#malcom todd fluff

FALLING BEHIND 𓂃˖ ࣪⊹

pt2 - implied mention of insecurities, around 2k words Sorry reader has a little self doubt :( but don’t we all?

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The sound of Malcolm’s guitar echoed softly through his dorm room.

You guys were sitting on his couch papers sorted all over the floor and half eaten food and drinks on the table next to you.

His head was tilted down, messy blondish brown hair falling into his eyes while his fingers moved effortlessly across the strings.

"You know," you said, breaking the silence interrupting his playing

He stopped mid-chord and looked up.

"I was almost done with that."

"Sorry. Dude”

"You don't sound sorry."

"I'm not."

He rolled his eyes, setting the guitar beside him.

"What's up?"

"So..."

He narrowed his eyes.

"That 'so' never leads anywhere good."

"You know Casper? Casper smith?

He blinked before nodding slowly.

"...Yeah?"

"yup the one with like the Hella light blonde hair.“

"Oh." Malcolm nodded slowly. "Yeah. He's one of my closest friends."

"I went to middle school with him, highschool as well.

"…I didn’t know that?”

"He probably doesn't remember me."

"He probably does."

You laughed softly before gently responding

"No. Back then I was... weird."

"You weren't weird."

"I absolutely was."

"You've shown me your freshman

year Instagram."

I buried my face in my hands.

He laughed.

“Yeah but so what everyone was weird in highschool especially middle school.”

"I mean..." you sighed. "Do you think if we talked now... he'd think I was cool? You know since we’re fake dating and shit. It would show him I’m not the same werid Virgy pure girl from highschool and middle school.”

Malcolm looked at me for a second longer than usual.

Something in his expression shifted. Maybe even the look of sadness?

"...Yeah," he answered.

"You think so?"

"I mean... you've changed."

"In a good way?"

"In a good way."

A grin spread across my face.

"Good."

He reached for his guitar again. before getting intupruted for the second time.

"So... could you help me get with him?"

His face froze

"...What?"

"You know. Like Put me on.”

He stared at you with a strange expression on his face that you weren’t quite able to read.

“Hey! You know you’re supposed to be MY fake girlfriend. This all started because of your ex boyfriend not because of that blondie.”

"Isn’t that blondie your close personal friend! Thooo, and I’m also your close personal friend Malcom.”

You whined and gave Malcom puppy eyes knowing you’ll get your way.

He scratched the back of his neck before rolling his eyes.

"I mean..."

His jaw tightened just enough for uou to notice.

"I guess."

"You guess?"

"I mean, sure."

"You'd actually do that?"

"If that's what you want."

You smiled so wide your cheeks began to hurt.

"Oh my gosh, thank you!"

He looked away.

"He, uh..."

Malcolm rubbed the back of his neck again.

"He's actually throwing a party tomorrow tonight."

Your head snapped up.

"Seriously?"

"Yeah."

"You'll take me?"

"I was already planning on going."

"Please?"

He laughed.

"I wasn't gonna leave you here."

Before you even could stop yourself, you threw your arms around him.

He stiffened immediately.

"Oh."

He awkwardly patted you back once.

"...Hi."

You gently pulled away.

"Sorry."

"No."

His ears and cheeks had turned bright pink.

"It's fine."

He cleared his throat and looked anywhere except you.

"Best wingman ever."

His smile didn't quite reach his eyes but he responded with a dry yeah.

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Music rattled the walls of Caspers house.

The living room was packed shoulder

to shoulder with college students yelling over each other.

“Ok all you gotta do is talk to him.”

“I’m so scared Malcom.. I dunno anymore if I can go up to him.”

Malcolm sighed before someone shouted his name from across the room.

“Oh shit.” You muttered loud enough for Malcom to hear when you saw casper coming up and approaching u both.

"Dude!"

Casper walked over carrying two drinks.

"Malcolm!"

They hugged before he noticed you.

"And who's this?"

Malcolm glanced at you silently waiting for you to introduce yourself.

"Oh!"

Recognition quickly flashed across Casper’s face.

"You went to Riverdrine, right?

"You remember? Feels like forever since than.

"Barely."

He laughed.

"But yeah."

Your shoulders relaxed.

Maybe Malcolm had been right.

you’d guys been talking for nearly twenty minutes.

About high school, About terrible teachers even middle school!

It was... surprisingly easy, Maybe this wasn't such a terrible idea after all.

Then she appeared.

A tall perfect girl with beautiful long hair with. Way too much glitter.

Clearly very, very drunk.

"Casperrrrr, honeyyy!”

She practically launched herself onto him.

"There you are!"

She wrapped both arms around his neck.

He awkwardly laughed.

"Hey, Chloe."

"I've been looking everywhere for you."

"Oh."

Her eyes traveled up and down.

"...Who's this?"

"A friend."

She giggled.

"Cute."

