Hii! I've Noticed That You Haven't Written Anything For Minghao Yet (according To Your Master List) So

hii! I've noticed that you haven't written anything for minghao yet (according to your master list) so I wanted to request something cozy and homey with him. like maybe cooking together or waking up together or something along those lines.. :)

hello anon! i was feeling extra sappy with minghao and this also happens to be my first work for him. thank you so much for requesting it, i hope you see this!

gender neutral reader. warnings: none.

muse — xu minghao | 1,382 words | fluff

minghao blinks his eyes open to the sound of silence. there’s not much he can hear right out, except for the distant sound of cars going past. he lazes around for a few more moments before giving in and checking the time on his phone.

it’s just shy of six in the morning. he needs to be up and at the studio by nine, but he doesn’t feel like moving just yet. he puts his phone away and turns around to you, to watch you sleep.

the first time he’d ever done it was unfortunately a time you weren’t actually asleep, and he’d ended up staring at you for ten minutes before you woke up and apologized to him, saying that you couldn’t pretend to stay asleep without wanting to burst into laughter.

he still remembers how embarrassed he’d been by that, and how you made it up to him with kisses and multiples reassurances that it had been okay, that he could do it again, that it wasn’t a problem at all, you’d just been caught off-guard the very first time.

the thing is — minghao adores you. he’s in awe of you. to him, no one else on this planet even compares to how exquisite you are. he loves how like-minded the two of you are, how affectionate you’re with him, and how much you support him without even saying any words. of course, he loves going out on dates with you, seeing new places with you, seeing you match the outfits he wears, but this might just be his favourite sight in the world.

this being seeing you asleep on your side, facing him, a hand tucked under your head and the other holding his own. as an artist, he’s used to noticing the finer details about everything he sees, so when it comes to you, he could lose himself for hours noticing every single thing about you that makes him love you more.

minghao gently untangles his hand from your grasp, drawing his own blanket over you properly so that you don’t feel cold. he immediately feels the cold winter air hit his bare arms, and he winces as he gets used to it. he’s going to need to workout before he leaves, because there’s no time for it in the evening. not if he wants to finish work fast enough to come back to have dinner with you.

his fingers itch for a brush. it’s been a while since he’s painted something. the last thing he’d put on his canvas had been a rendition of a sunset he’d been able to see with you a few weeks ago. it had been magical; the beautiful hues of orange and yellow blending with the shimmering brightness of the sea, contrasting the pale hue of the sky.

but nothing looked more beautiful than you sitting next to him, watching the sun rise and letting the water wash over your legs. he’d been tempted to paint you instead, right there, but you’d dragged him out on a monday morning for inspiration, despite the fact that both of you had work soon, and he wasn’t going to let it go to waste.

but he doesn’t really need inspiration. not when you’re his muse.

he runs his fingers across your face as gently as he can, glad that you’re still asleep. you’ve been having trouble sleeping recently, and he’s glad he’s part of why you’ve been sleeping better. he smiles when he notices two faint pillow creases stamped into your cheek, angry red lines that he hopes don’t hurt you at all. you somehow manage to look even more perfect with them.

he doesn’t know how long he’s been staring at you before your eyes blink open slowly, and somehow his eyes are the first thing that yours find. he holds his breath, waiting for you to speak.

“hao?” you ask, voice croaky. “what time is it?”

minghao checks his phone again. “six thirty-seven. you still have twenty three more minutes to sleep, if you want.”

“mm,” you say, before you roll in closer and pull his arm to yourself. “wake me up at seven, then.” before he can say anything, you look up at him. “aren’t you supposed to leave early today?”

he nods. “do you want me to leave?”

you huff and tug at his arm to pull him closer to yourself, and he goes down willingly. “you know that’s not what i meant.”

“what did you mean, then?” he asks, pinching your nose softly.

you’re used to his teasing by now, so you just roll your eyes throw an arm around his waist. “did you sleep well, hao?”

“really well. you?”

“me too. but…how long were you staring at me this time?”

he feigns shock. “you could tell?”

“i can just…feel it, somehow,” you giggle. “won’t you tell me?”

“do you really want me to?”

“of course,” you say, eyes shining despite the layer of sleep clinging to them. minghao wishes he could spend more time with you like this. it’s almost like you’re forcing yourself to stay awake despite having some more time to sleep, just to talk to him. the thought warms his chest.

“maybe forty minutes? maybe more.”

there’s a grin on your face. “correct me if i’m wrong, but…i think you love me?”

he could just refute it, tease you a little, joke that you’re in too deep, but he can’t. there’s something about the early hours of the morning combined with the fact that he has the honour to wake up with you that makes his heart heavy. he’s lucky to even have this, especially with you.

“you’re right,” he says, voice rough, feeling his waterline sting suddenly. “i love you.”

the grin on your face disappears slowly. “hao? is everything okay?”

“of course it is, darling,” he says, bending down to kiss your forehead, brushing off some rogue strands of hair to kiss it properly, tucking it behind your ear so he can see your beautiful face better. “i love you. is that wrong?”

“no, silly,” you say, leaning up to cup his cheek in your palm. your hand is cold. maybe he should’ve warmed you up better. “you sound…sad. like there’s something eating at you.”

he closes his eyes and indulges himself in your touch, trying to work out his words, marvelling at how easily you can read him. “i…love you. you know that, right?”

“yeah. i love you, too. but…?”

“but,” he sighs, “i just…don’t have the right words to tell you how much i love you. i could say i love you a thousand times, but it wouldn’t be enough. i could kiss you a thousand times and it wouldn’t be enough. i could…i could ask you to marry me but nothing would be enough to tell you how thankful i am that you’re here with me. that you’re mine.”

silence, just the two of you in your bedroom, the sounds of life filtering in from outside the window.

your breath is shaky when you speak. “hao.” you drop your hand down to his arm. “i love you, too. you don’t…i don’t need any grand gestures from you. just…be with me. every single day. be mine forever. that’s it.”

“there’s nowhere else i want to be.”

“then that’s all i need.”

minghao presses a kiss to your head. he hopes it conveys everything he’s feeling right now. he’s about to say something more when your alarm goes off, and he really should get going if he doesn’t want to reach work late.

“see you in the evening?” you ask, hand catching his as he attempts to get to his feet. “maybe we can talk about…getting married? for real?”

minghao hasn’t even opened the curtains yet, and he feels like he’s standing in front of the sun again. he’s going to go to work, do well, come back home to you and hold you and hear about your day and eat with you. he’s going to surprise you with a painting of yourself, and he’s going to marry you. that’s the life he’s built for himself with you, and he loves it.

it’s all he needs to keep going, every single day.

“i can’t wait. i’ll be back before you know it, darling.”

taglist: @bookyeom @wootify @strnsvt @cloudycaramel @thepoopdokyeomtouched @minnieminshi @nonononranghaee @hrts4hanniehae @viewvuu @bewoyewo

Things I have learnt from Seventeen...(a thread)

Choi Seungcheol (S.Coups): Luck does not exist. At all. Wherever you are, you've gotten there only and only because of your hard work.

