#charm me

Her cute coquette style mismatched with my dark and moody nature is a laughable dichotomy. 

Her pink ballet flats walk next to my all black combat boots, the ribbons swaying in her hair stand in stark contrast to the way the light catches on my silver chains, leaving us quite the odd pairing.

"You know, if you keep on hanging on my arm like that people are gonna think we're lesbians" I sigh, not making an effort to pull away. "Is that your way of asking me to be your Valentine" she teases and I roll my eyes. 

"Pretty sure Jayson would have a problem with that" I say, pealing her off of me leaving her pouting before grabbing my hand instead and pulling me over to the first of many stalls that line this festival. 

"Just because Jayson is my boyfriend doesn't mean he has to be my Valentine...plus he hasn't asked me yet" she sighs dramatically for the fifth time today, a common theme for the past couple of days whenever this topic is brought up. 

"You know you could always, I don't know... ask him" I say and her brows furrow leaving me poking the wrinkle on her forehead to make her stop. 

"What a ridiculous thing to say" she scoffs and walks off to the next stand leaving me shaking my head and following after her. 

Sadie is someone I've been friends with for as long as I can remember. Long enough to have known each other before we made the dramatic split in our senses of style. I'd love to burn the pictures of me in Abercrombie skinny jeans and brightly colored Hollister polos but alas they will forever haunt my memories. 

At least I had Sadie though. I wouldn't leave her in the past no matter how many embarrassing stories she's in possession of.

"No way!" she squeals and pulls me over to another stall that's caught her eye. "If you keep on yanking on my arm like that you'll eventually pull it off" I say while rolling my shoulder, making it a point to prevent her from doing so again. 

"Sorry" she laughs awkwardly and tries to check on me but I assure her I'm fine, choosing to direct her attention to the table she decided to pull me towards this time.

"Love potions? Really? Jayson is already head over heels for you Sadie, I doubt you'll need help keeping him around" I roll my eyes and try to move onto to the next stall but she pulls me back, gently this time thankfully, clearly enthralled with the concept.

"Not for me silly, for you!" she justifies and takes a closer look, making the mysterious and lowkey sketchy woman behind the table hopeful that she'll get another sucker to fall for her tricks. 

"Why would I need a love potion? Last time I checked there's not a man in my life that I'd want to fall in love with me" I say and she cocks a brow at me. "Bullshit" she says, using language that I've hardly every heard from her. 

"Someone's feisty today" I chuckle making her expression sour. "What? There's literally no guy I could think of that I'd want to use that on" I reiterate but we both know I'm lying. 

But I'm not gonna give that information up though even if she tries to beat it out of me.

"Whatever you say" she huffs and moves onto the next stall.

The rest of our time here is spent doing the same thing over and over again with Sadie trying to find something for Jayson and me just following along getting hungrier by the second as we inch closer and closer to the food stalls that are annoyingly full of food items that look like hearts and roses but I couldn't care less when they smell that good. 

"Alright come on dude I'm starving" I say when she's finished paying, still engaged in a conversation with the shop keeper that has been convincing her to buy too many useless things but it's no skin off my nose if she wants to use her daddy's money to buy that nonsense. 

"Hey! I was still talking to her" she whines but follows since after my not so subtle mention of needing sustenance she's starting to realize she's just as starving if not more than me when she see's that they're selling heart shaped waffles. 

"Okay but afterwards I want to check out a few more stalls!" she compromises and switches to pulling me along again to get in the ever growing line of hungry customers.

~~~~

After we've each successfully gained a food baby each Sadie pops around and looks at a few more stalls with me very much ready for a nap. 

But let's be honest, I'm always ready for a nap.

"Hey why don't you pull the car around and I'll check out the last few stalls on my own" she suggests but I know she's up to something. 

"Why?" I question watching her eyes shift over to a certain stall in particular. "That way it'll safe us a little bit of time and we can get out of here sooner" she explains but I sigh and agree, knowing the faster we get out of here, the better from my perspective at least. 

"I'll call you when I get closer to the entrance" I say and she smiles and waves me off while I make the trek back to her car on my own, having brought her car so I would have no means of escape.

When I finally pull up she hops in with at least two or three more bags than she had when I left. "What did you buy?" I ask but all I'm granted is a little giggle accompanied by a no where near suspicious 'Nothing' leaving me rolling my eyes for the last time tonight, knowing that her childlike excitement when it comes to these things truly is endearing to me, but she'll never know that. 

~~~~

Once Sadie unlocks the door to her apartment we both head over to the table to set down her countless purchases. 

"Did you really need another perfume?" I ask, holding up the pink ish stained glass bottle to the light leaving her taking it out of my hands and putting it back on the table. "It's not perfume it's room mist. It's supposed to make the space feel more romantic" she says, giving a shortened version of the sales pitch she no doubt got. 

"Right...romantic" I chuckle knowing that it'll probably just be a cheaply made lightly scented mist that's supposed to be all natural with health benefits too but I won't burst her bubble on this one since I know there's enough romance to spare when it comes to her and Jayson. 

I swear I can barely stand being alone with them but luckily that's gotten a little better lately. 

"I should probably get going soon" I say looking at the clock after I've helped her put everything away for safe keeping, code word for away from Jayson's prying eyes. "Wait why?" she pouts, "I thought you were gonna stay for movie night" she says as if I just told her that she can't wear pink on Wednesdays. 

"I don't wanna watch a movie with you and your boyfriend" I cringe at the idea of being left in a room with those two. "Yeah but he's bringing J-" she starts to argue but is cut off by a rhythmic knock on her front door making her expression go from sulking to smug.

"Can you get the door?" she asks and goes back to the kitchen to get the movies snacks ready. "I'm not your butler S" I call back out but my only response is her happily humming and completely ignoring me. 

I walk over to the door and open it with Jayson's hand raised up about to knock again which he luckily doesn't because he wouldn't knocked on my forehead instead. 

"Impatient are we?" I ask and lean against the doorway, making his efforts of seeing Sadie last a little while longer. "Hi y/n, is Sadie around?" he chuckles, glad he didn't accidentally make an enemy of me tonight. "I mean this is her apartment" I say and he scratches the back of his neck awkwardly. 

"Yeah I guess you're right" he says making me smirk, knowing I'm playing to scary best friend role perfectly. Looks like he took the threat of me castrating him if he ever hurt Sadie pretty seriously still. "In the kitchen" I say and widen the door, letting him slip past me but when I go to close it I'm met with another person trying to come in right behind him.

"Hey y/n" his deep voice says, no doubt trying to play it cool since he's probably heard that story before as well. "Didn't know you were coming" I say, my tone neutral as I widen the door for him. 

"Yeah Jayson said something about a movie night? I heard you were gonna be here so I thought I'd tag along...if that's alright with you of course" Jungkook say, backtracking and clearly embarrassed for admitting that he wanted to see me.

"I mean it's a free country" I shrug my shoulders and close the door, with him waiting for me to lead the way even though he's been here quite a few times already since Sadie and Jayson got together. "Right" he chuckles, not adding much more than that, letting the conversation die.

"Hi baby" Jayson says making Sadie giggle and I avert my eyes before I have to witness another kiss of theirs leaving me bumping into Jungkook's chest, not having expected him to be that close. With him as a result wrapping his arm around me to make sure I don't stumble from the impact. 

"Sorry I-" he says but I just unwrap his arm around my waist. "It's fine. I was just a little too dramatic in trying to save myself from witnessing their love" I roll my eyes leaving Sadie pouting but I can tell she's clearly satisfied with seeing Jungkook and I so close. 

"Makes sense" he said and rubs the back of his neck and watches as I make my way over to the couch with him soon following my lead. 

He's been like this almost since the beginning once he realized that my moody exterior wasn't aimed at him just because he was a stranger but was just a part of my character. Although I'm pretty sure I still make him nervous, he doesn't seem to mind it anymore.

Just like clockwork he sits on one side of the couch while I sit on the other, never crossing spacial boundaries unless necessary or out of convenience like that one time I got roped into sitting in the middle in the backseat next to him on our trip to the beach since we needed more space for the stuff we brought with us. 

Curse you Sadie and your tiny car. 

I don't even know why we ended up taking her car since it's the smallest out of the four of ours but alas. The result of which was Jungkook's arm draped across the back seat to offer me some more space with me eventually falling asleep on him. Resulting in me lowkey avoiding him after the fact until I realized how ridiculous I was being.

Sadie had also been guilt tripping me at that time about how sad he had been and how lonely he looked hanging out with just her and Jayson and so I finally gave in, knowing I couldn't do this forever. Plus it wasn't like it was his fault or anything. Swimming always makes me sleepy and I should've warned him about that. 

He didn't make it a big deal about it when I came back thankfully since I already had to deal with enough teasing from my often merciless best friend so we were luckily able to act as though it never happened. Although ever since then it's happened quite a few times...

"Hey Jungkook do you think you could let me use the arm rest tonight?" Jayson calls out sounding not in the slightest bit suspicious but all of us know what he's doing and Sadie clearly has clearly put him up to it.

"Oh um" Jungkook starts but when he not so subtly glances over in my direction I decide to just put the boy out of his misery. "You can use mine. Sadie and I can sit in the middle" I say resulting in me having to sit next to Jungkook for the next two or so hours.

When I glance at him I can see how the new seating arrangement has made him nervous and so I decide to torture the boy a little. "As long as that's okay with you Jungkook?" I ask, tilting my head at him which has him nervously glancing back over at me before clearing his throat and practically squirming him his seat before nodding 'yes'. 

