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neiptune · 7 days

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i don't want you like a best friend

cw: 4.2k wc, female reader, soulmate au, friends to lovers, tendo may be the only person in the world without a mark and it's quite hard to convince him that, most times, the universe doesn't know shit

“Holy shit, this is the best thing I ever tasted”.

“Don’t lie”.

“I’m not!”.

Tendo narrows his eyes, unimpressed.

“You said that about the last five bonbons”.

“Listen, the one with port and cinnamon was great n’all but this is a cookie dough brown butter bonbon. I’m blown away. I want to sleep with this one. I want to buy it dinner and then take it to bed”.

That’s when Satori laughs, loud and boisterous as he still allows himself to be around you. It makes you smile, seeing him happy.

“Tell me the secret to crafting these”.

“Again?”, he snorts, “I already explained the process a million times”.

“Wanna hear it again. I like how you talk about it”.

“Okay, weirdo”, there’s fondness and a silent invitation in the way he pushes the little box of his latest experiments towards you.

It’s soothing, comforting, listening to instructions you’re already familiar with. Tendo goes over how important it is to choose flavors that are fun and still be attentive enough to make sure the chocolate stands on its own: flavoring components should never completely ride over it. He skillfully exercises subtlety when coming up with new combinations, always keeps the interior so creamy and smooth the treat ends up melting in a delicious puddle on one’s tongue. The outer layer should never be too thick, chalky or cakey: that’s why he prefers to form most of the chocolates with his hands instead of using a mold.

There’s creativity involved in what he does but there’s also science. It requires a lot of patience, most of his work is made of tedious steps repeated over and over again within specific time limits and a perfectly calculated temperature. It fits him, you believe: Tendo’s always been diligent and persevering, no matter what the world threw at him.

He puts a lot of work in his boxes too, especially the ones he has to ship. They’re all triple-insulated, double-stuffed and always perfectly packed. A cute, colorful thank you card always goes hand in hand with each purchase, if he receives orders for a birthday or a special gift he’d even write a personal note as an addition. As a foreigner, it hasn't been easy to establish himself as a reliable chocolatier in a city like Paris, but he now has a pretty loyal clientele and the shop is basically never empty.

“That one’s my favorite”, Satori’s eyes zero on the bite-sized bonbon you’ve picked from the box.

You hum, appreciating the way the chocolate melts in your mouth. It’s not as good as the previous one but you recognize the artistry with which the flavors fuse with each other, chocolate ganache with clementine and hazelnuts, just a hint of lemon zest.

“They’re all incredible, ‘Tori. You’re very talented”. Tendo smiles.

“Thank you”, he mutters, grateful, “now, can we talk about it?”.

“There’s nothing to talk about”, you dangle your legs from the counter of the little production kitchen in the back of his boutique shop, closed for the day. It’s incredibly tidy, smells of soap and citrus.

“You impulsively booked a flight across the world because of a guy”.

Ouch.

“I flew across the world to visit my best friend”, you scowl, “thought he’d be happy to see me”.

“I’m fucking ecstatic, ma chérie”, it’s probably the happiest he’s been in years, “but we need to talk about it. Tell me what’s on your mind?”.

He can see the bags under your eyes, the usual brightness missing from your smile, playful vibration to your jokes absent. He knows you’re hurting and while he’d be thrilled to keep you in Paris for as long as you wish, Tendo has to know what’s broken before he even attempts to mend it. His gaze falls on a specific portion of skin of your wrist and a sigh slips past his lips.

“He broke up with me”, you articulate slowly, “said we weren’t compatible. Said it’s safer to abandon the delusional ideas that drew us close to each other and do things how they’re supposed to be done. According to the plan”, there’s a grimace on your face that pairs well with how you spit out the last words.

“Did you show him?”.

“No, you know I don’t do that anymore. He didn’t see mine and I never wanted to see his. He agreed to that”.

“Right”.

“And then, I don’t know, he did what everyone always does. Changed his mind”.

Satori sighs. Truthfully, he’s always been a little sad about your mark being permanently covered with thick foundation, concealer or whatever else. It’s been years. He misses seeing the little crooked triangle on your wrist.

“Well, maybe…”, he starts but is soon interrupted by a loud scoff.

“Don’t”.

“But they’re not wrong. The universe has it all layed out for you, maybe it’s time you stop being so stubborn”.

“I don’t care about the universe, Satori. The universe is not going to take away that choice from me, it should belong to me. I don’t want to be destined to someone, I want to be chosen by them”.

He deflates in the plastic chair he’s sitting on. Can’t really argue with that logic.

Ever since middle school, when your mark first appeared, you never wanted to succumb to the whole the cosmos has already decided who the perfect person for me is bullshit. You simply can’t accept giving up the freedom of falling in love with whoever you wish to pursue, regardless of the universe agreeing or not. That’s why you never really cared about matching marks and all that jazz, always dated those who seemed not to care either. But after a number of failed relationships, it became painfully obvious that deep down, everyone always believes marks are the real deal. It’s why you decided you never wanted to see the mark of the next guys you’d date, and certainly didn’t want to show yours anymore. Sometimes it’s even hard to remember it’s still there, underneath stubborn layers of concealer. You hated it your whole life.

“You’re right. It’s your life, you should live it however you see fit”, they’re idiots for giving up on someone like you in the name of a dumb sign or whatever anyway.

“I thought you’d understand this more than anyone, you’ve always hidden your mark too. I don’t even know what it looks like and it’s okay! It’s yours! Shouldn’t belong to anyone else’s prying eyes”, you pick another chocolate truffle from the special box he’s sorted for you. It’s red velvet flavored.

Tendo insisted on calling his shop like that, rouge velours, deaf to the literal translation not being entirely correct. The french need to associate the word gâteau to it, it has to be a red velvet cake. But he didn’t care, adamant in going with just red velvet.

It was a joke you had blurted out at the end of high school, sitting on the curb outside your favorite konbini on the way home, another summer evening made of snacks shared underneath the street lamps. Satori said he wanted to move to France and learn how to make handmade chocolates, open a shop and everything. You suggested it should’ve been called red velvet, would’ve paired well with his hair. It never crossed your mind that he would take your suggestion seriously.

Frankly, Tendo’s not changed much since high school. He’s a little taller, broader in the shoulders, prefers a buzz cut. He’s still cheerful, less loud if you’re not around, enjoys singing made up tunes to himself while he works, occasionally takes part in volleyball games when neighbors or friends from the gym invite him. More than anything, he’s still the kindest, most generous friend one could have.

You used to be a little jealous of Ushijima, never one to accept easily to be downgraded in the best friends ranking system. As a teenager, it was hard to acknowledge that Satori’s heart is simply big enough to fit everyone he cares about in there. Not many people realized how much of an honor that was anyway, so there was plenty of space.

He still calls Ushijima to check up on him and the fact that they declared to be best friends during a television show didn’t leave a sour taste in your mouth as it would’ve back then. Wakatoshi is a nice guy, it definitely grew on you and it now gives you comfort knowing that Satori gets to throw the blanket of his affection over more than one person’s shoulders.

Not a day goes by without missing him, different time zones making it even more complicated to keep up with each other. Yet, he’s always the one willing to stay up late to talk to you, insists that while you work in the morning, he enjoys crafting chocolates in the middle of the night. That hardly matters, since you know he has to wake up early to open the shop.

“Hard to hide something you don’t have”, he grins from where he’s sitting, in front of you. Your dangling legs come to a halt.

“What?”.

“I don’t have a mark”, Satori shrugs, “not a big deal”.

“That’s impossible”.

“You’ve seen me naked”.

“Because you didn’t lock the damn bathroom door!”, your face heats up at the memory belonging to so many years ago. He snickers.

“Well, if I had a mark you’d know!”.

You pause, incredulous.

“Did you check your nails? Maybe it was in your hair and you shaved it off. Everyone has a mark!”.

“I don’t have it”, he knows, he’s checked every inch of his body for too long before giving up, “don’t act so shocked, it makes perfect sense”.

“What the hell is that supposed to mean?”.

Satori shrugs, a timid smile on his lips.

“I’m damaged goods. I wouldn’t expect to be the right fit for anyone, the universe decided to spare me and a potential unfortunate match the embarrassment”.

To him, it’s perfectly normal that there’s no one right for him out there. Or rather, that he’s not the right person for anyone. Who would want that, anyway? The guy who’s always been too weird to be looked at normally. The guy who always stands out the wrong way. If the universe has decided to be merciful enough to spare him the disappointment flashing over someone’s face upon discovering that he’s their soulmate, the only thing Tendo should feel is gratitude.

“Don’t say shit like that ever again, Satori. Damaged goods? What the hell? You’re the best person I know!”, you almost throw the chocolate box at his head, “anyone would be lucky to have you as their soulmate. Anyone. I’m certain you’re the perfect match for a lot of people but I find it very hard to believe they’d deserve you anyway”.

You’re his best friend, you’re supposed to say all that. Yet, kept silent by that fiery glare of yours, Tendo can’t help but feel his chest warm up.

He didn’t necessarily have a crush on you in high school, that’s what he told himself anyway. When you started going out with Eita, part of him was relieved you went for someone normal. His teammate fell into the right category: Semi was attractive, had good grades, knew his way around girls. It was a good reminder of what Tendo wanted for you, of what you deserved. He cared deeply about your happiness and would’ve went to impossible lengths to shield you from all the bad there was in the world. That still hasn’t changed. Your best friend was what he was always destined to be and it was more than what he could’ve asked for, anyway.

And so it wouldn’t have been right to fantasize, to admit to himself that for the first time ever since he was a kid, Tendo wished to be the opposite of what he was. He dreamed of a different childhood, school days filled with friends, practice bursting with laughter instead of whispers, not a reason in the world to direct him curious or grossed out stares. He wished he was handsome, charismatic, funny in a way that made girls laugh in sincere amusement instead of discomfort. He wanted so badly to be everything he was not, for you.

When he admitted to himself that he loved you, deeply, ferociously, in a way that would’ve scared off any other human being, high school was over and so was his volleyball dream. Another fantasy coming to an end. Satori announced he wanted to move to Paris, expecting life, distance, a different time zone, your boyfriends, to make the friendship too heavy of a task to keep up with.

And yet, you stayed by his side. Most importantly, you wanted him to stay by yours. Tendo has never been much used to the feeling of being wanted, his presence wasn’t exactly desired by other people throughout his life. But you and Paris both taught him that maybe he does have something to give, something people can be willing to accept. So what if that something isn’t romantic love? He’s already luckier than he ever imagined he would get. He’s going to be okay, as long as you’re his friend. He’ll manage.

“Satori”, you snap him back to reality, “I mean it. Fuck the universe”.

Honestly, the only thing he’s mad at the universe for is making you so deeply unhappy. Tendo’s not sure he can forgive the cosmos for failing you so many times.

“Yeah”, he agrees lightly, “fuck the universe”.

Maybe Tendo had a point when he referred to your little vacation as ‘impulsive’, given that you never really travelled outside of Japan before. Yet, what initially was an easy escape from your disappointing reality and a wonderful excuse to finally visit your best friend, soon turned into a delightful adventure.

You reciprocated Satori’s hospitality by being as useful as possible: you’d keep his place tidy and clean, get groceries, cook dinner. He’d insist on ordering out, would try to snatch the vacuum cleaner from your hand, sometimes Tendo would come home later than usual with his hands filled with groceries just so that you didn’t feel like you needed to refill the fridge. But you liked being there and you loved taking care of him, especially since he vehemently refused to go back to sleeping in his bed and offering you the couch instead.

On his rare free days, Satori gladly gives you a tour of the city and his favorite places. When he’s working, you’d explore Paris on your own, the little map he drew by hand safely nestled in your pocket. Yes, you obviously have a phone, but the map makes each stroll all the more special.

Being with him and feeling genuinely appreciated, in a city so wonderful and far away from home, made you realize that perhaps the universe got it all wrong. Maybe there’s no one out there with a mark similar to yours. Maybe you’re not a match for romantic love in the first place. You’re already lucky enough as it is, with a friend so wonderful you can share lovely dinners with over episodes of silly tv shows, in a tiny apartment filled with affection and laughter. It’s the best you’ve felt in years and the idea of leaving has never felt as dreadful.

But everyone has to get back to their life eventually: there’s your job, bills, rent, you haven’t visited your parents in a while. All these things you’re having a real hard time caring about as Tendo offers another glass of wine, the bottle you’re sharing practically empty resting by his feet.

It’s your last night in Paris and he insisted on cooking for once, a full course dinner paired with an expensive Clos de la Roche. Notes of woods and cherries dance on your tongue when you take another sip and you shut your eyes for a moment, savoring the taste. How did you end up on his bedroom’s floor anyway? Was it him who suggested sitting on the carpet with your backs pressed against his bed? No, you’re almost certain it was you. Satori tries to be less weird as a grown up, by his own admission: he leaves odd suggestions and ideas to other people, too busy trying to fit in now.

You find yourself observing his profile as he torpidly blinks, his own gaze focused on the hands holding his glass. The line of his jaw, the perfect curve of his nose. You think he’s pretty, spiky hair no longer there to tear away one’s attention from his features.

“Did you date a lot, here?”, you ask, genuinely curious. He turns to look at you, amused.

“A lot? When did I ever date a lot?”, Tendo chuckles to himself but you recognize the hurt simmering underneath the humor. It hurts you, too.

“Well, did you date?”, your impatience feels surprising but there’s no time to dwell upon unfamiliar feelings, not as Satori hums with a lethargic nod.

“Yeah, a few times”.

“They didn’t ask about your mark?”.

Tendo’s lips twitch as he remembers how ecstatic the women he went out with were upon finding out that not only his mark didn’t match theirs, he didn’t even have one to begin with. He was the safest option they could ever date, no risk of forever.

“It’s easier to date someone you know you’re not gonna end up with”, he shrugs, “they felt more comfortable, it was fun and momentary, thus risk-free”.

You click your tongue in disapproval and Tendo cocks his head, confused by your scowl.

“They, they, they. I always hated this about you, you’re always focusing on what other people think. I want to know, how did you feel?”.

Maybe it’s the wine or maybe it’s the fact that you’re about to become a fugitive presence in his life once more, but for once Satori feels like huffing out his frustration.

“Like shit”, he admits with a sly smile, “I could fall for just about anyone and I’ll always know they’re not my person. I won’t ever have a person and it makes me feel like shit”.

You’re not sure why tears are suddenly pricking the corners of your eyes. Maybe it’s because it’s really hard to remember the last time Satori allowed himself to be vulnerable around you. It always felt like he talked more to Wakatoshi, man to man or whatever. You never felt like you could be fully there for him and now it’s almost too late again, only a few hours before you fly off to the other side of the world.

“I hate them”, you murmur, “it’s just cruel. You’re not supposed to be anyone’s temporary fixing”.

“I’m not ever going to be anything but that”.

“No, Satori-”, in the process of positioning yourself better in order to face him, you kick the not entirely empty glass previously resting by your leg. It’s gonna leave a stain but you’ll find a way to take care of it before you leave, this is more urgent. This requires you taking your friend’s face into your hands, to bring it closer to your determined gaze. “That’s not true. The universe doesn’t know shit, okay? I know you. You don’t need a fucking mark. In fact, you know what? I’m happy you don’t have one. Thank god. I-”, he gently puts his hands over yours and leans over to tenderly kiss your forehead. Your train of thought derails as he fixes you with an amused, fond stare.

“It’s okay. Really”, Tendo lowers your hands and then leaves them cold, head falling to the side, cheek pressed to the orange duvet cover of his bed. You’re pouting, looking more beautiful than ever underneath the dim lights of his room, and so he can’t hold his tongue.

“You know, I find it incredible that you haven’t been able to find your person yet, universe or not. How’s it possible that someone as wonderful as you is being dumped by complete idiots just because they believe in some stupid pre-decided romantic assignation?”.

You mirror his position and rest your head on the softness of his bed. Despite being still on the floor, it almost feels as if you’re lying next to each other.

“They don’t believe I’m wonderful. I guess I’m just momentary, too”.

He scoffs. Deep down, Tendo also believes everyone should be granted the freedom to pursue their desired relationship, especially you. Don’t they know how lucky they are? You ignore destiny to give those dumbasses a chance and they leave before they even get to realize what they’re missing out upon.

“I think marks are bullshit”, Satori gently takes your hand and traces your fingers with his own slowly, eyes still boring into yours, “in a world with no marks, they’d be on their knees thanking their lucky star you showed interest in them at all”.

You hum, a soft smile tugging at your lips.

Before Tendo interrupted your little motivational speech, you were about to tell him why it makes you happy that he doesn’t have a mark after all. Looking at him now, it’s all the more clear. It’s horrible and selfish and childish but, this way, you will never have to go through it: you’ll never have to find out that the one person who’s always been by your side, the one person who knows you better than you know yourself and still manages to love you, also isn’t the one.

Tendo is the greatest person you know, the only one you’d trust with your life. His heart is your favorite part of him: always stayed big enough to fit in all those who asked for access, kindness embedded so deep within him he never let the world’s cruelty affect it. Satori never stored an ounce of that nastiness people loved oh so much throwing at him, it let it become an armor instead. Steel made of insults, cruel jokes, mockery. It breaks your heart that he still wears it. It would break your heart to discover that someone like him isn’t destined to be yours after all, that the universe wouldn’t be benevolent enough to assign the best friend you ever had as your soulmate.

“You don’t mean that”.

You blink, slowly, actually fighting to keep your eyes open.

“What?”.

“What you just said. You’re drunk”, he chuckles quietly and, horrifyingly, you realize your mouth decided to voice those thoughts out loud.

The shock lasts a few seconds. Tendo is no longer fiddling with your fingers but your hand is still in his and the more you look into those crimson irises, the less uncomfortable you feel about what you just said. Is it the wine or is it just right?

“You think I wouldn’t be happy if the universe assigned you as my soulmate?”.

“I think you wouldn’t hate it”, Tendo softly ponders, “but that’d be far from ideal”.

“Hey, you don’t get to decide that. Me and the universe would be agreeing for once”.

Satori swears his heart skips a bit. All those years, all that badly harbored hope, the entirety of his restraint crumbling pathetically after a few drops of expensive wine. You don’t mean that, you can’t mean that.

“You could look at me like that?”, the question is supposed to underline how ridiculous the idea is, but he realizes he just sounds wishful.

“I know you think it’d be hard but it really isn’t”, you laugh softly. You’re looking at him like that right now. As you abstendmindedly play with his fingers, thumb gently rubbing circles on the skin of his wrist, you appreciate the pink dusting his cheeks, the slightly furrowed brows, the sweetness of his questioning gaze.

Tendo exhales slowly. Neither of you is resting their head on his bed anymore, too captivated by each other. “I’m not sure I’d survive the discovery of you of all people, not being the one I’d be destined to stand with for the rest of my life. Because what a waste would be, for that person to be someone else”, it’s nothing but a whisper, raw honesty doing something funny to his stomach as it slips past his lips for the first time. There’s no one but you, honestly. He knows there’ll never be anyone else. The universe has planned love for those around him and an eternal curse for his heart.

“A terrible waste”, you agree and the hand not busy interlacing your fingers with his, suddenly closes around the soft fabric of his hoodie to bring him closer. Satori doesn’t dare move, let alone breathe, effectively paralyzed by the idea of indulging something you’ll regret the second it happens.

Except you don’t. When you kiss him, tentative at first, all the pieces fall right into place. Your lips curl into a small, knowing smile as the world slows down. Then finally, finally, he kisses you back. It’s deeper, a hand pressing to your cheek, it’s corrodingly tender and you feel yourself melting into his touch, into the genuine reverence he holds for you.

Tendo feels something unravel from within, the tangles and knots of hurt, uncertainty, combust and disappear into thin ashes. He’s too lost in the moment, too drunk on how close you’re holding him as your tongue brushes against his own, to pay any attention to the itchy feeling over the skin of his wrist. Right where your thumb is pressing, a crooked triangle appears at last.

#tendo x reader #satori tendo x reader #tendo x you #satori tendo x you #hq x reader #haikyuu x reader

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nnight-dances · 1 year

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ADORABLY, YOURS.

pairings: yoon jeonghan x fem!reader, feat. choi seungcheol tropes: love triangle, friends to lovers (jeonghan x you), strangers to friends to fwb to friends (seungcheol x you), kinda slowburn, one-sided love (or is it?), pining, slight age gap (2-3 years) etc. genres: fluff, angst, jealousy, sexual content (no explicit smut content but references to it) with vulgar language, cafe!au, non-idol!au, college!au. word count: 12k (I am sorry about this.) what to expect: You’ve liked Jeonghan since you met him through your best friend, Wonwoo. But little by little every day you’re convinced he knows you like him and his non-action can only mean your feelings are not mutual. Then, you run into Seungcheol, a childhood best friend of Jeonghan’s, who instantly develops a soft spot for you. The resulting love triangle that wreaks havoc on your emotions might as well end being the answer to your problems. Bittersweet like coffee but decisive as a caffeine rush, this is the story of how you beat all odds to be with Yoon Jeonghan. warnings slash author’s note: I warn you beforehand: the logistics of this love triangle are a bit morally ambiguous, i.e. I can’t tell if I used Seungcheol purely as a plot-point or not. I probably did. But in my defense, I think all love triangles are inherently a little bit evil and cruel. Anyway, I really hope you enjoy this admittedly self-indulgent mammoth of a fic. I had a headache the whole three days I was writing it. I love Jeonghan and I promise there will be a make-up fic for Seungcheol, because I’m biased but not corrupt. As always, this isn't proofread but I will get to that in the next few days! All right, that’s all. Love you, friends and foes!