Yoon Jeonghan: You should always try to look at life in a different way. Just because something's obvious doesn't mean it's the best.

Hong Jisoo (Joshua): Just because you've been hurt doesn't give you the right to hurt others. Making someone smile is, sometimes, the best healing.

Wen Junhui (Jun): You should never get rid of the childlike side to you. Never let anyone make you feel bad for having fun.

Kwon Soonyoung (Hoshi): Never let anyone break your confidence. Because in the end, you're the only one who knows how far you've come.

Jeon Wonwoo: Just because you're quiet doesn't mean you have nothing to say. Sometimes, the quiet ones are the most powerful.

Lee Jihoon (Woozi): Always follow your passion in life. Because passion isn't something given by birth, rather it's found.

Lee Seokmin (Dk): Try to be the nicest person for someone else. Someday, you'll find someone who'll put in the effort for you, too.

Kim Mingyu: Live your life right now like how your future self, who's achieved all your dreams, would. And one day, you will get there.

Xu Minghao (The8): The perfect life isn't about just seeing things. It's about feeling things.

Boo Seungkwan: If you put in the effort every single day and stick to your goals, one day you'll look back and see that you've lived a perfect life.

Hansol Vernon Chwe: Never lose your thirst for knowledge. Learning, in the end, is what keeps you alive.

Lee Chan (Dino): Never do anything halfway. Ever. Give your 100% in absolutely everything that comes your way because progress will always be better than perfection.

And because of Seventeen, I've discovered my life motto, "I strive for the best, always."

healing comes in small doses (iv): better half

pairing: husband! dad! kim mingyu x afab! mom! reader

healing comes in small doses masterlist

synopsis: while you know how mingyu heals parts of you, you didn't know was hurt--he learns that healing goes both ways.

w.c: 8.1k

tags: npr, non idol!au, domestic fluff, established relationship, married life, flashbacks to pre-dating, dad!mingyu, mentions of food, gendered terms, terms of endearment (baby, honey,  eomma, appa), soft mingyu, fluff, flirting from co workers but mingyu avoids it smoothly like chachacha

warnings: a lil suggestive (i mean they're married), and none that i know of but do let me know!

a/n: the story structure is pretty cliche with the present day to flashbacks. i'm personally not satisfied because ive been working on this for months and its not capturing the way i envisioned it to be. i've had 3 drafts and rewrites of this but still, i hope the message i wanted to get across is there! mingyu gets the babygirl treatment this time.

as always, i thrive on tags, reblogs, and comments!<3

“Hyung, how’d you know noona was the ‘one’?”

It was an innocent, curious, and drunken question his younger friend Chan had asked him one barbecue night out with the boys. But the question sticks with Mingyu, and worms its way into his subconscious till the end of the week.

He mulls over it once again one regular Wednesday night with Seo Ah sound asleep in your room and with you sat by the kitchen island, chin propped up on your folded arms. It was not that he didn't know the answer to that question. It was that there were too many answers and memories that bulldoze through his forefront that it was difficult to give just one solid answer.

You're watching Mingyu put away the last of the dishes. You had just finished picking up the toys and mess in the living room and kept your husband company before heading to bed.

His tank top stretches deliciously over his shoulder blades and trapezius as he works that you wonder if it’s too soon to give Seo Ah a little sibling.

Mingyu had just cut his hair, way shorter than he intended it to be. He had seemed a little shy and unsure when he had arrived home earlier, offering you a tightlipped smile than his easy grin. You were stunned, paused at the hallway as you eye your husband's new look. Then you had skipped over to him when he tucks in a little deeper into his collar. You pepper his face with kisses, cooing about how handsome he looked. The shorter strands of hair taper into a clean fade and it accentuates his features beautifully. He finally giggles before releasing a breath of relief then squeezing you into a grateful embrace.

Seo Ah, however, had not taken well into her appa's new hair, refusing to let go of you when you had tried passing her to him. It resulted to him sulking the whole evening and you had to assure and comfort him multiple times that toddlers simply have difficulty adapting to change.

Your husband glances over his shoulder, noticing your dazed stare. He sends you a fanged smile and wink before he reaches for the refrigerator.

"Since Seo Ah's sound asleep this early, why don't we treat ourselves to some ice cream?"

You can't help the fond smile pulling at your lips when Mingyu pulls out a familiar tub of your favorite flavor. You notice the giddy sparkle in his eyes when he begins digging for two spoons.

And when he offers you the first bite then pecks your forehead affectionately, you wonder out loud with a blissful sigh,

"What did I ever do to deserve you?"

The question was intended to be rhetorical, all out of sheer love and contentment with these simple moments you share with your husband.

But he remembers Chan’s question once again. There were some moments during your relationship how you’d express specific things he’s done for you that made you feel so loved. When you do, it makes him flustered, sometimes confused why you were always so so grateful for the little things he does for you. Why wouldn’t he? He loves you! But he figures it was your way of letting him know you see him, and it brings him so much warmth and reassurance to know that you pay close attention to him as he does you.

He realizes that was one other area you were better at than he was. You were quicker to process and you had a way with expressing your thoughts through words. Mingyu on the other hand settles for his careful and attentive nature to your every need, and services you. It was his way to show his love. But then…he figured he can show you in more ways than one—right?

So, he ponders on it as he sleeps, with you tucked into his shoulder. He skims through his fondest memories of you and moments where he had fallen even harder for you.

-

"Oh, Mingyu-ssi, did you get a haircut?" one of his co-workers, Mr. Lee, notes when the said man enters the coffee room where he finds three of his workmates taking a break.

"Hm?" Mingyu runs a big hand over his head, feeling the freshly trimmed ends, "Uh, yeah. It's long overdue."

"Looks great!"

"Thanks," Mingyu smiles, pulling out a paper cup to pour his coffee into.

"Yeah, but I really liked your long hair though," one of his female co-workers pouts, her eyes lingering on the back of his head.

Without turning around, Mingyu just lets out a soft 'oh?'

She leans against the same counter she's in, "Yeah, looked really rugged and sexy."

Before she could reach a manicured hand towards his head, Mingyu smoothly intercepts by moving towards the coffee machine.

"I just never really had the time," he shrugs nonchalantly, "Besides, my wife loves it like this."

He unconsciously smiles at the memory of your surprised gasp, red cheeks, and irresistible pecks when he first arrived home with a fresh cut yesterday.

"She shouldn't be complaining though," his second female co-worker sighs, "I bet you'd look handsome with any cut."

Feeling already uncomfortable at their subtle advances, Mingyu only laughs but still feels the need to defend your honor some way.

