. . .

you had sent him something small earlier, something stupid and harmless, just to watch it sit there unread for long enough that you stopped pretending it didn’t bother you,

ryul didn’t ignore you by accident, which also happens sometimes tho,

but this time, he definitely ignored you on purpose,

which meant he was either busy, annoyed, or in one of those moods where he decided emotional withholding was a personality trait (men sigh) (just kidding)

so instead of doing what you definitely should have done, which was waiting it out like a normal person and let the moment pass by on it’s own, you called ohyul

because if ryul wanted to act weird, you could absolutely act weirder

and ohyul, unfortunately, was always available for chaos,

you’re not quite sure if it’s because he genuinely cares for whatever is going on between you or if he’s just there for the tea and gossip,

but either way, he’s always there

“he’s ignoring you again?”ohyul asked after you explained the situation,

his tone already filled with amusement like he was watching a show he had paid for,

you sighed, stirring your coffee slowly, way too slowly,

“yes, and i know he’s awake,”

“maybe he’s sulky,” ohyul chuckles,

“good,” you replied immediately, without even thinking about it,

ohyul laughed, but quickly stopped himself like he was trying not to get in trouble for finding your ‘relationship’ situation entertaining,

“you two are actually insane,”

you leaned back slightly, narrowing your eyes at him,

“we are not a ‘we.’ there is no ‘we.’ we are two extremely normal people who occasionally interact under controlled conditions,”

ohyul hums, very unconvinced in the way only someone who had watched you and ryul interact for longer than five minutes could be,

“right, my bad,” he laughs, “controlled conditions,”

you were about to argue back when your phone started buzzing,

and as if the universe was trying to set you up with yet another plot;

ryul was calling

of course he was,

you stared at the screen for a second longer than necessary,

almost like you were deciding whether or not to entertain him or whatever petty behavior he was trying to get across,

but you answered anyways, very casually and unbothered, or at least an attempt at it,

“hello?”

there was no greeting on his end,

no softness, no patience, just his voice, low and immediately sharp like it had already decided what mood it was in,

“where are you,”

you blinked, letting the silence sit for a moment before you leaned back into your chair with a little too much excitement,

“hi to you too,”

“don’t do that,” he cut in immediately, and there was something raw about it, something a little heavier than usual, like your tone alone was irritating him more than it should have,

because he could clearly tell you were enjoying this,

“just tell me where you are,”

you glanced at ohyul,

who was now very obviously invested in this conversation,

then let your voice soften just a little, just enough to push his buttons a little bit more,

“why do you care?”

a pause, short but noticeable,

“why?,” he echoed, like the word itself didn’t sit right in his mouth,

“yeah,” you continued, “you seemed very busy all day, why do you care now,”

he scoffed, “who said i was busy,”

“busy ignoring me at least,” you shoot back,

another pause followed,

“are you with ohyul?”

it wasn’t a question, it was more a confirmation of his own thoughts,

you tilted your head, even though he couldn’t see it, letting a small smile pull at your lips because something about his tone was already giving him away,

“does it matter?”

the silence that followed felt different,

it was definitely less controlled and way more restrained, like something in him was tightening instead of settling,

“answer me,” he said again, and this time there was no edge of annoyance left in it,

just something focused and too direct, like he needed you to say it yourself,

you exhaled softly, that same smile still on your face,

“yes, i’m out with ohyul,”

there was a beat of silence so complete it almost felt like he had stopped breathing on the other end,

then, quieter, far quieter than before, he mumbled something that you couldn’t quite get,

and then the call ended

you stared at your phone for a second longer than you should have, feeling the aftertaste of his tone sit somewhere in your heart but..

you weren’t quite sure what it was,

ohyul raised a brow, “that sounded loving,”

“it was,” you replied,

“well, yeah it was definitely something,” he said, leaning back in his chair like he was enjoying watching whatever just happened,

a little later, you went home,

you kicked your shoes off near the door with more force than necessary,

dropped your bag somewhere towards your couch,

and most importantly, you told yourself you were done thinking about him for the night,

you made it approximately five minutes into that lie,

until-

you suddenly heard the sound of your front door unlocking,

you didn’t turn immediately,

because tbh you already knew, you figured that once ohyul got back home, ryul would know you were back home too,

and yup, you were right,

“you know,” you said once you heard shoes being kicked off by the door,

your voice was calm in a way that didn’t match the sudden awareness creeping up your spine, “most people knock,”

“most people don’t go out with my best friend when they’re ignoring me,” ryul replied,

there was something different in his tone now that he was here, something more controlled but also heavier, almost like the anger had been carried in with him and was now filling the room without needing to be spoken out loud,

you turned slowly,

and he was standing in your doorway like he belonged there,

like the idea of your space having boundaries didn’t apply to him in the first place,

his hoodie was slightly wrinkled, his hair messier than usual in a way that clearly showed he hadn’t cared how he looked on the way over, and his expression was set in something controlled but far from calm,

your gaze dropped briefly, before coming back to his eyes, “usually people don’t walk into someone’s house unannounced,”

“you gave me a spare,” he replied immediately, holding up the key for you to see,