Then immediately wrapped herself around Ethan again before a pink tint on her checks appeared and a sense of realization in her face showed.

"I missed you…waitttt are you two dating??? If so I’m so sorry I didn’t realize that was your Man oops..”

She drunkenly said. A little too loud for your liking paranoid of someone overhearing and thinking the same.

"I should—"

Chloe suddenly went pale.

"Oh..."

Casper frowned.

"...Chloe?"

She slapped a hand over her mouth.

"Oh no."

Before anyone could react

Chloe threw up.

Everywhere.

Right onto the floorboards

And unfortunately...

On you as well.

The room went silent.

Then someone laughed.

"Oh my gosh!"

"Dude!"

"No way!"

People started pulling out their phones.

Malcom saw it from the across the room and instantly came up to you, Casper and Chloe before Casper looked at Malcom and sighed with a mix of a look of amusement and concern on his face.

“Yo uh mac.. I think you might have some clothes in my room from the one night you and the guys came over you should go look for them and you know..take care of that.”

Malcom nodded and led you to Casper’s room.

"I'm gonna cry," I literally just got puked on."

“I meannn atleast you guys were talking.”

"I smell disgusting."

"You do."

"Malcolm!"

"I'm kidding."

He tried not to laugh.

"I swear."

You glared at him.

"I hate you."

After digging around for a minute, he pulled out a faded oversized T-shirt.

"Found one."

He turned around.

"This should fit."

You looked at the size of the shirt being sure you would drown in it then back at him.

"You sure?"

"Yeah."

"It's one of my favorites."

I blinked.

"...Then why are you giving it to me?"

He shrugged like it wasn't a big deal.

"'Cause you're standing here covered in puke."

I laughed despite everything.

"Fair point."

He handed it over.

Our fingers brushed for just a second.

Neither of us said anything.

He looked away first.

"I'll...just lay down on the bed and covering my uh eyes..."

"Thanks."

He flopped down on the bed with a soft thud and a giggle came out of your mouth

Putting on his shirt, you couldn’t help smiling.

After a second you looked back at the bed before sighing softly and tapping his back to get his attention.

“okay Malcom, you can get up now”

“Phew, let’s just leave.”

“This night was so embarrassing, you know I dunno why I’d even think he’d be interested in me, I haven’t changed matter of fact I’m not even half as pretty as the other girls he even talks too I just looked fucking stupid.

he frowned before putting a hand on your shoulder.

“You know, you’re a pretty cool girl don’t talk down on yourself like that. We just met eachother a couple of weeks ago and i already like you a lot.”

“thanks Malcom. It means a lot”

“Mhm now cmon let me drive you back home.

tags 🏷️ <3

@ladystardustfromars

@embers-left-still-burning

@iamobssedwpink

how it genuinely felt writing ts chapter..🙂‍↕️

FALLING BEHIND. ࣪⊹

College au 2k words!! | Fake dating trope 𝜗ৎ inspired by “all the boys I’ve loved before” (malcom todd x reader) could potentially turn into a series if ppl enjoy - ⋆˚꩜ 𝄞⨾𓍢ִ໋

You honestly don’t know why you came out anyways.

A few months ago you ended things with your shitty boyfriend who never made time for you, after a year of him, going out partying and getting drunk and high doing whatever god knows what with other girls you’ve had enough with his nonsense and finally broke up with him.

You’ve felt quite free since. But still felt your heart splitting into two everytime your roommate deplete brough it up or talked about her new boyfriend.

It’s all just made you feel as if you were falling behind.

Tonight she convinced you to go out to a party with her, which you somehow agreed to and now are in a corner of the party rethinking your decision.

The party was loud enough to make your head hurt And your ears throbe.

Music shook through the floorboards, people packed shoulder-to-shoulder through the house, colored lights flashing across sweaty faces while someone screamed the lyrics to a song from the living room.

You were halfway through deciding to leave when your ex walked up to you.

“Well,” Will your ex boyfriend said, looking over at you. “didn’t expect to see you here.”

You already felt irritated by his presence and awfully strong cologne that reeked of old spice with a hint of alcohol.

“Congratulations?”

He laughed once, like he thought you were joking, then stepped closer. “You still mad at me?”

Before you could answer, his eyes drifted past your shoulder.

“Wait,” he said slowly. Humor appearing in his voice. A smirk forming on his face “Did you come here alone?”

You turned automatically.

And immediately regretted it.

Because sitting on the kitchen counter a few feet away was, the guy in your minor music theory class holding a red cup in hand while he talked lazily with some guy beside him.

Your ex followed your stare.

Something defensive sparked in your chest before you could think.

“No,” you said quickly. “I’m here with my boyfriend.”

Silence.

Your own words hit you like a double decker bus.

Will blinked a couple of times before responding . “Boyfriend?”

Too late now, mines well commit.

