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“you’re pressing too tight on my stomach,” he softly whines, having been subtly antagonizing you all night for insisting on this punishment.

“hush!” 

you bite your bottom lip firmly and concentrate hard, so much so that you couldn’t tell how hard he was studying your face. you’ve barely acknowledged his soft touch on your lower back, which held you impossibly close.

flicking the last bit of eyeliner at the corner of his eyelid, you quickly sit up in bed. a soft hum escapes your lips: “should be good enough.”

his hands linger around your waist as you dig around your makeup bag. a smirk hangs off the end of his lips as he watches you fish up an eyebrow brush.

“better be. wouldn’t want to be lying here all night for some mediocre makeup, would i?”

but you expect it from your dramatic boyfriend. you’re rather surprised he’s held back from taking his digs at you.

you purse your lips, holding back a laugh to not feed into his head too much. 

“you seem pretty confident in the pictures i’m gonna take of you soon.”

he clenches his jaw subtly, as if he were brewing up tons of other jabs at you.

“think you can get an ugly picture outta me?” his smile reflects his flirtatious, but menacing tone. his fingers sneak into the waistband of your pants, fiddling with the material as your hips ride along his lap.

you audibly chuckle, physically restraining yourself from gritting your teeth, or looking at him in a way that’d feed his delusions. you level yourself closer to his face, makeup brush twiddling within your fingers. you reply, “absolutely, i can. but, don’t bail on me.” 

he raises his eyebrows, his gaze remaining fixed on your face.

“i know you’re nervous. that's why you're acting like this” you reply indifferently—but the small grin on your lips is quickly erased as he blows the hair from your face. your palm jolts to your eye as you roll onto your back.

“JU—” you yelp. you can feel his slight panic as he hovers over you. you also could’ve sworn you heard a chuckle escape his lips before he tugs on your wrist.

“wait—you didn’t tell me you were wearing contacts.” 

you could hear the smile in his voice despite your eyes being squeezed shut, but it quickly fell after the second or third ‘babe?’

though you were, admittedly, acting like a brat, you had to remind him who ran the house. it’s safe to say the night ended with a lovely private story and your laundry done for the next week.

he scratches his arm as he finally makes it to the kitchen to find his dad. he doesn’t say anything when he realizes that his parents are sharing a laugh with a guest—your mother—at their kitchen island.

“jude!” your mother, helene, gasps when she realizes he’s standing a few feet away from them. her arms open as he walks closer to engulf her in a hug. “haven’t seen you in forever—how are you?”

he pulls away, a smile etching the corner of his lips as his hip nudges the corner of the island. his parents are looking at them, burgeoning excitement, as they watch them reunite. after all, it’s been a while since the two families have had a proper get-together. years, probably. 

“just football, y’know. always football.” he cocks his head as her fingers reach up to pinch his earlobe. 

“gosh, you and jobe get taller every time i see you two,” her head shakes in bewilderment, despite only getting to see him once, maybe twice a year. of course, they’d grow just a tiny bit every time.

he wraps around the kitchen to grab a glass of water from the fridge. and they’re… still staring when he turns around. “speaking of jobe, where is he?” he tilts his head, narrowing his eyes once he’s figured that he hasn’t seen his younger brother since noon.

helene’s finger points in the direction of her home, next door. “he’s over hanging out with nate [your brother!]. fifa, i think.”

he shrugs his shoulders, nodding his head. “figured he’d be doing that.” carefully placing the empty glass in the sink. “i’ll head over there, then—just to see if i can join.” 

“the door’s open. you’re fine to just walk in” helene waves goodbye and watches as he towards the front door.

giving the adults a quick goodbye, he slips some sandals on before walking a few steps next door. and of course, the only noise coming from the quiet house is upstairs, to the right. he follows the sound of the two boys yelling and cursing obscene things at each other. but, his body follows the door opposite nate’s, making a sharp turn toward your door. he stands before the door, leaning on the frame as he contemplates talking to you. after all, it’s true that he’d never gotten over his high school lover, the girl next door. but suddenly, the door opens, and his eyes widen in shock.

“what are y—” you stand in front of him, your voice slightly hoarse before he covers your mouth with his palm, redirecting the two of you into her room before shutting the door. thankfully, nate and jobe were still taunting each other in the other room, loud enough for no one in the house to hear the door shut. he locks the door shut, not pulling away his palm until you’re sitting on the corner of your bed, staring up at him with seething eyes as you try to tug his wrist away.