It’s one of those days. You can’t help yawn after yawn and no amount of caffeine is washing the throbbing in your head away. To make things worse, you’ve managed to sleep with a spine posture worse than even your worst days which means your back hurts from standing at the register all day. But the day is far from over as a glance at the clock informs you; your cafe shift has a good three hours remaining.

And whenever you’re hoping to take a break on the uncomfortable chair propped in a corner near the register, the door to the cafe will jingle with the presence of a new customer. At least your co-worker for the day, Joshua, is also a friend so you can talk his ear off about the various ways in which you might escape the prison of existence.

Just as you’re going into detail about how you wouldn’t mind dissipating into air, the glass door swings open and in comes a tall man clad in a suit, the heels of his dress shoes clanking against the floor of the coffee shop. You reign in the surprised look that threatens to overtake your face – because goddamn, the man is gorgeous – as you greet him, “Good morning! Welcome to Moon Coffee!”

“Good afternoon to you, too,” the man corrects you with a dimpled smile. You wince at your mistake and nod, “Right, sorry about that. What can I get started for you?” You force a smile that you hope is friendly enough onto your face, gesturing to the large menu boards above you, “Please, take your time.”

As the man busies his eyes with the plentiful options displayed on the boards, you busy yourself with questioning what a fancy ass man like him was doing at the campus coffee shop. His hair was long, brown ends curling around his neck and as he ran a hand through it, deep in thought, you could essentially smell how rich he was.

“The hazelnut mocha sounds like it’s good but also really sweet,” he comments, looking at you for a second opinion.

“Right, it’s one of our best-sellers! And it is on the sweeter side because of the chocolate in it, but you could balance it out with a double-shot?” you suggest and then, “Otherwise, our classic mochas are not as sweet.”

The man nods with a slight smile, “Hmm, I like the sound of the first option. I’ll have that, please.”

“Is that an iced hazelnut mocha with a double-shot for you?” you ask with a smile. When he nods, you punch in his order, “Can I get a name for the drink?”

“Seungcheol.”

“All right, thank you very much. That’ll take just a few minutes. You’re welcome to take a seat and wait.” He nods as he walks to one of the tables next to the window.

Joshua’s already getting to work with Seungcheol’s drink and you take a moment to rest your back against the counter, throwing a glance or two at the new (and gorgeous) face in town. But thankfully for this rich stranger, today is the day you don’t have the energy to go down a rabbit hole trying to find an explanation for his presence. Instead you wave him a good day as he leaves with a satisfied smile on his face and an iced mocha in his hand.

Maybe this job wasn’t so bad after all.

A week later has you eating your words. Maybe it has something to do with the fact that Thursday afternoons are the busiest times of your shift at Moon Coffee. Most students were either rushing to down caffeine to finish some daunting assignment due at the end of the week or otherwise, others would be early in celebrating the fast-approaching weekend. The first kind you can deal with: they’re easy to relate to and they don’t really care if your customer service is the bare minimum from how tired you are.

But the second kind? You wish you could be granted with some kind of powers that would take away any more weekends from the rest of their lives. If the way they strolled in grinning and took their time with the menu didn’t have you fuming, their inane but obnoxious questions about your life would have you at the edge of your temper every week. You were only thankful you didn’t have to work the Friday crowds or you’d actually be declared a public threat.

But today, unfortunately for you, Jeonghan’s decided to make a visit to the cafe and if the fact that he’s not even a student anymore wasn’t enough, he was celebrating his birthday week. Which meant he was even worse than in exhibiting his usual infuriating customer behavior. But annoying customer or not, Jeonghan was also the guy you’ve harbored feelings for since two years ago now.

So when he strolls up to the counter with Seungcheol, the polite rich man from last week, by his side, you have more than one reason to stare at them dumbfounded.

“Oh, hey, it’s you!” Seungcheol starts, eyes trailing to the name on your tag, “Y/N!”

Jeonghan shoots you a confused look and then elbows Seunghceol, “Don’t even pretend that you know her. I totally caught you looking at her name tag. Have a little shame, Cheol.”

You clear your throat, “Um, good afternoon and welcome to Moon Coffee! What can I get started for you?” You punctuate the question with a smile that you hope screams please order fast and get out of here!

But Jeonghan evidently has long missed the memo when he pokes Seungcheol again, “You know sometimes I come here just so I can see Y/N smiling. She never smiles off the clock. It’s truly devastating.”

Seungcheol looks amused, “Is that so? I mean, fair enough. With a smile like that, you ought to be paid to show it.”

You cough into your palm, caught off-guard but quick to conceal the shy grin that’s crept up your face. You pray that the heat in your neck doesn’t climb up to show on your face. “Will you be ordering the same as last week? Iced hazelnut mocha with a double-shot?”

Seungcheol’s face lights up a little at your recognition but Jeonghan’s quickly butting in with an affronted expression, “Oh, so you recognize this man who’s been here once, but not your close friend of a long long time? Do you even know how much money I’ve spent on the seasonal lattes here?”

You sport a sly smile, “Right, thank you for enjoying our seasonal menu of beverages. We hope you continue to love the upcoming drinks. Feel free to leave any feedback or suggestions here!” You hand him a brand-new index card and gesture at a drop-box next to your monitor.

Seungcheol cackles at the defeated look on Jeonghan’s face and grins as he says, “You know what, I think I’ll get the same mocha again, Y/N. It did wonders for my mood.” You find yourself grinning almost immediately, tapping in his order with a hum.

“And for you?”

“...”

You know Jeonghan’s scheming something but you can’t afford to let him play out whatever sick mind games he’s planned out at your workplace so you’re quick to appease him, “If I might, I suggest you go for the salted caramel brownie latte. It’s perfect for this weather and it tastes suspiciously like birthday cake.”

Jeonghan can’t help a smile at your words, rolling his eyes a little, “Fine. That does sound tempting. I’ll have one of those, but only if I get a personalized note from you wishing me a very very happy birthday.”

You contain a scoff, “Of course.” You nod, “Thankfully for the line behind you, I already have your names down. Please step aside while we prepare your drinks. Thank you.”

–

“She’s hilarious,” chuckles Seungcheol, bumping shoulders with Jeonghan as they settle into his car. “Didn’t think I would witness Yoon Jeonghan’s downfall in a random college cafe.”

Jeonghan scoffs, “I think you’re too happy about this. Plus, my downfall started a long time ago when I stopped cheating in board games.” He takes a sip of his latte, “Fuck, this does taste like cake. What the fuck?”

Despite his words, Jeonghan smiles when he sees the note you promised him:

jeonghan – happy birthday week, u weird old man! please invite me to ur birthday party so i can give u the best gift of ur life and maybe also stick ur head in cake :) lots of love, y/n.

“She’s in her senior year, you said?”

Jeonghan looks up with a nod, “Yeah, I met her through Wonwoo, back when we shared a class in college. And then when I graduated and settled here, I’d invite them to get-togethers because I know how miserable the nightlife on this campus is.”

“Wow, look at you, such an admirable role model,” Seungcheol jokes, “And Wonwoo? Was he the glasses guy who you FaceTimed this morning? He seemed… cool, I guess.”

Jeonghan shrugs with a shoulder, “He’s a piece of work, alright. But that explains why he and Y/N are inseparable. Anyway, you’ll meet the rest of the crew later tonight. Thursday night is board game night.”

‘Board Game Night’ was a very, very loose term for the weekly gathering at Jeonghan’s place – it was a mix of Jeonghan’s friends, namely Dokyeom and Woozi, from work doing karaoke, his tired college friends (aka your friend group) lounging around on their phones, and maybe a group of two to three actually playing board games.

Tonight is slightly different, though, because the alcohol that Jeonghan otherwise wisely guards most weeks has made its presence known to everyone, the fancy bar table propped in a corner of his living room finally finding meaning.

You make it to his place, around thirty minutes past the usual starting time, exhausted from another soul-sucking shift at your job. You’d planned to sit on Jeonghan’s couch and binge-watch some mindless TV show but you’re thrown off when a reddened Seungcheol answers the door.

“Y/N! You’re late,” he exclaims. His speech is normal, thankfully but as you step in to take in the rest of the people, you look back at Seungcheol, eyes doubtful.

“I did not know my night was going to involve babysitting a bunch of drunk old men,” you mutter, not quite meaning for Seungcheol to catch your words. But he does and chuckles, hand at your elbow as he steers you to the bar.

“C’mon, you don’t have to babysit anyone. I’ve got it under control. Now, let me pour you a drink. What can I get for you?”

You watch the tall man with a skeptical smile, a little flustered because he’s standing close enough that you can feel him hard bicep against you and a little bit amused because well, this was new. It’d been a while since you’d been flustered around a man other than Yoon Jeonghan.

“Oh, so you’re making me a drink now?” you ask, “How did you even convince Jeonghan to let out the alcohol? You must have some special powers over him for this to happen.”

Before Seungcheol can supply a reason, Jeonghan appears behind the bar counter, smirking, “Ha! You think I’d let this coward dictate my actions? Nope, this was completely my decision. I couldn’t let the week of my birthday be dry! That’d be such a shame.”

“You’re funny, Han,” you mumble, turning to him with a quirked brow, “How many drinks are you down?”

He waves your concern away, “Shut up. I’m older than you, I don’t need you fussing after me. Now, get yourself a drink before I get mad.”

You raise your hands in surrender, “Sure, wouldn’t want the birthday boy to be made at me.”

“So what will it be? Do you want a beer? Or maybe a good old rum and coke?” Seungcheol offers, eyes already searching for the ingredients.

You narrow your eyes at him, “I think I’ll have a Scotch and Soda, please.”

A few hours later finds you sprawled on Jeonghan’s couch, nevermind the alcohol in your system and the ruckus your friends were creating. You had engaged with their antics for an hour: playing stupid drinking games (only to get drunker by the minute because you suck at games) and retiring early.

Jun starts to complain when you announce that you’re giving up, mainly because he’d be the next target of the crowd, but Jeonghan firmly leads you to the couch.

“You okay?” he asks you, warm fingers steadying you by the neck. Your world spins as he becomes the focus, ironically enough. You nod as you welcome the soft couch underneath your unsteady body, “Hmm. I’m just bummed out that you didn’t help me out by cheating.”

He laughs and the sound unsettles you with its vibrations. “I told you I don’t cheat anymore, silly. Also, I’m pretty sure you’d have lost even if I did pull out some master cheating moves.” You gasp, weakly pushing him away, “Whatever, man, I don’t need your attitude.”

If Jeonghan’s started to genuinely get worried about you, it only gets worse when you cough into your elbow, groaning as you pull away. His hands find your neck again. You hate his touch because you lean into it so naturally, your eyes following him just like he wants. You hate the warm feeling you feel when he feels your forehead with a concerned frown. You hate how you’re practically burning at his touch because he’s a breath away and your fingers twitch in your lap from wanting to touch his hair.

But soft like the strands that tickle your ear, Jeonghan whispers, “God, you’re burning up. Maybe you did drink too much. Fuck, let me bring you some water and then, let’s get you to sleep.”

You protest his lamely sensible plan of action but he isn’t listening as he departs, leaving you feeling cold. You wrap your arms around yourself to compensate, trying to keep an eye on Jeonghan when another tall figure encroaches your field of vision.

“Y/N?” Seungcheol calls out and for a moment, you’re unresponsive, eyes fixated on something beyond him but then you perk up in recognition, pouting as you beckon him to the couch.

“You–!” you point at him with a squint, head working hard to recall his name, “Um, um, Cheol?”

Seungcheol smiles at the nickname, taking a seat next to you, leaving some space but extending an arm behind you because of how you’re dangerously swinging. “Right, that is me. How are you feeling? Not too nauseous I hope?”

You shake your head, “”M fine. But tell that to Han because that weasel’s trying to make me sober up and sleep.” You breathe out a little angrily and then when the world swims around you, you lean your head against the back of the couch– that is currently occupied by Seuncheol’s arm.

He jumps a little at the unexpected contact but steadies himself when he sees your closed eyes, your skin hot against his forearm. “Now, why would he do that? You literally just got drunk,” he tells you, trying to keep you engaged in the conversation, lest you should pass out.

“Right?” you exclaim, opening your eyes, head still against his arm, “It’s like he’s never had fun in his life. For how much he likes to tease people, he sure is a killjoy.”

“Ha, I’m surprised you know him so well, honestly. People usually just take him at face value and think he’s a devilish troublemaker. But god knows how mature Jeonghan is. It makes me mad sometimes.”

You giggle and Seungcheol’s stomach swims at how he can feel the sweet sound in his veins, like literally. “You get me, dude. How long have you known him?”

“Um, like, nearly ten years now? I don’t know, I kinda lost count at some point.”

“Wow, that’s a long time. I’ve known him for like two years?” you hum. “Yeah, he told me.”

You quirk a brow at that, lifting your head up in amusement. “You two been talking about me? What did he say? That I’m Wonwoo’s evil twin?”

“Hmm, yeah, something along the lines of that.”

Jeonghan’s back by your side, suddenly, his strong grip straightening you up and holding up a glass of water. His expression is stoic as hell for a board game night and you don’t know if you feel scolded or cared for. It’s always hard to tell with him.

You stare at him blankly, not drinking the water like he wants you to. Instead you turn to Seungcheol, “I don’t want to.”

Your plea is unreasonable, you and Seungcheol both know, and he can practically feel Jeonghan’s glare when you ask Seungcheol, “Cheol, can you tell him I’m not dying? I don’t need to be babied.”

“Yeah, you do,” Jeonghan says, touching the cold glass against your skin. You jump a little with a soft unfair! and Seungcheol sighs, “Hannie, let her be. I don’t think she wants to go to sleep yet.”

“Thank you! At least someone has ears ‘round here!”

Jeonghan shoots his best friend an unreadable look, still firm, “Well, she needs to drink water either way. Unless someone wants the worst hangover of their life the next morning.” This time, his unoccupied hand finds the back of your head, settling into the stray strands of your hair there. “Please, just drink this.”

You find yourself giving in, lips opening up to the glass and you swallow a few gulps of water, the cold liquid soothing your insides. Before you know it, the glass is empty. He holds it up in front of you, “See? That felt nice, didn’t it?”

There it is, again. The playful glint in his eye and the sly tone of his voice. You ignore the burning tips of your ears and give him a half-nod, throwing yourself against the couch again with a relieved sigh. “Thanks, old man! What would I do without you?”

Jeonghan rolls his eyes as he stands up, “Ever so grateful, Y/N.”

“Y’know, Cheol and I were in the middle of a very mind-opening discussion about you.”

“Me?” his interest is piqued and he glances at Seungcheol, who he jostles lightly, “What’ve you been, shit-talking me?”

Seungcheol laughs as he throws the man off, “Wouldn’t you like to know? Anyway, if you want to go back to your game, I have a lot of anecdotes to share with Y/N. It’s our bonding time.”

And bond, you do. You spend the rest of the night talking to Seungcheol on Jeonghan’s couch, the owner of the place long forgotten as you go on to talk about everything else: college experiences, Seungcheol’s job (“So how rich are you exactly?” you grill him), and life interests.

“I can’t believe you like college so much! I hated it a lot back in my time.”

You snort, “You sound really old for someone who graduated two years ago. But I mean, each to their own. I prefer the comfort of the bubble here, you know. No real responsibility most of the time and you’re allowed to make some mistakes now and then. The real world? That’s like hell. I don’t think I’m ever going to feel like an adequate adult ever. Like, tax fraud is real, you know? And I never know which law I’m going to break? Don’t even get me started about the living situation.”

Seungcheol laughs throughout your troubled rant, “No, I get it. But don’t you feel excited about the independence you get to have? The freedom? And plus, if you get lucky with your job, working is actually very fulfilling.”

“Ugh,” you throw your head against the back of the couch again, “I don’t think I’ll ever feel fulfilled. Like ever. I feel too immature to be anything but a college student.”

He frowns on hearing that, confused because he’d never imagined of spending a whole night talking his heart out to a college student. But it happened because it was you, with your quick-witted responses and thoughtful questions. So, he’s fast to counter, “That’s not true–”

But his defense is cut short when Wonwoo approaches you, tapping at your shoulder with a smile. “Hey, you wanna head back?” You look up and are shocked to find the living room nearly emptied of its earlier occupants. When did everyone leave? “C’mon, I’ll walk you to your room. It’s getting late,” Wonwoo continues.

“Oh, damn, I didn’t even realize,” Seungcheol mutters, looking down at the watch on his wrist. “You guys sure you want to head back this late? You could just crash here. I would offer to drive but I drank.”

Wonwoo’s eyes trail to you, leaving the decision up to you. You mull it over, “I don’t know if Han’s gonna want a bunch of wasted kids at his place?”

As if you’d summoned him, Jeonghan appears beside Seungcheol with a yawn, “What’s this about me? Why’re you guys still up? Come on, let me show you to the empty rooms and please go to sleep before I have to use force.”

Wonwoo laughs, “He didn’t even leave us a choice,” and you watch as Jeonghan turns around, expecting you to follow him.

“Jeon Wonwoo,” you turn to your best friend, “Please tell me you don’t still try to suffocate other people in their sleep?”

The boy contains a grin, “I don’t know. It depends on how annoying the person I’m with is.”

“You’re sleeping on the floor, asshole.”

–

Seungcheol has a problem.

He likes to think of himself as a reasonable adult, with the ability to make logical choices and admitting to his flaws here and there. But had he been reasonable enough, he wouldn’t be this hung up over someone he met twice over the course of two weeks. It’s ridiculous: the way his heartbeat’s racing when you tread down to breakfast the morning after the board game night turned bonding time.

He’s smiling his way through an excited “good morning!” before he can collect himself. You look tired, albeit a little bit lesser than usual, and your hair’s down in something of a mess. Seungcheol vaguely recognizes the faded gray tee you’re wearing, probably a donation of Jeonghan’s. “Morning,” you mumble to the breakfast table, everyone present now that you’re here.

Wonwoo snickers, “You look like shit, dude.” You glare at him as you’re reaching out for a fork, “Thanks, Wonwoo, I see that you’re as sweet as ever.”

Jeonghan lightly slaps Wonwoo’s arm, “Be nice to her. Who knows what a hungover Y/N might do?”

You turn to Jeonghan, finally eating the piece of watermelon that you’d been reaching for, “I’m flattered you’re concerned but I’ll have you know I’m not hungover.”

“That’s impressive,” Seungcheol chimes in and you smile at him, “See, I can’t believe this man I met last week understands me better than my best friend and my other friend.”

“Your other friend? That’s what I am to you???” Jeonghan gasps, hand clutching his chest dramatically and Seungcheol laughs louder than he ought to, but he can barely help it, he’s all giddy. All it took was a half-compliment from you.

So yeah, easy to say, Seungcheol has a problem and it has something to do with the way you lean into him when you ask him to pass a slice of toast.

Luckily for Seungcheol, you also have a problem, and it occurs when you declare you need to head back, hoping that they’d let you go alone but Jeonghan’s standing up instantly with a nod. You have a problem with the way he’s unbothered with his behavior, easily saying, “I’ll walk you,” as if your best friend of years wasn’t sitting right there.

You look to Wonwoo, hoping he’d feel the heat of your expression but he simply stretches his limbs out with a groan, “Think I’ll go take a nap before I leave.”

“Don’t you have a class at 12?” you nudge him subtly, trying to ignore Jeonghan as he stands at the table, fingers tapping at the chair that he’s behind.

“Eh, I’m ahead of the syllabus in the class and attendance is a joke.”

You sigh in defeat and meet Jeonghan’s eyes as he lifts his lips into a smile.

And the smile only leaves his lips once you’ve stepped out, clad in your clothes from last night again, groaning when the morning sunlight hits your eyes. “Ugh is right,” he mumbles beside you as he starts walking.

You catch up to him, hands stuffed down your pockets, and he asks, “You have class?”

“Not really. But I do have an upcoming paper I want to finish over the weekend so I don’t perish next week.”

Jeonghan chuckles as he glances at you, “Wow, you’re still this hard-working, huh? I thought your lifestyle would’ve worn you out by now.”

“You’re one to talk about detrimental lifestyles, Han,” you scoff, “Just because you hang out with us once a week doesn’t mean we don’t know you’re overworking yourself for the rest of it.”

He’s silent for a beat and then he exhales, “Huh. I don’t know. Feels like I have the other kids fooled. It’s always you, with your smart little head and truth bombs.”

You laugh, hitting his side with your shoulder, “I’m serious, Han. Take it slow, won’t you? You’re going to end up burning yourself out to death by the time you’re 30. And then whos’ going to host board game nights?”

Jeonghan laughs and he turns to look at you, walking pace slowing down as he trains his eyes on you. You raise your brows in confusion, a slight smile playing on your lips as you try to guess what he’s thinking this time.

“You and Cheol have been getting along really well, huh?”

You’re thrown off guard, not having imagined this to be his next words. You shrug. “Yeah, he’s really easy to talk to, especially given his… I don’t know, social status?”

“Social status?”

You cough in embarrassment over your words. What were you saying? “Don’t know. It’s just nice to meet someone whose hopes and dreams aren’t being crushed by student debt.”

Jeonghan’s silent again and now it’s your turn to frown because you’re wondering if you said the wrong thing. God, does he think you’re creepy for liking his childhood friend? Fucking hell.

“I’m glad,” he says but you can sense a strain in his voice, “I was worried he’d get bored to death when he came to visit me.”

“Ah, well. How long is he around?”