"Perfect!" Sadie says and with the help of Jayson brings over all the snacks and presses play on the pre approved movie from our group chat debate.  

~~~~

As the movie drags on I watch my vision go in and out of focus, leaving me shaking my head in an effort to try and wake myself up. "You okay?" Jungkook whispers and I hum. "Just a little sleepy" I respond assuring him I'm alright. He hums back and adjusts his posture, draping his arm around the couch, as a not so subtle invitation for me to lean on him.

The corner of my mouth turns up at that and I can tell that he noticed it, making him not as nervous about his offer anymore.

The dynamic between Jungkook and I has been...peculiar to say the least. 

I wouldn't consider him a close friend or even a friend really. Maybe more like a friend by proxy since we do end up spending a lot of time together. With both of our best friends insisting that the two of us tag along with neither of us having the real desire to tell them no. 

We've had a good conversation here and there when Sadie and Jayson are wrapped up in their own little world but I won't lie to you when I say that there have been some days or nights where we just sit in silence, watching the love birds do what they do.

If you ask me though it's never felt awkward. Has he been awkward and nervous? Yes. But it doesn't really bother me either. 

I wouldn't say that I seek out his company but I can't say that I don't feel a little disappointed when he's not around. More like there's something missing because obviously someone is missing, plus I'm forced to pay more attention to the two of them if it's just me.

It's times like that when he works up the courage to text me. Explaining why he wasn't able to make it as though he felt obligated to do so but he makes sure to offer me an ear when I want to complain about the nonsense those two get up to or what they managed to rope me into.

He sends funny memes to cheer me up, somehow knowing my sense of humor perfectly or complains to me in return about how boring and monotonous his job can be making me smile when he tells me he has to go because his boss is watching. As though he was a nervous teenager that couldn't spend a second away from his crush.

He couldn't have a crush on me could he? No, no that's not right. 

I let my thoughts of Jungkook drift off, the low hum of the TV soon lulling me to sleep resulting in me leaning against him, with him adjusting his posture to make it more comfortable for me, his arm soon migrating from resting on the back of the couch to loosely around my waist.

Something I've always noticed when I wake up though is that he's so comfortable. As though being this close to him feels natural. I will admit that when I've partially stirred awake and realized what I'd done I don't make an effort to wake up or pull away, indulging in the comfort for just a little while longer.

I feel bad though for the times that I wake up and he has to leave right away or when Sadie pulls me over and let's me lay on her lap to continue sleeping, making it a little easier for him to head out. It's as though he waits until the very last minute just to let me sleep a little while longer, not wanting to disturb me for as long as he can.

Tonight isn't one of those nights though, the ones where he has somewhere to go or some place to be. 

He just stays there, being as still as he can, letting me cuddle up to him as little or as much as I want to, eventually helping me lay my head down on his lap once Jayson and Sadie turn in for the night. The position being the slightest bit more comfortable this time with me eventually waking up three hours after the movie had finished.

My head is resting on his upper thigh, with my face basically buried into his torso but he doesn't seem to mind when I turn onto my back and see him absentmindedly scrolling through his phone. 

"What time is it?" I mumble, slightly startling him but he smiles at my groggy state soon after. "One thirty" he mumbles back, keeping his voice down so he doesn't force me awake too quickly. 

"You could've woken me up" I say, slowly sitting up and stretching before straightening out my appearance just the slightest bit. "I didn't have anywhere to be so I thought I'd just let you sleep" he shrugs and I hum. "Plus you seemed pretty exhausted so I thought you could use the rest" he adds and I can't help but give him a soft, hardly conscious smile. 

"Thanks" and he just smiles back at me. We sit there for a little while, and he eventually hands me a bottle of water that's on the coffee table to hopefully help me wake up but after a while I sigh and rest back back against the couch again. 

"What?" he chuckles, sensing my struggle. "Sadie was supposed to give me a ride home" I huff, realizing the predicament I've been put in, just because I wanted to get some shut eye. 

"I can give you a ride" he chuckles, seeing the clear solution but I shake my head. 

"I can't just keep you here and use you as my human pillow then have you give me a ride home as well" I counter but he just smiles. "It's really not a big deal" he counters and I sigh again, knowing he's probably not gonna take no for an answer. 

I can't help but get this...this indescribable feeling in my stomach that I so desperately want to ignore when I think about being alone with him. We are alone right now but that somehow seems...different.

"I have to go somewhere on your side of town anyways so your place is on my way" he says making me smile at his blatant lie. "At two in the morning?" I chuckle, checking my phone and quickly turning down the brightness so it won't blind me anymore.

"Yeah it's uh...open for twenty four hours" he say, making excuses to fit his claims. "You're lying to me aren't you?" I say, calling him out making him look down at his lap, slightly defeated seeing his excuse didn't work this time. 

"Yeah" he mumbles making me smile. "You could always just say that you want to give me a ride" I chuckle and from the way he clears his throat and looks away I can tell that that sentence has a completely different meaning to him than I had intended. 

"I um...I want to give you a ride...home. A ride home" he stammers, the whole interaction quite amusing to me. "Sure, I'd like that" I say and stand up with him getting up immediately, patting his pockets and making sure he has his keys. 

I grab my purse and make sure I have everything I need as well and when he sees that I didn't bring a warm jacket he gives me the other one he brought that he had put aside when he came in. "What's this for?" I ask, taking it suspiciously and draping it over my arm. 

"We're just walking to your car right? Pretty sure I don't need this for that short of a walk" I say and try to hand it back to him. He takes it back but instead wraps it around me and helps me put it on regardless, even going through the effort of zipping it up for me. 

"Trust me, you'll need it" he smiles softly after seeing how it fits me, clearly satisfied seeing me wearing something of his. 

"I look silly don't I?" I say, turning towards the full length mirror Sadie has in her entry way but he chuckles and shakes his head, standing behind me and looking at me through the reflection. 

"It looks perfect on you" he says just as soft as his smile and opens the door, urging for me to go in true gentlemanly like fashion leaving me rolling my eyes but going along with his efforts nonetheless. 

I lock up the apartment with my spare key and follow him as he leads me to what I had expected to be his usual black BMW but what I'm met with is an equally as black Harley Davidson with him unlocking the compartment in the back and handing me his spare helmet. 

This item although I don't take so willingly.

"You're joking right?" I scoff and cross my arms, the longer sleeves from his jacket by design giving me sweater paws making my stance a whole less defiant than I wanted. A pouty aura now stands in it's place.

"What? Never ridden a motorcycle before?" he smirks and walks over to me, choosing to put it on for me since he's pretty sure I wouldn't do it from my argument against this whole idea to begin with. 

"No I haven't and I don't plan to" I huff and try to take it off but he chuckles and holds it down against my head making me accept defeat with this part at least. Just because I put on the helmet doesn't mean I actually have to ride it. 

"You scared?" he chuckles, adjusting the strap under my chin and making sure it fits just right, smiling, satisfied with his work, amused with my soured expression. "I am not scared!" I argue and he smirks. 

"Then what's the problem sweetheart?" he says, his first time even daring to use a pet name with me catching me off guard. 

"The problem is, sweetheart, is that I don't wan't to. Those things are dangerous!" I argue and he smiles before putting his helmet on as well and taking my bag to place it in the back seat compartment and closes it. 

"Hey!" I argue when I realize what he's done, trying to get it back but it seems it locks automatically leaving my efforts sans key useless.

"Do you trust me?" he asks and my brows furrow, honestly not knowing the answer yet making me look away. "Y/n" he says, placing both of his hands on my shoulders and urging me to look at him leaving me ultimately relenting.

"Do you trust me?" he repeats, all the times I've let him in even in the slightest rushing through my psyche. Hell even just moments ago when I had been asleep and in a vulnerable state I trusted him to watch over me and so I nod my head. 

Admitting to him and myself that I've let him in, that I've let him break down these walls that I've built up even in the slightest making the sides of his eyes crinkle, the mask like helmet making it impossible to see his complete expression. 

"Good, now get on"

~~~~

I hold onto him as tight as I possibly can while he safely swerves between lanes and warns me when he's about to go around a bend and I can tell that everything about this predicament amuses him. 

"You know you can relax a little when we hit red lights" he calls out to me over the roar of the engine but my only answer is a quick 'Nope' while I grasp onto him tighter, his reactions always a dark chuckle that I can feel through his back that's pressed impossibly close to my chest the tighter I cling to him. 

At those red lights though he tends to remind me to keep my legs spread just a little wider, making sure I don't burn my calves on the hot metal of the bike. Placing both of his hands on my knees and spreading them a little wider. The act alone in this case is innocent but in others that I curse my mind for wandering to is anything but that.

"Hey" he calls out, the roar of his Harley no longer audible making his voice seem that much louder. "Yeah?" I ask, still completely clueless as to what he's trying to alert me to. "You can let go now" he chuckles, the sound no longer just felt but heard makes me pull back, so thankful his back is turned to me still.

"Sorry, I didn't realize we had gotten here already" I say and he shakes his head and pulls off his helmet before getting off and leaving me sliding down a little on the seat, loosing my balance and grabbing onto the handlebars. 

"I thought you said you didn't like motorcycles" he taunts and I huff. "I don't" I roll my eyes making him even more amused. "Really? Because you look like you're about to steal it from me" he points out, nodding towards my hands that are very much still on the handle bars. 

I let go of it as though I had burned myself and quickly getting off the bike, losing my balance and making Jungkook on instinct grabs my hips to keep me on my feet. 

After regaining my composure and realizing the predicament we're in leave me the one to call in back to reality. My hands although are still very much holding onto his biceps with his hands still gripping my hips with an almost bruising strength. 

I look up at him, seeing as he's looking down at me, an unreadable expression written on his face as though he was struggling with something leaving me really having to break him out of his train of thought. 

"Jungkook?" I say, loosening my grip on his arms. "Hmm?" he hums, still clearly lost in whatever thoughts had been holding him hostage, still looking at me but almost as if he couldn't focus on one feature. 

"Jungkook?" I say again, this time smiling and that breaks him out of it a bit more. "You can let go now" I laugh, leaving him blinking and letting go, taking a step back making both of our arms fall at our sides now. 

"Sorry um...are you okay?" he asks, remembering the fact that I almost fell on my ass. "I'm fine, are you?" I tilt my head at him leaving him looking away, a rosy tint deepening on his cheeks even in this twilight surrounding us. 

"Can you help me with this?" I ask after trying to struggle and get the helmet off leaving his mouth utter a inaudible 'oh' before stepping closer again and unbuckling the intricate strap under my chin. 

"See, home safe and sound" he chuckles after putting the helmets away and giving me my bag back. "Slightly traumatized but safe nonetheless" I say making the corner of his mouth turn up. 

"It wasn't that bad was it?" he asks with him now tilting his head at me, now understanding his reaction to when I do it. "Never make me do that again" I huff and turn to walk away and when I hear the sound of two sets of foot steps instead of one I turn around and watch as his steps stutter and come to a halt. 

"What?" he asks when he's met with a confused look. "What are you doing?" I ask and he's now the one rolling his eyes at me. "Walking you to the door?" he nods towards my front door making me cross my arms over my chest. 

"Why?" I cock my brow, "I'm perfectly capable of walking there myself" I argue but he looks down and chuckles. "I know, but I want to" he says when he looks back up at me, something about it making my heart flutter and therefore making me more susceptible to the whole idea. 

