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His phone buzzed.

Kaiser WHERE ARE YOU

Ness still looking...

Kaiser YOU'VE BEEN "LOOKING" FOR HALF AN HOUR

Ness I'm aware

Yukimiya Rehearsal starts in 15.

Kaiser I know. I'm waiting on our drummer who's somehow losing a game of hide and seek to the MOST popular girl in school.

Ness There's just a lot of people today.

Isagi btw guys if you don’t mind it i added hiori and kurona

Kaiser what?

Isagi hiori's doing scheduling kurona's bringing the equipment

Kaiser Yoichi. I asked you to reserve a rehearsal room. How did you come back with two extra people???

Isagi problem solved 👍

Kaiser No. The problem was "no vocalist." You solved a completely different problem.

Hiori Someone had to. None of you can organize anything.

Kurona i have a white van big van

Kaiser Wonderful. Now I have logistics but still no SINGER.

Isagi you're acting like they joined a family of 12

Yukimiya Can we please focus? We're running out of time.

Kaiser yes can we LOCK IN for once i'm not embarrassing myself in front of the whole school. I'm not getting laughed off that stage because the rest of you decided to wing it.

Isagi nobody said we were winging it

Kaiser We don't have a singer. That is the definition of winging it.

Ness Don’t worry now. I'll find her. Just... give me a little more time.

Kaiser Fine. Don't you dare come back without a vocalist.

With the group chat finally silenced, Ness let out a slow breath and slipped his phone into his pocket. One conversation. That was all he needed to survive. He'd ask, you'd reject him, and he'd go back to rehearsal so Kaiser could tell him he saw it coming.

He rounded the corner of the main building.

So did you.

Your shoulder bumped into his, and the paper cup in your hand lurched just enough for the lid to pop free. Hot coffee splashed across the front of his hoodie before either of you had time to react.

"...Ow."

Ness hissed quietly, staring at the stain spreading across the faded gray fabric. He pinched the soaked hoodie away from his skin with a pained grimace.

You glanced from the spilled coffee to his hoodie.

"...That's unfortunate."

Ness looked up.

"I..."

"Maybe look up once in a while. You'd be surprised how useful it is."

"Oh I mean... you weren't exactly watching either."

"No shit," you said with a careless shrug. "People usually move out of my way."

"...That's slightly unfair."

"I don't think it is."

You took another sip from what was left of your coffee as if the conversation had already ended.

Ness sighed through his nose and looked back down at the ruined hoodie. There was no saving it now. Coffee had soaked through the fabric, and the smell alone was going to haunt him for the rest of rehearsal.

Then something clicked.

"...Actually," he said, his smile returning, "there might be another way you can make it up to me...Our current band needs a vocalist."

"I think you hit your head harder than I thought. I'm not joining your band."

"We're competing in Battle of the Bands."

"I'm aware."

"So..."

"So you think spilling coffee on your hoodie somehow means I owe you a performance?"

Ness paused.

"...When you say it like that, it sounds less reasonable."

"Because it is less reasonable."

"I'm still saying no." You adjusted your grip on your coffee before stepping around him. "Gosh, i don't even sing."

Ness frowned.

"You do though..."

You paused just enough to glance at him over your shoulder.

"No, I don't."

"You do."

The certainty in his voice made you turn back around.

"You were cleaning your classroom a few weeks ago after school," he said. "There was a radio playing."

Your expression faltered for the first time.

"...You were there?"

"I was walking past."

The memory returned to him with surprising clarity. Rehearsal had ended late that afternoon, leaving the academic building unusually quiet. Most of the classrooms had already emptied, but one door had been left open while you stayed behind to finish cleaning. A broom rested against a desk as you absentmindedly wiped the whiteboard, humming under your breath before the humming turned into singing.

You weren't putting on a performance. If anything, you sounded completely unaware that anyone could hear you.

Ness thought your voice was pretty.

