrup that Kevin’s friends dropped off last week?
He’s so deep in thought that Juyeon doesn't realize Chanhee’s leaning in close until their lips brush.
Electricity flows through every nerve in Juyeon’s body, singing his nerve endings. His eyes are wide in surprise as Chanhee keeps on the steady pressure, soft lips void of lip balm gently pressing on Juyeon’s chapped ones.
Then, Chanhee pulls back abruptly. His ears are red.
“Sorry.” Chanhee clears his throat, embarrassed. He starts to pull away, and Juyeon is quick to catch his wrist and pull him back in for a more passionate kiss.
Juyeon hears the clanking of plates against the table as he stands and brings Chanhee with him, deepening the kiss. Juyeon’s tongue darts out to taste Chanhee’s bottom lip, and the vocalist suddenly pushes back.
“We– Juyeon, we can’t– are your eyes brown?” Chanhee can't seem to form a coherent thought, eyes wide. Juyeon ignores his question and walks around the table, caging Chanhee with both his arms on either side of the vocalist.
“Yes. They're brown.”
“I– since when?” Chanhee asked, shrill.
“I’m not sure.” Juyeon breathes out, eyes lowering from Chanhee’s gaze to his lips. “But you told me you can make me happier, right?”
Chanhee places a hand on Juyeon’s chest, trying to stop them both.
“You were already sober when I kissed you?” He asks in a small voice.
“Yes.” The light from outside shines in through the window and highlights Juyeon’s eyes: two pools of rich and dark chocolate, pupils blown wide. “Do you have other questions? Can I go back to kissing you now?”
“You’ve been pretending…”
“Not once. Not ever.” Juyeon vehemently shakes his head. One of his hands leaves the table to settle on Chanhee’s hip, feeling the vocalist’s bone jut through beneath the thin layers of his pajamas. “Only my self control has been affected by that love potion, Chanhee. All of this has been real.”
Chanhee gulps. Juyeon watches with unmasked want as the vocalist’s throat bobs, but he holds himself back.
“They’ll be back soon.” Chanhee suddenly says, voice strangely small. His shaky palms slide up Juyeon’s chest and over his shoulders to loop around the dancer’s neck. “If… if you want this to continue, then maybe we should move elsewhere.”
Juyeon blinked once, then twice. A cocky smirk finally appears and he squeezes Chanhee’s hip.
“Lead the way, baby. What do you want to do?”
“I’m open to suggestions.”