"Fine" I say and it's at that point I notice the fact that he had in fact planned this. Him having parked in a visitor parking space and going through the effort of taking his helmet off as well. Clearly showing me he had no intention of leaving right away making me turn around to hide the no doubt embarrassed expression on my face.

His footsteps trail behind me as I walk over to the stairs, choosing to not take the elevator because the thought alone of being in that small of a space with him seems intimidating enough. 

It's not like I'm on the fifth floor or something...just the third, making both of us slightly winded by the time we get to my door. 

He waits as I unlock my door and when I turn around he still doesn't look like he's in much of a rush to leave. "You gonna head home?" I ask, tossing my keys on the hooks next to my door and he smile. "You're not gonna invite me in?" he asks, nodding inside and I look back assessing the state of it and decide it's in an okay state to have visitors. 

"Do you wanna come inside?" I ask and he again clears his throat and looks away. Damn this boy has an even dirtier mind than I do. "Yeah um sure" he says, rubbing the back of his neck, the tips of his ears pink as if he wasn't the one that suggested this making me smile and walk in, leaving an open invitation. 

He follows soon after and closes the door behind him, quietly since it's about to be three in the morning so he doesn't feel like contributing to me getting an eviction notice. 

"It's been a while since you've been here huh?" I ask, grabbing both of us waters from the fridge with him nodding and taking it from me, making it a point to brush his fingers against mine before I pull back. 

"Yeah. It looks a little different" he says while taking in some things he hadn't noticed before, one of which being my little black cat that does a big stretch before walking over to him, smelling him and circling around his legs as if he was sizing him up. 

"I didn't know you had a cat" he says, leaning down and offering his hand down for him to get a little bit more familiar with his scent. "What's his name?" he asks, looking back up at me after having crouched down to pet him, seeing that he's taken a liking to him which surprises me to say the least. 

"Shadow" I say and I can't help but smile at the sight. "Hi Shadow" he coos again leaving me caught off guard when Shadow starts purring. "He really never takes a real liking to strangers, or at least not this quickly" I say and he smiles before standing back up, leaving me looking back up at him again. 

"I guess I'm just a likable guy" he jokes making me roll my eyes and sit down on the couch with him following after me. "You've got some pretty heavy duty curtains there" he points out, seeing my very dark, very black curtains to match my whole aesthetic.

"I have trouble sleeping sometimes so it's easier for me to keep as much light out that I can if I end up having to sleep during the day" I shrug and place my water down on the coffee table with him soon following after. 

"Is that why you're so sleepy all the time?" he asks making me hum, "Yeah, sorry about that" I apologize but he smiles and shakes his head. "There's nothing to be sorry about, I'm just glad I'm able to help you get some sleep sometimes" he says, his smile soon turning shy making him look away. 

His act of going in and out of shy to confident makes him that much more entertaining to me. With him although practically squirming under my gaze one second to practically giving me butterflies in the next. It's an interesting dynamic but one I don't put much thought into.

"Are you gonna have trouble sleeping tonight? You know with that long nap that you had" he says sheepishly as if he wasn't the one I had fallen asleep on. 

"Maybe, but I'm used to it" I shrug my shoulders and he nods, clearly trying to think through what he wants to say next but before he's able to a loud thunder clap resounds through my apartment, making me almost jump into his lap, the sudden sound catching me off guard.

"You alright?" he asks and I clear my throat awkwardly, and sit back, going back to my respective side of the couch. "Yup totally fine, completely fine actually. How are you doing?" I babble, clearly giving myself away which now is amusing him. 

"You're afraid of thunderstorms aren't you?" he asks, tilting his head at me and I nod, giving in right away because there's no use hiding this obvious answer. 

"Are you gonna be able to sleep through it?" he asks and although I know what he's gonna offer next I don't want to take advantage of his kindness especially since I don't want him to end up thinking I led him on because I can't make up my mind in the future.

"Probably not" I admit and he hums, thinking about it for a second before saying what I knew he was going to. "I could stay...if you want?" he asks, not wanting to overstep but sensing from my body language alone that I might need someone. 

"I-" "How about this. I don't really like the idea of riding my motorcycle in the middle of a thunderstorm so do you think you could offer me a place to stay for the night?" he asks, making me see that although I know he's doing this for me he does end up benefitting from it at least a little bit...or a lot a bit.

I think about it for a second and although I know I'm gonna say yes I can't help but hesitate. The thought of letting him stay making this whole thing I know we're starting to feel for each other that much more real.

"I guess it would be pretty shitty of me to kick you out in the rain huh?" I smile, wanting to add a little humor to the tension I clearly feel growing between us. "I mean it's your choice but I would really appreciate it if you didn't" he jokes making me smile. 

"You can stay on one condition" I say and he hums at that but I'm pretty sure he wouldn't have it any other way. "You have to sleep in my bed. My couch is too short and I'd feel horrible if you woke up with a kink in your neck or something because of it" I say and he gives me a cheeky smile. 

"It would defeat the purpose if I slept anywhere else but with you. You know, so I can keep you calm through the storm?" he chuckles and I nod, glad that we're on the same page although for different reasons.

"Did you wanna borrow some clothes? I have some baggy sweats and your waist is pretty small from what I remember so they'd probably fit you" I ramble and I know at that point that I've said way too much when he gives me a wicked smile. 

"Have you been checking me out y/n?" he asks and scoots just a bit closer. "No, no I just remember from the few times we've gone to the beach together. You know, with Sadie and Jayson?" I make excuses but he's not buying it. 

"So you haven't been checking me out now but you did then?" his smile never leaving his face. 

"Did you want the clothes or not?" I scowl making him even more enticed to keep teasing but he hums in agreement and watches as I jump up from the couch. 

"Wait here" I say and he nods his head, resting his arm across the back of the couch and spreading his legs just a little wider than necessary with him shamelessly checking me out as much as I am with him. 

I scurry off to my room though, the thought of crossing anymore lines with him than I'm about to already is something I'm not ready for yet...yet? No! I'm not ready for period! I'm not ready for anything like that and I don't want to put a strain on our relationship if something ends up happening. 

I change and take some very much needed deep breaths before going back to the living room with the baggy set of clothes I had offered to him and see that he's started to explore. He takes a closer look at the pictures that I have hung up and zeroes in on one on my desk of Sadie and I in those aforementioned pictures I had mentioned. 

"You looked really different here" he chuckles and I walk over and put the picture frame face down, not wanting him to have to see that image for any longer. 

"I didn't have much of a choice back then. Plus you know that was the style back then" I explain and hand him the clothes before resting against the desk, making sure he doesn't try to look at it again.

He hums and takes the clothes making my eyes furrow. "What's that supposed to mean?" I ask but he smiles and shakes his head. "Nothing" he says and places the clothes on the desk next to me. 

"What do you mean it's nothing? It has to be something if you're acting like that" I huff and glare at him as he looks away, clearly more amused at this situation than I can comprehend. "I just had an image in my head of you always dressing like you usually do" he says and looks down at me, making me realize just how little space is left between us.

"How do I usually dress?" I ask, knowing the answer but wanting him to elaborate, wanting to know exactly what he thinks about the way that I dress. "You know, all dark and scary" he smirks and places both of his hands on either side of my hips on the desk, leaning down to my height making me back away from him. 

"You think I'm scary?" I scoff and look away, trying to hide how much his close proximity has caught me off guard. "I used to" he hums making me look at him, his honesty although obvious is peculiar to admit at this point. 

"And now?" I ask, my voice barely above a whisper making the corner of his mouth upturn but before he's able to respond another roar of thunder smashes us out of our "Moment" if you could even call it that. Embarrassingly forcing me to cling onto him as if my life depended on it, with him on instinct wrapping his arms around my waist to keep me steady, now realizing just how scared I truly am.

"Hey, it's okay, you're okay" he says in a hushed tone, pulling me even closer, him feeling the rapid beating of my heart through my chest. 

He rests his head on top of mine with me practically trying to crawl into his chest with how close I'm trying to be and he finds it endearing to say the least. "You're safe, I got you" he says, after another one roars, making me cling onto him, practically shaking at this point. 

"How do you know?" I mumble against his chest and he pushes me away and leans down so he could be at my level. I look away again, this time trying to hide how completely embarrassed I am for being so scared of something that I know is silly but I can't help it. 

He tilts his head trying to catch my glance and when that doesn't work he cups my cheek and brings me back over to him but even then in my stubbornness when I still won't look at him he tilts my chin up and I finally relinquish to his efforts. 

"I'm not gonna let anything happen to you" he says softly and I nod before going back in, knowing that at the end of the day he's the one who's gonna keep me safe. 

No matter what he's always gonna be there for me...and that's what scares me.

Part 2

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A lot. A lot too much firewhiskey. As Eva slurred and stumbled against her side, Noora felt fairly solid in her decision never to touch the liquid. If elderflower wine could send her over the edge, she didn’t want to imagine what a few shots of Ogden’s would do.

“I’m so glad we’re both staying for Easter,” Eva murmured, her brow creased and her head lulling against Noora’s, blending her strawberry hair with Noora’s blonde. “Why aren’t Vilde and Chris and Sana staying for Easter? They should come back.”

Noora stood up straighter, so Eva would too. “Vilde and Chris and Sana wanted to go home for the holiday.”

A wrinkle of Eva’s nose. “Stupid.”

Noora was inclined to agree, but also obligated to admit that she and Eva were both biased. Eva’s mom had already owled her several apologies that she would have to work for most of the week, and Noora’s parents… Well, they’d barely seemed to notice when she used to come home for Christmas holidays. Easier, better, more fun to stay here and celebrate Easter with Eva among the red and gold warmth of the Gryffindor common room than to endure her parents’ love nest.

She didn’t say any of this though, just arched an eyebrow. “You’re going to feel stupid tomorrow morning if we don’t find you water and carbs.”

“No,” Eva dragged out the word, shaking her head rather vigorously (and right into Noora’s). “Not stupid. We’re on a break!” she half-said, half-cheered, throwing an arm up into the air. “We deserve to party.”

Scanning the hallway, Noora helped Eva’s arm back down and picked up their pace.

Sober friend duty trumped prefect responsibilities tonight.

The castle was quiet enough now, in the wake of Easter holiday departures, that Noora didn’t expect to find anyone else in the kitchens.

She expected wrong.

Instead, two heads of dark hair, both already seated and snacking on what appeared to be a plate of baked goods, greeted her when she and Eva finally tickled the pear and tip toed (or toppled) over the threshold. Pressing her lips together, flattening her burgeoning smile, Noora recognized both of them. Immediately.