“for emergencies,”

his eyes met yours instantly, “this is an emergency,”

you let out a quiet laugh, “oh really? what’s the emergency?”

he stepped fully inside,

“you,”

his voice was lower now, stripped of the earlier sharpness and replaced with something more contained, something that didn’t know where to go yet, for now at least,

you crossed your arms, forcing yourself to stay steady, “me?”

he looked at you for a moment like he was deciding how honest he was willing to be,

“you don’t reply to me,” he said, stepping closer slowly, not rushing, like he was trying not to lose control of himself rather than trying to close distance,

“but then go out with him?”

you lifted your chin slightly, “you didn’t reply first,”

“that’s not the same,” he said immediately,

“how is it not?”

his jaw tightened, just slightly, and for the first time tonight there was something almost unguarded in the way he looked at you,

like he was tired of explaining things he didn’t want to admit existed,

“…because it’s you,” he said, and there was something in it that made your chest go still for half a second,

you didn’t respond immediately, and the silence between you didn’t feel like space anymore,

it felt like a weird feeling of pressure..

he was closer now, close enough that if either of you moved wrong, there wouldn’t be distance to pretend with anymore,

which was a close call for real this time,

“did you have fun?” he asked, quieter, and it almost sounded like he didn’t want the answer,

“with ohyul?”

“don’t say his name like that,” he muttered, and there it was again; that edge, that irritation that didn’t really belong to ohyul at all,

because you both know that deep down he didn’t care about ohyul, it could’ve been the president himself, it wouldn’t have mattered to him either way,

you studied him for a second, noticing the way his gaze kept flicking between your eyes and your mouth like he was trying not to focus on the wrong thing,

“like what?” you asked,

he exhaled through his nose, something controlled breaking slightly at the edges,

“like he has any business being near you,” he stated like it was a proven fact,

and that made you pause for a second,

because that wasn’t casual,

that was something heavier trying not to call itself anything,

“you’re being weird,”

he let out a short, humorless laugh, like he couldn’t believe you were still pretending not to see it.,

“yeah,” he admitted, almost too fast, “i am,”

the honesty should have made it easier, but it didn’t,

he stepped closer again, and this time his hand came to your waist,

it was slow, like he was giving you time to stop him even though you both knew you wouldn’t,

“i don’t like this,” he said,

“what part?”

his thumb shifted slightly against your side, grounding you in a way that .. familiar yet confronting,

“this,” he said again, like it was obvious and impossible to explain at the same time,

“you acting like you don’t matter to me until i have to find out you’re with someone else to remember it,”

you tilted your head slightly,

“so what are you saying?”

his eyes held yours for a long moment, something unsteady finally slipping through the control he always tried to keep in place,

“i’m saying,” he said quietly, “that i don’t like sharing you with anyone,”

there it was, not said like love, not allowed to be, but said anyway..

you didn’t answer immediately, and that silence was enough for him to,

he exhales sharply and lets go of your waist again,

but it’s not distance, it’s worse..?

he drags a hand through his hair like he’s trying to get his thoughts in order and failing, pacing two steps away before stopping, like even that much space irritates him,

“this is exactly why i don’t do this,” he mutters,

you lean back slightly against the counter, arms crossing, not chasing him, not softening,

“don’t do what?”

he lets out a short laugh that doesn’t sound amused at all,

“this- whatever this is supposed to be,” he says as he gestures vaguely between the two of you,

you raise a brow,

“you mean the thing you keep showing up for?”

that hits,

you see it in the way his shoulders tense, in the way he looks at you again like you just said something a little too accurate,

“yeah,” he says, quieter now, “that,”

there’s a pause, thick and uncomfortable, but neither of you moves to fix it,

“you don’t get to act like that,” he adds suddenly, sharper again, like the thought circled back and pissed him off all over,

you frown, “like what,”

“like you can just-” he gestures vaguely, frustrated, words not coming out clean “-do whatever you want and i’m just supposed to not care,”

you blink at him, “i can do whatever i want,”

“i know that,” he snaps, then immediately exhales like he hates that answer, “that’s the problem,”

you push off the counter, taking a step toward him now, “then what do you want, ryul?”

he goes quiet,

not because he doesn’t have an answer, but because he has too many..

his jaw tightens again, and for a second it looks like he’s about to say something,

but then he scoffs instead, shaking his head like he’s annoyed at himself for even getting close,

“i don’t know,” he mutters, “something that makes sense,”

you let out a small, dry laugh, “this made sense to you before,”

“yeah,” he says immediately, eyes snapping back to yours, “before you started acting like i’m an option,”

that lands harder than it should,

you tilt your head slightly, defensive now,

“you made it optional,”

“i didn’t say you were replaceable,”

“you didn’t say anything,” you shoot back, “that’s the whole issue,”

silence.

that one sits between you, heavier than the rest so far,

he looks at you like he wants to argue, like he wants to push back,

but there’s nothing to say to that, and he knows it,

“yet you’re still here,” he says finally, like that’s his defense,

you let out a quiet breath, “so are you,”

another pause, a weird tension filling the air,

he steps closer again, slower this time, like he’s thinking through it and still choosing to close the distance anyway,

