the stars in your eyes; for flowerboysramen
Title: the stars in your eyes
Rating: PG
Length: 3900
Summary: mama powers au - baekhyun just wants to be jongin’s friend in the most non-threatening way possible. unfortunately, jongin is easily startled and can teleport.
There’s an unspoken rule that the auditorium is off limits to anyone not in the arts department. Superpower Management University is the first of its kind, established to cater for the increasing amount of gifted humans birthed in the aftermath of the meteor explosion centuries ago. The university is steeped in both a dark and enlightening history, the marks in the hallways signs of a battle to control rookie powers and leftovers from pranks gone wrong.
All in all, SM University is just another university with a thriving social and academic life. The arts department in particular shines with students who can put on a spectacular show with the help of power enhancements. Sometimes, performers can be overzealous and accidentally bring on dangerous situations, like the time Jongdae tried to add lightning effects to his rock performance and almost burnt Joonmyun into crisp, with Joonmyun’s affinity for water making it worse. As a result, students from the other schools learned to stay far, far away from the auditorium with its stage of magic and doom.
For Baekhyun, the auditorium is a sanctuary, the one place where he can be as loud as possible and not be chastised, unless Kyungsoo is there with him. With this thought in mind, he quickens his steps, pulling a grumpy Kyungsoo along. “Come on, I pulled off that high note I was struggling with last night and I want to show you!”
When they get to the hall, the door is left ajar and loud, thumping music can be heard. “Did Sehun forget to lock the door again?” Baekhyun pushes the door open and peeks in. “When that boy dances, everything else leaves his mind, I swear.”
They find not Sehun, but a boy equally as tall. That’s where the similarities end because where Sehun is pasty and bony, the boy on stage is pleasantly filled out, especially apparent when he stretches his arms to the beat and flexes his muscles. Sehun’s moves are sharp; the boy moves like water, gliding across the stage in fluid and graceful movements. The boy is so lost in the music he doesn’t notice their presence. He’s spellbinding, down to his finishing move when the song ends, dropping to the ground on his knees and his chest heaving. He tips his heads up, eyes closed in satisfaction and pure bliss, and Baekhyun feels his heart twist in admiration and a feeling of kinship.
“Kyungsoo, wait-” Baekhyun’s hand shoots out against Kyungsoo’s chest to stop him from drawing attention to them.
Too late. Kyungsoo calls out, “Hey, unauthorised personnel aren’t supposed to be here.”
The boy freezes while getting up and almost stumbles but regains his balance quickly, turning his fall into a graceful spin. His head jerk to the door to catch them, but as soon as he sees them, he’s gone. Literally gone, nothing on stage but the remaining notes of a song long done.
Baekhyun hurries over to check out the curtains by the stage and finds no one. “Hmm, new teleporter?”
“Baekhyun, you have the look in your eyes,” Kyungsoo says warningly. The last time that happened, well, that was the reason behind the hole in the wall by the dressing rooms.
Baekhyun walks to where the boy was standing mere minutes before and traces the wood panels with his shoes, corners of his mouth twisting up in anticipation. “I want him,” he decides.
“He’s a freshman; he might be a minor. I know they always talk about new blood with each intake, but aren’t you above preying on young children?”
“Not like that. I want to take that poor child under my wing, like a mama bird.” Baekhyun mulls over the idea and nods to himself. “I’m mama B.” He flaps his arms a few times for emphasis, which lends no credibility to his constant claims of being normal and sane.
“Unless B stands for bitch, I’m not sure what you’re going for,” Kyungsoo deadpans.
“B as in the kid’s new best friend. I’m replacing you.”
“We will pray for his poor soul,” Kyungsoo puts his hand on his chest and says solemnly.
His name is Jongin, Baekhyun finds out through a carefully planned lunch with the resident gossip, Lu Han. The telepath fully uses his powers to his advantage and snoops around for the latest news. It’s why no one really wants to invite Lu Han to parties lest they want stories of their illicit make outs broadcasted to the world. It’s also why everyone wants Lu Han at their parties because any party with Lu Han at it will be the talk of the college. Plus, if anything, Lu Han raises the pretty factor, like a very intrusive vase. (Don’t let luhan hear you say that.)
“The new teleporter? His name is Jongin and he was a late bloomer, so an undeclared major for now,” Lu Han shares over his skinny vanilla latte with cinnamon sprinkles that Baekhyun bought him. “Found out he was a teleporter when he suddenly found himself in the wrong locker room. I heard that he had the imprint of a high heel on his cheek for a week. Tall, handsome and afraid of girls. Lucky you.”
Baekhyun grins, making the light glint off his teeth for effect. “Lucky me indeed.”
“Do you mean to look that predatory or is it in your blood? You sure you aren’t a feline hybrid? A lion maybe?” Lu Han cocks his head thoughtfully at Baekhyun and shakes his head, “No, actually, you’re too small for that. Kitten hybrid maybe.”
Baekhyun takes his revenge by discreetly forming an image of a zit in the middle of Lu Han’s forehead.
“His name is Jongin but you don’t need to know that because he’s mine,” Baekhyun declares to his entourage- “Friends,” Joonmyun corrects and is instantly dismissed with a wave of Baekhyun’s hand- the next day.
