You're my Waterloo.

[hyemiyah]

EXO - Baekhyun/Zitao - G - 1000 words

Baekhyun thinks his hand fits perfectly in Zitao's.





For fake dating AU week.

"But Baekhyun-ah, why do I have to pretend to be your boyfriend?" Zitao nags. Baekhyun is not Chanyeol so he doesn't really care if Zitao calls him by his name instead of calling him hyung, but there are times when Zitao needs help and his voice gets all mushy and nasal and he drags himself across campus to Baekhyun's dorm room to make Baekhyun fix whatever it is. And then, then Zitao does call Baekhyun 'hyung'. The brat.

"Because I've saved your ass countless times, and now it's your turn to pay me back." Despite Zitao's nagging, he hasn't let go of Baekhyun's hand.

"I thought your role as a hyung was to help your dongsaengs when they needed it without expecting something in return."

Zitao is using big words. Back when Baekhyun first met him, Zitao's Korean was limited. Minseok hyung still has nightmares from that time him and Zitao were introduced as roommates and Zitao called him ‘oppa’ with a bright smile. "Oh so now I am your hyung?"

"You're always my hyung." Zitao quickens his footsteps and walks beside Baekhyun. They're still holding hands. "I just have a hard time using the word."

"And jondaemal, too," Baekhyun says. They get to an intersection and have to stop at a red light. Baekhyun looks down at their hands. Zitao's hand looks incredibly strong against Baekhyun's. His fingers are as long as Baekhyun's, but not as thin, and his wrist looks tough. It makes Baekhyun's wrist look daintier than usual. "You're lucky we're all pretty chill, otherwise you'd be getting hell from the upperclassmen."

"Chanyeol hyung is no chill." Baekhyun is still looking down at their hands, but he can hear the exasperation in Zitao's voice. The light finally changes, and this time Zitao is the one pulling Baekhyun forward. Baekhyun lets him; he likes the feeling of Zitao's hand gently pulling him along.

Zitao's looks scare a lot of people. He's tall and muscular, and he has intense eyes that can make anyone feel small. But people have no idea Zitao cries whenever they watch sad movies, or any movie with a sad scene in it. They don’t know Zitao wears his heart in his sleeve, and that his hands are always warm. He's like an overgrown puppy, one that doesn't realise he's too big to fit in small places. He’s left no room for anyone else in Baekhyun’s heart.

"His father dropped him when he was a baby and he fell on his head. Don't be too hard on him."

Zitao sounds truly concerned. "Really?"

"Yeah, that's why he’s so long and uncoordinated. A real tragedy."

"Is that why his head is so big?"

"Which head?" Baekhyun says nonchalantly. He pats himself in the back for coming up with the perfect pun. Though the idea of Zitao seeing Chanyeol naked makes Baekhyun’s stomach churn in what he thinks is disgust. In all honesty, the mere thought of somebody, anybody seeing Chanyeol naked makes Baekhyun throw up a little in his mouth.

"Huh?" Baekhyun rolls his eyes. Zitao is too dense; he never gets anything. He's a waste of Baekhyun's jokes.

They finally get to the restaurant. Baekhyun smiles at the 'Couple's event' banner. "We're here."

"Ooooh, I get it now." Zitao laughs, loudly and high-pitched. It means he finds the pun funny. "Gross though." He makes a face. Baekhyun looks at him unamused, all he wants is for Zitao to get his shit together so they can eat. "Why are we here?"

"To get a free meal, of course," says Baekhyun. He dragged Zitao out of his room without explaining where they were going or what they were doing. Zitao had no time to change out of the clothes he had been wearing all day, or comb his hair. Baekhyun motions for Zitao to bend down a little so he can fix his hair, and even like this, Baekhyun still has to get on his tip-toes. Zitao is too tall.

"We'll look ridiculous, Bacon-ah." Baekhyun smiles at the term of endearment. "Jongdae says I'm too tall for you."

"You're the perfect size for me." He is, in a way. Baekhyun thinks of all the times they have cuddled on either of their couches while watching a movie, and how Baekhyun's head fits perfectly in Zitao's wide chest. How the shape of their hands is so different, yet they're the perfect size for each other's. "And you shouldn't listen to Jongdae. He's a bad influence."

"Why didn't you pick someone else, like Han? Or Yixing."

"They're no good." Baekhyun answers as he fusses with Zitao's sideburn, which doesn't need any fixing, but Zitao is looking at him so intensely. As if he’s waiting something from Baekhyun. It makes Baekhyun self-conscious. "I can't let people think I'm in love with any of those weird hyungs."

"So I'm better-looking?"

"Mmmmhh," Baekhyun hums in response. Han and Yixing are weird, but Han is too pretty for his own good, not to mention he'd most definitely punch Baekhyun in the face or kick him in the balls for even daring to think about asking him to act like Baekhyun's fake boyfriend to get a free meal.

And Yixing would only make Baekhyun anxious. He’d forget they're supposed to be fake dating. Or worse, tell everyone in the restaurant the truth because he feels too bad about lying to get free food.

Zitao beams and he looks so much like a little kid Baekhyun wants to pat his head. Only Zitao is too tall and Baekhyun doesn't want to do something as embarrassing as climbing up a couple of stairs so he can reach Zitao's head.

“Let’s get that free meal, hyung,” Zitao says, looking at Baekhyun with a mix of fondness and tenderness. And something must be weird with Baekhyun because he climbs a couple of stairs and pats Zitao’s head, then grabs his hand and they climb the rest of the stairs to the restaurant.