"I never said she never complained, just said she loved it," he quips, "The only one who complained was my daughter though. She couldn't recognize me at all and took a while to get used to it."

Mr. Lee laughs, "Ah, she's just like my Eun Chan when he was a toddler and I shaved off my mustache. He cried each time he saw me! They’re too young to accept changes just as quickly."

"You're right," Mingyu smiles with a nod, "Now, if you excuse me."

He nods at them curtly before making a quick exit.

Before he leaves, he catches the beginnings of their conversation.

"Aish, you girls are so shameful. The guy's already married--with a kid!"

"He's not stopping us though..."

"What do you mean? He does! In the nicest way possible."

Mingyu shakes his head, taking a sip of his coffee before making his way to one of the empty seats of the cafeteria to take his break instead.

It’s nothing new to him. Kim Mingyu is a nice man, well mannered, and caring. It was something often taken advantage of. In fact, during the early stages of your relationship others wondered whether you had manipulated him or taken advantage of his kindness given your strong personality. Later on, others shifted from that perspective into absolute awe of how well and how loudly he doted and cared for you that they wonder what could you have possibly done to top that. Kim Mingyu was made to love, his heart big enough to cater to people special to him a designated spot in there. His love is loud, blatant, and encompassing in contrast to your quiet, calm, and nurturing nature that is oh-so-special to him.

It never really bothered you the way the rest perceive your relationship but he definitely was. Because while others saw your husband as a man that fit perfectly in every gap and space in your life that had yet to be seen, you had filled the emptiness in his life no one bothered wondering about.

He runs his hand over his head once more, the early conversation led him to reminiscing back in your high school days. Way back when you barely recognized his growing crush on you, and back when you only saw him as one of your annoying seniors. You didn't know it then, but you had planted yourself into his life earlier than you intended to.

-

"What the hell is that?"

"Did your barber fit a bowl over your head then cut under it?"

The guffaws echoed loudly from the classroom to the hallway.

Mingyu was just 17 when he first tried getting a haircut on his own without his father present. It had been an exciting feat for him to be independent in his own silly way. However, it had quickly gone downhill the moment he knew the barber wasn't cutting his hair the way he asked him to. But in true Mingyu fashion, he felt too shy and scared he'd come off rude the moment he asks him to stop or adjust the cut.

Mingyu just laughs, unconsciously tucking himself into the collar of his uniform. Jeonghan, his senior rubs his head teasingly, "It looks like a helmet."

He already hated looking at himself in the mirror this morning, and somehow the teasing from first period to the sixth had not abated. It progressively makes him feel worse and self-conscious that he had pulled up his hoodie from under his school blazer over his head. But it was against school dress code, and his History teacher promptly asked him to pull down his hoodie followed by detention.

"Whoaa," Soonyoung, another senior does a double take when he arrives, "Did you do this with the kitchen scissors?"

The boys burst into a chorus of laughter, nudging Mingyu's shoulders as the tips of his ears grow increasingly red. He ignores the bite of irritation in his skull, opting to just chuckle along so he doesn't destroy the mood with a snap.

As long as his friends were happy, at the expense of his humiliation, he'll be okay. He'll get over it eventually.

"Cut it out," a calm voice suddenly reaches them from one of the few desks over. They all turn their heads towards you, a junior, brave enough to scold her seniors. Your chin is propped on your palm as your gaze shifts from his senior friends. You tilt your head over to Mingyu, eyes scrutinizing his new bowl-cut. It makes the boy even more self-conscious and worried that whatever his crush might say will forever scar his-

"I like it, it makes you look...youthful," you say nonchalantly but the small smile you send him was sincere as the look in your eyes. You then raise a brow towards his friends, "I’d like to see you rock it. “

The boys stare at you in shock. Normally, they wouldn't let up without a fight especially with someone younger than them, much less a girl. You hold your ground, nervous as hell but you can't help but speak up. Not when the tall lanky boy seems to shrink each time you pass him through the hallway. The boys let your words sink in and Seungcheol finally gets up, "Yeah, guess so. Let's cut him some slack."

His seniors proceed to carry on a different topic. Yet even as you looked away, focused on the view outside and the airplane flying overhead, Mingyu's eyes remain trained on the back of your head. His cheeks are warm, not with embarrassment but with an emotion he can't name. Seventeen-year-old Mingyu had yet to learn standing up for himself when he was uncomfortable. Still, you definitely showed him even the feelings he hadn't expressed were worth standing up for--he was worth standing up for.

-

Mingyu was kindhearted and gentle to a fault. Ironically, he couldn't give himself the same kindness for the sake of putting other's happiness before his own.

You didn't know it then, but it had been one of the most significant things you've ever done for him--being the boundary, the "no" to his hesitance of standing up for himself. In instances where he felt small or made to feel small, you never berated him for it. Instead, you’d be that bigger person ready to fend for him or help him regain the power and confidence he needs. You are his better half, filling in the gap when he couldn’t.

Funny enough, standing up for this six footer was not limited to only standing up against anyone who dared take advantage of his gentle soul.

You stood up and showed up for him for the most ridiculous reasons too.

-

You hadn’t seen each other since high school, and the train station from his hometown when he headed for Seoul was the last he saw of you. Your short texts and catch ups dwindling to nothing when life got too busy and newer people occupied his social circle. He thought of you from time to time, especially in your favorite drinks at a 7/11, when someone in your height, build, and hair walks past him in campus, or sometimes even unprompted. He thinks of messaging you one of these days. But he doesn’t, opting to simply watch your occasional Instagram stories and liking them in hopes that you notice his ‘online presence’. Mingyu was rarely shy but you bring out the side of him that he settles for making himself visible online.

You were both fresh out of university when you had both reunited once again after four years. Never had Mingyu guessed your reunion would be in the quaint little flat he lived in.

Mingyu’s crush on you had only rekindled (too quickly---to his embarrassment) when he discovers that you both lived in the same building. After a quick morning run, he noticed the moving truck and a girl struggling with carrying a box up the stairs when he offers his help. It’s nearly comical how you both gape at each other and stare. You looked like you were about to brush it off, pretend you’re seeing things because you didn’t want to embarrass yourself and assume this handsome man with a well-defined torso was once your cute, long limbed, clumsy schoolmate. But Mingyu recognizes you, he follows your Instagram after all and your rare self-portraits did not give justice to just how stunning you were in person. You had both grown into features that were distinctly yourselves and even more refined.

His face lights up, bright grin spreading across his pink cheeks as he says your name and reconnects with you.

It must be fate, he thought, it can’t be just a coincidence he’s reunited with his high school crush after so long.

He’s even more sure you were destined to be near him again when it took him a full thirty-minute pep talk to get over his embarrassment and text you to come over.

See, if he had texted you with the intent to hang out, he wouldn’t need that long before caving in.

No… he asked if you could come over to get rid of the insect that had settled into his washed shoes drying out in his balcony. He was desperate, he needed those specific pair, because they were his lucky shoes and he had a big interview in an hour and a half.