“if i let go, you’re not going to scream,” he mutters, his knee nudging the comforter next to your legs as he looks down at you with slight fear. you’re dumbfounded, tempted to bite the skin of his palm. shaking your head in confusion while furrowing your eyebrows, he slowly retreats his hand from your lips.

you wipe your lips, huffing as you scoot back on the bed. “what the fuck are you doing here?” 

he steps away a reasonable amount. “uh—my mom, she invited you over for dinner. i figured i’d come over and ask mys—”

“your mom has my number,” you interrupt him, giving him an annoyed look.

“doesn’t matter. it’s still nice to offer, y’know.” he retorts, giving you a smug look as he sassily crosses his arms. “clearly you don’t know anything about being nice, cursing your guests over. you haven’t changed a bit, y/n.”

you raise an eyebrow in confusion, humor… surprise? you didn’t know what to think. to scream, or to burst out laughing. “are you high?”

“what? am i high?” his jaw drops as he feigns offense. and this is when he goes off about how it was actually out of his kind nature to take time from his night to come over and offer dinner, and how your mom would be offended if she’d heard you tormenting him like this. you just stare for a few seconds as he rambles. then, you get the bright idea to lock his knees together and get the six-foot-one man onto your bed. 

“WHAT ARE YOU DO—” he shrieks, but your hand covers his lips before he can finish his thought. someone from across the hall has definitely heard, and your heart can’t help but race, though the door is locked. you breathily giggle as you look at the door for a few seconds, sitting on his lap, and meeting his eyes with a you better hope no one heard look. your lips hover to his ear, taunting him in the same way he did just a few minutes earlier.

“are you gonna scream?” you whisper in his ear, smiling cockily—in a way where he undoubtedly hears you smile in your words, despite not seeing your face. he doesn’t say anything the first time, but his hand reaches your thigh and grabs the skin tightly, slightly stinging. he pushes your buttons so easily, but you can’t help but chuckle as you lay atop your ex-boyfriend of two years.

your hand clutches his mouth a little tighter, more aggressively. “i’m not gonna let go. if you scream, we’re so fucked—you’re so fucked.” all he does is look at you with narrowing eyes. but, you cave in, trusting that he isn’t going to rat himself out this blatantly. you pull your palm away, and he retains a calm composure for about five seconds before letting out a loud screech.

your eyes widen. before you can think, your lips crash onto his, trying to shut him up. shit.

his hands reach up to caress the small of your waist, adjusting your hips to sit more comfortably on his lap. he knew what he was doing, but you can’t help but admire how much you’ve missed his lips.

but, as you’re kissing each other, a loud knock sounds at your door. 

“yo, are you good in there?” your brother, nate, asks.

your head is perked toward the direction of the door while jude stares at your lips, circling the skin of your waist. “i’m watching a show, sorry!” you can hear him shake his head and jobe giggling from across the hallway as they return to playing fifa. you look at jude in annoyance. 

“swear, you like to piss me off on purpose,” you scoff, glaring at him as you hover over his face. 

his fingers pull pieces of your hair behind your ear as he quietly chuckles. “can you do that thing again? where you kiss me like this?” 

and suddenly, you're flipped on your back, engulfed in a kiss with giggles cascading the room, and it feels like you're both 18 again.

he had nothing on but a pair of black sweats that comfortably clung to his hips. again, he seemed really timid. though you two had been seeing each other for a while, it didn’t ease the racing thoughts he had in his mind. what if i don’t make her feel good? or what if the condom breaks? jude, oh jude.

you stood up from your position in bed. your bare feet tapped his cold, tiled floors before you stood behind him, arms wrapping around his toned waist.

“baby,” you murmured, a small whine passing your throat. “we don’t have to do this if you don’t want to. i’m not g’na judge you.”

his spaced-out stare diverted from himself in the mirror to your much shorter figure next to him. he tucked a strand of hair behind your ear before quickly responding, “n-no, no, let’s do it.”

your lips crept into a smile before you reached for his hand, dragging him to the fresh, white comforter behind you. you fell first before him, and your lips danced on his to set the mood. you wanted his first time to be as comfortable as possible. and, he was already a good kisser, so that’s a plus. your hands crept up to the back of his neck as you two became more immersed in the kiss.