“yeah,” he says under his breath, “that’s what’s pissing me off,”

you don’t move,

“then leave,” you say, not softly, not gently,

just honest and raw,

his eyes flick up to yours immediately, something sharp cutting through the frustration,

“you want me to?” he asks,

you hold his gaze, and there it is,

that awful, honest middle ground that you’ve been circling around for the longest time,

he huffs out a quiet breath, something almost like a laugh but not quite an actual laugh, shaking his head again,

“you’re unbelievable” he mutters,

you only hum,

“you go out with other people-“”

“i went for coffee,” you cut in,

“that’s not the point,” he snaps, then lowers his voice again, like he’s forcing himself back under control,

“the point is i don’t like it, and i don’t get to say that without sounding insane,”

you study him for a second, “you kind of do sound insane,”

“thanks,” he says flatly, “that helps a lot,”

but he’s closer again now, close enough that the tension shifts, not disappearing

but more like it’s changing shape,

“you don’t get to be mad at me for something we never defined,” you say, your voice came out a lot steadier than you thought it would,

“i’m not mad at you,” he replies immediately,

you raise a brow and he hesitates for a second,

“…i’m mad at the situation,” he corrects, but it sounds like a lie even to him,

“same thing,” you chuckle,

he looks at you for a long second, something unreadable settling in his expression,

his gaze is less sharp now, but heavier,

“no,” he says, “it’s not,”

you don’t ask him to explain, because you already know,

his gaze drops briefly, then comes back up, slower this time, like he’s giving himself a second to decide whether or not to say the next part,

he shouldn’t and you both know he shouldn’t, but he does it anyway,

“…if it was anyone else,” he says, his voice was low and controlled in a way that feels like it’s holding something back, “i wouldn’t care,”

your chest tightens slightly, but you don’t say anything,

“but it’s you,” he adds, almost like that’s the problem,

and the worst part? (to him at least)

you don’t soften,

you just look at him, steady, matching his energy instead of easing it,

“then maybe you should,” you say,

and that pushes him, you see it immediately,

his expression tightens, something frustrated and real slipping through before he can stop it,

“yeah?” he says, stepping in again, closing the last bit of space like he’s done pretending distance helps,

“you want me to stop caring?”

you don’t answer right away, and he can clearly tell you’re just testing him now, pushing him to a higher level that he wasn’t sure if he was ready for, and that’s enough for him,

his hand comes back to your waist, not hesitant this time, not careful,

just there, firm, grounding, like he’s reminding both of you exactly what this is when words stop making sense,

“because i can’t do this halfway,” he mutters, more to himself than to you, “either i don’t care, or i care too much, and right now-”

he cuts himself off, jaw tightening,

you tilt your head slightly, “right now what?”

he looks at you like he’s already said too much, like he’s annoyed you’re making him say the rest,

like he knows you’re pushing him,

“…you’re making it very hard to pretend i don’t care,” he finishes,

he shouldn’t move closer again,

and yet,

he does anyway,

that last bit of distance disappears like it was never there in the first place, his hand still firm at your waist, pulling you in just enough that it stops feeling like a conversation and starts feeling like something else entirely,

you don’t step back but you also don’t soften,

if anything, you hold his gaze like you’re challenging him to do something about it,

“then don’t,”

and that’s it,

that breaks whatever little control he had left,

something in his expression shifts, frustration, tension, but there’s something sharper underneath it,

and before either of you can overthink it, his hand tightens and he pulls you into him properly this time,

and then he kisses you, before either of you can say anything else,

his lips were not soft, not careful, not anything like the kind of kiss that asks,

no, this one takes,

like he’s been holding it back for too long and doesn’t care anymore about doing it right, about easing into it, about pretending this is casual,

his mouth presses against yours hard enough to steal your breath for a second,

and the way he kisses you feels impatient, almost rough around the edges, not careless, but not gentle either,

like all the frustration he’s been trying to keep in check finally found somewhere to go,

your hand comes up instinctively, gripping the front of his hoodie, pulling him closer instead of pushing him away, and that only makes it worse,

in the best way possible,

because he reacts immediately,

like that was all the permission he needed,

his other hand comes up to your side, fingers pressing in just enough to ground you there, to keep you exactly where he wants you,

and the kiss deepens without hesitation, still heated, still rushed, like he’s trying to make a point without actually saying it,

your breath catches against him, and you feel the way he exhales through his nose, sharp and uneven, like he’s still annoyed, still worked up, and somehow pouring all of it into the way he moves against you,

it’s messy.

not sloppy, just .. intense

like neither of you is thinking about pacing or control, just reacting, and letting go,

when he finally pulls back, it’s not far, barely an inch probably,

close enough that you can still feel his breath against your lips, still feel the tension sitting there between you, not gone, just shifted into something heavier,

his grip doesn’t loosen, if anything, it stays exactly the same,

“this is what i mean,” he mutters, voice low, still edged with frustration, like even that didn’t fix anything, “you do this-“

you tilt your head slightly, breath uneven but your expression still steady, “you kissed me,”

“you let me,” he shoots back immediately,

you don’t deny it, and that silence says enough.

