#f4 x reader

summary: after defeating galactus, johnny realizes something, and he has to get it off his chest immediately.

warnings: quinn!johnny storm x reader, friends to lovers!au, mention of sue’s resurrection scene, mentions of fear of being alone, johnny being johnny, language, a little teeny tiny bit of angst, fluff and him being 100% down. fucking. bad.

— 💌 message from jordan: i know this isn’t my usual content, but the marvel brain rot has come back after seeing f4 and i simply can’t get johnny out of my head 😅 if you guys like this, maybe ill write some more for marvel again! anyway, i hope you guys love this as much as i do! it was super fun to write :)

masterlist | inbox

the soft yellow glow of the lamp on your nightstand illuminated your bedroom, the tv on as background noise as you rung your hair out in a towel, clad in your robe. you padded back to the room, sitting on the end of the bed and watching the news reporters cover their newest story.

“— and thanks to the fantastic four, the citizens of new york can sleep peacefully in their beds and be surrounded by their loved ones tonight knowing we are now safe from galactus.”

you reached back for your phone, tapping on the screen to see if any new messages came through while you were in the shower. the sight of a blank lockscreen made you frown, tapping to your messages to see if they had even been seen by him.

hey, saw the news. you okay?

delivered, 9:10pm

with a huff you tossed your phone back on the bed and walked back to the bathroom, grabbing your skincare products from the drawers. just as you were about to wash your face, there was a bang outside the room, forcing a jump from you. you furrowed your eyebrows, slowly tiptoeing back to your room.

when you turned the corner, the bright glow of yellow and orange now lit up your entire room. you let out a breath you hadn’t realized you had been holding, walking towards the window and undoing the lock to let him inside.

“johnny, what the hell!?” you turned around as he climbed in through the window, “i texted you! i saw the news and i texted you and you never answered and…”

you trailed off when you finally turned around, taking in the man who stood in front of you. his face was wearing an expression you rarely saw. a look of guilt and sadness, mixed with a hint of fear. his hair tousled from the wind, his baby blue eyes heavy and bloodshot. your movements froze.

“i uhm- i saw your text,” he said, taking a deep breath, “sorry i didn’t respond, i just… i wanted to see you. in person.”

“what’s wrong?” your voice softer now as you padded closer to him, now feeling guilty for raising your voice at him. but damnit, he scared the hell out of you.

“i watched my sister-“ he closed his mouth and looked off to the side, his eyes finding the cityscape outside the window as he tried to swallow the lump in his throat. his eyes met yours again after a moment, a stray tear rolling down his cheek as he looked at you, “i watched my sister die and then magically come back to life,”

you furrowed your eyebrows, “what?”

“i don’t— i don’t know,” he sighed, flopping down onto the edge of your bed, “she was pushing galactus towards the bridge and it was too much and she…”

he paused for a minute as you sat down, your hand reaching out to his shoulder to comfort him. he took a deep breath, “i mean, reed checked her pulse and everything. she wasn’t even breathing. and then when reed put franklin on her chest to say goodbye, that’s when she came back to life,”

“i’m sorry,” you said softly, eyes soft as you scanned his features, “that’s… a lot.”

he let out a humorless chuckle, “yeah,” his eyes shifted to look at you, the whites of his eyes still slightly red, but you could tell they were still hiding something.

you had always been the one to notice that sometimes, no matter what his mouth said, his eyes said something different. they couldn’t hide the truth from you. no matter how hard he tried, he was an open book to you. completely vulnerable. a side not everyone got to see, but you were lucky you were one of the few.

“you’re sure that’s all that’s bothering you?”

damn it to hell.

he blinked, sucking in a breath and suddenly the air felt different. it felt heavier. like there were unspoken words between the two of you.

“it’s stupid, really-“

“johnny,” you watched as he stood from the bed, suddenly finding interest in the new york night sky once again. you tilted your head, unconvinced.

“no really, i promise, it’s nothing. i’ll go to bed and wake up tomorrow and it’ll be in the back of my mind-“

“c’mon,” your voice was still soft as you stood behind him, “it’s me. you know you can tell me anything and everything, and its clearly bothering you, so please. let me help.”

he turned back around, “when reed tried bringing sue back, and even when she did come back, you could just see how much he truly loved her. how glad he was that his person was back, and it made me realize that i’m a compete fucking idiot. that i’ll never have someone to love the way he loves her, or love me the way she loves him, because i’m an idiot who's too scared to tell the woman i’m in love with that i love her.”

you felt your heart drop to your stomach. sure, johnny had mentioned the long list of women waiting to have their turn with him, but it was never anything serious. never something more than a fling here and there.

but you had always held a tiny sliver of hope that you’d be the one to make it all seem worth it to him. the relationship, the dates, the anniversaries, all of it. you had loved him for so long, wished for just a single chance on every birthday cake candle and shooting star, but you always knew the answer. it was no use.

or so you thought.

