OFF OF THE DEEP END | CHANGLIX ✔️

8. first touches

TT// twice

Changbin wasn't sure how he'd ended up here. When he'd panicked and ended up chasing a customer who was virtually a stranger through a pouring rain, nothing pointed him to where that would lead to. But here he was, scanning an idol's pantry for suitable ingredients while said idol hovered somewhere near his left shoulder like an overexcited puppy.

His fate had been settled the second Felix had flashed him the most convincing puppy-dog eyes Changbin had ever seen in his life. He was convinced that Felix must have stood in the mirror for hours to prefect the pleading gaze.

After scrounging through kitchen shelves full of expired snacks and assorted spices labeled in languages that looked like gibberish to him, Changbin managed to procure the ingredients to a simple caeser salad. The other options were plain spaghetti noodles, potato chips, or microwaving ramen packets. Taking the measly three minutes to cook ramen noodles and add seasoning was an insult to his, albeit meager, cooking skills. Besides, he'd promised Felix to cook dinner, and reheating ramen didn't count as cooking in Changbin's mind.

Changbin assigned the task of cutting cucumbers to the eager hands of Felix, while turning on the stove to cook the chicken breast and washing the vegetables. He merged into the mindspace of cooking, using all of his scant talent to cut the tomatoes in absolutely symmetrical pieces. Midway through frying up croutons from a half-stale piece of bread he'd found lying alone in one of Felix's shelves, a little scream diverted his attention away.

He turned his full concentration on Felix, and the knife that had almost slipped into the skin of his unaware hand. Felix was holding the cucumber in an odd position, his left arm stretched to its full length to clench the vegetable as far away from him as possible. Reaching his right arm brandishing the knife out, it bent slightly under his left arm to chop the poor cucumber in jagged, uneven slices.

"What the fuck?" Changbin yelped, "I thought you were exaggerating about your cooking skills."

"Nope. I truly do suck."

Moving behind Felix, Changbin gently grasped the younger's wrists, and moved them into a suitable position for cutting a cucumber. Overlaying his fingers over Felix's, he guided the younger to slice an even slice.

Except, noticing the slight shaking of the idol's fingers and the way Felix's breath slightly hitched, Changbin lurched back. He felt horrible, overstepping on someone's personal space without consent. Changbin had stood close enough for his chest to lightly brush against Felix's back, and their hands had tangled, a absolutely unacceptable thing to do to someone who could detest physical contact.

"I'm so sorry, I should have asked—," Changbin started, apologizing profusely.

Felix turned around, confusion lacing his gaze, "What do you mean? You did nothing wrong."

"I overstepped your personal space without liking."

"What?" Felix's tone lilted in bewilderment, "I was just surprised, that's all. Physical touch is fine."

"Are you sure?"

"Absolutely."

"Then may I do this?"

Changbin walked closer to the man still hunched over the cutting board. Back to chest, his arms encircled around the idol's slender waist and rested his chin on Felix's shoulder.

Felix inhaled sharply, "Yes."

Despite Changbin having to explain basic cooking methods, the salad's preparation went smoothly and in no time they'd assembled a sizeable bowl of lettuce, tomatoes, red onions, croutons, and grilled chicken, with drizzles of caeser dressing and faint flakes of parmesan cheese. Set out on shiny white plates on top of a red tablecloth, they ate in relative silence, save for muttered comments and quiet chewing.