“He took a month off, I think? But he’s got it easy with his flexible hours, so really, it’s up to him when to leave.”

You nod a little, “Cool.” You exhale in relief, a little bit reassured now that Jeonghan was back to talking like his usual self. You’ve finally reached the steps to your dorm by the time the conversation fades away and he waves at you, “Better be on time tomorrow for my party. And don’t forget to bring the best gift of my life.”

You groan when he quotes your note on his coffee from a day ago, shrugging as you turn around to run up to your room and melt into your pillow. But you’ve made it to two steps up when he calls out for you again. You swerve around to face him with a questioning glance.

“Y/N, remember you can come to this old man if you ever need anything, okay? I’m here for you, always.”

??????????

–

Okay, let’s rewind a little.

You’ve known Jeonghan for two years now, enough time to fall for him. You argue it was inevitable because all your life, you’d only been disappointed in your love interests, who would either ghost you in the talking stage itself or break up a few months into the relationship. One time it was because you were too busy with your studies and the third and final time because well, you were apparently too aloof. Not loving enough.

Which is why when Jeonghan came into the picture, you found yourself changing ever so slightly. Not to say you weren’t still a little bit wary of people and took your time opening up, but you met a lot of friends through him and he taught you that trust and attention goes a long way in relationships. If only you could apply this newfound knowledge to new relationships.

You’d tried: Wonwoo had set you up with a friend from class, Mingyu, and while you’d been able to sit through the first date, by the end of the night, it was clear that both of you were more interested in sex. Which was fine. But then there was the guy who was a regular at your cafe who had given you his number and you’d ended up wondering why you were with him in the bathroom, staring at a text from Jeonghan.

So you were down pretty bad for him. And as Wonwoo had voiced multiple times before, the next move to make was to actually tell the man that you’d been suffering in your feelings for him. But every time the topic came around, you had only one answer prepared: he already knows. Or so you’re convinced.

You had good reason to think so. Once, the group of you had been playing an online game that involved picking red flags for other people’s ideal types and when it was time for others to pick some for you, all hell had broken loose. “I bet she likes bad guys who are emotionally unavailable,” Jun had said, quick to drag the flag that said emotional constipation on it. You had defended yourself quickly, “UH? No thanks, men with no emotional intelligence are a hard pass for me. I don’t want to feed into some idiot’s Oedipus complex just because I’m the mom friend.”

“The mom friend?” Wonwoo had questioned, “Please, Y/N, if anything, you’re the dead friend with a severe case of RBF. Jeonghan’s the mom friend.”

Jeonghan’s shrug had been followed by a hysterical Joshua going, “Wouldn’t that mean Y/N’s ideal type is Jeonghan? I mean, it makes a lot of sense, he’s mature and emotionally intelligent.”

You’d choked over your next words, cheeks burning, “No, that’s stupid. Don’t be weird.”

Yeah, very weak defense.

When Wonwoo brought up the fact that you’d refuted Joshua’s claims and that probably led Jeonghan to believe you weren’t into him, you simply told him to remind himself of what happened next. Dokyeom had laughed, “But you definitely go for older men? I can’t imagine any guy in college being too smart like that.”

You’d agreed in the end, his logic being pretty solid. You had also noticed the way Jeonghan excused himself to the kitchen with a lame excuse about bringing more snacks when there was an array of unopened chips still lying around.

“Okay, so that’s one example, from like two months ago,” Wonwoo argues as you roll around in bed to avoid his glare, “Do you really think he remembers that incident so well?”

“Two months ago was not that long ago. And it wasn’t just this once. I’m a mess around Jeonghan.”

“You’re a mess period,” Wonwoo casually declares and when you sit up with an unhinged jaw, he laughs, “No offense.”

“Whatever. I hate you. And I hate Jeonghan. I should just skip his birthday party or I’m just gonna make things worse for myself.”

“Right. And what about the Lego set you spent half your life savings on?”

You pause, heart skipping a beat when you remember the gift sitting on your desk, wrapped securely and the purchase of which you could only justify with the words: Yoon Jeonghan.

“God, I must be insane. Why did I even buy that for him? He’s gonna think I’m genuinely weird. Does he even want gifts? He’s turning 25 for god’s sake.”

Wonwoo doesn’t respond so you can hear yourself and eventually, you do. Jeonghan himself had told you to be on time to his party with the gift alongside. You’re going to cry.

“You really think I should tell him?” you ask quietly.

Your best friend nods eagerly, patting your arm through the mess of your bedsheets, “Please. It’s high time. I promise you won’t regret it.”

“Weird promise to make, but fine. I’ll do it.”

–

The weight of your promise settles into your veins when you’ve arrived at Jeonghan’s place, self-consciously straightening out non-existent wrinkles in your dress when he comes over to greet you and Wonwoo. It doesn’t leave when he grins at you, wider than usual, and it definitely only gets worse when he accepts your gift with a low whisper that he’ll be sure to open yours first.

You’re thankful for Seungcheol when he shows up next to you, dimples out as he compliments you in your dress and you return it with a shy smile. Half because you need a distraction and more because Seungcheol’s presence is calming, you follow him to the bar.

“How’s your night going so far?”

“It could be better,” you mumble, eyes searching for Jeonghan and settling when he doesn’t seem to be anywhere close, “A little bit nervous.”

“Nervous?” he asks you, sliding you a drink and you smile as you take a sip: Scotch and Soda.

“Hmm, it’s nothing honestly. A lot of work piling up as we speak,” you joke. Seungcheol’s frown melts away, “Ah, of course. Senior year must be crazy.”

The night picks it pace up thereon, with your nerves finding some peace in the buzz from alcohol and your cheeks only hurting the longer you talk to Seungcheol.There’s some dancing of course, here and there, but you find yourself avoiding Jeonghan actively, retracting from the floor whenever he’s close.

It helps that Seungcheol stays close so that you have an excuse to appear occupied and somewhere along in the night, you tell the man with a smile, “You’re really charming, you know, Cheol?”

He breaks out into that giggle of his, “You think so? I haven’t even pulled out all the stops yet?”

“Really?” you find yourself stepping closer, encouraged by how quickly his hands are at your waist, “What haven’t you done yet?”

A breathy hum leaves his lips at your provoking and you’re close enough to brush lips against Seungcheol when suddenly, you’re being pulled away. For a moment, you let out an annoyed groan, certain that the iron hold on your bicep is Wonwoo being stubborn again. So when you tilt your head and catch sight of Jeonghan’s black hair falling into his eyes, a glare in place, all words leave your system.

You’re aware he’s dragging you away and also that Seungcheol’s following, reaching for your hand with words leaving his mouth, but you can’t make anything out. The blood’s in your ears and your heart is in your throat. You can feel Jeonghan saying something at Seungcheol, who glances at you in doubt, and leaves.

By the time you've calmed down, you find yourself in Jeonghan’s room, door half closed.

“Jeonghan?” you question a little weakly as he finally lets go of your arm and sits on the bed, his head in his hands. Is he okay? you wonder, standing helplessly near the door. You call out his name again, “Han? Are you okay?”

You step closer to him but stop when he looks up, startled by the lack of humor in his expression. “What were you doing back there?”

“Um, talking to Cheol.”

“Talking?”

“Are you annoyed at me, right now? Or jealous? I can’t tell.”

Jeonghan goes silent again, gaze dropping to his feet. You’re feeling annoyed by the minute.

“You’re acting like an idiot, Y/N. You don’t know Seungcheol. And you’re drunk.”

There it was: that strict tone of his, that always left you feeling conflicted and hurt. Today you actually tell him about it, “I’m not a kid, Jeonghan, I know what I’m doing.”

He looks up at you when you say that, eyes wide. “I never said that. I’m just saying that you should be more careful.”

“I am being careful,” you retort, a hostile edge to your voice, “I don’t know why you do this.”

“I thought you liked me.”

The words stun you into silence and your ears ring as you freeze. Your eyes don’t leave Jeonghan’s form though, watching him, waiting for him to disappear into nothingness as if this was just a dream. How you wish it was.

But Jeonghan’s on his feet when he notices the horrified look on his face and it’s only when he starts to come closer that you reach for the door.

“No, Y/N, please let’s talk about it–” he grabs hold of you and you feel your vision go blurry with tears, your back hitting the wall when Jeonghan shuts the door behind you.

“I knew it,” you mumble out through tears, “You knew about my feelings?”

Jeonghan’s eyes find yours in the dim lighting of his bedroom and you shiver when his hand tightens around your wrist, “I’ve known for a while. But then you went around flirting with Cheol like it was nobody’s business and I…” he trails off, “I was jealous. And confused.”

You force yourself to breathe out, heart going wild in your chest because of course, Jeonghan’s not addressing the elephant in the room. “Well, I was going to confess to you today and get it out of the way. But there’s no need anymore, I guess?” You cringe at the way you can hear the quiver in your own voice, “Just let me go now?”

“Why?” he asks, “You haven’t even asked me if I like you back?”

You scoff, “God, Jeonghan, you make it sound like we’re in high school or something, all this ‘liking’ talk.” You try to sound stable, only to be contradicted by the tears that leave your eyes, “And I figured you didn’t return my feelings. Or you would’ve done something about it.”

There’s a pause then. A shift. Jeonghan’s grip on you loosens ever so lightly and you fear you’ve understood him too well. For once, you wish you weren’t right.

“You’re right,” Jeonghan breathes out as if on cue, but his grip is still unyielding to your dismay, “Well, I thought I didn’t like you. I mean, you’re really pretty and funny and being around doesn’t tire me out like it does with others, but… I just liked you as a friend.”

Your heart’s shriveling up at his words with uncertainty because he might be talking about your love for him being one-sided but it is also in the past tense… right?

“What are you trying to say, Jeonghan?”

He flinches, “Um, I’m sorry. I just– I’m so confused about my feelings, right now. God, I thought I was more mature than this.”

You can’t help the disdainful laugh that leaves your lips as you push him away, brushing your tears away with the back of your hand. “Look, Jeonghan, I’m sorry I don’t have the time to sit down and help you untangle your feelings… about me. It really hurts to hear you go on about this, honestly. I think I’m just going to leave. Happy birthday, I hope you like your gift.”

–

The night outside is much more welcoming to you now, your shoulders more relaxed than ever now that your stupid crush on Jeonghan’s out in the open for him. You hadn’t expected it to go down like this but well, at least you were right about him already knowing, you know?

Lighter than before, the drinks you’d chugged before to gather courage catch up to you in the moment when you nearly run into a pole on the street. You would have run into it if Seungcheol hadn’t swerved you out the way with a, “Look out!”

“Fuck,” you mumble when you’re steady on your feet, Seungcheol’s hand firm around yours, “Sorry. I was in my head.”

“I know you were but you gotta watch where you’re going, kid,” he scolds, “I don’t want to have to carry your unconscious body to your room.”

You roll your eyes, “What is it with everyone and calling me a kid tonight? So much for keeping up a track record for being reliable and responsible.”

“It’s not that you’re not those things, Y/N,” Seungcheol says, hand still on yours reassuringly, “It’s just that sometimes you’re… dense. And maybe even something of an idiot.”

“Ah! Excuse me!” you protest, “I am not an idiot. Say that to my grades.”

“An idiot as in someone who doesn’t see what’s right in front of them.”

That shuts you for good, then, and you stop walking with a sigh. “I don’t even know about that, anymore.”

Seungcheol watches as you slow down, tears behind your eyes and his heart hurts for you, thanks to his problem. When he’d found you storming out of Jeonghan’s room with fists wiping your tears away, he’d wrapped an arm around you immediately, listening as you quietly told him you needed to leave. He’d offered to walk you home and you’d watched him for a moment before nodding.

“Why are you doing this, Cheol? Shouldn’t you be back there, comforting Jeonghan?”

“See, there it is. The idiot side of you.”

You go silent again, looking down at the hand that was clutched in his a few moments ago.

“...you like me?”

“Bingo. Plus, I don’t think Jeonghan wants to hear from me tonight. Not after I almost kissed you in front of him.”

You let out a surprised sound, hand flying to your mouth when you recall the near-kiss, ears turning impossibly pink under the streetlights. “Fuck, I forgot that happened. I’m sorry? Or you’re welcome?”

“Nah, I can’t thank you till we actually seal the deal,” Seungcheol teases, stepping closer to you and dramatically ducking his head as if going in for a kiss. You push his shoulder away, “Fuck you, Seungcheol.”

“I mean, sure, if you want to!”

“Ugh!” you start walking with a pout on your face, “I hate the guts of the men in this place!”

“That’s not what your face said thirty minutes ago at the bar!”

“Go away, Cheol, or I’m reporting you to the campus authorities.”

“Aww, you called me Cheol even when we’re fighting. Aren’t you the sweetest?”

–

When Monday rolls around, you think you’ve got a good hold on your head this time, especially after a few grueling hours at your shift at the cafe. That is until you spot Jeonghan walking in, hair tied back in a half-ponytail and hands crossed across his white cardigan. The sight of him sends you into a frenzy and you debate your options as being between: ducking behind the counter and switching positions with Joshua, or otherwise, manning up and facing the aftermath of your actions.

You glance at Joshua’s back, his hands busy cleaning the espresso equipment and before you have a minute to ask him to switch, Jeonghan’s at the counter (where’s a line of customers when you need it?), calling you out. “Hey, Y/N, do you think we could talk for a minute?”

You look at him blankly, not expecting him to take the direct route after everything. But you malfunction a little and cut his advances off, “Welcome to Moon Coffee! What can I get started for you?” you ask loudly and then add in a softer voice, “Conversation with me is not on the menu.”

“Hm?” Jeonghan looks devastated at your cold response but his eyes search the menu board frantically anyway, “Uh, I guess I could get just an iced americano, then, please?”

You note that down with a half-smile, and almost go on to ask for a name for the order but decide against it, not wanting to stretch your pettiness limit for the day. “Alright, thank you for your order! Please feel free to take a seat while you wait.”

You relax when he nods with a hesitant smile and takes a seat, close to the window but close enough to the counter to hear his name being called out. You feel the pit in your stomach burn a little at how deflated his shoulders are and you wonder if you ought to drop the act; you’d been into the man for two years now. Right?

But before you can pursue this heart-wrenching line of thought, you’re distracted by the sound of the door opening and– great, it’s Seungcheol. By the surprised look he shoots Jeonghan’s sat figure, they hadn’t planned this… ambush, but you reign in your usual cordiality anyway as Seungcheol approaches you.

“Hey there, morning. How’ve you been?”

What did you have to do to have one customer who came in here for coffee?

“Good afternoon,” you correct him, pleased at the reversal of your first meeting with Seungcheol, who chuckles a little. “Welcome, what can we get you today?”

He pauses, casting a glance to Jeonghan over his shoulder, whose attention is on this interaction, legs crossed and brows furrowed. “I’m sorry, didn’t know he was in here. I just wanted to check up on you.”

“What are you apologizing for?” The question slips before you can remember to be professional and also, a little bit quieter because almost certain that Jeonghan’s heard you by the way he averts his eyes. “Um, I mean, sorry. I can recommend you a drink for the day or do you want to get your usual?”

Seungcheol mulls it over, “Hm, I’m fine with anything you choose for me.”

You pause before punching in the order for a hazelnut mocha, without a double-shot this time. He can deal with the sweetness for a day, you reckon. You glance at Joshua who’s still cleaning up before getting started on the orders because well, it’s a slow day. Or it’s supposed to be.

As you thank Seungcheol for his order and he’s about to step aside to wait, you add in a quick, “And next time, if you want to check up on me, do it when I’m not working.” He does nothing to hide the grin of acknowledgment that takes over his face, a sight that only darkens the storm known as Yoon Jeonghan brewing in the cafe.

You walk over to Joshua, “Dude! Hurry up, we have customers waiting.”

He turns to you slowly, wiping his hands off ever so slowly, even the smile on his face slow. “Don’t worry, it’s just Jeonghan. We know these guys. We can take our time.”

You narrow your eyes at him, wondering if Jeonghan put him up to this act, but don’t question it because even that would be admitting defeat. “Whatever. I’ll make the drinks if you’re going to be annoying. Where’s the syrup for the mocha again?”

Joshua slaps the hand that you’re using to reach for the syrup with a firm, “Uh-uh! Hands off, young lady. That hazelnut mocha is all mine to make. You can work on the iced americano if you really want to help out.”

You groan, throwing your hands up, “So you were slowing things down on purpose, you little bitch.”

“Hello? Please be mindful of the language you use around here. I can report you–”

“Yes, yes, of course, I will just shut up and make that americano so I don’t have to listen to your voice again.”

A few minutes later, you’re scribbling Jeonghan’s name onto the cup, proud with the quick work you’ve made of the drink and also thankful nobody was coming in right now. “Han–” you stop yourself just as the nickname slips your tongue, flinching when you remember you’re supposed to be acting stuck up right now.

You turn, hoping that Jeonghan hadn’t heard you but nevermind that because he’s at your side, quicker than he ought to be really (any other scenario, he would be declaring all kinds of knee problems), that sly grin plastered on his face.

“Hi there,” he greets you, “Called for me, did you?”

“...I did. An iced americano for Jeonghan.” You try hard to make your sentences brief but Jeonghan’s chuckling as he takes the drink from you– using both his hands so that you’re brushing against his. Classic middle school boy behavior.

If anything, this ordeal was making you question if the man was as mature as you’d believed. Either way, he thanks you with a smile and leaves promptly, leaving a very affronted Seungcheol in his wake. “Hey, I thought you said you were gonna wait for me!” he calls out after Jeonghan, who doesn’t respond as he slides out.

“A hazelnut mocha for Seung…Cheol?”

You glare at Joshua who frowns at the name as that was the first he’d heard of it, and the guy just shrugs as he puts the drink down. “Sorry about that. Joshua’s feeling rebellious this afternoon,” you tell a frowny Seungcheol (you are a minute away from admitting how cute he is when he’s upset), “Anyway, here’s your drink, Seungcheol. Have a good day!”

“Cheol!” you call out when you spot the brown head of hair outside the cafe when your shift ends. He��d texted you a while after he’d walked off with his drink in hand, pouting because you insisted on calling him Seungcheol.

meet me after your shift? his text reads.

do u even know when my shift ends dude

no and thats why im asking u. when does your shift end?

… u are insufferable.

insufferable enough to fall 4 u i guess

when are u going to stop holding your feelings for me over my head?

when you do something about them.

meet me at 6 outside the cafe.

Yeah, so you wouldn’t say you’re being your wisest self right now. To begin with, you should probably seek out Jeonghan and find closure of some sort. But something tells you to wait on him, wait till he’s ready to seek you out (no, coming up to you during your work shift did not count). Instead, you choose to pursue the… spark that you have with Seungcheol, his feelings for you aside. The night after Jeonghan’s party he’d made it clear that he didn’t really want anything serious, just to get to know you more while you were still around.

A little fooling around never hurt anyone, right?

So when Seungcheol whines out, “Oh, so I’m back to being Cheol now, huh?” you finally let out the laugh that you’d held back at work at his antics.

“Nobody ever told me you were such a pouty baby,” you tell him, eyes shameless trained on his pink lips.

“I don’t pout for anyone, baby,” Seungcheol shoots back, hand on your back as he leads you somewhere. You look at him in question. “What? We’re getting dinner.”

“I was not aware,” you reply, “But all right. Let’s do it.”

Dinner is comfortable. Which is more than you ask for on a date these days.

“Your dates have really been that bad, huh?” Seungcheol asks you. You shake your head, fork scraping some tiramisu onto it, “You can’t even imagine it, Cheol, it’s hell out there. I’m lucky if the guy pays for the dinner so I don’t have to work an extra shift to make up for it.”

He laughs and you savor the sight, because hanging out with this often hadn’t meant you had become indifferent to his looks. If anything, it was the other way around.

“Thanks for dinner,” you tell him later as he sneaks his hand into yours. You allow yourself to feel guilty for indulging him like this but then he squeezes your hand, “Anything for you, m’lady.”

Later that night, you invite him to your room. “It’s not much,” you add to the invitation, “But you know, I do happen to have some wine in my fridge that Wonwoo forgot to pick up. And my bed’s pretty cozy to watch movies in.”

Seungcheol is breathless by the time you’re in your room, not only because of the trek up the stairs but also the fact that you’d held his hand in yours the whole way up. “Wow, it sure is cold in here,” he comments as you turn the lights. It is the textbook college room, albeit a little bigger since you’re in a single.

You cough, “Um, sorry about that. Let me turn on the heater. And you can sit on my bed…” you pause when you remember the mess you’d left on your mattress this morning, in a hurry to make it to your shift but nevertheless, insistent on putting together a fit.

You sweep up the pile of discarded clothes from your bed and onto an already burdened chair, making a show out of it. You dust your hands off with a smile at Seungcheol who’s been watching with a hand on his hip. “Change your mind about me yet?” you question, teasingly.

He rolls his eyes as he walks closer to you, effectively bumping you onto your bed, the new angle forcing you to look up at him. He kneels in front of you, his smile turning loving as he takes your face into his hands. “Not a chance,” and then he leans in until his warm lips are on yours, the heater whirring irrelevant now that heat’s rushing up to your temples instantly.

You taste him and then pull away, “Mhm. Not so fast, you sly little man. I promised you wine and a movie in my bed. And I,” you say as you crouch in front of your fridge, “am a woman of my word.” You shake the cold bottle of red wine at him and he grins.

An hour later, you’re curled around Seungcheol, glasses of wine long consumed and movie long forgotten in favor of cuddling. You stare at him and then when he smiles shyly, you finger one of his dimples, “Hey. You sure you’re not serious about me? Because I’m…” you hate the way you trail off, the very thought of Jeonghan derailing any sense of coherence you’ve ever had.

