BABES.

you couldn't see the way heeseung was looking at you with your laser-focus on the screen— like you were just the cutest thing in the world.

the game started. heeseung unwrapped his arms from around you and delicately brushed your hair out of the way so he could squeeze and massage your shoulders.

the game started. heeseung unwrapped his arms from around you and delicately brushed your hair out of the way so he could squeeze and massage your shoulders.

“how are you doing that…” he asked, in awe of your skills. you never stopped impressing him, in absolutely everything.

"i can even do it without looking," you turned to face him confidently as you continued setting up the play and buying the weapons you wanted by muscle memory on the keyboard.

heeseung grabbed your hips and moved you higher on his lap, closer to him, with surprisingly little effort.

your confidence faltered a bit when you felt how close his face was to yours now-- your noses were almost touching, and you could feel his breath against your face when he whispered, "yeah?"

"yeah..." you whispered back, having very little control over your eyes flickering down to his lips, for just a milisecond. but when you looked back into his eyes, he was smirking, and glancing at your lips too.

he wanted nothing more than to kiss you, and everytime you found yourselves in a position like this, his resolve broke down a little more. he told himself he wouldn't ruin your friendship, but god, he didn't want to be your friend. he wanted to kiss you. he wanted to kiss you over and over, and so well that you couldn't possibly imagine yourself being just friends with him ever again.

a ping sounded from the computer, signaling the game was going to start. it startled you out of your daze, and you gulped and turned back to the screen. "i should probably look at it for this part though."

heeseung laughed, "probably," and went back to massaging your shoulders and staring at your face more than the screen ("stop staring, you're missing my sick strategies, weirdo..." "no.").

jay;

you peeked your head out of the restroom, only looking for one person in the dorm in particular. "jay," you whisper-shouted. "psst... jay!"

jay whipped his head around to you from where he was talking to sunghoon with a cute question mark written on his face. when you gestured for him to come over, he didn't really think twice about the fact that you were beckoning him towards the restroom, alone with you.

well— he did think about it, but then he also thought about the fact that you were best friends. and when he walked closer to you, he also thought about the fact that you were so so pretty…. god dammit.

"what's up?" he asked.

you widened the door and motioned for him to come in, "i need your help with something and i just feel kind of weird asking anyone else."

he quirked a brow at you, his heart jolting at the fact that you trusted him the most.

you shut the door once he stepped inside, turning your back to him. "can you zip this up for me? i've literally been trying for like five minutes. i just can't."

jay held his breath for a moment as you realized what you were asking him to do-- zip up a dress that was open beginning from your very lower bare back and went all the way up to your neck.

you were going to drive him absolutely crazy.

"yeah yeah, sure," he tried his absolute best to sound normal.

jay began by slowly brushing all the hair from your neck to the front. he was agonizingly slow about it, running his fingers over your upper back again, as if there would have been some extra strands he missed. but really, he just wanted to keep touching you.

he stepped even closer to you, pressing you against the bathroom counter. you felt his breathing on your neck before you felt his fingertips graze down your lower back until he reached the zipper. it got stuck for a second, but jay easily held the dress tight and yanked it past the knot with no problem, making you feel weak for struggling so much with it earlier.

he dragged it up agonizingly slowly, wishing that his fingers were tracing up your back in a different situation. to be honest, he wasn't even thinking about anything sexual-- he just wanted to lie down with you, to trace shapes along your bare skin and appreciate every inch of you.

and that's how he knew he was fucked in love.

and that's why he couldn't resist leaving a couple quick pecks to the back of your neck before finally fully zipping up your dress. it was so fast you couldn't be completely sure you didn't imagine it.

you turned around to face him, and he stepped even closer, so that his feet were on either side of your legs, caging you into the counter.

he immediately began running his fingers through your hair, fixing it for you on instinct. you felt so safe in his care, and hummed a little, closing your eyes like a cat.

"thank you," you whispered, blinking up at him. god, your eyes.

"you're welcome," jay smiled, and squinted at you. "how did that take you five minutes?"

"it's hard when you do it yourself!" you pulled jay in by the collar, much to his surprise, his eyes widening. he foolishly thought you were going to kiss him, but unfortunately, you were only pulling him in to return the favor, fixing his tie and collar in return. "i mean look at this, it’s crooked..."

jay shook his head, physically unable to keep a small smile off his face. he looked at you fondly as you twisted your face in concentration to fix his tie.

