#73: The Secret Art of Matchmaking

[lordchen]

Prompt: #73
Title: The Secret Art of Matchmaking (step one: figure out your own heart first)
Pairing: Kai/Chen/Sehun
Rating: NC17
Warnings: Smut, a bit of angst (sexy warnings include: threesome, oral sex, anal sex, spitroasting, a bit of facial, total bottom jongdae, crying jongdae)
Word count: 23,966
Summary: When the maknaes approach Chen with a plan to hook KrisHo up to get them off their backs, the idea seemed golden. Trouble ensues when Chen can't quite control his own heart from beating to the tune Sehun and Kai's golden smiles.

“Holy fu—,” Chen yelps as he is suddenly pushed from behind into an empty room. His heart is in his throat for a second before he hears the familiar snickering of two very annoying dongsaengs.

He whirls around and gives a light punch to the gut of the body nearest to him and feels a slight twing of guilt when Sehun crumples slightly with an 'oof'. It would have been more satisfying if it had been Kai.

Kai is still snickering but this time it's at his companion's punishment. Chen wonders briefly if he should punch the second youngest. Equal treatment and all that.

He settles for kicking Kai in the shin.

"Ow! The fuck hyung!?" Kai yelps and snarls, hopping comically on one foot as he nurses the other close to his chest.

Chen crosses his arms and puts on his best stern hyung frown. "Oi, I should be asking you that. Why'd you kidnap me?"

Sehun comes around to a pouting Kai, throwing a casual arm around the slightly older boy that Chen can't help but notice, and together they stare down at their shorter (barely!) hyung.

Chen can see the devious glint in their eyes before they even open their mouths.

"We're gonna hook up Kris hyung and Joonmyeon hyung," Kai explains in a rush, voice dropping down to a conspirator's whisper.

Well, that wasn't what Chen was expecting.

He has a sudden head rush of images of Kris leaning down in half to make out with Suho who stands on his tiptoes and feels unpleasant goosebumps run across his neck. He quickly shakes his head to get rid of them.

"What? No wait – why?" Chen asks. Shaking his head wasn't doing anything to alleviate the images. Instead Kris and Suho had changed into wearing argyle sweaters and matching socks while making out on a sofa.

Damn his quick imagination.

Kai breaks away from Sehun and walks around to Chen's left side, putting one arm around his shoulder. Chen feels a rush of warmth when Sehun comes around to his other side and puts his arm around his waist.

He shuffles a bit but the arms only tighten so Chen turns his head up inquisitively towards Sehun. Kai may be the one offering these stupid ideas but Sehun is generally the one that figures out the plan on how to make them happen.

"Remember how nice Joonmyeon hyung was last Thursday?" Sehun asks. As he speaks he brings out his cellphone from his back pocket, thrusting the phone with a picture of a smiling Joonmyeon and Sehun into Chen's hands.

Chen has to use both hands to hold the huge phone and he feels Kai and Sehun bringing themselves in closer.

Chen pauses for a second, heart minutely starting to pump faster as he gets a whiff of the cologne both the youngest have on. He clamps down on any errant thoughts this time around though.

He can feel their breaths on his neck but chooses to ignore the feeling for now.

He opens up the gallery tab and it opens up to a picture of a sweaty Suho almost beaming at his equally sweaty dance instructor. Suho smiling on any given day isn't necessarily anything new, but Suho smiling in dance practice? That was impossible. Suho didn't own anything but a constipated look which he liked to call concentration.

He swipes to the right, and sees the picture taken before that. Kris with his giant hands nearly engulfing Suho's neck in a massage.

There are six other pictures nearly identical to that one probably taken within seconds apart. Chen wonders why Sehun bothers with these weird 'my members' moments but supposes it doesn't really matter to him.

Until he sees a picture of himself. He's bent over, hands on his knees and face towards the floor, sweat dripping from the tips of his hair. Right behind him is Kai making a fugly face as he juts his pelvis out, making the picture a lot more lewd than a tired Chen from dance practice.

The phone is snatched from his hand just as quickly as Chen is lashing out his elbow, going clear for the gut. Kai reels backwards just in time to get a glancing blow and Sehun's arms are wrapped around him before he can follow up for physical contact more lasting.

"Kim Jongin, I will end you!" Chen snarls. Blood rushes to his face as embarrassment, and a slight twinge of arousal he's been struggling for months to supress, rush over him. His stomach is doing that stupid thing where it feels like butterflies have inhabited it at the way Kai just grins at him, eyes earnest and smile golden.

"Calm down, hyung. We're just having fun," Sehun whines into his shoulder.

Chen rolls his eyes but lets his shoulders drop, letting the maknaes have this one. "Fine, but I want that photo deleted," he huffs.

Sehun's voice is just a bit too sugar coated when he earnestly says 'promise'.

Chen just sighs.

"Anyways, where are you going with this?" Chen waves his hand near the phone.

Kai takes cover behind Sehun while the youngest starts explaining. Chen gives him a dirty look and Kai just grins wider.

"So Jongin and I figured out Joonmyeon hyung's bitch pattern!" Sehun says.

"Woah, woah, woah! While I agree Suho can act like a bitch sometimes, I don't want to hear that from you! Respect your elders," Chen admonishes, choosing to take the hypocritical route this time.

Sehun just gives a distracted nod that clearly means he isn't paying attention.

"Anyways – so we figured that every time M goes to China, hyung always is the strictest. Like he wouldn't even let us eat mandu buns! He took them from us and stuffed it in his mouth instead!"

Chen wonders if he should point out Sehun is getting too worked up about this but closes his mouth with a snap, actually interested in seeing where this is going.

"He's also his nicest when M comes back. But he's super super nice whenever he and Kris hyung have skinship," he waves his phone around as if that was enough proof.

"Since we like it when Joonmyeon hyung isn't on our case all the time, we figured we should hook them up," Kai interrupts.

Sehun nods eagerly.

Chen just looks at them. Well damn, they actually believed in what they were saying.

"And you guys realized this – all on your own?" he asks.

Sehun and Kai look down and away but Chen gets his answer in a mumbled, "Well Luhan ge kinda pointed it out and then Baekhyun hyung mentioned it to Chanyeol so we figured we were on the right track,"

"And last practice we swiped his phone when he wasn't looking. It's completely filled with pictures of Kris and him. It would make even Tao feel ashamed, I swear, Jongdae hyung. There is something there, and we aren't making it up." Sehun continues to press.

He lets out an irritated sound before he brings his fingers to his temples rubbing them slowly. Chen isn't used to being the responsible one but the way the maknaes look so genuine, he knows it's better not to let this go. And if the older hyungs were already in on this, or at least helped add fuel to the fire, Chen really can't escape the inevitableness of being drawn into this scheme.

"So what do I have to do with this?" Chen decides it might just be better to play along for now. And maybe somewhere the idea of hooking up their leaders and having them concentrate on each other instead of them starts to take seed in his head.

After all Kris's Mandarin lessons were a pain in the ass.

"We need someone on M to get Kris to warm up to the idea of dating Joonmyeon," Kai explains.

"Luhan ge and Minseok hyung are to lovey dovey with each other to help us," Kai makes a gagging noise as Sehun continues, "Zitao is too dumb to know how to help. And we're pretty sure Yixing hyung would forget by tomorrow what the goal is,"

Chen nods. Try as he might his small attempt to feel responsible and make sure the maknaes don't interfere in other people's love lives starts to get waylaid the more Chen thinks about the stuff he could do without Kris nagging him. The dork that is their giant leader would be too busy with Suho to nag Chen to clean up or to study or to shower any more.

"You're our best option, hyung! We know we can count on you!"

These little shits, Chen thinks.

But ultimately he lets out a sigh.

"Alright, let's hear the plan,"

He can practically feel the grins the maknaes give each other.

___

Of course the maknaes don't have a real plan. Kai's plan was to bombard Suho and Kris with shirtless pictures of each other and let their penises do the talking from there. Sehun didn't have a plan, except to look at Chen with those blank but intense eyes until Chen relented with a shout of 'fine!' and told them he'd think of something.

Easier said than done.

EXO were preparing for their upcoming comeback, but since they'd be split into subgroups again M was due to fly back to China to do a round of pre-promotions before the release date.

Half of him hopes that the maknaes will grow board of this plan and move on to other things, mostly because he knows how quickly things will go to shit if Suho and Kris find out people were interfering with their lives. But the other half spends the rest of the day noticing how Suho will naturally walk over to Kris whenever there is free time and how Kris will rest his hands on Suho's shoulders and lean over him to talk to him.

Those were things Chen never paid attention to before. After all in a room full of 12 boys a few of whom loved skinship, these things were hardly out of the ordinary. Half the time you could see Luhan with a hand tucked into Xiumin's pocket or Chanyeol biting D.O. on the neck or Lay kissing Tao on the corner of his lips. And Chen is pretty sure that Kai and Sehun are legitimately fucking each other.

He bites his lip against the shudder not quite sure if he wants to deal with the mixed feelings on that right now.

But it's the way Kris and Suho seem to lose themselves when they're around each other, so much so that Kris didn't even flinch when Chen went over to his bag and took his phone, and Suho had to be shaken before the instructor could get his attention that belie that this is more than just friendly skinship.

EXO M are currently on the airplane China bound, Chen having left behind Kai and Sehun with a small promise that he would do some more snooping to figure out Kris' stance on this entire leadership relationship.

Chen manages to do the impossible and grab the seat next to Kris despite Tao's pouts. He gives his maknae a cheeky smile and resolutely ignores Tao's whines and tugs to get Chen to move.

Luckily for Chen, a tired Xiumin and Luhan are right behind him and both of them scold Tao and demand he take the empty seat across from Chen and Kris. Kris just raises and eyebrow when Tao turns to protest and Tao is forced to huff and go where he is directed, Lay slipping in right beside him.

Chen turns back to Kris and they share a smile. They are distracted for a few minutes with the pre-flight procedures.

However, any attempts at conversation Chen plans to make are completely waylaid when Kris conks out within 10 mins of their flight.

He doesn't let that deter him though. He looks to his left and sees that Lay is just as asleep as Kris and that Tao was busy watching a movie on his Ipad.

Satisfied no one was paying him any mind, he sneaks his hand into Kris's pocket, glad the other opted for parachute pants instead of skin tight denims for his airport fashion. He smirks as he grabs Kris' cellphone, pulling it out with a triumphant grin.

He swipes the screen and puts in Kris' birthday as the passcode. Leader or not, Kris was not nearly as complex as he wanted others to believe.

He starts at photos, and digs through a ridiculous level of selcas and food shots before getting to what he wanted.

Pictures of Suho. There weren't many, just a few here or there and most weren't of consequence with the other leader half turned some other way or doing something mundane. There were a few two shot pictures of Kris and Suho at dance practice but nothing that would indicate anything other than friendship.

A little frustrated he turns instead to the text messages.

Chen's mouth opens in completely shock and he has to fight not to cringe at the cheesiness of the texts.

"Kids won't listen to me without their appa ?" – Suho

"Want me to spank them? ;D" – Kris

":O No violence! The babies would cry! Besides if I wanted to hit them I would have let Kyungsoo strangle them by now ^__^v" – Suho

"Hmmmmmm, then should I spank you for not disciplining them yourself?" – Kris

Chen takes a moment to splutter, looking at Kris and then down at the phone. What was this awkward flirting?

"-blush face- maybe–." –Suho

"kekekeke just kidding, wouldn't want to make an old man cry right? ;D " – Kris

"Yah! >:(" - Suho

Chen has to stop reading before his imagination burns images he doesn't want into his brain.

He scrolls through some more texts, uncovering more awkward – not quite sexting – texts. There are also a few mundane ones asking each other if they are taking care of themselves.

So safe to say there was more than a healthy level of attraction between Kris and Suho. Good, at least he has his basics established. Internally, he raises an eyebrow. The weird flirting between them seemed to indicate more than just a few weeks worth of text messages. The leaders had been doing this for a while so how come neither had taken a step forward? It seemed pretty obvious that they were into each other.

Beside him, Kris snuffles loudly and Chen's heart leaps to his throat. He stares wide eyed at Kris as the older let out an unattractive snort before letting his head thunk against the window to continue his deep sleep.

Chen let out a breath he didn't know he was holding. Kris finding out he went through his phone would be more than just intensive Mandarin lessons. It would also lead to Kris being a prissy little bitch and ignoring Chen and having Chinese MCs throw Chen the controversial questions.

He watches Kris settle down and looks back down to the phone in his hand. He has enough to at least not head into this entire matchmaking thing blind.

He closes the phone down and carefully slips the phone back where he got it from.

Settling back against the cushiony airplane seat he closes his eyes. He is a little excited at the prospect of manipulating the leaders but he is more nervous about what they would do if they found out he muddled in their affairs. On his own he could keep this quiet, but with the two brats in this with him? He doesn't trust them to not reveal this entire plan on a whim. Kai and Sehun, as mischievous and reckless as they could get (and ridiculously hot, Chen's mind treacherously supplies) were Suho's babies and they wouldn't get nearly half the punishment Chen would as the 'older' one.

Chen grumbles to himself at the unfairness of it all. He knows what he has to do though – settle this fast before the maknaes are overcome with their inevitable boredom and fuck this all up.

Tomorrow, Chen decides. He'll start with Kris.

___

He sits next to Kris in the waiting room of a radio program. Without the need to look their prettiest, it's relatively calm in the room with most of the members talking amongst each other, or like Tao, were completely knocked out.

It is quietly busy in that everyone was drawn into their own little world with just enough noise for everyone to have their own conversations but not be overheard.

Chen centers himself, shelving the instinct rush of guilty excitement of getting started. He has been up for a bit last night wondering the best way to go about it and decided on the oldest trick in the book: jealousy.

"Ge, Jonginnie told me Joonmyeon hyung was crying last night," he lets his voice come out quiet and concerned but watches attentively as Kris' attention snaps to him at the mention of Suho.

"What, no way. I just talked to him this morning, he was fine," Kris protests, but his eyes look uncertain.

Chen lets his eyes go wide and innocent. It's a clear indicator of when Chen was lying and normally even Kris would catch it. And then he drops the proverbial bomb.