“I know,” Seungcheol’s hand comes to your wrist, “I knew I didn’t stand a chance against Jeonghan since I saw you guys fight at the cafe that day. You look at him like he has all the answers.”

“That’s ridiculous,” you brush off, not completely refuting him. “But if you knew, why’d you stick around and… I don’t know, flirt with me?”

Seungcheol laughs into your neck, “Call it a bad habit of mine.” His hands play with your hair now, brushing it away from your face, “I see a pretty girl and I have to charm her.”

You drop your head into his chest with a groan, “Stop! You sound so creepy. Like a predator.”

“Hey!” he protests, his chuckles vibrating through you, “You’re the one who called me charming the other day!”

“Hmm. I guess I did.”

His hands slowly pry you away from his chest and to his face, lips pressing against yours. You smile a little and then open up for him, shifting until you’re situated on top of him. You close your eyes, surrendering yourself to the kiss and – “Shit, you’re a good kisser.” The man underneath you moves you closer with a pleased smirk, voice smug when his lips trail down your neck, “That’s not the only thing I’m good at.”

–

“Sex with older men really is different, huh?”

You gasp at Wonwoo’s vulgar words, slapping his arm mercilessly making him jump away from you. “Dude! Mind keeping it down? We’re in the library, not your mom’s house.”

“Ha! Jokes on you, I wouldn’t be making dirty jokes in my mom’s house because Jeonghan is my mom away from home and he would really kick my ass if he heard me talk about you and Seungchel fucking–”

Another slap on the arm and Wonwoo shuts up, groaning in pain. You grimace when you notice a few heads turning your way at the commotion, and bow in apology. When they’re looking away, you glower at Wonwoo, “Seriously, man, what are you up to? Drop the horny teenager act for once so we can focus on the problem at hand.”

“Judging from the tone of your voice, I’m guessing that you’re not talking about the problem of calculus in front of us, but rather, the problem of… life?”

You stare at Wonwoo blankly, “I’m so glad you find this entertaining.” As you’re about to continue giving him a piece of your mind, your phone buzzes, cutting you off much to Wonwoo’s relief, who sneaks a look over your shoulder anyway.

cheol: rate last night on a scale of ‘okay’ to ‘let's meet up again tonight’?

You scoff at the audacity and Wonwoo’s already clinging onto this new piece of evidence. “Oh, so what was that about this being a one-time thing? Next thing I know you’re moving in with him when you graduate.”

You slam your phone face down, “Listen, I know you think this is a joke but it’s not. I’m not going to sleep with Cheol again because that’s obviously the right thing to do. But as for Jeonghan, well, it’s been radio silence from him all week.”

“And since when have you let Jeonghan take the lead on your relationship with him? You know he’s a working man so I’m not surprised he’s not texting you at noon on a Wednesday.”

You glare at Wonwoo, “Seungcheol is also very much a working man? I don’t see your point. And also, I don’t know when this became a competition between the two?”

“Since you confessed to one and then slept with the other?”

You exhale heavily, unable to shoot him down because he was at least a little bit correct. Instead you heave your head into your arms. “Maybe I should just fake my death and move away.”

“You’ll give up your dreams of graduation over a stupid love triangle, consisting purely of men?”

“Shit. You’re right. That’s not happening,” you look up, “Jeon Wonwoo, what would I do if you weren’t by my side bringing me to my senses? You’re the best friend I ever had.”

“Actually, your use of ‘friend’ is very offensive to me,” he complains, fisting his palm dramatically, “I consider myself one of the girls. Or even better, your guardian. Refer to me as Your Highness exclusively or I will not listen.”

You stand up with a screech of your chair, “Okay, that was the last of your reasonable thinking. I’m going to go to my shift and work until I can no longer think or pine.”

“Great plan, young one!”

“Touch grass while I’m gone and you might have hope yet.”

–

“Look, I really don’t think we should be doing this anymore.”

Seungcheol laughs, eyes searching your face for signs of humor. You flash him a grimace of seriousness and doom. He deflates. “I saw this coming. Should’ve known you would only ever ask me out to a fancy restaurant for dinner to break up with me.”

You flick his forehead, “Break up? Don’t call it that. It gives people the wrong idea.”

“Interesting, Y/N L/N admits to caring about whether or not people get the wrong idea about us. Very interesting,” he comments, not at all sneaky with the way his arm snakes around you, “Anyway, you want me to pay for dinner and what, drag my sorry ass back to Jeonghan’s place?”

You stiffen at the mention of Jeonghan and then sigh, the following conversation almost inevitable given your current situation. “So speaking of Jeonghan, has he been talking?”

“Um, yeah, he sure has been opening his mouth and saying words.”

“Fuck you, I meant as in, about me? Has he said anything?”

“Not in specific. Although he did inquire if I had slept over at your place two nights ago and when I said yes, he threw a slice of half-eaten apple in my face. Since then whenever I see him, I duck.”

“That’s very funny.”

“Don’t worry, I made sure to tell him how hopelessly in love with him you are–”

“That was not needed.”

“–And how you accidentally moaned his name on my cock.”

You glare at him, “What about those statements made you think they were okay to voice out loud, not only once but twice?”

As Seungcheol comes up with a witty defense for his lapse in judgment, your phone buzzes next to your thigh and the name that pops up has you zoning everything out instantly.

han: hey, can we talk?

You look away from the screen and breathe out, “And that makes two of us dragging our sorry asses to Jeonghan’s place.”

When you knock on his door, the last thing you expect to see is a red-eyed, very sniffly Jeonghan. Heck, you hadn’t ever even come close to imagining the heartbroken look on Jeonghan’s face, his eyes downcast when you visibly look taken aback at his state.

“Han?”

“Hey,” his voice is hoarse and good lord, you can’t stand this. “Let’s sit in the living room. I was going to go grab some water anyway.”

You follow him speechlessly, watching the way his hands disappear into the sleeves of the black sweatshirt that hangs loose around his frame. You keep watching when he reappears, and it’s when he sits down quietly, fingers whitening around the glass of iced water in hands that you lose it.

“Talk to me, Han. Are you okay?” you breathe deeply to contain the multitude of concerned questions that threaten to leave your system. For one, you didn't know how to interpret the crestfallen expression he held up when he met your eyes. While someone like Wonwoo (aka a naive little kid) would argue that the only reasonable explanation for it would be that he was devastated that you’d been avoiding him the past week. But knowing what you did about him, you couldn’t let go of the possibility that he was just mourning the impending loss of a friend, i.e. you, when he breaks it to you that he doesn’t like you back.

Jeonghan senses you’re in your head when you’ve been staring at him for a moment too long, mouth agape, so he moves closer, taking the water out of your hands and placing it next to his emptied glass.

“I’m sorry, Y/N.”

Fuck. An apology?

You stammer, “S-Sorry? Why?”

“I’m sorry I called you an idiot the other day. You’re the farthest thing from an idiot– and you’re definitely not a kid. I’m so sorry that I made you feel like that. I just… I’ve been thinking about us, and I realized that somewhere along the way, I became really over-protective of you. I started treating you like you were fragile or something, and I shouldn’t have.”

“I’m listening,” you tell him, frown letting up now that he’s finally speaking up.

“And I’m sorry for being a cowardly little bitch about my feelings for you,” he mumbles, eyes dropping to your lap where your fingers play with the fabric of your shirt uneasily. He stops your fiddling, his hands coming to envelope both of yours. “I’m the idiot for thinking I could be anything other than in love with you.”

“Huh,” you exhale again, biting your lip to hold the smile that threatens to spill.

“And finally, I’m sorry for not doing anything about it when I knew your feelings were mutual. As you know, I’m getting old and–”

You stop any further stupidity from leaving his lips by – you guessed it – by pressing your lips against them. He lets out a surprised gasp and your smile finally turns into a giggle when his hands tighten around yours in your lap.

You pull away, only to detach your hands so you can bury them in his hair instead and Jeonghan smiles at you, his eyes crescents as they watch you lovingly and you think: the pain was worth it.

Jeonghan’s smile widens when he feels you thumb at his skin, tenderly tracing his eye-bags.

“You look terrible, Han, I’m sorry,” you mutter, kissing his cheeks and then his forehead. He’s already mellowing under your hold and he hums, low, “You should be. I went to hell and back when Seungcheol announced he slept with you. I mean, what were you thinking?”

You break, guiltily looking away. “That was not my smartest moment but I was also very distraught about my relationship with a certain someone who wouldn’t contact me outside of my working hours.”

“You and your stubborn need to remain professional. Y/N, it’s a campus cafe, I don’t think anyone’s going to care if you break your act once in a while. I don’t know, if I don’t get a kiss the next time I visit you– I might just rethink this.”

You scoff in disbelief, “You’re a real pain in the ass, Jeonghan. Maybe I’ll just go back to my room and cry myself to sleep.” But as soon as you make moves to stand up, Jeonghan’s bringing you back to sit, taking the chance to pull you closer into a hug. “You will do no such thing.”

You freeze when you feel his nose settle into your shoulder, warm breaths relaxing when your hands reclaim their place in his hair. “I love you, Y/N.”

A beat passes and with a kiss to his head, you return, “I probably love you more, old man.”

“If we’re going to date, that nickname has got to go!”

“What? You’re the one who was complaining about your knee problems last week. It’s fine, I can add this relationship to my list of community service activities.”

Jeonghan pulls away, standing up abruptly and jerking you upward as well. Your smile falters but then, he’s steering you to his bedroom, throwing the door shut with a grunt. You side-eye him, “What’s up–” He cuts you off, lips hot against yours.

A few minutes later, when his tongue finally lets up, he mutters, “I just remembered that you kissed Seungcheol with this mouth. I’ve gotta do everything I can to erase that memory.”

“I can’t tell if you want me to forget… or yourself.”

“Shh, I bet he couldn’t even– Wait, why aren’t you wearing a bra? Don’t tell me you were–!”

“You sure love asking questions, old man,” you whine and before Jeonghan can question you further, you take ahold of his hand, sliding it over your stomach and down the waistband of your jeans, the space tight and hot but not as hot as the groan Jeonghan lets out when he feels you. “Holy fuck, you’re wet.”

You grin when he falls to his knees, your jeans unbuttoned and pulled down in next to no time. “There’s more where that came from,” you mumble before he’s between your thighs, ripping out scream after scream from your throat.

–

Genuinely and honestly, if you’d foreseen waking up in Jeonghan’s bed, his hair a mess from last night but face comfortably snuggled in your arm– you would’ve been less mean to Wonwoo. Because it turns out that his voice (of reason? or of deviance? you would never figure it out) in your head had been right: Jeonghan did return your feelings all those times you thought he might.

He tells you all about it when you’ve collapsed later that night, replacing the curses on your lips with dampness in your eyes because of how vulnerable he is, pouring his heart out to you like this.

Propped up on an elbow, he played with your hand, “I remember when you first came over with Wonwoo. I thought I’d met myself, but younger and prettier and sillier.”

“I hate it when you combine insults with compliments so I can’t attack you.”

“I learnt that from you, silly,” he kisses your nose but continues, “But honestly, the more we talked, the more I realized how different you are from me. I mean, sure, are you tired out of your mind half the time like me? Yeah. But you were so observant and so keen on getting to know people. It’s hard to come across people who are invested in friendships for more than just small talk and someone to have meals with.”

But just as he’s getting deep on you, he adds, “Plus, you smell a whole lot better than anyone else. I’d go crazy sitting next to you, especially because you just love to throw yourself at people in laughter.”

“Not that I’m complaining–” he stops your protests quickly, “I swear my heart would skip a beat everytime you laughed at something I said. And then the time we were talking about ideal types and you got all flustered over everyone teasing you about me? Dude, I had to run to the kitchen before I could do something rash. Like kissing you in front of everyone. Or worse, bride-style carrying you into my room so I could enjoy the adorably lovesick look on your face.”

You groan into his pillow, “Stooop. This is just embarrassing for me. It’s not like I was trying to be obvious.”

“I know, baby,” he coos, gentle hands prying you away from the pillow, “But you know, you have the same look on your face right now.” He laughs, kissing the pout off your lips with a sweet, “For what it’s worth, I was yours for a long time. Just took a minute for me to realize it.”

You huff but smile despite it and pull him closer, “I’m glad. Now hold me to sleep or I’m gonna be sad.”

Another laugh reverberates through the two of you when he slides down, pulling the sheets closer over you, and pats your back as you settle into him with a satisfied sigh. “Sleep well, my love.”

–

“And when I’m gone, please don’t stop eating breakfast in the morning. I know you think that it’s consequential to your life completely,” Seungcheol pauses for dramatic effect, “but it’s important. It could be the difference between living 20 less years or 50 more.”

“How scientifically true is that?” you mumble to Jeonghan under your breath, who being the devious little brat he is voices your concern, earning you a look from Seungcheol.

“Whatever, I knew my words were undervalued in this household ever since you guys started dating and refused to keep it down at night. Like, it’s not that hard, right?”

You punch Jeonghan’s arm to both keep him from telling the dick joke he’s about to say and also, to show Seungcheol that you wanted no part in this. “I told this guy to keep you in mind but that just made him mad which in turn led to… screaming. Sorry.”

Seungcheol sighs as he glances at his watch, “Okay, okay. I have to get going now so bring in whatever last-minute reconciliations you two have for me.”

Jeonghan steps forward and hugs the man, surprising both the latter and you. But you watch with a pleased smile playing on your lips, relieved that their friendship still seemed to go strong, bumps and all. When it’s your turn to hug Seungcheol, you scoff at the hesitant look he casts at your boyfriend and wrap your arms around his middle.

“Thanks for everything, Cheol. Keep in touch. And do something about this second-lead syndrome of yours. I better catch you in a happily stable relationship of your own next time around.”

Seungcheol chuckles quietly, waiting for you to pull away to say, “If that’s an order from the main female lead, then I guess I have no choice, do I? Unless,” his eyes mischievously stray to Jeonghan who already knows what’s coming next, “the male lead fucks up and leaves a certain pretty girl single, huh?”

You don’t have time to decipher if that’s a threat wrapped up in a punchline because Jeonghan’s arm’s around your shoulder, moving you away and besides you, he says, “You’ll be waiting all your life if you wait on me to fuck this up. Bye, Cheol, I can see that your Uber just pulled up.”

“Ha! Good one. Alright, this is goodbye for now. See y’all on my feed. Or it might be better if I don’t. Anyway, bye and don’t kill anyone.”

With Seungcheol gone, you look up at Jeonghan with a smug smirk, “Oh, so you plan on sticking around with me forever? That’s a long time, you know.”

Your boyfriend chuckles, his eyes twinkling, “Please, if I had the patience to watch you hug Seungcheol right in front of my eyes, being with you forever will be a breeze in the park. So yes, I plan to stick to you forever, like superglue.”

“Gross, you couldn’t say something romantic like candy or syrup?”

“Sorry, babe, but I was just distracted by how all mine you are that I couldn’t think of anything else.”

“Never mind, I think it’s worse when you’re all cheesy. Go back to being gross?”

“I love you. Now, come here so I can kiss every single surface of your face. And then we can go on a walk and tell everyone who told me to give up to suck it.”

You lose balance when the laughter finally escapes your mouth but thankfully, Jeonghan’s arms are around you, promising and playful when you meet his eyes. “Ugh, whatever. I love you. So I guess we can do all the weird annoying stuff you want to do for now.”

Despite your banter though, the two of you are so happy together that you’re shocked by the picture of you with Jeonghan that Wonwoo Airdrops, after your walk. You have the dopiest smile on your face and Jeonghan’s looking at you with a cheesy grin. You hate to admit it but you do look like an “old married couple” like Wonwoo’s text teases. But for once, you give in, snuggling closer to Jeonghan’s body because well, yeah, you did plan to stick to him. Like superglue.

–

#once again apologizing #jeonghan x reader #seungcheol x reader #seventeen x reader #seventeen imagines #seventeen fluff #seventeen angst #svt fluff #svt angst #svt x reader #yoon jeonghan #choi seungcheol #seventeen smut #jeonghan angst #seungcheol angst

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streetlight11 · 2 months

Text

The Boy Next Door

Summary: Being friends with a regular customer is great. But finding out that their cute friend turns out to live right next door to you? Sounds like fate to me...

Theme: neighbours au, strangers to lovers

Genre: fluffy

Warnings: mentions of alcohol, drunk people, clubbing, an elderly falling down but no major injury or death

W/C: 7k

Pairing: Kim Seungmin x Fem!Reader

a/n: Hihi! I got bored and wrote this with no particular reason. Just saw him on my phone screen one day and felt like writing a fic about him 😅 This wasn't proof read so my apologies if there's any mistakes in my writing. Hope you enjoy! ✨

Today was another day at work as it was a Thursday afternoon. You were just making the coffee orders when your manager said she was going to bank in yesterday’s profits. She would probably take about 2 hours before she comes back so you would be left alone to mend the cafe. She’s done this multiple times because she trusts you and that she knows you are well capable of running the cafe alone.

Although that sounds horrible on your end, you did feel glad that you are indeed able to make all the drinks and foods on your own after working here for almost 4 years. After you had just finished making the order, you pressed the buzzer number. Once the girl had taken her drink and returned the buzzer to you, you went over to the cashier only to see a familiar face.

“Hey… You’re early today?” You asked as Chris smiled at you. Chris is a regular customer here at the cafe you worked at for a few months now and he even became friends with you and your co-worker.

“Hey, yeah. My friends and I wanted to sit somewhere and discuss our next song. Are you alone?”

“Yeah. My manager went to the bank so I’m assuming she won’t be back for quite a while.” You shrugged as he passed you his phone with a whole list of orders. You began to key in the orders while he continued to talk to you.

“Does she do that often? Leave you to mend the cafe alone?"

“Sometimes, yeah.” You sighed.

“But that’s staff abuse, isn’t it?” Chris looked genuinely concerned for you.

“If you think about it, yeah.”

“Aren’t you gonna do anything about it?”

“No? Must I remind you that I need this job?” You chuckled softly and he sighed.

“You can search for other places, Y/N.”

“I know but… I’ve grown to like it here. Minus my manager of course.” You said with a sad frown on your face and he sighed yet again.

“It’s just that… I think you should reconsider changing-” Chris was about to finish his sentence when a guy with dirty blonde hair came over to cut him off.

“Hyung, can I add something to our order?” He asked as you looked back and forth between them.

“Yeah, of course. What do you wanna add?” The guy glances over to you briefly before he whispers into Chris’ ear with his hand covering it and you stifle a laugh. Then, Chris cracks a smile and relays the message to you.

“Can you add one chocolate muffin please?”

“That’ll be an additional $5 charge to the final bill.” You teased, only for the guy to look surprised.

“Just kidding.” You giggled, hearing Chris chuckle while his friend relaxed a little.

“O-Oh…” He whispered quietly to himself.

“He’s cute…” You thought to yourself.

Just then, another guy rushes over to make a change to the order.

“Hi, sorry but can you change the Ice Blended Hazelnut Latte to Iced Mocha? Thank you!” The purple haired guy with adorable cheeks and muscular arms directed his words to you and this made you smile.

“Hi. And sure.” You said, making the change before looking back up to ask, “Any last changes before we proceed to make payment?”

The 3 of them looked at each other before Chris shook his head to you.

“Great.” You smiled at all of them and told Chris the total price. Once he was done paying, you gave the buzzer and receipt to Chris before they went back to their tables. You prepared their drinks while humming to the song on your playlist that was playing through the speakers in the cafe. Meanwhile, Seungmin kept glancing over behind the counter where you were by the espresso machine making the drinks.

Chan noticed this since he was sitting opposite Seungmin so he smiled as he nudged Seungmin’s arm and nodded his head towards you.

“What’s wrong, Seungmo?”

“H-Huh? Nothing, hyung. Was wondering if I should get some pastries to go.” Seungmin made up an excuse as he pretends to listen to the conversation. However, a couple of minutes later, Chan caught him looking over at you again. Suddenly, their buzzer began to buzz indicating that their orders were ready for collection. Changbin was about to stand when Chan stopped him.

“Hey Seungmin? Maybe you should go.” Chan said as the rest began to pick up the situation.

Minho then poked Seungmin’s side to tease him.

“Yeah, go talk to your new crush while you’re at it.” Minho said. Seungmin hissed at him but got up nonetheless. You were just wiping the collection counter when Seungmin came up to you.

“Uh… Here you go. Thanks.” Seungmin said as you smiled at him and took the buzzer from him. The only thing is, there’s two trays for them but only one person to carry. So you decided to offer some help.

“I’ll help you with this tray.” You said as he opened his mouth to say something but you were already leaving the back counter with their second tray. Both of you made your way to the table as Seungmin began to distribute the drinks while Chris helped with the ones on your tray. Once all the drinks and dessert had been placed on the table, you tapped Seungmin’s arm softly to get his attention.

“I can take the tray.” You said and he passed it to you.

“Um, thank you.” Seungmin gave you a small smile which you couldn’t help but return.

“No worries. Enjoy your drinks.” You politely said before you walked off.

The minute Seungmin sits down, Hyunjin and Changbin began to tease him in a good way. Seungmin could only brush them off and occasionally threaten them to shut up and it worked. They stayed at the cafe for about two hours or so, discussing their new song.

You were busy the entire two hours with the cleaning and making orders but it was still manageable.