You swallowed hard. “Yeah. Malcolm.”

Across the kitchen, Malcolm looked up at the sound of his name.

Straight at you.

Your ex turned fully now. “Malcolm Todd?”

You dragged Malcom’s arm roughly, slamming your elbow into his stomach lightly so he’d get the sign to go along with it.

Malcolm looked between the two of you, confusion flickering across his face for maybe half a second before something clicked.

Then — somehow — he played along.

He slid off the counter and walked over calmly, stopping beside you close enough that your shoulders brushed.

“Everything okay?” he asked casually.

Your ex stared. “You guys are dating?”

Malcolm glanced at you briefly awkwardness filling his soul.

Like he was checking the answer.

Then he nodded once. “Yeah.”

Your stomach flipped and your cheeks turned red.

“How long?” your ex asked.

“Around 2 months,” Malcolm answered smoothly.

You nearly choked on your own spit.

will looked weirdly bothered now, eyes narrowing slightly at the both of you.

“Well,” he muttered awkwardly, “that’s… surprising.”

Malcolm smiled politely putting his arm around your waist. Why?”

You could feel your heart pounding out of your chest.

You had to physically stop yourself from laughing.

After another painfully awkward minute, will finally disappeared back into the crowd.

The second he was gone, you whipped around.

“Oh my God.”

Malcolm laughed immediately. “That bad?”

When you didn’t respond he blinked a few times before responding again.

“You looked like you needed commitment.”

“You touched my waist!”

“You looked like you needed support too.”

You stared at him.

Unfortunately, he looked way too proud of himself.

By Monday morning, the entire campus somehow knew.

You realized that the second you walked into class Delphine immediately gasped dramatically.

“Oh my God,” she whispered. “You and Malcolm?”

Your stomach dropped.

“What?”

She shoved her phone toward you.

A blurry picture from the party filled the screen — Malcolm leaning down toward you while his hand rested against your waist.

“Oh my God,” you muttered.

“Wait, it’s REAL? I was assuming it was some ai piece of shit prank”

Delph remarked.

After your classes, you rushed to your dorm immediately to call Malcom and ask to meet up in your dorm since delph was at her new boyfriend’s place.

“I need to transfer.” You said with agony in your voice when you heard malcom arrive.

Malcolm laughed quietly beside you.

“You think this is funny?”

“A little.”

You turned toward him fully. “People actually think we’re dating now.”

“Yeah.”

“Yeah? Malcolm, this was supposed to last one night.”

He shrugged. “Your ex talks a lot.”

You groaned.

For a second, Malcolm just watched you, amusement softening slightly around the edges.

Then he leaned closer.

“So,” he said quietly, “what’s the plan honey?

Your face immediately burned up from embarrassment.

“Don’t call me that we Hardly even know each other.”

“You started this.”

“I know,” you muttered.

Unfortunately, he looked way too happy about it.

⸻

A few nights later, Malcolm was sprawled across the floor of your dorm while you sat on your bed pretending to study.

Pretending being the key word.

Because every thirty seconds you looked up and found him already staring at you.

“This is getting out of hand,” you finally said.

Malcolm looked up from his phone. “What is?”

“The fake dating thing.”

He hummed. “You mean our beautiful friendship”

You threw a pillow at him.

“I’m serious. This isn’t funny malcom”

He caught it easily, grinning. “Okay, okay. Continue.”

You sighed dramatically. “People fully believe we’re together now.”

“That’s usually how fake dating works.”

“We need rules or something..!” You bursted out.

Malcolm sat up slightly. “Rules?”

“Yes.”

“Like what?”

You grabbed your phone going into the notes app. “Rule one: no unnecessary flirting.”

“That already feels targeted.”

“It is targeted.”

“You called me pretty yesterday.”

“Hey! I was being nice.”

“You touched my hair.”

“It looked soft!”

“It IS soft.”

You rolled your eyes, trying not to laugh.

“Rule two,” you continued, “no kissing no physical touch.

Malcolm’s expression changed slightly at that.

“Interesting rule.”

“It’s a normal rule.”

“Mhm.”

You narrowed your eyes. “What’s that supposed to mean?”

“How are people supposed to think we’re dating if we don’t even kiss?

“Tons of couples don’t kiss and do that nasty pda shit”

Malcom was about to speak but you decided it was better just to cut him off and keep going.

“Anyways, Rule three,” you continued quickly, “we stop this if things get weird.”

For once, Malcolm didn’t joke immediately.

Instead he looked at you for a second too long.

“Weird how?”

Your stomach tightened.

You suddenly became very aware of how close he was sitting.

“How do you think?” you said quietly.

The room went still for a second.

Then Malcolm smiled softly, almost like he was trying to save both of you from whatever that moment almost became.

“Okay,” he said lightly. “Deal.”

But somehow neither of you sounded very convincing anymore.

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