“you’re not an idiot,” you said through the lump in your throat, “it’s just unnatural for you. you’re used to the girls lining up to have shot, not the sappy feelings part. and it’s okay to be scared of it. love is scary. but it’s also really beautiful.”

“have you ever been in love?”

you sucked in a breath, ignoring the pit in your stomach. you said you wanted to help, but had you known it was going to be about this…

“once,” you nodded, “i don’t think he ever felt the same way. especially not now.”

he swallowed, adam’s apple bobbing before he spoke, “did you ever tell him?”

you shook your head before he asked another question, “do you regret it?”

he could see it in your eyes. he knew. he knew for a while now, or at least he thought he did, but now he really did. the way you watched him intently, the way your eyes stayed locked on his. you looked at him like he hung the stars in the night sky. like he had all the answers to your problems.

and he hoped he did. because you were the answer to all of his.

you nodded again, this time your heart rising to your throat as he stepped closer, “maybe you should tell him. i’m sure he’d like to hear it right now.”

you pulled your eyebrows together, “what do you-“

“you said it yourself, it’s scary but beautiful,” he said, “so tell him. and i’ll tell her.”

you tried to play it cool, “i don’t-“

“say it,” his voice was soft but pleading, “please.”

you took a breath, now realizing how close the two of you were all of a sudden. your tongue swiped over your lips to wet them as you let out a shaky breath.

“i love you, johnny.”

that’s all it took before he was pulling you in closer by your hips, pressing his lips to yours in a messy kiss. he kissed you like he was drowning and you were oxygen.

like you were his lifeline.

“i love you,” he mumbled against your lips when he finally pulled away, “i’m sorry-“

“you’re here now,” you shook your head, smiling as you took in the smell of his cologne underneath the layer of faint ash, “that’s what matters.”

he leaned down and kissed you again, this time he picked you up off your feet and spun you around, hands gently placed on your back as your giggles broke the kiss.

you wrapped your legs around his hips, hands clutching the burgundy material in your hands. he smirked down at you playfully, forcing a smile on your lips and a chuckle to fall from them, “what?”

“nothing,” he shook his head, placing your back gently onto the mattress, his body scaling yours. he was warm to the touch, always had been since the accident, “just, feeling really lucky.”

you ran your fingers through his blonde strands, “lucky?”

“lucky cause the girl i love never stopped loving me, never gave up on me, even when she should’ve.”

“i would’ve waited a million lifetimes for you, you know,” you confessed quietly, “as pathetic as it sounds,”

he dropped his head to yours, foreheads pressing together, “i don’t deserve you.”

“mm, yeah, probably,” you joked back as he let out a chuckle. his smile lighting up his face. his usual, ‘johnny like’ persona slowly creeping its way back in.

“wanna find out why the ladies call me ‘torch’?” he joked and you laughed, maybe a little too loud but you didn’t care.

“no one calls you that!”

“sure they do!” he argued back, a cocky smile still on his face, “y’know, in their dreams and fantasies or whatever.”

“maybe in your dreams, hotshot,” you mumbled before kissing him once again. his lips slotting with yours almost as perfect and intoxicating as the first time. his free hand cupping your face, thumb slowly caressing your cheek as he kissed you.

And no, you’re absolutely not going to be thinking about the slightest twinge of disappointment you feel at that thought. Because you like being friends with Johnny Storm, even though you still get annoyed at some of his overly cocky behavior and some of the flirty comments he makes. Because even though it can sometimes feel as though Johnny never takes anything actually serious, you know that the opposite is true. 

Johnny may come across as overly cocky and confident, way too far up his own head, nothing more than an air headed charmer at first, but you’ve gotten to really know him - beneath his easy smiles and flirty comments is a man who cares about others, who loves deeply and is far more vulnerable than he lets on. 

Really, you’re lucky to have him as your friend, you think as you enter the kitchen, blindly searching the light switch in the dark. 

Because being friends with Johnny Storm means always laughing at some stupid joke he makes. 

Being with friends with Johnny Storm means always feeling light and sunny, even when you’re having a bad day, because Johnny will always do his best to distract you and cheer you up. 

Being friends with Johnny means always getting crushed by one of his bear hugs. 

Being friends with Johnny means catching yourself looking for new ways to make him laugh, just because you love the warm sound of his laughter so much, and you love the way his whole face seems to light up whenever he-

„Looking for something?“ 

You flinch, startled. 

„Maybe some light?“ 

Even before your eyes land on the warm, glowing orange flames before you, your mind’s already made the connection, and you feel yourself relax again. 