And when his doorbell rings, he starts spiraling into panic, regret, and shame. What if he disturbed you? What if you found his fear for these four-legged crawlies childish? Even if you didn’t what if you thought his notion for his lucky pair of shoes was foolish?

He’s ready to greet your unimpressed scowl once he twists the doorknob to let you in.

Instead, you offer him a soft greeting, and he notices you were still in your sleeping shorts and pajama shirt. It gives him a whiplash, seeing your drowsy eyes and crooked smile, seemingly comfortable enough to let him see you in this state. Then realizing that you had probably just woken up when he had texted you.

He feels even worse, ashamed he’s letting that little green monster sitting on the crevice of his shoe inconvenience you as well.

“Hey,” you say softly.

Mingyu sputters a bit, before ushering you inside. You slip off your slides and leave them on the doorway while Mingyu offers you a pair of house slippers. He apologizes when they’re way too big for you, considering that he’s mostly had the boys over. Still, you just huff out a laugh and shuffle into his living space.

“Nice place,” you comment, noting how well kept it was and tastefully decorated with family photos and polaroids of his dog.

“Thanks,” he rubs the back of his neck with a sheepish grin, “Hey…sorry, I probably disturbed you. It looks like I might have woken you up.”

You wave your hand, self-consciously tugging on your shirt.

The tall man notices and immediately corrects himself, “No, no—you look fine! You’re beautiful—uh fine, I mean it’s not like you have to— It’s just considering the time and your pajamas…”

He’s rambling, he realizes when you tilt your head in amusement. He clears his throat while you’re making your way towards his balcony, “It’s fine, I didn’t have anything planned till the afternoon so.”

Mingyu suddenly starts to wonder what your daily life looks like? Did you develop new hobbies? Did you like to stay indoors or did you often go out? He watches how the sunlight hits your hair as you peer through the glass of his balcony. It made him feel warm, watching you in the early morning light, pajamas, comfortable, and soft with sleep.

“So, where’s your little intruder, hm?”

He shakes his head off the sudden thoughts before looking over your head and pointing to the pair of black chucks sitting on his stool outside. Lo and behold, there peaked a pair of green antennae and prickly legs. Considering that he lived on the 13th floor, he could only guess that ‘thing’ came with his newly bought boston fern plant to add to his growing collection.

“Converse? To an interview?” you ask as you start unlatching his door.

“…yeah?”

You raise a brow before opening your palm towards him, “Give me a cup and a newspaper or any paper you have please.”

Mingyu’s shoulder bumps into his doorway and his hips collide into his kitchen counter by the time he hands you your request. You smile at him endearingly, noting how he had not outgrown his clumsiness.

He jumps when you casually pick up the shoe with the critter inside while relieved that he had washed his shoes so you wouldn’t be bothered by his dirty shoe. It’s comically large in your hand.

“It’s a mantis,” you say before tapping the sole of the shoe so the insect falls into the cup. It slips inside, struggling to get on its feet with the limited space before you cover the top with a newspaper.

“Do you want me to put it back in the plants or-“

“No!” Mingyu quickly backs up as you make your way inside with the mantis. Chuckling, you walk inside to place it on the coffee table while you deliberate what to do with it.

“Thanks for doing this,” he scratches the back of his head, “It must be silly to have you come here for this.”

“Don’t worry about it,” you say with a wave of your hand, “You’ve hated bugs since we were high school and you said those were your lucky pair. What kind of friend would I be if I didn’t help you?”

He flashes you a toothy grin and you return his smile, gesturing to the paper and cup behind you.

“Now you know what to do if this happens again. Nothing a cup and some newspaper can’t fix!”

Honestly, if it meant seeing you all comfortable and soft like this in the mornings, Mingyu doesn’t think he’d want to take care of it himself.

Then came a pause. What now? Mingyu didn’t want to just keep the thing there forever nor did he want to send you away after all that—that was the last thing on his mind and if it weren’t for the interview he’d have later, he would have offered to take you out.

“I-“ he clears his throat when comes out higher than expected, “I mean, did…did you have breakfast yet? There’s fresh rice and I’m just about to heat up last night’s leftovers.”

You suddenly seemed shy, fiddling with a loose thread of your shorts. Judging by the look on your face, he was sure you were thinking of a polite way to decline. He’d be lying if he didn’t feel disappointed but he wouldn’t push. It’s been years since you last saw each other after all, and you were alone in his unit. You only had a handful of quick conversations since you moved in three weeks ago.

Suddenly, your stomach grumbles---loud. Then, whatever thin veil of friends to strangers to friends, tears open with your embarrassed giggles and his surprised chuckles. He ushers you to his kitchen and he can’t help the blooming feeling of wanting you there often.

Often comes to soon when the mantis had been quickly forgotten then missing when he returned home that afternoon.

-

“Ah, ah, ah! Aish…”

“Aigoo, Mingyu-yah, again?” Jeonghan scolds when he peers over his cubicle to see what caused his co-worker to hiss so loudly.

There’s a coffee quickly staining his powder blue shirt and slacks from the paper cup he’s just knocked over. Thankfully the beverage had gone lukewarm after half an hour but Mingyu’s pouting when he realizes that he’s run out of tissues too. Jeonghan clicks his tongue, disappearing briefly before reappearing into the sulking younger man’s cubicle with a box of tissues.

“Thanks,” Mingyu mutters before hurriedly pressing the tissues into the growing stains.

“Ah, this is the third time this week,” his co-worker points out with amusement, helping him out by righting the paper cup and wiping the desk. “I pity (Y/N) for the laundry you leave.”

“Yah, I do the laundry too,” Mingyu whines. Well, sometimes, especially when your insistence on sorting fabric types confuses him but Jeonghan doesn’t need to know that.

He laughs, “Right, right.”

Mingyu lets his words sit for a while, because it was true. His clumsiness that results to his stained clothes were far worse than what you had to deal with your toddler. He belatedly remembers the joke you made of Seo Ah not inheriting her appa’s clumsiness to your relief. And honestly, he was relieved too. She wouldn’t have to live through the embarrassment that follows after a clumsy spill.

He couldn’t help it that his limbs were just longer and he was much larger than what the average space would accommodate. Most days, his clumsiness not only aggravated him but others too. He doesn’t blame them though, a lot of the times a spill, a broken plate, dropped lunch boxes, or scattered books were more frustrating than funny.

Still, you loved and taught him to love the things that he hates about himself.

-

Early on in your dating, he had discovered an endearing habit you’ve come to develop because of him. It both made him feel giggly like a schoolgirl but embarrassed as well.

At his every turn around a table, shelf, or cabinet, your hand quickly finds the edge of a sharp corner. Or how your hands instinctively reach out in front of you at his sudden jerks as if he might fall or drop something. He later discovers you keep a mini first aid kit in a pouch that fits in any bag you have while you go on dates. And that you left him aloe vera gel with an ice pack his refrigerator just in case he accidentally burns himself while cooking or bumps his head on the lower cabinets.

