4 (1/1)

"So Baekhyun told me that Kyungsoo said that Kai said something about you," Tao said with a grin. He was making his way back to his dorm with his arms weighed down by groceries, simultaenously holding his phone between his cheek and shoulder.    "Oh, not you too," Sehun whined on the other end.    Tao laughed. "What was it he apparently called you? A 'small bowl of pale adorable?' What does that even mean?"    "Shut up."    "Baekhyun said you blushed like a tomato when Kyungsoo told you."    "You know, you've been so down lately that I was actually starting to feel bad for you. Well, not anymore."    "Oh, lighten up. It's just funny is all. Don't you idolize him or something?"    "I admire him! That's all! He's the freaking golden boy of the entire dance program. The way his body moves is like-like—"    "You can stop there. I don't know if I'll be able to resist more teasing if you go on." Tao had finally made it back to his dorm, and was struggling to juggle the groceries and get his key out so that he could unlock the door, all the while trying not to drop his phone.    "You guys are so mean to me." Tao knew the other was pouting without having to see it.    "You really do ask for it sometimes. Baekhyun told me you've been crawling into his bed at night more often than not these days. Do you still wear that blue onesie?" The plastic bags were beginning to dig into his fingers in a painful way, and his arms were beginning to ache from having to lug the groceries from the store, onto the bus, all the way onto campus, and up a few flights of stairs. He was about to set a few of the bags down onto the concrete so that he could finally succeed in getting his key out, when the door swung open.    "It's comfy, okay?"    Tao blinked up at Kris; caught half bent and struggling to shift the torture devices that the plastic bags had now become as they twisted around each other and cut off the circulation to his aching digits. "Need a hand?" Kris asked, his lips quirking up in a small smile. He reached out before Tao could reply and took the cluster of bags from his right hand.    "I'm back at the dorm," Tao said in a lowered voice, grabbing his phone with his freed hand. "I'll talk to you later." He hung up and shoved the phone back into his pocket, shifted half of the bags from his left hand into his right, and followed his roommate into the dorm.    Kris set the bags down on the counter and began putting things away. "Did you find everything on the list?"    "Yeah," Tao replied softly. He set the rest of the bags down on the floor and began helping Kris put things away. "I got a few other things that I thought of while I was there. Oh, here." He held up a colorful package and offered it to Kris. "I know these are your favorite candy. I saw them and thought you might want some."    Kris smiled and set them on the counter. "Thanks." He pulled another bag closer to him and pulled the items out of it, pausing when he came to a package of individualy sliced cheese. He held it up, raising a brow at Tao.    "Oh. I was hoping... That thing that you made that one time... Would you make it again?"    "What? Grilled cheese?"    Tao nodded enthusiastically, smiling. "It was really good!"    "Why can't you make it yourself? It's so easy."    "It's not the same," Tao insisted. "I only like it when you make it."    Kris stared.    Tao pouted.    Kris sighed. "Fine."    Tao smiled widely.    "I've seen it happen with my own two eyes so many times, and I still can't believe it." Tao jumped at the voice, turning around to see Luhan sitting on the couch behind them. "This kid's pout is your kryptonite, I swear," Luhan said, looking at Kris.    Kris just rolled his eyes and continued putting away groceries. Tao still stood looking over at Luhan, who he had rarely ever spoken to, and finally noticed it; stacks of monetary bills laid out across the surface. "What were you doing?" Tao asked quietly, looking back at Kris.    Kris closed the cabinet and headed back over to sit on the floor on the other side of the coffee table from Luhan. "We were settling our bets," Kris replied. He counted one of the piles, sending a suspicious glance at Luhan, and moved on to count another.    "Bets?"    "Yeah. I told you about that ruse I had a friend and his buddies pull on Kai and Lay?"    "Mm."    "Luhan and I had a couple of bets going. We bet on how long we thought we could keep it going."    "Who won?"    "I did. Luhan didn't think we could keep it going this long." With a grin, Kris pulled the first stack toward him.    "And the next bet was on if they'd forget about the dead guy along the way or not," Luhan continued. "I don't know Lay when he's with Kai so much, but I do know Lay when he's being Lay. And Lay forgets shit."    Kris rolled his eyes. "I thought Kai would keep worrying about it. I should've realized he was too selfish for that." Luhan shrugged and grabbed the second stack. Tao moved to sit down in the armchair. "We also bet on if Kai would try to seduce someone along the way."    "Why would you bet that?" Tao asked.    "Kai's always trying to seduce his way into or out of things. Half the time, it actually works." Kris grabbed the next stack of bills, a smug look on his face. Luhan rolled his eyes. "And the fourth and final bet was on whether or not Kai would find a reason to take his shirt off."        "Does he do that often?"    "When the situation is right," Kris replied. "But that's by Kai logic, and it's difficult to follow Kai logic. I took a leap, though. And I won." Luhan sighed as Kris grabbed the last stack and added it to his pile.    "You feel pretty accomplished, don't you?" Luhan snapped.    "I do, actually."    "Whatever. I cleaned you out last time. I'll have my turn again."    "Can't wait."    "Well, I'm gonna head out then." Luhan stuffed his cash into his wallet and stood up. "See you around."    "See ya."    