There was something easy about it, something genuine that made the empty hallway feel strangely less empty. What puzzled him most was that, despite being one of the school's cheerleaders, he'd never once seen your name on a choir roster or a band lineup. Someone with a voice like yours should've ended up in one of them eventually.

"Anyway, it wasn't on purpose," he added quickly, scratching the back of his neck. "I just... happened to hear you."

You studied him for another beat before letting out a quiet scoff.

"You realize that sounds incredibly creepy, right?"

"N-no. Please don’t think of that!" His words stumbled over themselves almost immediately. "The door was open, and... it carried into the hallway."

The explanation only made him sound guiltier.

You shook your head, amused despite yourself.

"Even if that's true, hearing someone sing once doesn't mean they're joining your shitty little garage band."

Ness stood there for a second, thinking. He wasn't particularly good at bargaining. In fact, he rarely had to. Usually people either agreed with him or, more often, Kaiser decided the conversation for him.

Then, rather clumsily, he landed on what he thought was a reasonable compromise.

"I'll buy your drinks every day for two weeks."

You stared at him.

"...That's cute. You actually think that'll work?"

"...I figured it probably would." He laughed quietly to himself. "Besides, i just don't really have anything else to offer."

Your gaze flickered to the coffee staining his hoodie before returning to his face. Somehow, despite being the one who'd ended up worse off, he was still trying to negotiate like he was the desperate one.

Which, admittedly, he was.

You let out a quiet laugh, shaking your head.

"You're either really committed to this band or really bad at taking no for an answer."

"...Both," he admitted.

You stared at him.

"Wow. Most people would at least pretend to have dignity."

"I have dignity."

"You begged someone who spilled coffee on you to join your band."

Then you looked at him again for a long moment, searching his face for the punchline. There wasn't one. Shit. He really is completely serious.

Your eyes drifted to the coffee stain soaking the front of his hoodie before returning to the hopeful expression he'd been trying very hard to hide behind that polite smile of his.

"You know," you mused, "you're kind of pathetic."

Ness winced.

"...I've heard that before."

"I believe it."

A quiet sigh escaped you as you adjusted your bag higher onto your shoulder.

"Fine." You pointed at him before he could get too excited. "But let's manage your expectations. I'm doing you a favor. If rehearsals suck, I'm leaving."

"I'll make sure they aren't."

A laugh escaped you.

"You're hopeless."

"Does that mean you'll come?"

You rolled your eyes, already walking past him.

"I said yes, didn't I?"

Before you could answer, he caught your wrist and immediately started pulling you through the hallway.

"Wha—"

"We're late."

"Excuse me??"

"Rehearsal started three minutes ago," he sang lightly, weaving through the crowd while making sure you didn't get separated from him. "Kaiser is going to lose his mind if I show up any later."

He glanced back at you with a small grin, giving you a quick wink.

And with that, he turned on his heel and hurried toward the music building, his coffee stained hoodie suddenly feeling a lot less important.

The thing was, Ness had other options. He could have asked someone else to sing. Someone who probably would have agreed immediately and saved him the trouble of searching half the school.

But he didn't want someone else. Because, as ridiculous as it sounded, this had never really been just about finding a vocalist.

He had seen you around campus before. Everyone had. You were impossible to miss, always surrounded by people and carrying yourself like you belonged at the center of every room.

So when Battle of the Bands gave him an excuse to finally talk to you, Ness took it.

Maybe it was a terrible decision. Maybe Kaiser was going to lose his mind when he found out how much time he spent chasing one vocalist.

But Ness was already embarrassingly far gone.

He was stupidly, pathetically infatuated with you. And now he finally had a reason to be around you. To hear you talk, to see you actually pay attention to him, even if it was only because of the band. Now, he would take whatever time he could get. The rehearsals, the arguments, the insults, all of it.

Because, selfishly, Ness liked having a reason to keep you close.

And he wasn't ready to give that up yet.

