LUNCHBOX FRIENDS | changlix

.06

it could only be a well-played move in the game of chess of destiny that allowed felix to find changbin by the lockers after school was finished.

felix had a total of six classes today. six! tuesdays should have their names changed to doomsdays. did that rhyme? felix didn't care, because he was in pain, though it mysteriously disappeared once he had an eyeful of changbin reclined by the lockers.

tuesday? tuesgay!

his shoulders lifted like a puppet coming to life - he was a boy! - and could feel the exhaustion on his expression physically melt away like expired lip injections.

changbin was right there, a can of soda in hand (diet cola, the coolest of the colas) and felix openly stared at the way his bicep could, at any second, burst out of the sleeve whenever he would take a sip.

well, good felix liked to live on the edge.

he wanted to talk to him, but what to say? he did look kind of freaked out when felix tried to be confident. did he think he was a weirdo? did he misread this? god forbid if changbin actually didn't like confident boys? or worse, didn't like boys at all?? what if he was a bro-dude and felix's blatant flirting offended him?

that couldn't do! felix had to fix it... somehow.

"so, we're parents now!" felix came in, slapping at changbin's (very big) bicep.

it resulted in changbin choking on his diet cola for a second.

"what?" he said, and felix instantly knew it was a bad idea. the sudden burst of energy that came along with a brand new idea led him to believe changbin would surely think he was less weird (or gay) if felix just pretended that was how he usually was with everybody.

"you know, the egg baby project?" felix frowned, was changbin trying to avoid responsibility? it wasn't even for his feelings, what would felix do if he failed bio and the teacher wanted to see his mom in person?

"oh, oh." changbin said, and then right after decided to take in a very painful-looking gulp of diet soda. "yeah, i guess."

a pause followed in which felix catastrophized every single second of changbin's short-lived response to his existence. the whole energy in the hallway became so thick in its awkwardness that felix contemplated cartwheeling all the way to the door in hopes of feeling any other emotion.

he did not cartwheel, in fact, but merely toddled towards the end of the hallway. tiny baby steps that an outsider might think he was tap dancing. he had to leave ample room for changbin to take the advance, dammit! felix was doing all the work. after all, it was still a important — crucial to felix, although he couldn't tell the reason to changbin — group project that needed attention from both partners. like a baby. an egg baby.

"wait!"

and just like that, with a single word, felix's body took a sharp turn and might as well have just swirled in the air like a sugar fairy and he was facing changbin.

"yes?" he purred.

changbin, however, had a... troubled look to his face. it was like he'd seen a ghost.

he looked side to side, like someone who had just watched a horror movie and had to use the bathroom. "can we go somewhere... private?"

felix's brows shot up to his hairline. facelift who?

"yes?" he squeaked.

that was response enough to changbin (well, 'yes' was a response, generally), who grabbed his arm and dragged him to the land of god-knows-where. felix was so high in exhaustion that every turn into a new hallway felt like an endless maze.

on the way, although felix didn't know exactly when, changbin had discarded the can of cola, and it flew down the opposite side of the hall in full display of its physics law or whatever.

until they stopped at a secluded spot.

it was located at the very end of a hall, of what seemed to be still under construction, evidently from the presence of a staircase that seemed to lead to nowhere. they either bricked up the destination, or stopped half-way (which was more likely for that flimsy education institution).

but the most important of it all: they were alone.

felix hadn't planned that far ahead yet! how should limbs work in this situation??

changbin, who now stopped on his tracks and had let go of felix's arm, was panting furiously. so that was really true that guys who lifted weights were not very good at cardio! the more you know...

also, felix's arms (for his disappointment) had no trace or indicators of manhandling at all! dude was truly gentle. felix sighed a bit too loudly.

"felix, i just have one question," changbin managed to pronounce between huffing and puffing.

oh, heavens, it was time already? felix still hadn't written his vows...

and when changbin started to lower himself, felix realized with a gasp that he leaned on one knee?! but soon came to realize he was just sitting on one of the steps, still breathing heavily, muscled chest inflating and deflating like it was just calling for felix to perform a cpr on him.

"are... you..." changbin panted.

"am i what?" felix encouraged, a bit impatiently. his future depended on it, why wouldn't he say it already? it was so easy to form words with your mouth!

"felix, are you..." changbin tried again.

felix came down to sit next to him, as though as a gesture to offer some sort of comfort. maybe his towering height made him feel nervous.

"am i what?" he repeated, but this time softer, like a therapist would say.

maybe sitting right next to him was a bad idea, because felix now was as close as ever, and changbin's eyes were looking straight to his and saying what he meant to say:

"felix, are you janet wilson?"