Because standing in front of you is none other than Johnny Storm - speak of the devil -, a cocky yet affectionate grin on his face, as he gestures with his arm that’s doused in flames around the wide, spacious kitchen. 

You can’t help but grin back at Johnny. 

„You know that you could literally just flip on the light switch?“, you ask him, crossing your arms in front of your chest. 

Johnny’s grin widens. „Oh, so that’s what you were trying to accomplish!“ 

You roll your eyes. „Idiot.“

Johnny just laughs - which is really unfair of him to do, you think, as you watch him, now with both arms doused in flames gesturing around the kitchen. You love the sound of his laughter, and whenever Johnny’s laughing, it won’t be long before you join in with him. 

„Besides, this is just much cooler!“ As if to emphasize his point, Johnny steps closer towards the stove, touching one of the hobs with his flame-doused hand. „‚Cause a light switch can’t do this!“ 

His words are followed by a sound that’s a mixture between a hiss and a snap, and then you watch him as he places the pot of pasta Ben prepared for you onto the already pre-heated hob. 

You sigh, flipping on the light switch, before walking towards Johnny. „Sure, but a light switch also won’t steal my pasta from me …“ 

„Who said anything about stealing?“ 

„Johnny …“ 

But then Johnny’s bright blue eyes, so alight with warmth and laughter, find yours and you find that there’s simply no point in pretending to be mad at Johnny about something like this. 

„I thought we were going to have a nice evening, just us two, Ben’s delicious pasta, maybe that Riesling Sue’s brought us …“, Johnny says. 

You raise your eyebrows at him. „I wasn’t aware that I’d included you in any of those plans …“ 

Johnny’s lips quirk, before his expression morphs into a fake pout. He looks at you, saying your name as he shakes his head. „You wound me“, he says, clutching a hand - not covered in flames anymore - to his chest. 

„You can be so dramatic sometimes“, you sigh, rolling your eyes at his antics. 

Johnny laughs, but while he’s still grinning, there’s something else in his expression, something quieter and much more understated, something that feels awfully like concern. „Hey, how you want to spend your evening is totally up to you … I just thought I’d let you know that I’d totally consider it rude to reject my offer of doing something together, and that I’ll forever be resentful about it.“ 

At his last words, you can’t help but laugh quietly, before you bite down hard on your lip. 

Something in Johnny’s expression seems to soften when he hears your laughter, but then something seems to briefly distract him - his eyes seem to briefly flicker downwards - before his gaze focuses on you again, and you’re once again caught in his ocean gaze. 

„I just … I - wanted to let you know - I’m here for you. Even if you want to watch Breakfast At Tiffany’s for the thousandth time.“ 

A breathless laughter escapes you, and suddenly, you find it hard to breathe. 

Johnny’s eyes are so, so blue. 

And he’s standing so close to you, his warm breath ghosting over your skin. 

And he’s looking at you with something in his expression that you haven’t really seen there before, that feels dangerous and new and exciting-

„Thank you“, you finally manage to say, your heart beating fast inside your chest. „Thank you, Johnny, I-“

There’s so much you want to say to Johnny. 

How he’s such a great friend and how you’re so glad that the easy-going companionship you’ve had when you first moved into the Baxter Building almost two months ago, has now evolved into this warm, light friendship, where you both always know how to make the other one laugh. 

How you’re so glad that he’s always there for you, always knowing exactly the right words to say in the moment. 

How lately, you’ve found yourself wondering what it would be like if you and Johnny weren’t just friends-

But that would be crazy. 

Right? 

For one, it hasn’t even been three months since your break-up. But even though you’re very much over your ex-boyfriend and are already in the process of moving on and getting over that relationship, surely Johnny sees you as just a friend. 

It’s that thought that breaks you out of your haze. 

Johnny’s still looking at you, his eyes so impossibly blue and yet so full of warmth and light, yet you rip your gaze away from him. 

„Fine“, you say, trying to re-order your thoughts. „But only if you don’t hog all the pasta for yourself again.“ 

Johnny just laughs, and you can’t help but look at him again. „When have I ever done something like that?“ 

„Oh please“, you huff, „you know what I’m talking about.“ 

The only reply you get is a cocky, yet affectionate grin from Johnny. You shake your head, rolling your eyes, trying to hide your smile. 

The next few minutes pass you by in a blur, you and Johnny working in tandem, with you watching over the pasta, while Johnny lays out the table for two. 

Over dinner - Ben has outdone himself yet again, you think, and make a mental note to tell your brother that tomorrow morning -, conversation between you and Johnny continues to flow easily. You talk about everything and nothing, about some of Reed’s latest discoveries, about some of the articles you’ve recently written for the magazine you work at, and about some of the next space flights Johnny is trying to convince Reed to do. 

