Revelations - Chanbaek BDSM

Culminating (pt2)

Textbooks fill the small kitchen table on Saturday morning, stacked in haphazard piles like a makeshift fort. Baekhyun sits hunched amongst them, a bowl of soggy breakfast cereal by his elbow and his cell absently in one hand. Junmyeon floats past talking on his own phone and Baekhyun hears snippets as he studies.

"Sure, that'll be fine. No I actually work until six each day but I can come in on my lunch break and pick it up. Is Tuesday okay?" Junmyeon rounds the table and a small pamphlet is pushed under one of the nearest books. "Yes I'll hold. Thank you."

Baekhyun puts his pen down, tugs the pamphlet out and turns it over as Junmyeon settles his butt back against the kitchen bench and hums along to whatever crappy music he's listening to on the other end of the line. It's an awareness sheet on STDs. Baekhyun looks up.

Junmyeon covers the base of the phone even though there's not a human on the other side and smiles. "Thought you might want to consider getting tested if you're serious about this. Both of you."

Baekhyun peers at the folded piece of paper. He's never truly considered it but he's been with... yeah, not a number he wants to admit out loud. With let's say quite a few partners and Chanyeol has had his own share, but they're both exclusive now and... Baekhyun draws his lips between his teeth. The thought of not using condoms, of feeling Chanyeol inside him without any barrier... Yeah this is something he can get behind. He could do this. It's only a simple test.

His phone vibrates just as Junmyeon is taken off hold and leaves the room. The message preview shows the sender and the sight of it makes Baekhyun want to pick it up immediately and strangely also simultaneously ignore it. But he can't. It's too important no matter how nervous he is. These first few messages that they've tentatively started sending this last week have been the faintest of ropes; thin bridges that are all that's left holding the two of them together. Baekhyun still can't face him but the least he can do is text.

They've been the random, disjointed snippets of two people circling something once familiar, yet now disjointed. A pair of broken open puzzle pieces.

[Yixing] Saw a bluebird nest outside the bus stop. Didn't you have birds painted on your lunchbox in fifth grade?

Baekhyun smiles faintly at the screen. He puts the phone back down as Junmyeon walks back in.

"Okay, can do. I have all the measurements on me. That won't be a problem. Thank you."

Baekhyun squints up at him as he ends the call. "What are you ordering?"

"New shoes." Junmyeon replies smoothly and sticks his head in the fridge. "Steaks or stir fry for dinner tomorrow? What does Chanyeol eat?"

Baekhyun narrows his eyes but ignores the niggling feeling in the back of his head that says his friend is up to something. "Everything. We can get steaks at the store tomorrow afternoon if you want. I'll bring him back after it."

Junmyeon hums in agreement, still rooting through the contents of the fridge. "Did you like what you saw in the pamphlet?"

Baekhyun nods. "Yeah. It's a smart idea the more I think about it. I might see if Chanyeol wants to do it and we can know for sure."

"You could get in pretty easy if you want to book an appointment. Better to be safe than sorry." Junmyeon sounds pleased. "Salad or vegetables?"

"Vegetables. Yeah I'll ask him." Baekhyun picks up his phone to message Chanyeol and Yixing's text still sits on top. Baekhyun chews the inside of his lip as Junmyeon sets some ingredients on the bench. Baekhyun's eyes flick up to them and back down again.

[Baekhyun] Yeah. That was the year you discovered you hated birds. And carrots.

He hits send and swipes open to Chanyeol.