high school!caleb&zayne&reader
the sun hadn’t even fully risen when hurried footsteps thundered somewhere upstairs and echoed throughout their modest-sized house. caleb’s brows furrowed as he carefully shaped the last rice ball and softly placed it into the bento container. each one was shaped with gentle care and his fingers were tightly gripping the tweezers to add garnishes as faces on the rice. he was grabbing the plate of pickled radish shaped like a star when the sudden thud of a body bumping into him startled his concentration. his hand jerked slightly, nearly knocking over a side of tamagoyaki.
he didn’t even have to look to know it was you. the soft wrenching of the fridge door open and the rustling between jars and containers of food– this was a normal chaotic rhythm to your mornings that made it feel like home. when he glanced over, a soft smile tugs at the corner of his lips.
you looked like a mess.
your hair was wild and undone, strands sticking out in odd angles like you’d wrestled with your pillow and lost. there was a smudge of toothpaste at the corner of your mouth and your school blouse hung loosely, untucked from your skirt. you were muttering something under your breath and deep in your focus of your search.
“pips-” caleb started, using the affectionate nickname that could’ve been your permanent name, but you didn’t seem to hear him. you were focused and tossed aside a half-empty bottle of milk and stray milk bun in your hunt. he let out a soft sigh, gently placing the tweezers down on the counter before moving towards you. his hands rested on your shoulders, warm and comforting. he leaned down slightly to peer into the fridge with you and speaking in a softer voice. “pips, slow down.”
but you shook your head frantically. “no, no, no. i made that dubai chocolate for zaynie and it was suuuper hard to make, like pop-quiz in maths type of hard, so i need to make sure he gets it-!”
a short laugh slipped from caleb’s mouth, both tense and amused. “i already packed it. boxed it with ice packs so it wouldn’t melt on the way.”
you froze. slowly, you turned towards him and your eyes, tired and frantic a moment ago, now shimmered with gratitude. “Really?”
he gave a small nod, a smile growing and trying not to look too proud. “wrapped in that random floral box. figured it’d be safer than the ziploc bag you left it in.”
a pause… then you found your arms around him without a warning. your body crashed into his chest, knocking a soft puff from him as your arms tightened around him. “caleb, thank you, thank you, thank you-”
he rolled his eyes and scoffed but it was fond. his arms came around you, strong and familiar, like he was keeping you tightly to him. he squeezed you back tighter and let his chin rest on the top of your head.
“what would you do without me, hm?” he murmured, voice low against your hair.
he didn’t say the rest. that he is always there, always would be. because you were all he had and you too. not by blood, not by law… but something closer than both of those things. you were all he knows with your shared loneliness and late-night ramen that always ended with hushed laughter.
he held you a second longer than normal. and when you pulled, mumbling about finishing your hair and getting your shoes, caleb stayed put at his spot and stared at the floral box that held his doubts and insecurities.
the box of chocolate sat on that table, waiting to be opened and cherished.
so did he.
the early morning air was crisp, biting his cheeks and fingers softly as it breezed through the quiet street. pale sunlight illuminated the pale sidewalk where zayne stood waiting. his posture was straight yet relaxed with his hands shoved inside the pocket of his navy coat. every few moments, he would shift his weight from one foot to the other as if he was trying to keep warm or keep himself moving from an unknown thought.
his breath fogged faintly in front of him as he exhaled then the front door opened with a familiar creak, followed by the unmistakable slam that only came from your shared home when caleb didn’t know how strong he was with shutting the door.
zayne turned, his gaze sharp yet unreadable behind his thin glasses.
there you were– barely managing to wrestle your hair into something appropriate, cheeks flushed from rushing around the house, and skirt swaying with your hurried steps. caleb trailed behind you, teasing like he always was with his voice light and gentle. his fingers were lazily tugging at a few baby hairs that escaped your headband, trying to smooth them, only for you to swat at him in irritation.
“caleeeebbb,” you complain but there was no real heat in your tone. you only can swat at him with one hand as the other was cradling a bento box wrapped in a soft floral cloth with care.
zayne’ss eyes were fixed on you, or rather, the box you held as though it were a fragile vase. a small smile tugged at his lips unknowingly.
your eyes landed on him and as if by instinct, your pace quickened ever so slightly and a bright expression lit up your face like it always did when you saw him. he stood straight and didn’t move, didn’t speak, he simply watched.
“zayne!” you called, your voice warm and eager. “here’s your chocolate, as promised.”
your steps slowed as you reached him but your excitement didn’t. a faint blush dusted your cheeks like the pink of the bento’s cloth and you extended it with both hands, eyes catching his and waiting with hope.
he didn’t reach for it right away. instead, his hazel eyes dropped to the box then slowly, he raised a hand and took it with the same kind of softness you used to hold it. his fingers brushed yours for the briefest moment, like it was barely there, yet the contact made his breath stutter.
a gentle laugh left his lips, soft and low. “thank you.”
his hand rose and he reached out, ruffling your hair in a gesture that could’ve meant anything. friendly. grateful. affectionate. something more.
but it lingered. just by a little bit.
your eyes softened and for moment, the air around you went quiet. just shared smiles and laughs.
caleb, of course, had been watching and his stomach twisted like he ate something bad and he couldn’t decide if he wanted to use the bathroom or throw up on this pavement.
he’d seen it too many times before. you and him grew up with zayne did so the latter knew you beneath than just casual friends. so he knew that zayne’s silences often said more than words and your gaze seemed brighter when the older boy was near. it didn’t surprise him when something about this interaction unsettled him. maybe it was the way you smiled at zayne or the maybe the way zayne looked at the box.
he wasn’t sure. and that’s probably what itched him the most.
so he let out a loud and an exaggerated groan, like he was hoping to disrupt the moment. “alright, alright. you guys can have your little love-fest but i gotta make sure i’m not late again or they’re gonna actually bench me for the next game and coach is gonna murder me.”
he slung his backpack over one shoulder with more force than necessary, stepping between you both to create a physical disruption in that moment you shared without him. his voice was joking and light but his eyes were fixed forward, away from the way you still looked at zayne with that gentle smile.
zayne, unaware as to why yet used to his friend’s sudden mood, adjusted his glasses and beckoned you with a tilt of his head. “you heard him. i can only excuse you being late a few times and you’ve already used it up.”
your whines and caleb’s laughter with zayne’s chuckles filled the air all the way to school where the gap between the two boys seemed to grow while you remained none the wiser.
a/n: omg guys hello! this is my first thing here in a looong time hehehe and tbh i'm actually super nervous because this isn't the normal content or style i've put out but this is a new chapter of our blog, you know? i've got some work that still follows that same style but i'm branching out more and a lot has happened in my own personal life that i'm quite excited to have this change with the people who has remained to stay by my side all these years! as always, let me know what you guys think and i hope you guys are looking forward to some more work from me!
@ heyitsyn 2025 not proofread