your back hit the cold headboard of his bed. he began pulling off the waistband of his sweats while trying his best not to interrupt the kiss. simultaneously, you began taking off your undergarments, too. the matching lace ones he bought for you on your birthday recently. not too long into the kiss, he pulled away, grabbing the gold wrapper on his nightstand and messily unwrapping the plastic. you watched him in anticipation, and he unraveled the lubed rubber, quickly wrapping it around his length. he dove back to pecker wet kisses on your neck. you moaned, throwing your head back onto the headboard.

once the clear rubber fit correctly, he pulled your legs closer to him, making you question where this sudden burst in confidence came from. you quickly giggled, pondering the thought as he abruptly pressed the tip into you, the contact catching you offguard. “fuck,” you hissed before you quickly felt a stretch in your walls. at first, it’s slow, but he quickly built a pace that was comfortable for him and something that didn’t make you whine. he quickly understood he was doing his job right—a little too good for an amateur. his big, veiny hands gripped your hips, holding them firm. pretty, breathless moans escaped his mouth as he thrust into you. your hands etched his back for support, leaving small claw marks on his tan back. it’s hard to keep your mouth shut with a length like his that keeps you moaning and groaning the entire time.

“f-fuck, you feel so good,” he breathily moaned as he delved toward your ear. like music to your ears. your stomach tied into a knot with his words, whimpering as he praised you. you missed your boyfriend dearly, but now you’ve discovered new ways of it.

he rolled his hips into you, his movements quickening, and you knew he was bound to finish soon. every thrust sent a shiver down your spine, and the air grew thick with anticipation.

“i’m.. gonna, cum,” moans, distancing his every word. “cum with me, princess,” he sighed. 

your fingers made their way to your clit, rubbing it in sloppily with his thrusts, triggering your growing orgasm. his moans were muffled against your neck as tension grew.

“mmph, fuck, fuck, fuck” his dick twitched as he moaned and pressed against you a final time, your walls clenching around him as you also chased your high. he quickly fell next to you after cumming, his chest falling up and down, trying to catch his breath.

“i’m gonna go grab a drink. you care for one?” he ducked, hovering over your ear, before taking a last sip from his bottle.

you nodded your head. “i’m fine for now, thanks,” you replied, quickly adjusting the collar of his top. he nodded, and with that, he drifted towards the bar. you glanced off at him during his departure before scanning the rest of the club, filled with young people dancing to bouncy music. 

to be honest, clubbing wasn’t your thing. maybe with the right group of people, it wouldn’t be that bad, but you're stranded for now. introverted you thought it was a somewhat-good idea to sway to the beat of the music while scrolling through instagram to not seem awkward. contrary to your plan, it did. and now, you were in the corner of the nightclub, pulling down your tiny cocktail dress that’d been riding up your thighs to some corny pop song. better than being stuck at home, right?

your eyes strayed from your bright phone screen for a second to check up on your boyfriend, just to make sure he wasn’t getting into trouble. and funny enough, you saw just that: his smiling, tall figure leaned up against the bar, giggling next to some short, dark-haired girl. your mouth dropped. you didn’t even want to hear the end of it.

in a fit of rage, you marched toward the entrance of the place, uber already pulled up on your phone. nothing else crossed your mind. just the image of him next to her. some skanky girl in a tacky, sequined dress. even thinking about it makes your fists ball up. to add to that, you looked ridiculous pacing the sidewalk bordering the club, getting glances from passersby as you waited for your uber, which at this point was a few minutes away.

your phone immediately buzzed after you found the location of your driver.

where are you?

i can’t find you

seen 2m ago

y/n?

i left

find your own way home

seen just now

thankfully, your uber had pulled up just in time. pulling the handle of the black sedan, you were ready to plunk down in the back seat and just sob. 

“y/n?!” the club door scraped the pavement, a wave of loud music following a breeze of air hitting your skin. fuck. maybe if you just got in quick enough—

“where are you going?” he was quick to shout from behind you, his warm hand stationed upon yours on the car’s handle.

“home,” you replied, turning your head to face him from behind you. “i’m going home. just have fun by yourself, alright?”

he shook his head, scoffing. “are you serious?”

considering him looking so taken aback compared to your aloof face—it’s almost laughable knowing that he was just cozying up with another woman back at the bar. did he seriously think you didn’t know? like you didn’t just see that flirty interaction between the two?

you huff out a laugh. “jude, you’re seriously so funny,” you mocked, squinting up at the puzzled individual. 

“what are you talking about? what the fuck’s gotten into you?” he spat.