“You’re like a dog with a ball,” jongdae rolls his eyes and comments.
“Hey,” Jonghyun the wolf hybrid says, wounded.
“Sorry, man.” Jongdae apologizes by using static electricity to push Jonghyun’s hair into a mohawk, delighting the wolf hybrid into happy tail wags.
“The tall kid?” Sehun speaks up with a mouthful of salad, showing off the lettuce stuck between his teeth. “Yeah, he’s pretty cool.”
“Gross,” Baekhyun wrinkles and nose. “And you knew he existed and never told me?”
“He’s in my class.” Sehun shrugs. “I’m taking History of Power and Magic because I heard it was an easy elective but he’s required to take it because he just discovered his powers like 5 months ago.”
“Oh.” Baekhyun files that information away and turns to grin at the table. “Now where’s Chanyeol? I need him to heat up my burger.”
“Use a microwave,” Lu Han says. “That’s what Chanyeol tells me to tell you.” He frowns and rubs his temple. “I’m not telling you the second part of his message because I’m a civilised person but let’s just say it involves more bodily parts than I’m comfortable with.”
“You can run but you can’t hide, Park!” Baekhyun yells to the cafe, unfortunately startling Yixing from his daydreams and causing him to spill his scalding coffee on himself. Yixing merely shrugs and waves his right palm over the wound, the red fading away to reveal perfectly smooth skin.
The tell tale lump of obnoxiously red hair that suddenly disappears behind the large trash can in the middle of the cafe gives Chanyeol’s location away. “I see you, Park,” Baekhyun hollers while marching over, fork held menacingly in hand.
“Are you sure Jongin is safe around that guy?” Sehun asks.
“I’m starting a prayer circle,” Kyungsoo quips. No one knows whether he’s serious or not.
“Baekhyun.”
Baekhyun ignores the loud whispering and continues to doodle a dick on the table.
“Baekhyun, what are you doing here.”
Baekhyun lets out a long-suffering sigh and raises an eyebrow at Sehun. “What does it look like I’m doing? I’m going to class.”
“But you’re a third year. This is a first year lecture.”
“I haven’t been able to control my powers lately and developed an interest in the basics.”
“You finished top of your class last year.”
“Well, maybe i’m secretly a dunce,“ Baekhyun snaps, shooting a light ray between Sehun’s eyes to get him to knock off.
“How much does he want to get into the new kid’s pants,” Zitao whispers, perhaps too loudly but he never was good at being subtle. Or socially competent, bless his poor soul.
“Enough to suffer through two hours of math.” Sehun smirks and nudges Baekhyun. “Hey, this is Fundamentals to Physics. History is the next lesson.”
The look of horror dawning on Baekhyun’s face is priceless. “Who in their right mind would voluntarily take Physics as an elective?”
Sehun wads up a ball of paper and throws it at a head in front. “Hey Jongin, do you like physics?”
Jongin startles out of his daydreams and turn around to blink sleepily at them. Baekhyun only barely holds in a squeal because adorable. “Um, sure.”
“I love physics!” Baekhyun announces to the class, pumping his fist at the poor horrified girl sitting next to them. She not-so-subtly scoots her chair further away from them and mumbles something about how she knew powers were related to insanity.
“I hate physics,” Baekhyun moans into his hands thirty minutes later. Everything Professor Shim said literally flew over his head, what with the professor being a telekinesis who likes to illustrate his lectures with real life examples.
Sehun laughs and pats Baekhyun on the head patronisingly. “It helps us understand our powers better. I’m sure a kid like Jongin who just found out that he can literally disintegrate his particles and reform them in a different location is plenty interested in quantum physics.”
Baekhyun brightens. “Do you think I can get him to tutor me?”
“I’m not sure what answer you want. Do you think you can get him to actually talk for an extended period of time, or do you think you can sit down and listen to physics for an extended period of time?”
“Okay,” Baekhyun continues undeterred, “Plan b. First of all, I’ll approach Jongin-”
“Hey,” Zitao interrupts. “Where did Jongin go?”
Jongin’s bag is there and his notebook is there but no Jongin. A long jagged line is drawn across the open page of the notebook.
“No.”
“Please?”
“No! I’m not some filthy dog-” Baekhyun pulls out a candy bar and Jonghyun’s tail starts wagging. “-damn it.”
“Just take one sniff of this and tell me where Jongin is, and I’ll give you the candy bar,” Baekhyun bargains, holding up Jongin’s notebook in one hand and dangling the candy bar in his other hand like bait.
Jonghyun tears his gaze away from the candy bar and has the decency to look offended. “What do you take me for? You can’t command me to stalk your crushes.”
Baekhyun hums and casually pulls the wrapper off the candy bar, waving it around enough that he knows the smell will attack Jonghyun’s senses.
Jonghyun’s wolf ears pop out of his hair and his eyes glint gold, but Baekhyun only grins. Hook, line and sinker.
“Fine, fine.” Jonghyun sniffs the notebook gingerly and then the air. “He’s in the direction of the auditorium.”
“Good boy,” Baekhyun tosses out and makes his way towards the auditorium. If Jonghyun wasn’t so busy devouring the candy bar, Baekhyun would have claw marks down his cheek.