his gaze drops to your lips again, slower this time, like he’s debating whether to do it again or force himself to step back,

but he doesn’t step back, of course he doesn’t,

instead, his thumb shifts slightly against your side, grounding himself more than you,

like he’s trying to hold onto something solid in the middle of something that clearly isn’t,

“you’re making this way harder than it should be,” he says quietly,

you meet his eyes, “you’re the one that’s making this hard,”

another pause,

he exhales, almost like a quiet, frustrated laugh, shaking his head just slightly,

“yeah,” he murmurs, “that’s the problem,”

and still,

he doesn’t let go..

mlist ツ

so naturally, you decided to return the favor

because of course, you’re generous like that

and now it’s been three hours..

it’s safe to say that he didn’t even notice it at first

he’s leaning against the kitchen counter scrolling on his phone while you walk past him to grab a glass

normally you’d bump into him on purpose, playfully

but today you just… walk by

you didn’t say anything, you didn’t acknowledge that he was standing there, you didn’t even bat an eye

he glances up immediately; “..you good?”

you say nothing, complete silence

open the cabinet, grab a cup, fill it with water, take a sip, turn back around and walk out

no eye contact or

just.. nothing

“..okay?”

he shrugs like he doesn’t care, but he can’t deny that hks eyes followed you when you leave the room, hoping you’d look at him for just a sec

20 minutes later he’s on the couch when you walk past him in the living room

normally you’d flop down next to him, grab his arm or throw you own legs over his

but today you sit in the armchair instead

he frowns while looking at you, scanning your face to see the slightest hint of annoying

“..you mad?”

silence.

“…hello?”

nothing.

he squints at you, but your face expression doesn’t change one bit

“..yn?”

you continue scrolling through your phone like you’re reading the most interesting thing ever posted online

and ryul leans forward a little, his eyes burning holes into

your face at this point

“..baby?”

a pause..

then he sighs, leaning back, crossing his arms as he scoffs softly

“okay,”

another pause..

he huffs under his breath, disbelief written all over his face as he shakes his head slightly as he thinks;

‘two can play this game’

so ever since, the apartment is filled with the most dramatic mutual ignoring imaginable

you walk past each other like strangers,

ryul deliberately looks the other direction whenever you enter a room, secretly still hoping you’d look into his direction

and for a while, ryul commits to it

like actually commits to it, full on taking it very seriously and very very dramatically

but after about an hour…

his petty commitment turns into annoyance, because you’re doing it too well

you don’t even glance at him, not once

you don’t even acknowledge him even the slightest bit, even when he sighs out loud, over exaggeratedly clears his throat or tries coming closer; you don’t waste one singular breath on him or his presence

you’re in the kitchen, making your nightly tea and he tries hovering near you,

once again trying to get a reaction out of you

but.. nothing

he even bumps your shoulder “accidentally”

no reaction.

he doesn’t give up tho

he just watches you for a good minute, his eyes tracing the lines of your face and he can’t help the way his lips curl up into a small smile

for a second he seems to forget that you’re in an active ignoring session

and before his mind can even comprehend what he’s doing, he leans in like he’s about to kiss you

but before he actually can, you step aside and grab a spoon out of the drawer

ryul freezes mid lean, eyes slightly wide, mouth gasping open just a little bit

“…did you just dodge me?” he scoffs softly

you just stir your tea and he stares at you, his gaze flickering between your tea and your face

“…wow.,” he mutters

later that night, when the front door bursts open, ryul is sulking on the couch; full on sulking

and louis walks in first, “yooooo!”

you immediately perk up in the kitchen by the sound of the others arriving,

“lou!!” you call out, excitedly

ryul’s eyes snap wide open

louis drops his bag and stretches dramatically, “i made a new beat today, wanna hear it?”

and you brighten instantly, a big smile plastered across your face for the first time that night,

“omg of course!!!!”

ryul slowly sits up straight,

that voice.

that sweet, excited voice.

the one you apparently still have access to for everyone except him?

you grab two capri sun’s for louis and you before following him into his bedroom, plopping down next to him on his lower bunk bed

ryul gets up and follows quietly, his feet shuffling over the floor before he stops to lean against the doorway

inside, louis’s already pressing play on the laptop, excitedly explaining what he did

and music fills the room while you nod along, smiling sweetly

“oh my god wait this part is so good!”

louis’s face lifts up instantly, “right?? wait listen to this drop-“

you lean closer to the laptop as louis taps around on his keyboard

and ryul’s eye twitches slightly when he hears you laughing

you even lightly shove louis’s shoulder when the beat switches, proudly telling him that he did a good job, mirroring the big smile on his face

ryul’s jaw tightens,

he doesn’t say anything tho, he just watches you two

and louis is so immersed in his beats that he doesn’t even seem to notice

“i was thinking of layering another synth here-“

and you nod enthusiastically, “yeah!! that would sound amazing!”

ryul scoffs quietly, pushing himself off the doorframe before walking away

he shakes his head and mutters a quiet, “..unbelievable,” under his breath

ten minutes later he wanders back, purely to see if you’re still ignoring him

which.. you are.

