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short stack (pancakes?)

"Ba- banana, ba- ba- banana nana, ba- banana, ba- ba- banana nana, ba- banana, ba- ba- banana nana, let's power up-"

"This is so disturbing." Taeyong sighed. Here he is trying to enjoy his morning, but no. Taeil came over at nine a.m. with Sicheng, Jungwoo, and Ten being dragged along and started using his kitchen to make pancakes.

"Agreed. I could be sleeping in my bed but I'm here because that maniac awoken me." Sicheng said.

"You could just go sleep in my room."

"Uhm, and get stuck between Jungwoo and Ten? No thanks. They move a lot in their sleep."

"Sleep on the couch!" Taeil called from the kitchen.

"I would but you're yelling songs out so that won't work either." Sicheng scoffed. Taeil tooled his eyes and kept focus on making pancakes for himself and his friends. When he finished he got Jungwoo and Ten from their sleep to come join them in the living room eating on the floor and couch.

"Short stacks? Yes." Ten silently cheered.

"The fuck is a short stack?" Taeyong questioned, absolutely confused.

"You." Ten smiled smugly. Everyone laughed.

"Ten you realize you're the shortest right?" Jungwoo said and started laughing again.

"Whatever. You guys are assholes." They continued eating with Ten making snark remarks about height when he was in no place to speak.

"It's February first." Ten said after looking at his phone.

"So?" Jungwoo said. Ten looked at him like he was dumb.

"Are you guys serious?" Sicheng and Taeyong looked at each other and shrugged.

"Taeil. You of all people. You should know what today is."

"You just said it's February first... Why is that familiar?"

"Oh, is it because it's only eighteen days til my birthday?" Jungwoo asked. Ten shook his head and then remembered he needed to go shopping for Jungwoo's gift sometime soon.

"Johnny's birthday is this month." Sicheng pointed out. Ten smiled and nodded then frowned and shook his head vigorously.

"Taeil, it's Doyoung's birthday today." Taeil stopped thinking and gasped. How had he forgotten? He couldn't even believe himself.

"I have to go see you guys later!" He shouted on his way out the door.

"That bitch came to our houses, woke us up, and then ditched us? Unbelievable." Jungwoo scoffed before walking towards Taeyong's room.

"Where are you going?"

"To sleep, the fuck. It's early." Ten agrees and follows behind. Taeyong and Sicheng look at each other.

"The couch is too small." Taeyong sighs. Sicheng and himself make their ways to his room and they fall asleep and don't wake up until late afternoon.

—

Taeil made the run to the NCT dorms and banged on the door like a psycho when he got there and knots hit Kun when he opened the door.

"Is Doyoung here?"

"Of course. But everyone is sleep except for me. Although I did hear voices earlier so Jeno might be on FaceTime with Jaemin." He began to ramble to himself.

"Do you have pancake mix?" Taeil asked Kun. He nodded his head and pointed towards the kitchen. Taeil thanked him and ran, quietly, into the kitchen. He took out his phone and turned the volume down some and played some music and 'Rock' by Stray Kids happened to be the lucky random song. He sung along to every song while he mixed the batter, poured it in, and flipped to show no one but himself his cooking skills.

He was almost done, about ten pancakes left that he could make so he assumed based on batter amount. Halfway into 'Latata,' he was startled by arms being wrapped around his waist. He knew it was Doyoung automatically from the scent he was giving off and because Doyoung frequently held him by his waist.

"Happy birthday." Doyoung hummed in response.

"Why so many?"

"A lot of people live here." Doyoung hummed again and went to set the table for the eight other boys before waking them. Taeil set the plates of pancakes on the table before raiding the cabinets and fridge for toppings. He set out of course, maple syrup, Nutella, butter spread, and some fruit he found and cut up.

Everyone slowly but surely made their way into the kitchen, Yuta being carried in by Johnny as if it was a routine (it was but Taeil didn't know that.) The last to arrive was Doyoung and he took his seat besides Taeil. Everyone set their plates up with pancakes and whatever toppings they wanted. Right before Doyoung cut into his pancakes Taeil stuck a candle he had found in some drawer in the top two pancakes and a lit it with a lighter that seemed to be out of reach in the back of the drawer.

"Happy birthday to you, happy birthday to you, happy birthday to you dear Doyoung, happy birthday to you." They all sang, Donghyuk and Renjun more extra than the others. Doyoung smiled and thought about a wish. When it came to his mind he chanted it like it was the most important thing in the world. And to him, it definitely was. He blew his candle out and everyone cheered and started eating their own pancakes. Taeil watched happily as the boys ate his cooking and made small talk amongst themselves. Doyoung tapped his shoulder.

"Why aren't you eating? And thanks."

"I ate before I got here. I made Taeyong, Sicheng, Ten, and Jungwoo some pancakes and ate with them." He smiled. He left the 'I also forgot it was your birthday' part out for obvious reasons. Doyoung nodded and proceeded chewing his food. He was don't in about five minutes, he only ate three, he knew the others would want to stock up so they could lazy around all day and not have to worry about hunger.

"Lets go to my room, less noise." He motioned to the hall. Taeil nodded and got up and made his way to the room. Doyoung put his plate in the sink first then told Yoonoh to go sleep in Xuxi's room when he was done eating. Doyoung made his way do the hall and passed two doors before reaching his room. Taeil sat in the exact center of his bed reading the book that was left on his bedside table... Nightstand or whatever you call it, you get the point.

"Can I borrow this when you're done?" Taeil asked, referring to the book.

"I've been rereading that book for half a year now. Take it anytime." Doyoung said as he sat right in front of Taeil.

"I didn't know you'd be into something like Pride and Prejudice." Taeil shrugged the comment off.

"Mark said it was good once but he only had an English copy so I couldn't read it."

"There's a bookstore not too far from here that specialises in translating books. We should go together sometime. That's where all my books are from. English books have deep meaning so I like to get them translated so I can enjoy them too." Doyoung smiled. It was that same smile that always made Taeil fall deeper for him. He put the book to the side and leaned in to connect their lips for a sweet ten second kiss.

"I'll smile more its that'll be what happens every time I do." Doyoung breathed out. Taeil laughed and started reading the book again.

"Read it to me?"

"Okay." Both boys laid back in comfortable positions and Taeil began to read the book. It was only early afternoon at this point but they were together and that's exactly Doyoung had wished for. Together time with his boyfriend, his favorite person in the world, his future.

(They were so going to that bookstore later too. Taeil had a list with a shit ton of books on it he wanted to read.)

ohhh look who finished. i procrastinate hard af i swear this woulda been done so much earlier... sorry again, be excited for monday we got some dramarama coming and i think that chapter might be a little (read: very) long. much love, thanks for reading, thanks for 50k. toodles.