With Johnny, everything’s so easy. With him, you can talk for hours on end without getting bored. And even when the conversation has run out, the silence between you two is companionable and comforting - there’s no pressure for either of you to fill the silence. 

Suddenly, something Ben once told you comes back to your mind. 

„It’s the quiet moments that matter, too“, he always says. 

You look down at your now empty plate, thinking that you’re beginning to understand just what exactly he means by that. 

It’s the quiet moments that matter, too. 

The quiet moments. 

You can’t help it - your mind immediately wanders to Johnny. 

Johnny, who can be loud and cocky and brash. 

Johnny, who, even though he can be loud and cocky and brash, is also always there for you when you need a helping hand. Johnny, who sometimes leaves you little notes on your desk. Notes that say that you’re going to crush the interview you have scheduled today for the article you’re currently working on, that Johnny believes in you. Johnny, who stayed in with you tonight, despite the fact that there are probably several, much more interesting ways for him to spend his evening. 

Johnny, your best friend - that you’re starting to fall in love with. 

„- hey, do I got something funny on my face?“ 

Suddenly, Johnny lightly touches your hand with his, and you’re so surprised that you can’t help but flinch. „Johnny!“ 

„What - hey, everything alright with you?“ 

You can’t stand to see the open concern on his face, so you nod quickly, plastering on an unconvincing smile. „Yeah, sorry, I just - I’m just tired, I guess.“ 

Johnny nods, looking unconvinced. Before he can say anything though, you quickly hurry on: „Can I get started on washing the dishes or are you planning on hogging the pasta some more?“ 

„Hey!“, Johnny protests, crossing his arms in front of his chest. „It’s not hogging if you offer to share it with me!“ 

You grin. „If you say so.“ 

In a dramatic gesture, Johnny clutches his hand to his chest. „You wound me.“ 

„You seem perfectly fine to me, no visible sights of wounds“, you counter, which causes Johnny to laugh before he gets up, sighing in exasperation. 

„Fine, let’s get the kitchen back to squeaky clean …“ 

You roll your eyes. „Oh come on, Johnny, Ben’s not that bad …“ 

With the topic of your older brother’s preferences for keeping the kitchen clean and tidy the Grimm way keeping the conversation flowing for the next few minutes, you clean up after yourselves. You’re just distracted enough by this easy banter flowing between you and by Johnny’s bright, warm laughter seemingly turning your stomach to butterflies, that you manage to shove the realization you’ve had a few minutes earlier to the side. 

At least until after you’ve cleaned up the kitchen and moved to the couch in the connecting living room. Johnny has put on the new Petula Clark record, Tell Me (That It’s Love) now playing quietly in the background. 

„Something’s distracting you“, he suddenly says, turning towards you, his bright blue eyes focused on you. 

Your eyes widen. You can feel the blood rushing to your cheeks. „I - what?“, you stammer, not exactly eloquently. 

Johnny’s face is etched with concern. „Hey, you don’t have to tell me anything if you don’t feel like it, I just - I just wanted to let you know that, you know, I’m always here for you.“ 

Your heart pounds fast in your chest and you can feel your cheeks flush even brighter. Because - how can he just go around saying something like that? You know, I’m always here for you. 

It’s bad enough to finally admit to yourself that you might feel more than friendship towards Johnny, you don’t need him saying something like that to make your emotional confusion even worse. Because while Johnny clearly is a great friend, surely there’s no way that he’d actually reciprocate your feelings, right? 

Right. 

„Hey“, Johnny says, softly calling out your name, bringing you back to the present moment. You blink, your heart skipping a beat when Johnny suddenly takes your hand in his and squeezes it lightly. „You still with me?“ 

„I - yeah …“, you reply, looking down at your intertwined hands. 

You just have to get over this, you think, even though you know that you’re lying to yourself. This - whatever it is that you think you’re feeling for Johnny - will pass, and then you can go back to being what you’re supposed to be - just friends. 

Still, there’s this other, much more quiet and resigned voice in your head, quietly asking What if? 

What if? 

„I - I’m sorry“, you force yourself to say, trying to push all these terrifying thoughts aside for the moment. „I just - I don’t know, I …“ 

„Sounds like maybe it’s time for Breakfast At Tiffany’s now?“, Johnny interrupts you softly with a hesitant smile. „Or something else to take your mind off of things - like a little trip downtown?“ 

„I-“, you say, blinking in confusion. Then, Petula Clark’s voice registers in your ears and you can’t help but smile at Johnny. 

When you’re alone and life is making you lonely 

You can always go downtown 

When you’ve got worries, all the noise and the hurry

Seems to help, I know, downtown 

Johnny smiles back at you, his smile so warm and bright, and oh god, his eyes are so bright and blue and looking at you with so much care and concern-

You flinch in surprise when, suddenly, Johnny springs up from the couch, a crooked grin on his face. Before you can voice your question, though, he holds out his hands towards you, a gleam in his eyes that makes you think that you’d follow him everywhere. 