“i’m sure the girl at the bar would keep you company ‘til you come home, yeah?” you click your tongue, a satirical smile spreading through your lips, before lowering your head into the back seat of the car.

but he had different plans.

you could almost feel your blood start to boil as his legs crept next to yours in the car as well.

you scoffed, throwing your head back. “what the fuck are you do—-”

“you can start driving now, sir,” he interrupted you mid-sentence, and contradicting the way he’d just been speaking to you just a minute ago, he kindly instructs your driver. you could almost feel your eyes rolling to the back of your head to his sudden change in mood.

and, bizarrely enough, he’s silent for the ride. his eyes glared at the road. the only sound was that of the car wheels on the street, the driver not daring to ask any questions. 

“have a good night, mister,” you said to the guy behind the wheel as you shut the car door behind you. jude, who’d already been at the front door of your shared home, was tapping the keypad, eager to come home once and for all.

your heels tapped the pavement of your driveway. his cold gaze locked on you while he held the door open for your entry inside. you, on the other hand, are not daring to speak a word. yet, you couldn’t ignore the adrenaline rush happening inside of you. jude wasn’t the type to go to bed angry, even if it meant handling things in a different way.

“so what is it with you?” he inquired, his voice softer, less hostile than before. “you just think leaving without saying anything would solve anything?”

you jumped a bit, not expecting to exchange words—not at least in the foyer. slowly, you turned around to meet his seething eyes. his hands still grasp the door handle, and he’s anticipating an answer from you.

“i could ask you the same thing, jude,” you stared. “what were you doing with her? hm?”

in an instant, he shook his head, biting his lip to stifle his laugh.

“y/n, did you forget who i am? that i have a public career, and maybe she was just a fan?” all of a sudden, it just hit you. you could just annihilate yourself from the shame you held upon him tonight, but it was in the heat of the moment, and you gave yourself no time to think. and, god, you looked so dumb just accusing him of something so distasteful and unlike him. 

“you think i’d just throw away our relationship for some girl at a club? no. i wouldn’t, y/n,” he added. “you’re mine, and only mine. understand?”

your eyes skimmed the floor, before meeting his dark brown irises. “then prove it.”

at once, his cold eyes turned ravenous.

“you don’t even know what you got yourself into,” he chuckled as he approached your figure. quickly, he locked his hand into your hair and pressed his lips against yours. he didn’t hold back on ambushing your lips. there was still liquor on h​​is tongue, which you could still taste. his arm intertwined around your waist as you began heading upstairs, groans escaping his mouth as you two struggled to find your bedroom.

your back was pressed up against the cold doorframe of your shared room, and he, taking advantage of your state, sought to lace his arms under your thighs. you took notice of the queue and jumped onto them, making it easier for him to spill your body onto the edge of your bed once he’d opened the door. you found yourself giggling once he did, especially with your dress threatening to expose the risque areas of your body. his hands locked your wrists in place, and now you were just docile under his spell. 

his kisses moved from your lips to your neck, leaving hickeys all over. his saliva around each bruise. you were a moaning mess, with his pace almost giving you whiplash. 

his fingers traced your waist, unzipping your dress’s zipper from the sides and finding its way to the wooden floors once it was off. he’s heaving as he’s doing so, almost like a predator finally getting its prey. you hissed once his hands fondled your now exposed breasts, with no warning, whatsoever.

his eagerness doesn’t halt while he’s pulling off your panties. he gives you a quick, sinful glare as his head dips between your thighs. you propped yourself on your elbows while you anticipated what he’d be doing next.

“you’re so wet already, angel,” he purrs against your dribbling cunt. “such a fuckin’ slut for me.”

his tongue wraps around your pussy, giving you no signal or build-up. your back arches from the sudden contact, which quickly leaves you breathless. his eyes linger on you, watching as you go dumb from being tongue-fucked so hungrily. his arms twined around your thighs, leaving you almost powerless against him while he held you in place.

his tongue ran through your slit while his thumb simultaneously found itself toying with your clit. your moans were so loud and pornographic, and you quickly grew your orgasm. 

“fuck, keep going, just like that, baby,” you cried. your hips found themselves grinding against his mouth. you were just growing so impatient, wanting to chase your high so desperately. your hands latched onto the bed sheets to distract yourself before cumming.

his tongue keeps swirling around your clit, your bud puffy and sensitive, while your thighs begin twitching. you could feel tears start to well up in your eyes—you were so close, and he could definitely tell by the way your legs started to tighten and clench around his head.