even worse actually,

you and louis seem to have the best time,

you’re sitting cross legged on his bed, louis slide down to sit on the floor with his laptop infront of him

and as a cherry on top, woojin joined your little gathering too

ryul stands in the hallway staring like a ghost,

he doesn’t enter the room, doesn’t even pretend he was going to

and louis and woojin immediately look up when the older guy shows up, woojin calling out for him to join you

but you?

you’re still doing.. whatever you’re doing

you don’t even look up for the slightest bit

ryul loudly clears his throat,

and woojin grins to himself, looking at ryul before whipping his head towards you

“aha.., i get it,” he mumbles, grinning widely now

louis looks up quickly, but continues talking, probably unaware of the ‘situation’

“…so i sampled this old drum kit-“

and you lean in instantly, to listen and see what he was doing

ryul dramatically sighs, drifting off to the kitchen, grabbing a water bottle from the fridge

closing the door a little more aggressively than usual

..no reaction

he twists the cap louder than necessary

.. still no reply whatsoever

he sighs loudly (again)

still nothing.

he shuffles towards louis’s room again

walking past the doorway slowly,

very slowly..

almost like a little cat expecting attention, which is basically him right now

but nothing

he stops, turns back, stares at you while you are nodding while louis explains something about mixing

and ryul whispers to himself, “..wow,” before then storming off to his own room again

a little later, the apartment grows quiet

everyone is in their rooms, logging off for the night

and you go to the bathroom to get ready for bed as well

while you’re brushing your teeth, the door opens and ryul walks in

well, he doesn’t really walk in

he just leans against the doorframe, his arms crossed, watching you through the mirror

waiting..

you spit into the sink, rinse your toothbrush, put it away and continue the next step in your routine

still nothing..

his jaw tightens slightly, sighing softly as he realises you’re still not acknowledging his presence

“..yn?”

you don’t say anything, you don’t even seem to care that he’s right behind you

you just grab your skincare bottle and he watches you like he’s trying to force eye contact through sheer willpower

unsuccessful of course

you wipe your hands and brush your hair quickly before putting away all your stuff

once you’re finished, you simply walk past him, and disappear into his bedroom

ryul stays there for a second before his mind is fully aware of the fact that you just brushed straight past him, again

“..you’re actually joking,” he mutters

but nonetheless, he still follows you to the bedroom like a lost little puppy

a little moment later, after some needed tiktok scrolling, you turn off the lights and turn away under the blankets,

usually you’d curl up into his arms, resting your head on his chest while he holds you

but tonight, ryul just lies on his back staring into the darkness..

without you in his arms

five minutes pass

and he sighs loudly

ten minutes,

he shifts dramatically, adjusting his blanket even though it was covering his body just perfectly

fifteen minutes,

and there’s still complete silence

your breathing evened out softly, and for a second he thought you already fell asleep,

then-

in the complete darkness, you mumble,

“you can be such a lil bitch sometimes,”

and ryul instantly launches upright

the blankets rustle violently as his body jolts up,

“WHAT-“

he slaps the lamp on on his nightstand, and the light floods the room nicely

he’s staring at you like you just rose from the dead,

“YOU CAN STILL TALK?!”

you blink at him, scoffing softly, “of course,”

he looks deeply offended, like actually offended

“i’ve been suffering for HOURS,” he states dramatically

“good,”

“good??”

he gestures wildly, his hand brushes through his hair before sliding down his face,

“you ignored me like i committed a fk crime,”

you squint at him, your eyebrows frowning a little,

“you started it,”

“i did not,”

“you literally gave me the silent treatment earlier today,”

“..that was different,”

you raise an eyebrow, “how,”

he hesitates, “…it just was,”

you roll onto your back, sighing out loudly,

“see? lil bitch,”

ryul gasps like you just stabbed him,

and you only snort

he glares at you for about two seconds before his expression slowly turned sulky,

“…you dodged my kiss earlier,”

“yes,”

“that was uncalled for,”

“that was revenge,”

he flops down dramatically, groaning softly; “i don’t like being ignored,”

you glance at him, “yeah?”

he mutters, “..yeah,”

“you do it all the time,”

a pause..

then suddenly-

he rolls over and grabs you in a tight bearhug before you could even think of dodging him again

you wheeze instantly at the sudden movement, “ryul!”

“no,”

he buries his face into your shoulder, “i’m claiming you back,”

you try to shove him away but he just tightens his hold like a stubborn koala

“you were being nice to louis and ignoring me,”

you laugh, “because louis isn’t annoying,”

“can you stop,” he groans

“and you were lurking in the hallway like a ghost,”

“because you were flirting with him,”

you stare at him, “flirting?” you echo, “the kid is 15,”

“so what? you were 15 once,”

“…i said his beat was good,”

“you were literally leaning into him,”

“oh my god,”

“that’s physical affection,”

you only scoff under your breath and ryul looks absolutely scandalized

“this is serious,”

“you’re ridiculous,”

“i’m correct,”

you push his face away, “you’re jealous and petty,”

but he immediately denies it, “i am NOT jealous!”

there’s a beat of silence,

“…i just think louis should mind his business,”

you grin, “and you’re petty,”