Eva tilted her head again, this time away from Noora’s. “Is that Chris?” she whispered.

Both heads turned. Noora looked up at the ceiling. Eva’s drunken whispers were never as whispered as she meant them to be.

"And William,” a familiar voice said. Noora met William’s deep brown eyes, before turning her red smile at the closest wall.

Chris spun around at the same time, donning a buzzed grin to match William’s crooked smile. “My stalker!” he said, raking his gaze from Eva’s bright smile to her bare feet. (She'd insisted on leaving her trainers behind in the common room. Merlin knew why.) “I was hoping you’d find me.”

Noora rolled her eyes. Eva’s attention drifted past Chris to the food assembled before him. “Are those doughnuts?”

Raising a jelly one into her view, Chris let his grin dip into a smirk. “Maybe.” His tongue darted out against his lips. “Want to trade for it?”

He seemed distinctly put out a moment later when a house elf appeared to offer Eva whatever food she liked. Less so when Eva laughed, glanced back at him for a second, and said to the house elf, “That’s okay.” Then to Chris: “Trade what?” (Noora asked Topsy the house elf for a glass of water.)

Chris patted his lap.

When Eva pulled away from her, Noora pulled her back just long enough to convince her to drink the entire glass, down to its last drop. Then stumbled when Eva threw her arms around Noora’s neck to sigh, “You’re such a good friend.”

Noora wasn’t so sure about that a moment later, when she let her walk over to the recently vacated chair—William’s; he was standing; he was still looking at her—beside Chris’s. But Eva and Chris had been hooking up for ages. Eva might be drunk, and Chris might be a complete fuckboy, but they both knew what they were doing.

“You’re sitting there?” Chris said when Eva plopped down in the chair that William had just given up.

(Noora pretended not to watch William make his way over to her.)

“Mhm.”

Chris’s eyes dropped for a moment. When they rose again, they glinted. “But chairs are so boring.”

“And your lap is so much better?”

“Why don’t you tell me?”

Noora didn’t need a mirror to know just how supremely unimpressed she looked as Chris talked Eva into abandoning her chair and straddling him. “See? Much better,” Chris said, skimming his fingers along her waist.

Eva reached over his shoulder to grab a jelly doughnut.

“Hi,” William said when he reached her side, almost breathing the greeting into her ear. He was that close. His mouth just a slip away from touching her skin, his chest just a stride away from fitting against her back. “Do you want a doughnut?”

Noora turned, partly to meet his gaze and partly to avoid the sight of Slytherin’s premier player kissing doughnut jelly from her best friend’s lips. “No.” She shook her head. “I can’t believe you asked the house elves to make you doughnuts.”

William shrugged. “As opposed to whatever you were going to ask them to make?”

“We were going to see if they had leftovers from dinner! Not demand… deep fried dough.”

“Some are chocolate.” William didn’t even try to stop his lips from twitching. Noora crossed her arms. “I had a good time in Hogsmeade,” he added, probably remembering the several cups of cocoa she’d drank on that particular outing. (Date.) (Not a date.) (Maybe a date.) “When are we doing it again?”

Noora raised her chin. “It’s not happening again.”

He played dumb. “Tomorrow then? Noon?” She knew it was a ploy, because of the amusement curving his lips. Also because he wasn’t dumb—as much as Noora sometimes wished he were. Rejecting William again and again would be so much easier if he’d stop revealing redeeming qualities. Attractive qualities.

(His smile might have caught for a moment, just before he replied. She might have imagined it.)

“No. How would we—” she paused and creased her brow. “How would we even get to Hogsmeade tomorrow?”

“I know a way.”

“How are you head boy?”

William brushed his hair out of his eyes—which was good, because she’d kind of wanted to do it for him. “My respect for authority, probably.” His stupid hair.

A smile tugged at Noora’s lips. “Okay.”

“My leadership abilities. Sense of responsibility. Top marks.” That sounded more likely. Though she wasn’t about to admit it to him. “I’ll tell you more about the position in Hogsmeade if you want.”

She meant to shake her head, but didn’t quite manage. “William...”

Thank Merlin that Eva was so wrapped up in Chris—there was a sentence Noora had never expected to think—because she and William were officially standing closer than casual conversation required. Because she was clearly allowing their proximity. Feeding it.

One step. She just needed to retreat one step back.

William propped an arm above her head, spreading his palm on the wall. Kept staring straight into her eyes.

Noora didn’t move.

“You’re a prefect, and you’re out after hours,” he reminded her. “How is that so different?”

Grateful for the chance to fall back on raised eyebrows and retorts, Noora said, “I’m here to help Eva.”

He stared over her shoulder. “How is that going for you?”

Noora followed his eyes—there was Eva with her legs hooked around Chris’s waist, her fingers knotted in his hair, his mouth covering hers, and his hands up her shirt. “The poor house elves.” She sighed. “We should go.”

“Back to your common room?” He shot a wry look at Eva's blatant tipsiness.   

“It’s quiet over Easter,” Noora said, opting out of mentioning that most of the remaining Gryffindors had been drinking right alongside Eva. Even though William was the last person in school who had any room to judge anyone for hoarding illicit substances in the castle, given the parties he and his friends were infamous for throwing. “No one will notice.”

“Right.” Taking out his wand, he cast accio chocolate doughnut before offering the considerably sized, considerably-frosting-drenched dessert to her. “The Slytherin common room is quiet too.”

In spite of herself, Noora took a small bite. Then swallowed a moan.

“Chris and I are the only seventh years who stayed. Plenty of free beds in our dormitory.”

Noora would have rolled her eyes if the doughnut weren’t so distracting. “So generous.” They needed to start offering these at breakfast.

William shrugged. “Head boy. It’s my responsibility to look out for my classmates.”

“Inviting Gryffindor girls to sleep over in the Slytherin boys dormitories is not one of your responsibilities.”

"Are you sure?” Mock surprise. “I still have the official letter. You can look it over in Hogsmeade tomorrow.”

Noora did roll her eyes now, but didn’t object when William leaned in to wipe a stray bit of chocolate frosting from the corner of her mouth with the pad of his thumb. Or when he let his hand linger there. She didn’t object to the date again either. (Not a date.) (Maybe a date.) (Probably a date.)

Chris, on the other hand, objected quite vehemently when William told him it was time to leave.

“Bro.”

Eva giggled into his neck as he stood, as he steadied her on her feet. She grabbed another doughnut, tore it in half, and offered him the smaller portion.

Noora looked around for another glass of water, only to somehow end up locking eyes with William. Nodding at him. She didn’t say a word, but the smile that spread across his face—

He knew exactly what she was agreeing to.

Only for the cocoa, she mouthed at him.

"You're still awake huh?" he asks, somehow sensing my unrest after we've been lying here for who knows how long. I hum as a way to alert to his suspicions, making him turn to face me and encouraging me to do the same, guiding my hips and making it close to impossible to say no.

"Is it the storm?" he asks while studying my features, knowing that if it's not that, there must be something I'm not telling him. I decide to nod my head, knowing that that's part of it, but the thing that's occupied my mind more than anything is him laying next to me.

"Tell me something" he says randomly making me frown. "Like what?" I ask, the question so open ended.

"Something you've never told anyone, or an embarrassing story. I don't know...something" he says, his smile soft making it hard to focus so I lay on my back and look up at the ceiling, genuinely wracking my brain for something that might fit into those categories.

"Um, I like to tell everyone that my favorite color is black when it's actually purple" I say, coming up with something pretty neutral but it's also very true.

"Wait really?" he asks, propping himself up on his elbow now, looking down at me and making it completely defeat the purpose as to why I switched to laying down like this. I nod my head as a way to confirm it.

"Like a really dark shade of purple that's almost black?" he chuckles but I shake my head. "More like lilac" I admit and he smiles. "What?" I chuckle and he shrugs his shoulders, although awkward from this angle is a very endearing reaction. "I never would've guessed you'd like a color like that". 

I echo his response with a shrug before quickly following it up. 

"Don't you dare tell anyone or I'll wring your neck. I don't need Sadie or my mother finding out and trying to make me all girly again" I poke his chest and he smiles, not finding my threat intimidating in the slightest.

"Your secrets safe with me princess" he says, making me clear my throat to break up the tension again because of the even closer proximity.

"What about you?" I ask and he tilts his head as if he didn't know what I was talking about. "What's something you've never told anyone before?" I echo and when he starts to think about it another rumble of thunder makes me scoot closer to him, this time so...much...closer.

After looking back up at him and seeing what I'd done I realize we've ended up in the position I had feared we'd be in, him hovering over me with his legs tangled between mine. We stay there for what feels like hours but is only a few seconds before either of us makes a sound.

"You wanna know my secret?" he asks, his voice huskier than I remember, leaving me nodding, not trusting my voice to answer.

"I've wanted to kiss you all night..." he says, looking down at my lips with me unconsciously wetting them, not daring to look down at his, "and the fact that I've held back this long..." he trails off, letting my mind fill in the blanks.

We stay like that for a while, him studying my features enough to know that I'm not opposed to the idea.

"Tell me to stop" he whispers, making eye contact before looking down at my lips again, leaning in, inch by inch. The chemistry between us visible, suffocating even, stealing my breath away before his lips have a chance to reach mine.

It's starts as a breath of a kiss, my eyes fluttering shut and with seeing my reaction he smiles to himself before pressing his lips against mine in the gentlest kiss I've ever received. One that would be hard to register if all of my senses weren't focused on what he might do next.

My eyes flutter open after he's pulled away, gaging my response leaving me placing my hand on the nape of his neck, pulling him back in, the kiss going from soft and progressing from there. 

We break apart when the thunder resounds again but he cups my cheek keeping me in place.

"Focus on me" he reassures "Just stay here and focus on me".

He rests his head against mine, both of us catching our breath and soon I'm nodding, pulling him back in.

His lips alone become a good distraction, taking away my sense of sight and focusing my sense of touch where our bodies connect and part.

His breathy moans come in next, addictive to say the very least leaving me wanting to chase more, bowing my back up into him. His right hand grabs my waist and pulls me closer, his hips pressed against mine making a small gasp leave my lips when I notice how much this is effecting him.

"Just leave it" he mumbles against my lips, diving back in and increasing the intensity, his kisses bruising, stealing the air from my lungs. When I pull away he doesn't let his lips leave my skin, going from peppering kisses along my jaw to ones that are a bit bolder.