“jude, i’m gonna cum—” you yelped, throwing your head back and squeezing your eyes shut. right then, he pulled away, leaving you absent of your climax. 

you gasped, anticipating so heavily to cum, but instead, you were left emptyhanded. you could almost cry then and there.

he coughed up a laugh, almost mocking you. “brats don’t get what they want, at least not without earning it.” he stood up, petting your hair. 

“get on your knees.”

rain tapped the windshield, and you were snug in the passenger seat of his car. something on your shared playlist had been playing at twenty-something percent. this bit felt a little déjà vu-ish. but, in a good way.

“today was fun,” you blurted mid-conversation, shifting your gaze from the road to the boy next to you, behind the steering wheel. 

“i’m gonna miss this a lot, y’know.”

he hummed. his giggles from a few seconds ago quickly faded. 

you quickly realized your faults, mentioning the topic that’d been so thorny but, at the same time, imminent. it was hard to not bring it up, though. going the entire day trying to ignore it was hell. and as much as you wanted to seize the moment, time doesn’t stop.

“yeah,” he replied, quickly coughing away the tremble in his voice.

“since when did my best friend become so grown?”

you chuckled, shaking your head as you turned away to peek out of your side of the window.

“this could’ve been you too, jude. just quit football and stay with me,” you suggested, already mindful of his response.

he chuckled a bit. “or, you could just come and live with me while i work. i wouldn’t mind.”

you grinned, watching the rain as it trickled down the glass. as much as it sounded fun to never have to work or pay bills, you didn’t want your ‘independent’ persona taken away from you. maybe he just asked this question as a test to see if you’d say yes. not today, jude.

“mmm, no,” you responded. 

“let me enjoy my little parties and hookups. i don’t wanna be all professional like you at nineteen.”

he snickered, “you mean you're gonna be in your room studying all day?”

“shut up,” you rolled your eyes, watching as he turned into the airport entrance, the moment you’d been dreading all day.

opening your door as he parked, you ushered toward the trunk, quickly grabbing your luggage so the rain wouldn’t hit you so badly. 

“let me grab this,” he insisted, hovering over the bulkier bags.

your heart began to race, and your breathing was a little heavier as you paced toward the automatic doors of the entry. 

now, you two are face to face. and this is really the last time you'll be seeing him, or at least being in his embrace for a while.

“well,”

“this is it, isn’t it?” he muttered.

tears quickly welt up in your eyes, threatening to spill at any moment. the rain, harder than before, left the both of you drenched.

“yeah,” your voice cracked. the boy in front of you, who usually appeared stoic, appeared a bit antsy as he rocked in place.

“promise me you won’t do anything dumb without me there,” he pleads, a trace of uneasiness in his voice as he stares you down.

“mm, no promises,” you replied.

he clicked his tongue, silently berating you for your foreseen actions.

“i’m just kidding. i’ll be on my best behavior,” you reassured him, shooting him a smile.

“come here,” he prompted, extending his arms for a final hug.

eagerly, you slipped into his chest. his arms are tight around your waist, and you have to tip-toe up a little to reach his height. there’s no other feeling quite like this, but knowing it’s your last for a while, tears tumbled from your eyes.

your heels plopped to the floor and at this point, your faces are inches from each other—his cold breath trickling over your cheek. at once, his lips laced into yours. his hand instinctively pressed against your cheek and stayed there quite comfy. while it caught you off guard, it felt, in a sense, innate. his lips were sweet, and he kissed tenderly. his lips also tasted a little minty, and you realized he’d finally been using the chapstick you recommended to him months ago.

you pulled away slowly, whimpering as your lips left his. he seemed distraught, or maybe mesmerized by the kiss? there was a tinge of your gloss that lingered throughout his lips, which you thought was cute.

“i should get going now,” you muttered. “my flight is gonna board soon.”

“uhh, right,” he replied, your words bringing him back to reality.

“make sure to text me when you land, okay?”

“mhm.” 

“don’t miss me too much,” you smiled before walking into the building.

as you took a final look back at him, he waved at you with sanguine eyes as he disappeared into the rain.

on the other hand, your boyfriend, jude, did not. nine times out of ten, he’s shaken up and hides under the nearest blanket, even at the smallest chant of thunderbolts. 

so, you didn’t find it surprising when you peered through the peephole of your front door to see him in the midst of a storm.

he’s tapping his fingers, scanning the ceiling of your apartment complex, and waiting patiently for you to answer. it seemed as if he was holding some sort of bag too.

you let out a slight chuckle before unlocking your door, and there he was. his eyebrows raised a bit—snapping out of his thoughts—and the corners of his lips formed a slight smile when he peered down at you.

a black, now sodden hoodie draped his shoulders, with the hood covering his face. the sweatshorts he wore turned a darker shade of gray after the rain left its mark on him. 