Sure enough, a crack of light filters through the open door. This time there’s no music but Jongin flies across the stage soundlessly, dancing to a song only he can hear.
He can’t help himself. Baekhyun scrunches his nose and the auditorium falls dark, leaving only a spotlight across Jongin. Jongin is beautiful, the light shining down and illuminating his sweaty skin. It’s like he was made for the stage; it’s like the stage was made for him.
Baekhyun doesn’t get to admire him long because as soon as the spotlight turns on, Jongin squeaks and falls on his behind.
Baekhyun hurriedly releases his hold on the lights, turning the auditorium fully bright again, but he makes sure that the lights around Jongin are softer to avoid startling him more.
“I didn’t mean to come here,” Jongin starts babbling, his eyes wide. “I just thought about dancing and I just appeared here. I can’t control it, I swear.”
“Hey, it’s okay. I’m not here to scold you.” Baekhyun holds his hands up in the universal sign of surrender and takes a step towards Jongin. “I’m just returning your things.”
This only causes Jongin to press himself further against the wall. “Stop go away you’re the demonic influence my mother warned me about.”
Excuse you, Baekhyun controls light, not darkness. “No, I’m Baekhyun and I’m your new best friend!” At Jongin’s increasingly terrified expression, Baekhyun quickly amends, “friend. I’m your new friend. Harmless friend.”
“You know, when people emphasize that they’re harmless, it gives off the opposite effect.”
“Shh, look.”
In an effort to calm Jongin down and impress him, Baekhyun waves his hands and the auditorium dims again. Cupping his hands, he forms little balls of light and sends them flying across the ceiling, exploding into fireworks until the whole auditorium is lit up with sparkling stars.
“Wow.” Jongin catches his eyes for the first time and he looks so amazed that Baekhyun’s breath is caught in his throat. He did this. He put that look of wonder on Jongin’s face.
For the briefest, most dizzying moment, Baekhyun pretends that the stars in Jongin’s eyes aren’t just reflection of the lights but when he blinks again, Jongin is gone, leaving the faintest taste of smoke in the air.
Jongin never has lunch in any of the four restaurant and cafes on the university grounds. Baekhyun knows because he made Amber split herself into four bodies and check each location simultaneously.
Jonghyun has become increasingly vocal about how he refuses to go along with Baekhyun’s crazy schemes to “corrupt the freshman” so Baekhyun is forced to search the old fashioned way.
He finally finds Jongin slumped against a tree in the far ends of the courtyard, nose deep in the Matter Manipulation textbook.
“Do you want to have lunch?” Baekhyun offers, holding out an extra sandwich.
Maybe he should have given a sign or warning, because Jongin predictably jumps, dropping the textbook on his lap.
“Please don’t disappear on me,” Baekhyun says, but he’s talking to thin air.
“He’s like this jumpy bunny,” Baekhyun mopes to Joonmyun when he meets up with him for song practice. “Oh no, now I’m imagining him in bunny ears and he’s just so cute.”
“If you want to be his “friend”-”
“I can hear the quotation marks in your tone, Joonmyun,”
“Okay.” Joonmyun is kind enough to give in to Baekhyun. “If you want to be his friend, approach him slowly.”
“I’m just trying to be friendly. He’s new here. I want to give him a nice welcome.”
“I don’t think he can control it. He uses teleportation as a defense mechanism. When he’s threatened, he flees.”
“This is university, not a battlefield.” Baekhyun grumbles. He kicks at the music stand and regrets it when his toes meet metal.
Joonmyun hesitates, unsure whether it’s crossing the line to bring up his next point. “You remember when you first discovered your powers? Was it a playground for you then?”
Baekhyun chews on his bottom lip and traces the lines of his music sheets with a finger. "I never thought of that."
If Jongin was going through even a fraction of what Baekhyun went through, what he needs is a listening ear and guidance, not invitations to all the university parties. Joonmyun notices Baekhyun’s glum mood and distracts him with a new song he rearranged but Jongin lingers in the back of Baekhyun’s mind all day.
Surprisingly, Baekhyun stumbles onto Jongin the next time without even trying. Sometimes, Baekhyun likes to practice singing his scales in the rooftop garden of the art building because it feels like he’s belting out his notes across the university grounds. When he’s up on the roof, he can imagine that everyone is his captured audience, everyone will hear his voice.
The rooftop is only accessible by a hidden entrance that Baekhyun found one day by accident, the door only appearing when Baekhyun shines his light in a corner behind the stairs. He sees the familiar figure lying on the bench between the daffodils and a smile pops up on his face unbidden. Of course Jongin would seek out deserted places where he can hide and take a nap.
“Jongin?” He calls out softly, having learned his lesson.
Jongin doesn’t jump or startle, just lazily opens his eyes like he expected to see Baekhyun there.
Baekhyun makes no move to approach Jongin, giving Jongin his space. His hand is still on the door, showing Jongin that he can leave if he’s not wanted. "No confetti or explosions, no surprises,” he promises. “I just want to talk."
Jongin still studies him with distrust but he sits up and moves pointedly to the side of the bench to let Baekhyun sit.