When Luhan had left, Kris went into his room to put his money into his wallet. Tao grabbed a soda from the fridge and went and sat down on the couch with a sigh. Now what? Tao was sure he knew what was coming. He was sure that this evening would be an evening of browsing his favorite shopping websites for cool new sneakers that he couldn't afford, or watching some of his favorite TV shows on netflix while curled up on the couch with a blanket. He was sure that Kris would spend the evening locked in his room or disappear from the dorm to hang out with his other friends. So he was surprised when Kris came back out of his room and sat down next to him.    "What's up? You seem down lately," Kris said, looking at him intently.    Tao shrugged, gaze lowered to the coffee table. "Just stuff," he said softly.    Kris stared at him for a moment before smiling suddenly. "Hey, why don't we go out? We'll get milkshakes. My treat."    Tao's gaze snapped up, eyes wide and bright. "Really?"    Kris laughed. "Yeah. Let's go." He stood and pulled Tao up by the arm.     Kris sipped his oreo milkshake, silently watching the younger boy across from him. Tao was sipping from his own strawberry milkshake, brow furrowed as he sat in deep thought. His gaze was fixed on the table, though it was clear that he wasn't seeing it.    "Tao?" Kris said finally, straightening up in his seat. "You've been really quiet. What's up?"    "Mm?" Tao looked up, pulling away from his straw and licking remnants of the beverage from his lips. Kris waited, watching him expectantly. "My friends," Tao began finally, voice hesitant, "have some interesting theories about you."    "About me? Such as?"    "You're a drug dealer."    Kris stared at him for another moment before bursting out laughing. "A-Are you serious?" When Tao didn't reply, and only sat there watching him with an uncertain look on his face, Kris sobered. "Seriously?"    "Or that you're seeing someone you can't be seen with."    Kris frowned.    "Like a politician. Or an older, married woman. Or one of your professors."    "...Seriously?"    "Or that you're an undercover CIA agent. Or a narc. Or that you're training to be a bull fighter."    Kris rolled his eyes. "Let me guess. Baekhyun and Sehun? Those kids are weird." He returned to sipping his milkshake, gaze still trained on Tao.    Tao shrugged. "They can't be any weirder than Kai."    "Touché."    Tao smiled. "So how did things turn out? Was he mad when he found out you were playing a trick on him?"    Kris shrugged. "I haven't really spoken to him. I know him, though. This silence means something. I'm pretty sure he'll try to get back at me."    "How?"    "Who knows."    "TAO!" Tao jumped in his chair at the sudden shrill voice, turning to look around the small diner. It only took a moment to spot the brunet waving frantically as he made his way over.    "Baekhyun?" He wasn't quite certain what to make of the boy's presence.    "Oh my god, I saw you and I just had to come over and say hello!" Baekhyun squeezed into the booth beside Kris, so that he was facing a wide-eyed Tao. "Junmyeon was supposed to come with me, but apparently there was this event going on in the quad or something that he just couldn't miss. I dunno, I think it was scooter races or some shit? He was super excited but this was super important so I had to go ahead without him. I didn't want to come alone, but Sehun was going to try to convince Kyungsoo to make him butterscotch and chocolate chip cookies so I had to come alone! I thought you had a thing today or something? I dunno, my brain has been all scattered since I've got that huge exam coming up that I'm not nearly prepared for so I've been skipping a bit of sleep and downing coffee like a man who's been trapped in the desert for a week without water and I ran out and was just really, really, really craving coffee from here because it's so good!" He paused, taking a deep breath, and blinked happily—obliviously—at a somewhat irritated Tao. Kris, however, had been silently sipping his milkshake, unphased by the human embodiment of a buzzing mosquito that had seated himself beside him. "Oh! They called my number!" Baekhyun leaped to his feet and ran off to get his coffee.    Finally! Tao sighed, looking over at Kris. "I swear," Tao said softly with a smile, "when he's been mainlining coffee the way he does sometimes, he never shuts up."    Kris smiled. "I've dealt with worse. Talkative is better than batshit crazy."    Tao opened his mouth to respond, but stopped when Baekhyun reappeared and seated himself back at Kris's side.    "So where were we?" he asked, grinning at them both. He took a long swig of his coffee and let out a contented sigh. "So good."    "I think the last thing you need is more coffee," Kris mumbled, pulling his buzzing phone out of his pocket. Baekhyun had resumed talking about something or other at his caffeine-induced accelerated rate, but Tao's attention was on Kris as he read over the text he'd received. "I need to go." Baekhyun didn't even stop talking as he got out of the booth so that Kris could slide out. "I'll see you later, Tao."    "Bye," Tao said softly, watching forlornly as Kris walked away. When he disappeared, Tao turned to Baekhyun and glared. "What the fuck, Hyung."    Baekhyun stopped, his confusion apparent on his face. "What?"    Tao just sighed, rolled his eyes, and slumped over onto the table with a groan.    Baekhyun's eyes widened suddenly. "Oooohh... Did I just interrupt your date?" He waggled his eyebrows obnoxiously, leaning over to poke Tao in the ribs. A/NBonus chapter: Kris deals with Kai and Lay's disturbing adventures, and Tao tags along for the scary ride.I'm terribly sorry for the long wait on this chapter. I'm doing my best to get back on track, but it may be more difficult once school starts back up here in a few days. I'd love to hear what you guys think of the story so far. You can always talk to me on my tumblr too, if you prefer. I'm still figuring out how the hell the thing works, but I'm nearly always online :P I have twitter too, but I don't know how many of you use that? Other Links:

Delirium AU Timeline

Weird Doesn't Cover It (main story; kaisoo)

MINE! (side story; baekyeol)