About 10 minutes ago, your manager came back when there was a queue at the cashier. She didn’t bother to help as she went directly into the back room to do god knows what. You handled the orders as best as you could without her help. Not like she’s ever been much help all these while anyways. Not too long after, your co-workers who were working the evening shift just came and they both quickly put their bags down on top of the fridge and helped to make the drinks before they could even take their aprons.

After all the orders were completed and the last customer had taken her drink, only then did they let out a sigh and talked to you.

“Where’s Manager-nim?” Jimin asked, looking around.

“In the back room. She went to the bank 2 hours ago and she just came back like 15 minutes before you guys arrived?” You explained and they scoffed.

“She’s a nightmare. I don’t understand how she’s even a manager.” Jungkook said with a disgusted face and you laughed.

“Well, while you’re both taking your aprons, you can go say hi to her.” You teased them, only for Jungkook to pinch your side and you squeaked.

Another 30 minutes passed, your shift had just ended. Your manager had already left work unusually early, not like you guys cared anyway. You went to the back to change out of your uniform and wore the clothes you did when you came to work this morning. After you’ve kept your uniform in your bag, you leave the back room to say bye to your colleagues. Jimin was making his iced tea while Jungkook was just leaning against the counter and talking to Jimin.

You walked over to steal a bite of Jungkook’s apple pie and he scoffed at you.

“Excuse me, Missy? Go get your own pie.” Jungkook said with a growing smile on his face.

“Nah. I love stealing yours.” He laughed as Jimin poured the tea into the cup filled with ice cubes.

“You’re working tomorrow right?” Jimin asked.

“Yeah, morning shift again.”

“Are you doing anything at night?”

“Hmm, I don’t have any plans if that’s what you’re asking.”

“Jungkook and I are planning to go to the club tomorrow night. Wanna come?”

“Why should I? You’re both just gonna get drunk and go hook up with someone halfway through, leaving me all alone.”

“Nah. I don’t do hookups anymore. I’ve changed.” Jungkook says proudly but you could only giggle.

“Yeah right.” You said as Jungkook rolled his eyes jokingly to you.

“Fine. I’ll let you know if I change my mind.” You said before turning to leave, not forgetting to wave goodbye to them. As you were leaving the back counter, Chris and his friends were leaving the cafe as well.

“Oh Y/N. You’re leaving too?” Chris asked.

“Yeap.” You smiled at him, only for your eyes to naturally glide over to the blonde guy from earlier who was just behind Chris.

“So I’m guessing you’re heading home right now?” Chris asked, making you nod.

“Yeah. Gotta feed my parrot.”

“You have a parrot?” Seungmin asks curiously and you nod.

“Mhm! I’ve had him for 3 years now.”

“Oh, that’s nice. What’s the breed?”

“He’s an Indian Ringneck parrot.” You said as you showed them your phone wallpaper which was a picture of your parrot.

“Oh, he’s so cute!” Chris squeaked.

“Does he have a name?” Seungmin asked.

“His name is Zico! You guys should meet him one day.” You naturally blurt out this suggestion which kind of surprises him a little. Chris, not so much since he’s known you a little longer than Seungmin did.

“That would be nice. Maybe one day.” Chris smiled at you. Just then, you turned to Seungmin who had a soft smile on his face.

“I’d love to meet your parrot some day.” He said softly which made you smile. You then bid them goodbye since you would be parting ways now. You didn’t forget to say goodbye directly to Seungmin before you left and this woke the butterflies in his stomach.

The following day after work, you went home and suddenly remembered the proposal Jimin had offered you yesterday. It would be nice to just relax and cuddle up on your sofa alone at home, watching your favourite movies. However, going out to spend the night with two of your close buddies from work also sounds nice. Therefore, you decided to go ahead with the plan. You told them you’ll meet them there and so they got excited. You picked out your outfit which was a simple black sleeveless dress with strings to hold the back material together.

You paired it with a simple 3 inch heel so your feet don't hurt. When you made it to the club, you struggled to find your friends at first. But when you did, you caught them chilling at the bar. So you slinged your arms over the outer shoulders so that you would be in between them.

“Hi, handsome. Ready to party?” You asked and they smirked. Jungkook openly checks you out as he winked at you playfully.

“Ready as I’ll ever be.” Jimin said and you cheered. For the next 40 minutes, you drank a whole glass of Daiquiri and were now dancing on the dancefloor with them both. Jimin was standing in front of you while Jungkook was behind you.

They were your human shields from other drunk people who prey on drunk girls in the club. You held both Jimin’s hands as you danced with him to the song. Meanwhile, Jungkook was just moving to the beat behind you when suddenly, the song changed into a romantic but slightly slower beat. Jimin let go of your hands while he slowly got immersed in the song. You were just closing your eyes, allowing your body to move with the rhythm of the song when you felt a pair of hands sliding onto your waist and over your stomach.

You glance down to see Jungkook’s full right sleeve tattooed arm wrapping around your body while he pulls you into a back hug. He pressed his cheek against the side of your head only to say something in your ear.

“Whoever you date next, will be the luckiest guy on this earth.” You smiled as you pulled away only to find him smiling at you. He danced with you for a bit before the song changed again. After another hour or so, all 3 of you decided to go home and call it a night. Jungkook made sure to send you back home to your doorstep which you appreciated so much.

He unlocked your apartment door for you and brought you inside, removing your heels by the door and led you to your bedroom. Jungkook made sure to tuck you in before he wished you goodnight softly and made his way out of your apartment. He had just locked your front door just before he slammed your door shut and twisted the knob to make sure it was really locked when he turned around to find a guy walking past him. The guy flashed him a small smile and Jungkook did the same. Jungkook strolls slowly back to the lift lobby, stumbling a bit in his walk but was quick to recover.

Seungmin watched him walk to the lift lobby as he then glanced over at your door, not knowing that you lived there. Nevertheless, Seungmin enters his apartment which is right next to yours.

A week had passed and it was a Sunday afternoon. You were going to run some errands so you prepared to leave. You had just opened your door to leave when Chris shocked you.

“Y/N?! You live here?” Chris asked.

“Apparently…” You laughed as the rest of his friends were behind him only to walk around him while exchanging their hellos with you.

“What are you doing here?” You asked as you locked your door.

“We were going to just hang out at Seungmin’s place today.” Upon hearing that name, you turned around confused.

“Seungmin?”

As soon as you said his name, the door next to you opened and Seungmin peeked his head out from the doorway. He was surprised to see you but still greeted you nonetheless.

“Y-You… Hi?”

“Uh, hey!” You said with a smile on your face.

“She lives here, Seungmo. Didn’t you know?” Chris asked, only for him to shake his head.

“We’ve never bumped into each other before, hyung.”

“Really?! That’s so weird.” Chris said but then Felix joins in.

“Well, it seems like it’s fate.” Felix giggled as he rushed into his friend’s apartment while Seungmin was left standing there awkwardly blushing. You couldn’t help but giggle at how cute he looked.

“Since you guys live right next to each other, you guys can hang out more often.” Chris wiggles his eyebrows at you and Seungmin cheekily.

“Yeah. That would be nice.” You said while Seungmin glared at his friend.

“Okay then. I shall leave you guys to it. See you around Seungmin… And I’ll see you at the cafe, Chris.” You laughed as he did the same but nodded to your words. They briefly watched you leave before Seungmin grabbed Chan by his arm and forced him into his apartment.

“What are you doing, hyung?! Are you crazy?” Seungmin grumbles while Chan removes his shoes to join the others in the living room.

“Relax Seungmin, I’m doing you a favour.”

“What favour is there to do if she already has a boyfriend?” Seungmin asked and the rest of them went silent.

“Boyfriend? What are you talking about?” Chan asked, slightly confused. Seungmin sighed, feeling a little hesitant to tell them but he did anyway.

“Last weekend, when I was about to reach my apartment, I caught that guy who works with her leaving her apartment. He looked a little tipsy when he left too.” Seungmin sighed as he plops down next to Jeongin.

“Which guy?” Chan asks since he knows a lot about you at this point.

“He’s the one with the full sleeve tattoo on his right arm.” Immediately, Chan lets out a relieved sigh.

“Oh, Jungkookie… They’re just friends. He’s quite touchy with almost everyone he’s close with. But Y/N once told me that Jungkook and her are just very close friends, nothing more. So don’t worry. He’s not her boyfriend. You’re still safe to continue.” Chan encouraged Seungmin while the others did the same as well.

“W-What if you’re wrong? What if they decided to date each other now? What if she’s not telling you the truth? What if-” Seungmin was about to go on about his questions when Hyunjin stopped him.

“Kim Seungmin… Just ask her out. You can’t just assume things without getting a proper answer. Ask her out and see what she says. If she rejects you then maybe she is dating someone. If she accepts then hey? That’s one step closer for you.��

“Yeah, Seungmin ah. Just go for it. You wouldn’t know if you haven’t tried.” Jisung said as Seungmin let out a soft sigh, knowing his friends were right. He was afraid of getting rejected but at least he’ll get his answer on whether you’re single or unavailable. Then from there he could decide whether to go on or not.

A couple of days later, you were working as usual when you saw Seungmin enter the cafe alone. You didn’t expect to see him here because normally, it would be Chris who walks into the cafe at this hour. Nonetheless, when he meets your eyes, you flash him a warm smile.

“Hi.” You greeted softly and he grins at you adorably.

“H-Hi.”

“What can I get for you today?” You asked as he glanced over at the fridge to point at one of the cakes before looking back at you.

“I’ll have a cheesecake and one iced vanilla latte to go, please? Thank you.” Seungmin said and you keyed in his order.

“Anything else?”

He shook his head and you proceeded with the payment. After he had paid for his order, you gave him the receipt and he went over to wait by the collection counter. While you were preparing his order, Seungmin couldn’t hide his nervousness so he texted Chan.

Seungmin [sent at 2:13 pm]: I can’t do it

Chanie Hyung [read at 2:13 pm]: What?!

Chanie Hyung [read at 2:13 pm]: Don’t you dare back out now, Kim Seungmin >:(

Seungmin [sent at 2:14 pm]: What if she says no?

Chanie Hyung [read at 2:14 pm]: You haven’t even tried asking, how would you know she’ll say no?

Seungmin [sent at 2:15 pm]: Shit, she’s almost done. Hyung I can’t do it…

Chanie Hyung [read at 2:16 pm]: Seungmo, you’re gonna regret not asking her out afterwards… Trust me. There’s no harm in asking…

As Seungmin tries to process Chan’s last message, you gently call his name to get his attention. You slide the bag which has his drink and the cake in a small box towards him with a smile.

“Thanks for coming. Have a good weekend.” You said to him.

Seungmin simply flashed you a small shy smile before he thanked you and took the bag from you. Seungmin was about to open his mouth but then he saw Jungkook leaving the back room while tying his apron string around his back. With that being said, Seungmin left without a second thought and this somehow disappoints you a little. After he left in a rush, Jungkook pokes your side and questions.

“Who was that? Your friend?” Jungkook asked casually as he removed the portafilter from the coffee machine and gently slammed it upside down by the handle to remove the used ground coffee into the bin.

“He’s Chris’ friend actually and apparently my neighbour too.” You chuckled while he wiped the filter with a towel to clean the leftover coffee grounds.

“Oh right. He lives right next to you. I think I bumped into him that night when I sent you home after we went to the club with Jimin hyung.”

“You did?” Your voice was soft now as he nodded.

“He probably thinks I’m your boyfriend or date.”

“Well, if you saw a random guy leaving your crush’s place and is slightly tipsy, you would assume they at least hooked up.”

“Fair point. But hey, I can tell him we aren’t a thing if he ever swings by again. He probably has a crush on you.” Jungkook teased with a cheeky smirk on his face. You could say something but you didn’t wanna sound like a fool so you opted to continue with your work. You were currently seated on the floor in front of the bottom fridge, keeping the new stock of milk cartons when Jungkook’s voice catches your attention.

“Hey Cinderella, someone’s looking for you.” Jungkook said from the coffee machine with a smirk and this terrifies you. So you closed the fridge and stood up, only to be met with Seungmin.

“Hey? Did I make a mistake with your order?” You asked, only for him to shake his head.

“A-Actually, no. I um… I came back cause I wanted to… Well, I was wondering if you were free later tonight. I-It’s okay if you’re not. You don’t have to say yes.” Seungmin stuttered and from his shaky voice, you could tell he was nervous. But his simple courage to even come back and ask you this was really admirable.

“Yeah. I’m free tonight. I end at 5.” You said and he seemed shocked.

“Oh.” He paused as if to process your answer.

“Uh… Great? I’ll knock on your door at 8?” He continued from where he left off.

“Sure.” You smiled.

Finally, his lips curled up into a smile that leaves your heart fluttering.

“Alright then… See you later.” He said as you bid him goodbye. After he left, Jungkook squeaked whilst turning off the steaming wand.

“Finally! You scored a date!” Jungkook said happily as you laughed.

“Shut up, silly.” You said before going back to what you were doing previously.

Hours later, you were getting nervous for your date. You tried to pull up a nice outfit to wear instead of your usual jeans and hoodie. It took you almost an hour to decide on what to wear. In which you finally chose a black denim mid thigh skirt, a white long sleeve fitting top and a pair of white sneakers to finish off your look. This wasn’t your usual outfit so you think it was somewhat decent. When the clock strikes 8 o’clock, your door receives a few knocks and this triggers your nervous heart. Nevertheless, you went to the door and opened it, only to find Seungmin standing there looking twice as handsome as he normally does.

He wore a black shirt, a varsity jacket, a pair of jeans and a pair of sneakers. His hair was blonde and long enough to fall past his eyes. The minute you opened the door, Seungmin couldn’t help but give you one quick glance from head to toe before meeting your eyes again shyly.

“Hi… Y-You look really nice.” He said, making you blush.

“Thanks. I could say the same for you too.” You said and this time, it was his turn to blush.

“Shall we go?”

“Where are we going?”

“You’ll see.” Seungmin said and this sparked your curiosity. You locked your door and soon left with him. He brought you to his car as he drove off without telling you the destination. In the car, you bonded with him and got to know more about each other. Everything was going smoothly so far and you were so happy. He brought you to a Korean BBQ restaurant and you were excited for the beef.

Dinner went well as you found yourself being comfortable around him. He was very gentle and calm around you, making you relax and not have to pretend to like being with him. After dinner, he drove you to a lookout point where you both sat on the hood of his car, admiring the stars in the night sky while you talked to him more. Though you never really opened up to him completely about your private life, he never forced it out of you also.

Simply out of respect since you two were only just starting to get to know each other anyway. About an hour or so, both of you decided to call it a night. When you made it outside your door, he made sure to thank you for tonight.

“Thank you for agreeing to hang out with me tonight. I really enjoyed it.” He says.

“No worries. I really like it too… And I don’t mind doing this again.” You gave him the hint which thankfully, he caught.

“Really?” He asked and so you nod.

“Then in that case… Do you have any plans next Saturday?” You asked.

“Hmm, that depends… Do you wanna schedule a plan for us next week?”

“I’d love to.”

“Great. I’ll see you next week then. Does 2pm sound good to you?” He asked.

“Absolutely.”

“Alright then. I’ll see you next week at 2pm. Goodnight Y/N.” He smiles.

“Goodnight Seungmin.” You smiled, turning to unlock your door and enter your apartment. He internally cheers for himself before heading into his apartment. He made sure to update his friends about his date and also the upcoming one. Only for his friends to freak out and encourage him to keep pushing forward.

For the next few weeks, you’ve been on a couple of dates with Seungmin but neither one of you have actually gone past the simple hand holding and slight cuddles. No one has been brave enough to kiss the other. The feelings were mutual and they were there. However, kissing the other person was just too nerve wracking to think about, let alone do it. Today was going to be your 8th date with Seungmin and you planned to somehow kiss him. Maybe just a peck at least. You had planned it all in your head, playing out the scenario to see if it would turn out okay or weird.

It’s been about 2 hours into your date where you were just chilling on his sofa when you received a phone call from your mum. So you picked it up instantly without a doubt.

“Hi mum!” You said cheerily into the call but all you heard was your mum’s frantic voice.

“Y/N. Come home quick. Grandma just fell in the toilet and we’re heading to the hospital now. She’s not in good shape…”

“What? O-Okay! I’ll come now.” You said as you had a tear roll down your cheek and he saw.

“Y/N? What’s wrong? Is everything okay?” Seungmin asked and you quickly got up to leave but he stopped you.

“Hey? Is everything okay?” Seungmin asked as he gently held your wrist and caressed it with his thumb.

“Y-Yeah. I’m so sorry but we have to postpone the date. I’m really sorry, Seungmin.”

“No, no, it’s fine. You don’t have to apologise. But, you sound like you’re heading somewhere. Do you need a ride?”

“I-I… I can get an uber. I don’t wanna trouble you.”

“No, please. I insist.” He said kindly and you were hesitant.

“But it’s a 2 hour drive from here…” You said and he smiled.

“At least you won’t be alone on your way there.” Seungmin said and your heart instantly melts for him.

“A-Are you sure?” You asked just to double confirm since you weren’t forcing him to take you to your destination.

“Absolutely. Come on. Go grab whatever you need and we’ll head out.” Seungmin says and you couldn’t help but lunge yourself onto him. You wrapped your arms around his waist as you buried your head in his chest.

“Thank you so much…” You whispered and he heard you. So he gently wrapped his arms around your shoulders to hold you for a bit before letting you go.

“Don’t mention it.” Seungmin smiles down at you as you both leave his apartment.

You went back to yours to quickly grab your belongings and soon left after locking your apartment door. Half an hour into the drive, neither of you were talking while the music played softly in the background. You have been texting your mum for the past few minutes to get an update on your grandma. Which he gave you the privacy to do so. When suddenly, you spoke up and Seungmin glanced at you briefly before he focused his eyes back on the road.

“My grandma fell down earlier and my parents are rushing her to the hospital…” Your voice was soft.

“I’m so sorry… Did they make it to the hospital?”

“Yeah. She’s in the A&E now, with the doctors.” You stared at your phone, unable to hide your emotions. Seungmin gently reaches over to scoop one of your hands. He tangles his fingers with yours while he rubs soft circles into the back of your hand with his thumbs.

“She’ll be okay.” Seungmin said, looking at you briefly only to catch a growing small smile on your face despite the tears in your eyes.

“I hope so.” You whispered and he turned back to the road. Through the entire drive, you held his hand in yours on your lap for comfort. The drive was surprisingly faster than you thought but thankful to have made it to the hospital safely. You rushed into the building after texting your mum for updates. When you make it to the ward, Seungmin trails behind you as you open the isolation ward door to find your parents on either side of the bed while your grandma lays there with a hip brace.

“Grandma!” You called as you rushed over to them. You cried upon seeing her there with a weak smile on her face.

“Hi my dear. How are you?” She asked.

“Why are you asking me? I should be the one asking you that question.” You said sadly and she chuckled.

“I don’t know what you’re talking about. I’m perfectly fine, sweetheart.” She says, making you sigh. Just then, your dad spoke up to acknowledge Seungmin as he came to stand next to your dad after bowing to him politely.

“Oh, hello son. You are?” You dad asked.

“Hi Sir. Um, I’m Seungmin. Y/N’s friend.”

“We were hanging out when mum called and he kindly offered to drive me here.” You explained to your parents only for them to feel thankful.

“Really? Oh how nice of you, dear. So sorry to trouble you to come all the way here.” Your mum said.

“It’s fine, Ma’am. I saw how shaken up she got after she received the call so I didn’t feel good to leave her on her own.” Seungmin said.

“Thank you for being here for my daughter.” Your dad said and Seungmin smiled.

The four of you spent the next hour there before your parents told you to head home. You frowned as you said you wanted to stay over back at your old home with them so you could come and visit your grandma for the next few days.

“What about Seungmin?” Your mum asked as you both turned to look at your dad talking to Seungmin by the door, a few metres away from you and your mum.

Seungmin did send you all the way here on a 2 hour drive because he didn’t want to let you be alone. So wouldn’t it be selfish if you told him to drive back home for 2 hours on his own now?

“Will you and dad be okay if he stayed with us for a couple days more before we head back?” You asked and she smiled.

“Of course sweetie. Besides, it wouldn’t be nice if you sent him home now after all that he’s done for you.”

“I know… Okay, I'll go and ask him.” You said as you got up and made your way over to him and your dad.

“Hey dad? I was thinking of staying with you and mum for a couple of days so I could come here and visit grandma.”

“Of course you can sweetie.” Your dad said before you glanced at Seungmin and then back at your dad.

“And I was wondering if you’ll be okay with Seungmin staying with us too before we head back together?”

Seungmin’s jaw drops slightly while your dad smiles, “Definitely.”

“B-But I-” Seungmin didn't finish his sentence when you cut him off.

“You offered to drive me here for 2 hours just so I wouldn’t be alone. I can’t just tell you to drive back home for another 2 hours on your own now. That’s unfair.” You smiled at him.

Meanwhile, your dad was just silently watching from the side with a fond smile on his face. Seungmin was shy but he knew you had a valid point. So he decided to agree with your offer. With that being said, you stayed for a little while more before all 4 of you made your way back to your old home. Your mum prepared the guest room quickly before she showed him to the room on the ground level next to the laundry room. Seungmin thanked your mum as he went inside to make himself comfortable.

In the meantime, you went through your closet to try and dig out whatever mens clothing that you bought for yourself to lend to him during his stay here. You came back down to find him sitting on the bed just staring at the window. So you knocked on the door softly to not startle him.

“Hey… You okay?” You asked and he smiled.

“Yeah. I’m okay.” Seungmin said before you walked in to pass him the clothes. He carefully took them from you and placed it next to him. You sat down beside him as you softly spoke up.