“aww,” you teased, your voice a bit high-pitched and wary to annoy him. “my poor little baby, chased by the storm?”

a flush crept up his cheeks, and he immediately threw his head back in shame, “shut up.”

you couldn’t help but chuckle a bit at his lack of control over small things like this. especially being older and taller than you, you’d expect him to be at least a little less... hesitant.

“come,” you chirped, scooting away from the door to make space for his entrance. his squeaky shoes tread on your wooden floors, and though it strained your ears a bit, you waited patiently as he lifted from his sneakers.

“i see you packed an overnight bag,” you turned around, navigating toward the fridge that was conveniently adjoined to the foyer.

he began to sync your steps from behind you “yeah," he said, tugging the bag from his shoulders before leaving it aloof on your kitchen counters.

“can i not spend time with my girlfriend now?”

you tilted your head, as discerned by his obvious attempts of misleading you. “or were you just scared of the storm?” you hummed, passing a glass of water from across the counter.

he shook his head, “no really—”

“you don’t have to lie, it’s okay to be a wimp,” you nag, interrupting his sentence.

he clicked his teeth, “i can never win with you, can i?”

you chuckled, now straying toward him. he fixed a stare at you as he took a long drag from the glass in his hands. his eyebrows slightly furrowed in confusion.

now, you were in front of him, pulling him in for a hug before he interrupted your steps, “i’m still wet—”

“i don’t care,” you retorted before engulfing him in a hug. your arms were snug around his waist, and your head was resting on his chest. you took the opportunity to pull back the hood of his sweater. he’s a bit cold, and the smell of his perfume is faint, but you can still smell the woodiness it exudes. quickly, you tiptoed up and took a peck at his lips—the ones you missed so much. pulling away, you were met with a smile that etched his face, complimenting the rest of his features. it was difficult not to be jittery when being affectionate with him, but, you treasured moments like these.

“mmph—i’m soaked now,” you frowned.

“i warned you,” he responded, causing you to roll your eyes.

along the movie, you felt your boyfriend fidgeting next to you, shuffling his legs, adjusting the hem of his t-shirt, and tapping his phone every now and again. you didn’t pay much mind to it when it first began, but now it was becoming a little repetitive. he hadn’t been giggling like he typically would, either, which drew worry within you. 

your head drifted from the movie in front of you as you stole a glance at the boy who’d once again quickly clicked the power button on his phone.

"you okay?" you asked out of concern. you trusted he wasn’t being sneaky—if anything, maybe he was uncomfortable.

he swiftly cleared his throat, "yeah, i’m good." your eyes peered upon his stoic appearance while he attempted to seem preoccupied, squinting at the tv screen with his arms crossed in a formal demeanor.

"i actually," he paused, taking a second to (once again) peep at his phone, "think it’s getting pretty late." he shifted himself onto the headboard of your bed. 

"what? we’re already so far into the movie—just stay for however long there is left," you protested, stationing your body upright as you watched his turned back begin to face you.

"listen, princess, i really have to get up early for training tomorrow. you can finish the rest without me, right?" he cooed in a sweet, drowsy tone while lowering himself to cup your cheek.

you frowned, gazing into his eyes. you took the opportunity to grasp the big hand fixed on your cheek, stroking it, as you two shared a few seconds of physical affection.

"do you really have to go?" you batted your eyelashes at him, anticipating that somehow your innocent gape would stir him back into bed.

he sighs. his head scans the ceiling of your room for a second before returning his gaze to you. you can sense that there was contemplation emanating from him, weighing the consequences of either spending the night or going home.

"last time i stayed the night, i was an hour late to practice," he says, pinching your cheek before grabbing the hoodie laying on the corner of your bed and flinging it over his head.

"i got into so much trouble too. i promise i’ll stay longer next time, but i really have to go." he continued, adjusting the collar of his hoodie, which draped so nicely on his broad frame.

as much as you hated to admit it, he was right. for whatever reason, every time he stayed the night, it just so happened that his alarm didn’t seem to go off. you two would be an hour into cuddling before he darts up and realizes that practice started 45 minutes ago.

you took the opportunity to sit on the edge of the bed as he fiddled with the hood of his sweater. you stood silent for a second, watching him before his departure.