By the time rehearsal started that afternoon, Team Gold finally had a vocalist. And with one week left until Battle of the Bands, they had just enough time to figure out whether these teenagers with wildly different personalities could somehow become a band. Or, more likely, kill each other trying.

Three days later, rehearsals had become less of a disaster and more of a controlled one.

The practice room still echoed with missed cues and arguments over tempos, but everyone had gradually settled into a rhythm. You learned where to stand, Kurona figured out how to fit everyone's equipment into his van without violating the laws of physics, and Hiori somehow managed to keep six teenagers on schedule using nothing but a shared calendar and thinly veiled disappointment.

Isagi, however, was nowhere to be seen.

"He said he can't make it," Yukimiya announced, glancing up from his phone.

Kaiser frowned. "Why?"

"He had a minor surgery."

"...What kind of surgery?"

Yukimiya paused.

"...He got a skin tag removed."

Kaiser stared.

"A skin tag."

Yukimiya nodded.

"YOU'RE TELLING ME YOICHI SKIPPED REHEARSAL OVER A SKIN TAG?"

"The doctor scheduled it today."

Kaiser threw his hands into the air.

"Does nobody in this band have a sense of urgency?? I'M NOT ABOUT TO BECOME THE SCHOOL'S BIGGEST JOKE BECAUSE YOICHI WANTED A SKIN TAG REMOVED."

You leaned toward Yukimiya, lowering your voice.

"...Is he always like this?"

Yukimiya didn't even hesitate.

"This is one of the better reactions."

"...Seriously?"

"Yeah. One time, he spent fifteen minutes lecturing us because one note was off tune."

"Um..." Ness glanced between everyone in the room before offering a small smile. "How about we take five?"

Nobody argued.

The room scattered almost immediately. Kurona wandered toward the vending machine while Hiori disappeared into the hallway with his headphones on. Ness stayed behind at the drum kit, absentmindedly twirling a stick between his fingers before tapping out a familiar rhythm against the snare.

Your head turned.

"...Wait... are you playing The Number of the Beast?"

The beat stopped.

Ness looked up, surprised.

"You know Iron Maiden?"

"I used to blast my heavy metal records through the house whenever I wanted to get on the old geezer's nerves."

A small laugh escaped him.

"For a cheerleader, you're surprisingly cultured."

You tilted your head. "Was that supposed to be a compliment, or did you just insult me in the nicest way possible?"

"Honestly? A little bit of both."

"Wow. You really said that out loud."

Ness smiled, realizing his mistake but not looking particularly sorry. "I just didn't expect someone like you to know Iron Maiden."

"Someone like me?"

"The kind of person everyone already knows."

That answer caught you off guard for a second. Not because it was flattering. You had heard better compliments from people trying much harder. It was because he said it like an observation, not an attempt to impress you.

"You're weird."

"I've been told."

"I can tell."

He laughed, and you hated that it was actually kind of funny.

"...Don't get excited. This doesn't mean you know me now."

Ness's smile only grew. "I wasn't going to."

"...Good."

He resumed the rhythm anyway, and this time, you found yourself tapping your foot along before you realized what you were doing.

It was irritating, really.

Normally, Ness was just an edgy loser in your eyes. The type of guy who probably listened to dramatic rock songs.

But behind the drums, he was different.

The confidence in every movement, the focus in his expression, the way he played like he owned the entire room. Unfortunately, it was working.

You stared for a second too long.

"Oh."

That was a problem. Because why was the weird edgy drummer actually kind of hot?

He is not even my type. At all. You think to yourself. To stop yourself from getting any more ideas, you decided to get away from this room.

"I'm done here."

Ness looked up, confused. "Already?"

"Yes, already." You slung your bag over your shoulder. "Besides, I have plans. I'm going to the mall."

"Right now?"

"Yes. And please, some of us have things to do that don't involve sitting in a room with boys arguing over instruments."

You started walking away before he could respond.