His tongue and teeth work to find that spot on my neck that'll give me goosebumps, chuckling when he hears another gasp from me, my fingers in turn lacing through his locks and keeping him close.

He pulls back the slightest bit, blowing cold air on that spot, his lips having left it damp making me shiver under him.

"Jungkook wait" I mumble when his lips come back up to mine. He hums into the kiss, clearly not interested in pulling away anytime soon, in fact increasing the intensity, making it hard for me to get in a word edgewise.

"Wait" I finally say again, pushing back on his chest, both of us panting in sync, the rhythm of his heart beating strong against my palm.

"What is it?" he asks, studying my expression. "I didn't hurt you did I?" he asks, brushing his thumb along my bottom lip, properly love bitten.

"No, no you didn't hurt me. It's just...what are we doing?" I ask, my brows drawn together, needing to know what he's thinking. "Whatever you want to do" he says, caressing my cheek, reassuring me that he's here to comfort and not push.

"And if I say stop?" I ask, curious as to his reaction. "Then we stop" he says, looking down at my lips again, clearly still begging to taste them.

"And if I don't want to stop?" I ask, with me now shamelessly looking down at his. 

"Then I'm yours" he says simply as if that wasn't meant to make my heart race faster.

"Whatever you want, whenever you want, I'm yours" he finishes, leaving the decision up to me, my inner turmoil that much harder to contain.

Thoughts of what could and couldn't be. What should and shouldn't be. What I crave but deny senselessly.

Those thoughts run through my mind but right here, right now, I couldn't think of any reason why I should say no.

I study his features for a little while longer and when he sees my expression go from worry to curiosity he smiles, a smile that I've seen before that tells me everything's gonna be okay.

And so I kiss him, I kiss him soft and slow, taking in the way our lips push and pull apart, the way we share breath and consume each other, forgetting the world and simply being us.

Jungkook and I, friend and friend, lover and lover, man and woman.

I don't know what comes over me next, I'm not sure who or when it even started but soon kissing isn't enough, it's not enough and both of us knew it would never be enough.

With a want like this so raw, so electric, it would be impossible to stop at a spark.

His hips grind against me, or I grind against him, either one is plausible but once one of us starts, neither of us wants to stop.

"Fuck" Jungkook groans in my ear, his sounds go from that of an animalistic man, to a man with the desperate need to please, everything about it driving me mad.

Our eyes meet and I can't breathe, the vision of him on top of me, hair recklessly strewn about, his pink cheeks rival the color of his soft, swollen lips, his eyes glazed over with desire, pupils blown wide and I know that if we keep going there's no turning back.

His hips however, needfully move in stark contrast to his hands that have stayed on my waist, not going higher and not daring to go lower.

"More" I breathe out, one of the only words left in my coherent vocabulary. "More?" he questions, his lips now drawn into a soft smirk, letting his eyes drag up and down my form, being cut off by the way his hips are still pressed against mine.

"More" I say and pull him closer, his lips returning to mine and his hands now bolder, one slipping under my shirt while the other runs along my thigh, wrapping it around his torso to give him more room to grind into me.

"Are you sure you want this?" he mumbles against my lips through heated kisses in no way giving him the sign to stop. 

"Yes" I sit up, tossing my shirt to the side, his greedy hands immediately going to my chest, having taken my bra off for comfort, not having expected to be here with him right now. 

He leans down and captures one of my nipples into his mouth, his greedy tongue lapping at it as he alternates with the way he sucks it into his mouth, his teeth teasing me with little nips before going over to the other one to give it the same treatment. 

It's been a while since I've done anything like this making me incredibly needy, my sounds hard to keep at bay leaving me placing a hand over my mouth to silence them but that catches his attention making him let go of my swollen bud with a pop. 

"Don't" he says and gently takes my hand off my mouth, kissing my palm. "It's embarrassing" I argue but his expressions tell me that it's anything but. "It's sexy" he smiles against my palm before placing another kiss on it and letting go. 

I nibble on my lip, still hesitant of being so vocal but I can tell this is something he enjoys, something that makes him confident. He pulls my bottom lip out from between my teeth and leans back in to kiss me. 

"Let me hear how good I'm making you feel, yeah?" he says against my lips, breaking the kiss leaving me chasing his but he pulls back. 

So I nod, knowing that this might not continue if I don't give in. 

He smiles and kisses my neck, toying with my nipples again until I'm mewling, making it clear that I need more and so his hands trail down my body. They rest on my bare waist for a while, tracing patterns along my skin, taking his time even though he know's I'm desperate.

"Off" I say simply and tug at his shirt, if I'm not able to get him to go faster the least I could do is enjoy the view a little more, his strong stature being one of the things that I shamelessly enjoy viewing when he's not looking. 

He chuckles and sits back up, letting me take it off of him before I look at his toned torso for the first time in a while, surprised at how defined his muscles have gotten since the last time. 

"You can touch me you know" he says with a taunting tone, leaving me looking away, only looking back when he takes one of my hands and places it on his chest where his heart is. 

"Do you have any idea what you do to me?" he asks, the rapid beating of his heart so easily felt through his chest but I shake my head. "Do you now?" he asks and I nod my head, "A little" I reply because I'm really not sure the depths of his feeling or potentially just attraction he feels towards me.

"I won't say anything now but just...just think about it." he says and kisses me before I can start overthinking again. 

His actions escalate from there, toying with the tie on my sweatpants and seeing if there's any protest but when there's none he pulls back. "Can I take these off?" he pants, his eyes full of desire but also vulnerability, unsure if what he said has scared me away but I nod and he smiles. 

"All of it?" he says, a finger just barely slipping past the waistband of my panties, playing with the elastic until I nod. "Words" he says, nudging his nose against mine leaving me breathing out a 'Yes' right away, him placing a quick peck on my lips as a response, getting off the bed so he can slide them off.

He pulls it all off but catches the clear wet spot on my underwear and curses, looking up at the evidence of what this has done to me.

"So wet already" he hums, taking this time to slide off the rest of his clothing, climbing back on top of me so we're now completely laid bare, skin against skin, hearts beating as one.

"Tell me what you want" he says softly, one hand holding my hip, rubbing soothing circles into it while the other rests next to my head, propping himself up. 

"Help me forget about the storm" I flinch again when another thunder clap sounds and he hums, deciding not to tease me too much. He kisses me again, trailing down from my lips to my neck, along my chest, down my torso and settles on kissing along my waistline.

He's been parting my legs further and further apart as he goes down but now he's face to face with my center, his curses coming freely again as he takes in the sight between my legs. 

He blows cool air on me making my hips buck up as a result, the reaction making him chuckle. 

"So sensitive" he taunts but before I can respond he's placing a soft kiss against my clit, the sensation of that gentle touch makes me shudder.

He does it again, clearly enjoying my reaction but he doesn't stop at one, he takes his time kissing, sucking, circling his tongue around my clit, gaining him quiet whimpers, needing more but letting myself get lost in the feeling. 

I asked him to help me forget and he's going to take his time making sure of it. Forget the storm, forget my name, forget where we are and remember him. Only him.

I don't hold back my moans this time, pushing past the embarrassment since I know it gets him off from the reactions he gives me. Every moan gains me one in return, a whine leaves him humming, a scream leaves him trying to burry his face deeper into me even if he knows he as close as he could possibly be.

"Fuck I could do this all day" he murmurs, more to himself than to me, catching his breath before looking back up, seeing the panting mess he's already made.

A smirk tugs at his lips as he crawls back on top of me, resting in between my legs, his fully hard cock rubbing against my thigh. 

He kisses me again, letting me taste myself on his tongue, messy would be putting it lightly the way we share breath and let our tongues wrap around each other. 

"You sure you want this?" he asks, one of his hands trailing down my torso and stopping to toy with my already swollen clit. "Please" I pathetically whimper, my dignity beyond gone as my hips buck up against his hand which he soon pulls away, replacing it with his cock.

He watches as I shudder when he drags his tip through my folds and I can see how much he's enjoying this making me want to beg again but before I can he's pushing inside of me, my voice catching in my throat and my eyes shutting as I try to focus on loosening up for him.

"It's okay" he says, caressing my hip when he feels how tight I am around him. "You're doing so good for me, taking me so well" he says, coaching me into letting him in, his hand now moving to circle my clit which helps, my grip on his loosening slightly letting him push in further. 

"So perfect for me, so wet and tight" he hisses, pushing in a bit further, my face contorting with pain but he knows me well enough to know I would tell him to stop or slow down if I wanted him to.

He bottoms out when he knows I can take it, pressing a kiss to my cheek as I breathe through it. 

"Look at you, so pretty with my cock buried inside you, making me feel so fucking good" he says, his taunting tone driving me into submission, a whimper slipping past my lips.

"You sound so sweet baby. You gonna be good and show me how much you love it when I fuck you like this?" he continues, his words, his scent, his cock are enough to keep me from cowering away when another thunder clap resounds through the room.

"Jungkook" I shudder and it's enough for him to know that I want him to move, starting with shallow grinds, his hips moving at a sensual rhythm that has me pulling him closer. 

His moves get bolder as he pulls back half way before thrusting back into me a little harder, a gasp stollen off my lips as he hits my g spot. 

"There huh?" he hums, pulling out and hitting that same spot my gasp laced with a 'yes', my nails running down his back. 

He chances pulling out until just his tip is inside before he slams back in, watching my reactions while he curses, muttering how insane I feel.

He sets a pace that has me moaning his name, the steady rhythm of his hips driving me mad, his name slipping past my lips while he muffles his moans, burying his face in my neck. 

"So good, so fucking good. Fuck you're gonna make me cum if you keep doing that" he groans, my walls already fluttering around him.

A mess of unintelligible sounds come out of me while he curses and pounds into me harder, the pace at which he's going makes my toes curl. "You're so fucking wet, making a mess" he murmurs, both of us delirious and past the point of communication. 

He feels me getting close and keeps at his pace, putting his fingers in his mouth before pinching my nipple, rolling it between his fingers and hissing when I clench even more, his movements getting sloppy as he's close to tipping over the edge. 

"Please" I sob out, so so close. 

"I know, I know" he mumbles making it a point to make me cum first and it doesn't take much more that that.

"Shit" he groans and bites down on my shoulder, the pleasure it gives me in the heat of the moment tips me over, my release triggering his.

Once we've ridden out our highs he hovers over me, looking down at my freshly fucked state. 

