exo: over my head

[rustle]

Over my head
— Kris/Lay. PG. 1056 words.
— Yixing saves Kris' ass on certain occasions. Kris returns the favor.
— For a setting challenge in the anon meme. I hope I did the boys justice! The title was taken from The Fray's Over My Head (Cable Car).

i. They meet in the stairwell. Yixing is much too young to remember the details, but he does remember taking a gander at Kris' physique, his long limbs, his black hair that sweeps past his shoulders, the fine lines on his forehead that make him look so much older than he really is. He remembers the nod of approval that Kris gives him, the small, tight-lipped smile that Kris offers when he mumbles, "Beautiful," the shy chuckle that escapes Kris' lips in reply. "Thanks," Kris says automatically in response. Yixing excuses himself soon after, head bowed down in embarrassment as he soon realizes what he has just done. He doesn't see Kris until months after, in one of his dance classes. They're put in separate groups, but Kris somehow always finds a way to make his way to Yixing, an inquiry on one hand and a promise of friendship on the other. So when Kris asks, "Can I join your group? Because I can't dance with these guys," Yixing obliges. ii. Yixing receives news that he'll be debuting in a group named EXO on a Friday. There are still patches of sweat on his shirt from where the cloth sticks to his skin when he gets called to the president's office. "You're debuting with Lu Han, Kris, Minseok, Jongdae, and Zitao," the president says, and Yixing doesn't know if he wants to laugh, or to cry, or to feel nothing at all. Later, when Kris hooks an arm around his shoulder, he complains, "I wanted to be in EXO-K. I should be in EXO-K." Lu Han's staying behind for a few more vocal sessions, so Yixing escapes practice and drags Kris along with him. "You do realize that you can't do this anymore after we debut, right?" Kris asks, and Yixing just nods, lips carefully pursed around the straw of his take-out coffee. "Exactly why we're doing this right now." "I mean, you won't be able to drag me around anymore." Yixing chuckles. "Being the leader doesn't give you the right to refuse my requests." Yixing makes a public declaration of his need for another cup of coffee — this time, an iced macchiato. Kris shakes his head and buys him one, anyway. iii. They've just won their first daesang when Lu Han takes them out for a drive. Jongdae and Minseok sleep their way through the trip, and Zitao takes pictures of the all the landmarks they pass. "Memorabilia," Zitao reasons out, but they all know it's Zitao's way of making sure they don't get lost on the way back. They reach the destination at half past six in the morning, just in time for sunrise. Jongdae and Minseok are still out cold in the car, Lu Han and Zitao have excused themselves to start the day with a snowball fight, and Kris is taking drags off his cigarette. Halfway through, Yixing snatches the cigarette from Kris' lips, tucks it in his own, and blows puffs into his hands. "'m feeling cold," he says, words trailing off in white puffs. "And I know you won't talk unless you finish a stick." "You could've just asked for a fresh one, you know." Kris is chuckling now. His lips are chapped and there are marks from where the cigarette stick once was. Yixing takes a deep breath, and he licks his own lips in an effort to stop himself from licking Kris'. iv. Today, they're shooting a new music video for their comeback. The concept is "modern-day superheroes". Lu Han has fondly rehashed the term and called it "too casual for smart casual and too formal for semi-formal", instead. "I mean, seriously, neon-colored ties with long-sleeved polos and colored pants?" "Printed neon-color ties, you mean," Jongdae chimes, correcting Lu Han. "You missed a spot." Yixing and Kris are the last ones recording. Their scene requires them to look out the glass and jump off the ledge, but everyone knows that Yixing and "heights" aren't exactly the best of friends. It takes a few bottles of water and a couple of deep breaths before the staff convince Yixing to actually stay near the edge, and a brief squeeze of the hand from Kris for Yixing to tell the director, "I'm ready." "Hey, look," Kris begins. "If anything, you can blame me for the injuries." Yixing laughs a little. His heart races as the wind blows harder. "I'll take your word for it, duizhang." v. The news about the disbandment doesn't come as a surprise. They're not parting ways because of disagreements or irreconcilable differences; it's just that they're too old to be doing this. Yixing is twenty eight, and the waist injuries aren't getting any better. Practices and performances constantly put strain on his body. "You can compose songs for the new group," the manager offers. "I'm sure you'll do well. Your songs will be a hit!" So the last week of May has them preparing for their last concert. The staff are doing last minute checks, and Kris is smoothing out the creases on his shirt. "I can't believe we're doing this," Kris says, voice trailing off as he takes a deep breath, lets out a sigh. Yixing chuckles. "I can't believe we're doing our last concert in these clothes." Kris laughs and slaps him lightly on the arm. The cheers of the fans blare in their ears, and Kris gathers them for one last pep talk. "Let's blow them away," Kris says, his voice faltering just slightly when he continues, "We are one!" There's the faintest glimmer of a teardrop at the corner of Zitao's eyes, sad yet content smiles on Jongdae and Minseok's lips, and a promise of a good performance in the curve of Lu Han's lips. "We are one," Yixing repeats, nodding slowly, and reaches for Kris' hand, giving it a light squeeze. He laughs when he feels Kris' fingers cold against his skin. "Nervous," he asks, teasing. "Only because I know you'll screw up." "Lies. You're the one who's going to screw up." Kris' holds onto Yixing's hand a little longer. They both do.