"See you at the next rehearsal. And please, for everyone's sake, don't make me regret saying yes."

You did not wait for a response, simply walking away and leaving Ness blinking in confusion behind the drum kit. He stared after you, drumsticks still in his hands, completely unsure of what had just happened. One second, you were watching him play. The next, you were gone.

And, strangely enough, he found himself wishing you had stayed longer. He had only just gotten used to having you there, seeing you actually enjoy the music instead of pretending you didn't care.

He knew this was only for Sports Week. After the performance, you would go back to your own world, and he would go back to his.

But still, he wished you had stayed a little longer.

By the fourth rehearsal, the music was improving. However, the same could not be said for the band’s ability to exist in the same room without causing a problem.

"...This part needs to change."

Kaiser dropped the revised sheet music onto the table, immediately earning a tired look from Hiori.

"You changed the entire second half."

"Yes."

"We practiced this version yesterday."

"And yesterday we were wrong."

You looked up from your phone, unimpressed. "Do you always make everyone's life harder, or is today a special occasion?"

The room went quiet. Kaiser slowly turned toward you. "Excuse me?"

"You heard me."

Ness immediately stopped tapping his drumsticks against his leg. He had a feeling this was about to become a problem. Kaiser picked up the sheet music again, his expression already becoming dramatic.

"Some of us actually care about winning."

"Some of us actually care about not making everyone miserable."

"I am trying to make this performance better."

"No. You're trying to make sure everyone knows it was your idea."

Kaiser stared at you.

"You've been here for four days."

"And you've been unbearable for longer. What's your point?"

The rest of the band suddenly became very interested in their instruments. Kaiser stepped closer

"You really think you can walk in here and start criticizing everyone?"

You smiled slightly. "That's funny coming from you."

"And why is that?"

"Because you walked into this room and immediately acted like you were the only person here with a functioning brain."

Kaiser scoffed. "I have standards."

"No, you have an ego."

A pause.

Then Kaiser placed a hand over his chest like you had personally wounded him.

"Wow."

You rolled your eyes. "Don't do that."

"Do what?"

"Whatever dramatic performance you're doing right now. We're rehearsing, not auditioning for your personal tragedy."

A few people looked away to hide their reactions.

Kaiser narrowed his eyes. "You think being popular means everyone has to listen to you?"

Your expression never changed, but somewhere in the back of your mind, the first draft of Michael Kaiser's social demise was already taking shape.

"No."

You leaned back in your chair.

"I think being right means people should listen to me."

Kaiser opened his mouth, clearly ready with a comeback, only to pause when nothing came out. For once, he had been caught off guard.

"What now?" you said, watching him struggle. "Did your ego crash? Should we restart it?"

Before he recovered, Ness spoke up.

"Kaiser."

Everyone looked over.

"She's right."

The room fell silent. Even Kaiser, who usually had something to say about everything, looked personally betrayed.

"Ness?"

Ness shifted slightly under the attention but didn't take it back. "You're changing things because you're worried about the performance going badly."

"And?"

"And that's different from improving it."

Kaiser's expression turned betrayed. "You're defending her?"

You immediately looked at Ness. "Don't."

He blinked. "Don't what?"

"Jump in like I need someone to fight my battles."

"I wasn't saying that."

"You were."

Ness hesitated. "I was just trying to help."

"I don't need help."

His expression softened slightly. "I know."

You hated how sincere he sounded. Somehow, that only made it worse.

Kaiser crossed his arms. "Unbelievable."

You turned toward him. "What?"

"You two are already exhausting."

"Coming from you?"

"YES, COMING FROM ME."

Hiori sighed, rubbing his forehead. "Can we please finish rehearsing before the two biggest egos in this room start another argument?"

You and Kaiser immediately looked at each other.

"He started it!"

"She started it."

Kurona glanced between the two of you, completely unfazed by the argument. After a moment of silence, he simply stuck his tongue out.

"Both started it."