"thank you."

he meant it.

he couldn't help but feel giddy at the domesticity of it all-- it almost felt like you were married and fixing his collar before he left to work or something. he knew it was far away, but he hoped one day he would have something like that with you.

but he had absolutely no idea how he was going to get there when you pat his newly straightened tie, fist bumped him and said "you're welcome bestie," before walking out the door.

jake;

you plopped down on your back on the practice room floor in defeat. "ow."

"are you okay?" jake giggled as he crawled over to where you stretched out all your limbs like a starfish.

"yeah... i'm just sad this is so hard," you complained about the choreography you were stuck on.

"noo, don't be sad! you can do it, i'll help you." jake said for about the 10th time that day, lying down next to you and poking your side.

you flinched, playfully shoving him away, ignoring his grin and fighting off one of your own. "but you've been helping me this whole time and i'm still ass," you whined.

jake burst into giggles at that one, sitting up so he could throw his head forward and back as he laughed. you always managed to make him laugh, and you were so cute even when you were whining.

he caught his breath, “you’re not ass. come on.”

you could only find the strength to sit up, while jake stood all the way up, holding both his hands out to you. you sighed before finally taking them, and he pulled you up with ease.

"okay," jake turned you around to face the mirror, and grabbed your shoulders. "so it seems like you get lost around the head movement in the chorus."

you nodded.

"okay, so you're like this, right..." jake grabbed your left arm and lifted it, running his hand all the way down to your palm, intertwining your fingers with his and holding your hand out to the side.

"right..." you quietly affirmed. you thought it was unnecessary for jake to be literally holding your hand in position, but you needed the help, and... you didn't exactly hate his touch.

"okay, so then your head would be turned..." jake grabbed your jaw gently and turned it to the right, "like that. but move it back a bit more dramatically, like..." he stepped closer to you, wrapping his arm around your waist, pulling you back into him as he pressed his chest completely against your back. "lean your head back against my shoulder."

you did as he asked, your neck exposed. jake was worried his palms were sweating with how nervous he was to be holding you like this. he was kind of screaming internally. he didn't know where he found the confidence to make it this far, but he wasn't complaining.

"okay, now, when you bring your arm in," jake moved your clasped hands so that you bent your hand in towards your shoulder, "you move your head up."

jake held your waist steady with one hand, and used the other to gently tilt your chin up with his finger to face him, "and just look at me," your eyes flitted up towards him, and his breath caught in his throat at how mesmerizing they were. "yeah, just like that,” he whispered, cupping your face.

you looked down at his lips, "and then what?"

jake's mind totally went blank when he realized you were looking at his lips just then. "and then, um..."

you couldn't help but smirk a little at his nervousness. "um... what?"

jake seriously contemplated just kissing you right then and there, but the more he gazed into your eyes, the more he knew he wanted the first time he kissed you to be perfect, and not while he was all sweaty and you were exhausted. you deserved something perfect, someone perfect-- and most of the time, he wasn't sure if that could be him.

so instead, he settled for taking your hand and pulling you towards the couch that was against the wall of the practice room. "and then you celebrate getting the position right by taking a break!"

sunghoon;

sunghoon wouldn’t have realized that you started crying if he hadn’t kept staring glancing at you during the drama marathon you were having.

he placed a hand on your arm, “are you okay?”

“i’m—“ you turned to him, and stopped mid-sentence in shock at the lack of tears on his face. “how are you not crying over this? this is so depressing…”

it was embarrassing, but you couldn’t stop yourself from choking out a sob. this scene hit really close to home for you.

“aww, come here,” sunghoon wrapped an arm around your shoulder and tucked you into his side. “it’s okay, it’s not real,” he whispered into your hair, leaving a kiss on the crown of your head.

sunghoon was pumping his fist internally— he finally got you to cuddle with him. it wasn’t a very uncommon occurrence— you were his best friend and he was incredibly comfortable with you— but recently, his heart threatened to leap out his chest every time. he just hoped you couldn’t hear it as you snuggled in closer and reached an arm across his torso to hug him tight, leaving tear stains on his shirt.