"But Jongin said Sehunnie had to sleep with Joonmyeon hyung to get him to calm down,"

Kris' go wide and his lips draw thin, eyebrows furrowing in anger. He looks at Chen for a second before quickly looking down at his phone, furiously starting to type.

Chen let's his jaw drop a little in surprise. But he quickly buckles down on his surprise, knowing that Kris was seconds away from finding out the truth. He tenses himself for Kris' anger when he finds out but instead Kris turns towards him eyes a little blank.

"He's not texting back,"

Was Kris that worried? Chen staples down on his wonderment to mentally go through what Kai mentioned would be EXO-K's schedule.

"I think they're in the middle of a fan sign right now," Chen consoles. Kris blinks and the next thing Chen knows is his cool headed leader back in place.

"Right, I knew that."

Chen only nods, deciding now would be the time to break away. As he heads towards the snack table he shoots Kai and Sehun twin texts.

Get as close to Suhoppa as possible – send pics! - gonna make Krisus jealous XD– Chen

___

His tentative plan lasts all of 28 hours when he gets a pathetic phone call from the youngest members complaining about how Kris just yelled at them for 'harassing' the leader.

Kai and Sehun have been sending various pics of them cuddling up to Suho or feeding Suho or touching Suho. Chen has to deal with his irritation of seeing the youngest so convincingly lovey-dovey when they balked at any attempt Chen (or any of the other members! he fiercely reminds himself) to give skinship.

What Chen is feeling though pales in comparison to the bad mood Kris is sent into. Chen has been sneakily showing off the pictures under the guise that the maknaes were teasing Suho and Chen can only watch as each and every time Kris is sent into a darker and darker mood.

The last straw is when Sehun uploads a short video on his Instagram.

Sehun is the one clearly behind the camera if his snickering, high pitched, urgent whines for Kai to hurry up are any indication. Kai can be seen with his devilish grin, the one that has fangirls and members alike falling for his bravado, one that makes Chen's own heart speed up, as he quietly sneaks up against an unsuspecting Suho, sitting outside on the curb with a coffee cup in his hand.

Chen sees what the maknaes are up to in a flash and he grins wide and creepily at the camera as Kai with a bucket of water in his hand, dumps the content on Suho's head. The older boy immediately jumps up with a yell at the first douse of water and Kai is quick to scramble away laughing.

Suho screams out a 'yah!' frantically trying to wipe water away from his eyes and blindly turning around to find the cause of it but Kai isn't done yet. Quick as lightening he stands in front of Suho and dumps the remaining bit of on Suho's front. He drops the bucket and is quick to bolt with Suho standing frozen, mouth agape for a second. The white shirt the older boy had been wearing soaks through completely and Chen can't help as he notices the pointed buds of a brown nipples peaking through the fabric. Suho quickly snaps out of his stupor and with a roar chases after Kai. Sehun is laughing too hard at Suho's continuous yells and chasing of Kai to keep the camera straight but the effect is still potent.

Sehun chases after the boys until he catches Suho cornering Kai, arm around the boy and bringing him down to a headlock, stuffing Kai's face under his armpit as he squeezes. Kai is still laughing and doesn't look troubled at all in the position he is in. In fact, the little brat decides to play it up more as he brings his arm to Suho's chest and pinches his nipple. Suho lets out a high pitched screech and immediately let's go and Kai falls to the floor laughing. Sehun's gwuffs of laughter are the last thing to be heard as the video cuts off.

Sehun is forced to take it down a few hours later but the damage is already done. Chen watches in fascination as Kris watches with his eyebrows crossed deeper and deeper until he leaves the room and he can hear yelling on the other side.

Chen can't stop the grin that overtakes him and the sense of accomplishment knowing that he is on the right track.

He was going to break down Kris sooner or later.

When Kris eventually comes back from his yelling, most of the other members decide to steer clear of him.

Not Chen though. He slides up next to Kris and sympathetically pats Kris on the back, pulling back instantly when the older whirls around to him.

"And you! Stop showing me all these pictures – it's getting annoying," Kris growls.

So Chen lets his eyes go innocent and wide again. "But hyung, it's all in good fun. Joonmyeon hyung is a friend that knows how to take teasing well, right?"

Kris' mouth barely turns down into a scowl at the mention of the word 'friend' before he snaps back to attention. "Doesn't matter, stop with this already. Or go bother Minseok and Luhan hyung with this," Kris says, making to get up.

Chen puts his hand back on Kris' shoulder, pressing down. "Now, now, ge. No need to be upset. You weren't–jealous were you?" Chen teases, prodding at the situation delicately.

But instead he gets an explosive reaction. Kris jumps up, turning to face Chen in a panic. "What me? Jealous? Are you high? Why would I be jealous? I mean Joonmyeon is a friend and Jongin and Sehun are practically his younger brothers' – there is like no way any of all this attention means they like him, right?"

Chen has to fight not to let his face slip as Kris rambles on. Instead he brings his hands up passively trying to get Kris to calm down.

"Right, right," Chen says soothingly. "I'm sure they just wanted to tease their hyung a bit. I'm sure they'll stop now that they know it is bothering you," Chen trails off, strongly implementing that Kris would have something to be bothered about.

"What do you mean 'bothering me'?"

"Why would it bother me?" Kris' voice goes slightly higher. "Joonmyeon is just a friend. I'm just trying to look out for him!"

Chen bites the inside of his cheek against a frown. "Looking out for him as a friend?" Chen stresses, trying to urge Kris into breaking a bit and admitting. "Calling up Jongin and Sehun at ass oclock in the morning to yell at them to stop hugging and touching our leader doesn't seem like something a friend does,"

Kris glares down at Chen, "What are you trying to say, Jongdae?"

Chen widens his eyes innocuously at Kris, "Nothing, ge."

Kris rubs his neck with the back of his hand and mutters a few words underneath his breath – Chen can barely make out, 'he's just a friend' before Kris sighs dejectedly.

"Goodnight, Jongdae," Kris calls as he moves away. Chen wonders if he should follow to press this issue but figures he should let this rest. He has a sinking feeling getting Kris to admit anything is going to be like pulling teeth out of his mouth.

Painful and nearly impossible without the right tools.

___

That had been two days ago.

"This is beyond pathetic," Chen groans. Frustrated from lack of sleep, extensive singing and dancing until his throat aches in the worst way and his legs feel like they won't ever take a step further again. All this on top of the stupid pet matchmaking project and Chen feels strung out in the worst ways.

"Sorry hyung," Kai mutters. Chen can tell that both Sehun and Kai are exhausted too, preparing for their debut with endless pre-schedules, half of which don't really mean much all together but to remind everyone what a hot commodity EXO is. "We're trying," They've been reporting back that they aren't having much luck in getting Suho to admit he and Kris like each other either.

Chen turns over and stuffs his face into the pillow. He is so tired.

He lets out a loud frustrated groan.

"Are you jacking off?" Sehun's lovely voice calls out and oh that is why he is sticking his neck out for these idiots.

Chen stifles a laugh, mind suddenly alert and deciding to play a little mischief. He lets out a small breathy moan, bouncing up on the bed to create a squeaky sound.

"Hmmmm?" Chen breathes out, knowing his voice is going an octave higher that makes his members squirm in their seats. "Did you say something Sehunnie?" he drawls out the last bit with a cut of gasp that he purposely pitches to make as suggestive as possible.

The other end of his cellphone is dead silent but Chen knows they haven't hung up yet.

"Jongin? Naaaah, Sehun are you there?" Chen puts his mouth closer to the speaker and breathes out headily, thankful this phone call isn't on face time. He can't control the curl of his lips and the amusement in his eyes.

Before he can continue though, there is a violent banging on his door. "Yah! Jongdae stop with all this moaning, Luhan is getting ideas!" Xiumin's voice bellows out.

Chen can't stop his laughter then and starts belting out right next to the phone. Xiumin stops knocking and leaves with what Chen thinks is a muttered 'horny dongsaengs' and it only thrusts him further over the edge.

When he calms down he notices that the line is still connected. Shifting to sit upright on the bed, Chen picks up the phone again and puts it next to his ear.

"Yah, Jongin and Sehun – you there? Hello?" Chen calls. His brows furrow when nobody answers. He can hear movement and a door opening before a voice answers.

"Chenchen what did you do? I've never seen the maknaes head for the bathroom that fast before," a voice chuckles.

Ah, his best friend.

But bathroom, eh? There is only one reason they would head there and Chen struggles between this perverse pride in getting the maknaes so worked up and an insane jealousy that they left him to take care of each other.

He curls his hands on the material of his shorts and forces himself to shift gears. At least he has Baekhyun to talk to.

Chen breaks out into a smile and settles down more comfortably against the pillows. "Nothing, I swear!" He says sweetly, voice exaggeratingly innocent.

Baekhyun scoffs, "Bullshit! I know you, you slut,"

"Takes one to know one, right Byun?" Chen trills back.

They both laugh and talk for a while, Baekhyun more than happy to doll out his time now that it isn't his phone being rung up for long distance charges.

"So do you have any idea why Jongin and Sehun have been clinging to Joonmyeon hyung like koalas lately?"

Chen has lain down on his bed, slowly relaxing at the meaningless but much need talk with his best friend. Nothing could really set him at ease as fast as Baekhyun could.

"I'm trying to see if it will make Kris hyung jealous," Chen admits. He doesn't think there would be a point in telling Baekhyun the entire plan since the other vocalist would undoubtedly want to get in on it. And when Baekhyun gets involved in delicate matters, things go to shit fast. He is sure from Sehun and Kai's initial contact that Baekhyun is already aware of KrisHo's crush but makes the decision not to bring Baekhyun in.

He kinda wants this to remain a pet project between Kai, Sehun and himself. He feels a bit pathetic that this is the most amount of attention he has truly gotten from Kai and Sehun in a while and wants to enjoy the exclusivity of it for as long as he can.

So he feels a bit bad when he tacks on, "There isn't much to do here but to tease Duizhang, you know?"

Baekhyun is silent for a beat too long before he lets out a small chuckle, "Hmmm and you think getting the babies to tease umma is the best way to do this?"

"No, I think sending two hot young men to bother a sexually frustrated leader is the best way to do this," Chen grins.

But then it slips off realizing exactly what Baekhyun was going to jump on.

"Oh 'two hot young men', eh?" Baekhyun drawls.

Chen panics. "Not like that – you know they are like little brothers, you pervert!" he quickly tries to clarify.

His heart beats double time and whatever languid state he had been in before is quickly destroyed.

"What does our little ChenChen have a crush on the itty bitty maknaes?" Baekhyun mockingly coos.

The unpleasant rolling of his stomach of having another person voice his thoughts back to him just seems to cement the wrongness of his infatuation.

"Shut up, Baekhyun!" Chen hisses into the phone, irrationally afraid Kai and Sehun might overhear Baekhyun.

A surge of guilt overtakes him, the wrongness of thinking of the maknaes in a less than platonic manner becoming a familiar boon in the pit of his stomach. He lets out a panicky whoosh of air, as Baekhyun laughs on the other line.

"ChenChen has the hots for the babies!" he cackles.

"I'm not kidding Baekhyun, cut it out!" Chen cries urgently.

The laughter cuts off at the urgency in Chen's voice and there is a pause of confusion from Baekhyun's end. "Right right, calm down babe," Baekhyun soothes.

Chen knows his uneven breathing can probably be heard on the other end. "Just take a deep breath, you know I didn't mean anything by it,"

Chen takes a deep breath to center himself. He fully expects Baekhyun to continue his teasing but when all he hears is silence he decides to focus on the confusion of how easily Baekhyun let this go. Normally the boy would be on Chen's case for days about this.

He can't help his reaction though. He has been fighting for months to keep this stupid infatuation at bay and he knows his best friend is a lot more perceptive than many give him credit for so he doesn't want the other boy to find out about it and start meddling.

Everything would to go to hell in a hand basket if he did.

There is a brief pause in which Chen struggles in deciding on how to continue the conversation. But luckily for him, Baekhyun is a person who doesn't do awkward.

"So try to get Kris jealous, right? I can help with that! I'm a little bored here anyway without Chanyeol around most of the day," Baekhyun cheerfully says.

Chen lets out one big deep breath, letting go of the comforter he had been unconsciously wringing out during the last few minutes.

"Nah, I don't think we can continue on," Chen guiltily lies. "Kris ge is in a horrible mood now and anymore teasing will probably have him taking it out on us,"

Baekhyun only hums disappointingly and Chen can practically feel the pout he knows Baekhyun has on. So he continues, "Don't worry, I'm sure you'll find something else to do. And when I get back we will gang up on Joonmyeon together, okay?"

Baekhyun laughs and Chen shakily joins in.

He lets the rest of the conversation continue but his head isn't really in it anymore. He vaguely realizes Baekhyun is saying goodbye and Chen lets the phone fall out of his hands before he reintroduces his face to the pillow.

He is not going there.

Stay away from Kai and Sehun.

They're too young. They have each other. They don't think of Chen in that way.

Chen groans once more and squeezes his eyes shut. Tomorrow he will refocus on Kris. Better get this entire thing over with because it is severely messing with Chen's head.

___

Chen is quick to forget (supress) his reaction to Baekhyun's call in light of having to focus on promotions. But he doesn't forget his resolve to get to the bottom of Kris's feelings. So the first chance that they get to stay at their hotel for more than an hour Chen makes his way to Kris' door with determinedness.

Kris has been in a bit of a mood because of the incident with the maknaes but the rest of the members didn't know why. As a result, most of them were leaving Kris well enough alone with only Tao attempting to get Kris to warm up unsuccessfully.

So when Chen makes his way into his room and sees a pouting Tao on the sofa he can't help but laugh and ruffle Tao's hair. "Don't worry, hyung will make Duizhang better, I promise!" Chen cheers.

Tao just laughs and swats Chen's hand away. "I don't think pranking him is gonna make him feel better," Tao calls as Chen heads for Kris' door.

Chen just turns around and winks before he walks into Kris' room, without knocking.

Kris jumps a little from where he is lying on his bed and Chen sees him furiously clicking the top of his tablet, no doubt to close something incriminating.

Chen just smirks and lets Kris' scowl and 'fucking knock, Jongdae!' roll off of him.