Nobody had a response.

Hiori was the first to break the silence, glancing down at the supply list on his phone. "We're missing extra cables, batteries, and a few replacement picks."

Everyone looked at Kaiser. Kaiser looked back.

"Don't look at me like that."

"You are the one who changed the setup three times," Hiori said.

"And somehow, the setup is better now."

"That doesn't explain why we're missing half the equipment."

Kaiser clicked his tongue, clearly annoyed that the problem had somehow become his responsibility. His eyes scanned the room before landing on the two people who had spent the last ten minutes arguing with him.

You immediately noticed.

"No."

Kaiser raised an eyebrow. "I didn't even say anything."

"You didn't have to. Your face already did."

"You're getting the supplies."

"Absolutely not."

"You joined this band voluntarily."

Ness quietly picked up the list before the argument could spiral again. "I'll go."

Kaiser immediately nodded. "Good. Take her with you."

You opened your mouth, already preparing to explain exactly why that was a terrible idea and why Kaiser clearly had a personal vendetta against your free time. However, you didn't get the chance. Ness was already picking up the supply list, turning toward you with that annoyingly polite smile of his.

"Come on...the sooner we leave, the sooner we get back."

You stared at him for a moment, mostly because you couldn't decide whether to be annoyed at Kaiser for volunteering you or Ness for making it impossible to argue.

And somehow, that was how you ended up leaving rehearsal with Ness, a supply list, and the lingering annoyance from an argument neither of you had actually moved past.

The trip was supposed to be quick.

Grab the equipment. Come back. Pretend this band wasn't one bad comment away from collapsing.

However, due to a much terrible luck, the weather suddenly turned against you.

The rain hammered against the convenience store's windows like gravel, but the real storm was inside the narrow aisle between the refrigerated drinks and the stale snack shelves. The fluorescent lights hummed overhead, flickering with an erratic rhythm that mirrored the pounding in Ness's chest.

The silence between the two of you had been tense ever since rehearsal. Ness stepping in during your argument with Kaiser was supposed to be supportive, but to you, it felt like he had crossed a line. He hadn't just disagreed with Kaiser; he had decided you needed protecting, and that was something you refused to tolerate.

To anyone else, Ness had been a hero. To you, he had been an insult. He had acted as if you couldn't handle the heat, as if he had the right to decide when you needed a shield.

You weren't a damsel in need of rescue; you were a hurricane waiting to break. And Ness, with his infuriatingly earnest eyes and his desperate need to please, had just walked right into the eye of it.

"H-hey," Ness stammered, his voice cracking as he tried to organize a display of protein bars. His hands were shaking so badly he could barely grip the packaging. "I'm sorry about earlier. I shouldn't have I know you can handle him, I just..."

You didn't let him finish. You moved before he could retreat into another pathetic apology. You crossed the linoleum floor in two strides, your boots clicking sharply like a countdown.

When you reached him, you didn't hesitate. You grabbed the front of his damp shirt and slammed him back against the metal shelf.

The clang of the shelves reverberated through the empty store, but you didn't care. You shoved your body against his, pinning him there, letting him feel every inch of your fury.

Ness froze. His breath hitched audibly, his magenta eyes widening until they looked almost violet in the dim light. "Um... what are you—"

"You think you can protect me?" you hissed, your face inches from his. "You think you get to decide when I need help?"

His throat bobbed as he swallowed hard, his pupils dilating until his eyes were almost entirely black. "I-I didn't mean..."

"Then what exactly did you mean?"

For once, Ness had no quick apology ready.

"I just didn't like seeing him talk to you like that."

You hated how genuine that sounded. Because it wasn't him looking down on you. It was just Ness being annoyingly sincere.

You studied him for a second, noticing he wasn't arguing back or trying to justify himself. He was just waiting.

"Ness."

"Yeah?"

A small pause.

"You're not going to freak out if I do something?"