“You don’t have to stay if you have important things to do back home like work. I just felt bad if I told you to go back now after you’ve driven me all the way here.”

“It’s okay. I can just call in sick. They’ll understand.”

“Are you sure? I really don’t want to hold you back.”

“Don’t worry. I want to stay.” Seungmin said, awakening the butterflies in your stomach.

“Okay…” You whispered to him.

He glanced down at your lips briefly and you caught him. Seungmin then looked back into your eyes and gave you a gentle smile.

“You should get some rest.” He said, making you nod.

With that being said, you wished him goodnight and was on your way back to your room upstairs. A few hours went by and you couldn’t really sleep. You had a lot on your mind, especially thinking about your grandma. You sighed as you turned to the clock on your bedside table to see that it was half past midnight. You wondered if Seungmin was already asleep but you didn’t want to text him. So you got out of bed and tip-toed your way down the stairs. You carefully walked over to the guest room to see the door closed.

You hesitate at first, knowing you shouldn’t disturb him. But at that moment, you were yearning for his comfort so you decided to try your luck. You went up to his door and gave it two very soft knocks. You told yourself to wait for 3 seconds and if you got no reply, then you should just head back upstairs. However, before you could count to 2, the door swung open slightly and he looked wide awake.

“Y/N? Why aren’t you asleep yet?” He asked gently to which you bashfully smiled at him.

“U-Uh, I can’t sleep… Was I disturbing you? I’m so sorry.” You said but he shook his head and pulled the door open wider.

“No, you weren’t actually. Do you wanna come inside?” He asked and so you nodded. You walked towards his bed while he closed the door quietly before joining you.

“What were you doing before I came?” You asked.

“I was actually about to text you to ask if you had any spare charger that I could borrow.”

“Oh. I do. Let me go get it. It’s in the living room.” You said and he patiently waits for you. 2 minutes later, you came back with a charger in your hand and plugged it to the socket next to his bed.

“Thanks.” He says before plugging his phone in. You were about to leave, thinking you'd already disturbed him enough when he spoke up.

“I know you have trouble sleeping but do you maybe wanna lay down and at least try to fall asleep?” He asked.

“But, what if I end up falling asleep here?"

“I can just sleep here too.”

“Really?”

“Yeah? Why not?”

“Okay.” You whispered softly as he pulled the cover back so that he could climb in and you followed after. Once you were both snuggled in the guest bed, he turned to you with a gentle look on his face.

“Come here.” Seungmin said and so you took this chance to scoot over. You snuggled into his side, resting your head on his chest while he held you close. Seungmin’s lips brushed over your forehead and you could feel it. He caressed your wrist with his thumb that was resting on top of his chest. The room fell silent for a good minute or so. With him just softly running his fingers through your hair to smoothen the tangles out. Your eyelids finally began to droop down . Suddenly, Seungmin began to sing sweetly above you. His voice was sultry and smooth.

If he was a supernatural being, he could be a siren.

This works like a charm and you slowly begin to drift off to sleep. The next morning, you woke up to the feeling of someone hugging you from behind. You let out a soft sound from trying to stretch, only to hear him whine behind you.

“What time is it?” His raspy morning voice says from behind you.

You grabbed your phone to check the time and it was just a quarter to 8 in the morning, “It’s 7:45 am.”

“Mmm, more sleep then.” Seungmin hums as he nuzzles his face deeper into your neck while hugging you tightly. You fell asleep for another hour or two before you got woken up by your mother’s voice at the door.

“Kids, I’ve made breakfast.”

Seungmin groans softly before he responds to your mum, “Okay. Thank you.”

A few seconds later, you jolted up when it finally hit you.

“Shit… She knows I’m here.” You panicked, only for him to look at you and finally caught on.

“Oh…”

With that being said, you quickly got out of bed and left his room in hopes you don’t bump into your parents. However, when you were about to dash past the kitchen to head to the staircase, your mother caught you just in time.

“Oh good, you’re up. Where’s Seungmin?” She asks with a smile on her face while she pours fresh orange juice into the glasses.

“U-Uh… He’s awake, I think?” You replied and she simply laughed.

So you excused yourself to head back upstairs and wash up. You ended up spending another two more days there to visit your grandma before deciding to head back. While you were saying goodbye to your parents on the front porch, your mum said, “Seungmin is a sweet boy. It’s still not too late, you know?”

You knew what she was saying so all you did was smile at her. After you left, you never spoke about it throughout the drive. Instead, you talked about other things so that he does not get suspicious. When you finally arrived outside at your apartment unit, you turned to say thanks to him.

“Thank you again for everything.”

“You’re welcome.” Seungmin smiled as you were running out of words to say purely out of nerves. Just then, you wanted to cut the awkwardness so you excused yourself.

“Yeah, I’ll just head back inside. Thanks Seungmin.” You quickly said before rushing in.

You let out a heavy breath while leaning against your door. You wanted to get up and move on with your day but a huge part of you was screaming at you for leaving him out there.

Maybe he already went back into his apartment.

Maybe he went back downstairs to go for a drive.

Maybe he left because you abruptly left.

However, all your assumptions were false because when you decided to open the door and find him, you were surprised to find him standing outside your door with a sad frown on his face.

“Y/N?” He whispered your name.

With that being said, you threw yourself forward to wrap your arms around his shoulders and pull him in for a passionate kiss. You used both hands to gently hold his face while his hands slid around your lower back. When you pulled away to breath, he looked at you with a growing smile on his face.

“T-That um… Wow t-that was really nice.” Seungmin said softly and you blushed. He gently tugs you back in to kiss you again. You felt him smile against your lips, squeezing your waist softly. This time when he pulled away, he guided you back into your apartment as you giggled.

“I like you, Y/N.” He confessed to which you pushed your front door closed and smiled.

“Good… Because I like you too.”

Once you confessed your feelings, Seungmin kissed you again, more passionately as that would be the start of your relationship.

#stray kids scenarios #skz scenarios #stray kids imagines #skz x reader #skz imagines #stray kids x reader #kim seungmin #stray kids seungmin #skz seungmin #seungmin x reader #kim seungmin imagines #seungmin scenarios #kim seungmin x reader

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doki-doki-imagines · 7 months

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hiiii!! may i get something really cute for tomas? 🥺 maybe like a scenario where the reader is his secret or not so secret admirer and he finds out and accepts them? it could be obvious or hidden in the little things that he's barely noticed until now!! sorry if this is too specific, but thank you if you get to this hehehe

author note: changed the prompt a tiiiiny bit. Happy Valentine!

You walk towards the Shirai Ryu quarters, a beautifully wrapped heart box in your hands. It is Saint Valentine's Day, the day of lovers and if your heart keeps going with this insane rhythm you won't reach the end of the day. Your infatuation for the grey ninja led you to deliver little trinkets and gifts for the passing months, obviously never leaving any clue about the "mysterious admirer".

Tomas never talked about this to anybody, so you thought he maybe was ashamed about that. But he never said he was annoyed about the situation! Maybe he just didn't want to share this situation with the others; for sure they would have teased him to the end of his days. This is the day where you confess your feelings, tired of pining over a guy who will never reciprocate you. That doesn't mean you won't give him one last gift! You made the cookies inside with Tomas's fave chocolate, milk one with hazelnuts. You'll get rejected but at least you'll be remembered for being nice even in defeat!

Your steps are wobbly and you feel your legs giving out when finally you see him in front of his house. Sun is still high in the sky, light illuminating his perfect face and body. He is sitting on the wooden floor in front of his house, eyes closed and taking the sun in, slightly leaning back. The sight makes your heart skip a beat.

"Oh! Hi!" You don't see him opening his eyes and waving at you, too awestruck.

"Is that for me?" He points at the package in your sweaty hands. He has a big smile on his face, but you think it is mocking, more than sincere happiness.

"Y-Yes. I-I" You can't say a single word out, emotions fumbling your brain. "I was waiting for you! After all the gifts you left me I would have been crushed not to see you today."

"WHAT" It is the first word you are able to sputter out. "So you know!" You shout, one hand now covering your face, blood flow thumping in your ears.

"Yes! I may not be a grandmaster, but I'm still number two Shirai Ryu ninja." His smile now reaches his eyes, now twinkling with joy.

"For how long have you known it?" You gasp out, stepping back. It's useless tho, now Tomas is standing up, slowly walking towards you. "Since day one, you aren't the best at sneaking around, plus all your gifts had your smell."

"Y-You can recognize my smell?" You are sure you won't reach alive the end of the day.

"Your crush isn't sideway, honey. So, are you going to give me the sweets?"

"Yes!" You finally push the heart-shaped package on his chest, hitting it against his ninja suit. "Hope they taste good!"

"Oh, you aren't sure?" Tomas opens the package, red ribbon sliding to the ground, one of your cookies pinched by his fingers "Taste it before me." The cookie touches your lips and you welcome it. It tastes scrumptious and it makes your body finally relax a bit.

"It is good." You mumble.

"Good, I'm gonna try it."

It all happens in a matter of a second, his lips lock with yours, licking your mouth and sucking on your tongue. It doesn't last much, but your heartbeat returns to the insane rhythm of before. Then Tomas pulls away, licking his lips, thumb cleaning the corner of his lips where a bit of saliva is stuck.

"The chocolate taste is amazing. You are really wonderful." The compliment adds to the turmoil of emotions in your brain, everything is going too perfectly and you didn't expect any of this.

"This is not a dream, right?" Tomas chuckles, side-hugging you walking you away from his house.

"Hope you don't have anything planned because I booked a table at Madame Bo."

"Oh! Nono, I'm free!! Let's go." You hold his hand, now you are the one taking the lead. You are so happy you feel like flying, not walking. You are on cloud nine. And when sitting down at Madame Bo, with the mind a bit more clear you can finally see your same feelings in his eyes.

#mk x reader #mk1 x reader #mortal kombat x reader #tomas vrbada #mk1 smoke #tomas x reader #smoke x reader #mk scenario #mortal kombat scenario #mk1 scenario

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maithefluffychicken · 1 year

Text

Hazelnuts and blackberries, chocolate and lavender

Part 1 / Part 2

Omegaverse Steddie fanfiction, alpha Eddie Munson, omega Steve Harrington, strangers to friends to lovers, alpha beta omega dynamics.

Starcourt.

Small business owners complain about that hellish building that's going murder Hawkins' commercial economy. Or whatever.

Surely, it was going to murder Eddie's sanity, that's a fact. Since the mall opened its doors, the poor alpha’s life hasn’t been the same.

First, that awful morning when Eddie skipped his math class to buy a tape. Not just any tape but the ‘Marching Out’ by Yngwie Fucking Malmsteem, a tape that just released and it was already considered a worthwhile listen album. Eddie was ecstatic, a spring in his step, thinking about listening to his new tape for hours on end, just to find out that the little, cluttered tapes and vinyl store he loved - and where he used to spend a big part of his money - was closed.

Closed!

Eddie glared, gaping like a fish, at the closed door and blinded windows and the big cardboard placard with the word ‘closed’ in big, red letters. By its side, a note that said that the customers could still find whatever music they were looking for in the bigger and better record store at Starcourt Mall.

Since there were no other stupid stores to buy the tape - gas stations never had the new things - Eddie had to go to Starcourt.

Second, the stupid music store with a stupid cool name - Divinyl Madness Records - needed a stupid someone to hire as clerk.

Eddie was that stupid someone, it seemed. The owner of the store was nice, an older and intimidating alpha that sported a trimmed beard and a mane longer than Eddie’s; he saw the boy’s looks and his always present battle denim vest and, with a wolfish grin, as if he had found an equal, asked him a few things while Eddie was trying to buy the fucking tape! What kind of music he listened to (metal, mostly), if he played some instrument (guitar, d-uh!), if he minded talking with people (people usually minded to talk with him if he were being honest), and if he was interested to become part of Divinyl Records, as a clerk.

Eddie could save some money, help at home, and hopefully, Chief Hopper wouldn’t be such a present figure in his life if he worked there. That would be nice. He could always keep his other job - selling a few joints from time to time - but maybe he could start a new life. One that could let him out of here.

That day, Eddie came home with ‘Marching Out’ blasting from his van’s windows down and a new job.

Ok, all in all that had been a nice day after all. Sure, Eddie would miss the old store and his chaotic shelves and disarrayed style, and the owner's long stares at him, the beta glaring at Eddie for taking too much time deciding what to buy while waiting for new album releases. But at home that night, when he told his uncle Wayne about his new job, the man rewarded him with a proud glint in his eye and a pat on his shoulder, reassuring him that he didn't need to worry about their economics, that Eddie better save his money for his future, and made him promise to not go around skipping his classes again.

Third, and worse thing about Starcourt and working there, though, was Steve the King of the Jerks Harrington.

And if his persona wasn't bad enough, the real nightmare was the tight, small ridiculous sailor uniform he had to wear because the fallen ruler of Hawkin’s High worked in the silly ice cream parlor called Scoops Ahoy!

Divinyl Madness was situated right in front from Scoops Ahoy, Eddie had a perfect view of the former king's highlighted blonde mane ruined by the silly hat, his toned arms flexing every time he scooped ice cream. That alone could drive any alpha insane.

But his shorts. Oh boy.

The blue fabric clinged to his round ass perfectly, and left muscular, slightly hairy thighs on sight. And those long white socks that covered his calves.

Eddie maybe hated the guy, but fuck, he was hot. Really hot. Stupidly hot, ridiculously even, always has been, and the alpha hated the way his eyes lingered on the jock whenever he was nearby.

Eddie knew, because he had heard it at high school, that one of the reasons for Harrington's disgrace was the fact that he presented late and as omega. Captain of the swimming team, basketball star, and a bully jock turned into nothing just because of his secondary gender. Eddie couldn’t easily forgive the way Steve Harrington treated his people, the nerds, the outcasts and the misfits, but he never understood that hate towards male omegas or female alphas, as if they were less than nothing. Stupid old-fashioned social conventions.

Anyway. The real and only reason Eddie hated to work at the record store is that Steve Harrington was always there, too, in that small outfit, being hot.

Hot enough to distract Eddie from time to time, who started to stare at him when he wasn't busy and no clients were at the store.

Hot enough to start invading Eddie's dreams at night, and fuck it all, even his fantasies when he was wide awake at night and restless because Steve was a wet dream made flesh and bone and Eddie was just a guy. Just give him a rest. What if he had to knot his own fist, what else could he do about it?

Eddie was just a guy who ate a lot of ice cream that summer.

“Ahoy Ladies! Would you like to set sail on this ocean of flavor with me? I’ll be your captain, I’m Steve Harrington,” Steve’s cheerful and flirty greeting to every cute girl while he winked and used his sultriest voice was fucking unnerving to Eddie. Maybe an old habit from when he was expecting to present as an alpha.

Maybe Steve preferred other omegas, just because they were girls? Eddie frowns upon this and he feels suddenly sick. Every fucking time he comes for a stupid ice cream during his break the same thing, the same stupid line falling from these pink, flush lips and Eddie feels…

He fucking wants to growl and snarl at these other poor omegas girls that are unaware of his inner turmoil. He’s going insane, and he has been working at Divinyl Record for only three weeks.

The girls have their ice creams, ignoring the omega in his slutty sailor disguise but they all scrunch their noses when walking past Eddie, glaring at him and flushing themselves together, the way the omegas do to protect themselves against an alpha. Eddie, even enraptured by Steve, notices it and looks at them in confusion, until- fuck. His scent. Sour with jealousy and spicier with his own arousal, it’s a very distinctive and very alpha smell, no doubt the poor girls had felt the need to close their pack to protect themselves, leaving the establishment in a rush.

Fucking great, as if Eddie hadn’t enough in his plate already, now he smells like a predator. And it’s not like he can turn and say ‘hey babes, don’t you fret, you surely are all lovely and very enticing omegas, but I’m afraid my mind is set in this pretty sailor over here, I won’t represent any danger to any of you, and now I bid you farewell.’ Ha!

“Ahoy Lad-, oh Eddie, hi!” Steve greets him, a wide smile in those pink lips and Eddie can’t help but to think, it’s not fair. Why the fuck does Steve to smile at him like that, as if he’s happy to see him today, as if he’s happy to have Eddie coming for an ice cream every day since Eddie started working in the mall, right in front of Scoops Ahoy.

“What, no offer for me to sail this ocean of flavor, hm?” Eddie teases, he can’t help himself. “ You don’t want to be my captain, Harrington?”

Steve’s cheeks turn red and that’s such a good look on him. Eddie’s hindbrain yells mine and he has to shake his head, reminding himself he hates this guy and always will. People don’t change, Steve Harrington doesn't change, he’s still the same jerk, even if his scent is sweeter now and his hair is a bit longer, with blonde highlights…

“Pft, captain? Not even Private First Class, our dear Steve,” a chirpy voice says from the backstore, the blonde girl who works with Steve appearing and resting her arm on Steve’s shoulder, grinning wide while Steve frowns at her. “But he’s working hard. How are you, Eddie?”

“Hey, Robin,” Eddie smiles tensely at her, he doesn’t enjoy the way she treats the omega. From the record store, though, Eddie has seen that it’s just how their friendship is. He knows, he knows they’re friends, and Eddie is no one for them, for Steve. “Slow day at the store, I’m here for my daily dose of sugar.”

They’re not friends, Eddie has to remind himself, when Steve offers him a blinding smile, droopy eyes locking with his own when he asks if he wants a sample of their new flavor.

Fuck.

The thing is, and this is when Eddie realizes for real that he’s completely fucked - about this whole affair who involves Steve Harrington and his inner, loud alpha- the thing is, that Steve’s scent smells like hazelnuts and lavender. And since Eddie started working at the store and spending his money on ice cream, he has been asking for flavors that remind him of Steve’s scent. Almond and maple syrup, chocolate and peanuts - his favorite, since Eddie’s own scent is dark chocolate and blackberries, and -

He hasn’t noticed until now, until this exact moment when he shrugs and Steve offers him a disposable spoon with the new ice cream flavor: caramel and hazelnuts.

Eddie opens his mouth, inhaling the cold scent of the sample when Steve raises his hand, offering the spoon to him; the omega chuckles but shoves the spoon in Eddie’s mouth carefully. The omega’s own scent, warmer and even sweeter, the hint of lavender fills Eddie’s nostrils and makes his mouth water.

Fuck.

“It's good, right?” Steve asks him, eyes wide. Maybe ice cream is the ex-jock whole life, now. “Do you like it?”

Eddie nods, awestruck, forgetting where he is, wrapping his fingers around Steve’s wrist, gently. Steve flares his nostrils, inhaling deep too, and blushing right in front of Eddie’s eyes, who feels his blood boiling in his veins. The omega holds his gaze, his almond eyes bright and wide open, lips parted to taste whatever he’s smelling-

Robin clears her voice, “Steve, I think Eddie wants his ice cream so he can go back to work, and we have more clients waiting.”

The alpha almost snaps at her, turning his head to snarl, but her soft eyes and knowing smile are enough to keep his mouth closed. What the fuck is happening to him today?

“Yes, yeah, sure. What flavor do you want today, Eddie?”

Eddie comes back to the record store with two scoops in his cone, his usual chocolate and peanuts - the closest to hazelnuts until now - and… well, hazelnuts and caramel.

“Hey, pup, what’s wrong with you?” Joe, the alpha who owns the store looks at him and wrinkles his nose. “You smell like you fell into a chocolate fountain, like burnt sugar, you feeling ok, Munson?"

"I… I'm fine," Eddie lies, and the hours don't run fast enough.

When he reaches home, his uncle Wayne winces.

"Uf, son, your rut is early," he says, greeting him.

"Hng," Eddie agrees, flopping onto the couch, face first.

"Something triggered it?" His uncle asks, not unkindly, shuffling in their small kitchenette.

"What do you mean, Wayne?" He bristles, almost snarls, but his uncle simply laughs and puts a glass of water on the table for him.

"Do ya really want to go through the bees and the birds talk again, son?" Wayne asks, teases him, and Eddie grunts, hides his face against the plush, worn cushions that smell like him and his uncle. Their little pack. "Ya know what I mean, some pretty omega caught yer eyes?"

"Uncle Wayne," Eddie groans. Then, the younger alpha thinks about droopy, hazel eyes, about pink lips stretched in an open smile, and the smell of sweet hazelnuts. "Maybe."

His rut lasts three whole days, he spends them in his room, thrashing and growling and having half a mind to not destroy everything he has, his guitars, his amps, his books.

On the fourth day and feeling like shit, Eddie comes back to high school, to his band practice, and to Divinyl Records. At least his brain is not full of cotton anymore, even if his hindbrain is still louder in his mind.

Eddie apologizes to Joe for calling in sick for three whole days.

"It's ok, pup," the alpha pats his shoulder with such force that makes Eddie stumble. "It gets easier when you're older."

"Really?"

"Nah, not really," Joe laughs, putting a box full of records on Eddie's trembling arms and he picks another box, and points Eddie with his chin to follow him. "Just an omega, a good mate, it's the only thing that will make your ruts less miserable, pup. Find someone who sees that you’re so much more than a knothead and never let go."

Eddie snorts at these words, but during his shift, he can’t stop thinking about it. Fuck, he knows he’s far too young to think about finding a mate, and yet, something weird tugs at his gut when he glances sideways and sees Steve across the corridor, in his blue uniform and smiling to a kid. There’s this pup again, his curls under a cap, Eddie has seen him with Steve other times, they greet each other with a silly handshake that makes Eddie smile despite his best effort to keep his frown.