"well, at least hug me before you go," you plead, tilting your head among the boy perched in front of you.

he let out a soft chuckle as he approached you with open arms. the fabric of his sweater etched across your cheek as you pulled him closer in your embrace, hugging him tighter.

wrapping your legs around him, you had the bright idea of keeping him home a little longer.

"you’re not going anywhere," you muffled into his clothed chest, sinking back into the bed with him still bound to your arms.

"y/n—" he cried, startled by the extent to which you went to keep him for the night.

"you’re so heavy," you mumbled under him. he chuckled in the crook of your neck before pulling himself from above you, though he didn’t fully plunk his weight on you. (😔)

"gosh, you really want me to stay the night that bad?" he teased, mounting himself between your legs. instinctively, you swathed your legs around his thighs once more.

"mhm," you nodded, dragging your bottom lip between your teeth. 

"and, if you try to leave again, you’re dead, okay?" you declared before your boyfriend chuckled, bending down to peck your cheek.

"got it, ma’am" he hummed in agreement.

"but, if i'm late again, i swear—" 

"shush, you're not going to be late, promise." you cut him off, knowing fully well it was destined to happen again, but that's for tomorrow to decipher.

"let’s do face masks together," you whined, stretching your arms to move the phone from his face, attempting to steer his attention toward you.

he shot you a critical glance while dodging your attempts to fling his phone. "uhm…" he paused while tapping away, "let’s do it later."

you scoffed, "i can’t do it later, though." you sat up from your previous position, "please, babe. it’ll be so much more fun than your game."

"mhm, for sure," he chuckled, contesting your statement. you rolled your eyes in annoyance..

"what’s so fun about it, anyway? it looks so... boring. you’ll have so much more fun doing masks with me." you queried, wiggling yourself next to him to see his screen. "yeah, this cannot possibly be fun at all," you added.

watching as he’d been fixated on his phone, he let out a quick mutter, "you raid people’s stuff. it’s actually really fun," he replied.

you scanned the game for a few more seconds before letting out a dramatic huff, turning to the side, and prated, "hmph, why does my dear boyfriend, whom i love so much, hate me?" you flung your hand to your head, imitating some sort of terrible monologue.

his head tossed over to where you’d been hurling. "what? i never said that. that’s nonsense," he retorted in defiance.

you shook your head, "that’s what you’re implying, though."

"how?" he sneered, unimpressed by your exaggeration.

"because, you don’t want to spend time with me, so what can that mean other than that you hate me?" you responded, turning back over to him.

"that’s not true. i actually love you, very much," he replied, "plus, are we not spending time together right now?" 

"i mean, yeah, but doing this would be so much more fun. and memorable," you jabbed. "plus we can run a bath or make cookies or something," you cooed, clasping your hands together.

he sighed, placing his now shut off phone next to him, "i don’t want to get out of bed, though."

you stared in disapproval at his uncooperativeness before hunching over to his side of the bed, "you’re actually so lazy." pulling onto his lengthy arm, you did your utmost to try getting him out of his aloof position. him being so heavy obviously outweighed this attempt.

"jude, just get up," you whined, ceasing your efforts. a small moment of silence followed as you eyed him dozing off at the ceiling.

"fine," he gave in, departing from the bed. you let out a small cheer after all of your hard work and dedication.

scurrying to your bathroom, you quickly scanned through the cabinets for the appropriate supplies: cleanser, serum, clay masks, moustrizer… because you weren’t just doing face masks. of course, it'd only be right to do an entire routine, of course, even though he didn’t deserve it after all that tedious convincing.

"are you making it or something? why is there so much stuff?" he inquired, head tilting.

"uhh, yeah…" you drawled, trying not to suggest anything that’ll make him turn away. "wait, let me grab something for you." you dashed to your vanity, grabbing your hello kitty headband and concealing it behind your back.

"oh no, what is it," he cried. 

"shh, just close your eyes," you instructed, snickering while fetching the scrunched headband over his head. instinctively, his eyes fluttered open, mouth dropping. "y/n, take this off. i look so dumb," his mouth agape while skimming himself in the mirror. 

you chuckled away as you tried to snap a picture. "you look like such a pretty princess."

he shot you a glare before shaking his head, "please, take this off."