Baekhyun scrambles over before Jongin changes his mind and remembers to tone down the grin splitting his face only when he sees Jongin’s disturbed look. “You don’t hang out around people with powers much, do you?” It’s when the question leaves him that he realises it’s too heavy a question for a first conversation. “Sorry, you don’t have to answer that if you don’t want to.”
Jongin shakes his head and for the first time ever, smiles at Baekhyun. “No one in my family has powers. My parents didn’t know what to do either.”
Baekhyun recognises that this is Jongin opening up to him so he nods encouragingly, showing that he is ready to listen if Jongin is ready to share.
Jongin falls silent again, looking down at his clasped hands on his lap and Baekhyun lets him, not wanting to push the shy boy. They last another minute or two of silence before Jongin ventures, “Why are you trying so hard to be my friend?”
There are many reasons that pop up in Baekhyun’s mind but in the end he opts for the honest truth, the one secret he’s never told his friends. “Because I know how it feels.”
Jongin gapes at him, eyebrows shooting into his long bangs. “But you’re you. Byun Baekhyun, on the dean’s list and liked by everyone.”
Baekhyun fills a twinge of satisfaction that Jongin knows who he is but he pushes it aside. “No one talks about the first year i was here. I don’t think they even remembered me. You’re not the only late bloomer.”
“I came from a prestigious background of element manipulators and for the longest time, I had nothing. Everyone thought I was a dud, the black sheep of the family.” Baekhyun can’t help but let bitterness creep into his voice. He’s surprised when a hand covers his and looks up to see Jongin smiling cautiously at him. Not many people know about Baekhyun’s worries, only seeing the image that Baekhyun wants to show them, but Jongin’s touch spurs Baekhyun to continue. He doesn’t know why, but he trusts Jongin. “Anyway, I went to a normal high school until my power manifested during prom. I went with a girl but halfway through a dance, this boy near me started glowing. Then my date slapped me and told me I hadn’t taken my eyes off him all night. I guessed my crush on him was more obvious than I thought. He looked beautiful and I just-”
“You made him glow because you thought he was beautiful?” Jongin’s voice is hushed and the fingers on Baekhyun’s hand flutter, almost pulling away.
“Yeah, well, I couldn’t control it. When I see someone special, they just shine.”
Jongin takes his hand back and Baekhyun instinctively turns his palm up, chasing after the disappearing warmth.
“Hey, I didn’t freak you out or anything, did I?” Baekhyun says anxiously, searching Jongin's face for any cues that he might have done something wrong.
“The spotlight,” Jongin blurts out and immediately slaps a palm across his mouth.
“The spotlight,” Baekhyun echoes, the implications of his words dawning on him. In a sudden burst of bravery, he says as softly as he can, “I meant it then. You’re beautiful, you know?”
Jongin mumbles something, his words muffled by the hands hiding his face.
“Sorry?”
“You’re beautiful too. I’m,” Jongin yelps, obviously feeling cornered again. “Sorry!” He starts to flicker so Baekhyun darts his hand to catch Jongin’s arm, stopping him before he can fully disappear.
“Teleportation isn’t meant for running away,” Baekhyun says, reaching out for Jongin’s hand and entwining their fingers together. “It’s meant for running to what matters.”
Jongin is still channeling a deer caught in headlights so Baekhyun doesn’t think and just moves. He carefully fits his other hand on Jongin’s nape and slots their lips together in a chaste kiss. Jongin stiffens and Baekhyun is about to pull away to apologise profusely because is this too soon? Is he forcing himself on Jongin?
Then Jongin kisses back. He’s shy at first, hands clenched at his side, but he grows bolder with each second, until his hands start wandering and he gently coaxes Baekhyun’s mouth open. Jongin kisses like he dances, fleeting touches alternating with intense pressure and Baekhyun licks it all up, an eager audience. Baekhyun is the one who has to pull apart to gasp for air.
“Wow there, cowboy. I would’ve never expected that from you,” Baekhyun exclaims, taken back but absolutely delighted.
“Can I-?” Jongin looks like he’s about to burst from mortification, a steady red creeping up his neck and onto the tips of his ears. It matches the nice swollen red of his lips.
“Yeah, I’ll let you go just this once.”
And Jongin is gone.
That night, Baekhyun lies in his bed with his fingers against his lips, feeling the way his mouth pushes up into a smile. He knows that a kiss doesn’t mean that Jongin completely trusts him and he has a long way to go before fully winning Jongin’s friendship, but he’s willing to try, if only just to see Jongin’s face light up again.
He turns over and looks up…
Right into the wide eyes of Jongin.
The bed dips under the weight of another body and Jongin springs up, almost kicking Baekhyun off the bed in his haste to get away. ”Sorry, I was just thinking…” Jongin trails off, too embarrassed to continue. He looks like he wishes he could melt into Baekhyun’s headboard. “I didn’t know that I could teleport to places I’ve never seen. I just.”
“I told you, teleport to what matters.” Baekhyun bites on his bottom lip to stamp down his grin and pulls a rigid Jongin closer to him. He strokes the back of Jongin’s hair until the younger boy relaxes against him, too lanky to fit into his arms but still comfortable. “Now sleep, Jongin. We can talk about this tomorrow.”