“i’m not,”

“so if i go tell louis i liked the beat again-,”

ryul groans loudly, and before you can even say anything else, his face comes back up and his lips were crushed on yours

completely out of nowhere, and you had zero chance to even try and protest

it’s messy and quick and very much meant to interrupt your sentence, which was successful

and you blink when he pulls back, “that was cheating,”

he just shrugs easily, “strategic actually,”

you narrow your eyes, “if you kiss me again i’m gonna go hug louis tomorrow,”

ryul freezes, his eyes wide as his mouth drops open, “don’t say things like that!”

and you grin, “louis gives good hugs tho,”

ryul tackles you back into the mattress

“YOU’RE NOT SUPPOSED TO EVEN KNOW THAT!!”

you laugh as he squishes you into the pillow,

“ryul- i can’t breathe,”

“good, you started psychological warfare,”

you wiggle in his hold, trying to free yourself from the strong grip he has on you,

“you started it,”

he groans, “..fine,”

then he presses another kiss to your lips,

this one slower and softer

less dramatic

and you don’t even try to fight him off, you smirk into his lips as your arms naturally closed around his neck, pulling him closer to you

“…don’t ignore me like that again,” he mumbles against your lips

“maybe,”

he pulls away slightly, squinting his eyes suspiciously,

“…i’m literally gonna lock you in this room,”

you burst out laughing, and ryul immediately pulls you closer again

“i’m being serious,”

“yes a serious lil bitch,”

he rolls his eyes, chuckling softly, “you forgot petty,”

“right my bad,” you reply, “a petty lil bitch,”

he nudges your head into your pillow before turning around to turn off the light,

“ok enough talking,” he sighed as he plopped down onto the bed again, pulling you into his side

“already?” you jokingly said, “i thought you didn’t like the silence,”

“i’m reconsidering my decision,” he laughed

“copied sir,” you replied, “i’ll be quiet again,”

“no. no, no, i’m joking, please keep talking, i like your talking,”

you grin, “i know you do,”

he laughs softly, his arms finally closing around you, pressing a soft kiss on your temple before closing his eyes

and you better believe that for the rest of the night,

he holds you close to him like you might actually disappear if he lets go

and deep down, he’s making a silent promise to himself that he won’t ever give you the silent treatment again..

from now on, the ryul treatment is specifically for woojin and louis

not you,

his fav little menace

mlist ツ

- i feel like since the beginning he’s so upfront about his feelings towards you. when ohyul introduces you, he’s immediately at your feet using any excuse in the book just to be able to talk to you.

- whenever you’re over, he’s suddenly looming around ohyul’s room trying to get a glimpse of you and eventually just invites himself in and asks for your instagram.

- after months, he finally gets the courage to make you his gf and does it so cutely.

- as your bf, he’s so caring and attentive when it comes to you. he notices when you get quiet, when something is bothering you, or when you want to do something but are too afraid to say it.

- is sososo reassuring when you start overthinking and tries his best to make you feel better.

- he’s also extremely silly, so he constantly bothers you and rage baits you to the maxxx! don’t let his nonchalant façade fool you 🤣

- but even after bothering you, he knows when to stop and not push it so much

- ryul is defff the submissive type so whatever you say goes

- doesn’t even care if you make him clean your room, or do your laundry because he will do it with a smile on his face! and no kinky shit but he just loves when you boss him around.

- he’s just soooo down bad for you!

- i don’t see him as physically clingy, but over the phone?? baby he’s calling you and texting you every second of the day.

he didn’t realise you were already here waiting for him to get home and his whole expression softens immediately

“hi,” he says, walking over and stealing a quick kiss before you can even say something or tease him about the shower thing, “i’m gonna wash up first”

you giggle softly, squinting at him, “of course you are”

it’s an inside joke at this point.

the legendary hour-long showers

the mysterious disappearance in the bathroom

his members swear he’s in there solving world hunger or composing symphonies instead of just… showering like a normal human being

he leans down slightly, voice lowering just for you to hear, “you could come with me, you know”

you chuckle, “no thanks”

he shrugs, unbothered, lips curving in a small smirk, “we can spend time together, multitask”

“multitask?” you repeat, laughing at how satisfied he looks with himself

“quality time,” he corrects smoothly, “it’s.. efficient”

woojin, who was busy doing something on his laptop, most likely editing a new vid, says; “stop flirting and just go already”

ohyul rolls his eyes, throwing the closest pillow he could find towards the guy

and then looks back at you, a playful glint in his eyes, “rock, paper, scissors. if i win, you at least consider it”

“consider it?” you echo

“yeah, seriously consider it”

you narrow your eyes but hold out your hand anyway, not being able to hide the little smile on your face, “fine”

“rock, paper, scissors-”

he wins.

of course he wins

and he looks insanely pleased with himself, “see? it’s fate”

“you rigged that,” you accuse jokingly

“i did not-“ he defends, “i win,”

“mhhhm” you hum to yourself, pretending to think,

he starts backing toward the hallway, not breaking eye contact, “door’s unlocked. just saying”

and before you could say anything, he’s already gone, disappearing into the bathroom

and not even a minute later, the sound of the shower starting fills the dorm

you flop back against the couch, ryul laughs and shakes his head, “don’t fall for it, he’s gonna be in there forever”

you sigh to yourself, getting comfortable on the couch

“i’ll just hang out with ryul in the meantime,” you announce loudly

loud enough for your bf to hear

“i heard that!!” he yelled from down the hall, making you and ryul laugh

not even five minutes pass before your phone lights up

ohyul’s calling

you stare at it, before you turn your head to look towards the bathroom door that is literally one wall away

“he has serious distancing issues” ryul laughs, “he’s not even 10 minutes into his.. whatever he’s doing”

you laugh, but answered anyway, “what?”