He plops down on Kris' bed with a huff, making it bounce a bit and Kris sit up to properly glare at him.

"Did you need something?" Kris grits out and Chen just lets out a cheeky smirk.

"No but you clearly do! Something to remove the stick from your---" Chen laughs as Kris cuts him off with a, "Don't you dare finish that sentence!"

Chen tapers down his chuckles and meets Kris' unimpressed look.

"I'm pretty sure Joonmyeon hyung could help with that," Chen says innocently but then yelps and ducks to the side as Kris throws a pillow at his head.

"Are you still on that? I told you to leave it – Joonmyeon is just a friend!" Kris bellows and Chen defensively lets out a laugh, trying to play off the situation.

"Right, just a friend," Chen says, cautiously approaching the bed. He settles down at the foot fully aware of Kris' heavy gaze on him.

Chen briefly wonders why he couldn't have drawn Suho instead. He would bet his entire music collection that their leader would be easier to break down that Kris.

"But," Chen carefully continues aware he is on dangerous ground. "Like, hypothetically, if you could choose a partner to," Chen coughs delicately, "relieve stress with, who would it be?" he rushes out.

Kris stares at Chen gobsmacked. "What the fuck, Jongdae?"

Chen feels embarrassment wash over him and his has to stop himself for doing a full body cringe at the awkwardness of his suggestion.

He plows on because fuck it he is already in this deep. "I just think Joonmyeon hyung would be a great partner. So, um, attentive to our needs and always trying his best, you know?" Chen croaks out awkwardly.

Kris stares at Chen in complete shock, mouth so open Chen distantly thinks he might catch flies, and Chen feels a weird tension spring into the room.

Chen knows he is blushing and the unease of this entire situation eats at him. He wants to jet because fuck he did not just say that.

"You did not just say that," Kris bites out. Chen quickly realizes how tense Kris has just gotten and figures it is time to cut his losses.

"Yup, you're right. I did not just say that – hey do you hear Zitao calling me? Well this has been a fantastic chat, hyung!" Chen forces out cheerfully, hastily standing up and making his way to the door. "See you around,"

Chen beats it out of there and hears behind him a frustrated scream of, "Jongdae" and the trailing laughter of Zitao clapping at his failure as he dives into his room.

He jumps on bed and lets out a small muffled scream of his own into his pillow because oh my god that did not just happen.

___

"This isn't working," Chen groans out, whining pathetically into his tablet. On the other side he sees Sehun and Kai pressed up side by side that their cheeks are nearly smooshed together. It makes him smile on the inside at how adorable the little rascals can be.

But not now.

"You have to try harder," Kai presses, lips pursued in a deep frown. Chen barely refrains from saying the same thing back in a childish mocking voice.

He crosses his arms instead and lets the tablet rest on the slope of his knees from where he is tilted on the bed, a mountain of pillows behind him. He tucks his chin deeper into his chest and lets a double chin wrinkle up to show how unseriously he was taking this situation.

"Try harder at what? I've practically insinuated how good a fuck Joonmyeon hyung is and Kris ge still didn't–!" he swallows down the pool of second hand embarrassment at the reminder of that glorious conversation. He means to finish the sentence with 'still didn't admit that he and Suho were already together' but the maknaes draw his attention away from finishing.

He misses the agitated twitch Sehun makes and the way Kai's lips are pulled in so tight his mouth is practically gone. He doesn't miss the, "What?" Sehun chokes out though.

"I thought it was a good idea at the time, okay? You know kinda like how you gotta sell a car and nothing works better that a good review,"

"Did you just equate Joonmyeon hyung to a car? To be ridden?" Kai says incredulously and it's the first time Chen has seen his face break out of that troubled frown.

Chen gives a cheeky grin to the two maknaes and the effect is completely distorted by how ugly he currently looks with his neck and chin disappearing.

"Ew, hyung stop being disgusting," Sehun exclaims. Chen sees Kai bit his lip against a smile and feels the familiar swell of mischief crawl through him.

"Aww, Sehunnie I was just trying to make you feel better about yourself," Chen coos in a mock sweet voice.

"By making yourself look like a slug?" Sehun shoots back.

"Well since you have to look like that every morning I thought it'd be of some comfort to have your hyung try and share your pain. But alas, it is just too hard," Chen chirps as Kai bursts out into his seal like laughter. Sehun has the annoyed furrow on his brow and Chen wonders if he can push Sehun far enough into accidently lapsing back into his lisp.

"Yeah right, hyung is so ugly that slugs turn into balls rather than be theen by you," Sehun grits out and Kai actually disappears from the screen with how hard he is laughing.

"Awww donth worry Thethun, hyung didnth mean to make you thad," Chen mocks. He can hear the howls of laughter Kai is letting out in the edge and is enjoying the red on Sehun's cheeks more than he should be well.

"Aish! Hyung! Jongin stop!" Sehun turns around to growl at presumably Kai. Chen barely hears a "Don't you mean 'thop'?" before Sehun is placing the tablet down and Chen has a clear view of the ceiling hearing the unmistakable sound of the two youngest probably wrestling each other down.

"Now, now children, let's stop with this senseless fighting and get back to the matter at hand, yes?" Chen calls out with his best Suho-voice.

He hears a loud grunt and then its silent for a moment before Chen sees Kai's ruffled head on screen again, picking up the tablet to show how disgruntled Sehun and he have turned.

Chen means to snark some more but his words catch in his throat and he hopes the younger boys don't notice the widening of his eyes. Kai and Sehun look – well, fucked to be honest. Sehun's face has turned red, noticeable on his pale skin and his hair is tousled to the side, shirt ridden askew to show off his heaving shoulders. Kai on the other hand looks more frazzled – hair in complete disarray and lips swelling from his biting earlier. His mouth is open and panting as he tries to catch his breath and Chen can't help the traitorous jolt of lust that sings right through him.

He involuntarily shuffles his legs, pressing them together in pressure like to physically stop the lust spreading through him. The tablet falls against his chest as a result and Chen oofs, deciding to sit up properly.

He leans back against the pillows properly absently noticing that the tank top he was wearing has slipped to show off a nipple. He quickly tucks the tank back into place, looking up and barely missing the way both the youngest had been focused on that one spot before Chen fixed his shirt. He takes a deep breath and hopes the flush on his cheek isn't noticeable.

"Anyways," Chen continues, pleased to see the maknaes snapping to attention. "We still need to figure out how to salvage this plan,"

Kai and Sehun nod and Chen notices a pensive look cross over Sehun's face. "Well if making Kris hyung jealous isn't working why don't we make Joonmyeon hyung jealous instead?" Sehun says distractedly.

Chen pauses for a second to let it sink in and he nearly smacks his own head with a 'duh'.

"You know, you just might be right, Sehunnie!" Chen exclaims. Kai and Sehun raise an eyebrow at Chen's sudden excitement but Chen ignores them for now.

Of course – Kris would never own up to having a crush first. It wasn't his 'style'. But Suho has put his pride away for the bigger picture many times. And honestly, it just didn't take as much to rile Suho up as it did Kris.

At the very least, over the last week he has learned Kris is definitely interested, even if he isn't ready to admit it yet. From what the maknaes had been reporting back, and Chen's own findings from all the snooping, Suho definitely felt the same.

But when to do this?

"Long distance won't cut it though," Chen muses out loud. "Part of the problem is that these two are too far away from each other to do anything when we nudge them in the right direction,"

Sehun and Kai are nodding along, expression hesitant but attentive.

"So we need to do this when we are together again. The in three days we're back to film the MV, right? Let's do it then. I'll–" Chen's mind is working at a rapid pace trying to think of the best and most effective method to get these two to realize their feelings. Kris won't be the first to admit them, Chen is sure. He's willing to bet that if Kris sees anyone making a move on Suho he'd probably be the type to give up, pretend like it was reality and angst in private.

Suho on the other hand––

Chen knew from experience if you pushed the right buttons that Suho will follow through the way you want him too. Sure there would be a lot of tears but surely there would be a confession.

"I'll–I'll pretend to confess to Kris hyung in the dressing room. You two lead Joonmyeon-hyung over - make sure he over hears it. I'm almost positive that Joonmyeon will interrupt and run away crying and Kris hyung will definitely follow! Just like in dramas!" Chen finishes off triumphantly.

Sehun and Kai are quiet on the other line and if Chen had been paying more attention rather than blankly look at the screen he would have seen Kai's hand tightening and loosening on Sehun's shoulder.

"It won't work," Sehun is quick to jump in.

Chen blinks in shock but is cut off from saying anything when Kai speaks up, "Sehun is right. Drama's don't work on people, hyung," Kai says.

Is it Chen's imagination or are the maknaes expressions' getting darker?

"What are you guys talking about? This is the best plan we've thought of yet!" Chen says defensively.

Sehun turns his head away from the screen and Chen can practically see Kai's faÁade going back up. Both the maknaes are closing up on him and Chen has no idea why.

"No it's not. We'll think of something else," Kai says.

Chen feels anger welling up inside him, frustrated at how casually Sehun and Kai are brushing him off now. "Look we have to go," Sehun finishes.

Chen can't even open his mouth before the younger boys are hastily saying goodbye. Soon all he sees is a black screen reflecting his own stunned face back at him. He has to close his eyes when he sees how hurt his reflection looks.

He growls to himself, powering off the tablet before throwing it to the side. He tries to quell the hurt with anger. After all, Sehun and Kai were the ones to oh so enthusiastically drag Chen into this. Why were they pushing it off now? After all Chen has done?

Damn it. He needs to get over this stupid infatuation thing, of caring what Kai and Sehun think of him.

Chen curls a fist into his hair, pulling at his roots to ground himself.

Why does it feel like every time he gets closer to being part of, closer to having, the two aloof boys that they so easily turn away from him?

At the first unsettling sting behind his eyes, Chen furiously gets up from the bed and crosses over to his backpack thrown on top of his luggage by the door. He picks up his cellphone and scrolls through the contact list before clicking on a name.

He forces out his most cheerful voice. He has no time, no reason, to dwell on these irritating feelings. Just get this stupid thing done and he can be away from Sehun and Kai once more.

"Baekhyunnie? Remember the thing about teasing Kris ge? Well I have a new plan now, wanna help?"

___

The next three days crawl over Chen despairingly. Sehun and Kai do not reply to any of Chen's calls or texts. Despite how angry he was at both of them for abruptly cutting him off, Chen isn't the type to hold grudges.

So he texts and calls them both. He waits for a reply, anything - sarcasm, disrespect – just anything to show that Sehun and Kai knows he exists.

He feels like a jilted girlfriend. He hears the brief conversations Sehun has with Tao and knows Kai is texting Lay.

So why are they ignoring Chen like this?

He hasn't been getting enough sleep, mostly because of their busy schedule but also at the fact that anytime his eyes close all he can see is Sehun and Kai's backs both of them coldly walking away from him.

Disappointment eats at him. He thought they were having fun, why was it turning out this way? He feels abandoned.

When they make their way back to Korea it is not nearly as relieving as it normally is. They barely have time to get back to the dorms and drop their stuff off before they are huddled into a van and head to the MV set. They see K already there but don't have any time to even properly greet them as they are shoved into chairs and manufactured into looking the part. The next 26 hours pass by in a blur and at the end of it Chen barely has enough presence of mind to remember that he needs to talk to Sehun and Kai face to face.

Chen is sitting on the lounge sofa a few meters away from set watching EXO-K wrap up the last of the choreography scenes.

Yixing is passed out on his shoulder, with Luhan and Xiumin tiredly laid on the sofa across from him, changed into regular sweats and washed faces, with Tao spread out on top of them, asleep.

Kris is sitting in the chair next to Chen's sofa, slumped but more awake than the rest of M, sipping on some cola. He is clearly staring at one person on set and Chen has to fit back a grin at how cheesy Kris can really be.

"Okay, that's it we are done!" the director calls.

Chen watches as K seems to crumple into themselves, losing their confident gate and looking more like tired teenage boys in ridiculous clothes. All of them tiredly make their way off set, bowing and thanking everyone like M had done hours before.

He watches their managers run up to the director and assistants, buckling themselves in for some last minute review of the direction and image EXO has to set up.

Despite wrapping up, they're easily going to be here another hour. At the very least until K is out of their costumes.

Chen watches as Sehun leans heavily on Kai, the slightly older one wrapping a firm arm around the youngest to support him. Chen contemplates getting up and helping Kai but then he remembers the way both maknaes have done their best to resolutely ignore Chen's presence the entire shooting. It hurts wondering how long they plan on ignoring him.

He doesn't realize he is staring until he locks eyes with Kai's tired brown orbs. Chen's heart leaps for a second, and he offers up a tentative smile only for it to immediately drop as Kai breaks their gaze to look at the floor.

Chen clenches his hand on his pants, a familiar ache biting at the pit of his stomach. He turns away and looking at the other half of the group but quickly frowns at how Chanyeol stumbles into D.O as they draw closer. Everyone is exhausted by the long hours but Chen knows that Chanyeol has been filming for his own variety show along side EXO activities.

That's why he grabs Chanyeol's wrist and pulls him down on the empty space next to him. Chanyeol gives Chen a tired toothy smile, eyes cresting attractively but tension pulling at the sides. The giant releases a deep sigh and nuzzles his face into Chen's neck, the main vocalist smiling at the puffs of heat released from Chanyeol's nose. Chen doesn't even quip about Chanyeol smelling because he is sure the barely younger boy is seconds away from passing out.

He instead slides his arm around Chanyeol's waist and gently strokes his hand up in down in soothing motions. Chanyeol gives a soft whine before melting into Chen's smaller frame and Chen knows he is smiling indulgently.

His neck hairs start to rise up at the sensation of someone watching him so Chen looks up and takes in the rest of his surroundings.

The rest of K are spread out around the area. D.O. and Suho are at the refreshment table grabbing everyone drinks while Baekhyun perches on the arm rest of the couch Tao, Xiumin and Luhan are resting on.

None of them seem to be paying him any mind so it leaves Chen to turn his head left and meet the hardened eyes of Sehun and Kai.