"no, no, it’s fine, it’ll be quick," you snorted, still trying to relive his reaction, "c’mon, let me wash your face."

you turned the tap on, pumping your favorite cleanser into your hands before rubbing them together, creating a soapy mixture when mixed with water.

"turn toward me," you commanded, rubbing your hands on his face in a circular motion, but obviously struggling a bit because of the height difference. 

"you’re so damn tall," you murmured as he sneered, "not my fault you’re so short." he teased as his arms cradled your waist. 

"okay, rinse your face now," he nodded, turning toward the sink. you quickly reached for the cleanser, repeating your previous actions.

after cleansing both of your faces, you grabbed your favorite clay mask, twisting the cap before turning to your boyfriend beside you. with a brush, you dipped into the container before painting his face, leaving it a shade of teal.

"i look so ridiculous right now," he stifled a laugh as you covered his forehead in the paste.

"ridiculously cute," you prompted, teasing him.

he chuckled before flinging himself inches from your face, "oh yeah?" his taunting immediately made you laugh before he pecked his lips against your cheek, leaving bits of blue residue on your face. you pulled away, giggling.

"stop, i was just kidding." you cocked your head to the side, "i meant to say ridiculously ugly," you mumbled.

"hm?" he chirped. "nothing," you said, clearing your throat before turning back to apply your mask after being distracted. he rolled his eyes as he watched you run the paste onto your face, as well.

after covering the last piece of skin, you finally placed the container on the counter before muttering, "20 minutes, okay?" earning a nod from him. "let me take a cute picture, though." you grabbed your phone, opening the photos app, and snapped away. his poses did not disappoint, though he seemed to be annoyed just 10 minutes prior, he’d been throwing up peace signs, winks, and duck lips. you found yourself surprised at the sudden interest, but you realized great minds think alike (skincare & selfies>his dumb mobile game).

"ooh!" you suddenly blurted. "let’s make tiktoks while they set." you smirked. he sighed, but ultimately knew there was no way out of this.

being about the sixth or seventh time he’s asked you this since you’ve been at this event, you found it incredible how much he needed reassurance about your security. you couldn’t complain, though. the extra attention was nice.

you two were intertwined in the bay of the busy venue. being an award ceremony, cameras were ubiquitous, and interviews were being conducted all over the room. luckily, he’d already appeared in a few, so you basically had him all to yourself for the rest of the night, excluding the instances of small talk exchanged with random acquaintances of his, of course.

his left hand gripped your waist, making sure everyone knew you were his (which simultaneously kindled your relationship's publicity). every now and again, he’d pull you in closer, and out of curiosity, you’d look up at him to make sure he wasn’t signaling for something.

your eyes darted to the side of your torso that he’d been latching onto when he pulled in slightly tighter again. instinctively, your eyes darted to his to make sure he wasn’t in trouble. unbothered, he’d just been scanning the room, watching his professional counterparts interact with each other. it took him a few seconds to realize that you’d been staring at him, and for the moment his eyes met with yours, you smiled. 

he hovered over to the nape of your neck, rhapsodizing, "you look so, so gorgeous tonight." he pulled away, grinning. 

for a second, you wanted to hide your flushed face, but your eyebrows just furrowed as you retained a gushing smile. "yea? i do?" you queried.

he nodded, repositioning you so that you were facing each other rather than side by side. "you do." he followed, "i can’t believe you’re mine. all mine." he pushed a strand of hair behind your ear while stroking your cheek along the way.

you bit your lip, preoccupied with scanning his angel-like features. you were taken aback when he did that eyes-lips-eyes thing (iykyk). it was difficult not to tremble—you couldn’t handle the butterflies. though you two have been dating for a hot second, there’s still a nervous pit you get in your stomach whenever you interact with him, let alone display affection.

you fluttered your puppy dog eyes, clueless of his temptations, forcing him to initiate something. 

"you know, it’s so hard to try not to kiss you right now." he muttered, almost whining.

your eyebrows furrowed, letting out a small chuckle. "mm, then why don’t you?" you teased, cocking your head.

he shook his head, his hand reaching to cup your cheek before crashing his lips onto yours. his lips were soft and cherry-flavored from his lip balm. it was easy to drown in them. his other hand skimmed your back, pulling you closer to him and immersing you deeper in the kiss. your arm found itself cradling his neck for extra support. before you could pull back, you felt and quickly recognized a bright white flash in your direction.

click.