“sorry,” you sniffled. “this kind of stuff really happens, though. it happened to me.”

you normally wouldn’t admit that to anyone— it was a pretty traumatic scene— but sunghoon wasn’t just anyone to you, and you werent just anyone to him.

sunghoon’s heart broke and anger flared all at once when you said that. nobody deserved to have to go through that, but especially not you. he rubbed your back, “don’t be sorry.” he wished he could call you baby. “i’m sorry.”

you sniffled again and looked up at him. “and you’re still not crying?! where are your emotions?”

you poked his cheeks, wanting to change the subject. you knew sunghoon had emotions, but you teased him to deflect from your embarrassment at how much more openly emotional you were than him.

sunghoon sighed as he brought a hand to cup your tear-stained face, using his thumb to wipe the tears away. you had no idea just how many emotions he was experiencing right now, or any time he looked at you, and he intended to keep it that way, although not without great effort.

sunghoon completely forgot about the show and the other people in the dorm as he looked into your tear-stained eyes. somehow, you looked even prettier while crying and sniffling, and it tugged at his heart so much that he felt like he actually had to try to not react.

usually his lack of emotional display came naturally to him, but he was so good at covering everything up that you had no idea how hard he had to try when it came to you— to not cry, to not break down and completely swallow you in his arms, to not tell you that he would never do that to you and never let that happen to you again, and to not press his lips against yours in what he was sure would be the most intense kiss of your life, finally letting out everything he really felt for you in it.

when he finished wiping all the tears from your face, he grabbed your hand and put it flat against his chest. “right here,” he explained. “that’s where all my emotions are.”

sometimes he thought that everything he felt for you bundled up in his chest so much that it actually hurt.

sunghoon totally forgot that in this position, you could feel how fast his heart was pounding. it made you gasp for a moment, and dare to wonder if he felt the same way about you as you felt about him.

you sniffled again, and how loud and gross it sounded it reminded you that you were just his best friend, and one that disgustingly cried in front of him, at that. you rolled your eyes and said, “i’ll believe it when i see it,” and went back to cuddling him. sunghoon went back to tracing shapes down your arm. you would see it one day.

jungwon;

you and jungwon both shouted when you ran into each other in the kitchen in the dark.

“what are you doing here?!” he asked you.

“uhh… just walking around?” you internally facepalmed yourself. it was the truth— you were just walking around to distract yourself from how scared the horror movie you saw earlier had left you, but you wanted to sound like you weren’t. “i mean… looking for food?”

just like always, your best friend could see right through you. you could see the corner of jungwon’s lips quirk up in the dark. “so you were scared?”

you sighed. there was no use in lying to him.

you stared at your socks. “yeah…”

jungwon nodded, and spoke in a small voice. “…me too.”

"really?” you looked up at him. “i mean, it was pretty scary.”

“yeah, something like that could really happen,” he teased you.

“don’t make me more scared!" you rubbed your eyes. "i seriously can’t sleep, and we have a long day tomorrow!” you hated losing sleep— every minute you got more anxious, counting down all the hours you would lose. “and you know how i get when i don’t sleep.”

“oh yeah, i know,” jungwon smiled a bit, remembering how grumpy you were the last time you pulled an all-nighter. he should’ve been annoyed, but it was cute— especially when you fell asleep on his shoulder.

jungwon licked his lips and chewed on them in nervousness. remembering when you crashed on his shoulder in the car gave him an idea. it was a crazy idea, but he figured if you said no he could just say he was sleep deprived or pretend he didn’t remember asking.

“what’s going on in that big head of yours?” you asked after a few moments of silence.

“i was just thinking…” jungwon gulped, so nervous that he didn't even react to your big head comment. “would you... be able to sleep better if you weren’t alone?”

“yeah, i think so,” you answered honestly, failing to see where jungwon was going with this.

“do you want to crash in my room then?” he asked, heart beating rapidly in his ears.

“oh,” you paused for a second, and in that second jungwon thought— oh god, this is it, she’s gonna say no and think that it’s weird and that i'm weird but not in a joking way and that i’m creepy for suggesting that and i’m never going to be able to tell her how i feel because she just thinks of me as a friend and— “is your bed comfortable?”

jungwon blinked in surprise. you snapped him out of his worries, as always.