His eyes widened slightly at the question. Then, he finally seemed to put the pieces together, and for once, Ness had no immediate apology or nervous rambling.

"No."

Good.

That was all the answer you needed. You didn't give him another chance to overthink it. You closed the distance between you.

You bit his lower lip hard enough to draw a sharp, startled whimper from his throat, and the moment you did, Ness broke. All the pent up tension, all the energy he had been hoarding since the moment he met you, exploded.

He didn't try to take control. He couldn't. Instead, he surrendered to you with a terrifying intensity. His hands flew to your waist, not to push you away, but to drag you closer, his fingers digging into your hips as if he were drowning and you were his only oxygen. His mouth opened to yours in a desperate, starving moan, his tongue seeking yours with a frantic, uncoordinated hunger that screamed how long he had been waiting for you to acknowledge him.

Then came his hands.

The moment your hips pressed against his, Ness's fingers slid down. His touch was reverent but desperate, fumbling at the hem of your clothes until his palms found the bare skin of your thighs. When he made contact, he let out a sound that was half sob, half growl. His grip became bruising, his fingers kneading into your thighs with a possessive ferocity that matched your own anger. He hiked your legs up higher, wrapping them around his waist to anchor you to him, his breath coming in ragged, wet gasps against your mouth.

"Please," he whimpered between kisses, his forehead crashing against yours as he fought for air. His eyes were glassy, unfocused, and utterly wrecked. "I'm sorry... please, just don't stop. Don't punish me like this, unless unless you want to."

The power dynamic was absolute. You were the one directing the heat, the one setting the pace, the one deciding how deep his fingers sank into your flesh. And Ness? He was exactly what you wanted him to be: a pathetic, beautiful mess at your mercy, worshiping the very hand that was putting him in his place.

But as the rain outside shifted from a roar to a steady drone, the reality of their situation bled back in. The adrenaline began to cool, leaving behind nothing but the sharp sting of sweat and the ache of unspoken words.

Ness was the first to break away, though not because he wanted to. His hands lingered on your thighs for one agonizing second too long his fingertips still twitching against your skin before he forced them to retreat.

He stumbled back a half step, his chest heaving as he tried to reclaim some semblance of composure.

His hair was a messy disaster, sticking to his forehead in damp strands, and his lips were swollen and flushed a deep crimson. He looked utterly wrecked, his magenta eyes still glassy with residual worship, but he was already moving to fix his shirt with unsteady, shaking hands.

"We-we should go," he managed to whisper, his voice hoarse and cracked. He wouldn't meet your eyes, but the way his Adam's apple bobbed spoke volumes about how hard he was fighting to keep his knees from buckling. "Kaiser will... he'll notice if we're late."

You stared at him for a second.

"You're seriously thinking about Kaiser right now?"

Ness blinked.

"We have rehearsal."

The threat of Kaiser's disapproval acted like a cold splash of water. You straightened your clothes, your fingers cool and steady compared to his.  After that, you grabbed your things and walked past him.

"Come on. Before your precious Kaiser has another meltdown."

Ness grabbed the remaining supplies, his knuckles white around the plastic handles. He kept his head down, shoulders hunched as he led the way toward the door.

Neither of you brought it up again. The Rehearsal continued and before either of you could make sense of it, Sports Week was already drawing to its finale.

By the time Team Gold was called to the stage, it was almost hard to believe they had made it this far.

A week ago, Ness had been running through crowded hallways with a coffee stained hoodie, desperately searching for a vocalist. Now, he was walking onto a stage with you beside him. Somehow, the group that had spent most of their rehearsals arguing had become a real band.

Kaiser was still Kaiser, finding something to complain about even moments before going on stage. Hiori was still the only thing keeping the entire band from falling apart. Isagi was still playing referee. Yukimiya had mastered the art of pretending he wasn't involved. Kurona was still… Kurona.

And Ness was still the same annoying drummer who somehow ended up in your life.

