The Boy Next Door

1+2=3

"Why did I agree to this?" Mark gasps, doubled over, his lungs threatening to explode.

"When was the last time you ran?" Jackson laughs, offering Mark water.

"It's been a while"

"Obviously," BamBam just barely dodges away from Mark's arm, huffing out a laugh. "I'm just teasing, you're doing great!"

"Don't lie to me" Mark chugs the water, pouring some of it over head. He stands up and shakes his hair out.

"So this is their house" Jackson looks across the front lawn at it, shocked by the normalcy of it. A simple two story, space blue house, with white windows and a single light on the porch. "I was expecting something more... cryptic"

"They aren't vampires" BamBam laughs, he likes the house, it feels oddly comfortable.

"As far as you know" Jaebum drapes an arm around him, smirking as BamBam yelps. "Looks can be deceiving, do you want to come inside?"

Despite himself, BamBam blushes, unable to stutter out a response. Jaebum is pressed firmly against him, the gentle smell of his cologne wrapping BamBam in a hug. His voice drips with honey.

"No, he doesn't" Jackson saves him, yanking BamBam away from whatever spell Jaebum was casting.

"Too bad, if you change your mind, I'll be here all day" Jaebum sort of waves goodbye as he walks up the lawn.

"Creep" Jackson spits, cradling BamBam protectively against him.

"Wait–Jaebum-hyung—ssi?"

"Seriously?" Jackson mutters as BamBam pushes away from him and chases after Jaebum.

"When are soccer tryouts?"

Jaebum just stares at him for a moment, the same smile on his face.

"You want to try out for the soccer team? Really?" Jaebum turns fully around, hand on his hip. He rakes his eyes over BamBam, taking in his scrawny body under the loose running gear, and the sweat slick charcoal hair in his big eyes. It makes BamBam feel naked.

"Yeah, but I haven't heard anything, so I was going to ask Yugyeom, but since you're here, Jaebum-ssi—"

"Hyung, just call me hyung "

"—hyung," BamBam smiles up at him, warm all over and not just from his run. "I thought you would know"

"They're in two weeks," Jaebum gives a genuine smile. He looks up at Mark and Jackson for a moment and winks, so quick they thought they imagined it. "Good luck," He walks up to BamBam and slides a hand up his arm, leaning down so that he could tip forward and kiss him if he wanted. "and get off my lawn"

Without another word he turns back around and goes into his house, leaving them outside. BamBam gasps a little, with Jaebum so close he had forgotten to breathe.

Flustered he walks back over to Jackson and Mark, trying to control his smile.

"What the hell was that?" Mark snarls at the same time Jackson asks "You're really trying out for the soccer team?"

"I was just thinking about it"

"Why?"

"No real reason, I just wanted to do a sport, and our team is good" Of course, BamBam has a real reason, but he isn't going to admit it to Jackson. And especially not to Mark.

".... did you guys want to see the house?" Mark asks to alleviate some of the tension BamBam's evasive answer gave. Jackson snatches the opportunity and races up to Mark's porch.