„Come on“, he says, laughter in his eyes, his voice soft. 

With your heart pounding inside your chest and your cheeks flushing bright red, you stand up, shaking your head at Johnny. 

„Just listen to the music of the traffic in the city“, Johnny croons along, his voice off-key and far too low for Petula Clark’s high and bright tone, making you laugh quietly, to which Johnny only responds by rolling his eyes. 

The laughter dies in your throat though, as Johnny draws you in closer towards him, one of his hands coming to rest on your waist, the other reaching for your right hand and intertwining your fingers. 

„Linger on the sidewalk where the neon sights are pretty, how can you lose?“, Johnny continues. 

His bright blue eyes find yours, and for a moment, you feel dizzy and weightless. You’re walking on sunshine, joy and laughter in your heart, and even though so far you’ve always dismissed Downtown as far too cheery a song, you suddenly realize that Petula Clark must have been onto something - for how could anything happen, how could you lose, when you’re with Johnny Storm? 

Heart pounding, you join in, your voice sounding breathless. „The lights are much brighter there, you can forget all your troubles, forget all your cares.“

„So go downtown-“

You break off abruptly, your shriek quickly turning into a giggle, as Johnny suddenly spins you around as the chorus kicks in. 

He spins you around once more, and you can’t help but laugh. Johnny joins in, his laughter a familiar, comforting sound, and you feel - light and full of hope. Hopeful for everything that’s yet to come, because life truly is full of endless possibilities. 

And as Johnny reels you back in towards him, there’s a side of you that suddenly feels daring as well. Because - what if? What if Johnny does indeed like you back?

But then, in your giddy excitement, you trip over your own feet, stumbling forward- 

Johnny catches you, because of course he does. 

Heart beating so fast and hard inside your chest that you’re convinced he must be able to feel it as well, you look up at him. His hands are on your waist, and your chest is pressed against his. You’re so close that you can feel his warm breath on your skin. So close that you could probably count his long, faint lashes- 

No finer place for sure, downtown 

Everything’s waiting for you 

Petula Clark continues to sing in the background, accompanied by a cheerful orchestration. 

But the only thing you can focus on is Johnny, and the way his lips are opened slightly, his eyes wide and so full of an emotion that feels awfully familiar to the longing you feel, like a sharp sting, inside your own chest. 

„Johnny“, you say, your voice breathless, at the same time as Johnny quietly says your name. 

And this time, you’re certain of what you see, his eyes briefly flickering towards your lips, before coming back up to meet yours. 

A beat passes. 

Emotions war within you- 

Then, you and Johnny meet each other in the middle, as you always do, with him leaning down towards you and you stretching up on your toes. 

Your lips meet. 

Johnny’s lips taste of pasta and wine and endless possibilities. They taste of sunshine mixed with storm, of laughter, and then - it hits you. 

You’re kissing Johnny Storm, your best friend. You’re kissing Johnny Storm. Johnny Storm is kissing you. 

You are kissing Johnny. 

But then, a soft whine escapes Johnny, vanishing all the doubts threatening to arise in your mind, and you allow yourself to fully lose yourself into the kiss, reaching your hands up and winding them around his neck. 

Johnny’s grip on your waist tightens, and even though you’re already pressed against each other, it feels as though he’s pulling you closer still. It’s comforting, reassuring. 

In the background, Petula Clark is still singing about how everything’s waiting for you. 

But by now, the song is nothing but white noise to you, because Johnny is still kissing you and he’s all you can focus on. His hands on your waist, one of them now slowly traveling up the side of your body. His chest pressed against yours. His soft, plush lips on yours. 

Johnny Storm is kissing you and you feel - 

You’ve never been kissed like this, you think, as you let your right hand travel further up his nape, tugging at the soft strands of hair. 

It’s never felt like this, so deliciously intoxicating, dangerous and reassuring at the same time. 

Reality comes crashing back down on you when Johnny gently breaks the kiss. His eyes find yours immediately, and he’s panting, just as breathless as you are. 

Gently, he cups your cheek with one hand. „I just, I - you, I - I know that you’re - I-“

Before he can say I’m sorry, you interrupt him quickly, your left hand coming to rest upon his hand on your cheek. „Johnny, it’s alright - more than that, actually. I wanted to.“ 

He lets out a sigh of relief, causing you to giggle. „Oh, thank god. Because I wanted - I want … I want you, if you’ll have me. Not just-“, he trails off, shaking his head, before saying your name. „I’m falling for you.“ 

And you must have been drinking more than just your one glass of wine, because hearing Johnny say those words has you feeling an entirely new, dizzying kind of intoxicated. 