They have plenty of time.
Rating: PG
Length: 3900
Summary: mama powers au - baekhyun just wants to be jongin’s friend in the most non-threatening way possible. unfortunately, jongin is easily startled and can teleport.
There’s an unspoken rule that the auditorium is off limits to anyone not in the arts department. Superpower Management University is the first of its kind, established to cater for the increasing amount of gifted humans birthed in the aftermath of the meteor explosion centuries ago. The university is steeped in both a dark and enlightening history, the marks in the hallways signs of a battle to control rookie powers and leftovers from pranks gone wrong.
All in all, SM University is just another university with a thriving social and academic life. The arts department in particular shines with students who can put on a spectacular show with the help of power enhancements. Sometimes, performers can be overzealous and accidentally bring on dangerous situations, like the time Jongdae tried to add lightning effects to his rock performance and almost burnt Joonmyun into crisp, with Joonmyun’s affinity for water making it worse. As a result, students from the other schools learned to stay far, far away from the auditorium with its stage of magic and doom.
For Baekhyun, the auditorium is a sanctuary, the one place where he can be as loud as possible and not be chastised, unless Kyungsoo is there with him. With this thought in mind, he quickens his steps, pulling a grumpy Kyungsoo along. “Come on, I pulled off that high note I was struggling with last night and I want to show you!”
When they get to the hall, the door is left ajar and loud, thumping music can be heard. “Did Sehun forget to lock the door again?” Baekhyun pushes the door open and peeks in. “When that boy dances, everything else leaves his mind, I swear.”
They find not Sehun, but a boy equally as tall. That’s where the similarities end because where Sehun is pasty and bony, the boy on stage is pleasantly filled out, especially apparent when he stretches his arms to the beat and flexes his muscles. Sehun’s moves are sharp; the boy moves like water, gliding across the stage in fluid and graceful movements. The boy is so lost in the music he doesn’t notice their presence. He’s spellbinding, down to his finishing move when the song ends, dropping to the ground on his knees and his chest heaving. He tips his heads up, eyes closed in satisfaction and pure bliss, and Baekhyun feels his heart twist in admiration and a feeling of kinship.
“Kyungsoo, wait-” Baekhyun’s hand shoots out against Kyungsoo’s chest to stop him from drawing attention to them.
Too late. Kyungsoo calls out, “Hey, unauthorised personnel aren’t supposed to be here.”
The boy freezes while getting up and almost stumbles but regains his balance quickly, turning his fall into a graceful spin. His head jerk to the door to catch them, but as soon as he sees them, he’s gone. Literally gone, nothing on stage but the remaining notes of a song long done.
Baekhyun hurries over to check out the curtains by the stage and finds no one. “Hmm, new teleporter?”
“Baekhyun, you have the look in your eyes,” Kyungsoo says warningly. The last time that happened, well, that was the reason behind the hole in the wall by the dressing rooms.
Baekhyun walks to where the boy was standing mere minutes before and traces the wood panels with his shoes, corners of his mouth twisting up in anticipation. “I want him,” he decides.
“He’s a freshman; he might be a minor. I know they always talk about new blood with each intake, but aren’t you above preying on young children?”
“Not like that. I want to take that poor child under my wing, like a mama bird.” Baekhyun mulls over the idea and nods to himself. “I’m mama B.” He flaps his arms a few times for emphasis, which lends no credibility to his constant claims of being normal and sane.
“Unless B stands for bitch, I’m not sure what you’re going for,” Kyungsoo deadpans.
“B as in the kid’s new best friend. I’m replacing you.”
“We will pray for his poor soul,” Kyungsoo puts his hand on his chest and says solemnly.
His name is Jongin, Baekhyun finds out through a carefully planned lunch with the resident gossip, Lu Han. The telepath fully uses his powers to his advantage and snoops around for the latest news. It’s why no one really wants to invite Lu Han to parties lest they want stories of their illicit make outs broadcasted to the world. It’s also why everyone wants Lu Han at their parties because any party with Lu Han at it will be the talk of the college. Plus, if anything, Lu Han raises the pretty factor, like a very intrusive vase. (Don’t let luhan hear you say that.)
“The new teleporter? His name is Jongin and he was a late bloomer, so an undeclared major for now,” Lu Han shares over his skinny vanilla latte with cinnamon sprinkles that Baekhyun bought him. “Found out he was a teleporter when he suddenly found himself in the wrong locker room. I heard that he had the imprint of a high heel on his cheek for a week. Tall, handsome and afraid of girls. Lucky you.”
Baekhyun grins, making the light glint off his teeth for effect. “Lucky me indeed.”
“Do you mean to look that predatory or is it in your blood? You sure you aren’t a feline hybrid? A lion maybe?” Lu Han cocks his head thoughtfully at Baekhyun and shakes his head, “No, actually, you’re too small for that. Kitten hybrid maybe.”
Baekhyun takes his revenge by discreetly forming an image of a zit in the middle of Lu Han’s forehead.
“His name is Jongin but you don’t need to know that because he’s mine,” Baekhyun declares to his entourage- “Friends,” Joonmyun corrects and is instantly dismissed with a wave of Baekhyun’s hand- the next day.