Still too polite and still too eager to help. Still looking way too pleased whenever you gave him even the slightest bit of attention. You called him pathetic for it. He still acted like it was the nicest thing anyone had ever said to him.

Then the announcement echoed across the field.

"Representing Team Gold..."

The crowd erupted as the four of you stepped onto the stage.

Ness settled behind the drums, spinning his sticks once before looking up. For a moment, his eyes met yours.

Then the music started.

[Team Gold performs "Black Sheep" by Metric.]

The first guitar strum cut through the field, drawing the crowd's attention.

Then your voice entered, carrying the opening before the bass joined in and the rest of the band followed. The stage slowly built around the song.

Black sheep, come home Black sheep, come home Black sheep, come home Black sheep, come home

Ness waited behind the drums, letting the rhythm settle before joining in. When he did, every hit landed perfectly with the beat, driving the performance forward.

Send you my love on a wire Lift you up, every time Everyone, ooh-ooh Pulls away, ooh-ooh

The guitar, bass, drums, and vocals blended together effortlessly, filling the field with the kind of energy nobody expected from a band that had spent the past week fighting over every detail.

It's a mechanical bull, the number one You'll take a ride from anyone Everyone wants a ride Pulls away, ooh-ooh From you, ooh

The crowd grew louder with every section of the song. Under the stage lights, everything finally came together.

The music, the timing, the four of you—it all came together. When the final note rang out and the field erupted into cheers, you realized Team Gold had actually done it.

And somehow, you caught yourself smiling.

Unfortunately, Ness noticed.

Of course he did.

As the four of you stepped off the stage, the adrenaline slowly began to fade. The crowd was still loud behind you, but the performance was over.

"Well," Kaiser said, looking far too pleased with himself. "At least none of you ruined my reputation."

"Your reputation survived a school band performance?" you asked. "Congratulations. Should we throw a parade?"

Kaiser scoffed, but before he could respond, the group started splitting up to join their respective teams.

Hiori grabbed the equipment list. Kurona disappeared with the instruments. Kaiser was already busy talking about the judges' reactions.

And then it was just you and Ness for a moment.

"So..." Ness started, awkwardly adjusting the drumsticks in his hand. "I guess that's it."

You looked at him. "Don't sound so dramatic. It's not like we're never seeing each other again."

"Right." He smiled. "Of course."

You paused before walking away.

"You weren't completely terrible, by the way."

Ness blinked.

"Was that a compliment?"

"Don't ruin it."

His smile only grew. "Wouldn't dream of it."

As you turned to walk away, you could feel his gaze burning into your back that same intense, unwavering stare that had followed you through every rehearsal and every stolen moment. You didn't get five steps before you heard the quick scuff of his sneakers against the linoleum.

"Wait-"

You stopped and turned, half expecting another stammered apology. Instead, Ness was standing there, breathing shallowly, his knuckles white around the drumsticks. The performative persona he wore for the others had completely stripped away, leaving behind something far more unguarded.

He didn't ask for permission. Driven by something you couldn't quite name, he stepped forward and closed the distance between you.

Before you could speak, he leaned down, capturing your lips in a kiss that was desperate and achingly sweet. The kiss felt full of gratitude and hunger, a messy, breathless collision that made the fading noise of the background vanish entirely. For a heartbeat, there was nothing but the heat of his mouth against yours and the way his free hand trembled as it hovered near your waist, uncertain but unwilling to let go.

When he finally pulled away, he didn't retreat. He lingered there, forehead pressed against yours, his breathing ragged as he tried to find his footing again.

"See you around at school," you murmured, your voice steady despite the sudden flutter in your chest. "And don't get used to this, you’re still annoying."

Ness let out a shaky breath, a dazed, beautiful smile spreading across his flushed face. "Yeah. Yeah, I'll see you there."

You shook your head at how easily pleased he was and turned away. But this time, you didn't mind him following a few steps behind.

based on this request. dedicated to @slipkn000t ☆