Chen's breath catches in his throat at the intense look Kai and Sehun are sending him, increased by their makeup, dark kohl lining their eyes and the sweat dotting their brows. Sehun is frowning deeply and clearly looking at Chen but he has a feeling Sehun isn't really seeing him. Kai's round lips are pressed into a deep line and the line of his body betrays how tense he is. But he still doesn't meet Chen's eyes. They are clearly angry at something.

Probably from filming, Chen justifies to himself.

But it honestly looks like the two youngest are glaring at him. But he hasn't given them cause to do that.

Suho and D.O. comeback from the table and Chen gives Baekhyun a sharp look. The older looks up just in time to see it and looks between Suho and Kris, both whom are now talking to each other, Suho leaning against the back of Kris' chair. Baekhyun looks back at Chen giving a subtle nod.

Chen turns back to the two youngest, the slight guilt in his gut making him wonder if he should tell them what he plans to do, only to see them standing up intimately close together. Sehun is pressed to the side of Kai's body, lips next to the slightly elder's ear. Kai has an arm wrapped around Sehun's waist and Chen aches at how perfectly they seem to piece together.

Chen's stomach jolts unpleasantly, flipping over in disappoint as Kai intertwines their hands and pulls Sehun out of their little circle and away from the group, neither one of them looking back at Chen.

The familiar bite of abandonment rises up again and Chen is just so sick of feeling this way. He is absolutely strung out on no sleep, the loud area around him and intensive filming. But most of all, the maknaes sudden silent treatment is taking its toll on Chen, especially when he has no idea what he has done to deserve this. He just wants to be done with this stupid matchmaking plan and bow out of Sehun and Kai's presence until it doesn't burn him inside out every time he sees them and knows he can't get any closer.

He sees Baekhyun watching him, a furrowed frown on his face as he looks between Chen, Sehun and Kai but he ignores it.

It's now or never.

Despite the sudden urgency taking over him, Chen carefully stands up, first gently moving Yixing to slump back against the sofa and then to lay Chanyeol down on Yixing's lap. Once that's done Chen straightens and gives Baekhyun a tired half smirk, putting up two fingers.

Two minutes.

Baekhyun nods again and Chen slips past him and walks the short distance over to Kris.

"Ge, can I talk to you for a second?" Chen asks. He tries to pitch his voice lower to convey his seriousness and doesn't need to do much work considering how utterly hoarse he already is.

Kris doesn't snap his attention away from Suho like he normally does, and Chen has to bite the inside of his cheek to stop smiling. The tallest member is leaning back against the chair, absently tilting into the touch Suho has been stroking up and down his neck.

But Kris does turn to questioningly look at Chen after practically tearing his eyes away from Suho so Chen tackles on, "In private?"

He throws in a sheepish look at Suho who is now curiously looking at Chen. Before Suho can ask if anything is wrong though, Baekhyun swoops in and grabs Suho's arm.

"We should probably go change now, hyung," Baekhyun states but drags the other off before Suho can protest.

Kris has a puzzled look on his face but stands up and shrugs at Chen now that he is free. Chen smiles and grabs Kris's hand, ignoring the surprised look on Kris's face. From the corner of his eye he sees Baekhyun and Suho walking away but catches Suho of looking back, Suho's eyes looking down to where Kris and Chen are connected.

Chen doesn't miss a beat and tugs Kris out of the noisy space and back towards the quieter halls of the warehouse.

He finds the small room Baekhyun and he had discovered during break not too far from the shooting site, clearly used to put all the staff's jackets in. No one else is in there and the room has only one door and no windows.

He angles Kris into the room first, careful to leave the door open just a sliver. With Kris' back facing the door, the older hopefully wouldn't notice what Chen has done until it is too late.

"Well? What did you need to talk about?" Kris asks.

Chen's nerves are alit with adrenaline, heart pumping fast. His stomach is twisted in knots – half from the anxiety of wondering if this all will work out and the other half still entrenched in the guilt of leaving Sehun and Kai out of this plan, especially when they were so against it.

But if this works–.

Chen is pretty sure that Baekhyun should be making his way here with Suho so he starts letting his silver tongue go to work. He needs to eat up sometime before the perfect moment.

So Chen lets his hands nervously bunch together at the front of his shirt. Kris is still looking down at him and while Kris was their leader, he didn't exercise patience nearly as well as his counterpart.

"Well?" Kris urges.

Chen clears his throat, "I–uh, you see, you're probably wondering why I've been acting so strange the past week,"

Kris raises an eyebrow and from the confused look in his eye, Chen is sure the giant isn't quite on the same page yet.

"About being so pushy asking about Joonmyeon hyung. And you." Chen clarifies.

His stomach starts violently twisting and Chen can feel the pinpricks of urgency streaming through his veins and instinctively knows that he should begin in earnest now.

Kris speaks up, "Yeah, um, it's been a bit weird but like it doesn't really matter much. I told you we're just friends. I thought we were over this."

It's only because Chen quickly let's his eyes dart down to the floor that he sees the shadow barely making its way through the crack in the door.

He quickly snaps his eyes back up and meets Kris' unsure gaze, knowing that Kris isn't directing it at Chen but at himself. If Chen could afford to he would roll his eyes. He is pretty sure that by now the rest of the members were just as aware of what Kris and Joonmyeon were feeling as Chen, Sehun and Kai were.

"Right, um, see that's what I wanted to talk to you about."

Chen steps in closer, and Kris just stares confusingly at him, and Chen knows that other has no idea what the mood in the room has turned into.

"So if you and Joonmyeon hyung are just friends, then is it okay if I do this?"

Chen is right in front of Kris now, close enough that Kris has to strain his neck down to maintain eye contact. The older has tried to back up a step only to be met with the firm resistance of a table behind him.

Chen leans in closer and baits his breath, going up on his tippy toes.

Now.

Kris barely gets to choke out a, "What the fuc---" before Baekhyun is pushing open the door.

Chen jumps back, pretending to be startled and sees the stricken look on Suho's face.

His stomach plummets to the bottom of his toes at how crestfallen the leader looks.

"Ummm, are we interrupting something?" Baekhyun asks nervously. If Chen wasn't looking for it he would have missed the attentive gleam in his eyes.

"Joonmyeon, I, I can expli--" Kris stutters.

Chen delicately side steps out of the way as Kris goes around the table to walk hesitantly towards the door.

Even from the inside of the room, Chen can see a glisten overtake Suho's eyes. The older boy's face is drawn tight in the way it normally does when he is struggling not to cry.

Suho shakes his head back and forth, taking a step back. "N-No," Suho's voice cracks. "N-No, um, I'm sorry for i-interupting, I'll just..." Suho trails off and Chen barely sees a tear escape his eye before the older turns around and jets from the scene.

Kris is left standing there, one arm hanging uselessly in the air as if he meant to grab Suho.

But he makes no move to chase.

And holy fuck is Chen just done with this.

"Go after him!" Chen yells.

Baekhyun and Kris both jump turning to look at him but Chen isn't having it. He walks up right behind Kris and gives him a push, more violent than necessary but Chen is just so done. He feels like scum right now - at how much he feels like he manipulated Suho, and fuck even Kris.

It was supposed to feel more gratifying than this.

"What are you doing, ge!? Are you going to let him go?" Chen angrily demands.

Kris looks torn, completely confused and looks wounded by Suho's abrupt departure. "I--"

Chen grabs Kris' wrist and bodily drags him out the door. Kris is limply following behind him and Chen can't stop the panicky wash of anger and anxiety that perhaps he has completely fucked this up. That he has ruined something good by trying to make it better in his own pathetic way.

There is only one place Chen knows that Suho would go and so he heads towards it with a single-minded determinedness.

The closest bathroom was right beside the room they were just in but that isn't where Suho would go. Chen drags Kris all the way to the other side of the warehouse ignoring the confused looks on the face of all the staff they pass.

Finally they make it to the mens washroom and Chen shoves open the door, not even flinching at the loud bang as metal hits metal.

He uses his considerable strength to whirl Kris into the room and lets himself have some satisfaction as the older stumbles and barely catches himself in the sink.

Chen can hear it now, over the blood ringing in his ears. Muffled sobs bounce off the tiled walls and Chen turns around to slam the door shut and lock it down from the inside.

Kris is still by the sink completely frozen so Chen glares at him and makes his way to the one stall door that is closed.

Chen doesn't even hesitate from a moment before he pulls his leg back and kicks the stall door open.

There is another loud smack and Suho yelps, body pulled back and drawn into a tight ball from where he had been sitting on the closed toilet seat lid.

Chen grabs Suho's arm and yanks him up and out of the stall door.

Suho is shocked for a few seconds but then he gathers the presence of mind to resist but once more Chen isn't having it.

He throws Suho next to Kris, and in the back of his mind finds amusement at how they both freeze and look at each other before Suho looks away.

"Wha---" Suho begins, voice still watery.

"Shut up, hyung!" Chen exclaims.

Both Suho and Kris jump at Chen's tone and he can see that the novelty of the situation is beginning to wear off and Kris is beginning to look furious.

"Just shut up, please ?" Chen chokes out. He leans back against the stall and stares at both of them. Suho still valiantly trying to muffle his hiccupping sobs.

"You don't get to talk anymore, not when you guys haven't been talking to each other properly," Chen says.

Kris still has that murderous look on his face and Suho's eyes are wide, watery and confused and Chen knows he has their full attention.

"I know you two like each other," Chen begins. He gives a sharp glare at Kris when the older looks like he will open his mouth to say anything. "Save it. Even Sehun and Kai know that you two like each other," Chen drawls.

Both flinch and put more distance between themselves. "Oh please, stop with all this dancing around each other! I have been trying, and failing, to get Kris to admit he likes you Joonmyeon hyung for the past week,"

Chen turns to Suho and feels his heart clench at how sad Suho looks. His own throat starts to sting and he feels so overwhelmed.

It was time to just be straight. He needed to set things right.

He carefully walks up to Suho and gathers the older in his arms. Suho resists for a second, frame rigid but soon enough he easily falls into the tug of Chen's arms.

Chen lets himself tightly squeeze his leader for a beat and then draws back, using the long sleeve of his shirt to wipe away the hot tear tracks from Suho's eyes. His entire face was red and puffy and Chen lets himself sigh.

Suho's ragged breath is hot and Chen can feel it on his palm even through the shirt. He gently lets his palm press against Suho's cheeks and looks Suho dead in the eye.

"That confession you heard was fake, hyung," Chen says gently, watching Suho's eyes go wide. Kris lets out a strangled growl from his side but Chen pays him no mind. "I've been trying to get Kris to admit he likes you ever since we went back to China. But he wouldn't say anything."

Suho's eyes slide over to Kris and Chen follows his gaze, watching as Kris hunches into himself.

"It's not his fault though," Chen quickly explains. Suho's eyes fall back to Chen and he can feel Suho calming down. "He has all these pictures of you on his phone and he's saved all your text messages. He freaked out when I lied to him and told him you cried when we left. He got pissed when Sehun and Kai started clinging to you and he basically chased me out of the dorm room when I suggested that you'd made a good stress reliever. He goes brainless when we mention you, trust me," Chen flashes Suho a confident cheeky smirk.

Suho's face had already been red from his all crying but Chen knew that it was red now because of his blush.

"I-is that true? Kris?" Suho asks. His voice is hoarse but achingly sincere and Chen knows that at the very least, Suho isn't hurting anymore.

Kris looks up, eyes dark and lips pressed together. His body is tense and Chen suddenly realizes he isn't sure if Kris will bolt or not.

Instead he is surprised when Kris visibly steels himself and looks Suho dead in the eye.

"It's true," Kris says.

Suho's body seems to shake and Chen doesn't hide his groan at the fresh new wave of tears Suho is letting out.

He looks to Kris and rolls his eyes, once more grabbing Suho around the shoulders. He moves towards Kris and pushes Suho against him, smiling as Kris stumbles back but automatically lets his arms go up and curl around Suho. Suho for his part is making everything go smoother by pressing up against Kris.

Kris still looks helpless and confused so Chen decides to continue. "Ge," Chen starts watching as Kris meets his eye. "I'm not sorry," he begins. Kris scowls at him but Chen plows on regardless, "You are one of the most stubborn, bullheaded and obstinate people I have ever met. It's was clear to the maknaes of all people that you liked Joonmyeon hyung,"

There is a familiar pulse of aching loss as he thinks about Sehun and Kai but he hastily continues on regardless, needing to finish this.

"Just man up and admit it already," Chen says, a fresh wash of emotions roll through him. "You can have him. You can be happy."

He watches as Kris slumps, eyes clenched tightly together as he curls into Suho. Suho on his part wraps his arms around Kris.

"I–you're right. I want it. I want him," Kris admits softly. Chen feels a wave of happiness and sense of accomplishment overcome him.

Suho pulls back to stare up at Kris in wonderment and Kris finally smiles back down at him. Soon both of them are laughing.

Tears sting in the back of Chen's eyes but he knows he is smiling goofily.

"I now pronounce you boyfriend and boyfriend. You may kiss your boyfriend," Chen announces.

Kris hastily looks up at Chen in annoyance but Suho puts a hand behind Kris' neck and pulls him back down forcibly.

And they're kissing.

Chen starts giggling feeling dizzy with relief.

He didn't fuck this up. He didn't fuck them up.

Kris and Suho seem to be in no hurry to break apart and Chen is pretty sure both of them have forgotten Chen was even there.

With a roll of his eyes but a smile on his lips, Chen all but skips out the door. "Don't forget to lock the door, umma and appa!" Chen cheekily calls, satisfied when they both break away from each other in embarrassment.

Chen closes the door with a laugh and happily walks back to where the rest of the EXO boys are waiting. He feels dizzyingly light on his feet, like a boulder has been lifted off of his shoulders. He grins the entire walk back, suddenly aching to tell Sehun and Kai the good news.

___

Chen walks back into the set space, taking a look around and seeing the managers saying their final goodbyes and words of thanks. They will be leaving soon and Chen can't wait to crash on his bed and just sleep for a week after all this stress.

He walks back to the EXO members, almost bouncing. He wants to see his partners in crime – wants to see them smile in smug happiness, and craves for their words of praise.

And suddenly the energy of accomplishing his mission and getting KrisHo together turns into a nervous, unsettling energy. He realizes how deep the feeling of needing to be near two youngest members has overtaken him. The rush of pleasure from earlier starts to wane and suddenly Chen just needs to talk to Sehun and Kai and work this out. He doesn't think he can keep angsting away to himself for however many years he will be by their side. It would kill him slowly from the inside.

