Baekhyun flushed brightly in embarrassment and Chanyeol froze stunned.
There was no way he could mistake that proclamation.
That was an invitation full of hopeful meaning.
But he also didn't want to misunderstand. He didn't want to accidentally think he meant for more than tonight, he didn't want to assume it meant anything more than the immediate now.
"For tonight???" He asked very carefully.
"Yes!" Baekhyun agreed quickly.
"After all, you lost your luggage and only have your backpack right?"
"Yes, my grandma said that leaving my wallet and identification was safer in my luggage cause people, maybe might try to steal my backpack."
Baekhyun looked at the backpack dubiously.
It was old, very beat up and seemed as if it had come from a different generation.
"While that would normally might be the case. Seoul is actually very safe and has little crime. But I understand why she would have been concerned, she was sending away her grandson for the very first time. But I don't think you had anything to worry about with that bag." Baekhyun said seriously motioning with his chin at the bag.
Chanyeol blushed nervously, then rubbed the back of his hand through his hair again.
Baekhyun watched him with interest. "Come on, I need to go home, it's getting late." He said his voice lilting with exhaustion.
Chanyeol nodded
"Okay, everything is packed up and the car is ready to go. Are you done checking up on Park Chanyeol?… I told you, you didn't have time, but you just had to make time to find him…
Daehyun busted into the circle talking loudly, she was met with silence and finally looked up and paused. Realizing Baekhyun wasn't alone, she flushed and looked at both of them then gulped awkwardly.
"I guess you found him, then…" she finished lamely.
"Is everyone ready to go?" Baekhyun asked, ignoring the awkwardness that had settled between them.
Chanyeol and Daehyun nodded at the same time and Chanyeol smiled at both of them politely and rubbed the back of his head goofily.
"Okay, well, let's go out the back way I will go get the car and meet you both there at the door okay? We don't want the fans at the front to crowd you both." Daehyun said politely motioning they should go out that way.
Chanyeol and Baekhyun both nodded. And they both head for the doors to the stage right. The area where a few Van's and staff were lined up getting ready to take equipment and bags out. The bouncer opened the door for them and as Chanyeol was walking out he gave Chanyeol one last high five and a nod.
Chanyeol smiled at him brightly before walking out into the fresh night air, then the bouncer closed the door, leaving the two of them outside in the growing dark and the air.
It hit him like a cool wave, and he took in the late autumn air with a quick suck in of shock.
Baekhyun clapped his hands together and sighed uncomfortably beside him.
Chanyeol looked over and realized that while he had pulled his jacket on indoors Baekhyun had stepped outside with no change in his outfit. He was still wearing his idol getup.
The T-shirt and jeans he had been in before with the choker on and some high top sneakers.
Chanyeol's eyes went wide in disbelief.
"Yahhh, Aren't you cold!?"
He asked him surprised.
He noticed Baekhyun shiver.
"Ah, it's fine... It's unsightly to be seen by fans in anything that wasn't previously okay'd by my wardrobe specialist." He said nonchalantly but his shivers were getting bigger.
"Are you nuts?" Chanyeol looked at him, mouth agape.
"No, really I could end up wearing something that clashes with another brand and then the media will have a field day talking about how uncultured I am. Then they will end up asking how come I can't even get my endorsements right, and call me an idiot.
… Besides my stylist left early because her baby got sick. When she picked out my wardrobe for today we didn't expect it to get so windy…" He added, his tone embarrassed and uncertain.
Chanyeol smiled because it was cute, this guy was so thoughtful he had no doubt in his mind now that the Baekhyun he had caught a glimpse of earlier was a fluke... It must have been the stress, he was kind enough to let a girl who should be working off for the night even though it was an important event. all because her baby was sick.
Baekhyun shivered again so loudly this time his teeth chattered for a split second. He pulled off his jacket and wrapped it around Baekhyun's cold goosebump flesh.
It was a giant coat on Baekhyun, the part that came only mid-calf on him went all the way down and swept the ground on Baekhyun. And the large shoulders that he filled out slumped downwards early because Baekhyun couldn't fill them out, this made the already long sleeves on Baek seem even longer.
Baekhyun held up his arms like a zombie and the coat covered past his fingertips. He sighed and pouted before he pulled them up a bit. Chanyeol sucked in his bottom lip and held in a laugh. Despite how cute Baekhyun looked right now he didn't think that a guy like him would handle being chuckled at even if it was in good spirits and unmalicious.
"Don't wreck your health just to be cool and on-brand, okay?"
Wear a coat, it's cold outside." Chanyeol said gently while looking up at the sky.
"You always make sure your fans are dressed appropriately for the weather or you give them something to warm them like heat packs and blankets. You always tell us fans to be good and not get sick because that would make you sad."
"Well, it's the same for us."
"Don't get sick it will make me sad." Chanyeol turned to look directly into Baekhyun's eyes as he said the last line.
His eyes were soft and sweet and he reached out a hand and ruffled Baekhyun's soft fluffy blond hair.
"Since you are wearing a long-sleeved shirt I will accept this then," Baekhyun said shyly.
Baekhyun's face turned red and he turned away, ignoring Chanyeol so he could look out into the alley and watch for the car that Daehyun had left them to go get.
Chanyeol's eyes danced with amusement.
"Ah, she is here," Baekhyun said after a few moments, Chanyeol finally stopped staring at Baekhyun to look out and see the headlights of the black van approaching them slowly.
He was indeed right… She had come already. He couldn't help but feel a little sad they were not going to be alone anymore.
She parked in the middle of the road since two vehicles were parked on the side closest to the entrance, blocking the ability for her to pull right up to the sidewalk.
Chanyeol stretched his long legs in four swift steps crossing the distance between the vehicle and the sidewalk quickly he pulled open the side door and held it open before Baekhyun could say a word.
Baekhyun shoved his nose into the collar of the coat and refused to look back up. But stepped up into the vehicle. He ignored Chanyeol as best he could. But due to the gray, white coat being long he tripped on the edge of it and started to fall backward.
Chanyeol didn't even have a moment to think, he just reached out and pulled Baekhyun tightly into his arms. Baekhyun's bum and then back slammed into Chanyeol's chest in succession to each other since he had been bending forward to get into the vehicle when he tripped. The force and momentum had sent him spiraling out of the van and into Chanyeol's arms. Chanyeol took a step back the force of their bodies coming together sending him out into between the two cars.
Chanyeol didn't even think twice, he wrapped his arms around Baekhyun and cuddled him to his body tightly.
Baekhyun's scent of Chanel's newest cologne hit his nose, but it was subtle enough that he could still smell the faintly sweet and bitter smell of Baekhyun's sweat from earlier.
Chanyeol gulped as his heart quickened. He was cuddling the man he had often dreamt about over the past few years.
"You should be careful."
"What if you had gotten hurt…"
"I would have been terribly sad. Chanyeol said into Baekhyun's right ear. He took a moment to be brave and put his chin gently on Baekhyun's shoulder.
He knew it was bold and maybe a little stupid of him to do, it wasn't as if this man knew him from a hole in the ground. After all, he had never mentioned recognizing him. Not in all the time they had spent together tonight.
But as someone who had been on his mind many times for years. His heart had plummeted in that moment and even though it was a fall that really wouldn't have hurt Baekhyun much at all. It had still made his gut twist with worry the moment it had occurred.
So just for one moment.
Even if it was acting out and being too much, he wanted to hold the man he cared for tightly.
Even if it was a selfish and rude thing to do he couldn't let go not even if he had been asked to.
And he felt Baekhyun freeze up in his arms.
***