“yeah it is,” he broke into a smile, starting to get excited. “i have a lot of pillows and plushies and i just need one or two to sleep on the floor—“

“i’m not gonna make you sleep on the floor!” you retorted. “unless we both won’t fit on your bed? or if that’s weird…”

jungwon’s eyes almost popped out of his head. he had no idea you were going to suggest that. "nono no, it's not weird! i think we'll fit, it just might be tight, and... we might have to be .really. close..."

you gasped in fake disgust, "cuddling with you? what a nightmare," you rolled your eyes and grabbed his wrist, dragging him to his room. "come on, i'm tired."

you immediately snuggled into his bed, as if this was a totally normal thing that happened all the time. jungwon stood there for a second, wanting to remember the image, because he might never see it again. he felt like the luckiest boy in the world right now.

you reached a grabby hand out to him, and he thought it was so cute. "come on, sleepy time," you whispered.

he took your hand, and you pulled him into bed, folding the covers over him. you blinked at him in the dark and whispered, "…thank you, by the way."

"of course," jungwon whispered back, taking in every detail of your face illuminated by the glow of the city lights outside his window. he reached a hand out to your face, tracing his thumbs over your eyes, gently closing them, drawing soothing circles around them. "go to sleep now. i'm here."

you hummed. "...that feels good."

"it does?" jungwon was glad your eyes were closed, so you couldn't see him smiling like an idiot.

he continued tracing his thumb all over your face, over your eyebrows, cheeks, nose, chin, all the moles you had, and finally, your lips. he held his breath as he focused his thumb on tracing your soft lips over and over, wondering what it would be like to have his lips on them instead.

after a couple minutes, you kissed his thumb. "as great as that feels, you need to go to sleep too," you blinked opened your eyes.

jungwon slowly dragged his thumb down your lower lip, so that it tugged down a bit and gently popped back into place when he released it. "you have pretty lips," he whispered. he just had to tell you.

"you do too," you replied immediately, and jungwon saw the way you looked at his lips, too. "especially when you smile like that."

jungwon didn't even realize he was smiling again. that seemed to happen a lot around you. you always made him happy, even when he was in a terrible mood and didn't want anyone to cheer him up. here he was, afraid you would think he was smiling weirdly at you, because he couldn't help but grin so wide when you were around-- but you complimented him in a way that gave him butterflies and made him want to smile even harder. you always knew what to say.

he just wished that he knew what to say to tell you how he felt without ruining your friendship. he wished he knew what to say to make you fall as hard for him, too.

"now, sleepy time," you grabbed jungwon's hand and turned around, making him wrap an arm around you and spoon you.

jungwon had the overwhelming urge to kiss your back or cheek, or just to kiss you in general, really, but he figured he had pushed his luck tonight a lot already. "sleepy time." he agreed, wiggling a bit as he got comfortable and pulled you in closer to his chest, hugging you tight. you weren't scared of anything anymore.

sunoo;

"where did you get that hoodie from? it looks familiar," sunghoon asked.

"oh, it's sunoo's," you replied from your side of the booth, taking a sip of your drink as you waited for sunoo to come back so you could start eating the dumplings you were going to share.

sunghoon raised his eyebrows. "oh, really? he never lets me borrow his hoodies..."

"well, it's more like i took it," you admitted.

"oh ok... and where did you get your ring from?

you looked down at the yin silver ring you wore and fiddled with it. "it's from dior, i think?"

"you think? didn't you buy it?" sunghoon asked, not actually confused. he knew exactly where you got that necklace from, but he wanted to see your reaction.

"oh, no, sunoo gave this to me. isn't it so pretty? he has the yang half. he's definitely more yang, right?" you smiled.

sunghoon couldn't help but smile back. god, you two were so cute he was going to throw up. and so oblivious he was going to scream. "yeah... he is..."

sunoo practically burst out of nowhere, sliding into the booth next to you, bumping into your hip playfully. "what are you guys talking about?"

"sunghoon was asking about my ring and i said you have the yang one," you caught him up.

"yeah, and about your hoodie," sunghoon added, turning to sunoo, "isn't that your favorite hoodie?"

sunoo nodded, grabbing his chopsticks and starting to separate the dumplings you liked and the dumplings he liked on either side of the plate for you. "yeah, it is."

sunoo was glad niki asked you a question, so you stopped paying attention to his conversation with sunghoon. he was literally terrified of making things weird with you.

"and you just let her borrow it? you never let me borrow any hoodies!" sunghoon complained.

"oh... did you want to borrow one of my hoodies?" sunoo stuffed a dumpling in his mouth.

you turned to him for a second, halfway through whatever you were saying to niki, giggling at how cute he looked. sunoo turned to you and tugged at your his hoodie strings in response.

sunghoon thought for a moment, continuing as if you two weren’t doing a whole thing, because he was literally used to it. you guys acted so cute all the time, it was kind of sick, actually.