As he approaches the couch, he sees mostly everyone awake, changed and cleaned. Chanyeol and Lay tiredly lean against each other where Chen had left them barely half an hour ago. D.O. and Baekhyun are at each other's throats again, with Baekhyun irritatingly poking D.O. while the younger swats at him. Xiumin and Luhan are coddling a still groggy Tao between them. Kai and Sehun have returned to the same spot they had been earlier but this time with Kai perching casually on Sehun's lap, the youngest with a firm arm around Kai's waist.

When he walks into their circle a few of them look up, but only D.O. calls out to him. "Where did you go? Where are Joonmyeon hyung and Kris hyung?"

Chen casts a subtle glance in Kai and Sehun's direction noticing how they have glanced up to pay attention to what was happening.

Their eyes feel electric and heavy on him so Chen has to quickly look away.

Chen debates with himself if he should betray what has just happened. Or even hint at it. But his gaze slides over to Baekhyun who is suddenly sitting straight up eyes burning into Chen curiously and he decides against it. He doesn't want to make this a show before Kris and Suho could properly come out to the members, and with Baekhyun it would be a fucking broadway spectacular if he figured out what happened.

"Just the bathroom," Chen lies smoothly. "Kris hyung and Joonmyeon hyung should be back soon, I saw them going to thank the rest of the staff,"

D.O. nods and mostly everyone's attention is off of him again.

Except for Kai, Sehun and Baekhyun.

The only real space to sit now is the chair beside Kai and Sehun, Kris' chair having been taken away by a staff probably. He considers it for a second, the burn of excitement makes him want to spill everything that has taken place and offer it up as a token of his apology to the younger boys. Maybe then they would stop being mad at him?

But he takes one look at them, noticing how they still have stopped looking towards him and are caught up whispering to each other and decides against it. It would be better to talk to them when they get home, in private. There he could corner them.

He shifts his gaze to the couch he had sat before and figures he could try to squeeze himself between Chanyeol and Lay but then again he doesn't really feel like sitting still and being a good pillow right now.

Instead he turns to Baekhyun and offers the older boy a hand and pulls him up. They'd be leaving soon enough so he could stand, but he really just wants some warm fleshy contact right now. Baekhyun comes easily and curls a warm arm around Chen's waist.

After the roller coast of emotions he has just gone through it is a relief to just slump against the slightly shorter male. Chen brings his arms up and weaves them around Baekhyun's neck, leaning his head against the side of Baekhyun's as the other encircles his arm on Chen's waist.

"You're gonna tell me what happened," Baekhyun states. Of course the other wouldn't bother asking something like that.

Chen chuckles weakly but nods his head. He's too tired to speak.

The hug is a welcome comfort but the insist feeling of being watched makes Chen cut it short.

He pulls back slightly, still in the comforting warmth of Baekhyun's arms but instead turns his head to the side, instinctively going towards Kai and Sehun first.

Despite the makeup having been wiped off, Chen can only describe the expression on both their faces as dark.

From the corner of his eye he sees Suho and Kris walking back into the room, holding hands and he wonders if Kai and Sehun are pissed because they figured out when Chen had done.

The thought makes him let out a weary sigh. He'll apologize to the two later on. But right now he is just tired.

Suho and Kris stop next to Chen and Baekhyun. Suho gives Chen a smile and a wink and Kris even gives him one of his dorkiest smiles and Chen can't help his own grin.

Kris turns back to group as says, "Alright kids, time to go home,"

___

Leaving the studio, Chen is hyper aware of how the maknaes seem to shut in on themselves, furiously whispering to each other, bodies pressed so close together that D.O. has to go over to them and warn them not to stand to close to each other in case their fans were outside with cameras. Baekhyun trails behind D.O. a tiny frown on his face.

Chen watches as Kai gives D.O. a distracted nod while Sehun's face is pulled into a pensive frown. They don't break away from each other and D.O. just rolls his eyes walking away with that 'I can't be bothered by your stupidity' gait Chen has come to realize. Baekhyun however doesn't leave and Chen furrows his brow as he gets close to Kai and Sehun.

Baekhyun starts to heatedly say something and Chen almost swears the older boy looks at Chen for a second before his gaze rapidly turns back to the maknaes. He can see their backs start to tense and Chen just knows that Kai is biting his lips right now and that Sehun has adopted a blank expression that he defensively falls back to.

Chen nearly starts to walk over there, tension be damned, but before he can take a step, Baekhyun pats Kai and Sehun on the head, ruffling their hair before shooting them a wink and walking off following the direction of the rest of EXO as they head towards their vans.

Kai and Sehun almost immediately follow suit, bodies still pressed close together.

He suddenly needs to know why Sehun and Kai are so on edge. Was it his fault?

They start to walk towards their van and Chen breaks away from his spot in the back beside Xiumin and Luhan. He approaches Kai and Sehun, getting close enough to hear cut off words from their sentences.

"It's pissing–" Sehun whispers furiously, hand tight on Kai's arm.

Kai leans closer to whisper something Chen can't hear, but he does catch Sehun's louder response.

"He's–can't do this anymore–just tell him!"

Chen's face scrunches up in confusion and he steps up his pace to catch up to Kai and Sehun's long legged pace.

"-own–we'll tell him when we get back," Kai says.

Chen is almost caught up to them, only a few paces behind. He opens his mouth to call up to them but freezes when he catches Sehun's reply.

"Jongdae is too– it's annoying. Let's hurry up and tell him and end this,"

Whatever words had been on his lips die. Chen actually stops walking and his heart nearly follows suit.

Lay bumps into him with a sleepy 'oof'. Chen's body is pushed forward and Chen takes an unconscious step to balance himself. His eyes don't move from their spot though, watching Kai and Sehun's back walk further and further away.

"Jongdae, you okay?" Lay calls sleepily.

Chen can't answer, he feels like a steel ball has wedged itself down his throat. His breathing comes out erratically. He can't move his eyes away.

"Jongdae?" Lay calls again.

Annoying?

End this?

Chen feels like his heart is breaking into two. He can't feel his body and his mind feels like it is floating away as the words repeat in an endless cycle in his head.

Lay grabs Chen's arm, too tired to wait for a reply anymore and sleepily tugs Chen along to their van.

He gets in without protest numbly noting that Sehun and Kai are in the other van.

"Hyung, you okay?" Tao's sleepy voice calls out. From the black denim covered thigh in his peripheral vision Chen thinks the M maknae must be sitting beside him

Chen looks down at his fingers tightly clutching his pants, absently noting that he has a large pink line scratched on the back of his right hand. Probably from all the pushing and shoving he had done.

He doesn't respond to Tao verbally but gives a slight nod of his head.

Annoying.

End this.

His left thumb traces the pink scratch. It stretches from his pinky across the end of his bony wrist.

"Hyung?" Tao calls again, and this time it's a bit more inquisitive and worried.

"Fine," Chen absently answers.

A hand shoots across his vision and grabs at Chen's right hand. Chen doesn't even flinch, just limply lets Tao pull his hand closer to him.

"When did you get hurt?" Tao calls. Chen lifts his eyes to stare at large harmless brown orbs.

He thinks he has a smile on his face but he only registers shrugging at Tao before lightly tugging his hand back.

Tao seems to stare at Chen for a long moment before he suddenly moves. Chen is forcibly startled out of his stupor when a pair of warm lips brush against his.

He jumps a bit breaking away fast.

"Taozi, stop molesting Jongdae!" Baekhyun says from behind him.

Chen blinks and turns behind him wondering why Baekhyun was in the car with him.

"I thought being dazed was Yixing ge's job," Baekhyun drawls and beside him Lay nods in agreement. "I came here because Kris hyung wanted to sit with Joonmyeon hyung,"

Luhan who is sitting beside Lay prods at his other Chinese boys' dimple and Chen watches with a small real smile as Lay buckles under the tiny weight and drops his head on to Baekhyun's shoulder.

Tao's arm is suddenly between Chen's head and the car head rest and it forces him to scoot closer to the panda. Tao's eyes are dark as they look at Chen, the bags underneath his eyes making them look more vulnerable than scary. "Are you tired, hyung? You can sleep on me," Tao offers.

The kindness triggers something in Chen and it nearly has his eyes watering. He wonders if it is because he has spent more time with Tao than he has with Kai and Sehun that it makes his heart warm at Tao's actions befitting of a true maknae. He knows Tao sees him like an older brother and up until now he had thought at the very least Kai and Sehun thought of him has a friend if not a brother.

But–annoying?....end this?

Chen lets out a shaky sigh and curls closer to Tao's warmth. "Thank you,"

Tao lets out a bright smile and Chen honestly can't help it when he crosses the sparse distance between them and pecks Tao on the lips.

"Yah, stop that! I don't want to see PDA when Minseokie isn't beside me!" Luhan cries and at the front Xiumin turns around to glare at Luhan. Baekhyun bursts out into laughter jostling Lay who looks up with a sleepy glare.

Tao beams at Chen and Chen smiles back glad for the warmth that his members can give him. The rest of the car ride is spent with Baekhyun and Tao trading banter back and forth and even Lay is forced to stay awake as the car ride gives him a renewed energy. Chen desperately clings to the words of Baekhyun and Tao because just doesn't want to hear those words in his mind anymore.

Annoying.

End this.

___



They finally arrive at their dorms and Chen exists the van with his shoulders slumped wanting to look as small as possible while the other van disembarks.

They entire the dormitory with a bit more positive energy than when they left the studio but it is clear for all to see that everyone is exhausted.

There is a languid roll call by Suho of who gets the bathroom on which floor first and no one really protests as Suho says that the ones who want hot water first have to double up.

"I want Joonmyeon hyung!" Tao calls out loud walking up and curling an arm around their short leader.

Despite the weird anxiety that has taken root in Chen's stomach he still has it in him to laugh as Kris immediately yells out, "No fucking way, Zitao!" as he grabs Tao around the waist and bodily lifts him away from Suho.

Tao shrieks in surprise and everyone in the room starts laughing earnestly as Suho pats a pouting Tao on the cheek. Just like that the tension melts as the rest of the members start to break off and do what they want to do.

Tao walks over to Chen then and curls an arm around him.

"Be my partner, ge," Tao whines into Chen's head. Chen chuckles weakly aware that Sehun and Kai are just a meter away from him. They're still frowning and looking intensely at each other and Chen suddenly doesn't want to be anywhere near them.

So Chen gives a shaky nod as Tao playfully yells that he and Chen are taking the upstairs bathroom.

Chen lets himself be pulled along to the door before he feels a hand grab his other hand. He gives a surprise oof as he is yanked back to Baekhyun's chest, Tao turning back around in surprise at losing his hyung.

"Oh no you don't eerrr I mean, Taozi I wanted to shower with you," Baekhyun says cheerfully. As out of it as Chen is even he can hear the forced tone in Baekhyun's voice and it makes him raise an eyebrow. Baekhyun hates showering with other people.

Tao, the innocent baby, doesn't even pause though, smile going bright as he lets out a loud, "Really?" at the prospect of a new shower buddy.

Baekhyun grudgingly nods and Chen only gapes. "Wha--?" he starts only to be cut off by Baekhyun's glare.

Suddenly Suho is next to Baekhyun and Chen and he gives them a small wink.

"Actually, change of plans. Let's eat first, upstairs," Suho calls out.

Chanyeol lets out a small cheer as he quickly starts calling out the dishes he wants to eat. He throws an arm around Lay and drags the older one with him through the door. D.O. on the other hand starts to frown and looks like he is going to protest until Kris walks up to him and puts a hand on his shoulder.

D.O.'s lips curl into a cute moe, the closest he will ever get to pouting, but reluctantly trails after Chanyeol and Lay.

"But why upstairs?" Luhan looks confused.

"Because I said so," Kris smoothly adds.

Luhan looks longingly between Kris and the door that leads to his bedroom in disappointment. Xiumin tugs Luhan along though and there seems to be a purpose in his stride as he pulls the second oldest along with him. One after another the members leave the door to head to the dorms upstairs.

Chen tries to follow after everyone but is held tight by Baekhyun.

"Not you," Baekhyun whispers in Chen's ear.

Sehun and Kai start walking to the door too but Suho stops them with one of his angry polite smiles. "Oh, not you two maknaes. There is something you two have to do first," And Suho is definitely in his leader mode as he states that as a demand.

Sehun and Kai don't even look confused only give Suho a nod. Suho gives them a more earnest smile and ruffles their hair fondly. Chen's chest aches at the gesture because Sehun and Kai are so docile for Suho.

Baekhyun's grip tightens on Chen for a second and he realizes he is being hugged. Just as suddenly as the grip comes, it is gone as Baekhyun lets him go.

Everyone else has already cleared the room and it leaves just Chen, Kai, Sehun and Baekhyun left.

"Now, there is something Jongin and Sehun have to say to you, Jongdae," Baekhyun says.

Chen grips the sleeve of Baekhyun's shirt, not liking where this is going. "I–we should go eat," Chen weakly protests.

Baekhyun just shakes his head and gently but forcibly makes Chen let go of him. He walks backwards towards the door and Chen tries to follow only to be stopped by his sharp glare.

"Now I don't want to see either of you guys for the rest of the night! I sacrificed myself to Tao for you so you three are going to be paying for my dinner for like a month!" Baekhyun calls out before he exists the dorm too.

And just like that Chen is left alone.

With the click of the door the anxiety Chen had been trying to forget whirls back up.

He takes a deep breath, turning around to face Sehun and Kai with a fake smile.

(Keep it cool. Don't break, he reminds himself.)

"You, uh, wanted something?" Chen says as cheerfully as he can.

Sehun and Kai are no longer pressed together like before. Instead there is a bit of distance between them. Both have a frown in their face, with Kai's fists balled up by his side as he stands tense and ready to bolt. Sehun on the other hand is lax, hands up by his side but his face is expressionless and the cold distantness is like a tangible barrier.

Both have their defenses up.

Neither say anything so Chen takes a small step backwards. He puts the space between in a pathetic attempt to the inevitable hurt at a distance as well. It's a useless move, Chen knows, but his body is tight and on edge, wanting to bolt.

