When it gets complicated

Baekhyun's pedestal (Baekyeol)

~Baekhyun~

Loud, boisterous laughter fills the room. Stupid jokes and witty insults are thrown around. Occasional playful punches are exchanged, along with caring touches. This is one of my favorite things. We don't get to have these meet ups often, and you'd think that with most of us living together, that we'd spend more time together. But it's incredibly infrequent when we're all together, and I couldn't be happier when we are.

It's late, Minseok closed the shop hours ago, but all of us still occupy the small cafe, and no one seems to mind. When time passes as effortlessly and joyously as this, no one really wants to give it up. I love when we can all just sit together, catch-up, and just forget for a moment all of the bullshit life is throwing at us. When you have good friends, shared laughs, and amazing food, problems just fade into insignificance. It's perfect.

"Seriously, though. I thought he was going to deck me" Chen explains, telling one of his many college stories. They're meant to be funny and reminiscent, but somehow also come out as precautionary tales.

"Honestly, you kind of deserved it" Minseok says, sipping at his coffee with an amused smirk.

"You were there?" Chen asks, bewildered.

Minseok snorts "I helped the guys carry your drunk ass home that night. You kept trying to run away from us. You were repeatedly saying that you wanted to find Ophelia, because, and I quote 'such a gentle soul deserves better than that douche Hamlet. I'll show her how a real man loves a woman' it took me an hour to convince you that she is a strong and independent woman who will figure things out on her own... I didn't have this heart to tell you how the play ended"

Chen looks surprised, then actually seems to carry a look of guilt, and ducks his head, taking a bite of his pastry. It's kind of cute watching our troll of a house dad become completely caught of guard.

I chuckle at the scene, and reach for the last cookie on the plate in front of me, just as my best friend happens to also be reaching for it. Our hands meet over the plate and we lock eyes for a second, pausing in our actions and staring at each other. Our eyes narrow.

The battle ensues silently, an intense game of Rock Paper Scissors, has been wordlessly waged. It's a war I don't intend to lose. That cookie will be mine. Chanyeol throws scissors at the same time I throw rock, and alas, victory is my own.

I laugh in a high pitch and pick up the cookie nibbling into the edge of it, making sure to lock eyes with Yeol, just to rub it in. Chanyeol's eyes narrow, and he reaches over flicking my cookie and making it crumble to pieces. I watch them fall to the table in slow motion and widen my eyes in disbelief. Chanyeol starts to laugh, that obnoxious, flailing chortle he has.

Murderous rage fills me, as I pick up the pieces in my hands and shove them into my best friend's mouth. He chokes a little bit from the unexpected attack, but recovers quickly and smiles, munching on the cookie happily. Bastard.

I can't stay mad at him though, I've missed these moments too much to let them pass carelessly. These times when Yeol and I connect on a deeper, bonded level that no one else can. Chanyeol fills a place in my being that no one else could even dare to fit. My best friend gets me, just as much as I get him.

Chanyeol grins and reaches over, ruffling my hair. A gesture the giant puppy started a long time ago, one that never fails to comfort and center me. It's almost like his way of telling me he loves me.