"well... no. but what if i did?"

"then i would say no," sunoo answered.

"what? why?!" sunghoon protested.

sunoo stared at sunghoon blankly, as if he should already know why. sunoo turned to you, making sure you weren’t listening, and smiled, speaking quietly, "because you're not y/n."

sunghoon shook his head in disbelief. "wow."

you and sunoo did everything together, shared everything, finished each others sentences, and were truly the yin to each other's yangs in every way sunghoon could think of— yet you never took your friendship to the next level. it honestly made sunghoon kind of frustrated. he didn't know how at least sunoo didn't figure it out.

but the truth is— sunoo did figure it out. he watched you talk animatedly to niki and smiled. he was almost always smiling, so it's not like he felt the need to hide it— but you had no idea that the smile was almost always there because of you. he was just... scared of what would happen if he admitted his feelings to you, even to his friends, because he didn't want you to find out. he was afraid that if you did, it would be weird and you would stop being friends with him.

“what?” you turned back to sunoo on a late reaction. “did i hear my name?”

sunoo panicked— “no—!” at the same time sunghoon’s much louder voice said “yeah i was just saying how it’s interesting that you’re the only one sunoo lets borrow his stuff.”

“aww sunoo…” you smiled, “am i special to you?”

you meant the question as kind of a joke, but after a second you realized you weren’t completely sure of the answer, and your smile faded.

“n—“ sunoo wanted to say no on instinct, mess around with you as usual, but when he looked at your questioning eyes blinking up at him, he paused, and his face got serious. it occurred to him that with him trying so hard to make sure you don’t know how he feels, you might think you weren’t special to him at all, and he did not want that.

your face contorted in concern. “sunoo?”

“of course you’re special to me,” he spoke fiercely. “you know that, right?”

sunghoon tapped niki, asking him to get up with him to go get more napkins (“whyyyy?” “just do it, i’m older than you.” “bu— ohhh...”)

“i mean, i guess…” you answered softly, bowing your head down.

“no,” sunoo took your hand in both of his, craning his neck to find your face and meet your eyes, making you look at him. “no guessing, okay? i want you to know that you’re special to me.”

“you’re special to me, too,” you smiled shyly. “i feel bad because i don’t always say it and i can’t always buy you things.”

“hey,” sunoo took your other hand as well, making you completely turn to him in the booth. “you don’t need to buy me things, love. your friendship is enough.

it was true. as much as his heart broke every time he realized you would never be anything more, sunoo got energy and joy and inspiration and love just from being around you, and it meant the world to him.

you brought sunoo’s hands up to your face, wanting to hide your blush and grin but not wanting to let go of his hands. “stoppp!”

“never!” sunoo let go of your hands and ruffled your hair. he was going to tease you for as long as you’ll let him, even if it hurt in the end.

niki;

“i’ve… never told anyone that before,” you whispered to niki from the safety of your pillow fort.

“don’t worry, your secret’s safe with me,” niki replied, “just like all mine are with you.”

niki was aware of the fact that he was still just a teenager, and that he probably didn’t really know what love was. but he was never more sure of the fact that he was in love with you than the day you absolutely refused to tell anyone the secret niki had told you a few weeks ago.

everyone from his friends, to your friends, to girls you didn’t know and even his own managers tried getting you to tell them why he didn’t want to talk that one day, and you refused every time— even when they offered you things in return, even when they threatened you. your loyalty and trustworthiness was beautiful to him, just like the rest of you was, and he hoped he could be even better to you than you were to him (although he thought that was impossible, he would try).

“i’m really serious about this, niki. you cant tell anyone.”

niki saw the genuine worry in your eyes, and he wanted more than anything for you to not worry when he was around.

“i promise,” niki held out his pinky to yours, and you brought yours up to link with his. “i’d rather die than tell anyone.”

“okay well don’t do that,” you giggled.

“i’ll try,” niki brought your linked hands up to his lips and kissed his thumb.

“what was that?” you asked.

“what? i was sealing the promise with a kiss. that’s what you’re supposed to do,” he stated.

“that’s not how you’re supposed to do it, you’re supposed to kiss each other’s hands.”

niki’s heart leaped out of his chest at that suggestion, causing him to pull his hand away from yours like it was on fire. “what? no it’s not! who said that?”