He can hear his own heart beating, feel his pulse throbbing through his body as his entire body becomes hyper focused on Sehun and Kai.

And that's when he has a mini epiphany. This stress, this ugly feeling in the pit of his stomach the anxiety thrumming through him and making his skin feel like it is shrinking on him – he can't do this. He can't keep going on like this.

So when neither are say anything, Chen presses forward, discomforted by the heavy silence.

"W-what did you want to say?" Chen isn't proud of his stutter but it is taking all of his concentration not to let himself slip. Because if he does it is afraid he'll break.

It is only because he is focusing on the Sehun and Kai so much that he hears the youngest say a quiet, "We need to talk, hyung,"

"Duh, so talk," Chen chuckles weakly. He brings his arm behind him and grabs it with the other, digging his nails deep into his wrist to hide how on edge he is.

Kai looks down and Chen thinks he sees the moment hesitation overtakes the younger's face. "Sehun-ah, I don't think we should–" Kai starts.

Chen digs his finger nails harder into his wrist until he is sure that he is going to break through skin.

"Just say it!" Chen snaps. He doesn't yell it but in the silence of the room he doesn't have to.

Sehun and Kai start, going from looking at each other to looking at Chen. Chen's nostrils flare as he breathes heavily through him. (Don't lose cool, not yet.)

"Just say it," Chen says again, this time a lot more quietly. "Just say what you want to say and leave me alone," His voice wavers, trailing off quietly.

Sehun and Kai are looking at him again and it is almost laughable at how hurt they finally look. Sehun stands rigid but unsure, jaw set and eyes narrowed, the defense that Chen remembers seeing for months before Sehun let him in. Kai on the other hand stands a bit more soft, body leaning slightly to his left towards Sehun, emotion more easy to read in his soft features but they are dark all the same.

The vulnerability in their eyes gives rise to Chen's anger. Because even after all this he still can't be truly angry at them – he can only be angry at himself and his stupid feelings that tangled this all up.

"What do you mean?" Sehun asks blankly.

His own defenses are up too but they're up against himself, to keep himself in check than against the words of the maknaes.

"Hyung," Kai calls out and fuck him there is a reason Kai so easily gets his way with anyone he comes across including Chen. "I – We don't understand,"

Chen closes his eyes, frustration turning into anger. "You don't understand?" Chen weakly mocks, laughing mirthlessly. "Well Jongin, I don't understand either. I don't understand why you both have been avoiding me--"

He abruptly trails of.

End this.

"No. I mean I know now," Chen whispers.

Sehun steps forward, "Know what, Jongdae hyung?"

"Annoying. End this," Chen curls into himself, muttering the words to himself.

"Hyung what are you talking about?" Kai says exasperatedly, taking a step forward.

The gall that Kai seems to be worn out of patience is the final straw for Chen. He doesn't get angry often but he feels like is being played by two people he cares deeply about. Two people who should be moments away from cutting Chen open.

"Just say it!" Chen angrily exclaims.

Kai jumps and stops where he is. His own anger seems to be on the rise as he cries back, "Say what!? Hyung, I don't understand!"

"I heard you!" Chen finally admits. Sehun walks up beside Kai and puts an arm on his shoulder, leaning on the slightly older and it hurts Chen that they seem to be so far away from him even though they are so close.

Both of them are looking at Chen helpless so Chen curls in deeper into himself wondering why Sehun and Kai were drawing this out.

"I heard you when you were coming back. You said you were going to end this because I'm annoying," Chen weakly admits.

Emotion chokes in the back of his throat. His eyes fight tears of frustration and sadness and his body tenses waiting for confirmation.

Instead he hears a musical sigh, airy and almost laughing. He looks up to see Kai and Sehun slump against each other, tension released from their bodies. Sehun looks up and he has one of those rare smiles that crinkle up to his eyes that make him look his age. Kai has an equally earnest smile on his face, teeth gleaming from Chen's vantage point.

Their smiling stings as Chen takes it in the worst way possible. He figured they would reject him and move on, but to laugh at him? He didn't know the maknaes could be this cruel.

Seeing Chen's face about to crumple, both Sehun and Kai immediately wise up.

"I thought we were over this drama shit," Sehun says walking over. Chen stays rooted to the spot, not sure he can move without swaying.

Behind Sehun, Kai walks over to match pace. Both of them press close, not touching, but in Chen's person circle such that Chen can feel their body heat, see the tired outline of their sagging faces, smell the sweat on their skin. "You misheard us, hyung,"

"W-what?" Chen digs his nails into his biceps, confusion over taking him for a moment as the hurt that despondently filled him smoothers down to give way to an irritating glimmer of hope.

"We wanted to end this stupid waiting," Kai confesses hand sheepishly going up to rub his neck, "and to man up and confess to you,"

"We like you. Both of us," Sehun finally says.

There is only silence.

Kai and Sehun stare at Chen intently and Chen only realizes he had been holding his breath when his lungs start to burn.

The tension is thick but neither Kai nor Sehun are following up on that statement.

"What?" Chen finally chokes out.

"We like you," Kai says easily.

And no.

"How the fuck can you say that?" Chen nearly yells. Neither Sehun nor Kai flinch but Chen notices them tensing once more. "How can you say that so easily? Don't fucking joke with me!"

Chen breathes erratically, anger buzzing through his body.

Kai and Sehun continue their silence so Chen barrels on, anger egging him into recklessness, "Did Baekhyun tell you? Or did you guys realize a while back and where just biding your time to figure out the best way to fuck with me?" Chen sneers defenses ramming back up. He furiously stomps on any feeling other than anger. He can't let himself slip up.

"What are you talking about now, hyung?" Kai asks confused and a bit defensively.

Chen just glares back, almost opting not to answer but the desire for an answer keeping him going. "This!? When did you figure out I like you both?" Chen snarls.

Kai and Sehun look so genuinely shocked at the admission that Chen is torn between smacking his head in realization that Kai and Sehun didn't know and screaming at the world because Kai and Sehun didn't know.

"We didn't know," Sehun says earnestly. He takes a step forward and Chen is just as quick to take a step back.

"Yeah fucking right – then what is this? A genuine confession? You both just said we were over these fucking drama clichÈs! Am I supposed to choose between you two?" Chen mocks.

"Don't do this, Jongdae hyung," Kai whispers. "Don't brush us off like this,"

And that sends Chen into hysterical laughter. "Brush you off? Oh I am so very sorry Jongin for brushing off your delicate confession like this. Please, let me just go back and check my messages these past few days for hints that both of you even fucking realize I exist!" Chen cries out.

Kai flinches back and turns to look in Sehun. But Chen doesn't want to stay for anymore of this.

He starts forward with the intention of just barrelling past both of them to the door but is halted before he can get more than a few steps.

"Please, Jongdae hyung let us explain," Kai pleads. His eyes are wide and earnest and Chen wants to slap himself as it makes him pause.

Sehun continues on hurriedly, "We needed to figure this out between ourselves. If what we were feeling was just for right now or–"

Chen lets out a bitter chuckle, "If I was just a passing wet dream? If you wanted to just hit it and quit it?"

Kai shakes his head violently and Sehun's brows furrow in annoyance, "No not like that," Sehun presses. "It was if both of us were sure what we felt for you was strong enough. We already love each other. But we both lov – like you too,"

Dimly Chen wonders if Sehun has ever said so many emotional words before. He stares at both of them blankly.

"So you decided to just cut me out of your life to see if you can get rid of me? Get rid of those pesky feelings?" Chen whispers out.

He can't stop the waver in his voice that betrays his hurt. He meant to say it in a more monotone voice – to state it as fact, not as a confession of betrayal.

Kai closes his eyes while Sehun looks to the side guiltly. But neither denies it.

Chen lets out a mirthless chuckle, trembling hand going up to his face. "And you expect me to believe you when you say you like me? I spent the past few days wondering what I did to upset you both – to have you so angry with me that you won't even return a simple text,"

His eyes are hot and stinging, his throat closing up and Chen had to dig his fingers into his flesh to gain control over himself. He feels so close to shattering into pieces.

"Was it because I wanted to finish this stupid matchmaking thing without you?" Chen slumps his shoulders helplessly, knowing it couldn't possibly be the reason but at a loss for anything else.

"It wasn't like that!" Sehun protests.

"We weren't angry at you," Kai continues. His mouth parts to explain further but he closes it with a snap, a discomforted look crossing over his face. His hand shake slightly by his side and Kai fidgets his way around to Sehun.

Sehun takes a deep breath and looks towards Kai, the slightly older helplessly staring at him for a beat before giving a firm nod.

"We were pissed that you were going to confess to Kris hyung," Sehun admits.

Both the maknaes tense up at the confession staring intently at their smaller hyung.

Chen for his part can only gape, heart stuttering for a second as his stomach bottoms out. Chen barely realizes he croaked out a weak, "What?"

Sehun sighs deeply and turns to look at Kai, arm reaching over to link their hands together. Kai tilts his head back before he turns back to look at Chen.

Both of them are blushing, Chen dimly realizes.

"We get jealous over you easily," Kai starts. "When you hug Baekhyun hyung, when you kiss Yixing hyung, or let Tao put a hickey on you. When you wear couple shit with Joonmyeon hyung or let Minseok hyung share your drink. When you go up to Luhan ge and call him oppa to buy you shit or when you put an arm around Kyungsoo hyung and whisper in his ear. When Chanyeol hyung can easily come over pick you up or when you fucking hold hands with Yifan ge!"

Sehun continues, "Even when you pretended that you slept with Joonmyeon hyung and that your brilliant plan was to confess to Kris hyung. It pissed us off," Sehun looks to the floor, "You're ours,"

Chen is speechless. His anger is muted in the whirl of confusion that overtakes him. At the softer emotions of forgiveness and understanding slowly growing.

But he can't let that happen.

"There is no way you can like me," Chen pushes out, half pleading with them for this to be true and half begging for them to deny it. His voice is breaking. Because no matter how tightly he is trying to smother out his heart, there is a devastating sliver of hope beginning to peak through.

"Why?" Sehun exclaims and it is the closest Chen has seen him in getting angry. "Why is this so fucking hard to believe?"

Kai stands beside him, hands curling and relaxing out of fists as he glares at Chen too.

It feels like they are ganging up on Chen.

"You have each other! There isn't room for me!" Chen finally snarls and just as his voice breaks at the end. So too does the check Chen has on his emotions.

The hot sting in his eyes finally pours over and Chen is crying. Chen tries to swallow back a choked gasp and hastily wipes away at his eyes. He makes towards the door angrily, not caring if he has to push the two younger boys away. He just wants out of the room.

He shoulders Sehun out of the way from where he stood frozen in front of the door only to feel a hard grip fall on his bicep.

He is yanked back and Chen just can't anymore. He lets out a growl and furiously moves his body trying to loosen the hold. But just as soon as he starts he is stopped with Sehun forcibly grabbing his wrists.

Chen looks up at the youngest eyes' ready to unleash a torrent of swears to get the kid to fucking let go but is halted at the look the normally blank eyes.

Kai is behind him gripping both his shoulders with a killer grip and he can hear him snarling next to his ear.

"Just--" Chen stops to take a breath as his voice cracks. "Let--" he tries again only to be cut off this time.

"Go?" Sehun ask heatedly, eyes pinched together in a frown.

"Never," Kai adds but his words have lost the brimming anger from before. Instead they sound heady.

And just like that the dark tension from just seconds ago shifts into a different kind of tension.

Chen is shocked still as Sehun leans down, maintain eye contact, and lays two short butterfly kisses on the inner pulse of his wrist. His breath catches when Kai presses his lips, not kissing – just pressing, on side of his neck, just below his ear.

He lets out a startled moan when Sehun presses closer and he can feel the heat of the two on both sides. A twisted embrace that feels more like he is being shackled down than being cherished.

But it doesn't stop the steep whoosh of arousal that erupts in his veins.

He quickly breaks away from the two, sharply pulling down on his wrists and pushing away from Kai when he feels them loosening their grip.

He backs away, deeper into the room staring at both of the maknaes incredulously.

Things were spiraling out of his control so fast. One minute he was angry, confused and hurt and now he feels this dizzying sense of hope that he desperately wants to crush down.

Kai and Sehun close in and Chen has never felt more like prey in his life.

Chen refuses to back down though, he stands his ground because he is a grown ass man and won't bow down to two brats no matter what. Never mind he has to resolutely ignore the arousal in the pit of his stomach.

"Weren't you listening? There is definitely room for you," Sehun breathes out. His words are sharp and weighty.

"We want you, hyung," Kai whispers. And in the silence of the room the words blanket over Chen, smothering him with the heady weight of their meaning. Sehun slides over to Chen's side and Chen's gut twists but this time not unpleasantly.

He takes a deep breath and closes his eyes trying to center himself. He feels Kai draw closer now both the maknae's framing either side of him but neither actually touching. The anger that had thrummed through his body moments before has rapidly dissipated, moving over to make way for something else. Something that has Chen struggling to control his breathing and making him sink his teeth into his lips to let out any sound.

A thumb roughly pulls down the lip that is trapped and Chen can't help a tiny gasp escape him. His eyes are still closed and Chen feels dizzy. Something has changed and Chen doesn't know if he's big enough to fight it.

"You'll hurt me again," Chen can't bite down the dry sob that escapes his throat.

"Never again, Jongdae hyung," Kai breathes out and Chen meets his eyes, swearing he could count each line in his brown eyes with how intently they burned into his own eyes. Sehun grabs Chen's hand and laces their pinky together as he breathes out an equal 'never' into Chen's ear causing his eyes to flutter half mast.

"I'm older. I snark. A lot. I have a hard time staying in one place. I'm not as–pretty as you two," Chen continues in a whisper. He feels light and airy, the pain in his throat the only thing reminding him how close he was to losing it just moments ago.

His mind is a mess giving him a 101 reasons why this is a bad idea. To give in.

But he is considering it.

To enter into a three way with the youngest members, members of an idol group with a contract dictating their life, a ridiculously possessive fanbase, and who life with cameras following them around 24/7.

He feels lips on the side of his neck, on the juncture of his neck and shoulder. "You're perfect," Sehun mouths against the skin.