“hi,” he says, like he’s not literally calling you from inside the shower, you can hear the water running in the background, “can you come here for a sec?”

“..you could have literally called my name”

“yeah but this feels more dramatic”

you sigh and get up, padding down the hall and when you open the bathroom door, steam rolls out immediately, warm and thick, fogging up the bathroom mirror

“what do you need?” you ask, the heat in the room slapping you in the face

he peeks his head out from behind the shower curtain, his hair already damp, water running down his shoulders, that stupid, smug smile on his face

and you can’t lie, he looks unfairly good

annoyingly good..

“i forgot my body wash,” he admits, sheepishly

you blink at him, “what?”

“it’s on my desk,” he says defensively, “i cleaned and organised everything”

“that’s a first”

“hey!”

you roll your eyes at him before turning around

you grab the bottle from his room and come back, holding it out to him without stepping too far inside

he doesn’t take it from your hand immediately

instead, he looks at you through the steam, eyes slow and knowing

“you’re already here now,” he says, a small smirk on his face

“don’t”

“it’s warm”

“ohyul”

“baby”

“no.”

“we could save water,” he adds helpfully, as if he just found the solution for his own needs

you laugh, “you take hour long showers, i don’t think you care about saving water”

he groans in defeat, reaching out as if he was going to take the bottle, but instead his fingers linger around your wrist,

holding you

not tight, just enough

“please stay,” he says, softer now, almost pleading, his eyes glazed over

you hesitate for a sec, sighing to yourself

he steps a little closer, still mostly hidden behind the curtain, but close enough that you can feel the warmth radiating off him now

there’s water droplets sliding down his jaw and chest and he tilts his head slightly, looking at you

really looking at you

“i missed you all day,” he murmurs, a slight pout on his lips as he speaks, “and then i finally see you and you hang out with ryul instead”

“you abandoned me for your shower,” you remind him, laughing quietly

“i invited you,” he defends himself, “i even won rock paper scissors”

you shake your head, giggling at his pouty smile but you don’t pull your hand away

he leans in just enough to press a quick, wet kiss to your knuckles, smirking when you inhale sharply,

“come on,” he says again, voice low but playful, “at least keep me company”

“is he still negotiating!?” ryul yells from the living room

ohyul groans, “ignore him”

you glance toward the door and then back at him

steam curls around both of you now

his fingers are still loosely wrapped around your wrist, his thumb now brushing soft circles against your skin like he doesn’t even realize he’s doing it

you swallow, rolling your eyes playfully

“i can’t with you,” you say, chuckling, but it comes out quieter this time

he looks at you like he already knows that, like he knows you’re not actually leaving

his thumb slows before stops moving completely, pressing a little more intentionally against your skin

“and yet you’re still standing here,” he murmurs, more like he was stating a fact

you huff a laugh, trying to keep your composure, “i came to drop off your body wash”

“mm,” he hums, stepping just a fraction closer, close enough that the warmth from the shower hugs around you like a warm blanket, “well, you did, and now you can stay”

you should step back

you really should

but instead, your hand shifts from his wrist to his chest, to push him away

but you don’t put much effort into it, not fully convinced by your own intentions

he catches your waist easily with his free hand, steadying you before you can pretend to escape and run off again

“you’re wasting your shower time,” you mutter, more like a reminder to yourself than to him

“i know,” he says, smiling in that slow, smug way that lowkey makes you want to shove him away and kiss him at the same time, “actually you’re wasting it, you could’ve been in here all this time already”

you try to roll your eyes again, but it doesn’t quite land the way you intended it

you can feel the steamy warmth from his hand on your skin

“cmon baby” he pouts again

his gaze drops to your lips, then back to your eyes

unhurried, confident but eager at the same time, like he’s giving you one last chance to pull away

even though he already knows you won’t

and before you can rethink your decision

he smirks to himself, pulling you closer by your wrist until your clothed body touched his bare chest,

leaning down to press a warm kiss to your lips

it was gentle at first, a little teasing but still soft

but when you kiss him back, your hand coming up to brush back his damp hair, he can only smile into the kiss, his hand tightens slightly at your waist like he’s won something

his lips move against yours like he’s been waiting for this all day (which he basically did) and you barely have any time to react before he deepens it, tilting his head, drawing you closer until there was no space between you anymore

he hums against your mouth, pleased, as if he knew you’d melt like that

the kiss grows warmer, heavier and more charged soon enough, every brush of his lips on yours feels intentional, every pause only long enough for you to chase him