“You’re like a dog with a ball,” jongdae rolls his eyes and comments.
“Hey,” Jonghyun the wolf hybrid says, wounded.
“Sorry, man.” Jongdae apologizes by using static electricity to push Jonghyun’s hair into a mohawk, delighting the wolf hybrid into happy tail wags.
“The tall kid?” Sehun speaks up with a mouthful of salad, showing off the lettuce stuck between his teeth. “Yeah, he’s pretty cool.”
“Gross,” Baekhyun wrinkles and nose. “And you knew he existed and never told me?”
“He’s in my class.” Sehun shrugs. “I’m taking History of Power and Magic because I heard it was an easy elective but he’s required to take it because he just discovered his powers like 5 months ago.”
“Oh.” Baekhyun files that information away and turns to grin at the table. “Now where’s Chanyeol? I need him to heat up my burger.”
“Use a microwave,” Lu Han says. “That’s what Chanyeol tells me to tell you.” He frowns and rubs his temple. “I’m not telling you the second part of his message because I’m a civilised person but let’s just say it involves more bodily parts than I’m comfortable with.”
“You can run but you can’t hide, Park!” Baekhyun yells to the cafe, unfortunately startling Yixing from his daydreams and causing him to spill his scalding coffee on himself. Yixing merely shrugs and waves his right palm over the wound, the red fading away to reveal perfectly smooth skin.
The tell tale lump of obnoxiously red hair that suddenly disappears behind the large trash can in the middle of the cafe gives Chanyeol’s location away. “I see you, Park,” Baekhyun hollers while marching over, fork held menacingly in hand.
“Are you sure Jongin is safe around that guy?” Sehun asks.
“I’m starting a prayer circle,” Kyungsoo quips. No one knows whether he’s serious or not.
“Baekhyun.”
Baekhyun ignores the loud whispering and continues to doodle a dick on the table.
“Baekhyun, what are you doing here.”
Baekhyun lets out a long-suffering sigh and raises an eyebrow at Sehun. “What does it look like I’m doing? I’m going to class.”
“But you’re a third year. This is a first year lecture.”
“I haven’t been able to control my powers lately and developed an interest in the basics.”
“You finished top of your class last year.”
“Well, maybe i’m secretly a dunce,“ Baekhyun snaps, shooting a light ray between Sehun’s eyes to get him to knock off.
“How much does he want to get into the new kid’s pants,” Zitao whispers, perhaps too loudly but he never was good at being subtle. Or socially competent, bless his poor soul.
“Enough to suffer through two hours of math.” Sehun smirks and nudges Baekhyun. “Hey, this is Fundamentals to Physics. History is the next lesson.”
The look of horror dawning on Baekhyun’s face is priceless. “Who in their right mind would voluntarily take Physics as an elective?”
Sehun wads up a ball of paper and throws it at a head in front. “Hey Jongin, do you like physics?”
Jongin startles out of his daydreams and turn around to blink sleepily at them. Baekhyun only barely holds in a squeal because adorable. “Um, sure.”
“I love physics!” Baekhyun announces to the class, pumping his fist at the poor horrified girl sitting next to them. She not-so-subtly scoots her chair further away from them and mumbles something about how she knew powers were related to insanity.
“I hate physics,” Baekhyun moans into his hands thirty minutes later. Everything Professor Shim said literally flew over his head, what with the professor being a telekinesis who likes to illustrate his lectures with real life examples.
Sehun laughs and pats Baekhyun on the head patronisingly. “It helps us understand our powers better. I’m sure a kid like Jongin who just found out that he can literally disintegrate his particles and reform them in a different location is plenty interested in quantum physics.”
Baekhyun brightens. “Do you think I can get him to tutor me?”
“I’m not sure what answer you want. Do you think you can get him to actually talk for an extended period of time, or do you think you can sit down and listen to physics for an extended period of time?”
“Okay,” Baekhyun continues undeterred, “Plan b. First of all, I’ll approach Jongin-”
“Hey,” Zitao interrupts. “Where did Jongin go?”
Jongin’s bag is there and his notebook is there but no Jongin. A long jagged line is drawn across the open page of the notebook.
“No.”
“Please?”
“No! I’m not some filthy dog-” Baekhyun pulls out a candy bar and Jonghyun’s tail starts wagging. “-damn it.”
“Just take one sniff of this and tell me where Jongin is, and I’ll give you the candy bar,” Baekhyun bargains, holding up Jongin’s notebook in one hand and dangling the candy bar in his other hand like bait.
Jonghyun tears his gaze away from the candy bar and has the decency to look offended. “What do you take me for? You can’t command me to stalk your crushes.”
Baekhyun hums and casually pulls the wrapper off the candy bar, waving it around enough that he knows the smell will attack Jonghyun’s senses.
Jonghyun’s wolf ears pop out of his hair and his eyes glint gold, but Baekhyun only grins. Hook, line and sinker.
“Fine, fine.” Jonghyun sniffs the notebook gingerly and then the air. “He’s in the direction of the auditorium.”
“Good boy,” Baekhyun tosses out and makes his way towards the auditorium. If Jonghyun wasn’t so busy devouring the candy bar, Baekhyun would have claw marks down his cheek.