Chen is left dumbstruck at Sehun and opens his mouth to say something but Sehun continues on, "I mean, there hasn't been a mouth I've wanted to fuck this bad since Jongin,"

Chen can only let out a choked, watery laugh at the gall of Sehun's words but it's quickly covered up by a moan. Sehun sinks his teeth into Chen's neck, gathering the flesh between his teeth before he bites down. Chen tries to twist his neck away from the sensitive touch but only presses right into Kai.

"Fuck you, Sehun!" Kai growls but continues on hands finding their way to to Chen's waist, "But Jongdae hyung, I like your snark and I get enough clinginess from Sehun--"

"Hey!" Sehun protests and Chen can't help but let out an awkward giggle. He isn't used to being complimented so sincerely but the wandering hands are doing a good job of keeping him distracted enough to ease the brunt of the embarrassment. Still he can't help but blush anyway, ducking his head.

Kai continues, "And didn't you know? We happen to like older men,"

"Especially tiny, cheeky, loud and captivating dongsaeng-hyungs like you," Sehun finishes.

Chen feels his stomach lurch and his heart pound double time. Half of him wishes that Kai and Sehun were just on some weird lust trip and the rational part of his brain still clings to the logic it has to be that. But his heart, the stupid frail thing, can't help but fall for the earnest eyes behind those leering smiles. Kai and Sehun maybe the little brats of the group but they were unfailingly pure and honest people.

"So will you accept us? Both of us?" Sehun asks.

Desperation claws at Chen overwhelming him. It was too much but Chen was tired of fighting against himself.

Chen reaches up to press a kiss into his mouth as an answer.

Kissing the maknae is a little weird. Having to go up on his tip toes isn't something he is used to but that fact is quickly forgotten when hands wrap around his waist and the teasing glide of lips against his own yield to an open mouth which Chen plunges his tongue into. He lets out a muffled moan as another pair of hands settle on his ribcage fingers teasingly close to his nipples. Kai presses hotly into his back and pushes him into Sehun's front and Chen feels suitably trapped and immensely aroused. He can feel a pair of half hard erections on either side of him and he feels himself follow suit immediately.

Sehun pushes Chen's tongue back into his mouth and follows with his own. Chen lets out tiny gasps as Sehun plunders his mouth his tongue exploring as if it would be the last time he would get to taste Chen again. The tongue is hot and heavy in Chen's mouth, stealing all available space and Chen can only suck desperately, trying to fight against the intrusion and welcome it at the same time. Just as Chen gets used to the rough exploration his head is yanked back and twisted to the right. He can barely let out a strangled mewl before his lips are taken again, their swollenness making the press more sensitive than normal.

Kai kisses more languidly but wholly, tongue dancing along with Chen's teasingly brushing over it and drawing away. He pulls back and sinks his teeth into Chen' bottom lip the same time Sehun bends down and mouths his collarbone.

Chen lets out a long moan, and his body twitches.

"B-Bedroom," Chen breathes out huskily.

He feels them moving backwards and isn't surprised when he is practically thrown onto the bed. Sehun and Kai both crawl over them and Chen feels the air punched out of him when Sehun yanks Kai's head to his own and practically devours the older one.

Chen knows they are putting on a show with how often their tongues peeks out of the open space where their mouths break apart and he can't help but growl out, "You little cock teases,"

They turn to face him and Chen is hyper aware of both of them, how flushed Sehun has gotten and how hard Kai is breathing.

He tugs at Kai's shirt and demands, "Off!"

Kai nods and crosses both his arms in front of his stomach and pulls at the shirt practically flinging it off. Chen sees glorious tan skin for a few seconds before his own shirt is being yanked off of him too.

Soon enough all three are naked and Chen can't help but instinctively close his legs. He feels exposed under the weight of the two on top of him and their roaming eyes. Kai and Sehun have none of that though and purposefully yank a leg each to either side of them.

"Hah!" Chen protests, blushing furiously and tries to calm the rush of arousal at the two brats manhandling him. "Watch it!"

"I'd like to watch something," Sehun leers and takes Chen's hand and brings it to his nearly hard cock. Chen splutters not sure of whether to retort at the lameness of the line or focus on the task at hand. Ultimately Kai decides for him when grabs Chen's other hand and kisses the back of it with a sweet "please".

Chen burns with embarrassment and it sure that his entire body must be red by now. Nonetheless he wraps his fingers around himself and gives an experimental tug, feeling himself harden to full within seconds.

"Need lube," he grunts, eyes avoiding the ones avidly watching him. A lube bottle is thrown onto his stomach and Chen makes a show of coating his fingers half out of nervousness to delay the task and half out of the headiness of two watchful eyes on him.

He rewraps his fingers around himself and brings his other hand down to roll his balls into his hand. He breathes heavily but not as heavily as the two above him with their mouths wide open and eyes raptly watching. His hands run over his cock without a real rhythm but his hips jerk into the touch.

But–

"Why do I have to touch myself when I have two men to take care of me?" Chen moans out. His legs hurt from the pull of being spread and he can't help the mind his own fingers take when the hand caressing his balls slips down to circle around his hole.

He hears a groan above him and then his hands are being slapped away. Chen pants and tries to control his libido, already so close from the meager touch of his own half hearted masturbation.

Each boy grabs and ankle and Chen lets out a sound as his legs are pushed back into an M, knees nearly by his ears. His eyes grow wet at the strain, but he's distracted when lips are immediately on his. His mouth falls open with a moan when he feels another pair of lips pressing into the V of his abs, chin right above his standing cock.

Kai kisses him harder and Chen closes his eyes, hands grabbing into the soft dark strands of the younger boy. Sehun sucks hard at the center of his hip bones and Chen can't help jerking up as far as he can in the position he is in. His first cry is smothered by Kai's swollen lips but his second cry bounces through the walls as Sehun takes the tip of his cock between his lips and sucks.

"You alright, hyung?" Kai breaks off the kiss to look into Chen's wet eyes. Chen wants to say something but words that come to mind vanish with each hard suck the wet mouth on his cock takes. Sehun is slowly going down lower and lower and Chen feels ashamed he can't stop his hips from thrusting to meet the lips. Sehun has him pinned down though, dropping the hand that was holding onto his ankle and grabbing slim hips instead, thumbs pressing deep into the crevices found on either side.

Chen shakes, panting loudly as Kai trails feather kisses down his throat and sternum to the left and engulfs a stiff nipple into his hot mouth. Chen mewls, back arching off the bed and head shaking from side to side at the double attention.



He feels a finger slip into his entrance the same time Sehun swallows down his entire cock. His hips roll up and he lets out a silent scream and his hands fist tightly into Sehun's hair. As Sehun drags his lips upward, a second finger is added quickly and Chen's body twitches, legs breaking their hold out of Kai's grasp to twine around Sehun's head as he moves to get away from the too sensitive touches.

He is roughly yanked back into place and legs roughly pushed apart again.

"Bad hyung," Oh god was Kai purring?

The hands around his thighs felt like steel bands and Chen's cock twitched in response to the feeling.

Sehun pulls his lips away from his mouth and Chen is fixated on the tousled fucked look Sehun has on his face. "Stay still," the maknae reprimands.

He moves his lips across the span of his lips and down to the middle of Chen's thighs, lips gliding over the near hairless skin, nipping lightly just to hear the strained breath Chen lets out. Chen feels like he is being broken down by the two youngest members. He can feel the familiar heat in his throat welling up but fights to keep his sobs down. They wanted him a point where Chen had no choice but to take everything Sehun and Kai could give him and finally let go of his stupid inhibitions.

"So tiny," Kai murmurs fingers dancing over Chen's flesh everywhere he could reach.

He slowly kisses down Chen's chest, mapping over new territory with the intention to brand. Sehun works his way up again and meets Kai's mouth over Chen's abdomen, lips practically drawing to each other like magnets.

"Uahh," Chen moans, chest rapidly rising and falling. He feels so out of depth. Seeing Kai and Sehun together just felt so good and he just wanted to thrust his hips up and use his cock to break apart their liplock.

So he does.

The maknaes break apart with identical looks of arousal on their face and Chen isn't prepared for when both their mouths head for his cock at the same time.

He clenches his eyes shut and lets out a breathy groan, unprepared at the feeling of twin wet heats. Tongues make their way up and down the now rock hard length and it is all Chen can do to keep his eyes open and enjoy the show. They slurp lewdly on his cock, saliva pooling down his cock and matting his public hair and it makes Chen hotter. Their tongues are two different sensations, Kai's heavy and insistent nearly flatting Chen's cock to his stomach while Sehun's are quicker and light, teasing and more showy.

Kai and Sehun both open their eyes at the same time to witness how debauched Chen now looked. Eyes wet with unshed tears, previous tear tracks marking his flushed cheeks, cat-like mouth completely swollen, lips caught between teeth so his beautiful moans were muffled, and red marks littered all over his body. This was what they had been after for months now.

Kai locks eyes with Sehun and gives him a heavy look. Chen barely sees Sehun nod before there are two fingers stuffed inside him again. He arches up, unsettled by the probing fingers and quickly discerns that from the different lengths both Sehun and Kai have a finger each inside him.

The thought is enough to take him over the edge.

His orgasm surprises him, ripping through him in a flash. He can't even warn the younger boys before translucent white is sprouting from his cock. To the maknaes credit neither flinches as he paints their faces.

Chen can't stop a whimper as Sehun leans across Chen's half hard cock to lick at Jongin's face. The slightly older lets out an airy groan as Sehun audible licks and eats all the cum off his face.

Chen sinks into the mattress with heaving breaths eyes glued on to the picture in front of him, absently noting that the fingers were still stretching him out.

He keens a bit when his legs protest at the long strain of being held open and Sehun breaks away from Kai and with shifting he is rolled onto his side with only Kai's finger still in him. Sehun lays down in front of him and Chen feels guilt when the younger's hard length brushes against his spent one.

"Let me," his voice cracks and Chen lets his voice die out as he reaches for Sehun. The younger boy groans as Chen's small hand grasps his length and Chen chases the sound to the source, lips fusing with the youngest.

Behind him, Kai pushes in a second finger, probing the ring of muscle of give way before he begins to scissor his fingers. Chen automatically lifts one of his legs up to curl around Sehun's hips, wanting Kai's fingers go deeper. It puts his arm on an awkward angle but Chen keeps on pumping, flicking his wrist on every down stroke and using Sehun's own thrusting hips to his advantage as he the fingers stuffing him massage across his inner muscles.

"S-sthop, hyung, don't want to come like this," Sehun pleads and Chen smirks against the swollen lips letting out his own breathy keen. The cute little lisp Sehun let out doesn't escape his attention. He's glad one of them is starting to break down and feel a little bit of the desperation they have been filling Chen with since they started.

His train of thought is cut off abruptly as Kai rubs against his hot spot inside him. Chen jerks his hips backward with a mewl, thigh clenching around Sehun's hips as he grinds back on Kai's fingers.

"Fuck you're so hot," Kai groans into Chen's ear. Chen shakes his head in protest but Sehun's there to fit his mouth against Chen's and nothing Chen could say gets out.

Three fingers are being pressed into him now, Kai huffing into his ear like he is the one going through a great strain. It aches so good and Sehun presses open mouthed kisses anywhere he can, hips now finding a rhythm to keep going into the loose circle of Chen's hand. Kai's fingers don't stop rubbing and Chen feels himself grow half hard and abandons his hand on Sehun's cock to let them both grind together. They both groan at the feeling and Chen hears Kai groan too, right into his ear.

"I can't wait any more," Kai growls. Chen lets out a surprised moan when he's pushed forward to lie completely on Sehun.

He looks over his shoulder at Kai and feels his breath stutter at how utterly aroused and predatory the younger man looked. His dewy brown eyes were blown wide with arousal but there is an intense look in them, one reserved only for when Kai was at his most passionate, usually dancing.

Kai roughly yanks Chen's hips up and Sehun lets out a whine of protest from having his source of friction taken away. He shuffles backward and up until his back is leaning against the headboard and his cock is level with Chen's face.

"Return the favor hyung," and fuck if a husky Sehun wasn't one of the sexiest things he has ever heard.

"Me first," Kai snarls out and Chen moans in surprise at the cold wetness as the nozzle of lube is pushed into him, lube gushing out before it is yanked out and a hot steely length plunders right into him.

Chen screams, Kai's cock going in too hard and fast for the older to adjust properly. His legs shake at the strain of the new weight of Kai on top of him and his face is pushed right into Sehun's pubic hair.

Kai quickly sets into a rhythm and Chen can feel the strength in the younger's pelvis. Each thrust drives Kai deeper, spearing a path into Chen until it is like he can't feel any other part of his body except for his pummelled insides.

He adjusts fast enough that his erection comes back into full swing within a few thrusts, moaning at the friction. He focuses on Sehun who has a desperate look in his eyes, looking straight at the point where Chen knows he and Kai are connected, Kai's cock violently thrusting in and out lewdly.

He moves his head up a bit, straining his neck so as to not move his position too much and kisses the side of Sehun's erection.

The young man jerks and hisses and snaps his gaze down to Chen. The Sehun he knows is back, the cocky brat giving Chen a small smirk before grabbing hold of his erection and pulling Chen's head up by his hair. He smears his precum over Chen's lips and Chen glares at the kid but opens his mouth anyway.

Sehun groans and lets his head fall back against the headboard.

"Fuck, Jongdae-hyung. I've dreamed about this for so long," Sehun groans out. His hips steadily rise up to go deeper into Chen's mouth.

Chen relaxes as much as he can and reaches his hands up to grasp Sehun's hips to stop himself from sinking down further on Sehun's length before he is ready due to Kai's forceful thrusts.

Impaled on both ends, Chen finds himself aroused beyond belief.

"Face down, ass up," Kai huffs in agreement. "Cock down your throat. Stuffed," Kai adds with a groan, hips picking up speed.

Chen muffles his moans into Sehun's cock, to full to really get any sound out. The burn of Kai sliding in and out of him makes him feel overheated and raw but the cock in his throat makes him delirious with want.