“woah woah, i didn’t say we had to do it, you don’t have to act so disgusted at the idea!” you hugged your hands to your chest.

niki realized he messed up. you were offended— you thought he was disgusted at the idea of kissing you when really, he was so obsessed with the idea he didn’t even know what to do with himself.

“no i— it’s not that i’m disgusted, it’s that you’re wrong. that’s not how it goes,” he argued.

“ohhh my god,” you threw your hands up in exasperation— but then lied your head down on niki’s lap anyway. “if that’s not how it goes then why did jisung do it to me like that?” you crossed your arms, blinking up at him from your upside down position on his lap.

niki tensed up at hearing that information. he hated jisung, and he hated the idea of him kissing your hand even more. “probably because he wants an excuse to kiss you,” he grumbled.

“oh please, no he doesn’t. he’s just my friend,” you rolled your eyes. “just like you are! and you don’t want to kiss me.” you said, as if it were the most obvious thing in the world.

niki was screaming on the inside. once again, you were so, so incredibly stupidly wrong that he couldn’t help but blurt out— “what if i did?”

“what?!” you sat up, looking at niki in shock.

oh, he really messed up now. “what if i did… want to.” he awkwardly said, “kiss you.”

“um…” panic was written all over your face, and niki felt so, so bad. he didn’t want to pressure you, and he didn’t want to lose you because you didn’t like that he wanted to kiss you. but the problem was that it wasn’t just that he wanted to kiss you— it was that he was absolutely crazy about you, and every day it got harder and harder to hide. “then… i guess…”

“HAHA!” niki screamed, in his own panic, trying to figure out how to fix this fast before you could tell him you’d hate him forever. “i’m just messing with you! you should’ve seen your face!” he put all his effort into fake laughing in that moment.

“that’s not funny, niki.” you stood up and left the pillow fort.

“wait—“ niki scrambled to follow you, “where are you going?”

“home.” you looked around the couch, shoving blankets and pillows around, trying to find your phone so you could get out of there as fast as possible. you were so embarrassed.

“wha— i was just kidding!” niki whined. “don’t leave, please!” he grabbed your wrist, stopping you from reaching for your phone.

“then don’t mess with me like that!” you cried. “nobody wants to kiss me and it’s embarrassing. that’s why you can’t tell anyone i’ve never kissed anyone before!”

“i won’t!” niki now realized why it was a stupid idea to say he was joking about wanting to kiss you when you had just admitted to him you’ve never kissed anyone before.

“i’ll literally stop being friends with you if—“

“woah, woah, hey!” niki grabbed you by the shoulders. “you’re never going to stop being friends with me. you’re stuck with me. forever.”

he reached down to grab your wrist, bringing your hand up to his and forcibly linking his pinky with yours again. “i promise.”

“you do?”

niki smiled, and without thinking twice about it, pressed his lips against your forehead in a long kiss.

“i do.”

he didn’t miss the way you blushed as you quickly changed the subject, dragging him back to the pillow fort to finish your game.

Steve groans loudly, moving to pick up the fallen tapes.

"Jesus Christ, this again. She does, Robs! You're just never looking at her when she is."

Robin watches as you laugh coyly at something the guy says.

"She likes guys, Steve," Robin says, like a mantra at this point, trying to get herself to move on. You like guys. You like guys. You like guys. Boys. Men. Not girls. Not women.

Certainly not her.

"So? She could like girls too," Steve argues. The pile of tapes in his hand is high but Robin makes no effort to help.

"Ya know, she's always wearing that shirt you complimented that one time."

So not true. But, admittedly, you are wearing it right now. It's a bright orange top, with faded hems and a slightly scandalous neckline but Robin loves how it brings out your eyes.

God, you're biting your lip now and Robin has never felt such privation before.

"Shut up," she mumbles, spellbound by your laughter. "It's just coincidence. Happenstance. Yesterday, she was wearing that pink dress that makes her look like a pr—"

"Yeah, yeah we know you're in love but then explain why she made a face when you asked if I could tag along for your night out?" Steve questions and Robin opens her mouth before shutting it in response.

Steve smiles smugly. Too soon.

"Maybe she doesn't like you. Lot of people don't like you, you ever think about that, huh, Harrington?" Robin disses and the smirk on Steve's mouth fades.

"Well. You like me," he counters.

Robin shrugs, turning back to look at you once more. You're patting the dude's shoulder and ugly, ugly envy trickles down her chest.

