Fake Exes | Changlix

XIV

When the end credits rolled, Felix excused himself to the bathroom and Changbin fled to the kitchen to drink a glass of cold water.

How the fuck was he supposed to cope with this? He loved Felix and would go to the ends of the universe with him, but damn. Maybe Chan was right and he just needed to ask him out anyway. Because no matter how much Changbin liked holding Felix's hand, if Felix didn't like him back he would only be hurting himself and feeling shitty for enjoying Felix's attention.

Maybe it would even be best if he just asked Felix to come clean with his friends and stop the lying altogether.

"So... back together, huh?" Minho's voice startled Changbin.

He flinched, nearly dropping his glass. "Minho-hyung, don't scare me like that!"

Minho chuckled. "Sorry. Well, I'm not sorry. Anyway, back together?"

"... Yeah," Changbin said. He looked at his hand, the hand Felix had held for the past two hours and smiled. Damn, he was in love. And if even he noticed, it must be really bad.

"Hmmm. You know, I never really apologised for the way I talked to you when we first met. I'm sorry. Really, this time." Minho's dark eyes bored into Changbin's. "I assumed you were a shitty guy, despite everything Felix said. That was shitty of me."

Changbin blinked. "It's okay? I mean, it's Felix. Of course everybody who hurts him is shitty. That's the logical conclusion here, and I don't blame you."

Minho blinked. "You really do love him."

"Yes."

"I don't get why you broke up, though," Minho continued like Changbin hadn't said anything. "These last weeks, all Felix did was talk about you. Hell, he literally said he's in love with you last week. It's why all of us were so stinky to you, by the way. But you felt the same all along? How's that possible?"

Changbin would like to point to Exhibit A: Minsung, but wait – Felix was in love with him?

"Hyung! I was looking for you," Felix entered the kitchen, stepped around Minho and attached himself to Changbin's side. "Do you wanna make hot chocolate? I found this recipe where you melt actual chocolate in milk and add stuff like chili and pepper and other spices instead of sugar."

"Of course," Changbin agreed, shoving his conversation with Minho out of his mind. "That sounds delicious."

Felix beamed. "Apparently you can also add chili to brownies! For extra spice, if you know what I mean."

Changbin did not know what Felix meant, but he did like spicy food.

"So here's what we'll do," Felix began, unlocking his phone and getting a pot. Changbin did what Felix told him to do, from climbing up on the counter to reach Hyunjin's stack of dark fairtrade chocolate to collecting the spices spread out in the whole kitchen.

It went okay. The chocolate melted like it should, Felix's soy milk reacted well to the chocolate, Felix added spices and the drink tasted delicious.

"Hyung, can you get me the –" Felix started.

Changbin turned around quickly, handing Felix the spoon that Felix probably maybe meant – only to run face first into Felix. Literally. They stumbled, the counter digging into Changbin's hip uncomfortably, so instead of slipping he held on to what was nearest, which happened to be Felix.

Their lips were touching.

Felix's lips were warm on his, his breath smelled like hot chocolate and chili, and Felix's waist was warm under Changbin's hands –

Felix's eyes widened and he stepped back. "I'm so sorry! Hyung, I –"

"Can I kiss you?" Changbin asked, one part of his brain running in circles and screaming, the other part fully focused on Felix. Changbin's lips and everywhere they had touched tingled.

"I – you – what?" Felix asked, blushing lightly.

Changbin swallowed, tearing his eyes away from Felix's lips. "Can I kiss you?"

Felix stopped breathing. "You want to kiss me?"

"Yes, literally since I first met you," Changbin said because confessing is apparently what he did now. "Please?"

Before Changbin could overthink his words, Felix leaned in and kissed him.

His lips were soft and Changbin decided that yes, he could die happy now. Then Felix tilted his head and deepened their kiss, threading his fingers through Changbin's hair and tugging softly, and Changbin remembered that nope, he really couldn't die until he kissed every freckle on Felix's body. Then all thought left his brain.

He didn't know how long they kissed. Maybe it was a second, a day, a month, a decade – but eventually they parted, breathing deeply, opening their eyes to the bright kitchen lights. Felix was beautiful, always. But the way his lips were tinted red and his eyes glowed a warm brown, cheeks flushed, that was a new level of beautiful and Changbin only hoped he would see Felix like this again. He tightened his arms around Felix, running a hand up and down his side.

"Lixie," Changbin breathed.

"Binnie-hyung," Felix said, and smiled, closing his eyes. "Date me for real?"

"Yeah," Changbin murmured. "Wait, I thought you didn't want to date?"

"What?" Felix opened his eyes and furrowed his brows and Changbin. "When did I say that?"

"Like," Changbin said slowly, even though he had a very vivid memory of Felix standing in front of him, saying 'they should have backed off when I said I'm not interested in dating' when the whole Fake Exes Thing started. "Back when you asked me to be your fake ex?"

Felix's expression didn't change for the better. He looked concerned now. "I said I'm not interested in dating on tinder, I'm pretty sure I said on tinder." When Changbin didn't answer, Felix gasped. "Wait, you mean to tell me this whole time you thought I didn't want to date?"

"Uh," Changbin averted his eyes and blushed. "Maybe?"

Felix, bless his heart, giggled. "Oh, you're so cute, hyung. But I'm sad that it made you sad. Were you sad?"

Changbin shrugged. "A bit. I'm okay now."

"I'm sorry," Felix leaned forward, hugging him tightly. "This is all my fault. I'll make it up to you by being the best real boyfriend and baking you brownies whenever you want."

"I can live with that," Changbin replied, a big smile spreading on his face. "I'm in love with you, by the way."

Felix pulled him into another time-stopping kiss.

Changbin melted against him.

"Uh," Jeongin cleared his throat beside them. "Are you going to drink this hot chocolate you made? Can I have it?"

Felix briefly separated from Changbin to say "Yeah I don't care," and went back to kissing Changbin.

"Thanks, hyungs, I'll be sure to film Chan when he tries this spicy chocolate soup," Jeongin hummed and escaped with the pot.