"Wow" he pants out, his gaze glazed over and sleepy, thoroughly satisfied.

"Yeah...wow" I echo, smiling up at him.

"You're so pretty" he compliments leaving me biting my lip.

"You feeling better now?" he asks softly after he slips out, both of us hissing from the hint of overstimulation.

"Mhm" I hum, watching him as he lays on his back and cuddling close on impulse but then second guess myself and try to pull away. 

"Where are you going?" he asks pulling me closer than I was before, tangling our legs together. "I wasn't sure if-" "I earned this" he says with finality making me chuckle. 

"You earned this?" I ask, his reaction puzzling. 

"Yes. I earned sleepy, lazy, post orgasmic cuddles with you" he huffs making me giggle, nuzzling against him and getting even closer if that were possible.

He reaches over to the night stand and pulls out a few tissues, softly asking me to open my legs so he can help me clean up a little. I thank him softly and he hums before tossing it aside, neither of us worried about where it landed in favor of staying close.

No more words are said after that, just the sound of our steady breathing and the soft rumbling of thunder way off in the distance.

~~~~~~

He slips out of bed the next morning soon after we've woken up, hearing my stomach growl making both of us chuckle. 

"We can just eat cereal" I argue, trying to keep him here but he shakes his head. "The bakery is just down the street. I'll be back in a bit" he says and leans down, kissing my pouty lips before heading out.

I sigh happily and go to grab my phone, seeing about a dozen texts from Sadie apologizing for forgetting I needed a ride home.

I let her know Jungkook gave me a ride and she jumps to conclusions to which this time happen to be right but I won't tell her that...not yet.

She calls and tries to FaceTime me but I decline it, getting up and running to the bathroom to see the state of me, my neck and chest littered with hickeys  and I run back to my room and put on some shorts, grabbing one of my big hoodies and slipping it on, throwing the hood up seconds later and tying the strings before calling her back.

"Why'd you decline my call?" she pouts and I chuckle nervously. "Sorry I was naked" I say adjusting the hoodie and I can feel her suspicious glare through the phone.

"Are you cold or something?" she asks, pointing out my bundled up state and I nod. "Yeah it's a little chilly. I turned up my a/c last night and forgot to turn it back down when I went to sleep" I say but my explanations clearly make no sense.

"It was cold and raining last night" she dead pans and I chuckle and get out of bed, walking over to the kitchen to get some water. "Anyways, enough about me. How was your night?" I ask but she shrugs. 

"It was normal. You and Jungkook were still in the living room when we went to bed so we didn't want to get freaky or anything if that's what you're wondering" she blushes, knowing it's happened before, both Jungkook and I quickly seeing ourselves out on those nights...or days honestly.

Although that was a bit earlier in their relationship so they've thankfully toned it down by now.

"How was your night? I saw that Jungkook came over on his motorcycle last night so he gave you a ride huh?" she taunts and I groan. "I'm hanging up now" I say but she quickly apologizes and keeps me from hanging up. 

"I just wanted to let you know that if anything happens..." she says and I hear the passcode on my door being punched in, putting myself on mute so she doesn't hear him come in. "...you have my blessing. Both of ours actually" she giggles and I glance up as Jungkook walks in.

His messy bed head combined with his helmet hair that he's clearly been trying to fix on his way up gives him a soft boyfriend look. The next thing that catches my eye are the fact that some of the marks I left on him last night peak through the collar of his shirt making me gulp.

"Are you even listening to me?" she growls making me look back at the screen. "Y-yeah, yeah sorry. I gotta go S but thank you...I'll uh...keep it in mind" I say, not so subtly glancing between her and Jungkook.

"Is someone there with you?" she asks, my ability to hide things from her are getting worse and worse. "Okay bye!" I say and quickly end the call, placing my phone with the screen facing down and placing it on silent.

"Sadie?" Jungkook nods to the phone and I nod to confirm. "Yeah just Sadie being...Sadie" I say and grab some plates for the pastries he brought.

When I turn around to go back to the table he's right behind me making me bump into his chest.

I look up at him and he slips the plates out of my hands and places them down on the counter before pulling on the drawstrings to untie the knot that's securely tied under my chin. 

He gently takes the hood off my neck and places his hand on the side of it, rubbing his thumb along my pulse point and trailing it along some of the other marks he made.

"Hiding?" he rasps out, his morning voice deep and goes straight to my core but I can tell that in his teasing tone there's some vulnerability behind it. 

"Not really" I say softly but he doesn't buy it, tilting his head at me and I look down at the floor, him tilting my chin up seconds later. 

"If you're not ready I understand...but I can't go back to being in limbo with you" he says, his thumb now caressing my cheek and I nod, leaning into his touch. 

"I'll think about it. I promise" I say, just audible enough for him to hear and he hums, leaning down to kiss me. I accept it right away, running my fingers through his hair and gasping into his mouth but before it's able to go much further he pulls away, resting his forehead against mine.

"We can't do this again until you decide...I don't want to torture myself" he admits, his voice cracking with vulnerability and I nod, pulling away from him and he lets his hands fall back at his sides. 

"I got you your favorite" he says, quickly changing the subject making my brows raise. "You know my order?" I ask and he nods, rubbing the back of his neck, his ears turning pink as if he hadn't fucked me into my next life last night. 

"Sadie has had Jayson and I pick up food from there enough that I kind of know it by heart..." he trails off but then quickly clears his throat and turns around. "I got some other stuff too though in case you were in the mood for something different" the words tumbling out of his mouth as he grabs the plates from the counter, opening the pastry box 

He places one of the plates in front of the chair I tend to sit on while he takes the one where Sadie usually sits at right next to me. I smile at his want to stay close to me, his attachment clearly growing since last night and I can't deny that things feel...different.

Not just the sex but the intimacy of how he truly cared for me and wanted to help me through the storm. His warmth and presence, his soft gaze and strong hands on me showing that no matter what he was going to protect me.

"Aren't you hungry?" he asks softly, seeing as though I haven't touched a thing. "Sorry, I was just thinking" I say and hum when the flakey pastry hits my tastebuds, the almond flavor from the croissant dancing along my tongue. He smiles at the sight and starts eating his as well. 

Breakfast includes comfortable silences caused by my day dreaming, little conversations popping up here and there making it feel natural...domestic. 

"So...what are your plans for Va-" his words are cut off by the sound of my phone vibrating and he deflates slightly when I reach for it. "Crap it's my mom. I should take this" I say apologetically to which he smiles sadly leaving me debating on if I should but stand up and go back to my room.

"Mom?" I say softly and she rambles off how it's been way too long since I've called her and that it took me forever to answer my phone. I apologize and tell her that I'm spending time with a friend so now isn't the best time to catch up. 

"A friend?" she asks, her lecturing slowing down, intrigued by the thought of it. "A new friend?" she asks and I hum. "Technically not very new but new...ish" I say and it gets her even more invested. "And is this friend a male or female? Does Sadie know them?" she asks and I sigh.

"I'll tell you later mom, I have to go" I say and quickly hang up, knowing that I'm going to regret doing that but I can't keep him waiting when he was in the middle of asking me what I think he was going to ask. 

I take a deep breath in and out before tossing my phone on my bed, making certain it won't interrupt us again. I shake off the nerves from the call before going back to the kitchen where I find him messing with his phone, his brows bunched together in concentration.

 "Everything okay?" I chuckle when he quickly locks his phone and places it on the table as though he's been caught red handed. "Yep, everything's fine" he says, forcing a smile while his cheeks are blushing from embarrassment for some reason.

"You sure about that?" I give him a lopsided smile and he nods. "Is everything okay with your mom?" he asks and I hum. "I haven't called her in a while so she was just checking in" I shrug and take a sip of my drink to which he nods and does the same.

"Who were you texting?" I ask, prodding since he seemed to have had quite the reaction when I came back. "Oh, um Jayson was just checking in...wanted to know if I got home safe last night" he says and my mind wanders off to everything that happened making me clear my throat to stop my spiral. 

"So...what did you tell him?" I ask, trying to hide the fact that I'm freaking out because if Jayson is asking then it probably means that Sadie asked him to ask Jungkook and if Jungkook told him then he probably told Sadie and she's going to kick my ass because I didn't tell her first.

"I said I did" he replies simply and I let out a breath. "They can't know about this" I say and he deflates again but I try to take back the words I regrettably blurted out as a defense mechanism. 

"At least not until we know what this is..." leaving his posture straightening just the slightest. 

"Right" he agrees, knowing the premature reveal could harm not only to us but to them too.

"But sorry what were you saying? You know, before my mom had cut you off" I ask and I can tell he's trying to shake off the slight disappointment from earlier. 

"I was just going to ask what your plans are for tomorrow?" he asks but I know he's more interested in the day after tomorrow.

"Well it's the day before Valentine's Day so Sadie and I usually do a Galantine's Day with just the two of us. Her idea, not mine" I roll my eyes making him laugh, both of us knowing that it's a tradition I look forward to despite my eye roll.

"What do you guys usually do?" he continues, genuinely interested and so I oblige. 

"Well it's the one night a year where she can actually get me into a dress since well..." I motion to myself and he chuckles. "I get it, not the girly type" 

"Exactly. It's the one day where I humor her and get dressed up. She does my hair and makeup too so I tend to finish up looking like a completely different person" I finish and when I look back over at him he has his chin propped up on his fist, just gazing at me. 

"What?" I furrow my brows. 

"Has she ever gotten you in a lilac dress?" he teases and I toss a napkin at him. 

"No! My one condition is that it has to match with my vibe so to say. So no pastels, no bright colors, no patterns and absolutely no bows" I say, the last part being something Sadie and I have fought over for years.

"You guys really compliment each other, don't you?" he teases and I huff, "Opposites attract no? That goes for friendships too" leaving him shrugging in agreement.

A silence settles between us and soon he's glancing at the clock on the wall and cursing.

"What's wrong?" I ask, watching him as he cleans up and grabs his stuff, rushing around as if he couldn't get out fast enough.

"I have a deadline to meet and it completely slipped my mind. I'm so sorry" he says, clearly wanting to stay. 

"It's okay. I can't hold you hostage for the entire day" I chuckle and watch him bounce back and forth, going in to my room to see if he's forgotten anything.

Once he's satisfied with the thought of having everything he walks over to me and I can tell he doesn't really know what to do. In the past we would just nod or wave but after last night...

I push the guessing work aside and decide to give him a hug, my arms wrapping around his torso making him chuckle and pull me closer. 

"We'll see each other again soon yeah?" he asks, breathing in my scent one last time and I hum. 

"Now get going. I don't want to be the reason you get in trouble" I push him away, smiling up at him and the next thing I know his lips are on mine, a stollen kiss leaving me speechless.

"Bye" he grins against my lips, knowing he caught me off guard leaving me glaring, him chuckling in response before stepping out and closing the door behind him, sending me one last wink before he leaves.

I let out a breath and lean against the table next to me.

What am I going to do?