"Anyway," Steve hisses, "She made a face 'cause she wanted it to be just the two of you. Take a fucking hint."

Robin doesn't have time to respond, because the blond man has already left and you're now making a beeline right to her.

"Hey Robin, Steve," you say, still smiling cheerfully. Much like the radiant sun, your presence warms her skin. Robin can feel her body start to tingle like it has been doing lately, every time you are in her vicinity.

"So... I just wanted to ask if we're on for tonight still?" you ask, looking in between them both and Steve turns to Robin, waiting for her to answer.

Robin's lips seem to be sealed shut and Steve rolls his eyes. "Yeah w—"

"A-about that," Robin shuts him off loudly, suddenly finding her voice, and you blink back, surprised. "Sorry— er, Steve's not going to be able to make it actually," she continues, lowering her voice and wringing her hands.

"I'm not?" Steve asks just as you say, "He's not?" and you look between the two of them again, clearly confused.

Robin and Steve exchange quick glances. He sighs, something passing over his features.

"I'm not, yeah— I've got this... thing—" Robin shoots him a look, "I've got to babysit my kid's sister— er I mean my sister's kid. So I won't be able to come, sorry."

You look between the two of them, before shaking your head slowly.

"Um, sure okay," you say pressing your lips into a thin line and then turn to Robin. "I'll see you at my place at eight then?"

Robin nods, smiling in a way that she hopes isn't creepy but the look on your face says otherwise. You nod then, excusing yourself from the two of them.

Only once you leave does Robin realise that she'd been holding her breath all this while and lets go, sagging against the shelf.

"My kid's sister, Steve?" she asks wearily.

Her best friend makes a face at her. "So I fumbled. Big deal. I was just taken aback. A little heads up would be nice next time," he replies defensively.

Robin drags her hands down her face in exasperation.

Maybe they really are fated to be alone forever.

"But— you don't even have a sister!"

***

It is entirely plausible that Robin's a little too obsessed with you for her own good. She spends half an hour solely on deciding what to wear, settling on black jeans and a tank top in the end; fifteen minutes doing her hair only to get frustrated and let it down as is and then another ten minutes outside your door, scouting for the courage to ring the doorbell.

All the dilly-dallying proves to be worth it, however, because she's finally in your room, sitting on your bed as you stand beside it, hands on hips and deep in thought. You're wearing a cute crop top that says "Filthy Animal" over teeny jeans shorts, your lipstick a shade of red that she can't help but think would look lovely on her own skin.

Now, maybe, Robin is setting herself up to get a massive heartbreak when she (inevitably) finds out that you're not into her but that doesn't mean she's going to think rationally and pass up on the opportunity to hang out with you.

It simply isn't her style.

"I think this is closer to your style," you say, handing her a black dress with long bell sleeves. Robin does think it's pretty but she's never worn anything other than jeans and overalls before.

"You really think this'll fit me?" she asks.

"My sister's the same size as you, hon'. It's gunna fit."

Robin shrugs, rising to stand up from the bed.

"Wait!" you shout, gently shoving her shoulder to stop her from getting up.

"Not that you don't look absolutely beautiful without it," you say nonchalantly, reaching for a large box on your dressing table, "I really want to do your make-up."

Robin only absently agrees to the last part because her brain stopped listening the moment you called her absolutely beautiful. Beautiful. You called Robin beautiful.

Her brain barely catches up from it's derailing before you're whipping out foundation and brushes and Robin has to shake herself to the present.

"Whoa, whoa. I've never done this before," she says and a grin tugs at your lips that makes her insides warm.

"I'd pictured you saying that in a different setting, but we'll make do," you quip and Robin's brain just about shuts down. For the first time in ever, Robin can't think of words. Whatever the hell do you even mean? Did she hear you right?

"Okay. Why don't you lean back down so I can do your eye make up better?"

Robin's brain is having a hard time coping with everything that's happening. Her hands pushes her back onto your bed on their own accord, resting half her back and head on a pillow. She watches, with bated breath, as you climb onto the bed and crawl over her. You place your knees on either side of her, brushes in hand and lean over.

You're just barely hovering over her, not quite sitting, but Robin just about dies. You pick the eye-shadow with the brush and softly ask her to close her eyes.

Robin thinks she might combust.

Your warm breath fans her face as you gently dab the powder onto her eyelids, painting out the corners and the outer wing.

"What do you think about red?" you ask, voice lower than usual and Robin struggles to figure out what you're talking about.