It's sweet, it’s very considerate of you and he finds himself giggling and blushing when you do those things for him. Mingyu often models the same hand on the edge precaution when you round a corner. Fortunately, you never have to worry about bumping into things You were always cautious and careful. Yet sometimes he wishes he could have some very cool and manly scenario in which he protects you, like a knight in shining armor and his damsel in distress.

Except you were no damsel in distress.

But he did cause you some stress with his clumsy nature.

However, at the moment, when you rush into your living room at the sound of a loud crash, he can’t read the expression on your face to tell if this was your normal stress. You remain uncharacteristically silent as you stared at the shattered mug at the edge of your carpet. He’s wordless too, mouth dry, opening and closing like a fish out of water.

He just wanted to do something for you today, after the kind of week you’ve had. The kind that had pushed you to call him during your lunch break to release a frustrated rant. He thought he’d prepare you your favorite drink, in your favorite mug while you both cuddle up to some movie or board games. He was even ready to propose plans to go on a trip with you.

The liquid seeps into your pristine carpet and Mingyu just wishes the mug had just landed on the carpet itself so the fall would have been cushioned.

A stained carpet, he can fix with just a quick dial of the best carpet cleaner in town. But a mug, handmade from your grandmother, was something way beyond his control. An apology won’t cut it either.

A ghost of irritation crosses your features. The man doesn’t know what to say, heartbeat pounding loud against his eardrums when he notices how your eyes turn glassy. You all but kneel by your broken mug without a word, quickly blinking back tears. Mingyu swiftly crouches, protectively holding your wrists away from the sharp shards, his eyes wide in desperation.

“(Y/N), don’t. You could cut yourself,” he feels a soft tug of resistance from your hands. He swallows tentatively, loosening his hold but you don’t pull away. “I’m sorry. So terribly sorry. I just wanted to-“

“Stop. Not now, Gyu. I’m—” your voice rasps, and you swallow the pathetic whimper that was bound to tear from your throat. “Sorry…just—"

“Don’t be…You have every right to be upset…” Mingyu whispers, tentatively drawing a tender circle on your skin.

“Let me clean it up?” he offers, but you don’t respond, seemingly regulating your breathing with your gaze cast downwards.

“Do you need space, baby?” he releases a breathy exhale, “Do you want me to leave?”

It sounded smaller than he’d like and that’s exactly what he wishes he’d be like. Smaller, softer, careful not like some long limbed, clumsy, giant.

You take a deep inhale as he waits. He wonders if you were going to scold him, tell him to get lost. It would hurt him but he knew there was only so much you can take after the week you’ve gone through and the fact that you would come home to your soiled carpet and a fractured mug with great sentimental value would have him crying too.

You look up at him, eyes red-rimmed and tired. The man feels his own face crumple at the sight of you, exhausted and sad. You gaze at him a little longer before your shoulders sag and you sigh. Your eyes gloss over again and your lips tremble as you ask him quietly,

“Will you hold me?”

Suddenly, it’s not about the ruined mug anymore. Mingyu all but eagerly lifts you up into his arms, the weight of you spent and sagging against his hold. It saddens him but comforts him to feel you so close again. He drags you into his lap, tucking you into his chest and wrapping his arms tightly around you. The mug lays forgotten on the floor, the growing stain the last of both your worries.

“I’m still upset,” you mutter into his collarbone, “But space from you is the last thing I need.”

Your voice warbles, and it makes him draw you even closer. It’s the first time he’s seen you this emotional and he slowly realizes that it breaks him too. Even then, he’s content to know you found safety in him.

“I’m so sorry, darling, I know that isn’t enough to make up for this,” he whispers, pressing a kiss on top of your head and dragging his palm across your spine. “I just wanted to make this week a little better for you. I promise, I’ll figure out how to piece your grandmother’s mug back for you.”

“I know, Gyu,” you sniffle, uncharacteristically loose with your sentiments when you say, “But I’d be happy with just a hug from you.”

“Really?”

You lift a hand to tug his arm closer to you, and in spite of the situation, it makes him smile a little when you do.

“Really, Gyu, I love how safe you make me feel.”

As the words leave your mouth, Mingyu decides that maybe he doesn’t hate being the long-limbed, clumsy giant. Not when he gets to hold you like this, arms and chest encompassing your form as you curl deeper into his chest. You take deep breaths, quieted by the beat of his heart and soothed by the warmth of his body. After a few minutes of just holding you and rocking back and forth, Mingyu feels the lazy press of your lips against his collarbone before promptly falling asleep.

His legs are numb but he was relieved you’ve finally had the chance to rest. Carefully he lifts you up, attempting to settle you into the couch. However, you groggily pull him closer, easily convincing him to leave the mess for when you both wake up.

A few hours later, Mingyu does figure out a way to restore your broken mug when he finds there’s a kintsugi artist just out of town. It was your first trip together as a couple followed after many more.

-

It started raining half an hour before Mingyu clocks out, the clouds from the glass windows of their floor are dark and heavy with rain and thunder. He immediately picks up his phone to call you, knowing you’d get off in a few and let you know he’d pick you up after Seo Ah. He’d hate to have you wait out in the cold and he doesn’t think you’d pack an umbrella today.

You had both agreed that taking the train or bus was way more practical for you since your workplace is in the opposite direction of the daycare and Mingyu’s work. As much as Mingyu insisted he didn’t mind waking up earlier to accommodate dropping you off work, your sense of practicality was stronger than the cutest pout he could muster. Still, you wouldn’t resist him on most days he was up and ready to drop you and your child off.

It only takes three rings before you pick up.

“Hey, honey,” you chirp into the phone and he recognizes a familiar tune in the background and faint babbling.

“Hi baby,” he smiles at the sound of your voice, “Are you at daycare?”

“Mhm, got off work early was about to call you actually.”

“That’s great, I was about to tell you that I’d pick you up on the way from daycare but I guess I’ll only make one stop. Do you think you could wait until I get off---actually, let me see if I could leave early.”

He hears you laugh, “It’s okay, babe, I don’t mind waiting. Seo Ah seems to want to show me what they’ve been up to today…Seo Ah-yah, wanna say hi to your appa?”

The babbling goes silent followed by your coos of encouragement. Mingyu’s bottom lip juts out.

“Is she still bitter over my hair cut?”

“Guess so~”

“She’s just three, she’s holding grudges way too early!” he whines.

You laugh and try again, “Baby, Appa’s starting to get sad. C’mon, say hi, appa! Just like that.”

After a beat of muffled silence, there’s a small hesitant, “…hi, Appa.”

