maps and constellations | Stray Kids; Chan/Felix

Chapter 2

They depart from LA pretty quickly, heading a little further up the coast to Santa Barbara. This is more exciting, because there's less Shitty California Energy and more cute little side markets and small, pretty things to find.

They drop their things at their next hotel and then head out, finding a small farmer's market and dedicating their day to strolling up and down the brightly colored stalls. Chan lets Felix drag him away from the rest of the group, chasing the sweet scent of fresh baked goods. They share a chocolate croissant, warm from the oven, chocolate all melty.

"C'mere," Chan says when he notices powdered sugar on Felix's nose. "Got something." Felix stills, blinking up at Chan and letting him carefully dust off his nose. Chan can't help but smile at him.

"What?" Felix asks.

"Just," Chan says, releasing him. "You're still my cute little brother. That's all."

Felix groans, but he's laughing. "I'm not little anymore!"

"Little to me," Chan says, grabbing him into a tight hug and squeezing until he protests.

Stomachs now satisfied, they end up poking through a few art stands. Felix lingers over the jewelry, fingers brushing a pair of simple silver earrings.

"Let's get these," he says suddenly. "One for you and one for me, and then when we miss each other this fall we can wear our half of the pair and it'll be like carrying a piece of the other person wherever we go."

Chan thinks he's melting, maybe. "But I'll just be wearing it all the time," he says.

Felix rolls his eyes. "Don't be dramatic," he says. "You're gonna be too busy to miss me that bad."

Chan isn't sure about that. They buy the earrings.

They meet up with Hyunjin and Jisung at a honey stand. "We got matching phone cases," Jisung brags while Hyunjin eats a honey straw, smiling.

"They're pretty!" Felix says. "Look at the earrings Chan and I got!"

"Just one pair?" Hyunjin asks.

"We're sharing," Felix replies.

"God, that's so you," Hyunjin laments, curling his lip in joking disgust. "You seem like more of a couple than we do."

Chan doesn't know why that comment sends him reeling. "We've been best friends since birth, almost," he defends. "Of course we're really close."

Hyunjin makes a face at him. Felix is already distracted, though, looking over the different flavors of honey. Chan watches him, something scratching at the back of his brain. He'd considered it before, but—Felix is like his brother. They both say it all the time. He's very fond of Felix, that's true, loves him more than almost anything in the world. He says that all the time, too. But they're not like a couple. Chan's already thought it over and decided that's definitely not what their relationship feels like. He loves all of his friends like that—deeply and overwhelmingly. He's definitely not in love with all of them, so that means he's not in love with Felix, either. Right? Of course each relationship feels a little different, so the parts that are unique to him and Felix don't necessarily mean anything.

But still... He thinks about the earrings. It's not like it's strictly romantic behavior, but he supposes Hyunjin has a point. He imagines trying to explain it to one of his classmates in college. Why don't your earrings match? Oh, well this one is half of a pair. My best friend has the other one. He imagines raised eyebrows.

"There they are!" A loud voice, Changbin's, from the end of the aisle, breaks into Chan's thoughts. The other three are with him, all carrying little bags and snacks. "I can't stay here any longer or I'm going to spend even more money that I don't have."