~~~~

Jungkook texts me throughout the rest of the day but I can't bring myself to respond. With him not being here and the fantasy of it all withering away the reality of it all comes back to me.

I slept with him. 

My best friend's boyfriend's best friend.

Just thinking about it is complicated enough.

I have to stop this before it goes too far. 

If not for me then for Sadie's sake.

Sadie really likes Jayson, and I think Jayson really likes Sadie so I don't want to be the one that messes that up. She's had her heart broken one too many times and I'm not going to be the one that stands in the way of her happiness. 

A buzzing sound breaks me out of my depressive train of thought with a FaceTime call from Sadie again.

"Why haven't you been responding to my texts?"

"Well hello to you too" I sigh and settle in for a lecture. 

"What happened between you and Jungkook?"

"What makes you think something happened between us?"

"Because Jungkook is freaking out on Jayson saying that he fucked things up and that you hate him now" she says, no doubt making it sound way more dramatic than it actually is.

"I just need time to cool off. I think I let things go a little too far" I admit, my voice trailing off at the end.

"What did you do?" she drags out the last word but I shake my head.

"It was a mistake anyway" I admit but even I don't believe myself.

Sadie sighs and looks down.

"I know you like keeping people at arm's length but that's no way to live" she says and although simple I know her sentiment is right.

"I don't keep you at arm's length" I say, proving that's not always what I do.

"Yeah but when others get too close you push them away....you're gonna regret it if you do it this time around" she levels with me because we both know she's right.

"I should go. I have to mentally prepare for tomorrow" I joke trying to get her off of this topic but I know she won't go down without a fight.

"But he-"

"No"

"But Jayson said-"

"No Sadie"

"Can't you just listen to me?"

"If it has anything to do with him then no...I'll figure things out on my own"

She sighs again and Jayson calls for her in the background.

"I gotta go" she mumbles and I hum in response.

"You can take it out on me tomorrow with your whole makeover thing" I offer which tugs at the corner of her lips.

"See you" she says as her goodbye and I nod before hanging up.

~~~~

I knock on Sadie's door the next morning and she greets me with a way too bright smile for my taste.

"What are you up to?" I mumble suspiciously, brushing past her before she even opens the door any wider. 

"Why do you always think I'm up to something when I smile at you?" pouting while closing the door.

"Should I read off all of the evidence because we literally have all day" I place my stuff down on the table with a thunk.

"What did you even bring?" she says, already snooping through the bags.

"Wine"

"You hate wine"

"Well now I don't"

She chuckles at that and shakes her head, placing it in the fridge and pulling out the pink lemonade she made for us. 

A yearly tradition we hardly ever skip out on.

"To you" she says, holding up her glass to cheers me which I do with my brows furrowed in suspicion.

"Stop looking at me like that and come see the dress I bought you" she says and I sigh, following her to her room.

When we get to the door she tells me to close my eyes and I humor her, holding out my hand so she can lead me inside, happily tugging me inside.

"Okay open!" she smiles, holding the dress up for me, the little black dress with a square neckline. Simple but sexy.

"Are you trying to seduce me Sadie?" I tease taking the dress from her, a light dusting of pink on her cheeks leaving her huffing. 

"No, I just thought you'd look hot in it okay? Let me have my fun" she says and pulls out a box of red bottoms leaving me shaking my head over and over. 

"I can't accept those" I shake my head but she shoves the box into my hands. "Yes you can and you will" she argues back with a vigor that tells me that she's not backing down on this.

"You know I used my Dad's card to buy it so it's no biggie" she shrugs and when I try to argue she places a hand over my mouth, my hands being full and unable to shrug her off.

"Say 'Thank you Sadie'" she coaches, not planning on removing her hand without it leaving me mumbling against her hands her nodding in approval and finally releasing me.

"I don't understand why I need shoes if we're just staying here?" I say and she shakes her head.

"Just humor me okay? Isn't this the one night of the year where you're supposed to do that anyway?" crossing her arms and cocking a brow at me leaving me sighing in defeat.

"Now come on, I found a new recipe on Pinterest that I wanna try out tonight!" she says, taking the dress and shoes from me and placing them down on her bed, giving me a glimpse now of the black bow on the back.

"Sadie, no bows" I grumble but she scoffs and pulls me out of the room.

"It's a black bow so you'll live" she argues and again I give in, consciously doing it more than usual due to the guilt I feel for keeping this from her.

~~~~

"Don't drink too much" she says, pulling away my second glass of Rosé, the sauce still cooking on the stove, the pasta waiting to be added once emulsified.

"You're being rather controlling tonight...like more than usual" I point out and she shakes her head a little too vehemently to not be concerned.

"I just want you to enjoy your night and not wake up with a hangover tomorrow" she points out and I sigh, deciding to go check myself out for the hundredth time tonight.

"Will you stop fussing? You look hot" she says, glancing over at me turning this way and that, huffing when I see the bow.

"It feels like you put in a whole lot more effort than you usually do into making me look sexy this year that I just don't know how to act" I point out, my boobs pushed up and lips painted a red that I can only imagine being named something to the effect of 'Blow Me'.

"You said I have free reign as long as I stick to the rules and I did so stop complaining" she scolds and I walk away from the mirror fixing a hair that's out of place.

Once she sets the sauce to simmer for a few minutes she convinces me we have to take pictures together which is also a tradition and once we finally finish we're both practically giggling like we used to in the good old days, interrupted by the sound of the doorbell.

"Can you get that? I forgot to get some bread to go with the pasta" I hum in response, watching as she goes back to stirring the sauce again so it doesn't boil over.

When I open the door I'm expecting some teenage delivery boy but when I'm met with two very familiar faces dress very well my face falls.

"Good to see you too" Jayson chuckles and I know now that this was all just a set up, leaving me glaring back at Sadie.

"It was both of our idea so if you're going to take it out on anyone take it out on me" he admits, closing his eyes and bracing for impact, waiting for my wrath to rain down on him, only being met with a deep sigh and me stepping to the side.

"That's it?" he opens one eye and I cock a brow at him. "Did you want me to go after you? Because I definetly can" I say and he shakes his head and runs to hide behind Sadie, leaving me facing him...Jungkook.

"Hey" he says softly and I return the sentiment.

"You look amazing" he says, taking a tentative step inside, close enough to make me tilt my head up to meet his gaze.

We stay there for a while, neither of us saying a thing until Sadie curses and turns the heat off, seemingly abandoning ship once I opened the door.

"You too" I say, finally responding after getting lost in his gaze.

"They both told me you guys decided to change it to a dinner with the four of us tonight. I guess we fell right into their trap huh?" he admits, his cheeks now a subtle shade of pink.

"I guess so" I step aside, the lilac tie around his neck not going unnoticed, closing the door soon after he steps in. 

I shake off the nervous feeling and keep reminding myself that everything is fine, I can get through a dinner with them, no problem.

"Oh would you look at the time? We're going to be late if we don't leave for our dinner reservations" Sadie says, quickly putting the finishing touches on the pasta with Jayson soon serving two plates and setting them across from each other.

"Dinner reservations?" I ask, my voice cracking a little at the thought of being alone with him.

"Yeah my parents wanted to have dinner with us tonight and they got us reservations at this really nice place so I couldn't say no" Sadie explains and I know it's a lie but I give in, knowing it's not worth it. 

It's just Jungkook.

One dinner alone with him.

I'll be fine.

"Well you two have fun" Jayson says, quickly helping Sadie put on her jacket and they're practically running out the door.

"But-" I start to put up the slightest fight but the door is practically closed and locked by the time I come to.

We stand there for a second, just us two.

Alone.

Alone again.

"Are you hungry?" I offer, knowing I'm not the only one who got hoodwinked.

There's no reason as to why we shouldn't at least try to enjoy ourselves, right?

"Me?" he quickly asks, whipping around to face me, having been partially turned towards the kitchen, still in shock of the great escape the two of them made, leaving us no time to settle in.

"Who else?" I chuckle softly and walk past him, going into the fridge to grab the half full bottle of Rosé to serve us but he shakes his head. "I've gotta drive home tonight" he says in explanation but I don't push it, offering him the pink lemonade instead, seemingly a shade darker than before.

"Cute" he smiles leaving my heart fluttering. 

Even though I know he's talking about the drink the compliment still goes to my head.

I pour myself some of the pink drink as well, bringing our glasses over to the table and motion for him to sit down but he comes over to my side instead and pulls out the chair for me.

"I thought you said no bows" he chuckles after noticing the simple but prominent bow I swore up and down against but my protests fell on deaf ears.

"It was either this or pink" I explain leaving him chuckling, "Anything would look good on you but I do prefer black" his hand subtly brushing my shoulder when he pulls away, walking back around to take his seat.

I hum in thanks, holding back the shiver my body is begging me to let out, ignoring it in favor of placing my napkin in my lap, goosebumps still rising on my skin.

"Please feel free to say that you hate it. It's a new weird recipe that Sadie wanted to try out" I explain and he chuckles, taking the first bite with me gauging his reaction. 

He chews once, twice, thrice before he grimaces in place of the smile I know he's trying to fake making me stand up and take his plate.

"Wait no I really like it!" he says, trying to take the plate back with shaky hands but I'm faster.

"Pizza or Chinese?" I say while scraping the pasta off the plates and into the trash. 