His hindbrain whines and Eddie reminds it, sulking, that they’re not friends, they’re no less than hereditary enemies. There’s no place in Steve’s life for someone like Eddie.

Eddie is focusing, organizing and reshelving some tapes behind the counter when a soft cough calls his attention and makes him turn around.

“Good ev- Harrington?”

Steve is in front of him, holding two cones in front of him, his blond hair is falling over his eyes but there’s no little white hat, and he’s smiling. Wide and beautiful. At Eddie.

“Hi, Eddie,” Steve greets him, his smile shy and tentative.

“What can I do for you, Captain Harrington?” Eddie teases, his eyes jumping from the ice creams to Steve’s eyes.

“You didn’t come for your ice cream today nor the last days, and I thought…” Steve blushes, his eyes leave Eddie’s. “I thought I could bring it to you, maybe we can have our breaks together?”

Eddie gapes like a fish, opening his mouth with nothing to say, and then closing it again. He manages to mumble something about letting his boss know and Steve’s smile widens.

Lavender and hazelnuts fill his nostrils suddenly when Steve’s scent peaks with joy, and Eddie feels far too weak after his rut, his mind wheeling before the alpha can look for his boss at the backstore.

When the older alpha appears, trailing behind Eddie, he looks at Steve and then at his employee, arching a brow. He doesn’t say a thing, but Eddie feels like Joe knows exactly who was the one triggering the rut that forced Eddie to miss three days of work.

Eddie clears his throat and takes the cone Steve is offering, leading him out the store to find some place where they can sit and eat their ice cream.

“It’s the hazelnut and caramel from last time,” Steve informs him, blushing. But if you'd rather have some other flavor…”

“Nope!” Eddie interrupts him, blushing fiercely but unable to stop his mouth. “I loved this one, honestly, my favorite one so far. Thank you.”

Too much information, too much honesty, but Steve gives him that sweet, flustered smile, and it’s worth it. Eddie stares at Steve licking his own scoop, the one Eddie used to order, chocolate and peanuts.

Eddie doesn’t want to hope.

Things change after that evening.

They start looking for each other to share their break time together. Sometimes, if Scoops Ahoy is empty, Robin lets Eddie spend his break with them, perched at the table in their backstore, the three of them eating ice cream. Eddie can’t help but to laugh at the weird friendship antics the young beta and Steve have developed.

Robin used to hate Steve Harrington The King, she confesses to Eddie one lazy evening, the summer is coming to an end and Scoops Ahoy has lesser clients, now. Steve is dealing with a pup that sounds terrifying, no doubt she’ll present as an alpha someday, and she’s demanding free samples for her and her pack of friends.

“And now you’re friends,” Eddie says.

“And now we’re best friends, Eddie,” she corrects. “He’s not like he used to be, I wonder if he ever was like that or if he was, you know, pretending, for survival.”

Robin looks at Eddie, expectant, as if she’s waiting for Eddie to understand some hidden meaning in her words.

“I don’t hate Steve,” Eddie feels the urge to say, and it feels weird to admit it out loud.

“I know,” Robin smirks, making Eddie frown at her. “You reek of sweet blackberries all the time when you’re here, Eddie, I know you don’t hate him.”

“I-... Well, we agree then, we don’t hate Steve Harrington anymore, isn’t that a sign for the Apocalypse that’s to come upon us?” Eddie decides to joke about it, not wanting to acknowledge his burning cheeks or how his belly churns at the mention of his scent when he’s around Steve. And definitely he doesn’t want to listen to his hindbrain and its constant longing for the omega.

“For the Apocalypse, then,” Robin raises her cone - strawberry - and Eddie does the same with his own, chocolate and peanuts and hazelnuts with caramel.

“For the Apocalypse.”

“Scoops Ahoy is going to close its doors, at least until next summer,” Steve informs Eddie.

“What?” Eddie asks, fear rising inside him.

Scoops Ahoy is what had transformed their relationship, from hate to an irresponsible crush (at least for the alpha) to a friendship that leaves Eddie breathless, filling him with longing and a burning desire inside and stupid thoughts about a kind of life Eddie had never wanted to think about before. But Steve is his friend now, Steve wants to spend time with him, even outside their working hours, just like they're doing now.

It’s Sunday and they’re both over the roof of Eddie’s van, watching the sun set, parked on the quarry. It’s quiet and still warm, even if they both have their hoodies ready, it’ll be cold at night.

“And what are you and Robin going to do, now?” Eddie asks. He doesn’t want to lose any of them, now that he thinks about it. Eddie realizes he doesn’t want to lose everything he has found this summer.

Steve and Robin, and the whole strange pack that comes with them. Dustin, the curly hair pup that is a total nerd and Eddie has met and discussed DnD with him and his friends. Lucas, Will and that stubborn pup called Mike. Max and El, the young teens like peas in a pod. And Erica, the strong pup that is Lucas’ little sister and the most terrifying person Eddie has ever met, always surrounded by her own group of friends, always leading them.

Eddie feels strangely overprotective towards them all, even if he met them just recently. It’s all because of Steve, he knows and he can’t stop it now. He wants to protect everything that makes Steve happy, even his underpaid job.

“Oh, don’t worry, Scoops Ahoy closes but Spoons Ahoy opens instead!” Steve half laughs, maybe because he’s witnessing Eddie spiraling on his behalf, because Eddie is looking at him with wide, panicked eyes. Steve’s hand rests on Eddie’s face, soothing him immediately, letting Eddie nuzzle his palm and inhaling deeply from Steve’s wrist glands.

“What the fuck is Spoons Ahoy,” Eddie mumbles, losing himself in Steve’s touch and scent.

“A coffee shop, Eds, they’re keeping our jobs, just as baristas now.”

“Hm, ok,” Eddie mumbles, feeling like he’s laying in a field of lavender and eating sweet, roasted hazelnuts, his body going pliant and weightless when Steve pulls him to rest his head on him, over the omega’s clothed chest.

Eddie inhales deeply, ignoring the last rays of sun to better nuzzle the omega’s preppy white and red polo, his arms wrapping around the omega’s thin waist. It’s good, so good, to just stay like this, knowing his omega is safe with him…

“Don’t wanna lose you,” Eddie whispers, not knowing he’s saying it out loud. His hindbrain swimming in a lavender field.

“You won’t, Eds, I promise,” Steve whispers back, his fingers playing with Eddie’s hair and lulling him to sleep.

It’s middle September when Spoons Ahoy opens its doors, Robin and Steve wearing matching sailor uniforms again, but long sleeves ones now. Eddie misses being able to see Steve’s pale skin covered in moles, even if the new, sinfully tight white slacks stretch deliciously against the omega’s round ass. The first time Eddie sees Steve’s uniform - at Steve’s house, because they’re friends who hang out almost daily, now -, the alpha wants to bite these clothes off until Steve is bare and underneath him, and Eddie has to force himself to laugh at the ridiculousness of the new uniform when Steve looks at him, expecting an answer to a question Eddie can only imagine by context.

He knows Steve can tell what is he thinking, the omega’s nostrils flaring everytime his scent peaks spicier and sweeter. Ripped blackberry and dark chocolate, as his own boss, Robin and his uncle Wayne had informed him, several times now. Even Gareth has told him about it, in a very Gareth way - that was basically shouting at him in the middle of a band rehearsal - to be an alpha and to start courting Steve already because, in Gareth words: ‘he’s sighing too much and it’s annoying’.

Everyone knows how he feels about Steve Harrington, former king of Hawkins’ High School and actual princess of Eddie’s heart.

Steve is just too kind to ignore it in favor of their friendship.

Anyway, Spoons Ahoy it’s a blast and during the first days Eddie can’t share his break with Steve. He waits in line until he can reach the counter and it’s Robin who’s free for him to take his order; Eddie loves the funny beta girl, but he wanted to see Steve. His deception must be obvious.

“Hey, Steve, this one is yours, actually,” she grins and winks at Eddie before he can even say his hellos. Instead, he mouths her a silent thank you that makes Robin shake her head, smiling softly at him.

“Eds!” Steve greets him with his sweetest smile, his scent peaking sweeter, and it’s like summer again and lavender fields. “I’m sorry, I can’t take my break now…”

“Don’t worry, big boy, just wanted to, you know, say hello,” Eddie mumbles, and knows that Steve is looking at his smitten expression, he can’t even disguise it nowadays, he can’t pull a straight face in front of Steve, not for dear life.

Steve chuckles, making Eddie’s chest puff, his hindbrain whispering the sweetest things in his mind. Perfect omega, so sweet and caring, so beautiful, so strong, perfect mate for me, laughing at my words, wanting me back.

But a beautiful dream, though, to have Steve loving him back.

Wait, what?

“I’ve been trying something new. Want to forgo your usual coffee and take a risk, Munson?” Steve asks him, his cheeks deliciously blushed. He seems shy, hopeful even, as if Eddie had told him no at anything during the last months.

“Aye aye, Captain,” Eddie smirks, making Steve snort at his antics. Fuck.

Eddie can’t stay once Steve hands him two steamy disposable cups, one for Eddie and the other for Joe. He rushes to leave the counter, wishing Steve a nice shift and hoping they could spend more time together. When Eddie retreats to the backstore after offering his boss the second coffee, he takes time to admire Steve’s handwriting in his cup. There’s a little heart instead of a dot over the i on his name.

The alpha smiles at it. Holding the cup with both hands, he inhales the warm aroma, expecting… not knowing what, exactly, but he’s rewarded with strong cocoa and roasted hazelnuts. Their scents mixed sweetly in this cup. It’s like holding scorching hot hope in his hands.

Eddie whines, rushing to give it a sip, burning his tongue in the process but ignoring it because Steve had given him hope and a silly, little heart in his name.

It’s Halloween.

Steve says his parents aren’t at home, and invites Eddie, Robin and the pups for a movie night. All the pups have been discussing what movie they should watch first, it’s all sci-fi and horror and Eddie sees an amused Steve, hands on hips and wearing a worn, well loved yellow sweater, playing mom with the pups.

It’s a sight that makes Eddie’s hindbrain go feral, providing him images he doesn’t even want to think right now because, well, he’s surrounded by pups and there’s no doubt they all would know exactly what Eddie is thinking about the omega.

“We can start with Jaws and Alien next and… Wait, who brought The Exorcist? You’re all too young for this movie.”

“Come on Steve, we’re not pups anymore!”

“You won’t be able to sleep later!”

“We’ll nest with you and Eddie, we’ll be fine!”

Steve looks at Eddie at this, blushing fiercely, and Eddie just shrugs. Yes, I want to nest with you and protect these pups that you love as if they were yours and maybe someday we’ll have our own pups in our own nest and… Yeah, yes, Eddie has been thinking about this, sue him - again.

The pups are all tucked on an improvised bed in front of the couch, where Eddie and Steve are sitting together. Robin has claimed the reclining chair for herself, a thick blanket covering from chin to toe, and smiling smugly when she reclines it and gets comfortable.

The movie starts and Eddie startles when Steve gets closer to him, a plush, giant blanket in hands, and smiles at him coyly, a silent question in his shy eyes.

Eddie smiles at him, heart hammering wildly in his chest, laying sideways on the couch and opening his arms for Steve to make himself a place between them.

“I don’t really enjoy horror movies,” Steve confesses in a whisper, covering their bodies with the blanket. “I mean, I’m ok with Jaws, I love Steven Spielberg’s movies, but, Alien?”

Steve wiggles and gets comfortable, taking Eddie’s arms to wrap himself with them, and the alpha has to suppress a purr, but oh, he flushes their bodies together without thinking. Hazelnuts and lavender surround Eddie and it’s summer again.

“Technically, Alien is sci-fi, sweetheart,” Eddie nuzzles Steve’s soft hair. “But I’m here and I’ll keep you safe, I promise.”

Steve lets out a happy chirp and one of their pups - because now they all are their pups - shush at them.

“Would you scent me if I’m scared?” Steve turns his head to whisper at Eddie, their lips brushing slightly. Eddie wants to growl and claim those lips.

“Always,” Eddie whispers back, no, promises him so earnestly it hurts him physically.

Steve pecks him on the tip of his nose and turns his head to watch the movie, seemingly unaffected by Eddie’s inner turmoil, and daring to intertwine their fingers togethers.

Eddie feels like he’s floating, his purr starts in his chest and it’s low enough that the pups wouldn’t hear it, but Steve can feel the rumble of it, pressed as they are back to chest.

A moment after, Steve’s purr starts too, lulling Eddie to a sated, safe state where even his hindbrain gets quiet. It’s the best Halloween of Eddie’s life..

It’s a rare occasion, Eddie and Wayne have the day off and they decide to drive to the city, see what’s new.

They take a look at the thrift shop, where Eddie spots a brand new denim jacket, in great conditions and so cheap, perfect for a new battle vest. He also finds a couple of t-shirts and brings them all to the counter where Wayne is waiting for him, his own bounty in his hands.

Eddie drops the clothes on the counter and it's when he sees it. Behind the glass, resting over blue velvet, there's a silver chain attached to a silver blackberry.

“It’s beautiful, right?” The girl at the other side of the counter says.

“It’s perfect for a courting gift,” his uncle Wayne agrees, nudging him with his elbow.

Eddie blushes, but he keeps his mouth closed. For now.

“You don’t strike me as the romantic type, Wayne,” Eddie teases, biting a chip dipped in ketchup.

“What’s yer real question, pup, spit it,” Wayne snorts, devouring his burger. “It’s about that Harrington boy?”

Eddie grunts, hides his face and makes some more grumbling noises his uncle takes as an affirmation.

“H-how do I court an omega?” Eddie asks with a trembling voice, muffled by his hands.

Eddie has a plan.

It’s a good plan, it’s a fucking perfect plan and he’s sure that Steve is going to say yes, he’s.. ok, he’s 90% sure that Steve is going to accept his courting gift. They’ve been getting closer and closer, Eddie has been dying to ask, but between their jobs and classes…

It’s an old as fuck tradition, the courting ritual, and nobody does that anymore, but Eddie is an idiot and a romantic and Steve Harrington deserves to be wooed, to be courted. Eddie just hopes Steve says yes. That this is not some kind of joke.

Eddie has the silver blackberry pendant, the one from the thrift store, in a neat, blue velvet box.

He just needs to wait two days. Two days and he’ll give Steve his courting gift on Christmas’ Eve day, during lunch, and he’s going to ask him if he accepts his courting.

No misunderstandings, not hey, I saw this and thought of you, or look! Early Christmas present! No.

A real proposition.

They’re working double shifts because of the holidays, and they have one whole hour for lunch. Eddie runs towards Spoons Ahoy, planning to ask Steve to spend their hour together - as they do now - and finds Steve holding to the counter for dear life, cheeks red and covered in fresh sweat. Thankfully, there are no clients at this hour.

“Stevie!” Eddie shouts and rushes behind the counter, Robin appearing at his screaming.

“Eddie? What… Steve?”

“Steve, sweetheart, are you ok?”

“It’s… too hot,” Steve sighs, tugging at the collar of his sailor uniform.

“Eddie?” Robin asks, scared and scrunching her nose covered in freckles. “Is he… Is he in heat?”

“Y-yeah, yes, smells like it,” Eddie says. Steve’s scent is sweeter than ever, dry lavender under august’s sun and roasted hazelnuts filling and dizzying Eddie’s mind, his own body reacting to his omega’s needs. “He can’t work like this.”

“Go with him, I’ll inform Joe, too.”

“Robin, I can’t… We’re not… He never…” Eddie doesn’t know how to say that he can’t go and betray Steve’s trust. Eddie can’t trust himself, not when Steve is so vulnerable. But Robin basically shoves them towards the exit, ignoring Eddie’s weak protests.

Ok, new plan. Eddie is good at improvising and he’s a firm believer that adaptability it’s a great skill. He has a new plan now.

The new plan is to leave Steve at his house, safe and sound, and then provide for whatever Steve could need.

“Eddie…,” the omega whispers, arching his back in the passenger seat of Eddie’s van. “Eddie, it’s too hot.”

“I know, baby, I know,” Eddie tries to soothe him. “It’s your heat, it’s starting now. I’m going to leave you at home, ok?” Eddie caresses the omega’s face, he’s burning as if in fever.

“Would you spend it with me?” Steve asks, whines hopefully and in pain. Fuck.

“I can’t, baby,” Eddie answers, swallowing around the lump in his throat and driving as carefully as he can while his hindbrain is howling. Steve is whimpering, so close to him, scenting his van. “I want to, you know… Fuck, Stevie, you know that I want to, but I can’t do this to you, not like this.”

“Like this?” Steve asks, frowning even if he keeps whimpering softly.

“You know…” Eddie makes a vague gesture with his hand. “Like this.” He repeats. “In heat, you’re like, hindbrain is in control and all that, right?”

Steve barks an angry, incredulous laugh at Eddie.

“Is that how a rut feels for you?” Steve asks.

The alpha looks at Steve sideways, blushing and feeling like the idiot he is. Nods sharply. All alphas are knotheads, after all, aren’t they?

“Eds… I’m in heat, not drugged,” Steve sighs, clearly annoyed and smelling Eddie’s scent, lips parted and nostrils flaring. “I know what I’m doing, and I’m asking you to spend my heat with me, if you want me.”

If you want me. If you want me.

Eddie growls at that, his hindbrain howling. He reaches to hold Steve’s hand, squeezes hard, the omega feels clammy and scorching hot because of the heat.

“I’ve wanted you for a long time, Stevie, baby.”

Eddie doesn’t remember how they made it to Steve’s house, only that he’s grateful that the Harringtons are always out of Hawkins, because Eddie can’t stop kissing Steve while the omega leads them to his room.

Steve breaks their kiss, their first kiss - not like Eddie had planned but he’s not complaining - and starts rummaging through his room, grabbing blankets and sheets and rearranging his bed. No, his nest.

“Fuck, fuck, I can’t get it right,” the omega sobs after a while, fighting against a pillow.

This is more what Eddie expected, if he’s honest. When the hindbrain takes control, logic goes away and instinct takes everything. Steve is now succumbing to it, groaning and snapping, and Eddie falls in love with him even more.

“Hey, hey, baby,” Eddie gets closer, calmly and with his hands raised up. “May I help you?”

Steve’s face is red, fat tears running down his cheeks. Eddie’s heart breaks a bit at the sight, the urge to fight against whatever it is that is making Steve unhappy too strong, his hindbrain too loud to ignore.

“I have nothing that smells like you,” Steve sobs again, wiping his tears with the sleeve of his uniform.

“We can take care of that, hm?” Eddie reassures and Steve looks at him. “I just, I need to… Can I get closer?”

Eddie’s body is reacting to Steve’s scent, to his heat, and when Steve flares his nostrils, lips parted to chase Eddie’s own scent, he knows the omega is tasting his own arousal. Eddie is already getting hard in his jeans, urgency tugging at him in a new, desperate way. There’s this sudden urge to close all the doors and windows, to make sure his omega is safe here. To make sure they have plenty of food and water and whatever Steve could need.

Steve’s heat is triggering the alpha’s deepest instincts, his own rut. Faster now that he’s with an omega in heat, more desperate if that’s possible, quicker the way his body reacts and his hindbrain shuts down his rational mind. If someone tried to enter the house now, Eddie knows he would fight them with teeth and nails.

The omega nods at him, offers Eddie his hand and the alpha rushes to take it in his, kneels in front of Steve and kisses his hand, nuzzles his warm, soft palm, noses Steve’s wrist glands. It’s so different from every other time, so intimate.

“Stevie, sweetheart, I want to give you whatever you could want,” Eddie whispers against the omega’s wrist, who gasps and thrashes, still fully clothed. His rut is overwhelming him and he needs to do something before he loses it completely. “I just want to know that this… that this is what you really want?”

Eddie’s speech is slurred, he can feel it, like he’s drunk but still thinking properly. Still in charge of himself but not for long, and hopes Steve is still in charge of himself, too.

No, of course they’re not drugged, as Steve said, and maybe it’s different for the omega. But Eddie? He knows he’s losing his mind, he needs to be sure. He needs to claim, the only way he can, now.

“Eddie, I told you, I know what I… oh.”

The alpha, who has been carrying the blue velvet box with him for weeks now, too anxious to leave it at home and yet patting it on his pocket every five minutes, is now holding it in front of Steve.

“Eds? Is this…?”

“Open it, please,” Eddie begs, his hips bucking, armpits stinging, his rut coming to him in waves of painful need. “You don’t have to say yes but fuck, I… I hope you say yes, Stevie, I just… I want to ask you… I’ve been wanting for a long time, actually, never sure if you… if you ever…”

He’s rambling, his hindbrain snarling inside him. If Steve rejects him, and still wants Eddie to stay, Eddie doesn’t know if he’ll survive that. If Steve wants him to leave, Eddie would leave the country, leave it for good and never look back.

Steve opens the box and his eyes widen, the light brown swallowed by the black of his pupils, his delicate fingertip caressing the simple pendant.

“A blackberry,” he whispers. “Eddie, is a silver blackberry.”

Steve is smiling when he looks at Eddie.

“It’s… a courting gift, Stevie,” Eddie reassures, his intentions clear, or so he hopes.

“You always smell like ripe blackberries and chocolate when we’re together,” Steve smiles, his eyes bright.

“Yeah,” Eddie agrees, breathless. “Do you accept it?”

Eddie finds himself with a lapful of happy, chirping omega who is peppering kisses all over his face. They fall to the ground, Steve stradling him, and Eddie hugging Steve back, laughing, feeling weightless and yet like he’s a supernova.

“I thought… Eddie, what took you this long?” Steve pouts before grinning again. “Of course I accept it, silly alpha, help me?”