somewhere in the dorm, a door slams in the background, “is he still in there?!” you can hear louis yell

ohyul only pulls back far enough to breathe, his forehead resting against yours, his lips smiling like he’s still amused by the whole thing, “they can wait,” he murmurs, like it’s the simplest decision in the world

and you don’t move

you don’t step back

you don’t even pretend you’re leaving this time

and he notices, of course he does

his smile softens into something more satisfied, more certain, his hand sliding from your waist to the edge of the shower curtain

his fingers curl around the edge of the curtain, pulling it back just enough for the warmth to escape

steam wraps around you two, thick and close, the air charged in that quiet way that makes your pulse feel louder than it should

you still hesitate for half a sec, just a moment, but long enough for him to notice

he lifts his eyebrows, amused, “what?” he murmurs, “you really thought you were just dropping something off?” he smirks

you roll your eyes, but you’re already stepping closer without thinking

he shifts a little to make room as he watches you undress yourself

and when you finally stepped into the shower with him, his hand immediately comes to your waist, pulling you closer with that same smug smile, this time just a little more confident

the water hits his shoulders, running down his chest, and you try very hard not to stare

but before you can, he leans in again, brushing his lips against yours

there’s no slow build this time, but he doesn’t rush it either

one of his hand comes up to your jaw, his thumb pressing lightly beneath your chin, tilting your head up to his.

his lips move against yours with quiet certainty, there’s no hesitation

his other thumb traces a lazy line along your hip, and when you melt into him without protest, he lets out a quiet, satisfied hum

he draws you in until your back meets the tiles on the wall, his body closing the space just enough to make it clear you’re not going anywhere

somewhere in the background, you can hear someone groan loudly, you weren’t even sure who it was at this point, “can he hurry-“

“i don’t think he’ll be out anytime soon bro” ryul snickered, knowing damn well what was happening

ohyul barely breaks the kiss, completely ignoring his members on the other side of the door, just enough to murmur against your mouth, “guess i win twice tonight”

his grin turns slightly wicked, amused as his eyes were glinting through the steam

you chuckle, “the first time was just luck”

he opens his mouth to argue back, but before he could you added; “look who’s wasting time now”

he lets out a soft, defeated laugh, “good thing i take long showers”

he pulls you almost impossibly closer, letting the steam swallow the space between you

and his smile only deepends like he knows exactly how this will end

and so do you

…and ryul (hehe)

on your group vacation, everyone had agreed on heading down to the hotel pool to end the night of outdoor activities. but you on the other hand had made it clear you wanted to rest in, especially because you’re on your period. no one really minded.

now, you didn’t expect james to stay back with you or anything but it would’ve been nice if he did. were you going to tell him that? no. you’d feel too bad telling him to stay back with you when he so clearly wanted to join everyone else. but it must’ve shown on your body language or something, because he was quick to notice something was up.

while you unpacked a pair of pj’s from your suitcase, he sat right beside it, a hand coming up to rest around your waist. he pulls you closer to him slightly, looking up at you through his bangs. when you don’t reciprocate the affection, he’s scanning your face entirely.

“baby, what’s wrong?”

you just shake your head, zipping your suitcase close and grabbing the handle. he quickly stands, grabbing the suitcase himself and pulling it off the bed for you.

“thanks. nothing’s wrong.”

but james doesn’t buy it. he follows you to the bathroom where you’re going to change and leans against the door with crossed arms as he watches.

“I think something’s definitely wrong and you just don’t want to tell me. did I do something? was i too annoying at the restaurant?”

you roll your eyes, remembering how hyper he got during lunch thanks to martin and keonho’s encouragement.

“no you’re like that everyday.”

he frowns, but doesn’t take offense. if it wasn’t that, then what was it? good thing giving up is something he doesn’t do. slipping on your pajama shorts, his cheeks purse to one side.

james knew that you were too kind for your own good. someone cuts you in line? fine, you just let it happen. if someone dumps their entire workload on you? you accept it with a smile because you feel rude saying “no”. so it wasn’t a surprise you were this way in a relationship too.

he had seen it from the start. but he wanted to help you change that. to push you to start standing up and saying “no” or speak up when someone does something wrong.

he reaches out when you start taking out your skin care from your bag. he pulls you in a soft hug and wraps an tight arm around you. but just enough to make a point.

“You can tell me anything you know that right? I want to hear it, even if it hurts me. I’d rather you do that then bottle it up in here.”

he taps on your temple, and smiles when you meet his eyes. he can see you’re holding back in the way your eyes drop or the way you anxiously bite the inside of your cheek.

with a small sigh, you finally let it out.

“I don’t want you to go to the pool with the others. i don’t want to be alone.”

you jut out your lower lip and look down to avoid his gaze, the guilty feeling already creeping up your body.

but he huffs, and rests his chin on your head.

“okay then I’ll stay here with you.”

“really? what about the pool?”

he rubs your back lovingly.

“I can always go tomorrow, or the day after. i don’t mind staying back here with you okay? all you had to do was ask.”

your body relaxes against his, taking in the warmth.

“you were pretty annoying at the restaurant though”