It’s enough for her father to giggle as he imagines her pouting face, “Hello, Seo Ah-yah. I’ll see you and Eomma soon. I love you~”

The toddler doesn’t respond and you chirp into the phone, “Give her time, honey. You look dashing as ever.”

He lets out a dramatic sigh, “Alright then, I’ll see you soon, honey. I love you!”

“You too~”

“Hey, say it ba-“

The line cuts and Mingyu shakes his head in amusement, running his tongue across his teeth.

While you did stand up for him against people who crossed his boundaries, you did enjoy teasing him. It was in harmless fun and he would be lying if he said he didn’t like that playful edge to you.

-

Mingyu clicks his tongue in annoyance when he finds the lack of an umbrella in the car. So, he’s thankful for the old security guard holding a huge umbrella over you and his daughter while you walk to the car. Your husband unconsciously smiles when he sees you tucking Seo Ah closer to your chest to avoid the rain, your heels gracefully clicking against the wet pavement. Your child’s pudgy fingers poking through her baby blue wool sweater are clinging to your shirt, content with how she’s tucked beneath your chin. You greet him with smiling eyes as you approach the car and he grins right back.

The security opens the back door for you to settle Seo Ah into her car seat. Mingyu twists from his seat to reach over to squeeze his daughter’s hand, “Hi, baby! Did you have fun today?”

His daughter stares at him hesitantly, her big doe eyes blinking in scrutiny. You laugh as you lock her seatbelt and hand her one of the felt animals your mother made for her before closing the door and moving to the passenger seat. Mingyu frowns, “Seo Ah-ya, you’re breaking my heart. It’s me, your handsome appa.”

She says nothing, nor does her hand curl her father’s fingers. Instead, she busies herself with the felt-animals she scattered in the backseat earlier that day. Your husband sighs, squeezing her hand once before retreating.

You slide into the front seat, thanking the old guard before shutting the door. Instinctively, Mingyu leans over to lock your seatbelt over your body then catching you off guard with a sweet kiss to your lips. You smile against him, and he can smell the faint scent of your perfume and the rain.

“Hello, Gyu,” you sneak a quick peck to his nose as he pulls away. Then you raise a brow when you notice the stains on his shirt, “Aish, Kim Mingyu. Coffee this time? I just hope it wasn’t hot.”

He pouts, “Thankfully it wasn’t.”

You allow him a few minutes to shift the gears before he drives off the pick-up station.

“How was your day?”

“It was okay, nothing too crazy. Jeonghan-hyung was asking about you and Seo Ah, though. I think he misses her.”

“Aw, should we let him babysit one of these days? Invite him to dinner?”

“As long as Seungcheol-hyung is with him, yes.”

“Of course, or maybe even Junhui,” you hum, clasping his hand on your thigh, “You know, our options for babysitters are many.”

“You’re welcome.”

You grin broadly and squeeze Mingyu’s hand, knowing that your husband’s caring and friendly nature has earned him many friends for life. And in turn, they become yours too. You weren’t as outgoing as he was, so being adopted into his circle had you experiencing the fun and chaotic moments you didn’t get to have in university.

Your husband asks you about your day, and while you don’t have much to share he listens attentively, asking for smaller details like was the coffee machine ever fixed, or what animal was Mrs. Park’s flamboyant brooch today.

“The daycare is hosting an event soon and the children are going to be performing,” you inform him, “I got to take a peep at their dress rehearsals. They’re all so cute! They were all wearing banana costumes. Seo Ah noticed me over the window of the door that she just stops dancing and did her ‘shy tantrum.’ Miss Koh later said Seo Ah was being difficult with her costume which could be why she became shy.”

Mingyu chuckles at that, knowing exactly what the ‘shy tantrum’ looked like. Its one of the terms you both came up with watching Seo Ah’s non-verbal cues. She had the shy tantrum, sleepy tantrum, hungry tantrum, and the bored tantrum. They weren’t exactly tantrums considering the kind of quiet energy she had but you still called it that.The shy tantrum usually came out when her appa would insist on taking her photos while she’s busy playing or when she refuses to wear something she wasn’t fond of. She’d simply sit on the floor, eyes on the ground, and pout, refusing to acknowledge anything around her. Around you, however, she’d whine (something she definitely takes after her appa). The bored tantrum was the most entertaining, where she’d randomly just curl on the floor like one fluffy ball or even faceplant.

You giggle, glancing back at your daughter who’s gone suspiciously silent. Sure enough, the ear of her felt tiger hangs between her pink lips and her eyes are slowly blinking shut at the sound of the rain and the slow traffic. Mingyu smiles at her tuckered out form, “She’s really one sleepy baby during car rides, huh?”

You hum in agreement, “She must have been tired from all that dancing too.”

Traffic begins to slow even more as the heavy rain and higher demands for taxis rose. The drive continues on in silence while you occasionally glanced back to check on your daughter. When the car stops at a stoplight, you take this as a chance to reach over the back to cushion your daughter’s head properly. The toy falls off her mouth and she jerks once before smacking her lips and leaning into your touch. Mingyu watches through the rearview mirror fondly.

You’re just so beautiful to him in moments like these. He’s always found you pretty and you grow even more beautiful to him each year. When he tells you so, you snort and remind him how you looked in high school with your choppy bangs and certain phases but you’re glad you grew out of it. You told him once that you peaked right after university, having figured out your style and which haircuts were flattering to you. Now as a mom, your style had definitely adjusted.

Still, even with the changes to your body that came from having your daughter, it just makes him adore you more. The way you would literally give your body for him and your little family, dedicating yourself to loving and nurturing them.

As his wife, you’ve received praise and compliments from family, friends, and even strangers about how glowing you look. With flushed cheeks, you’d often respond with thanks and that it’s all because your husband takes good care of you. Mingyu knows that it’s all you, but he takes pride knowing that he has some part of it. After all, he loved taking care of you.

You were not the only one on the receiving end of these kinds of comments. Mingyu had always been outgoing but there’s a different joy about him when there was you. He leans into his vulnerability more openly, he’s somehow braver, and calmer as well. As someone raised to be a giver, you have given him so much that others easily overlooked.

“Man, the rain is crazy. The weather forecast just told us it would light rain today,” you sigh, leaning into the cold window and watch pedestrians dash through the sidewalks with their blazers or bags over their heads. “Those poor students,” you mumble when you notice some highschoolers in their drenched uniforms, hailing taxis.

Mingyu looks over to where you’re looking and hums in sympathy. But he then sees a couple huddled under a suit jacket, hobbling over to the bus stop. You see it too because you let out a soft, ‘awwww.’ Your husband smiles, recalling another fond memory as he lifts your hand to press a kiss on the back of your hand before placing one lingering kiss of adoration on your wedding ring.