"Pizza" he sighs, walking over to the sink to start washing the dishes after ordering the food despite my protests, him giving me the task of drying.

~~~~~~

A knock on the door notifies us to the arrival, him going to pay while I finish up drying and putting the rest of the dishes away.

"Don't hate me for this" he mumbles, his cheeks slightly pink as he opens the box, a heart shaped pizza inside with equally as heart shaped pepperonis leaving me covering my mouth with both hands to hold back the snort I was about to let out.

"I thought it was cute" he sighs and places it down on the table.

"It is very cute. I'm sorry I just wasn't expecting that" I chuckle again while grabbing a pair of plates and some napkins, taking up our respective seating arrangements again.

He lights the singular candle between us leaving the corner of my mouth turning up.

"What?" his doe eyes genuinely confused with my reaction.

"We're having pizza, Jungkook" I shake my head.

"And? Pizza can be romantic" he huffs, his mouth opens and closes a few times after, his efforts of adding in romantic elements obvious even without his verbal admission.

"I-"

"It's okay. Just eat" I smile softly but from his view the lipstick alone has his mind wandering, the sight tempting.

"You okay?" I ask, noting his hesitation leaving him clearing his throat and nodding, not so gracefully stuffing his face seconds later.

"Slow down" I laugh and he does so, dropping the slice onto his plate.

"Look-"

"No. I know what you're going to say" he cuts me off before I can even start.

"What was I going to say?"

"That we shouldn't have done what we did last night. That it was a mistake and that it can't happen again" he says, reading me like a book. I guess it's not that hard of a feat now a days.

"Jungkook" I sigh, having lost my appetite, and setting my pizza to the side.

"Don't you 'Jungkook' me. Something happened last night and if you won't admit it then I will"

"Please don't"

"I can't keep pretending like I don't want you" he admits, his words sharper than I've ever heard, flinching with their impact.

The gravity of them float between us, neither of us saying a word for what felt like hours but was only mere seconds by the time I stand up. 

I turn to go back to the kitchen but he catches my wrist, his grip just firm enough to keep me from slipping away.

Both of us freeze again, my eyes locked on his hold and his on my face, reading every micro expression. 

Before I can stop myself I rip my wrist out of his hold and use my hand to pull him closer, pressing his lips against mine in a bruising kiss, different from the ones we shared before.

These ones are more honest, hungry. His impact against my body subsequently pinning my body against the wall behind me, his hand cradling the back of my head to soften the impact.

He breaks away just far enough to keep my lips from easily capturing his again, sharing breath and resting his forehead against mine.

"I can't do this unless it's real" his voice breaking at his confession and I know that I can't keep hurting him, hurting myself just because I'm scared.

"It's real" I breathe out and that's answer enough, stealing my breath away with his lips beats later.

That night our hearts beat as one again, not from lust or from the need to protect but from love.

Pure.

Honest.

Fragile but true love.

If only we knew that the little red bottle tucked under the sink was the reason that our hearts rang true.  

~~~~

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Their arms grazed when William stepped beside her, her jumper rustling his jacket. “Would it bother you?”

“No.”

“Are you sure?” he asked, with a sugar quill between his fingers and a smile prodding the corners of his lips.

Noora decided to drop her chocolate wand back to the tabletop before she snapped it. “Yes.”

“Alright.” It might have sounded like a surrender, if not for his curved lips. A second of silence itched by. “Don’t be jealous. I mostly take Chris.”

In spite of herself, she felt her own lips curving. “How cozy.” She reached for another chocolate wand, then for her purse.

William was at the counter paying for it before she could pull out a single knut. She should probably have said something about being able to afford her own candy on their way out of the store, but heard herself asking, “So what do you and Chris do in Hogsmeade together?” instead.

Outside, the brisk April chill whispered its way through her jumper, prompting her palms to her arms. Around them, Hogsmeade kept more hushed than she’d ever seen it—the stores and streets quiet without hoards of students to fill them.

William took off his jacket, offered it to her, and rolled his eyes when she shook her head. “Oh, Madam Puddifoot’s usually.”

“You drink tea together?”

“Or coffee. We go for the ambiance.”

“Okay.” Noora pressed her lips together, flattening her smile. The only times she’d ever stepped inside the pink frilliness of Madam Puddifoot’s had been to retrieve Vilde from her Hogsmeade dates with Magnus. That had been enough. “Is that where we’re going?”

“For our date? Don’t be so cliché.”

Her crossed arms no longer had anything to do with the breeze. “Date?” She did her best to suppress her smile, but was pretty sure he still caught it.

He certainly looked satisfied enough when he replied, “Isn’t it?”

Rather than responding, Noora took a small bite from her chocolate wand. “Eva is very hungover,” she said finally. “I needed something to do.”

When he saw a new shiver sprint across her spine, William tried to hand her his jacket again. “It’s a date.” 

She didn't nod, just tucked her arms through its sleeves, easing into its oversized warmth. 

“So.” Noora had a bag from Tomes and Scrolls sitting at her feet and a cup of cocoa hot in her hands when she finally asked, “You didn’t want to spend Easter with your family?”

William set down his own cup before saying, “No.”

“That’s it? No?”

“Trust me, I’m better off here,” he said, and then downed another sip of his much taller, much colder drink.

“What about your family?”

“Trust me.” She chased down the taste of empathy with another gulp of cocoa. “I’m better off here.”

He stared her like he could see past the red lipstick smeared across her mouth, beyond the cocoa probably lurking at its edges. Deeper than almost anyone else ever cared or dared to. Noora looked down at her cup.

“Here’s what we’re going to do,” William said finally, still holding his bottle of butterbeer. “I’m going to say something about me. Then you’ll say something about you.”

“Why would I do that?”

“Curiosity. Interest. Boredom. Plenty of reasons.”

And even though Noora was fairly certain she’d regret this, she felt herself nodding. Going along with it. Putting herself that much more into focus for him, just to get a better glimpse back.

“I always stay for Easter.” William took another long sip before opening his mouth again. “My dad has work, my mom has a new husband, and my brother”— his grip on the bottle tightened just a bit; his eyes slipped from hers for just a second—“lives in Europe.”

Noora remembered William’s older brother. He’d been a few years above her, a Slytherin, and, from all appearances, even more of a fuckboy than either William or Chris. Licking the cocoa from her lips, she added sore spot for William to the short list of things she knew about Nico Magnusson.

“Your turn,” he said, lifting one eyebrow.

“I always stay too.” Her tongue darted out across her lips again, even though they were definitely cocoa-less at this point. “Or go home with Eva.” She glanced down at the fingertip-smudged tabletop, resisting the urge to run her napkin back and forth across the wood. “We’re all happier that way.”

“All?”

“Me. Eva, when her mom is gone. My parents.” She didn’t mean to say more, but William was still staring at her, reading her, and—“They’re happier when it’s just them.” Happier when they could play house without a daughter invading the (occasionally pornographic) picture. “Your turn.”

She didn’t realize how downcast her face had turned until her hair, still damp from the afternoon air, fell into her eyes and onto her cheeks.

“I don’t believe that.” Until William’s fingers brushed the blonde from gaze, her forehead from its slant. “That they don’t want you around? That’s practically impossible.”

Noora really wished she could convince herself that he was just spinning a line or a joke for her. But she couldn’t, which was probably why she let him comb the pad of his thumb along her temple for just a minute longer before easing back.

Looking into her mug for a way to diffuse the tension that had settled over the table, between them, down to her muscles, Noora took another sip for inspiration. Drank until the last drop hit her tongue. “I was almost a Ravenclaw,” she said finally, because it seemed safer, easier than another home-life confession.

William’s reply was immediate. “I could have been a Gryffindor.”

"That can’t be true.”

“It is,” he said, sounding more amused than affronted. “Hatstall. We were almost in the same house.”

Noora squinted at him, leaning over the cup she’d set down on her napkin. “You chose Slytherin?”

He shrugged, and said, “Chris got sorted before me,” like that meant he’d had to follow, no questions asked.

“Are you sure I shouldn’t be jealous?” she teased, tilting her head. “You two sound very…” she trailed off with a shrug of a smile.

William’s arms were on the table, his chest against its edge, his face so close to hers that—“Would you be?”

Her arms were on the table, her ribs against its edge, too. “Of Chris? No.”

“Good.” He relaxed against his seatback a moment after she did. “Chris doesn’t smell as good as you do.”

Noora rolled her eyes to avoid meeting his.

Outside, stepping over the shallow puddles and under the dark clouds hanging overhead, Noora rolled the sleeves of William’s jacket up past her wrists. “Are we still playing?” she asked, half-wondering what to say next, half-deliberating over when to cast a drying charm on herself.

William scanned her face. “Aren’t you getting tired of games?”

And even though she knew what he was saying, what he was getting at—“You’re the one who suggested it.”

“Not that game.” They weren’t walking anymore, Noora realized. Just standing there in the sprinkling rain, letting the raw, spring chill seep through their clothes. “Aren’t you tired of pretending we shouldn’t be together?”

William should, objectively, have looked ridiculous. Just a few minutes in the rain, and his wet hair had gone flat against his forehead. But Noora was still blinking up at him, still unable to find the right words, still unable to pay attention to anything but his brown, brown eyes.

“Aren’t you…” she paused, searching for an extra note of indignation. “Aren’t you tired of your game?”

“What game?”

She crossed her arms, too aware of William’s jacket on her body. “The one where you pretend you want us to be together.”

Too aware of the way his entire focus had narrowed around her. “But I do want that.”

It was still raining. “No.” She still couldn’t move. “You don’t.”

"Why would I pretend?"

Noora didn’t have an answer to that. Just the word Because on the tip of her tongue and then a throat full of ellipses. Silence stretched between them, broken only by the splattering rain and their own breaths.

William looked up at the sky, and wrote over the quiet. “Leather, ocean water, and lavender.”

Now she moved. Surprise or confusion wrinkled Noora’s face, from her forehead to her mouth.

"That’s what I smelled the last time Slughorn had a vial of Amortentia out in class.” He turned a meaningful look at her, as if he could see the lavender lotion she used every night.

Noora licked her lips. William’s eyes tracked the tip of her tongue. She knew there were reasons, a list of them, why she shouldn’t want him. Why she shouldn’t want him to want her. “William…” She just couldn’t remember any of them right now.

“Say that you don’t feel the same, and I’ll leave you alone.”

Noora opened her mouth. Closed it. Felt his name cover on her tongue, and tried to swallow it. She didn’t register her feet moving, her fingers curling into his rain-slick hair, her lips colliding with his until he started to take a step.

(William’s grin tasted like butterbeer against hers.)

Back at Hogwarts, both still wet from the rain, each still unable to let go of the other, they climbed up to the astronomy tower. William’s hand on Noora’s waist and hips and hair all the while, not minding the moisture in her clothes and waves. His other hand in hers, not minding its dampness. His lips haunting the bruised, rain-painted redness of hers.

But when they reached the tower— William turned around immediately. “Room of Requirements?”

Noora peered in after him, then rolled her eyes. There was Eva, clearly over her hangover, and there was Chris, even more clearly all over her.

(Hogwarts needed more inter-house common spaces. For the sake of inter-house unity.)