You smile softly, looking up at Johnny. „Well, I’m right there with you.“ 

He smiles back at you, stealing another quick kiss from your lips. 

When he breaks the kiss again, his expression suddenly darkens. Then, he groans, screwing his eyes shut. „Oh, Ben’s going to kill me.“

You laugh at his dramatic antics. „Not if I have a say in it.“ 

Johnny chuckles dryly. „Well, that’s reassuring.“ 

You roll your eyes, before leaning up towards him again, kissing him softly. „We’ll handle it.“ 

Then, your lips meet again, and you close your eyes, losing yourself in the sensation of Johnny’s lips moving against yours. 

Everything’s waiting for you. 

Downtown by Petula Clark came out in 1964. Supposedly, it's on an album called Dowtown, which also contains the song Tell Me (That It's Love). I couldn't find that album on Spotify, though I thought that a song called Tell Me (That It's Love) might match the vibe of this fic.

Breakfast At Tiffany's came out in 1961. To be completely honest, I've neither watched the movie nor read the book, I just needed something period-accurate that could be considered reader's break-up movie, like Dirty Dancing is Jess' break-up movie in New Girl.

. . . Hanging out with Alex and the other Prema drivers was always a good time, but if there was one thing his teammates loved to tease him about, it was how clingy he got whenever you were around.

Not that you minded. Alex’s affection was one of the many reasons you loved him. It was just funny seeing him squirm when the guys decided to give him a hard time about it.

The first time it happened after a particularly tiring race weekend. Alex had just climbed out of the car, soaked in sweat and grinning from ear to ear after a podium finish.

You had barely stepped into the paddock when he spotted you, immediately heading in your direction. His arms wrapped around you tightly, and he buried his face in your shoulder.

"Alex, you’re sweaty!" you laughed, trying to push him away, but he refused to let go.

"Don’t care," he murmured. "I missed you."

From behind him, Dion’s voice rang out. "Mate, she was gone for what, two hours?"

"Not even," added Rashid, crossing his arms and grinning. "And you’re acting like you haven’t seen her in weeks."

"Leave him alone," you said, playfully defending Alex while running a hand through his damp hair. "He deserves some love after that race."

"Deserve it all the time," Alex mumbled against your shoulder, making you laugh.

Dion pretended to gag. "God, get a room. Or at least shower first, Alex. We can smell you from here."

Alex shot them a glare but didn’t loosen his hold on you. If anything, he tightened his arms around your waist, as if daring them to say something else.

Another moment came a few days later in the Prema lounge. The team had gathered to relax and watch some old race footage, with snacks scattered across the table.

You’d come by to hang out, not expecting Alex to immediately pull you onto the couch next to him. His arm draped over your shoulder, and he leaned in so close it was like he thought you might disappear if he gave you even an inch of space.

"Comfy?" you teased, tilting your head to look at him.

"Always comfy with you," he replied, pressing a quick kiss to your temple.

"Does she have to sit here?" Kean groaned, gesturing at how you and Alex were practically glued together. "It’s like you’re incapable of being apart for five minutes."

"Jealous, Kean?" Alex shot back, smirking.

"Not at all. I just don’t get how she puts up with you," Kean retorted, earning laughs from Dion, Rashid and Tomass.

"I think it’s sweet," Tomass chimed in, though there was a teasing glint in his eyes. "You know, in a borderline obsessive kind of way."

"Obsessive?" Alex frowned, looking genuinely offended.

"You’re literally holding her hand right now," Dion pointed out. "And we’re just sitting here watching TV. What’s next? You’re going to spoon feed her snacks?"

Alex’s ears turned red, but he didn’t let go of your hand. "You guys are just jealous because I have someone who actually likes me."

"That’s debatable," Rashid argued, earning a laugh from you.

Then there was the time the team decided to have a movie night at Tomass' place. You and Alex had shown up together, of course, and he immediately claimed the corner of the couch, pulling you down next to him.

His head rested on your shoulder, his legs stretched out across the cushions, effectively blocking anyone else from sitting too close.

"Alex, you’re hogging the couch," Kean complained as he tried to squeeze into the remaining space.

"Plenty of room on the floor," Alex replied without moving an inch.

"You’re so annoying," Dion muttered, grabbing a beanbag chair instead. "Does she even get to breathe, or are you going to steal all her oxygen too?"

"She’s fine," Alex said, reaching up to intertwine his fingers with yours. "Aren’t you, love?"

You nodded, suppressing a laugh. "Perfectly fine."

"See?" Alex smirked, looking smug.

Rashid rolled his eyes. "Man, I don’t know how you’re not sick of him yet. He’s like a koala. Clings to you for dear life."