Sure enough, a crack of light filters through the open door. This time there’s no music but Jongin flies across the stage soundlessly, dancing to a song only he can hear.
He can’t help himself. Baekhyun scrunches his nose and the auditorium falls dark, leaving only a spotlight across Jongin. Jongin is beautiful, the light shining down and illuminating his sweaty skin. It’s like he was made for the stage; it’s like the stage was made for him.
Baekhyun doesn’t get to admire him long because as soon as the spotlight turns on, Jongin squeaks and falls on his behind.
Baekhyun hurriedly releases his hold on the lights, turning the auditorium fully bright again, but he makes sure that the lights around Jongin are softer to avoid startling him more.
“I didn’t mean to come here,” Jongin starts babbling, his eyes wide. “I just thought about dancing and I just appeared here. I can’t control it, I swear.”
“Hey, it’s okay. I’m not here to scold you.” Baekhyun holds his hands up in the universal sign of surrender and takes a step towards Jongin. “I’m just returning your things.”
This only causes Jongin to press himself further against the wall. “Stop go away you’re the demonic influence my mother warned me about.”
Excuse you, Baekhyun controls light, not darkness. “No, I’m Baekhyun and I’m your new best friend!” At Jongin’s increasingly terrified expression, Baekhyun quickly amends, “friend. I’m your new friend. Harmless friend.”
“You know, when people emphasize that they’re harmless, it gives off the opposite effect.”
“Shh, look.”
In an effort to calm Jongin down and impress him, Baekhyun waves his hands and the auditorium dims again. Cupping his hands, he forms little balls of light and sends them flying across the ceiling, exploding into fireworks until the whole auditorium is lit up with sparkling stars.
“Wow.” Jongin catches his eyes for the first time and he looks so amazed that Baekhyun’s breath is caught in his throat. He did this. He put that look of wonder on Jongin’s face.
For the briefest, most dizzying moment, Baekhyun pretends that the stars in Jongin’s eyes aren’t just reflection of the lights but when he blinks again, Jongin is gone, leaving the faintest taste of smoke in the air.
Jongin never has lunch in any of the four restaurant and cafes on the university grounds. Baekhyun knows because he made Amber split herself into four bodies and check each location simultaneously.
Jonghyun has become increasingly vocal about how he refuses to go along with Baekhyun’s crazy schemes to “corrupt the freshman” so Baekhyun is forced to search the old fashioned way.
He finally finds Jongin slumped against a tree in the far ends of the courtyard, nose deep in the Matter Manipulation textbook.
“Do you want to have lunch?” Baekhyun offers, holding out an extra sandwich.
Maybe he should have given a sign or warning, because Jongin predictably jumps, dropping the textbook on his lap.
“Please don’t disappear on me,” Baekhyun says, but he’s talking to thin air.
“He’s like this jumpy bunny,” Baekhyun mopes to Joonmyun when he meets up with him for song practice. “Oh no, now I’m imagining him in bunny ears and he’s just so cute.”
“If you want to be his “friend”-”
“I can hear the quotation marks in your tone, Joonmyun,”
“Okay.” Joonmyun is kind enough to give in to Baekhyun. “If you want to be his friend, approach him slowly.”
“I’m just trying to be friendly. He’s new here. I want to give him a nice welcome.”
“I don’t think he can control it. He uses teleportation as a defense mechanism. When he’s threatened, he flees.”
“This is university, not a battlefield.” Baekhyun grumbles. He kicks at the music stand and regrets it when his toes meet metal.
Joonmyun hesitates, unsure whether it’s crossing the line to bring up his next point. “You remember when you first discovered your powers? Was it a playground for you then?”
Baekhyun chews on his bottom lip and traces the lines of his music sheets with a finger. "I never thought of that."
If Jongin was going through even a fraction of what Baekhyun went through, what he needs is a listening ear and guidance, not invitations to all the university parties. Joonmyun notices Baekhyun’s glum mood and distracts him with a new song he rearranged but Jongin lingers in the back of Baekhyun’s mind all day.
Surprisingly, Baekhyun stumbles onto Jongin the next time without even trying. Sometimes, Baekhyun likes to practice singing his scales in the rooftop garden of the art building because it feels like he’s belting out his notes across the university grounds. When he’s up on the roof, he can imagine that everyone is his captured audience, everyone will hear his voice.
The rooftop is only accessible by a hidden entrance that Baekhyun found one day by accident, the door only appearing when Baekhyun shines his light in a corner behind the stairs. He sees the familiar figure lying on the bench between the daffodils and a smile pops up on his face unbidden. Of course Jongin would seek out deserted places where he can hide and take a nap.
“Jongin?” He calls out softly, having learned his lesson.
Jongin doesn’t jump or startle, just lazily opens his eyes like he expected to see Baekhyun there.
Baekhyun makes no move to approach Jongin, giving Jongin his space. His hand is still on the door, showing Jongin that he can leave if he’s not wanted. "No confetti or explosions, no surprises,” he promises. “I just want to talk."
Jongin still studies him with distrust but he sits up and moves pointedly to the side of the bench to let Baekhyun sit.