They stand clumsily, clawing at the last moments of rational thinking to enjoy this moment. Eddie closes the chain around Steve’s neck, takes his chance to kiss at the moles right there in his jaw, the omega shivering under his touch.

After that, it’s all a blur. Steve undresses himself hastily, tossing the uniform somewhere, leaving only the new silver blackberry, and urges Eddie to do the same. The omega steals Eddie’s handkerchief and puts it on his nest, next goes Eddie’s t-shirt, faded and soft and comfortable, and the alpha knows Steve is going to keep his favorite t-shirt when he nuzzles it, pressing it against his face and inhaling deeply. He feels a deep rush of pride, smiling wolfishly, thinking: mine.

“Better?” Eddie manages to ask when Steve deems the nest good enough.

“No,” Steve answers, takes his hands and pulls at him until Eddie is on the nest, laughing, laying barenaked for Steve to touch and scent and enjoy. “Ok, now, perfect.”

They can’t keep talking after that, their needs far too urgent to deny them now that they’re together. Eddie is not a virgin, but he has never shared a nest with an omega in heat, nor has he spent his rut with someone, and it’s so intense, so overwhelming.

It’s so good. So fucking amazing, he’s not ready for something like this, and yet, he can’t believe he’s been living without this.

Steve’s skin is burning and dripping wet when Eddie gets his mouth on him, his little cocklet throbbing in his tongue under the alpha’s ministrations while his own cock is aching, leaking precum all over the nest.

“Alpha, alpha, I need you,” are the last coherent words Steve pronounces that night. Eddie has half a mind to grab one of the condoms Steve tossed into the nest.

Eddie kisses him while he breaches him, his cunt so wet and ready for him, swallowing him to the hilt, until he’s buried deep in the omega.

“Omega,” Eddie worships him, and knows he’ll always worship Steve.

The omega thrashes and bites him in his shoulders and arms, leaving the marks he can while avoiding his mating gland. Eddie hopes they can claim each other in the future.

They wail and whine, their moans and breath mingling, Eddie rolling his hips chasing Steve’s pleasure again and again, the feeling of his walls clenching around him making him believe in a higher power.

“Alpha, alpha, alpha,” Steve chants, and tugs at Eddie’s dark curls, making the alpha growl, his hips stuttering, the knot at his base swelling and catching at Steve’s entrance.

A powerful, earth-shattering orgasm hits Eddie and leaves him breathless, knotting them together. The alpha howls at the sensation, Steve all around him even if he’s still underneath the alpha. The omega is milking him, riding his own pleasure, and Eddie loses himself in their mixed scents and the overwhelming truth that is to admit at last that he actually is in love with Steve Harrington.

Eddie awakes to the sound of a rumbling, loud purr. His muscles are sore and he’s thirsty and hungry as never before, but he’s also sated and happy, his own purr starting happily when he remembers the night before.

“Morning, sleeping beauty,” Eddie whispers, kissing Steve’s rumbling chest, nuzzling him and feeling absurdly proud of their mingled scents, plus the mess of sweat and slick and overall smell of sex.

“Hngmng,” Steve mumbles, his fingers tangled in Eddie’s fingers and playing idly.

Eddie props over his elbows to look at the magnificent sight that is Steve Harrington, completely naked in the morning light, in the mess of a nest they made together last night. The alpha smiles, completely smitten.

“Is it still too hot, baby?” Eddie asks, and kisses Steve’s lips, softly.

“Hm, not now, but… soon,” Steve answers, biting his lower lip, his soft gaze locked in Eddie’s eyes. He touches his own chest, finds the silver blackberry, and a shiver runs down his spine, Eddie feels like shivering, too. “You meant it?”

“The courting gift? Of course, sweetheart.”

Steve nods, biting his lower lip. Eddie has the need to kiss him again.

“And that you want to give me everything I want? Would you scent me when I’m scared? All that, you meant it?”

“Yeah, omega, I meant it, I mean it… Do you still accept my courtship?” Eddie needs to know, needs to be sure. He’ll probably need to hear it often, still feeling like a dream.

“Yes, Eds,” Steve’s laugh sounds like a chirp, far too adorable. “Do you realize that I’ve been flirting with you since you started working at Divinyl Records, right?”

Eddie blinks once, twice. Wants to say that, yes, that he knew all this time, but the truth is that he’s still wondering if all this is really happening.

“I- Sure.”

Steve chuckles, wraps his legs around the alpha’s waist and pulls at him until they’re kissing again, the urgency rising slowly, letting them enjoy their kiss.

During their lunch on Christmas’ Eve day, Starcourt bursting with people doing last time shopping, Eddie and Steve sit closer than usual. The omega is almost sitting in Eddie’s lap, and the alpha can’t stop nuzzling at his boyfriend’s hair and neck. He feels invincible.

Steve shoves a black velvet box towards Eddie, and kisses him right in his scent gland under his ear, making the alpha growl in pleasure.

“What’s this?” Eddie asks, lips curling in a smile.

“Just open it, Eds,” Steve smiles.

Eddie obliges and opens the box to reveal a silver hazelnut.

“Yes, Eddie Munson,” Steve whispers in his ear. “I accept your courting.”

#steddie fanfiction #steddie #alpha eddie munson #omega steve harrington #alpha beta omega dynamics #fluffy chicken writes #Hazelnuts serires

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thatdammchickennugget · 7 months

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Hogsmeade Locations - Part Two

Some more shops and restaurants I came up with. Pictures were made with Bing Image Creator.

Part One

Cocoa Charm Cafe & Confections

Indulge your sweet tooth at Cocoa Charm Cafe & Confections, where chocolate lovers' dreams come true. Step into our cozy cafe and immerse yourself in a world of chocolate delights. From rich and creamy hot chocolates to decadent chocolate desserts and confections, our menu offers a tantalizing array of chocolate-themed treats to satisfy every craving.

But the magic doesn't stop there – at Cocoa Charm, we're passionate about sharing the art of chocolate-making with our customers. Join us for chocolate-making workshops where you can learn the secrets of crafting delicious chocolates from scratch. And don't miss our tasting events, where you can sample a variety of chocolates from around the world and discover new favorites.

So whether you're a connoisseur of cocoa or simply looking for a sweet escape, Cocoa Charm Cafe & Confections invites you to indulge in the irresistible allure of chocolate. Prepare to be enchanted by the aroma of cocoa and the blissful taste of pure chocolate bliss.

Take a peek at our menu:

Drinks: - Classic Hot Chocolate - Rich and velvety hot chocolate made with premium cocoa and topped with whipped cream. - Chocolate Hazelnut Latte - Creamy latte infused with rich chocolate and hazelnut syrup, finished with a sprinkle of cocoa powder. - Mint Chocolate Chip Frappe - Refreshing blend of mint syrup, chocolate chips, and ice, topped with whipped cream and chocolate drizzle. Desserts: - Triple Chocolate Brownie - Decadent brownie made with three types of chocolate and served warm with a scoop of vanilla ice cream. - Chocolate Lava Cake - Rich chocolate cake with a molten chocolate center, served with a dusting of powdered sugar. - Chocolate-Dipped Strawberries - Fresh strawberries dipped in smooth, melted chocolate and chilled to perfection. Confections: - Assorted Truffles - A selection of handmade truffles in flavors like dark chocolate, milk chocolate, and salted caramel. - Chocolate-Covered Pretzels - Crunchy pretzels coated in creamy milk chocolate and drizzled with white chocolate. - Chocolate-Covered Marshmallows - Fluffy marshmallows dipped in melted chocolate and sprinkled with colorful candy confetti.

Lumos Lounge & Dance Club

Welcome to Lumos Lounge & Dance Club, where the magic of music and movement ignite the night. Step into our vibrant venue and experience an enchanted atmosphere like no other.

At Lumos Lounge, our dance floors come alive with mesmerizing patterns and colors, enchanted to change and shift with the rhythm of the music. Whether you prefer to dance under the twinkling stars or amidst a whirlwind of swirling lights, our enchanted dance floors create an immersive experience that will transport you to another world.

But it's not just the dance floors that are magical – our music selection is spellbinding too. From upbeat wizarding tunes to chart-topping Muggle hits, our DJs spin a mix of magical and Muggle music to cater to all tastes. So whether you're a fan of the Weird Sisters or love to groove to the latest Muggle pop, there's something for everyone at Lumos Lounge.

So come, let loose and dance the night away at Lumos Lounge & Dance Club. With enchanting visuals, electrifying music, and a lively atmosphere, every moment spent here is sure to be filled with magic and excitement.

Critter Haven

Welcome to Critter Haven, where magic and companionship come together in perfect harmony. Nestled within the enchanting walls of the Magical Menagerie pet shop, Critter Haven offers a unique dining experience unlike any other.

As you enjoy your light meals and snacks, you'll be surrounded by the delightful sights and sounds of magical creatures at play. Watch in awe as kneazles chase after enchanted toys, crups frolic with each other, and bowtruckles dance among the branches of their habitats. It's a whimsical spectacle that's sure to captivate visitors of all ages.

But Critter Haven is more than just a cafe – it's a haven for both magical creatures and humans alike. Whether you're stopping by for a quick bite or simply seeking a moment of tranquility in the company of magical creatures, Critter Haven welcomes you with open arms.

So come, sip on a warm beverage, nibble on a tasty treat, and immerse yourself in the enchanting world of Critter Haven. With every visit, you'll experience the joy and wonder of connecting with magical creatures in a cozy and inviting setting.

Take a peek at our menu:

Snacks: - Critter Treats - Assorted snacks perfect for sharing with our magical guests. - Wizarding Waffles - Fluffy waffles served with a drizzle of maple syrup. Beverages: - Enchanted Elixir - A refreshing potion with hints of citrus and magic. - Creature Comfort Tea - A soothing blend of herbs and spices to relax and unwind.

Celestial Sips Rooftop Bar

Ascend to new heights at Celestial Sips Rooftop Bar, where the cosmos meets cocktails in a breathtaking setting. Perched high above Hogsmeade, our rooftop bar offers panoramic views of the picturesque countryside, providing the perfect backdrop for an unforgettable evening.

Indulge in a stellar selection of specialty cocktails and mocktails inspired by the constellations and celestial phenomena. Sip on a "Stardust Spritz" or "Galactic Glow" as you gaze up at the twinkling stars above, or sample a "Cosmic Crush" while soaking in the enchanting ambiance of the night sky.

With its celestial-inspired libations and stunning vistas, Celestial Sips Rooftop Bar promises an otherworldly experience that's truly out of this world. Whether you're celebrating a special occasion or simply savoring the magic of the moment, our rooftop oasis invites you to raise a glass to the beauty of the cosmos and the wonders of the universe.

Take a peek at our menu:

Signature Cocktails: - Stardust Spritz - A sparkling concoction of elderflower liqueur, prosecco, and a hint of citrus. - Galactic Glow - A mesmerizing blend of blue curaçao, vodka, and lemonade, garnished with a glowing ice cube. - Cosmic Crush - A refreshing mix of muddled berries, gin, and tonic, served over crushed ice. Mocktails: - Celestial Cooler - A non-alcoholic blend of pineapple juice, coconut water, and sparkling water, garnished with a slice of starfruit. - Moonbeam Mocktail - A creamy combination of vanilla syrup, almond milk, and a splash of lavender syrup, shaken and served chilled.

Arcane Adventure Zone

Embark on a journey of enchantment at Arcane Adventure Zone, where magic and merriment collide in an extraordinary arcade experience. Step into a realm where the ordinary is transformed into the extraordinary, and every corner is filled with whimsical wonders waiting to be explored.

At Arcane Adventure Zone, you'll discover a treasure trove of interactive games and attractions that will captivate wizards and witches of all ages. Test your skills with wizarding versions of classic arcade games like Quidditch Pong, where broomsticks replace paddles, and Galleon Grabber, where players use magic to snatch flying coins from the air. Navigate through the twists and turns of the Magical Maze Runner, where surprises lurk around every corner.

But the magic doesn't stop there – Arcane Adventure Zone also boasts a magical bowling alley and mini-golf course that are sure to delight and challenge players of all skill levels. Navigate through whimsical obstacles, navigate moving platforms, and encounter enchanted creatures as you putt your way through the course.

With its spellbinding attractions and endless opportunities for fun and adventure, Arcane Adventure Zone is the ultimate destination for magical entertainment. So gather your friends and family, and prepare to embark on an unforgettable journey into the heart of wizarding wonderment.

The Whimsical Warbler

Step into the enchanting atmosphere of The Whimsical Warbler, where music and magic intertwine to create unforgettable evenings of entertainment. As you enter this charming tavern, you'll be greeted by the melodic strains of live music and the warm glow of enchanted lights.

At The Whimsical Warbler, karaoke nights are a beloved tradition, where students and locals alike gather to showcase their vocal talents and sing their hearts out to their favorite wizarding tunes and Muggle hits. Whether you're belting out a classic from the Weird Sisters or crooning a chart-topping ballad, you'll be accompanied by live musical accompaniment and magical effects that bring your performance to life.

Immerse yourself in the vibrant energy of the tavern as you take the stage and become the star of the show. With its lively atmosphere, friendly patrons, and magical ambiance, The Whimsical Warbler is the perfect place to let loose, unwind, and make memories that will last a lifetime. So grab a drink, grab the mic, and get ready to sing your heart out at The Whimsical Warbler!

Take a peek at our menu:

Drinks: - Polyjuice Punch - A magical blend of fruit juices and sparkling soda, served in a whimsical goblet. - Butterbeer Blast - A creamy concoction of butterbeer and vanilla ice cream, topped with whipped cream and caramel drizzle. - Firewhisky Fizz - A fiery mix of firewhisky, ginger ale, and a splash of lemon juice, served over ice. Snacks: - Golden Snitch Wings - Crispy chicken wings tossed in a tangy golden sauce, served with celery sticks and blue cheese dip. - Quidditch Quinoa Salad - A refreshing salad of quinoa, mixed greens, cherry tomatoes, and feta cheese, tossed in a lemon herb dressing. - Magical Mushroom Flatbread - A savory flatbread topped with sautéed mushrooms, caramelized onions, and melted mozzarella cheese.

Dragon's Lair Escape

Step into the mystical realm of Dragon's Lair Escape, where an exhilarating adventure awaits. In this magically themed dungeon, students are transported to a world of mystery and intrigue, where they must put their wits to the test to unravel secrets, solve puzzles, and ultimately escape before time runs out.

As you enter Dragon's Lair Escape, you'll find yourself immersed in an immersive environment filled with enchanting decor and intricate details. Your mission is clear: work together with your fellow adventurers to uncover clues, decipher riddles, and unlock hidden passages as you navigate through the dungeon.

But beware – the clock is ticking, and the challenges you face are as formidable as they are captivating. From cunning traps to cryptic puzzles, every twist and turn holds the key to your freedom. Can you and your team unravel the mysteries of the Dragon's Lair and emerge victorious before time runs out?

With its immersive setting and thrilling challenges, Dragon's Lair Escape offers an unforgettable experience that will test your skills, challenge your intellect, and leave you craving more. So gather your friends, sharpen your minds, and prepare to embark on the ultimate escape room adventure. The fate of the dungeon awaits!

Sorcerer's Palette Art Atelier

Welcome to the Sorcerer's Palette Art Atelier, where creativity meets magic in every brushstroke and shutter click. Nestled within the heart of Hogsmeade, our art studio is a haven for aspiring witches and wizards eager to explore the wonders of magical artistry.

At the Sorcerer's Palette, we offer a diverse array of classes and workshops in various magical art forms, each more enchanting than the last. Unleash your inner artist with spell painting, where incantations bring your canvas to life with vibrant colors and mesmerizing patterns. Dive into the world of enchanted pottery, where clay transforms under your fingertips into bewitching sculptures and vessels imbued with magic. Or discover the art of magical photography, capturing fleeting moments of wonder and beauty with your trusty camera and a touch of wizarding flair.

Led by skilled instructors and seasoned practitioners of magical arts, our classes provide a supportive environment for students of all skill levels to learn, grow, and unleash their creativity. Whether you're a novice looking to dip your toes into the world of magical art or a seasoned wizard seeking to expand your repertoire, the Sorcerer's Palette Art Atelier has something for everyone.

So come, join us at the Sorcerer's Palette, where the possibilities are as endless as the magic itself. Let your imagination soar, and prepare to create works of art that will enchant and inspire for generations to come.

Spellbound Scoops

Welcome to Spellbound Scoops, where every scoop is a spellbinding experience! Step into our whimsical ice cream parlor and prepare to embark on a magical journey through a world of enchanting flavors and delightful treats.

At Spellbound Scoops, we specialize in serving up a variety of magical ice cream flavors that will tantalize your taste buds and transport you to another realm. Indulge in the creamy goodness of our butterbeer swirl, with hints of butterscotch and vanilla dancing on your palate. Dive into the decadence of our chocolate frog crunch, with crunchy chocolate pieces scattered throughout each scoop. Or dare to try our firewhisky fudge, a rich and boozy delight that packs a magical punch.

But the magic doesn't stop there – at Spellbound Scoops, we believe that every scoop deserves a touch of enchantment. That's why we offer a variety of enchanting toppings to customize your ice cream experience, from shimmering sprinkles to magical marshmallows and everything in between.

So whether you're a seasoned wizard or a Muggle in search of a sweet escape, Spellbound Scoops invites you to indulge in the magic of ice cream. With every lick and every bite, you'll taste the wonder and delight of a truly magical treat.

Take a peek at our menu:

Magical Flavors: - Butterbeer Swirl: Indulge in the creamy swirls of butterscotch and vanilla, reminiscent of the famous wizarding beverage. - Chocolate Frog Crunch: Dive into the depths of chocolatey goodness with crunchy chocolate frog pieces folded into every scoop. - Firewhisky Fudge: Experience a bold burst of flavor with our rich and boozy firewhisky-infused fudge ice cream, perfect for the daring adventurer. - Unicorn Dreams: Taste the magic with our whimsical blend of cotton candy and rainbow sprinkles, sure to delight the young and young at heart. - Dragon's Breath: Awaken your senses with our fiery cinnamon-infused ice cream, guaranteed to leave a lingering warmth with every bite. - Mermaid Melody: Dive into the depths of flavor with our sea salt caramel ice cream, swirled with swirls of ocean-blue raspberry sauce for a truly enchanting treat. Enchanting Toppings: - Shimmering Sprinkles: Add a touch of magic to your scoop with our shimmering sprinkles, available in an array of colors to suit your mood. - Magical Marshmallows: Elevate your ice cream experience with our fluffy and fantastical marshmallows, infused with a hint of enchantment. - Enchanted Chocolate Sauce: Drizzle your scoop with our velvety chocolate sauce, infused with a touch of magic for an extra dose of indulgence. - Fairy Dust Wafers: Sprinkle a dash of fairy dust on top of your scoop for an extra magical crunch that will leave you feeling like you're flying through the clouds.

Mystic Brew

Welcome to Mystic Brew, where the aroma of freshly brewed coffee fills the air with enchantment. Known for our bold and flavorful blends, our café offers a diverse selection of brews to satisfy every palate. Whether you crave the rich intensity of our espresso or the smooth allure of our cappuccinos, we have the perfect cup to awaken your senses.

But Mystic Brew is more than just a coffee shop – it's a cozy haven where patrons can unwind and indulge in delightful treats. Take a seat in one of our inviting booths and savor a selection of savory and sweet snacks, from freshly baked pastries to gourmet sandwiches. With each sip and bite, you'll discover a world of flavor and comfort waiting to be explored.

Join us at Mystic Brew and embark on a journey of taste and relaxation. Whether you're seeking a quick caffeine fix or a leisurely escape from the bustle of Hogsmeade, our café promises a magical experience that will leave you enchanted.

Take a peek at our menu:

Wizard's Brews: - Mystic Mocha: Rich espresso infused with dark chocolate and topped with whipped cream and a sprinkle of enchanted cocoa dust. - Potion Latte: A mystical blend of espresso and creamy steamed milk, flavored with your choice of magical potion syrups such as Butterbeer, Amortentia (rose), or Floo Powder (vanilla). - Dragonfire Espresso: A fiery shot of espresso infused with cinnamon and chili syrup, sure to awaken your inner dragon. - Frosty Forest Frappé: A refreshing frappé made with chilled espresso, peppermint syrup, and a swirl of whipped cream, garnished with crystallized pine needles - Magical Matcha Latte: A creamy latte made with ceremonial-grade matcha powder and steamed milk, sweetened with honey from the enchanted bees of the Forbidden Forest - Dragon's Scale Macchiato: A bold macchiato with layers of espresso and steamed milk, infused with spiced dragon fruit syrup and topped with a sprinkle of dragon scale-shaped chocolate shavings - Whispering Willow White Mocha: A velvety white mocha made with white chocolate and espresso, flavored with a hint of elderflower syrup and adorned with a delicate willow leaf stencil Magical Treats: - Spellbound Scone: A warm, flaky scone filled with enchanting flavors like pumpkin spice, cranberry, and orange zest - Phoenix Feather Croissant: Buttery croissant filled with almond cream and topped with toasted almonds and a sprinkle of phoenix feather sugar - Witch's Brew Brownie: Decadent chocolate brownie infused with potion essence and topped with a swirl of caramel and edible gold flakes - Magical Macaron Trio: A trio of delicate macarons in flavors of Elderflower Elixir, Pumpkin Pecan Potion, and Chocolate Cauldron, each with its own magical filling

#harry potter #hogwarts #hogsmeade #worldbuilding #fanfiction #ai art

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