-

Mingyu didn’t have much as he did now when you both got married. Still starting his 9-5 job, he still commuted and packed budget lunches for both of you. He didn’t have a car, and you moved into his one-bedroom unit, not the house you rented in now. While you both could afford something even wider and luxurious, you decided to be frugal about it. You were both saving up for a car and a bigger place once the prospect of having a family in the future were introduced into your conversations so it only made sense to live by your means. It was comfortable, cozy even with your presence leaving your own touch to the place—your home with him.

The disadvantages of not having a car, however, meant that Mingyu had to deal with the unpredictable weather during fall. And quite frankly, his lack of awareness of weather updates. So, when he’s off work and dark clouds hovered and the smell of incoming rain evades his senses, he’s thankful for the bus stop being right across his work building. However, he’s dreading the ten-minute walk he has to take from the bus stop to the flat.

Once he’s in the first bus, the rain does not begin with a drizzle. It comes in a strong downpour that Mingyu feels the cold even inside the safety of the bus. The man sighs, leaning against the railing he holds onto. He quickly shoots you a text, letting you know he got off work awhile back. He’s only happy his wife got home early today, otherwise he was sure that the umbrella you’ve most likely packed would not have protected you from the downpour. He imagines you cozied up by the window, or starting on dinner which he’ll no doubt insist on taking over once he arrives. Whatever you were doing now, he’s glad you’re warm and not in the same dilemma as he was.

You don’t respond to him as quickly as he’s used to. And he jogs away from the rain into the shade to wait for his last bus stop home. The droplets have already begun seeping through the shoulder pads of his jacket and he just resigns to the fact that he’d come home dripping, he hopes you wouldn’t be too upset with the water tracks on the floor.

The rain abates during his last stretch home, still pouring but not as heavy as it was fifteen minutes earlier. You still haven’t replied to him and he figures that you might have fallen asleep at the sound of the rain. Mingyu smiles at the thought, excited to come home and cozy up to you. He starts seeing familiar landmarks that tell him his final stop is just a minute away. He shrugs of his jacket, and secures his messenger bag across his chest with the intention to run with his jacket overhead.

But just as he presses the button to ring his stop, he notices a familiar figure jogging up to the bus stop with a large umbrella. He recognizes the fluffy pyjama pants and his university’s hoodie under the umbrella. Mingyu’s eyes are wide as he steps out of the bus and hobbles over to the shade. Sure enough, its you, out of breath, the edges of your pants damp and hanging over your Hello Kitty slides.

“Baby!” you breathe out, flushed and grinning.

“Honey,” Mingyu quickly pulls you to his side, absent mindedly kissing your head as he processes his surprise, “What are you doing here?”

“I saw your umbrella by the door, so I knew you didn’t-“ you wheeze and he rubs your back as you catch your breath, “You could get sick.”

‘But, baby, you didn’t have to do this for me,’ was what he wanted to say. ‘You didn’t have to go out the rain. It was my fault anyway.’

“Did you get wet?” you begin checking his clothes, relieved they were mostly some damp spots.

Mingyu remains uncharacteristically quiet, thinking of the many times he would just endure things because he was expected to and because people knew he could take care of himself. He worried that you would be upset when he’d come home tracking water all over the floor, or that he’d forgotten his umbrella. He had thought of quickly rushing to the shower, throw his laundry in the wash, and mop up whatever he’s left behind.

But here you were, taking care of him. It was a simple gesture, but it had erased all his initial worries about you getting upset for his health, the mess, and the fact that he didn’t pay attention to the weather forecast. You didn’t think of the fact that he could survive a quick five minute run underneath the rain. You thought of him, and you came for him.

“Babe? You okay?” you ask, resting your warm palm against his cold cheek.

Mingyu snaps out of his reverie, swallowing a lump in his throat. He doesn’t understand why his eyes are glassy, or why he felt so much from your gesture. He was sure more than he ever was that he was right to have chosen to spend his life with you. He’s just so in love with you and you cared for him in ways he didn’t know he needed.

“I’m okay now,” he croaks, kissing your palm and holding the umbrella over both your heads before you could press him. He squeezes you to his side, tucking you safely into his shoulder then kissing your forehead. “Let’s go home.”

-

An hour and one warm shower later, Mingyu’s in the kitchen cooking you both up a simple dinner.

He hears you leave your bedroom with Seo Ah, having finished giving her a bath and a change. You enter the kitchen with your toddler shuffling behind you. He lowers the heat, letting his kimchi jjigae simmer while he turns his attention towards the both of you. Seo Ah’s hair has yet to be combed, and he figures that his daughter wants to comb it herself when he notices her clasping her yellow hair brush. He shoots her a smile, resigning to the fact that he has to let her warm up to him. You walk up to your husband, tiptoeing to rest your chin over his shoulder.

“Smells good,” you praise him, kissing his jaw before pulling away. The warmth of your lips tickles him and he flushes so easily.

The adoration he has for you from all his reflections today overwhelms him in one crashing wave. He doesn’t let you get far. Turning around, he pulls you into his chest, and you let him but not without looking up at him in question. Your palms are pressed against his chest as you stare back into his soft gaze.

“Hm?”

Mingyu just smiles, slowly leaning in to kiss you. You reach up to rest your hand on his shoulder as he moves his mouth against yours. He sighs into you and breathes you in, taking his time just loving you beyond what his words can say. You don’t protest, used to his constant neediness and affection. You welcome it, pulling him closer and humming when he bites your lip. Giggling, you tap his chest, reminding him that your toddler was still in the room.

The man pulls back with a dopey grin, pressing a kiss to your lips, nose, forehead, eyelids---anywhere he can reach.

There was a curious question at the tip of your tongue when you both feel weight launch itself on Mingyu’s leg. He glances down to find his daughter tugging the hem of his cotton shorts. She’s looking up at him with a shy gaze, fiddling with the tiny hair brush in her hand.

“Appa,” she mumbles, looking down before tapping the brush against his leg, “Hair.”

A broad victorious grin stretches across his flushed face followed by your laughter as you make space for Seo Ah. Mingyu bends down to pick her up before setting her on her highchair then taking the brush in his hand. It’s comically tiny in his large hands as he tenderly combs through your toddler’s hair. He doesn’t realize how giggly he gets, happy he’s finally won her back.

You lean against the counter, watching your family for a while before you ask, “What was up with that?”

Mingyu looks up at you, still with that dopey lovesick expression on his face. He shakes his head, eyes twinkling.

“I’m just thinking about meeting Chan again tomorrow for coffee.”

You raise an amused brow, “What does Chan have to do with my question?”

Mingyu shrugs, knowing he’s too high on his love to realize how he’s not making sense. Still, he grins, fangs digging into his bottom lip as he promises, “Tell you what. I’ll tell you after.”

-

“Hyung, how’d you know noona was the ‘one’?”

(Y/N) is simply my better half.

a/n: i mainly wanted to talk about how the needs of men are often overlooked due to well toxic masculinity and expectations. I hope that point was gotten across otherwise, i still hope you enjoyed the fluff <3 Thank you for reading! Also, if you'd like to be added to the taglist, please comment on the masterlist <3

Sent card to friend and couldn't find my stickers (because I have very few and pretty much never use them) but I think this is better actually

minghao smiles at you the moment he sees you're awake. "morning, sunshine."