"Hey, koalas are adorable," you defended, running your fingers through Alex’s hair. "And besides, I like it."

"Unbelievable," Tomass muttered, shaking his head. "You two are insufferable."

The teasing didn’t stop even during more serious moments. After a track walk one morning, Alex had casually grabbed your hand as you walked back to the garage. It wasn’t a big deal to you, but it apparently caught the attention of his teammates.

"Alex, do you think she’s going to get lost on the way back?" Tomass joked, pointing at your intertwined hands.

"No, I just like holding her hand," Alex replied, completely unfazed.

"You’re hopeless," Dion sighed, though he couldn’t hide his grin. "You know that, right?"

Alex shrugged. "I’d rather be hopeless than alone."

"That’s… weirdly sweet," Kean admitted, looking mildly impressed for once. "Still clingy as hell, though."

One morning, the team decided to grab breakfast together before heading to the track.

You were sitting next to Alex, and as usual, he was finding little excuses to touch you; whether it was holding your hand under the table, brushing a crumb off your cheek, or leaning in to quietly ask if you needed anything.

"Do you ever just… sit still?" Rashid asked, watching as Alex handed you the honey before you’d even asked for it.

"Not when she’s around," Alex replied, unashamed. "Have to make sure she’s taken care of."

"She’s not a toddler, Alex," Tomass said, rolling his eyes. "She can pour her own honey."

"Yeah, but I like doing it for her," Alex shot back, his tone completely sincere.

You couldn’t help but laugh. "Okay, now you’re just giving them more points."

"It’s worth it," Alex said, grinning as he kissed your cheek. "Let them talk."

By the end of the day, you’d heard enough teasing to last you a lifetime, but you could tell Alex didn’t care. If anything, he was even more clingy, unapologetically showing his affection no matter what anyone said.

As you walked out of the garage together, his arm draped over your shoulders, you leaned into him with a smile. "You know they’re never going to stop teasing you, right?"

"Let them," he said, pressing a kiss to your temple. "As long as I have you, I don’t care what they think."

"You’re such a sap," you teased, but your heart swelled at his words.

"Only for you," he replied, grinning. And in that moment, you knew you wouldn’t change a thing about him, clinginess and all.

It was just like perfection.

Well, nearly. It was as close as you could get to perfection.

taglist . . . @barcapix ,, @f1lover55 ,, @ilovebarcaaa ,, @httpsdana ,, @paucubarsisimp ,, @justaf1girl ,, @awritingtree ,, @freyathehuntress ,, @chilling-seavey (lmk if you want to join the taglist!)

it all started as a joke.

it really did - kean and you have known each other for what felt like forever, and he had somehow convinced you to fake date to prank his team and friends on april fools. the problem? they all believed you. like full-on “we-all-knew”, “when’s-the-wedding” type of believed. and neither of you had the heart to break the news to them so here you are, weeks later, still pretending.

——————

you joined kean for one of his races when you had a free weekend, walking into the paddock walking next to each other with your shoulders brushing.

it weirdly made your stomach flatter. but why? he’s your fake boyfriend, and more than that - he’s your best friend. you just ignored the feeling and kept on walking until the two of you reached his garage. inside, his team was already working on his car, but turned their attention to you when you walked in.

“oh, here they are! how’s our favourite couple doing?” one of the mechanics said with a smirk, patting kean on the shoulder as he greeted you with a nod.

kean rolled his eyes at that, but it didn’t stop there. the rest of the day was filled with teasing comments from his team and teammates, that guy tried to ignore so hard - but it was impossible with the warm feeling it caused in your heart and the smirks kean was giving you.

that night, you were back in your shared hotel room, where each one of you had your own bed (per the request of your parents).

despite that, you still both laid in his bed, watching a random movie on his laptop, a bowl of popcorn between the two of you.

you weren’t really paying attention. kean wasn’t either.

every time your hands brushed reaching for popcorn, it sent a bolt of something through your chest. it didn’t feel fake anymore. not when you were this close. not when his leg was pressed against yours and neither of you moved.

“so…” kean said, voice soft as he adjusted the pillow behind him. “we’ve been fake dating for what, like… eleven weeks now?”

“yeah, something like that,” you replied, smiling a little. “longest relationship you’ve ever had.”

“hey,” he laughed, nudging your knee. “rude.”

you laughed with him, but your heart was beating faster. because you knew you should say something. it didn’t feel fake anymore. not for a while.

kean reached for more popcorn but hesitated, looking at you instead. his expression changed. gentler. more careful.

“can I ask you something?” he said.

you nodded, eyes locked with his.

“do you… ever forget it’s fake?”

your breath caught. you opened your mouth to say something clever or funny or sarcastic, but nothing came out. you just nodded, slowly.