Sehun gets front row seats to Kai fucking Chen into the mattress and the image is enough for him to take control of the pace. Digging his feet into the mattress Sehun uses his own formidable hips to take the opportunity to fuck Chen's face. "Jongin – ahhh, harder, fuck him harder," he moans, thrusting until his hip bones connect with Chen's chin and nose.

Kai groans and his hips snap harder against Chen's ass. His fingers press deeply into Chen's hips, and Chen knows he will be bruised and marked beyond belief tomorrow. It's enough to make him keen and clench down harder on Kai.

Chen can't stop moaning, his throat contracting and gag reflex protesting at the new change of pace. Sehun drives as deep as Kai is and it's driving him crazy. He scratches his nails down Sehun's hips, helpless to do much else. He tries to hum but can't focus on the right vocal cords to do so, he is so far gone.

Arousal thrums through him. He's trapped between the two youngest. Trapped on their cocks. He shudders and lets his thighs slip open wider and pushes his ass higher, high on the feeling of two cocks thrusting in and out of him, rocking his entire body.

He feels so full, Kai so ruthlessly pounding into him and rubbing his muscles until he knows he will be swollen shut for days. Sehun is driving in so fast that Chen can't control the spit that dribbles down his face as his mouth is stretched to far open. The strain is getting to him but it just drives him to delirium quicker knowing he won't be allowed to collapse until Kai and Sehun are done.

Sehun lets out whine after whine, hips stuttering unable to keep up the pistoning pace. Chen knows Sehun is close but can't think of anything that will purposefully send the younger over the edge.

He stares blankly in Sehun's face, the rod inside his mouth fucking itself into him, heavy on his tongue, wide in his throat, and requiring the least effort on Chen's part to make the youngest feel good. He is struck by a sudden thought and his eyes widen with clarity.

Sehun still has Chen's come over his face.

The thought makes him groan loudly, throat closing in and clenching around Sehun's cock so hard he can't breathe for second and he barely has time to hear a "fuck" before hot liquid is streaming down his throat. Chen pulls off immediately coughing but by doing so ruins Kai's rhythm. The dancing machine groans in protest and tangles his hand into Chen's hair and pushes him back down into Sehun's hip bone to the same position as before.

Chen screams hoarsely as his prostate is battered in this angle. Kai's hips won't let up and if anything is getting faster. Chen drools into the dip of Sehun's hip, eyes wet and tearing. He lets out a constant stream of whimpers from over stimulation on one end and not enough on the other. He wants to grind his cock on something, anything, but the resolute grip Kai has on his hips won't let him touch anything, cock left hanging in the air.

"Fuck, fuck, fuck–" Kai chants and Chen can't stop moaning in response. Kai sounds so hot with his moans and whines and Chen wants to hear more. He clenches down deliberately and lets out a simultaneous moan when Kai rams in deeper and harder in response.

"Hyung, so t-tight," Kai pants. Chen bites at Sehun's flesh because he just can't think at all with all the pleasure going through him.

Kai's rhythm begins to falter in favor of wild, deep thrusts and Chen knows Kai will finish soon. He uses what little strength he has left to meet Kai's thrusts and squeezes his inner muscles as much as he can.

"J-Jongin," Chen moans. Right as Sehun says, "Come in him,"

Kai goes wild and soon enough beings to yell, "I'm coming, I'm coming, hyung!" and Chen feels something hot wash over his insides thoroughly coating him.

Kai's orgasm seems to last forever and Chen feels like he is having an out of body experience, imagining the face the younger must be making.

Kai soon drops his weight onto Chen and Chen's legs completely give way, crushing his erection to the mattress. Chen weakly tries to hump the mattress but between his exhaustion and Kai's weight it's a useless endeavour.

"You're crushing him," Sehun whines and Chen feels Kai's weight being rolled off of him. He winces when Kai's cock draws out of his swollen hole and he feels a deep ache at being left empty.

He whimpers and looks up to the two maknaes, Kai weakly drawing himself up to slump near Sehun. He thinks he may be crying because he feels wet all over but all he can really think of right now is the need to come.

"P-please," Chen begs looking his new lovers in the eyes. Though tired he sees both of them give small smirks before he is bodily lifted onto their laps.

"Please what?" Sehun asks, hands trailing down to his red cock. Kai nestles into the crock of Chen's neck and mouths lazily up and down his pulse. Chen's hips jerk up into the air wanting any stimulation feeling bereft without it.

"I need to come, let me come, make me come," Chen whines, voices cracking and desperate. He weakly tries to use his own arms to get to his erection but he is just as fast held down by Kai who grabs his wrists with one hand and pushes them into his chest.

Chen cries out in protest and lets out a despondent sob. They wouldn't leave him like this would they? Maybe this was all a joke? To see Chen at his worst.

Tears stream down his face and he tucks his head into Sehun's shoulder, trying to hide his face. His breath won't stop hitching and every other sound out of his mouth is a small sob.

He is strung so high he feels his entire body pulsing in tune with his heart. It hurts so good being trapped in a place where he is helpless over his own body. But the thoughts won't turn off. Their argument from earlier, his own insecurities.

Chen heaves, trying to focus, trying to gain control back.

Sehun abandons Chen's cock and it's nearly enough for Chen to come out of his hiding place to glare but he is just so tired now. He brings his legs up to curl into himself only to have a leg pin them back down by settlings its weight over his.

Sehun brings his hand up and pulls Chen away from his hideaway. Kai aides him by putting his hand gently in Chen's hair as if to pet him.

"Don't hide, hyung" Kai whispers hands threading through Chen's hair.

"We'll take care of you from now on," Sehun adds he leans down to peck the corner of Chen's mouth, right where his famous cat lips start. He can't resist licking at his left over come and desperately wishes he had his camera with him.

Chen whimpers, frantically trying to turn away. His arousal was slowly fading under the onslaught of his doubts. Now wasn't the time or place but with him so hyper focused on the two younger men all he could think of why they reduced him to this.

"Because you're absolutely beautiful when you let yourself go," Kai answers.

Chen gulps down a sob looking up at them in askance.

Sehun chuckles, "You're kinda mumbling your words out loud, hyung,"

Chen groans, humiliation at how needy he must sound flushing through him. He feels his erection waning fast and concentrates on squirming out of their hold.

Instead it gets tighter.

"Who says we're gonna let you go?" Sehun asks, leg pushing down across Chen's legs firmly.

Kai's hands equally hold tight to Chen's wrists to the point where the thinks he will have bruises tomorrow. "We told you - We're never letting you go,"

Oh god, they both sound so possessive - so focused on Chen, something he has been aching for months now. To bring out this side of them–it makes Chen feel good.

"And don't worry hyung, we are always gonna take care of you from now on," Sehun tacks on sweetly.

And suddenly there is a warm hand grabbing his half hard erection. Chen lets out a broken whine at the sudden touch, senses on overload. Kai just gives his trademark smirk and leans down to take a nipple between his teeth.

Chen arches and the leg that was pining his down is pulled away. Instead his right leg is being pushed up and over Sehun's hips and Sehun trails his fingers down to Chen's wrecked entrance.

"Mmm, I wanna be the one to pound you next time," Sehun purrs and Chen mewls as fingers tease over his swollen hole and rub up and down his cleft. He can't help but squeeze his muscles to try and draw Sehun in at the same time as he thrusts wildly up into Kai's firm grip. He lets out a broken moan as Sehun finally plunges in with two fingers.

Chen can't stop gasping, breath coming out in short pants as arousal flares red hot once more. In a few minutes he is on the brink of orgasm once more with Sehun's slender fingers mercilessly rubbing over his prostate.

"Please, please, please," is all Chen can say. His mind is gone, singularly focusing on getting to his climax. Kai and Sehun work on him with a determinedness the rest of the members would be in awe to see.

His peak rushes upon him almost unfairly fast, to hot and white for Chen to feel in control of anything, to savor the moment. Wet heat on his overstimulated flesh is almost too much to bear and Chen thrashes as much as he can in their hold.

He feels it coming but the desperate sound spilling from his lips won't give way to the words of warning.

Sehun fits in three fingers, slipping in almost obscenely easy and rakes his fingernails down sending a pulse of heated pain and white hot pleasure through him. Chen thrashes but when Kai bites down on his nipple while simultaneously rubbing his thumb into Chen's cockhead, Chen is gone. With a high pitched moan he lets go of his second orgasm and let's release pour through and out of him.

Sehun and Kai don't stop until Chen is crying again begging them to stop because he is too sensitive.

Chen slumps completely, exhaustion flooding over him. Sleep is at the corners of his eyes but he is attentive enough to watch Sehun's gaze bare right into his own as he pulls his cum covered fingers out of Chen. Kai gives out a low whistle as Sehun makes a show of licking up the side of his middle finger cleaning off Kai's cum.

Something twists in Chen's gut as he watches Kai grab on to Sehun and lay kiss on the youngest. It wasn't envy anymore.

More like fondness.

Because right before he drifts off he feels both of them break off and kiss his cheeks with a murmur of "Thank you,"



Epilogue

Jongdae stares intently at Kyungsoo, watching the smaller male work furiously on a batch of brownies. That could only mean one thing. Kyungsoo is stressed.

Deciding to have a little bit of fun, Jongdae slides up to the younger vocalist and wraps his arms around his waist.

Kyungsoo jumps a bit in his grip and turns his head to the side to glare at Jongdae. "Not now, hyung. I'm busy,"

Jongdae widens his eyes a bit and puffs his cheeks a bit, "But I just want to cuddle my favourite dongsaeng!"

As soon as the words escape his mouth, Jongdae feels a chill run through him. He immediately straightens up and drops his arms. He turns around slowly, feeling like a character from a horror movie, only to see his two lovers darkly looming at the front of the kitchen.

"Favorite dongsaeng, eh?" Jongin growls. Jongdae gulps, heartbeat racing. Behind him, Kyungsoo starts to squirm away but Jongdae won't let the younger leave just like that.

Grabbing Kyungsoo's arm, he whips the youngest vocal in front of him as a human shield, laughing nervously as Sehun's aura seems to visibly darken.

Kyungsoo starts to struggle in his hold, shrugging his shoulders violently to shake Jongdae off. But Jongdae just holds on tighter, shrinking a bit behind Kyungsoo as both Jongin and Sehun start to stalk forward.

"Jongdae hyung, let go!" Kyungsoo calls out, round face pulled tight in annoyance. Jongdae is perfectly aware he has a ticking time bomb in his arms right now but he is seeing the enemy approach at a rapid pace and decides he is willing to take this chance.

"Never! Kyungsoo, defend me against these beasts!" Jongdae hollers.

Jongin and Sehun stop their trek, both faces simultaneously adopting incredulous expressions for a second before shifting to a familiar expression. Chen whimpers a bit as he watches their eyes darken in lust, Jongin's lips parting to breathe through his mouth and Sehun standing a bit taller to look down at Jongdae sexily. "Beasts, eh?" Sehun drawls.

"No – I mean, e-enemy," Jongdae stutters. Jongin lets out that devastatingly sexy half smirk, and Sehun makes a show of licking his lips.

Jongdae feels the rational part of his brain turn off for a second and can't help the airy whine that escapes him.

He is so distracted by Sehun and Jongin he forgets about Kyungsoo which turns out to be a big mistake as the younger finally decides he has had enough.

Kyungsoo growls, pressing back against Jongdae for a second, getting his left foot behind Jongdae's legs and then giving a mighty push. Jongdae barely has time to let out a sound of surprise before he is hitting the counter, arms automatically letting go of Kyungsoo to grab something to support him.

Unfortunately, Kyungsoo is a lot stronger than most give him credit for, so instead of just bumping against the counter, Jongdae hits it and bounces off, tangled feet giving up on him and he hits the floor hard. His flailing arms accidently hit the brownie batter Kyungsoo had been working on and Jongdae can only leave his mouth soundlessly open in shock as the entire bowl up ends all over him.

Kyungsoo lets out a shriek of anger and Jongdae flinches, eyes temporarily blinded by chocolate. He is pretty sure that Sehun and Jongin are holding Kyungsoo back from unleashing his full anger.

"That was for Minseok hyung's birthday!" Kyungsoo wails and Jongdae sheepishly wipes his eyes from chocolate, gazing up at Kyungsoo with his most remorseful expression. Sehun and Jongin are both struggling and failing not to laugh, each with an arm holding Kyungsoo back.

"Aww, Kyunggiesoosoo, hyung is sworry~~~" Jongdae says, pouting. "Hyungie will fix it, promise!"

The noise attracts the only other two members home, Chanyeol and Yixing and they both promptly start laughing at the situation.

Chen sees his opportunity. "Kyungsoo, go take hyung's wallet from his room and take Chanyeollie and Yixing hyung and shop for more cake. And buy yourself whatever you want," Jongdae says.

Kyungsoo violently shakes out of the maknaes hold, shooting a glare at Jongdae. His wide eyes look right at him as if to say, 'I know what you are doing'.

"Fine, but I'm not holding back." Kyungsoo calls, flinging his apron over his head and grabbing Chanyeol and Yixing. There are some hurried footsteps and in minutes Jongdae, Sehun and Jongin are by themselves.

At the slam of the door closing, Chen relaxes from where he is still laying on the floor. Sehun and Jongin both stare down at him, Sehun with an eyebrow quirked and Kai with glint in his eyes. Jongdae shoots them a smirk and brings a finger up to his cheek, swiping at the batter and then trailing it down his cheekbone until it hits the quirk of his lips. He makes a show of opening his mouth and slowly brining his tongue out to lick kittenishly at the tip of his finger.

"Now that we're alone," Jongdae breathes out seductively, "why don't you show me why you two are my favourite dongsaengs?"

Sehun and Jongin pounce.

__

"You hardly ever give your wallet to anyone," Jongin pouts against his ear, fingers trailing up and down Jongdae's naked back.

Sehun nuzzles into Jongin's own back, letting out a whine of how Jongdae always made the maknaes pay for everything now.

Jongdae hums sleepily, "My wallet is in my jean pocket. I gave them Joonmyeon hyungs,"

He is lulled to sleep by the muffled gwuffs of Jongin's breath into his shoulder and Sehun's heavy hand curling around his waist. He sleeps contentedly with a smile on his face.

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Author's note: The prompt kinda ran away from me - I started with the smut, and plot decided to insert itself lol I hope it isn't too angsty for you!

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