"what did you put in that tea yesterday?", you frown, even though you're still a bit asleep and your whole body feels as relaxed as it possibly could.

"just some herbs my mom taught me", he holds your shoulder, massaging your flesh and smiling when he sees that you weren't as tense as the night before. "feeling better?"

"the world could end right now and i wouldn't even flinch. i'm so relaxed~"

hao chuckles, pinching your arm.

"great. there's some left, it's in your favorite bottle. take to the office with you."

minghao has to convince you to go to work; he has to kiss you a few times to wake you up properly, so you won't be late - but, damn, he's also so glad that you're feeling okay.

inspired on the tea i drank last night bc wtf, i'm feeling like i could levitate with how relaxed i am (thank god).

whatever you say, baby - chs

pairing: vernon x reader word count: 1.1k warnings: none? the slightest bit suggestive at the end but like... it's nothing author's note: part two to this fic! i would recommend reading both for it to make sense :)

You haven’t seen Vernon in four days.

You haven’t seen him since he kissed you — and he’d kissed you a lot.

You’d barely managed to finish the movie without making out on his couch like teenagers. And when it was over, he hadn’t asked you to stay — but he’d kissed you again by his front door. 

You’d texted when you’d gotten home safe, as he’d requested. Then you’d woken up the next day to a ‘good morning :)’ text, which was swiftly followed by ‘today is so busy I might die’. And then the two of you had just… moved on. 

He sends a Shrek meme and then disappears for hours; you laugh react or send a meme in return. He sends you a picture of a “gnarly” squirrel he sees on campus; you send him a picture of a shitty doodle you drew during one of your lectures. Neither of you brings up what happened. You know he’s got a project due at the end of the week, so you don’t push when his texts are few and far between. Even though you so desperately want to. 

Is he thinking about it as much as you are? You can’t get the feeling of his lips out of your mind, and it’s driving you crazy. You want to kiss him again, want to run your fingers through his hair again, want to feel his hands on your waist again.

But you remain in limbo. You don’t ask for an explanation — he doesn’t offer one. And you don’t know how much longer you can ignore it. 

Vernonie [8:34pm]: INCOMING VIDEOCALL

Your eyes widen when your screen lights up. You quickly straighten from where you’d been lounging on your couch, tucking your hair behind your ears and hoping for the best. He knows what you look like, you remind yourself, but that doesn’t help the nerves when you finally accept the call. 

“Hey, stranger.”

He looks cute, and it makes you sick. 

“Hey,” you reply, and you can feel your cheeks heat up for no apparent reason. All he’s done is say hello, but you haven’t seen his face in four days, and the last time you saw him you were —

“What’s up?”

“Nothing,” you say, and then you can’t help but blurt out, “You’ve been busy.” It comes out accusatory, and you regret it immediately. 

Vernon looks surprised, and you watch as his eyebrows raise. “Yeah, I had that big project to finish, remember?” 

You nod, avoiding eye contact through the screen. “Right.”

He’s quiet again before he says teasingly, “If you missed me you can just say so.” 

You know it’s an attempt to lighten the mood, but it hits so deep all of a sudden that you think you might cry. Did he not miss you, too? 

You know it’s a cheap move, but you absolutely cannot look at him when he tells you that the kissing had meant nothing, that it was all a mistake. That you’re better off as friends. 

“Hey,” he says when you shift your phone so that your face is just out of sight. You can practically hear his pout. “Come back.”

“I’m just gonna go,” you say weakly, and you can see in your peripheral vision the way Vernon sits up straight. 

“Hey, no. Wait. Please come back? Let me say something.”

You bite your lip as the tears well up. It takes you a minute, but you manage to take a breath and set your phone back upright to look at him. 

“Y/N,” he says gently, and you can see his soft smile through the screen. “Bro.”

You can’t help but smile a bit at that, and he takes that as a sign to continue. 

“Did you think I was avoiding you?”

You shrug. 

“You think I kissed you and then avoided you on purpose?”

Your heart stutters over itself a bit as he says the words out loud. When he puts it like that, you suppose it sounds a bit silly. Because it’s Vernon, and he would never be so cruel. You shrug again, but you still can’t find it in you to speak. 

“Kissing you is probably all I've thought about for the better part of the last few months,” he continues, and your eyes widen. “I wasn't deliberately avoiding you, I just... I was busy, that part’s true, but it seemed like a good time to give you some space anyway because I know you get into your head sometimes, so I thought that would give you some time to process…” He trails off, a hand running through his hair before he adds, quieter, “You know. In case you…” 

“In case I what?” It’s the first time you’ve spoken in a few minutes, and you can practically see the way Vernon’s shoulders relax at the sound of your voice again. 

He pauses, and then he says softly, “In case you regret it.”

Your eyes widen. “You think I regret it?”

“Do you?”

You shake your head, a bit dizzy as you return, “Do you?”

Vernon’s lip curls up at the side. “No, Y/N. I don’t.”

You’re processing, and he’s quiet as he lets you. He doesn’t regret it. He wanted to kiss you. He… 

It’s silent for another moment and then you say, voice small, “But you didn’t ask me to stay.” 

“Baby,” he says, and your eyes widen. “That’s definitely not because I didn’t want you to. Like I said, I was giving you space.”

“Baby?”

Vernon freezes. “Shit, sorry. Fuck—“

“It’s okay,” you interrupt, and he relaxes a little. 

“Yeah?” He breathes, and you nod. A smile spreads across your lips, warmth spreading through you as it really, truly dawns on you — Vernon likes you back. 

“Yeah,” you affirm. “I think I much prefer that to bro.”

“Yeah?” He says again, and you smile. You’re just realizing now that he seems nervous too, and it makes you feel all sorts of warm and fuzzy inside.

“Mhm.”

You stare at one another through the screen. Vernon’s grin spreads the longer you do, and even though you know your cheeks are flushed, you don’t stop the staring contest. He narrows his eyes, and you let out a giggle. 

“So…”

“So,” he repeats, and you watch as he adjusts to lie down on his couch. “I finished my project.”

That was not where you thought this conversation was headed. “Oh yeah? Good job, bro.” 

Vernon raises his eyebrows at the name, and you flush again. 

“It’s habit,” you whine, and he puts on an exaggerated frown. 

“That’s fine,” he sighs dramatically, “I was going to say that I can hang out with you now that my project is done, but I can see I’m the only romantic one here, bro.”

You gasp. “I can be romantic!”

Vernon grins, and you immediately know you’ve taken his bait as he teases, “Really?”

“I can!” You insist, and he just smiles even wider. 

“Want me to come over so you can show me just how romantic you can be, baby?”

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