"Like, the color?"

You chuckle. "Yeah, the color."

"I like it. It's the color of so many of my favorite things. Steve's car, a bag I bought in high-school, this old book I have from when I was a child. My mom's purse, the color of your lipstick and—" she bites her lip.

It was better when she didn't have words to say.

You continue to dab the eye-shadow on the other eye. Robin thinks this might be where you might call everything off, you might end your friendship with her.

"You like the color of my lipstick?"

Something faint blooms in Robin's chest. A wet tip presses against her eyelid— eye-liner.

"Yeah, it's— it's uh. It's a pretty shade." Looks good on you, Robin wants to add but the words die in her throat.

You brush her cheeks with what she assumes is the blush.

"Would you like me to apply it on you?"

That something fizzles and fades away in her chest.

"Sure," she agrees, heart folding in on itself tighter than she'd expected.

"All done," you say and Robin opens her eyes. You're still looming over her, lower lip tucked in between your teeth, as your eyes skim over her face.

She feels hot everywhere all of a sudden and hyper aware that you're leaning so close, hovering right above her stomach.

"Should I get changed, then?" she asks, when two minutes later you're still looking at her and have said nothing.

Her words seem to jolt you and you hop off of her, which immediately makes Robin feel cold all over.

"Oops, yeah. You can change in the bathroom," you say, pointing to the door opposite to you.

In the bathroom, she has to take a second to calm her racing heart. Having your crush sit on top of you like it's nothing... well, it's not nothing. And all those things you said about her being pretty and the double entendre— did you do that with all your female friends?

Robin knows she's going to get hurt. That somethings are simply too good to be true and her good might downright be unachievable. And yet, she tries the dress and it slips on like a glove. It is an almost perfect fit, the sleeves flowing down her long arms nicely, the hem falling down to her mid thighs.

You've given her almost silver, glittery eye-shadow and a lipstick that isn't the red you had been talking about. She looks almost like her natural self, save for the glittery eye-lids and flowy dress. But it isn't too uncomfortable, she thinks she might even look good. Checking herself out in the mirror one last time, she takes a deep breath and steps out.

"Tada!" she says nervously, drawing your attention since you have your back to her.

Robin thinks she imagines it but your jaw almost drops.

She begins to fiddle with the hem of her sleeves.

"Thanks for not putting on too much of the make-up, I'm just not used to it haha. And the dress," she pats down her thighs, "it's almost perfect, I might have to come over and borrow more of your sister's clothes because, well, even though this is, perhaps, the opposite of my style— I do kind of like it and—" she stops when she sees a smile creep up your face.

"What?"

"You're adorable," you say, stepping closer.

Robin feels heat creep up her cheeks. She rubs her neck nervously.

"Thanks."

"And shit," you say, stepping closer, until you're inches from her face. Your gaze definitely dips to her lips and back up, something dark flickering in your eyes.

Robin forgets how to breathe.

"You look so incredibly hot in this outfit," you say casually and all blood rushes to Robin's face. You're standing so close, gaze fixated on her face, skimming over her features like you can't get enough to look.

For the millionth time that night, Robin finds herself at a loss for words. It's like her tongue ties itself in your presence.

"You always look hot." You're whispering now.

"Robin Buckley—" you begin, stepping impossibly close, breath hot on her face. Heat flashes through her, tendrils of a tigngling sensation snaking all across her body.

"— You drive me insane."

All thoughts evaporate from Robin's head, leaving a bubbling mass of one surviving question.

"You... like me? Like that?" she says, before she can stop herself but she's stunned by your words to care.

You chuckle, that pretty laugh that stings Robin's heart in all the right places. You step closer and your hand finds it's way to her waist. Her breath hitches in her throat.

"Are you really that oblivious?"

And then, you're tilting your face and kissing her, a gentle brush at first that makes the ground slip from beneath her feet. The mere contact of your cheery red lips sends her head spinning. Your hands card through her hair then, cupping her jaw and pulling her further in this time.

The kiss presses deep into her body, lips moving against hers with fervour once she overcomes the initial shock. It's nothing like she's ever experienced — a hot want travels through her being when you push your bodies closer.

When you have to inevitably come up for air, the first thing Robin notices is that your lipstick is smudged all over your face.

It's the most incredible thing she has ever seen.

You pull her in again, biting your lip devilishly and looking up at her with half-lidded eyes that make her chest do flips.