“yeah,” you said, voice barely above a whisper. “all the time.”

kean stared at you for a moment, like he was trying to memorize your face. his hand was still hovering between you, and then it moved, resting lightly on top of yours.

“it doesn’t feel fake when we’re like this,” he said, quieter now. “when you’re here. when people say we’re good together. it never felt like a prank to me, not really.”

you turned your hand over, lacing your fingers with his. his palm was warm.

“I think I’ve kind of liked you for a while,” you said, finally letting it out. “maybe even before this whole fake dating thing. I just didn’t know what to do with it.”

kean’s face lit up, eyes wide but glowing. he let out a soft, nervous laugh.

“you’re serious?”

“I wouldn’t say that if I wasn’t.”

he squeezed your hand. “then… maybe we should stop pretending.”

you raised an eyebrow. “stop pretending we’re dating?”

“no,” he grinned, leaning a little closer. “stop pretending it’s not real.”

you blinked. and then smiled, the kind of smile that tugged at your cheeks and made your chest feel like it might burst.

“okay,” you said. “deal.”

and with the movie still playing in the background, kean leaned in and kissed you, gentle and a little shaky, but completely real.

no more pretending.

not with him. not anymore. ————————————————————————————

© all rights reserved to folkwhoreberry. no stealing or copying will be tolerated.

"Mom... Do I have to?" You asked, staring at your figure in the mirror while your mother stared at you proudly. You were dressed in fancy clothes and couldn't help but feel a bit uncomfortable. You loved the arts, you really did, but spending 3 hours in a room listening to classical music was not something you wanted to do. Your mother, however, insisted that you'd join her. She wanted to spend time with you, but instead of taking you to do something you both liked she chose something she liked. It was typical, you were used to it.

Your mom huffed as she put on her lipstick, ignoring how you felt and just focusing on how she looked. You sighed, looking at your outfit again before deciding that it wasn't too bad. You looked good, now just surviving the concert.

The hall itself was beautiful, the walls were gold with red hints and paintings that hung on the walls. The chairs were comfortable enough to sit on for the two halves of the show. What you didn't expect was that you'd be sitting next to Huaze Lei. You knew him well, he was famous enough and the complete opposite of you. He was usually calm while you were on the chattier side to your friends and always smiling at school.

He gave you a smile and you gave him one in return, a bit awkward as you sat down.

When the concert started, you could only stare in confusion. You listened to classical music occasionally, but you didn't recognize the song at all. When the second started, you once again didn't know it.

"It's a Violin Sonata by Guillaume Lekeu." Huaze Lei leaned over to whisper to you and you looked at him in surprise before nodding. He gave you another smile before focusing back on the music, you did the same.

Everytime a new number started, Huaze Lei leaned over and whispered the name and writer in your ear before focusing back on the concert. During break, he was quick to find you again.

"Hello." You greeted him, grabbing the drink that he held out to you with a smile before he spoke up again.

"You don't seem to like this much?" He asked and you looked down awkwardly before shrugging.

"I like music... But this is a bit too much for me. This is more my mother's thing than mine and she dragged me along for family time. Instead of doing something we both want..." You rambled and he just nodded along, smiling at you.

"Well, I'll tell you the songs names later as well. That way you can follow a bit more." He replied and you smiled at him, nodding while thanking him before downing the glass in your hand as the bell sounded.

"Alright, just one and a half hours to go!" You gave on more smile before following your mother back in, Huaze Lei also following after finishing his own drink.

"Alright, just one and a half hours to go!" You gave on more smile before following your mother back in, Huaze Lei also following after finishing his own drink.

"Who's that?" "Just a friend." You answered your mother, ignoring her fussing of how handsome he was and that you should date him. You just sighed before focusing on the concert again while listening to Huaze Lei everytime he talked to you about the songs. Now, however, he gave a bit more information about the songs and you got shushed every once in awhile.

Luckily, the second part felt much quicker and you were stood outside earlier than you expected. Your mom was still inside, talking to someone and hence you were left outside to wait... With Huaze Lei beside you.

"So, what did you think of it then?" He asked and you could only smile awkwardly again.

"It was good, beautifully played. Still don't think I'd do 3 hours again, 1 hour at most." You mumbled and he chuckled before unfolding his jacket, neatly placing it over your shoulders. You were quick to thank him before hugging the jacket a bit closer, it was freezing and your blazer didn't hold the cold back as well as his jacket.

"Then what would you rather do?" He asked and you sighed softly before thinking about it for a few seconds.

"Well... I like to paint and draw. I also just like having fun, like going to arcade or something like that." You said excitingly, smiling and Huaze Lei nodded.

"Great, then an arcade it is." He said and you frowned as he pulled out his phone, handing it to you.