Baekhyun scrambles over before Jongin changes his mind and remembers to tone down the grin splitting his face only when he sees Jongin’s disturbed look. “You don’t hang out around people with powers much, do you?” It’s when the question leaves him that he realises it’s too heavy a question for a first conversation. “Sorry, you don’t have to answer that if you don’t want to.”
Jongin shakes his head and for the first time ever, smiles at Baekhyun. “No one in my family has powers. My parents didn’t know what to do either.”
Baekhyun recognises that this is Jongin opening up to him so he nods encouragingly, showing that he is ready to listen if Jongin is ready to share.
Jongin falls silent again, looking down at his clasped hands on his lap and Baekhyun lets him, not wanting to push the shy boy. They last another minute or two of silence before Jongin ventures, “Why are you trying so hard to be my friend?”
There are many reasons that pop up in Baekhyun’s mind but in the end he opts for the honest truth, the one secret he’s never told his friends. “Because I know how it feels.”
Jongin gapes at him, eyebrows shooting into his long bangs. “But you’re you. Byun Baekhyun, on the dean’s list and liked by everyone.”
Baekhyun fills a twinge of satisfaction that Jongin knows who he is but he pushes it aside. “No one talks about the first year i was here. I don’t think they even remembered me. You’re not the only late bloomer.”
“I came from a prestigious background of element manipulators and for the longest time, I had nothing. Everyone thought I was a dud, the black sheep of the family.” Baekhyun can’t help but let bitterness creep into his voice. He’s surprised when a hand covers his and looks up to see Jongin smiling cautiously at him. Not many people know about Baekhyun’s worries, only seeing the image that Baekhyun wants to show them, but Jongin’s touch spurs Baekhyun to continue. He doesn’t know why, but he trusts Jongin. “Anyway, I went to a normal high school until my power manifested during prom. I went with a girl but halfway through a dance, this boy near me started glowing. Then my date slapped me and told me I hadn’t taken my eyes off him all night. I guessed my crush on him was more obvious than I thought. He looked beautiful and I just-”
“You made him glow because you thought he was beautiful?” Jongin’s voice is hushed and the fingers on Baekhyun’s hand flutter, almost pulling away.
“Yeah, well, I couldn’t control it. When I see someone special, they just shine.”
Jongin takes his hand back and Baekhyun instinctively turns his palm up, chasing after the disappearing warmth.
“Hey, I didn’t freak you out or anything, did I?” Baekhyun says anxiously, searching Jongin's face for any cues that he might have done something wrong.
“The spotlight,” Jongin blurts out and immediately slaps a palm across his mouth.
“The spotlight,” Baekhyun echoes, the implications of his words dawning on him. In a sudden burst of bravery, he says as softly as he can, “I meant it then. You’re beautiful, you know?”
Jongin mumbles something, his words muffled by the hands hiding his face.
“Sorry?”
“You’re beautiful too. I’m,” Jongin yelps, obviously feeling cornered again. “Sorry!” He starts to flicker so Baekhyun darts his hand to catch Jongin’s arm, stopping him before he can fully disappear.
“Teleportation isn’t meant for running away,” Baekhyun says, reaching out for Jongin’s hand and entwining their fingers together. “It’s meant for running to what matters.”
Jongin is still channeling a deer caught in headlights so Baekhyun doesn’t think and just moves. He carefully fits his other hand on Jongin’s nape and slots their lips together in a chaste kiss. Jongin stiffens and Baekhyun is about to pull away to apologise profusely because is this too soon? Is he forcing himself on Jongin?
Then Jongin kisses back. He’s shy at first, hands clenched at his side, but he grows bolder with each second, until his hands start wandering and he gently coaxes Baekhyun’s mouth open. Jongin kisses like he dances, fleeting touches alternating with intense pressure and Baekhyun licks it all up, an eager audience. Baekhyun is the one who has to pull apart to gasp for air.
“Wow there, cowboy. I would’ve never expected that from you,” Baekhyun exclaims, taken back but absolutely delighted.
“Can I-?” Jongin looks like he’s about to burst from mortification, a steady red creeping up his neck and onto the tips of his ears. It matches the nice swollen red of his lips.
“Yeah, I’ll let you go just this once.”
And Jongin is gone.
That night, Baekhyun lies in his bed with his fingers against his lips, feeling the way his mouth pushes up into a smile. He knows that a kiss doesn’t mean that Jongin completely trusts him and he has a long way to go before fully winning Jongin’s friendship, but he’s willing to try, if only just to see Jongin’s face light up again.
He turns over and looks up…
Right into the wide eyes of Jongin.
The bed dips under the weight of another body and Jongin springs up, almost kicking Baekhyun off the bed in his haste to get away. ”Sorry, I was just thinking…” Jongin trails off, too embarrassed to continue. He looks like he wishes he could melt into Baekhyun’s headboard. “I didn’t know that I could teleport to places I’ve never seen. I just.”
“I told you, teleport to what matters.” Baekhyun bites on his bottom lip to stamp down his grin and pulls a rigid Jongin closer to him. He strokes the back of Jongin’s hair until the younger boy relaxes against him, too lanky to fit into his arms but still comfortable. “Now sleep, Jongin. We can talk about this tomorrow.”
They have plenty of time.